Clinton County Board of Education held its final regular meeting of the 2023 calendar year Monday, December 18, in the absence of interim superintendent Body Randolph, who was sick and unable to attend. However, all board members and board attorney Winter Huff were on hand.
There was a brief action item agenda, but the board  recognized some students and heard several reports and presentations following the adoption of the board agenda.
Angela Sloan first presented students participating in the Dual Credit 101 program, each of whom had conducted a thorough community service project and made an oral presentation and answered questions about their service projects to a panel.
The students’ projects aided the community in various fields and helped people, from teaching children baking, to assisting the elderly in nursing homes and other settings, to raising funds to get a pickle ball court at the park, among others.
School board member Bobbie Stone was one of the panelist who heard some of the students presentations and noted they were all passionate about their service to the community and had put their hearts into their work.
A representative from the board’s auditing firm then reviewed, via internet, the annual audit report of the school district ending June 30 of this year.
The report showed positive numbers and financial gains across the board, including in the general fund, with the board again receiving a clean audit which showed no instances of non-compliance in any areas, including how federal funds were used.
The only drawback the auditor noted in all of the districts his firm dealt with was in Food Service, due to inflation and the rising cost of food overall.
He also noted that after this (past) fiscal year, federal Covid related funding would be cut nation wide.
The audit review was followed by the monthly finance report by Finance Director Courtney Norris, who noted the district’s ending monthly balance was $6.8 million.
Norris also informed the board that property tax revenues would not be showing up until the next month’s report, but added it appeared property tax revenue would be higher this year.
Not only have property values increased in the county, but she attributed some of the early projected rise in collections to the sheriff’s office’s new system of allowing for online tax payments.
The finance director also noted that, beginning this coming year, Covid related federal funding would not be coming in, thus the district would have to be picking up revenue from that loss of federal funds.
Dr. Julie York, Director of Pupil Personnel, then gave the monthly attendance report for the month which officially ended November 3.
Attendance for the month stood at 89.8 percent ADA (Average Daily Attendance), a point higher than the same month a year ago, but still somewhat less than hoped for.
The still low rate is partly attributed to illnesses, but York also noted that post-Covid was a “struggle” in most districts in getting students used to being back in the classroom full time.
Instructional Supervisor Stacy Evans then gave a power point presentation on student KSA Spring 2023 testing data, breaking the percentages down by subject area, grade level and school.
(An article on the student test data had been published in an earlier edition of the Clinton County News.)
Evans admitted the local numbers, compared to overall state averages, were not where they should be and the district was behind in a lot of areas, with a lot of work to be done to improve.
Board Chairperson Leslie Stockton asked Evans what the board could do to help with the situation of improving test scores on the academic level.
Evans mentioned a few things, including going back to the teaching standards, and ensuring the right teachers are in positions to teach students what they need to know. She further said some groundwork is already being put in place to try and rectify the problems areas with student scores.
Following the data report on KSA test scores, the board moved on to a brief action item agenda.
The board, on motions by Jeremy Fryman and Gary Norris, respectively, approved second and final reading of an amendment to a policy first for certified and then for classified employees pertaining to Drug Free/Alcohol Free Schools. Both motions passed by unanimous vote.
Board member Ronald Albertson then made a motion to change position hours for the Gear Up College and Career Navigator from seven hours a day to eight per day, to be paid by the college. The motion passed unanimously.
The board, both by unanimous votes on motions by Norris and Fryman, respectively, then approved the CDIP (Comprehensive District Improvement Plan) and CSIPs (Comprehensive School Improvement Plans).
Board member Albertson moved to approve the consent agenda items, which includes minutes (of previous meetings), subsequent disbursements, payment of bills, leave of absence and overnight trips. The motion passed unopposed.
The 50-minute meeting was then adjourned following a motion by board member Bobbie Stone.
The next regular meeting of the school board is scheduled for January 15 at 5 p.m. at the Clinton College & Career Center on Hwy. 90 West and is open to the public.