[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6313985,"mediaKeyId","2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71","parentId",2385898,"title","East Hamilton board member proposes grade‑configuration pilot to relieve overcrowding","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",9685000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71&start=9685&end=9685","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71/thumbnail_9685000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6313985/Tennessee/East-Hamilton-board-member-proposes-gradeconfiguration-pilot-to-relieve-overcrowding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313985-7b82a507a67579dc7aef5d0dc840dbdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775209857&Signature=a5~HFzXokvrn2DVF82vRyqpX2Q5wXCeLZd28LRPOFIG9oKZAwf4bPTY8uWi1kgWFdmnhxQPSNnOw4DIRORs7ygDVrSahwbqGwby9Geya6AgTHiQ4fJ6LzFoEOsfrOK1dQAV7F-WhzClMdj5ZZir3GYHLANW1VA3gZ~q7K1h1FtHVU77hthf9pnFkQgAOD0RVd2Wb~nrXh4u~hsoZbgw2B7eUNGlmyPNsqOwVgreWJoKnvieKIDySthVg7xfYUxQhAIPaNxMFL5WELkrKg6WXPtm4ih2FNuOqn5tysUhdN8ZwDKmHSEZc3Bst04UOmyM-tCE0x-Luc0XXNTk3q90otg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hamilton County School","date","2025-02-25T12:54:27Z","article","East Hamilton board member Jody Schaffer urged the Hamilton County Schools board to pilot a grade‑restructuring plan in District 7 to address rapid enrollment growth and overcrowded elementary schools.

Schaffer said several elementary campuses in her district exceed capacity — she cited Appison, East Brainerd and Westview — while the district’s high school and middle school have available capacity. To address the imbalance, she proposed a K–3 model at elementary campuses, an intermediate 4–6 school using the current middle‑school campus, and a 7–12 high‑school configuration to consolidate upper grades in a single facility.

“By restructuring,” Schaffer said, “we can close literacy gaps early, provide focused instruction in K–3 and create earlier opportunities for arts, band and athletics in the 4–6 intermediate level.” She said the approach would allow East Hamilton to retain families and better use existing buildings rather than immediately building additional schools.

Schaffer said the district planned a public meeting on March 6 to gather community input and would follow with a parent survey. She framed the idea as a pilot that would require board approval before any rezoning or staffing changes. She also acknowledged the plan could require future rezoning if growth continues, and that the board would need to consider district‑wide impacts.

Board members supported further study but flagged several implementation issues: transportation and bus‑route changes, staff assignments and collective‑bargaining or contract impacts, summer and extracurricular scheduling, and the broader precedent for rezoning across the county. Several trustees encouraged Schaffer to gather community feedback and report back later in March.

The administration said architects and construction managers are working on separate, districtwide facility projects including North River Elementary and other planned capital improvements; administrators said those efforts and the grade‑configuration proposal would be evaluated on parallel tracks.

Schaffer asked the board to give District 7 priority for a pilot and said she would bring community feedback to the board before any board vote on formal rezoning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HCS Facilities Committee Meeting 2/24/25","oneSentenceSummary","East Hamilton board member Jody Schaffer proposed converting district schools to a k–3, 4–6 intermediate and 7–12 model to relieve elementary overcrowding, especially at Westview, East Brainerd and Appison, and to expand programmatic opportunities; the district will hold a community meeting March 6 and gather feedback before any rezoning.","taxTitle","Hamilton County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",12943,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6313989,"HES proposes local-focused staffing, higher starting wages and training to win Hamilton County custodial contract",2121,5196000,7317000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71&start=5196&end=7317","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71/thumbnail_5196000.jpg","/articles/6313989/Tennessee/HES-proposes-local-focused-staffing-higher-starting-wages-and-training-to-win-Hamilton-County-custodial-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313989-6bd3b543c2cc5f00ecf00720cc0a26ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1775209858&Signature=YLjAmXF~B2Tc2sK0eSURVGWpAFEA8IAKEMWGdUkH3Y6Yj7gX68fYdHHtNkSveGQfArj3q05oKeEA61zOcnBdmYX4llBtE5Y-ftFNCkgfG3Zw1DTgrcNBe7cVzikzzPNRw5pSf3TlEtj1tvIzwx5ibJbxvdFZ4dIR-yDYso5e--tPk85xpBWbPzSJnuAh5~WhfwNFdnY3QdtvHhsFzbr3bh94ekvzsufU29flSDGWgzKv-tXumM6EdPwNGbahkh46bqNu2OqVQIGgmJVhLuc96gf5FXVfxHlcRPDaVY18okMBhOiXRTYSY2kdkZB7Qz3ox5-Ej9MDireqlejKZrqV6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HES Facilities Management presented a competing custodial bid to the Hamilton County Schools board focused on local leadership, higher starting wages and investments in equipment and employee incentives.

Brandon McCormack, vice president of business development, introduced HES as a Tennessee‑founded company that limits operations to educational facilities and said the firm has transitioned more than 60 accounts from national providers in the past five years. HES named a proposed on-site leadership team that includes George Donald as the proposed Hamilton County coordinator and Josh Arnold as regional vice president of operations for Tennessee.

HES proposed a staffing model equivalent to 334 full‑time employees (FTEs), an investment of about $1.9 million in new equipment and vehicles, and a wage band the company described as “north of market” in Hamilton County — generally $14.00 to $16.50 per hour, with higher differentials for hard‑to‑staff areas. HES said it validated wages using third‑party labor-market sources and local job-posting platforms.

On employee retention and recruiting, HES pledged a dedicated Chattanooga‑based recruiter plus 10 state recruiters and a layered onboarding and training program with 45- and 90‑day reviews. The HES presentation described tools the company would supply: an operations app with training cards, safety data sheets and multi‑language support; a QR-code work-order system for teachers and principals to report issues; and tele-timekeeping with geofencing to prevent off-site clock-ins.

HES said it would overhire by roughly 10% and maintain a 20% float pool (10% overhire plus 10% of existing staff willing to take extra hours) to cover call-outs and no-shows. The firm described daily production expectations and an inspection regime — managers would perform multiple short inspections per day and provide weekly exception reporting — and proposed an employee incentive fund of $85,000 per year to boost morale.

Brandon McCormack and other HES representatives offered district references and said the company would provide contact information on request; the company also offered a $250,000 preferred‑partner sign‑on bonus and $150,000 in contract‑period contributions to schools ($25,000 per year, as described in the presentation) separate from contract pricing.

During Q&A board members pressed for clarity on the 334‑FTE figure, how the company counts part‑time staff toward that FTE total, the company’s turnover statistics and how it would manage summer restorative cleaning and supplies. HES answered that the 334 figure represents a full‑time equivalent staffing level, that incumbents would be offered work first and that regions and managers would be adjusted to local transportation and traffic patterns.

HES positioned itself as education‑focused and locally managed, and emphasized prior transitions in Tennessee as evidence of the firm’s experience with districts similar in scale to Hamilton County.","HES presented a Tennessee-based, education-focused custodial plan that emphasized local management, a $334‑FTE staffing model, above-market wages ($14–$16.50), a $1.9 million equipment investment and employee incentives, and offered a $250,000 sign-on bonus plus annual district contributions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6313992,"ABM outlines expanded management, pay guarantees in Hamilton County custodial pitch",3395,1463000,4858000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71&start=1463&end=4858","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2385898-c0bac02e45cd661147a712265b26cd71/thumbnail_1463000.jpg","/articles/6313992/Tennessee/ABM-outlines-expanded-management-pay-guarantees-in-Hamilton-County-custodial-pitch","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6313992-7f3f6999bc9e4a782d5fa79ad5a23dc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775209858&Signature=jabWcXpD87y-llNmbGnDZ2sA1JIna29TuYwDgMCYaQZnF~FIIWQmt26o93lFpsp55pM6oFTjE1XaE4qZrx6IAEJzzVqyqW~FD0NZ5cs~nmzPFp3czcY~khqq0oprNclacB-NVn65gZv1-musQ3N1VXKA~2tfTZn9XlQ3qla3p2D8Il0CXjrNBSshPuS~F1Ki8V8b~gT8z72LOiv7VSNIcrY~UX0nGAs2kCPBiIwG~RQ3El5MGFgzn4lp754XqbRjVy8mQDsUK~wDhORLNLvx3S6IASNFptPfPSaLazPE07uY138JOyiQVB1oukoihGZhLAQk2QzOfHLt88LthLy21w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","ABM representatives presented a custodial operations plan to the Hamilton County Schools board that emphasizes expanded on-site management, commitments to incumbent wages and benefits, and a technology-backed quality-assurance program.

The company said the proposal would keep existing employee wages intact, match higher pay for any incumbents making more than ABM’s base rate, and preserve five days of paid vacation for new full-time hires. The presentation said ABM proposed an 8-manager zone structure with two district managers, a dedicated recruiter and an on-site quality-assurance manager to perform monthly site visits.

The plan’s proponents said the company priced the contract to absorb most of a modest margin increase rather than reduce pay for frontline workers. “We proposed only a 2.5% increase,” a company operations lead said, adding the firm “will match anybody’s pay” if incumbents earn more than the proposed starting wage.

The presenters described staffing and transition logistics: a local district manager and assistant manager would lead boots-on-the-ground engagement during a March–June transition window; the firm would hold regular town halls for staff; and it would not lay off employees seasonally, saying it aims to keep workers on payroll year-round to support summer cleaning and special events.

On recruitment and absenteeism, ABM highlighted a dedicated recruiting team and a call-out system for staffing gaps. The company said it plans to overhire by several percent and maintain a small pool of float or substitute workers so managers can redeploy staff quickly when someone calls out. ABM also described a scan-based verification system for nightly work using QR codes and targeted “exception reports” so managers can spot areas not scanned as cleaned.

Dennis Willis, identified in the presentation as the proposed district manager, emphasized attention to frontline custodians, saying, “Our custodians are the best custodian you have. They are the best.” He and other ABM speakers repeatedly framed the approach as focusing on local management, training and hands-on supervision.

ABM detailed benefits and onboarding: full-time employees (defined by the company as those working 30 hours or more) would be offered ACA‑compliant medical plans, paid holidays where applicable, and five days of paid vacation at hire; the company also said some benefits can be renegotiated to match district preferences. ABM representatives said they expect some attrition during background checks in transition but plan to hire incumbents first and retrain as needed.

The company compared its management-heavy model to lighter structures used elsewhere, arguing the additional managers and on-site leads will reduce “churn” and improve responsiveness to principals and custodial staff.

The board’s questions focused on concrete items ABM left unspecified in the presentation: the precise day‑to‑day count of staff assigned to each building, how the firm would handle excess incumbent employees if their prior contract listed more positions than ABM intends to staff daily, and whether town‑hall and transition timelines could be accelerated.

ABM provided references and said it would make client contacts available on request.","ABM representatives proposed an 8-manager structure, maintained wages for incumbent custodians and ACA-compliant benefits, and said they would match current pay and absorb most of a proposed 2.5% margin increase while promising continuous staffing and new quality-control tools.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

East Hamilton board member proposes grade‑configuration pilot to relieve overcrowding

HES proposes local-focused staffing, higher starting wages and training to win Hamilton County custodial contract

ABM outlines expanded management, pay guarantees in Hamilton County custodial pitch