001and welcome to the August 7th, 2025 regular school board meeting for the Rutherford County School District. We will be opening the meeting with a brief moment of silence or prayer in the pledge of allegiance to the United States flag. No one is required to participate or be present for any of these and being in this portion of the meeting is completely voluntary. Mr. Darby, I believe you have. Dear heavenly father, Lord, we just come before you and ask that you would give us all um open ears, open eyes, open hearts so that you can um let your will be done. We ask that you watch over the safety of our district, all of our students, all of our teachers, all of our staff, our central office, our parents, administrators, uh support staff, maintenance, food workers,
002all of the above. Lord, we ask that you would just place a hedge of protection around this entire district. help us to have a fantastic 2526 school year. I know we are off to a great start and we know that you will bless us with good things. It is in your name we pray. Amen. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Next up, we have the approval of the agenda. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Rosales. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have approval of the consent agenda. Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. Thank you,
003M. Rosales. All in favor, say, "I." >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. We have one speaker this evening. Her name is Marian Glenner and she is from Rocky Fork Middle School with a presentation on Richard Seagull Foundation. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. I'm a structured support setting teacher at Rocky Middle School and I'm also honored to be the proud recipient of three Richard Seagull Foundation grants over the past few years. The support that this foundation provides to Rutherford County teachers is quite simply put extraordinary. The opportunity to host events and purchase supplies that fall outside of our yearly budget has made a tremendous impact on both my classroom and my school's communities. While at my primary, Felicia James convinced me I could write a grand proposal and encouraged me to apply for
004the Richard Seagull grant. That year, I was awarded funding to host a pumpkin patch STEM night. Thanks to the foundation, we created a magical evening full of pumpkin themed STEM challenges that bought teachers, students, and families together. We provided dinner, an engaging science show, multiple hands-on STEM stations, and even a take-home activity to extend learning beyond the event. It was a night filled with joy, exploration, and meaningful connections. None of which would have been possible without this grant. When I transitioned to the special education team at Rocky Fork Middle, I had to leave behind my interactive Smartboard. My first year at Rocky Middle without that technology was eye opening and it reinforced how vital interactive tools are for student engagement and success. Last year, I was asked to step into the structured support setting role
005and knew that a Smartboard would help level the playing field for our students. However, due to budget limitations, it was out of reach again. Once again, the Richard Seagull Foundation stepped in and transformed my classroom. Their grant not only provided a Smartboard, but also a rolling cart, a document camera, and funding for interactive curriculum and games. The result was increased engagement, increased participation, and success for every single one of my students. Most recently, I received the exciting news that again this year, my classroom is being awarded funding to launch a coffee cart and a teacher treat cart. This grant will empower our students with critical life skills, and work-based learning opportunities. They'll practice taking orders, preparing drinks and snacks, communicating effectively, handling money, making change, and so much more. From cooking activities to customer service,
006this project will integrate academics with real world applications, and it will give our middle schoolers confidence as they navigate meaningful roles within the school community. None of these three incredible opportunities would have been possible without the partnership and the generosity of the Richard Seagull Foundation. Every day I am blessed to be a teacher, but I am a better teacher because of the foundation's unending support. Grateful does not even begin to cover what I feel for the work that they do. Their contributions have helped create better, stronger, and more enriching learning environments, not just for my classroom, but for classrooms across Rutherford County. And it's my joy to represent these teachers as we express our thanks and appreciation to the Richard Seagull Foundation this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. [Applause] Next, we have
007public comment. And we have one person signed up for public comment. That is Matt Fee. Good evening everybody. Long time no see. Hope everyone's had a good summer. Uh my name is Matt P and I just felt compelled to come here tonight to speak about two proposed policy changes. I know what I say won't stop these changes from happening. They're being brought forward to comply with the state law. And honestly, if I hadn't come tonight, they'd probably pass without much fanfare or notice. But I felt I needed to say something because these laws being forced on our district come from the same people who have driven Tennessee to the bottom in quality of life rankings, who've contributed to the loss of nearly four years in life expectancy since 2014, and who continue to leave our
008public schools underfunded and near the bottom in per pupil spending. at the same time denying a small administrative cost to feed hungry kids during summer break, refusing to end the grocery tax or do anything that would actually provide improvements to the quality of life of Tennessans despite having massive funding reserves and providing billions of tax dollars in tax breaks to corporations. Profits over people. I get it. We have to comply with state laws no matter how damaging they may be. But when we talk about removing diversity language from school policies, it's important to remember why those policies were put in place to begin with. States like Tennessee have a long history of exclusion and discrimination. The policies being altered tonight were designed to make sure under reppresented voices in our community weren't overlooked and to
009help ensure that the most qualified candidates are hired regardless of race, background, or identity. I know some would like us to believe we've moved beyond needing this kind of language. That bias no longer exists. But let's be honest with ourselves. Bias is still here. Whether it's conscious or unconscious. And when we have school board members who don't even believe Junth should be a holiday, it's clear that some of these biases are still loud and proud. I'm not here because I think I can stop what's happening tonight. I'm here because silence helped these kind of changes slide through unnoticed. And I won't be silent. Not when we're taking steps backwards. If this board truly values diversity, then I ask you to say so tonight clearly on the record. Let the community know that this change is
010not your choice, but a requirement being forced on us by a state government more interested in controlling narratives than supporting students. Policies reflect values. If you're being made to remove the words, then at the very least, don't let them remove the intent behind them. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Next, we have the director of schools evaluation. And I'm going to go over it uh each section with you. Um the first section section A is the administrator survey. Section B is the board observational data and section um two is the appendix C is the achievement of board goals and strategic plan. Overall Dr. Sullivan, I am very pleased to say, scored a 4.3 out of five, which is excellent. And it is due to his strong leadership that this district is in
011in such good shape. So, if we go through it, uh the first appendix A, administration, administrators perceptions of director's performance, he received a a average 4.63 out of a rating out of five. There were several glowing comments regarding his uh leadership. Appendix B, board observational data, he received a 4.2 average rating out of five. Community relations, he received a 4.37 out of five. Staff and personnel relationships, 4.3 out of five. Facilities, finance and human resources 4.26 out of five. Vision 4.2 out of five. Student achievement 4.2 out of five. Management and operations. He achieved a 4.2 out of five. Integrity, fairness, and ethics, a 4.48. political, social, cultural context. He received a 4.27 which was an average of that section of 4.27. And then when you go to appendix C, achievement of board goals and
012strategic planning, he ach he he received a 4.43. And then under performance objective two, develop a school district strategic plan. He is received a 4.4. And then performance objective five, works with the school board to develop and implement an annual plan for promoting school system and increasing communication and support with the county commission and city council. He received a 4.1. Appendix C's average was a 4.13. There were many additional comments. I will tell you there were some scores that I felt like for the second year in a row should have been higher. We have the highest graduation rate in the state and there were several scores that were lower. They should have been fives. But I'm very pleased, Dr. Sullivan, with the direction of this >> school system and your leadership. >> Thank you, >>
013Miss Maxwell. >> Yes, Miss Rosales. I was hoping TSVA was going to be here because I have a question about um the appendix C in the 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 because the highest you can get is a level five. We're a level five district and those scores were in this area were all fives but yet the performance evaluation is does not match what the actual TBO scores are. So I believe that there should be something in this evaluation written that this is not a true accurate scoring because it shall match what we're getting. This section shall match our TAS section. So I was hoping TSBA was going to be here so that we can and this is two years in a row where the marks are lower than what the actual scoring was on TAS.
014And so that needs to be fixed in my opinion. We can definitely talk with TSBA. >> Yeah, because it needs to be made noted on there. >> Once again, thank you. >> And the only thing I'll say is the director has allowed a written response. Of course, I appreciate the feedback. We've had very consistent performance, flexibility when needed. Um, I agreed with those areas. Um, and the director has allowed a written response as well. And so, TOSS um is aware of that portion as well for two years in a row as the organization of school superintendent. So, >> they're aware. >> Thank you. Next we move on to facilities and the 814 South Church Street. >> So this is a request. This really came out of conversations with the county mayor and county commission. This
015is a request for Breth County government to utilize 814 South Church Street. This is recommended by the director of schools at the request of the county mayor considering the increase to maintenance of effort. We received 2.9 million extra this year uh this budget year. County government can use the building without stipulations placed on the school because of students. Uh we discussed this on Tuesday. It'll be used for EMA first responders. Uh technically they could go ahead and take it from us if they wanted to anyways, but this is a a good gesture for us to to potentially offer. That's why it's my recommendation. >> It's a no-brainer. >> Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Rosales. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have human resources. >> This is
016anou between Centerstone and Rutherford County Schools. Uh we had adjusted these last year to include making sure it was evident that parents have to opt into all of these different things, not an opt out. And so this is a request to approve the MIU between Centerstone and RCS. >> I entertain a motion. >> Thank you, M. Second. Thank you, Mr. Ba. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have instruction. >> We still have two moreus. So we have anou between volunteer behavioral healthcare and Rutherford County schools. Very similar to those right over those. I apologize. You're >> fine. >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Sharp. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Next we have >> and the last one's between stars and
017Rutherford County Schools. And again, very similar to the first two, just request permission to enter into thatou. >> I'll entertain a motion. >> Thank you, Mr. Ba. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Ba. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next we have instruction. >> This is the annual umou that or I guess understanding that allows us to use optimal health for me or O4M. Optimal health for me is a sexual risk avoidance or SR program promoting a holistic approach to sex and healthy relationships. This program aims to provide trained speakers to classrooms within RCS aligned with the standards within the expectations of the family life instruction curriculum. This program complies with TCA 4961301 through TCA 4961308 requiring a program to be age appropriate, sexual risk abstinence centered, evidence-based and medically accurate.
018This program is available for grades 6 through 12 and ranges from 3 to five lessons and it does require parent permission explicitly but it is in stable. >> Any comments? >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. B. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next we have legal. >> This is a request for transfer student under discipline. The board's been requested to admit a transfer student from another school system under discipline. The student has remained for possession of illegal drugs. According to policy 6.318, the board may deny admissions of any student except those in state custody when a student transfers from another school system while under suspension or expulsion. Director of school's recommendation is to admit and place into alternative school because of timing. um this student's um discipline would run out
019in September, I believe September 6th. Is that right, Mr. Wrigley? And they would be eligible to go straight into a traditional school. U recommendations to place them into an alternative school because then they would have to follow our program before they entered back into a traditional school. >> Okay to approve. >> Thank you, Mr. Ba. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Next. >> All right. Next we have policy adoption first and final reading. I'd like some guidance. Do you all need to read each title, each one? What would what would you all like? >> Tuesday. We're going to vote them all. >> Vote them all together. >> Yeah, we're going to vote them all together. >> But does anybody have any questions? They like to pull any out or
020we good with that? >> Okay. >> Right. So, you see there are quite a few policy changes requested all the way from policy 1.407 407 of school district records all the way through to um policy 6.709 student fees and fines and a requirement of policy 1.1021 to have at least a policy for student board member. And the first uh request that is needed is it is a request to suspend board policy 1.6000 to specifically weight the two reading requirements for the above policies to go into effect as presented as one. >> Thanks M. Thank you, M. Karby. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. >> And then second request is to then adopt these on the first and final reading um with the above policies since that has now been sus.
021>> I'll entertain a motion. Mr. D. >> Second, >> Mr. Darby. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Motion passes. Next we have financial matters. >> Financial matters. This is Popper Hill Elementary cafeteria cash on hand. And I know it's a small amount, but it's it's to keep us legal. With opening of Popular Hill Elementary School in August of 2025, cash on hand to make change needs to be authorized for the school cafeteria operations. School nutrition department's requesting $50 be authorized as the initial amount of cash on hand for Popler Hill Elementary. >> I'll entertain a motion. So move. Thank you, Mr. VA. Thank you, M. Derby. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Next, we have director's update. >> So, just a couple quick things. Of course,
022we had our two-hour day yesterday. Thank parents, students, and staff for the work to get to that point because you don't want to jinx it. But overall, very smooth two-hour day. We hope to have similar tomorrow. Full days, it does take us a few days to to get fully operational. We'll have a lot of logistics, students registering, schedules changing, transportation. Uh just be patient as we work through those things because we go from zero students to 53,000 in a matter of a day and a half. And so be patient there. We are watching enrollment. There's a couple areas that are a little bit concerned. of a concern. Um, one of those being Pathetil Elementary has helped tremendously in the Blackman, Browns Chapel, Stewart's Creek area, but I do have concerns with Stewart's Creek Elementary School
023still. And so they are sitting um above, 1100 right now, actually closer to,200 right now. And a lot of that is due to employee zone exemptions. And so we have over a 100 employee zone exemptions at that school. So our zoning numbers were around 1,50 to,070. We have 100 employee zone exemptions and I'm not advocating in any way to remove those because I always think we need to take care of our people but at the same point Browns Chapel is sitting just over 600 and so you've got a big discrepancy between two schools with a very similar build and I don't know if we may have to look at a cap again at Stewart Creek Elementary School until we can look at that resoning. The part that concerns me the most is looking at that
024zone. You either have to look at employee zone exemptions for three schools which is going to impact our hiring there or we have to look at taking the Browns Chapel zone almost to the front door Stewart Creek. And so that's just the way that zone it can go west a little bit all the way to the county line which is what Browns Chapel does now instead of Stewart's Creek but there's not a lot of students there. Uh the number of students goes closer whether you're getting to Seminary Road or Morton Road and I'm just mentioning them. That's not my suggestion. was mentioning that would be where the zone would have to go to to impact the number of students needed. >> Now, when it comes to a a teacher waiver for his child, they still
025have to ask for it every year, right? >> Once they're enrolled once, we did have a pause on that for the last two years. And so now they are all there. You have the largest high school in the state and one of the largest elementary schools in the state. And so you you've got a large number of faculty, four or 500 people there that happen to have 100 students that are enrolled as elementary. So again, that's not my recommendation. Those are just some things we're going to have to look at. And I won't know more until we truly have actual numbers like their kindergarten numbers are down lower than I would have expected for other schools. So I'm hoping still there's some students that'll that'll register there. Yes, Micheers just in case. >> We always
026miss. >> Yes, Mr. So, you know, we build Popular Hill because of the need over in Sir Creek. So, um it's almost as if we're back to square one in a sense. >> Not that far because we were well into the 1300s. We're not where we need to be. We're nowhere near where we were. So it sounds like we may need to make some adjustments for next year because it is impacting >> correct >> Brown's Chapel and I know there's concerns there about it >> for sure. The other part of that is we are in the middle of position changes. So every year we have to make changes based on who actually shows up. And so I will give a list to the board of what positions we have to have an involuntary transfer. Don't
027expect a lot, but you always have some usually at the elementary middle level the most. If a class size average for K through three is supposed to be 20 and we have a school that's sitting at 12, but then I have another school that's sitting at 21, we have to move those positions to make numbers. Dr. Chastain does an amazing job of trying to project that as much as we can. But you have dual zone, you have other competition. It's just it's it's a challenge. Don't expect a lot, but we always go with volunteers first and then if we don't have volunteers, then it is last hired in the district. And so, just know that that is potential over the next week, but we'll have a better idea of enrollment over the um after the
028end of next week. So, >> can you remind me the capacity? >> Close to a thousand, a little bit over a thousand >> and right now we have >> like 600. Yeah, a little bit over, but roughly >> they definitely have some room. >> They do not have What's different about them is we do your populations are a little bit different and so where Stewwards Creek Elementary at 11-200 is going to feel larger because they have a larger ESL population than Browns Chapel has a large ESL population but not quite as big in Browns Chapel. The other difference at Steuart's Creek is we have room for portables which we've had and we didn't remove all of them but we don't have room for portables at Browns Chapel just because of the way that property is.
029Uh so just okay >> it's something we're watching. It's definitely it's the one area that I'm I'm not thrilled with the way the numbers came out, but you have dual zone. You have a charter school there. There's all kinds of things that are operating with the numbers. >> I got Okay. Next, we have general discussion. Anybody? >> Yes. Miss Ros, >> I you know, I don't want to harp on this, but I just feel like this is really important. I'm just really concerned about this evaluation with those numbers. Um, is that something that has to be signed or can we get from to can we talk to TSBA to make those amendments before we sign this because once you sign it that's what the scores that's what the scores are right and you can't make
030changes after >> it's already official >> it's already >> because it's already been calculated >> is there any way I think I had asked for a um I think two or three years ago we I had asked asked to where we could make comments on different sections. So if there if you were going to be scoring things a certain way, you can write, you know, comments based upon that scoring. So if we're not going to score things appropriately, it'd be great to know what the heck are they're looking at, what are we looking at the scores to know why they're lower than the five, why we're giving lower marks, things of that nature. because not everyone gave comments at the end to reflect why they scored certain way. So I had requested three years ago
031to have a tool um to have this performance evaluation that included a comment section for these areas. So that way you didn't have to just have one comment section towards the end. So if I think it's only fair for in if you want if we want improvement on something it's hard to improve from something if you don't know what to improve upon or have examples of what happened. So I just not that I want to harp on this. I just don't think it's a reflection of what this district is doing and the good things are doing based on the leadership that we have. We definitely are a great district. So that's I would like to ask TSBA. >> Perhaps they can change the evaluation and make those changes that you'd like. We can definitely ask
032them. >> Exactly. If if they're going to be low marks, high marks, whatever, then give why. It's no different than you will have as a employee evaluation in any corporation because when I gave evaluations to tons of employees that were under my supervision, if there were inefficiencies or praises, there was areas where you can spin upon why that reflected and have those meaningful conversations, but just to have a blanket type scoring with nothing to go back. I mean, how in the world is someone supposed to improve on something if they're scored low? I understand. Thank you, Mr. Rosales. >> Can I ask you discussion? >> Yes, go ahead. >> Two quick things I forgot to mention. On the next core agenda, we will have a draft on the five-year plan. And so for discussion, we
033won't really make a a final decision till we get our new enrollment numbers from RSP and do a lot of that in October. But just to kind of look at our five-year plan, we did this at the retreat. It hasn't changed. I'm just kind of to bring that public. And then second is insurance rates. It's that time of the year where we have to look at insurance rates. And so, um, I can't remember the state aggregate average. Was it five and a half, six? Brian, do you remember what it was? The state aggregate average. >> It was five and a half, I believe. >> And so, we'll have different options of kind of budget wise, what we can afford, can't afford, what the board is, all those different types of things at our next board
034meeting to be able to pass before we get to open enrollment because open enrollment is October. I don't know. We have to choose the dates. We haven't chosen them yet. So that's why that's all we got. >> Okay. Well, if that's all, Mr. Darby, >> move to Miss >> Miss Clay. Before we adjourn, >> before we adjourn, I just want to say it's a special day. It was a couple days ago. We're a little late. >> Oh goodness. Yes, >> we're a little late. >> The one part about the start of the school year that I do not like. >> Yeah. But right there at the start of the school year, I just want to say happy birthday to Dr. Sullivan. >> Are you turning 40? >> No, I'm past that. >> I know it
035may not work, but I guess Well, we were debating. Yes. >> Need to sing. I'll sing. >> One, two, three. >> Oh, boy. We're doing this. >> Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday. [Music] Happy birthday to you. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Now you're embarrassed. >> Yeah, it's good. >> You're good. >> Yes, I'm great. Thank you. >> For all everyone, I would ask you to join us in Miss uh instructions. Uh we were hiding out in there. So in the instructions special um >> conference room conference room conference room >> conference room >> special birthday celebration birthday >> some I'm curious too >> but thank you very much and um so come and join some cake and and wish him all the best fellowship we are ajourned