Superintendent Dr. Marlon King told the Jackson-Madison County Schools board that the district held a multi-day leadership conference this summer and launched the LIFT network, and he reported transportation and staffing figures from the start of the school year.

The conference welcomed more than 100 new teachers and included an administrative institute at Bridges USA in Memphis, professional development "EduFest" events and a yearlong new-and-novice teacher fellowship, Dr. King said. He said the LIFT network — "Leading innovation through focused transformation" — is intended to give selected schools more autonomy to develop flexible learning models.

On transportation, Dr. King provided the district's counts: "With over 13,300 students, we've transported 5,378 students. We began with 96 routes. We reduced it to 81 routes with 4 open routes. 77 drivers covering 81 routes, you all. We only had 3 late buses the first week of school, and we only had 2 drivers absent for this entire year already," he said. A board member added that many drivers also worked summer school and some full-time employees substitute as drivers.

A board member asked for confirmation about federal funding that had been held back; the superintendent confirmed the funds have been released. The board also noted that Madison High School is ranked seventh among public high schools in Tennessee, a point board members cited as evidence of improving outcomes for the district.

Dr. King and staff described the leadership conference sessions as a mix of orientation for new teachers, team building at the administrative institute sponsored in part by West Tennessee Health Care, and hands-on curriculum sessions for educators focused on ELA and math.

The superintendent closed by thanking staff and leaders for the start of the school year and by announcing the district's ongoing professional-learning priorities under the LIFT network.