Gannon signs school board proclamation

By TONY STINNETT /Courier Sports Editor

National School Board Appreciation Month is celebrated during the month of January and, locally, Cannon County Executive Mike Gannon has proclaimed Jan. 27-Feb. 2 as School Board Appreciation Week in Cannon County.

Gannon signed a proclamation Thursday (Jan. 10) to make the week of celebration official. Cannon

County’s Board of Education includes, Chris Blackburn, Bruce Daniel, Chariman Randy Gannon, Roy Parker, Nathan Sanders. CHS junior Jordan Turney is the student representative on the board. Barbara Parker serves as Director of Schools.

School Board Week in Tennessee is part of the National School Board Recognition Month, which highlights school board members across the nation throughout the month of January.

Each year, “School Board Appreciation Week” is proclaimed by the governor and celebrated statewide to honor the school board members who govern our schools and make a difference in the lives of our children and communities.

Public education is everyone’s business, and it holds the key to the success of every community. School Board members devote their time and efforts to ensure that students receive a first-class education and an opportunity for future success in life. School Board Appreciation Week is a time for the community to thank board members for their commitment to children and their education.

Parker informed the Board of Education of Gannon’s proclamation and thanked members for their service during the regular monthly meeting of the Cannon County Board of Education at Woodbury Grammar School Thursday (Jan. 10).

The Board approved policy 1.802 concerning Section 504 and ADA grievance procedures. Parker made the motion which was approved by Blackburn. It passed unanimously. In May 2011, Tennessee school systems were notified of a complaint with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil

Rights - Atlanta filed against Tennessee school districts regarding Section 504. The complaint alleged that Tennessee LEAs failed to develop and disseminate a system of procedural safeguards, including provisions regarding Section 504 impartial due process hearings with respect to evaluation, eligibility, and placement of students.

As part of the State’s Resolution Agreement with OCR-Atlanta, each participating LEA agreed to adopt either the department’s version or their own version of the due process procedures. In addition, each LEA is also required to post the due process procedures on its web site, if applicable, and/or student handbooks.

Parker told the Board the new policy must be in place and

included in the handbook.Members of the Collaborative Conference Team were announced. Those members include board members Bruce Daniel and Nathan Sanders; Principals Karen Wimberley and Bonnie Patterson; Supervisors Connie Foster and Pam Sonderman and Director Parker. The team will have its first training meeting Feb. 28 and March 1.

Parker announced Woodbury Grammar School had received a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s. In other business, the board approved CCHS baseball’s request to use funds raised through its booster club and deposited into the school account for pay for field maintenance. The next Cannon County Board of Education Workshop will be at the Central Office, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. The next regular board meeting will be Feb. 14 at Woodbury Grammar School at 6 p.m.

SCHOOL BOARD WEEK IN CANNON COUNTY

WHEREAS, an excellent public education system is vital to

the quality of life of our communities and to the economic

development of our State; and

WHEREAS, school board members recognize the importance of

educational reform and accept the responsibilities involved

with implementing such initiatives as the Tennessee Diploma

Project and the First to the Top Act; and

WHEREAS, the men and women of our local school boards are

elected by the people and deserve recognition and thanks for

their countless hours of service to public education in

Tennessee;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Gannon, County Executive of Cannon

County, do hereby proclaim the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2013,

SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION WEEK in Cannon County and