MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION  MINUTES August 5, 2024  The Montgomery County Board of] Education convened in ai regular monthly meeting on Monday, August 5, 2024, at 6:30 pm in the Montgomery County Schools Boardroom. Board members present were Steve DeBerry - Chairman, Anne Evans Vice Chair, Angela Smith,  Lynn Epps, Tommy Blake, Cindy Taylor and Bryan Dozier.  Chairman Steve DeBerry called the meeting to order. Mr. DeBerry moved to adopt the agenda as submitted. Bryan Dozier made the motion with Lynn Epps seconding. The agenda was  accepted with unanimous approval from the board.  Chairman Steve DeBerry read aj passage from Proverbs 3:34, "The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to thel humble." Humility earns the respect that pride seeks. When you are. humble you are acknowledging your own worth, while focusing on the worth ofothers. If you know someone who is quietly supporting you in some way, thank that person today. Chairman DeBerry led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag oft the United States of  America.  No one signed up to speak during the public comments section.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for recognitions. Dr. Ellis then called upon Wade. Auman to speak on behalf of Brooke Howell, winner oft the Central Office Employee of  the Month award.  Chairman DeBerry then requested to approve the consent agenda as submitted. Bryan Dozier made the motion with Tommy Blake seconding. The board approved unanimously. Chairman DeBerry then called upon Matthew Swain for the presentation on Summer Camps Overview 2024. The summer camps are hosted by Montgomery County Schools and Montgomery Community College. They offer our students career development opportunities and prepare them for future academic and career success. Our Summer Academy at the middle and high school level offers students a chance to get the credits that they may have missed or to regain proficiency. Camp Timberwolfis aimed at our rising gth grade students to help with the transition to Montgomery Central and Montgomery County Early College by using team- building activities, academic readiness workshops and campus tours. Students participate in classes on leadership, collaboration, and communication. We also partnered with Montgomery Community College to provide camps to our 4th grade - gth grade students. Some oft the camps provided were the Culinary Camp, Health Science and First Aid, First in Flight Drone Camp, Ag Central, and Sheriff's Camp. Each of these camps engaged the students with hands on learning  and by allowing them to use each in real life situations.  Chairman DeBerry then called upon Dr. Emily Shaw for the presentation of Building Bridges: Connecting Talent and Opportunity. Dr. Shaw and Jordan Hamilton, Beginning Teacher Specialist, discussed our partnership with UNCC and TailorED. We are currently in our 4th year partnership with UNCC. They provide us with an Instructional Coach who offers one-on-one and    group: support for twelve BT I teachers. We are also in our first year partnership with TailorED and focusing on providing support for our BT 2 and BT3 3 teachers. TailorED works well with UNCC by being able to provide one-on-one and group support for more of our beginning teachers as well as offering support for our EPI teachers. The teachers receive three face-to-face visits per school year and they can also call, email or request a ZOOM meeting as many times as necessary. Jordan stated that the Instructional Coach keeps a spreadsheet to track the teacher's activity and progress. This information is also shared with us so that we can understand how  things are going in the classroom.  Chairman DeBerry then called upon Dr. Emily Shaw for the policies being presented for first read. Most of these policies reflect numerous updates and changes to stay in compliance with the new Title IX updates that went into effect August 1,2024. These policies will be  brought back at the September BOE meeting for approval.  Chairman DeBerry stated that the next item on the agenda was the Board' Training Update. Ms. Epps, Ms. Evans and Ms. Taylor all attended the Summer Leadership Conference in Wilmington. Ms. Epps stated that she attended a session on athletic training and the benefits of having an emergency action plan inj place for a cardiac event. By having an action plan inj place and practicing what to do, we would be much better prepared to helpa student, coach or parent if the need arises. Dr. Ellis stated that we dol have plans, but he would follow up to make sure we are practicing them correctly. Ms. Epps also stated that she attended a session on Policies Governing the Boards Actions. She stated she felt that it would be beneficial for the incoming board members to attend the CORE training provided by NCSBA. Ms. Smith stated that she had just attended the CORE training in. July and that she also attended the CORE training at the beginning ofl her service with the board. She felt after serving on the board for several months she could better understand the information they provided. One ofthe speakers was an experienced board member and the guidance she shared with handling various board situations was very beneficial. Ms. Evans then stated that she attended a session on AI that explained the importance ofl PD for our teachers on AI literacy and the DPI resources that are available. Dr. Ellis stated that we are putting together an AI core team and will have aj presentation in September. She also stated that the NCSBA is doing a public media campaign on Facebook and Instagram to push public schools. On the NCSBA Facebook and Instagram page they have the Public School Win of the Week. We will be able to submit something great that has happened in our schools to be highlighted on the NCSBA page. Ms. Taylor also stated that she attendeda session on the use of electric vehicles in our schools and the training that we need to be doing to prepare. She also attended a session on Board Governance that discussed the advantages of having al board member work session and she felt this could be beneficial for our members.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for his Superintendent's) Remarks. Dr. Ellis stated he wanted to thank our staff for all the hard work. Our HR department, Jordan Hamilton, the Curriculum Team (putting together Leadership Week), Matthew Woodard (behind the scenes at facilities), and Dr. Cagle (student services piece)just to name a few. Iget the question "do you work during the summer?" and it is always ay yes, we do. It is not me but the wonderful work ofc ours staff, not only the work here at the Central Office but also the people at our schools, from our principals to our cafeteria managers, and we really appreciate the job they do. It isj just a very busy time, but we have great people taking care of our schools and we will open the school year successfully thanks to them. We have also received notice that is time to consider the Public School Needs Capital Grant Fund. This is the same grant that we missed out on with Montgomery Central High School because two years after the funding was approved for Montgomery Central it was announced that you could request up to $601 million dollars per high school. We applied and tried but unfortunately because the school had already been funded, we were    denied. Therefore, every dollar oft that fell on the taxpayers of Montgomery County. We are at a point now that in the near future we will need to start looking into the possibility ofa West side elementary school. Primarily for the growth that is continuing tol happen at and around Lake Tillery. It is something that we need to start thinking about, but I am sure even the mention of this will cause lots of questions in the community. Most oft the questions we do not have answers to yet because ultimately, we do not know where the site will be, what the configuration will be or where the boundary lines will be. We do know that we already have kids at the top of Badin Lake that drive twenty miles to Troy Elementary and almost fifteen miles tol Mt. Gilead Elementary and that is an issue. As you look at all the building permits, we. know that the growth is going to happen at the lake. As it continues to grow it will have an impact at some point and with the four lanes already to Charlotte we: need to start thinking about five or ten years from now. It is hard to have a robust conversation when you don'thave any money. This grant would allow us to apply for up to $42 million dollars. We are not even sure that $42 million would build aschool, especially when you figure in the purchase price of land around the lake but with the grant the county would only have to agree to a five percent match of $2 million. Iwould rather start that conversation with $42 million in hand than to start that conversation with no money because that would bea disservice to our community. Our first step, if we have board consensus to at least apply to see what happens, would be for the county commissioners to sign off on itand then we would fill out the application at that point. It is usually a three to four month process sO we: should know by December: if we are approved, and we could then have a more serious conversation. In the past there has been no deadline for using the funds. Once we get through the process, it could possibly take two years to acquire the land and have discussions with the county and then another two years to build the school, sO we are looking at least four to five years down the road. This does not require a motion, just a consensus  from the board to start the application process. The board agreed unanimously.  Chairman DeBerry then asked for a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel and consult the board attorney. Bryan Dozier made the motion, with Anne Evans seconding. The board  approved entering closed session unanimously.  The following items were approved: 1) Board Minutes from July 1,2024 2) Personnel Report:    COUNTYSCIIOOIS REPORT forl Human! August5,2 2024 ofthel followingr resig etirements EffetiveDate Teacher/ Assistant' Pages StreetE July15,2024 ESLT Teacher Pages Street Elementary July21,2024 June17,2024 5)1 Tammie Parsons TroyE Elenentary June13,2024 Teacher/ James Bryant West Middles School July29,2024 Behaviors Supports Spac. superintendent,: approvalofthef followinga ReconChek  Emilys Shaw, Assistants reports! thes ResignationB Retiremsnt SchoolA I) Aubrey Williamson Ridge Elementary June27,2024 Resignation 2) StephanicA Resignation Kristin Beck Resignation Amandaw Williams Resignation Resignation Resignation  hrystal)  1) ShecannaCollins Jenniferl Bass Heather) Jackson 14) Shelial Pery Donna) Susan Carltina) Johnson Kay McCallum Sue Ann Davis Certified Tracie Whitley SusanA Ashworth Debbie Roach BethB Bailey Reporto ofthef following" transfers: Transfer ElkstiveDate From NoraBeasley Mt. GileadElem. WestN Middle 08/19,2024 STEMT Teacher 6"Grades Studies'Science 2)Lindas Sanders Montg. CentralHigh CentralOfice 08/19:2024 Techn. Technician Technician!! Uponr recommendation, ofprincipalr followingp Statutel 115C-325: Employee EffectiveDate  (es Yes Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending Yes RecordCheck  To  Replacing Sam) Julen fore employmento ofthe Reconl Replacing Check Patrick' Wichowski  contracts fort the 2624-2 2025s schooly yeara asprovidedh by General  School Assignment I) Shelby Canady EastMiddles School Yes 08/19/2024 Band/ChorusT Teacher Marys Steltz West Middle School Yes Karen! Dumasis 08/19/2024 gGraden MathT Teacher 3) Annette Ammons Montg. Centrall High Yes VeraR Richardson 08/19:2024 Guidance Counselor 4) MichelleComer GreenR Ridget Elementary Yes Stephanie Andrufski 19/2024  ESL Teacher    tponrecammendatinne afthes superintendent, approvalol DMe  certified personne: Replaxing Chexk Pending Naomi Teacher Pending JayceCassidy Media/ Green Translator Green Ridge Elementary Ves Laura ilson Pages Street EdCorp approvalofthet followinge roaches: Travis Talley Aguilar- Tomnis WetMileSchol Athletic! Director  Ves Sheny Jacobs  3) Auxiliary Report:  AUXILIARYR REPORT    4) Testing Notification LTR. Averages:  441P Page Street. .P.0. Box 427 Troy, North Carolina2 27371-0427 PHONE: (910)5 576-6511 HX:910,5762044  TO: Boardof Education FROM: Wade/ Auman DATE: August5s, 2024 SUB): TESTINGI average. lama fwa  ITEM  Montgomery Countys Schoolsn provided thel locals standandizediestingd dataf fort thel Boardtorevicw cache evenn numberedy yeari inaccordance withd General Statute $115C-174.12441),. lampleasedio report that wea are not overt thes state averagesf forn numbero oftests administeredorn numbero ofhours for testing. Wewillnotber requiredt tos submital localp plantotheN NCDPIE basedo ono ourp preyioust twoyear Thisreporti indicatest thed districtands statea averages forte testingt thed districte clectst toa administere during thes schooly year. Thisa aligns witht thel TESTINGR REDUCT TIONA ACTOF2 2019. answer anyg questionsy youn mighth have. Attachment: [LTR Averages_ 620_2024)  Eptpma-mahr. ActiomEmployer    Following approval oft the consent agenda, Chairman DeBerry asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Bryan Dozier made the motion with Lynn Epps seconding; the meeting was  duly adjourned.  The next regular meeting will be held on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 6:30 pm at the  Montgomery County Central Office.  Dows  Steven W.  Dale  Ara  DeBerry, Chairndan  Ellis, Ed. D., Secretary