001school policies. >> Thank you, chair. Um, this is these were rolled. Everything you see before you except one, which I'll get to in a moment, was uh deferred until this meeting. And there were some questions around uh specifically within the charter school sort of block of the seven policies which constitute a complete rewrite or sea change of all the charter school policies. So, you know, rather than go through them, I will uh actually um ask board member block to to to sort of take up here because she's the one that asked to defer these and had some good suggestions uh which were incorporated into the draft you have and I'm going to scroll through all these until I find exactly what those are and she can explain those and what process she went through to
002get to that. Member O'Hara. >> Thanks, uh, Chair Elvrad and Dr. Seir. Um, so I believe Dr. Seir, you may have said this, um, last time as well, that these policies, essentially what we're trying to do here is just take what has been in charter school procedure and ensure that it's in policy. Um, and my understanding of part of the reason to do that is because the state board of education does an authorizer report and it was one of the recommendations in their report and is something that makes sense for us as we go forward. And so um I asked for um some additional time to be able to review these with um some folks at the state board of education who work on that authorizer report um and to whom I've had uh with
003whom I've had conversation in the past about some of our charter policies. And so I made um just two suggestions. One here that is highlighted um that really just get us like ever so slightly more in line with what the state board had recommended and some of the things that are specifically within the charter commission's own language. And the purpose of that, I think, is just to help ensure that as we do things like intervention, as we do things like approval, authorization, uh, renewal, that we are as closely aligned with what the state policies, um, of the commission are so that if we make a decision, um, it gives us just that much more, um, of an argument to make about our decision to, uh, to the charter commission. And so these really aren't all
004that different than what was here before. Very slight adjustments. And thank you to um everyone on the team for their uh understanding and leeway just to have I know those conversations have been had. I just wanted to also have them myself. So appreciate it. >> Or block with your permission. I'd like to scroll down to other little change that was different from two weeks ago just so everybody can see that >> we did it. >> Yeah. is that? >> So on the first change, the one we just looked at is with the tiered interventions, just specifically saying that we have the ability, which was already in there and is also in our um procedural handbook, but that we do have the ability to both go through the tiered interventions in a structured one tier to
005the next way or um should something be serious enough that we can jump from uh sort of tier one all the way to tier four as needed. Um and then here just getting slightly more specific on renewal criteria um in adding that we would have as um categories among the categories. So including but I'm limited to um categories for renewal criteria that include academic, organizational and financial performance which are just very well aligned to the um initial applications that we see in the uh um the criteria that we use to review those. Um and uh and just reiterating that that's based on what that we are outlining expectations in the agreement in those categories. So again very slight changes. All right. Thank you. So policy 1.900 1.901 1.902 1.903 1.904 1.905 and 1.906 all need
006to be voted on. I am asking that I get a motion for us to move with them uh as a cluster of policies. So all of them together. May I have a motion for approval of all of those policies? >> Motion to approve. Second. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. It's first and seconded. All those in favor, please raise your hand. That appears to be everybody. Thank you so much. That moves us on to 2.800. >> Thank you, chair. Uh 2.800 is one that was not before you last time, but this was a good time to add it in. Uh in policy 2.805, 805, one that you already have and has been on the books for a long time. It says that the the director of schools shall seek approval
007of ex from the board for expenditures over $100,000, which is kind of the contract cap that we have. You know, shall seek approval is terribly non-definitive. Uh so this was a good opportunity to say you know that the board shall actually approve those contracts. Along with that it has been the practice of uh our city's legal department to to uh sort of administratively deal with small uh claims uh small fender bendery type things under a certain threshold. So this just puts all those together. If uh we've got uh Mr. Marsh here from legal and he can correct me if I'm wrong. Uh that cap is set by the metro council and that has been recently raised. So that's what kind of brought this to our attention and that cap is $25,000 for those. So rather
008than actually put those numbers in this policy because invariably if we have $100,000 in one policy and we have $100,000 in another policy, one day a board comes along and says that should be $150,000 and it gets changed one place and it doesn't the other, then it it just creates confusion sometimes. So rather than than try to put different numbers in different places, um we just said that we will follow whatever number is set by the board and whatever number is set by Metro Council for those two situations. >> Correct. So that is again 100,000 and $25,000. Uh is there any discussion from board members? All right. Seeing none, may I have a motion for approval for policy 2.800? 800. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> It's been first and seconded. All those in
009favor of 2.800 with these changes, please raise your hand. That is unanimous. Thank you, chair. And finally, the the as you may remember, uh Tennessee law changed that requires uh school boards, other educational institutions to incorporate a specific non-discrimination policy relative to uh the Jewish people. uh there had been some questions about about that and been working with some members and uh actually I'd like to to reference Dr. uh Nibon McKini I believe she wants to she she's been working to relative to maybe some amending language that she wants to read into the >> are we skipping the instructional one or is that >> it would be instructional program it is in both 4.100 uh 5.5 and 6304 is a reference to the anti-semitism defined and all of those other things. So all three of
010these policies would be touched by whatever changes made. Yeah. So uh Dr. Namala, Kenny, if you will please state what your amended language is. >> Yeah, we uh thank you uh board I was going to call you board chair, former board chair Lrod. Um thank you for the opportunity. Um the new policy um that we are looking to add language to or the amended proposal that we're looking to add language to is the board shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national or origin or disability in its instructional program or activities. This includes discrimination based on any religious belief or non-belief such as anti-semitism, Islamophobia or any forms of religious intolerance. For the purpose of this policy, anti-semitism is defined per state law. Um, and there is an annotated state law
011code that will be included in the policy. >> And just for clarification, that would replace the highlighted section. It would be a a cut and paste essentially >> in the one you see before you on the screen. >> Do we have any discussion? Do we have any discussion on 4.10? >> Yes or >> I'm I'm assuming that that that the language was worked with legal staff. I believe you said that, but just to clarif, >> yes, we did work with um our legal counsel, Justin Marsh. Did you want to contribute anything as it relates to that? It falls within law to be able to uh list the the definition uh within state law because they can refer back to the state statute. >> Thank you. >> I have a quick question. Can we do 4.10,
0125.5, and 6.304 as a block? That would be my preference. >> Okay. All right. Is there any other discussion? Seeing none, may I have a motion for 4.10, 550, and 6.304 to add the language that Dr. Namabini has offered to us. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. Second. All right. It's been first and seconded. All those in favor, please raise your hand. Thank you so much. It's unanimous. And that gets us to 6.312. >> So the last policy before we get into a little bit of other business is related to communication devices. Let me just get down here to it real quick. Um, and this comes to us again from a board member block. So she requested some language around earphones and it as you can see it says including earphones. So, I've spoken with
013her and I believe that meets the intention that she had set forth and I'll let I'd ask that if she had anything to offer that the chair recognize her for that purpose. >> Go ahead. >> Nothing uh nothing in particular to offer except to say thanks and and um I know um at Hillsboro High School, the enforcement of this policy um this year has been uh I have heard from parents and students that it has been very helpful. Um, and so I would love if just the one other thing I would ask is Dr. Battle, would you mind just saying a little bit about sort of like how you all uh work through enforcing this or any other policies like it? >> Sure, I'd be happy to. Um, the one thing I've been uh sharing
014about this particular policy um is that there's actually not much of a practice shift um for um MNS. there were the inclusion of the the earphones and just being explicit around what we mean um for personal devices and other electronic um devices. So, not much shift there. Um I do want to remind um us as a learning community, we are a restorative district and so we take these laws um and we follow them, we adhere to them, but we also want to make sure we're as supportive as we can to our educators and our students. And so, um, simply put, uh, we want to make sure that we're communicating well, often, frequently, um, that we're enforcing, um, the law, but we're also being very mindful of the young people, um, that we serve and the
015way in which they use devices. Today, we have a very, um, kind of progressive discipline process, restorative process um, in house of which our um, school administrators and educators are very familiar with, trained um, in to be as supportive as possible so that we can adhere and be in compliance with state law. Any other discussion? Seeing none, oh, excuse me. >> Okay, seeing none, may I have a motion for approval for 6.312? >> Some move. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> It's been first and seconded. All those in favor of these amendments to 6.312, please raise your hand. That is everyone. Thank you so much. That gets us to a school calendar discussion in regards to our upcoming special election. For that, I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Battle and her
016team to present some options to us for us to discuss as a board. So, Dr. Battle, may I pass it on? >> Just excited about election. >> Thank you, chair. Um, thank you, school board members. Um, I have invited um Mora Sullivan up, our chief operating officer to lead us in this discussion. Um this is a discussion that um may could involve um board member um approval, board approval um at some point depending on the direction we go. But we wanted to just make sure um the full board was aware um of the current um circumstance and the impact it could have to the school calendar um the advisement and kind of the study that u myself and my team are um undertaking to bring back the best recommendation um that's the least disruptive um
017to our schools but also keep safety and security at the top of um our agenda. And so, um, Chief, um, Morris Sullivan is going to walk us through the current circumstance that has an impact that could have an impact on our school calendar, um, and our current thinking, um, about, um, where we are and then we'll, no action is needed today. We will bring back a recommendation to the entire board for approval if needed. Chief Sullivan, >> thank you, Dr. Battle. Uh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Madame Committee Chair, for giving us a few moments um on your calendar. Um on July 24th, we were advised by the election commission that the governor had called a special election to fill the seat of US Representative Mark Green, Congressional District 7, who had recently resigned.
018The dates for the election were set by the governor as being October 7th and December 2nd. And as Congressional District 7 encompasses parts of Davidson County, this will affect our schools as several serve as polling places. Here's the list of schools um in Congressional District 7 that serve as polling places. You see uh that we have schools uh throughout the district. We have um about 20 sites that will be impacted. So, we immediately started started looking at what our options could be. Of course, serving as a polling site is an honor in our democracy, but for an active school building, it's also a challenge, particularly when you are already when you have already set your calendar. Since our school calendar is already set, we as a district support staff have begun workshopping various options that
019we could use to react and respond to this called election. You will see on this chart various options that we are working through now evaluating their pros and cons before we bring a recommended course of action to our superintendent. At that time, she will bring, as she said, that recommendation to the board for any course of action. These options include plans such as closing school these days and using two of our inclement weather days to modifying our calendar to swap professional development days. But again, we're we're looking very quickly to evaluate all the pros and cons, think about things such as security, safety, our facilities, where we can accommodate the election safely if we can do both at the same time, etc. So, we're um we're looking at all those options very quickly and we'll
020get a recommendation to Dr. Battle soon. >> Thank you um Chief Sullivan and of course um bringing it before you in this governance committee meeting would um be happy to hear any um thoughts um or priorities um from the board here or outside um directly to me um of the board meeting. um if there's anything you would like to have us consider um or be advised around as we are kicking around some and what you see here are just some examples of pros um and cons. This could be a multi-page deck if we try to include everything here, but we just wanted to capture um some of the ways we're thinking about the pros and cons. I just also want to just reemphasize um we set our um calendar uh months in advance of the
021start of the school year. Um, actually we do this two semesters prior. Um, and so this is a late notice. It's one that we know could have impact and implications to both our educators and our families. And so we want to be extremely mindful um of that, which is why we're not bringing a recommendation today. We want to be very thoughtful um and deliberate in how we manage this particular situation. One of which we just could not have planned for before the start of the school year. So I will pause there um committee chair um rod and if there are any questions discussions um we would be happy to cap happy to capture those as well as beyond the governor's committee meeting may I see the list of schools please real quick of course >>
022thank you um I'd like to pri I will see I see Dr. Dr. Naba McKini's question. I will get to you. I'd like to prioritize first asking the board members that will be affected by this. So, um, Dr. I mean, not Dr. Dr. Taylor, Mr. Taylor, member Taylor, do you have any concerns or questions? Uh, to make sure that we get to you first because it will impact your district. Well, usually I allow the ladies to go first, but um since you insist, >> I play a doctor on TV, too. >> But um my first thought, I saw a lot of um in the pros and cons. They talked about safety for our students. And so I think that's priority. I also serve as a poll official um for the election commission on those days.
023And um I can understand the challenges operationally if we were to keep school in session, >> allow voters into the building um at the same time as our students, um does the election commission or does the state provide funding to support security for our students or additional security? >> Um thank you for your question. Um to our knowledge, they do not provide any funding for that. Um and given your experience um with the um commission um there's um some competing kind of tensions around um what safety and security should look like around polling sites um as well. And so our team has been working closely with um M&PD as well as the commission um to to learn more about what the balance um could be. Um we also know for a number of years now
024um because of safety and security we've made decisions around our calendar um to to protect for that. So no additional funding that we are aware of and there's competing kind of priorities around the tensions around what safety and security should look like on at polling sites on election days. >> Okay. Member O'Hara block I see Hillwood. Do you have any >> um Hillwood >> is my Aken Hillsboro >> Aken Silven Park um >> and we are not we don't have a Hillwood high we sure >> don't but that is a building that could be polling place and there are still folks who are in and around >> my is it is used it's used as an early voting site and um a election day site. >> So sorry I saw Hill and just went with
025it. >> I do actually have though I I just in looking at just about all of you do. >> Yeah. Just in looking at the couple of schools that u S Park and Aken I mean I'm thinking about what I know about those buildings and where you could potentially provide a larger room with a secure setting, but it would to member Taylor's point require additional security. Um possible, yes, additional security also required. Um and so that does seem to be the primary challenge. It does. It would look to me, at least for the schools that I know on this list that I've been in, like there might be one large room, but maybe not. Nope, not all of them. There you go. >> Remember Tyler? >> Yeah, Gower Elementary does not have a location that
026would be easily accessible out of the way of where the students are. They flow directly into an open area where all the students switch back and forth to get to specials to get. So yeah, as you can imagine, this takes um this is kind of a case by case scenario because all of our buildings are designed um very differently. And so part of us being >> trying to be intentional, slow about bringing a recommendation is making sure we understand uh what the potential implications are for each school site. >> Would it be possible to go to the slide that shows the different choices again? Thank you. >> While you're reviewing those, do you mind if I move real quick? Dr. Dama McKitty, let's hear your questions. Um, so I do have uh Margaret Allen that's
027in my district um as well that that's on the slide. My I guess my question for you is um around days to make up um given that it's a federal state election. Those days aren't exempt. We still have to make up those days within our calendar days that we are required. Like is there any exemption from the state or federal? We we already accounted for the normal election days in our calendar. So these are additional special election days, if you will. Um and so those are not accounted for. When we account for those in our calendar, we actually have to use our own stockpile days um because there's no um law or rule that school can't like those two things can't happen simultaneously. We have as a community prioritized um safety and security in this
028space. And so the last few years we've just been building our calendar um around it. So if the question is is there some type of waiver or exemption um to that to our knowledge no. Um there is one option here where we would have to collaborate um with the Tennessee Department of Education to determine um if some of the waiver examples um would apply in this particular situation. And so um this would be the first go at it. So we would need to learn a little bit more um about the requirement for using days that are listed here. Um, so there's a few that will require state approval. Um, and then with regards to making up days, that would also require a waiver and approval from um, Tennessee Department um, of education. Um, normally when
029you exhaust those days without approval, you are in a makeup situation. For us would mean we would be making up days after Memorial Day. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I guess that's my concern since it is a federal state election done by the governor special election like the feasibility of us having some type of exemption so that we wouldn't have to use inclement weather or makeup days to do that instructional time. I if we could explore. >> Yeah, there's a few there's a few um examples here that would we would need to obtain pre-approval. Got >> um if it were if it were exemptable um for us given the type of day that's displayed. >> Thank you. Member Mazize. Along those same lines, um would it be a possibility to if we have to use those
030inclement weather days to add those back to just be given a couple of days back to the calendar if that makes sense? Um yes, but it has other kind of domino effect implications. Um so it'll it would either be adding days, which means we're in school longer after Memorial Day. It could be replacing days like swapping out days which means you'll be reducing the number of professional development days or other vacation days. So all of that um is possible but have implications. I mean for our families who planned um for a calendar we just have to understand that it would have some negative impact on them. There are some HR um complications with how many days fall within a pay window like we would have to um work through all of those logistics once we
031have a um decision made. I will note that we are not the only district impacted by this. So, we have been reaching out to other districts to see they're all over the place. Um I think every district we've talked to right now all dealing with it um differently. Um and so I can't say there's even a trend right now around what um districts are doing because everybody's just in a very different um space. >> Okay. Actually, what I meant more was like banking those days, not necessarily using them for instructional days. And what I mean is, if we have to use two of our snow days to cover this, can we get those days put back in our bank in the event that we have to use them later? >> Um, right now, no. Okay.
032>> Um, that right now that's not how the formula works. Um, it would go back to the u last question about getting some type of waiver >> if it was approvable. We're not sure yet. This is a new situation on if that would be approvable. >> Do we know I'm sorry. Do we know what type of timeline that we're looking at if we submit a request for a waiver? >> Oh, no. I I don't. But I'm sure um that the commissioner, her team would understand the pressure that the district is under in making a decision. Um they've been pretty responsive um in the past around these types of conversations um and waiverss, but I can't time stamp it um for them per se. >> Thank you. I was gonna I'll go with um I'll go
033with Zach and then Freda and then I'll give mine. All right. Go ahead. >> Have we I think I feel like I probably know the answer to this, but is the election commission able to consolidate some precincts um given that it's a special and turnout is lower? For example, Gateway Elementary, um, that precinct exists and there's on election day, I'll put a $20 bill down, there will be no more than 20 people that vote in person in Gateway Elementary on election day, but just because it's drawn because of how a state senate and a house and a congressional all converge and it's just it's about 50 houses that vote at that precinct. And so I that's that's a location where I'm not as concerned about the security because you're going to have 20 people come
034in and out the building throughout the day. Um, I'm curious if it's if we've asked the election commission about trying to consolidate to maybe some of the larger schools like where it's probably more feasible at Hunter's Lane to, you know, sanction off the the gym and like that's, you know, voter only. And is it disruptive to the school to not use the gym that day? Yes, but it's light years less disruptive than some of these other options. I feel like the election commission would push back and say, "Well, no, they need voters to vote on what's on their card." But I didn't know, and I don't know if this is a question for our attorneys or board, I mean, election commission attorneys as to where there's there's leeway when it's a special election. Um, >>
035yeah, I'll I'll let um Chief Sullivan um chime in here, but a couple things. There are a few districts, school districts that have zero um schools schools impacted by this because of how their county decides polling sites. Um I will also share that in years past when we've tried to not let in years past we've only expanded the number of school sites as opposed to decrease them. um because when this started to really be a thorn um in our side around being in school versus not, we actually tried to get to a reduction, but I my experience has been that it's usually not met with um any approval given the assignment and just the protections around um elections. But you Sullivan, anything you want to add? You have a lot more experience with this than
036I. >> Um as a I I'll put a different hat on for a minute. as a former election commissioner. >> Um I will say uh that um it is um it is advantageous to use schools um from an election standpoint. Um from a school standpoint, it's really hard on us as I said in this. It's an honor, but it's hard. Um so I I hear what you're saying. Um and but from an election standpoint, it is um schools are handicap accessible. they have great access. They're known in the community. These, you know, they these types of things that are important and um vital to to allowing access for electors um and um to voters and um uh changing and consolidating polling sites is something that um elected commissioners can vote to do, can meet and
037vote to do. uh it is um it is you have certain windows within which you can do that. We may already be past that and um I haven't looked at the dates for this election but but it's also that creates confusion >> uh for uh for voters. So it is >> yeah and I'll say >> we'll ask the question. I mean I don't think it it hurts to ask. So, let's ask the question um just to make sure we're not leaving any option um on the table. We are just speaking from our experience. So, let's ask the question and see um what we receive back >> and our election commission has been just fantastic to work with. So, >> chair player, >> this is a little bit out of the box, but would it be
038possible to move portables and have the portal would be the election location on school property? Something like if Gower doesn't have an isolated gym, but I know I'm feeling this logistics of moving a portal from one place to another, if we even have extra portables at that. Yeah, we and it is I don't know if everyone understands how expensive it is to move portables. We're talking I mean it is yeah [Music] >> yeah and it takes time. I we probably don't even have enough time to do it at this point nor do we have access for >> Good idea. I mean um good thinking but yeah. >> Yeah. >> I like the thinking outside the box. Again, that's remember remember when I said that list is much longer of the pros and cons. So my
039request would be for us to lean away from anything that requires state approval be that whether it's the virtual learning days or even if we're making a decision based upon them potentially forgiving those days being missed to school as historically those can take a long time to get approval on and it can be questionable whether we get that approval or not for all kinds of reasons and I know that we need to get this decision to our parents and to our staff as soon as possible. The option that seems to be the best of these solutions that are good solutions that have been provided to us um for a situation we have not created is to modify the calendar changing the PD days. If I understand it correctly, and I want to make sure I
040understand it correctly, are we saying that we would in essence change PD days from what are currently scheduled as PD days to now be PD days on December 7th, excuse me, October 7th and December 2nd. And so we would have days that would then those students would then come in on those days that are now currently listed as PD days. and that those days would then be turned into PD PD days on the 7th and the 2nd. >> Yeah, that is um one example. Um however, um yes, and there's several cons um to that um as well from other metrics, accountability things. We we just want to be very thoughtful um and we want to be able to lay all of that out um for um the board as we um advise because some of
041these seem pretty simple on the surface until you start thinking about all the downsides um to doing that including the accountability we have around attendance and the accountability we have around u making our payroll cycles. I think this is where this one came up. So like there are some heavy tradeoffs um from some that seem um smaller. We also know in that particular case you would be switching days. You wouldn't be losing a day, but you would be switching days for parents and families calendars and and things of that nature. So yes, um and I want to make sure that we're laying out all the downsides so that we're all on the same page around what we're trading off when we do that. >> I think it has a high level of confusion for families
042because they will have the old calendar because they are like myself. They printed it off, put it on their um refrigerator and that's what it is. it's already in their iPhone. Uh, and so there will be confusion about that. The easiest thing it seems to message is either that schools are open or schools are closed. Um, and so I think that's probably where we need to make a decision is they're either closed and we use our weather days and that would be my preference for safeties. Um, and then if they're open, um, I understand that there's a lot of understandable concerns about additional policing at polling sites, but I think that will be requested by families as well. So, um, are there any other questions on the board floor? Miss Tyler, >> um, and forgive
043me if this has already been discussed, but do we have a security plan? Have we talked to MNPD about what that would look like already? Do they have availability to help us on those days? Do we know? >> Um, it's complicated, but yes, our team has been in conversation with um MNPD. Remember, it's so what we're up against here is there's a school safety and security plan and then there's election commission safety and security plan. And those two convergent don't always have the same priorities around um how you have a successful day or election cycle. And so, um, Chief Sullivan and her team have already started conversations. We wanted to bring it today because this is timely, um, and it will have an impact on everyone in our learning community. So, we just want to
044make sure everyone knows that this is something we're going to be bringing back um, soon. But, that is part um, of retention and we're having those um, conversations. We would say more, they would say less, as an example. So, we're just trying to create um again a balance um but making sure that the main things continue to be the main things for us as a school district. >> Member base. >> Yes. Just one other thing to consider um as we talk about potentially closing schools even though it would uh you know we would potentially just close schools that would be the best idea. you have to consider the parents who would also have to get child care for those those additional days. So don't want to lose sight of that because that is definitely going
045to impact families as well. >> Absolutely. >> One last question. Um because of the potential that this is pretty disruptive to folks's calendar and schedules, are we hoping that at our next board meeting, we'll have something in place and if we need to take action, we'll have that before us because I I would want to make sure if we are going to close schools, we give folks a >> absolutely. So, we didn't want to just wait until next board cycle. We wanted to make sure that the awareness was there and that we're going to be bringing um our best thinking and recommendation back um for the board um to consider. >> Within that recommendation, will you also include like how that's going to be messaged to students and staff and families? >> We'll bring Yes,
046we'll bring as much of it as we can so we can hit go once we have approval on the plan. >> Thank you so much. >> All right. Thank you so much, Chief Sullivan. >> Thank you. >> All right. Be no further business, this meeting is adjourned. They had great success with the tutoring