Bledsoe County Board of Education approves 2026 insurance change, mental‑health contracts and opioid grant; adopts student board member policy

The Bledsoe County Board of Education met Aug. 11, 2025, at Bledsoe County Middle School and took a series of routine and programmatic actions, including adopting a student board member policy and approving contracts and grants aimed at student mental‑health and opioid recovery services.

Finance Director Kara Walling presented the board with unaudited year‑end fund balances and recommended approval of the monthly financial and quarterly reports for the period ending June 30, 2025. Walling reported General Purpose (Fund 141) at $9,001,668; Central Cafeteria (Fund 143) at $1,447,041; Daycare (Fund 146) at $10,748; Debt Service (Fund 156) at $3,597,096; and Capital Projects (Fund 177) at $572,719. The board approved the reports unanimously.

Walling told the board "the increase to health insurance premiums was an average of 5% for the 2026 year," and the board voted to keep the percentages paid by the board unchanged. The motion to adopt the new rates passed unanimously.

The board also approved the district's Federal Consolidated Funding Application, also on unanimous vote. The meeting materials and motions did not specify grant dollar amounts for that application.

On student and staff supports, Dr. Becky Ridley, AWARE Director, asked the board to approve a Teen Mental Health Program contract for Bledsoe County High School and presented a memorandum of understanding with Centerstone; both were approved unanimously. Nursing Supervisor Michelle Rains requested acceptance of a Public School Districts Opioid Recovery Trust Grant that would fund two full‑time social workers for three years; the board approved the grant acceptance unanimously. The motion language and minutes indicate the grant will fund two full‑time social workers for a three‑year term, but the minutes do not list the grant dollar amount.

Athletic Director Jason Reel presented a slate of non‑faculty coaches; the board approved the named coaches unanimously. Reel's proposal to increase middle‑school assistant coaching supplements was discussed but tabled for a later meeting. Principal Michael McAnally requested approval of a picture contract with Lauren & Bee for the 2025–26 school year; the commission on pictures was increased to 20% and the contract was approved.

Principal Candi Kempton asked the board for approval to construct an outdoor classroom at Bledsoe County Middle School; the request was tabled until the September meeting. Curriculum Supervisor Farrah Fields presented updates to Policy #6.204 (Non‑Resident Student policy); the board approved the policy with procedural changes to application review timing as proposed by Mr. Upchurch.

The board discussed and adopted Student Board Member Policy #1.1021. The adopted criteria establish an application process, require nominees be a junior or senior, and set two student positions per year (one for the fall term, Aug. 1–Dec. 31, and one for the spring term, Jan. 1–May 31). The minutes state a committee formed by Mr. Ridley will nominate the student members; the board approved the policy by unanimous vote.

Chairman Andy Billingsley called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.; seven board members were present. The board set its next regular meeting for Sept. 8, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Mary V. Wheeler Elementary and then adjourned by unanimous vote.

What the minutes do not specify: exact dollar amounts for the Federal Consolidated Funding Application and the Opioid Recovery Trust Grant award total were not given in the meeting minutes; the record states the grant will fund two full‑time social workers for three years but lists no award amount.

Next steps: several items were tabled for the September meeting, including the middle‑school outdoor classroom and proposed increases to middle‑school assistant coaching supplements.