Owsley schools set calendar, attendance improves, district plans next year

Owsley County families now have the school year’s finish line in sight: the board set May 26 as the last student day, then closed out the year with a May 30 graduation, while Superintendent Charlie Davidson said attendance had climbed to 91.1% to 92%, up from about 89% at the same point last year.

Davidson told the Owsley County Board of Education that enrollment stood at 307 students at Owsley County Elementary School and 281 at Owsley County Middle/High School, with 22 students learning virtually. He also said the district had one ELL student at the time of the meeting, a reminder of how small shifts in staffing, transportation and student support can affect a county system this size.

The board approved a set of calendar changes that will shape the final stretch of the year for students, teachers and families. May 16 was set as a Professional Development Day, May 26 as the last student day, May 27 as another P.D. day, May 28 as closing day and May 30 for graduation. Megan Bowling said the district plans to keep the same curriculum focus next year, including assessment analysis and student interventions, along with the same NTI plan. Stacey Davidson was also recognized to serve in the District 180 School Turnaround Initiative Program for fiscal year 2026-2027, tying the district’s work to a broader state improvement process.

That work matters in a small county where instruction, attendance and support services are closely linked. The Kentucky Department of Education identifies schools for improvement under state and federal accountability rules, and districts are expected to keep revising school improvement plans around turnaround leadership, resource gaps and evidence-based interventions. Owsley’s discussion of CDIP Phase 4 was part of that larger push, not just paperwork.

The consent agenda showed how many daily services the district must keep moving at once. Board members approved participation in the National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and Community Eligibility Provision for 2026-2027. They also approved an AirMedCare Network Municipal Site Membership Agreement for $3,241, a memorandum with the Kentucky River District Health Department, KETS technology reporting, family and medical leave requests, surplus Chromebooks and mobile trailer units, and facility-use requests.

Outside support also reached extracurriculars, with $2,500 from Delmae LLC for varsity cheerleaders and $1,000 from Ball Custom Builders for the baseball team. With the calendar set and next year’s support systems already approved, Owsley schools are heading into May with attendance improving and the district’s priorities laid out for the year ahead.