Summary of Collierville Schools Board Working Session.

Mr Cox absent, all other members present.

December 2017 financial report review – all on track. Some tax disbursements posting in January.

Review of 2018 Teacher Tenure recommendation. Reception at 6:pm at next school board meeting, which will follow at 6:30pm.

Board meeting policy lists Tuesday as meeting dates – needs to be updated to reflect adjusted schedule to Thursdays.

Textbook Selecting Committee for various subjects. Samples from state under review. Formal process followed per policy. Books will be available at central office and schools for non-committee parent review. Online components also available for review. Board will vote to approve committee at 1/25 meeting.

Naming of new Middle School.

Per policy:

  • Preferably reflecting geographic area
  • Not named after living person

Open form to collect suggestions – 559 responses, 87 unique ones.

At least 10 submissions for same name, 9 distinct suggestions:

  • Collierville Middle North,
  • Collierville Middle West
  • North Collierville Middle
  • West Collierville Middle
  • Crosswind Middle
  • Dragon Academy
  • Frank Road Middle
  • New Byhalia Middle
  • Wolf River Middle

Board to consider options and other possibilities and asked to decide on new school name on 1/25.

Board to submit any additional name suggestions to Mr Jones.

Community sentiments run strong to create a unifying scheme for naming, mascots, colors.

Confusion also possible around the North/West naming. North/South not a preferred way to describe the two schools.

West, Dragon Academy, and Wolf River are apparent front runners.

School Start Times Committee – response to community requests; will be a lot of work and not happen quickly, especially with new school preparation work. Currently an RFP process started for bus services. Committee will include board member. Bus contract will not need start times to be final, as the bus contract is priced by number of routes. This is a challenging budget season coming up, with major unknowns related to school moves, conversions, etc. Will benefit from seeing the new patterns and route lengths with the new HS before the time between schools is shortened.

Superintendent Update:

  • Lots of community meetings happening for partnerships
  • Impending frost/ice/snow day
  • Only closing schools will be announced
  • Snow/ice patrol will hit the roads around 3:30am to evaluate
  • SFES voluntary transfer window for teachers is open; central office visited all current elementary schools
  • Postings for leadership positions under way
  • Tuesday 1/16 the non-resident enrollment window will open, and will be open for one month
  • MLK holiday will close schools and central office 1/15
  • Showed new fly-through video renderings of the athletic facilities

Chairman’s Update:

  • Lot of work to accomplish between now and start of 18-19 school year; need to allow them to be focused on new high school and the two school building conversions

Meeting adjourned.