After a presentation about the AAA Summer Express program, School board members and a crowd of school employees watched a power point presentation given by HCS CFO and Assistant Superintendent Vincent Harvell about changes in the system’s insurance platform. In other business, school board members approved out-of-state travel for the HHS football team, 13 policy changes, a new organizational chart, the janitorial contract, a continuation budget and a long list of budget amendments.

Employees learned that due to the passing of the Affordable Care Act, the school system has to provide many more employees with the opportunity to purchase insurance. Some of the money the school system uses to pay a portion of insurance costs comes from BEP money, but not enough. Since the school system pays a percentage of employee’s insurance costs, this will put an economic strain on the school’s ability to pay this percentage, so one solution to this problem is to offer Gap insurance with a Limited PPO plan. The board passed, on a roll-call vote, the revision to the insurance platform to offer this alternative option to employees. Mr. Harvell said that employees will have the choice to keep the insurance plan they have. He added that there will be more information on this for employees, including a chart available for them to see the different plans of coverage and their portion of the costs. Beginning October 1, employees may decide what plan they will choose for next year.

In other business, board members approved for HHS football Coach Ernie Jackson to take some of the football players to the University of Alabama football camp on June 14. The board also approved a request by HHS Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Tim Seymour to allow Coach Jackson to take the HHS football team, cheerleaders and the band to play a game against Muscle Shoals High School in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The game is tentatively scheduled for September 26. Coach Jackson said this game was scheduled to fill in an open date in the HHS Tomcat schedule.

After review and discussion, board members approved 13 policy changes/additions recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association.

A request by Superintendent Teresa Russell for approval of the fiscal year 2015 Local Consolidated Application for IDEA/ESEA under the No Child Life Behind law was granted by board members. This approval authorizes the Mrs. Russell to file any necessary revisions, addenda or transfer requests.

Mrs. Russell also presented for approval the 2014-15 Organizational Chart for the Haywood County School System. There were only a few minor changes. To see this chart, click on the link at the bottom of the June School Board story.

Board members approved a janitorial contract with GCA, and agreed to let the school system operate under a continuation budget until passage of the 2014-15 county budget by the Haywood County Commission.

The last order of business was to approve a long list of budget amendments. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 8.

2014-15 Organizational Chart for the Haywood County School System