Area FRYSC directors and assistant coordinators from Murray Independent Schools, and Calloway County Schools.
Murray and Calloway County FRYSC Leaders-(from left) Morgan Carmen, FRYSC coordinator-(Murray), Dawn Olson , Laker Anchor assistant coordinator , Jessica Gardener , Harbour YSC assistant coordinator, Lisa Hays-Harbour YSC (Calloway), Michelle Hansen-Laker Lighthouse FRYSC-, Jane Ann Turner-The Den Youth Services Center (Murray High School), Tehya Hyte, FRYSC (Murray) assistant coordinator , Jan Wilson, Laker Cover FRC coordinator, and Danielle Schwettman, Laker Anchor YSC coordinator.
FAMILY RESOURCE YOUTH SERVICES CENTERS
(FRYSC)
Murray, Ky., Feb. 8, 2021---------30 years ago, the movie “Home Alone” was released, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics were released and George W. Bush was our President. Also, in Kentucky the Family Resource Youth Services Centers (FRYSC) were starting to develop. This year, Family Resource Youth Services Centers across the state are being recognized the week of February 8-12, in recognition of the 857 Kentucky centers serving 1200 schools. Legislators are working on legislation to make the second Wednesday of February of each year FRYSC Day in Kentucky. This year, February 10, 2021 marks this milestone. Family Resource Youth Services Centers has been significantly impacting the lives of students and families in Kentucky for over 30 years. Following a declaration by the Kentucky Supreme Court that Kentucky’s education system was inefficient and inequitable, the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) was formed.
In response to growing concerns and desire to remove barriers to educational success, the Kentucky General Assembly created the Family Resource Youth Services Centers (FRYSC’s) as an integral part of the reform system. The need for education and human service systems to engage in the joint provision of services and support to children, youth and families had rapidly increased. The growing number and complexity of problems faced by our society (e.g. poverty, family restructuring, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and domestic and youth violence) have caused increasing levels of stress on families and children-stress that children bring to the classroom, which creates barriers to learning.
These problems also place a greater demand on public service agencies and demonstrate a need for community and schools to work together to restore family and child well-being. KERA provided an unprecedented state-level partnership between Kentucky’s Department of Education and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. These partnerships share the responsibility of implementing and sustaining centers across the state.
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Division of FRYSC, has the responsibility for administration of this program, where the Kentucky Department of Education continues to provide technical support for the public education mandate. Now more than two decades since inception, the Kentucky Family Resource and Youth Services Centers are recognized as the nation’s largest school-based family support initiative.
These centers are designed to address the needs of children by developing partnerships with school, family and community to help all public school students reach proficiency. Recent surveys report that educators, parents and community partners feel that the Family Resource and Youth Services Centers are a “necessary component of Kentucky educational programming and “a program vital to students, empowering families, and helping to improve schools.”
In 1991, just over 100 Family Resource and Youth Services Centers were opened in Kentucky. Today there are 857 Kentucky centers.
In the Murray Independent School District, there are two centers. The Murray Family Resource Youth Services Center is located inside Murray Middle School covering Murray Preschool, Murray Elementary and Murray Middle. You can reach Morgan Carman, Murray FRYSC coordinator at 270-759-9592. The Den Youth Services Center is located inside Murray High School. You can reach Janeann Turner, The Den YSC coordinator at 270-753-6565.
In the Calloway County School District, there are four centers. The Laker Lighthouse Family Resource Center covering East Elementary and North Elementary. You can reach Michelle Hansen, Laker Lighthouse FRC coordinator at 270-762-7333 (East) or 270-762-7335 x3169 (North). The Laker Cove Family Resource Center covers Calloway Co. Preschool and Southwest Elementary. You can reach Jan Wilson, Laker Cover FRC coordinator at 270-762-7410 x7103 (CCPS) or 270-762-7345 x4140 (Southwest). The Laker Anchor Youth Service Center is located at Calloway Co. Middle School. You can reach Danielle Schwettman, Laker Anchor YSC coordinator at 270-762-7365. The Harbour Youth Service Center is located at Calloway Co. High School. You can reach Lisa Hays, Harbour YSC coordinator at 270-762-7390.