001[music] [singing] [music] >> Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Hey. >> [music] >> Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Hey. >> [music] [music] >> Okay. Welcome everybody. I'll call us order. Sorry, we're running a little bit late. We had a lengthy work session, but we appreciate uh everyone being here. Uh with that, roll call, please. >> Chairman Smith. Here. Mrs. Black. Here. Mr. Connor. Here. Mr. Daughtry. Here. Mr. Graham. Here. Mrs. Hadden. Mrs. Jones. Mr. Keen. Here. Mrs. Shafer. Here. Mr. Slater. Here. Ms. Thomas. Here. Superintendent Dr. Robertson. Here. Okay, I'll ask for an approval of tonight's agenda. Motion to approve. >> Have a motion, need a second. Do I get a second? No lights, no questions. Roll call. Mrs. Black. Yes.
002Mr. Connor. Yes. Mr. Daughtry. Yes. Mr. Graham. Yes. Mr. Keen. Yes. Mrs. Shafer. Yes. Mr. Slater. Yes. Ms. Thomas. Yes. Chairman Smith. Yes. 9-0, motion carries. Pledge to flag and meditation, Deonna Upton. Woodmore Elementary School. Welcome, Woodmore. Good evening. Good evening. At this time, would everyone stand for our pledge to the flag? Attention, salute, pledge. I pledge allegiance 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. Thank you. You may be seated. Good evening again. My name is Deonna Upton, and I am the principal at Woodmore Elementary School, and I want to say thank you for inviting us to come this evening. So, again, good evening, Chairman Smith, school board members, and Dr. Superintendent Robinson. Uh
003this evening, I have brought Ms. Ilona Carlson with me this evening. She is a third grade teacher and my lead uh chairperson for that grade this school year. And so, her and a couple other staff members have um launched a new leadership initiative, uh building leadership with our students. And so, she wanted to share just a little about her experience with her group. This year has felt heavy. I can feel it every morning when my students walk through the classroom door. They carry the weight of these times. My third grade students have many needs this year, but more than anything, they want to be seen and heard. During a recent professional development conversation, a veteran teacher said something that has really stayed with me. No one talks to these kids. Not because families don't care,
004don't love, don't cherish their children, but because the world has grown louder and more crowded. Screens, social media, the news, conversations get swallowed by the noise. And children who are hardwired for connection are left searching for it. Raising the next generation has always taken a village. My students are not only watching their families, they are watching all of us, parents, teachers, and community leaders to understand what leadership looks like. And when the world feels unpredictable, children search for steady ground. They look to the adults around them for examples of how to act, how to treat others, and how to respond when things feel uncertain. Because whether we realize it or not, they are always watching. And they are learning what leadership looks like from the way we live it. That means my classroom is not
005just a place of learning, it is a place where leadership is modeled every day. One thing I deeply appreciate about this generation is their honesty. They're not weighed down by the expectation that they should be quiet followers. They are bold, they ask questions, they challenge ideas, and they want to understand the why behind everything. When I ask them for feedback about their learning, they don't hold back. They want to know why the things are the way they are, they want to know how their learning connects to the real world, and they want to know how it matters. But they are also carrying burdens that make perseverance harder. For some students, perseverance means means finishing their writing assignment, but for others, it means trying to focus on that assignment while their mind is somewhere else, wondering
006if there will be dinner, or if anyone will be missing from the table when they get home. So, when I teach perseverance, I know I am teaching something bigger than academic stamina. I am teaching the kind of resilience that leaders need. Recently, when we heard the news that Reverend Jesse Jackson had passed away, I found myself thinking about the first time I saw him speak. As a child, I stood in a crowd at one of his rallies. I remember the energy in the room, the sense that something important was being asked of us. He spent his life reminding people of a simple truth. Leadership is not something we wait for, leadership is something we step into. And that is exactly what I see happening in my classroom. Because I hope that my students are learning
007beyond the curriculum, and that they are learning how to lead. I help run this student leadership group with a colleague, Dr. Ladd, where we invite members from our community to role model for our students. We've had several city council members, and when city councilman Ronald Elliott visited, one of my students asked him, "What role does trust play in your role as a councilman?" He talked with them about public trust, about being responsible with taxpayer money, and making decisions that people can believe in. But, some of the most powerful conversations about leadership came directly from the students themselves. When I asked one student what leadership means, he said, "It's telling other people the right thing to do." So, I asked him, "What is the right thing to do?" He thought for a moment and said, "Most
008kids are followers, so they need to see the right thing to do." Another student explained leadership this way, "We should follow directions because we a future and we need a life. Others talked about respect. If we stop being mean to other people, if a leader wants to be loved by the whole world, they have to respect everyone in the whole world. Another said that we need a leader for everyone because if someone is a leader for some people, it's like declaring war against everyone else. And another added something simple but powerful. Be respectful to others even if they are not your friend because then they will respect you. These are 8 and 9-year-olds. But when you listen closely, you realize that they already understand something important. And they are already paying close attention to what
009leadership looks like in the world around them. One of the most powerful things I see is what happens when a student is given an opportunity to lead. Even the students who struggle the most with expectations become the strongest leaders when they are given the chance. At our school, we say lead by example. And when students are trusted with leadership, something powerful happens. They rise. Because for a moment, they are handed something that the world does not always give them, a voice. A chance to make decisions, a chance to speak, a chance to be seen. And when students feel heard, something changes. They discover that their voice matters. They discover that they matter. And that's where leadership begins. Because the truth is the children sitting in our classrooms today are the ones who will carry the
010weight of the world tomorrow. And the leadership they learn from us today will shape how they carry it. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Thank you for the incredible work you guys are doing over there at Woodmore. So, uh Coach James, I understand we've got some champions in the house. It's good to be a calming place here for for Soddy Daisy. Uh first of all, Dr. Robertson, uh chairperson uh Joe Smith, friend of mine, and distinguished board members. Uh I would like to take the opportunity to present a a team uh before you that has uh unbridled accomplishments. There's no comparison uh in the in our district or really if you have to search around the state to find uh any type of similar uh accomplishment. So, I'm going to just go ahead and read this
011uh this exemplar. It is great pride that we recognize an extraordinary accomplishment by Soddy Daisy High School wrestling. The program has achieved a historic milestone by winning both the TSSAA State Duals Championship and the TSSAA State Traditional Championship for three consecutive years in a row. Wow. If you're counting, that's six combined state championships in a 3-year period. It is unprecedented, a three-peat uh in both the team and traditional formats. It's the first time in our Chattanooga area that this has occurred. And the sustained excellence of the program affects uh reflects the outstanding coaching discipline of the student athletes and the strong school and community support by Soddy Daisy. So, um represented by the school board member from that district, Mr. Steve Slater. I'd like to recognize you Mr. Slater for your continued support. Community Superintendent
012Dr. Lee Ziegler, Principal Ms. Angie Cass, and their Athletic Director uh Jared Hensley. So, I'm going to get you guys lined up. If we can just bring you down the center aisle, take this way, and we'll start out with the coaches. Coach Laxton, if you could bring your coaches with you. We're going to introduce you guys. And as I call your name and recognize you, just hang on here for a second. Uh I don't think people really wrest- wrestling, I'm a former wrestler. I think wrestling is the toughest sport on campus. Uh it it's a physically exhaustive combative. And Joe, you may I I've never never boxed other than getting my head beat in by Jay Bell when I was a kid, but uh uh I've I've joined a pretty good club on that one
013apparently, but but at the end of the day, it it's 6 minutes of of agony uh of of all body total engagement by your core, your legs, your upper body. And the other guy that you're wrestling or female that you're wrestling trying to do the same to you. So, it it it is a tough guy sport, tough lady sport. So, Coach Brad Laxton, uh state champion coach from Soddy Daisy High School. >> [applause] >> I'm going to go ahead and call out your other coaches even though I'm not all are present. Coach Ashley Brooks, Coach Mason Smelcher, and Coach Jake McClure. Wre- wre- For those of you don't know it, wrestl- wrestling season at from a coaching standpoint is it it it is a grueling time period. Begins in November, you go through Thanksgiving, you
014go you go through Christmas, you're going to tournaments every weekend. You you get up, you go to a tournament at at 4:00 on a Friday afternoon, you get home at midnight, you go back at 7:00 a.m. You wrestle till 9:00, 10:00 at night. It is a it takes a true commitment of somebody with a love the sport and love for kids. So, coaches, thank you for all you have done. Uh aside from the state championship. >> [applause] >> All right. We could go ahead and have the roster file down here. Help me out. I've got uh this is uh Ms. Shirley McCollough. She has a certificate for you. She will hand it to you uh when I call your name. And if you will take your certificate and line up across the front here by
015your coaches, then we will give everybody around applause. You will turn around and file through and shake hands with the with the school board members and then we will convene outside. All right? So, we're going to start off with Mr. Chance Brooks. Mr. Chandler Brooks. Mr. Colin Bull. I think we'll be seeing you again next month when we celebrate individual state champions. Uh Mr. Brody Castlin. Mr. Samuel Day. Mr. Jackson Edmonson. Mr. Jacob Elsa. Not present? Mr. Tyson Flavin. Mr. Rainer Garcia. Not present? Mr. Fisher Higgins. Not present? Mr. William Holloway. Finally got one. Mr. Aiden Jenkins. I'm going to I'm going to embarrass you for a minute cuz I'm a former coach's son as well. Uh coach's son Loudon Laxton or Jake Laxton and Loudon Laxton. Mr. Cole Meister. I'm going to try I'm
016going to make sure I get this one right. Mr. Nathaniel Mugasha Rot. Mr. Luke Myhand. Mr. Logan Rawson. Raw listen. Caden Roberts. Now, this young man told he asked that I introduce him as the Emmet Rose. Uh he placed fourth in the district. He said he is a legend in parts of Soddy Daisy and Bakewell. >> [laughter] >> So. Mr. Tucker Ross. Cooper Shroud and not present is Edith Province. All right. Let's give these these guys a great round of applause. >> [applause] >> But you guys kind of scrunch up together here a little bit. Let's get everybody where we can get a team photo. Can I say I've been waiting 2 weeks for this night? >> [laughter] >> All right. All right. For for those that real quick that don't don't realize this, the
017county commission committed a couple years ago to provide state championship rings uh for every So, you guys will be going before the county commission before long uh to get your state champion. I I noticed uh you your head your hand is getting kind of heavy over there. So, that's that's a good problem to have. And we would love to see a we would see love to see a four-peat next year. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for repre- representing Hamilton County Schools in a positive manner. And uh Godspeed, man. Y'all have a great night and congratulations on on a great accomplishment. >> [applause] >> CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD JOB. HEY, Y'ALL NEED TO come in the boxing gym and office. Come on. Good job. Y'all need to come in the boxing gym and office. Thank
018you. Nice class. Good job. Nice work. Congratulations. Sorry, messing with your phone. Good job. Love the top. Good job. The Good job, coach. Keep it up. Thank you. Thanks. >> Well, that's pretty special. Congratulations. Soddy Daisy. Maybe Signal Mountain will be back in the next year. As runners-up? Well, I've been boxing all my life and I've never finished worse than second, so. >> [laughter] >> So, more more gets claimed. I don't think we have anybody tonight do. That went right over most people's head. Okay, I'll ask for an approval of our consent agenda. So moved. Got a motion, need a second. I need a second. Second. Okay, I got a second. No lights, roll call, please. Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Daugherty? Yes. Mr. Graham? Yes. Mr. Keene? Yes. Mrs. Shafer? Yes. Mr.
019Slater? Yes. Ms. Thomas? Yes. Chairman Smith? Yes. 9-0 motion carried. Takes us down all the way down to administrative business matters and we have a request for a new and updated job class description. Need a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Second. Got a motion and a second. No lights, roll call. Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Daugherty? Yes. Mr. Graham? Yes. Mr. Keene? Yes. Mrs. Shafer? Yes. Mr. Slater? Yes. Ms. Thomas? Yes. Chairman Smith? Yes. 9-0 motion carries. Under operations, I need a motion to approve Tanner Middle High Academy electrical easement. Motion to approve. Second. Got a motion and a second. Seeing no lights, roll call, please. >> Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Daugherty? Yes. Mr. Graham? Yes. Mr. Keene? Yes. Mrs. Shafer? Yes. Mr. Slater? Yes. Ms. Thomas? Yes. Chairman
020Smith? Yes. 9-0 motion carries. Okay, but you know that it's passed. >> Yes. It's just okay. Do do we get any kind of compensation for that easement, Dr. Roberts? No. I don't think we do. I think it's just an easement put in the Yeah. All right, thanks. Okay. That takes us down to approval of school fees. I need a motion to approve. Motion. Got a motion, need a second. No lights, roll call. Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Daugherty? Yes. Mr. Graham? Yes. Mr. Keene? Yes. Mrs. Shafer? Yes. Mr. Slater? Yes. Ms. Thomas? Yes. Chairman Smith? Yes. 9-0 motion carries. Takes us down to second reads policies and what I'd like to do, correct me if I'm out of order here, Mr. Bennett. Um I would like to get a motion to approve all
021of these. Uh and if there's one that somebody wants to pull and talk about and we approve separately, we can do that, too. With that being said, I would like a motion to approve proposed policy revision second read. Motion to approve. Second. Okay, and then I got I got a light. Do you have a question? I I basically it's a statement more than a question. >> Okay. I just want to I want to bring something up. I think we've done a really good job with appearances before the board. I think we've we've specifically listened to the public to make sure that we're not um uh asking for too much information from them and still getting good impact uh input. But it was brought to my attention after the meeting and I wanted to say this
022out loud. We ask for people to sign up for public comment by 4:00 p.m. on Monday before our board meeting. But by state law, our agenda doesn't actually have to be posted until 48 hours before that meeting. So, there's a full day where we could not have the agenda posted and they have to pick something from the agenda to want to talk about. So, I think that we should be cognizant of that the next time we go to look at this policy and or just make a policy that we have our agenda out earlier than that. Um I it's a conflict there. Somebody doesn't know they want to talk about something because they haven't been able to see our agenda. Our agenda comes out Monday night or Tuesday morning and then they can't sign up.
023So, just just a kind of mis- got. I know that normally our agenda is out before them, but the laws do not coincide. So, can you get maybe get with Shannon kind of clean that up and then bring it to our next policy >> Yes, sir. committee, okay. Okay, so I've got a motion and properly second on the floor to approve all of these second reads. I I just had a question. >> Okay, go ahead, Ms. Jackie. I had a question about the visitors to the to the school policy. I was just wondering >> Uh we're going that that'll be next, Jackie. We hadn't quite got there yet. >> Oh, okay. >> That'll be the very next thing. Okay. So, need a roll call. Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Daugherty? Yes. Mr. Graham?
024Yes. Mr. Keene? Yes. Mrs. Shafer? Yes. Mr. Slater? Yes. Ms. Thomas? Yes. Chairman Smith? Yes. 9-0 motion carries. Okay, now first and final read visitors to the school. Let me get a motion and then I'm going to call on you, Ms. Jackie. Motion to approve. Motion to approve. I need a second. Second. I got a motion and a second. Now, Ms. Jackie, you have a question, comment. I just wanted to My question, I guess, is how we going to enforce people to pay since this is our policy. Um that when we when we like if if the board, from my understanding reading this, if they tack a fine onto the Hamilton County School System and I understand parents will be suspended or and all of that, but we can't pass that make them pay this
025fee we're trying that we're saying they will be responsible for paying. We will still be responsible for paying the correct The school is responsible. >> Right. The school will be [clears throat] responsible and but there's no way we really can recoup the money. I mean, like we couldn't take them to court and say like if with this is our policy. So, we couldn't take anybody to court and say you owe this fee because we had to pay it because of your behavior. So, I'm saying if it's not enforceable, uh I mean, it's enforceable in that that if they come back on the property, we ask them to leave. >> they're there because they want to see a sporting event. That's how we got fined. And so, until they reimburse the school system, they can't come
026back to the next sporting event. Yeah, I understand that, but is that I mean, is that a life safe a life is that a lifetime ban or just for that school year or or what? That's that's my question, I guess, because It would be until they reimburse us. Okay. Okay. Okay. I got one more light over here, Steve Slater. Okay. Here's what brought this on. Um this has always been kind of a a standing thing. The TSSAA fines the school if somebody gets thrown out of a contest. And it's always been whoever got thrown out reimburses the school $250. We had one this past year that and it wasn't in my district, by the way, that said, "Show me that in writing." Well, we didn't have anything in writing. So, what the athletic committee um
027decided to do was put this in writing and it basically says that if you don't reimburse the school, then you're suspended for the rest of the year from all extracurricular activities. So, just rest of the year. Okay. Okay. All right, no more questions, no lights, roll call. >> [cough] [clears throat] >> Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Daugherty? Yes. Mr. Graham? Yes. Mr. Keene? Yes. Mrs. Shafer? Yes. Mr. Slater? Yes. Ms. Thomas? Yes. Chairman Smith? Yes. 9-0 motion carries. Okay. Uh you have in your hands the first run at the 2027-28 calendar. Uh so, for information now, we understand that's a that's a first read, a rough draft. I don't have that. Uh you don't have it? We don't have it, Ms. Jackie? It's just Some of us have it, some of us don't.
028Okay. So, for now, it's just a it's just a first read, so uh play with it, criticize it, brag on it, do what you will. We're going to have a survey out as well. >> Okay. All right, very good. Okay, down to events and announcements. I have a I have a Do you want me to get with her later? On the calendar? >> On the calendar. Yeah, yeah, just get with her. Okay. Spring break next week. Uh that'll be a lot of fun for everybody. Be careful wherever you go. Uh professional development on the 20th, no students that day. 26th, uh community budget information session at Red Bank Middle School. I guess that's uh Mr. Connors' uh area over there. March the 30th, community budget at Harrison Elementary School. April the 2nd, uh Facebook Live.
029April the 3rd is a spring holiday, no school. Central offices close that day as well. And then April the 6th, facilities and finance committee meeting. And earlier we announced the next policy meeting. Can you give me that date one more time? June the 9th 9th >> Okay. That's all I have. Anybody got anything else? What What time do the budget committee meetings start? You got something right here? Okay. 5:30. Thank you. Okay. Uh Mr. Grohn, you got something here. I was just a just a shout-out to a senior at my high school that's playing baseball against Hixson today. He is the leading um base stealer in the entire district by far this year. Okay. >> probably add to the total. And his name? Uh DeMarcus Scruggs. He was the starting quarterback. Very good. Also this
030year. Congratulations, Mr. Massengill. Okay. Being no more business, we stand adjourned. Man. >> [music]