THE FOLLOWING IS A LIVE BLOG FROM THE KNOX COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.
THIS BLOG IS NOT RUN BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS, ITS BOARD, OR STAFF
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SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF REQUIRED ANNUAL REORGANIZATION:
Called to order by chair, Betsy Henderson
Nominations for Chair – Betsy Henderson
Chair named by acclamation
Nominations for vice-chair: Reverend Butler and Steve Triplett
Vote: 5 for Steve Triplett; 4 for Reverend Butler
Meeting adjourned.
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WORK SESSION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
(No votes are taken in work session meetings)
Report on Special Education progress and the “KCS Way” – Andrew Brown
Board Member Bike – Asks about gifted and twice-exceptional students and whether there will be language to specify these students in policy to assure inclusion of gifted and twice-exceptional students.
5:27pm
Reverend Butler asks about data and where it comes from –
Dr. Brown responds that it is downloaded from state data.
Dr. Rysewyk says that Reverend Butler was correct in his concerns regarding differences in the structure in Region Five and says that they saw the issues and have returned to addressing academic issues district-wide.
Dr. Brown – We only have 7 special ed vacancies district wide. Last year there were over 30
Regarding educational assistants: The contract that was approved last year for staffing assistants has also positively impacted the number of openings for assistants. There are only 14 educational assistant openings.
5:33
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – Steve Triplett
Mr. Triplet says that the 21 policies that were added to the agenda without going through policy review are due to legislative changes.
5:34PM
STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE – Kristi Kristy
(The Board previously approved a contract to outsource the creation of the strategic plan.) Ms. Kristy says that the Strategic Plan Committee looks forward to working with that company.
5:36PM
REGULAR AGENDA – The plan for
Board Member Bike asks for clarification from Kori Laughtner regarding a contract with an organization in Israel, for background music and templates for videography – and makes it sound like this is a contract KCS already has.
Laughtner says that it is to expand work we have already been doing with this company in Israel and after a question from Pat Fontenot-Ridley, clarifies that we do not have a current contract, but have been using some kind of free version.
5:45
POLICY CHANGES
Deputy Law Director Dupler says that the first three policy changes are required, due to changes in the AED law.
[The language that has been put into the AED law is confusing and unclear regarding location of the AED.]
5:47
Board Member Kristy asks whether any of these policies are critical to being approved on first reading.
Mr. Dupler says that most of these don’t have a requirement to be included within policy, with the exception of these first three, regarding AEDs. There is also on regarding AI, which is required to be in policy.
Mr. Dupler notes that the Board would have to suspend the policy that requires two readings, for each and every one of the policies for which they want to ignore their own policies….
The hinky language is here:
An AED shall not be placed in an office that is not accessible to any person and shall be placed in or in any unlocked location during school hours or school events. The placement shall allow for the AED to be used on an individual who may experience a sudden cardiac arrest event while the individual is on-site of the school youth athletic activity within three (3) minutes.
5:50
Ms. Bike asks about the confusing language that has been added to the AED policy…
The Athletic Director notes that the new language is specific to having an AED available for traveling teams.
Ms. Bike asks about the AI policy and asks whether there is training regarding not putting information into AI programs.
5:56
Ms. Fontenot-Ridley asks about the requirement being added to item J
“Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, sixth grade students, at some point in middle school, will be required to complete a course in computer science education.”
6:01
Pat Fontenot-Ridley asks whether KCS “has to” remove the language “for any reason including, but not limited to, harassment on the basis of actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, religion, race, color or any other Federally identified protected area” from the student harassment policy.
Mr. Dupler contends that because the legislature changed the language in TN law, it has to be changed in policy.
Pat Fontenot-Ridley further asks what this is based on and whether it would
Anne Templeton asks if we are legally obligated to make these changes.
Mr. Dupler responds, “Yes, that is my reading.”
Anne Templeton asks whether there is any federal funding that could be negatively impacted by changing this language.
Mr. Dupler says that you would still have to the federal law.
Ms. Templeton asks if it is implied that these categories are still implied.
Mr. Dupler says that it is not implied, but that it is covered by the language, “any basis.”
Ms. Templeton attempts to add the language, “including” and to keep the language as it is. Mr. Dupler says that would be a question for the legislature.
Ms. Bike asks for a way to include the language and whether there is any way to do it.
Mr. Dupler believes that the legislature has made a substitution and therefore we may only use that language and that any difference needs to be addressed with the legislature.
Ms. Bike says that leaving it open and leaving the burden on the person who is being harassed and/or discriminated against is not ideal.
Ms. Kristi says that the legal references at the bottom should be enough and does not want the language left in.
6:15
Pat Fontenot-Ridley asks whether there is a more detailed document regarding spending of the ESSER dollars.
Ms. Hemmelgarn says that there is, but that this is the level that the Board needs to approve (and does not offer to supply the documentation).
Pat Fontenot-Ridley asks whether any of the money has been approved for the flag football program. She noticed that some coaching positions have already been advertised and wonders where the funds will come from.
The Athletic Director responds that flag football is a program that is being added to 15 high schools and that they would like to use the grant funds for the coaching positions. However, the program is being put in place and will be in place regardless of whether the grant is accepted.
6:18
Ms. Henderson asks for clarification regarding the rezoning listed on the agenda and wants to be sure everyone understands that Hardin Valley is not being rezoned.
PUBLIC FORUM
No individuals signed up for public forum
BOARD FORUM
The Board Student Rep, Sophia, notes that there is an issue with every dual enrollment class she has seen. There is a question on the enrollment form that says students are required to have a substantial laptop, and that a Chromebook is not adequate. This is news to everyone – and Dr. Rysewyk assures her that he believes they will be able to address the issue.
Pat Fontenot-Ridley – Glad to be here.
Steve Triplett – Welcomes new board.
Katherine Bike – Glad to no longer be a new board member. Discusses labor day and says that she is glad our teachers have a union they can join.
Lauren Morgan – Glad to be here
Betsy Henderson – Welcomes new board members again and asks if someone wrote an excuse for Sophia for missing school for her swearing in.
Meeting adjorned