Kingsport City Schools

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BOE Meeting Notes - September 12, 2019

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The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, September 12, 2019.  Several key items were discussed, including:
  • A presentation on a positive mentoring partnership between Adams Elementary and Christ Fellowship Church;
  • Several revised and new Board policies required due to changes in Tennessee law;
  • A presentation on a potential solar project for KCS; and 
  • A review of a draft 2020-21 KCS school calendar.
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Meeting Audio
Detailed Meeting Notes

CALL TO ORDER

The Pledge of Allegiance was led this evening by students from Robinson Middle School. 
  • A variety of students from Brandie Wishon's class and STARS student assistant joined to present the Pledge at the start of tonight's meeting.
    • Students in Ms. Wishon's class partner together to create a positive environment and support collaboration and learning.

Community Interest Report

A report was presented to the Board on a successful partnership program between Adams Elementary School and Christ Fellowship Church.
  • Adams principal Dr. Kelley Harrell and school counselor Ashley Marlow joined with Christ Fellowship members Margaret Douthat and Joe Gervais to share information about the mentoring program.
  • The program, now in its second year, provides positive support for a wide variety of Adams students.
  • The goal of the program is to positively impact students by providing mentoring, guidance, and affirmation.  
  • Volunteers from Christ Fellowship come to Adams to meet with students in the program to build relationships and mentor students.

business items

Andy True, Assistant Superintendent - Administration, presented several Policies for review and approval.  This month's presentation covers revisions necessary due to changes in State law or Board of Education policies.
  • 3.202 – Emergency Preparedness Plan (Revised)
    • State law previously only required high schools to maintain AEDs. Public Chapter 391 expands this requirement to all schools. Policy wording has been revised to reflect this change.
  • 4.605 – Graduation Requirements (Revised)
    • State law previously only required students to take a civics exam before graduating high school. Now, Public Chapter 442 requires that students pass this exam in order to graduate. Policy wording has been revised to reflect this change.
  • 4.700 – Assessment Programs (Revised)
    • Public Chapter 108 requires LEAs to make interest inventories available to students in either middle school or ninth grade. It also requires LEAs to administer a career aptitude assessment to students in grades seven or eight. Policy wording has been added to include these requirements.
  • 5.200 – Separation Practices for Tenured Teachers (Revised)
    • Public Chapter 248 is an extensive cleanup bill impacting policies 5.200, 5.201, and 5.305. It changes where reports of teacher breach of contract must be reported (5.200/5.201 - These reports were previously sent to the Commissioner of Education, but they are now required to be submitted to the State Board of Education) and clarifies the way leave may be used (5.305 – Employees may use sick or annual leave for paternity as well as maternity leave).
  • 5.201 – Separation Practices for Non-Tenured Teachers (Revised)
    • Public Chapter 248 is an extensive cleanup bill impacting policies 5.200, 5.201, and 5.305. It changes where reports of teacher breach of contract must be reported (5.200/5.201 - These reports were previously sent to the Commissioner of Education, but they are now required to be submitted to the State Board of Education) and clarifies the way leave may be used (5.305 – Employees may use sick or annual leave for paternity as well as maternity leave).
  • 5.305 – Family and Medical Leave (Revised)
    • Public Chapter 248 is an extensive cleanup bill impacting policies 5.200, 5.201, and 5.305. It changes where reports of teacher breach of contract must be reported (5.200/5.201 - These reports were previously sent to the Commissioner of Education, but they are now required to be submitted to the State Board of Education) and clarifies the way leave may be used (5.305 – Employees may use sick or annual leave for paternity as well as maternity leave).
  • 6.200 – Attendance (Revised)
    • Section titled “Military Service of Parent/Guardian” has been removed and relocated to NEW POLICY 6.506 – Students from Military Families.
  • 6.308 – Bus Safety and Conduct (New)
    • Public Chapter 256 only applies to LEAs that maintain cameras on their school buses. It requires those boards to adopt a policy that establishes a process to allow parents to view photographs or video footage collected from cameras on school buses. The new law also requires the policy to contain provisions on who will supervise the parents while they view the surveillance footage and how long the photographs or video footage will be maintained by the LEA.
  • 6.506 – Students from Military Families (New)
    • New policy to house various provisions that apply to students from military families. The provision on excused absences due to military service of the parent/guardian from 6.200 is now located in this new policy. Additionally, a new provision was reacted based on Public Chapter 138. This new law requires boards to allow students that do not currently reside in the school district to enroll there provided: (1) the student is the dependent child of a service member who is being relocated on military orders and will be a resident of the school district; and (2) the service member provides documentation of these military orders. It also requires each board to establish, via policy, the amount of time within which these students must provide proof of residency.
  • Following review and discussion, the Board approved the policy changes on first reading by a vote of 4-0 (Golden absent).
    • New policies will require a second affirmative vote before becoming Board policy. 
Steve Seifried, Account Executive at Ameresco - Tennessee, provided information to the Board regarding a potential solar project for KCS.
  • At the August work session, the Board had requested a report on financial and logistic information to assist in making any potential decisions regarding a potential project.  Mr. Seifried presented that information to the Board this evening.
  • The presentation included information on an option called a "Power Purchase Agreement" (PPA) where KCS would not own or be required to maintain solar equipment, but would purchase the generated power at a lower rate than would be available through normal utility provider.
  • Specific details on the potential PPA are included in the summary below. 

REPORTS

 
Andy True presented a draft 2020-2021 KCS Calendar for initial review by the Board.  
  • The Board reviewed the draft, with a potential plan to approve a final version at the October BOE meeting.
  • The draft calendar is similar to the calendar implemented in previous years and includes:
    • Student Start Date - August 3, 2020
    • Fall Break - October 12-16, 2020
    • Thanksgiving Break - November 25-27, 2020
    • Winter Break - December 21, 2020 - January 1, 2021
    • 2nd Semester Student Start Date:  January 5, 2021 
    • Spring Break - March 29-April 2, 2021
    • Graduation Day - May 22, 2021
  • One significant suggestion during the discussion regarding the draft calendar was to relocate the first semester professional development day to a location attached to Fall Break.  This could potentially be on Monday, October 19, 2020.  Staff will investigate this option prior to the October meeting.
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The next meeting of the Board of Education will be a work session on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 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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Read and follow our blog, "We Are KCS" to learn more about the great people and programs of Kingsport City Schools. Check it out at www.WeAreKCS.com.