Christian County Board of Education members heard an update on the renovation project that is ongoing at Gateway Academy/Breathitt Center and was presented a draft budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year during Thursday night’s meeting.
Sherman Carter Barnhart’s Andrew Owens told board members there are two issues that could cause some problems in the project.
By the current pace of the division, the plans should be approved in the next few weeks so the construction process can get started. Owens adds the other issue was noted by a contractor recently.
Board members should hear more updates on the condition of the roof during the next meeting.
In other news, Director of Business Jessica Darnell presented the draft budget for the next school year. She says the draft budget does lack some key numbers that will be inserted when the funding availability is known.
In other business, board members heard a report from Dan Orman, the Training Coordinator for the Kentucky Center for School Safety. He reported there were no major safety issues at Pembroke Elementary and South Christian Elementary schools. Both schools went through an evaluation late last year and minor issues were fixed before the representatives left the schools, according to Orman. He adds school safety has become a major concern in all school districts across the state following the deadly shooting at Marshall County High School that occurred nearly one year ago.
Board members also heard from Oak Grove Mayor Theresa Jarvis and two Oak Grove citizens about bullying issues that are occurring on school buses and in the school system. Members agreed the issues need to be looked into and reminded parents that bullying issues can be reported at any time anonymously by visiting the district’s website and clicking on the STOP sign on the homepage.
Re-elected members Tom Bell, Lindsey Clark, and Jeffery Moore were sworn-in by Christian District Judge Foster Cotthoff before the meeting. The next board meeting will take place on Thursday evening, February 21 at 6:00 in the board room at the Central Office.
