The Loudon County School board members discussed implementing a new policy dealing with out of district students during their recent workshop. Two policies were presented - one dealing with out of county students and the other with Lenoir City students.

The out of county policy states Loudon County Schools will no longer accept any out-of-county students, but those currently enrolled will be allowed to complete their education in the district. It also states no additional siblings of those currently enrolled will be permitted, but during the 2010-2011 school year, siblings of a previously enrolled student could enroll as long as they were enrolling in Pre-K or Kindergarten. If space permits, students of teachers or other employees of the school district who live outside of the district can attend Loudon County Schools. The policy also said after any out of county student has enrolled in one school, per school year, within the Loudon County School District, they will not be permitted to transfer to another school within the district unless there is a change of residency. 

The separate Lenoir City policy states student admission must be approved at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the school year and will be accepted notwithstanding any disciplinary actions Unlike the policy for out-of-county students, the Lenoir City policy stated its students would be reviewed at the end of each school year for consideration of continued enrollment.

While the board agreed a policy needed to be in place some said making a separate policy for Lenoir City was not necessary.

Lenoir City students are county students, Board member Leroy Tate said.

"We can't refuse them... This whole second page on my part is a joke," he said. "To flat out deny them; that's just totally wrong."

The county and city school districts are not equal in this regard.

"(Lenoir City's) got the right but we don't," he said of denying students admission.

"Even if it were legal, it doesn't make it right," Shaver said of the separate policy. "I can never support anything differentiating Lenoir City students from any one else."

After discussion with school principals in attendance and statements by board members that the principals were more than capable to handle the issue on their own, the board decided to get the principal's assistance in drafting a policy so that they had a something to fall back should any questions be asked about their decision to not allow a student admission. 

"We all know sooner or later there's going to be a problem and no policy," Newman said of allowing the principals to handle it on a case by base basis.

The board also heard from Loudon Elementary School principal Kim Greenway addressing the board about LES not being considered when it came to safety issues in the school district. 

Greenway agreed  LES is not the most overcrowded school, but insisted while the school appreciated the portable classrooms it has, they do present safety issues. She asked that LES be considered in the building program because LES students should be in a real building as soon as possible.