Education
Paris Independent School
System
“All the Benefits
of Private Schools in a Public Setting” Paris Independent Schools believe that a strong partnership
between school, home, and the community is the key to success for their
students. They therefore provide a myriad of volunteer opportunities, and they
log thousands of hours of parent volunteer time each year. The high standards of academic excellence demanded at Paris
Schools are another key to success. The higher grading scale is one way of
ensuring this excellence, which is expected of every student, regardless
of demographics. A student with “special needs” and one who is gifted or
talented is each challenged at his own level.
Highly
qualified teachers, over 65 percent holding Master’s Degrees and averaging 15
years of teaching experience, strive to motivate and challenge each student.
Small teacher-student ratios, a positive, safe environment, a dress code, and a
“family atmosphere” make Paris Schools a great place to learn.
Paris Independent Schools spent an average of $6,943 per student last year,
which was higher than the state average of $6,846. At the end of the 2000-2001
school year, 55 percent of Paris High School’s seniors received the prestigious
Commonwealth Diploma, and 86 percent went on to college, compared to the state
average of 54 percent. Paris had a 0.6 percent dropout rate, compared to the
state average of 3.2 percent. The
Paris High School motto is “Progressive, Tradition, Diversity, Pride.”
Indeed, they have plenty to be proud of. In addition to their many academic
achievements, they have an award-winning band, and many athletic championships.
Besides football and basketball, they offer golf, tennis, track, soccer,
baseball, swimming, and girls’ softball. See for yourself why Paris Independent Schools have “all the benefits of a
private school in a public setting.” Paris Elementary is located at 1481 South
Main Street, and the Middle and High Schools are at 308 West 7th
Street. They can be reached at (859) 987-2160, or visit
www.paris.k12.ky.us on the web.
The Bourbon County School
district consists of four
elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, serving nearly 2700
students and employing a staff of over 450. Of the certified staff, 67 percent
has a Master’s Degree or above. The mission of the Bourbon County Schools is to
provide an environment that allows each student to realize his or her
potential. The school’s motto, “Success For All,” reflects
the diverse and challenging curriculum for all students, preschool through grade
12, regardless of what their respective career goals are. Students
experiencing difficulties are provided with the resources needed to succeed, and
various exploratory and advanced-placement courses are offered to challenge
thriving students. Technology is becoming an integral part of the
instructional process. Each classroom in the district now has Internet and
e-mail access. Students are pursuing A+ certification through the new
technology initiative program at the high school, and faculty and staff are
training to be able to provide more varied technology opportunities at each
school. Each school has Student Technology Leaders, some of whom have earned
statewide recognition, that coordinate school websites. Selected students have
also been supplied with PALMs. The safety of the students in Bourbon County schools is of
utmost concern. Staff and faculty are trained in drug and safety awareness,
D.A.R.E. curriculum is taught to students, and the school employs a security
officer. There is a strict policy against weapons or drugs in the schools, and
offenders will be reported to the proper authorities. Bourbon County students are taught and display high
standards of ethical, moral, and social conduct, as well as good citizenship
habits. The potential for this district is limitless. This starts at the
earliest level thanks to a nationally recognized preschool and Head Start
facility that opened in 2002. Children starting at age three can learn social
and academic skills in a fun, child-friendly way that enhances learning.
The main office of Bourbon County Schools is at
3343 Lexington Road, Paris, KY 40361, phone #859-987-2180. Visit the web
page at
www.bourbon.k12.ky.us.
The
Bourbon County Adult Learning Center is a multi-purpose community resource
facility that is dedicated to serving the educational needs of the citizens of
Bourbon County. The main office is located in Room 123 of the Paris Municipal
Building located at 525 High Street. The Next Step Family Literacy Program is
located at the Bourbon County Preschool Head Start Center located at 369
Bethlehem Road. There are additional satellite locations throughout the county
to make learning as convenient as possible for students. Ever growing, the
center offers programs to suit both individual and family needs and offers both
day and evening hours to assist with busy schedules. Programs offered include:
Adult Basic Education, General Education Diploma (GED), English as a Second
Language, Commercial Drivers License, and Workplace Essential Skills. Please
call (859) 987-2191 or 987-5863 for more information.
Private education is also available in Bourbon County. Two
century-old institutions are still going strong. St.
Mary School is a parochial elementary school serving grades Pre-K through 8th. The school has been
in continuous operation since 1886 and currently serves over 140 students in the
three school buildings located on Main Street, Paris. St. Mary offers a strong
academic curriculum as well as religious instruction. Barbara Albaugh,
Principal since 2001, is a 25-year veteran of public schools in Lexington.
Along with her vast experience, she brings an energy and enthusiasm that has
spread to the already-committed teachers and parents. A very active
Parent-Teacher Society h The Millersburg Military
Institute is the only military academy in the state,
and one of
39 in the nation. Day or boarding school is offered to boys in grades six
through twelve. Since the school opened in 1893, it has provided an
environment in which students are challenged to reach the limits of their
intellectual abilities in a highly-structured setting,
as well as developing qualities of lea Closing its doors May, 2006!!! Meteer School is a non-profit preschool for
developmentally-handicapped children, from birth to six years old. The school
offers an array of services for children with a significant delay in acquiring
skills in areas such as cognitive, language, gross and fine motor and/or
self-help. Such handicaps may include mental, physical, or emotional
deficiencies, as well as deafness, blindness, or epilepsy. Bourbon Christian Academy is a
home-school environment following the ABEKKA curriculum, including reading,
math, science, English, spelling, art, and Bible study. Enrollment is
limited and each student receives lots of individual attention. Currently
serving grades 5 through 9. Call Terry Smith at 859-987-7008 for more
information. Whatever a student’s age or ability, there is an
educational opportunity in Bourbon County that will be a perfect fit. Please click on
www.bourbonlibrary.org for information about the Paris-Bourbon County
Library. Please click on the
Safety City page for information
on Safety Education. 
Paris
Independent Schools has a long tradition of educating children
in Paris and Bourbon County. Beginning in 1798 as the Bourbon Academy, and
changing its name to Paris City School in 1865, the tradition of creating
“life-long learners,” who contribute to society, still holds true today.
Bourbon County Schools
A
vast array of extracurricular activities is offered at Bourbon County Schools.
At the elementary level, academic teams challenge students, as well as 4-H and
other clubs. Thanks to the Century 21 grant, various after-school programs are
offered, such as Yamaha keyboards, art clubs, sports, photography, and cooking.
In middle and high school, a variety of academic and sports teams are available,
as well as clubs such as FFA, FBLA, BETA, FCA, FCCLA, and the Newspaper and
Yearbook Staffs. Members of the FFA, FCCLA, FBLS, newspaper, speech, and drama
clubs have earned statewide recognition. Students are also exposed to
culturally diverse activities to broaden their knowledge of the world.Bourbon County
Adult Learning Center
Private Schools
olds major fundraisers each year, including the Chicken
Fry in October, and the popular Christmas Boutique
and Luncheon in November. Funds from the PTS are used to keep the
textbooks up-to-date, as well as many other projects that help make the school
the best it can be. Parents are urged to volunteer in whatever capacity
suits them – lunch monitor, art, gym, library, computer lab, and more. St.
Mary’s students are able to participate in organized sports such as soccer,
basketball, and swimming through programs at the YMCA, and in city-organized
T-ball and baseball. They also participate in band at Paris Middle School
when they reach 5th grade. In 2003, seven of the fourteen St. Mary
7th-graders qualified (by scoring 95th or higher on an area of their SAT's) to
take the ACT Test through the Duke University Talent Identification Program.
Three of those seven won state recognition for scoring 21 or higher! Visit St. Mary School at 1121 Main Street or
call 859-987-3815. See
http://stmaryschool.cdlex.org/index.cfm for more information.
dership
and a sense of responsibility to their communities. Col. James P.
Carruthers, the new President, is setting high goals for the school. Col.
Carruthers plans to make MMI a top-notch college-prep schoo
l
in which future leaders are formed, and he is currently incorporating
a sports program. Call 859-484-3352 for
more information,
or visit www.mmiky.com.