001I have your attention please at six o'clock and we'll uh call the meeting back into session and uh at this time we're going to have an invocation and I invite you all to join with us engage in a moment of silent reflection and Mr. Abernathy will do that for us. So Mr. tabernacle that you serve. >> Let us pray. This is the day the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be thankful. Lord, we ask that you that you guide and lead us and that you be with our nation and those that are in harm's way. We ask that you be with this community and that you allow us to grow and be successful. to be with our administrators, teachers, and students uh and help them to be successful as well. Forgive us our sins
002for they are many. We ask again for your for your guidance and Lord, we ask that you prosper the work of our hands and then that we have a successful meeting. Amen. Okay, at this time it's always customary for the McDow High School NJOTC to present our colors. And our representative from the board for the NJOTC program is Mr. Derek McInness and Mr. Paul Baker and Mr. Derek McInness. I'm going to turn it over to you, sir, to introduce them. >> Okay, folks. going to have the presentation of the colors by the McDaha in OTC color guard accompanied with first sergeant Miley. So if you all will please stand and Mr. Carson whenever they post if you could lead us in the pledge please. present to the flag of the United States of America and
003to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Right face march. Thank you, First Sergeant. >> Item number six on the agenda is superintendent remarks. And at this time, Dr. grid. I'm going to turn it over to you, sir. >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the board. Chairman Frank, just a couple of comments here tonight. Tonight, I'd like to begin by taking a moment to reme remember Kaden McKenna. Kaden, a sophomore at McDow High School, tragically lost his life in a bicycle accident on Sunday, March 29th. He was a kind, thoughtful young man who deeply will be missed by his family, his friends, and so many of our staff across Eastfield Global Magnet, East Mcdow Middle School, and McDow High School. This happened at the
004start of spring break, and I'm grateful for our MTCC, McDow Technical Community College, and McDow County Schools assist team was there to help our students uh return to school. They were there to support Kaden's classmates and his family during such a difficult time. I'd ask that you continue to keep his family and our entire school community in your thoughts and prayers. As we move into tonight's agenda, you'll see several items that reflect strong partnerships we have with our county commissioners and our representatives in the general assembly. I want to thank our commissioners for meeting with the board of education last week for listening and continuing to support us as we work together to meet the needs of our district. What we have in Mcdow County is something special. These relationships don't just happen. They take
005effort, communication, and commitment. It's not the norm across the state, and it's something that we should never take for granted. Later this week, we will continue those conversations at the McDow Countyy's legislative breakfast. It's a chance to thank our partners and share what we need moving forward, like a state budget, a statewide school capital bond, staff raises, and increases in our per pupil funding. The same spirit of collaboration is guiding the work of our new elementary school. Last month, we brought stakeholders together for roundt discussions to gather input and ideas. The feedback is now helping our architects shape the plans that reflect our priorities and our vision. We've made strong progress and it's exciting to see the project moving from an idea to reality. Finally, tonight we have the privilege of recognizing outstanding students for
006their achievements and state at the state and national levels along with our staff members of the month and an employee who has earned national recognition for their work not just here in Mcdow County but across North Carolina. We're doing great things. Proud of our staff, proud of our students, and it's it's an honor to be here tonight. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, sir. And sir, if you could continue on student recognitions. Yes. At this time, I'd invite up Miss Whitman. Good evening, board. Thank you for having me here this evening. I would love to take this opportunity to tell you about some amazing students at McDell High School. And I'm gonna start with a little congratulations. Nope, I'm not gonna start with that. I'm actually gonna start with a bigger congratulations. So, first I'm
007going to start with Miss Khloe Joiner. Chloe, if you can stand up, please. What I need you to know about Khloe is she is a conference player of the year, conference tournament MVP, District 10 first team all district. And not only that, but Khloe is kind, polite, and let me tell you what, the girls taken a heavy academic load, 16 classes this year. Please give Chloe Joiner a round of applause. Coach Cash, I didn't even plan this one. See that look he gave me? >> What about The next student we would like to recognize is Miss Clara MacArthur. Claire, if you will come up, give Claire a round of applause. Clara is a true team player. She's first team all conference, all tournament, second team all district, and she was selected to play in the
008Western North Carolina All-Star game because of her talent and strong character. Clara is also very kind, polite, and rocking a very heavy academic load. Way to go, Clara. So, we've covered basketball. Now, I'm going to talk to you a little bit about wrestling. Um, and Mr. Eddie Cervantes, if you will come up. I'm gonna tell you really quick. I'm gonna tell you about Eddie. He's a superstar. Eddie has a 100 career wins, two-time state qualifier, conference champion. He won the region this year, which is the first time a heavyweight from McDall County has ever done that. He finished third in the state with his only loss being to a state champion. And he also did that with a torn MCL. Eddie is respectful, a great athlete, and according to his coach, he can make a
009mean cheeseburger at Wendy's. And next up, Miss Addison Jones. Addison is also a wrestler and coach Davis is so impressed by Addison with Addison's hard work. She is always trying to improve. She has a constant goal of getting better. She finished second overall in the region. She finished fourth in the state championship. and the week after she immediately began preparing for next season. We are so proud of Addison. Way to go, Addison. And now we're going to transition to Rosy. And we would like to recognize Miss Summer Wyatt. Summer, if you will come join us up front. And wait till I tell you about Summer. She is so impressive. Five years in our NJOTC program. She started in eighth grade. Every year, Summer took the team to Navy Nationals and All Service Nationals for markmanship.
010She is eighth in the UT in the entire United States Navy NJOTC program for marksmanship. Eighth in the United States. Summer is also very humble and consistently a proven leader and she is a lifelong student of marksmanship and we are very proud of Summer. All right. Next up, we've got a staff recommendation or congratulations. This was the one you almost read for me, Miss Whitman, but thank you for not doing that. I laid my notes down. I said, "Hold on just a minute." Um folks, this is a special one. It's not often that we have someone that represents us that's able to uh do something at the national level. Um to have two of them in the same night is pretty incredible. Have a young lady who was shooting at a national competition placing eighth
011in the nation's absolutely amazing. We have an employee who has done some pretty amazing work as well and that's Miss Crystal Hamby. Crystal, if you will come on up. I'm gonna embarrass you real good. Crystal is the assistant superintendent for learning and federal programs. The federal programs piece is the part that I'm going to talk to you about tonight. Miss Ham's been doing that now for about eight years, federal program side. And when we moved her into the learning division, we didn't take that away. So, she kept that side of it and continued working that. Um, Miss Hamby represents the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators. That's a that's a mouthful. NAFIPA is the uh is how they pronounce that or the the acronym for it. This is a leadership award that she went
012up to DC just this past month and was recognized as North Carolina's recipient on a national level for this award. We're very proud of of Miss Hamby and the work that she does. So to to tell you a little bit more about that, uh that's about 12% of our $65 million budget that's handled at the federal level. And not only is she doing it for McDow County, she is also doing it for the entire state of North Carolina. So when her phone rings, it might very well be another person from another district going, "How do y'all do this?" When you have folks like that working in your district, you can understand why Miss Rampy smiles when we do our audits and they're clean because you have eight years of work and service there going into
013that. Miss Ham, we're very proud of you. I'm I'm not going to get to present you the plaque that you got in uh DC because you've already had it presented to you, but I do have it here. So, I want to show it and we've got something not near as not near as exciting as the one you got in DC. So, I'm going to bring them both. Let's give Miss Hamby a round of applause. This is my favorite part of uh of the evening. Normally, Miss Dattle does this, but I was so honored and so excited uh when she asked me to fill in for her tonight. So, each month we take the opportunity to recognize outstanding individuals who go above and beyond in their roles to make a difference in our school community. Our
014certified and classified employees of the month exemplify dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. These honores consistently demonstrate our core values, showing leadership, teamwork, and a genuine passion for supporting students, staff, and the overall mission of our district. Their hard work not only helps our schools run smoothly, but also creates a positive and inspiring environment for everyone around them. Today, we're proud to celebrate and extend our heartfelt congratulations to our certified employee of the month and our classified employee of the month for their exceptional contribution and unwaving dedication. I would like to call up tonight Mr. Edwin Spivey to recognize our certified employee of the month, Mr. Spivey. Chairman Frank, Dr. Grit, members of the board, colleagues, and distinguished guests. It is truly an honor to recognize an outstanding educator who makes a lasting impact at
015West McDow Middle School and his community each and every day. This person is Coach Michael Caparaso. We are proud to celebrate Coach Cap for his unwavering dedication to students, staff, West McDow Middle School and athletes at West Mcdow Middle School. In his many roles as PE teacher, coach, athletic director, and honorary member of our lighthouse team, Coach Cap exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose, passion, and positivity. No matter where you find him, on the field, in the gym, or behind the scenes, managing our athletic programs, Coach Caparaso consistently shows fairness, structure, and a deep commitment to student success. He invests countless hours both during and after school to ensure our students and student athletes are not only prepared to compete, but also supported, encouraged, and challenged to reach their full potential. What truly
016sets Coach Cap apart is not just what he does, but who he is. He is always willing to help, no matter the task or the time. And his dependability is something our entire school community can count on. Whether it's stepping in to lend a hand or supporting a colleague or going the extra mile for students, he does it all with a positive attitude and a genuine spirit of service. He's a role model in every sense of the word. His strong work ethic, steady present, and constant smile make him an invaluable part of our school family. His influence reaches far beyond the classroom or the field, inspiring students and staff to be their very best. So today, we say thank you for your dedication, leadership, reliability, and your heart. West McDow is a better place because
017of you. Congratulations, Coach Cap. Up next, we have uh Miss Ashley MacArthur to recognize our classified employee of the month. >> Good evening. It is my honor to recognize Mr. Evan Lynville. Mr. Lynville is the project director for our heel grant, which is our school-based mental health grant that we received. and Hill stands for helping everyone achieve in life. He directs our school-based therapy program along with completing risk assessments and other tasks related to mental health. Evan is an exceptional employee whose dedication is evident in everything he does. He's always willing to help, putting the needs of others, especially kids, at the center of his work and approaching every interaction with care and intention. His consideration for co-workers creates a supportive and collaborative environment and his gentle voice becomes a steady source of calm in
018times of crisis. Evan has a remarkable ability to navigate difficult situations and conversations with professionalism and empathy, earning the trust of those around him. As one colleague shared, Evan leads with kindness, compassion, and genuine care for others. He consistently checks in on colleagues to ensure they are supported. not only professionally but emotionally as well. With a high five and encouraging word or simply taking the time to listen, he makes people feel seen, heard, and valued. His positive presence uplifts our entire school community, and we are grateful for the impact he makes each day. I am so honored to recognize Mr. Evan Limble this evening. He is so deserving of this recognition. And while he has only been with the district since August, we stole him from Kansas City, Missouri. So go us. Um he has
019made an incredible impact and every single day McDow County Schools is blessed and a better place because he works for us. Congratulations Mr. Limble. Up next, we have a very special guest. uh that would like to do a presentation this evening. So at this time I would like to call to the podium Miss Sylvia Martin Dampos Vargas. Good evening members of the board, Dr. Grit and guests. Can you all hear me? Well, good. My name is Sylvia Martin del Campo. I serve as the Hispanic Latino education leazison at McDow Tech. I also currently serve as the president of Friends of the Library for McDow County. Joining me today is Karen Nilson who serves as the treasure uh for Friends of the Library and also Mr. um Brinkley. Um he is the director of the public
020library. In a conversation I had with Mr. William Keller, director of emergency services, he emphasized the importance of partnerships. That event taught us talking about uh hurricane Helen taught us that uh partnerships make us stronger and help us rise more quickly. With that in mind, we want to contribute with McDall County Schools by supporting our children and what better way than to make this first donation and establish a new collaboration in support of education. The friends of the library has long existed with a mission of supporting our public library by enhancing resources, programs, and community engagement. We're currently in the first phase of revitalizing. Sorry, English is my second language. I tell me how to say it. >> Revitalizing this nonprofit. And I would like to take a moment to thank all past members for
021their dedication and hardworking in raising this funds. Without their efforts, we would not be able to make this donation today. Right now, this is just the be the beginning. Carrie and I are working to rebuild this group with purpose and intention. We're also in the planning phase of creating meaningful opportunities for students uh to grow as leaders including the development of an advisory committee to ensure their voices are heard. We believe in investing not just in programs but in people especially our youth and are committed to using this funds thoughtfully and impactfully. For this reason we're proud to make this uh 10,000 donation. you want to show the check to support an elementary summer reading camp. We hope to continue fundraising each year to provide ongoing support. Thank you all so much for your time
022and I look forward to working together to make a lasting impact in our community. Dr. Grid, as we're transitioning to the next part, I would like to on behalf of the board tell all the award winners, congratulations. Huge accomplishments. Uh, as the McDow High School Athletic Hall of Fame representative from the board, I want to say this to you athletes. No one knows how many hours of hard work that you put in and what goes into all all those accomplishments that you did that can never be undone. I want to tell you this to go home tonight, think about who you need to hug that helped get you there, whether it's a grandparent or whatever it may be, and make sure you give them a hug because their support of you will push you through
023life. You've got stats right now that will definitely put your names on the board for the athletic hall of fame considerations in the future. We've got two in here right now. Dr. Caparaso and Joe Cash. I can see I think I hope I'm not leaving anybody else out. Uh that will be the next step of a great honor when your name goes on that board and when you get possibly that phone call from coach Cash or whoever it may be, it's it's like you won the lottery. So again, congratulations on your accomplishments. Uh the marksman I was asking Mr. McInness about the shooting. Hopefully we got a wall of fame. If not, we need to start one, right? Uh for for you. But congratulations again to your athletes and and to our marksmen. >> Okay.
024At this time, I'd like to introduce our teacher representative, Miss Amber Loin. And at this time, ma'am, I'm gonna turn it over to you. >> I'm excited. Okay, maybe not. So, good evening. >> I want to start with something I truly thought was impossible. So, before I go any further, can we please give a quick round of applause for Dr. Grit. And if you're a wooer, please feel free to woohoo because it's a big deal. >> Woohoo. You're my hero. >> Because I know this wasn't easy for him. Dr. Grit actually said yes to a question I asked for the first time. Um without without me actually having to ask multiple times and me still only hearing no. And I have to admit I was a little shocked. I sat there for a second just
025stunned. I had this whole speech ready in my head like I always do. Not that it helps. And I was sitting there like what is happening? What do I do? It was kind of like a fight orflight moment for me. I just didn't it just kicked in. I didn't know and I had asked if I could sit June out since it was my last board meeting as teacher of the year and just attend listen and not have to present. So when he said yes, I knew I needed to remember that moment because when June comes around, I'll still choose to present because showing up isn't about being required, it's about being committed. And honestly, it's going to be a good one in my opinion. But that yes has been a long time coming and you
026know it. I'm definitely going to keep that one in my back pocket as proof that asking is worth it even when it takes patience. And if you know me, you've know I've got plenty of that, right, Paige? Yes. Well, maybe stubbornness, not so much patience. Now, I want to take a second to share what tonight's going to look like. It's a little different. Tonight, we have two starfish because I couldn't rec because I couldn't recognize one without the other every time before I even get started. In August, I said I wanted to include a student's voice to show the impact a teacher can have. And tonight, you're going to hear that impact from both sides. One from a student and one from a parent. I've shared a little bit about Gray and the support he
027needs each day. There are moments as a parent that catch you off guard and just stay with you. My brain doesn't work right. I'm not smart. Those are words I've heard over and over again from Gray, like so many parents, I'm sure, have heard from their kids. Because kids know. They know when something is harder for them. They know when they're falling behind. They know when they need extra help, even if they don't always have the words to say it. And they feel that. They carry it. Sometimes quietly, sometimes in the things they say out loud. As a parent, you want to be the one who helps them understand, who builds their confidence, who makes things click. But there comes a point when you realize you can't do it all on your own. And that's
028hard. It's hard to watch your child work so hard at something that doesn't come easily. It's hard not to have all the answers. And it's even harder to trust someone else to step in and help carry that weight with you. So tonight we're going to recognize our exceptional children's teachers and our elementary teachers. I'm going to start with our EC teacher, Miss Paige Brown. Paige spent her career serving our I'm sorry you knew it. I just couldn't I couldn't tell you for sure. Yeah. Sorry. So Paige spent her career serving our EC students, retired, and then didn't last long before she was right back into that classroom. this time as an eighth grade math teacher. Not only is she an incredible teacher, she is a cancer survivor, someone who is faced more than most. And
029that strength is part of everything she does. Paige, you're not someone who looks for attention. You just show up every single day. You meet students in those moments when things feel the hardest, and you stay right there through the frustration, through the doubt, through every I can't. You stay until it starts to make sense, until they start to believe. You see students for more than where they are. You see who they can become. You create a space where students feel safe to try, safe to struggle, and safe to not get it right the first time. And that matters because for so many of our students, school is where they begin to decide who they are. And you make sure that they don't decide they're not enough. You remind them without ever having to say it
030that they are capable, that they are worth the time and that they are not alone in the process. Here is what one student had to say about the impact you had on their life. I've been thinking a lot about how Paige has truly impacted my life. It's hard to even put into words. When I first got to middle school, I didn't know how to read at all. And that was something I carried a lot of embarrassment and insecurity about. I felt behind, like I wasn't good enough, and like everyone else was already ahead of me. But Paige never once made me feel that way. She didn't make me feel dumb or like I couldn't do it. Instead, she sat with me, took her time with me, and kept pushing me in a way that felt
031supportive, not overwhelming. She showed me that I could do it, that I wasn't incapable. Some things just take a little more time and that was okay. That stuck with me in a way I don't think she'll ever fully understand. Before her, I didn't really believe in myself. I doubted everything about who I was and what I could become. But Paige saw something in me that I couldn't see in myself yet. And she never gave up on me. Because of her, I started to believe that maybe I was capable of more than I thought. She helped build confidence in me that I didn't have before. And that changed everything. Now being in college, I can say I am a completely different person. I feel confident in myself, not because everything is easy, but because I know
032I can get through hard things. And a big part of that is because of Paige. I carry her voice with me, reminding me that I can do anything, even when I feel like I can't. I truly don't know where I would be without her. She didn't just teach me how to read. She helped me learn how to believe in myself. And that's something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. C. Linder, East McDow Middle School, 6th through 8th grade, school years 2017 to 2020. Paige, here is your starfish keychain. I know it may not look like much, but it has a very special meaning. and there's a story behind that meeting and you're going to hear that in just a few minutes. And then there's the other side of this because while
033that's the impact teachers a teacher leaves on a student, there's also what that same impact feels like as a parent. And for me, that brings me to Miss Sharon Airwood. I'm going to lose it. I'm not going to look at her. So that brings me to Miss Sharon Airwood. If you know anything about her classroom, it's it's that nothing she does is by accident. Miss Arywood, you notice the small things, the things that others might miss. You understand that every student walks in with something different, and you meet them there without hesitation, showing them the belief you have in them right from the beginning. You don't expect them to fit into one way of learning. You figure out what works and you build from that. You create a space where students feel supported, where they
034feel understood, and where growth actually feels possible. And that matters because those early classroom experiences shape how students see themselves as learners. You built that foundation with purpose, with patience, and with a deep understanding of what your students need. The way you adjust and meet them where they are, and the relationships you build with your kids is what makes you so effective with your students. Miss Airwood, in your first grade classroom, you met Gray right there. You didn't make him feel less than. You didn't let him believe in those things about himself. You gave him the time he needed, the patience he needed, the belief he didn't have for himself. And because of that, he started to push through the frustration. He started to believe just a little bit at a time that maybe he
035could do it. And there is nothing quite like watching that shift happen in your own child because you can't always be the one to give that to them. But when a teacher does, it changes everything. And Miss Airwood, you changed that for him. And as a parent, those are the moments that we hold on to. You didn't see an IEP. You saw a six-year-old little boy, a little boy who was discouraged, unsure of himself, trying so hard but learning differently. And you understood that. You understood that he was going to have to work harder than most. And you never let that stop you. You stayed with him through it. And you taught him how to read. And what makes that even more incredible is that again, that did not happen by accident. Miss Airwood, thank
036you. Thank you for giving him the confidence where I hardly ever hear those comments from him anymore. Now it's Mom, can you help me? This is hard. You gave our family something we didn't know how to give him no matter how hard we tried. And that's the belief that he can do it. G. Owen B West Marian Elementary School first grade school year 2023 to 2024. Misswood, here is your starfish keychain from one grateful mama. And I'm sorry that but this is the only person that was left. I have asked Mr. Hughes to read the story that both of your keychains represent. I was hoping to do a dramatic reading from the back, but she wouldn't let me. One morning, a man was walking along a beach covered with thousands of starfish that had washed
037ashore during the night. Up ahead, someone was gently picking them up one by one, tossing each starfish back into the ocean. "Why are you spending so much energy energy on this?" the man asks. "There are too many of them to make a difference. They'll die if they're left in the sun," the person replied without pausing. The man glanced up and down the in the shoreline, but there are miles of beach and thousands of starfish. "You can't possibly save them all. What difference could you make?" Another starfish was lifted from the sand and sent back into the waves. Smiling, the person said, "I made a difference for that one." And I have had the pleasure of working with both of these folks. Great teachers, even better people. Congratulations to both of you. THANK YOU. Oh man,
038you moved it. You can sit with them at the table. You can practice. You can encourage them when they're frustrated, but you can't be there when it gets hard during the school day. The way you both differentiate for every single student in your classroom is truly amazing. You're right there waiting patiently until I can't becomes I can. Both of you are the kind of teacher every student deserves and the kind they never forget. I hope your keychains are a reminder of the difference you've made in the lives of our students and their families. McDow County Schools is so lucky to have you both making a difference every single day. We appreciate you more than words can ever say. Now, I've talked a lot about Gray a couple of times um during my presentations, and I
039just want to make sure I balance it out. So, I've talked a lot about his struggles, but what matters more than that is who he is. He is determined. He is resilient. He doesn't give up. Even when it's hard, even when it takes longer, he keeps going. Gray may not bring home A or AB honor roll certificates or stack up on academic awards, but what he brings to this world is something so much greater. Kindness, compassion, and heart. But he is al always recognized for the kind of friend he is. The way he treats others with kindness and compassion. He was also student of the month this year when the character trait was empathy. And honestly, that says everything. Even his Gigi said that's the best awards out of all of them. And she's right.
040Gray has the kindest heart and the most fascinating mind. He is obsessed with fire alarms and vacuums and can go into extreme detail down to the serial numbers basically of both. He even made a full video tutorial from my friend Jamie when she borrowed our rainbow to shampoo her carpet that he also named Thumper. That's just who he is. Helpful, thoughtful, and so proud to share what he knows. If you look at the picture, you'll see his paper sticks. his comfort and his calm. He tears paper into strips and flats them the way many autistic kids do. It's how he self-regulates, how he thinks, how he stays grounded. And I love that. That's a part of who he is. Every morning he says, "Mom, I hope you have a fantastic day." before getting out of
041the car. He tells us he loves us constantly, and he means it every single time. He is humble, gentle, thoughtful, and full of light. He may not get the loudest applause in the room, but his quiet impact runs deep, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Gray is on his own path in his own way with a heart this world so desperately needs. We are so proud of him, and I will always be grateful that he's mine. And so many parents are like me with students who need that extra support and the difference you make for families. There are no words that can describe that. So, thank you from all the families of our county for making that difference for our kids because some hearts are born gentle and the world is better because of
042them. Author unnug. Thank you, Mr. Frank. If I could, I can't let Paige get out of here without, you know, saying something to her. As you guys may or may not know, Paige is married to my uncle Tommy. Tommy Brown is my my mom's brother. Um, and Paige is that uh in the classroom. But let me tell you what Paige is out of the classroom. Three years ago on May 23rd, we lost the captain of our family, my grandfather. And Paige was one of the ones that got us through it. And so it's been almost four years now. And it takes that long, I think, because we still grieve every day to say thank you because of what you do for Tommy, Earl, and the rest of us. We needed that strong person to be
043there for us. And I really appreciate you. Uh I don't know how you don't look any older than what you did when you taught when I was in school. But right, she hasn't changed one bit, but again, your heart has never changed either. And thank you for all that you did for our family. And I want to say this that Ms. Lawing and Miss Arawood and Paige uh you got to come up for a photograph. >> I was going to beat you to that >> and everyone that's with them, right? Like their principles, their family. We're family. Go ahead. Congratulations. Okay. Hey, at this time item number 11 on the agenda is request to address the board public comment with a threem minute time limit. We do have a request to address the board Mr.
044John Owens and it's the topic is investigations. So Mr. Owens, if you would come up to the podium and the mic there just where we can hear you. And there's a little couple ground rules I got to go over with you first. But first of all, I will entertain a motion if someone would make it to allow him to speak. >> I'll second. I'll second. >> Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Abernathy, second by Mr. Settles. Is there any further discussion? With no further discussion, all those in favor signify by raising your right hand. which is an eight vote. Okay, Mr. Owens, I have to read you the ground rules and it's basically what you signed here and it says, "We welcome you to this meeting of the McDow County Board of Education. Pursuant
045to General Statute 115C51 and board policy 2310, you are invited to address the board through public comment. Citizen uh public comment is a time for you to address the board. It is not a time for debate or a direct question and answer period. Board members will not respond to you except to request clarifications of your points. However, incorrect or misleading information may be responded to at the direction of the board chairperson. Except as provided herein, you're allowed to address the board concerning any topic that is within the board's jurisdiction. Pursuant to confidentiality concerns and matters related to due process, the board will not hear issues or concerns either positive or negative regarding specific employees or students. If you have a concern about an employee or student matter, please contact or see the superintendent after the
046meeting. Please be respectful when you address the board. Disruptions by any person or persons of a public meeting are unlawful and can result in removal from the meeting. You're allowed to speak for no more than three minutes and may only speak once during the public comment period. And do you have any other people that want to speak with you? >> Not tonight. >> Okay. All right. So, you do get three minutes. All right. If you are speaking on behalf of a group, then the group members must be identified on the signup sheet. You haven't. So, you're it. And we do have official timekeeper, and that's assistant superintendent, Miss Hamby. So, sir, the floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you, board. Um, I just need actually some clarification. Um, and I think other parents would like
047the same clarification. Can you please detail the precise way to gain a direct meeting with the board as a whole in private for issues that should not be addressed in front of a set of um audience until there's been a conversation. So what is required for an individual whether it's a parent or a citizen to ask the board members who were elected by our by our county what's required for us to get a meeting in front of the board in private. Sir, I I want to reiterate the instructions. We're not allowed to get into that in here tonight. But you can see the superintendent after the meeting and he can give you that information. And that unfortunately we're kind of deadlocked. And there again, we go back to confidentiality rules concerning students and employees that
048we can't get into. >> It has nothing to do with a student or an employee. >> Okay. We'll see him after the meeting, sir, and he'll he'll get with you. Just just a minute before we get started on that. Uh how about taking about a five minute bathroom break if you could. Now, what I'm wondering is she >> or was she the is she the highest female I'll bet I probably over. back to order now and unfinished business. I'll turn over to you, Dr. Today feels like a little bit like I'm stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, kneel, pray, I think is what we did in church some. So that's kind of feels like what I'm doing today. A lot of that. Uh I'm I'm doing a little bit of everything today. I'm
049standing in for Miss Dattle. Uh she is at the paint conference this evening and we are doing uh policy revisions at this point. Um first of all I want to thank our policy committee for their work on those and just wanted to say that board uh this is a batch of policies that is on for a final read. Uh so we've had an opportunity to see them uh respond back to them and tonight is a very standard procedure of just asking for a adoption or a motion uh for a final read. And I know Miss Helms, you are you chair the policy committee and it would be my recommendation that you adopt the policies as they've been recommended. >> Um I'd like to make a motion that we accept the presented policy updates as written.
050Okay, we have a motion by Miss Allan Helms who is a uh chairman of that committee on the policy committee. We have a second by Mr. Derek McInness who's also on the committee. Is there any further discussion on accepting the policies for the final read? With no further discussion, all those in favor signify by raising your right hand, >> which is an eight. >> And rather than going back to my chair, Mr. Chairman, if it's okay, I'll move forward with the facilities update. Mr. Marshall is unable to be with us tonight. I do have a facilities update. Uh, I just want to take a moment though to thank our administrators for being here with us this evening. We appreciate you. I know it's a long evening, a whole lot going on, but there's there's there's
051something to be said when you look in the back of the group and the back of the room and we see you guys back there. Appreciate you being there. Means a lot. I want you to know I think you've got the support of this board and you certainly got my support. We're proud of you. We're close. It's getting close to the end of the year. I know especially early college is getting ready here just shortly, but we're very very proud of the work that you guys are doing this year. Keep it up. Uh that said, uh we've got a lot to be thankful for in our facilities. I think Mr. Marsh and uh his team are doing a great job. And it's one of those that over spring break, while many of us take vacation
052during that time, uh that's a time for our maintenance and our auxiliary services to really step up and get a whole lot of work done. So tonight, I want to start by recognizing the work Mr. Vaughn uh and the maintenance department did. Uh just a few things at West Marian Elementary School. I see got Mr. uh Whis here. Dr. Whis. I started to say Mr. That's what makes mixed me up. Dr. Whis here tonight. Uh he thought he was going to have to work the whole break uh to move floors and everything else, but he ended up not having to. I think those guys took care of him. They did put in new LVT flooring uh at West M West Marian. It looks beautiful. Uh that's part of the recent capital flooring project. At Marion
053Elementary, we had uh Miss Wilkerson, we had some damage to floor because we had to bust the floor up to get to a busted pipe. And as part of that, there was asbestous. So, I know you guys may remember seeing that from a while ago. That classroom was actually shut down for a little while. And they uh they petitioned it off just as you do when you have asbestous and you're going to do the abatement process. They were able to come in there over the break and get that portion of the work done. So, they were able to do the abate abatement for it and good good progress there. That that room is still not being used because you've got them moved for the year. So, we've got a little extra time, but we were
054able to get That's right. And waiting on the new floor there. And then Mr. Carson at Foothills Community Schools, if you've had a chance, they've got a lot of work going on over there. The building's looking in great shape. New roof on that. Um there was quite a bit of shingle replacement as well as some uh boards that got replaced and they're replacing some siding on the base of it. And also the building uh in the middle there has really had an extensive upgrade and it's still still making its way. But Mr. Carson had some students in there and they were working on learning how to use a mop machine the other day and he was teaching it looked like a group of sixth graders how to use a mop machine. Um constantly working with
055our kids. The floors in there look incredible and I'm proud of the work that's going on there. The break also saw some needed yard work at many of our schools and our technology department. Mr. Barry Hill, um I'm not smart enough to tell you exactly what it did what he did, but technology-wise, they did a lot to keep us safe. Mr. Barill, we appreciate you the work that you did behind the scenes. I know you changed over some some main frames and some different things like that. I don't even know what I'm saying, folks, but I know it was a big deal. Uh, I know it costs money and I signed those for sure, but Mr. Barry Hill does a great job and with with a small department and a small team, he handles a
056lot of stuff. Also want to brag on him a little bit. Mr. Frank, you alluded to uh earlier the the Iranian conflict that we have going on. And what I wanted to say with that is because of that, we've seen an increase in our cyber um type issues. We've had more fishing scams and different things like that going on. Sure you guys are aware of that in the news. Mr. Barry Hill very much so aware of that has been on top of that uh you know in all regards. So more things that he can do there behind the scenes to keep our kids safe. Those are just things that that often go unnoticed and and unfortunately they go unnoticed because they're so it's such a high level of intelligence and smartness. So we're proud of
057Mr. Barry Hill and the work that he's doing there. In our bus garage, Mr. Thomas and his team were able to catch up on primary maintenance repairs. And it's something that sometimes you just like you do the floors and other things, you've got some of the bigger repairs, you know, things are okay, but you've got some of the bigger repairs that you can kind of put off, you know, as soon as you get a chance to get to them that you'll do. Um, so they were able to do that. As well as Mr. Thomas recommended uh to DPI and was awarded four additional new buses and uh that's going to those will be coming into the fleet and that's that's one of those that uh they just that fleet turns over naturally but there's quite
058a bit of process to go through that and most of those buses that are turning over were in the 20 year old phase. So, I remember three years ago going back and many of the principles remember this as well. We're getting ready to have 90 degree days and and I know you all know what I'm talking about. A lot of our buses three years ago were some of those 20 year old buses. Now, there's 25 of them that have been replaced out of our 60 buses in our fleet. Um, so that's that's really really positive. It's going to help with our our students traveling home. I know our I know the bus drivers appreciate it too. Um, it's one of those that we're we're excited about that. We'll continue to turn those buses over as
059often as we can. Finally, tonight, I've got a couple projects that I want to bring you up to speed on. The first is the West Middlefield project. If you've driven down Highway 70 in front of West Middle School and the high school, you've noticed that the fence work around that perimeter is is gone. Uh, and then you'll notice that they're beginning the phases of work there. I want to tell you first that one thing with that project. Now, keep in mind that is the project that will elevate the baseball and softball field and bring in pickle ball courts down on that lower area as well as a parking area. One of the things that we've ran into uh was part of the flood mitigation uh piece was the county level um having to deal with
060some FEMA type uh type of uh permitting if you will. So, that's one of the layers that we've ran into. At this point, we've completed all the documents with our contractor. We think we've got those in place. Uh, but what we've asked to do is go ahead and continue working on the upper section of the project. So, the part that's happening there now that you might not be able to see is you you'll see the stuff you can see is some of the stakes that they put up. They they've done some painting on the road and they're making some marks on where they're going to be doing some digging and some and some work there. Um we we do realize that that uh that little bit of time frame there trying to get that permitting
061is is holding us back a little bit. We've had conversations with the contractor to make sure that they understand that Miss Whitman needs that road and Mr. Spivey needs that road and it may come down to and it probably would have anyway a potential of this summer where they're using the Bojangles entrance while that road's under repair and then they'll just come up by Bojangles, Mr. five and then down the hill to get to you guys. But we do have a plan for that and we're excited about watching that work get kicked off. Looking forward to it and I think the permittmenting, like I said, is well underway at this point. So, I think we'll be in good shape there. Um, and finally tonight on our new elementary school board, you guys were all involved
062in the stakeholder meetings that we just recently had. Um, I'm proud of that work. I know several of our principles in here were involved in that, especially uh Marion Elementary and Eastfield Global Magnet School to be able to come together to do something that's a little bit unusual to be able to talk about a school in development phase. So, one of the things that we know as a board that we don't want to have to end up doing is making change orders. Change orders cost a lot of money. So what we wanted to do is have contact with those folks on the front end, bring them into Old for Elementary School, show them a a similar design as to what we could have um and then get an idea of how we would put the
063school on the property that we have. Uh we were able to do that with the three meetings. Those meetings were each held by one of the assistant superintendents. Mr. Marsh held one that was primarily for auxiliary services uh folks and then Miss uh Hamby held one that was for primary for teaching and um Miss Dattle held one that was more on the administrative side. So we're able to capture all of that. In each of those uh second days with Miss Hamby and Miss Dattle, we were also able to capture parents and get feedback from parent groups about what they wanted to see. Now, we've got $42 million from the state. Uh we designed probably a hundred million dollars worth of project with the teachers and what their hopes to their requests were. Obviously, we know
064that we can't build a school for $100 million. Um but that's what now Patrick has to go back or architect and begin that design phase and really hone in on what those priorities was. At the end of each one of those meetings, he gave and you guys were part of that during the lunch piece. He gave them red, green, yellow, and blue type stickers and they were able to go in and put their priorities and really look at them and hear some consensus from the group. So, I'm proud of the work that we did. I think that it's going to be it's going to be a beautiful school. I'm really looking forward to what Patrick comes back to us with. And that's the phase we're in. Uh we're in that phase now where he's designing
065um We're uh we're slowing down just a little bit while he's designing. Um but it's going to look like things are already taking place because for soon enough they're going to be moving dirt off the Highway 70 project down to the Highway 70 project off Ridge Road. They're going to be moving that dirt from there down to the West Middle School baseball field. So that work's going to be started shortly. So you guys as a board are going to get a lot of questions thinking that the new school is already being built and the answer is not yet. We're still working on that. But we've got uh we do have a plan in place to be to to begin that. Uh tomorrow I will report to you that I am meeting with um the folks
066from performance services uh to begin the conversations about the two uh schools, Eastfield and Marion Elementary School and what what the possibilities there would be. So obviously very preliminary nowhere uh nowhere close to even coming up with a complete idea. We need feedback from them. So, tomorrow's when I get to look at them and say, "Here's what we need at the end of this. We need you to come back and and tell us what your thoughts are and use uh use that group to be able to do that." Mr. Frank, that concludes my facilities update, sir. Take any questions if you have them. >> Does anybody have any questions on facilities? >> Okay, sir. Let's go and move in new business. >> Yes, sir. Next up, we've got a super a letter from me. Uh
067I will tell you that the school boards association and North Carolina schools uh administrator association had asked us to uh come up with a resolution or adopt some form of communication with ourself governor and the general assembly. And folks in your packet I I included that letter. I hope you've had an opportunity to read that. I I don't want to bore you with with reading it, but I want to I want to summarize a few things that are in it. First, we talked about thanking our general assembly and the governor for the $42 million we just talked about. I think it's real important when you're uh when you're advocating for with with our uh elected officials that we first recognize what good they've done. Now, at the same time, we're encouraging them um to pass
068a budget. We need it. We're also encouraging them to consider uh teacher pay raises as well as per pupil aotment increasing the amount we get per pupil um throughout the state. That's not just a McDow County thing. That's something that we're encouraging them to do with the budget. And the final thing that I put in there is asking them to consider a school capital bond at the state level. Folks, we've not had one in 20 years. There's not been one at the state level in 20 years. There are lottery funds and we were certainly fortunate enough to get those lottery funds, but 10 possible schools across the state of North Carolina is is not quite enough. We need there's a there's a great need. Um because just as our district, there are many districts who
069have schools that are equally to our age that need to be replaced. Um we know that as a state it's going to take considerable work to be able to uh develop, you know, to to be able to build any more new schools or even remodel those schools. Um, at this point, the market has outpriced the local government. What do I mean by that? Mr. Abernathy, you know very well if I would have went to the county commissioners in the tier one county and said, "Hey, I got to have $42 million to build a new school that that's just not that that amount of money is just not not there at our county level. And I think that's one of those that uh the state we're going to need some support from the state. Uh those
070were some of the recommendations from the school boards association as well as NCASA and I'll certainly take any feedback uh tonight. If you would like to see something else in that letter, I would certainly consider it. But I I just wanted to kind of go over the the Reader's Digest version of the letter and offer you guys opportunity to give me any feedback you'd like. >> Anybody have any feedback? >> Did you Did you reference the fiscal year confusion? >> You know, Mr. Frank or Mr. Abernathy, I did not reference that in there. >> I was struggling to find a solid way to to do that. Um >> Okay. I was just curious. you've got if you want if if there's a possibility we could do that or if you would like for me to
071do that what and what he's talking about board is and I'll just go I'll go over this briefly uh the fiscal year um ending in July Mr. tramping having that conversation just the other day about some of our May being our last of the teacher pay and then trying to figure out how to go out and close out a year if some raises come in. First and foremost, I want to say that we're positioned well enough that we could do that in a small district. We we would take whatever was given to us. Some of the larger districts right now are struggling with that. So, it's it's such a contentious issue and I'm probably not going to be on the side of the argument that would that many of my friends and peers would want
072to see us on because we would say yes we can we can handle that internally with a with a reasonable size district. I think some of the smaller districts probably could handle it. I think some of the larger districts, M Rampy would really really struggle with being able to get that done in the fiscal year. So I just couldn't sir I couldn't find that balance of how to how to strike that in that letter. So that's That's why I chose not to. >> I would like to say this, sir, on on behalf of myself and Mr. Abernathy. U we met with Dr. Grid on the agenda and looked at the suggestions presented by the North Carolina School Boards Association and we asked Dr. Grit to please come up with a letter that's more suited to
073our district. Yes, sir. And that's why this has been changed and included, like you said, you included a lot of stuff, but there's things that we need specifically and and we want to advocate real hard for our teachers on pay raises and that sort of thing. And he covered that. >> Yes, sir. >> At this time, um, Mr. Frank, if we don't have any further questions, I would ask, uh, you guys to consider consider a motion on that. >> Okay. I entertain a motion to uh accept the uh passage of the letter to the general assembly from uh Dr. >> GR. Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Baker and a second by Mr. Allison. Is there any further discussion on approving the letter generated by Dr. Grit? No further discussion. All those in favor
074signify by raising your right hand which is a unanimous eight. >> Okay. And uh you're gonna introduce Miss Ry on the next part. >> Yes sir. Board. Thank you for doing that. Just want to remind everyone we do have the legislative breakfast coming up this week. So it's another opportunity to be talking about those uh three three primary issues that we that I brought up within my letter. And I will also make sure that that our legislators have that in their hands um through email this week so they'll actually get a copy of that. At this time, Miss Rampy, if you want to come up and give us an update on budgets, >> Good evening. The plan is for tonight is I'm going to go over the presentation that we did with the county commissioners
075that exact same information both as a refresher uh for you guys but also for anybody in the audience as well uh because we are going to be talking about what our formal request to the uh county commissioners will be. So the first thing to know is of our funds and this is all of our funds including capital. We do spend 81% of our funding on instructional purpose. Now you can board is 11%. So that is anything that's not in the classroom but actually is supporting instruction. 81% is actually in the classroom instruction. So the majority of our expenses are related to instruction which they should be for a school system and ancillary programs are programs such as child nutrition. Um and then we have some nonprogram charges there as well. One of the biggest things
076to know about the school system is, and this varies by a few percentages, generally we're around 85% these these funds that we pulled for last year, we had a higher u expense in some capital and purchase services, but generally around 85% of our budget is salaries and benefits. So with it being that high, anytime we get a large reduction in our budget, it is generally going to affect staffing. Uh we do we do try to not ever affect an actual warm body. We generally do everything through attrition. Uh but that does uh reduce our positions anytime we have a reduction in our budget. We get about 62% of our budget from state, about 13 from local, 19 from federal. And again, the 19 federal was skewed a little bit because we did have some larger
077federal grants in there. That can uh change year to year, but that's it's it's pretty close. A lot of times it's around 65% state and about 15% federal. But again, that depends on any large grants we get directly from the federal government. Historically from the county, you can see uh we have 10 years worth of data, actually 11 years worth of data there that shows the percentage increase and where we're at. We're currently at $10.8 million, almost $10.9 million. Last year, if you remember, after our uh initial meeting, we realized that we were going to be down $974,000 from low Wealth. And so the county did come back and did increase our funding by 600,000. And so that allowed us to maintain a lot more positions that we were going than we were going to
078have to cut for with that low wealth reduction. Uh and you can see the year before was right at 3%. And you can see the history there. Feel free to stop me if anybody has any questions. I know the board's already seen this one time, but for this coming year, we are looking at about $1.7 million change in funing. If we were to keep the exact same staffing that we have now, that is from ADM reduction from uh students. Um again, that is all through all K through really 13 grades. Uh so we may have, you know, 20 less second graders, three less third graders, but the combination of that is about $470,000 loss in funding from the state. We also anticipate some retirement and health insurance increases. that will be about a $100,000 uh
079increase and salary increases if we have a threat of 3% that affects us locally about $200,000. Uh we also had some grant funding and RLIS loss based on our county uh low wealth and our poverty numbers have changed even though we still remain a tier one county. Some of our poverty numbers have changed and because of that we have a reduction in some of that rural and lowincome money. So that puts us at $1.7 million that we need to address uh to stay at the exact same staffing number and uh effort that we are at right now. So in order to do that, what we did is we presented this to the county and our current need is 1.7 million. So how we're going to how are we going to address that? So we gave
080them several uh between zero to 10% adjustments and if and what that scenario would mean. So for instance, if we just look at the highlighted numbers, if they were to give us a 3% increase, that would be about $325,000. So that would affect that $1.7 million shortage to give us 1.4 that we still need to address. Our plan is to address part of that with reductions of positions by about $800,000. And that would leave us $600,000 that we would have to take out of our fund balance in order to balance our budget. Um the higher side of that yellow there is 5%. That would be a $541,000 increase in county funding. We would have $1.2 million to address. 800,000 of that would be staffing reductions and we would take around 384,000. Again, these are not
081exact numbers because it would obviously depend on the exact staff members and things like that, but these are are pretty generic numbers there. Um, and so we did give this to the county with those three numbers highlighted there because that's just right in the middle. Um, obviously we would take anything above that as well. Uh, but between the three and 5% is where we're really splitting the difference where we've cut around 10 positions. And then if you'll see, you know, for instance, if they gave us 4%, we would bet 433 and we would take 492. At 5%, they would give us 541 and we would take 384. And that's if we still cover the 10 positions. And that's the only that's the last slide that we have with the county commissioners. And so now what
082the board needs to do is to approve uh what percentage that we need to formally request to the county in our budget request. Uh and then they will get that back to us once they've made their final decision and they have a copy of these slides as well and obviously they were at the presentation we did last week. >> Mr. Rampy if I could chime in just for a moment. Certainly we'll entertain questions. Um but I just want to remind the board what we said during that meeting. If you look at those percentages and you see that 3% um and then you look out to the uh amount that we would be using which is the far right um from fund balance 601,000 uh that that's too much that's too much to be using out
083of fund balance. So in that in that instance u she has a reduction of 800,000 in positions. What that would mean is we would have to go from 10 into to 12 um potentially. Uh so that we we really prefer to get more than 3%. Um the the goal with our county commissioners is to be able to extend that fund balance and the amount of time that we can continue to dip into it. Um because we told them that we wanted to be able to be a good partner and continue to dip into the fund balance um until we get to a point where we go, okay, we have to cut that off. Um and I think uh that that's where we are. uh Miss Rampy was able to go and meet with Miss Bell.
084Um and you know, the happy number there is the 4% number. Um but just to give us a little bit of cushion, uh my my recommendation at this point would be to go with 4.5. Um and that's that's that's basically an extra $50,000 on there. And if you look at the $492,000 that would be coming out of fund balance, that extra $50,000 that would go in there provides Miss Rampy a little bit of a cushion because the goal there was to to not go to 500,000. I just felt like we that that's getting too close to too much as well. Um, so, so tonight, Miss Rampy, after after your conversation with Miss Bell, um, up at uh the county, that would be, uh, board, that would be what I would, uh, I would recommend and
085certainly entertain any questions that y'all may have. >> Does anybody have any questions for Dr. Grit? >> Let me ask one and make sure that that I'm accurate and maybe it'll help clarify things. A 3% increase from the county would require $800,000 in position elimination plus the allocation of 600,000 from our fund balance. >> Yes, sir. Which in that case 600,000 is too much out of our fund balance. So the line item that I would ask Miss Rampy to adjust would be the position line item. uh we would need to go to a million dollars worth of positions uh to get that uh fund balance reduction back to a closer to 400,000. Um so you're looking at a couple more positions there in order to do that. And we we've allotted um right now we've
086looked at and identified as many as 17 positions. Uh we certainly don't want to reduce by 17 positions. And let me be clear in saying this, and I know our principles know it because they've heard me say it over and over like a broken record. As long as you want to work in Mcdow County, we will have a place for you. Any of the positions that we're talking about would be taken through attrition. Um, so that that's really uh where I want to make sure that I'm really clear on that. We're we're not cutting people. We're talking about reducing through attrition the positions that we have. Um, I said it to the board earlier today. Uh, sometimes that might mean that somebody has to move from one school to another in order to meet the,
087uh, the needs as you have retirements more in one school than another. But Mr. Mr. Abernathy, does that answer your question, sir? >> It does. And I think the half% is smart. >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you. Anything further? At this time, I'll entertain a motion to uh for the local budget request then the request for all the hard work they did our commission further. I would like to make a motion to approve the request of 4 and 12% indicated here. Okay, we have a motion by Mr. uh Schoffer, who's the chairman of the finance committee, and a second by Mr. Abernathy, who's also on the finance committee, to request 4.5% from the from the McDow County Commissioners to help us on this uh I'm gonna say dilemma. uh with budget and you know we're
088still kind of guessing without the state uh going ahead and letting us know for sure what that budget's going to be. So is there any further discussion on the local budget request to the county? Okay. All those in favor signify by raising your right hand which is an eight vote which is unanimous. Thank you, Mr. Rampy. Thank you, Mr. Frank. >> Thank you, uh, Mr. Scher for the work that that committee does. >> Okay. At this time, uh, we're going to we are going to have board reports and Mr. Suttles with curriculum and instruction. Do you have anything, sir? >> We don't really have anything from the board. I just want to uh encourage principles, if you guys need anything from us coming up on test time or whatever else it may be. Uh guest
089speakers, rahrh cheerleaders, whatever to try to help you out, let us know. We'll try to put that on our calendars because we do want to try to help you guys finish strong. We know what kind of pressure and stuff you're under. So, uh like Dr. Grit said, you have our full support. I'm speaking for myself, too, you know, mostly, but I think everybody would agree you have our full support. So, anything you need, please let us know. Okay. Buildings and grounds. Mr. Barksdale is not here. And I I should have let you know earlier, but since it's the crowd that really needs to know this, Mr. Barksdale has got a family situation where he's got a got an uncle who's very sick and he's going to have surgery tomorrow and took his mother over to
090Hendersonville to see his uncle. That's why he's not here tonight. >> Mr. Baker or Mr. Aerny or Mr. Allison on the buildings and grounds. Anything you want to give us tonight? >> Okay. >> Just a reminder, uh, there we do have a meeting scheduled in May. That's the one that John Henning will be attending. Don't quote me on the date. It's either the 4th or the 6th. >> It's in the week. Mr. Sher, do you have anything else for finance? >> Uh, all right. What about Miss Helms with policy? >> Is there any other updates as far as NJROTC gentlemen or head start? Can I bring something up the future high school next Saturday down at Sugar Hill? It's on a fundraiser. real easy to find. You go across toward >> real all of us
091rednecks. >> But they they've really put a lot into this. They have auctioned some good things to bid on. It's going to be a great fundraiser. So, we ask you be out there and >> I'll get the information from >> They got their regular busy schedule and as we seen tonight, Summer Watts number eighth in the nation. um she's going places. Uh and then they've got some more trips and they'll have their summer camp at some point, but outside of that, just the typical stuff. So, >> you know, one thing that wasn't mentioned was number eight in the nation, but you don't realize how many students that involves. Thousands and thousands of students. >> Another thing that we don't know, or maybe maybe someone does know It's just curious to me is in those top
092seven, how many are females? Do we have the highest ranked female shooter in the nation? >> We may very well have one more thing about fundraiser. Mr. Frank gives me a hard time, but I understood that there's going to be auction off a $500 gift certificate for a set of tires somewhere. >> So that's that's that's given there that would go to them. You can bid it off. We hope it brings 5509 >> $499.99. Okay. All right. Item number uh 14 on the agenda is approval consent agenda. And I want to remind the board that if there's a particular item on the uh consent agenda that you want pull and uh talked about separately, we can do that. And if there isn't, I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as it's presented. Okay,
093we have a motion by Mr. Sheepford and second by Miss Allen HS to approve the consent agenda. Is there any further discussion on consent agenda? All those in favor by raising the right hand which is unanimous a vote. We don't need additional session. So, I'll entertain a motion to uh take action on the items, personnel items that were discussed in the close session before our regular session. >> Mr. Frank, who's going to break the news, Miss Ward, that her retirement was denied? >> Sorry. >> I'll make a motion that we accept the personal consideration. That's certified, not certified, right? >> That's correct. >> Well, the only thing that you left out, Mr. Subtles, was the extension of uh Mrs. Wilkerson and also Mrs. Elliot till we get the new school. >> I've already been personally
094told that if y'all remember that. And I recorded it on my phone in my pocket. They just don't know. Okay, we've had a motion by Mr. Subtles, a second by Mr. Schuford on the personnel matters in close session. Is there any further discussion? >> The only thing I'm serious about, Miss Whitman, if you could check on it, maybe these guys can too. I think ROC deserves something special, a wall of fame or wall of honor. Uh, what's our general? I can't remember his name. Oh my gosh. Just doing everything out there. General No, I'm talking about the one that had the kickers, football kickers. He's like something high high up making decision. General >> Bar like having his pictures and all this stuff because I think that is something special. So I'll personally oversee the
095funding, you know, getting funding for that. if you can check on that and because I think it's right there with athletic hall of fame for me we should do something special there too you know so okay u all those in favor of the motion to accept close session items signify by raising your right hand which is unanimous eight and announcements uh item number 17 on the agenda. Board work session Monday, April 27th, 5:00 pm. Board of Education regular session meeting for Monday, May the 11th, 5:00 p.m. >> With that, >> entertain a motion to adjurnn. Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Paul Baker to adjourn. We have a second by Mr. Jimmy Allison. All those uh are there any further discussion on journ with no further discussion? All those uh in favor signify by
096raising your right hand. You have to put in the