Principal of Temple Hill Elementary Cory Edwards presents his Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) based on his school's Kentucky Assessment Scores release in Nov. 2023. Temple Hill Elementary was one of three schools that presented their CSIPs at the meeting on Jan. 11 the others being Hiseville and Red Cross Elementaries. Michael Crimmins/Glasgow News 1.
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
In what was perhaps the best attended Barren County Board of Education meeting, the five board members — along with superintendent Bo Matthews, and numerous school personnel, Barren County School students and family members, and various school principals — converged on the district’s central office for the monthly meeting. Among the lengthy agenda was a slew of student, staff and school recognitions and an update on the numerous construction projects the district is undertaking.
Roughly a quarter of the 2 hour meeting was dedicated to recognitions. Temple Hill Principal Cory Edwards presented Gary Carter as the student of the month, Instructional Assistant Jonita Shives with the classified employee of the month plaque and Teacher Kristin Paiz with the certified employee of the month award.
After that was concluded CheyAnne Fant, director of Nutrition Services, recognized each school in the district and presented them with the “America’s Healthiest School” award, which the school’s received for “implementing evidence-based practices to support the physical, mental, and social-emotional health needs of their learning community.” According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s website, there are nine topic areas spanning from “increasing family and community engagement” to “bolstering physical education and activity.”
Eastern, North Jackson, Red Cross, Temple Hill elementaries and both Barren County middle and high schools performed well in seven of the nine categories while Austin Tracy and Park City elementaries received eight. Hiseville Elementary received five.
“We have a great nutrition service director,” Assistant Superintendent Cortni Crews said.
At the meeting several elementary schools received awards for “implementing PBIS — Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support — with fidelity.”
“One of the most important things we do in this district,” Crews said. “So many times you hear about the negatives…instead of punishing the negatives this is about celebrating the kids that are doing what they’re supposed to. It’s very important work.”
Temple Hill and Hiseville Elementaries received silver classification while Red Cross, Austin Tracy and North Jackson elementaries and the middle school were given gold classifications. Each school was given a banner and a sticker to display. The three seniors who won the Congressional App Challenge were also recognized.
Once the board members and department heads returned from a brief break, Tommy Gumm, board chair for Alliance Corporation, provided them with an update on the Barren County High School Renovation Project, which was approved at the Augusts 2023 meeting and included the baseball press box, the art museum, the kitchen and numerous other areas.
According to Gumm the press box has the roof and the framing up with roughly 65 percent of the mechanical and electrical in place. He said the company has laid roughly 60 percent of the foundation for the art museum and dug out the elevator pit in the gymnasium.
The agriculture classrooms and shop are set to begin in March while the kitchen will begin “as soon as school lets out.”
“All-in-all, it seems like everything is going pretty good and on schedule right now,” Gumm said.
In the vein of construction the board members discussed the construction of a two lane access road that would run behind the middle and high schools with the intent to improve traffic flow on Trojan Trail. Gumm told the board that they would likely have construction documents to approve at the February meeting with bids that need approval at the March meeting. In pursuit of that goal, the board approved the purchase of 11.33 acres beside the middle school.
“Obviously the road’s not going to take up [the whole space] so the land could be used for other things, too, but that’d be up to the board,” said Joe Murley, director of finance.
“There’s obviously some needs that space could address but we have no plans for what’s going to be there next,” Matthews said in response. “That’s up to the board to deliberate on, but the property’s main goal was the access road that will alleviate traffic on [Trojan Trail].”
Gumm’s “best guess” for when the access road could be used was in the fall 2024 school year.
The next Barren County Schools Board of Education meeting is set for Feb. 8.
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