Board Business Meeting. By Phone. Full Board Present.

Unique situation: this is the deferred March business meeting, which is now held virtually due to COVID-19

Presentations:

- Dixon Hughes Goodman – auditor. Presenting results of the school year 18-19 financial reports. Audited both the regular board financials, as well as a full audit of the school activity funds, per TN state law. Process ran well, thanks to CFO Anita Hayes. Unmodified/clean opinion for the main funds. No material weaknesses or significant deficiencies of internal controls. No non-compliances. Grant funds ~$6M: unmodified/clean opinion. Student activity funds: significant improvement, clean/unmodified opinion. Last year there were some issues, which were resolved during the current year. Some purchase order approval timings as well as timely receipts of cash received, but nothing out of the ordinary. Recommendation to continue working on these processes – lots of interest from the state. Report on major estimates and valuations: no major issues, one adjustment for the Apple lease.

- Student Success Course presentation – Mr Roger Jones. (Comment from Mr Hansen that the graduation requirements that include this course are on the agenda, but will not be voted on at this meeting).
Mr Jones reiterated the best interest of the student body is at heart of all decisions. Addresses some of the community concerns. Course name of ‘Freshman Advising and Mentoring’ is removed, and will be ‘Student Success.’ State elective course, could also qualify for college credit. Presentation will be posted online. Parents asked for additional research on this course, and the perceived benefits. CHS is partnering with the ACT organization: ACT Holistic Framework. ACT organization very supportive of the plans for this course to prepare students for success. ACT is also making professional development available for teachers. Focus not just on core academic success, but also on educating the whole child. Skills for 21st century success, be it college or the workforce.
What does this do in relation to mentoring? Freshman mentoring will still be part of the program for freshmen. Any teacher with  high school certification is qualified to teach the course. This will not limit students in their academic opportunities. Through partnerships with U of M, UT Martin, TCAT, Southwest TN Community College, there are ‘unlimited’ opportunities for students to be challenged, including online classwork. Coursework is expected to align with the ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ work that is under way for the strategic plan. Point made: around 260 freshmen are currently taking study hall. The Student Success course is going to have a study hall component.
Board Member Gibbs asks if this course can be delivered online – Mr Jones responds that would not fit the format for the course. Mrs Gibbs: what about students transferring in at a higher grade? That is still under consideration, especially in light of the graduation requirement that is under proposal. Mr Jones also highlighted that there is some possible alternate methods to satisfy the course graduation requirement. Mr Cox will review the materials and reach out to Mr Jones with any questions. Mr Warren asks why this should become mandatory, and whether there is cost to the new partnership with ACT and if Collierville will ‘receive credit’ for co-developing the curriculum. Mr Jones outlined the benefits freshmen will see when they come into a 2800-student high school. Improved assimilation into the CHS community. Also all the ways this will prepare students outside academics for their future, in college or in the workforce. ACT is excited about the (groundbreaking/cutting edge) work Collierville has already done on the curriculum, and is looking forward to being able to use this type of material at a national level. Mr Hansen asked if other districts in TN are working with ACT. Mr Jones indicated they are not. The Holistic Framework is new for ACT, and CHS’ timing is just right. Mrs Chism will study materials further, but also has questions now: as overloaded as students can be, will this not make it harder for students to get all their courses in if they have specific plans, such as four years of foreign language? There are only 22 credits required for graduation. The scheduling process allows for a lot of flexibility. Mrs Chism questions that requiring this course of all students is the right approach, since the information presented indicates ‘some students’ need this, not all students. Mr Jones rebutted that the research shows a program like this will benefit all students in some form or fashion. Mrs Chism sees the positives the course may offer, but wants to see it as optional at this time. Mrs Gibbs references parental concerns with students mentoring students. References new challenges this coming school year, and that students from all grades need mentors, and are not going to be in a position to provide mentoring to other students. Mr Jones points out that the challenges they will face underlines the need for mentoring. The student mentor application process is rigorous. There will be a teacher in the classroom at all times.

Public Comments – one person requested. Marian MacDougal. Commented about student success course – questions whether the course is approved by the state, and whether it is legal to make it mandatory, and her concerns about having students involved in the teaching of the course.

Approval of agenda, February minutes, February financial statements (ratios of revenues ahead of expenditures in both general fund and nutrition fund; CIP funds coming in monthly now for current year, plus last year’s allocations). Mr Hansen asked about sales tax revenue projections with the town in regards to funding. Discussions are ongoing. No further questions.

Chairman’s Report:

• Acknowledges frustration exists about uncertainty about remainder of the school year. Dependent on State direction. No answers are clear yet, but when they become clear, they will be communicated to the community at once.

Superintendent’s Report:

• Number one priority is to keep students and employees safe and healthy. Has been inspiring to see everyone come together in a crisis. Essential employees and volunteers working hard. Teachers and counselors keeping students engaged. All this was developed and implemented while all dealing with their own challenges. Everyone going above and beyond.
• Needing to respond to federal and state regulation changes. On April 28 board policies will be addressed for temporary changes.
• Durham asked for continued payment of full rates, but contract only requires fixed cost to be paid. They may recoup some cost through federal assistance.
• Next year budget will be voted in April 28 meeting. BEP funding is projected to increase, but numbers are tentative.
• Local option sales tax and mixed drink tax revenue projections are unknown. Title I funding has known reduction around $1M, which will require some adjustments as those resources will go to general funding.
• Expecting teachers’ step raises, but no cost of living. Not expecting layoffs.
• Superintendent will do one-on-one reviews of proposed budget with each board member prior to the next board meeting.
• Thanks board members for the flexibility on holding this board meeting in this current format.

Business Items:

• Budget Amendment to General Fund
• Budget Amendment to Nutrition Fund
• Budget Amendment to Capital Fund
• Bid for tree removal and tree planting at CHS
• Bid for HVAC work at Tara Oaks
• Bid for Lighting at Tara Oaks
• Textbook Adoption Proposal
• Policy on Graduation Requirements – held over to next meeting

Updates to policies and new policies to accommodate what is being done for the emergency school closures:

• Policy on Emergency Closings
• Policy on Employee Designations during emergency closure
• Policy on Telework during emergencies
• Policy on FFCRA leave: Families First Coronavirus Relief Act: two weeks’ of paid leave in case of COVID-19 related inability to attend to work

Meeting adjourned.

Tags: Citizen's Report, Collierville Schools, Curriculum

Summary of the February 25, 2020 Collierville Schools Board business meeting.

Mrs Chism absent (traveling). Rest of the board present.

Special Recognition: Collierville High School. Mr Roger Jones presented. Highlighted the musicians that played in the open area in front of the library.

Special Presentation: Update on the curriculum. Topic of interest for the fairly large crowd that turned out.

Mrs Louise Claney, Chief Academic Officer, presented on the refinement and realignment of the curriculum, specifically at the Middle Schools. Highlights:

• Curriculum team overview, and summary of mission. Department continually reviews and assesses curriculum needs, student qualifications, etc.
• Walked through history of middle school STEM cohorts, STEM for everyone in elementary schools, STEM for everyone in middle schools
• Physical Science in 8th grade (honors course) will continue to be offered in 8th grade – high school elective credit
• STEM will become graded elective, offered for 2, 3, or 5 days. This will be part of the possible 2 separate elective hours to take in middle school
• Social Studies in 8th grade will have an honors CLEP-aligned course made available. Content to be developed by mid-summer to be ready for 20-21 school year.
• English – low number of students (~30%) shows mastery on English I End of Course – which is below expectations. No (rigorous) English course available for seniors who took English I in 8th grade, which colleges/universities are asking for.
• 6th and 7th grade will offer standard and honors options for English, based on CASE21 score and grades
• 8th grade will have standard, honors, and English Honors I (Freshman English) options
• Math: Algebra I results in middle school are showing alarmingly low levels of mastery on the End of Course exams. The EOC is not testing at the honors level, they are testing at the standard level. The overall conclusion was that students were not being served appropriately, and were being set up for failure. Only a very limited number of students shows as performing appropriately. External review of teaching done in the middle schools for Algebra I and Geometry in fall 2019 showed misalignments between the instruction and the standards. This is being improved through targeted professional development, and has shown improvement already in February 2020 independent reviews.
• An additional consideration here is the escalation of math levels in high school for students who took advanced math (Honors Algebra I in 7th, Honors Geometry in 8th), and the inability of the school district to continue to provide appropriately escalating courses through 12th grade for students who are expecting to continue onto the highest levels of math-based university majors.
• Entry into the accelerated 6th and 7th grade math courses in middle school will be more challenging and will be better geared towards properly preparing them for 8th grade Honors Algebra I enrollment. There will no longer be parental overrides accepted for Algebra I in 8th grade. Geometry will be offered in 20-21 for students currently in Algebra I in 7th grade.
• No comments to address whether Algebra I would be an option to any 7th graders going forward for students who would legitimately qualify.

Moving on to public comments:

• Several parents joining together to express concerns with changes. Parents are complimentary of the district and the teachers. Expressed thanks for the presentation by Mrs Claney.
• Significant challenge with the parents’ arguments is they are using the EOC test results that combine ‘On Track’ and ‘Mastery’ (measured against the standard level) when Collierville Schools is splitting out only the ‘Mastery’ level as being decent candidates to continue on the advanced track (which has shown to be ~30-35%).
• Parents are challenging the district to make sure the advanced levels of math remain available. Comparison to Germantown School District which is not removing these advanced options.
• Question from parent whether further revisions of curriculum are planned, and whether parent input will be sought in the future. Mrs Claney responded that the ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ strategic initiative will include parent inputs. Additionally, she pointed to the Partners in Education program, which involves a lot of major local area employers in setting student expectations.
• Board Chairman Hansen pledged that all questions listed on public comment cards will be responded to.
• Additional parents commenting to support the advanced honors options that are being removed. “How will our students be able to compete with students at other schools who are taking more advanced courses that are not available at CHS?”
• One parent challenges the district to add advanced options rather than limiting them.
• Parents are asking what next steps are: have these decisions been made and finalized or is there further review? Mrs Claney: the presentation showed what will be available. “No courses are being removed this year.” (However, 7th graders will no longer be offered the option to take Algebra I with the published acceptance criteria)
• Speakers on this topic challenge the board to maintain an attitude of leadership, increasing individual support/challenges and keep raising the bar.
• Last speaker provides a bit of a different perspective that her son in High School has followed the advanced track, but is now being challenged past his comfort levels

Last speaker is addressing school bus issues. Frustrated by continuous failures by Durham to provide services. Calls for change of some kind, based on Durham’s apparent inability to provide the service levels that Collierville has contracted for.

Mr Hansen thanked the parents for their comments and suggested there may be a more informal forum set up to have more of a dialog between parents and the administration/board.

Approval of agenda, prior meeting minutes.

January financial statements. Comments during the financial update to address the shift of capital expenditures to commit and spend earlier in the cycle compared to the late allocation by the county, which requires allocated funds to be spent by September 30. Funding allocation just under $6M for current year. Some possibility to have funds held. Additional information shows that sales tax revenues are rising year over year for past 3 years, including online sales tax remittances. 20-21 budget cycle under way, which will include the reduction of the temporary title I funding. Statements approved.

Chairman’s report:

• Portrait of a Graduate meetings are under way.
• Tennessee School Board Association meeting, including visit to the State Capitol.
• Update by Mr Warren to go over TSBA legislative update meeting. Significant concern about possible future legislation that would uncouple funding levels from county and municipal districts that would significantly reduce municipal school funding. This is a topic that is being studied by a task force, but not yet an actual legislative initiative.

Superintendent Report:

• Thanks to the parents advocating for their children. Agree that we all have the same goals of what is best for our students. The bar is being raised.
• State Budget has interesting additional funding for public schools, including (some) funds for teacher pay increases. Early reading initiatives may allow for districts to certify out of additional professional development requirements if warranted.
• Portrait of a Graduate work is under way. Bartlett is also considering that same effort.
• Spring break coming up.

Business item: Approval of Appointing the Disciplinary Hearing Authority Committee of Herchel Burton, Chairman, Andy Field and Jeff Jones for one year starting March 1. Note: Mr Burton plans to retire in June. Usually hears 25+ cases each year, only 10 so far.

Meeting adjourned.

Tags: Citizen's Report, Collierville Schools, Curriculum