June 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM - Smith County Board of Education Agenda
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I. Call to Order
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
Discussion:
The Smith County Board of Education met at 5:00 pm on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the Smith County Board of Education. Mr. XXX provided the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
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II. Welcome
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
Discussion:
Mr. Tommy Manning, Chairman of the Board, welcomed all visitors and called the June 8, 2026, meeting of the board to order.
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III. Consent Items
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Agenda
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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III.A. Board Minutes: Minutes of the Board - May 11, 2026 (Regular Meeting)
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Discussion:
Request to approve the regular meeting minutes of the Board - Monday, May 11, 2026.
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III.B. Smith County High School Request
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Discussion:
Smith County High School cheer squad requests permission to attend Universal Cheerleaders Association Cheer Camp on July 7-10, 2026, in Gatlinburg. This will be an overnight trip.
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III.C. Request to Bid Chromebooks, Laptops, and Desktop Computers
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Discussion:
The Smith County Schools Technology Department requests permission to
bid Chromebooks, laptops, and desktop computers for students and employees for the 2026-2027 school year. |
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IV. Superintendent Actions
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Discussion:
The Superintendent took the following actions:
1. Staff Placement
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IV.A. Employment Action Concerning Angela Zaffino
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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V. New Business
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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V.A. Amended Contract - Dr. John Ash, Director of Schools
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Request to approve the amended contract for Dr. John Ash, Director of Schools, to include the month of June 2026.
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V.B. Resolution 11
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
This resolution authorizes the reallocation of funds between accounts to ensure the proper appropriation of resources to essential line items for the current fiscal period.
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V.C. Special Education Contract
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Request to approve the following contract for Special Education services for the 2026-2027 school year:
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V.D. Tuition for Non-Resident Students
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Request approval of the annual tuition rates for non-resident students for the 2026-2027 school year, as outlined in Board Policy 6.204, Attendance of Non-Resident Students. The proposed tuition rates are $2,200.00 for in-state non-resident students and $10,000.00 for out-of-state non-resident students.
2025-2026 - 8 students (over the course of the year) FRS 1 GHS 3 SCHS 3 SCMS 1 |
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V.E. Approval of Five-Year Strategic Plan
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Request to approve the Five-Year Strategic Plan 2026-2031. The plan will be reviewed and updated yearly during the Annual Board Retreat.
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V.F. CTE Career Center Parking Lot Renovation Bid Approval
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Bids were requested for parking lot renovation of the CTE Career Center
(former Save-A-Lot building): Two options were requested: A) Patch, Seal, Stripe B) Patch, Mill/Overlay, and Stripe After reviewing the bids submitted, we request the school board’s approval of Option B of $89,267.00 submitted by TN Asphalt Repair. |
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V.G. TSBA Policy Recommendations (Second Reading)
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
Request to adopt the following TSBA model policies to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations due to changes made by the Tennessee General Assembly and the State Board of Education.
As part of your policy subscription, the TSBA Policy Department monitors statutory and regulatory changes to ensure that our model policies comply with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Due to changes made by the Tennessee General Assembly and the State Board of Education, TSBA has updated the model policies outlined in this memo. Below are the recommended revisions. This is the second and final reading for these policy updates. Updated Model Policies Policy 1.404 - Appeals to and Appearances Before the Board On March 26, Governor Lee officially signed HB 22/SB 178 into law. As amended, this newly enacted legislation requires local governing bodies, including boards of education, to allow public comment "on any matter that is germane to the jurisdiction of the local governing body, regardless of whether such matter is an item on the agenda for the meeting." This is in addition to the requirement that boards allow public comment "on matters that are germane to the items on the agenda for the meeting." This legislation, which became effective upon the Governor's signature, does not change the ability to place reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on the public comment period. For example, limiting speakers to a specific amount of time or when the public comment period occurs during the board meeting are still permissible. While the finalized version of the language is not available yet, we encourage all boards to review their current board policy and meeting procedures on public comment periods. Policy 1.804 - Alcohol & Drugs in the Workplace This updated policy contains a provision on examinations based on reasonable suspicion. Policy 2.400 - Revenues Due to the federal government's decision to discontinue production of pennies, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury has issued guidance regarding payment practices. We have updated our corresponding model policy with suggested language that Boards may incorporate. Policy 5.114 - Personnel Files This updated policy clarifies that disciplinary action is part of an employee’s personnel file. Policy 5.1151 - Telework During Emergencies This policy has been updated to clarify that telework outside of emergency situations is not permitted. Policies 5.200-5.202 - Separation Practices for Employees These policies include a provision for temporary suspensions that may involve suspending with pay in limited circumstances. We recommend reviewing this language with your board attorney. Policy 5.302 - Sick Leave This updated policy includes a provision on verifying absences of five days or longer. Additionally, it contains a provision regarding suspected misuse. Policy 5.400 - Personnel Health Examinations/Communicable Diseases This policy includes a new provision on providing options for employees who may be ill. Policy 5.403 - Drug & Alcohol Testing for Employees This updated policy contains new information on best practices for reasonable suspicion testing. Policy 5.800 - Director of Schools This updated policy includes provisions clarifying the personnel responsibility of the Director. Policy 6.411 - Student Wellness The State Board of Education recently made updates to its Coordinated School Health Program Policy. These revisions were made to align State Board language with statutory requirements as well as reflect the current practices and needs of school districts. We have updated our corresponding model policy to align with these changes. |
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VI. Discussion
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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VII. Annual Policy Review
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
Annual Policy Review (June) Please review the following policies for the Smith County Board of Education to remain compliant in policy review. If you find any inconsistencies or if something needs to be discussed regarding a policy listed below, please bring it to the attention of Mr. Tommy Manning, Chairman of the Board, during the meeting. none |
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VIII. Executive Session
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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IX. School Nutrition Informational Item
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
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X. Adjourn
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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Reminders:
July Board Meeting - Monday, July 20, 2026, @ SCBOE
August Board Meeting - Monday, August 17, 2026, @ SCBOE