Category Archives: School Boards

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Bipartisan

Sumner school board member backs results-oriented candidates

A Republican member of the Sumner County School Board is backing a Republican and a Democrat in the August 1st election for new board members.

Outgoing District 4 board member Sarah Andrews announced via her Facebook page that she’s supporting Republican Meghan Breinig in District 8 and Democrat Holly Cruz in District 9.

Andrews notes in her post that fellow Republican Breinig is “attentive to the issues” and someone who is willing to “do research” on issues that come before the Sumner County Board of Education.

Andrews is also backing Democrat Holly Cruz in the District 9 race, citing Cruz’s “passion for high quality, excellent public schools.” She says that Cruz is a consensus-builder.

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Sumner’s Phillips Announces Retirement

Sumner County Director of Schools Del Phillips announced this week his plans to retire at the end of the upcoming school year.

From the district’s announcement:

Dr. Del R. Phillips, III announced his intention to retire as Sumner County’s Director of Schools, effective June 30, 2023. Sumner County is the 8th largest school system in Tennessee, and Dr. Phillips’ 12-year tenure makes him one of the longest serving directors in district history. Under Dr. Phillips’ leadership, Sumner County emerged as a leader in academic achievement, financial management, school safety, student well-being, as well as strategic planning to meet the current and future growth of Sumner County. Dr. Phillips led Sumner County Schools to expand opportunities for student learning as the district ranks #1 in Tennessee for the number of STEM schools and career and technical education pathways.

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Abrupt Departure

The Superintendent of Union County Schools resigned in the middle of a meeting this week amid a discussion of bullying in the system’s schools.

WBIR of Knoxville has the story:

The superintendent of the Union County school system abruptly resigned Thursday during a board meeting after parents approached the panel to speak about ongoing issues related to bullying at some schools.

“I just want to say this,” said Dr. James Carter during the meeting, after several parents approached the board during a public comment session. “I resign effective immediately.”

The Board members immediately met in executive session and appointed one of their own to serve as Director of Schools in an interim capacity.

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Sumner County Proposes Big Raises for Teachers, Staff

At a budget workshop last night, the Sumner County School Board heard a proposal from Director of Schools Dr. Del Phillips that would result in significant pay raises for the system’s teachers and support staff.

The move comes as Sumner County is attempting to be competitive in the Middle Tennessee market. It marks the second time in the past four years that the district’s teachers have seen a raise of at least $4000 to their base pay.

This year’s proposed raises, to be voted on by the School Board next week (May 17th) and the County Commission in June, include:

Step raises for all teachers plus a $4000 increase to the base for each step. Step raises range from 1-2% of pay.

Step raises (2%) plus $1 an hour for all hourly employees.

An average increase of $7/hour for bus drivers and an increase in bus driver starting pay from $12.12 an hour to $18/hour.

An increase in pay for substitute teachers from $51 to $75/day for non-degreed subs, from $75 to $100 for degreed subs, and from $100 to $125 for certified subs.

Sumner’s proposed pay increase comes a year after Metro Nashville significantly increased teacher pay and just months after Williamson County implemented a mid-year pay raise.

Williamson County Schools Approves Mid-Year Pay Increase

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Coming Soon: Partisan School Board Races

The Tennessee General Assembly recently adjourned a special session to address COVID-19. Among the bills that passed? Legislation permitting partisan school board races. I mean, if there’s one thing that will help local communities better respond to the challenges COVID has placed on schools, it is most certainly more partisanship.

Missing from the COVID special session was any move toward improving (increasing) funding for our state’s schools. This despite a huge state surplus and a $1.7 billion shortfall in funding.

Here’s video of one GOP Senator who opposed the effort to make school board races partisan:

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Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible.