001Just want to take a second and recognize two very special Bulldogs. We have Mr. Jackson Synth, sixth grader at Broad Creek Middle School, and his brother Shelton Synth. You'll come up. Eighth grade. >> They're going to lead you in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the above for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, God. And if you'll remain standing, please join with me in prayer. Father God, we come to you tonight seeking your guidance and wisdom. Thankful for another school year and thankful for all the teachers and administration that have uh put this school year together. Uh Lord, we thank you for that. We seek you for guidance and wisdom tonight as we
002make some decisions here for our county. Um we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. >> Thank you. >> Do you guys want to get a picture before you go? Thanks guys. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, guys. Perfect. Up next, we have the meeting agenda approval. Do we have a motion? >> I'll make that motion. >> I'll second it. >> Perfect. A motion by Miss Chadwick, second by Miss Kurszich. All in favor? >> Perfect. And up next is public commenting. It is now time for public comment. Anyone present tonight wishing to make a public comment should have filled out a request to speak public comment form to ensure civility reence and management. There are specific requirements for public comment set forth in sword policy. They include comments are limited to matters pertaining to public
003education. The speaker shall state his or her name at the beginning of his or her comment. Speaking time will be limited to three minutes per person. A threeminut timer will appear on the TV screens in the bottom corner. The timer will beep when there are 30 seconds remaining. It will then beep a final time when your time is up. For civility and decorum, no speaker shall make obscene remarks or issue personal attacks or insults. No complaint against the school employee or student, shall be permitted, although it may be heard in close session at a later date following consultation with the superintendent. Much information about individual students, including a speaker's own child, is confidential under state and federal law, and we discourage and often prohibit such information in open session. The chairperson may immediately terminate any
004comments that violate these rules. Board members will not respond to questions except occasionally to request clarification. And our first speaker tonight is Miss Lucy Bond. >> Good evening. >> Evening. Um, I'm a retired public school teacher and I am part of the League of Women Voters North Carolina Education Action Team and our represent North Carolina um, communities across the state. We are an advoc advocacy group working to support public education. Uh, we held several writing events to ask our legislators to fully fund our schools and raise teacher pay. I'm here tonight to bring to you a petition and I gave it to I guess you all have that we created called North Carolina Community Resolves for fully funded public education. We plan to take the p the petition and the signatures representing uh as many
005North Carolinians as possible to our legislators in late September when they go into session. We have at least 700 signatures, but hope to double this amount. So, please allow me to read it to you while you maybe while you're looking at it. Um whereas the North Carolina General Assembly is legally required by our state constitution to fund a sound basic public education for every child. Whereas North Carolina public schools educate 84% of K12 students welcomes all children regardless of ability, special needs, income or family background. Whereas successful public education provides productive citizens who are caring and contributing members of our democracy. Whereas public school public schools serve as community centers and drive local economies and 82 of a 100 North Carolina counties public schools are one of the top three employers. Whereas North Carolina public
006schools are struggling to fully staff classrooms and meet basic needs due to chronic underfunding and rising costs. Teachers are the number one school related factor that impacts student outcomes. Yet we rank 43rd in the nation for average teacher teacher pay. We rank 48th in the nation for per pupil spending. Whereas our state's long-term economic competitiveness and number one business ranking depends on a strong K12 public education system that prepares students to be effective members of the growing North Carolina workforce. Whereas billions in public funds have been allocated to private school vouchers and divert funding for public education. Whereas state tax cuts for individuals and corporations have shifted more responsibility of funding education to local governments, which disproportionately hurts rural counties. We, the residents of North Carolina, strongly urged the North Carolina General Assembly to stop
007the chronic underfunding of our public schools. Public education is the foundation of a strong, inclusive, and thriving North Carolina. Defending schools defunds our schools futures. Our schools deserve better. Defunding schools defunds our schools future. Our children's futures. Our children deserve better. Our educators deserve better. North Carolina deserve deserves better. And we will ask our legislators to do the right thing and fully fund public education. So there's a QR code. You can access the link and if if you can sign the form, that would be great. If you can share it, that would be great, too. Um on the back there are 10 top reasons that we should support our school. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Um and our second speaker is Miss Robin Guest just >> yet. Okay. >> Hello. Um good evening.
008Robin is not yet here if um obviously you have to go forward with public comments. So I will just introduce myself. I am Jenny Engles. I'm the chair for Moms for Liberty Carter County. Um Robin is one of our um board members as well. And so we are new to Carterette. We are throughout the state and throughout the nation. You may have heard of MOPS for Liberty. Um we are here to work with you on behalf of our children. So I just wanted to introduce myself. Robin had comments she had planned. I didn't prepare any so I apologize. You will see us. U we are going to reach out to all of you individually and have conversation with you. And um we hope that we can partner with you in a positive way to bring
009about all the kinds of things that we need to see happen uh to better our schools for our children and for our community at large. I am really um grateful to be in Carterette County. There are a lot of school districts out there that are not um meeting the standards that we expect our children to have for education. I grew up in the public education system, worked in department education in the past and so um education is near and dear to my heart and I believe that partnering with the community members at large, the families, the parents, those who have the best interest of the children in mind along with those who have the potential to make great changes um can just improve what we already have which is a good foundation. So, we just
010want you to know that we're here as partners. Um, and we are also considered joyful warriors. We are not your enemies. We are on your side. And some of these ladies here who come from different backgrounds, I've introduced um myself to and we intend to work with them as well. Uh we are not uh on different sides of the aisle. We are all working in one direction. Uh and that is to improve education. And I think Carter County has a great opportunity to set some really good standards for the state and to turn the tide for education throughout this entire state and potentially the entire nation. I'm really encouraged by what I saw recently when I went down to the Carter County Museum and the foundation of this county and what it was built upon
011and the principles and the foundation of the people who helped make Carter County so great. Um, and we're still in that same position to do something great and together I think we can make that happen. So, I look forward to reaching out to all of you. I just wanted to introduce myself tonight. I'm sorry that the rest of our members are not yet here. Um, in the future, you'll get to meet them as well. And so, uh, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Perfect. >> Um, up next is item four, the consent agenda. Um, do we have a motion? >> I make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> A motion by Miss Wheatley. Do we have a second? >> I second. Second by everyone. Um, a second by
012we'll go with Mr. Chambers. Um, all in favor. Perfect. Um, up next is bond project updates. >> Yes, ma'am. So, at West Carter High School, um, the update there is they did work until the last minute and we were all holding our breath, but they luckily finished. Um, everything they said they promised. Wimco has been a great partner to work with as has Mr. Height. Um but the new science wing is occupied. Um punch list items continue in that building and they will continue for a while with touch-ups um to get it perfect. Um the new hood was installed in the kitchen. That was a a job that was up to the last minute due to some um engineering that had to be done there. The culinary lab is almost complete. Um we're waiting for
013a health inspection there. Um the cleanup on the exterior continues with the grading and um it'll look a lot nicer as as if you've been there lately. it it was a mess, but um they're cleaning it up and working on that. There's been a new fire lane that's been paved around the the back side of the school. Um and the the last project that will be done there is an auditorium uh renovation and that will start later probably in December and work through February um until that's complete and that will complete the project at West Carter. Wow. >> Um at East Carter, the culinary lab there is almost complete. Um also, um there there's punch list items there to be done and it's also waiting um inspection from the health department. Um the art room
014will soon have drywall installed and then once the drywall is installed, they can start um putting in the new ceiling grid and ceiling tile. And again, that project is set to be completed around October. >> Okay. >> Any questions on bond projects? All right. Thank you. >> Perfect. Um Mr. for propes for policies. >> Good evening board. >> Evening. >> All right. For first apologies policies, let me apologize. I don't typically send you 20 plus policies. Um I will tell you that uh I had the first set queued up and ready to send to Sarah and that's when the second packet came to my so I apologize. I will say um first of all the policies uh the first set of policies come from the school board association spring 2025 update packet and then the
015second set that came and made it 20ome policies to you uh was a special update packet and that special update packet is all policies that the school board association felt needed to get in front of because they enact certain things to happen for this particular school year. So that's why you're seeing 20 plus policies. And so again, these are all state legislation, federal mandates, uh things that came from legislators in order for those changes to be made. There was no local changes. So uh if you have questions about those, I'll be happy to answer the best I can. All right. All right. uh for second read policies. Again, this was a group of policies we brought to you for local revisions. Um it was either requested by the board or the administration. In regards to
016those policies, there was only one policy that was revised since the first read. That was policy 2310, public participation at board meetings. um administration revised the policy regarding the public's request to place items on the agenda back to the 10-day prior notice to the board uh for the board meeting. I do want to make one comment in in regards to that. I think there's some misconception about that particular policy and that revision. When we made that change, it was not that it was had anything to do with public comment. It was purely a situation where if uh the public wanted to present to you or put something on the agenda to present to you in my 13 years in Carter County Public Schools, that has never happened. Okay. Um the only reason we made that
017uh change was we thought the administration should have a little bit more time to address that situation if it ever came to fruition. I don't know think that it will, but we made that change to go back to what it originally stated. So um in regard the rest of the policies have not been changed. I do want to remind you that um in the first read we gave you revisions to the code of conduct as well as policy 5015 volunteers and that was approved temporarily so that we could get ahead of that before the school year started. So be happy to entertain any questions you may have about second read policies. >> Questions? >> Okay. Um, and we're going to approve these in two different motions. The first for policy 6321 for the bus routes.
018Do we have a motion for that policy? >> I'll make that motion. >> A motion by Miss Chadwick. Do we have a second? >> Second by Miss Wheatly. All in favor? >> And then we're going to do the Oh, I should have said all those. Thanks. Sorry. Um, and then we're going to do the other three together. So, do we have a motion for policy 2310, 5015, and 7600 as presented? I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Miss Kurszich. Do we have a second? >> Second by Mr. White. Struggling tonight. Um, all in favor. >> Perfect. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Have to write names now. Perfect. And we are back to you. >> Good evening, school board members. Um, the first week of school is in the books and I couldn't
019be more grateful for the incredible work happening across our school district. From teachers and teach from teachers and TAs to bus drivers, custodians, child nutrition staff, school leaders, and everyone who keeps our schools running smoothly. Thank you for your time and energy you've poured into getting our schools ready for students. Over the past two weeks, I've had the chance to visit each of our schools and have been impressed with by the teamwork, attention to detail, and the care that has made this smooth start to the school year. It's clear that everyone is pulling together to set a stage for a strong school year. Um, we're still ironing out some of our first of the year wrinkles like carpool lines and bus routes um that take a little time to get settled. So, I'm asking parents
020and caregivers to hang in there with us um as we make those adjustments. Um, as we move into September, please also remember to recognize a few important celebrations. We have his uh banic his heritage month, national arts and education week which will be September 8th through the 14th and National IT Professional Day which is September 16th. Our next regular uh board meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 7th, and that meeting will start at 6 PM. And Mr. Chair, this concludes my comments. >> Do you have any comments from board members? >> Um I would like to say we approved in the consent agenda the list of all the advisory councils for the schools. Like to thank them publicly for what they do for the schools, volunteering their time and everything. I was on the
021advisory council previously and uh it does take some time and and effort to >> absolutely >> to conduct that. >> For sure. >> Perfect. As Mr. Taylor said, the next regularly scheduled board meeting is October 7th at 6 PM and will be livereamed. Um do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> Made that motion. >> Motion by Miss Chadwick. Do we have a second? >> Second that. >> Second by Miss Kerich. All in favor? >> Perfect. Thank you.