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March 9, 2009

MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

 

March 9, 2009

 

 

            The Montgomery County Board of Education convened in its regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 9, 2009, at 6:30 p.m.  This was rescheduled from March 2, 2009 because of weather conditions.  All board members except Steven W. DeBerry, who had a death in the family were present as follows:

 

                        James M. Spivey, Vice Chair (Acting Chair in Steve DeBerry’s absence)

                        Frances H. Reaves

                        Tommy A. Blake

                        Ann S. Long

                        Almetta Armstrong

                        Shirley M. Threadgill.

 

            Acting Chairman Spivey called the meeting to order and called for a motion to adopt the meeting agenda.  Upon a motion by Mrs. Armstrong, and a second by Mrs. Long, the agenda was adopted with unanimous approval from the board.

 

            Acting Chairman Spivey presented the opening thought.  This was a reading of having courage in leading and holding on to a clear vision by setting meaningful goals and staying the course.

 

            The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was led by Troy Elementary students, Owen Keating and Nathan Goodman, both in 2nd grade. 

    

            With no one requesting to address the board, the public comment period was not held.

 

Everyone present stood for a moment of silence when acting Chairman Spivey presented the following Resolution of Esteem Former Educational Personnel:

 

Parnell Robinson

 

            WHEREAS, our Heavenly Father, in His infinite love and wisdom, saw fit to call home Parnell Robinson on January 20, 2009, and

 

            WHEREAS, his services as a custodian to the Educational System of Montgomery County were a living testimonial of his integrity and skill, and

 

            WHEREAS, his loss will be deeply felt, not only by those with whom he served, but also throughout his entire community and county.

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Montgomery County Board of Education goes on record in expressing a sense of real loss and regret in his passing; that a copy of this resolution be conveyed to his family as an indication of our deep sympathy; and that a copy of the same be filed as a part of the permanent minutes of the board of education.

 

 

            The board recognized:  

 

  •  2009 Montgomery County Schools Spelling Bee Champions

o       Jonathan Walker – Candor Elementary

o       Ayonna Marshall – Green Ridge Elementary

o       Damon McCallum – Mt. Gilead Elementary

o       Alexa Little – Page Street Elementary

o       Rebecca Boggs – Star Elementary

o       Allison Coggins – East Middle

o       Hanna Butler – West Middle

 

  • 2009 Montgomery County Schools Spelling Bee Champion
    • Rebecca Boggs – 5th Grade, Star Elementary

 

  • Congressional Youth Leadership Council
    •  Myranda Blake – 11th Grade, EMHS

 

  • MCS Making a Difference Award for February 2009
    • Troy Elementary School
      • Pat Parrish, Teacher
      • Ginny Shaw, Teacher Assistant
    • Page Street Elementary School
      • Darrell Stevenson, Science Teacher
      • Patsy Brooks, Cafeteria Manager

 

  • NCSBA Academy for School Board Member Recognitions for their number of board training hours from July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008
    • Almetta Armstrong – Silver Award
    • Ann Long – Award of Distinction

 

            Dr. Peters also recognized the Teachers Cadet group that was in the audience.

 

Upon motion by Mr. Blake and a second by Mrs. Reaves, the board unanimously approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

  • Board minutes of the regular meeting and work session held on February 2, 2009
  • Montgomery County Board of Education meeting date changed from March 30, 2009 to April 6, 2009
  • Personnel and Auxiliary Reports; Contract Agreement for EC Program by Dr. Kevin Lancaster as follows:

 

1)      Upon the recommendation of the principal, approval of the following additions to the

substitute teacher list:

 

Noncertified                              Recommended By                        Record Check

 

            1) Tenika McAuley                       Mike Turner                                         Yes

            2)  Erica Davis                                        Charles DelForge                               Yes

            3)  Catherine Keating                  Emilie Simeon                                     Yes

            4)  Elizabeth Monk                      Charles DelForge                               Yes

            5)  Sandra Allred                         Jack Cagle                                          Yes

 

            

2)      Superintendent reports the acceptance of the following retirements/resignation:

 

Retirement/                           School/

Resignation                           Assignment                                        Effective Date

 

1)  Jeffrey Hinson                    East Middle School                             March 19, 2009          

                 Resignation                        Physical Education

 

            2)  Mike Underwood                West Montgomery High School          February 28, 2009

                 Retirement                         Construction Instructor

 

 

3)      Upon recommendation of the superintendent, approval of recommendation for employment of the following noncertified personnel:

 

     Employee/                       School                                Record                                  

     Effective Date                            Assignment                        Check             Replacing

 

      1) Audrey Sisk                 Central Office                      Pending           Roger Little

          03/02/09                      Part-time Custodial

 

4)      Consider approval for the following contractual agreement for EC program:

 

1)  Ruby Edmondson, to provide psychological services to Montgomery County

     Schools for the period beginning February 17, 2009 – June 10, 2009.

 

     Montgomery County Schools agrees to pay:

     $300.00 per BED evaluation

     $200.00 per psychological evaluation

     $ 75.00 per educational evaluation

     $ 50.00 per hour consultation fee for educational evaluation and/or other

     measures and for services other than testing.

     Travel will be billed at the state rate of .55 cents per mile.

     Total amount of this contract will not exceed $10,000.00.

           Billing shall be made on the 5th of the month.

           

Upon recommendation, approval of the following overnight school trips is

     requested.

 

1)  March 27-28, 2009 – East Middle School 6th & 7th grade SOAR

     class to Enlo High School, Raleigh, NC for Future Problem

     Solving Competition

 

2)     May 14-17, 2009 – East Montgomery High School AFJROTC

to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH for tour of base and Air

Force Museum

 

 

b.  Upon recommendation, approval of the following student transfers is

     requested.

 

 

Montgomery County Schools to Moore County Schools for 2009-2010

 

1)     Connor Chandler

2)     Jackson Chandler

3)     Daniel Harman

 

Montgomery County Schools to Randolph County Schools

 

1)     Lauren Hayden

 

Montgomery County Schools to Richmond County Schools

 

                        1)  Shytee K. Little

 

Dr. Ginny Carpenter introduced Emilie Simeon and Troy Kryzalka who gave an overview of the learning math through music program for Troy Elementary and Page Street Elementary Schools.  This program is more than memorizing math facts, it is internalizing math through music. 

 

Dr. Carpenter then introduced Beth Blake who gave an update on distance learning.   The fall semester finished with a success rate of 94%.  The spring class has 163 students taking 287 classes.

 

Next, Dr. Carpenter introduced Graham Fox who gave a presentation on the 3-D Portable Theatre.  This will be brought to Montgomery County Schools through a Golden Leaf Grant.   One high school will get the first one, with others to follow later as grant funding is available.

 

Mr. Larry Jenkins and Ed Caldwell gave the figures for the 2007-2008 drop-out rate.  Montgomery County Schools was above the state rate of 4.97% with 6.28%.  The established goal for 2008-2009 is to decrease dropouts by ½ using the previous 2 year average.  Some strategies put in place this year are:  graduation teams at each school, students at promise, after school remediation/acceleration, credit recovery, Montgomery County Schools young men on the rise/young women on the rise programs, distance learning, Montgomery County Schools mentoring programs, Montgomery Learning Academy, Communities in Schools mentoring program, grades 4-8, opportunities to make up unexcused absences with Saturday or after school, balanced literacy, graduation coaching.  Communities in Schools will have graduation coaches for twenty five ninth grade students for 2009-2010 school year. 

 

Dr. Peters shared a national conversation about the dropout problem.  The president gave a speech to congress saying that with the global economy a good education is a prerequisite.  Over half of our citizens don’t have a higher education.  The goal is for every child to have an education.  Every American should commit to one year of college at the least.  Dropping out of high school is no longer an option.  We need a strong k-2 reading program.  It starts with not being about to read well.  Students get behind.

 

Mr. Jenkins went on to give the 2007-2008 school crime and violence report.  Overall acts of violence increased in the state, mostly with 9th grade males.  Montgomery County Schools is moving in the right direction going down 6 instances from last year.

 

Kathy Johnson asked for approval for the local budget reduction amount Montgomery County.  The adjusted Local Current Expense Appropriation for 2008-2009 is now $6,228,055.  The adjusted Capital Outlay Appropriation for 2008-2009 is now $505,417.  With a motion to approve from Mrs. Long and a second from Mrs. Threadgill, with unanimous approval from the board the motion passed to accept the adjusted appropriations.

 

Kathy Johnson also presented the Montgomery County Schools Budget Calendar as follows:

February 2, 2009      5:00pm-6:00pm        Board Budget Work Session

February 20, 2009    8:30am-5:00pm        Board Retreat

April 6, 2009              4:30pm-6:00pm        Board Budget Work Session

May 4, 2009               4:30pm-6:00pm        Board Budget Work Session/Public                                                                                               Hearing

 

Dr. Lancaster also presented the following Policies for first reading.  They will be presented for approval after a 30 day time period of evaluation.

 

o       Policy Code 3220 - Technology in the Educational Program 

    • Policy Code 3225/4312/7320 - Technology Acceptable Use Policy
    • Policy Code 3225/4312/7320-E1 - MCS Technology Acceptable Use Agreement for Staff
    • Policy Code 3225/4312/7320-E2 – MCS Technology Acceptable Use Agreement for Students
    • Policy Code 3227/7322 – Web Page Development
    • Policy Code 2110 – Board Member Elections
    • Policy Code 2116 – Removal From Office
    • Policy Code 2120 – Code of Ethics for School Board Members
    • Policy Code 2121 – Board Member Conflict of Interest
    • Policy Code 2123 – Board Member Opportunities for Development
    • Policy Code 2125/7315 – Confidential Information
    • Policy Code 2300 – Board Meetings
    • Policy Code 2310 – Public Participation at Board Meetings
    • Policy Code 2320 – Compliance With the Open Meetings Law
    • Policy Code 2321 – Closed Sessions
    • Policy Code 2325 – Board Meeting News Coverage
    • Policy Code 2500 – Hearings Before the Board
    • Policy Code 2650 – Liaison With School Boards Associations
    • Policy Code 5071/7351 – Electronically Stored Information Retention
    • Policy Code 7100 – Recruitment and Selection of Personnel
    • Policy Code 7120 – Employee Health Certificate
    • Policy Code 7130 – Licensure
    • Policy Code 7130-R – Licensure 
    • Policy Code 1750/7220 – Grievance Procedure for Employees
    • Policy Code 1710/4021/7230 – Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying
    • Policy Code 1730/4022/7231 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities
    • Policy Code 1735/4025/7235 – Harassment Defined
    • Policy Code 1736/4026/7236 – Sexual Harassment Defined
    • Policy Code 1755/7237 – Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedure for Employees
    • Policy Code 7240 – Drug-Free and Alcohol-Free Workplace
    • Policy Code 5026/7250 – Smoking and Tobacco Products
    • Policy Code 7260 – Occupational Exposure to Blood Borne Pathogens
    • Policy Code 7262 – Communicable Diseases-Employees
    • Policy Code 1760/7280 - Prohibition Against Retaliation 
    • Policy Code 7300 – Staff Responsibilities
    • Policy Code 4040/7310 – Staff-Student Relations
    • Policy Code 4240/7312 – Child Abuse-Reports and Investigations
    • Policy Code 2125/7315 -  Confidential Information 
    • Policy Code 4250/5075/7316 - North Carolina Address Confidentiality Program 
    • Policy Code 3230/7330 – Copyright Compliance
    • Policy Code 7410 – Career Status
    • Policy Code 7425 – School Administrator Contracts
    • Policy Code 7430 – Substitute Teachers
    • Policy Code 7500 – Workday
    • Policy Code 7505 – Compliance with State Board of Education Employment Policies 
    • Policy Code 7510 – Leave of Absence
    • Policy Code 7530 – Military Leave
    • Policy Code 7560 – Permitted Salary Deductions for Absences and Discipline of Exempt Employees 
    • Policy Code 7620 – Payroll Deductions
    • Policy Code 7730 – Employee Conflict of Interest
    • Policy Code 7810 – Evaluation of Licensed Employees
    • Policy Code 7820 – Personnel Files
    • Policy Code 4705/7825 – Confidentiality of Personal Identifying Information 
    • Policy Code 4705/7825-R – Confidentiality of Personal Identifying Information 
    • Policy Code 7930 – Career Employees: Demotion and Dismissal
    • Policy Code 7940 – Classified Personnel:  Suspension and Dismissal
    • Policy Code 8340 – Insurance
    • Policy Code 8341 – Limited Claim Settlement
    • Policy Code 8350 – Fixed Assets Inventory

 

            Dr. Lancaster and Bill Mingin introduced the Public School Capital Building Fund application to replace the gymnasium roof at Mt. Gilead Elementary.  With a motion from Mr. Blake and a second from Ms. Armstrong, the board unanimously approved this application.  A second application to replace insulation on chiller piping at East Middle was introduced.  With a motion from Mrs. Long and a second from Mrs. Reaves, the board unanimously approved this application.

 

            With a motion from Mr. Blake and a second from Ms. Armstrong the board adjourned for closed session for the purpose of discussing personnel [NC GENERAL STATUTE 143-318.11(a)(6)].

 

After returning from closed session, with a motion from Mrs. Long, and a second from Mrs. Reaves, the meeting was duly adjourned.  The next regular meeting will be held on Monday, April 6, 2009, with a budget work session at 4:30 pm.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                        Steven W. DeBerry, Chairman

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                        Donna Cox Peters, Ph.D., Secretary