Present. Board member Garcia? Present. Board member Murphy? Present. Board member Love? Here. Alright. Board member McKinney? Present. Board member Otey? Of the colors is presented by Central High School. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Please remain standing for a moment of silence. This evening's moment of silence is in memory of former Memphis city councilman, mister Myron Lawrie. We ask that you keep his family, friends, and the entire Memphis community in your thoughts and prayers during this time. Thank you. Thank you. You may be seated.
The question is now on the approval of the agenda. Are there any amendments? Interim superintendent, Rich Richmond? Yes, madam chair. We'll be removing items 11.1 through 11.5. Thank you. Board members? It is Rick I'm sorry. My my apologies. I recognize? Okay. Thank you, chair. I'm not sure where the the number is, but I wanted to pull the, Humes cell 11.7 from the consent agenda. Gotcha. Thank you. There being no further amendments to the agenda, is there a motion for the approval
of the agenda? I move to approve the agenda. I second. Motion by board member Murphy, second by vice chair. Roll call vote, please. Board member McKissick. Aye. Board member Garcia. Aye. Board member Porter. Aye. Board member Murphy. Aye. Board vice chair Love. Aye. Board member McKinney. Yes. Board member Otey. Aye. Board member Williams. Aye. Board chair Coleman. Aye. Thank you. Chair, you have nine in the affirmative. Thank you. The agenda is approved. Public comments. We are now onto public comments. In accordance with state statute, the board shall reserve a period for public comments during
business and special call meetings. Only those members of the public who submit public comment cards to the board chairman prior to the commencement of this meeting shall be permitted to address the board. Public comments shall be taken in the order in which the public comment cards are received. A sign up sheet for public comment will become available thirty minutes prior to each applicant meeting and will be closed at the start of the meeting. This sign up is located at the entryway table just past security checkpoint. Speakers must state their name, organization, he or she is representing if any, and the
subject of their comment before they are permitted to proceed. Speakers may offer objective comment about school operations and programs that concern them. Speakers are asked to refrain from using names of personnel or names of persons connected with the school system, particularly when lodging a complaint. Speakers will not be permitted to engage in gossip, make deflamatory comments, or use abusive or vulgar language. The chairman shall have the authority to terminate the remarks of any individual who is
disruptive and does not adhere to board rules. Doctor Schulz will announce the number of speakers and time allotted per speaker. By policy, we're limited to thirty minutes for public comment. We have 30 speakers, one minute each. Your time is projected on the screen to your right and directly behind the board. When you hear a bell, your time has expired. Our first three speakers are miss Latasha Grigg, mister Charles Lampkin, and mister Burr. Good afternoon. The Talk to Bridge. +1 095, Bama. I just wanna know from you all, how does it feel when y'all wanna be
heard, but y'all wasn't heard? I hope y'all feel the same way we felt when we wanted to be heard and y'all didn't hear up. That's what I want to address the board with. And I also want this. I ain't gonna call no night. Don't don't call no night. I wanna let Elle James know she's about to lose her job. Good evening. Charles Lincoln. 3711 Austin P Highway, Memphis, Tennessee 38128. Good evening, everyone. Looks like we're moving forward. However, I'm hopeful that we will take a serious daily look at where we are
with this literacy rate with there are a lot of plans in place, but those plans need people behind them that's going to actually get it get the job done. Now it's time for deeds and not words. This is we're in a critical literacy crisis with our children, and we are obligated from the board to us here in the civilian world to do everything possible to
address this literacy crisis and then deal with it accordingly. That's all I have to say, and I'm looking forward to getting it done. I do apologize. I said mister Burr. Missus, I do apologize. No problem. Mahal Burr. 477 North Fifth Street. And good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for having me. I am the senior director of the Youth Action Center at Bridges. And I came here today to tell you a little bit about what we are going to do next, and how it relates to this meeting and to y'all.
So a little bit about the youth action center. In short, we are not only developing leaders for the future to take roles like y'all's in the future, we are also developing leaders right now who have insight and and knowledge on what's happening in our schools right now and want to share that. So our goal this year is to increase civic engagement, and we are doing that through a campaign that we're calling Power Up. As part of that, we are hosting trainings. These are power up trainings where youth learn how to do public comments.
They learn about y'all's role. They learn about county government, city government, all of that. And they also have, in addition to trainings, they also have a chance to come here and speak. I'll be following up with an email with more. Our next three speakers, Mark Williams, Murphy Burnett, Burhardt, and Katie Smythe. Good afternoon. Mark Williams. 477 North, Fifth Street. My name is Mark Williams. I'm the Shelby County youth council rep for District 10, a student congress member, and a legacy builder.
I attend Hollis F. Price Middle College High School. Today, I am here to ask a question. With today being the first day of the Memphis Task Force that was designated by Governor Bill Lee and President Donald Trump being here to move to Shelby County area, many of my fellow youth and constituents are coming to me asking what will happen more specifically to MSCS, how these schools will be affected by multiple state and federal agencies, immigration officials, and national guard being present and they're involved. I am personally worried as a 15 year old black man in Memphis, Tennessee how this will help me as well. With this district having a 100,000 plus students, how will this district make sure that
our students are not affected by federal and state or local government officials? The president's task force is already having a bad effect on youth mental health, worries, anxiety, and which contributes to learning disruptions. Young students of color are also worried about being racially profiled. I asked the Memphis Shelby County School Board for a public statement about what the board is doing to ensure safety for our students. Let's come together to ensure the safety of our children and their well-being as we difficult to navigate this difficult time in our history. Thank you. Hello. My name is Murphy. I live on 590 Leonor Drive, Memphis, Tennessee, and I attend White Station Middle School.
My topics topic is mental health. There are many imposing problems in our community right now in Shelby County. We need to take action, not just for us, but for peers, friends, and family. Many students suffer from cases of poor mental health, including my friends. I know people dragged down by it. They can't face it because they don't have people behind them. This is caused by a variety of things, including schoolwork, family issues, and many other situations. There's a plethora time Happier students lead to better work, better work leads to better
scores, scores that help the school, the amount of relief and happiness gained from one pre period. You build better relationships between work and mental health. Thank you. Hello, board. Katie Smythe, new ballet ensemble in school, 2157 York Avenue, 38104. I'm here to thank you for the opportunity to discuss the purchase of Humes and to vote on the purchase of Humes, and thank you on behalf of the creative students all over the city who dream of dancing, singing, playing, writing, designing, and building
a future that expands creative opportunities for the creative youth in our city. So thank you so much for that. And as I said at the committee meeting, I'm looking forward to having discussions about working with you as a contract school. That is something that I've always wanted to talk about as I illustrated, in the committee meeting. I know we don't have anything firm confirmed around that, but I think we could have really good talks. These schools nation work with a whole lot of autonomy to design their programs.
And I know that we're gonna come to the table with different needs, but I hope we can agree and work together in the future. Thank you very much. Our next three speakers, Marvin Davis, Norman Ray Redwing Junior, and Yolanda Parkinson. I'm Marvin Davis. I'm the vice chairman of the board of directors for New Ballet Ensemble in School. My address is 147 Harbor Ridge Lane South. And just following up with Katie, I guess, I'm just here to, I guess, really
give, a testimonial, for those who may not be familiar with New Ballet Ensemble in School. I've been with the organization six or seven years. I was born and raised in Orange Mound, left Memphis for thirty five years, came back, and started looking for where, you know, I can have an impact and an opportunity in the community. And when I realized Katie Smythe spent more time in Orange Mound than I did, I would, I was drawn to what that organization can do. And I believe in this next phase, with the acquisition of Humes and with Mem
Arts, Memphis is going to see performing unimaginable that'll be available to all youth in the city. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Norman Redwing. I live at 1918 Hubert Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38108. I'm here today to offer my support for the new ensemble, project here in Memphis and the sale of my old school, Humes Junior High School.
After having several meetings with the MemArt teams, participating in community meetings, and touring the Mem Art program, I am prepared to give my utmost support and community partnership personally and support from the African Village Universal Institute to help this great initiative move forward at the old Humes Junior High School in North Memphis. Hi. My name is Yolanda Parkerson, and I am a parent of a student who attends New Ballet Ensemble. With my daughter being there, she started at the age of five.
She's now 13. She went from pre k, not pre k, from pre ballet, I'm sorry, to now she's a level four dancer as well as advanced in African dance. With her being at this school, she's been afforded an opportunity to be on scholarship, to be tutored where my student where my daughter was being bullied at her former school for three years, unbeknown to me because she's different. And a lot of students we have in our school system are different and they need to see people that are like them that they can move forward in the spaces that they want to be because they're different.
So all I'm asking is you afford New Ballet the opportunity to show you what they are capable of. They have helped many students, not just in privileged areas, but they've helped our students who are not partial as well as the school she attends now. So I'm just asking for the opportunity for allowing them to do what they've been set out to do. Thank you. Alex, next three speakers. Louis Morganfield, Sarah Stewart, Tasha Warren Rudis.
Good afternoon. My name is Lewis Morganfield. 2823 Isle Lane. 38114. Shutting Ida b Wells will weaken the education system. We have 224 schools and only 86 are level five. Add more students to Ida b Wells because you have a level five staff there. Evicting these children and sending them to a school that's not level five will cause anxiety, stress, and other issues. Please do not shut that school down because I've seen what goes on in in
that building. And it doesn't go on anywhere else. Evicting these kids from this building is gonna cause all type of stress and anxiety. You can move the staff to another place and put middle school students upstairs and more elementary schools downstairs. Please do not evict these school these kids from that school. My name is Sarah Stewart. I live at 2034 Walker Avenue, 38104. Good evening, madam chair, distinguished board members, doctor Richmond, senior leaders, fellow educators, school leaders,
and Memphis community members. I am the program director at facing history and ourselves and a former Memphis city schools teacher. I am here to share that we use the lessons of history the optional schools teams to provide the best in class educator professional development, high quality social emotional learning based curriculum for most of the district's high performing middle and high schools through history
and humanities electives, and a student civic engagement program called student leadership groups. I definitely wanna thank, several board members for having attended some of our student leadership, events. Most recently, we had two board members join us today, Ms. Otey and Ms. McKissick, for our student leadership conference. And I believe board chair Coleman has been there as well. Hope to tell you more about facing history in the near future. Thank you. My name is Tasha Warren Woodis, address 275 Julie Cole 38002.
Good evening. I'm one of the assistant principals at John P Freeman optional school and I'm here to speak about the partnership between John P Freeman and facing history and ourselves. In January 2024, with support from facing history, we launched an enrichment course for grades five through eight designed to engage students in active research and creative problem solving. Over nine weeks, students deepen their understanding of civic identity, listen to diverse perspectives, and strengthen critical thinking and communication skills for academic and community success.
Using the Community Matters advisory curriculum, we develop our house advisory program, the houses of pride. This program strengthens our Panther pride behavior expectations, build positive peer relationships, encourages self awareness, advocacy, and community contribution. Teachers have also benefited from this partnership through meaningful professional development. This partnership continues to leave a lasting impact on both our students and teachers. We encourage the board to invest in programs such as facing history and ourselves.
Thank you. Marjorie Williams, William Johns and Brianna Craft. Marjorie Williams, 4925 Bornchair Drive, Memphis. I teach US history, government economics, facing history and AP African American studies at Melrose high school. My participation with facing history spans over an eighteen year period beginning with, middle school. I believe that I have attended just about every professional development session that's been offered
and use each strategy that's been taught in our professional development in all the classes that I teach. Their training is phenomenal. This is an impactful course, especially for our youth today, because it changes their conversation, how they act and how they treat each other. A good example are two young men, let me call them class cutters, they never cut this class. They participate in class discussions, do the assignments. Why? Because they're relating to real people, real events, and can offer perspectives due to their
own adverse childhood experiences. I've also asked the students why they like this class so much. And they say, the course is the best one ever. They want the class to last a whole year, and the teacher don't do all the talking. My name is William Johns. 4969, Essex Shire 38117. Thank you so much for this opportunity to speak about or for facing history. I would really like for you to encourage I'd like to encourage you to consider, placing a facing history course in as many schools as possible, even every even every
school. Oh, by the way, I I teach I'm sorry. I teach LA, and facing history at Maxine Smith's STEAM Academy. Facing history impacts students by expanding their universe of obligation. The people who take priority in their lives, it expands, that grows. Students who participate in facing history, they leave the course with an understanding that their choices really do matter, that their choices, impact the trajectory to trajectory of history, their
history, their community's history, and their world. So thank you so much for their time. Hey. My name is Brianna Craft. My address is 887 Bramblewood Lane, 38109. And I'm a parent of a Chickasaw Middle School student. So our family is relatively new to the community and my son was looking forward to his middle school attendance, what we discovered is a nice school building and friendly staff who are giving their best to children and parents in our neighborhood. When getting information about the school, I was surprised to find out that there are
only about three sixty students that attend our school each day as a parent, I like to be involved in my children's education and I was looking forward to getting to know the school staff and other parents that were active in the lives of the students and community upon attending my first P. T. O. Meeting in August, I was stunned to discover that I was the only parent in attendance the same for August or I'm sorry, September. My son decided to join drum line as a family. We were excited to support him and after a few practices after school, my son
informed me that there were not enough drum equipment for the students to learn with nor any practice drum pads. The Reverend Denise Richardson. I've come here to to urge you. I live at 1088 Forest Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105. I've come here to urge you initially not to close him, but I believe that
you have taken him, junior high school. Well, it was off of the chopping block. Thank you very, very much. I really appreciate it. But I want to also remind you that it's a very known and simple fact that it's it is less to educate a student than it is to provide housing for a prisoner. As you know, there's a lot of crime throughout The United States, as a matter of fact. But of course, they are saying that we are the crime capital because so many
close schools were closed. My own school, Karnes, was closed at in North Memphis area. We have more children who really don't know what to do. And I urge you to keep every one of the Shelby County Schools open, please, in the name of Jesus. Corey Tyler, Kiana Dedrick and Jaren Claybrook. Good evening. Thank you for allowing me to talk. Corey Tyler. 8687 Ashbury Oak. 38018. I'm here to speak tonight about Facing History in Ourselves.
I am a first year facing history teacher at Germantown High School teaching the Holocaust in human behavior elective. And, to answer the question, why should we expand this into more of our secondary schools, it's very needed. I've been teaching world history since I started teaching in 02/2007, and too many of our students only encounter holocaust education in very short bits. We have one, fifth grade standard, one sixth grade standard, three out of 89 in
world history, and one in US history. Most of them will only experience holocaust education by reading the diary of Anne Frank. This course is really a very necessary course for our students, and it teaches them to reflect on choices, not just facts. There's discussion, and there's important reflection in journal writing. So thank you. Please expand. Good evening, board members. My name is Kiana Dedrick. I'm representing Legacy Point Corporations, and I am here to introduce to you all our three way ecosystem that we have to support students, teachers, and parents.
It is a education plan called SmartPlan EDU that is based on standardized. It create it's a lesson plan generator that, generates standardized lesson plans, assessments, and tests which allows educators to save burnout and kinda reduce the need for teachers assistance and things of such natures. This platform not only saves burnout but it helps students at home as well because it has a built in tutoring generator. It adapts to students different learning styles and targeted practices in everything that teachers don't
really have time to target students within class and tutoring. So with that being said, it does critique different modifications for special needs students. It isn't just a AI intelligent. I'm sorry. Thank you for your time. Walt Garrett, Deborah Coffey Okofi, and the symbol gray. Good evening board members. My name is jar and Claybrook. I am here with my cofounder, Kiana Dedrick.
We are introducing a three way ecosystem That includes teachers, students and parents. It's called Smart Plan E. D. U. An AI based platform that creates state and district based standard lesson plans, assignments and tests. It allows k through 12 educators to save time, reduce burnout and deliver high quality education. This platform not only saves teachers from burnout, but it also helps fill the gray areas where where extra at home help is needed with our built in AI tutoring
buddy. Our tutoring buddy tackles strengths and weaknesses. It adapts to students certain learning styles. Smart playing EDU is set apart from others by its ability to adapt to a child's specific learning standards and learning. Thank you all for your time. Last name, Garrett. Good evening. My name is Marty Garrett. Address, 6644 Meadow Bend Lane. That's zip code 38141. My concern here is, Scenic Hill Elementary renovations. Scenic Hill Elementary School was built in 1959.
It was the first school in Shelby County to be integrated, opening its doors to both black and white students. The average age of a school building in Memphis is 64 years old, nearly twice as old nearly twice as old as schools in the. On average, Memphis schools are twenty four years past their lifespan. A report by the National Center of Education Statistics stated after forty years, a school building began rapid deterioration. Sandy Hill Elementary School is long past due.
It's so disturbing to see how the system continues to neglect black schools in Memphis, leaving students without the resources, support, and safe environment they deserve. Lack of investment sends a clear message about whose future are being prioritized and whose are being ignored. Our children deserve better. Okay. Thank you. Deborah Cofee? Cofee? Good evening. My name is Deborah Kofi. I live at 3294 University Street, 38127. I'm here to address the sale of Humes Middle School to the new ballet.
We've been to at least one or two community meetings. We're very much in support of this initiative. However, as a community, we voiced some concerns as far as the demographics, making sure that the school reflects and I'm sure it will, new ballet, will reflect, teachers, administration, and we definitely, put in our words about, the construction. So we need to have at least clarity. We need at least 45% of the contractors to renovate, Humes Middle School.
I used to teach there. I am a former educator. So we are encouraging the school board to make sure that the contracts that are awarded to these initiatives do reflect the community in which it is built because we do have a lot of unemployment in our community. Our students need to be, at least initiated and very much oh, thank you very much. Thank you. I am Lucinda Gray. I live at 70 Island Place, Memphis, Tennessee. Pastor Emeritus of the historic New South Wales Baptist Church.
I stand tonight in support of the new ballet ensemble. I'm most familiar with Humes School High School building. As a youngster we had to walk past Humes to go to Grant School and to Manasseh School because we couldn't go to Humes. But times have changed and the opportunity is now for this community to invest in the youth of this community and I believe will be a great decision for the children. I just left Brownsville, Tennessee. They repurposed two schools there.
One the Flagg Elementary for Tina Turner's Museum and the Carver High School school for a historical African American museum. I believe if we do it in Memphis it will have the same positive and economic impact. Thank you very much. Good evening. School board. Frank Smith is my name. 303 Kenilworth Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38112. Here in support of New Ballet Ensemble and the amazing Mem Arts program that Katie Smythe has been working a decade to see come to life.
I didn't learn early enough in my career the importance of the creative community in our in our community. And and when we reach this tipping point with the creative community reach reaches this this this point, something magical happens in a community. And I wanna see that happen in Memphis. The the the the school just doesn't have the budget to do the kinds of things that the memoirs can do, and Katie knows how to pull this off. Most of all, I wanna say tonight to the board, this is an opportunity for
leadership in our community to take an asset that is that has deteriorated and redeem and restore and turn it into something else in an amazing way. Katie has a plan, the budget and funding sources stand ready as soon as the school board can make a decision to let Humes transition over to Humes. I mean to, New Ballet. Thank you. Our last two speakers are last name Martin and Liz Marable.
Last name Marable excuse me. Martin. Mr Martin, you come on to the mic, please. Our last speaker will be liz Maribel. I'm Quaid Martin. 5427 Longwood Drive, 38134. I'm here speaking on behalf of Facing History. I'm a history teacher at Whitehaven High. This is my eighteenth year. Been involved with Facing History for about fifteen of those years. My children took part in the Facing History exploratory courses at their school. Our experience with Facing History has been transformative. It's changed our perspective of societal possibilities.
It's brought us hope and encouraged us to be the change we want to see in our community. Facing History's approach to learning connects rigor with moral decisions and emotional engagement at a time when historical pedagogy has been diluted to serve various aims. Facing History marches forward with truth by examining challenging moments in our past, not to display our occasional foray into brutality, but to exalt our humanity and the possibilities of progress. It does this through innovative classroom interaction, ethical, reflection, and research based strategies that utilize the lessons of history to mold responsible, productive young people.
In these times when division between us seems insurmountable, facing history offers understanding. When outside sources tell us that we are too different to find common ground, facing history shows we are more similar than that. Good evening. Members of the school board, interim superintendent, fellow educators, community members, my name is Liz Maribel. 6263 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119. I stand here today as the president of the United Education Association, an affiliate of TEA and NEA, to speak on behalf of the educators who show up every single
day to teach, to mentor, and support our students. Despite the challenges stacked against us. Public schools are under threat. Tennessee is diverting resources, giving private schools $272 more per student than public schools. That is $272 that could go to our classrooms, our teachers, our TAs, SEAs, mental health providers, support staff, and more importantly, to our students. Every single day that this inequity continues, our children are being shortchanged by our state. UEA urges this board to stand strong for public education, advocate for fair funding, protect
the resources our schools and our students need. We also look forward to clarity around flex hours so our educators can manage their PD time effectively while continue to provide the best instruction possible. We're not asking for favors, we're just asking for what is right from our state. Equity, respect, and opportunity. I do want to thank all the educators in our buildings, who keep showing up despite the attacks on public educators and public school teachers. You show up because you know our kids and our communities need you. Continue to be that bright light that our children need and deserve.
Teachers remain calm in the chaos that our city is facing. If it feels like a lot for you, imagine how much it feels for our children. And yet, in spite of it all, you keep showing up, educating, inspiring, and believing in every one of your students and encouraging them for a brighter day. I truly do believe it's gonna take all of us. Thank you. The question the question minutes. The question is now on the approval of the minutes for the following meetings. Approval of the minutes of the 08/19/2025 work session meeting and approval of the minutes
of the 08/26/2025 business meeting. Are there any corrections? There being no correction. Do I have a motion to approve these minutes and a second? A motion to move to approve the minutes. Motion by board member McKissick, second by board member Murphy. Roll call vote, please. Board member McKissick. Aye. Board member Garcia. Aye. Board member Porter. Aye. Board member Murphy. Aye. Board vice chair Love. Aye. Board member McKinney. Aye. Board member Otey. Aye. Board member Williams. Aye. Board chair Coleman.
Aye. Thank you. You have nine in the affirmative. Thank you. The minutes as listed are approved. We're now on to the superintendent's recognition of grants, gifts, and donations. I refer to inner superintendent Richmond at this time. Yes. Thank you, madam chair. We're proud tonight to recognize our MSCS parent ambassadors for their hard work and dedication to the district over the past two or more years. Parent ambassadors play a vital role in strengthening the connection between families and schools by representing their communities and ensuring that parent voices are heard.
These leaders bring concerns to the table, receive firsthand information about instructional shifts, and provide valuable feedback to district leadership. They actively participate in quarterly meetings, promote MSCS and school events, and support monthly school board meet Devorner Tate, Dornisha White, Ebony Gales.
Come on down to the front. Come on down to the front. Irene Ford, Katie Turner, Keith Lofton, Kimberly Morgan, Lashundria Owens, and Ashley Neal. We also want to recognize our new parent ambassadors for the twenty twenty five-twenty six school year. Would you please stand so that we can celebrate you? Let's give all our parent ambassadors a big round of applause. Hi.
Go ahead for me. Alright. I also wanna thank them for wearing their red. Remember, we're asking everybody to wear red for Ed. Also tonight, we're about to recognize today as nothing short of history in the making for Memphis Shelby County Schools. So board members, would you please remain? Tonight, we honor James X Zen, a White Station High School student who earlier this month stepped onto one of the greatest stages in the world, the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
This was not a classroom exercise or a model UN simulation. James took part in a real United Nations treaty body session, the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, where the foundation of the international human rights law is built, debated and where nations are held accountable for how they treat their people. Demonstrating leadership beyond his years and representing our district with distinction, James collaborated with Accessibility
Atlas, a youth led disability rights organization where he wrote and submitted an original report to the United Nations, was invited to speak before the international delegation and earned recognition as an accredited observer at the session. To our knowledge, James is the first MSCS student ever to hold such a role at the United Nations. A student from Memphis, Tennessee basketball player, an a basketball player, an artist, and a
nonprofit founder. His achievements are proof that the greatness growing here in MSCS reaches far beyond our classrooms and into the global community. James, congratulations on this extraordinary accomplishment, and thank you for representing Memphis Shelby County Schools with such distinction on an international stage. Thank you, James. Thank you, James, and congratulations. And last but not least, today we proudly recognize our very own commissioner Michelle McKissick, school board commissioner for District 1.
Commissioner McKissick has been elected as the twenty twenty five-twenty six co chair of the Unified Boards Alliance, an affiliate of COSBA, representing 25 states nationwide. This remarkable achievement not only honors her leadership, but it also shines a spotlight on Memphis Shelby County Schools. We're so proud that one of our own will help guide conversations that shape education across the country. Congratulations, Commissioner, Board Member McKissie. You continue to make history and make us proud.
K. We would like to recognize the following high schools for winning the 2025 and Dallas Dudley Award. The and Dallas Dudley Award is an effort from the Tennessee Secretary of State civics engagement initiative to promote voter registration among Tennessee students and prepare them to be actively engaged citizens. The award is named in honor of renowned Tennessee suffragists and Dallas Dudley. One of the central figures in the women's suffrage movement, she worked tirelessly to secure the ratification of the nineteenth amendment to The US constitution, granting women the right to
vote. Tennessee secretary of state Trey Hargett announced 59 Tennessee high schools for this award. Congratulations to the students, faculty, and staff at the following schools. The gold award recipients, Riley Egypt High School, principal Jamie Green. K. Compass Midtown, principal Christy Baird. Civil, silver award recipients, Whitehaven High School, doctor Vincent Hunt. Central High School, principal Amy Epps. Medical District High School, principal Lakema Tutwiler. Assistant principal, Shatara Johnson.
Lastly, Booker t Washington High School, principal Tara Harris. Next, honoring a legacy of service, deaf connect in Memphis Shelby County Schools. Every September, deaf awareness month highlights the experiences, languages, and identities of deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf blind communities. In 1975, Don and Mary Burkes, along with interpreter and pastor Betty Steed, founded interpreting services for the deaf to meet a critical need for accessible communication in Memphis, an organization that has since evolved into deaf connect of the mid south.
Today, Def Connect delivers over twelve thousand hours of interpreting services annually with Memphis Shelby County Schools as one of its leader leading partners, demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusive education and accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing students. We are deeply grateful for our enduring partnership and look forward to a bright future as we continue working hand in hand to support and empower deaf students and their families throughout our community. Now we will, call their staff. Natasha Parks, CEO, DefConnect. Kate Gray, interpreter manager, operations coordinator.
Pam Harris Giles, scheduler. Board members, reverend Billy Lavelle, president of board, doctor Ben Cox, vice president of board. That's all. Next, Colonial Middle and principal Roderick Peterson. We would like to recognize principal Roderick Peterson and Colonial Middle School for being a recipient of the WK Kellogg's Mission Tiger program in partnership with Ryder and Donors Choose. Colonial Middle was awarded a $10,000 donation for athletics. Mission Tiger is committed to strengthening middle school's, sports programs across the country, especially in
communities where funding is often limited. Their belief is simple yet powerful. Every student deserves the chance to play, to grow, and to thrive through sports. This donation will provide Colonial Middle students with resources and opportunities that go beyond the playing field. Athletics not only build skills and teamwork and discipline, but also foster school pride and create lasting memories for our young people. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Kellogg's Mission Tiger, Rider, and DonorsChoose for their generosity and belief in our students.
Their investment will have a lasting impact on our community and will ensure that Colonial Middle athletes have the support they need to succeed. I don't see the same way. I'm trying to Give me one more. Give me one Lastly, District 3 recognition.
We would like to recognize Lasandra Robinson. In 2011, Lasandra Robinson was devastated by the loss of her brother, doctor Norman Paul Nolens the second, who died by suicide. In a letter he left behind, he revealed he had been bullied since middle school and carried that pain in silence. A proud graduate of Central High School, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, and a veterinary doctor doctoral candidate at the University of Tennessee. He seemed to have it all yet was hurting deeply. In his final message, he made Lashundra promise to tell others, especially people of color,
that it's okay to get help. She's kept that promise. Lashandra has educated over 3,000 students and parents about bullying and mental health and created safe spaces for youth to express their feelings. Her her latest effort, Write It Out, is a guided journal that helps teens and young adults process emotions through writing prompts and affirmations. Her motto, don't give away your energy to people who are not giving you positive power. Lasandra continues to turn pain into purpose, ensuring that no young person feels alone, unheard, or without hope.
We've had the chance to recognize so many people in our community. Now it's time to recognize one of our very own. On this month, our very own board member, Amber Huey Garcia, celebrated a birthday. We'll watch the videos at this time. At this time at this time, we ask if doctor Schultz will lead us in serenade miss Garcia. Miss Garcia's birthday was the twelfth. My birthday is today. Now I can tell you, I can do the math.
That makes her eighteen days older than I am. Monsieur Garcia, you're holding up way better than I am. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, commissioner Huitt Garcia. Happy birthday to you. I don't I don't need it when you've had this many. Well, we do wanna say happy birthday to you, doctor Schultz, and we wish you many, many more. Academic. Thank you. Thank you, board chair. All the information concerning our academic report will be provided in the superintendent's report.
We're now into budget audit and finance committee report. Thank you. Is this on? Is this oh, I think maybe is the volume? Okay. Just a couple of items. We had our budget first budget 01/2001 last week. Tomorrow in the nine zero one cafe from 05:30 to 06:30, there'll be another budget session for the open to the community. And right now for my board colleagues, we I'll I'm looking at our budget surveys that we all share with staff, teachers, and community members and offer some suggestions, and the the questions that we want for input, sent out to the community in time
to actually implement into our budgets. So thank you. And that that concludes the budget audit and finance committee report. Thank you. Charter Schools Committee report? Thank you, Chair. The Charter Partnership Council meeting, we met on September 18, and we'll continue to have discussions as we, work to work to move to work together. Thank you. Thank you. Committee outreach and engagement committee report? No report. Madam chair? Point of order. I just wanted to announce that, on October 10, we have a community engagement even.
It's as actually for, Oak Haven Middle School and Oak Haven High School. We have national recording artist in Ellie Chopper who is going to come and be with the children and bully the bull. Of course, we have other national artists that's going to be there that day, and we are promoting school is cool, stop the bullying. And so they're going to, impart in the children that bullying is not cool, and we'll have that event at on October 10 at Oak Haven Middle School gym, and it starts at 09:30. Thank you. Thank you. Evaluation committee report.
There's no report this afternoon this evening. Excuse me. Policy governance and legislation committee report. Thank you, chair. We everything that we discussed there's two there's new business and old business in terms of policies. We also had a report in presentation by the policy office around our student congress policy and talking about how we may update that in light of the new legislation around a student board member. Please remember board members to fill out the 2026 legislative agenda, input.
I think it was sent out by miss Maria Stewart. If you have any ideas for the legislative agenda please remember to fill that in I will ask that she resend it so it comes at the top of your email and finally we will be looking at our policy calendar I just want to thank, Doctor. Richmond and your staff with, I guess that's GC, miss Stewart and her staff for, following the policy calendar. We're on time and and up to date. So we will be making some adjustments for November, but I just wanna say that
we are on time and up to date. So congratulations board. Don't forget to fill out the, survey from Rishon Jenkins, the youth advocacy training. Procurement committee report. The items are on the agenda for this evening. We're now on to general counsel's report. Good evening, chair. Nothing this evening. We're now on to superintendent's report. Good evening, board chair Coleman, board members, and members of the Memphis Shelby County Schools community. As part of my superintendent's report this evening, I'm honored to share an update on
our pathway to greatness framework. Grounded in the five A's, academics, attendance, attitude, athletics, and the arts, this strategic plan embodies our district vision of rigorous equity centered instruction while also addressing the full spectrum of support students need to excel. It reflects our progress, our accountability, and our responsibility to ensure that every child in every school is prepared to learn, lead, and thrive. This evening's presentation will be presented by our director of k twelve strategies, k sixteen
strategies, miss Monica Jordan, who has also been instrumental in advancing this work. She will provide a clear overview of the initiatives, partnerships, and investments that are driving student achievement, strengthening engagement, and positioning MSCS as a model of excellence. As you all recall, last month, she went through pre k through two. We focused on pre k through two, particularly literacy. This month, we'll talk about grades three through five. This report is intended to keep the board informed and to demonstrate how each step
we take moves us closer to ensuring that greatness not only grows here, but flourishes. With that, I'll now turn it over to miss Jordan to present the details of our pathway to greatness. Miss Jordan. Good evening, board members and superintendent. Thank you so much for allowing me to present to you today. I'm excited to share the Memphis Shelby County Schools pathway to greatness update, where we'll explore how we're transforming vision into measurable impact for every student in our district. Hold on one second. Can we turn the sound system up a little bit, mister Best?
Are we able to turn it up? Is that better? Becca. Okay. Alright. And, also, my clicker isn't advancing. Miss Jordan, would you mind standing at the at the podium for me? Thank you. If you need someone to advance it, we can do that for you. Next slide. So let me begin by sharing our ambitious vision for Memphis Shelby County Schools. We're committed to leading the nation in rigorous equity centered instruction.
Our vision is clear. Every student in every school will experience excellent teaching, engaging content, and deep learning. We're anchoring this work in the instructional core and celebrating the cultural brilliance of Memphis. Our goal is to graduate students who are not only academically strong, but also artistically and athletically developed, Students prepared to lead, create, and thrive in a changing world. This is our commitment to action. Next slide, please. Our pathway to greatness is built on five foundational pillars.
It's what we call the five A's. Academics, attendance, attitude, athletics, and arts. These aren't isolated priorities. They work together across the student journey from birth through post secondary education. You can see how we've structured comprehensive supports at every stage from pre k readiness to adult education and early post secondary opportunities. Universal programs span our entire system. They're located in the gray box just below the five A's. Next slide, please. Now let's dive into some of the highlights of the five A's and the progress
that we're making. Next slide. So beginning with the second A in our pathway to greatness, attendance, this is foundational to student success. We've launched three major initiatives. Greatness at Your Door, we've conducted neighborhood canvassing three times in July targeting students who are chronically absent during the 2425 school year. Of the 1,889 students not registered for this year, 1,042 have now been enrolled. That's significant progress. We're continuing canvassing visits on today, September 30, and October 9 to locate no show
students. 366 students were identified, and we reengaged with 111 families in the Orange Mound community today. The new attendance app. This app tracks supports provided by schools and the district every twenty days. Students are categorized as gold, silver, or bronze, ensuring both celebration and targeted intervention. And the Greatness Watch, our tenants and truancy liaisons now work regionally, collaborating with family engagement liaisons, RTI two b specialists, and the data speaks for itself.
High risk chronic absenteeism has dropped from thirty nine percent to twenty six percent. We've invested $4,400,000 in attendance liaisons to sustain this work. Next slide, please. Continuing with our attendance focus, we're not doing this alone. We've established critical partnerships. The Assisi Foundation of Memphis is helping us to address truancy at its roots by identifying barriers and building lasting pathways for success. Attendance Works is a national leader in reducing chronic absence and is bringing data driven strategies and policy advocacy to our district.
The Memphis Grizzlies represent everyday program targets six schools with incentive based supports aiming for five to 10% attendance increases through student rewards throughout the year. These partnerships represent a community wide commitment to keeping students in school and engaged. Next slide. Moving to the fourth a and our foundational pillars of the pathway, we see athletics. Our athletic programs build discipline, teamwork, and resilience. This year, we're expanding our grades three through five co ed elementary basketball league in
partnership with the YMCA from 10 to 20 teams. The season runs January through March, giving younger students structured athletic opportunities and positive engagement during the school year. Next slide, please. So as we transition to our universal programs, I want to remind you how these initiatives connect across the entire pathway from early childhood through post secondary preparation, and every program that you'll see is intentionally aligned to our five A's framework. Next slide, please. And next slide again.
So every universal program in our pathway to greatness aligns strategically with our five A's. You can see them here. And again, these are the universal programs that were represented in the gray box on our poster. Next slide, please. Our teacher and leader effectiveness is part of our universal program, and their teacher labs provide weekly intellectual preparation where teachers rehearse instruction, analyze tasks, and refine student reasoning models. We facilitate professional learning communities for collaborative planning and reflection, offer monthly curriculum series on
writing, planning, and assessment, and conduct cross school learning exchanges. This professional learning costs nothing but time and the return on investment in teacher effectiveness is immeasurable. Next slide. So continuing with our universal supports for teacher and leader effectiveness, our leadership labs provide grade, band, specific professional learning for principals, assistant principals, and PLC coaches. Content is guided by district wide assessment data, classroom observations using the Tennessee Instructional Practice
Guide, and staff feedback. Leaders provide participate in calibration sessions, cross departmental norming visits, and conduct daily instructional sprint planning, which is one observation, one feedback action, one reflection. This creates a culture of continuous improvement. Next slide, please. Another critical universal support in our pathways is our multi tiered systems of supports. Our MTSS framework ensures we address the needs of the whole child. RTI 2a, which is academics, works collaboratively with RTI2B behavior through school based decision making
teams. As of 12/16/2025, we have 2,404 academic intervention plans for grades three through five. In tier two literacy, we have 1,102 students. Tier three literacy, we have 1,063 students. Tier two math, we have 168 students. In tier three math, we have 74 students. These numbers are fluid and increase throughout the month of September as we continue to respond to screener data. We provide weekly newsletters, training sessions, and virtual office hours to support MTSS leads in
every school. Next slide, please. Within our MTSS framework, for students displaying characteristics of dyslexia, we're implementing Reading Horizons as our evidence based intervention. Central office leadership received an overview in August and school leadership in September, and we're scheduling vendor training before fall break on October. Currently, we support 4,917 students with individual learning plans. K through three is 3,107 students, and four through 12 is eighteen ten students.
Plans are renewed annually based on ongoing eligibility. Next slide, please. Another universal support in our pathway is our extended learning program. Our tutoring program runs from September 8 through April 10, serving students k through 12 with a one to eight tutor to student ratio. Schools choose either three days per week for one hour or two days per week for one point five hours. Elementary and middle school students receive additional ELA and or math instruction. High school students get EOC content in grades nine through 10 and ACT prep in
grades 11 through 12. We've invested 3,000,000 in before and after school tutoring. Next slide, please. Continuing with our extended learning universal supports, during fall break, which is October, we're offering enrichment for 3,000 students in grades k through eight. Students receive additional instruction in ELA, math, art, physical activity, and STEM from eight to 3PM with extended day options available. Registration opens September 8 and runs through October 3. This academy is free for all MSCS students with camps in every community.
We've invested 300,000 to ensure no learning loss occurs during the break. Next slide, please. Another universal program in our pathway is the MTSS discipline ecosystem, which is designed to keep students engaged while addressing root causes of behavior. The MTSS regional support system ensures proactive interventions before expulsions except in egregious cases, promotes equitable discipline practices, and provides immediate support for schools facing discipline concerns. Our goals are clear: decrease suspensions, reduce disproportionality, improve attendance, and enhance school climate.
Next slide, please. As part of our days of peace in the pathway to greatness universal programs, we're implementing several targeted initiatives targeted initiatives. Seven mindsets SEL integration. Approved August 26, we're beginning with model schools in each region and scaling to a 100% implementation by January. This curriculum teaches structured conflict resolution and emotional regulation. Weekly district MTSS team reviews. We analyze Power BI disciplinary data to proactively identify students before incidents occur.
OSS suspension reviews. District hearing officials review out of school suspensions over four days for non zero tolerance offenses with final decisions going to regional superintendents. Fight free days of peace. Schools track progress promoting non violence through education and positive behavior tracking. Increased safety partnerships, weekly collaboration between student support, and safety and security enables strategic deployment of interventions. We've invested 389,000 in the seven mindsets curriculum. Next slide, please.
Rounding out our universal programs this month, Discovery Memphis provides funding for field trips to places such as Thomley Park, the Botanic Gardens, National Civil Rights Museum, and Junior Achievement. This school year, we've added career exploration and arts infusion. Our goal is to increase student engagement in clubs and organizations like coding, career clubs, and mentoring by 10%. We've invested 3,000,000 in Discovery Memphis. Next slide, please. Hold on one second, miss Jordan. So board members, what miss Jordan has done is she's gone through the five a's
as well as our universal supports. Now we're moving into the pathway to greatness around the grade band, third grade through fifth grade, and what we're doing around numeracy and literacy. Miss Jordan. Thank you. So now let's return to the first A, academics. And we'll examine our focus on third through fifth grade, particularly in math and reading proficiency. Next slide, please. Within the third to fifth grade band of our pathway, our goal is clear. Improve student proficiency by 5% by the end of year one. Current proficiency rates and our targets are as shown in the table.
We're supporting this through Governor's Early Literacy Foundation home book delivery, Read Around the Radio community engagement, professional learning grounded in the science of reading, formative assessments including writing assessments, literacy commitment with SEAs providing during the day tutoring. The total investments are 32,700,000.0 including SEAs, formative assessments, and universal screeners. Next slide, please. Our mathematics goals for grades three through five in the pathway mirror our ALA targets
to improve 5% by the year's end, and you can see those goals listed in the table. You should also have a handout with these slides. We have significant work ahead of us, and it demands our focused attention and action. We're supporting this work through calculator guidance and practice, math implementation network for professional learning, professional learning targeted each targeting each phase of the math instructional model, formative assessment tools, math focused tutoring and interventions. These investments are 4,400,000.0 including formative assessments and math tutors.
Next slide, please. Looking at our universal screener data across the elementary band of our pathway, this slide shows our three year mathematics trend from I Ready diagnostics across grades K through five. This is exactly why our pathway to greatness investments are so critical. We're acknowledging the substantial gap between where we are and where we need to be. Every dollar invested in math tutors, every hour of professional learning, every intervention plan. These are necessary responses to the urgent reality this data presents.
Next slide. Similarly, our reading data across the elementary pathway requires honest assessment. We have substantial work ahead. This data drives our entire literacy commitment within the pathway. This is why we've invested 29,400,000.0 in specialized educational assistance. This is why we're implementing science of reading professional development. This is why we're providing during the day tutoring, before and after programs, fall break, spring break, and summer learning academies. These aren't optional enhancements. These are essential interventions responding to the clear need this data demonstrates.
Our six zero five SEAs, our partnerships with organizations, our strategic partners for literacy network, all of these exist because the current reality demands transformative action. We're building the systems, investing the resources, and mobilizing the community partnerships necessary to change this trajectory for every student. Next slide, please. Our literacy commitment represents our most concentrated investment in the academic pillar of our pathway to greatness. Next slide. The science of reading professional development supports our literacy commitment across the third to fifth
grade band and teacher capacity through multiple pathways. We have the early literacy network, which is a monthly collaboration with Tennessee Department of Ed and other districts through NIET. We have early literacy series, six in person modules for k two teachers who are new, permitted, or earned LOE of one or two, delivered in partnership with community organizations. We have reading specialist certifications, which is a partnership with Memphis teacher residency, achieving a ninety two percent pass rate on the praxis.
And we have SEA professional learning, which is ongoing training for specialized education assistance to facilitate small group tutoring aligned with the science of reading. The investments are $352,700 including the MTR reading specialist certification and wonders professional development. Next slide, please. Our district goals anchor the academic focus for our pathway to greatness. We have two complimentary goals. The TESA goal is fifty two percent of students will score proficient on the third grade ELA TCAP by 02/1930.
And our district goal, seventy five percent of third grade students will be reading on grade level by the end of third grade by 02/1930. To achieve these goals, we must ensure students receive additional supports before promotion to fourth grade. This is governed by three key pieces of legislation, the Literacy Success Act, the Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act, and the Tennessee Third Grade Retention Law. The total investments are 33,400,000.0 in SEAs and tutoring. Next slide, please. This diagram, which again you have in your handouts, shows Tennessee's pathways to promotion for
the critical third to fifth grade transition in our pathway. Next slide, please. During the day tutoring. As part of our literacy commitment within the pathway, state law mandates year long during the day tutoring for specific student groups. Third graders, students retained who did not attend Summer Learning Academy. Fourth graders, students who previously scored below on TCAP, and you can see the rest of the criteria for fourth graders, and then fifth graders, students who did not attain adequate growth on the fourth grade TCAP. We have the program specifications listed here, and again, this is included in your handout.
Next slide, please. We cannot achieve our literacy goals in the pathway alone. Our strategic partners for literacy network include Seeding Success, the Urban Child Institute, Memphis Teacher Residency, Literacy Mid South, Rhodes College, Memphis Tomorrow, First State Memphis, All Memphis, University of Memphis. The Memphis Early Literacy Community Partnership Plan was developed in partnership with the Early Literacy Consortium and MSCS. Together, we're creating a coordinated community wide approach to early literacy.
The investment is $45,942 for the strategic partners for literacy project manager position. Next slide, please. The Governor's Early Literacy Foundation. Next slide please. The Governor's Early Literacy Foundation provides a state partnership that directly supports our commitment in the pathway. It delivers books directly to students' homes for grades k through three. The program kicked off September of this school year. In addition to books, parents receive weekly text messages with tips for supporting foundational literacy
skills at home. This bridges the gap between school and home, ensuring families have both resources and strategies to support their children's reading development. This partnership costs our district nothing but provides tremendous value. Next slide, please. Specialized education assistants. Next slide, please. Our six zero five specialized education assistants are critical to our literacy success across the elementary band of our pathway. SEAs play a key role in the pathway across schools by building a strong reading
foundation for students in grades k through five, following daily literacy routines in small groups supporting phonics, decoding, encoding, fluency, and comprehension, assisting with tier two and tier three interventions, during the day tutoring, and extended learning academies. Our 29,400,000.0 investment in SEAs represents our commitment to providing intensive small group literacy support for students who need it most. Next slide, please. So what's ahead? Looking forward in our Pathway to Greatness presentations, we'll continue with in October grades six
through eight, the middle school band of our pathway, and a CCTE presentation during the academic committee meeting. In November, we'll focus on grades nine through 12, which is the high school band of our pathway, but we'll also be conducting business systems reviews. In October, we'll focus on human resources, and in November, we'll focus on student achievement. These presentations will provide the same level of detail and transparency about our middle school, high school, and operational systems. So, as we conclude today, I just want to emphasize that this is not just a presentation about programs and investments.
It's about transforming the lives of our students across Memphis and Shelby County Schools through our pathway to greatness. Thank you, miss Jordan. Thank you. Board members, again, we want to bring, the pathway to greatness framework, and the pillars and the spotlights to you all because we want to explain our academic plan while spotlighting the five A's, our universal programming spotlights, but also to explain to you all where we've made investments and how those investments are being utilized.
But also as we come, we'll bring data to support if those investments are giving us a return on investments in moving student achievement forward. So at this time we'll take questions. Vice Chair Love. I have a couple of questions for you. First question, I would like to see a presentation on truancy in attendance, district wide because, last week, I attended, two, parades.
And I saw the kids out each time. And the parents was with it. We'll we'll prepare a presentation, and we'll bring attendance data, to the committee meeting in October. Next question. Who can sign up for this basketball and monthly? The principal or you just select the schools? We selected the schools in partnership with the Y. What the Y initially tried to do was to select elementary schools that had gymnasiums in them so that students wouldn't have to travel to places to practice.
But students can be signed up if they're in Ycare. They can participate in the basketball league. All of those schools, I think those 20 schools have Y Care in them. The only reason I asked because North Haven, that community, doesn't have anything over there. Okay. I think I suggested North Haven to be added, but if not, I'll talk to I'll talk to the y about adding. Elementary. Okay. I'll talk to the y about adding. Yes. We also tried to be representative of each board member's district as well.
So I'll talk to, the Y about adding those two schools. Thank you. Board member Kenny. Thank you, doctor Richmond for this, presentation, and I I really appreciate it setting this all out for us. I do have a couple of questions and observations, on your pathway to greatness and you have these, I I guess these are the sort of strategic areas that you're doing. One thing that I noticed is that student engagement is not under this. So could we think about adding that to ensure that we are engaging students as
we are listening to them coming and being civically engaged and wanting to take part in their own education. So I would ask that you consider putting student engagement under that. Yes ma'am. Okay. I had a question about the multi tiered system of support dyslexia specific intervention. I I I remember us doing this, approving this contract and one of the things that I did ask was about if we had enough interventions and interventionists and I
think you said that they would be at each school. Is that correct? There will be interventions trained and assigned at each school? Yes. Everyone will be at least one person would be trained per school in dyslexia intervention. So I also want to make sure that I understand and and anyone else who may have this question, the difference between characteristics of dyslexia and then those that are actually identified as dyslexic. Is there a difference? Miss Maples, would you add context to that question for me? Good afternoon, board member McKinney.
So, yes, there is a difference that, Dyslexia is an official diagnosis that has to be done by an outside entity. When we look at characteristics of Dyslexia, we're really focused in on that foundational literacy. So the question that I have then is that is Reading Horizons going to or what do we have to deal with the remediation that is required for those who are identified as dyslexic? That would be a question for our exceptional ed department. Thank you. Anytime a child is identified for any disability, board member mechanic, it is the IEP
team and then we go in and talk about all of the strategies we'll be using. So on the IEP team, you have the teacher, you have the parent, you have the counselor, you have the SPED representative, So we can definitely pull some of the strategies that we've used with students or doctor Lucky can go and give some examples, but, basically, it is the IEP team who sits at the table who established that IEP for each individual student. So I think maybe, let me rephrase the question. There are specific remediations that are, I think required or instituted that are best practices
for Dyslexic students. So I ask this question because I'm thinking about our literacy rate, I'm thinking about how some of our students may be misidentified or not getting what they need that may be contributing to that, And I'm also thinking about how we're funded through TISA. Is and is it the, identifying characteristics of dyslexia, or is it our dyslexic students that are actually that we're we get the TISA funding around? Now that question, I do want Tito to confirm, but I think it it is
around. Well, let me just let him confirm it. I won't say it, so I wanna I don't wanna mess people up. But I definitely wanna go back to your question about some of the strategies. I do know that, the SPEA team along with Amy's team curriculum instruction, many of our teachers have been exposed to many of our coaches, academic coordinators, advisors have been exposed to some strategies under the Orton Gilliam because that is another way that, people have talked about how we can use that particular strategy with our students.
But, again, I think that and doctor Luckett can speak more to it. I would wanna pull different dyslexia students' IPs to give you an indication of what we're using verbatim with students. So I can do that. Okay. I I just I'll give you an example, not a student's IEP, but give you an Right. Yes. Strategies. I appreciate that. Doctor Richmond, I just want us to to to be clear that that is an issue that is is, a big issue for our district around dyslexia and making sure
that we're giving the appropriate, treatments and remediation for that. So I want to make sure that we're conscious of that in in identifying the appropriate remediation methods around that. Yes, ma'am. So the question that you're asking is, first of all, if if it's a student that has characteristics of Dyslexia, what resources and materials are we using to differentiate for that student? And when there's a student that's been diagnosed as having Dyslexia, what resources and materials are we using? And so, what we need to do team is to look at what other resources
and materials and provide, those resources and materials if we have them. I know sometimes we just differentiate learning because we know that those students learn differently and we may not purchase a material or a resource, but I'll check to see if there are specific resources and materials that we're using for Dyslexia. Okay. Thank you. And Doctor. Richmond, if I can add one thing, board member McKinney, we do, all of our teachers engage in a Dyslexia specific Canvas course every year, and so all teachers, because
to your point, knowing that these students are embedded in our core curriculum and that's what they are engaging in. We train all of our teachers to be aware of characteristics of Dyslexia. I appreciate that. And so then I'm looking at your days of peace and I really appreciate that for, the students and just thinking again I think this is a good segue where, student engagement would be helpful to think about how that can be supplemented and supported. I think we heard a young man today talk about free period being one of those things.
And then I think, your governor's early literacy foundation. I really appreciate that they're sending those things to students homes, but we also know our transitory, our students. So what are some of the strategies? I'm just putting these questions out to think about what are some of the strategies that we're doing to make sure that those students aren't left out figuring out different ways to get those to them. And I think that's it for now. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Board member Murphy.
Thank you, madam chair. Thank thank you, Doctor. Richmond for this presentation. But I have a few questions that was asked of me from the community. And one of the questions is how many vacancies do we have today without permanent teachers, including full time subs covering classes? I can't answer the number of full time subs who are come covering classes. But today, I looked at, the vacancy report, and I think it was about a 165 teachers, if I'm, correct. Is is that correct, miss Oliver?
As of today, there were a 165 teachers. I can't answer the substitutes covering classes question at this time, but we can get that information to you. Okay. And then follow-up question. What's our plan to ensure that each child has an in person or virtual teacher, for the next few weeks until the term ends for the kids to the next grading period? Currently, all of our, classes have a virtual teacher or a substitute teacher or an in person teacher in all of our classes. If not, then we need, the principal needs to let the instruction leadership coach and
or regional superintendent know, but there should be someone instructing every class within our district at this point. Is it possible that we can get those numbers? Or the principals can follow-up with them to see if we have any? I don't To my knowledge, we shouldn't have any class that's not covered by a substitute teacher and or a proximity teacher. Okay. One more question. SPED teachers. Are we are we full with SPED teachers? Do we have enough SPED teachers to cover the district, the children in our district?
I think there's approximately 35 spare teachers that are part of the one sixty five doctor White Law. Would Yes. Thirty five thirty one sixty five. Yes. One more question, then I'm done. How many bilingual teachers are we short? Is miss Richardson here? It's 21. Is miss miss Richardson, would you mind coming to the mic and sharing how many bilingual teachers we may be short at this time, if any? Good afternoon or evening, board members and doctor Richmond. We currently the last count we had was 22 ESL vacancies.
That was the last count we had. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate you. Thank you, doctor. That's all for today. For that, I have, anyway. Board member, Hubert Garcia. Sorry. I missed the last question. But when so if you just answered it, let me know. This slide, why we have five to 10 times as many, students who have an intervention plan for math and literacy when the subsequent slides show actually lower proficiency for math? Or is it just where we're at in the screening process? Or are those typically like, we see tier two math equals a 168, tier two
literacy is 1,102, but our proficiency rates are actually lower when you look at the So when we think about the reason you're seeing those differences is because the, you know, the major focus on literacy and then knowing, the schedule during the day to the capacity to service a student that's needing both literacy supports and math supports. So typically we work with the schools to, if you're not getting them through the RTI intervention, then you're getting them during, before and after school tutoring so that they are getting their needs met.
So refresh my memory on where, I believe I'm middle school math is where we are struggling, correct? Correct. I think we need to figure out how to prioritize both. That's a Yes, excuse me. This presentation was for grade bands three through five. We'll bring grade bands six through eight on next month. No. I'm talking about if you solid first instruction or intervening earlier in math is will reduce the number of students who are greatly off course by middle school.
I'm I I understand this is elementary school. Yes, ma'am. I know that everybody is looking at literacy but math proficiency is needs prioritized. I mean, look, we gotta figure it out. I mean, thanks. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Did did doctor Maples answer the question that you had, miss Garcia? I apologize. Yeah. I I guess yes. I hear the priority, but if there is if there are resources or something, I think from the board's perspective that we need to think about in prioritizing additional capacity
or, making decisions on schedules or offering extended learning that is, that is focused on math in addition to that literacy tutoring, like, I would like a solution to it because now the the more we intervene now, the less we will have to do so in middle school. Thank you. Vice Chair Lo. How many, did the district pay for strategic partners for literacy? I would have to go back and look at all of the slides in regards to if we've paid for all of the strategic partners in literacy.
All of them who are on that page, do not have contracts with us. We've listed those partners because those partners support us in the work. So every partner that's listed in a partner because some of them contribute funds to support literacy. How many students are included? All of the students that are in grades three, well really our strategic literacy plan focuses on pre k through through five, but specifically, grades three through five.
Next question. Going back to attendance insurances, how many partners do you have? Does the district have? Miss Davis, do we know offhand the number of partners we have around, attendance in truancy? I know when we bring them together quarterly, there's possibly close to hundreds, but can you explain how many? Good evening, superintendent Richmond, board members. Commissioner Love, we currently have approximately 22, but there are four main, partners that we're
currently working with at a higher level with the tier three. I would like to see the list and know the schools, that they're working with and their data on the schools that they're working with. I recently, visited school, and the principal said three tardies equal absence. That isn't true. You're correct. That is not true. Yeah. That is not true. Right. An absence is an absence.
A tardy is a tardy. Yeah. But I I have heard that some are doing three tardies equals an absence. So we probably need to check on that. Doctor Richmond, you need to correct that because, if that's is the case, our data is wrong. Kids come to school late every day. As long as they make it there by 11:00, they are considered, not tardy for the day. I I think, Stacy, what they are confusing is if you miss Three classes.
Three to four classes, you're deemed absent because you've essentially missed over half of the day. But I'll allow miss Davis to explain it. They're they're confounding, what they're trying to explain to you, board member Love. But, Stacy, explain it to board member Love for me, please. So in the high schools, of course, the each period is counted. And if the student is not present for, at least half of the day, then
they will be counted as absent. Vice versa, elementary, if the student is just counted tardy for the day, that is not an absence, that the student will receive. But I will have that conversation, and we can reach out to the school, the principal to to clarify. Years ago, when we were doing the, district attorney, several principals, was was confusing the
law, and that's reason we had the issue. I just want the principles to follow the law, and it it isn't confusing, correct it. I don't want to get no, anyone in trouble. I just want the principals to follow the law. Years ago, there was a situation with the district attorney telling the principals that three tardies equal absent, and that is not correct.
Yes, ma'am. We will. Board member Ote. Excuse me. Thank you, chair Coleman. Doctor Richmond, question. Do we have data that shows literacy progression thus far? That's a great question. If we're using last year's TCAP data and we're looking at grades three through five, I think we can say that we see, literacy progression. Again, that's last year's data. When we look at our our ready data, the data that I've looked at looks stagnant, from year to year and I've talked to the team about, those data to
see why we're not seeing, an increase by grade band from year to year. Repeat that last part. I think you answered my second question. Which grade bands are showing improvements? You just said something about grade bands. Based on the TCAP, grades three through five Uh-huh. Were the grade band that showed the most improvement this past year with middle school showing a slight improvement and high school showing a decrease, a slight decrease. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Doctor Richmond, I have two quick questions.
The first one is the students that were chronically absent and those that we have now registered, are there any of those being chronically absent? The ones that were just recently added? Chair Coleman, I'll defer to, Miss Davis whose team tracks, attendance data and those students who were chronically absent last year. We started the year off asking our attendance, liaisons to support those students. So I'll ask Miss Davis where we are with their support.
Miss Davis. Thank you again, superintendent Richmond, commissioner vice chair. Excuse me. Joyce Coleman. We are tracking those students who were chronically absent at the end of last school year. We knocked on the doors this summer to make sure that they were registered for this school year. Some of those students are still chronically absent, and I will have a number for you, by tomorrow. But, yes, some of their attendance improved greatly, and we're gonna recognize those students on
this week and next week. But there are some students that continue to be chronically absent. Thank you. Am I Also also I'm sorry. Miss Davis, can you share about greatness at your door today? I think a team went out today. Can you share the students who were focused on today? So this morning, we, visited the Orange Mound community, actually, and we identified 366 students at 327 addresses. And as a result of this morning's efforts, we reengaged with a 111 students.
Many of those students answered the door. So we were able to offer support, assistance, guidance on what they needed to do to reenroll in school. And I think our efforts were really great this morning, having those conversations with families and just seeing us in the community. Obviously, you know, there was some hesitancy with some families, as we expected. But I think our efforts today were really good. Thank you. And my final question, I'll make it brief, is I like the investment, how you're
showing it at the bottom. But can you let us know like, I'm just looking at the tenders liaisons now. Is there a part or at certain point where we're going to say, this is not working. Let's pivot and go in a different direction because what we're doing now to get our children I'm not saying it's not working, but will we have that update? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Chair Coleman, part of us being transparent, what I wanna share with, board members as
well as the community. Each quarter, what I'm asking my team to do would be to bring to me the data that supports any resource that we're investing in to see what is the return on investment. So when I think about, attendance liaisons, when I think about where our tendency is, when we look at chronic absenteeism, when we look at daily absenteeism, when we look at recruitment and retention of students, all of those data are going to go into do we see a return on investment when it comes to attendance liaison.
So right now, what we're doing is presenting to you our plan. When we come back the second quarter or in January, I'd like for our team when we're reporting out to you to be bringing you data to either support that the strategies we're putting in place to hit our targets are working or bringing before you the strategies that we've tried that aren't working, but we're pivoting and trying other strategies to hit whatever our proficiency target is.
And the way we're gonna do that is using what's called the SDIS process, the self directed improvement system. Everyone on my team, all of our principals, all of our teachers, all of our students, and even our parents will be taught that process so that everyone is holding each other accountable to move toward proficiency in all areas, both academic and non academic. Board member McKissick. Thank you, Chair. Doctor. Richmond, my question is directed toward the SEA, Specialized Education Assistants.
And I I think it's wonderful, you know, as it's laid out in terms of supporting our K through five students. But the teachers who will be in those positions and roles, what level of support are they getting? As I recall, when this was initially implemented, it was it seemed to be a challenge juggling their classroom responsibilities as a teacher, but then in addition to that, having the SCA lead role. Can you speak to that, please? Yes, ma'am. Thank you for that question. They're also receive receiving professional development, along with push in and pull out support.
So we have content experts. Our academic coordinators in the region should be supporting them. They should also have, exemplars in their building if they are new or novice teachers supporting them. We've done lesson plans. We'll have walk through and support teams that'll go out and support, those teachers as well as, those SEAs being support to hopefully reduce the teacher to pupil ratio. So our professional development team will be providing it along with our academic team through,
miss Kiner, the regional superintendents, academic coordinators that'll be pulling them out and providing real time professional development. But we're also gonna be looking at data, and those data should be driving the supports and strategies that we're using with all of our both students and teacher needs. Alright. Thank you. You should have started with Kiner. That that would have just answered the question right there. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. No further questions. We'll move on to unfinished business. I turn over to doctor Schultz. The proposed policy second reading.
Good evening, board members. Good evening, board members, superintendent. We have for second reading and approval tonight. It is recommended that the Shelby County Board of Education approve proposed revisions to the following policies. Policy one zero zero nine, non discrimination statements. Policy five zero zero two, programs for students with disabilities under IDEA. Policy six zero four three, health care management. It is further recommended that the Shelby County Board of Education approves the repeal of the following policies.
Policy five zero one nine, early transition to college program. Policy six zero one nine, student rights and due process. Move to adopt policy one zero zero nine, five zero zero two, five zero one nine, six zero one nine and 646043. This is wrong. Do I need to do a separate Hold on. Okay. No. I'll turn it over with doctor Schultz. He's gonna explain. We have two or three different versions of this on paper floating around the actual
motion. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I was wrong once before. The motion is to approve revisions to policies 1009, 5002, and six zero four three, and further to re repeal policies five zero one nine and six zero one nine. Is that correct? Yes, sir. That is correct. That's the motion. I have a do you need me to repeat it? Second. You got it? I'm a Motion by board member second by board member Murphy.
Roll call, vote, please. Board member McKissick. Aye. Board member Garcia. Aye. Board member Porter. Aye. Board member Murphy. Aye. Board member board vice chair Love. Aye. Board member McKinney. Aye. Board member O'Tay. Aye. Board member Williams. Aye. Board chair Coleman. Aye. We have none in the affirmative. Thank you. That motion passes. We're now on to new business proposed policies first reading. Thank you. For first reading, we are presenting revisions to the following policies that were discussed in detail in the committee and board work session.
The first policy is policy one zero zero One, school superintendent, authorizes the superintendent to delegate duties and responsibilities in accordance with the law. It also clarifies that the superintendent is authorized to establish administrative rules and regulations that the board adopts. The next policy is policy 2,002 fiscal year. We're recommending repeal of this policy. As a reminder, the information contained in the current policy is already listed in the
policy on annual operating budget, which is 02/00/2001. The next policy is policy two zero zero four, internal accounting manual. It incorporates a statutory revision that changes the name of the accounting manual to match the name that's reflected in the statute. The next policy is policy two zero two zero travel expense policy, allows the district to provide reasonable accommodation to employees of size when they're traveling on authorized district business. Policy two zero two one, employee additional pay, revises the language to remove volunteer to
align with the policy scope. Policy six zero two seven, searches and interrogations. The revisions, incorporate statutory changes that clarify, that a search for calls may only be conducted by a school resource officer when acting for the purpose of a search as a school official, a school security officer, or a school administrator who has completed the state's training, by law. The regulations clarify that the questioning of students, which is initiated by law enforcement, will be in accordance with law and not in court not occur at the school.
Those are the policies that we have for review. In addition to the proposed policies, revisions presented, the following administrative rules and regulations are provided as a point of information. Policy four zero five one, professional learning, it clarifies the minimum number of district approved or developed professional learning hours that teachers must complete, each year based on their professional learning track of novice, focus, or proficient. And the final policy, policy four zero five seven, parenting leave.
It's another statutory, a revision that aligns with the state law around state paid parenting leave. It expands the definition of adoption to include the period from the filing of the petition and the child's initial placement until the final adoption order, and the revisions also establish eligibility criteria for those who would qualify for that leave. Thank you. There's no action taken on that tonight. Thank you. We're now on to the consent agenda. We know eleven point eleven point one through 11.5
have been removed. We go right into 11.6. I'm sorry. Board member McKissick. Thank you, chair. I'd like to have item 11.7 regarding the Hume sale pull from the consent agenda. Remove from the consent agenda. Yes. Thank you. We're removing it also. It's gonna be moved to the request for action agenda. 11.6 approval, University of Tennessee, Knoxville affiliation agreement. Physical impact none is recommended at the Shelby County Board of Education approve the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work affiliation agreement for the 2025 through through 2028
school years. 11.8 approval sale of 3030 Jackson Administration Building to New Day, Tennessee. Total value of the sale, $5,000,000. It is recommended that this school board Memphis Shelby County School Board of Education declares surplus and approve the sale of the 3030 Jackson Campus. Partials number 043009, 00132, 052077, 0004C, 052078, 00002C, 03800010001C043008001 to New Day, Tennessee in exchange
for the full cost and project management of the renovating per FDA guidelines, leasing for ten years and relocate relocating all district operations, nutrition, IT security, and Building 7 to a warehouse at 3456 Miles Road, 38108. Total value of the sale, $5,000,000. 11.9 approval district wide HVAC filter services, $932,937. It's recommended that the Shelby County Board of Education approved the contract with National Filter
Solutions in the amount of $932,937 for the district wide HVAC filter maintenance services. 11.1 approved athletic field preparation services. $478,617.16. It is recommended that the Shelby County Board of Education approved athletic field preparation services. Contracts to Lads Golf and Turf LLC for 14 locations with a total amount not to exceed $379,300 into APS facilities maintenance for three locations with the total amount not
to see $99,317.16. The total amount for this contract for these contracted services, $478,617.16. Approval, contract approval, Holland and Knight LLP, a $108,000. It is recommended that Shelby County Board of Education approve the contract with Holland and Knight LLP for legislative consultant service in the amount of $108,000. The contract period would be from 10/01/2025 to 09/30/2026.
Contract approval health care sick services, RFP Cigna, $41,900,000. It is recommended that the Shelby County Board of Education approved the contract extension for Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company for the administration of the district self insured, district self insured, and fully insured coverages. 11.13 approved. Oh, that's the end of it. I'm gone. May I have a motion and a second to approve, please? I move to approve the consent agenda.
Second. Motion by board member McKissick, second by board member Murphy. Roll call vote, please. Board member McKissick? Aye. Board member Garcia? Aye. Board member Porter? Aye. Board member Murphy? Aye. Board vice chair love? Aye. Board member McKinney? Aye. Board member Otey. Aye. Board member Williams. Aye. Board chair Coleman. Aye. You have nine in the firmament. Thank you. That motion passes. Now we're on to the consent agenda. We'll go back. Oh, I'm sorry. We'll go back to 11.7, which is the sale of him school.
We recognize board member McKissett. Thank you, chair. Doctor Shulson, to ensure that I am appropriate because I know you've only been wrong just one time. I want to amend amend this item to and help me with the language, remove the aspect of the combining the sale of the building along with the, the aspect of it where it's talking about operating as a contract school with the district and to discuss that later, but just want to focus on the sale of the building.
You tell me. I don't know. But I'm not wrong. I don't know. Just just I'm I guess I'm asking to remove the contingency of, aligning the two of those items together, the the vote to have it focused on the sale of the building itself. That's what we've been discussing for weeks, months on end, so that's what I'd like to amend it. Yeah. So what board member McKissick is asking is to remove the so the the the
current recommendation is to approve the sale of, the Humes Building to New Ballet with the contingent that they will commit to operating as a contract school with MSCS. Board member McKissick is proposing removing the contingency of that contract school provision. And I I assume do you just wanna sell the building at the at the proposed sale price without the contingencies at the the gravement of the the proposed revision? That is correct at this time. And to have conversations as was discussed at the committee meetings of, I certainly would
love to see them as a contract building, as a contract school rather. But I don't know if this time to to discuss of why I'm promoting this, is that that building has been sitting vacant for a year now. And there's just plenty of historical evidence that our school buildings, when they sit vacant, they basically rot out. They are robbed of the copper. Ceilings start falling in. The school building is already in jeopardy with the Third Floor. It's been closed for some years. I don't wanna see another school building go the way that so many others we
just simply don't have the money in this district for to do the repairs that is needed, but I don't wanna see that building go the way of Karnes and and so many others in our district. So I'd rather see it be sold, and then I want to work, you know, with the school to see what kind of partnership. But right now, I think the greater concern is that building, which is historic in nature. The community has spoken plenty, including tonight and over the last several months regarding their desire for that building, so I'd like to see it sold tonight.
Okay. So her motion is to amend. Let's start out with a motion to adopt everything, and then the motion to amend will come before you. So we need a motion to adopt the sale. I move. There's a contract that goes with this. And what you're amending is really that contract, isn't it? That is correct. And and when you approve something, you approve all the words in that contract also. So what the board is voting on right now is just the voting on the intent to sell, I guess, is the way of saying it.
There's no there's no current contract that that has been negotiated yet. This is a motion or an action by the board to authorize the sale of the building, to New Valley. So there's no contract in place. Yeah. The only thing I see under 11.7 is the sale. I don't see any other language. So if you look at Oh, and commit, it's the second sentence we want to move the Commit. Yeah. You want to strike that second second one. Let me let me see if it'll go the easy way. Is there any objection to removing the second sentence from the recommendation? The second sentence says, new ballet ensemble commits to operating the proposed performing arts school
as a district contract school. Is there an objection to removing that? Yes. I object. Because there's an objection, it will have to be done by a motion and a vote. So I go back again to the beginning, need a motion to, adopt this action, and it it is as follows. It is recommended Shelby County Board of Education declare surplus and approve the sale of Humes Middle School, 659 North Manassas Memphis, Tennessee 38107 to new ballet ascent, ensemble for $257,000.
New ballet ensemble commits to operating the proposed performing arts school as a district contract school. Once that is before you, then we can move to amend it, and we'll see what the vote comes out. So somebody move to adopt, somebody second, please. I move to adopt the sale of Humes. Second. And now, miss McKinney's motion is to amend by striking the second sentence. Okay. Let McKinsey I'm sorry. McKissie. Damn. I did it again. That's the second time. You got three m's.
You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You got three m's. You Her motion is to strike the second sentence. Is there a second excuse me. I'm taking your job. Is there a second to the motion to strike the second sentence? Second. At this point, debate is limited to the to the wisdom of striking the second sentence. So we're only discussing striking the second sentence.
The new ballet ensemble commits to operating the proposed performing arts school as a district contract school. That's all we're having conversation about. Okay? So we'll start with board member McKinney. I think maybe this is a question for legal. What are the implications behind us taking out the commitment to be a contract school and just selling the property? And we and if what are the implications for the district? Well, again, as it as it currently reads, the the the commitment to operating contract
school is is a contingent upon the sale. So it's something they have to do in order to effectuate the sale. What removal of that would do would just be selling the building outright and they're free to do with it whatever they So I think I I brought this, up before. We have eight different school districts sitting in Shelby County and in order to operate as a school currently unless something changes they have to be attached to a school district. So that means that we would be selling this without any commitment to ensuring that
they would operate as a Memphis Shelby County Schools, school, which means that our students may or may not have preference. And so I think I heard the last time that Memphis New Ballet came said that they were they wanted to operate as a contract school. So I need to and maybe I misheard. Maybe I misheard. But whether or not I did or not, I think, again, this is about ensuring
that our students take priority and that we don't lose any students. We have a declining enrollment. This is something that has been committed to our students and with our students, and I would just ask that the commitment be made and we have the we have the most students. So, I would just ask that that be a part of the the condition of the sale. Go ahead, mister Williams. What is It's my light not understanding here is, ballet south is they are not bringing this. Why would we bring it?
They have chosen that they have agreed to be a part of the district and to do this. So why would we choose why would we change it in their absence? What what benefit does it do for us to change it? If they wanted and we wanted and we've agreed on it, why would we re dig on it now? Chair, we're reneging on? We were reneging on the idea that we would have that the students there would have some kinship to the Shelby County Schools as they have to to graduate. They have to be affiliated with some school system. They they there are no free standing schools in this district.
And they could be they could choose to be those students who live in that community could be bad from coming there if they go to some other district to affiliated with. So certainly, we want to keep them in this Yevgen County Schools district, and they have agreed to that. What who are we to absorb that? Okay. So mister Williams speaks against the motion to amend. Board member McKissick. Thank you, chair. Alright. So let me try to provide some clarity here. We have discussed this ad nauseam. We have met numerous times. They presented in front of committee.
We've had one on ones. They've had community meetings. We have discussed this and discussed this and discussed this. So let me explain. Let me try to explain very clearly of why they are seeking to operate this school and have some autonomy. It's because of the nature of the research that they've done with other schools of this nature, school of the arts. This is remember the TV show FAME? Okay. So FAME was this wonderful mythical school, kids dancing all through the school, and playing instruments, and what have you, and they had this autonomy.
And so their argument is that they wanna have that autonomy to be able to figure things out to so their students can focus on the dance. But what miss Smythe has said when she came to the committee meeting, the very last time she came a few weeks ago, was that she's open, they're open to having talks about how to work through that, so that they could be a contract school. Like what was in the past, when it was previously a partnership with the university schools, with campus, and so on. My thinking is, this building has been empty for a year now, and it's been
deteriorating for some years. You well know, when buildings sit empty, they go down quickly. And at one point, you know, we were talking about some on the board, we're talking about just giving them the building. So that was one conversation. So now we've got like this dollar amount here. My thinking is that, they're not here to try to mess over MSCS students. There's a student who wants to go to that school. They're gonna do everything they can to make sure they can attend that school. This shouldn't be about MSCS has got a whole lot of other challenges.
This one school, tucked over in North Memphis, or Uptown that the community wants, why not let them do some good? We've got no. I still have the floor. So what I'm saying, I'm asking my colleagues to focus on what's good for students. We just, you know, approved $5,000,000 for 3030 Jackson. Corrected that wrong that happened some years ago when we bought that property, and we shouldn't have bought it. But we get just made $5,000,000 off of that. This is a property that is will become blight in the community if it is
not rescued. MSCS simply does not have the money to invest in this historic building to make it what it should be. So are we gonna parse hairs here and say, well, this and that, and just continue to discuss this until the end of time? Because it kind of feels like that. I'd be the first to say, yes. I officially would love to have them be a contract school with MSCS, but what's more important to me now, is that we've start moving forward on this building. It's enough talk. It's enough discussion. We've had more than I've been meeting one on one with them.
We've had meetings with the superintendent. So I know my time is up. Is that my thirty second warning or what? What's the warning? Is that So as I wrap up, just please consider this. I know this is just there's been a lot of discussion, but we are focusing on helping children. They're not here to mess over MSDS kids or any kid in this community. Trust me. I'm gonna be watching very closely. I'd love to see us take care of this tonight and get this building rescued for children. Thank you.
Board board member Murphy. Thank you, madam chair. I am going to agree with commissioner McKissett. I don't think that we need to keep prolonging this over and over because we have. And every meeting, we have been going back through this situation. They have been presenting, and And we don't wanna lose sight of the task at hand, and that's how children she did say that they would want to partner with us and do what she needed to do in order to make this dream a reality for them. And so that's what we wanna do If she they're willing to work with us
and to service our children, so I don't think that we need to prolong this any longer than what we have already done. Thank you. Thank you. Board member Otay? Thank you, Board Chair Coleman. Just to echo my colleagues, I'm in agreement. I think we should go ahead and proceed with this. The building has been lying dormant. It's been practically vandalized and destroyed. And we're we have all the talks about taking out things out of school already, home ec, driver's ed. They're providing amazing opportunity for our students, and at the end of the day, we're concerned about losing students, and we need to step our game up and ensure that
we're providing the support to our students that we need. But at the end of the day, if if we're talking about the students, then this is what we should be focused on is our students. So I think we should go ahead and do we have any other questions? Call for the question if possible and make the vote. Well actually she can, she can shut them all down. Board member Porter. So I just want to ask, does anything does anything in, in, excuse me. To the general counsel to the chair, is there anything in our policy that says that we we got, sale of school contingent contingent upon an academic outcome?
Is there anywhere in our policy? Prefer like policy 7,000 or 7,002. Sounds like you're the answer to the question. I I I'd have to look into that. Yeah. Okay. Okay. I'm not aware of it, but I I I'm not aware of it. No. Yeah. It's not there. And so, but that's why I was trying to see, like, I was just this word commit. And they, I think I wanna they they kinda articulate. So they never said they would commit. They would be willing to. So, that was kinda, troubling in the language as well. But that was my question. So, you know, you it's not there. So, thank you.
Board member here, Garcia. I understand this to not be a no, but a maybe in terms of a contract school. But, I think board member Ote, captured it well. It it we we it is not as if Memphis Shelby County Schools has something similar or comparable to this in the pipeline and there's now a direct competition. This is something that Memphis doesn't have for children. All children, regardless of what school district they attend or ours, and it is incumbent upon us to support those opportunities for all the reasons that we have talked about,
empty facilities. This is the right thing to do for kids. So I move to call the question. Everyone has had their opportunity to say what they needed to say. I was only being fair for those to say I was not doing my job. Now we are calling for the motion. The motion is doctor Schultz will explain what we're voting on first and then the second. You are voting now. The question before you is on the motion to amend by striking the second sentence, that sentence being new ballet ensemble commits to operating the proposed performing arts school as
a district contract school. Vote yes if you would like to strike that language. Vote no if you would like to leave it in. You are on the motion to amend. Vote yes if you would like to strike that language, a second sentence. Vote no if you would like to leave it in. Roll call vote. Roll call vote, please. Board member McKissick? Yes. Board member Garcia? Yes. Board member Porter? Yes. Board member Murphy? Yes. Board vice chair love? No. Board member McKinney? No. Board member Otey? Yes. Board member Williams.
No. Board chair Coleman. Yes. You have six in the affirmative, three negative. The motion is adopted. The second sentence is struck has been stricken. Yes. Yeah. And now you are on the main motion. It's recommended the Shelby County, Board of Education declare surplus and approve the sale of Humes Middle School 659 North Manassas, Memphis, Tennessee 38107 to New Ballet Ensemble for $257,000. That's it. Roll call vote. Motion. We had it a while ago. Roll call vote, please.
Board member McKissick. Aye. Board member Garcia. Aye. Board member Porter. Aye. Board member Murphy. Aye. Board vice chair love. No. Board member McKinney. No. Board member O'Tay. Yes. Board member Williams. No. Board chair Coleman. Yes. We have six in the affirmative, three negative. Thank you. That motion passes. We are now on to strategic allocations. The strategic allocation dollar amount is $196,119 Is there a motion to to approve strategic allocations? Motion to approve.
Motion by board member Porter, second by board member Mark for roll call vote. Board member McKissick. Aye. Board member Garcia. Aye. Board member Porter. Aye. Board member Murphy. Aye. Board vice chair Love. Aye. Aye. Board member McKinney. Pass. Board member Otey. Aye. Board member Williams. Aye. Board member McKinney. Epstein. Board chair Coleman. Aye. You have eight in the affirmative one abstain. Thank you. That motion passes. Special order of business. We're now on to tonight's special order of business. Tonight, the board will select the 02/2025, 26 chair and vice chair.
Doctor Schultz, will you please recap the process? Under Roberts, there is a, section on elections, and it is screwy. It is, it is difficult. It is not the way we normally run elections. However, Roberts does allow you to use other methods. Let me explain a method that I will recommend to you. It looks a lot like the process that we use when we do public elections. The floor will be open for nominations. By the way, this will be two separate elections. There will be one for chair. There will be one for vice chair. The floor will be open for nominations.
Under Roberts, you may nominate yourself. Under Roberts, you may vote for yourself. It is a requirement in our policy that it be a roll call vote. When when it comes, your turn to vote, you simply announce the name of the person you are voting for. You have three things you can do. You can speak the name of the person you would like to vote for. You can pass, which means you're not ready to vote right now, and you're gonna ask ask the secretary to come back around and ask you again. You may vote present, which means that you would like to be indicated as present
when the vote was taken, but you are not voting on this issue. It will take five votes to win. Is there any objection to using this method? Do you understand what's being asked? Nominations will be open. A vote will occur even if there's only one candidate because it's required in policy that it be done. Alright. Without objection, we will go ahead with that. Madam chairman, it's time for election. Is there a nomination for board chair? I, commissioner Murphy, nominate commissioner Natalie McKinney. Board member McKissett. I would like to nominate board member Amber Hewitt Garcia.
Board member Love. Natalie McKinney. Now the vote happens. Unless, some organizations have a process where each each person will speak. That's up to you whether you want that or not. Otherwise, the secretary will call the roll. Simply state the name of the person you're voting for. Okay. The first one nominated is miss McKinney. Would you like to say anything? Would you like to say anything, board member McKinney? Sure. Good evening, colleagues. Thank you for providing me with this opportunity to seek your support to serve alongside you in capacity of board chair. We've been in a challenging time and there are even more issues on the horizon.
We're working to rebuild the district focusing on student achievement and support, charting a path for renewed board and administration partnership, district leadership and governance, engaging the community in new ways, taking up the decades long need to address facilities, and doing our part in trying to maintain core principles of democracy and elected representation in the context of national turmoil. Recognizing a new and ever changing road ahead, the duty of the chair is one
that requires a member of the body to facilitate and lead us through our work. The chair should carry all of the voices of the body into the space, not act as the lone voice of the board. To tackle the issues ahead, we'll need to lean into our superpowers. I know you all have often heard me say that our superpowers provide us with unique ability to use all of our strengths to best serve our students and families. I recognize that we're all leaders and each of our superpowers places the district at
an advantage. For instance, Michelle, elevating the district's work to the state and national stage. Amber, bringing deep insight into both policy and operations. To Marcus, bringing unique insight on how to best position our students for success in and beyond the classroom. Tawanna, championing all students, especially those with exceptional needs with passion and tenacity. Joyce, serving with quiet strength, showing compassion and love for community and youth. Stephanie, embodying resilience as a lifelong a lifelong advocate for parents in the community.
Sable, excelling as a relationship builder, bridge builder, and ambassador for the district. And Keith, never losing sight of our mission, teaching with excellence and ensuring education educators have what they need to succeed. And lastly, my superpower I think is attempting to align multiple perspectives to reach fair, balanced decisions that keep us moving forward together. At the core of it all, we do this for our students and families, those we serve now and those to come. They deserve our best efforts to take on these challenges, keeping what works, identifying what
doesn't, and making the hard decisions towards continuous improvement. I understand and fully intend to step into the assignment, and it is with this backdrop that I ask each of you for your support as chair. Together, we all will win. Thank you. Thank you. Board member here, Garcia. K. Thank you. Tonight my appeal for chair, is going to share some key priorities. I have a pretty specific list of things that I'd like to concentrate on, and what business I hope to drive with my colleagues.
I'm confident that both of us, both candidates tonight are intelligent, have relevant experience, understand how the school district works, and quite frankly can run a meeting. The question we have to answer is how do we rebuild trust and meet the Shelby County Schools? And I believe I'm that person to do it. I also want to point out, this is the third time that I have stepped up for leadership on the Shelby County School Board.
The prior process and professional courtesy we followed was that we share leadership opportunities to those who want and have not led in that role and who have the most seniority. This is my fourth year on the board. But, we have to focus on the business of children and I will lead from wherever I'm sitting. But I do wanna share the things that I care about and I and I'm not I'm not being this is our this is the first year on the board where I truly feel like we have a year ahead of us to get work
done. You are my third superintendent. And and we're not counting the one that resigned before I started. The the meeting before I started. We have to get to work. We need to be laser focused on a strong governance plan and a a strategic plan. Ours is up. A comprehensive facilities plan that doesn't play small, and I'm not talking about four or five schools. I'm talking about if money were no object. If there were we had unlimited resources, what should the footprint of Memphis Shelby County
Schools look like? Because I believe the state of Tennessee and our state lawmakers will decide that for us. We are on a we are on a time clock. I want zero teacher vacancies by the start of next school year. I don't care how you get there. We should all be laser focused on that and a a variety of strategies. And doctor Richmond, you have talked about this, that there is a path to do that. That is the number one thing we can do for a child is have a high quality educator at the front of the classroom. We intervention our way out of this. No contracts. We we need we need educators at the start of every classroom.
We need literacy gains as a minimum of 5% if we're going to hit TISA goals. We talk about losing control of our facilities or a budget. It is already built into the law if we do not make that. So whatever you need, whatever this board needs to do to allocate resources to to literacy and math gains, we need to do that. And then we need stronger internal systems and controls. And we know we know we're undergoing an audit right now. We need better knowledge preservation. We need better bench building.
We need we need to we are constantly moving at high speeds because we wanna deliver with urgency for kids, but we know we know there are gonna be things that we need to change. So I want our board to support our administration on figuring out what that looks like so we we feel strong and are strong. But guys, the it sends a message tonight, what we do. I'll be fine. I want this, and I I'm very concerned about the level of community chatter that
has happened about this. So I do ask and want your support, And I'm looking forward to a great school year. Yeah. It's roll call. Simply speak the name of the person you're you're, you're voting for, either McKinney or Hewitt Garcia. Roll call vote, please. Board member McKissick? Amber Hewitt Garcia. Board member Garcia? Amber Hewitt Garcia. Board member Porter? Amber Garcia. Board member Murphy? Natalie McKinney.
Board member Love. Natalie McKinney. Board member McKinney. Natalie McKinney. Board member Otey. Natalie McKinney. Board member Williams. Natalie McKinney. What's your code? Natalie McKinley. You have, six votes in affirmative for, board member McKinney. You have four votes in affirmative for board member Garcia. How many for how many Six to three. Six to three. Excuse me. Three votes for, board member Garcia. Three. Decire McKinney since elected. Congratulations, board member McKinney. You are the 02/2526 board chair.
Congratulations. Same process for vice chair. Open nominations. I would like to nominate Joyce Coleman. Board member McKissick. I'd like to nominate Amber Hubert Garcia, who has never served in this role as vice chair. Nominations are closed. I think I shared my remarks already, but it says, I actually think we make a really great team from McKinney. This isn't about this isn't political for me. It is I believe that I will help rebuild Memphis Shelby County Schools trust and
the community trust. And I've never done the job, and this is the third time that I have stepped up asking to do the job. And the leadership we will get is already known if we don't select fresh leadership. And so I'm asking my colleagues to take a chance to know my intent is to support our school district. So I'm asking for your support for vice chair. Board member Kisic. No. Roll call vote, please.
Board member McKissick. Amber Hewitt Garcia. Board member Garcia. Amber Hewitt Garcia. Board member Porter. Amber Hewitt Garcia. Board member Murphy. Joyce Coleman. Board member Love. Joyce Coleman. Board member McKinney. Joyce Coleman. Board member O'Tay. Amber Hill Garcia. Board member Williams. Billy. Amber. Board chair Coleman. Joyce Doris Coleman. Okay. There's, five votes in affirmative for, board member Coleman and four votes in affirmative for board member Garci. Thank you. Joyce Joyce Coleman will serve as the twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six board vice
chair. There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned. Have a good evening.