Board Buzz

We provide a recap of our monthly school board action meetings as part of our commitment to providing timely, clear, and accurate information to students, staff, families, and the community.

You may also review the full agenda.

Schuronda Morton, an executive coach for the district, shared an update on the employee recognition initiative called PROPS, which stands for Positive Recognition of Professional Services. Each school recently selected their Teacher of the Year, and FCPS will announce the overall winners for elementary and secondary honors during a May 16 celebration, where all our teachers will be saluted. "Our schools are filled with some awesome educators, and this is just a start," Morton said.

• View the PROPS highlights

This meeting featured a recorded performance from Morton Middle School, which has the only daily eighth-grade jazz band in our district. Jeff Bayerle, the assistant director of bands at Henry Clay High School, teaches this Morton ensemble alongside directors Todd Chamberlain and Bryan Angel. From early jazz to modern pop music, these students learn and perform about 20 pieces of music a year in addition to their concert band class.

• Watch the jazz band video

Academic Services -- Whitney Stevenson, our director of Early Childhood Education, recapped the work done in 2022-23 as part of the board’s five-year investment in preschool. Among the highlights were facility renovations and expansion of classrooms and staff, and installation of shade for over two dozen playgrounds. Stevenson asked the board to consider funding staff for the preschool "Classrooms on Wheels," two school buses designed for community outreach, and listed a few other specifics on the Year 2 wish list.

• View the preschool report

Construction Progress -- Chief Operating Officer Myron Thompson presented this month's construction highlights, including progress on the middle school on Polo Club Boulevard and the combined Career and Technical Education Center on Midland Avenue.

• View the construction updates

Equity Update -- A staffer from our Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) and a school representative shared this month's overview of DEIB work. Highlights included the districtwide Black Student Union equity forum and initiatives at Leestown Middle School.

• View the DEIB presentation

Among the consent items approved were:

• A contract with Navigate 360 for continued social media monitoring and support of behavioral and suicide threat assessments; and
• An amendment to the annual contract with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department to provide nurses for Summer Ignite.

Under action items, the board approved:

• A resolution for providing a third and final payment of seed money to the Fayette Education Foundation, for $100,000 in support for 2022-23; and

• The district's monthly finance report

HR Study -- Stasey Whichel, project manager with Evergreen Solutions, attended virtually to present an update on the Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study, for which the board approved a contract in August 2022. The scope of work included a market study of like positions in our area, as well as selected districts outside Kentucky, potential pay compression issues and solutions, an evaluation of the various work calendars, and updated job descriptions. Monday night's report was the final summary of Evergreen's findings. "There's a commitment from this board to make a meaningful investment in our staff," said board Chair Tyler Murphy. Superintendent Demetrus Liggins noted the board will discuss specifics during the budget talks in June.

• View the Evergreen presentation

The following citizens addressed the board regarding items not on the agenda:

• Rachel Matthews and Lindsey Depenbrock; Christie Volpenhein, James Woodhead, Amanda Holt, Sara Green, Laura Hartke, Nema Brewer, and Catherine Michelle Blair

The official minutes from the April 24 action meeting will be posted within the agenda of the next meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education.

The school board's action meetings are livestreamed on the FCPS YouTube channel and the district's Video on Demand service. Meetings are then archived in our YouTube playlist.

• Watch the April 24 video

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