BOE Regular recurrent meeting

001At this time, I'll turn it over to the interim superintendent, Mr. Lance Stoke, for the reorganization of the school board. At this time, we will proceed with the election of board of education officers in accordance with district policy and ethical law. Um, is my responsibility to open the floor for nominations. The floor is now open for nominations for the office of chairman of the board of education. >> I nominate nobody. >> Nomination for Mr. Lil. >> Do I have a second? >> I don't think nomination require a second. You don't have to. >> I move that we close nominations. >> Are there any other nominations? Sure. Not >> a second for that. >> Then I need a second for that. Second by Nicole Smith. >> All right. The nomination closed for the chair. Um since

002we only had one. Congratulations. >> So with a show of hands, those that approve the nomination for on the floor 6. All right, I will now turn it over to the chair for nomination for vice chair. >> Thank you for the uh reelection. At this time, the floor is open for the position of vice chair. Miss Begley, >> any other nominations? I'll >> nominate Dr. Nicole McGee. Anyone else? Is there a motion to close the nominations and the two said names? Miss Blackman. All right. Mr. You said you uh in the absence of Mr. Brancher, I will ask that you after we do the ballots for you to count the ballots and make the announcement. Okay. You should have in front of you a piece of paper, little slip, uh your person you're voting for

003is at the top, then you sign your name at the bottom. Everybody clear on that or these ballots will be? >> Yeah. Any question about that? All right. Okay, if you give them to Mr. Representative and he will come back. Joan, >> no. No. Only thing you need to do is count the total. >> Okay. >> And and give the announcement. So the total is four for Mr. Litter and three for Miss McGee. Dr. McGee. Four to three. All right. Thank you. If you would please give those counted, please. I see no need for recess. Uh we'll move on approval of the minutes. Is there a motion to adopt the minutes? Men, is there a second? Any discussion? If not, all in favor of motion to adopt the minutes, raise your hand. Opposed? Motion's carried.

004Thank you. Approval of the agenda. Mr. Smith, is there a second? Mr. Little second in discussion. If not, all in favor? I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Um, we're having homeschool number seven, >> right? You got a minds to it, but okay. Everybody have an update that number seven is about homeschool. Okay. Very good. All right. All any other discussion? If not, all in favor that must raise your hand. Post motion carry 70. All right. Announcements. Just have a few announcements. Just want to thank our maintenance department and teams for their work last night over the weekend to ensure all our buildings were warm for student arrival. Today we had some adverse temperatures this morning. And so we're thankful for the the sacrifice some of our staff members did by coming out early this morning to

005ensure all buses were cranked and warm so that when bus drivers arrived to the site that buses were already ready and warned so that we ensure that we did not have any delays this morning. Also do want to thank that same team as far as operations team in regards to helped us with our inclement weather protocols and procedures. Uh we've received many compliments regarding the communication regarding the closing of school and the delay of school. I do want to thank that team as they have worked diligently with us this past past few weeks as we deal with the temperature. Um no other announcements at this time. I say my other superintendent updates. >> All right. I have one to the board of education. Thank you all so much for the beautiful flowers you sent to

006me for my father's passion. They help brighten up the room and smell so good, too. Thank you again for thinking of me and your kindness. Sincerely, Elaine McAd. Any other announcements? All right, public comments. Just uh we have three people speaking just to go over a few brief things. We ask that you come to the podium. We already have your address, so it's no need to do that. Your time frame is three minutes. We will ask you to direct your comments to the entire board. At the time of two and a half minutes with 30 seconds left, Mr. Lil on my right will let you give you a signal to let you know you have that time frame. Uh the first one is it last name is Sparks. Is it Jen? >> Yes, sir. >>

007Okay. Thank you. >> Hello. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. My name is Jen Sparks. I'm part of the um student health board advisory committee. um specifically the subcommittee that's dealing with alternative classroom environments and solutions to um behaviorally disruptive children. Um as you know that all children are entitled to a safe learning environment and we have some children in the classrooms that are not only disruptive to the education of other children but also to the safety of other children and our staff. I think Miss Robinson was recently injured by a student if I remember correctly. Currently we are in the um defining stage of the problem. We have identified it but we are still kind of in the second stage which is the root causes stage. So I'm here to answer any

008questions and to offer any information that I can so that we can be successful with this initiative. >> Well, let me explain the public comments. The public comments are yours to us. >> It's not a dialogue between us and you. >> Well, please forgive me. I'm sorry. I thought this was but you know I am here and that's what I'll be doing. So if you guys want to come up to me later individually send me an email >> whatever I am happy to answer questions and meet with you guys individually. >> Okay. >> So I'm so sorry but thank you so much for um allowing me to speak. Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> Yes. Happy holidays. >> All right. Heather Bun. >> Good afternoon. My name is Heather Bun and I am the

009mother of a student at Oakwood Elementary and I'm here to advocate for him and his class. As his as his mother, it's my duty to advocate for his personal safety, his emotional safety, and his learning experience. Since the start of the school year, there have been an obsessive amount of times he has come home talking of outbursts in his classroom that have made him feel unsafe. His teacher has contacted me by phone to make me aware of behaviors directed toward him. And there was one occasion that he felt so unsafe that it caused him to feel so much anxiety that he had to go to the nurse's office. He was given the opportunity to speak with his personal therapist from me and his father. Um, and he told her that that was the scariest day

010of his life. Since then, he has cried daily about going to school and states that he's scared of what the day will hold for him. So, I'm here to advocate for not only his right, but every student's right to learn and the teacher's right to teach in a physically and emotionally safe environment. My child's teacher is an asset. She has been so great throughout this year. Um, and I've seen her work in my kids' life and other kids' lives. Um, so I just want to say that she is an asset to Oakwood and the Casual County school system and she deserves support from us parents in the ways that we can support her, but she also deserves support from those that are leading the Caswell County school system and the resources that can be got

011um brought to her. My child loves to celebrate her um and pick her up on her bad days. Um but gifts and items like that can't provide security in the classroom. Um every child deserves the opportunity to learn in an environment that is best for them and sometimes those environments aren't meant for everybody. Um so I'm just I'm just here to advocate for them to have a safe learning environment. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Next is Allison Bernard. >> Hello, I'm Allison Bernard. Um, and I am here for the same concerns. I have a third grader at Oakwood who is um in the same classroom as the parent who just spoke. Uh so I will say um there is behavior issues in the class that have affected all of the students probably and

012also the adults in the class. But I'll just speak to you about the experiences that my own child has had. Um she comes home pretty much every day and tells me that there's been some sort of incident in the classroom. Sometimes the incidents are small and are handled quickly in the classroom and can be something minor. Other times they are violent, aggressive outbursts where other children have been scratched, bitten, things are thrown at the teacher. Um there's been times they've had to drag the student out from underneath desks that she crawls under. Um they are things that probably most of these kids should not have to witness um and are witnessing so often that I believe they're becoming a little bit immune to it. I also think the other students in the classroom are monitoring

013their own behavior to appease this child and try to keep peace within the classroom. And that makes me really sad as well. Uh like for instance, my child, you know, nothing too violent towards her, but she will allow this child to pinch her cheeks and play with her face and she likes to chew on her hair. and my child would prefer that those things are not done to her, but she doesn't feel that she can voice that because there will be an outburst. And so she's attempting to keep the peace in that way. Um, and so I think it's a really scary thing to be teaching these children that this behavior is acceptable. Um, I don't know how to advocate for that student appropriately, but I'm going to always advocate for my own and I

014believe that she deserves to be in a classroom where she is physically, emotionally safe and where she's able to learn in an appropriate way. Um, she is a smart kid. She deserves to be able to hear curriculum without screaming and cussing and spitting and whatever else is happening around her. It's chaos. Um, I also can't imagine being the teacher in this classroom with other children um, having to worry about their safety. Um, I would imagine it's very frustrating and very scary not to speak for the teacher, but um, it's just not fair. It's not fair to be the only adult with this particular child and also a whole other group of children that she's responsible for. It's not safe and it's not fair. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Anyone else who did not sign

015up who wanted to speak? >> All right. Thank you very much. That closes our public comments. Next, reports uh SHA committee reports. go. >> So I served on the um shack committee and it stands for student health advisory committee and um there were four things on the agenda. The first thing was the welcome and the announcement. The second item was teeth silent project at Dillard Middle School. The third was cell phone policy for schools and the fourth was discussion about alternative learning opportunities for elementary students with behavior issues. Um there were probably around 40 or more people on the phone call. Um some staff, some students, some parents. Um the first concern that was brought up was the cell phone policy and the fact that the state we have to put it in place by

016January 21st, 2026. There were concerns that if we did implement a um no phone policy, um what would happen if there was an active shooter? like the people on the phone call, I think they would appreciate if us as board members did some kind of active active shooter training and be as knowledgeable as some of those people because they wanted the child to be able to access an alternative communication option, whether it was some kind of button they could push or something they could do, but they they definitely wanted us to research that better before we move forward with the no phone policy. Um, there was a lot of talk about poor compliance with the metal metal detectors, lack of consistency with the metal detectors, lack of compliance with the metal detectors, not using the

017metal detectors at all. On this phone call, there was actually a student from Bartley that was a PCC student that stated that every time she came back from PCC to the high school that she never um walked through the metal detector. She stated that none of the kids walked through the metal detectors when they came back. And I know that um the metal detectors are supposed to be being used and I know we have a policy to be followed. I did um talk to Miss Carter, principal, intern principal Carter at the high school. She um is very aware of all this. she has got a committee together and they are looking at things especially since the um the recent tragedy that happened in um >> yeah went to say for schools. So um she said

018the issue is that we don't have a shuttle that is kids if they have to walk they're walking around 62 to get around if they got to get to the front of the building. but she's very much aware and she's very much um has a plan to try to get things in order for this to move smoother starting um when the kids come back from the Christmas break. As far as the other schools go, I didn't talk to any of those schools specifically. I just happened to talk to Miss Carter because the PCC student was on the phone call. Um while we were um doing the SHA committee meeting, there were multiple um conversations about an elementary school in our district with many behavior issues and safety issues. Um they were brought up a lot

019of what we've heard today. I was asked to actually go to the classroom by the SHA committee and observe a particular classroom, which I did while I was in the classroom. Um I observed behavior that is definitely a very unfriendly learning environment. Um it would be very I commend that the teacher in that classroom. Um the board we did decide while we were on that me that um the shack committee meeting to form a subcommittee that was going to be created to help work through some of these issues. Now, the shack committee I know reports directly to the board and the board has to approve a subcommittee. So, I talked to Mr. Battle and just wanted to make sure it was okay if we move forward and he said this was just pretty much a

020formality. So, I don't know how we need to handle that, Mr. Battle as far as the subcommittee being approved. And I do know that um Dr. McGee and Miss Knight went to the um or I don't know if y'all were on the phone or in person to the first meeting um and I asked Dr. McGee to give us a report from that meeting. >> So, so Dr. McGee and Miss Knight Johnson did meet with Miss Calla Wilson our director of EC as well as Dr. Virginia director of student services to express some of the concerns regarding from the shack subcommittee that was formed at Oakwood Elementary. From that meeting, it was determined that some of the things that need to happen and occur was beyond the scope of a shack committee. So therefore, a subcommittee

021has now been launched to do the work to provide the additional support that looks into those pieces. So, um, the shack committee at Oakwood received a message stating that this is now a more staff issue because we have more to address because what's happening at one particular school may also be happening at others. And so, that has been communicated. That committee will be forming and and members will be open to join that. As far as staff, we're working with some other agencies to reaching out to some of the partners we had in the past uh to help us with the some of the needs we have that we don't have the capacity to address. So, for example, and that was at one point in time that was a partnership with youth haven and so since

022I've been with this district, I don't recall you haven have a partnership with us. that might have been before co. So there's been some ways we've reached out to kind of find because the need that is the capacity that we need to build may be beyond the scope of what some of our said staff have or we're going to have to partner with other agencies and reach out to kind of find um some additional resources such as alternative environment such as those pieces because that's not something that a school subcommittee can do. So it has budgetary restraints, legal requirements that we'll have to bring to the board um as a recommendation. So that has been communicated and Dr. Jones, Mrs. um Ka Wilson are part of that committee as well as some additional staff members

023within the district and we will be open up for some members to join us some from Shaq, some from so that we can have an informed decision. >> So does that mean that the committee that was originally formed the subcommittee no longer exists? >> Well, so that so that is correct. So the committee that committee the work of that committee has now been um redirected. That committee may still want to brainstorm for some things but that committee doesn't have the what's the word I'm looking for? Doesn't have the resources or the the length to do that work for it to start for us to create our business. They don't have the authority to do so. So I don't want a subcommittee trying to make it authority and then they're not the authority table of source

024because this is something that staff has to be part of that we look at board attorney look at other entities to make sure we do this in a way that's allowable so that we don't liability. >> Okay, Dr. McGee and Miss Knight, do y'all have anything to add to that? Um yeah, we just wanted to let you all know that we did um meet with the subcommittee at Oakwood and we do understand the urgency and the need for us to move forward which is why we decided that at the meeting we looked at the particular agency and um themes that the agency you haven provided prior to CO and before um it was recommended that Miss Knight and I speak with Dr. Jones and um Miss Wilson in regards to you know what's the next

025steps and reaching out to that particular agency and based on that meeting that we had is how we basically um as um Mr. Stokes stated that there was a bigger need um and that we will still continue to be a part of it and we will continue to you know invite as he stated the shack committee has not completely dissolved but they have the opportunity to join. is not that we don't want people, you know, we've limiting the size. However, you know, they'll still report back out to the schools to let them inform them of the things as well as we got a lot of good resources that were shared with us that we can come to through and determine what best fits the needs of not just Oakwood but maybe other schools as well

026in the community. So, um it was a really rich conversation. We really talked about a lot of things that we can do, but it's not going to be we are taking action. So, it's not just we hear you and nothing's being done. I real certain that steps are being made and contacts have been made already while we were there meeting um with Dr. Jones and Kauma as well. >> Okay. Wait a minute, Miss Kn. >> Okay. So, who decided who's going to be on this new committee? >> So, the entire list of people has not been there decided. We just know that um it it has to be some staff to help us communicate with that. So, it started with um Miss McGee and Mrs. Knight Johnson to bring it to us. So, that therefore

027we have to follow protocol and procedure to do so. So, right now since it does fall under student services and also partner with exceptional children services. So those two directors that one is a director that other director has to partner as we move forward to get insight pieces because there are things for example to to reignite a partnership with youth haven will require some um board action and policy. So therefore that's why we have a staff member to help us bring that to place. >> So is Ms. Knight and Mrs. McGee on the subcommittee? >> Yes. >> Or are they not? >> No, we are. So, if they're on the subcommittee, then it has to be brought to the board to be approved for anybody that's going to serve on the committee. And I would

028think Miss Smith, who is actually on our shack committee, would be one to serve as she was going to serve on that uh subcommittee anyway, >> but she's the one that recommended Dr. McGee and I >> to serve with her. >> Well, I and I go ahead. I think that the staff, I can't speak for the parents that are here, but I think for the staff that they felt like the SHA committee, I'm sure, felt like they got the ball rolling. So now to not include all those people that were originally on it, I feel like to them that's kind of a that's not good. Okay, board members, I don't want us to get too deep in this in terms because there's some things I want to discuss in close session with this because you're

029talking about the confidentiality of students as well as staff and that would be the appropriate time when we get to close session because there's some action steps that you need to take that you don't do in open session. Is everybody clear on that? Continue. You had another question. >> Well, no, I just understand that that our policy says if a committee is formed, the board must approve. >> Okay. >> And I don't understand how we got to this extreme. If we need to discuss in close session, we can. >> Very good. >> All right. >> Anything else on that? >> We'll do that. Okay. Next is unfinished business, use of cell phones and other electronic devices positive 4318. Mr. Stokes. So, board members, we are here to discuss the uh consideration for cell phone collection,

030cell phone procedures for C County schools. Um, in your packet, you have some information regarding that. I know that cell phones are a very touchy subject, but cell phone this this policy encompasses more than just cell phone encompasses devices, smart glasses, watches, things of that sort. So, it is um if you look at the policy 4318 is in your packet. Um right now we have a policy to where at the middle school have a cell phone at doing lunch and during class. Um it is our recommendation that we go without cell phones or or whe they're not we seem to be heard to be off K8 and then we phase into the high school. Now Miss said you may have some more stuff to add but I do recall that we've kind of gone back

031and forth in regards to what we want to do for cell phones. Um I have heard some concerns that this is my first time hearing today from the shaq committee regarding um shelter in place and student safety and those things. But um the cell phones can be problematic with being disruption to teaching and learning as well as we have to also balance the convenience of parents been able to reach their students. Um, and so therefore I turn it over to the board for regards to what we want to move forward on because that was my last understanding that we wanted to look at going from a K8 policy in law where they cannot be seen view that should be off all day. Okay, >> read our current policy where it starts about middle school. So

032middle school was only supposed to be able to use service during lunch. >> That's correct. >> That is not being followed to me. If you walking down the hall and you got your earbuds and your headphones on, cell phones sticking out your pockets, that's not kept out of sight and turned off. I subbed one day over there. Cell phones were hanging out everywhere. So, first we got to make sure a policy is followed. >> So, I spoke with Miss Gully that asked would she be in support of totally not having cell phones and she is 100% in support. She also did highlight that there are some pockets of places where our cell phones in the classroom are not being problematic, but there are other places where cell phones in the in the classroom are being

033problematic. So you're absolutely correct, Miss Beverly, that the cell phone procedures aren't consistently enforced across the board at in school, middle school, and maybe other sites as well. So it comes down to um what do we want this to look like, feel like, sound like as we navigate because the laws coming up, we have to have a policy in place for collection and things. So cell phones have to be off and out of sight. Some of the one issue is with cell phones has been the phone may be off but it's not out of sight because cell phones now are bigger than they once were at one point one time. Cell phones bigger than your average pocket. So therefore we have to find a certain place to put those cell phone little things. So I

034understand um this board's commitment to um putting a policy as a policy in place. We have brought this back because we have to turn some things to the state as we get ready to follow the law because as always now cell phones can be not be in school settings. >> Got a follow. >> Yes, sir. I know um before you got on the board with us, Mr. Stokes, that we talked about the collecting of cell phones, but I think Ron had talked to us about we would be responsible for those if we collect those. So, I think that's why we decided not to go that route. Some of these phones are very expensive, >> but I think it needs to be out of sight. And if you see it, principal, come take it. Call the

035parents. Don't need to be five tries with your cell phone. But I disagree with taking them all together. >> I I read something today that I thought was very appropriate. These were adults said when they were in school, they had no problem. They had no cell phone. Now, >> just think about that. If you don't have it, you don't have it. Uh, it's just like when the last time any of you used a pay phone? >> I think nothing. >> That's what I'm saying. But the way I look at this policy, it's like you can't have your cake and eat it too. That's the problem that we've got. And it's not just the phone. You got the earbuds, you got the smart watches, and everything. But a lot of systems do different things. I know

036one system when they get to school, they take them up, put them in a little pocket. All right. Like you're saying, if you take it, are you responsible for that phone in case something happens? All right. If you say when you come into school, cut it off. All right. I see Mr. Little with his phone on. What do I do? When I was at the high school, kids used to take the phone and they take a test at the first period. They would text the kids in the second and third period what the test was. That's human nature. But I think we as a board need to make a policy that's going to stick and then enforce that policy. If we don't enforce it, there's no need for a policy. Simple as that. And middle

037school parents will say, "Well, I need to know in case of an emergency." There are ways to handle an emergency, but if you let them use it during lunchtime and during change of class, you might well let them use them all day long because that's what they're going to do. Kids are smart and while you were teaching, they got the phone under the desk. So, I want to caution you. Whatever we do, make sure we stick with what we get. That's the problem right there. I saw a high school next door, Alamance Brothers. Kids were talking to superintendent was talking, the person was talking. What they do, they took they take the phones up at the beginning of the period, put them in a little pocket, zip them up. But when the class is over

038with, they got four classes. They unzip that, get a phone back. They still using the phone during the change of class and they use it at lunchtime. That's the way they approach it. So, it's different from system to system as you go. All right. So, that's my soap box right now. Then I'll turn it back to you about what how you going to approve. >> And I'll also add that there have some been some school districts that say we do not have liability of that phone because we told you not to have um and so that's different. >> Yeah. >> Here, but there has been places that if the phone wasn't supposed to be here, we shouldn't have to have to take it. So therefore, if if we have to take it, it shouldn't be

039here. If it's damaged, therefore, we're not allowable. There have been some districts that do that. This has had not been a practice of this district. But I just caution, you know, what we move, how we move forward, is going to be exceptionally clear on how we communicate it and how we implement it because this is not going to be a quick turn. >> Uh I just put it that put that out there. >> Miss B. Ron, can you uh tell us if we're going to be responsible or not responsible? >> I'll give you an example. Sheriff's department seizes the call. >> That's what you had told us in the beginning. That's why I asked you that. >> Yeah. I think if you seize $1,000 phone and don't secure it or if it's damaged, even if

040the kid makes an accusation, it's not worth taking it. Um tell them I'll put it up. You write them up and have somebody write up you. Well, see that's the that's the problem there. You can't have it both ways. If you say no cell phones at all, then you putting it back on the responsibility of the child. But if you say you bring it, then I take it up. Then if something happened, that responsibility is mine then. That's the catch 22. But at the same time, there was a time, Ron, where there was no cell phone. >> Oh yes, sir. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. >> So we have to be realistic in what we're doing, >> right? And I I think if we start in middle school and move up once they leave middle school

041they go into high school. >> If you educate them >> correct >> if you like you said if you consistently enforce you will educate them by the time they get to the high school level maybe they won't be used to it and it won't be a problem. if high school then consistency consistently enforces at St. Paul's >> Miss Blackwell >> and also it will take time to take that phone up and zip it into that pocket and it will take time to unzip that pocket and give that cell phone back to that child. So if you're looking at time, you're looking at your 10 minutes, 15 minutes, you know, you got 30 students in the class and each one of them got a pocket, >> you got to unzip that. So then you got to

042build that time and do your learning time. So, you know, uh the no cell phone policy I think uh will help all the way around for teachers to not have to even when you're going down the hallway and just like uh what Miss Beverly said, all the cell phones she saw and people were supposed to follow this rule and trying to implement that rule and some do and some don't. It takes away some of that um that they won't have to police will take away policing and instructional time will be lost. >> Well, I know we had a lot of talk about this and some of us went in a seminar at our national annual meeting about it and different schools are doing it in different ways. It seems like the pouch the jerk pouch

043they Okay. Yeah. >> Is the easy way because the student keeps possession of their phone all day. We put it they put it in the pouch when they come in and we are not taking it up and being responsible for it and then they can unlock that pouch at the end of the day. Unfortunately, I don't think we're in a position right now we can fund that for the middle school. Um so I think maybe you know the quick answer is um at our middle and elementary is the phone has to be kept out of sight along with earbuds and any other electronic devices and we have to make sure that our staff is following the policy that we set. Um oftent times the policy that we put in place as a board isn't followed

044and so if it's not followed then you know it's no good. It's no better than the paper's written on. But I think to Miss Blackwell's point, it's going to take a long time in the morning to take up cell phones and I can just see rolling a cart of secured cell phones to a classroom. What if there's a sub in there that afternoon? You know what? If you know what if male takes my phone because I'm not paying attention. I mean, you got 20ome kids in the classroom. There's a lot going on. I mean, it isn't like you're going to be able to keep your eye on that the whole time. So, that is what is concerning to me. I do think that we do need to address the cell phone uh problem and you

045know some teachers are are using in their class. So how is it going to be? Are we going to have them or not have them? We can't have teachers that's building it into their curriculum to look up stuff in class or to scan barcodes around campus if we're looking to get rid of cell phones. So I think as a board we got to decide what's best. We also, if we do it this way to start with, then we kind of meet the we meet what Shaq's asking us to do too for a trial, right? The kids got it in their book bag, but it's out of sight. It's turned off. If you have active shooter, if you have a, you know, lock down that they need to be able to communicate, you know, they're able

046to get to that book bag to get that phone if we have to. I think that meets a little bit of both criteria. Um, you know, if we really need to use it. The problem we have right now is we go into lockdown and 50 kids call their parents or text their parents and say we're under soft lockdown and we have 50 parents showing up in front of the school wanting to check out little Johnny and we can't let him go and we can't let them get to the school. So that works both ways. But this way we can control the environment. If we're in a soft lockdown, we cannot let those kids get to their cell phone. It still needs to be put up. you know, if there's an emergency where we need to

047call 911, I think people's got enough common sense to do it. So, that's my two cents for what it's worth at our elementary level. >> Anyone else? >> Miss Black. So, are we trying to say that we have all students keep all of the the cell phone, everything into their bags that's not taken out at lunchtime? That it could be in your possession, but it could never be seen. Is that what that suggestion was? It could never be seen. That means that break time, lunchtime. So, a teacher should never see a cell phone period, even if it's on the student. >> Well, that makes sense if you look at it because you can't have it both ways. >> Right. That's why >> when you go beyond the cell phone itself, you're talking about the earbuds,

048you're talking about the watch. And I think this would be a soft way to move into it because if you break the rule then you got to have consequences. But if you start out say you can have the phone but out of sight not on then average person going to say well what's the need to me having a phone if I can't have it on. You follow what I'm saying? It's like you as adults when you go places do you always take turn your phone off? No you don't always turn it off. You be in church. I've been in church with a funeral. Please silence your phone. But somebody always does what? Ding ding ding. So we've got to be careful of how we do this. And elementary and middle school, I think it's the

049best place to start. And I think it will filter. Of course, if some mass shooting comes off of something, you know, they're going to grab them phones. I understand that. But if we start out and say out of sight, kind of like out of sight, out of mind, more or less, you don't have that cell phone. We don't need to see it. This night I saw you. >> So that means that they can't have them out on the school bus. >> Well, that's a different twist. That's what we've been doing that on the bus. But I think more or less the school situation is what we've been involved in what they're going to do in school. >> But I just I don't have a problem with the bus. I was told earlier that at some

050point some maybe call back a student was on a school bus and call 911. >> Okay. >> Now this is due January 21. >> So we have to submit to the state our plan by I got January 1st. I didn't have January to January. >> January 1st or what we're doing because our current policy that we already have, >> okay, >> met majority of the requirements except how we collected if it was in violation. >> And so we're now saying that K is there's a zero tolerance for cell phones, meaning we won't use them for instruction, we won't use them for lunch, we won't use them for transitions. Then we also would need to say what happens if said device is seen or viewed because that needs to change the way of one warning, two

051warning, three warning is almost one of those pieces that I hate to say you have to just sever the head by being exceptionally um um contrite and firm with it because it's the chances that's getting us in trouble because the chances vary by personality. And so in our policy in our handbooks we've kind of written down where first violation is warning second violation next warning but now if it's seeing viewed or heard it's confiscated and returned to the parent >> and those kind of pieces that's a that's a big shift and change and I and that's what we need to do that's what staff work to do but we must have a timeline to communicate this. So, you know, we could not we could not um address the weather because we would have had a

052few a little more time to get the information out because we now have, you know, four days remaining this week. And so the so my recommend my my one of my things I would say recommend is if we go to this ABCD we start at the beginning of second semester to give us time to communicate to give time teachers time to change their you know adapt their plans because there is a lot of um instructional uses for cell phones in the classroom. So therefore they got time because we can't just say tomorrow and teach them already planned because I can tell you I've seen elementary students with not with cell phones but with our laptops with a QR code with those kind of things. So we've got to help train and shift and it's going

053to be the most hard shift and training at the middle school. But Miss Gullig is on board with um the no cell phone I seem to get hurt. Her concern was I just don't want us to police kids. We we get to a point to where I know you got a cell phone empty your part because then we get to this this this seizure piece this search and seizure piece that's not necessarily by policy because somebody thinks they have a phone. So you know we have to be able to communicate with parents. How do we how do you get in contact with your student? How do um we will be in contact with you and those are the pieces that I think is important as we go to that pretty much zero tolerance pay for

054cell phone >> that I understand but at the same time the second semester I got no problem with it but if we got to send it by January 1 >> so we have to submit it to the state by January 1. I do not think that the effective date was January 1. >> No no no but if it's got to be there by January 1 that means we got to do that today. >> Yes sir. >> Okay. But we do have we cannot push this can down cannot get this can down the road anymore. Go ahead. >> So we're saying only affect elementary and middle and high schools going to stay the same. Is that what y'all saying? >> We haven't gotten there yet. That's what we have discussed. >> Okay. >> To Mr. Stokes's

055point, you know, we've since I've been on the board, I think we've revised this thing every single year trying to meet the needs of what the principles want and what try to do. Anyway, but we did have a problem with we were doing cell phones cut off and put away. And to Mr. Stokes's point, students would have them in their back pocket. You couldn't see the phone, but you could see the imprint of the phone and teachers were taking them up. We kind of got to figure out the gray area there because at the middle school, some teachers are hanging book bags in the back of the classroom. I'm not sure that I'm going to put my $1,200 cell phone in my bag that hangs back there that people can freely get to because you

056go to lunch, your book bag stays hanging there. You're not supposed to have your phone. So, what do you do? You know, it's a catch 22. And so, if we're making them keep them back there, then I can hear parents say, "Well, you going to be fostering their phone if it gets stolen." So, I think we have to figure out the right way there. Number two, when administrators take up the phone, one of the things we read in here is about a sealed pouch. I like that idea. When an administrator takes up the phone, it goes in a sealed pouch. And I'm not sure we shouldn't do like you do when you rent a car. Let's write down any damage and have that student sign it when you take it up. Right? Then when mom

057and dad comes and gets it, your student sign it had a cracked screen. do >> it had this, you know, and they signed for it and it was secured in the admin's office. Um, I think that will take a lot of the gray away because, you know, parents don't look at the phones every day. And so if if I'm, you know, if male is my dad and he comes to pick up that phone and it's cracked, what am I going to say? >> School crack. >> Stokes cracked that when he took it from me, >> right? Even if I drop it yesterday. So I think we got to have some type of protective measure um moving forward on that, too. >> Okay. We've had a lot of good discussion, but we got to come to

058a consensus on what we want to do. >> Can I just say something? >> Yes. >> I just hope there'll be some things put in place for protocols for staff who have to take cell phones from students. If you've never had to take a cell phone, it's not as easy as it sounds. And they are not willingly going to give you their cell phone. So there needs to be things in place when you may be the only administrator standing in a cafeteria full of PE uh or wherever and there are a lot of kids around you. What are you going to do? So I hope when we think about this we going to think about what we're going to do to assist the adults who are having to support this policy. >> My personal opinion

059a teacher shouldn't have to deal with that. But it's going to be in the classroom so they can pick up and call for >> I suppose you had suppose you had several calls and if you say administrator got to come it could be it could be more than one incident at a time. I'm just telling you it could be within a within a day. >> I mean be real about it. Let's just be realistic about it. I mean it's easier said than done if you've never had to do it before. Trust. >> Anybody else? >> All right. I need to know what your pleasure is in terms of what you want to turn in to go in January one. >> Yes, M. >> I'm fine with what's proposed, the K through 8th grade and then

060a little softer entry into the high school, you know, like started at the the K through 8th grade and then >> Okay, but back up now. You say K through eight. What for K through8? >> No. No cell phone. >> Okay. >> It's not seen. >> Not seen. >> No. >> And include other devices as well. >> Right. >> Okay. Comments on that anybody? >> I guess I have a smartwatch. So in they have a phone and they have the phone turned off. It shouldn't be a problem with the watch. Correct. >> Work time to the internet. >> Stay tight. Well, so I'm watching their own data plan, >> right? A lot of counties are doing a hall. No smartwatch, no earbuds, >> everything. >> That's like if you going to the court jail or

061court courthouse. >> You got to take it cuz I went in there with my smart. >> You ain't going in there. >> Well, I did because I had it covered. I didn't realize it. But the next day I went back, I left it in the car because I didn't realize, you know, that smart watches was included in the cell phone that I knew about. >> I mean, I know it's a tough call. Um, I'm I'm a I'm an advocate for them not having them because cell phones can cause too many problems, >> too many problems. I was heard recently about a third grader that had a phone in school and she um was I guess the Snapchat, >> whatever it is, and she was communicating to somebody, but then when she was questioned, she said,

062"I don't have a cell phone." >> So, how are you communicating using Snapchat if you don't have a cell phone? She never would admit that, but yet she admitted to what she was doing. So it's like, you know, if they don't have it, got you wouldn't have those issues. And like I said, if it's really forced, I'm thinking like at the elementary school level know by the time they get to middle school, these kids now, you know, they would know I I couldn't have it in K through five and then when I get to deal, I'm not going to have it either. >> Got Mr. Batchet. >> Mr. about uh y'all cell phone policy. You talk about all the enforcement thing, your your student code of conduct and you've got other policies that are going

063to have to be amended in order to take into account your cell phone policy and that's when you'll end up getting real detailed about how you seize it. And as far as the not turning it over, you know, principal's got up to 10 days. Um kid says I'm not handing it over and repeatedly refuses. Um, by the time the administrator comes in, they're gonna have a three or four more day vacation potentially. >> Well, that's those are little increases that you have to work through. When I was a principal, it it was not cell phone, it was pages. And uh I'm dating myself, but that was the trend then. And some, you know, something funny, some parents will come pick them up, some wouldn't. At the end of the year, I may have 20 in

064the draw. And eventually somebody may come and get them. But we're living in different times now. >> Yes sir. >> And it was probably 16 or my first year on the board 16 17 years ago is when we first started the policy of cell phone. You would be amazed people at the people the parent the parents that were there. My child needs a cell phone you know and some of them had the bag phones you know them big bag bucket things. But at the same time, we living in a different time now. And what Miss Smith has recommended, K through eight, no devices, starting second semester. That that part you say, >> that's what the board agrees to. >> Okay, that's a recommendation, Miss Beck. Um, I agree with Miss Smith, but I think at

065the high school, it should not be during change of time because what you don't realize when I'm sitting here texting my sentence, I'm not going to come in that classroom until I'm finished or you got your earbuds in. When you come into that classroom, you're already saying out in classroom, but they're coming in. So, if we're going to do that, then you should do it at the high school, but just let them have it during lunch. >> Okay. >> Yes. with the high school. I'd want to talk to Miss Carter to see if she's having an issue during changing time, during class changing. >> I spoke with Miss Carter and M went over there today just to touch back. I touched with them previous meeting but some snow days forgot some things. U they are

066in support of amending some things. Um her her concern is with such traveling happening the PCC and back those kind of things you know banning the cell phone from the high school if something was to happen how can the kid call for help um because those walking through the back gate right now you know that that's a safety issue concern and with more and more kids going to that is difficult also with kids who have late start early I mean the high school is a whole different complexity um with all the moving pieces. Not saying that they they shouldn't they have less or more, it's just different. But I feel that if we had a stronger K8 feeder pattern, so therefore by the time they they're used to a certain thing, it wouldn't be a

067more gradual release for the high schools for those pieces because you got high schools that 11 12th grade year aren't on the campus at all. So it just depends on your preference and the preference of the board. what do you want us to do in regards to that? But um you know we feel certain that with this K8 what I have written down no cell phones, no earbuds, no smart glasses, Beats headphones, wired headphones and phones are also powered off. Those devices are powered off. Out of sight best we can. Now, well, we got to define out of sight because if you say out of sight and it's in their back pocket at all because the pocket this big, the phone that big, it's going to stick out >> because you do have certain students

068that are policed by phones because they think somebody has a phone and that becomes a different scenario for an adult trying to redirect. >> If you're saying not seen >> then in your back pocket is still being seen. So out being seen not seen it shouldn't be any place on your person. >> All right. So let me take out not seen we got to find that. So if it's seen it's taken. >> Let me ask you this. If we go with that we can always come back and amend at the high school. >> My my my two cents on this was okay that's let's work hard caught on the K8, >> right? Um because it's January at a high school, you got some kids about to graduate in less than six months. Correct. So, you

069know, they've had that same kind of policy all that time. And that's a harder turn um because it's more kids. Correct. >> And so, I would humbly suggest that this board take consideration K8 and then we start phasing into the high school as we got more information. >> That's what I would say. K8 first. K8 first and then so we leave the high school as is >> and then we do K8. That that would be probably a so we can instead of spreading ourselves K12, we're focusing our attention on K8 because it's going to need some some real structural pieces as far as communication. >> Wait a minute. Go back. Go ahead. >> See, I don't I don't care if the kids got the phone in the back pocket or if it's I mean that's

070just my preference as long as it's not on and out on a table or they got it in their hand. I just think it's gonna be hard to, >> you know, right? >> That's just my thought. >> Powered off is is the key part I think is if it's powered off because I can tell you I've seen kids that phone was taken >> in the classroom, the phone was off. They had it in their pocket. They had like their um their hoodie pocket in the middle. Everybody has a hoodie. And so the kid just leaned to the side and the phone just fell out >> and the teacher took it. And the kids said it wasn't on, but the teacher took it and it became, you know, those pieces. So, but it was power off.

071>> Okay. >> So, you know, we just got to find >> Well, I kind of agree with Nicole. I think, you know, we got to use a little common sense. I mean, if it's in the back pocket and I say, you know, I'm administrator and I say, "Nicole, let me see that phone. Is it powered on?" If it's powered on, then we got a different story. I'm just not sure that I'm gonna put $1,100 phone in my book bag that's going to hang in the back of the classroom. I mean, you know, and you got athletes that I mean, they're traveling. They got to have some form of communication when they not at school, but when they leave to go to games and things like that. I mean, I think one step at a time

072and if we can make it work like this and cut back on it, >> if not, we look at some other options. >> Yeah. But that's not what you're saying in terms of what >> the policy. >> That is what I was saying. >> Well, that was >> that's another piece. >> Right. Okay. >> Right. >> Well, that's what Mr. Stokes is saying. We got to define it. >> Okay. >> Miss Knight was saying, you know, she she didn't want being seen at all really. So then I said, >> "Well, we as a board got a size of >> So read what you got. I have no cell phones, earbuds, smart glasses, beats, headphones, quarter, uncorded, powered off. I had out of sight, then a mark of that. Then I had not on silent. That's

073what I have. K8. >> Okay. >> What was the last part? Not on, >> you know, I I took the out of sight out of off of because we got to find that. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Question. We just gave the example um hoodie or sweatshirt and so if it's not on and the person has it in their sweatshirt that goes like that then they they are okay. I'm that I'm I'm giving that back. That's what you're saying. That's what's being said. Then it's it's okay. It sort of fell out the pocket. But if it's in the pocket, it's okay if it's in that type of pocket >> because the issue is if if it's in a pocket that's half the size of the phone, you're going to see it. Or if you have

074these um I don't know what kind of pants you call them now, skinny jeans, p you know, skinn skinny leggings, jeans, whatever. You're going to see the imprint of the phone. And so therefore, there are some people say, "I can see it handed here, but it's in their pocket." >> Okay. You had some I mean >> it's not going to be perfect. >> It it ain't going to be perfect. And I hate hate versus set them up where photos are going to be taken. It's going to happen if we make them keep them in the book bag. It's going to happen. And some teachers will know book bags in the back of the class. You know, we put book bags back in place because Chromebooks were getting broken two years ago. Before that, there was

075no book bag. So, what would we have done now? All right. Now, what you got right there, you're not saying they got to be in the book bags. No, >> we're just saying no cell phones, earbuds, smart pretty much. We don't want to see them, >> right? >> Which makes it out of sight. >> If they put in the book bag, >> it's fine. It could be in a locker. It could be in a foot bag. It could be in the purse. It could be okay. >> In a right foot socket. I mean, it just depends on where they want to put it. As long as it's >> not causing disruption to teach. It's >> off. >> And it's off. Okay. Anything else? M. B. I saw your hand again. >> He answered that. >>

076All right. >> Now, I think we got to find about consequences has got to be in there too, right? What is going to be? >> Correct. Well, we've already cleared out who who if it's who takes the phone. We've cleared that that's going to be a school administrator. >> Right. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Now that one piece that we need to make people understand that we have some students who have medical reasons for example they may be a diabetic student and they have the um >> those exceptions >> those things but they have to have a documented plan on file with the school nurse in order to do so. >> That's right. >> Okay. Um because not not that case everybody going to say I need this for my diabetes. Right. But we have to

077have a documented file in place. >> That's good. >> Um M you said have I missed any of the pieces? The only requirement right now is what you just said about exceptions. >> Now, that's what school board >> That's what school that we don't have. >> Now, >> are you saying we need to add the consequences to that? >> In regards to this policy, I did not see why we have to add policy. We had to add the procedures for collecting the bikes >> if it is in violation of the um of the of the policy. Okay. We had to have something in place for exceptions for students who have medical because that's an exception um because in the policy code and also um you know and how do we return a device how the

078device turned back because they don't call it cell phone they call it wireless communication devices which covers >> the whole gamut. Well, I just think that we're changing this midship, right? I think we probably I mean, how we return it could be part of how we take it and put in consequences. Then this can be sent to parents so that there's full transparency of this is our new policy. This is what's going to happen if your K through eight child gets called with their cell phone >> and this is what you're going to have to do to get it back. Um, you know, I think personally I think maybe a warning where the administrator takes it and gives it back to the child the first time, but after that I think you know the parents

079got to come and get it. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> You said uh school administrator uh would have to take the phone if the phone is in >> it was in violation of policy. is in violation of policy and the phone goes off, then the teacher has to call the school administrator to the classroom to get the phone. So, the teacher can't do anything. Just wait until somebody come to the class. >> That's that's the hard term because I can tell you >> that's a lot. >> But it's been that way for a couple years on advice of the attorney and other things because if a teacher breaks that phone, they're responsible for it. No, but I mean they don't get to take it from the student and give it to the administrator, you know,

080because it's you can let it stay on the student. See, that's what I'm saying. If it goes off, then it stays on the student until the administrator gets into the club. Is that what you say? >> That's what's that's what's been closed. >> There generally shouldn't be an emergency where they got to take it instantly. And you're talking about teachers getting involved in arguing or something else unless it's just a thing. >> That's what you're saying. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Um some have had make them bring it up and put it on their desk until they get there to take it. They never touch it. The teachers don't. The student brings it up and lays it on the desk. Now >> I recall we had about that before. I recall we had that

081before and somehow that was a problem because there were certain classrooms that would have the student bring it and put it in a certain place and there was a meeting about that and therefore we had to stop that. I'm not talking about the one student, >> right? Still, I'm just saying. But if if I told Bagley, I see your phone, bring it up here and put it right here. Um, that was there was some kind of problem with that at one particular point in time. I don't know if that's still clear now. I don't know the context of that. >> I think the contents of that was somebody had a basket and everybody was dropping their cell phones in there, the whole flax. Okay. What was told to us, >> why do they have to

082wait on administrator? Why can't they just get it right up the office? I mean, why they sitting there waiting on the administrator? Can they not have a right up and just be sent to the office or administrator always go straight where they supposed to go and sometimes by time they get to the office the phone's not with them. Um, and I can speak for that for 20 something years as school administrator. I mean, I don't heard of them. >> All right. >> Or is in a place where you can't get to. >> So, what do you think the consequence should be, Mr.? >> So, I think that at this point in time that the warnings are daily announcements each day. If your phone is seen, it will be confiscated and be parent pickup. >> So

083that we just kind of make it clear across the board and we and we we need some time frame and we make it >> second semester the first date of that so we can communicate it every day. So no mother, father, grandmama, granny, auntie, uncle can say they don't know because we've had a communication campaign. We've also had teachers the opportunity to teach what the new routines in the classroom are because they're not going to be able to use that for Gizmo, kit, some of the Cahoot, those kinds of things. And this is also going to make us have to take another look at our onetoone because some teachers have used the cell phone because it's easier versus the Chromebook. >> Okay. >> And so it gives us some time to really communicate and hash

084out the plan. >> All right. >> Everybody, >> this is one you got to separate. You got to just kind of separate because we once you start giving chances the teacher going to give two chances they going to give one. This is announcements. It's not the >> that's my recommendation. >> So what's the second >> second uh consequence? We have so after the consequence you start looking at um more disciplinary action as far as up to three to five days. You know those pieces >> I think we need to list all that out when we send it home. First time you compensate your phone and parent comes and gets it. second time is three-day suspension and your parents still come and get it. >> I I I can't recite what the middle school is off

085top of my head. So, I know the high school pretty well, but it's got but with K8, I don't know what the elementary one is. So, I don't want to speak on that. >> What I'm saying is we're revising it. So, it can be whatever we want it to be right now. >> Correct. >> Whatever we approve right now can be the >> Yes. If if if it's going to be seized, whether it's teacher administrator, they need to do this. Sounds stupid, I know, but you think about the movies and the police shows and stuff. You stick it in an envelope. You inventory it. It's they have to keep it in a safe place. You'll sign for it when you come and pick it up and >> they'll disclose here's your cell phone. It is

086as it was seized. It's in working order. Cut it on, look at it, and hand it back to them. But but it it's going to be real important that the staff administrators do keep it safe and do have that acknowledgement because even if the the fund is returned safe, you hand it to them here, take it home, we hand to the parents, they go home, you know, somebody drops or breaks it intentionally just all the schools cause the school system problems. I mean I I just you don't put anything past >> we we can sit here all night. >> Yeah. And everybody have a different opinion. If you didn't have cell phones at all, you would have had a problem. >> And we can't cover every every little iota. And we need to realize that

087>> it's going to be a change for everybody. Anything we do, anything we do, they going to they going to pick it out. But what happens to this and what happened to that? But whatever we recommend for January one, that's what we're going to go with. All right. Now let Matthew know on January one for January one. Do you need to have the consequences in there? >> We just have to talk about how we take up the devices. No. >> Okay. That's what I want to know. We can work on that. >> Yeah. We have time for the consequences, but we can't communicate it until we know what are. >> I got you. >> So we'll meet again before next semester. So all of these needs to be ironed out tonight. >> The second semester

088January 20. So we meet before the second semester. >> January 22. >> You're not saying when they come back for Christmas. You're >> No, I'm talking about the beginning of the second semester. >> Okay. >> So we got time for another. >> We got another meeting. >> That's fine. >> That's why we're getting there. >> Yeah. Second semester, which is mean third quarter. >> Got it. Can we move with the what? Can you read? >> What I want you to do is read what you want to be for a motion and then a board member can make that motion of what you read. All right. Okay. So, the motion read that I move that we have the wireless communication policy grades K through eight. No cell phones, no earbuds, smart glasses, beats, headphones. They are

089powered off out of sight to become effective the first day of the second semester, which is January 22nd. 23rd. Let me see. You said >> 22nd. Yes. >> 22 >> with the exceptions of students who have to have it for medical reasons >> and what was the other one >> IEP >> and have if if it's in their IEP or that 504 play. >> Okay. >> Which we will have school documentation to cover that. >> All right. >> Where are you changing it in the policy? So I because I've got to let lady at the school board know >> really add >> what' you say >> what part in the policy are you adding that to so I know where to tell I don't exactly know where >> so let me find the school board

090>> right the authorized use >> above that where it says cellular phones and other wireless communication add it to the change the whole thing. >> Yeah. In there it says middle school students can use their cell phones during assigned lunch. >> We have to take that out. >> We'll add all that in there. >> But you're leaving what the school board recommended >> in regards to medical exemption >> authorized use. Yeah. >> Yes. That's because required by their IEP section 504 or master students healthcare and according to document medical condition. We're leaving that. >> So that's because we've got we hadn't approved that yet either. >> Right. Right. >> Correct. In addition to >> We also need to remove that part where it says elementary students who participate in after school programs on campus are

091prohibited from using wireless communications because this is just a bailto bail program. >> So we're done doing the instructional day. >> Correct. Okay. Now you hear what Mr. Stokes read the motion. Boy wants to make that motion. Mr. Smith makes a motion. is not your second. Any discussion on that? Other discussion? If not, all in favor of that motion, raise your I'm sorry. >> Y'all wave in the first read. If not, it's got to come back. >> It's going to be No, this is wave because it's got to be there by January 1. >> You got to say that. >> Got to be there January one. >> Put in your motion that you wave first. >> Okay. All right. No more discussion. All in favor of that motion, raise your hand. Oppose. Motion's carried. Uh

0926 to one be. Thank you. All right. Next item, new business, consent agenda. Uh we have two items, transfer and undergraduates. Is there a motion to accept the consent agenda? Mr. Miller makes a motion. Is there a second? Smith. Any discussion? If not, all in favor raise your hand. Opposed? Motion's carried. Thank you. Uh number two, use of the civic center. This has come up before. Uh just give you a little background on that. Uh there was a letter written uh by a citizen about the civic center. They used to use it a long time ago. And the uh I have no problem I told I'd bring it up and I I have no problem making the motion just to give you clarity. The motion would be to wave the rental fee for two days

093which would be Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but they would be responsible for paying the custodian fee like anybody else would the hourly rate etc. Uh, I'll make the motion that we wave that we allow the American Legion to use the Cas County Civic Center for Memorial Day and Veterans Day to wave the rental fee, but they would be responsible for paying the custodial fee. Mr. L second that motion and discussion on that. >> Yes. >> I guess I want a clear understanding. So, are we going to mark off the dates for them? >> Yes, because there'll be holidays anyway. Nobody will be in school. Well, Memorial Day sometime conflicts with the dance, right? >> No, they come after that. >> The biggest issue I guess is if you have it, if you got a

094custodian that's willing to work, >> well, that's the only problem you're going to run into. Okay. >> Any other discussion on that motion? If not, all in favor of the motion, raise your hand. Opposed? Motion's carried. Thank you very much. Item number three, read to achieve summer learning program. It be >> good evening board members. I am bringing to you a um proposal. I'm trying to get a little bit ahead this year. So um this is earlier than I typically bring this to you. Um but do want to ask your consideration for a change um in the way that reading camp has been structured. So um as you can recall, we had a change last year. The first year that I was here in the 23 24 school year, it was more of a summer

095learning program that encompassed grades K through 12 in some capacity. Um that obviously did not lend the success that we saw um or that we were hoping to see. So last year that was scaled down um and we did um have our camp just follow protocol which is required by state law for read to achieve which is grades one through three. Last year, if you can recall, it was held in July, four weeks of July. Um, this year, I actually attended a um OEL meeting with NCDPI and they had other districts share um the way that they are holding camp in an effort to save money um and still be in compliance with what the state requires. So, that's what I'm bringing to you tonight. It's just a change um in the way that summer

096camp is structured. So, if you see down at the bottom the logistics, um the biggest change would be the shift in dates. So, what I'm proposing is that um and this is as if we were on a 4W week summer schedule at that point, but it could be modified to the five-day week if that was not approved by the board. Um but that would be a three-week camp. So, I actually extended the instructional day by 30 minutes um as compared to last year. Um, and it actually reduced the number of days that are required. So, we went from a four-week camp down to a three-week camp. Um, and I'm also asking for the camp to be held immediately after the Monday, beginning the Monday, immediately after the required work days. Um, um, the staff gave

097feedback that we have a really difficult time getting students to come back to camp in July. Um, we feel like holding it right after those work days and giving families advanced notice, which is why I'm bringing this to you in December because I would go ahead and notify families of these dates in January, um, if their child were eligible. Um, but holding the camp right after the work days would give continuity for our staff. It would give continuity for the students. Families would have um, months to prepare in advance if they have trips and things planned. It would also lend to allow our staff, our custodial staff to have time to get in of the building that we hold summer camp in to actually complete the summer work that's needed. Um, and then obviously the

098reduction of one week um was a huge savings to the district. So, what I'm asking tonight is that you approve the logistics that I have proposed, um, which would be a shift for camp to be held immediately after the required work days in June for 3 weeks instead of four. And the site is, um, Oakwood is what I've listed this year. So, I'd be glad to answer any questions. There are no other changes to the program itself. It will still be grades one, two, and three. Um, and I still would project about the same number of staff. Last year I had s seven certified staff members so seven classrooms operational. >> Mus I had one question on the timeline in March you said that uh staff survey >> and feedback from principles etc. >> Uh

099from what you did last year did you have more staff to apply that you >> I did. I had a tremendous um amount of staff last year. I actually had to go all the way down to EVOS data and select the most um highly qualified effective teachers um to lead camp. Okay. I had no difficulties and that was a really great um we had really great feedback last year. I had no difficulty securing staff. >> All right. >> Any other question? >> So we're looking at the payroll piece, the dollar amount. So like the sitebased curriculum lead is that just somebody we assigned to run it? >> It is. Um and that's um last year I used a teacher leader instead of an administrator which was a significant cost um solution for us. Um and

100that person oversees just the daily operations. They handle also handle discipline if any of that comes up at summer reading camp. They support transportation. They really serve as the design during camp. >> So I guess my question is on a couple of these positions. So all our APs are 11 months. >> We have used a middle school or high school AP to run Sure. summer school that takes that away. Then we have an 11month nurse. This would be in that time frame and all our data managers are 12 months. Um >> which could we possibly use those people and clear up some of these dollars? >> I'd be I'd be glad to modify it. Sure. Absolutely. If that was a concession that I needed to make in order to have some continuity for those dates,

101I would be glad to do that. >> No, I was just asking because we've never done it this early. Doing it this early. Um >> still people >> these people are still on the clock being paid anyway. So if we move them over to help with this, it frees up some to help with this, it frees up some funding. >> Absolutely. >> And that was really the purpose. Um I actually got this idea from Rockingham County Schools. They did this. They actually over overlapped their required work days last year. So they had staff who worked for four required work days working in camp. So if we move them over working in camp. um I didn't want to go to that extreme, but um did want to move um the dates up and um we can

102actually increase the instructional day just a tiny little bit and get in right before the Fourth of July, which would be really great for my department specifically to use July to prepare and to hold professional development and things like that to prepare for the next school year. >> All right. >> Have you chosen the scientist? >> Well, I went with what you all would I figured what you all would suggest. So, I put Oakwood. I did have a conversation with Mr. Stokes about um obviously the grant that's been awarded to Oakwood. So I would be open to suggestions. I would love it to be an elementary school just based on logistics. It makes it quite easier and more accommodating for the students, but I'd be glad to hold it wherever the board suggests. >> Well,

103would that will depend on what >> So this summer for the newspaper, I do not believe it will be a conflict with elementary for this summer. Next summer maybe a different conversation. >> Okay. >> Question. >> No. So offer a motion. >> Okay. >> I offer a motion to approve as presented. >> Second. Miss Smith. Any discussion? All in favor? Raise your hand. Oppos 7 bill. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> All right. Number four. RFP for special education service. >> Yes. So, uh, the SE director is seeking to is supposed to establish pre-qualified service for the district for applied behavior analysis known as ABA services. Um, we have some families within our district that already have ABA services. And however, in order for us to partner, we have to put out the

104request for proposal so that it doesn't appear that we're picking one because there's already a particular preference. So this is just a request for proposal for special service for applied behavior analysis services. I mean you can see this just for us to post it and we get that back and we bring it back to the board for approval >> questions about that about it. >> Yes. >> We offering this service right now. >> We're currently we are not. So, uh it has been a request for us to exploit apply ABA analysis um services because we have some families who have ABA services through their own means and so therefore it's difficult because if we go with theirs it may jeopardize our bidding process those we may put ourselves in a uncom situation. So in order

105for us to see who would like to help partner with C County schools for ABS applied behavior analysis, we were asking for this request for proposal for special education services. >> Okay. >> Go ahead. >> Does a kid have to file under IEP or 504 to qualify for these services? >> This is a student within a current IEP. >> There are certain spec there are certain I'm not guru, but there are certain things that must be in place for a private behavior service. Any other questions? >> If not, is there a motion to approve the one? Go >> ahead. >> So, as far as um the cost of this, how how will we pay for this? >> So, this can be funded by our um our Medicaid reimburseable. So, it that fund I get it's

106fund one, two, three. Which one is it? Fund two. Um well, we get to Medicaid reimbursements. That is there's funds there that will be able to do so. So it should not require us to use um any additional funds and there are some funds allocated through this children. >> Okay. Between those two funding sources, we should be able to provide this if that's the pleasure of the board. Any other questions? If not, is there a motion to approve the request? M uh second black. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor of raise your hand. Post motion carries 70. Thank you. Uh resolution Mr. Love >> resolution in memorial and appreciation of the life of Susan Jenkins Hammock. Whereas Susan Jenkins Hammock was born on July 25th, 1951 and resided in Yansville, North Carolina until

107the time of her death on September 22nd, 2025. And whereas Susan Hammock was a faithful and loving daughter, wife, mother, sister, and friend. and her family's welfare was her major and constant concern. >> Nobody go ahead. >> And where Susan Hammock graduated from Appalachian State University and where Susan Hammock worked for Caswell County Schools as a librarian for many years until her retirement and where Susan Hammock was a member of Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. She enjoyed traveling, reading, and loved her many pets throughout her lifetime. And now, therefore, let it be resolved that the Casle County Board of Education wishes to honor the memory of Susan Hammock and express its sympathy to her family by causing a copy of this resolution to be spread upon the official minutes of the board of education and a

108copy forward to the family this 15th day of December 2025. There motion to approve the resolution be Smith second. Any discussion and all in favor raise your hand. Item number six weather codes. Well, we have had the pleasure of working through our inclement weather uh procedures for staff and so it is my understanding that um code there need to be some discussion regarding code e remote learning. Um as you know the state of North Carolina um we've applied for gives us five instructional days that are remote learning. We have to define what remote learning looks like, feels like, sounds like. But I know that given some of the challenges within our county far as equitable access, as far as um getting devices to home to all students, um what what is the quality of that

109instruction? Uh what's the feedback when students are doing that remote learning? How does it impact grading? There are still seems to be a good number of things that need to be fleshed out in the case that we must have a remote learning day. It has been our approach this year to use that at a last resort um once we've exhausted our other days and time, but would like to get some feedback from the board regarding the remote learning day option because this is when students do not report to school. So, um there's there's a good number of staff that do not um live within our county. And so, some of the thought process is how do you if it's not safe for buses and staff to drive to school, we may be putting staff in

110another situation. Um but we just need to define what the the remote learning um instructional day looks like because it's my understanding this hasn't been revisited since probably January of last year. And there are some some input and feedback we need. So for example at elementary level do we already have the package ready and send because to send devices home at elementary level that will that there's some preparation to that. Also when you start sending more devices the greater the probability of some damages things that sort happen to them. Also the access to internet the access to high quality internet um who's with the student. Um there's there's a lot of that need to be kind of fleshed out with the remote learning and I'm not quite sure um what's the pleasure of the board

111in regards our position regarding remote learning. We have applied for the five days from NCDPI and have been granted the five days from NCDPI because there are some districts in North Carolina that did not they didn't submit it so they don't have remote learning as an option what we did just to have and possibly not need versus the need and don't have. All right. So, we're looking we're seeking feedback on code E for remote learning today. >> All right. So, the high school, middle school, they already have their devices because they have their day >> in theory. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Um, one of my biggest thing was I know last time we had some remote days. Some of the kids would get online and the teacher would never be on there. So, how can

112we fix that? So I think that it would be important that if we saw because for example you have some teachers who live in Caswell County who do not have home internet access they don't have quality and access I know of three at the high school that are still there. So we had the option at one point time staff was reporting to the building but if the building is out of power how do we do the remote learning um because remote learning is not necessarily the best modality of of teaching and learning we know it it cannot supplant or replace what happens on a given day in front of a live teacher with interaction but it gives us an option to protect the integrity of the instructional days in the calendars. So a remote date

113for elementary could be a packet that has been sent home direction those kind of things and then there's feedback. Um we are able to do those kind of things. We have to decide do we want to send devices home with the elementary students because that requires um it may require some financial things but I'm not quite sure we have enough chargers to keep at the school as well as send home. Um, and you know that that those chargers plug in everything now. So those chargers up to charge those cells phone. They don't always come back. And so there's a inventory component as devices are being dropped or damaged. That's a device that's a concern. So the real the real question for that I have is talk with my staff K5 needs to kind of determine

114pre-K through 5 what does remote learning look like at that age level because that is a very difficult and wide range of um maturity for students to do their work because you don't know who's at home with the child. You don't know if the child's at home that they you just don't know. So there's a lot of factors we cannot control but the remote learning option um we have it to where we can do packets we can do things via some of the u Google classroom Google meet uh zoom we have in our approved plan those options I believe I sent that plan to you guys in a uh in in update sometime so you can see all the options we have which qualifies us to use that time the question comes in is it

115something that we really want to utilize iz because there may come a time where we have to use remote learning days and you know it's my position that we exhaust other options before using remote learning days because those aren't the highest quality of instructional days. So I turn over to >> continue. So, I personally like the pack kit like you said because for elementary, >> right? >> Okay. Coming on down. >> I definitely got some phone calls from some teachers that wanted to be able to operate remote learning. >> Okay. My preference, I don't like remote days. I'm just being honest with you because it's not 100%. It was a neighboring school system last week where the elementary and middle you get it right >> went to school and the high school did remote and

116I said that's kind of different but they did is everybody in place for remote when you do remote day and what I mean by that is if y'all been riding around Caswell lately there's about five companies is I think I went to a meeting where they are doing the internet this past week. A company was on 86. They was on my road. Everybody does not have sufficient internet service in Casper County. If you deal down in Milton some more area, you're a bad Hey, that's just a fact of life. And are all staff members going to be on board to be where they supposed to be to do what they're supposed to do for remote? That's a yes or no. You decide which one you want to choose. Uh first, I would like for the

117remote day to be the last option. It's easy to say remote, but what are you doing on that remote day? And that's my opinion. Use it as a last option. Miss >> something with Miss B. I think the packet works great in elementary because parents can have they have they may be at work with the parent if it's a bad snow. You don't know. >> You know the problem with remote and middle and high school is a complaint that we got last year is you know five minutes teachers on there five minutes then they're off. >> Baby's crying. I mean they got the same problem. they got to figure out their daycare situation >> and all that. So, you know, some teachers just put it, I guess, in Canvas, if I'm speaking right, and then

118the student can go in there and do the assignment, >> right? >> And so, you know, this board decided right when I come on that we were not going to have any more remote working for any employee that the employees would report to work. Now, the remote days gets us by on the calendar where students can do assignments. So, it was my impression that's what we were going to do. If if a teacher could come into the classroom and physically be there to teach remote, that was okay. Or it was going to be put on Canvas or send a packet home. But, you know, if a teacher's only teaching five or 10 minutes and then they're out and about or gone, I mean, really not. And then how is that fair to the other employees

119that have tried to drive to work to get their time in? um they got to be here to keep the school system running. I mean, it's a catch 22. So, it's unfair, I think, to allow some of your employees to be remote and some of them not to be remote. I think if you get to work, that's fine. If you can't, that's fine. If you put the assignments on the night before, then everybody's got something to do. And I don't think there's a battle. I think, you know, it has to be a a last resort. The other thing is I think when you scatter them out, it helps, >> right? In other words, you take a work dayto day and then you may take a remote day. One thing we have done in the past

120is had like three remote days and that don't work right. It just it don't work. So um you know >> I just think you know the packets are good for the elementary something you know that they'll be able to of course we speaking on a school level sometimes you don't get the package back so it's like well what did they do during the remote day I mean but I think it should be an option but I do remember that you know people can come, they'll come. But >> you know something funny? One of those days where I went by school ain't nobody there. Nobody. And I'm asking myself why. And having been in the system, I know how that works out. But nobody was at this school. Nobody. is back. >> You say I mean

121what what plan were they on the remote learning plan? >> It's optional work day. >> The optional work day one came. Um I just think that uh since we've already gotten the five days approved in case we need them that it just depends on how the weather what happens with the weather and if we have to go to it then it's an option there. So I just we need to keep it in as an option but I do agree that it needs to be fair. I don't want to have driven in to a school to get on remote and someone stays at home and come in five minutes and we both get to count today. So it needs to be fair as long as it can be done fairly. >> Yes. When I was in

122Oakland, one of the teachers asked me about the moment days I told you I wasn't sure at this point. I guess I told them they were was an option but I guess you know In addition to that, she was asking, I guess almost now I guess with the our school days at the elementary school level or longer and the fact that they're working more hours within the month, week pay period, whatever the case might be. How does that factor in for situations like um delayed openings or a remote day, that type thing? Do they get um since they're working more hours within a pay period or a day, do they have to take a whole eight hours if they miss a day and they decided to come in because of the optional day and they

123choose not to come in. And since their work week in a sense has more minutes, hours in it now than it did prior to this school year, would they have to use a full eight hours or could they only use three hours or whatever? You know, that difference is from what the work day was last year opposed to this year. >> So that's a loaded question. >> It is. And and I was going to say it's probably some of the something share with the principles and then I guess I need to go back relating that to that staff. Here is one of the things that I've kind of looked in in my review. If you look at our inclement weather policy and then if you look at our policy 7550, it talks about absences due

124to inclement weather. It says on the day when school is council for students but day is declared an optional work day for staff employees have the following options. Report to work taking an incur annual vacation leave day. Take an accured personal leave day teachers only. Take leave without pay. Use compensatory time leave if already accumulated or make up the day at the assigned at the time agree department by the employee and the employees principal will immediate supervisor and for teachers. So that's that's a policy but in our inclement weather um some of the language make up time and the time frame is different. So it's there's almost a conflict there that we kind of need to hash out because depending on what you read and how you comprehend it one can walk away one person

125can walk away reading both things differently. So to stick to your main question, if a staff member chose a school is counselor because of of as optional work day, they have those options, but our classified staff pretty much catch the brunt of of the in weather day. And you know, it it tears my heart that our least um our essential employees who are lower on the pay scale have fewer options and they don't have the option to make up the time. And so therefore that makes that >> um living condition could be called a hardship. So I just want to kind of clear some things up. So my first piece is um I can get back to your part about that day but I want to keep a focus on the remote learning day. Right

126now in the instrument weather procedures for staff. It says certified employees should report to work when they feel safe to do so. Teachers whose roles are performed remotely may also work from home only on remote learnings for students during regular hours using school approved platforms for reporting and communication. Employees will need to use their time or annual leave to compensate for time lost in 1-hour increments if they cannot report to work either in person or remotely. The biggest piece is how do we monitor that? Because what I'm hearing is the sins of a few are being displayed on all. So therefore, if we had a teacher who got there for one minute, we know who the teacher is. We need to talk with that teacher and and deal with that. Say, you no longer have

127the option to work remotely because you didn't you're not following our remote guidelines because you have some people that are working really well, doing a great job, being on there all day documenting those pieces. Now they they're doing what they're supposed to do from home and one person over here messing up for the for the likes of law. I'm just using as an example. If it's the board's pleasure that we use this at the lab result, that's fine for me. I just need clarity on what the what the instruction looks like. Is it packets for K5? Is it devices? Because middle school and high school, most classrooms have the most everybody has the option of using Canvas um and um Canvas for their platform, the LMS. The concern comes is that I'm not sure all

128people have it up and running. So for the high school sometimes it's easier for them to upload assignments on Canvas. It's e a remote day is easier for the high school because they already use that kind of platform because it's more difficult for our middle school and it's exceptionally difficult for our elementary. So if our elements does packets, we would need to be able to send the packet home prior to if we have that option for the remote learning day because we don't know how the weather's going to be. Now what scares me is right before we return back in January that you know we get you know 10 inches of snow. Well I can't call remote day because we don't have we haven't prepared them then to do things for remote day. >> So

129but we have time in our calendar that we still have I think we're down to 3.1 days remaining. Um for we need we will have to use remote learning days. Okay. Cuz we've used up we used we had 6 point almost six and a half >> 6.3. So we have a few more days before we have to either extend some early days longer change some days because we because we had we have the cattle committee and this board did a great job of banking more hours so we have more options than we may have been in last school year. So we have more time now. If we get a foot of snow in Caswell County, you know, it's gonna stay around here for a while. So, we may be appointed by in that case, we

130may qualify for some kind of forgiveness. But the question come down is with this current income weather procedure for staff. Do we don't do you want them to work from home or not? That's the first part. I need I need clarity. Hold on. >> You had a question. Well, the board did away and took completed out of the policy remote working for any employee. We decided no employee was going to be able to work from home. This got typed up without board approval. This is not part of our policy and was never approved by this board to do this. >> Okay. >> So, the last thing the board said is no more remote working for any staff member. Just because we got a remote day, I don't think the staff member either works or don't

131work. I mean, it would be the same if they had to report to work. So, I don't understand how we're getting back into this when we took it out of the policy all together. >> Well, >> I know you inherited I know. >> I'm just trying to clean it. I mean, I just want to try to clean it up. >> But, I mean, I think we still use remote days, but the staff needs to come to work. If they don't come to work, they need to have the assignment posted in there for the student. >> I give you another caveat to that. That piece you read, that last little piece about making up the time, that's that's state law, >> right? >> You have to do that. >> Yeah. >> Uh I've known people, different

132people look at snow and ice a different way. I'm scared. I don't go. But if you want to get paid, you got to make that time up. Okay. So Joel is right about the remote. Like I said in the beginning, I don't believe in remote days. But there comes a time I think co taught us something with that in terms of what you have to offer and there's no need for me to say well I'm going to do it and then Joy stays home and don't do nothing or vice stays home but I'm going to do remote or I ain't going. See we need to be clear on that. Now it's your call you know that >> but I want you to do the pleasure of the board in terms of that. Like I said

133remote to me is the last resort. Even though the state say hey you get five days they gonna mean you got because see some system do it automatic >> some do >> and first thing you hear auto remote day what does that actually mean is everybody doing what they supposed to do >> now I have received what a remote day and the requirements are for Rockingham County Alamance Burlington I've gotten I have to ask those superintendent what is what is your structure no need us rebuilding a mousetrap if there's already a good mousetrap out there uh we have that information but I I just didn't know because what I was comprehending is we don't want to do remote that means folk come to work or take a day and take a time right so the

134question comes is if we're remote and the staff member says they're not working that mean they don't post work up right because they're not working >> so it's hard to say put this work up and then decide not to work >> that that's I'm going to take that's where it's going to go. I mean, just as short as the nose of my face, that is where it's going to go because okay, fine. Remote day. I'll take a day because it's my time. I'll take a day without fail. But then you got kids in one class that no teacher post anything >> which will become problematic. That's right. >> You see what I'm saying? And so that that's the part I'm trying to help get some clarity. I get it. It's a hard call and remote

135learning day is not our strongest instructional day. However, to protect the integrity of some kind of thing, we if we're forced to do it, I wouldn't say we got to do it. But it's not our first go to. It's our last resort. But if it is our last resort, what does it look like? Packets for elementary. Is it packets for middle school as well? because you know but in order to do that we have to be ready because you know we can't forecast the weather in February January because you know it's 12 degrees a day it'll be 60 Friday you understand where I'm coming from >> so what I I I get what I'm hearing is staff need to come to work on remote days that's what that's that's an opinion I'm hearing >> you

136think on that >> well I don't have an issue with using the remote days. I think we're crazy not to do them. The state gives you five of them, >> right? >> And I already I mean the staff's upset because they got their they're ready to go at the high school and they have been set free to go and I had got an issue if somebody can't get to work. This was all we did this after I don't know after um what year did we change it to no remote? What do we do it for? It was after COVID and everything and >> we had a ton of people just No, I ain't working. I'm working home. >> But see, for me, if you posting this stuff, you're still working even if you're not in

137the the building for eight hours. That's the only thing, you know. I just hate to know that we've already used three days and it's just, you know, it's not even the end of December yet. And if state gives you five free days, I'd use the five free days. But that's just my thought. >> All right. I thought at one point we had a general idea of the students who didn't have internet access and we as teachers would keep back it on hand for possible remote day so that those kids could receive it and then we posted um information online if we could for the ones that did didn't have access. But to me remote doesn't necessarily mean you have to be sitting online with your kids. You could be doing something at home, you know,

138to assist them if you so feel. If I get online and I teach for 15 minutes, I've done my lesson for that day and I'm expecting my kids to go back home, go offline, and go do it. >> Right. >> 15 minutes is long enough. >> And you expect to be paid for that day. >> Exactly. >> Okay. >> You don't teach for 30 minutes and expect kids to listen to you. >> All right. So let me just kind of walk back co and walk back what it felt like at the school level as we kind of went through. All right. So during co we had a log we had to do each week. Talk about your time kind of pieces for remote time to justify that day. Now, if we did a full remote

139day, we could create a log that would have to justify and be checked that it's work. But there's still the absence of what happens to our people who can't work remotely. You know, your teacher assistants, bus drivers, those things um will be hurt. But for instruction purposes again, we will use remote learning as our last option because that because of the factors we have, but if if it's a bad ice storm and powered out, >> you know, we we now we close the school day, part say we got to pick another day. >> So that's why we stuck with the optional days because we're still within our hours. All right. Now, we only have three point one of those left before we start looking at extend to make these days long, you know, four days

140those pieces. But I just here's what I have. An event remote learn day is called student not report to school. We are in agreeance with that part. Certified employees should report to work when they feel it's safe. >> Well, let me ask a question. You said you talked to Alamance Rockingham. what are they doing and h you know how does it become fair because I understand what Miss McGee is saying they're working on it but we had issu we had cases last year where teachers didn't put their they said they were working remote they didn't put anything online they didn't get on with their kids didn't do anything and then >> we're in a little better shape this we're in a lot better shape this year we don't have all the subs but that was

141a big problem because we had a ton of subs and they couldn't get on and put the work on >> correct >> um so it just wasn't It wasn't a good thing. So I think that's why we all got most of us and then you had people complaining, you know, Lance got to work from home, but I had to come to work because I'm paid different, >> right? >> You know, and I just wanted to be the feel to be right. You can't let everybody work remote because what does, you know, what does a custodian how do they work remote? You know, how does how does some people can't do their job working remote? You know, what does a TA do if they're working remote? What does that look like? >> You know, I just

142want it to be right. And and that's the kind of things we got as board members, I guess, that put a bad taste in our mouth. Now, if we have confidence that our teachers are going to do the right thing and act the right way and really do the lesson. >> So, for example, Rockingham County uh and some other districts, they teachers had to make a certain city school, but they they have a certain packet for day one of remote. Um if the if the day before the school if the weather if we were to go back to the first day we were out of school that day that day was in school was the day of preparation for the remote day. So schools were working on getting the pack together sending with kids were

143able to communicate those pieces and in the communication we sent out tomorrow will be a remote day. your child had a packet about ABCD, office hours at this time, checking the time that those kind of pieces because you don't know until the weather falls from the sky. Now, it's different if we out of school and let's say on the weekend this big storm comes and we don't have time to prepare for the remote day. But if power is out for schools, this power somebody's house too, so they can't access it. But a packet doesn't need power. Well, it needs brain power, but it doesn't need, you know, electricity, that kind of thing. Because we've talked about making a plug and play while we we upload videos, those kind of things so that everything's pre-recorded, so

144you don't have to use internet. We talked about using flash drives where all that take the flash drive, put in, but that requires assisting the device home. You know, it's easier for your older students and is much more complex. You know, remote day for a prek baby, bless their heart. you know what does that look like, feel like, sound like, you know, you know, and it's not gonna be six hours of instruction. So, I think the biggest piece is we we may have staff that will feel some kind of way somebody reached out to you. I think you said that I'm tired of us always having to risk our lives sliding down the road and we're already at least paid A, B, C, and D. I mean, but see, the law covers them. >> Correct.

145It does. They have to make up that time. >> Correct. >> I had a lady one time had missed seven days. Seven. >> In order to get paid up, >> she had to make it up at the end of the year because they don't have no annual lead. They But they can still protect the annual lead. They can protect their sick leave, but the law protects the certified people. It also protects the cert uncertified people. It does. >> So that's caveat. All right. B. >> Okay, I understand what you just said on that about making up your time, but the way I read this, if you don't make it up within that week, >> this is worded wrong, >> right? So, this >> Okay, >> I it was my understanding that this had been approved

146and vetted no kind of piece. I found that that is not necessarily the case. >> Okay. >> So, let me put that out there because >> now what he read was correct. >> Now, now pause 7550 is >> right. >> Does that say anybody can make up their time? Anybody >> should the end of the year pay period. >> Employees have the following options. For teachers and other employees who are classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a day missed because they must be made up within the current school year and on the day when the employee supervisor promptly is normally at work. Makeup days for non-certified employees will be scheduled with their supervisor to avoid the use of overtime. If a day missed due to weather is not made up, the employee

147would be considered absent without pay unless the employee arranges to substitute an annual leave or personal day for the day miss. When the school system is closed to staff and students due to inclement weather, a makeup day will be announced utilizing school calendar. So if we close it for staff and students, we then have to look at an optional work day or work day that we already had to make that a student day. It has to be a mutual agree between the supervisor and the staff member. And like the case I gave, it was after everybody had gone home. School was closed. You see? >> So you're saying they don't have to do it in the same pay? >> No. This is where it wrong. >> So if if if Connie doesn't come to work

148because of the snow, she has to make it up in that pay period by the end of the year. >> End of the year because Connie, she's a 12 month employee. for anybody. But if I don't make it up, that >> That's true. >> That's the law. >> You can't make it up. >> That's what I'm saying. Cuz you're a 12-month employee. >> So there's no way to make it up. >> No. What I'm talking about is teacher assistants, custodians who don't work 12 months. >> Yeah. But if I'm if I didn't come in last week and I can't make that time up that Friday that we missed, if I don't have something to put in, I will not get paid for today. That's a fact. >> You can either take sick leave or annual

149leave or comp time. >> Make it up any other time though. >> No, you got sick leave, you got annual leave, and you got comp time, >> right? Those are your three choices. If you don't take none of it, you don't get paid. >> That's common. I mean, that that's that's common knowledge there. >> But if she was 10 months, she'll better make it up. >> There you go. >> Teacher assistants, custodians, secretaries that don't work 12 months. Like I said, I had a lady that had to make up seven days. We had a bad weapon. That >> But by law, she was protected. >> It's hardest for our cafeteria and our bus driver. >> Th those are the hardest. >> NTA. >> Yeah. >> So, I got another question. So, I thought by calendar

150law and we've always done it that if we take a work day, we have to pull a work day. >> So, so we've taken two, three. So, do we pull them from the end of the year because they have to be pulled from somewhere? >> No. So, I'm gonna give you a history lesson. >> Okay. All right. The counter law states because I brought the man because I knew this question coming. Count law states either we go by days or we go by hours. >> So 1025 is the number of hours. 1,25 hours numbers we must have. All right. We've got bank and exit. We can go. The only time we will have to start it. We made an optional work day and we were under the 1025, we would have to add a day

151or extend a school day. So it used to be if you had 180 student days, you stopped a day for that student. You had to find another day to keep your 180 days. You follow me so far? So now our instructional day is six hours. >> You can take out transitions, take out lunch, take all that. There are six instructional hours make a day. So when we had optional the past we've lost 18 instructional hours. So we subtract that from the bank hours we have to give us what we have remaining. >> Right. >> Okay. Once we go below the 1025, we have to start looking at either extending the school day, changing an early release day to a full day to get the hours or changing an optional work day to a student day

152to keep us at 10:25 or higher. >> And we did that one year board members uh >> I think you did it last year when y'all had to add some time to >> and uh that got us out of the woods. So, we're not obligated to have to adjust our calendar and send it back to DPI every time we miss a day because we've got banked hours. >> That's correct. >> Yeah. >> Once we go under the banked hours, now we was a district decided we're going to go 185 days. 185 days. This is what we have to have. If we lose the student date, then we got to find another day. So, for years, we kind of off students had to have be in school how many days? 180 days. that that that's an

153ingrained in people's mind. >> Years ago, there was not a choice you have to do only dates, >> right? Yeah. >> But from a few years now, you can do hours. >> So, with our calendar having 10 1,025 hours, we can make additional work days as long as we have not gone under the threshold of 1,025 hours. Now, I was questioned on it. So, I called DBI. I don't read the manual three times. I called uh six superintendents. You know, I I just want to make sure because I know this is a change and so sometimes changes are difficult. So I wanted to make sure cuz I was one time said I'm questioning myself. I said now I know I read this but it goes against what I've been used to. >> So the 1025

154is what? So that's why we make a calendar to give us back time so we can lose time. >> Okay. >> And and and the board's question we can show you how many hours we got left in the school year every day. And we also because that's why we used to make an option to work back. So it because when you when you close school that makes bases up the employee work day an employee has to work because we don't give an option to work. So that's when we have to change later. That's what part 7550 says. Okay. >> Anybody else? >> Yes. >> You need to make something the conversation I hear with Dr. Oakwood and she said several teachers have asked >> everybody's confused. >> Yes. I think that really needs to be

155put out there and explained to them because like I said, they thinking they working all these extra hours and getting paid for these extra hours and I guess know and I told her I know the bank hours was going to help us not having to make up days at this point blah blah blah that kind of thing. But I think that really need to be explained and expressed to them so that it will take that doubt and confusion out and they're working all these extra hours and not getting paid. >> Correct. And I can tell you what what happened is we pushed this out to staff because that's what was mind was what was the thing. So I pushed out the principal way back in October to say make sure your staff understand this up

156and know to me that >> a lot of them don't know. >> Well that that that there's a confusion. So that's why I wanted to get on the agenda because we got to clear this up because I don't want any more confusion regarding the matter. But as long as we are at 1,025 hours or more, we do not need to make up student day. >> Well, the only other thing I would say is that I that's good. I mean, that that answers that question, but we build in all this time. We also need to be careful because we're hurting our bus drivers and our cafeteria workers because now we can take six days that they don't get paid for uh before we do any trading. So, it's crippling them when we do it because they

157don't have a way to come and make that time up. >> Right. You're right. >> Anybody else? >> Okay. So, you got direction. >> Um, I'm back for some clarity. >> Well, it's still your call, >> right? So, my understanding is what I would like for the staff to do is to bring to the board what remote learning day will look like at each level so that you have an understanding of that. Okay. Let us also have the opportunity to um get some feedback from staff because I have teacher advisor council this week as well because I know it is very disheartening for staff that they see all the other school district using remote learning days and we got burner day and they may not have that day that it's those kind of pieces because

158some of them might still work. Now, there are some that are not um I will be 100% with that, but I think it's best for us to bring to you what elementary remote day look like and when we can send it packet home because we may need to go ahead and send some things home if we can see the weather coming. >> The hard part is, you know, if over the Christmas break a blizzard comes, we haven't been able to prepare for the remote learning day. So, elementary, we have some things already go we just got to print and make it work. Now, I do want to make sure that code E, remote learning instruction, student report to school, you know, it sound like we're going to revisit this at the next board meeting, and

159we'll be bringing back to you what a remote day looks like at the elementary, middle, or high school level. >> Okay. >> Go ahead. >> All right. I got another question about the code, >> but I would also say I think at this point we revisit it. If you got to use it, you got >> I got to use it, right? >> I mean, don't >> I'm not because I'm going to always on the side of caution, right? But um the lady start clear school council for students on fourth day. That's why we've been there. But the main one code C if school is council for students and staff that means we're closing. That means all right we're closing. Therefore we have to do an amendment to the calendar. Correct. Okay. >> At the next

160meeting. >> So what does that look? What does that look like for 12 month employee when we close? They have no option to be able to come to work and they still can't make up their time. >> No, because when you make the day back up, bring it put it back in the calendar, that's day they going to get paid for. >> They be working anyway. >> But >> well, yeah, >> but but parts of 75 7550 states they well can't report to work. I think it's that we eat. I'll be honest with you. I mean, I don't know what the history is. >> That's it. I I can find I can find it, but I don't have an answer for you tonight. >> I've been there and done that. If I I give y'all

161an example and Brooke probably knows this. If I'm a principal and we close school for everybody, all right, I can go to work or not, but I'm going to get paid. You follow what I'm saying? >> Now, you can say that's fine or not. But when they put that day back in there to make that day up, if I don't go that day, I don't get a pay. See, and I've always wondered about that because uh be a 12 month employee, you know, and you can't go 13 months, you know. So that's the way it's always been. >> I'm serious. That's the way it was. for the last item some of the teachers saying they work more. What is the hours going in and hours leaving at middle, high, and elementary? >> I don't understand

162what you >> What time do they have to be there? What time they get to leave? I guess that's what I'm >> for licensed teachers. >> I have the teachers. >> Okay. High school. Uh going to get me off top of my head seven. They dismiss it to >> I don't think they dismiss at 3. >> Yeah. So the middle the high school I think they have to be there by 7:30 and they can leave at 3:00 3:10 but I've been licensed salary is different because the the teacher assistants the hour employees work a 7.5 hour day >> and what we have now given our bus window sometimes and bus we got people working longer than that because the kids haven't And this we all the kids have been picked up. So we got to

163supervise >> but they required 7.5 hours state licensed teachers. >> Yeah. >> Well, I guess that's what I need to get to because I know we have a lot saying >> a minimum >> minimum. >> 7 and 1 half hours. >> A lot of them are saying because the way they have to come in >> They're working more like I know middle schools would tell me that. >> So that's why we say a minimum of seven and a half. That doesn't mean they can't work eight hours, nine hours, 10 hours. They're four weeks, >> right? >> So, no less than 7.5. >> We don't want them to go below seven and a half hour, but they can work. >> I think that's where the >> where it's coming in at >> I guess that's what

164that teacher was expressing. I guess you know and I think I've heard them say other places too that the fact that they have to clock in and I guess you know when they clock it in I guess you know whatever the seven and a half or whatever the hours are but you know they're having they're working more than that and I know if you're salary and I guess they this person said I guess she consider herself salary if she was have to clock in and then I guess know too they're doing that um the tier bus deal and the teachers are the ones that are having to stay with those students you know until the bus comes back and pick them So I guess but I think the main thing was the fact that if

165they clock it in they don't consider themselves s I know this not the first time it's been heard. >> Yes. >> Um I I'm not going to comment on the time people keep people clocking in parking lot Saturday. That's a very that's always been a >> touchy subject. However I understand that um it works in places where it works because it helps with keep with accountability. The concern I think people understand is that we've got to say we work until the work is done. And sometimes that was written in contracts. You have a 7.5 hour day. >> People people miss that minimum part. They saw 7.5 and as soon as I hit 7.5 I'm putting my phone number in and I don't care what's going on. I'm walking out to go get a cop. Well,

166that's not was always for kids. But for our hourly individuals that 7.5 means something because we get into this compensatory time, cop time that has other implications. >> Okay. >> So, but really to help solve all that problem, we need to look at start times, end times with the calendar for school because some of our bus does extend things because we got the kids. We just can't all get in the car driveway and leave the kids outside. Okay. Thank you. >> Question. If that's the case and they're rotating around and and we are getting more time in the calendar, why can the teacher not take that day off? >> I mean, I guess kind of like trading time. >> Well, so under salary, it >> I understand what you're saying. >> Yeah. But just the

167certified teachers because we extended right to get the hours in that we need to build the time in. And so to do that, you know, they used to work like 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after and it fail in the seven and a half hours and very rarely do they ever have to work eight. >> But the way we built the calendar this year, >> they are they're working eight, eight and a half hours, especially like the middle school level and the high school level >> at times. So >> that would be something >> I mean how do we >> that would be something that I would say we must be cautious in regards to how we proceed with that because I think that a site supervisor would need to monitor because for example

168elementary don't have as many after school events that a high school has >> right >> you know you know high school folk kept the law for all the games all that kind of And when when snow day came, I ain't got to make nothing about my I put my time in already kind of that's how that work, right? Where it's difficult for now at middle school elementary because they don't have that many opportunities to make time. So if you going to start looking at well I came in at seven because you got to do some work. You got some teachers that come at 7:00 in the morning and leave 7 at night. They working 12 hour days and so it's almost a smack in the face to them and they have to take time because

169they have spent so much time at the site. >> Time keep monitor that. But then someone will say, well, where's the quality of the work they're doing? Are they are they are they in the room paying the Beatles? Are they doing the Christmas gift this? You know, I mean, we get into some very difficult questions and asking the quality of that. So that we got to create a balance and I don't know how to create that balance. But this input for me is if I had known, you know, some of this was wrong, I probably would have brought this to y'all back in when the summer was when the weather was nice and we can have it hashed out by the time we got to the but didn't know. >> Okay. >> Anything else? >>

170All right. But we'll bring next board meeting back what remote learning look like and some options. Thank you. >> All right. I have number seven about the home school. >> So policy 3620 escal activities what y'all wanted. There's a copy of it. So it was my understanding. >> It was my understanding we wanted to add the language that's the exact language for the high school >> for the high school to be that the middle school so then middle schoolers homeschoolers could could participate in athletic that's all it >> that was my understand >> I don't have it. Yeah I think they have >> I know what it is. Yeah, we know what it is. But but I'm just trying to make sure that what we're trying to do is mirror at the middle school the

171opportunity for athletics at the high school, which would mean we have to add the language to this policy to say middle and high school student. Yes, sir. >> Am I correct? >> Okay, everybody clear on that? >> That covers everybody. And the question I had though, do we need some Well, it's easy to say we can put it on the website, >> but there's is there any other way that we can communicate with the like the homeschool association that they got? >> So, so I'll say good communication with Gibson homeschool. We have a good relationship. I have no problem >> getting together and communicating them because the hardest part with this is everybody don't check our website. uh we have to overcommunicate things um big time. We can put it in the paper, but depends

172on when you see it because the the key piece is going to be is we have to put it out there for people understand that first 10 days prior that first day of practice which stands for room of improvement both at the high school level and middle school level because you know the high school is is always like August 1, July 31st, those dates. But people don't think about trials until they see the school bus running, >> right? >> And so we got just a change in the mindset to help us move forward with that. It's like they don't they need to know about that those 10 days prior to the first practice. >> So that's policy. >> Yeah, it's policy. >> So, okay, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion that we add

173that to the policy and exclude the three. >> All right. Then the motion sniffy second. Any discussion on that? If not, all in favor of the motion raise your hand. Oppos 60. All right. Uh, so we had an update. All right. So, few updates. As you know, we applied for PRC $29. I want to give the board some understanding. PRC29 is our students with behavior concerns. It used to be up until 2020 or 223 school year that a student did not have to have a behavior plan in place to be served by a staff position funded by this. So, for example, we have students now that do not necessarily have the behavior plan in place because they're not identified as EC because they have to be unaccepted children's and have the BIP, functional behavior assessment,

174those things in place. But we received additional funds um and that fund is to add an additional position to help us support schools in regards to behavior. Now that doesn't change what kid the person can help but it helps us relieve and help get those things in place. So for example, as you know our behavior um parent uh behavior specialist, Mrs. Natalie Dun, that's a new position. We not a new position, it's just a position that's been vacant for some time. So therefore she goes out and helps what I call students who are funded through PRCO29 meaning they have in their IEP they have a behavior plan in place. So we have to track the data and report that data to NCDPI or we jeopardize the funding. So now we have additional additional position. So

175there will be a um posting of that position for additional behavior support which is a classified position. And so therefore that's what I it's my before I I can't create a position. I gota get bored. I gota inform the board that's what these funds are for. So that PRC29 that additional fund is to add another position to have we kind of have one one behavior specialist and two assistants. This one now allow us to have the behavior specialist and three assistants where one is more of a float to kind of go where the need is because we're stretching our people very far. Of course not. God, I understand what you just said, but what is that what is that possess position person actually do? >> The behavior specialist. >> Yeah. >> So, she has to

176each has a case load of approximately 25 students K through 12. >> She currently has a case load of 25 students with identified behavior plans that she had to ensure that we're following them and she goes progress monitor. She had to teach with support. >> Okay. Um but she had to submit if they got if there any kind of infraction any kind incident we have to submit they were suspended we have to submit to the state. >> Okay. On on top of that she also works with classroom teachers to help create that environment to to make it to make it more inclusive. So therefore we got some teachers that have some strategy. She can help with professional development. She can help with some coaching. But that position had been in place for some time. >>

177So it was new. So when that person came to the building, sudden staff felt that they who didn't want telling me what I can and can't do with this student because those are those pieces because that position had been vacant. >> Okay. >> For the time and there was money literally in the EC department. We were sending back because we didn't have to buy position because you can't reallocate those funds for something else. Okay. So I you know I need to I can bring you know get me what Nat Duncan because she has to do reports. She look at the suspension of our children exceptionality. She does a lot of that work to kind of make sure that we're not in violation of IDA in the behavior plan in place. >> Any questions on that?

178>> So, do we just have one? She's the only one. >> She's the only behavior intervention specialist, but we have teacher assistants that are in that are in that role. So, I can, you know, in other session I can tell you who those people are in those roles. I don't. >> Okay. So, the lady introduced herself to me today. She was really a TA at the medical. I don't know who that lady is. She said she was assigned in the building. So she must be a teacher. She told me she was a behavior specialist. >> Yes, we have behavior special assistance. >> Okay. Gotcha. All right. Any other questions? >> Questions? >> Yes. >> So just like looking back to the proposal earlier, so would this position also not be able to help be with

179kids with would they have to have a 40 or five or IEP for this too? Yes, we have to have the appropriate documentation in place of support. >> So you're saying right now we have Miss Duncan and we have two assistants. >> We have an assistant at Oakwood and we have an assistant at Dylan. >> So this would be for a third. >> This would be for a third to provide additional support because there is some students with um that Miss Duncan I don't say the name I can say the name goes to the high school to serve >> right >> I mean because so she goes to South and serve a kid. she'll go to throw the creek serve a kid because there may be greater pockets of students at a said school site.

180So that's why the teacher assistant is assigned. You follow? So this gives us a third person to help us with unique situations. >> Okay. >> Can we talk? Well, I like to talk more about that after we come close to session. >> Yes. >> Mr. state for the public. Could you explain a little bit about how a kid comes about getting a 504 or IEP? >> So, uh, a 504 means a student has a medical diagnosis that hinders access to the curriculum. So for example, if a student is diagnosed by a doctor with AD with attention deficit where their attention deficit may cause barriers to the access of learning, they may need certain accommodation. Doesn't mean they're not intelligent. It just means they need certain accommodations in place place. For example, a good 504 example

181is the day before the week of testing, a kid slam their their predominant riding hand in the door of a car. They get an emergency 504 so they can get a scribe because they can no longer ride. 504 is protected under federal and an IEP which goes has to go through a specific process of assessment for either cognitive academic um um learning barriers that is a barrier to their access to the curriculum. So they need these accommodations to access the curriculum. For example, a for student with an IEP, instead of having five answer choices, he may have a combination of three. Instead of getting um 60 minutes um time, he may get additional 30 minutes of time. He may have preferential C. He may have um uh teacher provided notes because the student has uh

182a hard time keeping keeping up with the notes, you know, scrap. So, it's a very wide umbrella and I would be more than happy to provide the board with some some some literature on what helps with that. But we go through what I call our MTSS. We go through the assessment process and we use my MTSS practices to identify gaps in learning and barriers. >> That's the probably quick short version I can give you versus uh the in-depth version. >> Okay. >> Any other questions on that? >> All right. Let's go to number. >> Do we need to make a motion, Mr. B? Okay. >> So, I think so. Next thing I have title nine training for school board members. >> I reached out to um I always say her name right. Campbell and Shhatley

183Shhatley. I'm call Shley Sha Shley because Shadley because I know there have been some sessions on title N. >> Yes. >> But the this board is the if there if a title n process goes where it's appealed and appealed and appealed, it comes to this board. So it was brought to my attention of that. So the issue comes down that there are some things I should not share about the nature of the incident because you may be the the governing body at the end and so therefore that undermines the integrity of the investigation. So that's why we got the single first one. on our central ite this this time because it may go through the various levels and come to this board just as we do with appeal process. >> So I I ask them

184that I don't know if anybody's you know want to do the full training. I think that would be a good thing for at least a few board members to to >> that's fine and we can get that information to but I strongly suggest that we get that training for title n training for board. >> Okay. >> All right. What about facial business? >> Oh I have one more thing. All right. So, as you know, uh, we are in December of 2025, and 2025 has been a good year for C County schools. You know, we've had our ups and downs, but I think as 2025 comes to a close, uh, we have a lot to reflect upon and celebrate. From January to today, our district has made meaningful progress that demonstrates positive transformation and strong commitment

185to students, staff, and our community. Through the collaborative efforts of this council board of education, C County Misters, and our county commissioners, our district saw enhance and increase budgetary support. This additional funding allowed C County schools to better address the needs of aging facilities and support um implementation of local supplement for our employees. We successfully exited low performing schools in 2025 and we experienced significant improvements in teaching and learning conditions including an all-time high graduation rate, a reduced dropout rate. Five of our city schools meet or exceeding growth and to strengthen operations and sport, we purchased a new activity bus. We approved the purchase of a new transportation um mechanic truck. Um we we have conducted traffic studies at Oakwood Elementary will be going into implementation in January and we have scheduled studies at Baltansy

186with that will be in place in spring of 2026 and north will be happening upcoming. We play talking points to help with dis communication. We part the tier buses to help us explore transparencation efficiency and we've been recognized across the state. South Elementary was a P Tech school that was a wonderful event that our our board some broken mist ranked and they're ranked in the top 10% of growth for the state. Um North Elementary is recognized um for the top 25% in growth. Castle County Schools had a CT teacher reach with Sarah Chana. Uh FFA chapter recognized as a twoar national chapter by the national FFA organization. And then um through the partnership with Pimont Community College, we had a HAVAC program that began in spring 2026 for our students and we expanded opportunity to

187include adults in fall. Uh we sent out notifications last week of 13 employees who qualify for additional state bonuses based off of their growth as well as their CTE credentials. >> That's right. So they had some really happy emails last week because they got some And then additional C County school was awarded $18.8 $8 million needsbased grant for critical improvements of Oakwood. Uh athletic programs had some success in from 2025. Volley volleyball had an outstanding season this year and um football had one playoff game. These accomplishments are a testament to this board's dedication to the district and positive transformation. I want to thank the board of education for his leadership, insight, and partnership as we continue to work together and meet the needs of this school community. United we are much stronger organization. To all

188the students, faculty, and staff, please enjoy a safe and restful holiday break. Parents, thank you for your continued support and and and for choosing C County Schools. 2025 has been a truly a year of celebration. Stay tuned. 2026 is right around the corner. Mr. Chair, I turn it back over. >> Thank you very much. Board me observation. Miss Black will start with you. >> Uh I had an opportunity to attend a pet uh signature school breakfast. Uh that was nice to see us up on the stage with South. Uh congratulations to Miss Parker and all everyone all the staff at the school. And uh I had an opportunity to visit North and Stony Creek School. Uh, one thing that I did want to say that at Stony Creek School, uh, the SRO was in the

189office and, uh, answering the phone and ring and I just thought just to say that I saw people multitasking and I thought it was wonderful, you know, that was that was really nice to uh, to see and going throughout the school just to see even So, it's getting ready for the holiday time. Every classroom that I went by, people were teaching. I mean, it it wasn't like, oh, we, you know, they're excited, but they are still uh carry on the process of the student learning atmosphere. And I would like to say to everyone, like Mr. Stokes said, Casual County is a great place to be. Have a safe holiday when you get out on the Nate. Thank you. >> I just want to thank Mr. Stokes for your reflection on 2025. That was a long

190list of great accomplishments and achievements and I'm happy to be a part of a board who are who are making critical decision decisions that are helping to support our students and the families of Canada schools. I've had an opportunity to get some classrooms since our last board meeting and I've seen a lot of great things. I was able to get some um great um feedback um to help support our teachers and um and principles and look forward to continuing in 2026. >> Cool. Um I just want to say kudos to all the people that had to run the car ride lines this morning and tomorrow morning. Hey folks and uh other on that merry Christmas all our staff and thanks for all you do. >> Um all board members I sent you a thing today

191whether you got it or not and it really touched home with me. This guy was 60 years old and he remembered something that happened to him in the sixth grade. The teacher told he asked the people what they wanted to be. The kid said, "I wanted to be a professional football player, professional wrestler." And the teacher would pled the kid every time he said it. And the theme was racism. The kid was black, kid teacher was white. And it went on for about three or four times. And believe it or not, that kid did become a professional football player. and a professional wrestler. And it I wish I could send it to every teacher that I know in the system because you never know what a kid is going to turn out to be. Never

192know. And it really touched me though. But on another note, you never know what impact you have on kids. I was in Kentucky Friday and raised Thursday and this guy was working. He came out male battle with this. He was my principal at North Elementary. Now that's been 32 years ago. Then yesterday I'm in Home Depot. This kid come up to me. Mr. Bell, how you doing? You know you don't know the name. I said, "What's your name?" "I'm Boone Singster." Well, when he said Boone Singster, I knew his daddy Sam and his mama Paul. Then I turned this corner. Another kid was working there. He go to your church. Uh can't call his last name. And my wife always tells me, "Ask them what their name is cuz you know you know the face,

193but you can't do it though." But all in all, 25 has been a good year. Ups and downs. We're on the track. Let's stay on the track because if you get off the track, it's hard to get back on that other. So, stay on that track and keep doing positive things. And uh I appreciate all that you do. I appreciate all our staff, all our students. >> I um just kind of sitting here reflecting, my child went to Casual County Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, and I was worried about him going off to college, wondering if he was going to be prepared. But I thank the staff and the teachers and everybody poured into him because he had a great semester because of being a student here in this county and I appreciate it.

194>> Very good. >> Thank you everybody. >> Hey I had an opportunity to volunteer over at North I guess for their Thanksgiving lunch for their third and fifth graders. There was a lot of parents and family there and it was well organized and well attended. Um, and then the next day, Miss McGee, I went back to the kindergarten to do second grade performance and Miss Fair put on. And as usual did, she did an excellent job. The second graders had uh speaking parts and they were awesome. You know, they weren't afraid, none of their voice projected. They did really well. I've gone to a couple of volleys and basketball games and I guess our varsity team, I guess they're all playing well, I should say that. But the varsity team, I guess they're really playing

195well this year. I enjoyed those games that I've attended. Um, I went to Oakwood for a couple a couple times. I guess did classroom visits or whatever. um spoke to Miss Robinson a couple times too about things going on over there. And then today I had the opportunity of um being a judge for that spell and the little girl who won was a fifth grader. Very confident she did real well. So I can see her doing well, you know, when we get to the district level. >> Very good. Go ahead. >> Um, I did get to go to signature breakfast and say congratulations to South and just say thank you to all our staff members for all their hard work this year. I hope everybody has a wonderful and safe New Year's and a merry

196Christmas. >> Very good. Thank you. Board members, at this time I move that the C County Board of Public Education to close session for the purpose of considering a personnel action that involves an officer employee of this forward NC general statute 143 218 dial 6 and for the purpose of discuss information that is privileged confidential or not a public record NC general statute 1438 ding down a one and to confirm with fraternity >> second Mr. Lily any discussion not all in favor raise your hand do we now