School Board congratulates Teachers of the Year
 

The Haywood County School Board met on Thursday, February 18, a date that had to be reset from February 9 due to the snow. The board had a full agenda, including announcing the system’s Teachers of the Year.

Selected by their peers to represent each school are Laurel Garrett at Anderson, Stacie Lefave at Haywood Elementary, Lee Ann Garrett at East Side, Anna Roberts at Sunny Hill, Elizabeth Carlson at Haywood Junior High, and Gail Chapman at Haywood High. Superintendent Marlon King and Board Chairman Harold Garrett expressed congratulations and appreciation to each of them.

And there was more good news. The Haywood High School Special Olympics basketball team has been selected to participate in the 2010 National Special Olympics Summer Games in Nebraska. The details have to be worked out, but Superintendent Marlon King said it is an honor to be asked to these games.

Board members unanimously endorsed a Resolution of Appreciation honoring the Professional Service Staff of the Haywood County School System. This includes guidance counselors, nurses, school resource officers and school psychologists. Go to Resolution of Appreciation Professional Services Staff to read the resolution in its entirety.

In other business, the school board voted to change the dates for the TCAP Achievement tests from March 22-26 to April 19-23. The state first mandated that the tests must be given by a certain date, then changed it to a later date in April. Changing the date to later in April gives the teachers more time to prepare students for these important tests. The scores from these tests are included in the state’s report card for each school and the school system and in the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reporting required by No Child Left Behind.

Board members also approved for the West Tennessee War Eagles and the Memphis Blast to use the L. Z. Hurley Memorial Stadium on April 3. These teams are considered to be “minor-league,” with the players being between the ages of 23 and 28.

Several addendum items were added to the agenda Thursday night, including one that called for the board’s approval for Superintendent King to talk to the County Commission Education and/or Budget Committees about obtaining the necessary funding to replace the outdated rooftop heating and air conditioning at the high school. The units at the high school are over 30 years old. The board also agreed to let the schools apply for an energy grant to help replace some of the rooftop heat and air units at East Side.

Board members also approved a nursing service contract for a substitute nurse, permission to obtain a credit card to be used by the 21st Century grant for the purpose of providing meals and admission fees for children to events, and to request to hire two part-time employees for the transportation department to provide coverage for the 21st Century After-School Program. These funds will be paid from grant funds.

The board also approved a statement agreement/investment application with United Way for Ms. Peggy Jackson of the UT Extension Service. This application is between the Anderson Early Childhood Center and Family Resource Center and United Way of Tennessee. Money received from this funding will purchase books for the Reading is Fundamental “Book Jam” program for Anderson, Haywood Elementary, East Side and Sunny Hill Schools.

Lastly, Superintendent King presented to the board the School District Goals, Policy #1.700, for their review, and they approved the policy as stands. He also presented to the board his Goals for 2010. Go to the District Goal, and to the Director’s Goals 2010 to read them in full.

The next meeting of the School Board will be held on Tuesday, March 9, at 7 p.m.