"The objective of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives." Robert Maynard Hutchins

Board of Education Meeting, Thurs Nov 12, 7:00 pm

LOUDON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION


BOARD MEETING AGENDA

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2009

COURTHOUSE ANNEX

7:00 pm


I. Opening of Meeting – Chairman Newman

II. Pledge & Prayer – Jason Vance

III. Adopt Board Meeting Agenda – Chairman Newman



Recognition of Visitors: This is the time for anyone who wishes to address the Board about any matter on the Agenda. (This time is limited to a total of 30 minutes for comments. Anyone wishing to address the Board should limit his/her remarks to allow for others.)


IV. Approve October Minutes – Chairman Newman

V. Highland Park Presentation

VI. Student Reports – Russell / Duncan

VII. Report on New Standards & Scores – Deputy Commissioner Robert Green

VIII. Deed of Correction / FLMS Property Line Dispute – Director Honeycutt


IX. Approve Budget Amendments


X. Approve Policy Recommendations


XI. Coach Approvals – NMS


XII. Approve Pilot Program for On-Line Physics Program @ LHS for 2010-2011


XIII. Discuss action on Removal of Air Monitors




Recognition of Visitors: This is the time for anyone who wishes to address the Board about any matter not on the Agenda. (Anyone wishing to address the Board should limit his/her remarks to allow for others.)

Building Program Reaches Another Standstill - Even When Safety Is An Issue

Approx. $1.4 million dollars is needed to get all schools in the current Loudon County Capital School building program thru to the bidding process (feels like we are all a part of the longest Pre-Planning Stage of buildings in the world). The latest timeline posted on this blog is currently 2 months behind and is at a complete standstill.

School board waits on the Loudon County Commission to release more money. County Commission looks like they are waiting on the school board to make a request. Historically, the holiday months have never produced any progress for the school building program (or at least not in the 5+ years since the first proposed plan was passed via Loudon County Commission in 2004, in order to meet state requirements to qualify Loudon County to impose the AFT tax.)

Greenback has had at least 4 gas leaks since school started this year. The leak before last was blamed on tampering. What if? Wouldn't someone have to sneak an enormous pipe wrench into the school to loosen a coupling? What if they weren't tightened correctly in the first place? What if they were overtightened? What if they are just too old to be safe? Why are there gas lines exposed were people can tamper with them anyway? Greenback Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ronnie Lett said the leaks could have caused a potentially deadly explosion inside the school. Over 600 children. What if?

In 2008, School Board Member Scott Newman, District 1, said that a good explanation of the problems at Greenback were compared to a clunker car. You can continue to poor money into it until you have spent more than it is worth or you use that money to get a new one.

Leak Links:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/nov/06/loudon-offers-1k-reward-sabotage-greenback-school-/

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/nov/07/gas-leak-prompts-probe/

http://www.thehunterreport.com/TAMPERING.htm

Field Trips and Excursions

I am posting a copy of the following letter for archive purposes. The letter was sent to the Loudon County School Board, Mr Honeycutt and Jason Vance. After review by the policy committee, it was determined that our existing policy is sufficient as is, we just need enforcement of the rules.

In my opinion, I would have liked to have seen an actual discussion during the workshop regarding this issue. Our current policy requires the signature of the Superintendent on each original permission slip verifying that he feels that the trip meets the policy standards. I will be monitoring our administrative staff and we will be holding them to these standards.

Sent: Mon, Nov 2, 2009 3:17 pm
Subject: policy 4.302


Good afternoon,

I am writing today regarding policy 4.302, Field Trips and Excursions.

On Friday, October 30, 2009, FLMS's sixth grade class participated in a field trip to the West Towne Mall to view the movie, "Where the Wild Things Are" and to do some shopping.

It is my understanding that policy 4.302 dictates our directives for field trips which occur off school premises and is due for renewal this month.

I would like to have the Board of Education please consider the following problems and address these concerns as part of the revisions at the next policy committee meeting, workshop and monthly agenda:

First, I am concerned about the educational content of the field trip itself. While I understand that this movie is based the popular children's book by Maurice Sendak, the educational value of the movie as compared to the book is unrealized when no reading/discussion of the book takes place. It is simply a trip to see a children's movie and bears no educational quality to the classroom.

Secondly, I have great concerns regarding the safety of the children in a place as unsecured as the mall. After watching the movie and eating lunch, the children were grouped in pairs of two and given free reign to roam the mall for half an hour and do some shopping. I want you to understand that this is a major issue of concern for me. I do NOT allow my child to roam the mall unattended or even with a friend and I certainly expect that when I sign a permission slip which states there will be chaperones, I expect those children to be chaperoned!!!! Certainly, one would not host a party and consider sitting at the neighbors house to be chaperoning while the party is ongoing nor would one hire a babysitter and think it is ok to leave the kids unattended for any length of time. When I place my child in your charge, I expect that she will be well-cared for and looked out after and while no harm came to any of the children during this excursion, I would hope we would take a pro-active stance on this policy, rather than re-active, should something ever happen.

My main concern is in regards to the upcoming FLMS trip to NYC which was advertised as having 5 chaperones for 50 kids. Nowhere does it indicate that additional chaperones are welcome to join and this 10:1 ratio in NYC is unbelievably short sighted. The itinerary states that children will be permitted to go shopping in Little Italy and Chinatown. Now, I grew up just across the river from NYC and you do not go there with that many kids, regardless of how well prepared you think you are....it's just too many to keep track of. Not to mention, the Chinese do not honor human rights laws and Chinatown is not the safest place to take young, fair-headed country virgins. There is an entire human traffic-ing operation that preys upon young children and sells them into the sex trade operations (sorry to be so blunt). Children and adults disappear all the time and while we many not have as many of the problems as our larger cities, we must recognize that predators take advantage of those that are least prepared and it happens all around us. I certainly think Channon Christensen and Chris Newsom never thought they would meet the fate they did, but it happens and we need to be prepared out there in the real world.

In closing, I would like to make several recommendations:

*Enforcement of practical field trips as they relate to educational value
*Policies that allow for defined practices of behavior when taking kids outside of school boundaries (ie. groups must be supervised by adults....no random wandering of children in unsecured locations)
*Consideration of chaperone to child ratios greater than standard classroom sizes (ie 1 adult for 5 children) especially for overnight trips. Parents want to participate!
*Going "exactly" where the permission form states (many times locations for parks have changed resulting in the practice of follow that bus, which is dangerous and also is inconsistent with the permission slip, should an emergency arise).
(Also, since someone cannot be denied the trip solely because of lack of funding, how would we deal with someone who fills out the proper waivers and requests that their child be allowed to go on a $700 trip?)

I hope that you will consider this information with an open mind, not to reprimand or cancel any trips, but to make sure that we are observing every possibility in an effort to keep our children safe. I know there are those that will say that I am simply overprotective, and perhaps I am, but I grew up in a different area of the country from many of you and bring to the table, a different perspective. I hope you will engage in deep conversation in an effort to clarify our policy regarding the safety of children while on field trips and excursions.

Sincerely,
Wendy Baustian

Education Intelligence Agency

Education Intelligence Agency (EIA) is a private, for-profit, one-man contract research firm (est. 1997). EIA itself supports no particular program or specific reform but does focus on the inner workings of the teachers' unions. Its clients cover the political spectrum, from conservative public policy organizations to teacher union affiliates themselves. EIA has successfully filled requests for information from organizations and agencies in all 50 states.
....click image below to enlarge



http://www.eiaonline.com/districts/Tennessee.pdf

Value-Added Scores - Link to TCAP Scores at bottom

Value added scores in Tennessee should normally measure a child against their own personal growth, rather than a preconceived average that all children must meet (assessed against their own skill level rather than being compared to the kid next door.) EXCEPT for this year - due to the fact that the standardized tests in TN have now been replaced with a national standardized test. So this year, we will take the value-added scores and compare them to state level data (uh, the kid next door) to make some sort of use out of these stats from the state. At this moment in time (for all intents and purposes), it is useless. However, next year it will have a comparative purpose.

STATE LEVEL DATA TO USE FOR COMPARISON

SteeKee.....click image to enlarge

Greenback...click image to enlarge

Eaton.....click image to enlarge

Highland Park...click image to enlarge

North Middle...click image to enlarge

Loudon High...click image to enlarge

Loudon Elementary...click image to enlarge

Ft Loudon Middle...click to enlarge

SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS on info regarding TCAP scores:

http://edu.reportcard.state.tn.us/pls/apex/f?p=200:20:2725383514137832::NO:::

http://www.vanshaver.com/school_scores_released.htm

LINKS TO ADDITIONAL INFO WRITTEN REGARDING VALUE-ADDED:

http://loudoncountyschoolsolutions.blogspot.com/2008/09/value-added-evaluation-program-expands.html

http://loudoncountyschoolsolutions.blogspot.com/2008/11/state-report-card-screenshots.html
http://loudoncountyschoolsolutions.blogspot.com/2008/11/state-issue-education-report-cards.html

School Board Workshop Thurs Nov 5, 6:30PM follows Policy Committee Meeting 6PM, TECH CENTER

Policy Committee Meeting will be at the Technology Center, November 05, 2009 at 6:00pm

Regular Board Workshop will be at the Technology Center, November 05, 2009 at 6:30pm

Below are the two agendas for the meeting and workshop:

LOUDON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE AGENDA
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 05, 2009 LCTC 6:00 pm
I. Opening of Meeting – Chairman Russell
Recognition of Visitors: This is the time for anyone who wishes to address the Committee about any matter on theAgenda. (Anyone wishing to address the Committee should limit his/her remarks to allow for others.)
II. Policy for Workshop Format
III. Instructional Services Policy Review
IV. ADJOURN


LOUDON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WORKSHOP AGENDA
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 05, 2009 LCTC 6:30 pm
I. Opening of Meeting – Chairman Newman
II. Pledge & Prayer – Jason Vance
Recognition of Visitors: This is the time for anyone who wishes to address the Board about any matter on the Agenda.
(This time is limited to a total of 30 minutes for comments. Anyone wishing to address the Board should limit his/her
remarks to allow for others.)
III. Administrative Reports
a. Maintenance Report – Leo Bradshaw
b. New Standards & Scores – Deputy Director Robert Green
c. FLMS Property Line Dispute – Director Honeycutt
d. Non-Faculty Coach Approval – NMS – William Cheatham
IV. FLMS/LES/Philadelphia Cafeteria Building Projects – Leroy Tate/Bill Marcus
V. Budget Committee Report – Bill Marcus
VI. Budget Amendments – Alyssa Phipps
VII. Calendar Committee Report – Gary Ubben
VIII. Policy Committee Report – Lisa Russell
IX. Update on Merit Construction Contract Draft – Bobby Johnson
X. Pilot Program for On-Line Physics Program @ LHS for 2010-2011 – Cheri Parrish
XI. Discussion of School Audits – Van Shaver
Recognition of Visitors: This is the time for anyone who wishes to address the Board about any matter not on the
Agenda. (Anyone wishing to address the Board should limit his/her remarks to allow for others.)

Also, tonight is School Board Budget Committee Meeting / Donation to Education Foundation and Budget Amendments 6:30PM County Office Bldg

School Board Member Bill Marcus, District 1, is Budget Committee Chair. The other two budget committee members are Craig Simon (Tellico Village District) and Van Shaver (District 5 and has launched his campaign for Loudon County Mayor)

LOUDON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET COMMITTEE AGENDA
Central Office Boardroom 6:30 pm
I. Opening of Meeting – Chairman Marcus
Recognition of Visitors: This is the time for anyone who wishes to address the Board about any matter on the Agenda. (Anyone wishing to address the Board should limit his/her remarks to allow for others.)
II. Education Foundation
III. Budget Amendments
IV. ADJOURN