Russell County Schools welcome back students: Superintendent talks new facilities, curriculum, and safety

RUSSELL SPRINGS, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — The first day of school comes with a lot of firsts for students.

In 2024, Russell County High School is celebrating new athletic facilities, a project that Superintendent Michael Ford said has been long overdue.

The new athletic complex includes a brand-new football stadium, six tennis courts, and a new baseball facility. It’s all thanks to a $400,000 gift from the First National Bank of Russell Springs in exchange for the 20-year naming rights to the complex.

Ford said sports play a big part in community support for their school system. Even though his main focus is on academics and learning, athletics play a key role in shaping a well-rounded student.

“It’s a big deal for Russell County, we needed significant improvements. Our baseball and football actually shared a field, our track, we had not hosted meets in many, many years because it was not in a condition to do so,” Ford said.

Superintendent Ford said their high school baseball team was able to take the diamond last season on their new field. He’s excited to watch the football team take over their new stadium on Friday night against Adair County.

But after 12 years as superintendent, Ford said his goal is the same: engagement and achievement for their students. This summer, the district had training that focused on a structure called Kagan .

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The workshop is an instructional strategy that helps teachers boost student learning and engagement by teaching them the power of teamwork. It also aims to prevent things like bullying, violence, and other bad behaviors.

Ford told FOX 56 that the Kagan structure helps the district work towards its goal of creating a well-rounded experience for its students.

“It’s really about just great practices of teaching and learning and this year, it was a focus more on the social-emotional learning part and just active engagement of student learning,” Ford said. “We purchased a lot of really great instructional materials for our teachers and our students.”

Ford added that, beyond learning, safety is a top priority.

Each school is fully staffed with a school resource officer and the district has added electronic door access to all exterior doors.

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