Kingsport City Schools

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BOE Meeting Notes - January 14, 2025

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The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.  Several key items were discussed, including:
  • Recognition of Dobyns-Bennett High School students who recently graduated from a certificate program at Northeast State Community College;
  • Recognition of a Dobyns-Bennett student athlete for finishing 6th at the TSSAA Girls' Golf State Tournament;
  • Recognition of the Dobyns-Bennett Marching Band for being named a Bands of America Grand National Finalist;
  • Recognition of John Adams Elementary School principal Dr. Kelley Harrell for being named the 2024-25 State of Tennessee Principal of the Year;
  • Tenure approval for 18 KCS teachers who have met the requirements, based on length of service and Level of Effectiveness scores; and
  • Approval of a Board Resolution opposing the Education Freedom Act legislation (voucher bill) under consideration by the Tennessee General Assembly.
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Meeting Livestream and 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 Jack and Stella Marshall, students at Andrew Johnson Elementary School.  Stella is a 4th grader and Jack is in the 1st grade.

Recognitions

Dr. Brandon Fletcher, Board Vice President, recognized several Dobyns-Bennett High School students who have recently graduated from a certificate program at Northeast State Community College.
  • The certificate programs allow high school students to complete a full program of study, ultimately leading to graduation concurrently from Northeast State Community College and Dobyns-Bennett. Students typically begin during their junior year and complete the program by the end of their senior year.
  • The students recognized were:
    • Nathan Amburey, Auto Body Certificate
    • Alyson Burke, Industrial Operations Certificate
    • Parker DeFord, Industrial Operations Certificate
    • Ethan Dinsmore, Combination Welding Certificate
    • Jacob Lane, Combination Welding Certificate
    • Grant Liverman, Combination Welding Certificate
    • Preston McMullins Combination Welding Certificate
    • Noah Parks, Industrial Operations Certificate
 
Board member Jamie Jackson recognized Dobyns-Bennett Junior Aliezah Robinson for finishing 6th as an individual in the TSSAA Girls' State Golf Tournament in October 2024.
  • By finishing in the top-10, Aliezah was also named All State.
 
Board President Melissa Woods recognized the Dobyns-Bennett Marching Band for being named a Grand National Finalist at the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, IN in November 2024.
  • This marks the 5th time the D-B Band has been named a Grand National finalist.
  • The band has also won the Class AAA National Championship on three occasions, 2018, 2021, and 2022.
 
Board member Dr. Phillip Marshall recognized John Adams Elementary School principal Dr. Kelley Harrell for being named the 2024-25 State of Tennessee Principal of the Year.
  • The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) made the announcement during the annual Excellence in Education celebration in Nashville on December 6, 2024.  The Tennessee Principal of the Year award is awarded annually to a school leader for outstanding service in education and exceptional leadership that drives overall improvements in his or her school. 
  • Dr. Harrell is in her 21st year as an educator, with five years in Kingsport City Schools. She previously served in Washington County Schools as principal at Ridgeview Elementary School and Boones Creek Elementary School; as an assistant principal at Boones Creek Elementary School and Boones Creek Middle School; and as a District RTI2 coordinator. Dr. Harrell was named Principal of the Year in Washington County in 2017-2018. 
  • Dr. Harrell has also served as a mentor principal in the Governor's Academy for School Leadership and the Tennessee Principal Pipeline Partnership. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education from East Tennessee State University (ETSU), a Master's degree in Education Leadership and Administration from Tusculum College, an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University, and a Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from ETSU.

business items

Jennifer Guthrie, Chief Human Resources Officer, presented 18 KCS teachers for tenure approval.
  • The 18 teachers have met the requirements for tenure established in Tennessee state law, based on their length of tenure and Level of Effectiveness scores.
    • A teacher eligible for tenure must have been employed for a period of five years within the last seven-year period, the last two years in a regular teaching position, and scored a level of overall effectiveness of "above expectations" or "significantly above expectations" during the last two years.
  • After review, the Board voted 4-0 to approve tenure for the following teachers (Golden absent):
    • Lindsay Carpenter (Adams)
    • Alana Street (Adams)
    • Konley Smith (ASC)
    • Nathan Bailey (D-B)
    • Candace Burchfield (D-B)
    • Charles Rhoton (D-B)
    • James Scales (D-B)
    • Patti Denmark (D-B)
    • Stephanie Strickler (D-B)
    • Kailin Toney (D-B)
    • Phillip Trammel (Jackson)
    • Kesha Ryan (Jackson)
    • Sarah Pearman (System-wide SPED)
    • Hannah Hughes (Johnson)
    • Robert Ramsey (Johnson)
    • Tonya Warner (Roosevelt)
    • Summer Hughes (Washington)
    • Mitch Carter (Robinson)
Board President Melissa Woods presented a Board resolution for review, opposing the Education Freedom Act (voucher bill) under consideration in the Tennessee State Legislature during the upcoming legislative session.
  • Please click below to read the Resolution in opposition of voucher legislation.
  • The Board voted 4-0 to pass the resolution opposing the passage of the Education Freedom Act by the Tennessee State Legislature.   
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The next session of the Board of Education will be a work session on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 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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Kingsport City Schools (KCS) is a student-focused, world-class public school district located in Kingsport, Tennessee, proudly serving students across Sullivan and Hawkins counties. The district comprises 13 schools, including a Pre-K facility, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, a high school program of choice, and an alternative learning program. With a total enrollment exceeding 7,600 students, KCS is dedicated to fostering educational excellence, empowering student success, and ensuring all students are college and career ready.
 
To learn more, visit www.k12k.com tune in to WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, or contact the KCS Administrative Support Center at (423) 378.2100. Stay connected by following us on Facebook (@kcsdistrict), Instagram (@kcs__district), and YouTube (@kcs__district).