Dr. Rex Booth wasn’t in person for Thursday night’s Trigg County Public Schools Board of Education meeting — instead returning from an educational visit to Washington, D.C., and the nation’s Capitol.
Had he been, however, he would have been greeted with unanimous approval — when board members exited executive session, and delivered “exemplary” remarks following his first-year evaluation as superintendent.
Board Chair Jo Alyce Harper brought forth the review.
Harper also noted, however, that after thorough discussions over the last few weeks, the board will continue to encourage continued focus on several key areas, including:
+ The alignment of school-level culture, particularly in the middle and high schools;
+ The communication of progress on strategic instructional goals, especially with closing achievement gaps;
+ The monitor-and-report mentality of measurable outcomes from newly implemented strategies, using data from STAR and CASE 21 testing;
+ And the maintaining of monthly updates to the board, highlighting progress on key initiatives and responses to any identified areas of concern.
In other school news:
— Laura James, director of school services and personnel, said online enrollment has already opened for the district, and as of Thursday, more than 250 families had signed their children up for the 2025-26 school year.
— Sherman Carter Barnhart’s Chris Jones confirmed that during recent construction efforts at the Trigg County High School Gymnasium and Trigg County Middle School awning, a surprise has been discovered. An ancient switchbox in the shop building is, in his words, made of “unobtainium,” a joke meaning it is going to be next to impossible to replace or repair with original parts. An estimate for a more modern implement, he said, should come in the next few weeks.
Furthermore, the outdoor sign for the CTC building has finally arrived, and will be installed after logistics are ironed.
— Dawn Pickett, part of the fervent parent coalition to remove and/or reprimand board member Charlene Sheehan for alleged cyber-bullying actions this past March, confirmed that Sheehan reached out two weeks ago to offer an apology, but that it was “far too late for that” and “felt insincere.”
Instead, Pickett said she and others involved still “need to see accountability.” She, and others aligned with her, are still seeking a resignation, and she noted she “is not going to go away.”
Pickett also said she didn’t understand why “common law” couldn’t help in dealing with elected officials, and expressed frustration for what she feels was a “lack of assistance” with referrals to the state’s Department of Education.
At the late June board meeting, Booth made his only statement on the matter, noting Sheehan “is not a school employee,” and that as such, she does not fall under the purview of the newly-implemented House Bill 181, nor does she fall under any other similar governance of district employees.
