As of the 2024-25 school year, the Danville Independent Schools Family Resource and Youth Service Centers receive enough funding to have a director at each school in the district. The district also has the support of the Kentucky Community Schools grant through the Prichard Committee to help fund additional FRYSC services at Danville High School and Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School, among the grant’s many efforts.

The focus of FRYSC is to connect families and students to services and to help remove nonacademic barriers to learning. This often includes partnering with community organizations and services to offer additional student and family support.

Before, the district only had two FRYSC directors, who led centers previously known as the Beacon Youth Service Center and Families First Family Resource Center. The schools also had liaisons who supported these programs. Now, these programs have been rebranded as DHS’s Youth Service Center, John W. Bate Middle School’s Youth Service Center, Toliver’s Family Resource Center and Mary G. Hogsett Primary School’s Family Resource Center. Each program has its own director, and there is also a liaison at Toliver, since it is the school with the largest student population. 

Each school director shared what their centers are currently working on, as well as what they’re looking forward to. In this article you will also find information about how to follow our centers on social media.

Jennifer Price, Hogsett Family Resource Center director

Price is a 2009 Danville High School graduate and began working in the district at the start of this school year. Her prior role was at Farmers National Bank, and before that, her background was in social work. 

“I’m very excited and honored to be in this role helping kids in the schools and community I grew up in,” she said.

Some things the Hogsett FRC will be working on:

• Earlier in the year, the center helped with online registration.
• Working with students having issues with attendance.
• Helping transport children if they miss the bus or need to leave school due to illness
• Continuing with and expanding on the Read to Sleep program, which provides students with free books and encourages families to read with their children before they go to sleep, to encourage reading and healthy sleep habits. 
• Along with Toliver’s FRC, the Hogsett FRC will continue the Cradle School program, which assists families who have very young children in learning more about early childhood and development. Cradle School now has a space at Jennie Rogers Community Center, which is owned by the City of Danville. 
• Involvement with the Kids Hope USA mentorship program.
• Partnership with Backpack Kids.

Follow the Hogsett FRC on social media

Facebook: Mary G. Hogsett Family Resource Center 
Instagram: @maryghogsettfrc

Tesha Bryant, Toliver Family Resource Center director, and April Tyler, school and home liaison 

 

Bryant’s former role was as the school and home liaison for Toliver’s Family Resource Center; now, she is the program’s director. Tyler, the new liaison, was formerly an instructional assistant at Toliver. 

“I’m just excited and blessed because I have been a liaison — I got to see that from that perspective, but I’m really excited to bring some new programs for the children to get to do and work closer with the families and community,” Bryant said. 

Tyler said she loved being an instructional assistant and is excited to be a liaison at Toliver’s FRC so she can help the students in different ways, by addressing non-academic barriers to education.

“This is helping the kids in a different way, serving their needs in a different way, so I’m excited about that too,” she said. “And, of course, working with the families and community.” 

Some things the Toliver FRC will be working on:

• Earlier this year, the Toliver FRC partnered with Hair to Stay Salon to offer free haircuts to students, as well as Big Smiles Dental clinic to offer dental services to students.
• Toliver will be doing a drumming program for students that will be focused on attendance and behavior.
• Involvement with nutrition and mentoring programs.

Follow the Toliver FRC on social media

Facebook: Toliver Family Resource Center 

Ashley Mays, Bate Youth Service Center director

Mays formerly was the school and home liaison for Bate’s Youth Service Center. . She said she’s excited about her new role as director.

“I also look forward to getting to work closer with the community here, getting to meet and get some partners in our school, and being able to work closer with the families,” she said. 

Some things the Bate YSC will be working on:

• Lunch groups and other focus on students struggling with attendance and behavior. 
• Vaping prevention and mentoring.
• There will be a cooking course for students beginning in November after school. 
• Along with the other schools in the district, Bate has a coat truck visit each year to offer coats and other winter supplies for students. 
• Hygiene classes.
• Earlier this year, Bate had a visit from Rae of Sunshine, which is focused on mental health.

Follow the Bate YSC on social media

Facebook: John W. Bate Middle School Youth Service Center

Jenny Clark, DHS Youth Service Center director

Clark, formerly the director of the Toliver and Hogsett FRCs, has taken on the Youth Service Center director role at DHS. 

“I’m excited to be here because I get to see kids I’ve already worked with,” she said. “It’s really fun. And I get to work with them again, but on a higher scale … I get to know them a bit better and what they’re seeing their life turn out to be.” 

Some things the DHS YSC will be working on:

• Vaping prevention.
• Attendance and behavior, including groups focused on social skills and building self-esteem. 
• Celebrating students who are transition-ready.

Follow the DHS YSC on social media

Facebook: Danville High School Youth Services Center 
Instagram: @dhsysc