Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd announced that we needed to amend the agenda to add a field trip to Item #X-B to include the North Wilkes High School Varsity Basketball Girls team to travel to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to compete in 2-A State Championship Game. On a motion by Mr. Darren Shumate seconded by Ms. Sharron Huffman, and duly carried, the agenda was amended to allow this trip.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd along with Dr. Westley Wood, Executive Director of Personnel recognized the North Carolina State Beta Club Convention. The Convention was held in Greensboro, North Carolina on February 2-3, 2019. Miss Jessika Norman, a sophomore at Wilkes Early College High School, placed first in Painting. Jessika has now qualified to compete at the National Beta Club Convention in Savannah, Georgia this summer. Congratulations to Miss Jessika Norman.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd along with Dr. Westley Wood, Executive Director of Personnel recognized winners of the 2017-2018 Wilkes County Schools Spelling Bee held on February 15, 2018. The Wilkes County Schools Spelling Bee runner up is Nathaniel Burchette. Nathaniel is a 7th grade student at East Wilkes Middle School. The winner of the 2017-2018 Wilkes County Schools Spelling Bee for the third year in a row is Ruston Raporort. Ruston is a 5th grade student at C.C. Wright Elementary School. We would like to wish Ruston the best of luck as he prepares for the Regional Competition scheduled for March 18, 2018 at the Hanes Band Theater in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Focus on the Curriculum was presented by Associate Superintendent Ms. Anna Lankford. The Focus is on Technology and Instructional Support in Schools. In 2018-2019, NCDPI will begin requiring all teachers and administrators to earn 20 hours of renewal credit in the Digital Learning Competencies. Wilkes County Schools has also restructured the technology department to meet the digital learning needs of the district. Five Instructional Technology Facilitators were assigned a new role this year as a Digital Learning Facilitators. These staff members were charged with the task of ensuring all teachers and administrators receive professional development and support to earn their digital learning competency credits. Teachers and administrators attend face-to-face professional development and show evidence that they are using the skills they have learned in their administrative or teaching roles. We are seeing growth within our schools because of this change in approach. We are also seeing increased use of the digital skills that have been taught. So far this year school year, the digital learning facilitators have taught 158 digital learning professional development trainings.
Retirement effective – June 1, 2018 with twelve years and three months of service
School | Group | Destination | Dates |
East Wilkes High School | Student Council |
Hickory-Taylorsville, NC
NCASC State Conference
|
03/16/2018-03/18/2018 |
East Wilkes High School | HOSA |
Greensboro, NC
State HOSA Conference
|
03/21/2018-03/24/2018 |
North Wilkes High School | Band |
Winston-Salem, NC
Glenn High School
|
03/23/2018-03/24/2018 |
North Wilkes High School | Varsity Girls Basketball Team | Chapel Hill, NC | 03/09/2018-03/10/2018 |
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Ms. Barnes and duly carried, the Wilkes County Schools’ Summer School Plan for 2017-2018 was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools has elected to provide a summer school program, called “WCS Success Academy”, immediately following the last day of school. It will extend the school year for qualifying students by four days.
On a motion by Mr. Shumate, seconded by Ms. Huffman and duly carried, the Child Nutrition Participation in the Mountain Purchasing Cooperative was approved as presented. Our participation in the cooperative would be for a one year contract term with the potential of a four year roll over.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Ms. Barnes and duly carried, the Wilkes County Schools’ Summer School Plan for 2017-2018 was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools has elected to provide a summer school program, called “WCS Success Academy”, immediately following the last day of school. It will extend the school year for qualifying students by four days.
On a motion by Ms. Huffman, seconded by Mr. Shumate and duly carried, the Uniform Teacher Contract Policy was approved as presented. Effective July 1, 2018 North Carolina General Statute 115C-325.3 states that a contract or renewal of contract between the local board of education and a teacher who has been employed by the local board of education for three years or more shall be for a term of one, two, or four school years. Wilkes County Schools will offer these teachers a contract with an initial term of two years and, subsequent contracts will be for a term of two school years if the teacher is in good standing at the time of the contract offer. This policy was reviewed by Mr. Fred Johnson, School Board Attorney for Wilkes County Schools.