Kingsport City Schools

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BOE Meeting Notes - May 14, 2024

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The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.  Several key items were discussed, including:
  • Recognition of two Dobyns-Bennett High School track and field state champions;
  • Recognition of Dobyns-Bennett students who have qualified for the National Speech and Debate Association national tournament;
  • Recognition of Dobyns-Bennett students who participated in the Tennessee School Boards Association 2024 Student Congress on Policies in Education conference;
  • Approval of two Board Policies on first reading;
  • Approval to purchase an electric truck for the Dobyns-Bennett CTE program;
  • Approval to purchase playground equipment for John Adams Elementary School;
  • Approval of a bid for renovation of the Nancy Pridemore Theater at Dobyns-Bennett;
  • Approval of 2023-24 Budget Amendment #8; and
  • Approval of the 2024-25 KCS Budget.
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Meeting Audio
 
Click here to view the archived livestream of tonight's meeting.
Detailed Meeting Notes

CALL TO ORDER

The Pledge of Allegiance was led this evening by Micah Lawson.  Micah is a senior at D-B EXCEL and plans on attending Milligan University in the fall.

Recognitions

Board member Todd Golden recognized two Dobyns-Bennett High School seniors for winning state championships at the 2024 Tennessee State High School Indoor Track & Field Championships at Vanderbilt University in Nashville on February 24, 2024.
  • Brayden Simpson won the Boys 60M Hurdles state title.
  • Nigel Vidale won the Boys High Jump state title.
  • The championships were held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville on February 24, 2024.
 
Board Member Tim Dean recognized Dobyns-Bennett students who have qualified for the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) national tournament.
  • The NSDA National Championship began in 1931 and is held every year during the third week of June.
  • D-B students qualifying for the National Championship include:
    • Aivree Byram (12th grade)
    • Mackenzie Connelly (11th grade)
    • Jaylen Fields (10th grade)
    • Lydia Hurst (11th grade)
    • Lily Hutson (11th grade)
    • Aurora Palmer (12th grade)
    • Maggie Perry (12th grade)
    • Camryn Sims (11th grade)
    • Eleanor Voigt (10th grade)
 
Board President Melissa Woods recognized four D-B seniors who participated in the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) 2024 Student Congress on Policies in Education (SCOPE) Conference at Belmont University in Nashville on March 5, 2024.
  • D-B students who attended the conference were:
    • Mason Brown
    • Jake Dempsey
    • Emma Nakhoul
    • Ella Stidham
  • The students were accompanied by D-B Social Studies teacher Shelby Lawhead.
  • Now in its 41st year, SCOPE is designed to give students a voice where public education issues are concerned and to involve young people in finding solutions to the topics that are discussed. Attendees participated in mock school board sessions, where they assumed the roles of school board members, school officials, parents, students, and concerned citizens. 

business items

Dr. Andy True, Assistant Superintendent - Administration, presented two policies for review and approval on first reading.
  • 4.202 - Special Education (revised)
  • 6.3071 - Student Alcohol and Drug Testing (new)
 
Additionally, draft procedures for a potential random student drug testing program were available for review.  Should the Board elect to approve a policy allowing for such a program for high school students participating in all extracurricular activities (per TCA 49-6-4213), procedures would then be considered for approval. 
 
After review, both policies were passed on first reading by a vote of 4-0 (Byers absent). 
 
Approval of any new Board Policy requires two readings. Tonight's consideration was only for Policy approval on first reading. Consideration of final Policy approval on second reading and approval of random student drug testing program procedures could take place at a future BOE meeting.
Dr. Bo Shadden, Director of Career & Technical Education and Post-Secondary Education, and David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, presented a proposal to purchase an electric truck for the D-B Career and Technical Education (CTE) program.
  • The 2024 Ford F-150 Super Crew Cab Electric Truck would be part of the addition of an Electric Vehicle Maintenance program to the CTE curriculum next school year.
  • The cost of the truck is $77,298 and would be funded through the Innovative School Models Grant. 
  • After review, the Board approved the purchase by a vote of 4-0.
Mr. Frye presented a proposal to purchase playground equipment for John Adams Elementary School.
  • The purchase is for a project by the John Adams PTO, which was the original source of the funding for the equipment.
  • The purchase from Playworld would use the Sourcewell purchasing contract in the amount of $99,077.42.
  • After review, the Board approved the purchase by a vote of 4-0.
Mr. Frye presented a proposed bid approval for the renovation of the Nancy Pridemore Theater at Dobyns-Bennett.
  • Bids for the theater renovation were opened on April 30, 2024. The lowest compliant base bid was $322,000.00 from Preston Construction Company.
  • Major items in the project scope would include replacement of the theater seats, new flooring in the seating area, painting, and improvements to the balcony railing (to improve viewing from the balcony area).
  • The recommended approval was for a contract with Preston Construction Company for the base bid amount of $322,000.00 and Alternate #2 for $10,000.00 (which is to remove and replace the tile on the stairs that lead to the balcony), for a total proposed construction contract of $332,000.00.
  • Including an architect fee ($15,600.00) and a six percent contingency ($19,920.00), the total cost of this project would be $367,520.00. Funding would be from FY 2023 Schools Capital Improvement Project. 
  • After review, the bid was approved by a vote of 4-0.
  • Work on the project is projected to be completed by Fall 2024.
Mr. Frye presented FY 2023-24 Budget Amendment #8 for review and approval.
  • The proposed amendment included items related to tax revenue adjustments, grants received, a donation, miscellaneous transfers, and various project fund items.
  • Click below to view the memo containing Amendment items.
  • After view, the Budget Amendment was approved by a vote of 4-0.
Mr. Frye presented the proposed 2024-25 KCS Budget for review and approval.
  • The proposed General Purpose School Fund, School Nutrition Fund, Federal Projects Fund, and School Special Projects Fund totals $110,204,561.
  • For a review of items contained in the proposed 2024-25 Budget, click below.
  • The Board approved the proposed Budget by a vote of 4-0.
  • The Budget will now go to the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen for approval.

REPORTS

Mr. Frye presented the 3rd Quarter FY 2024 Financial Update.
  • The update reviewed current revenue and expenses through the 3rd quarter.  
  • Overall, expenses were at roughly 68% of Budget, which is in line for this time of year.
  • Click below to view the full Financial Update.
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The next session of the Board of Education will be a meeting on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 6 p.m.  The meeting 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).