Clinton County Board of Education held its regular business meeting Monday evening, June 13 with all members present. The board dealt with several end of the year personnel changes, insurance premiums, and other topics.

The board first approved consent items, including minutes of previous meetings, paying claims and bills, approving between meeting disbursements and approving a family medical leave for Annis Vitatoe through June 6.

Following the monthly finance report from Finance Director Mike Reeves, board chairperson Paula Key read a lengthy personnel report, which included the following:

* Certified Transfers: Jamie Cooksey from Kindergarten teacher to part-time Preschool teacher at Clinton County Early Childhood Center and part-time Home/Hospital teacher district-wide; Emily Manning from Albany Elementary teacher to district-wide teacher; Ashley Hardin from Clinton County Middle School teacher to district- wide teacher; Kayla Kriek from CCHS teacher to district-wide teacher. (The latter three are special education instructors.)

* Certified Non-Renewal: Debbie Lowhorn, Math tutor at the middle school.

* Certified Resignation: Ashley Ipock, Cheer Coach at CCMS.

* Certified Hired: Kenzie Pharis, 7th grade girls’ basketball coach and Brandon Pharis, 8th grade boys’ basketball coach, both at Clinton County Middle School.

* Classified Hired: Kathy Conner, teacher’s aide for Migrant Summer School, district-wide.

* Classified Transfers: Janet Guthrie from Kindergarten aide to Preschool aid at ECC; Angelia Byers from AES aide to middle school aide; Dana Shelley from AES aide to CCMS aide; Bea Wallace from Albany Elementary aide to middle school aide.

* Classified Resignations: Tammy Parrish, Transportation Director, district -wide; Doug Spears, Secretary II at CCHS; Elise Thrasher, cook at the Early Childhood Center. All taking effect June 30.

*Classified Non-Renewals: Amanda Shelton, bus monitor, district-wide and Amanda Hatfield, Writing tutor at the middle school.

* Substitute Teacher; Crystal Stinson, district wide.

The board then dealt with various required insurance policies, including:

* Approving Zurich American Insurance Company (Robert’s Insurance) as the provider for Student School Accident Insurance at a cost of approximately $43,785.69 for the coverage, which includes a 10-year catastrophic benefit of $7.5 million per student.

* Approved Liberty Mutual Insurance Company for School Package Policy, Commercial Automobile, and Commercial Umbrella at $139,230 and BCS Insurance Company for Cyber Liability Coverage in the amount of $1,813, with the annual premium total of $141,043.00, plus mandated replacement cost values and/or additional vehicles. This is about $9,000 less than the current year’s premiums.

* Approved Kentucky Employers Mutual Insurance (KEMI) for Worker’s Compensation at a cost of $36,748.08, with all premiums effective for the 2016-17 school year.

The board approved second and final reading on five policy amendments, all pertaining to tobacco use in schools, as Clinton County will become a smoke-free school district effective July 1 of this year.

The board then approved the annual District Assurances, meaning they will adhere to all federal guidelines pertaining to federal programs and funding for the upcoming year.

The annual Code of Pupil Conduct was approved, with Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York telling the board that only minor changes, as in job descriptions, dates, etc. had changed, but noted the two more prominent changes reflected the district’s tobacco free schools policy and the state recommended anti-bullying provisions.

The board also approved the 2016-17 school year instructional day schedule.

The schedule reflects 172 classroom days; 420 minutes per day; non-instructional minutes of 35 per day, with 385 instructional minutes; banked minutes per day per 170 day year, 28 total hours; 65,450 instructional minutes and 1,090 instructional hours.

The opening and closing time for each school, unchanged from the past year, is: CCMS, 7:50 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.; CCHS, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; AES and ECC, 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

Albany Elementary School Principal Tim Armstrong and high school principal Stacey Evans each giving a presentation on the most recent end-of-year MAP data for each school, grade and students. CCMS Principal Teresa Scott and ECC Principal Sheldon Harlan had gave previous updates the prior week at the board’s work session/meeting.

Armstrong noted that Albany Elementary, overall, had done quite well, especially in the two primary areas of Math and Reading, but the school would be implementing new programs to assist students who are struggling in some areas.

Evans also noted that at the high school, some gains were made and some were not, but the school was continuing to work to improve in the areas where most students were falling short of their overall goals.

Superintendent Charlotte Bernard gave her monthly report, explaining there was a lot of end-of-year work being done and informed the board she was working with consultants to amend the district’s facilities plan. She also stated she was looking at setting goals for the next school year and although the just completed year had been a good year, it is hoped it will be even better going forward.

Prior to adjourning, the board entered into a closed session to discuss “pending litigation in James C. Thaxton and Michael P. Sinclair v. Clinton County Board of Education, et al….presently pending in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky, Bowling Green Division…”

No action was taken upon returning to open session, and the board agenda was approved and the meeting was adjourned.

The next work session/meeting of the school board will be Thursday, July 14 at 4:30 p.m. and the next regular business meeting Monday, July 18 at 5 p.m., both at the Central Office board room and both open to the general public.