By TheresaArmstrong

Reporter

tdunn@gcnnewsgazette.com

The Grayson County Board of education prepared to raise 2009 property taxes during the Thursday, August 14, meeting.

The board of education approved holding the necessary public meeting on September 4th where discussion will be held regarding the tax hike.

The board plans to raise the property taxes by the allowed four percent compensatory rate.

There were three concerned citizens in attendance at the board meeting.

Candy Mattingly voiced her concern for the need to keep the Sheriff Resource Officer in the school that the board has stopped funding.

“Having the officers in the school deters a lot of things from happening,” said Mattingly. “Is there anything we can do as parents to keep these officers in the schools?”

Teacher and Leitchfield City Councilman Jerry Schlosser appeared before the board and voiced his concern also.

“Things have changed so much in my 40 years as a teacher,” said Schlosser. “I understand money is the problem and if there is anyway we can keep both officers in the schools. I have received over 30 phone calls from concerned citizens.”

Superintendent Barry Anderson told the board and citizens he had been in contact with Sheriff Rick Clemons and together they are trying to come up with a workable solution.

“We do not have a pot of gold,” said Anderson. “The sheriff has agreed to more patrols around the school and the deputies will continue to come into the schools. "

The board also received a report from the Truancy Diversion Program.

The program began in the 2005-06 school year and its purpose is to identify students who are at risk of being referred to Family Court or District Court for truancy charges.

The program has been successful in the middle school and is now being implemented in the high school.

“There have been 27 families identified and attended our two hour workshop and none of the children have gone into the 10 week workshop,” said Program Director Lori East.

In other business the board gave:

• approval of the Revised 2008-2009 School Calendar to include eight (8) early release days.

• approval of the Proposal for Local Planning Committee Facilitator Services from the Kentucky School Boards Association.

• approval to hire RBS Designs to do building assessments for the District Facilities Plan.

• approval of the 2008-09 School Board Meeting Schedule.

• approval of the following bids for the Food Service Department; Milk, Bread and Beverages, Chemicals for the 2008-2009 school year

Food and Supplies for the fall semester of the 2008-2009 school year

• approval for Lawler Elementary School to hold two school-wide fundraisers: a walk-a-thon on August 29, 2008 and a Fall Festival on November 7, 2008. Monies from these fund raiser will be used for technology and other instructional materials and supplies.

• approval to request Emergency Certification for Margaret Atcher as Spanish Teacher at Grayson County High School.

• approval to request Emergency Certification for Melissa Newkirk as Language Arts Teacher at Grayson County Middle School.

• approval to request Emergency Certification for Ashley Johnson as Science Teacher (Biology/Chemistry) at Grayson County High School.

• approval to create a full time School-to-Home Liaison position. This will be a classified position for 187 days school year. (64 or more college hours preferred)

•approval to create a Special Needs Aide position for a student in the FMD Unit at Grayson County Middle School.

• approval to create a Special Needs Aide position at Grayson County Head Start.

• approval to reallocate basketball coaching stipends at Grayson County High School as follows: deduct $500 from each of the varsity, junior varsity and freshman stipends and apply this ($1,500) to additional assistant coach stipend.

• approval to reallocate softball coaching stipends at Grayson County High School as follows: Head Coach - $3,000; First Assistant - $1,500; Second Assistant - $1,500; and Freshman Coach - $1,400.

• approval to reallocate football coaching stipends at Grayson County High School as follows: Head Coach - $7,000 , first Assistant Coach - $4,000 Second Assistant Coach - $3,000 , assistant - $1,750, Assistant - $1,500, Assistant - $1,500, Assistant - $1,500, Assistant - $500