HCS Board of Education Meeting - January 10, 2022

Highlights – 1-10-22
- Board Selects Leaders for 2022
Every new calendar year, the Henry County Board of Education starts their first official meeting by taking formal action to elect their leadership for the coming year. Board members unanimously voted to re-elect both Board Chair Holly Cobb (Dist. 3) and Vice-Chair Annette Edwards (Dist. 5) to their current leadership posts. Congratulations to both board members for their continued leadership roles in the new year!

- Strategic Plan - Quarter 2 Report
 

Chief Learning & Performance Officer Melissa Morse provided the 2nd quarter report to the board of education on the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan. The scheduled presentation gave Mrs. Morse the opportunity to report on key work that has been undertaken and accomplished around the Student Priority Outcomes and Strategic Actions found within the community-inspired plan.

As a part of each strategic action, key highlights found in the various phases of implementation were noted. While not an exhaustive list of the work underway, focus was given to items with large impacts and substantial progress made as a part of the focus during these first couple of years of the five-year plan. Part of the sharing of the strategic plan report updated the board on the district’s efforts to keep the community aware and involved through a series of meetings and presentations throughout Henry County.

To review the highlights of the 2nd quarter, visit www.InPursuitOfExceptional.com and look for the Quarterly Reports navigation link on the left side of the page.

At the conclusion of the report, Board Member Sophe Pope (Dist. 4) added, “In all of my conversations with schools councils and community groups that I have had the privilege of speaking with about our strategic plan, this has come up that people are grateful that we listened to their voice to create the plan and that we are bringing it back to them regularly. It says a lot about our commitment to being sure that each one of our students has the opportunities, access, and outcomes we’ve committed to here.”

Board Chair Holly Cobb (Dist. 3) shared, “It really has been exciting to be a part of the conversations as we relaunch our strategic plan out in the community, and I agree that there has been a lot of excitement and lots of people coming up to us after we have presented, asking great questions, so excited about the opportunities that our students and staff are going to have because of this plan.”

- Be Ready Day 1 - 2022 Work is Underway
Work is underway for the preparation of the 2022-23 school year as reported to the board by Chief School Leadership Officer Kirk Shrum.  Be Ready Day 1 is the district’s collective effort to ensure that all operations are ready to ensure the best start to the school year for families, students, and staff.

Mr. Shrum’s report touched on the comprehensive work undertaken all across the district, starting with ensuring that the district has appropriately allocated staff members to support the enrollment projections while also recruiting new employees to identified staffing needs both in classrooms and critical operational support areas.

Operational areas receiving more detailed explanations of current preparations included transportation, afterschool care, technology, and facilities and maintenance.  From preparing transportation routes to ensuring high-quality afterschool enrichment and learning opportunities to preparing for our essential technology and safety needs, teams are engaged in early discussions to allow for a smooth start back to school in August of 2022.

School leaders also have the important planning and preparation for scheduling in their buildings and the further implementation of the district’s new five-year strategic plan.  Supporting schools and the staff members on all campuses requires a strong commitment to professional development, too.  Summer learning and professional development days are also a part of the preparation.

Additionally, Mr. Shrum was able to hone in on the district’s coordinated efforts to streamline the return to school process, including registration for school, transportation, school nutrition, and other needs.  The move to a centralized, online, paperless process has maximized efficiency to ensure a quicker turnaround time for families to accomplish all the necessary/required documentation.

Lastly, the announcement of early offering of contracts to employees to secure our highly qualified workforce for the coming year was highlighted.  Henry County Schools boasts a retention rate of employees of well over 90 percent, and the early offering of contracts helps to show our employees their value in our district.

Operational Effectiveness
FY23 Budget Priorities 

on the budget priorities as the beginning of the FY23 budget development season begins.

Mrs. Clay shared with the board in the previous month’s presentation key information and drivers of the budget cycle, including the funding sources upon which our district depends.  Her report to the board in January laid out a list of priorities that will be closely aligned to the district’s new five-year strategic plan as the FY23 budget is crafted.

The board has routinely approved a balanced budget each year which prioritizes student learning and places strong value on the district’s employees responsible for ensuring a high-quality education. 

To support the board’s core belief and commitment number four which focuses on effective teachers, leaders, and staff producing excellent results, there has been a strong desire by board members to continue to invest in salaries and benefits for employees.  The district has launched a compensation and classification study as called for in the strategic plan, and the results of this study will be critical to help the board continue to adjust its efforts to attract and retain the most qualified staff for the success of our students and the district overall.

The second area of budget priorities presented by Mrs. Clay focused on the strategic investments detailed in year two of the five-year strategic plan.  Each strategic action contains items that will require significant investments to continue the work of our district’s pursuit of exceptional as heard from and shared by our community.  Key investments for this second year of the strategic plan are estimated at $15.2 million and include items such as:

• supporting the addition of school-based staff to advance learning and experiences in targeted areas such as computer science and chorus,
• strengthening our district’s translation capability for our diverse and growing community,
• installing single-point access systems at all schools,
• modernizing our business management and energy management systems, and
• investing in performance and accountability reporting systems.

 

The board was presented with an FY23 budget timeline that includes the FY23 Budget Outlook in February, followed by an overview in March, tentative budget adoption in April, and final budget adoption in May.

Board Vice-Chair Annette Edwards (Dist. 5) stated, “I’m looking forward to the compensation study as well. We want to see what it looks like in making sure that every job family is included in that compensation study.  I’m excited.”

Other Agenda Items

The following agenda items were either heard during the informational items portion of the study session or approved as a part of the business items for the evening meeting’s formal actions:

• Acquisition of Devices for Students and Staff Including Related Warranties and Services – The board unanimously approved the request for purchase to facilitate the replacement of student and teacher devices that will be out of service warranty at the end of the fiscal year. Their action also secured technical support and services for this process.  The total cost of the investment is $39 million and is covered through E-SPLOST 6 funding approved by the voters of Henry County.
• Grade 3-5 Robotics Equipment – The board approved the district to acquire robotics equipment for each elementary school for grades 3-5. The funding will come from community-approved E-SPLOST 6 funds.  The total investment is not to exceed $123,000. 
• Reading and Writing Resource Acquisition – The board unanimously approved the purchase of K-5 core reading and writing resource, a 6-12 supplemental writing program, as well as a supplemental tool for assessing and supporting student reading in grades K-2 from Houghton Mifflin-Harcourt (HMH). The funding of these resources comes from ESSER 3 funding and totals $3.7 million.
• HCBOE Policy JAA: Equal Educational Opportunities – The board unanimously approved the conforming change to the policy as presented during the December Study Session.
• Security Access Control Bid – The board unanimously approved the bid of Place Services Inc./AdaptToSolve, Inc. to provide security access control at all of the schools in the district. The total cost, paid for through the community-approved E-SPLOST 6 referendum, is $5.6 million.
• Walk-In Freezer for Distribution Center Bid – The board unanimously approved the bid of Mobile Fixture to provide a walk-in freezer at the new distribution center. The total cost, paid for through general funds designated for school nutrition, is $123,959.94.
• STEM School Site Selection – The board unanimously approved the selection of the current Patrick Henry High School facility as the new home site for the districtwide STEM high school approved for construction through the community-approved E-SPLOST 6 referendum.

 

 Leaders on the Move

Awards and Recognition

1. N/a

   

 

Henry County High Point

Dr. Pam Nutt – Dist. 1

• Nutt shared thanks to the following coaches from McDonough High School who volunteered their time to coach selected seniors in the 2021 Senior Bowl presented by the Minority Coaches of Georgia. Coach Rodney Cofield (Head Coach), Coach Maddox, Coach Andrews, Coach Turner, Coach Tralik Cofield, and Coach Cottman.  The Luella High School Girls Basketball team was featured for being currently ranked #1 in AAAA Region.

Mr. Makenzie McDaniel – Dist. 2

• McDaniel noted that the Luella High School Girls Basketball team is currently ranked #1 in AAAA Region 4. Thanks were shared to Coach Coleman and Coach Lakes from Luella High, for volunteering their time to coach players in the 2021 Senior Bowl presented by the Minority Coaches of Georgia. The Robotics Team from Bethlehem Elementary was congratulated for earning the Core Values Award and Robot Design Award. They will compete in Super Regionals later this month.  The Hampton High School wrestling team was highlighted for winning the AAAA Region 5 Duals wrestling champion. Thanks were given to the Free Wishes Foundation for support of HCS families during the holiday season.  Isaiah Mitchell, a football player from Luella High School, was featured for being the region defensive player of the year and being recognized by the AJC.

Mrs. Holly Cobb – Dist. 3

• Cobb started by recognizing Shaquille O-Neal who brought his Shaq-A-Claus to approximately 500 students from Wesley Lakes Elementary. Shaq and multiple community partners gave students toys, clothing, gift cards, and provided lunch. Representatives from the Henry County Sheriff’s Department helped Shaq distribute gifts. The Rock Spring Elementary BETA Club was featured for competing in the State Beta Club Convention in Savannah, Georgia. Students brought home multiple awards in various categories including 1st place in Creative Writing, and 2nd place in Performing Arts Solo. In addition, the Rock Spring Elementary Vex Team 5713R competed in a VEX IQ Robotics Competition. They finished the competition in third place overall. A thank you was given to Coach Leland from Ola High for volunteering his time to coach in the 2021 Senior Bowl presented by the Minority Coaches of Georgia.

 

Mrs. Sophe Pope – Dist. 4

• Pope started her remarks by wishing everyone a happy new year. The Eagle’s Landing High School Boys Basketball team is currently ranked #1 in AAAAA Region 5. Thanks were given to Coaches Brown, Williams, and Frazier from Eagle’s Landing High for volunteering their time to coach at the 2021 Senior Bowl presented by the Minority Coaches of Georgia. Congratulations were given to Woodland High School Band Director,  Jon Carmack, he was one of four Georgia band directors selected to march in the Rose Bowl Parade in a Salute to America’s Band Directors.  She also noted the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

 

Mrs. Annette Edwards – Dist. 5

• Edwards shared thanks to Stockbridge City Councilman Thomas along with community partners for distributing smoke detectors to the families at Smith-Barnes Elementary. A special thank you was given to Representative Sandra Scott for coordinating the donation of hygiene supplies for our schools. Woodland High School Band Director, Jon Carmack, was congratulated for being one of four Georgia band directors selected to march in the Rose Bowl Parade in a Salute to America’s Band Directors.

 

Mary Elizabeth Davis – Superintendent

• Davis wished everyone a happy new year celebrated Will Anderson Jr., a Dutchtown High School alum and current Alabama Crimson Tide football player for his performance in the NCAA Football National Championship. She welcomed new leaders to the organization, recognized the announced retirement of Chief Learning & Performance Officer Melissa Morse, and thanked Assistant Superintendent Dr. Greg Benton for supporting the work of the board to highlight its place among the best boards in the state.  Supt. Davis also recognized the many contributions of outgoing Chief Human Resources Officer Valerie Suessmith and thanked her for her years of service to the district.