Louisville school board approves 2025-26 calendar, coach pay, financial reports and several land leases

The Louisville Municipal School District Board of Trustees approved the 2025-26 school calendar, ratified December bank balances and financial reports, authorized a $97,000 contract for Coach Shorter for the 2025-26 school year and approved several property-lease actions during its regular meeting. The board also voted to move into an executive session to discuss a legal matter involving an Individualized Education Program (IEP) suit.

Board members said the 2025-26 calendar reflects a staff preference to begin the school year in early August and to use the first Friday for classroom orientation before students begin regular classes. The board approved the calendar after a motion and second and a voice vote in favor.

The board approved payroll and financial items, including the December 2024 bank balances and related financial reports. Trustees asked questions about several large payments listed in the reports before voting to approve them.

The board voted to pay Coach Shorter $97,000 for the 2025-26 school year. One trustee recorded an abstention during that vote; the motion otherwise carried.

Trustees approved several lease actions on the consent agenda, including an amendment to a 1-acre residential lease for Maria Estes and Terrence Estes at a parcel listed as "161412 Center Ridge," approval of a new 1-acre lease for Kevin Weeks (listed as "161312 Nocipator" in the minutes) and the transfer of a 38-acre agricultural lease from Jackie Gooden to Cadence Bank (parcel listed as "161313 Claytown"). The transfer of the 38-acre agricultural lease followed a court order; a board member described the item as largely ministerial because a judge had already entered an order resolving the dispute. Trustees asked questions on the record about whether the bank would demonstrate agricultural use or improvements on the land; that question was not answered in detail at the meeting.

The board set the date for its next regular meeting in February and later approved a motion to enter an executive session. The chair said the executive session would cover two senate testimonies and another legal issue related to an IEP suit. The board voted to enter executive session after a motion, second and a voice vote in favor.

Votes and recorded procedural notes were taken on the public record. Several motions were moved and seconded without a named mover or seconder included in the public transcript; votes were made by voice for approval unless otherwise noted.

Items discussed but not changed at the meeting included routine building-project updates and mid-year benchmark data, which the superintendent said staff will present in more detail at future meetings.