New year brings a new outlook on opportunities

In addition to setting weight loss and smoking cessation goals, the start of another year offers a great opportunity to consider bettering other aspects of one’s life as well.

Ron Benningfield

Melcenia Sprowls-Shelton, standing, adult education teacher, assists students, from left, Christina Rigsby, Kelli Granda and Jennifer Matthews.

Buy this photo

“It’s a wonderful time to think about improving one’s education and life possibilities,” said Sarah Hornback, director of family services for LaRue County Schools.

So far this school year, LaRue’s adult education program has served 154 students with 10 receiving General Education Development (GED) diplomas.

Those students attending the LaRue County Learning Center do so for a variety of reasons according to Hornback.

“Some want to obtain a job or better job, others attend for personal satisfaction, or to enter post-secondary education,” she said. “Still others want to improve their parent skills and family interactions through our Even Start and/or Family Literacy programs.” Parents who qualify for Even Start can bring their infant or toddler to school with them so both learn together.

Some 15 percent of her students enrolled in the GED program have a high school diploma and are brushing up their skills to pass an employment or entrance exam for work or further schooling.

Except for the GED test which costs $50, all materials and instruction are at no cost to the student.

A person who is interested in enrolling must make an appointment to take a locator test to determine at what level they are in subject areas. 

“All students take at least one subject area of the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) to see what their skill level is and what classes they need to be signed up for,” she said.

Classes are offered at the learning center (located at the central office) except for instruction for inmates at LaRue County’s Detention Center. 

“We offer an on-line program, but it requires class attendance also,” she added.

Of the students served so far this year, 60 percent have attended at least 12 hours of class, according to Hornback.

“Traditionally in adult education, our dropout rate is fairly high, but research indicates that adult students don’t consider it dropping out, but stopping out, as they plan to return when whatever barrier that is causing them to leave the program is resolved,” she said.

Instructors in addition to Hornback who provides orientation and assessment are Bob Ernst (afternoon and evening classes); Melcenia Sprowls-Shelton (morning, afternoon, night parenting); and Garry Ross (corrections and other classes as needed).

For class schedules and times, contact the learning center at 270-358-8334.