Partisan School Board Races on the Horizon?

 The Tennessee General Assembly recently adjourned a special session to address COVID-19. Among the bills that passed? Legislation permitting partisan school board races. I mean, if there’s one thing that will help local communities better respond to the challenges COVID has placed on schools, it is most certainly more partisanship.

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For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Teacher Pay Raise to Start in January

School Board member Sarah Andrews explains that the Board of Education approved the recommendation to start teacher pay raises in January following approval by the County Commisison of a new tax rate to fund the increase.

Here's more:

At tonight’s school board meeting we approved the county commission’s recommendation to start the pay increase for certified staff in January. Our finance Department will work on numbers to present as an amendment to our budget later this fall. This will not only allow our employees to receive these raises sooner but also help our principals to attract top talent this spring as they look to hire new teachers.

We also approved the rates for employee health insurance. We have very minimal increases ($5-15 depending on plan) which is a major benefit to our employees-current and those seeking employment at Sumner County Schools. Due to negotiations and decreasing the costs with our dental plan we will also be able to provide long term disability to all employees (classified and certified) with 3 years or more of service at no additional cost to the employee. This benefit will start with the new plan year in January.

Lastly, Dr Phillips confirmed that with the approval of our 2019-20 budget last night we will complete the cycle started in 2014 of increasing pay for our classified staff by increasing pay for custodians, nutrition workers, and bus assistants to a minimum of $10/hr. These employees will see this reflected in their September checks. September will also include the raise amount from August.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

School Board Study Session Tonight

The Sumner County School Board will meet in a study session tonight at 6PM at the Board office in Gallatin.

Among the agenda items is a presentation and discussion on 8th grade math, which will include a recommendation to eliminate 8th grade Algebra 1 as an option for students and instead offer a new Advance Math course aligned to current Tennessee standards.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

The End of 8th Grade Algebra?

Not exactly, but Sumner County Schools is considering a change in the way it delivers math instruction that could impact the options for 8th grade students.

In this story, Jeremy Johnson, spokesperson for the School Board, notes that no final decision has been made and explains the potential change this way:

School officials have discussed changing the math learning structure and offering alternative classes for eighth-graders internally for about a year. Consideration of the change came after discussions with middle and high school principals that revealed some ninth-graders who took Algebra I in eighth grade were not ready for upper level math.

“The problem we’re finding is when those students get into high school, they show knowledge gaps because they did not have the basic eighth grade concepts they needed to prepare them for upper level math,” Johnson said.

“Math concepts are building blocks. It’s important to have the opportunity to master each piece to build a solid foundation for students as they move on to high school math concepts. What we’re proposing will allow students to better develop the skills they are missing.”

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For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

School Board Adopts Revised Weapons Policy

The Sumner County School Board voted unanimously to revise and update its policy for weapons/dangerous instruments on campus, including fine-tuning the communication process that occurs when such an item is found on a school campus.

Here's the policy with updates:

WEAPONS & DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS

 

Students shall not possess, handle, transmit, use or attempt to use any dangerous weapon in school buildings or on school grounds at any time, or in school vehicles and/or buses or off the school grounds at a school-sponsored activity, function or event.¹

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Dangerous weapons for the purposes of this policy shall include, but are not limited to a firearm or anything manifestly designed, made or adapted for the purpose of inflicting death or serious bodily injury or anything that in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. ²

 

"Expelled" for the purposes of this policy means removed from the pupil's regular school program at the location where the violation occurred or removed from school attendance altogether, as determined by Disciplinary Hearing Authority. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the assignment of such students to an alternative school.

 

POLICY

 

Any student found to have brought a weapon to school or is found in possession of a weapon on school property shall be immediately removed from the general student population at the principal’s discretion and referred to Disciplinary Hearing Authority for disposition as determined by the committee.

 

In order to ensure a safe and secure learning environment, the following offenses will not be tolerated:

 

FIREARMS (as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921)

 

In accordance with state law, any student who brings or possess a firearm on school property shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year. The director of schools shall have the authority to modify this expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis. ⁴

 

DRUGS

 

In accordance with state and federal law, any student who unlawfully possesses/distributes or is under the influence of any drug including any controlled substance, legend drug or prescription drug shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year. The director of schools shall have the authority to modify this expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis. ⁵

 

ASSAULT

 

In accordance with state law, any student who commits aggravated assault, as defined in 39-13-102, upon any teacher, principal administrator, any other employee of the school or school resource officer shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year. The director of schools shall have the authority to modify this expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis.⁵

 

VANDALISM OF SCHOOL PROPERTY OVER $500

 

Any student who commits vandalism of school property which results in the student being criminally charged with vandalism over $500 pursuant to T.C.A. § 39-14-408 shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year. The director of schools shall have the authority to modify this expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis.⁵

 

OTHER OFFENSES

 

Any student who makes bomb threats, commits sexual misconduct that results in the student being criminally charged with sexual battery, sexual assault, indecent exposure, rape or aggravated sexual battery, shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year. The director of schools shall have the authority to modify this expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis.⁵

 

THREATS

 

Any student who makes a threat of violence, whether written or verbal, which creates actual disruptive activity at the school that requires administrative intervention may be suspended and/or expelled as determined by the principal.  Students may be suspended and/or expelled for a time commensurate with age, maturity level, and intent as determined by the principal or other authorities. Depending on the circumstances, the principal may refer a student who make a threat of violence to the disciplinary hearing authority for disposition as determined by the committee.

 

ELECTRONIC THREATS

 

In accordance with state law, any student who transmits by an electronic device any communication containing a credible threat to cause bodily injury or death to another student or school employee and the transmission of such threat creates actual disruptive activity at the school that requires administrative intervention shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year. The director of schools shall have the authority to modify this expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis.⁶

 

FACSIMILE WEAPONS

 

Toy weapons or facsimiles will not be permitted on school grounds.  Students who possess toy weapons or facsimiles of weapons including water guns may be suspended as determined by the principal.  Students may be suspended for a time commensurate with age, maturity level, and intent as determined by the principal. Depending on the circumstances, the principal may refer a student possessing a toy weapon or facsimile to the disciplinary hearing authority for disposition as determined by the committee.

 

The use of weapons and dangerous instruments in school plays, school bands, or any other school activity is prohibited unless sanctioned in advance and in writing by the Director of Schools.

 

NOTIFICATION

 

When it is determined that a student has violated this policy, the principal of the school shall notify the student’s parent or guardian and the criminal justice or juvenile delinquency system as required by law.⁷

 

It is the duty of a school principal who has reasonable suspicion to believe, either as a result of a search or otherwise, that any student is committing or has committed any violation of this policy to report such reasonable suspicion to the appropriate law enforcement officer. School personnel have the duty to report any reasonable suspicion that a student is committing or has committed a violation of this policy to the principal, or, if the principal is not available, to the principal's designee. If neither the principal nor the designee is available, school personnel may report violations of this policy to the appropriate authorities.

COMMUNICATION

 

Communication to the school board, parents, appropriate school staff, and the larger school community about specific incidents under this policy will be handled in on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Director's Office determined by the following factors:

1.  Was the threat specific to an individual, group of individuals, or the larger school community

2.  Was the threat credible based on the assessment of law enforcement officials

3.  Is the threat potentially a criminal act that could impact the system’s ability to release information to parents and the general public

4.  The age, maturity, and intent of the student involved to commit an act inflicting death or serious bodily injury. ²

 

EMPLOYEES

 An employee found to possess a weapon on school property shall be disciplined up to and including dismissal.  Criminal charges may be filed.  Any other person in violation of this policy will be removed and appropriate criminal charges filed.  This includes anyone with a legal permit from Sumner County or the State of Tennessee to carry a gun. Constitutional and/or statutory exceptions to the provisions of this policy shall be recognized. 

 

_____________________ _______________________

Legal References: Cross References:

1. TCA 39-17-1309 Discipline Procedures 6.313

2. TCA 39-11-106(a)(5)(A)(B) Suspension/Expulsion/Remand 6.316

3. 18 U.S.C. 921

4. 20 U.S.C. § 8921; TCA 49-6-4216(b);TCA 49-6-3401(g)

5. TCA 49-6-3401(g);TCA 49-6-4216(b

6. TCA 49-6-4216(a)(2)(C)

7. TCA 49-6-4209; TCA 39-17-1312

 

 

 

 

For more on news in Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

 

School Board Meets Tonight -- Budget on the Agenda

The Sumner County School Board meets tonight at 6:00 PM at the Board meeting room in Gallatin.
Among the agenda items is the proposed 2015-2016 budget for the school system.

The meeting will also feature discussion and a possible vote on a revised policy regarding weapons/dangerous instruments.

For more news from Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Phillips Proposes Schools Budget

At a non-voting work session yesterday, the Sumner County School Board heard Dr. Del Phillips' proposal for the system's budget for 2015-16.

Here's what Phillips had to say about it in an email he sent to system employees today:

On Tuesday afternoon I presented the 2015/16 budget to our School Board.

 

This represents the earliest we’ve presented the budget to our School Board in many years.   It is my hope that our School Board will adopt this budget during the May 19th meeting.  If the budget is adopted by the Board of Education, I will present the approved budget at a joint work session of the County Education and Budget Committees on May 20^th.

 

I’m thrilled to say the budget is a balanced budget with funding priorities that positively impact our schools and classrooms in a number of ways.

 

First and foremost, this budget continues our efforts to increase funding for classroom technology by adding another $250,000. This brings the total amount we are spending annually on classroom technology to $750,000.  This is a dramatic improvement over the $20,000 per year we had budgeted for technology in the 2011/12 budget.  These funds go directly to each school based on student enrollment. The principal at each school decides how best to utilize these funds to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning. 

 

This budget also continues our School Board’s efforts to eliminate our district’s dependence on voluntary fees paid by parents. We’re doing this by eliminating student fees in elementary and middle schools and by raising our district’s instructional allocation for classrooms. Over the past four years we have raised our district’s instructional allocation by  $1,125,000.  These funds go directly to the schools in four spending categories: Office, Instruction, Library, and Guidance.

 

Also included in the proposed budget are pay increases for all employees, which continues our Board’s commitment to try to provide a cost-of-living adjustment every year.  The budget also includes range increases for our district’s bus drivers and custodians that will amount to a $1.00 to $1.55 per hour raise for these employees. This increase represents the third year of our Board’s four-year plan to bring the wages of our classified employees more in line with the market wages paid by the private sector.

 

And finally, and maybe most importantly, the proposed budget includes a $1 million undesignated fund balance to help provide fiscal stability for future budget years.

 

 A copy of the presentation I made to the Board of Education, as well as a copy of our proposed budget, may be found on our BoardDocs site by following this link:

http://www.boarddocs.com/tn/scstn/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=9WCEEQ1B661A

 

And here's some analysis of the budget from local grassroots advocacy group Strong Schools:

 

Today, Director of Schools Del Phillips presented his balanced budget proposal to the School Board at a non-voting work session.

Here are some key highlights of the proposal:

• The elimination of school fees for grades K-8
• An increase in the instructional allocation for schools -- from $34 per student last year to $54 per student this year
• An approximately 2% raise for most teachers and school employees
• The addition of 50 new part-time interventionists -- certified teachers who will provided targeted instruction through the RTI2 framework
• The additional staffing needed for the opening of William Burrus Elementary
• The addition of school nurses to improve the nurse to student ratio from 1:1211 to 1:1054

This budget represents another step forward for Sumner County Schools. It eliminates K-8 school fees, gives employees a raise, adds key staff, and provides additional classroom resources.

In addition to the base raise for classified employees, the budget includes a range adjustment for bus drivers and custodians, who will see an increase of between $1.00 and $1.55 an hour. This is designed to keep our system competitive.

While there is much to applaud in this budget, the comparisons to other neighboring systems make clear we have more to do.  For example, while this budget proposes the addition of 50 part-time interventionists, Williamson, Wilson, and Rutherford counties have an average of 48 full-time interventionists.

When it comes to school nurses, the proposed budget would allow us to improve our ratio by a reduction of over 150 students, our ratio will still be one nurse for every 1054 students. Neighboring counties average one nurse for every 854 students.

Our School Board, in cooperation with the County Commission, is digging out of a deep hole. For too long, parent fees and budget cuts were the norm. School Board meetings were focused on where to cut and what purchases to delay in order to function at acceptable capacity.

It's worth noting that both the County Commission's Budget Committee Chair and Education Committee Chair attended the budget presentation at the School Board. That's a new and welcome level of engagement by our County Commission.

And it should be mentioned that in the budget crisis of 2012, Strong Schools called on the Board and Commission to start the budget process earlier in order to allow more time for feedback and adjustments. This budget, presented in May, will avoid the crisis budgeting and last minute cuts of the past.

Our School Board and Dr. Phillips are to be commended for carefully and methodically digging their way out and pushing our school system forward.

As budgets like this year's become the norm, Sumner County Schools will continue on the path to building the excellent schools our community deserves.

For more news on Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

 

School Board to Hold Budget Workshop

The Sumner County School Board will hold a budget presentation and workshop on Tuesday, May 12th, at 2:00 PM at the School Board Office located at 695 East Main Street in Gallatin.

The workshop is designed to give Board members a chance to review Director Del Phillips' budget proposal and request any changes before an anticipated vote on Tuesday, May 19th.

For more on news from Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

School Board Meets Tonight

The Sumner County School Board will hold a study session tonight at 6PM at the Board Office in Gallatin.

Among the agenda items is a review of the weapons/dangerous instruments policy.

Here's the full agenda:

A. Presentation from Beech High School STEM program

Discussion

B. Discussion regarding a revision to Policy JCBF Weapons and Dangerous Instruments prior to second reading

Discussion

C. Discussion regarding a revision Policy J-6.411 Student Wellness prior to second reading

Discussion

D. Discussion regarding 2015-16 Board Meeting schedule

 

Discussion

E. Policy Maintenance Review, Policies IDF through IFAB

 

For more news on Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Taxing Hypocrisy

County Commissioner Merrol Hyde likes to tell the public that he's against higher taxes. He says that schools and other departments can get along just fine without additional county revenue, they just need to manage their budgets better.

Of course, this is coming from the former County Commission Chairman who presided over one of the worst examples of "borrow and spend" economics in Sumner County history. Rather than raise revenue or budget conservatively, the Commission under Hyde simply raided reserve funds time and again to the point where Sumner County was on the verge of financial insolvency until the current Commission righted the ship.

Hyde has conveniently forgotten the reckless spending of his past, however, and now claims to be a champion of the taxpayers. And by champion, he means the guy who would never, ever raise taxes, no matter how great the cause.

Hyde probably doesn't think too many people remember the not-so-distant past. But, a perusal of County Commission minutes reveals that on 7 occasions on a single night, County Commissioner Merrol Hyde voted for a tax increase.

On August 18th, 2003, the County Commission was faced with a Director of Schools who had presented a budget that required additional funds. Funds not generated by the current level of taxes. Other department heads made similar claims -- that they simply couldn't operate under existing revenue.

The Director of Sumner County Schools in August of 2003 was Merrol Hyde, who also happened to be serving on the County Commission at that time.

Hyde joined a group of Commissioners who pushed for, and ultimately won adoption of, a 45 cent increase in taxes.

On that night, Hyde voted for tax increases of 46 cents, 55 cents, 40 cents, 47 cents, 47 cents, 45 cents, and a final vote for the 45 cent increase that passed. 

It should be noted that each one of those votes would have taken the tax rate above the 2015 rate of $2.50.

Hyde now says the Director of Schools should work harder to trim the budget. But back when he was Director, he had no problem asking his County Commission buddies to raise taxes. He even supported the highest tax increase proposed, 55 cents.

So, in the first months after Hyde's failed leadership, tax rates are lower than rates he's approved of in the past, the era of bailouts has ended, and schools and county departments can move forward on sound footing. Oh, and Sumner County still has one of the lowest tax rates of any county in middle Tennessee.

For more on news in Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Sumner Schools Keep Growing

Sumner County Schools added nearly 200 new students this year, continuing a fairly rapid pattern of growth that has stressed buildings in recent years.

School leaders now say that expansion of current facilities and the building of a new elementary school will help address growth and may prevent the proliferation of portable classrooms.

Here's more on where the growth is happening across the county.

Daniels, Cox Chosen to Lead School Board

At Tuesday night's School Board meeting, Andy Daniels was elected chair of the Sumner County School Board and Beth Cox was elected vice-chair.

Daniels had previously served as vice-chair and Cox has served as Board vice-chair in the past. The two will lead the Board over the next year.

County Commission Passes School System Budget

On Monday night, the Sumner County Commission passed the School Board's $214 million budget for the 2014-15 school year.

The Commission voted 19-3 in favor of the budget.

The budget includes a 3% raise for all employees, additional positions to meet system needs, and a readjustment of salaries for support staff.

The budget also includes the highest instructional allocation for schools ever in a Sumner County Schools budget.

For more on the budget, see a presentation or read the details.

School Board Study Session Tonight

The Sumner County School Board will hold a study session tonight at 6PM at the Board Office at 695 East Main Street in Gallatin.

The agenda includes discussion and vote on bids related to Burrus Elementary and a discussion of a differentiated pay plan for teachers. The state has mandated that districts develop a differentiated pay plan as a way to move toward merit pay for teachers. Tonight will be the first public discussion of the district's proposal.

School Board Candidate Forum on Monday

Parent-led advocacy group Strong Schools is hosting a forum for School Board candidates on Monday, June 2nd at 6:30 PM at the Hendersonville Public Library.

Candidates from all districts up for election have been invited to attend.

This year, seats in districts 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11 are up for election.

The candidates are:

District 1: Vanessa Silkwood (incumbent) and Tammy Hayes

District 3: Don Long (incumbent) and Alice Bachman

District 5: Janet Arnold (incumbent) and Jeff Cordell

District 7: Andy Daniels (incumbent) and John Ruth

District 9: Patricia Brown

District 11: David Brown (incumbent) and Jeff Carter

TCAP and Final Grades for Sumner Students

According to a letter distributed by Sumner County Schools this morning, final grades for students in grades 3-8 will NOT include TCAP scores this year.  This is a change from the past, as the state mandates inclusion of TCAP scores in a student's final grades. The change is a result of a delay in the availability of "Quick Scores" from the state.  Below are excerpts from the letter that explain in more detail:

In grades 3-8, final student grades will not be impacted by TCAP scores this school year. Per Sumner County Schools Board Policy IHA, in grades 3-5, TCAP scores should account for 15% of a student's second semester grade. In grades 6-8, TCAP scores should account for 20% of a student's second semester grade, and in grades 9-12, the end-of-course examination should count 25% of the student's second nine-week grading period.  Due to the unavailability of quick scores in grades 3-8, the Sumner County School Board has elected to waive Board Policy IHA this year to allow the calculation of final grades to not include those grades.

High school quick scores were released for end-of-course tests, and students in grades 9-12 will have those scores factored in to their final grades.

Schell Seeks County Commission Seat

Small business owner Leslie Schell, who sought a School Board seat last year when Shannon Dunn resigned, is now planning a run for County Commission.

Schell, who has four children in Sumner County Schools, was passed over by the County Commission for an open School Board seat in August.  The Commission instead chose Janet Arnold, a close ally of Commissioner Jerry Stone.

Schell will be running in District 4, a seat with only one incumbent seeking re-election.  Current Commissioner Joe Matthews is seeking a Court Clerk position.  That leaves Frank Freels as the lone incumbent in the race to face Schell and Bubba Angell, who has also indicated his candidacy.

Schell gained community support by actively seeking the School Board seat and attending a community forum to discuss her views.  She now says she believes she can have the biggest impact on schools by being a pro-schools advocate on the County Commission.

Voucher Backers Hit Hendersonville

Supporters of a school voucher plan that failed to advance in last year's legislative session are pushing again for its adoption.  This time, they stopped in Hendersonville to make their case.

Under one proposal last year, only students in Memphis and Nashville would initially qualify for vouchers.  Other proposals, however, include students statewide.  Given the stop in Hendersonville and in other areas of the state, it seems advocates may be pushing a broader proposal in order to expand appeal for legislators.

The vouchers, or "opportunity scholarships" as they are called by proponents, would take the full BEP (state funding) and local allocation for a student and allow it to be used as tuition at an approved private school.  Under most versions of the proposal, the accepting school must accept the amount of the voucher as full tuition, no matter the actual tuition the school typically charges.

Around the state, school board members are expressing concern noting the potential impact on their budgets.

For example, in Sumner County, if 200 students accepted the vouchers, the district would lose roughly $1.5 million.  Unless those students all came from the same school, it's unlikely the loss of 200 students out of 28,000 would decrease the Board's cost of operating schools.  Given historically tight budget numbers, the Board would have to find some way to make up for the lost funds -- freezing salaries, for example or holding off again on the purchase of textbooks or technology. 

In a district already suffering from a County Commission unwilling to properly fund schools, a voucher plan could be another blow to plans to move toward excellent schools that benefit the entire community. 

Given the potential impact of vouchers, this proposal is one worth watching in the 2014 legislative session. 

Liquor Money on School Board Agenda

The Sumner County School Board meets tonight at 6 PM in Gallatin and Liquor Money is on their mind. That is, the funds the school system is due from the City of Hendersonville and other Sumner municipalities from unpaid liquor by the drink taxes. 

Hendersonville approved a resolution stating their intent to pay back the $1 million over a 5 year period beginning in August of 2014. 

School Board Study Session Tonight

The Sumner County School Board meets in study session tonight at 6 PM at the Board office in Gallatin.

The agenda includes a financial report on school activity funds, a discussion of driver's education, and a presentation of the annual data report.