From the Boardroom

On February 5, 2024 the Wayne County Board of Education held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Upon returning from Closed Session, the Board approved its Meeting Agenda.

Dr. Tim Harrell, Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, shared information about the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s recent five year audit of the WCPS School Nutrition Program. Dr. Harrell shared that the audit team was very complimentary of the WCPS School Nutrition Program and staff. He also shared that the audit report received numerous commendations and felt the small number of findings that were reported can easily be corrected.

The following employee was recognized with a Board Spotlight:

WCPS EC Educator of Excellence

Jennifer Lewis - WCPS EC Department

Dr. Yvette Smith Mason updated the Board about the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, and highlighted that WCPS was one of 20 pilot school districts to receive a $50,000 recruitment grant in 2024 to promote Teaching Fellows and the teaching profession. She shared information about the program and the importance of having WCPS be a pilot district. Further discussion with Board members followed about the various WCPS grow-your-own teacher preparation programs currently underway to help close the gap in the teacher shortage.

The Wayne County Board of Education proclaimed February 5 - 9 School Counselors Week. Members of the Wayne County School Counselors Association, the WCPS District Lead School Counselor, and district administrators stood during the reading of the proclamation on behalf of all WCPS school counselors and the work that they do daily in their comprehensive school counseling programs.

The Board also proclaimed February as School-Based Health Care Awareness Month in recognition of the WISH Program’s more than 25 years of service and continued commitment to promoting student health WISH Centers in seven schools. Members of the WISH Board and WISH Center staff stood during the reading of the proclamation.

Ken Derksen, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Student & Family Support, and Jamie Livengood, Student & Family Support Coordinator, gave the Board a brief update about some of the work occurring with the Student & Family Support department. They highlighted the agenda items under Board action, as well as informed Board members about additional MOUs and items that will be coming before them later this spring. They closed their update by introducing Allison Hass, WCPS District Health Education Specialist, and sharing some of the efforts underway through her area.

Dr. Whichard updated the Board on the efforts of the WCPS Strategic Initiatives Commission, which is made up of a cross-section of WCPS stakeholders. He presented new Vision and Mission statements, which were developed by the group. After his presentation, the Board approved both statements.

During the General portion of the meeting, the Board was presented a PLS Update. The following policies, which have been reviewed by the BOE Policy Committee, were presented also for information and first reading:

Policy 4155 - Assignment to Classes

Policy 6401 - Ethics and the Purchasing Function

Policy 6430 - Purchasing Requirements for Equipment, Materials and Supplies

Policy 7100 - Recruitment and Selection of Personnel

Policy 7130 - Licensure

Policy 7510 - Leave

Policy 7520 - Family and Medical Leave

Policy 7650 - Employee Travel and Other Expense Reimbursement

Policy 7730 - Employee Conflict of Interest

Policy 8325 - Daily Deposits

Later in the meeting during its Board Action, the following Board of Education policies were approved upon second reading.

Policy 5035 Use of Unmanned Aircraft (Drones)

Policy 6230 School Meal and Competitive Foods Standards

Policy 7820 - Personnel Files

Kevin Smith, Director of Secondary Education, presented a five year Restart Application & Plan for Goldsboro High. Goldsboro High has been a North Carolina Restart School for the past five years. Mr. Smith explained that the Board would need to submit a new application in order for Goldsboro High to maintain Restart flexibilities for another five years. The Restart Application & Plan shows how WCPS will use the flexibilities through Restart to help the school increase academically. Mr. Smith did share that Goldsboro High will no longer operate on the Non-Traditional Academic Calendar in order to allow staff to take advantage of WCPS professional development opportunities with staff from schools on the traditional school calendar. After some discussion, the Board approved the Restart Application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

On January 31, the Board held a Special Called Meeting to hear presentations from five prospective Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) candidates for the Rosewood Middle construction project: TA Loving Company, Bordeaux, Southway, Clancy & Theys, and Daniels & Daniels Construction Company, Inc. On Monday evening the Board approved Daniels & Daniels Construction Co. to be the CMAR for the Rosewood Middle project.

Executive Director of Accountability/Technology Support Services and Program Evaluation, Robert Yancey presented draft 2024-2025 Non-Traditional Academic Calendars for Wayne Early/Middle College High School and Wayne School of Engineering (Cooperative Innovative High Schools) and for Carver Heights Elementary (Restart School). He then shared guidelines and other considerations that the WCPS Calendar Committee took into account as part of the calendar development process. The Board unanimously approved the calendar.

The Board approved the following items:

• Memorandum of Agreement between WCPS & Waynesboro Family Clinic

• Memorandum of Agreement between WCPS & Blue Rose School Resiliency Program

• Memorandum of Agreement between WCPS and Above and Beyond ABA NC LLC

• Memorandum of Agreement between WCPS and United Home Care, Inc.

• Memorandum of Agreement between WCPS and Blue Balloon ABA

• MOU Gardner-Webb University

• C & I Purchases and Contracts

• Surplus of Vehicles

• Support Services Purchase Orders & Contracts

Dr. Whichard informed the Board about his efforts to study the utilization of WCPS facilities since his start in July, 2023. He expressed that WCPS has a larger capital footprint and operational cost than what is needed to adequately house, staff, and educate students. He then presented a School and Building Use Maximization Plan, which is detailed below:

Under the plan, Wayne School of Engineering will move off of Goldsboro High’s campus to the campus currently housing Wayne Academy. Current Goldsboro High classrooms in the older 1926 building will be relocated to a more modern portion of the campus that has been used by Wayne School of Engineering.

Under the plan, empty space in the 1926 building will be used to house staff from multiple centralized district support areas, including the Exceptional Children’s Department (moving from AP Exhaust campus), School Nutrition (moving from WCPS Maintenance Campus), and Federal Programs/HR/Testing Departments (moving from School Street campus). Dr. Whichard shared that the move will greatly reduce heavier student traffic in an effort to help preserve the nearly century old building. Note: Students will continue to have full access to all other buildings and areas on its campus.

Dr. Whichard told Board members that the plan takes into account the importance of Goldsboro High to the school district and to the community, and will help preserve and perpetuate the school's history and legacy.

To help more fully utilize Eastern Wayne High’s campus, Wayne Academy will be relocated to the former Freshman Academy modular suite which has 12 classrooms. Edgewood Community Developmental School will also become a “school within a school” in a section of the main building at Eastern Wayne High. In addition, NC Pre-K Classes at School Street Early Learning Center will be relocated to Eastern Wayne Elementary.

As part of the School and Building Use Maximization Plan, the district will close the mobile unit used by the School Nutrition Department as well as the campuses at School Street and Edgewood. It will also end its lease with AP Exhaust for the building currently being used by the district’s Exceptional Children’s Department and Print Shop.

Dr. Tim Harrell, Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, presented a Donation Report with 18 donations, which were unanimously accepted by the Board. Monetary donations received totaled $6,013.00 ranging from $25 to support a staff Christmas celebration at Grantham Elementary to $3,500.00 to support Wayne School of Engineering’s Girls Basketball Team and General Fund. Non-monetary donations received to support staff appreciation totaled $1,242.00 ranging from $25 to support a staff Christmas celebration at Grantham Elementary to $435.00 in concessions for Greenwood Middle. As noted in the Donation Report, WCPS has received $64,793.00 in monetary donations and $47,003.32 in non-monetary donations since the start of this fiscal year (July 1, 2023).

No individuals signed up to address the Board during its Public Comment period.

Prior to the Board Comment period, the Board approved its Consent Agenda, which included minutes and a General Personnel Report. Before adjourning, the Board reentered Closed Session to consult with the Board attorney to prevent the disclosure of confidential information and to discuss the pending litigation of State vs. Smith 19-CRS-53250.

The full February 5, 2024 Board Meeting video can be viewed by clicking on the following Board Meeting Video link. The February 5, 2024 Meeting agenda and associated materials presented to the Board can be viewed by clicking on Meeting Link.

DISTRICT 1: Mr. Don Christopher West - christopherwest@wcps.org

DISTRICT 2: Mr. H. Len Henderson - lenhenderson@wcps.org

DISTRICT 3: Ms. Patricia A. Burden - patriciaburden@wcps.org

DISTRICT 4: Mr. Bill Joyner, II - billjoyner@wcps.org

DISTRICT 5: Mr. Craig Foucht (Chair) - craigfoucht@wcps.org

DISTRICT 6: Mr. Wade Leatham - daleleatham@wcps.org

AT LARGE: Mr. J. Tommy Sanders III (Vice-Chair) - tommysanders@wcps.org