June 5, 2023
The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit conducted a regular meeting in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom on Monday, June 5, 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. Other Board Members in attendance were Mrs. Joan Caudill, Mrs. Jammie Jolly, and 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, Director of Child Nutrition Mr. Marty Johnson, Director of Secondary Education, Athletics, and School Safety Mr. David Johnson, Director of Student Services Mrs. April Marr, Director of Exceptional Children Mrs. Jennifer Blankenship, Director of Maintenance Mr. Bergie Speaks, Director of Pre-K and Elementary Education Mr. Jeffery Johnson, Public Information Officer Mrs. Morgan Mathis, and Executive Administrative Assistant Mrs. Carolyn Triplett. Also in attendance were Mr. Rodney Graham, Principal of Central Wilkes Middle School; Mrs. Carol Cleary, Principal of Traphill Elementary School; Mrs. Rebecca Mastin, Principal of Millers Creek Elementary School; and Mrs. Alisha Minton, Assistant Principal of East Wilkes Middle School.
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, "We have a lot to celebrate and a lot to do tonight, so I will keep my comments brief. But, I do think we have two groups who earned recognition tonight, and I'm not doing my job if I sit here and don't recognize them."
"First of all, we should all be proud of the 620 members of the Class of 2023! Graduation from high school is a major accomplishment and one we should never take for granted. These students have excelled through many challenges. So, to each individual member of the Wilkes County Schools Class of 2023, you have made us all very proud, and we look forward to your tremendous accomplishments in the future. We expect great things!"
"As a system, we also need to acknowledge the 233 elementary teachers who will be officially completing LETRS training on Thursday, June 8, 2023. This staff development, required by the state, was spread over two years and required a time commitment that many have said was equivalent to completing a Master's Degree! Mrs. Grubb, Chief Academic Officer, has a celebration planned for them tomorrow, but this should be a source of pride for our entire school system. I would like to publicly acknowledge these 233 teachers whose efforts have caused Wilkes County Schools to be viewed as leaders in our state for this implementation! This is just another example of the great things that our teachers have accomplished!"
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the 2023 C.B. Eller Teacher Grant Awards. Friends and family of C.B. Eller established the Education Fund in 1987. Mr. Eller was superintendent of Wilkes County Schools for 33 years from 1933-1966. This charitable trust is designed to improve the quality of education in Wilkes County by awarding grants for professional growth for public school teachers. Wilkes County Schools has six educators receiving the 2023 C.B. Eller Teaching Awards. A total of $8,540 was granted from the C.B. Eller Education Fund of the Winston-Salem Foundation. The following list of teachers will receive awards:
Thelma Kastl, West Wilkes High School – $1,500 to attend Greenhouse Operation 101 at Wilkes Community College
Adam Johnson, Traphill Elementary School – $1,250 to attend Space Academy for Educators
Marianna Bowden, Millers Creek Elementary – $1,500 to attend the 2023 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Conference
Jackie Johnson, Wilkes Central High School – $1,500 to attend the ChemEd 2023 conference at the University of Guelph, Canada
Kristen Dowell, East Wilkes High School – $1,290 to participate in an online Photoshop Bootcamp course
Jennifer Gaddy, Mount Pleasant Elementary School – $1,500 to attend the 2023 Get Your Teach On conference.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the Wilkes County State Soil & Water Awards. The NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts annually administers a number of education contests at the district, area, and state levels. Recently, they announced winners of these contests at the state level. Congratulations to the following students!
Molly Wagoner from East Wilkes Middle School won 1st place in the 7th grade Slideshow contest.
Laurel Mitchell from Central Wilkes Middle School placed 2nd in the 8th grade Slideshow contest.
Jordan Holleman from East Wilkes Middle School placed 2nd in the 8th grade Speech contest.
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 All-Conference teams were recently announced following the spring sports season. We are proud to recognize coaches and players from Wilkes County Schools who were chosen as Players of the Year and Coaches of the Year.
Coach Bradley Hayes from East Wilkes High School was recognized as the Northwest 1A Coach of the Year in Women's Track.
Coach Amp Smith from Wilkes Central High School was recognized as the Foothills 2A Men's Track Coach of the Year.
Coach Michael Woodruff from West Wilkes High School was recognized as the Foothills 2A Softball Coach of the Year.
Haley McManus from West Wilkes High School was recognized as the Foothills 2A Pitcher of the Year for Women's Softball.
Lily Profitt from West Wilkes High School was recognized as the Foothills 2A Player of the Year for Women's Softball.
Sean Wilson from Wilkes Central High School was recognized as the Foothills 2A Track and Field Runner of the Year.
Anna Rollins from Wilkes Central High School was recognized as the Foothills 2A Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize Mrs. Sharron Huffman and Mr. Brent West from Samaritan's Kitchen. This is the 25th Anniversary of Samaritan's Kitchen. Mrs. Huffman and Mr. West went over the program but wanted to stress the importance of the Backpack program in Wilkes County Schools. This program serves 700-750 children on a weekly basis. The backpacks go home with children on Friday full of food. It costs roughly $239,000.00 per year to fund. They had examples of items that anyone could donate to this cause and also stated any donation would be greatly appreciated. Currently, twenty schools are served. They invited everyone to attend the Open House which will be held on June 17, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Hotdogs will be served during this time.
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the Child Nutrition Awards. Wilkes County Schools celebrated National School Lunch Hero Day on May 4, 2023. National School Lunch Hero Day is set aside to celebrate the men and women who are superheroes each day preparing and serving food. Not all superheroes wear capes, but some wear aprons. As part of this celebration, Child Nutrition recognizes a Manager of the Year, Assistant Manager of the Year, and Employee of the Year. Congratulations to our 2022-2023 Award Winners!
Child Nutrition Manager of the Year – Ms. Renee LeMasters, Cafeteria Manager C.C. Wright Elementary
Child Nutrition Assistant Manager of the Year – Ms. Melody Rose, Assistant Manager Central Wilkes Middle School
Child Nutrition Assistant of the Year – Ms. Juanita Wyatt, Cafeteria Assistant C.C. Wright Elementary
Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the 2023 Unsung Hero Awards. In order to allow our schools the opportunity to say "Thank You" to some staff members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, 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. Please join us as we learn about the special efforts of those staff members over the course of the 2023-2023 year. Special thanks to all who were recognized for their efforts for students and staff over the course of this school year. They are as follows:
Boomer Ferguson Elementary: Tamara Koch – Pre-K Teacher Assistant
C.B. Eller Elementary: Melissa Billings – Secretary/Bookkeeper
C.C. Wright Elementary: Craig Jolly – Custodian
C.C. Wright Elementary: Patricia West – Custodian
C.C. Wright Elementary: Remondia Bumgarner – Bus Driver/Custodian
Central Wilkes Middle: Lois Ann Triplett – Bus Driver
East Wilkes High: Melissa Higgins – Receptionist
East Wilkes Middle: Russell Sparks – CTE Teacher
Millers Creek Elementary: Brenda Handy – Speech Pathologist
Moravian Falls Elementary: Donnie Blevins – PE Teacher and Bus Driver
Moravian Falls Elementary: James Eller – Custodian/Bus Driver
Moravian Falls Elementary: Lisa Barnett – Custodian/Bus Driver
Moravian Falls Elementary: Pam Gonzalez – Bus Driver
Mount Pleasant Elementary: Jeremy Hale – Custodian
Mountain View Elementary: Tim Parsons, Scotty Key, and Joe Adams – Custodians
Mulberry Elementary: Heather Vivona – Instructional Specialist
North Wilkes High: Ronnie Wood – BEST Academy Teacher Assistant
North Wilkes High: Missy Elliott – BEST Academy Teacher Assistant
North Wilkes Middle: Amanda Gouge – EC Teacher
North Wilkesboro Elementary: Tamara Cornette – Parent Liaison
Roaring River Elementary: Angie Church – School Counselor
Ronda-Clingman Elementary: Christina Johnson, Barbara Poplin, Amanda Combs, and Vickie Reed – Child Nutrition Staff
Traphill Elementary: Jared Story – PE Teacher
West Wilkes High: Tracy Huffman – Receptionist
West Wilkes Middle: Lisa Whitley – Secretary/Bookkeeper
Wilkes Central High: James Tedder – Volunteer
Wilkes Central High: Cynthia Tedder – Secretary/Bookkeeper
Wilkesboro Elementary: Vanessa Simmons – Secretary/Bookkeeper
Wilkes Early College High School: Jessica Brown – Child Nutrition
Focus on the Curriculum was presented by Mrs. Callie Grubb, Chief Academic Officer. Mrs. Grubb provided a brief update on the Summer Programming being offered this summer in Wilkes County Schools. Summer opportunities will include: Summer Success Academy, Read to Achieve Camp, and Summer Bridge, and Career Accelerator.
The Summer Success Academy will be held June 5-8 from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM. This program will be held at all schools, and transportation will be at the community bus stops.
Read to Achieve Camp will be held on June 16, June 19-23, and June 26-30 from 7:50 AM to 3:05 PM. This program will be held at 12 of our Elementary Schools, and transportation is door-to-door.
The Summer Bridge is being held from June 19-22 and June 26-29 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Students currently in grade 5 (that are transitioning to 6th grade) can attend all four middle schools with door-to-door transportation. Currently, we have 192 students signed up for this program.
Career Accelerator will be held at all four middle schools on June 19-22, June 26-29 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Students currently in grades 5 that are transitioning to 6th grade can attend with door-to-door transportation. This will coincide with Summer Bridge and provide participants with hands-on activities, field trips, and guest speakers will promote career awareness and exploration.
Last, we will offer Career Accelerator at the High Schools. This will be from June 19-August 25th. Times will be from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Students who are 16 years and older (rising juniors and seniors) can attend. Transportation is not provided for this program. Locations will be at EWHS, NWHS, Central Services, and our Maintenance department. Paid internship opportunities will be available for office support, custodial support, and maintenance assistance. Students will earn $15/hr. (before taxes) plus have the opportunity to earn a $600.00 bonus for completing an online workplace readiness credential during their employment with Wilkes County Schools.
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for Public Comments. No one had signed up.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the minutes for April 3, 2023, were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the Personnel Report was approved as presented.
Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)
Ramona Burkhart – Digital Learning Facilitator – Central Services
Retirement effective – July 1, 2023, with thirty-two years and seven months of service
Scotty Dancy – Teacher – Mulberry Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2023, with twenty-eight years and four months of service
Kathy Oakes – Teacher Assistant – Boomer Ferguson Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2023, with twenty-eight years and eight months of service
Tracie Walker – Teacher – Ronda-Clingman Elementary School
Retirement effective – July 1, 2023, with twenty-six years and seven months of service
Promotion(s)
Stacey Caudill – From Teacher Assistant – Millers Creek Elementary School
To Teacher – Millers Creek Elementary School
Emily Johnson – From Teacher Assistant – Mountain View Elementary School
To Teacher – Mountain View Elementary School
Zachary Lyons – From Teacher Assistant – North Wilkes High School
To Teacher – North Wilkes High School
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the Renewal of Licensed Personnel - Two-Year Contract 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 list of teachers was presented for renewal of contract. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute §115C-287.1. The list of teachers is below.
2023-2024 Teacher 2-Year Contract Renewal List
| Janene Roberts | Boomer Ferguson Elementary School |
| Kristy Hendren | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Jared Pinnix | C.B. Eller Elementary School |
| Bryony Blahnik-Thompson |
C.C. Wright Elementary School
|
| Jaimie Cooper | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Jennifer Lyall | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Penelope Souther | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Deborah Thompson | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Lauren Trivette | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Nancy Wood | C.C. Wright Elementary School |
| Lori Holguin | Central Services |
| Megan Cockerham | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Ward Jarvis | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Kathryn Romanish | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Kaitlyn Wagner | Central Wilkes Middle School |
| Austin Bare | East Wilkes High School |
| Graylyn Bauguess | East Wilkes High School |
| Cassidy Mathis | East Wilkes High School |
| Laken Pardue | East Wilkes High School |
| Wesley Rousseau | East Wilkes High School |
| Jonathan Wilmoth | East Wilkes High School |
| Briana Hinshaw | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Hanna Shermer | East Wilkes Middle School |
| Lori Walker | Millers Creek Elementary School |
| Kelsey Adams | Moravian Falls Elementary School |
| Mandy Norton | Moravian Falls Elementary School |
| Kelly-Marie Cranfill | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Savannah Kilby | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Natalie Marley | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Shannon Wyatt-Kilbey | Mount Pleasant Elementary School |
| Natasha Brown | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Miranda Miller | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Deborah Porter | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Allison Shelton | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Kristen Wiles | Mountain View Elementary School |
| Samantha Adams | North Wilkes High School |
| James Call | North Wilkes High School |
| Kelly Dancy | North Wilkes High School |
| Roy Goldman | North Wilkes High School |
| Noah Johnson | North Wilkes High School |
| Brett Lyon | North Wilkes High School |
| Erica Marion | North Wilkes High School |
| Sarah Privette | North Wilkes High School |
| Katelyn Bumgarner | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Marley Byers | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Kaitlin Carroll | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Domonique Kirby | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Elizabeth McConnell | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Anita Taylor | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Brandy Webb | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Emily West-Dula | North Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Jordanne Belcher | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Jeannie Shore | Ronda-Clingman Elementary School |
| Anthony Benson | West Wilkes High School |
| Susan Coleman | West Wilkes High School |
| Christie Holman | West Wilkes High School |
| Faylene Lankford | West Wilkes High School |
| Joshua Phipps | West Wilkes High School |
| Ashley Carlton | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Randall McCoy | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Ralph Sutton | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Crystal Walker | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Kinsley Allen | Wilkes Central High School |
| Dustin Anderson | Wilkes Central High School |
| James Cannon | Wilkes Central High School |
| Wendy Gordon | Wilkes Central High School |
| Allen Lyles | Wilkes Central High School |
| Kristen Metz | Wilkes Central High School |
| Paige Price | Wilkes Central High School |
| Frederick Sapp | Wilkes Central High School |
| Colby Shell | Wilkes Central High School |
| Brandon Shore | Wilkes Central High School |
| Michelle Wetherington | Wilkes Central High School |
| Kelly Wise | Wilkes Central High School |
| Breanna Wooten | Wilkes Central High School |
| Kaylene Burcham | Wilkes Early College High School |
| Sarah Martin | Wilkes Early College High School |
| Olivia Walsh | Wilkes Early College High School |
| Brooke Bentley | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Lakyn Cochran | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Josie Hendren | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Keven Langston | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
| Rachel Minick | Wilkesboro Elementary School |
2023-2024 Teacher 1-Year Contract Renewal List
| Whitney Abrams | Central Services |
| Sherry Baird | Central Services |
| Logan Johnson | North Wilkes High School |
| David Wojtecki | North Wilkes High School |
| Ronald Turner | Wilkes Central High School |
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. According to North Carolina General Statute §115C-325, a 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 can be for a term of more than one year. The list of teachers was presented for renewal of contract in accordance with Wilkes County Schools policy 7411, Uniform Teacher Contracts. The list of teachers was approved for renewal of contract subject to the employee obtaining a North Carolina professional educators license by June 30, 2023.
2023-2024 Teacher 2-Year Contract Renewal List
| Kara Cheek | Mulberry Elementary School |
| Chelsea Davis | Mulberry Elementary School |
| Joshua Hickman | West Wilkes Middle School |
| Jennifer McNeill | West Wilkes Middle School |
On a motion by Mrs. Jolly, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the Out-of-County/Overnight Field Trips were approved as presented. Planned dates are listed below.
| School | Group | Destination | Dates |
| East Wilkes Middle School | Boys' Basketball Team |
Emory, VA
|
06/08/2023-06/10/2023 |
| North Wilkes High School | Women's Basketball |
Hillsville, VA
|
06/21/2023 |
| North Wilkes High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, NC
|
07/25/2023-07/27/2023 |
| North Wilkes High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Charlotte, Wilmington, and Burlington, NC
|
07/31/2023-08/03/2023 |
| East Wilkes High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, NC
|
07/25/2023-07/27/2023
|
| East Wilkes High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Charlotte, Wilmington, and Burlington, NC
|
07/31/2023-08/03/2023
|
| West Wilkes High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, NC
|
07/25/2023-07/27/2023
|
| West Wilkes High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Charlotte, Wilmington, and Burlington, NC
|
07/31/2023-08/03/2023
|
| West Wilkes High School | HOSA Students |
Dallas, TX
|
06/20/2023-06/25/2023
|
| West Wilkes High School | Wrestling Team |
Boiling Springs, NC
|
06/13/2023-06/15/2023
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, NC
|
07/25/2023-07/27/2023
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Charlotte, Wilmington, and Burlington, NC
|
07/31/2023-08/03/2023
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Chorus |
New York, NY
|
03/07/2024-03/10/2024
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Volleyball Team |
Boone, NC
|
07/14/2023-07/16/2023
|
| Wilkes Early College High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, NC
|
07/25/2023-07/27/2023
|
| Wilkes Early College High School | Gear Up Rising 10th Grade Students |
Charlotte, Wilmington, and Burlington, NC
|
07/31/2023-08/03/2023
|
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the Child Nutrition New Bid awards were approved as presented, and the bid information is listed. Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition traveled to Raleigh, NC on May 18, 2023, for the North Carolina Purchase Alliance (NCPA) Distributor Bid Opening. Wilkes County Schools issued a request for Distributor Bids for Lot 4 Produce. We received only one bid from Foster Caviness, Inc. Fruit prices are subject to market conditions. To estimate the cost of the program, pricing was pulled from the week of February 12, 2023 times the number of estimated cases per NCPA Bid instructions.
Foster Caviness Per Case Cost $4.95 Estimated Cost $260,202.25
Wilkes County Schools, along with the Mtn. Purchasing Cooperative, issued a Re-Bid for ice cream products on May 19, 2023, due to a No Bid from the previous bid process. Bid opening for the Re-Bid was held on May 30, 2023, via Zoom. Bids were received from:
WNC Ice Cream Distributors Estimated Cost $134,850
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the ESSER HVAC Bids/Contracts for Moravian Falls and North Wilkesboro were approved as presented. On May 11, 2023, at 2:00 PM, HVAC bids for Moravian Falls and North Wilkesboro Elementary Schools were received and opened at the C. Wayne Bradburn Distribution Center. Associated Heating and Air Conditioning was the low bidder. The bid for Moravian Falls was $709,000.00, and the bid for North Wilkesboro was $1,698,000.00. Associated is currently working on projects at C.C. Wright Elementary, Wilkesboro Elementary, Wilkes Central High School, Mtn. View Elementary, Millers Creek Elementary, and Mulberry Elementary. Associated Heating and Air was awarded these projects and the owner/contractor contracts for both projects.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the ESSER HVAC Bids/Contracts for East Wilkes High School and North Wilkes High School were approved as presented. On May 11, 2023, at 2:00 PM, HVAC bids for East High and North High Schools were received and opened at the C. Wayne Bradburn Distribution Center. Matthews Mechanical, Inc was the low bidder with the bid for East High at $1,808,600.00 and the bid for North High at $1,614,800.00.
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the ESSER HVAC Bid/Contract for West Wilkes High School was approved as presented. On May 11, 2023, at 2:00 PM, HVAC bids for West Wilkes High School were received and opened at the C. Wayne Bradburn Distribution Center. Commercial Air Systems (CAS) was the low bidder of $2,082,900. CAS is currently working on projects at Ronda Clingman and C. B. Eller Elementary Schools.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill, the Wilkes Central High School New Gym proposal was approved as presented. On Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 1:00 PM, bids were received and opened at the C. Wayne Bradburn Distribution Center for the construction of a new gym at Wilkes Central High School. MBI Builders LLC was the low bidder with a base bid of $8,495,000. One alternate to install a new style of flooring in the lobby and hallways was an additional $25,200.00 bringing the total contract to $8,520.200. MBI is a local company that has done similar projects.
On a motion by Mrs. Jolly, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the Exceptional Children's Department Contracts for the 2023-2024 school year were approved as presented and are listed below. These contracts are continuations of existing contracts. Each of the companies and organizations involved have been contractors with Wilkes County Schools for a number of years and have a proven record of providing high-quality services to our students with special needs.
Service Contracts
Cynthia Bruton
John E. Sexton & Associates, Inc.
The Stepping Stones Group, LLC
Cynthia Bruton
John E. Sexton & Associates, Inc.
The Stepping Stones Group, LLC
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the Supplemental Athletic Insurance for the upcoming school year 2023-2034 was approved as presented. The Young Group has been the provider of our supplemental athletic insurance since 2020-2021. The rate they have offered for 2023-2024 is $21.50 per high school athlete and $10.25 per middle school athlete for the Intermediate Plan. Our premium would be $27,223.75. They have also provided us with pricing for the Standard Plan. The Standard Plan rates are $8.88 per high school athlete and $3.71 per middle school athlete. Our premium would be $10,900.11. Based on our historical usage of the insurance, the Standard plan would be the best use of our funds.
The Young Group was also the provider of our middle school catastrophic insurance coverage for those same years. They have offered the same rate of $1.60 per middle school athlete for a total of $1,051.20. In 2022-2023, the NCHSAA stopped providing high school catastrophic insurance. We started using the Young Group for that coverage as well. They offered the same rate of $3.30 for 2023-2024. Our coverage would be $3,144.90.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Budget Amendments were approved as presented and are listed below:
State Public School Fund – Increase of $524,759.00
Current Expense Special Use Fund – Increase of $320,300.00
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the Resolution to close the fiscal year for 2022-2023 was approved as presented. Adoption of this resolution allows the Finance Director to record any State, Federal, and Local budget revisions, continue maximizing funds, and balance the budget after the last Board meeting in June. In addition, the resolution prevents the Board from having to call a special meeting to approve items by June 30, 2023. Final budget amendments for the fiscal year will be presented to the Board at the August 2023 meeting.
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the 2023-2034 Budget Resolution for all fund sources was approved as presented. Please see attachments.
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the December Payroll Date for 2023 was approved as presented. The pay date will be December 29, 2023. 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 this pay date be changed. In February 2023, a survey was sent to all Wilkes County 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.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook made the following announcements:
- June 5-8, 2023 – Required Workdays
- June 12-13, 2023 – Optional Workdays
- June 9, 2023 – Optional Workday
- July 4, 2023 – Independence Day Holiday
Chairman Mr. Holbrook announced the next board meeting to be August 7, 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 Mr. Walker and duly carried, there being no further business, the Board adjourned at 6:58 PM.
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