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A newsletter from Nelson County School
Superintendent Anthony Orr

— Photo by Tom Dekle

Water rushes by in a Nelson County creek during a break in the rain Tuesday morning.

‘Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise . . .’

The weather lately has reminded me of that phrase that I heard more often in my childhood. We have been fortunate so far that rising waters have not done more to keep us out of school this spring. While this is something we watch closely, we are also mindful of the tragedy that weather has created throughout the South lately and count our blessings even as we keep others in our thoughts and prayers.

One good thing (and there are many) about our not having to miss more school for flooding is that we have been able to remain focused on teaching and learning in the last days leading up to our state testing time. Our high school students completed their CATS tests last week and our elementary and middle school students started their testing this week. And speaking of good things, even though we missed Tuesday due to high water, we are still on track to have June 3 as the last day of school.

Test scores are by no means the only or most important proof of success for students and schools, but they are an indicator that gets the attention of the entire community. As our students and staff work hard to prepare for and take the tests, I have had the opportunity to speak with faculty members throughout the district who share my enthusiasm about the good news that will come with test results in the fall. 

A tremendous amount of effort, as well as some new ways of doing things, has been invested in our children over the course of this school year. Our staff looks forward to the fall reports of the students’ successes. I believe the joy of success this fall will make the hard work of this spring worthwhile.

Thank you for entrusting your children’s future to our care. Thank you for the encouragement and support you provide at home for your children’s success at school. Thank you for reminding students to do their best at all times. Lord willin’ and the creek don't rise, we’ll get all of our testing completed on schedule and, while we’re at it, set a high-water mark for student success in Nelson County.

Alumnus issues challenge – When you see tremendous success packaged with humility and grace, you see a winning combination. That sort of package was clearly on display at the recent Twelfth Annual Nelson County Senior Class and Alumni Reception. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Antonio Travis brought words of thanks and words of hard-learned advice to offer at the event. A 1986 graduate, Travis was named last year to Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in the world after orchestrating “the largest single runway operation in history” in Haiti, after a 2010 earthquake decimated that country. But instead of talking about that, Travis, the featured speaker at the event, chose to single out several specific teachers for thanks and told the audience that he was there only because educators, mentors, family and friends stood behind him and helped him along the way. Travis issued a special charge for educators at the event, asking that they follow the example of those who helped him and do likewise for the students they encounter. “It is easy to take the easy way out. Don’t take the easy way out,” Travis said.  “Nothing but good can come from supporting our kids.”  Those are words we can all live by. As educators, we have a special charge to keep. And in keeping that charge, we cannot but raise the bar. For more about Travis and a list of the evening’s award winners, click here.

Working together at NCHS – The recent vote by the NCHS decision making council to adopt Senate Bill 12 policy changes and include the superintendent in the selection process for a new principal bodes well for a collaborative effort. This is a great opportunity for the SBDM and superintendent to work together on a very important mission. Moreover, this decision to collaborate will likely make this an even more attractive position for principal candidates. Taking another step forward, the council decided to go right to work and scheduled a training session for the following Monday. The council has also decided to conduct a survey to get feedback on the most desirable characteristics for the next principal. The council expects to spend the rest of May going through the survey results, preparing interview questions and conducting interviews for the post, with an eye toward announcing a selection in early June. This process is off to a good start and that is good news for NCHS and good news for Nelson. Click here to read more.

A perfect 36 on ACT – Charlotte Humes, 16, a Nelson County High School student attending The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, scored a perfect 36 on the ACT test. The ACT is a nationally recognized assessment widely used to gauge college readiness. “I’ve been a guidance counselor for 21 years and this is the first time I’m aware of it here,” said Ron French, an NCHS guidance counselor. “There have been kids perfect in particular subjects, but a perfect score across the board – it’s a tremendous feat.” A student in Nelson County School District since kindergarten, Humes attended Foster Heights Elementary School and Old Kentucky Home Middle School prior to high school. While an outstanding individual achievement, the success of this young lady is also a tribute to the Nelson County educators who had a hand in her education. Success of this type is always good news for Nelson. Click here to read more about Charlotte.

Author rates OKH visit a “10” – Students at Old Kentucky Home Middle School (OKH) gave noted author Dr. Sharon M. Draper a royal welcome in March. The author was so pleased with the enthusiastic response to her visit she described the visit as a 10, on a 10-point scale. This is high praise from a top professional and can be counted as good news for Nelson on many fronts. Students pored over her books in the months preceding her visit, and then they peppered her with questions during a morning assembly once she arrived. This is the third year OKH has helped sponsor a visiting author. In the previous two years, the visits have been a district-wide effort. This year, OKH stepped forward to sponsor Draper on its own. The school intends to continue the tradition and has already selected non-fiction writer Andrea Warren to be its next author of the year. OKH is building a record of success and is demonstrating a willingness to do what is necessary to keep moving forward on the educational front. That is good news for OKH and good news for Nelson. Read more about Draper's visit here.

Scary event has happy ending – Training and the courage of a long-time school employee who took action in a life-threatening situation led to a happy ending for a small child. Sarah Rogers, the lead computer technician and a 23-year employee of the Nelson County School District, was on her way home from work when she noticed a man holding a small child by the side of the road. “We had momentary eye contact and I just knew something was wrong,” Rogers said. She decided to stop and ended up taking life-saving action to help a two-year-old child who was choking on a piece of candy. As a long-time soccer coach and school employee, Rogers has received training in emergency procedures. “I’ve been certified, like forever,” Rogers said. “I was fine during the event. I just kept thinking, ‘I’ve got to help this kid.’ I just knew I had to do something. I always thought I’d forget it, but (the training) just kicked in. You never really forget it,” Rogers said. “It’s nice to see a colleague do the right thing and fall back on training they received,” said New Haven School Principal Jason Detre, who also stopped by during the emergency. “It is a rarity in life to save someone’s life. It speaks to her character … the ability to perform under pressure,” Detre said. Taking quick, decisive action in a stressful situation is a valued trait among educators. Thankfully, Sarah Rogers is one of many staff members in this school system that possess this trait. That is good news for New Haven and good news for Nelson. To read more about this story, please follow this link.

Boston School enters winner’s circle – Boston School has been awarded a federal grant that will bring a wide array of youth development activities to the school during non-school hours next year and beyond. The school has entered the winner’s circle to the tune of $150,000 per year for the next three years in this year’s 21st Century Community Learning Center grant competition. Funding is to continue for two more years at a reduced level after the first three years. This is the second time in three years that a school in the Nelson County School District has been named a recipient of one of these coveted grants. Bloomfield Middle School earned the same grant two years ago and formed Blazer Learning Center as a result. This grant program is meant to provide students with a broad array of activities designed to help boost test scores and add depth to the curriculum while providing positive youth development activities during non-school hours. Boston Learning Center will launch this summer with an initial set of summer enrichment sessions. During the school year, the center will provide homework help, intervention services for struggling students and a wide variety of enrichment activities through a broad array of community partners, including co-applicant St. Catherine College. This award provides Boston School and the entire Nelson County Schools community with a great opportunity and a tremendous tool for advancement. That is good news for Boston and good news for Nelson.

The Nelson County Board of Education regularly takes note of the many recent accomplishments of our staff and students. Here are just a few of the highlights heard during recent board meetings.

Honoring the past — During spring break, 32 students from BMS traveled to Washington, D.C. Four of the students — Rebecca Wofford, Mariah Cobble, Courtney Lampkin and Evelyn Tichenor — were part of the ceremonial laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. The wreath’s ribbons named Bloomfield Middle School and was in school colors.

Book club adventures — The BMS Blazer Learning Center Book Club read The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis and then saw the movie version at Keystone Cinemas in order to compare the book and the movie. The club is now reading The Giver by Louis Lowry and will see the movie version when it’s released this spring.

Governor’s Scholar nominees — The following NCHS juniors are 2011 Governor’s Scholar candidates: Jacob A. Ballard, Mary A. Brown, Trevor Burba, Tamara Bursac, Hayley M. Foster, Victoria N. Gambrell, Alexandra R. Mudd, Lauren A. Osbourne, Chelsea L. Perkins and Katherine J. Smith

Haitian relief efforts — Foster Heights Elementary students have completed the “Houses for Haiti” fundraiser. A total of $1,557 was divided among the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and Habitat for Humanity International.

Teacher Initiated Program (TIP) grant — Boston School received a Kentucky Arts Council TIP grant for two artists in residency for February. K-3 students made scarves, fourth-graders Appalachian quilts and fifth-graders ceremonial masks.

Research rater — Tammy Newcome, Boston School principal, is a rater for a National Science and Mathematics Foundation research study that will attempt to correlate effective teaching and student achievement. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funds this national study.

Transportation Cabinet certificates — Horizons Academy’s arts and humanities class received certificates from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for participating in the “Adopt-A-Highway” poster contest.

New Haven ‘Hears a Who!’ – The New Haven School celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday with classroom readings from several community and school board members. In addition, students were able to have their pictures taken with “Thing 1” and “Thing 2.”

Clean artwork – Bloomfield Middle School students participated in a Clean Air art project sponsored by the PATH Coalition of Nelson County and coordinated by the NESTT Family Resource and Youth Services Center. Students were asked to create works showing the importance of clean air. Winners were Lexi Blanford, sixth grade, Ally Sharp, seventh grade and Mara Cox, eighth grade. Each winner received a gift card from Wal-Mart. The students’ artwork will be turned into tray liners for local fast food restaurants. 

Blood champs – In a recent Red Cross drive, NCHS students donated 218 units of blood to beat Louisville St. X and take the title of number one blood donor in the region. 

Wrestlers place at state – The NCHS wrestling team competed in the state tournament in Frankfort. Daniel Pile finished in the top 16 in the state at the 140 lbs. weight class. Matt Hillard finished fifth in the state in the 215 lbs. weight class.

Headed to nationals – Three Nelson County Area Technology Center students, Krista Cundiff, Courtney McCauley and Kayla Clark, who won in the statewide HOSA competition, will participate in national competition in Anaheim, Calif.

A distinguished group – For the third consecutive year, the Nelson County High School Concert Band has received a distinguished rating at the District Concert Band Festival, which qualifies it to perform at the KMEA State Concert Band Festival at the University of Louisville May 10. 

And a distinguished unit – The NCHS Air Force JROTC has received the Headquarters JROTC Distinguished Unit with Merit Award for the second year in a row because of its positive impact on cadets, the school and the community.

Taking a risk – NCHS senior Josh Mabrey was rated among the top 10 in a national Risk Management Essay Contest for FFA and will compete in Washington, D.C., this month.

Energy Star school – Foster Heights Elementary is eligible to earn an Energy Star rating with a score of 98, an excellent score considering it is an all-electric building and was able to keep site energy usage under 30 kBtu per square foot for the past year.

High scorers – Old Kentucky Home Middle School seventh-graders Jacob Newton and Chandler Delaney received ACT scores that qualified them for the Duke University Academy of Summer Studies.

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