Coffee County School Board Meeting

001County Board of Education meeting. Um we want to open tonight in prayer and Mr. Cordell. >> Thank you. Let us pray. Father in heaven, we just thank you for this beautiful day, another day, Father, to enjoy the beauty of your vast vast creation. Thank you, Father, for those in attendance at this meeting this evening. Father, we pray for wisdom and discernment and proper direction on the issues we handle. and Father that you would be glorified. And Father, I just thank you for all those in this room today. I thank you, Father, for our teachers and our staff, our administrative staff, our custodians, our bus drivers, our whole team. Thank you, Father, for their commitment, Father, for the load they carry. I just thank you for what they're doing, for their commitment, their vision, and investing

002in the lives of our our future generations. Father, just pray that you uh uh use us this evening and may always do a be to honor and glorify you. And Father, thank you for our board members. And Lord, just give us wisdom and discernment in the decisions we we make. Thank you. Amen. >> Amen. And uh our student ambassadors tonight are Davis McKenzie and William Rogers. and they are going to lead us in the pledge algiance 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. >> All right. So, we have a call to order. I don't think we have any no public comment tonight. So, we're going to do a principal report and also we're going

003to chew Horn and Scotton in here to give us a report on on the school lunch program and how that's going um after after the principles go. So, who wants to go first? Ladies first. always don't really need a note notes today because we just got started. So, we're still getting settled in. Uh today was our first full day of kindergarten. So, we welcomed our little kindergarters back. They're precious. Uh we welcomed our families at our open house and we started our smart card fundraiser. It's just a little fundraiser we do to get a little extra cash to spend on the students and that's all we got. We're just settling in. So, >> all right. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Get going. >> Hello. Um, at Hickerson, we're still getting in the groove of

004everything. um trying to figure out car riders with our extra enrollment and everything is is going to it's going a little tricky, but we're making it. And then we're going to add in about 38 prek students on Thursday. So, um but um we don't have a whole lot going on in August, but in September, we have our book fair um from September 2nd through the 9th. And the night of September 4th, we have family night at the book fair. Um September 2nd we're having muffins with mom or any other adult. Um on the 3rd we're having donuts with dad or any other adult. And on the 8th we're having grandparents breakfast. So maybe y'all can make it out um eat with our kiddos, do a little shopping at the book fair. Thank you. >> Thank

005you. >> Good evening. Good to see folks. Uh, a few things happening at middle school. Uh, first, our big fundraiser for the year has started. That started on Friday. So, if you see middle school kids with a fundraiser packet, buy from them. It'd be great. Uh, so we're trying, we use that money for, uh, safety items. And so, last year we was able to purchase some radios for the staff, and we would like to try to finish that out this year. Uh, so it's going for a good cause. So that's our big fundraiser for the year. Um, tomorrow night our first home football game. And so I know our football team's excited about that. That'll be tomorrow night at 6:30. Um, let's see here. Let me I'm sorry I'm jumping around. Um, volleyball playing tomorrow

006night at Web. Their first match is on the 13th. So that'll be uh later on. And with that home match for volleyball, we're doing a sixth grade tailgate. So, our sixth grade parents are invited to come out and enjoy some food and some games and so forth with our sixth grade teachers. So, that'll be before the volleyball game on the 19th. Our soccer team, girls soccer team, they're playing tonight. They had a game Friday and they're playing again tonight. And our big house reveal for our students is going to happen next Friday. So that's a big a big ordeal because we sort our kids into houses and we do competitions throughout the year and all of those kinds of things. So our sixth graders and our new students are going to be sorted next Friday.

007Uh that's a big school assembly that we'll do that. So that's what's happening at middle school. >> All right. Thank you. Michelle. >> Yes. >> On the agenda. >> All right. Good evening. Um I want to share a little bit of information about uh uh our school attendance for the start of the year. Uh we've been really pleased with uh our attendance is I would consider it really good every year. for as long as I can remember. But, uh, this year it has been exceptional. And I mean, not just a little bit better than usual, but but a lot better than usual. And I really I don't know what the reasons are for that. I would like to think that it has something to do with the staff and us doing some things right. Um,

008but a couple of things I'll share. uh going back to last Wednesday and last Friday and then also today uh we have had attendance rates with our students over 97%. Uh today we had 32 students absent in a high school of,222 students. Um on Friday we had 28 students absent on a Friday for a 97.67% attendance rate. And last Wednesday, we had only 16 students absent. Now, there are a few students that are still working themselves off of our roles that that will are transferring elsewhere, and that happens every year, but when those students are deducted, we had a 98.7% attendance rate last Wednesday. So, we've decided we're going to start shooting for attendance rates that are on up about body temperature, and we'll know we're doing well when that happens. Uh, so again, uh,

009shout out to our students for, uh, their excellent attendance and for our staff for what they're doing. Also wanted to to give you all a little bit information about the high school as it pertains to the new electronic device policy. Um, we are seeing lots of attendedness in classes. uh more so I think overall than we had been seeing and I think that is due at least in some aspects due to the new electronic device policy. I'm hearing lots of positive remarks from staff about the attentiveness and um we have had lots of unsolicited remarks from students that are positive about uh the policy. Um, you know, it may be that not everyone likes every aspect of the policy, but students are saying things such as, "Well, I can talk to my friend and they're

010not looking at their phone now or I don't have to worry about my phone buzzing every 30 seconds." Uh, we're hearing things like that without our asking and we feel like that's a good sign. So, uh, just thought you all might appreciate hearing that. >> Great. Thank you. Uh so uh lots of other information from the high school to share uh when our ambassadors speak later. Any questions for me? >> Yeah, I have a question on that attendance. That's just 10th through 12th grade. Is that correct? Yes, >> ma'am. And we have,200 students in 10th through 12th. >> 1222 I think it was as of today. I could be off a student or two, but 1222 I believe. >> 9th grade. How many do we have? >> Um I am not sure how many freshmen

011there are this year. I know there are over 400, but I don't know the >> 435. >> Wow. So, that's getting big. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> Anything else for me? >> Thank you, >> Mr. Parsley. >> Thank you'all. >> All right. >> Well, good afternoon. Uh, Mr. Ballard just asked me right before it started to come up with some just a little report. So I ran to my office and I came up with some reports that I could real quickly. Um I am seeing an increase. I had given Mr. Hardgrove some He's laughing because he was excited about giving good news and I'm taking away all of his thunder right here. >> Cutting my program. >> I cut it. Yeah. Yeah. He was going to look so good, but I I get to do

012it. So thank you. >> I'm still under him. >> Yeah. I stole it. I stole it. Uh we are seeing an increase in meals um from last year. Last week I figured we had about a 30% increase in breakfast and 10% in lunch. But it's sort of day by day. So like um the first day that we served we served this was July 31st 964 breakfast. Today we did,564 breakfast. So it's increasing. And last year we did 1203. So the breakfast from last year at this exact day last year was 361 more today. So our breakfast has just been a big hit. Um as far as um lunch goes, uh the first day we served 2,898. Today we did 2,30. So it's not as big of increase, but from last year we did 2,687 lunches

013and today we did 3,30, which is a 343 increase from last year. So it is it is increasing. So I will know more at the end of the month as far as reimbursements go whether we make the same amount of money or more. But as far as numbers go, it's going well. We are running into some trouble trying to get the kids through the lines, but we're working on that. And um >> more kids now I guess >> there's more kids eating more kids trying to get through the line in the same amount of time. So that's >> a problem to have though. >> Yeah. It's a it's a good thing. So we'll get that lined out. >> Thank you for everything. >> I'm hearing some pretty positive feedback out there. >> Oh yeah. I

014think everybody's happy. >> Yes. And it's really taken a lot of work off of, you know, all of us doing free and reduced applications and having to hound kids for for money. >> It's it's a around the just completely around the the better thing. So >> awesome. >> Well, thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. >> And you can expound later on. >> All right. So, next on our agenda, we have recognition and m we were going to recognize Mr. Damewood, but the presenter, we're waiting on the presenter to show up. So, we're going to kind of work that in later whenever they show up. So, we do want to recognize Michelle Mullikin uh from Hickerson Elementary and and uh Mr. Harrove are you want to do the honors? Miss Michelle is uh is

015full of energy and I love her passion for Hickerson and and the students there. $15,000 grant the Lilian Ashley Foundation and Miss Mulligan, what are you using the $15,000 to accomplish? >> So, we're hoping to uh build an outdoor classroom uh outdoor kitchen classroom. So, yeah. >> Awesome. And you're not done there. You you have applied for another grant. Share about that organization and your intent. So, we're a STEM school and uh at Hickerson and uh part of that we have the opport well I guess any school actually could but you can become part of the rural STEM collaborative and I applied for to join that cohort group and uh so we met this summer and they gave us not quite $2,000 but it was close to $2,000 to um for a project. And so

016we're going to use it in conjunction with our outdoor classroom. And then uh also applied for a native garden grant and was awarded that. And so our intentions are to plant some native uh fruitbearing bushes. So it's all going to come together quite nicely. We hope so. >> You have papas out there? >> We don't yet, but we I would like to I would love to have some. >> All right. a lot of great things going on in our school system, especially at Hickerson, and Miss Michelle's one of the ones that makes it go, and we appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. Now, we have our general call to to U. >> We forget the photo sheet. >> Oh, >> you look great. >> The what?

017photo shoot. >> Oh, the photo shoot. Yeah, that's right. Okay. Forgot about that. [Laughter] >> Okay. >> Just the last one. >> Okay. Now, thank you for that. And uh we'll uh work Mr. Damewood recognition in as the meeting goes along here. Now, we have our call for intent. And just um just a note, our our first uh we're going to approve the general consent items, but a couple notes here. Um the policy committee was very busy. They did 30ome policies. Um, and because we're so far behind, we are uh when you approve the consent agenda, you're also approving that we're going to do a first and final reading on on all these policies. There was also one policy that that uh um Melissa handed out and if you want to explain that real quick

018what the change was there, just >> so policy 4.601 601 reporting student um progress. They're on when these got merged on the back it says that we would be doing two parent teacher conferences. However, we do one parent teacher conference. So the the policy that you have is the correct one. The one that is uploaded on the website is the one that is not correct. It says two, but we just do one policy. So, this one that you have, you would be approving the one you have and I will pull that one then to the website if it's approved. >> Okay. Thank you. Can >> I ask her a question on that now or do we have to I want to ask her a question about it. >> Sure. >> When did that one How

019long have you been doing the one parent because I know one time it was one in the spring and one I mean one in the fall and one in the spring. >> Quite a while. >> That will be Mr. Shores. >> We we've been doing one for quite a while. Well, I only remember really one year that we did two and the the pro one of the problems that ran into was the second one was in February, I want to say, and ended up getting a snow day and messed it up. But it's been one as long as I can remember other than that one time. >> Okay. >> How did that get two get in there? So when we worked on the policies, we have the coffee county policy and then in the coffee

020county policy, it has one. Then TSBA policy had two meetings. So when we merged them together, when I merged them together, it put the two and crossed out the one. and we just didn't catch it in the meeting until uh one of the supervisors noticed it after the meeting was over. >> So the policy committee approved it with two. >> So I feel like that that needs to go back to the policy committee. >> Okay. And we can do that. >> So we can pull that one out >> since we since you know the policy committee approved it with two then it needs to go back and you know re revisit it. >> Okay. That's >> agree. I mean it'd be better. I think >> that's fine if that if we want to do that

021cuz we're fixing to have another one >> so we can pull that one. >> Okay. >> Strike 4.601. Then from the consent agenda and Okay. >> Thanks. >> Also, um we have two agenda items we need to add. Um, we had something that came in too late to get on the agenda. So, we have a football boosters club barn that uh will be item number 10. And we have a request to pull policy 3.400 off of the consent agenda. And so that would be agenda item number 11. And with that, I believe that is the consent agenda. Uh to approve the agenda first and final on the policies other than the ones we pulled out. And also a little bit of housekeeping. We only have seven board members here. We have a quorum. But for

022any motion to pass, it requires a majority of board members, not just those present here. So it would any motion would require five votes to pass. Just as a matter of housekeeping here. So um so with that let us uh I need a motion to pass the consent agenda. >> I so move >> Mr. Cordell. Have a second. >> I'll second it. >> Is Yench. Okay. Any discussion on that? All right, let's start with uh Mr. Cordell then. >> Hi. >> Miss >> I. >> Mr. Answer. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Jones. >> I >> Miss Hodgej >> I. >> Mr. >> Hi. >> And I will vote I. That passes 720. We have All right. So, our first agenda item is the um uh the job bus uh the job description for the bus attendant

023attendant for sped. And I will tell you, I read through the notes on on the salary and compensation committee and it sound like everything went went, you know, I was I was impressed with, you know, how it so but go ahead. >> Yes, sir. are um we're currently using bus drivers and paying overtime to teacher assistance to support our special needs students on several of our buses. >> I believe our recommendation brings economic value to the situation. We need to pay our bus drivers to buy drive buses, >> not serve as um >> educational assistance. Uh we're also short on bus drivers as well as um teachers assistant find trying to track down teachers assistance to do that. Creating we're talking about proposing creating a different um or another position to serve on those buses.

024We feel like um we can provide better services with uh bus attendants and um they'll be trained by our special ed personnel and we feel like it's just a better services. We can provide better services and it's economically an advantage for us to do that with the with the pay. There are six positions. Two of them will receive um as per the compensation committee. Two will receive benefits. The others will be working as uh under the salary line of a teacher assistant with a additional dollar per hour. The reason those two would receive um benefits, their bus routes are much lengthier and they would be on the buses quite a bit longer. Uh the monies the pay for these come out of our special education pot of money uh earmarked for transportation. We just feel

025like it's better serving our our children and it's we're being better stewards of our budget. So, this is a two-part um um vote we're going to do is the first part is we're going to approve the the job description and then the the next agenda item is we're going to approve the compensation part. So, so that's uh so I would need a uh a motion to approve the job description. >> So, move second. >> I'll second it. Jones. Any discussion? Going once. Going books. All right. Uh, Miss Yinch. >> I, >> Mr. Hansert. >> I, >> Miss Jones. >> I, >> Ms. Hodgej. >> Hi, >> Mr. I >> Mr. Cordell. Uhhuh. >> Oh, okay. I didn't hear you. So, and I will vote I that passes seven to zero. >> Okay. The next item

026is the And we don't have anything up here for that, but the uh the compensation for this uh salary for the bus attendants. The bus attendant that um four will be uh under the teacher assistant payline in the pay scale and they would receive an hour extra a dollar an hour extra. Uh two of the two of the employees would make um teacher assistant pay but benefits would be awarded on their on their behalf. And those four and two numbers are liquid numbers. It depends on the needs of the students riding the bus and the numbers and where they live. Uh next year it may be we have one with benefits and five others working for the teacher assistant pay plus a dollar an additional dollar an hour. It may be three and three are

027are serving our students will dictate what that looks like from year to year. >> Okay. So, what what are we voting on specifically here? So, >> you're voting on two of the attendants working under the teacher assistant line of pay and with benefits. Four of the bus attendants are under the teacher assistance bus line plus an additional dollar an hour. >> Okay. And this was discussed in the salary and compensation committee and and all agreed on there too. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. So, we would need a motion to approve. >> Um, >> do I have such a motion? >> I make that motion that we approve it. >> H. Okay. Second. >> I'll second it. >> Okay, >> Jones seconds. >> Um, any discussion? >> You got the second. >> U, Miss Jones.

028>> I think she barely >> first year apparently. >> I think she just beat him by a hair. I have a question. The um currently the attendants on the sped buses, there's three from the schools that's riding from my understanding. And then the other three are bus drivers that are in their training phase. So they're not yet licensed. They still have to u get their hours and get their um license to go take their driving test. Um what will they be doing if we hire these? >> Mr. Be quite honest about it, Mr. Coons. I'm not sure where they fall in on the on the on the pay scale. I know it's a pretty significant difference between the bus driver pay scale and a teacher assistance um almost $10 an hour >> difference. So, but

029they're um my understanding is is that they're considered full-time even though they're in the their training phase. So, I mean, we're still paying them, but yet and then they're being used on the sped buses right now. So, I mean, no offense, but to me, my math, that causes we're we're creating additional costs because we have to do something with them until until they are licensed. >> That's a great point. There may be some lag time between us posting these jobs and them receiving their bus license. Okay. >> Um, >> Mr. I think there's a couple things we probably need to check in as well if this is part of their training. Are they able to be the attendant as well or not? And and as you you brought up a very good point that we

030need to check into and I don't think either of us have thought that thought of that and realized that part of it. Uh the plan was to actually hire attendance if it was passed by this board uh to to be able to take those places for the economic reasons, but we would need to check into it. And I don't have an answer and and I don't think Mr. Hargrove has an answer at this point. I understand the three taking, you know, taking the place of the uh the ones from the school that are on overtime when by them riding the buses, you know, but I'm just wondering, you know, what's the others going to be doing? I mean, we're paying them anyway. So, I think it comes down we need to find out two things.

031One is their projected date to gain their bus license. Then we can have them driving buses and kind of coordinate that with posting other positions. That way we don't have paying two people to do one job. >> Okay. >> Also the that would allow us time to to train the >> the new >> the bus. Yes. And our special ed director, Mr. West Morland would provide that training for for those those folks. But that's a the meshing of the two. One leaving the the drivers leaving the bus and the EA moving into or TA moving into that position. That makes sense. Maybe we make it contingent upon when those bus trainees receive their bus driving license. >> Mr. are you proposing we defer this uh till you get your questions answered? >> Um, no. I

032mean, I mean, they pretty much answered my question. I just Oh, >> okay. you know, I mean, I was just curious as to um, you know, I mean, you know, >> I mean, that's, >> you know, why we're going to be paying, you know, two people to be doing >> one job. Guess I'm confused. >> One, one other thing too that that's come up, if I may. >> Sure. Uh my understanding then all not all the sped students have been integrated yet into the schedule. Uh also and once all the students have been are integrated into the system and riding in you know the attendance hours and the work will probably go from go up to like five plus hours a day just for the morning and afternoon rides. Is is that true? >> Potentially.

033Potentially. So I mean the I just you know when we had our meeting the other day and that's that's why we have these I guess so that we we get these questions afterwards you know and come from you too lamb. So uh >> no worries I'm uh could potentially and that's why I said we want flexibility and who those are that are receiving or working over the 30 hours a week to receive the benefits. it it's going to depend on the route and the number of children >> and I'd like to refer also to to Miss Melson because after they have done 30 hours per week for a certain period of time is the way I understand then it changes over to the full time. Is that correct? >> That's correct. So we would have

034to monitor that and um after three months if they've worked three months of um more than 30 hours a week then we would have at that time offer them benefits. >> Okay. I have a question because I was on that committee and I thought I understood it all very well but I don't think I did. Um >> we didn't I didn't get this until after we met. So it's >> right but there there's six going to be hired. Is that correct? and and two of them are full-time and the other four are part-time. >> So I guess my what Mr. was asking about three. What was you talking about? >> Currently three of them. That's the attendance on the sped buses >> right now. >> Yes. Are drivers that's been hired but they're still in

035their training phase, right? >> They don't they're not licensed yet >> because they have to have so many hours of training before they can go take their driving test. So, you know, my thing is why are we you I mean they have to be somewhere. Um so I mean that's what I was getting at was you know hiring the six right off the bat but there again we may not get six applicants either. So >> So we already have three. So we just need three more. No, no. The three the three are will be bus drivers once they take their driving test. They'll be licensed bus drivers. >> So, they're no longer going to ride the bus. Right now, some bus drivers have been riding the bus because of the necessity for it. The way

036I understood at the meeting. Yeah. >> And as they cycle out back to the buses, we will hire >> I understand now what you're saying. >> Okay. Melissa Melissa, can you read back the the motion? I'm confused. Motion is to approve four EA um four educational assistance um hold on. Motion is to approve four bus attendants on the EA pay scale plus a dollar two bus attendants on the EA pay scale with benefits. I have a question because you're wanting the flexibility, but if we vote it in this way, that's the way it is. >> That is correct. >> And so this doesn't give you the flexibility. How can we vote it in a way that gives you the flexibility you need? the the vote the the motion actually needs to be something down the

037line of uh there's if they okay bus attendants that are not full-time would receive teacher aid pay bus attendants that are receiving um full benefits would receive the $1 less um on it and I left out the $1 more on the first ones but we don't need to say four and two we need to pay. The ones that get full-time would be getting receiving benefits. The ones that are not receiving full-time would receive teacher aid pay with a dollar extra per hour. >> Now, that makes more sense because you want the flexibility and I don't want to vote it in as into concrete, >> right? A total of six. >> A total of six. >> And can you explain the funding, >> Mr. Mr. Shers? Can you explain the funding? Who will be funding this?

038I would prefer that Miss Melson uh explain the funding than me. >> Okay. >> So, we will use um so right now we're paying for two aids that get quite a bit of extra time or overtime each month to ride the buses. So, we will use part of that and then um right now we're also short we're also short on bus drivers. So we will be able to absorb that in our should be able to absorb that in our transportation budget. >> Okay. And so the aids are being paid through special ed right now. >> Um the aids are being paid through special special ed. Yes ma'am. >> Okay. >> So would you like to modify your motion? >> Yeah. If I can figure out how to modify. So, what we are I make the

039motion that we hire six um special ed employees. The ones who are Give it to me. >> Okay. Hiring bus attendants. >> All right. Hiring bus attendants. Ones with fulltime would receive teacher aid pay and benefits. >> The ones full-time would receive teacher aid pay and benefits. >> The ones that are not receiving full-time will receive teacher aid pay plus $1 on an hour. >> Right. The ones who are not full-time will receive um teacher aid pay plus an additional dollar per hour. And no benefits. >> And no benefits. >> M. Jones, are you okay with the you seconded? Are you >> Yes, I'm fine with that. >> Okay. >> I have a another question on that. Um, >> yeah, I wouldn't have done either. >> What is the a rough idea? What is the

040benefit value per hour for a full-time employee? So, you can add pretty much 20% to their salary um per hour. I would have to it would just depend on on I would have to calculate that, but you could pretty much add 20% um of their salary and that's the benefit. So, if they're making 20,000, if a bus aid is making 20,000, that's going to be um around 4,000 4 to 5,000. It also depends on what they pick. So if they pick a higher family plan, it will cost more to the district. So it just depends on what benefits they select as well. >> I thought if they they pick a family plan, they're paying for the family, right? >> Well, the employ we pay the employee part. It's a higher employee part for us. >>

041Oh, okay. >> Um we pay 67% of of medical, dental, and vision for our employees. So just those family plans are a little more expensive. So the district would be at more cost if they picked a family plan. >> Okay. Um All right. So with that let's just say roughly on somebody making $18 an hour the 20% that's about $3.60 an hour worth of benefits. Um, I guess I have a problem with only paying the part-time ones a dollar an hour more for doing the same job. Now, I'm all for being good stewards of our tax dollars, but I'm also about being fair to our employees. If they're going to do the same job, I think they ought to be compensated. Now whether you know I mean there's a you know I know there's a

042lot that goes into it but I mean come on now. I'm sorry. I think a dollar's a little cheap. >> That's a good point. Well, I mean, it's, you know, >> I mean, if we're not going to give everybody benefits, then, you know, I mean, the ones not working full-time should be able to have some kind of compensation because they're doing the same job. >> And it's a >> it's a rough job. >> It is, >> Mr. One of the reasons why we we looked at the pay scales that we were looking at is because we have the two pay scales currently. We have the one or the teacher aid pay and then we also have the teacher a pay with $1 uh for certain positions within our school system. But that's the reason why

043we looked at the two different pay scales and and was trying to make it using those as close as we could to to justifying the the benefits and the $1 an hour and so forth. Uh I I do understand what you're saying, but but that's the reason why we looked at those two two numbers >> is to not create another pay scale as well. Well, I mean to I mean to me and then I mean you know looking at it, you're creating a new position because we just approved the the job description for it. So if that requires a new pay scale, then so be it. I mean I'm I mean that's I mean I don't see where that's very hard to do to create a pay scale for them if if we choose to

044go that route. because it is a new position because we just approved the job description. You know, we're not adding personnel to a existing job description. We just approved the new job description. >> Don't have a problem with that. >> What Mr. Hardrove, what about if we since we don't have these students all integrated yet in lie of this information that that I've gained this past week, what about if we just could we table this for a little while? >> Sure. >> Let let us get let let the students get integrated. let that happen and then see what the because we may end up having to to if if it's going to take five hours and we're going to end up hiring them anyway if if that's true. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong.

045>> Nope. But I don't have a problem with that at all. That'd be good. >> So, the really the reasoning behind this is is to serve special ed students on the bus. Is that correct? So that's that's where it all Mr. West Morland is, you know, is the one that would be responsible for for that in my opinion. Uh because this is not regular instruction. It's if if those students weren't on that bus, we wouldn't have an attendant. Is that correct? >> Right. And it provides us an opportunity to train. Right now, we have untrained personnel. I know they're getting their bus license, but they're not trained to >> to to >> Yes, ma'am. to those students needs. >> And also in the meeting that we before before the compensation meeting, what was brought to

046the compensation committee, uh it included Mr. Morris, Mr. Robertson, Mr. West Morland, Mr. Harrow, myself, Miss Nelson, and that's where we we had a discussion. So they were all part of that that discussion before the compensation committee on what to recommend. >> Right. But my point is that it that it's not this is a special ed need. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And that's why these this job description was developed to begin with. So, oh, like you say, if those students aren't on the bus yet, >> Some are. And and and we've been But >> they're still serving some >> and and that's been served by bus drivers that that have been riding on there. >> Yes, ma'am. >> That taking them away from their bus route, you might say, from a bus route and riding

047on the bus >> eventually. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Let me ask um Mr. West Morland, how long do you think it's going to take you to train these uh attendants because that needs to be taken into account, too, because that's going to take time. >> Once these attendants are hired, it would be probably an hour to two hour session with me to to go over some things about verbal deescalation and how to handle unruly students or medically fragile students using the lift. And a lot of that will be collaborated with the transportation department. Um, and the one thing about the integrating the students is, you know, we never have them all integrated throughout the year because we have it's so static up and down. We'll have a student come in, they'll need to have a

048an a half day transportation schedule and it's a domino effect. Um, but the main reason that my my motivation behind wanting this position was because every time we have to make adjustments to schedules, the transportation department really has to struggle with finding drivers for this different route, this new route. So, you know, my mind I'm thinking, okay, we need to have drivers behind the wheel the buses and put assistance on the buses to support them. And um so that's kind of how all of this kind of got started because we have prek students right now who are in the wings waiting for their eligibility. If the parents have to send their students out of zone then we're going to you know offer them special transportation and every week or so we're having another one having

049another one. We may even have a student par a student's parent take away transportation or decide they don't want it any longer. So then that's another process. We have to contact the bus garage and then they have to go through the process of rerouting and changing the routes. Um so you know as far as the you know the integrating the sped students it's it's one of those things that throughout the school year is is really never 100% completed but our school age children kindergarten through 12th grade are pretty much they should be attending school on the sped bus presently. The only ones that we're going to see the static changes week to week are the preK students who receive special transportation. So, it's imperative it's imperative that of course the board can decide, you know,

050what the board wants to do, but we we definitely need uh these assistants on the buses. Now, the question about the certified, the people going through training, getting their license, and all that stuff, you're you're talking about three positions, give or take, but we have sped buses who are running all over this county all day long. And the person who's having to run a morning route, a midday route, and an afternoon route, those people are going to be putting in six, seven, seven and a half hours a day. So, they fall under that full-time category. I think it's what the word that I got from the information that I got, Mr. West Morland, was that that's probably they're going to be working right at five hours anyway. And we're we're counting on what we talked

051about in our >> Yeah. >> in our meeting the other day was four hours. So six hours is full time. >> Yeah. >> So we're right on the verge of being full-time anyway. And here we are three weeks into school. Yeah. And and if we're not going to have all these >> students integrated, you know, that's what I said, you know, >> asking everybody else's opinion as well. >> Is do we need to How long is it going to take to get our bus drivers trained? You know, that that we're using them for >> Well, if if someone Oh, you talking about the ones that are going through the driving. Okay. See, that's a transportation question. I have no idea on those guys or ladies. There's a whole lot of things that I sure that

052I don't I don't know now that I didn't know the other day either. >> Well, that's why the the flexibility we mentioned the flexibility and the numbers of it. >> Yes, sir. >> Our students needs and the amount will drive that. >> Yes, sir. >> Well, >> right now we're going off the number of hours that Mr. Morris is saying this is happening today. >> Okay. We need two full-time because we're going to be going over six hours per day and we need four less than that because that's what we're doing today. That's what we're going off of. And that could change like Mr. West Morland said, it could be next week we have five students come in and and mess that all up and we have to have another one. And that's the reason

053why we're asking for the flexibility as needed. Well, it seems to me if you're training bus drivers and you're going to be training these new employees, that's an awful lot of training going on. And you know, these bus drivers, if they're there for training, that training is not to watch students. That training is to figure out how to ride that bus. >> And the training I would provide is to handling students, not driving the bus. It's just handling the students. So, it seems like they're needed now so that the bus drivers who are getting their license can concentrate on driving and not having to watch the students. So, sounds like it'd be good to go ahead and get somebody in there even if we kept that extra person on the bus who's trying to learn

054how to drive that bus. >> And I'm very unclear about which buses have the driver being trained. I that was new to me tonight. But uh but as far as the educational assistants in our district right now who are being paid overtime to perform duties, I think we have two that do that on a daily basis. >> Yes sir. >> So at a minimum we could fill the positions with an employee a bus attendant and then that would offset that overtime that we're paying at a minimum all you know just off the start. >> Yes sir. >> And that was my you know that was my focus. >> And also Mr. you you had asked about some with the pay. Uh these these that we're talking about the attendance to be an aid, you have

055to either have two years of college or go through a parapro test and pass the parapro test. To be a bus driver, of course, you have to get your license. You have to go through that entire process. To be the attendant, you're not going to have to do either one of those. So that's that's going to be another reason why there might be a change in the amount, you know, with the pay as well. >> Looks like if we're talking about two different positions, those that are trained to be a bus driver aren't going aren't going to be on that bus. So we we need to concentrate on >> the attendants and the the six that we're going to be hiring because they're not going to be bus drivers. >> Correct. >> Now, there may

056be an overlap, >> right? you know, I mean, I I don't know about that, >> but they would have to certify as if there is if they're a bus driver, they would still have to meet the requirements for a special ed aid, would they? >> No, not a bus driver. A bus driver would just have to meet >> No, not the bus driver, but I mean the attendant. >> So, there may be those that don't want to that can't that can't certify for a special ed attendant that's getting their their bus driver license. So, we're we got two different situations. The only reason why I said bus driver was because that's what we're using now is trying to use bus drivers and giving them bus driver pay to watch the students and we're trying to

057move away from that. Now, as Mr. stated, we I wasn't aware of of bus drivers that or drivers that's trying to get their license to be bus drivers watching the students. I I wasn't aware of that. Uh >> and that wasn't brought up >> that that wasn't brought out up at our meeting either. But but I agree with Miss Yench. To me, they need to be learning how to drive a bus in the parts of it. Now, they could be doing that while they're doing this other I'm not sure. I'm not on there. I'm not the one doing the training. But but our whole purpose is to to have somebody watching the students. And they don't have to be parapro. They don't have to have two years of college. They don't have to have a

058driver's license. Period. As far as that goes, >> just pass right the prehire so forth. But you but you are right, Miss Jones. There's two different things going on here. You have the bus driver who's training to be a bus driver, and then you have an educational assistant that we're that I'm talking about the bus and only support the children. Now, they're going to support the driver when it comes to emergency situations and things like that, but their sole responsibility is going to be to support those kids >> and then be there in the event of an emergency situation. >> Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Okay, we have a motion on the floor. >> Read that again. >> What's that? >> Have her do that motion. >> I could. >> Melissa, would you read that

059one? >> The infallible Melissa. >> The motion to hire best attendants who are full-time will receive teacher assistant pay with benefits. Part time bus attendants will receive teacher pay, teacher assistant pay le plus a dollar and no benefits hiring a total of six bus attendants. >> The only thing would be add be the $1 on an hour >> on that. >> Yeah. And I think I put that >> otherwise you're you could get lost in what that mean. >> Yeah, that's >> and we don't provide benefits to anyone. It's not full-time. So, we're not penalizing these people. It it's just that's the the process as of now. Any anybody that's not working full-time do not get full benefits and that's the reasoning behind that. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Any further discussion? >> So,

060if they work, we get to the point where make sure that we're clear that they're working. How much overtime will make them qualified to work full-time? >> They would have to work 30 hours per week to be a full-time employee. And then we would have So, we do this kind of with our with our subs already um to make sure some of our subs that are working every day that don't qualify. So, it's a look back period. So, we would look at three months at a time to see what they average. So it' have to have an average of 30 hours per week before we would we would offer them benefits. >> So if they work 30 hours a week for six weeks, they can be eligible to work full-time then. >> Three months. We

061look have a look back to nine weeks. >> Three three months >> for 12 weeks. 12 weeks. >> So at that point, do you make them full-time? Because you can't just pay benefits for a month or two and then stop. We would have time once they once they work that those that many hours in the three-month period, then they they transfer over to full-time employee. >> Yes, we would look at that. We've never had that situation, but we would probably that was probably what we would do. We'd make them a full-time employee at that point and and offer them benefits. >> Oh, okay. Well, I thought you said you did substitute teachers that way. >> Well, if we there's a state law that says we have to look at substitute teachers. Sorry that rabbit hole,

062but >> yeah, we have to look at their hours and days worked to make sure we don't need to offer them benefits. >> Okay. >> And and Miss Jones, I will add if any anyone goes to that full-time over 30 hours, it'll be the transportation department and the director of transportation to ensure that that person is working consistently full-time throughout the entire school year. Because I'm like you, we don't want to go back and forth, back and forth. If they're working 30 hours a week, they need to continue to work 30 hours a week >> for the duration of the school year. >> Miss West Morland, can you include that in the the minutes? >> If they work 30 hours for 12 weeks that they will be eligible to work, that they'll be eligible for

063full-time employment so that this don't get lost in the shuffle >> six months or a year from now. >> That's important. >> It's very important. Yeah, >> very important. >> All right, Mr. Hansert. >> Oh, we're voting. >> Yeah. Yes. I >> Miss Jones. >> I >> Miss Hodgej. >> I >> Mr. >> No. >> Mr. Cordell. >> I. >> Miss Yinch. >> I will vote I. That passes 61. All right, we're going to blow Robert's rules of order right out of the water here tonight and kind do Mr. Damewood's recognition right in the middle of the meeting, but kind of >> respect people's time. So, >> this is Jill Pear, the executive director for the TE organization. I'll let her do her coffee. >> Come on up to Mike. I appreciate I was coming

064from East Tennessee just for the board meeting and for some reason you know these calendars I've been in a school district for over 30 years retired now in a job similar to Ry's in East Tennessee. For some reason it put you at 6:00 uh Eastern time. I mean I'm sorry be 7 o'clock Eastern. And so uh your meeting was at 6. So I apologize. I thought it was early. my uh Tennessee farmer uh daddy would absolutely get upset that I was late to something. So, I do apologize and I appreciate the time. Here's the good part. I'm not asking for nothing, no money, anything. It's just all good news. So, how's that? Uh Director Hardgrove, uh Chairman Ballard, board, it's my distinct honor. We always uh present a really large award called uh the Dr.

065Howard Cisco Chief Technology Officer Award statewide once a year. We do it at our conference in July. And this year's recipient is Mr. Randy Damewood. I think all of you know how well Randy does, but the one thing you may not know about him is how respected he is statewide. He he is a beacon for how well people look at Coffee County. And I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the leadership of the board, the leadership of your director, all the supervisors and principles that are in here because you know the people that make up your school district. Uh working with your kids are the what shines the light on your county. And he's a really big example. I've known him myself for over 25 years. Uh, I always say I look

066really good for an 80-year-old woman, but uh uh this this award comes with in the spring he'll get to go to the national uh consortium of uh school networking which is on security and how schools work and he's going to be with other CTOs. Teta pays for that no cost to the district. So he'll get to go to Chicago in April and we pay for that. He's recognized. He'll be there'll be a couple of stories that'll be coming out on some national gun as we go and we'll make sure that you guys get copies of that. But Randy has by far if somebody has a question, he's always there to help other districts because he's already done it for your district and that's the kind of people you want working for you. So, uh, I'm

067this second time I get to present it to him, but I wanted to do it in front of y'all because you need to know that he's gotten this, uh, uh, statewide attention because, like I said, we do this once a year and there's only been so far about nine of these across the state. I think that's right. >> So, [Music] Thank you for being very nice, man. I really apologize about Robert. >> Well, I I just want to say I want to thank my guys that are back there and Donna West because they're what they're what makes me good here. They don't have anything to do with the what the state people see about me, but here. I mean, I want to thank my guys and Donna West for uh all the support they give

068me and what they do out in the field. So, there >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. [Music] >> Thank you for driving from East Tennessee to be here. Thank you. >> Like I said, I do apologize. I just won't tell my father. >> Thank you. Okay, we now resume our regularly scheduled programming and uh >> we have a workout Wednesday. So, we didn't get a we didn't get it included in the packet, I don't think, but >> what is that? >> It's a use of facility. >> Okay. >> Did you see it? And then it has a letter in here also. >> Okay, Mr. Harrow. >> It should be a >> Okay. >> AI3. Okay. >> Or 80 something. I think AI3 is budget >> budget. >> I got it. I don't know what it's called,

069but >> it's in here. >> It wasn't in the packet. Well, maybe you can just do a quick introduction. >> I don't know. >> Maybe maybe it got here. Here you can have mine. >> Okay. >> So, this is uh well, Mr. Um, Edward Taylor. >> Coach Taylor's here present. >> Okay. So, do you want to come up and talk about this real quick? I >> I think the reason this this is on the agenda, just so everybody knows, is because you're asking for a complete fee waiver. Normally, we don't wave the custodial fee and and so you're asking for zero dollars. So, that's why it's right >> separate agenda items, >> right? So, um, after 17 years, most of you know, after 17 years of being the head volleyball coach, I stepped away this

070past year to deal with family. I wasn't forced out, as being said, out and about, but and now I'm just the head men's basketball coach. And I've gotten one day out of the week on Wednesdays that I don't pick up my granddaughter from daycare. And people have reached out to me about doing basketball lessons with some of our upcoming players, elementary players, middle school players. So, what I'm requesting is that I can use the gym one hour a week, Wednesdays 4:30 to 5:30 to work with the young basketball players in our county. I just feel like there will be no custodial cleanup because I'll be the one in the gym and I'll tidy up the gym like I do every day when basketball's over. And that's, you know, I think today when I talked to

071Miss Amy Barard, fees were going to total about $115 worth of fees for every Wednesday that I wanted to use the gym. I am asking for $10 uh per child per lesson in the lesson world in athletics for sports. That that's really cheap. Up until this past week, um actually they'd gone to TWSA and they proposed that we they require us to to charge so it didn't violate recruiting and that kind of thing, but they didn't pass it. So I don't technically have to charge, but I have worked with young people in the past at no charge and then it honestly kind of turns into babysitting. kids get dropped off. And so I'm char I am charging $10, but I'm not I'm really not trying to make money off of this deal, honestly. I'm just

072trying to work with our young kids. As mentioned, you know, in one of the meetings earlier in the year, I think maybe by Miss Jones, we're talking about athletics, making those relationships with our elementary kids and our elementary players and getting connected with those people and kind of tracking them as they come up. And this is a way for me to do that, as well as the middle school kids. And as most of you probably know, as of July 14th, TWSAA followed the NCAA and passed the transfer rule. So getting relationships with our kids and our good athletes and our good players and keeping them in Coffee County is become a little more difficult just because now TWSAA is going to, you know, allow kids to transfer once in high school. Yeah. >> So that's

073that's what I'm asking for just to so I don't have to pay $115 every time I want to work with our kids and improve our basketball in the county. >> So first you're not just a basketball coach, you are a pillar in our sports community and I think this is awesome and thank you for doing this. >> Well, I appreciate it up two of them. >> So look forward to the opportunity. >> Let's get a motion out here to to approve. >> Motion to approve. Okay, I'll second it. Oh, >> where where is the $10 going to? >> The $10 is going to me for my me for my time. >> All right, discussion. So, any questions for Miss Taylor? >> There are not a lot of opportunities like this for our kids in this

074town and this is a very exciting opportunity for a lot of young athletes. I think it's awesome. >> Yeah. I I I and the reason it's on the agenda as a separate item rather than the consent agenda because it's asking for a complete waiver of fees which is something we typically haven't done. So that's why >> Oh, I get it. But if we want to grow our athletes and have them excel, we need things like this. I think if we go back through our minutes, we have wavered waved the fees because I remember being as a board member saying that, you know, we're waving the fees for this group, then we're opening up for other people and that's fine, you know, if the board approves it the way I way I look at it. And

075also, uh, I would be willing if there was a child that wanted to, uh, attend the basketball camp and didn't have the $10, I would be glad to give that. I don't guess fee waver money would go toward that because it's not for academic performance I guess you might say but in my opinion it is if a child can feel good about themselves and have some type of athletic program that they feel a part of that enhances their academics >> yeah well being part of the weave foundation if someone needs the funds to to come to a clinic or they want to turn in a request to the weave foundation I can get them in charge with the right people and through the foundation we can see that these things get covered if a child

076wants to attend but financially can't. So I have potential access to some funds if >> so I you know and I think you're doing the cleanup and stuff too so you're really taking the place of the custodian so that to me kind of covers that >> Mr. Ballard the TWWSA. We were this close from forcing him to take money. That was no seriously that was a rule. If you tutor kids or have these knots, it was going we were going to be forced to charge fees and it kind of settled in in this place due to the transfer rule. I'm not so sure it won't be that way a year from now where if we have coaches do, they'll be forced to charge a fee. and you deserve the feed. That's your time and your

077effort and time away from your family. And you're putting a lot of effort and love into these kids and you deserve that. >> Well, if anybody's done lessons in any time in the past, whether it's fast pitch or baseball or basketball or whatever, lessons can become expensive. But I'm not trying to, like I say, and if I wind up with more kids at one session than I think I can handle, I can, you know, potentially bring in players to help out and then part of the money would go to the program. My players help me. Seniors, of course, if they help me in some kind of fashion uh with this, they could get uh credit for Tennessee Promise service hours and things of that nature. So if it did become, you know, larger than maybe

078what I'm anticipating, I can use, you know, players and give back to the program and them get their service hours as well. >> Well, I can vouch that that it's not a money-making project because I remember when uh my granddaughter took lessons, took basketball lessons or whatever, it certainly wasn't $10. What's up? >> Yeah, we're we're trying to keep our improve our basketball, keep our athletes here. We don't want them going to the other side of the creek. >> You know, we want to keep them here. >> So, people have asked. It wasn't my intentions to do it, but I've gotten requests to do it. So, >> I got approved one one day a week to do it where I'm >> Are you offering it for boys and girls? >> Yes, boys. Boys or girls?

079>> Okay. And and if there's siblings involved, you know, well then we'll work out some kind of situation. We'll cut cut a deal for siblings, you know, but boys or girls. Yes. >> Okay. >> Questions? The motion is to approve um a no fee um facility use permit for Coach Taylor. Uh Miss Jones, >> I. >> Miss Hodgej, >> I. >> Mr. I >> Mr. Cordell. >> Hi, >> Miss Inch. >> I, >> Mr. Hansert, >> I >> and I will vote I. That passes seven to zero. >> Thank you all. All right. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Ber. Who is the motion and the second on that one? I I somehow missed >> Mr. Cordell and Miss Jones. All right, the we're going to get into the insurance bids here. So, we got the

080dental, vision, and life insurance all separately. So, Miss Melson, you want to do the intros here? So, two years, two-ish years ago, um there was a law that passed that we have to bid out our if we don't if we're not with the state plan, which we went away from several years before I came here. If we're not with the state plan for your insurance, you have to bid it out um to be so it's competitive. So, this is our first year of having to do that. So that's why you guys are seeing it on the agenda. Um we we bid it out. Um Mr. Mike Ingram, our broker with benefits planning has helped us through that process and um I'm going to turn the mic over to him to kind of go through um

081what we saw in the bid packets and um to explain the details to you guys. >> Okay. Are we going to go through each because we got three agenda items. >> He's going to ask how you would like to do that. >> Okay. >> We can we can do the presentation all together and then vote on dental um vision and life insurance separately or you can break it up, you know. >> Correct. It's kind of up to you all. Uh again, good evening. Um uh there's a reason we might want to do dental vision together first. We can do life separate. Okay. >> Because uh some of the vision uh benefits are tied to dental. >> Um so I've I've given you all a summary sheet >> after the bid. Do you have that available?

082And I because that's what I'm going to highlight now. Run through the >> specifics of that. So uh the dental insurance uh we've got the incumbent dental plan. >> Can you wait until we find it? >> Yeah, absolutely. I'm sorry. >> Yeah, >> I can make you copies for it. It's not I was told that it was not to be made public. I thought you were doing a PowerPoint, >> so I did not make I will go make copies right now. >> Well, and it's real high level. If they don't need them, I can walk through it. It's up to you all. >> I'll make copies, though. So, they'll have >> Thank you, Melissa. And as we talked April that uh we're not required to take low bid on these things. So we >> that's

083correct. So um the auditor I have talked to the auditor about this because this was our first kind of goound on the requirements and what that looks like. So, she did say that we are not required to go with the lower bid on any of the plans. Um, just as long as we specified why we wanted to choose the plan we chose. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, we did a traditional bid spec and wrote out the different waitings to the different decisions stuff. A lot a lot of what we'll go through. One of the things I always want to stress is is with the three incumbent carriers for Life Dental Envision, we have a known entity and and we've got um the employee feedback is from a negative standpoint has been next to zero. So

084that's something I I think from a weight standpoint want to keep in mind. Um when we do make changes and some of this will go through as well. Um depending on what that change is from a carrier standpoint, we can have disruption to the employees which is something we want to make sure we keep to a minimal. um keep them happy. Obviously, if there's a huge price swing, we had to take that consideration, but we didn't fortunate we didn't have that this bid. So, >> so Mr. Ankerman, I and Jod um sat down and had a meeting a couple weeks ago and we kind of went through each carrier and went through evaluation sheet on on I know there was several different items and so we kind of ranked kind of went through how we

085felt about the carriers and um so we have we have re all reviewed this together. um feel pretty good about feel pretty good about what we currently have. Um reiterate what he said. >> Who is on the committee? Because I know whenever insurance is renewed, there's usually a committee that meets that goes over it that's representation of the teachers. Is that the employees? >> I don't think there's a committee. >> We didn't use a committee. >> We've never had one. >> No. No, ma'am. So, you just decided you and and him. >> Well, um prior to this um we it was prior to right when I came in um we were already with Blue Cross Blue Shield and um yes, we made we were able at that time without having to bid to make the

086decision on what plans to go with. And so I Mr. Anram helped me through that process the first time we did it. and then the state law changed and we had to bid it out. >> Um, so that's kind of what led us to here today. >> So if you flip that first page over, you got dental and vision on that second page. We'll start there and do the life >> after. >> All right. Just for the public knowledge. Yeah. >> Um, we had to bid it out and and we bid it out and and this company got the bid. Is that correct? Well, these are the bids that we received. So, we don't we didn't make a selection. We We didn't make a selection when we met and talked about it. This is for

087you guys to look at. And um we're kind of leaving that. We're going to go through the details and then I think Mr. Harrove has a recommendation, >> okay, >> on each thing and then you guys can go from there on what you want to do. >> Sorry, >> that makes sense. No problem. >> I'm trying. >> More question. >> Okay. Um, so, uh, dental insurance, uh, Beam is the incumbent. That's the top one I've highlighted there. They proposed at the bid a 5% increase this year. Um, uh, one-year rate guarantee. So the rates are locked in for the year. There's a rollover benefit for the employees. So every year they uh if they meet certain requirements, they can have additional dollars added to their maximum annual benefit up to a 3,000. We've got a

088$1,500 annual benefit. Right now, every year it rolls over can go up to $3,000. Um again, known entity. One of the things that is important with dental is your providers. Are we do we have access to the providers that your folks use? Uh are they happy with them? So, that's the current plan right now. And right now, we haven't had any any uh complaints as far as having access to the the the correct dental providers. Uh Delta Dentl had put in a bid. Theirs, unfortunately, is 12% higher than uh than the current rates. It also is a one-year rate guarantee. They also offer that rollover benefit. It matches Beam and they'll give credit for anybody that's had an increase in their benefit if we roll it to Delta Dental. um challenge obviously is the increase

089and that primarily hits the employee children and families. So that's that's the folks that'll get hit the hardest with a premium increase moving to that. They also have and I apologize this wasn't on that list. Um they have a different benefit if you don't see a PO dentist. uh the likelihood of one of your members, one of your employees being balanced build, meaning, hey, I went in and paid what I was supposed to and then I get build even more. It's it's it's it's increased significantly if they don't see a PO dentist with Delta. Now, Delta's got a very extensive list of dentists, but that still could happen if you got folks that are aren't in the area here. Uh they could have to pay more if they go out of network. The third carrier

090is uh Sigma. um 3% increase was the offer. So, it's a little less than the beam renewal. Still a one one-year rate increase. Year two, they've they've agreed to a 9% cap. So, year two, they won't rate it up more than 9%. Uh the rollover rollover benefit is more limited than what you have today and what what Delta has offered as well. they don't give credit. So, everybody starts back at 1,500 and and in four years they can get to a maximum of $1,950 uh increased benefit. The the concern I have with Sigma and and I don't have any dental plans left with Sigma. They've had provider issues the last couple years and they're losing providers all over the state of Tennessee. It's not just Middle Tennessee, it's East Tennessee. uh they're having the same

091problem on their medical side and that's part of the when I said we've got the known entity and we don't want we want to avoid disruption. Uh there's I've got concerns with Sigma, I don't have a group left with their dental plan. So they've all moved away because of the that and the medical plans are starting to move away now too. So it's it is a concern. So even though it's 2% cheaper, uh that's something I would probably avoid. >> That's scary. >> Yeah. Uh so that that that's your dental highlights. um vision and there's a reason we want to talk about this two-year incumbent is CEC but we also had Delta Dentl and Sigma that voted on or bid on the vision. If you pick the vision with Delta or uh uh Sigma, it

092has to be tied to the dental. So that's a package deal with both those carriers. They're not traditionally uh uh vision carriers, so they rent the vision stuff. So those are tied together. So if we want the vision plan with Delta or Sigma, we have to take that dental plan as well. So CEC is the incumbent carrier. Um 2-year rate guarantee uh from now to they were the only ones that gave us a 2-year rate guarantee going forward. Unique benefit. They have a $350 benefit. It's like a bucket of money. Uh some of you probably aren't familiar with this benefit. We've had it for a couple years now. It's very popular. You get a bucket of money, $350. And every employee can spend it how they want to. So if I want to get contacts

093and I spend $100 in contacts, I have another $250 left over I can spend for my glasses. I can do that every year if I want to. I can spend it on non-prescriptions. Great benefit. Can you imagine? This is typical. Your employee doesn't need the vision insurance, but they need to purchase it for their spouse and children. Well, they're using the benefits. The employee loses out. They never get to use the insurance. Well, here they can. I can go and get it. my uh uh sunglasses, reading glasses, I can get anything that's non-prescription as well as long as I do go at the provider and I still have that $350 benefit. So, fantastic. And now they've they've adopted that uh Warby Parker thing. I know my daughters use that which is great. It's a lowcost

094um uh prescription glasses where they send them to the house and you try like five pair and pick ones once you want. So, that's covered on your benefit. The other advantage with CC they have every Walmart. So Walmarts have uh they have Walmart owned optometrists and then there's independent optometrists. A lot of times most of your networks will have one or the other. The they have both. So they've gone out and contracted with both which is a big benefit from a Walmart standpoint. Delta had a and and there was a error there. It's a 6% increase, not 20. Um I don't know how I did math that day. Uh one-year rate guarantee with Delta. Their benefits half of what you have today. It's $175 benefit. You can't get glasses and contacts the same year as

095one or the other. So, they limit that. CC, you can do both. Um, again, it has to be sold with dental. Sigma, it's 11% reduction. So, they had a significant reduction over the current rates. Same $350 benefit. Uh, that is the IMED network. It's not the same network as you have today. So, when I talk about disruption, we will have winners and losers. Yes, the benefit's going to match what CC has, but my my provider may not be in network if we switch here uh to Sigma. So, those are the those and that's a one-year rate guarantee. CC is a two-year rate guarantee. So, that's dental and vision summary. If you want, we can jump right to the life insurance or if you have questions on those, we'll answer those. Why don't we see if

096there's any questions on the um >> on the um vision and and dental and then we can vote on those and then we can move into life insurance because that's more of a standalone. >> Yep. Absolutely. >> And Mr. Argrove you are recommending >> I'm re recommending the incumbent in dental which is beam and the incumbent in vision which is CEC what we currently have. >> Okay. Now, these renewals, they're for four years. >> It's It's or is it >> year for dental? Yep. Um the dental increase being we've had for three years. >> No, I'm not talking about the increase. I'm talking about what we vote on here. Is it how long are we tied with them? Is it fouryear? Basically, a four-year contract, a two-year contract, a one-year contract. I mean, what are

097we >> So, the state requires you to bid every three years for the benefits. Um It's there's some gray area there. Basically, they're saying you have to do this formally every three years. Where they've messed up is they said uh your broker is a professional service. And when you use a broker, they can shop your benefits just like they normally would and make recommendations and work with your >> with your central office folks to make a decision. But every 3 years, it has to be formally bid. So, honestly, it's not addressed. It really reads that, hey, we get a one-year rate guarantee and then we shop it next year, but it doesn't have to be bid, >> right? >> So, >> okay. Yeah, that's what the attorney general ruling has, and I'd be happy to

098send it to you if you have problem sleeping tonight. >> Y >> any further questions? Why don't we Why don't we do this? Let's get a motion to approve the dental bid and vote on that or or get a motion if there's any questions. So, do I have a motion to >> I'll make a motion on the dental that we stay with beam. >> Okay. >> I will second that motion. >> Mr. and Mr. Cordell. >> Okay. Any discussion there? >> Is that Dr. I mean, Mr. Harrove, is that pretty much a unanimous thing with the uh with the employees, too? >> I think so. I mean it's you describe the >> in the survey. >> Yeah. So the the the biggest concerns you'll have is does my provider still in I still get to

099go to the same dentist? >> Yes. >> Uh and do I have consistency with my benefits and that's what we get to and we haven't had the complaints throughout the year as well. So that's a big one. Uh employees will always make sure if they're struggling with a benefit >> oh yeah >> your folks going to hear it. >> So that's one of the key things we look for is all right. what are we hearing? And if it's quiet, that's a great that's great because they don't tell us when they >> employees. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It is with us, too, is we want to make sure >> Absolutely. And there's a part for central office, too. Your HR staff, obviously, if they're pulling their hair out every day, we don't want that either.

100So, >> yes, sir. We don't we want to do what's best for our employees. >> Absolutely. So, >> okay. Further questions? The motion is to um approve the beam proposal to stay with beam for the uh dental insurance. >> Further questions otherwise Miss Hodgej >> I. >> Mr. >> I >> Mr. Cordell. >> Miss Yench >> I. >> Mr. Anard >> I. >> Miss Jones >> I >> and I will vote I. That passes 7 through zero. Now we have the vision. So I need a motion on the vision. >> So move >> go ahead and >> is that to >> state your motion? So because we got three choices. >> Okay. Um so the the dental is if we do the the vision it has to go with the dental. Correct. >> So if

101we're staying with beam, we don't have the choice between Sigma and Delta. So it made that real easy for the vision. Okay, we only have one choice. >> All right. So, >> so the motion is to approve CEC as the vision insurance. >> Yes, and I'll second that motion. >> Okay, Mr. Hansert and Mr. Cordell. All right. Any further discussion on the vision? Kind of like automatic at this point. >> Probably the easiest vote. >> That's the reason why I didn't say that. Well, well, just kind of for the record here for the minute. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Mr. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cordell. >> Hi. >> Miss Yinch. >> I. >> Mr. Hansert. >> I. >> Miss. Jones. >> Hi. >> Miss Hodgej. >> Hi. >> And I will vote. I. That passes 720.

102All right. Now we're on to life insurance. >> So life insurance. The uh incumbent is One America. Um the about 80% of their book of business is the public sector. So they specialize in in you all. Uh they started January 2023 with us. We've never had a rate increase. Uh this bid they offered us an extension for an additional two years. So still no rate changes. Um they have an annual benefit of a $10,000 increase. So if you have the life insurance uh I'm sorry that you've got a board paid life insurance that stays the same. the voluntary life insurance the employees can choose and pay for on their own at renewal. So this this renewal coming up every year if I have the life insurance I can automatically add an additional $10,000 with no

103health questions. So I can be in the middle of cancer treatment and add another $10,000 to my benefit up to the benefit maximum of $500,000. So every year I can add another$10,000 and continue to do that up to the 500,000 maximum. Uh no health questions. Uh we haven't had any service issues. We want America. Remember, uh, rates been the same. Uh, administration has been great. Uh, there are some, one of the things I like to say with life insurance, life insurance is very much a commodity for the most part. Um, but there are instances where does the carrier do the right thing? It's so important with life insurance because it's so meaningful. Obviously, if you have a situation happen, they got to pay out a life claim. Uh, One America has done that several times

104where, hey, it could have gone either way. We're not going to pay it. they've paid it. So that's important for us to to consider. Mutual of Omaha is the alternative. They matched all the board paid life insurance. The rates are the same. They were a penny less on the voluntary life insurance. So what the employees pay. So that $200,000 guaranteed issue amount. It' be a $2 savings a month for an employee. Um Mutual of Omaha, great company, big company. We all grew up watching the most of us. We're old enough watching those shows. >> Marlin Perkins. Yeah. Wild Kingdom. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. Um I have their dental insurance for my employees now. Great company. Um it's a two-year rate guarantee. I don't know what it'll be after two years. You know, we know we've got

105five years now with One America with no rate changes. No guarantee after two years that they would continue to offer rate guarantees. They also do a benefit uh renewal of two of $20,000. So it's double what One America, but they cap it at the 200,000. So you can continue to add 20,000 till you hit 200,000. If you start the plan off at 200,000, that means you can't add anymore. Where with one America continue to add 10,000 up to the $500,000 benefit for your employees. So little nuance differences. Uh life insurance for the most part. Uh again, one Mutual of Omaha is a good company. I would suspect they'll do the same given a gray area. They would do the same, but we just don't have that known entity that we have with one one America.

106So other than that, you're you're pretty much the same there ratewise. It's about a penny difference. >> And Mr. Hardrove, your recommendation, stay with one America. >> Hope none of us use it. >> Absolutely. For sure. Stay with one America. >> Absolutely. And I will share as well, we all did the the grading separate and compared notes. We all landed on the incumbents. So that wasn't a group think. We talked about it after, but we did do those separate. We did the waiting on the bids. >> Okay. So, I can get get a motion for the uh life insurance. >> I I make a motion we stay with one America. >> Okay. >> I'll second. >> Mr. Co. Okay. Any further questions, discussion? >> I just have a question. Miss Melson, what do we what

107are the benefits to our employees? What do we pay for life? Do we offer a life? >> Yes. So, we It's $45,000. We pay $45,000 for every employee and then they have the option to do the voluntary after that. >> And how much is that per employee? >> It's five 5.85 $585 a month for us to pay for >> That's awesome. >> $45,000 for our employees. >> And that that's something that our employees need to realize that they these are really good benefits. And you look at other professions and it's hard to find insurance polic an an employee having this type of coverage. >> So it's one benefit of being a teacher or employed in the school system. >> I know when I go I our my providers brag on what we have. They don't

108see this you know they don't see what they don't see this a lot a lot from the other you know patients in their office. I know especially for our vision. I will go to the vision doctor and they they brag on ours and they like we really wish we could have that you know and so we really do try to keep when we when we first selected these products when we didn't have to bid them out we really tried to look at the benefit side to make sure we were really taking care of our employees. So >> it's important we take care of our employees and our staff. >> That's correct. >> Absolutely. So, Miss Freda, the um I visit schools, all our schools prior to kickoff, and half of that talk is about benefits,

109about pay. Um, April doesn't know it yet, but she'll be riding sidekick with me next year because we do have a lot of things, a lot of great things that we offer. the vision, the $350 and the choice between glasses and contacts, just that flexibility. >> And sometimes you take for granted, you know, as I I think I did when I was employed with the school system, I took that for granted and then once you're out of it and you see where other people are making maybe a little bit more money, but they don't have the benefits and they don't have the retirement. So hopefully public education can continue like this. >> All right. Mr. >> I started it off last time. >> Oh, did you? Okay, Mr. Cord. >> Hi. >> Miscounted. Okay. Uh,

110Miss Yench. >> Hi, >> Mr. Hansert. >> Hi, >> Miss Jones. >> Hi, >> Miss Hajj. >> Hi, >> Mr. >> I >> and I vote I. That passes 7 to zero. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Chair. Who did this? Uh, >> it was Mr. Cordell and Mr. All right. Next up is budget amendment 141-20261. >> So this is the budget amendment for So last school year you guys passed the resolution to give um qualifying features $2,000 um bonus provided by the state funding. So that we received the revenue for that um funding for the $2,000 bonus. So this is the budget amendment to bring that revenue in and to pay our teachers their bonus in their um September paycheck. >> Okay. And since there was some squawking at the state

111level um about taxes and things like that, you've made arrangements to make sure that it was not bon taxed as bonus, but actually as ordinary income, correct? >> That's correct. So, we would like to do it in a separate paycheck, but then we would have to tax our employees 22%. And we don't want to do that. So, we're going to include it with our normal paycheck. >> Okay. Thank you for that clarification. Just wanted to make sure everybody understood that. So, >> so this is the budget to take care of the funding part, the both the revenue side and the bonus payout and their benefits. >> All right. So, do I have a motion to approve budget amendment 141-2026-1? >> I so move, >> Mr. Cordell. >> I will second. >> Miss Hodgej. Okay. All

112right. Any discussion questions for April? >> And that just goes to those that were qualified by the state terms. >> That's correct. >> Okay. And wish it could have been differently, but >> that's correct. But that Yeah, they put some restrictions on it and so we had to review that list several times to make sure we everyone met the qualifications. >> Okay, >> Miss Melson, I got a question. The section other student support um says 14 employees. What what employees are those? >> Those are our guidance counselors. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Uh Miss Hinch >> I. >> Mr. Hansert. >> I >> Miss Jones. >> I >> Miss Hodgej >> I. >> Mr. >> I >> Mr. Cordell. Uh, >> I'll vote I. That passes 720. Next up is budget amendment 141-2026-2. >> Okay.

113So, this is a few different things. Um, the first item on here is the um tuition reimbursement that you guys passed for CTE um teacher last board meeting. So, this is to clean up that line item. Um, we've already paid that out to her, but this will clean the line item up. And then we have um we received two grants. One from community foundation grant for for u F FRC family resource center and then one for um sportsman of business charitable grant um that also went to the family resource center. So this is to bring those two grants into the budget and to use them on supplies for our um children. >> Okay. >> And to clean up the CTE tuition. >> All right. So, I need a motion to approve budget amendment 141-2026- >>

114so move >> Mr. Cordell. Second. >> I'll second that. >> Minch. All right. Any questions for April on this? >> All right. Mr. Answer. >> I miss Jones. >> Hi. >> Maji. >> Mr. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cordell. >> Hi, >> Miss Yench. >> I >> and I will vote I. That passes 720. Next up is the budget amendment or budget update, I'm sorry. >> So, we'll say before I get started, this is just a preliminary view of what the year ended. This is for June. So, this will be the full year, but it's not closed yet. And so, I'm still making small minor adjustments daily. So, this is just a preliminary. you will get a final one after I close the books um in the September board meeting, but this is just to give

115you an idea on how we close the school year. So, in the month of June, we received um $5.2 million in revenue, which brought our total revenue for the year of 53 million. Um that would put us at 100% of budget compared to last year of 99.1% of budget. Um for expenditures we for June was $7.5 million. Um which brought us year-to- date of 50 50 million $50.9 million which was about 91% of budget compared to last year 85.26%. Um most of that um adjustment up in expenditures was for your increases. There are some one-off things that happened, but main majority of that increase in the expenditures was due to salaries. And if you have additional other questions, I will take them. But that this is just a brief overview of what it looks like

116right now. >> Okay. And I need a motion to approve the budget update. >> I make that motion. >> I'll second. >> And Mr. Cordell. >> Okay. Any questions for April? I have one question just um so we have our amended budget and our balance to date, but I you know which the amended budget shows you know like a $3 million deficit, but we're not going to get anywhere close to that, right? No, I actually if you look at the balance to date of revenue, 53 million um versus the balance to date for expenditures, we're going to add we're going to add the fund balance, but some of that will be in restricted fund balance and some will be in unassigned. So that split I don't know yet. Um but yeah, it we're going to

117add around I think $2.1 million as of right now to fund balance. >> Okay. Any uh further questions for April? >> I have one. I always look at the percent use comparison and uh I guess it's probably because you haven't received the funds, but I noticed on line 4700 federal government revenues. Um we we've only received 94% as as opposed to last year was a 303%. >> So what's the difference? I mean what is the reason for that? >> So that was so last year um the state department made us our if you talk about our ISM grant. So usually that revenue is reported in the 46590 line. The state department came to us and said we need you to reclass your equipment the amount you spent on equipment to federal to the federal side.

118So, I made that journal entry last year to move I think around 300,000 of revenue from one section to the other section. Um, so that's why it looks like it's 303%. Because it was around $500,000 I think is what I moved. So, basically the state department sent out a adjustment of where they wanted it classified to. Um, and so that's just a move from one place to another. >> It's a general that was general funds. >> Yeah. I the ISM grant is general. It's a it's a state it's a state grant. So it's part of our general fund. >> Okay, that explains it. It is. >> Okay. Further questions. Okay. >> Miss Jones. >> I. >> Miss Hudge. >> I. >> Mr. >> I. >> Mr. Cordell. >> Hi. >> Miss Yinch. >> I. >>

119Mr. Hansert. >> I. I will vote I. That passes 720. Okay. Next up is the football booster barn, I guess what I'm calling it. So, Mr. Mr. >> our our football booster club president, Mr. Schustster, is has contacted me and seeks your all's approval. He wants to place a 10x10 red and black barn at the football field down in the corner kind of opposite of the band concession stand. The Booster Club wants to store and sell their Coffee County gamewear out of that, but they Mr. Schustster would like your approval to do that. >> And I'm assuming you recommend approving this. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> It helps our booster club, helps our kids. >> All right. Well, let's get a motion on this then to uh approve the acceptance of the donation. That

120would This is a donation actually. >> Um >> booster club funds. >> It's >> the booster club is actually only paying $2,000 for >> the the barn itself. Uh gentleman is building it which they're getting it at a superb rate. >> Okay. >> They're just wanting approval, seeking approval to place it at or >> Okay. So, so the motion would be to place it at and it's being paid for by the booster. >> Yes, sir. >> So, so >> no school dollars. >> Okay. So, the motion is just to place the the structure at the football field. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. >> I so move. >> Okay. Mr. Cordell, >> I'll second. >> Mr. Coup. Okay. Any questions for Mr. Hardrove on that? >> You you made the statement that it would be

121placed where at the >> where the the band concession opposite of it, >> but they want to locate it so it doesn't interfere with people in >> kind of in the corner of where everybody Okay. I was under the impression you was going to put it at the other end of the bleachers and like like you're going to miss all the traffic. So Okay. All right. So it's going to be there in the corner basically where everybody comes in. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Sounds good. All right, further questions. Let's uh Miss Hodgej >> I. >> Mr. >> I. >> Mr. Cordell, >> hi. >> Miss Yench, >> I. >> Mr. Hansert, >> I >> Miss Jones, >> I will vote I. That passes 720. Next up is policy 3.400, which was pulled off the

122consent agenda for discussion. Um, so let's let's do this. Let's get a motion to approve this and then we can go to discussion. Um, I know Mr. had had some questions, so we can we can do that in the discussion. So, do I have a motion to >> I make a motion that we approve it? >> M. Jones. Okay. Second. >> Any second on that? >> I'll second it. >> Okay. All right, Mr. >> Um, looking over this policy, you know, unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the policy committee meeting, which I'm not on that committee anyway. But um when I was going through this material and I was looking at it um noticed that there was a a section added in, you know, from the original policy, the school bus drivers, and it's on

123here that um I guess I have a kind of a two-part question. Each school bus driver shall receive a certificate from the board prior to operating a school bus for the school district. Um question one would be what kind of certificate? Um you know that that would be I mean and then the other part was um annually the board shall require each school bus driver to have a physical and mental examination. Um on the I know now that they have to have a yearly DOT physical which the driver has to pay for. What type of mental um instead of examination I'm sure that should be an evaluation. Uh what what kind of mental evaluation are you wanting and who's going to be paying for it? management >> and are you requiring any mental evaluations for

124any other employees? >> I think the line 17 refers to the certificate. It's just their >> driving qualifications. >> Okay. Okay. Well, I mean, I didn't I didn't know because that wasn't in the the other policy and I was just Yes, sir. What kind of certificate are we are we given? I >> I think they're talking about their their license >> that they've made all their qualifications. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay, that sounds great. >> But on line 20 is >> Okay. >> The I know that they already have to do a yearly DOT physical and they pay for that out of their own pocket. But the mental examination, I mean, what where where' that come from and what's that? I think it came from our from TSBA. And when when I read that and

125that I understand why it jumps at you, their their physical and mental examination are all in one. And I don't feel like I think they feel like they're mentally fit. I don't think there's a portion of there's not any place on the DOT physical, right, >> that lists mental evaluation. >> Understand there is >> because cannot provide a mental evaluation >> that has a footnote to TCA 49-6-2107E1. We want if you want to look that up >> what is it >> and see if it's actually in there. So >> it's 49. >> Yeah, I understand your point Mr. King because a mental >> examination you know >> 49. >> What would that be? Well, one of those, >> you know, I mean, >> something that's two. >> Yeah. I mean, I just want clarification as

126to what it is. >> How do you obtain? >> Yes. How do we attain one? And then who's paying for it? Because >> I don't see it in there. >> Where to go? >> That's the medical doctor cannot prove. >> Yeah. It's not in there. We look up the citation. >> Do you have it? >> What's that? >> Are you looking it up? >> No. I I I was wondering if anybody else's. I can look it up if you want. >> 49- 49- 62. >> If you just If you just click on that, it pulls it up. >> Here it is. TSBAC. >> If you click on that, >> did you get it pulled up, Miss Freed? >> Yeah. If you click on the on the link there on on the policy, it takes you

127straight to TSBA. >> There you go. >> How about that? >> 2017. >> Going somewhere different. >> Okay. Class, no bus. They don't have any gosh sake. This is section still not talking about that is it >> 49-6-2107. >> Okay. It probably took us to 21109. Okay. Certification of drivers and equipment risk. 217. >> Okay. It says, "No person shall be authorized to drive a school bus in this state unless a person possesses a certificate issued by the board of education." I don't I don't know if you can see it or not, but you can reference Tennessee Title 49, chapter 6, part 21 of the driver's physical and mental examination policy. And it states in there that they're required to have a physical and mental evaluation annually. >> Here it's not it's here. It says

128the local board of education shall require annual physical and mental examinations of school bus drivers and require reports to be made on forms prescribed by the local board of education. >> So this comes directly from uh Tennessee code annotated. That's not something that you know we put in the policy or or TSBA put in the policy. It comes directly from uh DCA. that it says and require reports to be made on forms prescribed by the local board of ed. >> Miss Jones, I recommend we pull the policy and send it back to committee and we can >> delve into it a little bit more. >> All right. >> Great. >> So, Miss Jones, you want to withdraw your motion? >> Yes, I withdraw the the motion. >> And let's um So, how about a motion?

129How about a motion to refer this back to committee then? >> I'll make a motion to refer this back to our policy committee. Mr. >> I will second that. >> Mr. Cordell. Okay. Uh let's vote. Miss Hodgej >> I. >> Mr. >> Hi. >> Miss Cordell. >> Miss Yench. >> Hi. >> Mr. Hansert. >> Hi. >> Miss Jones. And I'll vote I that seven to zero to go back to policy and see if we actually need forms. But it sounds like to me that the mental exam is law. So okay, that concludes the regular portion of our agenda. Now we have items for discussion. So Mr. Cool. Any general items for discussion? >> Uh, no sir. Not at this time. Well, I'll take that back. I would like to congratulate Mr. Damewood on on his

130uh award. >> I'll second that. >> Be spinning our wheels up here without Mr. Dwood. That's for sure. >> It would be awful quiet. Yeah, >> that's right. Miss, >> I just wanted to say how glad I am that school is back and everything seems to have gone very smoothly. We have a lot of hardworking people. And also, this is a dig at us. Sorry. I've been to two different stadiums in the past couple weeks and their bathrooms are so much nicer than ours. Have we done any improvements on our our bathrooms at our football fields at all? Because they're kind of gross. Sorry y'all. I don't want to say that out loud, but as a female going into a bathroom, those are gross. >> Actually, Mr. Hargrove and I discussed that earlier, but I

131don't think that's improvements in the top that is a project for that. It's it's more of they need to be cleaned, and I think he's handled that >> today. >> All right. So, I'm not a bad person for bringing it up. Bill brought it up, too. That makes it all right. That's my only my only diss on us. Otherwise, go Raiders. >> Miss Jones. >> Um, I just want to thank our three supporters that are here at every board meeting. Three principles >> and they're smiling, too. >> I know. >> All right, Mr. Answer. >> I don't have anything. Miss, >> you know, I'm just kind of excited school's back in and I can't wait to get in and see the art teachers and their new roles. So, I'll be seeing you soon. Mr. >>

132Cordell, >> I'm just so thankful for this team we have for our teachers, our staff, our board members. Uh, I'm just ex glad we got off to another year and I'm so proud of our team across this county making Coffee County greater. Thank you'all. >> I did have one other shout out. When we left the policy committee meeting the other night, my tire was flat. >> Yeah. >> And Mr. West Morland and Mr. Harrove changed it for me. They were exhausted. We were there till what 8:00 and yet they wouldn't, you know, they wouldn't let me call my husband and they changed that. And I just am so grateful for that. >> Amen. >> You're very welcome. >> I've got another testimony, too. >> I want u you know, of course, we all know Miss

133Leah Parsley is the Tennessee music administrator of the year. I think that's the title. And I don't know how many of you see things on Facebook or whatever, but there was a a a video on there of Jelly Roll and he brought the students from Antioch uh elementary school to the Grand O Opry and he was stating how music changes the lives of of children. And it just gave me cold chills to listen to to it him singing to Be Okay. And those kids were singing it at the same time. And it reminded me of that um presentation or program you had at Deerfield with all those kids and all those parents there with and them participating in all that all the music instruments singing and and u that's such a good thing and those

134kids from Antioch one of the Antioch middle schools I'm not sure I mean elementary schools and their little faces were just so happy and and uh and it is going to be okay. And I just wanted to say that um you know I was reminded by Mr. Hargrove's email last Friday uh when he was reporting on on the news story from Warren County on the uh electronic use policy. And thank you Mr. Parsley for bringing that up. And I really wanted to give a shout out to Mr. Hansert for for um getting the ball rolling on that getting Warren County over here to do the presentation. And then the policy committee, I know they went through two meetings where they did nothing but work on that and and then the board saw it through. It

135probably still needs some tweaking to do to it, but you know, I think, you know, we're probably not seeing the same effects that Warren County is, but I think we will. And that was a pretty positive report. So, thank you for for sharing that. >> Yes, sir. And I would also like to give a shout out to to Beth because, you know, for pushing on the art teachers because I'm getting positive feedback on that, too. I was just talking with, you know, texting with Holly about that and she says she's getting positive feedback and so this is a positive thing. So, so a couple shout outs here and and uh you know, good news is is always fun to share. So, >> all right. Is there guys coming up here? >> Oh, yeah. We're We

136do got committee reports and then our high school or our student ambassador. So, we got >> committee uh our next committee to meet will be our policy again in the next few weeks. Um I'll be attending superintendent CA the next couple days. We'll get back uh we'll probably set another date for another round of policy. That's all that I'm aware of on that end. Miss Melissa, you have anything? >> Yeah, the two committees that y'all just met. >> Um our compensation committee, we met and discussed the potential pay for the bus aid and the policy committee. Uh um a lot of wood chopped, a lot of wood chopped on that night. And uh Miss Melissa and Miss Freda and Mr. Gilly as well as Miss Hinch. That was awesome. Along with the folks in the

137background, >> uh Mr. Cordell was uh >> was leading uh leading it. It was it was a lot in a short amount of time, but uh I appreciate our hard work. >> Thank you. >> All right, next up Davis McKenzie and William Rogers are student ambassadors, so you guys can arm wrestle to see who wants to go first or >> Yeah, you can use Definitely wave to the folks on YouTube. So, >> uh my name is Davis McKenzie. I'm a senior at Coffee County Central High School and I am a senior representative for our SGA. >> Uh I'm Will Rogers. I'm the student body treasurer and I'm a senior. I'm involved in DECA and I play soccer. >> All right. >> Um so some things happening. I mean obviously we haven't been in school for

138too long, but um so the annual faculty and alumni show 12 Angry Men just wrapped up and then um golf is in season right now. They've had a good start to their season and they played at home today versus Lawrence County. Um, girls soccer's first home game was last week, but it was rained out, so it's going to be rescheduled to tomorrow night um at Forest High School. And cross country's first race is um Seagull Under the Stars on Saturday the 16th. And then volleyball is just about to get started. They went um 30 and one on their play day this weekend um at Grundy County. And their first game is next Monday, the 18th against Grundy County. and their first home game is next Thursday. And then um football's uh season opener is on

139the 22nd at Franklin County at 7 PM. And then the following week is the 100th coffee pot game at home against Toma. So that's going to be exciting. So a few of our teachers uh sent out a form uh asking about interest in new sports such as girls flag football, bowling, and girls and boys lacrosse. So we may have those teams in the future. In student government, uh the sophomores have started campaigning for their elections and the class president and class rep elections will be in the next coming weeks. Uh we're preparing for the coffee pot week uh which will be three weeks from now, the week of the 29th. And uh we've come up with some themes like we do every year for dress up days leading up to the coffee pot. Uh Monday

140is Manchester Zoo Monday since we call our student section the zoo because we get pretty rowdy. Our uh Monday theme is dress as your favorite animal. Tuesday is tired Tuesday and the theme is sweats, baggy t-shirts, and hoodies, but we're still enforcing the school dress code and asking people not to wear pajama pants. Uh Wednesday is way back Wednesday, and dress up like a hundred-year-old since this is the 100th annual coffee pot. And Thursday is team Thursday. Seniors wear red, juniors wear black, and sophomores wear white. And there's no school on the day of the coffee pot, so we don't have a theme for Friday. And in student government, we're still brainstorming ideas for the uh homecoming themes for the dance and for the week before it. And uh next Thursday, uh home room club

141meetings are about to begin. And some examples of these clubs that meet every Thursday and discuss uh meeting or meetings and trips and stuff like that are DECA, FBLA, Skills USA, HOSA, Refuge, uh and the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy. Thank you'all. >> Thank you. >> I have a question. What is Refuge? I've never heard. Uh, it's a student led ministry at the school. So, we meet before school for like 30 minutes for devotion and prayer. >> All right. Thank you. >> Hey, Davis. You and Will. >> So, have y'all have y'all been put on the spot today or >> um this this can be the first? >> You won't be the first. All right. So, since y'all were the student government, what what's y'all's take on this the cell phone? >> Um, you know, going into

142it, I wasn't too excited. Um, but I >> Nobody never is. >> Yeah. But it wasn't in McMov. >> It's just I mean we could we could definitely have it worse because I know there's some there's some schools that enforce it um differently. Um I do kind of I do enjoy being able to just like kind of reconnect with some of my peers and classmates. I think that is uh a very very good thing about it. Um I feel like I've definitely am a lot more paying attention during school as well. So, um, you know, it wasn't, you know, it wouldn't it wouldn't have been my I probably wouldn't have voted for it this summer, but, you know, it's it's been fine. It's it's been it's just it's changed and change can be kind of

143different. >> Well, what's your opinion be? >> Um, I mean, it's definitely different, but I think not having the temptation to reach for my phone, you know, five minutes every five minutes in class is a good thing. And um just being able to talk to people and not having to worry about I don't know. I feel like less drama goes on during school because you can't text person, oh this is happening or this is going on. It's just people talk to each other more. I think I think I don't think it's as bad as I thought it was going to be, especially in class. >> So you think it's okay not having it on lunch at lunch period? >> I mean I mean part of me does wish we had it, but it's really it's

144not awful. >> It's not that >> Yeah. >> important. Okay. Thank you for being on. >> Thank you very much for letting me put you on the spot. So, >> thank y'all. So, y be a leader, not a follower, right guys? >> Thank you, gentlemen. >> We really appreciate the student ambassadors, you know, coming out and sitting through the meeting, which probably isn't exciting, but but you get to see how it all works, right? >> All right. Uh, Mr. Hardrove, the director's report. >> Mr. Ballard, I was going to talk about the C numbers, but you stole that. >> You can talk about it because >> No, it's great stuff. >> I'm bumped up. >> It's great stuff. U what the gentleman uh our two student ambassadors shared was great stuff. Good to be back

145in school, right, gentlemen? >> Yes, sir. >> Two class acts right there. Uh our our speaking of students, we're down about 60 students from last year. I believe we opened our doors last year, there were 4,295 students. Um and we are currently at 4,230 students. Middle school is down a tick with 787. Radar Academy is up with 435. You get the es and flow of different size cohorts. Um, our high school is roughly about the same as it was last year and our virtual academy uh numbers are up a tad. So, that's kind of our student number outlook. Uh, Miss Tanya Garner will be conducting substitute training tomorrow. Just want to let you all know that that goes on. Part of that will be uh be will be safety oriented. The other part are academic

146orient uh orientation there. They also receive another video when they go to a specific school. So, we're trying to do our due diligence and coaching our substitute teachers up. Uh Dr. blessing was removed from um the August study session because we received our gross scores this week. Uh in September, we'll be able to share a full picture of how we performed last year academically. There's no need in breaking it up. Might as well push it back a little bit. And um that's encouraging. you you'll I hope you're encouraged by that. Um Dr. Cornelius is in the process of kind of guesstimating what our letter grade should be or what he thinks will be on on our report card for this year. Well, we have a ton of great things going on and our our schools

147and um the best 30 minutes I had of the week was spent at Hillsboro Elementary School meeting with a second grade group. Very enlightening. Uh shout out to Miss Goens. I thought her name was Miss Owens, but the young lads had food in their mouth. The G sound didn't come out, but I met their the their teacher, Miss Cohen. But, uh, it's a great day to be a RA Raider, and a lot of great things are going on. Our, uh, teachers are teaching, students are learning, administrators administrating. So, >> tell us about the the pilot program at North Coffee and and, uh, new union for the afterchool program. are after school. Our numbers are about where they were last year as far as the excellence program. We have almost 180 students and for this time

148of year and and those numbers the trend last year was it would continue to grow. So we expect that number to grow. Um we taking actually the potential of 20 students, 10 at North Coffee, 10 at New Union, and um we'll have two adults, a teacher and an educational assistant in each one of those classrooms after school tutoring. And it will be very directed. Uh it will be by invite and it's for children that want to um improve their reading and math performance on TECAP. So, it's four days a week >> and um we'll see at the turn and what I mean by the turn that's in December how we're doing data wise with those groups and um and maybe u add a few more schools uh to that and it will not crank up

149the directed tutoring will not start up until after Labor Day, but it'll be four days a week with no Fridays and be by invite Right. And hopefully we have a lot of kids that want to be part of that. We have to expand the program improving their academic trajectory in math and reading. >> All right. Great. Um I think that's uh anything else on that? >> No, sir. >> All right then, Mr. Shor's capital projects update. >> Okay. Uh >> I guess you can add bathrooms on, right? >> Please. Once again, uh, several of these items have, uh, I've already gone over. I'm just going to try to touch on the ones I don't remember that I've talked about already. Uh, projects are still open is athletic lighting construction documents. They actually I got those

150from Wool last Wednesday. My goal is for uh to get a ad out to the paper uh, send it out on Friday. So they will be in not this coming Wednesday but the next Wednesday's pa paper so we can start getting bids for the the lighting athletic fields and my goal is for us to get it on the September have the bids in and share it with you on u September board meeting for for approval to move forward with it. So that's a a lot to be done between now and then. high school paving uh back behind. Uh it's got finished. Uh they they finished up the punch list items last week. So that that job is is complete and ready to be paid. So that's the reason why it's still open. It's not been

151paid yet. Uh the middle school had some cooling tower maintenance needs, so that was taken care of. Um then we had Hillsboro, East Coffee, New Union, um with access controls that's in adding in controls there at the very front and it's it's basically kind of closing off the what we call kind of the fishbowl for your area. Uh we finished up at Hillsboro, still working with some things at East Coffee in New Union, so hopefully that'll be done before long. uh high school and Raider Academy uh ordered some what's called uh door light kits. It's the little piece of glass that's in the door over here. And we have several doors that do not have that in it. And one of the school shootings um that that took place, the student went to open the

152door back up to let the kid the other student back in. She was able to see that the the student had a a weapon and did not open the door, which saved a a lot of situations. >> And it's just a a safety situation so that if somebody leaves, all of our doors are locked uh before anybody opens the door, they can see who's coming in. So, we we will be getting those installed when we're able to and and getting that taken care of as well. completed projects. Uh once again went through several of these, but the the safety wards uh we started at uh the middle school, those have been installed. Uh turned out really well. Our guys uh maintenance actually did the installation completely and saved massive amount of money. Uh that was

153our first school that we we did. We will be moving through to all the other schools as needed. Uh so I I'll be starting on next school before long and but one of the problems is we do have to work that while uh students are not in the building as much. We can do a little bit outside but we'll we'll have to we'll play that by air on what we need to do. Uh but we will be going to each school. Uh the high school the conflict structure structure manhole pipe adjustment. This is was from putting the drainage in behind the high school. Uh when we started digging it out and to put in the drainage, we hit a a pipe that couldn't be moved. So you had we had to to build a structure

154around it and and have it poured and got that taken care of. We were very lucky with all the the stuff that's behind the high school. We only hit one item and that is amazing. So, uh, and that was that one. Uh, installed a dumpster pad at the high school and that was done before the the paving was done and that is installed and is being used at this time. Uh, paving at the high school. Also, uh we added some paving for stu for teacher parking that's up towards the cafeteria or the kitchen area that created multiple parking spa places. And I think the high school has made use of that quite well. And I think that's takes care of pretty much everything that's on that sheet that I need to go over. Uh, as

155far as furniture, uh, I can't remember what we talked about, but all the furniture has been installed. We do have some punch list items, so that's the reason why it's still open. And as soon as those get taken care of, we'll get it paid for and we'll move on to the next steps. So, that's about where we are, unless you have any questions. >> I have a question. Do we have any idea when we'll be moving forward with W for East Coffee and Hickerson? >> Yes. uh for the um work session that is um in August I can't remember the days it 17th is 19th >> uh it is actually one of the work session topics uh with the demographics they have finished it Hartfield has finished it and we'll be presenting that day with

156wool here as well >> uh so there will be some discussion there on what they found uh then also what what what direction that this board is going to be looking at possibly going. There'll be some discussion in that as well. And Mr. Ballard might actually discuss that a little bit more with you uh as far as what direction we want to take at the the meeting. But that's where we are now is is basically sharing that information with the board and it it fits better with a work session than it did a board meeting. So that's the reason why we're waiting to the the work session. >> I hate that I'm going to miss it. I'm sad about it. You're going to miss that one? >> Yes. My son plays in Warren County that

157night, so I won't be able to be here. So, >> I may have to Yeah. watch it while it's happening. >> Hope things. >> Any other questions? >> Uh, it'll be interesting to see how they uh assess how the county, you know, the new new uh restrictions for the county as far as uh subdivisions and that sort of thing. So that that will play into our building program in the >> and that information was actually shared with them. Uh whenever I talked with them, they asked me on a few things and that was one of the ones I said that is has just now happened. >> Right. >> So uh they did have that information >> and and also I'd like to make a request. Could maintenance um weed or mow that? It's kind of

158a retention area at New Union Elementary. And uh I'm sure you probably can't get a mower in there or whatever. I don't know why they left that big big hole or whatever, but it does need to be weed eat it. It looks kind of bad. >> That That's a detention pond. It's not, >> but there's never any water in it there. I've never I mean, maybe one time we had a flood, it might have, but there's no water in it. >> Correct. It It's It's a detention pond. So with it, it's a little, like I said, it's a little different than a retention pond on how the water actually flows out and moves out of it. It's has a very a fairly steep banks like you said. >> Yeah. I I thought about getting somebody

159to weed it. >> Bobby said he wasn't able. >> We'll take a look at it. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Mr. Chair from May. Mr. Targo, thank you for your Friday updates to the board members. That is very appreciated and very important, very insightful and very Thank you for that. >> Yes, sir. >> All right, we are I need a motion to adjourn. >> So move. >> Second. >> All right, Mr. Cordell, Mr. June. All in favor say