The Harlan County School District did its best Academy Awards imitation Thursday, presenting trophies and plaques to members of the faculty and staff during programs at Cawood High School and the district's central office.

During the Harlan County Academic Award Celebration at the JACHS Little Theater, before the regular meeting of the board, the schools that scored the highest on the CATS test were honored.

Johnny Ashurst, a math consultant for the district, presented a program outlining the progress made by the county schools since 2000.

Ashurst said Harlan County ranked last among 20 southeastern Kentucky county districts in 2000 with a score of 52.3. He said the district gained 20.2 points by 2006, the third-fastest growing county district in the region. He also noted that 46 percent of the district's students were ranked as novice in 2000, compared to just over 14 percent in 2007.

"There has been a lot of hard work and effort each day by our teaching staff, by our administrators,"said Harlan County Schools Superintendent Tim Saylor. "We're trying to get that information out and let people know we are educating our students and are trying our best to provide the best education we possibly can, because that's what it's all about.

"We have to continue to make progress, working as hard as we can possibly work to continue our success. I believe we will."

Cawood Elementary School received the top honor of the night with the CATS Leadership Award. Saylor said the large "traveling trophy" would be awarded each year. He noted Wallins Elementary School had posted the top score the previous four years.

Honored as the most improved schools were Hall Elementary School and Evarts High School.

Cawood and Rosspoint elementary schools received awards for surpassing benchmarks in 2007.

Receiving awards for recording an academic index over 100 were:

Black Mountain Elementary School - middle school science (122.5) and middle school arts and humanities (101.7).

Cawood Elementary School - elementary school social studies (120.6), elementary school arts and humanities (104.5), elementary school practical living/vocational studies (105.2), middle school science (101.9), elementary school reading (103.9) and elementary school science (111.1).

Evarts Elementary School - middle school science (116.8) and middle school practical living/vocational studies (105.6).

Rosspoint Elementary School - elementary school science (105.9) and elementary school practical living/vocational studies (105.6).

Wallins Elementary School - elementary school social studies (105.3), elementary school arts and humanities (112.7) and elementary school writing (102).

The district employee of the year awards were distributed during the regular meeting of the board. Winners included:

Elementary Teacher of the Year - John Carter, Hall Elementary;

Middle School Teacher of the Year - Jeff Ramsey, Cawood Elementary;

Secondary Teacher of the Year - Ovie Canady, Evarts High;

Student Support Services Employee of the Year - Sevena Gray, James A. Cawood High School;

Media Specialist - Tammy Fields, Black Mountain Elementary;

Guidance Counselor of the Year - Scott Shepherd, Evarts High School;

Administrator of the Year - Mike Cox, Principal, Cawood Elementary;

Custodian of the Year - Victoria Brite, Cawood Elementary;

Central Office Employee of the Year - Linda Hendrickson, Attendance Auditor;

First-Year Teacher of the Year - Curtis Rezek, Cumberland Elementary;

Food Services Employee of the Year - Tammy Wright, Rosspoint Elementary;

Support Staff Employee of the Year - Janet White, James A. Cawood High School;

Maintenance Employee of the Year - Greg York; James A. Cawood High School;

Transportation Employee of the Year - Larry McGaffee, James A. Cawood High School.

Saylor presented attendance awards to Evarts Elementary School and Cumberland High School for September and Green Hills Elementary School and Cumberland High School for October.

The board also heard the second reading and approved the district's MRSA policy.

In other action, the board:

-- Approved payment of claims in the aggregate amount of $2,291,929.93;

-- Approved paying Clotfelter-Samokar $152,900.48 for work completed on Harlan County High School;

-- Approved revised BG-1 for Harlan County High School;

-- Approved paying D.W. Wilburn $1,180,861.69 for Harlan County High School and various vendors for items used in construction of Harlan County High School in the amount of $400,878.87;

-- Purchased three buses;

-- Declared boiler section as surplus for sale by sealed bid;

-- Declared an old house near Evarts High School as surplus and have it torn down to meet new guidelines passed by the Evarts City Council.