Reina P. Cunningham

Staff Writer

The Middlesboro Board of Education held their regular board meeting Monday night at the Middlesboro Middle School library.

Superintendent Rita Cook discussed the deficits in the Kentucky School Boards Insurance Trust (KSBIT).

KSBIT assessments are still showing Kentucky school districts are facing a $50 million to $60 million bill to pay off an outstanding deficit acquired by the insurance trust. She stressed these figures are all still estimates at this point.

“This is still not completely settled,” explained Cook. “The $50 to $60 million deficit that they are looking at, that’s still an estimate.”

Middlesboro Independent School District assessment is $243,475 and the amount can be paid in one of three ways.

The assessment amount could be paid in a lump sum. It can be bonded out over a ten year period at $28,501 per year for a total of $285,010 or it can be bonded out over a twenty year term with the payment being $17,687 per year for a total of $353,740.

“I am pleased that we have a ten year and a twenty year option or it really would be difficult,” said Cook.

Principals from each school addressed the board with information from their respective schools.

Principal Bennett from Middlesboro High School invited all in attendance to visit his school to see the recently made improvements in the gymnasium.

Principal Martin from Middlesboro Intermediate School spoke about how students are getting ready to participate in Civil War Days in Cumberland Gap.

Principal Whitaker from Middlesboro Primary School addressed an ongoing problem his school has been having.

According to Whitaker, the number of student absences are up and members of the school are having trouble finding out the reasons for the absences due to incorrect phone numbers and addresses. Whitaker assured the board this problem does not stem from school personnel not obtaining the necessary information but rather from parents and guardians changing addresses and phone numbers without informing the school.

Principal Bradley from Middlesboro Middle School demonstrated how his school was using visual aids to allow students to see how they stand among their peers while allowing them to see how far they were progressing. The information on the board is all confidential because students are assigned numbers that cannot be tracked by other students.

The following items were all approved at the meeting:

■ KSBA will help conduct a superintendent search at a cost of $8,5000;

■ Coal severance projects for 2013-2014;

■ Guidelines for certified staffing allocations;

■ Minutes of regular board meeting on Jan. 22, 2013, working board meeting Jan. 31, 2013 and Feb. 11, 2013;

■ Financial reports as presented from all schools in the district;

■ Cafeteria report;

■ Financial report;

■ Bills;

■ KISTA equipment lease series for 2006, 2008 and 2009;

■ Acceptance of FY KETS offer of assistance in the amount of $13,245 for technology from the School Facilities Construction Commission to be matched by the board.

The next school board meeting will be held on March 19 at the Middlesboro Middle School library at 6 p.m.

Today is an early release day for all Middlesboro Independent Schools.