Education is a priority in Todd County. County leaders realize that,
without a well-educated and trained public, the business and industry
sector will not thrive. Starting with the earliest education of children
and continuing through job training and continuing education for adults,
you can always expect to have highly skilled educators in the region
doing what they love: teaching.
In the Todd County School District there are two elementary schools,
one middle school and one high school. There are many higher-education
possibilities throughout the county and the surrounding region to
continue learning after high school. Job training and skills development
are available as well, to make sure the work force of Todd County
can meet the needs of an ever-evolving job market.
North Todd Elementary School serves students in kindergarten through
fifth grade and teaches students from the northern half of the county.
In addition to the regular class curriculum, the school offers accelerated
math, accelerated reading and SRA, while a computer lab offers technical
enhancement to the curriculum. For students needing a little extra
help in reading, math, science, portfolio writing, keyboarding or
social studies, the school has an Extended School Service that provides
after-school tutoring. Help with homework is available to students
before the school day begins. To keep parents informed of their child’s
progress, parent conferences are scheduled twice each school year;
they can be requested more often if the parent feels it is necessary.
North Todd Elementary School achieves excellence in academic contests,
further illustrating the commitment by teachers and staff to help
students succeed. The school’s Academic Team has placed first
in Quick Recall and Future Problem Solving at the District Governor’s
Cup competition, and the team received first, second and third place
in all categories of written assessment. Because of this they qualified
to attend the Regional Governor’s Cup, where they placed second
overall.
There are also many extracurricular activities to help students acquire
a well-rounded education. Some of these include the Student Technology
Leadership Program, 4-H, Scouts at School, DARE, Just Say No, Conservation
Club, Wildcat Choir, Dance and Drama Club, and the Wildcat Newspaper
Staff. Children at North Todd Elementary School are given the opportunity
to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
South Todd Elementary School also serves kindergarten through fifth
grade. Teaching students from the southern half of Todd County, the
school prides itself on making children their first priority. The
goal of the school is to have all students reading at or above their
grade level by the time they are ready to move on to middle school.
To do this, South Todd has a research-based reading-instruction program
(Accelerated Reader) in place and also gives expanded reading instruction.
The school is equipped with a media center and computer lab, with
software complementing the classroom curriculum. Additionally, each
classroom has Internet access, so parents and teachers can maintain
contact throughout the year.
Students can be involved in school-related activities throughout the
year. The Academic Team received the Sportsmanship Award at a recent
Governor’s Cup, while the Quick Recall team placed second during
the district competition. Students can also take part in 4-H, basketball,
cheerleading and Scouts at School. Between the excellent education
in the classroom and the fun and educational opportunities taking
place after the dismissal bell rings, students are excelling at South
Todd Elementary.
The Family Resource Center has been established to help families whose
children are attending either North or South Todd Elementary schools.
The Center works to meet some of the families’ basic needs and
improve students’ chances of success. The center provides such
services as a day care directory, educational information for adults,
workshops on life skills, hearing and vision screenings, and Parent
and Child Education, designed to enhance parenting skills. Realizing
that the success of the student begins with a stable and successful
home life, the center also offers education and referral services.
Todd County Middle School, teaching grades six through eight, understands
the unique needs of students in middle school. They recognize that
the function of middle school is to help students transition from
the more dependent environment of elementary school to the more independent
environment of high school. Faculty and staff also realize that the
only way students can achieve success is through the three-way efforts
of students, parents and teachers.
Students at Todd County Middle School excel academically, scoring
higher than the state average in seventh grade writing and eighth
grade social studies and practical living/vocational studies. All
classrooms have a computer with Internet access; there is at least
one computer for every six students at the school. The focus on technology
is another way teachers are ensuring that students are given the most
up-to-date instruction. Outside the classroom, students are given
the opportunity to succeed through extracurricular activities such
as football, basketball, academic competitions, intramural basketball,
drama, band, cheerleading, student technology leadership programs,
Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Beta Club.
Providing a positive, nurturing environment for the academic, social
and physical growth of students is the goal of Todd County Central
High School. The high school, teaching all Todd County children in
grades nine through 12, helps students prepare for life after high
school by providing a quality education. Students have access to two
networked accent computer labs, a networked media center mini-lab
and a networked industrial technology mini-lab. There are school-to-work
programs, individual graduation plans, and integrated academic and
vocational courses. Almost half of Todd Central High’s graduating
seniors go on to attend college.
Todd Central has many clubs and organizations to keep teenagers involved
in positive activities. Students can take part in the Student Council,
concert band, 4-H, Rebel Yearbook, National Honor Society, Science
Club and Beta, among other organizations. They can also participate
in one of several organized sports such as basketball, baseball and
football.
The Todd County Youth Services Center helps with adult-education classes,
job training and placement, and life-skills training for middle and
high school students and their families. Employment counseling, health
referral services, tutoring services, and after-school and weekend
activities are just a few of the services provided by the Center.
Several opportunities for higher education are only a short drive
from Todd County. Western Kentucky University (WKU), the fastest-growing
university in the Commonwealth, is located in Bowling Green, Ky. The
school was founded in 1906, achieved university status in 1966 and
continues to be a leader in education. A four-year university, WKU
has 88 academic majors and 57 minors to choose from when pursuing
a bachelor’s degree. There are also 18 associate’s degrees
and three certificate programs. A graduate program is available for
those wishing to receive a master’s degree, and joint doctoral
degree programs are available in conjunction with the University of
Louisville and the University of Kentucky. Demonstrating that higher
education is a key to economic development, Western is having a direct
impact on southcentral Kentucky and the state. The WKU faculty has
responded impressively to the challenge of impacting economic development
through their economic disciplines. This response includes new baccalaureate
programs in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, programs
poised to dramatically increase the number of licensed engineers in
the work place. Faculty are actively engaged with the Center for Information
Technology Enterprises (CITE); the Center for Research and Development,
which is helping emerging businesses and industries grow; and the
Gordon Ford College of Business, which has a growing MBA program.
The University continues to achieve national and international recognition
through the School of Journalism and Broadcasting, which won the William
Randolph Hearst Nation Journalism Awards Program in 2000 and 2001,
and The William E. Biven Forensic Society, which completed a sweep
of all major speech and debate championships in the same year. The
beautiful campus, overlooking the city of Bowling Green, has been
home to more than 70,000 “Hilltoppers”; all are proud to
be WKU alumni.
At Austin Peay State University, quality is the hallmark of academic,
social and sporting programs. Founded in 1927 as the Austin Peay Normal
School, the university was named for Tennessee Governor Austin Peay,
a native son of Clarksville, Tenn., where the school is located. Enrollment
is just over 7,000. You can choose from over 50 majors leading to
associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and education specialist’s
degrees. There are evening and weekend classes, making it easier for
working students to continue their education while maintaining full-time
employment.
Murray State University (MSU) offers classes at its Hopkinsville campus,
making it easy for Todd County residents to live at home and still
take advantage of a nationally recognized university. Ranked by Kiplinger’s
Personal Finance magazine as the “best value,” MSU offers
students a quality education at an affordable price.
Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tenn., is only an hour’s
drive from Todd County. Known as the “Harvard of the South,”
this nationally recognized university provides the region with the
latest in medical research and technology as well as graduating highly
trained students from a myriad of disciplines to the work force.
There are two Kentucky Community and Technical College System campuses
close to Todd County. Bowling Green Technical College offers programs
in technical training and education, helping students become ready
to face the ever-changing technical job market. Students are trained
in skills directly corresponding to their job choice, and graduates
are guaranteed placement. The Hopkinsville campus provides a quality
two-year transfer program for those wishing to complete a bachelor’s
degree at a four-year institution. The campus also has technical and
semi-professional programs that can be completed in two years or less,
providing continuous developmental and customized training to keep
employees on the cutting edge for local businesses.
Wherever you turn, you can find educational opportunities in Todd
County. From kindergarten to continuing job-skills training, Todd
County is ready to meet the educational needs of today as well as
tomorrow.
