January 26, 2023 at 7:15 PM - GREENEVILLE CITY REGULAR BOARD MEETING

Rationale:  Origin:
___ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by: 

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  Origin:
___ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  _X_ Action requested at this meeting
___ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
___ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
Per policy 1.600, at least biannually, the Board shall review its policy manual for the purpose of passing, revising, or deleting policies mandated by changing conditions.  This routine review of district policies is done on an ongoing basis by central office administrative staff with the assistance of TSBA’s policy maintenance service.

Summary of Major Elements: 
During routine review, it was determined that no changes were required in the attached policies.

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Approval

Impact on Resources:

None

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

2nd reading at XXX Board meeting

Rationale:  Origin:
__ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  __ Action requested at this meeting
__ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
__ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
Budget Amendments are made periodically throughout the year to more accurately reflect anticipated revenues, expenditures, timing of expenditures, and grant award allocations.

Summary of Major Elements: 
Attached is the second Federal Projects Budget Amendment to be approved in the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year. It allows for budgeting of revised grant allocations received in December 2022.   

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Acceptance

Impact on Resources:

As presented in the attached Budget Amendment.

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None

Rationale:  Origin:
___ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  ___ Action requested at this meeting
___ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
___ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
Financial Statements are presented to the Board of Education each month.

Summary of Major Elements: 

Attached are the following Financial Statements:

· Local Revenue Tracking Report
· General Purpose/Federal Statements of Revenue & Expenditures

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Acceptance

Impact on Resources:

None

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None

Rationale:  Origin:
___ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  _X_ Action requested at this meeting
___ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
___ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
Per policy 1.600, at least biannually, the Board shall review its policy manual for the purpose of passing, revising, or deleting policies mandated by changing conditions.  This routine review of district policies is done on an ongoing basis by central office administrative staff with the assistance of TSBA’s policy maintenance service.

Summary of Major Elements: 
Revisions are recommended to the attached policies on 1^st reading.

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Approval

Impact on Resources:

None

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None

Rationale:  Origin:
__ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  _X_ Action requested at this meeting
__ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
__ No Previous board review/action
_X_ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
There is a health issue of epidemic proportions that has emerged over the last few years and is impacting school districts particularly hard.  That is the use of e-cigarettes, commonly referred to as "vaping", by students. A November 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed self-reported e-cigarette use by 27.5% of high school students and by 10.5% of middle school students.

Summary of Major Elements: 
In 2019, several California public school districts filed a mass-action lawsuit against JUUL Labs, Inc. Based on recent estimates, JUUL Labs accounts for approximately 70% of e-cigarettes that are manufactured and distributed in the United States.  Since the initial lawsuit was filed, several other school districts across the country, represented by the Frantz Law Group, have joined that lawsuit.

Greeneville City Schools Board of Education approved joining the lawsuit against JUUL Laboratories, Inc., at their February 23, 2022, regular meeting.

The plan moving forward:

1. (Closed Session) Discussion with counsel regarding possible resolution of JUUL litigation.
2. (Open Session) Discussion of authority of Director of Schools in relation to resolving JUUL litigation. (While in January public meetings, ask each board to provide their director of schools with authority to execute any final settlement agreement with JUUL based on forthcoming final numbers/accounting.)

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 
Approval  

Impact on Resources:

None

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None

Rationale:  Origin:
__ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  _X_ Action requested at this meeting
__ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
__ Previous review/action
Background Information: 

The Tennessee General Assembly, during the 1st Extraordinary Session of 2021, passed the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act. As part of this legislation, the General Assembly revised the state’s law regarding the promotion of students from third grade, T.C.A. § 49-6-3115. The statute was also revised during the regular 2021 legislative session. T.C.A. § 49-6-3115, which applies to the 2022-23 school year, requires that a third-grade student, determined NOT to be proficient in English language arts (ELA), may not be promoted to the next grade level, without certain conditions being met, which could include the student receiving additional interventions in reading.

Issues with the current TN Learning Loss and Remediation Act and TCA 49-6-3115:

• Using an English Language Arts Test to determine reading ability/proficiency.
• Using one measure to determine whether or not a student is retained.
• Using the first standardized test that a student takes to determine whether or not to retain is not supported by research.
• Decisions to retain are made by the state department who have no knowledge of the student or their circumstances, other than one standardized test score.

Suggestions to improve the current TN Learning Loss and Remediation Act and TCA 49-6-3115:

• Use the TN Ready Test as a screener that would cause school officials to review additional data points
• Establish a percentile level (Below the 40th Percentile) on TN Ready to trigger the review noted above. Students in the upper band of the current Approaching Category typically do well in school, graduate, and go on to be successful and productive members of society.
• Review Universal Screener Data, RTI Progress Monitoring Data, subject area grades, and other measures to make possible retention decisions.
• The final decision of whether or not to retain a student should remain at the school level with the teacher, principal, and parents, those who best know the child and their potential.
• Restore funding for K-2 Summer School to help students who are identified as struggling to receive additional support prior to 3rd grade.
• Remove the requirement that students who participate in summer school and/or tutoring or both could still be retained in 4th grade.

Summary of Major Elements: 
Per the attached resolution, the Greeneville City Board of Education urges the General Assembly to amend Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-6-3115 to allow school districts to make retention decisions for all students based upon the totality of data, discussion among stakeholders, and the expertise of education professionals regarding the best interests of each student.

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Approval

Impact on Resources:

None

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None

Rationale:  Origin:
__ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  _X_ Action requested at this meeting
__ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
__ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
The GCS Calendar Team is made up of teachers, parents, administrators, support personnel, and Greene County School System representatives. The team has worked hard to develop a traditional school calendar for the 2024-2025 school year.  All state and federal requirements have been considered and incorporated into the proposed calendar. 


Summary of Major Elements: 

• The 200 Day Accountability requirements are met based on this calendar.
• Students’ first day of school will be August 2, 2024 (abbreviated), and the last full day will be on May 22, 2025 (abbreviated).
• ACT Test Dates, TN Ready, TCAP, and High School Assessment Window dates have not been released yet, therefore the calendar will need to be updated at a later date.  

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Approval

Impact on Resources:

None

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None

Rationale:  Origin:
__ Topic presented for information only (no board action required)
_X_ Board review required by:  _X_ Action requested at this meeting
__ Action requested at 
Previous Review/Action:
_X_ No Previous board review/action
__ Previous review/action
Background Information: 
Part of the roof of Eastview Elementary is due to be replaced and is leaking in several places. The section of roof to be replaced will be over the kitchen, cafeteria, and 5th grade section of the school including the rear awning. The reroofing project will consist of removing the existing membrane down to the metal deck and reinstalling polyisocyanurate insulation board, and a 50 mill PVC membrane. The new roof membrane will have a thirty-year warranty.

Summary of Major Elements: 
Specifications for the reroofing project were advertised.  Seven roofing companies submitted bids:

• Aspen Contracting                            $196,289.99
• Ballinger Construction                      $292,503.00
• Eskola Roofing                                  $287,244.00
• Morristown Roofing                            $257,000.00
• Roof Choice                                        $389,907.00
• Summit BSR Roofing                         $256,271.00
• Tri-State Roofing                                $312,589.00

It is recommended to accept the bid of $256,271.00 from Summit BSR Roofing. The lowest bid from Aspen did not meet the specifications.

Director of Schools' Recommendation: 

Approval

Impact on Resources:

This project will be paid from 2022-2023 capital funds.

Timetable for Further Review/Action:

None at this time

Rationale:  Directors Update to the Board
Thursday, January 26, 2023

1. It is my pleasure to present to you the 2022 Greeneville City Schools Annual Report. The theme this year comes from our Portrait of a Graduate and focuses on Resilience and Innovation, two of the six characteristics identified that all GCS Graduates should possess when they graduate. I want to recognize Ms. Kari Simmons for the excellent job she has done compiling, organizing, and designing our report. Thank you, Kari! I think the report is both visually appealing and very informative, allowing us to showcase the many achievements of GCS students and staff.
2. Congratulations to Annika Vines on placing 10th in the State in the Tennessee Math Teachers Association (TMTA) contest in Algebra 1. We are very proud of her accomplishment as well as all her teachers who have supported her preparation.
3. GCS School Nutrition has been notified by the TN Dept of Education School Nutrition Program that we have been awarded a NSLP-Supply Chain Assistance grant (Federal Funds) in the amount of $85,818.62. These grant funds are from the US Dept. of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. We are receiving these grant funds due to supply chain disruptions and the funds can be used to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed domestic food products. Kudos to Karen Wilhoit and her staff for staying on top of these opportunities and applying for these grant funds.
4. Congratulations to Hal Henard, Highland, and GHS School Cafeterias who have received a score of 100 on their most recent Cafeteria Health Inspections. Schools are required to obtain two school food safety inspections per school year. Kudos to Cafeteria managers Nancy Massey, Bambi Bumpus, and Miriam Shackleford and their teams on these outstanding scores.
5. Also, congratulations to Hal Henard and Highland Elementary Schools who have received a score of 100 on their School Facility Environmental Survey. The Tennessee Division of Environmental Health conducts inspections of school plants for sanitation and safety requirements.  Kudos to Lead Custodians Leona Mitchell, Kenny Gross, and their teams on these outstanding scores.
6. The District Level Teachers of the Year have been selected and we are pleased to announce that Amy Hoese, 1st grade teacher at TV, is the PK-4 District Teacher of the Year. The 5-8 District Teacher of the Year is Sarah Chapman, a special education teacher at GMS, and the 9-12 District Teacher of the Year is Kimber McIntyre, a biology teacher at GHS. Congratulations to each of the District Teachers of the Year! Thank you for the outstanding job you do supporting students.
7. I also want to recognize the individual school Teachers of the Year, Melvina Miller, kindergarten teacher at Hal Henard; Darci Dolen, special education teacher at EastView; Ashley Long, 4th and 5th grade math teacher at Highland; Jana Wills, special education teacher for TOPS @Greeneville; and Elliot GeFellers, Machine Tool Technology Teacher at GTC. Congratulations to each of the school level honorees!
8. Congratulations to the Greeneville City Schools District Principal of the Year, Mrs. Janet Ricker from Hal Henard. Janet is a caring and supportive principal who leads with a servant’s heart. Thank you for the difference you make!
9. I want to wish the GCS Board of Education a Happy School Board Appreciation Week and say thank you for your dedicated service. We are so appreciative of the commitment, support, and leadership you provide to the students, staff, and families of Greeneville City Schools. I am honored to work alongside you.

Respectfully submitted by Steve Starnes