Bradley County school board approves construction bids, policy updates and contracts; elects Vicky Beatty chair

The Bradley County Board of Education on Sept. 9 approved a series of bids, personnel contract actions and policy updates and elected Vicky Beatty as board chair.

The board voted to award a $3.2 million low bid (including a 10% contingency) and a 310-day contract to Integrated Builds of Chattanooga for an expansion at Parkview Elementary and separately accepted Wright Brothers Construction’s bid to pave North Lee Elementary’s parking/drive areas. The board also approved extended contracts for the 2025–26 school year for 25 positions and transferred two bus routes to Teresa Phillips after the death of a long-time contractor, Robert Phillips.

Why it matters: the construction awards and contract approvals move multiple facilities projects forward and authorize district staffing and transportation changes that affect daily operations and student access to school.

The board approved the consent agenda after removing policy 5.5 for later consideration. Todd Shoemaker, a district staff member who presented the extended-contract request, told the board, “I come before you asking for your approval again for our extended contracts on behalf of our incredible principals,” and said the number of extended contracts remained unchanged from the prior year at 25.

Patrick Spangler, speaking for Bradley Central High School, asked permission to begin a campus safety and beautification project that he said would require no district funding; he said work would include landscape…