Breathitt Board Resets for New Year

The Breathitt County Board of Education met for its July session on Tuesday, July 22, and approved a series of regular motions required to start the new school year.

The Board passed a wide range of measures, including nineteen consent items.  Some of the approved items included the 2025-2026 Kentucky School Board Association membership, a memorandum of agreement with Hazard Community and Technical College for dual credit students and other programs, a contract with the local Head Starts, and an agreement with the Kentucky Department for Juvenile Justice for the Breathitt Regional School and the Breathitt Learning Academy. 

Members also approved a facility use agreement with Appalachian Mountain Wrestling pending insurance approval and the district’s participation in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

The agenda also included the second reading and approval of the 2025-2026 Employee Handbook, the Coaches Handbook, and the Discipline Code Book.  The proposed snow plan for the coming year was approved, and three alternative means for student-staff communication were approved for dual credit students, including Blackboard, Outlook, and Starfish.

 The Board turned to facilities and grounds proposals and approved a motion to “modernize” the elevator at Breathitt High School after years of operational issues.

The members discussed and approved a letter of interest from Tate Hill Jacobs Architects to study and prepare for construction for the track at Sebastian Elementary School, a new roof at Highland-Turner School, and a new roof for Breathitt High School.

Several invoices for completed work and inspections were approved, totaling more than $1.39 million.

Student fees were set for Breathitt High School and included $10 for a parking pass and $20 for Future Farmers of America Club members.

Approval was given to a proposal to allot $20,000 for the student extracurricular activities fund at BHS and $4,000 for each elementary school fund.

The Board recognized Renee Davidson, Paul D. Halsey, Denise Neace, Jervis Neace, Christa Smith, and Phillip Watts for their perfect attendance during the 2024-2025 school year.  The Board also recognized Lisa Montgomery after she was named the 2025 CEDAR Teacher of the Year.

Additional funding was approved to cover cost overages and unpaid fees for Breathitt County School students who have outstanding debts from dual credit classes and approved scholarships to help cover expenses not satisfied by Work Ready scholarships.