001Good evening to all of you present here in our meeting with us and to those who are viewing our meeting on tonight. On behalf of our board, our superintendent Dr. Lasser and his staff, we welcome you to our September meeting. At this time, I call our meeting to order. And we're going to ask our board member, Dr. Amanda Klein, to lead us in our pledge in our moment of silence. >> I pledge allegiance 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. And now, uh, if you could all please join us in a moment of silence. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> It's okay. It's okay. You guys >> long prayer. Let >> Let
002our record reflect that all our board members are present on tonight. >> At this time, are there any adjustments to our agenda? A motion to approve the agenda. >> I second it. >> Motion by Kelly Kelly, second by Mary. Any questions? All in favor of our agenda, let it be known by the raising the right hand. Unanimous votes. At this time, we will go to our spotlight on learning. Miss Beth, I got your name right. >> Yes. Very well done, sir. Good evening, Chair Trip, board members, Dr. Lacier, and those that are here in attendance and those that are watching online. We have some incredible students tonight that we're going to recognize, as well as outstanding educators and comm um community members that have given so much to pick county schools over the years. We're
003going to start with Governor's School. Each summer, some of um North Carolina's brightest students are selected to participate in North Carolina's Governor School. Founded in 1963, Governor's School is the oldest statewide summer residential program for academically and artistically gifted high school students. The program brings together rising seniors from across the state for an intensive, enriching, and inspiring fiveweek experience in the areas of the arts, academics, and interdisciplinary study. Students are selected for this honor to represent the highest level of achievement, creativity, leadership, and intellectual curiosity. We are so proud of six students that were recognized this year and participated this past summer. Their dedication, hard work, and passion for learning reflect the excellence in our schools and the support of our teachers, our families, and our community. It is now my honor to welcome our
004governor's school participants. And I'm going to ask them to walk in as the principles are nudging them. Excellent. Aren't they good-looking kids? >> So, from Aiden Griffin High School, we have Kriana Howard. Kriana went to Governor's School for Social Science. At DH Conley, we have Griff Brimhall. He went for English. JH Rose, we have Dylan Patel for natural science. And Gabriella Fernho for dance. And then from Pit County Schools Early College High School, we have Kayln Grimes for dance who could not be here this evening. And we have Marlet Harrison who went for English. We are incredibly proud of these students as they represented our students at NC Governor School. And I asked them, I said, "Would you be comfortable saying anything about Governor School?" And of course, Griff, I taught Griff when he was
005a little person. and I taught him music. He said, "I'll do it, Miss Alers." And so, Gre is going to give us a little bit about Governor School. >> Yeah. I mean, it's really hard to talk about Governor School because not everyone was able to have the experience, but the best way I can think to summarize it is just that it was an incredible experience where you were surrounded by, you know, all your peers who were all looking to gain the same thing out of education that you were. And you know, I really truly felt like I grew uh academically, socially, artistically, and in just about every other possible way. So, yeah, it was wonderful, and I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity. >> Awesome. >> Well, I hope those that are watching, whether they're educators,
006parents, or students, that they realize this opportunity is for our rising seniors. Um, so if we have any juniors that are currently juniors in Pit County schools, the window has opened to apply for Governor's School and so they can reach out to their school counselor. I actually lead the search for Pit County schools and so they could also reach out to me, Beth Olers, if they have any questions. Um, but I would love to see many students take advantage of this incredible opportunity. At this time, we need to get photos. So, if we could start with Aiden Griffin High School. Um, and we have board members that have certificates. >> Adriana, >> we are so uh excited that you're able to receive this award. We're thankful for you being a part of the governor's school
007and you know you've been through some high quality experiences and I know that you are a changed person as a result of being selected and we're proud of and you will have a big impact on future educators. Thank you so much. There you go. And uh Griffith the talker Um, and I was going to say the same thing that Beth said. uh you've experienced it and you need to let your friends know who are juniors and other friends that are even younger than that that uh you have to how much worthwhile this this honor was and how it changed you as a as a person and uh influenced your character and so forth. But we're certainly proud of it. Thank you. Thank you so much. And I invite Miss Maltz nobles up to give the
008next awards. >> I'm not going to do like Mr. Ford. On behalf of P County Board of Education and Dr. Lasser and his staff, we would like to say to all my ones I'mma present to this evening, congratulations. We're so proud of you and continue what you're doing. Okay. To make P County shine. Thank you. Uh Dylan, I think that's you. Congratulations. Thank you, Gabrielle. Am I right? Good. I did good. Congratulations, sweetie. >> Marlet. Marlet, congratulations. We're so proud of you. Continue. Thank you for your success. And we know this one was for Caleb. He's not with us tonight. Again, congratulations. We're so proud of you. Let's get a photo. Young men in the back. I think they're the taller ones. in the front. Marlet the back on the first step. >> You can
009step up one. Yes, >> Mr. Forbes, you might want to step up. >> He's vertically challenged. That's perfect. [Music] >> We're always so glad to see our principles here supporting our students. and educators. >> Good job. [Applause] Next, we are going to spotlight three incredible STEM programs throughout our district. And to do that, we have Dr. Jennifer Stalls, who is our director of STEM education. And thank you. Good evening. It's good to see you all. I am so excited to highlight three of our schools that have recently received um Cognia STEM certification. This certification is a rigorous and internationally recognized mark of distinction. Schools that achieve this honor demonstrate a commitment to highquality STEM teaching and learning that emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, and real world application. There are four key areas that each
010school had to focus on in their extensive portfolio and evidence. Um the first of which is culture of learning. This is where students engage in integrated STEM experiences and the staff deliver high quality interdisciplinary instruction. They also align their work to leadership for learning where educators pursue STEM focused professional growth. um connect with community partners and key stakeholders. In addition, um a third area was engagement of learning where students collaborate on authentic inquiry, taking ownership of their learning um to extend STEM beyond the classroom. And finally, and most important, growth in learning, where students demonstrate understanding through performance-based tasks, develop self-monitoring skills, and build the STEM literacy needed for future success. I do want to say that this recognition would not be possible without the dedication of our school leaders, our principles, our teachers, our
011students, um, and also our community partners that are critical to our STEM programming. We view STEM and Pit County schools as strategies that engage minds and um, they truly embody that. I also want to recognize the families um that are so supportive of the STEM learning that's happening in the classroom, but then also the extracurriculars. We know how much goes into making sure that students get to and from our family engagement um nights uh activities during the day and then those competitions. Um so to the families uh that support our students, we are also very grateful. Before we recognize Innovation Early College High School, I do want to say that all three schools are STEM schools of distinction um based on the North Carolina rubric. Um and this is an additional accreditation that they have
012decided to pursue and received in less than a year. Um this is a massive undertaking, an unbelievable portfolio. Dr. James and I joke and say it was like another dissertation. Um, but in addition to that portfolio, the schools also had to participate in an interview with the reviewers. Um, and I'm excited to share some highlights um from the remarks of those reviewers for each of the schools. These are not my words. These are complete third-party um uh depictions of what's happening in each building, which I think just really speaks to uh the magic that's happening in each of these schools. So first we will recognize innovation early college high school. The reviewers provided the the following praise for IECS. Their leaders have distri established strong relationships that enable systematic collaboration with a diverse range of
013community organizations including local businesses, STEM practitioners, and higher education institutions. These partnerships enable the school to secure resources that support and enhance STEM teaching, sustain programs, provide extracurricular opportunities, and allow learners to engage with STEM practitioners and community experts, enriching their educational experiences. I mean, what a takeaway. Um, so join me in congratulating Innovation Early College High School on their cognition. Each school also receives a banner. um that they will get to proudly display in their school. Do we want to do a picture? >> Yeah. >> If you guys I think turn around. Yep. >> Perfect. >> Congratulations y'all. >> Help. Yeah, we'll just keep this one. Y. >> Okay. Next, we have our friends at Eastern Elementary School. The reviewers provided the following praise. Eastern Elementary School integrates STEM disciplines into cohesive, highquality learning
014experiences with staff implementing standards aligned courses organized into interdisciplinary frameworks. This approach assures that Eastern Elementary School students gain a deep understanding of STEM concepts, preparing them for their real world applications and future career opportunities. Um, so join me in congratulating Eastern Elementary School Thank you. And finally, we recognize Lake Forest Elementary School. Their viewers provided this praise. Uh Lake Forest Elementary School integrates all STEM disciplines and offers both in school and extracurricular opportunities to enhance STEM learning. This intentional approach has led to the school exceeding student academic growth in the 2324 school year. And yes, in the 23 24 school year and the past year, uh being designated a North Carolina model, uh STEM school of distinction. Uh they are our only model STEM school of distinction in the district. Uh also within 10
015months of applying and earning recognition as an AVID certified elementary site. Um you're also recognized for capturing kids hearts. Um, and they keep me very, very busy at Lake Forest Elementary School, if you can't tell. Um, they are doing amazing work and this is my yes crew. So, we have an idea, we make it happen. Um, and I'm super proud of the work that they are doing as I am all of the schools, but even the reviewers recognize the accolades that you have achieved at Lake Forest Elementary School. So, congratulations. >> Congratulations. Thank you. >> Thank you. All righty. And now, um, I'm super excited for this recognition, um, because I get to recognize one of, uh, my dear, dear colleagues that we have spent a lot of time together in her former role as
016principal. Um, and I'm excited to continue that in her new role. So, it's my privilege to recognize an extraordinary leader in our district, Dr. Jennifer James. Um, former principal of Innovation Early College High School and the current director of K12 curriculum and instruction. Dr. James was recently featured in STEM magazine for her outstanding work in STEM and inquiry based learning. The article entitled Different Paths Same Vision highlights her innovative leadership and her commitment to ensuring that all students have access to rich, engaging, and challenging learning opportunities. At IECS, Dr. James has built a culture where inquiry drives instruction, where students are encouraged to ask big questions, take intellectual risks, and apply their learning to real world problems. Under her leadership, STEM is not confined to one class or subject, but it is woven into the
017fabric of the school, preparing students not only for college and careers, but also for lives of curiosity, creativity, and contribution. Her vision has brought together students, teachers, and community partners in meaningful ways, creating a school that embodies innovation, collaboration, and excellence. And what makes Dr. James' recognition so powerful is that it is not just a personal achievement. it is the reflection of a shared vision within her building um and now one that we get to um take advantage of at a district level. Um Dr. James, your leadership reminds us that while educators may take different paths, we are united by the same vision, empowering young people to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Um on behalf of our district, congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Uh we are so proud of you. uh the work that
018you've done at Innovation Early College and all the work that you're doing at the district level to advance STEM. [Applause] Congratulations. So proud of you doing what you're doing. [Music] That's nice. [Applause] >> Behind all those great educators are great spouses. many times and I looked at the STEM schools, the Cognia STEM schools of distinction and I thought about Lake Forest and their STEM lab was made possible through a very generous grant from Optimum. And so if anyone would like to see this happen in more of our schools, reach out to me through the Pit County Educational Foundation. You can sponsor a STEM lab in another school. Two of the most generous individuals I think I've ever met for Pit County Schools are the two people I'm going to introduce to you now. We are
019so honored to recognize these extraordinary indiv individuals whose dedication has shaped the lives of hundreds of students. For the past 18 years, Bill and Anne McClung have served as lead mentors for Pit Pirate Robotics. Through their leadership, their vision, their countless hours, their mentorship, they've inspired and they've guided more than 300 students empowering them to dream bigger and to work harder and to believe in their own potential. Remarkably, 90% of the students that have been in pit pirate robotics have gone on to pursue careers in STEM fields. A testament to the McClung's lasting influence. We have Park Scholars. We have Brinkley Lane scholars. They are students all over the nation that have gone on from Pit Pirate Robotics. Their commitment has not only transformed the trajectory of individual students lives, but also strengthened our schools,
020our community, and the future of innovation. Tonight, we're going to celebrate Bill and Anne McClung for the tremendous impact for embodying the very best of what it means to serve and to inspire. So, please welcome Bill and Anne McClung. [Applause] I'm gonna miss getting my weekly phone calls from Anne McClung. >> And Jennifer, you're a parent. You have been a parent. >> I don't know if we were going to have him say something. >> Yes. >> I would love >> Would you like to say something? >> Sure. I I always love to Yes. uh just say what an honor and thank all of the the folks parents and and the schools and the school board and all the folks who made this possible over the last 18 years. This isn't the end. Uh it's start
021of a lot of new things. There's so many opportunities as you all well know and we're excited to be part of those as things go forward. Um I think the most important thing that we've learned or one of the most important things is community. when we I mean we've worked really hard but it couldn't be done without all of the folks the schools the parents the community members who've made this possible over the years. So actually that's really the superpower here that that we would like to to reveal to everybody is community when we all work together some really awesome things can happen and we've seen it and we hope to continue doing that. Thank you very much. Well, this is just a little token of how much we love and respect you. Most people
022don't know like every day, every day they were there working with our kids. They put in their own money many of times, sacrificing sincerely vacations, other things because they really wanted to inspire kids and they have. Um, so as a parent, extreme gratitude, as a board member, extreme respect, and as a friend, extreme love. So congratulations [Applause] Thank you. >> Thank you. >> At this time we have our public expressions. >> This evening we have one individual and one group offering public expression and public expression is opportunity public. Lastly, >> we were rocking and roll and I know it's not on your agenda, sir, but we have to we have to recognize that Mo Green, our wonderful North Carolina State Superintendent is coming to Pit County next Thursday, Thursday, September the 25th. He will be
023at South Central High School. He's going to have a moment with our teacher advisory council um at their meeting in the afternoon and then he's going to have an open session where he's going to unroll um and roll out um the state strategic plan. And so we hope that you will join us. Um again, it's going to be at South Central High School. There is a football game that night, but you can come to this first and then go to the football game. Um registration is there. So, you will have this link to register to have a ticket. It is free of charge, but we do would we would love to have an RSVP from you um and have you there. We're going to have special performances. We'll have the Hope Middle School chorus. We'll
024get to sing the national anthem. We will have the Pacola Steel drum band playing music as our guests are arriving. And we have a very special treat from some musicians at South Central High School at the very end with our charge to go forth and continue the tradition of excellence in North Carolina. So we hope that you will join us next Thursday, September the 25th at South Central High School to meet our wonderful North Carolina State Superintendent Mo Green. >> Beth, is that link on just so people know, is that on the web Facebook page or >> we Yes, it is on the Facebook page. We've got it on social media and we can also put it on our excuse me, we can also put it on the front page of our website so people
025can go to our website. >> I'll have Tom and Reggie make sure that that happens. Um, so it's easy. We already have 106 that have RSVPd for for next Thursday. So jump on board so you can have your seat. Okay. >> Where >> I'm glad I had a practice practice for me. >> Uh this evening we have one individual and one group offering public expression and public expression is an opportunity to share issues of concern that are relevant uh to the board uh the business of the board. The board will listen to your comments respectively and our chair may offer some direction if our rules are not followed, but the board will not respond to your comments. Only speakers who have signed up for public expression may address the board. And when a speaker's time
026expires, you must end your remarks and step away from the uh podium. If a speaker is not present, when his or her name is called, opportunity to uh speak will be considered wave. And during this time, you may hear someone share a viewpoint with the board that you do not agree with. We do not censor speech by viewpoint. And we do not permit our audience to express approval or disapproval for a viewpoint expressed. This time is for the individual speaking to address uh the full board. The board does not permit speakers to name a staff member or student when offering praise or criticism. And we also do not permit comments that are uh irrelevant to our business which include attacks on individuals for something in their personal lives or the discussion of board members family
027members. Again, the board members will listen to your comments respectfully and our chair may offer some direction if our rules are not followed, but we will not respond to your comments. And at this time, we'll hear from our first speaker, and that is Trisha Warhoff. >> She has three minutes. >> Good evening, board members, district leadership. I'm Trisha Workhaw. Um, as I'm sure we're all aware, our children are going to school in truly dangerous times. Times were equally troubling in 1910 when Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech titled Citizenship in a Republic. It is a speech that emphasizes the resiliency of the human spirit's ability to endure. Tonight I'm sharing an expert excerpt of that speech. And just to alleviate any concerns, I I won't be asking for a moment of silence tonight afterwards. Um the
028part that I'm referencing from the speech is the man in the arena. It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. who strives valiantly, who errors, who comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming. Sorry you guys. But who does actually strive to do the deeds? Who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in worthy cause. Who at best knows the great triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. so that his place shall never be with
029those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Friends, I cannot emphasize enough these are dangerous times and dangerous times call for courageous leaders. All of our students need and deserve to be safe. You and other local elected officials like you are these students last lines of defense to stay safe and be safe at their schools. I am imploring you to stand strong as their last line of defense. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. And now we'll have Michael Tan and he's uh represent the group and he will have five minutes. >> Thank you. Uh thanks for having me up here again board. uh haven't seen you since last spring and I wanted to clarify one thing from last spring is while 5501 may not have agreed with the board's decision,
030we respected the thought that went through that process and we realized how hard it was in regards to the DEI. Um the current issue that 5501 parents have brought forward to me has been concern about the state budget or lack thereof and the impact on the schools. the parents that are in my organization have requested that the school board or superintendent, whoever is the appropriate person, will put out something that will explain if there's going to be impact, when the impact will be, and then what it could look like. Um, so that they know what to expect. So they're not they're not playing blind because there's there's lots of rumors out there but nobody knows the the specifics and we're looking to uh the board the superintendent to communicate those specifics to us. Much less
031than five minutes this time. Thank you all. >> Thank our public expression. This time we have our consent items. Items uh agenda items 1 through seven and then our confidential agenda items. Our August close session meetings and personnel. We have a motion to accept our consent items. >> Motion to accept the consent. >> Motion by Jennifer. Second. >> Second by Amanda. Any questions? All in favor to say a motion that have been on by the raising of the right hand. Motion carried unanimous. New business operations Mr. Aaron Ericson. >> Good evening. >> Evening. >> Um tonight I would like to go over with you um a application for the needs-based public school capital fund. And as a reminder, what this fund is is the the state funds this every year and they fund roughly depending
032on the budget between 300 and $350 million. The districts as a whole typically ask for at least $4 billion and then they've got to make a decision as to what projects are going to get funded. Some different things go into that equation. Um if you have received a grant in the past three years, um that's a factor. um school consolidation of facilities is a factor that they also look for um in smaller counties that are shrinking. And then um some of the other things that they look for, one that matters most to us in this scenario is they look at our five-year facility needs survey. And at this point, because 2526 isn't available yet, we're looking at still looking at 2021 um that survey and what was listed as what's called a tier one or
033the first five-year requests. And the last project we have that has not been accomplished, which we've had a very productive five years. Um what we're still looking at is the Elmharst security improvements related to closing in the hallways and um a four classroom addition as well as increasing the the administration area. So um and as a reminder the the state funds this based on there's a match equivalent. So with our economic standing as a county we currently are required to have a 15% match. So, we're looking at just over $10 million construction funds, but to the county, if we were selected, it would be a $ 1.5 million cost with the state picking up the remainder of the project. So, these are lottery funds. Um, that is the source for this. So, we are seeking
034um permission from the school board to request because it's a double approval that the county commissioners also allow us to apply for this grant because they would be the ones who have to fund the 1.5 million. So, um, but if you have any questions, that's just kind of how this fund works. It does come up every year and over the next few months, we'll be talking about the 2526 survey. And that's why, um, prioritization that we've just gone through with our long range plan was so important. >> I motion to approve. I second. >> Moved by Kelly, second by Amy. Any discussion? All in favor said motion that it been on by the raising of the right hand. You have a unifor Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Academic services, Dr. Roach. >> Good evening,
035Chair Trip, Vice Chair Ford. That's it. Thank you. All right. Good evening, Chair Trip, Vice Chair Forbes, Board, Dr. Lacier. We would like to take some time this afternoon, this evening to talk with you about our um accountability results uh for the end for the 202425 school year. So what you have here is our first graph. We will be looking at our reading grade level proficiencies. And I can't read that. So I'm gonna be looking down here so I can look at the numbers. Um so we want to share that grade level proficiency with you. This is reading. And so when we'll look at reading in third grade, we are almost there. Uh with the state, you you will notice that I will tell you the blue bar is Pit County schools and the red
036bar is the state. And so we are very close to where we where the state average is in third grade reading. Um we're almost there in terms of reading in fourth grade and the same for reading in fifth grade. we um are just a little just a little bit under where the state is, but we are we're catching up and we're getting there. Then we want to look at sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. And so when you look at our sixth grade reading proficiency, um little further down than where we would like to be, but we are continuing to work on that. Um in seventh grade reading, we are above the state average in terms of proficiency. And in eighth grade reading, we're just a little bit below um where the state is about two
037points below the state. And again, that's an area we're continuing to work on. Then we have our math proficiency. When we look at our math proficiency for third grade, our math proficiency is above the state average. Um our fourth grade math proficiency is ab also above the state average. A significant amount there. And then our fifth grade math is above the state average. And that's a nice little jump there um in regards to um how far above the state average that we are. Then we have our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math. Uh sixth grade math is just a little bit above the state, but we are we are above them. Uh seventh grade math, we are uh a little over a point point and a half above where the state average is. And the
038same thing for our eighth grade math. we are um above the state in terms of where we are in terms of proficiency. So, we're excited about um our proficiencies and where we are and where we're going to continue to grow. Next, we have our science proficiency. And I would love to make note here that we had a new test last year. And so, it is exciting to see that in our fifth grade, um we were above the state in terms of that proficiency. um in terms of everybody else in the state. And in eighth grade, we're almost there. We were just a little hair underneath where the state is, but again, remember that was a new test. And for us to be right there where the state average is, that's really great. That's good for
039us. We have biology and English, too. And when we look at our biology, that too was a new test last year. we are above the state um just a little bit but we are above the state in biology and then when we look at our English two we're just slightly below the state um in the English two in terms of proficiency again an area that we continue to work on we have our math one and our math three grade level proficiencies and we are right there with the state in terms of math one and we are slightly above the state when we look at our math three. These are all of our high school indicators. And you will notice we have of course the 23 24 numbers and then we have our 2425 numbers. And
040so when we look at our ACT, we are slightly below the state there, but we are going to continue to work in that area. Our work keys, we're a little bit below the state. ACT work keys just again a little bit below our math course rigor we're right along we're right aligned we're aligned with the state there um our full foury year graduation cohort rate um just slightly below the state and then our five-year uh graduation rate um we're slightly below the state just right right there this is our growth by subject area and we are very pleased to say that when you look at where we were in 2223 comparative to where we are at the where we were at the end of 2425 we have made great gains in this district. Um we
041have one area that is not meeting expected growth and that's English 2 and all of our other areas we met or either exceeded our expected growth. [Applause] Okay, in terms of low performing status that state designation. So you can see our trend here. We are trending in the right direction and we are decreasing the number of schools that have the state designation of low performing. You'll see there and I'm so proud of this. You'll see there that in 22 23 we had 17 and then we went to 10 and we had seven at the end of last year. So we had several schools um to exit that state designation of low performing last year. Some other data that we would like to share is that we are ranked 38th in the state for grade level
042proficiency and that's 38 out of 115. And so we again Yes. >> Again, we are making great gains here in Pit County and we are excited about where we are go, where we have been and where we are continuing to go. Um, that is our subgroup data. You can Yes, please. >> Second one. >> No, the second the second link. Yes, ma'am. >> Second link. That one. So this is our subgroup data. Um it shows again our three-year trend in terms of the proficiency by grade. Um and then individually by our by our subgroups. And you can see there where our subgroups are continuing to make very very good progress in terms of proficiency. Um and that's reading there. Miss Carol will you scroll up for me a little bit? You get fine. You're fine.
043And here's math in terms of where we are seeing those increases. And then of course our science and our biology. So we continue to make gains. Um and we're very proud of where we ended at the last end of last school year. >> Thank you. Oh, that's tiny. Um my apologies. I should have put that on two slides for you all. Um but do want to make sure that we show we highlight a lot of good points um that are that's in our data for this year. And so want to share we had six schools to exit state low performing designation by meeting or either exceeding growth or earning a C or higher in their school performance grade. Our four-year graduation rate increased from 83.9 to 85.5 and this is the highest that it's been
044since 2017. 88.8% of our schools either met or exceeded growth with approximately 71% of schools in the state meeting or exceeding growth for 2425. So we exceeded the state in that area too. Pig County schools outperform the state of North Carolina in grade level proficiency in 14 out of 21 of our subgroups. 45.1% of our third graders are reading at or above grade level as measured by the end of grade assessment. Our black students in grades 3 through 12 continue to demonstrate an increase in grade level proficiency within the subject areas of math, reading, and science. Our English learners are steadily improving on the language proficiency assessment with 36.9 proficient 36.9% of students demonstrating progress. And this is an increase of 8.1 percentage points from the 23 24 school year and a 1.7 percentage point
045is 1.7 percentage points higher than the state average. Our students with disabilities in grades 3 through 12 demonstrated an increase in grade level proficiency within the subject areas of math, reading, and science. 31 of our 35 schools with economically disadvantaged student subgroups either met or exceeded expected growth. And then lastly, the percent of Pit County School students scoring at or above grade level in biology is 51% compared to the state being 48.3. And so we just wanted to make sure that we share this information with all of you because again we are very excited at where we ended last school year. We're continuing to push forward. We know what areas we need to work on and we will continue to work in those areas. Academic services and school leadership. We're working very closely with our
046school leaders, our administrators, and our teachers, our instructional coaches, with everyone so that we can continue this upward um momentum that we have. >> Thank you. That is exciting news. [Applause] >> Are we going are we going to get a copy of all that presentation? >> Yes, ma'am. We will get Dr. L to share that information with you. >> Thank you. This time we'll go to our closing uh comments starting with our superintendent, Dr. Le. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair, and uh good evening to everyone. Uh just want to say we had a great first week of school. Um it can't can't believe we're three or four weeks into school the school year already. So we're very excited about that and just really thankful. Um we're proud of our students. um Governor's School, Cogna
047STEM School of Distinction. The Cogna STEM School of Distinction is really big because um that was actually the uh Mrs. J, Dr. James' school. Um there was a generous donor from Virginia who paid for that. Um they just wanted to make sure that our schools had STEM um and was able to be recognized um across the nation. So, this is a national recognition. So, we're really proud of all those Cogman STEM schools. I want to say thank you to our teachers, our students, academic services, um just everybody, our board to get our data the way it looks. Um that just does not happen overnight. Um it takes focus, it takes direction, it takes accountability, um and it takes people who are willing to go out to schools and support and provide teachers with what they
048need. Um, I'm just really proud of what we've done. We are not resting on our laurels. Uh, the team sat last week and we set goals um for ourselves and for our schools next year. And so we want to get better um and we're going to make sure that we're equipped with um the tools to do that for our teachers. So I just want to say thank you to um Dr. Roach, Dr. Matkins, senior staff, Dr. Patterson um and their teams for their focused leadership. Um and that's just so important and I'm really grateful and I look forward to what we'll do next year. I can't wait to see that. And thank you to our board for supporting and allowing us to do the work necessary to u make sure our students are learning and
049our teachers have what they need. Um and lastly, I would would like to encourage everyone to attend the Mo Green visit, our state superintendent on September 25th. Um I believe our board we're asking them to show up at around 5 if you're if you're able to come. He is talking about his strategic plan and very often we align our strategic plan to the state's strategic plan, the state board of education. And so that event will take place at 5:30 um at South Central High School. So once again, we look forward to another great year. um we've got some good momentum and some excitement about the road ahead and I can't wait to see what we'll do at the end of the school year. So, thank you, Mr. Chair, and this concludes my comments. >> Thank
050you. Um board members, we'll start with Amanda. >> All right. Um so, first I just wanted to congratulate our Cogna certified STEM schools. That is such an amazing accomplishment and I know how much work goes into that. and to all of our governor's school attendees. Um, summer is usually a time when you want to take a break from school. So, the fact that these kids really wanted to learn more and grow more is is just so impressive. Um, but tonight I wanted to turn your attention to the subject of books. So, indulge me a minute. Um, when I was in fifth grade, I read the classic young adult novel Where the Red Fern Grows, which is about a boy and his two hunting dogs. When the two dogs, Big Dan and Little Anne, die at
051the end, spoiler alert, I ran to my mother sobbing. I was not a young boy growing up in the Ozarks in the 1960s, and I did not hunt. Yet, the book allowed me to feel a kinship with this young man and his life experiences. I felt the pain that he felt. This is one function of books. They are windows which allow us to observe and learn about people who are very different from us. Whether those differences are a nation, time period, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, they help us to develop empathy for people who are not us. Books can also be mirrors in that they reflect our own experiences back to us. These kinds of books make us feel less alone, and these kinds of books can save a life. These two functions, window
052and mirror, are why reading a variety of books is so central to a child's ation. We want our kids to have understanding for others, but we also want them to feel like their own stories matter. However, when there are demands that certain books be removed from our public school libraries because they mention or focus on identities or experiences that some believe to be objectionable. We deny students the opportunity to develop empathy and to learn that the world extends beyond their own front porch. Banning books also sends the message to some students that their lived experiences of the world are not valid and they are something shameful or worse, something sinful. The message is crushing to any student, but especially to one who is already struggling. This message leads to students hurting themselves and sometimes each
053other. Books with their capacity to serve as both mirrors and windows are especially important in 2025 where compassion and understanding seem to be in short supply. Banning books only further exacerbates the distance between us. Banning books isolates students who have no mirror. In light of the violence we are seeing both inside and outside our schools. I believe that books, all kinds of books about all kinds of people offer an antidote to both prejudice and pain. Compassion, empathy, and understanding cannot thrive when we take books out of our libraries. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I've got two or three things that I'd like to bring up this evening. First of all, I do want to uh recognize Dr. Lassador. um senior staff here in the central office, all of the administrators in our schools,
054our teachers, um staff of any kind that are a part of Pit County Schools. These achievement numbers are because of all of us together. And I just want to recognize the excellence that uh this expouses. I want to continue. You say something uh Dr. the last almost every year when these numbers come out. But we're not going to rest on our laurels. And that's the reason why we've got that man right there at the top because he's not going to let us rest on our laurels. We're going to continue to strive for success and achievement at the highest levels. Uh and and we've got the people in place to make sure that that continues to happen. You know, the higher the numbers get, the harder it is to continue to improve. So, uh, that's going
055to be our goal and continued goal in Pit County Schools. We thank all of us together for making that happen and I know our parents and community are very very uh, appreciative of it. Second thing I'd like to mention is this past week had an opportunity again to lend some leadership to our Pit County FFA alumni golf tournament. That tournament was um put together and initiated about 19 years ago to help support all of the FFA members in Pit County schools to asssure that every student that signs up for a class of agricultural education in Pit County schools is automatically a member of FFA. This past year, we uh raised an additional uh last week, we raised an additional $24,000 to help make that happen along with uh making sure that we can supplement such
056things as uh conventions, conferences, FFA camping uh opportunities, national events, and those kinds of things. So, I was very very proud of the different u uh businesses and industry uh that uh participated in help making that another success. And then lastly, I'd like to uh just say about a year ago, I had some students to come to me from uh DH Conley, and uh they were very very uh excited about wanting to create something in Pit County Schools, establish a program for more conservative values, and to make sure that uh uh students and those concerns are are value to take it into consideration. And with that, they started a turning point USA, a turning point USA program. And I would like for us all to be in continued prayer for the family of Charlie Kirk
057>> and that whole u individuals that are involved in that at this time. >> Thank you, >> Mary. >> Thank you, chair. Good evening. And again, congratulations to all our um NC Governor School um participants on their receiving of their certificate this evening and to all the to the three schools on STEM schools for their certification. I also like to congratulate our students, our teachers, our principles, our assistant principal and all and Dr. ambassador, your team, your senior staff, your Pit County staff here because it takes us all to make this happen. It's good news to hear Pit County in the news. And when I saw that report when it first came out, it just blessed your heart. And when you saw those numbers that you presented a few minutes ago, it blesses your heart.
058I'm so proud to be a first of all former student of Pit County School, but especially and and a former teacher of Pit County School, but I am so proud to be a part of this board and serving you and your staff, Dr. Lasser. And to you all, thank you so much. We're going to do this. We got this. We're going to continue to rise. Even though Benji is hard to rise, we're gonna continue to rise. Thank you. Amy. >> Oh, well, I'm going to agree with all the wonderful things that everyone has pretty much said about the whole proficiency levels and all the growth that we've seen in our county. It's great to see that and it's even more impressive in my opinion to see that we're 38 out of 115. Um, that really
059warms my heart because I I think it helps parents to see that to know that we are doing great things in this school and it's due to their children and what they're achieving in our school. So, it's a really great thing to see. I'm so excited. um all the people that are on awards tonight, especially gotta say give my props to Lake Forest. Um I'm so proud of them and all the stuff that they've been doing lately between the STEM model school and now the Cognia and AVID, all the good things that they're doing there. So I'm very very proud of them and everyone else who has earned awards of course as well. And um just keep keep doing what you're doing, keep talking to your children. Um, I do agree we are living in
060some dangerous times. So, it's very important to have conversations with your children and just make sure you're you're doing your best to teach them empathy and make them understand that you can agree to disagree and it's okay not to have the same viewpoints as other people. >> Thank you, >> Jess. >> Thank you, Chair Trip. Um, congratulations all the students and the schools like everybody else has said as well. Um, I'm going to speak on District 4 for a little bit just to give you some things that are going on that some of our uh our community might not know. Sug Bundy has a care closet going on with Farmal Central right now. Um, they're taking donations of clothes for kids that need some clothes, uh, baby items, things like that. Uh, the teacher at
061Farm Central is the point of contact. Her name is Jennifer Bluer. Um, also Farm Central has some, they said vintage older yearbooks for sale. If anybody is is missing theirs, have lost theirs, they're selling them for $10. Um, you can find all this information on their Facebook as well. So, if you're not following your school's social media, I highly recommend following it because a lot of stuff uh gets put on that daily as well as the all calls and emails that go out. Um, let's see here. Sugg Bundy. One thing that was just posted I saw I wanted to make sure everybody is aware of is AP Robbins at Sug Bundy just got nominated for assistant principal of the year today and Miss Kirk is a finalist for Pit County Schools beginning teacher of the
062year. Um so those are just some things happen also at S Bundy. Um other than that uh thank you to Trisha and Mr. Michael for speaking out. Um, always like I said, public expression is one of my favorite things. So, please use your voice, be heard. Instead of going through the grape vines and letting other people tell your stories, reach out to your board members. Um, we can't fight for you unless you're willing to at least talk to us. And, uh, I'm trying to make sure my district knows that right now. Um, but yeah, other than that, like he said, we're going through some tough times. Um, bullying is always always at the top of that list. And I just want to make sure we're having conversations with our kids so they understand that just
063as quick as words can build you up um they can tear you down and do some real harm. And it's it's just not worth um in any grade for any kid to have to go through any kind of bullying, cyber bullying, words, anything like that. So just just make sure we're having those conversations with our kids. And if it's my kids, please tell me so I can handle that in my household. Um, but that concludes my comments. >> Jennifer, >> I'm, you know, I'm really glad I think Amy and Justin both said something that I really wanted to talk about, which is we're about a month in and I really want our parents to pay attention to our kids. um mental health issues will start showing up because what happens is when stress hits a
064point where it exceeds a kid's capacity to understand it or to manage it, um then they start this process of self-lame and that they're the only ones going through it. Um they're not always going to come and tell us that they're struggling. They may not even have the words yet because of their age. Um but things will change. eating patterns, sleeping patterns, and they might start isolating from friends. They might retreat more to their rooms and play video games more. Um, and you might think that they're doing okay, but they're not. Their grades might start changing. Um, they might start withdrawing from clubs and groups and sports. Um, they might start complaining of sematic symptoms, headaches, stomach aches, backachches, colds. Immune systems we know with stress get impaired. If your child's going from cold to
065sickness to cold to sickness, it could also be a stress p point in there. So, I I just want us to stop and and really take pay attention to the kids and see how they're doing and offer them some coping strategies. And if you're struggling, please reach out um to the schools. We also have student support services that we can offer help and support. But um being super stressed is really unhealthy. you know, when your cortisol is up that high for that long, it really takes its toll on your ability to learn and your ability to be healthy. So, just wanted to put that out there. And I know my colleague here to the left, um, who's also a licensed mental health professional, will will reiterate how important it is to take care of your
066mental health. So, and I'm so proud of our schools. And I'll end on that. >> Thank you, Kayla. >> Yes. Um, I wanted to start with what Mr. Bill McClung said because I think it colors how I've seen out everything else I wrote down um when he said that the community is our superpower. >> Um and that's why Pirate Robotics has been such a beautiful um program across the county. Um I think that there's so much about the community that is our strength. Um, and it's so encouraging to see the community come here. Um, but also to be going to the schools and seeing how communities are um, supporting our students and our teachers. Um, this week was the first PLT for our international teachers and our AVID teachers. Um, and I got to go
067see them um, at the Cathy Taff Center. And, um, our international teachers are so special to what they bring to our classrooms um, and to our students um, and their experience in education. Um, and we can we need to support them as a community because they are they are here um, for our children. Um, and so also playing off of what Justin was saying, um, any way that you can support the international teachers in your schools, please do. Um, if you have extra things laying around, um, that can be helpful. If someone making um, making their new home like a home, um, support them. They are incredible. Um, and I am so grateful for them. And also our AVID teachers um, who are just amazing. Um, something that Dr. Stalls said too when we were
068talking about our Cognius STEM schools was the intentionality that it took to achieve these certifications. And so I think back to our accountability data, um, our reading proficiencies going up, our math proficiencies going up, our um, having incredible leaders, um, even thinking about the discussions with our facilities. It's because of the intentionality of our district and using what we have to serve our students um and how that intentionality brings about these results that serve our students and we can see how that work is um h how it's making a difference. So, I know that there have been some challenges in getting into the school year. Um I've heard from families um with buses and classrooms and things that just h takes a little time to adjust to. And so thank you for our families for
069advocating for your students and for being patient and for our teachers for continuing to bring their all to the classroom every day. Um and I am I am proud to be part of this community. >> Thank you. Word. >> Yes. Um, you know, I've heard several board members tonight speak of make sure that you speak and let everybody know how you feel and what's important to you and what you stand for. Well, our country this past week went through a terrible event, the uh assassination of Charlie Kirk. And one thing that he did, he did speak up even if you disagreed with him. And Charlie Kurt's Christian faith was central to who he was. He often said that becoming a Christian in his youth was the most important thing or the most important decision he
070ever made in his life. And that his belief in Christ and scripture and grace shaped both his personal life and his public life. He also believed not just in private faith but living it out and arguing moral truth, exercising compassion and urging young people, young people, our high school kids, they felt the impact of this past week, but uh urging young people and families and educators and school leaders towards spiritual and civic responsibility. His legacy is a reminder that faith often motivates deeper purpose in all of us. Even when communities disagree with his politics, many young people were moved by his courage to make his Christian convictions visible in the classroom, in debate, and in action. And those convictions are likely to influence youth long into the future. You know, I pray for his family.
071I pray for his two children, his wife, his parents, and I pray that Charlie's impact will live on in the hearts of the students and teachers and parents whom he influenced, and that the seeds he planted will develop into thoughtful, caring, and bold leaders. One other thing I would say to our young people and to our um folks out there in the uh district, if you see something, say something. Doesn't matter how big it is or how little it is. Let some adult know, a teacher, a guidance counselor or someone know what you have heard because we don't take anything for granted and we would not call you foolish for mentioning something. We want to hear if there's anything out there that might cause destruction or danger. >> Thank you. Not to repeat what our
072board members stated in their comments, but I will say that we are all excited and happy about our road ahead and what uh and that we love our schools. As the representative of district 3 north of the river, I'm very proud of our principles, our staff, faculty, and students for meeting and exceeding growth. North Pitt with the leadership of principal Maurice Harris and his entire staff. They have exceeded growth for 10 years straight. That is very outstanding. And I do want to recognize being that they are here fairly new principles. Principal Bale and Principal Willis. Principal Bale is Bethl. Will you stand? And Principal Willis from Northwest. They both dudes at City Grove. And as uh chairman of the board, I must say that we are going to continue to support Dr. Ler and his
073staff. We're going to continue to support our schools, review and make policies that are beneficial to all. We're going to make sure that all students are receiving the best education possible and fostering relationships with our communities for our schools. I want to encourage parents, guardians, and families to continue to be engaged in your children or child or children's education. I personally want to see Pit County School District become the best district in the eastern part of this state to get a good quality education. And I do want to thank Dr. ambassador, his staff, all the principal north of the river, including uh Pat told us for coming out to our back to school celebration we had at the church. We had seven schools represented. Dr. Lass and some of his staff were there. Some of
074our board members were there and we had the best MC in Pit County, Beth B. >> Thank you so much. At this time, Worth, we go into close session. I make a motion to go into close session pursuant to general statute 143 31811 for the following purpose under subsection A3 to consult with our attorney to preserve attorney client privilege to consider and give instructions concerning a potential actual claim administrative procedure or judicial action. >> Second. Second it. >> Mary moved by Worth, second by Mary. Any questions? All in favor has been on by the raising of the right hand. We're now in close session. We give you five minutes and we'll come back to our close session.