December 10, 2024 at 6:00 PM - Kingsport City Schools Board of Education Regular Meeting

Description:  Lincoln Elementary School student Nori Barrett will lead the Board of Education and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Nori is in 2nd Grade.

Description:  Mrs. Woods will ask for a motion to accept the agenda, which includes the consent agenda. Once the agenda is accepted, the Board mutually agrees not to discuss any item of business or take any action that has not been accepted for the agenda.

Description:  Dr. Richard Church, Vice President of Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT)-Elizabethton, and other TCAT representatives will recognize Kingsport City Schools and the Dobyns-Bennett High School Career & Technical Education (CTE) Department for being TCAT-Elizabethton's largest Dual Enrollment partner for Fall 2024.

Description:  Superintendent Dr. Chris Hampton will recognize Nori Barrett, a 2nd grader at Lincoln Elementary School, for submitting the artwork selected for the 2024 Kingsport City Schools Christmas card. Nori is in Mrs. Liz Layton's art class at Lincoln. 

Description:  Mrs. Jackson will recognize Kingsport City Schools 2025 building-level Teachers of the Year.

2025 Teachers of the Year (Building-Level)

Grades PreK-4:

• Kristy Rowe, Palmer Center
• (Catherine) Catie Little, Adams Elementary School
• Carla Casey, Jackson Elementary School
• Stephanie Rebuck Cox, Jefferson Elementary School
• Addison Hale, Johnson Elementary School
• Emily Quillen, Kennedy Elementary School
• Sarah Owens, Lincoln Elementary School
• Rebecca Good, Roosevelt Elementary School
• (Carrie) Logan Burton, Washington Elementary School

Grades 5-8:

• Stephanie Kilgore, Sevier Middle School
• Julie Potts, Sevier Middle School
• Jesse McCormick, Sevier Middle School
• Angelia (Angie) Hensley, Robinson Middle School
• Heather Bishop, Robinson Middle School
• Jennifer Corbin, Robinson Middle School

Grades 9-12:

• Cameron Phillips, Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Jimmy Burleson, Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Brandon Reed, Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Olivia Guntrum, Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Aaron Gourley, Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Holly Fain, Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Katie Kimbro, D-B EXCEL
• Sherona Mims, Cora Cox Academy 

Description:  Dr. Marshall will announce and recognize the 2025 KCS Teacher of the Year at the elementary, middle, and high school level.

2025 Teachers of the Year (District-Level):

Grades PreK-4: Addison Hale Benton (Johnson ES)
Grades 5-8 - Heather Bishop (Robinson MS)
Grades 9-12 - Katie Kimbro (D-B EXCELl)

Description:  Mr. Golden will recognize Kingsport City Schools for achieving the top composite score of 5 in Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS) based on data released by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) for the eighth consecutive year. For the 2023-2024 school year, Kingsport City Schools scored a Level 5 in the areas of system-wide numeracy, system-wide science, system-wide social studies, system-wide literacy and numeracy, and the overall system-wide composite score.

Adams Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, Johnson Elementary School, Kennedy Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Sevier Middle School, and Dobyns-Bennett High School also received a top composite score of 5.

TVAAS measures student growth year over year, regardless of whether the student is proficient on the state assessment. In calculating a TVAAS score, a student's performance is compared relative to the performance of his or her peers who have performed similarly on past assessments. A Level 5 TVAAS score means there is significant evidence that the district's students made more growth than expected.

Description:  Mrs. Woods will recognize five KCS schools that have been named among Tennessee's best, announced as 2024 Reward Schools by the Tennessee Department of Education. Adams Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, Johnson Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, and Dobyns-Bennett High School received the designation based on results from the 2023-2024 TCAP assessment. 

Each year, schools and districts are eligible for designations based on their overall performance across indicators that are essential to student success, including how they prepared students to be proficient (achievement), accelerated student learning (growth), encouraged students to attend school regularly (chronically out of school), prepared students for postsecondary success (graduation rate and Ready Graduate), and supported English learners acquiring language skills.

Schools are recognized as a Reward School when they demonstrate high levels of performance and/or improvement in performance by meeting objectives across performance indicators and student groups, and the RewardS School distinction places significant emphasis on performance and improvement across all indicators from the prior school year. Reward School status is a key designation under Tennessee's school accountability system.  

Description: 

Pre-approved members of the community may address the Board regarding non-agenda items for a maximum of three (3) minutes each, unless otherwise stated by the Board.  In your remarks, you may not refer to students by name without permission from the parent or guardian. It is not the time to speak about personnel issues, as there are more appropriate ways in which these can be addressed.  

In order to speak on a topic not included on the agenda, you are asked to submit your request in writing to the Superintendent of Schools at least three (3) business days prior to the scheduled date of the meeting.  

Description: 

This is the time when members of the audience are invited to comment on agenda items.  It is not the time to speak about personnel issues, as there are more appropriate ways in which these can be addressed.  If you are not sure how to do this, please ask a Board member after the meeting.

In your remarks, you may not refer to students by name without permission from the parent or guardian.

If you would like to speak on a topic not included on the agenda, you are asked to submit your request in writing to the Superintendent of Schools at least three (3) business days prior to the scheduled date of the meeting.

If you would like to speak about an item included on the agenda for this meeting, it is requested that you first state your name and limit your remarks to a maximum of three (3) minutes.

Thank you. 

Description:  The Disposal of Surplus Equipment memo and listing of surplus property is attached for your review. It is recommended the Board declare the property surplus and transfer it to the custody of the city recorder.

Description:  Attached is the proposed recommendation for City of Kingsport and Kingsport City Schools Athletic uniforms and sports equipment. BSN Sports is the lowest bidder of the two, meeting specifications for the particular grade and class of material, work or service desired and is in the best interest and advantage to the city. Funding is identified in both city and school budgets for athletic uniforms and sports equipment.

Description:  Mr. David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, will present Budget Amendment #3 for Board consideration.

Description:  Dr. Andy True, Assistant Superintendent - Administration, and Mr. Frye will present a recommendation to enter into an agreement with Thompson & Litton for architectural and engineering services for a new elementary school and associated work at the Lynn View Community Center site.

Expressions of Interest/Requests for Qualifications were requested from Architectural and Engineering firms for a new elementary school. On August 14, 2024, sealed requests were opened, with ten responses being received. Once the top three were selected, the team interviewed these firms.

Thompson & Litton and their subconsultants will provide the following in the Phase 1 portion of the agreement: Programming, Schematic Design, Site Survey, Traffic Impact Study, Geotechnical, and Existing Building Environmental Review. The proposed fee for these services is not to exceed $644,067.00.

It is recommended that Thompson & Litton Architects be identified as the Architect of Record for the design and construction for a new elementary school to be located on the site of the Lynn View Community Center. It is further recommended to enter into an agreement with Thompson & Litton Architects for phase I services to develop a Schematic Design, including supplemental services in the amount of $644,067.00.