Lenoir County Board of Education recognizes student, staff achievements and reviews spring plans
The Lenoir County Board of Education opened its March 9 meeting with debate over board procedure before shifting into a lengthy celebration of student and staff achievements across Lenoir County Public Schools.
Early in the meeting, board member Jonathan Britt sought to add an action item to revise board policy 2210 regarding the appointment of committee members and chairs. Britt said committees are committees of the full board and argued assignments should reflect “the will of the board as a whole” rather than the chair alone.
That proposed amendment failed in a 4-3 vote, with Michelle Davis, John Wiggins and Britt voting in favor.
Davis then proposed adding an informational discussion on board spokesperson policy, referencing the recent E.B. Frink Middle School topping-out ceremony. Davis said the event was a success but argued the board missed an opportunity to publicly thank project partners because no remarks had been prepared on behalf of the board. That amendment also failed 4-3, with Hill, Davis, Wiggins and Britt supporting it.
The board then approved the original agenda by a 4-3 vote. Davis, Wiggins and Britt voted against it.
After approving minutes from the previous meeting, Superintendent Brent Williams delivered a report focused heavily on district accomplishments.
Williams said the new E.B. Frink Middle School remains on track, with LCPS expecting to receive the keys in January 2027. He reflected on the recent main beam placement ceremony and said the school is beginning to visibly take shape.
Williams also highlighted Kinston High School’s boys basketball team advancing to the state championship game, noting the Vikings were pursuing the school’s 12th basketball state title. He pointed to a broader stretch of athletic success across LCPS, saying district teams have competed for state championships in softball, baseball, football, basketball, wrestling, track and cross country within the last calendar year.
Alongside athletics, Williams emphasized academic and arts achievements, including strong performances in regional science fairs, the recent all-county chorus event, the upcoming all-county art show and this week’s all-county band event.
Much of the meeting centered on recognition of students and staff.
The board recognized winners of the 2026 Black History Month writing contest sponsored by the Lambda Pi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Honorees included Tanner Vick of Moss Hill Elementary, Kaylee Newkirk Gay of Contentnea-Savannah K-8, Carson Tyndall of Woodington Middle and Kelsey Hussey of North Lenoir High.
Williams also recognized South Lenoir High School senior Cody Baggett as a Morehead-Cain Scholar and North Lenoir High School senior Madeline as a Goodnight Scholar at N.C. State University. Williams said the scholarships together total more than $100,000 and praised both students for their academic accomplishments and future goals in medicine.
Additional recognitions included:
South Lenoir High students Christopher Rogers and Jeremiah Bay for placing fourth in the statewide North Carolina Junior Chef Competition
Camila Cisneros-Perez of North Lenoir High and Jenna Van of Lenoir County Early College for being selected to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
Rochelle Middle School for finishing in the top five statewide in a writing competition
Woodington Middle School for finishing in the top 10 statewide
Teacher of the Year finalists James Lewis of North Lenoir High, Angela Jarman of Banks Elementary and Mary Turner of Woodington Middle
Six new National Board Certified teachers across the district
Kinston High School teacher Nadine Gordon, who was named LCPS Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year
During public participation, Mario Harris, founder and CEO of MENAC, Mentor Every Neighborhood and Community, introduced the mentoring organization’s work and said it hopes to partner with LCPS to support attendance, academics, behavior and leadership development.
Teron Cannon introduced the Community Impact Council of Lenoir County, describing it as a collaborative effort focused on youth and family mental wellness, support for caregivers, community belonging and prevention.
The board also heard a summary of Black History Month activities across the district, including spirit days, classroom lessons, projects, presentations and cultural programming at elementary, middle and high schools.
In other business, the board reviewed the Child Nutrition Department procurement plan. Staff said the only significant change since the last plan update seven years ago was an increase in the micro-purchasing threshold from $3,500 to $15,000, in line with state guidance. The plan is expected to return for action at the board’s March 30 meeting.
Board members also received a presentation on the district’s “Focus Finish” academic support plan for spring 2026. District leaders said the plan includes classroom walkthroughs, data analysis, reteaching, reassessment, intervention support and targeted help for at-risk students as schools prepare for end-of-grade and end-of-course testing.
At the high school level, staff said there is a strong emphasis on identifying students slipping in academics or attendance and connecting them with supports. In response to a question from Davis, administrators said the district uses a robust MTSS process across all grade levels, with chronic absenteeism drawing particular attention in middle and high school.
The board also reviewed a proposal to name the South Lenoir High School baseball complex after longtime coach Troy Eason. Administrators said Eason served 28 years in education, including 25 years as head baseball coach, compiling a 346-182 record and winning nine conference championships. The request will return for board action March 30.
Also presented for future approval was a recommendation to use Brain Specialty Company as the preferred furniture vendor for the new E.B. Frink Middle School after a review of eight proposals.
An additional construction update on Frink Middle School showed the project remains on schedule and on budget, with completion projected for early 2027. Administrators said the district is about 200 days into the 461-day project. The site has recorded 361 safety observations with no reportable incidents.
The board accepted the February 2026 financial report as information.
Board members postponed action on proposed meeting dates for the 2026-27 school year after discussion about a scheduling conflict involving the Sept. 14 meeting.
The board did approve two out-of-state field trips to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, one for Contentnea-Savannah students and another for the North Lenoir High School band.
Members also approved surplus property disposal, including an old trailer from Banks Elementary School that administrators said was beyond repair.
The meeting ended with a motion to enter closed session for personnel matters and attorney-client discussion.
