A month ago, Trigg County Elementary and Intermediate rolled in district and regional Governor’s Cup competitions — pulling away with coveted championships in quick recall, assessments and overall rating.
During Thursday evening’s regularly-scheduled Trigg County Board of Education meeting, they had their chance to bask in admiration for their successes — and coach LaNell Bell sing their praises.
The Intermediate quick recall squad topped Chandlers School, Longest Elementary School, Millbrooke Elementary, University Heights Academy, Pembroke Elementary, Greenville Elementary and South Todd Elementary for the region title. And in regional assessment, Patel placed third in mathematics and third in arts & humanities, Messer placed fourth in science, Gravil took first in social studies, and Clark snagged second in composition.
Bell said the competition was incredibly difficult, and the students won with grace and humility.
Intermediate Principal Brian Futrell gave thanks to a mother/daughter coaching tandem that handled a hectic off-season, and shepherded a strong team to the finish line.
And Bell said parents made a difference.
Bell noted there’s a deeper meaning to the victories than a handful of trophies and ribbons.
In other school news:
— Superintendent Bill Thorpe opened the floor to former, and now returned, Matt Boehman, who on July 1 will assume the role of assistant superintendent and curriculum director for the district.
Boehman currently serves as the principal at Christian County High School. He began his teaching career at Trigg County in 2003 and served as an assistant football coach for the Wildcats. Since, he’s served in teaching roles across all grade levels and as principal of both an elementary and a high school.
Karen Solise has accepted the superintendent position at Anchorage Independent Schools near Louisville, but will oversee the completion of this school year as well as Camp Catapult, which will run three weeks in the middle of June.
— Speaking of Solise, she noted that her station will be applying for two grants in the shadow of the recently-passed Senate Bill 9, which requires schools to “take action” on early childhood literacy. The move from Kentucky legislature opened up a number of applications, including some unrelated to reading. Solise said the “Read to Succeed” and “Cops” grants would be redundant for Trigg County, because K-2 have new advance curriculum, and the district already has a full quota of school resource officers.
A “Stop School Violence” grant, valued at $100,000 on a 75/25 match, will be sought. It assists with purchasing safety equipment. A “Stronger Connections” grant, which is valued at $300,000 and can be used anytime over a three-year period, will also be sought. It can be used for health services, general safety and support for students and staff.
— Thorpe also noted locals should begin their Friday afternoon at the Janice Mason Art Museum, before bouncing across the street for the final night of the 56th Annual Cadiz Rotary Club Radio Auction.
The showcase is open until the end of April.
— And prior to Thursday’s meeting, several board members took a short tour through ongoing construction inside the vocational building and co-curricular center, with Director of Operations Matt Ladd and Sherman Carter Barnhart associates in Andrew Owens and Chris Jones guiding.
Completion for the cavernous co-curricular center is expected for late July, and its scope feels larger after a walkthrough. Additional bathrooms, including a family changing station, mean Cadiz could eventually be a proper location for track meets, football showcases and small band competitions at Perdue Field. There are wide-open spaces for multi-purpose storage, and a lined turf will be pivotal for athletic and band practice.
As for the vocational building, Jones said construction is roughly at 50%, which is about on schedule. Ladd has mentioned several times that the expectation is for the building to be move-in ready by, or thereabouts, of Fall Break 2023.
