001May it be a place of in inspiration, growth and transformation. May it equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for the future endeavors. May it foster a love of learning and a thirst for knowledge within each student. In your mercy and grace, we we humbly offer these prayers for our school system. And may your blessings flow abundantly upon every student, teacher, staff member, and administrator. We trust in your unfailing love and your power to transform lives through education. In your son Jesus name I pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> Please stand. 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. [clears throat] First up, we have the agenda. I'll give everyone just a
002moment to look over the agenda. Next, we have the consent agenda. Any changes or any questions? Okay, we have no speakers tonight. Um, and we have no public comment. So, first up we have Rutherford Proud. All right. You gonna turn the timer on me, Dennis? I thought you were reaching for the timer. Um, we're going to start out with the Amazing Shake, which is an incredible competition. I'm going to bring up Christine Bry. Amazing Shake. She's going to introduce our guest from the Chamber of Commerce. Hang on, guys. I like the anticipation, but we're not there. [laughter] Um, so would you introduce our chamber person, please? >> Yes. This time I would like to introduce Marissa Sparshu from the Chamber of Commerce to talk about the Amazing Shake. >> Good evening. This year we welcome
00338 students to our countywide amazing shake competition. The dynamic competition helps students to strengthen and showcase their interpersonal skills. Also emphasizing manners, discipline, respect, and professional conduct. Through a series of challenges, students learn the essentials of professional interaction, including how to give a proper handshake, network effectively, interview successfully, and remain composed under pressure. The ultimate goal is to equip students with the confidence and skills to present themselves exceptionally well in both current and future opportunities. We appreciate the participation of Rutherford County Schools and continued support. We've been excited to see it grow over the the years and thanks to the volunteer judges, educators, and parents that made this our best amazing shake yet. For the fourth year in a row, I am proud to announce that all three winners going to the Atlanta Global Amazing
004Shake at the Ron Clark Academy are from Rutherford County Schools. >> Hang on. And I saw Dr. Duke on Friday and made sure to rub that in. So, just [laughter] Um, as I announce the winners, I would like to have them come up to the podium as well. Um, we have Aaron Barry from Rutherford County Virtual School who's in seventh grade, principal Dr. Supan. Then from Stewart's Creek Middle School, we have eighth grader Ellie Turner. [applause] Principal Dr. Murray. And then we also have Knox Gulian, son of Dr. Gulian from Wilson Elementary, the principal Miss Barnes. [applause] >> At this time, our amazing Shakers would like to say a few words. >> Make sure you tell them what place you got and what grade you're in. It's impressive. >> So the first thing that I
005want to say is I want to thank the chamber of combers. And so they called my name second. So I think that means I finished second. [laughter] And I also want to thank the people that stuck with me all the way and now here I am now, which is out in the crowd, Miss Barnes and Miss K. Smith. And the last thing I want to say is I'm one thing that I'm probably excited for for going to Atlanta is probably the people that I'm going to meet there and go the long way that I am that I already have now. [applause] >> Hello, my name is Ellie Turner. I'm in eighth grade and I would just like to thank the Chamber of Commerce for this opportunity. I really have enjoyed the amazing shake. It definitely
006grew me as a person and my confidence. And the last thing that I want to say is I'm very much looking forward to the global competition and I am so excited for this opportunity to grow as a person and in my professionalism. My name is Aaron and I just want to thank the event organizers and all the judges who took time out of their day and their personal life to come to event and I want to say about the amazing shake. It was a very eye- opening experience and it helped me learn a lot about communication and how many opportunities one can achieve when you can talk to other people and learning your social skills which can be in my opinion is one of the most important skills you can learn in life because when
007you can work together you can achieve so many great things and I think some of our board members have served in the screening or competitions, the school level competitions, right? How many of you guys did that? Several. You did, right? It's always uh really interesting to see that come through. So, thank you all. Uh we're looking forward to one of you winning in Atlanta, right? Okay. All right. Thanks a lot. Now, Dr. Martin and and guest. Thank you. [cough and clears throat] So, um, every month or we didn't do one last month, but we do it February, March, April, and May. Uh, thanks to Sonic, we do the Rutherford County strong outstanding staff awards. We ask the public and employees to make nominations. Um, it includes the central office level, which also includes maintenance, it
008includes uh teachers, administrators, um, support staff, which could be an EA or any of those type. and then also someone in the transportation realm. And so tonight we're going to honor those. Our first is Mr. Brian Wagner. He is the principal of David Yuri Elementary School. I made a mistake earlier when I submitted this for the agenda and wrote that he was the assistant principal. So they have fixed that. Come on up. Oh, actually you're going to come right up here. >> So I I'm going to read the nomination that was submitted. Um now Mr. Wagner. How many How long have you been at David Jury now? >> His first year, >> I thought. So, okay. He He goes out of his way to make sure every student has a good day. He interacts very
009well with the students and teachers and all the school staff. And he always has a great smile on his face and he makes our days greater. So, that's always great to hear. Good thing they like you, right? It's your first year. [laughter] Okay. Uh the next one is the teacher from Kitrol Elementary School. And I'm going to say her last name wrong. I know I am. Uh so, Spiggelon. >> Uh, Dr. Sman, would you just say it? >> Spiggelon. >> Spigelon. >> Y. When I point at you, just say her name. Okay. No problem. Great. [laughter] Yep. >> Um, >> now was she one of your teachers, Dr. Sullivan? >> She was. And had the most interesting interview. I think you were in Kazakhstan at that time. Is that correct? >> Yes. And so I
010interviewed her from Rocky Fork for autism spectrum disorder. and I interviewed her and thought she's running a school serving students with autism and I actually think she was a principal at that point and was coming back home and she just is uh she can't stay retired so she keeps coming back to help students at need and so >> great [clears throat] call you Mrs. Lonnie. Is that right? >> Oh, Miss Lonnie. Um Miss Lonnie as the students call her is an amazing soul. My daughter has autism. She struggles with communication as well as other issues. She wanted to ride the school bus so bad. She had integrated pre-K at Walter Hill. It just wasn't possible for her to ride the bus last year. So this year when she started school and we met her teacher,
011we explained that she was so excited to ride the bus and has an older sibling in high school that can monitor her while on the bus. Miss Lonnie uh waits for her every single day to make sure she can exit the bus safely. Uh it's quite a step for her little legs. And after a few months of this, Miss Sonia messaged me and said she is so sweet and she is so excited to be on the school bus every day that it has brightened up her mornings, which is turn in turn brighten my own. That's that's the nomination that you received. You probably know who this parent is, I'm guessing. Okay, congratulations. For this next one, I asked Principal Brad Decker from Oakland Middle School because he made this nomination. I thought it'd be nice
012if he actually talked about Miss Megan Sans and she would come up please. >> Sorry. Sorry. Did I let it out? >> It's all good. Uh, so James told me like 10 minutes ago I was doing this. Usually when I get emails from James Evans, I just delete them. >> [laughter] >> But [clears throat] when I when I saw this nomination immediately, you know, when I saw this email, I thought of Miss Sans. Um, and again, without having anything prepared, basically, long story short, what maybe [clears throat] a year and a half ago, I guess, Miss Sans. Um, she came in my office and sat down. We had a very serious conversation about a diagnosis um that she had received. And so, since then, um, she has been going through, you know, chemotherapy and and
013radiation and just all kinds of things. And I I don't want to get too much into, you know, what she has going on, but day after day after day, regardless of what she's going through, she shows up for our kids with a smile on her face. Um, in our structured setting classroom, which is, if you don't know, is one of our classrooms with our kids who who just need more love really uh sometimes than than our other kids. But again, she does not miss work. If she has to come in for a half a day, she comes in for a half a day. she has to come in for three quarters of a day. Like she is there as much as she can possibly be there. Um loving on our kids, loving on our staff,
014like kind of giving us that that boost and that encouragement to keep going. You know, Miss Sans does it. Let's do it, too. Um so I told Mr. Evans, if there's someone who is worthy of an award like this, who when you think of a school and an adult who really makes a difference in the lives of kids and who is selfless for our kids, it's Miss Sans. Um, so that's that's why I and we nominated you for this award, Miss Sans. [applause] >> Thanks. Okay. From this from the central office, uh, Mary How has worked in our central office for many, many years, but Miss How let me know that some of you may know that she cares for her sister after work every day. She has to be there every day. So, she
015said, "I just can't make night meetings." And I said, "Well, we're going to do the honore anyway." So, the person who nominated said, "She's amazing. She knows her job well, always helpful, and this is the best part. It would take six people to replace her and everyone loves her." So, it's always good to know that you're worth at least six people. You want to multiply, right? So, so we're going to share all this with her tomorrow. Uh, but we wanted to still read this out loud at the board meeting. And then last, >> the bad news is she's retiring. >> Well, I didn't want to get that. I have made that mistake before about announcing retirement. >> Yeah. The bad news is she's retiring. So I hope I don't have to use six people to
016She's been here. >> She has been here. >> That's our way of softening the ground for the budget meeting. >> She has been here for decades and is does a lot with our attendance department with our enrollment numbers. And so anytime I need an update about how's our enrollment figures go, I always go by Mary's office and I just ask, "How are we feeling? Do you feel okay?" And if she tells me she feels okay, then I feel good. If she tells me she doesn't, then I'm concerned. And so far, she feels okay. So I'm good. Uh, I also got ahead of myself and I said that this was presented by Sonic, but I didn't say who these people are from Sonic. So, Alan Skewers is here along with someone new this month, Beth Keech.
017It's like Beach, but with a K. They like to try to trip me up on the names. I think they're making these up every month, but they have been graciously sponsoring these awards now for the last couple of years. And so, we appreciate that. And we have one more to give out. U, Miss Clarissa Smith from bus 55. So, Miss Smith, Miss Smith is such a sweet, wonderful person to these kids. The stories I get to hear about Miss Smith is so sweet are so sweet. She is the best bus driver ever. Miss Fifth goes above and beyond. We will miss her as our bus driver next year due to the zoning change. If there's ever an issue on the bus that she is on it and takes care of it immediately and we love
018Miss Smith. So, thank you. All right, we're going to do a photo. Let's slide this way. >> Do you know which one you guys want? All right. Yeah, let's get some down here. >> Oh, well, >> because I want to get you guys this way. Okay, >> you guys ready? >> 3, two, one. >> All right. Thank you. Congratulations everyone. Thank you. Yep. >> Yep. He's got three. >> Yeah, it's great. >> It makes us feel bad when nobody leaves. [laughter] >> Everybody's bailed out. >> We thought they were here to see us. Nobody's here. [laughter] >> Never here to see us. >> Nobody wants to see the budget amendments. >> No. That's the most riveting part. >> I know. Okay. Now we head on to number eight, instruction. >> First, we have an updated
019job description for the student information data analyst. This title was updated two years ago with the combination of both the administrative assistant for EIS and the administrative assistant for attendance. Additional responsibilities have been added to this position without a change in pay scale. >> Any comments or questions? >> Okay. Next nine, financial matters. >> This is fund 141 budget amendment. U talk to the county and just for FYI, the county does not do a mid-year cleanup. I talked to Brian. It was our option whether or not to do one or not. This is a pretty small amendment for as big of our budget. So, our budget is 500 and really at this point with so many other programs in it, I think it's over 600 million. But Brian likes to see where we are on
020each account. Uh, overall, this is a budget amendment adding $880,000. And again, you won't see one from the county's general fund because they just do one at the end. But this budget amendment cleans up expenditure line items at midyear. The amended revenue reflects state grant allocations not including the original budget. The amended expenditure reflects the increase of cost of instructional support supplies and material maintenance contract and services equipment. Statemandated teacher instructional supplies and material allocations that used to be BEP, the $200 they get. This amendment has a net increase in both current year's revenue and expenditures of 880,000 with no use of fund balance. And so we get um Brian, you want to talk about which revenues you used in this one? We budgeted a portion earlier um in in whenever we did the original
021budget of voluntary prek state funding that we get. Um there was I did not budget because I wasn't sure what it was going to look like all the way. I knew we were going to get over a million dollars. We ended up with 1.7 I believe million. Uh so I did not budget about 380 to $400,000 of that grant. So, we're using that the rest of that portion to budget for and then the rest is um from the outcome funding that we received from TISA for the for you know the outcomes the student outcomes that they they give to us every year which I believe that was $4.6 million uh this year. So, we've only used $880,000 of that. So, um, we we'll still because we did receive $2.5 million as well for the letter
022Agrade, uh, funding as well, which unfortunately that was prrated. Um, we should have got 4 million, but we only received 2.5 million of it. Um, so we're looking at a total of going into year end of money that we may have to adjust due to insurance and salaries of somewhere around 6 6.3 6.4 $4 million that we'll have to use to be able to clean up the amendment at year end if we need to. If not, then the rest of it just rolls into fund balance. >> Yep. >> And so overall, I think last year's was 1.2 [clears throat] 1.3 million. So less than last year's and appreciate all the work you do because to only have 880,000 at midyear to have to use with as big of a budget this is. I think LA
023the counties can be 20 25 million. You just get extra revenue. Um the other part of that that I want to call out is the we did receive it's high performance is what it's called high performance bonus. So if you have over 50% of your schools that are letter A then you're eligible for up to 4 million. It was prorated down to 2.5 2.6. We if the governor's budget passes then it will give us that extra 1.4 million back. The unfortunate part for us is that will not be until July. And so it'll go straight into fund balance. You all were at our last meeting when we tried to pull just $70,000 out. And so getting money out of fund balance is tough for us. And so I'm going to present to the state board
024of education next week. And of course we have a great relationship with our county commission. But that is one of the challenges on when funds are sent to us. When they're sent after June 30th, it may look like it's coming to the school system, but it's not coming to the school system. Then it's going straight into our fund balance, which we really don't get to spend. And so that's going to be one of the topics I hit on. So >> the only other thing I want to point, we have at least three principles retiring, depending on which schools those are. Um, and I may come back to the board and ask for permission to have maybe two or three weeks in between because we haven't had any principles retired the last couple years. I don't
025like um just the managerial set of where you have a principal, their contract ends June 23rd, the new principal doesn't start July 10th, and there's two weeks where there's nobody in charge. um that's the way their contracts line up and so I I probably will come back and ask. It's not a huge five or $6,000 budgetary item, but I would like to go ahead and start the new principal a couple weeks before so that we have some overlap. >> Gotcha. >> That'll be in the next probably next board meeting, but we haven't budgeted into this, I believe, in our Yeah, we budgeted funding into this, but I'll come back and officially request um for funding to approve it. So, >> any other questions or comments? Dr. Dvin, when is there a deadline to for the
026principles to announce their retirement right now? >> We've been lucky. We haven't had anybody the last couple years. You used to always get a summer surprise. Somebody in July would just decide they're leaving. We've been lucky. We haven't had that since I've been the director, but now that I've said it, somebody's going to leave July 30th. So, >> okay. >> Yeah, I just jinxed it. So, no, we haven't had that. >> So, thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Next we have engineering and construction. >> Simra Elementary greenhouse request. Principal Vanessa Ritters requesting to partner with Taylor Farms to install a 12x 20 foot greenhouse and develop garden spaces for use by all students from Taylor Farms. This project's requested not to exceed 25,000 is at no cost to the board. Engineering Constructions reviewed the request
027and has no objections. And Smyrna and Mr. Ritter, they just keep getting community sponsorship. So I thought she was here, but oh there she is back there. So great job when you guys um on your sponsorships you get. Any questions or comments? Okay, second one is >> very very very >> Riverdale High track naming request. Principal Tamar Blair requesting to name the track in honor of coach Ricky Field. Coach Field has been at Riverdale since 1990 and has coached men's basketball, football, and track and field. Engineering Construction has reviewed the request and has no objection. I have personally known coach Fields for almost 40 years and he is such an honorable man and he has touched so many lives of athletes and non-athletes in this county and not just at Riverdale at all the schools.
028So I this is a wonderful honor and I'm so glad that we can do this while he's still here and can enjoy the fact that that we're going to name the track after him. >> That's awesome. >> Okay, number three. Number three, Lever High School softball school board request. The project will be funded, there's a typo here, through softball, not baseball. I'm sure softball would love for baseball to pay for theirs, but this is through softball funds and is expected not to exceed 20,000. Engineering construction review the request and has no objection. >> Next, we have financial updates. >> So, just a reminder to the board if you have any board priorities you want us to look at. So, what I'd mentioned last time was our cost of living adjustment. Um, opening Popular Hill Middle
029does have increased costs and then continuing to make sure fund 177 is there and advocating for a new high school. So, that's kind of what we're looking at prioritizing. Uh, if you have additional things, please let me know because we, as we discussed last time, we're also going to have less TISA revenue because of the way some of our funding um and enrollments looked this year. The other portion of that is our principal budget requests were due last Friday. So I'll send those to you all a week or so before the retreat once we go start looking at those. And then department requests are due this Friday. Is that correct, Brian? Yep. And so we'll we're about a week behind, but that's fine just because of the snow. So a little bit behind where but
030we're we're in good shape. >> Okay. Any questions? Okay. Next we have directors. That's >> I'll do it Thursday. >> Okay. Uh Mr. Mr. VA, do you have anything to report from today's uh last two days? Actually, >> last two days we u and they had the I guess legislative and legal conference in um Franklin last couple of days. [clears throat] U pretty insightful. Don't want to get anybody real excited about but there's about 250 bills that have been introduced so far or the cuto off date is now. So when roughly 250 bills related to education, they spent a couple of hours on about 25 of the more potent bills. I guess I would say some of them that probably we need to support, some of them we need to try to get our legislators
031not to look at or not to approve. But I the the feeling in general is it'll all settle out in the next uh couple of three weeks. Not to get too excited about anything right now. I think one of them that's got got a lot of headlines here lately is about going from a appointed superintendent or appointed director back to an elected superintendent. That rears its head every 5 to 10 years I guess ever since that legislation was passed in, if I remember correctly 1990 or 1992. So um there's a lot of provisions tied to that. don't know how much traction it's going to get, but um you know, it's a it's a constant struggle. I'm going to be on Capitol Hill tomorrow and and kind of feel out some of our legislators about some
032of these things. I I have a trade organization meeting tomorrow. The realtors are going down. So, but I'm going to use that opportunity to get next to uh all of our legislators because I always get a opportunity. We're going to eat lunch with them. So anyway, I'll no more maybe Thursday night, but right now I wouldn't get too excited. It's interesting that a fourth of the bills that have been introduced at the legislature, if you look at the ratio, they all can introduce for those of you watching on camera, each legislator has the right to introduce 10 bills. Am I doing that right, Francis? I think that's right. 10 bills each. There's 99 legislators >> on the House floor. [laughter] >> Yeah, the speaker gets a few more, but roughly a thousand bills. 25% of
033them are related to education one form or another. So at least our legislators care about education. You know, sometimes I think people don't realize that, but it is a big portion of the state budget. Obviously, it's a major portion of our local budget. So anyway, more updates to come. >> Thank you, Mr. B. Any other comments or questions? Are we in Miss Maxwell? We're going to general discussion if there's no other comments. Yes. No. No comments for Okay. Yeah. So, um, really quickly, um, tomorrow, um, the, uh, the nonprofit that my family and I have, Breakthrough Tennessee, is having its first celebration, uh, for the the 250th anniversary of our nation's birthday. Um, it'll be at the fountains. It's free. It's a prayer breakfast. All are welcome. Hope you guys can come. Uh secondly, I
034just want to say thank you so much to the board who helped with the resolation the resol the resolution sorry uh to pass the the observance of the 4th of July one day out of the school year because um one of our legislator has picked that up uh Representative Tim Rudd and uh Senator Mark Pody and if it goes through the state general assembly the 114th general assembly it'll will be statewide. So, I'm really excited that we can do something in celebrating the and in honoring our nation's birthday. 250 years is a pretty big deal. >> Yes, it is. >> Yes. Thank you. Any other comments or discussions for general discussion? >> Yes, Mr. Tidpull. >> Uh Dr. Sen, when you sent this out sent that out to us about the prorate for the high
035performance, uh I'd reach out to a couple different people. I think they are going to retroactively get that money back to us. Uh but we do need to be talking to our legislators to make sure that they're going to support that because it's in the governor's bill to do it. We don't and we know a lot of that stuff gets moved around and cut. We don't want that portion to get cut. Also, I'm just going to go on record. I think that it's a high performance bonus that was given for the performance of this school district. I think that is school district money that should be coming here. So, that's what you mentioned. Thank you for advocating for that. I just find that that's a no-brainer cause. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Yes,
036Miss Sharp. Thank you. Um, today a lot of the Title One spring um meetings have come out and I encourage everybody to go because you learn a lot and the parents are there and um it's really really good. When I've first came on board, it was a lot of information that I learned very quickly from those meetings. So try to make them if you can. >> Okay. Any other comments or questions for anyone? Well, if that is it, then we're adjourned. >> Awesome.