001Welcome to the board of education September 11th, 2025 regular session meeting. Please stand as we observe a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Mr. Wright. flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationy and justice for all. Thank you, Mr. Wright. And board members, Superintendent Risewick and I will be discussing the annual workshop agenda over the next few weeks. Um, the dates for that are October 16th and 17th. So, if there's anything or you would like to discuss or any specific items you want to request, please let Miss Cotney know as soon as possible. Um changes to the agenda. Item number five, special recognition of principal Spencer Long has been postponed to October. Are there any requested changes to this agenda?
002>> Second. >> So motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Um all in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. And we have some special recognitions tonight. I believe Dr. Wilson Yes, ma'am. Thank you. We're uh delighted to have some students present with us here tonight. And I'm actually going to kick it over to uh Shannon Jackson to come up and get us started. >> Members of the board and superintendent, at the heart of the 865mmies is a simple but powerful goal to empower every student with the information, experiences, and support they need to make thoughtful, informed decisions about their future. Whether that path leads directly to the workforce, to post-secary programs, or to service in our nation's military, we know that coursework is essential in shaping these decisions, which is why
003we place such strong emphasis on pairing career and technical education with advanced academic opportunities. Together, these experiences ensure that our students are not only ready for the next step, but equipped to thrive in it. This foundation begins in our elementary schools, is strengthened through middle school, and is elevated in high school through the 865 Academyy's model. Along the way, we guarantee students a set of powerful experiences, industry visits, post-secondary pathway visits, job shadows, and capstone projects that allow them to explore possibilities, refine their goals, and envision themselves in their future roles. And tonight, we place a special spotlight on the co-curricular learning that happens through our career and technical student organizations. These programs are truly transformational. In CTSOs, students step into the shoes of industry professionals, solving authentic problems, communicating with confidence, collaborating with peers
004and mentors, and engaging with their community to make a difference. They don't just learn about the future, they begin living it. This evening, we will celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our students who have taken full advantage of these opportunities. Their achievements represent not only their own dedication, but also the tireless efforts of our educators and leaders who guide them every day. Before I pass the microphone to our CTE director, Matt Mosley, I would like to recognize someone whose leadership makes this work possible. Sarah Williams, our CTE specialist, provides unwavering support to all of our CTSO programs and to the teachers who bring these opportunities to life. We are grateful for her commitment and proud of the impact she helps to create. Please join me in welcoming Matt Mosley, who will lead us in recognizing our
005outstanding students and the bright future they are building through their academy experiences. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Members of the board, uh each year we are able to send uh many of our students from all across the district to participate in a series of local, state, and national conferences aligned to their CTSO chapter. And as Miss Jackson said, we are extremely excited tonight to be able to celebrate um a handful of those whose accomplishments were put on display at our national conferences specifically. Um also it should be said that none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our CTE teachers as well as our chapter uh sponsors and adviserss. Uh so we thank them so much for their willingness to go above and beyond uh to provide these experiences for
006our students. So first off we have our DECA group. Uh that's DECA the international career development conference or ICDC. Uh this is held in Orlando in April each year with more than 20,000 high school students attending and members demonstrate their college and career readiness knowledge and skills by participating in DECA's industry validated competitive events programming in the areas of marketing, finance, hospitality, management, and entrepreneurship. Members qualified to attend this conference based on their superior performance at both the district and the association levels. So first off, we want to recognize some students who are here tonight who placed well in nationals. We have a student who was a senior last year, part of Farragut's class of 2025, who could not be here tonight, but we want to make sure that she is recognized as well. So,
007Tiana Dudley from the class of 2025 Farragut High School class uh placed fourth overall in restaurant and food service management individual event series. And we also have Isa Patel from Farragut's high school class of 2026, a current senior who was a top performer in roleplay two for the sports and entertainment marketing individual series event. So Issha is here. We'd like to have her come on up. [Applause] Excellent. Thank you so much. We have We have some certificates for you as well as we would love to take a picture uh with your representative. >> Excellent. Yep. [Applause] The next group we have is our HOSA group and it's the International Leadership Conference or ILC for HOSA that's held in Nashville last year in the summer months uh June 18th through 21st with more than 14,320 participants
008including members, adviserss, Health professionals and alumni, top performing members who have excelled at the district and regional and state competitions came together to compete and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in health science and career readiness. We do have a student here tonight from Fairgood High School's class of 2028, Rachel Mau. She placed 10th in the health informatics event overall. So Rachel, if you want to come on up. [Applause] And finally, we have our technology student association group. The National Leadership Conference this year was also held in Nashville. From June 27th through July 1st, approximately 10,000 middle and high school students gathered to align the conference theme, TuneIn to Technology, through TSA's competitions, activities, and programs that provided members with enhanced exposure to topics in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Here, students also participate in opportunities
009for personal and leadership development as well as as well as career awareness. We have a handful of students here tonight that we want to recognize. First, we have Kuan Wu Jang from Farragut High School's class of 2026. Kwan Wu placed sixth overall in the nation in Flight Endurance High School. So, Kuanu, come on up. [Applause] Next from TSA, and this one's particularly exciting because it's our only middle school representative from TSA this year, from Northwest Middle School, class of 2031. It's hard to believe, but we have Ian Martell Katz, who placed third in the nation in essays on technology. So, Ian, come on up. [Applause] We also have one participant from TSA who was not able to join us tonight, but um Farragut High School's actually it was a group of students. Fair High School's
010children's stories team uh placed seventh overall in the nation. So definitely want to give them a shout out as well. But finally, we've got the video game design team from Harden Valley Academy represented tonight by Rohan Mvahhat. And he placed second overall in the nation uh in video game design. So come on up, Rohan. [Applause] Thank you all so much. And again, just wanted to shout out the teachers who made this possible and put in the hours throughout the year to prepare these students, chaperon the trips, which is not always a great thing to do, but they do an excellent job every year. Uh we're very thankful for all they do as well. So, thank you'all. [Applause] All right. And congratulations um to all their students. And again, thank you to all their teachers and
011club sponsors. Um my own children participated in some of these programs and I know how important they are and how much work and the commitment and dedication that goes into them. So, thank you all. And you do not have to stay to read go through the contracts. Uh if you all want to and you're more than welcome to, but um you're also welcome to leave if you would like. >> Miss Cody. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Item seven, consent agenda. >> A motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Item 8A, approve first reading of Knox County Board of Education policy B180, public forum as amended. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say
012I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 8B. Approve first reading of Knox County Board of Education policy B210, school board records as amended. A motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 8C. Approve first reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 171, Intercolastic Athletics as amended. >> A motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Miss Templeton. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 8 D. Approve first reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I310 reporting student progress as amended. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 8E. Approve first reading of Knox County Board of Education policy J200 interrogations
013and searches as amended. Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 9A. Approved Tennessee Department of Education fiscal year 2026 voluntary prek grant in the amount of 2,173,178.33 for required with required inind and matching funds of1,356,122. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 9B approved Tennessee Department of Education fiscal year 2026 special education preschool grant in the amount of $899,7255. >> A mot a motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Spike. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 9 C approved Tennessee Department of Education fiscal year 2026 IDA partnership for systemic change grant in the amount of $1,000. >> A
014motion by Miss Templeton and a second by Miss Spike. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 9D approved Tennessee Department of Education fiscal year 2025 early literacy prek teacher stipens grant in the amount of $70,000. >> So a motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Templeton. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 9E approved memorandum of understanding with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley and receipt of up to 106,31787 and funding from a 2025 20226 21st Century Community Learning Center grant for extended learning programs at Dogwood Elementary School, Norwood Elementary School, and South Knox Elementary School. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 9G. Approve United
015Cleanup Oakidge LLC STEM Education Mini Grants in the total amount of $14,250 for Amherst Elementary, Bearden High, Farragate High, Green Magnet Academy, Harden Valley Elementary, KS Elementary, KS High, Ellen Stem Academy, Lawndale Elementary, and West High Schools. A motion by Miss Templeton, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 9H approved Peter R. Marsh Foundation Middle School Music Grant in the total amount of $3,700 for Harden Valley Middle and Northwest Middle Schools. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Nine. I approve Whole Foods Whole Kids Garden Grant in the amount of $3,500 for Ridgel School. Motion by Miss Fontno Ridley, a second by Miss Templeton. Any discussion. All in favor say
016I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 10 A. approved contracts with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, Kids Place Incorporated, Kids Place at Sequoia Incorporated, Kid Time Incorporated, Shades of Development Incorporated, and YMCA of East Tennessee for provision of afterchool care program services for the term of January 1, 2026 to June 30th, 2027, which may be extended for four additional years. >> Motion by Miss Spike, a second by Miss Templeton. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 11A. Approve fiscal year 2025 year end budget adjustment in the amount of 14,82,76. >> Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 11B. approved school nutrition fund balance designation in the amount of $1,318,100 and fiscal year 2025
017school nutrition fund year-end budget adjustment in the amount of 2,794,100. Motion by Miss Font Ridley, a second by Miss Templeton. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 11 C approve 2026 employee health insurance premium rates. >> A motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 11D. Approve resolution to adopt the Knox County Schools Tax Shelter 403b plan. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? Miss Bite. Thank you. Um I know we had a lot of discussion about this and this is somewhat procedural, but I would still like to pass on this one. Thank you. >> All right. Is there any other discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion
018carries. All right. And Mr. Wright, I believe we have some public forum. Thank you, Madam Chair. We have three public forum speakers this evening. First, we have Alan Hassmire. If you could please approach, state your name and county of residents. You'll have three minutes. >> Okay. My name is Alan Hassmire. Excuse me. And I'm a proud resident of Knox County. Um, let's see. I've rehearsed my content and I could use another minute. Could we reset the timer for four minutes? >> If we had additional time, it will require a motion and a second. Do I have a motion to approve that? Okay. Second. >> All in favor? >> Thank you. >> Okay, great. Thank you very much. >> Hold on. Hold on just a minute. We have to we have to vote on it, but
019I think we have a discussion on it. >> Yes. So, we actually the public forum policy is on our um agenda this evening and I had brought up at policy review last time that um we've been not following our own policy um where it doesn't allow for extenduation of time. And so one of the things that I had discussed with the board is that I feel it's important we follow our own policy. So in light of that, I will be voting no. You are a wonderful man. Nothing personal, but from here on out, I'm not voting for extensions of time for anybody. >> Okay, we'll work with three minutes in. >> All right. Well, we we could still take a vote. So, do you want to do roll call vote, Miss Cody? Miss Templeton, >>
020Miss Fontino Ridley, >> Miss Pike, >> yes. >> Miss Morgan, >> no. >> Miss Henderson, >> yes. >> Mr. Triplet, >> Mr. Wright, >> yes. and Miss Christie. >> Yes, >> that is four yes votes, two no votes, and two pass votes. Miss Tippleton, did you want to restate your passley? >> That's five yes votes. >> So, we will set the clock to four minutes and you can start over. >> Great. Okay. Thank you very much. Uh, I've got I've got two things that have been on my mind I wanted to share with you tonight. And um, uh, let's see, how many of you recognize this gentleman? He's a Navy admiral that worked with the Navy Seals for 30 years. And his last name is McRaven. And during his experience with the SEALs, he came
021across many things that at first look like something small, but in reality, it's something big. And the first thing that he came came across was make your bed. Now, this applies to all of us in this room, but I'd submit it also applies to the 60,000 plus students we try to work with every day. And why, you know, why is that a big deal? Well, if you have an have an unmade bed thinking that the bed is a predominant piece of furniture in the room, if your bed is messy, the room is messy. Whereas, if we have a neat bed, the whole room is neat. So, what's uh besides the benefit to the room, I think the benefit to the one making the bed really benefits the most. Here's here's what he he he emphasized.
022He says that um by making your bed every every day, it develops a habit of self-discipline. It can develop confidence, pride in yourself, and you start your day with some success. And I think that's incredibly important for our students to start their day with some success. I remember when I was in high school, I'd go to school, I go, "Man, I'm I don't have the right kind of clothes, and I'm not the most popular kid here, and I may not be the smartest ones here, but I know how to do a back handspring." And that lifted my spirit. I I knew I had that as a as a backbone. And kids can develop that that um uh habit of self-discipline. I think it goes a long way for them. All right, that's item number two.
023That brings me to item number or that's item one. Now we come to item two. By the way, we're going to have a test on this at the end. I was sharing my thoughts with some friends and one of them said, "You know, Allan, that assumes that all your kids have beds." They said, "A lot of kids don't have beds." I thought, "Whoa, whoa. We got to do something about that." Which brings me to number two. How many have you ever heard of an organization called Sleep in Heavenly Peace? Anybody out here? Okay. They are an amazing organization. I just found out about them a few months ago. They have the neatest corporate motto I've ever heard. Their motto is no kid sleeps on the floor in our town. No kid sleeps on the floor
024in our town. So in your organiz as as you are dealing with the uh schools in your district and the principles, please let them know that this organization exists. You can go online and you can see videos of these people delivering beds to kids who don't have beds and they don't charge for the beds. It's an amazing organization. So avail yourself of this information and and please pass it on to your schools. So, I told you I was going to give you a test. So, what was item number one? Make your bed. Okay. What was item number two? >> Get Get a bed. Okay. Sleep in heavenly peace. That was the right answer, but you get partial credit. So, anyway, looks like my time's about up. Thank you very much for listening. >> Thank you,
025Alan. Next is Candace. Candace Pannister. You state your name and county of residence. You'll have three minutes. >> Candace Bannister, Knox County resident. September is World Suicide Prevention Month. I've been attending KCS schoolboard meetings regularly since October 2017 after losing our son Will to suicide. Likely I have attended more schoolboard meetings and more policy review meetings than any of you who are current schoolboard members. I worked for Knots County Schools from 1998 through 2018. Two years as an educational assistant and the rest as a teacher. I have knowledge of this system from the inside out and from the outside in. As a teacher for Knox County Schools, I was required to do suicide training every year. But that was all we really had to support our students in elementary school. Over the years, I have
026heard every student representative of the board, with the exception of our newest, who hasn't been here very long, talk about their concerns regarding mental health for their fellow students. When students tell you what their concerns are and feel it is important enough to bring it to your attention, you should listen to them. If student representatives are bringing it up, it must be that they feel there should be more resources available or more attention given to this need than they are currently seeing happening in their schools. So that means you have to hear them and form an action plan to be certain that all of our student needs are being met. Suicide prevention matters. Suicide prevention works. Having an administrator who emotionally abused our son was the opposite of suicide prevention. I won't say what that
027admin hoped to achieve by standing over Will in all four of his classes within four days of being ordered back to school, but I can tell you it was the wrong approach for any student, particularly if he was trying to do anything positive at all. I've had students returned to my classroom after disciplinary action. The last thing that child needed was to be made to feel unwelcome, intimidated, or harassed. It was my job to make them feel welcome, put the issue behind us, and move forward. I first told them I was glad they were back in class. And then I let them choose a student to help them get started on whatever we were working on currently. And then when there was time in the day, I would sit down with them and go over
028any items they had missed and needed to complete. It would have been so much more appropriate if that admin had welcomed Will back to school, told him he was glad to see him, and that he'd call him to come by his office at the end of the day to see how his first day had gone. He could have called Will to his office every afternoon for as long as he wanted. This approach would have had much better results. As educators, we have to be the grown-up because we are the grown-up. We don't get to mistreat a child because the admin in my case sent a child back to class or in his case because the superintendent ordered Will back to school. If he had a problem with Will's return to school, he should have taken
029it up with the superintendent, not taking it out on a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide four weeks later. Anyone who has been in education long enough to become an admin should know better. What he did is definitely not the way you treat a child with anxiety. It is definitely not the way you treat a child returning to school. It is definitely not the way you prevent suicide. And it is absolutely not the way you treat any child, period. But he did and you still have not held him accountable. Thank you. [Applause] Next is Jennifer Conrad Renone. Please state your name and you'll have three minutes. And county of residents. Thank you. >> Uh my name is Jennifer Conrad Rendone and we live in Knox County. This is my daughter Maria. She goes to Kins
030Middle School. Um she was born in Ukraine, was in two different orphanages for five and a half years. Was adopted by a family in New York who put her back up for adoption after two years. Due to that trauma, she has something called reactive attachment disorder. We relocated up here about two years ago and um immediately her reactive attachment disorder obviously was triggered because of the change. Um I got calls almost every day from the school because they weren't able to handle her behaviors and I was able to get ABA services approved through my insurance company and it was a process but we got it in you know access to at K's Elementary to the middle school. Um, fast forward to just this past year started up. She's had an ABA tech that has gone
031to school with her every day um and works with her 30 hours of the week and the calls I don't get them anymore because they're able to work with her on her behaviors. But before the school year started this year, um I was informed that he could not attend because we had to redo the paperwork that we had done the year prior. Um, because of that, the paperwork involved me contacting her pediatrician's office to get a letter to reapprove the services that were already ordered the year prior. Due to that, the first week of her school, her ABA tech was not able to go to school with her. Um, so I come here today because the process is broken is broken. Um, she should have never been without those services because of paperwork. I had
032no problem filling out the paperwork, getting it reapproved, but for her to be neglected for those couple days, that's not it's just not in her best interest or in any of the kids' best interest. Um as well as um trying to think what else. Um that's the main thing. Oh, also one of the things was the pediatrician. The pediatrician did write me a letter, got it to me within 24 hours. I got it uploaded it to the portal that had to be uploaded, but because it said it was not medically necessary, they did not approve the letter. So then I had to contact her trauma therapist so she could write the letter just so we could get the services restarted. So I just shared this with you because I just don't feel like that's in
033Maria's best interest or in any kid's best interest. So thank you. >> Thank you, Senator, Madam Chair. That concludes public forum. And with that we are ajourned.