The Barren County Board of Education currently sets along West Washington Street in Glasgow. The school system is constructing its newest Central Office along Trojan Way — formerly where the Glasgow Christian Academy resided.
(WCLU NEWS FILE PHOTO)
Story by Jordan Smith, WCLU News
GLASGOW — Members of the Barren County Board of Education held their first board meeting of 2022 Thursday. Items on the agenda included the celebration of School Board Appreciation Month, the use of NTI days and the Central Office and District Preschool Projects.
Barren County Schools Superintendent Bo Matthews wanted to make special acknowledgement to Chairperson Shelly Groce, Vice Chair Mike Miller and board members Nikki Shelton, Brad High and Dr. Joey Newberry for their work to the school district.
“They make great sacrifices,” Matthews said. “We typically think of them as just coming to a once-a-month board meeting but they also have to attend special-called board meetings, which happen from time to time. They also have to go back to school, so to speak. They have to attend conferences and accumulate a minimum of twelve hours in order to maintain their status as a school board member so we really wanted to pause and give them high praise for their dedicated service to Barren County Schools.”
In the way of the district’s coronavirus response, masking continues to be optional, according to the school system’s COVID-19 safety policies.
The board also discussed the current school semester, specifically the use of NTI days. Due to inclement weather as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, students still have the capabilities to learn from home. Instead of take-home packets students remember from nearly ten years ago, technological advances have allowed them to learn from home electronically.
Scott Harper, the Director of Technology & Learning for the school district, said these devices are only used in unique circumstances.
“There has been a lot of chatter about why we are sending these devices home,” he said. “They ask us if we’re closing because of COVID or if there is snow in the forecast. We just want to prepare students in case something like those instances were to happen. Whatever comes up, we want to be ready for it.”
The school system continues work on its Central Office and District Preschool projects, which is going up on the property of the former Glasgow Christian Academy. Construction can be viewed from the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway.
The projects have been slightly delayed due to the snow and colder temperatures, but Anthony Frazier, the Barren County School District’s Director of Pupil Personnel and Director of Facilities, is confident they will both be complete in the summer months.
“We’re on target,” Frazier said. “It looks like we’re moving well. The weather has held us up a little bit, but not a lot. But we are still moving forward, which is good.”
