LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At Price Elementary, there's calm before the storm as Jaclyn Cox puts the finishing touches on her classroom, readying for her next bunch of English language learners.
"Getting everything planning, getting new ideas of how to reach the children, and making it exciting for kids to come and actually learn," she said, stapling a crinkled border on the board behind her desk.
Making each school year better than the last is every year's goal. It's especially true when it comes to the millions of minutes students have missed because of a botched transportation plan, but that's something they hope to put in their rearview mirror.
Second grade teacher Jadyn Hawel felt the pressure of bringing students back up to speed as buses failed getting them there on time.
"Yes, you sure can get them caught back up," Hawel reassured. "A lot of the lessons continue over days. If they come in late, they already would have read the story the day before. So it's kind of like a review at the beginning some days."
Along with the new standardized reading curriculum used at JCPS, positivity helped her push through. That's one extra lesson she's teaching her students—reinforced with bright colors and cheery messages on the wall.
"I like to give a lot of praise throughout the day," Hawel said, "so they know they're special and they can do anything that they put their mind to."
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Price's principal, Shuvon Ray, shares Hawel's optimism.
"I'm expecting for things to go really well," Ray said. "I think that our district transportation department and operations along with all of us, all hands on deck, I think that we're ready to make sure that our kids to and from school safely."
Though for anyone who is worried, Cox has advice she wishes she gave herself ten years ago at the start of her career.
"To breathe," she said, laughing. "Take your time and everything will work out."
And after a year of lessons learned, everything is riding on the new transportation plan.
Kentucky lawmakers have scrutinized the district for its previous plan, and their task force evaluating the district continues its next meeting August 19, weeks after the first day of school on August 8.