[OhHereWeGo]

I can tell you this. Jackson City WILL NOT agree on a merger. They have fought too long and too hard and I just will not happen, so all the speculation of them voting to merge is utterly false. The fight is on to keep the school alive and you haven't seen the best of someone until you back them into a corner.

Will they be cutting any positions? Will kids be transferring because of the possibility?

[mandan]

I can tell you this. Jackson City WILL NOT agree on a merger. They have fought too long and too hard and I just will not happen, so all the speculation of them voting to merge is utterly false. The fight is on to keep the school alive and you haven't seen the best of someone until you back them into a corner.

Unless you have a BUNCH of money to keep them open, they (or you) won't really have a vote on the issue. Jackson City would simply close down because of lack of operating revenue, and the kids would be absorbed into the local public county system. I guess they could choose to go to Oakdale, Riverside, or Mt. Carmel if they didn't want to attend Breathitt.

[Observing]

That looks better, but does Leslie border Breathitt or Wolfe? I didn't think they did.

NO they don't, and that won't happen. The only thing that makes sense
due to location and roads is putting Buckhorn in the 55th. And the Buckhorn
community is probably as clsoely tied to Br. Co. as it is to Perry Co.

Hazard might LIKE to move to the 55th, but can't see that happening.

And as the other poster said, nothing is certain about this anyway,
may not happen. One thing that IS certain though, is that Riverside
cannot remain open much longer. Can't see how they can possibly
remain an accredited high school more than a couple more years
even if they have students that want to enroll. So whatever realigment
might take place, needs to take that into consideration long term.
Doesn't do any good to make moves, leaving Riverside in a 4 team
district only to see them close their doors in a couple of years.

[Observing]

Unless you have a BUNCH of money to keep them open, they (or you) won't really have a vote on the issue. Jackson City would simply close down because of lack of operating revenue, and the kids would be absorbed into the local public county system. I guess they could choose to go to Oakdale, Riverside, or Mt. Carmel if they didn't want to attend Breathitt.

It could come to that, but it may be that they simply have to scale
down and revert to an enrollement and staff closer to the size they
were about 15 years ago. I have no particular knowledge, but I'd say
the smart money is they won't close or consolidate any time in
the next 5 years.

[Altro Cat]

I have no particular knowledge, but I'd say
the smart money is they won't close or consolidate any time in
the next 5 years.

The smart money is betting this is their last year. Too many people in a position to know what is going on are discussing this for it not to happen.


Call JCS and tell them you have a kid that you want to enroll there and see what they tell you, I bet the answer will surprise you.

[OhHereWeGo]

Would the people of Jackson support a tax increase if the school cuts expenses?

[HDE]

Good point about Riverside. I don't know how they keep going with something like 17 students in high school.
I thought Jackson was very small already. Can they scale down and still operate?

[mandan]

Would the people of Jackson support a tax increase if the school cuts expenses?

I think they have cut expenses as much as they can. I don't believe it's a mismanagement problem. It's simply a decline in enrollment, with less incoming State $$, and increasing operating costs.

[Altro Cat]

I think they have cut expenses as much as they can. I don't believe it's a mismanagement problem. It's simply a decline in enrollment, with less incoming State $$, and increasing operating costs.

This is pretty much the situation.

[OhHereWeGo]

I think they have cut expenses as much as they can. I don't believe it's a mismanagement problem. It's simply a decline in enrollment, with less incoming State $$, and increasing operating costs.

That is a shame. Always enjoy rooting for the small schools. Stranger things have happened however. I'm just wondering if and when they would make an announcement concerning this. I do remember a few years ago they had a lawsuit filed with Breathitt about student enrollment (the number coming from the county to city); how bad has that affected them?

[Stlcardsfan]

That looks better, but does Leslie border Breathitt or Wolfe? I didn't think they did.

Is that a requirement? I mean they'd have to cut through Perry County to get there but this region is so spread out everyone drives enough as is. Jenkins is far from Knott Central.

[Wildcat100]

If a Perry County team were to be placed in the 55th district it would make sense to put Buckhorn in the district instead of Perry or Hazard. I don't know if Jackson will consolidate with Breathitt but if so, I believe it would benefit Breathitt more in football than in basketball. Jackson City always has a few outstanding athletes and one of our problems the past few years with the football team is not having enough pure athletes.

You are wrong about that pal. Basketball would benefit and football would be destroyed.. If Breathitt had to move to 4A and play real competition you would start seeing 4 or 5 losses a year and 1st round exits in the playoffs. Breathitt plays one of the weakest schedules in the state. Breathitt wants to stay in 3A so bad that they keep the freshman over at SMS. Maybe the new Superintendent will get this straighten out. If the football was not classed Breathitt would not have 3 state titles. Winning a state title in football is comparable to winning the 14th region in basketball.

[BobcatStuckInPowell]

You are wrong about that pal. Basketball would benefit and football would be destroyed.. If Breathitt had to move to 4A and play real competition you would start seeing 4 or 5 losses a year and 1st round exits in the playoffs. Breathitt plays one of the weakest schedules in the state. Breathitt wants to stay in 3A so bad that they keep the freshman over at SMS. Maybe the new Superintendent will get this straighten out. If the football was not classed Breathitt would not have 3 state titles. Winning a state title in football is comparable to winning the 14th region in basketball.

The Freshman ARE NOT excluded from the enrollment total and we can add JCS and still be in 3A.Shows what you know JCS parent.

[Altro Cat]

You are wrong about that pal. Basketball would benefit and football would be destroyed.. If Breathitt had to move to 4A and play real competition you would start seeing 4 or 5 losses a year and 1st round exits in the playoffs. Breathitt plays one of the weakest schedules in the state. Breathitt wants to stay in 3A so bad that they keep the freshman over at SMS. Maybe the new Superintendent will get this straighten out. If the football was not classed Breathitt would not have 3 state titles. Winning a state title in football is comparable to winning the 14th region in basketball.

This whole post shows a lack of knowledge of how things work with the class system and enrollment.

Also the freshman will be moved back to the high school next year and SMS will add the 7th graders from the elementary schools. That will happen no matter what happens with the JCS situation.

And just looking at the numbers based on JCS current enrollment adding those kids would not move Breathitt up to 4A.

[Tailback44]

Yea its true but both parties are against it.

[OldManMountain]

Will Coach Back and his staff be given a chance to coach at Breathitt?

[OhHereWeGo]

Yea its true but both parties are against it.

So you're saying JCS is broke but they are against merging and Breathiit is also against merging?

[Altro Cat]

So you're saying JCS is broke but they are against merging and Breathiit is also against merging?

Common sense would indicate that Breathitt would rather JCS just shut down and all the students go to Breathitt. This way they just get an influx of students, and state funding, without having to deal with JCS's financial situation.

JCS is against a merger at this point because they are still trying to find a way to stay open.

If there is a merger then Breathitt would be responsible for all of JCS's debts that they have accrued this year and would have to pay them back. Not to mention they would be faced with dealing with all the teachers under contract at JCS. Seniority laws would almost certainly dictate that some of them would keep their jobs and then Breathitt would be forced to lay off some of the teachers they currently have on staff. Insurance and upkeep on the JCS facilities would also be added to Breathitt's budget.

[Stlcardsfan]

Also, going back to my version of redistricting...the 55th region not to long ago were the Knott County schools and Breathitt County schools if I remember correctly. Therefore, and I'll post it again, with a Breathitt/Jackson City merger I think the districts should look like this.

53rd - June Buchanan, Knott Central, Letcher Central, Jenkins
54th - Perry Central, Hazard, Buckhorn, Cordia
55th - Breathitt County, Leslie County, Riverside Christian, Wolfe County
56th - Estill County, Powell County, Owsley County, Lee County

Considering what changes might potentially be made, I think this alignment can solve most problems and keep people happy, as long as Leslie doesn't care to drive a little extra, but like I said, the Knott County and Breathitt County Schools had to do it before.

The issue that this does bring is that none of the 55th teams will be close to Leslie at all. Even when the 55th had a Knott/Breathitt mix you had a couple of schools near you. It's tough because the 14th region is just a horrible region geographically to put together. Without getting too deep into thinking about it, if there was a way to maybe work with regions 10, 13 and 15 to rework these schools that would be beneficial to everyone that would be good too, but I doubt seeing such a high overhaul with 2 schools consolidating.

With all that aside you solve several issues. Changing the 55th to 4 schools rather than 3, reducing the 53rd to 4 by moving Cordia, keeping the Perry County schools together in the same district and the 4th school, Cordia, uses Hazard as an address anyways so it makes sense to me. Also, maybe Leslie would enjoy competing against someone other than PCC, Hazard and Buckhorn for once to go to region, I know that factors in very little, but still an added bonus.

[HDE]

If Leslie doesn't border Breathitt it probably isn't happening.
Plus, as someone pointed out, it's a lot more likely Riverside won't be there than Jackson. Riverside has something like 17 students in high school.
You'll probably have to add somebody from another region - Harlan County/Harlan or Clay/OBI are the most likely if you look at a map.

[LOOKAYANNER]

Here's my realignment :

53rd: Knott Central, Jenkins, Letcher Central, June Buchanan.

54th: Perry Central, Hazard, Leslie County, Cordia (the Lions have a Hazard address even though they're in Knott. The school is located close to Hazard).

55th: Breathitt County, Wolfe County, Riverside Christian, Buckhorn (Buckhorn is closer to Jackson than it is Hazard, they would fit well in the 55th. Splitting off from the other Perry schools shouldn't be a factor in the decision).

56th: Powell County, Estill County, Lee County, Owsley County

Honestly, I don't know how many more years Riverside Christian can make it. Per KHSAA enrollments figures they only have 10 students in their high school.

[OhHereWeGo]

Don't forget too that there are some schools in Western KY that are merging as well. The regional shift might be coming from up north and west towards Lexington.

[Observing]

The smart money is betting this is their last year. Too many people in a position to know what is going on are discussing this for it not to happen.


Call JCS and tell them you have a kid that you want to enroll there and see what they tell you, I bet the answer will surprise you.

Thye won't consider out of district students because they can't
get the state ada funding for them. That's IRRELEVANT to
whether they will or won't close. If you have a kid that moves
in to their school district, they will GLADLY enroll them.

And isn't it funny how all those "people in the know" rarely turn
out to know anything at all?

[Observing]

I think they have cut expenses as much as they can. I don't believe it's a mismanagement problem. It's simply a decline in enrollment, with less incoming State $$, and increasing operating costs.

At it's core, it's basically a the same problem that defines most of public education in the country. No choice or voice in the education
of their children to parents or tax payers.

For years the county and city school districts had an open
enrollment agreement. Kids in either district could attend
either district, and the state funding follwed their enrollment.
A little over a decade ago, the JCS distric ended up with a
school board that was serious about improving thier system.
They began a series of reforms that improved everything
from curriculum, to faculty to facililties. And so lot and lots
of parents in the country distric began sending their kids
there, especially at the elementary level, feeling that the
educational opportunity was better.

Now for decades the cross over enrollment had basically been
a wash. Once the city district had siphoned off a significant,
the county district reneged and wanted all the money back,
It had nothing to do with educating children, and was ll about
money and power. And now that the city district has lost
the state funding for out of district children, they can't
afford to operate as they have. They may not be forced
to close/merge, but they will have to drastically cut back.
It's really a disgusting shame. And one that should upset
concerned parent everywhere, because as I began, it's
the same sorry story of the whole national educational
system in miniature.

[Curveball 24]

Breathitt County Central ???

[Altro Cat]

And isn't it funny how all those "people in the know" rarely turn
out to know anything at all?

The people I referred to as being in the know are the only ones who do really know.

[Observing]

The people I referred to as being in the know are the only ones who do really know.

And of course that is what "they" always say about those
"in the know".

[OldManMountain]

So you're saying JCS is broke but they are against merging and Breathiit is also against merging?

Of course JCS would be against merging. I've never known of an independent district that was all in favor of merging for no reason. People move out of an independent's district and they have less students to educate. It will be a matter of time before other independents follow suit unless they can keep young families in their district.

[OldManMountain]

JCS is also dealing with that one-for-one contract that was implemented several years ago by Breathitt. That has kept the number of kids coming from the county in check.

[OhHereWeGo]

Will Coach Back and his staff be given a chance to coach at Breathitt?

Isn't that up to Breathitt County? Coaching positions are extra curriculars that are typically year to year.