After a winter season that has led to significant classroom disruptions, the Carter County School District is making adjustments to recover lost instructional time.
District officials report that students have missed 23 instructional days due to weather closures. In response, the Carter County Board of Education has approved an amended calendar for the 2025–2026 school year.
Beginning Monday, February 23rd, each school day will be extended by 20 instructional minutes. The additional time will be added to the end of the school day, meaning start times will remain the same. Officials say this adjustment is designed to help recover lost hours while minimizing disruption to families’ morning routines.
In addition to lengthening the school day, the Board has voted to convert the first two days of Spring Break — Monday, March 30th and Tuesday, March 31st — back into instructional days. Those dates will now be regular school days.
With the added time built into the calendar, the projected last day of school is now set for May 29th, 2026.
School administrators say principals will meet to adjust individual building schedules, including revised bell schedules, dismissal procedures, and bus routes. Families can expect additional communication from their child’s school with updated details ahead of the February 23rd implementation date.
District leaders say the goal of these changes is to ensure students meet state instructional requirements while maintaining as much consistency as possible for families.
Again, beginning February 23rd, Carter County students will see a 20-minute extension added to the end of each school day, along with adjustments to the Spring Break schedule, as the district works to make up for weather-related closures.
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Good news for East Carter High School seniors in the Class of 2026 — a new scholarship opportunity is now officially open.
The Kentucky Educational Development Corporation, also known as KEDC, has launched its annual scholarship, giving graduating seniors a chance to earn help toward their next step after high school. At least one $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to a qualifying student.
This opportunity is open to seniors who plan to continue their education after graduation, whether that’s at a two-year or four-year college, or through a technical or vocational program. KEDC says the scholarship is designed to support students pursuing a wide range of career paths, not just traditional college degrees.
Counselors at East Carter High School are encouraging seniors to check their Class of 2026 Google Classroom, where full details, eligibility guidelines, and the scholarship application are already available. That classroom will be the main hub for information, so students should make sure they’re checking it regularly.
The deadline to apply is April 1st, 2026, which gives students some time — but counselors stress that it’s a good idea to start early, especially with essays or recommendation materials that may be required.
For seniors weighing what comes next after graduation, this scholarship is another reminder that there are resources out there to help make those plans possible.
Again, the KEDC Scholarship is now open to East Carter High School’s Class of 2026, with applications and details available through Google Classroom, and a deadline of April 1st.
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The Carter County Clean-Up campaign continues this week, with crews operating on the East end of the county. Dumpsters will be available for public use at the county maintenance garage located along US 60, and clean-up personnel will be on hand to help unload items each day from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM, today through Friday.
As a reminder, the list of items not accepted has been updated. Crews will not collect refrigerators, deep freezers, televisions, household garbage, paint, tires, or batteries. And all materials brought to the site must be bagged or boxed — no loose items will be accepted. The County Clean-Up runs on a rotating schedule, alternating between the East and West ends of Carter County every two weeks. After this week’s collection, dumpsters are scheduled to return to the Grayson maintenance garage from February 25th through the 27th.
This valuable community service is made possible by the Carter County Solid Waste Department, who continue to support these efforts to keep our neighborhoods clean, safe, and beautiful. Again, dumpsters are open today through Friday, 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM, at the East end site in Olive Hill.