August 20, 2018 at 6:30 PM - GMSD Board Meeting

Chairman Betsy Landers announced that Ms. Suzanne Jones had to resign from the Board member Position 3 due to family reasons. She read the resignation letter from Ms. Jones and requested for it to be recorded in the minutes as follows:

Dear Mrs. Landers:

It is with regret and sadness that I am writing to you today.  My family and I will be relocating to Pennsylvania in July due to a job opportunity for my husband.  As I will no longer be a resident of Germantown, please let this letter serve as my official notice of resignation of my Board Position 3 on the Germantown Board of Education effective July 31, 2018. 

I am proud to have served on the Board and even prouder to have brought the voices of our parents and community into our discussions.  I look forward to keeping in touch with the Germantown community and seeing the continued growth of the District.   

If there is anything I need to do prior to my official resignation, please let me know.

Regards,

Suzanne Jones

Germantown Board of Education, Position 3

Signed original letter mailed on July 12, 2018

Chairman Landers said that if the Board has no objection in accepting this resignation, then the Executive committee will notify the City BMA and the Administrator regarding this vacancy for Position 3.  She also wisher her well and thanked her passionate service to the Germantown School Board.

Student Recognitions:

Jack Turner and Victoria Britson

STATEWIDE SUMMER READING COMPETITION WINNERS

Tonight we will recognize two students who took summer reading to a whole new level! To qualify for a lottery-styled competition hosted by First Lady Crissy Haslam, participants had to read at least two-thousand minutes. Each additional one-thousand minutes guaranteed another entry into the lottery. The two students we have here tonight each read well over 3,000 minutes and were invited to have dinner with Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and the First Lady last weekend.

Dogwood Elementary fourth grader Jack Turner had a grand total of three-thousand six hundred and sixty-two minutes. His mom described him as library fanatic since he could first read. Along with being a top 100 reader, Jack was also on the winning Battle of the Books team at Dogwood Elementary last year. Jack’s prefers history books, more specifically, those on the world wars. 

From Farmington Elementary School, first grader Victoria Britson was also selected.  Like Jack, Victoria is a voracious reader and also participates in the Battle of the Books competitions each year at Farmington.  <ask her what she likes to read on the mic>

Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam welcomed them along with approximately 100 other children from across the state in the second annual Kids' State Dinner at the Tennessee Residence on Sunday to celebrate outstanding achievement in summer reading.

Jenna Kemp

GATORADE’S TENNESSEE GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR

The 5-foot-8 junior midfielder led the Mustangs to a 25-0 record and the Class AAA state championship this past season. Jenna scored 20 goals and passed for 19 assists for a Houston team that outscored its opponents, 117-9, on the season.

An All-American selection by United Soccer Coaches, Kemp is a two-time First Team All-State honoree. She concluded her junior year with 36 goals and 35 assists in her prep soccer career.

Kemp is the third Gatorade Tennessee Girls Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Houston High School. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Kemp as Tennessee’s best high school girls soccer player.

Kemp has volunteered locally with Missions of Mercy, which provides free dentistry to those in need. She has also donated her time as a coach for the U.S. Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program serving young athletes with disabilities.

Kemp has maintained a weighted 4.20 GPA in the classroom. <Ask her about her college plans—they are cool>

As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Kemp will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to a chosen organization.

Staff Recognitions:

David Wolff

USA TODAY'S NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

When Houston's David Wolff found out he had been named USA Today National Coach of the Year, he was doing what he has done for much of the past 25 years.

The team Wolff was referring to was this year's squad that went 25-0-0, won the Class AAA state championship and subsequently was crowned national champion. Over the past four seasons, the Mustangs are 85-2-4 and have won two state titles while finishing runner-up once.

Since 2009 — his second season at the school after coming over from Ridgeway — Houston's girls are 183-9-9 and have won five state titles.

"It's all about culture," he told USA Today. "We're lucky to have people that want to be at Houston and want to be a part of this culture ... In the last four years, it's been about competing on the national level and when that happens the state becomes easier."

Wolff, who also coaches Houston's boys, will enter the 2018 season with 683 combined victories and 12 state titles. Nine starters return from last year's girls team, putting him within reach of 700.

"I told them in November, the best way to succeed for this (upcoming) year is to forget about last year," he said.

Anna Brignole

WON THE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHERS 

Farmington Elementary School fourth grade teacher Anna Brignole was recognized in Washington D.C. by the White House as one of two teachers from Tennessee who were awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teachers.

We are excited to join the nation in congratulating Ms. Brignole in this recognition.  It’s a testament to her exceptional work with students in the classroom and to all of our teachers who do good work every day.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), with the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced 140 individuals and organizations that were honored with presidential awards for their excellence in teaching or mentoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
 
Kindergarten through sixth grade teachers, like Brignole from Germantown, Tennessee, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

During a visit to the nation's capital, Ms. Brignole received a presidential citation at an awards ceremony and participated in discussions on STEM and STEM education priorities. She will also receive $10,000 from National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House.

Chairman Betsy Landers briefed on the following:

May:

·      Met with HMS Principal (5/10)

·      Attended HHS Field House Fundraiser (5/10)

·      Attended HHS Choir Concert (5/11)

·      Presided at Special Called Meeting of the BOE (5/14)

·      Participated in Houston High Graduation (5/17)

June:

·      Attended BMA Meeting – Final Reading/Approval of Budget (6/4)

·      Attended Joint BMA/BOE Meeting – Capitol Improvement Discussion (6/5)

·      Attended TSBA Academy School Law Course (6/12)

July:

·      Participated in the Germantown CEO RoundTable (7/12)

·      Attended Principals Appreciation Luncheon (7/17)

·      Attended Health Services Working Group Meeting (7/20)

August:

·      Attended Back to School Kick-Off, Houston High (8/3)

·      Attended STARS – Anti-Bullying Event, Houston High (8/4)

·      Attended Dogwood Elementary Welcome Back at the Park Party (8/5)

·      Welcomed student and families on 1^st Day of School, Dogwood Elementary (8/6)

·      Attended HMO PTO Meeting (8/10)

·      Attended Dogwood PTO meeting (8/14)

·      Participate in BMA/BOE Farmington/Houston High School Tour (8/14)

·      Attended Chamber of Commerce Luncheon (8/15)

·      Attended HHS Football Game (8/17)

Superintendent Jason Manuel reported the total assets and liabilities/fund balances as of 6.30.18

School Operating Fund - Total revenues for the year were $55 million, total expenditures were $52 million, increasing total reserves by $3 million to $16 million.  Positive variances in revenues included sales tax, BEP growth, interest income, and property taxes.  Major positive variances in expenditures were in regular education and capital outlay categories.

Cafeteria - This is the first year the fund has established a reserve of $39K. No district support was required.

Health insurance fund reported an increase in reserves of $240K.

OPEB trust reserves increased by $619K for the year.  Retiree health insurance claims totaled $231K, down from $400K last year 

Superintendent Jason Manuel requested Dr. Meredith Park to present the GMSD TNReady Data Update.

Dr. Park gave a PowerPoint presentation on the 2017-2018 Highlights including, 

• GMSD was in the Top 10 Districts for Overall Achievement in 7 of the 9 testing categories
• GMSD is one of fifty-nine districts who exceeded growth expectations with an overall TVAAS composite of Level 5 - the highest level of growth
• Comparison of 2017 and 2018 Achievement/Proficiency 
• Growth/TVAAS based on Overall Composite 5,  detailing the individual components Literacy, Numeracy, Science and Social Studies

Superintendent Jason Manuel presented the Current  GMSD Enrollment Update. He highlighted the Data/Numbers on the following:

• Maximum/ Programmatic Capacity & Optimal Capacity for the Five schools in the district
• Comparison by School by Capacity
• Numeric Change of Resident Grade Group Enrollment
• Historical Resident Enrollment
• Historical Non-Resident Enrollment
• Historical Comparison of Projections

The following Citizens voiced their opinion on Zoning options and Class size,

- Jason Smith, 8193 Waverly Crossing, Germantown TN 38138

- Jesse Moore, 2651 Holly Springs Drive, Germantown TN 38138

Chairman Betsy Landers made the following announcements:

• Monday September 17 - TSBA Fall District Meeting at Collierville High School
• Tuesday September 18 - Leadership Germantown Alumni Association Candidate Forum at the City Hall
• Wednesday September 19 - Upcoming GMSD Board Meeting at the Houston High Auditorium