October 2019

UPCOMING EVENTS Countdown to Kindergarten Board of Education Regular Meeting November 19, 2019 5:00 @ BHS Professional Development for Teachers November 5, 2019 @ BHS 8:30-3:30 No School for Students November 5, 2019 and November 25-29, 2019 (Thanksgiving Break) On-Demand Writing Scrimmage Week of November 11-15, 2019

Breathitt County Schools continue to make progress…

At its special called meeting on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, the Breathitt County Board of Education voted to accept the Commissioner’s recommendation that the district move from a designation of state managed to a designation of state assisted. Per KRS 158.785 (6), a designation of state-assisted by the KBE means that the KDE shall provide assistance to the district to develop, implement, and monitor a plan to correct deficiencies found in the management audit. The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) will vote on the Commissioner’s recommendation on December 4, 2019.

“As Superintendent, I am very proud of the progress our district has made in the areas of governance and efficiency. Because of that progress, we have to been able to allocate significant resources to improving safety, curriculum and instruction across the district. I appreciate the support provided by the Kentucky Department of Education and look forward to continuing our partnership,” said Breathitt County Superintendent Phillip Watts. Recent highlights for the district include:

● The reconfiguration of schools to add grades 7-8 to Breathitt High School has enabled the district to enhance opportunity and access for middle and high school students. Students can enroll in career and technical education courses, arts and humanities courses and advanced placement courses, none of which they had access to previously.

● The district collaborated with over 50 community partners to craft a strategic plan with input from all stakeholder groups to ensure that the needs of all students are represented.

● Safety and security measures have been enhanced, including the hiring of a School Resource Officer, the construction and renovation of security vestibules, and the implementation of the Raptor Visitor Management System. Emergency management plans have been updated in conjunction with community agencies.

● All schools are making progress in the Academic and Behavior Response to Intervention initiative.

● The district is making academic data-driven decisions and developed both a science curriculum and pacing guide for grades K-6. Additionally, reading and mathematics curriculum and strategy work has shown promise with student academic achievement. Students engage in goal setting and have a conversational knowledge of where they are academically and what steps they can take to improve.

“Breathitt County Schools continues to make significant progress,” said Lewis. “Since 2012 when the district went into state management, the district’s governance, finances, and administration have undergone major transformation. My recommendation that the district move from state management to state assistance recognizes that progress. I am especially thankful for the leadership of KDE Associate Commissioner Dr. Kelly Foster, State Manager Mike Murphy, Supt. Phillip Watts, and the Breathitt County School Board. I look forward to continued partnership as the district continues to climb.”

Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment

Breathitt County Board of Education Approves Work Ethics Seal The Breathitt County School District is committed to preparing students to enter the workforce. Starting with the 2019-2020 school year, high school students will be eligible to participate in the Work Ethics Seal Program. In order to earn the Work Ethics Seal upon graduation, students must meet the criteria outlined below prior to the end of the school year. All evidence must be documented within the ACE program. Students who successfully meet the requirements of the program will receive a special seal affixed to their diploma to showcase this accomplishment to potential employers.

Criteria for Work Ethics Seal Program Students must adhere to the following minimum requirements:

● Be designated as Transition Ready (College and/or Career) ● Maintain regular attendance that complies with School

Board policy ● No more than 4 unexcused tardies or 2 unexcused

absences per year ● No more than 1 office discipline referral ● A minimum GPA of 2.5 with no failures in any course credit ● Completion of all ILP requirements

Students must also add a minimum of TWO verified components for each of the following Core Badges within the ACE program to earn the Work Ethics Seal Badge:

● Academics* ● Civic Responsibilities* ● Leadership Skills* ● Soft Skills* ● Works Skills*

Facilities & Technology

It has been an exciting time with all of the work going on in our school system to support our students, staff and community. Hopefully by now you have seen the work completed behind Sebastian Elementary School with the brush removal and the new fence. This has not only improved the looks of the property but also the safety of our students and campus. We have some more work to be added to this project in the near future and will continue to share updates on this moving forward. Also, you should be seeing some improvements at BHS, with new paint, lighting at the coliseum, and new finish on the P.E. Gym floor. Each of these are necessary maintenance to our facilities to not only improve the appearance but increase the longevity of our buildings.

Breathitt County School District is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and faculty. Part of keeping students and faculty safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do that. The Raptor system will better allow us to screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff.

Upon entering a district building, visitors will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not entering our school campuses without our knowledge. The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.

The safety of our students is our highest priority and the Raptor visitor management system allows us to quickly identify those that may present a danger to our students. Thank you in advance for your understanding and your support in enhancing the school safety protocols in our district.

Attendance e

Special Education Preschool

Administrators throughout the district were trainpast month on the Virginia Threat Assessment Guidelines. This training is an evidence-model for schools to use in conducting threat assessments in K-12 schools. It is an approach to violence prevention that emphasizes early attention to problems such as bullying, teasing, and other forms of student conflict before they escalate into violent behavior. Each school developed a threat assessment team which now can conduct threat assessments to best support students.

Transportation .

Breathitt County preschool teachers, staff, Head Start, and related service personnel recently attended training through the University of Kentucky’s Communication Disorders Department. The training titled Teaching Age-Appropriate

Academic Learning via Communication (TAALC) focused on developing adequate communication systems which grows with the students in order to access curriculum and social outcomes. Breathitt County Staff constructed communication systems which will be utilized in each classroom for students to improve or enhance language or vocabulary. We are very appreciative of this collaborative effort with the University of Kentucky.

Food Services s

Looking for Wellness Policy Committee Members!

We are looking for additional individuals that are interested in serving on the district wellness policy committee. This group will meet annually, possibly twice a year to develop and implement policies relative to the well being of the students of our district. The first meeting will be scheduled for early November. If interested in participating, please contact Tabitha Napier at 606-693-4915 or Tabitha.Napier@Breathitt.kyschools.us.

Breathitt County Schools celebrated National School Week from October 14th - 18th

The kids enjoyed a special treat each day, including a pencil, eraser, bracelet, door hanger, and some silly glasses, and tried some new menu items as well. The kids really enjoyed it!