New FIS Board members added, Vaughn re-elected Chair

by Benita Fuzzell
NEW FIS SCHOOL BOARD – A new school board was recognized and honored during the Jan. 8 FIS Board of Education meeting. Pictured are Dr. DeAnna Miller, Superintendent and Board members Bill Robertson, Debbie Vaughn, Christy Pettigrew, Rea Jones and Carol Bransford. (Photo by Benita Fuzzell)
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Fulton Independent Board of Education members Debbie Vaughn, Carol Bransford and Bill Robertson, as well as Superintendent DeAnna Miller welcomed recently elected school board members Rea Jones and Christy Pettigrew to the first regular session of 2019, meeting Jan. 8 at 5 p.m. at the board office.

Board Chairman Vaughn was re-elected to her post, with Bransford elected to serve as Vice-Chair.

Dr. Miller, in discussion as to the establishment of a date, time and place for board meetings, suggested the consideration of moving the meeting date, from the second Tuesday of each month to the third Tuesday of each month, to allow more time for the preparation of financial documents to be included in the regular meeting agendas, in consideration of when financial institutions furnish the board office with that information.

The board agreed to change the regular meeting date from the second to the third Tuesday of each month, at the board office, and also changed the time from 5:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

The board, at the recommendation of Dr. Miller, approved the hiring of Jason Howell as Board Attorney.

Nakia Brown, Carr Elementary first grade teacher and Stephanie Fulcher, Fulton High School teacher were recognized for being awarded Teachers of the Month.

Board members reviewed information provided by Tracy Pulley, Coordinator for The Family Connection, Fulton Independent’s Family Resource/Youth Services Center, for the month of December’s activities which included events, Cookies With Santa where 21 families and 45 children were in attendance; Winter Wonderland Dance with 45 children in attendance; after-school substance abuse prevention conversations with basketball teams, BADD Club; after school sessions with the Chess Club and Art Club; Carr Student Council fundraisers and community service events; and mentoring with 11 community volunteers.

Reported enrollment figures reflected 307 students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12, with two transfers from FIS second grade to Union City, Tenn. and Hickman County; a transfer from FIS fifth grade to Martin, Tenn.; two transfers from FIS seventh grade to Martin, Tenn.; one student transfer to FIS 11th grade from Graves County; and one transfer to FIS 12th grade from Fulton County.

Grade enrollment figures reported were 24 kindergarten students, 24 first grade students, 23 second grade students, 30 third grade students; 31 fourth grade students; 31 fifth grade students, 19 sixth grade students, 19 seventh grade students, 18 eighth grade students, 22 ninth grade students, 24 10th grade students, 22 11th grade students and 20 12th grade students.

Appointments listed in the personnel report included Andrea Becker, Special Education teacher and Melissa Mora, Substitute Teacher with Emergency Certification; and one resignation, Chloe Brian Harper, Special Education teacher.

In other business, the Board voted to:

• Accept Roberts Student Insurance Proposal to provide coverage for students’ accidents, school and sports coverage, accidental medical benefits, catastrophe cash benefits, heart failure benefits, seat belt/air bag benefits, accidental death benefits and accidental dismemberment benefits

• Approve the request for Dr. Miller’s travel and/or overnight trips Jan. 15-16 to Frankfort for the KASA Planning Committee, no cost to the district, as KASA pays; and Jan. 17-18 to Louisville for the Kentucky Women in Education meeting

• Approve the reimbursement costs for the Superintendent, with the Board to review itemized reimbursement requests for the Superintendent’s travel expenses in an open board meeting

• Conducted a review of the Wellness Plan for the district, provided by Ashley Teasley, Food Service Director and Ashley Kendall, Nurse

Final approval was given by the board for the 2019-2020 school year, which listed professional development days Aug. 8, 9, 12, 13; opening day Aug. 14 and first day of school, Aug. 15.

Classes will be dismissed Sept. 2 for Labor Day, Oct. 7-11 for Fall break, Nov. 5, Election Day, Dec. 23-31 and Jan. 1-3 for Christmas break, with Dec. 20 listed as a snow day, as well as Feb. 17, March 6 and 20. There will be no classes Jan. 20 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. holiday.

Nov. 27-29, classes will dismiss for Thanksgiving holiday and April 6-10, for Spring break. May 25, classes will dismiss for Memorial Day, with the last day of classes May 28.

Dr. Miller submitted to the board for consideration the Draft Budget for the FIS 2019-2020 school year, noting she had considered last year’s income, as well as predicted income for the next year, as well as business closures, utility taxes, SEEK funds and other revenue sources, to assure the needs of all students are met, while observing no “unnecessary expenses”. She reported to the board that she believed the students’ needs had been met, “above and beyond” with the draft.

Board members were presented with proposed non-resident contracts received from area school districts for the transfer of Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funds, with the consideration of each contract relating o SEEK funds for ADA on students who attend schools other than Fulton Independent Schools, but reside in the FIS district, and for ADA on students who attend FIS district but who reside in other school districts.

Dr. Miller informed the board that each proposed contract from other districts could be considered on an individual basis, as to acceptance or rejection, or all five contracts received could be considered together for the board’s prerogative.

The Superintendent reported to the board she had met with Fulton County Superintendent Aaron Collins and suggested the FIS Board Attorney meet with the Fulton County School Board Attorney for further discussion as to the non-resident contract presented to the FIS Board, from Fulton County School district.

“This is not the contract we sent to Fulton County,” Dr. Miller stated, adding the Fulton County contract submitted reflected a designation of proposing that FIS district enter into a contract with Fulton County School district to educate Any/All pupils, providing the average daily attendance of the pupils is to be counted in the district where the pupil attends school.

As to the proposed non-resident contract received from Carlisle County school district, the designation was for a specific number of students, 10, as was the proposed contract from Hickman County School district and Mayfield Independent School district. The contract proposal from Graves County School district was for 10 students, and one to one after that number.

Board member Bill Robertson first made a motion to accept all contracts, except Fulton County School district’s contract, and table that contract consideration. He then rescinded that motion, to revise his motion as accepting all contracts, except Fulton County’s contract, and reject the Fulton County contract.

Board attorney Jason Howell suggested the tabling of the decision on the Fulton County contract, until such time as the Superintendents and Board Attorneys from the two school districts could meet and further discuss possible options.

Robertson then rescinded his motion to return to his original motion of tabling the Fulton County contract and accepting all other districts’ contracts, which was seconded and passed.

According to Superintendent Miller, a decision must be made by Feb. 1 as to a determination of the Fulton Independent School District and Fulton County School District non-resident contracts.