Estill County school board approves routine annual items, policies and agreements

The Estill County Board of Education on Aug. 21 approved a series of routine annual items, policy updates and interagency agreements intended to finalize administrative housekeeping before the 2025–26 school year.

Board members voted to approve the 2025–26 ARC chairpersons, set the district tax rates for real and personal property as well as vehicle and watercraft with exoneration, update bank-account signature authorities, adopt an updated employee handbook and accept several federal- and state-related assurances and agreements. Each motion was presented by district staff and passed with unanimous affirmative votes when a tally was announced.

The board approved the second reading of a maternity-leave policy (policy O3Dot1233), updated the district discipline code for 2025–26 to reflect recent state law changes, and adopted special-education and Section 504 procedures recommended by Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) updates. The board also approved the district’s federal funding assurances and an interagency agreement with South Central Head Start.

The meeting included approval for the Estill County High School Student Council to attend the 2026 National League conference in Washington, D.C., and the board approved a bond for newly hired treasurer Mr. Yost. The consent agenda — including July minutes, special-call minutes, the treasurer’s report and payment of bills — was approved as a block.

Motions and vote outcomes (as announced at the meeting): - Approval of 2025–26 ARC chairpersons — mover: Sharon Whitaker; seconder: Sheila Samples; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Set 2025 tax rates for real/personal property and vehicle/watercraft (leave same, with exoneration) — mover: Tammy Hardy; seconder: Carrie Smallwood; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Change bank-account signatures to reflect new principals and personnel — mover: Veil Samples; seconder: Tammy Hardy; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Second reading and adoption of maternity-leave policy O3Dot1233 — mover: Sheila Samples; seconder: Sharon Whitaker; outcome: approved (motion carried as announced). - Updated employee handbook (updates to comply with new Kentucky laws including House Bill 141 and Senate Bill 181) — mover: Veil Samples; seconder: Tammy Hardy; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Interagency agreement with South Central Head Start — mover: Tammy Hardy; seconder: Carrie Smallwood; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Federal funding assurances — mover: Sharon Whitaker; seconder: Veil Samples; outcome: approved (motion carried as announced). - 2026 National League conference attendance for student council — mover: Sharon Whitaker; seconder: Sheila Samples; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - 2025–26 District Discipline Code (policy updates including nicotine/first-offender provisions and cell-phone definitions) — mover: Tammy Hardy; seconder: Carrie Smallwood; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Special education procedures (KSBA-recommended updates) — mover: Sharon Whitaker; seconder: Tammy Hardy; outcome: approved (motion carried as announced). - Section 504 policy and procedure updates — mover: Sheila Samples; seconder: Tammy Hardy; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Bond for treasurer (Mr. Yost) — mover: Shayla Samples; seconder: Sharon Whitaker; outcome: approved (announced 5–0). - Consent agenda (July minutes, special-call minutes, treasurer’s report and payment of bills) — mover: Sheila Samples; seconder: Sharon Whitaker; outcome: approved (announced by board; transcript recorded the result as "five-zero-one" in the roll call comment).

Why it matters: These votes finalize routine administrative and compliance items required to begin the school year: staffing authorizations, policy language to align with new state statutes, interagency services for early-childhood programs, and financial signatories and assurances that allow the district to receive state and federal funds.

The board then moved to closed session under Kentucky law (KRS 61.810) for a personnel/student matter.