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White County School District board meeting, Aug 13, 2026

2 h 29 min · 0 public speakers

Meeting video · YouTubeWhite County School DistrictAug 13, 2026Watch on YouTube ↗Opens at 1:11:06 in a new tab

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 2 h 29 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  2. Jayson McDonaldMember
  3. John SmithMember
  4. Lisa OfficerMember
What happened

What happened at this meeting

White County board adopts policy to display Ten Commandments and founding documents 1:53:42

  • Presenters from CMTA reported on an energy audit of 16 district facilities and said the district pays roughly $912,000 per year for electric, water and gas. 23:41
  • The board approved plats for land at the volunteer fire departments at Bondy Croft, Cassville and Central View, which a staff member recommended deeding to the county. 1:22:22
  • The board adopted on first reading a new policy to display the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Ten Commandments under Public Acts of 2026, Chapter Number 924. 1:53:42
  • The board also approved several new business items, including travel requests and a telehealth memorandum of understanding. 2:02:01

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (15)
  1. Work session consent agenda review 18:11
    • The board reviewed six overnight or out-of-state trip requests for the FFA, which a staff member said require board approval. 18:41
    • Bob Young said the board approves testing coordinators annually under Policy 4701. 19:55
  2. Facilities energy audit presentation 20:49
    • Presenters from CMTA said the firm surveyed 16 facilities and found the district pays roughly $912,000 per year for electric, water and gas. 23:41
    • The energy audit presented to the board put the district-wide energy usage intensity at 38.5, compared with 41 for the average regional K through 12 school. 27:49
    • Jayson McDonald asked whether selecting the firm would lower design costs for new additions, and a presenter said additions requiring an architect would not fall under this procurement. 42:55
  3. North Spring Street sign update 53:38
    • A staff member said a dentist was interested in incorporating a sign into the existing high school digital sign at North Spring and Breeding Drive, which the staff member said sits on the dentist's property. 54:22
    • The staff member said the dentist's architects would draw up options and the matter would come back to the board. 54:54
  4. Opening, agenda and consent agenda 1:03:59
    • Bob Young opened the meeting with a prayer, and Jayson McDonald led the Pledge of Allegiance. 1:03:59
    • Jayson McDonald, Lisa Officer and John Smith disclosed that family members work for the district, and Bob Young said nothing on the agenda constituted a conflict for them. 1:07:59
    • The board approved the agenda, and the chair said the consent agenda, including six FFA field trip requests and policies on second reading, was adopted as presented with no objection. 1:11:06
  5. Educational technology award recognition 1:11:06
    • The executive director of the Tennessee Educational Technology Association presented an award naming a district staff member Middle Tennessee member of the year. 1:13:25
    • A staff member said the district has had several finalists for state awards over the past decade. 1:19:28
  6. Volunteer fire department land plats 1:20:51
    • A staff member said documentation from 1979 showed land under fire halls built on school property was to be deeded to the county, and recommended deeding the land at Bondy Croft, Cassville and Central View. 1:21:47
    • The staff member said the Bondy Croft parcel is 1.08 acres and the other two are about a half acre each. 1:23:05
    • Terri Douglas asked whether the change would help the Bondy Croft department seek grants, and a staff member said it depends on the specific grant. 1:30:37
    • The board approved the plats. ~1:33:04
  7. District update and student report 1:33:54
    • A staff member reported the school year began Tuesday, August 4th, and the district is fully staffed. 1:34:03
    • The staff member said TVAS growth scores are estimated a little lower than last year and White County High School is applying for a $50,000 SPARK grant. 1:34:03
    • The student representative reported on the start of the school year, including Tennessee Promise applications and club signups. 1:38:45
  8. Historical documents display policy 1:41:02
    • One board member proposed a policy to post the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Ten Commandments prominently, saying those documents are the foundation of morality and virtue. 1:42:25
    • A staff member said Public Chapter 924 limits displays to the Ten Commandments, a sentence of the Declaration of Independence preamble and the preamble to the Constitution. 1:49:31
    • The board adopted the policy, numbered 4806, on first reading. 1:53:42
  9. Public comment and McKinney-Vento budget 1:56:24
    • The chair said no one signed up for public comment and there was no old business. 1:56:24
    • A staff member said the McKinney-Vento grant brings $94,307.92 to the district to fund two assistants who work with homelessness. 1:58:25
    • Jayson McDonald asked how many homeless students the district has. 1:59:35
    • The board approved the budget. ~2:00:22
  10. Soccer and Ayers Foundation travel requests 2:00:34
    • The White County High School soccer team requested approval to attend a tournament in Gatlinburg in March. 2:00:34
    • John Smith said the trip dates were listed as 26th and probably should be 27th. 2:01:14
    • The board also considered an Ayers Foundation campus visit to Berea College in November. 2:02:01
    • The board approved both travel requests. 2:02:01
  11. Telehealth services memorandum of understanding 2:02:49
    • A staff member said the district's nursing coordinator worked with the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital to provide telehealth equipment for students, families and staff. 2:03:10
    • Jayson McDonald asked about out-of-pocket costs, and a staff member said there are none for the district. 2:04:43
    • The board approved the memorandum of understanding. ~2:05:47
  12. Choir trip to Chicago 2:05:58
    • The White County Choir requested approval to attend the National Festival of States in Chicago in May. 2:05:58
    • The board approved the trip. ~2:06:54
  13. Disposal of surplus bus 2:06:54
    • The board considered disposing of a bus purchased in 2006 that was out of usable service, under Policy 24031. 2:06:54
    • A staff member said the bus would go to GovDeals for auction. 2:07:49
    • The board approved the disposal. ~2:08:17
  14. Policies on second reading 2:08:17
    • Bob Young said policies 4301 and 6303 had been omitted from the second reading policies on the consent agenda, and John Smith said the related public chapter is 938. 2:08:17
    • The board approved the policies on second reading. ~2:09:37
  15. Recognitions and closing 2:09:37
    • Bob Young recognized a departing student representative and three outgoing board members, including Jayson McDonald, who served 12 years. 2:09:37
    • Bob Young presented Jayson McDonald with the Golden Bell, citing service that included a term as TSBA president. 2:09:37
    • Bob Young said the next school board meeting would be September 10th, 2026, at the Board of Education, with the regular board meeting at 6. 2:28:25

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 “White County School Board Meeting 8/13/2026”