Obion Co. BOE honors Blaylock

Meeting for the first regular session of 2019, at the Obion County Board of Education office Jan. 7 in Union City, Tenn., school board members Fritz Fussell, Brian Rainey, Keisha Hooper, Tim Britt, Kyle Baggett, Jared Poore and Barry Adams heard and approved an official Resolution recognizing and commending Dr. Paul Blaylock, a South Fulton native and Valedictorian of the South Fulton High School Class of 1964, to be made a part of the official minutes of the Obion County Board of Education meeting Jan. 7.

The resolution stated Dr. Blaylock has “graciously shared his time with current students at South Fulton High School, as a guest lecturer in their AP Biology classes” regarding preparation for the future; enable SFHS to obtain a new Video Board and state of the art equipment to run it; pledged to gift the school with additional money for science labs and a senior scholarship; opened the door for an additional $15,000 in revenue from advertisers on his donated Video Board, to be placed directly into the school’s athletic fund; and acknowledge his donations are made in honor of his parents, the late Ruth Blaylock, a former SFHS teacher, and Paul Blaylock, former South Fulton Mayor.

Dr. Watkins reported progress has been made to assure the start up of the Middle School Boys’ Baseball program this Spring, with an informational video available for view on the Obion County Schools’ website.

Dr. Watkins reported....

In the personnel report the board reviewed information regarding the retirement of teachers Deborah Batchelor and Patricia K. May in December as well as Julie Simpson, speech teacher, also in December. New hires included Melissa Cunningham and Joseph Little, food service; and Corey Moffitt and Areli Aguilar, teachers. Leaves of absence were granted for Julie Ward, teacher and Patricia Haynes, food service.

Substitute teachers approved included Mike Wilson, Katelynn Gibb, Rebecca Holtzclaw and Cori Tucker.

Two items on the night’s agenda were recommended for approval by Dr. Watkins, for the second and final reading of amendments to board policy, regarding class ranking and maintaining test and data security.

The amendment to Board Policy #4.602 reflected the addition of physical science to the options for four credits of science, for a graduate to have completed in order to successfully graduate with the Obion County Challenge Program designation. Previously the four credits of science could have included biology I, chemistry I, biology II, chemistry II, physics or anatomy and physiology.

The amendment to Board Policy #4.701, Maintaining Test and Data Security, aligns with changes to State Board of Education Policy 2.600, which the state updated to direct embargoed data may be shared with personnel as determined in board policy. The revisions in the amendment included adding “Security procedures shall adhere to guidelines issued by the State Department of Education” and “Embargoed data may be shared with personnel as determined by the Director of Schools as set forth in procedure. Personnel shall not share embargoed data with external parties.”

The board approved Dr. Watkins’ recommendation to award Hotel & Restaurant Supply the bid for the purchase of a new serving line, in the amount of $28,116, the lowest bid meeting all specifications. Bids were also solicited from Federal Equipment Dealers, KaTom Restaurant Supply, Jackson Restaurant Supply and thompson & Little.

Central Technologies’ bid of $60,260 was the recommendation to the board, by Dr. Watkins, for the approval of existing use of E-Rate Funding currently in year three of a five year period. The request, added to the current lease approved June 4, 2018 for teacher laptops, will allow for additional certified personnel access as used by trained substitute teachers. The lease agreement was with Lenovo.