Unofficial Not Approved
Summary of Minutes
January 18, 2011
The Board of Education for the Public Schools of Robeson Countyconvened in session on January 18, 2011 at 6:00 P.M. at the Administrative Office Building in Lumberton, North Carolina.
The following members were present:
Loistine DeFreece, Chairman
Dr. Jo Ann C. Lowery, Vice Chairman
Steve Martin
Brenda Fairley-Ferebee
Jerry Long
Mike Smith
Robert Deese
Absent:Randall Jones, John Campbell, Severeo Kerns,
Dwayne Smith
Also in attendance wereDr. Johnny Hunt, Superintendent; Dr. Linda Emanuel, Dr. Walter Jackson, Tommy Lowry, Dr. Danny Stedman, DeRay Cole, Assistant Superintendents; Erica Setzer, Chief Finance Officer, and Attorney Grady Hunt.
ORDER OF BUSINESS
1.Call to Order: Chairman Loistine DeFreece.
2.Invocation:Mr. Jerry Long.
3.Adoption of the Agenda:Chairman Loistine DeFreece. The Board
approvedtheagenda.
4.Approval of Minutes – Open Session: The Board unanimously
approved the taped open session minutes ofDecember 14, 2010.
5.INFORMATION ITEMS
A.Public Comments
None.
B.Attendance Awards
Mr. Tommy Lowry, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Support, stated thattoday is the 20th day of student attendance for this month. He said due to the snow days when students were out there is not a report for the attendance banners at this time. That award will be presented at the next meeting.
C.Certified/Classified Employees of the Month
Mr. DeRay Cole, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, recognized the certified and classified employees of the month. A certificate of recognition was presented to:
Certified Employee of the Month: Ms. Sherlyn Stallings – Long Branch Elementary School - Principal, Dr. Penny Britt;
Classified Employee of the Month: Ms. Shirley Stanton–Tanglewood Elementary School – Principal, Ms. Jones Culbreth.
D.Bus Driver of the Month
Dr. Danny Stedman, Assistant Superintendent of Plant Operations, recognized the Bus Driver of the Month:
Bus Driver of the Month: Ms. Tammy Cox–Long Branch Elementary School, Principal, Dr. Penny Britt.
E.Winter Beautification Award
Dr. Danny Stedman, Assistant Superintendent, recognized the Recipient of the Winter Beautification Award - Robeson County Career Center – Principal, Mr. William Gentry.
F.School Test Score Recognition
Dr. Linda Emanuel, Assistant Superintendent, stated the following schools are being recognized for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in Reading and Math. They are: Deep Branch Elementary School – Ms. Nikki Brooks - Principal, Early College – Principal - Ms. Melissa Flowers, Long Branch Elementary School – Principal - Dr. Penny Britt, Piney Grove Elementary School - Principal – Ms. Jill Hathaway, Prospect School – Principal - Mr. Jonathan Blue, R. B. Dean Elementary School - Ms. Jestine Wade, Rowland Middle School – Principal - Mr. Larry Brooks, Rowland Norment Elementary School – Principal - Ms. Laura Owens Dif, Tanglewood Elementary School – Principal - Ms. Jones Culbreth, Union Elementary School – Principal – Ms. Darlene Cummings, Union Chapel Elementary School – Principal – Ms. Virginia Emanuel, W. H. Knuckles – Principal – Ms. Adrian Sinclair, and West Lumberton Elementary School – Principal – Dr. Juanita Clark. There were two schools with special awards which are Schools of Excellence - Early College and Tanglewood Elementary School.
Mr. Tommy Lowry, Assistant Superintendent, stated that the Superintendent had an initiative regarding PBIS for the system to hire someone to direct the program. Mr. Lowry stated that West Lumberton Elementary School will be recognized by the State Department of Public Instruction for PBIS at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro,NC on January 20, 2011.
G.RttT/Z. Smith Reynolds Grant
Mr. DeRay Cole, Assistant Superintendent, said the Sandhills Regional Consortium (SREC), under the direction of Mr. Jim Simeon, Executive Director, and Superintendent’s Council Chair, Dr. Johnny Hunt, anticipates (based on research) that 50% of the principals in the member LEAs will retire within the next four years. Mr. Cole said the consortium is addressing this challenge by writing a grant to establish the Sandhills Leadership Academy (SLA) to provide aspiring principals in the participating LEAs with an alternative route to obtain administrative licensure. The SLA will recruit a diverse group of at least 20 to 25 teachers during each year for the next four years The candidates will be selected on their past performance as excellent teachers and future potential strong building level administrators. Academic instruction will be provided by a faculty of successful public school principals and other administrators with experience in the high need and or turnaround schools. The grant will compensate participates at their current pay rate for eleven months of training. The Public Schools of Robeson County will benefit from this by having potential candidates to be a part of this cohort. The grant award is $6 million dollars.
Superintendent Dr. Johnny Hunt said the consortium would need the board’s approval to allow the Public Schools of Robeson County to accept the funds for this project. There is no cost to the system. Mr. Cole said once the cohorts have graduated from the program they will be expected to be assigned to lead one of the low performing or turnaround schools. He said there would be 20 to 25 candidates per year for four years.
Superintendent Dr. Johnny Hunt said there is a deadline to let the consortium know about the PSRC’s participation.
H.Audit Report
Ms. Erica Setzer, Chief Finance Officer, stated Ms. Julia Kinlaw, Auditor with S. Preston and Douglas and Associates, LLPwho would give a report on the Audit.
Ms. Julia Kinlaw gave an overview of the audit report. Ms. Kinlaw said she had reviewed the audit report with Superintendent Dr. Johnny Hunt and Ms. Setzer. Ms. Kinlaw stated that the opinion of S. Preston and Douglas Associates, LLP, the financial statements referred to present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Public Schools of Robeson County as of June 30, 2010. Ms. Kinlaw stated that the school system is in better financial condition than in the past year. Ms. Kinlaw said they recommend a three month fund balance. She said the finance office has done an excellent job this year.
6.ACTION ITEMS
A.Financial Report
Ms. Erica Setzer, Chief Finance Officer, presented a brief overview of the Financial Report.
The Board approved the financial report presented.
B.Budget Resolution
Ms. Erica Setzer, said the budget was passed at the December meeting and asked for approval of the budget resolution.
The Board approved the budget resolution.
Superintendent Dr. Hunt said once the budget is passed a meeting will be held with the County Commissioners to present the budget.
C.Policy Committee –Second Reading4000 A Board Policies
Mr. Jerry Long, Chairperson of the Policy Committee, and Dr. Walter Jackson, Assistant Superintendent, brought to the Board the second reading of the 4000 A policy series for approval as presented by the NCSBA and approved by the policy committee.
The Board approved the 4000 A policies presented.
Superintendent Dr. Hunt stated that there has been discussion on having a set meeting for the policy committee especially for the revision of the policy manual. The policy committee would like to set the meeting date and time at 4:30 PM on the second Tuesday of each month which is the regular scheduled board meeting dates.
Mr. Long said the School Board’s Association will not send another section to be approved until they receive the last set of policies that have been approved by the school board.
7. Motion was made that the Board of Education for the Public Schools of Robeson County go into closed session for the purposes of discussing certified and classified personnel (G.S. 143-318.11(a) (1) (6), and student transfers (G.S.
115C- 402 and G.S. 143-318.11(a) (1)). The Board approved the motion.
8.Motion to come out of closed session. The Board approved the motion.
9.Motion to approve student transfers as amended. The Board approved the motion.
10.Motion to approve closed session audio minutes of December 14, 2010. The Board approved the motion.
11.Motion to approve personnel as presented. The Board approved the
motion.
Superintendent Dr. Johnny Hunt said for information at the last County
Commissioners’ meeting the commissioners voted to give the school system
$20,600.00 as well as $10,000.00 or $11,000.00 from the Workforce
Development Board for the Work Keys assessment to be administered to high
school seniors.
Superintendent Dr. Hunt said the school board had discussed setting up a
budget work session to discuss several budget matters and heasked about
setting a time and date to do that.
The board decided to meet on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 5:30 PM in the
Boardroom to discuss budget issues.
Board Member John Campbell was contacted via telephone to decide a
vote on the audit report and the RttT/Z. Smith Reynolds Grant.
12.The Board set aside policy and approved the audit report.
13.The Board set aside policy and approved the RttT/Z. Smith Reynolds Grant.
14.Motion to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Loistine DeFreece, Chairman
Dr. Johnny Hunt, Secretary
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