By Dennis Brown

The Lewis County Board of Education heard from the principals of Tollesboro and Garrison Elementary Schools concerning recently released test scores. Both schools met all their goals for the testing.

Dale McDowell, principal at GES, told board members the school would “keep working smart” to work toward meeting their goals again this year.

TES Principal Tim Douglas echoed McDowell’s statements and praised the staff and students at the school for the “tremendous amount of work” they put into preparing for the tests taken earlier this year.

Both principals reviewed their respective schools’ test scores and outlined what steps they are taking to ensure they reach the goals set each year.

Measures of Academic Progress, or MAP, is a series of tests given to students three times during the school year in reading, math, language and science.

The test results help educators identify skills students need to work on. Student scores allow teachers to develop individual programs for each student to concentrate work on areas the students need assistance in.

Douglas said some of the reasons for success at TES were the outstanding staff including bus drivers, cooks, custodians, instructional assistants, the school secretary and, of course, the teachers.

He praised the students for their efforts in working toward reaching the ever-increasing goals and said the parents and entire community are extremely supportive of the efforts put toward achieving the educational goals.

Douglas said volunteers, including foster grandparents, are also beneficial in helping students throughout the school year.

McDowell outlined the approach at GES to meet the goals set the previous school year.

He also credited staff at the school, parents, students and the community for helping to work toward the goals each year.

McDowell reviewed this year’s goals and said staff members are diligent in working with all of the students to help them prepare for the testing and be better prepared to advance to the next school year.

The goals are unique to each school and are established in line with the federal No Child Left Behind program.

Jennie Enix, Instructional Supervisor, told board members last week that it will take continued hard work in all of the district’s schools to meet the goals each year.

“We have better planning,” said Superintendent Maurice Reeder Jr., “Morale is good and focus is good,” he added.

“This is an example,” Reeder said after Douglas and McDowell made their presentations to the board. “A lot of work and planning goes into this. It was no accident that we met our goals,” he said.

Dr. Harold Harrison, Medical Director of the Lewis County Health Department, and Anita Bertram, Health Department Director, also addressed the board.

The local health department is under contract by the school district to provide health services to the elementary schools in the county.

Bertram said the local health department is one of 47 in the state contracted to provide services to school districts.

Harrison told board members the health department has been proactive in dealing with health issues in the schools and, as an example, said the head lice issue was recurring with several students. He said some research showed money available to pay for treatment was a problem for several families.

Harrison said although treatment for head lice is available over-the-counter, it is expensive. In response, prescriptions for treatment were written and the treatment could be obtained at minimal out-of-pocket expense for parents on limited budgets through the Medicare program.

Harrison said 23 students generated about two-thirds of the more than 450 visits to school medical personnel for head lice. He said by writing prescriptions for treatment, the numbers are declining.

In other business last week, board members adopted an insect policy for the school system. The policy was prompted by concern over the possible problem of bedbugs.

Reeder said although the school environment is not suitable for the parasitic insects, several school districts have adopted policies to deal with the matter should it become a problem.

School nurses had earlier addressed board members and said although bedbugs could be brought to the schools by students in clothing or backpacks, they most likely will be dealing with students who have encountered bedbugs elsewhere and may have bites, indicated by small red bumps.

Board members approved a revised working budget to show additional federal revenue of about $100,000 for the school district. Members also approved field trips for the second and fifth grades at LCCE.

In the monthly superintendent’s report, Reeder noted the hiring of Angela Williams as a substitute teacher; Lisa Fetters as a cook/baker at LCHS; and Tammy Lyons as a substitute cook.

Board members approved the payment of bills and the treasurer’s report before adjourning.

By Dennis Brown

Several Lewis County residents discovered some money last week they didn’t know they had.

Treasure Finders, a program implemented by Kentucky State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach, was in Lewis County on Friday to help return about $156,000 in unclaimed funds to more than 1,000 residents.

Hollenbach said response for the program in Lewis County was excellent with several thousand dollars now on its way back to its rightful owners.

“We had a great turnout today. For a county this size to have that number of people it was very, very impressive,” Hollenbach said Friday.

“Three-quarters of the battle is making sure people aware that this program exists,” he added.

Volunteers called people on a list of those having unclaimed property held by the state. Many people also stopped by the E-911 Dispatch Center to see if their names were on the list.

Hollenbach said the funds are mostly from unclaimed property of some sort, usually amounts from insurance companies and banks who were unable to locate the intended recipient and are required, by law, to turn the funds over to the state.

He said the program was at no additional cost to taxpayers since his office partnered with the city and county, along with volunteers, to provide the service.

“This is not our money, it belongs to the original owner,” he said, adding there is no time limit on claiming funds that had been turned over to the state. Heirs are also entitled to funds which were due to someone who may have passed away.

Hollenbach said those who weren’t contacted Friday could access a website at www.kytreasury.com or call the state treasurer’s office toll-free at 800-465-4722 to see if they have any unclaimed property and to learn how to begin the process of getting their money.

“We’re trying as hard as we can to push as much money back out into the counties, into the hands of the people to whom it belongs, as possible because economic times are tough and as badly as we need the money in Frankfort, we know it’s not our money,” he said.

Hollenbach said Lewis County is one of the top 30 counties in the state being targeted in the program. “We want to make sure you know we’re working as hard as we can to push the program out to you,” he said. “We’re looking forward to making this a successful program in Lewis County.”

“Each year about 20 percent of the unclaimed property is returned to owners,” he said. “That percentage is far too small. That’s why I created the Treasure Finders Program.”

Hollenbach said treasury staff will also train a designee of Vanceburg and Lewis County to research and fill out forms for unclaimed property so there will be a local contact for the public.

“This will be an ongoing service at no cost to taxpayers,” Hollenbach said.