Published: September 03, 2008 05:53 pm            

Board cuts elementary from plan

Declining enrollment is big factor in decision

STEARNS — Plans for a new elementary school in western McCreary County have been scrapped due to the Kentucky Department of Education’s concern over declining local enrollment.

A revised school facility plan which focuses on renovations for each of the existing school facilities, including additional classrooms and cafeteria space, was approved by the McCreary County Board of Education on Thursday.

Of course McCreary Central High School is already undergoing a major renovation program that includes a new wing and front entrance. A major priority is to incorporate preschool students into Pine Knot Primary and Whitley City Elementary.

Other planned renova-tions include:



• McCreary Middle School:



Partial roof replacement, HVAC controls, gas conversion, fire alarm upgrade, four classrooms, six resource rooms, vocal music room, band room, technology area and cafeteria.



• Pine Knot Intermediate:



Paving, ADA upgrades, water coolers, HVAC upgrades, fire alarm upgrades, three resource rooms, custodial rec., cafeteria and SBDM Office.



• Pine Knot Primary:



Windows, fencing, two additional water coolers, sprinkler system, HVAC replacement, clock system upgrades and additional speakers, media center addition, three resource rooms, cafeteria addition, and five preschool classrooms.

• Whitley City Elementary:



Standard classroom, two resource rooms, two preschool classrooms, science classroom, cafeteria and kitchen.



• McCreary Central High School:



Cafeteria, football upgrades, track replacement, tennis courts, kitchen.



• New Central Bus Garage



• Code improvements at Central Office.



New construction would be scheduled after the 2010 biennium.

District 1 member Elmer Smith noted that it would be less expensive to renovate current facilities. The school board would prioritize which projects are pursued first.

“There were a lot of meetings about this plan,” District 5 representative Deborah Gibson, who served on the subcommittee, said. “It was a real group effort.”

The plan now must be reviewed through a public hearing, set for September 11 at 5:15 p.m.

In other business, the board opted to award McCreary County Academy an initial $5,000 in operational costs with Principal Michael Cash to submit future requests as needed to cover a cut in the facility’s Safe Schools grant.

Cash had requested $22,000 which had been used to cover two staff salaries instead of operational costs but Superintendent Arthur D. Wright expressed reluctance with providing the full amount up front, although he added the board be willing to help.

The school board also voted to set the 2009 Motor Vehicle & Watercraft Property Tax Rate at 30 cents per $100 of value.

The next regularly scheduled school board meeting is scheduled for September 25 at 5:15 p.m. in the McCreary Central library.

        

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