April 19, 2022 at 6:00 PM - GMSD Board Business Meeting

Discussion:  Chairman Angela Griffith called the meeting to order at  6:00 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Discussion:  Chairman Angela Griffith called for a moment of silence.

Discussion:  Board Member Ryan Strain led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Discussion:  Board member and TLN Representative Ryan Strain presented the TLN Report (April 19, 2022) as follows,
All Tennessee House and Senate Education Committees have now closed, subject to the call of their respective chair.

Education-related legislation, however, continues to make its way through the Tennessee General Assembly.  Notably:

• Legislation related to the operation of Germantown Elementary, Middle, and High Schools passed both the House and Senate, but differences in the bills must now be reconciled.
• The new proposed public school funding formula, known as the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (or "TISA") formula, passed the House Government Operations Committee last week and was scheduled for consideration today in Finance, Ways, and Means committees in both the House and Senate.
• SB 1861, which requires the Commissioner of Education to withhold funds from a school district if the district fails or refuses to determine a student’s gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student’s sex at the time of birth, passed the Senate.
• HB 2106 / SB 2501, which requires teaching on Black history and culture for grades 5 through 8, passed both the House and Senate.
• A bill requiring teaching on the virtues of capitalism and the constitutional republic form of government in the United States and Tennessee, as compared to other political and economic systems such as communism and socialism, also passed the Senate.

 

Discussion:  Chairman Angel Griffith reported the Board Member Activities for April 2022 as follows,
BOARD MEMBER ACTIVITIES
APRIL 2022

BOARD MEMBER CURRY’S ACTIVITIES
Attended TSBA Legal Lunch discussing TISA
Attended HHS Mustang Theatre’s production of Fiddler on the Roof
Attended two MYA track meets at CBHS and Bartlett
Attended the Houston Invitational Houston Middle Track Meet at Houston High
Attended FHES’ Fine Arts Night and General PTO Meeting
Attended HHS International Clubs’ Annual International
VICE CHAIR EOFF’S ACTIVITIES
Enjoyed the four performances of Mustang Theatre’s Fiddler on the Roof

Watched the Houston Band in the Disney Parade

Attended HHS International Clubs’ Annual International
CHAIRMAN GRIFFITH’S ACTIVITIES
Attended Dogwood Elementary’s Dolphinfest
Attended TSBA Legal Lunch on Board Policy and Meeting Operations
Attended HHS Mustang Theatre’s production of Fiddler on the Roof
Attended Farmington Elementary’s Fine Arts Night
Attended HHS International Clubs’ Annual International Extravaganza

BOARD MEMBER LANDERS’ ACTIVITIES
Enjoyed the HHS Theatre Department’s production of Fiddler On The Roof

Met with Alderman Hicks, April 5^th

Attended the GMSD Budget Review/Work Session, April 12^th
BOARD MEMBER STRAIN’S ACTIVITIES
Attended the Houston High Master Plan Committee Meeting

Chairman Angela Griffith presented the Chairman's Report as follows,

Did you know that GMSD’s mission changed from Excellence Always to Inspiring Personal Excellence? This change was made by the previous school board during our strategic planning meetings and continues to be further incorporated in the policy and planning processes of this current school board and our district. What is excellence? Merriam- Webster defines it as the quality of being excellent. Some synonyms include choiceness, distinction, greatness, perfection, superbness. Everyone’s individual goals and pursuit of their personal excellence is unique to them. How one measures their personal excellence can only be based on where they began and what they aim to accomplish by their own growth and development.

The best thing about public education to me is that it is literally for the public. The students in our community schools are met where they are from Pre-K to twelfth grade and on, for some of our instructional skills students. As a district, we must provide all necessities for every student. These can be special education accommodations for students based on their supplemental or enrichment needs. However, it is the everyday differentiated teaching designed for all, that has such a tremendous impact on the largest number of students. With every concept mastered and standard understood, our students strive to achieve their personal academic excellence. Our district’s focus on the whole child with an emphasis on building confident learners and engaged community members also inspires personal excellence both in and out of the classroom. I commend our teachers, counselors, and paraprofessionals as they work to inspire personal excellence in every student, every day. 

As we enter TCAP testing this week, I am mindful of all the stresses that this time of year brings for our students, staff and families. We continually try to encourage our test takers and subdue the worries and text anxiety that is often present. We say, "it’s ok, just take your time and show what you know". Our teachers have worked diligently to prepare their students with the goal of demonstrating proficiency. I want to thank our district staff and parent volunteers who are working as proctors for these tests.

Finally, as we approach the close of this school year, there will be plenty of awards, recognitions, and milestones celebrated. I want to encourage all our stakeholders to continue inspiring personal excellence in each other. What is your excellence? What is my excellence? What is our excellence?
 
 



 

Discussion:  Student Board Representative Laila Sharif reported as follows,
In our April meeting, the Student Advisory Council met to discuss a variety of topics, one of which being the development of our goal to expand student outreach to ensure feedback and concerns from all GMSD schools are easily accessible, addressed and appropriately conveyed. In pursuit of this goal by applying this to our middle schools, we have continued working with administration in our initiative to create a program in which the council holds monthly meetings either online or in person with each middle school in the district where driven students are given the opportunity to take initiative and address what they feel is important. Additionally, recognizing that this would be the last meeting of the year, the council took the time to review the 2025 GMSD Strategic plan in order to better establish where and how next year’s advisory council most effectively contributed to promoting the wellbeing of the student body. In doing so, we found that, moving forward, the council can offer the most support in working towards Goal 2: Whole Child. Specifically in objective 2.2 to develop opportunities for student engagement beyond the traditional classroom, we created a general outline to conduct student outreach including distributing surveys identifying what opportunities students express interest in and would therefore prove most beneficial so the district may work to provide opportunities that will nurture and further stimulate student interests. The council also discussed forming a partnership with Houston High’s Student Wellness Advisory Team in the upcoming year in order to work towards objective 2.3 to enhance wellness, balance, and learning for students through a focus on social emotional learning and strategies to improve student outcomes. Through this partnership we hope to cultivate an amicable environment filled with dynamic conversations in which students can voice and discuss their concerns and feedback that the council can relay back to the
district and effectively create a bridge between the students and board of education on a fundamental level.
 

Discussion:  Chief Financial Officer Kevin Jones reported the  Total Assets, Liabilities, and Fund Balances on the Balance Sheet for period ending 3.31.22

SCHOOL OPERATING FUND
Received $6.2 million in property taxes from the County - this represents 37% of the total budgeted.
Received almost $1 million in local option sales tax - sales tax revenue is trending at $9.5 million for the year.

FEDERAL PROJECTS FUND
Received $6.4 million in ESSER 3.0 reimbursements or 56% of the total budget.  $2.8 million is for the Houston Middle School addition project.

CAPITAL PROJECTS
Received $800K from the Shelby County Commission for capital outlay projects

CAFETERIA FUND
SFE reported a net income of $129K for the month.

OPEB TRUST FUND
Year-to-date realized and unrealized losses on investments totaled $149K

Discussion:  Superintendent Jason Manuel presented the 4.19.22 Superintendent’s Report with the following Highlights in his PowerPoint presentation,

2023 GMSD BUDGET Highlights
 

• Indicators of Success - Strategic Plan 2025
• Resource Management - Revenues and Available Funds

• Projected/Estimated Increase in Revenues
• Projected/Estimated Decrease in Costs
• Eliminated Operating transfer to Cafeteria Fund

• Engaging, Challenging and Innovative Academics Highlights

• Additional Instructional Technology Coaches
• HHS Assistant Principal
• Increase in Software costs, Assessments, Textbooks, 1:1 Initiative

• Exceptional Student Education Highlights

• Additional Speech Therapist, SPED Teacher
• GOAL Interventionist/SPED/Testing Coordinator

• Whole Child Highlights

• Additional School Psychologists, School Counselors, 504 Clerical
• Performing Arts Investments

• Social Emotional Learning Teacher

• Staff Recruitment and Retention Highlights

• 2% COLA and Step Increase
• Holiday Bonuses
• 20-21 Frozen Steps for Teachers
• Advance Degree compensation pay scale shift
• Additional Personal day for all staff
• Increased pay rate for Substitute teachers
• School Support Staff upgrades

• Operations Highlights

• Other Capital Outlay
• Increases in Diesel fuel costs, Legal fees, Audit fees, Software costs

• Resource Management - Capital Outlay Projects

• Houston Middle Addition
• Houston High Softball field

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:  The following citizen voiced their opinion on Social Emotional Learning (SEL),
- Kristin New, 1859 Glenbuck Cove North, Germantown TN 38139

Discussion:  Board member Ryan Strain stated that per Board Policy 1.106 Code of Ethics, he would like to disclose that his wife is a substitute with Kelly Services and that his vote was made in the District's best interests and not due to his wife's role.

Chairman Angela Griffith disclosed that her sister is a substitute with Kelly Services working at Riverdale Elementary School and also stated that her vote was made in the District's best interests and not due to her sister's role.
 

Discussion:  Chairman Angela Griffith made the following announcements,
Next Tentative Board Work Session is Wednesday, May 18, 2022 - 5:00 pm. at our District Office.
Next Tentative Board Business Meeting is Monday, May 23, 2022 - 6:00 pm. at our District Office

Discussion:  The meeting was adjourned with consensus at 6:59 pm