April 8, 2019 at 5:30 PM - Jackson-Madison County School Work Session

Discussion:  There were no Public Comments for the April Work Session.

Discussion: 

Holly Kellar read the 9 Budget Amendments for this month.

Mrs. Kellar stated that the March Monthly Financial Statement and the Quarterly Financial Statements were posted just today.  I will give you time to review these and I will summarize them at Thursday's board meeting.  Year-end projections look better, even with the consideration of moving $250,000 from General Purpose to Federal Projects.  Mrs. Kellar will continue to adjust the projections as we move closer to completing our budgets for next year but right now the expenditures projections are coming in at a little over 97% for the year.

The questions from the Board Members were not clear enough to understand on the recording.

Dr. Eric Jones stated that the bids from the stadiums came in under budget to allow the system to carry on with some needed repairs.

Discussion:  Mike Nichols stated he will be asking the County Commission for more funds to help build the schools.

Discussion:  The Board did not have any discussion concerning the April Board Meeting Agenda.

Discussion: 

Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) has each school district to nominate a School Volunteer for the TSBA School Volunteer Recognition Award.  The Jackson-Madison County School Board on Thursday, April 11, 2019, will nominate one school volunteer to represent the system.  The following have been nominated by schools in Jackson-Madison County.

Sue Yoder - Andrew Jackson

Winston Perkins - BEST

Julie Bratcher - Community Montessori

Jennifer Latham - East

Jack Baudo - JCM Early College High

Elise Angus - Lincoln

Blake Fondren - Northeast

Angela Emerson - Rose Hill

Kenny Merritt - South Side High 

Discussion: 

Dr. Eric Jones would like the JMCSS Board to approve the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan in the April 11, 2019 Board Meeting. Due to the unexpected delays this year, the Strategic  Plan is behind getting approved for the school year. 

Shannon Stewart asked, if this plan covers the state requirements.  Dr. Jones stated that the system is required a district plan.  Janice Hampton stated that a retreat does need to be scheduled to discuss the strategic plan.

The Board was in agreement of scheduling a retreat to discuss the eleven objectives from Morris Merriweather, Long Range Planning Committee Chairman, to assure all needed objectives are in the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.

Discussion: 

The JMCSS will approve the Superintendent Evaluation Form in the April 11, 2019 Board Meeting.  The School Board will evaluate the Superintendent in May using this form.  

Jim Campbell asked, the where will the data be given from for the students.  Dr. Eric Jones stated that that data will be given to Board Members from testing scores and Central Office staff using the previous years information.  

A scale of 1 to 5, will be used to score each question on the Superintendent Evaluation Form.

Discussion: 

Kevin Alexander presented Policy 1.106 Code of Ethics and informed the Board that Dale Thomas, School Attorney, will be discussing and to clarify the policy with the Board during the May meeting.

Shannon Stewart asked, does the JMCSS system have a Code of Ethics committee.  Mr. Alexander stated that the system does not have a Code of Ethics Committee.

Discussion: 

Rachel Scott presented the 2019-2020 School Calendar to the JMCSS Board for approval at the Thursday, April 11, 2019 Board meeting.  After the adoption of this calendar by the Board, there was an error discovered in the number of student days during the first semester.  

Each school semester will need a total of eighty-nine days for students to attend school.  The Calendar Committee will add December 20, 2019 for a student day to total the eighty-nine (89) days for the first semester.  

Calendar Requirements: 180 school days, 10 vacation days, 5 in-service days, 1 parent teacher conference day, 4 administrative days

2019-2020 JMCSS Calendar: 180 school days (178 with students, 2 PD days), 10 vacation days, 5 in-service days, 1 parent teacher conference day (.5 fall, .5 spring), non - administrative days

Discussion: 

Vivian Williams stated that the Summer School Locations, Tuition and Dates to the Jackson-Madison County School Board are the following; 

Locations: Arlington Elementary School K-5, North Parkway Middle School 6-8, Jackson Career and Technology (3 weeks) for students needing to make up any missing work for the year 4-8, North Side High, South Side High and Liberty Technology 9-12 for students missing credits and summer graduates.  

Dates:  all programs will begin the Tuesday after Memorial Day, May 28, 2019

Tuition: no cost for Summer programs

The Jackson-Madison County School Board will approve the Summer School programs in the April 11, 2019 School Board meeting.

Discussion: 

Vivian Williams stated that the fees for the Before and Affter School Programs will remain the same for the upcoming year.  

Before and After School Programs:  $25.00 per week for elementary and for additional children $20.00 per week

Northeast Middle school has before and after school care at the cost of $40.00 per child a week and an additional $45.00 per child a week

Discussion:  The Jackson Madison County was notified that the TSBA Dues will be increased from $8,328.00 to $8,347.00 in July.

Discussion:  The Jackson-Madison County School Board was notified that the three year Policy Agreement will expire in January and will be an increase with each payment from $4,000.00 to $5,500.00.  The Board Secretary will notify the School Board when the next three year Policy Agreement will need to be approved.

Discussion: 

South Side High School Quarterback Club, is proposing a fundraising drive to build a multipurpose locker room  for use with their new stadium.  The School Board and Dr. Eric Jones were presented a letter from the South Side High School Principal, Anita Tucker concerning their proposed fundraising drive.  

The Jackson-Madison County School Board will approve the proposed fundraising drive in the April Board meeting.  

Discussion:  The Policy Retreat that was scheduled for April 5, 2019 was cancelled due to the illness of Janice Hampton, Chair of the Committee. Due to the cancellation, there were no policy revisions for the month of April.

Discussion: 

Bell Time:

The Long Range Planning Committee from the April 4, 2019 meeting, was to bring a recommendation to the full Board during the April Work Session to discuss the results of the Bell Time Survey.  Morris Merriweather stated, that he feels the Board needs to further the discussion of bell times for schools over the next few months.

Mr. Merriweather stated that at least a 60% of people in favor of the new times would be needed to have a more accurate account of voting.  

The Strategic Plan 2019-2024:

Morris Merriweather mentioned that the eleven objectives presented in the Long Range Planning Committee meeting on April 4, 2019, would need to be added in the Strategic Plan 2020-2025 since it is too late to add for the Strategic Plan 2019-2024.  Doris Black agreed that the objectives need to be discussed and added in the Plan for next year. 

Mr. Merriweather would like for the School Board to review at least one to two objectives from his list on April 23, 2019 in the Long Range Planning Committee meeting, to have a better understanding of each objective.  Shannon Stewart stated that some of the objectives are good ideas and that the system has mentioned some of the objectives in the Strategic Plan 2019-2024. AJ Massey asked, that there would be discussion concerning at least 1 to 2 objectives on this list and there would be no motions made at that time concerning the objectives.  Mr. Merriweather stated, there would be discussion only and no motions made on the objectives. 

Doris Black would like for the full board to review the plan and objectives to add or subtract to the Strategic Plan.  Mrs. Black asked, why are we discussing the plan at this time.  Several Board Members stated, that this item is on the Work Session Agenda to discuss.  

Kevin Alexander wanted to make sure that he understood what was being asked by Morris Merriweather.  As to the paper Survey, Long Range Planning Committee will review again and bring back to the full board.  Mr. Merriweather stated, that this is a courtesy call for the Board to understand what the Committee was discussing.  There will be no motion concerning this on Thursday at the April Board Meeting.  

 

 

Discussion: 

Dr. Eric Jones mentioned that this email had just been sent to him concerning Tuesday, April 16, 2019 the TSBA would like for him and a Board member to attend a meeting in Nashville with Governor Bill Lee.  The discussion would be concerning the Education Savings Account Resolution and the School Voucher Resolution. Several of the Board Members agree that they all should attend the meeting.  The Board members will contact Janith Stack, Board Secretary would notify TSBA on who will attend this meeting.  

The Board Secretary was asked to put on the April School Board Agenda under action items, the Education Savings Account Resolution to be approved on Thursday.  

Discussion:  There was no discussion on any of the information items by the School Board.  Also, some of these items will be under the Consent Agenda on the April Board Meeting.

Discussion:  The April Work Session adjourned at 6:37 pm.