KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

In a special called meeting, the Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education unanimously approved five new positions of assistant principals for the elementary schools and a full time position for the Career and Technology Education Director.

 In the Feb. 28 meeting, Director of Tullahoma City Schools (TCS) Dr. Catherine Stephens informed the school board that the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) model is beginning as they will no longer be receiving Basic Education Program (BEP) funds. TISA is a law that was passed in 2022 to simply school funding by allocating funds based on the needs of students and it will be replacing BEP beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

According to Stephens, in preparation for the transition from BEP to TISA, the state provided funding projections for every school district using a five year look back approach where the average to be figured to give every district an idea of the potential change in those student-based funding dollars.  She added that the Tullahoma school district is slated to receive an increase in state funds, which would allow them to serve the students with their needs.

She then presented the five leadership positions to the board, where she said one of the reasons for the meeting taking place was because it is prime hiring season, and if approved that night it could be possible that there could be a domino effect with filling the positions. Per to school board policy, it is required the school board receives a copy of the job description of the position which includes qualifications, duties, the roles the position fulfills and so on.

The first position Stephens presented was the full-time position of a Career and Technology Education (CTE) Director. The current CTE Director is Jessie Kinsey, who also serves as the assistant principal at Tullahoma High School. Stephens said the CTE program crosses grade levels, moving down to middle school and goes through all of the schools in the district, and the school board has committed to a strategic plan that has encompassed these pathways directed led by the CTE Director.

“The way that the responsibility is such that it needs to be a full-time and year-long position,” Stephens said.

If approved, it would be effective on July 1, 2023. Stephens added if the board approves of the position, Kinsey would be moved to the role full-time, and praised her for what she has done while serving part-time as both CTE Director and assistant principal at the high school.

“As a result, a posting will be a high school assistant principal, she has been splitting that role,” she said. “If this gets all approved, there will be five assistant principal roles posted.” 

The other four positions presented to the board would be the roles of assistant principals for TCS elementary school campuses: Bel-Aire Elementary School, East Lincoln Elementary School, Jack T. Farrar Elementary School and Robert E. Lee Elementary School. Stephens said that a few years prior the school board approved of the positions of assistant principals at the TCS middle schools. She noted that the school district’s leadership internship program has provided the elementary principals an opportunity to see how helpful having an assistant principal would be.

“In light of the high needs of students, staff members and families, the important role of instructional leadership, supporting of active engagement of all stakeholders and insuring a safe environment for all, these leadership roles are needed,” Stephens said. “These principals can then lead at a high level knowing that they will have a partner in the work as we provide safe environments for all.”

These positions will also begin on July 1, 2023 and the approval from the board will get the jobs posted immediately to fill those rolls and any internal roles if necessary.

When opened to discussion, Board of Education member Amy Dodson praised Kinsey for being able to serve both positions and for the elementary school principals for being able to run the elementary schools without assistant principals.

“I don’t know how you do it by yourself,” Dodson said. “Y’all need extra help, I know that, and I am excited about this for our system.”

Stephens commented said there is an anxiety for the principals when they have to step away from the building for a conference or if they are sick and relying on a few individuals they can trust, with some who are licensed to step in. The approval of the positions, once filled, will provide at least one principal and assistant principal to each of the seven schools.

School board member Gigi Robison said adding assistant principals at the elementary schools has been a topic of discussion for the board and a priority. School board members Andy Whitt, Pat Welsh and Board Chairman Kim Uselton echoed similar sediments about how impressed they were with the principals’ handling of their schools and how it was good time to approve these positions.

“Just as Gigi said, it’s not anything new but it is just fortunate that it could possibly happen,” Uselton said.

The school board then voted 6-0 to approve all five positions, which was met with applause from the members of the audience, including all four of the elementary school principals. Before adjourning, Uselton shared to the school board that the Tullahoma Board of Mayor and Alderman had announced the vacancy on the school board, left by previous member Sid Hill. She said that those interested to be on the school board can now go and fill out their application at City Hall, and the appointment for the seat is to be made at the March 27 Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting.