The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Several key items were discussed, including:
- A community interest report regarding the Dobyns-Bennett High School CyberPatriot XIII Youth Cybersecurity team;
- A review of the 2021 KCS Superintendent evaluation;
- Approval to accept a KCS Education Foundation Teacher Grant;
- Approval to award a bid for electrical switch-gear replacement work at Dobyns-Bennett;
- Approval of a one-time payment to KCS employees for extra duties related to COVID-19;
- Approval of Fiscal Year 21 Budget Amendment #2; and
- Approval of an extension to the optional COVID-19 leave currently available to employees.
CALL TO ORDER
The Pledge of Allegiance was led this evening by Elisha and Emma Roberts. Elisha and Emma are 3rd graders at Roosevelt Elementary School.
Community Interest Report
A report was presented to the Board regarding the Dobyns-Bennett CyberPatriot XIII Cybersecurity Team ("Tribe Bytes"), which recently placed 1st in the gold tier and 3rd in the open division at their state competition.
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- The CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Education Program is designed to inspire, excite, educate, and motivate students toward careers in cybersecurity and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
- The program was established by the Air Force Association in 2009.
- The National Youth Cyber Defense Competition involves teams of students across the United States, Canada, and other schools abroad, to find and resolve cybersecurity vulnerabilities in simulated environments.
- The D-B team consists of Vincent Salyer, Dominic Bembry, Logan Rogers, and Ty Young. The team is led by D-B science teacher Nathan Bailey.
- Click below to view the full report from tonight's meeting.
business items
Board President Jim Welch introduced the recently conducted annual Superintendent evaluation for Dr. Jeff Moorhouse. Board Member Eric Hyche described the process utilized and summarized the results.
- Following a procedure that is conducted annually, KCS administrators and direct reports to the Superintendent are surveyed in odd-numbered years regarding satisfaction with the Superintendent's performance (all staff is surveyed in even-numbered years).
- The survey asked:
- Respond with your level of satisfaction with the Superintendent in regard to:
- Effective leadership
- Communication regarding issues of importance
- Responsiveness to communication
- Level of support for employees
- Care for employees
- Ethical role model
- Accessibility
- What is the Superintendent's greatest strength?
- What is the Superintendent's greatest weakness?
- Please share any other thoughts.
- To view the summary report, please click below. Mr. Hyche noted that by design, open-ended responses were to be seen only by the board and are not included in the summary report.
The Kingsport City Schools Education Foundation, Inc. Grants Committee presented a recommendation to approve one KCS teacher grant from the foundation.
- Tammie Davis presented the recommendation this evening on behalf of the foundation.
- The grant was proposed by Washington Elementary School music teacher Mr. Kristian Hefner.
- The purpose of the grant is to purchase twelve Remo Series Pre-Tuned Tropical Leaf Drums at a cost of $2,072.00.
- The Board voted 5-0 to accept the recommendation to accept the foundation grant.
David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, presented a proposal to award a bid for electrical switchgear replacement at Dobyns-Bennett High School.
- One bid was received, from Kingsport Aramature and Electric Company, Inc., for $286,252.
- A 6% contingency is included, for a total project cost of $303,427.
- The project would replace the electrical switchgear that is original to the school and would take place during the summer of 2021.
- Because of the age and condition of the original switchgears, it is important to replace the equipment as soon as possible.
- The Board accepted the presented bid by a vote of 5-0.
Mr. Frye reviewed a proposed recommendation to provide all KCS employees a one-time payment related to extra duties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Funding was provided during the State of Tennessee special legislative session this past January for one-time pay for teachers and other licensed personnel for additional duties performed due to COVID-19 this year. The amount allocated to KCS by the state was $308,500 in one-time funding, which (after benefits) equates to approximately $416 for each teacher and eligible licensed personnel.
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KCS administration felt that this was not a sufficient amount nor included the appropriate scope of employees. Staff has been examining how to increase the amount given and include a payment for all certified and classified employees.
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Tonight's proposal recommends:
- By a vote of 5-0, the board approved the recommendation.
Mr. Frye presented Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Amendment #2 for approval.
- There are seven General Purpose School Fund items included in the budget amendment:
- Special Education High Cost Funds
- CARES Act Funding
- Adams PTA Basketball Court Donation
- Johnson Playground Donation
- Lincoln Playground Donations
- Northeast State Dual Enrollment Courses
- D-B EXCEL Chemistry Grant
- D-B EXCEL Transfer
- The amendment also included items related to the Federal Projects Fund, School Special Projects Fund, and Capital Project Fund.
- Click below for details on each of the included items.
- The Board voted 5-0 to approve the Budget Amendment.
Jennifer Guthrie, Chief Human Resource Officer, requested Board approval to extend the optional COVID-19 leave currently available to employees through June 30, 2021 (pending further review at that time).
- This Optional COVID-19 Leave will follow the timeline of the optional "extension" of the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA) through June 30, 2021 by Congress and follow the same provisions of the FFCRA as originally implemented.
- The Board approved the extension by a vote of 5-0.
The next meeting of the Board of Education will be a called meeting and work session on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 6 p.m. The called meeting and work session will take place in the Tennessee Room of the Administrative Support Center (400 Clinchfield Street).
For more information on
KCS, visit
www.k12k.com, listen live on WCSK 90.3 FM,
The Voice of KCS, download our mobile app for Apple/Android devices or call (423) 378.2100. We’re social too; follow us on Facebook (
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