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September
12, 2005
The Catawba County Board of Education met in regular session on
September 12, 2005, at noon at Arndt Middle School with Chairman Charlie
Wyant presiding. The following members were present: Mr. Hilton, Mrs.
Blackburn, Mrs. Spencer, Mrs. Butler and Mr. Sigmon. Also in attendance
were Superintendent Timothy Markley, Assistant Superintendents Doyle
Brinson, Pat Hensley and Nancy Yount, Attorney Crystal Davis, Finance
Director Sondra Wolfe, Chief Technology Officer Judith Ray, Public
Information Officer/Grant Writer Beverly Lampe and Principal Jeff
Taylor. Mr. Scott was not present for the meeting.
John Mayhew represented the Observer News Enterprise.
Principal Jeff Taylor welcomed everyone in attendance. He conducted the
school tour and then accompanied the group to the school’s cafeteria
where lunch was provided.
Upon completion of the tour and lunch, the meeting was held in the
school’s media center. The meeting was called to order by Chairman
Wyant and opened with a Moment of Silence followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance led by Mr. Hilton. Mr. Hilton made the motion to approve the
Consent Agenda as presented. Mrs. Blackburn seconded the motion with
opposition.
Public Hearing:
Attorney 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 Markley began his report by extending congratulations to
Nan Barker who was named the 2005-2006 Teacher of the Year. Ms. Barker,
a Language Arts teacher at River Bend Middle School, has taught eight
years in the Catawba County Schools. In addition to her plaque, Ms.
Barker was awarded one year usage of a 2006 Honda Accord LX from Honda
Cars of Hickory as well as $1,000 in cash from Benny Yount of Paramount
Automotive Group. Mr. Yount also announced a gift of $1,000 to the
Salvation Army/Hurricane Katrina Relief in Ms. Barker’s honor.
Superintendent Markley extended congratulations to all of the district’s
Teachers of the Year.
Other items of update included:
•The first, of five sessions, of Questions and Answers with the
Superintendent will begin on September 12. The following is a schedule
of the five sessions: September 12 at Jacobs Fork Middle School
beginning at 7:00 p.m.; September 15 at River Bend Middle School
beginning at 7:00 p.m.; September 19 at Maiden High School beginning at
6:00 p.m.; September 29 at St. Stephens Elementary School beginning at
7:00 p.m.; and October 2 at Mill Creek Middle School beginning at 2:00
p.m. These sessions will allow the communities to meet the
Superintendent and ask any questions they may have.
•The Catawba County Schools’ United Way Kickoff Breakfast will be on
September 15 at the United Way Office beginning at 8:00 a.m.
•Hurricane Katrina relief efforts continue at several schools in the
district. The efforts have been frequently publicized in area
newspapers as well as on our website. Final totals will be pulled
together at the end of September and at the end of the first semester.
The numbers have been requested by the State Superintendent and the
North Carolina Schools’ Public Relations Association. The district has
already begun enrolling families into our schools from the Gulf Coast.
•September 14 marks the anniversary of Francis Scott key writing the
Star-Spangled Banner. School children from all over the country,
including participants in Catawba County Schools, will be singing the
National Anthem at 9:00 a.m. to commemorate the anniversary. Some
schools participating in The National Anthem Project include Oxford,
Murray, Campbell, Lyle Creek, Blackburn and Startown Elementary
Schools. Others may also be participating.
Tuttle Middle School and Balls Creek Elementary School are among schools
combining the observance with the celebration of Constitution Day, which
is September 16. Maiden High School and Bandys High School JROTC units
will assist Tuttle and Balls Creek celebrations, while Banoak,
Claremont, Maiden, Sherrills Ford and Mt. View Elementary Schools have
planned other special programs to celebrate historic events. Schools
have special guests during the week including mayors and representatives
from the fire and police departments.
•“Beth’s Run for Strength” was held on September 10 in honor of St.
Stephens High School teacher Beth Haunton, who remains in nursing care.
There were 380 runners and walkers with donations totaling $19,500. The
donations benefit the education fund for Annie Haunton, Ms. Haunton’s
daughter.
•Students at Bandys High School are raising funds for the family of
Michael Rabb, a Bandys High School soccer player and golfer. Michael
would have begun his sophomore year, but his physicians discovered
leukemia the week before school started. He continues to receive care
at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. Michael’s younger brother attends
Mill Creek Middle School. For additional information, contact the
Bandys High School soccer coach Phillip Batten. Our hearts go out to
Michael and his family. Board member Sherry Butler gave a recent update
on Michael’s condition.
•An orchestra of performers, all from Catawba County Schools, will
support the upcoming production of “A Year with Frog and Toad” at the
Green Room Community Theatre in Newton. The family show will open
September 16 with tickets costing $5.00 each. Congratulations were
extended to the talented cast and crew.
•The Catawba County Board of Education will conduct a work session on
September 26 from 12:00 until 5:00 p.m. and on September 27 from 12:00
until 5:00 p.m. The regular monthly meeting will follow on September 27
beginning at 5:30 p.m.
•A meeting will be held with principals regarding the recent legislative
changes of the retirement process including the reemployment of
retirees.
•Catawba County Schools currently have fifty-eight classroom trailers
located throughout the district.
To conclude his report, Superintendent Markley reminded members of the
second community meeting in the Sherrills Ford area regarding the growth
in the area. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 13 in the
Media Center at Sherrills Ford Elementary School and will begin at 7:00
p.m.
The following Consent Agenda items were transacted:
Personnel Requests:
*approved certified employees Daniel Lesosky;
*approved administrative contracts to certified employees Leslie Black
and Nancy Yount;
*approved retirees Tim Carpenter, Criss Ervin, Robert Long and Frank
Morehead;
*approved VIF employees Joanne Couper, Lynsey Curran, Stephen Neate and
Heidi Steinbring;
*approved classified employees Tracy Allison, Brenda Cazire,
Zackery DeBerry, Annisa Eckerd, Valorie Houston, Geri Lowery, Loretta
McNeely, Teresa Miller, Maria Oses, Katherine Ray, Gaye Watts and Donald
Wilkerson;
*accepted the resignations of certified employees Wendy
Bush, Chrystal Causey, Cheryl Pritchard and Lori Reavis;
*granted the retirement requests of certified employees Timothy
Carpenter, Carol Coffey, Ed Klinck, Frank Morehead, Lecia Simmons and
Nancy Yount;
*accepted the resignations of classified employees Tracy
Benfield, Timothy Cantor, Robert Noe and Linda Potter; and
*granted transfer request of classified employee Lora
Ramseur.
The Board was also furnished a listing of substitute teachers.
Field Trip Requests:
*Fred T. Foard High School Concert Choir to Blowing Rock, North
Carolina,
September 2-3, 2005
*St. Stephens High School FCCLA to Harnett Central High,
September 16-17, 2005
*Fred T. Foard High School DECA to Raleigh, North Carolina, September
25-26, 2005
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to Raleigh, North Carolina, September
25-26, 2005
*Maiden High School DECA to Raleigh, North Carolina, September 25-26,
2005
*Bandys High School Marching Band to Rock Hill, South Carolina, October
8, 2005
*Mt. View Elementary School Sixth Grade to Hendersonville, North
Carolina, October 12-14, 2005
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to Orlando, Florida, November 3-6, 2005
*Clyde Campbell Elementary School Second Grade to Columbia, South
Carolina, November 10, 2005
*Bandys High School Chorus to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, November
12-13, 2005
*Bandys High School Chorus to Greensboro, North Carolina, January 27-28,
2006
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to Greensboro, North Carolina, March 2-4,
2006
*Bunker Hill High School DECA to Dallas, Texas, April 29-May 2, 2006
There being no questions or discussion, a motion was made by Mrs.
Blackburn and seconded by Mrs. Butler to approve the presented field
trips and personnel requests. The motion carried.
The following item of Old Business was transacted:
OB#1:
Chief Technology Officer Judith Ray presented on first reading the
following Board of Education Policies: Equipment/Materials
Donation, NCWISE Password and Workstation, Remote Access, Security
Awareness, Virus Protection, and Technology Hardware and Software
Procurement. In order to have the new Technology Plan approved by the
State and make the district eligible for eRate funding, systems must
have Board policies adopted in fifteen areas. The six policies
presented reflect the areas in which Catawba County Schools do not
already have a Board adopted policy. The six policies were presented to
members at the August 22, 2005 Board of Education meeting, but action
was delayed in order for thorough review by Attorney Davis. Since
there were no questions or discussion regarding the policies, Mrs.
Butler made the motion to approve the Equipment/Materials Donation
Policy, NCWISE Password and Workstation Policy, Remote Access Policy,
Security Awareness Policy, Virus Protection Policy and the Technology
Hardware and Software Procurement Policy on first reading. Mr. Sigmon
seconded the motion with no opposition. The policies will be presented
on second reading at the September 27th Board of Education
meeting.
Public Comments:
Attorney Davis conducted the Public Comments section of the agenda at
which time Arndt Middle School Principal Jeff Taylor and St. Stephens
High School Principal DeAnna Taylor wished to address the Board.
Principals Taylor and Taylor presented to members a list of track
concerns at their schools. Community and parent representatives from
the St. Stephens area will be present at the September Board of
Education to address their concerns to members. Chairman Wyant thanked
Principals Taylor and Taylor for their comments.
Upon a motion by Mrs. Butler and seconded by Mr. Sigmon, 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); under subsection (a)(1) to prevent the disclosure
of privileged and confidential personnel information pursuant to G.S.
115C-319-321; and, under subsection (a)(3) to discuss matters protected
by the attorney-client privilege.
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 Mrs. Spencer with no opposition.
There being no other items of business to be conducted, Mr. Sigmon made
the motion to adjourn with Mrs. Butler seconding the motion. All
members were in favor. The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
__________________________
Charlie
Wyant, Chairman
__________________________
Timothy S. Markley, Secretary
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