Starting November 7, the school day will be extended for Monticello High School students, following action taken by the Monticello Independent Board of Education on Tuesday, October 23.

Roger Keith, middle/high school principal, proposed a schedule change to the board which will extend the school day by 20 minutes for high school students only. He added that there is a three-fold purpose to adding the extra time for each school day.

The first reason is to focus on the RTI (Response to Intervention) for Remediation and Enrichment, which is required by law, noted Keith. The second reason for the extended school day is to allow for advisor/advisee time every two weeks. This will allow faculty members to spend one-on-one time with each student and offer guidance on an individual basis. Finally, increased student achievement is the third reason for the schedule change.

The board approved the schedule change, which means that beginning November 7 the school day will be from 7:45 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. for high school students only.

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The second degree forgery charge against former Wayne County Clerk Melissa Turpin was dismissed during a preliminary hearing in Pulaski District Court on October 17 and the case was waived to the grand jury.

According to records in the Pulaski Circuit Clerk’s Office, the case was waived to the grand jury. The Pulaski County Grand Jury was set to meet November 6 and 7, according to officials.

Turpin was arrested in September and charged with second degree forgery, following an investigation by Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway. Investigators alleged that she forged the signature of Pulaski County Clerk Ralph Troxtell on a title for a 2006 Highlander, which was sold on Craig’s List to a Maryland residence.

Turpin remains on probation in Wayne Circuit Court, where she pled guilty in 2009 to charges of theft and abuse of public trust over $10,000.

The charges stemmed from deficits in audits of her office. She resigned from office in October 2009.

A hearing was held regarding Turpin’s probation earlier last month. At its conclusion, Circuit Judge Vernon Miniard, Jr. said he would reserve a decision regarding the probation issue until the charge in Pulaski County is resolved.