The Wayne County School Board met in regular session on Thursday, November 12th, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. in the Central Office Board Room. Board members present in-person were Chairman Andy Yarbrough, Charity Horton, Dwight Bumphus, Greg Eaton, Camryn Eaton, and Sherman Martin. Board member Debbie Brown attended via telephone. Superintendent Marlon Davis was in attendance as well.
Chairman Yarbrough called the meeting to order, and invited all those in attendance to participate in a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
The first items on the agenda included adoption of the consent items, minutes of the October meeting, and the October ledger of accounts. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve. The motion was seconded by Charity Horton, and was passed unanimously.
The first item under new business was Policy Review: Section 6 – Student – 6.300-6.3072. Superintendent Davis had no recommended changes to the policy.
Next under new business, Superintendent Davis informed the board about the extension of the federal waiver for food service. As a result of the extension, Wayne County students will receive free lunches and breakfasts through the end of the current school year.
Superintendent Davis then provided the board with an update on COVID-19 in the school system, including the number of student and staff positive cases as well as the number quarantined, along with detailed information about the number of substitutes needed at each school.
Next on the agenda was the student attendance schedule. Superintendent Davis outlined the current schedule, which designates Mondays for distance learning students and traditional students attending in-person Tuesday through Friday. After a lengthy discussion, Greg Eaton made a motion to pivot to an all distance learning model for the week of November 16-20, prohibit all extracurricular activities and athletics from November 15 through November 28, and pivot to an AABB schedule with Wednesdays reserved for distance learners from November 30 through December 18. Charity Horton seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously on roll call vote.
Next was a review of the LEA Compliance Report. Superintendent Davis outlined the report, stating that the school system is in compliance with all legislation and State Board policies. Sherman Martin made a motion to approve the report, and Greg Eaton seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Non-faculty coaches were next under new business. Superintendent Davis presented the following non-faculty coaches for approval: Kristen Retherford, CHS; and Chase Robertson, CMS. Charity Horton made a motion to approve both coaches. Camryn Eaton seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
Superintendent Davis next outlined the procedures for athletic contests, providing information about the capacities of the schools’ gyms. He said that TSSAA has imposed a 33% capacity limit on all sporting events.
Budget amendments were next. Superintendent Davis presented several line-item budget amendments for approval, including the transfer of funds from one line item to another within the general purpose fund and the food service fund. Charity Horton made a motion to approve the budget amendments, and Camryn Eaton seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
The final item under new business was discussion of the 2019-2020 audit. Superintendent Davis provided board members with copies of the audit report, stating that there were no findings. He commended bookkeepers Shawna Rich and Tami Hurst for their hard work, and thanked all of the supervisors and principals.
Under “other” on the agenda, Camryn Eaton requested that no people be in the school gyms during the period of November 15-28 when athletics are prohibited.
Superintendent Davis stated that the schools have submitted student representatives for board meetings, but conflicts have prevented them from attending.
Superintendent Davis then expressed gratitude to all the veterans in our county. He recognized Mr. Walter Butler, a veteran and Wayne County’s Federal Programs Supervisor, who was in attendance at the meeting. Davis said that Veterans Day activities were not conducted as they had been in the past due to the pandemic, but some schools did have Veterans Day activities.
With no further business to come before the board, Sherman Martin made a motion to adjourn. Greg Eaton seconded the motion, and the meeting was adjourned.
