001Could I put a little green? >> Good afternoon. >> We're going to go ahead and call the meeting to order. This being Monday, July 14th, our regularly scheduled board meeting. Um, at this time, I'm going to turn it over to board member Shannon Oxentine for the pledge of allegiance. Tan salute pledge. >> I pledge algiance 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. >> Board members, at this time, if I could get a motion to approve the agenda. Motion to approve. >> Second. >> I've got a motion to approve by board member Anthony Mlan, second by Vice Chairman Denhart. All in favor say I. >> Any oppose? Like manner? Carries unanimously. At this time, I'm
002going to turn it over to Denita Dal Revas for our honors and recognition. >> Thank you, Chairman Ree. So, uh, let's ask our child nutrition director, Kathy Codle, to come on up. Kathy's been in the sun, so bear with her. She said she's feeling and looking a little rough. Serving meals on Monday. Yeah. Would you stand with our >> our superintendent? Um so we are recognizing Miss Codle and her um staff, a couple members specifically. Um they were recently recognized at the school nutrition association um meeting that was in Greensboro back in June. and they had some competitions and she had some um her managers who entered into some of those competitions. So, East Alexander cafeteria manager Melissa Paisley won first place in the muffin biscuit category and she created some unique pumpkin cream cheese
003muffins. Sounds tremendous. >> Did you bring Why don't we have S? >> I know we need her here. Um, and she also won best in show um, for the award for the bread division. And then Taylor'sville Elementary's Nancy Craig got a second place ribbon in the yeast breads category. She created orange sweet rolls. Both of those sound delicious, >> which we can put in the >> Yeah, fat sugar, >> but you can bring them to a board meeting. So then finally, Miss uh Codle is here because she also applied um for a little competition and she received a $1,500 scholarship that will go to the school nutrition's legislative action conference and the applicants must establish how the conference will benefit their professional development and advocacy for the school nutrition program. So congrats to you and
004your people. >> Congratulations. I think she needs to be recognized just for the summer. Absolutely. >> There's going to be an article in the Times about that this week and >> just feeding our children. So, thank you so much. Yes. Thank you. >> Well, we're all right. One, two, three. >> One, two, three. >> All right. >> That concludes our honors and recognition. Thank you very much. >> The next item is public comment and we do not have any. So the next thing that I need to get an approval from is board members. Um what is the pleasure to approve the consent agenda? >> Motion to approve. >> I've got a motion to approve by board member Anthony Mlan. >> Second. >> A second by board member Corey Mlan. All in favor say I. I.
005>> Any oppose? Like manner? carries unanimously. At this time, I'm going to turn the floor over to Sharon Mathy, our chief financial officer, and Andrea Robinette. She asked, "Did I want to go first and I said, "Sure." Um, yep. Okay. So on June 30th, the US Department of Education issued a notice that due to the change in administration, it is currently reviewing federal funding decisions for several of the funding sources. Um these are the funding sources that they are reviewing. Um so we are not getting an aotment for the upcoming year as it stands right now. What you see on this paper is showing us what we stand to lose based on what our allotment was for the 2425 year. So we do not get title one part C education of migratory children. So that
006was a zero there. And then you see the the amounts for the other funding sources and that was the amount that we were allotted for the 2425 year. Now, we are currently just in a holding pattern. We have carryover that we can use that will help us um with this funding potential. I don't know if you want to say decline, disappearance. I I think it's just sort of in this in this place where we don't know what's going to happen and it it is evolving and changing as we speak. In fact, um Dr. Griffin met with us earlier today to talk about a lawsuit >> and do you want to >> um there there is is currently a lawsuit that's being filed against this injunction uh by Jeff Jackson. Um you know where where that'll
007go and and and what that'll lead to. Uh we're not sure. We're unclear. Uh we hope that that maybe somewhere this the these funds uh will be unfrozen and will trickle down uh to our students uh to our faculty members that that we use to to fund uh multiple positions and things uh within uh each of these categories. As as Miss Robinette alluded to, uh we we have funds available to um uh to to work with currently. Uh so the the implications of this won't hit us immediately. Uh but if something is not done within uh the near future, then it certainly will. So uh we we hope and and I don't want to get into to the uh uh what's happening with within each realm of of of the game there. Uh however, uh
008these things are real for us and and these these decisions impact our our county and they'll impact our school system. Uh, and all all I ask a superintendent is that u I hope that things are thought through and and while they're currently trying to process what's going to happen that that those monies are real and they have real impacts on on our county in Alexander other counties across the state where we s show zero uh monies coming in they are they are affected uh you know more so than what we are but uh as as a whole it wasund I think $69 million that was withheld and this is the impact that you see within our county. So I guess my my ask is that hopefully something within the future comes about to where it
009it positively reflects uh those funds that that we need to uh to work with and uh that we need to to continue to move forward. So So thank you for that. We don't have any kind of timeline as far as, you know, when a decision might be made or when we might hear more information about whether the funds could potentially come to us or whether we could receive a portion of the funds. >> Basically, the information that we got is it's under review. And so, as it's under review, we we have the carryover from before, but we do we do not have an aotment for the 2526 school year. And >> and I appreciate you you give us update. I just wanted to touch briefly on this. I don't want to dive into it too
010deep. Um uh but I I know our our state superintendent Mo Green is fighting for our public schools and for the ways in which these decisions affect us. Uh also Eric Davis, the board chair was was at a meeting today uh to discuss implications from the from what they see from the state board of education. So anyway, thank you for that. Uh we hopefully we have some updates in the future. At this time, I believe our Angela, our um award winners have arrived. If we want to bring them back up and that great >> do a redo. >> Yes. >> Do a redo. >> Did either one of y'all bring the cupcake? >> Yeah. We want, you know, bread, cupcakes, whichever one. SL9. Okay. >> Thank y'all. >> Anytime you want to bring samples, feel
011free. >> Thank you, Sharon, for letting us interject that real quick. >> I think they're they're thinking they've served all the food today. They want to. They probably served what? A thousand >> thousand meals. >> Wow. >> Well, I'm very sorry that Rob is not here tonight because I want to let you all know that I I can say with assurance we will not use any fund balance this year. >> All right. Congratulations. >> Thank you, Sharon. Thank you, Sharon. Um the second uh thing I would like to to ask tonight is um as you know on the consent agenda we had three crowdfunding request and that is more than we usually have. So um I think there is is two things that are a little concerning about the uh well it's not about the
012policy but about the procedure and the way we implement the policy. Number one is we really didn't have a good software for routing the forms, but Dr. Griffin has told us about some software and we've gotten a ve it's very inexpensive and that will help us with the routing. So, we'll we'll be um working with Michelle and trying to get that going. The other thing is that many times or in the past I have gotten these crowdfunding requests just after the board meeting. So that means or just before the board meeting. So that means they have to wait a whole month. So, I would like to propose a change to the policy that under the section of of the crowdfunding um policy number uh 7360 that we changed under number two review by the superintendent
013and have it read. the superintendent or designate uh has the authority to approve uh um uh proposed campaigns uh seeking a dollar value up to $1,000, which means we could go ahead and give administrative approval to any crowdfunding request that was um less than $1,000. And I don't think we've ever had one for that much money. >> Okay. And um then um we I could bring that back to the consent agenda for the following board meeting. Okay. >> Make you aware of that. >> So if you could give me approval to change the policy. >> Okay. Okay. Board members, do we have any questions for Miss Mappy? We've heard the information presented. >> This is going to make it easier on teachers. >> Yes. >> And whatever we can do to make it easy on
014teachers. >> If I could interject a little. So we had we've received feedback from our teachers that um that that that's just a lengthy process. Uh you know the reason for that process and procedures is ultimately to protect them uh in in anytime we're asking for donations of of whether it be school supplies or monetary or whatever that may be for the classes. So we want to make the procedure as simplistic as possible for our teachers so that they can begin to uh uh get whatever it is they need within their classrooms. However, we want to make sure we add protections in there and that's what this policy does and also make sure that we're communicating with our principal at said school too. So, we're putting each of those in place and we'll go over
015this with our principles at our retreat that we're having here in a couple weeks to make sure they understand that uh more in depth, but I commend Miss Mafy for bringing this to the attention of the board so we can help our teachers over the summer. >> Any other questions? >> I'll make a motion. Second. >> Got a motion by board me by vice chairman. Got a second by board member Anthony. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Like. All right. >> Okay. And my final thing tonight is the approval of what is really a budget transfer number 18 which transfers it in the state public school fund uh between the 5,000 instructional services and the 6,000 support uh services code. Um and I will if I could get approved. >> Okay.
016Board members, you have heard the information from Miss Mappy. What is the pleasure of the board? >> Motion. >> Got a motion to approve by Vice Chairman Denheart. >> Second by board member Anthony Mlean. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Like manner. Carry un. >> Thank you. At this time, the next item on the agenda is Mrs. is Jessica Anderson, our executive director of exceptional children and student services. >> Good evening, gentlemen. I have before you just a brief update on our shack school health advisory committee. We are in our trienal review year. Um, so I just want to briefly review uh the achievements of the goals from the pra the past three years and what the committee has worked on and then present you with the new goals. I won't need your
017approval after this presentation because they'll be embedded in a policy that'll come up for review. So there there'll be a little bit of redundancy in some of the policies that you'll see coming up. So one of our past goals focused on students in social media. We trained media specialists and provided curriculum to students on how to navigate some of the common social media sites, some best practices, some digital citizenship. Uh we had parent nights where we gave instructional videos on how to politely go through your child's phone or not politely, however you wanted to handle it, but to kind of show them what apps were available and and what some apps were disguised as. um and school open house nights. We did some smaller PD also for parents. On a similar vein, we've gone over
018uh bullying. That was one of the targets. We have provided student lessons and embedded them through the media specialists with counselors. We've also done parent information nights. uh we did some data analysis to determine some of our higher yield areas where bullying was occurring and provided more supervision or addressed more supervision individually within the schools. Uh there are inclusive student clubs and activities, the Cougar Connect, we have peer mediation, there are student government associations, all things to design students to be involved and feel like they can participate in their school. Uh we've provided support resources uh for schools to use that help guide conversations on how to address bullying and we also have the anonymous reporting system or say something app if you're more familiar with that. One of the other target goals was staff
019wellness. We have as you know now an employee wellness system wellness program excuse me and we provided some smallcale fitness activities at schools some walking clubs or some small group yoga periodically um and also during our shack meetings we covered all these topics to present uh to our committee members who are made up of school and community parent I'm trying to think if we have any besides those business leaders uh we have some medical profession professionals that come. But we went through all these programs and just because they relate to some of the components that I summarized for you how we met our goals. So looking forward to the next three years. So what we did to set direction was we collected feedback from parents, students, community members, the committee uh and school staff and
020we looked at district data analysis. We looked at state data analysis. We reviewed our progress on the previous SHA goals and we want to capitalize on some of our community partnerships that have strengthened over the years and we want to capitalize on some of our district strengths. So, here was our first proposed goal and we sent it out for approval to get some feedback on it and everyone loved it, but it was to promote a comprehensive wellness program that supports physical, emotional, mental health of students and staff through professional development or wellness resources. Second goal is going to be awareness of substance abuse, increase awareness and prevention of substance abuse among students through education, outreach, etc. I'll go over those more in detail. Just going to breeze through this part for you. And then social
021media awareness, even though we've done some things with it, we didn't want to leave it. It continued to be something that came up in our conversations and in our feedback groups. So, we're going to continue to work on educating students, family, and staff on the healthy use of it. So, our first goal that we will work on for the next three years is we're going to promote a comprehensive wellness program that supports, excuse me, that's a typo. I apologize, the physical, emotional, and mental health of both students and staff. We're going to increase awareness and prevention of substance abuse among students through education, outreach, and supportive resour resources. And we plan to educate students, families, and staff on the healthy use of social media and its impact on mental health, safety, and interpersonal relationships. That
022is all. Any questions for me? Great. >> Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. The next item on our agenda is the human resources report from Dr. Alicia Clower. >> Good evening. You all have in your books the um personnel agendas for all the categories, our usual and customary list. Do you have any questions? >> Okay. >> What is the pleasure of the board? >> Make a motion to approve. >> Got a motion to approve by Vice Chairman Denhart, a second by board member Shannon Oxenheim. All in favor say I. I. >> Any oppose? by commander carries unanimously. >> Thank you, Dr. Fuller. At this time, I will turn it over to our esteemed leader, super our superintendent, Dr. Bill Griffin. >> Thank you, Chairman Reed. As a couple things that I I want
023to uh to go over with us this evening. Um the the first being that we need and we need to to make a have a vote on this uh is that's moving the September board meeting uh from September 8th uh to September 15th. Uh and and we had gone over that about a conference that that was uh having issue with and making sure the board was aware of that. So at this time if if if that is approved by the board, I just like to make that public to to all our constituents. >> Absolutely. All right, board members, you have heard um the information from Dr. Griffin. What is the pleasure of the board to move the meeting from September the 8th to the 15th? >> Make a motion to move the meeting to the
02415th. >> I've got a motion to approve by board member Corey Mlan. >> Second by board member Anthony Mlan. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Like manner. >> Carries unanimously. >> Great. Um a couple other announcements that I have and I'm glad that that Kathy, you and your staff are here. I'd just like to announce that our summer meals are going on every Monday and pickup locations are Stony Point from 10:15 to 11:30. Uh West Alexander Middle School from 12:30 to 1:30 and then Alexander Central High School at 4:30 to 7:00. Uh that's been an incredible uh turnout and and occasion for us to celebrate the fact that number one, Child Nutrition is is working extremely hard in putting together these meals. Uh both packing the meals, putting each thing that
025they have within in the bags and boxes they have. Uh getting the milk together and then distributing it to the families that show up. It requires a lot of work, a lot of effort on their part, but it's for an amazing cause. And just to see that our our families are showing up to receive that nourishment and that food is a is a is a great thing. It really shows what we as a school system uh can do and and what we provide for our families. So So Kathy and your staff, thank you so much for for doing that. We're we're certainly grateful and it's it's been a huge success. So we we hope families will continue to sign up and take advantage of that over the summer. Uh a couple of other important dates
026that we have coming up today started our summer reading camp. Uh those are taking place at Toesville Elementary School in Whittenberg Elementary School. Uh there for three weeks uh four days per week and uh speaking with Dr. BS has put together a lot of work with her and her staff there and making that happen and was able to attend know Taylor today and I'll try to get Woodenberg tomorrow. Just to see the our kids back in her buildings is is a wonderful thing. So thank you to that. Uh on 7:21 July 21st, our credit recovery uh courses will start at Alexander Central High School for several weeks. Also start elementary STEM camp at at Whittenberg Elementary School uh on week one for for four days and then on the 28th we have STEM camp at
027Hidden. Um very important dates uh that I want to bring to your attention is our summer our leadership retreat that'll be taking place at AppState Hickory campus. uh that starts on the 28th through the 30th and I invite each of our board members. Would love to have you there as well as as all of our leaders from across the district. Uh we've got some some good professional development and conversation I'd like for all of us to be part of during that time frame. Uh also on the 28th uh CTE uh career academy for the middle schoolers will take place as well as life uh skills camp for our high schoolers on the 28th. And then finally, our Alexander Early College staff returns. Uh it's just around the bend, August 7th, and the students return on
028the 11th of August. So those dates are are coming very, very quickly. And then we'll have another board meeting and and all of our traditional schools will be reporting back there in August as well. So time is flying by this summer. Uh we've got a lot done. A lot happens over the summer uh across the district. And just hats off to our custodians and principles, uh those in child nutrition, uh those that are that are getting our buildings ready, uh for staff to return. And then finally, I'd like to to lift up a community member. Uh this past Saturday, uh Newton Conover High School was ho hosting a fundraiser at Brushy Mountain Golf Course. Uh and just a tragedy took place here within our county. Mr. Chris Penley, who is their principal at Newton Con
029Newton Conover High School, uh was struck by lightning. Um he's still to what I understand to be in intensive care. Uh they're monitoring him. Uh the fact that that he has survived uh such such a a situation uh that took place is is remarkable. Uh but our our hearts and prayers go out to to him and his family. uh we all are a very very close-knit uh group of individuals within the school systems whether that be Alexander or Kataba or Newton Conover or Cwell those that are around us. We work hand in hand with those people. So uh our hearts go out to to he and his family and I hope that he may has a speedy recovery uh and uh and is doing just fine. But that's all I have for this evening. So
030>> Dr. Griffin, I would like to um recognize and commend you. It it has been a year July July 1 since you took the reigns of our school system and I appreciate on behalf of the board every effort every step that you have taken to to try to help get us going continue to go in the right direction and so we appreciate that sir. >> Thank you so much. I I was speaking to someone the other day and and I I truly can say it's been one of the most amazing years of my career. I I've enjoyed every day that I've been a part of of this system through the leadership of the board and and my team. I'm flattered every day for Sharon to stand up here and just say that we we used
031no fund balance this year. That was our goal. >> Awesome. >> Uh a lot of people uh had to do more with less to to make that happen. But that was something that we knew uh that we had to to to put in place uh for us to survive and thrive for years to come. So, so just hats off to all of those around me. I just I just wear a title. Many others do all the work. So, hats off to to you guys and to our board for for recognizing. So, thank you very much. >> We did get a couple emails today. Uh, one from Jennifer Miller at Ellen inviting the board to come to Ellen Elementary August the 7th from 5 to 6:30. Uh, popcorn with the principal. And we did get an
032email from uh Miss Liry at Sugarloaf to come have popsicles with the principal on July 31st uh from 5 to 6:30. So put that on your calendars if you can attend. >> Thank you, Vice Chairman Dean Hart for mentioning that. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. The next item on our agenda is Dr. Alicia Clower um with some uh proposed policy um revisions. All right. I just brought the mouse up here with me. Thought it'd be easier one. Okay. So, we're going to look at the second reading. And this is the second reading of the following policies. Parental involvement 1310. School safety 1510. Discrimination and harassment prohibited by federal law 1710. Title 9 non-discrimination on the basis of sex 1720. Title uh nine sexual harassment griev grievance processes 1726. And I believe I skipped one.
033Title 9, sexual harassment prohibited conduct and reporting process 1725. And then back down, evaluation of student progress 3,400 and student promotion and accountability 3420. And that's why I brought my laptop so I could read those better, but I didn't use it. So, do you have any questions about those? >> Okay. And I believe you need a motion. >> I need an approval, please. >> Okay, gentlemen. Motion to approve. >> Have a motion to approve by Vice Chair McGenhart. >> Second by Corey Mlan. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Like manner. >> Okay. Then I believe Dr. Clover, you are also next for first reading >> of some policy revisions. >> So we have a revision for the student wellness policy 6140. And I believe this was discussed earlier in the presentation
034by uh Jessica Anderson. And so it's going to update the shack committee goals that is in section B of that policy for nutrition promotion and nutrition education. And I will bring that back next time. >> Sounds good. Thank you, Dr. Clover. And at this time, board members, that um finishes up our agenda. I need to get a motion for us to enter into close session. >> Motion to enter close session. >> Got a motion to enter into close session by board member Anthony Mlan. >> Second by board member Oxentine. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Like manner. >> Right. Board is now entered into close session.