Clinton County Board of Education held its first meeting of 2012 Monday night. The regular session lasted an hour with all members being present.

The board first granted medical leaves to two employees, including Amanda Burchett through the remainder of the school year and Crystal Adkins from January 12 through February 22.

After voting to pay three between meeting disbursements and approving paying claims and bills, Superintendent Mickey McFall gave a brief monthly personnel report. Candi Melton was announced hired as a substitute teacher, district-wide and Stacy Smith had resigned the position of Paraprofessional II at the middle school.

Following a brief discussion, the board voted, on a motion by Kevin Marcum, to approve entering into an agreement with the Kentucky School Boards Association for the purpose of facilitation of the process of selection of a new superintendent, at a cost of $8,500 for their services.

Supt. McFall said he had discussed the matter with Board Attorney Lindsey Bell, who was not at Monday’s meeting, and both had agreed assistance from the KSBA in the selection process would be beneficial.

McFall also noted the Association would supply assistance only in the process and in dealing with the screening committee and that the board itself would do the actual hiring of the new school’s chief.

Supt. McFall announced in December that he would be stepping down from the position after over 10 years, effective June 30 of this year.

The board then briefly reviewed the 2013 school year draft budget, which the superintendent noted was simply a roll over from the current 2011-12 year working budget. The draft, unlike a few years ago, no longer has to be approved and submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education, but only presented for review to the board.

McFall noted that January of any year was far too early to make an actual budget, since the Kentucky legislature acts on the amount of funding to education and hasn’t completed its session. Factual budget projections can not be made until the state acts.

He went on to say that by all indications, due to the state’s financial condition, there would likely be cuts this year and projected the new year’s budget would be extremely tight. He also said the district would have a more clear picture of its finances when a tentative budget is presented in May.

The board then held second reading of a policy amendment that requires written notification within five school days after a student has been absent or tardy.

Near the end of the meeting, Albany Elementary School Principal Tim Armstrong gave a report on the school’s assessment data from the KCCT, NCLB results, summary of grades given by teachers, achievement gap targets and future goals, as well as programs and strategies in place at AES to ensure upcoming assessment goals would be met.

Principal Armstrong noted that for the first time since the accountability testing system began in 2001, the school did not meet its AYP for the year. He called it “disappointing” and a “wake up call” when he got the school’s results.

Although students are showing improvement over the year’s testing periods in some areas, such as reading, math and science, Armstrong noted the results from last year’s tests in social studies and on-demand writing was a major concern.

Armstrong laid out some programs and initiatives in place at the school that will hopefully bring the school back up to levels where they want to be during this springs testing period.

The principal also added that test results were a “snapshot in time” and doesn’t always reflect a lot of positive things that are going on within a school or how students are learning and being helped.

Director of Pupil Personnel Charlotte Bernard, in her monthly attendance report, said that due to the holiday break, there was no full monthly report and Monday had begun another month on the school calender.

Bernard also displayed a trophy that was to be presented this week to Clinton County High School for showing the most improvement for average daily attendance. Thus far, Albany Elementary has kept the trophy for the highest month-to-month attendance during the school year.

Prior to adjourning, the board discussed a three-vehicle, chain reaction bus wreck that occurred last week near Talbott Funeral Home in north Albany.

Apparently one bus had stopped to let off a student with another bus behind it, when a third bus rear-ended the middle bus knocking it into the lead bus.

No students or drivers were injured, but an estimated $8,000 total damage was sustained to the three buses.

Supt. McFall said the matter was still being looked into and officials were trying to determine whether or not there was a mechanical malfunction with the bus or driver error.

Board Chairman Ned Davis, who initiated the discussion, said some bus drivers were “in a real big hurry,” inferring several drive too fast and some follow other buses too closely. He said the district needed to take a closer look at the situation, apparently referring to rules and regulations drivers should adhere to.

In other business, the board:

* Approved a nonresident pupils contract between Wayne County Schools from the 2012-13 through 2014-15 school years.

* Approved adoption of a school facility use agreement to be utilized when a non-school related entity requests use of a school district facility.

* Accepted the School Facilities Construction Commission (SFCC) Offer of Assistance to the Board of Education in the amount of $27,021 annual debt service on bonds.

* Voted to reappoint Vince Ostertag to the Clinton County Recreational Park Board. Ostertag currently is treasurer of that board.

* Approved an overnight trip for some Honor Band students to Bowling Green January 26-28.

* Approved hosting an archery tournament on February 17 and 18 as a fundraiser for the school district’s archery teams.

At the end of the meeting, Superintendent Mickey McFall presented a certificate to board members from the KSBA and also some gifts from school faculty and administrators as part of January being observed as School Board Member Appreciation Month.

The next regular meeting of the school board is scheduled for February 13 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office and is open to the general public.