Beech Tree News Network

Butler County Schools offers a variety of programs for students.  Programs include: Extended School Services, Bears Den, Youth Service Center, and Family Resource Center.  Below is a brief explanation each:

Extended School Services

The Extended School Services (ESS) program is designed to be an aggressive, proactive program to address academic problems before they become long-term problems for the student.  The ESS program allows for the type of intervention that can make a significant difference to a student. 
ESS funds are provided by the state to the district to operate a program for students having short- or long-term academic difficulties.  Programs may include after-school and before-school instruction, evening sessions, Saturday activities, daytime and summer programs.   The extra instructional time is offered outside of regular school hours.  ESS teachers and the regular classroom teacher collaborate to meet the academic needs of students.  There are daytime services scheduled through your school’s administration.
Each school plans a program to meet the needs of its students.  When a student is identified for ESS services parents are notified.  Parents may appeal the identification or may request service if their child was not identified.  Snacks are provided by Food Service. 
For more information about the ESS program, call your child's school or Vonda Jennings at 526-5624.        

Bears Den
(Community Educations after school program) will begin August the 9th. Classes are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:00 to 5:30. There will be registration forms at each school. Your child may begin the first day and either bring the registration and fee or you can bring it when you pick the child up.  The bus will bring your child to the Education Complex and you will need to pick them up at 6:00pm.  We have snack as soon as the children get here from school. We will offer homework help, tutoring and mentoring for the first hour and enrichment classes and physical activities for the second hour.  Both elementary schools K-5th grade will have buses that bring children to the Ed. Complex. We will have 4 nine week sessions. Each session will cost a fee of $25.00. We will have cooking, science fun, rockets, aerospace, guided recreation, Walking club, Math club, Service Learning Club, the Learning Tree, kids zumba,  cheerleading, Tennis, Health Rocks,  jump rope, HOPSports,  Health AND Nutrition Activities, archery, Reading club, just to name a few of the choices we will offer. We also allow older youth to volunteer for tutoring, mentoring, and fun with the younger children. These older students can also ride the bus from their school to the Ed. Complex.
Community Education classes will begin the week after school begins.
 Karate will begin August 20, 2011.
The ongoing classes such as ZUMBA are offered Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 5:30-6:30 PM.
Painting class will be on Tuesdays from 1-6, one class is from 1:00-3:00 PM and the other is from 3:30-5:30 PM. You can begin class at any time. At your first class you may use the teacher’s supplies at that time you will get a list of supplies that you will need for future classes.
Community Education Co-Sponsors a Dance every Friday night with a live band at the Education Complex-Fee is $5.00.
If you would like to teach a class let me know or if you have a good idea for a class call me. For more information or to register for a class please call Pam Pendley at 526-9369. If there is no school, usually there will be no classes. If school is called off for weather, you should call to see if classes are called off.

BUTLER COUNTY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
 
The Butler County Family Resource Center serves all children from birth to 12 years of age in Butler County.  Our goal is to promote the healthy growth and development of children by assisting families to identify and address any home or community barriers to a child's success in school.  
 
The Family Resource Center (FRC) serves both elementary schools in the Butler County School District. Our staff consists of the Coordinator, Daisy Bishop and School/Home/Community Liaison, Brandie Smith.  The Morgantown Elementary office is located in the second mobile unit at the end of the school.  They also have an office at North Butler Elementary.

Components of the Butler County Family Resource are as follows:
o    Referrals for full time preschool child care for children two (2) and three (3) years of age;
o    Referrals for after school child care for children ages four (4) through twelve (12), with the child care being full time during the summer and on other days when school is not in session;
o    Families in Training, which shall consist of an integrated approach to home visits, group meetings and monitoring child development for new and expectant parents;
o    PACE -like** is a family literacy program designed to break the intergenerational cycle of "under education" in Kentucky by providing opportunities for parents and their children (0-18) to learn together thereby creating a desire for life-long learning.
o    Health services or referral to health services, or both.  
o    Educational support.

A United Way Grant has made limited financial assistance available for dental care.  FRC collaborates with local dentists to provide dental services.  The Community Chest Fund (donations from churches, organizations, and businesses) provides glasses, school supplies, and clothing to children when no other funding source is available.  A Community Resource Guide is published and distributed with valuable information concerning resources in our community and region.

 Please call (526-5660) or visit our offices to learn more.
 

Youth Service Center

The Butler County Youth Services Center (YSC) serves students enrolled in Butler County Middle School and Butler County High School and their families.  The mission of the YSC is to remove any barriers preventing students from achieving their potential. 

The YSC links students and families with other community agencies and is actively involved with programs promoting healthy life styles, including drug, alcohol, and tobacco prevention.  The YSC coordinates programs such as:  College Day, Career Day, Reality Store, Operation Preparation, STOP, health fairs, etc. The center assists families with basic needs and health services. With their parent’s permission, students are referred to local health providers for services such as eye exams, medical needs and dental care.

Support groups sponsored by the YSC include the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, and the Teen Parent Support Group. 

Many community members and agencies donate their time and funds to these activities and, without their assistance and help from volunteers, many of these projects would not be possible.  In addition, many of these programs are held jointly with other agencies.
 
The YSC employs two staff members and has an Advisory Council consisting of parents, school employees, students and community agency representatives.  Karla Coles is the Coordinator and Patty Glass serves as the Home, School, and Community Liaison.  For further information about the center or any of the programs offered, please contact the center at 526-4800.