August 21, 2018
LOUISA, KY — It was a double-header, of sorts, held in the LCHS Media Center on Monday night. In the first session, the Lawrence County Local Planning Committee (LPC) held a meeting to approve the draft local facility plan for the Lawrence County School System. The Lawrence County Board of Education held their Regular August Board Meeting in the second session.
At 5 PM, the LPC held its fifth planning meeting. Every four years, each school system is required to participate in a needs assessment for each school facility/building within its school district. Along with many other changes in the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), the evaluation process now involves information to be entered into a digital platform, and Lawrence County was one of the first school systems to participate in the new process. Based on this process, the LPC worked with KDE and the Ross Tarrant Architect Group to develop a draft district facility plan that included the following priorities:
* A new Louisa West Elementary School
* Upgrades in parking, site drainage, fire protection, cafeteria, kitchen, etc. at Blaine Elementary
* Upgrades in parking, plumbing, fire protection, kitchen, cafeteria, etc. at Fallsburg Elementary
* Upgrades in roofing, gutters, downspouts, ADA accessibility, HVAC, etc. at Louisa Middle
* Upgrades in HVAC, roofing, gutters, etc. at Louisa East
* District-wide safety, security, technology, and energy efficiency upgrades
* An Area Technology Center for LCHS
Other items included in the facility plan that are considered non-educational and/or discretionary by the KDE include:
* Construction of an auditorium for LCHS
* Renovation/construction of concession stands, locker rooms, restroom facilities for football, soccer, and other fields.
* Exterior upgrades in the fitness facility
The Local Planning Committee is comprised of 20 members. As required, the committee has equal membership from each school in Lawrence County and includes central office and other community members. After the unanimous approval of the draft plan (by those present) and a discussion of the planning timeline, the local planning committee meeting adjourned.
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In the last meeting of the day, the Lawrence County Board of Education Regular Meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence honoring the late Mrs. Nancy Perry, a former teacher.
As part of the monthly Superintendent’s Update, Dr. Fletcher expressed his and the Board’s gratitude for Pat Derifield’s and the Pathways organization’s sponsorship of the Opening Day Breakfast that is held to start each school year. Dr. Fletcher also informed the Board about other happenings including the Lawrence County Professional Learning Conference, the start of the sports season, and the scheduling of one of the biggest events of the school year—Homecoming.
While the Board approved several items on the agenda, the topic that involved the most discussion was the local facility plan. Dr. Fletcher explained to the Board that, while no one wants to pay more taxes, the nickel tax will be necessary to build a new Louisa West Elementary as well as to afford some of the upgrades that were listed for each school. Board Chair Heath Preston emphasized the fact that our students deserve the best facilities and that the school system was “past due” on several needed facility upgrades throughout the district. The Board also discussed the need for the support of the entire county for the nickel tax since it will be on the ballot in November.
The Board continued with approvals of the Revised School Resource Officer contracts with the City of Louisa and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, the District Improvement Plan Committee members, the Certification of the Yearly Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Schools statement, and other items.
The Board meeting adjourned prior to 7 PM.
