Sumner County receives its first TSBA Board of Distinction

 Sumner County School Board Chairman Don Long accepts a plaque present by David Fox, Chairman of the Metro Board of Education, recognizing the Sumner County Board of Education for being designated as a TSBA Board of Distinction during the Board's Oct. 20, 2009 meeting.

Oct. 20, 2009 - The Sumner County Board of Education was honored by the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) for its efforts to effectively govern public schools for more than 27,000 students.

David Fox, Chairman of the Metro Board of Education, presented Sumner County School Board Chairman Don Long with a plaque recognizing the Sumner County Board of Education for being designated as a TSBA Board of Distinction during the Board's Oct. 20 meeting.

The Board of Distinction Award, recognizes outstanding performance by the entire school board. This is the first time the Sumner County Board of Education has received the award. The Sumner County Board of Education is made up of 11 members, the Sumner County Board of Education includes Tim Brewer, David Brown, Beth Cox, Will Duncan, Mike Fussell, Glen Gregory, Danny Hale, Ben Harris, Don Long, Rob Wheeler, and Ted Wise.

Previous Sumner County Board Chairman Mike Fussell spearheaded the Board efforts in the application process and said he was pleased to see the Board’s efforts come to fruition. 

“I am proud of this Board for having accomplished each of the 15 best practices prescribed by TSBA for us to be as productive a Board as we can be. I hope this is a minimum benchmark for this Board in the future so that we can not only achieve Board of Distinction status but go beyond that and become the most productive Board possible for the Sumner County School system,” Fussell said.

Benny Bills, Sumner County Director of Schools said he applauded the Board for its accomplishment.

“Our Board has worked hard to meet the qualifications of Board of Distinction and we congratulate them on their efforts,” Bills said.

To qualify, boards must complete meet specific standards in the four areas of emphasis within a two-year period. Specific requirements for the award include conducting a superintendent evaluation, developing a five-year plan, participating in a board retreat, conducting an annual review of all board policies, being represented at the TSBA Delegate Assembly, adopting the TSBA Code of Ethics and participating in a board self-evaluation.

“The Tennessee School Boards Association believes it is important to recognize individual school

Board member accomplishments, but it is also important to recognize outstanding performance by school boards as corporate units,” TSBA Executive Director Tammy Grissom said. “TSBA’s Board of Distinction Program is designed to recognize those school boards that meet the highest levels of achievement in the areas of planning, policy, promotion and board development. We are extremely proud of the Sumner County Board of Education for its demonstrated commitment to effectively serving today’s students and taxpayers while planning for the future.”

Recipients of the award are presented with a plaque to display in their central office. Designation as

a Board of Distinction is given for two years, after which the board may submit another entry for continued Board of Distinction status.

The Tennessee School Boards Association, a statewide, nonprofit organization, is a federation of all

the state’s local school boards. It serves as an advocate for the interests of Tennessee’s nearly one million public school students and 136 school districts.