Whitley County Board of Education budget improving

The Whitley County school district’s finances are looking pretty good for the current school year, and include the purchase of over $200,000 worth of new textbooks for grades kindergarten through sixth grade, and the purchase of two new buses.

During its regular monthly meeting Thursday, the Whitley County Board of Education approved the 2019-2020 working budget, which totals $30,957,821.

The budget includes a 2.7 percent contingency fund compared to the state minimum 2 percent contingency fund that the district had in the 2018-2019 budget.

Whitley County Superintendent John Siler noted that the budget includes continuing the initiative to provide one-to-one Chrome Books at the middle and high schools.

“We worked in some things that we felt were needs in the district. Some of them are instructional. Some of them are maintenance and safety items,” he said.

The budget doesn’t include any employee pay raises.

The board also voted Thursday to accept about $138,000 in grant money from the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which will provide fresh fruit and vegetable snacks for all elementary school students.

“This allows our kids to get a healthy snack sometime after lunch before the bus bell,” Siler said.

In addition, the board approved an agreement with Eastern Kentucky University for a dual credit program.

Siler noted that agreement is similar to ones already in place with the University of the Cumberlands and Somerset Community College.

“It is an avenue for our kids to take classes and get those college credits while they are still in high school,” Siler said.