December 14, 2021 at 5:00 PM - GMSD Board Business Meeting

Discussion:  Chairman Amy Eoff called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm.

Discussion:  Chairman Amy Eoff called for a moment of silence.

Discussion:  Board Member Brian Curry led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Discussion:  No Regognitions and Awards at this time.

Discussion:  Board Member and TLN Representative Ryan Strain presented the TLN Report as follows,
New laws enacted during the Tennessee General Assembly’s recent third special legislative session of the year remain in the news.

On December 10, 2021, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee preliminarily enjoined the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Department of Education from enforcing new state laws regarding face coverings in schools and that prohibit local health officials and schools from making quarantine decisions as they relate to public schools.  The injunction, issued in the case R.K. v. Lee, will remain in place during the pendency of that action.

Additionally, the Shelby County Democratic and Republican parties have announced they will not be endorsing school board candidates for the 2022 election.  As reported at last month’s business meeting, the legislature passed a new law permitting partisan school board elections, with the decision to be made by county political party primary boards.

Finally, the Tennessee Department of Education is currently accepting public comments regarding the state’s education funding formula.  Written comments may be submitted via e-mail to TNEdu.Funding@tn.gov.
 

Discussion:  Chairman Amy Eoff presented the Chairman's Report as follows,
Mr. Strain reports he attended Dogwood’s PTO meeting, participated in the Germantown Holiday Parade, and met with Commissioner Brandon Morrison.

Ms. Landers reports she attended the Riverdale Middle Choir concert and OPEB trustee meeting. She participated in the Germantown Holiday Parade, and served as a judge for the FHES Spelling Bee.

Mr. Curry reports he attended three exciting Houston Middle basketball games, one being the "Battle of Germantown" Houston Middle vs Riverdale, the FHES Car show, and the Houston Band’s Holiday concert. He also participated in the Germantown Holiday Parade.

Ms. Griffith reports she virtually attended Houston Middle School Counselor Advisory Council Meeting and Dogwood Elementary PTO meeting.  She also participated in the Germantown Holiday Parade, presented to Cub Scout Pack 271, and attended FHES spelling bee, HMS boys and girls basketball games, and Houston Band’s Holiday Concert.

Ms. Eoff reports she attended FHES spelling bee and the Houston Band’s Holiday Concert. She participated in the Germantown holiday parade and met with other municipal chairman concerning legislative advocacy and other items. She also participated in the Tennessee DOE’s southwest region School Funding/Local Match discussion session in Jackson, TN.

First, we wish the best of luck to our high school students who start exams tomorrow and all of our younger students as they wrap up the fall semester.  Study hard and finish strong!  We would also like to wish our students, staff, and families happy holidays and we hope that winter break provides a time of peace, joy, and restoration to us all.

Today, Superintendent Manuel, Mayor Palazzolo, Interim City Administrator Huisman, and I attended the state Department of Education southwest region School Funding/Local Match discussion session in Jackson, TN with other local district leadership. There is a push from our Governor and the Commissioner of Education to change the funding formula for education in the state of Tennessee from the BEP to a student-based formula.  The Basic Education Program (BEP) is a 30-year-old formula that for the most part everyone agrees is broken.  It does not provide for the realities and needs of a 21st century classroom nor the ever increasing mostly underfunded demands of our legislators. However, the push for the DOE to create a new formula in 90 days for the upcoming legislative session should worry everyone.  There have been town halls across the state for parents and other stakeholders to express their needs and dreams for what the new funding could provide.  Some have been productive, some have been hijacked for political purposes. There are 18 subcommittees looking at different aspects that could be considered in funding.  Some of them have only met a few times in this 90-day window.  Not one school board member in the state serves on any of these subcommittees.  School boards are tasked with reviewing and approving district budgets.  Annually, hard decisions have to be made by these elected bodies regarding how to best steward the monies provided for the greatest benefit of our students. To this point, your elected school representation has been left out of the conversation regarding what needs to be in this new formula.  In Germantown, there is great concern that the new student-based formula could cost our district millions of dollars in funding.  Millions. Statewide GMSD is already in the bottom third of per pupil funding. This funding change matters to our students.

The BEP took years to create. Updating and improving it deserves more thoughtful consideration than 90 days can provide. We all need to pay closer attention to what is going on in Nashville; our students deserve better than a 90-day solution.

 

Discussion:  Chief Financial Officer Kevin Jones reported the Total Assets, Liabilities, and Fund Balances on the Balance Sheet for period ending 11.30.21.

HEALTH INSURANCE FUND
$196K was received in stop loss reimbursements for health insurance claims.

CAFETERIA FUND
SFE reported a net income of $89K for the month.

OPEB TRUST FUND
Year-to-date realized and unrealized gains on investments totaled $22K

Discussion:  Superintendent Jason Manuel presented the Superintendent’s Report with the following Highlights in his PowerPoint presentation,

Implement Leadership Training

• • • • Associate Leadership Institute - ALI
  • ALI Membership to the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents
  • Unlimited Professional Development
  • TASL Credit achievement
  • Various Topics and Sessions throughout the year
  • Well represented sessions by GMSD

 

• • • • Principal Mentoring Program
  • New GMSD Leadership Team Meeting Structure
  • In-Person Meetings
  • Virtual Offerings
  • Strategic Plan Meeting Activities
  • Principal Evaluations
    • • New Principal Programming
  • Monthly One-On-One Meeting with Cabinet Members
  • Support in their New Role

The above presentation can be found at our GMSD website link https://www.gmsdk12.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=2177271&type=d&pREC_ID=2181786


 

Discussion:  There were no citizens to be heard at this time.

Discussion:  Chairman Amy Eoff made the following announcements,

December 14, 2021 - Houston High School Choir Concert - 7:00 pm at Germantown United Methodist Church
December 14, 2021 - Houston Middle School Choir Concert - 6:00 pm at Houston Middle School Cafetorium
January 19, 2022 - Board Work Session
January 22, 2022 - Tentative Board Retreat
January 25, 2022 - Board Business Meeting

Discussion:  The meeting was adjourned with consensus at 5:51 pm.