Roane County Schools

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1. This meeting could be joined remotely. The public could join by calling 1-304-553-7794 and entering the provided conference ID or by joining on Microsoft Teams using the provided link
2. Presentations
   1. Positively ChargedWe want to recognize the nominees for Teacher of the Year: Alexis Saunders(SES), Cathy Craddock (SMS), Fawn Gray (WEMS), Sarabeth Monk (WEMS), Michelle McPherson (GEMS), Rebecca Keaton (GEMS) and Wendy Umstead (RCHS). Also, the nominees for Service Personnel of the Year: Kim Moore (SES), Becky Hildreth (SMS), Amy Morris (WEMS), Linda Keaton (GEMS), Rhonda Haines (RCHS), Ron Stewart (Transportation) and Gary Harold (Transportation). Roane County winners will be announced at the next meeting.
   2. Public ParticipationMelinda Parkins, RCHS parent, expressed her continued concerns on the implementation of Policy 223 by RCHS LSIC. Michelle Hordyszynski, RCHS parent, expressed concerns about the personnel realignment for the 2024-25 school year and various 504 plan procedures.
   3. Student AchievementWe set a goal to work with incoming freshmen, and though there have been some interventions, there are some concerns beyond just the freshmen. It looks like kids are struggling when they transition to middle school and then again when they transition to high school. We hope to have more information at our next meeting, but we need to find a root cause.
   4. Attendance Matters - Feb / Mar 2024
      • Personnel Attendance Report
3. New Business for Consideration and Potential Action
   1. Authorization to Pursue Employment of Temporary Foreign Worker under H-1B Visa ProgramMotion by Daris Harper and seconded by James Minney to approve. Motion carried. Dennis Carpenter opposed.(6:39 pm)
   2. Review of Legislative Session and Upcoming Policy Revisions
      • Review
   3. Updates on Continuing Business
      1. May 14, 2024, Excess Levy Ballot
      2. Construction of the new Spencer Middle School
      3. Network Operations and Communications
      4. Property Matters involving the Madison Avenue Complex, Capitol Street Complex, and / or Goff Run Complex
4. Consent Agenda - (Action)Motion by Eileen Richardson and seconded by Daris Harper to approve the following consent agenda as recommended by Richard Duncan, Superintendent. Motion carried. (7:26 pm)
   1. Approval of minutes of regular board meeting on March 28, 2024 and special board meeting on April 10, 2024
   2. Finance
      1. Transfers/supplements to the budget
      2. Payments of bills as submitted; pre-approval to release checks not to exceed $20,000 prior to the next board meeting
      3. Financial Reports
   3. Policies
   4. Contract(s) / Bid(s) / Agreement(s)
   5. Field Trips
   6. Volunteers
      1. Geary Elementary Middle School
         1. Dallas Smith and Amber Starcher
   7. Student Transfers
5. Personnel Consent Agenda - (Action) Motion carried. (7:31 pm)A Substitute Service Personnel calling order drawing was performed for Substitute Aides. The results were: 1. Allison Sowards, and 2. Tiffany Chandler
   1. Retirement(s)
      1. Lesher, David - Bus Operator (Bus #15) (RCS - Operations), effective April 30, 2024
      2. Lesher, David - Bus Run To and From Roane-Jackson Technical Center (RCS - Operations), effective April 30, 2024
      3. Branard, Barbara - Accountant II / Secretary II (Spencer Elementary School), effective June 30, 2024
   2. New Employment(s)
      1. Miller, Brett - Substitute teacher (RCS - Substitutes), effective April 12, 2024
      2. Chandler, Tiffany - Substitute aide (RCS - Substitutes), effective April 12, 2024
      3. Sowards, Alison - Substitute aide (RCS - Substitutes), effective April 12, 2024
      4. Lesher, David - Substitute bus operator (RCS - Substitutes), effective May 1, 2024
      5. Hurtado, Manuel - Teacher / Foreign Language (Roane County High (75%), Spencer Middle (25%)), effective August 15, 2024
      6. Anderson, Stacey - Teacher / Pre-K (Walton Elementary / Middle School), effective August 15, 2024
   3. Transfer person(s)
      1. Kinder, Olivia - Aide / Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (Walton Elementary / Middle School) to Aide / Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (Spencer Elementary School), effective July 1, 2024
      2. Stockner, Shannon - Supervisory Aide / Paraprofessional (Roane County High School) to Aide / Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (Spencer Elementary School), effective July 1, 2024
      3. Sayre, Valerie - Aide / Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (Spencer Elementary School) to Aide / Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (Geary Elementary / Middle School), effective July 1, 2024
      4. Brisendine, Jamie - Custodian III (Walton Elementary / Middle School) to Aide / Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teacher (Walton Elementary / Middle School), effective July 1, 2024
      5. Goff, Jonathan - Teacher / Music (Spencer Elementary School) to Teacher / Music (Walton Elementary / Middle School), effective July 1, 2024, and rescind action to terminate continuing contract (from March 14, 2024)
      6. Strimel, Chad - Teacher / Math (Spencer Middle School) to Teacher / Social Studies (Geary Elementary / Middle School), effective July 1, 2024
      7. Jett, Cynthia - Teacher / Career Literacy (Spencer Middle School) to Teacher / English (Roane County High School), effective July 1, 2024
      8. DeWees, Robert - Teacher / Science (Spencer Middle School) to Teacher / Science (Walton Elementary / Middle School), effective July 1, 2024, and rescind action to terminate continuing contract (from March 14, 2024)
      9. Nelson, Rebekah - Teacher / Music (Spencer Elementary School) to Teacher / Music (Spencer Middle (75%), Roane County High (25%)), effective July 1, 2024
      10. Daniel, Katelyn - Teacher / 6th Grade (Spencer Middle School) to Teacher / 5th Grade (Spencer Middle School), effective July 1, 2024
      11. Williams, Danielle - Teacher / 6th Grade (Spencer Middle School) to Teacher / English (Spencer Middle School), effective July 1, 2024
      12. Hedges, Marie - Counselor (Roane County High School) to Itinerant Middle School Counselor (RCS - Student Support (75%), Spencer Middle (25%)), effective July 1, 2024, and rescind action to terminate continuing contract (from March 14, 2024)
      13. Stricklen, Sara - Teacher / Art (Spencer Elementary School) to Itinerant Elementary Counselor (RCS - Student Support (75%), Spencer Elementary (25%)), effective July 1, 2024
      14. Mace, Valerie - Teacher / 3rd Grade (Geary Elementary / Middle School) to Teacher / 4th Grade (Geary Elementary / Middle School), effective July 1, 2024Under the personnel consent motion, a separate vote was made to approve the above item 3n. Mr. Mace recused himself from the vote and the discussion and left the room. Motion carried. (7:32 pm)
      15. Craddock, Cathy - Teacher / Math (Spencer Middle School) to Teacher / Math (Spencer Middle School), effective July 1, 2024, and rescind action to terminate continuing contract (from March 14, 2024)
6. Reports of Committees
7. Superintendent's RemarksLast week was spring break and I attended a national superintendents conference where I learned we are all having the same issues across the nation, including attendance and a lack of qualified teachers. School is ending soon. Roane County High School Awards Night will be on May 16th at 6 pm. Also, we will need to meet very quickly after May 14th to deal with the levy rates and get our budget submitted in time.
8. Adjournment
   1. Adjourn until the next regular meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 6:00 pm at Roane County High SchoolMotion by Dennis Carpenter and seconded by Eileen Richardson to Adjourn until the next regular meeting on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 6:00 pm at Roane County High School. Motion carried. (7:36 pm)