‘No Foolishness’: How a Bourbon County school is fostering a supportive culture for its students

BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) —Littleton Ward, a former UK football player and Kent State football coach, has been the principal of Bourbon County Middle School for two years.

In that short time, Ward has already demonstrated the ability to transform the school environment and enhance student behavior.

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Ward attributed his success to the foundational values instilled in him by his parents.

“It’s coming up in the right way, and being able to take that foundation from my parents and all I’m doing is what they taught me as a child and build from there,” he said.

During the 2023–2024 school year, under Ward’s leadership, Bourbon County Middle School saw a significant reduction in discipline referrals. The school experienced a 75% decrease in behavior incidents, amounting to over 600 fewer referrals compared to the previous year.

Ward’s approach to fostering a supportive and disciplined school culture is straightforward: “ No foolishness .”

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He emphasized the importance of creating an environment where students can learn and thrive without distractions.

“It becomes a family process,” Ward explained. “As a leader, you want to ensure that our people are comfortable, making sure that things are going in the right direction. It’s important that you build that foundation first so that students understand the expectations.”

Ward’s philosophy extends beyond the classroom, aiming to prepare students for real-world scenarios.

“Even when things don’t go well, we work towards getting them back on track positively,” Ward said. “We work towards teaching them the values and things that they’re needing in the real world because this is a real-world scenario.”

As the new school year approaches, starting on Aug. 13, Ward is enthusiastic about continuing his work alongside his staff and furthering his impact on the school community.

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