The Wayne County School Board met in regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, 2023 in the board meeting room at the Central Office. Board members in attendance were Chairman Andy Yarbrough, Camryn Eaton, Sherman Martin, and Amanda Van Fleet. Board members Charity Horton, Mark Staggs, and Debbie Brown were absent.
Chairman Andy Yarbrough called the meeting to order and invited those in attendance to participate in a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. Camryn Eaton offered the invocation.
The first items on the agenda included adoption of the consent items, the adoption of the agenda, minutes of the May special meeting, and the April ledger of accounts. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve, and Camryn Eaton seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Non-faculty coaches were the first item of new business on the agenda. Superintendent Davis presented two coaches for approval: Brian Pope, WMS Football, and Jeremy Risner, WMS Girls’ Basketball. Mr. Pope had a satisfactory background check, and Mr. Risner’s is pending. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve Brian Pope, and Amanda Van Fleet seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Camryn Eaton made a motion to approve Jeremy Risner contingent upon a satisfactory background check. Amanda Van Fleet seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
Overnight trips were next on the agenda. Superintendent Davis presented the following trips for approval: CHS Band – Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL, June 6-10; CHS Girls’ Basketball – Bethel University, McKenzie, TN, June 12-14; CMS Cheerleaders and WMS Cheerleaders – Louisville, KY, July 16-10. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve the trips, and Amanda Van Fleet seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Next on the agenda was the summer program budget. Superintendent Davis said that the summer program budget was approved earlier, but allocations had changed. He requested board approval for the changes. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve, and Amanda Van Fleet seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote.
Superintendent Davis then gave the board a homeschool report. He said that there are currently 168 students enrolled in homeschool in Wayne County. The number of homeschool students is similar to last year.
The next item on the agenda was 3rd grade test data. Superintendent Davis summarized the 3rd Grade Retention Law and provided the number of Wayne County students affected.
Budget amendments were next on the agenda. Superintendent Davis presented line-item budget amendments to be approved by the board. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve the amendments as presented, and Amanda Van Fleet seconded. The amendments were unanimously approved on roll call vote.
The 2023-2024 budget was next. Superintendent Davis presented the budget as previously approved by the budget committee. He outlined the increase in funding from the state’s new TISA funding model compared to the BEP. The budget includes various raises for teachers and support staff, and an increase in the amount the board pays toward employee insurance. Following a brief discussion, Sherman Martin made a motion to approve the budget as presented. Amanda Van Fleet seconded the motion, and the budget was unanimously approved on roll call vote.
Next, Superintendent Davis presented a resolution passed by the Tennessee Legislature honoring outstanding WCHS basketball player, Blair Baugus. Miss Baugus was also recently named “Miss Basketball” by TSSAA. Superintendent Davis read the resolution, which was sponsored by State Senator Page Walley. Chairman Yarbrough congratulated Miss Baugus for her accomplishments and thanked her for all her hard work at WCHS.
The only item on the agenda under “Other” was an attendance discussion. Parents of a student at WCHS expressed their concerns about an attendance policy at WCHS that requires students to make up time for any day missed in excess of eight per semester. The parents were concerned about the options to make up the time given to the child by WCHS Principal Ryan Franks. Principal Franks addressed the board, outlining the policy and providing statistics comparing chronic absenteeism numbers before and after the implementation of the policy. Following a lengthy discussion, Chairman Yarbrough suggested that the policy should include more communication.
With no other business to come before the board, Sherman Martin made a motion to adjourn. Camryn Eaton seconded, and the meeting was adjourned.
