Board Meeting - 5/4/26

001If I choose not hurting now, but I guess it's a best time to get it fixed but it didn't hurt. I have to I had to have pulled out that front tooth there. So, I'm going to have to fix it. Oh Oh my >> [laughter] >> god, I've already sent the bill. I don't know how much my insurance will pay on it, hopefully. We could talk 2026. Start as always with roll call. Ms. Janet Ward. Present. >> Ms. Teresa Calhoun. Present. >> Ms. Polly Jones. >> Present. Ms. Diane Eldridge. Present. >> Josh Wooten present as well. Next, we've got pledge of allegiance. I can get my chair slid back. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with

002liberty and justice for all. We've got um approval of the agenda. You've got the agenda in front of you there. Anything to change on the agenda? I I have one thing that would like to add as a discussion so we can post that property. Um and and of course well and probably needs to be under action because you all need to decide whether you want to place a minimum amount down for that's acceptable for a bid on on the Warrensville property or whether you want to just leave it open. And then we will craft Fred is crafting the information to uh place the ad. But nonetheless, anything that's offered has to stay out there for at least 10 days after the offer is made so that way you have a chance to bid. I'll make

003a motion we add that to the agenda because I've had people asking already about that property. All right. Do I have a second? I second. All right. Um Miss Albert's motion, Mr. Rogers' second. Do you Y'all prefer direction or discussion? I think we need to act on it today, please, so we can get that moving forward since there's people already interested. Let you plug that in Yeah. Over there. Anybody have anything else? Hearing nothing, I'll entertain a motion to approve the amended agenda. I make a motion that we approve the amended agenda. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Calhoun. Do I have a second? I second. All those in favor, raise your hand. Motion carries. Next, we've got closed session here and closed session by majority vote of the board according to general statute. I'm

004reading it on here 20. It's on there somewhere. Um It was on the notice. Yeah. So, do I have a motion to go into closed session for personnel? I move we go into closed session for personnel. All right. Thank you, Ms. Ward. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Calhoun. Any other questions, comments? All in favor, raise your hand. All right. We'll go into closed session. We'll be back on Brown's seat. >> Mhm. >> here. So, we're board just came out of closed session for personnel reasons, going back into open session right now. Um we'll start first with the comments from the superintendent. So, I'll turn it over to Dr. Cox. This is always a fun time of the year because we get to honor um the great people in our classrooms that

005are making things work every single day. And so, I want to start off with our best of the year winners at each school. And so, um each of our schools uh selected beginning teacher of the year if they have one, uh classified employee of the year, support staff, supervisory employee of the year, and a teacher of the year. And um I'm going to read the names of the people from each of our schools that has been voted on um by all of their peers. Um so, Blue Ridge Elementary School, we have Haley Dillard from kindergarten who's beginning teacher of the year, Robin Scott, instructional assistant, classified employee of the year, Julie Jones, school counselor, support staff, supervisory employee of the year, and I think she's been that more than once since I've been here. Uh

006Jessica Lancaster, first grade teacher of the year. Mountain View Elementary School, Emily Worley, fifth grade beginning teacher of the year, Kevin Little, custodian, classified employee of the year, Autumn Chamberlain, uh school social worker, support supervisory staff of the year, and then Summer Seavert, second grade is our teacher of the year. Westwood Elementary School, Tabitha Tabitha is um our cafeteria manager, is the classified employee of the year. Wendy Brown, sixth grade teacher, was the teacher of the year. Amanda Halsey, assistant principal, is a support supervisory staff of the year. We need to shorten some of these names. Ashe County Middle School, Lauren Carpenter, seventh grade ELA, is beginning teacher of the year. Mary Ann Sproling, EC teacher assistant, is a classified employee of the year. Aaron Butt, assistant principal, is a support supervisory staff of the

007year. Kendra Weinberg, eighth grade ELA, is the teacher of the year. Ashe County High School, Cable Dillard, CTE welding, is the beginning teacher of the year. Molly Porter, student services, is the classified employee of the year. Sarah Lambert, instructional specialist, support supervisory staff of the year. And Rebecca Bates, social studies, is the teacher of the year. For our early college, Ashe County Early College High School, Gracie Harmon, for English and economics and personal finance, is the beginning teacher of the year. Stacy Jenkins is the administrative assistant, is the classified employee of the year. Sarah Lambert, instructional specialist, or shoot, that was high school. Oh, skip down. Brittany Perry, school social worker, is the support staff supervisory employee of the year. And then Byron Armstrong, for science and physical education, is the teacher of the year.

008And so first of all, let's give all of them a round of applause. I want to say each year, a couple of years ago, I'm like, I can't do this. So let's have my people to choose who wins for the district. So we have a committee of people who help to select that um, every single year. and I'm glad that they do because it's really hard for me cuz I tend to give everybody a 10 and like them all. Um, but congratulations and I'm going to have you, uh, come up and stand, um, in front here. Our of the year winners we have Corey Richardson, um, from the middle school who is East Bay Teacher of the Year. Come on up, Corey. So, the East Bay Teacher of the Year, we select one from the

009district every single year. And Corey, if you haven't seen her in action, um, she's running the coffee cart, um, on a daily basis with muffins. Her children just exude joy when when Ms. Richardson is around them. Um, you know, I love her mother dearly, um, but, um, I I can see where you can get your compassion for children, uh, from. Thank you for what you do. And she's been an exceptional hire for our exceptional children's program. So, congratulations to Corey. And she will be among others, um, who will compete for the state, um, EC Teacher of the Year this year. So, Corey, congratulations. >> thank you. All right, um, Stefan Coons, come on up. So, Mr. Coons is the Thank you. is the CTE Teacher of the Year. And so, everybody give him a nice

010round of applause. So, he will also compete for a state award. I had the pleasure of last year, um, attending the dinner, um, with, uh, our CTE Teacher of the year who taught nursing fundamentals at the high school, Ms. Colbert. And so Mr. Coons teaches a little bit of everything. And so I think he's certified in all things digital media. And then I don't know, he probably has what, six certifications on his license just right here. Well, seems like a lot. Um but if we've asked him to get a certification, he has and jumped into it. So students in his classes praise him. And not just because he's playing the guitar and singing and doing other things. Um but he's really challenging them them to think differently about um digital media. Um but not just

011about digital media, how they present themselves in communication to others. And I think that's evident in what he does in his classroom all the time. Congratulations and I hope both of you make it to that next round so uh we can celebrate you once again. So, congratulations to both of you. All right. So, of all the district winners of the support staff and supervisory um employees of the year, Sarah Lambert, who I think Sarah is here. So, Sarah Lambert um from Ashe County High School uh was selected this year as our district winner. So, congratulations to Sarah Lambert. So, Kathy, would that would you like to come up here, please? So, I was so excited because with our classified staff of the year, it's a wide range of jobs. So, everything from our cafeteria to

012our custodians to bus drivers to secretaries. We have so many different people who fill various roles. And often times, these are the ones taking care of basic needs of our children. And so I was so excited cuz this is the first time in a while that I remember someone from our cafeteria >> Awesome. It's awesome. >> [laughter] >> I had to to win. So, when we went over to present her with her balloons and and flowers, her team was genuinely over I mean, I bet she was just thinking about their joy because it was like all of them were being honored. All of them were being honored through Tabitha. And so, Tabitha that says a lot about your team. >> Yeah, they work really hard. They're so good. They work wonderfully, but it also says

013a lot about your leadership. And so, congratulations. Tammy Susan didn't tell her why she had to rush to Mountain View Elementary School. And she thought it would be a freezer was broken or somebody had fallen. Something's wrong. >> [clears throat] >> Nothing is wrong. Everything was exactly right. So, thank you, Tammy. that um for all the teaching kids and for everything. >> and I love my job. It's so awesome. It's so awesome being with them. See, that's why she won. Look at her. I love it. Emily Worley, will you join us up here, please? So, I don't think I've ever seen a first year teacher's classroom run as smoothly as Emily's. And so, when we joined Emily Her kids thought we were crazy. And then when it was happening, they were all excited, but they

014were waiting for Miss Worley to be >> [laughter] >> before they did anything because she is so structured and she has things just all in place all the time. It is a rare thing for that to be in the classroom, but they love love you in the classroom and it it's evident that you love them, too. And so, congratulations on being our beginning teacher of the year. All right. And then, there's experience. And so, Kendra, will you please join us up here? So, for the last 13 years, this is year 13, right? This is year 13. Um Kendra um has been with Ashe County schools, Ashe County Middle School is all the better for it for Now, we did not have a classroom of kids whenever we joined her. Um but I'll tell you, Kendra

015is special. And one thing I, you know, she has what I said earlier was the Fred Astaire effect, right? You know, she's afraid of a lot of things, and she manages her classroom so well. She's always doing something creative, and it's every little detail that truly makes a difference. But on top of that, she has a true joy and love for learning and teaching. And her kids see that every single day. So, I just want to say congratulations, Kendra. We are so fortunate that you're a teacher at our middle school. You add so much to not only the school culture, um but to every classroom of kids that you teach. So, I'm so excited to have a beginning teacher of the year for the state and a teacher of the year for the state right

016here. They're that good. So, congratulations to Hold on, guys. Let me get a couple of pictures real quick. Kendra, you jump in this picture with her. Okay. I'm ready. You can stand there. Last stop. Thank you. Thank you. I have fun. Hey, they love you. Thank you. And I do want to say golden thank you as we are as we are honoring great teachers in the year. Next Friday, not this Friday, but next Friday, we will be I will be with Dustin in Raleigh for the principal of the year announcement. >> [laughter] >> I'm so excited. I'll tell you when you go into their classrooms or be around them in the workplace, they're like that all the time. So, truly fabulous teachers that we have here, but congratulations to Dustin who was one of eight

017finalists for the state principal of the year. I'm proud of Dustin. Thank you for all that you do. So, I also wanted to share that we have our student best of the best. This will be our third annual dinner. So, that will be held in June. And so, we are excited um to honor our best of the best students on that day. Their names will be fully announced in orders and on June June 2nd at 5:30 at Timber Rivers and so this is the general will be honored not only our best of the best but we have their parents or two of the two guests of their choice to join us on that day. So we are so excited for that but that will be on June 2nd and of course the board is invited

018and will have your special invitation to that as well. Other good things just to share Amanda Halsey an assistant principal at Westwood Elementary School has participated in year-long program to uh uh help her to grow as a leader and Dr. Jan King had some fantastic things to share with me about her. So we are really proud on how she's represented us in this program and essentially this is a leadership program that is designed for our assistant principals to one day become principal of a school and since this is a fast track leadership they usually accept about 24 25 a year into this program and so she has participated and we're really proud of her in representing us so well. Um Kennedy Halp kindergarten teacher at Mountain View and Dwayne Pennington custodian at the high school

019were selected as the April employees of the month and so we've been enjoying our employee of the month every month this year and so we're really thankful for their leadership and their roles at their schools but also serving as a good model for all of us. Um during April we celebrated all kinds of things such as our uh meet coordinators and our assistant principals and our after school professionals and administrative professionals and of course our bus drivers. And so I want to thank all of our people for what you do on a day-to-day basis. Um, there's not one unimportant role in a school system. We serve children. That's why we're here on a day on a daily basis and the joy they bring to their roles is, uh, second to none and so we're just

020glad that we get to honor them, um, at least once a year but hopefully, um, the smiles and the joy they bring to kids on a daily basis is providing them with that extra special, um, an extra special recognition. Um, we're on the move and we're looking for bus drivers. So, um, I think everybody in the world is looking for a bus driver but Nash County is this is also looking for the for bus drivers and so Brandon's going to, uh, uh, join the Happy Time Show tomorrow to, uh, get the word out on, uh, bus drivers and it's my, uh, monthly spot that Brandon's going to, um, share how much, uh, bus drivers, uh, are needed in our district but hopefully the joy that some of our bus drivers bring to, uh, their roles.

021So we're looking for, um, trans- a transportation team of people. So we're always looking for someone whether it be part-time or full-time or substitute. Um, we pay for the license, um, to, uh, for the, uh, employee who wants to get their certification. Um, and this goes for our teachers. So if there's anybody wants to drive an activity bus for a ballgame, I'm sure Mr. Hampton and and, uh, Mr. Farmer would love to have more people that they can, uh, choose from um, or just to contribute and anyway, so there's an advertisement there hiring flyer. We have signs up, but all you have to do is call and if you want to talk to a bus driver about what they do on a daily basis, we can hook you up with a bus driver that loves

022what they do and would be willing to share with you as well. So I just wanted to say that we have lots of good things going on, but our bus drivers are really important to um really important to all of us. Our middle school had a fantastic trip to the outer banks and we heard some amazing things from people in the community as well as the students themselves. So kudos to the middle school staff who made that happen this year and that was the first of many to come. First in a long time that is of many to come and I know our elementary schools are going to plan and start planning a Washington DC trip to bring that back as well. So we're excited about these experiences that our kids can have. So we'll

023start the fundraising coming up hopefully this summer. Special Olympics is always one of my favorite days. Thank you for Terry and Jody Grub who worked so hard to make sure that our children have a great experience. It's one of my favorite days of the year. We had the most perfect weather this year and the students and the parents, the families, the teachers truly brought joy to all of us that day, but nothing like having a bunch of winners of kids who just love to be together. Who love to dance. I had a couple dance partners that I absolutely had a ball with, but thank you uh making that happen, Ms. Richardson. We appreciate it. And um America's 250th. So, you know, we this is the 250th year um for the United States of America. And

024from from the signing of that Declaration of Independence. And um the signing of our Constitution and all of the things that have happened since the day that um America was born, so to speak. And we celebrated that at the courthouse. And so, we had um people from every school, students from kindergarten all the way up to seniors in high school. We had our bands. We had um children who sang uh the president song and the state song. And uh we had a reading from the Declaration of Independence. And we had a wax museum with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and um Amelia Earhart and other um notable people from the course of history. Um thank you to all the teachers who helped put that together. And a special thank you to uh Dr. Morgan and

025to uh um Cynthia Harless um who helped to put all of that together. Our principals who made it happen for um the students to come. Thank you, Janet, who came to speak on that day. Um you did a fantastic job. Uh thank you to our commissioners who showed up in full force on that day. And I think it was a great day to celebrate the United States. This year, we are going to have more celebrations like that. There was an essay contest that um students participated in, and we honored those winners. Um but this summer, our summer camps are all themed around America's 250th. And so, they're posted online. They're posted on our Facebook page, and they're also here on the board agenda later on. So please take a look at those offerings. Slots are

026still open. Just sign up for all the camps that are there, and we have teachers who have specially created these camps so that students will have a great time all summer long. So your children can participate in camps pretty much all summer between our summer camps and things through like Wilkes Community College as well. So I'm really proud of that, and I'm really proud of how we're celebrating, and it was an honor to be a part of it. There are also some dates, upcoming dates and announcements. I'm not going to read all of them, but there's a lot going on this time of year, including next month, graduation. So we're excited for that to happen as well, and Project Graduation. Thank you, Dr. Cox. Next on the agenda, we've got here public comment. I don't

027think we have anybody for public comment this evening for that. So with that, we'll turn it over to Miss Allison Kemp Sullivan for our new middle school update. Good evening, everyone. First of all, I want to thank I probably call HHR or the principal or Dr. Cox. I I bother somebody just about every day, and probably Jody just about every day. So it's a there's a lot going on behind the scenes. I give you the highlights, but I just want to let y'all know that it's a work in progress, and it takes a lot of input from people. So anyhow, just want to say thank you to everybody. We're going to get right, and we're just working really hard. So just wanted to let that with you. Um >> [clears throat] >> the dry weather

028has been a good thing, but might be over with. >> [laughter] >> You're saying that it has given us a lot of good days to work. We have gotten finished all of the concrete for the three elevated three slabs on the classroom wing. Um that's being completed. Um they've also started all of the exterior medical wall framing in that same um classroom wing. Um >> [clears throat] >> the plumbers have switched from PVC to um uh cast iron in that same uh wing. Uh the grading contractor has started fine grading slopes um where we know that all the underground work is complete. The masonry has continued um in aux gym and main gym also in the firewall area and area B. Structural steel installation um is ongoing in areas B and C. Um particularly going

029down the area into where the food service and the building services are located. And as the walls go up, the other trades are following in tandem. Um electrical, controls, plumbing, all those things are following um to work. Those things need to go into the walls. So yeah. Does anybody have any questions? I just want to thank you for working so hard on this project. We appreciate it very much. Uh will as soon as school is out, will they start over the road construction? It is. They've already put up erosion control fence and done some clearing um just behind the softball field. And they're going to stop that at the stream crossing until graduation's over with. But they wanted to try to get some of that done because school's going later this year, so they wanted

030to get try to get a jump on that. But yes, the goal is to get that connector done completely before the next school year starts. So, yes. And there's a lot going on in that road. All the utilities, water and gas and That's the main two things. And then the road was also a retaining wall between the gas station, the garage, West Garage, and the baseball field and the fence. There's a lot of things happening in there that has to be done. So, it's a tight little space. So. Yeah. Any other questions? All right. Thank you so much. It looks good. You can see it from a lots of places now. It looks really good. Thank you all. Thank you. All right. I'll take that. Yeah. Good evening, Chuck. Next, we'll jump into action items

031for the board. The first under action is the consent agenda. That is the 4000s part A policy to approve the minutes from the last meeting. Vocational rehab agreement. Pairing teacher learning data with App State. And then e-donation or donation. It's letter e on there. It's not really electronic donation, but it's letter letter e on my agenda. So, my apologies. So, donation there. Those are the five items under consent. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? I move we approve the consent agenda. Thank you, Ms. Ward. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Jones. Any other questions come in? All in favor, raise your hand. Motion carries. Next, we've got the personnel for the board. And that is in your agenda there. Do we have a motion to approve the personnel?

032I'll make a motion that we do what with the personnel? Approve. Approve. You're good. So, thank you, Ms. Calhoun for that. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Jones. Any questions or comments on the personnel? Hearing none, all those in favor raise your hand. Motion carries. Next, we've got the contract renewals that are in your board packet for 2026. Do I have a motion to approve the contract renewals? I move we approve the contract renewals. Okay, thank you, Ms. Ward. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Ms. Calvin. Any questions or comments with those? Hearing none, all those in favor raise your hand. Motion carries. Last item under action for this meeting is the Warnsville property. Ms. Dr. Calvin, give more information. Yes. >> What was that? So, the uh um you

033all had the property value as what is registered through the county. It was about $88,000. And what we need to know um from the board is a consensus on um uh how you want to um advertise this specifically. So, do you want to set a minimum bid for the for the Warnsville property? Um you know, not less than a certain amount. Um or do you want to put it out there and and see what um see what we get. Again, the it was about $88,000 is what was listed with the building. And that was the devalued from the hurricane. Um and that includes the land. That was the building and the land total. I thought the appraisal was quite high for that property. The building's in terrible shape. So, I don't know that we would

034ever get eight eight to 89. I think 89,000. >> It was 88. I don't think we'll ever get that for that property there. The building probably will have to be torn down. So, we might want to consider taking best offer. Do we have to take the offer once it's put on the table? Okay, so what would happen this would be advertised for a period of time usually a couple of weeks and then see what offers that we get. If we have an offer then we have to that back out and advertise we received an offer of whatever amount that is 50,000 and then um we have to put that out there for another at least 10 days but when we advertise it in the newspaper ours is a weekly so therefore it may end up

035being a little bit longer than that by the time you put it out there and um to see if anyone else brings us best or higher offer. So essentially um that's the process and then the board would vote to accept or not accept. So even if you get an offer you don't have to accept it. That is um and that is the uh wishes of the board. Then I'll make a motion that we accept best offer with the right to refuse that if it's too low. Well, we would have to go through the process of posting it um to get an another offer after that. Yes. So kind of the best offer process I guess. I wonder if that would entail yeah. No less than putting a less than it no less than. So got

036an offer on the floor to kind of take the best offer process approach to this. Do we have a second to the motion? I second. Okay. On a best offer motion you're you've said that it we re-advertise the best offer and another 10 days for people to respond to that. So they only they have more than one shot at bidding. >> Correct. Yeah. I I agree. So like it upset it and upset it again. Yeah, we have to do the upset bid process to >> Don't nobody Don't nobody beat it. Right. How soon can we do this? We can hopefully get that out but well, it'll be posted Wednesday likely. So, it'll probably posted for the next week. Yeah, the deadline for this paper is this new year. Yeah. It'd have to be next week

037for a paper. And I'm assuming they they like print. They like print. And we'll put it on our our website as well. Any other questions, comments? Okay. Is that the only places we have to advertise? Or can we do others if no one Oh, I know there's been some interest but Yeah, we we can put it out as many places we want. We just can ask Fred if there's been some something that he recommends based on other districts and what they've um what they've done. I'll Definitely for going for the least amount of money we have to put out for this. Okay. To see what happens and then we can go from there, can't we? Yeah, we'll see what And if he says that hey, you have to put it in some state website, then

038we >> [clears throat] >> can do that, too. Any other questions, comments? All those in favor of the motion, raise your hand. Motion carries. Next, we'll jump in here to updates, discussion items, and considerations. On there, the first one we have is summer opportunities. I see Mr. Pennington coming up this way. Mr. Little. He said I feel like I'm sitting like half sorry. He said um real quickly, we're here tonight to bring you some updated information about some pretty amazing opportunities for our students this summer. Um we want to start off and in in your package there, you have the information on the summer camps. And again, this is funded through our serve grant. I believe it was continued over from from last year if I'm not mistaken, but uh these will be running in

039both June and July with the majority in July, but you can look over there. That's a That's a really good lineup with specific engagement escape room. I tried one of those one time, but anyway, I didn't win. Human animal connection, I I think that'd be really interesting. Some pioneering camps, um local resources and history camp, outdoor and inner outdoor explorers camp as well, too. So, these are free to students and again, this will be running in those months. I know there's spots still available. Mr. Taylor, how do they sign up for these if they're interested? I know there's a There's some on that flyer, it's actually an active flyer where you can go in and watch videos that help describe and and give some more information about that and then there's a registration link. Where

040can this be found at? It can be found on Facebook, Instagram, on our websites. We've sent it out to our parent meetings and even the teachers are recruiting. The teachers that are doing the camps are recruiting actively, so you'll probably hear it over and over again until they start. This is a continuation of the career accelerator camps that was offered after 2 years back after COVID some money was released for that, so this this will allow that and this is a Again, this is a great opportunity for students to be involved, so and that's one of one of four four or five things going on. Also, we're sweeping college are having some They're having some pretty amazing camps as well in June and July. I know they're having one that's in aviation. I think I

041remember seeing one in poultry. Mr. Do you remember? I can't remember the other ones. >> Agriculture. And then agriculture. They usually have a health care one as well. Absolutely. Always have the Camp Med. And I know that's being pushed out to our counselors, to our high school students as well. It's a fantastic, so there's there's another opportunity. In addition to that, we have some annual events that we have. We have an read to achieve in this legislative again that's a that's actually read to achieve is actually an opt-out situation and parents can opt out of that but that's that's the way the legislation legislation excuse me is written with that and we also have some some summer camps for I'm going to call it an enrichment and read ministration opportunities and really what we're looking

042at most of the majority of the read ministration will happen during the 10 or 5 day testing window as prescribed by legislation but we do offer students and then this is an opt-in okay this is an opt-in where parents like yes I want this opportunity for my student and we have that and you can see there it's 4 hour 4th grade 4th through 8th and these will be located in Mountain View and Westwood. The same thing at the middle school where there's At the middle school. >> Middle school be at the high school sorry. And then also at the high school we'll have our we'll have our credit recovery and this again is is funded by the serve grant. And What about this one Ms. Taylor? Thank you Kyle. But these are some these are

043some fantastic events for students and the summer of the read to achieve the credit recovery and the the other enrichment camps they will run through the month of June and they will wrap up June 30th there. I love the topics. The topics are nice. I mean it's good. I think it's exciting students. Is there a limit so that parents will know if they're interested? Um some of the camps if they only have one teacher we set cap at 20 or 25. Um so far we don't have Uh I think the highest one we have right now is at 15. Uh and and all of them will be enough for two times so that helps. So like 20 to 25 the first time, 20 to 25 the second time. The day camps, the ones that are

044from I think 8:15 to 3:00 or 8:00 to 3:15 or whatever, they lunch will be provided. Yes, free breakfast and And excuse me, and transportation. The only ones that don't have transportation [clears throat] are the summer camps that the on the fly transportation. The exploration camps. Um because we have so many field trips for those that they get home later or they get back later. They do a good job in the past communicating so the teachers who do these camps when registrations complete, they call each parent. And so they have good communication from the start. Even though it's just a week at a time, they work it out. It's It's worked out. And if we have Of course if we have any students, we work with student services to get them here. And I don't

045know if you guys are dealing with this, but the after school program will they be having their summer camp this year? Yes, the 21st century after school they will. Okay. They have 80 students enrolled in that already. And they will be housed at Mountain Jaime? They're at Mountain View building. Not me this year. Any other questions? I just want to say thank you to all of our assistant principals that are helping to run the camps this summer. And then Tanya Rollins who is is a principal fellow and will be interning this year. She's She's actually running the camps as well and collecting all the information. >> [clears throat] >> So you have leadership opportunities. So thank you Tanya, too. Thank you all. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right, Mr. Jody, come on up. We've

046got a facilities and project update. I don't know like just kind of crossed in my ear being here again and I want to thank you all for letting me be part of your team. It's been great to attend some of these things. I want to tell them again on that 250 event. That was great to hear. Dustin adjusted a number of times yet a young student who spoke about our community and about what it's like living in our community. If you have not had a chance, I'm going to plug him again. Uh it really resonated what it's like growing up in the Appalachian mountains and it's a great feeling to hear young people say things that resonate from people prior to my generation, my generation, and then dealing. So, I plugged Dustin and his students

047for to share that with us cuz it really rubbed me the wrong way. It was a really well I don't know the right way to say it, but I think she did a really nice job of sharing what it's like to live in our community and see what we're going and what we what we see. So, but to jump back into the maintenance update, I'll pause and and I'll I'll definitely put a pause and give opportunity to ask questions. Um I I've worked with the man of the day just for a little bit. We've We've had 11 projects that are in a contract phase. Um and that that can be uh it it has definitely been a a back and forth process. So, I'll try to keep you updated and and I'm trying to get

048you in a situation where you know what's coming, but sometimes things happen and we're and we're and we're navigating those the best we can. Um and I'm an open book and I'm happy to you know I work you know dealing with it and trying to get talk talk something updated, but with that said, some things happen. So, we'll kind of share where we're at. And even since this update, we've had had some movement. Um starting off with our roof project at the middle school. We did do the roof kickoff pre-construction meeting last Friday. Um we were able to uh schedule dates for dropping off uh supplies and equipment and we've got those scheduled coming up very soon. Uh we'll kick off that project the 13th you know the Saturday um possibly the 15th. Um but

049they were itching to get going um and start the project that weekend after when school gets out so teachers will have a one day and and I and I know it will be an adjustment for the teachers this summer but again knowing this this project is much needed we're ready here to try and get us moving in the right direction as quick as we can and we'll definitely keep you guys updated on what the what the project looks like as we move forward with with weather and hiccups and things like that. So uh I I think that meeting meeting went well and we had school representing myself and then uh Ball and our our uh engineer of Terracon Stu was present there and had so that was a pretty good conversation to have there. Um

050Any questions about that is um before I move forward or No. >> [laughter] >> Yeah it we're we're we're glad to see keep keep on rubbing. Um the the project we was approved earlier on about the pump redesign at the high school. We're continuing to work that. I've I've chosen to do a two two contract process with that. It's going to be a little more affordable for us to oppose to try and put the low bid on on our boiler company and then contract with JCI. So we're doing two contracts with them. We're doing one with JCI and one with Boiler Masters. We're working on a line aligning dates. I've I've confirmed some dates um with Boiler Masters and now I'm just working with JCI to make sure they're going to be present on the

051front end and then the back end because they'll need to pull some wire to control the actuators in that system. So, we're moving along on that. I feel like we're we'll be in a good spot there. Um the Westwood water project, we did do our preliminary redesign meeting with the local group that we are using us, the town, and local vendor support. We present, we reviewed the preliminary design plans. Um made some recommendations back to Meyer and Craig about what we needed adjusted from the design. And their target from Meyer and Craig is to give us a final design back around early June. Um that would have to go to DPI to DPI for numerous number of projects and DEQ, which is a water treatment system uh regulate regulatory agencies of the state. Um after

052that, we're going to need to get get in front of you guys as well for approval. This lot is also on town of West Jefferson's property, so we'll need to send the plans to that board as well for approval. So, there's some going to be some hurdles and time frames that we'll try and navigate and set ourselves up for success. Once it's through all [clears throat] those hands, we'll go out to bid. I'll have to talk to the mayor about timeline and making sure we hit bid at the right stride. Again, remembering we'll draft a contract um and then get contracts signed, get that moving. So, um as I've shared beginning, we have had 11 contracts currently. It doesn't count this contract, I don't believe. It doesn't. So, um that can be a back and

053forth kind of conversation. And unfortunately, it's not not as fast as we want all the time. Um but the but the final final designs will come back with electrical where we didn't have those before. So, there's some enhanced pieces that we're going to get with this final. So, that's going to take a little more time. Um any questions about Watertown? Um LED This is a This is a highlight for for for our team and and what we're feeling with Watertown LED lighting project has started at the high school. Uh Dustin and I and his team have worked really solid with us. We've We've started the first or uh section working working in. They finished uh the north hallway and six classrooms. Um and there it's it's been really positively received. I feel like um it

054does brighten up the space. Uh and I do expect some dollar savings soon. I'm really eager to hear some what the dollar savings are. Uh I'm hoping to see before we get out of school what the next month's dollar savings looks like. Um I won't promise anything, but I do see a little small savings at Westville where we done some stuff and this will be a bigger which is a bigger chunk. So, I think we'll we'll win there. Uh CTE bathroom, uh I have next year the project and sent that out to our subcontractor our internal contractor. Um I've not gotten that back yet, but he's he's he's been a little slow. Um still going to continue to reach out to get him going and get that signed. We We have verbally confirmed dates. Um

055but I'm going to continue to I'm going to push him on that. Um some FEMA projects Obviously, we probably have all watched some of the news FEMA's limited operations. Um it was a week ago that we were again confirmed a new rep from FEMA. Uh this is the third in the year. Here he is. Third Yeah. So, third that I've experienced, I guess. Uh They We officially haven't gotten any meetings with him, but our state rep is going forward. So, it's not been real real fast. Um We are working We are working with custom coatings on the uh uh tennis courts. Unfortunately, they've been a slow. They've requested a change order. Um and we're going to try to navigate try to find some success with that project, but it's it's slowed right down. Um We

056uh We're working with a um local vendor for uh Thompson Surveying. Um we're we're surveying the bank, and he's supposed to get a design back from that to our engineer who's going to design a proposed water mitigation or irrigation plan either of sole nail wall or uh some type of irrigation system. I don't know exactly what he's going to design. He's not finalized that yet, but he's waiting on the surveying information to come back with his design. So, that's where we'll go from there. Um And early warning again, we're in a break down. I probably should have defined it in a different different topic cuz it's really no longer FEMA anymore in the sense from the federal funding. We did confirm the funding for the roof from the state. Uh so, we we pivoted from

057the >> [clears throat] >> um um And these are state hurricane Correct. funds. Yes. Thanks for chiming on that part, Brooks. Um state hurricane funds, so we did confirm those. But we pivoted and we need we're designing a metal roof to go on there right now. Terry Collins is also doing that. So, um when we when I met with Stu last week, I actually gave him another little push to hopefully get us that that into the DPI again for review for that one. So, that's that's where that one's at and you guys are familiar with that from the last one. So, um no learning curve there. Um but a number of projects, uh I didn't highlight it here cuz you know, we we didn't really know where we're at. But chiller project, we pretty much

058have completed. The chiller is now up and running. There's a few little things on our end that we're uh managing with an aged building and an aged aged equipment, but the chillers are up and running, so they're cooling. Um Very exciting. That's That's That's That's good news from that. We did get We did get cooling for the uh um the job fair The job fair some and then the cooking night I think they cooking they did on Saturday morning for the food. Um that they prepped, they were able to cool for that. So, I I think we're able to make some good steps there. Um the systems are running, which is good to see. Uh Jody, if any of you have seen the balloon from Project Graduation, you can thank Jody and uh his crew

059for doing that for us. Project Graduation, uh and ROTC, those boys have some muscles and they put them to work. I can see why the Raider team did a great job because they sure did a good job for us. Yeah, yeah, and thank you again. I'm sorry. Any other questions? Thank you so much. >> Thank you guys thank you. I had to look my my acronym on this one. I was like, is that Shaq? Student Health Advisory Committee, and it's part of a husky. Yeah. Update. So, Jamie was unavailable today to come speak with us and he said he hopes you all are doing great. And I'm excited to talk about the Shaq a little bit. I've been a member on the Shaq Committee for the last four years. I've been in the child nutrition

060position. And this group of community people are amazing. I mean, a lot of times it's the same people that come all the time. It's the people that you see volunteering in your schools. Um, App Health has been supportive for so long. And there's a lot of different people on there. And, you know, we can get you a list of the different people that are there. But So, last year our big thing was the triennial assessment, and we gave you that update last month. And that has to do with the local wellness policy. And so, everybody in that team had a section of the local wellness policy and separated it out, and then we discussed it, and then we surveyed everybody in the school and some of the committee members and some different people in the

061community and the county. So, that went really well. It's a It's a great group. Like I said, they work We work together well. We We come up with solutions. It's one of the first groups I've ever worked with completely that's always focused toward a positive solution for things. And so, you know, this year we are focusing on, you know, the the grant that was had been received, the What Works in Schools grant. And so, it's been divided in the into those four topics. You guys all got this little flyer, correct? And so, I can't really speak to everyone's part, but I am on the technology impacts committee. And that technology impact group is talking about we talk about what's an alternative. Like we created snow day activities that involved not being on a computer. So,

062we like one of one of mine was had to do with the Olympics. And so, some of the things that you could do around the house and be involved in and get your family involved in and do it different things. And so, and we it's it's just really good. And so, we do lots of surveys, do lots of data, and you know, we are excited about Heart of the Husky because the community has got lots of people coming in to set up while we have parents and students waiting, and there'll be activities, and there'll be giveaways, and there'll be just this going to be a really great opportunity for us to make connections with students and with parents to get out all of this information. And you know, to know what's going on in your

063community to help the student as they go along. I mean, it is just it's great. And we, you know, the meeting is open. So, if you guys would like to come sometimes to the meeting, the next one is on the 29th at 1:30. May 29th at 1:30 is here in the annex. And it's from 1:30 to 3:30 every week, and we can stay longer because we just get so involved. It's so It is a very exciting group for me. It diversifies my one-track food service mind into the whole picture of students and what's going on. So, I'll answer any questions you might have, but that's my experience with it has been number one. And I mean, we can speak on Heart of the Husky and who what we've got signed up for medically. Yeah, right,

064we're really excited for our 11th annual Heart of the Husky event. That sounds great to say. I can't believe that we've been doing this for 11 years. Um we we're we're rolling. I just sent an update out today. Everything seems to be coming together nicely. If your students haven't signed up for Heart of the Husky, they need to get signed up. Paperwork is out there and ready and we're making appointments. Uh we usually try to hit a sweet spot of about 10 providers. That's that's the That's the thing to keep things rolling with, but the really neat thing about Heart of the Husky is it hasn't stayed stagnant. It has grown every year to meet the needs of what our kids need, what we're seeing, the things we need to uh we've we have added

065a very large mental health piece to Heart of the Husky. And um we we continue to see that need grow, so we're meeting we're trying to meet that need with our providers, uh with our counselors, uh with our mental health experts. Stedman and with our chef. >> [laughter] >> So uh it's really a wonderful thing that Ashe County does. Uh we have lots of different pieces and parts that come together and make it a really good event for our our athletes. And you're all welcome to come. We always look for volunteers and help. Anybody have any questions? I've got one signing up. I've only got one eligible. So right now So I think that overall the program has been very successful and it's actually one of the best that in the state. There's lots of

066places that do not have those, but I really appreciate all the hard work that's gone into that and I think congratulations are in order for Tammy and her the new baby and family. >> I have a new grandson who's 4 days old. Congratulations. It's a beautiful thing. So North Carolina is getting ready to implement a requirement that all schools have AEDs. And we've had the equipment for years, and we keep increasing the number we have, so we are within so many minutes of getting to an AED. So, we're way way above the or we'll be way above the law. When you go >> have the portable ones. They can go with us for our athletic teams and One is you're really lucky to have the partnership with the hospital and the Fash Memorial. They're big

067player in that. As well. As well as Blue Ridge Energy. They have been supporters of Financial, yeah. And athletics. Mhm. Yes. Thank you. Thank you all. We've got an update next on the academically gifted program. So, I see Miss Taylor coming in. Good evening, board. Um so, you have this in your agenda, and I know that you've read over it. This is the presentation that we've been doing with parents. Last week we did it with West of Two Rivers and Mountain Beach on Wednesday night, and then Thursday we did with Blue Ridge parents. And this coming Wednesday we will be doing the same presentation with the Westwood parents. And so, it has been taking me about 45 minutes to do this, and then we have questions, and so about an hour. I will not hold

068you um hostage for that long because you don't want that. I understand. You're sitting here, you're listening and listening. I can I know you don't want to do that. So, I know since you've read it, you can ask any questions. Um really uh the shift is not really a shift per se, it's just uh our our plan for the last two plan cycles has listed cluster grouping and pull-out services, and so those will continue. The only difference is it will not be the same person year after year. And the good thing about that is we've been planning it for this even before me. Sandra Peterson was the director before me and thankfully our Northwest region, which I really appreciate that Northwest is the best and so they also work we just work really well together

069and so probably right before I started this job they started a regional certification program for AG, which is about 60 hours. I know back when I did it I went through 190 hours. A lot of us did that. Some of us have gone through college programs. There are lots of teachers in the county that have it in lots of different ways, state, local, regional certifications. And so we have been continually growing that. We have a lot of teachers that have it. I'm really impressed with the high school. I know in the last few years I've actually had a lot of high school teachers. One of the things they were tasked to do is grow the honors programs and so the state had us doing honors course guide and every teacher who does teach honors class

070and did an honors course guide and then we submitted that to the state. So I do feel like we're growing in a lot of ways and the continuum is getting stronger. So do you have any questions? I have a lot of questions. You know I that's what I started out in 49 years ago. We started a resource program for our gifted kids and it was quite a challenging. It was one period we we dealt with exceptional children, the next period we had gifted children. But they really thrived in a pullout program and I'm very concerned about putting more on our regular teachers with the clustering. I don't think I would have approved the plan last year except we were continuing the pullout and I know you say we're we're pulling out. We still are. But

071but they're not the teachers are not certified We have some. How many in the elementary schools are certified? Cuz this is where it's going to really bite is getting these kids off to a good start. >> We do have some in every school and like I said more and more we In fact, Mr. Graybill has um it's full this I can't tell you a number off the top of my head, but I do have a spreadsheet. I share it out every every spring and just ask the teachers who want to sign up. So, Mr. Graybill has so many that want to that we're actually seeking to see if they would do something special for just ASH teachers. Because they're full in the online session. They offer it two different ways face-to-face and online. And so

072we have quite a few that wanted to do it and it filled up because a lot of kids called We're all Catawba County. We're Catawba Avery It's all of us. And so Caldwell County actually contracted with the two ladies that do it privately and so I'm looking into that. And what do they depend on for us? And how much how many hours to get a I think it's a regional license. >> Regional is 60. 60 hours? >> And then a lot from there go on to take the state praxis. So, 60 contact hours? Mhm. So, how much I'm trying to convert that into a course. Um Well, I'm going to be honest what I I what I would say is this is better than going lecture. I actually would tell you that her her um

073experience of having to go back to the college to take it wasn't as strong as some of ours because it is very dedicated to practicum, which is you learn it what to do with the student in real time rather than just theory. And you know, college courses tend to focus on that theory. I was pretty blessed back in the day with the 1090 because we had I think Dr. Cox's county did that Wilkes County. A lot of counties contracted with the lady Um can you remember her name? Carol? Yes. Yes, now that you asked me, yes, I can too. And somebody from Texas, too. Who was that lady? >> Yes. I think her first I think her first name was Carol, too. But a lot of us at that time got the certification then, and

074we had a lot of it that was theory, which is good to a point. Uh, but we wanted the practicum, and that's what I found most helpful. So, Sherri always said, "I just wish I could have gotten what you are what you all are getting because it's more practical." And Josh Church got his through Appalachian. Here again, he wishes it would have been more practical rather than rather than theory. So, I don't know that it's as much time as And And we were We had a plan to get everybody certified. Wilson's done that. They have all their teachers go through AIG training because, you know, you said you taught both sides. AIG strategies are good for all students. Casey just did it last summer. It's It's been a strength in teaching all across the board.

075Um, so, we didn't do that cuz you don't want to overload teachers because the state had the letters. Anyway, you can't just keep piling and piling and piling. So, we wanted to do it in phases. And so, I think a lot of teachers like I said, nobody's making them sign up in the summer. They They just do it cuz they want to get better. Well, I'm just concerned about the amount of time that these kids will have. And And I know people think that they can be served in the classroom, but there is, um, something, um, that is motivating for them to bang their ideas off of each other and and to be challenged and those kinds of things. And so, I'm looking at the schedule, and I'm seeing that there's a limited amount of

076time that they can be pulled. What is the schedule now? It's kind of what they're pulled now. So, like in reading, some students, depending on the grade, are pulled three times a week for 30 minutes. Some are pulled 5 days a week for 30 minutes. It just depends. So, in reading, they're only getting served in their flex times. So, that's going to continue. It just won't be by the same person year after year after year. And like I said, we'll go by the teachers that are trained. But also, we have EOG data showing that our teachers cuz I'm not a crazy fan of EOGs, to be honest with you. However, it does it I would have liked to have had it because I would have looked at it and it would have told me which

077students I grew the most that year. And so, it will tell us historically which teachers can grow those high students cuz you know you did it. They're very hard to grow academically. And it's not just academically. There's there's lots of other things we have to help with students with. So, it Here's my best analogy for the pullout. When when we're just looking at that model, if if we said to a a student with special needs who has hearing aids and a wheelchair, "You're only going to get this for 30 minutes a day, but the rest of the day you're going to have to figure it out." We would never do that. But we've kind of done that with AIG because AIG are AIG all day, every day. And they need to have that challenge throughout.

078So, the goal with cluster grouping is to build that capacity. We We don't want them to get bored when they're in the regular classroom. They need to have that challenge all day. And we do have teachers doing it because that reading group that you see, well, I know our specialists work. We would never attribute that to one person. And so, that's them working during flex time with the right group of kids, giving them what they need on top of uh like even little um she's not little. She's a grown lady now. But I can think of her as a student, Emily. Um as her freshman year, it was just natural for her to know cuz she ended up with a very nice cluster group in her class. And so, she kept them together and she

079pushed those kids because they were together. So, they're still getting that buddy in the cluster group. And in cluster group, you're never going to put your four highest with your four most needy. That that is too much of a lift for anybody. So, it's basically going to cause us all to strategically do our scheduling. And be very cognizant of of how we're teaching. And the middle school already has used that model for for years cuz we've had to. And so, I do know that it works. Well, what about the highly gifted? How are they going to their needs are going to be met? I mean, I'm talking about kids I had kids who were identified in kindergarten, kids who skipped kindergarten, kids who um the teachers would call me up, "Diane, you've got to do

080something with this child. Um he's bored to death." That those And we do have those early placers. We have second grader now. We have uh a first grader. We have those. Those are usually AI, academically intellectually. Uh the ones more worrisome are the intellectually gifted who sometimes don't show academically, but you still have to challenge them. So, yes, we still have um Uh I I know the personnel agenda was approved. So, we're we're going to have that person with those AI students. How often? Well, it depends what that student needs. Well, that I mean, I will tell you this. On my watch, we will give them what they need. We will. And I have faith our students will. I mean, and I have faith our teachers do cuz they all work hard to grow all

081levels. >> I'm very concerned about I was an itinerant when I first started at Blue Ridge back in the Middle Ages. Um you know, I was the first AIG teacher that the county we that year we did three just AIG. Didn't have to do all the rest of it. But I he found I found that being at different schools harder. That it's harder to build the relationships, it's harder for teachers, it's harder to do with all of it. So we've got one position that's going to go between three three schools and um three into five does not compute very well for me. Um But but they won't be doing what you were having to do. It's a rearranged position because you were having to still pull and teach. Well, I have a statement here that

082I'm very concerned about Julie and you you and I talked many times about AIG and you know how strongly I feel about it. But I received um this through an email from the central office and it said it says, "Gifted students will actually remain more humble when they have consistent academic competition." When they what? Have consistent academic competition. So it's talking about cluster groups. That word humble just if that's our attitude toward gifted children that are going to be in the cluster, there's no way that I would agree to to doing that. Mhm. So why was that sent out as a credible piece of research that we should have I can't say that but I think probably what was intended by that is as students do get a little bit older they either want to

083be pulled out or they don't. But sometimes there is that it's not fair for them but you know in middle school sometimes people can stereotype. That And and I've had students at the middle school level who choose not to go into those classes because they want to be with their friends. They don't want to be separated. And so the whole key is just making sure all kid all students get what they need. And I've had a a gifted students that feel like they're being labeled in classroom as too smart, wanting them to do their homework. Um in group situations actually assigned to that cluster. Um in those group situations, they feel um different. They feel not valued. They feel like, you know, they've been called names. They are bullied sometimes in those situations. And I

084found that the pullout program allows them to be themselves more because they're competing We're not competing. They're working with students that understand what they're saying and how they do it. I'm also concerned about the social emotional component. To me, that's the hardest thing that you address with a gifted child. They're different and they know they're different a lot of times, especially our highly gifted. And when is this pullout going to address those issues or it? And I hate to put anything else on our classroom teachers. And I'm worried with the scheduling with Wit and Wisdom. When are we going to create those opportunities for them to fly? We're We're teaching to the to the middle in that I would disagree with that. We're not teaching to the middle. I don't see any differentiation in that

085program. I'd be glad for you to sit down with me >> in the classrooms quite a bit. I I just saw it last week at some of our elementary schools where teachers are taking and making their own. Kendra that was just in here does it every every day. So, we're we're allowing them to do that now? We've always allowed it. We've always allowed them to do that. We've always allowed them to do that. And they're getting better at and they know in the curriculum. What we don't allow is for them to skip parts of it because it You can't skip parts. It's It's pretty calculated. But what they do with it and how they do with it, that's where the that's where the teacher magic comes in. And what do you do with a student

086who who multiplies it in his head, who doesn't have to do the math? Are we going to put them through all the math steps and all the already mastered that in a regular classroom? They don't do that now. I mean, our our teachers differentiate now already. And so, sixth grade math, that's advanced, they will continue to have that. I mean, Wendy Brown has it right now. And so do the other >> the lower? I'm talking about the lower elementary kids. I know that we have done in the past a lot of time when it changes when it's at the middle school, and it changes again at the high school, which is great, but it's that early foundation that I'm concerned about that these students are sitting there and they're going through the same thing that

087every other student is doing. Well, I guess if you said that they're doing it right. I mean, that they're going to be in their regular class, which the teacher teacher differentiates, and then in flex time is when they get what they need, which is what's currently happening now. The only difference is it's not the same person from year to year to year. Which I've always our specialists are great. But when you use that model, what if a student doesn't like you? Well, we've had that happen where they don't want to be in the program because they don't like the teacher. And so, they want to drop out, which we try not to let them do. You can't You can't give children. You don't If you're gifted, you're gifted. Now, you can refuse services. So, you

088know, you get a fresh start. And I know our teachers can. I I know they do. I watch them do it. Our teachers are amazing. So, and I I understand Diane that it is close to your heart. You did it. I understand that, and it probably makes it closer to your heart. I've taught honors and gifted in whole career, too. But I do have faith that we're going to work to make this happen. And when we met with parents, we we want to have close communication. More so, we give them surveys, you know, every 2 years for the plan, but we really need to have these meetings at least two times a year, not just you know, for spring needs assessment. You brought the parents Have you talked to the parents? Yeah, we've been meeting

089with them. >> And so, they're okay with it? Do have it or how do they feel about it? >> Well, initially, rumors rumors tend to go and like we were here and we heard uh these things get exaggerated. And so, we had a parent who concerned that we were doing away with advanced placement classes, which how it traveled to the high school, I'm not really sure. Um but, you know, we had the most signed up that we kind of went, "Well, and we had some of the high scorers in our our whole state. Our state works really hard to preserve AIG. We're one of the few states that fight fight fight for it, and we're a model for the nation. And we we always have been, and that's you know, how cool training has stayed

090ahead of us for advanced and she works really hard as as a good job for us. So, we did talk to the parents and basically, they had heard that and I don't know again where this came from, that the AIG program was terminated. Terminated means ending. Just because we're doing something different. And we're changing something up from a model we've done for 30 or 40 years, doesn't mean it's not going to work just as well. And and my hope, and I do tend to dwell in the positive, uh that it's going to be even better. Because they should get it all day. I know that we had get so much money. It's not a lot. But, I know our plan said that 90% of that money, I think it was what 289,000, maybe 300 or

091something. >> It's not It's like 134,000. Well, what was what was reported to the state was 200 and some thousand dollars. I don't >> We We put other funding with it. We have a But this was on the state report. All right. We put other state funding with it. So, they that That went into a lot of detail. Every program has their own special code. Right. >> AIG is a 5260. So, when I get an AIG teacher, I code them 5260. And then the state picks that up. It may not be just AIG funds, but it might be an 001 teacher that is AIG. Um a classroom teacher that codes that way. Well, if we're only funding one position, what happens with the rest of the money? We're funding all of them because they'll be

092in a classroom with AIG students in the classroom. That's what I figured, but doing away with that to do that. We're doing away with what? Oh, um we're taking the money from the AIG and putting it in the regular. >> We can't. You're really taking it away. Because we weren't funded enough to start with. Well, we never have been, but So, we will be So, those teachers are still certified AIG, and the students will still be identified as AIG. We will be clustering them together instead of sprinkling one kid in one class and one kid in another class and another kid in another class. They will be grouped together so that teacher can best serve their needs, and we will make sure that they are either with a certified teacher, but more importantly, be with

093a teacher that it that is proven to show growth with our higher-level students, and we will invest in that training as we always have. So, those students will be getting this year AIG all day long, so it would be They will be with a teacher who is certified or proven to grow our highest-level kids all day long, not just 30 minutes three times a week. And they'll get it every day for every day every day five days a week the whole time they're at school. Correct. Got you. Plus plus the lab before. And I know as a parent and if if we were doing it we were a lot of teachers were doing it but you know we are not perfect in any facets but we are perfect at trying to get better I will

094say this school system is perfect at trying to get better and so and we do we do get better and our teachers want to get better and and >> [clears throat] >> and that's all we can do and we and we will so it's not like we you said we should have already been doing it it is happening. But if I said 100% of teachers that would not be true because not everybody has the capacity yet. You know if if I've done it 30 years with 190 hours of training and you have brand new teacher who's just learning she's got a bigger learning curve but she's going to get it and to be honest some of them come in very strong. Just and it's innate with some and then some just need a few years

095to work on it but I have faith that they will and we're going to help them. I mean we all in this room wish that the state would fund us. I would love to put two teachers in every classroom. I would love to have a teacher four of them in every school but we that's just not going to happen in our state nor nor other states and I wish it would but that's just not the case. And I hope you realize this is nothing personal I just want to say something. But I just need I want you to know and the parents to know and we do have teachers that are capable and they're doing it already their email shows it and we're going to continue it and in no way is our AIT program

096terminated. That would be against the law but mostly it would be unethical. Thank you. Anything else? Any other question? Thank you so much. Last on the discussion that I've got on here is kind of a continuation from last meeting that we had talking a little bit more at regular meeting about clear backpacks. Okay. I'm going to go ahead and update that as we speak. So. All right. Putting in front of you a sheet that actually was what we were thinking through I guess I guess you could say whether or not to implement a clear backpack policy. Um again, not the answer to whether we do it or not do it, but um essentially it has several things on there that I think are important for us to look at. >> [clears throat] >> So, most

097important out of what's on there and it's front and back um so that you all can see the way we were thinking through it as a administrative team, we have a layered approach for safety and that is nationally the best practice to have a layered approach for safety. And that includes our school resource officers, it includes um weapon screeners, it includes um things like gaggle and say something. Um it includes um the little metal things that we put in our doors so that we can easily remove it to keep the door locked. Um we have vestibules that since I've been here we've invested in a vestibule um in each one of our schools so it's a layered entrance um approach the best that we could um over time. So, we have lots of different safety

098layers even down to when you sign in as a parent, you get your picture taken and and but you have your driver's license that's scanned to make sure you're not a sex offender coming in onto school with our children. All of those are a part of our safety layers. Do we have everything covered? No. And I think last week with the correspondent White House Correspondents Dinner, with you know, 50 Secret Service around, we know things can happen. Nothing is a 100% guarantee, but we are doing our best to identify places in which we can do better and working to find the funds through the safety, through the state or otherwise so that we can do better on behalf of children. Um whether or not we do clear backpacks is another thing. It could be another

099layer, but it's never going to get us to 100% no matter what we do. We don't have dedicated people at every school to screen people in and out from a weapon screener all day long. We just don't have dedicated staff members to be able to do somebody dedicated to just that role. Um but we do our best. You know, we have people that are looking out for others. You know, our secretaries know to be vigilant when somebody comes to ring the bell. Look for signs of um you know, something might be wrong or off and trust me, our instincts sings that way. But again, nothing will ever be 100% without giving full details cuz we don't give all of our details out in public. That wouldn't be a safe thing to do. You know, this

100was just another idea that was brought to the table as a potential way that we can avoid um maybe get closer to 100%. But again, you know, you can look up online of all the different ways to get around any safety measure and you can find it. Um I do think it would be very um We've got a thousand book bags right now. So with supplies or a good chunk of supplies um that are not clear. We usually give those away at our back to school blast. You know, we would and that would be a setback this year if we were to go to clear book bags. We wouldn't be able to provide that. We don't have the funds to provide a clear book bag to every family, so that would have to be passed

101along uh to the families in our school system. You know, our Chromebooks, we send them home with kids. We obviously have a lot of snow days. Um you know, some of our elementary schools don't send them home until after Thanksgiving. Um and that's been a challenge on years where we've had snow before Thanksgiving. Um but we've uh you know, we we try not to send them home all the time, but they do require a sleeve to put them in if there's not a sleeve already in the book bag to protect our investment. So without lying some of the challenges there um both pro um clear book bags and um there would be a challenge for a clear book bag implementation. You know, when I you know, think of how we can implement that, I don't

102know how you would do with sport bags. You know, you've got baseball which is going to set off every um metal detector out there, but not necessarily a weapon screener. And you know, weapon screeners don't catch everything and they're not going to unless we invest in the ones that are hundreds of thousands of dollars that um and I don't even know I don't even know what they would be because technology is changing so fast like the ones you have in your airports. Um and there are uh challenges to all of that, but again um you have those before you, so whether or not we implement it, that would be um really up to the board um if you wanted to do that, but the pros and the cons are outlined in that paper. I think

103I asked at the last meeting that some people talked to the schools that actually have those backpacks except for the school day. >> I received it today. And um Mr. Powell, it's a bunch of them. A lot of a lot of kind of things that I did on my research, it was only for sporting events. It was not for the whole school day. Show me that back down at the meeting. I think I saw something. So, they did that um last year and I think it was because of um uh the actual book bags themselves. I don't know. I didn't read all the details about it, but they had purchased a lot of book bags and then they ended up having to they lost money on it. Okay. So, we have information from Amy's um

104uh technology friends across state. So, um none of them um that responded so far actually require book bags uh clear backpacks during the day. I don't know how many of them have had a security breach. We don't have all that information. That would take um quite a bit of time. Um but several of them who do do it for their events outside. So, um like Wake and Surrey, um Davie, uh Dare County, um uh Cleveland County, um anybody coming to a sporting event, um they require this >> do inside as well, not only just outside. So, we've um Some of them do, but I don't have any right here. Some of them do metal screeners, some do not. Some don't have any metal screeners. Um some of them have the open gate, some of them

105have metal detectors, some are inside, some are outside. You know, we have them at our sporting events. Our SR resource officers that we pay at those sporting events are the ones who are manning them. Um, at school, it's our teachers and other staff members that are manning them. Um, and it it's not as easy as having one person stand there and man the screeners. It is a it's a burden on our on our teachers and our staff members because it like at the high school it requires multiple people um, to get them through and it's a long period of time and that's every single day. So, that it's hard to get get them through. Um, we have a couple of them have um, said that they work well digital devices. Um, uh, some of them

106are you know, bags for electronics that leave on campus are no longer provided due to safety and sustainability. Um, another one said that backpacks did not last, that the kids had to replace them and they ended up not providing a second bag. So, then there's things that we'd have to, you know, approve. Um, I don't know that I've found a perfect system whether it be even with the metal the weapon screeners. You know, there's there's even using those, it's not going to be 100%. So, I would that some of the things that I found in looking through all of this is that one, those plastic bags give PVC and VOC off-gases. I smell those things and it makes me feel kind I I have a lot of allergies to those kinds of things. >> to

107China. So, that's a disadvantage. The fact that they crack in cold weather and we're a cold county part of the year. I it's not I don't think fiscally um, advisable. And secondly, it the research I've read says there's no significant improvement in security by using them. And it the students, 87% I read in one's research, >> [clears throat] >> the students dislike them. And it that loses their individuality, a choice of being individual and expressing their personalities when they can't choose a book bag they like or that fits their needs. Um, so at this point I don't see enough value in it. I like the clear water can option cuz that was one of our issues. Um, but I don't see my approving the money for these plastic >> And and we don't have the

108funds for them. >> No, we don't. >> We don't. I am concerned, too. I like I'm I'm like you, but I am concerned about the amount of time that it takes for us to to do those. And so I think the thing that I'd like to see us do is to come up with a solution that's going to help that line move faster. From the research I've done and the law enforcement people I've talked to, it's not necessarily safer. It does catch some contraband you might not catch, but I'm worried about safety. It's not necessarily safer, but it is quicker when they have to search. So how can we support that with the limited amount of money that we have to put into something like that? Is there a way to contact a retired uh,

109maybe a re- retired um, uh, law enforcement folks that might donate some volunteer time that have already passed all of the the background checks and all that. What What can we do? One option I had thought of, I don't know how feasible it is. Excuse [clears throat] me, allergy season like someone said. Um, is find an inexpensive, you know, like Ziploc bags where students could put the extra metal things in them and have it out from the book bag, walk through, pass it to a person, and if the the the regular book bag goes off, then they get an intensive search. Um and maybe they could be set so the Chromebooks and the Yonder pouches could stay in there, and if they if those are in there and it doesn't ring, then they're fine. But

110um the only option I could come up with was kind of easy Ziploc plastic bag. These kids could hold separately. Have the backpacks on their back. They hand it to somebody. They walk through. They get it back because it didn't ring. So, we all already have them take out their phones and their Chromebooks, and they go over either bucket or not as they go through. Um Could they already have that done in that plastic bag that they just removed from there? Put the whole plastic bag in there? Um I don't know. I know that Mountain View seems to have a pretty good system going on from what I can understand. Uh Is it quicker? Mr. Gable, do you do things differently or do y'all three do this all of you principals do? >> Since they

111want the best, what's we kind of jumped our settings up, but uh the kids know to take their three-ring binders out. They hand them to us as soon as they come through the door either on each side. There's one of us on each side. Um and their Chromebooks out. Then they pass through. Uh If it goes off, we set their backpack at the table. That student has to go back through so we can make sure nothing's on them while we check the bag. That's essentially the process at every school. >> a Chromebook? It's already in the bag. >> Yes. And the big the most caught item is an eyeglass case. I mean, that was all all the time. Cuz it looks It doesn't look metal. Right. Yeah, most of them are plastic outside. But, I

112guess what what are the materials on the inside is and the magnet, something with a magnet. Like, we had a student come through with a whiteboard that was magnetic. And I mean, like it just set it off. My shoes set it off every time I go through it all the time if I'm wearing heels. Every time. Yeah. Well, you know, the things that I've read said that backpacks make it easier to do the metal detectors, but they are not any more secure than the the metal detector is much more secure than the clear backpacks. We're very fortunate in Nash County from my research, there's not many school systems that have every school with some kind of metal detector. That's true. And so, we're very fortunate there that we do have that level of of protection

113that a lot of students schools do not. I know I read about a few elementary schools in North Carolina North Carolina that move the metal detectors around. So, you might have a random search here and there about to try to catch people occasionally. My concern doesn't is the high school. And I know we've talked about this a little bit, but you know, there's no way with the scheduling that you all have that you can run those metal detectors all day unless we can hire a single person that is not connected to curriculum or staff to do that. And uh Lindsay, you don't have much of anything up there on the hill. So, you know, those are things that concern me, too. That uh you know, or I can check in the at the school and

114we turn them off and I could go out, get whatever I wanted to get to come back in. So, we've got to be very diligent about the buzzing in part, I think. very diligent and there again, our Lindsay doesn't even have that piece, so Well, I think our school system has a one of the better layered safety features that I've observed in in school systems and um I don't see, like I said, the cost value doesn't give us the cost of these back plastic bags doesn't give us enough any additional security from what I've been reading. So, I just don't see it as being a valuable option. And to put that extra expense on parents that's going to have to replace those bags, you know, we might consider, you know, the one I carry has

115how many pockets in at least 10. Um could we restrict how many pockets they have? I don't know, it's just an idea I was thinking about. Most of the elementary bags don't have those multi-pocketed things like some of the older kids book bags do. Do they? Yeah, they do. I was going to say Some of them do, some of them do. Well, I Not only that, I I think that would be hard to enforce if we restricted that. I mean, there are so many variations. Probably, I'm just throwing out ideas about what can what can we do? I think the biggest thing we can do is try to help somehow help the schools streamline the process or get extra help there. That and and I know that when you're trying to get school started and

116you got all of this stuff going on, it's very diffi- difficult, you've got to have supervision in the hall, you got to have supervision in the classrooms, you got to have supervision at breakfast and all over the building, it's not just checking book bags. We've got to have supervision other places as well. So, um one helpful thing might be to get the parents involved by sending them a list of these are items that tend to set off security. Please make sure your child has those contained in something that's easily removable or limit how many limit these being in their book bags in the first place so the parents are doing more of the monitoring of what's in the bags because the parents have know what is going to be a problem and addition to weapons

117but those eyeglass cases I wouldn't have thought of the eyeglass cases so your parents probably aren't thinking of those things either. I would once we you know student comes through we see it's an eyeglass case like we'll ask them can we put this in a separate pocket so that it's easier to get to or on the side so that they can grab it and do us and and go through so we're you know try to work through those kinds of situations as we go. And I was thinking with the us getting approaching a new school year getting a document that parents can read through might even further limit it. I feel horrible. I was going to say that I mean we can put lessons learned from it and I you know three ring binders that

118many teachers require send them out all the time and sometimes when you have multiple things in your backpack especially with the younger ones it's harder for them to maneuver but you know when you have high school kid that has their two different athletic bags and their purse and then their backpack on top of it keys or keys yeah I mean it becomes a lot to juggle and that takes time because it just I mean if we're going to go through them it it takes time. So and parents of teenagers aren't really going to look through their backpacks. Just being honest. No. I mean I'm one. They better not come home now I'm just kidding. I heard of a a girl the other day that had her tap shoes she had dance after school and she

119put her tap shoes in her bag and lo and behold here goes the metal detector and um I I just don't I don't know. But, I just I honestly do not think that the the clear backpacks are the answer that we are looking for. I really do not. But, I do want to say I appreciate all the hard work the principals have added on you that you're working on this problem for us. I know it's a heavy burden. So, maybe y'all can think of some other ways we can support that uh the mornings other than going to the clear backpacks. Maybe y'all can with Dr. Cox brainstorm or come up with some ideas that maybe we could could do. Um I wish that we had money where we could just hire somebody to do that

120kind of thing. But, I don't see it happening. We'll need them running back entrances at each school to make that work. I mean, after school starts a lot of personnel. Uh so, that's more discussion. That was like more work in the long run. So, nothing no action item needed for that. Any other discussion on the backpack? No, but thank you for doing putting that back on the agenda for us to discuss it again because I uh uh did a lot of research and I think other people have too. So, um that's a good thing. And we may have more of them come in, um but those were the I mean, there were quite a few school districts. I have 17 different school districts that have responded um to Amy. Um So, and most of them

121do not require clear book bags during school. Anybody is true. The plastic that these book bags are made from contain harmful pain and One of them lead. Kids starting in kindergarten going through fifth grade carrying one of those things, lead in it. And all these other chemicals that are in it. Mhm. And they're going to have may may have health problems. Those will be the ones the parents can afford, too. So, you need to research if you have doubts about the safety of them. You need to look at the CDC's. And one other thing, back up just a little bit just for the record for the minutes on there. During the discussion of the academically gifted program, the board was giving some letters evidently handed out so that that can go in the minutes that

122the board was giving those. >> I was asked to share those with the board. They were sent to me and I was asked to share those. >> That way it can go in the minutes. That they're recorded on there so if anybody looks back, that's what was handed out to the board evidently later. So, in a motion to adjourn. I'll make a motion. Thank you, Ms. Calhoun. Do I have a second? >> I second. Thank you, Ms. Ward. All in favor, aye. Opposed, nay. Motion carried.