The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held a work session on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Several important items were discussed, including:
- An update on the progress of the Buck Van Huss Dome renovation at Dobyns-Bennett High School;
- A report on the topic of random student drug testing for students participating in extra-curricular activities; and
- A report on the recently completed Superintendent evaluation process facilitated by the Board.
Dr. Andy True, Assistant Superintendent - Administration, and Brian Alderson, Project Manager and Senior Architect with Thompson & Litton, provided an update to the Board on the progress of the Buck Van Huss Dome renovation at Dobyns-Bennett High School.
- The renovation project, which began in late 2023, remains on-schedule for completion in late winter/early spring 2025.
- The project involves a variety of renovation focus areas, including the gymnasium, activities offices, activities lobby, locker rooms, auxiliary gymnasium, entrances, front plaza, and parking areas.
- Click below to view the full Dome project update.
At the request of the Board, Dr. True and Jim Nash, Chief Student Services Officer, provided a report on the topic of random student drug testing for students participating in extra-curricular activities.
- Random student drug testing for students participating in voluntary extra-curricular activities is allowed under TN state law TCA 49-6-4213.
- Such testing is common among the majority of districts in Tennessee, as research indicates over 100 public school districts in Tennessee have passed a Board Policy providing for random student drug testing.
- Any Policy or developed procedures governing such a random testing program would be approved by the Board before implementation in KCS.
- After review and discussion this evening, the Board requested additional information and draft policies/procedures be presented at its April work session.
Board President Melissa Woods presented the general findings of the recently completed annual Superintendent evaluation.
- The evaluation included information from KCS administrators, the Board, and Superintendent Dr. Chris Hampton, as well as individual meetings between Board members and Dr. Hampton.
- Click below to view the full report, including results from the Evaluation Survey.
The next session of the Board of Education will be a meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Tennessee Room of the Administrative Support Center (400 Clinchfield 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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