Terry Crump

The Board of Education meeting focused on several key operational and policy matters. The Board adopted new board norms and protocols for the coming year. Discussion was held regarding an amendment to the K-12 student cell phone policy to comply with new state law, with a second reading and vote scheduled for the next meeting. Recognition was given to outstanding students in technology competitions and school library media specialists. The girls basketball team from Murray County High School was honored for winning the state championship. Furthermore, the Board adopted a vision resolution and reviewed financial reports, including the status of collections and budget performance for the fiscal year.

The meeting included the approval of the agenda and a federal programs update concerning Coker Elementary and Eton Elementary schools, which are identified for targeted support due to performance in the students with disabilities subgroup on milestones assessments. Discussions focused on setting goals to reduce the percentage of students scoring at the beginning learner level (Level One) in ELA and Math. The implementation of instructional improvements, including specially designed instruction (SDI) and co-teaching strategies training, was reviewed, along with data from I Ready pathways. The board also reviewed the annual progress report for the five-year strategic plan, highlighting achievements in student achievement and success, wellness, and instructional technology.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the agenda. Key discussions focused on operational financial effectiveness, specifically a small bond issue of approximately $5.8 million to finish the renovation at Murray County High School, which secured a favorable interest rate of 3.17% with Regions Bank. The board approved the bond resolution. Recognition was given to star students and star teachers based on SAT scores, including honorees from North Murray High School and Murray County High School. Discussions also covered the status of building control installations, noting Spring Place Elementary is nearly complete and all Southoun schools are done pending control installation. Furthermore, the board discussed potential collaboration with Murray Head Start regarding younger children enrollment and confirmed dates for Kindergarten and Pre-K enrollment in March. A significant portion of the meeting addressed state legislation regarding social media use, requiring the adoption and submission of a new social media policy to the DOE by April 1st. Finally, the board discussed the implementation of cell phone restrictions, favoring applying them uniformly across middle and high schools starting next year, pending state law finalization. The financial report showed the January deposit (December numbers) was $694,000, which is an improvement over the previous year and the prior January.

The session focused on reviewing and adjusting the agenda, followed by public participation. A significant portion of the discussion centered on student achievement data, specifically the mid-year review of CCRPI data, including content mastery, student growth percentile, closing gaps among subgroups, and readiness scores. The presentation detailed changes in how CCRPI scores are calculated versus the single score calculation utilized by the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA). Furthermore, the discussion covered internal assessment data for elementary, middle (grades 6-8), and high school levels, focusing on reading proficiency using new curriculum programs like HMH for middle school and comparing internal math assessment results (like iReady) against state milestones projections. Enrollment data trends were also noted.

The meeting agenda was approved. During general public participation, a parent requested that her daughter be transferred from her current elementary school to Coker or Woodlon middle school due to emotional impact caused by teacher issues and new fifth-grade expectations. The operational financial effectiveness section included a presentation regarding funding options for the renovation of Murray County High School, including applying for capital outlay, using excess SPLOS money, or issuing a small bond. The board also discussed compliance with GASPA standards related to student activities funds, which are now considered governmental money subject to district oversight, and the implications of GASBY 87 (leases over 12 months) and GASBY 96 (software contracts over 12 months) on financial statements. Specific examples involving curriculum adoption contracts and software agreements were discussed.