Hickman County school board approves architect contract, multiple budget amendments, attendance policy and student activities

The Hickman County Board of Education voted to approve an amended architect contract for the Hickman County High School gym roof, a set of budget amendments, an updated attendance policy and several student travel and program requests during its meeting.

Board members approved a contract amendment with KBJM (the district’s architect of record) to begin design and bid preparations for roof repair work at the high‑school gym. Director of Schools (name on file with the district) said work would begin “immediately,” and staff estimated bid documents could be ready within a month to allow award of a contractor by the district’s October meeting or no later than November.

The board also approved budget amendments numbered 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, which reallocate federal carryover funds in consolidated grants (including Title I, Title II and IDEA carryovers), move staffing expenditures between grant accounts as requested by state reviewers, accept a private donation to be distributed to schools as requested, and cover unexpected expenditures tied to Hickman County High School mold and HVAC repairs. The superintendent’s report said the district received 7,246 students for the current year and estimated a roughly $335,000 reduction in formula funding based on current average per‑pupil funding.

On policy, the board approved revisions to attendance policy 6.200 following presentation by Mark Dunlap, who was introduced as the district administrator overseeing attendance and safety. The revisions reclassify certain interventions between Tier 1 and Tier 2 and add language the administration said will allow principals to focus first on instructional duties while escalating chronic‑attendance cases through Tier 2 procedures. Board members voted to approve the policy and waived second reading to make the changes effective promptly.

Student activities and program approvals included the board’s unanimous approval of two JROTC Raider competition trips and a national journalism conference trip for students, with the presenting teachers indicating costs would be covered via fundraising and a requested substitute cost for one teacher. The board also approved a new student group, Future Vets United (a pre‑veterinary club) at East Hickman High School and accepted that a grant will support related class infrastructure including a planned on‑campus horse for instructional purposes.

The board authorized a change order involving cabinetry repairs in a consumer sciences classroom (roughly $900) and approved an additional payment to a CTE contractor after the architect identified a contract input error; the contractor requested an additional $18,211.25 to reflect the correct scope and pricing. The board approved that additional payment; staff said the project is grant‑funded and money is available in the grant account.

Votes at the meeting were recorded by roll call on multiple items. For items where a roll call was recorded in the transcript, board members present voted in the affirmative. Where mover or seconder names were not spoken into the record, the minutes list motions and seconds but do not tie each motion to a single named mover in the transcript excerpt provided.

The meeting also included routine items — recognition of Jana Willis as district employee of the month and introductions of student representatives Emily Cannon (East Hickman) and Katie Bates (Hickman) — and procedural business including a motion to approve the meeting agenda and consent agenda.

The board scheduled the next regular meeting for Oct. 20 at Hickman County High School and completed elections for board officers for the 2025–26 year.

The board recorded these formal actions in the meeting minutes and voted to adjourn at the close of the meeting.