January 28, 2020 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  In attendance:  Chair Butch Campbell, Vice Chair David Settles, Wes Ballard, Amanda Moore, David LaRoche, Roseann Barton, and Becky Goff

Staff:  Dr. Linda Gilbert, Gary Anderson, Joe Marlin, Sheri Arnette, Greg Lyles, Angela Fairchild, Lisa Trail, Trey Duke, Quinena Bell, Adam Bryson, Cindy Cliche, Suzanne St. John, Beth Prater, Caitlin Bullard,
Raeshon Torres, Kristina Maddux, Julia Williams and Brian Rome.

City Liaison Bill Shacklett.  Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Taylor was absent.

 

Rationale:  The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Keala Lemoine, a 6th grade student at Salem Elementary, Darci Hampton, a 5th grade student, also at Salem Elementary, and Xavier Duffey, a 6th grade student at Hobgood Elementary.

On behalf of the entire School Board, Mr. Campbell thanked all the schools for all of the notes and gifts for School Board Appreciation Week.

 

Rationale:  Mr. Campbell asked everyone to remember Ms. Nancy Duggin, a
former teacher and school board member, whose husband,
Mr. Ivan Duggin, also a long-time educator, recently passed away.

 

Rationale:  FY 2019 Audit Report-Andy Matlock with Matlock and Clements presented the findings of the audit. Mr. Matlock stated that Matlock and Clements issued an unmodified opinion, which is a clean audit, on both reports. There were no findings that would warrant any communications.

School Board Appreciation Week-January 27-31

Recognition of Donna Burke and Rhonda Rivera, bus drivers who made hats for students on their buses and their teachers.

Recognition of Maci Lynn O'Brien, a student at Northfield Elementary, for her acts of kindness during Christmas.  Maci presented goody bags out of the goodness of her heart to patients at Tennessee Oncology during the Christmas season.

Kayla Woodlee with Music City Trykes-City TV News Story

Congratulations to Mary Pat Allen, art teacher at Discovery for being a highlighted artist at MTSU’s "Saturdays at Todd."  Her charcoal art was showcased at the Todd Art Gallery this past weekend.  Ms. Allen participated in an artist talk and led a workshop for those who attended.  We are proud of Ms. Allen!

Performance by Bradley Academy students who attended the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta recently and performed Annie JR as their showcase.  Markell Waobikeze won Outstanding Performance By an Individual.  He was one of ten out of about seven thousand who won this award.  He won the award for his portrayal of Daddy Warbucks.  The team placed high but will receive final scores in April.  The following students are in attendance at the meeting tonight:
Alanna Summers
KaLeah Batey
Zaria Marable
Layla Taylor
Lydia Dancer
Kelsey Gord
Penelope Canning
Jessica Thomas
Trevon Williams
Jaden Gatewood
Markell Waobikeze
Katelyn Humbert
Nataliah Fogler and Norieah Fogler also attended JTF, but have recently moved out of the district.
Eric Grim, Desiree Keith, and Kennye Holt were the coaches that helped lead this group to such a wonderful performance.

Announcement of Teachers of the Year:
Discovery School
Teresa McCarthy
Kelley Kleppinger

John Pittard Elementary
Deborah Collier
Molly Oliver

Cason Lane Academy
Shay Wilson
Latasha McFarland

Salem Elementary
Kinsey Johnson
Cynthia Martin

Overall Creek Elementary
Sara Brown
Christy Honey

Scales Elementary
Kimberly Hix
Isormari Pozo

Bradley Academy
Abbey Sanders
Regan Clark

Erma Siegel Elementary
Brandy Cheatham
Margaret Lane

Reeves-Rogers Elementary
Renee Martua
Danielle Johnson

Black Fox Elementary
Kim Gambill
Meredith Patrum

Northfield Elementary
Judy Gritton
Rachel Bjork

Hobgood Elementary
Terri Guess
Corynn York

Mitchell-Neilson School
Heather Konyar Curry
Beverly Sanford

The District Celebration for these Teachers of the Year will be held on Tuesday, March 24, at Oaklands Mansion.

Murfreesboro City Schools would like to recognize Assistant City Attorney, Elizabeth Taylor, for being chosen for the TN Bar Association 2020 Leadership Law Program.

Theresa Witsman & Christy Honey have been selected to present at the State TSIN Conference May 4th & 5th at the Nashville Convention Center.

Don Bartch has been selected to present at the State TSIN Conference May 4th & 5th at the Nashville Convention Center.

Lea Bartch & Cherry Ross have been selected to present at the National Science Teachers Association National Convention during Spring Break in Boston, MA on April 3rd.

Roxana Dove, Jernika Frazier, and Ashley Love are presenting with the TDOE at the PIE (Partners in Education) Conference this week. Roxana Dove and Jernika Frazier are presenting "Exploring the Itinerant Model of Services for Preschool Students" (regarding itinerant teachers) and Ashley Love is presenting "Together We Learn Better" (regarding inclusion).

Dr. Linda Gilbert will be presenting a session with Lebanon Superintendent,  Scott Benson, Lawrence County Superintendent Johnny McDaniel, and Kim Frank at the TOSS Legislative and Learning Conference on February 5.  The session is titled "Effective Strategies of Social Emotional Learning."

MCS and John Pittard Elementary are thrilled to announce that Fifth Grade Math and Science Teacher Kyle Cantrell has been named as an Extraordinary Educator by Curriculum Associates. Curriculum Associates named 31 members nationwide to their inaugural class of Extraordinary Educators. Congratulations Mr. Cantrell on receiving this great honor! So proud you are part of the Pittard Pride. The 31 selected teachers exhibit best-in-class use of i-Ready and/or Ready in their classroom, illustrate growth and achievement via formal assessments, demonstrate classroom innovation and engagement practices for students, are evangelists for high standards and student achievement, and have been teaching for at least two years.

Angela Bunyi with Discovery School recently won the Battelle Education TSIN/STEMx STEM Classroom Grant sponsored by TVA and BVI.  This grant was in the amount of $2500 for the project "Greenhouse Challenge: Farmer vs Bot!"

Hobgood Elementary was recently awarded a TVA STEM grant in the amount of $5000. The grant was written by teacher Ms. Karen Shortridge and was entitled STEM Based Augmented Reality Sandbox Project.

Erma Siegel was also awarded a TVA STEM grant for $5000 entitled STEMulating Young Engineers.

Salem Elementary was awarded a TVA STEM grant for $3500 entitled Bringing Design to Life Through 3D Printing.  It was written by teacher Kimberly Kahle.

Felecia Jackson with Overall Creek recently received the Giants of Electricity grant for $2200.  This grant will cover the cost of a two-day in-school theatrical performance and hands-on science-based workshop for 3rd graders at Overall Creek Elementary.

Congratulations to Erma Siegel 5th grade student, Sarah Young, who has been chosen by Poetic Power to be published in their upcoming poetry anthology.

Murfreesboro City Schools would like to thank an anonymous donor for their $1,000 donation to the Backpack Food Program. 

Murfreesboro City Schools would like to thank Mr. Richie Bolin, S & W Contractors, for donating $350 to purchase take-home Math kits for the upcoming district-wide Family Game Night on March 19.

Murfreesboro City Schools Community Outreach would like to thank our community supporters for donations to the Indigent Care Fund totaling $1,000 and for $1,450 donated to the Backpack Food Program.

Murfreesboro City Schools would like to thank Middle TN Association of Realtors for their $500 donation to the Indigent Care Fund.

Murfreesboro City Schools would like to thank the following community partners for providing support to our children and families during the 2019 Season of Sharing:
Band of Brothers- North Blvd. Church of Christ
General Mills / Yoplait Plant
Parks Realty
Murfreesboro Police Dept. (Shop With A Cop)
Youth Group - North Blvd. Church of Christ

With with the support of these partners we were able to serve over 700 children and families during the holiday season. We would also like to thank Mr. Larry Willeford and the Maintenance Dept. for delivering gifts and Mitchell-Neilson and Hobgood Schools for providing space for two of the holiday events.

Mitchell Neilson Schools would like to thank Alan Farley and his staff at Rutherford County Election Commission for their generous donation to the MNS uniform fund.

MCS would like to thank all of the sponsors and those in attendance at the Excellence in Education Gala.  We especially appreciate former School Board member Collier Smith for being the honoree.  The evening was a complete success. As of now, the Foundation has given over $1 million dollars back to city schools.

The MCS Teacher Job Fair is scheduled for February 8 at Scales from 9:30-11:30.

Rationale:  Mrs. Goff said that she had questions about snow days
since the last calendar was approved, so she asked if we could decrease
some of the stockpiled snow days. Dr. Gilbert said that we cannot
do that.

 

Rationale:  Mr. Anderson explained that two buses will be retiring
at the end of this school year. We will not pay for them until the
next fiscal year’s budget, but we have to order them now. If we get the
orders in by February 6, we will get same price as last year.  This will
be for two regular buses.

 

Rationale:  Mr. Ballard had a question about the Board policy that was approved
under consent regarding Family Leave.  He asked if the 12-week family
leave time could be broken up and taken as needed, or does it have
to be taken all at once. Dr. Gilbert said that she would have
Mr. Ringstaff get the answer to him.

Mr. Ballard wanted to recognize the hard work that Lisa Trail and
Tori Carr put into the City School Foundation Gala.  

 

Rationale:  The meeting adjourned at 6:48 p.m.