Clinton County Board of Education held its regular monthly business meeting Monday evening with all members present, dealing with general items of business including recognizing students, and approving the tentative 2015-16 school calendar among other issues.

The board first recognized students from Clinton County Middle School who scored distinguished in all tested areas on the most recent K-PREP testing.

CCMS Principal Teresa Scott commended all the students for that high achievement and noted that those in the fifth grade had taken the test while in the fourth grade at Albany Elementary but added she was looking forward to good test results from the upcoming year’s testing which will take place next month.

Those students recognized included Evan Claborn, Makenzie Cope; Christian Derryberry; Blake Harlan; Dane Harlan; Adam Hay; Moriah Moons; Elijah Rains; Landon Smith; Benjamin Tallent (all grade four last year); Skye Rogers (grade five last year); Jaden Mullins (grade six last year); Jessica Criswell, Jared Grant, Jackson Harlan, Jordan Mason, Cydney Sampson, Keonna Thompson (all in grade seven last year); and Carly Upchurch, (grade eight last year and now a CCHS freshman.)

The board also recognized several FFA (Future Farmers of America) students including officers in the club, who recently competed in Regional Competition at Lindsey Wilson College in Impromptu Speaking. Two of the students placed second and now qualify for the state competition later this spring.

Recognized at that time were: Ethan Daniels (beef), Macy Campbell (floral), Kayla Shelton (dairy), Bree Boils (fruit and vegetables), Karen Crabtree (goat and sheep), Kendra Craft (greenhouse), Deana Shelton (horse), Kristin Smith (nursery/landscape), Chase Claborn (poultry), Adrianna Thrasher (small animal) and Hayli Pillar (swine).

Chris Curtis, the Clinton County Schools Energy Manager, gave the board a presentation regarding utilities management and noted how well the local school district was doing in its energy savings program. He said energy bills have not increased since 2010, an accomplishment in itself with the high rising cost of electricity and other utilities. He also noted the district was in the top 25 of over 170 school districts participating in energy savings programs and further said that of the districts he manages, the Clinton County District was the best in energy savings at its facilities.

Under consent items, on a motion by Board Member Kevin Marcum, they approved board minutes, subsequent disbursements, voted to pay claims and bills and granted a family medical leave for Kim Craig through May 11 and a medical leave for April Speck, ending March 27. The vote was 5-0 as Board Member Goldie Stonecipher abstained due to having been absent at one of the previous meetings.

Finance Director Mike Reeves gave a brief monthly finance report, saying the month was a “normal month” and that the district had received a little good news in that $30,000 in SEEK funding had been kept in the state budget.

Chairperson Paula Key then gave the monthly personnel report, as follows:

* Classified hired: Courtney Craig, aide for special needs children; Donnie Asberry, custodian; Leland Hicks, part-time custodian, all at CCHS; Anthony Flowers, assistant softball coach and Samuel Wright, assistant football coach, both at the middle school.

* Certified hired: Nicole Duvall, writing tutor and Debbie Lowhorn, math tutor, both at CCMS.

* Classified resignation: Judy Nelson, cook at the middle school

* Termination of Contract: Matthew Smith, bus driver, district-wide.

On a motion by Board Member Junior Cecil, they voted to request permission from the Kentucky Department of Education to utilize $96,578 from Capital Outlay funds for general operating expenses as permitted by the biennial budget bill (HB 235 RS 2014). Finance Director Reeves noted this was standard procedure now done annually and the school district has been using the funds toward paying insurance.

On a motion by Board Member Jeff Sams, the board approved Ross and Company PLLC CPA, the district’s current provider, to perform the 2014-15 school year audit at a total cost of $19,500 and for the 2015-16 year at a cost of $19,750.

Following a brief discussion with Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York, the board unanimously approved the tentative 2015-16 school calendar.

Two calendars were presented, one which would have started school as early as the end of July and a second, which was approved, to start the school year near the middle of August. York noted school personnel had been polled and the latter calender, by a slim margin, had been opted by school district faculty.

There was also a discussion on whether or not to include two of the five days of spring break into the calendar as “possible” make-up days in case of another year such as the one just past when some 16 days were missed, primarily due to winter weather.

Eventually, board members felt that adding the two days as possible make-up days may be confusing to parents and opted to approve the calendar, leaving the full spring break in tact.

Chairperson Key noted that eventually, during the school year, the calendar would probably have to be revised at some point anyway.

The tentative school calendar will see the first day for students for the 2015-16 school year as being Thursday, August 13 and the closing day for students on Monday, May 23 with the usual fall and spring breaks added in, plus holidays, including a two-week Christmas/New Year’s break.

A total of 16 makeup days are built into the calendar, along with four professional days, four work days and 172 instructional days for students, along with the four holidays. Thanksgiving will once again see a three-day break from Wednesday through Friday, November 25-27.

Superintendent Charlotte Bernard gave a brief monthly report, noting the district had been concentrating on the certified evaluation plan and upcoming budget and reminded board members about the now-annual “Taste Test Sampler” which was held last Tuesday, sponsored by the Food Services department.

Prior to adjourning, the board held a closed session “to discuss pending litigation in James C. Thaxton and Michael P. Sinclair v. Clinton County Board of Education et al., Civil Action 1:14-CV-100-R, presently pending in the United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky, Bowing Green Division.”

Upon returning to open session, no action was taken on the litigation issue, a motion passed approving the agenda as presented and the meeting was adjourned.

The school board is scheduled to have a non-action meeting on Thursday, May 14 at 4:30 p.m. and its next regular business meeting Monday, May 18 at 5 p.m. Both meetings will be at the Central Office and both open to the general public.