April 4, 2022
The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit conducted a regular meeting in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom on Monday, April 4, 2022 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. Kirk Walker, Mrs. Joan Caudill, and Mr. Hardin Kennedy III. Also attending were Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Donna Cotton, Chief Finance Officer Mr. Seth Prevette, Chief Technology Officer Mrs. Julie Triplett, Director of Pre-K and Elementary Education Mrs. Callie Grubb, Director of Child Nutrition Mr. Marty Johnson, Director of Secondary Education/Athletics/School Safety Mr. David Johnson, Executive Director of Federal Programs/Career & Technical Education Dr. Joe Bullis, Director of Exceptional Children Mrs. Jennifer Blankenship, Director of Maintenance Mr. Bergie Speaks, Director of Transportation Mr. Eric Barker, Coordinator of Advanced Programs Mrs. Angie Lamb, Public Information Officer Mrs. Morgan Mathis, and Executive Administrative Assistant Mr. Carolyn Triplett. Guests included Wilkes County Law Enforcement.
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook called the meeting to order.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the agenda needed to be amended to include to Roman Number IX, Item G, HVAC Renovations and Upgrades.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mrs. Caudill 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. Mr. Byrd made the following statement, "As we progress through this pandemic, I hear lots of people referencing the new normal, or even saying that things will never return to normal. Most people in our office know I am a Duke Basketball fan, and this morning when Bill Sebastian from our technology department walked by me and said, 'Did you enjoy the game Saturday night?' with a smile on his face, I couldn't help but think about how normal that felt. Even though the game didn’t go my way, I am glad that we could have a weekend where hopefully the biggest argument most of us heard was Duke or Carolina. This was just another reminder to me that people and the way we treat each other will be what determines what a 'new normal' looks like. And, to all of you Tar Heel fans, I wish you the best of luck tonight even though your team ruined my Saturday evening."
"I share each year, in the month of April, that this is one of my favorite months of the year. Trout season opened this weekend, Final 4 basketball was a reason for excitement before Saturday night, my favorite sporting event, The Masters, is this week, and the weather is getting warmer. We have Easter just a few weeks away, and if you want to make an educator smile, mention that Spring Break is 8 school days away. Tomorrow night, we will name our teacher and principal of the year, Dr. Cotton reminded us this morning that April is School Library Month, and at the end of the month, we will celebrate Administrative Professional’s Day. This week is also National Assistant Principal's Week."
"I even get excited about knowing that I get to go home from work and get on a lawnmower now, and despite allergies and pollen, I don’t see how anyone could be in a bad mood with everything starting to bloom or turn green. We need to carry this enthusiasm for spring into everything we do and also share it with others. We need to use this time to start to focus more on what is right and less on what is wrong with the world around us. There are so many negatives in our world right now, and many people are craving something positive. We are all in positions where we can help them find it."
"So, throughout the month of April, I challenge each of us to make sure that we make an effort daily to make the 'new normal' better than ever before for someone other than ourselves. And, when our day gets stressful, step outside and look at the trees, the grass, or just listen to a bird sing, and I think things will start to feel better. We can determine the new normal, and we should all work to make it better for everyone around us! I assure you that the impact of our efforts will be greater than we ever imagine."
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the HOSA State Leadership Conference Winners. HOSA is a high school student organization that stands for Health Occupations Students of America. Students who participate in this program develop leadership and technical HOSA skill competencies through a program of motivation, awareness, and recognition, which is an integral part of the Health Science Education instructional program. They participate in competitive events at the regional, state, and international levels, and they are actively involved in the community.
The HOSA State Leadership Conference was held March 9-12. The following students were announced as HOSA State Leadership Conference winners:
Landon Gambill and Julia Cook – 2nd Place in CPR and First Aid (West Wilkes High School)
Jenna Matherly – 1st Place in Health Career Photography (West Wilkes High School)
Madison Greene – 1st Place in Job Seeking Skills (West Wilkes High School)
Alyssa Shaffer and Savannah Sparks – 1st Place in CPR and First Aid (East Wilkes High School)
Zoey Poe – 3rd Place in Sports Medicine (Wilkes Central High School)
Madison Greene – 1st Place in Job Seeking Skills (West Wilkes High School)
Alyssa Shaffer and Savannah Sparks – 1st Place in CPR and First Aid (East Wilkes High School)
Zoey Poe – 3rd Place in Sports Medicine (Wilkes Central High School)
In addition, West Wilkes High School HOSA was awarded the "Gold Star Chapter" award which is awarded to chapters that go above and beyond the expectations of a HOSA chapter. Mrs. Gambill and Mrs. Lankford were recognized as Gold Star Advisors, which is awarded to recognize advisors who encourage student participation and who actively participate in HOSA activities including community service, public awareness, and leadership opportunities for their students.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the Wilkes County Soil & Water Awards. The Wilkes County Soil & Water Conservation’s mission is to foster voluntary, incentive-driven management of soil, water, and related natural resources for the benefit of the environment, economy, and all citizens. Each year, they hold education awards in poster, slideshow, essay, speeches, and computer poster contests. This year’s Awards Banquet was held on Thursday, March 3rd at the Edwin H. McGee Center to recognize students for their hard work. Congratulations to the following first place winners:
5th grade poster contest winner: Caleb Holbrook from Millers Creek Elementary School
6th grade slideshow contest winner: Izzy Waddell from East Wilkes Middle School
7th grade speech contest winner: Jordan Holleman from East Wilkes Middle School
8th grade speech contest winner: Breagha Kilpatrick from East Wilkes Middle School
6th grade slideshow contest winner: Izzy Waddell from East Wilkes Middle School
7th grade speech contest winner: Jordan Holleman from East Wilkes Middle School
8th grade speech contest winner: Breagha Kilpatrick from East Wilkes Middle School
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the Science Olympiad Winners. The Central Wilkes Middle School Science Olympiad’s JV and Varsity teams placed 1st in the regional tournament. The Science Olympiad tournament is comprised of academic and hands-on inquiry-based events that are aligned to the NC Standard Course of Study as well as the National Science Education Standards. The events focus on various disciplines of biology, earth science, environmental science, chemistry, physics, engineering, and technology.
We would like to congratulate our winning teams:
JV Team
Howard Weaver (Coach)
Julia Colglazier (Coach)
Elizabeth Bauguss
Chloe Ellis
Cameron Kilby
Turner York
Avery Call
LJ Carque
Alex Van Wy
Varsity Team
Howard Weaver (Coach)
Julia Colglazier (Coach)
Taylor Edwards
Luke Hege
Lila Hege
Alex Johnston
Vivian Lin
Raymond Lin
Anastasia Roush
Cadence Weddington
Gracie Arnold
Ryleigh Arnold
Braxton Gebauer
Cormac Gebauer
Avi Ladani
Howard Weaver (Coach)
Julia Colglazier (Coach)
Taylor Edwards
Luke Hege
Lila Hege
Alex Johnston
Vivian Lin
Raymond Lin
Anastasia Roush
Cadence Weddington
Gracie Arnold
Ryleigh Arnold
Braxton Gebauer
Cormac Gebauer
Avi Ladani
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the NC Technology Student Association’s Regional Conference Winners. Members of the West Wilkes High School’s Technology Student Association (TSA) competed at the North Carolina Technology Student Association’s Western Regional Conference held at Appalachian State University on February 18th. This year’s design problem was to create an animatronic exhibit for the entrance of a children’s hospital waiting room. Animatronics refers to a robotic device that emulates a human or an animal, or brings an inanimate object "to life." Applying leadership and 21st century skills, teams produced an animatronics device complete with an appropriate display. The team came up with the concepts, robotic framework, the robotics’ programming, and the construction of the exhibit. The team placed 2nd which earned them the opportunity to compete at the NCTSA State Conference.
Congratulations to these students and their teacher: Mrs. Thelma Kastl, Sydney Austin, Breana Barlow, Cody Brown, Colin Hayes, Matthew Lebatard, and Seth Marley.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce The National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEA) Leadership Award Recipient. The National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA) named Dr. Joe Bullis as the 2022 NAFEPA State Leadership Award Recipient representing North Carolina. Dr. Bullis, Executive Director of Federal Programs and Career & Technical Education for the Wilkes County School District, represented the state of North Carolina at the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA) conference in Washington, D.C. on Monday, March 21, 2022. The NAFEPA presents the State Leadership Award to current Federal Program Administrators who have assumed significant roles in the support and promotion of equitable funding and resources for America's youth. Dr. Bullis was nominated by his peers and received confirmation by the Executive Committee of the North Carolina branch of the NAFEPA. Congratulations to Dr. Joe Bullis!
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce Wilkes County Schools "Unsung Heroes" awards. Last year, in order to allow our school the opportunity to say "Thank You" to some staff members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty as we faced a worldwide pandemic, our principals and their staffs were asked to submit a short video recognizing a staff member or group of staff members as "Unsung Heroes" for their schools. Due to last year’s overwhelming success, we decided to continue this moving forward.
Please join us as we learn about the special efforts of some of our staff members over the course of the 2021-2022 school year. Congratulations to the "Unsung Heroes" listed below:
Barry Billings – Custodian at Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School
Danny Thomas – Custodian at Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School
Sheila Stone – Teacher Assistant at C.B. Eller Elementary School
Sherrie Brown – Teacher Assistant at C.B. Eller Elementary School
Amanda Leftwich – Teacher Assistant at C.B. Eller Elementary School
Katherine Ponder – Teacher Assistant at C.B. Eller Elementary School
Andrea Jennings – Teacher Assistant at C.B. Eller Elementary School
Heather Smith – Teacher Assistant at C.B. Eller Elementary School
Tabby Dodd – Bus Driver at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Brandon Lara – Bus Monitor at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Terry Torrence – Bus Driver at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Remondia Bumgarner – Bus Driver at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Alfredo Lopez – Bus Driver at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Raymond Johnson – Bus Driver at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Missy Greene – Bus Driver at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Renee LeMasters – Child Nutrition Manger at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Melody Rose – Child Nutrition Assistant Manager at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Juanita Wyatt – Child Nutrition Assistant at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Jennifer Cork – Cafeteria Assistant at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Amanda Pierce – Tutor at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Craig Jolly – Custodian at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Nick Laster – Custodian at C.C. Wright Elementary School
Maggie Deweese – School Counselor at Central Wilkes Middle School
Amanda Sidden – School Nurse at East Wilkes High School
Alicia Wagoner – ALP Coordinator at East Wilkes High School
Julia Patterson – Secretary/Bookkeeper at East Wilkes Middle School
Katie Reeves – Assistant Principal at Millers Creek Elementary School
Kathy Roten – Secretary/Bookkeeper at Moravian Falls Elementary School
Chrystal Parsons – Teacher Assistant at Mount Pleasant Elementary School
Tim Parsons – Custodian at Mountain View Elementary School
Joe Adams – Custodian at Mountain View Elementary School
Diana Cecil – Teacher Assistant at Mulberry Elementary School
Amanda Jolly – School Nurse at North Wilkes High School
Nikki Splawn – School Nurse at North Wilkes High School
Lori Mathis – Receptionist at North Wilkes Middle School
Tammy Johnson – Data Manager at North Wilkes Middle School
Ashley Wiles – Secretary/Bookkeeper North Wilkes Middle School
Nikki Splawn – School Nurse at North Wilkes Middle School
Megan Gorski – Instructional Specialist at North Wilkesboro Elementary School
Rebekah Hayes – School Nurse at Roaring River Elementary School
Holly Prevette – Secretary/Bookkeeper at Ronda-Clingman Elementary School
Amanda Sidden – School Nurse at Ronda-Clingman Elementary School
Gary Billings – Custodian at Traphill Elementary School
Allison Lambert – School Nurse at West Wilkes High School
Landra Roope – School Nurse at West Wilkes High School
Eddie Shepherd – Bus Driver at West Wilkes Middle School
Bradley Johnson – Bus Driver at West Wilkes Middle School
Angela Dyer – Child Nutrition Assistant Manager at Wilkes Central High School
Amy Church – Child Nutrition Assistant at Wilkes Central High School
Teresa Huncher – Child Nutrition Assistant at Wilkes Central High School
Peggy Porter – Child Nutrition Assistant at Wilkes Central High School
Pennie Norman – Child Nutrition Manager at Wilkes Central High School
Terri Brown – Child Nutrition Assistant at Wilkes Central High School
Andrea Byers – Assistant Principal at Wilkesboro Elementary School
Tracy Lowe – Child Nutrition Manager at Wilkes Early College High School
Kathy Kilby – Child Nutrition Assistant at Wilkes Early College High School
Focus on Curriculum was presented by Dr. Joe Bullis, Executive Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE)/Federal Programs. Wilkes County Schools Career & Technical Education (CTE) program is made up of passionate, motivated, highly-trained, and skillful individuals that work hard every day to take advantage of the opportunities and activities made possible through the support of our Board of Education and our local businesses and community partners. Dr. Joe Bullis, Executive Director of CTE and Federal Programs presented updated and information regarding the accomplishment of our students, teachers, staff, and business/community partners. Dr. Bullis touched on the following: CTE Local Needs Assessment Community Feedback, Pre-Apprenticeships/Apprenticeship Recruiting, Career & Development Coordinators Mrs. Sherry Baird (High School) and Ms. Whitney Abrams (Middle School), and Drone Technology Updates.
The apprenticeship program is designed for high school juniors and senior ages 16-18 with an interest and aptitude for a career in construction, nursing, information technology, mechanics, or manufacturing. The students’ tuition is waived, so students attend college class for free while earning credentials and getting paid for specific on-the-job training time with local businesses and industries. The intent is to encourage career-minded high school students to pursue a skilled-trade occupation. The vision of these programs are listed below:
- Provide opportunities for career exploration for all students
- Moving students from exploring career options to investing into career futures
- Course offerings and opportunities are based on students' interest and community needs
State of the Union for Child Nutrition was presented by our Director of Child Nutrition, Mr. Marty Johnson. Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition has been operating under provisional legislation associated with pandemic support since March 17, 2022. Recent changes in legislation will change how Child Nutrition operates in the 2022-2023 school year. The current USDA Waivers will expire June 30, 2022. Our area eligibility will end. Free meals for children ages 1-18 will end except with the Summer Food Service Program.
For the 2022-2023 school year, elementary and middle schools will be under the Community Eligibility Provision. High schools will follow Traditional Free and Reduced Program guidelines. There will be potential increases in meal charges (TBA based on new bids). In the Discussion section, Mr. Johnson will provide further information which will be voted on at the May Board Meeting.
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for Public Comments. No one signed up.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Huffman and duly carried, the minutes for February 7, 2022 were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the Personnel Report was approved as presented.
Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)
Carolyn Blackburn – Teacher Assistant – Wilkes Central High School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with sixteen years of service
Abby Dyer – Human Resources Specialist – Central Services
Retirement effective – May 1, 2022, with fourteen years and eight months of service
Carol Flora – Teacher – West Wilkes Middle School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with twenty-seven years and three months of service
Linda Griffin – Teacher Assistant – Millers Creek Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with eighteen years and four months of service
Katrina Hurley – Teacher – West Wilkes Middle School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with thirty-two years and four months of service
Tina Johnson – Assistant Principal – Wilkes Central High School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with thirty years of service
Barbara Linnville – Behavioral Specialist – Exceptional Children Department
Retirement effective – May 1, 2022, with fifteen years and nine months of service
Julia Patterson – Bookkeeper – East Wilkes Middle School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with eleven years and three months of service
Kari Reeves – Teacher – East Wilkes Middle School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with thirty years and three months of service
Kathy Roten – Secretary/Bookkeeper – Moravian Falls Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with sixteen years and eight months of service
Regina Watts – Teacher – West Wilkes Middle School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with twenty-seven years and three months of service
Lisa West – Teacher – Mount Pleasant Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2022, with twenty-three years and four months of service
Promotion(s)
Scott Church – From General Maintenance 2 – Maintenance Department
To Locksmith – Maintenance Department
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the field trips were approved as presented.
| School | Group | Destination | Dates |
| Wilkes Central High School | Select Students |
Raleigh, NC
|
04/22/2022-04/23/2022 |
| C.B. Eller Elementary School | Select Students |
Elkin, NC
|
04/29/2022-04/30/2022 |
| Wilkes Central High School | JROTC |
Black Mountain, NC
|
06/12/2022-06/17/2022 |
| Wilkes Central High School | HOSA |
Nashville, TN
|
06/21/2022-06/26/2022 |
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the Budget Amendment was approved as presented.
State Public School Fund: Increase $137,099.00
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Revision of Board Policy 7730 Employee Conflict of Interest was approved as presented. It was submitted for review in March.
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Engineering Services for Roof Evaluation, Repair Design, and New Roof Design was approved as presented. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for engineering services of roof evaluation, design repair, and new roof design was advertised on January 28th in the local paper and WS Journal. Packets were opened on March 11, 2022. Only one firm, Wolf Trail Engineering, submitted their qualifications. After carefully reviewing their qualifications and contacting some of their references, we are comfortable Wolf Trail Engineering can take care of the roofing review and design needs of our school system.
Mr. Byrd provided a brief update on the COVID-19 pandemic. "As you are well aware, Senate Bill 654 requires Local Boards of Education to review their local mask mandates monthly and to make decisions to continue or discontinue moving forward. At our August 2, 2021 meeting, the decision was made to begin the year with making masks optional for students and teachers in our buildings. At our emergency called meeting on August 30th, the decision was made to follow the guidelines of the StrongSchools NC Public Health Toolkit (K-12) and require masks for all students and staff inside of our buildings, and we stated that this would be reviewed after 30 days. At the September 13, 2021 meeting, the decision was made to honor what we had said and honor this period that we had established. At our October 4 meeting, the board voted 3-2 to continue the mask mandate through the month of October. At our November 6, 2021 meeting, the board voted 3-2 to continue the mask mandate through the month of November. At our December 6, 2021 meeting, the board voted 3-2 against a motion to discontinue the mask mandate effective that date. At our January 10, 2022 meeting, the board voted 3-2 against a motion to discontinue the mask mandate effective that date. At our February 7, 2022 meeting, the board voted 3-2 against a motion to discontinue the mask mandate effective that date. Following the February 10, 2022 updates to the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit, our board met in a Special Called Meeting on Tuesday, February 15, and the board voted 5-0 to make masks optional on our campuses effective Wednesday, February 16. At our March 7, 2022 meeting, our board voted 5-0 to continue to make masks optional on our campuses through the month of March. During this time, I have shared updates with the board on number of active cases and the number of quarantines of students and staff (please see the chart below)."
| Week Ending Date | Active Cases | Quaranties |
| August 27, 2021 | 59 |
400
|
| September 3, 2021 | 103 |
525
|
| September 10, 2021 | 125 |
404
|
| September 17, 2021 | 107 |
142
|
| September 24, 2021 | 104 |
260
|
| October 1, 2021 | 47 |
132
|
| October 8, 2021 | 30 |
50
|
| October 15, 2021 | 18 |
67
|
| October 22, 2021 | 10 |
23
|
| October 29, 2021 | 18 |
34
|
| November 6, 2021 | 18 |
54
|
| November 13, 2021 | 24 |
42
|
| November 20, 2021 | 27 |
94
|
| November 27, 2021 | Schools Closed |
|
| December 3, 2021 | 23 |
71
|
| December 10, 2021 | 17 |
104
|
| December 17, 2021 | 16 |
55
|
| December 24, 2021 |
Schools Closed
|
|
| December 31, 2021 |
Schools Closed
|
|
| January 7, 2022 |
78
|
335
|
| January 14, 2022 |
246
|
438
|
| January 21, 2022 |
201
|
216
|
| January 28, 2022 |
253
|
328
|
| February 4, 2022 |
109
|
195
|
| February 11, 2022 |
123
|
165
|
| February 18, 2022 |
98
|
N/A
|
| February 25, 2022 |
40
|
N/A
|
| March 4, 2022 |
45
|
N/A
|
| March 11, 2022 |
15
|
N/A
|
| March 18, 2022 |
16
|
N/A
|
| March 25, 2022 |
3
|
N/A
|
| April 1, 2022 |
2
|
N/A
|
It is the recommendation that masks continue to be optional in Wilkes County Schools, with the only exception being those who are returning to school on days 6-10 after testing positive. On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the masks will be optional. All members voted in favor of this decision. This will also be voted on again at our May 2, 2022 board meeting.
On a motion by Mrs. Huffman, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the HVAC Renovations and Upgrades were approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools requested HVAC renovation and upgrade proposals for Mountain View, Millers Creek, and Mulberry Elementary Schools. Proposals were scheduled to be received and opened on March 22 at 3:00 PM. Only one contractor submitted proposals, so we were unable to open them. It was advertised again on Wednesday, March 23 and scheduled to be opened on March 31 at 3:00 PM. Again, only one contractor, Associated Heating and Air Conditioning, submitted proposals for the three schools. Therefore, they were awarded the contract upon approval.
Chief Academic Officer Dr. Donna Cotton presented for discussion the math textbook adoption for elementary schools. This adoption will be submitted for final approval in May. For 2022-2023, Wilkes County elementary schools will adopt the HMH textbook and curriculum, Into Math, as their core math curriculum. The cost of this textbook adoption will be $711,485.54 and will be funded with ESSER II funds that are earmarked to support teaching and learning in response to the impact of COVID-19 by implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students. This adoption process started in October 2021 with the 13 elementary principals submitting textbooks of interest. Interest was determined by teacher requests and/or national recommendations from sources such as Ed Reports. A total of six textbooks were submitted for review. These textbooks included: HMH Into Math, HMH Math Expressions, Curriculum Associates i-Ready, Bridges, SAVAAS Envisions, and Math Investigations. In November and December 2021, all 13 elementary principals and their respective instructional specialists participated in virtual presentations on the six textbooks. At the conclusion of presentations, the top three textbooks were chosen by majority vote. The final three textbooks included Into Math, i-Ready, and Bridges. The remaining three textbooks were then vetted by math lead teachers from each of the 13 elementary schools and the instructional specialists. Vendor presentations were conducted face-to-face on February 1 at the Wilkes County Board of Education. The math lead teachers then voted on the top two textbooks. The top two textbooks were presented and discussed at each elementary school. The math lead teacher, instructional specialist, and the school principal facilitated these discussions with their staff members. Each principal submitted their school’s top choice the first of March. After reviewing the votes, 11 schools voted for HMH Into Math and 2 voted for Bridges.
Director of Child Nutrition, Marty Johnson, submitted for discussion the Meal Pricing for the 2022-2023 school year. Submitted for your review are revised meal pricing due to increased operational cost in Child Nutrition.
| Current Meal Pricing | Proposed Meal Pricing | |
| Breakfast | ||
|
Elementary
|
$1.50 full pay; $0.30 Reduced
|
$2.00 full pay; $0.30 Reduced |
| Middle | $1.50 full pay; $0.30 Reduced | $2.00 full pay; $0.30 Reduced |
| High | $1.50 full pay; $0.30 Reduced | $2.00 full pay; $0.30 Reduced |
| Adult | $2.75 | $3.25 |
| Lunch | ||
| Elementary | $2.40 full pay; $0.40 Reduced | $3.00 full pay; $0.40 Reduced |
| Middle | $2.75 full pay; $0.40 Reduced | $3.25 full pay; $0.40 Reduced |
| High | $2.75 full pay; $0.40 Reduced | $3.25 full pay; $0.40 Reduced |
| Adult | $2.75 | $5.00 |
These calculations are based on anticipated increases in labor, product, and supplies. We will not know final expected costs until late May 2022.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook made the following announcements:
- April 15, 2022 – Easter Holiday
- April 18-22, 2022 – Annual Leave
Chairman Mr. Holbrook announced the next meeting to be May 2, 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 a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Huffman and duly carried, there being no further business, the Board adjourned at 7:19 PM.
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