Pulaski County Schools…
Laying the Foundation for the Future
Laying the Foundation for the Future
The massive renovation projects taking place in the Pulaski County School
System has reiterated a fact that has held true throughout the ages…the
foundation is the most crucial part of any endeavor. Without a solid foundation,
there cannot be any further progress. We believe this to be true whether it is a
building or a child’s education.
Over the past few years, the Pulaski County School System has reaffirmed its
belief in a solid foundation through a renewed emphasis on early education
especially in the area of reading. Research shows that if a child can read at
grade level by the time they exit the primary program (3rd), then that child is
likely to be successful through out the rest of their academic career.
We have implemented full-day preschool and kindergarten programs, adopted
aggressive district-wide reading goals, and staffed our elementary schools with
curriculum specialists. These early education initiatives are receiving support
and praise from staff, students, and parents alike and are already proving to be
successful. Our elementary assessment scores continue to climb every year.
Pulaski County was not receiving enough state and federal dollars to serve all
the children in our area who needed pre-school services. We implemented a full
day preschool program to help serve these needs. Our pre-school classes are
located throughout the county at every elementary school and are staffed by
certified teachers who are assisted by pre-school associates. Preschool teachers
attend professional conferences, have monthly meetings to share successful
methods, and visit at least one other program outside of Pulaski County during
the year. In addition, all preschool teachers make at least two home visits per
year to all their students and offer parent workshops and training on everything
from health issues to teaching reading at home. Without Pulaski County’s
pre-school program, over 250 children would not get the services they need to
prepare them to enter kindergarten.
Although the Kentucky Department of Education only funds ˝ day kindergarten
programs, the Pulaski County School System supports a Monday through Friday full
day program. Since the implementation of the full day kindergarten program,
students have definitely been better prepared for the 1st grade. Pulaski
County’s kindergarten teachers are a very dedicated and professional staff.
Under the direction of our elementary supervisor, Amy Polston, the kindergarten
staff has been involved in a district-wide project of developing a consistent
kindergarten curriculum. This district-wide kindergarten curriculum will insure
that all kindergarten students in all schools will receive the same quality
instruction. This helps prepare all students to be equally ready for 1st grade.
The kindergarten staff has also developed a new progress report that clearly
tells parents the progress of their child’s basic skills.
The Pulaski County Board of Education has adopted aggressive reading improvement
goals. All students are tested during the first weeks of the school year in
order to determine which students are not reading at grade level. Through grants
and focused funding, our teachers, assistants, and even parents have received
training and materials at levels never previously known. This training has
resulted in an “army” of educators and parents who are equipped to help their
children and students learn to read.
Curriculum specialists are working in our elementary schools to further improve
early education instruction. These curriculum specialists have been charged with
the task of clearly identifying students who need additional reading services
and making sure children receive these services. The specialists assess students
to determine exactly what skills each child needs to improve and help classroom
teachers develop individual plans to meet each child’s needs.
The Pulaski County School System strongly believes that the early grades are the
key to future success and reading in particular gives children the solid
academic foundation needed for higher learning. We are continually working to
enhance and strengthen our learning opportunities. With these early education
initiatives we reaffirm our dedication of providing an education of superior
quality.