August 5, 2024

CALL MEETING TO ORDER

The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit conducted a regular meeting in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom on Monday, August 5, 2024, at 5:30 PM at 613 Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28659.

Present for the meeting were Chairman Mr. Randall “Rudy” Holbrook; Vice-Chairman Mr. Kirk Walker; and Board Members Mrs. Joan Caudill, Mrs. Jammie Jolly, and Dr. Donna Cotton. Also attending were Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd; Assistant Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood; Chief Academic Officer Mrs. Callie Grubb; Chief Finance Officer Mr. Seth Prevette; Chief Technology Officer Mrs. Julie Triplett; Director of Child Nutrition Mr. Marty Johnson; Director of Secondary Education, Athletics, and School Safety Mr. David Johnson; Director of Student Services Mrs. April Marr; Director of Exceptional Children Mrs. Jennifer Blankenship; Director of Maintenance Mr. Richard Shepherd; Director of Facilities and Construction Mr. Bergie Speaks; Director of Pre-K and Elementary Education Mr. Jeffery Johnson; AIG Coordinator Mrs. Angie Lamb; ESL Coordinator Mrs. Lori Holguin; Executive Director of Federal Programs and Career & Technical Education Dr. Joe Bullis; Director of Testing and Accountability, Cultural Arts, 504, and Title I Dr. Dion Stocks; Director of Transportation Mr. Eric Barker; Public Information Officer Mrs. Morgan Mathis; and Executive Administrative Assistant Mrs. Loretta Shumate.

Also in attendance were North Wilkes High School Principal Mrs. Dee Surgeon; Wilkes Central High School Principal Dr. Heather Freeman; Moravian Falls Elementary School Principal Dr. Mike Weddington; Central Wilkes Middle School Assistant Principal Mr. Anthony Church; and Wilkes Central High School Assistant Principal Mr. Chris Martin.

Special guests were Wilkes Community College President Dr. Mike Rodgers; Wilkes Community College Vice President of Instruction Mrs. Kristen Macemore; Wilkes Community College Vice President of Instructional Support and Student Services Mrs. Kim Faw; Wilkes Community College Director of College Access Mrs. Bekah Gardner; Media Journalist Jule Hubbard; and Media Journalist Ed Racey.

Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook called the meeting to order.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

On a motion by Mr. Kirk Walker, seconded by Mrs. Jammie Jolly and duly carried, the agenda was approved as presented.

SUPERINTENDENT'S WELCOME AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook recognized Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd for the Superintendent's Welcome and Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Byrd stated, "First and foremost, let me say I hope that you all had a great summer, that you have gotten some rest, and that you are excited about our upcoming school year. If your summer hasn't gone so well, you still have a little bit of time remaining to hopefully accomplish anything that you have not so far. It is hard to believe that it has been two months since we were last together and were ending a great 2023-2024 school year. And it was a very successful year! Let me share that we ended our year with our highest graduation rate in over a decade, we had a state Principal of the Year selected for the first time in over 40 years, and had the first softball state championship in the history of Wilkes County Schools. Students and staff were kept safe and well cared for. We have a lot to be proud of with what we accomplished last year. However, when teachers returned to Wilkes Early College High School this week, when students return there next Monday, and when teachers return to our other schools on August 14, and when all of our students return in 3 weeks, they need to know what we are going to do for them this year, not what we did last year. Recently, I thought that we expect students to show academic growth every school year, but do we challenge ourselves to show the same? We expect teachers to improve every year, but do we expect the same of ourselves? Do I expect myself to be a better Superintendent in 2024-2025 than I was last year? I should. So tonight, I challenge every superintendent, board member, director, principal, or teacher in the room to be better in our role than we were last year. Look for opportunities to grow and improve. Parents, look for how you can be more supportive of our schools than in years before. We can't expect students to grow and not expect the same for ourselves. If we want them to give their best, we need to make sure that we are giving them ours. So, at some point between now and the day that students return, I challenge every person in the room to set goals for how they can grow and improve and better serve our students in 2024-2025 than we did last year! As I have said many times, our students deserve it!"

RECOGNITION OF GUESTS AND GOOD NEWS

New Principal for the 2024-2025 School Year

Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Assistant Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood to announce the new principal for the 2024-2025 school year. Wilkes County Schools would like to recognize and congratulate our new principal for the 2024-2025 school year. This administrator brings a level of energy that will help students and our school system to be successful for years to come.

Dr. Mike Weddington has served as an assistant principal at Wilkes Central High School. He will now serve as principal of Moravian Falls Elementary School.

New Assistant Principals for the 2024-2025 School Year

Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Assistant Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood to acknowledge the new assistant principals for the 2024-2025 school year. Wilkes County Schools would like to recognize and congratulate our new assistant principals for the 2024-2025 school year. We are excited to see them bring their educational leadership skills to fruition and make a difference in their school and community!

Mr. Anthony Church will serve as assistant principal of North Wilkes High School. Mr. Church most recently served as a teacher at Central Wilkes Middle School.

Mr. Chris Martin will serve as assistant principal of Wilkes Central High School. Mr. Martin most recently served as an English and History teacher at Bunker Hill High School. Mr. Martin also taught in Wilkes County from 2014-2016.

2023-2024 CTE Administrator of the Year for the Northwest Region

Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Assistant Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood to announce the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Administrator of the Year for the Northwest Region. The North Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education (NCACTE) is the professional organization for North Carolina educators associated with career and technical education. Each year, they host a summer conference where they recognize CTE administrators who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique, and effective career and technical education programs. The administrators recognized are nominated by their peers and then voted on by other CTE administrators.

Dr. Joe Bullis, Executive Director of Career & Technical Education and Federal Programs, was selected as the 2023-2024 CTE Administrator of the Year for the Northwest Region. Dr. Bullis will advance to compete for the title of North Carolina CTE Administrator of the Year, and the winner will be announced at the CTE Administrator's Conference next spring. Congratulations to Dr. Bullis, and we wish him the best of luck at the state level.

FOCUS ON THE CURRICULUM

Data and Safety Initiatives

Focus on the Curriculum was presented by Director of Secondary Education, Athletics, and Safety Mr. David Johnson. Mr. Johnson provided a brief update on the Data from the 2023-2024 school year regarding Student Health Action Coalition, district athletic highlights, and the student drug testing program.

We have eleven and half school nurses to serve twenty-two schools. School nurses provided 166 health education presentations and completed 325 home visits during the 2023-2024 school year. The number of student encounters/health office visits, for any purpose, to the school nurse resulting in the student returning to class was 31,066. The following are just a few of the conditions that school nurses most frequently see students for: ADD/ADHD, allergies, asthma, concussions, diabetes, seizure disorder/epilepsy, and migraine headaches.

Some of the school-based therapy services provided in 2023-2024 to our students by licensed therapists were CareNet, Jodi Province Counseling, and Children's Hope Alliance.

The Wilkes County Health Department Mobile Expanded School Health (MESH) was visited 369 times by our high school students. A total of 701 students enrolled in the Wilkes Public Health Dental Services. These services are vital to our student's well-being.

The Board of Education recognizes that drug and alcohol use by students results in a significant health and safety risk to students and the educational environment. The Random Student Drug Testing Policy is intended to be a helpful part of the overall physical, mental, and health education of students. A total of 433 random drug tests were administered to our students with 30 positive tests in 2023-2024.

Mr. Johnson also briefly gave some data regarding student-athletes. We had a total participation of 1,068 students at the high school level and 643 at the middle school level. Some safety programs used were Iloveuguys, SRP Locations, Say Something, Rave Panic Button, and Rave Panic Button Tutorial.

FACILITY UPDATES

Construction Updates

Facility Updates were presented by Director of Facilities and Construction, Mr. Bergie Speaks. Mr. Speaks gave an update on current ESSER HVAC projects, roofing projects, and construction updates. ESSER projects are coming along with Moravian Falls Elementary School at 98% complete, C.B. Eller Elementary School at 85% complete, Ronda Clingman Elementary School at 90% complete, North Wilkesboro Elementary School at 70% complete, East Wilkes High School at 85% complete, West Wilkes High School at 70% complete, Wilkes Central High School at 95% complete, and North Wilkes High School at 75% complete. Wilkes Central High School gym is looking great and East Wilkes High School's softball concession/bathrooms are getting close to completion. All four high school turf projects are ready for students to start using.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for Public Comments. No one signed up to speak.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

On a motion by Mrs. Joan Caudill, seconded by Dr. Donna Cotton and duly carried, the minutes for June 3, 2024, were approved as presented.

ACTION ITEMS

Personnel Report

On a motion by Mr. Kirk Walker, seconded by Mrs. Jammie Jolly and duly carried, the Personnel Report was approved as presented.

Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)

Cynthia Colbert – Teacher – Boomer Ferguson Elementary School

Retirement effective – July 1, 2024, with 15 years and 8 months of service

Sharon Faw – Teacher – North Wilkes Middle School

Retirement effective – August 1, 2024, with 28 years and 4 months of service

Recommendation of Administrative Personnel

Chris Martin – Assistant Principal – Wilkes Central High School

Transfer(s) of Assignment(s)

Rebecca Kilpatrick – From Assistant Principal – Mountain View Elementary School

To Assistant Principal – Millers Creek Elementary School

Promotion(s)

Patricia Adamson – From Data Manager – Wilkes Central High School

To Administrative Assistant – Central Services

Erica Billings – From Secretary/Bookkeeper – Central Services

To Administrative Assistant – Central Services

Anthony Church – From Teacher – Central Wilkes Middle School

To Assistant Principal – North Wilkes High School

Amanda Gravely – From Teacher Assistant – Boomer Ferguson Elementary School

To Teacher – North Wilkesboro Elementary School

Teresa Hincher – From Child Nutrition Assistant Manager – Wilkes Central High School

To Child Nutrition Manager – Boomer Ferguson Elementary School

Kacey Latham – From Child Nutrition Rover – Child Nutrition Department

To Child Nutrition Assistant – North Wilkes High School

Julie Lovette – From Child Nutrition Assistant – West Wilkes High School

To Child Nutrition Assistant Manager – West Wilkes High School

Dwight Patrick – From Custodian – Mulberry Elementary School

To Lead Custodian – Mulberry Elementary School

Christy Prevette – From Child Nutrition Assistant – Millers Creek Elementary School

To Child Nutrition Assistant Manager – West Wilkes Middle School

Tonya Shell – From Child Nutrition Assistant Manager – West Wilkes High School

To Child Nutrition Manager – Mount Pleasant Elementary School

Kendall Shumate – From Secretary/Data Manager – Traphill Elementary School

To Teacher – North Wilkes Middle School

Leah Watkins – From Secretary/Bookkeeper/Data Manager – Wilkes Early College High School

To Budget Analyst – Finance Department

Michael Wyatt – From Child Nutrition Assistant Manager – Mulberry Elementary School

To Child Nutrition Manager – East Wilkes High School

Out-of-County/Overnight Field Trips

On a motion by Mrs. Joan Caudill, seconded by Dr. Donna Cotton and duly carried, the Out-of-County/Overnight Field Trips were approved as presented. The planned dates are listed below:

School	Group	Destination	Dates
East Wilkes High School	FFA	Indianapolis, IN	October 21-25, 2024
West Wilkes High School	Chorus	Orlando, FL	December 18-23, 2024

EC Contracts for 2024-2025 School Year

On a motion by Mrs. Joan Caudill, seconded by Mr. Kirk Walker and duly carried, the Exceptional Children's Department Contracts for the 2024-2025 school year were approved as presented. All of these contracts are continuations of existing contracts. Each of the companies and organizations involved have been contractors with Wilkes County Schools for a number of years and have a proven record of providing high-quality services to our students with special needs. They are listed below:

Service Contracts
Pamela G. Edwards
Dana Felts
Wilkes Day Care Association, Inc. / Wilkes Developmental Day School
Wilkes Adult Developmental Activity Program, Inc. / Wilkes ADAP
Blazerworks
BROC HeadStart

Policy 3420 Revision

On a motion by Mr. Kirk Walker, seconded by Mrs. Joan Caudill and duly carried, the Policy 3420 revision was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools Board Policy 3420 was last revised in May 2020. Since that date, there have been several legislative requirements that warrant an update to the policy. These requirements include literacy interventions such as reading camps, individual reading plans, Digital Children's Reading Initiative, and approval of the literacy intervention plan. Adjustments were also made to more closely align our Wilkes County Schools' policy to the state-suggested policy.

Policy 3421 Revision

On a motion by Dr. Donna Cotton, seconded by Mrs. Joan Caudill and duly carried, the Policy 3421 revision was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools Board Policy 3421 was adopted on January 9, 2006, to support Wilkes County Board Policy 3420. Revisions to policy 3420 necessitated changes to policy 3421. State board policy 3405 replaces our local policy 3421. This policy is closely aligned with state-suggested guidelines.

Policy 3460 Revision

On a motion by Mr. Kirk Walker, seconded by Mrs. Jammie Jolly and duly carried, the Policy 3460 revision was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools Board Policy 3460 was last revised on January 11, 2021. Recently, there have been legislative changes that necessitate revisions to the policy. These revisions address changes in computer science, arts education, and the graduation project.

Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Social Services (DSS)

On a motion by Mrs. Joan Caudill, seconded by Dr. Donna Cotton and duly carried, the Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Social Services (DSS) was approved as presented. In 2009, Wilkes County Schools and the Department of Social Services (DSS) worked collaboratively to create a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to improve communication and services to children in our community. The memorandum is reviewed each year with principals and the DSS administrative staff.

Schedule of Fees

On a motion by Dr. Donna Cotton, seconded by Mr. Kirk Walker and duly carried, the Schedule of Fees was approved as presented. As required by the State Board of Education, information regarding fees collected from students, including the amount and the purpose for all fees must be provided. These fees are typically set by the principal and do not include purchased items at the school, which may include yearbooks, shirts, pencils, etc.

Budget Amendments

On a motion by Mrs. Joan Caudill, seconded by Dr. Donna Cotton and duly carried, the Budget Amendment was approved as presented and are listed below:

Child Nutrition Fund – Increase of $500.000.00
Agency Fund – Increase of $2,000.00
Current Expense Special Use Fund – Increase of $629,000.00

DISCUSSION/REPORT ITEMS

Policy 5030, Community Use of Facilities

Discussion and Report Item regarding Board Policy 5030, Community Use of Facilities was presented by Chief Finance Officer, Mr. Seth Prevette. This updates our existing policy to ensure compliance with applicable laws. This also extracts the fees from the body of the policy which allows us to bring those for review separately in the future. This policy will be presented for final approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

Policy 9400, Sale and Disposal of Board-Owned Real Property

Discussion and Report Item regarding Board Policy 9400, Sale and Disposal of Board-Owned Real Property was presented by Chief Finance Officer, Mr. Seth Prevette. This updates our existing policy to more closely align with North Carolina State Board of Education's policy recommendations. The reference to charter schools is state legislation. This policy will be presented for final approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

Policy 3225/4312/7320, Technology Responsible Use

Discussion and Report Item regarding Board Policy 3225/4312/7320, Technology Responsible Use was presented by Chief Technology Officer, Mrs. Julie Triplett. This updates our existing policy to closely align with North Carolina State Board of Education's policy recommendations. This policy was last updated in January of 2022. This policy will be presented for final approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

Policy 3220, Technology in the Education Program

Discussion and Report Item regarding Board Policy 3220, Technology in the Educational Program was presented by Chief Technology Officer, Mrs. Julie Triplett. This updates our existing policy to closely align with North Carolina State Board of Education's policy recommendations. This includes the addition of information about teaching Generative Artificial Intelligence in our classrooms. This policy was last updated in January of 2022. This policy will be presented for final approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

Policy 4700, Student Records

Discussion and Report Item regarding Board Policy 4700, Student Records was presented by Chief Technology Officer, Mrs. Julie Triplett. This updates our existing policy to closely align with North Carolina State Board of Education's policy recommendations. This policy was last updated in January of 2006. This policy will be presented for final approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

Memorandum of Agreement with Wilkes Community College

Discussion and Report Item regarding Memorandum of Agreement with Wilkes Community College was presented by Chief Academic Officer, Mrs. Callie Grubb. Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College have a strong partnership in jointly supporting the Wilkes Early College High School Program and the Career and College Promise program offered at our four traditional high schools. The Memorandum of Agreement sets the parameters of the operations for the Career and College Promise program and the Wilkes Early College High School. This memorandum of agreement will be presented for approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

WCS and WCC Local Articulation Agreement for 2024-2025

Discussion and Report Item regarding Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College Local Articulation Agreement for 2024-2025 was presented by Chief Academic Officer, Mrs. Callie Grubb. Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College have a strong partnership in providing high school students with many opportunities to gain college credits while completing their high school requirements. The local articulation agreement adds additional articulated courses at the local level that are not included in the statewide North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement. This local agreement further streamlines students' educational pathways by eliminating the need to take multiple courses with the same learning outcomes. This articulation agreement will be presented for approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

Articulation Agreement for Teacher Cadet and Teaching as a Profession

Discussion and Report Item regarding Articulation Agreement for Teacher Cadet and Teaching as a Profession was presented by Chief Academic Officer, Mrs. Callie Grubb. Wilkes County Schools' students have the opportunity to take either Teacher Cadet or Teaching as a Profession at the five high schools. Starting this year, students may receive articulated credit for EDU 187 Teaching and Learning for All at Wilkes Community College if the requirements set forth in the articulation agreement are met. This is another opportunity for high school students to gain college credits while in high school. This articulation agreement will be presented for approval at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook made the following announcements:

August 14-16, 2024 – Optional Workdays

August 19-23, 2024 – Required Workdays

August 26, 2024 – First Grading Period Begins

September 2, 2024 – Labor Day Holiday

NEXT BOARD MEETING

Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook announced the next board meeting to be September 3, 2024. The meeting will be held in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom, located at 613 Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina beginning at 5:30 PM.

MEETING ADJOURNMENT

On a motion by Mr. Kirk Walker and seconded by Mrs. Jammie Jolly, with no further business, the Board of Education voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:23 PM.