December 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM - Kingsport City Schools Board of Education Regular Meeting

Description:  Washington Elementary School students (and sisters) Averie, Kenzie, Laycie, and Sadie Blades will lead the Board of Education and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Averie is in 1st grade, Kenzie is a 4th grader, Laycie is in Kindergarten, and Sadie is a 2nd grader.

Description:  Dr. Brandon Fletcher, Board President, will ask for a motion to accept the agenda, which includes the consent agenda. Once the agenda is accepted, the Board mutually agrees not to discuss any item of business or take any action that has not been accepted for the agenda.

Description:  Superintendent Dr. Chris Hampton will recognize Isarena Fouts, a 2nd grader at Washington Elementary School, for submitting the artwork selected for the 2025 Kingsport City Schools Christmas cards. Isarena is in Mr. Howard Dale's art class at Washington.

Description:  Mr. Todd Golden will recognize Mr. David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, for recently receiving the 2025 Outstanding Business Official of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Business Officials. This award was announced and presented to Mr. Frye during the Tennessee Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) Annual Conference in Murfreesboro, TN.

Description:  For the ninth consecutive year, Kingsport City Schools (KCS) has achieved the top composite score of 5 in Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS) based on data released by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). During the 2024-25 school year, Kingsport City Schools scored a Level 5 in the areas of system-wide literacy, system-wide numeracy, system-wide literacy and numeracy, system-wide science, system-wide social studies, and the overall system-wide composite score. TVAAS measures student growth year over year, regardless of whether the student is proficient on the state assessment. In calculating a TVAAS score, a student’s performance is compared relative to the performance of his or her peers who have performed similarly on past assessments. 

Adams Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Johnson Elementary, Kennedy Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, Washington Elementary, Sevier Middle School, and Dobyns-Bennett High School also received a top composite score of 5. Having nine Level 5 schools represents an all-time high for KCS, highlighting not only district-wide success but also the consistent, high-level growth taking place at individual schools across all grade levels.

Description:  Seven Kingsport City Schools have been named among Tennessee’s best, announced as Reward Schools by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). Adams Elementary School, Johnson Elementary School, Kennedy Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Roosevelt Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, and Dobyns-Bennett High School received the designation based on results from the 2024-25 TCAP assessment. 

Each year, schools are recognized as a Reward School when they demonstrate high levels of performance and/or improvement in performance by meeting objectives across performance indicators and student groups, and the Reward School distinction places significant emphasis on performance and improvement across all indicators from the prior year.

Description: 

Public Comment Guidelines:

This is the time when members of the audience are invited to comment on agenda items. If pre-approved by the Board Executive Committee, members of the community may also address the Board regarding non-agenda items. In order to speak on a topic not included on the agenda, per Board Policy 1.404, you must submit a written request to the Superintendent of Schools at least three (3) business days before the regular meeting.  

This is not the time to speak about personnel issues, as there are more appropriate ways in which these can be addressed. If you are not sure how to do this, please ask a Board member after the meeting. In your remarks, you may not refer to students by name without permission from a parent or guardian.

Speakers are requested to first state your name and limit your remarks to a maximum of three (3) minutes.

Thank you. 

Description:  The Disposal of Surplus Equipment memo and listing of surplus property is attached for your review. It is recommended the Board declare the property surplus and transfer it to the custody of the city recorder.

Description:  Dr. Corey Gardenhour, principal of Robinson Middle School, has submitted a request to name the recently completed locker room at Robinson in honor of Tanner Combs. Mr. Combs passed away while serving as a College and Career Readiness teacher at Robinson.

Description: 

Mrs. Jennifer Guthrie, Chief Human Resources Officer, reports that six KCS educators have met the requirements for tenure at the end of the 2024-2025 school year due to their length of service and Level of Overall Effectiveness (LOE) scores. Board approval is recommended. 

Folders with evaluation scores, educator licensure and attendance information on these employees are available for Board member viewing prior to the meeting.  

Tenure Criteria:

49-5-503. Tenure.

Any teacher who meets all the following requirements is eligible for "tenure":
(1) Has a degree from an approved four-year college or any career and technical teacher who has the equivalent amount of training established and licensed by the state board of education;
(2) Holds a valid teacher license, issued by the state board of education, based on training covering the subjects or grades taught;
(3) Has completed a probationary period of five (5) school years or not less than forty-five (45) months within the last seven-year period, the last two (2) years being employed in a regular teaching position rather than an interim teaching position;
(4) Has received evaluations demonstrating a level of overall effectiveness of "above expectations" or "significantly above expectations" as provided in the evaluation guidelines and rules adopted by the state board of education pursuant to §49-1-302, during the last two (2) years of the probationary period; provided, however, that a teacher who has met all other requirements for tenure eligibility but has not acquired an official evaluation score during the last one (1) or two (2) years of the probationary period due to an approved extended leave; transfer to another school or position within the school district; unavailable data due to the cancellation of Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) tests as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; or invalidated data due to a successful local level evaluation grievance pursuant to § 49-1-302(d)(2)(A) may utilize the most recent two (2) years of available evaluation scores achieved during the probationary period to meet the provisions of this subdivision (4); and
(5) Is reemployed by the director of schools for service after the probationary period.

The educators recommended for tenure are as follows:

Last Name	First Name	School
Little	Catherine	Adams
Burke	Julia	Johnson
Davis	Shelby	Roosevelt
Loughry	Nick	D-B
Hannah	Maria	Jefferson
Sensabaugh	Kerri	RNR

Description:  Mr. Andy Arnold, Chief Technology Officer, and Mr. David Frye, Chief Finance Officer, will present a recommendation to change from the district's current voice phone provider, Zayo Education, LLC, to United Data Technologies, Inc. using The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS-USA) contract 230105.  Voice services from Zayo Education, LLC will cost approximately $6,404.00. However, the quote provided by UDT shows a monthly cost of $5,733.25, which would result in a monthly cost savings of $670.75 and annual cost savings of approximately $8,049.00. There would be additional costs savings for the Integrated Fax Services of $4,104.00 annually. Therefore, the total annual cost savings would be over $12,153.00.

The target date for the change from Zayo to UDT is during Spring Break. Funding will be from the School General Purpose Funds.

Description:  Mr. Frye will present FY 2026 Budget Amendment #3 for Board consideration.

Description:  Mr. Frye will present a recommendation to enter into an agreement with Holston Engineering for the engineering design services for the Ross N. Robinson Middle School Fire Alarm Replacement Program for a cost not to exceed $37,500.00. The cost includes specifications for a completely new voice annunciator fire alarm system, bid package and evaluations, review of contractor shop drawings, and construction assistance and management through the end of the project.

The work will be completed before school starts in August. Funds for the engineering service portion of the project will be from the Robinson Fire Alarm Replacement project.

Description:  Mr. Frye will present a recommendation to enter into a contract with Thompson & Litton for Phase 2 of the design and construction administration for the new elementary school to be located on the site of the Lynn View Community Center. The cost for Phase 2 of the architectural services for the project is a lump sum fee of $268,700.00. Funds for Phase 2 will be designated in the Lynn Garden Elementary School project GP2507.