Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education
Meeting
March 22, 2010
Minutes
The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education met on March 22, at the Long Street Administrative
Office with the following members present: Dr. Jim Emerson, Mrs. W. Jean Kennedy, Mrs. Patty
Williams, Mrs. Linda Freeze, Ms. Karen Carpenter, and Mrs. Kay Norman. Mr. Beard was absent.
Also present were Dr. Judy Grissom, Dr. Rebecca Smith, Mr. Walter Hart, Mr. Gene Miller, Mrs.
Delores Morris, 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. Mrs. Williams shared a moment for
meditation. Mrs. Freeze officiated the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. Beard entered the meeting at 5:03 p.m.
Adopt Agenda
** Ms. Carpenter moved approval of agenda as submitted. Mrs. Kennedy seconded. Unanimously
approved. (7:0)
Celebrations
Customer Service Awards: RSS employees may be nominated to receive the
“Customer Service Award,” which recognizes employees for achieving excellent
customer service. Anyone may nominate a RSS employee for this honor. Forms are
located on our website. Employees nominated for the month of March are:
1. Larry Britt – Assistant Principal at North Rowan Middle School
2. James Davis – Principal at China Grove Middle School
3. Jini Blythe – Bus Driver for China Grove Middle & Carson High schools
4. Alesia Burnette – School Improvement and Title I Director
5. Hank Newman – Purchasing in the Finance Office
6. Joy Barnette – Secretary at Cleveland Elementary School
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS - SHS Girls Basketball Team – STATE CHAMPIONS – 2nd Straight 2A Title
o “Bubbles” Phifer – State MVP
o Ayanna Holmes – State Most Outstanding Player
o Head Coach Andrew Mitchell - NC Coach of the Year
o Assistant Coaches Kristina Spring & Osbourne Fields
Shanequa “Bubbles” Phifer
Olivia Rankin
Ayanna Holmes
Jessica Heilig
Isis Miller
Ashia Holmes
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Doreen Richardson
Lacresha Young
Ebony Feamster
Najwa Allison
Hannah Lebowitz
Tori Woods
Communication to the Board
Ms. Laura McClettie – US Census Bureau representative. Ms. McClettie spoke about the
importance of everyone completing and turning in the 2010 Census.
Dr. Emerson noted that Board members realized the importance of all households filling out the
Census Questionnaire and recommended that the Board adopt a proclamation.
**Mrs. Norman moved to accept the 2010 US Census Proclamation. Mrs. Freeze seconded.
Unanimously approved. (7:0)
Superintendent and Board Comments
None
Consideration of the Consent Agenda
Financial Summary for March 2010
February 22 BOE Minutes; March 8 BOE W/S Minutes
March 2010 Budget Amendments
Field Trip Request – WRHS and SRHS and JCHS
Reappointment of Mr. Tom Bost to RCCC Board of Trustees
** Mrs. Williams moved approval of the Consent Agenda. Ms. Carpenter seconded. Unanimously
approved. (7:0)
Discussion Items
JROTC Partnership Between Carson and South
Dr. Don Knox, Mrs. Henry Kluttz and Col. Hafer came before the BOE. Col. Hafer discussed a change
that should be made in the relationship in the JROTC program at South as they partner with Jesse
Carson High School.
Col. Hafer said there were a number of reasons to change the program to a more conventional
approach. He said some of it has to do with the transport time and the loss of instruction time. He
said there was also an inequity in the promotion of the JCHS students because they are not able to
attend many of the labs.
Col. Hafer said the relationship started as it is for all the right reasons. He said the army is
requesting upward of 120 JROTC programs, but the funding is not available. Col. Hafer said the
school is starting to feel the inequity of some of the Carson students, and feel that the relationship
needs to be more in line with what the Board is doing with other schools, such as academies.
Col. Hafer said what they are requesting is exclusion to the athletic prohibition for rising 9th grade
students who want to transfer to SRHS to enroll in JROTC Academy and for the 2010-11 school year,
a one time waiver for rising 10, 11 and 12 graders who are already enrolled in the JROTC program.
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Col. Hafer said those students would be held to a standard to attend the academy.
Mrs. Norman asked if Col. Hafer if he had any knowledge as to when a JROTC program would be
approved for JCHS. Col. Hafer said he did not know, but JROTC is an important feature and is alive
and well.
Dr. Emerson said the only thing the Board doesn’t want to do is to reduce the chances of Carson
getting a JROTC program because of this change. Mr. Kluttz said that Carson is at the top of the list
because they have partnered with SRHS for the past several years, and because they built a facility
with the intention of having a JROTC program.
**Mr. Beard moved to approve the one time athletic wait waiver for students who transfer from JCHS
to SRHS for the JROTC Academy for 2010-2011 for students currently enrolled JROTC. Mrs. Kennedy
seconded. Unanimously approved. (7:0)
2010-2011 Budget Request
Mrs. Trexler said that although the budget request was covered at the March 8 work session, she
wanted to review a couple of the highlights. The Board received a Budget Message that will be
presented to the County Commissioners, if the budget is approved, and the 2010-2011 Budget
Request for State Average County Appropriation.
Mrs. Trexler noted that at the BOE Work Session it was discussed and recommended that the Board
request the $3.3 million, the same as the 2008-2009 request. She said the $3.3 million includes $1.9
million that was not received last year.
*Ms. Carpenter moved approval of the budget request to Rowan County in the amount of an increase
of $3.3 million for the 2010-2011 school operating year. Mrs. Norman seconded.
Mr. Beard said he is still concerned about what is happening to the school system. He said the less
we negotiate, the less we get from the county. Mr. Beard explained that it is being said that our
system is paid on state average, but in fact it is not that because as Mrs. Trexler said, the information
is two years old.
Mr. Beard distributed a graph he requested and received from Mrs. Trexler. He said this information
needed to get out, because the document shows real numbers on how we are funded. The state
average is going up year after year. He said last year, the state average for 08-09 turned out to be
$1736 per pupil. He said the Rowan County Commissioners allotted us $1551 per student; $185 less
than state average. Mr. Beard said if you are really an advocate for children, what is the point of
being average?
Mr. Beard said he doesn’t like the fact that county commissioners can sit there and say they are
funding us at state average when they aren’t. He said, “We are getting funded at D levels and it has
to stop.” Mr. Beard said the reality is that the commissioners are not working with us. He said we
want our children to have the best opportunity to reach their potential. He said the challenge is to
the commissioners to stand up and do what they need to do.
Ms. Carpenter called for the question.
Unanimously approved. (7:0)
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Department of Social Services (DSS) Building Discussion Update
Dr. Emerson explained that he, Ms. Carpenter, Dr. Grissom, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Trexler and Mr. Hardin
had met with County Commissioners Chairman Carl Ford, Mr. Raymond Coltrain and County Manager
Gary Page. He asked Ms. Carpenter to give a summary of their meeting held with the county
commissioners earlier in the day. Ms. Carpenter said that essentially Chairman Ford began the
meeting by saying that he wanted our Board to make an up or down vote as to whether we wanted
the old Department of Social Services (DSS) building. She said Dr. Emerson and she tried to let them
know they had some concerns.
Ms. Carpenter noted that the building was not big enough. However, in light of the fact that there
are safety issues at Long Street, the Board needed to look at what could be done. She said the
group talked about the possibility of a feasibility study and who would be pay for that. Mr. Page said
they were not interested in doing that. Ms. Carpenter said they also discussed who would pay the
moving expenses. She said Chairman Ford said if they knew our Board wanted the building, they
might help with expenses.
Ms. Carpenter said the meeting ended with Dr. Emerson and her being asked to go back and ask the
rest of the Board if we wanted to have a feasibility study, and relay the answer to the Commission,
so they could decide if they wanted to pay or help pay for that. Dr. Emerson said he would ask for
the Commissioners to pay for half on the study. Mrs. Norman said it didn’t seem right that we would
pay half when you look at their fund balance and ours.
Dr. Emerson said the Commission would want to put off making a $3 million decision for about 5
years down the road. He stated that Chairman Ford said they would be offering us a free building.
Dr. Emerson said if we get the building, we could put Corporate Square there for more room than
they have now and move Long Street employees, except the Technology Department.
Mr. Miller said he is going to contact some folks to check on the cost of feasibility study. Ms.
Carpenter said given the political and economic climate, while we would love to have a consolidated
office now, it is not likely. She said she feels because of the safety issues at Long Street, our Board
needs to take a good faith effort at looking at the DSS building.
Mrs. Williams asked where we would draw the funds for the feasibility study. Mr. Miller said that the
funds could be taken from the operational/maintenance funds. However, that would mean that other
things would not get done. Mr. Miller said right now unless it is a safety or emergency repair, money
is not being spent.
Closed Session
Mrs. Kennedy made a motion to recess into Closed Session at 6:18 p.m. to consider personnel
action that involves an [officer] or [employee], or [prospective public officer or employee] of this
board. [NC Gen. Stat. #143-318.11(a)(6)]; to prevent disclosure of information that is privileged
or confidential pursuant to state or federal law [NC Gen. Stat. 143-318.11(a)(1) Mr. Emerson
seconded. Unanimously approved. (7:0)
BOE Closed Session Minutes of February 22, 2010; Employee Hearing of Feb. 22 and March
8 Work Session Minutes
March Personnel Report
Student Transfer Request
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The Board took a five-minute break.
Report of Closed Session
**Ms. Carpenter moved to approve the March Personnel Report, Career Contracts and assistant
principal contract extensions. Mrs. Freeze seconded. Unanimously approved. (7:0)
Announcements
4/1
BOE Finance Sub-committee Mtg./Long Street/3:00 p.m.
4/1
Early Release Day
4/2-7
Student Spring Break
4/5-7
Teacher Spring Break
4/8
BOE Personnel Sub-committee Mtg./Ellis Street/4:00 p.m.
4/26
BOE Meeting/Long Street/5:00 p.m.
Please check the 2010 Rowan-Salisbury Master Calendar or our website (www.rss.k12.nc.us) for
district events and school programs that are scheduled.
Adjournment
** moved to adjourn at p.m. seconded. Unanimously approved. (7:0)
Dr. Jim Emerson, Chairman
Dr. Judy S. Grissom, Ed. D., Secretary
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