November 19, 2007 (PDF)
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November 20, 2006

The Lebanon Special School District Board of Education Meeting was called to order by Steve Jones, Board Chair, at 5:00 p.m., in the Director of School’s Office, 701 Coles Ferry Pike.  Board Members, Mr. Joel Thacker and Mr. Mark Tomlinson, and Director of Schools, Dr. Sharon Roberts, were also in attendance.  Grant Partlow, a student, led the pledge to the flag.  A moment of silence was observed. 

Dr. Sharon Roberts made on modification to the agenda:  a request to add the Family Resource Meeting Minutes under “VI. Reports/Information”.  With no other changes noted, the agenda was approved on a motion made by Joel Thacker and seconded by Mark Tomlinson.

Recognition
Dr. Roberts introduced Margie Gifford, 6th Grade Teacher at Castle Heights Upper Elementary and current LEA President.  Ms. Gifford summarized the events of American Education Week and recognized the AEW Friends of Education Award winners for 2006-07.  The recipients were as follows:

Consent Agenda
On a motion made by Mark Tomlinson and seconded by Joel Thacker, the minutes from the September 11, 2006, meeting and the personnel updates were approved. Sara Erwin was granted her leave request.

New Business
Dr. Roberts informed the board that no changes were made to the Electronic Media/Mail Policy and a motion was made to approve the policy by Mark Tomlinson and seconded by Joel Thacker. 

Becky Trusty, Lebanon Special School District Payroll, explained the TCRS Rate Increase for Retirees handout.  Joel Thacker made a motion to approve the resolution and Mark Tomlinson seconded the motion. 

Donna Shaffer informed the board that the current contract with BellSouth expires at the end of the year and asked for board approval to issue a RFP.  Joel Thacker made a motion to approve issuing a RFP and Mark Tomlinson seconded the motion.

Pat Hughes discussed the transportation needs for the 2007-08 school year and requested approval from the board to issue a RFP.  Ms. Hughes stated the increase in special needs students and population within our service area as factors for increasing the fleet.  Mark Tomlinson made a motion to approve issuing a RFP and Joel Thacker seconded the motion.

Anne Weekes, Extend Teacher at Castle Heights Upper Elementary, presented the activities of Camp Invention via DVD and requested approval from the board to offer Camp Invention again next year (June 4-8, 2007).  Mark Tomlinson made a motion to approve issuing a RFP and Joel Thacker seconded the motion.  Steve Jones commended Ms. Weekes on her organization of the event.

Reports/Information
Jeanne Ray gave an update on the Lebanon Special School District Report Card 2006 and shared the executive summary with the board.  Ms. Ray also stated that a meeting with each school principal was held and that each school has a written plan to address any school issues.

Randall Hutto updated the board on the recent surplus sale.  Mr. Hutto also informed the board of an alternative form of selling surplus equipment he recently learned of during a professional seminar.  The Website, gov.deals.com, gives more information into this service.  Mr. Hutto stated that he would check into this option more for future sale of surplus equipment. 

Dr. Roberts praised the Lebanon Special School District schools for their attendance data.  All five schools exceeded the state benchmark of 93%.  Dr. Roberts also noted that four of five schools had increased their overall attendance. 

Jeanne Ray explained that a LEAP Grant is a state grant funded through unclaimed lottery monies.  Lebanon Special School District recently applied for a LEAP Grant and was awarded $50,000 for additional programming at Walter J. Baird.  Tony Clymer worked extensively in writing the grant and Ms. Ray thanked him for his dedication to this project.  The grant will be used to provide enrichment activities and projects for students who have the potential to go to college and will begin December 1.

Dr. Roberts shared the minutes of the Family Resource Center meeting on November 17, 2007. 

Dr. Roberts informed the board of the next meeting date, December 11, 2006.  Being no further business, Steve Jones made a motion to adjourn the meeting at approximately 6:00 p.m., and Joel Thacker seconded the motion and adjourned the meeting. 

 

 

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November 7, 2005

The Lebanon Special School District Board of Education met in regular session on November 7, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. in the Director of School’s office, 701 Coles Ferry Pike.  Board members Steve Jones and Joel Thacker along with Director Sharon Roberts were present.

On a motion made by Thacker and seconded by Jones, the August 2005 minutes were approved.

Penny Thompson, Instructional Coordinator for LSSD, provided an update on the Pre-Kindergarten Grant Classrooms which included information regarding the enrollment in each of the four classrooms (54 of the 80 slots filled), the Advisory Council’s work, and changes related to eligibility status of children and the enrollment process beginning this week.  In order to fill the classes, the Tennessee Department of Education is allowing systems to begin to accept students over the income requirements.  Mrs. Thompson, as a result, will assume responsibility for the enrollment process.

Pat Hughes provided an update on the fuel expenses.  Diesel prices were posted at $1.79 in September and at $2.46 in October.  Our fuel expenses are substantially higher than what was budgeted.  There was some discussion about whether we are paying stockpiled prices with the City of Lebanon and if we might be able to get lower prices through using Fuelman.  Ms. Hughes will check into this issue and inform the Board.  There was a brief discussion about purchasing our own tanks; however, Ms. Hughes was unsure of the benefits and the environment issues that would be involved.

Sharon Roberts provided an overview of the student enrollment in the Lebanon Special School District.  We have approximately 3,040 students enrolled as of November 4, 2005 that are funded through the BEP formula.  When including non-BEP funded classrooms (pre-kindergarten and special education pre-kindergarten) we have approximately 3,155 students in our schools.  We are currently working on aligning the actual numbers with our new student management system.

Before attending to other New Business, Dr. Roberts asked the Board Chair to move Item “K.  American Education Week Presentation/Information” up on the agenda for the convenience of the guests in the audience.  Margie Gifford from the LEA introduced American Education Week (scheduled for November 13-19) to the Board and audience.  She then introduced Abigail Shores, Sam Houston; Bailey Ray, Byars Dowdy; Erin Rice, CHUE; and Alex Donnert, WJB who each provided a special presentation and thank-you to the Board members for their contribution to education in LSSD.  Five volunteers of Lebanon were honored as “True Friends of Education” by the LEA and the Lebanon Special School District.  Jill Walworth, volunteer at WJB; Tommy Pearson, volunteer at Byars Dowdy; Elizabeth Green, volunteer at CHUE; Beverly McCray, volunteer at Sam Houston; and Chris Crowell, volunteer at Coles Ferry were recognized for their contributions to the boys and girls of Lebanon Special School District.

During the consideration of New Business, the following resignations were accepted and requests for leaves were approved on a motion by Thacker and seconded by Jones: 

Connie Gray shared information about a “Lottery for Education:  Afterschool Programs Grant Award” that the SACC program received for $38,000 which will provide tutoring services for students, align learning activities with the curriculum, and encourage partnering activities with community agencies and groups (i.e. Cumberland University, etc.).  Additional grants from this source are being solicited by the SACC. 

Thacker made a motion and Jones seconded the motion to approve a request made to submit a proposal for an Immigrant Grant through the Tennessee Department of Education.  This grant will be through Title III for approximately $37, 500.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Lebanon Special School District and Cumberland University for the Pre-Kindergarten Learning Observatory Program was approved on a motion made by Thacker and seconded by Jones.

The overnight field trip (November 21-22) to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville was approved for Walter J. Baird’s Beta Club on a motion made by Thacker and seconded by Jones.

Gaye Hawks shared information with the Board regarding the Lebanon Special School District Report Card.  Praises to the teachers and administrators for improvements in achievement and value-added gains were acknowledged.

Pat Hughes provided an overview and highlighted the differences in the Revised “LSSD Discipline for Misconduct on School Bus” Policy to the Board.  On a motion made by Thacker and seconded by Jones, the revised policy was approved.

The second reading of the Lebanon Special School District Family and Community Involvement Board Policy and a revision of the Child Abuse and Neglect Board Policy was approved on a motion by Thacker and seconded by Jones.

The Board was provided a first reading of the new policy on Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.