Published: July 07, 2009 12:58 pm      

School board approves bids for Colony, Johnson, Keavy , NLHS

Hammers will soon be flying at four Laurel County schools as the school board accepted more than $11 million in construction bids for renovations at Colony, Johnson and Keavy Elementary schools and North Laurel High School at a special called meeting Thursday.

“We will be adding additional classrooms and upgrading the bathrooms to comply with the American with Disabilities Act,” Superintendent David Young said.

The project will be funded through the issuance of $11.5 million in building revenue bonds. Young emphasized that this is restricted money that may only be used for building project and includes a 10 percent contingency fund.

Young said the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the upcoming school year.

The board also approved several changes to student handbook for the 2009-10 school year. Among the changes is that drug testing on students may be performed at school without parental approval.

Board Attorney Larry Bryson said the provision does not allow for random drug testing.

“There must be some basis for the test,” Bryson said. “The teacher just can’t order a student to submit to a drug test.”

Bryson added the policy for teachers and school personnel is similar, requiring there to be a reasonable basis to request a test.

Director of Pupil Personnel Doug Phelps said minor edits may be made before new copies are printed.

Staff writer Dean Manning may be reached at dmanning@sentinel-echo.com.