slideshow

Anthony Cloud

Staff Writer

The Bell County Board of Education acted to ease overcrowded classrooms at Yellow Creek School Center during its regular meeting on Monday. In doing so, the board approved one full-time primary teaching position for the school.

The position will be paid for with Title I funds. Superintendent Yvonne Gilliam said one teacher will not fix the problem, but added she hopes it eases some of the pain.

Gilliam said the school had lost several students because of the issue. The school enrolled an additional 30 students to the roster for the school year. Prior to the board’s action, one teacher had been transferred to Yellow Creek from Lone Jack in an attempt to help ease the issue.

In addition to approving a new teaching position, the board also agreed to search for a used mobile classroom. Yellow Creek currently has five mobile classrooms. The ceiling price on the mobile classroom will be $6,000.

The board also created one-third of a teaching position for home-bound students. The district has to provide two visits per week to home-bound students. One home-bound instructor can only teach 12 students at a time.

The district currently has 15 home-bound students, prompting the need for another position. Gilliam said she requested an individual who is retired to come back to fill the position.

The board approved the position with a salary of $13,500.

Financial director Steve Silcox announced the fiscal year 2013 working budget during the meeting as well. The opening balance for the fiscal year is $757,885.

There were several things that affected the budget, according to Silcox. The district no longer receives the Edufund money. Those salaries originally covered under the fund were moved to the general fund.

Silcox also said the unemployment rate within the district increased, as well as the rate for retirement benefits.

In other business, the board:

• Approved minutes from previous meetings;

• Approved fund raising requests;

• Approved of out-of-state trip requests;

• Approved a shortened school day for a special needs student;

• Designated Bridget Baker as ARC Chairperson at the Bell County Day Treatment Center;

• Received new employee/resignation reports;

• Approved the attorney’s invoice;

• Approved the auditor’s report;

• Approved second reading of board policies;

• Approved the Superintendent’s report.

Anthony Cloud is a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. He can be contacted via email at acloud@heartlandpublications.com or by phone at 606-248-1010, ext. 208.