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

Regular Meeting

Dates:

Monday, February 21, 2022 - 6:30pm

The Transylvania County Board of Education will hold a regular business meeting on Monday, February 21, 2022 at 6:30 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 recissions):

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 21, 2022.

Groups audience:

02. 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:

03. 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

Black History Month

Each February, the U.S. celebrates Black History Month by honoring the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans and recognizing the cultural heritage, triumphs, and adversities that are an indelible part of our nation’s history. This year’s theme, Black Health and Wellness, pays homage to Black medical scholars and health care providers, and is especially timely as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. In 1926, Carter G. Woodson set out to shine a light on the collective, shared experiences of all African Americans and show how those experiences have shaped, challenged, and strengthened America. What started as Negro History Week eventually evolved into Black History Month in the 1960s. Black History Month is celebrated in the month of February because two great men, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, were born in February.

Youth Mental Health Initiative

The community is coming together to help the youth of Transylvania County, and Transylvania County Schools is helping lead the initiative. Educators from BHS, RHS, and DRS, along with Student Services Director Missy Ellenberger and Public Information Officer Jen Heatherly, are working with the Transylvania County Youth Support Collaborative to help voice the needs and concerns of our students, staff, and parents. There has been an alarming increase in mental health distress among our youth, manifesting as anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. To help combat this, the Collaborative’s initial focus will be ensuring that every youth in Transylvania County feels heard and supported. The long-term vision will be helping all youth feel confident and secure in connection, purpose, and hope. For more information, please visit the article on our website at Youth Mental Health Initiative.

Scholastic Hardest Math Problem Contest

Brevard Middle School educators Mandy Przywara and Mellissa Howell recently collaborated to help BMS students participate in Scholastic’s Hardest Math Problem Challenge. The challenge has two stages. In the initial stage, everyone can submit an answer. In the second stage, only the students who answered the first stage correctly can compete. Six students (Tory Brown, Jameson Rybka, Chris Flunker, Jamin Manner, Julia Sherrill, and Janielynn Fowler) will advance to the second stage of the contest. Students who answer the second stage correctly will have their names put into a drawing for a chance to win a laptop and $5,000 for college.

“Love the Bus” Week / School Bus Driver Appreciation Week

The week of Valentine’s Day is “Love the Bus Week” nationwide, and February 14-18, 2022 was “School Bus Driver Appreciation Week” in North Carolina. This is a great time for everyone to show their appreciation to our hard-working bus drivers and thank them for the invaluable contributions they make to public education and student safety. A proclamation from Governor Roy Cooper recognizing North Carolina school bus drivers is attached.

National School Counseling Week

National School Counseling Week was February 7-11, 2022. Please join us in thanking our professional school counselors for all they do to help students deal with adversity and mental health challenges, achieve academic success, and prepare for post-graduate careers and higher education.

National CTE Month

Career and Technical Education Month® takes place each February to celebrate the value of CTE and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across the county. Career and technical education directly prepares students for high-wage, high-demand careers in areas such as health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, hospitality and management, and more. It provides many different types of education, from classroom learning to certification programs to work-based learning opportunities outside the classroom. CTE plays an incredibly important role in readying graduates for their future workplaces.

Random Acts of Kindness Day/Week

Random Acts of Kindness Day® was Thursday, February 17, 2022 and Random Acts of Kindness Week was February 13-19, 2022. Teaching children compassion and kindness is one of the best things we can give them. Teaching kindness increases positivity, and research shows that kids with positive attitudes have higher serotonin levels. Higher serotonin is linked to better academic performance, stronger memory skills, better mood, and more restful sleep. It doesn’t take much—even the simplest act of kindness can make a significant impact.

Rosman High School Alumni Hall of Fame

The Rosman High School Alumni Hall of Fame was created to recognize the Rosman alumni who have achieved success and/or contributed to the Rosman community. On February 10, five individuals were inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame for 2021. The inductees were Mr. William Cathey III, Mr. Willard Galloway, Mrs. Linda Peeples, Mr. Freddie Whitman, and Mr. David Whitmire. Congratulations!

Kindergarten Rally & Registration for 2022-2023

Kindergarten registration for the 2022-2023 school year is coming up soon. A Kindergarten Rally will be held on Thursday, April 7, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Transylvania Parks and Recreation. Kindergarten registration will be available in all our elementary schools on Tuesday, April 19 through Friday, April 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and also from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 21. 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, 2022 are eligible to start kindergarten this fall. Visit www.tcsnc.org/k for enrollment forms and more information.

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

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

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

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

Smartphone App: Transylvania County Schools on Play Store and iTunes

SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/transylvaniacountyschools

Public Attachments:

School Bus Driver Appreciation Week Proclamation.pdf

Groups audience:

04. Former Students in the Military

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 wishes to thank the former students from Brevard High School, Rosman High School, and Davidson River School who are currently serving or have previously served in the U.S. Military. The attached list of names is recognized at every meeting and read aloud twice a year in recognition of Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Additional names will be included as they are received.

Public Attachments:

Military List 2-21-22.pdf

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 January 20, 2022 meeting
Minutes of the January 20, 2022 closed session
Minutes of the January 24, 2022 meeting
Minutes of the January 24, 2022 closed session
Personnel report for February 21, 2022

A motion is in order to approve the consent agenda items.

Public Attachments:

Minutes 1-20-22.pdf

Minutes 1-24-22.pdf

Personnel Report 2-21-22.pdf

Groups audience:

06. Contract for Network 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 agreement between Transylvania County Schools and Comporium, Inc., for the school district’s WAN (wide-area network) connectivity. The addendum will extend the current contract until June 30, 2023. The current agreement and the 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, 2023.

Public Attachments:

TCSD 5 YR 10Gig New Agreement (1).pdf

Transylvania County Schools Contract Addendum 1-28-2022.pdf

Groups audience:

07. School Calendar 2022-2023

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

At the board’s work session on February 7, Dr. Brian Weaver presented a first look at the recommended school calendar for the 2022-2023 year. North Carolina school districts have very little flexibility in their calendars due to state legislation; however, counties such as Transylvania that typically experience weather-related closures may apply for a calendar waiver to start the school year earlier than the legislature prescribes. A recent spate of mild winters (except for this year) resulted in our system not meeting the required threshold for a waiver in 2022-2023. This means that the first pupil day for the 2022-2023 school year may not take place before the Monday closest to August 26 and the last pupil day must occur by June 11. The first pupil day for Transylvania County Schools will be Monday, August 29 and the last pupil day will be Friday, June 9.

Other notable changes include:

Starting on August 29 means that first semester exams cannot be completed before the Christmas break. First semester will end on January 20, 2023.
The four early release days are no longer in the calendar. They have been replaced with remote learning days. The calendar committee agreed that this would be less of a hardship on parents.
The school district’s spring break will not match the spring break for Blue Ridge Community College. Transylvania County Schools’ spring break is typically aligned with Easter and is scheduled for April 10-14, 2023. Spring break for BRCC is scheduled in March.

The recommended calendar is attached. Dr. Weaver will answer any questions you may have.

A motion is in order to approve the school calendar for the 2022-2023 year.

Public Attachments:

Pending BOE Final Draft Calendar 2022-23.pdf

Groups audience:

08. FY22 Budget Resolution

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

Chief Financial Officer Gabi Frost will present the budget resolution for the 2021-2022 fiscal year (see attached). Ms. Frost will answer any questions you may have.

A motion is in order to approve the FY22 Budget Resolution.

Public Attachments:

FY22 budget resolution.pdf

LCE Changes 2-21-22.pdf

LCE 2-21-22.pdf

Capital Plan 2-21-22.pdf

Groups audience:

09. Bond Projects 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

The Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners met jointly on January 31, 2022 to discuss the school bond projects. Dr. Jeff McDaris will give an update.

Groups audience:

10. Superintendent's 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

Dr. Jeff McDaris will give an update on current and emerging educational issues.

Groups audience:

11. 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. 24, 25	Remote learning days
Mar. 7	REGULAR MEETING	6:30 p.m.	MEC
Mar. 9	School Facility Tours – Day 1	7:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.	TCH, RES, RHS, RMS
Mar. 11	Students dismissed at noon
Mar. 14	Teacher workday
Mar. 15	Remote learning day
Mar. 21	REGULAR MEETING	6:30 p.m.	MEC
Mar. 22	School Facility Tours – Day 2	7:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.	BES, PFES, DRS, BMS, BHS
Mar. 28	TCS Science Expo	4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.	Transylvania Parks & Recreation
Apr. 4	REGULAR MEETING	6:30 p.m.	MEC
Apr. 7	Kindergarten Rally	4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.	Transylvania Parks & Recreation
Apr. 8	Students dismissed at noon
Apr. 11-18	Spring break
Apr. 18	NO MEETING (annual leave day; no students)
Apr. 26	“Teacher of the Year” Awards Program	5:30 p.m.	Rogow Room
May 2	REGULAR MEETING	6:30 p.m.	MEC

Groups audience:

12. 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:

13. 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. § 143-318.11 for the following purposes: under subsection (a)(3) to consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body and for the Board to received legal advice regarding the legal proceedings in Michael Ian Maddox, as guardian ad litem on behalf of E.S., O.T., G.T., C.B., P.S., M.M., O.M., C.R., A.L., C.S., J.S., A.W., K.W., J.W., and O.W., vs. Transylvania County Board of Education.

Groups audience:

III. Adjournment

Groups audience:

Source URL: https://aws.nc.transylvania.schoolboard.net/node/5709