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POST DATE AUGUST 18, 2026

The Scott County Board of Education is proposing a general fund tax levy of 63.1 cents on real property and 63.1 cents on personal property.  

The General Fund tax levied in fiscal year 2026 was 62.9 cents on real property and 62.9 cents on personal property and produced revenue of $49,717,611.89.  The proposed General Fund tax rate of 63.1 cents on real property and 63.1 cents on personal property is expected to produce $53,840,976.81. Of this amount $5,139,610.77 is from new and personal property. The compensating tax for 2027 is 60.7 cents on real property and 60.7 cents on personal property and is expected to produce $51,793,142.51.

The proposed rate is expected to generate more revenue than received in the preceding year.  The general areas to which revenue of $4,123,364.92 above 2026 revenue is to be allocated are as follows: Cost of collections, $103,084.12; building fund, $1,489,900.48; instruction, $2,530,380.32.

This information is published pursuant to KRS 160.470.  The proposed tax rate is not subject to recall under KRS 132.017.

The General Assembly has required publication of this advertisement and information contained herein.

 

Hope Mitchell will be the next principal of Garth Elementary School.

Mitchell has served as the assistant principal at Garth Elementary since July 2024. Before her tenure at Garth, she served as a teacher, team leader, science department chair, and athletic director at Georgetown Middle School from 2020 to 2024. During her time there, she was recognized as the 2022 Georgetown Middle Teacher of the Year.

At Garth, Mitchell has been a visible and supportive presence, building trust with students and families while fostering a welcoming environment. She is a proven instructional leader who has focused on teacher coaching and utilizing data-driven practices to drive academic improvement.

"We are incredibly excited to announce Hope Mitchell as the new principal of Garth Elementary," shared Superintendent Billy Parker. "Her dedication to a positive, collaborative staff culture and her strong instructional leadership make her the perfect fit to lead this school."

"Garth Elementary holds a rich history within our community, and it is truly special to be part of a school with such a strong foundation," Mitchell reflected. "I believe in leading through service, and I strive each day to embody servant leadership by listening, supporting, and empowering both staff and students."

Superintendent Parker added, "With Garth approaching its 100th year, her passion for honoring the school's past while leading us into an exciting future ensures our students will continue to be challenged and supported."

Mitchell holds a bachelor's degree from Liberty University. She also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Education in P-12 Principal from the University of the Cumberlands.

Hope Mitchell will officially begin as the next principal of Garth Elementary on July 1, 2026 when Principal Damon Stefanic assumes a new role as Director of Elementary Education for Scott County Schools.

 

The new Oxford Elementary School will be built to accommodate growth in eastern Scott County and is scheduled to open in August 2026.  The Scott County Board of Education officially named elementary school #10 at its December meeting after numerous conversations with community members and constituents over the past several months. 

The mascot will be the Oxford Owls with a unique color scheme of orange and navy blue to honor the former school by the same name and to develop a sense of identity and school spirit for this new education community.

The site of the new school is less than one mile from Oxford, the historic crossroads community near the intersection of US 922/Newtown Road and US 62.  Founded in the mid-1800’s, education has been a cornerstone for the area since its inception.  Two former schools are part of the Oxford Historic District listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

The first, Oxford Schoolhouse, sits across the street from Oxford Christian Church on Oxford Village Drive.  What locals refer to as Oxford High School actually served as both a grade school and high school which opened in 1928.  The school continued to grow and expand welcoming students from smaller community schools like Muddy Ford, Dry Run, Oakland, and Newtown.  Oxford closed in 1955 with the opening of the new consolidated Scott County High School.  Grade school students went to Eastern Elementary School.

Oxford is credited as the birthplace of the Scott County Schools Transportation Department when parent JK Feedback first used his pick-up truck to transport area students.  Without his efforts, many students wouldn’t have been able to go to school.  The power of parental involvement and removing barriers to education were important then too.

The adjacent Future Farmers of America workshop was built by students using bricks they salvaged from the original Great Crossing School. Today we refer to this application of real-world skills and hands-on learning as career and technical education.  It is also a great example of the difference our students can make when we provide resources and opportunities for them to learn and grow to become productive and contributing members of our community, as outlined in the Scott County Schools Profile of a Learner. 

Naming of the new Oxford Elementary School honors long-standing tradition and commitment to education in eastern Scott County and for Scott County Schools.  We are excited to share updates as our new school takes shape. 

Visit https://www.scott.kyschools.us/schools/oxfordelementaryschool for more information.