(This link only works for teachers and staff. Please see the "For Parents" link at left on this page.)

This and other pages updated July 19, 2010.

Upcoming events

BCES, BCMS, BMHS supply lists released

Ballard County Elementary School's supply list may be found here. For more information, please call 665-8400, ext. 2200.

Ballard County Middle School's sixth-grade supply list may be found here; seventh- and eighth-grade lists are here. For more information, please call 665-8400, ext. 2300.

Ballard Memorial High School's supply list may be found here. For more information, please call 665-8400, ext. 2500.

Other schools' lists will be published as they become available.

HOSA offering physicals on July 29

Students in Ballard Memorial High School’s Health Occupations Students of America will be offering athlete and student physicals on Thursday, July 29, from 8 a.m. to noon in the nurse’s office at BMHS, 3561 Paducah Road, Barlow. Cost is $15, payable as a donation to HOSA.

No appointments are necessary. For more information, please contact HOSA adviser Cindy Allardin at 853-0186.

BCEA again helping Family Focus, asking for donations of school supplies

It’s back-to-school time, and the Ballard County Education Association is encouraging people to donate school supplies to Family Focus Family Resource and Youth Service Center. Many students will need these supplies in order to have a great start on the first day of school, Aug. 12.

An example of some of the supplies needed might be paper, pencils, washable markers, spiral notebooks, binders, backpacks, glue, glue sticks, crayons, colored pencils, rulers, scissors, folders, erasers, supply boxes or zipper pouches. Any new school supplies or monetary donations will be greatly appreciated!

Donors may drop off supplies at or send checks to Family Focus, 158 E. Third St., LaCenter, or contact BCEA President Michele Chandler at 270-224-2771.

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Project Graduation's next meeting is Aug. 2

Ballard Memorial High School's Project Graduation 2011 will meet  Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. at  LaCenter Christian Church, 414 Walnut St.

For more information, please contact Vicki Gough, 665-8400, ext. 2202, or email vicki.gough@ballard.kyschools.us.

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Football boosters will meet Aug. 3

The Bomber Football Boosters will meet  Aug. 3  at 6 p.m. at the field house at Bomber Field, behind Ballard County Elementary School at 3383 Paducah Road, Barlow.

For more information, please contact Vicki Gough, 665-8400, ext. 2202, or email vicki.gough@ballard.kyschools.us.

Immunization requirements for 2010-11 released; kindergarten students now will need dental screenings

Parents of all Ballard County Schools students for 2010-11 are asked to review the immunization requirements found here. New this year is a need for dental screenings for all kindergarten students, said Bob Wilson, Ballard's director of pupil personnel.

For more information about immunizations or other enrollment matters, please contact Wilson at 665-8400, ext. 2014, or email him at bob.wilson@ballard.kyschools.us.

Parents invited to view their BCMS, BMHS students' ILPs

Parents are invited to access their students’ personal Individual Learning Plans via the Internet. The ILP is a complete career guidance program for students in grades 6-12 that is Internet-based. Students can explore career and college options and develop their career paths.

Many parents already have a personal username and password for this service. However, if you do not have or have lost your username and password, please contact the following staff members: For Ballard County Middle School students, please call guidance counselor Kim Grogan at 665-8400, ext. 2303, or email kim.grogan@ballard.kyschools.us; for Ballard Memorial High School students, please contact business teacher Renee’ McDermott at 665-8400, ext. 2402, or email renee.mcdermott@ballard.kyschools.us.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for students and we want them and you to take full advantage of this free tool,” McDermott said. “We are inviting you to look at your student’s progress and see what great things he or she is accomplishing. Many universities are beginning to look at the ILP as a reference in selecting students for scholarships and many other resources.”

The ILP is very easy to view. Parents are asked to review their student’s information and add any comments to the ILP that they would like. The student will be able to see the comments made when they access their account. Parents are not able to change any information that students’ have entered, but you are allowed comment, McDermott explained.

Simply use the link from the right side of the Ballard County Schools’ home page at www.ballard.kyschools.us or type www.careercruising.com/ilp/ into your browser.

·        Enter your username and password.

·        Under the Quick Links section, go to Parent/Guardian Review of ILP

·        Click the link

·        Click “Yes” that you have reviewed your student’s ILP

·        Make any comments

·        Click Save

Also, parents are able to see who their student has invited to view their ILP under the Guest Views of the child’s ILP link under the Quick Links menu.

“We encourage you to look and sign off that you have viewed this wonderful information and help your student to make this a positive and good reflection on themselves,” McDermott continued. “This also will benefit your student by helping him or her understand that others are viewing the ILP, and will encourage the student to put forth a best effort.”

Fall, spring break dates set for 2010-11

Dates for fall and spring breaks for 2010-11 have been approved by the Ballard County Board of Education. Fall break will be Oct. 4-8, 2010; spring break will be April 4-8, 2011.

KSP drivers' license manual now online

The Kentucky State Police have made the state’s official drivers’ license manual available online to anyone, free of charge. It may be downloaded from the KSP website here.

Latest edition of KDE's ParentInfo

The April edition of the Kentucky Department of Education's online parent newsletter, ParentInfo, may be found here. Stories in this issue include a comic website that helps with literacy, the KHEAA's and Student Loan People's annual reports, and information about taking the ACT.

News from around the district

Notice: Because of increased site traffic, the page has become increasingly slow to load. Stories on this section of the page will be posted for no more than one month. If you would like emailed or hard copies of the stories, please email julie.thomas@ballard.kyschools.us with your request. Thank you!

Three BMHS FFA members earn degrees at state convention

After winning seven regional contests, Ballard Memorial Future Farmers of America students were looking forward to attending and competing at the state convention in Lexington in early June.

Ryan Buchanan and Bobby Crabtree received their State FFA Degrees. Chris Bodell earned the degree, but as unable to attend due to prior commitments. The chapter received its Gold Emblem rating plaque during one of the sessions.

Buchanan spoke in the horse impromptu speaking contest. Nathan Myers entered both extemporaneous speaking and forest products management proficiency competitions. Jane Thomson competed in turf and lawn impromptu speaking and vegetable production proficiency. Brittany Grider competed in home and community improvement proficiency, and Collin Cooper competed in dairy impromptu speaking. Unfortunately, none of these competitors placed in the top three in their respective contests.

Myers, Thomson and Jay Middleton alternated as official delegates for the chapter at the convention. Middleton, Buchanan, Crabtree and Cooper also served on the Courtesy Corps and received a state activity pin for their participation.

Members toured the Kentucky Horse Park before they got to the convention. Trina Middleton assisted chapter advisor Mark Williams as a chaperone for the trip.

Cutline:

Members of Ballard Memorial’s delegation to the state FFA convention at Rupp Arena in Lexington are shown here from left: front row, Collin Cooper, Jane Thomson, Brittany Grider; back row, Ryan Buchanan, Jay Middleton, Bobby Crabtree and Nathan Myers.

(BMHS FFA photo)

BMHS, BCMS announce SBDM council members for 2010-11

Administrators at Ballard County Middle and Ballard Memorial High schools have announced the results of this year’s elections for School-Based Decision-Making councils at both locations.

SBDMs are comprised of two parents, three teachers and a school administrator. The councils make decisions for their respective schools.

At BMHS, parents Tammie Gordon and Kandi Foster both were re-elected to the council. Teachers Mark Williams, Carrol Wedgewood and Leslee Davis also will serve another term on the group.

At BCMS, all members also were re-elected: parents Jana Meyer and Anissa Johnson, and teachers Amanda Farley, Ginger Hatley and Mitch Kimball.

All will serve during the 2010-11 academic year.

Parent elections were held in both schools on April 29. Nominees had to be parents or guardians of a student enrolled in the middle or high school to run for and hold a position on the council that serves their student’s school. All parents or guardians of middle and high school students were eligible to vote in this election.

For more information, please contact BCMS Principal Casey Allen at  665-8400, ext. 2301, or emailing casey.allen@ballard.kyschools.us; or BMHS Principal Donald Shively at 665-8400, ext. 2501, or emailing donald.shively@ballard.kyschools.us.

At least one BMHS student targeted for ACT prep scam

Ballard Memorial High School has been notified by a parent that an ACT prep company called "Dream Scholars Foundation" is giving false information to families to entice them to purchase an ACT packet.

Members of a local family reported that they had gotten a telephone call saying that their son had filled out paperwork at school requesting an ACT/SAT kit, which cost $178.50. However, BMHS is not affiliated with any company selling such test prep kits. “We believe this company is misrepresenting information and the offer,” said BMHS Guidance Counselor Lorry Beth Wilson.

When the kit arrived, the family called the company and requested a return mail number. They returned the kit, have a receipt showing that the company got the returned merchandise, but cannot get the company to refund their money. Dream Scholars Foundation lists an address of 7841 Balboa Ave. Suite 106, San Diego, CA 92111.

“When I ‘googled’ the company, I read nothing but bad reports on them,” one family member reported in an email. “I am still trying to get our refund. Now when I call, I am put on hold for the next available operator, then in a few seconds, a recording asking for name and phone number, saying they will respond with 24 hours.” She said there had been no return calls to date.

Wilson said there was no reason any Ballard parent should have to pay for ACT prep classes or materials unless they just wanted to. “Our 21^st Century Community Learning Center program has been offering four afternoons of prep classes in English, reading, science and math before each ACT date this year. They’re free, and any Ballard student preparing for the ACT can take them for free, just by registering.”

Wilson encouraged parents with any questions about any offers stating that the company is in connection with BMHS to search the fundraiser listing on school’s website (http://ballard.kyschools.us/New/Sponsor_Volunteer.asp), or contact the school at 270-665-8400, ext. 2500. For more information about available ACT prep classes or other college opportunities, please contact Wilson at 270-665-8400, ext. 2503, or email lorrybeth.wilson@ballard.kyschools.us.

KET program featuring BMHS available online

Ballard Memorial High School was chosen by the Kentucky Educational Television network as one of the segments for a show about turning around struggling secondary schools and making them successful.

The segment premiered on KET’s “Education Matters” program on April 20. More information, as well as this and other archived programs, are available at www.ket.org/educationmatters.

The program explores the educational issues that face Kentuckians. It is hosted by the network’s public affairs reporter, Bill Goodman, who talks with educators, experts, policy makers, and parents about Kentucky schools and students. The show also offers a first-hand look at what's happening in schools around the state.

Goodman and guests will discuss how Senate Bill 1, the 2009 Kentucky education reform act, addresses the issue of helping the state's low-performing schools better prepare their students for college and careers in the 21st century. Scheduled guests for the show’s panel discussion on April 20 are Sally Sugg, associate commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Leadership and School Improvement; Dr. Aaron Thompson, the Council on Postsecondary Education’s interim vice-president for academic affairs and an education professor at Eastern Kentucky University; and Brady Link, superintendent of Christian County Public Schools (formerly Graves County superintendent).

Crew from the monthly show filmed in and around BMHS on March 30-April 1. They interviewed Ballard Superintendent Ed Adami, BMHS Principal Donald Shively, BMHS Guidance Counselor Lorry Beth Wilson, teachers Steve Quertermous and April Jewell, and students Will Mallory, Jordan Davis, Austin Lee, Nathan Myers and Emily Neal.

KDE checked overall academic indices, narrowing of achievement gaps, lowering drop-out rates and proficiency in math and reading to determine which schools had made steady gains on all measures. At a gain of 24.4 on the accountability index from 1999 to 2008, BMHS was found to have the highest numbers in the state. The school also has a combined reading and math gain of 14.26 from 2007 to 2009. 

Sugg said in an email that BMHS had been chosen as an example of a high school that had made significant gains over the past few years. She added that Ballard had been selected as representative of the positive progress that is steady, attainable and sustainable.

Cutlines (please click thumbnails for larger images):

A KET camera operator captures Ballard Memorial students dissecting cow eyes. This anatomy and physiology class is team-taught by life science teacher Carrol Wedgewood and health science teacher Cindy Allardin. Crews spent about two days taping in and around the high school and Ballard’s local communities.

KET staffer Lynda Thomas (seated, center) interviews Ballard health science teacher April Jewell (seated, right) as the camera looks on. The health science department, in conjunction with West Kentucky Community and Technical College, is one of Ballard’s success stories in preparing students for careers after high school. For the last several years, BMHS students have received nursing certifications at WKCTC’s graduation ceremonies prior to their own high school graduations.

(BCS photos)

Foundation grant expands mental health services in Ballard County

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has awarded a Local Data for Local Action implementation grant in the amount of $87,145 to Four Rivers Behavioral Health to expand mental health services in Ballard County.

Four Rivers will provide clinical services for mental health and substance abuse, as well as substance abuse prevention service, in the county. In collaboration with community partners, the grant will provide expanded services in the schools, the community and at primary care clinics, and will increase prevention programming and activities, youth wellness and recreational activities.

“The aim is to increase behavioral health services beyond what currently is being offered to address the need,” said Bob Wilson, Ballard County Schools’ director of pupil personnel. “We want it to be financially sustainable far beyond the grant period, and showing sustainability was a requirement for this grant by the FDHKY.”

Children’s appointments are available at Ballard County Middle and Ballard Memorial High schools on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at Ballard County Elementary School on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult appointments are available at the Ballard County Community Resource Center, 158 Third St., LaCenter, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Four Rivers is in the process of obtaining a local phone number. However, until then, to make an appointment, please call 1-866-442-7121 toll-free. The direct line for children’s appointments is 270-442-9767, and for adult appointments is 270-442-7121.

The grant was submitted by the Ballard County COMPASS coalition, with FRBH serving as the fiscal agent. The COMPASS coalition reviewed health indicator data and conducted a community health survey of over 700 residents to assess the health of the county. Town hall meetings held last spring allowed community members to hear the results of the survey, review other health information and give input on what type of health services were most needed here.

Melody Nall, outreach coordinator for the Purchase Area Health Education Center, served as the Ballard COMPASS grant coordinator. “After discussing many options, the group believed that expanded mental health services for students, families and community members was a priority. Four Rivers is willing to work with us to make it happen, using some innovative approaches.”

For more information, please contact Bob Wilson, Ballard’s director of pupil personnel, at 665-8400, ext. 2014, or email bob.wilson@ballard.kyschools.us. 

BCES library offering books online

Students at Ballard County Elementary School have a new reading resource online. BCES librarian Rhonda Pace applied for and was awarded a one-year school resource grant from Sylvan Dell Publishing, which provides unlimited student and family access to books through the Internet.

The publisher’s online reading program offers 45 eBooks, each with selectable English and Spanish text and audio. The books are fun, fictional stories involving animals and nature, and offer spectacular art and much more. The back of each book has a 3- to 5-page educational section called “For Creative Minds” that parents can explore with their children.

Also, each title has its own homepage loaded with 30-40 pages of cross-curricular teaching activities and three interactive quizzes – all free online. A release from Sylvan Dell said, “We think you’ll find this program an interesting integration of fun reading with the option of serious science, math, geography and language learning.”

All offerings are online, so the books may be viewed from any computer with broadband for a family reading and learning event. For those teachers using the books in their classroom, it offers an opportunity to involve parents and reinforce classroom learning.

Because BCES has this eBook site license, students and their families have complete access to this resource from their home computers. “We encourage you to enjoy it with your children,” Pace said.

Links to the eBook license page have been posted on the school’s website. Please click the “Schools” tab near the top of the home page. Click the Ballard County Elementary Schools link and then look for the “Sylvan Dell eBooks site” link or click here.

The eBooks are fairly intuitive, but the document here explains step-by-step how to operate them.

Pace said that if students and teachers were enjoying the eBook site after the grant expires in January 2011, the publishers had programs to help.

Proficient, distinguished students lists now posted on school pages

Student results from last year’s Commonwealth Accountability Tests have been posted on each school's web page. The school pages may be accessed by clicking the "Schools" tab at the top of this page, and then clicking the appropriate building's page link.

Student names are listed at their current grade levels, although test results are from the 2008-09 school year. (In other words, results for last year's fifth-graders are posted as sixth-grade students on the middle school page, etc.)

There are no scores for last year’s freshman; ninth-graders take a different set of standardized tests.

BMHS guidance office now on Twitter

Ballard Memorial guidance counselor Lorry Beth Wilson has created a page on social networking site Twitter for scholarship updates and deadlines. “It’s not solely for seniors, because I have Governor’s Scholars Program and essay contest information on it as well,” she said.

Students, parents and teachers may log on to www.twitter.com/BMHSguidance and follow the posts, or “tweets.” Notes and handouts provided to students at school sometimes don’t make it home, Wilson continued, so even if a parent doesn’t have an email account or personal computer, he or she can pull up Twitter from library or other public computers to see the updates.

Several teachers send home electronic newsletters, and the district has asked for interested parents to share emails for newsletters and other information. However, the guidance office is only the second entity at Ballard County Schools to take advantage of Internet social networking as a tool to reach students and parents, and the first to do it across the board.

Two years ago, BMHS Beta Club advisor Korrie Purcell started a Facebook group for her club members. She posted practice schedules for the group’s state talent show skit and fundraiser information. “I made it and the sent the kids invitations to join, and then they sent invitations to other members,” she said, so the group was controlled and contained. “We also placed the video of our dance from the convention when we made second place at state.” Purcell said she was going to update the group because they were planning another performance for the Beta Convention talent show after fall break.

Use of the sites has been a topic of serious discussion, not just in education circles, but also in other public uses like business or organization accounts. While it’s a great way to reach certain segments of the population, it also opens up the page “owner” to sometimes unwanted postings or comments.

“Honestly, I chose Twitter because it seemed to be a safer way to distribute the information without the accidental/purposeful extras that others can post on other sites,” Wilson explained. “With Twitter, I am the only one responsible for the content of the page and I can block people who don’t need access or who abuse the page.”

Other than the login or screen name, information on “followers” of the tweets is not recognizable in the listing, Wilson continued. “I believe this is one of the safest forms of communication in this type of media.”

All schools on track to reach 2014 state goals; major gains seen in some areas

All of Ballard County’s schools met their annual national goals and are well on their way to meeting the state’s goals by 2014, as evidenced by test scores released last week. Major gains in at least one subject area were seen at each school, with Ballard Memorial High School seeing increases in every area.

The improvements have lead to the district rising in overall ranking in the state from 88^th among the state’s 174 school districts in 2007 to 42^nd in 2009, said Superintendent Ed Adami, easily in the top 25 percent statewide. All schools also met adequate yearly progress goals in every area under the federal No Child Left Behind act, he said – a feat only 60.2 percent of Kentucky’s public schools managed this year.

Scores on the annual tests are being calculated differently this year, with the Kentucky Department of Education now reporting the percentages of students who score proficient or distinguished in each subject area. The change stems from the state General Assembly’s decision to rebuild standardized accountability testing in Kentucky over the next few years. Only parts of the Kentucky Core Content Test will be used through 2001.

In order to more accurately compare previous tests to future ones, the Council for Better Education, Kentucky Association of School Councils and the Pritchard Committee for Academic Excellence have come up with a Transition Index that shows where the new calculations fall on the continuum to proficiency originally set by the state. Under that system, all schools should reach an accountability score of 100 by the year 2014.

The district’s overall transition index is 91. At BMHS, the index is 85; at Ballard County Middle it is 99; and at Ballard County Elementary it is 90. Additional information about each individual school follows.

Ballard Memorial High School:

The high school saw gains in every subject area this year. They are above the national percentages in math and reading, above state percentages in four of the five measured categories, and are tied for 26^th place overall among the state’s 231 high schools. In the region, only Mayfield High School’s overall number of 86 was higher.

“We’re excited,” said Principal Donald Shively. “We talk every day with our students about having pride in our school, pride in our community and pride in our heritage, and test scores are one way to show that.” He credited the hard work of teachers and the high level of student preparation as reasons for the overall jump in scores.

The math marks came in with 54.17 percent of students scoring at least proficient, ranking them first in the region and 29^th in the state. Science scores of 53.13 percent also ranked first in the region and 34^th in the state; reading scores of 74.51 percent ranked fifth in the region and also 34^th in the state. Social studies was 47.92 percent (sixth in the region). On-demand reading was 26.96 percent, which was good enough for 15^th in the region, but was the only mark not to exceed the state’s overall score.

Ballard County Middle School:

BCMS saw major gains in many areas, including meeting and surpassing the 100-point Transition Index mark required by the state by the year 2014 in multiple subject areas. At one point away from the overall 100-point mark, they are the 36^th highest-performing middle school in the state out of 331 schools reporting scores, or in the top 11 percent of middle schools statewide. In the region, only Lone Oak at 101 and Benton at 110 scored better.

“Our biggest gain was in science, where our scores went from 97 to 107 according to the Transition Index scale,” said Principal Casey Allen. “As far as we know, 107 is the highest content score any school in Ballard County has ever achieved.” The percentage score was 78.50, more than 15 points above the state’s overall number of 62.72 percent.

The reading score was 102, and each grade level eclipsed the 100-point mark in setting it, Allen added. Sixth-grade reading was at 100 points on the Transition Index scale, seventh at 104, and eighth at 102. The percentage score of 75.88 is well above both the state and national numbers of 66 and about 67 respectively.

Math scores also went up on the Transition Index from 94 in 2008 to 97 this year, and both the seventh and eighth grades went over the 100-point proficiency mark at 104 and 105 respectively, Allen continued. Social studies score remained solidly in the 90s for the fourth consecutive year.

Ballard County Elementary School:

At BCES, the news was more restrained this year, but they had made great strides in previous years.

On-demand writing scores went up over five points to 96.8 percent, said Principal Phillip Harned. The score is the highest in the school’s Transition Index. Social studies scores went up over three points to an even 90 in the Index. The reading score of 68.37 was just above the national percentage of 67.04, and the math score of 57.14 also was several points above the nation’s 51.53 percent.

Private business doubles reward offered for information about BMHS vandalism

A private business has offered an additional $1,000 reward in the case of vandalism at Ballard Memorial High School this week, bringing the total to $2,000.

The Ballard County Sheriff’s Office and Ballard County Board of Education announced a combined reward of $1,000 reward on Thursday, with each organization offering $500. Ballard County Sheriff Todd Cooper contacted the district on Friday about the business’ $1,000 match.

Cooper said the reward would be paid to anyone whose information leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who shot at the front of the school on Sept. 15. Ballard County Sheriff Todd Cooper said that anyone who wants to give information may remain anonymous, although he or she will have to provide his/her name and address to the sheriff’s office order to receive the reward money. “They can all our crime line at 270-335-5385,” he said.

Vandals apparently shot at the front of BMHS some time during the overnight hours of Sept. 15. Nine bullet holes were put in the two-story front window, and what appears to be another was found on the back of the veterans’ monument that stands in front of the school at 3561 Paducah Road, Barlow.

There were no students in the building at the time of the incident, said BMHS Principal Donald Shively. Custodians were working in the building until approximately 11 p.m., but they were in other parts of the complex and did not hear any unusual noises, he said. The school librarian reported the damage to him just after 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

The large stained glass bomber that is featured in the window was not damaged. However, eight panels of double-paned glass were pierced; their repair is scheduled for late next week, said district facilities director Kerry Fulcher. The library also will have to be thoroughly cleaned before it can be reopened, he added. Shards of glass littered the floor in front of the window, and Fulcher said there were glass slivers in the upstairs balcony as well.

 “We are treating this as a random act of vandalism,” said Superintendent Ed Adami. Deputies from the Ballard Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the incident.

District seeks substitutes of all kinds

Ballard County Schools is seeking substitutes for almost all district positions, from certified teachers to classified bus drivers and monitors, cafeteria, instructional aid and janitorial staff.

Some requirements differ for certified and classified applicants, said Tina Jones, the school district’s personnel/human resources director. All applicants must complete an application, allow district staff to copy Social Security cards and drivers’ licenses, have a current physical exam and skin test for tuberculosis, and must be approved by the Board of Education at one of its regular meetings.

Those applying for certified teacher substitute status also must provide an official college/university transcript showing a minimum of 64 credit hours at a 2.45 GPA or higher, or a valid Kentucky teaching certificate, she said. All certified applicants must pass a state and federal criminal records check.

Those applying for classified substitute status must pass a state criminal records check.

All applicants will complete and intent and retirement forms, and an IRS W4 form, she added.

Both the certified and classified applications are available on Ballard’s website, www.ballard.kyschools.us. Simply visit the site and click on the “Employee Information” link on the left side of the home page.

For more information, contact Jones at 665-8400, ext. 2008, or email tina.jones@ballard.kyschools.us.