Board of Education Meeting - March 9th 2026

001Uh it's 6 pm and we're going to come back to order and at this time we're going to have it have an invocation and we will have this indication and invite you all to join with us or engage in a moment of silent reflection. But one thing I I'd like to say I see the ROC here NJOTC with flags and I'll tell you something. Please, please remember our nation. We're going through some difficult times, not only our nation, our state, and our uh county, and our city as well. Just just keep that in your thoughts and prayers as well. And at this time, I want to pray. Lord, we come before you in humbleness to ask your blessings on this meeting. We ask that you give us discernment as well as guidance on the decisions

002we're about to make for our students, teachers, and complete staff. Mcdow County school system. Let all our decisions and discussions be to the best for the for our top priority, our children. Help us to be positive influence and provide a safe environment for them. Lead, guide, and direct. Amen. Um, at this time it's I'm going to ask uh Chief Crossson if you want to come up and and make a quick statement before we do the colors and then I'm going to let you introduce. >> Thank [clears throat] you very much uh Mr. Frank Chair. I appreciate it. I don't know if you guys know, I don't like to talk, but despite that, I wanted to make sure that I was present this evening for tonight's board meeting for a very, very special reason. About a

003week and a half ago, we got a notification that said, "Hey, make sure you got a bunch of uh cadets outside between about 9:15 and 9:30." And we did that. And uh there's some folks I'd like to thank for that if I could. And then I'm going to go into exactly what happened. You guys are going to love it. Uh because we did. First, I'd like to say thank you, Dr. Grit, um, Assistant Superintendent Chad Marsh, McDow County, um, pardon me, McDow County School Board Chair, Mr. Terry Frank, the [snorts] school board members, uh, Mr. Paul Baker and Miss Mr. Derek McInness, as well as the rest of the board. I also want to thank, uh, Miss Suzanne Rampy, and I also want to thank our transport transportation director, Mr. Will Thomas. If you guys

004have not seen the most awesome school bus activity bus on the planet, let me tell you, we have and we're so appreciative. So, about a week and a half ago, I I got the outreach that said, "Hey, please make sure some cadets are outside. We got a surprise for you guys." And up pulled uh the most magnificent bus on the planet uh that's wrapped. And man, that thing looks good. So, again, thank you to everyone that was involved for that. We really appreciate it. I'd also challenge you to challenge the other members that you may have uh delivered a bus to because I think we own the cleanest bus at McDow County Schools. Uh these cadets that very same day uh went not that it was it didn't need cleaned, but it needed some ROC

005ownership if you understand what I'm saying. You know, we like to take uh very good care of the stuff that u that folks have bestowed to us. So, we cleaned the snot out of that thing and uh it was already shiny and stuff on the outside. We put a little TLC on the inside of it and uh again, I I will claim and forever claim for the transportation director specifically, it's the cleanest bus in Mcdow County and we'll accept that challenge if anyone wants to come hold us to it. So, we appreciate it. Again, thank you so much. I know the cadets appreciated it. I know we appreciate it with our program. I even sent that to my headquarters and within about 10 minutes of sending that um email and thanks and photos to headquarters

006um our assistant director called me and said, "You got to be kidding me." And I'm like, "No, it's real. It's not photoshopped. It's awesome." So, uh for everyone involved, thank you so much from the bottom of our heart. Most importantly, these young fine young folks that here representing our unit, they appreciate it as well. So, just thank you very much. And if I could, if the audience wouldn't mind, can we give these fine folks a a round of applause, please? Chief, I think >> Thank you for your support. >> I think he's trying to pull a picture up of the bus Sarah. >> Okay. Yeah, take >> if he's got one. >> If he's got it. If not, I've got them, but passing my phone around may not work. Uh, but I'm sure they'll get

007to it. But again, thank you so much for the support for our board, for our count school system, for the public. I promise you that bus is in great hands. And if you see it around, wave at us. You know, we'll do the best we can to to wave back. Thank you so much. I'll stand myself to say these cadetses are the best. We have the best and the best of the best in the nation. If you could seen their smile the other day and I thought these cadets that are here tonight were going to break out in joyous laughter. There's a picture Uh a lot of us a lot of them in the way but uh you you get the picture. It is fabulous. Our our superintendent work so hard on this. We have

008you know buses for nearly everybody out there. The van and CTE and activity buses. I know that this will be taken especially good care of because we have the best cadetses and I I appreciate you so much and I appreciate everybody that stands for America. And uh at this time we'll ask the cadetses to present colors all stand. Guard Hulk Hent. >> Mr. Carson, would you lead us in the pledge, please? Salute 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. >> Post the colors. Hi. Hard cart. All out. >> [snorts] >> Look at those pictures. >> I promise you it's the best. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. Okay,

009Dr. Superintendent remarks. >> Yes, sir. Thank you. And take this moment just to say Mr. Marsh, um I know that you had a great deal of putting that bus together and coming up with with the design and I think you might have enjoyed it just just a little bit being a lieutenant commander in the Navy. So well done. Beautiful bus. All right, I'm going to get started tonight. Good evening and welcome. With the first week of daylight savings time, a board meeting, the ACC tournament, countless sporting events, and students traveling for competitions, this will be one of the busiest weeks of the year. It's like we gain an extra hour of sunlight to use every last second. If you're a little tired this Sunday, think back on all we accomplished and remember you chose to

010stay up for the late night game. Don't feel bad. I'll probably do the same. All jokes aside, when the ther when the thermometer climbs into the 80s after a long winter indoors, the first stretch of sunrise and sunshine feels pretty special. So, it takes a special night to bring us inside together. We have so much happening this month, and tonight is especially meaningful as we debut our new school timeline. In November, we received the North Carolina needs-based school lottery grant for $42 million. As eager as we are to begin that work, we know we needed to pause and plan carefully to turn celebration into action. Tonight timelines, tonight's timeline reflects the work to be done. A year of planning and meetings, construction milestones, stakeholder and parent engagement meetings, student celebrations, and the projected of our

011opening school in the fall of 2029. If you ask what we will be doing over the next three years, the answer is simple. Building a new school. The work doesn't happen by chance. It takes vision, coordination, and a tremendous amount of heavy lifting. And I am deeply grateful for the for the team and our board whose efforts and commitments are are guiding us on this special journey. I'm honored to serve alongside them. We also have special recognitions this evening. You may have noticed the back door back there is closed and there's a line of teachers throughout the building. They're here to be honored for earning national board certifications as well as many of those who have qualified for state teacher bonuses for student success. Their dedication to our students and their craft make all of

012us better and we are incredibly proud of their work. Chairman Frank, members of the board, administrators and esteemed guests. We have a special moment ahead of us tonight. In just a few minutes, we will recognize Miss Gracie Jackson, seated here with her family. In her cap and gown, Miss Jackson embodies perseverance and the power of finishing what you start. Each year, I have the honor of handing diplomas to our graduates, and some moments stay with me. I remember a young mother last year who carried her infant across the stage. A powerful image of resilience and determination. It meant even more to me because my own mother graduated high school holding a child in her arms and that was me. As I shook the graduate's hand and I gently squeezed the baby's foot, imagining the pride

013and determination and love of both of those mothers must have felt in that life-changing moment. Tonight, we share another unforgettable moment. I'm honored that all of us here get to share it with Miss Jackson and her family. To any student who feels it's too late to finish high school. Remember her story. Education is a lifelong journey. The first step is simply deciding to begin. And when you do, there will always be people ready to help you reach your goals. Tonight, we recognize Miss Jackson for her dedication and hard work in completing the adult high school diploma program through McDow Tech Community College and McDow County Schools. While she has already technically received her diploma tonight, we're going to celebrate her journey and a job of exceptionally well done. Sir, that concludes my remarks and I'm

014now inviting Miss Crystal Hamby to the podium so we can begin our recognitions. Good evening, members of the board and guest. I'm Crystal Hamby. I'm the assistant superintendent for learning and federal programs. And tonight, this is the most exciting honor that I have had to do in my career. And I am thrilled to be before you this evening. We are honored to recognize Miss Gracie Jackson for her her extraordinary accomplishments and her unwaving commitment to lifelong learning. At 81 years young, Miss Jackson earned her adult high school diploma through McDow Technical Community College, demonstrating with inspiring clarity that it is never too late to pursue one's educational goals. Throughout her life, Miss Jackson has exemplified resilience, perseverance, and deep devotion to her family and community. Even when faced with significant health challenges, she remained steadfast

015in her determination to complete her education. With courage, dedication, and the support of her loved ones, she achieved the longheld gold and proudly graduated this past November. As Dr. Grant shared earlier, Miss Jackson truly embodies the meaning of finish what you started, our motto at McDow High School. Her journey reminds us that persistence can overcome obstacles and that education can uplift at every stages of life. Her achievement stands as an inspiration to her children, her grandchildren, and her greatg grandandchildren and to all of us committed to supporting learning in our community. Tonight we celebrate you, Miss Jackson, for your remarkable accomplishments, your steadfast spirit, and the example that you've set for others. Your story reaffirms our belief in the enduring value of opportunity, determination, and lifelong learning. Miss Jackson, this evening we are honored to

016present you with a graduation tassel in the colors of McDow High School because you truly have the heart of a Titan and three cords of excellence. At this time, Dr. Grit will bestow upon you your chords because the white cord stands for God's amazing grace and your unwavering commitment. The red cord symbolizes your heart, strength, and determination. And the red, silver, and blue cord to commemorate your achievement for a lifelong dream. At this time, if everyone would please stand with me and congratulate Miss Jackson on a job well done. [applause] >> [applause] [applause] >> We are so proud of you, Miss Jackson. >> [clears throat] >> This is good. >> [applause] >> Good evening, Mr. Frank, Mr. Abernathy, Dr. grit, members of the board, and our esteemed guest. Tonight, we're proud to recognize the exceptional

017dedication of our educators who have reached one of the highest professional milestones in teaching. Please join me in celebrating our teachers who have earned their national board certification for the very first time. An achievement that reflects countless hours of reflection, refinement, and commitment to their craft. First up from McDow High School, we have Miss Vicky Huau. [applause] And from Glenwood Elementary, we have Mrs. Stephanie Mole. We also honor other educators who have successfully renewed their certification, demonstrating ongoing excellence and a continued passion for elevating learning in our schools. Each one of these teachers embodies the professionalism, heart, and expertise that define our district, and we are deeply, deeply grateful for their impact that they make every day. First up, we have Miss Melanie Hamilton, [applause] Miss Olivia Moore, Miss Amy Holoffield, Miss Jennifer Pitman, Miss

018Marilyn Jordan, Miss Christy Dietrich, Miss Lynn Freeman, [applause] the National Board. Oh, let's give all these um national board certified teachers and renewal teachers a big round of applause. >> Congratulations. The National Board Ambassador Program recruits and trains nationally board certified teachers to promote board certification within their schools and districts. Ambassadors host awareness session, provide one-to-one mentorship and engage with leadership to increase certification rates. This program includes a recruitment kit, resources, and recognition for outreach efforts. Some key aspects of this program is to leverage experience from nationally board certified teachers to build a culture of accomplished teaching to be ambassadors. Um they conduct advocacy, hostformational sessions and supports candidates through the certification processes. Participants receive training, recruitment kits, slide decks, and promotional materials. And the program is for current nationally board certified teachers, though it

019is currently full for the 2025 cycle with with future opportunities planned. So these folks that I'm getting ready to re to recognize are actually ambassadors to help teachers like the ones that we just recognized earn their national board so that they are leaders of the national boards. So, first up, if you will please welcome Miss Jennifer Gant of McDow High School [applause] and Miss Donna Pi of West McDow Middle School. And next we have Miss Miranda Ferguson of McDow High School who is a lead ambassador for national boards. She has [applause] she also bears the above responsibilities and also responsible for leading not just in Mcdow County but in western North Carolina. Jennifer and Miranda are part of Mcdow County Schools national board support program. So let's give all three of these a big round

020of applause. [applause] Thank you ladies. So, as I stand before you tonight, I stand with great enthusiasm and pride to celebrate and reward excellence in teaching. As educators, we understand the pivotal role that teachers play in shaping the academic success of our students. Today, I get to present and recognize the remarkable achievements of our teachers. First up, we have our CTE bonus recognition. Students at McDow High School can earn at least one industrial recognized credential in every CTE pathway at McDow High School. Achieving an industry recognized certification or credential ensures that the students graduate from high school globally competitive for work and post-secary education. An industry recognized certification or credential helps businesses save many hours of training because their new hire is already trained. Be confident that the credential holder has already learned a specific

021set of skills. An industry recognized certification or credential helps students to validate their knowledge and skill attainment with an industry recognized certification, stand out in a field of job applicants, and start at a higher salary level. Some credentials offers bon bonus incentives for CTE teachers who provide instruction in a course that leads to students attainment of an industry certification or credential. These MHSCTE teachers earn bonus pay for the 2425 school year um by having the following. So, please join me in recognizing Miss Angie Allison, certified guest service professional, [applause] Mr. Charles Altri who was at Teen Court this um evening, but he um re had students receive certification in FEMA Emergency Management Institute and NC NECI 911 basic communications. Chad Brewer, the National Center for Construction Education and Research Construction CPS and Masonry. [applause] Kristen

022Clark with Surf Safe Food Protection Management. Mr. Charlie Davis, AutoCAD and Woodwork Career Alliance Sawblade Certification. Mr. Paul Davis, ASC Entrylevel Certifications, Electrical Electronic Systems. [applause] Mr. Clint Johnson with National Law Enforcement Certification. He is at teen court tonight as well. And also Mr. Chris Marsh who is no longer with us um but he earned um had students earn certification as well. Miss Heather Martin the business of retail certified specialist who couldn't be with us this evening. Mr. Wesley Minish, Adobe Photoshop Illustrator um Premiere Pro and in Design. Mr. Scott Ramsey, he is here. Come on in Mr. Ramsey. the National Center for Construction Education and Resource and Research Construction CPS and HVACR. Mr. Andrew Rogers, the National Center for Construction Education and Research Construction CPS and Carpentry. Mr. Keith Scholes, AWS Sense Entrylevel Welder

023Program, Shield Metal Arc Welder, SM AW. Miss Stacy Shaw, North Carolina Early Childhood Credential. [applause] Mr. Daniel Smith, Autodesk's 3DS Max. and Eric Thompson, National Law Enforcement Certification. Let's give our CTE teachers a big round of applause. And we're going to ask Miss Mary Finley, who is our CTE director, to step up here with them to get their picture made. But she was thrilled that I asked her. Come on, Miss Congratulations. Well done. [applause] Our second set of recognitions is for our AP or advanced placement courses teachers. AP classes are taught at a rigorous level and help prepare students for college level courses. Students may earn college credit by taking and passing the AP state test. Our AP teachers received a bonus based on students performance in their classes. A teacher may earn $50 per

024student for up to $3,500 per school year. The teachers listed below earned a bonus in the following classes. Mr. Wes Carpenter for AP ABBC BC calculus. [applause] Miss Miranda Ferguson, AP pre-calculus. [applause] Miss Vanessa Kendrick, AP Language and Composition. Mr. Seth Hunt, AP Language and Composition. Miss Jolie Weaver, AP Environmental Science and Biology. [applause] Mr. Stewart Massie, AP US History. Missy Redmond, AP Government. And Miss Brooklyn Vanstad, AP World History. Thank you. Congratulations. Last, but certainly not least, we want to recognize teachers in grades three through eight who received a growth bonus based on the 2425 school year. The GO growth bonuses recognize teachers in third through 8th grade reading and fourth through 8th grade math whose growth index is in the top 25% of the state of North Carolina and the top 25% of

025Mcdow County schools. In many grade levels, it was easier to get the top growth in North Carolina than it was for McDow County schools. The following teachers are being recognized for their growth in third grade reading. Miss Dana Yelton, [applause] she [cheering] received the state and LEA bonus. Miss Maria Vargas Escobar. [applause] She received the state and LEA bonus. Miss Leanne Freeman, she received the state and LEA bonus. Miss Jennifer Sloan, both the state and LEA bonus. Miss Carrie Linquist, both state and LEA bonus. [applause] And Miss Deb Rose, who couldn't be here tonight, received the state and LEA bonus. Miss Gab uh Gabrielle Lancaster receiving the state bonus. [applause] Miss Wendy Davis with the state bonus. [applause] And Miss Felicia Stamy with the state bonus. [applause] Congratulations third grade teachers. Thank you. >> Congratulations.

026Next, we have our fourth and fifth grade reading growth bonuses. For fourth grade, Miss Leslie Hughes, receiving the state and LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Ashley Bernett, fourth grade, receiving the state and LEA bonus. We have Miss Jessica Major who received the state and LEA bonus in reading but also the state bonus in math. [applause] Miss Shannon Chaffen for fifth grade the state and LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Stephanie Mole fourth grade LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Natalie Morgan, fourth grade, LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Deborah Freeman, fifth grade, LEA bonus. And Mr. John Cunningham, fifth grade, LEA bonus. [applause] Congratulations. [applause] >> Next, for our fourth and eighth grade math growth bonuses, we have Miss Taylor Stove for the state NLEA bonus. [applause] Miss Caitlyn Robinson for the state and LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Katie Carter for the

027state and LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Alicia Bernett with the state and LEA bonus. Miss Cheryl Movie with the state bonus. >> [applause] >> Miss Jennifer Blake with the state and LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Tiffany Barker with the LEA bonus. [applause] Miss Anna Roland with the LEA bonus. [applause] Mr. Frank Beck with the LEA bonus. And the rest are not here, so I am going to say their name because I think if you get a bonus, you should be recognized. Miss Holly Woody with this LEA bonus, Miss Sarah Rice with the LEA bonus, Miss Christina Pardon with the LEA bonus, and Miss Rebecca Carter with the LEA bonus. Let's give these folks a big round of [applause] applause. And you thought you were done with me, but you're not quite yet. Each month, we have the

028honor to recognize our certified and classified employees of the month. And these folks help represent the core beliefs of McDow County Schools. First up, I'm going to recognize Miss Angela Wilkerson to recognize our certified employee of the month, Miss Wilkerson. [applause] Good evening. It is my pleasure to introduce Mrs. Stephanie Norton, the speech language pathology at pathologist at Marion Elementary. Miss Norton is an educator who is truly studentdriven and deeply committed to the success and well-being of every child she serves. She consistently makes meaningful difference in her students lives by supporting their ability to communicate effectively while ensuring they feel valued and respected as individuals. Her classroom is a place where students are known, heard, and supported. This care is evident not only in their academic growth, but also in the confidence they gain as

029communicators and learners. Mrs. Norton is highly intelligent and reflective, continually seeking opportunities to grow professionally and refine her practice. She embraces new learning, applies it thoughtfully, and always keeps students needs at the center of her work. She goes above and beyond not only for her students but for our entire Maran Elementary family. Miss Norton communicates regularly with families, explaining educational information in clear and understandable ways that build strong homeschool partnerships. She also fosters positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues, contributing to a supportive and student focused school culture. I'm proud to introduce Mrs. Stephanie Norton. [applause] Next up, I'd like to ask Mr. Marsh to step up to recognize our classified employee of the month. >> Mr. Marsh, before you start, I' I'd like to thank Miss Norton for taking care of my granddaughter. Let me tell

030you, she has come a long way, and I'm very proud of what you've done. Thank you, [applause] >> Mr. Frank, Dr. Grit, members of the board, ladies and gentlemen. I'm not as nice as Mrs. Wilkerson is. Mr. Thomas, come on up. Some things are best forged under heat. Come on up, sir. It's my absolute pleasure this evening to recognize the Dell County Schools uh non-certified employee of the month for the month of February 2026. I'd like to recognize Mr. Will Thomas. Mr. Will Thomas has served as a director of transportation for McDow County Schools for over 20 years now. And during that time, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, professionalism, and a strong commitment to service. It's been my pleasure to work with you this past year, sir. He works countless hours overseeing daily operations

031and ensuring, get some of these numbers, ladies and gentlemen. He ensures more than 60 school buses and 13 activity buses are safe and ready to hit the road twice a day, traveling over 3,700 miles each day. And every one of them are carrying precious cargo. His willingness to step in wherever needed ensures school operations can continue smoothly each and every day because without you, they don't get there. In addition, Mr. Thomas selflessly worked throughout the winter months, often leaving his residents well before 3:00 a.m. to drive, knowingly drive icy and hazardous roads. Mr. Thomas personally traveled hundreds of miles of highways before everybody woke up during and after winter storms to provide timely and expert feedback on the road conditions that he's witnessed. His proactive approach and tireless work ethic significantly impacted the district's ability

032to make realtime decisions and contributed to the safety of thousands of staff and students, thus reflecting his deep commitment to our community and to Mcdow County Schools. Mr. Thomas's sustained superior performance for more than two decades exemplifies the very best of our employees. Mr. Thomas, we sincerely thank you for your outstanding service and we're honored to recognize you as a non-certified employee for the month of February 2026. [applause] [laughter] >> [applause] >> Hey, Mr. Thomas. Was uh Coach Brooks and myself the first ones? I'm over here Donnie over here. Were Coach Brooks and myself the first ones you ever took driving? >> One of the first ones. That was a very interesting day. >> I'll never forget that he said I really never never will forget it. Coach Subtles, don't forget there's kids on this

033bus. >> [laughter] >> I was going a little fast. >> Thank you so much for everything. Really appreciate you. >> Okay, at this time we just take just a few minutes to have a little break before we proceed with our meeting. That way if anybody would like to leave they can need a restroom break. >> Thank you so much. She's doing great. >> Thank you so much. It was nice to >> come here. Eden. >> Come here. >> I've got hearing a little message. Is that right? [laughter] Thank you. Another thing I'm gonna have to probably I don't I can't fix this. >> Hey, let me tell you something. I don't need you a paper towel. [laughter] >> It was something. >> You want me to announce it? Thanks for your problem. Wow. >> You

034can't Huh? >> He's gonna It's recorded. No one's talking. Sorry. >> It was a great It's all good. I don't If I could have your attention, we'll bring the uh session back to order. And at this time, uh Dr. Grid, if you would introduce Miss Helms and the acknowledgement of parental engagement. >> Yeah. Hi. Um, the policy committee had the privilege of meeting with a special guest last week. You may know Miss Joanne Evans, a community parent who addressed the board at last month's meeting. Unfortunately, her daughter had experienced bullying at school. This was one of the best meetings I think we all said to date and an important one. Mrs. Evans was able to share her feelings and thoughts as well as ideas for helping foster empathy, tolerance, and acceptance among our students, particularly

035ones that may be a bit different or at higher risk for bullying. We have pulled and reviewed our policy on bullying, and it does meet federal guidelines as written. We do plan to meet with Miss Hami um and I believe we've already asked her, and she's started on pulling the present curriculum in our programs. um so that we can review what is in the in-class curriculum that's already in place for our kids. This will give us all a chance to look for areas of improvement from a curriculum standpoint. We applaud Mrs. Evans and her willingness to voice her concerns and to engage in meaningful, productive dialogue. Together, we can be the change we wish to see. And I don't think she's with us tonight, but if you're listening, we appreciate you, Miss Evans. Thank you,

036Miss Helms. It was I I would agree it was an excellent meeting. It was a good opportunity to uh have have parents partner with us as a board and as a policy committee. It's something that I don't think I've ever had the opportunity of doing quite like that. And it was just a I really felt like it was the right thing to do. And uh when we listen, we all can learn. So, I felt like it was really really good. At this time, we'll go ahead with our report from our teacher representative and invite Miss Amber Loen. I don't know why I had to follow uh good old Mr. Marsh. He is too tall. So, I tried to work this out before, but it's going to take me a couple times, I'm assuming. So, it's

037always awkward. Oh, I can't do it. So, good evening. Last month, I shared a core memory about getting my bus license. And I'm pretty sure I traumatized Dr. Grit when I announced that I had actually passed and gotten those license. I do want to set the record straight. I'm going to lean in. I never drove a bus for McDow County Schools. And to be fair, I may have taken out a sign during the driving portion, but that's how you know you're learning. I mean, it's just a sign. It's not like I hit a chicken or anything. During that extra day of training, I figured out the real secret to driving a bus, learning to use all 100 mirrors they put on those things, and somehow keeping track of what each one is actually showing you.

038When I worked for the Y, I drove a bus I named Bluebird. And I had to pick up after school kids at East. And I just want everyone to know, especially Dr. Grit, that every single day there were cars lined up in the car rider line when I got there. I had to come through the back and make that sharp turn with hardly any room. And I am proud to say that every single time I made it through without hitting or swiping anything. And that bus just didn't stay in Marion. I drove Bluebird to Black Mountain, Carowinds, and just about everywhere else we took those kids. I don't remember why I named that bus Bluebird, but the name fit it perfectly. If anyone ever wants to gain some real educational experience, I highly recommend you

039working at the YMCA after school program or day camp. You will learn real quick. I will say it may have been the county's loss because I became a topnotch bus driver when I drove Bluebird. So, I'm sorry, Mcdow County Schools for missing out on my professional bus driving skills over 15 years ago. And no thanks are necessary, but you're welcome, Dr. Grit, for clearing that up and not having to worry about me driving one of the county buses. Although saying thank you wouldn't hurt. [laughter] I don't think I'm gonna get it. We all know students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and valued. That's why tonight I want to recognize our school resource officers. Many people think a school resource officer's job is simply about safety and security, emergency plans, procedures, and a uniform

040in the hallway. And yes, SRO's are responsible for maintaining safety and order. They are trained to respond when situations escalate and to protect students and staff if something goes wrong. That responsibility alone is significant. But their presence in a school means so much more than protection. They are part of the daily life of the building. They interact with students in ordinary moments, between classes, at lunch, at events, and during difficult situations. Over time, those everyday interactions shape students shape how students view authority, responsibility, and trust. Tonight, I'd like to recognize Officer Eric Rodriguez, who recently retired after 20 years in law enforcement. You can thank Alejandro for that one. including the last five years spent protecting our schools. But what truly sets him apart are the relationships he built with our kids. Relationships that made

041them feel seen, heard, valued, and reminded them that someone was always in their corner because they mattered. Rod, I've been lucky enough to work alongside you since you made the switch to SRO and landed at East. And we both ended up moving to McDow Tech's campus the same year. Of course, you've also learned how to survive working with me and my many questions. You call it being nosy. I call it wanting to stay informed about important information. But let me tell you, Rod is a vault. Okay. I told him I wanted to go on a ride along again, not to be nosy, but to know important information. His response was, "Well, you have to sign a waiver and only one person can go at a time." And I thought, "Well, never mind. What's the fun

042in that? I'd be going by myself. But I'll be honest, we already miss you keeping order in the parking lot. Sometimes that meant reminding certain staff members to slow down, even when those staff members were only going about 5 miles an hour. And then there was the time you told one of our substitute teachers, whose daughter I've taught for three years in a row now, that I was about to hit him, which was not true. And you know it. I didn't need to slow down. He was already out of the way. Parking lot safety is not why we're why you're being recognized tonight. Your presence changes the way our campus feels and we are all better for it. Your influence also matters in ways that are harder to measure, especially for some of our boys.

043Sometimes they just need someone to show them what respect, consistency, and accountability look like. For some of them, you may be the first man in their life to show them that simply by showing up for them every day. And that's something they won't forget because moments like that stay with them. They'll remember the person who noticed them, who listened, and who believed in them. And Rod, for so many of our kids, that person is you. I think the best way for you and everyone here and those watching to understand how big your impact has been is to hear directly from a student. So, here's what our student had to say about you. I don't think people truly understand how much Eric has impacted my life. when I was going down the wrong path, making choices

044that could have cost me everything, even landing me in juvenile detention for a few days. Eric didn't give up on me. He didn't look at me like I was just another problem or another statistic. Eric saw more in me than I saw in myself. When I was at my lowest, Eric stepped in not just as a school resource officer, but as a mentor, a guide, and someone who genuinely cared. Eric held me accountable, but he also showed me respect. You talked to me like I matter, like I mattered, and that changed everything. Those were moments where I could have kept going down the wrong road, but his words stuck with me. His belief in me stuck with me. Eric helped me realize that one mistake doesn't define who I am, and that my future is

045bigger than my past. Because of Eric, I started thinking differently, moving differently, wanting better for myself. Eric just didn't keep me out of trouble. He helped me see my worth and my potential. I'll always be grateful for that. Thank you for not giving up on me when it would have been easy. You made a bigger difference than you'll probably know. L. McDow Early College Junior Year 2024 2025. This starfish keychain [snorts] [applause] This starfish keychain represents the difference you've made in Mcdow County Schools, one student at a time. His words are exactly why the starfish story matters so much because it perfectly describes the kind of impact you've had here in our schools. And tonight, the person reading the story that your keychain represents is actually your favorite student. Or at least that's what he

046keeps telling everyone. >> Officer Rodriguez, thank you for everything you've done, not just for me and my friends, but for anyone else's life you had an impact on, and for being the reason a lot of people suddenly learn how to drive the speed limit. The best part about retirement now, after all those early mornings, you finally get to sleep at 6:00 a.m. I was asked to read this since I'm your favorite and was told I could not say my name. The starfish story >> because would get fired. >> One morning, a man was walking along a beach covered with thousands of starfish that had washed ashore during the night. Up ahead, someone was gently picking them up one by one and tossing each starfish back into the ocean. Why are you spending so much energy

047on this? The man asked. 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 endless 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. Some of [clears throat] those students whose lives you've changed have already graduated. Others are still in high school. And as you can see, three of the sweetest boys are here tonight because of you. And over the years, you've helped create a lot of memories for our kids. And one of my favorites happens to be a

048few years ago. Each school family was each MAI MEC school family was assigned a school in our county as part of our community service project. And my family was assigned to East. We decided [snorts] to host a fundraiser, a dance competition. Each group of students had to choose an adult they wanted to be a part of their dance. And without hesitation, those students chose you. So you joined them, practiced with them, and got out there on stage and danced right alongside them. And I don't know if y'all know this or not, but Rod can dance. Your group, it was your group won first place. And I will say there was some strong competition. Miss Dattle and Miss Helms along with their group almost had it. I wish I could have found the video. I looked

049and I couldn't find their video. I was so sad. Hopefully I'll find it before um June. The prize was $100 and after the show, you all went out to eat at Nepali's. But what I remember most about that night was watching our kids laugh, dance, and just enjoy the moment with someone they clearly looked up to. So before we move on, I want everyone here to see that moment. So let's take a look at the video. He was nervous, too. [music] >> [music] >> What you want, [music] baby? You know I got it. [music] Woo! [music] I know. [music] I know. [music] All I have to do [music] All my What I got to eat [music] [singing] again? [cheering] [music] Thank you very much. Rod, those students won't remember every lesson they learned in school,

050but they will will they will remember that night. And on a personal note, I want to say how thankful I am for our friendship. Working working alongside you these past few years has meant a lot to me, and our school won't feel quite the same without you around. I'll definitely miss Halloween when the daycare kids come through our hallways trick-or-treating from classroom to classroom. It is the cutest thing. I always ended up having to buy a big box of Welch's gummies for the daycare kiddos because I knew you were going to forget. And those daycare kids absolutely adored you. From the babies to the 2-year-olds to the preschool class, they all know and love Officer Rod. You made those little ones feel safe and more importantly, you made them feel special. Students didn't avoid you.

051They looked for you. You encouraged better choices. You treated students with respect and understanding. That kind of trust cannot be assigned. It cannot be required. It has to be earned. And you earned it. Students knew they could talk to you openly. Teachers knew they could count on your support. And our school community is stronger because of your presence. Safety isn't just about locked doors and procedures. It's about relationships. Because when students trust the adults around them, schools become safer places for everyone. Students are better today because you showed up for them. That's what real impact looks like. So tonight, on behalf of our students, our staff, and our school community, thank you. Thank you for protecting our our community and our schools. Thank you for caring about our students. and thank you for making a

052difference to the sweet boys that we got to see every day. Congratulations on your retirement, Officer Rodriguez. You deserve it. Thank you. [applause] >> Listen, he's going to want to make sure I'm going to be That's what I'm talking about. >> [applause] [cough] >> Good evening, Miss Jackson. >> Good evening. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Take care. >> Miss Smith, do we have any requests to address the board? >> Dr. Grit, number 12, unfinished business. >> Yes, sir. At this time, we're going to uh have Mr. Hughes make his way to the podium and talk to us about our proposed 2026 2027 uh school calendar. If you'll remember, we've had this on the agenda uh now for a month. So, tonight we'll be asking for a vote on it. >> Good evening, Dr. Grit,

053Mr. Frank, Lord, everyone in the audience. Just want to run over the the school calendar requirements again just for uh just to review for everybody. Uh we will be putting the calendars up uh like we did last month. I won't go them in as much detail as we did last time, but just a couple of things. All calendars, whether they're charter schools, cooperative, innovative, regional high schools, lab schools, year round schools, everybody has to have at least 185 calendar days or,25 uh hours of instruction. Um you can uh the the calendars have to be 215 days in length. That's by law. And I'll go over that with these when we when we pop those up. Uh doesn't specify a minimum number of work days and a couple of our neighbors calendars are interesting with that

054the ones that they've done this year because there a whole bunch of work days uh on a few of those. And again uh for the the traditional calendar can't uh it's got to be done it can't open no sooner than the Monday closest to August the 26th and close no later than Friday closest to the 11th. So that's where we are right now. The traditional calendar is up uh for everyone to see. Again, won't won't spend too much time on this outside of saying that first day that August the 17th that is day one uh of the 215. Won't hit any of these other things except to say down there in June. Um that is what is that day the 11th? That's day 215. And just like I said last time, uh you say, "Well,

055we'd like another work day. We'd like to move June 11th to somewhere else in the calendar that that won't work because that leaves you 214 days in the calendar because the last day would have been June the 10th, not June the 11th. So that that's why we can't that's why we can't take that one and move that. So that that's where we stand with your traditional calendar. Uh you want to peek at Eastfields real quick before we go to the others. Again, our year- round calendar starting on July the 6th. They got their three work days to start. You can see their first break there in September. Again, July the 6th is day one for them. And then you get down to June and everybody that la that second week in June, June the 9th

056is day 215 for them. And again, same thing. Can't take June the 9th and move it somewhere because it only leaves you with 214 214 days. And the last one, uh, Mai, MEC, um, Cooperative Innovative High Schools, you can see their first work day is the 3rd of August. And uh they have a break in October with a little fall break there. Uh again, that August 3rd is day one for them. And then when you get down into May, May the 28th is day 215. And good thing about this calendar, it ends before Memorial Day, which is wonderful. Hopefully in the next couple years, we'll be able to to work all of them that that will end like that. But for this year, we got to play by the rules and the laws, and that's

057what we're going to do. And so I got to thank Mr. Robin Smith, she put together all this stuff and she's done that for years. Um, and it's not just a, hey, can can you fix the calendar up? Well, it takes a little bit of time. Uh, so got to give all the credit to her. Uh, the members of the committee this year and last recognized those folks last time, but uh, great to work with. Brought all their suggestions back. We looked and changed what we could could change legally and the changes that we couldn't do, we just said, "Sorry, we can't do that because they're just not uh attainable right now." So, these are the three calendars that I would like to uh put forth for a motion to accept them for the 2627

058school year. I'd like to make a motion to approve proposed 2026 2027 McDow County School calendars as recommended by the calendar committee and presented to the board last month. >> I'll second that. >> Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Allison and a second by Mr. subtles to accept proposed 2020 2026 2027 McDow County Schools school calendars. Is there any further discussion? >> Yes, sir. I'd like to say one thing. Uh, as as usual, I've had people ask us about other counties calendars. Could you give us an example? If we do not follow the laws that's set out in policies, what could happen to us? for instance, uh, withholding funds and stuff like that. >> I I >> Yes, sir. I'm I'm happy to do that. Um, you know, it's one of those that, uh,

059there's not been anything that's necessarily um has been done to those counties yet. U, but it's been it's been often rumored, uh, that grants such as that $42 million that we just received for the new school uh, would would be in question as far as being able to get those. I mean, they do want you to follow the law. And I would remind the board um that there have been several school boards in the last little bit that have been brought before uh legislation to present uh for why they weren't following the law. And I'm still following those to see what's going to what's going to come out of them. But as far as punitive, not yet, but I definitely feel like it's a possibility. And I just thank everybody for their willingness to continue

060to follow the law. I I want to uh reiterate what he said because when we were going after that grant, we were told, Dr. Grip, myself, we met with some legislators and we were told that we stood a pretty good chance because we were following the law. >> Yeah, it is. And to be quite honest, you know what my job is, director of accountability. And uh [laughter] I u I I told the committee don't even think about asking because I'm not going to do it. So >> thank you. >> With no further discussion, uh all those in favor of the uh proposed school calendar signify by raising your right hand, which is unanimous. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, Mr. Hughes. Also like to thank Mr. Allison. He serves as our board member representative on

061the calendar committee. Thank you, Miss Mr. Alice, for putting in that time. All right, next up, we've got our facilities update. Mr. Chad Marsh will be doing that for us. And uh tonight, we've also uh in that Mr. Marsh going to be giving us the new school timeline that we've been talking about for since about November when we started this process. I know there's been a lot of work that's gone into that. Uh and I'm proud to proud of what he's ready to present tonight. Mr. Marshall, I'll turn it over to you, sir. >> Thank you. Dr. Gret, Mr. chair, members of the board, we're going to focus primarily on our milestones and timelines and for the fact that it's four years of work that we're trying to show you in a couple sheets of

062paper. So, Mr. Barill will bring up the document with highlights first and we'll talk about that. So, [clears throat] first of all, I want to say uh how this is not possible without the other members of the executive cabinet. Um, Mrs. Hami, Mrs. Rampy, Mrs. Dowel, and Dr. Grit have this is not just my product. This is a this is a team product that we have poured over and put quite a bit of thought in as we [clears throat] move forward and also weighing heavily on this has been our architect. Mr. McMurray with Holland and Ham has been incredibly forthcoming to share his various experiences from other projects. And so this is what you're going to see tonight. So uh I have broken it down in true military style into phases. Uh the first of

063which would be with any good mission you might you have to plan. And so we are in the throws of those stages now with the planning and stakeholder input phase. And again this is this is a total group effort. So uh scroll down just a little bit Garrett. So what we're going to see this week and members of the board, Mrs. Smith has shared that information with you. The 12th is our first meeting. I want to thank uh also Mrs. Ward for her willingness to open up Old For Elementary School to allow us to come in there on three different occasions into her multi-purpose room to sit and go through these three very critical stages or three very critical steps. And one of the reasons that we chose Oldford Elementary School [clears throat] was was

064fairly obvious in that it was the most uh recently constructed school. But what we also want to say is that Hurricane Helen taught us many, many things, not all bad. And one of the things it taught us was that building is built very well. And so there are things that we want our stakeholders to walk toward, touch as we begin to move through this process and leverage off of. These are these are incredibly tangible pieces of things that we want to carry forward. No, we're not building it in a flood plane, but that's not the point. uh structures don't fail just because of water. And so we move through this, we want to make sure that we get it laid out right. So the first one is going to happen with our core operational personnel

065at 04 on the 19th or excuse me on the 12th. Uh I will be leading it along with our architect. A couple board members again you we've already sent that out will be present and this is our opportunity to go through most of um the directorate in that we'll speak with uh our plumbers, our electricians, our janitorial staff, our school resource officers, our technology staff, cafeteria, child nutrition staff, our bus transportation staff and and exe and the executive cabinet. So we will move through some of those operational discussions and then we will go into the the meeting on the 12th where Mrs. Doubt will facilitate along with our architect and this will be more of administration, our counselors, social workers, nurses, our uh school improvement teams, lead teachers again attended by some board members and

066and then we will go into the 26th with our Mrs. Hami will be facilitating along with our architect, our media center, special teachers, art, music, uh, PE, exceptional children's administration and staff, our prek stakeholders, teachers again with some of our school improvement teams and lead teachers, and then a couple more board members and and what we get from this, we'll go into the next phase, but it's before we move forward, it's critical to mention that one of the things that Mrs. Dowel and Mrs. Hamby have taken on at the outset is [clears throat] an agreement throughout the process to continue to conduct quarterly meetings. So this process again, this is a four-year from the time we begin to work on our grant, but now as we're down to the the three-year time frame, those meetings

067will begin to happen after this set goes through. And the objective of those will begin to be to things that really are really popular items, right? So that such as the name of the school, what colors are we going to use, what calendar will be adopted, our mascot, I mean things that get, you know, parents pretty hot, right? So those are the items that those folks are going to be taking on and and help us out there and we appreciate that. Uh and again, one of those key components is seeking community input throughout the process uh via surveys and other manners. The second phase of this project is again, as you might imagine, pretty simple. So you talk about what you're going to talk about and then you go give them to the architect and

068the architect and the engineers and the plumbers and mechanical and electrical folks all get together and begin to piece everything together to put it onto some paper. So this is where the development, the design and the drawing actually takes place. So you can see this starting in the spring time frame of this year and that's going to carry right through the creation of structure construction documents we anticipate being done later on this year and to get to this point again I'm going to remind everybody there are meetings after meetings after meetings that have to take place to be able to put the product on paper going and all of this has to meet DPI project submitts uh and their requirements so all along the architect what you get when you get an exper experienced architectural

069firm like Holland and Ham is they know they have to meet submittal requirements. They understand that and they're well versed in being able to do so. As we get down to the end of this month or excuse me, end of this year with December and January u is we will start doing the process for bidding. Um and that date's incorrect. We'll start doing the process for bidding. I should say the 26th and then we must have as the board's well aware three general contractors to bid the process. It's like with any major contract once you you cannot even open the bids unless you have three. Once we have those three, it's very standard as Mr. Henning reminded us all to take the lowest bid and accept that approve and then it'll be brought to the

070board for the final approval. Next uh here on now to also we did our planning, we did the drawing and now we're into our construction phase. And so this is an really exciting uh phase typically for the general public because for the first year, you know, we're going to hear questions like, "Are you guys not building a school? What is going on? What's taking so long? What are you waiting on?" Well, everything I just showed you is what's taking so long and why we're waiting. Now, it's time to start bringing uh some of it up out of the ground. So, mobilization and construction are estimated to begin this time next year. Um, and then from that point, uh, the projection was 24 months. This is always weather dependent. This is whether you're building a swimming

071pool or building a new elementary school. Weather dependent here in western North Carolina. It impacts a great deal. What we can expect for the board are some, you know, this is typically things that most elected officials, you know, you like to be part of. And so, we're gonna make sure that you have an opportunity to attend ceremonial groundbreaking. Uh and then we will invite obviously the key players who had a great deal of u great part in working through this process with us. And then we'll make sure that everybody's got a hard hat and a pretty ceremonial shovel to sling some dirt over your shoulder. Again, that information will be put out from that point. As the project begins to move, you can rest assure that like any other project, I will require monthly job

072site meetings. I will be on the job site every single week, but I will be meeting with the contractor to talk with them every month about the progress, to talk about what the problems are, to read each one of their daily job site reports. These are things that Mr. McMurray and I will be working through that I'm making sure Dr. Grid understands and and our building grounds committee understand where we're at with that. As far as the board's concerned, uh I have told Mr. McMurray that we want to include in our package quarterly presentations to the board. So, the board will receive a formal presentation from our architect here in this room every single quarter to talk about the progress and that will include I've asked him to include it and Garrett will appreciate this

073some drone uh footage already in that. So, Garrett doesn't have to fly the drone. I've asked him to already include that in the package. So, those are things that you will be able to see so that you can see the actual footprint of the building to begin to take shape. Community leadership and governance. Again, these are these are some of the ways that we make sure that we give our community buyin to the process, but uh certainly for our long-term decision making as we go through this, we'll want to make sure that we include those key community partners in every one of these ceremonial opportunities because it's a it's a big deal for our county uh not just for McDow County School. Last slide. And then finally, this is the part that everybody wants, right?

074The final phase. And so as we get towards the end of the project, the final inspection and our move in and move out our move out and move in dates will begin to be uh made known. We anticipate that being at some point in spring summer time frame of 2029. Of course, a punch list. Uh you know, Mrs. Ward and I joked about a punch list and she talked about in here. I take my role in completing a punch list very seriously. It is is my consider it to be part of my job to ensure that the taxpayers get what they paid for. So, it's my job to hold the contractor and architect to task. And I can assure you that I intend on doing just that. So, I will go through every aspect of

075the building to ensure that it meets minimum standards and that it makes and we make sure that we get a good quality product for for our district. Our new school celebration, those activities will begin to be planned. Again, assuming that the that the that we'll be on a spring and summer time frame of 2029 that uh that we start doing things like uh September, February, and April planning for some of those activities. This is where the quarterly planning committee, Mrs. D and Mrs. uh Hamby will be doing some of those for us. Tours as soon as it is safe, uh we will open up those tours to to the board outside of those quarterly opportunities. Um, one of the things that I will formally request to the board is please don't go on site without

076me. And it's not because there's something to hide. It's because I want to make sure you got a hard hat on and a vest on and earring protection, earring protection and eye protection and still toed boots that you're doing what you need to be doing to be on site. That's what my folks are going to be doing and that's what I'm going to ask you to do. So, please respect that. Um, and then opening first day of school in the year 2029. It's really going to be part of what comes out of these these quarterly meetings where we go with the calendar. We don't know if it's going to be and and there's people ask all the time, is it going to be traditional? Is it going to be year round? Yes, it's going to

077be one of those. Sure is. And so we'll get there and we'll make that known and and just like everything else, it'll be in the best interest of our kids. If we can Garrett, go to um just a little bit to day one of the the other document that I sent you. So first page. So this is what for for the individuals who want to attend and and let me be clear um you know I have zero issue with anybody attending but I obviously remind the board there's quorum rules so we got we got to be careful about how many show up but just understand that's why we try to break it break it apart for you guys not that we don't want you one or the other but this is the agenda that's going

078to be discussed um and every one of those have already been out they they have been shared with the board so you know everything that's going to happen at those agenda with those agendas And then Mr. McMurray again will facilitate these along with one of members of the executive cabinet and assistant superintendent and we'll make certain that we go through there at the end of the day. He has everything he needs to be able to be successful as part of that drawing and planning phase. Um and I don't think there's any a terrible need here to belleager a whole lot else. But I'll be happy to answer any questions if I can, Mr. Superintendent or or any else from the board. >> Mr. Marsh, just a couple things w with the board. What what the

079idea there was was to be able to bring you guys in at the lunchtime. We're going to be having lunch. You want to talk to them about what the plan is there a little bit? >> Absolutely, sir. So, we try to build in a time frame for the board to come in and really see the progress of what was discussed in the morning and then what was going to happen in the afternoon and again, you know, get a chance to get some lunch and then talk any members who are there. So, that way you'll kind of get the the turnover so to speak from both the morning and afternoon sessions because obviously work has to go on in the district. So we can't just, you know, keep it too many people there. We got to

080keep rolling. So, uh, but we will providing that. G, what's the lunch time on the first day? And again, it's all just rolled in the middle. Uh, right there 11:30 to 12:30 breakout time there. Again, those tables will be set up. Mrs. Smith has graciously decid uh agreed to make sure that we're going to have lunch delivered there. So, that'll all be they'll be set aside each one of those days. >> And sir, we did leave those very close to your committees, but obviously we couldn't have our have have four on there. So we did three three and three for each of those days. So that's why we're broken up a little bit differently. And the only other thing I'd like to add to what Mr. Marsh said uh when there is a there is

081a point in time where we have to have discussions on closing two schools. Uh and in order to do that according to uh statute uh that requires us to have a meeting uh there. We we will we will have that meeting but it won't just be a school closure meeting. It's going to be a celebration. We're going to talk a lot about the fact that Eastfield will be closing and Marian will be closing, but we really want to be focused on what's to come. But during that, we also have to offer a public comment for folks to be able to voice their opinions during that time. So, I did want to just share uh those are those are critical meetings that we will have to have along the way. bezel decisions that board will have

082to decide if if we want to just have that as a special called meeting or if you want to consider that your meeting during the month. I don't know. Lots of lots of questions at that point for the board to work out along the way in this uh timeline. But Mr. Mr. Marsh and he gave a lot of credit to our team for their work on it. There's been a lot of effort put into the last several months of putting this together. And at this point, you know, it's just like anything else. It's a plan. So, and plans can adjust and change, but we feel like we've we've got a good foundation to get this school started and I greatly appreciate your work on it and your efforts as well. >> Thank you, Dr. Grip.

083Mr. Marsh, this is not about this, not about the school. I didn't throw enough flowers a while ago about the NJRTC bus. What you've done with these buses has just been phenomenal. And the smiles on those kids' faces. I've already said it. They're taking great pride in that. And somebody said something about the military. And Will a while ago out back said that. Will Thomas said that they've always taken better care for the bus. I said, "They're military. They're supposed to." Right. That's right, sir. >> Yeah. I appreciate all you've done there and the way you've worked that out. It's just they're beautiful. >> Well, I I typically don't accept flowers from you, Mr. Baker, but it's good to have you back. We're all We're very, very happy to see you back, sir. It's prayer

084answered to have you back with us and appreciate what you continue to do for our county, sir. Thank you. >> Can I say it's been really a blessing the prayers we we felt the prayers from everybody. I mean, all over the place, everybody's told us that they prayed. And uh I wasn't really apprehensive. I told him if the surgery I wasn't being smart because I just had peace. I told him if s if if my friends if the family calls you and tells you tells you that the surgery went south you tell them I went north and uh but all that you've all done and and I'll say this a little funny a lot of the friends and maybe some of y'all you really didn't think I had a heart but they the doctor said

085I did. [laughter] >> Thank you again everybody. Yes, sir. Welcome back, sir. >> Mr. Chairman, if there's nothing else here, it concludes my brief. >> Sir, very uh very informative. We're looking forward to it and we're all excited, sir. >> Thank you, sir. >> Great job, Mr. Up next, we've got Miss Rampy here to give us an update. I wish I could say that she was coming to tell us that we had a state budget. Um, but we we still do not have a state budget. We are hoping uh in April that we will receive some form of a state budget for last year. So all right, Miss Rampy. All right. So I will first I want to do a quick update about our hurricane Hela. I know that we shouldn't still be talking about

086that, but we are uh for our projects there. Most all of our projects are closed. We do still have the one at PG for the restoration of the school where we had old for we had two schools in one building. So in conjunction with that grant, we are still working to restore PG Elementary. Uh so we have asked for an extension of those FEMA funds to September 30th. We do not have approval yet, but we do expect approval. So that project is still ongoing along with that state grant that we have there to improve and restore PG Elementary. The only other date uh update that I have is budget 2526, which is the year we're currently in budget that we don't have. Uh like I said, we may have an update in April uh for

087for the year that we're working in. We're, you know, we'll be 10 months in at that point. Um, but u we do have the base budget and so they are allowing us obviously to spend and pay salaries, but we just don't have any increases uh for staff members and any increases in in our a lotments for budget 2627. Also interesting, they did drop our planning aotments for that. That's how we know what we're expecting to get this year. They've given us the base planning aotments, but I will say after um last year, I don't know if you guys remember, right after we did the board presentation is when we received the notification that we were going to lose $976,000 in funding. So, I'm always a little hesitant to get that planning aotment and rely on

088it. Well, they gave it uh the planning a lotments to us on Friday and on Tuesday, they pulled a couple of those back because they needed corrections. So, we are still waiting on a little bit of um corrections to those. I think in in total we're probably pretty close to knowing where we're going to be on that base budget. They are being a little bit more conservative on those numbers in case the budget does come in low. So we are working on that. The low wealth aotment did come in and we are right in line. So we are not looking at any huge adjustments in our low wealth aotment this year. We took all of that in one year last year. So now we're at the lower end of that allocation anyway. So, we are

089going to schedule a finance committee probably um early next week to try to go over some details and try to make a plan for what we are going to formally request to the county commissioners for what we need to uh between what we're going to reduce in positions or attrition uh our amount we're going to take from fund balance and then what the county is going to uh increase our funding for. So, that's what's going on in no motions, no approvals for me tonight. board. I would just remind you that in your weekly review um I did I did lay out how our principal aotment meetings went and had some conversations and many of our principles here. Just want to thank them for their work on that. Those are always hard meetings because uh at

090the end of the day we do know that we've have a declining enrollment. So we have to talk about um reducing in our positions. um every single year we've we've had to do that and it's something for about the past 10 years we've been doing so I'm just really proud of the principles and sitting down with that with us and always willing to roll up their sleeves and just kind of figure it out and and the executive cabinet there working with them >> thank you >> okay new business item 13 on the agenda the AIG plan amendment Baker Young and Mr. I guess you'll make the motion when they're through. >> Yeah, absolutely. Now, let me say this too before they start. You know, uh Miss Young is going to hate me because she doesn't

091like to be in the spotlight too much, but uh about six, I guess it was six years ago now, uh with our previous board, I think Mr. Frank was here, Mr. Bartsdale during the first time around um we really had some concerns that maybe we were underachieving in our AIG program and we'd like to see some changes and u along come some ladies and the changes have been overwhelming and we are absolutely thrilled with this program and what you ladies have done. So carry on. >> Superintendent Grit Chairman Frank and members of the board. Thank you. Good evening. Um, the Mcdow County Schools Board of Education approved our local AIG plan, which is a three-year plan uh for 2528 in May of 2025. We are so grateful for your support of the advanced learning program

092in McDow County Schools. In December 2025, NCDPI did provide us our feedback. They did approve our plan uh but did request a modification. Our advanced learning team is seeking board approval this evening for that update. I have here with me this evening Jennifer Young and Nikki Holland who serve as our advanced learning specialist in Mcdow County Schools. Uh gentlemen and ladies. Um I cannot say enough about these two ladies. You do not see uh the incredible work behind the scenes that these two girls um are solo underhanding taking in supporting teachers in really supporting students across Mcdow County Schools in that K13 span. It's a huge undertaking for two um educational specialists and they are doing amazing job. Um and so I'm going to turn it over to you over to them and they will

093walk you through the revision this evening. Um, and then we would like with your approval to resubmit with this revision to NCDPI this month. Thank you. >> Good evening. I'm Jennifer Young. And so the the feedback from the state that Miss Baker mentioned asked us to revise uh standard 1B. So standard 1B deals with our processes for identification and then those labels that we give students. So, how students get a label um and then the processes leading up to that label. So, in your packet, there should be four pages that kind of come with this. Uh one page is kind of a summary that I'll take you through um and explain all of that. Um the second page is the original plan that you passed last spring about this time. Page three is our revisions

094to the standard 1B. So everything on page three that is in red is something new that has that that's different from that original. And then Mr. Subtles asked me to do a little bit more work. And so the fourth page is kind of a sideby-side summary of a then and now um in a in AIG land. And so that summary is there for you to view. Um, so with the page three, the front of page three, everything on the front basically was information that was located in another standard. Um, the state was a little unsure about how we identified and and labeled students in our county. And I thought, I am 100% clear on how we do this. I'm not sure how you can read this and not be. So they asked us to put

095it in a different location. So that's what we did. Everything on that front page, there's not any new information. It was in a different place, so we just kind of put it where they wanted it. On the back of page three, you'll see where they did ask us to address a pathway for a placement label of what we call IG services. So on the front page, page one in your board packet, I've given you a summary of our labels. These are labels that indicate services and needs. And the state is super focused on if a student has a label that our services match the needs of that label. So if we have a student that label the label is a r that means they have achievement needs in reading. If they are am they have

096achievement needs in math. If they are ag that that means they have both. When you start to throw the i in there like aig that means we have some processing speeds that are high. So these kids think very quickly but they also had needs and achievement in reading and math. When you get to that IG side of things, we have high processing speeds. So, we have kids that can think quickly and deeply about information. We just don't have achievement measures for these kids yet. So, our service model, our philosophy, our structure, our services, and our practices remain unchanged. We had things in our plan. We have services for IG kids. We just did not have an official placement pathway for them. So these are kids whose needs are always going to manifest themselves in in

097reading and math. Our goal and our service model and structure is that students will achieve in reading and math and we will get them there. So our IG kids that is their service. And so I think while we missed this initially was um as Mr. Settles pointed out, I've been in this a while. Um, I consider I told you guys at the CNI team, I consider myself a math teacher because that's where I started and that's where I I feel like I spent the majority of my time. But now working on year 27, I have spent the majority of my time in AIG world. Um, which is kind of hard to believe, but back when we started, we had this service model where you could work, you worked in a small group in elementary schools

098only, and you were doing some pullout work with kids. And we were doing some critical and creative thinking that did kind of serve that IG label. And so in our mind, we weren't hitting that service. We were like, well, we don't do that. We don't have a service for IG kids. When in fact, we do have a service for IG kids. So, we just didn't have a placement pathway for them. So formally on the back of page three, we have added pathway placement number two and then we just shifted all of our other pathways down like reumbered those for you. So um those were the two small revisions and um if you guys have any questions we'll be glad to address those but um we would ask for you to make a motion on that

099tonight. So >> before you do uh and and actually this is probably discussion but but I I want to something before we get into that. Uh, Mr. SS, I appreciate the recommendation of the summit because I I read through this pretty thorough. I've had children that my own personal children that were in the the AIG program and you know I I had and I had one that didn't which is not unusual you know but I I'll say this I like the way you're doing it the the now rather than the older because it it like you said it singled them out and you went in a special group and I think you're bringing it into to classroom now where everybody I mean not everybody but you you're presenting enough that everybody has a chance to

100do it and you're not singled out. And and I'm going to tell you, some kids really get their feelings hurt when they weren't picked for that back in the past. I'm telling you, I know. >> Oh, yeah. >> And then you had it was like a popularity contest. I know that, too. That certain kids got it when maybe they weren't supposed to. But I want to tell you, I like this and I I appreciate you asking for that. >> Oh, well, thank you. that was, you know, when they restructured um after COVID when they restructured our positions, the whole purpose was to increase access and make opportunities equal for all. And so that is one thing I think that this plan does address. Um these are services that teachers and resources that teachers can use

101with any student that needs it regardless of a label. And so that is that increased opportunity. So thank you. Thank you for that. Okay. At this time, we will entertain a motion. Mr. Settle. >> Yeah. I'd like to make the motion that we accept the update to the state plan or visions for the AIG program. >> Okay. >> And again, Jennifer, I just like to say great job, ladies. I call you Renfro Mccur still, so sorry. Uh, but yeah, great job. You know, there were, like Mr. Frank said, a lot of kids were getting missed. I feel like that that needed to be labeled. Tell my wife I was labeled. The G part of it is get me out of it. Get him out of my class. So, uh, but yeah, thank thank you so

102much for again what you're doing. >> You're welcome. Thank you. >> Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Subtles and a second by Mr. Allison. Now, is there any further discussion? Okay, with no further discussion, all those in favor of the AIG plan, uh, signify by raising your right hand, which is unanous. And again, M. So, thank you so much. >> All right. Thank you. This time, we'll welcome um Miss Miss Hamby to the podium again. She's going to be going over our summer learning plan and read to achieve and high school credit recovery. Miss Hammy, >> good evening. It's nice to be back before you again uh this evening. Uh I am here to formally request approval for the McGdal High School summer uh school program. This program is designed to provide critical support

103for students who need additional opportunities to recover credit in the end of course tests and uh classes and other uh required courses for graduation. Uh usually in the p uh in the past I come before you at this time of the year talking to you about take two camp. This year we have the uh privilege uh of retesting before the end of school. So for our third through uh 8th grade kiddos u and even uh some of our uh EOCC courses they can test before the end of the year. But we also have kiddos that need to recover some credit uh to support them and get them closer to the requirements for graduation. And that's what we're asking for tonight. Our purpose for the summer school initi initiative focuses on targeted academic support and credit

104recovery for students who were not successful in meeting the course or the EOCC requirements during the regular school year through structured instruction, intentional interventions, and learning uh environments tailored to students need. We aim to strengthen foundational skills, keep students on track for timely graduation, and reinforce our district-wide goal of academic achievement. Right now, we are looking at the dates for June the 15th through the 18th of 2026 and June the 22nd through the 25th of 2026. These sessions will allow us to focus uh do focused instruction while providing students with meaningful opportunity to master uh course content. We also uh come to you this time of the year for our read to achieve camp and this is for our second and third grade students. Um this really is more forformational purposes but read to achieve

105uh will take place July the 6th through the 23rd. Uh that's Monday through Thursday. Uh even though this camp does not require board approval, I still would like to bring it before you tonight to ensure that we have those dates on your radar and on our calendar. The thing that I do need approval for tonight is for McDow High School summer uh program as outlined. This time I'll be glad to take any questions that you might have. >> Anybody have any questions for that's this time I'll entertain a motion. Mr. S. I'll make the motion that we approve the uh high school summer program. >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion by Mr. Suttles to accept the uh McDow High School summer learning plan, McDow County Schools, I should say, and uh a second

106by Mr. Schuford. Is there any further discussion on that plan? With no further discussion, all those in favor signify by raising your right hand, which is unanimous. >> Thank you. We greatly appreciate you always supporting the opportunities that we have for our students. >> Thank you, Miss Hamby. We appreciate your work on that. Next up, we've got uh Miss Dattle. She's going to be going over our board policies. This is the fall update, and I know Miss Helms, you had spoken about uh the meeting that we had earlier. Miss Helms chairs that committee. >> Absolutely. Good evening. Thank you again. I'm back. Um, first of all, just want to thank Miss Helms and our committee. We had a, as Miss Helms mentioned earlier, we had a really great um, policy um, committee um, this past

107meeting. In your packet is the reader digest version of our fall policies. Um in these um policies there are 17 updates that are required by general statute or state law. We actually had two policies that are in the North Carolina Administrative Code and so those are listed out for you and you can read exactly what the updates are. We also had six additional policies that only had minor changes and that can be in legal references, cross references and footnotes. So, I am bringing these policies to you um for First Street. Just a reminder, we do get updates from the state schoolboard association and then our attorneys Campbell and Chatley go through and vet those um as well and send us an update. And so, that is generally what we follow. We did go through each

108of these policies and the changes. And so, um just asking tonight presenting though for the first read. Are there any questions? >> Miss Helms, you got anything? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. >> Okay. At this time, we'll go over board reports and Mr. Settles with curriculum and instruction. >> Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We uh had a curriculum meeting. Let me thank uh Mr. Shuford, uh Miss Alen Hams, and Mr. McGinness who serve on that committee for taking the time out of the day to come. also Miss Hamby, uh, Miss Young, Miss Finley, Miss Croyman's for for presenting. So, thank you for doing that. Uh, we covered four things in the curriculum. Obviously, the AIG plan, the changes for that. Um, Miss Finley had some, which you can see down there,

109the CTE Summit Academy course code, which was a small thing that that we need to go over. Uh, third grade assessment, and of course, the EC curriculum. And, uh, I really said, "Hey, we're doing great things at IG." Let me tell you something. We're doing some something special with the exceptional children too after listening to that. So, Miss Croman is doing a great job. But in that, she covered a uh a new plan that that we would a new direction we would like to go as far as materials. So, a quick update from our recent curriculum meeting about some great things happening. At the meeting, the EC department reviewed a new supplement curriculum resource that supported the extended content classrooms, our structure support programs, and our occupational course of study programs. While the resource doesn't

110require formal approval by the board, the review helped us to make it truly beneficial for our teachers, students by providing strong high quality materials aligned to the extended content standards, occupational course of study standards, and a North Carolina standard course of study. Couple things about it too that I want to throw in there. Uh the questions that we had was number one, is it staff friendly? because you know in the EC department you can have turnover. So when you have a new teacher come in is this new material going to be easy for them to pick up and run and this was extremely easy for them to do. Another one was is it AI is it AI compatible? I think that's the kind of the direction the world's going in right now is a lot

111of AI stuff and is is this uh stuff compatible with with our future and it was. So, I'm coming to you tonight just to to tell you that the curriculum committee, even though we didn't need approval, formal approval by the board, the curriculum committee, all four of us said this was uh something absolutely great uh that that's coming across and we appreciate them doing so much research into this uh down. They know we're sticklers on cost, too. They already have their funding uh it's already paid for. So, I mean, uh the sky's is the limit for this program and uh the information was was great by Miss Kman's. So, that's what we had tonight. Uh, Miss Ham, am I missing anything for the third grade? So, I'm good. All right. So, board, uh, I just

112want to tell you that the curriculum committee told them to go ahead and move forward with this and we're extremely excited to see what comes from it. Uh, other committee members, did I miss anything? Mr. >> Sheer, Miss McInness, >> and did Jennifer already leave? She already left. I was going to blame Mr. McInness is the first one that said make her come in and speak. So, it wasn't just me. Thanks again. >> Hey, I appreciate that. And I was telling Dr. written just now. Uh I'd love for her to come into a work session this morning and keep us because that's a hot topic for us for a while. He said she's at a uh I think she's at a conference this week and last week she was here presenting to a whole slew

113of folks from DPI and presenting work that we've been doing here. And you know she's she's fairly new to the position. So, the fact that she's already presenting showing that she's really moving in the right direction. We're proud of her. >> Okay, Mr. Barkstdale, uh, buildings and grounds, and I know you can say something good about something. >> I'd just like to thank Mr. Marsh for all his hard work. Absolutely. >> I've been in several of the meetings with him, and it's just unbelievable the amount of information that's pouring out. Uh, I would like to say um to the committee, just be prepared because we're going to be um going into a busy busy time. Um, if you were on the Well, I don't think any of y'all were on the buildings and grounds during

114the um old fort project, but it was a very busy time we're getting ready to head into. But thank you, Mr. Marsh, for all your work. >> Mr. Shuford on the finance committee. Uh you're doom and gloom till we get something from the state, but man, make us feel good >> more or less. But Miss Ramy always reports it so well. U we'll uh as soon as we have uh some numbers to work with, we have a lot of work to do this year and of course we will be meeting in the next week uh to begin the process. But uh yeah, she she presented as positive a lot as you can if you don't have have what you got to work with. Well, listen, we you do a great job and that committee does

115a great job and and we know that uh [clears throat] >> Hey, listen. You ought to brag on what great shape we are in this county as opposed to our surrounding counties. You know, we're doing good. >> We we really we truly are. uh and uh it been some great financial management over the years and uh we're we're seeing the results of that now and uh are in a lot better position than like you said than a lot of the surrounding counties and um we're we're very grateful for that. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. And Miss Helms, you've already reported on some things, but I know you got good things to talk about, too. So, go ahead. >> Actually, Well, hey, it was it was great talking about the the lady that came about

116bullying. That's a hot topic, too. And thanks for opening the door and allowing her to come in. Hey, that's what we're here for. Is uh do you have anything like for NJOTC? >> The only thing we got is they're extremely grateful for that bus. As far as the Hall of Fame committee, let me say this. You guys have seen the news and social media and everything else. We're losing an incredible coach in Brian Franklin. Uh so if you guys see him out in the public, tell him thank you for all that he's done. Try to change his mind if you can go that far. Uh because he is, you know, the basketball coach is one thing, but the mentor of other teachers, coaches, what he does for the students. I don't know if I've ever

117heard of a a basketball kid going to the hospital where Brian wasn't right behind him as quick as he could get there. So, exceptional guy, exceptional coach, exceptional human being. And uh you heard that, you know, maybe Alex Smith is going to retire, too. Uh so, uh keep uh Mr. Baker in your prayers and prayers that we find some good coaches, I guess, too. But that's the Hall of Fame committee. >> Anybody else? might just mention that um I was part of the U board policy updates meeting with the Head Start group today. Our first u first u information that we looked at was a comparison of the critical performances in a lot of different areas uh in comparison to where we ranked in the fall versus the winter. Uh, unbelievable. What some great progress

118and and my hats off to the great work you're doing there. >> I enjoyed the meeting the other day as well. I wish I could get my computer right so you don't have to just look at my belly. But, uh, hey, I I the it was great. I mean, the the lady that presented was very complimentary. Said, "Hey, look, we know you got it. We want you to know you're going to get approved, but we just got to wait. But thank you so much. Item number 14 on the agenda is approval of consent agenda. And of course, we got a we got one added. And I don't know if there's any questions on that, but you know that we can pull any item on that agenda and vote on it separately. And if you don't

119have anything you want pulled, I'll entertain a motion to approve the cons the consent agenda as it's uh presented on the uh amended agenda. >> I'll make a motion that we approve agenda as is. >> Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Baker and we have a second by Mr. Schuford. Is there any further discussion on the approval consent agenda? Okay. All those in favor uh signify by raising your right hand, which is a unanimous vote. Okay. And one thing I'm going to get here real quickly is tomorrow between 2 and 4, Mrs. Rhonda Watson's retirement celebration is here. So, if you could please come and pay respects to her. You know, it's gonna feel real strange with her not putting food out for us. >> It is. She She does such a did such

120a great job. >> Okay, we don't need a continuation on the closed session. So, I'll entertain a motion item number 16 to uh for the personnel considerations that we did in close session. I make a motion to approve personnel considerations discussed. >> Both certified non-certified. >> Both certified and certified. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. We have a motion to approve the uh uh certified non-certified personnel considerations by Mr. Schuford and a second by Mr. Allison. Is there any further discussion on those uh personnel considerations? With no further discussion, all those in favor signify by raising your right hand, which is unanimous. And under item 17, announcements, got a board work session Monday, March 23rd at 5:00 pm here in the boardroom. Board of Education, Board of County Commissioner breakfast and joint work session, Wednesday, April

121the 8th, 7:30 a.m. here in the boardroom. Board of Education regular session meeting, April 13th, uh 6:00 pm, boardroom, and close session at 5:00 p.m. Now, if there's nothing further for the board, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. So move You want to second it? >> I'll second. [laughter] >> I thought you want to stay here all night. Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Abernathy, a second by Mr. Allison. Is there any further discussion on adjournment? >> All those in favor signify by raising your right hand, which is unanimous at 801.