Clinton County Board of Education held a lengthy regular meeting Monday evening with all board members present before an initially packed house, but emptied somewhat after several CCHS students were recognized for academic achievements. The board also heard other presentations and voted to propose keeping the same tax rates as in years past, among several other items of business.

The board first recognized high school students for academic work, including Governor’s Scholars Troy Butler and Destiny Guffey and Roger’s Scholars Jacob Williams and Lamon Tyler Hubbs.

Several students were also recognized for achievement in Advanced Placement studies toward receiving college credit. Those included: World History Briana L. Conner, Jacob M. Williams, William F. Cox, Dustin J. Daley, David V. Pierce, Matthew H. Savage, Christopher W. Shelton and Amanda G. Sloan. English Literature and Composition: William F. Cox, Jared P. Hunter, Wendell L. Maupin, Brittany Smith, Courtney S. Starnes, Natalie D. Duvall, Kiley Hoppe, Troy D. Butler, Leah Claborn, Ethan Cook, James England, Laura Groce, Destiny Guffey, Hailey Neal and Evan Shields. Chemistry: James A. Staton; and Calculus: William F. Cox.

The board then heard a presentation from agriculture instructor Matt Smith about the Farm-to-School Program for the Clinton County Schools. Smith had first presented the idea to the board and requested some matching funding for the project at last month’s meeting.

Smith gave a lower cost estimate than previously planned, noting that about 50 percent of the greenhouse space would be used to grow tomatoes and other vegetables will also be grown to be used in the food service program at the schools. An estimated match for materials and equipment for the start-up was estimated at $2,174.00

The board, on a motion by Junior Cecil, voted to allot the matching funds needed for the start-up of the Farm-to-School Program.

On a motion by board member Kevin Marcum, they also voted unanimously to match funds in the amount of approximately $4,100 for an equipment grant for the agriculture department that is being applied for through the Clinton County Agricultural Development Board. The equipment would be used to purchase equipment for the high school ag department to do work projects for local farmers.

Both Smith and CCHS Principal Sheldon Harlan noted that after initial start-up funding, both projects should become self-sufficient and possibly even produce revenues for the high school’s agriculture program.

Jeff Pharis, Director of the Alternative School, then made a report on the status of the school.

He first noted the name change from “alternative” to Clear Creek Academy and noted the program would be moving toward being family oriented in keeping parents and guardians of students involved.

The two areas of the Academy will be Behavioral Discipline and even more importantly, Credit Recovery, where students can work to earn back credit needed to graduate high school.

Jeff Shelton, who has headed up the school for the past few years, said Clear Creek used a computer based academic program that was very stringent. Students can also still do extra curricular activities, such as Life Skills training, physical education class and JROTC.

On separate motions, the board granted medical leave of absences to Angela Renee Polston through September 10; Ronnie Gray through September 4; and Claris Brown through September 30.

After voting to approve between meeting disbursements and voting to pay claims and bills, Superintendent Charlotte Bernard then presented a lengthy personnel report, which included the following:

* Certified hired: Ashley McWhorter, teacher at CCECC; Tammie Conner, teacher at Albany Elementary; Nathan Garner, Athletic Director at the middle school; Rachel Amonett, Betsy Beaty, Michial Conner, Lora Grant, teachers at CCMS and Ashley Duvall, teacher at the high school.

* Certified transfers: Julie Daniels from Director of District Programs to Director of Pupil Personnel; Barbara McWhorter from CCMS teacher to Guidance Counselor; Thomas Davis from Home Hospital Instructor to Foothills Academy teacher; Darrell Thompson from CCHS teacher to Foothills Academy teacher; and Beverly Upchurch, from CCHS teacher to Home Hospital Instructor.

* Certified resignation: James Thaxton, head football coach at the middle school.

* Termination of contract: Rhonda Blankenshp, teacher at CCMS.

* Classified hired: Margaret England, Kindergarten aide and Tracy Foster, aide for special needs children, both at the Early Childhood Center; Nathan Boils, custodian and Susan Beasley and Rhonda Dicken, cooks at AES; Nikki Witherspoon, cook and Amanda Conyers, head girls’ soccer coach, both at CCHS; Steven S. Burchett, 5th and 6th grade boys’ basketball coach at CCMS and Nick Irwin, Security Officer, district wide.

* Classified transfers: Alice Morrison from CCECC aide to Paraprofessional II; Brenda Orton from Gear-Up Clerical Assistant to Early Childhood clerical assistant.

* Classified resignations: Petra Patton, cook at AES; Susan Pierce, cook at CCHS; Amanda Burchett and Crystal Adkins, bus drivers; and Joseph Glidewell, assistant football coach at the middle school.

* Substitute teachers: Reshea Norris, CCMS and Jennifer Neal, district wide.

The board, on a motion by Marcum, voted to establish a classified District Wide Program Liaison position for 220 days/four hours a day at a rate of pay being $1,857.21 per month and to combine with the position of Community Education Director. The minimum education requirement will be a Bachelor’s Degree effective August 13, 2012.

On a motion by board member Paula Key, the board voted to establish an aide position at the Early Childhood Center.

ECC Principal Tina Langford noted there was some 165 Kindergarten students alone enrolled this year at the school, which is the primary reason for the need for an extra aide. The average class size for kindergarten, due to the influx of students, is up from 20 to 24 per classroom.

On a motion by board chairman Ned Davis, board members voted to approve the following bids–reserving the right to use Kentucky Department of Education bid when state bids are at a lower cost per item: Fire extinguisher–Booth; First Aid kits–Zee Medical; Janitorial supplies–Kenway and Consolidated Paper Group; and Pest control–Somerset Pest.

The board, on a motion by Marcum, voted to propose setting the school district tax levy at the following rates for the 2012-13 school year: 38.4 cents per $100 assessed value on both real and personal property; .53 cents per $100 on motor vehicle and watercraft; and three percent for utilities. In the motion, the board also set Thursday, August 30 at 5 p.m. as the day and time for the hearing of public comments related to the proposed tax rates.

All rates listed above are the same as the past few years.

When presented with a recommendation by Director of Pupil Personnel Julie Daniels to approve Forward Edge Associates of Lexington to provide drug testing for students and employees for the upcoming school year, board attorney Lindsey Bell questioned a couple of issues not in the contract presented, including liability on behalf of the company itself and a 30-day period in which the board could void the contract, if necessary.

Following some discussion, the matter was tabled until those questions would be answered.

On a recommendation by Superintendent Bernard, a resolution authorizing the board chairman to execute a Deed of Conveyance to the Clinton County Fiscal Court conveying a strip of land known as “the connector road,” connecting the middle school property to the US 127 Bypass, was also tabled to a later time.

The last item voted on by the board Monday was to approve an overnight trip for the varsity volleyball team to McCreary County on August 17 through August 18.

On a motion by Marcum, the board then entered into closed session to discussion “pending or proposed litigation” with no official action being taken upon returning to open session.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, September 10 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office board room and is open to the general public.