The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Several key items were discussed, including:
- Recognition of the 2023 KCS Teachers of the Year, Principal of the Year, and Supervisor of the Year;
- Approval of recommended Mathematics resources;
- Approval of the purchase of Mathematics resources;
- Approval of beverage pouring rights and advertising partnership;
- Approval of the bid for renovations at D-B EXCEL;
- Approval of the bid for gymnasium floor renovations at John Sevier Middle School;
- Approval of the bid for electrical upgrades to the I.T. room at Dobyns-Bennett High School;
- Approval of the agreement to purchase produce for KCS cafeterias for the 2023-24 school year; and
- Approval of the purchase of various School Nutrition equipment through a cooperative purchasing agreement.
CALL TO ORDER
The Pledge of Allegiance was led this evening by Roosevelt Elementary School students Sara Lyons and Lucas Stefan. Sara is a 1st grader and the daughter of Ken and Heather Lyons. Lucas is a 3rd grader and is the son of Jeff and Tracy Stefan.
Recognitions
At the start of tonight's meeting, the Board recognized the 2023 individual building-level Teachers of the Year and those chosen as the overall 2023 Kingsport City Schools Teacher of the Year at the elementary, middle, and high school level. Teachers recognized included:
2023 Teachers of the Year (Building-Level)
- Grades Pre-K-4
- Sophy Doty, Palmer Center
- Whitney Gibson, Jefferson Elementary School
- Marie Taylor, Johnson Elementary School
- Sharon Grass, Lincoln Elementary School
- Alisha Arwood, Washington Elementary School
- Grades 5-8
- Mackenzie Reeves, Adams Elementary School
- Robin Downes, Jackson Elementary School
- Taylor Widener, Kennedy Elementary School
- Megan Turner, Roosevelt Elementary School
- Julie Carrier, Robinson Middle School
- Angie Hensley, Robinson Middle School
- Kathleen Donnellan, Sevier Middle School
- Dianna Gardenhour, Sevier Middle School
- Grades 9-12
- Sue McClellan, Cora Cox Academy
- Erica Gardner, D-B EXCEL
- Amanda Cox, Dobyns-Bennett High School
- Regina Davenport, Dobyns-Bennett High School
- Aaron Gourley, Dobyns-Bennett High School
- Bryan Kerns, Dobyns-Bennett High School
- Stephanie Strickler, Dobyns-Bennett High School
- Beth Tate, Dobyns-Bennett High School
- Eric Vogt, Dobyns-Bennett High School
2023 Teachers of the Year (District-Level)
- Grades Pre-K-4: Marie Taylor, Johnson Elementary School (2nd Grade Teacher)
- Grades 5-8: Kathleen Donnellan, Sevier Middle School (English Language Arts Teacher)
- Grades 9-12: Regina Davenport, Dobyns-Bennett High School (Health Science Teacher)
The KCS 2023 Principal of the Year and Supervisor of the Year were also recognized at tonight's meeting.
- Principal of the Year: Dr. Stacy Edwards, Johnson Elementary School
- Supervisor of the Year: Michael Hubbard, Director of Performance Excellence
business items
Dr. Lamar Smith, Supervisor of Federal Programs, and Dr. Rhonda Stringham, Assistant Superintendent - Instruction, presented a list of math resources recommended for adoption.
- The resources were recommended by the KCS Math Instructional Materials Committee following review.
- The Committee followed the state textbook adoption process in accordance with the statutory requirements as set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated 49-6-22 and the rules and policies of the State Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission.
- Click below to view the memo listing the specific materials recommended for adoption.
- Following review, the Board approved the recommended Mathematics resources by a vote of 5-0.
Following the approve of recommended Mathematics resources, David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, presented a recommendation to purchase Mathematics textbooks from Tennessee Book Company.
- Tennessee Book Company is the official State of Tennessee school book depository/distributor. The majority of KCS textbooks are purchased from Tennessee Book Company.
- The recommended purchase was in the amount of $932,811.00. Funding for the Mathematics textbook purchase would come from the current year General Purpose School Fund ($300,832.00) and ESSER 3.0 ($631,979.00).
- Following review, the Board approved the purchase by a vote of 5-0.
Mr. Frye presented a proposal for beverage pouring rights and advertising for Kingsport City Schools.
- The only proposal received by KCS was from Pepsico, which would provide product for purchases for three years made through internal concessions accounts, with a commission to be paid to each school based on their quantity sold.
- Following review, the agreement was approved by the Board by a vote of 5-0.
Mr. Frye presented a bid for approval for renovations at D-B EXCEL.
- Two bids were received for the D-B EXCEL Life Safety Tenant Expansion and Renovation Project, which would allow for additional space to be utilized by D-B EXCEL students during the school day.
- The lowest compliant base bid was from Comsa Construction.
- The total cost of the project bid, including alternates, architect fees, construction costs, and a six percent contingency, was $196,225.00.
- After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
- Funding for the project will be from the School Capital Improvements Project (GP2301).
Mr. Frye presented a bid for approval for renovations to gymnasium floors at Sevier Middle School.
- One bid was received for the project, from Finchum Sports Floors, LLC.
- The proposed project would replace the floor in the Sprankle Gymnasium and refinish the floor in the main gymnasium.
- The total cost of the project bid, including architect fees, construction costs, and a six percent contingency, was $219,938.00.
- Work would begin 14 days after receiving the notice to proceed and be completed by August 1, 2023.
- After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 4-0 (Byers abstained).
- Funding will be from the School Capital Improvements Project (GP2301).
Mr. Frye presented a bid for approval for electrical upgrades to the Dobyns-Bennett I.T. room.
- One bid was received for the project, from Kingsport Armature & Electric Company, Inc.
- The total cost of the project, including architect fees, construction costs, and a six percent contingency was $159,870.00.
- Work would begin 90 days after receiving the notice to proceed and be completed in 210 days.
- After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
- Funding will be from the School Capital Improvements Project (GP2301).
Mr. Frye presented a bid for approval for the purchase of produce for KCS cafeterias.
- One bid was received, for Crook Brothers.
- The contract was for a not-to-exceed amount of $150,000.00 for the period from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
- The agreement included an option to renew the contract for up to three additional years in one year increments, providing pricing and quality of service is acceptable.
- After review, the Board approved the bid by a vote of 5-0.
- All expenditures from this contract will be fully funded by the School Nutrition Services budget.
Mr. Frye will presented a request by KCS School Nutrition Services to purchase food service equipment items for various school locations.
- The request was to utilize the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with Tri-Mark Strategic Equipment, LLC.
- The total amount of the equipment purchase was $314,851.84, which included delivery and installation of equipment at each location.
- After review, the Board approved the request by a vote of 5-0.
The next meeting of the Board of Education will be a work session on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 6 p.m. The work session will take place in the Tennessee Room of the Administrative Support Center (400 Clinchfield Street). The Board of Education will also hold a joint work session with the City of Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Monday, April 24, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. at the Kingsport City Hall (415 Broad Street).
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.
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