June 26, 2020 at 11:00 AM - Board of Education Special Called Meeting

Rationale:  In attendance:  Chair Butch Campbell, Vice Chair David Settles, Wes Ballard, Roseann Barton, Becky Goff, David LaRoche, and Amanda Moore

Staff:  Interim Director Ralph Ringstaff, Gary Anderson, Joe Marlin, Lisa Trail, Scott Campbell, and Kim Fischer

Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Taylor

TSBA Director Tammy Grissom

Rationale:  Chairman Butch Campbell called the meeting to order at 11:10 a.m. via ZOOM and introduced Tammy Grissom from TSBA to address the members of the Board regarding the Director of Schools search.

Yesterday (6/25/20), Tammy Grissom sent the brochure and interim report via email to all Board members.  Ms. Grissom discussed the response of the community meetings and online questionnaire.  Approximately 93 community and staff members attended the meetings and 90 people responded to the on-line survey.   

Each meeting was conducted in the same manner and had the same three questions asked to those in attendance.  Question #1 - What are the good things going on that you would like to see continue at Murfreesboro City Schools?  Question #2 - What are the problems or challenges the new Director of Schools will face?  Question #3 - What are the personal characteristics you would like to see?  The interim report to the Board has each of these questions listed and what the common response to each question was.  The most common response to the good things going on was the commitment to whole child, the open door policy and the collaboration with the community and MTSU.  The most common response to the challenges the new Director will face was district growth, cultural diversity and the effects of this year’s early school closing on students due to the COVID-19.  The most common response to the personal characteristics was visionary, accessible to all students and active involvement with the community. An overview of each meeting was included in the packet sent to each Board member and they start on Page 5 and continue to Page 15.  At each meeting, they asked each attendee to fill out a form that ranks the personal characteristics that they would like to see.  Page 16 has each of those 21 characteristics are listed and how they rank. They took the top 10 characteristics and comments made at the meeting and developed the criteria that they are proposing on Page 15 of the interim report.  First paragraph has minimum requirements that were taken directly from our Board Policy and then TSBA has listed what they think should be the criteria for our Director of Schools.    

Tammy Grissom asked the Board members if they had any questions or if they wanted to change the search criteria. David LaRoche asked if someone local or someone who had connections to the community was part of the criteria.  Tammy Grissom didn’t hear it enough through the meetings and said the Board should decide that. Discussion was held between the Board members about opening up the search to outside the local area and all Board members agreed.   No motion was made to limit the search to local candidates and the Board is leaving it open to all candidates. Tammy Grissom asked the Board if they approved the criteria.  Discussions were held between Tammy and the Board members regarding experience, focus on the whole child, community relations, etc.  Tammy recommended to the Board that these questions would be ones to ask the candidates in their interview and advised not making it part of the criteria.  A question was raised regarding items #3 and #8 on the criteria being similar.  After discussion, Tammy Grissom will delete #8 and rework #3 on list of criteria. 

A roll call vote was taken to approve the criteria for the Director’s search.
Wes Ballard-Yes
Roseann Barton-Yes
Becky Goff-Yes
David LaRoche-Yes
Amanda Moore-Yes
David Settles-Yes
Butch Campbell-Yes
The board voted 7-0 to accept the criteria for the Director's search.

Tammy Grissom asked the Board members if they need any changes in the advertising brochure.  Ms. Grissom needs the Board to give a salary range to tell potential applicants.  Chairman Campbell has discussed this topic with other superintendents in the area, Gary Anderson and Ralph Ringstaff.  The range of $140,000 to $160,000 per year was arrived at.  It was noted that the county director makes $153,000.  The State’s 18-19 salary listed Rutherford County’s Director at $156,316. 

Butch Campbell made a motion to approve the salary range of $140,000 to $160,000 for the new Director, seconded by David LaRoche. A roll call vote was taken:
Wes Ballard-Yes
Roseann Barton-Yes
Becky Goff-Yes
David LaRoche-Yes
Amanda Moore-Yes
David Settles-Yes
Butch Campbell-Yes
The motion to accept the salary range for the new director as $140,000-$160,000 passed 7-0.
 
With reference to Page 4 of the Interim Report, Tammy Grissom discussed some procedures of the interview process. David LaRoche asked about questions for interviews.  TSBA will present sample questions to the Board and the Board will be able to add/delete questions as they please.  She asks that the Board ask each candidate the same set of questions. Each Board member will ask the SAME question to each candidate.  With respect to Item #4, Wes Ballard asked if each member keeps notes for each candidate are these notes discoverable?  Elizabeth Taylor responded that there are no legal requirements that you keep notes but if you do keep notes and there is legal action, they could be subject to a public records request.  Tammy Grissom indicated that notes are to help you remember about each candidate’s answers to assist when you go back to make your final decision on a Director. David LaRoche suggested removing Item #4 of the procedures regarding taking notes.  Discussion was held among the Board members regarding taking notes.  Tammy Grissom will strike Item #4 from the procedures but this doesn’t prevent the Board members from keeping notes during the interview process.   

Butch Campbell brought up the topic of nepotism in regard to immediate family to the Director.  Discussion was held among meeting attendees.  MCS has Board Policy 1.108 which says the Director shall notify the board in writing prior to hiring the person for initial employment in the system if the person is related to a member of the Board, Director of Schools, administrator, Council member or any elected City official.  Direct supervision is not allowed.   

Amanda Moore asked if our application will list that MCS is an equal opportunity employer, and Tammy Grissom confirmed that this will be listed on the application.  

 

Rationale:  The meeting adjourned at 11:49 a.m.