October 15, 2024 at 6:00 PM - Kingsport City Schools Board of Education Regular Meeting

Description:  Robinson Middle School 6th Grader Lucy Marshall will lead the Board of Education and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.  
 

Description:  Mrs. Woods will ask for a motion to accept the agenda, which includes the consent agenda. Once the agenda is accepted, the Board mutually agrees not to discuss any item of business or take any action that has not been accepted for the agenda.

Description:  Dr. Fletcher will recognize six Dobyns-Bennett High School students recently named as National Merit Commended Students in the 70th Annual 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. This program is designated to identify and honor the top high school students in the United States. 

Those named as National Merit Commended Students from Dobyns-Bennett are:

Addison Arnold
Rishab Dey
Kaylah Lang
Lauren Maynard
Luke Musser
Cam Sewell

Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 5 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2025 competition by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screening of program entrants. Merit Scholar designers are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

Description:  Mrs. Woods will recognize two Dobyns-Bennett High School students who have been named as Semifinalists in the 70th Annual 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. Those named as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists from Dobyns-Bennett are:

Liam Klug
Claire Li

These two students will compete with the top high school students in the nation for approximately 6,800 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $26 million that will be offered in spring 2025. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. Merit Scholar designees are selected on thelasis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. 

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and his/her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which information is provided regarding the Semifinalist's academic record, participation in school/community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors/awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student's earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Over 16,000 students qualified as Semifinalists, about 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to advance to the Finalist standing (notified in February), and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. National Merit Scholarship winners for 2025 will be announced beginning in April and concluding in July.

Description: 

This is the time when members of the audience are invited to comment on agenda items.  It is not the time to speak about personnel issues, as there are more appropriate ways in which these can be addressed.  If you are not sure how to do this, please ask one of us after the meeting.

In your remarks, you may not refer to students by name without permission from the parent or guardian.

If you would like to speak on a topic not included on the agenda, you are asked to submit your request in writing to the Superintendent of Schools at least three (3) business days prior to the scheduled date of the meeting.

If you would like to speak about an item included on the agenda for this meeting, it is requested that you first state your name and limit your remarks to a maximum of three (3) minutes.

Thank you. 

Description:  Mr. Michael Hubbard, Director of Performance Excellence, will present the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Accountability Report for 2024-2025. The TISA Act, which transitioned Tennessee's K-12 public schools to a student-based funding approach, was implemented across the state starting with the 2023-2024 school year.  

Description:  Dr. Andy True, Assistant Superintendent - Administration, will present the 2025-2026 Kingsport City Schools Calendar and the Designated Holiday Schedule for 12-month employees for Board consideration. Both items were reviewed at the September Work Session. 

Description:  Dr. True will present six revised policies for Board consideration on First Reading. These policies were reviewed at the September work session. 

Description:  Dr. Chris Hampton, Superintendent, will present a resolution requesting the General Assembly to amend Tennessee Code Annotated to prohibit mobile phone use in Tennessee Public Schools. This resolution was reviewed during the September Board work session.

Description:  Mrs. Woods will lead a discussion regarding consideration to enter into a multi-state social media accountability lawsuit. Attorney Mr. William Shinoff, Frantz Law Group, provided a presentation and answered questions regarding the pending litigation during the September Board work session.