School board works through long agenda

When the Haywood County School Board met in regular session Tuesday night, July 14, members addressed a number of issues on their agenda. Items included a change in the school calendar, the board’s yearly agenda, athletic practice during school hours, use of the football field, policy changes, the adoption of a wellness policy, extended use of school buses, surplus computers, student handbooks and requests made by board member Daniel Thornton. Superintendent King also requested funds for a girl’s softball field.

The change in the school calendar was merely about the use of days by teachers, with no changes made to the days students will attend school. Teachers begin school on August 3 and students on August 10. To see the complete school calendar, go to www.haywoodschools.com.

Superintendent Marlon King presented board members with their yearly agenda, which they approved with only one amendment. School board meetings will continue to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

Board members approved the use of the football field for the re-scheduled Relay for Life event on August 7, which is also designated as a Back to School Celebration. All schools will be represented at the event. They also approved the use of the stadium for the Haywood Youth Sports organization for the SYS football season in the fall.

Board Chairman Harold Garrett read a number of policy changes before board members, most of which were approved by the board, but several were approved on the condition that Superintendent King would ask questions about the wording. The Tennessee School Board Association recommends these policy changes. Board member Daniel Thornton had questions about some of the policies, and several were tabled until those questions could be answered. Two policies in question involved graduation policies and employee absences due to family military leave. When more information is available, the board will consider these changes at the August 11 meeting.

The board also approved the Haywood County Board of Education Student Wellness Policy. This policy will also be posted online at www.haywoodschools.com.

In other business, the board approved the extended use of five conventional school buses that meet the state’s safety requirements. The board also approved the salvage of a list old and non-working computers and monitors.

In accordance with the settlement of a recent lawsuit against the school system, Superintendent King requested approval from the board to ask the Haywood County Commission for funds to build a softball field at Haywood High School. This lawsuit, which addressed Title 9 violations involving equal funding for girls and boys athletics, requires this request each year. Daniel Thornton made the motion, but the motion failed due to the lack of a second.

In response to a recommendation by Board Chairman Garrett, board members agreed to discontinue their approval process of each school’s handbook, leaving the authority of approval to the superintendent.

Thornton, who had requested to be listed on the agenda, ask board members for discussion on a number of policy issues, but Chairman Garrett asked him to present these to board members in writing so they can consider and discuss them at a later date. Among his requests, Thornton asked for information about the funds at Haywood High for athletics. Superintendent King reported that he is establishing a sports advisory committee with representation from across the community to help him oversee the sports programs and their funding in Haywood Schools.

The next scheduled board meeting will be Tuesday, August 11.