Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Board of Education approved a 1 percent bonus to full-time school system employees and created several new teaching positions at Tuesday night’s meeting at Morgantown Elementary School gym.
 
Superintendent Scott Howard recommended passage of the Full Time Employee Non-Reoccurring 1 Percent Supplemental Payment, and Treasurer Eric Elms said it would be the first extra money for full-time school system employees since 2009.  Each full-time employee would get a minimum of $200; the total gross payment to full-time employees will be around $109,000.  The Board unanimously approved the bonus.
 
The Board approved creation of several teaching positions in the school system.  Most of the discussion focused on creating a Math Interventionist teaching position for BCHS and BCMS.  Math is an area in the school district that needs improvement, a trend that BCMS Principal Robert Tuck said was echoed statewide.  Howard said the district is not ready to hire someone right away, but the position needs to be created; he said the pay scale would be teacher’s aide level rather than teacher level.  The Board approved creation of a Language Arts/Reading teaching position at BCMS, a new position for FY 15.  The Board also created an Art/Drama teaching position at BCMS for FY 15, a current position that had been funded through a contract with Western Kentucky University.  The Board approved an FMLA request for a teacher at NBES.
 
An increase of 5 cents for school meal prices was approved by the Board; Howard stressed that the increase was needed to stay in compliance with Section 205 of the Healthy, Hungry Free Kids Act of 2010.  The Board also approved $3,000 for Project Prom and a PTO request for an MES Talent Show fundraiser.
 
The MES Academic Team was recognized for their District Championship at the 2014 District Governor’s Cup.  Board members Karen Evans and Delbert Johnson were recognized for achieving professional development certifications from the Kentucky School Boards Association Academy of Studies.
 
Elms gave the Treasurer’s Report for March.  The beginning balance was $1,983,104, and with receipts outpacing expenses by roughly $126,000 the school system ended the month with a balance of $2,109,630.  Curriculum Coordinator Vonda Jennings gave a report to the Board on Program Reviews, breaking down performance issues at each school.
 
In other business, the Board approved FY 15 SBDM final allocations, the FY 15 tentative working budget, and an audit contract with Carr, Riggs, & Ingram for FY 14, FY 15, and FY 16.  The Board approved a presentation on April 29 by Kentucky National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Conners of non-functioning WWII rifle and pistol relics at BCHS.  The Board approved a BCHS softball trip request to the Sports Warehouse Catholic Classic in Owensboro on May 2-3; a BCHS rocket team trip request to TARC 2014 Fly-Off in Manassas, Virginia on May 8-11; a BCHS band trip request to the State Concert Festival in Louisville on May 4-5; a BCATC trip request to the Ford/AAA State Finals Competition in Sparta on May 7-8; and a BCHS bridge building trip request to the International Bridge Building Contest in Chicago, Illinois on May 9-10.