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Board recognizes students; discusses 23-24 enrollment numbers & new laws

The Butler County Board of Education met in regular session on Tuesday, March 21. There were multiple recognitions on the agenda. Dastin Scott, a sophomore at BCHS was recognized for his acceptance to the Gatton Academy for his junior year.  The Gatton Academy is a residential STEM program, at Western Kentucky University, targeting gifted and talented high school students for attendance in their junior and senior years. 

Dastin Scott and Superintendent Robert Tuck

BCHS/BCATC students Blake Inglis, Ethan Cardwell, Gunner Hodge, and Breanna Howard were honored for competing in the SkillsUSA State Competition. SkillsUSA championships are events featuring the best career and technical education students in the state and nation.  

BCHS Students Aer Sells, Weston Annis, Brennan Bartley, Maggie Childers, Brady Jones, Carley Jones, Parker Smith, Bailee Proctor, Karlie Whittinghill, Isabella Embry, Parker Stallings, Sophia Burns, and Maggie Drake were recognized for their recent accomplishments at the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) Regional Competition. Several of these students will be competing at the state level in April. 

Some of the students recognized for FBLA.

In other news, on February 22, district directors and principals met, focusing on discussion and planning for the 2023-24 school year. One important conversation was student enrollment for next school year. Enrollment looks to be around 80-90 students down. This number could change based upon the size of kindergarten classes as well as students coming from homeschool back into the public school setting. Supt. Tuck pointed out that during the Covid epidemic, the state provided a financial cushion, despite the dip in enrollment and attendance. There is no longer a cushion so the district will have to consider this funding cut on the budget for the upcoming year.

Supt. Tuck also shared that on March 2nd, members from the district’s Deep Learning Team traveled to Cave City for the second UK Next Gen Portrait of a Graduate Training. According to Tuck, “the purpose of this training is to help districts guide their learner experiences to be more personally relevant, more engaging, and more reflective of the learning and career challenges faced by our students in a fast-paced, interconnected, tech-driven world.” 

On March 6th, Supt. Tuck met with the district’s Student Advisory Committee. He shared with them the work the Deep Learning Team had done on March 2nd and asked them to consider the same things the adult group had. Highlights of their session included the following: 

--If all stakeholders do not engage or attempt to communicate and improve, then suggestions offered will not be useful.

--Students want to feel important and be heard by parents and educators.

--Better emotional development programs

--More diverse options in the career pathways

--Students need a way to uphold more responsibility to be better prepared for real-world experiences

--All solutions offered or issues brought up should be centered on student success. 


Supt. Tuck updated the school board on HB538. According to Tuck,  the bill would “amend KRS158.150  to require a local board of education to expel a student for at least 12 months if the student makes threats that pose a danger to other students or staff; require a local board of education to adopt a policy requiring disciplinary actions for a student who assaults other students or staff off campus property; allow a local school board to place a student in an alternative education setting in lieu of expulsion, or at the end of an expulsion; allow a teacher to remove a disruptive student from the classroom; provide that a student who is removed from a classroom three times in 30 days shall be considered chronically disruptive and may be suspended; provide that a principal may permanently remove a disruptive student from a classroom and determine the placement of the student, subject to an appeal process; require a local board of education to conduct an expulsion review process to determine whether a student’s expulsion shall continue or end.” The bill provides districts support in restoring discipline to the classroom by providing resources and options to remove and rehabilitate the chronically disruptive. The bill was signed into law by Governor Beshear on March 23rd. 

On March 10th , Mr. Ray Hammer, principal at Butler County ATC,  Assistant Supt. Josh Belcher, and Supt. Tuck met with Jaclyn Graves, the Director of Operations at the Owensboro Healthcare Innovation Center and Bart Darrell, Owensboro Health Vice-President and the Center’s Chancellor.  According to Tuck, “the Innovation Center is planning transformative experiences by providing and/or expanding accessible, healthcare-specific educational pathways for postsecondary, high school, and nontraditional students. The Innovation Center strives to expand the pipeline of qualified healthcare workers and reduce the shortage of qualified medical staff across the Commonwealth. By utilizing in-person and virtual instruction, the hands-on experiential learning opportunities will address immediate workforce needs, while providing cutting-edge technology simulations for students. This partnership they are offering will provide additional resources we can tap into on many levels that will continue to help us expand opportunities for our students and adults in our community as well.”

In other activity, the board approved several items, including the purchase of a new math curriculum and overnight and out-of-state field trips. Regarding the new math curriculum, Mr. Belcher reported that he was very pleased with the selection process as well as the chosen curriculums. He shared that stakeholders worked well together in analyzing and selecting a curriculum that is both engaging and rigorous.


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