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The Harlan County School Board met for their regular meeting for February, Tuesday, Feb. 28, discussing the district’s dual credit program, a performance at Harlan County High School by the Louisville Orchestra and other business.

Board Chairman Gary Farmer called the meeting to order, turning things over to Superintendent Brent Roark to update the panel on dual credit tuition payments to Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College.

“This is something you all do as a board that I want to make sure the public’s aware of,” Roark said. “When we started our dual credit program at Harlan County High School, it was probably a $20,000 a year cost. In recent years, that’s moved up.”

Roark advised the board the cost of the dual credit program for this semester alone is $64,337.

“That’s going to be approximately $128,000 for the year that our board is spending to help our students prepare for and get a jump start on college,” Roark said. “That’s something not a lot of other districts do. This is a bonus for our kids.”

Roark also updated the board about an upcoming concert scheduled for the spring at Harlan County High School by the Louisville Orchestra.

“We’ve been working with them. On May 19, they are going to actually perform at Harlan County High School,” Roark said. “That is a huge deal. We’ve never had anything like that in our community. We’ve never had anything of that magnitude at Harlan County High School.”

Roark noted all the preparations have been made.

“That’s going to be a big day for Harlan County and a big day for our performing arts department,” Roark said.

The board acted on a resolution to apply and administer a Kentucky Office of Homeland Security project.

“There’s no money involved here. We’re not asking the board for any money,” Roark explained. “The state uses the proceeds from confiscated firearms to allow police agencies to purchase bulletproof vests. This is you all giving permission, actually a resolution, for us to be part of using that confiscation money to purchase bulletproof vests for our officers.”

The board approved the resolution giving the superintendent authorization to apply for and enter into the agreement with the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security.

In other board activity:

• The board passed a resolution for the Council for Better Education.

• A first reading of a revised policy on school district volunteers was approved.

• The board approved a change order for a boiler project.

• A pay estimate for HVAC projects was approved.

• A change order for Green Hills Elementary School and Central HVAC projects was approved.