Building community trust and involvement in the Fayette County Public Schools plays a crucial role in becoming a world-class district that educates all children at the highest levels. 

In an effort to inform our community and employees about the issues facing FCPS and keep constituents up to date on actions taken by the Board of Education, we are pleased to provide a summary of our school board meetings. 

Board meeting agendas and minutes are also available on the school district Web site. Board meetings are televised live on Channel 13 and replayed the same week at 2 p.m. Tuesday, 8 p.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m. Saturday.  

A summary of the June 22, 2009, meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education: 

1. As part of the district’s 2020 Vision Initiative, each board meeting begins with a student performance to showcase the high quality art and music instruction in Fayette County and spotlight talented young people in the district. Monday night, the board welcomed young pianist Andy Du, a rising third-grader at Athens-Chilesburg Elementary, who played brief selections by classical composers, a few contemporary songs and a jazz piece – all from memory. 

Hear 8-year-old Andy play piano:

2. The board recognized these students and employees for recent achievements:

• Andy Du of Athens-Chilesburg Elementary, who placed second in this year’s Nathaniel Patch Piano Competition;
• Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators winners Morgan Stewart of Maxwell Spanish Immersion Elementary School and Max Stacey of Ashland Elementary School;
• World Language Festival state winners from Crawford Middle School, Lexington Traditional Magnet School, Jessie Clark Middle School, Lafayette High School, Bryan Station High School, Henry Clay High School and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School;
• Five Henry Clay students who excelled on the National Spanish Exam;
• The academic team from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, which captured the 2009 Governor’s Cup title;
• Nursing Excellence Award recipients Pam Jayne and Michelle Marra;
• Paul Thomas, a drama teacher at SCAPA Bluegrass, who was named Kentucky’s Art Educator of the Year;
• The Quarterly “Fred” Award winner, Sara Szwilski, who teaches kindergarten at Liberty Elementary. 

3. The board heard from Millcreek Elementary Principal Lorraine Williams and four teachers about how their school is closing the achievement gap in kindergarten. “We changed our approach totally,” Williams said, explaining how Millcreek adopted a physician’s care model of diagnosing and prescribing remedies to guarantee each student’s growth. Their efforts built competence and confidence throughout the year, resulting in 92 percent of kids reading on level in May testing. Millcreek plans to expand its successful strategies to all primary teams in the coming year. 

4. Chief operating officer Mary Wright:

• Shared the monthly construction report, including updates on projects at Cassidy, Russell Cave and Arlington elementaries, Bryan Station and Leestown middle schools, the Lafayette High stadium and the new central bus garage; (PowerPoint updates) 
• Noted that plans are moving ahead for renovations at Henry Clay High’s softball field, construction of a $7.2 million equine/agriscience facility and renovations at Clays Mill and Yates elementaries and Tates Creek Middle School;
• Reported that the roof replacement project at Veterans Park Elementary came in at 24 percent under projected costs and that work there likely will continue into the fall semester.

5. Board member Melissa Bacon read a resolution regarding the death of Phylliss A. White, a bus driver and monitor for more than 20 years.

6. The board also:

• Approved athletics guideline revisions, including a provision allowing sixth-graders to play on high school teams in certain sports. In response to a question about taking precautions against heat-related illness, district athletics director Don Adkins said FCPS will suggest that all coaches pass the KHSAA online test.
• Voted to extend the superintendent’s contract by one year, through June 2013. Among the positive comments in his annual evaluation: “Stu Silberman is an exemplary leader who articulates and promotes high expectations for teaching and student learning.” Chairwoman Becky Sagan particularly noted his emphasis on middle and high school achievement, the increased use of technology in schools, and creative initiatives such as The Learning Center and the new agri-science facility. “He does a great job leading the way for us,” Sagan said.