School board has regular meeting

Posted September 22, 2015 at 7:17 pm

Clinton County Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday evening with all members present and routine items of business on the agenda for the approximate 35-minute meeting.

The board first recognized Connie Armstrong who recently retired as Media Librarian at Albany Elementary School after having served the district for 31 years.

The board then awarded recognition certificates to several Advanced Placement students at Clinton County High School. The following students (per subject) were recognized, with some students having AP in two or more subject areas:

* Statistics: Taylor Albertson, Brett Shepherd, Zackary Garmon.

* English Literature and Composition: Alissa Cook, Kendra Craft.

* Language and Composition: Haley Huckelby, Cori Langford, Kierra Mason, Katherine Williams.

* Chemistry: Zackary Garmon.

* European History: Matthew Hunter, Zachary McFall, Jared Upchurch, Frank Zheng.

* U.S. History: James Beaty, Zackary Garmon, Cori Langford, Kierra Mason, Thomas Neathery.

* Biology: Zackary Garmon, Kierra Mason, Thomas Neathery, Katherine Williams, Kyle Choate, Matthew Hunter, Zackary McFall, Dana Osborne, Jared Upchurch, Dawson Waid, Matthew Wells, Frank Zheng.

After approving minutes of previous meetings, the board approved a family medical leave for Larry Koger through November 8 and a family medical leave for Michelle Earls which ended August 28. They also approved between meeting disbursements and claims and bills.

Finance Director Mike Reeves then gave a brief monthly finance report. Reeves noted the district was in sound financial standing and the balance in the general fund was a little higher now than at the same time a year ago.

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

* Certified hired: Amanda Moons, 5th and 6th grade girls’ basketball coach; Ginger Davis, assistant volleyball coach and Pamela Lovell, teacher, both at CCHS.

* Classified hired: Ashley McGill, part-time custodian and Mark Gibson, 5th and 6th grade boys’ basketball coach, both at CCMS; Teresa Tallent, Health Coordinator, district-wide.

* Classified transfer: Dana Shelley from aide at CCMS to aide at Albany Elementary.

* Substitute teachers: Amanda Reneau, CCMS and CCHS; Donna Butler, ECC and CCHS; Cynthia Elam, Matthew Savage, Portia Flowers and Melea Roy, district-wide.

The board then approved the last of three total budgets presented annually, that being the working budget which shows a total amount of revenues and expenditures for the year estimated at $14,178,554.00

The board then approved the Indirect Cost Report, with the rates being mandated by the state, at 10.68 Non-Restricted Indirect Cost Rate and 0.77 for the Restricted Indirect Cost rate.

The next item was to approve contractual services with the Hart County Transportation Department in the amount of $3,855.04 for the 2015-16 school year as part of that district service in providing training for local bus drivers and staff.

The board then voted to establish a certified substitute teaching position to facilitate the dual credit classes in the computer lab for the Clinton County High School.

A contract for non-resident pupils between Clinton County and Barren County for the current school year was then approved and second reading was held to amend one word in a school policy alternative credit options.

The board also approved Gifted/Talented field trips for 2015-16, including a Los Angeles tour during spring break week, March 21 through April 4. The trip will be funded by parents of the students, with school personnel supervision.

They also voted to allow the 2016 Project Graduation committee to hold two Haunted House fundraisers in October.

Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York gave the attendance report for the first month of school, which ran from August 5 through September 1.

Overall average daily attendance, compared to the first month of school a year ago, was up about six tenths of a percent, at 96.79 compared to 96.18 last year. Enrollment through September 1 was 1,743 students. The school with the highest ADA for the first month was Albany Elementary at 97.79 while the middle school was most improved at 96.82 for the first month.

Superintendent Charlotte Bernard gave a brief monthly report, noting the school year was off to a good start and that everyone, students and faculty, were working hard in making the year a success. She also noted that state test scores would soon be released and information on the local results would be presented to the public.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for October 19 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office with a possible work session Thursday, October 15 at 4:30 p.m., also at the Central Office board room.