News

September 26, 2012

Graves High Band makes history at 2012 MSU Festival of Champions

The Graves County High School Screamin' Eagle Band placed ninth among 24 competing bands at Murray State University's Festival of Champions Sept. 22. For the first time in the Graves County Band's history, it was selected to perform in the finals with 14 other bands, considered to be a great honor. Graves County placed tenth in the finals. The band's next competition will take place at the Hopkinsville Marching Invitational Oct. 13.

September 25, 2012

Graves FFA thanks Pfizer, Dr. Buddy Ray's Bovine Consulting Associates for donation

Graves County High School FFA secretary Tanisha Gills (left) and vice-president Lindsay Holmes accept a donation of some $5,354 to their chapter from Dr. Buddy Ray, owner of Bovine Consulting Associates LLC of Mayfield. Standing behind the students is Brad Brockman, territory manager with Pfizer Animal Health in western Kentucky. The donation was made possible by a Pfizer Animal Health program. For eligible purchases of Pfizer Animal Health cattle and equine products, a donation was made on behalf of Bovine Consulting Associates LLC, Graves County. Brockman explained, "Through veterinarians like Dr. Ray, Pfizer has donated $1.1 million to the National FFA and passed the money through its various chapters so the local students can benefit from it." Ray said he is pleased that Pfizer has honored his business through the donation. He added, "I'm just glad to help the FFA." Holmes said, "We thank Dr. Ray and Pfizer for making this donation to our chapter. It provides opportunities for us to go to different places and see different things in our study of agriculture." The group is shown in the GCHS Agriculture Department's horse barn, located near the Graves County Schools' central office on Ky. Highway 121, near Mayfield. Anyone interested in supporting the organization through a donation or volunteering, may contact their local FFA chapter or visit www.FFA.org.

September 25, 2012

Toddler Time acquaints young children with Graves elementary schools

Toddler Time participant Jordan Hughes seems to have found a new friend in a puppet his mother, Jessica Hughes, brought to life for him recently at Graves County Central Elementary School. Family Resource Center director Andrea Elliott initiated Toddler Time at Sedalia and Cuba during the 2010-11 school year. The program expanded over time to other Graves County elementary schools, including Farmington, Symsonia, and Wingo. Plans are to bring Toddler Time to Fancy Farm and Lowes soon. "The idea is to help young children become familiar with school before they're old enough to attend regularly. When they visit, they get excited about things they can do at school like learning, making new friendships, and having fun," said Central Elementary FRC director Juliana Reyes. She added, "At Central, we are fortunate to partner for Toddler Time with the Head Start and Early Head Start programs here on our campus." Once each month Toddler Time sessions involve both young children and their parents. They enjoy playing together and being "in school." To learn more, contact any Graves County elementary school or its family resource center.

September 19, 2012

Fancy Farm third graders' Uganda Campaign to help African children

Fancy Farm Elementary third graders in teacher Kim Brickeen's class recently collected clothes, shoes, backpacks and Gameboys for an orphanage in Uganda. Graves County High School guidance counselor Laura Marrs and her husband, Shawn Marrs, will deliver the items to the children in person. The third graders had studied the word "campaign," meaning special project, and decided they wanted to create a campaign of their own. When the opportunity to help disadvantaged children appeared, they whole-heartedly took on the project. "Even greater than learning a new vocabulary word," their teacher said, "these students learned compassion for others."

September 25, 2012

Graves County's Emily Whitnell qualifies for KHSAA state golf tourney

Graves County sophomore Emily Whitnell qualified on Monday, Sept. 24, for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Girls' State Golf Tournament the first week of October in Bowling Green. Whitnell's 81 was best among local golfers in the regional tournament held at the Murray Country Club. Graves County finished third as a team behind runner-up Marshall County and first place Calloway County. Other Lady Eagles and their final scores were Daphne Choate, 85; Elise Ballard, 100; Gracie Martin, 106; and Lindsey Whitlock, 114. The Calloway County and Marshall County teams will make the trip to the state tournament, along with Whitnell, Terri Doss (Paducah Tilghman), Sidney Trimble (Heath), and Madison Chaney (Trigg County).

September 18, 2012

Graves School District ranks sixth in attendance statewide despite large size; ten of 12 Jackson Purchase districts rank in top 30 for 2011-12 school year

The Graves County School District ranks sixth among some 174 Kentucky public school districts in student attendance for the 2011-12 school year, according to the "Superintendent's Annual Attendance Report" from the Kentucky Department of Education.

Seven of the top nine districts are independent districts, meaning they serve only one town or city. Only Hickman County, ranked fourth, and Graves County are not independent districts among the top nine. The only district ranked ahead of Graves County with an enrollment that's even half the size of Graves County's is Fort Thomas Independent, with an average daily membership of approximately 2,700. Graves County's average daily membership is approximately 4,500.

"We are ecstatic that our students, parents, and schools have done such a tremendous job of getting kids to school," said Graves County Assistant Superintendent/director of pupil personnel Jennifer Smith. "Graves County is the fifth largest county geographically and we have a large enrollment compared to so many other districts. That makes this achievement even more special because our students overcome a lot of barriers in everyday life that can get in the way of attendance. I believe our families are committed to attendance because they know how important it is for learning."

Graves County has ranked among the top ten districts in attendance for a decade or more and this latest annual report records the district's highest ranking yet.

The Jackson Purchase as a whole did very well in attendance, according to the report. Ten of the 12 school districts in Kentucky's eight westernmost counties rank in the top 30.

The Kentucky Directors of Pupil Personnel designated Tuesday, Sept. 18, as High Attendance Day in the Commonwealth's schools. The organization will provide awards to the schools with highest attendance in elementary, middle, and high school categories. Graves County's Cuba and Fancy Farm elementary schools have won the award in past years.

September 18, 2012

New Bluegrass Institute report: Bang for the Buck 2012

A new Bluegrass Institute study, "Bang for the Buck 2012: How efficient are Kentucky's schools?," ranks districts' efficiency ratio of ACT test scores to per-pupil spending. Efficiency is making better use of available resources, according to staff education analyst Richard G. Innes, the report's author. The study identifies four "Diamond in the Rough" school districts: Graves County, Eminence Independent, LaRue County and Mason County. Each posted efficiency scores at least 10 percent above state average, while their student lunch eligibility rates equal or exceed state average. Their ACT composite scores and graduation rates surpassed state averages, too. Common threads among the four include using credible data to establish high expectations; emphasizing strong and respectful relationships among stakeholders; and using digital learning to maximize resources. "We hope that all Kentucky superintendents will learn from the excellent model of efficiency provided by these districts," said Jim Waters, interim president of the Bluegrass Institute. Pictured at the award presentation in Eminence Sept. 17 are, from left, Graves County school board chairman Ronnie Holmes and Superintendent Pete Galloway along with Waters and Innes. (Photo by Nick Oberg, The Bluegrass Institute)

September 17, 2012

Lady Eagle golf team takes second in local tourney; Whitnell places fourth

The Graves County Girls Invitational Golf Tournament was held Saturday, Sept. 15. The Lady Eagles finished second with a team total of 313, just one stroke behind the winning total. It was Graves County's first tournament in which the top five golfers scored in the 80s or lower. Pictured here, from left, are Daphne Choate, Elise Ballard, Lindsey Whitlock, Gracie Martin, Kristen Borgia, and Emily Whitnell.

September 12, 2012

Sedalia kindergarteners learn community matters

Sedalia Elementary kindergarten students recently concluded a unit of study on community and community helpers. To wrap up their study, students took a walking field trip around their own community of Sedalia, discussing places they saw and types of service each provides the community. While on the trip, students mailed hand-written letters made for Grandparents' Day at the local post office, practice their table manners while eating lunch at Sedalia Restaurant, and posed at a storefront window.

September 12, 2012

Sedalia second graders learn language lessons by visiting Noun Town

Sedalia Elementary School second graders enrolled in the classes of teachers Allyssa Binkley and Kayla Abbott have been busy studying nouns recently. In fact, to share their knowledge of people, places, and things, they created "Noun Town." They also will learn about common, proper, and possessive nouns while using and adding to their creation. They added social studies by bringing rural, urban, and suburban into the mix, along with community helpers. Their teachers say the students had a blast while learning about parts of speech and creating "Noun Town." Students pictured here, from left with their hallway bulletin board, are Jonnita Banks, Kayla Aldridge, Troy Battle, Zane Cartwright, Skyler Britt, Andrew Adams, Madisyn Braden, and Gracie Colley.

September 12, 2012

Graves High students attempt to design boats that float

Graves County High School students Brandon Eubanks (standing) and Zach Cox learned right out of the gate that they needed to re-consider their ideas about what would float their boat. As teacher Joey Wilson (wearing ID badge and lanyard) and other students watched, several teams of two attempted to navigate the waters of the pool at Oak Hills Swim Club in cardboard vessels. It was a design project of Wilson's Foundations of Technology class. Some of the other boats were more successful in staying afloat and even making forward progress, but none was wetter or quicker to capsize.

September 11, 2012

Graves High students earn career preparation certificates in child care

Graves County High School Child Development Services I students recently completed training for Orientation to Early Care and Education, a nationally-recognized industry certification. Some 28 students each completed six hours of training and can use the certification to seek employment in public and private child care centers. Their teacher is Cyndee Carman.

September 05, 2012

Farmington Elementary students learn safety from community

Farmington Elementary School students watch carefully as Kentucky State Police Trooper Jay Thomas demonstrates the effects of a rollover collision on an unrestrained driver. Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at the southeastern Graves County school recently participated in a special safety day sponsored by Crop Production Services. The event involved several community organizations, including the KSP and West Kentucky and Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative. Students saw real-life examples of how being prepared for dangerous situations can save lives. Topics included internet safety, the dangers of electricity, and the importance of wearing a seatbelt, helmet, or life jacket. Another focus was the importance of nutrition and daily physical exercise. "We're really grateful to Crop Production Services for sponsoring this event and to all the organizations that participated," said Farmington interim principal Amy Archer. "When groups like these come into our school, students see how what they're learning connects to the real world and they see that adults in the community care enough to donate their time and talent to help them learn."

September 05, 2012

Graves High student serves as U.S. Senate page

Graves County High School senior Lucas Campbell poses with U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The senior Senator from Kentucky nominated Campbell to be a Republican page this past summer. The unique experience helped Campbell think about his career plans. He met other high achievers from across the country, as well as Senators and their staff members. And, he believes, the month in Washington, D.C., helped prepare him for college. In fact, he learned about the page opportunity in his dual credit classes through Middle College at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. When he finishes there next May, he hopes to have earned the general education credits to qualify him for the Associate in Arts degree before he graduates from high school later that month. Earning those credit-hours would leave him with just the final two years needed for a bachelor's degree. He calls his time as a page "a life-changing experience for four weeks" that already is influencing his education.

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