Published on Transylvania County Schools | powered by schoolboard.net (https://transylvania.schoolboard.net)

Regular Meeting

Dates:

Monday, February 5, 2024 - 6:00pm

The Transylvania County Board of Education will hold a regular business meeting on Monday, February 5, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Morris Education Center, 225 Rosenwald Lane, Brevard. The meeting is open to the public. It will be livestreamed and may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/tcsnc.

Groups audience:

I. OPENING OF MEETING

Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

Call to Order

Welcome

Groups audience:

II. BUSINESS ITEMS (including amendments and rescissions):

Groups audience:

01. Approval of Agenda

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action	X
Excellent Educators		Information
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

A motion is in order to approve or revise the meeting agenda for February 5, 2024.

Groups audience:

02. Student Recognitions

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship	X	Action
Excellent Educators	X	Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

Congratulations to the following Rosman High School students for being selected to participate in the Mars Hill University Honors Band on January 26-27, 2024. The four junior/senior students qualify and would receive the Presidential Music Scholarship at Mars Hill University should they decide to further their education there. This scholarship is currently worth $22,500 a year.

11-12 Blue Band

Sandy Enriguez – Alto Saxophone

Richard Lewis – Trumpet

Elisabeth Qualls – Horn

Brendan Marlow – Trombone

9-10 Gold Band

Savannah Lewis – Trumpet

RHS Band Director – Katerina Canter

Congratulations to the following Brevard High School students and Brevard Middle School students for being selected to the 2024 Western North Carolina District Honor Bands:

9-10 Grade Honor Band

Ella Crider - 10^th chair Clarinet

Camden Jenkins - 16^th chair Clarinet

Naila Small - 4^th chair Bass Clarinet

Tori Brown – 5^th chair French Horn

11-12 Grade Honor Band

Mya Parlier – 10^th grade Clarinet

Julia Bohn – 12^th chair Trumpet

David Bohn – 6^th chair Trombone

Trevor Long – 1^st chair Tuba

BHS Band Director – Andrew Jimeson

7-8 Grade Honor Band

Evan Gilleland – 8^th chair Flute, Concert Band

Maddox Jimeson – 2^nd chair Snare Drum, Concert Band

Ozzie Ashworth – 1^st chair Snare Drum, Symphonic Band; eligible for All-State Band

BMS Band Director – Topher Kane

The board will invite the students and directors to come to the front to shake hands and be recognized.

Groups audience:

03. Public Comment

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

The board of education, as an elected representative body of the school system, wishes to provide a forum for citizens to express interests and concerns related to the school system. In order that the board may conduct an orderly meeting while providing an opportunity for input, individuals or groups may be heard by the board in accordance with policy 2310, Public Participation at Board Meetings, or policy 2300, Board Meetings (subsection D.2).

Each month, the first part of at least one regularly scheduled board meeting will be set aside for citizens to address the board through public comment.

A sign-up sheet will be available 30 minutes before the meeting begins for any individual or group to indicate their desire to address the board.

Each speaker will receive 3 minutes to present comments. The public comment session will not exceed 30 minutes total except by majority vote of the board.

The board chair will recognize speakers in the order in which they signed in. Substitute speakers will not be permitted and speakers may not donate any portion of their time to another speaker. If a speaker is unable to present all of his or her information within the specified time limit, the speaker may provide the board with additional information in written form. If an unusually large number of people requests to speak, a majority of the board may decide to reduce the time for each individual or to require the designation of a spokesperson for each group of persons supporting or opposing the same positions. At any time, the board may establish additional procedures to ensure that public comment sessions proceed in an efficient and orderly manner.

Board members will not respond to individuals who address the board except to request clarification of points made by the presenter.

Issues involving individual personnel or student matters are confidential and, therefore, are not appropriate for the public comment session. Concerns related to personnel or student matters should be handled as a complaint and reported to the superintendent or designee.

Except in cases of emergency, information received during presentations will not be acted upon at the time it is received. It will take unanimous vote of the board members present to act on a presentation considered to be of an unusual or emergency nature at the time it is presented.

Disruptions by any person or persons of a public meeting will be subject to action in accordance with G.S. 143-318.17.

No solicitations will be allowed during public comment.

The board may choose to offer a second opportunity for public comment at the end of the meeting. Sign-ups will not be required for the second public comment opportunity.

If the board does not hold a regular meeting during a month, the board will not provide a time for public comment at any other meeting held during that month, unless a majority of the board votes to allow public comment at the meeting or unless the purpose of the meeting is a public hearing.

Groups audience:

04. Good News Report

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship	X	Action
Excellent Educators	X	Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students	X	Discussion
Operations and Support	X

PFES Student is DAR Essay Contest Winner

Congratulations to Pisgah Forest Elementary School fifth grader Noelle Shelton for being named as the 2024 DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Essay contest winner.

February is Career and Technical Education Month

The month of February is recognized as National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. CTE directly prepares students for high-wage, high-demand jobs in areas such as health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, hospitality and management, and more. It provides everything from classroom learning to certification programs to work-based learning opportunities outside the classroom. Some recent CTE activities include:

BHS FFA: Ethan Zaludek and Baylor Blythe will compete in the NCFFA State Truck and Tractor Driving Finals.

BHS Architectural Drafting II & III: Thank you to architects John Koury and Melanie Spreen with May Collaborative, and building project manager Zach McCall, for sharing their knowledge and giving a tour of their Jordan Street Townhomes project. Mr. Koury also mentored Architectural Drafting III students through their first commercial drafting project. They worked on designing and drawing a new mixed-use building on the corner of Johnson and Main Street in downtown Brevard. Students visited the site in early December and then presented their conceptual projects to Mr. Koury for feedback.

BHS FCCLA members volunteered to work in the concession stand during two football games and four basketball games, which helped raise money for the clubs.

BHS Culinary Arts 2: Eleven Culinary 2 students received their ServSafe Manager Certification from the National Restaurant Association.

Black History Month 2024

Each February, schools celebrate Black History Month by recognizing the contributions of African Americans and the cultural heritage, triumphs, and adversities that are an indelible part of our nation’s history. This year’s theme is African Americans and the Arts. For centuries the artistic contributions of people of African descent were denied, minimized and/or stolen. However, there is an unbroken chain of Black arts production from antiquity to the present, from Egypt across Africa, from Europe to the New World. Music, literature, visual arts, and dance all reflect the richness of the past and present with an eye towards what the future will bring.

School Resource Officer Appreciation Day – Feb. 15

February 15 is National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day and a time to thank our dedicated SROs for all they do to keep schools safe and cultivate positive relationships with students, families, and communities. SROs are full-time law enforcement officers with sworn law enforcement authority, trained in school-based policing and crisis response, and assigned to work with schools using community-oriented policing concepts. They help bridge the gap between youth and law enforcement, serving as informal counselors and role models. We greatly appreciate our school resource officers and all they do.

National School Counseling Week Feb. 5-9

National School Counseling Week is February 5-9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within schools. This year’s theme is “Standards-Based, Student-Focused.” School counselors can have a tremendous impact in helping students deal with adversity and mental health challenges, achieve academic success, and plan for higher education and careers. We thank our school counselors (and our school social workers!) for all they do for students:

Denise Reese, school counselor – RES

Mary Derks, school counselor – TCH, RMS

Sarah Shawver, school counselor – RHS

Autumn Rumfeldt, school counselor - PFES

Julie Owens, school counselor – BES

Debra Carabantes, school counselor – BES

Colleen Fernandez, school counselor – BMS

Kat Motuz, school counselor – BMS

Kayla Byrd, school counselor – BHS

Hailey Brinke, school counslor - BHS

Jaime Dulberg, school counselor – DRS

Courtney Owen, crisis counselor – Systemwide

Hallie Moore, academic counselor – BHS, RHS, DRS

Bethany Green, school social worker – RES, TCH, RHS, RMS

Lovey Puryear, school social worker – BES, BHS

Olivia Shuler, school social worker – DRS, BMS, PFES

Love the Bus Month February 2024

February is the month we show appreciation to the individuals and organizations involved in operating school buses and transporting students. We thank our drivers, mechanics, schedulers and others who work hard to ensure the safe delivery of children to and from schools five days a week.

Did you know?

In 1926, the state of North Carolina contracted with a man named Perley Thomas for the manufacture of 100 school buses. This was the start of the Thomas-Built brand that we use to this day.
The first-ever diesel-fueled school bus was built in 1959. Today, electric buses are being added to fleets across the county.
School buses are up to 70% safer than other vehicles
School buses are not strictly painted yellow. Most school buses mix bring orange with yellow.
School buses come in three different sizes, mini-, mid- and full-sized.
School buses create an environment for kids to socialize and interact with each other.
The U.S. school bus industry creates job opportunities and reduces the unemployment rate by a fair percentage.

Apply for the Governor’s Educator Discover Award

The Governor’s Educator Discovery Award recognizes the value of quality professional development for teachers in all phases of their careers. The program will provide a stipend of up to $1,000 for PreK - 12 traditional public and public charter school teachers to pursue a professional development experience of their choosing. Teachers may use the grant award to attend a workshop or conference that deepens their subject area knowledge or a session or how to create a project-based learning experience for students. Applications are open and due by Monday, February 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. The Governor’s Educator Discovery Award is sponsored by the North Carolina Business Committee for Education. Visit ncbce.org/geda/ for more information or to apply.

Papa John's Pizza Classroom Party

School Nutrition Services is offering classes a well-balanced meal with Papa John’s pizza delivered straight to the classroom. Teachers may complete a classroom party order form and turn it in to their cafeteria manager two weeks in advance of the planned event. School Nutrition will take care of the rest!

Employee Assistance Program

Transylvania County Schools partners with the Employee Assistance Network, Inc., to provide a valuable benefit to all employees and their immediate family members via the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Under the EAP, employees and their families have access to a counselor to help improve or resolve difficulties, whether big or small, private or work-related, and develop a plan to move forward. Services are confidential and prepaid by the employer. For more information visit employee assistance program.

Kindergarten Rally & Registration for 2024-2025

Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year is coming up soon. A Kindergarten Rally will be held on Thursday, April 4, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Transylvania Parks & Recreation. Kindergarten registration will be available in all of our elementary schools on Monday through Friday, April 8-12, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and also from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 11. Starting school is an exciting experience for young children and we want to be sure it is a positive one. All children who will be five (5) years old on or before August 31, 2024 are eligible to start kindergarten this fall. Visit www.tcsnc.org/k for enrollment information.

STEAM Expo/Duke Energy Science Night

The 2024 STEAM Expo/Duke Energy Science Night will be held on Monday, April 29 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Transylvania County Parks & Recreation. This would be a good opportunity for responsible high school students who are interested in running activities to earn community hours. Please contact Audrey Reneau to volunteer or for more information.

STEM Camp for High School Students

Mark your calendars for the hands-on STEM Camp for high school students on June 17–27, 2024. Please contact Jessica Tidmore at BHS or Audrey Reneau at the Education Center if you would like to help.

School Happenings in February

2/6 - Brevard Middle School PTO Meeting

2/6 - Pisgah Forest Elementary R.O.P.E. meeting

2/8 - Title One STEAM Night

2/12 - T.C. Henderson PTO Meeting

2/15 - Brevard Elementary OPT Family Game Night

2/16 - Early Dismissal

Feb: Black History Month

Feb: Career & Technical Education Month

Feb: Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

Feb. 5-9: National School Counseling Week

Feb. 7: Global School Play Day

Feb. 12-16: National FBLA Week

Feb. 12-16: National FCCLA Week

Feb. 15: School Resource Officer Appreciation Day

Feb. 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day

Feb. 17-24: National FFA Week

Feb. 22: School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Feb. 26 - Mar. 3: Public Schools Week

For more good news from Transylvania County Schools, please visit us at:

Home Page: www.tcsnc.org ǀ Facebook: facebook.com/transylvania.schools

Twitter: twitter.com/transylvaniasch ǀ Flickr: flickr.com/tcsnc

Instagram: Instagram.com/transylvaniaschools ǀ YouTube: youtube.com/user/tcsnc

Smartphone App: Transylvania County Schools on Play Store and iTunes

SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/transylvaniacountyschools ǀ WSQL Radio: bit.ly/TCSYesRadio!

Groups audience:

05. Consent Agenda

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action	X
Excellent Educators	X	Information
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

The following items are submitted for consent approval (see attachments):

Minutes of the December 4, 2023 meeting
Minutes of the December 18, 2023 meeting
Minutes of the January 16, 2024 meeting
Minutes of the January 16, 2024 closed session
Personnel report for February 5, 2024
Appointment of Lori Cairnes as school treasurer at Brevard Elementary School, Jennifer Moody as school treasurer at Rosman High School, and Shaunna McCall as school treasurer at Rosman Middle School, pursuant to N.C.G.S. 115C-448(a)

A motion is in order to approve the consent item(s).

Public Attachments:

Minutes 12-04-23.pdf

Minutes 12-18-23.pdf

Minutes 1-16-24.pdf

Personnel Report 2-05-24.pdf

Groups audience:

06. Wide-Area Network Contract Renewal

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action	X
Excellent Educators		Information
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

Director Chris Whitlock will present an addendum to the current contract between Transylvania County Schools and Comporium, Inc., to extend the school district’s WAN (wide-area network) connectivity until June 30, 2025. The agreement and addendum are attached. Board approval is required for expenditures in excess of $90,000. Mr. Whitlock will answer any questions you may have.

A motion is in order to approve the contract addendum between Comporium, Inc., and Transylvania County Schools to extend WAN connectivity until June 30, 2025 pending contract review by the board attorney.

Public Attachments:

Comporium WAN Agreement.pdf

Transylvania County Schools Contract Addendum #3_1-25-2024.pdf

Groups audience:

07. Closed Session

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion	X
Operations and Support	X

The board will entertain a motion to go into closed session pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 115C-318.11 subsection (a)(3) to consult with an attorney retained by the board to preserve the attorney client privilege between the attorney and the public body.

A motion is in order to go into closed session.

Groups audience:

08. School Calendar 2024-2025

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion	X
Operations and Support	X

On January 16, Dr. Brian Weaver presented the recommended calendar for the 2024-2025 school year as first-read information. Under North Carolina’s calendar law (see summary below) there is little flexibility for change. Our system did not meet the required threshold for a weather-related calendar waiver. Therefore, the committee based the start date and end date on current calendar legislation. The first student day would be Monday, August 26 and the last student day would be Friday, June 6. First semester would end on January 17. At the meeting, the board asked Dr. Weaver to prepare an alternative “early start” draft that would allow first semester exams to be given before the Christmas break. The traditional start draft and the early start draft are attached for review. Dr. Weaver will discuss and answer any questions you may have.

A motion is in order to adopt a school calendar for the 2024-2025 school year.

Requirements and Guidance on School Calendar - S.L. 2020-3 (SB704) Updated June 30, 2020. School calendars must meet the following requirements:

Start date no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26 and end date no later than the Friday closest to June 11 (unless a weather related calendar waiver has been approved, year-round school, charter school or cooperative innovative high school.) If waiver is approved the start date can be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 19.
There are no educational purpose waivers for exemption of the opening and/or closing dates.
All schools within the district must be closed all day for purposes of determining eligibility for a weather related waiver (delayed starts or early dismissals of two or more hours no longer apply).
Covers at least nine calendar months.
Must have a minimum of 185 days OR 1,025 hours of instruction.
Must have at least nine (9) teacher workdays.
Local Boards shall designate two (2) workdays on which teachers may take accumulated vacation leave. Local Boards may designate the remaining workdays as days teachers may take accumulated vacation leave.
Have a minimum of ten (10) annual vacation leave days.
Have the same or an equivalent number of legal holidays occurring within the school calendar as those designated by the State Personnel Commission for State employees.
School shall not be held on Sunday.
Veterans Day shall be a holiday for all public school personnel and for all students enrolled in the public schools.

Public Attachments:

BOE_2024-2025 Draft calendar_TCS (Traditional).pdf

BOE 2024-2025 Draft calendar_TCS (Early).pdf

Groups audience:

09. Auditor Contract FY24

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action	X
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

A contract to audit accounts from Anderson Smith & Wike PLLC for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 is attached for the board’s consideration and approval

A motion would be in order to approve the audit contract for FY24.

Public Attachments:

Audit Contract FY23-24.pdf

Groups audience:

10. Facilities Update

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

Director Kerry Putnam will give an update on facilities. A Statement of Qualifications from McGill Asociates regarding the RHS football field is attached.

Public Attachments:

McGill_RHS Football Field_Transylvania County Schools, NC.pdf

Groups audience:

11. Update on Capital Reserve Study

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

Dr. Lisa Fletcher will give an update on the capital reserve study.

Groups audience:

12. NCSBA Legislative Committee

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action	X
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

The North Carolina School Boards’ Association’s Board of Directors has invited local boards to nominate one member to serve on the 2024 NCSBA Legislative Committee. The committee develops the NCSBA’s legislative agenda for consideration and adoption by the Delegate Assembly. The NCSBA president will appoint one at-large member from each of the eight education regions to serve a two-year term. Nominees must be able to attend all scheduled meetings (two in-person meetings in Raleigh on July 19 and September 13, and one virtual meeting TBD). An individual should be nominated through a vote of the full board taken in open session. Nominees must complete the online application by Wednesday, March 22, 2024. See the attached memo for more information.

If there is an interest in serving, the board may nominate a member to apply for the NCSBA Legislative Committee.

Public Attachments:

NCSBA Legislative Committee Service 2024.pdf

Groups audience:

13. Report(s) from Training Event(s)

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

Mrs. Dalton will have an opportunity to report from the NCSBA Board Officers Academy training that she attended on January 18, 2024 in Raleigh. Mr. Wiener will give a report from the “Making Education Work for Real” session that he attended on January 23, 2024 at the Cleveland County La Grange Center.

Groups audience:

14. Transylvania County Education Endowment

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion	X
Operations and Support	X

Mr. Chris Wiener will discuss a proposed Transylvania County Education Endowment. A draft Articles of Formation is attached.

Public Attachments:

Transylvania County Education Endowment.pdf

Groups audience:

15. Important Dates

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

Feb. 16	Students dismissed at noon
Feb. 19	WORK SESSION	6:00 p.m.	MEC
Mar. 4	REGULAR MEETING	6:00 p.m.	MEC
Mar. 18	WORK SESSION	6:00 p.m.	MEC
Mar. 25 - Apr. 1	Spring break
Apr. 4	Kindergarten Rally	4 – 6 p.m.	Transylvania Co. Parks & Recreation
Apr. 5	End of third quarter
Apr. 8	Makeup day for Jan. 10
Apr. 8-12	Kindergarten Registration	M-F 8:30–2:30 pm; Th 4–6 pm	BES, PFES, RES, TCH
Apr. 15	WORK SESSION
Apr. 23	“Of the Year” Awards Program	5:30 p.m.	Mary C. Jenkins Community Center
Apr. 29	STEAM Expo/Duke Energy Science Night	4:30 – 6:30 p.m.	Transylvania Co. Parks & Recreation
May 3	Students dismissed at noon
May 6	REGULAR MEETING	6:00 p.m.	MEC
May 20	WORK SESSION	6:00 p.m.	MEC

Groups audience:

16. Other Items

Strategic Priority		Reason for Consideration
Graduates Prepared for Work, Higher Education and Citizenship		Action
Excellent Educators		Information	X
Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students		Discussion
Operations and Support	X

An opportunity will be provided for comments and/or other items from board members.

Groups audience:

III. ADJOURNMENT

Groups audience:

Source URL: https://transylvania.schoolboard.net/node/6561