The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held a work session on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Several key items were discussed, including:
- A report on counseling programs taking place across KCS schools;
- An update on a potential solar energy project;
- A report on maintenance and custodial work that has occurred across the district; and
- A review of potential Board policy updates and revisions for consideration at a future meeting.
Detailed Work Session Notes
KCS School Counselors John Burleson (Dobyns-Bennett High School), Lisa King (Sevier Middle School), and Kim Oaks-Blair (Kennedy Elementary School) provided a report on the counseling programs taking place throughout KCS.
- Programs focus on areas such as student academic success, college and career readiness, and the social-emotional development of all students.
- School counselors across KCS work diligently to address the physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-fulfillment needs of children in a wide variety of situations.
- These critical efforts also align with the KCS Portrait of a Graduate work taking place throughout the district.
Ameresco Account Exective Steve Seifried provided information to the Board regarding the potential usage and placement of solar panels at KCS schools.
- KCS has been considering entering into an agreement with Ameresco related to solar and LED lighting projects in the future.
- The solar project information presented tonight was in relation to a "Power Purchase Agreement" (PPA). Such an agreement would allow Ameresco to place solar panels (owned and maintained by Ameresco) on KCS properties for the purpose of generating and selling electricity back to KCS at a lower rate than the current provider. Over a 20-year timeline, the project could result in up to $3 million in electricity costs.
- Next Steps: The Board could consider entering into an agreement to have Ameresco complete a 60% engineering study (for a fee) to confirm the final scope or size of the project. To this point, KCS has not spend funds on the Ameresco study.
KCS Supervisor of Maintenance and Custodial Services Bill Shedden provided a facilities and maintenance projects report.
- Maintenance and custodial staff have provided a wide range of repairs, updates, and services to create the best possible environments for students and staff.
- Click below to view the full report from this evening, including a range of photos.
KCS Assistant Superintendent - Andy True provided a review of potential policy additions and revisions, to be considered on First Reading at the October Board meeting.
- The policies presented this evening address a variety of health/wellness and fiscal needs.
- Health/Wellness Policies considered on 1st Reading:
- 6.411 – Student Wellness (Revised)
- Adds federal USDA requirement of a Wellness Plan review every three years.
- Fiscal Policies considered on 1st Reading (Per the guidance of the Federal Programs monitor, several policies are highly recommended for adoption in response to the most recent federal programs audit. These relate to fiscal operations that are required by federal policy or procedure, but do not currently exist in KCS Board Policy.):
- 2.200 – Annual Operating Budget (New)
- Places in policy requirements for the Budget preparation process, review, and adoption procedure.
- 2.201 – Annual Operating Budget (New)
- Establishes authority for approving transfer of funds between Budget line items.
- 2.403 – Surplus Property Sales (New)
- Outlines procedures and requirements related to the disposition of surplus items.
- 2.702 – Inventories (New)
- Establishes procedures and requirements related to inventory of equipment and property procured with federal funds.
- 2.808 – Purchase Orders and Contracts (New)
- Establishes requirements related to purchase order and contract essential elements.
- 5.601 – Conflict of Interest (New)
- Sets parameters for the definition of conflict of interest for staff related to financial interests and scope of work.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be on Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Tennessee Room of the Administrative Support Center (400 Clinchfield Street).
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.
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