L.C. Schools Clay Target Team:Voted in as School-Sanctioned Sport

The Lewis County Board of Education met in regular session on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lewis County Board of Education board meeting room located at 206 South Court Street, Hohenwald, Tn. Board members present were Board Chair Lindsey Himes, Vice Chair Paula Dyer, Matthew Adkins, Glenda Atkinson, Derek Cotham, Cassie Couch, Jackie Holt, Cody Mitchell, and Sallie Pollock. Prior to the regular scheduled meeting there was a workshop.

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

Student high school advisory board committee member Ryder Ward addressed the board on behalf of the high school students. He stated that he really did want to thank the board for listening to the students’ concerns and some issues that had been raised in previous meetings.

The board recognized the following students for attending the TSBA SCOPE meeting on March 5, 2024, at Belmont University.

• Raylee Baker

• Rylee Roberson

• Kylie Runions

• Ryder Ward

The LCMS top ten students were recognized.

• 10th- Bo Seiber

• 9th- Jennifer Akins

• 8th -Noah Edwards

• 7th- Emily Lomax

• 6th-Samuel Aguilar

• 5th- Kelsey Wix

• 4th- Alexia Brown

• 3rd -Melissa Gomez

• Salutatorian- Alexis Hamlin

• Valedictorian- Nolan Whitehead

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

Upon motion by Mrs. Dyer and seconded by Mr. Adkins, the consent agenda was approved unanimously with the add-ons.

Consent agenda:

• Approval of Consent Agenda

• Approve previous minutes from the March 21, 2024, special called meeting.

• Adopt agenda.

• Approve payroll and miscellaneous warrants.

• 3rd quarter warrants

• Add-ons: Approve Tenured Teachers.

Approve Teacher Advancement to Professional License

Discussion/Action to approve $5000 for the Lewis County Schools Clay Target Team.

Regular agenda:

Director’s Report

• Accepted resignation of Mya Powers, LCIS Paraprofessional, effective April 8, 2024.

• Dr. McAbee stated that he had several shout outs this month. He stated that he had met with the supervisors, and these are the recommendations for this month’s shoutouts.

• SROs in each building; LCMS Athletic Director Kyle Roberson; HOSA students who will be traveling to Houston, Texas in July to attend the national competition; FBLA students will be attending the national competition in Orlando, Florida; all the nurses in each building; and Instructional Coaches Tara Tiller and Amanda Pennington.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS- There was no unfinished business to discuss.

NEW BUSINESS

• Action regarding DHA appeal.

Upon motion by Mr. Mitchell and seconded by Mrs. Dyer, item (1) under new business was unanimously approved.

• Approve travel of HOSA students and chaperones to University of North Alabama on April 25, 2024.

Upon motion by Mrs. Dyer and seconded by Mrs. Atkinson, item (2) under new business was unanimously approved.

• Amend the school calendar for 2024-2025 school year to include discretionary administrative days.

Upon motion by Mrs. Atkinson and seconded by Mrs. Dyer, item (3) under new business was unanimously approved.

• Discussion/action regarding hiring an architect from the recent RFQ for architectural services for capital improvements.

Prior to the vote on item (4) under new business, Chair Himes stated that there was discussion in the workshop with Jesse Clardy, from Clardy Construction Advisors and that the two choices for this project would be GMC architects and Martin Cook and Lyle.

Upon motion by Mrs. Pollock and seconded by Mrs. Dyer, to hire GMC as the architect firm for the capital improvements was unanimously approved. Chair Hime requested a roll-call vote. All members voted yes.

• Budget amendments

Upon motion by Mrs. Dyer and seconded by Mrs. Pollock, item (5) under new business was unanimously approved. Chair Himes asked for a roll-call vote. All members voted yes.

•Approve Tenured Teachers

Dr. McAbee read off the names of the teachers that he was recommending for tenure. Those recommended were: Holly Adkins, McKenzie Denton, Haley Mitchell, and Whit Shelton.

Upon motion by Ms. Couch and seconded by Mr. Adkins, item (6) under new business was unanimously approved.

• Approve Teacher Advancement to Professional License.

• Jo Ellen Johnston

• Penelope Sevier

• Neyland Spears

• Brice Vanhook

• David Hammond*

• Matthew Howell *

• Rene Martinez-Monfort*

• Chelsey Scott*

• Ethan Sullivan*

Asterisk* indicates Virtual Teachers

Upon motion by Mrs. Dyer and seconded by Mr. Mitchell, item (7) under new business was unanimously approved.

• Discussion/action to approve $5000 for the Lewis County Schools Clay Target Team.

Prior to the vote on item (8) Chair Himes informed the board members that Angela Leigh and Adam Clark are going to speak to them about the Lewis County Schools Clay Target Team. Mrs. Leigh gave a history of how the trap team was approved by the board in 2012, organized a booster club and became a 501c3 in 2015 and brought property in 2019. She also explained that the team is a non-spectator sport and depends solely on donations. She expressed how generous the people in Lewis County have been all of these years to make it to the point where the trap field is almost completed. Chair Himes asked Mr. Clark if the trap team wanted to become a sanctioned sport. Mr. Clark stated that he had talked with Dr. McAbee about this. Mr. Clark stated that the team still has a governing body through SCTP, He further stated that they govern the team as far as academics, home school participants, and qualifications. He stated that it would mean a lot to the shooters if they could say that they are a part of the Lewis County Schools athletics programs. He stated that he has never received any pay from the schools for being a coach, but his main concern was to get the field completed so that the kids would have a place to shoot. Mr. Clark stated that he would love to be a part of the school’s athletic program. He talked about how it would be academically for students as two of our shooters have received scholarships so far on a trap shooting scholarship. At this time Mrs. Atkinson informed the board that she was totally for the trap team , but before any money could be donated to the trap team the board would have to vote to sanction the team as a part of Lewis County Schools athletic program. Mr. Clark also mentioned that as a part of the insurance for each child by the NRA they are covered for 1 million dollars. Ms. Couch stated that when you talk about liability insurance then the school would be responsible. Dr. McAbee stated that he has called and talked to Tennessee Risk Management and asked if there would need to be additional coverage if the trap team were added and they told him that with as many sports that we already have that there would be no additional coverage needed. At this time, Mrs. Dyer ask to suspend the rules and vote to accept the trap team as a school sponsored sport because item number 8 just includes approval of money. Mrs. Dyer made the motion and was seconded by Mr. Mitchell to suspend the rules and was unanimously approved. At this time, Mrs. Dyer made the motion and was seconded by Mr. Adkins to accept the Lewis County Schools Clay Target Team to be a school sponsored sport was unanimously approved. At this time Chair Himes requested a roll-call vote. All members voted yes.

Mr. Clark explained that this would include students that have taken the hunters safety course and are at least 9 years old. Mrs. Dyer asked Emily Spitzer, Financial director for Lewis County Schools, if she had something to say. Ms. Spitzer stated that she had concerns about who would be responsible for the bookkeeping for this program. Dr. McAbee stated that he would find someone to take care of the bookkeeping. Mr. Mitchell made a motion to remove the suspension of the rules and Mrs. Dyer seconded the motion and was unanimously approved. The meeting was back in order at this time. Mrs. Atkinson made a motion to make a donation in the amount of $5000 to the Lewis County Schools Clay Target team. Ms. Couch asked about there being a board policy regarding purchasing firearms. Dr McAbee stated that if the board wanted to put the limitation of not purchasing firearms then it could be put in this motion.Mrs. Atkinson resended her prior motion. Mrs. Atkinson stated that she would make a motion to donate the $5000 with the limitation of no firearms are to be purchased with this donation. Mr. Mitchell seconded the motion. Chair Himes asked for a roll-call vote. All members voted yes.

Chair Himes welcomed the Lewis County Schools Clay Target Trap Team to the school’s athletic program.

• Announcements/Informational items

Chair Himes stated that during the workshop prior to the meeting it was discussed about possibly moving May’s regular board meeting that is scheduled for May 14, 2024. She stated that this would be the same night as the high school academic awards and several of the board members would be attending that along with Dr. McAbee. She stated that it was decided to move the meeting to May 9, 2024. She further stated that there would be a workshop at 5:30 p.m. prior to the meeting.

Mrs. Dyer read a thank you note from the Lewis County Friends of the Public Library for the donation from the board in memory of Barry Edwards, who is Stacy Smith’s father.

Chair Himes stated that she would like everyone to keep Gwen Hinson’s husband in your prayers as he is in Maury Regional Hospital. Gwen is a paraprofessional in the intermediate school.

Stacy Smith announced that the graduation for the Virtual Students will be May 21, 2024, and that the board will be receiving an invitation to that.

Mrs. Atkinson reminded everyone that the Senior Play will be on April 13, 2024, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Trina Weaks invited the board members to the Excellence in Education Banquet that will be held on May 21, 2024, at Cameryns Place beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Mr. Clark reminded everyone that the travel expenses for the HOSA and FBLA will be very expensive. He encouraged everyone to support the fundraisers for these students that will be coming up soon.

• Adjournment

Mrs. Dyer made a motion to adjourn the meeting and was seconded by Mr. Mitchell. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 6:54 p.m.