Ashley's Top Picks from the editor

Sweet summertime is here and this year, more than ever, it has arrived out of nowhere. 2023 seems to be flying by. Before you know it, it will be time to send our kids back to school.

With both Drew and I working from home, it can be easy to let the days slip away. We find ourselves working beyond the typical workday or checking off home projects from our to-do list.

TIE-DYE TOWELS

So, I know this trend was going around on social media a couple of years ago, but we finally tried it last summer. These towels turned out so cute and are my kids’ favorite! All you need is duct tape, a white towel and tie dye! You will need the tie-dye that comes in spray bottles.

The Edi

Our kids have the hardest time remembering to turn out lights in our house, so Drew came up with the idea of The Edi Award. This statue of Thomas Edison, chosen because of his invention of the lightbulb, is awarded to the kid who best remembers to turn off his/her lights. This award is newly implemented at our house, so I can’t tell you if it actually helps them remember to turn off their lights. I’ll report back in a later issue.

Because of this, we have been very intentional about mapping out our summer. We have a bigger trip planned and a couple of smaller adventures too. But we also let the kids create a bucket list of what they want to do this summer.

Their ideas are never over-the-top.

A water balloon fight in the backyard.

A family movie night with dinner from a new pizza place.

Catching lightning bugs at the farm.

Their ideas are always simple and always have one thing in common: time spent together as a family.

Isn’t that what summer is all about?

Sun-kissed cheeks that are sore from smiling and laughing. Warm Kentucky nights that leave you sweaty and sticky, but oh, so happy. Less routine and more time spent together.

You only get 17 or 18 summers with your kids. We only have 6 left with our oldest.

Op Throwback

This will forever be one of our staff’s favorite covers! The bright colors and timeless concept of standing in line for a sweet summer treat make this OP cover one to remember.

Make the most of these eight weeks. And remember, your kids don’t need a big vacation to make their summer break one to remember.

Cravens Elementary Opens New Playground

Cravens Elementary School opened its doors to a 90% fully renovated building this semester. Principal Cortney Cliff said she is thankful to be able to give the students a school that’s as special as she says they are.

Students have been enjoying the renovations since January, including a new fine arts/performing stage and gymnasium, a media center, and classroom expansions. But one of the school’s new features—a new playground—was opened in late April.

According to school officials, 200 Cravens students walk to school from home. With that knowledge, district officials wanted to give the students something that is welcoming and goes above the base educational benefits for the children.

“It is the place, especially in this neighborhood, where people go to get all their questions answered, to get the help they need, to get the education they deserve,” Owensboro Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Constant said.

That same sentiment extends to the playground, which the students have deemed their neighborhood park.

Mrs. Hamilton’s class won the school behavior challenge and were awarded the opportunity to open the playground on April 26, marking the very first class to enjoy the new equipment.

Highland Elementary Expected To Relocate Behind New Dcms In Coming Years

A new campus is expected to be built for Highland Elementary School within the next few years. It will go directly behind the new Daviess County Middle School, essentially creating a full pre-K through 8th grade location.

In early May, the Daviess County Public Schools Board of Education approved moving Highland to “transitional” status, meaning no major renovations can be done to the building. District officials said that status change was necessary to begin the process of building a new school, but there is no timeline that must be followed.

Superintendent Matt Robbins said he envisions the new facility being built within 5 years, but it will be up to the board to make any decisions on when to move forward. Board members Frank Riney and Dale Stewart said they’d like to delay the construction as long as possible.

“Right now, I think things are expensive,” Riney said. “I anticipate things improving as far as costs go. I think things may slow down to the point that it will be more reasonable, but it may be further than the ‘near future.’”

Robbins noted that the current building is in fine shape, meaning there aren’t concerns that any structural failures or major renovation needs will come into play if the district waits a few years to start construction on the new school.

The district already owns the land for the new Highland building, as they purchased it at the same time they bought the land for the new DCMS.

The two schools would back up to one another. The DCMS entrance is already located on Fairview Drive, while Highland would face Calumet Trace.

Robbins said it’s a benefit for both the students and district to have the facilities next to one another, as Highland is a feeder school for DCMS.

Equally as important, he said, is getting away from KY 54. He said there’s already a safety concern with congestion, and it could get worse if the state ever moves forward with widening the roadway.

Robbins said the district would likely sell the current Highland property once the transition is complete, adding they already had to sell some road frontage as right of way to the state.

“It was equivalent to about $1 million an acre,” he said. “I think there’s about 11.5 acres there, so it’s a valuable piece of property.”

Robbins again stressed there is no timeline for when the project will move forward.