Corbin school board selects Taylor as new chair

Jan. 17—CORBIN — There will be new leadership for the Corbin Independent Board of Education for the next two years.

On Thursday, the board elected newest member Paul Taylor as board chair and Carcille Burchette as the vice chair for a two-year term.

Taylor and Burchette also took their oaths of office as the January meeting got underway.

"This has been like a dream come true for me," Taylor, who was elected to the board in the November General Election, said. "I never dreamed I would be sitting here. I am very honored. Everything I try to do is going to be for the kids."

Burchette, who was re-elected in November, also shared her appreciation to be in a new role.

"The school system is right here in my heart," she stated.

Morgan Taylor, a second-grade teacher at Corbin Primary School, was recognized as the January Difference Maker for her efforts in structured literacy that helped the school system be ahead of the curve.

"Morgan has really stepped up as a leader in her school. She is a second-grade reading teacher. She has stepped out in faith and made changes that sometimes we are afraid to make for the benefit of our kids. Morgan has not been afraid to make some changes," the presenter of the award said.

Taylor will soon be sharing her work with Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB) in Kentucky, an organization that certifies teachers in Kentucky, in hopes of helping teachers be ready to teach structured literacy as soon as they graduate college.

Corbin is the only district involved in this presentation for EPSB.

The Corbin Board of Education also reviewed reports concerning the goals for the school system and the goals they want to meet for the next year — including the draft budget for 2023-2024.

The goals presented were not only academic but social, emotional and behavioral in nature.

One thing noted was that the numbers for special education have increased by 51 students from this time last year.

"We are still a little bit below state average which we've always maintained but we are just at 13 percent special ed population for the district," Jane Chandler, District Director of Special Education, said. "Historically we have been nine or ten percent. We aren't there yet but we are certainly headed in that direction."

School officials discussed eventually looking for an additional school psychologist.

"Our district has grown," Chandler continued. "Our population has grown; our social emotional needs have grown greatly since COVID."

With the district's share of ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) money set to run out in 2024, Finance Officer Rhonda Moore reported that the district is "in great shape."

Superintendent David Cox gave a construction update after the board approved the minutes and financial management items.

The football field is making progress and Corbin High School is hoping to have the first home game post construction on September 15.

The tennis locker rooms that are in the concession building down by the girls softball field will also be updated. They will be renovating the concession stand, a new softball locker room and facilities. The updates should give a capacity of about 100 students at the facility. The board will bid out the job next month.

"This should be done right before spring sports start in 2024," Supt. Cox said.

The auxiliary gym project approved for bid in July is expected to be completed in December 2024.

They will be adding rooftop units and re-roofing the high school gym.

"We have a lot going on," Cox said.

The board was made aware of a new student ambassador program at the high school soon to take place.

"The team and I have been working on a student ambassador program that would be three students who would be selected to meet prior to board of education meetings," Cox said. "The three students would present any concerns they have for the student body. We wanted to give students a voice outside the building."

After the comments, the Corbin Board of Education entered an executive session to evaluate the superintendent. No action took place.