001I call to order this meeting of the Kawita County Board of Education agenda 8:49 6:30 p.m. September the 9th, 2025. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence to the flag of the United States of America to the republic. stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. You may be seated. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Dr. Horton recognitions. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this time, I'm going to call on public information officer Dean Jackson to bring you our recognition for tonight, which is our core business from Atinson Elementary School. We have fourth and fifth grade reach students who are here with us tonight. And I'm going to
002call on Principal Ben Charlton to introduce his staff and students. Good evening. My name is Ben Tarlton and I am the proud principal of Axen Elementary School. We are so excited and honored to have the opportunity to share with you some of the incredible things happening at Axent Elementary School. Understanding that the five-year KY County school system strategic plan highlights the importance of fostering a learning culture where students are provided the advanced opportunities that promote creativity, innovation, collaborative problem solving. We have focused our efforts accordingly. At Akinson, we also recognize the significance of implementing differentiated researchbased strategies to enhance student engagement and to pro promote higher order thinking. The focus is also part of our school improvement plan. This evening, I am pleased to have with me Miss Holly Py, our outstanding reach teacher, and
003some of our fabulous students here from Ason. today will showcase the instructional practices that are used in the classroom. >> Thank you, Mr. T. I am also pleased to have my fabulous students here with me and they are ready to show you some of what they have learned in fourth and fifth grade reach. We are focusing on applying literature to real world problem solving through hands-on STEM integration. To meet our ELA and science standards, we began a cup and stick warm-up challenge, which my students would like to see if you can take on the challenge after we are finished. Um, by um creating a structure with limited materials that could support weight. Building on that experience, they then designed and built raph models with similar materials to represent the events that occurred in the novel
004the Kay, which we have started reading as a class. The goal was to strengthen comprehension and critical thinking while making a meaning meaningful self-detect connection and real world connections through engineering design. In this class, we are asked to apply ourselves each day by thinking creatively and solving problems through hands-on challenges. All right. Are y'all ready for a challenge? Okay. That is That is good. >> There we go. >> We got it. >> Very good. That's great. >> Oh, I like where she did it. Okay. kids. My daughter-in-law is a civil engineer and civil engineers even in college, they have competitions for college kids, college students of building bridges with cups and popsicle sticks and toothpicks and those kind of things. So, u this actually this is college college level work and you're getting real world
005experience. So, that's great. parents, thank you for being here and bringing them. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes of August the 12th, 2025? >> So move. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes five to zero with Miss Barnett abstaining because she was not here. Okay. Uh Dr. Horton, action items, group one. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first item I have for you in group one tonight is to approve the FY26 local board governance training plan. Uh that plan is attached board members. It is due to the Department of Education September 30th. Uh you may recall this is something that we do typically every September. Uh so I recommend approval of the local board governance training plan. Superintendent is recommending approval of the FY26 local
006board governance training plan. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. The next item I have for you in group one is to approve the naming of the Northgate High School softball and tennis facility. Dr. Ashley Wils, principal of Northgate High School, request approval to name the Tennis and Softball Complex the Skeleton Softball and Tennis Center in honor of Coach Lisa Skelton. Uh board members, of course, you'll recall she was uh at Northgate for years, a very influential member of the Northgate community and very successful um softball and tennis coach there. So, with that, I recommend approval. Superintendent's recommended approval of naming of the Northgate High School softball and tennis facility after coach Lisa Skelton. I have a motion to approve. >> So moved.
007>> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. >> Board members, this is the policy that we brought to you last month. The policy sat at the table for the last 30 days with no public comment. So with that, I send it to Dr. Horton to submit approval for policy CI superintendent evaluation. >> Recommend approval. >> The superintendent is recommending the policy revision of the policy that covers superintendent evaluations. Do I have a motion to approve? Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. >> The last item I have for you in group one is to approve acknowledgement of an economic development agreement. Uh approval was requested to acknowledge anou uh with Kawiti County Development Authority and the Kawi County Board of Commissioners uh for a tax
008incentive a pilot agreement regarding a $20 million expansion project for an existing industry that's Yokagawa Corporation of America copy of theou is attached. Mr. Chair, I recommend approval. >> Superintendent is recommending approval of acknowledgement of economic development agreement. uh as stated. Uh do I have a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Uh action item group two bids. Dr. Horton. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. The only item that we have in group two tonight is to approve central educational center renovation, modifications, and addition. A bid for that project. Approval was requested for a proposal to construct additions, renovations, and modifications to the central educational center. Media Construction Company submitted the high-scoring proposal for this project with a total score of 93 and a half points
009and a total bid of 22,742,000. Uh the bid scorecard and tabulation are attached. Um Mr. Chair, I do recommend approval. Also want to mention that this is being done if approved uh in um conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Central Educational Center. So right on schedule for uh maintenance and renovation. The superintendent has recommended approval of the modifications renovation in addition to the central education center uh for media construction. And Mr. Mr. You'll go back to that amount. I believe 22,742,000. Do I have a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Thank you. Uh action item group three trips. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this time, I'll call on director of administrative services, Dr. Jamal Kim, to bring you trips tonight.
010Dr. Kim. >> Thank you, Dr. Horton. The principal at East Kawita Middle School requests approval to take the band and chorus members to Orlando, Florida from Wednesday, April the 1st through Saturday, April the 4th, 2026. Three days of school will be missed. There will be no cost to the school system. Principal at Rof Hill Elementary School requests approval for the Junior Beta Club to participate in the state convention in Savannah, Georgia on Wednesday, December the 3rd, Thursday, December the four through Thursday, December the 4th, 2025. The students will miss two days of school. There will be no cost to the school system. Principal of Madress Middle School requests permission for the band and core students to be allowed to travel to Orlando, Florida from Friday, March the 13th through Sunday, March the 15th, 2026. Students
011will not miss any instructional days and there will be no cost to the school system. The principal of Northgate High School requests permission for the marching band to travel and perform at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida from Thursday, April the 23rd through Saturday, April the 25th, 2026. This will require students to miss two days of school and there will be no cost to the school system. And finally, principal of Nan High School requests the approval of athletic department to compete in the cross country invitation in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Saturday, September 13th through Sunday, September the 14th, 2025. The students will miss no days of there will be no days missed of school and there will be no cost to the school system. >> Board members, all five trips do meet board policy IFCB. And with
012that, I recommend approval of all five. The superintendent is recommending approval of the five trips uh just presented by Dr. Kemp. East Kawita Middle School, Ruth Hill Elementary School, Madress Middle School, Northgate High School, and Nunan High School. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Superintendent report. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this time, I'll call on assistant superintendent for finance, Mr. Chapman to bring your budget report and sales tax. Mr. Chapman, >> finance report. Uh we're in our second month of our fiscal year. We were under budget $2,250. So about as close as we can get. Cumulative, we're a little over 900,000 over for the year. Not uncommon this time of year. Sales tax collections a little over $3.6 million. Year-over-year increase
013is a little over 2.7%. So real good numbers. >> Thank you, Mr. Chapman. Call on Dr. Kemp once again to bring you staff and student attendance. Dr. Kemp, >> for the first attendance reporting period of this school year, the school with the highest staff attendance was Glenon Elementary. The highest student attendance in the program area was Central Educational Center. The highest elementary student attendance was Arbor Springs and Cangate Elementary. The highest middle school student attendance was Madress Middle School. And the highest high school student attendance goes to Home of the Cougars, Nunan High School. Thank you, Dr. Kim. Board members, for your board goal report tonight, I just want to highlight um an item that we actually discussed in board goal report last month, which was our Cogna accreditation visit. Uh last week, we had
014the pleasure uh of having uh Cogna, a group from Cognia, come uh virtually and uh and do an accreditation visit for our school system. While we're still waiting on that report, uh I will tell you that early feedback from the team was very very wellreceived. Got good early feedback from them. Hope to have at least a preliminary port report here in the next few weeks. Uh but everything is on track for accreditation and we had a very enjoyable visit last week. So I wanted to bring that to you. Uh the last item that I have tonight is facilities and construction report. Uh you can see the final pay request on noon and highest has been submitted. We're still waiting on that door hardware uh to be installed. Closeout documents have been received. Uh so we'll
015hopefully get that one closed out here pretty quick. Of course, you heard earlier about Central Educational Center. We're excited to begin that project uh here in the next month or so uh so we can renovate uh and and do an addition over there. Uh Arnold Kitchen re-roof just waiting on closeout documents there. shield projects. Actually got information from Miss Ingram today uh that the fire marshall has inspected the shield projects and they're all up and running at all of our remaining middle schools. Waiting closeout documents on sewer upgrades that we did over the summer at East Side and Arco. Uh waiting on closeout documents on floor covering uh that we did at Nan High School in Arco Sergeant and at East Side this summer. Uh and then of course central office modifications that you may
016have seen when you walk in. Uh everything is installed there. Doors have been stained. I think we're waiting on the final inspection on that one. Uh Northgate High School softball hitting facility. If you've been out there, of course, we have steel up. Uh the netting, artificial turf, and bases should be delivered uh sometime here uh this week or next and we anticipate having that project being completed here in the next couple weeks. Uh and that is all I have on the facility report tonight. Mr. Chair, >> thank you. Doc, thank you Dr. Gordon. At this time we normally set aside we do set aside time for public comments. Um we do not have anyone signed up to speak tonight. Uh the public is always welcome u to to come and speak at the meetings and
017we thank those that are here and those that are watching online. Thank you very much. Next is board comments. Do I have any board comments for tonight? Hearing none. Do I have a motion to approve to enter into executive session to discuss personnel, real estate, and potential litigation? >> Second. >> All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Thanks again, everyone.