The Christian County Public School System is looking to find solutions to their teacher shortage, and moved forward with a plan following approval by the Christian County School Board Thursday.
In a partnership with the Rotary Club of Hopkinsville, CCPS will begin implementing the ‘grow your own’ program that was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly. Teacher Recruiter Beverly Fort says the Rotary Club is committed to providing funding for forgivable loans that would be awarded to selected students in an amount of up to the price of in state tuition at Murray State University for up to four semesters.
The board approved the agreement with the Rotary Club unanimously.
The board also approved a contract between the district and the selected students, which detailed what they must accomplish to be eligible for the forgivable loans, including earning their degrees and teaching at CCPS for at least four years. Fort says this is just one of many ways they’re working to put good teachers into the classrooms.
The board also heard a presentation concerning recent assessment data from the state, and heard from Freedom Elementary Principal Leslie Lancaster on her team’s plans to bring Freedom Elementary up from a CSI designated school. Director of Alternative Programs Kim Stevenson says her department will also be expanding further into the district to help students with disability demographic, which assessment showed needed extra-focus to close the achievement gaps between they and their peers.