Decatur County School Board to meet Thursday, public input at 6 p.m.

Families with questions about next year’s classrooms, school safety or staffing will have a chance to speak before the Decatur County Board of Education meets Thursday at 6:15 p.m. in Decaturville. Public input begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Decatur County Board of Education office, giving parents and employees a formal window to raise concerns before board business starts.

The meeting falls on the board’s regular monthly schedule. Decatur County Schools says the board normally meets on the second Thursday of each month in the Board of Education Conference Room, and the district’s online calendar lists the May 14, 2026, School Board Meeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The next regular meeting already appears on the calendar for June 11, 2026.

The district office is listed at 59 West Main Street, P.O. Box 369, Decaturville, TN 38329, and Melinda J. Thompson is listed as Director of Schools. For residents in Decaturville, Parsons, Scotts Hill and Bath Springs, the practical takeaway is simple: the district is opening the door for public comment before decisions that can affect classrooms, transportation, staffing and building needs move forward.

The timing is important because the board meets as the school year is entering its final stretch and summer planning is taking shape. Recent district activity has put safety, hiring and academic programming in the spotlight. Decatur County Schools Safety posted a notice about adding OpenGate Weapons Detection Systems for the 2026-2027 school year, saying the technology is endorsed by the U.S. Secret Service and the National Security Agency.

The district is also recruiting for several positions for the 2026-2027 school year, including a science teacher, a mathematics teacher for grades 6-12 and a pre-K special education teacher. The science teacher posting carries a deadline of Wednesday, May 20, 2026. Those vacancies could matter for families watching class sizes, course offerings and special education support heading into next year.

Academic programming has also been part of the district’s recent focus. Decatur County Middle School previously received a $3,500 TVA STEM grant for a project called “Is Energy Made in the Shade?”, which used temperature probes, solar panels and graphic analysis to study energy efficiency. With safety upgrades, hiring needs and STEM work all active at once, Thursday’s meeting is set to be a key checkpoint for how Decatur County Schools is preparing for the 2026-2027 school year.