001e e e everyone how are you um welcome to the March 3rd 2025 Board of Education meeting going to go ahead and call this meeting to order based on members seated we do have a quorum members if you can take a minute review the agenda and let me know your pleasure I would like to move that we amend the agenda mad all right we have a motion to amend the agenda I would like to move that we amend the agenda uh to Pace public comments immediately after student recognition believe that we were elected by the people to represent them and we have a duty to listen to them before we make decisions that impact our students our teachers and our schools our community deserve deserve to have their voice heard before we vote not after
002very good thank you do we have a second a second okay we have a first and a second all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay eyes have it it passes unanimously public comment will now be moved to after student recognitions all right we are going to observe a 30- second moment of silence and then Mr Beck will be providing the board invocation father as we come before you God I I pray God that you would just be amongst us this evening God that you would allow us to make decisions God that uh are pleasing to you and beneficial to our students and our staff God I pray that we remember who uh we are here to represent I love you thank you for everything that you do for us I'm
003excited to see what's ahead for bur County public schools in Jesus name amen amen all right please stand for the presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God IND with liy and justice for all [Applause] thank you to Freedom High School's jrc Color Guard led by Sergeant First Class Alan shade all right I believe we have student recognitions good evening Madam chair members of the board excited this evening to recognize one of our elementary students we just had students participate in a heart contest and its art for heart was the name of it we want to congratulate Jessica Basera robas down Jessica a fourth grader at Ray chers Elementary School for winning second place in
004an art contest for the American Heart Association as a result she received a bike and a helmet from UNCC Health Blue Ridge her depiction of a healthy heart will be turned into a poster and will be displayed in an upcoming American Heart Association Heart Ball you may recognize her proud Uncle as Albert Basera our lead SRO congratulations Jessica [Applause] Madame chair Vice chair members of the board folks that are esteemed guest here with us tonight we are excited to share about our recent science fair results every year we host the district science fair at Liberty Middle School and we are very proud of all of our students that put in the hard work and submit their projects we also want to say that we are thankful for our partnership with Continental in Morganton and and
005the support that they provide great Partnerships lead to Great outcomes for all of our students we would like to announce and congratulate our first place student at the middle school district science fair our district first place winner is Bailey heat from Table Rock Middle School in the biological science a category [Applause] we also had two students from Table Rock middle who advanced to the regional competition and both of them took home uh first place first of all we had Bailey heat first place at Table Rock Middle with biological science a category and then also Charlotte rila first place Table Rock middle school with Earth Science category congratulations to both of these young ladies come on up please additionally both Bailey and Charlotte will be advancing to the state science fair in March and competing at
006the state level at the North Carolina Student Academy of Science in April we are proud of both of you for representing Burke County Public Schools and congratulations you [Applause] again congratulations to all of our students so I believe that brings us to public comment we do have uh two two people signed up for public comments so let me let me read this to you before we start persons will speak in the order in which they have signed up to speak each speaker during the public comment section of board meetings she'll have a maximum of three minutes for his or her comments at which uh point the speaker will be politely asked to bring comments to a close follow Follow by thank you School Board policies state law and federal law have established separate and distinct
007procedures and forums for the resol for the resolution of employee grievances employee complaints against individual employees pupil suspensions and appeals and political campaigns to avoid circumvention of those separate proceedings and ensure fairness to all parties concerned no person shall speak regarding uh filed grievance two pending employee complaint filed with the school district or an outside agency three complaint against individual employees four employee disciplinary action suspension or termination or five pupil suspension or appeal which may ultimately re reach the Board of Education additionally prior to elections no person who has publicly announced or filed for a candidate for public office may speak during the public comments concerning his or her candidacy the board chair or designate May terminate any presentation that is not in accordance with these criteria except as limited by the previous provision of
008public comments will be allowed during the public comments period on any subject that is within the jurisdiction of the board uh the first person that we have to speak is William Gold good evening esteemed board members my name is William Gold I am one of 1,650 homeschoolers in Burke County myself and many other homeschoolers in this County would like the opportunity to play sports for Burke County Public Schools as I sure you know currently students are required to be 50% enrolled in the public education system to be eligible to play school sports this Rule leaves students like myself who are very happy with their homes School trajectory with almost no extra athletic Outlets there are 13,700 students in Burke County 1,650 of those students are homeschooled these statistics show that 12% of children in this
009County are homeschooled which means 12% of the children in Burke County will not get the off opportunity to play middle or high school sports not because they are not good enough but simply because they are homeschooled I have played basketball for years with the same group of kids but next year I will be excluded from that group as they all move on to Middle School basketball I am here tonight to ask you the board to reconsider this policy and allow kids like myself to have the opportunity to compete athletically thank you for your time thank you Mr Gold uh next speaker we have Aaron um okay I'm not a public speaker so bear with me okay thanks I here to address the email that was sent out by Burke County Public School central office regarding
010ice and law enforcement activity in schools it starts off reasonable talking about how to access a student they would need a warrant Etc but towards the end it says however please note that if any law enforcement officer including ice commands an employee to produce a student the employee will comply and in a lot of people's minds that completely undes what the email said previously about offices officers needing a warrant the inconsistent messaging of this email is stressing kids out it's freaking families out it's making it hard for teachers to do their jobs and I just really hope that y'all will look at some of the other messaging that other school districts have sent out and consider taking a stronger stance to protect all the kids in your schools thank you thank you all right moving
011on to the consent agenda items we have the Open session meeting minutes as well as Personnel Board information report remember if you're going to ask any questions regarding Personnel to use the number if there are no questions I will entertain a motion motion by Mr Johnson you have a second second second by Mr Beck all right all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay eyes have it unanimously consent agenda items have been passed moving on to the action agenda items we have Personnel Board Action Report um as revised do we have a motion to approve all right Miss rocket we have a motion second second by Mr woff all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay eyes have it action items have been approved 2025 summer remediation
012plan do you have any comment on that we're good you don't have to if you anyone have any questions if not then we have a motion motion motion by Mr Johnson second second by Mr Taylor all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay eyes have it has passed unanimously all right we have the second reading of board policy 17 20 40 30 723 5 3210 3225 as well as 4333 any discussion if not do we have a motion to approve motion by Mr woff second second by Mr Beck all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay I as haveit passes unanimously the 2024 amended audit contract Mr Lawson good evening board members uh in regards to item D 20124 Amendment audit contract I request your approval as
013pres presented at last week's uh work session very good any questions from the board if not do we have a motion motion Mr Johnson do we have a second second second Mr woff all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay eyes have it it passes unanimously in regards to Item B 2025 external audit contract I request your approval last presented at last week's work session very good do we have any discussion or questions from Mr Lawson do we have a motion motion by Mrs rocket second second second by Mr Beck all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay I have it it passes unanimously in regards to item F what is your pleasure in regards to the Hill Crest Surplus property high bid make a motion to
014approve the Surplus property high bid second second by Mr Johnson all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppos nay I have it passes unanimously and lastly for me item G budget revision 09-03 03225 what is your pleasure any discussion motion to approve motion by Mrs Taylor second second Mr woff all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay I have it passes unanimously thank you thank you Mr Lawson uh board ceu credits to submit to ncsba Dr [Music] Swan was present the work session I'd be happy to submit your cus to the state for your credits questions um we we do have another two hours of training for Mr Campbell uh so we'll we'll be rescheduling that probably at our Retreat date aome any questions or do we have
015a motion motion by Mr Johnson second second by Mr Beck all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I those oppose nay eyes have it it passes unanimously do we have need for close session tonight all right so we have a motion to enter into Clos session person uant to the ncgs section 14338 do11 section A1 and 6 for the purpose of considering confidential Personnel matters in accordance with ncgs Section 115 C- 319-321 and A3 to discuss matters protected by the attorney client privilege do we have a second second second by Mr Johnson all those in favor Syndicate by saying I I I passes unanimously we are now in close session e e