Clinton County Board of Education, after cancelling its regular meeting earlier this month, held two call meetings within a four day period from late last week through early this week. The second of the call meetings, held Monday evening, June 16 with all members present, was in lieu of the cancelled regular meeting from June 9 and contained several items of business.

At Monday’s meeting, the board approved a family medical leave of absence for Marcy Aaron from May 9 through May 28 and a maternity leave for Jessica Conner from April 21 through June 2. On the same motion, by Junior Cecil, they approved claims and bills and between meeting disbursements.

Finance officer Mike Reeves then gave a brief finance report, noting the school district was on target financially and was operating in the black as the fiscal year comes to a close at the end of the month. He also noted several programs were being closed out at the fiscal year’s end.

Under personnel report, several announcements were made, including:

* Classified non-renewal contracts: Scott Gregory, paraprofessional at Albany Elementary; Charles N. Irwin, paraprofessional and Shanice Hood, custodian, both at the high school; and April Speck, Healthy Hometown Coordinator, district-wide.

* Classified reduction: Mike Sinclair reduction in response with a corresponding reduction in pay.

* Classified transfers: Sandy Pyles from CCHS Secretary II to Early Childhood kindergarten aide and Alice Morrison from Early Childhood paraprofessional II to Food Service Secretary, district-wide.

* Certified non-renewal contract: James Thaxton, assistant principal, Clinton County Middle School.

* Certified transfers: Kathleen Gregory from AES counselor to AES teacher; Ashley McWhorter from CCECC teacher to middle school teacher; Tyonia Sinclair from PEP Grant Coordinator, district-wide to ECC and CCHS teacher; and Allison Thrasher from CCMS part-time counselor and Title Specialist part-time to CCMS curriculum specialist.

After approving the annual policy/procedures updates recommended by the Kentucky School Boards Association, the board approved bids on supplies, with the option to use Kentucky Department of Education bids when state bids are at a lower rate.

Bids approved Monday included Booth for fire extinguishers; Tyco Simplex Grinnell for First Aid kits; Norvex Supply for janitorial supplies and Somerset Termite and Pest Control for pest control products.

Following approval of membership renewal with the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, the board voted to enter into a contract with the Lake Cumberland District Health Department for 2014-15 to place a health department employed registered nurse at Albany Elementary and Early Childhood Center at $20,000 per position.

The board then voted to approve Forward Edge Associates, the district’s current provider, to do drug testing for students and employees for the coming year and renewed their membership with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce at $1,000 for the 2014-15 school year. According to finance director Reeves, districts which are state Chamber members receive discounts on insurance of around four to five thousand dollars annually.

After approving the KDE District Assurances (which guarantees state funds will be used as directed) for the 2014-15 year, the board opted to abolish some positions, including Director of Elementary and Secondary School Counseling position and two counselor positions due to a decrease in funding from the Elementary and Secondary Counseling Program and the PEP Grant Project Director position due to a decrease in funding, all effective June 30. Also abolished was the Truancy Officer position.

On a motion by board member Goldie Stonecipher, the board voted to ratify contract terms for district-wide Security Officer for eight (8) hours per day at $14.32 per hour, 186 days per year; and, on a motion by Cecil, approved the instructional day schedule (bus pickup/dropoff times) for the 2014-15 year, all to remain unchanged for each school.

The board then approved an adjustment to the 2014-15 school calendar, making August 20 an instructional day for students, rather than a professional day for staff, although teachers can still attend training conference and it not be counted as a missed day. With the change, the closing day of school on next year’s calendar is May 20, and last day for students, May 18, with all dates being tentative.

Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York then presented the end-of-year attendance report for the 2013-14 school year.

Attendance, for the third year in a row district-wide was up slightly, standing at 93.97. This compares to 93.45 the previous year and 93.3 percent in 2011-12. Two schools, Albany Elementary and Clinton County Middle School met their goals this past year for attendance.

Overall attendance per school was 93.51 at the Early Childhood Center (their goal is 94.5); 94.56 at Albany Elementary (their goal was 94.5); 94.06 at Clinton Middle School (their goal was 94.4) and 92.78 at CCHS (their goal was 93 percent). The district-wide goal is 94.5 percent.

Also, overall enrollment was up this past school year with 1,758 students, 36 more than the 1,722 enrolled at the end of the 2012-13 school year.

During the public comment period, former CCMS assistant principal James Thaxton was allowed to address the board.

Thaxton presented Superintendent Charlotte Bernard, board members, board attorney Lindsey Bell and the news media a typewritten statement as follows:

“According to Kentucky Revised Statute 160.350 subsection 4, your four year contract is invalid. Kentucky courts have ruled this year that Superintendent contracts must be done yearly as outlined by Kentucky Revised Statue. As of June 30, 2014, Charlotte Bernard will no longer be Superintendent of Clinton County Schools as a matter of law. We plan to file suit in Clinton Circuit Court challenging the Board’s contract of Superintendent Charlotte Bernard beginning July 01, 2014.”

Thaxton briefly stated he had talked to a few people in the district, including the superintendent and felt his dismissal was a result of the concerns he had, saying he felt the students, parents and teachers deserve better. He further referenced some allegations pertaining to the district and referred to himself as a “whistle blower.”

Immediately following Thaxton’s comments, the board meeting was adjourned.

Two items on the agenda were tabled to a future meeting, including action on school district insurance for the 2014-15 school year and a presentation from Jeff Pharis on Clear Creek Academy.

At an earlier call meeting held last Friday afternoon, June 13, only two items of business were on the agenda, including a work session on insurance and a closed session to discuss possible or pending litigation. No action was taken at that session.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, July 14 and is open to the general public.