Site Sponsors
Archives
Read past editions of Images of Mt. Sterling-Montgomery County magazine.
Local Advertisers
Site Sponsors
Contact Us
Feedback
Let us know your thoughts...
Advertising Info
Need more info? Looking for ad specifications?
Local Advertisers
Education
University and High School Add New Training Programs and Facilities
Jamie Fraley, clinical lab coordinator for Morehead State University at Mt. Sterling Nursing Lab
Two educational facilities in Mt. Sterling have expanded‚ bringing not only larger state-of-the-art facilities‚ but also better educational offerings for students in Montgomery County.
Montgomery County High School has undergone a renovation and expansion‚ and Morehead State University at Mt. Sterling has expanded its home‚ the Clay Community Center‚ and added a nursing program.
Montgomery County High School has upgraded the learning climate‚ making the school more energy efficient and secure.
“We added space and tied things together‚” says Dan Freeman‚ Ph.D.‚ superintendent of Montgomery County Schools. “Our buildings weren’t connected and were aging. There were many points of entry‚ and now we have control of the building and who gets in.”
In addition to the expansion‚ the 1‚200-student school has a new 48‚000-square-foot gymnasium that seats 4‚250 and can also serve as a large community center for hosting concerts and graduations.
The gym shares a concession area and restrooms with the athletic stadium for football and soccer teams‚ and it’s handicapped accessible.
“The vision of our whole school system is to be a hub for the community and for the entire region‚ like Mt. Sterling has been the economic hub for the region for many years‚” Freeman says.
In addition to providing a solid educational program and offering university-level courses‚ the school also has expanded trade and technical training‚ and it works with both Morehead State University and Maysville Community College to provide dual-credit programs for its students.
The school system is also planning expansions at two elementary schools in the near future‚ Freeman says.
Also new to Mt. Sterling is the associate degree in nursing at Morehead State University at Mt. Sterling. Janet Kenney‚ the school’s director‚ says it’s the first time the associate degree has been offered outside the Morehead campus.
MSU at Mt. Sterling has 541 students enrolled in all of its programs. With the community’s help‚ the school opened a 9‚500-square-foot expansion in fall 2006 that includes an additional computer lab‚ a nursing lab‚ multipurpose room and three additional classrooms.
“We are the newest and largest of Morehead’s regional centers‚ and we’re here for a slightly different population‚” Kenney says.
The school is primarily a late afternoon-early evening-weekend program.
“A significant number of our students work or have families or both‚” she says. “Our nursing students can work at least the first two semesters‚ although by the last two semesters it’s hard to work and do a nursing program.”
The first nursing class was admitted in January 2007‚ and the school expects the number in each class to grow from the current eight to 20 in the future‚ she says. The average age of the MSU at Mt. Sterling nursing student is 29.
“I’m hearing good things about our nursing program‚” Kenney says. “A couple of our students drive from Lexington. Students like our campus. It’s centrally located and smaller. People can get here easily.”
Story by Nancy Humphrey
Photo by Greg Emens
Additional Education Articles
© Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this Web site may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.