Fulton Co. Schools recognized for energy cost reductions

The Fulton County Board of Education met Sept. 27 to discuss the State Accountability results, named the Best Pilot on Board, and hear a presentation by Harshaw Trane.

Superintendent Aaron Collins announced the Best Pilot on Board was recognized as being an individual who “Always shows Pilot Pride,” “Always has a smile on her face,” “Runs the High School cafeteria like a champ,” “Cares about the students,” “Actively participates in school spirit activities,” “Always willing to go above and beyond,” “Very friendly towards students and staff,” “Makes sure all kids are fed.”

This award is given monthly, with the recipient presented a plaque, and gift certificates from the Life Skills Class at Fulton County and Broadway Pizza. This month’s Best Pilot on Board is Tanesha Pierce.

Larry Davis, Harshaw Trane, said, “This is exciting when I get to represent our organization and recognize a school district that is achieving this level of achievement. The Energy Star Program is a third party program that recognizes facilities for actions they are taking to control and reduce their energy costs. It is a competitive process, measured against peer facilities. Fulton County schools has exceeded in their performance. I am here tonight to recognize and present these Energy Star plaques.”
“Credit to Mr. Collins and Mr. Jackson for the work they are doing in the forward thinking and the Board has shown in making sure these school facilities are doing the best they can to reduce their energy costs and keep their systems on line, as well as to the faculty and staff at each of the schools for individual behavior to helping control the school costs. This is money saved and goes right back into the school programs,” continued Davis.

Collins said, “Larry, as you guys know, Harshaw Trane has been a great partner with Fulton County Schools for the last several years. This relationship started about the first day I arrived when I called Brian Given and told him I don’t know when I can use his assistance, but I need his assistance. Real quickly after that the Board realized the savings and bonding potential and availability to be able to do much of the improvements we have done at the elementary, middle and high school. I know Ellen constantly states that it is a different culture and atmosphere when other schools come and see us and visit us. The first thing they notice is our bathrooms smell fresh, and comfortable, and the lighting, because of Harshaw Trane and the renovations were able to be completed only because of energy savings contract with them. Thank you, Larry for your partnership.”

Superintendent Collins reported the hiring of Katrina Campbell as a Certified Substitute, and La’Vetta Lockridge as an Assistant Girls Basketball coach.

Collins reviewed the State Accountability coming down from the state, where he is a part of the accountability system council, with the transition period the schools are in now and the 2017-18 changes.

“The Transition Period is new. There is now CSI, TSI, and Other. I never knew I would be excited to be called ‘Other’. What they are going to is a Five Star System. This was to meet the Federal Standards, so 2018-19 will be a Five Star System. Elementary/Middle School Science results on new science assessments are now aligned with academic standards in science,” reported Collins.

“High School Transition Readiness replaces College and Career Readiness, which you will no longer hear. It will now be Transition Readiness. The whole idea is for transitioning from high school to their career or college, with a new school report card. CSI is comprehensive, the over-all bottom five percent based on three categories, which I was able to go to the Kentucky Department of Education to create those cut scores. Fortunately, we are blessed, we don’t have any CSI schools,” continued Collins.
“The State is looking at growth projection. I just don’t know there should be an accountability system based on a projection instead of what has really happened. The State looks at taking it unilaterally and figuring what the projection growth is by the student by their test scores. This is not how we look at it. We want every student to grow every year, but to grow by projection, I don’t know that is a fair assessment, fair accountability,” continued Collins.

Collins reported wo students came and spoke with him about starting a Bass Fishing team.

He said he gave the gentlemen an agenda of items to do. They have completed the items and talked with Fulton County High School Principal Ellen Murphy and have started a Bass Fishing Club. Depending on how things go they could come before the regarding the team’s designation as a sports program in the future.

PaTrice Chambers, Assistant Superintendent, reported on the District Academics, as well as the scores.

The Elementary School is “Other” on the Accountability System. The goal for the District was 45%, and several categories acquired this goal.

Fulton County Elementary School tested 37 third graders in Reading and Math. In Reading seven received proficient and eight distinguished, which equals 46% Proficient/Distinguished (P/D). In Math, 15 were proficient and four distinguished, 54% P/D.

Fourth grade had 44 students testing in Reading 21 proficient and six distinguished, or 65%, Math 19 proficient and eight distinguished equaling 66%, and Science five proficient equaling 5/44, equals 12%.

There were 48 students in the Fifth grade who tested and scored 19 proficient and eight distinguished, equaling 61% in reading, 13 proficient and four distinguished, equaling 38% in Math, 22 proficient and five distinguished, equaling 62% in Social Studies, and nine proficient and one distinguished, equaling 22% in On Demand Writing (ODW).

Fulton County Middle School had 42 students in sixth grade scored 18 proficient and 10 distinguished, equaling 73% in Reading, and 18 proficient and eight distinguished, equaling 67% in Math.

Thirty-four seventh grade students scored 20 proficient and six distinguished, equaling 81% in Reading, 15 proficient and five distinguished, equaling 67% in Math, and one proficient and one distinguished, equaling .07% in Science.

Brian Hood, principal at Fulton County Middle School and former Science teacher stated, “Our curriculum is nowhere close to what the test was. This is one reason we redesigned the entire Science curriculum in the middle school. It is completely different. We were able to do this without buying textbooks. We found curriculum online for $500. You can buy approximately three textbooks for $500.”

Eighth grade had 41 students testing in Reading - 20 proficient and 13 distinguished, equaling 89%, Math - 20 proficient and four distinguished, equaling 61%, Social Studies - 26 proficient and seven distinguished, equaling 85%, and ODW - nine proficient and one distinguished, equaling 25%.

Fulton County High School received 18.1 on ACT Composite Score and ODW has 22 proficient and four distinguished, equaling 62%. The goal for the High School ACT is 20.

Chambers continued, “I have an acronym for us – WWAD - What We Are Doing District-wide. Robbie Rudolph sponsors the Pilot Reading program by giving books to every student in Kindergarten through third grade. SRA – Dr. Grant comes from Murray State University to help the students, paid for by Rudolph. We are continuing Learning Checks. We have SRA for Interventions. The Middle School has seventh and eighth grade students going to different programs. The ACT is now given on campus for 10th – 12th grade with 50 students signed up to take the test Oct. 9. Kerri McConnel and Deena Anderson will administer the tests.

The Board voted to purchase a 78 passenger bus, with a carriage below, for $113,575. They will finance this amount at a rate of 2.85%.

Jennifer Davis, Fulton County Schools Financial Officer, reported, “The final draft for the 2018-19 school year working budget includes revenues at $4,661,00, and expenditures must be the same. Last year’s actual budget was $4,316,500 an increase of $344,500 for revenues over prior year. The carry forward balance last year $143,000. This year we will carry forward $661,000, which is where we need to be. We were in a bad cash flow situation last year. We need at least three month’s salary carry forward to help our budget. Our increase is $518,000 in carryover. Our contingency banked is $227,000, last year’s $237,000, state requires you to have 2% and we have 4% in our contingency.