Harlan County Public Schools

The assessment and accountability town hall scheduled for 5-7 p.m. ET on Jan. 7 at the Southeast South-Central Educational Cooperative, 55 Waco Drive, London, has been canceled due to inclement weather. The town hall will be rescheduled at a later date.

ALUMNI SHOUTOUT Congratulations to Ben Lovely, Ph.D., a 1997 alumnus of James A. Cawood High School, on his research at the University of Louisville on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Lovely's work is featured at the 22:30 mark on the November 26, 2024 issue of Kentucky Edition on Kentucky Educational Television. The research is part of $2.3 million federal grant. Ben is the son of our former faculty members Charles and GeorgeAnn Lovely. We are proud of the impactful contributions of our alumni in the sciences to improve health and wellbeing. Go check out Dr. Lovely's work here: https://ket.org/program/kentucky-edition/november-26-2024/ As always, we are #HCProud!

The Harlan County High School Modern Band is shown following their first performance ever at the Christmas concert on Thursday. It was a joint event with the HCHS band. The Modern Band Class was offered for the first time this semester. It features electric instruments and typical of what would be part of a modern, pop, rock, country and praise bands. The band is under the direction of Heidi Abraham who was trained on it last year, and brought the curriculum into the school this fall. Shown here, left to right, are Colton Gross, Hunter Hughes, Danny Templeton, Jeremy Moore, Gaige Taylor, Tristan Kelly, Zoe Jones, Jesse Blas and Benjamin Smith.

Christmas Carols were heard throughout Harlan County High School today as the choir, under the direction of Jeanne Ann Lee, shared festive tunes for students and staff.

HOOVER, SULLIVAN RECEIVE BLACK BEAR AWARDS The Harlan County High School Superintendent Student Council recently presented Black Bear Awards to Junior Braidyn Hoover and HCHS Bookkeeper Jeffery Sullivan. In addition to his classes at Harlan County High School, Hoover attends Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College as part of the county dual credit program. He is in the auto mechanic classes. He is the son of Heather and Rodney Hoover. He is a member of the school First Priority. Council Member Jacob Schwenke said “Braidyn is kind to everyone he meets. In First Priority, in the morning, he makes sure to acknowledge everyone and make everyone feel welcomed and seen. He goes out of his way to make every person he meets feel valued.” Shania Middleton, another member of the council, described Braidyn as “spontaneous.” He shines a light and talks to everyone, no matter who they are.” Sullivan, originally from Flat Rock, AL, served in the United States Army from 1985 to 1993. He has been a pastor for 15 years, with seven of those in Alaska and 3 in Las Vega. He has been pastor of the New Hope Church of God in Harlan for the past five years. “Mr. Sullivan is a huge mentor,” said Middleton. “He is a leader. He is always there to step in when needed.” Council member Savannah Hill said, “I just want to say how much I appreciate, not only your hard work here at the front office, but also how you supported our volleyball team. You came to most of our games and always cheered for us and even line judged sometimes. Thank you for being a supporter to us and always doing such a good job here at your job too.” Black Bear Awards are student nominated and selected. The awards are to recognize students and staff who go above and beyond to assist others.

Brantley Burkahart, a sixth grade student at James A. Cawood Elementary School and member of the Harlan County Middle School Black Bear Football Team, recently tried out and made the sixth grade Football University Team. He traveled to Indiana and played for the regional championship. They defeated both teams 30-0 and will be advancing to play in the National Championship games in Naples, Florida. FBU is associated with the Kentucky Middle School Football Association. Brantley plays linebacker, defensive back and special teams Eight teams have advanced to Naples from across the country. "He is one of the hardest workers on the team," says his Black Bear Middle School Coach Jacob Branson. "He comes in with a great attitude, is easy to coach and fun to be around." Branson says Brantley "has great football instinct. I am super proud of him and the progress he has made in the off season. I am very excited to get Brantley and the others back in the spring to see how we progress and are ready for the football season in August. I wish him the best in the upcoming tournament in Florida." The Kentucky sixth grade team is made up of a roster with 40 players from across the Commonwealth.

The Harlan County Board of Education took action on Tuesday to honor the late Jim Cullivan, a Harlan County sports legend, who died at the age of 103 on September 17th in Paris, TN. The board named the loop through the Harlan County Soccer Complex at James A. Cawood Elementary School Jim Cullivan Way. The complex was previously the football facility. Cullivan led the Cawood Trojan football team for nearly a decade, compiling an exceptional record. One of Cullivan’s former players and an assistant coach Rick Parsons was in attendance and had worked with Board Member Wallace Napier to identify a way to honor Cullivan for his service to Harlan County student athletes. Parsons, representing a committee organized to honor Cullivan’s memory, said a gathering of Cullivan’s former players is planned for today at 5 p.m. at the entrance to the JACES campus. “We will have a little get together and reminisce a bit,” said Parsons, noting Cullivan was a father figure to him and many other players through the years. Parsons recalled Cullivan telling him there are “only two kinds of coaches, ones that have been fired and the ones who are going to be fired. He said it is a rough profession.” Harlan County Sportswriter and high school sports enthusiast John Henson remembers the Cullivan era well, noting Cullivan posted a 66-28 record in nine seasons, leading the Trojans to undefeated regular seasons in both 1981 and 1985. Henson recalled that both squads were ranked, at one point during the season, as the No. 1 3A team in Kentucky. Henson said the 81 team fell in the playoffs to Lincoln County, but the 82 squad, led by all-state running back David Hensley, avenged that loss for the last of four district championships in JACHS history. He said the Trojans “may have made a run at a state title if not having the misfortune of somehow being in the same district as Fort Thomas Highlands — just one example of the geographical insanity of the football playoffs during the 1980s.” “The 85 Trojans lost a heartbreaker to Danville in the district finals, one of three straight losses to a program in the midst of a run as perhaps the best in the state in 3A,” said Henson. One of the signs to mark Jim Cullivan Way is being placed near the site where he lived on campus during his tenure in Harlan County. Cullivan graduated from Grove High School and earned bachelor's and master’s degrees in health and physical education from Murray State University. This is where he met Billie Gene Cantrell whom he married on June 1, 1950. Billie preceded him in death on February 8, 2014. He continued his education by attending the University of Indiana working beyond his master’s. As a means of contributing to the household income while at the University of Indiana, he served as the fencing coach. He was also a Veteran who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Cullivan retired after a 40-year career coaching football and teaching. His beginnings in football started at Grove High School where he was a member of the very successful team of 1939. After his time spent in the military, he returned to play football at Murray State. He had a good four years there as an offensive guard. His playing career culminated when after his senior season he played in the 1949 Tangerine Bowl. As a coach, his career began in 1949 at Fulton High School in Fulton, KY. He then returned to Murray State as a coach with his last four seasons, 1956-1959 as head coach. Other schools he coached at the college level include Tennessee, Wesleyan, Gilford College, Appalachian State University, and Eastern Kentucky State University. At the High School level, he coached at various schools including his alma mater Grove and as the first coach at Henry County High School and concluded his career with nine years at Cawood High School, where he was voted Kentucky’s triple-A co-coach of the year in 1985. In addition to coaching, Mr. Cullivan was a cattle rancher. He began in 1967 maintaining a herd of purebred registered Charolais beef cattle and was a co-founder of the Tennessee State Charolais Beef Cattlemen’s Association. As a hobby, he enjoyed applying his wit to life’s everyday situations. Those who knew him well were aware that he was never without a quirky one-liner response to any inquiry made. His experience in life and sports coupled with his wit resulted in his serving as a speaker for banquets and various social functions throughout his career. Among his survivors are two sons: Owen James Cullivan, III of Dover, TN, and Robert Patrick (Lydia) Cullivan of Lumberton, NC; and a daughter: Lynda Griffith of Dresden, TN. (Photo: Rick Parsons, left, and Board of Education Member Wallace Napier.)

DISTRICT WELLNESS PLAN OPEN FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION The Harlan County Board of Education's approved District Wellness Plan Assessment Report is now available for inspection on our website. You may access the report at: http://www.harlan.kyschools.us/pdf/FoodService/HealthySchoolsAssessmentReport.pdf Questions about the report may be addressed to Mrs. Jessica Gross, Assistant Food Services Director or Assistant Superintendent Brett Johnson by calling 606-573-4330.

The Harlan County Board of Education recently honored Harlan County High School Junior Sophie Day for her participation in the Kentucky Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Summit. She is the daughter of Kim and Jacob Saylor and Pat and Paige Day. Presenting the award on behalf of the Board of Education was Superintendent Brent Roark.

Harlan County High School students auditioned and were accepted into the southeast Kentucky Music Association’s All-Festival Honor Choir. Here are HCHS students preparing for rehearsals which are now underway in London. Students selected and participating include: Maddox Bates Kandace Clay Autumn Cheatham Caleb Couch Alexa Dean James Dean Daelyn Garland Maggie Goins Haley Guthrie Emily Hazelton Allison Hensley Emilee Johnson Caden Lester Jasmine Major Olivia Middleton Ethan Peterson Annie Rowe Jacob Schwenke Lily Skidmore Kaitlyn Smith Kamryn Smith Rayanna Smith Reelyn Stanley Alexa Ward Directors are Heidi Abraham and Jeanne Ann Lee.