Below is my summary of the April 22 school board meeting. This was a working session, where information was provided to the board, but no votes were taken. Immediately following the working session was a special called meeting scheduled to vote on two items that were discussed two weeks ago.

Low attendance in the audience – approximately 12-15, most of whom did not last the whole meeting. The board was fully present, as were a significant staff contingent.

On the agenda today were 63 proposed policies regarding the operation of the school system. Most of these are dictated by law and regulation, and the language is often prescribed by the law. Some highlights:

  • Safety, Emergency Preparedness, Security policies. Notable: continued presence of Collierville Police School Resource Officers in each school. As a parent, I am very excited to hear that.
  • Community use of school facilities. This has some linkage to state laws.
    - use by non-profits only (including cultural, civic and charitable organizations)
    - school-associated groups have use free of charge
    - use of kitchens will be strictly limited, and most likely require CS employees to run those for a fee
    Intent is to make sure the schools are an integral part of the community, and are open for civic use.
  • School naming – not after living persons, but the policy also includes prescriptive language that limits school names around geographic location (street or area). This will get updated to allow the board more freedom. All naming of schools or parts of schools and other facilities has to be approved by the board. The superintendent also removed a reference to avoiding similar names, as there are already some prominent violations of that in town.
  • Retirement of facilities – need to add a stipulation that any retirement of facilities considers the settlement agreement with the county and SCS, as unused facilities are to be returned to the county school system.
  • Food Service Management – to be run as a non-profit. Any balances owed to be picked up by the school system.
  • Student insurance – mostly related to sports activities. Collierville Schools will more proactively stimulate enrollment, rather than parental waivers and assurances of responsibility, as the cost will be low for the families.
  • Home schooling – a surprisingly prominent role to be performed by the Collierville Superintendent of Schools to ensure children who are homeschooled are getting this instruction in accordance with TN laws.
  • Zero tolerance policies around certain offenses introduce the fact that the superintendent has some case-by-case leaway on deciding what to pursue and what not.
  • Dress Code – will be same as current year for 2014-2015. Policy does not have any use of uniforms after the 2014-2015 school year ends, but this policy may get changed by that time.
  • Use of personal mobile communication devices (by students) – Default is turned off and stowed in backpack or bag. Teachers may grant permission to students for use that enhances learning. Principals may grant permission outside of those classroom, Intent is to create an environment where teachers have the freedom to make such choices.

Following the walkthrough of these policies, a quick update in TCRS, which is the state retirement plan that current SCS teachers use. Current certified teachers are mandated to retain those benefits and will continue in  the program. Current classified personnel will likely also continue in this plan, but that is as of yet undecided. The Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen will have to accept fiscal responsibility for the teachers that are coming into Collierville Schools, since they are the funding body. Some changes to the TCRS are also under way, which will be addressed in the next regular business meeting.

Finally, Mr Aitken executed a lightning round of updates:

- Funding for some federal and state-level programs will have to be renewed, which Ms Claney is working on with the team.
- Updated funding estimates from the school are coming out higher than foreseen in the feasibility report. This is good news.
- Employee health insurance will be settled by next week based on meetings and presentations this week and next.
- May 6 there will be a joint working session with Collierville Mayor and Aldermen on budget.
- Optional enrollment and transfer application acceptances will start being communicated next week.
- Teacher should get offer letters within the next 2-3 weeks.
- Classified staff will be provided with application procedures by next week on how to apply for jobs at Collierville Schools. By state law, only teachers have job protection.

In closing comments, Mr Aitken expressed his gratitude for all the administrative staff in the school offices and the town offices over the past months. Tomorrow is administrative assistant day, and he recommends it be celebrated.

The chair had limited comments, and the meeting was adjourned.

In the special called meeting, the nutrition services and transportation services interlocal agreements were discussed and voted on. Both passed.

That concludes a three-hour meeting with no breaks…

(my apologies for rushing this summary – it is a late night for me at this point)