BOE Called Meeting Notes - August 3, 2020 – 2020-21 Board of Education Meeting/Work Session Notes

The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held a called meeting on Monday, August 3, 2020. Two agenda items were discussed, including:

Approval of the 2020-21 KCS back-to-school operations plan; and
Approval of a purchase of student technology devices.

Meeting Audio

08-03-20 - Kpt BOE Called Meeting - Electronic

Detailed Meeting Notes

CALL TO ORDER

The Board made the determination that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and per Governor Bill Lee's Executive Order 51, it was necessary to hold tonight's meeting electronically to protect the health, safety, and welfare of participants and observers. By a roll-call response, each Board member affirmed an electronic meeting was necessary.

business items

The Board reviewed plans and details related to the start of the 2020-21 school year (click the above link to hear the full meeting audio of the discussion.

After discussion, the Board approved the operations plan (linked below) by a vote of 3 (Hyche, Upshaw, Welch) -2 (Byers, Golden).
- Major components of the plan include:
- First student day: Monday, August 10, 2020.
  - All face-to-face students will start the year with virtual instruction on Monday, August 10, 2020 (until further notice).
  - Students who have previously selected Remote Choice Learning 2020 will remain virtual, as planned.
- Ongoing school operations will be decided based on a review of health data and guidance from groups such as administration, the Sullivan County Regional Health Department, and the Tennessee Department of Health.
- If data indicates a decrease from substantial spread to minimal-to-moderate spread, face-to-face students will return to school for in-person instruction. Board members expressed a desire to review data and current status information at the September Board meeting. All Board members and Dr. Moorhouse expressed the ultimate desire to return students to in-person instruction while maintaining the safest possible environment for students and staff.
- KCS will continue to evaluate as more information emerges. This will include analysis of other communities where reentry is being accomplished effectively in spite of substantial spread.
- Click below to view the full approved plan.

KCS Operations Manual - BOE Approved 8-3-20

Dr. Tony Robinson, Chief Technology Officer, and David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, presented a quote to purchase Chromebooks and Chromebook tablets, utilizing ESSER Grant funds.

The proposal covers approximately 962 devices (402 Chromebooks and 560 Chromebook tablets) for KCS students.
The total cost for the purchase, including devices, licenses, and service fees, is $233,896.
After review and discussion, the Board approved the purchase by a vote of 5-0.

8-3 BOE Recommendation Chromebooks and Chromebook Tablets - FireFly Computers, LLC

The next meeting of the Board of Education will be a meeting on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 6 p.m.

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 (Kingsport City Schools), Twitter (@KCS_District), Instagram (@kcs_district), LinkedIn (Kingsport City Schools), and check out our YouTube Channel (KPTSchools).