FULTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS PREPARE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION TO CONTINUE STUDENT INSTRUCTION THROUGH AT HOME BASIS, ASSOCIATED WITH VIRUS OUTBREAK

With Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asking the state's Superintendents to be prepared to close school for at least one week, possibly longer, beginning as early as Monday, March 16, members of the Fulton Independent Schools Board of Education, during special called session at 5:45 p.m. March 12, approved the emergency application for Non-Traditional Instructional Days for students, and shortly after the meeting's adjournment, Superintendent Dr. DeAnna Miller officially approved the commencement of NTI days for Fulton Independent Schools, set to begin on March 16, through March 27.

Non-Traditional Instruction days, known as NTI days, will allow students to continue their students away from the school campuses, as they will be provided with up to 10 days of classroom materials. As of Thursday the process was initiated to prepare packets for all students, grades Preschool through 12.

Board members Debbie Vaughn, Bill Robertson, Rea Jones, Christy Pettigrew and Carol Bransford, heard from FIS Superintendent Dr. DeAnna Miller that following a staff meeting yesterday, teachers began the compilation of individual folders for students in FIS, with materials compliant with Kentucky's academic standards, as well as paper and pencils, contact information for each teacher, assistant and support staff.

Specific assignments and lessons are included in the packet, Dr. Miller said, and upon return to school, each student's folder will be reviewed, with assignments checked and recorded for completion. That information, as well as additional information will be forwarded to Kentucky Department of Education, and a determination will then be made as to whether the student is counted present for those days out, or absent, Miller said. The NTI days would be considered regular instruction days, with teachers working those days, logging their activities, checking in with each of their students on a daily basis, fielding questions and assistance, as well as engaging in staff meetings and professional development.

It was noted that the duration could be less than 10 days, however 10 days of instructional lesson materials was included.

Electronic communication will also be made available to those students or parents who choose to communicate with faculty in that manner, Dr. Miller said.

The Superintendent stated she will be in attendance for a meeting of regional superintendents in Eddyville Friday morning, March 13, to discuss the pros and cons of actions to be taken by each district, ideally, Dr. Miller, for each district to give consideration to cooperation between the districts, for example, Fulton County, Fulton Independent and Hickman County School districts, whose students all utilize the Four Rivers Vocational center facility in Hickman.

Once information is gathered there and discussion held, Dr. Miller said she anticipates being able to make a final determination, early afternoon on Friday, as to what will transpire in the weeks ahead in regard to dismissals.

On a side note, Dr. Miller reminded the board, should the district take 10 days for the Non-Traditional Instructional Days, they would return to school for only one week, prior to dismissal for the calendar-scheduled Spring Break. She said she had taken an unofficial poll of faculty and staff as to the possibility of revising the dates for Spring Break, to be observed a week earlier than previously approved by the board, to allow for three continuous weeks of classes dismissed at each campus, instead of one week in between, however Dr. Miller said she would keep the board updated as to that possibility.

In the Non-Traditional Instruction Program, Temporary Emergency Application for the 2019-2020 school year, provided to board members in their meeting packet, addressed was how the district would deliver instruction on the non-traditional days, the method by which the Superintendent and the DPP will collect all documentation to forward to the Kentucky Department of Education such as district wide student participation rates, district wide teacher participation rates, lesson plans and or student work samples from each grade span, staff work forms, student contact logs and faculty meeting agendas and minutes.

Upon students' first day returning to school campuses following the NTI days, the packets will be turned in to teachers, reviewed, and students will be counted as present upon the packet of studies' completion, and will be counted as absent should the packet not be completed.

Teachers will maintain daily contact with students and students and parents have been provided with contact information for teachers in the event there are questions in regard to each day's lessons in the packet. Electronic communication may also be engaged for students and parents with that resource.

In the personnel report presented during the special called session Thursday evening, appointments included Melissa Clark, Softball Coach, Kenneth Irvine, Assistant Softball Coach, Donald Mason, Assistant Baseball Coach, Zach Howard, Volunteer Assistant Baseball Coach and Steven Langford, Part time custodian. A resignation was submitted by Maria Jackson, part time custodian.

A fundraiser was submitted and approved by Dr. Miller for Carr Elementary's Spring Fling event, March 28, to be held in the Carr Library and Cafeteria, with funds generated to be used for end of year field trips.

Overnight trips and travel for the Superintendent were given board approval, for March 16-17, to Frankfort for KASA ALI Training meeting, likely to be online; March 25-26 to Frankfort for the Gifted Advisory meeting, no cost to the district; and April 16-17, Victoria Fellows training in Bowling Green.

Lawn Care Bids were accepted for a second time, from Feb. 26 to March 5, with bids opened March 6 by Finance Officer Becky Fisette. Kim Farmer documented the information and Kent Green witnessed the procedure.

Lawn care service had been provided by Blackwell Cutting Edge Lawn Service since March 14, 2017. Building and Grounds Supervisor Kent Green has made the recommendation to award the contract to Bailey's Lawn and Landscaping, due, in part, to double mowing of the football field.

Bids were submitted by Blackwell Cutting Edge, for $345 per mowing to include mowing, trimming, edging sidewalks, removing debris from sidewalks, mulching two times per season, shrubs, Board of Education weed control, with the bid at $380 per mowing for double mowing included.

A bid was submitted by Bailey's Lawn and Landscape for $345 per mowing, for weekly double mowing, weed eating, edging, blowing sidewalks, board of education, no charge, Carr, $75, FHS, $85, includes practice field every two weeks and football field, $85; $600 landscaping, frequency to be determined based on need and agreement with the board of education, includes BOE, $350, 40 bags, mulch; Carr, no charge, six bags, mulch and FHS, $250, 30 bags mulch.

A bid was submitted by Connell Cutting Edge, Steve Connell, $600 per 7 day mowing cycle or as needed, includes mowing, weed eating, chemical application, blowing sidewalks, of all properties, landscaping two times per year, May and July, weeding flower beds, mulching, with additional services for mulching, pruning, landscaping and sod.

The board approved the contract with Bailey's Lawn and Landscaping for the 2020 mowing season.