With the start of the 2nd trimester, we are partnering with parents to emphasize the importance of their student’s school attendance. An Attendance Postcard will be sent home with each student on Friday.The postcard will help parents keep track of absences and the use of parent notes. 



We are working to reduce chronic absenteeism. Good attendance means students stay engaged in learning, pass important courses, and stay on track for graduation!

Three HCS students received a big surprise on Tuesday morning when they were presented with Perfect Attendance Rewards! One student name from each level (elementary, middle, and high) was drawn from all students with perfect attendance to receive the award sponsored by Noon Kiwanis Club of Madisonville.

The reward winners for first trimester are Colin Shoulders of Grapevine Elementary School, Tyler Dudley of Browning Springs Middle School, and Gabrielle Hampton of Madisonville North Hopkins High School. Each received a $100 check from the Kiwanis Club, with cornhole sets presented by community donors given to the middle and high school winners, and an air hockey set for the elementary winner.



Perfect Attendance Reward winners will also be drawn for the second and third trimesters. 

We love bringing students and families together for the special Thanksgiving meals in our schools!! Our cafeteria staff does an amazing job with this every year and we applaud their efforts! This is a huge undertaking, likely the largest Thanksgiving meal in Hopkins County. Last week, we fed 3,862 students and 1,148 guests during our Thanksgiving lunches.

Check out the numbers! During the Thanksgiving meals, HCS cafeterias served the following:

• 663 pounds of turkey;
• 477 pounds of ham;
• 784 pounds of dressing;
• 1,207 pounds of mashed potatoes;
•  960 pounds of green beans;
• 65 gallons of gravy;
• 4,051 rolls; and
• 4,054 slices of pie.

Staff members are asked to check their address on their paycheck stub. If an employee needs to change their address they can email HR.

Classified and Certified staff should email Destiny Stirsman at destiny.stirsman@hopkins.kyschools.us. She will send them a request for address change through Records.

December direct deposit dates for payroll are Dec. 15 and Dec. 18.

Responsible & Accountable

For December, the focus for the Hopkins County Future Ready initiative is being Responsible and Accountable. This includes being trustworthy, committed, financially literate, empathetic, and a good listener. It also involves taking pride in your work, having a responsible digital footprint, and taking ownership of your actions.

Throughout the month, we’ll share on social media several of the ways we are encouraging the development of this characteristic in our students. We invite businesses and community members to partner with us to develop Responsible and Accountable graduates.

Hopkins County Future Ready Graduates is one of the major initiatives that is part of the district’s new Strategic Plan. This is our version of Portrait of a Graduate. This initiative will significantly transform our schools and ensure that our students gain the characteristics needed to be successful after graduation. 

Students have been involved in multiple projects and special learning activities throughout November that immersed them in the Hopkins County Future Ready characteristic of the month! The focus was on being a Contributing Citizen by demonstrating civic duty, having global and cultural awareness, and being a positive role model. Here are a few examples:

• Pride Elementary School Courtyard of Curiosity sponsored a donation drive for the Hopkins County Humane Society that resulted in 631 items donated and $570 in staff donations. A few of the Courtyard ambassadors also got to work with the animals to make “paw” salt dough ornaments!
• Browning Springs Middle School’s Bears Leadership Academy spent the day at the Salvation Army serving Thanksgiving lunch to community members!
• Fifth-graders at Jesse Stuart Elementary held officer election campaigns. At the end, Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton visited to congratulate the officers and talk to them about leadership.

Kentucky State Rep. Wade Williams made a special stop at Hopkins County Central High School as part of the Principal for a Day Program.

During the visit, Rep. Williams experienced what it is like to lead a school. He met with the AP Government class, toured the building with the School Resource Officer and learned about building security, met with the Youth Services Center coordinator, helped supervise lunches, visited the ag shop to see the multiple hands-on projects kids are working on, and observed in several classrooms.



The Principal for a Day program was enacted during the 2021 Legislative session as part of House Concurrent Resolution 25. It is designed to give legislators a first-hand look at what is going on in Kentucky schools and to build stronger partnerships between legislators and public education. We were so happy to welcome Rep. Williams to Hopkins County Central!!

Several of our schools received Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support awards on Monday during the Hopkins County Board of Education meeting! The Kentucky Department of Education honored these schools for fidelity implementing PBIS during 2022-2023.



Bronze Status schools are Hanson Elementary, West Broadway Elementary, West Hopkins School, and Hopkins County Central High School. Silver Status schools are Grapevine Elementary, Jesse Stuart Elementary, Pride Elementary, Southside Elementary, Browning Springs Middle, James Madison Middle, South Hopkins Middle, and Madisonville North Hopkins High School.

A group of Hopkins County Schools’ employees from various schools and offices were honored with the Remember Your Why Award at a recent Board of Education meeting.

They dropped everything to work together to help six families who did not have running water in their neighborhood. The families had a difficult time understanding the extent of the situation, so staff worked together to overcome language barriers and make sure they understood. They provided the families with cases and jugs of water, toiletries, and food. They also helped them find a place to take showers and launder clothing. This team truly exhibited servant leadership by taking care of the needs of these families.

Recipients are Family Resource Youth Services Center coordinators Tonja Simms of Grapevine Elementary, Dana Byrum of Hopkins County Central, and Zach Evans of Browning Springs Middle; Grapevine Elementary teacher Christina Estrada, and EL Program consultants Megan Tuz-Tamayo and Shannon Owen.

Each was asked to explain their “why.” Their answers follow:

Byrum – “HCCHS and FRYSC are a part of who I am. I love helping families and students.”

Estrada – “I love to help my community. We together can build strong family support and commitment to our students.”

Evans – “To inspire and empower the next generation to achieve their full potential.”

Owen – “I love working with kids. To be able to share in their individual accomplishments is what it is all about. They are the most important and best part of the job.”

Simms – “Education is such an important part of our children’s lives. I love the children of Hopkins County and want them to feel safe, loved, and successful. I’m happy to do anything I can through the Grapevine Family Resource Center to make that happen.”

Tuz-Tamayo – “I love working with kids, especially our EL students. I really enjoy helping our students and their families navigate their new environment. Being able to speak to them in their native language always makes them feel more comfortable.”

Hopkins County Board of Education has approved the sale of the former Earlington Elementary Building to the City of Earlington. The sale is contingent on approval of the Kentucky Department of Education.

The CTC Coffee Shop went on the road Nov. 17, with senior business students opening a “pop-up” at the Hopkins County Schools’ Central Office. The coffee shop is based at Hopkins County Career & Technology Center, where the in-school business serves students and staff. This morning, they held their 3rd pop-up shop. Prior efforts were at James Madison Middle School and Jesse Stuart Elementary.

“They went pretty well,” said senior Sylas Duncan. “They make more profit for the coffee shop and it helps us branch out and expand.” Customers lined up at Central Office this morning to place their orders.

Teacher Sonya Shockley started the project a few years ago through the CTC business classes.  This year, they are raising funds to participate in the Skills USA competition. Last year, eight CTC students competed and four advanced to Nationals. They hope to get more students involved this year, said CTC guidance counselor Lauren Wood.

This is Duncan’s 2nd year working with the coffee shop.



“It’s really fun,” he said. “It’s good experience. I put it on my job application, and it helps.”

Plus, the coffee is delicious!!

Members of the Be-YOU-tiful Leaders group, made up of girls from both of our high schools, came together today with an eye on developing future projects. For part of the Fall Meeting, they broke into small groups to discuss bringing the Be-YOU-tiful Leaders program to our middle schools, as well as other possible community service projects and fundraisers.



Guest speaker Karen Solise, superintendent of Anchorage Independent Schools, gave a talk on leadership. Hopkins County Schools Superintendent Amy Smith also addressed the group.

Browning Springs Middle School students got a realistic look at the process of voting during the school’s mock election.

Chorus director Josh Johnson, who has worked as an election official for about 15 years, came up with the idea for the project.

“It’s something that’s a really neat process that I was always interested in,” Johnson said. “I wanted to bring it to the schoolchildren. They’re the ones who need to see how important this is. I see a lot of people who don’t vote and they will come in (to the polls) and not understand the process.”

The school approached Hopkins County Clerk Keenan Cloern, who jumped at the prospect. Their office had custom ballots printed for the students, and brought in the voting booths and other needed equipment. Cloern even held an election school at BSMS for the student poll workers.

Students voted on three questions relevant to their time at school.



“We wanted to make it issues that the kids would identify with,” Johnson said. “All week, the kids have been talking about it.” This falls right in line with the November focus for the Hopkins County Future Ready Graduates initiative of being a Contributing Citizen!

In honor of Veterans Day, Hopkins County Schools says “Thank you!” to all veterans for their service to our country! Many of our schools have celebrated veterans during recent programs and assemblies. This item shares photos from two of these events:

• Grapevine Elementary School welcomed veterans for a special breakfast with their families and then held a special assembly in the gym.
• James Madison Middle School held an assembly featuring music from the school band and chorus. Guest speaker Richard Kolodey, a 98-year-old Marine veteran, shared stories with the students from his service in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

The Middle School Fall Sports Athletes of the Year were honored at the Board of Education meeting on Monday. Those recognized include the following:

• Athletes of the Year - Landon Posey and Sadie Kirk
• Citizenship Athletes of the Year - JB Tapp and Katie Blanchard
• Heart of the Team Athletes of the Year - Zaylen Torain and Rhyan Beverly
• Sportsmanship Athletes of the Year - Kole Knott and Clara Buchanan

The High School Fall Sports Athletes of the Year were honored at the Board of Education meeting on Monday. Those recognized include the following:

Athletes of the Year – Jak Mitchell and Madison Hill

Citizenship Athletes of the Year – Gavin Sheets and Abigail Cavanaugh

Heart of the Team Athletes of the Year - Ethan Love and Karra Tucker

Sportsmanship Athletes of the Year -Jackson Elkins and Taylor Posvic

Both of our high school cheer teams won Regional Championships! Madisonville North Hopkins won the All-Girls Small division, and Hopkins County Central took the title in the All-Girls Large division. Both teams will now advance to the KHSAA State Championship in December.

Both High Schools Advance to State

Hopkins County Central High Voltage Dance Team won the KHSAA Regional Hip Hop Championship this weekend! They will advance to the KHSAA State Championship in December. Madisonville North Hopkins Maroon Magic, which placed 4th in Pom, will also advance to the State Championship. 

Dec. 11 - Board of Education Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Central Office

Dec. 18 - Jan. 1 - Winter Break / No School