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BOE Meeting Notes - February 12, 2019

BOE Meeting
The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, February 12, 2019. Several key items were discussed, including:
  • Presentation of a community interest report on Dobyns-Bennett Career and Technical Education programs;
  • Recognition of D-B students who have completed their Certified Production Technician - Safety certification;
  • Recognition of Jackson Elementary for being named RTI2-B School of Recognition;
  • Approval of tenure status for 28 KCS teachers;
  • Approval of a grocery and beverage bid for School Nutrition Services;
  • Approval of 2018-19 Budget Amendment #2;
  • Consideration of approval to award a bid for construction of playground equipment at Kennedy Elementary School; and
  • Approval of a change to the bylaws of the Kingsport City Schools Hall of Fame.
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Meeting Audio
Detailed Meeting Notes

CALL TO ORDER

The Pledge of Allegiance was led this evening by Sevier Middle School 8th grader Balagopalan Pushkas. He is as an outstanding honors student, a member of the Sevier Science Olympiad team, the co-editor of the Sevier student newspaper, The Sequoyah Scribe, and recently won the Sevier spelling bee.  Balu is the son of Gopalan and Manju Pushkas.

Community Interest Report

Dr. Bo Shadden, Dobyns-Bennett Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Post-Secondary Opportunities, provided an overview of the CTE programs at Dobyns-Bennett High School.
  • CTE educational opportunities prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers in many different fields, including health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and hospitality and management.
  • The D-B CTE department offers a variety of existing programs, from classroom learning to certification programs to work-based learning opportunities outside the classroom.
  • Several new and exciting CTE programs have already launched this year under Dr. Shadden's leadership, with several others in development to begin in the coming months.

RECOGNITIONS

Board Member Dr. Karen Reed-Wright recognized several D-B students for having achieved the certification of Certified Production Technician - Safety.
  • The Certified Production Technician (CPT) program recognizes individuals who demonstrate mastery of the core competencies of manufacturing production at the front-line (entry-level through front-line supervisor) through successful completion of the certification assessments.
  • The goal of the CPT certification program is to raise the level of performance of production workers both to assist the individuals in finding higher-wage jobs and to help employers ensure their workforce increases the company’s productivity and competitiveness.
  • The D-B students receiving this prestigious certification include:
    • Michael Allen - 12th Grade
    • Chris Cody - 12th Grade
    • Noah Collette - 12th Grade
    • Ian Cummings - 12th Grade
    • Colton Russell - 12th Grade
    • John Weatherall - 12th Grade
    • Matthew Delano - 11th Grade
    • Walker Gentry - 11th Grade
    • Aaron Spencer - 11th Grade
 
 
Board Vice President Mr. Todd Golden recognized Jackson Elementary for being named an RTI²-B School of Recognition. 
  • The award was recently provided by the Tennessee Behavior Supports Project and was presented to Jackson Elementary School during the PIE Conference in Nashville on January 30, 2019.  Dr. Rhonda Stringham, Assistant Superintendent - Instruction, accepted the award on behalf of Kingsport City Schools and Jackson Elementary School.
  • Response to Instruction and Intervention-Behavior (RTI²-B) is a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that offers a powerful, evidence-based approach for meeting the behavioral and social needs of students in Tennessee schools.
  • The purpose of RTI²-B is to empower educators to equip all students with the opportunity to meet high expectations regarding behavior and the support to reach every student. Also, students, families, and educators can work together to develop and contribute to a shared school vision. 

BUSINESS ITEMS 

Dr. Jeff Moorhouse, KCS Superintendent, and Jennifer Guthrie, Chief Human Resources Officer, presented the slate of KCS educators eligible for tenure.
  • These KCS teachers have met the requirements for tenure as established the State of Tennessee, with approval from the KCS Board of Education.  The teachers presented for tenure include:
    • Adams
      • Kerry Boito
    • Jackson
      • Rachel Farmer
      • Kristen Bullock
      • Lindsey Golden
      • Kevin Nabalta
      • Pamela Statzer
    • Jefferson
      • Maggie Booher
      • Stacy Christian
      • Jenny Deweese
      • Christol Hickman
      • Rachel Konnick
      • Catie Salyer
    • Johnson
      • Patti Field
    • Kennedy
      • Lindsey McKinney
      • Bethany Paupeck
    • Lincoln
      • Holly LaRue
    • Roosevelt
      • Alice Browder
      • Rachel Cinnamon
    • Washington
      • Jason Arnold
      • Erik Heller
      • Leslie Yarber
      • Laura Swearingen
    • Robinson
      • Jason Hincke
      • Erica Johnson
      • Carrie Warner
    • Cora Cox Academy
      • Sandra Collins
    • D-B EXCEL
      • Sara Leimkuhler
    • Dobyns-Bennett
      • Bo Burton
      • Cindy Norris
      • Jenny Rogers
  • The slate of eligible teachers was granted tenure by a Board vote of 4-0.
Chief Finance Officer David Frye and Supervisor of School Nutrition Services Jennifer Walker reviewed bid received for grocery and beverage items for KCS cafeterias.
  • The bid includes an option to renew the contract for up to three additional years in one-year increments, provided pricing and quality of services are acceptable. 
  • The bid provided pricing for over 400 food and beverage items.
  • Mr. Frye and Mrs. Walker recommended the Board award the bid to Gordon Food Service in the amount of $1,350,000.
  • Following discussion, the Board accepted the bid from Gordon Food Service to supply grocery and beverage items to KCS beginning March 1, 2019 by a vote of 4-0.
 
Mr. Frye reviewed 2018-19 Budget Amendment #2, which included a transfer of funds from the KCS Fund Balance for two potential purchases:
  • Funding to purchase risers (where needed) across the district so that each school could have appropriate equipment at their own school.
    • Currently, riser equipment is moved from location to location as needed, resulting in increased wear-and-tear and potential damage to existing equipment.
  • Funding to purchase and install playground equipment at Kennedy Elementary School.
    • Combined with funds already raised by Kennedy, the installation of the playground, if approved, would take place during the summer of 2019.
    • After discussion regarding the scope and type of surface material to be utilized at the Kennedy playground, the Board revised the initial budget amendment to include additional funding to allow for the possible alternate surface selection (additional poured-in-place surface), pending the decision of the Board at a later time.
  • After discussion, the Board approved the budget amendment by a vote of 4-0.
Mr. Frye reviewed and presented bids for the construction of playground equipment at Kennedy Elementary.
  • The proposed design includes a main play area, swings, and an alternate area with glider and spinning structure.  Per design, major components of the play area are designed to be handicap accessible.
  • The recommendation was made to accept the bid from Armstrong Construction, with the build to take place during the summer of 2019.
  • During the discussion, the Board considered the scope of surface material to be utilized in the project.
    • The original recommendation was to include a combination of poured-in-place surface and engineered wood mulch.  The Board sought additional clarification as to the cost (both short- and long-term and in comparison to wood mulch) of full poured-in-place surfacing. 
  • To allow for additional consideration and for staff to research cost comparisons, the Board voted to defer final action on the bid award until a future date in the coming weeks.
Andy True, Assistant Superintendent - Administration, presented a proposed revision to the bylaws of the Kingsport City Schools Hall of Fame.
  • Established in 2015, the Hall recognizes the great educators that have worked throughout the history of KCS.
  • Previously, the nomination categories for potential inductees were determined by date, with two potential inductees per category each year:
    • Legacy - Retired pre-1960
    • Tradition - Retired 1960-1990
    • Modern - Retired 1991-present
  • In discussions during the selection process, it has been noted that over time, it may become likely that nominees will become more heavily weighted to the Modern Era.  It will also become more difficult to maintain candidates in the Legacy and Tradition categories, as they age further away from the current induction year.
  • To address this concern, it is proposed that the categories utilize a sliding date range, including:
    • Legacy - Retired 50 years or more from current date
    • Tradition - Retired 25-49 years from current date
    • Modern - Retired less than 25 years from current date
  • The Board approved the change to the bylaws by a vote of 4-0.
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The next meeting of the Board of Education will be a work session on Tuesday, February 26 at 6 p.m.  The work session will take place in the Tennessee Room of the Administrative Support Center (400 Clinchfield Street).
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Pledge
Balagopalan Pushkas
CTE
Dr. Bo Shadden
CTE
CPT Program Recognition
RTI
RTI²-B Recognition
Tenure
Tenure Recognition
Teachers
Tenured Teachers