001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Laughter] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, hey, [Music] hey. Hey, [Music] heat. Hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] going to call 12 quarterly session board of education meeting to order. Roll call. Chairman Smith. Mrs. Black here. Mr. Connor Aia Key. Mr. Dy here. Mr. Gro here. Mrs. Haden here. Ms. Jones present. Mr. Teen. Oh, he here. But he on the phone like Mrs. Schaeer here. Mr. Slater
002here. Ms. Thomas here. Superintendent Dr. Robertson here. Okay. Next we have the approval of the agenda. Oh, that's right. Hold, please. Next, we'll have the pledge to the flag and meditation by Melanie Commander, principal of Rivermont Elementary School. Did I get that right? Yes. Go ahead. You ready? Yeah, I'm ready. I wasn't sure. Some people say something before. So that's why I was going to give you a little I was told to pledge first and second however you want to do it. Okay. I 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. Good evening members of the school board, colleagues, and community members. As we gather tonight, I want to offer a brief reflection
003rooted in summer and the sea. As I begin my new journey as the principal at Rivermont Elementary, I found myself reflecting on a symbol that captures both the wonder of nature and the promise of transformation, the nautilus shell. For many of us, the nautilus brings the mind of summer days, walks along the beach, collecting shells, the salty breeze, and the excitement of discovery. Its spiraled form, smooth and intricate, feels timeless, something ancient we can hold in our hands. It's a reminder of joy, curiosity, and the quiet rhythm of the waves. Experiences that ground us even as it even as they invite us to dream. But the nautilus more is more than just a beautiful shell. It's a living metaphor. As it grows, the nautilus doesn't discard its old chambers. Instead, it builds upon them, creating
004ever winding spirals. each room a record of where it's been. Each one making space for where it's going. In the same way, our work in education is both rooted and reaching. We honor the past, the people and principles that brought us here, and we expand into new ideas, new challenges, new partnerships. Each school year is like a new chamber we construct together with care, intention, and hope. As a new principal, I think of our work like the shell. We don't discard what came before. We grow from it, expanding chamber by chamber, always learning, always evolving. I begin this journey not from scratch, but from strength, from tradition, trust, and possibility. And so I leave you with the final lines of a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Chamber Nautilus. Build thee more stately mansions, oh
005my soul. As the swift seasons roll, leave thy low vaulted past. Let each new temple nobler than the last shut thee from heaven from a dome more vast till thou art length are free leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea. So as we gather tonight enjoying summer extra time with family rest and reflection I invite us to carry that spirit of exploration forward. Let's remember that we're not starting from scratch but building on something strong. Together, we're shaping the next spiral of life in our schools and the lives of our students and families we serve. I can't wait to begin this journey with imagination, gratitude, boldness, one chamber at a time. [Applause] We need to greet just vingish members of the board. Uh we are here uh for exemplar tonight. We're going to recognize
006coach Norma Nelson uh from district 7 East Hamilton High School. Have coach Nelson here to my right. Uh principal Brent Eller and their athletic AP, excuse me, uh Mr. Keith Booker. So tonight we're here we're here to celebrate a milestone in coaching. Um I give you a little background. I coached for 31 years on the sideline. Coach Nelson might have a year or two on me, but to kind of put things in in in perspective to you, I think my career wins were around 89 90 somewhere like that. Coach Nelson has had 900 wins in her career. So, um, I'd like to read a little bit about her. Um, Coach Nelson is a 19 1982 graduate and classmate of mine, proud pioneer. Uh she went on uh to uh that's East Ridge High School for
007for the the people that don't know who the Pioneers are. Uh she went on to Cleveland uh State Community College, graduated from there and went on to UTC, got her degree in 88. She was a standout softball player at Eastridge High School and at Cleveland State. Uh she quickly transitioned uh into education, dedicated actually the past 36 years in education. Norma, just uh thank you so much for everything you've done. Uh throughout her distinguished coaching career, Coach Nelson has achieved, of course, her 900 wins. Uh her teams have earned one state championship, four state runnerups, uh and numerous district and region titles. Her outstanding contributions to sport have earned her induction into the USA softball hall of fame uh for the state of Tennessee, the Cleveland State Community College Hall of Fame, and most recently
008the Eastridge High School Hall of Fame. She's also a 2024 recipient of the AF Bridges uh female coach of the year. So, Coach Nelson exemplifies the very best that Hamilton County Schools has to offer. She is talented, dedicated, and passionate about helping young people succeed both on the field and outside the the classroom or in the classroom, excuse me. Uh, Coach Nelson, you are a true uh Hamilton County pioneer uh in female sports. We are proud of you and we celebrate your incredible achievement of 900 wins tonight. So, uh, everybody enjoy me and just giving a a a whole lot of [Applause] Dr. Robertson, Miss Schaefer, get you guys up here for a quick picture. [Applause] And I am a queen. [Applause] Thank you very much. Once again, congratulations. Congrats. You're like totally awesome. Thank
009you very much. So, um, our chair had to excuse himself. Y'all know Joe is all things to the youth of our area and he is has to travel to retrieve some ch well not retrieve to go and pick up some children um that have been at camp all week. He's he's traveling to go and pick them up to bring them back home to their families and so he had to step out tonight and I am uh have the honor of leading this meeting. And with that, I have the honor of um recognizing a young man who um I can't remember not knowing him since I've been on the school board or getting on his nerves or aggravating him or asking him a question about something technology-wise here in this space. That young man is none
010other than Mr. David Mcnish. David, stand up, David. [Applause] David um has served Hamilton County Schools um for quite a while and has earned um what I like to call um his time to walk away and get six Saturdays and a Sunday. And so David is David is retiring from Hamilton County Schools. But I want to say on behalf of um the board um here at Hamilton County um thank you David for all that you are and have been to us over um I'll say for me over the past 11 years um but of course of everybody else as they've been here. David is always just one walk away, one text away, one step away from helping us figure out why our screens are blinking or why we can't get into the Wi-Fi or what's
011going on with our laptops. And so I just want to we want to say thank you and we have something for you. [Applause] We want to say um enjoy watch us when you get one of those Saturdays on Thursday. [Applause] If you're watching those we're gonna have problems. We might just see what we might be the next reality TV for. But thank you for everything that you have done for us here in the boardroom. [Applause] Okay. Now on Madam Chair, Madam Chair, if uh I think uh we need to go back up and um vote on approval of the agenda. That's what I thought. Didn't they say? Okay. Approval of agenda. Yes. Ready? Motion. I need a motion. Move. Second. So, police moved, motioned, and Jill second. Roll call. You need to pull that. Oh,
012we need to pull the cell. We need to pull something. I just forgot about that. I'd like to pull the cell phone policy. Um, Mr. Chairman had leave and we also had a new version presented to us just before. um the meeting. So, I'd like to pull that until I guess. So, that's nine nine A. Well, for Yeah, table it. We're going to table it. Mr. Chairman's not here, but that's nine under board matters. 9 A 2 policy number 6.311. We're tableabling that. Yes. And I I don't see 5.2 two on here. But what with it's not it's not on the agenda. It's only on the discussion. The the Okay. Oh, wait. No, the policy. Sorry. Cell phone is Which one are you talking about? Right. I'm talking about the suspension of those are just
013on our work session and the chair did say they were we moved them over to to have discussion on them under at the end of board matters. Right. Mr. King. And is that possible? We we could just move it to the next uh policy meeting if since there was a request for some changes that needs to go to the we'll pull it to the policy meeting. So you want to table that as well. Well, we don't have to because that's because it was on the agenda session. Right. Right. Right. So right now the only the only No. Nine. You're right. But because we didn't actually add it. We would have had to have move to amended the agenda to add it but it's not there so we need to do it. Okay. However, may I
014may I for the sake of the record ask Miss Haden, can we amend your motion to strike the cell phone policy? Yeah. Uh, yes. Yes. And and and and Miss Black, may we think Very good. Okay, we're good. We're good. We just we just need to vote on now. Okay. Good job on putting it away. [Laughter] Okay, Mrs. Black. Yes. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Dy, what y'all over there doing? Mr. Question, we're voting on a motion. Oh, uh, yes. Mr. Grone, yes. I'm going separate y'all. Mrs. Haden? Yes. Miss Jones? Yes. Mr. Keane? Yes. Mrs. Schaefer? Yes. It's okay. Mr. Slater? Yes. Miss Thomas? Can you vote on this? Okay, we're good. On to the board disclaimer statement, which would be just for me. I declare that I have a family member who works for
015the for the school system and that the board's vote on budget policies, etc. may have an effect on my relatives employment. Even so, I hereby certify that I will cast my vote in the best interest of the school system. Okay. Consent agenda. So, need a motion to approve the consent agenda. Motion to approve. Second we vote discussion. Any discussion? All right. Any discussion? Go once. Go on twice. Vote. Okay. Mrs. Black. Yes. Mr. Connor. Yes. Mr. Dardy. Yes. Mr. Gro. Yes. Mrs. Haden? Yes. Mrs. Jones? Yes. Mr. Keane? Yes, Mrs. Schaefer. Yes, Mr. Slater. Yes, Miss Thomas. Yes. Okay. On to administrative business matters. Chief Financial Officer, Mary Ellen um with the SY26 Consolidated Funding Application Approval. Any administrative matter? Any day any discussion? Move to approve. So move. I just want to know because
016I I may not have done my due diligence. What is it? Consolidating funding application approval. Hold on. We got a second. Need a second. We got a second. Then we got discussion. I move for second. Second. I Okay. Now discussion. I just kind of wanted to know a little bit more about what that what did that look like? Yes. I I will help you out there. Uh so this is the application for our consolidated application which has our title one, title two, title four, IDA, all those basically major federal programs. So we each year have to put an application that lines out our plans. We also submit it through the state, but this is just formal approval of that plan so that we can have that budget in place for the start of the year.
017Okay. Thank you. Okay. Oh, ready to vote. Roll call. Mrs. Black, yes. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Dy, yes. Mr. Gro, yes. Mrs. Haden, yes. Mrs. Jones, yes. Mr. Keane, yes. Mrs. Schaefer, yes. Mr. Slater, yes. Miss Thomas, yes. Okay. Outstanding obligations. Move to approve. Move to approve. Second. whichever works. I think who made the motion? Mr. Brown, make Did you make the motion, Mr. Brown? Yeah. Or Okay. Second. Okay. Any discussion? Roll call. Mrs. Black. Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Dhy? Yes. Mr. Grown? Yes. Mrs. Haden. Yes. Mrs. Jones. Yes. Mr. Keane. Yes. Mrs. Schaefer. Yes. Mr. Slater. Yes. Miss. Thomas. Yes. Okay. Chief Operations Officer Dr. Robert Sharp. Bun Funded Capital Projects. Need a motion. Motion. Second. Any discussion? Roll call. Mrs. Black. Yes. Mr. Connor. Yes, Mr. Dy. Yes, Mr. Gro. Yes, Mrs.
018Haden. Yes, Mrs. Jones. Yes, Mr. Keane. Yes, Mrs. Schaefer. Yes, Mr. Slater. Yes, Miss Thomas. Yes. Okay. Cops school violence prevention program. Move to approve. Second. Any discussion? I just want to know what can someone tell me a little bit about it. Uh, Miss Thomas, we're applying for this grant um for $500,000 and we are asking in the grant for uh some supplies to support our school buses uh with a a radio that will be able where our bus drivers can connect directly with law enforcement if something occurs out on a route. uh instead of going through um multiple channels, they'll be able to go directly into the law enforcement uh channel to connect with the bus drop to connect with law enforcement. And then we're also uh purchasing some additional equipment primarily related to
019our school uh video cameras for our uh safety and security department. Video cameras for what? For our schools there. All right. Thank you. Any further discussion? Roll call. Move to approve. Mrs. Black, yes. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Dy, yes. Mr. Grum, yes. Mrs. Haden, yes. Mrs. Jones, yes. Mr. King, yes. Mrs. Schaefer, yes. Mr. Slater, yes. Miss Thomas, yes. Okay. Number three, Saudi Daisy Middle School architect selection. Need a motion. So move make that motion. Second. Okay. Did you get y'all get that minute? Okay. Any discussion? Mrs. Black? Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Dardy? Yes. Mr. Grime? Yes. Mrs. Haden? Yes. Mrs. Jones? Yes. Mr. Keane? Yes. Mrs. Schaefer? Yes. Mr. Slater? Yes. Miss Thomas? Yes. Okay. Board matters under the chief strategy officer Shannon Moody. We have policies on first read are 53023 paid
020parental leave and 5.142 educator diversity. Those are first read. Um number two we have policies on second and final read. 3.402 special use of school buses. Are we taking these separately together? Take them together. We'll take them all together. I just thought about that. I'm sorry. I'm out of order, but do we need to do them separately or the pleasure of the board? I move we take them as a group. There you go. Okay. All right. So, policies on second and final read are 3.402 special use of school buses, 3.405 owner operator bus services, and 6.201 compulsory attendance. Need a motion. I think we have a motion for Mr. Gr. Sorry. Second. Second. Any discussion? Okay. I have a question. Hold on. I got Mr. Connor and Miss Black. Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead. You're
021first. Um, I just wanted to clarify the special use of school buses. We're removing this policy. It's not going to force any like our schools to hire private buses for school for field trips. It is no um we've we've worked with legal team as well. This is still covered under our owner operator contract and manual. So it's just redundant that we have it in policies. It's still exist as verbatim that you see within other areas. Okay. I just wanted to clarify it doesn't change anything. Okay. Any further discussion on Mr. Connor? Smart man. Let the lady go first. She asked my question. I just wanted to I I was I got a lot of pings for this and I just wanted to say that that it's covered in a different area. So it's not something
022we're just getting rid of and don't have a policy. It is covered elsewhere. Okay. And any further discussion? Roll call. Mrs. Black. Yes. Mr. Connor? Yes. Mr. Dardy? Yes. Mr. Grown? Yes. Mrs. Haden? Yes. Mrs. Jones? Yes. Mr. Keane? Yes. Mrs. Schaefer? Yes, Mr. Slater. Yes, Ms. Thomas. Yes. Okay. Um, item B, Mrs. Schaefer, District 7, TSBA director of schools performance evaluation form. So, we talked about this at the policy meeting. Um we and you were provided last year's form along with the TSBA um sample form attorney. Our attorneys have merged the two after the policy meeting and you have a copy there that I passed out. Um so this is taking the TSBA and put it along with our format already. I believe Mr. Bennett discussed this with Dr. Robertson. Not not till an
023hour before this meeting. So, and this too much. This like the SSP. This is too much. I'm not doing all this about Justin. And I don't care what he wear. I'm just playing. I'm sorry. So, I This is the TSBA. This is what other school boards are doing across the state. This is not pulled out of thin air. This is what they're using as a comprehensive review. and we merged it with the goals that we've already had in here that went along with plan 2030. So, this is the draft that I'm proposing um that we use. What are all the the different highlights that you got on here? That's all the new That's all the new stuff. That's the TSBA stuff. So, so all the non- highlighted are what was what we what we already
024previously Yes. Let me let me speak to that if may Schaefer. So the the highlights are the thing the starting point was the TSBA and then the highlights we we incorporated or rather Ms. Damp incorporated from our our schoolboard policy and from TSBA. Okay, I got I got to back. So in the at the beginning part what's highlighted some of that's from the TSBA and some of that's from our from the board policy our board policy. But then in terms of the body of it um in in the different categories, the things that are highlighted are are from the TSBA policy. And um we we have a we have two paradigms that that govern the board's evaluation of the director. One of them is our is our policy manual, but the other thing is also
025the director's contract itself. And so, uh, there's probably there's probably more verbiage in here than than we want in a final final evaluation format, but we wanted the board to see everything to see what what you're looking at. Um, if it's the pleasure, one of the things I would that I I think that after the conversation I had with with Dr. Robertson today. I think it would be beneficial if he had a minute to comment on some of these things and and if it pleases the board for us to to use this rubric, but then but by and large this rubric, but to tweak it and bring something back in in in July because there's some verbiage in here that after thinking about I'm not sure I like like the highlights at the be at
026the very beginning, we're again we're copying from the policy But u our contract speaks to some specific goals and goal formation that earlier boards thought were very very important. And I'm going to give y'all a little bit of history. Your predecessors put a tremendous amount of influ of of emphasis on Dr. Johnson's contract for gold development for him and for this board. And it's a lot of work. And the evaluation process that's envisioned in in the contract is a lot of work. And it's proven a little difficult to to be faithful toward in part because the state is is later getting back some of the data than than when we originally developed this. And so there's some timelines here that I see they're a little a little wonky. Just so we have a good instrument
027for you all. I would welcome some comments and some thoughts on this. Uh, and I'd like to to work with Dr. Robertson and clean this up a little bit. Work with Miss Schaffer and clean this up a little bit. Pardon me. So that we have something in July that's a final final. That hopefully becomes the rubric that you use next year and the year after next. Because one of the things that Dr. Robertson and I commented on is, you know, last last year we were we were putting the rubric together on the eve of his evaluation and that's not fair to him and frankly it's not fair to the board because it doesn't give you an opportunity to to let him know what you're evaluating them on. Does that make sense? Make sense? Well, didn't
028we use the same one they've had the year before last year? Yeah, there's some there are some minor adjustments to it that the chair and I uh presented to the board. It's largely the same thing, but but his contract envisions that we're going to have that that the board is going to want year specific goals and and I don't I don't know. It's it's the pleasure of the board, but I but I I think that can I add the intent of the contract was because the the state like you said continues to get and so the language within the contract says within like a month or something after receiving all the data that the val valuation will be completed, right? I don't think it says a month. It says a reasonable time, right? It's after
029you go over here and look too some things that I mean we can mark some stuff too that we might have some questions about. Right. Absolutely. Fundamentally this is going to be the board's instrument to to tell the director here you know here's where you're doing great double down on it. Here's some things that we think that you need to to work on. Um, so this needs to be your vehicle for communicating your your expectations and and and your your constructive criticism to your director. Uh, so he needs to understand what you're saying and you all the last thing I want you all to do honestly and this is one of my my historic criticisms of the TSBA model is they are they are all cookie cutters. If you look at at the TSBA model
030for Squawatchi County, it looks very much like the the model for for Clarksville, McGomery County, and those counties have nothing alike. So, so this is if you look at this and it makes sense to you and you don't want to tweak it, you don't need to tweak it. It's great if it's clear to you. But my my thought here is um look at this and you think that there's some specifics that you want to drill down on, share them with me and I'll I will share them with the the director and we'll get a a a format that we can all agree on. And likewise, if there's some things that Dr. Robertson thinks that uh we should include, you know, this is a bilateral conversation, but but I agree completely with Miss Schaefer. It's a
031conversation for us to have now rather than on the fly on the eve of his evaluation. That's that's a bit of a half-hazard way to do it. Well, and the policy says July for the evaluation, but as we've just discussed, we have to get the data back and the contract gives some room. I believe Miss Moody indicated we should have that maybe by August. So, if we come back in July, like October. Oh, you all you trying to use this for this year? Yeah. Oh. Oh. Well, no, cuz I I got I mean cuz I got I mean I I think I think it may be a tool some of these things we may be able to use but like for me I' I've just see identify just one just an example identify multiple points
032of views for problem solving situation and involve stakeholders in decision affecting the district. So that mean when I look at stakeholders that mean people outside that's making decisions about problems that we may have situations and for me I wouldn't want because Chattanooga is too politically too too political on on certain things. So I don't think that that that's just one that's I mean some of them probably not great but that would be one that would really concern me because I would want to know who are these stakeholders and why do they have a bigger decision making factor of the district than I do as an elected official. So that's just one of mine that I would probably have a problem with and maybe I'm reading it wrong. So that's why I'm going to have my
033questions for you to look at it and I'll be happy that that would be that that would be one just that because I don't think anybody should have any more decision-m factors if this board does not. Well and I and the way that I read that is that is that and I'll be happy to talk with you and any of you about this because obviously if it doesn't make sense to you, you're not going to give the director good feedback. So I'm all about helping out with that. But the way I read the consideration of other stakeholders, it's what you the board view to be the input of other other stakeholders. So we're the stakeholders. Well, you are the board. We're the board, but but but you represent the stakeholders. You represent in your capacity
034as an elected official. Um you represent the folks sitting out there. You represent the students in your in your schools. You represent their parents. Um you represent your community. So, so what you believe to be the input of the stakeholders is what matters. Um, so I I will commit to to getting this cleaned up. And I and I something else that's something else that also occurred to me, Miss Schaefer, is that we probably should clean up our board policy because the policy does say July and and because of the the state calendar, that's unworkable. And maybe maybe in the policy we reference the director's contract um or maybe we do something that's a little bit more robust where where we say the not later than x date the board will will develop the instrument not
035later than this date this the board will share it with the director and so on and so forth so that it dubtales with your contract. It doesn't it doesn't supplant the contract, but it obligates the board to be more attentive to its follow through. Mr. King, and I'd also think to be fair to Dr. Robertson, as I think back on how so when Dr. Robertson was a principal, Robert Sharp, Dr. Sharp was a principal, Dr. Brown was a principal when we came up with our administrative evaluations, which is actually a similar process to this TSBA thing. Uh, administrators got a say in the bullets, not in all of them. There were some that were non-negotiables and then there were some that, you know, we wanted to make sure. And as I read through some of
036this TSBA, uh certain ones refer more to rural counties than what ours are in that. So, uh some of these I think uh he should have a say in in, you know, which ones we can cross out and which ones we can't. And I hate to say it, but this TSBA one is long and arduous compared to what we were using. and we've got to get it uh shortened down some, but I think he should be able to have some input in it, especially with the plan of the 2030 to which ones really work toward 2030 off of this and which ones don't. Mr. K, a little bit of history about that too. um we did used to use the TSPA model and one of the criticisms was that it was long but the deeper
037criticism was that it didn't go deep and so in 2016 this board worked to develop a shorter but but much more media evaluation and what subsequent boards discovered is that was a lot of work too because trying to come up with the goals and the objectives um and then to sit down and that work was was done on the front end. And so I mean we literally had hours and and Miss Jones may remember this, but but we had three nights in a row where we were developing an evaluation format for Dr. Johnson before we hired Dr. Johnson. And it was I think we put nine hours into developing a format built around our strategic plan. It's a lot of work, but but but I think this board's often said that the most important things
038that you do are hire a director, uh, fund a program so that the director can get his job done, and then you evaluate your director. It it's it's it's part and parcel of it's a lot of work. But I just, as a final thing, I remember as an administrator because I had a say in what I was being evaluated on. I had that buy in and I always felt like it was a fair tool to use to evaluate myself and that's we want to be fair. So, Mr. Garn, thank you. This is this is really wordy and and I would I would really want Dr. Robertson, your input because we want to dig deeper, but we don't want to make it like we want to reach the other side of the world. It it this
039is off the charts and it's hard enough as it is um to really dig into the data and then especially uh Mrs. Moody, when you know some of the data that is presented or is available to us, have they ever gotten it by July? No. Sometimes in October. So, I just pulled up the U TDOE timeline. We'll have things like TBOS earlier this year by August is their timeline is August 1st. Things like school grades are going to always be in December. So, there's a long time of how things are released. school letter grades come even later. So, um it it we need work on this. So, we will Okay, do it. Miss Hatton. Yeah. Um since we are in control of the school letter grades, I'm just curious what takes them so long to
040get that information. Oh, we're not in in control of school letter grades. The state does. When they say school letter grades, they're meaning like when they when they say um Haden Elementary is an A. Jones Elementary is an A+. We discredited those so much. Are we even using those in this People use them when they're moving into town? Yes, they do. But we had a lot of talk about these school grades this year. So, are we even using those as a data criteria? Oh, I think that's for I think that's a discussion to have. Just the timeline and I'll send that to you goes as far as December. I thought it was said that that's a different formula of kind of how that that they use to get the letter grades versus to what we
041do, right? So, I I don't think that Miss Moody is saying we got to wait till December. I think she's making a point of it's really difficult to predict when all the data is coming in. I I mean, I'll go back and I would say what I said from the beginning, agree with Miss Schaefer and Mr. Bennett here. We should have a a form uh evaluation that is set in the next month regardless of if the data comes back in August, September, October. Um and and you know, I'll just repeat what Scott said is like I think we can get this cleaned up, bring it back, not even wait till July, get it in front of you all so you've got time to look at it, make any adjustments before July meeting, can vote on
042it. I looked at my contract. It does. It says 30 days. The the self-evaluation will come to you within 30 days of receiving the data and then the evaluation has to happen within 30 days of that self evaluation. Right? And so if we agree in July that we're not going to use letter grades, we're just going to use um achievement grades value added, then that timeline is is shortened. But if we have it done in July, then we know what timeline we're looking at. As soon as that data comes in that starts the 30 days for the self-evaluation, 60 days for the you know evaluation. I have have question we we we collect lots of data you know ourselves. We do. Can any of that be utilized because that's like there there was some in
043it in the in the previous evaluation. I haven't looked fully through this but I saw a couple places of where there's things that that we have available you know on our own. Anyway, I don't think all of it is for sure not coming from state data. So, I I I think um it's very important that as we develop this tool that um one of course Dr. Robertson does have a he does Mr. King is correct. He does have a have a um a right to review it and and and give input. Um it has to be a board decision. So, this is a great um start start. But if Jackie comes back in 3 days with a different tool, then we have to look at that one, too. And if I decide to go home
044Friday and chat GPT it and come back with that, that's a tool, too. And if everybody else did that, then there's 11 tools. So, I just want to make sure that we understand that just because this has been presented today doesn't mean that this is a tool that we have to work with, Dr. Robertson has to work with and or Scott on behalf of us. If there are other things that people want to present, you you have the right to do that too. Which is why Mr. Bennett said it does become a very tedious um measure. Also, keeping in mind our the last time I do remember when we did this with Dr. Johnson, we did it prior to his contract and him coming in. He had some goals and things that he wanted to
045be put in place. I mean, that was part of the the piece there. But Dr. Highlander at that time was our chair and he was very integral in the discussion between Mr. Bennett um and and um the superintendent at that time on behalf of the board. So he was taking in comments from the board that way and that's typically how that goes because the chair speaks for the board and so typically you funnel your your your concerns in through the chair and then it kind of makes it easier then you got I mean it was nine of us then I can't imagine having I I can't imagine 11 people with a lot of things these days but that's a lot with 11 people doing all of that. So I think if you do have concerns
046or you do have suggestions or you see this and you see a correction maybe we could make this into some but the district don't use Google dots but I mean if you did Google docs you can make edit editable versions I think can you do Google do can you do Google docs where people can become suggest edits I know people who can do Google do okay so maybe we can I mean I can do Google dots but I'm not volunteer to do that because I don't get paid the big bucks like you if I may make a suggestion madam chair Um what you're right u I could have 11 right formats that's not really a good place to start from. If I may make a suggestion one of the reasons that that Miss Schaefer wanted
047to give us something to work from is as the policy chair she's looking at the policy and she's seeing we need to be doing this and so I appreciate her getting the ball rolling. my my request and I understand that this is this is not a a perfect format but um Mary tried to to merge the the the document from TSBA with our past document. If I could ask the board to to approve this as the starting point then then what I can do uh with with Dr. Robertson's input and in in listening to each of you, I can pair back some of the the things that may be more more appropriately applied to smaller systems. I can pair back some of the the verbosity that concerns Mr. Gran. But but if but if the
048board would approve this as a starting point, then that way I don't have 11 helpful suggestions from uh from the board. So moved. Second. Any discussion? We feel like we've had a lot, but any discussion? I just think the roof is what's throwing you about it because it makes it look like it's more the other form that we had didn't didn't have so overwhelming. I mean, that's the only thing. But no, I'm I'm I'm good. I don't I ain't going to bring y'all nothing because I ain't going to go through all that. Okay. So, roll call. Mrs. Black. Yes. Mr. Conor. Yes, Mr. Dardy. Yes, Mr. Gro. Yes, Miss Haden. Yes, Miss Jones. Yes. Making sure that we're saying that this is the initial draft. This is the starting point. The motion is that this
049is the starting point. All right. Yes, Mr. Keane. Yes. Mrs. Schaefer. Yes. Mr. Slater. Yes. Miss Thomas. Oh. Uh, yes. I think that's what I'm saying. Okay. This is all yellow. We got everybody. Yeah. All righty. Um, Mr. Connor, District 6, valuesbased investment FY26. Thank you, chair. So, this is the tabled item from last month talking about the budget. Um, let me I'll go ahead and pass it down. There's not there's not enough. This is also on the agenda and u I've emailed this out to everybody um because it was tabled it's able to revisit and look at it and so I recognized that um it was not as palatable the way that it was presented last month but it's still something that's important. I get conversation parts all the time from both elected officials
050and community members of what would be the next on what where if there's somebody from an outside source that wants to help fund the schools in some way if there's a one-time funding availability from someone where do we go and the reason that I've done it in the manner that it is bargain so if you all are looking at it on the front page you've got the first three call them uh important things I specifically picked these three to be there because they total the $11 million that um we can remember back two budgets ago, now three. Um for the first time since I was in grade school, um Hamilton County did not choose to give us the growth money. Um and took $6 million back from our budget. Two years ago, or the last
051budget, there was a $5 million discrepancy that was pulled out. So, we are essentially short $11 million in our maintenance of effort from balanced budgets that we sent to our uh commissioners. So, that's why I picked $11 million to put on the front. On the back are other items that we discussed throughout the course of the budget season, items that were needed, including u you listened and heard Steve talking about the coaches typos. So, those are added in there. Um and then because you know I'm I'm nice like that, I put a little worksheet. So at the bottom you guys have scratch paper to add through and think of different things that you may how you would add them or how you would put them in. So the discussion here is can we pass a
052list that is official from this board of if there was more money this is how we would spend it. Um, and the reason I think that it's important and has been shared with me as well is that doing it officially and this board coming together and voting on it to say these are the items that are of value to us, it gives other parties a starting point. Not just our county commission, not just the city council of Chattanooga or other places, but other um philanthropic organizations that may choose to give us a onetime donation. Um, this is an important document to showcase what we as a board think is important. again if there was more money. So that's why I'm presenting it today and I will gladly answer any questions about it or allow discussion
053throughout. Okay, Mr. D, thank you. Um I guess I just want to be on the same page. Mr. Connor, you know, we we presented our budget and then Dr. Robertson just walked through it again and I believe county commission is going to be voting on it as early as next week if I'm not mistaken. Um, so just want to be on the same page. This is this is a a separate entity in and of itself outside of the budget that's already been presented and handed to the county commission. Mhm. The to say again differently, this is us as a board saying not me, not somebody calls you up say, "Hey, if there was another million dollars, where would you spend it?" Yeah. This is this board saying, "If there was another million dollars, we'd do
054this." Yeah. And if there was two, we'd do this. And is your intent on So, I'm on the same page with you. And I think I think this is important. at the very least it it provides a collaborative input from us so that we are in a position to move quickly if and if something does become available. Um so I'm with you on that. Is your intent to have just a general discussion about what's important each specific board member or do you want us to utilize this function here and take to a general I was prepared for anything after last month. So that's what the worksheet is for. Yeah. My intention is to pass it as it's written um and remove the worksheet unless we thought that was something important for for the powers that
055be to have as well. Um I included the worksheet in case there were items that board members felt they didn't want to put their voice to. Like for instance, let's just say that somebody somebody completely disagrees with my illustrious co-member from district 1 and said there's no reason for coaches stipens to be included in here, then we could remove it. But I think that it should be included, which is why I put it on here as something to be noted. That is an item that we've discussed and an item that's important to this board if there was funding available. And go ahead, Jackie. I I just I I wanted to know more about this comp compensation study phase because I see where there's like a step in longevity increase. And then I also saw where
056it was some 2% educational raise. Um there were a couple of different things but like they would get that but I wanted to know more about that compre compensation study phase one. Absolutely. So I I'll go in reverse order and the first thing is the the steps in longevity is the step increases that we have talked about that are in the contract we've signed with the teachers association. Um that's the first one. The second one is the the educational raises was part of the discussion as well. the 2% across the board. So they would go together those two really the educational raises along with the step is two separate but I'm saying they should be separate. Okay. But then to to I actually the reason I did this in reverse order is the first one
057in the in the last one you mentioned was talking about the study and I do want Shannon to say because in the last meeting she mentioned a little bit about the study and I want to defer to you all to use the right words to explain that study because does the study give raises too? I guess that's what if the compensation study comes back and say that they deserve to make even more money. So it's like all of these things on here are are are raises. That's that's how I'm looking at it and I want to make sure that's the way I should be looking at it. Yeah. So the compensation study is where we've done the analysis with an outside company looking at where jobs are placed compared to the market and so there
058might be places where you know like psychologist you know we look at them towards a study and like this is there's a difference between where that's compared to the rest of other positions and so it would be you know there's separate raises but there's certain positions where we need to make adjustment based on that compensation study. is also changing some structure and I think we're looking for a time I just to present that. Yeah. So, we're looking at time to actually present the study because we've been going through and again there's a lot of market study, job descriptions, all that but but just an estimate is kind of do the first phase which is basically getting everyone onto this new structure that looks at and kind of reclassifies certain positions to say this is where
059they should be because the market for this position is a lot different than this position. in places where we have trouble recruiting or retaining staff because outside markets are a lot different than kind of how our current structure is. And then the other things are, you know, the 2% that's that's more like a cost of living. And the steps are something that sets up for a year of experience. We have a current uh, you know, table that says another year as a teacher moves you up this level. And some of them, again, our current one does have some places where they get, you know, the funds in advance and it's not there might be some years where there aren't adjustments. I I I think it's important to be clear that that $5 million is the
060estimate of what it would take to implement that phase one of the study. It's not the cost of an actual study. The study's been completed. But let's say in this scenario that $5 million in funding came, you guys would still have to approve implementing that phase one of the study. This was a recommendation from us. And and again, it's really difficult positions to school psychology is a good one, but it's also a lot of our maintenance like HVAC uh techs that that were competing against major companies to to keep them. And so you would you'll see that study hopefully and and we can go ahead and probably send it to you in the next few days even before having that meeting in July. But the five million would be to implement it. But even if
061we got five million, you would still have to vote to approve to implement the study. And let me real quick right at this moment say that it's important to note that as this is a list and not a budget that we're sending, we've sent a budget. This is just a list. So it is absolutely possible that whomever takes this list and chooses to be philanthropic with us picks what they like and one item. I I again wanted I think it's important that all of these are on there. Speaking just to the parts of the raises, the first two are things that we've we've done in the past. You know, we've done step raises and we've done cost of living increases. That's been kind of standard operating procedure for the board, as it should be with
062any business, to take into account cost of living increases and standard raises for people who deserve and and earn them. Um, but the last part is it's not the first study we've done before. We've these are things that go on throughout the course of history and throughout the course of any good business. So again, I think it's important that they are all there so that we can showcase all of them. I don't think that it is by any means being ungrateful because it is not something that we're saying this is part of our budget. We're saying specifically this is a list of things that would really help us do our job better. Okay, Mr. King. Yeah. So my question before I make my comment is is the one, two, and three a hierarchy of importance
063and if so who? It was it was to me and I'm kind of like when we were talking about the facilities plan, you know, we ranked them, but then once the funding came through fully, we took the rankings off and we just did everything. So I'm gonna I'm gonna make a suggestion. We move two up to one. Okay? because it was mentioned by the commission chairman and it was echoed by three other commissioners yesterday. That particular one, the step and longevity increases, they really would like to see that back in place. Whether, you know, whether they provide that money or not, they're at least seeing that this one is important for our teachers. So I could I absolutely I think that one and two are almost interchangeable. I was the reason I put one the
064way I did is it was physical people who are already in buildings and losing them and that's why it was important to me. But they're interchangeable to me. So I would I would be fine with that. Right. And I I'm just voicing and you know it's Dr. Robertson you can chime in or not. I don't know. I just remember him saying that and I remember three other right within that discussion. I mean, if you're asking my opinion, I would say leave it the other way. No, no, no, no. I would agree with you. I would go step and then I would probably almost go like put a 1% raise even before the, you know, 0.5 back to schools. But that's just my opinion. Okay. Yeah. I I was very surprised when they brought that up
065because we didn't bring that up. It it came up in maybe maybe I mean it was a long budget process, right? It was a long it may have come up in some individual conversations, but it it certainly came up um you know step increases historically I think what happens is you know over the past five six years it's always just happened but historically it hasn't been guaranteed and there have been plenty of years past where it didn't. I mean, you you know this, you've been in the district longer than I have, that step increases didn't occur. Um, but I would agree that that should be top priority. Okay. Okay. Miss Mrs. Hatton. Yeah. Yeah. One thing, one reason why I guess I've been so active in the budget, too, is the fact that we weren't
066giving our teacher step braces. And you know, as a former teacher and then hearing from teachers, you know, um that was just very unsettling to me. But I know that we were able to get the 2,000 bonuses from the governor and we supplemented some. So that took some of the sting out of it, but that's definitely a priority. Um, since we um added like two non-eing positions just a couple of years ago, I'm okay with rem reducing a half. Um, I'm not saying which position. I'm just thinking at the principal's um discretion. Um, let's see. Personally, maybe I'm a tight wad, but you know, I don't like spending five million on a study. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but it's my feeling. It's again, it's not honest. Implement recommendations already been paid for.
067Okay. So, implement I guess I just I just need more information on it. So basically this you know at a later date you know just learn more about what the implications and just I mean it's it's a a set aside an estimate of the you know it's actually you know when we see who's here how it affects individual people but it's kind of an estimate based on like some of the initial information we got from the compensation study of to kind of put everybody on the new kind of the new schedule. That's our estimate to kind of do that fix. It would fix some compression issues. It's a variety of things like that. Does it have like number of employees and types of positions and things like that? Yeah. Yeah. I mean it would, but
068then again, you know, we've had, you know, next year we'll have new teachers coming off on. So it the actual, you know, what it looks like. That's how again when you see lots of zeros, it's a round number estimate, but based on initial information, if we applied it at that time, it's kind of what it would look like to put all those people on kind of the recommended schedule. Okay. Like I said, right or wrong, I wasn't sure if I was right or wrong on that one. Um, let's see. Capital maintenance. I know we probably need a million for that, but so I'd vote for Well, that is a million. We probably need 10 million. Uh, I'm always for the educator raises, coaches, stipens. Um, you know, I'm not sure about the number three uh
069student support staff back at central office because I'm I'm more for having supports in the schools and I'm even thinking even some more through community superintendent maybe allocate there. So that's my opinion on it. I just want to be clear. So you you you did say you'd rather do people in the buildings, not at central office, but you did still support cutting the the.5 positions in schools. Yeah. Okay. I did. Okay. Excuse me, Mr. Slater. Okay. Just one quick question. Is this something that we would have Dr. Robertson present to the commission? So this exact document after it was added to the agenda has already the commissioners have already seen it. They have not they know that it's not approved but they know that it was on going to be on our agenda. So I
070don't sorry I didn't I didn't answer your question. I don't think so. But what I would do is send it over to the commissioners and anybody else that asked and say this has been approved by the board. This is our list of things that we would love to have if there was more money. Okay. Um, am I I'm not answering it the way you want. What do you want it presented or do you not? Okay. No, I do not. I We've presented a budget and I I I don't think we ought to present them with anything else. Okay. If we pass this, it would need to be something that's like, hey, this is our document of things that would be great if there was more funding. And can I clarify? Reinstate the 0.5. I'd be
071all for it if it was a regular education teacher. Okay, Mrs. Schaer, I I like Santa wish lists, so um it's like a Christmas list to me. And I do agree with moving the step phrases up to number one. Um and kind of inverting that. The compensation study brought me back to something that I kind of a circle back to the evaluation. Um because we paid for the this compensation study, we also paid for a gallot poll, right? About $90,000. Yes. So, can we add because we haven't seen that and when you're We have not seen the Gallot poll. We can get it to you tomorrow. So, the board needs to see that and because it's part of some of those evaluation criterias. Um I'm sorry, Jody. What's your request? I'm sorry. the Gallot poll.
072We the school system paid for a Gallup poll and we haven't seen the results as a board. We just recently got it back. We'll get it sent to you tomorrow. Okay. So, I just wanted to circle back to that. But I um I like the inverting bin of the one and two. Um and I'm good with that. M. Jones can if we're sitting here going through like pull this like I would recommend the the number three the two and a half back to central office that we completely strike that the 2.5 board [Applause] then in in the interest of helping time I'm going to make a motion. Can I do that on my own thing? Well, wait a minute. Hold first. Mr. Gro has something to say. Okay. Well, let me and then after then
073after that is that it last comment and then we can roll back your Go ahead, Mr. Gr. Well, thank you, Madam Chair. Um we've had a lot of discussion every year we have a discussion about raises and um I have spoken numerous times about across the board raises um and you can all look that up but it it causes um discrepancies which I'm not would not be pleased with over a long period of time. So, uh, I I just have I have lots of reasons. I have a main reason about, uh, across the board raises. Um, you know, if we're going to do going to do raises, I think the raises ought to be with with um those individuals who uh are in our schools and and are dealing with our students and trying to
074provide them with a safe and excellent educational environment uh rather than across the board raises. Um, so that's just my thing. I to me this is um it seems a little overdone. It's like some this has already been spoken about for several months. It's already been decided upon uh with a balanced budget uh which the county commission asked us for. Um, this seems like, you know, we want to somehow put public pressure on the county commission to consider raising taxes in order to meet our Christmas wish list. Um, I just don't think that's the right direction to go in. I can't vote for this. Okay. Excuse me, Mr. Connor. So to put a bow on this um and again to say that that I think that that a list of items not just to the
075commission but to anyone again I'm saying that would choose to be philanthropic with us which we have some amazing partners in business and in uh nonprofits that that look out for our schools. So giving them direction has been the number one thing that I've been hearing and talking about this has been I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about giving a list. So, I'm going to make a motion to try to tie this all up. Bear with me. The motion will be three-parted. Um, and the I just write that down. The motion will be three-parted. The third part will be sound long, but it will not be. So, I make a motion to strike Bside number three, to move aside number two to number one, and vice versa, and then to consolidate all items onto
076the front page in this order. One, step in and longevity increases. Two, reinstate the 0.5 positions in our schools. Three, the compensation study's payout, if you will, um, of getting people paid where they should be based on the study. Number four, 2% educator raises, five, capital maintenance, six, coaching stipens. I second. Thank you. Motion and to approve it. So, it has been moved by Mr. Connor and properly second by Mrs. Schaefer. Any more discussion? Mr. Gro, what you want? What you want? I want a definition of educator. When we say educator, what is that definition? Okay. Oh, I mean, this is 2% for everyone because we all are educators. I mean so that I think that was that means certified in class everybody. Yeah. I don't think that would be I don't think the intent
077on on that was there is question of that. So when you say that educator are you meaning like just teachers teachers like licensed ed okay so I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Thanks miss self. She's probably watching. Mrs. Gardner it 2% it's everybody. So that 2% is everybody. So from my behavior specialist. Okay. That's how I want the business. The bookkeeper to the secretary. The bookkeeper, the secretary, everybody. The only two people y'all remember that we always have to go back and and talk about is cafeteria staff and SAC. SAC. Oh, they deal with my child. They need a um go to SAC. I will say personally whenever I say educator, I do mean what they just said. Okay. I just want to make sure of that because for me that's always a thing
078because I know this that Okay. All right. Did that answer your question, Mr. Chrome? So, so we're clear for the record because because the governor's definition of educator was very different from what I'm just talking about, right? So, I want to be sure that that the record is clear. Mr. Conor's motion for 2% raise for educator. It's really for all HCS employees except for I think the easiest way to say it is the way that this board has already defined educator by accepting to pay the extra money to pay out the $2,000 bonuses. Got it. So those when we everyone that we deemed an educator in that should be considered an educator in this. Thank you for the clarification. Mr. Brun, you have to use the term and Miss Schaefer. You you agree with that
079as So are we just going to say are we saying hcs staff? Let's say employee employee with the exemption of this. We've always said those that are like self-funded. Yeah. which is cafeteria and SACC and we typically go back and fix those and we typically go back and adjust that, right? You're correct. But those programs are self- sustaining. So that's why we don't do it that way. Okay. For the public record and board record. Okay. Thank you for that clarification. All righty. Um moving right along. Oh, roll call. All right. Uh, would you like me to restate it just for the record? Okay. So, the motion is number one to strike number three on the the B side on page two which is 2.5% of student support staff back at central office. That's that's number
080one to strike that. Number two on the A side page one to move number two step and longevity increases to number one. And number three is to consolidate everything onto one page in this order. Number one, step in longevity increases. Number two, reinstate.5 positions in schools. Number three, the compensation study payout. Number four, 2% employee raises based on the definition that we that was just discussed. Number five, capital maintenance and number six, coaches stipens. That's how I That's the motion. All right. Okay. Mrs. Black, yes. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Dy, yes. Mr. Groan, no. Mrs. Haden, yes. Mrs. Jones, yes. Mr. Keane, yes. Mrs. Schaefer, yes. Mr. Slater, no. Mrs. Thomas, yes. 8 to two. Motion carries. All righty. Thank you, fellow board members. Now, thank you. At our work session, there was discussion of
081the board agenda that we did not get to finish and we said that we will move it over until uh to the end of this discussion. And those are the budget phase two of $60 million bond policies 5.2000 and policy 5.201. Are we still doing that? Is that the pleasure of the board? No, I thought it was moved to the bond. The bond we voted I'm just listen what y'all saying y'all want to talk about to the policy meeting. So we moving out we moving into the policy meeting. I'm okay with that. Say less. Yeah. The cell the cell phone policy the um the I mean I know we moving the cell phone policy but but the suspension and dismissal of non-tenure teachers and of tenure teachers was still out there. So we're moving that
082to policy. Correct Mr. G? Yes that is. Okay. And then the phase two of the $60 million bond. We're good with that. We voted on it. Okay. I'm just I don't want to do that. Thank you. Five 5.2 is is very important to me. Oh, you Okay. So, you want to still discuss it. Okay. Yes, ma'am. We did not add it to the agenda, but we didn't, right? We didn't at the beginning. The discussion was was whether to add it to the agenda and then the board didn't add it to the agenda. I thought we just moved it to board matters. We didn't vote to do it. Mr. Smith said to do it, but then in the interim there was some discussion during the break about not doing it, about deferring it to a later
083date. And so when the board voted to approve the agenda, it was not it left those matters off because Miss Moody would like time to see what So now make sure I state this correct. We might have an answer for you all. So she wanted time to understand was the Cobra insurance the same as what the teacher was already carrying and also what are the payment. So we were we were giving her time at at a very high level Mr. King. Yes. That that that's basically correct. We're working on a way to address your concern about the insurance. But point of procedure, not not that I wouldn't want to talk about it, but since we didn't choose to vote to add it, it's a moot point. It's a moot point unless the board wants to
084amend the agenda now and add it back. Mr. Slater could make a motion to add discussion. Good. And get a second. I'll make that motion and I'll be very brief with it. I'll make I'll second that. Is it the motion to add 5.2000 and 5.201? Yes. Back. Okay. Mr. Boy Madison, we got a uh a motion and a second. Roll call. Roll call. Mrs. Black, yes. Mr. Connor, yes. Mr. Dy, yes. Mr. Grown, yes. Mrs. Haden, yes. Mrs. Jones, yes. Mr. Keen, yes. Mrs. Schaefer, yes. Mr. Slater, yes. Miss Thomas, yes. There you go, Mr. Slater. Okay. Thank you very much. Uh this past year I've had two teachers suspended from the same school. Uh both times they were taken out through the main hall and out the front door in front of students and
085co-workers. What I would like is for Mr. Bennett to somehow put in this policy 5.2 2000 that we treat these suspended teachers with a little bit more dignity and respect. Uh take them out a side door after school hours or something because um to me that the way that was handled is is just not acceptable. Told you I'd be brief. So I mean that's that's my suggestion and I I think we need to amend that. um at least take them out of back door after school or something because it was it was very embarrassing and in neither case these teachers were found guilty of anything. So can we bring that back in July on the first read? Hold on. Hold on. I know, but I got people want to talk. You got something to say?
086Yeah. I as somebody that seconded, I very much look forward to hearing about the insurance part of it and and the other things, but I think that this is a very difficult conversation for for obviously the situation that that Mr. Slater is explaining, but equally situations that we know have happened. So, I think this will be a really interesting conversation, but I I think that we need to make sure that we do our diligence to to to this subject. Miss Thomas. Yes. I just think there needs to be a policy overall that states we need to be treating everyone with dignity and respect and therefore you going to have to kind of add it to that. It just needs to be a separate policy because I think for me the culture needs to change where
087people need to really understand they need to treat people right. Um uh as Mr. Slater said no matter because you're really innocent till you proven guilty. But I I I agree with that. I would love to see it totally. It could be in that, but I would like to see a total separate policy regarding how we treat each other because that's one of the little headlines. Everybody matters, everybody's valued, all of that. So, I would like to see if if it doesn't already exist and I know that will probably be in policy that that a policy is created addressing just that issue. We can look into that. Okay. So there I I know it might not say those exact words, but I know there is some some somewhere in one of our policies that talks
088about acting in a manner of professionalism, right, and responsibility. Right. I I knew it was somewhere. I mean, I've I've slept a lot over the last week. We could we could put something specific in on the suspension aspect that that underscores that we're to be mindful of the the dignity of the employee or something like that. I I think that the administration does a very good job with that, but I but I but Mr. legislator's concerns resonate. I'll I'll we'll find some language. Okay. So, sounds like Well, just tear open your gong. We um g out the meeting. We're done. Attention. Attention. So, sounds like we're going to um m Mr. Bennett and um Miss Lord Jesus. Mary and Scott gonna work on some verbage. they're going to get with Shannon and um we'll we'll
089we will revisit this at the next policy meeting to for reading, Mr. Slater, to ensure that we are um to make sure that we are ensuring that all staff of Hamilton County Schools is being treated with dignity and respect in any instance of interaction. Um and so we will move forward with that and um have that discussion with with Miss Jod. Uh, other than that, we have some events. Thursday, June 19th is Juneth. Junth, it's a holiday and central office is closed. So, do not come if you're looking for nothing because ain't nobody going to be here. Everybody's going to be at home. It's holiday. And then it has Thursday, July 17th is the board meeting. Is that right? Thursday. Yeah. The 17th. Why I got to see y'all again? I just say today. Can
090we make a motion to cancel? I'm sorry. July 17th. Lord have mercy. Okay. And then the next I'm tired. Let's start over. Just so I can see you on the events. Thursday, first of all, it wouldn't even be Thursday. Thursday, June 19th is a holiday. Junth, central office is closed. And then Thursday, July 17th is our next board meeting. In between that time, if any other committee meetings are to come, the board will be notified via email or however we do that. Um, as normal. All hearts and minds clear. One more thing. I told it's very brief. July the 5th at Saudi Lake, we have a Fourth of July celebration. And for the public out there, I will be in the dump tank. At 1:00 1:00. How much are the tickets? I I don't know,
091but it's it's to raise money for the Trojan Fund. And I don't see anybody in this room. I'm not even bring you you can't you can't dump me. So, but if anybody wants to try Dr. Robertson professional baseball player besides you, Mr. Yeah, I'm going to be there and it's my birthday and it's going to be my pleasure to dunk him every time I can. So, your birthday is July Mr. Grown. I'll I'll contribute $10 to your So, 2 p.m. With that being said, good night, John Boy. Good night, mother. Good night. Good night. Good night. All right.