Trimble County Board of Education Meets September 18, 2013

     The Trimble County Board of Education met for its regularly scheduled meeting last Wednesday in the school’s administration building. Robert Arvin, an accountant with the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative Financial Services, introduced the final budget to board members to approve for the 2013-’14 school year. He explained the changes from the projected budget back in the spring were due to a decrease in the average daily attendance, which total around a 1.4 million dollar shortfall.  Arvin continued that there was an increase in funds in the general account totally almost a million dollars and that would be helpful. The annual budget for Trimble County Schools is around 12.6 million dollars.

     After board members voted unanimously to approve the budget, the conversation about student attendance took place. High School Principal Rachael Adams instructed board members that attendance at her school continues to be a problem. She added that she and many members of her staff and students have been trying to come up with solutions to help her students avoid multiple absences. Adams said there are many different reasons why high school students are missing school.

 “Some students,” Adams said, “are missing school because they are needed at home to care for a sick parent or grandparent. “

      Board members exchanged ideas about ways to reward students for not missing school and agreed that this would be a priority for them to tackle.

Trimble County Schools Closer to Having New Athletic Facility

    The Trimble County Board of Education met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday June 5. The board heard from David Eddy, a representative from the Family Resource Center. The Family Resource Center operates under the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Eddy says he helps families with children in grades Kindergarten through Grade 5, while Denise Hall assists students in the middle and high schools. Eddy explained his position within the district as,”30% social worker, 50% educator, and 20% everything else.” He said the main part of his job was to remove barriers for academic success for all students. Eddy said it is alarming how many families in Trimble County truly need assistance. He went on to explain many of the programs that the Family Resource Center offers local families with children enrolled in Trimble County schools. One of the programs includes the weekend backpack program that Eddy explained is to, “help eliminate weekend hunger.”  The backpack program feeds nearly 162 children per week.  In addition to helping the children, the Family Resource Center helps parents earn their GEDs and offers them referrals to help find employment.

     In other news, the board heard from Bob Haferman from K. Norman Berry Associates Architects from Louisville, KY about Phase II of the athletic grounds project. He informed that board that there were some minor changes but everything was going according to plans. He said that after reviewing the cost they are between $85-90 thousand higher than initially expected. Haferman added that contractors will have to pay approximately $75 for plans to bid on the project. Plans will be made available August 6, 2013. Contractors will have 21 days to review the plans and submit sealed bids by August 27. If everything continues to go as planned construction on the new athletic compound is set to begin on Monday, September 30.

     The next school board meeting will be held Wednesday June 19 at 5:30 in the Trimble County Board of Education building. 

Trimble County High School will Host Track and Field Meets in 2015

     On Wednesday, May 1, the Trimble County school board met for its regularly scheduled meeting at the Bedford Elementary School. Eighth grade Science teacher Mrs. Teena Drake introduced part of her Student Energy Team to the board for a presentation on energy conservation. Students Kolton Starks, Daniella Tebib, Breanna Perry, Shelby Murray, Candice Neal, and Breanna Neal each informed board members about something specific they had learned throughout the year about saving energy. Board member Scott Burrows asked the students “Are you making changes at home?” The energy team members unanimously replied “Yes.”  Mrs. Drake likened the team to an energy police with manners. She pointed out how the team went around the school turning out lights in rooms that are not in use and how they politely remind other students to do the same. One student said the biggest lesson learned is to unplug electric cords to appliances that are not in use. The team will travel to Frankfort in June to receive an award on the state level.  

         In other business, the board approved the transfer of $746,508.59 from the General Fund to the Construction Fund for Phase II of the Athletics Project. Phase II of the Athletics project is to reconstruct the football field with a running Track around it as well as sand pits for Field events,  a new concession stand, bleachers for spectators, and many more much needed improvements.  If the construction goes as planned, the modernized facility will be ready for use before 2014-2015 school year begins that will allow the Track and Field team to host meets for the first time in school history as early as 2015.

     The board also agreed to approve the items on the consent agenda. The Boys’ Basketball team will be travelling to Transylvania University for a basketball camp from June 3 to June 5, 2013. Members of the Trimble County Middle School Beta club will be flying to Mobile, Alabama for the National Beta Convention June 15 through June 18. The board approved Bertke, Sparks, and Kremer as Auditors for the FY13 school year and named Roberts Insurance as the provider for Student Accident Insurance.  Balfour was awarded the bid to do the yearbooks for 2013-2014 school year and LifeTouch Portraits will be doing the student photographs.

    The next board meeting is scheduled for May 15, 2013 at 5:30 at the Trimble County School Administration Building. 

Pictured above (from Left to right) Mrs. Teena Drake, Kolton Starks, Daniella Tebib, Breanna Perry, Jaiden Beatty, Candace Neal, Shelby Murray, and Breanna Neal

Pictured above is the official drawing of Phase II of the Athletics Project at the Trimble County High School

Trimble County School Board Meeting

Trimble County Schools has approval to move forward

     The Trimble County School Board met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 3, 2013 at 5:30pm in the School Board office. Shortly after the meeting was called to order, the board approved the following individuals to serve the school as substitute teachers;  Johnathan Papal, Kathleen Adams, Lynette Barr, Catelyn Teague, and Autumn Chamness.

     In other business, the school board heard a report from Architect Bob Haferman of K. Norman Berry Associates & Architects, PLLC about the outdoor sporting facilities update at the Trimble County High School. Haferman informed the board that the Kentucky Department of Education has approved the plans for a running track around a new football field for the school’s Football and Track and Field teams. Board members have the daunting task of thinking about dates to begin the much-needed project and the different kinds of grass for the field. The board will be weighing the pros and cons of two unique start dates. Construction could begin as early as August, but the football team would not be able to host any games until next year, but the proposed project might be ready by March 2014, which would be in time to host some Track Meets. Starting the development toward the end of September would allow the football team to host a few games and continue the statewide tradition of Homecoming and Senior Night games. Different board members expressed deep concerns to accommodate everyone, but the consensus remained that it would be hard to please everyone.

     The board must reach a decision by May in order for them to move forward on the plans so they can release the architectural drawings of the facilities update to the public by June 15 to attract contractors to bid on the seven-month job by July 10.  Members of the board discussed travelling around to neighboring facilities to get some ideas about the different kinds of grass for the field. Board member Scott Burrows added that input from coaches and other athletic personnel would be important since they were the people who would be using the field.

 

     The next scheduled school board meeting is Tuesday, April 17, 2013 at 5:30 in the Trimble County school board office on Wentworth Ave in Bedford, KY.