Mark Bell

Contributing Writer

At a recent meeting of the Harlan County Board of Education, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Brent Roark, provided his monthly update on system initiatives:

Operation Preparation was completed in March and was praised by both the students and the community volunteers who donated their time to complete ILP (individual learning plan) reviews with students, Roark reported. This will become an annual event at the high school.

A total of 28 students passed the Work Keys exam recently administered by Southeast KCTCS. Adding the students currently in the Medicaid Nurses’ Aide class who also passed their exam, that brings the total to more than 40 who will be qualified as “college and career ready” according to state standards, which is up from zero, Roark said.

“Cooperative efforts by the high school counselors and administrators, the high school CTE department, and the administration of Southeast KCTCS have resulted in a tremendous increase in the number of our students who will be labeled ‘college and career ready’ by the new KDE (Kentucky Department of Education) model,” Roark said. “The exact numbers will be released by KDE in the fall. College and career readiness accounts for 20 percent of the high school score.”

All math textbooks have arrived and are currently held in storage, he noted. Distribution to the schools will begin this coming week and a series of trainings will be conducted throughout the summer on the resourced included with the new textbooks as well as the development of pacing guidelines.

“I am proud to say that next year, every student in Harlan County Schools will have a new math textbook,” Roark commented.

Recently all fourth-graders attended the Coal and STEAM Day event in Benham.

“The event went smoothly and we appreciate the work and effort of the Kentucky Coal Academy in that project,” he told the board.

With the collaboration and participation of Southeast KCTCS, the county school system currently offers up to 15 dual-credit courses, Roark said. Basic public speaking will be added to the list in 2012-13. Many of these courses are offered at half the normal tuition cost, and Roark noted the outstanding benefit that arrangement provided to the district’s students.

In other business, the board:

* Accepted an employment report from Superintendent Tim Saylor noting the retirement of five certified staff, and the employment of one certified and four classified staff members

* Paid claims in the aggregate amount of $1,565,338.16

* Approved advertising for bus maintenance parts and supplies for the 2012-2013 fiscal year

* Approved advertising for bids on gasoline and diesel fuel to be used in Board owned vehicles and school buses for the 2012-2013 fiscal year

* Approved advertising for bids on tires for all board owned vehicles for the 2012-2013 fiscal year

* Designated physician and Medical Review Officer (MRO) for school bus drivers for 2012-2013 fiscal year

* Approved stipend of $800 for Harlan County High School assistant tennis coach

* Approved the District’s Technology Plan for July 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2013

* Approved service agreement with Pitney Bowes

* Approved extra service pay scale for the 2012-2013 school year

* Approved out of state trips for:

* James A. Cawood Elementary School 21st Century Summer Learning Camp to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tenn., June 18-19, 2012

* Rosspoint elementary primary (K-3) to Gatlinburg, Tenn., Ripley’s Aquarium, May 4, 2012

* Rosspoint Elementary fourth and fifth grade academic team to Harrogate, Tenn., Hillcrest Lanes, May 2, 2012

* Evarts Elementary School Junior Beta Club to Pigeon Forge, TN, May 3, 2012

* Evarts Elementary School proficient and distinguished assessment students to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., May 11, 2012

* Green Hills Elementary School fourth-seventh grade academic team, to Washingon, D.C., June 11-14, 2012

* Evarts elementary school fifth grade academic team to Kings Mill and Cincinnati, Ohio, May 14-16, 2012

* Cawood elementary perfect attendance and yearly honor roll students to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., May 3, 2012

* Rosspoint elementary eighth grade to Dollywood, May 3, 2012

* Evarts elementary second grade to Knoxville, Tenn., on April 20, 2012

* Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Work Keys completers to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., May 3 or 5 depending upon bus driver availability

* Approved payment of $1,618 to Linville Insurance Agency for Commercial Property policy (Due Date of May 2, 2012)

* Approved payment of $232,590.15 to Green Construction Company and $125,426.71 to various vendors for work completed on Harlan County High School football field.