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2022-23 Board of Education Meeting/Work Session Notes » BOE Meeting Notes - May 9, 2023

BOE Meeting Notes - May 9, 2023

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The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.  Several key items were discussed, including:
  • Recognitions of several KCS students and educators for outstanding achievements:
    • Dobyns-Bennett High School student Evelyn Yang for earning a perfect ACT score.
    • The Dobyns-Bennett Winter Guard for winning the 2023 Winter Guard International Scholastic A World Championship.
    • Members of the D-B Band, Choir, and Orchestra for being named All-State.
    • D-B students who participated in the 2023 Tennessee School Boards Association SCOPE (Student Congress on Policies in Education) Conference.
    • D-B science teacher Evie LaFollette for being named a recipient of the Robert E. Yager Foundation of Excellence in Teaching award.
  • Approval of a School Nutrition Services bid for ice cream products;
  • Approval of a School Nutrition Services bid for pizza products;
  • Approval of a bid for the replacement of HVAC units at Ross N. Robinson Middle School;
  • Approval of a bid for the replacement of the dishwasher at D-B; 
  • Board approval of the 2023-2024 KCS Budget; and
  • Review of two potential Policy revisions.
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Meeting Audio
Detailed Meeting Notes

CALL TO ORDER

The Pledge of Allegiance was led this evening by Cheyenne Cleaver and Sione Olevao, students at Cora Cox Academy. Cheyenne is the daughter of Erik Cleaver and Misty Rhodes. Sione is the son of Sione Olevao and Angelena Bautista-Olevao.

Recognitions

Several KCS students and educators were recognized at the start of this evening's meeting for outstanding achievements:
  • Dobyns-Bennett High School student Evelyn Yang was recognized by Board member Jim Welch for earning a perfect ACT score.
    • Evelyn scored a perfect composite score of 36 on a recent ACT test.
    • The ACT consists of tests in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science.  A student's composite score is the average of the four test scores. 
    • While the number of students earning a perfect ACT composite score of 36 varies from year to year, on average, only approximately one-quarter of one percent who take the ACT earn a perfect score.
 
  • The Dobyns-Bennett Winter Guard was recognized by Board member Julie Byers for winning the 2023 Winter Guard International Scholastic A World Championship.
    • The D-B Winter Guard won the title on April 14, 2023 competing in Dayton, OH.
    • The guard received the second-highest score in Scholastic A Class history with a score of 98.915.  
    • Their production, entitled "The Bride of Frankenstein," was a modern spin on the story of The Bride of Frankenstein and featured handmade props and familiar tunes.  
    • Jed Garvey serves as the D-B Color Guard director.
 
  • Members of the D-B Band, Choir, and Orchestra were recognized by Board Vice President Todd Golden for being named All-State.
    • The D-B musicians attended the 64th Annual Tennessee Music Education Association (TEMA) Music Education Conference at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville on April 19-22, 2023.
    • Band students earning All-State status included:
      • Josh Adedokum, Clarinet
      • Alex Batts, Bari Sax
      • Grace Estes, Horn
      • Ryder Fitzgerald, Clarinet
      • Addie Helms, Baritone
      • Liam Klug, Alto Sax
      • Claire Li, Clarinet
      • Micah Maynard, Tuba
      • Ella Miller, Percussion
      • Tori Wright, Bassoon
    • Choir students earning All-State status included:
      • Oriname Adurodija
      • Juliet Barton
      • Sadie Cheshier
      • Camden Elliott
      • Connor Melton
      • Keely Morris
      • Lucas Park
      • Casey Roberts
    • Orchestra students earning All-State status included:
      • Emily Doyle, Violin
      • Nate Glenn, Cello
      • Mackenzie Henley, Violin
      • Adam Krcal, Bass
 
  • D-B students who participated in the 2023 Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) Student Congress on Policies in Education (SCOPE) Conference presented a report on their attendance.
    • TSBA hosted this year's SCOPE Conference at Belmont University on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.  
    • High school students from across the state gathered to discuss current topics in education. Issues were explored through mock school board meetings and group discussions.  
    • Participants also met as a congress, where each group's student leader debated one of the day's topics. 
    • The SCOPE conference is designed to give students an understanding of how school boards operate.  
    • D-B students attending this year's SCOPE conference included seniors Nia Ailshie, William Armentrout, Cardin McVey, and Sophia Simpson.  Ms. Shelby Lawhead, D-B Social Studies teacher, was the chaperone for the SCOPE Conference trip.
 
  • D-B science teacher Evie LaFollette was recognized by Board member Dr. Brandon Fletcher for being named a recipient of the Robert E. Yager Foundation of Excellence in Teaching award.
    • The award was presented at the National Science Teaching Association's (NSTA) National Conference on Science Education in Atlanta on March 24, 2023.  
    • The Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award recognizes exemplary innovation in the field of science education.  The award acknowledges teachers who share Robert Yager's passion for education and continued professional development.  
    • The award also honors Robert Yager's effort to make excellent science education accessible to students of the 21st century and beyond.  
    • Only six teachers win the award each year, having exhibited exemplary innovation in the field of science education and embody the mission statement of NSTA. 

business items

David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, presented a recommendation to approve a School Nutrition Services bid for ice cream products.
  • The recommendation was to approve a bid for the 2023-24 school year in the amount of $30,000 to Ice Cream Warehouse.
  • The agreement is for one year, with an option to renew the agreement one year at a time for an additional three years. 
  • Funds for the bid would be paid by the School Nutrition Services budget.
  • After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
Mr. Frye presented a recommendation to approve a School Nutrition Services bid for pizza products.
  • The recommendation was to approve a bid for the 2023-24 school year in the amount of $160,000 to Bull's Eye Brands, Inc.
  • The agreement is for one year, July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. 
  • Funds for the bid would be paid by the School Nutrition Services budget.
  • After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
Mr. Frye presented a recommendation to approve a bid for the replacement of the HVAC units at Ross N. Robinson Middle School.
  • The recommendation was to approve the low base bid, which was received from S.B. White Company, Inc., in the amount of $2,688,000. The total project cost, including architect fees, construction costs, and a six percent contingency is $3,089,280.
  • Funding for the bid would be paid by ESSER 3.0 funds.
  • After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
  • Work to replace the HVAC units at Robinson is scheduled to be completed by Summer 2024.
Mr. Frye presented a recommendation to approve a bid for the needed replacement of the dish washer at Dobyns-Bennett High School.
  • The recommendation was to approve the base bid, which was received from S.B. White Company, Inc., in the amount of $275,500,000. The total project cost, including architect fees, construction costs, and a six percent contingency is $304,530.
  • Funding for the bid would be from the School Capital Improvement Project (GP2301).
  • After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
  • Work to replace the dish washer is scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Mr. Frye presented the proposed 2023-24 KCS Budget for final review and approval.
  • The 2023-24 Budget reflects the new Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding formula, which goes into effect in Tennessee in 2023-24. 
  • See below for the full budget presentation.
  • Following review, the Budget was approved by a vote of 5-0.
    • The Budget will now go to the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen for approval as a part of the City of Kingsport budget approval process.

REPORTS

Two proposed policy revisions were presented for initial discussion:
  • 1.200 - Internal Organizations
    • With the change of date for City of Kingsport municipal elections approved by the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen, future Board of Education elections will now take place in August of even numbered-years. A revision to the annual selection of Board leadership is  proposed to better align leadership elections to this schedule. 
  • 1.404 - Public Communication at Board Meetings
    • To provide clarity, streamline operations, and reflect recently amended TCA Title 8, Chapter 44, a revision is recommended regarding public communication at Board meetings.
  • The proposed revisions were initially discussed this evening and will be presented for formal action at the June Board meeting.
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The next meeting of the Board of Education will be a meeting on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 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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KCS has been ranked the "#1 Best Place to Teach in Tennessee" by the 2023 NICHE Best Schools Ranking and the City of Kingsport has been voted as the "Nicest Places in America" in the October 2022 Reader's Digest.
 
For more information visit www.k12k.com, listen live on WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, or call the KCS Administrative Support Center at (423) 378.2100. We’re social too; follow us on Facebook (kcsdistrict), Instagram (kcs__district), Twitter (@kcs__district), LinkedIn (kcsdistrict), and check out our YouTube Channel (@kcs__district).