001I'll call to order the Lincoln County Schools Board of Education monthly meeting for Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. If you will join me in a moment of silence. Thank you very much. I want to say thank you all for being here tonight and we will go ahead and get started with our pledge of allegiance. We have some special special folks here tonight that are going to say the pledge with us. Um, I'm going to introduce you to them really fast. So, I have Alice Robertson and she is in fifth grade in Mrs. Rhodess's class. So, what is your most favorite thing about school? She loves how nice the teachers are and how fun it is there. That's so sweet. So, we have Satie Foley and she is in the fifth grade in Miss Cutter's class. What
002is your favorite thing about school? >> The teachers are really nice. >> She said her teachers are really nice. And then I have Jake Harky and he is in the fifth grade in Miss Lynch's class at Union Elementary. And so what is your most favorite thing about school? >> Probably just being able to have the freedom. And at you have more. >> I like that so much. So I have um Paige Harky as well. And Paige is in the third grade in Miss Booker's class. Do you have a favorite thing about school? She loves that she's able to learn. Well, I want to say thank you all for being here and representing Kataba Springs and Union Elementary. So, if you will join us in saying the pledge to the flag of the United States of
003America and to the stands nationy for all. >> Let's give them a hand, y'all. So, while they're taking a picture, I will tell you a little bit about Alice at Kataba Springs. Um, her teacher said that she loves reading and English and she plays soccer, that she is a very responsible and hard worker all the time. Sadie loves math, needle felting, and coloring. Her teacher says that she is a hard worker, and she is kind to all. Jake at Union. Um, his teacher says that he's also a hardworking student who shows great leadership skills in and out of the classroom. He's a member of the school's lighthouse team and contributes to the studentled Bible club. He sets high expectations for himself and loves to see them through. And Paige loves math and she enjoys the
004challenge of solving all the hard math questions. Her teacher says that she is a pleasure to have in class. She loves learning and brings creative ideas to class discussions and she comes to school eager to learn and to do her best every day. So again, we want to say thank you for leading us in the pledge. So every month we always say our mission statement just to keep us focused on why we are here as a school board and why you are here as community members. And tonight I'm going to turn it over to board member Kevin Sanders and he is going to lead us in that. >> Thank you. Hey, thanks for joining us this evening. You may feel free to read along with us. Our mission statement is here on the board. Lincoln
005County Schools will work together with students, families, and the community to ensure a quality, innovative education program in a safe environment where students become responsible, contributing citizens and lifelong learners. And thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Sanders. At this time, I will entertain a motion to approve the agenda as presented. >> I have a motion by Miss Heer. Is there a second? >> Second. Second by Mr. Jarrett. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Those opposed. Motion is carried. Turn it over to Dr. Allen for our superintendent updates. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, board members and our guest wanted to highlight three big things uh tonight. One, I want to appreciate all of our community members and staff and students that participated in our strategic planning for our 2026
006to 2031 strategic plan. We had 150 plus uh people join us and exciting for the first time out of our any of our processes that we've done. We had 44 of our students ranging from fourth grade to seniors in high school that also contributed to our strategic planning opportunity and appreciate all the feedback we got from that. Looking ahead to our uh time of the year, this is Veterans Day uh season. We want to honor our vets that are current staff members, but also current in our community that have served um admirably. We have a lot of Veterans Day ceremonies coming up. If you can make it, um put this on your calendar. Uh Childress kicks us off tomorrow with their ceremony at 9 9:00 in the morning. Iron Stations at 8:30 on Thursday the
0076th. Union Elementary is on Friday the 7th at 9:30. Kataba Springs is also on Friday the 7th, but at nine o'clock. And then looking ahead to next week on the 10th, which is Monday, we have ceremonies at Northbrook, St. James, Love, and G. Massie, all celebrating our veterans day and our veterans in the community. And then last but not least, um one of our uh attendees to our strategic planning um gave some great feedback to us after he was able to come on our first session. And I want to read an excerpt of his email to us about his takeaways and how that event kind of brought forth some memories that I feel it needed to be lifted up. So this is from Mr. Skip Steel. This is very likely much more than you won't
008miss Clansancy, but the brief participation this evening refreshed my lifelong reverence for teachers. School was always my happy place and my own my one safe place during my childhood. With only one or two exceptions, I remember every one of my first through 12th grade teachers. It tells you how old Mr. Steel is. He didn't talk about kindergarten. That was before kindergarten was mand mandatory. My first through 12th grade teachers and loved most of them. Sarah Miller and Gilda Irvine were my two high school English teachers. I [clears throat] credit them with my entire 41-year career with Duke Energy all the way up to the vice president level with over a thousand employees across many states because my distinct competitive advantage amongst a population of mostly engineers was my written communications ability. To this day, I
009give teachers credit for everything I have been able to achieve. Even 50 years after I've left West Lincoln, I gush with gratitude anytime I run into Sarah or Gilda. And unquestionably teachers were much more influential on my childhood and adult life than me than even my parents were. All of the current teachers are too young to know that their students will follow them, remember them, and judge them for the rest of their lives. Those relationships in the classroom motivate learning, memory, and appreciation, and even emulation forever. Thank you and all of our Lincoln County School staff for the difference that you make. And so with that, I appreciate comments like that for the hard work our teachers and and educators do on a daily basis, but also encourage um our young folks and our and
010our mentor teachers to help instill the value in our young um educators of what it means to leave a legacy and impact a kid. Appreciate it. It's always good to hear from community members um feedback especially that positive um and just the legacy that educators do have um on students and board members if you will join me out front of the dis. We will begin our special recognitions and presentations. Right. I'm going to ask Abby Keesler, the music teacher at Kataba Springs Elementary, to come forward. I've got a couple questions for you. So, how many years you've been teaching at Kataba Springs? >> 11 years. How many years have you had students go to the North Carolina music educators? >> Eight years. >> Huh. >> But >> I bet. >> Right. So, I've asked Abby
011to help me pass out the certificates because I think this is a significant honor for these students. And when I call your name, if you'll come forward. So, congratulations to the following students from Kataba Springs Elementary School for being selected to the North Carolina Music Educators Honors Chorus. The Honors Chorus will perform in Winston Salem on Sunday, this coming Sunday, November the 9th. This is big news for Kataba Springs because it's the first time that all eight students from the school that auditioned were selected. It also is there's only one other school in the state of North Carolina that has eight students that were selected. So that's uh pretty impressive. Um so let me call your names ladies and if you'll come forward uh and get your certificate and if you'll uh shake the hands
012of each of our members here and stay up front for a picture. So, Aaron Propes in fifth grade and Aaron was here last year um as a fourth grader that was also in the honors chorus. Congratulations. And I said that about uh Aaron because I remembered it, but I don't remember the rest. So, you'll have to remind me. All right. So, Anna Ellis in the fifth grade. This is her second year. So, she was there also as a fourth grader. Sadie Foley, fifth grader. This is her second year. Avery Chami, first year, fifth grader. Harper Bowlinger, fifth grade. Not here tonight. She's a fifth grader. Minnie Davidson in the fifth grade, first year. And then Carolina Galarza Chavez in the fourth grade and she is not here. So that should be Oh, one more. Two
013more. No, one more. Ava Lberger. That's right. I saw Ava over there a few minutes ago with fourth grade. And then of course, Miss Keesler, the music teacher at Kataba Springs Elementary. Let's give all of them a round of applause. Good evening. Uh, next we are going to have our two We Are Lincoln recognitions for this month. First, from Kataba Springs Elementary, we have Amanda MacArthur and Britney Link being recognized for both coaching and growth. Both of these ladies planned, organized, and implemented a homework club for our school. Students are able to come in off the bus or car and work on homework. If they need help, teachers and volunteers are there to help. Fifth grade students come and read with the younger students. Let's give Miss MacArthur and Miss Link a round of applause.
014Next we have Leah Sneed being recognized for resiliency and unity from Union Elementary. Miss Dillinger had to say about Leah that her dedication to Union's elementary and vision is unmatched. She embodies the very essence of Union Elementary School's vision and mission, serving as a living testament to what it means to truly engage, explore, and empower students daily. Through her multifaceted contributions and unwavering commitment, she has become an invaluable pillar to our school community, consistently going above and beyond to ensure every child finds their wings and soarses. Engaging all stakeholders through the owls club, Miss Need's leadership of the Owls Club demonstrates her exceptional ability to engage the youngest learners in meaningful citizenship. Working with kindergarten and first grade students, she creates a nurturing space where foundational social skills take root. Through carefully designed activities, she
015teaches these young minds how to work collaboratively with others, communicate effectively, and practice proper etiquette, essential life skills that will serve them throughout their educational journey and beyond. Her dedication to this program reflects the school's commitment to involving all stakeholders, beginning with the most impressionable students. By instilling these values early, Miss Sneed helps create the productive citizens and lifelong learners our mission statement envisions. Exploring possibilities through innovative tutoring as a K2 tutor. Miss Sneed exemplifies the explore component of our vision by constantly seeking new ways to help students discover their potential. She doesn't simply follow a prescribed curriculum and said she takes the initiative to research and develop her own hands-on activities tailored to meet the unique needs of each student. This proactive approach demonstrates her understanding that exploration isn't just for students. Educators must
016also continuously explore innovative teaching methods to support student success. Her commitment to supporting all teachers and sharing her resources with colleagues, Miss Sneed helps ensure that her classroom at Union Elementary becomes a place where students can explore possibilities and build confidence. Her efforts directly contribute to meeting the social, emotional, and academic needs of each individual student in the safe and nurturing environment we strive to provide. Empowering students through guidance support. Miss Sneed also works with students across all grade levels, kindergarten through fifth grade through guidance lessons where they focus on character education and leader and me, seven habits as transformative life skills. The scope of this un undertaking cannot be overstated. Working with every grade level requires Missne to differentiate her approach, meeting students where they are developmentally while maintaining the integrity and power of
017these life-changing principles. From teaching kindergarteners to be proactive in age appropriate ways to helping fifth graders understand synergize as they prepare for middle school, she ensures that character education becomes woven into the fabric of our school culture. A unified vision through her daily actions, Miss Sneak communicates our school's purpose and direction with clarity and passion. She engages students in meaningful activities, allows them to explore their capabilities, and empowers them with the confidence and skills necessary to soar. Her commitment to researching best practices, creating hands-on experiences, and serving students across all grade levels demonstrates the level of dedication that makes Union Elementary School exceptional. Leah Sneeed is someone who understands that preparing students for the 21st century workforce means nurturing the whole child, building character alongside knowledge, and creating lifelong learners who will become the productive,
018confident citizens our community needs. Her contributions extend far beyond job requirements, reflecting a genuine calling to help every child reach their full potential and truly find their wings. Thank you, Miss Sne. Next, I'd like to call up the East Lincoln Middle School Boys and Girls Cross country team to be recognized for being the Tri County Conference Champions. [applause] Yeah. It is with immense pleasure that we recognize the exceptional season by East Lincoln Middle School boys and girls cross country teams. The runners demonstrated dedication and grit throughout the entire season, resulting in substantial collective and individual improvement. The boys team secured first place in every single meet of the year. The girls team displayed similar dominance, placing second in their outing before quickly adjusting and finishing the season with an impressive winning streak through all through
019all the meets after that. This consistent performance and commitment to lowering race times are a true testament to the athletes hard work and the spirit of our program. Beyond the outstanding team records, the season was highlighted by several individual achievements. The crowning of two conference champions. Eighth grader Bowen Billings ran an undefeated season, consistently setting the pace and securing first place in every race he entered. Paige Black overcame an initial fourth place finish in the first meet to win every race after that, earning her the girls individual conference championship. These champions exemplify the trend of improvement across the team as many runners shaved significant time off their initial mile splits. Coach Hops and Coach Morrison are extremely proud of every athletes commitment and growth. We thank the coaches for fostering an environment where young runners
020can achieve such out outstanding athletic and personal success and we celebrate the entire cross country team for an unforgettable season. Again, congratulations again for being the boys and girls cross country team winning the Tri County Conference Championship. Next, I'd like to welcome up East Lincoln Middle School's golf team for also winning the Tri County uh Conference Championship. Yeah, I got it. I got it on. East Lincoln Middle School successfully defended its conference championship on October the 7th at Cowins Ford Golf Club. This marked the fourth consecutive conference championship for the school. That's pretty awesome. In one match this year, the team recorded a low score of 157, which is the lowest score in a conference match since the record scores posted by the 2022 East Lincoln Middle School team. In the race for the team's
021individual scoring leader for the season, Braden Flynn edged out Sloan McKini by only two strokes over the course of six matches. That's pretty tight. Uh the other six members of the team also contri contributed significantly to the team success. Uh Bryson Miller, Nash Hayes, Meer Harris, Graham Garrett, Domesi, and Andy Williams. Congratulations again to East Lincoln Middle School golf team for winning the Tri County Conference Championship. >> [laughter] >> Okay, I'd like to call up Kennedy McCumber and Coach Ken Hildebrand. Congratulations. Kennedy Mccomer finished the 2025 women's tennis season as the 3A Western regional champion in the top four 3A players in the state. Kennedy has played in the top six of her first three seasons on the tennis team. She moved from number four seed last season to number one seed this year and
022was part of the number one doubles team. She only lost five single matches all year. Three of those losses were to former or current state champions or regional champions. She had a season single record of 14-5 and an overall singles and doubles record combined for n 19 wins and eight losses. In three years so far, she is 69 and 25 overall with 39 of those coming in singles. She was second in the player of the year voting behind the defending state champion and she was selected as all conference and earned her way to all region and all state honors. Congratulations to Kennedy on a great season. Okay. Ken Hildebrand has coached both men's and women's tennis at West Lingan for 29 years. Wow. You don't look that old. [laughter] He has been selected coach of
023the year for the Southern Piedmont Conference for the women's tennis season. This is the sixth time he has received this honor. The Lady Rebels had a rebuilding year this season due to losing six of the top seven players from last year's conference championship team. Kennedy was the only returning starter and coach Hilderbrand led the team to a 9-4 record, finishing second in the conference and receiving the fifth seed in the state dual tournaments which came with a first round buy. They were ranked in the top 10 in the state all season. They advanced to the third round of the state tournament before losing to Hendersonville which which matches their yearend rank as the top eight teams in the state of in the state for 3A. Congratulations again, Coach Hildra. board members. We do not have
024anyone signed up to appear before the board per board protocol. We do have a need for close session. I will turn it over to our board attorney. Madame Chair, the board will need a a motion to go into close session pursuant to general statutes 143-31811 for the following purposes. Number one, number under under subsection A1 to prevent the disclosure of confidential student information. Um, under number two, under section A1 to prevent the disclosure of privileged and confidential personnel information and under uh subsection A9 to discuss action uh potentially regarding plans to protect public safety as it relates to your school buildings. At this time, I'll entertain a motion to enter into close session. So moved, Madam Chair. >> I have a motion by Mr. Jared. Is there a second? >> Second by Miss Long. Any
025further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. Those opposed. Motion is carried. We are now in close session. We are now back in open session. Action was taken in close session which included the approval of the supplemental low performing school superintendent evaluation. So moving on to our um action items. Up first, we have the East Lincoln High School Land sale extension. Um, as we discussed in the work session earlier today, um, I will entertain a motion to approve the East Lincoln High School Land sale extension as presented. I have a motion by Mr. Sanders. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I have a second by Mr. Jenkins. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. Those opposed. The motion is carried. We also have the East Lincoln High School
026proposed parking lot. Um we again we discussed this at length in uh the work session and I will entertain a motion to approve the existing East Lincoln High School parking spaces paid for by Mr. Walter Clark and the area near the art wing will remain under discussion at this time. I have a motion by Miss Long. Is there a second? >> I have a second by Mr. Jarrett. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Those opposed. Motion is carried. We also have the approval of the low performing school support plans that stood open for 25 days for input. I will entertain a motion to approve as submitted. I have a motion by Mr. Jarrett. Is there a second? >> I have a second by Mr. Sanders. Any further discussion? All
027those in favor signify by saying I. I. Those opposed. Motion is carried. Up next, we have our consent agenda items, which include the approval of minutes from the board work session on October 7th, the board meeting on October 14th, the budget amendments as presented, the board meeting calendar amendments as presented, personnel recommendations, the field trip um curricular. We have policy 4318, the use of wireless communication devices um option A as presented. Approval of policies which stood open for 25 days for input as presented in the agenda. I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda items as presented. >> So move. >> I have a motion by Mr. Jenkins. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I have a mot a second by Miss Heer. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by
028saying I. >> I. >> Those opposed. The motion is carried. Board members, if you'll look at our um reminders and announcements, we have our Veterans Day holiday on November the 11th. And as we discussed earlier, there are tons of opportunities um across the district to attend. I do want to say thank you to all of our veterans for their service, for their sacrifice. Um and then if you'll notice, we have our Thanksgiving holiday and then our board work session December the 2nd and board meeting on December the 9th. At this time, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> We adjourn. >> I have a motion by Miss Heer. Is there a second? >> Second by Mr. Jenkins. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. Those opposed. Motion is carried. We
029are now adjourned.