Town Talk: A conversation with Dr. Chris Ballenger, Superintendent, Warren County Schools

In this Town Talk, our publisher Mike McCool speaks with Warren County Public School Superintendent Dr. Chris Ballenger.

With school starting on August 9th, Dr. Ballenger reminds the community of the following safety tips:

• Watch for children walking or bicycling to school when backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage.
• When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood.
• Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.

The Royal Examiner reminds drivers also to observe the “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:

• Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Dr. Ballenger also discussed the new grading and cell phone policy.

Warren County Public Schools has revised the 2022-0223 school year grading policy. In the past, students that did not complete an assignment would receive a grade of 50. The new policy requires students to attempt a task before a grade is awarded. If an assignment is not attempted, no credit, a zero, will be recorded.

Dr. Ballanger said the purpose of this change is to ensure that teachers can fully evaluate a student’s understanding and prepare all WCPS students for life after graduation. He asks parents that have questions about the grading policy to reach out to their child’s principal.

Click here to see the entire grading policy.

WCPS has also revised the cell phone policy for this school year. This new policy will be enforced from the time of arrival on school property until departure at the end of the day. All personal devices must be kept out of sight and turned off during instructional time. At no time can students take photographs, record audio or video in class, cafeteria, hallways, or elsewhere on school property, including on the school bus.

Click here to see the student code of conduct manual, which includes the cell phone policy.

Town Talk is a series on the Royal Examiner where we will introduce you to local entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profit leaders, and political figures who influence Warren County. Topics will be varied but hopefully interesting. Let us know if you have an idea or topic or want to hear from someone in our community. Send your request to news@RoyalExaminer.com.