School Board — Hickman County (Unofficial)

School Board · Meeting · Nov 2, 2026 The school board approved its annual LEA compliance report and passed two budget amendments, including adding a $29,000 school security grant, a $22,000 opioid-prevention grant, and other corrections and outside support; the budget changes passed 7–0. It also unanimously approved a split 7% assistant softball coaching supplement at Hickman County High School and amended a previously approved Beta Club trip so students who qualified for state finals could leave a day earlier. On policy matters, the board approved a first reading of revised testing-program grading language, adopted updated wireless-device rules on second reading, and approved a broader policy review batch. The board also approved naming the Hickman County High School tennis courts for Lonnie Horn. Other discussion included a postponed informational item because the presenter had COVID, the first returns from bus advertising with more than $4,000 expected from the first five sponsors, and a legislative update on a new federal tax-credit scholarship program and possible future state action on virtual schools and accountability.

School Board · Meeting · Oct 19, 2026 · 6:30 PM The board approved travel for Hickman County Middle School Beta Club students and sponsors to attend the state convention, adopted the 2027–2028 school calendar, and approved the district’s TISA accountability report ahead of the November 1 deadline, with the report to return in November if public comments require changes. It also approved two budget amendments in fund 141, including one with a 4-cent correction, and approved a $35,000 internal school funds audit contract with Matlock Firm; the budget amendment and audit contract votes were taken by roll call. On policy matters, the board advanced a first-reading update to student wireless-device rules to address AI and recording-capable wearable technology such as Meta glasses, and it approved second-reading changes on tobacco-free schools, testing programs, and director-of-schools recruitment and selection. A major discussion late in the meeting focused on a state controller warning that the general school fund is projected to end the year with less than one month of cash, prompting plans for a joint corrective action process with the county commission and possible work-session scheduling. Board members also addressed public concern about possible school closures, with district leaders stressing that no closure decision has been made and that current facilities review work is only exploratory.

School Board · Meeting · Sep 14, 2026 · 6:30 PM The board approved several operational items, including updated student trips, a tennis-court repair contract to SealRite, and a Granite agreement to replace emergency-related landline service before AT&T ends that service in January. It also unanimously adopted six budget amendments, covering donated and restricted funds, federal carryover, a $50,000 behavioral grant, and a reduction in Perkins funding. On policy matters, the board advanced updates on tobacco-free schools, testing-program wording, director-of-schools recruitment, and commercial advertising on school buses, with the bus advertising policy approved on first reading and second reading waived. Members reviewed information on a possible Ten Commandments display but decided to hold off because of ongoing lawsuits in other districts and concern about potential legal costs given the system’s finances. The meeting also included governance actions, with Brandy Craft introduced as a new board member, two student representatives introduced, and annual officer elections held, including Tim Hobbs’ unanimous re-election as chair. In reports, the board discussed enrollment and financial pressures, including a year-over-year drop of 120 students, 229 withdrawals so far this year, and warnings about upcoming financial cliffs and added state scrutiny.

School Board · Meeting · Aug 18, 2026 · 5:45 PM

School Board · Meeting · Aug 3, 2026 · 6:30 PM

School Board · Meeting · Jul 6, 2026 The board approved most agenda items with little opposition, including teacher tenure recommendations, annual personnel reelections, Rachel McCauley as 2026–27 disciplinary hearing authority chair, a new strategic plan, two student trips, budget amendments, federal placeholder budgets, and two Apex Bank school banking agreements, with the bank deals and several budget items passing unanimously by roll call. Its biggest decision was on FY27 pay, where members unanimously chose certified salary Option A over the deeper-cut Option B, keeping somewhat larger raises for veteran staff even though it costs about $126,000 more; non-certified schedules stay flat, principal and 12-month high school assistant principal schedules get no step increases, and prior $2,500 retention bonuses were dropped. Budget discussion underscored the district’s worsening finances, with a projected roughly $3 million FY27 hit to fund balance before staffing reductions are fully counted, possible savings of about $850,000 to $1 million from around 18 eliminated positions, and still about a $2 million deficit path if those savings hold. Members then held an extended debate over whether to begin contingency planning for possible school closures while also trying to grow enrollment and press county and state officials for more support. The board also approved a non-binding letter of interest with Milestone Towers for possible cell towers on school property, after questions about site size, health concerns, and community communication; materials referenced a possible $30,000 one-time payment per site, but no binding financial terms were approved. On policy updates, the board approved a first reading of multiple legislative revisions and separately approved family life education and child trafficking instruction policy 4.213/4.2013 with the second reading waived to meet the August 1, 2026 deadline.

School Board · Meeting · Jun 1, 2026 The board approved its 2026–27 school budget on a 6–1 vote after prolonged conflict with county officials, adopting a plan based on only 2 cents of local-option sales-tax growth and a $3.1 million fund-balance draw. Members also passed budget amendments, a $45,000 capital projects request, a revised differentiated pay plan that makes hard-to-staff signing bonuses discretionary and adds possible tutoring stipends, and updated OPED retirement-resolution language to protect certain support staff and recent retirees. A contested East Hickman CTE building change order drew sharp criticism over construction delays and an extension to August 20, but passed 6–1 with no added money; board members warned they expect major progress by July. The board separately approved a long list of annual contracts and bids, including a copier agreement expected to save about $900 per year and a $34,278 flooring award, while in some cases choosing experience and responsiveness over the lowest bid. It also approved allowing East Hickman High football to resume overnight camp on campus to avoid outside lodging costs. In closing, members warned the district’s finances are structurally unsustainable without new revenue, major staffing cuts, school closures, or some combination, and moved future board-county budget talks earlier by adding a formal February 2027 discussion.

School Board · Special Called Meeting · May 21, 2026

School Board · Special Called Meeting · May 7, 2026

School Board · Meeting · May 4, 2026

School Board · Special Called Meeting · Apr 29, 2026

School Board · Meeting · Apr 13, 2026

School Board · Special Called Meeting · Mar 17, 2026

School Board · Meeting · Mar 2, 2026

School Board · Meeting · Feb 9, 2026

School Board · Meeting · Jan 22, 2026 The board spent much of the meeting reviewing its OPEB retiree-benefit trust, which was reported at about $3.4 million to $3.5 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, with recent annual payouts still relatively modest but long-term projections varying widely depending on investment returns, insurance inflation, and whether benefits are expanded to non-certified retirees. Members discussed fairness and legal risks around possibly equalizing some support for non-certified employees, including questions about whether benefits must continue if the trust is exhausted and whether any leftover funds could later be repurposed, but took no motion or vote and asked for more legal and program guidance. On the superintendent/director search, the board agreed it did not need to hire an outside search firm, avoiding a discussed $8,000 to $10,000 cost, and by consensus narrowed the field to four candidates for interviews. Members outlined an interview day built around full-board presentations followed by shorter individual sessions, tentatively set for Feb. 7 at 10:00 a.m. with Feb. 21 discussed as a weather backup, and said the board would provide lunch for candidates. In announcements, a board member said he will not seek another term and plans to continue serving through August to help with the transition to the new director.

School Board · Meeting · Jan 12, 2026 The board approved a $17,467.84 construction change order to relocate an unmarked gas line and an electrical line at the new building site, along with budget amendments that moved $20,000 from the M grant to cover that work, recognized about $58,000 in TCAT revenue, and added funds to educational lines nearing overspending; both the change order and amendments passed by roll call. It also added back and approved a propane bus grant under a January 15 deadline, with up to 50% reimbursement for two buses if purchases can be phased across this year and next. Members pushed back on a revised four-page strategic plan, saying it read more like an administrative operating plan than a board strategic plan and should wait for further revision, likely after a new director is hired, so no vote was taken. The board reviewed replacing Skyward as the student information system with Synergy or PowerSchool, with officials saying either option could improve service and likely save money, but no contract was approved. Other approvals included several student trips, East Hickman High School prom, Policy 1.404 on first reading with second reading waived despite some opposition, and Policy 1.400 on first reading, while discussion of insurance-related compensation planning was deferred pending a more developed proposal. Members also rescheduled the special-called meeting on director applications to January 22 and flagged legislative concerns about school nurse funding and authority for school searches.

School Board · Meeting · Dec 8, 2025 The board focused most heavily on leadership transition, unanimously revising the interim director contract to match its prior action by setting the term for Jan. 1 through May 31, 2026, limiting termination to for-cause language, paying the interim at the same rate as the current director, and guaranteeing return to the deputy director position afterward. It also launched the director search, with applications to be distributed at the Jan. 12 meeting and the timeline to be finalized then. In a debated transparency vote, the board approved expanded live-streaming for board meetings, special-called meetings, budget meetings, work sessions, and any publicly noticed meeting by a 5–2 vote. On facilities and finance, the board approved two construction change orders, one for kitchen electrical and microwave/ventilation revisions and another tied to a hydrant and water-line issue at the high school site, and it approved a CPR grant budget amendment. Members also authorized moving ahead if a USDA technology grant is awarded, with the package estimated at about $656,000 including an $85,000 local match. Bus replacement drew discussion over age limits, reimbursement timing, and rising prices, but the board tabled any purchase until January rather than commit now. Other actions included approving an overnight East Hickman baseball trip, adopting the 2026–27 school calendar that won the employee vote, and hearing accountability updates highlighting school improvement results.

School Board · Special Meeting · Nov 19, 2025 The board’s special meeting centered on urgent facilities work and leadership transition. Members unanimously approved a $326,068 contract with Porter Roofing to replace a leaking school roof after only two valid bids were opened; the other opened bid was far higher and was explained as based on an unrequested roof-slope change. They also unanimously approved Matrix Mechanical for Hickman Middle sewer repairs at about $42,677 before tax, with an added 10% contingency because the emergency work is inside the building and hidden conditions could appear once concrete is opened. For district leadership, the board unanimously appointed Dr. Belinda Anderson as interim director of schools, effective January 1 through May 31, 2026, after discussion about whether the interim should last only until a permanent hire is made or for most of the school year. The board approved qualifications for the next director and debated whether to run the search itself or use outside help such as TSBA, with members referencing the prior Qualls/TSBA process and past cost concerns. It directed members to bring back a written search timeline and process at the December 8 meeting, then agreed to make final decisions on the search timeline after January when the size of the applicant pool is clearer. A proposed freeze on some hiring and transfers was stopped without a vote because it was not on the special-meeting agenda.

School Board · Meeting · Nov 3, 2025 The board’s main action was managing the superintendent transition after accepting Director of Schools Mr. Mullins’s resignation effective December 31, with one no vote recorded on that acceptance. It approved, 6–1, a process to accept letters of interest for an interim director by November 12 and set a special called meeting for November 19 at 6:30, after debate over whether the interim search should be limited to internal candidates for continuity during budget season. In a separate 6–1 vote, the board also allowed an interim director to be considered for the permanent position under Policy 5.801. The board tabled a grant-backed propane bus purchase for more planning, despite an opportunity covering up to three buses with 50 percent reimbursement and a separate $10,000 seat-belt grant, because members wanted clearer timing and budget plans. It unanimously approved Budget Amendments 19 and 20 to align grant spending with the state-approved ePlan and also unanimously approved split supplements for 2025–26. Other approved items included the annual LEA compliance report, a senior trip to St. Louis for May 10–12, and a policy review. The board also heard facilities updates on the East Hickman gym roof, CTE building work, a sewer-line break at Hickman County Middle School, and classroom renovations at the high school.

School Board · Meeting · Oct 20, 2025 The school board approved the FY26 TISA accountability plan on a 7-0 vote, along with four budget amendments that included opioid grant carryover and title-program revisions. It also renewed the 2025-26 internal school funds audit contract despite a roughly $5,000 fee increase, and awarded the East Hickman High CTE building bid to Fellowship Construction for $580,000 after architects reviewed a $313,000 gap between the low and high bids; that contract passed 7-0. Board members also approved two overnight Beta Club trips and adopted a wording change to the graduation/work-ethic policy so students can use the state’s stronger statewide pathway. The longest discussion centered on the superintendent search, with members weighing whether to run it themselves or use TSBA, discussing possible costs of about $7,000 to $10,000, and leaning toward a January 15 application deadline. No interim or deputy appointment was made, but the board said that item would return at the next meeting.

School Board · Meeting · Sep 8, 2025 The board approved several action items, including student trips for East Hickman High journalism students and Hickman County High JROTC, a new East Hickman High pre-veterinary club, roof-design work for the East Hickman High gym, a small classroom renovation change order, budget amendments 10 through 14, an attendance policy revision, a policy-review batch, and a corrected architect contract for the CTE/consumer-science project. The gym roof item drew attention because ongoing leaks could threaten a gym floor valued at about $175,000, and that contract, the renovation change order, the budget amendments, and the architect fee correction all passed 5-0 on roll-call votes. Financial discussion also included notice of about $8,980 a year in Apex Bank incentives tied to moving East Hickman High accounts there, plus enrollment being down 46 students, with an estimated $335,000 future TISA impact. The board heard but did not act on requests to schedule a September work session on the strategic plan and retiree OPEB options, and on a safety presentation urging a clear-bag policy or possibly portable weapons-detection equipment for athletic events. It also clarified that campaign signs at East Hickman High, which serves as a polling place, must stay in the state right-of-way rather than on campus under existing policy. In annual officer elections, Tim Hobbs was chosen as chair, Doug Lane as vice chair, Jane Herron as chair pro tem, and Christy Mays as legislative representative, and the board seated new student representatives Emily and Katie Bates.

School Board · Meeting · Jul 7, 2025 The school board approved several major items, including renewal of TSSE small-schools advocacy membership for $3,293 on a unanimous 6–0 vote, an $83,000 bus radio repeater upgrade after tornado-related communication failures with $22,048 coming from Hickman County 911, and a $125,910 contract with Hughes Construction for the Hickman County High consumer science lab renovation. Members also approved multiple FY26 and FY25 budget amendments, noted recovery of about $158,000 in ESSER III reimbursement, and discussed uncertainty around federal Title II and Title IV funds along with pressure from declining enrollment and a shrinking property-tax share. Policy action was extensive: the board adopted a revised student cell-phone policy to comply with new state law, approved a broad package of law-driven policy updates while leaving Policy 5.110 on first reading only, and passed a nepotism policy revision on a split 4–2 vote after legal concerns and debate over board involvement in hiring. The board approved 2025–26 school fees, approved the director’s evaluation, and granted the director a 4.5% salary increase by unanimous roll-call vote. Members also discussed possible future expansion of OPEB retiree health benefits to support staff and the need for both a school psychologist and a replacement for a vacant safety-related role, but no formal staffing action was taken. A separate discussion on student checkout abuses led to an administrative tightening of procedures for safety reasons, without a formal vote.

School Board · Meeting · Jun 2, 2025 Public comment focused on a personnel dispute at East Hickman High School, where a grandparent criticized a teacher’s communication about her grandchild and the teacher said he had been told he would not be brought back despite positive evaluations and a newly approved two-year limited license extension. The board’s main actions were annual governance and staffing approvals, including unanimous roll-call approval of tenure for 13 teachers, year-end budget authority, fund-balance classifications, placeholder federal budgets, salary schedules, and a differentiated pay plan with recruitment incentives, mentor support, a $55,000 social-emotional liaison component, and $25,000 for performance bonuses. The board also approved overnight football and student-competition travel, an $8,000 golf-course agreement, a $23,748.80 driver’s education car purchase for East Hickman High School, playground fencing awarded at $26,250, epoxy floor encapsulation work, and budget amendments including $75,000 in TCAT revenue. The longest discussion was over the district’s nepotism policy, with members generally open to easing local rules that are stricter than state law while still resisting direct supervision of relatives; no change was made, and Policy 1.308 was tabled until July. A separate funding debate ended with the board tabling renewal of Tennessee School Systems for Equity membership, after questions about the value of the $3,293 dues and whether the district could rejoin later without penalty. In updates, the board said a closed school-safety briefing would be scheduled, officials described bus radio failures during tornado conditions that left four buses without a return message, and the district reported recovery efforts succeeding in a $16,000 bus-damage court case.

School Board · Meeting · May 5, 2025 The school board approved a slate of summer-related items, including several overnight athletic camps, two job-sharing arrangements at Centerville Intermediate, annual grant-submission authority for the director, annual facilities bids for paving, striping, janitorial service, and bleacher work, and a district network redesign and upgrade, with the larger contract items passing 7–0. It also approved three budget amendments 7–0, including Amendment 33 to add $362,755.34 for summer learning camps at four schools. In a separate unanimous vote, the board adopted a resolution to participate in the Education Freedom Act’s teacher-bonus provision so eligible teachers can receive a one-time $2,000 state bonus, while explicitly rejecting the law’s broader voucher and private-school funding provisions. The meeting’s longest and most contested discussion was over the FY2026 budget, which board members said is strained by declining enrollment, the loss of ESSER aid, higher compensation costs, and reduced property-tax support. After debating reserve use, bus and roof needs, salaries, and the risk of future staff cuts or program closures, the board approved the FY2026 budget on a 6–1 vote. The board also reviewed cafeteria planning, including continued free meals, equipment needs, and a grab-and-go breakfast idea for four upper schools, and approved policy reviews with more legislative updates expected next month.

School Board · Meeting · Apr 7, 2025 The board approved several spending items, including $6,300 in TSBA dues, an E-rate network equipment purchase totaling $293,640 with a local share of $58,728, and a $74,428 welding-equipment bid to Learning Labs; those three roll-call votes were unanimous at 7-0. It also unanimously approved adopting Savvas science textbooks after discussion of accessibility features and an estimated cost of about $250,000 to $300,000, with state textbook funds available. Budget amendments 29, 30, and 31, including $212,962 in insurance recovery for the middle school gym project and opioid-settlement grant funds, passed 6-1. The board discussed a possible $40,000 ESSER repayment, storm damage at Hickman County Middle School that will leave roughly $75,000 in local costs, and a coming budget gap tied to state-required teacher pay increases, support-staff raises, and substitute-pay changes. Administrators said the district expects about $970,000 more in TISA funding and about $63,428 more from county property tax if the current school share is maintained, but still projects using about $1.5 million from reserves. The board also approved student trips, kept attendance zones unchanged while continuing limited cross-zone flexibility, appointed all board members to the budget committee, and set a public budget work session for April 30 at 5:30 p.m., where it also plans more discussion of the Education Freedom Act and its conditional $2,000 teacher bonus.

School Board · Meeting · Mar 3, 2025 The school board approved an interim driver’s education hire after discussing a nepotism concern involving the selected applicant’s relationship to a board member; administrators said Board Policy 5.7 allowed the temporary leave-replacement hire because it was not considered initial employment, and the position would be hourly at about $12 with no benefits or retirement. The board also approved an FCCLA state trip, approved prom plans for both high schools, and adopted four policies on second reading, including changes on K–2 voluntary retention notices, continuous employee background monitoring through rBackground, and emotional support dogs. Members unanimously approved four budget amendments, including federal and general fund revisions, with one amendment also requiring county accounting commission approval. The board separately approved replacing pre-K playground equipment using available budgeted funds, with the existing equipment described as about 20 years old. In budget outlook comments, the district said it expects about $1 million more in state TISA funding, including roughly $600,000 tied to increased CTE activity, but estimated proposed raises would need at least $2 million more in salary funding. A board member also raised concern about proposed state legislation that would put all school board seats on the same four-year election cycle as county commissioners.

School Board · Meeting · Feb 3, 2025 The board approved two opioid-abatement awards, using $100,000 for behavioral-health intervention work including a one-year position and a data tool, and $20,000 for prevention programming. It also approved architectural work to redirect a prior CTE grant away from an impractical barn plan and into two new shop spaces at East Hickman High plus consumer-science kitchen renovation work, and unanimously authorized pursuit of a rural distance-learning and telemedicine grant worth up to $1 million with a 15% local match over three years. Student travel for JROTC and FFA was approved, along with the unanimous purchase of a new 77-passenger diesel bus for $149,077, though board members warned that buying only one bus per year will not keep up with future fleet replacement needs. The board also approved four budget amendments and noted an accelerated county budget deadline of April 17. On policy matters, members approved first readings for grading, promotion/retention, background-check, and emotional-support-dog policies, with the dog policy drawing detailed discussion over training standards, parent opt-out language, costs, and liability, and they approved a second reading on a staff-positions policy. Public comment and later discussion highlighted staffing and pay concerns, 321 student and 44 staff illness absences, and upcoming debate over the Education Freedom Act and a possible resolution tied to a $2,000 teacher bonus.

School Board · Meeting · Dec 9, 2024 The board approved a same-day agenda amendment and then expanded the hard-to-staff portion of its differentiated pay plan for 2024–2025 after the district’s new band director resigned, saying the change would let it offer supplements for hard-to-fill certified positions without increasing the existing budget. It also approved multiple student trips, four budget amendments including a $5,000 general fund transfer, about $2,100 in added Perkins funds, and updates tied to the Innovative School Model grant and an ATSI grant correction; both the budget package and a revised internal school funds audit contract passed unanimously by roll-call vote among members present. Policy actions included first-reading approval of Policy 5.116, second-reading approval of Policy 1.200, and tabling proposed electioneering language in Policy 1.806 so the election commission and local political parties could review it. The board approved revisions to the school discipline hearing authority committee, adding Dr. Ashley Tody and Kristen Dunn, and welcomed new board member Pippa Taylor. Members also discussed speeding up work on a possible therapy-dog framework, with questions about liability, training, cost-sharing, and whether reviews should occur every two years instead of five. In broader discussion, the board planned a future work session on voucher or education-freedom legislation and long-range strategy, while the director reported district accountability gains, a new VoIP phone system expected to lower costs, a football coach search with 28 applicants, and $6,000 in annual savings from switching to sheriff’s department drug-detection dogs.

School Board · Meeting · Nov 4, 2024 The board unanimously approved an overnight trip for the Hickman County High School girls basketball team to the Marlin’s Classic in Panama City, the annual LEA compliance report, a food-service equipment bid package, and budget amendments 15 and 16. The budget changes covered differentiated pay, CTE repair and travel shifts, special-education transportation coding, and new grant funding, including a $155,000 school mental health grant, security carryover, and support for two added special-education pre-K positions. In policy action, the board tabled policy 1.806 until the next meeting and approved policies 5.101–5.1101. The longest discussion focused on athletics admission pricing, where members weighed family affordability against estimated football revenue losses of about $800 per game and $4,000 over a season from student discounts. No pricing change was approved, but administration was asked to return in January with options that could include revised ticket prices, family or student passes, and possible district payment of game officials estimated at about $40,000. The board also voted to keep working on a therapy dog policy or administrative framework through the spring, with more review of legal, insurance, allergy, training, staffing, and operational issues and a target for final action by June 2, 2025.

School Board · Meeting · Oct 21, 2024 The school board unanimously approved four budget amendments adding grant revenue, ESSER-related indirect costs and salary support, bus insurance recovery, donations, and revisions to Title I, CTE, and family resource center line items. It also advanced several policy changes, including a 5–2 first-reading vote on officer-election procedures and unanimous second-reading approval of updates on instructional materials, library-material review, and grading. The most contentious issue was the student board representative policy: the board first voted 5–2 to suspend it for a year, then, after objections that the move had been raised without notice and was unfair to current students, reconsidered and unanimously reinstated it, 7–0. A late-added election item led the board to approve declaring the former alternative-school portables at 2097 Vineyard Way to be storage buildings rather than instructional space for compliance purposes under state election law. A separate motion to allow political signs during early voting at East Hickman High School failed 4–3, though the board agreed to revisit its political-sign policy at a later meeting. Members also heard that CTE enrollment has risen sharply, discussed restarting holiday meals in a more limited format, and reviewed school safety concerns after about 14 recent threats, 3 of them deemed viable. The board also concluded that annual textbook compliance certification no longer requires a board vote and asked to revisit football game costs and a school therapy or service dog program.

School Board · Meeting · Sep 9, 2024 The school board spent much of the meeting on election rules and governance, rejecting both an immediate change to officer-election policy and a motion to delay this year’s officer elections until a District 2 runoff is certified, but then approving a prospective policy change so future officer elections will wait for certification when a race remains unresolved. The board then elected Doug Lane as chair after an initially tied vote, chose Tim Hobbs as vice chair, approved Jane Herron as chairman pro tem, and designated both Sheri Baker and Tim Hobbs as legislative representatives. Members also approved an online payroll and HR package already budgeted at about $32,000, multiple budget amendments including a CTE grant revision and a $4,000 donation, and major ESSER spending for a roughly $520,000 retention-bonus plan, about $210,000 in furniture, a $128,863 East Hickman Intermediate air handler, and other HVAC work including seven mini-split units for $52,346. The board unanimously approved creating and posting a 14-month ESSER grant manager position, which administration said could be supported by about $115,000 in indirect-cost recovery and would help with safety, inventory, facilities, and finance-transition needs. In a lengthy strategic-plan update, the director said chronic absenteeism improved from 21.7% to 17.10%, moving 137 students out of chronic absenteeism, and that academic growth improved in 63% of tested areas even though overall achievement remained weak. The board also advanced first-reading policy updates tied to TISA, state library-law changes, and Public Chapter 105’s ban on local grading floors above zero, while also discussing school-door safety requirements, Duck River issues, and upcoming school and chamber events.

School Board · Meeting · Aug 5, 2024 The board spent much of the meeting on a time-sensitive plan for about $728,000 in remaining ESSER funds, discussing a proposed $1,000 retention bonus for eligible employees and using the balance for classroom furniture, but took no final vote because the plan must first be approved by the state before a later budget amendment returns to the board. Members repeatedly questioned whether the proposed uses fit ESSER rules and also weighed whether more of the money should go to bonuses instead of furniture. The board did approve budget amendments 3, 4, and 5 by unanimous roll-call vote among members present. It also approved several policies, including revising the emergency preparedness policy so fire extinguisher training may be provided by the principal or designee, and approved the class ranking policy after renewed discussion about whether ranking should begin in 8th grade or only in high school. The board approved an overnight out-of-state JROTC trip to Raider Nationals on November 1–3, while hearing that the JROTC program earned a perfect 400/400 annual evaluation score. In other updates, opening-day enrollment was reported at 2,797, up 23 students from last year, and board members voiced concern that a renewed Education Freedom Act school-voucher push could harm rural schools.

School Board · Meeting · Jul 8, 2024 The school board approved new-year budget amendments, a school plant-management membership, up to $51,000 in ESSER-funded MasteryConnect testing services, renewal of a Medicaid-billing contract expected to net revenue, a backup speech-therapy contract at $85 an hour because of staffing shortages, school fees with hardship waivers, and surplus declarations for five buses, three fleet vehicles, and miscellaneous filters. It also voted to classify bus drivers as full-time for immediate health-insurance eligibility to help fill three vacant routes, with discussion noting student instruction time lost from double routes. After extended debate over contract rules and fairness compared with employee raises, the board approved a $5,000 raise for the director of schools for 2024-25, even though he had asked for $4,800 to match a 4% increase. On policy matters, the board approved first-reading TSBA legislative updates including new AI language, approved a student wellness policy change to prohibit highly caffeinated energy drinks in cafeterias, advanced a first-reading revision to expand top-10 class-rank recognition to underclassmen, and unanimously waived a student board-member eligibility rule for an incoming representative. Members spent significant time on the civil rights and bullying report, pressing for clearer school-by-school breakdowns and an action plan after complaints rose from 47 to 91, while debating whether stronger discipline options such as out-of-school suspension, Saturday school, or after-school detention may be needed. The board also reviewed TCAP results showing improvement in 16 of 25 tested categories, while acknowledging the district still trails the state average in most areas.

School Board · Meeting · Jun 3, 2024 The board approved a long list of year-end and budget items for 2024–25, including the meeting schedule, annual agenda, placeholder federal budgets, Budget Amendment 35, reserve-designation authority for the director, executive committee closeout authority, the differential pay plan, and updated salary schedules, with most roll-call items passing 6-0 with one member absent. Salary discussions focused on the state push to raise beginning teacher pay to $50,000 by 2026–27, with each 1% raise estimated to cost about $200,000; the board approved a 4% step increase and starting teacher pay of $44,860, while a proposal to add $2 per hour to food service base pay died for lack of a second because members said it would reopen the county-approved budget. In operations, the board authorized negotiations with Bluegrass to cut a proposed $35,000 technology-services contract closer to $20,000–$25,000 and separately approved up to $126,000 for an ENA phone and intercom upgrade, driven largely by the lack of classroom phone/intercom capability at Hickman County High School. The board also approved an $8,000 golf-course agreement after extended debate, with several members saying the memorandum needs clearer drafting and a future cost analysis, and approved $3,338.25 in dues for the Tennessee Small School Systems Equity Fund. Other action included approval of an overnight middle school basketball camp trip, tenure for Bethany Powers, Elizabeth Grover, Dylan Shelby, and Tonda Gainey, and acceptance of the annual personnel decisions report. On policy matters, the board advanced a student wellness change barring cafeteria sales of caffeinated energy drinks, revised non-resident tuition language, and approved a parent/family involvement policy after amending wording to preserve administrative discretion.

School Board · Meeting · May 20, 2024 The school board held a special budget session on the FY 2024–25 budget after the county budget committee returned it with the same local funding increase request, $137,988, but split between about $57,769 in additional property-tax revenue at 58 cents and about $80,100 in local-option sales tax. Debate centered on whether accepting that plan amounted to endorsing a property-tax increase, with opponents warning about recurring costs, reserve drawdowns within two to three years, and enrollment declines under TISA, while supporters pointed to fixed operating costs, state-driven pressure to raise teacher pay, expiring ESSER funds, and county concerns about school performance and enrollment losses. The first motion to approve failed 3–2 because four yes votes were required. After a same-day motion to reconsider under Robert’s Rules passed 4–2, the board reopened debate and heard more explanation that the county had not reduced the total requested increase, only changed the mix between property tax and sales tax. Members also discussed reserve use over roughly a four-year horizon, staffing reductions, and prior savings from a propane-bus grant. The board then approved the FY 2024–25 budget on a 4–2 vote with one member absent, allowing the result to be sent to the county commission meeting later that night.

School Board · Meeting · May 6, 2024 The board’s biggest action was approving the FY 2024-25 general-purpose school budget and, in a contested 5-2 vote, asking county government for 3 additional pennies in property-tax support amid debate over declining enrollment, salary pressures, and continued use of fund balance. Members also approved the cafeteria budget after administrators said its apparent deficit reflects use of federal food-service carryover funds and deferred equipment replacement rather than a current structural shortfall. Other approved spending included $26,780 for 70 desktop computers and 50 monitors, a two-part security camera project adding 72 cameras across 8 schools for $155,000 in cabling and $11,700 in installation, and a $110,000 Jobs for America’s Graduates partnership. The board approved several budget amendments involving Perkins, ESSER 3, software, textbooks, and summer learning camps, along with annual authorization for the director to submit grants and federal applications. Members also approved multiple overnight student trips and renewed several job-sharing arrangements. In a policy and enrollment-related move, the board voted to set out-of-county tuition at $0 for next school year and gave first-reading approval to revise Policy 6.204 to match that change, while postponing second reading of Policy 4.502 to June.

School Board · Meeting · May 2, 2024 The board spent most of the meeting on the FY 2025 budget and ultimately advanced a budget committee recommendation with a 4% across-the-board step raise on a 5–2 vote, after an earlier motion that would have preserved more flexibility on salary schedules failed 4–4. The revised draft lowered the planned reserve draw from roughly $2.9 million to about $2.4949 million, just under the board’s $2.5 million target, by adding items such as a $114,000 TISA increase, a $200,000 short-term ESSER salary bridge, $36,000 in Medicaid revenue, and indirect-cost recovery from school nutrition. With those changes, the budget kept two fifth-grade STEM teachers and a reduced AWARE mental-health program with two employees costing about $125,000, though members warned that one-time ESSER support could push tougher cuts into next year. Salary structure was the main point of dispute, with some members arguing the 4% increase should later be redistributed more strategically to help lower-paid workers rather than applied as a simple percentage. The discussion also touched on future savings and revenue, including a planned VOIP phone conversion to replace AT&T rentals and save about $5,000 per month, projected CTE/TISA growth, and upcoming JAG funding of $55,000 per high school. Members said the district still showed a net staffing reduction of about 10 positions and may need another meeting before the county budget deadline.

School Board · Meeting · Apr 25, 2024 The board spent nearly the whole meeting on a difficult first draft of the FY 2025 school budget, with administrators saying they had already cut the gap from about $2.7 million above the prior $2.2 million reserve-draw target to about $749,366. Major pressures included the loss of ESSER, AWARE, and some Title funding, declining enrollment, and a 177% jump in property and vehicle insurance costs, while members debated whether sticking to $2.2 million would force deeper personnel cuts and likely reduce proposed raises from 4% to 3%. The board did not adopt a final budget, but by unanimous roll-call vote it changed its working target to a $2.5 million reserve draw and directed staff to keep refining the plan before the next meeting. Cost-cutting and restructuring discussed included reducing bus purchases from three to one, relying on retirements, resignations, non-renewals, and split assignments instead of a formal reduction in force, lowering Spanish and geometry costs, and removing a prior $50,000 local SRO expense because of a new safety law. Members also explored possible cafeteria indirect-cost charges of roughly $70,000 to $100,000 to ease pressure on the general fund, and reviewed revenue-growth ideas through expanded career and technical education and a proposed Jobs for America’s Graduates arrangement that could bring in $110,000 if approved later. The board agreed to reconvene the following week for continued budget work.

School Board · Meeting · Apr 8, 2024 The board approved TSBA dues, annual attendance zones with no changes, HVAC installation work at Centerville Elementary and Centerville Intermediate, a $48,049 nutrition equipment purchase after bid review, two grant-related budget amendments, and several policy items on second reading. Policy changes included clarifying that board email access is for sending messages rather than reading staff email, revising surplus-property language to require buses be kept in a secure location until sold, and advancing a first-reading rewrite of the parental involvement policy after extended debate over daytime school events, parent invitations, and preserving school discretion. The most contested issue was the Education Freedom Act: after discussion of possible funding losses, rural protections, homeschool impacts, and uncertainty about future state support, the board declined to back the proposal and voted to table the resolution. On the budget side, members noted donations had reduced student lunch debt to zero, reviewed a preliminary FY25 TISA estimate showing only a small increase despite enrollment loss, and discussed pressure from the coming end of ESSER-funded positions. The board also heard plans to move high schools from a 5-period to a 6-period day in 2024–25, with staffing adjustments expected through attrition rather than layoffs. To prepare for budget action in May, the board scheduled budget meetings for April 25 and May 2.

School Board · Meeting · Mar 20, 2024 The board spent much of the meeting hearing State Representative Jody Barrett explain the governor’s Education Freedom Act and the differences between the House and Senate versions, with members focusing on whether House-added offsets and policy relief would protect a rural district from enrollment losses and weaker private-school accountability. Discussion centered on projected House benefits such as higher TISA weights, a $75 per-student infrastructure stipend, and a larger state share of teacher insurance, but board members also raised concerns about special-education access, private-school testing standards, and the need for annual state funding decisions. The board voted by voice vote to have the director and board attorney draft a resolution supporting only the House version of the scholarship bill for possible action at the April 8 meeting. The board also worked through early budget planning amid enrollment being down about 200 students, the end of ESSER and Project AWARE funds, and the requirement to raise starting teacher pay to $50,000 by 2026–27. Members discussed how much fund balance could safely be used, salary competitiveness with nearby districts, and whether staffing reductions would need to come through attrition. They approved guidance for the director to prepare an initial budget using no more than $2.2 million of fund balance at a 94% spend rate. Other topics included mixed feedback on a proposed kindergarten age-cutoff change, out-of-county tuition concerns, CTE funding, and discussion of a new Nashville State Community College facility.

School Board · Meeting · Mar 11, 2024 The school board approved several spending and staffing items, including $58,782 for security cameras, a revised school-safety door project not to exceed $50,000, a behavioral consulting contract, and a temporary interim child-nutrition field-manager position funded outside the general fund. The night’s main debate was over a roughly $152,900 HVAC purchase with ESSER funds: members first tabled it over concerns that a 100% outside-air replacement unit could drive up operating costs, then brought it back and approved up to $160,000 after receiving clarification from Matrix that it was essentially comparable to the existing unit and could be more efficient. The board also adopted budget amendments adding a $440,000 literacy-grant increase, $19,500 in CTE funds, and $76,000 for milk in food service. Student and extracurricular travel requests were widely approved, including Tennessee Strong, FCCLA, HOSA, the middle school 8th-grade trip, and overnight travel for the boys basketball team and cheerleaders for the state tournament. East Hickman band boosters asked for about $25,000 to replace badly worn marching uniforms, but the board took no action and deferred the request to budget discussions. Members also approved policy updates on board email access, attendance, surplus property sales, charter schools, and purchasing thresholds, while dropping proposed bus-stop language tied to registered sex offenders. Looking ahead, the board planned a March 20 meeting with State Representative Jody Barrett on vouchers and other pending school-law changes and continued an early debate over how much fund balance the system should be willing to use in the next budget.

School Board · Meeting · Feb 5, 2024 The board approved Centerstone’s family life curriculum request for 9th graders, but amended the plan so Director Mullins can implement it in the near future rather than tying it strictly to the current school year; the presentation highlighted teen pregnancy and STI data, opt-in consent requirements, and $80 in survey incentives per student. Members also heard a major presentation on Project AWARE, whose leaders asked the district to plan for a $285,000 annual funding gap when the grant ends, but the board took no action on funding. Approved items included several student travel requests, a $38,665 local match for e-rate technology equipment, a $37,427 security-grant-funded exterior door replacement bid, ESSER change orders, and budget amendments tied to grants and outside-source funds. Budget discussion centered on staffing and salary pressures, the end of ESSER-funded positions, enrollment being down about 200 students, insurance support for lower-hour employees, and the board’s desire to see pay-scale impacts earlier in the process. The board also advanced first-reading policy changes on charter school applications and purchasing, approved second readings on records and physical examination policies, and asked the director to review possible revisions to surplus-property sale procedures. A lengthy parent-involvement discussion raised complaints about parents being excluded from holiday lunches and some school events, but ended without a formal policy change, and one board member announced he will not seek reelection.

School Board · Meeting · Dec 4, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Nov 6, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Oct 2, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Sep 19, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Aug 7, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Jul 10, 2023 The board appointed Scott Bennett of Bennett & DeCamp as school board attorney after an extended interview on school-law experience and meeting-rule questions, with one abstention. Members approved multiple budget actions, including FY24 amendments tied to the Innovative School Model grant and food service funds, along with FY23 closeout amendments, while also voicing frustration that financial and ESSER/facilities documents were posted too late for proper review. The board approved SRO memorandums of understanding, school fees for 2023–24, and school meal rates with no increase. It also approved board-member health insurance at the single-coverage level effective immediately. A contested discussion over the disciplinary hearing authority focused on due process, confidentiality, and whether nonemployees should be involved; the board amended the structure so all seven listed members would be voting members and then approved it. The board also revised support-staff compensation to use a $3,000 step increase structure, an estimated roughly $60,000 change that may require later county commission budget amendments.

School Board · Meeting · Jun 5, 2023 The school board approved its 2023–24 differentiated pay plan and salary schedules, confirming a 6% increase to certified schedules plus steps and $3,000 raises for support staff. It also changed policies and advanced a resolution so part-time employees such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers can become eligible for board-paid single-employee health insurance, while leaving any question about board-member eligibility for later. Financial actions included approval of budget amendments, federal placeholder budgets, year-end closeout and reserve authority, reimbursement of unpaid school lunch charges, and tenure recommendations for 11 employees. Facilities and purchasing items took much of the meeting, with the board approving a $230,000 reroofing contract for two intermediate schools, a roughly $1.38 million doors-and-windows project for three schools, an RJ Young copier lease expected to lower maintenance costs, and a $25,750 engineering contract for a fire-alarm replacement project. The most contested item was a proposed $56,500 replacement of the board office chair or wheelchair lift, which drew debate over ADA obligations, cost, and repair alternatives before failing on a 3–3 split vote. The board also renewed TSSE membership after discussion of school-funding litigation and approved pre-K curriculum adoption despite questions about timing and compliance documentation under the state’s prohibited-concepts law. One contract decision was delayed, as the proposed engagement of school board attorney Scott Bennett was tabled until the July 5 meeting.

School Board · Meeting · May 30, 2023

School Board · Meeting · May 8, 2023 The board amended Policy 2.804 to remove outdated language tying salaries and benefits to the county commission, approving it 5–0 on first reading and waiving second reading. In budget work, members approved increasing the school nurse line from $305,000 to $360,000 to support a planned 4 RNs and 4 LPNs under TISA, and also added room in a wage line for a proposed employee referral incentive for hard-to-fill jobs. The board approved paying board members at the same rate as the county legislative body and set aside $5,000 for board travel reimbursement, but a proposal to provide paid health insurance for board members failed 3–2. The longest debate centered on how much recurring compensation the district could afford without drawing down fund balance too far, with members comparing 4% and 6% raise models, regional teacher pay, and whether insurance or flat raises would better help bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and other support staff. The board approved insurance eligibility for non-certified employees who have completed 12 months and average at least 25 hours per week, though members noted that standard may exclude some bus drivers and that a separate resolution step would still be needed. It then chose a budget path built around a 6% raise model, a $3,000 increase for support staff, and budget capacity for insurance for about 40 transportation and child-nutrition employees, including a $400,000 increase to the main insurance line. Finally, the board approved the General Purpose School Fund and Child Nutrition Fund budgets as amended, including Child Nutrition insurance and revenue adjustments, with both final budget votes passing 5–0 with two members absent.

School Board · Meeting · May 1, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Apr 26, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Apr 19, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Apr 3, 2023

School Board · Meeting · Mar 11, 2023 · 8:00 AM The special-called school board meeting focused on interviewing six finalists for Director of Schools and hearing a public forum on issues including bullying, transparency, school safety, bus driver shortages, testing, CTE, and support for high-achieving students. At the end of the process, the board voted 6–1 to extend an offer to John Mullins as the next Director of Schools, subject to contract negotiations. One member argued for waiting a few more days to gather additional public input, but other members said the board had followed its published timeline and were ready to decide. The board also approved an HVAC installation bid tied to equipment that had already been purchased separately after an earlier combined bid was rejected. Members questioned the roughly $200,000 labor proposal, including the value of added controls, fresh-air ventilation features, and the number of units involved, before approving it by unanimous roll-call vote. The day’s discussion repeatedly returned to morale, favoritism and nepotism concerns, communication with the board and public, and maintaining SROs and nurses at every school.

School Board · Meeting · Jul 11, 2022

School Board · Meeting · Jul 12, 2021

School Board · Meeting · Jun 7, 2021

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