School Day

All kids are not alike, and statistics show that some students just don’t perform as well as others in a traditional school setting. Unfortunately, all too often, some traditional school administrators and teachers give up on some of those students, and they fall by the wayside. Dropout rates are at an all-time high across Kentucky, and school districts are scrambling to find ways of engaging the at-risk students and keeping them in school and graduating. One way Clark County Public Schools is addressing the needs of its at-risk students is the Clark -Bourbon Day Treatment Program.

Public schools in Jessamine County are closed Thursday for the 10th time in the 2010-2011 school year after several inches of snow fell in central Kentucky Wednesday afternoon and evening. The closure adds to the instructional time the district will have to make up this year by extending the school day, opening during spring break or keeping schools open at least into the second week of June. Superintendent Lu Young said the administration would recommend extending the school day to the Jessamine County Board of Education at its Feb. 28 meeting.

After early snow in December and persistent wintry weather in January shut the doors of schools for many more days than anticipated, the Kentucky Department of Education has granted districts some flexibility in how to make up instructional time for the remainder of this year. Jessamine County may take advantage of the option to extend school days to make up time lost to snow days. Jessamine County Schools had eight make-up days in its original schedule, with the last day of school falling as late as June 3. The combination of eight and a half snow days and the Jessamine County Board of Education’s request to remove Memorial Day from the school schedule will likely leave the district with at least a day and a half to make up in addition to the scheduled make-up days.

The Jessamine County school district is looking to send a strong message of good health as it goes completely smoke-free Jan. 1, 2011, while local governments wait for a joint meeting to discuss the possibility of a countywide smoking ban in workplaces. Smoking had previously been prohibited in all buildings at all times and on all property owned by the school district during the school day, leaving open the possibility of adults smoking cigarettes at outdoor events during the evening.

Dear Editor, The 88th annual American Education Week is under way. The National Education Association's American Education Week spotlights the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great. Boyle County strives to provide students with quality public schools so our students can grow, prosper and achieve in the 21st Century.

STANFORD ? With a small but growing number of students showing some flu-like symptoms, the Lincoln County School District is taking a proactive stance on flu prevention. There have been no confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza in the schools, but it has been confirmed in adjacent districts. School Health Coordinator Eva Stone said that the nurses and schools are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to the letter to reduce the chance that the flu sweeps through a school like it did in Junction City.

Kentucky School for the Deaf students will be in class for an additional hour each day during the upcoming school year. Principal Rodney Buis said the school day will be from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. in order to work on language attainment. "We are going to be doing an English language unit that will be required of all students," he said. â?¨ KSD SCHOOL CALENDAR Aug. 4: Flexible professional development day Aug. 5: Flexible professional development day Aug. 6: Professional development day Aug. 7: Professional development day Aug. 9: Opening day Aug. 10: Student's first day Sept.

HARRODSBURG - A new traffic policy for Moberly Road should help make pick up and drop off of students easier in Mercer County. The school system is going to address the traffic flow problem on Moberly Road by creating its "Right Is Right" policy, superintendent Chuck Hamilton said. â?¨ MERCER SCHOOL CALENDAR Aug. 3: First day of school for students Sept. 7: Labor Day Oct. 5-16: Fall break Nov. 2: District wide professional development (mandatory)

The Clark Middle School Site-based Decision-making Council approved a new dress code for the 2009-2010 school year. Shirts may be any style and fabric, solid or pattern, that completely cover the shoulders, midsection and chest area. No inappropriate language, symbols or pictures are allowed. Content on shirts may be left to teacher discretion. Sweaters, sweatshirts, vests and hoodies follow the same regulations as shirts. They may not extend below the back pocket of pants.