Clinton County Board of Education held its pilot meeting of 2011 on Monday night with all members present, including newest member Kevin Marcum. Several items of business were on the agenda for the first meeting of the year, which lasted almost one and-a-half hours.

Early in the meeting, Superintendent Mickey McFall allowed two parents and their children a chance to address some issues pertaining to the varsity basketball team.

One high school student was apparently not allowed to play on the team this year after having quit the team about mid-way through last season. He and the parents voiced some allegations about the boys’ varsity coaching staff and possible reasons why the student wasn’t allowed to play.

The parents and student discussed their concerns at length. However, Supt. McFall noted near the end of the discussion that some coaches who had been mentioned should also be allowed to voice their side of the issues brought out. He also applauded the parents for taking the time to speak on behalf of their children.

The board took no official actions in regards to the complaints voiced at this time.

The board also delayed recognizing some Kentucky Youth Assembly students from the middle school, due to the weather conditions early this week that cancelled classes. Those students will be recognized at next month’s board meeting.

David Smith, Certified Public Accountant with the firm of Wilson and Company, then briefly reviewed the school district’s 2009-10 audit.

Smith noted all three areas in which the district is audited each year were “clean,” including the district’s financial statements, compliance with handling of federal money and programs and internal controls. He also commended the schools in the district for keeping reign over funds that flow through each individual school.

The auditor also informed the board that the Food Service program, which had over the past couple of years been running in a deficit, had a $25,000 profit during the year. He attributed the turn around to the school districts amended lunch prices.

The board then heard a report from Clinton County High School Principal Sheldon Harlan, reflecting assessment data results from the EXPLORE test, the KCCT, NCLB results, summary of grades given by teachers, achievement gap targets and future goals, and innovative programs and strategies currently taking place to ensure upcoming assessment goals are met.

Principal Harlan noted the school’s lack of success over the past couple of years is not meeting the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) requirements, noting the upcoming year was incredibly important to the school.

The primary area of improvement needed is in math, where CCHS met only seven of the 10 target goals in last year’s testing.

Harlan did note what the school was doing to assure they meet the APY (adequate yearly progress) next year, including:

* 25 juniors have been identified as borderline proficient using MAPS scores and they will spend 1.5 to 2 hours per week using a math program to improve their math skills. The program targets a student’s weak areas and gives lessons accordingly in multiple areas.

* ACT skills workshop will be offered after school, four days per week.

The board then elected its chairperson and vice-chairperson for the coming year, re-electing Ned Davis as chairman and selecting Paula Key as vice-chair.

Several leave-of-absences were then approved, including military leaves for Michael Whittenburg and Mitchell Latham, both have been called to active duty effective January 18 through their remaining assigned duty. A maternity leave was granted to Shanice Braswell through February 4; family medical leaves were granted to Lonnie Brown through Feb. 2 and Robyn Warinner through Jan. 28; and, medical leaves to Brenda Orton through Feb. 5 and Ricky Poore through February 8.

After approving one between meeting disbursement to the Kentucky State Treasurer for employee insurance and voting to pay claims and bills, the board heard the monthly personnel report.

Under personnel, Anna Pittman and Lindsay McFarland were hired as teachers at the middle school; Juanita Sweatt was hired as an aide for special needs children at the middle school; Jamie Miller was transferred from CCHS teacher to alternative school teacher and two resignations were announced, Steven J. Asberry as head baseball coach at the middle school and Mike Tallent as golf coach at both the middle and high schools.

The board reviewed the 2011-12 draft budget, which required no vote.

Supt. McFall informed the board that between $175,000 to $200,000 in SEEK funding, or two percent, had already been cut by the state for the rest of this fiscal year. More specific budget figures will be compiled in May when the board takes action on a tentative budget, with the final working budget to be adopted in August.

The board then voted to approve a standing resolution to allow the superintendent to issue subpoena’s on the board’s behalf in any situation, i.e. expulsion hearing, etc. when such legal action would become necessary.

The board voted to amend the 2010-11 school calendar to add one day as a Professional Day for staff to be held after the last student day of school. This would reflect a 186-day employee schedule and all employees whose contract was reduced with passage of the original calendar will have one day added to their contract.

Two overnight trips for Honors Band students were approved, including to Bowling Green Jan. 27-29 and Richmond Feb. 24-26.

Following some discussion, the board voted to approve the possibility of the boy’s varsity basketball team to participate in a tournament next season on a Sunday in Rupp Arena in Lexington.

Although the district has a policy that does not allow practices or games on Wednesday and Sunday evening or Sunday mornings as to not impede church activities, on occasion the board waives the policy.

Supt. McFall noted Clinton County had been invited to participate in a 16-team, four-pool type tournament next year, that would culminate in a “final four” being held at Rupp on a Sunday, following a change from the original format of the tournament.

After some discussion, board members concurred that students should be allowed the opportunity to participate, but also noted that any player who may decline to play on a Sunday would not be penalized for not taking part in that particular game.

They proceeded to vote to waive the policy for this particular tournament, providing that CCHS was to win its first two games in the event to reach the final four.

Principal Harlan said this particular tournament had a four-year contract, but noted that after the 2011-12 year, the finals would probably not take place on a Sunday and that the only reason it will be held on that day in 2012 was a scheduling conflict with Rupp Arena that weekend.

Finally, Superintendent McFall presented each of the five school board members a gift from school staff and administrators as part of School Board Member Appreciation Month in January.

The next regular meeting of Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for February 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Office and is open to the general public.