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The Harlan County Schools Board of Education held a special called meeting Monday, March 10, discussing items including the school calendar for the 2025-2026 school year and bids for lawncare at district schools.

The board tackled the school calendar immediately after the meeting was called to order.

Three options for the 2025-26 school calendar were presented, with option one setting the first day of school for 2025-26 on August 6. Option two puts the first day of school on August 13, and option three also begins classes on August 6.

Board Chairman Gary Farmer reminded the panel they had preferred option three during a previous meeting.

Following some discussion, Superintendent Brent Roark recommended option three.

Board member Keri Stevens made a motion to approve option three for the 2025-26 school year, seconded by board member Scott Sherman. The motion passed with no opposition.

Farmer then moved to bids for cutting the district’s grass, which is divided into three separate packages.

“It looks like D&R Lawncare Service is for package one and two, and Jonathan Andrew Teague would be option three,” Farmer said. “Option three covers Cawood, Green Hills, Rosspoint and Wallins. Options one and two cover Cumberland, Black Mountain, Evarts, and Brookside field.”

Farmer noted the bid from D&R Lawncare for package one was $11,200, and $23,200 for package two, while Teague placed a bid of $26,600 for package three.

“Let me point out that on bids like this, it’s lowest/best,” Roark said. “If we’ve had issues in the past…we don’t necessarily have to go with the lowest.”

Sherman made a motion to accept the bids from D&R Lawncare for packages one and two and Teague’s bid for package three. The motion was seconded by Board member Hiram Fields. The motion was passed unanimously.

Sub-header: In other board activity:

• The board approved bids for school food service lines;
• After the meeting adjourned, the board took part in KSBA training on conducting a search for a new Superintendent.