Lenoir County Board of Education holds regular monthly meeting
The Lenoir County Board of Education convened for its regular monthly meeting on Monday, May 5, 2025.
Following the opening formalities, Superintendent M. Brent Williams presented the agenda for approval. A motion was made by Bruce Hill and seconded by Kimberly Outlaw to approve the agenda as presented. However, before the vote, Miss Davis raised concerns about action item 6F. She clarified that she intended to refer to item 6E. Miss Davis stated she had questions and did not feel comfortable voting on that item as an action item that night, requesting it be tabled until a later meeting. Despite this, the motion to approve the agenda was voted on and approved by a vote of 4-3. The agenda was approved as presented.
The board then moved to approve the minutes from the April 7, 2025, regular board meeting, which were presented by Superintendent Williams. A motion was made by Jonathan Britt and seconded by Elijah Woods. The minutes were approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
Superintendent Williams provided announcements and recognitions, highlighting National Teacher Appreciation Week and National School Staff Member Appreciation Week in the Lenoir County Public Schools. He expressed gratitude for all staff members, including teachers, assistants, custodians, nutrition workers, counselors, bus drivers, principals, and central services team members. Many activities were planned throughout the week to show appreciation. Student and staff recognitions were moved to the June board meeting in the interest of time. The meeting also included a period for public participation in accordance with policy 2310, allowing individuals to address the board for up to three minutes on non-student or employee matters.
Several information and presentation items were discussed:
E.B. Frink Middle School Construction Project Update: Mr. Harvey provided an update on the project. Bid openings occurred on April 24, 2025, with an overwhelming number of responses received. While over 90% of bid packages were opened, eight were initially incomplete. Those remaining eight packages were opened on May 1, 2025, leaving only one package remaining. The turnkey site work prep package will be re-advertised with specific details because the initial responses came in "well over budget". The new bid opening date for this package is May 13, 2025. An audit of all bids will occur after May 13, and notice to proceed letters are anticipated to go out in June, allowing the construction phase to commence. A comprehensive presentation from the architects and construction management team is planned for the June meeting.
LCPS End of the Year Assessments Update: Mrs. Frances J. Herring, Associate Superintendent, presented the district testing calendar for the 2024-2025 school year and provided an update on upcoming assessments. Key dates include: Early College exams (May 12-16), EOG Reading (May 28), EOG Math (May 29), EOG Science (May 30), 8th Grade Math 1 (May 29), English 2 EOC (June 2), and all other EOC/CTE exams (June 2-6). June 7 is the last day of school.
CTE Local Application for Funding: Dr. Amy Jones, CTE/High School Education Director, presented the annual CTE local application to NCDPI. Submission is required to receive approximately $3.4 million in state and federal funds for CTE programs and services (PRC 13, 14, and 17). Dr. Jones will return in June to request approval of this two-year plan.
Financial Report: Helen Hooker, Interim Finance Officer, presented the April 2025 financial report summarizing budget and year-to-date activity as of April 30, 2025. Discussions included school food service revenues being at 60% year-to-date (with full funding still projected) and federal funds supporting services spending at 92% (not expected to exceed the allotted amount).
The board then considered and acted upon several items:
Budget Amendment #4: Presented by Helen Hooker, this amendment was used to revise the budget based on changes throughout the year, including additional state and local allotments and Medicaid reimbursements. The amendment was approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
2025-2026 Planning Budget Proposal: Ms. Hooker also presented the planning budget proposal. Superintendent Williams noted the board leadership had met with County Commissioners about the proposal, emphasizing it is balanced and allows the district to live within its means despite expected funding losses. He highlighted the prioritization of instruction and school safety as key aspects. The budget proposal was based on estimated revenues and budget committee recommendations. A motion to approve the proposal was made by Bruce Hill and seconded by Elijah Woods. The planning budget was approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
Apple Surplus Equipment Sale: Mr. Williams presented the proposed sale of surplus Apple devices from a recent refresh. The equipment, including various MacBook Air laptops and iPads, had been declared surplus. Through a bidding process as per general statutes, Lenoir County Public Schools negotiated and advertised offers. An offer of $1,105,817.60 from Electronic Deals was the highest received after upset bids and was recommended for approval. A motion to accept the offer and approve the sales agreement was made by Bruce Hill and seconded by John Wiggins. The sale was approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
2025-2026 Fees, Fines, and Charges: Mrs. Herring presented the proposed fees, fines, and charges for elementary, middle, and high schools for the upcoming school year. She stated there were no changes from the previous couple of years, and principals had reviewed them. The fees cover anticipated costs like parking, lost books, athletic admission, and yearbooks and are not punitive, also serving to ensure consistency across schools. There was a brief discussion about collection rates and previous athletic admission increases. A motion to approve the fees, fines, and charges was made by Michelle Davis and seconded by Jonathan Britt. The fees, fines, and charges were approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
LCPS Grading Scale for Elementary Schools: Mrs. Herring presented a proposal to change the elementary school grading scale from a 7-point scale to a 10-point scale to ensure continuity with middle and high school. This change was seen as opportune with the transition to a new student information system (SIS). A motion to approve the grading scale proposal was made by Bruce Hill and seconded by Kimberly Outlaw. Significant discussion followed, with some board members expressing concern that moving to a 10-point scale (where 90 is an A instead of 93 on a 7-point scale) could be interpreted as lowering academic standards and reducing granularity in evaluating student performance. Others argued it was not lowering expectations and noted the 10-point scale is used in middle and high school, especially for students taking college courses, making a continuous scale beneficial for GPA calculation. The board inquired about the prevalence of 10-point scales in other districts and colleges. Ultimately, after a tied initial vote (3-3), the motion was called again. The proposal to move to a 10-point grading scale for elementary schools was approved by a vote of 4-3.
Out of State School Field Trip Requests: Mrs. Herring presented three out-of-state field trip requests. These included:
FCCLA students from North Lenoir High School to the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, FL (July 3-10).
Migrant Education students to the Close Up Program in Washington, DC (June 22-27). There was a brief discussion regarding the chaperone ratio (2 adults for 21 students), which was slightly over the 1:10 guideline but deemed comfortable by staff.
Northeast Elementary School students (grades 1-5) to King's Dominion for a day trip (June 12) as a reward for growth and proficiency on assessments. A single motion was made by Kimberly Outlaw and seconded by Elijah Woods to approve all three requests. The out-of-state field trips were approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
Surplus Items (Maintenance): Mr. Harvey presented items from the Maintenance Department to be deemed surplus. Proceeds from sales will be returned to the department, and items of little value will be sent to an authorized electronic recycler for responsible disposal. A motion to approve the surplus items was made by Michelle Davis and seconded by Kimberly Outlaw. The surplus items were approved unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
The board then made a motion to enter closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11 to prevent disclosure of confidential personnel files, consult with the attorney to preserve attorney-client privilege, and consider matters relating to the initial employment of an individual employee. This motion was made by Kimberly Outlaw and seconded by Jonathan Britt.
After the closed session, the board reconvened in open session. A motion was made by Bruce Hill and seconded by Jonathan Britt to approve the personnel report and addendum as presented. This motion carried unanimously by a vote of 7-0.
Board Chair W.D. Anderson offered comments. The meeting was adjourned following a motion by Kimberly Outlaw, seconded by Jonathan Britt, which passed unanimously.
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