Giles County schools outline $23M in projects, tighten policy on political materials

Doctor (Miss) Beard, the county director of schools, presented the school system’s capital and safety updates and clarified financial responsibility for recent bonds. Beard said three major projects are nearing or in progress — Johnson County High (about $12,000,000), Bridgeport (about $8,700,000) and Alaska Elementary ($3,200,000) — which she said together total roughly $23,000,000. She noted some projects have been financed through bond arrangements and that "the bond is under Giles County, it's Giles County Board Of Education, but the Board of Education is responsible and is currently paying on that bond," adding the county would assume payments only in the event of a default.

Beard also listed district revenue sources that have supported capital and program work: an Innovative Schools Model grant of approximately $3,250,000, ESSER funding (transcript: around $12,000,000), and other smaller grants. She provided district-level statistics the board uses for planning, including a stated pupil-expenditure estimate of $13,064.42 per student and a current student count read from the record (transcript text: "35 44").

On safety, Beard said the district has safety film on windows and doors, a school-resource officer funded in part by a state grant and sheriff’s office cooperation, systemwide emergency drills that connect 911, THP and ambulance services through a teacher-lanyard emergency feature, an audio enhancement PA system and an emergency app on staff phones. She said support dogs are deployed in three schools and that the district has a nurse in every building and RTI coordinators in each school.

Beard cited board policy 1.806, which restricts distribution of political literature on school grounds, and said she sent notice to principals on Oct. 16 to curtail distribution of campaign materials to avoid potential Hatch Act violations. "Political literature shall not be distributed to school students..." she read aloud and said she halted the practice administratively; commissioners discussed whether sponsorships at athletic events had caused signage to appear and Beard said the directive was an administrative move to prevent policy or federal-law violations.

Commissioners asked about vouchers (Beard said there were 37 applications in the Johnson County District but she was not privy to which applicants received vouchers) and praised recent senior interviews and local team achievements. Beard said the district’s near-term priorities will focus on renovations and getting school buildings into a stronger condition.

Next steps: Beard said further data and outcomes will be presented later when embargoed state data are released and the board continues planning for renovations and bond-related work.