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InJanuary,theHamiltonCountyBoardofEducationvoted63infavorofbeginning
negotiationstobuyoutSuperintendentRickSmithscontractinthewakeofpublic
criticismregardinghisapproachtotheOoltewahHighSchoolrapecase.Smith
receivedtremendouspublicpressureafterhewaited20daysbeforespeakingpublicly
aboutthecaseandwaited2weeksbeforecancelingtheteamsbasketballseason.
Now,morethanever,itisimportantforthecitizensofHamiltonCountytoholdour
electedofficialsaccountablefortheiractionsanddemandtransparencyinthe
decisionsthataffectourcommunity.In2011,theSchoolBoardhiredourcurrent
Superintendentwithoutdoingasearchandwithoutaformalcommunityinputprocess.
Wewanttomakesurethistimeisdifferent.Webelieveourcommunityshouldhavea
strongvoiceindeterminingwhowillbechosenasthenewleaderofourschoolsystem.
UnifiEdwillbehostingaseriesofcommunityconversationstobetterlearnwhatour
communitymembersvalueinschoolleadership.Ourfirstcommunityconversationwill
beonFebruary22ndat6pmatUnifiEd(1609McCallieAve.).Staypostedformore

meetingscomingupinMarch.

SchoolBoardmembersplayanimportantroleinthesuccessofourpublic
schools.Theyarethegroupofelectedofficialswhomakeimportantdecisions
regardingourschoolsystem'sbudgetandholdthepowertohireandfirethe
SuperintendentofSchools.Thiselectioncycle,wehavefourSchoolBoardseats
upforelectioninDistricts1,2,4,and7.Ifyouorsomeoneyouknowisaqualified
candidate,checkoutourHowToRunForSchoolBoardGuidetolearnabout
campaignrequirements,electionpaperwork,andupcomingdeadlines.Ifyouare
interested,thecampaignprocessbeginsnow!Wehopetoseeeveryonecoming
outtovoteintheAugust4thelections.Checkoutourupcomingdiscussionson
HowtoRunforSchoolBoardinoureventssection.

OurStudentVoiceTeamhasworkedwithover100studentsfrom16differentschools
inHamiltonCountytoadvocateforpolicychangewithinpublicschools.Weallagree

bullyingandharassmentisoneofthemostpressingissuesfacingstudents
today.UnifiEd'sStudentVoiceTeamhasbeenworkingsincelastyeartobring
attentiontobullyinganddiscriminationinschools.WelearnedthatthecurrentHCDE
policy6.304regardingStudentDiscrimination/Harassment/Hazingand
Bullying/Intimidationdoesnotcomplywithstatelaw.
Weknowthisisnotjustaboutoneincidentoroneschool,andwearededicatedto
makingpolicychangesthatwillbenefitallstudentsinHamiltonCounty.Nowisthetime
todoyourpartbycontactingyourlocalSchoolBoardmembertoletthemknow
youwantHCDE'sbullyingandharassmentpolicytocomplywithstatelawand
fortheSchoolBoardtolaunchanindependentinvestigationofallpoliciesand
proceduresrelatedtobullying.Writealetter,sendanemail,ormakeaphonecall
andletthemknowthisissueisimportanttoyou.Findoutwhoyourlocalschoolboard
memberisHERE.FindcontactinformationforyourlocalSchoolBoard
memberHERE.

TeacherOrganizer
UnifiEdislookingforafulltimeTeacher
Organizerwhowillberesponsiblefor
unitingteachersacrossHamiltonCounty
toadvocateforpublicschoolpolicy
change.Theywillidentifylocalpolicy
issuesandchampionimprovingsupport
forteachersinpublicschools.The
positionempowersandengages
teachersdirectlyandadvocatesfor
improvedworkingandclassroom
conditions.Tolearnmoreandapplyclick
HERE.

EichenthalFellowship
2FELLOWS.10WEEKS.$4,000STIPEND.

TheEichenthalFellowsprogramprovides
financialsupportforundergraduate
studentstoparticipateina10week

summerinternshipsatnonprofit
organizationsfocusedonpublicinterest
andpolicyissues.Eachyear,one
fellowshipisinChattanooga,TNandthe
otherfellowshipisinBrooklyn,NY.To
learnmoreabouttheprogramclick
HERE.

CommunityEvents
SchoolBoardMeeting
5:30pm,February18
DepartmentofEducation
Joinusforthismonth'sSchoolBoard
Meetingtolearnmoreabouteducation
policyandHamiltonCountypublic
schools.Themeetingwillbeheldatthe
DepartmentofEducation(3074Hickory
ValleyRoad).Wewillbelivetweeting
fromthemeeting.Followalongon
Twitter:@UnifiEdHC,#hcschools.
UnifiEdCommunityMeetings
6pm,Feb.11,BrainerdRecCenter
5pm,March3,EastdaleCenter
JoinusforoneofourCommunity
Meetingstocontinuetheconversation
aboutThePactforPublicEducationand
learnmoreabouthowyoucanbemore
involvedinourwork.Ifyouwantmore
information,contactDemetrusviaemail
atdemetrus@unified.org.

HowtoRunforSchoolBoard
6pm,Feb.23,UnifiEd
6pm,Feb25,Hardee's
11am,Feb.27,MeetingHouse
6pm,March1,HeritageHouse
Joinustolearnmoreabouthowtorun
forSchoolBoard.Meetingswillbeheld
ineachofthedistrictswhohaveseats
openforelectionthisAugust(District1,
2,4,7).Formoreinformationcontact
matt@unified.org.
LeadershipMatters:Community
VoiceinSuperintendentSelection
6pm,Feb.22,UnifiEd
Now,morethanever,it'simportantfor
thecitizensofHamiltonCountytohold
ourelectedofficialsaccountablefortheir
actionsanddemandtransparency.Join
usforaconversationaboutwhatwe
wanttheprocessofselectinganew
Superintendenttolooklike,andshare
ideasaboutwhatyouwanttoseeinthe
newSuperintendentofSchools.
StudentVoiceTeamMeetups
5:30pm,February12&26
UnifiEd(1609McCallieAve.)
AllstudentsinHamiltonCountyare
invitedtodiscusstheTeam'sworkso
faronbullyingandhazing,whatwewant
toseeinaSuperintendent,andwhatour
nextstepswillbe.Thisisagreatchance
tomeetnewfriendsandmakelasting
change!Ifyouhavequestions,email
nick@unified.org.

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