Thanks to the new designation of Whitley County High School as an official local environmental technology education center to expand the career path it offers to students.
Whitley County High School Nurse Miss Lawson was recently awarded more and more awards in September.
In other words, the school district hopes that this high school will increase the number of career-enhancing programs in the business district.
Eleven teachers are currently teaching 13 careers, and plans are underway to develop two more teachers and two additional careers over the next 12 to 24 months, Principal Julie Osborne told the Whitley County Board of Education on Thursday.
Osborne noted that one of the highlights of the high school over the past few years has been that students have been able to obtain a certificate of employment upon graduation.
The high school recently plans to add welding skills to carpentry and electrical trades.
“These will be two more proven ways for these students to immediately enter the workforce with industry certificates,” said Osborne.
To increase those opportunities, the school district has applied to become a local technology hub.
“The exciting thing is that it opens up some financial opportunities to increase these opportunities and access for students at Whitley County High School,” said Osborne.
Finally, becoming a professional technology education center brings some financial support to new teachers in the form of programs or resources in the form of dollars and / or teachers’ salaries in those ways.
A new career path opened for the first time, with the state paying 100 percent of these salaries, and 75 years of the following years.
“It’s definitely very promising,” he added.
The Whiteley County High School Vocational Education Center is currently uncovered, but the Kentucky General Assembly is on the list for funding soon, said Whitley County Superintendent John Siller.
“We are really happy about that,” he added. We now have that title, so with that financial support, it might give us a chance to grow a lot of careers here.
In another business, the board during Thursday’s meeting –
• Whitley County High School Nurse Miss Lawson has been awarded more than September.
• Approve the 2021-2022 work budget. Siller said the county wants districts to have at least 2 percent emergency funding, but the Whitley County emergency fund is about 3.5 percent, slightly higher than last year.
• Approved the purchase of three 78 passenger rear buses, and one 72 passenger regular bus.
The district currently has about 60 bus lanes operating each school day, and Ciller noted that it is part of a bus purchase to maintain and modernize buses. The district also has eight replacement buses.
“We still want to keep our children safe,” he said.
Siller estimates that the total cost of the four buses will be $ 470,000. While the district is currently purchasing the buses, they are not expected to arrive before the end of the school year.
Funds for the new buses have been raised in this year’s budget.
• Roof repair approved by Whitley County Middle School, totaling approximately $ 933,869. In the summer of 2020, the school acquired a new HVC system, and part of the roof was replaced at that time. Siller said the new project will usually allow a new roof to be installed on the building.
Not sure when the roof replacement will begin.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the University of East Kentucky for student teachers to conduct their observation and student hours at Whitley County Schools. The district has similar agreements with Cumberland University, Union College and other colleges and universities.
Cillar noted that there is a widespread shortage of teachers, and this will give the district an opportunity to find and evaluate new teachers in their buildings.
“It’s a victory for the students. It is a victory for the school district; ”