Board Chair Price Smith called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.

All agreed.

Chip Sutherland, Managing Director, Public Finance, Baird & Co. Inc. gave a presentation regarding the district's financial status and tax rate options for FY 2025.

Presentation regarding the opportunity for the district to participate in shared benefits of solar panels for energy production.

CHAMP Project Update

Laith Ross, RossTarrant Architects updated the Board on the progress of the CHAMP project.  Ross said the turf field is nearing completion on schedule.

Scoreboard quotes and discussion:

Board members reviewed quotes and options for a scoreboard.

Therapy dogs can help reduce stress and anxiety among students, improve attendance, help teach empathy and social skills, increase confidence in reading, and encourage students to talk about their emotions. Therapy dog will be used in some of the following ways.

• Small Group Counseling and Classroom Lessons
• De-escalation Techniques
• Social Skills Groups
• Individual Counseling Sessions
• Reading Intervention Groups
• Rewards for Attendance or Behavior
• Intervention Incentives
• Greeting Students and welcoming new students

Therapy dogs can help reduce stress and anxiety among students, improve attendance, help teach empathy and social skills, increase confidence in reading, and encourage students to talk about their emotions. Therapy dog will be used in some of the following ways.

• Small Group Counseling and Classroom Lessons
• De-escalation Techniques
• Social Skills Groups
• Individual Counseling Sessions
• Reading Intervention Groups
• Rewards for Attendance or Behavior
• Intervention Incentives
• Greeting Students and welcoming new students

Discussion only.

LaRue County Schools contracts with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation through the Community Based Work Transition Program to provide pre-employment transition services and job placement services to students with disabilities. This memorandum of agreement allows us to continue that relationship and allows us to bill the OVR for services provided, which allows us to continue to employ an employment specialist. 

This MOA sets out the terms by which the local Head Start and LaRue County Schools will ensure full utilization of head start, avoid duplication of services, and avoid supplanting of federal funds, with the goal being to serve as many eligible 4 year old as possible. 

Discussion only.

The discussion also included a separate item regarding Special Olympics of KY MOU and application for grant funds.

The Life Connection contracts with LaRue County Schools to provide educational services to students who are placed at their facility. The memorandum of agreement between LaRue County Schools and TLC must be renewed yearly. 

LaRue County Schools and KECSAC (Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children) partner together to provide services, training, and funding to students at the Life Connection. Attached is the MOA for a continued partnership. This memorandum of agreement must be renewed yearly. 

MOU between Cumberland Family Medical and LC Schools for the 2024-25 school year attached.  Mr. Claycomb's office has reviewed and approved this contract.

KDE requires annual board approval of the LaRue County Schools Security and Data Breach Best Practices documentation.

Review Proposed requirements/process for students to earn Work Ethic Certification in grades K-12. 

The process for full JROTC teaching licensure takes additional time and requires military documentation. We have a candidate who meets all requirements for full JROTC teaching licensure and has completed all military requirements, however, we are waiting on final paperwork from the military before the full JROTC teaching license can be granted. Emergency licensure will be temporary--until we have the final documentation necessary for full licensure.

Due to a lack of certified applicants, we are requesting approval to apply for emergency teacher certification for high school English. We have a candidate who meets all requirements for emergency licensure.

Discussion only.

Updated Pupil Code of Conduct attached.  New attendance law has been added to page 23.

Effective January 1, 2025, this policy will either prohibit or permit the use of medicinal cannabis on school property or permit the use of medicinal cannabis on school property by a pupil who is registered qualified patient as deemed necessary by the pupil's parent or legal guardian.  

The board will need to choose between two options: prohibit or permit.  If permitted, procedures will need to be adopted as suggested in the sample policy.  

This is the first reading.

It was noted the second reading will take place at the September regular meeting.

With the vacancy of the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services position, I would like to change this position to Director of Student Services.  

Discussion only.

Approve the job description for Director of Student Services.

I would like to hire someone to help with the Director of Student Services position.  This Assistant position would allow anyone to hold the position without holding the DPP certification.  

Discussion only.

Approve the job description for Assistant Director of Student Services.

Updating job description from Support Secretary to Administrative Assistant to Superintendent.  

Discussion only.

The Superintendent Professional Growth Plan needs to be submitted to the school board for approval.  It focuses on my specific standards of growth within my first year as superintendent. 

Attached is also my 30/60/90 day plan that only needs to be reviewed by the school board.   

• The heirs of the Danny Rock Estate have requested a refund of the $250,000 donation that Danny Rock made to the district for the CHAMP project.
• A letter from Ron Mather, the attorney representing Danny Rock’s heirs, is attached stating the request.
• Tom Claycomb has reviewed the request and indicated he saw no problem with the district refunding the money as requested.

First reading of the following policies:

Revising the current Holidays and Annual Leave Policy for classified and certified staff to add Juneteenth Holiday for 240 and 260 employees.  The revision also includes clarification on when employees qualify for holidays and leave. 

The revisions to the policies will go into effect immediately after the second reading.

A copy of the revised policies are attached for your review.

Update Salary Schedules with the following changes: 

Change Substitute Teacher Rank 4/5-$105. to Rank 4 $110 and Rank 5 $105

Remove Stipend for Asst Superintendent of Student Services

Remove Youth Service Center Administrative Assistant Extended Days

Add Middle School Archery Stipend

Jessica Castenir, Director of Finance, discussed tax rate information and dates for tax hearing.

Discussion only.

• Forms for Discussion and Consideration - Marsha Duncan

Notice of Mental Health Assessment Referral
For Violence/Harm/Threat to Others

Notice of Mental Health Assessment Referral
For Violence/Harm/Threat to Self

• Transportation/Personnel Updates

The adjournment of this meeting of the LaRue County Board of Education

Order #600 - Motion Passed:  The adjournment of this meeting of the LaRue County Board of Education passed with a motion by Dawn Conner and a second by Ashley Reding.