Hickman County TN

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

School Board · Meeting · Aug 5, 2024

Mon, Aug 5, 2024

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 meeting’s main substantive business was financial and policy-related: the board reviewed the remaining ESSER balance and discussed a late-stage plan to allocate roughly $728,000 before state deadlines, with a proposed $1,000 retention bonus for employees still employed since May and the rest potentially used for classroom furniture. Board members pressed for assurance that the spending fit ESSER rules, and administration said the state must approve the plan before final board budget action. The board also approved budget amendments 3, 4, and 5 and advanced or adopted several board policies, including a change to the emergency preparedness/fire extinguisher policy so training may be provided by the principal or designee.

Other notable threads included a strong JROTC annual report with a perfect 400/400 score, approval of an overnight out-of-state Raider Nationals trip, enrollment opening the year up 23 students from last year, employee recognitions, discussion of fire extinguisher signage and training responsibilities, and legislative concern about Gov. Lee’s expected return of the Education Freedom Act school-voucher push and its possible effect on rural schools.

Call to Order; Attendance; Agenda 21:03

  • 21:03 Meeting called to order after earlier computer issues delayed the start.
  • 21:12 Attendance noted; all present except Pippa Taylor.
  • 21:28 No one signed up for public comment.
  • 23:20 Motion to approve agenda; seconded; passed by voice vote.

Special Recognitions and JROTC Presentation 23:55

JROTC annual report 23:55

  • 24:02 Hickman County High School JROTC presented its required annual report to the board for 2023–2024.
  • 24:09 The unit reported a perfect evaluation score of 400 out of 400 from U.S. Army Cadet Command.
  • 24:17–25:30 Highlights included:
    • 24:42 participation in over 10 competitive events,
    • 24:42 10 miscellaneous events,
    • 24:42 1 military ball,
    • 24:49 over 8 color guard events,
    • 24:49 10 school support activities,
    • 24:49 support for 8 community events,
    • 25:07 participation in JCLC at Wendell H. Ford Training Center,
    • 25:15 cadet physical assessment activities,
    • 25:22 service-learning projects with East Elementary.
  • 26:26 JROTC said its service-learning project supported the district’s anti-bullying efforts and leadership curriculum.
  • 27:03 Cadets said they want to expand the project to the intermediate school level and continue elementary work.
  • 27:19 Additional future ideas mentioned included a YouTube-based college-readiness effort for younger students and possible expansion of robotics exposure into middle and intermediate grades.

JROTC Raider competition request 28:15

  • 28:23 JROTC requested approval to host a Raider competition at Hickman County High School on September 14, 2024.
  • 28:31 The event was expected to bring about 10 to 15 schools and include 5 events judged by cadets under instructor supervision.
  • 28:38 A registered nurse would be present for medical support.
  • 28:46 Outside teams would pay $100 admission.
  • 29:06–29:41 Board discussion focused on the fact that facility use and safety oversight required board approval.

JROTC overnight out-of-state trip request 29:41

  • 29:50 Cadets requested approval for an overnight out-of-state trip to Raider Nationals in Molena, Georgia, beginning November 1.
  • 30:06 Trip details included hotel lodging, competition at a Boy Scouts camp, 2 chaperones including 1 registered nurse and 1 state law enforcement officer, travel in 3 instructor vehicles plus 1 parent vehicle, and expected participation by 14 students plus 2 students for pictures/logistics.
  • 30:29 Students’ direct cost was described as one meal per day plus T-shirts and pictures; hotel and competition costs were expected to be covered by fundraising.
  • 31:00 Motion to approve the JROTC trip request for November 1–3; seconded; passed with no opposition.

Approval of Minutes and Corrections 31:28

  • 31:37 Motion to approve minutes from the July 8, 2024 meeting; seconded; approved by voice vote.
  • 32:15 A correction was made to a statement from the prior meeting about arming teachers: the chair said earlier comments that teachers would have to send forms home to parents were not what the law says.
  • 32:30 The board indicated that if the district ever proceeded on that issue, it would require a future board policy and related procedures.
  • 32:46 The law on that subject was described as extensive, roughly 300 pages.

New Business / Agenda Items 32:54

ESSER remaining balance and proposed spending plan 32:54

  • 33:24 Administration said a complete final budget was not yet ready, but the board was given a current outline of planned ESSER expenditures and remaining balance.
  • 33:40 Personnel already funded through ESSER would continue to be paid through September 30.
  • 34:03 A previously approved $125,000 phone-system project was revisited; administration said the amount had included speakers, but not cable runs for speakers, which would have added another $30,000.
  • 34:29 The high school speaker/intercom portion involved 132 speakers.
  • 34:47 Because the new phone system can handle classroom announcements, administration said those additional speakers were no longer needed.
  • 35:04 The new phone system was justified partly by recurring savings: the district is still paying long-distance charges on landlines, even to call Dickson, and expects the new voice-over-IP system to eliminate that cost except for one backup landline per school.
  • 35:40 Administration said the district also had to replace the CES intercom over the summer for just under $10,000 after it failed at the end of the prior school year.
  • 36:04 Administration also included an indirect cost recovery amount, explaining the district had not previously claimed ESSER indirect costs over the past 4 years and that this would help offset overhead borne by other departments.
  • 36:26 Administration said $728,000 remained to be allocated.
  • 36:33 A hoped-for roughly $1 million East Elementary doors-and-windows project could not be made to fit alongside other priorities.
  • 37:05–38:27 Board members repeatedly asked whether the listed uses complied with ESSER rules; administration responded that the state checks compliance and that the listed items were not new concepts but uses already tied to prior approved ESSER spending.
  • 38:43 A board member asked whether some of the remaining ESSER funds could go to speaker/intercom needs elsewhere; administration said the elementary intercom had already been replaced and that a separate high-school replacement quote came in around $50,000 to $60,000.
  • 39:16 Concern was raised about whether students in the high school hallways would still hear announcements if classroom speakers were dropped; administration said the current system would remain active and the new phones would add classroom coverage.
  • 40:13 Administration clarified that the East Elementary doors/windows concept was not bulletproofing; it was tied to air exchange and healthier classrooms, similar to work done at the middle schools and Cal Elementary.
  • 41:07 Administration emphasized the deadline pressure:
    • 41:07 about $728,000 remained,
    • 41:14 the money had to be allocated by the end of September,
    • 41:22 the plan had to be approved by the state by September,
    • 41:28 the submission to the state needed to happen by the end of August.
  • 41:59 Administration connected the ESSER discussion to last year’s salary issue: staff had hoped for a 5% raise, but the final raise became 4%, which was said to be less meaningful for many classified employees.
  • 42:33 Administration noted that the district had previously used ESSER for extra-duty cleaning stipends and at one point bonuses.
  • 43:13 Administration proposed that every employee who was working in May and is still employed now receive a $1,000 retention bonus.
  • 43:27 The eligible count was estimated at about 460 employees.
  • 43:36–43:45 With payroll taxes included, the proposal was estimated at roughly $550,000 to $575,000.
  • 43:55 Administration proposed using the remaining roughly $200,000 for a districtwide needs assessment and classroom furniture purchases distributed equitably across all 8 schools.
  • 44:30 Administration argued this approach reduced the risk of missing ESSER deadlines because furniture purchases are easier to complete on time than construction contracts, while also rewarding employee retention.
  • 45:03–46:24 Board members again asked whether retention bonuses and furniture would fit within ESSER rules; administration said ESSER III had broader permissible uses tied not only to COVID response but also learning loss and American Rescue Plan goals.
  • 46:32 Administration clarified that the $1,000 would be per employee, not per job assignment, even for staff holding multiple roles.
  • 47:12 One board member said the district should consider pushing the remaining balance entirely into bonuses rather than holding $200,000 for furniture, arguing that the best use of taxpayer money was to return it to local workers rather than send unused money back.
  • 47:57 Others replied that classroom furniture is a real need and that some desks are frequently broken and replaced.
  • 48:47–50:01 Administration outlined the process: submit the ESSER plan to the state first, then return to the board with a budget amendment after state approval, likely in September, without necessarily needing a special-called meeting.
  • 50:20 Administration said the bonus/furniture concept originated internally and was favored because it both rewards loyal staff and addresses long-term classroom needs.
  • 51:35 A board member said administration had managed the money well and did not press for an immediate board motion because the item was not yet formally presented as a final action item.
  • Outcome: discussed extensively; no final ESSER allocation vote taken at this meeting.

Consent agenda and director’s report 57:49

  • 58:02 Before the consent agenda vote, the director reported opening-day enrollment at 2,797, which was 23 students higher than the first day last year.
  • 58:09 The enrollment gain was estimated to be worth about $60,000 in funding.
  • 58:20 Large kindergarten classes were noted at both ends of the county.
  • 58:29 Motion to approve the consent agenda; seconded; passed by voice vote.

Budget amendments 59:29

  • 59:51 Budget amendment 3 was described as a federal programs amendment reflecting allocation changes in consolidated Title IV and additional funds/allocation changes in the Carl D. Perkins grant.
  • 1:00:24 Budget amendment 4 moved already-budgeted dollars into Family Resource Center subcategories and school contract-service lines for easier reporting.
  • 1:00:48 Budget amendment 5 dealt with carryover from a prior dinner donation by a local citizen, restricting that portion of fund balance and budgeting it for future expenditures without implying all funds would be spent this year.
  • 1:01:26 Motion to approve budget amendments 3, 4, and 5; seconded.
  • 1:01:44 Roll-call vote: Baker, Gammon, Hobbs, Hudson, Lane, and Willis voted yes; motion carried unanimously among those present.

Board policies: second readings and review 1:02:00

Policy 3.202 / 3.22 emergency preparedness plan 1:02:09

  • 1:02:15 A board member raised concerns about new or revised language requiring principals to regularly check fire extinguishers and instruct all school personnel on proper use.
  • 1:02:47 The discussion focused on whether schools have adequate signage showing fire extinguisher locations and whether current setups would satisfy fire marshal and OSHA expectations.
  • 1:04:24 It was suggested that the contractor already checking and recharging extinguishers could also assist with appropriate signage.
  • 1:05:26 A board member asked directly whether teachers are trained on extinguisher use; administration responded that extinguishers are checked monthly, but there is no comparable recurring staff training.
  • 1:05:51–1:06:31 Board members argued that hands-on training with the local fire department should be restored or provided, saying that classroom and CTE fires need immediate response and staff need practical instruction, not just policy language.
  • 1:06:48 Concern was raised that the policy specifically says the principal must provide the instruction, which may be impractical if outside personnel actually conduct the training.
  • 1:08:18–1:09:22 The board discussed changing the wording so the instruction could be provided by the principal or designee, allowing use of trained staff or the fire department while remaining compliant.
  • 1:09:48 Motion to approve Policy 3.22 with revision so line 19 allows training by the principal or designee; approved by voice vote.

Remaining board policies on the agenda 1:10:33

  • 1:10:33 Motion to approve the remaining board policies listed under agenda item 12.E.1; seconded; passed by voice vote.
  • 1:11:00 Policies 4.400 to 4.407 were then taken up for review/approval as a grouped item.
  • 1:11:08 Motion to approve policies 4.400–4.407; seconded; passed with no opposition.

Policy 4.602 class ranking 1:11:31

  • 1:11:39 Policy 4.602 on class ranking came up for second reading.
  • 1:11:47 The board revisited earlier discussion about when ranking should begin.
  • 1:12:41 It was noted that current practice starts in 8th grade, but some members argued rankings should begin only in high school.
  • 1:13:05 One member said that if the district is going to rank students, it should start in high school rather than at the awkward point of eighth grade.
  • 1:14:31 Administration noted that seniors must be recognized at spring ceremonies and also need class-rank information earlier for college and scholarship applications, which limits options for delaying rank calculations.
  • 1:15:08 Motion to approve Policy 4.602 as presented; seconded; passed by voice vote.

Announcements and Legislative Discussion 1:15:27

  • 1:15:27 The next regular board meeting was announced for September 9 at the same location.
  • 1:15:38 Legislative updates were said to be mainly through TSBA meetings.
  • 1:15:53 A brief comment was made about market declines affecting investments, though school funds were said to be regulated; no action taken.
  • 1:16:19 The September regional meeting was announced for Lewis County, with registration reminders.
  • 1:16:47 A legal counsel event in Jackson was mentioned for that Friday, though registration may have been near closing.
  • 1:17:29 The district meeting in Hohenwald/Lewis County was identified as August 29.
  • 1:17:38 Board discussion turned to Gov. Lee’s expected renewed push for the Education Freedom Act.
  • 1:18:17 Several members said school-voucher style legislation would be harmful to rural schools and expected the issue to return in the coming legislative cycle.
  • 1:18:47 Discussion suggested the governor believed recent political changes had improved the bill’s chances.

Closing Remarks and Recognition of Departing Members 1:19:05

  • 1:19:22 Departing members reflected on their board service, thanked staff and colleagues, and said they had tried to leave the board in better shape than they found it.
  • 1:21:20 Additional farewell remarks emphasized the school system’s importance to the county.
  • 1:22:15 The board presented appreciation tokens to departing members and informally thanked them for their service.
  • 1:23:36 A brief reception with cake was announced.
  • No formal adjournment language was clearly captured in the transcript excerpt.

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic Timestamp
400 out of 400 Score JROTC annual evaluation score 24:09
2023–2024 Time period JROTC annual report school year 24:02
10+ Event count JROTC competitive events 24:42
10 Event count JROTC miscellaneous events 24:42
1 Event count JROTC military ball 24:42
8+ Event count JROTC color guard events 24:49
10 Activity count JROTC school support activities 24:49
8 Event count JROTC community events supported 24:49
September 14, 2024 Date Proposed Raider competition at HCHS 28:23
10 to 15 School count Expected schools at Raider competition 28:31
5 Event count Raider competition events 28:31
$100 Fee Admission for outside Raider teams 28:46
November 1–3 Date range JROTC Raider Nationals trip 31:00
2 Chaperone count Chaperones for Raider Nationals trip 30:06
1 Staff count Registered nurse on trip 30:06
1 Staff count State law enforcement officer on trip 30:13
3 Vehicle count Instructor vehicles for trip 30:13
1 Vehicle count Parent vehicle for trip 30:20
14 Student count Students expected to compete at Raider Nationals 30:20
2 Student count Students for pictures/logistics support 30:20
July 8, 2024 Date Prior meeting minutes approved 31:37
300 pages Document length Approximate length of law discussed regarding arming teachers 32:46
September 30 Deadline Personnel continuation through ESSER / spending period reference 33:40
$125,000 Expense Previously approved phone-system amount 34:03
$30,000 Additional expense Added cable cost for speakers not included in phone quote 34:20
132 Equipment count Speakers contemplated at Hickman County High School 34:29
$40,000 a year Savings estimate Implied annual savings discussion on phone/long-distance costs 34:56
1 Line count Backup landline per school after VOIP conversion 35:20
under $10,000 Expense CES intercom replacement over summer 35:49
4 years Time period ESSER indirect costs not previously claimed 36:04
$728,000 Balance Remaining ESSER funds to allocate 36:26
$1 million Project estimate East Elementary doors/windows concept that could not be fit into ESSER plan 36:33
$50,000 to $60,000 Quote High school intercom replacement estimate 39:42
end of September Deadline ESSER funds allocation deadline discussed 41:07
end of August Deadline ESSER plan submission deadline to state 41:28
5% Raise proposal Desired employee raise in prior budget cycle 41:59
4% Raise adopted Actual employee raise in prior cycle 42:09
$1,000 Bonus Proposed retention bonus per eligible employee 43:20
460 Employee count Estimated eligible employees for retention bonus 43:27
$550,000 Expense Estimated retention-bonus cost with payroll effects, lower estimate 43:45
$575,000 Expense Estimated retention-bonus cost with payroll effects, higher estimate 43:36
$200,000 Proposed expense Remaining ESSER amount proposed for classroom furniture 43:55
8 School count Schools to share furniture purchases equitably 43:55
20 years Useful life Expected longevity of classroom furniture 44:22
2,797 Enrollment Opening-day enrollment 58:02
23 Student increase Enrollment increase over first day last year 58:02
$60,000 Revenue estimate Approximate funding value of 23-student increase 58:09
3, 4, and 5 Amendment numbers Budget amendments approved 1:01:26
Title IV Program identifier Federal allocation change in budget amendment 3 1:00:08
3.22 Policy number Emergency preparedness policy revised/approved 1:09:48
line 19 Policy detail Location of “principal or designee” revision 1:09:55
4.400–4.407 Policy range Grouped policies approved 1:11:08
4.602 Policy number Class ranking policy approved on second reading 1:11:39
8th grade Grade level Existing starting point referenced for class rank practice 1:12:41
September 9 Date Next regular board meeting 1:15:27
August 29 Date District/regional meeting date mentioned 1:17:22
8 years Service length Departing member’s board tenure 1:19:31
1972 Year Lonnie Mayberry HCHS graduation year 54:40
1976 Year Lonnie Mayberry start year in Hickman County Schools 55:21
4,000 Student count Approximate number of students taught by Lonnie Mayberry 55:21
150 Employee count Approximate current employees formerly taught by Lonnie Mayberry 55:28
five decades Time period Approximate length of Lonnie Mayberry’s service as basketball clock keeper 55:03

External vendors, brands, and software

Name Type Context / topic Timestamp
United States Army Cadet Command Company JROTC annual unit evaluation/reporting authority 24:02
Boy Scouts Brand Raider Nationals competition site described as a Boy Scouts camp in Molena 30:06
OSHA Company Referenced during fire extinguisher signage/training compliance discussion 1:03:04
TSBA Company Legislative and regional meeting updates 1:15:45
YouTube Brand JROTC future idea for student-focused college series 27:19

Personnel changes

Name Role / office Change Context / topic Timestamp
Lynn Anderson Teacher, East Hickman Elementary / East Hickman Intermediate Recognized Named employee of the month; recognition only, no status change 52:32
Lonnie Mayberry Teacher Recognized Named district employee of the year; recognition only, no status change 54:29

Laws and policies

Citation / name Level Type Context / topic Timestamp
ESSER Federal Policy Federal relief funding rules and allowable uses discussed for remaining balance and deadlines 32:54
American Rescue Plan Federal Law Cited as part of the broader purpose behind ESSER III spending flexibility 46:00
district’s anti-bullying policy School Policy JROTC service-learning project said to support district anti-bullying efforts 26:33
Education Freedom Act State Law Discussed as expected returning school-choice/voucher legislation that members said could hurt rural schools 1:17:44
Policy 3.22 School Policy Emergency preparedness plan revised so training may be delivered by principal or designee 1:09:48
Policy 4.400–4.407 School Policy Grouped policies approved on review 1:11:08
Policy 4.602 School Policy Class ranking policy approved on second reading 1:11:39