March 4, 2024
The Board of Education of the Wilkes County Administrative Unit conducted a regular meeting in the Arnold and Becky Lakey Boardroom on Monday, March 4, 2024, 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 Mr. Hardin Kennedy III, and Board Members 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 Technology Officer Mrs. Julie Triplett, Chief Finance Officer Mr. Seth Prevette, Director of Child Nutrition Mr. Marty Johnson, Director of Secondary Education, Athletics, and School Safety Mr. David Johnson, Director of Maintenance Mr. Richard Shepherd, Director of Facilities and Construction Mr. Bergie Speaks, Director of Pre-K and Elementary Education Mr. Jeffery Johnson, AIG Coordinator Mrs. Angie Lamb, Director of Testing and Accountability, Cultural Arts, 504, and Title I Dr. Dion Stocks, Director of Federal Programs and Career & Technical Education Dr. Joe Bullis, Director of Exceptional Children Mrs. Jennifer Blankenship, Director of Student Services Mrs. April Marr, Public Information Officer Mrs. Morgan Mathis, and Executive Administrative Assistant Mrs. Carolyn Triplett. Also in attendance were Mrs. Jennifer Sorel, Principal of Wilkes Early College High School, and Mrs. Amanda Pruitt, Principal of West Wilkes High 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.
Chairman Mr. Randall "Rudy" Holbrook recognized Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd for the Superintendent's Welcome and Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Byrd stated, "It sure makes it hard to sit inside in a meeting when it is 70 degrees outside, but I know many of us in the room would prefer this over the alternative any day of the week. The month of March has started in a very exciting way, and I think it has many of us ready for spring. One thing a lot of people love in the month of March is March Madness, and I think we all should be proud to have two of our ladies' basketball teams in the 3rd round of the state playoffs this week. I wish both the East and North girls the best of luck. It was pretty exciting Friday night to see two of our own teams battle for a chance to make round three."
"In March, we have a lot of recognitions. March is Music in Our Schools and Arts in Our Schools Month. We have exceptional band, chorus, and art teachers in our schools. March is also National Athletic Training Month, and I am proud that our system can provide a certified athletic trainer in each of our high schools. Today is Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day, and I would like to thank Bergie Speaks, Richard Shepherd, and their staff for not only maintaining and repairing what we have but for their work in improving our facilities. March had Read Across America Day this weekend, and many of our elementary schools will celebrate a guy named Dr. Seuss's Birthday all week this week. This week is also School Social Workers' Week, and Mrs. Marr's presentation last month reminded us how essential they are to the success of our students. This week is National School Breakfast Week, and we know how important the work of Marty Johnson's staff is to getting our students' days off to a great start. We have so much to celebrate and so many people to thank. March gives us great opportunities to do just that."
"We also have a pretty important event coming up tomorrow, and I would encourage every eligible person to go to the polls tomorrow and vote. I think voting is one of our most important rights as a citizen, and we should never take that for granted. I wish our candidates the best of luck in all of their races, and thank you all for your willingness to serve. I usually remind everyone to vote and don't tell them how to vote, but tonight I am going to tell everyone how to vote. Last week, when I listened to Mrs. Julie Triplett provide directions for the Quiz Bowl competition, all I could think of was how obvious it was that she wanted our students to be successful. You could hear it in her voice. That has served as a reminder to me once again to make decisions based on kids. So, when you go to the polls tomorrow, take a minute to reflect on who will make decisions that are best for our kids, and I assure you that you can't go wrong in your decision."
Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to announce the Wilkes County Schools Poetry Out Loud winners. The Poetry Out Loud competition was held on January 29, 2024. Nineteen students from three middle and five high schools participated in this competition. Poetry Out Loud encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Congratulations to the following students:
Third Place: Anna Tilley, East Wilkes High School
Second Place: Sophie Shupe, North Wilkes High School
Winner: Cadence Weddington, Wilkes Early College High School
All three students represented Wilkes County Schools at the Poetry Out Loud competition on February 24, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the Carolina West Wireless Communication 4 Education. Communication 4 Education is a fundraising program created by Carolina West Wireless to help local school systems in the communities they serve. Customers can help by simply choosing the school they'd like to receive a contribution, and Carolina West Wireless will donate 3% of their local monthly service fee to that school at no cost to the customer! Representatives from Carolina West Wireless were in attendance for this special presentation. A check in the amount of $19,695.98 was given to Wilkes County Schools.
Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the Middle and High School Quiz Bowl Winners. The Middle and High School Quiz Bowl Tournaments were held on February 7th and 21st. Wilkes County Schools Quiz Bowl Tournaments increased the rigor of our academic competitions and showcased the intellect of our students across all subject areas. Our students competed well, impressing our Central Services staff who helped with the competition and our guests for the tournament. We are so proud of our students and appreciate our coaches!
Congratulations to our middle school winner, Central Wilkes Middle School!
Participants were as follows:
Emberly Allen
Cormac Gebauer
William Hefner
Lila Hege
Luke Hege
Brady Holbrook
Jeremiah Johnson
Coach: Deanna Albertino
Congratulations to our high school winner, West Wilkes High School!
Participants were as follows:
Alaina Church
Donald Ferko
Bayleigh Harris
Cody Hendren
William Holland
Hailey Huskins
Regan Johnson
Salem Woodruff
Coaches: Brett Stirewalt and Rebecca Cooper
Superintendent Mr. D. Mark Byrd recognized Dr. Westley Wood, Assistant Superintendent, to recognize the NCSPRA Blue Ribbon Awards. The North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) awarded its highest honors during the annual Blue Ribbon Awards ceremony on February 9th in High Point. NCSPRA presented Blue Ribbon Awards to 35 school districts for their outstanding communication and public relations during 2023. Wilkes County Schools Public Information Officer, Morgan Mathis, earned six Blue Ribbon Awards for outstanding and effective communication. Mathis received awards in the areas of Photography, Image & Graphic Design, Publications, and Special Events & Programs. The Georgia School Public Relations Association judged the 2023 Blue Ribbon entries. They praised Mathis' work as "engaging and dynamic." Congratulations Mrs. Morgan Mathis, Public Information Officer for Wilkes County Schools!
Focus on the Curriculum was presented by Mrs. Julie Triplett, Chief Technology Officer. North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction released guidelines for teaching generative artificial intelligence in public schools. Ms. Triplett provided information on these guidelines. AI Implementation Roadmap includes all of the following: Establish a Foundation, Develop Staff, Educate Students and Community, and Assess and Progress. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) defines personally identifiable information (PII) and prohibits the sharing of any information that permits the identity of an individual to be inferred. Protecting student information is always our priority!
Chairman Mr. Rudy Holbrook asked if anyone had signed up for Public Comments. Mr. Walter Vaughn spoke to members present about the concerns he had with our nation.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the minutes for February 5, 2024, were approved as presented.
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and duly carried, the Personnel Report was approved as presented.
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the following Out-of-County/Overnight field trips were approved as presented. Planned dates are listed below.
| School | Group | Destination | Dates |
| East Wilkes High School | Cheerleaders |
Concord, NC
|
07/22/2024-07/25/2024 |
| East Wilkes High School | Choir Students |
Flat Rock, NC
|
04/18/2024-04/20/2024 |
| East Wilkes and West Wilkes High Schools |
Apparel Students
|
Abington, VA
|
04/19/2024 |
| West Wilkes High School | Robotics Team |
Greenville, NC
|
04/05/2024-04/07/2024 |
| West Wilkes High School | Robotics Team |
Houston, TX
|
04/17/2024-04/20/2024
|
| West Wilkes High School | HOSA Students |
Greensboro, NC
|
04/03/2024-04/06/2024
|
| West Wilkes Middle and High Schools | 7 & 8 Grade Band, High School Band |
Charlotte, NC and Fort Mill, SC
|
04/13/2024
|
| Wilkes Central High School | Interested Students |
Venice, Florence, Rome, and Sorento, Italy
|
06/24/2024-07/04/2024
|
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the vendor for student laptops were approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools released a competitive bid request for student laptops in February. These will replace outdated laptops in our high schools. We received four sealed bids for laptops prior to the bid opening. The bids are listed in the table below:
| Vendor | Bid per Laptop |
| Applied Data Technologies | $716.90 |
| CDW Government, LLC | $746.16 |
| Data Center Warehouse | $741.91 |
| Sharp Business Systems | $776.62 |
Applied Data Technologies submitted the lowest bid.
On a motion by Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the Bid Renewals for the Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition Department were approved as presented. Wilkes County Schools Child Nutrition Department 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 Procurement Alliance (NCPA) at the same fixed fee of $4.00 per case. The product cost is determined by the NCPA bid. Estimated cost of $2,000,000.00 for the 24-25 school year.
Foster Caviness Co, INC – Request renewal for the Lot 3 produce items bid through the North Carolina Procurement Alliance (NCPA) at the same fixed fee of $4.95 per case. The product cost is determined by the NCPA bid. Estimated cost of $210,000.00 for the 24-25 school year.
Pet Dairy – Request renewal for milk products with the same terms and conditions defined in the 23-24 school year bid. Estimated cost of $760,000.00 for the 24-25 school year.
WNC, Ice Cream – Request renewal for ice cream products with the same terms and conditions defined in the 23-24 school year bid. Estimated cost of $40,000 for the 24-25 school year.
Dr. Pepper Bottling and Triangle Vending have indicated they do not wish to renew current bids due to rising costs.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, the Budget Amendments were approved as presented:
State Public School Fund – Increase of $2,042,381.94
Federal Grants Fund – Increase of $10,613.60
Capital Outlay Fund – Increase of $367,059.00
On a motion by Mr. Walker, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the Contract to Audit Fiscal Year 2024 was approved as presented. Strickland Hardee PLLC has submitted their audit contract proposal for the fiscal 2024 year. Mr. Travis Hardee with Strickland Hardee has been the managing auditor for our engagement since fiscal 2016.
The fiscal 2022 final audit cost was $39,500 for four major programs. The fiscal 2023 final audit cost was $42,000 for four major programs. Spending thresholds dictate the amount of auditing that has to be done. Strickland Hardee has submitted audit costs for different numbers of major programs. This is being done in the spirit of not having to bring amendments mid-year. Each additional major program would cost $3,500 if needed. Two major programs, $40,500; three major programs, $44,000; and four major programs would be $47,500.
On a motion by Mrs. Jolly, seconded by Mrs. Caudill and duly carried, the revised 2024-2025 Academic Calendar for Wilkes County Schools was approved as presented. On February 5, 2024, the Wilkes County Schools Board of Education approved the 2024-2025 Academic Calendar. It was recommended that the Board consider a modification to the approved calendar. This adjustment now will allow for Wilkes County Schools students to participate in Merlefest student outreach opportunities through the partnership of Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College.
On a motion by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mrs. Jolly and duly carried, a land purchase was approved as presented. The board approved to purchase .51 acres of land from Howell & Sons Investments, LLC Parcel ID 1405059 adjoining the school bus garage. In our long-range planning, this property will be used to help us prepare for adding above ground fuel tanks, provide additional parking at the garage, and allow the school system to avoid the need for a retaining wall which would be extremely costly. This property will square up our property lines providing a safer area for our buses, school vehicles, and driver education students by creating a better flow of traffic as well as the ability to add an additional entrance/exit to the garage. On February 20, 2024, the county commissioners also approved the purchase price of $20,000.00.
On a motion Mrs. Caudill, seconded by Mr. Walker and duly carried, the Board approved GeoSurfaces as the design-build contractor for our synthetic turf conversion and track renovations at all four high schools at a contract price not to exceed $6,254,999. On November 21, 2023, the Wilkes County Board of Education, the Yadkin County Board of Education, and the Surry County Board of Education, acting together as an interlocal alliance under N.C. Gen. Stat. §160A-461, issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for firms qualified for the design and construction of synthetic turf athletic fields and track improvements. This action was taken following special appropriations from the North Carolina General Assembly to these school districts for this purpose. Six responses to the RFQ were received. Representatives of the three school districts reviewed all responses and selected three firms for further consideration. Interviews with the three selected firms were held at the administrative offices of the Wilkes County Schools on January 12, 2024. Following this meeting, the school districts' representatives selected GeoSurfaces as the recommended design-build firm for these projects. Negotiations with GeoSurfaces have resulted in an anticipated cost savings of as much as 20% due to the volume savings for all nine projects. GeoSurfaces is committed to completing all athletic field conversions by August 1, 2024, to ensure availability for football and soccer. The contract cost to the Wilkes County Schools at all four high schools for both the field conversions and the track improvements is not to exceed $6,254,999.
Chairman Mr. Holbrook made the following announcements:
- March 5, 2024 – Optional Workday
- March 21, 2024 – Third Grading Period Ends
- March 21, 2024 – Early Dismissal (Elementary 12:30 PM; Middle/High 1:00 PM)
- March 22, 2024 – Required Workday
- March 25, 2024 – Fourth Grading Period Begins
- March 29, 2024 – Easter Holiday
- April 1-5, 2024 – Annual Leave
Chairman Mr. Holbrook announced the next board meeting to be April 8, 2024. 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, with no further business, the Board of Education voted unanimously to adjourn at 6:39 PM.
All members encouraged everyone to vote on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
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