Periodic absences for various reasons continue to cause the Union County Board of Education to barely have a quorum.
At the November school board meeting, Chairman David Coppock and Vice Chairman Marty Gibbs were absent along with Brad Griffey from Luttrell. Dr. Jimmy Carter, Director of Union County Schools, chaired the workshop and oversaw the election of Andrew Reed, who represents District 6 (Paulette), as the Chairman Pro Tem to preside at the November meeting.
With Reed presiding, the board approved several contracts. The Cintas Food Service contract was approved for three years. Others approved one-year contracts included ENA, StaffEZ, Mission Hope Pediatric Therapy, Image Solutions, Tennessee School Board Association, and Edmentum.
One concern with StaffEZ, the company that provides substitutes, was voiced by Carolyn Murr, Union County Education Association President. Murr noted that sometimes no substitute teacher is sent to cover the absent teacher's class and the result is that the class gets split among other teachers. When classes are split, instruction and student learning in the respective class are often lost for that day.
Carter echoed Murr's concern and said that the situation was occurring at all schools. He said that the issue would be addressed with StaffEZ within the next week.
The contracts with Amanda Elliott, Independent Contractor, and the Johnson Control contract for Paulette Elementary, were postponed pending changes in wording recommended by Mary Ann Stackhouse, board attorney.
The board approved all budget amendments. Carter added an amendment at the meeting to give Chip Brown a $2500 stipend for setting up the monthly board meetings.
Most of the other changes dealt with carryover from the previous budget for special education, emergency cost reimbursements for the cafeteria, and corrections to the Safe Schools Grant for regular education.
Carter also reported on the status of projects in Fund 177-Capital Projects. Fencing, a gate, HVAC replacement units, and electrical work are either complete or nearing completion at all schools. The central office renovations are also finished.
The board was in agreement with suggestions to change the wording of Policy 6.317 Student Discipline. The changes reflect the current composition of the Student Discipline Hearing Authority. Currently the director, not the board, appoints the principals to serve on this authority.
Some 11 architectural firms are interested in planning the middle school construction. The school construction committee will review the questionnaires and attempt to narrow the field to three. According to Carter, the committee may have three firms ready to be interviewed at a board meeting by early 2022. Committee meetings are open to the public and a meeting schedule can be obtained by contacting the central office at 865-992-5466.
The next Union County Board of Education meeting is Thursday, December 9, at 6 p.m. in the UCHS Commons.