The Henry County Board of Education was informed at its June 8 meeting that the district will save $1,248,413 by retiring bond debt ahead of schedule. Chief financial officer Christy Willis pointed out that a provision in the 2015 general obligation bond series allows the district to retire the bonds August 1 of this year for $13,499,000. The money that is saved will be earmarked for the debt service fund and not the general fund. Currently the district has a AA bond rating, one step below the highest given by Standard & Poor which is AAA, Willis said, and moves such as this one will result in more opportunities to improve that rating.

  Development and planning for the 2020-2021 budget continues even though the district cannot yet officially set a budget for the board to approve. Budget development cannot be completed until the Georgia General Assembly, which reconvenes June 15, finishes its work in determining how state education funds will be distributed.

  Until the final budget is adopted, by law the school board can operate through an emergency spending resolution on a month-to-month basis which authorizes the superintendent to spend funds in the new fiscal year until the budget is adopted. The board approved such a resolution for June.

  Officials will present a tentative budget at the July 13 regular board meeting and recommend a special called meeting for July 27 to adopt the final budget and satisfy the two-week legal requirement and convene necessary budget hearings.

  The final version of the updated code of conduct was presented and approved. It was reported that the previous review period resulted in four comments from members of the public.

  Also approved was the district’s amended policy on sexual harassment. This was done in response to new federal guidelines published in May by the U.S. Department of Education related to Title IX, which protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities.