A staffing allocation, prepared by director of operations Paul Christy, was also approved by the board. According to Christy's document, there are currently 35 more certified staff members employed by the district than are allocated, with 293 actual positions and 258 positions allocated. For classified staff, there are 76.5 positions allocated and 125.4 actual staff positions, with a difference of 48.9.
Superintendent Ed Musgrove recommended to the board that the district not exceed the allocated numbers next year.
The board also approved readjustments to the district's credit card and reimbursement regulations, by reinstating the use of building-level charge cards and allowing grant programs such as School-to-Careers and family resource centers to request reimbursements to school activity funds from their respective grants. The approval passed 3-1, with board chairwoman Judy Hicks voting against the measure. Board member Rick Perry, who had to leave early, was absent at the time of the vote.
Hicks was worried about the schools overspending their budgets, and told the board she wants to wait until the district is off the watch list to allow individual schools to have credit cards.
"These internal accounts got us to where we are now," she said.
The district also has a Visa card available, and the board is going to allow GRC to keep its existing Visa card.
At the beginning of the meeting, the board recognized third, fourth and fifth-grade project science fair winners, and the Conkwright Middle School academic team was recognized by principal Becke Cleaver.
In other business, the board took the following action:
â?¢ The board approved trips to 4-H camp in Carlisle for 55 fourth and fifth-graders at Trapp Elementary School on April 9-10 and 72 fourth-graders from Shearer Elementary School on April 19-20.
â?¢ The board approved a trip for the George Rogers Clark High School baseball team to travel to Johnson Central High School in Paintsville on April 20 to 21.
â?¢ The board approved a trip for the George Rogers Clark High School band to travel to Washington, D.C. from March 22 to 25.
â?¢ The board approved a trip for the GRC JROTC to travel to the U.S. Army Cadet Command's Eastern Regional Drill Championship in Washington, D.C. from March 23 to 27, however the board was unable to approve providing financial assistance for the trip.
â?¢ The board approved the first reading of board policies on nutrition and physical activity, as presented by food service director Becky Lowry, and the 2006-2007 Nutrition and Physical Activity Report Card.
The next regular meeting of the board of education will be March 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the board of education offices, located at 1600 W. Lexington Ave. The board will also hold a special work session tonight with the Local District Facilities Planning Committee to review the committee's prioritized proposal. That meeting will be tonight in the auditorium at the board of education offices at 6:30 p.m. All meetings are open to the public.
