By Bob Vlach
Woodford Sun Staff
The Woodford County Board of Education (BOE) approved a $52 million tentative budget for next school year by a 4 to 1 vote during its regular meeting on Monday, May 18. Sherri Springate voted no.
The budget includes a 4 percent increase in local property tax revenue and moves about $900,000 in capital outlay funds to the general fund, so Woodford County Public Schools (WCPS) does not have an operating deficit next school year, district Finance Director Jason Gribbins told the BOE.
If capital outlay funds were not moved, the district would need to make another $900,000 in cuts, he said. The BOE could also vote to “hold the rate” at 63.3 cents per $100 of assessed value, which would generate an increase in revenue by more than 4 percent.
Before BOE member KT Gould voted to approve the budget, she raised concerns about differences in the stipends paid to coaches/sponsors, as she did during last week’s budget work session. With the number of hours they dedicate to after-school programs and teams, coaches and sponsors need to be compensated fairly and equitably, she said.
“The review of the stipends is certainly on our to-do list,” said schools Superintendent Lori Jones. However, she said a committee needs to be formed so it can create a formula so stipends are equitable, “and that’s going to take time … (but) we will definitely address it.”
The BOE is required to approve a tentative budget in May.
In actions related to finances, the BOE approved the first readings of several policies, including updated policies for vacation days, sick leave and emergency leave for employees. The vacation policy had increased the number of carryover vacation days for full-time, 260-day employees to up to 80 days for recruiting employees to the district, Chief Operating Officer Josh Rayburn said. The updated policy will return the carryover to up to 40 vacation days, he said.
Adjustments to sick leave and emergency leave policies will ensure the district is not financially responsible for paying for days that had been covered by the state, Rayburn said. Also, Jones pointed out that the changes are being recommended so the district can “budget responsibly.” And by not taking on this added financial responsibility, positions will not be cut, she said.
A first reading for next school year’s salary schedule was also approved 4 to 1, with Springate voting no. It does not include an across-the-board raise for employees.
However, as Rayburn explained at the budget work session, the salary schedule does include annual step pay increases for all employees based on their years of experience, which he said equates to a cost of about $540,000.
A second reading is required before the policy updates are in place, Rayburn told the BOE.
A first reading on a fundraiser policy, which eliminates a cap on how many fundraisers that sports, clubs and after-school programs may have during a school year, was approved 4 to 1, with Springate again voting no.
Rayburn said surrounding school districts don’t have policies that limit the number of fundraisers, and noted removing the restrictions does not violate any “Redbook” rules, which regulate accounting practices and school activity funds in Kentucky public schools.
During his presentation of the financial report for April, Gribbins pointed out that revenues are lagging about 2 percent behind last year, but expenditures are down about 8 percent, “so we’re still maintaining 6 percent improvement from this time last year.”
In the food service fund, revenue outpaced expenses for the month of April ($273,695.61 to $244,705.37). However, the fund still has an operating deficit this fiscal year.
A positive trend also continued for the Explorer Time Company (ETC) after-school program, as revenue outpaced expenses by about $9,000 in April, according to the financial report.
The district has collected just over $29 million in taxes this fiscal year, with $735,614.86 collected in April, the report showed. The report was unanimously approved by the BOE.
In response to a question raised during the budget work session last week, Gribbins said about $2 million from the general fund went toward building the new high school. Later, Rayburn told the BOE that he was looking into what had been reimbursed to the general fund.
Little Legacy Hive
The BOE voted unanimously to move forward with Little Legacy Hive, a wrap-around daycare program that will be available to WCPS employees and other families in Woodford County.
Jones clarified that no general fund dollars will support the operating costs of Little Legacy Hive, which is an expansion of the ETC program. Families will pay fees or be reimbursed by the state in order to have children in the daycare program, she said.
Asked about how the district gauged interest in a daycare program, Jones said a survey of families showed more than 40 families (the number needed to break even financially) have shown an interest in participating in Little Legacy Hive this year, and said, “We already have people calling and saying, ‘Add me to the list.’ It confirmed a lot of what I had heard …”
Meal prices
The BOE approved raising breakfast and lunch prices for students next school year. The cost of breakfast will rise to $2 for all students, and the cost of lunch will increase to $3 for elementary students and $3.25 for middle and high school students. The increases were necessary to cover the rising expenses (food and supplies) of operating the self-sustaining program so general fund dollars are not spent on the program. During the budget work session, the BOE was told the Kentucky Department of Education will mandate that the district increase its price of lunch to $4.16 if general fund dollars are used to cover an operating deficit in the food service program.
Gould again voiced concerns about burdening families with higher meal costs, but also acknowledged the much larger increase that would be mandated by KDE before she voted to approve the price increase. Springate cast the lone no vote on the 4 to 1 vote to increase breakfast and lunch prices.
Pisgah property
The BOE voted 4 to 1, with Springate voting no, on a motion to sell the former Woodford County Board of Education and Central Office property at 330 Pisgah Pike and accept sealed bids. Those offices have been moved to portions of the old Woodford County High School building.
“I do think it’s fiscally responsible for us, the board, to sell the Pisgah property,” said Jones during the budget work session.
Auditors hired
The BOE unanimously approved a contract with Maddox & Associates, certified public accountants in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, for fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, through 2030. Its fee will be $24,000 in 2026 and will increase by $1,000 annually.
A request for proposals from other auditing firms was made after the district’s previous auditor, Summers, McCrary & Sparks, informed Gribbins that it would not be available to provide auditing services to WCPS for FY26, Gribbins said.
Retirees honored
The BOE recognized 14 retiring employees for giving 271 years to public education.
“This is always such an exciting part of May to recognize our retirees,” WCPS Communications Officer Elaine Bailey said. “… Tonight, it’s all about the honor and gratitude we just want to give to them. We’re just so thankful for the work that our teachers and staff members do every day.”
Jill Hall of Southside Elementary has been the “ultimate cheerleader” for her students and colleagues during 35-plus years in public education, Southside Principal Paige Samples said. “Quite simply,” she continued, “no one loves Southside more than she does.”
Peggy Henry became like a grandma to students at Southside over the last decade, cafeteria Manager Amanda Sargent said. She said Miss Peggy “opened up her arms and heart, and she showed me how to do (our jobs) the school way.”
Emmaline McNabb has spent her more than three decades at Southside “doing so much more than teaching,” said Samples. As a special education teacher who always finds innovative ways for her students to participate and thrive, “she’s been a passionate advocate, a leader among her peers, and a fierce believer that every single student can learn at high levels.”
For more than two decades at WCHS, Cathy Lafser has lifted students with her legendary hallway pep talks – “pouring belief into them until they finally feel like, ‘Okay, I guess I really am completing this assignment,’” WCHS Assistant Principal Amanda Best said. She lauded Lafser for being a fierce advocate of students who refused “to give up on them.”
During her decade of service Carla Stephanski didn’t show up to do a job, Transportation Director William Slone said, she “showed up to make a difference.”
Other retirees were not present for the recognition. They are Garet Wells at Central Office; Joyce Miller and Michelle Neal at WCMS; Mona Romine at WCHS; Mari Jo Ferguson at Huntertown; Ginger Meade at Southside; and Kerry Baker and Sonja Fanning in transportation. Gould took a moment during her Good News report to thank Fanning for ensuring students, including her children, felt safe and welcomed on their bus every day. “I knew they were taken care of, and that means so much,” Gould said.
“So I just wanted to say thank you – not only to Miss Sonja, but to all of our bus drivers who ensure that warm handoff every single day with our students,” she added.
Investing in students
As the school year comes to an end, Jones thanked “our families, caregivers, community members, elected officials, and especially our educators” for their investments in learning opportunities for students.
In her Hive meetings with elementary students, Jones said she was told: We need more movement in class. “So that’s something we’re going to focus on this next year, is truly just continuing to embed opportunities in our classroom instruction for students to move,” she said.
Also, she said high school students have told her they want to continue having a voice to provide input on decisions being made.
Jones also urged families in the community to participate in the school district’s summer feeding program. “So sign up, show up” at any location across the community, she said, “because we would love for you to participate.”