May 25, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Meeting

Discussion:  (See above)

Discussion:  - Boston led the board members in a Moment of Silence. After a moment of silence, Benjamin King from Pine View Elementary led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Benjamin King was awarded a certificate of appreciation for his participation in tonight's meeting.

Discussion:   - Boston advised, okay we would like to welcome all of our visitors. I see that we have a full house tonight and we certainly appreciate it.

Discussion:   - Boston advised, Special Recognition, Mr. Stepp. Stepp replied, we don't have anything for this evening.

Discussion:   (See Above) - Boston advised, Mr. Safdie is out of the country and will not be with us tonight and Mr. Davis had a previous engagement. 

Discussion:  - Declarations of Conflict - Per TCA 49-2-202 Board of Education Members who have relatives (per the statue: relative means: Spouse, parent, parent-in-law, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or any person who resides in the same household as you) employed by the system are asked to raise your hands to identify yourself. "Do you certify that the votes that you make tonight will be in the best interest of the school system, regardless of the effect that your vote may have upon the employment of your relative or relatives?" Boston and King certified by saying individually, "I do."

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #1) Boston advised, next on the agenda is the Approval of the April 27, 2023 Minutes. Hamby advised, motion to approve. King advised, second. Boston replied, okay can we possibly look at page 23? On the very top, it said motion carried. That particular motion actually failed. That was the one that was confusing about the resolution and the movement failed. Does that make sense? Webb replied, yes. Boston continued, could we amend to include that correction? Hamby replied, yes I'll amend my motion. King replied, yes. Boston asked, any further questions? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #2) Boston advised, next is the approval of the agenda. Hamby advised, I make a motion we approve. Stout advised, second.  Boston replied, okay so we have a first and second to approve the agenda. Any discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next on the agenda is the Acknowledgment of our Elected Officials. I think we've got Mrs. Mall and Mr. Patterson. We appreciate you being here. Mr. Patterson, you're getting to be a regular. We appreciate that. We really do. Thank you for being here.

Discussion:   - Boston next is our Community Comments. I think we have one on there. If you would, please come forward. I know your name, but you have to state your name for the audience. Your address and the nature of your company.

Nathan Clouse 
Subject: Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association - Community and parents not being able to voice their opinions and lack of communication regarding TMSAA. How the TMSAA rules affect the students and sports in Cumberland County Schools. 

Discussion:   - Boston continued, next on the agenda is our School Board Reports. Mrs. Shannon Stout, do you happen to have anything on the 3rd grade retention? Stout replied, I do have a little bit on the 3rd grade retention. Boston replied, well then our TLN Report please. 

Discussion:   - Stout continued, and I have a few other things I wanted to bring you all up to speed on. So several of the bills that have been passed by the House and Senate that I've previously reported on are being signed or have been signed by the governor and are now law. If anybody's interested in tracking the signed legislation, you can go out to the Secretary of State website and then under the public chapters section and that brings up the 113th General Assembly and that lists all of the laws there. All of the bills that have been signed into law. So you can track it by going out to the site. Regarding the 3rd grade retention law. The Department of Education advised that they'll have the TCAP scores back by 5/19, which we're already passed. So have we gotten our TCAP scores back? Stepp replied, yes. Stout replied, fantastic. Okay and the students have the opportunity to
increase their score by retaking the test prior to the start of summer school. So have we set our retesting dates? Stepp replied, yes we've already retested this week. Stout replied, okay so this week, fantastic. Alright, so I guess the DOE is committed to a turnaround time of 48 hours on those. Stepp replied, yes we got them pretty much immediately. Stout continued, okay so we've got our retests back right. Do we have an idea percentage-wise of where we are with that? Stepp replied, yeah so there's several different filters that we go through 3rd grade retention model. I'm going to give you the wide open version, but we have several filters we're going through right now with contacting parents, working on summer school, signing up for tutoring or not signing up for tutoring. Every person at different levels have different options, but just the top end of this, 53 % of our 3rd grade students had to retake the ELA portion of the TCAT. The retake was completed on Monday May 22nd. We had 36 additional students meet the proficiency goal from the retake. So we start the next step to preparing to assist families to complete their appeal to the TDOE. That's another filter where parents can appeal, this whole process and then additional students have signed up for summer school as a result as well. So we're getting everyone filtered into the right places. The principals have been amazing on contacting parents. This is a very, very tough process. I will say this is, it's just tough. It's hard on parents, hard on kids, hard on teachers. I mean this has been a really difficult thing that the principals have done amazing job to work through in their buildings. Anyone I sat down and talked to they can tell me by name who the kids that are affected, who gets to move on, who gets to move on to 4th grade, but has to sign up for tutoring. Who needs to do 90 % of summer school, then do tutoring. There's several different avenues for the 3rd grade students on the flow chart that the State Department set out. So it's a very clean flow chart and I can send that along with what I just read to you guys through email. That way you have it. Stout replied, that would be great and I found out that they actually came back with that approaching percentage of being 5 %. So for those folks that actually increased that retake score by 5% was considered approaching. So that puts them in the category where it's summer school versus summer school and tutoring. Stepp replied, well on the retake if you go to the proficiency goal, then you can move on. Boston asked, does it appear that we're going to have to retain that many 3rd graders? Stepp replied, no. So that's what the summer program is for. So the summer programming if you attend 90% of that and you're at a certain level, then you move on and do this or if you're at a little lower level, then you move on and do tutoring. There's several different layers to this side. Boston asked, did they have to retest? Stepp replied, they will retest this summer, correct. Stout replied, at the end of the summer. Stepp continued, and then 4th grade, there's a program for them as a 4th grader that they can sign up for, which is tutoring and some other things. So this is a very complicated situation, but I think the biggest thing about this is, is this the right way to handle. Stout replied, well next year it'll be different, right, because they're going to be doing benchmarks along with the TCAP. So it'll be improved next year. Stepp replied, next year if we use the state 3rd grade, we're going to be required to use the state benchmarking system which is AMES Web. We're probably going to adopt that K-3 we're working on that right now, but they'll be required there to use that. So that can be another filter that if they score a certainly on benchmark, but not on the TCAP, then that's another filter where they can move on or have different interventions. Stout replied, so we'll want to be keeping in mind that we may have several students that are going to require tutoring going into next year even after summer school. Stepp replied, correct. Stout continued, budget wise. Boston asked, will ESSER provide that tutoring? Stepp replied, that's part of it, but we will need to provide that. ESSER runs out after next year. Boston asked, yeah, but I mean for right now? ESSER is providing. Stepp replied, part of it. because what we're going to run into some of the students that are going to need this tutoring are also qualified and required to get extra 30 minutes or 45 minutes depending on what RTI level they're on. If they're level two or three, we got to give them time there and if they're in this state then we got to give them tutoring on top of that. So these principles are going to earn their money. They are due already. I didn't mean. Stout replied, but it's more now. Stepp continued, there's a lot to going into having to call parents that you've worked with three and four years to share information like this. It's very challenging. Stout replied, that's my understanding. Boston replied, these were COVID babies. These were COVID kindergartners. So we picked the worst possible year in which to  start this. I just wanted to throw that out there so everybody would at least show a little compassion for these babies, because  they were COVID babies. Hamby advised, and this came from the government. Not from us, we didn't make this law. Stepp replied,   yeah legislation. Hamby continued, legislation. We didn't make this law. Stepp replied, and this is another reason why I brought up a few times us start working on strategic planning for Early Childhood stuff and it's getting more help into the community because that is a huge need every direct services talks about. There's a shortage of Early Childhood . Stout replied,  we don't want it getting to 3rd grade into this situation. Nichols replied, get ahead of it. Stout replied, it's my understanding that the parents have 14 days to appeal after receiving the notice. Stepp replied, so we're working with them now calling, getting them in. We're going to help them do it on site if we can. If not, walk them through it, but the principals are all making these phone calls too. Stout replied, thank you and then we have not heard, I have not heard TSBA has not heard a specific turnaround time by the DOE regarding parent appeals, but they've already put out on their site that the final retention notification has to be given to families at least 10 days before the first day of school. Stepp replied, we're on all that. We're tracking all timelines. The actual appeal window correct me if I'm wrong, is May 30th. That's when it opens. So that's why we're already out of school. So that's why it's going to be difficult. The next week the principals are really going to be working overtime to try to help these families out, because that appeal process is also another gateway to 4th grade. Stout replied, okay alright, so that was kind of the summary that I had of where we were and I wanted to find out from Mr Stepp where we were county-wise. Not just what the guidelines were state-wise. Stepp replied, we're real consistent across the whole state. There's certain pockets of communities that had 70% proficiency, 65% proficiency, but for the most part, in the Upper Cumberland I think Trousdale was a little higher, but the rest of us were lower on the proficiency rate. Running around 50% to 55-ish, but then when you go through the filters it gets down in the 40% and then, hopefully with summer programming and all that, it'd be 1%. Stout replied, down to almost nothing. Stepp replied, this is a goal. Stout continued, which is good if we can give them the help they need to raise them to where they need to be. So they're not falling behind moving on to 4th grade. Okay so that's what I had on the 3rd grade retention.

Stout continued, I just wanted to bring up a couple other things that are going to impact budget and policy. Under the Governor's School Safety Budget, this came up a little bit last night at the budget meeting, but I wanted to address that with the whole board. It's going to be distributed
through two different grants. One for General School Safety and the other for the SROs. The General School Safety Grant is going to be managed by the Department of Education and the district's going to need to submit the request with the things that we are looking to utilize those funds for. The SRO Grants can be managed by the Department of Safety and the school district along with local law enforcement will need to work together to submit that request and I think you mentioned that then the way that our district works with the county that the funds would go to the law enforcement. Stepp replied, the law agency. Stout continued, so right now we're still waiting to hear on how that grant process is going to work. So we don't have the details of what you to be submitted in one yet.

Stout continued, School Safety Law. There was a law that's going to affect what we need to do with our policies and under SB 247 and HB 322. Primary entries must be monitored by school employees during start and end of school, but they're allowing the schools to adopt whatever process they want to use to meet that law through our school policies. So we'll want to be aware of that for policies.

Stout continued, and then budget wise. There was also maternity and paternity leave law that passed. It was actually sponsored by our own representative, Sexton. It requires local education agencies to provide licensed employees of six paid work weeks after a birth or stillbirth of the employee's child or employees adoption of a newly placed minor child. The six weeks do not have to be taken consecutively, but do have to be used within six months and both parents can use it at the same time. So if we have spouses working at the district, they can both take it at the same time. So we'll want to take that in consideration.

Stout advised, you all may or may not have heard already that our current Commissioner of Education, Penny Schwinn is stepping down and Governor Lee has already appointed a new commissioner who will be starting on July 1st. Her name is Lizette Gonzalez Reynolds and she's coming from Texas. We talked briefly about this last time. Stepp replied, can I make a side note to that? Stout replied, yeah go ahead. Stepp continued, our new commissioner is a lobbyist from Texas. Does not have a teaching degree in education. Has a bachelor's, I think in Political Science. So the new Commissioner of Education has zero background in education outside of lobbying or working up in politics. Stout replied, we may have some challenges ahead of us. Nichols replied, what is he thinking. Boston asked, was she already in the system? Stepp replied, Texas. She's coming from Texas. Stout replied, via California. 

Stout continued, we had mentioned at the last meeting that looked like there might be a special session called and it's looking like it's going to be scheduled for the 21st of August. You would ask about that Teresa and they're calling it a special session regarding safety. We'll see if that transpires.

Stout advised, I also wanted to mention that if our board decides we want to submit any legislative resolutions for the 2024 Legislative Session, we need to have them submitted to TSBA by September 19th in preparation for the annual convention in November. So we'll just keep that in the back of our mind as things start occurring if there's anything we want to put together as a resolution to send in. Boston advised,  I'd like to get together and rewrite this 3rd grade retention law and send it to them and see what they do. Stout replied, well let's base it on the new one that's passed and make sure that let's just make sure the changes we wanted to goes with that. Alright that concludes my TLN Report.

Discussion:   - Boston asked any more board members that have attended any training that they'd like to report on? No one responded. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next on the agenda  is Mr. Patton your Legal Report. Make it sweet. Patton replied, I really have nothing for you. There's no litigation and I have no updates for you on anything that I've reported to you about in the past. We'll probably have some new updates next month. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, now we've got, next on the agenda is Mr. Harry Dodson. Stepp replied,yes it looks like he was not able to make it. We were just going to do a Q and A on ROTC, but looks like he didn't make it. I got all the applications in all of our letter requests in the program in. We're just
waiting to hear back from the 7th Brigade. I know the Budget Committee is considering salaries right now. So I don't have an exact yes take this program. So once I get that I will send that directly to you, Mrs. Boston. So we can proceed, but we need to proceed. Stout asked, is Mr. Dodson just running late or do you think he's not going to be able to make it. Stepp replied, he's gonna make it. If he does show up late I'll call him out. Boston replied, we can always put it on hold. If he does, we'll work him in there. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next on the agenda is our Director's report.

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #3) Stepp advised, okay first is the Agreement to Administer the School Nutrition. This is something we vote on every year. Boston replied, right. I'll entertain a motion to approve. Hale advised, second. Boston advised, you need to make a motion. Hale replied, I'll make a motion to approve. Hamby advised, second. Boston replied, okay so we have a motion and a second on the Agreement to Administer School Nutrition. Any discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #4) Stepp advised, next is the approval of the Strategic Compensation Differentiated Pay Plan. This also comes in front of you every year. Mrs. Bray got a group together, so that they could modify and work this up.  Boston asked, any questions and I'll entertain a motion to approve.  King advised, move to approve. Stout advised, second. Boston replied, so we have a motion and a second to approve the Strategic Compensation Differentiated Pay Plan. That's a mouthful. Any discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #5) Stepp advised, so the next is approval of a survey that's coming from the University of Tennessee Nursing. It's a Community Registered Nurse Navigator. They want to do a survey statewide. In any surveys we send out, we always go through the board to vote on. It is optional. It's not required. Hamby asked, and will this be overseen by our Mrs. Polson. Stepp replied, yeah it'll be through the Coordinate School Health. She's already spoken. Hamby advised, I'll make a motion that we approve. Hale advised, second. Boston replied, so we have a first and second to approve the Vaccination Needs Survey. Any discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #6) Stepp continued, next is is approving a bid on a Special Education bus that is coming. We had a bid for this last time and then supply chain cost or materials cost whatever, jetted on us. So we had to re-rebid out. Boston asked, they changed the bid on us? They changed the amounts. Stepp replied, yeah they said they couldn't honor the bid. Mr. Patton did all his legal use on that one. Boston replied, right and there is. Patton replied, there's still the possibility of addressing that now that we've got this in. If the board approves this bid then we'll, I'll be talking with you between now and the next meeting. Boston replied, oh perfect. There is a just to let everybody know. There is a budget amendment that we will be visiting during the Financial Report in regards to this bid, but we have to either accept or reject the bid. So I'll entertain a motion. Stout advised, move to accept. King advised, second. Boston replied, we have a first and a second on to accept the bid and this is for a SPED bus. Any discussion? Hale asked, will this come out of SPED funds? Stepp replied, yes. Boston replied, the money was there and they changed the bid on us. So this is essentially, you're trying to get a bus. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #7) Stepp advised, next is the Trinity Academy Co-op Renewal Agreement. We do this every year for athletics. Hamby advised, I'll make a motion that we approve. King advised, second. Boston replied, okay so we have a first and second to approve the Trinity Academy Co-op Renewal. Any discussion? Hale advised, I just have a question, because we do this for the sports someone and I'll ask Mr. Stepp about this had entertained the idea of the marching band. Homeschoolers wanting to be part of the marching band. Stepp advised, there's a new bill coming through legislation where they include to allow homeschoolers. I don't know if it's been approved yet or not but allow homeschoolers to be included in whichever programs they want to. In education, they're not one currently except through TSSAA homeschool with football I believe. Currently we're kind of, our hands are kind of tied. Boston asked, is that something that we can kind of monitor?  Stepp replied, yeah we should know by the end of this month. I hope. Boston replied, okay. Stout advised, I need to check on that one, because I don't remember where that one landed out of the 278 bills. Boston asked, any further discussion. No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #8) Stepp advised, next once a year, you have the Personnel Recommendations of tenure and then non-tenure and then non-certified. Boston advised, I'll make a motion to approve. Hamby advised, second. Boston replied, we have a motion and a second to approve the Personnel Recommendations. Any discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #9) Stepp advised, next is through Mrs. Hamby. This is the request to apply for No Kid Hungry School Nutrition Grant. Hamby advised, I'll make a motion to approve. Nichols advised, I'll second that. Boston replied, so we have a first and second on the No Kid Hungry School Nutrition Grant. How much is this grant? Kathy Hamby replied, we've actually received it and you'll see a budget resolution. It's a little over $57,000 dollars to be used for the Summer Meal Outreach and for breakfast. Boston replied, I would strongly suggested we approve it. We've already seen the money. We have a first and second. Any further discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #10) Stepp advised, okay next is a request for Competition Funds. As you know the Crab Orchard Archery Team is on the archery competition circuit and winning. They went to National, did great there. They're now about to head to the world. That is in Myrtle Beach and they're requesting funds to cover travel costs and that sort of thing. Hamby asked, how much? Boston replied, well that's, I'm going to if you don't mind. We are going to get there. We have a policy that allows for anyone that goes to Nationals to come before this board and request assistance in the funding. We have set a limit on the request, because at one time we had several. It's $1,500 the request. What I'd like to do is waive, I'd like to make a motion to waive that policy just based upon the limits of $1,500. (motion #1) We have had no one come before this board this year. We still have $7,500 in that budget line. Hamby advised, I will second that.  Boston replied, okay so we have a first and second and this is to waive the policy just on the limit amount that they can request. Stout asked, and are we sure there's not going to be any other requests coming in the school year? Boston replied, we are at the end of the school year. Stout replied, so this would be it. Boston replied, well I mean there could be somebody, but that would leave us a certain amount for until June 30th and then June 30th our new budget takes over. Hamby asked, do we need a capper? Are we going to allow them to request the full? Boston replied, no, no, no. I'd like to make a motion to waive the policy limits first. Then we can move over to the actual request. Hamby replied, I am just trying to get it all out there. Stepp advised, currently any clubs that are going to Nationals, I work through supervisors. It
sounds like they already have theirs covered, because they do that regularly. The archery is kind of new, so they're working on. Nichols replied, fundraisers and stuff. Stepp continued, yeah. Hamby replied, I think it's amazing. Nichols and Stout replied, I do too me too. Nichols and Hamby advised, so proud of all of them. Boston replied, so we have a motion and a second to waive the limits on our policy for clubs to come before this board that goes to Nationals. Any further discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Boston advised, Mrs. Miniard has done an incredible job. She has paid for a lot of their competitions out of her own pocket. Stepp replied, her and her parents. Boston continued, and we kind of had to coax her just a little bit to send in this request and what I would like to do is make of motion that we approve $3,000 for her to take these children. There's 36 children. One of them will stay one night. Part of them will stay two nights and this will pay for their travel, their hotels. Even if they don't get their fundraising set up by next year I hope they go to the world and I hope we see them again next year. I would like to make a motion that we approved $3,000 for Mrs. Miniard's program. Hamby advised, I'll second.  Stout asked, how much were they asking for or how much do they need? I should say. Boston replied, well she didn't really have it down to give us. Stepp replied, she had how many rooms, the cost per night. Boston continued, we calculated it up. Stepp replied, she gave us a rough listing. Stout asked, and that $3,000 should cover the bulk of it? Boston replied, the $3,000 most of it sufficiently will recover we think. Nichols advised, it's gas and lodging, food. Stepp replied, most of it. Stepp replied, we've got families driving, so there's different people paying different costs. So they didn't take a bus, so the way the archery team survived, is parents invested their own money. Paid for, it's like having a kid in travel ball. You pay for everything basically. Boston replied, well and there again we had a limit of $1,500 and bless her heart and I will bless it. She just gave us the rough figures of hotel rooms, how many nights they were going to stay. Approximately what the entry fee would be. The entry fees like what $1,200? Beaty replied, $1,800. Boston continued,  okay so I was not that far off. So this should sufficiently pay for the hotels and the travel and the entry fee. Stepp replied, most of it. Boston replied, so that's my motion and we had a second. Is there any more discussion? No one responded. A Roll Call Vote was taken.  

Discussion:   - Stepp advised, okay so the next item is TMSAA. It will cost money. The Athletic Committee recommended that the school board pay for each Elementary School's cost. Since there are co-ops and those things going on. So we started looking at this back in August. We had Mr. Patton called in many, many coaches to talk about it. The government side of Athletics is all I've been talking about. So we've met five, six times. We're trying to count how many times we've met with them. We asked them to go back and talk to their parents and talk to their kids and talk to their people about that. You know obviously some didn't get the message and some did, but this move does do governance and what I've said this whole time, those that have been in the committee meeting. Some of the principals have been in there. I am not changing any sport at any school at all. No basketball program is going anywhere. There's one challenge and that's Pine View. In Pine View with the 6th, 7th, and 8th. We're going to co-op with Crab Orchard and the principals at Crab Orchard and Pine View have worked it out where they're sharing cheerleaders, doing some games at Pine View.
Some games at Crab Orchard, but when you have a small school like that it is very hard to get a full team together. They culminated into a meeting today for about an hour with all the Middle School coaches. We talked through any issues they had. We made phone calls to TMSAA to make sure we're getting the right information. Coaches are good to go and ready to move on. Yes there are some sports to go TMSAA and to play in the state tournaments, would have to change their season. Softball, volleyball would have to move to where most of the counties around us have it. Into the right season, so that if they play out of the district or the conference they're in, they move on to the state and start playing in playoffs. The way the basketball would work is every school will keep their basketball. Our teams, we'll still actively recruit and try to get as many students in there as we can and they'll be kind of their own conference. Is what TMSAA said. So they're still going to play each other. We're still going to have the county tournament at the end where the whole community comes in and then one maybe two teams depending on how many are in this region, go on to the region championships and state championships. So this allows us to compete even outside our county, which is great. Now everyone of our basketball teams will play each other, but the schedule's open where they can schedule other games if they want to. Other games with more competitive teams or if you're like Pineview and Crab Orchard somebody that's equitable as far as talent. So that you can have some really solid good games. This also helps us getting referees, so we'll be able to get referees that are TSSAA sanctioned and they've gone through all
the training. So we're excited about that and we're adding programs. So we're going to be able to add student athletes and what I mean by that is I'm going to talk through this supplement sheet. There is a supplement, but we're going from bowling, tennis, track and field to two teams. One for Stone, one for Cumberland County High School. Girls soccer is going to be a transition. We're not sure we can go to two teams because of participation this year, but eventually we would add more participants in girls soccer. Boys soccer, I think they've already worked it out we're we have two teams one for Cumberland County, one for Stone. Boys golf, two teams now instead of one. Girls golf, I'll try to go to two instead of one depending on participation.  Wrestling go to two instead of one. They got girls wrestling and then cross country also. They'll have feeders going to each school. So we're actually going to add opportunities for kids. So we want to beef It up and get even more. I know the golf teams are already one feeder is already exploding with a lot of players. So we're excited about that. So that's the direction we're going with Middle School Athletic Association. Obviously, I started the meeting out today sharing the board's new mission and vision and your core beliefs and one of the core beliefs and one of our buckets for our strategic plan for the next five years is Athletics. How do we get more students involved. How do we create a bigger umbrella over it so we're not just coaching just the sport. We're coaching character, life skills. You know a lot of the coaches already do that, but creating that county-wide initiative is the direction we're going. So this item is on here because it is $300 an elementary school. So it's a $2,700 expense that would go on the budget for next year for us to become members. Stout advised, I'll make a motion to approve for discussion. Nichols replied, I'll second. Boston advised, so we have a first and second motion on the floor for TMSAA to move forward with that program. Any discussion? Hamby advised, yes I have something to say. For one I believe that this should have been an open forum for parents to be able to come in and discuss and talk about what is going on and understand it. I know as a board member, I don't understand most of it. Yes, you explained quite a bit right there, but that's not a good explanation. I have an issue with we've already lost, you know football teams, soccer teams. All this stuff in the past and then we're looking at changing cross-country to the Fall. When we've always done the Spring. Where I mean this involves a whole lot of things that is not being explained real well in my opinion. I believe that it should be opened up for parents to be able to come in and talk, coaches come in and talk. You said you've had meetings, but there's been a lot of parents that have not been included in those meetings or they have been set at a time of day that a lot of the parents could not participate. So that's just, that's my thoughts, that's my opinion. I don't agree with it. I think more needs to be sought out and I think more explanation needs to be out there. Stout replied, a couple questions from Mr. Stepp and  Mr. Patton. You've touched on a few of the pros, but can you just summarize really quickly what the pros would be for making the shift for the students? Stepp replied, yeah the pros and we're adding teams so we're going to get more students involved. We're going to have access to TSSAA referees for all the sports that we need them. This also gives every sport is under the same governance and rules. This creates seasons for each sport, so that it doesn't conflict with other school sponsored sports. Patton advised, it will add a couple million dollars in catastrophic insurance for those athletes that you know, now our athletes will be covered additionally under TSSAA, TMSAA catastrophic insurance, which is very very significant when you consider $300 dollars per school and you get that level of insurance. We had an athlete this year who is already you know, faced thousands of dollars and things from an accident and  when we had those umbrellas it really helps. It will really help us as far as scheduling. It'll help us to schedule, it'll help our students to participate in a wider variety of competition levels. You know, some of our really good teams can go play other really good teams and our others that maybe are still you know, still working don't find themselves in a 62 to 12 type game. Where they're potential for embarrassment. There's a level for everybody. So that everybody can feel successful. That's just a few off the top of my head. You know some of the main ones, but it just so many more opportunities. Especially in terms of when we fall under a calendar. We'll fall under that TMSAA calendar. It really takes the pressure off of the athlete to have to choose where he has to be on any given day. TMSAA you know, other than summer. Summer is unrestricted and they you know, they'll  battle for athletes, the coaches will. But once school starts there, you know it really releases them pressure wise, you know one coach can't say well you've got to be here and another one well no I need you here. That's all regulated and it really takes the pressure off of students and families. So that's some of the major things. Stepp replied, and I will say we've had open meetings. We've asked the coaches bring whoever you want. Talk to your parents. We had school board members that joined in with us on a couple of the meetings. Hamby asked, were those the ones that were at two o'clock during the day? Stepp replied, there was only one at two o'clock during the day, because I had military duty and I had to leave. It had nothing to do with restricting parents. There was only one time was it like that the rest were 3:30, 4:00, 4:30. Hamby replied, I must have missed those announcements. Stepp continued, I believe the second meeting I think Mrs. Boston was it you and Mr. Davis that came and Mr. Safdie was there. So we've been doing this in public. I'm sorry if the word didn't go out. I know all the principals knew and I think are in support of this. All the 80s coaches and we met with coaches today and they left happy. They all understand what we need to do. We understand that certain teams can't make a seasoned transition this year, because schedules have already been made. We've already worked through that. So they'll play where they'd normally played if they weren't able to be with TMSAA on the schedule making side. So it's a transition. Not everything is going to work out perfect, but we've worked through that. Mr. Patton has, Mr. Davis you know, 80s coaches. So we've had it out there since August. Stout advised, I know the discussion has been going on for quite some time. How many counties are involved with? Stepp replied, TMSAA is across the whole state of Tennessee and I believe they said out of the 145 school systems there were about 75 or 80. Is that correct? Patton replied, I think so. Stepp continued, somewhere in that and they're just continuing to add. So Putnam County where I was before, added it two years ago and their TMSAA and TSSAA. They also have fifth grade basketball programs and stuff like that too, that don't go under TMSAA. Stull replied, so we talked about the pros on it. What are the cons and then also addressing the students that play in JV and Varsity? Stepp replied, so the JV or we call elementary basketball, the third, fourth, fifth grade. They'll fall under a season, but they don't fall under TMSAA. So they'll be able to play. Sixth grade can play on JV. They just can't play on both, however we talked today and we figured out though but sixth graders could practice with the varsity and play on the JV. They just can't play with the
varsity and with the JV. So that's one of the rules that they have and a lot of that has to do with age, maturity level, size, all that kind of stuff. Boston asked, are we calling the JV team? Stepp replied, we currently call it JV. It's really elementary, but they currently call that third, fourth, fifth. They even sometimes have first and second graders in certain schools. They got out there already starting to play basketball. Stout asked, do we know how many of the students play both right now? Stepp asked, play on both JV and Varsity? Stout replied, yes. Stepp continued, I'm not sure. Nichols asked, how long Mr. Paton has this been; how long have you been thinking about going into this process? Patton replied, it actually started with the Athletic Committee of the previous board. There were a handful of coaches that had mentioned interest in going TMSAA and so I brought it to the Athletic Committee at that time. They asked for a survey. We did a survey, you know and it was just an email survey to all of the coaches at that time. Emailed me back, talk to all your people and let me know, you know, how would this set of bylaws affect your sport. So it goes back that far. From that then the next year, which brings us to the current Athletic Committee, current board. So some of those coaches came back and said you know what happened to that TMSAA thing? We would like to revisit that and so that's how that got started again back in August. You know, we had those meetings. I did a second survey, said talk to your folks. Please give me the input. How is this going to affect your sport? So you know it goes back two years since then. Nichols replied, so some of the frustration was a lack of communication with some of the coaches and parents. The word didn't get out there. Patton advised, there were obviously lack of communication something, somewhere. From what people have said. I can't say that I understand it, because we worked so hard to get it out there, you know, but I'm not going to deny that it's happened. I just don't understand it. Stepp advised, and there was a narrative of people that have been coaching here. The first meeting we had, they were talking about exactly what the gentleman earlier was talking about splitting basketball. I said in that meeting probably 50 times, Debbie, you were there. How many times did I say I am not talking about that? Beaty replied, every other word. Stepp continued, every time somebody opened it up. So that has never been my intent and never will be my intent to limit access to athletics for kids. I want it to grow and if you look at my history I believe the Middle School basketball champs were my previous Middle School where I grew athletics and coaching and all that and opportunities and the six years I was at upper I mean we had six or five, four state championships. So I'm all about athletics. I'm all about hiring coaches and paying coaches well. I'm all about giving kids great opportunities and this is one of those steps to move towards higher competition across the board. Stull replied, so then going back to my question was, what are the cons then about joining? Stepp replied, well the athletics right now will run the same. The only con that has been brought to me as a negative is like they can't play school basketball all year or a certain sport all year. There's a season and then they can utilize travel ball or baseball has a really strong recreation ball in town and utilize those other outlets, but what we're trying not to do is having a school sport trump another school sport. There'll be some layover transfer and we talk to coaches about that today. You have to talk to each other to work through this transition so that if a child is playing football and basketball starts September the 25th there's still some football going on. So you've got to 
compromise and let that child finish that season, but still participate in the new season. That happens at high school every year. That happens at middle school every year, but we're trying to create those opportunities to be able to play different sports representing your school, because the best programs have this type of setup. Stout asked, other than the budget deadline that we're working under for determining on figuring this $2,700 for the budget. Is there some timeline or deadline that we have for? Stepp replied, so we've been talking the timeline from the beginning. The coach's opinion there's a natural break at the dead period in the summer and that's when we would transition and that was the coaches. That was their majority opinion. Mr Patton, is that about right? Patton replied, that is correct. There are some things we've had to go ahead and do in preparation for the possibility. Just simply because people have to make schedules for the fall. They've had tryouts that sort of thing and so there are some things we've had to do based on whenever we go. We're prepared either way. Stout replied, and I believe the principals support this, correct? The principals nodded yes from the audience. Stepp asked, am I missing anything? Stout asked, and the Athletic Committee? We don't have the members here from that, but was it their recommendation? Boston replied, well I think Mr. Davis has been very active and are you (Mr. KIng) on the Athletic Committee? King replied, yes. Boston continued, then you speak. King replied, I don't remember voting for anything like this. Stepp replied, it was a discussion. Stout replied, okay so there's no recommendation coming out of the committee at this point. King replied, I don't remember one. Stout replied, so if our natural break point is the summer and the only real hard deadline we're under is the budget piece for the $2,700. Is there any reason that we couldn't have scheduled some kind of informational meeting for parents to come and for the Athletic Committee to be able to meet and make whatever their recommendation is and then have it come back to us? Nichols replied, Mr. Patton too, get everybody together. Hale advised, I've had a lot of parents call me concerned about this, saying that they have not had opportunity to talk and I know that some of the meetings I would want to attend, but I couldn't at the particular times that some of them were set and I you know I came to the 4:30 ones as much as I possibly could come. Because I used to sit on the Athletic Committee, but I feel like we need to give parents the opportunity to understand it a little better. Stepp replied, I'm available, Mr. Patton's available. When you get parent phone calls, you're welcome to send them to me or call me and ask me if that information is correct or not. That type of stuff. I mean I can help you out anytime. Hamby advised, I just feel like it would be better if it was an actual meeting where the parents could all come and everybody get a good grip on what is actually happening. Instead of let's talk to this parent, then this parent, because what's happening is miscommunication in between coming from this person to this person and this person. Instead of having everybody together and then the information. Stout replied, hearing it directly. Hamby continued, hearing it only once, because miscommunication happens whenever you've got this one's saying this and this one's saying this. So I feel like we need. Stout replied, could we postpone the vote, make a motion to postpone the vote on this until the June school board meeting. With the understanding that there would be an announced meeting to parents? Boston replied, well let me add one thing.  As far as the budget is concerned we are under a time constraint. We could go ahead and include that in the budget with the condition that if the program passes the board's vote. Stout replied, we're talking $2,700 not $27,000. Boston continued, we're talking about by the time you do the supplement, you're talking $18,000. Stout replied, $18,000 total okay and we've got that in our budget list that we've been looking at. So we can still take it into consideration for budget, but before we pull the trigger on moving forward. Would that delay anything with being able to get the program rolling the way we need to if we could compromise anything? Patton replied, if we did it at the June meeting, the dead period is the time in which we had the switch over. You know, right after the dead period last week in June, first week in July. So really if we could get it done in June, you know it's not to say it would be impossible later, but it would bring difficulties if we didn't get it done in June. So we had time to roll over and July, implement it. Stout replied, so we would definitely need to postpone until the June meeting and have it on the agenda for the June meeting, but we need to get the other meetings scheduled in the meantime. Boston replied, well we could always do a special called for that particular or specific issue. Stout replied, if we find we need to push it up. Boston continued, if we need to do it sooner. I mean that can be done. So we have a couple of possibilities there. Stout replied, because it sounds like there's a lot of pros and we've got Mr. Patton and sounds like the Athletic Committee, Mr. Stepp that are interested and it seems like it aligns with where we want to go with the Strategic Planning, but getting some more community input and having a little more discussion to make sure everybody's on the same page. Nichols replied, it would not hurt. Boston replied, well you always want parents to have a voice and be involved. Stout replied, and we want a good
understanding of it. Boston replied, but right now we have a motion and a second on the floor. Stout replied, I'll withdraw my motion for approval and I'll remove my second. Stout continued, and I will make a motion to postpone voting on the TMSAA until at the latest the June board meeting. Nichols replied, or a special call. Stout continued, or if we need to do it earlier special call. Boston replied, so say that to just to continue. Stout continued, to postpone it until the June board meeting or sooner by special call if necessary. Nichols asked, and then do you have to put in order that they can gather a meeting with the parents and the interested parties, Stout replied, with the understanding that there'll be a community meeting and another Athletic Committee meeting. King replied, I would think so. Stout continued, prior to it coming before the board. Boston replied, that Athletic Committee could actually sponsor that meeting and make sure they get that information out to the public and then, the recommendation comes from the Athletic Committee. Then that would give it some support, because that means that they have spoken to parents, to coaches, to whomever they need to speak with. So I have a motion to continue this agenda item until the June board meeting or special called if needed or Athletic Committee meeting if you wanted to add that. Stout replied, with the understanding there'll be a community and/or Athletic Committee. Community or combined athletic and community meeting. We're making this a very long motion. I don't know if we need to get that in the weeds. Boston replied, so we have a motion. Nichols replied, I will second it definitely. Boston replied, we have a second. Any further discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken.

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #11) Stepp advised, okay next is our Annual Planning Calendar. We look at that every month.

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #12)

Discussion:  Stepp advised, warm body count. 

Discussion:  Stepp advised, personnel reports, nutrition, and other. 

Discussion:  Stepp continued, substitute list.

Discussion:  Stepp continued, newsletters from each of the schools are awesome. 

Discussion:  Stepp advised, calendar of events.

Discussion:  Boston advised, next on the agenda School Board Committees. Mrs. Hamby, if you would be so kind, the Policy Committee.

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #13) Hamby replied, okay we have approval for first and final reading of policies 4.300 Extracurricular Activities, 5.100 Personal Goals and Objectives, 5.403 Drug and Alcohol Testing for Employees, 5.701 Substitute Teachers, 6.201 Compulsory Attendance Ages, 6.203 Schools Admissions, 6.300 Code of Conduct and Discipline, 6.308 Bus Conduct, 6.309 Zero Tolerance Offenses, 6.316 Suspension Expulsion and Remand, and these came out of the Policy Committee. So we don't need a second. Boston advised, just to make everyone aware this is for first and final reading. Hamby replied, and all the others that were for review only are on the Consent Agenda. Boston asked, okay so do we have any discussion on any of the policies that have been named and reviewed? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next is the Athletic Committee. Mr. King, Mr Davis is absent. Do you have anything that you'd like to report? King replied, I think we've already talked. Boston replied, everything that was the subject matter we've discussed. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next is the Budget Committee meeting and so far we've had three meetings. We'll have another one next week and hopefully have a budget to present to the: we're close, we're real close. By June 1st, I think most of us have attended those budget meetings. So we're kind of aware of what's going on, but I think we're close. Stout asked, do we need to, are we going to need to schedule a special call before then as well. with having the budget call. Boston replied, I think we're working on that right now and I think we'll make that announcement, but I'm not ready to be there just yet. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next is Building and Grounds Committee. Shannon, I think with Mr. Safdie, he had asked you to report. Stout replied, yeah we didn't have a meeting this last month for Building and Grounds, but we're going to be working on setting one up for next month. We've got the bid from Mr. Chamberlin that was requested for looking at the maintenance schedule and then I don't know if we're going to have, are we expecting the the rebid back on South possibly by then? Boston replied, they won't rebid that until the resolution is done. It's approved or rejected, one of the two. Stout asked, so we won't have a rebid to discuss? Boston replied, pretty much. Stout continued, so right now I'm gathering to see if we've got anything else we're going to need to meet on, but otherwise just Mr. Chamberlin's bid looks like it's about it for our meeting on the June 5th.

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next is the Safety Committee, Mrs. Hamby. Hamby replied, right now we have not had a meeting as of late, but we are going to be working on some with the new bills that are being passed down with safety. I will be trying to put together some things in to where we can have some discussions. So we're working on something and it's probably going to be in July when we have a meeting about all of that. Boston advised, we should have some kind of information on the Safety Grants. Hamby replied, yes. 

Discussion:   - Boston advised, next is the Contract Committee. We have not met. We have not had any new contracts to review.

Discussion:   - Boston advised, so next on the agenda is the Chief Financial. You're the CFO right now. Bray replied, I'm a little bit of everything. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #14) Bray advised, well basically you had an opportunity to review the statements. The years winding down. I have made a few budget amendments so that we move some money around. So that we can accommodate some accounts that needs a little extra, but all in all I think we're where we need to be this time of year. The only thing that really concerns me is I was a bit distressed when I got the sales tax report, because it has turned around the opposite direction. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #15) Bray continued, hopefully in the next two months we can make some of that back, but it was a $40,000 difference in what was originally projected. Boston asked, it was how much? Bray replied, $40,000 just for the month. Now we're still running ahead for the year, which is good, but we also need to keep in mind there's a two-month lag here. So really these numbers are cash register receipts from March, but it was a bit distressing when I first saw it. Boston asked, but right now it appears that we're $213,000 ahead? Bray replied, no $173,000. There was an updated one that was sent out. Nichols advised, but summer's coming. So it's going to get better. Boston asked, is there any questions in regards to the summary statement?  Boston asked, and you think we're where we need to be? Bray replied, I think with the budget cleanup amendments that have been done I think we should be. Boston asked, and we're doing those where we're over in some areas and under in some areas. Bray replied, correct. Boston asked, is that why all of these budgets, with the exception of the SPED bus? Bray replied, some of them are and then I move some money so that we could buy an additional big bus and then I recorded our funds that we'll get from the state for summer school and I think the rest will be just cleanup, amendments. 141,142, and then Mrs. Hamby's 143. Boston replied, if you'd like to start going over those. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #16) Bray replied, it's just a General Budget Cleanup. Taking money from some accounts and putting it in the other. So that we won't have a deficit at the end of the year, because you cannot end in the negative. Boston asked, so that is the $161,675 correct? Bray replied, correct. Boston asked, does the board want to take these one at a time or do you want to group them together? Hamby asked, can we group them together? Boston replied, if you just read through all of them, then we'll group them. Bray continued, this just records the summer school funds that we'll get from the State of Tennessee. We have to put those in the budget, so that we can start paying people for summer school. Boston asked, do we have those monies yet? Bray replied, no it's a reimbursement. It's already been approved in e-Plan. This is basically from the Special Education Department, so we move some money so that we can pay the SPED teachers for summer school and I think the final one is my budget amendment. Move some money so we can buy an additional full-size bus. Boston asked, is that all of the 141s? Bray replied, yes ma'am. Boston advised, okay I would entertain a motion to approve the 141s. Stout replied, motion to approve 141 budget amendments. King replied, second. Boston replied, okay so we have a first and a second to approve all of the budget resolutions with the 141. Any further discussion? No one responded. A Roll Call Vote was taken.  

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #17) Bray continued, okay and I believe the next ones are 142s and all of these are budget cleanups from Federal Programs. To make everything match in e-Plan and look all perfect. Boston asked, any questions? If not I'll entertain a motion for the 142s. Stout replied, motion to approve the 142 budget amendments. King replied, second. Boston replied, okay so I have a first and second to approve the 142 budgeted amendments. Any discussion? No one responded. A Roll Call Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit #18) Bray advised, I believe the final ones would be Mrs. Hamby's. I'm sure she would be happy to entertain any questions that anybody has. This is all nutrition based. Boston replied, 143s, which is our nutrition fund. I'll entertain a motion to approve. Nichols replied, I'll make a motion to approve 143. Hale replied, second. Boston replied, we have a first and second to approve the 143 budget amendments. Any discussion? No one responded. A Roll Call Vote was taken. 

Discussion:   (See Exhibit # 19) Boston advised, next on the agenda is our Consent Agenda. Hamby advised, I make a motion that we approve the Consent Agenda. King advised, second. Boston replied, so we have a first and second over the approval of the; I have one question and one question only and then I'll shut up. The computers that we are sending out with the seniors. Do we retire those in our inventory? Stepp replied, yes. Boston asked, is that? Stepp continued, the value is down below $5.00. Boston replied, right, but do we have to do a formal retirement? Like a party or anything. Stepp replied, I don't think so. Boston replied, so we don't have to do anything? Stepp replied, I'll check with the other counties that do that to make sure, but I don't think we have to vote on doing that. Boston replied, okay I just didn't know if we had to retire it from us. Stepp replied, we retire stuff all the time. Boston replied, if we have to submit a list to retire them? That was my only question. If it's not on here I'm fine. Any further questions about the consent agenda? No one responded. Boston continued, we have a first and second to approve the Consent Agenda. Any more discussion? No one responded. A Voice Vote was taken. 

Discussion:  Boston asked, any old business that anyone would like to discuss? No one responded.

Discussion:   - Boston asked if there were any questions from the media. No questions were asked. 

Discussion:   - Hamby advised, motion to adjourn. Stout seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned 7:16 pm.