By WILL PERKINS
Glasgow News 1
Fans of professional wrestling may be excited about Barren County Schools’ new incentive to encourage higher attendance — a six-pound championship belt.
Anthony Janes, director of pupil personnel for the school district, spoke to board of education members at their recent meeting about this new belt that will go to the school with the highest attendance percentage at the end of the school year. There are also three smaller two-pound belts for small elementary, large elementary, and middle and high school divisions.
“I’ve been out to several schools this week. I wear the belt,” Janes said. “It’s exciting to see the look on their faces. The kids laugh so hard and they’re like: ‘Are you a wrestler, sir?’
“And then we have some conversations about attendance and the importance of being in school.”
In the first two months of the school year, Barren County Schools had 95.6 percent attendance across the district, which is a 1.37-percent increase over last year, according to Janes’ report to the board.
Hiseville Elementary was the attendance winner for the first month in the small elementary division, finishing with 96.9 percent attendance.
Janes said the district also wants to honor schools that have individually increased their attendance percentage from last year, referring to them as “mountain climbers.” Park City Elementary received this recognition for the first month as it increased attendance by 2.64 percent from last year.
“So phenomenal numbers for this school year,” Janes said. He estimates that a one-percent increase in attendance would increase SEEK funding to the school district by roughly $200,000, though that is a lofty goal, “so we’re pushing hard to see what we can do.”
“We want to see that money come in because it adds more opportunities for our students in this district,” Janes said. “That’s what we’re working towards.”
Comments