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September 26, 2005
The Catawba County Board of Education
held its two-day Board Retreat on September 26-27, 2005 at the County
Schools’ Administration Annex Building 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 Dr. Doyle
Brinson, Pat Hensley and Nancy Yount, Attorney Crystal Davis, Finance
Officer Sondra Wolfe, Chief Technology Officer Judith Ray, Public
Information/Grant Writer Beverly Lampe, Testing and Accountability
Director Kelly Rhoney and Director of Professional Learning Rae
Thompson. Mr. Scott was not present for the meeting.
The meeting opened with a Moment of
Silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mrs. Blackburn.
An update on Human Resources issues was
the first item on the agenda. Assistant Superintendent Hensley
introduced Director of Professional Learning Rae Thompson who also
assisted with the Human Resources’ powerpoint presentation. Assistant
Superintendent Hensley informed members that the presentation will be a
“scope of the work” conducted in the Human Resources Department.
Functions include: teacher recruitment and retention; professional
development/licensure; local, state and federal compliance; liability
reduction (worker’s compensation and unemployment); employee discipline;
employee hiring and dismissal; resource development; and principal,
teacher, staff information, support and referral. Details of the
individual functions were presented to members.
Director of Professional Learning
Thompson then presented information on the Beginning Teacher Induction
and Support program. She reiterated the importance of maintaining and
retaining quality teachers. Components of the Beginning Teacher
Induction and Support program include: Summer Beginning Teacher
Induction (BTI); monthly BTI sessions; three levels of mentor support
(individual mentor, lead mentor and master mentor); and mentor flex
plan. Data based on the fourteen ILT’s served by master mentors
included: remained in the same position, same site – 8; remained in the
same position, transferred site – 0; changed positions, same site – 1;
changed positions, transferred site – 2; non-reappointed – 2; resigned –
1; and ILT’s remaining in Catawba County Schools – 79.3%.
Other beneficial resources in the Human
Resources Department include: ILT and mentor discussion boards;
Schoollink; and the Human Resources Management System.
Assistant Superintendent Hensley gave a
brief update on the status of NCLB Highly Qualified (HQ) staff.
Percentages for 2004-2005 include: 93.34% HQ teachers; 55.81% HQ
professional development; and 87.14% HQ paraprofessionals.
Other updates presented by Assistant
Superintendent Hensley included: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA);
Salary Review: Classified Personnel; Principal Evaluation Changes;
Teacher Assistant Support; Substitute Teachers; and Changes in
Retirement after November 1. During her presentation, the floor was
open for questions and/or discussion from members. Members unanimously
agreed for administration to gather additional information on the
Teacher Assistant Support update and bring back the information at the
January Retreat. Assistant Superintendent Hensley and Superintendent
Markley addressed questions from members regarding the retirement
changes.
Next on the agenda was the Closing the
Gap powerpoint presentation by Assistant Superintendent Yount and
Testing and Accountability Director Kelly Rhoney. Assistant
Superintendent Yount began the presentation by stating the eight Catawba
County Schools’ Closing the Gap goals, which include:
Goal 1: By 2005, Catawba County Schools
will develop and implement with broad parent input, a plan designed to
foster parent/community and district/school communication and
partnership.
Goal 2: By 2005, Catawba County Schools
will continue to increase achievement of subgroups to reach level set by
NCLB legislation.
Goal 3: By 2007, Catawba County Schools
will increase the number of teachers reflecting the gender and ethnicity
of the student population by 10%.
Goal 4: By 2007, Catawba County Schools
will increase the graduation rate, as defined by the district, of all
NCLB subgroups by 10%.
Goal 5: By 2006, 100% of Catawba County
Schools’ teaching staff will be identified as highly qualified as
defined by NCLB legislation.
Goal 6: By 2007, Catawba County Schools
will increase the number of preschool slots in high quality preschool
programs by 10%.
Goal 7: By 2007, Catawba County
Schools’ special education and academically/intellectually gifted
programs will proportionally reflect the gender and ethnicity of the
student population.
Goal 8: By 2004, Catawba County Schools
will develop a professional learning plan aligned to the objectives of
Strategic Goal 8 and designed to increase the academic achievement of
all subgroups in NCLB legislation.
Testing and Accountability Director
Rhoney presented overall performance in mathematic and reading scores
grades 3-8. Other data presented included performance by ethnicity and
subgroups for grades 3-8 and grades 9-12. Across the board, growth was
shown in all ethnic groups.
To conclude the powerpoint presentation,
Assistant Superintendent Yount individually discussed the eight goals
emphasizing ways to meet each one of the goals. Results of the NSSE
Student Survey results were also presented to members.
An additional presentation was given by
Assistant Superintendent Yount on the Catawba County Schools’ Strategic
Plan Timeline. The timeline consisted of: September-November 16 –
Central Office staff updates; September 26 – submit committee members to
Superintendent; October 4 – send letters of invitation to committee
members including all meeting dates; December 7 – meeting beginning at
9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. in the Annex Boardroom; January 12 – meeting
beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. in the Annex Boardroom; January
31 – review progress to date with K-12 principals; February 23 – meeting
beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. in the Annex Boardroom; March –
send rough draft to committee members for their review; April 6 –
meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. in the Annex Boardroom;
and April Board of Education meeting – Strategic Plan reviewed at
meeting and submitted for approval. Assistant Superintendent Yount
informed members of the possibility of condensing the large plan into
two pages for all teachers.
Superintendent Markley and Finance
Officer Wolfe presented the Budget Summary for 2005-2006. Members
received a copy of the document prior to the meeting for their review.
The budget incorporates five funding sources: Local Funds, State Funds,
Federal Funds, Capital Outlay Funds and Child Nutrition Funds totaling
$150 million dollars. Key points presented by Finance Officer Wolfe
included: an average of 2.24% salary increase for all teachers; an
average 2.11% salary increase for principals and assistants principals;
and either a $850 increase or 2%, whichever is greater, for all other
positions; retirement rate increased from 5.815% to 6.82%; and
hospitalization insurance increased from $3,420 per year per employee to
$3,745 per year. The State Budget is based on initial allotments from
the State Department of Public Instruction. Amendments will be made as
changes occur. The Federal Budget is based on projects submitted and
approved by the State Department of Public Instruction. The Capital
Outlay Budget include carry-over projects in addition to new funding for
four yellow buses, furniture and media retrieval system at Maiden High
School, bus parking and air conditioning at Maiden Middle School, Tuttle
Elementary School renovations and equipment, roof work, planning for the
new Catawba Elementary School, future projects and per capita. The
State Budget includes discretionary reductions of $545,759 which
resulted in the loss of: four teacher positions, $114,439 (At-Risk
Remediation Funds), $115,000 (teacher assistants), and $125,000
(non-instructional support – custodians). The County Commissioners
approved an allocation of $1,194 per student, an increase of
$1,800,828. This amount included $794,052 in new funding for the 2%
performance based bonus. The does not reflect the tremendous growth or
the realities of opening a new high school and converting two other
schools in a middle school and an elementary school. On the tenth day
of school, enrollment was 17,137 up from 16,983 the previous year. Two
other recommendations in the expansion items included: increase of
$2.00 per ADM for library books and Phase II of expansion of classified
salary schedule. Approximately $4.4 million is available in fund
balance, of which $1.9 million is recommended in the presented budget.
Within the $1.9 million is $54,962 of activity bus funds that are being
transferred into the Capital Outlay Fund for the purchase of an
additional bus. Approximately $2.5 million will be left in undesignated
fund balance. $2.5 million is 9.4% of our Local Current Expense
Budget. The Local Government Commission recommends an undesignated fund
balance between 8% and 15%. While the finalization of the 2005-2006
budget occurs, several issues to monitor during the 2006-2007 budget
process will include: State Lottery Revenue, ˝ cent local option sales
tax (on hold until the next Senate session), and loss of sales tax
revenue. Chairman Wyant and Mrs. Butler commended Finance Officer Wolfe
for her outstanding work with the budget. Board action will be taken on
the 2005-2005 Budget at tomorrow night’s regular meeting, September 27,
2005.
The last item on the agenda for the day
was a legislative update given by Superintendent Markley.
Superintendent Markley highlighted House Bills and Senate Bills that
have a direct effect on the district. Bills included: House Bill 635;
House Bill 705; House Bill 779; House Bill 1023; House Bill 1414; House
Bill 1630; Senate Bill 961 and Senate Bill 1124.
There being no other items of business
on the agenda, a motion was made by Mrs. Butler to adjourn. Mrs.
Blackburn seconded the motion and all members were in favor. Day-one of
the Board of Education Retreat adjourned at 3:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Charlie C. Wyant, Chairman
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Timothy S. Markley, Secretary
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