All BOE members were present.

Cairo Superintendent of Schools Andrea Evers used the "Examples of Excellence" portion of the meeting to introduce five of the six new teachers hired by the District for the 2014-2015 School Year.

Those in attendance were:

• Chelsie McKinney - Elementary Education Teacher - 3rd Grade
• Dawn Seward - Elementary Education Teacher - 4th Grade
• Keith Campbell - Middle School Science
• Jeanna Nance - Middle School English
• Zakara Nelson - CJSHS Guidance Counselor

Not in attendance due to being in the process of moving her residence was Kaylee Justice, the new CHS Mathematics Teacher.

Next up, "Public/Private Hearings or Petitions". On a normal BOE meeting night, crickets sing following the question of whether anyone wants to address the board. Well, not tonight, not at all:

• Bernard Brown asked to speak to the BOE in closed session. (Mr. Brown was indeed invited to enter the inner sanctum a couple of hours later during the scheduled closed session.)

• Danny Brown next addressed the BOE concerning its hiring and evaluation practices, specifically as applied to Bernard Brown. Suffice it to say, he was not happy. The gist of his argument was an allegation that all coaches were not evaluated, that his brother was singled out (among a few others.) As for the evaluation, out of 26 standards for evaluation, Mr. Bernard Brown only received on negative rating of "3", indicating that Mr. Brown "did not practice" enough to suit the evaluator. Mr. Danny Brown disputed that negative rating, indicating that he and others could attest the fact that Bernard Brown's practice schedule was in line with other coaches in similar circumstances. Danny Brown also presented the BOE with a petition with over over 100 signatures requesting that Bernard Brown be rehired.

• Glen Box addressed the BOE to complain about the new uniforms. Mr. Box, speaking on behalf of his son, characterized the school uniform requirement as "mass punishment", something that he objected to since his son had given him "nothing but the best." Superintendent Evers indicated that the process for requiring uniforms of students in Cairo School District Number One began prior to her hiring, namely, "in 2011". She also objected to Mr. Box's use of the descriptor "mass punishment, labeling that as "heavy words". Mr. Box indicated that in his past experience, students had been required to wear uniforms only when they had failed to conform to school rules, resulting in an assignment to alternative school. Board President Artie McBride told Mr. Box that there was a time limit for speakers and that he had exceeded his time. Mr. Box did not appreciate that comment, along with some other interruptions of his time. President McBride closed down the remarks about uniforms by challenging each BOE member to purchase two uniforms to help with the process of possibly providing not one, but two sets of uniforms to all students. BOE Member Rodney Moore one-upped that challenge by stating that the BOE guarantee all students two uniforms, actually, even three uniforms, a comment that drew laughs and eye rolls from other members. President McBride finally commented: "Moving on..."

• Robert Newell also addressed the BOE as to the treatment of his neighbor Bernard Brown. Mr. Newell cited his own treatment at the hands of the Cairo Board of Education after serving seven years as a coach, simply not being rehired without notice, being told that he did not apply for the position, even though the practice at the time was simply that coaches "rolled over" and did not have to apply for their positions. (CAT Tracks Editor's Note: Mr. Robert Newell is absolutely correct. The CAT negotiating team made those same challenges/arguments "at the table", only to hear the BOE respond with "We want to hire whomever we want for coaching positions.")

• There was one other visitor whose name I did not catch who also spoke briefly on behalf of Bernard Brown.

The BOE voted to approved the "Consent Agenda", lumping all items together. There were no questions or discussion.

Superintendent Evers then made her report, providing an August 4 date for a training session, August 7th and 8th for student registration (at which time student will be given uniforms, allowed to try them on, and allowed to change sizes due to, for example, growth spurts), August 13th for the Teachers' Institute, and August 14th for the first day of student attendance for the 2014-2015 School Year. Superintendent Evers also said that there was going to be some "bleacher capping", that the foundation of the bleachers was sound, but that the bleachers themselves needed refinishing. (I believe she said that the work would begin next week and take about a week.)

The BOE voted to enter closed session at 6:45 p.m. The BOE voted to exit closed session at 9:30 p.m.

The BOE voted to accept the resignations of Nita Posey and Allene Houston-Jones, approved IASB Board Policy Updates, and appointed Sheila Nelson as JAMP Governing Board Member.

The BOE tabled the athletic hirings and the approval of non-union, non-certified employee salary increases until a Special Meeting on August 5th. Also tabled, an "Item 9-(6)" that failed to make the Amended Agenda, namely the approval of the 2014-2015 Student Handbook.

The BOE voted to adjourn at 9:36 p.m.