Our Affiliated Project: Whitley County North Elementary School in Rockholds, Kentucky

facts about Whitley County North Elementary School:

  • Grades served: Preschool – sixth grade
  • Average enrollment: 375 students
  • School facilities: The brick school building includes 20 classrooms, three pre-school classrooms, two units for functionally disabled children, a library, music room, art room, speech therapy room, and a special education unit. A nature trail, playground, and football field complete the campus.
  • Faculty: Students are served by a large staff including a principal, a librarian, four special education teachers, a full-time speech/language pathologist, a physical education teacher, a music teacher, 25 homeroom teachers, two Title I teachers providing additional instruction in reading and math, and two Reading Recovery teachers.
  • Percentage of students on the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Meal Program: 89%
  • School curriculum: The curriculum is based on the KY Program of Studies and the KY Core Content. To view the school’s state report card, visit www.k12.ky.us.
  • Meals: Breakfast and lunch are served every day.
  • Academic schedule: The school year typically begins the first week of August and ends the second week of May. Normal holidays are observed.
  • Sports and Activities: Extracurricular activities offered include academic teams, football, basketball, cheerleading, Girl and Boy Scouts, and 4-H Club.

Nestled in the picturesque Appalachian Mountains and steeped in a rich cultural heritage, Whitley County was founded in 1818 a few miles south of the Cumberland River. This is an area of great beauty, but also of great poverty. Recently, lack of employment opportunities caused by the rapid decline of the coal industry has resulted in one of the highest rates of poverty in Kentucky.  This poverty rate is only expected to increase as the remaining industries and small businesses close their doors.

For this reason, Whitley County North Elementary School serves as a beacon of hope, playing an active role in its rural community. Its staff is dedicated to helping students break the cycle of poverty that engulfs their county by offering them a well-rounded education and the confidence that they need to become successful members of their community.