Lewis County Board of Education Met

The Lewis County Board of Education met in regular session on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lewis County Board of Education board meeting room located at 206 South Court Street, Hohenwald, Tn. With the exception of Phyllis Townsend, all board members present were Chair Lindsey Himes, Glenda Atkinson, Derek Cotham, Jackie Holt, Cody Mitchell, and Sallie Pollock. Vice Chair Paula Dyer joined the meeting electronically due to illness. A workshop was held at 5:30 p.m. prior to the regular scheduled meeting.

The invocation was given by Cody Mitchell. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. Holt.

Upon motion by Mr. Mitchell and seconded by Mrs. Pollock, to approve the add-ons to the consent agenda, was unanimously approved.

Upon motion by Mrs. Dyer and seconded by Mrs. Atkinson, the consent agenda was unanimously approved.

Consent Agenda

• Approved Previous minutes from August 8, 2023, board meeting.

• Adopted agenda.

• Approved payroll and miscellaneous warrants

• Add-on to new business: Transfer funds from General Purpose Funds to Federal Projects Funds; Approve Bus Monitors; Approve Softball team trip to 2024 Florida Softball Beach Bash and approve Lerin Cunningham as LCHS Volleyball coach.

Regular Agenda

Director’s Report

• Accepted the resignation of Sara Francisco, Cafeteria worker, effective August 1, 2023.

• Accepted the resignation of Rita Atkinson, Food Service Secretary, effective August 31, 2023.

• Accepted the resignation of Simone Hodges, LCMS Paraprofessional, effective September 15, 2023.

• Employed Hollie Alldredge, Lewis County System Wide Speech, and ESL teacher.

• Employed Julie Whitehead, LCHS Family Consumer Science teacher.

• Employed Dr. Lamonnia Edge, LCHS 9th & 10th grade, ELA teacher, effective September 5, 2023.

• Employed Tonia Jones, Volunteer State Virtual Academy Student Data Entry Clerk, effective September 1, 2023.

• Dr. McAbee stated that he wanted to give a big shout out to the Hohenwald Church of Christ for the gifts that they provided to all the staff in the Lewis County School District.

• Dr. McAbee also wanted to give a big shoutout to Brian Peery for being featured in the Farm Bureau magazine.

• Director McAbee stated that Guardian Safety Films was at the high school placing the safety film on the doors and windows. Ms. Dyer asked if there was a total estimate of what it was going to cost to place the film on the doors and windows at the high school. Dr. McAbee stated that it was estimated at $24,000.

• Dr. McAbee reminded board members that the new air conditioning in the high school gym is working and doing well.

• Chair Himes asked Director McAbee if he could give an update on the intercom system. Dr. McAbee explained that the crew that was here working on the intercom system had quit and that the company was moving a crew from East Tennessee to complete the work here. He stated that they are scheduled to start on Monday, September 25, 2023, and should be completed in three weeks.

Unfinished Business

There was no unfinished business to discuss.

New Business

Upon motion by Ms. Couch and seconded by Mr. Mitchell, item a) under new business was unanimously approved.

a) Approve LCHS students to travel to UNA for a college trip on September 27, 2023, during the school day from 8:00 a.m. -2:30 p.m.

Mr. Clark, LCHS Principal, expressed his appreciation for Ashley Forrester, Ayers Foundation Counselor, for all that she does for the students at LCHS.

b) Approve Addenda-Public Plan for Remaining Funds and Safe to Return in Person.

Upon motion by Ms. Couch and seconded by Mr. Mitchell, item b) under new business was unanimously approved.

c) Approve volunteer coach Matt Carroll for High School Girls Basketball.

Upon motion by Mrs. Pollock and seconded by Ms. Couch, item c) under new business was unanimously approved.

d) Approve Lewis County School Board Student Advisory Committee board policy 1.3001.

Prior to the vote on item d) under new business, Dr. McAbee stated that he had handed out to all the board members the information about the Student Advisory Committee. He reminded board members that Paula Dyer had given the board members this information at the August 8, 2023, board meeting for them to review. Dr. McAbee stated that he has included on the information page a board policy number. The board policy number will be 1.3001. Mrs. Dyer stated that she had talked with someone at TSBA and informed Ms. Dyer, that the policy usually must be two readings. Ms. Dyer stated that the policy could be approved on one and final reading by suspending the current requirements in policy 1.600. Mrs. Dyer stated that she was hoping to get the students approved so that the first group could attend the November 2023 board meeting. Upon motion by Mr. Mitchell and seconded by Mrs. Pollock, to suspend requirements in current board policy 1.600, was unanimously approved.

Upon motion by Mrs. Atkinson and seconded by Mrs. Pollock, item d) under new business was unanimously approved.

e) Board Policies with the change to board policy 1.400.

Prior to the vote on item e) under new business, Mrs. Atkinson asked if there could be a change to board policy 1.400 regarding the regular scheduled meetings. Ms. Couch recommended that the following wording be added to board policy 1.400:

The exact date, time and location of the meeting shall be set by the Chair or by the majority vote of the board and advertised in accordance with board policy 1.402.

Upon motion by Ms. Couch and seconded by Mr. Mitchell, the change to board policy 1.400 was unanimously approved.

Upon motion by Mrs. Atkinson and seconded by Mrs. Dyer, item e) under new business was unanimously approved.

f) Election of two board members to represent Lewis County at the annual TSBA Conference and Convention in November.

Upon motion by Mr. Mitchell and seconded by Mrs. Atkinson , item f) under new business, board members unanimously agreed to select Ms. Couch and Mrs. Pollock to represent Lewis County at the annual TSBA Conference and Convention in November.

g) Election of Board Chair and Vice-Chair

Chair Himes turned the meeting over to Vice-Chair, Mrs. Dyer, for nominations and election of the board chair listed as item g) under new business. Mrs. Dyer opened the floor for nominations for board Chair. Mrs. Atkinson nominated Mrs. Himes for board chair. Mrs. Dyer asked if there were any other nominations. There were no other nominations so Mrs. Dyer ceased the nominations. Mrs. Dyer requested a roll call vote for board Chair. Roll call went as follows:

Cassie Couch- Yes Jack Holt-Yes

Glenda Atkinson-Yes Sallie Pollock-Ye

Derek Cotham-Yes Cody Mitchell-Yes

Paula Dyer-Yes

Chair Himes was approved as board chair and opened the floor for nominations for Vice-Chair of the board. Mrs. Pollock nominated Mrs. Dyer for vice-chair. Chair Himes asked if there were any other nominations. There was no other nomination, so Chair Himes ceased the nominations. Chair Himes requested a roll call vote for Vice-Chair. Roll call went as follows:

Cassie Couch- Yes Jack Holt-Yes

Glenda Atkinson-Yes Sallie Pollock-Yes

Derek Cotham-Yes Cody Mitchell-Yes

Lindsey Himes-Yes

h) Add-on: Approve resolution to transfer $200,000 from General Purpose Funds to Federal Projects Funds.

Upon motion by Mrs. Dyer and seconded by Mr. Mitchell, item h) under new business was unanimously approved. Chair Himes requested a roll call vote. Roll call went as follows:

Cassie Couch- Yes Jack Holt-Yes

Glenda Atkinson-Yes Sallie Pollock-Yes

Derek Cotham-Yes Cody Mitchell-Yes

Paula Dyer-Yes

Lindsey Himes-Yes

i) Add-on: Approve Bus Monitors

Upon motion by Ms. Couch and seconded by Mrs. Atkinson, item i) under new business was unanimously approved. Chair Himes mentioned that this item had been discussed in length at the workshop today. Chair Himes asked for a roll call vote. Roll call vote went as follows:

Cassie Couch- Yes Jack Holt-Yes

Glenda Atkinson-Yes Sallie Pollock-Yes

Derek Cotham-Yes Cody Mitchell-Yes

Paula Dyer-Yes

Lindsey Himes-Yes

j) Add-on: Approve 2024 Florida Softball Beach Bash, located at Destin Florida, beginning March 30, 2024, through April 6, 2024. Trip will be paid by donations and fundraisers.

Upon motion by Ms. Couch and seconded by Mr. Cotham, item j) under new business was unanimously approved.

k) Approve volunteer Coach Lerin Cunningham for LCHS Volleyball.

Upon motion by Mrs. Atkinson and seconded by Mrs. Pollock, item k) under new business was unanimously approved.

Announcements

Mr. Mitchell asked Dr. McAbee what progress has been made on the new high school construction. Dr. McAbee stated that he has been in close contact with Mr. Clardy. The USDA needed more documents for their loan and Brad Martin is currently working on the architectural issue. He stated that Mr. Clardy stated that Brad was supposed to get back with him tomorrow and that they hoped to get USDA to sign off on the project and get the ball rolling by October 26, 2023, and at this time bids would be opened. Director McAbee further explained that one of the companies that built the addition to the TCAT building has shown interest in possibly submitting a bid. He further stated that Mr. Clardy and Brad Martin stated that if the bids are open in October 2023, then the new high school should be ready for students by July 2025. Dr. McAbee reminded the board that they had already budgeted the $750,000 payment and that was going toward the money that the board would be able to pay down on the new high school.

Chair Himes informed the board that the next regular scheduled meeting will be October 17, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. and that there would be a workshop at 5:30 p.m.

Ms. Dyer stated that she wanted to share some of the recent thank you messages that she has received from Cindy McClain, Ronnie and Joyce Staggs and to remember Dana Davis in your prayers for the loss of her sister. Chair Himes reminded everyone to also remember Amanda Matteson for the loss of her husband. Mrs. Pollock asked everyone to remember the family of Linda Grinder for her recent death.

Mrs. Pollock asked everyone to remember the family of Linda Grinder for her recent death.

Chair Himes stated that she would like to congratulate board members Sallie Pollock and Cody Mitchell for recently being recognized at the TSBA Fall District Meeting for obtaining their level 1 boardmanship, and Paula Dyer for obtaining level 4 and if her portfolio is accepted, she will have obtained level 5. She will be recognized at the annual TSBA Convention in November.

Mrs. Atkinson reminded everyone that the LCHS mum sale will start this Thursday.

Chair Himes asked Stacy Smith to give the board an update on the Volunteer State Virtual Academy. She stated that as of today they have 1346 students enrolled. She stated that October 5, 2023, will be the cut off date for high school enrollment. She stated that she will be having ACT testing on October 4, 2023, in the board room for several students.

Mrs. Atkinson wanted to congratulate the LCHS band for their accomplishments at a recent band competition.

Adjournment

Upon motion by Mr. Mitchell and seconded by Mr. Cotham, the meeting was adjourned at 6:48 p.m.