Summary of Board Minutes August 3, 2015
The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit met in a regular meeting at 5:30 p. m. on Monday, August 3, 2015 in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom at 613 Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28659.
Present for the meeting were Chairman Randall “Rudy” Holbrook, Board Members, Mrs. Sharron Huffman, Mr. Darren Shumate, and Mr. Hardin C. Kennedy, III. Board Member Mr. Rick Lankford was absent. Also present were Superintendent Dr. Marty T. Hemric, Associate Superintendent Ms. Anna Lankford, Director of Human Resources Dr. Westley Wood, Director of Athletics and Healthful Living Mr. Chris Skabo, Director of Student Services Ms. April Marr, Director of Secondary Education Dr. Donna Cotton, Director of Exceptional Children Ms. Tracee McManus, Director of Development Mr. Dennis Huggins, Director of CTE, Career & College Promise & Safe Schools Mr. Wayne Shepherd, and Executive Administrative Assistant Carolyn Triplett.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook recognized Board Member Mr. Hardin Kennedy to lead the Invocation, and Mr. Holbrook called the meeting to order.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook called the meeting to order and asked if the Agenda needed to be amended. No amendment was needed.
On a motion by Mr. Shumate, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the agenda was approved as presented.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook recognized Dr. Hemric for the devotional thought and pledge of allegiance.
Focus on the Curriculum was presented by Director of Athletics and Healthful Living, Mr. Chris Skabo. Also present to report was Ms. Ann Absher with the Wilkes County Health Department. They reported on the School Health Advisory. North Carolina requires that each school district establish and maintain a local school health advisory council (SHAC) to help plan, implement, and monitor health education programs and activities. This report highlights major initiative and gave an overview of success from the 2014-2015 school year.
Director of Athletics and Healthful Living, Mr. Chris Skabo gave an update on FitnessGram. Wilkes County Schools implemented FitnessGram into the elementary and middle schools in 2014-2015 as a way to measure the overall fitness of our students. The data collected will be analyzed and discussed with physical education teachers so that we can meet our goals outlined in our school system’s five year strategic plan. This year’s data will serve as a baseline for this plan.
Director of Athletics and Healthful Living, Mr. Chris Skabo summarized the successes of our varsity student athletes in the classroom as well as on the field and court. Wilkes County Schools had 1,273 participants in varsity sports. Thirty-three percent of these participants were multi-sport athletes. The average GPA was 3.360. Wilkes County had nine varsity teams with the highest GPA in their particular sport across North Carolina. Wilkes County also had seven hundred sixty-six individual scholar athletes quality for the NCHSAA Scholar athlete award. To quality for this award an individual must achieve at least a 3.5 weighted GPA. Wilkes County will have at least 12 scholar-athletes participate in athletics at the college level. Most of these athletes will receive academic and/or athletic money.
Focus on the Curriculum was also presented by Associate Superintendent, Ms. Anna Lankford. Updates on the following topics were given to Board Members and they are as follows:
Project Admit: Wilkes County Schools is continuing efforts for fundraising to finish the project. Total contribution to date equal $1,354.000 of $1.67 million needed. Plans are under way for each building site and courses/teachers are in place. Plans are to have a ceremony on October 5, 2015.
Read to Achieve: At the end of the 2014-2015 school year approximately fifty-six percent of our 3rd grade reading class were proficient. Seventy-six students qualified for RTA Summer Reading Camp. One hundred forty students attended and forty-one of the seventy-six received a good Cause Exemption during the camp. Preliminary results indicate approximately ninety-four percent of the third graders met the Read to Achieve requirement.
Kindergarten Entry Assessment: This is a formative assessment process that provides information about children in an effort to guide instruction and learning. Information will be collected during the first sixty days of school. Kindergarten Child Profile will then capture a snapshot of each child at the beginning of Kindergarten. There are five domains that make up the program, (1) Approaches to Learning, (2) Cognitive, (3) Emotional-Social, (4) Language & Communication, and (5) Health & Physical. Kindergarten teachers will be trained on August 17, 2015.
New Grading Scales and GPA Calculations: New for the 2015-2016 school year are K-3 Standards Based Grading (1, 2, 3, 4 for all core subjects & S, N, U for encore subjects). K-3 will also have a new report card format that will be easier for parents to understand. Grades 4-12 will be using a 10 point grading scale and grades will be reported numerically. For students entering the ninth grade in 2015-2016 grades will be weighted differently. The change in weight grades will not affect students in grades 10, 11, or 12, or 13. An additional .5 quality point for honors course and an additional 1.0 quality point to AP/IB courses and college courses (community college and university) will be given as well.
Gear Up and Leader in Me: Eighth grade students will be included in the work plan and activities for 2015-2016 school year. There are two coordinators for the GEAR Up program.
Activities will include:
Canvas-LMS: Canvas is a Learning Management System. This program simplifies teaching and learning by connecting all the digital tools teachers use in one place. It is a part of the HOMEBASE suite, our cost for the 2015-2016 school year is $1.00 per student. Students will be able to view assignments, take quizzes, collaborate with other students, submit assignments, and receive feedback from the teacher.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for public comments. No one had signed up.
On a motion by Mr. Shumate, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the minutes were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Shumate and duly carried, the Personnel Report and Blue Sheet were approved as presented.
Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)
Sharon Welborn – Teacher – North Wilkes High School
Retirement effective – August 1, 2015 with thirty years of service
Transfer(s) of Assignment(s)
Danielle Dowell – From Assistant Principal – Millers Creek Elementary School
To Assistant Principal – East Wilkes High School
Michelle Shepherd – From Principal – Wilkes Central High School
To Principal – Wilkes Early College High School
Dion Stocks – From Principal – Wilkes Early College High School
To Principal – Wilkes Central High School
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Shumate and duly carried, the Out-of-County/Overnight Field Trips were approved as presented.
School Group Destination Dates
West Wilkes High School Chorus Johnson City, TN 10/03/2015 – 10/04/2015
West Wilkes High School Dance Team Orlando, FL 02/26/2016 – 02/29/2016
West Wilkes High School Chorus Atlanta, GA 04/08/2016 – 04/09/2016
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Shumate and duly carried, the Exceptional Children’s
Contracts were approved as presented. They are as follows:
Wilkes Day Care Association, Inc.
Sunbelt Staffing, LLC
Wanda Griffin
Speechcenter, Inc.
John E. Sexton & Associates, Inc.
Janice Lambey
“I CAN” Pediatric Therapies, LLC
Health & Home Services, Inc.
Donna R. Key
Wilkes Adult Development Activity Program, Inc.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mr. Shumate and duly carried, the Board Policy Updates (4300, 4302, 4351, and 4353) were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Shumate, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, The Random Student Drug Testing Policy (new) Number 4330 was approved as presented.
Mrs. Anna Lankford, Associate Superintendent presented the Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission Agreement. The purpose of this agreement is to identify and provide services for children with disabilities enrolled in daycares throughout the county.
Mrs. Anna Lankford, Associate Superintendent presented the Cooperative Agreement between Wilkes County Schools and Department Health Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. The purpose of the this agreement is the successful transition of students with disabilities from school to post-secondary institutions of higher education and the work place.
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook made the following announcements:
August 10-14, 2015 – Optional Workdays
August 17-21, 2015 – Required Workdays
August 24, 2015 – First Grading Period Begins
September 7, 2015 – Labor Day Holiday
Chairman Mr. Holbrook announced the next Board Meeting September 14, 2015 5:30 p.m. in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom, 613 Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, there being no further business, the Board adjourned at 6:32 p.m.