Whitley Co. School District seeking community input

If you have children who will be attending class in the Whitley County School District this fall or if you work in the district, then when would you like to see the 2021-2022 school year begin?

If you haven’t given the subject much though, then you might want to start doing so.

Starting Wednesday, the school district will be conducting a survey for one week in order to get input on this question?

Then the school district calendar committee will meet and discuss the results, and hopefully present the board with a recommendation or recommendations at its monthly meeting in March, Director of Pupil Personnel Patrick Bowlin told the board during its monthly meeting Monday.

“There will be a link on our website (https://www.whitley.k12.ky.us/). We will also send it out by e-mail to our staff. Whenever we get those survey results back, we will share that with the calendar committee, and get some options to present to the board as far as calendars for next year,” Bowlin said.

Superintendent John Siler noted that he likes the idea of surveying parents and staff about the topic.

“Everybody will have the chance to have some input,” Siler added.

In other business, the board:

• Announced that Whitley Central Intermediate School cafeteria manager Vickie Reeves and the cafeteria staff have received the February Above and Beyond Award.

“Students need more than just books and teachers to learn. Having nutritional needs met is a vital part of students’ focus and ability to learn, and having that need met by a caring smiling face is something that all schools may not have. Vickie and her cafeteria staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure that our students and their siblings have had breakfast, lunch, and extra snacks every day that it has been possible,” Whitley Central Intermediate Principal Susie Brashear wrote in her nomination letter.

“If you haven’t been a part of the major effort that it takes to assemble and pack over 1000 meals and snacks per day, I can tell you, it is no easy task! Vickie and the cafeteria staff are dedicated to our students and their nutritional needs. I feel honored, proud and very thankful to have them as a part of our school team.”

• Approved the purchase of two transit vans for the school district. Siler noted that during the pandemic, bus drivers have frequently delivered student meals on school buses. Sometimes bus drivers aren’t available for this duty, and Siler noted that in some cases it would be easier for family resource center personnel to just jump in a van to deliver the meals.