APRIL 1, 2008

The Carteret County Board of Education met April 1, 2008, in regular session at 6:30 p.m. in the administrative offices of the school system, Beaufort, NC.
Attending the meeting: Chair Cathy Neagle, Vice Chair Al Hill and Board members David Carr, June Fulcher and Dr. Rick Luettich. Board members Bill Blair and Adele Collins were attending the National School Boards Association Conference and were absent.
Others attending included Superintendent Brad Sneeden, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Ralph Lewis and Jeanne Huntley, Board Attorney Neil Whitford, Communications Director Tabbie Nance, principals, parents, community members, employees and members of the media.
This Carteret County Board of Education meeting can be viewed on Time Warner’s Carolina 10 Sunday, April 6, at 12 noon.
Board members conducted a public comment forum from 6-6:30 p.m. and two people spoke during that time.

WELCOME                     

Chairman Cathy Neagle welcomed those in attendance. Al Hill gave the invocation and led the Pledge to the United States flag.

 

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA

Dr. Rick Luettich made the motion to approve the agenda as presented.

David Carr provided the second and all members voted aye.

 

RECEIVE PRESENTATION ON TAKE IT BACK

Anne Hardison, President of Healthy Carolinians of Carteret County, presented information about a national, youth-directed movement to reduce alcohol problems called Take it Back. The program calls attention to alcohol as the single most important health issue facing young people today.

Healthy Carolinians of Carteret County is a group working to address health concerns. The group recently hosted a Take it Back Night. More than 100 students attended, along with parents and community members, and the students worked to develop action plans.

Mrs. Hardison will work with Communities In Schools to help develop a plan.
Board member David Carr suggested seeking support from health insurance providers.

 

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA
Chairman Cathy Neagle reviewed the items on the Consent Agenda.

June Fulcher made the motion to add one field trip for middle school students to attend an open house at the NC School of Math/Science to the consent agenda.

Al Hill provided the second and all members voted aye.

The Consent Agenda items were:
A. Approval of Minutes of the March 4, 2008, Board meeting;

B. Personnel Matters (personnel matters are listed at end of this document);

C. Fund Raiser Requests;

D. Field Trip Requests;

E. Student Transfers for 2007-2008 School Year;
F. Student Transfers for 2008-2009 School Year;

G. School Advisory Council Recommendations;

June Fulcher made the motion to approve Consent Agenda as amended.
Al Hill provided the second and all members voted aye.

 

HIGH STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT

CONSIDER SECOND READING OF POLICY JECC CHANGE – ASSIGNMENT OUT OF ATTENDANCE AREAS
Board members heard the second reading of proposed changes to Policy JECC – Assignment Out Of Attendance Areas. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ralph Lewis presented the first reading at the Board’s March 2008 meeting.
Dr. Lewis noted that after the first reading, he met with the school system’s Policy Committee and with Superintendent Brad Sneeden. Based on those meetings, Dr. Lewis said numerous changes were made including:

Providing the superintendent oversight of the transfer process and responsibility for final approval with the principal of the receiving school making a recommendation to the superintendent;

Making transfers, once approved, subject to approval on an annual basis so as to make it clear that all transfers are to be routinely re-assessed;

Inserting a statement that athletic participation is not, in and of itself, cause for transfer approval; and

Requiring parents moving between attendance areas during the school year to also complete an application for transfer.

Dr. Lewis said two minor wording changes were also made. He noted there were two proposed changes to the policy at the first reading. The first proposed change would eliminate the wording “The Board may assign students to schools out of their residential areas.” Dr. Lewis explained that transfer approvals affecting students within the Carteret County Public School System should be managed by principals and approved at the level of the superintendent. By striking that wording, Dr. Lewis said the Board of Education would be alleviated of that responsibility.

The second proposed change would be to eliminate the last two paragraphs of the Policy that fall under the heading Transfer Into or Out of Carteret County. Dr. Lewis said those two paragraphs were covered in Policy JECB and their inclusion in Policy JECC was redundant and confusing.

Board attorney Neil Whitford said this policy was moving in the direction of keeping students’ names and the schools to which they are assigned out of public documents for security reasons.

Mr. Carr made the motion to approve Policy JECC – Assignment Out Of Attendance Areas as revised.

Dr. Rick Luettich provided the second.

Dr. Luettich then confirmed with Attorney Neil Whitford that the Board does not need to vote on in-county transfers. Mr. Whitford agreed.

All members voted aye on the motion.

 

EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE OPERATIONS
FISCAL DEPARTMENT

Finance Officer J. Ipock presented one item for Board consideration.
BUDGET REVISIONS
Budget Revision 19 – This revision is for a Ready Schools Grant received from the State in the amount of $7,500. This grant provides staff development, supplies, materials and community education in the area of reading.

Dr. Rick Luettich made the motion to approve Revision 19.
June Fulcher provided the second and all members voted aye.

 

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND INVOLVEMENT AMONG STAKEHOLDERS

COMMENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT

MAINTENANCE REPORT -
Superintendent Brad Sneeden reviewed highlights of the Maintenance Report. He noted the project to mount projectors in schools was moving forward. Work to mount projectors at Atlantic Elementary, Broad Creek Middle, Newport Middle and White Oak Elementary has been completed.

Mr. Sneeden said the school system is exploring ways to save money on grass mowing, which is contracted. One way is to expand the time between cuttings of the grounds to save fuel costs.
He noted that REI Roofing and Bengal Sheet Metal are working on the design recommended for the Newport Middle School roof and trying to fix the existing roof leak.

BOND UPDATE -
Mr. Sneeden highlighted several bond projects

He noted the HVAC projects are moving forward, as was the new construction projects at East Carteret High, Newport Elementary and White Oak Elementary.

Mr. Sneeden said the design of the auditorium at Croatan High School was progressing. Input on the design has been received from school staff.

Dr. Rick Luettich asked if any schools would not have air conditioning in April, May or June because of bond construction work.

Bond Projects Manager Keith Maready said the only place not currently cooled is White Oak Elementary and said that school should have air conditioning by mid-April.

 

COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS

Board Chair Cathy Neagle invited Board members to make comments.

Al Hill – Mr. Hill expressed appreciation for the support he has received in the passing of his brother-in-law.

June Fulcher – Mrs. Fulcher said the final weeks of school will be busy ones with testing and she encouraged students, staff and parents to work hard to finish the year in a positive way.

Dr. Rick Luettich – Dr. Luettich had no comment.

David Carr – Mr. Carr encouraged students to make good choices with the coming proms.

Cathy Neagle – Mrs. Neagle thanked Bill Blair and Adele Collins for representing the Carteret County Board of Education at the National School Boards Association meeting.

 

REMINDERS
Chair Cathy Neagle noted the next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting would take place May 13, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. The Board of Education office will be used as a polling place May 6, 2008, so the meeting has been moved to May 13, 2008. The Board will meet with School Advisory Council Chairmen from 5-6 p.m. and then conduct a public comment forum from 6-6:30 p.m. that evening.

 

CLOSED SESSION

Dr. Rick Luettich made the motion to convene in closed session for the purpose of considering personnel matters, confidential matters within the attorney-client privilege and a student petition.

Al Hill provided the second and all members voted aye.

 

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
June Fulcher made the motion to return to open session.

Dr. Rick Luettich provided the second and all members voted aye.

No action was taken in open session.

 

ADJOURNMENT

David Carr made the motion to adjourn the meeting.
Al Hill provided the second and all members voted aye.

 

 

APPROVED PERSONNEL MATTERS –  APRIL 1, 2008

Licensed Employees

 

New Hires

Monica Willis, Elementary Teacher, Newport Elementary School

(03/02/08)

Transfers

Donald Austin, from Assistant Principal, Broad Creek Middle School

(08/14/08) to Math Teacher, Broad Creek Middle School

Julie Stover, from Special Ed Teacher, Morehead Primary School

(01/03/08) to Special Ed Teacher, Bogue Sound Elementary School

 

Retirements

Patti Dill, AIG Coordinator, Central Office

(07/01/08)

Gail Fitts, Social Studies Teacher, Morehead Middle School

(07/01/08)

Edith Gotard, Elementary Teacher, Newport Elementary

(07/01/08)

Sherry Howard, Latin/English Teacher, Croatan High School

(07/01/08)

Renne Newman, Principal, Morehead Primary School

(07/01/08)

Shamra Sawyer, Elementary Teacher, Newport Elementary

(07/01/08)

Shirley Whealton, Sixth Grade Math Teacher, Broad Creek Middle School

(07/01/08)

Brenda Wooten, Elementary Teacher, White Oak Elementary School

(07/01/08)

 

Resignations

Mary Barts, Elementary Teacher, Newport Elementary School

(06/11/08)

David Falardeau, Music Teacher, Bogue Sound Elementary School

(06/11/08)

Laura Jane Price, EC Teacher, Newport Middle School

(06/09/08)

Robert Martin, PE Teacher, West Carteret High School

(03/31/08)

 

Non-Licensed Employees

New Hires

Richard Chaplain, P/T Custodial Inspector, All Sites

(01/03/08)

Sharon Gupton, Bookkeeper, Morehead Middle School

(04/01/08)

Heather Moran, P/T Food Service, Newport Elementary School

(02/26/08)

Pamela Stringer, Teacher Assistant, Bogue Sound Elementary School

(04/14/08)

 

Dismissals

Sylvia Noe, Teacher Assistant, Bogue Sound Elementary School

(02/25/08)

 

Transfers

Nell Browder, from Teacher Assistant, Morehead Primary School

(01/03/08) to Teacher Assistant, Bogue Sound Elementary School

Christina Capps, from Teacher Assistant, Morehead Primary School

(01/03/08) to Teacher Assistant, Bogue Sound Elementary School

Susan Ray, P/T Food Service, Broad Creek Middle School

(02/25/08) F/T Asst. Manager, Broad Creek Middle School

Amber Rhue, from Educational Interpreter, Morehead Middle School      

(01/03/08) To Educational Interpreter, Harkers Island Elementary

Kristin Smith, from Teacher Assistant, Morehead Primary School

(01/01/08) To Teacher Assistant, Bogue Sound Elementary School

 

Resignations

Lewis McIntyre, P/T Custodial Inspector, All Sites

(10/1/07)

 

Retirements

Susan Helton, Food Service, Beaufort Elementary School

(03/08/08)

Mary Anna Styron, Secretary, Atlantic Elementary School

(04/01/08)

 

Archives of Past Editions of The Communicator
Sept. 2005	Oct. 2005	Nov. 2005	Dec. 2005	Jan. 2006
Feb. 2006	March 2006	April 2006	May 2006	June 2006
July 2006	August 2006	Sept. 2006	Oct. 2006	Nov. 2006
Dec. 2006	Jan. 2007	Feb. 2007	March 2007	April 2007
May 2007	June 2007	July 2007	August 2007	Sept. 2007
Oct. 2007	Nov. 2007	Dec. 2007	Jan. 2008	Feb. 2008
March 2008	April 2008