Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education
Work Session Meeting
January 11, 2010
Minutes
The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education met on January 11, 2010 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. Bryce Beard, and Mrs. Patty Williams. Also present were Dr. Judy Grissom, Mr. Gene Miller,
Dr. Walter Hart, Dr. Rebecca Smith, 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. Ms. Carpenter shared a moment for
meditation. Mr. Beard officiated the Pledge of Allegiance.
Adopt Agenda
**Mrs. Norman moved approval of agenda as submitted. Mrs. Kennedy seconded. Unanimously
approved. (7:0)
Superintendent and Board Comments
Dr. Grissom shared with the Board that the school system is going to join the radio world. She
said beginning this week on WSAT she and others will be doing 2 minutes radio spots that will
be aired twice a week, once in the morning and once in the evening. Dr. Grissom advised that she
may be calling on Board members to do a spot, which will be taped ahead of airing time.
Discussion Items
Proposed Redistricting Maps
Dr. Emerson noted that the Board will be trying to arrive at a redistricting plan for the public hearing
scheduled for January 19 at Knox Middle.
Mrs. Williams first asked Mr. Miller when the proposed map was actually posted for viewing. Mr.
Miller said that the map in the boardroom was just received today, and will be ready for viewing after
the meeting.
Mrs. Williams said she had been receiving emails that the maps had not been available for viewing,
and asked would the Board consider postponing the public hearing until the citizens had time to view
the maps.
Dr. Emerson asked Dr. Grissom when was the absolute last date the Board could make their decision.
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Dr. Grissom advised that registration for high school students will be coming to the Board on Jan. 25,
and by the first part of February the staff will need to know something if the new zones will be
implemented for the Fall of 2010.
Mr. Miller took a moment to explained that the map in the boardroom had the changes from Carson
to South that was requested. However, the map proposed by the Board in December has been on
the website since the December 16 meeting.
Mrs. Kennedy questioned why a week would not be sufficient for the public to view the maps. Ms.
Carpenter said that even a discussion on that point may not be needed because the redistricting
discussion this evening may change the map again.
Dr. Emerson said that before the Board leaves this evening a date/time for the public hearing would
be considered. He then recapped previous discussions that had taken place over the last few
months.
Dr. Emerson asked Mr. Miller to share the information on Morlan Park area as to the free and
reduced lunch ratio from that area, which included 90 students.
Mr. Miller shared the information from the spreadsheet given to the Board members on Monday. He
said 43 of the 90 students were either on free or reduced lunch. Mr. Miller noted that system-wide
free and reduced lunch was at 57%.
Mrs. Norman said that the system has seen that percentage progressively moving in that upward
direction over the last couple years.
Dr. Emerson said the first issue to bring up would be the Westcliff sub-division. He said he could not
see moving that area to NRHS. Mrs. Freeze agreed. Dr. Emerson also questioned why the Board
would disrupt Carson and South when moving more kids into NRHS has been the focus.
Mrs. Norman suggested that if that move is made now and there is another spurt of growth, the
Board will have to make a move again.
Mr. Beard said that the growth is going that way anyway. He said JCHS goes across I-85 and into
the western part of the county. Mr. Beard said South should not be sitting at 71% and Carson at
98%. He said Or/Ed reported that the growth is heading in the western area.
Mr. Beard said his only reason for doing considering South and Carson is because as hard it is to
redistrict, the Board might as well do something that would not have to be done in a couple years.
Ms. Carpenter asked Mr. Miller if the cost to put in two classrooms at Carson was $200,000. Mr.
Miller said that it would be a little more, approximately $600,000 for four rooms because extra
bathrooms will have to be put in with that addition.
Mr. Beard said he didn’t think that the Board could say all or nothing until there has been citizen
input.
Mrs. Williams said she would be the first to advocate for additional students to SRHS, but it is moving
students after they have just been moved.
Dr. Emerson said the Board would stick to the fact that only rising 9th graders would be moved.
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Mr. Beard said that JCHS could do a choice zone. Dr. Emerson suggested moving the Morlan Park
area to NRHS, and identify the areas that could be redistricted in the future when certain triggers are
pulled. He said moving Morlan Park would put more students at NRHS. Dr. Emerson said that the
Country Club, Country Club Hills, etc. could be put on notice that they would be put on a choice zone
to NRHS, and Westcliff to SHS in a choice zone when triggers are pulled.
Dr. Emerson said it is not a question that the needs are not being addressed at North because they
are.
Ms. Carpenter asked if the students in Morlan Park were moved in 2006. Mr. Miller said, “Yes”.
Mrs. Kennedy asked Dr. Emerson if the utilization that has been reported does not impress him at all.
Mrs. Kennedy said she is having trouble of the Board not addressing the needs at one school. Dr.
Emerson asked what needs had not been addressed.
Ms. Carpenter said that North’s needs to have AP classes. Dr. Emerson said with five extra teachers
they can have the classes. He stated to Ms. Carpenter that NRHS has the resources.
Mrs. Norman noted that you cannot have classes if the students don’t sign up for them. Mr. Beard
said he doesn’t know why we can’t have virtual classrooms where a teacher could be at one school
and students from other schools could tune in.
Dr. Grissom said the system is using the NC Virtual classroom, and that the students are taking AP
classes online. Ms. Carpenter said that not everyone learns well on online.
Ms. Carpenter said she was having a hard time with this discussion when declining enrollment at
some high schools is a problem, but the declining enrollment at NRHS is not. She said the Board
needs to make a fundamental decision. Ms. Carpenter asked if the Board is in fact going to redistrict
with a purpose to provide more equity, and that we need to know who that is going t happen.
However if it is only to boost NRHS, the Board needs to say that.
Mrs. Norman said she thought that the Board is way away from where they started. She said she
didn’t think any Board member wanted any of our schools moved to a certain level. Mrs. Norman
said this time the button says we need to take stock of where we are. She said there is a fairness
issue in terms of the administration at NRHS as well. She believes the system is on track with NRHS
now.
Mrs. Norman said she was not an advocate of choice, but if choice is what will permit the school to
grow and function, it would be worth looking at it. She said she is concerned about the economics of
the community, and she could begin to look at choice because we may be looking at a different
problem down the road.
Ms. Carpenter said it is not choice if you don’t have the means or an option.
Mrs. Kennedy said that she is bothered that at every meeting the Board throws in something that
impedes any progress. She said she would like to decide not to do anything because she is tired of
sitting at the meetings and have something different brought to the table each time. Mrs. Kennedy
stated that the Board needed to vote and go one way or another.
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Mrs. Kennedy said she is concerned with achievement of students. She said money has been thrown
at it (NRHS), we have thrown resources at the school, so when are we going to put strength there.
Mrs. Kennedy said the Board was getting nowhere. Dr. Emerson agreed, but still believes it goes
back to the need. He said if we needed to redistrict he would be for it, but he doesn’t believe we
need to.
Mrs. Williams said numbers are dropping at other schools as well. Her concern is that she doesn’t
want to do anything in hindsight that they are going to regret. She said she doesn’t want to move
anymore students out of NRHS that is going to hurt that school.
Mrs. Williams suggested that maybe the Board needed to go to square one and look at what they are
going to do. Mrs. Williams asked if the Board is only going to do something to help North or going to
do something at all the high schools.
**Mr. Beard moved to have a system-wide choice zone for NRHS, that the SEMS overlay (150
corridor) be put back as a choice zone for rising 9th graders to Salisbury High School, and that South
Rowan High School would get a choice zone for rising 9th graders who attend Carson on Shue Road
to include Grace Ridge. Mrs. Norman seconded. Approved 4:3 Mrs. Kennedy, Ms. Carpenter and Dr.
Emerson opposed.
**Ms. Carpenter moved to provide transportation for students who choose to attend a school outside
their attendance area. Mrs. Kennedy seconded.
Mr. Beard asked if students could be shuttled from a school to their choice school? Ms. Carpenter
said that it is not choice if they don’t have a real choice to go.
Dr. Grissom asked if the Board was talking about rising 9th graders or for all high school students.
Mr. Beard said to let it be 9th graders except for NRHS where everyone has the choice.
Mrs. Freeze called for the question.
Mrs. Norman asked if the Board was talking about 9th graders. Ms. Carpenter stated that she is
talking about all grades.
Ms. Carpenter withdrew her motion and Mrs. Kennedy withdrew her second.
**Mr. Beard made a friendly amendment that the choice zones, in the case of NRHS will include all
rising 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12 graders, and in the case of the 150 corridor to SHS and Carson (Shue
Road) to SRHS to include only include rising 9th graders. Dr. Emerson seconded. (4:3) Approved.
Mrs. Kennedy, Ms. Carpenter and Mrs. Norman opposed.
**Ms. Carpenter moved that transportation would be provided to all students who choose, based on
the previous vote, to attend a school outside their attendance area. Mrs. Kennedy seconded.
Approved. 5:2. Mrs. Norman and Dr. Emerson opposed.
Ms. Carpenter asked what is the trigger and time frame would be when will NRHS be looked at. She
asked what had been done. Dr. Emerson said we made NRHS a choice school.
Ms. Carpenter said the Board was choosing to do nothing to make some changes with schools that
have capacity issues. She stated she was very disappointed. Mrs. Kennedy supported Ms.
Carpenter, and said she was not surprised. She stated that the Board had retreated, and has ended
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up being nowhere and has only been spinning their wheels. Ms. Carpenter stressed that if NRHS
could not have the students, then give them the resources.
Announcements
1/13 BOE Curriculum Sub-committee Meeting/Long St./2:00 p.m.
1/18 HOLIDAY (Schools and Offices Closed)
1/19 BOE Public Hearing/Knox Middle School/6:00 p.m.
1/25 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
**Mrs. Kennedy moved to adjourn at 6:02 p.m. Mr. Beard seconded. Unanimously approved.
(7:0)
Dr. Jim Emerson, Chairman
Dr. Judy S. Grissom, Ed. D., Secretary
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