Overton Schools Carry Over $500,000 From 2019

Overton County Schools have over half a million dollars available from last school year to spend on supplies, extracurricular activities and special education programs.

The board of education made revisions Tuesday to allow spending the money this year. Chairman Jarman Hicks said the leftover federal funds are from school abruptly ending in March.

“The special ed there is around $225,000 ballpark,” Hicks said. “The actually general federal projects, those are around $300,000 worth of carry over money.”

Majority of this money will be used for low income students, special education assistants and summer school. Hicks said the county government will review the revisions at a future meeting but do not control how the funds are spent.

“Those moneys will be spent this school year,” Hicks said. “As we approve those amendments, it then goes to our county government. Our county government does not control the federal money. We send it to them just as a courtesy.”

The board also approved the hiring of an additional nurse. Currently, four nurses are tasked to cover seven schools. School Health Coordinator Jenny Smith said adding three nurses in total would be ideal. Director of Schools Mark Winningham said enough funds are available for at least one nurse at this time.

Opening for bids to install electric or natural gas heating at Livingston Academy’s baseball field house was also approved.