KENTUCKY — The latest stretch of winter weather has hit some parts of the state hard, leading to some concern for those traveling on the road. 

What You Need To Know

  • More than 20 Letcher County Public Schools (LCPS) students sustained injuries in a bus crash Friday afternoon due to harsh winter weather

  • All the children, along with the bus driver, are OK, said LCPS Superintendent Denise Yonts

  • With the help of local hospitals, 23 students were treated in Whitesburg 

  • LCPS has nearly 2,500 students across its nine elementary, middle and high schools 

Taking students home from Arlie Boggs Elementary Friday afternoon, Jan. 12, Letcher County Public Schools (LCPS) bus No. 605 was involved in a crash with a coal truck. More than 20 children sustained injuries.

LCPS Superintendent Denise Yonts said all the children are now OK, along with the bus driver. One student was transferred to the University of Kentucky for treatment, she added, and is recovering at home.

"We have come through it with some bumps and bruises," she said. "We have students who have some long recoveries ahead of them, and I don't want to belittle any of that."

Yonts added she is thankful for the support of the community, neighboring schools and state leaders.

"We’re so very blessed that we can have this conversation today in that we are talking about recovery and healing for our students on that bus and that we're able to be here to do it today," she said.

LCPS recently took a Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) Day as a result of these conditions, where students participate in at-home learning. Teachers post their assignments to Google Classroom but are also available to meet with students, similar to a normal in-person day.

"We try to keep a similar schedule to the school day so they can get online and have access to their teacher and their classroom,” Yonts said. 

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