Hart County Board of Education

Holding signs that read “We are worth it!” – Hart County teachers, parents, and community members filled the auditorium at Hart County High School to support more than a 1% raise.

Katrina England

Reporter

Hart Co. News Herald

The Hart County Board of Education met in regular session on Thursday, May 16. In attendance were Board members Tyler Holthouser, Tina Rutledge, Sheryl Shirley, and Sonya Gedda, as well as Superintendent Nathan Smith. Board member Wesley Hodges was absent from the meeting.

Those in attendance who wished to speak on the budget for the 2024-2025 school year, which includes a 1% raise for certified staff, were given 3 minutes, and Sheryl Shirley reminded everyone that they could not mention names.

Kelly Reynolds, an 11-year employee, addressed the Board first.

“I relied on student loans to help me get through school,” said Reynolds. “Now, six years later, I have two degrees and to show for that, an annual salary of about $41,000. With the 1% raise, I will be able to make one student loan monthly payment. Did I make the right move when I went back to school? I can’t help but question that decision while standing here in this room tonight. If it wasn’t for my husband, I would be picking up a second job…My hope is that my employer, Hart County Schools, would recognize mine and my coworkers’ hard work and honor that hard work with a raise that will provide more than one student loan monthly payment.” 

“I’ve been driving from Metcalfe County to Hart County to teach for 17 years,” said Lisa Upchurch. “I’ve always felt like the drive was worth it. I brought my sons here with me when I came to teach at Hart County, and my oldest son graduated from Hart County High School…I’ve come to love Hart County, and it’s just like a second family to my family. I’ve always thought the Metcalfe County School systems were similar with Hart County being just a little bit larger, and when I see Metcalfe County and the fact that they’ve been able to give their teachers a 6% raise and their classified staff $1.25 on the hour raise, I’m confident that if Hart County were to look at their budget line by line that they could come up with more money than what’s being offered. I truly hope that Hart County places more value on their teachers than the 1% that’s currently on the table. I encourage everyone to work together and come up with a better value for the teachers and the classified personnel in Hart County.”

Jennifer Sims approached the podium to ask for the loyalty that the teachers show, as she also expressed concern over the future of the arts in Hart County as well as the continuation of the arts programs.

“We work and do things outside that the community doesn’t know,” said Sims. “The things I’ve done over my 26 years…1%? The cost of living doesn’t even match that, but I have loyalty…I graduated from Hart County High School in 1987. I could have had a job in Bowling Green. I could have had a job anywhere, but my heart is here in Hart County…1% is not a whole lot, but looking at the future of the quality of teachers we’ll get in Hart County, it may be slim to none, and that scares me.”

Jennifer England spoke of the strong investment she has in the Hart County system, as well as transparency with the budget.

“With the gap in teacher pay in Hart County continuing to increase in comparison to surrounding areas, the chatter of amazing teachers leaving our school system has begun to get louder and louder,” said England. “Not only does this income affect our check registers, but also plays a strong role in the morale of our educators and culture.  I sat in the cafeteria on Monday and listened to the frustration of many investors in the Hart County School System. If we continue down the path of the 1% raise, I fear a mass exodus of teachers, and I fear the struggle we will have to hire and retain good educators. More than anything, I fear the implications this will have on the quality of my four childrens’ education. In closing, I plead among several others here tonight to reconsider our raises, to form a budget committee so that we can be more efficient and transparent in our vision, and finally, I plead that you take a greater investment in us as we have done in you guys for the past several years. I am worth it, my colleagues are worth it, and most importantly, my children are worth it.”

Hart County School District parent Rebecca Riggs spoke to the Board next.  

“As a concerned parent of a child who has autism, who has been majorly bullied since August of 2023…I would like to say these teachers deserve more than a 1% raise,” said Riggs, as she spoke of her son’s autism, as well as his needs and challenges at school.  “As far as the cost of the taxpayers, we have already put in over $40 million high school and now a football field. What good are schools with no teachers…Our children are sent to school, and we put our children in the hands of these teachers. They do more than teach. They inspire, they nurture, they take the place of Dad and Mom during the school days. They go above and beyond for our children. They work very hard. I stand behind the teachers 100% because buildings are just shells. Our teachers are the hearts of these students, so give them the raise that they have been requesting, because our children are depending on these teachers, and so are we as parents of Hart County.”

Kristin Froedge addressed her concern for the elimination of a Technology Specialist Position.

“I would like to start by saying that I 110% stand with our teachers. I support their expectation that our district will form a committee and develop a plan to reach a 10% pay raise over the next few years,” Froedge stated. “With that being said, I want to voice my concern over an agenda item to eliminate one of our Technology Specialists Positions.”

Froedge explained that each child in Hart County has a device and explained the change in landscape of education to a reliance on technology. Froedge also explained that all students complete state testing on devices, and all curriculums have technology-based components. Her fear is that eliminating the position will hinder the district’s ability to keep up with the technology demands, especially since neighboring districts are adding additional technology specialist positions.

Hart County Educator Scott Caffee requested to speak to the Board next.  

“Since the onset of the pandemic forever ago, teachers were asked to remember their why,” said Caffee. “A seemingly innocent question once meant to remind us of all the reasons we chose this profession when times get tough. It has since, more often than not, morphed into a means of gaslighting teachers into forgetting their worth for the good of their students. I prefer to look at the positive side of the phrase. For my three minutes, I’m going to remember my whys, and then I’m going to ask our Board and administration to remember theirs with me. Yes, I do this for the students. Of course I do. I grew up in this county – this poor, rural county – and life was tough. I started high school in the ‘08 recession. My parents struggled to put food on the table, and now, I’m applying for WIC in the same position, struggling to feed my two boys. Music and band were my homes away from home, the only place where I felt safe and confident that I  could be myself, and that’s why I came back to this county, and I worked with these programs. I want to share the joys of music with the next generation of Hart County students. For the last five years, every fall, I work with the Hart County Marching Band and put in 90 hour weeks with some of the best music educators in the state, working with students to perform at the national level of excellence and who deserve so much more recognition and praise than we could ever hope to give them. Then I had kids…two amazing kids, and then my oldest had a seizure, and the word autism comes in the picture, and they become my why – my only why. So, I can give up the 90 hour weeks and the $1,362 stipend that comes with it because it’s simply not fair to make my wife be a single mother, and that’s my why for leaving my position with the Hart County Marching Band at the end of this year. I love this county, and I love these schools, but while my mortgage increases by $100 a month, my car and home owners insurance both due as well, and the grocery bill skyrockets, and we, as I said, are forced onto WIC so we don’t have to worry about feeding our kids, we’re told that we’re only getting 1%.  For me, that is only an extra $460 a year, $11 a paycheck, and that does not come close to matching all the increases in price…I’ll reiterate my point. I love this county. I love my students, my son, my wife, and that is my why. That is why I’m here teaching. That’s why I want to stay here teaching. What’s yours? Do you run for School Board to better your county? Do you want to make Hart County a shining example of progress in our region, to better your own children and grandchildren in every aspect of education, from academics to athletics to arts? Or is it personal gain and political clout? And administrators, what about your why?  There are some of you who make four times what I do, and I’m not saying it isn’t earned. You work really hard, you really do. I’m simply asking you to remember there are people employed around this beautiful county who are struggling, so while you struggle and search that budget again and again, remember the ones at the bottom of the pyramid. You’re our leaders. We look to you just as much as our students look to us, and you wouldn’t expect to give our students 1%.”  

“After Monday night’s meeting, I felt kind of ashamed that I said ‘Shame on you,’ (but) I don’t anymore now that I heard what Carrie just said,” expressed retired teacher Diana Forbis. “It impressed upon me Monday how much responsibility we have laid on the Boards’ shoulders…Teachers make a difference. Teachers hug, teachers pat, teachers encourage, teachers sympathize, teachers fight kids’ battles when they’re the underdog. Teachers deserve it. They’re worth it. They need it. $400 won’t do a thing folks…I appreciate you all…I don’t know that I can understand the budget, but I’m begging that you take the time.”

Shannon Childress, a 20-year teacher and 6-year Hart County educator addressed the Board next.  

“I live off what y’all pay me,” said Childress, who explained the only way she’s not had to work additional jobs is because she moved home and lives with her mother in order to care for her.

Childress also stated that she will soon have to pick up a second job.

“I just want you to understand that maybe that means that extra time I might have spent helping a student, preparing a different lesson, researching a new strategy, it’s going to be spent on another job paying my bills, because you all can’t pay me what I’m worth,” Childress said.

Andrea Robertson yielded her time to district parent Colleen Fulkerson. 

“Thank you, Board, for listening to us,” said Fulkerson. “I believe it’s safe to say that none of us would be where we are today if it wasn’t for a teacher… Education is the basis for all growth, and without it we would be nowhere…There is great responsibility placed on our educators to teach our children, and to do it to the best of their ability. I feel they carry the most responsibility and are asked to do it with the least amount of compensation…I see the sacrifices that these (staff) make for our kids. They don’t complain. They never complain to parents, and I never hear them say how much they don’t have or what they’re owed for the many hours they spend after the classroom.”

 Superintendent Nathan Smith addressed those in attendance.

“We heard you Monday night,” said Smith. “Six years ago, this district had a little over $400,000 in contingency. One HVAC unit goes down, we’d have to go to the bank and buy money. Payroll is $650,000 every two weeks. We get tax money in November. I was told when I took the job, I would have to go to the bank and borrow money to make the first payroll in November until the tax money came from the sheriff, or else I’d have to go to the sheriff and ask for an advancement of money to make payroll. I don’t run my house that way. I went to Chris Russell (Finance Director), and I told him we have to build a contingency for $400,000. The Board asked us to build a contingency. We have to have a healthier budget. We have built a contingency…It is us to about 3.5% (from 2). We spent all day yesterday, line by line…I know you’re worth it…We are continuing to look at the budget. That’s the reason I wanted to take it off the agenda. We are going to find some money. Can I give you a number tonight? No, I can not. We do have on the agenda tonight to create a budget committee. This will be in place for next school year.  This budget has go to be in within the next couple of weeks. We’ve asked for an extension…We hear you, and we are going to try to do the best we can. When we do this, the budget is going to be tight. I want my administrators to know this. I have never had an administrator come to my office and ask for anything that I have not given them financially. There won’t be any of that. We are finding every dollar we can get, and we’re trying our best to help. As soon as we finish the budget, we will call another meeting, and bring the numbers to the Board to decide what to do with the monies, but I want you to know you’ve been heard, and we’re trying our best.”

“I want to say that I understand that y’all are hurt by the raises that were given in April,” said Board member Tyler Holthouser. “I believe it may have been taken a little out of context, and yes, y’all are worth it. There was never any doubt among anyone at this table that you all are worth it. That night, I made a motion on what I saw we had to work with, and split it as evenly as possible…I want y’all to know that of the people at this table, I’m one of your friends.”

“As a business owner and a very involved community member, I have concerns,” said Board member Sonya Gedda. “My concerns are the future…What’s the long term plan for our future?…What I can see and what I most worry about is the future of our kids.  What I see is that most are worried about is the future that lies in a position other than the future of our kids. What I see is you’re worried about our future technology more than you’re worried about a future of having a teacher in August. We can always bring back a position, but we need to have those teachers here come August for our children. As for the budget, our budget is so out of whack. I want you to know, I personally do not know why and how it even got that way, or how to fix it. I personally cannot go over a hundred page budget that is only sent to us to look over in a 24 hour or less time frame.  Then you expect us to vote on it. Yes, I have asked to get it earlier, and the reply I get (is) ‘You’ve got to trust.’ Well, look what it’s gotten us today for trusting. Why would we wait until the last minute to approve a budget that should be done months ago. I know as a business owner, I can’t do that. I’m planning months and years in advance for my budget…I can only go off of what is presented to us, and that goes into trusting how it’s presented. I can only go off what I see and what I hear, and it’s very disturbing when we see other districts and what they are doing. Now, my question is: Why can others do it, but we cannot?”

“We just get a number given to us and said this is how much we can give for raises, and as long as you don’t spend anymore than that, tell us how you want to divide it up, and that’s not really fair to anybody,” said Board member Tina Rutledge. “I’ve tried for quite a while to have a voice for prioritizing money, having meetings, things like that. I haven’t gotten very far with it, so here we are. We appreciate all of you for being here tonight, and we really do appreciate every one of you. We want to keep our good teachers here, and we want to attract the best teachers we can get for our kids because they’re worth it, and you are, too.” 

Board member Sheryl Shirley read an email she received from the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General, which stated she undoubtedly lives within the district she represents, and then she directed her thoughts to teachers.

“You are worth it,” said Shirley. “I can’t tell you everything that goes on being a Board member, but I will tell you this. We had a conversation a year ago about our Finance Officer and our Food Service Director being the same person…Our Finance Officer is one of the most important jobs, if not the most important job in our District, and if our Finance Officer is wearing two hats and doing two jobs, does that mean he’s part-time Finance Officer (and) part-time Food Service Director? I’m not sure, but I think we got in this predicament because one year ago when we were discussing separating the two and having a full-time Finance Officer and a full-time Food Service Director, I was told the deadline has passed, it’s too late. It’s been one year. The deadline was yesterday, and nothing was done. Now we’re in this situation with our finances. I can’t explain to you why, but I do know we had a conversation one year ago, and if we had someone that was a full-time Finance Officer and not part-time and a part-time Food Service Director, maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation right now, so I’m glad that you all have come. I’m glad you came Monday so that you all can hear the same things we hear. We do appreciate you. We are working diligently on this, and we don’t want you to think that we don’t appreciate you.”

During the Board of Education meeting, the following was also discussed:

-Superintendent Smith recognized the Hart County Winds Program as well as the Football Team;

-DPP Allen Poynter recognized all six schools with attendance awards;

-The Board voted to eliminate a Technology Specialist Position; and

-It was approved (3-1) to allow the District Finance Corporation to sell bonds for the turf project.

In discussing the budget, Board member Sonya Gedda said, “I personally cannot go over a hundred page budget that is only sent to us to look over (and vote on) in a 24-hour or less time frame…I have asked to get it earlier, and the reply I get (is), ‘You’ve got to trust.’ Well, look what it’s gotten us today for trusting.”

Kelly Reynolds, Lisa Upchurch, Jennifer Sims, Jennifer England, Kristin Froedge, and Kelly Sheppherd were among those who addressed the Board at Thursday’s regular scheduled meeting.

Munfordville teacher Carrie Murray reported that according to John Ballard, a retired superintendent who works with Senator Givens, Hart County received record funding for the 2024-2025 school year.

“Since the onset of the pandemic forever ago, teachers were asked to remember their why,” said Scott Caffe. “A seemingly innocent question once meant to remind us of all the reasons we chose this profession when times get tough. It’s since, more often than not, morphed into a means of gaslighting teachers into forgetting their worth for the good of their students.”