Haywood’s dropout program rescued
An innovative high school dropout program in Haywood County was rescued from the chopping block this week after county commissioners and school officials agreed to go halves on the $61,000 needed to keep it open.
Obscure budget stats a ‘bellwether’ of economic recovery
Haywood County could be turning a corner after a slow, stubborn climb out of the recession, according to some obscure tidbits of data hidden in the bowels of the county’s budget for the coming fiscal year.
For a change, Haywood isn’t facing a dire budget year
Haywood County commissioners were greeted with silence at their meeting Monday night when they asked if anyone in the audience wanted to speak during a public hearing on the county’s $72 million proposed budget.
Making the grade: Educator reinvents dropout prevention, but budget cuts jeopardize program
Kyle Ledford spent years working with at-risk youth and high school dropouts in the Haywood school system. Saving kids was his calling, but it always felt like he was not playing with a full deck.
SEE ALSO:
• Dropout program in jeopardy
• Caught in life’s crosshairs, students struggle not to dropout
• Trying to put a square peg in a round hole? Kyle Ledford’s your man
“The problems these kids were having could not be addressed in and of itself by a school. We couldn’t do anything about getting them a job or providing childcare or getting them housing and clothing,” Ledford said. “I can teach kids all day long, but I can’t do anything about housing and I can’t do anything about food stamps and I can’t do anything about transportation. The school system can’t solve a societal problem. It takes the community.”
Dropout program in jeopardy
Despite wild success rescuing high school dropouts and turning their lives around, the Haywood Community Learning Center is on the brink of closing if a funding quandary isn’t solved soon.
Caught in life’s crosshairs, students struggle not to dropout
The trials of adulthood came early for Nicole Ferguson.
Trying to put a square peg in a round hole? Kyle Ledford’s your man
If there’s one thing Kyle Ledford is good at, it’s pushing boulders uphill.
Shining Rock stalled on mobile classroom contract
Shining Rock Classical Academy is considering legal action against a modular building company for not being able to honor its lease agreement with the charter school.
Haywood Schools to make layoff announcements this week
Budget cuts are forcing Haywood County Schools to lay off 10 teachers and staff at the end of this school year.
Haywood Schools dispute allegations surrounding Central Elementary
Haywood County school leaders went on record this week patently disputing the allegations in a lawsuit filed last week questioning the motives for closing Central Elementary School.