Short agenda headlines February Elizabethton City BOE meeting
Published 1:26 am Thursday, February 20, 2020
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The T.A. Dugger Cyclone football team was recognized by the Elizabethton City School Board during their regularly scheduled February meeting.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
The Elizabethton City Board of Education met for their regularly scheduled February meeting Tuesday night carry a light docket of business to address and celebrating the resolution approved by City Council for the improvement project at T.A. Dugger Junior High School totaling $1.2 million.
After approving the consent agenda as well as the regular agenda, the board took the time to recognize the 2019 T.A. Dugger Jr. High football team which finished the season as conference co-champs.
Head coach Brock Pittman thanked the board for taking the time to recognize the team and thanked everyone for their support in his first season as the head coach saying, “this group works unlike any middle school group that I have ever seen.”
Director of Schools, Dr. Corey Gardenhour told the board that the STEM lab had gotten behind construction schedule due to issues with the corridor but that those problems had been resolved and work was moving forward.
Gardenhour also spoke about work starting on the Back to School Bash which will entail raising funds with over 45 community partners and individual donations for the worthy cause.
The director said that on average it takes about $20 per backpack to be able to provide school supplies, socks, and gloves just to mention a few of the items that go into the backpacks.
Also, the school system has been chosen as a Community of Excellence through a partnership with Imagination Library. There will be a screening of Dolly Parton’s new documentary at Stateline Drive-In.
The Elizabethton City School System was the only system in Tennessee to be chosen. Two of the 25 systems that were chosen will receive a grand prize of a visit from Dolly Parton herself.
“We are hoping that since we are the only ones in Tennessee she will see that as an opportunity to bless the state of Tennessee and come our way,” Gardenhour stated. “We would love to have her and have that for our children.”
The Educator’s Hall of Fame is coming up and Gardenhour said that if there were someone that the public would like to nominate for the Hall of Fame, there is a nomination form that can be sent out to anyone requesting one.
The forms will also be sent to all the teachers as well.
“We typically have a low response to this but this needs to be something that people need to be nominating educators both living and deceased for the Hall of Fame,” said Gardenhour.
“The form is short and those people will stay in a pool to be recognized until they are chosen – it never goes away. The information is also available on the website.”
Pre-K registration is also underway for the Wandell Early Learning Center and applications can be picked up at the Central Office or at East Side Elementary.
Student liaison Audrey Landstreet reported that by working with Elizabethton High School principal Jon Minton that the lighting outside the entrance leading into the gym has been repaired and is much appreciated.
The lighting according to Landstreet provides for a safer entry for those students and visitors entering the building after hours.
Chris Berry, Principal at T.A. Dugger Jr. High, gave a report on all the great things going on at the school and the student’s excitement about getting the renovations done to the school.
Berry thanked the board for their hard work in making that a possibility.
Finally, the board unanimously approved a bid for the purchase of 100 state football championship rings from Signature Championship Rings for the 2019 Class 4-A State Champion Elizabethton Cyclones.
The bid was in the amount of $14,051. Dr. Gardenhour also stated that there had been a couple of donors that have stepped up to help in the purchase as well.
The next regularly scheduled Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 t 6:30 pm in the Mack Pierce Board Room at the offices of the Elizabethton Board of Education, 804 S. Watauga Avenue, Elizabethton.
