001We'll go ahead and call this meeting for July the 21st to order. At this time, I would ask uh Mr. Jimmy Turner of Calvary Baptist Church if he would come and give us an invitation. May we pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you for this day and thank you for giving us the opportunity to meet here together as a group. Please be with the ones that are on this uh board and please be with Dr. Fiser. I would just like to lift up David Fiser, Walker Sperling, Danny Blandon, Ron Humphre, Joel Shores, Aaron Bridges, Ronnie Grigg, Gloria Sherman, and Kenneth Leford up to you. Please give them the courage, the wisdom, and the strength needed to to conduct the business that is performed tonight. And please thank you for giving them the opportunity to put the
002uh the staff, the educators, and the children of Cleveland County first. Amen. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Turner. At this time, uh I'll ask Mr. Sperlin if you would lead us in our pledge. Stand. Salute. Pledge. Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Before we have special recognition, I understand uh Mr. Blandon is zooming in. Mr. Blandon, are you able to hear me? He is not connected. Has he tried to connect? >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> I know when he called me this afternoon, he was having trouble with his truck getting to the vacation spot. It may not. >> Okay. If you will just if he tries
003to call in or something, you'll flag me down or whatever, get my attention somehow and and we'll go from there. At this time, we'll go ahead and go ahead with our uh special recognition. I'll call on Mr. David Ples. Mr. Chairman, members of the board, Dr. Fiser, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight on a on a great topic. Um the Coach Jim Taylor Award is named in honor of of Coach Taylor. Coach Taylor served as the head football coach and athletic director at Shelby High School and was also our first county athletic director. During his time in athletics, Coach Taylor was extremely successful in terms of in terms of wins and championships, but he was also successful in teaching student athletes the importance of performing in the classroom. Uh, Coach Taylor
004couldn't be with us tonight, but he does send his regards. Out of our four traditional high schools, we average the unweighted GPA for all varsity athletes. And the highest of the four wins Coach Taylor's award. I am super proud of all of our schools. Each school had a great, very high GPA. All four of our schools had over a 3.3 average. I think play playing ball and making in the classroom and having a B+ average that that's pretty good. Um, but th this year's winner of the coach Jim Taylor award is Crest High School and athletic director Jeff Melton is here to accept the award. [Applause] Good job. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. You got to get a picture. [Applause] All right. At this time, I'll entertain a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. >> I
005hear Mr. Humphre and seconded by Mr. Grigg. All those in favor? That is 8 to Z. All right. Next is the approval of the minutes. Uh with no objection, we'll take all the minutes at one. Uh I heard uh Mr. Bridges, >> Mr. Humphre is a second. All in favor of approving the minutes. That will be 8 to zero. All right. At this time of the touchdown club, Dr. Fischer, are you going to do a presentation on that? Dear Mr. Chairman, members of the board, I would uh like to uh recognize Mr. John H. Hearnden. Mr. Hearnden is here tonight. Mr. Herman is a general contractor that is working with Mr. Brink, David Brinkley, and the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club. Um, unfortunately, Mr. Brinkley could not be here tonight. He's dealing with a few issues.
006He had really hoped to be here. I I talked with Mr. Brinkley a couple times yesterday, text back and forth, and then I spoke with him this morning and unfortunately uh through some some issues out of his control, he's unable to be here with us tonight. So, told him I'd present this information to you. It's been presented to two committees. Um, and I think uh through through conversations, everybody's uh fairly aware of of the proposal that's going on. Uh, you've got a a memo uh kind of hand out here at your spots with a couple of of documents, but I'll just kind of go over that then I'll try to answer any questions the board may have. Um, originally we wrote a proposal uh skiff grant that was uh awarded in 2021. Uh that gift
007grant included um uh CLB High School Fieldhouse, press boxes, concession stands, restroom facilities for Burns High School and Crest High School, and a press box for Kings Mountain High School. We also included in that skiff grant, uh some write in for stadium lighting and track improvements as budget allowed. As you can imagine, what happened since 2021, cost of construction, everything is skyrocketed. So, we've been unable to uh do those things. We do have a couple of of schools that we did were able to do some stadium lighting in consultation with in cooperation with the American Legion World Series. However, as you see bullet two, the Shelby High School fieldhouse, uh the Burns High School and Crest High School press box projects are complete. Uh the Kings Mountain High School project is still undone when we
008look about their press box. Um so proposal that Mr. Blandon or excuse me that Mr. briefly uh proposed to the operations committee and and that we also spoke about in the finance personnel committee is the proposal to partner with the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club to build the new press box. Um that also involves a stadium renovation including and there's a list of things that that would include. Uh that the touchdown club is going to provide new bleachers replacing the old woodbased bleachers. um those are in need of repair. The bringing bleachers up to ADA code, adding seating to the side of the current home bleachers as well as the stadium style seats connected to the press box. You can see that in the pictures that you've got uh there at your spots. Vastly improving the
009handicap accessibility inside the stadium and in parking. One of the things that Mr. Brinkley said this morning that he wanted to make sure that we uh highlighted to you was that that the uh improving the handicap accessibility there inside the stadium and in the parking lot. Mr. Blinkley also intends to build a wrestling building to be constructed in between the pool and tennis facility on that campus. The estimated total project of of all of that is in excess of $4 million. So you may add what's what's Cleveland County School's commitment? Where are we from a commitment standpoint from from our end? Well, our our partnership on with the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club on the project and permitting the Touchdale Club to move forward with camp campus enhancements. As your pol policy says, anyone that substantially
010improves the campus needs to have board approval. So, that's part of the proposal. Also is the $1.1 million as outlined in the original skiff budget that would be paid uh as work completed with proper documentation. Again, we'll work with the general contractor to make sure that that proper documentation is done. We had budgeted 1.1 in our initial skiff budget and then an additional $750,000 that Mr. Brinkley and the Touchdown Club has requested to be paid back over multiple years. Um, and that is something that is an addition to what we had budgeted. Um, in some of our other projects, they've been a little more expensive than what we had had hoped for in the original budget with the increased cost of doing business in terms of the construction business. So that is the request to
011take the 1.1 that we had originally budgeted out of skiff add 750,000 of it which would need to be paid over a couple years not all at one time to ease the financial issue for us. Um so the recommendation and the request from Mr. frankly is to partner for Cleveland County Schools to partner with the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club to not only build the press box there at Kings Mountain High School in the stadium, but also to do those other stadium improvements uh that you see listed in the pictures there and we presented to committees. So, Mr. Chairman, that's just a summary of of a more detailed lengthy presentation to both committees. Uh be glad to try to answer any questions that you may have. Um and Mr. H. conferred and is is available for
012any questions as far as the construction. Um, one one question that may come up is when does this process start? Start immediately after football season. Um, the football season this year ended and you know in conversations with Mr. Hearnen and Mr. Brinkley, I have been made it abundantly clear that the that all the construction in in the lower bowl area with the stadium would need to be completed prior to Kings High School's graduation. there there would probably still be some construction ongoing in the upper seating and in the press box area that may not be finished. Hopefully, it would. Hopefully, Mr. Hearn and things go well and and they're able to to uh if approved, they're able to get all that done prior to graduation. But, but we must have that lower bowl of seating
013for graduation so that uh we can accommodate the class of 2026. Obviously, just like it happened with Burns and Crest, we built the press box and uh concession stands and restrooms on that campus. Uh seating for soccer will be impacted. So, we'll have to use the visitor side for all the the fan seating during the the soccer season and track season there at the high school. So, Mr. Chairman, we've got to try and answer the questions. >> This would need a motion in a second. Okay. That was presented to committees, but we felt like the scope of this needed to come to the full board. >> All right. Any questions, >> Mr. Chairman? >> Yes, sir. >> Uh, not really a question, but I would like to point out it was brought in front of
014the operations committee. Uh the op uh uh the operations committee did uh uh basically approve in committee the the concept and the project and uh and we uh punted it if you will to finance because we don't want to tell finance what we can and can't spend. So it did come out of the the uh project itself came out of committee as approved. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Berlin, >> I'd also like to make a comment for the finance committee. We also had the conversation from what I gathered. I mean, I don't think anything's changed today, but I think all the board members were on on deck for that as well. Correct. >> Okay. So, >> thank you, Mr. Bridges. Anybody else? >> Well, that'd be nice, would it? Uh, Mr. Fisher, Dr. Fischer,
015I don't want to repeat everything you just said, but I feel like I want to try to say this in layman's term for those who watch this or can I can refer them back to it. Uh, to the folks are watching, we have $1.1 million that was given us to the by the state to do repairs for the press box at Kings Mountain High School. So, Mr. Hearnen is here tonight and he came to our committee and if I'm wrong with this, Mr. Mr. Hearnen, please correct me, but you stated, I believe, there was no way we could build a press box for $1.8 million in today's economy. Is that correct? >> 1.1. It would cost us about 1.8 and then we would still be out of ADA compliance. Am I correct? >> Okay. So,
016we're out of ADA compliance. We're going to have to fix that. We're going to have to build the press box. In other words, what I'm saying to the community is we're really getting a break here because we've got to spend the 1.1 and the 700,000 we get to give back to the touchdown club in four payments over four years. It ain't like a lump sum of $700,000 because a lot of people were going to say, "What are you doing spending all this money on a athletic project?" Well, it was grants that we have to spend. So, I just felt like I wanted the community to know to hear it from my mouth because I had some problems with it at first, but till I realized we're probably going to save a lot of money by
017doing it this way. So, with that being said, I will entertain a motion. >> Mr. Chairman, let me let me let me I I know what you meant. Let me let me make sure to clarify that when we got the skiff grant of $4.9 million, we allocated money to each school, right? So, so we have already spent well over what the skiff entitled us to do because the the projects at Burns and Crest were two million each. The problem the project at Shelby was like 1.6. So, in terms of that skiff money, that skiff money has already all been expended, but we've committed the commitment was in the grant we wrote to do these projects. So, we kind of committed to the project. Now, I wanted to, you know, and I know what that's what
018you're saying, the actual dollars. We would obviously spend the skiff dollars first >> to get those federal dollars out. So, so it >> in layman's term, can I say it this way? Inflation caught us. >> Yes. >> Is that is that a fair statement? >> I just want to make sure that for the public that >> Right. That's what I'm That's why I'm saying all this is for the public because I I know, you know, we get a lot of blowback sometimes on things, but when you when you add it up, uh I really feel like we're going to save several hundred,000 by doing it this way. >> Absolutely. And we're going to get a lot more product. I will also say, and I'm going to use round numbers with our skiff grant, we got
019$4.9 million. Now, all totaled when we do this, we'll spend about $7 million, but we've we got almost $5 million and we spent two two and a half of our own money to get five. I I think all of us would do that in in projects that are desperately needed from at Burns and Crest press box restrooms and the safety of those uh concession stand, the safety of their press box and the safety of the press box at Kings Mountain. Those are safety issues. they are ADA uh and uh compliance issues as well. So, you're exactly right. We are by by partnering with people, we're able to get more and and enhance some things that we may not be able to do. So, >> I just wanted to be transparent about all this. Yeah. Yes.
020>> They're not They're not plastic aluminum like we've got wood. >> They They are wood. They are wood bleachers. They They do have a a a a metal covering over that, but the base the the structure of those bleachers are wooden structure. So, you're exactly right. But part of this project is to replace those. >> Absolutely. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And that and we would not be able to do that if we were doing the press box on our own. We would not be able to replace that. So, we still have that compliance issue. >> If I may, Mr. Chairman, >> there was a comment made and just for the sake of public clarity, we're not currently out of ADA compliance. We have a safe harbor at the moment, but once construction begins, we would
021be. So, I just >> Thank you for Yeah. Let's make sure we get everything clarified to the public that once the construction began, we would be out of ADA compliant. Okay. So, I just want to make sure I just felt like I really needed to say all this. So, all right. I will be quiet now. >> Oh, you're good. >> Motion. >> Mr. Bridges makes a motion. >> Second by Mr. Sperling. Any other discussion? All those in favor? That's eight to zero. Thank you, Dr. Fischer. >> Thank you. Next will be the finance and personnel report. Mr. Bridges. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. The June 16th finance and personnel committee meeting was called to order by chairman Aaron Bridges. Dr. Steven Fiser shared a proposal from the Kings Mountain High School Touchdown Club for press
022box construction and stadium renovation. This proposal was originally presented to the safety and operations committee in June 2025 by Touchdown Club President David Brinkley. As part of the proposal, Mr. Brinkley requested that the board allocate an additional 750,000 for this project above the 1.1 million already agreed to uh for the Kings Mountain High School Press Box project as part of the state stiff grant skiff grant, excuse me. The total project cost is estimated to be uh $4 million. Mr. Brinkley has promised that the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club would pay for any cost above the 1.8 requested if approved. In addition, the Touchdown Club plans to do a wrestling room at no construction cost to the district. If approved, the $750,000 will be paid over three to four years and will come from long-term capital funds.
023The comm the committee unanimously supported the project. This project will come to the full board for recommendation and approval at tonight's meeting. Rob McDaniel shared a state budget update. We still do not have a budget but when we have been given but we have been given uh proposed budget aotments. We are hopeful for an increase in our allotment once a budget is approved by the state. Mr. McDaniel ch shared information related to the federal budget freeze. At this time we will use carryover money to cover salaries. At this time our biggest federal budgets EC and title one have not been significantly impacted by the freeze. However uh we do have multiple federal budgets that have been impacted. Dr. Dr. Jennifer Wampler shared a staffing update for the 2025 2026 school year. The committee discussed the
024update and the good progress being made in preparation for next school year. Uh Dr. Wamper also shared the EC plan to use remaining PRC118 money to provide a retention bonus of $525 in September 2025 to EC related services uh providers in the area of OTPT school um psycholog psychologists, excuse me, psychologicals and speech language pathologist. This money expires in December 2025. Uh, beginning this school year as a recruitment and retention effort, EC will pay a $500 a month supplement to EC teachers and program facilitators who have their master's degree in one special education, two education or three masters uh coupled with completion of graduate graduate level special educational teacher lensures program. This supplement will be renewed on an annual basis depending on the availability of EC and Medicaid funds. Dr. Fischer provided a payroll update.
025The committee discussed payroll dates, especially related to classified staff. District staff will continue to work to ensure employees understand how they are paid. As Dr. Fischer also shared information related to the board member compensation, the committee discussed compensation related this and requested this be discussed with the full board. With no new business, the meeting was adjourned. The next finance and personnel committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 30th at 11:45 a.m. >> Thank you, Mr. Bridges. Next on the agenda is the personnel report. Uh Mr. Sperling, I believe you have a family member on that, so you will need to recuse yourself. Uh that being said, I'll entertain a motion to adopt the personnel report. >> Make a motion to adopt. >> Mr. Bridges make a motion. Second by Mr. Grigg. All in favor that
026will be seven to zero. >> All right. Safety and operations. Mr. Sparlet. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The July 14th safety and operations committee meeting was called to order by chairman Walter Sperling. Daniel How provided a safety update. This summer, Mr. Hal and Mr. Ples have been meeting with the athletic departments of each secondary school to discuss safety to discuss safety plans and procedures related to athletic events. Mr. Howal will be attending the state state safety conference in Statesville in a few weeks. Mr. Howal will provide an SRO update as requested. Mr. Ples shared that he and Mr. Pal and the high school athletic directors and head football coaches had a great meeting with the GWU Gardener Webb University uh in regards to the safety for upcoming football jamboree on August 8th, 2025. Mr. Ples
027and Mr. McClung also shared an update regarding DOT DMV physicals. DMV sent out a new memo to transportation directors that is more favorable favorable for our bus drivers. Mr. McClung also shared that in a recent school state school bus inspector competition, two of our mechanics placed in the top 12 in the state. J Jason Woodring placed third in the state. I'd like to pause and just say congratulations to him. Uh that is an awesome accomplishment. This is a huge acco accomplishment and a testament to the excellence we have in Cleveland County schools. Mr. plus shared that there has been no change relate related to teacher certifications certification options for driver's education teachers. Miss Hamri updated the committee, excuse me, on positive enrollment processes. Miss Ham and Mr. Borders will be talking with school administrators at
028the upcoming admin retreat about discipline data and processes for the new year. Miss Hamrich shared that we submitted a school safety grant requesting $625,000. The items requested in the grant were based on needs assessment from local law enforcement and district safety walkthroughs. We will find out in in September if we receive the grant. Miss Miss Ham also updated the committee on psychological safety efforts and progress. Mr. Lee with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department reported that he recently attended a national SRO safety training in Texas. Mr. Lee reported that he was very proud of the work we are doing. He felt that the work done in partnership by law enforcement and Cleveland County schools has been positive and ahead of the safety curve in in comparison to other districts. Mr. Patterson shared that we have completed
029the door lock projects for this summer. The following agencies reports were shared. Uh Mr. Van Hoy from the city of Shelby fire marshall department shared that inspections for Shelby schools will occur within the first 10 days of school the school year as required. Probation officer Carmen Clark shared that that they will continue to visit schools every week this school year. This information is communicated and updated with Mr. Borders, Dr. Jennifer Wampler, and Chip Childers shared the capital projects report. The committee reviewed the PO report, which will be attached to the board's agenda at their July meeting as an information item. Mr. Childers and Daniel Sherman shared a project report update. Um, it it has been a busy but productive summer. Excuse me. Brian McClung shared a list of surplus vehicles and parts for approval. The
030parts are obsolete and are for disposal or sale. The committee unanimously approved the surplus list to go on the full go on the full board for approval at their July meeting. Dr. Wampler reviewed the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club request related to the press box and stadium renovations which was presented to the committee by David Brinkley in June. The committee continued to be supportive of the project which will be shared with the finance and personnel committee and presented to the full board in for approval in July. With no new business, the meeting was adjourned. The next safety and operations committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 28th, 2025 at 11:45 a.m. >> Thank you, Mr. Sparland. Next on the agenda is the uh surplus items that was approved by committee. So it does not need a
031motion or a second. Any questions on that? >> No, that's what I just read. >> All right. Sorry about that. Uh any discussion on the surplus? All those in favor? That's eight to zero. All right. Next is educational programs and policy report. >> Yes, sir. >> Sure. >> On the safety that we are listed. >> Yes. Uh in closed session in the safety committee, some of those were discussed. um uh that we don't put them on on the the minutes. Uh but if you would like to get together, I I or Miss Ham will explain all of those to you. >> All right. Mr. >> Okay. Education Programs and Policy Committee met on July the 15th at 11:30 a.m. We reviewed policy 6430 uh purchasing requirements for equipment, materials, and supplies. 6430R the same. Um
0326442 vendor relations 6450 purchase of services. These policies were reviewed and discussed as part of the committee's ongoing review of the board policy manual and are in the 6000 section which is support services. No changes were recommended to these policies by the committee. Rob McDaniel shared new policy 8240 investments which is legally required. Dr. Fiser and Leah Sink reviewed policy updates to 4312 technology responsible use based on recent legislative changes. Policy 4318 use of cell phones and wireless communication devices also reviewed but no changes were recommended at this time. The committee reviewed and supported these policies for consideration by the full board as a first read at the July meeting. Dr. Dr. Hunnel shared an instructional update related to strategic plan goals and progress related to ACT scores and end of year academic data. Dr.
033Parker and Dr. Hunnel shared a federal program presentation of our district's comprehensive plan specifically related to funding from title one from titles one two three four and McKini Vente. The committee thoroughly discussed this plan and budget implications. The committee approved this report and it will go to the full board tonight. Also, Dr. Fiser and Mr. Sink shared the health department contract. Mr. Sink discussed minor modifications to the contract primarily related to tele medicine and the new dental bus. The committee supported the contract and it will go to the full board for approval tonight. Dr. Hunnel shared a robot robotics purchase order which is below $75,000 but is a sole source request requiring board approval. The amount is $30,211.33 and covers the robotics cost of each school. Dr. Hunnel shared an EC speech contract not to
034exceed $84,200. He also shared two EC soul requests for Aspire, a reading program used in EC in the amounts of $47,9065 and $13,192.39. The committee unanimously approved all four of these purchases and contracts which will go to the full board for approval after July meeting. Dr. Hunnel shared the 2526 alternative schools modified accountability system options. District staff recommended approval of option B which is participation in the modified system and evaluated by various components including student persistence, student achievement and growth. This is the option we have selected in the past and again recommend. The committee discussed the options available and supported this option. This will come to the full board tonight. Also, Dr. Fiser shared four options related to communities and schools. We are recommending approval of option two, which includes adding James Love Elementary to
035our current programs at four sites for a cost of $21,000 or $21,053. While we are interested in other options, we feel this is the best option for us at this time in terms of funding and need. The committee supported this plan and it will go to the full board tonight. Dr. Wampler and Stephanie Henson shared EC's plan to use remaining PRC118 money to provide a retention bonus of $525 in September 25 to EC related service providers in areas of OT, PT, school psychologist and speech language pathologist. This money expires in December of 25. Dr. Wampler and Mr. Henson also shared that beginning this school year as a recruitment and retention effort, EC will pay $500 a month supplement to EC teachers and program facilitators who have their master's degree and one special education to education
036or a master's coupled with completion of a graduate level special education teacher lensure program. This supplement will be renewed on an annual basis depending on the availability of EC and Medicaid funds. Dr. Fiser shared that Todd Peeler, retired history teacher, is working on history grant application for Cleveland County schools. This grant is specifically focused on civics and is an excellent opportunity for our students. If the grant is approved, then it will come to the board for approval. Dr. Fiser also shared a federal budget freeze update related to recent information. With no additional new business, the meeting was adjourned. The next education and pro policy committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July the 29th at 11:30 a.m. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Next on the agenda is one, two, three, four policies for first read
037only. No action required. I'll I'll read those policy numbers. policy 8240, policy 3225, 4312, and 7320. And next on the agenda agenda is a number of policies for approval. We'll take them all as in in one vote, but let me read them off to you. Policy 1710, 4020, 7230, 1725, 4035, 7236. Policy 2302, 2342, 3620, 4040, and 7310. All these do come from committee. Recommend recommended for approval. Any discussion? question. >> Yes, sir. >> Mr. Chairman, I should be asking you attorney I'll let her answer. which he's talking about. >> Any other questions? >> All right. All those in favor? That's eight to zero. All right. Uh, next on the agenda is more items that come from education and poly for approval. I'll read all these to you. Uh the federal program presentation uh 2025
0382026 health department contract 202526 robotics soul source quote robotics soul source letter uh the soul source spire one quote and spire 2 quote um speech contract and the 202526 alternative schools modified accountability system option. Uh all of those I have here this just come on miss madam attorney. Uh Miss Sherman had notified me prior to the meeting that she would need to recuse herself for the community and schools. I'm just going to pull that one and vote on the ones I just read off and we'll do communities and school contract separately. >> Okay. All right, those I just read off. Any questions? >> Minus the community. >> Minus the communities and schools. >> There's eight. >> Yep. All right. All in favor? That's 80. Now, Miss Sherman will recuse herself from the communities and school
039vote. So, all those in favor of the communities and school contract, raise your hand. That's seven to zero. All right. Dr. Fiser, do you have an update? >> It's only 6:30. I got a lot of time to get some updates in. I That's why I brought my full notebook up here. >> I'm swe I am sweating. I'd like the extra time to talk, you know. That's good. So, do you mind bringing my my uh computer up here? It's like a good I'm just kidding. I I better behave myself. I've You've got a couple updates. You notice today's uh superintendent updates are a little different form. Uh we we've done this try and tweak a few things. That way we can publish some of these and make these a little more u accessible for for the
040public. Just to highlight a few things. Um you do have committee meetings. I know it seems like we're meeting this week and while we got committee meetings the next week, uh July the board meetings a little odd. We instead of the second Monday, we meet the fourth Monday because of of surrounding the fourth. So so a quick turnaround for committee meetings. You can see those referenced. Um fall sports seasons. It is that time of year again folks. Uh it's it's the fall. I know it it feels like it's you know 100 degrees out there and it's almost but but fall sports season officially begins on Wednesday, July 30th. Um, back to school bash. It's Thursday, July 31st on on our campus from 5:00 to 7:00. Would really encourage you to come out and see the
041back to school bash. It's a great opportunity uh for community parent involvement. Uh we have really a lot of students and and parents come out. Dr. Parker and his team do a really good job of putting that event on. Uh you can either have a hot dog and and all that kind of stuff. And uh if you would like to, we'll sign you up. We still have some space for the Duncan booth. So, we'll sign you up for the Duncan booth if you'd like to participate in that as well. Um, first day of school for Cleveland Innovation is Monday, August 4th. Uh, teacher work days begin Tuesday, August 5th. For the rest of our our, uh, teacher population, we do have convocation that day. We'll have four different convocations, uh, one in each zone. Uh,
042the Sharon View Federal Credit Union, Cleveland County School Football Jamberee, that's a that's a long title, but that is at Gardener Web on Friday, August 8th. You heard that at one of our committee reports. uh you do have a board of education meeting. Your next regular schedule meeting is Monday, August the 11th. First day of school is Wednesday the 13th. So just a little over three weeks is um start of school. We're we're eagerly excited about that opportunity and then uh that pushes us to board meetings to get the end of August and prepping for September. So I tried to give you a month and a half out in terms of of of schedules and time frames. Lots of really good things going on um you know with this week. Uh although we're not back
043in school and teachers and 10-month employees aren't back to work, uh this is our leadership retreat week. So this almost begins like you know school's back in session. So invite you again invite you for our leadership retreat to come eat lunch with our with our school and district administrators tomorrow and we'll spend two days really diving in and and making sure everybody's on the same page and prepping for for the upcoming school year. So we're excited about that. So Mr. Chairman, appreciate the time to share a few of my few of our comments. All right. Thank you. Any questions for the superintendent? Okay. Uh, next on the agenda is public participation. Uh, we have one. I believe it's Mr. Rob Powell. Uh, before Mr. Pow, before you come, let Mr. Bridges read our rules for
044public participation, please. Thank you, sir. >> All right. Public comment should not address any specific confidential student or personnel matter. Specific concerns related to confidential student or personnel matter should be directly to the superintendent or designate. Comments must be relevant to the matters that are within the authority of the board. Speaker shall refrain from personal attacks or threats directed towards staff. Elected board members or members of the public. Speaker shall be courteous in the language and presentation. Insults, profanity, use of vulgar language or gestures or other inappropriate behaviors are not allowed. The board vests in its chair or other presiding officers uh to terminate the remarks of any individual when he or she does not adhere to these rules established above. Any person who willingfully interrupts or disrupts a board meeting may be directed to
045leave the meeting by the presiding officer. Any person who refuses to leave may be prosecuted for disrupting a public meeting. Persons appearing before the board are reminded as a point of information that the members of the Cleveland County Board of Education are without authority to act independently as individuals in official matters. In immediate answers are not generally possible and must be deferred pending investigation and consideration by the full board. >> Thank you, Mr. Bridges. Okay, Mr. P. >> Good evening, Mr. Chairman, members of the board. My name is Rod Powell. I'm a retired teacher, a proud Cleveland County resident, and someone who spent more than 30 years working with young people in public schools. Now, let me start by saying I'm not here as a Democrat tonight. I'm not here speaking for a party. I'm
046here as a teacher, a neighbor, and someone who cares deeply about what's happening in the lives of our students, especially ones especially the ones that are starting to fall behind. Now, a close friend of mine recently pointed me to a book called Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeds. And I'll be honest with you, I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I've done some digging. I've read read the research behind it and I've listened to the conversations that has sparked and folks it hit a nerve. This book makes a powerful simple point. Our boys are struggling in reading, in school engagement, in mental health. And it's not just happening somewhere else. It's happening right here in Cleveland County. Now, we see it in schools with the quiet kids who stop raising their hands and
047the ones slipping through the cracks by middle school, in young men who can't see a path forward and simply check out. Now, this isn't about politics. It's not about boys versus girls. It's not about blame. It's about the hard truth that a lot of our boys are losing connection to school, to purpose, and sometimes to hope. So, I want to ask, what are we doing in Cleveland County to meet them where they are? Are we looking at third grade reading scores by gender? Are we expanding vocational and hands-on training and learning option for students who need more than a college prep track? Are we thinking about mentoring mental health and helping our boys stay connected? Now, I believe we can be a school district that leads not with anger, not with fear, but with care,
048creativity, and courage. Let's listen to our teachers. Let's listen to our boys in our schools. And let's be that kind of district that lists every child, even the ones who've gone quiet. Thank you all for your time and I really appreciate what y'all do for the schools here in Cleveland County. >> Thank you, Mr. Pal. Next on the agenda is board comments. Does anyone have any comments? Everybody hot. >> Comment. I want to apologize for um having to get up and take my phone out in the hallway. Um I was searching for some insurance today. So, you know what happens and I couldn't turn my phone off and and so I thought it'd be best to put it out in the hallway. So, I apologize for the interruptions. And I hope that um everybody has
049a safe rest of the summer, but please come back to Cleveland County Schools. We need you. We need each and every one of you. So, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Rick. Miss Sherman. >> Good evening, everyone. I wanted to say I'm just in awe of all the celebrations that we've looked at tonight. I mean, I know we read through these things really fast, but there are many, many names and faces behind those policies and um awards that a lot of work and I just appreciate the people in our school system and the hard work and it is an honor to me every time that I I get to see it and represent the employees and the teachers and the students of our school system. I also want to say that I miss the students being
050here. So, I am excited about school starting back. I'm excited about the back to school bash I attended last year and I remember the music. So, I hope we're going to have that loud music again. And um it was a big celebration. I remember we had a big thunderstorm, but that didn't stop anything. So excited about the back to school bash and the students coming back and having some here in the board meetings. I'm also excited and and want to um express my congratulations to Crest High School and the Coach Jim Taylor award. Um I was a student of Coach Taylor's. I think it was his first year teaching at Shelby High. So needless to say, I think I sat like on the second row and I did not move because I was not going
051to disturb him. But he turned out to be one of the is my Yes. one of the very best teachers that I ever had. Also, one of the best people that I have ever known and um to this day have um seen him do so much for so many people and stay involved. So, um it's it's great to have an award in his name and I want to commend Crest and um thank you for that. So, that's all. >> Thank you, Mr. Sherman. Anyone else? >> I'd like to make some comments, please. >> So, uh, so first of all, uh, I want to point out that on Thursday, July 29th at 10:00 a.m. in the central services auditorium, Courtney Doster has invited people to attend their summer internship graduation. So this is where students in
052in the school system in high school can go out and work in a business, get experience. Uh if the business wants to hire them after after high school, that's a plus. But uh this is one way that our kids in in uh our school system get out of the classroom and get realworld experience. I'd also like to point out that that program has like doubled its uh participation in the regular school year in the last I I think they've been going for like three years. So, it's doubled about every year and has grown larger and larger and larger. I'd also like to like to point out that we have innovative and exceptional CTE programs, athletic programs. just pointed out today that uh each high school uh average what' you say 3.3 everybody on athletic program
0533.3 grade point average uh athletics and we have an exceptional innovative leading the way CCP program no other no other county in in our state has the type of CCP program and partnership that we have with our local community college. We had 200 somewhere around 200 students graduate college with a a certificate or or associates degree before they graduated from high school. So uh uh I want I would just like to point out th this this community, this school system, this board supports our kids. Uh and and I am proud to say we give them multiple avenues to do all kind get all kinds of experiences and do all kinds of things before they even graduate. So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sperling. I'll speak uh congratulations to Chris. That was a good job uh
054done on their behalf. Uh appreciate the parents coming out of what we've had. Uh talking about returning to school. I know the parents are tickled to death that school's going to start before too long. Now teachers, I don't know about all of them. Some of them might, but some of them may be hesitant, Dr. Fiser, as far as putting up with the kids. I don't know. But it is it's going to be good. Uh I I think we're off to a good year. Uh I miss or it's unusual for me to go around as I ride by schools. I see school buses there. instead of all going back to the uh garage, they do it differently now, don't they? So, uh that's a a a change for me from what I'm used to. But, uh
055I think we're going to have a good year this year. I think it's going to be uh something that we can look forward to. I look forward to these uh uh school visits again. Uh, I'm hooked up to where I won't be behind now whenever uh we are walking down the hallways. Uh, I've got me a little buggy behind my car that I'm going to be pushing or having a uh a wheelchair that I can roll on wheels instead of having to walk and slow down. So, I'm looking forward to that. But I I pleased that we've got I'm tickled with our training that we had last week. Uh I think that was important and u look forward to the year coming. Thank you, Mr. Leopard. >> No, I entertain a motion to adjourn. >>
056Motion. >> Sperland Bridges. All in favor? Goodbye.