Paducah Public Schools

The regular meeting of the Paducah Board of Education will be Monday, April 18, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. at the Paducah Innovation Hub. Here's a link to the agenda: https://5il.co/18vv5

**************EARLY DISMISSAL TODAY****************** Due to the threat of severe weather, Paducah Public Schools will dismiss early today (Wednesday, April 13). Paducah Tilghman High School and Paducah Middle School will dismiss at 1:45 p.m. Clark, McNabb, and Morgan Elementaries will dismiss at 2:30 p.m. The highest probability for severe weather is from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. The early dismissal will ensure that all our students and employees will be home before the severe weather begins. All Paducah Public Schools after school activities, including ESS and athletics, are canceled due to the threat of severe weather.

Due to the threat of severe weather, Paducah Head Start Preschool will dismiss at 12:00 p.m. today (Wednesday, April 13) for both morning session and full day students.

A special meeting of the Morgan Elementary SBDM will be held Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 4:30 PM in the library. The purpose of the meeting will be to begin the process of hiring a new school principal for Morgan Elementary. Here is a link to the agenda: https://5il.co/18mye Here is a link to the board policy that governs the principal hiring process: https://5il.co/18myf

The District Equity Advisory Council held its monthly meeting at the Metropolitan Hotel on March 31. "The Hotel Metropolitan is a historical part of the city that many of our committee members had not visited before," said Chief Equity Officer Shonda Hollowell-Burrus. "As we discuss the importance of cultural relevance, the Hotel Metropolitan was a fitting place to hold one of our meetings."

There will be a special called meeting of the Paducah Board of Education at 10:00 am, Friday, April 1, 2022, at the Paducah Innovation Hub, 500 South 25th Street, Paducah. Here is a link to the agenda: https://5il.co/17z3x You can reach the Board Members at BoardofEd@paducah.kyschools.us or the Board Secretary at lisa.chappell@paducah.kyschools.us This notice is in accordance with KRS 61.805 to 61.823.

PPS families! Our last district-wide Parent Cafe program will be Thursday, March 31, from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at Paducah Middle School. Don’t miss this! It’s a wonderful night ❤️❤️❤️ See you Thursday! https://www.canva.com/design/DAE7ntDXVF0/AxD-h1ZbPeFCevxxPUvM1g/watch?utm_content=DAE7ntDXVF0&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Here's a copy of next year's (2022-23) school calendar for Paducah Public Schools. You'll find a text version and a color coded version attached.

Dylan Howard, who teaches 8th grade Social Studies at Paducah Middle School, spoke to the McCracken County Commission about the positive impact of the Community Scholarship on his education at their meeting on March 28. Howard was part of a group from West Kentucky Community and Technical College who were present at the meeting to receive a donation from the McCracken County Commission for the Community Scholarship Program. Howard (PTHS '16) attended WKCTC and MSU to earn a degree in education. "As a Paducah native and Tilghman graduate, WKCTC's Community Scholarship Program gave me the opportunity to attend school without the crippling debt that comes with college," Howard said. "After graduating from Murray State in 2020, I found myself giving back to the same community that supported me. The Community Scholarship Program has given me opportunities that I never dreamed could be my reality." The Community Scholarship Program provides scholarship funding for up to 60 credit hours toward a technical certification and/or an associate degree at West Kentucky Community and Technical College, enabling students to complete two years of college tuition-free.

PTHS Seniors, we look forward to celebrating your achievements! Mark these dates on your calendar: Honors Night, May 10, 6:00 PM, PTHS Auditorium Senior Trip, May 16, time and place TBD Senior Breakfast, May 23, 8:00 AM, Blue Room Graduation Practice, May 25, 7:30 AM, Auditorium Graduation, May 26, 7:00 PM, McRight Field

Join us as we celebrate the academic achievements of the PTHS Class of 2022 at PTHS Honors Night, Tuesday, May 10 at 6:00 PM in the PTHS Auditorium. We will recognize our seniors for the colleges they have been admitted to and the scholarships they have been offered. Students from all classes will receive departmental honors.

8th Grade parents and students, join us for 8th Grade Transition Night at Paducah Tilghman High School on Tuesday, March 15. Meet your teachers for next year and learn about your 9th grade schedule, career pathways, and clubs & activities at PTHS. Doors open at 5:45 PM and evening's activities will begin in the PTHS Auditorium at 6:00 PM.

PPS Parents and Guardians, We are beginning preparations for Online Registration for the 2022-23 school year. Please be aware that the friends and family members you have listed as emergency contacts in Infinite Campus may be contacted to verify their date of birth. This is not a scam. The call will be from a Paducah Public Schools number and the caller will identify themselves as an employee of Paducah Public Schools. We are requesting this information for security purposes. The additional information will aid us in confirming the identity of designated friends or family members who come to pick your child up at school. If you are contacted and are unsure about giving us information over the phone, please contact us at 270-444-5600. We appreciate your cooperation as we work to make our schools safe and secure. Sincerely, Troy Brock, Director of Pupil Personnel Paducah Public Schools

Dear PPS Parents and Guardians, Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Paducah Public Schools is relaxing masking requirements. Masks will be optional in all school settings, including on buses. On Monday, district leadership received an updated recommendation from the Kentucky Department for Public Health regarding masking from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focused on COVID-19 community levels. Combined with the new recommendations, our district leadership has reviewed the local positivity rates, the Kentucky Incidence Rate Map, the number of COVID patients in our local hospitals, and our total number of positive cases in McCracken County. There is a significant decrease in all these measures compared to a month ago. We also see significant decreases in the number of COVID positive students and staff compared to a month ago. As outlined in the guidance, our schools will maintain the following baseline strategies: Students and staff are encouraged to remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations - 5-day isolation followed by 5-day masking for individuals with COVID-19 - Sick individuals should stay home - On-site testing remains available for sick or exposed persons Thank you for your support and encouragement as we continue to work together for the health and safety of each and every child. Sincerely, Dr. Donald Shively, Superintendent Paducah Public Schools

Paducah Tilghman defeats McCracken County High School 50-47 to win the 2nd District championship and end the Mustangs 50-game win streak against Region 1 opponents. Go Big Blue!

The regular meeting of the Paducah Board of Education will be held at 5:00 pm, Tuesday February 15, 2022, at the Paducah Innovation Hub, 500 South 25th Street, Paducah. Here is a link to the agenda: https://5il.co/15n7v

Auto Tech senior Gavin Winslow, Auto Tech Teacher Mr. Polsgrove ), and Mr. Ybarzabal recently visited Vulcan Materials. Gavin began working for Vulcan as an apprentice on the mobile maintenance team in December. Thanks to Mr. Ralph Jennings, head of Vulcan Mobile Maintenance for his hard work to make this opportunity possible for Gavin.

Thanks to Mr. J.P. Kelly (far left) for providing internships for welders Ethan Lindsay (green jacket left) and Blake Sams (green jacket right) at Triangle Enterprises Inc. Lindsay and Sams are welding students in Mr. Brandon Wilber’s (back row) class at the Paducah Innovation Hub. Mr. Adam Penrod (far right) is the shop supervisor who is working with these students.

Paducah Tilghman High School Orchestra Director and retired band director Douglas Van Fleet was inducted into the Psi Chapter of the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity Hall of Fame on Friday February 4, 2022, in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Van Fleet is the second band director from PTHS inducted into the Psi Chapter of Phi Beta Mu Hall of Fame. Legendary PTHS band director Floyd Burt was the first inducted in 1999.

PTHS and Paducah Middle School Orchestra Director Douglas Van Fleet received the 2022 Presidential Award and Clark Elementary Music Teacher Dale Julian was named 2022 Elementary Music Teacher of the Year at the annual meeting of the Kentucky Music Educators Association. Congratulations! (Photo credit: Lindsey Williams)