Education
The motto for Estill County Schools is "Every Child Succeeds," and the faculty and staff follow that motto.
For information about Estill County Schools please visit their website: http://Estill.KYSchools.US |
Estill County Schools Central Office
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History
Public Education in Estill County, as well as the rest of the state, was not a high priority in pioneer Kentucky. The prevailing attitude was that education was a private concern and not the affair of the government. Pioneer children were needed at home to help with work, tending the farm and helping with the other chores. During the first century of Estill County’s existence, illiteracy was prevalent among much of the local population.
The first public schools were normally housed in a single room that housed all grades through the eighth grade. The basic one-room schools were sparse facilities without modern day amenities. Due to transportation difficulties, it was necessary to locate schools within walking distance of the students. It was not uncommon to have students walk sometimes five miles or more to attend school. The school system had to build, staff, and maintain a relatively large number of these schools in order to cover the entire county. The schools were in session normally after the harvest was completed in the fall and until planting time in the spring. The students stayed home the remainder of the time to help with the farming.
For many years, Estill County, like most other counties, had more than one educational system. The cities of Irvine and Ravenna maintained school systems that were independent of the county system. Irvine schools consisted of Irvine High School and Irvine Elementary School. Ravenna’s system was limited to Ravenna Elementary. As roads improved and busing became more feasible, the old one-room schools disappeared and were replaced with modern multi-grade buildings. Estill County High School was established in a building in 1917. Control of the school alternated between the Boards of Education of Estill County and Irvine for a period of years. Irvine High School was built in 1930 and stands on a part of the Old Estill Springs. The Irvine High School was used, for a time, as the Central Office and then the fifth-grade center of Estill Springs Elementary. Estill County High School was built around 1939 on the grounds of the Collegiate Institute. It is now the Central Office for the Estill County School System. In 1971 the Estill County School System absorbed the Irvine school system. The county schools are now divided completely by grade level - South Irvine P-K Center (preschool and kindergarten), Estill Springs Elementary (1st and 2nd), West Irvine Elementary (3rd-5th), Estill County Middle School (6th-8th), and Estill County High School (9th-12th).
- written by Robert "Skip" Johnson
Public Education in Estill County, as well as the rest of the state, was not a high priority in pioneer Kentucky. The prevailing attitude was that education was a private concern and not the affair of the government. Pioneer children were needed at home to help with work, tending the farm and helping with the other chores. During the first century of Estill County’s existence, illiteracy was prevalent among much of the local population.
The first public schools were normally housed in a single room that housed all grades through the eighth grade. The basic one-room schools were sparse facilities without modern day amenities. Due to transportation difficulties, it was necessary to locate schools within walking distance of the students. It was not uncommon to have students walk sometimes five miles or more to attend school. The school system had to build, staff, and maintain a relatively large number of these schools in order to cover the entire county. The schools were in session normally after the harvest was completed in the fall and until planting time in the spring. The students stayed home the remainder of the time to help with the farming.
For many years, Estill County, like most other counties, had more than one educational system. The cities of Irvine and Ravenna maintained school systems that were independent of the county system. Irvine schools consisted of Irvine High School and Irvine Elementary School. Ravenna’s system was limited to Ravenna Elementary. As roads improved and busing became more feasible, the old one-room schools disappeared and were replaced with modern multi-grade buildings. Estill County High School was established in a building in 1917. Control of the school alternated between the Boards of Education of Estill County and Irvine for a period of years. Irvine High School was built in 1930 and stands on a part of the Old Estill Springs. The Irvine High School was used, for a time, as the Central Office and then the fifth-grade center of Estill Springs Elementary. Estill County High School was built around 1939 on the grounds of the Collegiate Institute. It is now the Central Office for the Estill County School System. In 1971 the Estill County School System absorbed the Irvine school system. The county schools are now divided completely by grade level - South Irvine P-K Center (preschool and kindergarten), Estill Springs Elementary (1st and 2nd), West Irvine Elementary (3rd-5th), Estill County Middle School (6th-8th), and Estill County High School (9th-12th).
- written by Robert "Skip" Johnson