The Cumberland County Board of Education met this evening electronically via Zoom. Here are the highlights:
CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS CHARITABLE FUND ANNOUCEMENT
Through the generous actions of the Cumberland County Charitable Fund, the following teachers, groups, clubs, and sports teams will be receiving funds to supplement their financial needs. This organization awards monies to educational groups twice a year, once in the fall and once in the winter. The fall recipients are:
Brown Elementary – (library) – $300
Brown Elementary – (library different project) – $325
Crab Orchard Elementary – (Miss Gail’s kindergarten class) – $345
Crab Orchard Elementary – (Ashley Corbin class) – $160
Crab Orchard Elementary – (school side positive) – $160
Crab Orchard Elementary – (5th grade team) – $160
Crab Orchard Elementary – (Erin Jackson class) – $160
Homestead Elementary – (p.e. class) – $400
Martin Elementary – (2nd grade) – $300
Martin Elementary – (1st grade Laura Brown class) – $100
Martin Elementary – (kindergarten Blake Barnett class) – $100
Martin Elementary – (student council) – $125
North Elementary – (Special areas) – $250
North Elementary – (student council) – $375
Pine View Elementary – (cross country) – $150
Pine View Elementary – (school wide positive) – $150
Pine View Elementary – (VIP attendance) – $325
Pleasant Hill Elementary – (library) – $300
Pleasant Hill Elementary – (battle of the books) – $325
Stone Elementary – (student council) – $500
SMHS – (chorus) – $500
SMHS – (food pantry) – $500
SMHS – (national history day) – $200
SMHS – (FCCLA) – $150
SMHS – (health science classes) – $150
SMHS – (automotive skills USA) – $150
SMHS – (HOSA) – $150
SMHS – (Future Business Leaders) – $150
SMHS – (criminal justice club) – $150
SMHS – (criminal justice skills USA) – $150
CCHS – (girls soccer) – $500
CCHS – (football team) – $500
CCHS – (cheerleading) – $500
CCHS – (chess club) – $250
CCHS – (biology) – $400
Phoenix School – (attendance perks) – $200
Phoenix School – (media center) – $300
SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNIZES TOM NETHERTON
The school board recognized 6th district board member Tom Netherton for his years of service to the school system. Netherton did not seek re-election in the recent election. “I ran for this board seat to see a new Crab Orchard Elementary School to be built. We had the right board and right county commissioner and I am proud to be part of that being done,” said Netherton.
RESOLUTION FOR EMERGENCY SUSPENSION OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR
The school board PASSED a resolution to send to the state for the emergency suspension of board policies during the 2020-2021 school year. It is based on Governor Bill Lee signing Executive Order 50 back on June 29, 2020 which extends the state of emergency through the start of this school year. Boards are required to submit continuous learning plans to the state department of education that outline how districts will reopen for the 2020-2021 school year. The resolution deals with policies pertaining to the role of the board of education, school board meetings, school calendar, emergency closings and curriculum development.
RESOLUTION REGARDING COVID-19 STATE STANDARDIZED TESTING
The school board PASSED a second resolution to send to the state. This one supports and requests a moratorium on state standardized testing and accountability associates with such testing for the 2020-2021 school year. It includes end of the year exams and formative assessments throughout the year. The Cumberland County Board of Education requests that, if state standardized testing does continue in some format for this school year, the results to be used as metrics of student progress rather than to determine the district rankings and scoring statewide because of the disparity in learning methods during the COVID-19 situation.
VIRTUAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT REPORT
The school board reviewed the virtual school enrollment numbers as of August 21, 2020.
A total of 1,007 students participate in the virtual school
The number of virtual students is broke down as follows:
Brown Elementary – 73
Crab Orchard – 52
CCHS – 165
Homestead – 102
Martin – 107
North – 69
Pine View – 8
Pleasant Hill – 100
South – 72
Stone Elementary – 88
SMHS – 153
Phoenix School – 18
REGULAR SCHOOL ENROLLMENT REPORT
The school board reviewed the regular school enrollment numbers as of August 21, 2020.
It states 6,771 students attend schools in Cumberland County.
The number is broke down as follows:
Brown Elementary – 534
Crab Orchard – 412
CCHS – 1,019
Homestead – 609
Martin – 695
North – 601
Pine View – 151
Pleasant Hill – 575
South – 488
Stone Elementary – 633
SMHS – 993
Phoenix School – 61
MOTION TO DESIGNATE SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES AS “CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE” FAILS
The Cumberland County Board of Education voted 5 to 4 to decline a proposal that would designate certain staff members as “critical infrastructure” or essential workers. It stated certain staff members could be exempt from the Tennessee Department of Health guidelines on COVID-19 exposure and instead be required to follow the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines for essential workers. Under that, teachers could be required to work while awaiting test results for possible COVID-19 exposure.
RELEASE OF TOTAL COVID-19 NUMBERS IN SCHOOL SYSTEM
The board of education announced tonight it would release the number only of COVID-19 positive results in the entire school system sometime tomorrow morning (Friday, August 27, 2020)
