Home Elected Officials LSB tonight: Policy change, save the date, 2nd elementary school

LSB tonight: Policy change, save the date, 2nd elementary school

Lakeland School Board and Dr. Ted Horrell at meeting tonight

The Lakeland School Board (LSB) met tonight (3.9.20) for a business meeting at City Hall to discuss the Coronavirus, announce a groundbreaking and talk of a second elementary school, amid a variety of topics.

Link to agenda: https://lakelandk12.org/res/web/03.09.20%20BM/03.09.20%20Business%20Meeting%20Agenda.pdf

Link to Livestream: https://livestream.com/lakeland/events/9033384

With news of the Coronavirus spreading in the US and into Shelby County, the Board approved an update to Policy 4.600 – Grading System. Language struck in the policy is “A student having a 90 or higher average for the two terms during second semester in a high school  course and having three (3) or fewer excused absences in that same course will be exempted from the semester exam if the student desires.”

Dr. Ted Horrell, Lakeland School System superintendent, said this only applies to eighth graders in three courses.  But with Coronavirus, he said, we’re not incentivizing attendance.  “If you don’t feel well, stay home,” said Dr. Horrell.  He suggested students should not come to school just to be exempt from exams. “This seemed like a no-brainer,” he said.

The change only applies to excused absences and there is no sunset on the change.  It follows policy recently announced by Arlington Community Schools and Germantown Municipal School District.

Dr. Horrell said there are no plans to close school or cancel school trips because of the virus or the regular flu.  He said LSS depends largely on the Shelby County Health Department, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Tennessee Department of Education for information and all are monitored closely.  A letter was sent to parents today and information is on the LSS Facebook page.

Save the date

Groundbreaking for Lakeland Preparatory School (LPS) will be at 10 a.m. May 16th, said Dr. Horrell.  He said the event will not last all day and he wanted to schedule it before the end of the current school year.

Second elementary school

The Board had authorized Dr. Horrell and Dr. Jim Mitchell with Southern Educational Strategies, LLC to look for land for a second elementary school.  Dr. Horrell said there are several areas being reviewed with appropriate land and terrain. “This is actively happening now,” said Dr. Horrell.  “We’re looking to purchase land that we would sit on until the new school was needed,” said Dr. Horrell.  “We don’t have a timetable to build a new school.”

Rest of the meeting

Board Member Michelle Childs, TLN (Tennessee Legislative Network) representative, reviewed the Board’s February trip to Nashville for TSBA (Tennessee School Board Association) sessions.  She spoke of several bills currently being watched by the LSB including one which relates to every Tennessee district allowing transfer students from outside the district if space is available. (House Bill 2869 and Senate Bill 2180)  She said it does not allow for local control and would leave the district unable to leave space or anticipate growth. She noted that the Lakeland School System continues to grow and attract new students.

The cell tower at Lakeland Elementary School (LES) is getting fiber delivery for Verizon service there.

The City of Lakeland has transferred $3.2 million for athletic fields at Lakeland Prep and the System is working with Chris Woods Construction.

LSS is in the middle of budget preparation and is also in hiring season for both LES and LMPS (Lakeland Middle Preparatory School).  Chairman Kevin Floyd asked about the high school project and its status (A high school wing is to be constructed next to the current middle school with classes opening to 9th grade in August 2022. This will give Lakeland a complete K-12 System).

Dr. Horrell said there are frequent meetings and work is in the design development phase.  He said some CTE (Career and Technical Education) classes are being identified and the process is moving close to the initial pricing exercise. “Optimistically, if we have more money, we’ll do more. But that probably won’t happen.”

The 2021-22 instructional calendar was approved as well as textbook adoption documents.

Dr. Horrell said Dr. Wanda Terral, LSS director of technology, attended a state technology association meeting and returned with the following statistics:

Currently, 50% of districts in Tennessee have some sort of 1:1 initiative in their middle and/or high schools. Of those districts:

  • 40% use Chromebooks (used at LMPS)
  • 43% use non-Chromebook Windows devices
  • 10% use iPads
  • 7% use Mac laptops

In a generous display of kindness, the LSB recognized Lakeland Currents and Jim and Sherrye Willis with a framed certificate of appreciation for outstanding coverage of the Lakeland School System.

Lakeland Currents was recognized by the LSB at tonight’s meeting

Among end-of-meeting announcements were the Lakeland Education Foundation 5K/Fun Run/Arts Festival April 4th at LES and a Trivia Night Fundraiser March 27th at LMPS. The LES PTA raised over $52,000 at their Feb. 29th Diner En Blanc Auction and Dinner.

… Photos by Jim Willis and Lakeland School Board Eric Plumley