Board approves curriculum renewals, personnel actions, MTSU sponsorship and chess pilot resolution

Rutherford County Schools Board of Education members voted on a set of consent and action items at their February meeting, approving curriculum renewals, personnel requests, a contract with Middle Tennessee State University and a resolution asking the state to fund a three‑year pilot chess program for Tennessee classrooms.

The board approved renewal requests for 2025–26 special courses at Rutherford County high schools, including anthropology, global diplomacy, Native American history, positive psychology and U.S. Presidency. The motion to approve the 2025–26 special course request passed by voice vote.

The board approved an ESL parent‑class stipend to pay Naomi Rodriguez, an ESL teacher at Rock Springs Elementary, $1,200.50 per hour from the Title III immigrant grant to teach the class; the board recorded the motion and passed it by voice vote. The board also approved adding one additional school nurse position so Riverdale and Rockvale high schools would each have two nurses.

Human resources and program funding actions passed: the board approved allocating $15,000 of general purpose funds to provide stipends for clinical educators who mentor 98 Rutherford Teach Now candidates and 18 Grow Your Own apprentices; and the board approved a corrected tenure recommendation for one teacher inadvertently left off a prior list.

In legal and policy matters the board voted to deny an admission request for a transfer student who was under discipline from another system (expelled for possession of marijuana) pursuant to Policy 6.318, and the board adopted several policy revisions on second reading, including Policy 2.808 (purchase orders and contracts), Policy 4.603 (promotion and retention), Policy 5.118 (background investigations), Policy 5.5 (discrimination/harassment of employees) and Policy 6.204 (attendance of nonresident students).

The board approved a proposed contract with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) under which MTSU would act as a central magnet school sponsor and be permitted to place signage at the central magnet school. The contract runs from 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2030 and proposes $5,000 per year for five years.

Board members also approved a resolution introduced by Board Member Tidwell asking the governor and Tennessee Department of Education to develop and fund a three‑year pilot chess program that, as written in the resolution, requests annual funding allocations for teacher training and materials ($70,000), student engagement events ($5,000), research and evaluation ($15,000) and program administration and outreach ($10,000). The resolution will be sent to the governor, legislators and the Department of Education.

Several routine votes were handled by voice, and minutes show motions carried by general assent; the meeting transcript records no roll‑call tallies for these items.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in meeting packet): - 2025–26 special course renewals for Rutherford County high schools — approved. - ESL parent‑class stipend for Naomi Rodriguez ($1,200.50/hour from Title III immigrant grant) — approved. - Add one school nurse position (Riverdale and Rockvale High Schools) — approved. - Allocate $15,000 GP funds for Teach Now/Grow Your Own clinical educator stipends — approved. - Tenure recommendation (one teacher added) — approved. - Deny admission of transfer student under expulsion (policy 6.318) — denied. - Adopt second‑reading policy changes (2.808, 4.603, 5.118, 5.5, 6.204) — approved. - Contract with Middle Tennessee State University (signage/sponsorship), $5,000/year for five years, term 07/01/2025–06/30/2030 — approved. - Resolution requesting state‑funded three‑year chess pilot (detailed funding allocations included) — approved.

The board deferred a full financial report until payrolls for February complete and noted future agenda items.