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In his Director’s Report, Hamblen County Superintendent of Schools Arnold Bunch began by turning the floor to Assistant Superintendent Matthew Drinnon to update the middle school framing projects.

Drinnon said that classroom framing on Phase II of Lincoln Heights and Meadowview middle schools’ classroom enclosure project has been completed.

Lincoln Heights Middle has passed its wall electrical inspection, so that sheetrock hanging can begin.

Meadowview was scheduled for inspections Thursday. Phase II at Meadowview is anticipated to be completed by early April.

A bidding package for a similar framing project at John Hay Elementary should be completed this week with the Lewis Group with anticipated bid opening of March 31.

“We are moving out on the tasks that you all have given us and the ones we said we were going to execute,” Bunch said. “We’ll have an idea in late March-early April whether we can make the John Hay goal that we have set reality and move forward with that.”

Should the John Hay project be allowed to commence, the student body will be relocated to the former Lincoln Heights Elementary School for the 2026-27 school year while construction happens.

Bunch said that he appreciated the community’s

support regarding use of snow days during the recent snowstorm. Hamblen County has used eight of its 10 banked snow days for this year.

“I understand there were some folks who didn’t agree with all of the decisions,” Bunch said. “I’m comfortable with the decisions that we made relative to whether we went to school or not. That’s reality, we made the calls and I’m very comfortable with what we did. I appreciate the Board’s support.”

Bunch also talked about going to the County Commission’s Committees meeting Monday afternoon and showing the videos from teachers and students of both Lincoln Heights and Meadowview middle schools thanking the commission for approving the bonds for classroom enclosure to improve safety and learning environment. He appreciated several of the BOE members being at that meeting for support.

“There were many who pushed for this for many years,” Bunch said. “The BOE and the Commission made it a reality. Off we’re running and we’re going to finish it way early.”

The project at both middle schools was scheduled to take two years, but both projects will be finished within a year.

One who Bunch didn’t thank Monday was current County Mayor Chris Cutshaw, who was chair of the Commission when the bond issue was passed.

“He’s been a strong supporter,” Bunch said.

Bunch also thanked the BOE members for their service on the board to celebrate “School Board Appreciation Month.”

Among other items passed by the BOE, were second and final readings on policies regarding School District Records, an Emergency Preparedness Plan, a Threat Assessment Team, Instructional Goals, Enrollment in Advanced Placement Classes, Interscholastic Athletics, Internet Use, Family and Medical Leave, Substitute Teachers, Safe Relocation of Students and Student Records.

The following funds and grants were accepted by the BOE:

The Tennessee Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant for $90,000 per year through FY 2029.

TN ALL Corps Tutoring Innovation Grant for $74,600 and an Early Literacy Tutoring Grant for $14,000, both from the TDOE Office of Academics and Instructional Strategy.