Lakeland and Arlington school district leaders began discussions this week about how to transition Lakeland’s children from Arlington facilities to classrooms in Lakeland, starting in August 2018.
That date is when the combined middle/high school, Lakeland Prep, is planned to open. Transition plans are at the preliminary stages, but the district’s school board chairmen and superintendents of education were pleased with the meeting’s progress.
“It was very positive and very productive,” Lakeland School System (LSS) board chairman Kevin Floyd said at the school board’s Feb. 2 work session.
Lakeland superintendent Dr. Ted Horrell said the discussions will prioritize how the districts deal with the opening of Lakeland Prep — what that means for students and staff, transportation, budget and other factors.
He compared the process to the transition period when Lakeland split from the Shelby County Schools district.
Horrell also said the city attorney is currently reviewing the contingency contract for the Lakeland Prep land purchase and also the school’s two architectural and engineering contracts:
- One for site grading, drainage and installation of utilities
- One for the building construction
Educational consultant Dr. James B. Mitchell Jr. of Southern Educational Strategies LLC said he hopes to bring the contracts to the board at their Feb. 9 business meeting.
Horrell is also meeting this week with A2H and Renaissance Group of Lakeland to create a time line for Lakeland Prep’s site preparation and construction process.
Budget update
Horrell also said he has been working hard on the district’s 2015-16 budget. There are no financial windfalls, so it will continue to be tight, he said, citing the example of the step increase for teachers’ salaries amounting to $83,000 with no anticipated new funds.
Horrell, however, said he is confident the district can make the budget work, and it will continue to be conservative and fiscally responsible.
One way the district is saving money is by keeping the same start times next year, which allows the district to continue sharing nine of its 10 buses with the Bartlett City Schools. Lakeland also shares one special-ed bus with Arlington Community Schools. All but one of the Lakeland district’s buses are shared on an economical three-way split.
Horrell continues to work with the Shelby County Board of Commis-sioners on a funding reallocation. Horrell said he would attend the Feb. 4 County Commission Education Committee meeting to answer any questions, and the full commission would vote on the matter Feb. 9. The previously allocated amount is $990,000 and would be used for land purchase for Lakeland Prep later this year.
Other business
In other business, the school board:
- Greeted the district’s new instructional specialist, Trudy Hughes, who is working on data analysis and presentations, sharing information with teachers, and making recommendations on the school’s intervention and enrichment program.
- Heard the superintendent’s plans to begin the bidding process for the district’s purchases (for the current school year that began in August 2014, the new district was able to extend Shelby County’s contracts).
- Was updated on the performance of Memphis Goodwill Industries, which has provided janitorial and grounds services to Lakeland Elementary School this school year. Horrell praised their work as “outstanding” and said he wants to continue using their services. The program employs disabled Tennessee residents who face challenges in the job market.
- Learned that David Pickler, the trustee for the GASB 45 Trust, will be at the Feb. 9 LSS meeting to discuss what it would mean for Lakeland to join this trust now that accounting changes require school districts and government organizations to carry unfunded liabilities on their books. GASB (Governmental Accounting Standards Board) changes are important because they can affect bond ratings, Horrell said.
- Agreed to discuss on Feb. 9 changing the school board’s start times for work sessions and business meetings.
- Agreed to discuss board members’ views on school vouchers at the Feb. 9 meeting.
- Agreed to begin discussions on the Lakeland school mascot at the Feb. 9 meeting.
- Discussed legislative issues they want to pursue, including educational standards, pressures on teachers and full funding for any education mandates.
- Heard that there will be a Feb. 11 review of Lakeland Elementary math textbooks up for adoption. They will be available 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via email to bartlett.editor@journalinc.com.
