by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“It’s really hard to get employees to work for what we’re paying them,” said Extended School Program Director Kathy Elder in her appeal to the Franklin County School Board at the April 13 meeting, proposing a wage and fee increase. The board also heard from Richard Boyd, Engineering Supervisor with Ben Lomand Connect (BLC), requesting permission to locate a small 8’ by 12’ equipment building at Decherd Elementary School. Taking up policies, the board approved a policy change which relaxed restriction on public comments at board meetings.

Elder said the Tullahoma Schools had the only comparable self-supporting extended-school program in the area. She proposed increasing the wage to that earned by Tullahoma ESP employees, the same hourly wage Educational Assistants earned in Franklin County, $15.40 per hour. Currently, Franklin County ESP employees earn $14.42 an hour. Many Franklin County ESP employees work two jobs, Elder said, also employed as educational assistants in the district. “We’re never fully staffed,” she acknowledged. “We can’t keep people. I looked back over the past eight years. We only have four employees who are still with us. You can’t get childcare for what we charge or what we will charge if we go up.” Presently the cost is $10/day for three hours. Elder proposed increasing the cost to $15 per day. “Children typically get a snack and help with homework,” said Board Chair CleiJo Walker, pointing to the program’s benefits over non-school affiliated childcare services. Childcare in the area costs an average of $17 per hour according to Elder. She also proposed increasing the cost of the summer program from $100 a week to $125 a week. Board member Sara Liechty expressed concern the fee increase could pose a hardship for some families and asked about the possibility of financial assistance. Director of Schools Cary Holman observed that while financial assistance opportunities existed, “The [ESP’s] paperwork and mandates would increase dramatically putting an additional burden on the program.” The board approved the fee and wage increase schedule, with changes to go into effect beginning in the fall school term.

Compliance with a federal grant prompted BLC to request permission to locate an equipment building at Decherd Elementary, Boyd explained. The grant will enable BLC to expand broadband infrastructure in unserved and under served areas. The building would be located outside the playground fence, require only 16’ by 20’ easement, be entirely maintained by BLC, and presented no security risks. Boyd described the structure as a prefabricated hut. If approved, the facility would serve as a “connection point” enabling BLC to provide fiber optic internet service to 1,300 locations in northern Franklin County and parts of the city of Decherd. BLC previously identified five other connection points, and the school provided an optimal location for the final site. “We would like to give $3,000 to the schools or board to use however you wish,” Boyd said in his closing remarks. The board approved his request

The change in the Appearances before the Board policy resulted from legislation recently signed into law by Governor Lee, noted Human Resources Supervisor Roger Alsup. The amended policy eliminates the requirement those wishing to make a public comment must sign up in advance, as well as eliminating the requirement that comments must pertain to that evening’s agenda. Those commenting will still be limited to three minutes, with the total Public Comment period limited to 30 minutes.

Reporting on legislative action, board member Sarah Marhevsky said, in an unscheduled vote, the legislature passed a bill requiring school districts to annually report to the Department of Education the number of students who fail to produce documentation of their legal status or who produced insufficient documentation. In March 2025 the board passed a resolutions in support of free public education, opposing the bill. Both Senator Janice Bowling and Representative Iris Rudder voted to adopt the new law.

Marhevsky highlighted pending legislation, as well. One bill would increase the number of vouchers awarded to students attending private school from 25,000 to 40,000 for the coming school year. The voucher program reduces the number of students enrolled in public schools, correspondingly reducing the amount of funding received from the state, and awards private schools more money per student than public schools receive. Another pending bill would minimize student screen time. “If they’re going to be tested on technology [devices], they need to practice on it,” insisted board member Casey Roberts.

Dr. Tom Smith with the Pen Foundation announced the foundation’s Teacher of the Year awardees: Katelyn Williams, Sewanee Elementary School; Carla Avalos, Huntland Middle School; and Karen Mathews, Huntland High School. Novice Teacher of the Year awardees were April Green, Cowan Elementary School; Claire Henderson, North Middle School; and Amanda Modesitt, Franklin County High School. The Pen Foundation named Rock Creek Elementary’s Barbara King Principal of the Year and Rachel Shields district-wide Supervisor of the Year.