by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“We are not in the business of closing schools,” said Franklin County School Board Chair Cleijo Walker at the May 12 board meeting addressing rumors that Sewanee Elementary School would close. In regular business, the board approved the 2025-2026 budget.

Walker broke from the agenda to comment on the rumors about SES. “There are lots of rumors flying around that we had on our agenda to close schools in the county. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Walker insisted. “It’s not on our agenda to close Sewanee. That’s the one we keep hearing about. That is not true. We want it to be as strong as it can be.”

Nearly a dozen Sewanee residents along with Vice-Chancellor Rob Pearigen attended the meeting. “Thank you for the leadership of the public schools here in Franklin County,” Pearigen said in response to Walker’s announcement. “I’m sure Sewanee Elementary is grateful, too.”

Introducing the 2025-2026 budget for board approval, Walker observed, “I feel better about our financial situation than I did earlier.” The budget calls for a 4.5 percent starting salary increase for teachers and a 3.5 percent increase for all other certified staff, along with step increases based on years of service. The budget also added a step increase for teachers serving 25 years or more. Last year’s budget had no years-of-service increase beyond the 24th year. Classified employees will receive a 3.5 percent raise, with step increases for some categories of employees.

Board member Sarah Marhesky reported on action by the state legislature impacting public education. The “Say Yes to Recess” bill passed. Effective, July 1, 2025, elementary school students must have 40 minutes of physical activity per school day, outdoors when possible, and PE class twice a week, for a total of at least one hour; the PE class time does not count toward the daily 40-minutes of physical activity. Middle school and high school students must have 90 minutes of physical activity per week.

The Pre-K Funding bill, which the board supported with a March resolution, did not pass. The bill would have allocated additional state funding for Pre-K students with special needs. A bill the board opposed with a March resolution also did not pass. The bill would have allowed public school to refuse to enroll students unlawfully present in the United States. The Hamilton County School passed a resolution modeled after the Franklin County School Board’s resolution. Argument in the legislature attempted to circumvent a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler vs. Doe that “illegal alien children living in the United States could not be excluded from a free public education based upon their immigration status.” “I expect this bill will come back next year,” Marhevsky said.

In January, School Health Coordinator Chris Hawkersmith challenged the board to walk 8,000-10,000 steps (approximately four miles) a day to help advance a Tennessee Department of Education Coordinated School Health grant opportunity. Hawkersmith announced the top performer in the challenge. Director of Schools Cary Holman walked 293 miles; Walker walked 308 miles; and Human Resources Supervisor Roger Alsup walked 336 miles.