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November
18, 2002
The Catawba County Board of Education met in regular session on November
18, 2002, at noon at Maiden Elementary School with Chairman Betty
Blackburn presiding. The following members were present: Mrs. Sherrill,
Mrs. Butler, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Wyant and Mr. Biggerstaff. Also in
attendance were Superintendent Ann Hart, Assistant Superintendents
Stephen Hilton, Joyce Spencer and Nancy Yount, Attorney Cynthia Grady,
Finance Director Sondra Wolfe, Public Information Officer/Grant Writer
Sonya Gordon, Catawba County Commissioners’ Chairman Steve Ikerd,
Principal Joe Biggerstaff of Banoak Elementary, Marie Bell and Mary Sue
Williams. Mr. McRee was not present.
Chairman Blackburn called the meeting to order. With board members’
approval, Chairman Blackburn suggested a change in the order of business
to the Consent Agenda to conduct the two New Business agenda items
before the school tour and lunch. Also, the agenda was amended by
Superintendent Hart to add two New Business agenda items: NB#1 –
Agreement with County Commissioners for Funding of Fred T. Foard High
School Additions and NB#2 – Superintendent’s Goals for 2002-2003 to the
Consent Agenda. After these amendments, a motion was made by Mr.
Biggerstaff to approve the amended agenda with Mrs. Butler seconding the
motion. All members present were in favor.
NB#1:
Superintendent Hart recognized Marie Bell for being named to USA
Today’s All-USA Teacher Team for 2002. Ms. Bell was one of sixty
teachers in the entire country chosen for the newspaper’s All-USA
Teacher Team for 2002 and was placed on the third team. Ms. Bell has
been in the teaching field for thirty-one years and currently teaches a
second-third grade combination class at Banoak Elementary School.
Superintendent Hart read a quote from Ms. Bell’s essay, “To teach is to
be a sculptor working with the intrinsic characteristics of the stone or
clay. One must determine how best to bring forth the rich inner
qualities in each sculpture and how to gingerly refine the rough edges.
It is being an artist, studying the features that make each scholar
unique, observing with both eyes and ears the actions, emotions and
conversations as well as the unspoken thoughts.” Superintendent Hart
presented a plaque and extended her appreciation to Ms. Bell. The Board
also extended their appreciation and congratulations to Ms. Bell.
On behalf of the Catawba County Commissioners and Catawba County,
Chairman Steve Ikerd presented Ms. Bell a plaque and a copy of the
Hickory Daily Record in recognition of her outstanding success and
services to the schools and county.
NB#2:
Chairman Blackburn read a resolution honoring Mr. Richard Alexander
Williams Jr.’s service to the Catawba County Board of Education. After
reading the resolution, she presented the resolution along with a plaque
honoring his ten years of service as the board attorney to his wife,
Mary Sue Williams.
Principal Marilyn McRee welcomed everyone in attendance and
led the group on a school tour. She then accompanied the group to the
school’s cafeteria where lunch was provided.
Upon completion of the tour, the meeting reconvened at 1:10 p.m. in the
school’s media center. Principal Sally Bradshaw of Fred T. Foard High
School joined the meeting. The meeting was opened with the Moment of
Silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mr. Huffman.
Public Hearing:
Superintendent Hart conducted the public hearing phase of the meeting
for comments concerning any agenda items. No person present wished to
address the Board on any agenda item.
Superintendent’s Report:
Superintendent Hart began her report with several announcements:
·
Photos for board members and the group board photo will be taken
following the December 2, 2002 Board of Education meeting.
·
American Education Week is November 17-23, 2002. “Making Public Schools
Great for Every Child!” is this year’s theme, which is sponsored by the
National Education Association to reflect the partnerships in education
between administrators, teachers, businesses, parents, students and the
community at large.
·
Superintendent’s E-Report will begin as of November 18, 2002 on a
bi-weekly basis to district employees. This report highlights topics of
interest regarding education, resources, grant and staff development
opportunities and general education news as they relate to Catawba
County Schools.
Other awards and recognitions that Superintendent Hart informed the
Board of were:
·
Sharon Clark, guidance counselor at St. Stephens Elementary School, was
named North Carolina’s State Counselor of the Year. One of Catawba
County Schools’ elementary counselors has been named State Counselor of
the Year for the past two years
·
TW Teague, son of St. Stephens High School’s coach Tommy Teague, was the
first student statewide to win the Lowe’s Hometown Hero Award.
Previously, he also won the Catawba County United Way Giving from the
Heart Award for youth. TW is an honor roll student, yearbook editor,
student council member, serves on the AG Advisory Board and a Hugh
O’Brian Leadership representative for North Carolina. He also runs
track and volunteers at the Hickory Soup Kitchen and the Catawba Valley
Red Cross.
·
St. Stephens High School rising senior, Shane Matthews, accepted a
$5,000 baseball scholarship during a recent official contract signing
with East Carolina University. He played left field for the St.
Stephens High School Indians who advanced to the second round of the AAA
playoffs. Shane also is a two-year starting quarterback for the
football team.
·
Superintendent Hart reminded the Board of the upcoming ABC
Celebrations. The St. Stephens High School feeder schools’ celebration
was held on November 12th. Other celebrations are as
follows: November 20th – Fred T. Foard High School feeder
schools at Blackburn Elementary School beginning at 3:45 p.m.; November
25th – Bandys High School feeder schools at Mill Creek Middle
School beginning at 4:00 p.m.; December 4th – Maiden High
School feeder schools at Maiden Elementary School beginning at 3:30
p.m.; and December 16th – Bunker Hill High School feeder
schools at River Bend Middle School beginning at 4:00 p.m.
·
Tuttle Middle School 8th grader, Cheeia Yang, was the winner
of the Lions International’s recent Peace Poster Contest which was
sponsored by the Maiden’s Lion Club. The theme of the contest was
“Dream of Peace.” Cheeia has won this contest for the past two years.
Her winning artwork earned her a $50 US Savings Bond and her artwork
will be entered into the regional competition.
·
Cynthia McKee, principal of Catawba Intermediate School, was selected as
a NCAAHPERD Principal of the Year. She was nominated by her physical
education teacher because of her outstanding support of the physical
education program at the school.
·
The last item of recognition was the 2002 United Way Campaign results.
Catawba County Schools’ system goal was $66,500. Approximately
$67,326.16 was raised for United Way with eleven of the schools reaching
their individual school goals. The Central Office reached its goal
raising $11,521.04 with the Maintenance Department reaching their goal
raising $1,449.20. The top three schools in their giving were: St.
Stephens Elementary School - $5,279.00; Startown Elementary School -
$3,432.00; and Lyle Creek Elementary School - $3,079.29.
The following Consent Agenda items were transacted:
Budget Amendments:
Finance Officer Sondra Wolfe presented one budget amendment for the
Board’s consideration budgeting additional funds allocated by the state
public school fund. A copy of the amendment may be found between pages
___ and ___ and become an official part of these minutes.
Personnel Requests:
*employed certified employees Kay Henderson, Jacqueline Scott and Diane
Urtel;
*approved non-staff coach Ricky Heavner;
*employed classified employees Misty Capps, James Keil,
Darin Rogers and Donna Schrum;
*accepted the resignations of certified employees Wenesdey Gonzalez and
LaTricia Hart; and
*accepted the resignations of classified Donna Schrum.
Field Trip Requests and Camps:
*Arndt Middle School Chorus to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, November
9-10, 2002
*Tuttle Middle School Cheerleaders to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,
January 10-11, 2003
*Maiden High School Cheerleaders to Atlanta, Georgia, January 17-19,
2003
*Bandys High School FFA to Greensboro, North Carolina, March 1-2, 2003
*Fred T. Foard Bi-Annual Alumni Basketball Tournament, November 27,
2002, November 29, 2002 and November 30, 2002
*Catawba Intermediate Feeder Schools’ Boys and Girls Basketball Camp,
December 7, 2002
A motion was made by Mrs. Sherrill and seconded by Mr.
Biggerstaff to approve the Consent Items. The motion carried.
Other Items of New Business:
NB#3:
Superintendent Hart presented to the Board an interagency agreement
between Catawba County and Catawba County Schools. This agreement would
allow phase one of the expansion project at Fred T. Foard High School.
The agreement stated that the County would allocate $1,262,000 to the
Board of Education for the expansion project. It also stated that
Catawba County Schools’ Board of Education, upon selling the old St.
Stephens Elementary School property and closing the sale, would allocate
the proceeds according to the following priorities: reimburse the
County the entire $1,262,000; reallocate funds provided by the County
for the St. Stephens High School expansion project; and use any
remaining funds from the sale for future school expansion or
construction projects. There being no discussion regarding the
agreement, Mrs. Butler made the motion to accept the terms of the
agreement. Mrs. Sherrill seconded the motion with no opposition.
NB#4: Superintendent Hart distributed a copy of her
goals for the 2002-2003 school year. She welcomed any revisions and/or
changes from the Board. Mr. Wyant noted that parental conferences and
calls should be addressed by the Superintendent. After some discussion,
Mr. Huffman made the motion to adopt the six goals as distributed. Mrs.
Sherrill seconded the motion and all members were in favor.
Public Comments:
Superintendent Hart conducted the public comments section of the agenda
at which time no one present desired to address the Board.
Upon a motion by Mrs. Butler and seconded by Mr. Huffman, the Board
unanimously went into closed session for the purpose of discussing
information that is privileged, confidential or not a public record
under federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
North Carolina G.S.143-318.11 (a)(1) regarding student issues.
CLOSED SESSION (Separate minutes for closed session are prepared and
kept confidential.)
The Board returned to open session with a motion by Mrs. Butler,
seconded by Mr. Wyant and no opposition.
Upon a motion by Mr. Biggerstaff and seconded by Mrs. Butler, the Board
unanimously went into closed session for the purpose of discussing
information that is privileged, confidential or not a public record
under federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
North Carolina G.S.143-318.11 (a)(1) regarding personnel issues.
CLOSED SESSION (Separate minutes for closed session are prepared and
kept confidential.)
The Board returned to open session with a motion by Mrs. Sherrill,
seconded by Mr. Wyant and no opposition.
There being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman
Blackburn declared the meeting adjourned at 2:18 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________
Betty C. Blackburn, Chairman
__________________________
Ann Y. Hart, Secretary
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