May 1, 2023
The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit conducted a regular meeting in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 5:30 PM at 613 Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28659.
Present for the meeting were Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook and Vice-Chairman Mr. Hardin Kennedy III. Also present were Board Members Mrs. Joan Caudill and Mrs. Jammie Jolly. Absent was Mr. Kirk Walker. 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, 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 and Accountability, Cultural Arts, 504, and Title I Dr. Dion Stocks, Director of Student Services Mrs. April Marr, Director of Exceptional Children Mrs. Jennifer Blankenship, Director of Maintenance Mr. Bergie Speaks, Director of Transportation Mr. Eric Barker, Public Information Officer Mrs. Morgan Mathis, and Executive Administrative Assistant Mrs. Carolyn Triplett.
Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook called the meeting to order.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the agenda was approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, 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 stated, "Let me start by saying 'thank you' to everyone involved in making Student Day at Merlefest such a success for our students on Friday. I know Dr. Dion Stocks, his staff, and many others put in a lot of work to make this a success and I certainly think that it was. It is hard to believe that this was the first time our students have had this opportunity since 2019! I noticed the efforts of two groups of people during this field trip which reminded me of how fortunate we are to have those working for us that we do. I saw several of our principals who drove a bus or chaperoned the field trip and I couldn't help but think of how valuable our school leaders are. I was reminded again this morning of the great work that our principals do. My last year as a principal was 2012 and while the job wasn't easy then, it was nowhere near the challenge that it is today. I saw on the calendar that today is National School Principal's Day, so once again, I hope that each of you will say 'thank you' to a school principal for all they do each day to make our schools successful."
"I keep telling our staff that we need to focus on being proactive instead of reactive, so I am going to model that by reminding us all that next week is National Teacher Appreciation Week. I challenge every person in this room to find time to say 'thank you' to our teachers for all they do to improve the lives of our students on a daily basis. Friday as I watched students load and unload the buses for Merlefest, I saw teachers going above and beyond to make sure that students had a great experience. I watched some 5th-grade students interact with their teacher, and it was so obvious how much they genuinely enjoyed talking to her. She was a Rock Star to them. I also saw numerous teachers volunteer at their school's food tents over the weekend, giving of their time to help raise money for their schools. And it hit me later this morning, this is the type of effort that our teachers make every day and every weekend to make sure that our students have the best of everything!"
"The month of May can be a stressful time for teachers, as they often worry and stress about the success of their students on End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests. Many teachers are already worried about their students being away from school in the summer! It takes a very special person to be a teacher, and we have some great ones. I am proud of the people we have teaching in our classrooms on a daily basis, and I hope you can join me now and next week in telling them 'thank you' for the awesome job they do for our students!'
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the essay contest winner for the Daughters of the American Revolution American History. Daughters of the American Revolution American History essay contest was established to encourage young people to think creatively about our nation's great history and learn about history in a new light. The contest is open to students in public, private, and registered homeschools. Students in grades 5-8 are encouraged to participate. Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness.
Congratulations to Joshua Lewczyk, who was the local, district, and state winner in the American History Essay Contest! Joshua is a 5th-grade student at Millers Creek Elementary.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the Litter Poster Contest Winner. The Wilkes County Litter Committee includes local and state officials along with volunteers from the Clean-Up Wilkes group, county commissioners, and members of Wilkes County Schools. Their focus revolves around promoting the importance of litter prevention in our county, resulting in a less polluted environment and increasing the aesthetic value for us all. Recently, the committee held a litter poster contest in conjunction with Earth Day for all 4th-grade students in Wilkes County. Six schools and 91 fourth-grade students participated. We would like to congratulate the winner, Lily Stanley, from C.B. Eller Elementary School. Lily won a pizza party for her class. All participants received an originally designed t-shirt from the Wilkes County Litter Committee.
Focus on the Curriculum was presented by Mrs. Callie Grubb, Chief Academic Officer. Mrs. Grubb provided a brief update on the North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate. The Portrait of a Graduate is a North Carolina Department of Public Instruction initiative to define the skills and mindsets students need for success after high school. The Portrait defines the seven most valuable competencies as determined by stakeholders across the state. Those competencies include adaptability, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, empathy, learner's mindset, and personal responsibility. Portrait of a Graduate was released on October 18, 2022. Kickoff for this program will be in the fall of 2023.
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for Public Comments. No one had signed up.
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the minutes for April 3, 2023, were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the Personnel Report was approved as presented.
Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)
John Dancy – Teacher – Mount Pleasant Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2023, with twenty years and three months of service
Willie Pardue – Lead Custodian – Ronda-Clingman Elementary School
Retirement effective – June 1, 2023, with eighteen years and six months of service
Carla York – Teacher – West Wilkes Middle School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2023, with twenty-seven years of service
On a motion by Mrs. Jolly, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Renewal of Licensed Personnel was approved as presented. North Carolina General Statute §115C-325 requires that a contract between the local board of education and a teacher who has been employed by the local board of education for less than three years be for a term of one school year. The following list of teachers was presented for renewal of contract in accordance with North Carolina General Statute §115C-287.1.
2023-2024 Teacher 1-Year Contract Renewal List
| Heather Church | Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School |
| Gina Dunn | Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School |
| Katelyn Earp | Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School |
| Madison Bauguess | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Bobby Billings | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Amanda Holbrook | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Tashina Parks | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Hannah Payne | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Cynthia Collins | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Samantha Conley | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Kellen Duncan | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Heather Johnson | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Olivia Johnson | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Jennifer Lyall | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Kristie Patterson | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Brooke Pickett | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Christine Polk | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Dorothy Smith | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Deanna Albertino | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Jennifer Bishop | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| James Burgess | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Andria Carlton | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Shannon Cox | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Kate Duran-Rivera | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Melissa Gragg | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Melissa Isaacs | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Lee McLaren | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Kendall Melton | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Courtney Parris | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Kristin Ward | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Tracie Bauguess | East Wilkes High School |
| Tyler Conlon | East Wilkes High School |
| Seth Reece | East Wilkes High School |
| Maria Renegar | East Wilkes High School |
| Jill Childers | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Ethan Cox | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Heather Johnson | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Angeleic Lyles | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Laken Macemore | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Cynthia Marshall | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Michael Parker | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Laura Roten | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Colin Whiteley | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Tonya Blevins | Exceptional Children Department |
| Laura Chagnon | Exceptional Children Department |
| Sarah Jackson | Exceptional Children Department |
| Martha Jenkins | Exceptional Children Department |
| Jennifer Phelps | Exceptional Children Department |
| Kelly Smith | Exceptional Children Department |
| Jill Starling | Exceptional Children Department |
| Sierra Adcox | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Ashley Cannon | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Iliana Granados | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| April Oxentine | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Jessica Smith | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Amy Whittington | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Jocelyn Rosales Navarro | Moravian Falls Elementary School |
| Stephanie Russell | Moravian Falls Elementary School |
| Brooklyn Bauguess | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Crystal Crouse | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Jennifer Gaddy | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Rebekah McGlamery | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Stephanie Barber | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Gina Cleary | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Alexis Roten | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Richard Schneider | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Kathleen Hubbard | Mulberry Elementary School |
| Shaunda Bare | North Wilkes High School |
| Robert Compton | North Wilkes High School |
| Jonathan Johnston | North Wilkes High School |
| William Jolly | North Wilkes High School |
| Brandon Milam | North Wilkes High School |
| Julianna Burgess | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Kinsey Crabb | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Andrew Deleon | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Kira Gileza | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Jacob Reeves | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Jennifer Rominger | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Kellie Chambers | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Laken Harrold | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Heather Johnston | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Courtney Livingston | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Tiffany Church | Roaring River Elementary School |
| Abigail Anderson | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Jessica Bauguess | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Elizabeth Craft | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Leila Crane | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Rebecca McCann | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Kelsey Welborn | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Adam Johnson | Traphill Elementary School |
| Kathryn Leslie | West Wilkes High School |
| Victoria Shoemaker | West Wilkes High School |
| Brett Stirewalt | West Wilkes High School |
| Jacob Wood | West Wilkes High School |
| Matthew Carlton | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Matthew Wagoner | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Jessica Wyatt | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Hannah Adams | Wilkes Central High School |
| Kellie Councill | Wilkes Central High School |
| Charlene Dubuque | Wilkes Central High School |
| Charles Flay | Wilkes Central High School |
| Anna Flippin | Wilkes Central High School |
| Haley Osborne | Wilkes Central High School |
| Anna Cooper | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Elizabeth Dancy | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Megan Eller | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Kathryn Ezzelle | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
Administrator Contract Renewal List
| Andrea Byers | Assistant Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Carol Cleary | Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Danielle Dowell | Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Jeffrey Johnson | Director | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Marty Johnson | Director | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Alisha Minton | Assistant Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Nikki Patrick | Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Rebecca Spears | Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Dee Surgeon | Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Dustin Webb | Principal | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
| Westley Wood | Assistant Superintendent | July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 |
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Renewal of Licensed Personnel Subject to obtaining a North Carolina Professional Educators License was approved as presented. North Carolina General Statute §115C-325 requires that a contract between the local board of education and a teacher who has been employed by the local board of education for less than three years be for a term of one school year. The attached list of teachers was presented for renewal of contract subject to the employee obtaining a North Carolina professional educators license by June 30, 2023.
2023-2024 Teacher 1-Year Contract Renewal List
| Rachel Holloway | Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School |
| Callie Boateng | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Shelley Greer | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Justin Call | East Wilkes High School |
| Laura Blevins | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Christy Miller | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Catherine Stitt | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Sapphire Wiles | Mulberry Elementary School |
| Dylan Best | North Wilkes High School |
| Logan Styers | North Wilkes High School |
| Faith Brewer | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Jordyn Halvorsen | North Wilkes Middle School |
| Barbara Ritchie | Roaring River Elementary School |
| Kari Faw | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Jeffrey Beard | West Wilkes Middle School |
| William Church | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Savanna Herman | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Elijah Boles | Wilkes Central High School |
| Brian Mayfield | Wilkes Central High School |
| Daven Vanhoy | Wilkes Central High School |
| Angela Watkins | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly, carried the Revision of Board Policy 4361, Appeals of Long-term Suspensions was approved as presented. The purpose of the revision is to align the timeframe in which a parent can request an appeal hearing after receiving notice of a long-term suspension to the timeframe outlined in policy 4353, Long-Term Suspensions, 365-day Suspension, Expulsion. Policy 4353, Long-term Suspensions, 365-day Suspension, Expulsion describes a timeframe of three days to request the appeal.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the following field trips were approved as presented. Planned dates are listed below.
| School | Group | Destination | Dates |
| East Wilkes High School | Wrestling Team |
Newberry, SC
|
06/17/2023-06/21/2023 |
| East Wilkes High School | HOSA Student |
Dallas, TX
|
06/20/2023-06/25/2023 |
| East Wilkes High School |
Women's JV and Varsity Basketball Teams
|
Raleigh, NC
|
06/15/2023-06/17/2023 |
| East Wilkes High School | Men's JV and Varsity Basketball Teams | Emory, VA | 06/08/2023-06/10/2023 |
| East Wilkes High School | JV and Varsity Cheer Squads |
Concord, NC
|
07/27/2023-07/30/2023
|
| North Wilkes High School | Women's JV and Varsity Basketball Teams |
Raleigh, NC
|
06/15/2023-06/17/2023
|
| North Wilkes High School | Women's Varsity Basketball Team |
Johnson City, TN
|
06/08/2023-06/09/2023
|
| North Wilkes High School | Northlanders and Concert Choir |
Charlotte, NC
|
05/04/2023
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Wilkes Central and Central Middle 6th-8th Grade Girls' Basketball |
Fort Mill, SC
|
06/13/2023-06/15/2023
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Men's Varsity Soccer Team |
Emory, VA
|
07/21/2023-07/23/2023
|
| Wilkes Early College High School | Outdoor Adventure Club |
Greensboro, NC
|
05/06/2023
|
| Wilkes Early College High School | Outdoor Adventure Club |
Valle Crucis, NC
|
05/13/2023
|
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the CommonLit Contract was approved as presented. CommonLit is an online comprehensive literacy program that includes curriculum, lessons, assessments, and professional development. This program is currently used in Wilkes County middle and high schools. The total cost will be $120,000 and will be funded with ESSER funds that are earmarked to support teaching and learning in response to the impact of COVID-19 and student learning loss.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Community Eligibility Provision was approved as presented. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2014 introduced the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to school districts operating the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program in low-income areas. School districts having at least forty percent of students identified through Food Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid Programs through Direct Certification, or a student who is classified by the District as Homeless, Runaway, Migrant, Foster, Head Start, or Even Start in a school or combination of schools may qualify for CEP. CEP allows students to receive a breakfast and lunch meal free of charge each day they are in attendance. Child Nutrition reimbursement is calculated based on the percentage of students identified times one point six multiplier determining the percentage of meals claimed at the Free and Paid Rate. Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition submitted the required data collection on April 3, 2023. This data identified 51.85 percent of our students qualify for one of the programs allowable in qualifying for CEP. This percentage qualifies all twenty- two schools to participate in the CEP providing a free breakfast and lunch meal to all students regardless of participation in a Meal Benefit Program. Participation in this program takes away the need to collect free and reduced applications from students. This was approved with up to a four-year renewal available.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Bid Renewals/New Bids for Child Nutrition Department was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition Department has received Renewal Intent Letters from the following suppliers for products used in the Child Nutrition Program.
US Foods Service, Fort Mill SC
Request Renewal for the Distributor of Grocery and Supply Items Bid through the North Carolina Purchase Alliance (NCPA) at the same fixed fee of $4.00 per case delivered. The product cost is determined by the NCPA Bid.
New Bids have been issued for the following categories: Produce, Milk, Ice Cream, High School Beverages, and Child Nutrition Vending. Bid opening for all products except produce was held at the Watauga County Schools Board of Education Child Nutrition Office on April 25, 2023. Produce through the NCPA will open on May 18, 2023.
Milk Products
Bids Received from two suppliers:
Marva Maid Diary (Mayola) – Total Bottom Line $552,249.92
Pet Dairies – Total Bottom Line $532,637.74
Bids Received from two suppliers:
Marva Maid Diary (Mayola) – Total Bottom Line $552,249.92
Pet Dairies – Total Bottom Line $532,637.74
Products Bid with the Mountain Purchase Cooperative
Ice Cream Products
Urban Sweets – Total Bottom Line $506,958.00
Mountain Purchase Cooperative – No Bid (This bid due to student affordability)
High School Beverage Bids
Dr. Pepper Bottling – $65,482,70
Pepsi Bottling – $48,511.55
Coca-Cola – $104,416.88
Pepsi Bottling was the low-cost provider; however, could not provide all flavors for all the schools in the Mtn. Purchase Cooperative. This bid was disqualified due to the limited availability by the district. Dr. Pepper is the next low-cost winner.
Child Nutrition Vending (Commission Based)
Triangle Vending – 15% Commission on Products Sold in CN Vending
Triangle Vending – 15% Commission on Products Sold in CN Vending
It was approved that Pet Dairy, Dr. Pepper Bottling, and Triangle Vending be approved as suppliers for products in the Child Nutrition Program for the 2023-2024 School Year with the option of renewal for four years.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the Budget Amendments were approved as presented and is listed below:
State Public School Fund – No Increase/Decrease
Capital Outlay Fund – Increase $11,851,122.00
Current Expense Special Use Fund – Increase $103,959.00
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustee appointment was approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools appoints members to the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees for terms of four years. The Board approved Mr. John Cothren for a four-year term beginning July 1, 2023. Mr. Cothren will replace Mr. Larry Stone on the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees.
The Discussion/Report Item was presented by Superintendent, Mr. Mark Byrd. In January of 2023, a concern was shared with Mr. Byrd about the number of school system employees who faced financial difficulty due to our current plan for pay in the month of December. Currently, our employees are paid on the last day before Christmas break and are not paid again until the end of January, or a period of almost six weeks. This led to discussion as to whether employees would prefer that this pay date be changed. In February 2023, a survey was sent to all Wilkes County Schools employees. Two weeks were given to respond, in which 770 responses were received. 62.3% (480 responses) stated that they preferred the December pay date be changed to the end of December. 37.7% (280 responses) stated that they wished for the pay date to remain the same. This item will be up for approval at the June 5, 2023, Board of Education Meeting.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook made the following announcements:
- May 3, 2023 – Early Dismissal (Elementary 12:30 PM; Middle/High 1:00 PM)
- May 29, 2023 – Memorial Day Holiday
- June 2, 2023 – Early Dismissal (Elementary 12:30 PM; Middle/High 1:00 PM)
- June 2, 2023 – Fourth Grading Period Ends
Chairman Mr. Holbrook announced the next board meeting to be June 5, 2023. 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. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, there being no further business, the Board of Education voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:08 PM.
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