Hickman County TN

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

School Board · Meeting · Mar 3, 2025

Mon, Mar 3, 2025

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

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This outline was generated by an LLM from a transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. Prefer the original recording when available.

The board handled a mix of routine approvals and several operational items with staffing, policy, and budget implications. The most consequential discussion was an interim hire to cover a teacher leave in driver’s education: the district explained why other candidates were unavailable, why the selected applicant’s relationship to a board member raised a nepotism question, and why the administration believed Board Policy 5.7 on interim contracts meant the hire was not “initial employment.” The board also approved four budget amendments, authorized replacement pre-K playground equipment, approved both high schools’ prom plans, and adopted four policies on second reading.

Budget and staffing pressures surfaced in the superintendent’s closing comments: the district expects about $1 million more from the state under TISA, with about $600,000 tied to increased CTE activity, but estimated raises under discussion would require at least $2 million more in salary funding. Other notable threads included the Tennessee rBackground program for employee background monitoring, voluntary retention notice requirements for K–2 parents, emotional support dog policy approval, and concern over proposed state legislation that could align all school board seats on the same election cycle as county commissioners.

Call to Order 6:11

  • 6:20 No public comments were submitted.
  • 7:39 Agenda approved, with one additional budget amendment added under the budget section after state information arrived the prior Wednesday.
  • 7:49 February 3, 2025 regular meeting minutes approved without controversy.

Special Recognitions 8:03

Employees of the Month 8:03

  • 8:25 Two school nurses, identified in remarks as Kendra and Tanya, were recognized as co-employees of the month.
  • Their work cited included student health and safety efforts, anti-bullying leadership support at both high schools, CPR/AED training for faculty and staff, anti-vaping programming, vision and hearing screenings, organizing sports physicals for TSSAA athletes, the Turkey Trot 5K for coordinated school health donations, and safe-schools training.

New Business / Agenda Items 10:15

Driver’s education staffing and interim employment 10:15

  • 10:38 The district said the driver’s ed teacher is on leave, leaving about 80 students needing behind-the-wheel hours.
  • 11:09 A retired teacher, Jerry Finario, was thanked for covering the classroom portion, but the district still needed someone for the driving portion.
  • 11:17 The administration said Nick Bentley agreed to transfer to driver’s ed for the rest of the semester, and Stacy Larose would shift to full-time at CES for the remainder of the semester.
  • 11:45 The superintendent detailed unsuccessful recruitment efforts for a replacement for Stacy Larose, naming several people considered:
    • Pat Smith wanted to be involved with the district but could not commit because he was traveling between Tennessee and South Carolina due to his wife’s military station.
    • Harper Shelton was explored as a possible early hire in lieu of student teaching, but was not in student teaching.
    • Josh Copley was interviewed and offered the job but declined.
    • Mike Kelly, who had worked 19 years in the district, considered it but said the commitment was too large.
  • 12:48 The administration said the best available applicant was Braden Lane, identified as board vice-chair Doug Lane’s son, and acknowledged the nepotism concern directly.
  • 13:18 The superintendent explained that the original concern was the district’s nepotism policy barring “initial employment” of a person related to a board member unless the board votes.
  • 13:45 After closer review, administration relied instead on Board Policy 5.7, which says an employee hired to fill a vacancy caused by a leave of absence is on an interim contract, temporary for the remainder of the school year, and that interim employment is not considered initial employment.
  • 14:22 Additional justification offered:
    • Braden Lane would not enter the retirement system.
    • He would not receive benefits.
    • He would be paid on an hourly salary schedule starting at about $12 an hour.
  • 14:29 The superintendent said both administration and district legal counsel believed the interim hire was permissible under policy.
  • 14:55 The board approved the interim hire. The transcript indicates approval by motion and second, though the spoken names of mover/seconder were not clear.

FCCLA state trip request 14:38

  • 14:46 A request was presented to approve an HCHS FCCLA trip to state competition.
  • The speaker noted the district had not held district competition this year because Jeremy Sutton, who had overseen HOSA and FCCLA, had died in an accident.
  • 15:04 Motion to approve the HCHS FCCLA trip passed.

East Hickman High School prom request 15:13

  • 15:31 East Hickman High School prom representatives requested approval to hold prom off campus.
  • 16:04 They argued the off-campus event could still be secure and said all five school resource officers had been secured for the event, along with the venue’s own security presence.
  • 16:30 Students and sponsor said the prom effort was also meant to improve school/community culture and involved local businesses through yearbook sponsorships.
  • 16:46 They said the sponsorship model served three purposes:
    • bringing clubs and organizations together,
    • building community involvement,
    • lowering ticket costs.
  • 16:55 Pricing presented:
    • last year’s pricing was discussed briefly,
    • this year, all senior tickets would be free,
    • juniors and guests would pay $25.
  • 17:13 Proposed event details:
    • 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
    • April 5
    • light refreshments
  • 17:21 The proposed venue was Crossbrand Cowboy Church, which offered its outdoor pavilion and indoor area at no cost.
  • 17:43 Supporters said the church’s free use of the property would cost the school nothing and fit the district’s community-involvement goals.
  • 17:51 They said local catering options had been narrowed to one and a DJ had been secured.
  • 17:59 Theme: 1920s Masquerade Ball.
  • 18:21 Discussion noted the same venue had been used the prior year and “things went very well.”
  • 18:30 Additional fundraising detail: for $500, sponsors received a full-page yearbook ad plus shout-outs at sporting events; organizers said that support helped keep prom affordable.
  • 18:59 Motion and second made; off-campus prom request approved.

Hickman County High School prom request 19:11

  • 19:19 Hickman County High School requested approval for prom on April 12 in the high school gym.
  • 19:28 The sponsor said the event would transform the gym into an immersive setting and that photos from prior years showed it would not look like a gym.
  • 19:38 Theme: Victorian Cottage Garden, described as an English garden-party style influenced by current student tastes.
  • 19:47 The school said it had its usual local vendors and DJ lined up.
  • 20:01 Proposed event hours were 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
  • 20:20 Motion made and seconded; the prom request was approved.

Budget amendments 20:42

  • 20:42 The finance presentation covered four budget amendments, numbered 25, 26, 27, and 28.
  • 20:51 Budget Amendment 25:
    • revision to Perkins funding already approved in ePlan,
    • moved transportation expenditures that were not going to be used into another line item so the funds could be spent elsewhere.
  • 21:05 Budget Amendment 26:
    • reflected funding reductions, mainly in consolidated administration,
    • affected Title I, IDEA Part B, and IDEA Pre-K,
    • included a small revenue increase in Title II,
    • moved some Title IV-related funds to help supplement losses in Title I and make sure those dollars could be spent.
  • 21:36 Budget Amendment 27:
    • general fund amendment with two parts,
    • included budget movements tied to revisions in the district’s ISM program that had already been submitted in ePlan,
    • also addressed voluntary pre-K where staffing had shifted after the original budget was prepared,
    • reflected local required match adjustments,
    • included budgeting for new playground equipment that had been discussed the prior year but not purchased.
  • 22:41 Administration emphasized that approving the budget amendment did not itself approve the equipment purchase; a separate board vote would still be needed.
  • 22:48 Budget Amendment 28:
    • added to the agenda the night of the meeting,
    • tied to another consolidated administration revision,
    • after multiple prior revisions, the state asked the district to move some spending categorized as “other contracted services” into different reporting codes in the general fund budget used with the IDEA Part B request,
    • also anticipated increased expenditures above the original budget,
    • those costs were expected to be refunded at least in part.
  • 23:43 Administration said Amendment 28 would also have to go to the county accounting commission because it crossed line items or programs.
  • 24:09 The board discussed that county approval would still be needed even if the school board approved the amendment.
  • 24:26 Motion made to approve Budget Amendments 25–28.
  • 24:41 Roll-call vote recorded as unanimous approval, with all members present voting yes.

Pre-K playground equipment purchase 24:58

  • 24:58 The board reviewed two sample playground equipment options for the elementary pre-K playgrounds.
  • 25:06 Administration said the existing units had likely been in place about 20 years and needed replacement.
  • 25:14 Funding justification:
    • personnel savings were available because teachers with fewer years of experience cost less than originally budgeted,
    • those savings were moved into the project in ePlan.
  • 25:39 The amount budgeted would cover the equipment, shipping, and installation.
  • 25:47 Cost comparison discussed:
    • one option was about 13 (apparently shorthand for about $13,000),
    • the other was about 14 (apparently shorthand for about $14,000).
  • 26:02 Administration said final measurements and consultation with pre-K teachers would determine which of the two options fit best; one lower-cost option was actually slightly larger.
  • 26:10 Board members clarified they could approve the purchase generally because the funds were sufficient for either option.
  • 26:26 Motion made to approve the pre-K playground purchase; approved by roll-call vote.

Board policies — second reading 26:51

  • 26:51 Four policies were presented for second reading.
  • 27:01 Policy 4.600 (Grading System):
    • removed language concerning rigor points for CTE in the dual enrollment program.
  • 27:10 Policy 4.603 (Promotion and Retention):
    • added language requiring written notice to parents regarding voluntary promotion/retention decisions.
  • 27:35 Board clarification established the policy applies to voluntary retention for kindergarten, first, or second grade, based on specified criteria.
  • 27:44 The required parent notice must be provided in writing within 30 days of the end of the school year.
  • 28:01 Policy 5.118 (Background Investigations):
    • updated to reflect the district’s participation in the rBackground program.
  • 28:10 Under the new approach, school employees are monitored continuously rather than obtaining a new background check every five years.
  • 28:18 Volunteers and contractors would still need a background check every five years.
  • 28:27 Policy 3.212 on emotional support dogs was also up for second reading.
  • 28:37 Motion made to approve Policies 4.600, 4.603, 5.118, and 3.212 on second reading; approved.

Board policies — review items 28:55

  • 29:04 Additional policies were presented only for review, in part because of a missed prior meeting.
  • 29:20 The board approved review of Policies 5.600, 5.700, 5.302, and 5.310.

Announcements 29:53

  • 29:53 The next regular board meeting was announced for April 7, 2025.
  • 30:09 A possible March work session was discussed but deferred.

Department / Official Reports 30:16

Director of Schools / budget outlook 30:16

  • 30:16 The superintendent and finance staff had started budget work and had received the first TISA projection.
  • 30:24 The district expects about $1 million more from the state than this year.
  • 30:31 About 60% of that increase, or roughly $600,000, was attributed to growth in career and technical education, which earns additional TISA funding.
  • 30:58 Despite that increase, the district’s early salary planning projected a 4.5% raise for certified employees plus a flat-rate increase for classified employees.
  • 31:13 Administration said implementing those raises would require at least $2 million more in salary funding, depending on the classified flat-rate amount.
  • 31:29 Because of timing and available information, administration recommended holding any budget work session after the April meeting rather than in March.
  • 31:47 The board agreed an April work session would likely be more productive.

Legislative representative comments 32:20

  • 32:20 A board member raised concern about pending state legislation that would put all school board elections on the same cycle as county commissioner elections, creating four-year terms aligned at once rather than staggered.
  • 32:36 The objection was that replacing the full board at one time could eliminate institutional knowledge and force a complete restart for incoming members.
  • 32:54 The member said contact had already been made with Jody Barrett and that more follow-up would occur.
  • 33:23 The likely motivation discussed was election-cost savings, but speakers argued the governance downside outweighed that rationale.

Adjournment 34:34

  • 34:34 Brief closing comments followed, including a light student report remark and noting the district had been out of school for two of the previous three weeks.
  • 34:57 Meeting adjourned.

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic Timestamp
80 Headcount Students needing driver’s ed behind-the-wheel instruction during teacher leave 10:46
19 years Service time Mike Kelly’s prior service in the district when considered for temporary staffing 12:32
$12 an hour Pay rate Approximate starting hourly schedule cited for interim hire 14:22
5 Headcount School resource officers said to be secured for East Hickman prom 16:13
$25 Fee East Hickman prom ticket price for juniors and guests 17:03
7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. Time range East Hickman prom hours 17:13
April 5 Date East Hickman prom date 17:13
$500 Sponsorship amount Yearbook/prom sponsorship level used to offset East Hickman prom costs 18:30
7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. Time range Hickman County High prom hours 20:01
April 12 Date Hickman County High prom date 19:19
25 Amendment number Budget amendment 25, Perkins/ePlan revision 20:42
26 Amendment number Budget amendment 26, federal program revisions 21:05
27 Amendment number Budget amendment 27, general fund/pre-K/playground revision 21:36
28 Amendment number Budget amendment 28, added item requiring county accounting commission review 22:48
20 years Age / lifespan Approximate age of existing pre-K playground equipment 25:06
13 Cost estimate Lower playground option, spoken in shorthand as “13” 25:47
14 Cost estimate Higher playground option, spoken in shorthand as “14” 25:47
30 days Time period Parent written notice timeline for voluntary K–2 promotion/retention decisions 27:44
5 years Time period Background-check interval that remains for volunteers and contractors 28:18
April 7, 2025 Date Next regular board meeting 29:53
$1 million Revenue projection Expected additional state funding under TISA 30:24
60% Percentage Share of projected increase attributed to CTE funding 30:31
$600,000 Revenue projection Approximate amount of TISA increase tied to CTE 30:37
4.5% Salary increase Projected raise assumption for certified employees in budget planning 30:58
$2 million Expense projection Estimated additional salary funding needed to support proposed raises 31:13
4 years Term length Proposed board election cycle alignment discussed in legislative comments 32:29
2 of 3 weeks Time period Comment that schools had been out for two of the previous three weeks 34:34

External vendors, brands, and software

Name Type Context / topic Timestamp
ePlan Software Budget amendments and program revisions already submitted/approved through state planning system 20:51
Austin Peay Company Braden Lane described as having finished his degree there at Christmas 13:11
Crossbrand Cowboy Church Company Offered East Hickman prom venue at no cost 17:21
rBackground Software Continuous employee background monitoring program referenced in policy change 28:01

Personnel changes

Name Role / office Change Context / topic Timestamp
Nick Bentley Teacher / staff member Transferred Agreed to move to driver’s education for the remainder of the semester to cover teacher leave 11:17
Stacy Larose CES/CIS staff member Transferred Shifted to full-time CES for the remainder of the semester as part of driver’s ed staffing rearrangement 11:27
Braden Lane Interim district employee Hired Approved as temporary replacement tied to leave of absence under Board Policy 5.7; no benefits or retirement, hourly pay about $12 12:48

Laws and policies

Citation / name Level Type Context / topic Timestamp
Board Policy 5.7 School Policy Interim employment for a vacancy created by leave of absence; used to justify Braden Lane hire as not “initial employment” 13:45
Board Policy 4.600 School Policy Grading System policy approved on second reading; removed language on CTE dual-enrollment rigor points 26:51
Board Policy 4.603 School Policy Promotion and Retention policy approved on second reading; added written notice requirements for voluntary K–2 retention/promotion 27:10
Board Policy 5.118 School Policy Background Investigations policy approved on second reading; updated for rBackground program 28:01
Board Policy 3.212 School Policy Emotional support dogs policy approved on second reading 28:27
Board Policy 5.600 School Policy Listed among policies reviewed by the board 29:20
Board Policy 5.700 School Policy Listed among policies reviewed by the board 29:20
Board Policy 5.302 School Policy Listed among policies reviewed by the board 29:20
Board Policy 5.310 School Policy Listed among policies reviewed by the board 29:20
TISA State Law State school funding formula cited in budget outlook and CTE-related revenue increase 30:16