Clinton County Board of Education held a work session last Tuesday, November 9, and its regular business meeting Monday, November 15.

The work session and regular meeting were the first held with Interim Superintendent Dr. Paula Little at the helm.

The work session was a review only of items of business that were voted on Monday evening, in which all board members were on hand.

After adopting the board meeting agenda, the board and superintendent recognized retiring bus driver Tammy Parrish for her years of service, and then recognized the CCHS girls’ soccer team, coached by Pam Lovell.

In lieu of giving the students certificates of appreciation, the players were presented with “soccer stickers” with each player’s name on them.

Those players recognized included: Jordan Duvall, Alicia Garcia, Katie Jones, Talia Perez, Sara Turner, Maggie England, Claire Guffey, Loren Little, Stacy Pascual, Tori Bagwell, Chesney Harlan, Kendall Hay, Haley Jones, Dale Shaffer, Chloe Tomlin, Maddie Booher, Shalylen Coffey, Tatum Harlan, Maci Tucker, Esmerelda Pascual, Isabella Rodriguez, Trinity Clark, Ava Lovell, Sidney Lowhorn, Madison Rigney, Aubrey Thompson, and Jaya Troxell.

Superintendent Little spoke about the soccer team, saying they exemplified what a Clinton County team should be, adding they never quit and always played for each other.

Following the recognition of Parrish and the soccer team, Finance Director Courtney Norris presented the monthly finance report.

Julie York, Director of Pupil Personnel, then gave the monthly attendance report, which at the end of the third month of school showed 91.58 percent attendance, down from the average of around 94 percent in a usual school year.

York noted that the district was “still rebounding” from the latest COVID outbreak and that the district was currently working on different things to try and get the attendance rates up.

York also informed the board that the two SROs (School Resource Officers) were “on the job,” getting to know the schools and once final paperwork is complete, should be in the schools by this week.

The board then voted unanimously, on a motion by Ronald Albertson, to accept a $14,000 plus offer of assistance from the KETS program that is used for technology equipment.

They then unanimously approved an increase in adult meal prices, subject to federal and Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) regulations, which sets the minimum prices that can be charged for adult meals by school districts.

Meal prices for employees will go from $3.75 to $4.60; visitor meals will increase from $4.75 to $5.25 and “to go” meals will increase from $1 to $1.50 per meal.

Superintendent Little noted a waiver was granted for the new prices not to go into effect until the first of next year, after the upcoming holiday period.

On a motion by Gary Norris, the board voted 5-0 to adopt an administrative procedure (Transportation Waiver Form), which was briefly explained by board attorney Winter Huff.

Huff said that most student transportation to field trips, ball games, etc. is done by the district via buses, sometimes by contract such as charter buses.

However, sometimes such transportation may not be practical and parents or other licensed driver adults may have to transport students and a waiver for liability purposes would be in place for people to sign in cases involving non-school district transportation.

The board then voted, following a motion by Albertson, to abolish an interventionist position at CCHS, as it was no longer needed.

The board, on a separate motion, did vote to establish an interventionist position at Foothills Academy for 186 days per school year.

On a motion by Kevin Marcum, the board voted unanimously to approve consent items, including the approval of minutes, subsequent disbursements, payment of bills and trips.

The less than 20 minute regular meeting was then adjourned.

The school board’s next work session is scheduled for Thursday, December 16, and its next regular business meeting for Monday, December 20. Both meetings begin at 5 p.m. at the Clinton College & Career Center on Hwy. 90 West and both are open to the general public.