Cliff Dunne

Dunne is married to Cliff Dunne, director of Families First Family Resource Center for Danville Independent Schools.

"It's just like drive-by grocery shopping," said Cliff Dunne, who was at the fairgrounds as director of Families First, part of the family resource center for the Danville school system.
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Dunne said that so far the system is working well, with 93 people signed up.

"There will be a rotating schedule if we get more than 100," he said.

Cliff Dunne with the Danville Family Resource Center says the children couldn't take their eyes off the puppets.

"Even the kids who have the hardest time listening and behaving are totally engaged in the message."

He thinks the size of the puppets probably keeps the children interested.

"They almost seem to believe they're real."

Dunne knew about the puppets because they had been used locally by a group from Northern Kentucky, The Nurturing Center.He obtained a grant from the local Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention to help pay for the puppets.

"That's why I've been trying to get the puppets for Danville," he said.
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"They must be performed word-for-word according to the script," Dunne says."They do that because the subjects are carefully researched."

The goal for the agencies involved is to find people in the community who are willing to work with the puppets.

"The problem has been having the time and getting in touch with people who might be interested in helping," Dunne says.

Once the puppeteers are trained, others in the community could request a performance.Dunne says ideally there would be an adult group and a college-age or high school group.Community Education has helped by offering a puppet workshop and plans to offer another in the spring.

Dunne says working with the puppets is more demanding than it seems.

Cliff Dunne

Families First Director

cliff.dunne@danville.kyschools.us

Dunne offered Bailey a job and in February 2000, she began working as a school liaison for Families First.She has an office at Jennie Rogers Elementary School and organizes Parents Night Out classes, which are held in two 11-week sessions.She makes home visits, and arranges eye exams or trips to the doctor for the children.

"Anything they need to help them stay in school, that's what we do," says Bailey, who is 43.

As a single parent, Bailey says she wants to gear some of the parenting classes toward that group and let them form a support group.

"Our single parents really need to have someone who they can count on," says Bailey, who is divorced.

Things fell into place for Bailey, as she loves her job and the way her son has blossomed at KSD.When they came, he was reading at a kindergarten level.

The amount will be less if there are fewer students and classes," said Cliff Dunne of Families First.

In addition to the grant money, parents of students will be asked to pay a small tuition, mainly to cover the cost of supplies.Low-income parents may be offered scholarships to cover the tuition for their children.

Admission will be based mainly on applications from parents and recommendations from teachers.

"Parents must apply for admission on behalf of their kids, and the admission process will include some pre-testing and an interview," said Dunne."The hope is that students themselves will be motivated to want to enter the program and ask their parents to apply."

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"We believe this program can be interesting, exciting and challenging for kids who need a little more intense concentration on certain testing areas and have the desire to improve," Dunne said.

The program will be evaluated by sponsors and district officials after it is over, and the school board will use the evaluation to decide whether to make the university a permanent fixture.

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Dunne, Belcher and Embree learned of the program while attending a special presentation on it at a community education meeting.

Cliff Dunne, Family Resource Coordinator, Danville City Schools, Danville, KY