JTA Parent Update 2026 - 2027

Tuesday, September 1

• Football AWAY vs. LaRue County @ 5:30 PM

Thursday, September 3

• Girls Basketball AWAY vs. LaRue County @ 5:30 PM

Friday, September 4

• Picture Day - These will be used in the yearbook!
• Progress Report #1 Coming Home - Please reach out to teachers about grade concerns!

Monday, September 7

• NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 8

• Football AWAY vs. EHMS @ 5:30 PM

Wednesday, September 9

• High Attendance Day AKA the Best Day Ever! Please send your child to school! We have lots of fun activities planned for them!
• Site-Based Decision Making meeting in the library @ 4:30 PM
• Girls Basketball AWAY vs. EHMS @ 5:30 PM

Thursday, September 10

• Girls Basketball AWAY vs. Scott Middle School @ 5:30 PM

1. Parents of car riders: As we continue throughout the year, please remember to pull as close to the vehicle in front of you as possible when dropping off or picking up your child. This allows us to load and unload more vehicles at the same time and helps the line move much faster for everyone.

*Side note: Please have your car rider tag on days of inclement weather (rain, storms). On these days only, students will wait in the library and we call them outside by their car rider number. On normal days, students wait in the designated area outside and load when you arrive.

2. We are looking for volunteers to help us with events throughout the school year. If you are interested in volunteering, please refer to the flier to the right. You must also visit this website to complete verification steps. Thank you!

Growing up in Maryville, Kentucky, in Bullitt County, there wasn't a lot of extra money floating around our house. We always had what we needed, but there wasn't much left over for the things we wanted.

Every August, as a new school year approached, one item sat at the top of my wish list: a pair of Adidas shoes. Not because I was an athlete. Not because they would make me run faster. I simply wanted what all the other kids seemed to have. Those three stripes represented something important when you're young. They represented fitting in.

Unfortunately, authentic Adidas shoes weren't in the family budget.

Instead, I usually ended up with a dollar-store version that looked close enough from a distance. They had four stripes instead of three, and in our family, we jokingly called them "Adidos."

As a child, I was convinced everyone noticed the difference.

While other kids wore the real thing, I was walking around in my Adidos, hoping nobody counted the stripes.

Looking back now, I realize I learned a valuable lesson from those shoes. The things we think set us apart or make us different are often far more noticeable to us than they are to anyone else. Most people weren't counting my stripes. Most people were simply trying to figure out where they fit in too.

As we begin a new school year, I think many of our students are carrying similar thoughts and worries.

Some are wondering if they'll fit in.

Some are worried about whether they'll make friends.

Some are nervous about a difficult class.

Some are hoping for a fresh start.

Some are carrying burdens that no one else knows about.

Like I once wished for those Adidas shoes, many students walk through our doors hoping for something they desperately want. Sometimes it's confidence. Sometimes it's acceptance. Sometimes it's success. Sometimes it's simply someone who notices them and believes in them.

While we may not be able to give every student exactly what they want, we can give them what they need.

We can learn their names.

We can listen to them.

We can encourage them.

We can challenge them.

We can help them discover strengths they didn't know they had.

Most importantly, we can create a place where they feel valued regardless of how many stripes are on their shoes.

A new school year is always filled with anticipation. There are new teachers, new classmates, new opportunities, and new challenges. It may take some time to get comfortable, just like breaking in a new pair of shoes. But little by little, routines form, relationships develop, and confidence grows.

Before long, students begin to realize that what matters most isn't the label on the outside but the person they are becoming on the inside.

As we welcome students back this year, my hope is that every child who walks through our doors feels seen, supported, and encouraged. Whether they're wearing Adidas, Adidos, or anything in between, I hope they know this school is a place where they belong.

Here's to a great school year filled with growth, learning, and opportunities for every student.

Respectfully,

Danielle Cassady

"I would like to give Rohyn Scaiffe a shoutout for always helping her classmates in Orchestra. She really cares about others and the Orchestra Program and it shows!"

"Jayden Hendrix has been a pleasure to have in class over the past few weeks. He regularly assists classmates, is an active collaborator with his peers, and exemplifies the characteristics of a personal champion as he takes ownership of his learning. He is also an excellent athlete and balances his responsibilities like a pro."

"Serena Mapp won the Golden STAND-ard in Symphonic Band Last Week!"

"Thank you Chayse Miller for setting the tone for our WIN class. You are a leader to impact everyone to engage and learn what is presented each day!! Keep doing what you are doing and never give up. You are Awesome!!"

"Elijah Brown has been working super hard in mastering all the skills in Math! He is very helpful and always trying his best!"

"Austin Thompson was the Winner of the Golden STAND-ard in Concert Band for last week!"

"Lily Morris was the proud winner of the "best hook" contest in her ELA class this week. Lily is strong communicator and thoughtful student. Every day she comes prepared, shares her perspectives with the class, and is willing to help others understand the material." - Mrs. Laperle

"Lily is always helping out her stand partner in Orchestra with a smile. She is a wonderful leader in Orchestra class." - Mrs. Wilison

"Chris and Habeeb come ready to work each week. They shred papers, sweep, and help with garbage. I have never seen anyone smile so much while working. Of course, we can't forget to shout out Bella Cockriel. She is their manager and she always makes sure they are doing their jobs."

"Ethan Griffin has been doing a great job in class this year. He's been showing all the traits of a Trojan: Polite, Productive, Prompt, and Prepared. He always asks for helps if he needs it and has had a great work ethic. Keep it up Ethan!"

"Noah is such a great leader and mentor! He leads others to greatness in the band Band program, in Peer Buddies, and in the classroom. Thank you for being a great leader."

Sweet success in Mrs. Edwards' Careers classes! Students stepped into the role of pastry chefs, decorating delicious cookies and learning about careers in the culinary industry.

Students in Mrs. Howell's class had to construct a theory of what happened to the disappearance of colonists of Roanoke. They worked with a partner to read different theories. Then they had to rank them with justifying their responses for most probable to least probable.

The school nurse paperwork was sent home the first week of school. If you want your child to see the school nurse for any reason, they must have it completed and returned. That documentation MUST be on file for school health personnel to see and treat students.

Important Student Health Information

• In alignment with updated requirements from the Kentucky Board of Nursing and the Kentucky Department of Education, a written provider order must be on file before any prescribed medication can be administered by the school nurse. In the past, a grace period was allowed for submitting this documentation. However, effective with the 2025–2026 school year, that grace period will no longer be permitted. When bringing prescribed medication to school for administration by the nurse, you must also bring the written provider order at the same time. Without it, the medication cannot and will not be given to your student.
  
  

• Also in alignment with updated requirements, effective for the 2025-2026 school year, over-the-counter medications (i.e. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Neosporin, Tums, etc.) cannot be given to a student without a written consent on file. If you give permission for your student to receive over-the-counter medications administered by the school nurse, please return your Healthy Kids Clinic registration forms with your consent. We will no longer be able to accept verbal permission.

We are encouraging our teachers to use Apptegy Rooms with you, so you can get consistent, quick, and reliable communication. The best feature is it is similar to texting because we know how busy life can be. Please download the Apptegy App and sign up to receive communication from your student's teachers!

A new Kentucky law, KRS 160.145 (aka Senate Bill 181), requires school districts to adopt a traceable communication system that “shall be the exclusive means for school district employees and volunteers to communicate electronically with students.” You can read more about HCS Traceable Communication when you CLICK HERE.

Hardin County Schools has another tool to communicate with students, parents, staff and the community. Smart device users can download the HCS App from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Each school and the district will still communicate through the all-call system with phone calls, text messages and/or emails. That is why it is critically important that your phone number and email address are current in the HCS Parent Portal

The Parent Portal is a wonderful tool to keep track of grades and attendance. Log in to the Parent Portal by CLICKING HERE. A Parent Portal app is also available from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. If parents do not have login credentials for the Parent Portal, they should contact their child’s school.

Proper appearance and dress makes a good impression and keeps the educational and learning environment professional. The Hardin County School District asks that students and parents accept responsibilities concerning student dress code.

• Tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, crop tops, shirts that show the midriff, bareback tops, off-the-shoulder tops, spaghetti straps, low-cut and/or revealing tops, blouses or dresses are prohibited.

• Shorts, skirts, and dresses must meet the 5 inch rule, (no more than 5 inches from the top of the knee all of the way around using an index card placed vertically for measurement)

• Pajama pants are not allowed.

• Visible rips, tears, or holes located higher than finger-tip length are not permitted, unless an underlayer (ex: leggings, form-fitting pants, a neatly sewn patch, undershirt, etc.) is worn underneath the affected area.

KENTUCKY STATE LAW

Students may have cell phones and electronic devices (including Bluetooth headphones) in their possession, but they must be turned off or silenced during the school day. Cell phones, earbuds/headphones, & other electronic devices must remain out of sight from the time class starts at 8:00 AM until the time they exit the school building, except when authorized by a teacher or administrator. This includes use in the cafeteria at lunch and in the hallways during transition. If students use these devices, teachers will take the device and turn them into the office to collect at the end of the day. They will also face a consequence per school policy.

PARENT CONTACT DURING SCHOOL HOURS

If a student needs to contact their parent or guardian, the student should use the Student Signup form to put in a request to come to the front office to call home.

To minimize disruption to the learning environment, parents are kindly requested to contact the school's front office directly at 270-877-2135 if they need to relay an urgent message to their child during school hours. This allows school staff to deliver messages efficiently and ensures that classroom instruction remains uninterrupted.

Please refer to the links below for information on these topics: