Board Buzz

We provide this recap of our school board meetings as part of our commitment to providing timely updates for students, families, staff, and the community.

The Fayette County Board of Education approved a $4 million contract to continue partnering with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department for school health services through the 2024-25 school year. After reviewing the bids, our district conducted non-competitive negotiations to establish the one-year contract. The next step will be a comprehensive review to determine if nursing services should be handled within Fayette County Public Schools or continue to be outsourced to a third party for 2025-26.

For several years, FCPS has contracted with the local health department to place nurses in our schools on a full- or part-time basis. School nurses help students with chronic health conditions and various medical needs. They also work with school staff to promote healthy activities and a healthy school environment.

Among the consent and action items on the agenda, the board also approved:

• The Seal of Arts Excellence, which enables FCPS to recognize graduating seniors who demonstrate an advanced level of specialization in a visual and performing arts discipline; and

• The monthly financial report.

Just before the start of the meeting, board member Marilyn Clark was sworn in by Ava McFarland, a sixth grader at Leestown Middle School. Clark, who represents District 1, was appointed to the board last January to fill a vacancy and was elected in November to a four-year term. Jason D. Moore, whom the board appointed this week to fill the vacant District 3 seat through 2024, will likely be sworn in at the board's Jan. 8 planning meeting after all his paperwork is complete.

Community Partnerships:

Miranda Scully, director of Family & Community Engagement, welcomed David Kloiber, president of the Kloiber Foundation, who explained his family's commitment to Fayette County Public Schools over the past 10 years. Among the projects the foundation has supported are the STEM Bus, grants for teachers' classrooms, and LexArts Horse Play artwork. "I'm excited to see what we'll get done in the next 10 years," Kloiber said.

• View the Kloiber Presentation

Academic Services:

Director Jesse Mettille outlined the district's plans for professional learning in 2024-25, including a shift from focusing on an event to the overall process. The goal is to ensure professional learning is engaging, relevant, and impactful for an employee's work and enhanced student outcomes.

• See the Professional Learning Presentation

Operations:

Myron Thompson, the district's chief operating officer, offered updates on construction of Mary E. Britton Middle School in the Hamburg area and renovation of the former Herald-Leader building for a new Career & Technical Education (CTE) center.

• Skim the Monthly Construction Updates

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 a YouTube playlist.

• Review: Dec. 14 Agenda
• The official minutes will be posted within the agenda of the next meeting.
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• You can also read each Buzz in the News feed on our district's homepage (FCPS.net).

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