Franklin County School Board Reviews Policies

by K. G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer

The Franklin County school board met in regular session Nov. 18 to discuss new policies and changes in existing policies, including facility planning, student transportation and curriculum.

Prior to the meeting, James Leonard Clark was awarded an honorary high school diploma. Clark is a Vietnam veteran and served his county instead of graduating from high school. High school diplomas may be issued to veterans whose education was interrupted by service in World War I, World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War. 

Louise Cromwell spoke before the board concerning the mold problem at Clark Memorial School. Director of Schools Rebecca Sharber said appropriate measures are being taken, including suggestions from the EPA such as removing wet carpet and thoroughly cleaning. Sharber said the board of education and the school would continue to monitor the mold problem.

A new policy recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) is Policy 3.208 Facility Planning. This policy allows the director of schools to assess the needs of each facility including building and site deficiencies, technology or utility needs, safety concerns, maintenance concerns and special community needs. Also included in this new policy is an Asbestos Management Plan. Sharber said the school system is already incorporating most of these things to help with long-range maintenance planning. The school board approved this new policy.

School board Policy 2.404, School Support Organizations, and 3.206, Community Use of School Facilities, were approved on second reading. Policy 2.404 includes the language that “Parent organizations and Parent-Teacher Organizations are neither school-sponsored clubs nor student-initiated clubs. They are considered independent, ‘outside clubs or groups,’ which must meet the terms of this policy to be able to use the name, mascot or logo of a school or the school district to solicit or raise money, materials, property, securities, services or other things of value. Neither principals nor teachers of any school shall be on any parent organization or Parent-Teacher Organization board of directors.” 

Policy 3.206 was changed to include “School facilities shall not be used primarily for religious purposes on a permanent basis (as determined by the Board).”

Policy 3.400, Student Transportation Management, is a new policy recommended by the TSBA. It includes that school buses shall be maintained and operated in accordance with state laws and state board rules and regulations. The policy also included a plan for replacement of buses. It was approved on the first and second reading.

Policy 3.600, Insurance Management, was changed to include payment of 100 percent of annual premiums for single medical insurance for qualifying full-time classified employees. The change in the policy was approved on first and second reading.

Regarding Policy 6.304, Student Discrimination/Harassment and Bullying, “We had already clarified some of this language in a previous meeting,” said Chris McDonough, school board member. “This includes that students would be provided a learning environment ‘free from discrimination/harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion and physical condition or appearance.’ That needs to be put back into the policy.” The policy was approved with those changes.

For the review of Section 4 Instruction Services policies, “these changes are being recommended to continue to align our policies with practice and changes within rules and laws,” said Sharber. All section 4 policies were approved with the exception of 4.200, Curriculum Development, and 4.203, Advanced College Placement. For policy 4.203, the criteria defining an academically gifted student had been removed. The board wanted exactly what determined a gifted student back in the policy.

Most of the language in Policy 4.200 was removed; the state board of education adopts the curriculum standards for each subject area in grades K–12. These approved standards are the basis for planning instructional programs for the school system. Experimentation with newer concepts of curriculum designs, scheduling and instructional techniques is encouraged but must have prior approval of the principal and director of schools.

Most of the school board members objected to the removal of “a presentation be made to the school board.”

“So much of the curriculum is decided by the state already, and we have little input or control,” said McDonough. “In light of the new reading program, more information is warranted before such programs are put into place. A full, formal presentation is probably not necessary, but the board needs to be fully informed.”

Discussion will continue at the next board meeting, to be held in January. For more information, go to <www.fcstn.net>.