Hickman County TN

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

School Board · Meeting · May 4, 2026

Mon, May 4, 2026

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

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Outline

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

Public Comment

  • A speaker asked the board to adjust the upcoming property tax request from the previously discussed 13-cent increase to an 8-cent increase.
  • The speaker said the district needs approximately $700,000 in additional funding to meet Tennessee's mandated teacher salary minimums and step increases.
  • The speaker said the amount equates to a little over 8 cents and framed the request as limited to the state mandate rather than broader long-term district needs.

Opening Items

  • The meeting opened with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
  • The agenda for the May 4 meeting was approved by voice vote.
  • Minutes from the April 13 regular meeting were approved.
  • Minutes from the April 29 special called meeting were approved.

Special Recognition

Employee of the Month

  • Shelby Hoover, professional school counselor at Hickman County Middle School, was recognized as employee of the month.
  • Her nomination cited student relationships, counseling work, service as 504 coordinator, RTI math leadership, student council and FCA sponsorship, guidance lessons, attendance support, and general willingness to help the school.

Student Board Representatives

  • Student board representatives for the 2025-2026 school year were recognized.
  • Emily Kern was recognized for representing East Hickman High School.
  • Kitty Bates was recognized for representing Hickman County High School.

ACT Recognition

  • Seniors scoring 29 or above on the ACT were recognized.
  • Hickman County High School students Joseph McCaulay and Carol Warren were each recognized for ACT scores of 29.
  • East Hickman student Evie Schuman was recognized for an ACT score of 33.

Teacher, Novice Teacher, Leader, and Supervisor Awards

  • Cynthia Gaspero was recognized as Hickman County Middle School teacher of the year for sixth grade science.
  • Lacy Carter was recognized as Centerville Elementary School novice teacher of the year and Tennessee Department of Education novice district level teacher of the year.
  • Julian O'Neal was recognized as Hickman County High School novice teacher of the year for biology.
  • Crystal Linton was recognized as East Hickman Elementary School teacher of the year.
  • Connie Gray was recognized as East Hickman High School teacher of the year.
  • Isabelle Armstrong was recognized as East Hickman Elementary School novice teacher of the year.
  • Leah Cole was recognized as administration leader of the year.
  • Rachel Smith was recognized as Centerville Intermediate School teacher of the year and district PreK-5 teacher of the year.
  • Ethan Mural was recognized as novice 9-12 district teacher of the year and East Hickman High School novice teacher of the year.
  • Matthew Dodson was recognized as Hickman County High School teacher of the year and district 9-12 teacher of the year.
  • Julia Thomasson was recognized as supervisor of the year.
  • Andrea Ragdale was recognized as Centerville Elementary School teacher of the year.
  • Kimberly Harrington was recognized as Centerville Elementary School novice teacher of the year.
  • Cassie Hail was recognized as East Hickman Intermediate School teacher of the year.
  • Mark Gobble was recognized as East Hickman Middle School teacher of the year and district grades 6-8 teacher of the year.

Consent Agenda

  • The board approved the consent agenda by voice vote.

Items Requiring Board Action

Hickman County High School JROTC Trip

  • Cadets requested permission for 10 selected JROTC cadets to attend the Junior ROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
  • The trip would include leadership training, military-life exposure, water survival, land navigation, and other leadership courses.
  • The board approved the JROTC trip request by voice vote.

Hickman County Middle School Boys Basketball Trip

  • The boys basketball team requested permission to attend a basketball camp at Bethel University from June 4 through June 6.
  • The request included overnight stays on June 4 and June 5.
  • Parent volunteers would chaperone and transport students, so buses were not required.
  • The board approved the trip by voice vote.

Hickman County High School Girls Basketball Trips

  • Hickman County High School girls basketball representatives requested approval for two overnight trips in June, to Bethel and Wayne County.
  • The board approved the trips by voice vote.

Textbook Adoption

  • Textbook materials in the Schedule E adoption cycle were made available to teachers in January 2026.
  • The community was invited to review physical and digital materials at central office on February 19 and 20.
  • No one came to central office; one person viewed digital resources but left no feedback.
  • Computer science adoption was Tennessee Computer Science Foundation from CodeHS.
  • Health and wellness adoption was Tennessee Live Well Foundation of High School Health from Human Kinetics.
  • A blanket adoption was proposed for CTE materials in welding, construction, and middle school STEM so CTE staff could choose materials that meet academic and industry standards throughout the 8-year adoption.
  • For the 3-year ELA gap adoption through 2028-2029, recommended materials included McGraw Hill Wonders for K-2 reading and writing, Tennessee foundational skills supplemental materials, Amplify CKLA skills consumables and decodable readers, Great Minds Wit and Wisdom for grades 3-5, and MyPerspectives Savvas for grades 6-12.
  • Board discussion focused on teacher input, surveys, committee review, piloting, instructional continuity, and compliance with state content criteria.
  • The board approved the textbook adoption by roll call vote, with all members voting yes.

Budget Amendments

  • Three budget amendments were presented.
  • Budget amendment 33 addressed additional Title I and Title II federal program funding and aligned the budget with ePlan.
  • Budget amendment 34 moved dollars within CTE Perkins Basic and CTE Perkins Reserve funds so those funds could be spent before year end because they do not carry over.
  • Budget amendment 35 made cleanup entries for fund 141 where smaller line items exceeded original budgeted expenditures.
  • A communication line item was discussed; the move to voice over IP saved money, but the district still paid AT&T for the first 3 or 4 months during the transition.
  • The board approved budget amendments 33, 34, and 35 by roll call vote, with all members voting yes.

OPEB / Retiree Benefit Options

  • The board discussed options for retiree medical insurance and Medicare supplemental benefits for certified and non-certified employees.
  • Option 1 would leave the benefit as originally set up for certified employees.
  • Option 2 would provide medical insurance benefits at the same dollar amount for certified and non-certified employees.
  • Under the 30-year example for option 2, both employee groups would receive the same school-system benefit, but the non-certified employee would have an annual cost of about $4,200 under the current scenario because the state does not pay a portion for non-certified employees.
  • Under the 30-year supplemental example for option 2, the certified employee benefit was about $1,615 with no cost, while the non-certified employee would receive the same benefit but pay about $600 annually.
  • Option 3 would provide medical insurance benefits at the same percentage amount for certified and non-certified employees.
  • Under the 30-year non-certified example for option 3, the school-system benefit would be $9,615 for medical insurance and $2,215 annually for Medicare supplemental coverage.
  • Board members favored option 2 as more equitable while preserving more funds than option 3.
  • The board voted to proceed with option 2 and directed that a resolution be prepared for a later meeting, likely the June meeting.
  • The motion passed by roll call vote, with all members voting yes.

FY2027 General Fund Budget Discussion

  • The board discussed the FY2027 school year budget for general fund 141 and fund 143.
  • The packet version included a 13-cent property tax increase and did not include capital projects.
  • Board members discussed changing the request to 8 cents and seeking separate county assistance for capital outlay needs.
  • Capital projects discussed included the Hickman County High School gym floor, tennis courts, a roof project at the intermediate school, baseball field drains, and playground fencing.
  • The most expensive capital items discussed were the gym floor, tennis courts, and intermediate school roof, totaling about $735,000.
  • The Hickman County High School gym floor replacement estimate was about $330,000, based on a prior East Hickman Middle School floor replacement.
  • Insurance for the gym floor damage was discussed as approximately $64,000 to $68,000, based on an adjuster's assessment of the damaged portion.
  • The gym floor damage was described as under the goal area and extending about 3 feet beyond the three-point line after moisture caused swelling.
  • A roof/drainage issue near doors was also discussed as needing correction before major floor repairs or replacement.
  • The gym floor was described as almost 20 years old, with uncertainty about whether it had one sanding remaining.
  • The intermediate school roof estimate was discussed at $175,000 for a membrane option; painting was estimated at $100,000 to $120,000 and might last 5 to 7 years, while the membrane was described as having an approximately 20-year warranty.
  • Board members discussed whether leaving the request at 13 cents would effectively cover capital needs, while an 8-cent request would focus on salary mandate funding.
  • The board discussed that the 8-cent request was budgeted at 93% collection and could yield more if collections approach 100%.
  • The board discussed estimated revenue differences of about $736,000 from FY2026 and about $673,000 at the FY2027 penny value, with the exact phrasing unclear in the transcript.
  • Sales tax was discussed as trending at $3.6 million for the current year and potentially about $3.9 million next year if it increased by around 8%.
  • The board ultimately amended the budget request from 13 cents to 8 cents and paired it with a separate presentation of capital outlay project requests.
  • The amended budget motion passed by roll call vote, with all 7 members voting yes.

Salary Mandate, Fund Balance, and Revenue Discussion

  • Board discussion returned several times to the state teacher salary mandate and its impact on local funding needs.
  • The district was described as needing to move from a $40,000 teacher salary minimum to $50,000, plus step increases and competitiveness adjustments.
  • The salary increase was described as at least 25% and possibly closer to 30% when steps and competitiveness are included.
  • Current salary lines in fund 141 instructional and instructional support areas were described as roughly $18.752 million, excluding supplements, gate workers, differentiated pay, bonuses, and some other costs.
  • Personnel costs were described as roughly $31.3 million of a roughly $38.5 million budget, or about 80% to 81% when salary, insurance, taxes, and related costs are included.
  • Board members estimated that a 25% to 30% increase on roughly $18 million to $19 million in salaries could represent about $6 million in increased expenditures over several years.
  • The county's contribution share was discussed as 16%, with many counties described as higher and some approaching 50%.
  • ESSER/CO funds were discussed as having temporarily helped with infrastructure and fund balance, but those funds are now gone.
  • The system's expansion from 2 nurses for 8 schools to a nurse in every school was mentioned as an example of non-salary-mandate cost growth connected partly to COVID-era needs.
  • Coaching and activity supplements were discussed as percentage based; one example cited 7% of base pay, and the total supplement budget was described as roughly $400,000 to $460,000.

Potential Revenue Ideas

  • Board members discussed ways to grow revenue beyond property taxes.
  • Hickman County Virtual Academy was discussed as an underused resource with 37 current students.
  • The district discussed reaching out to approximately 800, or possibly 768, homeschool and private school families to make them aware of the virtual academy as a free option.
  • The superintendent said the current virtual academy is approved for in-county students only.
  • Partnering with an outside virtual provider such as K12.com to serve students across the state was discussed as a possible future option that might require a new school number.
  • Website changes to make the virtual academy easier to find were described as not a large undertaking and potentially achievable within 3 or 4 months for the current in-county program.
  • A board member cited another county generating $2 million to $3 million from a virtual school, while noting expenditures would also increase.
  • Bus advertising banners were discussed as another possible revenue source, with some school systems receiving about $3,000 per year per bus and Hickman County having about 40 buses.

Food Service / Fund 143 Budget

  • The board reviewed the fund 143 food service budget separately.
  • Food service was described as running a deficit during the year, though the prior month had a substantial surplus.
  • Any remaining food service deficit would need to be covered from fund 141.
  • Recent adjustments were said to have helped reduce the deficit over the prior 3 months.
  • The FY2027 food service budget assumed 54% breakfast participation and 80% lunch participation.
  • The budget used a 6-cent reimbursement increase for different reimbursement levels because final reimbursement rates were not yet known.
  • Salary dollars were lower because potential summer employee dollars are expected to be paid through the summer learning program rather than food service.
  • Food supply costs were reduced based on efforts to order slightly less at a time while maintaining needed service levels.
  • The budget was described as essentially balanced, using current enrollment and a 93% attendance rate for participation estimates.
  • The board approved the fund 143 budget by roll call vote, with all members voting yes.

Policies

  • Several policies previously approved on first reading were presented for second reading.
  • The board approved the listed 10F1 policies on second reading by voice vote.
  • Policies 2.800 to 2.900 were up for review.
  • A website access problem for TSBA-hosted policies was discussed; a temporary link had been provided while TSBA and Microsoft worked to resolve the issue.
  • The board approved review of policies 2.800 to 2.900 by voice vote.

Announcements

  • The next regular board meeting was announced for June 1 at central office.
  • Director evaluation and board self-evaluation were discussed.
  • Because the prior director was no longer in place and Dr. Anderson was serving under an interim arrangement, the board discussed selecting an evaluation tool and preparing for next year's evaluation instead of completing a current director evaluation.
  • Board self-evaluation was discussed as a yearly process, with a deadline mentioned as June 31 as heard in the transcript.
  • The school budget presentation to the county was announced for May 7 at 5:30.
  • Board members were encouraged to attend the county budget presentation.
  • The GSBA fall district meeting was announced for September 17 at Lawrence County's E.O. Coffman Middle School.
  • A possible special called meeting was discussed for May 7 after the county budget meeting, with public notice requirements of 48 hours and a possible meeting time around 7:00 or 7:30 at the board office.
  • Legislative comments included mention that the governor signed a public agenda notice law on April 14 requiring agenda availability within 48 hours, as heard in the transcript.
  • A possible legislative special session or redistricting discussion was briefly mentioned, but no school-specific legislative issue was identified.

Adjournment

  • With no additional comments from board members or the superintendent, the board voted to adjourn.

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic
13 cents Rate Previously discussed property tax increase
8 cents Rate Adjusted property tax increase request
$700,000 Dollar amount Additional funding needed for state teacher salary mandate
April 13 Date Regular meeting minutes approved
April 29 Date Special called meeting minutes approved
2025-2026 School year Student board representative recognition
29 Count / score ACT recognition threshold
29 Count / score ACT scores for Joseph McCaulay and Carol Warren
33 Count / score ACT score for Evie Schuman
504 Other Shelby Hoover's role as 504 coordinator
10 cadets Count JROTC leadership challenge trip
June 4-6 Date range Middle school boys basketball camp
June 4 and 5 Date range Overnight stays for boys basketball camp
8-year adoption Time period CTE blanket adoption cycle
3-year gap Time period ELA gap adoption
2028-2029 School year End of proposed ELA gap adoption period
K-2 Grade range ELA materials recommendation
3-5 Grade range ELA materials recommendation
6-8 Grade range ELA materials recommendation
9-12 Grade range ELA materials recommendation
February 19 and 20 Date range Community textbook review
Budget amendments 33, 34, and 35 Count / other Budget amendments approved
Title I and Title II Other Federal program funding amendment
Fund 141 Other General fund cleanup entries and later budget discussion
3 or 4 months Time period AT&T costs during voice over IP transition
30-year Time period OPEB benefit examples
$4,200 annually Dollar amount Estimated non-certified annual medical cost under option 2
$5,200 benefit Dollar amount School-system medical benefit under option 2
$1,615 Dollar amount Certified Medicare supplemental benefit example
$600 annually Dollar amount Estimated non-certified supplemental cost under option 2
20 to 29 years Time period Reduced OPEB benefit tier
10 to 19 years Time period Reduced OPEB benefit tier
$9,615 Dollar amount Non-certified medical benefit under option 3
$2,215 annually Dollar amount Non-certified Medicare supplemental benefit under option 3
2015 Year Prior OPEB adjustment
2019 Year OPEB clarification resolution
FY2027 Fiscal year General fund budget under discussion
Funds 141 and 143 Other Budgets under discussion
$735,000 Dollar amount Approximate total of major capital project estimates
$330,000 Dollar amount Hickman County High School gym floor replacement estimate
$64,000 to $68,000 Dollar amount Insurance adjuster estimate for gym floor damage
3 feet Measurement Gym floor damage extending beyond three-point line
Almost 20 years old Time period Age of Hickman County High School gym floor
$175,000 Dollar amount Intermediate school roof membrane estimate
$100,000 to $120,000 Dollar amount Roof painting estimate
5 to 7 years Time period Estimated roof paint life
20-year warranty Time period Estimated roof membrane warranty
50,000 Other Roof size mentioned as heard in transcript
93% Percentage Budgeted tax collection / attendance assumption in different discussions
100% Percentage Potential actual tax collection comparison
$736,000 Dollar amount Estimated budgeted difference from FY2026, as heard
$673,000 Dollar amount Estimated FY2027 zero-cent penny value, as heard
$3.6 million Dollar amount Current-year sales tax trend
8% Percentage Possible sales tax growth assumption discussed
$3.9 million Dollar amount Possible next-year sales tax amount
7 members Count Budget amendment vote described as passing 7-0
$40,000 Dollar amount Prior teacher salary minimum discussed
$50,000 Dollar amount Required teacher salary minimum discussed
At least 25% Percentage Teacher salary increase estimate
30% Percentage Possible teacher salary increase including steps/competitiveness
$18.752 million Dollar amount Approximate fund 141 instructional/instructional support salary lines
$38.5 million Dollar amount Approximate total budget discussed
$31.3 million Dollar amount Approximate personnel cost in budget
80% to 81% Percentage Personnel share of total budget with benefits and taxes
70% Percentage Earlier personnel-cost reference
1.5 Other Approximate loaded cost multiplier mentioned for salary with benefits/taxes
$18 million to $19 million Dollar amount Salary base used in board member estimate
$6 million Dollar amount Estimated salary expenditure growth over several years
16% Percentage County contribution share discussed
Nearly 50% Percentage Higher county contribution share in some counties
2022 Year Approximate start of state salary law / board reference
8 schools Count District nurse staffing comparison
2 nurses Count Prior nurse staffing level
2020-2021 School year COVID-era contact tracing / nurse workload reference
7% Percentage Example coaching supplement percentage of base pay
$400,000 to $460,000 Dollar amount Approximate supplement budget
37 students Count Current Hickman County Virtual Academy enrollment
Approximately 800 Count Homeschool/private school families discussed
768 Count More specific homeschool/private school number as heard
$2 million to $3 million Dollar amount Revenue another county reportedly generates from virtual school
3 or 4 months Time period Potential timeframe for improving current virtual academy web presence
$3,000 per year per bus Dollar amount Potential school bus banner revenue
40 buses Count Approximate number of school buses
3 months Time period Recent food service adjustments reducing deficit
54% Percentage Breakfast participation assumption
80% Percentage Lunch participation assumption
6 cents Rate Reimbursement increase used in food service budget
93% attendance rate Percentage Food service participation budget assumption
10F1 Other Policy group approved on second reading
2.800 to 2.900 Other Policy range reviewed
June 1 Date Next regular board meeting
June 31 Date Board self-evaluation deadline as heard in transcript
May 7 at 5:30 Date / time School budget presentation to county
September 17 Date GSBA fall district meeting
48 hours Time period Public notice / agenda availability requirement
May 7 at 7:00 or 7:30 Date / time Possible special called meeting after county budget meeting
April 14 Date Governor signed public agenda notice law, as heard