Hickman County TN

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

School Board · Meeting · Jul 6, 2026

Mon, Jul 6, 2026

Hickman County Board of Education meetings, including regular sessions and special called meetings.

Watch the recording on YouTube

Join the Substack

Outline

Disclaimer:
This outline was created using AI based on an automatically generated transcript. The transcript and this outline is likely to contain errors, inaccuracies, or omissions. Always refer to the original audio recording if you need to verify any details or for official purposes.

Call to Order

  • July 6, 2026 Hickman County Board of Education meeting called to order
  • No one signed up for public comment

Moment of Silence / Pledge

  • Moment of silence observed
  • Pledge of Allegiance recited

Approval of Agenda

  • Motion and second (including Pippa Taylor) to approve the agenda
  • Approved (voice vote completed after brief procedural catch-up)

Approval of Minutes

  • Regular meeting minutes of June 1, 2026
  • Motion and second (Pippa Taylor seconded)
  • Approved

Consent Agenda

  • Motion to approve consent agenda (Item 7); seconded
  • Approved
  • Annual civil rights / related report noted later as included in consent materials

Trip Requests

Hospitality Industry Conference (East Hickman High)

  • Request on behalf of Charlotte Beams and Cindy Morgan
  • September 28–29 High Dolly Hospitality Industry Conference at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge
  • Sponsored by Tennessee CTE CTSO group; leadership and career exploration (park operations, guest safety, culinary, resort management, internships)
  • 10 students (5 officers from each club); Beams and Morgan drive school vans / chaperone
  • East Hickman High bookstore covers trip cost; students pay only optional park purchases
  • First invitation to the event
  • Motion approved

Hickman County High School Football Camp

  • Student Andy Crass presented request for football camp July 27–30 at Camp Marava (name as heard)
  • Coaching staff attending; meals provided by Quarterback Club
  • Motion approved (Christy Mays seconded)

Director of Schools / Personnel

Tenure Recommendations

  • Director Michelle Gilbert presented tenure recommendations; up to three more may come in the fall after LOE (level of effectiveness) scores return (~September)
  • Eligibility: five years in the county; last two years at LOE level 4 or 5
  • Recommended: Abigail Caps, Chris Dawson, Gavin Gordon, Sky Kelly, Sean Lawson, Crystal Linton, Heather McCord
  • Motion approved

Personnel Re-election / Decisions

  • Annual re-election lists from each school and central office
  • Motion approved

Disciplinary Hearing Authority (2026–2027)

  • Similar to prior year; Rachel McCauley added as chair for 2026–2027
  • Motion approved

Strategic Plan

  • Mission, vision, core values, goals, and action steps presented (central office input after training)
  • Motion to approve new county schools strategic plan; approved

Milestone Towers — Letter of Interest

  • Milestone Towers interested in building cell towers on leased portions of school property
  • Non-binding letter of interest only; allows company to contact major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) before a formal proposal
  • Company has towers on school properties in about four other states; none yet in Tennessee; also talking with other TN counties (e.g., Perry, Overton mentioned)
  • Example footprint 50 × 50 (2,500 sq ft); possible sites: East Hickman High; East Elementary/Intermediate/Middle campus; Hickman Middle; Intermediate/Elementary campus (four locations discussed)
  • One-time site payment $30,000 per site (plus monthly lease if advanced)
  • Discussion of community notice, RF/health questions, and independent information (not only seller assurances)
  • Motion to approve letter of interest with Milestone Towers; approved

Apex Bank School Account Agreements

  • Apex Bank representative presented agreements to move school bank accounts and provide school support
  • Hickman County Middle School agreement approved by roll call (Jane Herron, Doug Lane, Christy Mays, Pippa Taylor, Brandon Tidwell — yes)
  • Central Elementary / Intermediate agreement: similar verbiage; more annual monetary donations than sports-centered items; Principal Rose in agreement
  • Approved by roll call (Tidwell, Taylor, Mays, Lane, Herron — yes)

Salary Schedules / Pay Scales (FY 2027)

Presentation

  • Certified teacher schedule drives related scales (K–8 assistant principals, psychologists, SLPs, OTs, RNs, social workers, certified central office supervisors) with existing percentage add-ons unchanged
  • Option A: previously discussed with budget; bachelor steps 1–16 get 4.33% to meet state minimum salary (including $50,000 line); later steps staggered ($1,500 steps 17–20; $1,000 steps 21–30 / doctorate out-years); saves about $180,000 vs. full across-the-board approach
  • Option B: no increases for steps 16–30; would save roughly an additional $126,000 (~$325,000 cumulative vs. full scale as discussed)
  • Retention bonuses of $2,500 for certain hard-to-fill certified roles not funded this year
  • Principal schedules and 12-month high school assistant principals remain off teacher schedule; no step increases
  • Non-certified schedules same as FY 2026; no step increases
  • Full 4.33% across board would have added roughly $2–2.5 million in salaries before other cuts

Fund balance / staffing context (discussion during pay scales)

  • FY 2026 projected fund balance impact about $2.4–2.6 million (around originally expected ~$2.5 million)
  • FY 2027 previously near ~$3 million draw; Option B-type cuts and other items discussed; 18 position reductions (attrition/elimination) could save roughly $850,000–$1 million, potentially bringing draw toward ~$2 million
  • Preference to vote same night (benefits timing)

Vote

  • Board favored rewarding employees; motion for Option A FY 2026–27 salary schedules
  • Roll call approved (Taylor, Mays, Lane, Herron, Tidwell — yes)

Budget Amendments (FY 2027 and closeouts)

FY 2027 amendments 1 and 2

  • Amendment 1: ISM (Innovative School Models) carryover / extension — revenue-neutral; facility and software-license timing; state-approved ISM budget; further adjustments expected August–September
  • Amendment 2: DLT USDA technology grant (Barbara Brooks) — 11 panels per school plus health cart; local match already in budget; revenue-neutral; $2 math correction noted
  • Motion approved by roll call

Closeout budget amendments 40–43

  • Authorized cleanup after prior board authorization for director/chair year-end closeout
  • Example: ~$40,000 electricity overage covered by moving under-budget contracted services / natural gas within plant operations/maintenance programs
  • Amendment 41: Fund 142 line-item cleanup (ePlan-approved)
  • Amendment 42: Fund 142 Title II — additional funds after initial ~$39, then ~$8,000+ more (carryover)
  • Amendment 43: corrections including reverse of a prior entry mistake
  • Motion approved by roll call

FY 2027 federal placeholder budgets

  • CTE Perkins Basic: about $2,000 lower than prior year; no carryover; funds one personnel line plus materials/equipment
  • IDEA Part B: similar annual funding; carryover expected down from ~$190,000 last year to roughly $40,000–$60,000
  • IDEA Pre-K: includes portion of speech pathologist (not a new position)
  • Consolidated titles (I, II, IV; admin): no Title V funds for FY 2027 (none two years ago; some in FY26); Title V carryover to be budgeted later
  • Coach position moved from expired ATSI grant into Title II / carryover (one-year guarantee discussed); possible part-time tech via carryover — not new positions
  • Carryover explained: many programs have 27-month spend window; Title I carryover capped at 15%
  • Motion approved by roll call

Board Policies

First reading — legislative updates

  • Packet explained changes; several items informational (public chapters) vs. policy-driven (e.g., TSSAA transfer procedures)
  • Discussion topics included Ten Commandments display (specific version; board attorney guidance), K–5 electronic-use policy 4.215 (new), emergency allergy plan folded into existing 6.451, drones on school property (surveillance without permission), prayer at board meetings (Public Chapter 1710), executive-session interview language in 5.801, fund-balance guidance language in finance policy
  • Family life / child trafficking instruction policy (4.213 TSBA / 4.2013 local numbering) needs implementation plan by August 1, 2026

Votes

  • Motion to approve revised policies on first reading except 4.213 / 4.2013; roll call approved
  • Separate motion to approve 4.2013 and waive second reading due to August 1 deadline and next meeting August 3; roll call approved
  • Remaining first-reading policies return in August

Policies for review

  • Motion to approve review of policies 3.218 through 3.43; roll call approved

Announcements

  • Next board meeting: August 3, 2026 (chair noted correction from August 2)
  • Fall TSBA-area meeting: September 17, 2026, Lawrence County
  • Leadership conference: November 5–8, Gaylord Opryland Resort

Closing Comments / Discussion — Budget, Enrollment, Possible School Closures

  • Legislative rep Christy Mays: little additional beyond policy and budget already covered
  • Brandon Tidwell: urged planning for possible school closures given ~$3 million then ~$2 million deficit path; do not wait until crisis
  • Finance discussion: if FY26 hits ~$2.4 million use and FY27 ~$2–3 million, operating fund balance ~$5.7 million (less than two months); state minimum 3% ($1.2 million cited); controller guidance ~16.7% / two months of operations
  • Jane Herron and others: need a plan involving county commission, new mayor, incoming board members, community, TSBA (Nolan Holmes mentioned); closing buildings not first/only option; avoid public panic
  • Context: state entry-level teacher pay push to $50,000 and step costs; prior ESSER capital spending; 18 positions already eliminated; 600–800 county students not in district schools (2,900 enrolled); rough ~$7,000–8,000 per-pupil funding — e.g., 80 students ≈ $640,000
  • Ideas: parallel tracks — recruit/retain enrollment (virtual school, meet with homeschool parents, address bullying/faith concerns, possible Ten Commandments/prayer messaging) and contingency planning; more proactive meetings with County Commission
  • Director Michelle Gilbert: closing schools is last resort; supports preparedness and inclusive stakeholder process; will pursue revenue, enrollment, and position reductions first
  • Member asked to place related discussion on next agenda via Tim Hobbs before deadline

Adjournment

  • Motion to adjourn; seconded; approved by voice vote

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic
10 students Count Dollywood hospitality conference trip
Sept 28–29 Date Hospitality Industry Conference
July 27–30 Date HCHS football camp
5 years / LOE 4–5 last 2 years Other Tenure eligibility
7 named teachers Count Tenure approvals this month
Up to 3 more Count Possible fall tenure after LOE scores
~50×50 / ~2,500 sq ft Other Example cell-tower compound footprint
$30,000 per site Dollar amount Milestone Towers one-time site payment
4 sites Count Possible school campuses for towers
4.33% Percentage Bachelor steps 1–16 raise (Option A)
$50,000 Dollar amount State minimum salary line referenced
~$180,000 Dollar amount Option A savings vs. full across-board raise
~$126,000 Dollar amount Additional savings under Option B
~$325,000 Dollar amount Cumulative Option B savings vs. full scale (as discussed)
$2,500 Dollar amount Retention bonuses not funded this year
~$2–2.5M Dollar amount Cost of full 4.33% across all steps before cuts
$1,500 / $1,000 Dollar amount Staggered step increases (Option A mid/out years)
~$2.4–2.6M Dollar amount Projected FY26 fund-balance use
~$2.5M Dollar amount Original FY26 budget expectation
~$3M → ~$2M Dollar amount FY27 deficit path with cuts discussed
18 positions Count Eliminated/attrition savings (~$850k–$1M)
~$850k–$1M Dollar amount Estimated savings from 18 positions
~$5.7M Dollar amount Operating fund balance after ~$2.4M use
3% / ~$1.2M Percentage / dollar State minimum fund balance cited
16.7% / 2 months Percentage Controller guidance on operating reserves
~$40,000 Dollar amount Electricity line overage (closeout example)
~$39 then ~$8,000+ Dollar amount Title II additional allocations
~$2,000 lower Dollar amount CTE Perkins vs. prior year
~$190k → ~$40–60k Dollar amount IDEA Part B carryover decline
15% Percentage Title I carryover cap
27 months Time period Federal spend window for several programs
11 panels / school Count DLT USDA grant display panels
Aug 1, 2026 Date Family life / trafficking instruction plan deadline
Aug 3, 2026 Date Next board meeting
Sept 17, 2026 Date Fall meeting (Lawrence County)
Nov 5–8 Date Leadership conference (Gaylord Opryland)
~2,900 Count Approximate current enrollment
~600–800 Count Students in county not attending district schools
~$7,000–8,000 Dollar amount Rough per-pupil funding discussed
~$640,000 Dollar amount Example revenue if ~80 students returned