The county schools are taking several steps moving toward the collaborative bargaining process.
Tennessee formerly had a compulsory bargaining process, but that was phased out by the Legislature several years ago.
School officials said under Tennessee Code Annotated: 49-5-605(b)(1), “…the board of education shall appoint an equal number of its professional employees and board members to serve on a special question committee.” The purpose of this committee is to oversee the implementation of a confidential poll regarding collaborative conferencing and representation for all eligible professional employees.
Oficials said, "The district respectfully requests that the appointed committee members work closely with Dr. Kirk Kelly and Dr. Lee McDade in addressing the logistics of the polling process."
Under Tennessee Code Annotated: 49-5-605(b)(4), “…the board of education shall appoint at least seven (7), but no more than eleven (11) persons, to serve as management personnel.”
Further, Tennessee Code Annotated: 49-5-605(c) states, “The board of education shall select and appoint its representatives. Representatives shall be appointed no later than December 1.”
The following management team personnel are to be appointed to represent the board:
- Rick Smith, Superintendent
- Dr. Robert Sharpe, Assistant Superintendent for School Operations
- Dr. Lee McDade, Assistant Superintendent for Campus Support
- Stacy E. Stewart, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
- Christie Jordan, Director of Finance
- La Frederick Thirkill, Orchard Knob Elementary School Principal
- Jane Reynolds, Brown Middle School Principal