Fulton County School Board approves end of 2018-2019 school year actions, updated on graduates' comparisons statewide

Fulton County Schools Superintendent Aaron Collins notified members of the Fulton County School Board June 20, of Board of Personnel actions with the resignations of Morgan Clark, fifth and sixth grade Science and Tim Stewart, Fulton County Middle School (FCMS) Special Education teachers; the retirement of Joyce Isbell as Fulton County High School (FCHS) Library Assistant; transfer of Jennifer Cothran to fourth grade Math/Science; and hiring of Donna Crouch, Four Rivers Career Academy Principal, Alisha Gourley, FCHS English teacher, Emily Mullins, Pre-K Teacher, Addison Williams, Special Education Instructional Assistant, Jennifer Burkeen as Pre-K Instructional Assistant, and Melissa Kinney as Pre-K Instructional Assistant.

Board of Education members Perry Turner, Rob Garrigan and Kim Hagler were present. Collins reported the Administrative Academic Retreat went well with discussion of the Five Star Classrooms, which gives teachers support and assistance in establishing a Five Star classroom.

“If we have a Five Star classroom, that will enable us to have a Five Star School Building. If we have a Five Star School Building, that will enable us to have a Five Star School District. This is what our goal is and what KDE (Kentucky Department of Education), is going towards and we are moving that direction as well and providing support not only to our principals and directors, but to our teachers aw well,” said Collins.

Collins referenced a report published by Kentucky Stats, called the “High School Feedback Report on College Going and Success Graduation Class of 2017”.

“There are a couple of things I want to point out to you. Overall, how graduates from this school compare to others in Kentucky showed Fulton County students scored 97.2% and the state scored 50.1%. ACT scores show Kentucky’s average in Mathematics was 192% and FCHS is above the state average at 193%. Percentage of graduates earning college and credit prior to graduation, Kentucky’s state average is at 50%, and FCHS is 97%. Percentage of graduates having industrial certification in the state is 19.9% and FCHS is at 55.6%. Percentage of graduates who are ready for college and career, state average is 65% and FCHS is at 90%,” Collins reported.

“What does this information mean? If you give students support, get them College and Career Ready, give them certifications, what is going to happen? Well, they are going to do well in school. We see that as the KEES average at FCHS is $1,796, money in their pocket to go to college, while the state average is $1,526. State grants, FCHS average need-based grant is $929, compared to the state average of $658. Average non-need grant, FCHS $1,487, compared to the state of $1,349. So, what does that mean? It means less debt. While the Kentucky average is $2,320 in Federal loans, FCHS graduates are only having loans of $1,958. I think this is positive data to share with the Board and community. Great things are going on in our school district and the support we have at all levels”, Collins said.

Board members were updated on a slight change in the 2019-2020 school schedule, certified teachers will report at 7:30 a.m., ending their day at 3:30 p.m., to help support the students and community by shifting the time slightly.

“The theme next year will continue with “Fantastic Voyage”. With this we will continue with gratitude, because there are so many things we are grateful for and want to continue with the theme. Post cards will be available for the teachers to use and be able to parents and students about being grateful,” continued Collins.

He reported construction is going full steam ahead, with bleachers and press box at Sanger Field now gone. The slab for the new bleachers will be poured with a crane helping to install the new bleachers and press box.

Building security should be in place by 2022, however, they are in the present construction plan and will be completed by September 2019 instead of waiting until 2022, Collins reported.

Actions approved by the Board included:

• Four Rivers Career Academy Inter-Local Cooperation Agreement

• 2019 Policy and Procedure Updates, including Supt. Collins’ recommendation of Amendment 03.1327, 03.2327, 06.221, relating to use of tobacco, waiting one year to allow time to prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.

• Certified Evaluation Plan for 2019-2020

• Fall sports schedule 2019-2020

• Fulton County Schools 2019-2020 Behavior Expectations (Code of Conduct Handbook), with PaTrice Chambers, Assistant Superintendent, stating, “The only changes we made to make it clearer were adding Board Policy Numbers.”

• Student related trip request for Cheer Camp

• Facilities request for the People of Diversity Committee

• 2019-2020 FCES Student Handbook

• 2019-2020 FCMS Student Handbook with one change regarding verbal threats toward teachers and administrators

• 2019-2020 FCHS Student Handbook, with main changes to include semester exams, dress code, backpacks, and prohibiting Trapper Keepers.

Supt. Collins stated, “We have a few amended job descriptions,” adding the School Counselor, and Murray State University has improved the counseling program the last five years and some of their policies have been included.

Other revisions included, for the Law Enforcement, it was noticed there was no reference as to requiring police academy graduation, so as recommended, that has been added.

Regarding the Librarian position, it will now be an Instructional Coordinator, from classified to certified position to support dual credit students. A Journalism class and interventions at the high school will now be available, as well.”

“We realized, on Instructional Aides, we had the same job description for the high school as we did for the elementary school and so we made more specific items for the high school aides,” concluded Collins.

Jennifer Davis, Financial Advisor, reported, “The Revenues, year-to-date, through May were $4,556,000, against a budget of $4,644,000. We have collected 98.09% of our budget. I took a peek at our revenues for June for Fund I and it is already $218,000. We are only $88,500 from total budget collected, putting us over budget.”

“For Total Expenses, we are at $3,391,000, against a budget of $4,644,000, only spending 73.02% of budget. Remember there are two payrolls in June that will come out, but we are still collecting better. Last year as far as receipts and revenues, we collected 98.68% of the budget in May. Expenses were $3,134,000 against a budget of $3,900,000, we had already spent 79.80% for May and only 73% this year,” Davis stated.

Garrigan asked, “Do you think the Sheriff’s Office is doing a better job collecting? If so, we need to thank them.”

Davis replied, “Yes.”

A Special Called meeting scheduled for held June 25 at 6 p.m.

Board members Jacob Goodman and Barry Patrick were absent.