|
I.
Call to Order
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
II.
Roll Call
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
III.
Pledge of Allegiance
Board Members
IV.
Welcome and Board Chair Comments
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
V.
Public Input
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
Members of the public may address the Board during the period set aside by the Board without submitting an item for the agenda. No action shall be taken during this portion of the meeting on issues raised by employees or the public unless deemed an emergency by the Board. Please note: Comments are asked to refrain from personal remarks in which an individual is named. Comments are limited to two minutes unless extended by the board chair. Critical comments or complaints are processed through the District’s complaint procedures. Questions and concerns will be addressed by the Board through various venues, including, but not limited to, the district website and e-mail.
VI.
Report of the Treasurer
Ms. Annette Burtschy, Director of Finance
VI.1.
Monthly Financials ~ January
Ms. Annette Burtschy, Director of Finance
Budget Narrative for January FY2026 monthly financial statement:
- General fund (fund 1) – as of 1/31/26, revenue received of 41.1 million with expenses of 22.1 million.
- Special revenue (fund 2) – as of 1/31/26, revenue received of 5.7 million with expenses of 5.8 million. Many grants in fund 2 are on a reimbursement basis. Money is requested after the expenses have occurred. There is a delay on receiving fund 2 revenue.
- School Activity Fund (fund 25) – as of 1/31/26 revenue received of $264,000 with expenses of $17,000. This fund was set up end of FY20 due to a new GASB standard that went into effect.
- Capital outlay (fund 310) - as of 1/31/26, revenue received of $147,500 with expenses of $0. The state does not provide all the capital outlay funding until the end of the fiscal year. This fund is used to pay the district’s bond payments. Bond payments occur throughout the whole fiscal year under fund 400 (new for FY’13 per KDE). Money will be transferred out of capital outlay into the debt service fund throughout the fiscal year.
- Building fund (fund 320) - as of 1/31/26, revenue received of $2,563,000 with expenses of $523,000. This fund is used to pay the district’s bond payments. Bond payments occur throughout the whole fiscal year under fund 400 (new for FY’13 per KDE). Money will be transferred out of building fund into the debt service fund throughout the fiscal year.
- Construction fund (fund 360) - as of 1/31/26, revenue received of $586,000 with expenses of 5.3 million. This fund is used to pay for the district’s construction projects.
- Debt Service fund (fund 400) – as of 1/31/26, revenue received of $0 with expenses of 1.6 million. See detailed explanation under capital outlay and building fund.
- Food service fund (fund 51) – as of 1/31/26, revenue received of $1,750,000 with expenses of $2,042,000.
- Daycare fund (originally fund 50 – switched to fund 52 per KDE) – as of 1/31/26, revenue received of $333,000 with expenses of $187,000. Revenue comes in throughout the fiscal year.
January budget changes for fund 1:
1/5/26 $38,500 water main break at HMS – will be using CFR funding.
1/8/26 $86,528 net decrease to revenue budget – Prichard grant ending suddenly 12/31/25 per federal government – this is the budget to keep the program running until the end of the 25/26 school year. (Had to take from AG emergency funds.)
1/26/26 $11,152 net decrease to revenue budget – staffing changes on new hires, rank changes, certified and classified supplementals.
1/26 Superintendent’s emergency/timing budget – in budget at 500K – this is used throughout the school year.
Completed 2/2/26 by Annette Burtschy
VI.2.
Warrant Expenditure Report
Ms. Annette Burtschy, Director of Finance
Monthly warrants!
VII.
Consent Agenda
VII.1.
2026-2027 Custodial Bid
Ms. Susan Marksberry, Finance
Custodial supply list to be considered for public bid for the 2026-2027 school year. After the Board approves the items, after the next board meeting, the bid will open for ten (10) business days, then tabulations are made at the bid close. The bid pricing will then be presented to the board as an informational item then brought back requesting approval.
VII.2.
Leave of Absence Request ~ Employee #6422
Ken Kippenbrock - Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations
Employee #6422 is requesting FMLA beginning 02/02/2026 and returning 04/20/2026. Leave will be partially paid.
VII.3.
Leave of Absence Request ~ Employee #6199
Ken Kippenbrock - Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations
Employee #6199 is requesting FMLA beginning 12/12/2025 and returning 01/12/2026. Leave will be fully paid.
VII.4.
Leave of Absence Request ~ Employee #6311
Ken Kippenbrock - Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations
Employee #6311 is requesting FMLA beginning 02/21/2026 and returning 05/18/2026. Leave will be partially paid.
VII.5.
Leave of Absence Request ~ Employee #6965
Ken Kippenbrock - Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations
Employee #6965 is requesting FMLA beginning 03/15/2026 and returning first day of the 2026-2027 school year. Leave will be partially paid.
VII.6.
Leave of Absence Request ~ Employee #3751
Ken Kippenbrock - Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations
Employee #3751 has requested Intermittent FMLA - beginning 01/12/2026 until the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Leave will be partially paid.
VII.7.
Leave of Absence Request ~ Employee #6175
Ken Kippenbrock - Executive Director of Human Resources and Operations
Employee #6175 has requested FMLA beginning 01/06/2026 and returning 04/01/2026. Leave will be partially paid.
VII.8.
Holmes High School Softball Field ~ Proposed Name
Ms. Davana Gulley, TEAM Foundation
The Tom Ellis Athletic Memorial (TEAM) Foundation is proposing to name the Holmes High School softball field after Joan Mitchell. Ms. Mitchell spent her entire teaching and coaching career in Covington from 1958 to 1988 and is widely recognized as a crusader for girls' high school athletics in Northern Kentucky. Ms. Mitchell started the girls' basketball, volleyball and softball programs at Holmes High School. Her leadership efforts were vital in having girls' sports sanctioned by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), allowing representation for coaches of girls' sports in local athletic conferences and pushing for more equal representation on the KHSAA Board of Control. She is a member of the KHSAA Hall of Fame, Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors' Hall of Fame, Covington Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame, and was recognized by the KHSAA as a "Legend in Her Own Time". Naming the new softball field "Joan Mitchell Field" is a fitting tribute to the tireless efforts for opportunity and equality for girls' sports at Holmes High School, in Northern Kentucky and the state.
VII.9.
Calendar Committee - 2026-2027 School Calendar
Ms. Jessica Duty, Director of Pupil Personnel
|
2026-2027 School Calendar Committee
|
|
Bonhaus, Penny – Elementary Teacher
|
|
Capano, Paula – Alt School Principal
|
|
Collins, Sunny – Classified District Office
|
|
Duty, Jessica – DPP District Office
|
|
Edmondson, Betty – Classified Employee
|
|
Fox, Kaitlyn – Middle Teacher
|
|
Haggard, Tom – Board Chair
|
|
Lindberg, Sherry – District Office
|
|
Mackiewicz, Paul – High School Asst Principal
|
|
Michelle Williams – Board Member
|
|
Mitchell, Tom – Community Business
|
|
Spisak, Jarrett – Community Coordinator/Parent
|
|
Stein, Shawn - Transportation
|
|
Walden, Antoinette – Classified Employee
|
|
White, Wayne – Classified Employee
|
|
Williamson, Jennifer – CEC/Biggs
|
"School district calendar committee" means a committee consisting of:
1. One (1) school district principal;
2. One (1) school district office administrator other than the
superintendent;
3. One (1) member of the local board of education;
4. Two (2) parents of students attending a school in the district;
5. One (1) school district elementary school teacher;
6. One (1) school district middle or high school teacher;
7. Two (2) school district classified employees; and
8. Two (2) community members from the local chamber of commerce,
business community, or tourism commission;
VIII.
Individual Approval Agenda Items
VIII.1.
BG23-406 - Vocational Project - Change Order 4
Mr. Ken Kippenbrock, Mr. Eric Neff
Rationale:
It is recommended that the Covington Board of Education approve Change Order No. 004 for the BG23-406 Vocational Project.
A Change Order is a written instruction to the contractor, issued after execution of the contract and signed by the owner, architect/engineer, construction manager (if applicable), and contractor. This document authorizes additional work, deletion, or revision to the scope of work, or adjustments to the contract sum and/or contract time.
Change Order No. 004 totals $9,844.00 and does not exceed the project’s approved contingency. The attached KDE Change Order documentation provides detailed explanations for each item included in this change order.
Remaining Contingency:
$164,435.00
VIII.2.
Holmes High School Archive Room ~ Interactive Display
Mr. Jon Hopkins and Ms. Shawn Wood
As we continue celebrating 200 years of public education in Covington, the 200-Years Committee is requesting $36,000 to purchase an interactive display showcasing the rich history and tradition of Holmes High School.
This large, engaging visual will allow visitors to explore Holmes’ history, search members of the Hall of Distinction and Athletic Hall of Fame, and browse yearbooks from the past 80 years. In addition, the display can feature the daily schedule of activities, weather forecasts, current time, and daily announcements.
The possibilities are endless. This interactive board would be a welcoming centerpiece—educating guests about our legacy while keeping students informed and connected to what’s happening at Holmes High School.
VIII.3.
Memorandum of Understanding with Able Life; Supporting Postsecondary Achievement and Resources Grant
Ms. Misti Carr, Director of Special Education
Requesting approval to enter into MOU with AbleLife, a pre-employment transition service provider through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in order to carry out grant activities as outlined in the approved and granted SPARK grant.
VIII.4.
Administrative Assistant to Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of Exceptional Children
Ms. Sherry Lindberg, Director of Curriculum and Dr. Susan Pastor Richard, Director of Exceptional Children
The Instructional Support Department, in partnership with the English Learner Director, is requesting the addition of an administrative assistant position to provide shared support for both the Title I team within Instructional Support and the English Learner Department. Funding for this position will be split, with 0.40 funded through Title III to support English Learner services and 0.60 funded through Title I to support the Instructional Support team.
This position is needed to address the continued growth and increasing operational demands of the English Learner Department, which currently serves 15 EL teachers and 3 EL instructional assistants and has experienced significant growth in student enrollment over the past five years. At present, many administrative responsibilities for the EL Department are being absorbed by the Director of Exceptional Children in addition to her primary duties, which is not sustainable long term.
Additionally, the Instructional Support team requires increased administrative capacity to shift operational tasks that are currently assigned to school and district-level staff. The team is allocated one full-time administrative assistant position but is currently staffed at only 0.4 FTE. Hiring an additional 0.6 FTE will fulfill the full-time position already allocated to Instructional Support.
Establishing this position will improve efficiency, ensure compliance with federal program requirements, and reduce the need for instructional staff to perform administrative functions or receive supplemental pay for those duties, allowing them to remain focused on direct instructional support for schools.
VIII.5.
Comprehensive District Improvement Plan 2026-2027
Mr. Scott Alter, Assistant Superintendent of Student Learning
The CDIP is a plan developed by the local school district with the input of parents, faculty, staff and representatives of school councils from each school in the district, based on a review of relevant data that
includes targets, strategies, activities, a time schedule to support student achievement and student growth and to eliminate achievement gaps among groups of students. Through the improvement planning
process, leaders focus on priority needs, funding, and closing achievement gaps among identified subgroups of students.
While the focus of continuous improvement is student performance, the work must be guided by the aspects of teaching and learning that affect performance. An effective improvement process should
address the contributing factors creating the learning environment (inputs) and the performance data (outcomes).
VIII.6.
Family Resource Youth Services Center Assurance Certification 2026-2028
Dr. Jaren N. Finney, Assistant Superintendent
This Assurance Certification is signed every two years. By approving the certification, the district will comply with all FRYSC related statutes and any policies or procedures set forth by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
VIII.7.
Holmes Middle School ~ A River Cities School of Innovation Resubmission
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
In light of the Kentucky Board of Education denying Holmes MS's waiver application at their meeting on 2/4, I am placing the attached resolution on the agenda for individual approval.
IX.
Addendum Agenda (Action Possible)
IX.1.
Kentucky TSA State Career Development Conference
Mr. Matt Reed, Holmes High School Teacher
Pursuant to CIPS Policy 09.36 School-Related Student Trips, Holmes High School is requesting permission to attend the Kentucky TSA State Career Development Conference that will be held from March 16 -18, 2026 in Louisville at the Marriott downtown.
TSA is a is a national organization of students engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Holmes had 18 students compete at the regional level & attend Workshops on February 20, 2026. Of these 18, 4 students earned high enough places to be able to compete at State Level in their Audio Podcasting, & President/Vice President of this Chapter as voting delegates. The 4 additional students have earned the ability to compete in State Competitions & Skill Demonstration Events daily workshops while there.
Holmes High School is seeking approval for these students to be able to compete at this conference. They will stay overnight at the Marriott downtown Louisville, and 1 chaperone will accompany them while there (Ms. Ashley Lorenz).
IX.2.
Contract with Baker-Eubanks for Due Diligence in Superintendent Search
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
In light of the pending Superintendent search being conducted by the Covington Independent Board of Education, the Board of Education authorizes the District to pay for due diligence and background checks services for all finalist candidates, in an amount not to exceed $3,000.
X.
Report of the Attorney
Ms. Aaren Meehan, Board Attorney
XI.
Board Member Discussion/Comments
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
XII.
Upcoming Events
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
March 5 ~ Read Like a Viking Book Fair and Kindergarten Registration Ninth District, 3:30 - 6:30pm
March 10 ~ Parent Cafe for EL Families, Sixth District 5:00 - 7:00pm
March 11 ~ Wax Museum and STEAM Event with Kindergarten Registration, Latonia Elementary 4:00 - 5:30pm
March 12 ~ Covington Board of Education Meeting, District Offices, 25 E. 7th Street, Covington
March 13-15 ~ COSSBA Conference, Louisville
March 14 ~ District PD Day #4
March 16 ~ Staff Planning Day
March 16 ~ AI in our Schools, Jack Moreland Auditorium Holmes High School 8:30 - 11:30am
March 19 ~ Art Show and Kindergarten Registration, Glenn O. Swing 5:00 - 6:00pm
March 20 ~ Etiquette Night- Manners Matter, Holmes Middle School 4:00 - 6:00pm
Visit EventLink.com for all athletic schedules. GO BULLDOGS!
XIII.
Executive Session
Pursuant to KRS 61.810 (1) the Board may go into executive session.
XIV.
Adjournment
Mr. Tom Haggard, Board Chair
|