Miranda H. Lewis
Carter County Times
Five of six elementary schools in Carter County received math achievement fund grants to purchase math instructional resources.
“We will be purchasing math textbooks for our students to have a common math program across the district,” said chief academic officer Jennifer Fraley.
When asked about the one school that did not get approved, Fraley reassured the board that the school will be taken care of.
“We got word that the amount we asked for, we had to bump it up because they asked us to resubmit our budget so we will be getting a little bit more money,” said Fraley addressing vice-chair Rachel Frankell’s concern. “All schools will be taken care of.”
Fraley said that she is currently working on an extensive needs assessment for professional development for the 2023-2024 school year. She stated that the goal is to be, “deliberate and intentional with finding professional learning resources that will align to teachers’ needs rather than just finding things that are available”.
She noted that teachers’ professional growth plans and observation data obtained throughout the school year are being taken into consideration to identify the needs of teachers across the district.
“At our next meeting, we will recognize our Teacher of the Year candidates and our Campbellsville Excellence in Teaching Award Candidates,” added Fraley.
She concluded her instructional update with more good news.
“The Kentucky Department of Education has asked us to present to all Eastern Kentucky Superintendents this week on all the good work going on in Carter County,” she said.
“We are going to get to go brag on all the good stuff Carter County is doing on Wednesday,” she added.
In other action, finance director Andy Lyons said that he is still projecting a final balance similar to last year’s closing balance.
“My projection actually looks at variable expenditures and we were down about $175,000.00 from what we were at this time last year,” he said.
He continued, “I expect that to be closer because there is some of that that I know we won’t spend. Our budget right now looks like we are going to make about as much as we are going to spend.”
At the previous school board meeting, Lyons noted that the formula used to determine the districts funding was changing and, therefore, would result in a distinct loss of funding.
He reiterated his budgetary concerns for next year due to the funding mechanism change and stated that the district will have to curve their losses over the next few years until they adjust.
As for now, however, the budget is in good standing.
“It’s still very healthy,” said Lyons of the district’s budget. “We’ve got the largest balance we’ve ever had in Carter County, and we will end that way or close to it.”
Board chair Lisa Ramey-Easterling commended Lyons and Superintendent Green, as well as the board members, for being, “good stewards of the taxpayer’s money.”
Superintendent Dr. Paul Green recognized the board for their exemplary work in helping students and staff across the district during his report.
He recognized Ramey-Easterling for obtaining Level 4 and 5 Certification in Kentucky School Boards Association Academy of Studies. He noted that this achievement is very prestigious as Level 5 is the highest level a board member can attain.
In other news Green said that in order to move forward with the formation of the Carter County School District Police Department the board would need to select a District Chief of Police.
“This action will allow us to create that position and move forward. Once that person is in place we will make further decisions, staffing decisions and so on and so forth,” said Green.
He continued, “This is the next step of the progression to hopefully have this all lined up for next school year.”
The board unanimously voted in favor of this personnel request.
Moving forward with the agenda, Green reviewed BG-1.
“This is the start of our building, of our planning to construct a new Career Tech Center, a new Carter County High School and all the amenities,” said Green.
With multiple streams of money, Green explained, tapping into these funds now while interest rates are high will allow them to invest the money properly.
“Our board really wants to do their due diligence and I think that speaks volumes of our board,” said Ramey-Easterling of the districts architect proposals. “We have narrowed it down to two architects. We will be notifying those architect firms for a future formal proposal that will be made to this board before a decision is made.”
She said this formal proposal will take place during an open meeting, during which members of the board can ask questions in addition to giving members of the community the opportunity to ask questions as well.