Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education
March 9, 2009
Work Session
Minutes
The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education met on March 9, 2009 at the Long Street Administrative Office
with the following members present: Dr. Jim Emerson, Mrs. W. Jean Kennedy, Mrs. Linda Freeze, Mrs.
Patty Williams, Ms. Karen Carpenter, and Mrs. Kay Norman. Mr. Bryce Beard was absent. Also present
were Dr. Judy Grissom, Mr. Gene Miller, Dr. Walter Hart, Dr. Becky Smith, Mrs. Delores Morris, attorney
Don Sayers and Mrs. Bonnie Holder, Clerk to the Board.
Call to Order / Roll Call
Dr. Emerson called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance/Meditation
Mrs. Williams officiated the Pledge of Allegiance and Mrs. Kennedy had an opening prayer.
Moment for Meditation
Mrs. Kennedy shared the Optimist Creed, and had an opening prayer.
Adopt Agenda
** Mrs. Kennedy moved to adopt the agenda as submitted. Mrs. Kay Norman seconded. Unanimously
approved (7:0).
Mr. Beard entered the meeting at 5:04 p.m.
Superintendent Comments/Board
Dr. Grissom introduced three quests, who were teaching fellows and had been visiting for the week. She
recognized Myron Massey, who is attending UNC-Chapel Hill, and Nathaniel Lowder and Kyle Whisenant,
who are attending Appalachian State University.
Dr. Grissom discussed make up days due to the recent inclement weather, and the options she and Colby
Cochran had reviewed. She informed the Board members that a survey indicating seven options was
sent to the staff members asking them to mark the option they favored. Dr. Grissom said the option with
the most selections was to work March 30, take April 6 as an optional workday, and to work on Memorial
Day for the second day missed. Dr. Grissom said one thing that could be done if we choose to go on
Memorial Day was to have an early release.
Dr. Grissom noted that many of our staff and students have jobs on the weekend, and that Saturdays
are not well attended by students. She asked the Board members for feedback.
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Dr. Emerson said he was opposed to school being open on Memorial Day. Dr. Grissom said the only
option other than that would be another day of spring break.
Ms. Carpenter stated that the school calendar specifically states what days will be used in the case of
inclement weather. She felt we should stick to those days because it is not fair to those who have
planned accordingly.
Mrs. Williams said she would personally vote to stay with the calendar, and did not want to have the
school open on Memorial Day.
Mrs. Norman asked what our objective was for making up the days. Is it a teaching day or is it just to
make up the day. Dr. Grissom said her preference would be to attend a full day.
Mrs. Freeze said that there is a calendar committee who works really hard, so we should stick to the
calendar. Mr. Beard agreed to do what least interrupts spring break.
The consensus was to move the workday and take one day of spring break. Mrs. Williams said to
communicate that from this point forward, the calendar will be adhered to.
Discussion Items
High School Bump Up Policy Updated
Ms. Kathy McDuffie shared a draft of the bump up policy that was devised by all of the high school
principals so that the practice would be consistent across the system. She reminded the Board that this
policy is an incentive for students to take their exams or EOC tests in order give them a grade for the
course.
Ms. McDuffie said the new plan was discussed with the high school staff and many supported the plan,
but not all were in agreement. However, not all staff agrees with a bump up policy regardless of how
the policy is drafted.
Ms. McDuffie said that grades are so subjective. Teachers look at student performance differently.
Some of the grades the students receive are because they may not do their homework. She said some
students have a home environment that is not conducive to educational learning.
Mrs. Kennedy sees the incentive as encouragement. We live with rewards every day. She liked the
policy.
**Mr. Beard moved to accept the draft presented by the principals that calls for a uniform bump up plan.
Mrs. Kennedy seconded. No discussion. (5:2) Mrs. Freeze and Mrs. Norman opposed.
Budget Update
Mrs. Tara Trexler distributed and reviewed a document that outlined different scenarios of budget cuts
that could be made with the various percentages (3, 5, or 7%) of decreases in allotment. She said that
the reports are used to help the administration put together the budget request Dr. Grissom will take to
the commissioners.
Mrs. Trexler said that our elementary schools would most likely be hit pretty hard. At either percent, we
would loose approximately 69 teacher assistants. She said another highlight from the finance committee
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meeting is 072 funds, where in either percentage, we would lose 20 teaching positions, which would be
the reading teachers/tutors.
Dr. Grissom mentioned that the middle school resource officers may be cut. She gave a history on how
the SRO’s for middle schools were once paid from a grant. Dr. Grissom said that when the grant funds
ran out, the school system picked up their salaries by using remediation funds. She added that the state
does not allocate money for middle school resource officers.
Dr. Grissom said that regardless of any cuts, we would receive $1.2 million dollars less in PRC 69
(remediation funds). She said the system cannot continue to pay for the SRO’s. She said she will make
every effort to apply for a grant this fall, but because we are paying them now, we can’t apply for a
grant. Dr. Grissom said the sheriff’s department has been told that we have no money to fund the
officers.
Mrs. Trexler stated that if the Governor applies for some funds from the federal stimulus package, we
could see some relief in Title I stabilization money, and IDEA. She said, however, we are going to be in
competition with the colleges and universities with the stabilization money.
Mrs. Trexler reviewed the projected county appropriation increase for the 2009-2010 Budget preparation
for the county commissioners.
Dr. Grissom noted that even if the commissioners fund us at state average, we would not be able to do
anything new.
Ms. Carpenter discussed considering elimination of the teacher supply money, so that the commissioners
could consider those funds to be used to support our budget. She said that $375,000 is a lot of money
and how many jobs that may save if added to our current budget. Mrs. Williams agreed that if the
teachers could make it for a year or two, suggesting that we are in pretty good shape with materials.
She said she would like for us to put everything on the table before we look at making personnel cuts.
Dr. Grissom reminded the Board members that RPE’s Educator’s Express has been a big help for teachers
to supply their classrooms and students.
Dr. Grissom stated that the local budget will need to be voted on by our Board at their March 23 meeting
because it needs to be presented to the commissioners on April 1.
Dr. Grissom told the Board that the administration needs some feedback on what has been presented.
She mentioned that they have talked to principals and staff about ways to conserve. Dr. Grissom also
mentioned to the finance committee what we might save, if during the summer, employees worked a 10hour, 4-day week across the system. She said Mr. Miller has put together some figures on that plan.
Mr. Miller said the savings would be approximately a little over $11,000 per day for Friday only. He said
we would be closed for seven Fridays. Dr. Grissom asked the Board if they have any problems with that.
The Board thought it would be a good way to conserve.
Mr. Miller said there have been two issues that have come up with regards to capital money. He said
Governor Perdue has made the comment that she was going to take the Oct./Dec. qtr. of the lottery
funds and the Oct./Dec. qtr. of the sales tax revenue. He said we have used our money.
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In talking with Leslie Heidrick, our sales tax money will be decreased because there are no sales to get
the percentage. Mr. Miller said we could have about $1.3 million to deal with. He said the budget is
looking very slim for capital outlay for projects next year.
Mr. Miller said the second problem happened with Bill 386, which would take all the lottery money and
ADM money for 2010 and 2011. He noted that that would be grim. He said he has written to all of our
legislators because it will kill our facility repair efforts.
District Redistricting Update
Dr. Emerson said one of the best affirmations of the report given by Ed/Or is that we need to be
planning on a new elementary in the south area. Ms. Carpenter said the data that was gathered showed
that there is no pressing need for redistricting at this time. However, one of the issues that provoked all
of this was the underutilization of NRHS. She said she felt this was a different issue other than capacity.
Ms. Carpenter said that one of the interesting things Mr. Tsai presented was a suggestion to make all of
our schools more alike aesthetically. However, that would be very difficult because they would not be
able to know what is in each household. Mr. Beard said the redistricting could not be done using the
optimum of transportation.
Mr. Miller said he talked with Jeff Tsai and Tom Cook, and they would like to attend the March 23 BOE
meeting to make a report to the Board, explaining their charts and findings. Ms. Carpenter said it would
be good for a presentation to be given, but for it to be limited to 15 minutes or so.
Mr. Beard said that if we were going to have a growth in the south area, we would have to look at
changes in the future.
Ms. Carpenter said that many of the NRHS constituents are not happy with the size of that school, but
the Board needs to decide if that is the message the Board wants to send and if the principal is satisfied
with the size. Dr. Emerson said he doesn’t like the situation at NRHS, but he doesn’t dislike it so much to
look at redistricting. Mr. Beard said there are some good things of having a smaller school.
Mr. Beard said he would like to have open enrollment at NRHS because there are many new things
happening there. Dr. Hart said the NCHSAA would not change the alignment status without a major shift
in enrollment. They want even reconsider realignment for two years, and after that there has to be a
major change.
Dr. Emerson instructed Mr. Miller to have a report of the redistricting at the next meeting.
Ms. Carpenter asked Mr. Miller to have Ed/Or to work on a plan that would equal the high schools, if they
were still being paid on this contract. Dr. Emerson said see what affect there would be if numbers were
shifted to NRHS, so that all of the high schools were equalized. Mrs. Norman said we need to look at
what it is we want the equalization to be. We need to specify what it is we want equalized.
Review Policy 6-16, Transportation for all School Sponsored Trips, and Regulation 6-15,
Procedures for Submitting a Trip Request
Dr. Emerson said he wanted to keep staff from having to come to the Board meetings when principals could
make the decision at their level.
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Mrs. Freeze said to go back to approving out-of-country field trips. Ms. Carpenter stated that the Board
requested the change and could change it again because it is not a streamlined process. However, she
agrees that the principals could handle all the trips except out-of-country. Ms. Carpenter said she would be
more inclined to agree to put something in the policy with the number of school days missed rather than
the dollar amount. Dr. Emerson agreed.
Dr. Emerson felt the Board should consider trips beyond three days. Mr. Beard said two days. Dr. Emerson
said if they are going to miss more than two days, it has to come to the Board. Dr. Grissom asked to
include out-of-country.
Mr. Miller asked about taking out cost. Dr. Emerson said yes. It was asked if the director’s signature would
be required. Mrs. Williams said that if the trip affected the director’s budget, they should approve the trip.
Ms. Carpenter said only the regulation would need to be changed. Dr. Smith asked if the director would still
be in the process of approving.
Dr. Grissom clarified that any field trip where students are out more than two school days and out-ofcountry will come to the Board. Dr. Emerson confirmed.
Education Center Location
Dr. Emerson said he wanted Mr. Miller and the Building and Grounds Committee to make a matrix of what
areas have been talked about for an educational center, and then show costs. He would then like that
report to come to the Board so they could make an analytic approach to selecting a site.
Mr. Beard said that one thing that people need to be reminded of is that operating expenses and capital
expenses are two different sources of money.
Announcements
3/9
- BOE Work Session Meeting/Long Street/5:00 p.m.
3/12 - BOE Bldg. & Grounds Sub-Committee/Ellis Street/3:00 p.m.
3/12 - BOE Personnel Sub-Committee/Ellis Street/4:30 p.m.
3/16 - Ro. Co. Bd. Of Commissioners/J. Newton Cohen Bd. Rm./7:00 p.m.
3/23 - BOE Regular Meeting/Long Street/5:00 p.m.
Parent Focus Meetings
Parents are encouraged to attend the meeting in their child's school attendance area.
March
March
March
March
March
17/North Area - NRHS, NRMS, NRE, Hanford Dole and Henderson
18/East Area - ERHS, EMS, Granite, Morgan, Rockwell, Shive
24/Southeast Area - JCHS, CGMS, SEMS, Bostian, Knollwood, Koontz and Faith
30/West Area - WRHS, WRMS, Cleveland, Mt. Ulla, Hurley and Woodleaf
31/South Area - SRHS, CLMS, CGE, Enochville, Landis and Millbridge
Adjournment
**Mrs. Norman moved to adjourn at 6:54 p.m. Mr. Beard seconded. Unanimously approved. (7:0)
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Dr. Jim Emerson, Chairman
Dr. Judy S. Grissom, Ed. D., Secretary
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