On June 11, the Cheatham County School Board met for their regular session with four members present in person at the board offices; two members, John Patrick, Second District, and Christina Gilliam, First District, were present via teleconference.
During the meeting, board members discussed their evaluations of Dr. Cathy Beck, Schools Director. All agreed that Dr. Beck had exceeded expectations and done well under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as severe weather and flu-like illness during the 2019-2020 academic year.
In an update on the school system’s five-year plan, Dr. Beck said schools are preparing to open on Aug. 10 while keeping students and staff safe and following CDC guidelines. Dr. Beck said online options would be available for parents who did not feel safe sending their children back to classes, and that CARES Act money would be used to purchase laptops for grades 5-6.
In other business:
Board members approved unanimously Budget 141 – New Penny Value, which included a deficit of $306,070 which would be taken out of the fund balance. The budget would next be presented to the County Commission.
The board voted 6-0 to approve the IDEA Technology Partnership Grant in the amount of $9,999.98.
Board members approved unanimously the surplus sale of 13 school buses which were no longer fit for service. The buses were sold in online auctions at the govsdeal.com website. The proceeds from the sale of the buses reached a total of $47,981.84, assuming all parties pay the net amount, according to Tim Adkins, CCSD Communications Director. The funds are placed in the General Purpose School Fund 141 FY20- Surplus of Equipment revenue account, Adkins said.
The board voted to approve school fees for the 2020-2021 academic year. Instructional fees for elementary schools were set at $25, and middle schools were set at $55. Maximum allowable fees for high school classes and clubs were set at $50.
Board members voted to approve the first reading of a policy allowing commercial advertising on the interior and exterior of school buses, which would be vinyl decals and would have to be approved by the Director of Schools.
The board also unanimously approved renaming Ashland City Elementary School to Ashland City Elementary Stem Academy, after the state designated the school a STEM Academy earlier this year.