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February 23, 2004
The Catawba County Board of Education met in regular session on February
23, 2004 at 5:30 p.m. at the County Schools’ Administration Building
with Chairman Charlie Wyant presiding. The following members were
present: Mr. Biggerstaff, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Sherrill, Mr. Scott, Mrs.
Butler and Mr. Sigmon. Also in attendance were Superintendent Ann Hart,
Assistant Superintendents Pat Hensley, Nancy Yount and Rick Sherrill,
Attorney Crystal Davis, Finance Director Sondra Wolfe, Public
Information/Grants Writer Sonya Gordon, Exceptional Children’s Director
Sharon Fox White, Career Technical Education Director Roxy Poovey,
Construction Coordinator Ernest Williams, Architect Atilla Orkan, Bunker
Hill High School Kelly Rhoney, St. Stephens High School Principal DeAnna
Taylor and Startown Elementary School Assistant Principal Barbara Bell.
Sarah Newell represented the Observer News Enterprise.
The meeting opened with a Moment of Silence followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance led by Mr. Scott. The Consent Agenda was amended by
Superintendent Hart to add seven additional field trips and the addition
of New Business #7 – Right of Way Agreement for Turning Lane at Webb A.
Murray Elementary School. After the amendment, the agenda was
unanimously approved upon a motion by Mrs. Sherrill and seconded by Mrs.
Blackburn.
Public Hearing:
Attorney Crystal Davis conducted the Public Hearing phase of the meeting
for comments concerning any agenda items. Pastor Jeff Roberts of
Shoreline Bible Church, a newly formed church, wished to address the
members regarding New Business #2. Pastor Roberts and his congregation
are requesting from the Board their consideration for granting special
use of the cafeteria and one classroom (#212) at Sherrills Ford
Elementary School on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. which would
be an exception to the current Board of Education Policy 9.2300. He
stated that currently the membership of the church was around twenty
persons with anticipated growth between seventy-five to one hundred
members in the near future.
Superintendent’s Report:
Superintendent Hart began her
report by announcing that the week of February 21-28 is National Future
Farmers of America (FFA) week. The district’s FFA clubs and programs
will be celebrating this youth development organization. FFA is devoted
to preparing students for leadership and career success through
agricultural education. Bandys High School held an open house for the
public, students and staff to visit their program and the animals they
raise. There are three schools in our district that offer FFA to the
students. The schools are Bandys High School, Bunker Hill High School
and Fred T. Foard High School. Bandys High School program includes a
working animal farm along with offering courses that range from agri-science
and animal husbandry to horticulture and landscaping. Bunker Hill High
School also offers the same courses as Bandys High School. Fred T.
Foard High School concentrates more on ag mechanics curriculum.
Hands-on learning at Bandys High School has included raising animals on
the school’s farm and showing the animals for ribbons at various fairs
and shows. Bunker Hill High School leans toward the horticulture side
of programming and has been given a large greenhouse by the Mosteller
Estate. The greenhouse will be used for seeding which will allow the
current seeding site to be converted into an aqua-culture area with
fish. Earlier this year, the national FFA organization selected Bunker
Hill High School’s FFA Chapter as a one-star winner. Superintendent
read Governor Easley’s proclamation and recognized the special guests
that were in attendance at the meeting. Special guests included:
Instructor and FFA Advisor Stephanie Anderson and FFA student officer
Amanda Phillips from Bandys High School; Instructor and FFA Advisor
Kevin Beam from Fred T. Foard High School; and Student Teacher Brandi
Barrett along with three FFA students Kristie Bentley, Danielle Love and
Jeremy Frye from Bunker Hill High School. Superintendent Hart thanked
the special guests for attending the meeting.
Other items of update included:
•Colonel Mike Colbert, Commander
for the Army JROTC program at Bandys High School, was selected by the
United States Army for the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame, Class
of 2004, at Fort Benning, Georgia. The induction ceremony will be on
April 2. This is the first year of the JROTC program at Bandys High
School along with the completion of a rappelling tower for cadets.
Plans are to build more towers and rope courses in the complex for
training. Staff is working on funds to complete these projects.
•Catawba County Schools’ Finance
Officer Sondra Wolfe and her finance department was one of eight
officers and departments in the state to be recognized for receiving all
three State Board of Education awards for the fiscal year 2003. Every
year since 1989, the State Board of Education has recognized finance
officers for outstanding achievements in three categories which included
State Board of Education Recognition of Achievement in Financial
Resource Management, Association of School Business Officials
Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting, and Government Finance
Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence.
Superintendent Hart recognized Finance Officer Wolfe and her department
for their outstanding work.
•The Catawba County Schools’
webpage has changed its appearance. The homepage has been updated to
better serve the needs of students, teachers and the community which
include more graphics, a sleeker look and strategically placed link
buttons. Many thanks were extended to Webmaster Angie Blalock and
Public Information/Grants Writer Sonya Gordon.
•Four Arndt Middle School students
were selected to participate in the American Choral Directors’
Association Southern Division Middle School Girls’ Honor Choir. Middle
school singers from across a twelve state area auditioned for this
prestigious honor. The four singers from Arndt included: Sydney
Shepherd, Katie Choate, Amanda Young and Elizabeth Seitz. Rehearsals
will be conducted in Nashville, Tennessee with famed conductor Susan
McMane of the San Francisco Girls’ Choir. The concert will be at the
War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville on February 28. Tamera Shook is
the Choral Director for Arndt Middle School.
•Three students from Fred T. Foard
High School auditioned and made the Mars Hill College Choral Clinic.
The students were Avie Robinson, Michael Whittington and Tyler
Lingerfelt. The students were selected to participate in the choral
workshop which was held on February 6 and 7 at Mars Hill College. The
students rehearsed for two days with guest conductor Jeffery Redding
from Orlando, Florida and presented a concert to parents and the
community on February 7.
•Governor Easley and the County
Commissioners have proclaimed February 22-28 as North Carolina
Association of School-Based/School-Linked Health Centers week. Locally,
Catawba County Schools partner with the Catawba County Health Department
on the Totally Teens Health Center. Among the top issues the Teens
Center patients face with peers, according to a recent survey, include:
sex, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, weight concerns and
pregnancy. As of mid-year 2003-2004, the Teens Center had 3,953
participants in health education sessions and 1,536 in tobacco education
sessions. Topping the list of the most needs were problem visits,
following by completing physical exams, psychosocial counseling and
nutritional counseling. Superintendent Hart recognized Board member
Sherry Butler who is the chairman of the Totally Teens Health Center.
Mrs. Butler explained that the problem visits were related to asthma.
•Ten Arndt Middle School band
students were recently selected to be a part of the state’s Northwest
District Middle School Honors Band. Twenty-two band students from Arndt
Middle School traveled to Central Davidson Middle School to compete in
an individual band competition. Approximately 500 children auditioned
from our region. Those selected performed in a district concert at Wake
Forest University in early February. Two of the ten Arndt students
chosen for the regional honors band scored high enough to be eligible to
audition for the All-State Honors Band in the spring. The students were
Joshua Blackburn and Brad Henderson.
Superintendent Hart concluded her
report by introducing special guests St. Stephens High School Principal
DeAnna Taylor and two parents from her school who were Ms. Ronnie Von
Drehle and Ms. Debbie Mingus. Ms. Von Drehle and Ms. Mingus invited
members to attend the second annual Community Drug Forum on March 21
from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. in the multipurpose building at CVCC.
Members were given important information including statistics regarding
the drug usage in our county. The forum will consist of sessions
conducted by experts ranging in topics from personal experiences to
types of drugs and symptoms. Ms. Mingus shared her personal family
experiences and their drug addictions. Members were asked to lead the
way for a drug free community.
The following Consent Agenda items were transacted:
Budget Amendment:
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 this amendment may be found between pages
___ and ___ and become an official part of these minutes.
Field Trip Requests:
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to Greensboro, North Carolina,
February 26-28, 2004
*St. Stephens High School FBLA to Greensboro, North
Carolina, March 25-27, 2004
*St. Stephens High School Music Department to Williamsburg,
Virginia, March 25-28, 2004
*Bunker Hill High School HOSA to Greensboro, North Carolina,
April 1-3, 2004
*St. Stephens High School HOSA to Greensboro, North
Carolina, April 1-3, 2004
*Catawba Valley MagnIT Program to Washington, D.C., April
12-15, 2004
*Bandys High School FCCLA to Greensboro, North Carolina,
April 29-May 1, 2004
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to Nashville, Tennessee, April
29-May 4, 2004
*Tuttle Middle School Band to South Carolina, May 8, 2004
*Maiden High School AVID Program to Nassau, Bahamas, June
11-14, 2004
*Maiden High School AFJROTC to Misenheimer, North Carolina,
June 27-July 2, 2004
Personnel Requests:
*employed certified employees Michelle Hanrahan, Sonya Kelly, Bethany
Miller, Debbie Pitts and Allyson Stamey;
*employed classified employees Gretchen Beard, Peggy Billings, Kristin
Black, Jean Hampton, Lynn Hefner, Sylvia Houser, Jamie Hoyle, Angela
LeRoy, Pao Lo, Joseph Long, Nancy Thibodeau, Jamey Wilson and Jessica
York;
*granted leave of absence to certified employees Heather Lylerly and
Alicia Sumpter;
*granted leave of absence to classified employees Sharon Freitag and
Cynthia Molnar;
*granted administrative contract to certified employee Nancy Yount;
*granted non-staff coaches position to Rebecca Carver;
*accepted the resignation of certified employees Lisa
Austin, Milford May and Erin Sipe; and
*accepted the resignations of classified employees Beneta
Abernethy, Leslee Bekemier and Jeff Farlee.
The Board was also furnished a listing of substitute teachers.
The motion was made by Mrs. Blackburn and seconded by Mrs. Butler to
approve the budget amendment, presented field trips and personnel
requests. The motion carried.
The following items of Old Business were transacted:
OB#1:
Superintendent Hart presented the recommended 2004-2005 Budget
Requests. These requests were reviewed and discussed at the Planning
Retreat. The Public Hearing was also conducted on February 9, 2004
regarding the budget requests. Revisions were made the Capital Outlay
requests to reflect the recommended changes from members. The Base
Budget was also amended to reflect the addition of the Energy Education,
Inc. contract. There being no other questions, the motion was made by
Mr. Biggerstaff to approve the recommended 2004-2005 Budget Requests.
Mrs. Butler seconded the motion. All members were in favor.
OB#2:
At the February 3, 2004 Board meeting, representatives from the Town of
Maiden, Rutherford Electric and Duke Power presented their proposals for
providing power to the new Maiden High School. Assistant Superintendent
Sherrill and Construction Coordinator Ernest Williams briefed members of
the proposals which included rates, location of substation and
sewage/water service. Based on the findings and what would best serve
the new high school, the Town of Maiden was recommended to members for
the power provider. Upon a motion by Mrs. Blackburn and seconded by
Mrs. Sherrill, the Town of Maiden was selected with no opposition. Mrs.
Butler abstained from the vote.
The following items of New Business were then transacted:
NB#1:
Due to additional inclement weather, revisions are necessary to the
adopted school calendar for the remainder of the 2003-2004 school year.
Assistant Superintendent Hensley distributed to members a revised
calendar and explained the changes that were made. She then explained
to members that in the past it has been the practice of Catawba County
Schools to adopt a school calendar a full school year in advance of the
coming school year. Assistant Superintendent Hensley explained the
procedure of establishing a committee to complete this process. The
calendar committee will be composed of twenty-five members representing
parents, teachers and administrators and the procedure will be the same
as in the past. All Board members are invited to attend the meetings
held. The first calendar committee meeting will be on March 30, 2004 at
3:30 p.m. in the Central Office Boardroom followed by a second meeting
on April 15, 2004 at 3:30 p.m. in the Central Office Boardroom. Any
questions or comments about the committee or upcoming meetings should be
directed to Assistant Superintendent Hensley.
NB#2:
Members received prior to the meeting, a request of facility use at
Sherrills Ford Elementary School from Pastor Jeff Roberts of Shoreline
Bible Church. Pastor Roberts addressed members during the Public
Hearing portion earlier in the meeting. Superintendent Hart reminded
members of the current Board of Education Use of Facilities Policy
9.2300. The floor was opened for discussion. Mr. Scott asked Pastor
Roberts about the length of time needed for the facility use and if the
gym could be used instead of the request of the cafeteria and one
classroom. Mrs. Butler commented about the current policy and asked
Assistant Superintendent Hensley to review the wording of the “and/or”
segment of the policy. Members felt that “or” should be removed from
the current policy. Mr. Sigmon asked the question why the policy states
Monday thru Saturday and Sunday not included. He also feels that the
schools are public facilities and the public should be allowed to use
them. Mr. Scott made the motion to grant the facility use to Shoreline
Bible Church with Mr. Sigmon seconding the motion. Superintendent Hart
asked for clarification whether this motion is an exception to the
current policy or does the policy need to be revised. Mr. Scott then
revised his previous motion to grant the facility use to Shoreline Bible
Church as an exception to the current policy. Members in favor of the
motion were Mr. Scott, Mr. Sigmon and Chairman Wyant. Voting against
the motion were Mrs. Butler, Mrs. Sherrill, Mrs. Blackburn and Mr.
Biggerstaff. The motion failed. Mr. Sigmon then made the motion to
give administrative staff direction to revisit the current policy with
the suggestion of the use of facility being Monday thru Sunday. Mr.
Scott seconded the motion. After discussion, Mr. Sigmon withdrew the
motion on the floor and restated his motion. Mr. Sigmon made the motion
to revisit the current Board of Education Policy 9.2300 – Use of
Facilities and asked for input from administration. Mr. Biggerstaff
seconded the motion. Members in favor of the motion were Mr. Sigmon,
Mr. Biggerstaff, Mr. Scott, Mrs. Sherrill and Chairman Wyant. Voting
against the motion were Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Blackburn. The motion
carried. Discussion of the policy’s staff input will be on the March
22, 2004 agenda.
NB#3:
Superintendent Hart received a request from Bunker Hill High School to
name their baseball field after educator and coach Marty Curtis. The
request was submitted by the Bunker Hill Athletic Booster Club. On
behalf of the committee members and Bunker Hill High School, Principal
Kelly Rhoney emphasized the vital role that Coach Curtis exhibits daily
to the school and community. Coach Curtis has been employed
twenty-three years at the school. Superintendent Hart also stated that
a committee was formed, studied the request and unanimously recommended
the request per Board Policy 9.3000. Mrs. Butler made the motion to
name the Bunker Hill baseball field the M.M. Curtis Field with Mrs.
Blackburn seconding the motion. All members were in favor of the
motion.
NB#4:
Assistant Superintendent Sherrill informed members of environmental
problems with the new Maiden High School property. These environmental
problems have a negative impact on the property. An environmental study
was completed on the property in 1999. The construction plans were sent
to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Division
of Water Quality. The Division of Water Quality determined that the
stream located on the property was isolated. Construction Coordinator
Williams informed members that closing the stream would cost $140,000
and have a waiting period of eight to twelve months. Construction
Coordinator Ernest Williams then presented to members two options for
their consideration for the best use of the property.
Option A would consist of the movement of the tennis courts, football
stadium, soccer fields and one of the practice fields to allow the best
use of the wetland areas. Additional grading cost would be incurred.
Option B would be to give staff the authority to negotiate the purchase
of an additional 1.4 acres. This would allow best use of non-wetland
areas and the fields would be in closer proximity of the main stadium
complex. This would also allow more supervision of parking lots with
direct line of vision of students. Rotating cameras would also be
installed and monitored during the daytime in the Resource Officer’s
office.
Superintendent Hart reiterated the cost effectiveness and better use
with Option B. Mrs. Butler made the motion to accept the proposed
changes in Option B and give administration the authority to negotiate
the cost of the additional purchase of acreage. Mr. Scott seconded the
motion with no opposition. Mrs. Butler suggested to administration to
look into the purchase of rotating cameras for the other high schools.
She stressed the importance of these cameras and what beneficial tools
the cameras would be to school administration.
NB#5:
Discussions began last fall regarding the marketing of the old St.
Stephens Elementary School property. Several companies presented
proposals to members. Commercial First was approved to be the marketing
agent for the property. At that time, the Board gave Attorney Davis
authority to work on a contract with Commercial First Real Estate
Investment. Assistant Superintendent Sherrill reviewed with members the
proposed contract. Attorney Davis then presented to members the
proposed contract and highlighted a few minor revisions which were
agreed upon by Mr. Jason Richardson from Commercial First Real Estate
Investment. Mr. Richardson asked a question about the bid process.
There being no other discussion, Mrs. Blackburn made the motion to
accept the contract as presented. Mr. Biggerstaff seconded the motion
with no opposition.
NB#6:
Assistant Superintendent Hensley received a request to designate a
counseling job-sharing position. The General Assembly enacted Senate
Bill 701 and the job-sharing position legislation became effective
January 1, 2004. Assistant Superintendent Hensley asked for the Board’s
consideration of this request. If additional future requests are
received, then members and administration would need to decide upon what
action would be taken. Mrs. Butler asked a question regarding how the
hours would be worked. Mr. Scott made a motion to grant the job-sharing
request with Mrs. Sherrill seconding the motion. All members were in
favor.
NB#7:
Assistant Superintendent Sherrill informed members that he was contacted
by Mr. Rick George from the Department of Transportation regarding the
Right of Way Agreement for the turning lane at Webb A. Murray Elementary
School. The Department of Transportation requested that the Board of
Education approve this in order to begin the expansion of a turning lane
at the school. The expansion would be a thirty foot right of way on
each side of the centerline of the existing road. Work would begin as
early as this spring. There being no discussion or questions, Mrs.
Blackburn made the motion to grant the turning lane request at Webb A.
Murray Elementary School. Mrs. Sherrill seconded the motion with no
opposition.
Public Comments:
Attorney Crystal Davis conducted the Public Comments section of the
agenda at which time no person present desired to address the Board.
Upon a motion by Mrs. Butler and seconded by Mr. Scott, the Board
unanimously went into Closed Session pursuant to G.S.143-318.11 for the
following purposes: under subsection (a)(1) to prevent the disclosure
of privileged and confidential student information pursuant to 20
U.S.C.1232g (FERPA); and, 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. Scott, seconded
by Mrs. Sherrill with no opposition.
There being no other items of business to be conducted, Mr. Biggerstaff
made the motion to adjourn. Mrs. Blackburn seconded the motion. All
members were in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________
Charlie C.
Wyant, Chairman
__________________________
Ann Y. Hart,
Secretary
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