MOUNT VERNON — Wednesday’s meeting of the Knox County Career Center Board of Education was largely routine.
Newly appointed board member Steve Thompson was sworn in by Treasurer Tracy Elliott. Thompson is filling the seat vacated by Paula Barone, who resigned. Thompson will serve as one of three representatives from the Mount Vernon Board of Education.
Career-based intervention coordinator Bill Kempton discussed the CBI program and metal fabrication instructor Brian Broseus talked about his students’ activities.
A special speaker was Knox County Educational Service Center consultant Bonny Buffington. She gave a brief outline of the new state requirements for teacher evaluations. They will be required to be completed on an annual basis and include a rating based on student performance. Buffington said school administrators will also be evaluated, in part, on student academic growth as well.
In response to a question from the audience, Buffington said the schools will get no help from the state to pay for the implementation of the new evaluation system.
Besides approving routine fiscal actions, the board accepted the donation of miscellaneous supplies to the metal fabrication program from MVM Welding Supply. The board also approved a tax abatement request from the Woodward Development Corp. The school will still receive the annual payments it would be owed without the abatement. The board authorized an agreement with Sabo/Limbach Energy Services to evaluate the mechanical, electrical and water infrastructure in the expectation that energy-saving measures will be identified, and approved network upgrades for the high school building.
Regarding adult education, the board approved personnel for the practical nursing and diversified industrial technology programs and established fees for cosmetology and massage therapy programs.
