Meeting in a short regular session last Monday the Lewis County Fiscal Court took care of some annual and routine business matters.

First on the agenda, however, was the second reading and adoption of an ordinance relating to the possession or keeping of exotic wildlife, protected wildlife and dangerous species in Lewis County. The second reading was approved and the ordinance was adopted without further discussion.

The ordinance becomes effective upon publication and prohibits the possession or importation of the following species: African buffalo, hippopotamus, hyenas, old world badgers, lions, jaguars, leopards, tigers, clouded leopards, cheetahs, elephants, rhinoceroses, gorillas, baboons, mandrills, gelada baboons, gavials, crocodiles, alligators, caimans, sea snakes, cobras, coral snakes, adders, vipers, venomous rear-fanged species, gila monsters, beaded lizards, komodo dragons, wolverines, bears, wolves or wolf hybrids and cougars or mountain lions.

The ordinance does not affect circuses, zoos, licensed game preserves and other forms of legal entertainment.

Violation of the ordinance will result in fines no less than $100 or more than $500 for each violation.

The court moved to approve the Lewis County Administrative Code for 2004, the Annual Order Setting Maximum Amount for the Deputies in the County Clerk's Office for 2004 and the Lewis County Personnel Policy for 2004. All three of these items have to be approved annually, and none had any changes from last year.

County Attorney Clayton "Buddy" Lykins Jr., gave the first reading to an ordinance amending the current budget to show the reception of unbudgeted receipts of $14,788.97. Those funds came from state grants.

Judge Executive Steve Applegate announced that the next regular session of the Lewis County Fiscal Court will be held on Monday, February 9, at 9:30 a.m. in the third floor courtroom in the courthouse.

First District Magistrate Milt Stanfield asked Applegate about replacing a low water slab on Simmons Road near the Sparks' farm.

Meeting in regular session last week the Lewis County Board of Education took care of some annual routine matters and heard a report on data analysis from the CATS scores from two principals.

The board began by re-electing Joe LeMaster as Board Chairman, Jack Sapp as the Vice-Chairman, Maurice Reeder Jr. as the Board Secretary and Joe Kennedy as the Board Treasurer.

The board re-established the date, time and place for the regular board meetings. It remains on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the superintendent's office.

The board approved the semi-annual report on the Comprehensive Improvement Plan. The plan covers such topics as reducing barriers to learning and enhancing student achievement and shows what programs have been implemented or partially implemented according to plan. Reeder pointed out that the CIP is a long-range plan and that some programs are only partially implemented does not mean the schools are behind. That's just where they are in following the plan.

Jerry Bloomfield, principal at Laurel Elementary reported to the board on his school's work with the data analysis of the CATS scores. He said that Laurel used the Collaborative Inquiry Method to analyze the data.

Bloomfield said that his staff started on last November 21 by traveling to Lewis County Central and working as a team with the teachers at Central helping out. On December 11 Belinda Forman came to Laurel, and they spent the day with the data. He said that during Christmas break his teachers came in on January 2 to continue analyzing the data. Mrs. Forman returned on January 8 and worked until about 1:00 p.m. when they were interrupted by bad weather.

Bloomfield told the board that his staff was scheduled to finish the analysis by Friday, January 16. At that point the teachers would be ready to complete problem statements for needed content areas. They will determine and examine root causes for the problems and use research-based strategies to ensure continued success at Laurel.

He explained that the data has quickly revealed a problem with fifth grade math and with probability and statistics at grade two and above.

According to Bloomfield, some strategies are already implemented. The school has obtained a waiver from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to provide Extended School Services (ESS) during the school day rather than after school hours. Some of the pupils that needed the extra help could not stay after school. ESS is now conducted during the day in their library time.

In addition to that, the researched-based reading program SOAR is being used with the fourth-fifth grade groups. These students work in small groups to improve their reading skills.

Bloomfield reported that Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. different teachers have specific assignments with their respective grades. Lisa Zornes works with fourth grade students on the process of completing open-response and on-demand writing tasks. The children not only need to know subject content but also the process that will help them score at a higher level.

During that same hour Brenda Box works with fifth grade students on grade specific content and assessments to prepare them for the KCCT Assessment in the Spring.

Bloomfield along with Tawnya Owens works with the sixth grade pupils on test preparation activities.

He said that the primary classes remain in Skills Groups until 2:30 p.m. The teachers provide specific strategies for them for CTBS Assessment.

In concluding, Bloomfield said that the students at Laurel Elementary are making slow but good progress and that instruction overall at the school is on its timeline.

She said that her staff, too, had identified some problem areas and is looking at factors and root causes in curriculum, instruction, assessment, equity, critical supports, student problems and other contributing factors.

Richardson said that in the research of the data already done a gender gap in math, reading and science was found right off. The females are outscoring the males.

She explained that on January 2 Garrison had six hours of professional development with Tom Horn of the Kentucky Valley Educational Co-op on how boys and girls learn differently according to brain research and the importance of using strategies that compliment the student's learning style. The teachers learned some research-based teaching strategies and have already implemented them since returning to class after the Christmas break.

Richardson informed the board that the ARSI Science Program Improvement Review was scheduled for Tuesday, January 13. The purpose for that review is to collect as much data as possible on Garrison's science instruction program and then receive recommendations for improvement.

Some of the new strategies now being used include 30 minutes of sustained silent reading time each day, and that involves the Accelerated Reading Program. The Soar to Success and Soar to Reading programs are used with the students not only in ESS but also in the sustained reading time.

In Kindergarten she said the weakness was math. To improve that the school is having math centers three times each week. They are doing measuring, weighing, graphing, estimating and comparing numbers and then they are doing calendar math daily.

The reading scores in first grade were fantastic but math was the weak area there, too. In that class they are spending more time on money, pattern concepts and calendar math daily. Since two teachers were trained in the Pearl Training Strategies last summer they are using them to improve behavior and to build self-esteem to improve time on task and student engagement.

In second grade the weakness was reading so they are using daily analogies and daily oral language strategies to teach the students how to follow directions and to stay focused. Two parent volunteers also read one-on-one with each pupil to improve fluency. The volunteers work all day with the second grade.

That grade is also working on phonemic skills and vocabulary comprehension daily.

The third grade has weaknesses in both math and reading.

To improve in math the students do group work, daily calendar activities and skill pad activities. They are getting more daily math and more hands-on activities with manipulatives.

To improve their reading skills they are using the Weekly Readers and are spending time with extra phonics, reading skills, Words of the Day and daily language analogies.

The third grade now has four teachers and each focuses on one content area. All students receive the same instruction, strategies and assessments.

Fourth grade students are receiving more small group assistance and one-on-one help in areas of individual needs. They are also getting more science experiments, more open-response assessments that place more emphasis on higher-order thinking skills, more time for reflective learning and more problem solving activities in math.

Grade five students are using two new research-based programs called "Math Investigations" and "History Alive." These programs are integrated with the existing resources being used in math and social studies. All students receive the same curriculum, instruction and assessments.

The sixth grade is receiving emphases on reading and math. Here they are taught Core Content, Program of Studies using research-based strategies and assessing students at a higher level.

Meeting in regular session last week the Electric Plant Board of the City of Vanceburg heard some good news from Board Superintendent Phil Kennedy.

Kennedy said that because things were going smoothly the board had no new business on the agenda. He did give his monthly superintendent's report.

He began by sharing a letter from Fire Chief James "Bubbles" Switzer.

Switzer praised utility company employee Chad Clark for his help with the recent ISO survey. Clark presented information on the water system that consisted of well sizes, water distribution, gallons being pumped per minute and the number of gallons of water stored in the tanks that are available for fire protection. He also addressed the sizes of the water mains. The ISO representative was pleased with Clark's part of the survey.

Kennedy said that with the improvements made to the system last year the community may get a better or lower fire protection rating that should lower fire insurance rates in the area.

Switzer's letter commended Clark for his knowledge of the system and for the way he handled the interview.

Kennedy told the board that gas rates would probably not be raised this winter because he had earlier put 50 percent of the projected usage in storage for the season.

The superintendent informed the board that he had attended a meeting in Maysville and learned that the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority was trying to find a way to raise funds for construction for utility companies. The plan may involve some bond programs and loans. He pointed out that the Southern Lewis County Water Project was funded with 65 percent grants and only 35 percent with loans.

Kennedy noted that in the past few years the utility company has received $15.5 million in funds from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority.

He repeated that that organization is now putting an emphasis on sewers and that will be among the next projects for Vanceburg and Lewis County.

Kennedy told the board that the paperwork is done and the company is waiting for another check from FEMA. Repairs from the ice storm and the flooding in 2003 cost over $700,000 but the company will get 87 percent of that back through FEMA funds. Local money was used and then FEMA reimburses the company.

He explained to the board that the 2004 calendars to be given to customers have been late coming in but should be here any time.

Kennedy said he is working on the annual report and should have it ready by next month's session.

He also told the board that the bids for the relocation of the utility lines at the Industrial Park will soon be received.