When Chairman David Coppock realized that the Union County Board of Education lacked a quorum and would need to postpone the meeting, he called on UCEA President Carolyn Murr to speak during the workshop.
Murr quickly described the current school situation, “Teachers are frustrated, worn out, and exhausted,” she admonished. “ Some are working until 2 a.m. to record lessons and do distance learning after they teach during the day.”
Murr further commented that if the system has money for a new position, then the board ought to give teachers more than $50 to develop and record lessons. She illustrated her point with an example that told how she spent 9.5 hours to develop and record one lesson. With 15 lessons required, teachers would only be paid 33 cents per hour.
By the time Murr spoke at the rescheduled meeting on August 18, she thanked Director of Schools Jimmy Carter and the supervisors for visiting the schools to witness the frustration firsthand.
When Gibbs asked how the system intended to support teachers, Carter said that he wanted to pay those teachers who were actually doing the work and not just give everyone the same stipend. He noted that Saylor is gathering the data and information to be used to compensate the teachers.
Carter had related in the workshop that the school reopening had gone well but only because of the staff and teachers working “double time.”
Currently 580 students are on distance learning. The rest are on a staggered schedule with 25 percent in class through September 1.
Teachers are doing in-class instruction daily, recording lessons mostly after school hours, and fielding questions on distance learning classes online whenever possible.
Technology is working to keep platforms running. Carter suggested that the staggered schedule include 50 percent of the students during the first two weeks of September. During this time, he will assess the situation to determine if staggered scheduling should continue. Covid-19 cases are currently low and the health department is helping with contact tracing.
The new position referenced by Murr is for an Assistant Supervisor of Distance Learning. Pay for the position would be on the administrative assistant salary scale at an annual salary of $32,000 to $45,000 based on training and experience.
The position would be funded from the virtual school monies, would be advertised as a long term non-certified position and would involve a variety of duties including helping Josh Williams, the Supervisor of Distance Learning and the TNVA, field questions from parents and develop a hybrid format for homebound and future emergencies.
According to Carter, applicants should be familiar with distance learning, be able to perform some clerical duties, have a knowledge of Excel and be computer literate.
Carter would use the interview process in place to fill the position. The board approved the new position on a roll call vote with Reed casting the only negative vote and Smith was absent.
At the reopening of school, Carter had eliminated the elementary sports program of basketball and cheerleading due to the pandemic. A parent, Crystal Garner, petitioned the board and Carter to reconsider that decision and to postpone elementary sports until spring.
Carter stated that he was supportive of this idea but asked to wait until TSSAA makes recommendations for high school and middle school sports including basketball. He also noted that more gyms would be available in the spring and that would allow for more distancing of players and attendees. He explained that TSSAA has only addressed football, which will have a maximum of 650 tickets sold online for home games. The middle school will also play football on the high school field.
The board approved budget amendments that mostly dealt with grants and capital projects; renewed four contracts to ensure mostly safety and fire inspections on alarms, the elevator, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers; and gave an affirmative vote for one new instructional program.
The following board policy changes were approved on the first reading: 3.204 Threat Assessment Teams, 3.405A Commercial Advertising on School Buses, 4.302 Field Trips/Excursion Competitions, and 4.606-Graduation Activities. According to Ronnie Mincey, the field trip policy clarifies that teachers or other school employees may plan trips when school is not in session but not under system liability or responsibility.
During the workshop, Carter asked what language the board members wished to add about capital projects. He explained that these projects are currently formulated by maintenance and individual school requests. He further questioned if the Board wanted a restricted account or a building plan added to the strategic plan.
Gibbs suggested that maybe a special meeting at central office or elsewhere to discuss the update was in order. Also Reed and Gibbs noted the data on bullying and the associated goals were missing in the copy distributed to the board. Apparently all concerns were addressed since the Strategic Plan passed with no discussion during the board meeting.
Adoption of a new state regulation that would enable Director Carter to suspend board policy in 10 identified areas under a pandemic or extreme emergency was postponed to the next meeting on September 10 at Carter's request.