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By Buzz Trexler
Star Correspondent

It may have made the Elizabethton Board of Education “feel a little dirty,” as Director of Schools Richard VanHuss put it. Still, board members unanimously passed a resolution Thursday night stating the system intended to participate in the Education Freedom Act’s state-funded bonus for teachers.

The board twice passed resolutions opposing Gov. Bill Lee’s private school voucher bills: once in 2024 and another earlier this year. As this year’s voucher bill passed, VanHuss said the board was faced with passing a resolution affirming part of the act to obtain a one-time bonus of $2,000 for the city’s teachers.

“In order to receive those funds from the state, the board is required to do this resolution,” VanHuss said ahead of the vote, emphasizing that the resolution does not say the board is supporting the act.

“In my mind, we played our stances pretty clear on vouchers and what we think about those, and we think it’s going to be a detriment to public education,” he said. “The General Assembly has taken their action, and so now this is in law. In spite of that, I wouldn’t want to see us turn down an opportunity for a bonus for our teachers.”

Board member Phil Isaacs said he was “not a fan of the voucher program, but I’m thankful that our teachers are getting a well-deserved bonus.

“The only thing that I don’t agree with, I think all our employees deserve a bonus,” he said. “Teachers are wonderful, and they deserve that. But we have a lot of support staff people—our cooks, our janitors, the folks here at the central office—that are well-deserved employees also.”

VanHuss said he and Director of Business and Fiscal Management Beth Wilson have had “multiple conversations” in that regard.

“What we would propose is let us go throughout the budget process hearing and close out the year and see where we are,” the director said. “Maybe there’s an opportunity where we can do that.” VanHuss added later, “We’re working very, very hard to find a way to give a raise to all our staff starting next year. I’ll be honest with you. That’s our No. 1 focus: ‘How are we able to do that?’”

In January, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Education Freedom Act of 2025, which included the one-time $2,000 bonuses for teachers, reportedly costing $198 million in the first year. The bonuses were only allocated to “existing educators” employed in kindergarten through 12th grade. The bill mandated that the bonuses must not be considered salary supplements.

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

The board approved the following new hires:

Stephanie Steele, substitute teacher, effective Jan. 14; Christopher Rhodes, custodian, Elizabethton High School, effective Jan. 13; Autumn Miller, extended school program (ESP) student leader, effective Jan. 15; Nick Collins, interim chemistry teacher, EHS, effective Jan. 15; Ansley Cox, student leader, effective Jan. 17; Jordan Hensley, educational assistant, T.A. Dugger (TAD), effective Jan. 21; Jesus Pena, substitute teacher, effective Jan. 21; Autumn Scott, substitute teacher, effective Jan. 22; Derrick Leonard, interim teacher, Harold McCormick Elementary (HME), effective Feb. 10-May 2; Kaylee Cranford, substitute teacher, effective Jan. 24; Riley Vernon, assistant boys’ soccer coach, TAD, effective Jan. 27; Gideon Williams, assistant boys’ soccer coach, EHS, effective Jan. 23; Aixa Powell, substitute teacher, effective Jan. 28; Otavais Harris, substitute teacher, effective Feb. 7; Victoria Brown, substitute teacher, effective Feb. 7; Joseph Laughrun, substitute teacher, effective Feb. 3; Jael Fregoso, educational assistant, HME, effective Feb. 4; Dana Dykes, educational assistant, HME, effective Feb. 4; Jessica Broyles, substitute teacher, effective Feb. 7; Danielle Bailey, substitute teacher, effective Feb. 27; Jon McDowell, maintenance, effective Feb. 25; Shane Buckles, substitute teacher, effective Feb. 17; Rachel Pawar, interim educational assistant, West Side Elementary (WSE), effective March 3; Leanne Walker, educational assistant, TAD, effective March 3; Zsa Bishop, substitute teacher, effective March 6; Mikayla Taylor, substitute teacher, effective March 5; Samuel Ledbetter, substitute teacher, effective March 6; Joshua Elliott, substitute teacher, effective March 5; Ashley Taylor, substitute teacher, effective March 12; Jonathan Edwards, interim educational assistant, TAD, effective March 13; and Bryan Baker, cafeteria personnel, EHS, effective March 17.

The board approved the following new positions:

Libby Post, teacher/co-director, summer camp, effective Jan. 23; Michael Grindstaff, assistant track coach, EHS, effective Feb. 6; Susan Frickel, assistant track coach, TAD, effective Jan. 30; Leah Moore, assistant track coach, TAD, effective Jan. 30; Joy Lowe, custodian, Community Development and Engagement Center (CDEC), effective Feb. 4; Adam Copeland, assistant baseball coach, EHS, effective Feb. 11.

The board approved the following transfers:

Melissa Andrews, from substitute cafeteria personnel to part-time cafeteria personnel, HME, effective Jan. 13; Lindsey Burchfield, from part-time to full-time special education (SPED) assistant, HME, effective Jan. 27; Amanda Woodby, from HME to TAD as part-time educational assistant, effective Jan. 27; Isabel Swearingin, from systemwide substitute to educational assistant, WSE, effective Feb. 17; Susan Frickel, from interim full-time substitute to interim English language arts, effective Feb. 10-May 26; Ruby Shrader, from extended school program to substitute teacher, effective Feb. 7; Brock Pittman, from in-school suspension to behavior modification classroom, effective Feb. 10-May 3; Maggie Carpenter, from full-time SPED assistant to interim full-time substitute teacher, effective Feb. 11-May 23; and Rebecca Tyler, from part-time SPED assistant to full-time SPED assistant, effective Feb. 11-May 23.

The board approved the following resignations:

Beth Kortze, SPED instructional assistant at HME, effective Dec. 20, 2024; Penny Nave, summer learning camp co-director, effective Jan. 16; Mary Bohlke, educational assistant, WSE, effective Feb. 11; Brock Pittman, assistant track coach, TAD, effective Jan. 13; Dr. Tammy Markland, Betsy Book Bus director, effective Feb. 28; Angi Boone, educational assistant, TAD, effective Feb. 15; and Lisa Carrier-Nidiffer, bus driver, effective March 15.

The board approved the following leaves of absence:

Amy Ensor, teacher, WSE, effective Feb. 27-March 21; Jessica Hayes, teacher, EHS, effective Jan. 16-23; Madison Hutchins, SPED teacher, TAD, effective Feb. 4-May 26; and Alexandria Craft, teacher, TAD, effective Feb. 10-May 26.