MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION  MINUTES April3,2023  The Montgomery County Board of Education convened in a regular monthly meeting on Monday, April 3, 2023, at 6:30j pm in the Montgomery County Schools Boardroom. Board members present were Steve W. DeBerry - Chair, Tommy Blake Vice Chair, Angela Smith, Lynn Epps, and Anne Evans. Board members Bryan Dozier and Cindy Taylor were not in  attendance.  Chairman Steve DeBerry called the meeting to order. Mr. DeBerry moved to adopt the agenda as submitted. Lynn Epps made the motion with Angela Smith seconding. The agenda was  accepted with unanimous approval from the board.  Chairman Steve DeBerry shared an opening with a reading of"mistaken identity". In our society the struggle between being and doing starts early and is often innocently encouraged. We ask our children what they want to be when they grow up much more often than we ask them what kind of person they want to be. It'sa a focus on what they do rather than who they are, and most will spend their lives identifying themselves by what they do. The most important thing about you is who you are, not what you do. Know who you are on the inside and what God has done to make you who you are. That is where your identity comes from. Remind yourselftoi not  get SO caught up in doing that you forget about being.  Chairman DeBerry led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of Chairman DeBerry then recognized the Youth Leadership Montgomery students that were in attendance. Each student stood and introduced themselves and the school they attend.  America.  No one signed up to speak during the public comments section.  Dr. Ellis then called upon Janet Deaton, for the Certified and Classified Employees ofthe Month for Star Elementary School. LaShonda Douglas, Guidance Counselor was the classified winner. Stacey Crump, Physical Education Teacher was the certified winner.  Dr. Ellis at this time called upon Dr. Heather Seawell for the NC Governor's School acceptance recognitions. Eduardo Vargas Lizardi Mathematics and River Seawell Natural  Science. Both students attend Montgomery County Early College.  Chairman DeBerry requested to approve the consent agenda as submitted. Tommy Blake Chairman DeBerry called upon Janet Deaton, principal at Star Elementary for their presentation "After School Activities at Star Elementary". Ms. Deaton commented that tonight's presentation focuses on all the wonderful things they are doing after school for their students. She then called upon Stacey Crump, Cindi Murray and Tammy Lefebvre for the presentation. Ms. Lefebvre began by explaining the benefits ofs students participating in after- school activities and how they help grow healthy and successful kids/teens. After school  made the motion with. Anne Evans seconding. The board approved unanimously.    programs keep students engaged and productive during their free time and allow them the opportunity to develop skills and interests beyond the classroom. Participating in after school activities has been shown to reduce the achievement gap and also reduce the involvement in risky behavior. Parents are also encouraged to participate in the programs as volunteers or chaperones. The programs offered are Running Club, Girls on the Run, East Side Chorus, Math Tutoring, Stemlympics, and Dragon Den After School Care. Ms. Crump then discussed the Running Club and Girls on the Run programs. The running club is offered to the 3rd,4 4th, and 5th grade students. Last year there were 35 students that participated in the program with 25 oft the students running the Twinkle Toes race in December. This program encourages students to be physically active along with developing their self-motivation by trying to be their best each day. The Girls on the Run program is open to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls and is meant to inspire girls oftheira ability to recognize and embrace their inner strength. The girls use physical activity and discussions to build social emotional and physical skills while encouraging healthy habits for life. Ms. Crump explained that at the end oft the season, they have two big activities. One isa community impact project and the other is a 5K. Parents and/or family members are encouraged toj participate in the 5K as running buddies. Ms. Murry then talked about East Side Chorus and the opportunity it allows for the students to build self-confidence, enhances focus and self- discipline, and helps to foster friendships. The chorus performs for local events and leads the school musical performances in the winter and spring. The Math Tutoring program is offered to 4tha and 5th grade students after school until 4:30pm and lessons are based on check-in andi i- Ready data. This program is led by Mr. Baily and Mrs. Hussey with the goal ofhelping prepare students for the EOGS and improve the achievement gap. Ms. Lefebvre then spoke about the Stemlympics program for 4th and 5th graders that is offered after school until 5:00pm in the Spring. STEM helps build higher order thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving skills. In April the students will compete with other elementary schools at the district level. The Dragon Den After School Care is offered tol Pre-K through 5th grade students and is offered Monday through Friday until 5:30pm. Ms. Crystal Mabe is the teacher for this program. She provides homework help and time toj play without being on devices. There are currently 29 students attending this program. All the above programs are not only intended tol help the students but to  involve and assist the parents as well.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Tracy Grit for the 2023-2024 Calendar Options. The options being presented are for approval. We have presented you with an innovative and traditional calendar option for the traditional schools and an innovative and traditional calendar for the early college. Dr. Grit noted that Dr. Ellis had recommended the innovative calendar. Dr. Ellis stated that the County, the Town ofl Biscoe, and the Town of Mt. Gilead all supported the resolution passed by the Board requesting calendar flexibility. Late last week, Rep. Wayne Sasser (represents Stanly and Montgomery) passed a bill in the State House that would give us that calendar flexibility. Unsure of what traction it will have in the Senate, but I did send hima a personal thank you via email. Thank you to our county and towns for supporting that as well. If/when we get the calendar flexibility, the calendar will be brought back to the board fori it to be fixed. Lynn Epps made ai motion to approve the innovative calendar with Anne Evans seconding.  The board unanimously approved.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for the MCHS new: field lay-out options. We met with the contingent, the planning group, the baseball staff, and the softball staff. The diagram provided shows basically how we would lay out the safety components that we are requesting for Phase One. It shows the site lines and building the netting, both of which have been a growing concern. It also allows for moving the dugouts back due to concerns, adding two-lane bull pins for baseball and one lane for softball. Phase Two will include a storage    building and a field house with batting cages. Ultimately this all comes down tot the available funding, but I feel confident in moving forward and getting some good numbers on Phase One. The goal is to accomplish Phase One before starting the next baseball season and if the funds are available, completing Phase Two by the start of the following baseball season. The site plan is doable and workable. Iti is just a matter of working with the county to get the funding tol help make it happen. Chairman DeBerry asked ifwel have a cost for this plan. Dr. Ellis stated that we do not at this point. Basically, the next step would be ift the county approves to move forward, it would be a bid package that would go forward, and he thinks the county will want to know what that final number is before they make an ultimate spending recommendation. This is just the first step, send it to the county and then we will start getting bid documents with cost estimates on Phase One. Chairman DeBerry asked when would we expect to start getting the costs? Dr. Ellis replied that it would probably be. July since it will probably take two to three months to get all the bid documents together. We are also looking at some long term and short-term fixes for the resurfacing of the playing field. Our presentation to the County Commissioners will be that Phase One is the bare minimum. We are dependent upon the partnership with the county. We are presenting it to the board tonight for approval oft the concept. Tommy Blake made a motion to  approve. Motion dies with) lack of a second.  Chairman DeBerry then called on Dr. Dale Ellis for the Resolution Opposing House Bill 219. This is a resolution asking the state to re-look at House Bill 219. Itis al bill that basically moves more school system funding to charter schools including any fund balances we may have. The whole bill has problems withi it. Ifyou look at how charter schools are funded each year, we give charter schools money. Ifs something happens at the end of the year and we don'tspend $50,000.00 that money goes into the fund balance. What this bill says is that we must go back, even after we have already given them money during the year, we must give them a portion of that $50,000.00 that we, by being fiscally conservative, did not spend. It absolutely defies logic as a bill. This information is spelled out ini the resolution. We will be sharing the resolution with our educators and asking them to contact their legislators as well. I would ask for approval of this resolution. Ms. Epps stated that she was in a webinar that discussed charter schools and the funding. She stated that it is important that we state up front that we: are not here to not see them be unsuccessful but that the way the budget has been set up, it puts us against one another. The example used in the webinar of Pre-K. They said there was a county that offers Pre-K, but the charter school did not offer Pre-K, but they had to give the charter school some of their allocation for Pre-K. It is this kind ofs situation that just seems to pit us against each other. Dr. Ellis stated that in 2011 they passed a law that allowed for fund 8 which is where we put revenues in and that was the compromise. Ifthe law was good, then it should be good now. Iti is that lobby that continues to work to get more oft the funding even when it is something that they by rights should not have access to. Lynn Epps made a motion to approve with Tommy Blake  seconding.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for the Superintendent's Comments. I pretty much said what I wanted to say during the calendar presentation. I appreciate Mr. Sasser moving forward with that calendar flexibility deal. We will likewise start communicating with our senator Mr. Craven. That is probably to me the most important policy issue that the General Assembly could tackle at this moment. The State budget has come out and it is calling for an average ofa 10.2% increase for teachers, which I think is a good thing over a two-year period and a 7.5% increase for everyone else over that same two-year period. Ofcourse, that is the House version oft the budget. It will now go to the Senate; they will release al budget within the next month or SO and then it will go to the Conference Committee. So, we: are a very long way from that process but ultimately, we do expect to have a budget by June and ift the House version    is anything close to what the final version is, iti is al budget that is very friendly to state employees  and that is appreciated.  Chairman DeBerry then asked for a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel and consult the board attorney. Anne Evans made the motion, with Lynn Epps seconding. The  board approved entering closed session unanimously.  The following items were approved: 1) Board Minutes from March 6, 2023 2) Personnel and Auxiliary Report  Tracy  <ck Beplacin: Modiguer Vex  AEXIARY APRIL: 3,2023  fellowinguvernightn addriparergunial: Montgnmery Centralllighs Schoul TravelT Trackern 4417 FamumCallegs.VA Tvipdales: Thefailwingmermigat feldrripsa Montgumery Crutrallighs Schusl Travel Tracker #02- Fayeneviles Sue Tripdalss: 06302123 2023-3 2024sdoolyear. Montgomery Cunys Mentgnmery County SchoksteStanly Coantys Schaols Menignmcry Countys Schonkste)  Countys Schnak requistefurthe  Schnols    3) Budget Resolution  441P Pages streel. .P.0.E Box 427 Troy, Norno Carolima2 27371-0127  Fiscaly Year  Amendment  1HAaassIOZ:  Budget Amendment: #7 Montgomery County Administration! Unit  BudgetAmendment#7  SKHG  5107347  1125.44.09 112M41    BudgetA Amendment#7  BudgetA Amendment #7  EA  $45.38159  13042  Budget Amendment#7 LOGALFUNDI PFE  Following closed session, Chairman DeBerry asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Tommy Blake made the motion with Angela Smith seconding; the meeting was duly adjourned. The next regular meeting will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 6:30 pm at the Montgomery  County Central Office.  Oarlis Dale Ellis, Ed. D., Secretary  Steven W.J DeBerry,  LAras