City school board approves paying its share for new aircraft construction instructor

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Thursday, July 18, 2019 — The Bardstown City Schools Board of Education approved the district’s share of funding to pay the cost of hiring an instructor for the airplane construction program.

High school students from the city school district, county school district, and Bethlehem High will take part in the program with the goal of assembling an airplane kit by the end of the 2019-20 academic year.

Superintendent Ryan Clark said the participating districts are all paying a share of the instructor’s salary for the coming academic year.

The city school board approved its $15,000 share of the instructor’s salary. The county school district’s share is more than that, while Bethlehem’s share was less. The contributions were based on the number of students from each school district.

Clark said the goal is for the aircraft construction program to be eventually become self-sustaining. The aircraft that the students will build will be sold for a profit, and those proceeds will go back into the program.

High school seniors are currently the students eligible for the program.

POLICY UPDATES. The board approved the first reading of policy updates, most of which are required by legislation approved earlier this year by the Kentucky General Assembly.

Board member Jim Roby questioned the policy update regarding smoking / vaping on campus. The new policy says those who violate the policy will be penalized according to the board’s enforcement policy. Roby asked if the board need to create penalties to go along with this policy?

Superintendent Ryan Clark said the campus has been smoke free for years, and that enforcement of the rule has been mostly a process of educating spectators at outdoor events that smoking isn’t allowed anywhere on the school grounds — even outdoors.

Roby suggested that before the start of outdoor events, spectators receive a reminder that the ban on smoking and vaping also applies at school outdoor events.

U OF L LEARNING PATHWAY. The board approved a memorandum of agreement between the district and the University of Louisville for a new Teaching and Learning Pathway.

According to Tim Beck, the program will eventually offer three dual-credit courses from UofL geared toward students pursuing degrees in education.

Only one course will be offered this coming year, but the program will eventually be expanded to include three classes. According to Beck, 17 students have signed up for the dual-credit course this year.

In other business, the board:

• approved changes in the extra service schedule which will include support for a third assistant athletic director position. The board was told that sports have been expanding at both the high school and middle school level in recent years, and its is time to add additional administrative support.

• approved the child care/preschool fee schedule, which is unchanged from last year.

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