Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education
Meeting
November 28, 2011
Minutes
The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education met on November 28, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. at the Long
Street Administrative Office with the following members present: Dr. Jim Emerson, Mrs. Linda
Freeze, Mrs. Kay Wright Norman, Mr. Mike Caskey, Mr. Bryce Beard, and Dr. Richard Miller.
Mrs. Jean Kennedy was absent due to an obligation. Also present were Dr. Judy Grissom, Dr.
Rebecca Smith, 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. Freeze officiated the Pledge of
Allegiance. Dr. Miller shared the opening meditation.
Adopt Agenda
Mr. Beard moved to adopt the agenda as submitted. Mrs. Norman seconded. Unanimously
approved. (6:0)
Celebrations
Congratulations to the following staff and students of the Rowan-Salisbury School System for
the following accomplishments:
 PRESENTATION FROM COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER
Adam Eberhart from the Community Blood Center to present a check of to our district. This
money was collected in partnership with Classroom Central for the “Pints for Pencils”
project.
 WRHS CADETS BRING HOME WINS
West Rowan High School JROTC cadets participated in the Raider Challenge won four out of
five first place finishes in the Raider Challenge Competition. The cadets also won Overall
First Place. Tyler Shoemaker was awarded individually for being the “Superior Physical
Fit Cadet.” Sgt. Ben Laster is the JROTC Instructor. Participants include:
1. Mauricio Lopez
2. Deryan Aleman
3. Timothy Bailey
4. Austin Mowery
5. Dylan Tyler Shoemaker
6. Dakota Peoples
7. Cody Rainey
8. Dalton Brinson
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 HOLIDAY CARD CONTEST WINNER
Ava Quick, from Jesse Carson High School, is the winner of the Rowan-Salisbury School
System’s 2011 “Holiday Card Contest.” Karen Lundgren is the art teacher.
 JESSE CARSON HIGH SCHOOL WINS STATE HONOR
Carson High brought home first place honors and a $5,000 cash award in the first NCSBA
High School Video Contest. Teacher Amie Williams and students Corey Stanley and Mitchell
Gibson along with principal Kelly Withers is the principal, accepted the award at the fall
conference.
 SALISBURY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TENNIS TEAM WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Coach is Chris Myers. Team members include:
Joy Loeblein
Erika Nelson
Katelyn Storey
Madeline Hoskins
Sallie Kate Meyerhoeffer
Alexandra Drye
Caroline Graham
Savannah Ware
Meredith Hovis
Jordan Pring
 SALISBURY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF TEAM WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Coach is Dale Snyder. Team members include:
Lily Yatawara
Brooke Smith
Madeline Hoskins
Isabella Rusher
 SALISBURY HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER TEAM WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Coach is Matt Parrish. Team members include:
Kenny Bonilla
Tripp Caldwell
John Grant
Alex Lee
Jordy Sanchez
Hanson Saryee
BJ Woods
Spencer Dixon
Brock Overcash
Zack Sukkasem
Banks Fisher
Emmy Turcios
Luke Hutton
John Canipe
Conner Miller
Phillip Simons
Bobby Cardelle
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Lucas Capito
Clint Comadoll
Michael Brown
Communication to the Board
None
Superintendent and Board Comments
Dr. Grissom recognized Dr. Alexander Erwin, Education Department Chair at Livingstone College
and his staff and students.
Consideration of the Consent Agenda
 October 2011 Financial Summary
 BOE Minutes of October 24, and Emergency Meeting Minutes of November 8, 2011
 October 2011 Budget Amendments
 Field Trip Requests
**Mrs. Norman moved approval of the Consent Agenda as submitted. Mrs. Freeze seconded.
Unanimously approved. (6:0)
Discussion Items
2010-2011 Financial Audit
Ms. Aprille Bell addressed the Board and reviewed highlights of the financial audit. Ms. Bell noted
that the financial information is a one-year presentation, but she put together a 3-year comparison
for the Board.
Ms. Bell said that a compliance audit of all programs was done, as well, and most of the programs
that received ARA monies, and the SFS money. Ms. Bell said there was only one finding.
Dr. Emerson said he was very proud of the staff’s handling of the school system funds.
Ms. Bell noted that school personnel secure a good number of grants that contribute to the
stability of the fund balance. She said Dixon Hughes Goodman works with about nine other school
systems, and the Rowan-Salisbury School personnel throughout the schools and central offices are
extremely professional.
Reading Matters, iRead Event
Mrs. Feimster said that the district will be participating in an initiative called Reading Matters,
iRead. She explained that this was a week-long event where all schools will be involved. Mrs.
Feimster said that five different books had been read and videoed, and a video would be shown
each morning at the schools. During the day, students will be studying grade level lesson plans
and doing work developed for them.
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Mrs. Feimster detailed the contests that were offered to students and prizes they would receive.
She also explained that the event would culminate with a Family Night on Monday, December 5
where five of the high schools will host the elementary schools. Students from the high schools
and middle schools will be facilitating the stations for the elementary students to participate.
Henderson Incentive Pay Plan
Dr. Chris Vecchione, interim principal at Henderson Independent High School, addressed the BOE
and introduced Mr. Tim Dryman, a Social Studies teacher and site support teacher at Henderson,
and Ms. Karen Chunn, an English teacher at the school. He said that both had a lot to do with the
review and preparation of the pay for performance incentive plan.
Mr. Dryman distributed the proposal to the Board members.
Dr. Vecchione pointed out that 5000 schools were chosen to apply for the grant across the nation
and it was a very competitive process. He said that North Carolina’s 115 districts applied and only
20 districts won the grant.
Dr. Vecchione stated that the state department has monitored this grant very closely, and in
March, all districts administering the grant received a letter that there were two shortfalls across
the state since the grant was put in place. He said one was that there was not an increase of
learning of all students, and that the use of financial incentives to recruit and retain staff was not
being done.
Dr. Vecchione said Dr. Hancock advised that Rowan-Salisbury Schools needed to get in compliance
with the grant. He said a School Improvement Grant team was formed and they had met once a
month, but began to meet twice per week since August.
Dr. Vecchione reviewed the new directives that were put in place at Henderson for the proposed
incentive pay plan. He said that he had talked with Guilford County and Gaston County schools to
help develop Henderson’s plan.
Dr. Vecchione reviewed the Pay for Performance Incentive Pay Plan 2011-2013. He said Five of
nine indicators were picked at Henderson.
Dr. Emerson asked if this plan will be in place for two more years. Dr. Vecchione said that at this
time, the grant was scheduled to expire in two years. Dr. Grissom said the incentive pay plan will
not deplete the grant funds.
Mrs. Norman said she felt it was a great plan and that is what it is until it is implemented. She
said she appreciated that the teachers were engaged in the process.
Mr. Beard said he was also impressed that the staff that own the problem have invested time and
effort to make Henderson a better school.
Dr. Vecchione said Henderson will not be turned around by rules, but by relationships.
**Mr. Beard moved to approve the incentive package for Henderson that is in compliance with the
grant received. Mrs. Freeze seconded. Unanimously approved. (6:0)
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Update on Testing Changes
Mr. Colby Cochran distributed information regarding the new testing changes, and explained that
North Carolina will implement a revised testing program next year.
Mrs. Kennedy entered the meeting at 6:20 p.m.
Mr. Cochran reviewed the plan.
Mr. Cochran said that things are changing faster than we anticipate, and that the high school tests
are the first in the wave.
Second Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant (WRMS)
Mr. Miller said Salisbury-Rowan Utilities wants to do away with the current Waste Water Treatment
Plant and build a newer one near WRMS. He said that that treatment plant now costs about
$35,000 a year for the school system to keep operational, and a maintenance employee has to
check on it each day.
Mr. Miller said the proposal calls for putting in about 2 1/4 miles worth of piping and to put in a
new lift station adjacent to WRMS at a cost of $200,000 for the school system, $200,000 for
Magna, a business located nearby, and the City will incur the remainder of the cost. Mr. Miller said
if the school board goes along with the proposal, the money would have to be in the 2012-2013
school year. However, we are now spending $35,000 to keep up the current lift station. He
recommended that the board approve this proposal.
Mr. Miller noted that the Board of Education would deed the property to the City of Salisbury,
which is what we would like to do.
**Dr. Miler moved to approve the waste water treatment plant proposal. Mrs. Norman seconded.
Unanimously approved. (7:0)
Matching Funds Projects for 2011-12
Mr. Miller reviewed the matching funds program. He said that budgeted $315,000 for matching
funds, a program that has been in place 15 – 16 years.
Mr. Miller said this year there were 33 schools who asked for a project; 21 were technology
related, and various items were requested in other schools.
**Mrs. Freeze moved to approve the matching funds project 2011-12. Mrs. Kennedy seconded.
Unanimously approved. (7:0)
Update on Central Office Consolidation
Mr. Miller said that Dr. Grissom and he had a conversation with the county manager and another
county employee. Mr. Miller was told that if it did take a tax increase and the county did not have
to put up any tax increase, and it met regulatory approval.
Mr. Miller said he put together a proposal with Mr. Barwick and also put together two lease options
to consider. He explained that he, Dr. Grissom, Dr. Emerson, Mr. Barwick, and Mr. Hemann
attended a meeting two weeks ago with the LGC and were told they were putting a cart in front of
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the horse. They were told that until there was an approval by the county commissioners and a
design was put together, the LGC couldn’t do anything.
Mr. Miller reviewed several documents he had developed. The first was a fact sheet explaining
why we need a central office and the history of plans that have been presented in the past. Mr.
Miller said we are back to one of the first proposals to build downtown.
Mr. Miller also shared the proposal from Mr. Barwick and the development fees.
Mr. Miller reviewed a breakdown of the lease amortization of a capital lease and that of
conventional financing at 4.5% and one with 3.5%.
Mr. Miller presented a document illustrating how the school system would pay for the central
office. He said he had Mr. Pete Teague update a plan of payment. Mr. Miller reviewed another
document that showed the 1992 bond payment schedule with three more years to pay. Mr. Miller
distributed the last document to show how the figures will reach.
Mr. Miller said he would like to see us make the presentation to the county commissioners in
December.
Dr. Emerson noted that Mr. Miller didn’t speak about the architectural drawings. Mr. Miller said
they would cost approx. $400,000. Dr. Emerson asked where would we get this money. Mr. Miller
said this would have to be bid and paid by us up front.
Dr. Miller asked if we would be presenting the various funding options to the county
commissioners. Dr. Grissom said that would be the plan.
Mr. Caskey asked if there were a formal commitment from the City of Salisbury that they would
give us the property. Dr. Grissom said that Randy Hemann was to go before the City to make a
formal request. Dr. Grissom said that we would get that commitment before any money was
spent.
**Dr. Miller moved to give Mr. Miller authority to present the two options to the county
commissioners. Mrs. Norman seconded. Approved. (6:1) Mr. Caskey opposed.
Communications to the Board – Dr. Emerson
None
Superintendent/Board Comments – Dr. Grissom
None
Closed Session
Mrs. Kennedy made a motion to recess into Closed Session at 7:22 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); Mrs.
Freeze seconded. Unanimously approved. (7:0)



BOE Minutes of October 24 and November 8, 2011
Student Appeals
October Personnel Report
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
Superintendent’s recommendation
The Board took a short recess.
Report of Closed Session
**Mrs. Freeze moved to accept the November Personnel Report. Mrs. Norman seconded.
Unanimously approved. (7:0)
**Dr. Miller moved to approve the superintendent’s recommendation to assign Mr. Nathan
Currie as Assistant Superintendent for Administration/Athletics. Mr. Kennedy seconded.
Unanimously approved. (7:0)
Announcements
12/1 BOE Finance Sub-committee/ CANCELLED
12/7 BOE Personnel Sub-committee/Ellis St./3:00 p.m.
12/14 BOE Curriculum Sub-committee/Long St./2:00 p.m.
12/19 BOE Regular Meeting/Long St./5:00 p.m.
12/23 Winter Break (Students Out)
12/26 - 27 - Christmas Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)
12/28 - 30 - Winter Break (Students Out)
1/2 New Year Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)
Adjournment
**Mrs. Kennedy moved to adjourn at 8:01 p.m. Mrs. Freeze seconded. Unanimously approved.
(7:0)
Dr. Jim Emerson, Chairman
Secretary
Dr. Judy S. Grissom, Ed. D.,
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