Parents who live out of town but work in Troy will be able to enroll their students in a Troy City school beginning in August.

“We have checked this fully,” said Superintendent Lee Hicks. “Many school systems have this same policy. We are well within our rights as a city school system to do this.”

The non-resident school policy was adopted at Monday night’s Troy City School Board meeting, and Hicks said the option for parents is not designed to “compete or take children away” from Pike County Schools.

Students enrolled in a Pike County school are not eligible for non-resident status, according to the policy. Students who attend private schools in the county, or who live outside Pike County will be considered for enrollment.

“We wanted to open our doors to parents who commute, who are teachers at the university, or work at companies such at CGI to bring their children into the city with them when they come to work,” Hicks said, noting that the option would make it easier for parents to quickly reach sick children, take less time off work and be able to participate in daytime school presentations they normally might miss.

Applications and more information can be obtained at the Troy City School’s central office on the Elba Highway. Tuition for non-resident students has been set at $400 per semester.

Also at the school board meeting, board members voted to approve a contract with Kelly Services in order to have the company continue to supply substitute teachers and staff in the school system; to approve a state salary matrix for the system’s pay scale that would neither reduce or raise the current numbers; to approve taking the lowest bid when opened on July 18 for painting hallways at Troy Elementary School; and to hire Ginger Boutwell as a part-time Global Studies instructor at the Troy Pike Center for Technology.

One parent spoke at the meeting to voice her concerns regarding college level courses her son took before graduating from Charles Henderson High School. She said since some college courses he completed during his high school career weren’t counted on his high school transcript, he is in danger of losing scholarships and freshman status in college. She challenged the board to evaluate the system’s policy.

Board members and attending principals also noted continuing construction and expansion of schools and Hicks shared that he hopes to implement a “one on one” initiative that would put iPads in the hands of every student in ninth through 12th grade.

Hicks also gave thanks to Lowe’s for donating two storage units for use at the elementary school and high school with a total value of about $1,200.

The next scheduled meeting of the Troy City Schools Board of Education is set for 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 27.