Clinton County Board of Education held its monthly meeting Monday evening with all members, as well as board Attorney Lindsey Bell, on hand. The agenda was somewhat shorter than usual, with the session lasting approximately 45 minutes.

The meeting was the second in four days for the board. They had met last Friday morning, November 11 for the purpose of visiting schools and also presenting some students certificates for recent achievements–primarily those who scored high on last spring’s NCLB (No Child Left Behind) tests.

There were no items on the agenda at last week’s meeting that required action.

At its regular meeting Monday night, the board first presented a plaque of appreciation to Patricia Sawyers, who retired from teaching earlier this fall.

The board–on behalf of the schools and school district–was then presented a Stewardship Award for its energy efficiency by representatives from the Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program for Schools (KEEPS). A separate article on that award appears elsewhere in this week’s edition.

Clinton County High School Principal Sheldon Harlan then gave a report on the school’s assessment data results from the EXPLORE, KCCT and NCLB test results, summary of grades given by teachers, achievement gap targets and future goals, as well as innovative programs and strategies currently taking place at the high school to ensure upcoming assessment goals will be met.

Principal Harlan noted that when he gave a similar report last winter, the results from the high school were not good. However, the school has seen a major turnaround in the right direction since two years ago.

Harlan also noted that in last spring’s NCLB, KCCT testing, the school met its AYP (Average Yearly Percentage), meeting all 10 goals under the No Child Left Behind Act. This kept the school from being categorized as among those needing help.

Also, ACT test scores improved drastically last year, being ranked 98th out of the total 228 school districts in the state. That compared to 198th statewide the previous year, or a 100 pointschool placement jump.

The average ACT test score in the district improved from 16.8 to 18.6 overall.

Harlan noted that when the school was challenged with poor test results and achievement two years ago, both “students and faculty stepped up” and hopes plans in place will keep the high school moving forward.

Following the principal’s report, the board approved minutes from its October meeting, approved between meeting disbursements and voted to pay claims and bills.

Superintendent Mickey McFall then gave the monthly personnel report, which included the following:

* Certified hired: James Thaxton, assistant football coach; Patrick Stalcup, 9th grade girls’ basketball coach and head baseball coach; and Jessica Conner, teacher, all at the high school.

* Classified hired: Amanda Guffey, bus monitor, district-wide; Ted Papineau, assistant football coach at CCHS; and Claris Brown, head cook at Foothills Academy.

* Classified resignation: Brenda Orton, paraprofessional at Albany Elementary.

* Substitute teachers: Judy Branham, middle and high school; Priscilla Turpin and Chloe Brown, district-wide.

* Retired: Robin Choate, Director of GEAR-UP, district-wide.

The board, on a motion by Kevin Marcum, approved final reading of revised 504 procedures pertaining to the district’s special education and students with disabilities program.

On a motion by board member Junior Cecil, voted to accept $18,118 in matching KETS funds to be used to purchase technology equipment for the schools and on a motion by board member Paula Key, voted to approve an overnight trip to Atlanta, Georgia next spring to reward students for their achievements at the Study Island program.

Charlotte Bernard, Director of Pupil Personnel, then gave the monthly attendance report for the third month of school.

Overall enrollment in the district during the month averaged 1,714.10, practically unchanged from 1,714 for the same month a year ago.

Average daily attendance was up slightly, from 1,591.97 in 2010-11 to 1,592.45 for the same month this year and average percent daily attendance was also up by three tenths of a percent district-wide, from 92.83 percent last year to 92.86 percent for the third month this year.

The school with the highest improvement rate in attendance since last year was the high school, with average daily attendance for the third month at 91.93, up from 90.40 last year. The school with the largest enrollment increase is Clinton Middle School, with 534 students enrolled this year, compared with 515 a year ago.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, December 12 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office board room and is open to the general public.