NHCS Board of Ed. Regular Meeting | March 10, 2026

001can find a seat, please. >> Everyone find a seat, please. >> Is it on? >> Please find a seat. >> Make your way to a seat, please. We have some seats up here in the front. Still not on. Nope. >> The one with a beard. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. That may be the same guy I talked to, too. >> No, my guy is right next to him. Everybody's name >> Chris. >> Oh, 9. >> All right. Wait. I'm I'm gonna be after 8:30. Okay, then eight. >> I'll be after eight. You be before eight. >> I got to find a dollar. >> He's got a little counter. He thinks good. >> Okay. I'd like to call the 20 thou uh uh March 10th, whatever day it is, March 10th uh board meeting to

002uh order. We are glad you're here. Before we begin, we'd like to share a few quick reminders. Please keep the aisles clear during our meeting to allow staff members of the school system and sheriff's department to be able to move about. also accept when honoring the flag our opening prayer and when participating in the call to audience. Please remain seated during our meeting. We hope to have a great and productive and efficient meeting and your help is greatly appreciated. A couple quick uh pieces of housekeeping before we do our roll call. Our invocation today will be given by Travis Newton, pastor of the morning star fellowship and uh he will be providing that invocation remotely. Our presentation of the colors as you can see before you, the Hogard High School uh junior Navy ROC color

003guard unit will provide the presentation colors under the direction of Staff Sergeant Richard Gudo, USMC, and principal Chris Madden. Myrtle Grove Middle School students will be performing our national anthem. We look forward to that. And finally, our own board member, Mr. David Perry, will be leading the pledge of allegiance. Miss Billy, would you please call the role? >> Good afternoon. Pete Wlebore, >> present. >> Melissa Mason, >> here. >> Josie Barnhart, >> here. >> Pat Bradford, >> I am here. >> Judy Justice, >> present. >> Dr. Tim Merrick, >> I'm here. >> And David Perry, >> here. Yes, this is Travis Newton. I'm the pastor of Morning Star Fellowship and I'm calling to give the prayer for the school board tonight. Father in heaven, we thank you for the love that you have for us.

004And Lord, I pray for your spirit to help all those who are here to make decisions concerning the children and their education. Lord, please teach us all, as it says in Psalms 90:12, to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom, knowing that each will one day leave this life and give an account to you for all of our lives. I pray for the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, that we would make righteous decisions in view of our father in heaven who's watching us right now. And Lord, you said in Mark 10:14 to allow the children to come to you. And Lord, you said to not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to these. And you also warned us, Lord, in Matthew 18:6,

005you warned us that whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in you to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy mill stone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Lord, knowing these things that we're going to give an account to you for how we lead these children and what we do with them and that you are indeed watching. And Lord, I pray that your spirit would fall on this counsel and they would do what's right in your sight, knowing that every decision they make, they will give an account before the God of heaven. And so, Lord, having uh seen these things, I pray for your help and your grace upon each one of them that you would give them your heart for

006your kids and that they would do what is right in your sight. And we pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. By the dawn, what so proudly we held at the twilight last stars. for the we were so stream and the rock gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star spangle for the land of the free and the bra. 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 liberty and justice for all. Follow the baby. He's running. >> Y'all may be seated. And I would love for you guys to introduce yourselves. Tell us your name and your >> Okay. >> I'm Giana and I'm in seventh

007grade. I'm Mia and I'm in seventh grade from Myrtle Grove. >> I'm Sandy and I'm in seventh grade from Myrtle Grove. >> I'm Kinsley and I'm in seventh grade from Myrtle Grove. >> I'm Nadia and I'm in seventh grade from Myrtle Grove. I'm Olivia. I'm in seventh. And I'm from Myrtle Grove. Let's give them one more round of applause. >> And our young people from Hogard. >> Hello. Good afternoon. I am Cadet Lieutenant Commander Conor McAuliff and I am a senior at Hogard High School. Thank you. Hi, I'm Hi, I'm Cadet Mackenzie Rose and I am a freshman at Hogard High School. >> Hello, I am Cadet Terrence Fears and I am a freshman at Hogard High School. >> Hello, I'm Cadet Zachary Brooks and I'm a senior at Hogard High School. >> Let's give

008that one more round. Thank you. >> All right, we will carry on with our agenda. Of course, my computer went down, so I look at my B plan. >> All right, next we will have the approval of the agenda. Is there such a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. Okay, >> we have first and second. Any discussion? Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I do recall a discussion at our agenda review um a 10-minute discussion for the NCSBA potential legislation rep >> to have that under new business. >> Okay. So, we >> So, I would make a motion to amend the agenda to reflect that. >> Second. >> Okay. First and second. Any discussion about that? >> Yes, ma'am. M Justice, >> could you please sorry, could you please repeat that? I'm didn't come through

009very clear. >> Sure thing. It was we discussed this at the agenda review for the NCSBA legislative rep. It's not even voting on representative. It's voting on somebody to apply to our board to be on that committee potentially. >> Okay. I just didn't hear what you said. >> Okay. >> We have a motion. Yes, sir. >> Um Barnes, >> I don't have >> We got Okay. So, we have a motion and a second to add a discussion under new business, I guess. >> 10 minutes. 10-minute discussion under new business of a >> sorry >> five >> we had five five okay five five minute discussion under new business uh for NCSBA uh rep all in favor please signify by saying I I all oppose like sign that passes 70 Dr. Barnes >> under old business.

010Um I haven't had the opportunity to land that plane yet. Is there any way we could bump that to the next? >> We would love that. I mean I will make a motion to uh to postpone modification of previously approved facility capital. That one. >> Yes. >> Uh budget transfer based on county action to next month. We had a second. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor please signify by saying I. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Perry. >> Well, I'm just uh >> see you there. >> Will this in any way hold up our budget approval process? So, >> okay. Good. Anytime. >> All in favor of uh delaying that to our April meeting, please signify by saying I. >> I. All opposed like sign passes 70. >> Any others? Hearing none. Uh >>

011motion to approve the amended agenda. >> Okay. First, we have a first and a second to approve the amended agenda. All in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. All oppose. Like sign again. Passes 70. Why? We are on in accord today. That's good. >> All right. Next, approval of the minutes. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> There's a motion. >> Second. >> We we have first and second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor of approving the minutes as provided for us, please signify by saying I. I. >> I. All opposed. >> Okay. moving on to a new thing. So, you guys get to all hear all the committee reports and I'm going to start out. I went to the um Legion Stadium Committee on the 26th. Uh Mr. Zapple, our

012county commissioner, is the chair of that. Dr. Morgan joined me at that meeting. Uh lots of discussion. First off, they are repurposing some monies that that were originally part of the um the um turf. There it is. turf uh from Legion Stadium to put in uh handrails to make it safer. Cost is going to be about $49,000, but we've already put that money aside for that concrete work first. It will be done this summer. Uh they will invoice the city and then the city will turn around and invoice us. Uh and then secondly, there the other major point they had was there's going to be a Legion Stadium concept and cost study. Um, first off about talking about Legion Stadium field h the fieldhouse. They're going to demo the whole fieldhouse. In case anybody does

013not know, the fieldhouse services both um new handover and the visiting team, but they also and the replacement. This is not they're not doing that yet. They're just looking for a cost study on that. Uh Buck Hardy Field improvements. Legion Stadium backfield is going to be a parking lot in the future. uh at least that's the plans. And then the Legion fire tower, uh they don't need that anymore, so they're going to remove that. And uh the cost again for that whole study is about 66,000 and again it would be about $22,000 from us um cost and they are going to hold stakeholder sessions in July to talk about that. also uh had a discussion about Robert Strange Ballfield. It cost us no money. They're going to put new lights up there. And in case

014anybody does not know, Williston Middle School plays their softball and baseball games there. And finally, the Sharks contract uh was uh approved to be renewed and uh it was said that uh the New Hver High School uses uh that facility area about 70% of the time. So that's the end of my report. Any questions? >> Yes, ma'am. >> When would the 22,000 come to us for approval vote for this year's budget? Sometime. >> Um, that would come to us whenever it is, you know, once once they have the whole thing put together. And they have not done that. They just Yes, sir. Dr. Morgan, >> I'm not sure what you're asking. >> I'll have those contracts for next month. Yes. Okay. And for Mr. Wor's signature. >> Okay. There it is. Okay. Any other discussion?

015Mr. prepared. >> This is just for a study. >> Yes. >> So it's $66,000 for the study. We're paying a third of it. Is that >> That is correct. >> So what does this study entail? $66,000. >> Well, it's again looking at the following things. Legion Stadium, the their whole um um whatever it is, fieldhouse. There it is. I can't read my own writing. I'm sorry. Their whole fieldhouse, they're going to demo that. just take it down and rebuild it. They said that's a lot it seems to be a lot better uh costwise than trying to fix what it what's there. So, they're going to do that. >> So, they'll be contracting to like an architecture firm or something like that. Okay. >> And then Buck Hardy Field, which is the baseball field, they're going

016to look at improvements for that. The Legion Stadium, I don't know if you know, but there's a fire tower in the back. They're going to knock that down and make it parking lot and all that. So, any other questions about that one? Nope. Okay. Other committee reports. >> Bradford. >> Miss Bradford. >> We need to >> point of order. Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> This is the first month we're doing this. Do we need to have a motion to accept the report? Oh, well, why don't we do that? I move to accept the report. I'll second that. >> Okay. First and second. Any discussion? All in favor of accepting the report, please signify by saying I. >> I. All opposed. Passes 70. Thank you, Dr. Merrick. Now, Mr. Bradford >> finance capital and bond committee

017meeting was the first one of the year was two weeks ago and we brought ourselves up to speed to what has changed since we last met and um I think the highlight of the afternoon was Dr. Dr. Barnes took us through an interactive exercise with a fictitious elementary school of about 400 students and we applied the state aotment formula for how to staff that with what we wanted assistant principles, art teachers and staff like that. It was a very eyeopening exercise and he had done it with the board the day before. So y'all can go back and look at that and learn a little bit about how the state aotment formula works and how it doesn't work. Our next meeting is March 26th and budget is large and in charge in our scope. We got

018to finish that by midappril. >> That concludes my report. >> Okay. I'll make a motion we accept the report. Is there a second? >> Okay. Any discussion? Hear none. All in favor of accepting the report of the finance committee, finance, bond, and capital committee, please signify by saying I. I. All opposed. >> Okay. It passes to 70. Any other committees? >> Justice. >> Okay. I do parks and recreation. It's not the TV show, but it's a great group. Um and and honestly, this is the first time we've done it, so I don't have it so formally written up as you did. Uh but I will tell you the highlight, which I thought was very, very cool. They talked about the fact that we've been initiating the county has been initiating bike trails and walking trails

019throughout the county to the point and this is the highlight that within the next couple years they're literally you're literally going to be able to ride a bike from Snow's Cut all the way to the other side of Porter's Neck and all the parks in between. And I thought that and not only that it's going to help the schools are literally going to have a bike path and walking path in front of Laney. You know what that'll mean? Um, this is just going to help out with our schools for transportation wise because that means a lot more kids will be able to use that way to get to school, not just going to the park. So, even though I didn't have anything formally written up, I just thought I would bring that up because I

020thought it was a great it was a great meeting because of that. I was very excited. >> Great. Great. Well, again, let's uh I move to accept. >> I'll second it. >> Any discussion? >> Hearing I don't really believe that we need to be motioning and accepting. I don't think there's anything to approve or deny. Yeah, probably not. >> We started it. So, let's we'll do it for this meeting anyway. Okay. So, first and second. All in favor uh accepting that report from parks and recck, please signify by saying I. >> I. All opposed. >> Pass is 70. Any other reports? >> Hearing none. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Point of order that I know I missed the first 20 minutes unfortunately, but I know we met I think if we're correct at some point.

021>> Oh, correct. Uh, do we have a report for Miss Barnard or Miss Bradford? >> I'm not on that committee. >> I was on it. >> I know who Miss Bradford was. >> It was great. >> Honestly, I I I did not prepare for that and um it was a very we we had two reports. Maybe Dr. Hamilton can update us. We had two reports that were extremely eye opening. And um >> this report next month if there's >> Let me go next month. Okay. So we no report >> do you want to or >> Dr. Hamilton next? >> Yeah. Why don't we just go ahead and do that next month because we do not have one prepared. >> Yeah. >> Is there any other discussions? Okay. If not we because we are on a

022time situation today we will carry on with our uh what down >> Recognitions. So that is everybody smiles. I like that. Miss Baggie, would you please lead us? >> Thank you. Good evening, everyone, and thank you for this opportunity to be here to highlight the amazing things that happen across our district. First and foremost, this place is packed. This place is packed because of the amazing people that support our district every single day. So, thank you for being here. So, tonight, >> can I stop here a second? >> Yes. >> Uh let let us give them a round of applause for being here. Thank you. >> So, first this evening, I'm going to start with one of our community partnership spotlight awards. So, we have a partnership. Well, let you know what, hold on. How

023many people here are tired today? Just I'm just curious how how many people are tired? >> Yep. Yep. Yep. Okay. So, I have to tell you about something that happened today that was one of the best days ever. So, I am tired for an amazing reason because I got so excited all day long that nothing else can compare, right? So, you just you're oh my gosh. So, we had a partnership with Carolina Panthers and Samaritan's Feet today. Two schools received over 800 pairs of shoes. All of those students went home with brand new shoes today >> and socks. >> So, and not only did they receive shoes, but the way this was coordinated, our high schools sent their football teams, their flag football teams, and their cheerleaders to volunteer to help these students to try

024on new shoes. So, not only did you have that engagement of a brand new shoe, which is going to help you run faster, it's going to help you jump higher, but those kids got to interact with high school students that were engaged with them and communicating one-on-one with them. So, guys, I can't tell you how phenomenal that was. So, we are very proud. Today, I would like to bring forward first Miss Alicia Marorrow. She's our regional program manager for Samaritan's Feet International. She was instrumental in providing the community support to do such an amazing event. And I'd like to give her just a brief moment to tell you a little bit more and then we're going to take a picture with you and our board members. Thank you. It was an honor and privilege to

025be a part of this and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve in this school district. You have some phenomenal staffs and this partnership is so important because it gives our students the ability to get back out on the playgrounds, to get back into their classrooms, and to provide the essential footwear that they need to have a healthy, happy life. Thank you. Did you join me? Thank you. Okay, so next up we have Mr. Dave Stodell who is from the Carolina Panthers. He is the education manager. He has helped us facilitate this and this is part of a larger project. Right. So they have a third and goal literacy initiative. So, he's going to tell you a little bit more about that and how he's partnering with us. >> Yes. Hello. How are

026you doing today? Great. >> Good. My name is Dave Stoddell. I'm the education manager for the Carolina Panthers and we have Skyler Hopkins and Eli I mean Skyler Stallings and Eli Hopkins in our community relations department as well. And so I have uh some remarks prepared. Um the Carolina Panthers and Dave Nicole Tupper Foundation are pleased to partner with Samaritan's Feet to serve students in new handover county schools. The Panthers are longtime supporters in the important role that physically active play serves in helping kids grow healthy and strong as well as helping them concentrate better in the classroom. Today, we are excited to provide the students of Bradley and Sunset Elementary School with new sneakers to equip them both with an important basic need of proper shoes for active play as confidence it will give

027them in the classroom. >> Yes. So, um, while they're taking the photo, just so you know, uh, Sir Purr was here today, so we got to hang out with Sir Purr for those of you who know the Panthers. And, um, we also had, um, both schools had large blow up like football tunnels and all sorts of things. There were so many engaging activities for these kids. It was just phenomenal. So, we cannot thank these groups enough for all of their effort. All right, one more round of applause for these guys. All right, next up we have Sutton Paige Whitlock. We are proud to recognize as a fifth grader at Coling Cington Elementary as the 2026 recipient of the Susan Ke Lamar scholarship presented by the North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented. Thank you.

028So, this scholarship honors distinguished leadership and achievement in the visual and performing arts and includes a $250 award and a certificate of excellence. Her excellent work ethic, passion for music, and performances at the local, state, and national levels truly reflect her creativity. She will be heading to conquered Friday, March 13th to participate the 51st annual NCAGT conference. So, let's give her another round of applause. All right. And next, and thank you guys for bearing with me because this is a really it's a great problem to have so many recognitions in this building tonight. So, thank you. All right. Next, Lindsay Wesco. So, it's another recognition for Codington AI teacher. AIG teacher, Miss Lindseay Wesco was selected as one of four finalists from across the state for outstanding teacher of the gifted award for the North

029Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented. This recognition highlights her passion for engaging with advanced learners, fostering critical thinking, and creating dynamic differentiated learning experience that help students thrive. Being honored at the state level among such distinguished peers speaks to the quality of instruction and leadership she brings to our district. Please join me in congratulating Lindseay Wesco on this remarkable accomplishment. Oh, we can include We love photo ops. Come on now. All right. And next, we have another fun-filled adventure for you. We have another great community partnership that we'd like to highlight. So, I don't know if any of you have heard of CFCC, Kate Fear Community College. Yep. Yep. So, they have partnered with us and Mosley as part of a dual enrollment program. They will be offering graphic design, cyber security, and criminal

030justice. This evening, we have Mr. Morton of CFCC, the president, and we'd like to hear from him just a little bit more about this amazing partnership that we have developed together. Hey. Yes. So, good evening. Y'all having a good time here. I like this. Um, yes. So, Mosley, you know, we had before, uh, we had Doom Witt and so it was, you know, this DW is always kind of a transportation issue, too. So, they have to come to the college. And so, fortunately, back in the summer, uh, superintendent offered us some additional classroom space over at Mosley. And we said, by all means, we'd love to utilize that space. And so we uh beginning of the fall we did we started off with mechanical engineering 3D printing, mechatronics and computer integrated machining over there. And

031before when it was dual enrollment we had about 10 students participating coming over to the college. Well that jumped in fall of 25 to 25 students and now for spring we had 30 students signed up. So, we're able to grow it. And as she just alluded to, we did a survey of the students and to see what interest they may have for 2627 school year. And what came back is also to start criminal justice, cyber security, and graphic design. So, we're looking at maybe filling the classrooms up for that as well. So, we love the partnership and we're always in for any kind of partnership to help put with training into high schools. So, thank you for that very much. like for you to join us. >> Oh, all right. And next, we're moving on.

032We are honored to recognize Trevor Todd this afternoon for being named the 2025, I'm sorry, 2026 UNCCW Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year, which honors UNCW graduates for exceptional accomplishments, integrity, and service to the community. Mr. Todd is a third grade teacher at Castle Hane Elementary School, where his dedication has earned him both the 202021 Elementary Educator of the Year Award and the 2020 National University Teacher Award for North Carolina. He inspires his students daily and mentors future teachers by opening his classroom to them. Beyond education, he volunteers across the community, including at the North Carolina Aelia Festival coming up soon. Through his teaching, community service, and support of NHCS and UNCW, Mr. Todd uplifts others and makes a lasting impact both inside and outside the classroom. Congratulations, Mr. Todd, on this outstanding recognition. All

033right. Thank you. Oh. All right, ladies and gentlemen. We're about a quarter of the way there. Just kidding. Okay, so last month NHCS held its first annual district spelling be. After some intense competition and challenging spelling words, Cooper Collins, an eighth grader at Murray Middle School, took home the title of 2026 NHCS spelling B champion. He then advanced to compete in the Carolina Panthers, hello spelling B, sorry, regional championship in Charlotte on March 1st where he won 10th place overall. We want to congratulate Cooper on his preparation, his hard work, and for representing NHCS so well at the district and the state level. Come on up, Cooper. O, >> anybody sensing a theme today? Good job, Cooper. All right, next. We're proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our men's and women's wrestlers at the

0342026 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Individual Wrestling State Championships. Our student athletes demonstrated incredible skill, determination, and sportsmanship, earning top finishes, and bringing home welldeserved recognition for their hard work on and off the mat. Their dedication is a testament to the strength of our program and the spirit of our school community. Please join us in congratulating these remarkable wrestlers. And I'm going to call them up one by one. They're going to get their photo and then I'll call up the next participant so they can have their photo taken with the board. First, we're going to start with Lucas Angstat from Ashley High School. the 2026 NCSA 7A men's individual wrestling champion. Wings up, ladies and gentlemen. Wings up. All right. Next, we're going to recognize Samuel McQueen as the 2026 NCHSA 8A men's individual

035wrestling runner up. Come on up. All right. Next, Vincent Valentino. 2026 NCHSA 8A men's individual wrestling runner up. Nicely done. Woohoo. Next we have M. Copelman, 2026 NCHSA 8A men's individual wrestling third place. Next we have Lesie Barden, 2026 NCHSAA Women's Individual Wrestling Champion. Okay, what did I miss? Thank you. I know I missed one in there somewhere. All right. And next, we'd like to recognize Lenanishia Gau as 2026 NCHSA 8A Women's Individual Wrestling Champion. Also from Laney Mia Kaiser, 2026 NCHSAA 8A Women's Individual Wrestling Champion. >> And we're still going with Laney, so hold on. All right. Sydney Simmons, 2026 NCHSAA 8A women's individual wrestling runner up. Woohoo. All right. Next and final from Laney is Yassan Hang, 2026 NCHSA Women's Individual Wrestling Runner Up. All right. And next we have Hogard Mason Hawker,

0362026 NCHSA 8A men's individual wrestling champion. Woohoo. I love it. And next, we'd like to recognize Jude Molton, 2026 NCHSA 8A men's individual wrestling runner up of from Hogard as well. We have Halley Middlebushker 20 and I hope I said that right. I'm so sorry. 2026 NCHSA 8A women's individual wrestling fourth place. And hailing from New Hover, we have Chris Braxton, our 2026 NCHSA 7A men's individual wrestling third place. Woohoo. All right, we have another group of amazing student athletes to recognize for their achievements at the state level. Earlier this season, our Laney High School varsity cheerleading team took home the title of medium varsity non-tumbling division 1 champions at the NCHSAA cheerleading invitational. This is an amazing testament to their strength, determination, and unity as a team. We congratulate each of these cheerleaders for

037excelling at the state level and for representing NHCS so well. Please join me in cheering them on for this amazing accomplishment. Come on down. The price is right. >> Come on up. I feel like I've seen a few of you recently. >> I think I saw a few of you this morning. I did. I did. >> I think we're out. Everyone's >> Yep. So, while they're figuring out how to take a photo together, just so you know, um, these cheerleaders were with us this morning as well at the Carolina Panthers and the Samaritan's Feet event. >> Can you see me? >> So, they they've had a very busy day. >> Here we go. One, two, three. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, ladies. All right, we're not done yet. Next,

038I'd like to tell you a couple of things about a Rookie of the Year winner and finalist. New H County Schools partners with the Wilmington Rotary Club to recognize excellence among beginning teachers through the Rookie of the Year program. This process honors teachers in the second and third years who have been nominated by their school and administrative teams. This year, nominees were invited to submit a portfolio reviewed by committee of eight people consisting of school, district, and Wilmington Rotary Club representatives. Last month, the five finalists were recognized by the Wilmington Rotary, NHCS senior staff, and the board of education during surprise visits to their classrooms. That's always so much fun. Then, on February 17th, the overall rookie of the year was announced at the Rookie of the Year banquet. First and foremost, I'd like to

039start with our finalists. I would like to recognize Charlotte Bleing from Laney High School. And next I'd write I'd like to recognize Emily Buggy from Myrtle Grove Middle School. >> So when we were at the Rotary highlighting and celebrating, they got to um deliver a speech. There was not a dry eye in that place from every one of these speeches that was delivered during that event. So, just so you know, we have some of the most amazing rookies of the year this year. So, just want to kind of highlight that and promote that as much as possible because they are phenomenal. They have people crying, guys. All right. Next, we're going to talk about Brooke Burus from Ashley High School. Come on down. And I just want to highlight uh we had a member who

040was not able to join us this evening, Haley Gustiffson from Lake Forest Academy, but I'd love to give her a round of applause for if she's watching at home. All right. And for our final Rookie of the Year winner and finalist, Rookie of the Year winner, Jonathan Ferris of Murray Middle School. All right, join celebrating these educators. All right, we're on the home finish, ladies and gentlemen. So, this one's kind of near and dear. So, I want to tell you about this amazing individual that I get to work with on a regular basis. So, not only is she kind and sweet, but she's extremely intelligent and she's compassionate, but she keeps us taking care of business. Okay. So, she recently was recognized by the NCASBO as Okay, so she was the recipient of the Lou

041Thompson Distinguished Service Award with more than 20 years of experience in auditing and school finance. Miss Ashley Sutton So, she's built a career s grounded in integrity, strategic vision, and dedicated service to North Carolina school districts. >> Thank you, Miss Ashley Sutton. So for those of you who don't know, this award is recognized one person per year and it's had 33 years working in various financial positions. Lou Thompson created uh this was served as an accomplishment award for this lady um Lou Thompson who created a 33-year career on making sure that things were done correctly. So she was Lou was a leader in improving the operations of school finance and epitomized the principle of fiscal integrity. She never compromised her principles in the execution of her responsibilities for fiscal accountability. Now the reason this is

042important because this award is based off of everybody in North Carolina. So I just want to really highlight how amazing it is that our very own Ashley Sutton received this award. So, can we give her one more round of applause? Sorry, I get a little choked up on that one. All right, now I have to turn over the reigns to Dr. Katie Frink, who has more recognitions in regards to our National Board Certified Teachers. Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. So, I get the honor and privilege of recognizing our National Board Certified Teachers. Um, national board certification really is the gold standard in the teaching profession. It's a rigorous professional experience that was created for teachers and by teachers to determine practices of accomplished teaching. The process requires the completion of three portfolio-based components

043um in which teachers have to show what they can do and an assessment component which shows their knowledge. The process takes anywhere from one to three years and countless hours and all of that time. Um, but once all of the components are complete, candidates submit their portfolio in May and then they wait until December to find out their results. So, we were just shared our results in December of 2025 for those candidates that recently certified. North Carolina leads the nation in the number of national board certified teachers with 23% of our teachers holding that title. And in New Hver County Schools, we now have 266 active National Board Certified Teachers thanks to the group that we are about to recognize this evening. Um so without further ado, we will introduce the initially certified National Board

044candidates from 2025 as well as those who were able to maintain their certification. We'll start with our initial candidates and we'll call you up to come before the board and receive your phone board to be displayed outside your classroom. Uh Kristen Barrett from Forest Hills Global Elementary. Ashley Keegan from Forest Hills Global Elementary. Melissa Lewis from Charles P. Murray Middle School. and Jessica Smith from Winter Park Elementary and Jessica. And if I could, I'm going to ask all the initial candidates to come back up with your phone board so that you all can take a group photo with the board. So, while they are doing that, I do want to recognize those that could not be in attendance this evening. Um, Erica Gibbs from Eaton Elementary, Dawn Gulage from College Park Elementary, Margaret Kruicus from

045Wilmington Earl College High School, and Natalie McCoy from Porter Snack Elementary. Thank you. >> The national board process does require a fiveyear maintenance of certification. So we also are recognizing those that maintained their certification in 2025. Starting with Allison Bellamy from Murrayville Elementary. Kira Emer from Sunset Park Elementary. April Thompson from Edward A. Otterman Elementary. and Miranda Wakowski from Holly Shelter Middle School. You can see if we can get a group photo as well with all of the maintenance of certification folks. Y'all can come up one more time. And again, while y'all are doing that, I want to recognize those that were not able to be in attendance tonight. Um, Christa Cotton from Laney High School, Lindseay Bedor from Pine Valley Elementary, Kimberly Khan from Pine Valley Elementary, Jennifer Crafts from Writesville Beach Elementary, Lauren

046Gray from Wilmington Early College High School, Dr. Amanda Hoke from Codington Elementary, Noon Johnson from Holly Shelter Middle, Kristen Little from Bradley Creek Elementary, Sandra Roberts from Writesville Beach Elementary, Mary Robinson Connley Smith from College Park Elementary, Stacy Samuel from Tras Middle School, Danielle Talbert from Isaac Bayer, and finally Barbara Userie from New Hampshire County Schools testing department. Again, thank you for recognizing them in front of you. And congratulations to all of our national board candidates. I have two excellent employees for um you to meet tonight. The first I'd like to call up Miss Telicia Sims. Miss Sims consistently exemplifies excellence in her role as Traskque Middle School's data manager. While her position demands accuracy, organization, and attention to detail, she elevates these expectations through her remarkable dedication and care. Her reliability ensures that the

047vital behindthe-scenes operations of our school function seamlessly each day. She actively supports students, families, and staff in ways that make a meaningful difference. Whether personally assisting a family through complex enrollment issues, stepping in to cover a classroom so that instruction can continue, or volunteering her time to go on a field trip to enhance student experiences. Miss Sims leads by example and consistently goes above and beyond without being asked. Her work directly strengthens student achievement by ensuring that all data records and systems are accurate, timely, and accessible. Because of her precision, teachers and administrators can make informed decisions that support all students. Families benefit as well. Her guidance through enrollment, school transfers, or other processes removes barriers that could disrupt a student's educational journey. This fosters trust and continuity within our community. Miss Sims is truly

048the steady force that keeps our school moving. Her attention to detail, compassion for families, and willingness to step in wherever needed make her an extraordinary asset to Traskque. She does not seek recognition, yet her impact is felt in every corner of our community. Miss Sims embodies excellence in every sense of the word. Thank you for taking I'd like to introduce you to Miss Patricia Kidd. Miss Kidd is essential to Hogard High School. She is a trusted expert and steady leader in her field, far exceeding the expectations of her role as treasurer. She is an indispensable partner to administrators, teachers, coaches, and treasurers across the district. She approaches every task with an unmatched blend of professionalism, patience, and genuine care. Whether she is guiding a new treasurer, troubleshooting complex financial situations, mentoring athletic staff, or ensuring

049every dollar is managed with integrity and precision, Miss Kidd consistently goes above and beyond to make Hogard and New Hover County schools a better place to work, learn, and thrive. Within the athletic department, Miss Kidd has proven indispensable. She expertly manages team budgets, purchase orders, and financial operations while anticipating needs and navigating complex requirements. Even during high demand times like tournaments and postseason travel, which she's doing right now, she keeps everything running smoothly. She consistently extends herself to handle a lastminute request all while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and a solutionfocused mindset. Her ability to collaborate, foresee challenges, and provide clear, reliable solutions has made her the go-to resource for countless colleagues. She lifts each other. She lifts others up, strengthens every program that she touches, and ensures that students and staff can thrive without barriers. Quite

050simply, Miss Kidd makes everyone around her better, and her extraordinary dedication exemplifies excellence in its truest form. Thank you. Yes. All right. >> I think it's time to come off. And if you were just here for recognitions, now's the time >> to slip out and we won't notice. >> Yeah. >> Run for it. >> Okay. We will be carrying >> administrative introduction. An administrative introduction. >> Yep. Okay. We're heading on to our administrative introductions. >> Thank you. It's my pleasure to introduce to you tonight Miss Sarah Straw. Miss Straw joins us as the new endowment program coordinator, bringing a strong background in instructional leadership and academic support. She previously served as the early literacy facilitator at the International School at Gregory, where she supported teachers, advanced literacy initiatives, and strengthen student learning outcomes. Sarah holds

051a bachelor of science in elementary education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, a master's in curriculum and instruction and supervision from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and an AIG add-on lensure from the University of North Carolina Penrook. Her expertise in curriculum development and instructional coaching positions her well to support and grow our endowment programs. We are excited to welcome Sarah to this new role and look forward to the meaningful contributions she will bring to New Hver County Schools. >> Thank you. >> Um, thank you for this opportunity to serve as the endowment program coordinator. I'm very excited to step into this new role. I know I will have the support needed. Um, and I look forward to growing in this position and contributing to the community in a new way. Thank you. >> All right.

052At this point, I I would ask Miss Varm to come forward. She will be introducing our student voice person, young person. >> I am so excited to bring student voice to you this evening through Amir Johnson. Come on, Amir. Amir is a one of our student leaders at Hogard High School and he has a word for you. >> Welcome. Good evening members of the board of education and thank you for giving students the opportunity to share their voices. My name is Amir Johnson, a junior at John T. Hogard High School. I appreciate the chance to speak with you today. I want to briefly share one challenge students sometimes experience in our schools and one opportunity that has had a very positive impact. One challenge many students face is balancing the growing academic pressure that comes

053with preparing for life after high school. Students are encouraged to take rigorous classes, maintain grades, participate in extracurricular activities, and plan for college or careers all at the same time. While these expectations help push us to succeed, they can also create stress and make it difficult for students to explore interest at their own pace or focus on what truly prepares them for their future. However, one program that has helped address this issue is a very in a very positive way is the Capefare Community College dual enrollment program. This opportunity allows students to take college courses through Katefir Community College while still enrolled in high school. For many students, this program provides a pathway to challenge themselves academically while also gaining real college experience. Dual enrollment helps students build confidence because we are able to see

054what college level expectations are like before graduating high school. It also allows students to earn college credits early, which can save families significant time and money before students can graduate. In addition, the program introduces students to career focused classes and technical pathways that they may have not discovered otherwise. Programs like this not only prepare students academically, but they help us develop important life skills and time management. Many students who participate in dual enrollment feel more prepared and more motivated about their future goals because they can already see themselves succeeding in a college environment. Thank you for all you do for the students across New Hmer County Schools. >> Any questions or comments to our young man? >> I think yeah that was a great speech. Thank you very much for presenting it. Let's give him

055one more round of applause. Next, we will have our March teacher voice, Jonathan Ferris, uh New Hver County 2026 Rookie Teacher of the Year from Murray Middle School, will present. So, welcome back here. Uh good evening. Um good evening to members of the board. uh the superintendent and our community members. Um it's an honor to stand up here uh to with you for you tonight as one of your rookie teachers of the year. Uh I want to use this moment to shine a light on what beginning teachers across our county contribute every day. Rookie teachers don't just grow into the roles. We show up ready to contribute, bring new ideas, and lead in our schools. Before I became an educator, I had the privilege of serving in the US Air Force. We lived by core

056values like integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. But the lesson I carried most into my classroom is that no mission succeeds alone. Um, and if you've ever tried to guide 30 middle school students through a lesson right after lunch, you'll know that that teamwork is not really optional. In practice, uh, that collective effort extends beyond teachers. Um, it includes families, community partners, local organizations who all play a role in shaping a positive school culture. Our school theme this year at uh Murray Middle School is to shine with purpose. And uh, as the year progressed, I've made an intentional effort to try to define what my own purposes in my classroom. Uh, and luckily, I've been surrounded with great examples of shining with purpose uh, throughout my first year at Murray.

057Um, I see it in teachers who collaborate with me constantly, uh, sharing ideas, opening their classrooms to one another and supporting new educators like me. I can honestly say some of the best professional development I have received has been in the hallway between classes with quick conversations. Um, have you tried this? uh you know um so um I see it in our PTA with our parents who step forward time and time again to support our staff organizing events, providing resources um reminding us that we are valued. Um and that partnership really matters a lot to to us. Um I see it in our school resource officers and our sheriff's department. Um not in the uh not just in the safety that they provide, but in the relationships that they're building with our students and our

058educators. um in my forensic science mastery course that I teach in the mornings, um our SRO would come in and uh actually connected me with the sheriff's department to have uh some members from the sheriff's department to come in and show them some of the real world uh applications of what they're learning in forensic science and building acting as mentors and and building those relationships with students so that they know um that they can build these relationships with them and trust them um and connect these to careers outside of pool. Um I see it in our broad our broader community partnerships. Um this year we've partnered with uh Wake and Bake Donuts has helped us um by providing um a reward. If you uh have your attendance at a certain percentage, then each quarter you're

059allowed you get to get um not only two but I think six donuts for free. Um and we're learning that that can be a very effective incentive. Um yes. um partners like Lifepoint Church who's been working with us to help create an outdoor education space um opport like volunteering on the weekends um and helping us create this space for them to come outside and get that education um not just in the classroom but outside um and looking at organizations like the Department of Juvenile Justice, our local health departments and many other community partners that have contributed their time and expertise to our school. Um, as a beginning teacher, this year has been full of learning experiences for me. Some days I walk into the classroom and I leave and I think, "Wow, that was a

060great day." Uh, other days I leave the classroom and I've spent so much time carefully designing every moment of the day and there's a fire drill or a Chromebook needs to update or, you know, we actually have a problem with squirrels. We're competing with squirrels for attention now. Uh, they have to come to our our classroom window. Uh, we can't really compete with squirrels, so I can't blame them. Uh but through all of those moments, what become what has become clear to me is that teaching is not a solo profession. Um a strong school and classroom starts with communities that value compassion, encourage curiosity, and support both high expectations and high level of support for every student. So, thank you to our community, thank you to our school board, and uh most importantly, thank you

061to our students. Together, we're going to continue to shine with purpose. So, thank you. Any comments or questions? >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> At this point, we'll turn it over to our superintendent. >> One second. >> Just one sec. >> Okay. Uh before we begin my comments for this week um or this month, please join me in a moment of silence to honor the life of Dr. Mary Giz, who passed away on February 21st after a difficult battle with brain cancer. She's a teacher at Williston. Her extensive career in education and her contributions as a teacher left behind a legacy and an impact on our community. She was an incredible educator who will always be remembered for her ability to connect with students, her sincere love, her

062sense of humor and joy towards all those around her. So, let us please pause in remembrance of her legacy as we extend our most sincere condolences to her loved ones. Thank you, Dr. Guest. >> Okay. Now, you ready? >> I'm ready. Okay. All right. You got to get ready for Augger. All right. Uh, and I'm sorry, folks. This is going to be a long one. So, uh, if we weren't so dag bund awesome, it wouldn't take so long to do this stuff. All right. March has been a great reminder of the many ways our students, staff, and community members come together. Last week, our schools participated in Read Across America, celebrating the joy of reading and the power literacy has to open doors for our students. Throughout the week, classrooms welcomed guest readers, hosted reading

063celebrations, and encouraged students to continue building a lifelong love of books. Next, as we move further into the spring, our budget planning process is also well underway. We're going to continue to provide updates and relevant information as discussions progress. We sincerely appreciate the continued support and engagement of our community as we work together to evaluate priorities and focus areas for the upcoming school year. You'll hear more about that during our budget work sessions that are scheduled throughout the next couple of weeks. second year in a row. We are also proud to share that New Hmer County Schools has been recognized for the second consecutive year as a financial aid champion, highlighting the district's ongoing commitment to helping students and families navigate the financial aid process and access post-secary opportunities. So, good job for that. Uh

064CFCC and Mosley, you heard earlier, our partnerships with local institutions continue to create meaningful pathways for students. A great example of this collaboration between Cape Beer Community College and Mosley provides value opportunities for students to explore career and educational opt op options right in their own community. On February 25th, we celebrated the ribbon cutting for the third Spark Lab that takes place at New Hover High School. An exciting new learning space designed to foster creativity, innovation, and hands-on exploration for students. We also want to recognize two of our outstanding transport meme our transportation team members. Our March 3rd Sam Robinson and Javier Lozando, two of our new Hannover County Schools bus drivers took first and second place in the Tri County school bus road rodeo. Am I saying that right? >> Rodeo. >> Well, I

065know it's rodeo, but it's spelled different. Whatever. Rodeo. Competing against 32 drivers from Pender, Brunswick, and New Hover. Sam and Javier will now advance to the District 2 competition with hopes of qualifying for the state school bus rodeo in June. Congratulations to both our drivers for representing our district so well. March also included our National Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day. We want to take a moment to recognize the dedicated members of our maintenance team who work behind the scenes every day to ensure our schools are safe, functional, and welcoming learning environments. We are also celebrating our Battle of the Books champions who demonstrated both strong reading comprehension and teamwork. So, congratulations to High Ashley High School, the high school division winner, Roland Grace, our middle school winner, and Bellamy Elementary School, our elementary winner. These teams

066will now advance to the regional competition, and we wish them the best of luck. Speaking of championships, we also want to wish the Hogard High School men's and women's basketball team the very best as they compete tomorrow in the NCHSAA 4A state championship game. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, determination, and the way they represent their school and their community. All right, looking ahead, we have several important coming upcoming events for students, families, and community members. On March 28th, we will host the New Hover County Schools Opportunity Fair from 9 to 11:00 at Hogard High School. This event identifies individuals interested in working with New Hover County Schools to explore career opportunities and connect with represent representatives from our schools, our HR team, and our benefits department. Enrollment for 2026 2027, believe it

067or not, is already underway. Kindergarten online registration is open March 2nd through March 16th for children who will be five on or before August 31st of 2026. Online registration for grades 1 through 12 also open on March 2nd. And transfer applications including open choice and lottery schools become available that same day. You can find more information about that and complete registration by visiting our enrollment web page. As we look forward to the end of the school year, we are pleased to share the 2026 graduation schedule. Graduation ceremonies for all of our traditional high schools will take place on Saturday, June 6th at Tras Coliseum. Graduations for our specialty and non-traditional high schools will take place earlier in May and early June at locations across the Wilmington, including Keenan Auditorium, Snipes Auditorium, and the Wilson Center.

068You can check your school's website for more information on that. And finally, I want to remind our community about the Educational Pathway Scholarship offered by the New Hover County Board of Education. This scholarship supports students who aspire to become future educators or related service providers. Recipients may receive $3,500 per semester for up to four years to attend an accredited North Carolina college or university. The deadline for that is March 27th, 2026. Thank you. That concludes my comments. >> I think it was over five minutes. >> Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Uh I I mine are a little bit briefer but not much. I I did get under my fiveminute limit here. Uh but board chair report starts now. Uh spring has sprung. It is beautiful outside. Everyone is waiting patiently or not so

069patiently for spring break and our teachers are working very hard to prepare our students for the testing that will come all too soon. I was very fortunate to join with other board members, several other board members, several county commissioners, Senator Lee, as well as central office staff and other dignitaries in the community at the ribbon cutting for New Hover High School Spark Lab recently. What a wonderful facility and most importantly, what a great educational opportunity for our students at New Hover. Principal Sutton gave a inspirational speech welcoming many of the wonderful people that were in attendance. But the highlight of the day were the students of New Hover High School who were simply outstanding. What a great example of where our school system is headed. Our board has been working extremely hard with our superintendent

070and CFO as well as other members of the cabinet getting ready for our budget. Dr. Barnes, Miss Mason, and I have met with the chair and vice chair of the county commissioners to begin to lay the f the foundation for our budget. We will continue to work hard and together we will move forward to do the very best for our students and staff. Mrs. Mason and I also had the opportunity to meet for a productive discussion with Mr. Montgomery, the president of the NAACP, as well as Miss Maxwell. I will say the conversation was very productive and respectful. There were several things that were discussed including the resolution that was brought forward and the topic of ban books. He was under the impression that we had regular had had regular resolutions for various groups. We

071shared that we had sent some to the state about funding but we hadn't discussed one similar to the proposed one recently. Additionally, they both had the understanding that that the book not books in question had totally been removed from the school system. We shared it was still available in the high school libraries. He shared he was out of the count the county when the whole situation happened and he was given misinformation. He said he was going to bring the corrected information to his executive committee. We thanked him for wanting to find out the truth and his willingness to do what was right. Today, as you've already heard, the Carolina Panthers organization came to visit two of our elementary schools, seeing all the great things that were going on at Sunset Park and Bradley Creek and

072sharing some presents. what you heard already that were were beautiful sneakers with our students. Thanks to the Panthers organization. Thanks to our to our cheerleaders and athletes from Ashley, Laney, New Hover, and Hogard high schools for going uh to the schools and participating in this wonderful event. You should have seen the bright and smiling faces. And I don't mean just the young students, but the older students as well. And a special thank you to Samaritan's Feet organization. Also, today we sent our wonderful Hogard High School men's and women's varsity basketball teams to bring home what we hope are two state championships. Good luck to our wonderful student athletes. Go Vikings. And finally, we had numerous opportunities to hear from various constituents and members of the new Hannover County Schools staff about the budget. We held

073a town hall together with our superintendent seeking opinions and feedback about what direction our budget discussion with our county commissioners should take. We also recently met in small groups with our principles who once again I must share are outstanding seeking ideas and opinions about what is truly important for the education of our most valuable members, our students. I want to take a moment to thank my fellow board members, our superintendent and senior staff, our educators, our students, and our community members and parents for their insights and continue diligence in sharing them with us. We promise to do all we can to make sure our students get the very best educational possible. That ends my report. And at this point, we will carry on with information. >> There's none. >> There is none. So, we'll carry

074on with our call to audience. Miss Mason. >> All right. Chris Sutton. My name is Chris Sutton and I want to sincerely thank the parents, staff members, and community members who supported me in the recent primary election. It is truly humbling to see so many people place their trust in my candidacy. As we look ahead, one of the biggest challenges facing our district is addressing our budget constraints while still finding meaningful ways to support our staff. that will require leadership willing to put in the extra time and effort to find innovative solutions. I believe in small government and in giving local leaders the tools they need to solve local problems. One idea I support is having our school district legislative committee push for the authority to allow counties, including New Hover County, to create property

075tax exclusions for public school staff here in New Hver County. The concept is simple. The longer someone serves as a public servant in our schools, the greater their property tax exclusion should become. Right now, the average teacher turnover is around 5 years. We should be working to help educators grow roots here and build long-term careers in our community. Let's set a goal of moving that closer to 10 years. Economically, it makes sense. Many educators and other public servants currently live outside the county because of the high cost of living. If we encourage them to buy their homes here, they will grocery shop here, eat here, and support local businesses here. New Hver County Schools is one of the largest employers in our county. If we invest in the people who serve our students, we strengthen

076our schools and our entire community. Innovation leads to excellence, and I'm excited to see what the future holds. That's my speech for tonight. But we also made history tonight. We had awards given to our first Lanny women's wrestlers after they just became a sport after two years and it wouldn't have been possible for this board. I really appreciate y'all supporting them. These young ladies, they have college scholarships to now go on and chase their dreams. Some of them, not these ladies in general, but we've had people find >> Thank you. Your time is up. >> I should have stopped when I was ahead of time. Y'all have a good one. >> Kamika Sidbury. Kamika Sidbury. Dear colleagues, now that the primary season is over, I am writing this letter to make you aware of the

077crisis we have before us. Only 26% of New Hover County Schools black student population in grades 3 through 8 and 38% of the black student population in grades 9 through 12 are proficient on statemandated EOGs and EOC's for reading. Colleagues, this is an urgent matter of importance because the crisis that not the crisis does not only impact the current generation but also future generation. Colleagues, the students will one day become adults with children. I suggest we stop making excuses and adhere to the law. You know, Brown versus the board of education where every child must have an equal opportunity to receive education. We must study schools and school districts within and outside of the new Hannibal County School District where students within all racial subgroups have at least a 50% proficiency rate on statemandated reading

078test. Colleagues, I know this may take some time, but we must be committed to working together to adopt and change policies that will address the issue. John 14:12 says, "Anyone who believes in me will do the same works as I've done or even greater works. Four, if you truly believe the impossible is always possible, let's de demonstrate actionable faith and handle this crisis. Or if we do not, the future of education is not promised to all students within New Hor County schools. Sincerely, Kamika S. Seberry. Good evening. The first amendment of the constitution has been a frequent topic of conversation. There are groups telling us that the founders intended us to be a Christian country. They did not. They just spent eight years fighting a bloody war to keep the church from controlling the government.

079Complete separation of church and state was one of the first priorities of the constitutional convention. The first amendment written by James Madison starts, "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." In other words, government will not be controlled by the church, any church. They wanted a free nation, not a Christian one. During his career, Madison was regularly involved in fights to keep the church out of the government. His 1874 treatise on this subject has been called the most powerful defense of religious liberty ever written in America. He also wrote, quote, "The experience of the United States is a happy disproof error so long rooted in the unenlightened minds of well-meaning Christians that the religion of every man can be directed by force. It is the right of

080every man to freely exercise it." I repeat the error so long rooted in the unenlightened minds. I think Madison was right and even today there are some seriously unenlightened minds in this country trying to force their beliefs on us. To put it more simply, it is the right of every person to decide how or whether to worship. The government may not make that decision. Lifewise is an attempt to insert a specific religious interpretation into public schools. Despite what some frequent speakers before this board would have you believe, this is not what the founders intended, and I hope you will not allow it in our schools. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. J. >> Good evening. Thank you for your time this evening. And I want to make a quick shout out to the Roland Grace Knights

081for their Battle of the Books win. Yesterday, uh my daughter was on the team. Proud parent. Uh tonight, I want to talk about something more serious though, the separation of church and state. Uh several years ago when I first started attending school board meetings, I was actually surprised by the inclusion of prayer in a government-run meeting. I've lived in the South my entire life. I was raised in a religious household, but I had not seen this inclusion. After this, I've attended meetings. I've witnessed inclusion of religion explicitly in measures like public prayer through call to the audience, etc. It wasn't necessarily, you know, something that surprised me to learn about lifewise, asking for periodic Bible study. Kind of going with the flow there. I would like to encourage you though to respect the separation of

082church and state as established by the first amendment of the US constitution which states quote congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. This translate to freedom of religion and freedom from religion. When our founding fathers established us in our constitution, they were explicitly drawing a line from the divine right to rule, excising themselves from the king and establishing rule by we the people. They established this also because there were many faiths and creeds at the time. I would like to encourage you to keep church and state separate. This way you can honor the separation of church and state, the many faiths and non-faiths in our community. Thank you for your time. President Harry Truman, the fundamental basis of this nation's law was given to Moses on

083the mount. The fundamental basis of our bill of rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus, Matthew, Isaiah, and Paul's letters of the Bible. Because I know the power of the word of God, I pray Psalm 20 over you. May the Lord answer you in times of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you. May he remember all your sacrifices and your offerings. May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and lift up the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He will answer from his holy heaven by his great victorious

084power. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall. But we rise up and stand firm in the name of the great I am. The demons run and flee at the mention of your name, Jesus, King of Majesty. There is no power in hell or anyone who can stand against the power and the presence of the great I am. Your will be done, King Jesus. Your kingdom come to New Hover County Schools. Amen. Thank you, Barbara Anderson. Good evening everyone. During your budgeting process for 2026 2027, I hope you are factoring in the possibility that zero funding from North Carolina legislators or the Department of Education, both of which in my opinion have shown that they are

085unreliable at this time as we are still without a budget 200 and some days into the fiscal year. North Carolina has been operating on the same appropriations established two years ago, which is a flat funding state rate rather. If North Carolina legislators had appropriated funding for public schools as they do with vouchers or what we call opportunity scholarships paid to private schools, public schools would have been funded this school year. In 2024 2025, legislature lifted the income limit for families applying for vouchers. So you don't have a limit as to your income. The current law allows annual funding reaching up to 1 billion per year for vouchers by the next decade. Forward funding allows for funding each year for vouchers, whereas public schools depend on a current budget from the general assembly each year. New

086voucher recipients as of 2425 only 13% of those new recipients had ever been in a public school whereas 87% had never been in a public school. 2023 2024 budget appropriations increase for public schools 3.32%. For vouchers they increased 168.16%. 2425 budget appropriations increased zero for public schools this year. Vouchers increased 9.65% this year. That's why they got their funding. Now we are 50th in the nation for funding for public schools. That's a disgrace. New Hover County has 23 private private schools that receive voucher money or opportunity up ma'am. >> Oh that I laugh the best Johnson. Seems like my phone wants to act up. Good evening. Okay. Good evening. Listening to all departments celebrated last meeting caused one to realize history has power. Books are taken out of the library, but the truth still stands.

087Respecting achievements from people deprived of opportunities but still rose above so all could have. like home security, Marian Britain Brown, gas mass and traffic light, Garrick Morgan, pacemaker, resistor, Otis Boykins, Lewis Latimer, Light Bub, Door Knob, Osborne Dorsy. Pivotal work for the COVID 19, Dr. Kamis, excuse me, Kamisy Corbett, Glattis West, your GPS system, plasma bank storage, Charles Drew. These are just a few, but look at the other fields of importance. Dr. Martin Luther King, the forerunner for opening doors regardless of your color, gender, or disabilities, but by qualification. Rosa Parks, respect for rights of women against society rules. Jesse Jackson, keeping hope alive. Fanny Lou Hammer, voting rights, all people have a voice. John Lewis, social justice to be better human being in the congressional decisions for the people. Thood Marshall, Supreme Court, right

088for all people against the norm. The Black Panthers who started a food program for children, made sure that they had breakfast and lunch, which the school system now carries on. The Bible states we perish from a lack of knowledge. Are you that which is causing a lack? Remember civil rights are next. Are you going to vote against your rights which is >> Thank you. Your time is >> all persons. Thank you >> Christina Mercier. Good evening. Soon you're all going to be discussing Lifewise Academy and whether the school should sign anou with them. And honestly, if they were applying to be an afterchool club, I wouldn't care as long as other faith traditions had the same opportunity. What everyone should be thinking is, why is this organization so determined to teach their lessons during the

089school day? Sure, they have somewhat of a court president, even if it's from 1952. I read their website, and the reason they give is that it helps busy families. To me, that's just an excuse. We make time for what is a priority. I had three children in afterchool activities that took up 20 hours per week for each of them. Yet every Sunday we were in the car and headed to church by 9:00 a.m. priorities. Also, let me add this whole idea of operating this during specials or electives is absolutely insulting and disrespectful to our specialist teachers. These teachers went to college for at least four years because they had a calling to share their love of art or music or PE or whatever. In fact, more than one of y'all have sat up there and

090said that they are so important in the schools and that it helps students find their passion and their talent and that it's the reason that some kids keep attending school. Yet, apparently now these subjects are optional and can be preempted if the parents decide the child should receive a Bible lesson. Last time I checked, churches were free and are open outside of school hours. At some point, if religious education is important to parents, it's on them to make it a priority in their lives. Another argument I've heard is that it the program teaches character education, which has always existed in schools. People should choose to do the right thing because it's the right thing, not because they fear an omnipotent entity. If basic values and religions is important to a parent, again, churches are free

091and open outside of school hours. So, if this were going to be an after-school club, that would be fine as that respects education. Again, if likewise values schools, why must these lessons happen during the school day? >> Your time isn't Alyssa Civil. I hope I'm not brutalizing your name. Good evening, members of the board. Dr. Barnes. My name is Alyssa Civils. I'm a parent in the new Hanover County Schools with a son in the district's elementary and a a daughter in high school. Um, I'm also part of the local steering committee that has been working with LifeWise organization while the district continues researching the program. But tonight I'm speaking primarily as a parent. One thing I've noticed in raising children, especially with the age gap I have, um, is that character formation doesn't happen automatically.

092Courage, compassion, honesty, forgiveness, these are values that have to be taught and practiced. And in a time when many young people are navigating bullying, social media pressure, peer influence, and confusion about truth, learning how to navigate these challenges with wisdom, integrity, and perseverance becomes even more important. For many families, the Bible is where those lessons come from. For generations, it served as a guide for moral character and teaching that remains the most widely purchased and distributed book in the world. Lifewise provides an opportunity for parents who want that kind of instruction for their children while fully respecting the public school system. The program is voluntary, parent permissionbased, privately funded, and held during noncore instructional time in accordance with long-standing Supreme Court precedent on release time programs. This is not about the school district promoting religion.

093It's simply about giving families the choice to participate if they wish and fully respecting those who don't wish to. It allows parents to make this curriculum part of their child's day once a week during a time when students are focused and ready to receive it. Lifewise Academy partnering with school districts gives the opportunity to bring that choice to parents um if they wish for their children. I appreciate the board's thoughtful approach and continuing to research this program and I encourage you to consider the many families in the district who would welcome the opportunity to participate. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Okay, I'm gonna try really hard not to mess up your last name. Loretta Fasu tongue twister. >> It is. >> Good evening, Dr. Barnes and members of the board. Across our

094community, many young people are struggling with anxiety, identity, and sense of belonging. At the same time, parents are increasingly concerned about rising disciplinary issues in our schools, including detentions and suspensions. These challenges point to a deeper need in the lives of many students. I'm here today to share an opportunity that can help address some of these challenges while supporting the goals already established by our state. Lifewise Academy provides an off-campus program that is privately funded and offered during school hours with parental permission. The curriculum focuses on character traits such as respect, responsibility, courage, and perseverance. Qualities that strengthen students both in the classroom and in their communities. This tri this type of instruction complies with North Carolina law which states each local board of education shall develop and implement character education with input from the

095community. Lifewise operates through a proven model with established processes for transportation safety liability and curriculum. The program does not disrupt existing class schedules and can operate during non-core classes. In 2025 in North Carolina, there were seven counties approved for Lifewise Academy. In just the first two months of this year in North Carolina, the number of participating schools grew by 129%. Thank you, Dr. Barnes for taking the time to research Lifewise Academy for a possibleou contract. Thank you board members for giving Dr. Barnes the opportunity to look into this. >> Thank you. >> I just want to take a moment to remind folks we do have several people that are having small conversations during people's uh opportunities to speak. If you do want to have that small conversation, please step out uh to the back and

096have that conversation. Uh it please do not have it during that person's uh opportunity to speak. I appreciate that. Thank you, Mason. >> Wayne Poston. Hello, my name is Wayne Pollston and I serve on the Lifewise Steering Committee for New Hover County. First, thank you for your passion, your continued passion to improve our p public schools and for including um Lifewise in your decisionmaking. Lifewise was founded in 2018 to provide K through 12 release time religious instruction. It operates during school hours and to in order to avoid competition with sports or other activities, jobs, and to avoid transportation issues for parents. It began with two schools in one state and now is active in over a thousand schools in 37 states. Lifewise came to North Carolina last year and is already being implemented in seven

097counties. A rigorous national consulting firm described Lifewise's impact as follows. Significant improvement in school attendance. Years two and three, drop in the number of inschool and out of school suspensions. Years three and four, significant improvement in academic performance. Impressive, right? Our students, our teachers, our entire community benefits. A 2025 Lifewise survey showed that 80% of the teachers felt their schools and their students had benefited from Lifewise and 97% of parents recommended that other parents enroll their kids. Local boards of education are required to develop and implement character education with input from the community. Lifewise is a perfect fit. Teaching Bible-based principles like respect, kindness, responsibility, perseverance, integrity, and more. Lifewise provides and pays for everything, curriculum, staffing, insurance, security, transportation. And since participation is totally optional, >> your >> why wouldn't we approve it in

098our county? >> Thank you, >> Barbara Garl. As a board of education, you serve a broad swath of our population and not just those of the Christian faith. Everyone's religious and spiritual beliefs are personal and deserve respect. For that reason, I urge the board not to approve any proposed with the fundamentalist lifewise program. While Supreme Court allows off-campus religious instruction during the school day if no public funds are used, the operation of this program raises serious concerns. Reports indicate that county school buses would be used to transport students weekly to an off-site religious program requiring multiple round trips. School buses, drivers, fuel, maintenance, administrative coordination or public resources funded by the taxpayer to support public education, not private religious instruction. There is also the administrative burden in managing parental consent and student movement during the

099school day. These are real costs. Just as important, instructional time is already limited. Our schools are responsible for teaching math, reading, science, civics, and other core subjects. Diverting time and resources away from that mission to accomplish to accommodate religious instruction undermines the purpose of public education. Religious education is a private responsibility, not a public school function. I do question whether this proposal would be receiving the same attention if it represented a less mainstream faith tradition with one that with what one group defines as biblical gospel is not universal. For constitutional, financial and educational reasons, I respectfully ask that such religious instruction be kept separate from our public schools and any suchou not be applied. >> Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to speak. I am the parent of a senior in New Hover

100County high schools. I'm here tonight to address student suspension protocols and the need for a stronger safeguard when disciplinary decisions are made. Earlier this year, our son, a senior, was suspended based on an anonymous online report. As a result, he missed his entire senior homecoming weekend, several days of school, and suffered reputational damage. This suspension was issued under the wrong name. After meeting with school administration, we were told that our son had been identified by a peer as the student responsible for serious misconduct. However, when we asked to review the report that led to this suspension, we learned that the report actually contained a name of another student. This mistake was only discovered but we because we repeatedly asked how the determination for the suspension had been made. Without that meeting, this error may never

101have been caught. For seniors applying to competitive universities, a suspension is not a minor matter. Students must disclose disciplinary actions in their applications and an error like this could have easily followed our son into the college admiss admissions process through no fault of his own. I understand that mistakes can happen, but there must be clear protocols established to verify disciplinary actions before they are issued and clear accountability when errors occur. My concern is that if this could happen to our son, it could happen to any student in this district. My hope is that the board will review current suspension procedures and consider safeguards that ensure disciplinary actions are verified before they're issued and corrected quickly, and transparently. Our students deserve systems that are careful, accurate, and fair. Thank you, Sandy. indoctrinate to imbue with an

102unusually partisan opinion point of view or principle. For the past four years, this is a word we've heard a lot from this board. Most of you ran on fighting against indoctrination in our schools, and you've made attacks against teachers claiming they were indoctrinating and grooming our children. Most of you also ran on bringing back ed bringing education back to the basics, reading, writing, arithmetic, and you've made claims that our children can't read or think critically. So, obviously, it makes sense that this board would vote to discuss signing anou with the Christian nationalist organization life-wise. I mean, what better way to fight against indoctrination and lack of reading and critical thinking skills than to pull kids out of instructional time that is mandated by NCDPI standards? Obviously, it makes sense to ban a book that shares

103a black man's perspective while supporting teaching kids a narrow interpretation of the Bible through the perspective of white Jesus. And sure, let's continue to disrespect the expertise and skills of our teachers by pulling kids out of school for an inferior curriculum brought to you by a college football player with a degree in communications and media studies. How does it make sense to pull kids out of school resulting in them not learning required instructional standards outlined by NCDPI? Is that how we teach kids to read and think critically? And are you seriously going to tell our specialist teachers that what they teach does not matter? That indoctrinating our kids through a white Christian nationalist curriculum is more valuable than NCDPI's mandated standards for art, music, and physical education. Once again, you've proven that you're not interested

104in educating kids. You're here to indoctrinate. And finally, thank you to Port City Daily for import informing the public that Lifewise was brought to us by none other than Pat Bradford. Thank you Gates. Good evening board and Dr. Barnes. Last month I introduced the common misperception of the phrase separation of church and state. And in fact, that phrase is found nowhere in any founding document. Not in the Articles of Confederation, not in the Declaration, not in the Constitution, not in the annals of Congress. Where you see it is in a private letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Convention in 1802. He assured them that no other denomination would gain more elevated status than theirs and that free exercise of worship is allowed for all denominations. He basically stated that the government won't interfere

105with church affairs or establish a state church as England had done as in the Anglican church which was required uh for all their constituents. This nation was founded for the purpose of religious liberty and the constitution was even inspired by the Hebraic model of governance that God gave Moses in the wilderness as told in the Bible. The government style was federalism or what we call a republican form of government. For hundreds of years, Judeo-Christian principles have been woven in all facets of American society, education, and government. For over 300 years, the Bible and the Ten Commandments in the New England Pimemer were the primary educational documents in America. This was allowed because of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. And we were recently reminded of all of this by the Supreme Court in

106the Coach Kennedy case of 2022 where the lemon rule of 1971 was overturned and a presumption of constitutionality returned for longstanding religious traditions, including education from the Bible. It's important that our new Hannover County school students know the truth in their history and civics classes. And I do ask the board to revisit the curriculum given it's our 250th birthday in America to ensure that facts and not altered versions of history are taught to our students. Thank you. >> Thank you, Linda Higgins. Good evening. I am here to speak against thisou for a very simple reason. It's a repeat of history. Historically in many school systems we had Wednesday afternoons when the Catholic children went off to catechism. It was very destructive of the education of all of the children both those who went to catechism

107and those who didn't go to catechism whose classwork was then slowed down because of the fact that the other children had left. We do not have all children having specials at the same time. Think about how you work in the school system. Some children go to special at 8:00 in the morning. Some children go to Are you going to have buses going all day? In which case, you won't be able to have any school trips because the buses will be busy. This is not good for the educational system called New Handover County Board of Education. Your job as a board is to look for what is of the best interest for the school system. Also, I would remind you that at the end of all that catechism time, many school systems did get sued when

108there was the priest sexual abuse stick. >> Thank you, Veronica McLaren Brown. Tonight, Love Our Children North Carolina begins its sixth year of advocacy on behalf of North Carolina's children and families. Six years of advocacy grounded in one simple truth. Public schools are the best place for children to learn, grow, and thrive. The 2025 North Carolina Child Health Card reminds us that today's youth are facing rising levels of anxiety and depression. Teachers across the state are reported more disruptive and unsafe behaviors in their classrooms. When young children display disrupted or even dangerous behavior, they need support. Children do their best when they receive help from the caring adults in their school community, teachers, nurses, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and every staff member who shows up every single day. School is where adults create safe places

109for children. Against that backdrop, Love Our Children North Carolina is proud to recognize progress in this district under Dr. Barnes leadership during the 2024 2025 school year. Short-term out of school suspensions dropped from 3,136 to 2,428, a 22.610th% 610th% decrease. And better yet, the number of days that students were suspended from school dropped from 10,228 to 7,63, a 25.710% decrease, fewer suspensions, fewer lost days, more children at classroom every day. That's meaningful progress. We appreciate Drs. Barn's willingness to meet with members of Love Our Children and we look forward to receiving the end of the year data this summer. Thank you. Thank you, Peter Ro. At a recent meeting, Dr. Barnes reviewed with us some of the kindergarten, first and second grade short-term suspension data from the first half of this school year. 13 of

110the elementary schools had zero suspensions. Most of the other schools had just one or two. The average missed days of learning from out of school suspension in kindergarten was 1.6 days. In first grade, it was 1.4 days. And in second grade, the average was just one day of mislearning. 24, five, six, and seven year olds were suspended during the first half of this school year. Using last year's enrollment numbers, that represents less than a quarter of 1% of all K2 students. As a former first grade teacher, I know that helping and supporting a child who presents concerning behavior can be a huge challenge. Fortunately, I had a team of professionals working with me to implement positive alternative strategies. Love our children recognizes the excellent work that teachers, classroom aids, school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and

111principles are doing with positive behavior alternatives to out of school suspensions. Dr. Barnes, we thank you and your staff for doing the difficult work for the children who need the most help and the most support in our schools. Together you have made a big difference. Thank you. Thank you. Loretta Stack House. In November 2024, Miss Barnum shared information about Safe and Civil Schools new reframing behavior program. She said, "It is a districtwide resource with ondemand professional development and an online library that quotes offers staff members many lessons or deeper dives into understanding challenging behavior." End of quote. A year ago, WHQR reported that the training has four main components. One, understanding how the brain works or the basics of neuroscience. Two, learning self-awareness through tools to increase emotional regulation. Three, accepting that students actions are

112not always intentional, that they are connected to a fight or flight or freeze response. and four, developing relationships over time to build a positive working environment. Love our children supports this training and is delighted to learn that the subscription to the reframing behavioral resources was renewed for another year. We encourage every board member to take advantage of it. Miss Vaughnum bought the safe and civil schools schools schoolwide behavior plan template to the district five years ago. Each year since then, she has added tools and professional development to empower staff to use positive proactive strategies that help students regulate their behavior. Thank you, Miss Varna, and the student services division for overseeing and implementing these ch changes to ensure safe and supportive learning environments for every student. >> Thank you, Margie Gman. Hi, I'm Margie Gartzman.

113Our state constitution makes a sacred promise to every child, the right to a sound basic education. Article 9, section two of our state constitution states wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for every student. It is a promise we have fought for in the courts for decades. But today, proposals to allow students to leave campus during the school day for a private denominational Bible study threatens to break that promise entirely. Let's be clear about what happens when the red buses pull up to our public schools. When half a classroom leaves for a Baptist Bible study, the teacher is paralyzed. They cannot teach new material. The students left behind, often from minority faiths or secular families, are forced to sit idle doing busy work. We're institutionalizing a system that intentionally stalls the intellectual development of our children,

114stealing up to five hours of critical instruction, instructional time every single week. This is a direct violation of our constitutional duty to maintain a uniform system of education. Furthermore, despite claims that this cost taxpayers nothing, our principles, teachers, school staff are forced to spend valuable time managing consent forms, altering bell schedules, and acting as logistical dispatchers for a private religious organization. The North Carolina Constitution demands that our school funds be used exclusively for public education, not to subsidize the administrative overhead of an off-campus religious group. Finally, we must protect our children from coercion. When we visually and physically segregate students by their faith during the school day, we turn the public school into an engine of peer pressure and social ostracization. Our state constitution guarantees the absolute right of conscience, demanding that no human authority

115interfere with them. By endorsing a system that isolates children who choose to stay in the classroom, we fail that standard. Public schools exist to unite us in the shared pursuit of civic academic growth. Thank you, Wendy Dan. Good evening. I'm Wendy Dale. I'm a uh Democratic candidate for board of education. Um thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak. Um I'm would like to speak about the um the the memorandum of understanding regarding Lifewise Academy. Um I am opposed to uh that memorandum and um I want to first say that it's a distraction. Um it's very divisive and you knew it would be. Um and I also want to reference the Supreme Court case because it has been brought up um Zorak v. Clawson in 1952 that um stipulated that time release programs were

116constitutional. Um I want to I I think it would be helpful to the board um to kind of understand that decision and there were some very interesting dissents um in that opinion as well. There was a previous decision McCollum v. Board of Education that actually was very similar. the differences were very small in which the Supreme Court found that the time release program was not constitutional. Um and I just want the only difference had to do with the use of school property in the um in the teaching of the uh religious instruction and I would like to quote um one of the dissenters. There were three denters in this case uh as we attempted and he's talking about the previous case that he had ruled on the McCllum v Board of Education. As we attempted

117to make categorically clear, the McCullum decision would have been the same if the religious classes had not been held in the school buildings. We said here, not only are the state's taxup supported public school buildings used for the dissemination of religious doctrines, the state also affords sectarian groups and invaluable aid that it helps to provide pupils for their religious classes. Ma'am, >> your time is up. Time is up. Janice Johnson. Good evening. I grew up with a pledge of allegiance in school. We loved it. It brought us all together at the beginning of the day and we were united. I loved our history and civics classes that we had that we learned in and so many times now that I find so many kids who don't know those things which I also learned in um

118history and civics and it's just like why aren't we learning this about our nation? Phil, my heart is for the children to grow up to respect America, how it came to be, to understand h how it was founded, that our founder founding fathers discovered all kinds of things like we discover especially in these years what um is good and what is bad. And that was hundreds of years ago that they had those hardships which are harder than I think we've gone through. But I my hope is that we may honor the declaration of independence, the Constitution, and the Pledge of Allegiance, and that the pledge of allegiance would be reinstated in our schools, hoping that it would bind kids together for our nation. Once again, >> thank you. This concludes our call to audience. We

119have one minute to be back in the diet. Okay. If everyone would take their seat, please. Board members return to the dis. Uh, I see two coming and now give us four. We'll go ahead and start. Ladies and gentlemen, please go ahead and have a seat. Thank you. >> I'm We haven't quite started. Here come the quorums. It's a new word. It's a new word. >> Oh, come on. >> All right. Uh again, ladies and gentlemen, if you'll take your conversations outside the door, please. Thank you. All right, those in the back, if you would please take your conversations out the door, including Dr. Barnes. Thank you. All right, we do have a quorum back on the dis. We will continue on. Uh, our next bit of in of duty is our consensus items. I

120would entertain a motion to approve. So moved. >> Is there a second? First and second. Any discussion? >> It was missing before. >> Okay. >> Can I just make a comment? >> Yes, ma'am. >> I'm super super excited about the ASL going on to our curriculum. Yay. That's all. >> Okay. >> And Mr. Chair. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I know we had discussed that not all of the courses are offered at every school. Could we know how many are going to be offering that course that my colleague just spoke about? >> I don't know if they know off top of the head. Sorry, I didn't ask. >> I don't think they finished scheduling yet. So, we'll let you know as soon as we know. >> Okay. >> All right. We have a first and second

121to approve the consensus items. All in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> All oppose like sign. One, two, three, four, five. Okay. So, we'll say five zero. That passes. We have no policy. Madam P policy. >> Nope. >> Chair. >> Yeah. It's strange. >> All right. We had old business but we have removed that I believe. >> Thank you. >> So next we have new business parent organization. Uh Miss Bradford you brought that forward. >> I did. >> Would you like >> but I'm not I'm not speaking >> you're going to who's going to Dr. Barnes is going to Okay. We heard for almost an hour about just unbelievable partnerships that we have with our community and the things that our community does to support our school system. >> We never want

122to say that booster clubs, PTA organizations, and parent volunteer organizations aren't the lifeblood of our school system. Mhm. >> I did send a reminder to all of our principles and to all of our and to have them provide to our volunteers um during this time of elections and as we're going through the process of um you know in the world today. It is important that those agencies remain nonpartisan. And I just sent a brief reminder to everyone referencing both our board policy as well as um any of these organizations that are 501c3 organizations also have to remain nonpartisan as well. So we addressed that with them um probably a couple of weeks ago. So >> thank you. >> Any questions Mr. Perry and then Mr. Bradford and Mr. Barnhard. So my um is it only

123the 501c3 status that's the differentiation? If we have anou with another organization that comes in uh and works with our students are they allowed if they're not 501c3 if they're organized a little bit differently like a 501c4 are they allowed to to make endorsements and such things? Any organization that has anou with us is also bound by our policy and our policy states that those things should not be done during school or on school grounds. >> School grounds. >> Okay. >> Oh, >> and and I would say also with our school equipment. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. Miss Miss Bradford. >> Actually, parent, >> I was looking for something more >> broadly general information. For example, um we have this many parent organizations. We have this many nonprofits. We have So that in a nutshell,

124we have like a one pager on what these are. Oh, okay. Cool. >> Right. That that one right there. >> Thank you. It's not linked, is it? Or is it? >> I didn't see it. >> The agenda. >> I'm in the agenda. >> It's not linked. Can we link it? >> It's not. So that's great. So you have a page on it. Awesome. >> I will make sure this >> I don't know what it says. >> Can you send this all the board as well? >> Yeah, that'll work. Okay, great. So we have one one thing that we can look at that explains it all to us. That's what I was looking for. That's all I wanted. >> Miss Barnard, you had your hand up. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think it's really important

125that we maintain clear boundaries between our schools and political activities. Our PTAs and PTOs are nonprofit organizations and they raise hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for our schools. and I'm thankful for the support that they provide to our staff, to our teachers and classrooms across the district and I join them in the joint mission to strengthen our schools. Um we can we consistently hear speeches on this dis about making sure that we're keeping politics out of school. So when there is a political event promoted for one candidate at a bar nonetheless that jeopardizes the status of an organization and puts it at risk, it's simply unacceptable. I hope that everyone on this dice can agree and understand that we need to continue to remain nonpartisan for these organizations regardless of political affiliation so that

126they can maintain the support that our kids and teachers deserve. Our schools should be about education, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, >> M. Justice. And then Dr. Mayor, >> I think I'm having a problem with her maybe because I just realized I heard >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't have I had heard Mr. Bradford quite clearly, but then when um Miss Barnhard started to speak, I couldn't understand her. I don't know what's going on. It's not you. I'm just trying to I think there might be something wrong with your particular mic. Did you have I'm just can't hear you. >> I don't know what you said. >> It's grabble. It's not you. It's just It's coming across as garble grabble grabble. >> Can you hear me? >> Can you hear her? Cool. I can hear >>

127I can't hear her. I don't know why. >> Judy, is yours on? >> Yeah, now it is. I was off. >> So, I have no idea. I don't I'm just do you going back to >> Yeah, I I'm not sure I entirely heard what my colleague said, but one of the things I thought I heard was that we shouldn't have anything that has any partisanship. Is that Did I hear that? I think it's funny because I I while I agree with you, it seems to me, you know, I have a slightly different way of saying it, which is there shouldn't be anything going on, which is, you know, electioneering. And yet I can't be assured of this, but it seems like the the complaints I'm hearing tonight are actually a part of electioneering. So it

128seems ironic and I'll leave it at that. >> Okay, Mr. Perry. >> And I just finally, I just want to make sure that we have a consistent policy. I agree with every what what uh my colleagues down to the far left had said. I just want to make sure that you know if we want to if it's only during school hours or using school properties and that's the rule for everyone versus you know okay well but oh but we have our we're a private organization and we do it on our off hours we endorse people but we're not coming down on them and we're only coming down on PTA and boosters. So I just want us to have a consistent policy based off whatever it is uh that we're doing. So, whatever desires of the

129board are on this matter, I I think I think we're almost all all in agreement here. So, but it could I like a motion that we send this if issued the policy to maybe define something a little bit more concrete on it? >> Which which policy would you like to send, Mr. Perry? >> What >> which policy would you like to send to to policy? Oh, I don't have a just to investigate it in general. I haven't since I'm no longer on policy. I mean, I could look it up, but that would take a few minutes. So, I'm sure we don't have that time out of time. So, >> does anybody have any because we really need to know what policy we're talking about. There's several policies that could be further. >> Can can our

130our attorney point us to the correct policy on this? >> Yeah. Just give me one second >> about what exactly you're >> Yes, Mason. >> So, I'm looking at the 5000 series community relationships. It could be any number of policies. That's why I asked for specifics. So, schools in the community, staff and community involvement and decision-making, automated notification. No, not that. Uh parent organizations, school volunteers, um visitors to the schools and school facilities. So it could be any of those from just service level looking at those. >> Well, I think as um as Barnhart just mentioned also I think that the PTA not PTO of course because they don't have as many bylaws but the PTA itself has certain uh things in >> Yeah. So why don't >> Dr. Barnes, >> the board um I

131did send this to you guys uh recently. The board policy I was referencing was policy 7720 that says that the school system may not take an official position in support or opposition to any political party to candidate or issue. This includes the use of school logos, resources, funds, materials, or other district assets for political purposes. employees may not utilize school system resources in support of a campaign or CA candidate. Uh when you look at the PTA, uh that reference in their bylaws is part of being a 501c3 organization. So again, I think that if you want to bring that to policy, I can certainly put together something that goes over it. But I think it it bridges a lot of different conversations where when someone says, "I'm speaking for myself. I'm not speaking as a

132school system employee. Does that mean they can say something different than they can if they're a school system? I think that that's a broader question that the board would have to to reflect on. >> And I think part of the the the concern or the question also is, you know, is the person doing it at 7:00 at night on their own computer or are they doing it at 12:30 in the afternoon when they should be teaching kids and they're on their computer, you know, doing another thing. Obviously, that's two totally different scenarios. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Now, now I think things are getting a little conflated here. I thought it was about organizations as opposed to teachers doing whatever they're trying to do on their own personal time. Uh and yeah, I I don't advocate

133I don't think anybody does it teachers be doing anything politically when they're supposed to be teaching or doing lesson plans. So, yeah, I'm not quite sure why how that would connect. Uh but Dr. Barnes, it seemed pretty clear to me. Um, and I'm I might be be speaking a little beyond what we're talking about in a sense. I think a mistake was made by an organization here, and I think they've learned from it. I I think that people that are parts of these organizations maybe need to be a little more clearer about what their role is before they start using our resources to uh do things that are basically against policy. >> Their resources are separate. >> Well, is there Mr. Perry, you had made would you like to take that uh policy and send

134it to policy? Is that >> I think it's >> Yeah, I could do that to Well, >> okay. What policy was that again, sir? >> 7720. So, go ahead. >> 7720. You said it might involve other things too, but um >> this may seem correct. There are several policies that impact on organizations, volunteers, and schools. So uh so you want I motion that we send 70720 and any related policies to policy committee for consideration and uh three report back to the board with the recommendations. I have a second I guess second. >> Excuse me. >> Well apparently I don't have a second. So I guess >> hear no second. Okay, that we'll go on to the next thing then. Uh, which >> NC >> Mr. Chair, >> we added NCSBA. >> Chair. >> Yes, ma'am.

135>> Just a a point of clarification. I think the language is it dies for lack of a second. >> Talking to the mic. Sorry, can't hear. Yes, ma'am. >> Dies for lack of second. Is it the proper way to say it? Yes. >> Okay. Uh, next we have the NCSBA representative uh discussion. Uh we again the idea here is we have to decide whether we want to send one uh a representative to the North Carolina School Boards Association and we this is not >> apply to apply to >> apply to it. Yes. I'm sorry. Not send to apply. Miss Bradford, >> I'll just go ahead and get the discussion going. I move that we do apply to send um one of our board members to the NCSBA um committee. >> Okay. Okay. Is there a

136second? >> Second. >> Okay. First and second. Any further discuss? And again, uh when please refresh my memory, I'm getting old. I I'll say say that. Um when is that due by? >> Is the deadline is March 27th. >> March 27th. >> And there are a few dates. I'm trying to look up the email that I sent you, sir. Um but there are a few dates that this individual, if chosen to be selected to serve on the committee, I had served on it for two years. um I applied and what the purpose of this committee is you'd come together with groups of people from all over the state and they we created the discussion questions for a survey. So every single person on this board and last time unfortunately after multiple reminders our full board

137did not even submit all the answers. Only five out of the seven submitted answers. But what it is is a poll of every single school board member um through the NCSBA and we gathered the feedback and then we analyzed the data. That's what this committee does. They analyze the data that helped create the legislative agenda. The legislative agenda for the NCSBA is not adopted until it comes to conference where we have to vote on delegates to go to represent those. So this is not this is a like subcommittee for a state level with this organization. So just to give some context for that, but the deadline is indeed March 27th. And I can tell you those dates that you'd have to be available to go up in person when I find that email. >> Okay.

138And I was just going to say that uh March 27th, we do have our agenda review on the 24th. So if we do choose, I'm not saying we're going to, >> but if we do choose to uh vote tonight to send someone or to apply to send someone, then we could vote for that person at the agenda review. So we don't have, you know, we don't have to rush about it tonight. We can go ahead and think about it, talk to each other, etc., etc. off campus. So I'll go to Miss Justice and then Miss Bradford. Well, I move that we >> Oh, she she already second it. >> I second. We've already done that. >> So, >> uh inquiry. So, this vote is it's not to name who's going to go. It's just that

139we are going to send somebody. Okay. >> Right. And and again, I would further uh say that we, you know, the only date we would have available between now and then would be the 24th, >> which works out. So can I make a motion to amend her thing to say that uh to amend Miss Barard's motion so to add with a vote on to be had at the agenda review that we approve it with a a vote to the site who on the 24th >> right it would be Miss Bradford's motion but yeah >> oh excuse me I'm sorry >> okay so I'll second that so that we have a date locked in so we have let's let's any discussion about the 24th as the date >> hearing none okay All in favor of uh

140uh putting that amendment in to say the 24th as a date to vote on the person if you decide to vote for a person. All in favor please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Passes 70. Now back to the original motion. Miss Bradford. >> I would like to know the dates that this person would have to go to Raleigh, the commitment they'd be making so we can think about that between now and the 24th. >> Okay. And Miss Barnhart, do you have those dates back by? >> I actually do. I found that email I sent you. So, the dates that this individual will need to be available is Monday, July 20th from 10:30 to 3. That's an in-person in Raleigh meeting. September 14th from 10:30 to 3, another in-person in Raleigh meeting.

141And the last one would be October 7th from 3:00 to 4:30, which is a virtual meeting. >> Would you mind resending that to everyone? >> I can forward it to to everybody right now. Yes, sir. >> That'd be great. >> So, we have a motion and a second to with the amended motion now which adds the date of the 24th to vote on the person if we choose to. All in favor of uh voting or um applying to send a an a person uh on the 24th, please signify by saying I. >> I. All opposed. >> Okay, that passes 70. Carrying on, we are going we do have a close session. Should not be too too long. Uh I will entertain a motion to go to close session pursuant on general statute 143 C for

142the following reasons to prevent disclosure of information is privileged or confidential in general uh pursuant to general statute 114 115 CME C 204 402 and not considered a public record within the meaning of chapter 132 of the general statutes. Prevent disclosure of student records rendered confidential under the family education rights. To consult an attorney in order to preserve the attorney client privilege between the attorney and the board. To consider qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment or conditions of initial employment of an of an individual employed or considered for employment within the school system. order here and investigate a complaint, charge or grievance by or against any individual employee. >> So motion second. >> First and second. Any discussion? N >> hearing none. All in favor of going to close session, please signify by

143saying I. I. All oppose like sign. >> That passes 70. We are in close session. Thank you. >> We have no one left. >> I'm not even taking the motion yet. I got to sit down first. Okay. >> Is there I heard a motion to approve Personnel agenda. >> Yes, >> we got first and second. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor of approving the personnel agenda, please signify by saying I. >> I. All oppose. Like sign. Passes 70. All right. Next, we have correspondence. Right? >> Yep. Well, I got to get my eyes fixed. >> Did we have some correspondence? >> Does anybody have correspondence? >> We did. >> Correspondence. Anybody? No. No correspondence. Okay, we will carry on. We'll get my computer up because I'm going to have to do the next

144part. Give me one second. >> Not yet. >> I have announcements and I have a lot of >> Let's try though. >> Why am I not finding it? There it is. >> Right there, sir. >> There it is. Okay. All right. Announcements. The board of education will hold a board of ed uh board budget session Thursday uh March 12th at 11:00. Board of Education Center. General public will have the option to view remotely on NHCS TV YouTube. Policy committee will be meeting on March 17th at 1 p.m. at the Board of Education Center. The general public will have the option to also uh view remotely on the New Hver County TV YouTube. Board of Education will hold a budget session on Wednesday, March 18th at 2:30. Board of Education Center ditto on the New Hver

145County Board of Education YouTube. The uh Board of Education will hold an agenda review. It seems like we're going to be seeing a lot of each other. Uh March 24th, 2 p.m. Board of Education Center. The general public will have also have the option to watch remotely on New Hver County TV YouTube. The finance, capital, and bond committee will be meeting on March Thursday, March 26 at 12:30 board of education center. Um the curriculum committee will be meeting on March Monday, March 30th at 4:30, Board of Education Center. The new the board of education will hold the uh April regular board um meeting on Wednesday, April 1st. No, please take note of that. At 5:00 p.m. >> Just fooling. >> I'm sorry. >> You just fallen. >> Oh, yeah. That's good. I like that. >>

146Not I'm not fooling on this one. Board of Education will hold uh the regular uh meeting, April meeting on Wednesday, April 1st. Not fooling. 5:00. Board of Education Center. The general public will have the option to view remotely on New H County uh TV. Now, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. >> There's a motion. First and second. Any discussion? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> I I I I just need a point of clarification. Uh that we said three and a half hours. Does that mean we must stay for three and a half hours >> at least? >> Good question. I think we need a vote on that. Okay. >> All right. Uh we have a motion second to adjurnn. All in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> All oppose. No. Like side.

147Okay. Passes six to one. We are adjourned. Thank you all. >> Go Vikes. >> Yeah. Woohoo. >> Wearing my stuff home outside.