County school board approves Workbased Learning

Published 8:20 am Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Harlan County High School (File Photo)
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The Harlan County Schools Board of Education held a special called meeting recently to discuss a few topics requiring immediate attention, including the return of Workbased Learning to Harlan County High School and funding for school supplies.

Chairman Gary Farmer called the meeting to order.

The district’s Workbased Learning policy was addressed near the midpoint of the meeting.

Superintendent Brett Johnson brought the board up to speed.

“The high school has the desire to bring back what used to be called the CO-OP program, it’s called Workbased Learning now,” Johnson said. “They’ve got their guidelines and their framework together, and they just want to ask if you all would review it so they’re fine to implement that this fall.”

Johnson advised the board the program will be required to follow strict guidelines from the KDE (Kentucky Department of Education). He also explained the benefits of the program for students.

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“It gives them the ability, if they can find a job that’s in their career pathway, to be able to leave school to be able to work that and gain work experience while also meeting graduation requirements,” Johnson said.

The board unanimously passed a motion approving the Workbased Learning policy.

The board also addressed a waiver request for a school media librarian.

“This item is for a media librarian at Cawood Elementary,” Johnson said. “The job was posted and there were no applicants.”

Johnson explained the waiver is necessary to broaden the scope of the search for a person to fill the position.

Farmer requested a motion to allow an applicant one year to seek the required certification. The motion was made by board member Hiram Fields and passed with no opposition.

The board heard a first reading of the policy for student welfare and wellness.

“That’s our normal student welfare and wellness policy,” Johnson said. “I think there have been just a couple of changes to adjust the policy to comply with current guidelines that have been handed down. This is just our annual approval of that policy.”

Farmer mentioned the policy is posted for public view.

The board approved the first reading with no opposition. A second reading and approval are required for the policy to be implemented.

A school supplies allotment for the district’s schools designed to assist student’s families with school supplies costs was also discussed.

“Item nine is school supplies allotment for schools,” Farmer said. “We’ve been doing this the last few years…we started during COVID to help our children and parents.”

Johnson said $25,000 had been allocated each year for the last two years.

“It ended up being roughly $8 per pupil,” Johnson said.

Farmer asked the board if the previous amount of $25,000 was acceptable. The board had no objections.

A motion for $25,000 for school supplies was unanimously passed.

In other board activity:

  • A contract with UMWA was extended for 3 years;
  • A trip to Abingdon, VA, to the Barter Theater for Black Mountain Elementary second and third grades was approved;
  • A bid for safety shoes for food service was approved;
  • A bid for school food service uniforms was accepted.