BY FIONA MORGAN

fiona@amnews.com

The Boyle County Schools Board of Education held its first meeting with new Superintendent Mark Wade on Thursday, at which it appointed him board secretary.

Wade explained in the meeting that typically the superintendent has been the board secretary, and they needed to decide whether it would be a one- or four-year term, which the board has in the past done both ways. The board appointed Wade for a four-year term.

The board approved the School Resource Officer(s) Agreement for five officers for the 2023-24 school year. Wade said the contract is the same as the previous year, which provides officers from the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office for each of the district’s schools, in accordance with a new Kentucky law. The agreement is for $145,000.

During the public comment section, one community member requested that the board send out a public report on how the schools plan to implement the newly passed Senate Bill 150, since people around the state are debating on what different parts of the bill mean.

Among other things, the bill requires public schools to give specific parental notifications; prohibits a school district from requiring school personnel or pupils to use pronouns for students that do not conform to that student’s biological sex; gives conditions for student confidentiality; and establishes requirements for any public school’s curriculum on human sexuality.

Another community member requested that the board release an update on why the after-school program at Woodlawn is being discontinued this year.

In other business, the board:

• Heard a report on how the schools are being protected against data breaches. Each school has increased password security, among other things.

• Heard an update on the softball field construction project, which has made good progress and is almost done.

• Passed the second reading of KSBA Policy Update #46 and other district policies, and review of KSBA Procedure Update #27 and other district procedures. Wade said the policies have been vetted by their attorneys.

• Made a payment to Brett Construction Co. for the Boyle County High School Softball Construction Project for $76,680.

• Made a change order for Brett Construction Co. for the Softball Construction Project, in the increased amount of $18,952.

• Approved Capital Outlay Funds to pay for property insurance for $77,112, and building repairs and maintenance for $55,825.