For two years, the students of Buckhorn School were displaced after their historic building was destroyed in a 1,000-year flood. This fall, the community is celebrating a fresh start after opening the doors to a brand-new facility. The new Buckhorn School brings the first ever preschool program to the area, a monumental step in early childhood education for residents of Perry County, Kentucky. The school will serve over 350 students for their pre-K to 12th grade career.
Robert Roark, project director for Full-Service Community Schools in Leslie and Perry Counties, says the original K-12 school was the heart and soul of the community, even recalling playing basketball in the log-cabin style gymnasium in his youth. When the building was destroyed, students and families suffered a tremendous loss. It took the investment of multiple organizations working directly with the people of Buckhorn to rebuild and bring new academic resources to the area.
Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) was a core partner in developing the preschool program, along with Eastern Streams Early Childhood Council and Save the Children. These partners worked rapidly beginning in May so the program would be ready for students in time for the school’s grand opening and ribbon cutting on September 11th. FSCS funds helped supply classroom furniture, textbooks, and playground equipment.
“It took all community partners working together to make it happen,” said Roark.
Emma Davidson of Eastern Streams Early Childhood Council said the same, stating that it took all partners working together to open the doors to the new preschool.
“It wasn’t just one person that made this happen,” Davidson said. “It took all the community partners working together,” she continued.
Davidson, who specializes in early childhood development and kindergarten readiness, says the importance of preschool is that it sets students up for success throughout the rest of their lives. Entering kindergarten ready to learn is the first step in a series of academic milestones, leading to third grade reading and math proficiency, two significant indicators of long-term success.
What does kindergarten readiness look like? Davidson says children should be able to recognize letters, numbers and shapes, and be able to write their name before starting kindergarten. Preschool teaches these essential skills and provides an enriching social environment. Previously, residents of Buckhorn had to travel over an hour to take their children to preschool. The new school removes that location barrier, meaning more students are set up to succeed.
Now with the semester well under way, the community is celebrating new beginnings and bright futures. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of a dedicated group of leaders, the students of Buckhorn are not only returning to a school of their own, but also forging a new path toward generational success. The impact of preschool and k-readiness programs is sure to pay dividends over the course of each student’s academic career.
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