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January 25, 2005
The Catawba County Board of Education met in regular session on January
25, 2005 at 5:30 p.m. following a two-day Board Retreat at the County
Schools’ Administration Annex Building with Chairman Charlie Wyant
presiding. The following members were present: Mr. Hilton, Mrs.
Spencer, Mr. Scott, Mrs. Butler and Mr. Sigmon. Also in attendance were
Superintendent Ann Hart, Assistant Superintendents Pat Hensley, Rick
Sherrill and Nancy Yount, Attorney Crystal Davis, Finance Director
Sondra Wolfe, Public Information/Grant Writer Beverly Lampe, Testing and
Accountability Director Kelly Rhoney, Secondary Education Director
Debbie Long, Career-Technical Education Director Karen Cale, Maintenance
Director Mark Bumgarner, Construction Coordinator Ernest Williams,
Assistant Construction Coordinator Rick Sain, Energy Education Director
Tony Cox, Clyde Campbell Elementary School Principal Wally Zahler, Arndt
Middle School Principal Jeff Taylor, Oxford Elementary School Principal
Robin Honeycutt, Startown Elementary School Assistant Principal Barbara
Bell, Sherrills Ford Assistant Principal Ralph Bumgarner and Roger
Bowman and Melanie Starr with Bowman, Pegg, & Starr, CPA’s. Mrs.
Blackburn was not present for the meeting because of flu related
illness.
Tracie Setzer represented the Observer News Enterprise and
Christina Cupo represented the Hickory Daily Record. John Mayhew
was also in attendance representing WNNC.
The meeting opened with a Moment of Silence followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance led by Mrs. Spencer.
A motion was made by Mr. Hilton and seconded by Mrs. Spencer to approve
the minutes of December 6, 2004 meeting. All members were in favor.
The Consent Agenda was amended by Superintendent Hart to add five
additional field trip requests and one track and field clinic request.
Mrs. Butler also asked for an amendment to conduct the Personnel
Requests portion after the Closed Session portion of the meeting. After
the amendments, the agenda was unanimously approved upon a motion by
Mrs. Butler and seconded by Mr. Hilton.
Public Hearing:
Attorney Crystal Davis 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 by
reading a proclamation recognizing the week of February 7-11, 2005 as
National School Counseling Week. She extended thanks to all the
system’s counselors for the outstanding job they perform daily to the
students of our system.
Other items of update included:
•The Catawba County Schools Spelling
Bee will be held at the Green Room on January 31, 2005 beginning
promptly at 10:00 a.m.
•The Catawba County Schools Science
Fair will be held at Arndt Middle School on February 2, 2005 beginning
at 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
•The Knowledge Master Team from Banoak
Elementary School finished first in the State. Members included: Richy
Stoian, Joshua Settlemyre, Tyler Costern, Faith Fulbright, Devin
Buchanan, Brittany Leatherman, Chelsea Midgett, Heather Starkey, Logan
Seitz and Andrew Lorch. Advisors were J.R. Sigmon and Debbie Johnson
with assistance from Patricia Robinson.
•Randy Bell and his Art Club from Fred
T. Foard High School recently won the window decorating contest
sponsored by Nissan of Hickory. They were awarded first place winning
$2,000. St. Stephens High School came in second place.
•Balls Creek Elementary School
Principal Jeff Isenhour received a donation of $1,000 from Century 21
Hecht Realty, Inc. to be utilized in the school library program.
•Congratulations were extended to the
Teaching Fellows regional finalists. These students have achieved the
distinction of reaching the regional competitions. Final scholarship
selections will be made on April 1, 2005. Regional finalists included:
Daniel Ross Brown and Matt Kermit Oaks from Bandys High School; Brittany
Elizabeth Rockett and Jeana Lee Sigmon from Bunker Hill High School;
Kathryn Leigh McGee, Jennifer King McKinnon, Carissa Mechell Simmons and
Megan Leigh Snyder from Fred T. Foard High School; and Emily Joy Austin
from Maiden High School.
•To honor Kermit Whisnant, the annual
middle school conference tournament will be named “The Kermit Whisnant
Memorial Middle School Basketball Tournament.” The tournament begins
today, January 25 at CVCC and continues through Friday, January 28. The
first place boys’ and girls’ trophies will read: The Kermit Whisnant
Middle School Memorial Basketball Tournament 2005 Boys’/Girls’
Championship. The second place boys’ and girls’ trophies will read:
The Kermit Whisnant Memorial Basketball Tournament 2005 Boys’/Girls’
Runner Up.
•February 2, 2005 will be sixth annual
Groundhog Job Shadow Day. This day will allow eighth graders an
opportunity to learn about different careers by visiting local
businesses and industries. Students will choose a particular career
category and follow an employee for several hours allowing them to
experience for themselves “the world of careers.” One hundred ninety
Catawba County students will visit approximately ninety different
businesses.
•The 5C’s Restaurant will open on
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at the American Legion Fairgrounds on
Highway 70 in Newton. The 5C’s Restaurant, which stands for Catawba
County Culinary Café and Catering, will be open to the public on
Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The
all-you-can-eat menu will feature a salad bar, two soup options, two
sandwich options or two entrees with a choice of sides, beverage and
dessert. The cost will be $6.00 per person.
To conclude her report, Superintendent Hart
recognized two schools that recently received grants:
Tuttle Middle School received three separate grants
last week which included: a North Carolina Association for Educational
Communications and Technology (NCaect) award in the amount of $2,500 for
“Uncovering Hidden Caches of Learning” and will provide GPS units to be
used in conjunction with a proposed course on Geocaching; a North
Carolina School Library Media Association (NCSLMA) award in the amount
of $1,000 for “Read to Succeed.” Students wrote over four hundred books
and the award provides funds for their publications. The books of two
Tuttle Middle School students are national finalists in the National
Book Challenge where the winners receive scholarships; and, a Delta
Kappa Gamma award in the amount of $300 to purchase an additional GPS
unit and books on geography.
Jacobs Fork Middle School received a North Carolina
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (NCaect) grant
in the amount of $2,500 for “Digital Essays: See What We’ve Been Doing
in Art Class.” The award will provide four camcorders and tripods,
video tapes, cables and scandisk cards to allow students to work
cooperatively to create digital essays showcasing their work in
storyboarding, designing sets and other artwork, composing narration and
editing film images while following copyright and fair use guidelines.
The following Consent Agenda items were
transacted:
Budget Amendments:
Finance Officer Sondra Wolfe
presented three budget amendments for the Board’s consideration
budgeting additional funds allocated by the State Public School Fund,
Local Current Expense Fund and Capital Outlay Fund. Copies of these
amendments may be found between pages ____ and ____ and become an
official part of these minutes.
Personnel Requests:
*approved certified employees
Erica Batten, Margaret Breazeale, Nancy Chapman, Nicholas Gust, Cherish
Houghton, Karen Hudson, Ryan Johnson, Natalie Moretz, Jessica Pickard
and Banasri Sen;
*approved rehire of retirees
Robert Bost, Carolyn Coley, Pamela Coulter, Elizabeth Herman, Jacqueline
Jarrett, Brenda Rader and Pam Wagoner;
*approved classified employees
Susan Armstrong, Amina Austin, Linda Baird, Libby Beal, Mary Broome,
Lynn Brown, Kelly Farrell, Kimberly Haynes, Jil Hicks, Mandy Hildebran,
Lori Hoffa, James Lambert, Jacob Lee, Lorraine Lawing, Angela LeRoy,
Mary Lombardi, Sandra Lutz, Clara McClain, John Parker, Tammy Pendleton,
Ginger Shubert, Bart Sigmon and Brooke Sumter;
*granted leave of absence to certified
employee Tamara Jakobs;
*granted leave of absence to classified
employees Mary Bolick, Shirley Cole and Melissa Fussell;
*accepted resignations of
certified employees Dennis Emperley, Norma Ridenhour, Brian Ross, Joey
Schnople, Deanna Smith and Olivia Wood;
*granted the retirement requests of
certified employees Robert Bost and Carolyn Coley;
*granted the retirement requests of
classified employees Earl Carpenter and Nancy Lail;
*deceased – certified employee D.
Kermit Whisnant;
*granted the reassignment of certified
employee Sharon Lee Boudier;
*granted the transfer of certified
employee Tammy Canerday; and
*accepted resignations of classified
employees Danneil Brown, Carol Burns, Misty Capps, Lidia Garcia, Jamie
Hoyle, Diane Jackson, Danny Tolbert and Terri Willms.
The Board was also furnished a listing of
substitute teachers.
Field Trip Requests:
*St. Stephens High School Wrestling to
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, December 10-11, 2004
*St. Stephens High School Wrestling to
Cary, North Carolina, December 22-23, 2004
*Bunker Hill High School Chorus to
Greensboro, North Carolina, January 28-29, 2005
*Tuttle Middle School Cheerleaders to
Atlanta, Georgia, February 18-20, 2005
*St. Stephens High School Jr. State of
America to Washington, DC, February 24-27, 2005
*St. Stephens High School Science
Academic Team to Raleigh, North Carolina, February 25-27, 2005
*Maiden High School Winterguard to
Boiling Springs, South Carolina, February 26, 2005
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to
Greensboro, North Carolina, March 10-12, 2005
*Maiden High School Winterguard to
Roebuck, South Carolina, March 12, 2005
*Fred T. Foard High School Guard to
Roebuck, South Carolina, March 12, 2005
*Maiden High School Winterguard to Fort
Mill, South Carolina, March 19, 2005
*Maiden High School Winterguard to
Spartanburg, South Carolina, April 2, 2005
*Maiden High School Winterguard to
Dayton, Ohio, April 6-9, 2005
*Fred T. Foard High School Guard to
Dayton, Ohio, April 6-9, 2005
*Maiden High School AFJROTC to Sumter,
South Carolina, April 23, 2005
*Maiden High School FCCLA to
Greensboro, North Carolina, April 25-27, 2005
*Oxford Elementary School Second Grade
to Columbia, South Carolina, April 28, 2005
*Maiden High School Band/Concert Choir
to Washington, DC, April 28-May 1, 2005
*Maiden High School AFJROTC to
Charleston, South Carolina, April 29-30, 2005
*Fred T. Foard High School Jazz Band to
Abington, Virginia, April 30, 3005
Clinic Requests:
*Fred T. Foard High School Track and
Field Clinic, February 19, 2005.
Mrs. Butler asked a question regarding
the timeframe of two wrestling tournament requests. There being no
others questions or discussion, a motion was made by Mrs. Spencer and
seconded Mrs. Butler to approve the amended Consent Agenda items
including the Affirmative Action Report, but excluding the Personnel
Requests. The motion carried. Mrs. Spencer commended Assistant
Superintendent Hensley and staff for the outstanding Affirmative Action
Report.
The following item of Old Business was transacted:
OB#1:
At the December 6,
2004 meeting, members were presented the 2004 Audit Report. Yesterday
at the Board of Education Retreat, detailed audit information was
presented by Melanie Starr and Roger Bowman. There being no discussion
regarding the report, a motion was made by Mrs. Butler to adopt the 2004
Audit Report as presented by the Ms. Starr and Mr. Bowman. Mr. Hilton
seconded the motion with no opposition.
The following items of New Business were then
transacted:
NB#1:
Assistant Superintendent Rick Sherrill briefed members on the
construction of the new Maiden High School which will open with the
school year 2006-07. To keep the timeline to-date, it becomes necessary
to begin the construction process on renovations and additions to Tuttle
Elementary School and Maiden Middle School in order for all three
schools to open with the school year 2006-07. Both projects (Tuttle
Elementary School and Maiden Middle School) will cost $3.1 million
dollars. Currently, $2.6 million dollars remains in the budget for the
two projects after $500,000 dollars was converted into the new Maiden
High School project to assist with cost increases. Construction
Coordinator Williams presented the scope of work and schedule for the
both projects and opened the floor for any questions from members. Once
renovations are completed, the capacity of Tuttle Elementary School will
be 600 students and the capacity of Maiden Middle School will be between
525-575 students. Construction Coordinator Williams also presented
transportation procedures at the schools after renovations are
completed. Mrs. Butler asked Construction Coordinator Williams if the
walkways between the buildings would be covered. In order to keep on
the projected schedule timeline, bidding and awarding of contracts need
to take place in March. Upon a motion by Mr. Scott and seconded by Mr.
Hilton, the board unanimously approved the bidding process for both
projects. Bidding information will be brought back to members at their
March 21, 2005 meeting.
NB#2:
Assistant Superintendent Nancy Yount, Secondary
Education Director Debbie Long and Career-Technical Education Director
Karen Cale presented to the Board high school course additions for
2005-2006. Assistant Superintendent Yount informed members that initial
process of course additions begin in November asking schools to meet and
look at their needed courses for the next year. Each school’s course
additions were thoroughly presented allowing time for member to ask any
questions. Once the presentations were completed, a motion was made by
Mrs. Butler to approve the presented course additions with Mr. Sigmon
seconding the motion. All members were in favor.
NB#3:
Federal Law 29 CFR1910.1450 mandates that each Local Education Agency
develop a Chemical Hygiene Plan. The purpose of the plan is to protect
workers and support personnel such as office, custodial, maintenance and
repair personnel performing their normal duties from overexposure to
hazardous chemicals. Based on state workshops, template and
recommendations taken from OSHA, ANSI, NCDOL and NC General Statutes,
administrators and teachers developed our district’s plan. The plan
includes: identification of hazardous chemicals; an outline of
responsibilities of the district’s chemical hygiene officer
(Superintendent Hart designated Jane Williams from Maintenance), school
hygiene officer and other employees; procurement, distribution and
storage of chemicals; employee medical program for chemical exposure;
standard operating procedures; monitoring safety equipment and storage
areas; inventory; signs and labels; emergency plan for accidents;
employee training program; and, waste disposal program. Assistant
Superintendent Yount informed members that based upon their approval,
each middle/high school will developed their own plan. The role and
duties of the principal are also outlined in the plan. Assistant
Superintendent Yount extended thanks to Assistant Superintendent
Sherrill, Maintenance Director Mark Bumgarner and others who assisted
with the development of the plan and ensured that schools are following
the safety portion of the plan. The floor was opened for any questions
or revisions from members. Mrs. Butler recommended that the word
“periodically” should be defined and clarified on page twelve of the
plan. There being no other questions, Mrs. Butler made the motion to
approve the presented Chemical Hygiene Plan with the one recommended
change. Mr. Scott seconded the motion. All members were in favor of
the motion.
NB#4:
Assistant Superintendent Sherrill briefed members on background
information regarding the sale of the old St. Stephens Elementary School
property. The one year listing agreement with Commercial First Real
Estate and Development will expire on March 1, 2005. Members were
mailed prior to the meeting market activity information for their
review. The listing price for the property is $3,375,000 and over the
period of the last eleven months no offers have been submitted to
Catawba County Schools. Assistant Superintendent Sherrill introduced
Mr. Jason Richardson of Commercial First to answer any questions from
members. Mr. Richardson informed members that the economy is improving
on a stand point of the property. The Department of Transportation has
made advancements crossing Springs Road and improvements are in
progress. Mrs. Butler asked Mr. Richardson to explain reasons why the
Board should renew the contract with Commercial First for another year
and what Commercial First has done to market the property over the past
year. Mr. Richardson informed members that the property listing was
broadcasted to approximately four hundred investors with twenty
responding back to them. There were ten investors seriously interested
in the property. He also stated that if no one is representing the
property with advertisement, then the property only markets itself.
There being no other questions or discussion, Mr. Hilton made the motion
to extend the contract for one year with Commercial First. Mrs. Butler
seconded the motion with no opposition.
Public Comments:
Attorney Davis conducted the
Public Comments section of the agenda at which time two persons desired
to address the Board. Attorney Davis asked the two persons addressing
the Board to limit their comments to five minutes.
The first person to address
members was Ms. Ronnie vonDrehle. Ms. vonDrehle highlighted to members
the outstanding accomplishments made by Superintendent Hart during her
five years as superintendent of Catawba County Schools. She asked
members several questions, one question being, “why has Superintendent
Hart failed.” Ms. vonDrehle stated that Superintendent Hart is highly
respected at the state level and by her fellow colleagues.
To conclude the Public Comments, Ms. Kim Sherrill
addressed members. Having served on the Board for eight years, Ms.
Sherrill reiterated the outstanding job Superintendent Hart has done and
her accomplishments as a superintendent. Both Ms. Sherrill and Ms.
vonDrehle stated that Superintendent Hart would be a “hard act to
follow.”
Upon a motion by Mr. Scott and seconded by Mrs. Spencer, the Board
unanimously went into Closed Session pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11 for the
following purpose: under subsection (a)(1) to prevent the disclosure of
privileged and confidential personnel information pursuant to G.S.
115C-319-321.
CLOSED SESSION (Separate minutes for Closed Session are prepared and
kept confidential.)
The Board returned to Open Session
with a motion by Mr. Sigmon, seconded by Mr. Scott with no opposition.
Mr. Sigmon made a motion to
approve the Personnel Requests as submitted to members. Mrs. Spencer
seconded the motion. All members were in favor of the motion.
Mrs. Butler made the motion to
approve the recommendation of Dr. Eddy Daniel as principal of the
Catawba Valley Early College High School. Mrs. Spencer seconded the
motion with no opposition.
There being no other items of business to be conducted, a motion to
adjourn was made by Mr. Sigmon and seconded by Mrs. Butler with no
opposition. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m
__________________________
Charlie
Wyant, Chairman
__________________________
Ann Y.
Hart, Secretary
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