Nashville School Board Approves New Hires, Bus Purchase, and Discusses AI Policy

The Nashville School Board held their regular monthly meeting Monday evening, covering several key personnel changes, a major purchase, and ongoing discussions about artificial intelligence in education.

During the meeting, the board accepted the resignation of Dustin Huddleston from the district’s IT department. The motion passed unanimously, 5-0.

The board also approved the hiring of two staff members:

Noella Ferretiz was hired as an ESL paraprofessional, replacing Amber Perez. Her employment begins August 4, 2025.

Mark Higgins, who was previously hired as a bus driver, was approved to take on an additional role in maintenance. He will work six hours per day at a rate of $18.11 per hour, retroactive to August 4.

In other business, the board approved the purchase of a 2026 CE School Bus at a cost of $143,187.

Superintendent Doug Graham also briefed the board on progress toward developing a district policy for artificial intelligence. He shared that a committee has been formed to explore how AI should be addressed in the classroom and district operations.

Graham then elaborated on the early conversations the committee has been having.

He stated that a final outline of the proposed AI policy should be ready by the next board meeting.