There aren’t many spring high school graduations that happen before May.
But one such celebration happened Thursday night in Cadiz, when Trigg County Schools Board of Education recognized Jalyn Mann’s accomplishments — having finished all efforts necessary for a high school diploma in the district’s Harbor Academy.
Known as a safe place of remote learning, focused student-teacher interactions and aggressive remedial support, it is the kind of classroom necessary not just for behavioral concerns, but for students with unique, undefined and very private circumstances.
But it’s also a place to very publicly succeed, and her teacher, Andy Telford, said she has — reading her words aloud in the Trigg County Middle School Library.
Telford then offered her some advice.
Mann, who wore a full white cap and gown, had several family members in attendance.
In other school news:
+ Superintendent Dr. Rex Booth affirmed that the district will remain “aggressive” in its approach to social media, and that the school’s Food Services program just created a Facebook page that’s already drawing massive kudos and attention. Recent “Trays of the Day” posts, he said, are being well received — showcasing all the meal permutations available to students and staff.
+ As part of his required “instructional leadership” discussion, Booth also confirmed that Trigg County will embrace the West Kentucky Educational Cooperative co-hort, and next week will visit Graves County High School as part of an information exchange on co-teaching models.
+ Ashley Hunter, Lighthouse Family Resource Center director, offered a considerable update on their activity over the past semester, which included helping 49 people through 11 boxes of food at Thanksgiving, as well as another 33 families and 70 total students with with similar assistance at Christmas. The food pantry, she added, is frequently being stocked by at least three local churches, while teachers have earned at least three “Blue Jeans Days” with food exchanges.
To date, more than 320 students received dental services through “School Smiles,” and more than 110 students received medical referrals after the Cadiz Lions Club conducted 719 eye examinations.
At present, Hunter added that more than 120 students are receiving some form of counseling services, and at the start of the 2025-26 academic calendar. She also confirmed to board member Jim Mullen that more than 51% of kindergartners “weren’t ready” for the classroom this year, and that more than 75% of Trigg County’s school-aged families do fall under a federally designated “economically disadvantaged” status, which means they qualify for some levels of support.
