This article by Keith Lawrence, illustrated with photographs by Alan Warren, was published in the
Aug. 11, 2016, issue of the Messenger-Inquirer.
Clowns, balloons, red carpets greet students
By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer
Photo by Alan Warren, Messenger-Inquirer/[email protected]
Teacher Sharon Warren hugs first-grader Gris Domingo on the first day of school at Sorgho Elementary School.
Photo by Alan Warren, Messenger-Inquirer/[email protected]
Don Holder (“Pack Rat”), left, and Bob Brown (“Rooster”), right, Hadi Shrine Circus Clowns from Evansville, greet students as they get off the buses on the
first day of school Wednesday at Sorgho Elementary school.
Every school has a few clowns.
The teachers know them all by name.
But Sorgho Elementary School was the only school in Daviess County with a couple of clowns from the Evansville Hadi
Funsters there to greet students Wednesday on the first day of classes.
When buses pulled up to the school on Kentucky 56, Don "Pack Rat" Holder and Bob "Rooster" Brown were waving and
greeting the kids as they jumped off.
Most grinned, laughed or waved.
But a few slunk away, a little frightened.
"Too many bad movies," Holder said, shaking his head. "I've had them run away from me."
Some clowns blame it on "It," the ABC miniseries based on Stephen King's 1986 horror classic that aired on Nov. 18-20,
1990.
Pennywise the Dancing Clown, the evil presence in the book and miniseries, inspired a wave of horror movies featuring
demented clowns.
Someone told Brown that his friend was afraid of clowns.
"Tell them clowns are the good guys," he said.
In one first-grade classroom, where students were coloring, Brown asked, "Has everybody got teeth?" holding up a small
pair of false teeth.
Students grinned and nodded their heads.
Then, he pulled out out a toy stuffed skunk.
"Anybody want to pet my kitty?" Brown asked.
"It's a SKUNK!" several yelled in unison.
So why were clowns in school on the first day of classes?
"Our theme this year is 'The Greatest Show of Leading and Learning on Earth'," Principal Laura Cecil said.
"Angel Payne, our food services manager, knew some clowns, so we decided to go all out," she said. "I'll be in a
ringmaster costume for our assembly and we'll have a 'dancing bear' and a 'lion'."
Other schools in Owensboro, Daviess County, Hancock County, Ohio County and Owensboro Catholic school systems
didn't have clowns Wednesday.
But most students were greeted by enthusiastic teachers, staff and administrators cheering them on.
Country Heights Elementary School on Kentucky 54 had a balloon release.
And several schools rolled out red carpets for their students.
When the final enrollment numbers were tallied on Wednesday, Daviess County Public Schools reported a total of 11,024
students on the first day -- up from 11,007 last year and 10,879 in 2014.
But there are always students who enroll late.
"We anticipate gaining additional students over the next few days, which is typical," Lora Wimsatt, DCPS public information
officer, said Wednesday afternoon.
Superintendent Owens Saylor said, "I continue to be amazed by the efficiency and high quality of operation across the
school district starting on the very first day of school. Online registration has been clearly beneficial for both parents and
schools as we are not distributing reams of paper to be filled out and processed. Teachers and students are already busy
with smiling faces in every classroom."
Final numbers show 5,227 elementary students, 2,502 middle school students and 3,208 high school students.
Daviess County High continues to be the largest high school in the county system with 1,686 students.
Apollo has 1,380 and Heritage Park has 142.
There are 87 other students in off-campus classes.
In Hancock County, Gina Truax Biever, assistant superintendent, said Wednesday's enrollment was 1,616 -- down 10 from
last year's 1,626 on opening day.
She said, "We generally gain 10 to 20 students during the first week."
Biever said, "Our new start time worked very well as the local plant traffic had dissipated prior to school drop off times. I
have been to each school this morning and there is great energy and excitement across the district."
In Ohio County, Superintendent Scott Lewis said 4,042 students registered Wednesday, not counting preschoolers.
That's down from 4,089 on the first day last year.
"We're off to a great start," Lewis said.
Enrollment numbers for Owensboro Catholic Schools were not available on Wednesday.
(from accompanying article: Owensboro Public Schools Superintendent Nick Brake said 4,556 students have enrolled in
OPS as of Wednesday afternoon, down only 12 from last year./ The number is expected to rise, however, likely putting it in
line with last year’s overall enrollment.)
Keith Lawrence, 270-691-7301, [email protected]