--------- We don't thank for this. >> All righty. We call this meeting to order. The public hearing of the Clarks McGomery County School Board or of education is called in order and it's being conducted for the purpose of these individuals that would like to address
the board with regard to the 2026 2027 proposed consolidated budget. If you have not signed up and you'd like to speak, please do so now. The signup sheet is located in the back of the room. If anyone is signed up to speak, Mr. Nolan
will call them up to the podium one at a time and advise each of them that they have five minutes to speak or three minutes, sorry. After all have spoken, uh we thank everyone for attending and announce the public hearing will be adjourned.
Okay, leave it to you. The list should be Thank you. Okay, right now we have three people signed up. If there's anybody else that comes in, wants to sign up, we'll add you here once we get through the first three. And the first one to sign up was
Elizabeth Pennington. if you'll just come right to the the podium. >> Okay. >> And my I have a son Caleb who goes to Northwest High School and he's been um
attending AVID through since 7th grade at New Providence and then has carried over. This is his sophomore year at Northwest. And what I've been told is that AVID was going to be done away with.
And I just would like to have a real reason of why that that's happened. And that I I would have never, you know, it's not that I pushed him, but encouraged him to take that path. Oh, AVID, this is great. um when it's a
grant I guess funded thing strictly. So I don't I just need to know why it's being done away with. >> If you will >> if you'll leave your information we'll get in contact with you. >> We we have >> perfect
>> her email and her contact so we can get in touch with you and get you that information. >> Okay. And can I ask one more question quickly? It's my understanding that Kinwood is still going to have an AVID program.
Is that a something that they've just designed there at the school or is it AVID um like that what I've known AVID to be? >> We'll get in in contact and answer all of those questions. I promise.
>> All right. Thank you. Okay. All right. Next is Isaac Greenwood. >> Okay. >> Did you want to speak at both the public for the budget and for the >> So, I I signed up for the one that is a
later meeting and then But what I'm speaking about is more relevant to the budget. >> Okay. >> So, I figured I >> I just want to make sure. >> Right. >> Go ahead. >> So, I'm Isaac Greenwood. Um, and candidly, I'm also a candidate currently
for county mayor. I want to uh come before y'all today to ask about two different programs that I think would be beneficial. Um, I just kind of want to know what y'all have discussed about it if possible. If you have considered it
before, the two programs that I'm asking you all about are the CP program, the community el community eligibility provision, which functionally is a way to get free school meals for all kids in the county.
It's a federal program that takes the percentage of students who are eligible for free and reduced price lunch, multiplies that by 1.6, six. And then the county would only need to cover the difference, which effectively would mean that 90% of
our meals would be covered by the federal government and only 10% of the remaining amount would need to be covered by us. Functionally, the math comes down to between 3.4 and $4 million annually for us to have free school
meals for all kids regardless of how much money their parents make. I know that that sounds like a lot of money and it is, but it's also less than 1% of our annual schoolboard budget. So, I'm hoping to know what have we have we
looked into it? Have we discussed it? Is there any reason we haven't looked into it? The other thing I'd like to talk about is concerning recent events uh seat belts on buses because I know there's concerns about
seat belts on buses and I apologize I prepared for five minutes not three uh around them being in an accident that is either submerged in water or fire. However, the reality of the situation is
once you look into the statistics on it that an accident uh would be much worse in a situation where the kids are not properly secured and are tossed around before being able to receive their uh emergency
uh instructions. So, those are the main two things I'm hoping to get your feedback on. And I have more, but it's running out of time. So, thank you'all. Thank you. Next is Emanuel Eubanks.
My name is uh Emanuel Eubanks and I used to work for you all. On January 12th, my ex-girlfriend falsely accused me of rape and I was arrested at Northeast High School. I was in charge of technology there.
I spent 38 days in jail, 23 hours a day, locked in a cell. I was able to finally speak to the grand jury and they vindicated me a free man without any evidence. They they locked
me up. But with the grand jury, they told me that they realized that she made a mistake, that a mistake was made, and they set me free. After I became a free man, I contacted
you all, everybody I could to try to get my job back at Northeast High School in the technology department. And I kept getting told to reapply other places
to other places around the district, but my heart is in Northeast High School. the kids there. I love the people in technology. I love I've eaten with them. I've broke bread with them. I've spent
time with them. I've had kids come to my office and cry on my shoulders because they couldn't get what they needed at home or from other places. and I've always welcomed them into the
technology office at Northeast High School because it's not just my job to take care of the technology the technology but it's my job to make sure the kids have everything that they need things that I grew up with that I didn't have.
So, I'm asking you all if you could allocate the budget to open up another tech technology, another desktop support tech position that's been sitting in limbo for past
for the past two years so that I can continue to fight for that position and I can continue to fight to get back to the kids at Northeast at Northeast High School. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
All right, that was the three people that signed up. Is there anybody else that'd like to sign up to speak regarding the budget? >> There's nobody else to speak for now. >> Yep. Thank you all for attending. We'll now we'll um
this public hearing is now adjourned. See y'all back at 6 o'clock. Part: 2
We'll call this meeting in the Clarks Montgomery County School Board into session. Excuse me. Thank you. At this time, we'll call for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Alright. This time, I'm calling Anthony Johnson for our point of prides awards.
Alright. Good evening, board. This evening, we have quite a few points of pride. We're gonna start if I could first have the Richview Middle School cowboy robotics team along with their, sponsors and administrator representative to please come forward, the Richview Robotics team. As they make their way forward, I would like to share who's a part of this team, and then I'll share the great honor that they received. Students on the team include Ashuman Bandopadhyay, Dhruv Shah, Ver Patel, Eli Silvey, Ezra Silvey, Moshk Patel, Noah Ellison, and their coaches, Kristen Shin and Amanda McCabe.
This right here is the cowboy robotics team that won first in the state in the twenty twenty six first LEGO League state robotics championship and additionally won the champions award. Congratulations, Richie. Alright. If next, I could have the Montgomery Central High School future business leaders to please come forward. This these are members from Montgomery Central High School of the Future Business Leaders of America who recently competed in the state competition, and all of these students have qualified
for the Nash national competition. In in this group, we've got if you could just kinda raise your hand as I say your name. Joseph Reese, who won first place in computer applications. Aubrey Donovan, second place in career portfolio. David Morrison, third place in accounting. Jaden Bennett, third place in computer applications. Addison Jarecki, fourth place in computer applications. And Trina Luster, fourth place in introduction to information technology. So congratulations to all of these students.
Congratulations and good luck at the national competition this summer. If next from Northeast High School, if Giovanni Vega is here along with any administrator representatives. Alright. As, Giovanni makes his way up along with his admin and any, coaches At the same competition, the Future Business Leaders of America State competition, he won first place in coding and programming. Congratulations, Giovanny. Alright. If next, I could have the Montgomery Central High School FCCLA students, their, sponsor and
administrator to please come forward. We've got some great CT programs and some brilliant students y'all. These are students who competed in the state family career and community leaders of America state competition. They also have qualified for the national competition this summer. And these students include Abby Lemons, who is first place gold in repurpose and redesign, and Victoria Gillard, who's second place gold in interior design. Congratulations Abby and victoria. Alright. Next, if I could have the rossview high school students who competed in the skills usa state competition along with their sponsor and administrator.
Please come forward. At the twenty twenty six State SkillsUSA state competition, Malachi Knight won first place in technical computer applications, Marcus Brown, second place in web design and development, and Noah Amsbury, this was a tie, also second place in web design and development, or maybe you all work together. I think it was a collaborative. Congratulations to these students. Alright. And next, if I could have the students from Northeast High School that competed in the Tennessee Technology Student Association state championship to please come forward.
And I know these students collaborated together. They won as a group. So from Northeast High School, this group won first place in system control technology. Raffif Abdallahilim, Leah Jernigan, and Giovanni Vega. Congratulations on your first place in system control technology. And second place in board game design was Rafif Abdelahim, Julia Dunn, and Riley Ruprocht. Congratulations, students. And doctor Knowles don't go far because next from Northeast High School, if I could have Jerry Wiles to please come forward.
At the twenty twenty six State Speech and Debate Association qualifying tournament, Jerry Wiles won third place, also meaning that he qualifies for the National Speech and Debate tournament, which again will be this summer in Richmond, Virginia. Congratulations, Jerry. Okay. Now, for our last group of several awards, it's gonna be my honor to first introduce Deanna McLaughlin, who needs no introduction, but has been the commissioner for many years of the Tennessee MC3 organization, also serves as the field organizer for congress I forgot
the title. Oh. Oh. You Deputy District Director. There we go. Deputy District Director. So it's my honor to have you share more about this award. Thank you, colonel. Yes. Thank you. So every year we come to honor the schools in Clarksville Montgomery County that submitted applications that qualified them to become Purple Star Award Schools, And as was mentioned today on Fort Campbell, Clarksville Montgomery County Schools, two years in a row, is a 100% Purple Star Schools, and what that shows is dedication for military families and their children. Before we proceed with the awards, I have a congressional record from congressman Van Epps
that he presented to the speaker of the house last Wednesday on purple up Tennessee day. Mister speaker, I rise today to recognize April as month of the military child and honor the youngest heroes of the great state of Tennessee. As a graduate of West Point and a soldier who has served both on active duty and in the Tennessee army national guard, I have seen firsthand that when a service member puts on the uniform, the entire family serves. While our soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardians, marines, and coast guardsmen stand on the front lines, their children serve on the home front, navigating the challenges of frequent moves, the uncertainty
of new schools, and the long quiet absences of a parent deployed in harm's way. In Tennessee, we are blessed to be home to a vibrant and resilient community of military connected youth. These children embody the true volunteer spirit, demonstrating a level of adaptability and courage that inspires all of us. From the Great Smoky Mountains to the banks of the Mississippi River, their presence is felt in every corner of our state. In Clarksville and Fort Campbell, thousands of children support the elite warriors of the hundred first airborne division air assault, the quiet professionals of fifth group special forces airborne, and
the night stalkers of the one sixtieth special operations aviation regiment. They are joined by the families of the Air Force's nineteenth Air Support Operations Squadron and detachment four of the eighteenth Combat Weather Station, who together form the heart of a uniquely proud and well patriotic community. In West Tennessee, the children of naval support activity Mid South in Millington and Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River in Memphis provide the essential foundation of support for those securing our nation's maritime interests and vital inland waterways.
In Middle Tennessee, families at Arnold Air Force Base in Tullahoma and Coast Guard Station Buchanan on the Tennessee River contribute to the vanguard of our nation's aerospace testing and river line security. Across the state, our Tennessee National Guard and Reserve families serve in nearly every county, providing the strength of our military, improving it's rooted in every neighborhood we call home. Our commitment to these children goes beyond words. It's etched in our state's laws. Tennessee is a proud member of the Military Interstate Children's Compact, ensuring that the children
of our service members face a seamless transition as they move between school districts and states. By removing barriers to enrollment, placement, and graduation, we ensure their education is never a casualty of their parents' service. According to recent data, Tennessee is proud to support over 34,000 military connected children. Roughly 1,515,800 of these children belong to active duty families, while more than 18,500 are sons and daughters of our dedicated National Guard and Reserve members. Whether it's in the classroom of Clark School or in an army in rural Tennessee,
these children are the backbone of our military families, ready to adapt and thrive wherever life takes them. To honor their sacrifice, I strongly encourage all government offices, local businesses, and private citizens across Tennessee and this nation to proudly display more purple throughout this month. We purple it because the color represents the blending of all services. It is visible and powerful symbol of our uniformed gratitude for the resilience of our military families. To the military children of Tennessee's 7th Congressional District across this nation, we see your
sacrifice. We thank you for your bravery, we remain committed to you, ensuring you have the support and resources you deserve. Signed, Congressman Matt Bennett. Alright. Thank you so much, Deanna. So now it is my honor as, Deanna stated, we are 100% purple star. About a third of our students are military connected, and we have some schools here today. They're not all of them. These are the ones that either have renewed, and we also also have one new, because of the new school name. So without further ado, if I could have Barkers Mill Elementary School to please come forward.
Congratulations, Barkers Mill. Congratulations. Next, East Montgomery Elementary School. Congratulations. Glen Ellen Elementary School. And I know there were a couple who said they couldn't be here, so if I could have a level director just receive their award. Okay. Next, Kenwood High School. Alright. Congratulations. Kirkwood High School. Congratulations. Liberty Elementary School. Congratulations. Next, Middle College at Austin Peay State University. Congratulations. And next, Minglewood. They mentioned they may not be here tonight, so I don't think they're here, but congratulations to Minglewood, Montgomery Central High School.
Next, Moore magnet Elementary School. I'm sorry, Moore magnet Elementary Steam School. Next, Northeast Elementary School. Congratulations. Doctor Knowles, back again. Northeast High School. Alright. We're in the r's now. Ringgold Elementary School. Ross Hughes, y'all get ready. Rossview Elementary School. Next, Rossview High School. Rossview Middle School. Alright. And last but certainly not least, a previous award winner but with a new name, the Saint Bethlehem Early Learning Center.
Couldn't be here tonight. Well, that concludes this evening's Points of Pride. Thank you so much. He was like, oh, you're gonna get me outcast. I mean, you signed up for both, so Okay.
At this time, we're gonna move on to our public conversation. We had one speaker signed up for tonight. Oh, Isaac Greenwood, if you come forward. You have five minutes to address the board. Just please press your left button there on the screen or on the microphone to get your time sorted. Thank you. Is he down there? Yep. Hello? We'll go for round two, I guess, for discussion. I'm Isaac Greenwood. I'd like to make the disclaimer that, I'm currently a candidate for county mayor. There are two issues I'd like to bring before you all today.
The first of which is a program to feed all of our students in the county, free of charge for the students, and that would be the community eligibility provision, which is a federal program that takes the percentage of our students that already qualify for free or reduced price lunch, multiplies that by 1.6, and then covers that amount with the county having to cover the remainder. Functionally, that would mean that we would only have to pay for 10% of our
students' meals to give all of our students, regardless of income, free school meals, no questions asked. That would effectively mean, we would only have to pay 3.4 to 4,000,000 or less than one percent of the school board's budget to give every child in Montgomery County free meals, breakfast, and lunch, and I think that's worth the price. The second thing I'd like to bring up due to recent events is the inclusion
of seat belts on our school buses. I know the financial reality of the situation means that we can't put seat belts on every bus. However, the estimate that I've heard, and I'd like to hear if y'all have heard differently, was about $8,000 to retrofit a preexisting bus with a seat belt. Now I know there are concerns that I have heard about the safety of seat belts on school buses in the case of a fire or a submersion accident.
However, putting aside the fact that those accidents are significantly less likely to happen, it has also been proven that situations where that happens causes the impact from not being properly secured causes students to have to evacuate in a less orderly manner and can slow the response rates, for those evacuations. At the end of the day, I think it is worth investing in seat belts
on our school buses. And I think the fact that we have not done so since the 2010 study came out is something that we should be looking into. We don't have to do it all at once. But if we do it one bus at a time, two buses at a time annually, that still would put our system into a much safer position than it currently is for our students. Thank you. Thank you. Alright. Before we move into the consent agenda, I ask that any board member who has a relative employed by CMCSS to make the required declaration in accordance with the TCA
40 nine-two-two zero two as related to the CMCSS 2023, 2024 proposed consolidated budget. Or I think that's a typo there, the consolidated budget. Mister Murphy. I declare that I do have a relative of Marshall's System, and I'm I'm certifying that the vote that I'm about to cast is in the best interest of the folks from Montgomery County School System. K. And I also am declaring that I have a relative as defined by TCA 49
dash 2 dash 202 from whom Clark's Montgomery County School System employees. I'm certifying that the vote I'm about to cast is the best interest of the Clark's Montgomery County School System. Okay. We move on to consent agenda. Anybody have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Mister Garland. Motions. Second by miss Berry. Alright. If you would call the vote. Is everybody satisfied with your vote? Please close the vote. Motion carries. Okay. Board discussion and consideration. Mister Nolan? Yes. Board, before you tonight, you have a student disciplinary appeal for consideration.
And you were provided with a copy of the record of the information, concerning the student appeal. Should you wish to make a motion to modify the discipline imposed in this particular case, you would need to do so and would second it, and then we would discuss it. But I do want to remind you, should you want to do that, please do not identify the student, by name or by school. Is are there any motions that want to be made concerning this student disciplinary appeal matter? Okay. Seeing that there are no motions to be made in this matter, then the decision
of the director is affirmed. Thank you. Thank you. This time, we'll call on comments for Campbell School liaison officer. Good evening, doctor Lunavettter, school board members, and commissioners. My name is Karen Watkins Jouf, and I'm one of the school liaisons, currently at Fort Campbell. And, again, it's that time of the year, month of the military child. And on behalf of the installation, we would like to, thank the Clarksville community for helping us to celebrate our military connected children at this time. And we would also like to invite you to our kid fest, and it is
the culminating event that we have, at the end of the month every year. And this year, we are gonna have an EFMP, an exceptional family member program, sensory hour, a friendly hour from nine to 10:00. So if there are youth or persons that, need a sensory friendly environment with less noise, less people, that is the time to come on the twenty fifth, Saturday from nine to ten. And then from ten to twelve, we are opening it up to everyone in the
community. And it is at Division Parade Field this year on Fort Campbell. So we would like to invite everyone out. Everything is free. The only thing that you have to pay for is the food trucks, but everything else is free. Thank you. Alright. CMCA representative? When it turns red, it is. Can you hear me? Good. Okay. Well, testing season is finally upon us, and I can feel it. I'm tired. And while it plays a role in how we understand student progress, it is just that. A moment, a snapshot in time.
It can tell us something, but it cannot tell us everything because long before a single test is given, the real work has already been happening. It's in the relationships built over the year. It's in the encouragement a student receives when something is difficult. It's in the consistency and care that makes classrooms places where students feel safe enough to try. That's the work our educators have been doing every day. For many students, this time of year brings pressure. Some walk in confident, others carry nerves or uncertainty. What makes a difference isn't just preparation, it's a trusted adult who reminds them you
are ready and you can do this. The impact doesn't show up in a data report, but it sits at the center of what makes our schools strong. Because our public schools are more than buildings and more than a set of scores, they are where this community comes together, where relationships are built, challenges are met, and the future of this community is shaped. In many ways, they are the heart of our hometown. As results come in, I hope we'll view them with context, with care, and with an understanding of everything that those numbers do not capture because the goal has never
been a single score. The goal is community where every student has the opportunity to grow, succeed, and find their place. The kind of community doesn't happen by accident. It happens when a school board, educators, families, and community members stay committed to the work. And the work happening in our schools right now is something to be proud of Because when our public schools are strong and well funded, the heart of our hometown is strong. And that's how we continue building a place where people wanna live, where educators wanna teach, and where students can truly learn.
Thank you. Thank you. County commissioners? The only thing I wanted to share was how absolutely proud I am of my friends at Richview that won the state that won the championship in Lego robotics as, as a when I was a kid, Richview was almost brand new, but, here we are today celebrating the school and their accomplishments. And I just wanted to to to give my extra bit of congratulations because y'all LEGO is awesome and LEGO robotics is even better.
And the fact that we're using that to help educate our kid, I just can't think of anything better. So congratulations to Rich for you and all of us for being able to participate in that. Thank you. Alright. Anyone else? K. Student board member, Elijah? Just very briefly, I wanna once again correct congratulate all the points of pride award winners. But another quick topic on that, with the purple star award. As a kid who has been military connected my entire life, I've been super proud,
of the work that this county has done for those individuals, not just the kids, but their parents as well, whether that be, if their mother or father is in the military or the spouse. The work that I've seen go in, in the love and care for all of those individuals involved, something that I've been very proud to be a part of and see throughout the past twelve and a half years that I've been here. Thank you all. Thank you. Alright.
Comments by board members? Mister Brolin? The board has spoken through our, junior member. Alright. Anyone else? Okay. Director of school's report. Good evening, board members. As you have already heard, we are in the midst of statewide testing in the district. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the educators, administrators, and proctors who have volunteered in the schools to ensure this week's administration went smoothly and to our students who are giving their best. It truly is a group effort. Tonight, as mentioned, you witnessed several schools recognized for the earning the purple star award
in honor of military students. I want to emphasize that we are the only large district that has 100% of CMCSS schools in the state of Tennessee that are purple star schools. I'm very proud of our community for continuing to honor our military families. As the last month of the school year is approaching, I would encourage you to pause and recognize the accomplishments of our students. Upcoming, there will be award ceremonies, recognition of valedictorians and salutatorians, great promotions, field day activities, yearbook signings, prom, graduation ceremonies, and scholarship announcements.
There are many good news stories among the amazing students and employees of our district. Please continue to help us highlight those bright spots and work together with areas of opportunity. Mister Lanier, this concludes my report for the evening. Okay. And with that, we're adjourned.