School board approves dual credit in brief meeting 

By: Jeremy D. Wells

If students from Kentucky Christian University assigned to attend a Carter County Board of Education meeting came in wanting the board to get on with business and end the meeting quickly, they got their wish. The board heard from the superintendent, approved a number of action items by consent, and accepted financial documents before adjourning for the evening.  

With no students, staff, or citizens present and requesting to speak the communication portion of the agenda was limited to Superintendent Dr. Paul Green, who expressed his continued support and prayers for the West Carter High School community as they struggle to cope with the loss of Garrett Paul Belcher and Brent Michael King.  

The normally articulate Green seemed to struggle to find the words to express the impact of the loss on the West Carter community and the district as a whole, his voice cracking with emotion as he spoke. 

“They (West Carter) have suffered a tremendous loss,” Green said, adding that it has, “been a difficult time,” for all, but especially the families. 

With Dr. Jennifer Fraley unable to attend the meeting, there was no instructional update, moving the board directly into action by consent items.  

Those items included the approval of leave of absence requests, requests for use of district property, school-wide fundraiser requests, and out-of-state field trip requests. It also included acknowledgment of receipt of a personnel action report, and a memorandum of agreement between Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) and Carter County Schools. That memorandum of agreement grants students dual credit for certain classes taken at ACTC, allowing students to meet their requirements for high school graduation while also getting a jump start on their college or technical school education. 

After accepting action by consent the board moved to accept financial documents, including the district financial report and orders of the treasurer.  

Before adjourning Green explained to the KCU students how the action by consent worked, to approve a number of standardized issues in one motion, rather than dragging on the meeting by voting on each issue individually.  

The district also invited the students to return to get a taste of a more typical meeting, and to work in the district to receive any in-classroom hours required for their degrees.  

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com