0012025 regular session meeting. Please stand as we observe a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Miss Templeton. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Just a few announcements. Miss Elkins will not be in attendance tonight due to some school activities and we did start a little late. We are waiting on our new board rep to introduce him. So, we were hoping he would he would come, but he is on his way. So, we'll jump in and introduce him um as soon as he arrives. Board members, in accordance with board policy B 100, we will be completing our annual board evaluation during the month of June. I've asked Miss Cotney
002to work with TSBA to prepare the evaluation instrument since it is part of the services that um is provided in our membership and she will be emailing you instructions closer to the end of May. So, please be on the lookout for that information. We will have a full month of June to individually complete the evaluation instrument and TSBA's analysis of our input should be available in plenty of time for discussion at our annual workshop. As we talked about on Monday at the work session, May is such an exciting month for KCS with the school year coming to a close, or as I like to call it, Mayber. I know we all look forward to attending graduation ceremonies May 15th through the 24th. And on behalf of the board, I want to extend best wishes to
003all of our graduating seniors. We can't wait to see how what how the class of 2025 changes our world for the better. Are there any requested changes to our agenda? Move to approve. Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Christie. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? All right. Motion carries. Miss Cotney. Thank you, Madam Chair. Item six, consent agenda. So move. A motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7A. Approved Tennessee Department of Education fiscal year 2026 turnaround action grant 5.0 in the amount of 1,394,64969. A motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say
004I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7B. Approve amendment to memorandum of agreement with United Way of Greater Knoxville Incorporated regarding tutoring services and receipt of funding for summer tutoring services and/or supplies up to $114,89264 from Tennessee All Corps as grant funds. A motion by Miss Bike, a second by Miss Christie. Any discussion on this item? Seeing there's none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7 C. Approve Tennessee Department of Education preschool access for all learning network cohort 6.0 grant in the amount of $80,000. Lots of motions. A motion by Miss Bike, a second by Reverend Butler. Any discussion on this item? Seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7D. to approve Tennessee Arts Commission student ticket subsidy grants in the total amount of
005$46,862. Motion by Miss Christie, a second by Miss Bike. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7E. approved receipt of funding from the Tennessee Grow Your Own Center through their partnership with the US Department of Labor's Educator Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary in the amount of $7,500. A motion by Miss, a second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7F approved memorandum of understanding with Knox Education Foundation and receipt of funding in the amount of $5,000 to support postsecary data system development for the Knox County Schools 865mmies. Second. A motion by Miss Christie, second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? Seeing there's none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion
006carries. 7G. Approve Air and Space Forces Association grant in the amount of $599 for Gresham Middle School. A motion by Miss Christie, second by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion on this item? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8A. approved construction contract with Porter Roofing Contractors Incorporated in the amount of $2,874,357 for partial roof replacement at Gibbs High School. A motion by Mr. Wright, a second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8B approved contract with Carolina Premier Window Films, Energy Control Consultants Incorporated, and Tennessee Window Films LLC for provision of security, window films, and installation services up to $750,000 annually for the term of August 1, 2025 through July 31st, 2026, which may be extended
007for four additional years. A motion by Miss Bank, a second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8 C. Approve contract with USI consulting group for provision of 403b thirdparty administrative services for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2030, which may be extended for five additional years. A motion by Miss Christie, a second by Mr. Triplet. And we do have a public forum speaker on this item. Brandy, thank you for coming to yet another meeting. and state your name, county kind of resident. You'll have three minutes. Thank you, Brandy, Gerald, Knox County. I will keep it very short. Um, we're deeply grateful, as we said before, that our clients will be able to continue if passed with their accounts
008and we'll be able to serve them. But I just have one clarification and one question I'd like to ask and hopefully um we can we can address it. So, throughout this process since October um our we've had some clients that have gotten nervous obviously that they wouldn't be able to continue contributing with our account. um that has caused them to move their contributions to zero. Now that they were being able to stay and they're able to keep their account, um we also would be asking can they start their contribution again. They still have active accounts with us. Some other situations where people may have gone to zero and have asked to start um back up would be um leave, any kind of sick leave, maternity leave, coming back, they actually have to start contributions again.
009So, they technically are at zero and need to be able to start. They have their um account is still active through KCS and hasn't moved. The third situation, we actually have someone that was rehired with KCS this year and their account was still with KCS never was moved to a different district was at zero. And we're just asking can they if they have an active account that they have payroll deducted through Knox County Schools in the past, can they restart their contribution so that their account isn't one of the minuscule accounts that's actually frozen in the district? I don't know we necessarily have an answer, but if you'll because I I don't know the contract, but if if you could take what you just said probably and send an email. Does that come to you
010sar Jennifer? And then I once we get that contract, they can probably look at that and make that call. I don't I don't know the answer to that, but and I'm not sure we do without looking at the contract, but we can if you'll email that information to Miss Hagar, we can probably get that answer to you. Okay. Thank you very much. Thanks, Brandy. All right, Miss Bike. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um certainly that just brought up a whole lot of questions that I hadn't even thought about. Um I I really appreciate the compromise that we have been presented with. Um it's not exactly the compromise that I had hoped for and so I intend to pass on this. Thank you, Miss Templeton. Yeah, I was just gonna actually um ask Miss Himgard, do you
011actually know the answer to that question? if they have an active account. If this is correct, um you heard her, but um for the sake of the record, if they have an active account, whether leave, rehired, or in this unusual circumstance, we're scared, can they restart the contributions if they have an active account? Madam Chair, Miss Templeton, I I would also invite uh Mr. Dupler to weigh in because it would I I don't know that there's one answer. Um because if a if an employee has stopped at at their own choice has stopped payroll deductions would they be restarted? I don't know that they could under the contract. If an active employee stopped deductions what for a period of time just while on leave but remained an active employee intended and intended to restart those
012once receiving regular paychecks that may be treated differently. I I don't know that I'm prepared to give an answer today and I would want to talk to both uh procurement and Mr. Dupler, but we can definitely get uh Miss Gerald an answer. Yes, Miss Fner Ridley. So, if we if this passes tonight, does that lock in what the contract says? So, we don't know what the answer is. Right. Right. That would that would lock in what the contract may or may not happen. So, we can't give her an answer, right? But the contract would be with USI, not with value teachers. Miss Christie, I will say that um I do appreciate USI and the compromise. Um I'm actually ready to move forward because I feel like we've discussed this a lot. But also as far
013as the questions, it would have probably been helpful to have known them in advance of tonight's meeting. Any more discussion? Seeing there's none, Miss Cody, could you take a roll call vote? Thank you. The motion was made by Miss Christie and seconded by Mr. Triplet to approve item 8 C. Dr. Butler. Yes, Miss Templeton. Miss Fontine Ridley. No, Miss Bike. Yes. Miss Morgan? Yes. Mr. Triplet? Yes. Mr. Wright? Yes. Miss Christie? Yes. Miss Henderson? Yes. Miss Templeton, would you like to change your pass vote? Miss Bach, would you like to change your pass vote? Okay, Madam Chair, that's six yes votes, one no and two pass. All right, motion carries. All right, we are I believe our new student um rep is here. Welcome. And so we'll kind of break into the agenda now that
014we're done with that motion and vote. Uh Miss Bike is going to go through the process that they went through to select our new student rep and introduce him. Thanks, Miss Bike. Yes, thank you. Um, our student representative selection committee update is this year's board student representative selection committee process began in January with information being shared with regional directors and supervisors, principles, school counselors, and a distribution of application packets to every high school in early February. Information and packets were also made available to students on the board web page, and students could contact the board office for questions or assistance by email or phone. Rising seniors had until March 13th to submit applications to the board office and 19 submissions were received from the students at nine high schools. Once received, the applications were redacted
015of all personal information including the students name, school sex, address, contact information, and references of first phase and references for the first phase of scoring the scoring process. As Miss Henderson previously announced, the selection committee consisted of assistant superintendent of strategy Corey Lner, principal Lacy Hatfield of Region 2, community member Andrew Osakway of region 5, parent Tanya Williams of region 3, current board student representative Sophia Elkins of region 4, and myself, the board's representative from region one. The selection kit committee met on April 8th to receive the redacted applications along with the scoring rubric that covers the areas of leadership, communication, organizational skills, academic achievement, achievements, community service, extra extracurricular activities, and recommendations. Each committee member submitted their individual scores for the applications, and a total committee score was then calculated. Each year, the committee
016commits to interviewing the top scoring three to five candidates, taking into consideration any natural break in the scores. This year, the top three candidates were interviewed by the selection committee yesterday. Once again, each committee member submitted individual interview scores, which were then added for total interview scores and combined with the student application scores. Following the interviews and calculations, the top scoring student was contacted and offered the position for 2025 2026. His term will begin on July 1st and end on June 30th, 2026. And I'm excited to introduce Albert Lou. Okay, I'm I will I will promise I will get used to it. Um of Farragut High School. Um we will share more in detail about Albert when he begins his term in July. And he is of course invited to sit with Sophia to learn
017the ropes at our June meetings. But on behalf of the selection committee, please join me as we recognize and congratulate Albert Lou for being selected as our 2025 2026 board of education student representative. [Applause] Thank you, sir. Thank you. Congratulations. [Applause] While we're sitting down, I also want to add that this was a really hard decision and we had so many amazing applicants. And congratulations again, Albert. I feel like there's a lot of impressive ones, so I I can imagine how hard that would be. Congratulations again, Albert. We're so excited to have you join our board. All right, we will continue on then with regular agenda items. Miss Cody. Thank you, Madam Chair. Item 9A, approve fiscal year 2025 general purpose budget line item transfers for January 1 through March 31, 2025 in the amount
018of $150,714. A motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Templeton. Do we have any discussion on this item? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 9B approves 2026 2027 school year calendar. A motion by Miss Blank, a second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 9 C. Consideration of Knox County Schools Clothing and Resource Center proposal. Move to approve. Motion by Mr. triplet second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 9D. Approved memorandum of understanding with Green Heck Fan Corporation for the creation of a studentrun sitebased engineering and manufacturing enterprise at Carter High School and receipt of donations at outlined in
019the memorandum of understanding up to $2 million. A motion by Mr. Right. A second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. All right. Mr. Triplet, believe we have a public forum speaker. We do. Mia Brown. Is Mia Brown here? Oh, you can come on up. If you will state your name and your county residence, you'll have three minutes to speak. I'm Nia Denise Brown, Knox County School, Knox County, Tennessee, and I'm call I'm here to to speak to you concerning a situation that I had to deal with in school. And it's just a um a an an example of bad behavior that is happening throughout our school district. I can say that because I was a substitute teacher for 10 years and
020until March the 12th and I may be able to tell you why I'm not teaching anymore at this time. Try to move quickly. Okay, first of all, as a substitu, I get a lot of questions from students. they raise their hand and you might think that it's something that goes with the lesson and so you answer them and sometimes you have a a moment to be able to be alone with a student because they've gotten in trouble and you might be in the pack room with them and they feel that they have can they can ask you different things I'm okay with that But this particular time, a student asked me a question that I had not had to deal with since I was in the Sunday school class at church. And I didn't I
021couldn't answer the student exactly the way I wanted to answer him. And this is what he said to me. Miss Brown, do you know that we are monkey that we came from monkeys? He was a black student. I don't have to say that cuz that's important and that we're all kin. And he said it's true. He had his Chromebook in there and he typed up something in his Chromebook real quickly and and it was a a chart of the Neoga Falls. He said, "Yes, TR is a second grade handbook, a second grade science book and our second grade teacher taught us that. We used to walk like this, but now we walk like this and we evolved over time. Didn't I I I didn't agree with that. And I could but I couldn't go into
022great details, but I did ask them some open-ended questions that I may come back to. Okay. Now, I fast forward to March 12th. I and I I was thinking later and I prayed for him. Not there but later I prayed and I got to thinking if he thinks he came from monkeys then he's going to act like his ancestors that he think he has and that's why he get in trouble and end up in the pack because of his beha bad behavior. So I I pray and ask God to let someone tell him that's not the case. Thank you. That's your three minutes. I'm sorry. Is it possible I might um actually have a few a couple more minutes? Sir, you're you're certainly welcome to come back. That would but that would require a motion
023and approval of the board. Two more minutes. All those in favor say I. All right, two more minutes. Thanks so much. I say this, we need to stop teaching to students. This is causing them to forget who they are. And and if if if a human woman had a monkey, why hasn't a human woman had a monkey since? I believe that that what needs to be told instead is a a Bible's class that you as a lead a a lead a lead a local education or agency has the right to implement a Bible study class that's non religious nonsecarian and this will help the students become citizens that are responsible responsible and know how to act. Now, when I was over at Green Magnet, the kid, a student stood up, sat on laid across this
024desk, put his feet up on his desk. Two girls were dancing with their chairs. Another one highlighted herself with her with her um highlighter, and this behavior shouldn't be happening. When I walked in at school, this student was staffing out an adult. This happens a lot. Kids being rude to other people and authority and and different and and and having bad behavior. That needs to change. No student should be able to talk to back to a teacher, refuse to do their work, call teacher stupid, call them the b- word, walk down the hallway cuffing like like sailors at each and call each other names, calling each other fat, just being so unkind. And I dealt with this situation. I asked them the question. I restated a question that that student asked me and I said,
025"Are you monkeys or are you humans?" And I said, "No, you're not monkeys. You're humans." And humans don't act like that. And such behavior shouldn't be allowed in school. And and and that's what principles are for. They are supposed to have control of their of their of their school and their students. Thank you, Mr. Thank you. Thank you for being here. You're welcome. I look forward to seeing y'all at some graduations next week. And with that, we are adjourned.