##VIDEO ID:7M_yNKRLrdg## wetherford County School Board first we have the Pledge of Allegiance I I will do the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all we have the approval of the agenda let everyone take a look at it if you haven't seen it questions or comments I will entertain a motion motion to approve second thank you Miss sharp all in favor say I I any opposed it is approved okay missley I'll let you take the lead thank you we have no public comment tonight and then just for um the people that are watching Dr Sullivan is here he has a little bit of a illness so he is relegated to the side um but he he is he is present so relegated thank you okay um we have a fairly short agenda so let's get right to to it we will start with policy 1.73 this is School attendance zones and exemptions this is on our agenda just for discussion um since the board recently approved some dual zones we wanted to bring this to the committee's attention have everyone look at it and possibly bring it back um over the summer or our May board or U policy committee meeting and see if there's any changes or anything that we need to add to it um for the Dual zones that were recently approved so no proposed language but just put on your radar and see if there's any any changes that we need to make to it in the future I'd like to um in end the very last thing on there um you think it'd be a good idea to list of magnet scho did just have a blanket statement magnet schools I think we are just list them we listed the other two and I just thought it'd be good to lift list them also are are the magnet schools automatically granted a Zone exemption if they test magnet school I think they are M Maxwell yes Mr I think the suggestion here is just simply just to name them and he just wants to add their names the names of the schools F and and my go Central Central and Thurman Francis I second that decision I don't see one other question is where where's I be program is that that's open Zone that's program yeah would that be included in this should be I'm sorry but what did you say would the IB program at Oakland be included in this list it's open Zone I don't know but then you get into the whole 10 seats that we were opening up to yeah Dr Sullivan what do you think I would consider it different because it's these are all Standalone schools we need to put uh another statement in there that students that want to go to the IB program it's it's open Zone that's the way it was first the original set up that is still dependent I think uh Dr Sullivan isn't it dependent on if the school is overcrowded is they have a they have seats for that I believe I need to go get my computer I believe we have a policy that connects some of that IB don't we yes we do for I being okay I think CL CLA what I think Butch is getting to does that do you include that does it need to say does it need to say Oakland IB Program yeah this doesn't need to be Oakland right yeah that would be mislead it's it's it's that so if you wanted to if you wanted to Simply name all the schools you would add in place of the magnet schools you would add the language um Herman Francis Central Central and Oakland IB and McFadden and then Oakland IB specifically right so if you wanted to do that I don't see a problem with that and it just takes care of it Miss Maxwell oh getting that's right okay I wasting up all of them not just specifically to IB Oakland because I know Blackman's is open as well there Bor program um L has a program okay so we're getting into semantics right here do we list every open enrollment program that you have then there only one I program Oakland High Schools IB and L high schools um Early College are the only ones that accept out of district has there been any more discussion about black men opening their Collegiate Academy only if we simar fashion if we open everybody else's but we decided not to recommend that this year until zoning until the zoning is over yeah it's a zoning issue that's causing that yeah but that's something we really would like I think possibly to vote on after the dust settles from 25 26 and the new high schools come online and we can discuss some through that suan so are we looking at mcf Central Middle High Thurman Francis Oakland IB and then L High School what was that early college early college M but if the other schools open up then we're going to have to go back and redo this we will if that's what the board decides at that time yes cuz I know Larry would want his Humanities program added everybody would right and right now is an issue with the zones with the overcrowding and that's why they're not open to everybody but they technically could be open to they're not open to everybody right now because it's not a nationally recognized program that's been the board's distinction or reasoning in the past but those were previous boards so when can we make that decision to include everybody I'd recommend we wait till zoning settles I'd hate to make another decision for them changes numbers again for high school because they're still trying to get their bearings right now with numbers can we put that on the agenda after I would wait till next school year okay that's fine scho year for sure part of the agenda for next school year yeah we go into effect 2627 not 252 right right right yeah that's fine it's your recommendation when is she be included it's just a matter of time of when yeah any other discussion yes hary doing it again Dr Sullivan on D here we're talks about specific procedures will be developed and approved by the director of school the process will be overseen by the director's design um and Miss Ridley I don't know if you might know the answer to this is there a policy that speaks to that or something that we can reference in this policy for a parent to go see what those procedures are and how it works because I know it comes up every year about and I and I've heard Mr mccan say you know it's done by Lottery and that kind of stuff but I think in the policy it would be nice to point them to whatever those procedures are so I believe it's on our school choice website let me check real quick I think it's all there um if it is can we just reference that on D me check that they can find those procedures under the school choice tab or whatever it is you can just put that under the school choice portion of the ruford County School's website there's a lot of information there with all the different specifics for each one so that'll work okay I think that'd be great just so that they know what when they read that it's not just like well okay what is that they have a place to get pointed to to see what those procedures are and that way it'll hold in case the legislature changes their mind and changes the law again in the next couple months any other comments discussion since we're not voting that's just discussion we can move on to the next one and I've made all those notes from those suggestions so the next time we look at this one I'll have those for everyone next one is policy 2.85 that's purchasing this was also postponed from our last meeting on October 15th of 2024 Mr rley do you have details on the reasoning we postponed it that you can refresh everybody I don't have that in the minutes um I just have that a motion was made and seconded to postpone it to the next policy committee meeting do look like we have any changes no proposed changes to this one any questions or comments I me um I was Wonder that if uh a lot of times low beit is not the best quality and say Somebody Like Larry if he's buying something for Seagull and the low bid is something that he feels like it's not as high not as good quality as something else may a little more do he have that option to make that choice himself he does it's option between Quality Service m things that the contoller gives us any other questions yes Mr VA we're talking about purchasing right M you get over there um routine purchases I'm sitting here reading it and I apologize should WR all this where I got here but it but it references um newspaper advertising and until the law changes that's the way it's still worded it's still that way but could you can you utilize online absolutely and we do is that what we do now that's what we get now there yep because the circulation of all printed PR little low yes sir so long as it's on the online version of those papers okay thank you for that clarification any other questions if not I'll entertain a motion move to approve second thank you Mr vau all in favor say I I motion passes next policy is 2.88 this is purchase orders and contracts this would add the highlighted language of exemptions from the purchase order requirement This was um requested by our um CFO and it is to follow the same process the Rutherford County government follows um to make sure that we're the same I'll add to that if you go to Rutherford County government's website under their policies and procedures for purchasing this is what they have listed verbatim is what they do not require for POS for purchasing any comments questions thank you m sharp any second second thank you Mr tidal all in favor say I I any opposed motion passes thank you next policy is 4.63 this is promotion and retention this is on recommendation from the State Board of Education regs that um would add the highlighted language um that requires ret retention voluntary retention in kindergartens through 2 grade to be in writing yes ma'am the recommendation of the State Board of Education M Maxwell yes M I have some questions around um technicalities within P um cenes 6 through 8 that are requested to change um and understand is requested by the state board um so this is solely at the discretion of the parent if I read that correctly this is not a decision that was collaborated with the district and so if a parent so if the district de believes that is in the best interest of the child to be retained does the parent still have to submit a no if a parent eles to retain the student okay that's only in kindergarten through 2 grade oh this is only for kindergarten through second grade can that be can that be specified in the senten is that this is only applicable for kind kindergarten through second grade it is in lines two oh I'm sorry sorry I am so sorry if I overlooked that and then the second question um if a kid had been retained once and the parent this elect to retain them can they still be retained and third gr reten the third grade retention that cannot be retained a second time they're exempt for the for retention so if K through third they retain again in kindergarten and the parent feels like they should be retained again what's the scenario like for that in that case I don't know if the I don't I don't know I'd have to look that one up that's the way I understand this one mrz is just the parent making school administ okay okay so it's just a wish gotcha okay it was again it's technical questions that I was asking so I was just sir sport policies to get to be retained twice right so they just need to follow just need to board policy yes Mr VA question you know this probably that's the reason for the February 1st deadline for the board for for the school system to notify that parent that way they've got plenty correct yes sir it seems like an early it does to me it would be but it's a you got plenty of time but you you would want to give the parent start those discussions and that's what it's a that's what it's aimed at yes sir thank you any other discussion comments I'll entertain a motion Mo Mr B second thank you Mr Tidwell all in favor say I I any opposed Mo passes thank you next policy is 4.65 graduation requirements we also postponed this one from our last meeting the reason for the postponement on that one is um we wanted some input from our High School principles um to see what changes if any needed to be made and I think I think we're still working through some of those things of course we've already had um graduate early graduation for this year in December um so if we change this now um it really wouldn't be fair so probably change it over the summer if we're going to make any changes to start with the following school year yeah we need to have more internal discussions we did not come to a consensus and there's not going to be a consensus so we're just going to have to come up with a a decision and make one and propose it to the board Mr Cy did a great job trying to get a consensus and he changed what his Viewpoint was halfway through the decision so I just move we postpone this again second Miss sharp and uh we seconded over here Mr Mr vaugh okay we shall move on all in favor to move on I okay we'll come back to this another day M Ridley yes policy 5118 background investigations um this would add language regarding background checks and the FBI wraback program for employees and other individuals having um proximity working with students so there are a few things here that we have to decide um and you'll see the changes are in yellow so right now uh the committee needs to decide whether contractors and volunteers will be included in this rback program and um I don't know if the committee is aware of the rback program but it's a federal FBI program that um gives us continuous updates on backgrounds people's criminal backgrounds so right now when you go for a background check it gives you a snapshot of what is you know what is on your background at that time and then as you continue to be employed we do um rescreen people every 5 years as is required per law but the wraback program um gives it to us in real time so if you were hired last year but you were arrested this year for something they would notify us as part of that program yes so it's a new thing that Tennessee got accepted into the FBI program and so now we are doing that but what the committee has to decide is whether we are going to include our contractors Volunteers in that and whether we are um going to um reimburse any costs for these we go over the cost because the cost is pretty substantial from what we're paying now for what we will have to pay yes so right now um the wrap back part of that is $50 per employee or contractor per person and then in addition to that is the $37 fee for fingerprinting so altogether if my math is right that's $87 per person one time yes it is but it includes Yes But it includes every volunteer that we approve non-faculty um so just for this year when it went into effect from December on WE increased um our budget over $85,000 just to approve which we can cover but it was unexpected that we did not know was coming um so it was a pretty big hit that we didn't didn't anticipate what are we current what were we paying for the background check 37 the first amount which we still will do and it is without a doubt we want to continue for employees and all of that with the I was going to ask you what is your recommend do you think that we need to do this for all volunteers even the ones that show up you know maybe two times a year to help with you know not right now I would recommend to continue with our employees um and then the other ones for right now to do what we currently do okay because they go through rapt right so Raptor should be up to dat it should be up to date as well yes because they're coming to the school they would Raptor in yes yes yes sir we wait wait it depends if the system's working well a couple weeks um sometimes with the state it has been several months that was a couple years ago it it has fluctuated between weeks and months do we have a second for that second second Miss Rosales all in favor say I I is added did you add that or say revisit revisit visit I'm sorry revisit I'm sry sorry I'm sorry that revisit Dr Sullivan M the way this is currently written where it talks about um the board reimburse applicants if the position is offered and accepted I know we just talked about revisiting it but I'd just like to know for clarification moving forward would it not be better to do that only when when you've decided to hire someone and then their hiring is subject to subject to approval of that so that you don't have like five applicants that were asking to spend that money if you know you're not hiring yeah and that's usually the way it does work that is the way it's worded yes they wouldn't go for a background check until all their paperwork was turned in okay and so if they pass and they accept the position then they would be the only one offered that yes yeah and I didn't come up with that recommendation on my own that was also presented by tsbi and the TBI had the presenter and that's what their recommendation was to go with your employees yeah that's not a recommendation I'd go out there on my own with of not to include contractors or volunteers can we go ahead and vote on this if even though we're revisiting that section okay take a motion well I think we need to probably need to strike the include contractors and volunteers off of line 17 for right now because they just spoke about okay the fact that they go through Raptor currently correct and they'll still have their normal background check they'll still have the $37 and whatever TBI background check they'll still have that so I would make a motion to then strike strike contractors and volunte volunteers line 17 okay second did by Miss sharp all in favor say I I any opposed thank you we approve thec change no I to approve it by and and strike that but that was that was motion was to approve the well I just made the motion to strike out of 17 right now which I guess then would also eliminate lines 28 and 29 from the policy right now as well okay and we're revisiting so therefore RIS 23 through 2 we need to keep 28 and then 1 through 7 on the next page if we're not adding contractors and volunteers to the rep back program which we're not I'm sorry can you say it again Mr if we're not adding contractors and volunteers we need to keep 2829 and then 1 through 7 on page two I make a motion to retain lines 28 29 and in lines 1 through 7 for the recommendation as written seconded by missar all in favor say I I any opposed okay can I recap a little bit on where we're at yes please do so when we vote it looks like we'll be voting on 17 through 22 postponing 23 to 25 voting approve 28 and 29 and 1 through 7 does that sound correct M Ridley yes so and on line 17 we have removed the order include contractors and volunteers sh yeah we need to recommend sh because that's what we're doing already and this is already into effect for our employees we do pay yes so actually lines 23 and 25 we need to keep change to Shelty yes because right now what happens with our employees is once the job is offered and they have to go for their background check they get a code from our HR department so when they go to get fingerprinted they don't pay they just give them the code and that is build to our HR department so we don't we don't reimburse they don't have to submit something and then we you know we send them a check for that we just give them a code so that their background check they don't have to pay out of pocket so so this would change that process then voting this in because this is saying we would reimburse them if they accepted the position well maybe the language should say instead that the board or yeah the school board will continue to pay for background checks in the wraback program for successful applicants that's totally different than this is saying let me I intended my motion to be we would revisit the contractors and volunteers paying for that that's what I intended okay the the first part of that is for employees only the second part that starts at 28 that's for contractors and volunteers yeah so then why if that's for contractors and volunteers which we're not paying why would line four be in there about us reimbursing the applicant if the position is offered and accepted so the way that the proposed language came from the tsba is if we chose to include contractors and volunteers we would just have that first first section 17 through 25 and we would just keep that if we didn't choose which the vote was that we're not choosing that we have to go and include that second language that second part if you read if you read through it it says only include if District do not want to enroll contractors volunteers no I understand that but it still says on line four on the second page the board shall reimburse the applicant if the position is offered or accepted which makes no sense when you're talking about contractors and volunteers because we're not we're not paying those people so they're not accepting any kind of position so that line like shouldn't even be there because if we're not requiring the rep back there is no but we're we're requiring them to be fingerprinted right but we're not if if you're giving them a code we're not reimbursing them at all yeah so we can change that language to just say the board will pay for it instead of a reimburse I think some districts do a reimbursement that's why the tsb's purpose language says that we just give them a code we're a little more advanced so Dr Sullivan do you I'm sorry y'all I'm going to have to back this all up with the employees when they're given the code and they're going to do the rra back and all that kind of stuff and they accept the position then we've already already paid for everything but if they don't accept the position are we then expecting them to reimburse the district okay we need to change this language to then say that the board shall pay for expenses related to the r back program versus reimbursement yes because it's it's worded in the way we're doing for for employ for potential employ I think it's fun okay and so then the question becomes on the contractors and the volunteers the same thing do you want to do them in the same fashion two different programs and then if the state goes away from who they use then we can revisit this if we need to because that's really what changed it for us was who the state changed their vend so line 24 needs to say the board shall pay for expenses related to the wraback program I don't know what you want to call it mrle there R back and fingerprinting okay MH yeah Le specific or just the cost of the WRA back and fingerprinting yes cost leave it more vague line3 I think you have to L I'll be paid by the board yes there you go there you go thank thanks K do you want it to read the board or the district or RCS technically the board okay the board thank you commission so can we combine all that into Miss Sharp's motion and we need to do that for line number four also on the second page the board and then striking the remaining of that correct by the board yes okay that's that's sounds great okay so move to approve policy 5118 line 17 with the or include contractors and volunteers removed line 23 any costs incurred to perform these background checks and fingerprinting shall be paid by the board and the rest of lines 24 and 25 stricken and then online four fingerprinting shall be paid by the board period and the rest of line four and five stricken perfect Miss sharp do you care if you withdraw yours and we just go with m there's your point of order point of order floor sorry M har no thank you hey okay so miss Darby has made a motion uh do we have a second Miss sharp is seconded all in favor say I I any opposed thank you me to be no no takes a village right okay policy 5.500 discrimination harassment of employees we postponed this one from the last meeting um I believe there was a motion to add um language in federal and state um discrimination laws to make sure that we were covering everything instead of just one or the other so the proposed language that you see up there is um a combination of what is in federal and state discrimination employment discrimination laws so I have added those in there for um the committee's review thank you Monica for doing this this looks much better move for approval second no comments or discussion all in favor say I can I ask a question really quick I'm Sor go ahead call me crazy but why does the base on age have 40 plus next to it because they're protected it's only it's only for us older folks so are we are we saying that younger people don't get discriminated based on their age not based on age they're not a protected class under the law under 40 okay stby I brought that up with the twaa official when I was a 27 year old principal and I got laughed at i' just like to bring that up so it did not go well for me in my argument well listen those of us that have teenagers know they do get discriminated based off of their age when they go for jobs and stuff so I sure I still to this day feel like I did that day too so okay cool okay I'm all in favor of the motion say I I any opposed motion passes okay last one is policy 6204 attendance of non-resident students and this would clarify the geographical boundary for non-resident students and you'll see the proposed language just changes from the school system boundaries to Rutherford County yes yes Miss Shar an open make at the state level am up if your entire district has open seats yes so wouldn't apply to us but yeah we don't we don't have any open seats we do not but if for others yes okay any other comments or discussion V for approval thank you Mr VA second Mr crey all in favor say I uh any opposed motion passes to wait we quick before we move to J I just want to say that um for anyone that's open uh and wanting to come there's going to be a meeting with uh Mike Sparks um and related to one of his caption bills that he opened specific to mental health it's going to be held here in January 21st at the assessment's conference at uh 1:00 thank you thank you here one o00 in the board assessments conference room one conf yeah it's just in the back any other discussion we're adjourned