December 6, 2021
The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit conducted a regular meeting in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom on Monday, December 6, 2021, 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 Mrs. Sharron Huffman, Board Members Mr. Hardin Kennedy III, Mr. Kirk Walker, and Mrs. Joan Caudill. Also attending were Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Donna Cotton, Chief Technology Officer Mrs. Julie Triplett, Chief Finance Officer Mr. Seth Prevette, Director of Maintenance Mr. Bergie Speaks, Director of Pre-K and Elementary Education Mrs. Callie Grubb, Director of Student Services Mrs. April Marr, Executive Director of Federal Programs/Career & Technical Education Dr. Joe Bullis, Director of Child Nutrition Mr. Marty Johnson, Director of Secondary Education/Athletics/and School Safety Mr. David Johnson, Director of Testing & Accountability/Cultural Arts Mr. Jeffery Johnson, Cultural Liaison/Lead Interpreter, Mrs. Rosanna Limon-Reyes, Lead ESL Teacher Mrs. Lori Holguin, Public Information Officer Mrs. Morgan Mathis, and Executive Administrative Assistant Mrs. Carolyn Triplett. Special guests included Wilkes County Law Enforcement, Wilkes County Health Director Mrs. Rachael Willard, and Chairman of the Wilkes County Commissioners Mr. Eddie Settle.
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook called the meeting to order.
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Huffman and duly carried, the agenda was approved as presented.
Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook recognized Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd for the Superintendent’s Welcome and Pledge of Allegiance. "As we move into the month of December and the holiday season, a lot of people refer to this as a season of giving and they look for gifts that they can share that would be helpful to others and make their lives better. We currently live in a world unlike any of us have ever seen, and this caused me to think of four gifts that everyone in this room could give one another that would make the world a better place for us all. If we can share these gifts, it would not only make for a better holiday season but a better 2022 as well. And, these are gifts that don’t cost any of us a dime.
1) The first gift we need to share with one another is the gift of grace. One definition of grace that I read today said grace was "a disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency." A simple definition I once read stated that showing grace to one another meant treating others better than they have treated you or better than they deserve. In the world in which we currently live, just a kind word, a positive effort, or simply forgiving someone for a mistake can have more of an impact than we can imagine. Sharing the gift of grace can make us all better people and would be appreciated by those around us more than we can imagine.
2) A second gift we should share is the gift of patience. During the holidays and beyond, we need to be patient with one another and not so demanding of others. If you don’t believe the gift of patience can have an impact, pay attention to the impact of those who are impatient. Our world would be a much better place if we could all share this gift with those we come in contact with.
3) A third gift we could give is to give people the benefit of doubt. Currently, society seems to think everyone is purposefully trying to mislead one another and tries to find something wrong with everything we say. If we could just remember if someone tells us something that isn’t accurate, maybe it is because they misunderstood or misspoke. Have any of us ever misspoken? The majority of people are never going to mislead you, so let’s quit looking for people to say something wrong. And by all means, do we have to feel the need to point out everyone’s mistakes and share them with others? It’s like we are in a frame of mind of wanting to accuse one another over everything!
4) The fourth gift we can share, and one that many around us need right now, is the gift of hope! Things might be bad at the time, but with the right attitude, the right effort, and hard work, things can get better! So many have suffered loss during this pandemic, and we should all strive to help them find hope again. Often, all it takes is one kind word, one bit of encouragement, or simply showing someone we care to turn their day or the entire world around. All of us have the ability to share hope, and what better time to do that than during the holiday season or as we start a new year!
When I thought of giving grace, patience, the benefit of the doubt, and hope to others, I realized that is what our great teachers share with our students every day and look at their impact! So, if every adult in the room can be lifelong learners and share what our teachers share with our students daily, how much better can 2022 be for everyone that crosses our paths?"
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the ASU Public School Partnership Mini-Grant. The Appalachian State University Public School Partnership Mini-Grants are intended to build relationships between Appalachian State faculty members and their partnering districts by engaging in collaborative projects that are connected to internships, student teaching, professional development of teachers, and/or student learning. The Grant Committee chose grants this fall based on the alignment to their goals of collaboration, sustainability, and innovation. Congratulations to Ms. Olivia Van Buskirk, who received a grant for her project titled, "Fill in the Genre Gaps," for Wilkes Early College High School in the amount of $993!
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the Foothills 2A and Northwest 1A Athletic Conference Recognitions. The Foothills 2A and Northwest 1A fall All-Conference teams were announced on November 29th by T.R. Richards, commissioner of the leagues. Tonight, we are proud to recognize one athlete and one coach from Wilkes County Schools that were chosen as Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.
We would like to congratulate Carson Ledford from West Wilkes High School. Carson was recognized as the Foothills 2A Volleyball Player of the Year.
We would also like to congratulate Coach Colby Shell from Wilkes Central High School. Coach Shell was recognized as the Foothills 2A Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Congratulations to both of these individuals!
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to acknowledge Moravian Falls Elementary who was named as a 2022 US News and World Report Best Public Elementary School! They placed as the top school in Wilkes County, among the top elementary schools in the state of North Carolina, and one of the best public elementary schools in the nation, according to Mark W. White, Vice President, US News & World Report.
According to US News & World Report, great elementary and middle schools educate their students from all socioeconomic backgrounds with the goal of setting them up for success. In turn, their students develop the core competencies in state curricula to best prepare them for high school. The rankings use the same methodology for all included grade levels. For each state, schools were assessed on their shares of students who were proficient or above proficient in their mathematics and reading/language arts state assessments. Half the formula was the results themselves; the other half was the results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. The top-ranked schools are all high achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students.
Congratulations to Moravian Falls Elementary School!
Focus on Curriculum was presented by Mrs. Rosanna Limon-Reyes, Cultural Liaison, and Mrs. Lori Holguin, Lead ESL Teacher. Wilkes County Schools recognizes that family engagement is vital for their students' educational success. Currently, Wilkes County Schools has over 500 English Learner (EL) students. The parents and guardians of our EL students often feel disengaged because of language and cultural variables.
Mrs. Limon-Reyes and Mrs. Holguin went over the ESL Program and gave an overview of their goals for the ESL students and parents.
Goal One is to promote reading at home with ESL parents. Research shows that students who read at home perform better in school. We provide parents the tools and opportunities such as parent nights, videos, and reading question stems. A cookbook has been written in which students provided the family recipes that included student interviews of parents and the process. This book will be sent home for the holidays.
Goal Two is easy differentiation for classroom teachers. We create materials that teachers can use for homework with newcomers. We also create bilingual videos that can be used to access content. LETRS training is being used to create reading materials for teachers with ELs in their classrooms as well.
Mrs. Limon-Reyes quoted George Evans by saying, "Every child can learn, just not on the same day, or the same way."
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for Public Comments. Three individuals signed up to speak regarding the COVID-19 Mask Policy: Mr. Brandon Osteen, Ms. Krista Macemore, and Mr. Joel Clonch. All three expressed their concerns over the wearing of masks in Wilkes County Schools. A vote will be taken in the action session of the business meeting.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Minutes for November 1, 2021, were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the Personnel Report was approved as presented.
Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)
Christine Waller – Teacher – Moravian Falls Elementary School
Retirement effective – January 1, 2022, with eleven years and eight months of service
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mrs. Huffman and duly carried, the field trips were approved as presented.
| School | Group | Destination | Dates |
| Wilkes Central High School | Choral Students |
Wingate, NC
|
01/28/2022-01/29/2022 |
| Wilkes Central High School | Choral Students |
Mars Hill, NC
|
02/18/2022-02/19/2022 |
| Wilkes Central High School | Choral Students |
New York, NY
|
03/16/2022-03/20/2022 |
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Huffman and duly carried, the Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College Local Articulation Agreement for 2021-2022 (Revised) was approved as presented. The revisions to the 2021-2022 agreement include an update to current courses offered in Wilkes County Schools. In addition, this submission includes an update to the criteria to receive articulated credit that Wilkes Community College delivered on November 9, 2021.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Architectural Drawings for Mount Pleasant Elementary were approved as presented. On December 7, 2021, Pinnacle Architecture was approved to complete plans for new construction and renovations of Mount Pleasant Elementary. They have completed the plans and will move forward with the bidding of this project. Once bids are received, they will be brought back to the board for review and approval.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Surplus Items were approved as presented. General Statute 160A-266, Article 12 sets forth procedures and requirements for selling and disposing of public property. These include private negotiation and sale, sale by sealed bids, auction, upset bids, and exchanges. Private negotiation and sale may be used only with respect to personal property valued at less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for any one item or group of similar items (see attached resolution).
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Huffman and duly carried, the renumbering of Board Policy 6524 was approved as presented. The North Carolina State Board of Education has created policy 6524 Network Security. Wilkes County Schools Policy 6524 School Owned Vehicles conflicts with this numbering. Board Policy 6524 will be renumbered as Policy 6350 School Owned Vehicles.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the 2022 Calendar Adjustment/Early Dismissal Days were approved as presented. Over the course of the fall semester, Wilkes County Schools has consistently looked for ways to help our teachers as they face the challenges of educating students beyond the COVID pandemic. The number one resource that our teachers have requested is time for planning, grading, and for our elementary teachers to complete state requirements for LETRS training that Mrs. Grubb presented in October. To assist with these challenges, we will change the Wilkes County Schools calendar for spring of 2022 to designate Wednesday, March 2nd, and Wednesday, May 4th as early dismissal days for students. On early dismissal days, elementary schools dismiss at 12:30 PM while middle and high schools dismiss at 1:00 PM.
Mr. Byrd provided a brief update on the COVID-19 pandemic. The following information was provided by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Given that our student population is largely not yet vaccinated, face coverings remain a critical tool for protecting children and keeping them safe in the classroom. NCDHHS recommends schools continue to implement a universal face-covering requirement if they are located in a county with high or substantial community transmission level. When community transmission levels decline to moderate or low levels for at least seven consecutive days, school leaders can consider making face coverings optional for vaccinated individuals. Face coverings should continue to be required for all unvaccinated individuals until community transmission is at low levels when masks could be optional for everyone. NCDHHS will continue to re-evaluate this guidance as all school-aged children become eligible for and are vaccinated. As of Friday, December 3rd, our local Health Director, Rachel Willard, shared the following: "Wilkes County is at 9.8% positive, and we are still considered 'in the red' or above 5%." Mr. Byrd did ask Rachel Willard for her recommendations on the mask mandate as of Tuesday, November 30, and she stated that "she would recommend the mandate be continued through the month of December in order to keep people safe for the holidays." Also, she stated that she supports our school system no matter what decision is made.
At this time, Mr. Byrd stated, “We need a motion to determine whether we will continue to follow the Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit until our January 10, 2022 meeting or to change this decision that was made on August 30, 2021."
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Holbrook, it was voted to allow masks to be optional. However, it was voted by Mrs. Huffman, Mr. Walker, and Mrs. Caudill to continue to follow the Strong School NC Pubic Health Toolkit and the recommendation of our local Health Department to continue wearing masks. This action will be voted on again at our next scheduled board meeting. The voting results were: For continuing to wear masks - Mrs. Huffman, Mr. Walker, and Mrs. Caudill and against mandatory mask-wearing - Mr. Holbrook and Mr. Kennedy.
Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Westley Wood, presented for discussion the 2022 Calendar Draft. The Calendar Committee met on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, and developed the proposed academic calendar for the 2022-23 school year. This will be a 164-day academic calendar that meets statutory requirements. North Carolina general statute allows the start of school to be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26, 2021. This calendar draft will be presented for approval at the January 10, 2022 board meeting.
Executive Director of Career and Technical Education, Dr. Joe Bullis, presented the Wilkes County Schools Operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) Policy 4334/5035/7345 for discussion. This proposed policy takes into account the use of drones by school staff, students, vendors, and community members for education and recreation purposes. This proposal adheres to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding the use of unmanned aircraft systems. This policy will be brought back at the January 10, 2022 board meeting for approval.
Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Westley Wood, presented for discussion the policies for Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act. New federal regulations add unique demands to schools' compliance obligations under Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination and sexual harassment in educational programs and activities. The new federal laws do not apply to other federal laws that prohibit discrimination against other protected classes. To accommodate these changes under Title IX, the following policies are being recommended for consideration in order for the district to implement Title IX obligations and address other federal nondiscrimination laws. These policies will be brought back at the January 10, 2022 board meeting. They are listed below:
- Policy 1725/4035/7236 – Title IX Sexual Harassment Prohibited Conduct and Reporting Process
- Policy 1726/4036/7237 – Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Process
- Policy 1710/4020/7230 – Discrimination and Harassment Prohibited by Federal Law
- Policy 1720/4030/7235 – Non-discrimination on the Basis of Sex
- Policy 1329/7311 – Bullying and Harassment Behavior Prohibited
- Policy 7232 – Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace
Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Westley Wood, presented for discussion the policies for Title IX of the Educational Amendment Act. The following policy updates are being recommended for consideration based on the recommendation of new policies presented in order to be in compliance with the Title IX of Education Amendments Act of 1972 and other federal laws. The policy updates provide necessary edits to add/remove appropriate content. Updates also include minor updates to language not associated with Title IX. These policies will be brought back at the January 10, 2022 board meeting. They are listed below:
- Policy 1730 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities
- Policy 1740/4010 – Student and Parent Grievance Procedure
- Policy 1742/5060 – Responding to Complaint
- Policy 1750/7220 – Grievance Procedure for Employees
Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Westley Wood, presented for discussion the policies for Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act. The following policy updates are being recommended for consideration based on the recommendation of new policies presented in order to be in compliance with the Title IX of Education Amendments Act of 1972 and other federal laws. The policy updates provide necessary edits to add/remove appropriate content. Updates also include minor adjustments of content not associated with Title IX. These policies will be brought back at the January 10, 2022 board meeting. They are listed below:
- Policy 1710/4021/7230 – Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying
- Policy 1720/4015/7225 – Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying Complaint Procedure
Chief Technology Director, Mrs. Julie Triplett, submitted for discussion the following new policies.
- Policy 3226/4205 – Internet Safety
- Policy 4705/7825 – Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information
- Policy 6524 – Network Security
These policies align with North Carolina State Board policies and state and federal laws. These policies will be presented at the January 10, 2022 board meeting for approval.
Chief Technology Director, Mrs. Julie Triplett, submitted six revised technology and media policies for discussion. These policy revisions align with North Carolina State Board policies and state and federal laws. They are listed below and will be presented at the January 10, 2022 board meeting for approval.
- Policy 3200 – Selection of Textbooks and Supplementary Materials
- Policy 3210 – Parental Inspection and Objection to Instructional Materials
- Policy 3230/7330 – Copyright Compliance
- Policy 3220 – Technology in the Educational Program
- Policy 3225/4312/7320 – Technology Responsible Use
- Policy 3227/7322 – Web Page Development
Chief Technology Director, Mrs. Julie Triplett, submitted for discussion four technology policies to be repealed. These policies have been repealed by the North Carolina State Board of Education. Current information from these policies has been integrated into the new and revised technology policies. These policies will be brought back at the January 10, 2022 board meeting. The policies are listed below:
- Policy 3221 – Hardware
- Policy 3222 – Software
- Policy 3223 – Web 2.0
- Policy 6523 – Use of Computers
Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Donna Cotton, presented for discussion/report item the Wilkes County Schools’ Summer Success Plan for 2021-2022. The Department of Public Instruction has approved that all districts may administer the End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests during summer school. The scores from the tests will be included in the proficiency calculations for school accountability within the current accountability year which ends on July 6, 2022. 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 up to 5 days. This plan will be submitted for approval at the next scheduled board meeting on January 10, 2022.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd submitted for discussion the Wilkes County Schools Strategic Plan. Strategic plans are the means by which the school districts continually recreate themselves toward extraordinary purpose and put the leaders in charge of change as much as possible, rather than circumstances. Possible outcomes include improved instruction, improved student performance, improved accountability, improved utilization of resources, improved communication, improved teamwork, improved decision-making, better utilization of data, improved budget management, sometimes a vehicle for accreditation, and opportunities for self-renewal, and both personal and professional growth. At our Summer Administrator’s Conference, our Principals and Directors worked with Dr. Larry Coble to develop a draft of a Strategic Plan focusing on four areas of improvement for our system over the next three years. Those areas are academic achievement, human resource development, culture, and facilities. During administrative meetings each month, our teams have worked diligently to draft and revise this plan. This plan was presented for discussion and will be presented again at the January 10, 2022 board meeting.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook made the following announcements:
- December 17, 2021 – Early Dismissal (Elementary 12:30 PM; Middle/High 1:00 PM)
- December 20-21, 2021 – Optional Workdays
- December 22, 2021 – Annual Leave
- December 23, 24, 27, 2021 – Christmas Holidays
- December 28-30, 2021 – Annual Leave
- December 31, 2021 – New Year's Holiday
- January 3, 2022 – Required Workday
Chairman Mr. Holbrook announced the next meeting to be January 10, 2022. 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. On behalf of all Board Members, everyone was wished a "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Please stay safe as you travel, and Thank You for all the hard work and dedication from our employees."
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, there being no further business, the Board adjourned at 6:52 PM.
PDF/Printer-Friendly Version:
PDF/Printer-Friendly Versions
Web Accessible Link to Attachment