Menu

Smith County School District board meeting, Sep 14, 2026

51 min · 2 videos · 0 public speakers

Click any moment below to jump the video to that second. Video length 41 min.

Playing part 2 · 41 min of 2. Back to part 1

What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 1 · 10 min

Smith County board does not approve Florida trip, tables tour request to January 6:24

  • The board discussed a Florida trip for AVT broadcasting and yearbook students scheduled for November the 16th through the 22nd, 2026. ~2:22
  • The board tabled until January a Smith County High School request for early approval of an EF tour planned for two years from now. 6:24
  • The meeting also included an update on the 2025⁠-⁠2026 school budget, with a fund balance of $6.645 million reported. 8:37
Item by item (5)
  1. Tobacco-free school policy 0:17
    • After the board returned to regular session from executive session, a motion was requested on the new tobacco-free school policy, listed as business item E. 0:17
    • A speaker asked whether the motion was to approve the model policy, and the answer given was yes. 0:58
  2. Consent item D considered separately 1:17
    • The board separated consent item D, with a speaker noting that items 2 and 3 had already been approved and that items 1 and 4 would be taken up. 1:17
    • A speaker described a Florida trip for AVT broadcasting and yearbook students set for November the 16th through the 22nd, 2026, and a speaker said the students would have to fall within the board policy on chaperones. 2:50
    • Anthony Hackett said they had made the motion and that the motion was to vote on the trip, and a speaker explained that a yes vote was for the trip to go and a no vote was for it not to go. 5:23
  3. High school tour request 6:24
    • Item 4 was described as a Smith County High School request for an EF tour plan two years from now, seeking early approval so families could make monthly payments in advance. 6:24
    • A motion was made to table the item to January, and it was seconded. 7:10
    • The board tabled the item until January. ~7:24
  4. Code of conduct for next agenda 7:37
    • Tressa Bush asked to add code of conduct 6.300 for discussion in October. 7:47
    • A speaker said no motion was needed and that the item would be placed on next month's agenda, bringing the total to 6 items to review. 7:56
  5. Meeting date and budget update 8:14
    • The next meeting was set for Monday, October the 19th, the week after fall break. 8:14
    • A speaker said the 2025⁠-⁠2026 budget was roughly $40 million, spending was a little over $37 million, revenue was a little over $35 million and the district hit fund balance for $1.9 million, with $1 million of that going to the school cafeteria fund. 8:36
    • A speaker reported the fund balance at $6.645 million. 9:45

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

Part 2 · 41 min

Smith County school board approves 28-credit graduation requirement policy 20:52

  • Board members approved the sale of a 2006 Ford F-250 truck on govdeals.com. 13:58
  • The board approved an update to its graduation requirements policy, which reflects a requirement that students earn 28 credits beginning with the freshman class of 24⁠-⁠25. 21:17
  • The board also approved an amendment to its Title IX policy that updates contact information. 30:24
  • Tressa Bush asked for a review of athletics held during regular school hours, and Tommy Manning said the matter would go on the October agenda. 33:17
Item by item (12)
  1. Opening and agenda 1:36
    • The chair welcomed 3 new board members and said they would need to attend a 2-day school board orientation required by law. 1:36
    • Marty McCaleb led a prayer. ~4:43
    • The chair said nobody had signed up for public speaking. 7:49
    • The motion to approve the agenda passed. 8:36
  2. Consent items 8:36
    • The motion covered consent items A, B and C and items 2 and 3 under D, with items 1 and 4 under D pulled for later discussion. 9:39
  3. Replacement school sign 10:32
    • The request sought permission for Citizen Bank to replace the existing electronic sign in front of Gornsville Elementary and Gornsville High School, with the sign serving both schools. 11:36
    • A staff member said sponsorships also cover items such as scoreboards and chairs. 13:25
    • The vote passed. ~12:34
  4. Sale of surplus truck 13:58
    • The request sought permission to sell a 2006 Ford F-250 truck that is no longer used by the system on govdeals.com. 13:58
  5. Fingerprinting partnership 14:57
    • The chair said employees and board members must be fingerprinted every 5 years and that the district would partner with a company so fingerprinting could be done locally. 14:57
    • A speaker said the company would supply equipment and training and that the district would get back $3 to $5 per finger, compared with paying $35 for each one. 16:06
    • A speaker said members of the public could use the service by scheduling an appointment. ~16:36
  6. Copy paper vendors 17:18
    • The chair said no formal bids were received and the request would let schools buy copy paper from Staples, Sam's Club or Azar. 17:18
    • The board voted to amend the list to add Amazon. 18:39
    • A speaker asked why schools would use Azar at $8 per carton, and a staff member said a vendor could be cheaper if it had a sale. 19:11
  7. Graduation requirements policy 20:22
    • The policy reflects a requirement of 28 credits, the 22 units the state requires plus 6 required by the local board. 20:59
    • Tressa Bush asked whether the 6 credits had to be in CTE, and a speaker said no. 22:58
    • Tommy Manning said the change added language on middle school students and did not change the credits. 23:31
    • The motion passed. ~26:28
  8. Support personnel leave policy amendment 26:28
    • A staff member said teachers now will get 4 personal days each year and are getting the same number of days. 28:12
    • Tommy Manning said support personnel still receive one day for every month worked, which could equal up to 9. 29:01
  9. Title IX policy amendment 30:24
    • Tommy Manning said the only change was the coordinator contact information. 30:50
    • A speaker asked whether staff are trained on the policy, and a staff member said the district has documentation that staff completed the trainings. ~31:22
    • The motion passed. ~32:46
  10. Athletics during school hours 32:46
    • Tressa Bush cited Tennessee Code 49⁠-⁠6⁠-⁠1002A, which requires written permission from the governing body to dismiss students during school hours for sports, and asked whether the board had granted that permission. ~33:17
    • Tressa Bush moved to have the director and the attorney review district athletics during school hours and report findings at the October meeting. 34:36
    • Tommy Manning said the matter would be placed on next month's agenda to make sure the district is compliant. 35:02
  11. Annual policy review 35:47
    • Tressa Bush said 5 policies had been chosen for discussion and listed ones on school board meetings, the agenda and staff dress code. 36:03
    • Tommy Manning said the policies would be placed on next month's agenda. 37:26
    • A speaker suggested discussing proposed changes in October and voting in November. 38:12
  12. Executive session 40:17
    • Tommy Manning called for a motion to enter executive session and said the board would return afterward to the tobacco policy and 2 other items. 40:25

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

Who spoke

Who spoke

Anthony HackettBoard memberFirst speaks at 5:24
Tressa BushBoard memberFirst speaks at 7:48
Marty McCalebBoard member
Tommy ManningBoard member

Video: posted by the district as “Smith County Schools Live Stream- Monthly Board Meeting 9/14/2026”