Central Office

Livestock raises top dollar The Boyle County 4-H/FFA Investment in Youth livestock sale Thursday at the fairgrounds brought total sales of $30,035 for the 20 animals sold. Receiving top money for their projects were: Top selling steer: Amanda Goggin, 1,325 pounds at $2.35 per pound. Top selling goat: Jessica Johnson, 93 pounds at $17 per pound. Top selling hog: Ethan Ellis, 308 pounds at $6.50 per pound. Top selling lamb: Campbell Coyle, 142 pounds at $12.50 per pound.

As the Jessamine County School District tries to adjust in preparation for anticipated budget cuts in state funding for next fall, it is having to make staff cuts across the board. District-wide, 117 positions, or 10 percent of the district's 1,200 employees, received pink slips in the last couple of weeks. As large as the number is, it is not unprecedented. Last year 115 people received pink slips, and two years ago, the number was 119, but as in those years past, many of those will be rehired before school starts.

The Jessamine County school board office building will now officially be known as the Herbert H. "Pete" Royse Jr. Building, after a vote by the board in a special-called meeting Wednesday, May 6. The board made the move at the emotional meeting, before a crowd of Royse's former and current colleagues, friends, family and community leaders, honoring Royse for his many years of dedicated service to the system. Royse, who is battling a serious illness, has worked in various leadership positions for the school district for 43 years, most recently as facilities consultant, where he oversaw the construction of 13 new buildings, including the one being named for him. In order to name the facility for Royse, the board first had to amend the language in its facility policy No. 05.1 to allow such a move.

Housing Authority to meet Monday The Housing Authority will meet Monday, Feb. 9, at 5:30 p.m. at Sequoia Village Office. School board The Clark County Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. today at the central office building on West Lexington Avenue. Corrections - According to Rich Barker, general manager of Quality Manufacturing Inc., employees were not evacuated on Monday due to the explosive nature of the toner, as the Sun reported Tuesday.

Mercer County Schools staff and parents received a disturbing call Wednesday from the school system's automated One Call notification system regarding an equally upsetting message left for a Central Office employee. The One Call message said that a central office employee received an answering machine message Tuesday of a song being played. It said the lyrics could "be interpreted many different ways," that no direct threats were made to staff or students and that the district is taking "extra precautionary measures to ensure the safety of all students.

First-grade students from Strode Station Elementary School haunted the halls and offices of the Clark County Board of Education building on Friday looking for candy during a trick-or-treat outing. Collecting their candy bounty from Lori Clark were Trevor Morris, right, dressed as a skeleton, and Logan Gaines, who was dressed as a pirate.

HARRODSBURG - At the May 29 special meeting of the Mercer County Board of Education where the long-tabled tentative budget was approved, Larry G. Stinson, associate commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education, announced the fiscally-strained school system approached the KDE about conducting an independent review. At Tuesday night's regular August board meeting, Stinson presented his department's findings. Though not without a series of recommendations, Stinson offered the system appeared to be in "good financial shape.

On Monday there was cake. On Tuesday, ham and biscuits. And for the last two weeks, the Clark County Public Schools Central Office has seen a steady stream of phone calls and visitors, at least three lunches out, flowers, homegrown vegetables, freshly-baked bread and peanut butter fudge. This isn't your average retirement celebration - and for good reason. Secretary Virginia Castle retired from Clark County Public Schools this week after a whopping 45 years of service in the same job, a job that she started right out of high school.

STANFORD - With a new superintendent, high school principal and the full-time fulfillment of a secondary supervisor, the Lincoln County School System appears to be in a definite transitional period. Pam Hart, who has served as principal at Lincoln County Middle School, will move to the central office in a new capacity as secondary supervisor for the district. This marks the second announcement in as many days regarding change within the district. It was announced Tuesday that Tim Godbey is the new principal at Lincoln County High School.

Despite posting the position statewide, Boyle County schools did not have to look very far to fill a key central office spot. On Wednesday, the system named Boyle County Middle School Principal Mike Lafavers as the new assistant superintendent under school chief Steve Burkich. Lafavers takes over for the departing Tish Putty, who left the district in June to become superintendent of Scott County schools. Lafavers will begin at central office on Monday. According to Burkich, the open position was posted with the Kentucky Department of Education and listed on a Kentucky search service available across the state.