The Middlesboro Board of Education voted to use ParentSquare as the application for all communication between school staff and students during their June meeting.

Austin Jones gave a presentation to the board about the features of ParentSquare as well as SB 181, which requires all school districts in Kentucky to have a system in place that makes all communication with students traceable and recorded so it can be pulled up at the request of parents. The new app had to be in place by June 27.

“Everything we do as a district can be done using this app,” Jones said. “Once we have buy-in from the teachers and staff this is going to be a really good thing for the district. I’m very confident in recommending it.”

The board also approved a $130,000 per year contract for new superintendent Bill Jones to run from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027.

In other business, the board:

— accepted the insurance proposal from Houchens Insurance Company for property, general liability, fleet/automobile, umbrella coverage, and inland marine premiums of $334,270, cyber liability premium of $12,953.28, wind/hail deductible buydown premiums of $24,750 and terrorism premium of $2,884 for a total of $374,858.28;

— accepted the insurance proposal from Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI) for worker’s compensation insurance in the amount of $62,070.64;

— awarded the student/athlete insurance to Roberts Insurance for $45,636.60;

— entered into an agreement to contract services with Smoky Hill for software for New Horizon, Group Home, $10,000 and the high school and middle school, $10,000 for a total of $20,000;

— approved contracts for the 2025-26 school year with Family Pride Counseling, the Bell County Health Department, and Cumberland River Comprehensive Care Center;

— approved the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Intrust Healthcare for 2025-26;

— approved the contract and MOA with Bell Whitley Head Start for 2025-26;

— renewed the asbestos management contract with Air Source Technology;

— approved the elementary school dental program agreement with the Elgin Foundation;

— approved the food service bids for Bimbo Bakeries, Riverside Produce, Prairie Farms, Norvex, Ellisons and PFG (Performance Food Group);

— approved the clinical affiliation agreement with LMU Sports and Exercise Science for 2025-26;

— approved an agreement with Access Language Solutions, Inc., for a translator for EL students, families and teachers;

— approved the 2025-26 dual credit MOA with Somerset Community College;

— approved the 2025-26 salary schedule;

— approved the first reading of the KSBA policy and procedures updates.

The next Middlesboro School Board meeting will be on July 15 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office.