The Corbin Board of Education held its regular board meeting on Nov. 13 at the Corbin School of Innovation, where members received updates on several recognitions, program developments, and reports from district staff.
The board recognized Corbin Independent Schools for earning the Destiny Award, presented by the Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI).
The Destiny Award is an award that recognizes districts across the state that demonstrate excellence in workplace safety practices, employee training, and overall efforts to reduce risks and injuries.
“We have been lucky enough to receive this for six years in a row,” said Chris Webb, Director of Safety for Corbin Independent Schools. “I feel like this is something to be proud of.”
According to Webb, only one other school district in the state has ever won the Destiny Award for six years, and that school district was not a recipient of the award this year.
Additionally, the Corbin Educational Center was recently evaluated by the Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC) and received exemplary ratings across every evaluated category.
Representatives for Corbin Educational Center, in place of Principal Lorie Barton, were Bethani Carmichael and Jeana Hardesty. They informed the board about their community-based rewards program, which utilizes a point system that allows students to earn monthly trips, such as volunteering at the animal shelter or delivering baked goods to nursing homes.
“So far, they have been really receptive of that and they’ve really enjoyed it,” said Carmichael.
Hardesty shared the center’s mission.
“There’s some hard days and there’s some really hard days, but what we all have learned is for us, it is truly every student every day,” said Hardesty. “It doesn’t matter what yesterday looked like. We come in, and today is a whole new day.”
Additionally, new Corbin School of Innovation Principal Michael Ball shared an overview of the school’s programs.
Ball informed the board of the Montessori Program.
“Those teachers and those kids are phenomenal to watch them interact on a personal level,” said Ball.
Ball also highlighted school clubs such as the garden club, the Flex Program, which supports students with jobs or caregiving responsibilities, a hybrid program that helps students individualize their education, and a homeschool program for parents who want the flexibility of homeschooling but don’t necessarily have the ability to teach their kids.
Ball encouraged board members to see what they’ve done with the space after the meeting.
“It’s beautiful. We do a lot in a small space, and it’s pretty impressive,” said Ball.
Corbin Superintendent Travis Wilder provided updates on the Portrait of a Learner initiative. This program aims to gather local input to define student success and better prepare them for life after education.
A total of 76 community members participated to express their vision of what they want students to achieve.
Board member Paul Taylor congratulated Jody Mouser on his first year with the eighth-grade football team and wished them the best of luck in their upcoming state championship game. Board members and audience members discussed Mouser’s accomplishments with enthusiasm, each member looking forward to a potential victory.
(Note: for details on the state championship game, please refer to the sports edition of this week’s paper.)
The board did not enter executive session and passed the motion to adjourn the meeting.
