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Monroe County School District board meeting, Sep 10, 2026

1 h 21 min · 0 public speakers

Enrollment ▶ 1:08:22Reading and test scores ▶ 26:33

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 1 h 21 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  5. Lon ShoopmanChairman
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Monroe County school board rejects state land offer, asks $250,000 for Niles Ferry project 55:39

  • The board also approved budget amendments and the minutes. 18:57
  • A district staff member presented a preview of 2026 state achievement results, comparing district scores with neighboring districts and the state. 26:52
  • The board voted to reject an offer of $60,320 for 0.34 acres of Von Rohr Elementary School land tied to the Niles Ferry Road widening and to ask $250,000 instead. 55:39

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Item by item (11)
  1. Opening, recognitions and agenda 0:00
    • The board recognized 2026 track state champions from district schools. 2:33
    • The agenda was changed by unanimous consent to add an update on the Niles Ferry expansion project as item 9⁠-⁠10⁠-⁠12A. ~2:33
    • The chair announced that the motion to approve the consent and regular agenda carried. 5:03
  2. Chairman comments and fund balance committee 5:03
    • The chairman said administrators had voted unanimously to withdraw the recommendation that the board have student representatives. 5:03
    • The chairman said the district has about a $20 million fund balance and asked for a board committee to meet with the administrative team on using a portion of it to improve classroom education. 5:03
  3. Budget amendments 17:29
    • Asked about the fund balance, a speaker said it currently stands at $17,620,700, counting the Sweetwater money. 18:18
    • The chair announced that the motion to approve the budget amendments carried. 18:57
  4. Approval of August minutes 18:57
    • Dean Williams asked for clarification of an amended motion in the minutes about discussing teaching assistants during budget preparation in February or March. 19:54
    • Mitch Avery said the amendment was meant to let the administration present its hierarchy of needs, and if the item did not make the cut it could be brought up for discussion. 21:01
    • One board member said the amendment appeared to be out of order. 22:27
    • The chair announced that the motion to approve the minutes carried. 22:46
  5. Board chairman and vice chairman 23:24
    • The board took nominations for chairman and for vice chairman for 2026⁠-⁠2027. 24:13
    • One board member said the policy committee should be kept as it is. 25:56
    • A speaker said the new chairman and vice chairman could put together committee appointments and send them to the board. 26:19
    • The chair announced that the motions for chairman and for vice chairman carried. 24:42
  6. State achievement results preview 26:33
    • A district staff member said the presentation was a preview because some data and accountability information remain embargoed by the state. 26:52
    • The staff member said the district was about 6% below the state average in 3rd grade ELA and 5.5 percentage points above the state in 3rd grade math. 27:29
    • The staff member said the district struggled more in high school subjects and that the virtual school had about 30 freshmen who would have taken Algebra 1. 39:15
  7. Niles Ferry Road expansion land offer 55:20
    • A district staff member said TDOT is widening Niles Ferry Road at Highway 411 and will acquire 0.34 acres of Von Rohr Elementary School, including part of the Pre-K playground. 55:39
    • The staff member said the offer is $60,320, with $25,500 for the land and the rest for fencing and moving playground equipment. 55:39
    • The chair announced that the motion to reject the offer and ask $250,000 carried. 1:02:38
  8. Utility line request on school property 1:03:03
    • The maintenance director said TAS asked to move sewer, gas and water lines into the lower portion of the Von Rohr Elementary playground area and said the director saw no issue. 1:03:03
    • The board took a roll call vote on a motion to ask $50,000 from TAS for use of the land. 1:07:25
  9. Director's report 1:08:09
    • A staff member giving the director's report said current enrollment was 3,991 students, compared with 4,614 at the end of '25-'26, and that Sweetwater High School accounted for 555 of the difference. 1:08:13
    • The director said the district will recognize US Constitution Week with activities on September 17th. 1:10:01
  10. Board member questions and comments 1:10:11
    • A speaker said a student board application from Sequoia described buckets being put out when it rains and suggested addressing the roof if there is a problem. 1:10:15
  11. Utility motion revision and adjournment 1:18:24
    • A district staff member said the proposed right-of-way would also serve a utility that supplies gas and a town that supplies sewer. 1:18:32
    • By common consent the board included all three entities in the previously passed motion, then voted to adjourn. 1:20:06

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “Monroe County Schools September 10th, 2026 Regular Called Board Meeting”