December 16, 2024

Bristol Tennessee Board of Education: Front Row (L to R): Debbie Darnell and Jennifer Henson. Back Row (L to R): Eric Cuddy, Derek Linkous, and Jim Butcher.

• Anderson students Nathan and Hunter Lankford led the Pledge of Allegiance.

• The board approved the following:

  1. Financial Reports, Revenues & Expenditures, for School Board approval and listings of bills paid in September and October for General Purpose, Federal Projects, School Nutrition, and School Capital Projects Funds. November reports for all funds will also be reported at the next meeting.

  2. General Purpose Fund - Budget Journals #2 and #3 for September 2024 and Budget Journal #4 for October 2024.

  3. Federal Projects Fund - Budget Journals #03 and #04 for September 2024 and Budget Journal #5 for October 2024.

  4. Capital Projects Fund - Budget Journal #01 for October 2024. This revision also has an impact on the General Purpose School Fund transfer to this fund in FY 2024.

• The board approved a listing of surplus and obsolete items.

Anderson Elementary Principal John Sproles, alongside Anderson dads Ben Good and Nathan Hitchcock, Jaedian Berry (Communities in Schools student support coordinator), and Joseph Smithdeal (Frontier Health school-based therapist), presented on the school's All Pro Dads program. This new initiative, which meets monthly before school, fosters meaningful relationships between fathers—or those in fatherly roles—and their children. The program emphasizes community building and creating impactful moments of connection. The presenting dads shared personal experiences highlighting the program's positive impact on them and their children, while Mr. Berry and Mr. Smithdeal expressed their passion for supporting families and strengthening these critical relationships.

• The board approved the following policy on second reading: Policy 5.400, Personnel Health Examinations/Communicable Diseases.

• The board approved the following policies on first reading: Policy 3.217, Therapy Dogs (New); Policy 4.402, Library Materials; Policy 4.600, Grading System; Policy 6.3071, Student Alcohol and Drug Testing.

• The board approved the TISA Accountability Report.

• The board approved the Access for All Learning Network (AALN K-8) application.

• The board approved for the district to join the Frantz Law Group in its nationwide litigation efforts on behalf of school systems against Insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) who have artificially inflated the price of insulin at the expense of self-funded health plans and their members and beneficiaries.

• The Report from the Director of Schools was given by Dr. Annette Tudor.

• Board members heard comments from City Council Liaison Margaret Feierabend.

• The Bristol Tennessee Board of Education provided individual comments.