Clinton County Board of Education heard presentations, dealt with rearranging the school calendar due to snow days, as well as acting on other items of business at its first regular meeting of the new year held Monday night, January 13 with all members present for the approximate one-hour meeting.

After voting to approve the meeting agenda as presented, Superintendent Charlotte Bernard presented the board members each a gift of appreciation in observance of Board Member’s Appreciation Month.

Under personnel report, the only announcement was the termination of Beth Sullivan being rescinded in lieu of her resignation, which will become effective June 30 of this year.

The following consent items, under one motion, was then approved: board minutes; medical leave to Beth Sullivan from January 1 through July 1, 2014; subsequent disbursements; payment of bills; and approval of CCHS field trip for the Honors Band to Bowling Green January 21-25.

Two Albany Elementary second grade teachers, Sandy Shelton and Patty Crouch, then gave the board an overview of a new data boards program at the school that uses student data in several areas to track progress of both individual students and the school as a whole.

The board then voted to enter into the standard nonresident pupils contract between Clinton and Cumberland counties for the 2014-15 school year.

The board also voted to approve consultation services concerning budgets, forecasts, and other financial documents/procedures from the Kentucky Department of Education. Director of Finance Mike Reeves said the use of a consultant would be to get the most (financially) out of what the school district has.

After approving attendance of board members and superintendent for mandatory training to the Kentucky School Boards Association Conference, board members were presented a preview of the 2014-15 year draft budget, which required no official action.

Reeves noted the budget of an estimated $13 million, mirrored the current year’s budget and it is anticipated about the same amount of revenues will be forthcoming in the next year. Also, due to the state legislature, which is now in session, not having made any commitments in the state budget, it is too early to make specific estimates.

A more complete and clearer picture of the budget outlook for the year will be presented when the board considers the tentative budget–the second of three drawn up each year–in May. The final working budget for a fiscal year is acted on in the early fall.

Along lines with the budget and district finances, local KDA President Kathleen Gregory said herself and others locally and across Kentucky would be meeting with legislators at a conference in Frankfort Thursday in a lobbying effort for more funding for secondary education in the Commonwealth.

The board then voted to accept the School Facilities Construction Commission (SFCC) Offer of Assistance to the board in the amount of $19,395 annual debt service on bonds. The funds are set aside specifically for Clinton County Schools ‘construction project for up to 20 years and used to help fund construction projects in the district.

The board then approved an amendment to the 2013-14 year school calendar, which will only add one day to the length of classroom time for students.

Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York explained the changes to the board that will make up for four school days missed (up to now) due to weather conditions.

Two of the days will be made up by making the remaining four Early Release Days into full days, one work day for teachers will make up a third day and only one day–May 8, will be added as an instruction day for students.

Also, the two teacher work days missed–one taken up in the school calendar and another missed due to the weather as well–will be made up by teachers at the end of school days, up to the two days time missed.

At present, the spring break for students is still in tact for the month of April.

York also gave the monthly attendance report for the fifth month of school, which ran from November 22 through December 25.

The district showed a slight overall improvement of about a half a point, standing at 93.32 this year compared to 92.78 the same month a year ago. Student enrollment through the period was down slightly by five students.

The school with both the most improved attendance for the month and highest ADA was Albany Elementary, with 93.67 percent. York also noted that on Monday of this year, attendance district-wide was 96 percent.

Superintendent Bernard then gave a brief Superintendent’s report, noting happenings within the district over the past month. She noted this will be a monthly report to board members to keep them informed of what is going on in the schools and the district overall.

Clinton County Middle School Principal Teresa Scott then gave the board an update regarding the schools’ Winter MAP scores, a series of tests to determine student progress at mid-term. Students are tested in four areas, math, reading, language usage and general science.

Scott also noted the use of data boards as earlier reviewed by teachers at AES and announced that two CCMS students’ artwork had been selected in a competition to be included in a traveling art exhibit, one of which will be held later this year at the middle school and will be on display this week at Western Kentucky University.

More details on those artwork winners and the traveling exhibit will be published at a later time.

Finally, during the public comment period, Walton “Chip” Haddix told the board it appeared they (the schools) were doing some good things, but again reiterated his quest to see a new high school constructed in Clinton County, again proposing a nickel tax be implemented to fund such a project.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, February 10 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office board room and is open to the general public.