THE HOPKINS COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS CHOSEN TWO NEW POSSIBLE SITES FOR THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER. LAST NIGHT, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDANT STEVE GILLIAM SAID THE BOARD HAD CHOSEN THE JAMES MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL PROPERTY AS ONE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE.

     THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO BUILD TWO SMALLER VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS AT MADISONVILLE NORTH HOPKINS AND HOPKINS COUNTY CENTRAL. THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED LAST FALL NOT TO CONTINUE AT THE BUILDING SITE OFF THE PENNRYILE PARKWAY. THAT SITE HAD EXPERIENCED MAJOR SETTLING PROBLEMS, AND CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES THAT WERE BEYOND FIXING. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS ASKING FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE PROPOSED SITES BY FILLING OUT A SURVEY ON THEIR WEBSITE.

     THE MAJOR PORTION OF LAST NIGHT'S MEETING, HOWEVER WAS ON THE SUBJECT OF BULLYING.
MADISONVILLE POLICE CHIEF WADE WILLIAMS AND LIEUTENANT ROBERT CARTER GAVE A PRESENTATION ON A SYSTEM CALLED "CHARACTER COUNTS" THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

     THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY INPUT FROM CARL AND DIANA BOONE, WHO BLAMED BULLYING ON THE SUICIDE OF THEIR DAUGHTER DOROTHY IN OCTOBER. THE BOONES SAID THEIR DAUGHTER HAD BEEN RIDICULED AND HARRASSED BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND THAT THEY HOPED FOR A PERMANENT COMMITTEE OF TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND BOARD MEMBERS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. BOARD MEMBERS SAID THEY WOULD TAKE THE MATTER UNDER ADVISEMENT.

     AND SUPERINTENDANT JAMES LEE STEVENS SPOKE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS DRAFT BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.. STEVENS PAINTED A BLEAK PICTURE, SAYING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE 2.5 MILLION DOLLARS LESS IN FUNDING DUE TO SMALLER ENROLLMENT AND FEWER SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. HE SAID THE SCHOOLS WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO MAKE DUE WITH 8 TO 10 FEWER CERTIFIED POSITIONS AND 8-10 CLASSIFIED POSITIONS.