TAX RATES AND STUDENT/STAFF RECOGNITIONS TAKE CENTER COURT AT FALLSBURG ELEMENTARY

September 18, 2018

Tax Rates and Student/Staff Recognitions Take Center Court at Fallsburg Elementary

Each school year, the Lawrence County Board of Education holds two meetings outside of Lawrence County High School.  One of the fall regular meetings is held at Fallsburg Elementary while one of the spring regular meetings is held at Blaine Elementary. 

On Monday (September 17), the Lawrence County Board of Education began their regular meeting in the Fallsburg gymnasium by recognizing the work of the Fallsburg Junior Master Gardener Club.  Members Rheanna Bateman and Bryant Moore along with the staff sponsor, Craig McDavid, shared with Board members that the Gardener Club was involved in school clean-up efforts as well as developing a butterfly garden, along with other activities.  Mr. McDavid also thanked the Lawrence County Master Gardener Organization and other community sponsors for their support.  To close this portion of the meeting, Dr. Fletcher presented each member with a Certificate of Recognition on behalf of the Board of Education, then continued with the next item on the agenda, Superintendent Communication.

Lawrence County Schools’ teachers were given the opportunity to apply for various grants during the summer, and the results did not disappoint.  First, representatives of the Kentucky Valley Education Cooperative (KVEC), which is based in Hazard, KY, awarded $1000 classroom innovation grants to Susan Adams (Louisa East), Andrea Rowland (Louisa East), Courtney Kingsmore (Louisa East), Erin Giesler (Blaine), Kim Shirkey (LCHS), David Prince (LCHS), Melissa Branham (LCHS), and Emma Price (LCHS).  Each teacher submitted applications for projects that promoted innovation in the classroom, and with the award, each teacher will be presenting their work in regional innovation conferences held at the Pikeville Expo Center. Second, the Steele-Reese Foundation group awarded a $10,000 grant to Ms. Stephanie Kirk for upgrades in the Blaine Elementary Media Center.  This was the second time that Ms. Kirk received the award on behalf of the students of Blaine Elementary.

To add to this good news, Dr. Fletcher shared other informational items:

• Director of Special Education, Mrs. Rhonda Colvin, was appointed to serve on a state-wide assessment committee.
• Superintendent Fletcher is serving on the Executive Board for the Kentucky Education Development Cooperative as well as other committees with KVEC and the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents.
• Dr. Webb, Dr. Fletcher, and all LC principals are completing teacher observations to begin the school year.
• As a reminder, all those who have retired from LC Schools can stop by the Board’s office to receive a lifetime pass into all extracurricular events held in our school system.  (Board Member James See added that this courtesy is extended to all former and current military personnel, also.)

The Board meeting continued approval of the 2018-2019 tax rates.  The Board members considered two options:  the compensating rate or the 4% increase.  While both options are dependent on the property evaluations conducted by the PVA, the compensating rate does not give the school system more money than the prior year. 

The 4% increase would essentially require property owners to pay a higher rate than the compensating rate in order for the school system to collect approximately 4% more money than the year before from tax payers.  (As a safety net, the state government would automatically assign the compensating rate to a school system if its board of education members took no action.) 

Before the vote, Dr. Fletcher informed the Board that Lawrence County has one of the lowest property tax rates in Eastern KY and ranks as the 66^th lowest when compared to the other 172 districts across the state. 

As for the motor vehicle tax, Lawrence Countians pay the 4^th lowest tax rate in the state, again, when compared to the other 172 districts.  After these discussions, the Lawrence County Board of Education voted unanimously to accept Dr. Fletcher’s recommendation of taking the compensating tax rate for 2018-19.  Along with this decision, the Board of Education voted unanimously for no increase in the utilities tax rate and for no increase in the motor vehicle tax rate.

Other items included the approval of financing two new buses, of purchasing camera systems for the remainder of the bus fleet, of purchasing internet system upgrades, and of accepting bids for snow removal.

Mrs. Barb Robinson, Mr. Jim See, Mrs. Maddlene Roberts, Mrs. Garnett Skaggs, and Mr. Heath Preston thanked the staff of Fallsburg Elementary for their hospitality prior to adjourning the meeting.

Robbie L. Fletcher, EdD

Superintendent, Lawrence County Schools

Superintendent’s Personnel Action/Update

September 17, 2018

Hiring

Lisa Methax – Instructional Assistant at Lawrence County Middle Grades Alternative Program (1-Year)

Pam Gross – Cook/Baker (7hrs) at Fallsburg Elementary School

Brandi Ash – Cook/Baker (4.5hrs) at Lawrence County High School

Substitute Bus Driver

Bradley May

Change of Position

Phillip K. Carter – from LBD Teacher at Fallsburg Elementary School to Itinerant Physical Education Teacher at Blaine Elementary School and Fallsburg Elementary School

Amy Thompson – from Cook/Baker (4.5hrs) at Lawrence County High Schools to Cook/Baker (7hrs) at Lawrence County High Schools to

Resignations

Kelly Walker – Preschool Teacher at Louisa West Elementary School

Andrea Hogston – Instructional Assistant at Louisa West Elementary School

Bradley May – Full-Time Bus Driver