Overton County Board of Education approves resignations, retirement and TSBA-recommended policies

At its Jan. 14, 2025 meeting, the Overton County Board of Education approved the Dec. 10, 2024 minutes, adopted a consent agenda that included fiscal-year revisions to IDEA Part B and a HQIM literacy implementation network item, accepted four letters of resignation and one retirement, and advanced several Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) policy recommendations.

The board approved the minutes of the Dec. 10, 2024 meeting and the Jan. 14, 2025 agenda by voice vote. The consent agenda passed by voice vote and included: “1142 fiscal year 25 IDEA Part B revision number 4,” “142 fiscal year 25 HQIM literacy implementation network revision number 1,” and quarterly reports; board members also noted a fiscal-year general purpose school revision (fiscal year 25-141) was added to the consent items.

The board accepted letters of resignation for Kelly Montgomery; Vanessa Groves; Lee Kate Clark; and Heather Marshall. The board also approved a retirement notice for David Englert, identified in the meeting as a custodian; members offered thanks for his service.

On policy matters, the board took a second-reading vote to approve two TSBA-recommended policies: 5.307 (physical assault leave) and 6.300 (code of conduct). The board also approved first readings to advance several TSBA-recommended policies for future consideration: 5.118 (background investigations); 6.3041 (Title IX); an item described in the transcript as a harassment policy (policy number not specified in the record); and policy 4.603 (promotion and retention). Board members placed the promotion-and-retention policy on the agenda after emailing members in advance.

The meeting adjourned its regular session by voice vote and moved into a work session. In the work session members discussed scheduling and reminders for upcoming events including scholarship checks for 2024 graduates and the TSBA Legislation and Legal Institute in Franklin, Tenn.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes (Dec. 10, 2024): motion made and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Approve Jan. 14, 2025 agenda: motion by Rick Dodson, second by Ashley Carr; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Consent agenda (IDEA Part B revision, HQIM literacy implementation item, quarterly reports, fiscal-year general purpose revision): motion by Shirley Myers, seconded by Ashley Carr; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Accept resignations (Kelly Montgomery; Vanessa Groves; Lee Kate Clark; Heather Marshall): mover not specified in transcript for each; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Approve retirement (David Englert): motion by James (surname not specified), seconded by Ricky Dotson; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Second reading — approve TSBA policies 5.307 and 6.300: motion by James, second by Ashley; outcome: approved (voice vote). - First reading — advance TSBA policies 5.118, 6.3041 (Title IX), harassment policy (number not specified), and 4.603 (promotion and retention): motion by Ben Diner, second by Mitch Dunstoffer; outcome: advanced on first reading (voice vote).

The board did not record roll-call tallies in the public transcript; voice votes were recorded by assent/oppose but specific yes/no counts were not specified in the record.