Special Education Director Kim Lipscomb presented a proposal to add a speech therapy service that would lower costs and increase the possibility of billing Medicaid. “We are looking for at a new way to do our speech services in Tucker County, that is going to save us some money,” Lipscomb said.
The owner of Best Life Therapy and Integrated Speech Solutions, Rhea Dyer, presented her company’s speech services model. Dyer currently provides speech pathology supervision to the two speech pathology assistants in Tucker County.
The proposed program for Tucker County would provide a combination of onsite and tele-speech services. The company’s speech pathologists are certified.
“We run a high intensity drill format in small increments of time,” Dyer said. The program only takes students out of the classroom for a maximum of 10 minutes for speech services. The services are provided via an audio/video program.
“This program is designed to get quick results,” Dyer said. To employ the services, the board would need to lay off the two speech pathology assistants currently employed.
Lipscomb estimated the tele-speech services would save the board approximately $30,000. The board plans to discuss the proposal at the next meeting. If approved, the new speech services would start in August, 2018.
Davis Thomas Elementary Middle School Principal gave the board a check for the full amount owed for the new bleachers in the school’s gym. “Of course we want to thank you all for helping us,” Lambert said. “I never dreamed that we would be able to do this so quickly,” she said.
Three student transfer requests were approved, and the board disapproved one. Kathy King’s retirement as a third grade teacher at Davis Thomas Elementary Middle School was approved.
A third reading of policy updates is slated for the next Board of Education meeting.
Make up days are as follows: Friday, April 6, Wednesday, May 23, Thursday, May 24, Friday, May 25, Tuesday, May 29, Wednesday, May 30, and Thursday, May 31. The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 19, at 4:30 p.m. at the Board of Education Office.