School Day

If there were a simple way that you could help your children do better in school, decrease the likelihood that they would participate in high risk behaviors, and increase the likelihood of going to college, would you do it? Research shows that K-12 students who attend school regularly are more successful than those who do not. Good attendance has been linked to higher achievement, lower rates of delinquent behavior, and increased participation in higher education. Efforts to improve our schools, no matter how extensive, cannot and will not succeed unless students are actually in school to benefit from them.

More than 30 teachers, adminstrators, students and staff from George Rogers Clark High School met with architects Friday afternoon to discuss their vision for a new high school, a vision that includes more space, less traffic congestion, better athletic facilities and expanded options for instruction outdoors. The meeting was the first of at least six gatherings for the group, which will help architects determine the needs and wants of the school and the community. The committee was put together by Clark County Superintendent Ed Musgrove at the suggestion of Ross Tarrant Architects, the firm selected to design the school.

JUNCTION CITY - What was thought to be an illegal substance found Thursday at Junction City Elementary School turned out to be a false alarm after law enforcement swept the school. Principal Barbara Morris said the substance was brought to her attention at the beginning of the school day by a teacher who was shown the substance by a student in her class. Superintendent Steve Burkich said the substance resembled methamphetamine or crack, but that ended up not being the case.

It's back-to-school for the kids, arguably the most wonderful time of the year for work-inside-the-home mothers everywhere. Now they get a vacation. No more sibling screaming matches 24-7. Son: "Mommy, tell Susie to stop drawing faces and putting makeup on my basketballs. " Daughter: "Mommy, tell Bobby to stop using my Barbie Doll for an airplane and throwing her in the air. " No more eternally bored kids. Daughter and son: "We went to the pool two days ago and we went to the movies the day before that, and it's too hot to go to Uncle Hiram and Aunt Sudie's farm and be around those smelly old cows and chickens and stuff.

HARRODSBURG - Mercer County students headed back to school Wednesday, but the end of the first day became a traffic nightmare. "I've seen gridlock in New York, but it's the first time I've seen it in Harrodsburg," Mercer County Superintendent Bruce Johnson said this morning about the traffic tie-up that delayed getting students home Wednesday afternoon. "Cars were lined up all the way down the school driveway and road. " Johnson said it was a lot of little things that caused a big problem.

It's hard to believe that summer is half over and school will be starting back soon. I have spent the past several weeks making curriculum decisions and ordering books and supplies for this coming school year. My husband and I knew before we had children that we wanted to home school. I confess that I was pretty nervous about my ability to teach. Not only that, but the truth is, I didn't like school much when I was in it. I pictured myself spending hours staring at the clock and waiting for the school day to end. When the time came to start getting my oldest daughter ready for school, I asked a more experienced mom for advice.

LIBERTY - Three minutes will be added to the day when Casey County students return to classes this fall. Dale Wilson, director of pupil personnel, told the Board of Education Monday that classes are scheduled 6 hours and 12 minutes per day to have time in reserve for days missed for weather. Classes at the high and middle schools will begin at 8:10 a.m. The high school will end at 2:58 p.m. and the middle school will close at 2:53 p.m. Classes in the three elementary schools will begin at 8:05 a.m. and close at 2:40 p.m. The opening day for fall classes is Aug. 13 for teachers and Aug. 14 for students.

Danville Schools have three new initiatives for next school year. They include lengthening the school day, adding two home visit days to the school calendar, and monetary incentives to schools for high test scores. The overall mission, Superintendent Bob Rowland said, is to improve the education of students. Under the first initiative, the school day will be lengthened at the elementary schools and Bate Middle School, making all schools have a seven-hour day. Elementary schools will go from 7:50 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bate will start at 8:30 a.m. and go until 3:30 p.m., which is the same schedule as Danville High School.

Editor's note: This is the final installment of a three-part series. Please note that I am very aware of the myriad of thankless things that our school board does, like the spanking new lights on the softball and soccer field. Mind you, my family is very active in sports, but I can't seem to balance the ability to see the way to hit a ball against seeing the way to be globally competitive academically. Are you mad at me yet? If not yet, now you will be This whole "No Child Left Behind" strategy is a farce, just a bunch of rhetoric until we put in play a component that reads " and no teacher left unqualified, unequipped, unmotivated and uncompensated, along with no parent left unwelcomed, unrespected, uninformed and untapped as a dynamic resource.

Casey library annex to sell used books LIBERTY - The Casey County Public Library annex will be open 9 a.m.-noon Tuesday for browsing. Shirley Peyton will be at the annex behind the library on Middleburg Street to assist anyone who wants to buy books and T-shirts. Friends of the Library has accumulated several books that are in fairly good condition, according to Tom Ellis. Ellis also said the organization is looking for volunteers to assist Peyton in the Library Annex.