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NLMS Boys Champs honored at Laurel BOE

nita johnson, the sentinel echo, london, ky.
·3 min read

Mar. 2—The honors were plenty during Monday's bi-monthly meeting of the Laurel County School District, with basketball again reigning in the county.

The North Laurel Middle School sixth-grade boys basketball team was recognized for being the 13th Region Champions for the 2022-23 season. That included a 30-2 record with an undefeated home game spree. Coach Peyton Broughton, and assistant coaches Elijah Jervis, Ray Rawlings and Ethan Eversole were present with team members to receive the honor. In February, the NLMS eighth-grade team was recognized for their state championship title.

Reflecting back to the county's sports history, Danny Evans presented a framed picture of the 1940 state championship basketball team of Hazel Green High School to Principal Brad Mullins. Evans' uncle played on that team and Evans said he wanted the framed picture to be placed inside the Clark Chesnut gymnasium.

The 1940 Hazel Green team was the first Laurel County team to take the state title.

"It's my understanding that there have been seven state championships to Laurel County — three men's and four women's. This is the first one," he said.

With basketball remaining the top sport in the Bluegrass, the tradition continued with school board members voting to dismiss school on Friday, March 10, if either the North or South Laurel High girls teams advance to the state tournament. The two teams will face off in the regional semifinals this Friday after both teams won their games this past Monday night.

Superintendent Dr. Doug Bennett said he wanted to "get ahead of the game" with the school dismissal approval. He did say, however, that school will be dismissed only if one of the girls teams advances to the state tournament. That would come because the first game of the state tournament is set for 1 p.m. March 10, and would create a scheduling conflict should students wish to attend the game.

Another honor came when Dr. Hunter with Eastern Kentucky University presented Superintendent Dr. Doug Bennett with one of the two Southeastern South Central Experience Excellence awards for Superintendent of the Year. Hunter outlined some of the qualities for those selected for the honor, which included Talent & Vision, Communications and Community Involvement.

Hunter said nominations for Bennett described him as "A leader beyond the traditional scope of thinking."

Hunter added that EKU is the primary college for teaching excellence in the state.

Bennett will be honored again in May with the designation of a $1,000 scholarship for an "EKU bound Laurel County senior" who will pursue a career in education.

The top poems written by members of the Bush Elementary fifth-grade poetry class also read their poems before board members during Monday's meeting. Presenting narrative and free style, the two-member teams presented their writing samples, often with a flair at the end.

The school district will also receive $1,021,000 for Career & Technical Education programs. Bennett said the money would be divided between North Laurel, South Laurel and Center For Innovation to purchase equipment and supplies to enhance and continue their programs.

"This is for any career-oriented program," he explained. "That could be agriculture, Consumer Sciences, Engineering or other programs that focus on career education."

Under that agreement with the state, North Laurel High would receive $540,000, SLHS would receive $360,000 and CFI would receive $170,000.

"The division of money depends on the size of the programs at the schools," Bennett added.

An agreement with the London City Police will place Officer Justin Hopkins as the School Resource Officer at the Laurel County Day Treatment facility.

Personnel vacancies also prompted some new job postings. Board members voted to approve re-creating an attendance clerk at London Elementary, a Special Needs Assistant at Sublimity Elementary and a Classified Counselor at Laurel County Day Treatment.