Farm Days are exciting for the youngest children on campus since they get a close up look at animals and sample hands-on activities. The children are exposed to everything from wildlife to livestock to farming practices. Special thanks to the Wayne County Extension Office, Soil Conservation Office, Wayne County FFA program, and Cobb Avian for helping with this annual event.   

Wayne County was one of five high school fishing teams that competed recently from Region 3 to qualify for the KHSAA State Championship on Green River Lake in mid-April

The Kentucky Broadband Initiative is a network of public and private partners working to expand internet access and build a stronger digital infrastructure in rural communities across Kentucky. We are asking everyone to please go to this website and complete an internet speed test.  This data will help locate areas in the county that have slow internet speeds or none at all.  The Kentucky Broadband Initiative can provide funds to our community to build better internet access for students and families

Wayne County's 21st Century Program will be providing summer camp from June 7-July 2. Parents, if your child wants to participate and needs transportation, you will have until this Friday, May 14th to get their application turned in. Student applications turned in after the 14th will not be eligible for transportation. Be sure and register for Summer Camp because slots are limited. Applications must be recovered by Friday, May 21st in order to be processed.  

High School Prom Action at the Richardson's Party Barn. Students were shuttled to the event from school. They enjoyed a photo booth, voting for Senior King and Queen, plenty of snacks, and dancing into the night. The night was topped off with a beautiful fireworks display.

The Wayne County Boys Tennis Team is excited to have a 9-2 winning record so far this season. Congratulations to Coach Allen Burchett and the Boys Team! You are maintaining the past five seasons winning record of 44-9. Go Cards!   

Erica Guffey's seventh graders put the narrator of "The Tell-Tale Heart" on trial to prove if he was legally sane or insane after reading Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart and studying the M'Nauten rule for legal insanity. During this unique classroom exercise, the students became the lawyers in a classroom court case to provide evidence from the text to present their case, as if the narrator of "The Tell-Tale Heart was legally sane or legally insane. Students followed mock proceedings including the presentation of opening arguments and counter arguments. "Court" was then adjourned for the day and students were provided the opportunity to further support their claims and develop their closing arguments. The students were completely engaged in the project.

Wayne County Schools have received 117 parent requests to participate in the Supplemental School Year Program (SSYP) created by Kentucky Senate Bill 128. This legislation was passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and allows any K-12 students to use the 2021-2022 school year as a supplemental year to retake or supplement courses the student has already taken.

Cobb employees presented assemblies to Bell Elementary students giving an overview of the local hatchery operations. The students were delighted with the program and could not wait to get a close up view of the baby chicks they brought to school. The Cobb employees never committed on which came first....the chicken or the egg.  

Wayne County Schools were well represented at the annual Child Plus Fair on Saturday, May 1. Families learned about school opportunities, enrollment, and a variety of services available to youngsters in the community. Wayne County Schools Family Resource Center Directors Leslie Randall and Kendra Patton co-chaired the event which was held outdoors this year at Memorial Park. There were 73 families who brought incoming preschoolers and 12 incoming kindergarten students. During the previous Lil Cardinal Academy Drive-Through event, 38 students enrolled.  

Bell Elementary students were tickled to receive goodie bags filled with a book, seeds, math games/manipulatives, reading games/manipulatives, and a pizza kit from the food service program at the Drive-Thru literacy event. The local 4-H program also gave out goodies for the young children. It was a popular night on April 22 when families visited from their vehicles. 

The Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) classes, located at the new Wayne County Area Technical Center, appreciated information from guest speaker SFC Cody Worley with the Kentucky National Guard, recently.  SFC Worley talked about career possibilities within the Kentucky National Guard which include multiple areas that students did not realize existed. For example, besides the traditional military side that is generally thought of, they offer jobs in health care, carpentry, welding, and office clerical jobs. Plus, SFC Worley explained that the Guard can help pay for a college education.    

 The Wayne County Bat Cards certainly have a player to look up to who has a proven track record both on the baseball field and in the classroom. As a result of hard work and love for the game, Wayne County Senior Jacob Jackson recently signed to play baseball at the next level with the Midway University Eagles.

The Wayne County High School Chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) has looked much different this year. However, the changes that COVID has brought about has not stopped two Wayne County High School students. Shaylie Dobbs (president) and Shelby Bell (vice president) have led FCCLA virtually. They recently completed a worthwhile service learning project related to Child Abuse Prevention month.

Wayne County's Junior Conservation Board provided Bell Elementary second graders with an interesting outdoor assembly to celebrate Earth Day. Six high school students that participate in the after school program opened to students 13-21-years-old distributed the ornamental Nuttall Oak trees to encourage the young people to plant trees. The students taught their younger peers how trees help the planet.  Those students who provided the educational give-away were: Riley Jones, Madelyn Frogge, Kathren Crabtree, Jenna Morrow, Brylee Chriswell, and Katie Jones (Not pictured were Arysona Hicks, Eli Stephens and Tanner Stephens who are also on the Junior Conservation Board). The Junior Board is a new organization and enrollment is open to young people who want to help conserve soil and water in the county. Their advisor, Diane Cushman, administrator secretary to the Wayne County Conservation District explained that the Junior Conservation Board is a new organization and enrollment is open to young people who want to help conserve soil and water in the county. The members already have a list of activities they are planning to initiate.

Wayne County High School Senior Gage Tucker has been selected to receive a $500 Johnnie Mathias Kentucky Association of Agriculture Educators (KAAE) Scholarship. He recently received word that the KAAE Scholarship Committee was impressed with his application and is excited to provide him with this financial support.

     Wayne County Area Technology Center SkillsUSA students recently competed in the SkillsUSA State Conference/Championship competition held April 9-15 with several local students taking top awards. Mark Burke, Joshua Parmley, Mark Smith, Alan Bell, and Chris Denney - ATC teachers who serve as SkillsUSA advisors, would like to congratulate Automotive Technology student Jaden Gibson, who advanced to national competition, as well as Industrial Maintenance Technology student Dawson Piercy and Machine Tool Technology student Nicholas Allen for medaling. These students worked hard preparing for the event.

Spread the word that the annual Child Plus Fair will be held outdoors at Memorial Park on May 1. Parents of school age children will receive information on enrolling their child in Preschool, Head Start or Kindergarten. Community partners will be passing out FREE items to those that attend. Parents can drive by each booth to receive information. Come out and enjoy the colorful Candyland theme. 

Principal Angela Ballinger was invited to participate in a national focus group forum for Sesame Street in Communities. Their website designers were seeking opinions to help make updates to their website at https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/ based on a survey she and others had responded to last October. She was pleased to participate in a recent zoom meeting with others across the country to provide them with valuable feedback on the updates they had made to the website that offers a wide variety of programs, activities and professional development available to parents and educators.  

Bell Elementary students enjoy their specials rotation classes that they attend once a week which include: Science Lab, Computer Lab, Guidance, Library, and Physical Education. Marla Rice's Science Lab covers Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Properties of Matter, and Physical Science for both first and second graders. Recently, the second grade students enjoyed  investigating Properties of Matter. They worked on designing a glue with ingredients that would create sticky, and quick drying properties.

Congratulations to Wayne County FFA students who competed in the Lake Cumberland Regional Competition and have advanced to state competition on May 25th. Those FFA members who competed at region include: Harley Hodge – Fruit/Vegetable Impromptu Speaking – Superior 1^st, Kason Stockton – Goat/Sheep Impromptu Speaking – Superior 2^nd, Jenna R. Morrow – Floral Impromptu Speaking – Superior 2^nd  , Gage Tucker for Extemporaneous Public Speaking – Superior 1^st  and Kathren Crabtree for Prepared Public Speaking – Superior 2^nd

  As students came back to school in March, beginning with a four day in-person week that evolved into a five day in-person week, there was lots of excitement to welcome them back to school. The middle school launched a month-long project to rejoice in the return of in-person learning, even though some students remained virtual learners during the pandemic.

It's time to begin registering for preschool for the 2021-22 school year! The kick off began with the Little Cardinal Academy Drive-Thru on Friday, April 16. Thank you to the great turn out of families who started the process of signing up for preschool for the 2021-22 school year. If your family did not get to attend the recent drive-thru, you can still visit the school at your convenience to start the enrollment process or just check out the opportunities. The next exciting enrollment event is the Child Plus Fair coming Saturday, May 1st from 10:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Memorial Park.

Also, if you have a child or know of a family with a child that is planning on enrolling in Kindergarten @ WELC for the 2021-22 school year please complete this form https://forms.gle/PgiwUTjfJo36pR9t9. Any child that will be age 5 by August 1, 2021 will be eligible to enroll in Kindergarten. Feel free to contact the school Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., if you have any questions.

The parents of Wayne County students will have the opportunity to voice their opinion on the Supplemental School Year Program during a survey period that is currently going on in the district. Superintendent Wayne Roberts talked about the program during a school board meeting held April 15th. Check out the left-hand column of this website to gain access to this important parent survey.  

About a hundred first and second graders participated in Kids Kamp, a spring break learning adventure held at Bell Elementary. The children were provided transportation and served breakfast and lunch inside their classrooms at the fun event. The schedule was filled with kid-friendly sessions including everything from Superhero Science where they built a boat out of clay and placed miniature superhero figures inside to see if it would float to looking for their site words on a safari hunt and writing them in shaving cream. Students were introduced to making 3D pictures on the computer while learning to use the mouse (since they normally tap on the screens of the white boards or ipads). They used legos, cubes and building pieces to make miniature birdhouses and structures in the engineer/architect math class. Frisbee golf, water balloons and basketball were part of the PE sessions. They proudly wore their tie dyed t-shirts on the final fourth day. 

It's an exciting time for youngsters who will be four-years-old by August 1, 2021. These children are eligible to attend preschool at Walker Early Learning Center. Pre-K students benefit from academic growth and social development by attending Wayne County's excellent program. Check out the data from the Urban Child Institute to see why your child should enroll in such a quality and best practice driven Pre-K education. Thanks to the parents who have already registered their children for preschool through the drive-through event held May 16th at school!

It has been difficult enough to master virtual, hybrid, limited in-person study schedules this past school year, so to have put together an extra-curricular academic team who saw considerable success is pretty amazing. Even though the odds were against it, a determined coach and five amazing fourth and fifth graders rallied to make impressive strides through the chain of mind boggling tests offered by the Kentucky Association for Academic Competition. Academic Team competition is a tough challenge for any student under normal conditions, so just to participate in the 2021 season is a tribute to these students

Joshua Parmley’s carpentry students ‘nailed it’ on a recently completed one-page essay assignment on how to close the skills gap for potential employees applying to local businesses. The carpentry classes, as well as all the other practical vocational programs at the new Area Technology Center are bustling with activity again, since more of the students’ have returned to in-person learning and can participate in the hands-on learning labs that adjoin their classrooms. ATC students are benefiting from a wide range of state-of-the-art instruction which includes everything from high tech automotive to the latest trends in agriculture classes.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.  This month and throughout the year, Wayne County Schools, and the Department of Community Based Services along with Mayor Tracie Sexton and County Judge Executive Mike Anderson, encourage all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Monticello and Wayne County a better place for children and families.  By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote children's social and emotional well-being and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities.

Congratulations to Wayne County Basketball Coach Rodney Woods who was recently presented with the impressive Ralph Beard Lifetime Achievement Award.

After winning three games in a row at the start of the 2021 schedule, the Bat Cards lost by only one run, with a score of 9-10 to Garrard County on Saturday, April 3. It was a beautiful day to play ball and the Wayne County 2020 Seniors returned to the field for a bittersweet moment to throw out the first pitch. It was a nice opportunity to highlight those players after participating in baseball for years and then not being able to play a single game last year, due to Covid-19.     

Vaccines are available to the public for anyone over 18-years-old at the school clinic each Friday. In addition, temperature screening expectations have been changed to state that only symptomatic students or staff need to be screened for fever. So, Wayne County Schools are now following that updated guideline, as outlined by public health officials. However, masks are still being required inside the schools and buildings on campus.  

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released a new guidance document on April 5 that details how the Supplemental School Year Program impacts public education in the Commonwealth.

    If you have followed girls basketball in this town over the past couple of decades, you already know who they are. Tim Pyles and Gary Abbott were among the best coaches in this region during their careers. And the two men were recognized for their accomplishments during the 2021 induction ceremony for the  12^th Region Girls Basketball Hall of Fame.

The kids at Walker Early Learning Center had fun at the recent March Madness Literacy Drive-Through event. The Walker Early Learning Center staff, Cardinal Basketball players, Cheerleaders and Dance Team members joined in on the fun. The preschoolers and kindergarten students were treated to a literacy bag full of learning activities and customized basketball.  

The Wayne County Mat Cards ended their season at the KHSAA state competition at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Ky. on March 27th. Two of the local wrestlers placed at the championship event. Colin Tucker placed sixth in the 106 pound weight division. He is a two time state medal winner and will be returning next year. Devin Sanders placed eighth in the 220 weight class. He is a first time state medal winner and will be graduating this season. Wayne County Wrestling Team placed 23rd at the State Tournament.  

Wayne County Schools are making up lost ground that may have occurred during virtual learning this school year. The district is trying to close the achievement gap in all kinds of ways to compensate for any lost learning opportunities that happened during virtual or hybrid schedules. Teachers, support staff and bus drivers are working extra hours to accommodate the students.

State lawmakers and Louisville's WAVE TV have been quoting a success story from Wayne County Schools regarding data collected at Walker Early Learning Center, this month.The local children who have been enrolled in the Imagination Library have performed at least five percent better on average than children who were not enrolled in the program.   

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Take some time this month to learn how protective factors and adverse childhood experiences impact families and communities. #wcschools Wear blue this Thursday, 4/1, to promote awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The Wayne County High School Archery Team completed a very difficult season with the girls placing 3rd in the KHSAA Region 9 Tournament at Boyle County High School on Saturday, March 27. All the Archery Coaches want to congratulate the archers for their performances and dedication to their sport.

 The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council (SAC) heard about recent education-related legislation in Kentucky during their meeting on March 23. One piece of legislation discussed among the council members was Senate Bill (SB) 128, which offers any Kentucky K-12 public or private school student the option to use the 2021-2022 school year as an opportunity to retake or supplement classes they already have completed.

Bell Elementary second graders enjoyed a very informative lesson from Bee Farmers Mike Brotzge and Boyd Foster of the Freedom community, recently. The beekeepers showed the students their protective gear, tools, beehives and honey that has been produced by the bees. The second graders had been studying insects in their Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) lessons taught by their homeroom teachers. Both first and second graders benefit from CKLA curriculum, however, the subjects are customized to each grade level, so they are not learning the same material.  

Local wrestlers Colin Tucker and Devin Sanders will advance to the state finals on Saturday, March 27th at George Rogers Clark High School. The Mat Cards placed third at the Semi State 4 at Martin County on Saturday, March 20.  

Congratulations to the Lady Cardinals on defeating Pulaski County in the first game in the 12th Region on Sunday, March 21 at Pulaski County with a score of 58-54. The Lady Cards fought back after being down in double digits the first half of the game. The Lady Cards will play Mercer County next on Thursday night, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. The final championship is set for March 28 at 3:00 p.m. Prior to the Regional Tournament, they were named District Champion Runners-Up on March 18th after Southwestern defeated them in a hard fought game 67-52. Three of the Lady Cards made the 48th District Team which included: Mallory Campbell, Kenzi Upchurch, and Macey Blevins. Special congratulations to Macey Blevins and Coach Mark McKinley on being named 12th Region Player of the Year and 12th Region Coach of the Year!!!  

Students in Wayne County High School Instructor Shannon Foster's Family and Consumer Science classes have continued to learn and gain life skills, in spite of the pandemic and limitations it has caused.

Check out the highlights from the last season home game with the Lady Cardinals. The Lady Cards defeated Somerset 69-47 at a doubleheader game March 11th. There was lots to celebrate that night!

Wayne County ATC will offering after school hours for students to work on improving grades for their ATC course(s) for this school year. Teachers will be available after school on selected weekdays and two Saturday's for students to come in and work on missing assignments and to practice and complete industry certification tests.

Wayne County High School Seniors were welcomed back to classes recently with goodie bags filled with all kinds of Cardinal themed gifts. Family Resource Center Director Audra Branscum packed the bags and handed them out to seniors. The staff have worried about the seniors since they have missed the majority of their in-person classes and events, due to the pandemic. They were especially sympathetic towards the students in their classes, since they know so many look forward to enjoying their senior year.

The senior members of the Lady Cardinal Basketball Team and Cheerleaders were recognized at the March 8th game. The Cards defeated Somerset 47-33 at that game. 

Wayne County placed third in the Region 7 Wrestling Championship in Richmond, recently out of seventeen teams competing. Congratulation to nine of the local wrestlers on the Mat Cards Team that placed in the two-day event. Check out some of the previous matches leading up to the Region 7 inside...

Wayne County Schools has full time openings for cooks, special needs assistants, and bus drivers. We also have openings for substitutes in all those classifications as well as substitute teachers. Find out how you can become part of our team by attending our job fair on Friday, March 19 from 11:00 – 2:00. The job fair will be held at the new central office (formerly the Wayne County Area Technology Center), located at 150 Cardinal Way in Monticello.

Head Coach Forrest Shelton and Assistant Coach Dallas Hoskins of the Wayne County Archery programs were especially proud of their archery teams following the NASP State Tournament on March 12 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

Monticello Elementary third, fourth, and fifth graders enjoyed the reading campaign both in-person and from home virtually. Media Specialist Tracy Slage designed a lesson about Dr. Seuss' life, his books and fun trivia. She also made a recording for the virtual students by reading some of the older Dr. Seuss books like: McElligot's Pool, The Sneeches, Yertle the Turtle, and Horton Hatches the Egg. Besides reading, Monticello students have been involved in several special event campaigns like: a virtual Science Fair, Superior Student Certificate for earning All A's, and Random Acts of Kindness Week. Extra-curricular activities like the Academic Team's recent successful competition has also been a highlight. Students can take advantage of all kinds of  exciting learning events at Monticello Elementary. 

The first and second graders read a remarkable 500 books over the two days that school was in session during the Read Across America week. Wednesday was Crazy Sock Day based on the book "Fox in Socks" book. Green Day was special because the cooks created 'green' eggs and ham that the children enjoyed for breakfast inside their classrooms. In addition to special events, the Accelerated Reading Program is underway where children take computerized quizzes over each book they read. If they pass the comprehension quiz, they collect points towards future rewards. Teachers are working towards two special events - Kids Kamp over spring break and a Family Reading Night in April that will be based on Earth Day at Bell Elementary so stay tuned for information about that upcoming event!

Crazy Sock Day and Hat Day were fun dress up days for the youngest learners at Walker Early Learning Center as in-person learning came back.  That week kicked off "A Tournament of Books" at Walker where students vote on their favorite books that they read in their classrooms. The top  books will gradually fill the brackets in the main hallway during the youngest learners' take on March Madness. The preschool and kindergarten children are excited about this campaign leading up to March Madness Family Literacy Night Drive-Thru event on March 30th where the favorite book will be revealed. (Preschoolers and kindergarten students are not required to wear masks at school, even though the staff does wear mask at school.) 

Juniors had the high school to themselves on March 9th, while their peers in the other grades stayed home to study virtually. They were taking the mandated ACT which is a very important test, especially if the student is interested in going to college. The high school teachers facilitated the test in their classrooms. They took a short mid-morning break before heading back to the classroom to cover some more subjects.

Wayne County Schools are cautiously following the Kentucky Department of Education guidance for spring activities. Many school events are being planned for the students, while still observing the COVID-19 guidelines. Drive-Thru literacy, camps, prom, spring sports are in process now that there are more in-person opportunities for students. Mask mandates and all kinds of safety observances are  implemented daily on the local campus.

The staff at Walker Early Learning Center are hoping their families will celebrate March madness with them at a Drive-Thru Family Literacy Night for their preschool and kindergarten students on March 30 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. It should be a fun night behind the center to pull through and receive a book, mini basketball, learning activities and popcorn. Don't miss out! 

WCHS Pep Band spread out and performed at the home football game where the Boys Cardinal Basketball Team defeated Russell County on March 5th. Band Director Andy Critz performed the national anthem to help start the ballgame. Senior Night was held celebrating Brody Weaver's accomplishments to the basketball team, as well as Senior Dance Team Members Alexis Howard and Kaylee Skeese. The Cards defeated Russell County 61-57. Wayne County will be hosting the 48th District Tournament. On March 15th the Cards play Southwestern at 7:00 p.m. in the tournament.  

Wayne County Wrestling held Senior Night on March 4 at the Rodney Woods Gymnasium celebrating four of their wrestlers. Wayne County then defeated Knox Central High School 48.0 to 18.0, followed by another round with Wayne County defeating Barbourville 60 to 0.

Want to have some fun during spring break? The staff at Bell Elementary want to invite their students in grades one and two to participate in the four-day Kids Kamp specially designed to meet their needs. There will be all kinds of enrichment classes offered that kids will enjoy. Just turn in the flyer inside to the school by March 22nd to make your reservation. 

 To encourage more families to take advantage of the healthy choices available with school breakfast, Wayne County School District is celebrating National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) during March 8-12, 2021. This year has made the normal celebrations a little more difficult due to the pandemic.  However, the cafeterias continue to serve healthy breakfast for students of Wayne County Schools districtwide, whether it is in-person or through curbside service so virtual students are not left out. The good news is the local system is a Community Eligibility Provisions School which provides free meals to all students.

All high school grades will be studying virtually to allow the entire Junior Class to participate in ACT testing at the high school on March 9th. Attendance by the Junior Class is very important. The state-required test for all grade 11 students is the only test that assesses students' academic readiness and is a requirement for entrance to most colleges.

The Wayne County Wrestling team placed third after traveling to Ashland High School on Saturday, February 27, for the Tomcat Invitational. The tournament featured Simon Kenton, Covington Catholic, and Covington Holmes from Northern Kentucky, Ashland Paul Blazer, Madison Central, Danville, McCreary Central, and Wayne County.

Wayne County's NASP team, which includes elementary, middle and high school archers, traveled to Campbellsville High School for their last regular season tournament. on February 27th. The Elementary Team won first place, while Wayne County Middle School was second, and Wayne County High School finished in third place at the Campbellsville tournament.

The Wayne County Board of Education approved the 2021-2022 Annual School Calendar during their February monthly meeting, following the recommendation of the calendar committee. The first day of school for students will be August 18th. The usual fall, winter, and spring breaks are built into the calendar. The last day for students is set for May 23. Of course, the schedule can change throughout the year dependant on the circumstances.  

Kentucky Launches Free Statewide Wi-Fi Speed Test to Better Connect People to School, Business and Government Services. Go to http://ewdc.ky.gov/Initiatives/Pages/KBI.aspx to participate. The deadline to participate has been extended to March 1st, so take advantage of this opportunity NOW!

The Wayne County 21st Century Program and Wayne County Youth Services are hosting a Table Talk Drive-Through where families can pick up a free lasagna meal kit to enjoy at home. The purpose is for students to spend quality time together with their families around the dinner table.

      The Wayne County School Board met February 23, approving the school calendar for the 2021-22 school year. Opening day for the next school year will be August 18, and the first day for students will be August 19. A plan was presented on how the district plans to keep students on track and catch up any lost learning that has occurred during the pandemic. Following the meeting a tour was held of the renovations that have almost been completed at Monticello Elementary. The old 1950 hallway was the focus of the interior of the project. 

  Without daily in-person learning, staff and students have had to re-learn how they teach and learn. Overall, students and staff members have done a tremendous job acclimating to the COVID-19 guidelines. But, it has not been an easy road.

It’s that time of year again!! Time to register for the Cal Ripken Baseball League!!! There will be four registration dates at the Aspire Center from March 8th to March 15th. 

Gov. Andy Beshear announced an executive order during his Feb. 23 media briefing that recommends all public school districts offer or expand in-person instructional opportunities beginning March 1, or seven days after district personnel receive their second COVID-19 vaccination.  

Students, educators and staff will be required to wear face coverings while on school grounds and inside school district transportation at all times, subject to the exceptions listed in the face coverings order, Executive Order 2021-070, and any renewal orders.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced an executive order during his Feb. 23 media briefing that recommends all public school districts offer or expand in-person instructional opportunities beginning March 1, or seven days after district personnel receive their second COVID-19 vaccination.  

Students, educators and staff will be required to wear face coverings while on school grounds and inside school district transportation at all times, subject to the exceptions listed in the face coverings order, Executive Order 2021-070, and any renewal orders.

Donna Blevins was recognized during the January Board of Education Meeting for her 16 years of service to Wayne County Schools. She received a plaque from Superintendent Wayne Roberts for her years of working for the children of the county. She took a leadership role, serving as the chairperson for many of those years. #tellingourstoryky

Lady Cardinals are 10-2 on their season following a 66-47 loss to Southwestern on Monday, February 22nd in the final regular season district game at home. Over the weekend, the Lady Cards traveled to South Laurel for a tough game that ended with a score of 66-50. Their next game is Wednesday, February 24 with McCreary County for an away district game. Go Lady Cards! 

  Wayne County Schools and local law enforcement continue to develop a strong bond through the school resource officer program. This winter, the Area Technology Center (ATC) has been able to provide a valuable service to the Sheriff’s Department by creating a custom designed piece of equipment for their cruisers.

The Mat Cards defeated Barbourville, McCreary Central, and Knox Central. Wayne County fell short 35 -30 to Boyle County in the Small School Sectional finals they hosted on February 12th. The dual changed leads back and forth several times. Wayne County had won eight consecutive Sectional Dual Championships. The Mat Cards record now stands at 21-3 on the season.

The January/February 2021 Healthy Choices for Healthy Families English and Spanish Newsletter provides information on how to handle food cravings to making family meal times a priority, just to name a few of the articles. The Cooperative Extension Service supports this information and works within the schools to supplement nutrition, economics, and physical activity education. Check out the healthful tips!

  Wayne County Schools are proud to promote a “Cover your Beak” campaign to help our students, staff, and community stay safe. Wearing a mask will help our students get back to in-person learning in their classrooms, so please join us in this worthwhile promotional campaign.#tellingourstoryky

Wayne County Schools are proud to promote a “Cover your Beak” campaign to help our students, staff, and community stay safe. Wearing a mask will help our students get back to in-person learning in their classrooms. So join us in this worthwhile campaign.#tellingourstoryky 

During these long winter days living during a pandemic, it’s a perfect time to catch up on your reading. And, what is even better, is to join the Wayne County High School Virtual Teen Book Club, which is a partnership between the Wayne County High School Library and the Wayne County Public Library.

Students in grades 3-12 don't want to miss out on the Wayne County 4-H 2021 Written Communications Contest. Applicants must be 9-years-old by Jan. 1, 2021. The deadline for submission is February 23rd at 4:30 p.m. Categories include Junior and Senior Classes for each category. 

      Wayne County Schools have bumped the four-day a week in person instruction schedule up a week, to begin Monday, March 1st. In the meantime, virtual learning will be on Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 22 and Feb. 23) for all students. On Wednesday (Feb. 24) the red group students will be returning to campus and on Thursday (Feb. 25) the white group students will be attending in-person classes. Next Friday (Feb. 26) will be virtual learning for all students.

        The new four-day weeks will begin Monday, March 1^st. All in-person students, will attend classes on Mondays through Thursdays with Fridays continuing to be a virtual day of learning for all students. Students who have chosen the virtual option may continue with full virtual instruction. The kick off had been planned for February 22, however, the date had to be pushed forward a week.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released three new COVID-19 guidance documents on Feb. 8, one on decisions regarding student promotion or retention, one on operating schools after staff vaccination and another on the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Two (ESSER II).

Wayne County Wrestling team hosted their Annual Border Wars Tournament on 2/6/21 at the Rodney Woods Gymnasium. The Mat Cards finished 4 and 1 on the day with wins over Danville, Knox Central, Whitley County, and Madison Central.  The only loss was to the #2 ranked Ryle High School from Boone County. 

The transportation department held their second bus evacuation safety drill for the red and white groups over a two-day period. Four drills are required each year and this week's drills were during the day so they reached all the students. Students who do not ride a regular bus route still need to be familiar with bus rules and safety tips because they normally participate in field trips. By breaking it down into red and white groups, there were fewer students on each bus and drivers were able to get their full attention to teach them to be good stewards of the buses and be able to help the drivers in an emergency. #tellingourstoryKY 

Wayne County Middle School offers Credit Recovery class for parents on Friday, February 5th in morning or afternoon. Parents can learn more about this valuable option. Call the middle school to sign up for the class at 348-6691.

In order to help schools across Kentucky get back to consistent in-person learning, school staffs in the Lake Cumberland District have been receiving vaccines, as front line workers. Wayne County School employees received the first of two Covid-19 vaccines to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 caused by SARS-CoV-2 on Monday, February 1. The clinic provided a total of 290 shots to individuals and will follow-up with the next dose in 28 days. The Healthy Kids Clinic staff administered the vaccines to the Wayne County School employees following a specific schedule. Employees waited in chairs socially distanced after receiving the shot to make sure they did not experience any kind of an allergic reaction. They were given a vaccination card to show health workers when they return for their second dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccination. The Healthy Kids program provides health and medical services to the school students and staff on a daily basis.  

The Mat Cards finished first in  pool  A with wins over Martin County, Montgomery County and Letcher County Central. The Mat Cards will be back in action on Saturday February 9 at home. The team will host their annual Border Wars Tournament. Teams this year include: Wayne County, Ryle, Madison Central, Meade County, Knox Central, Danville, Whitley County , McCreary Central. Start time is 11:00 am at the Rodney Woods Gymnasium. Wayne County is currently 12-1 on the season.

The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE) School Counselor Advisory Council (SCAC) met virtually Jan. 28 and members were asked to continue planning for state assessments, though department staff still are monitoring the situation with the U.S. Department of Education.“The jury is still out on if we’re going to be required to administer a test or not,” said Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass.

With Wayne County School students back to in-person instruction with the Hybrid schedule and continuing to have students on virtual, the Wayne County Child Nutrition Department wanted to follow up in regard to their important mission to feed the children. Before, when students were going in-person, they were only being fed five days a week. Since they are now providing seven days of meals a week, they had to make some changes for those that are coming in-person.  The reason is they knew how difficult it would be for student to carry four days of meals home with them on the school bus. #tellingourstoryKY

The Wayne County Wrestling team traveled to Barbourville on Saturday January 26 to compete in the Barbourville Duals. Wayne County improved to 8-0 on the season. 

The team will travel to Martin County High School in Inez on Saturday January 30, to compete in the Martin County Duals.

Start time is 11 am.

Wayne County School students have a new permanent access point located in the Wal-mart parking lot thanks to their community partners from South Creek Pharmacy. #tellingourstoryKY

     Wayne County Board Member Larry Muse will serve as the chairperson for the Wayne County Board of Education as a result of action taken at the start of Thursday, January 21^st school board meeting. Muse and Board Member Melissa Upchurch were both nominated for the position, with Muse being selected by a 3-2 written vote by board members. Upchurch was then selected to serve as vice-chairperson for the board.

WCHS Cardinal Boys Basketball Team defeated Somerset Christian 75-50 on January 19th. Their next match up is an away game with Southwestern on Friday, January 22, followed by the Kenny Davis Classic, a double header home game for the girls and boys on Saturday, January 23. The Lady Cards play John Hardin at noon, followed by the boys game at 1:30 p.m. with Knox Central. Go Cards!   

     As Kentucky observes School Board Recognition Month in January, the Wayne County School District is joining in the celebration. Current board members Vice-Chairperson Melissa Upchurch, Larry Muse, Whitney Smith, Jarrod Criswell and incoming member Benton Sloan are among the more than 850 school board members in the state’s 171 local school districts being recognized this month for their service. Special thanks to recently retiring Board Chairperson Donna Blevins for her 16 years of service.  #LoveKySchoolBoards  #TellingOurStoryKy

    Wayne County Schools will be resuming in-person learning a bit earlier than expected, due to the rapid decrease of COVID numbers in Wayne County.  Students will be returning to school on Monday, January 25 and Tuesday, January 26 following the red/white every-other-day rotating schedule. Students who have previously chosen to study virtually, will continue to learn from home.

All three of the Wayne County School Teams participated in the Pulaski County Archery NASP competition on January 16th. Congrats to Monticello Elementary Archery Team for bringing home a first place team award, along with first place female elementary individual winner Lilly Owens.

    The Wayne County Mat Cards traveled to Barbourville on Saturday, January 16th to compete in the Knox Central Dual Tournament. The Wayne County Wrestling Team was scheduled for three dual meets. Wayne County defeated Knox Central and Perry County Central, but did not get the chance to wrestle Tates Creek because they could not travel with the weather conditions.

The Cardinal Basketball Team competed at home on January 14. They were defeated by McCreary Central 36-47 at home. They will face Somerset Christian on Tuesday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. at home.

The Lady Cardinals defeated Rockcastle County 57-30 on January 12th, after defeating Metcalfe County 71-37 in their opener held at the WCMS gymnasium. Unfortunately, due to a Covid exposure, their game with McCreary Central on January 14 and the MLK Jr. Classic on January 16th has been canceled. The Cardinal Boys Team were defeated by Rockcastle County 53-62 after being very competitive in the first three quarters. They will play a make-up game on January 14 with McCreary Central at home, then on January 15th they will be traveling to Adair County to play. 

Kentucky will receive $928 million in the second round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) federal funding, superintendents heard during the Superintendents’ Webcast on Jan. 12.

Wayne County Middle School Counselors Cindy Rose and Vicki Davis want local eighth graders to know it is time to start the application process to apply for the Center for Rural Development's Rogers Explorers. This program is for students with a strong interest in developing skills in leadership, technology, math, science, and community service. Students can gradually work on their applications through February 28th. 

Four Kentucky teachers addressed the Kentucky Senate Education Committee on Jan. 7 regarding the impact of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, the committee chair, said each teacher had been asked to speak about one success they’ve seen during the fall 2020 semester, one innovation they’re using in the classroom, and the primary struggle they expect to face in spring 2021.

Wayne County Schools didn’t have to look far to replace the most successful football coach in school history, as he was already on the sidelines and in the hallway.  Tyler Guffey, a 2014 graduate of Wayne County High School and an assistant coach the past six seasons was officially named the head football coach on January 12^th.

Wayne County Wrestling Team made a good showing 20-21 at home on Saturday, January 9th for the Luke Troxell Memorial Duals meet. The program is fortunate to have strong, experienced leadership through Wrestling Coach Danny Upchurch. He added to his list of awards last year by being inducted into the Kentucky Wrestling Hall of Fame. Check out the future dates the wrestling team will be competing inside. 

Each of the ten Lake Cumberland District Health Departments received limited doses of the vaccine.  These doses were given to individuals identified by the Kentucky Department for Public Health Tier 1a. They have requested additional vaccine to continue vaccinating Tier 1a.  After all identified Tier 1a individuals have been vaccinated, they will begin vaccination for Tier 1b.  Tier 1b is identified as first responders, K-12 school employees and persons over 70 years of age.

Lady Cardinal Number 20, Macey Blevins signed with Western Kentucky University, during this unusual basketball season that has been delayed due to the pandemic. While the gymnasium will be much quieter, with no general admission, each player from both teams will be allowed four vouchers to be used towards admission tickets for both the girls and boys basketball games this season. Temperature checks will be conducted at the door for the limited number of fans admitted. Home games will be broadcast through rotating coverage from local radio stations and video coverage will be streamed live on the school district website and on the cable stations through Community Telecom Services. The Girls had planned to kick off the local season on Thursday, January 7th, however, that game is now been CANCELLED due to COVID. Another game with Metcalfe County has recently been added to the schedule on Saturday, January 9th against Metcalfe County and be held at the Wayne County Middle School Gymnasium. JV will play at 2:00 with the varsity game scheduled for 3:30.      

Some 100 Wayne County students turned out to see the lighting spectacular created to brighten their holiday season along the drive behind the middle school on December 17th. About 75 carloads of students drove-through the beautiful and thoughtful event hosted by the 21st Century Program. Goodie bags were handed out to each 21st Century student filled with books, pencils, erasers, toys, and packets of hot chocolate and candy canes. Plus, the bags included Christmas craft kits to make with their family that contained markers, crayons and all the needed supplies. It was a fun night to touch base with a very valuable after-school enrichment program that has been creatively operating virtually during the pandemic. 

The Wayne County School Technology Department is providing WiFi service at several locations in the community, with the help of Community Telecom Services. It’s all about enabling students without home connections to easily find a neighborhood WiFi “hot spot” to connect their Chromebook to so they can complete daily assignments

    “Riding through a Winter Reading Wonderland” was quite a hit amongst the third, fourth and fifth graders who got to caravan through specially built sets filled with lights, while seeing some of their teachers dressed in winter character costumes to help illustrate their favorite books. Check out the magical scenes inside...

Join the staff at Monticello Elementary for a ride through a reading wonderland on Tuesday, December 15. Third, fourth and fifth graders will be greeted by Santa and Mrs. Clause. Students will receive a book, along with other goodies.

  Wayne County students will not return to in-person classroom instruction until at least January 11, according to a discussion held during the school board meeting held December 17. Superintendent Wayne Roberts recommended that students return to school virtually following the Christmas holiday on January 4, after he reviewed COVID-19 case numbers for the counties included in the Lake Cumberland area which has remained in the red zone.

 Join The PocketLab and Jason Lindsey, aka "Mr. Science," with Hooked on Science, this Saturday, December 19th, at 12PM PT/3PM ET, for Holiday STEM Virtual Family Night! More than 150 have already registered for the FREE event. You'll discover the science secret behind how Santa gets down the chimney, watch as Jason use a human circuit to power a gigantic Christmas light, create a holiday fireball, and more.

  Wayne County Middle School continues to reach out to parents by providing a series of Parent Skill Building Sessions to help them navigate their child’s virtual learning at home.  Most recently, a second session was held at the Wayne County Middle School where WCMS Teacher Braxton Shearer teamed up with 21^st Century School Coordinator Katherine Kidd. Check out the custom designed cheat sheets below to help navigate.

The Governor announced new public health guidance for Kentucky schools. He said there would be no change in the way the incidence rate will be calculated for each county; instead, the recommendations and requirements for each color-coded zone from the Kentucky Department for Public Health are changing.

21st Century students in grades 3-8 are invited to attend "A December Delight Festival of Lights" drive-thru on Thursday, Dec. 17 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Families may enter from the back of Walker Early Learning Center. Don't miss this fun event!

  Multiple members from the local Wayne County FFA Chapter attended the National FFA Convention and Expo through an online platform where they interacted with FFA members from across the country, experienced the FFA Blue Room (a platform that showcases groundbreaking technologies in agriculture), and viewed live convention sessions to hear the retiring addresses of the National Officer Team as well as celebrate the many accomplishments members have achieved throughout the past year.

  Instead of looking for Santa’s sleigh, children can be watching for a big yellow school bus along their bus route tomorrow, on Thursday, December 10^th sometime after 3:00 p.m. The Wayne County School bus drivers will be delivering delicious hot turkey dinners near the bus stops, so all aged children need to be watching for them. If they are unable to be home after school hours, a pick-up distribution site will be conveniently located at the Wayne County Middle School from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Wayne County High School athletics announced the following timeline for the naming of a new head football coach.  The position will be officially posted the week of December 7th, with applications accepted until Christmas.  After applications are reviewed the hope is to schedule interviews and have a new head coach in by the first to second week of January. Wayne County is seeking to replace their longest tenured football coach in history as Shawn Thompson stepped down earlier last month.

Walker Early Learning staff welcomed families to the fun drive-through event held in the circular drive behind the middle school. The children received a bag of little acorn poems and characters, rhyming clip cards, alphabet match cards, beginning sound games, letter sound find and cover, and little acorn sequencing activity. It was a great night. 

Check out how Lake Cumberland Community Action Partnerships provide assistance to local families ranging from water and sewer bill relief to medical coverage. Learn more information through the Lake Cumberland Community Action Virtual Resource Fair coming up December 7th.   

Bell Elementary students provided Thanksgiving joy through their art work displayed on their school's ClassDojo communication tool over the holiday. The school mailed their students' grade card, plus a Thanksgiving activity for them to do over the break. Prinicipal Derrick Harris was delighted with the participation and unique responses that homeroom teachers collected digitally from students. Their theme for the project was "Save a Turkey" and created quite an art gallery of turkeys that are bringing joy during the pandemic.   
 

Wayne County students and all school staff will get a little extra holiday break next week, taking a week away from classwork for Thanksgiving.(Also, check out the Wayne County Schools Recap and Governor's restrictions inside)

      Some people see a need and try their best to find a solution; rather than complain and worry about themselves. Ladies like Marcia Carlton and Donna Rose fit this description.  The Wayne County School District has benefitted from their willingness to help others during the on-going pandemic. When there was a reported lack of personal protective equipment, both these ladies got to work making masks to help protect local residents from the spread of COVID-19.

Now the youngest learners will get to go to the Drive-In...not the movie kind, but a fun family literacy night drive-through event at Walker Early Learning Center this Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The teachers are missing seeing their students in-person and this will be a way for them to connect, from a distance. Families will be able to circle around the back parking lot of the school without getting out of their car.

Schools do not just deal with academics. They are a community that provides a wealth of services to children and their families. Even though all of the students are currently home studying remotely, the district did not want their students to miss an annual school event that everyone looks forward to in the fall.

   Wayne County Middle School is reaching out to parents by providing a series of Parent Skill Building Sessions to help them navigate their child’s virtual learning at home. They did not get any parent responses from the parent session to be held at Monticello Elementary on Thursday, November 19^th at 4:00 p.m. so that event is cancelled. However, the second session for the middle school will have participants on Friday (November 20) at 10 a.m. in the media center. Google Classroom will be one of the topics to better familiarize parents with their childrens' work.

The Nutrition Service Department is providing food to youngsters with some creative ideas for recipes to make at home. They are excited to announce the addition of weekend meals, with a flyer on how to prepare popular options like pizza, for instance. The weekly Friday pick-up service offers curbside distribution behind the middle school from 10 to 4:30 p.m. In addition, food items are being sent home with students who have fallen behind that drop in for tutoring sessions during virtual days. The staff are constantly trying to make sure the children of Wayne County are not going hungry during the pandemic.   

The community is invited to take advantage of a Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing pop-up site today, November 18th from 9:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the old Central Office Building at 1025 South Main Street. The Healthy Kids Clinic, which partners with the local school district, is providing the convenient service for the school staff, as well as the community. 

The interview selection process to determine the next Wayne County High School principal has concluded. Steven Thompson has been appointed to the position, effective November 11th. 

       Wayne County Schools congratulates WC Area Technology Center Teacher Marsha Bertram on being named the Monticello Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year. She recently attended a luncheon ceremony held during the local Chamber of Commerce meeting. She was amongst several local individuals who were recognized by the Chamber of Commerce for their contributions.

Wayne County Middle School will be offering several sessions both in-person and through zoom to provide parents with basic skills related to their child's virtual studies. Parents will learn how to use the parent portal, infinite campus, and google classroom to better understand how to meet their child's academic needs during these unusual times. Don't miss the first session on Friday, November 13th.  

Wayne County High School Senior Ethan Huffaker has been named a Commended Student in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from Wayne County High School and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, was presented by Wayne County High School Principal Justin Alley to this scholastically talented senior.
 

Many Wayne County students have benefitted from the various youth programs at the Center for Rural Development. Applications are due in the upcoming months for Rogers Scholars, Rogers Explorers, and ELI. 

Wayne County soundly defeated North Laurel County 43 to 8 on October 30th, during their final regular season home game. The Cards played hard in spite of missing the crowd, since no public ticket sales were allowed due to Covid cases. Next up, Cards travel to Barren County Friday (Nov. 6) to play at 8:00 p.m.   

Congratulations to eighth grader Kaydynce Byrd for qualifing for state which was held in Paris, Kentucky on Friday, October 30th. She ran in the Class 2A State Girls Championship with a time of 26:15.76, placing her 178th at the Bourbon Cross Country Course. 

Drive-Thru Covid-19 testing to be offered to the public on Friday, October 30th 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the old central office building.

Wayne County Schools are happy to announce a new Wi-Fi access point for Wayne County students called the Cardinal Hot Spot, courtesy of the school district's technology department. A traveling Wayne County School Bus #209 has been equipped with a Wi-Fi connection, which can be used by students who lack internet accessibility during virtual learning.

Wayne County Schools' neighborhood food distribution sites recently ended. These sites and pickup services are made possible through the federally funded Summer Feeding Program, which the USDA has recently extended through the rest of the school year. Wayne County's Nutrition Department have done an awesome and inspiring job cooking and delivering meals since the pandemic started through a variety of customized programs. They continue to make sure children are fed breakfast and lunch through Friday curbside pickups at Wayne County Middle School. Meal pick up services are located behind the middle school from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. once a week, accommodating students 18-years-old or younger. Check out the fresh fruits and vegetables coming from the school garden.  

Congratulations to Jared Criswell on being one of the  2021 Kentucky Teacher Awards recipients, previously announced. The 24 honored teachers are being recognized during a virtual ceremony to be held at 10:30 a.m. ET, Thursday, October 22. Along with the 24 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award winners, the Kentucky Department of Education and Valvoline Inc. will be announcing the 2021 Elementary, Middle School and High School Teachers of the Year, and the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year at a virtual ceremony.

To watch Thursday’s ceremony or to share it with your students, staff, teachers and community, please go to the KDE Media Portal at: https://mediaportal.education.ky.gov/watch-live/ and click on the ceremony. You may share this link at any time, but it will not be live until 10:30 a.m. ET, Thursday, October 22.

Flu shots have been scheduled throughout the Wayne County Schools campus October 19-22 for students and staff. Health officials strongly recommend that students and staff receive the shot during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as the flu season gets underway. In addition, the Healthy Kids Clinic will be offering a Drive-Through shot clinic on October 21st and 22nd from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. which will be open to students and the public. Vehicles can conveniently pull in the circle driveway at the old central office building located at 1025 South Main Street.  

Proceeds from the fun contest go to the Imagination Library. All families who sign up with the imagination library get a free book in the mail every month for children ranging from birth to 5 years old. The WCMS won two categories with their impressive display. Congrats on receiving most votes from the public in the "Viewed Choice" category, as well as top choice voted by committee for group/non-profit category.

Wayne County Schools will be returning to virtual learning for the entire student body beginning Wednesday, October 21, since the county has fallen into the “red-range” of community-spread, according to the Kentucky Department of Public Health.

  Board members were updated regarding in-person classes, with students attending on alternate days. Superintendent Wayne Roberts said that so far it was working out well and he had received a lot of positive feedback. Roberts told board members that they have seen a spike in COVID-19 cases recently, with three staff members testing positive this week. District officials will continue to monitor the numbers and if they move into the designated "red zone" there may have to be some changes made regarding in-person classes.  

 Wayne County Schools have all kinds of help for students’ medical and behavioral health, conveniently located on campus. It is an especially good place to turn to while living through a pandemic. Students also have resources at their fingertips like the Safety Tip Online Prevention button that appears on the school website, courtesy of the Kentucky Safe Schools website. In addition, flu shots are available to students and staff this week. 

Congratulations to Wayne County Football for the big win Friday night with a score of 52-36 over
Lincoln County. Braedon Sloan led the way with 291 yards rushing and five
touchdowns. Brody Weaver at quarterback was 6 of 10 for 89 yards and one touchdown. Thank you
to the contributions the senior band and senior football players have made to their programs, as they
were both honored at the game. The upcoming football game set for October 16th against Knox
Central has been postponed until later in the season.

Since September 28, as mandated by the state, Wayne County Schools have been reporting any COVID related activity every weekday to the state public health department when school is in session for both in-person classes or virtual. During fall break (last week) the school district was closed and no reports were filed.

Bright new WCHS Girls Golf Team competed this 2020 season under the direction of Coach Grant Clark and Kendra Catron-Walsh. The young ladies finished the season at the 10th Region Golf Tournament on September 29. It was not the finish to the season they were hoping for, however, the team has a lot of promise if they work hard during the off season. Looking forward to a bright future next season. 

Wayne County Juniors Gehrig Sexton and Gage Gregory competed in the regional and state competitions this year in golf. Gehring Sexton finished 44th in the state and Gage Gregory just missed the second day cut by two strokes. This is the third straight year these young men have played golf at the state level. Both of these golfers are looking forward to play their senior year and are ready to compete for that regional championship.  

The Wayne County Bus Drivers/Monitors have been very busy during these recent times of non-transported classes. They have worked extra hard and gone above and beyond what they have been asked to do, while waiting for the return of in-person classes.

It is hard enough for teachers to keep young students’ minds focused on curriculum for lengthy stretches of time in a controlled classroom setting, so you can imagine how difficult it is to keep their attention via a computer screen during remote learning from home when there are many more distractions. With that in mind, teachers at Walker Early Learning Center have become somewhat theatrical in the performances they are delivering each day, in order to make the most of their online instruction to the youngest learners.

Wayne County Schools recognized nutrition services and transportation employees who were quick to respond to the needs of students when the pandemic started last spring. They cooked meals, packed food, organized the distribution of food bags, loaded supplies, stocked school buses with food, greeted families outside their homes, drove routes, directed traffic in pick-up lines, and did the bookeeping for massive amounts of meals. They risked catching COVID-19 to make sure 200,000 meals were distributed to local children in an unselfish and determined manner. Monticello Bank partnered with the school district and provided monetary awards to these Wayne County School heroes!     

Parents are required by law to work with school officials to fight the spread of COVID-19. In accordance with KRS 158.160 and 902 KAR 2:220E, parents/guardians must notify their child’s school within 24 hours following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Check out the COVID-19 FAQ's for Parents information inside.... 

 The Cardinal Volleyball Team is coming off of a two game winning streak having beaten McCreary Central at home on Sept. 24 by a score of 3-1 and a win at North Laurel on the road by a score of 3-1.  The series of games puts the Volleyball Cards at 4 - 5 on the season.

The first of a host of FAFSA Workshops was recently held at WCHS Library. Parents and guardians stopped by the media center to assist their teenager's completion of their Financial Aid Application requirement. 

First and second graders in the white group could not wait to come to school for in-person learning on September 29th. The red and white groups are on a rotating schedule with Fridays set aside for virtual learning. 

Staff excited to welcome students back to the classroom. Both in-person and virtual learning are underway. New rotating Red/White schedule off to an impressive start!

Wayne County School system employees have been provided with two different COVID-19 testing opportunities on campus, prior to students returning to in-person instruction. All employees that have participated tested negative for the virus. The most recent station was set up just a few days prior to the start of in-person classes. Some 36 employees were negative, receiving their results just before students arrived. Flu shots will be offered beginning October 20th on campus.  

With the cancellation of a marching band competition season decided by the Kentucky Music Education Association during the summer, local band students are being educated in an entirely new way, which is proving to have some advantages. 

Every-other-day alternating schedule will begin Monday, September 28 for in-person learning. Parents or guardians must notify their child's school within 24 hours following a child's positive COVID-19 diagnosis. See letter inside...  

Wayne County Schools are anxious to welcome their students back to campus who have chosen an A/B Alternating Day schedule during the pandemic. The staff will also continue to provide online virtual education to those who have chosen to study full time remotely. Check out the expectations for returning to school... 

Free meal plans are being customized to meet the needs of both A/B Alternating Schedules, as well as for full time virtual students. Plus, parents or guardians can sign up to receive pick-up meals on Fridays for children who do not attend school and are under the age of 18. Meal distribution sites concluded on September 22. 

The WCHS FFA Chapter recognized how isolated nursing home residents are due to the pandemic, so they worked to create care packages filled with numerous gifts for each resident and the nursing staff to lift their spirits and let them know they are still being thought of in the midst of COVID-19. Included in the care packages were items such as: puzzle books, socks, coloring pencils, and self-care items. 

With in-person classes beginning next week, Wayne County High School and WC ATC will have a Self-Guided Open House – Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm daily. Check out the photos inside...

The 10-0 victory brought the team's win-loss record to 3-3 on the season. The team's next home game is Sept. 24 with Knox Central. Go Cards!

Wayne County Healthy Kids Clinic will be providing Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing for school employees on Thursday, September 24th. Tests available in the Wayne County High School Gym Parking Lot from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. No appointments are needed and the tests are an option for the staff, not required.

Congratulations to the Football Cardinals on beating the Harlan Black Bears 42-0 on Friday, September 18. That evens up the win-loss record to 1-1, after only one point short in the first game of the season with Southwestern at home on September 11. 

 Although it was a heartbreaking season for the Bat Cards this past spring/summer with no official games played due to the pandemic, small groups of players continue to work out year around and prepare for the next season. 

 Even though the Wayne County Agriculture Extension Service have faced considerable obstacles in regard to the school garden this summer, they have harvested everything from corn to tomatoes to banana peppers. They have planted potatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, zucchini and several types of squash. 

 Wayne County students will return to the classroom for in person instruction on September 28, on an alternating day schedule providing smaller class sizes. The school board met Thursday, September 17 and discussed how they would bring students back into the classroom as safely as possible, after several weeks of virtual instruction.

The Boys Soccer team celebrated senior night on September 10th, against Garrard County. That game was followed up with a loss to Southwestern on September 14 and a win against Casey County the next night. The boys travel to North Laurel on September 17th. Their next home game is with Monroe County on Tuesday, September 22. Go Cards!

Teachers are busy communicating with their students through a variety of online techniques. Class DOJO is an important tool for parents at Walker, as well as Google Classroom and Zoom meetings.The youngest students are learning numbers and words online. 

Chromebooks and necessary paperwork were distributed to high school students at the start of school. 

Tax rates will not change at Wayne County Schools for 2020 - 2021, but broadband wireless is a step closer for everyone.

The first Tuesday (September 8th) of the Food Service Meal Distribution held this week launched another round of the Summer Free Meal Program for local children. The number of meals needed to accomodate the families picking up meals had increased, considerably. The normal pick up for meals had been around 1200 maximum districtwide, however, they served 2000 meals on Tuesday.

Wayne County Schools athletic fan guidance and expectations for the fall 2020 sports seasons have been released. These guidelines will be followed beginning with the first home football game of the season when the Cards host Southwestern. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

USDA and the Kentucky Department of Education has approved utilization of the Summer Feeding Service Program for Wayne County Schools Child Nutrition Department 2020-21, starting on September 8th. Due to this change, the school district will be able to make meal distribution a bit easier for local families with children. The following are the changes you will see starting September 8th.

Senior portraits will be taken at the high school September 8^th and 14^th. Seniors can have both their casual and formal pictures taken when they come. Check out the high school webpage to schedule your session or submit photos, as soon as possible.

All kinds of stations were set up in the middle school providing back to school information to families, as well as meeting with teachers.

Teachers welcomed back second graders and met their new first grade students.

The staff at Monticello Elementary representing grades three, four and five were excited to visit with families just before the start of school.

Wayne County Schools along with all schools across the state who are observing NTI (Non-traditional instruction) days, are not recording daily attendance as usual. Instead, teachers are recording participation in their Infinite Campus software programs, with students working individually at different paces from home.

The youngest learners were very excited to see their classrooms and meet their teachers. They will have all kinds of resources where they learn the basics through virtual means. Teachers were happy to show parents all their tools during orientation and will continue to build relationships with their families.

The Wayne County Board of Education members were impressed with a sample of the virtual learning that is being kicked off for the new school year which began August 24. Students are responding to the virtual lessons that the teachers have worked hard on to present online.

Wayne County School Virtual Student Curbside Meal Pick Up opportunities will be available each Tuesday, beginning August 25th to start the school year. Five days worth of free breakfast and lunch will be distributed each week on Tuesday. All Wayne County School students are encouraged to participate in this program. Because of regulations that are in place for now, parents must pick up the student’s meal at the school they are enrolled.    

District employees from all five schools participated in the Medical Administration Skill Competency training for unlicensed administrative personnel, recently. This group of employees give student medication following the district procedures and policies when school nurses are absent or perhaps accompanying students on field trips. The annual training covers the use of epi pens, policies and procedures related to medical skills and how to administer what a doctor has prescribed for a student during the school day.   

  With Wayne County Schools delivering instruction virtually beginning August 24^th, each of the five schools on campus has revised their orientation schedules and protocols coming up. CDC guidelines will be observed with each school making individualized plans.

 Lieutenant Governor shares home internet assistance options designed to make communication services affordable for low-income families. These two new programs are designed to offer robust internet access to underserved rural areas ensuring affordability.

While keeping all the buses maintained and the drivers meeting all the CDL guidelines plus a Class B endorsement, this school year will be even more challenging because of extra precautions being taken due to Covid-19. The drivers will play an especially important part of a successful re-opening of school.

Wayne County High School Junior Gehrig Sexton won the championship at the Model Invitational Golf Tournament on August 3rd, with an impressive score of six under par. Wayne County High School Junior Gage Gregory tied for sixth while the team finished sixth out of nineteen teams. Wayne County Golf members include Aaron Hesse and Cade Foster.

There is a lot going on at Walker Early Learning Center on the Wayne County Schools campus. On Wednesday (August 5), preschool teachers conducted the final DIAL 4 Screenings to help customize learning for each child’s introductory year to school. Parents of kindergarten students can expect to receive a phone call from the school as teachers begin calling their students’ homes to schedule appointments for kindergarten orientation set for August 17 and 18, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day.

 Chief Academic Officer Brian Dishman led the annual new teacher support training where new teachers are familiarized with the district and curriculum specialists get acquainted with them so they can be of assistance to them at each of the school buildings. The intent of the local four-day teacher seminar, along with future trainings, is to make sure they have the resources and support they need to have a successful school year. They are being introduced to Wayne County’s curriculum instruction resources, classroom management, and local technology involving everything from: Infinite Campus to Smart Boards to Google Classroom. The curriculum coaches across the district assist teachers at each school and serve as consultants along with one other teacher mentor assigned  to each of the new teachers throughout the school year. They also benefit from digital learning coaches at the school levels that help enhance teachers' technology skills. In fact, each building has two teachers that have also taken on the duty as a digital learning specialist.   

Staying healthy is an important part of education. If your child doesn’t have health insurance, you may qualify for KCHIP, Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program. It provides comprehensive coverage at no cost. There are many students across the district who qualify but are not signed up. To find out more, go to kidshealth.ky.gov or call toll free 1-877-524-4718 – because every child needs health insurance. This is a government program, run by the state.

A FAFSA completion campaign is underway for recent high school graduates. COVID 19 has created a tremendous amount of anxiety within families in this region in many ways, not the least of which is the fact that fewer young people are making the decision to go off to college/post-secondary work. The Partners for Education at Berea College are asking students to move the needle forward on FAFSA completion in this area.

Congrats to Gage Gregory who won Championship at the Somerset Invitational Golf Tournament shooting one under par. The golf team is currently in the midst of their competitions.

Incoming preschoolers who have not yet registered need to stop by Walker Early Learning Center or register online to meet the final screening deadline scheduled for August 5th. Parents can go to the school district website and check out the upper left-hand column for information or call the school at 606-348-4251. Make sure your child becomes kindergarten ready, by enrolling them in Wayne County's highly rated preschool.   

Wayne County Schools honored their employees who retired during the past school year, at their June board meeting. The retirees attending received a plaque and were given a party to go bag to celebrate the occasion with their families (in order to observe Covid prevention guidelines).Thank you to the 19 retirees that logged a total of 492 years of service!

Wayne County Schools’ Summer Feeding Program has been a tremendously valuable service to the children of Wayne County during the on-going pandemic. They have prepared close to 200,000 meals.The school program has been in full force since March 16, supported by a professional school staff, which has included a particularly dedicated ‘family’ of food service employees that have definitely gone the extra-mile.

2020-2021 Escuelas del Condado Wayne Covid-19 Plan de Reentrada. Opcions eleccion de los padres per los estudiantes.

    Wayne County Schools are anxious to nail down student preferences on back to school options. Schools are seeking parents’ decisions regarding which back to school option is best for their child regarding scheduling for the upcoming school year.

The preschool staff conducted DIAL-4 Screening to help meet students' needs on an individual basis. The test results help teachers know where each child is at on their basic skills, so they know how to craft instruction and meet their social needs to help them progress in the classroom. The appointments were scattered out over a three-day period.

Coming from a family of Kentucky educators, Jason Glass had a passion for learning, community and democracy. Now, with an extensive and diverse array of educational and professional experiences, he has been able to turn those passions toward the work of being Kentucky’s next commissioner of education.

     The Wayne County Board of Education approved Wayne County Schools’ re-entry opening plan during a meeting on Thursday (July 9) evening, while continued public health restrictions make a “normal” opening of school impossible.

The 17th annual Back to School Bash at the ASPIRE Center is cancelled due to COVID-19.

School nurses recommend ten tips to stress to young learners Parents can help educate their children on COVID-19 prevention techniques before they head back to school. 

Wayne County School families eligible for free/reduced-price meals up to $313.50 per child. The application deadline has been extended until July 10th.

Interim Commissioner Kevin C. Brown provided an update to Kentucky families about the COVID-19 crisis and schools across the state on June 26, 2020.

Starting May 26, the Summer Feeding Program Schedule and changes are being made that families need to be aware of for the remainder of the summer.   

The Kentucky Department for Public Health, in collaboration with the Kentucky Department of Education, on June 24 issued highly anticipated guidance for schools and districts on how to safely reopen for the upcoming school year amid the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic

Thank you to the 1,214 local parent survey responses that represent over 2,000 students enrolled in the Wayne County School District. District administrators appreciate your input into starting the 2020-21 school year during this unusual time. Also appreciated was the survey results from the school district staff. These findings along with the Governor's/Kentucky Department of Education recommendations will be factored into future decisions being made about the reopening plans.

Wayne County students have another opportunity available to them as they further their educations, nearby. Somerset Community College’s Clinton Center will have a new program option this fall—Practical Nursing. The Kentucky Board of Nursing recently approved the expansion of the program to the center and classes are scheduled to begin Monday, August 17. Twenty-five students will be admitted to the one-year program each fall.

The school child care facility re-opened Monday, June 15, to begin providing services from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays. They are at limited capacity, but space is still available. Call 348-1591 for enrollment information. 

Wayne County Schools are seeking input from parents regarding the start of school this fall. Please fill out the parent survey link at https://forms.gle/faNkyAZTwyFKmsA56 by Monday, June 22.

The Kentucky Department of Education's (KDE) Commissioner's Parents Advisory Council (PAC) heard how schools are preparing for reopening this fall during its June 10 meeting.

Facing a pandemic with seniors missing out on their final semester perks like the prom, awards, public graduation, walk throughs to the schools, and senior breakfast -  classes were converted to Non-Traditional Instruction Days. In the midst of all the change, a couple of Wayne County High School educators were inspired to write a song and perform it virtually.

The fifth graders and their families drove along Cave Street with the staff cheering them on. The fifth graders will now advance to sixth grade at the Wayne County Middle School. The Middle School houses sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

The fifth graders and their families drove along Cave Street with the staff cheering them on. The fifth graders will now advance to sixth grade at the Wayne County Middle School. The Middle School houses sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

Since Wayne County Schools are a Community Eligibility Provisions (CEP) school district, students receive free Breakfast and Lunch during the school year. This enables them to qualify for this helpful new program offered to offset food costs during the pandemic.  

Campbellsville University’s 34^th annual Excellence in Teaching Award Program Ceremony was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, 217 teachers received the Excellence in Teaching Award from 76 districts and/or private schools in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Wayne County Schools is represented by Wayne Roberts, superintendent; along with the following instructors that were selected for this award:  Leslye Rice, Monticello Elementary School; Lisa Bell, Wayne County Middle School; and George Snyder, Wayne County High School.

Congratulations to the seniors who received various awards and scholarships!

Wayne County High School seniors wore their cap n' gowns as they drove their vehicles in a parade from the high school parking lot, onto Albany Road and down Main Street, proceeding to the stoplight in front of McDonalds. Many of the seniors decorated their cars for the special occasion held Friday, May 22nd. Special thanks to the City/County Government and Wayne County Emergency Management Services for supporting the event!

The graduates were first greeted with a long row of yard signs with their photos and names on them in front of the high school on Worsham Lane. In addition, the Central Office had a nice display at the start of the parade route. The county courthouse had a huge display to honor the seniors downtown, while many folks along the route had signs up to cheer them on. Thanks to the businesses that were very supportive.  

It was an unusual graduation that took three days to complete in stages. The pandemic prevented everyone from being together, however, the event became an intimate  event for each family who had a front row seat to see their child's graduation. The school staff went to great lengths to make it as authentic and special for each graduate, while maintaining safety guidelines. A video is being produced so everyone will be able to see the event in its entirety. 

 The class of 2020 proudly graduated with 231 seniors. There were many things to be celebrated regarding each of these students. Their academic success was honored through a variety of measures.

Wayne County High School Commencement was held in a unique way this year. Since the entire class could not meet together, seniors were welcomed to the gym for a private ceremony where their families had a front row seat to see them cross the stage and pick up their diploma. A schedule was set up so social distancing could be practiced with everyone wearing masks (except while on stage), stretched out over a three-day period.  A video will be coming out in the future for everyone to view and enjoy. Check out the 2020 Commencement program inside.   

Students and parents used a drop-off line to bring back library books, chromeBooks, and JROTC gear along the front sidewalk of the high school. Seniors were excited to pick up their cap n' gowns. Students were also able to pick up their yearbooks, normally a popular day at school when students sign each others' pages.  

National School Nurse Day, May 6, is a time to celebrate the specialty practice of school nursing. In 1972, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) created National School Nurse Day to recognize school nurses and acknowledge their role in the educational setting. District School Health Coordinator Patty Burton would like to recognize the school nursing staff, as well as the contributions made by the Healthy Kids Clinic.

The Wayne County Cardinal Band program is looking for fifth graders to join the fun and fellowship that makes this opportunity so special! Get a great start in music and learn to play an instrument of your choice. Check out all the information and links inside inviting new members...

While the Little Cardinal Academy and Countdown to Kindergarten programs were abruptly halted in midstream during March due to the pandemic shutdown, Walker Early Learning Center preschool and kindergarten enrollment is now underway online.

Check out the links to begin the enrollment process for preschool and kindergarten online. There are forms, information, and links to preview inside or on the school district home page on the left-hand column under Walker Early Learning Registration.  

The children at Monticello Elementary had quite a memorable day when six different exotic animals joined them at school, prior to the pandemic.

Wayne County Schools' Healthy Kids Clinic are currently offering physicals and up-to-date immunizations for incoming sixth graders. Fifth grade students' guardians may schedule an appointment so their student will be ready to move on to sixth grade in the fall.

Wayne County High School FCCLA members Riley Hicks, Jasmine Boykin, and Andrea Napier competed in individual programs and earned state and national recognition for the Power of One at their Region 14 Meeting held at Lindsey Wilson College.

Wayne County Schools Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) will continue through May 11, which will conclude the school year for local students. The district implemented NTI days due to the pandemic in mid-March. WCHS Seniors will learn more details about graduation when they pick up their cap and gown on May 4^th

   Instead of complaining about missing memories from his senior year in high school, Wayne County High School Senior Coy Reynolds has been very productive this last semester.  His non-traditional pathway has evolved into a full time construction job where he is learning to build everything from a house to a barn to a steel building. In between long hours at a site in Pulaski County, he has managed to sandwich in a way to give back to the community through a skill he learned at the high school earlier this school year.

Fall preschool enrollment information and forms for four and three-year-olds on home page of school district website on left-hand column. Check it out! 

The Wayne County School Nutrition Service Department has done an outstanding job feeding the youth of Wayne County during these trying times for the community.  Not only have they been there to make sure children are not going hungry during the pandemic, they are providing high quality meals on their menus.

 Although students have not yet gotten to walk down the shiny new halls and benefit from the state-of-art classrooms/labs at the new Wayne County Area Technology Center (ATC), there is already work being produced. In fact, the school is already providing a valuable service to local medical personnel during the pandemic.

Wayne County Extension specialists taught students to plant snap pea seeds in the outdoor classroom bed at Walker Early Learning Center. These were planted prior to the Pandemic and should be getting close to harvesting.

   Admittedly, it was not quite the same for the preschool and kindergarten students to see their classroom butterflies released from their teachers’ yards on ClassDojo this semester. However, the teachers made it as special as possible for the annual event that the children look forward to each year. Usually the children gather in the outdoor classroom for the releases at school.

First and second graders are exposed to all kinds of wonderful reading opportunities at Bell Elementary. On March 2nd they had met their goal and read 600 books total. In addition,they celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with an appearance by Cat in the Hat as one way to promote reading. During the NTI Days, students have been able to do their Accelerated Reading activities from home and increase their point averages by taking the online comprehension quiz matched to each AR book.

Some of the teachers have been at school isolated in their classrooms working on NTI assignments, while many others are working from their homes online. They have learned some new ways to communicate online and are contacting their students on a regular basis to keep in touch with them. They are providing valuable instruction during these difficult times. 

Due to the increased participation from the local community with the Wayne County School meal pick up option, the school has to adjust how they are doing their pick-ups. The number of meals grew dramatically last week with 941 meals picked up at school on Monday, April 13 and 4,890 meals delivered that week. All of the home deliveries transported by school buses are now on Mondays. Due to this, over half of the food service staff is out on delivery routes. Therefore, they will no longer be able to provide pick up meals on Monday.

   Even though school is out, you may hear a big yellow Wayne County School bus honking outside your home no matter what corner of the county you reside. Nutrition service workers and bus drivers have become unsung heroes to almost a thousand children benefiting from a hot school lunch and shelf-safe breakfast for the next morning. Young people are being fed either along newly established routes or through a pick-up service at Wayne County Middle School.

Wayne County Schools Healthy Kids Clinic will continue to be open for business, while also providing Telehealth online service. Besides being available in person on weekdays, this new extra service is now available through the local clinic to be even more accommodating to patients.

The new Wayne County School Mental Health and Counseling Hotline number is 340-3696.  This number will be available from 8:00-4:00 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, and the caller can leave their name, number, and message with the expectation that someone will get back to them shortly.

Check out valuable information like this article inside from the CDC and others by clicking the Coronavirus link on the upper left-hand column on the front page of the school website. This CDC article shares information on talking with children about Coronavirus Disease  Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children.

Check out valuable information regarding meals pick up program at the middle school cafeteria, as well as delivery service which begins Thursday, March 19. There is no charge for the meals program and youth 18 and under are encouraged to participate.

In order to have the very latest contact information on students during these days of remote communication during NTI days, parents need to make sure they have supplied their child's school with updated information. In the few cases where this information is not up to date, parents can go to the link inside.

Although, Wayne County School classes have been dismissed, several services that the district normally offers will continue to meet student needs.

Student winners from the Wayne County Area Technology Center are as follows:

Automotive Service Technology 1 – Michael Cooper 2nd Place

Automotive Service Technology 2 –

Dylan Powell 1st Place, Jaden Gibson 2nd Place

Automotive Transportation Tool Identification – Breonna Kennedy 1st Place, Ethan Prince 2nd Place

Carpentry Cabinetry – Zeth Denney 2nd Place

Carpentry Tool Identification – Nicili Goad 1st Place

Carpentry – Wesley Reynolds – 3rd Place

Job Demonstration A – T.J. Bradford Higgins 1st Place

Job Demonstration O – Cole Crabtree 1st Place

Machine Tool – Ethan Perkins – 3rd Place

Biology l students in Mary Mclean’s class enjoyed working in the lab recently dissecting fetal pigs as they compared the organs to parts of the human body in order to better understand some scientific concepts.

The Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute (KMHI) is currently accepting applications for five (5) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to individuals who are currently attending or that will be attending a technical center, trade school, or enrolling in an apprenticeship program centered around the construction industry.

Students applied their classroom learning to a more independent and advanced level. Students chose scientific content they were interested in to do further investigations.

Sixth, seventh and eighth graders’ Science Fair winning team and runners-up exhibits were recently displayed in the atrium at the Wayne County Middle School. Students whose projects made it to the final competition were rewarded with a trip to the Louisville Science Museum.

Thanks to Jamie Jones from Monticello Banking Company and former Wayne Co FBLA Chapter President for talking to FBLA this morning about her duties and responsibilities at Monticello Bank and her career path moving up from within the organization starting as a Co-Op student her senior year in high school to currently Trainer in the Human Resources Dept.

The Wayne County Schools GEAR UP program recently brought Somerset Community College (SCC) representatives to campus to assist students interested in college opportunities close to home. There are more and more classes and perks for local graduates to take advantage of nearby.

Wayne County Schools ATC was well represented by the local Future Business Leaders of America on February 28th at Western Kentucky University. The competition was impressive with a total of 21 FBLA Chapters competing at Region 2.

They ended on Monday March 2 with their degree recipient party, held for members that received their Green Hand degrees or Chapter degrees! 

It is already time to prepare for kindergarten registration on the Wayne County School campus. Families who are enrolling children in kindergarten for the 2020-2021 school year are encouraged to participate in Countdown to Kindergarten. Families are assigned to one workshop scheduled for either March 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Current preschool families have been assigned to a workshop during the first three dates. On March 26^th, Head Start Program students and families, and any students and families enrolling in kindergarten who have not yet attended a workshop will be encouraged to attend.

The Wayne County School preschool program based at Walker Early Learning Center is welcoming young children eligible to attend school next fall to three morning classes in March.

                Congratulations to John David Rains for medaling at 12th Region Academic Team Governor’s Cup competition in Berea, Kentucky, on Saturday, February 15^th. That impressive finish enables him to compete at state amongst the very brightest students in early March.  

Bell Elementary Teacher Melinda Burnett's class performed a musical program that illustrated the solar system for fellow second graders and their parents. They did a great job with the help of Music Teacher Susan Helms and PE Teacher Lois Bradley.

Dental hygienist Kathy Ellis, representing Dr. Philip Hardin's dentist office, shared a book and info on how to properly brush your teeth and develop good dental health habits.

Cadet Corporal Emily Carter, Cadets Private Second Class Hailey Foster and Rachael Nevels and Second Lieutenant Liliana Zanahua earned a third place finish out of eighteen teams competing in the Color Guard Category at the North Bullitt High School Eagle Drill Meet on January 25.

The Monticello Elementary Academic Team were named the KAAC 2020 Elementary District 55 Governor’s Cup competition runners-up on February 11^th. Those students who advanced will compete at Region in Clinton County on February 24 and February 29.

WCHS Junior Riley Keith designed this years banner for the school board conference held in Louisville. She did a tremendous job creating an image for the theme: Kentucky School Boards; education on focus - Vision 20/20

Kentucky's 2018-2019 School Report Card is now final, except for finance data, which is scheduled for release in May

The 19-member squad competed in the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships finishing 11^th in their division on Saturday, February 8^th.  They were amongst 15 teams in the Large Co-ed Non-Tumbling Division at the ESPN World Wide of Sports facility at Walt Disney World Resort.

Good luck to the high school team members advancing to Region on Saturday, February 15th in Berea. Congratulations to the Wayne County High School Academic Team for placing second overall during District Competition on Saturday, January 25th at Somerset Christian School.

Many of the Elementary students customized their clothing to celebrate the 100th day of school. Learning activities included 100 days into their equations.

The Monticello Federated Women’s Club recognized recent Wayne County High School 2019 graduate Crystal Lair with a cookbook and a gift for her assistance in producing their book. She typed the entire recipe collections for “A Collection of Favorite Recipes 55^th Anniversary of Mill Springs Gift Shop” edition while working in the Wayne County High School computer help desk services lab in Marsha Bertram’s classroom. Chairman of the Gift Shop Committee Mary Boland, Vice-President Charlotte Johnson, and Cookbook Committee Member Melodie Smith thanked Lair for providing such a great service to them. 

On Tuesday January 28 the Wayne Co. DECA Chapter competed in Regional Competition at EKU.

Teachers and their students celebrated with the 105 kindergarten students who knew all 26 of their ABC sightwords last semester.

The first annual Kenny Davis Classic was held at Wayne County High School on February 1, 2020. The Monticello Bank sponsored the doubleheader event and Bank Representative Perry Elam presented awards to the players on the teams at the conclusion.

Wayne County Middle School students are not only learning to use advanced technology to function in today’s classrooms, but they are putting it to use to learn about great works of art in a creative way.

Wayne County High School 2019 graduate Alex Piercy is the second Wayne County High School student to receive the prestigious Hagan Scholarship. 

Eighth-grade middle school students in Southern and Eastern Kentucky have until Feb. 7 to apply for The Center for Rural Development’s 2020 Rogers Explorers program.

The Wayne County High School Wrestling Team honored their seniors at the recent home meet where they defeated Knox Central on January 29.

The Wayne County Wrestling Team won the Daviess County Duals Saturday, February 1st in Owensboro. Kentucky.

Wayne County Schools is proud to announce that Walker Early Learning Center Principal Angela Ballinger recently attended the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA) 2020 cohort of the Kentucky Women in Education Leadership (KWEL) program. Ballinger was one of 33 exceptional women educators that were chosen through a competitive application process based on specific leadership criteria.

Kindergarten student Lilly Bell's art won the anti-bullying poster contest at Walker Early Learning Center recently.

Wayne County High School Archer Ragan Shelton signs with University of the Cumberlands

Wayne County Wrestling team travelled to Columbia on January 25 .They competed at Lindsey Wilson College in the KYWCA Small School State Duals. The Mat Cards defeated Ashland Paul Blazer and No. 4 Louisville DeSales in pool action to advance to the semi finals. The Cardinal Team fell to No.1 Union County. The Mat Cards wrestled No.3 Walton Verona for third place losing 39-37 to take fourth overall in the state duals, The Mat Cards finished the day 28-13 overall on the season.

Teacher Kristen Phillips' second grade classroom presented the "Five Fantastic Food Groups" under the direction of Music Teacher Susan  Helms, while PE Teacher Lois Bradley wrote the program. Bradley teaches proper nutrition habits in her health class instruction.

UK Program Assistant for Agriculture Terry Bertram presented goodie bags to each classroom representative who did a good job on their coloring page, which related to their fall broccoli planting lesson in the school garden. Congratulations to the classroom representatives, and especially to Emrah Atkinson, Katie McCoy, and Amberly Vaughn whose work was judged to have the best artistic talent in regards to the agriculture lesson.

Mat Cards now qualify them to compete at the State Duals at Lindsey Wilson College on January 25th

Six students received plaques and gifts thanking them for their art which was used in the school district's email card. All of the drawings were exhibited in the Board of Education Conference Room in December.

Wayne County Board Members Donna Blevins, Melissa Upchurch, Larry Muse, Whitney Smith, and
Jarrod Criswell are among the more than 850 school board members in the state’s 173 local school
districts being recognized this month for their service.

The exhibit includes more than 40 oil and acrylic paintings from wildlife artist James “Jay” Perkins and landscape artist David Coffey. Both are self-taught artists and the best of friends. David Coffey recently participated in the arts festival at Wayne County Middle School

Youth Summer programs have greatly benefitted Wayne County School students over the years and Rogers Scholars six day program deadline for sophomores is January 24. Rogers Scholars—The Center for Rural Development’s flagship youth program—is an intensive, one-week summer camp that provides valuable leadership experience and exclusive college scholarship opportunities to help rising high school juniors in Southern and Eastern Kentucky seize their full potential as the region’s next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. The Center for Rural Development is now offering a new program for Rogers Scholars Alumni who wish to attend the program in a mentoring role. Alumni can apply during their junior and senior years for the Alumni Mentoring Program. Application deadlines for 8th graders Rogers Explorers is Feb. 7 and 9th, 10, and 11th graders Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute deadline is March 6.   

Students and families enjoyed attending the Christmas Extravaganza where they painted ornaments, made reindeer food, sipped hot chocolate, and participated in Christmas games and directed drawing activities. Santa was the guest of honor in the media center.

The 8th Grade and High School Combined Band provided a festive holiday concert on the evening of December 17 at the Pickrell Auditorium. Band Director Andy Critz and Associate Director Tyler Cook were proud of their students' efforts wishing the crowd a Merry Christmas just before the holiday. 

Most recently, Monticello Elementary Archery team placed 1st, WCMS placed 2nd, and the WCHS team placed first at the Northern Pulaski Middle School on January 4th, and at Boyle County on December 21st Monticello Elementary placed 1st, and the WCHS team placed 2nd.

Wayne County Senior Clarinet musician Halen Pharis has distinguished himself in the concert band field as an All State student.

Students who attend the 21st Century Drama Club preformed A Christmas Carol, adapted for a large cast of young performers by Kathryn Schultz Miller available through ArtReach Children's Theatre Plays. The third, fourth and fifth graders met after school for drama practice throughout the semester to perform Charles Dickens' holiday classic tale. The play took the audience on a journey to the past, present and future during a daytime school performance and evening public performance on December 16th. The audience applauded the casts' efforts in bringing the musical version of Ebenezer Scrooge's life and ultimate redemption in this traditional story to the Monticello Elementary stage. Dickens characters - Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Marley's Ghost, Mr. Fezziwig, Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, Future - and a host of others brought the spirit of Christmas to the hearts of everyone involved young and old.   

Kindergartens and their families were excited to meet their teachers and see their classrooms on August 5th during orientation. 

Be a part of the 6 sessions for families with children that are 0-school age. The workshops provide parents with tools and resources to turn everyday activities into early learning moments. Learning starts long before school.

This years show is entitled "The Hand You're Dealt". It's about how life is different for everyone, almost as if you are playing a different hand in a game of cards, Life is literally relatable to a game of cards as the chances of having a good hand are equal to having a bad hand, but it is not in what you're dealt but how you play it. The Band performed for their families after summer band camp in Pickrell Auditorium. The band students and their parents also enjoyed watching the DCI World Championship Finals on August 10th at the Wayne Theater.

Cardinals will scrimmage Metcalfe County on Friday, August 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Jewell Field. Come out and support another great fall season of football. Go Cards!

Approximately 3,000 students will be welcomed back to the Wayne County Schools
campus on the first day of classes on Wednesday, August 14.
Orientation activities are underway at each of the five school buildings. Kindergarteners
through seniors and their families are learning everything from codes of conduct to bus routes
to meal plans as general expectations are shared for the 2019-2020 school year.

The book themes provided the weekly schedules which were headlined: Tonight on the Titanic, Pirates Past Noon, Dingoes at Dinner Time, Civil War on Sunday, and Stallions by Starlight.

Both Elementary and Middle School students came to Open House along with their parents. Families enjoyed refreshments and learned what the campers had created and studied.

Middle school students participated n a variety of creative activities beginning with Survivor week, followed by Escape week, and Cupcake Wars with a field trip to Wild Thyme Cooking School. The final two weeks included art appreciation activities and virtual reality/drama camp. 

This season the boys team is already competing against some tough teams. In addition to the boys team, a middle school girls team has been formed at Wayne County. 

Camp was held for elementary archers, as well as for middle and high school students.

Wayne County High School 2019 graduate Jessie Allison will go down in school history for being Wayne County Schools’ first student to receive a college associate’s degree, at the same time she obtained her recent high school diploma.

Two Wayne County High School students were fortunate to represent South Kentucky RECC in
Washington, D.C. this summer.

Wayne County High School Class of 2019 members Rachael and Renee Allen recently
attended the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference (NLC)
in San Antonio, Texas. Rachael and Renee both participated in the NLC as competitors
representing Kentucky FBLA.

The Wayne County Board of Education were pleased to learn the results of year-end data
regarding the dramatic gains in student reading levels. Congratulations to the staff and students for moving forward on reading!

Wayne County High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) students are not afraid to get out in the heat and work in the Wayne County School garden. In fact, they understand the obligation they have to help produce the vegetables that are served on local tables.

Wayne County High School 2019 graduate Sierra Hagerman has the honor of being one
of the first Wayne County students to receive the prestigious Horatio Alger National Scholarship.
She will be using the $25,000 scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished
Americans, Inc., a non-profit educational organization, to attend Murray State University this fall.

On July 15-19th the Wayne County High School FFA chapter attended the annual Kentucky FFA Leadership Training Center Camp at Hardinsburg, Kentucky. There were a total of 15 members that attended officer and committee classes, athletic games, and many team-bonding activities. They were amongst 24 schools attending with 269 student campers.

Representing Wayne County JROTC at Junior Cadet Leadership Camp 2019, Cadet Corporal Brett
Herbig earned the Alpha Company Leadership Award. This marks the second year in a row that a Wayne
County Cadet has earned this very prestigious award and is a testament to the exceptional academic and
personal character Wayne County Cadets exemplify.

With school out for the summer many students were thinking of the lazy days ahead,
sleeping late and just chilling out. “Not us,” almost in unison responded the 10 cadets from
WCHS JROTC making preparations to attend annual Junior Cadet Leadership Camp (JCLC) at
Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond, KY, held May 25-29TH.

JROTC Battalion Commander, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Ethan Morrow was recently selected to
attend the very prestigious United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar. This activity is for
perspective students who have a desire to attend the Naval Academy and it gives high school juniors a
weeklong preview of what they can expect if they are selected to attend the Naval Academy.

Have you purchased your ticket for a chance to win a Houseboat Vacation on Lake Cumberland and support The Center for Rural Development's youth programs?

Eighth grade girls from the junior varsity softball team, as well as seniors from the varsity softball team were honored at the end of the softball season. Girls were recognized by their coaches with gifts after being escorted by their parents or family members. 

Wayne County High School Freshman Kallie Powell was among thirty students from Southern and Eastern Kentucky that graduated from the third class of The Center for Rural Development’s 2019 Rogers Explorers program held June 16-18 on the campus of Lindsey Wilson College.

Wayne County High School Freshman Wes Cares was amongst thirty students from Southern and Eastern Kentucky graduated from the fourth class of The Center for Rural Development’s 2019 Rogers Explorers program held June 19-21 on the campus of the University of the Cumberlands.

Two members of the Wayne County Track Team recently competed at the state track and field
championships held at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track Facility.