The yearly school staffing allocation is required for boards to pass by the Kentucky Dept. of Education and mandates a 24-1 student/teacher ratio in school districts. The formula for the 09-10 school year reduced the number of paraeducators (school aides) and their ratio to the students from 75-1 paraeducators-to-students to 90-1. While the reduction requires fewer positions, the school can absorb four resignations into the new formula; therefore, no jobs were lost in the proposed allocation.
But following a discussion in which Superintendent George Thompson warned the board of significant budget cuts still ahead for Kentucky schools, and the possibility of job cuts for Bell County, some boardmembers were hesitant to approve a staffing formula that reduced paraeducator positions.
While the item passed, Boardmembers Eulene Brock and Shelby Stewart voted not to approve the measure. Boardmembers Arlene Burnett, Chairman Kenneth Sams, and Vice-Chairman Dean Knuckles voted to approve it.
In other business, Architect Shawn Benson of Vaughn & Melton said construction on the technical school building on Bell Co. High School’s campus had “a good month.” He said the project was 55 percent complete and requested eight additional days of extended time for the contractors to complete the project because of inclement weather. Boardmember Dean Knuckles questioned Benson and Bo Green, of Green Construction, on how many days of extension they had already requested. They weren’t sure of the number of days, so the Board agreed to hold off on giving the extension until next month, when they could look at a more detailed report from Benson with weather information for those days not worked.
The board also (during informal discussion) decided not to pursue Energy Education, a program advertised in previous meetings to the Board to reduce their energy use; instead, they will continue in the state mandated KEEPS program and possibly designate someone already on staff to monitor energy usage.
During the enrollment report, Director of Pupil Personnel Pamela Greene said that the school was “doing great” with managing school attendance. Greene said that recognition of Bell County’s handling of their dropout problem came from Education Secretary Helen Mountjoy when she was invited to be the featured guest speaker at the Kentucky Dropout Prevention Summit, to be held in September.
Greene said that the Campus Portal (Parent Portal) went live on April 20 and parents have really been excited by the new technology which allows them to keep close tabs on their children in school. In March, Greene reported that 178 home visits were made by school personnel, 149 allegations reported, 172 Final Notices were mailed, and 108 Truancy charges were filed with the County Attorney’s office and/ or Court designated. Attendance was up in March compared to last school year in all schools except Bell County High School and Page Center, which only had decreases by a fraction of a point.
Bell County schools will also be receiving 155 new iMac computers to replace the eMacs. The Board discussed how fortunate the school system is to have computers in the schools, meeting a two students per computer ratio. The state requires a 5-1 ratio.
The Board also voted to hire two part-time bus drivers under an emergency condition of the hiring freeze approved in previous sessions.
The Board approved the following:
•Fundraising requests
•Facilities requests
•Transportation requests 1)Out of state 2) Bell Co. 4-H Council
• Starting/ending time of 09-10 school day
•Second reading of District Code of Conduct.
•Preschool contract with Bell-Whitley, with a few additional changes
•Grant applications
•To advertise bids and set up bid committee for food, supplies, bread, dairy, small equipment and pest control - Food service.
•FRYSC budgets and grants
•To advertise bids for maintenance, building materials, custodial supplies, transportation supplies and soft drinks
• Bell Central SBDM request
•KETS Offer of Assistance
Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.
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