DATE:May 2, 2005PRESENT:Michael Dixon, Chair
Mary Grace Bright Betsy Leech
Barbara Owens
Billy Peaden
TIME:7:30 P.M.Roy Peaden
Marcy Romary
Sidney Scott
Dick Tolmie
PLACE:Pitt County Office Building Delano Wilson
ABSENT:Jill Camnitz
Ralph Love, Sr.
Mr. Michael Dixon, Chair, called to order the Pitt County Board of Education in regular session. He welcomed everyone to the meeting
Mr. Sidney Scott led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ms. Deborah Long introduced recognitions for the evening. Recognized were E. B. Aycock students who won the State Battle of the Books contest in Greensboro the previous week, competing against nine other regional winners. The 12-member team was introduced with each team member being presented a Recognition Certificate, as was the teacher, Ms. Martha Blackwelder. Also recognized for comments were the Principal, Ms. Delilah Jackson, and Ms. Rejeanor Scott, Pitt County Schools’ Technology and Media Director, who was acknowledged as a long-time advocate and supporter of the Battle of the Books Program.
Also recognized were ABCD Award winners for 2006. For each individual named, Ms. Long read excerpts from the nomination form reflecting those activities for which the award winner was deemed to have gone “above and beyond the call of duty” in his or her day to day responsibilities. Recognized and presented with ABCD Award plaques were Ms. Jane Fox of Belvoir, Ms. Lavette Ford of Wellcome, Ms. Marsha Turman of Chicod, Ms. Jill White of Elmhurst, Ms. Robin Clark of Pactolus, Ms. Mary Rose Stocks of Wahl-Coates, Mr. Al Barnhill from the Technology Department, and Ms. Annie Fields from the Support Services staff.
The Chair offered the agenda for consideration. Upon motion by Mr. Dick Tolmie and second by Ms. Betsy Leech, the Board unanimously voted to approve the agenda as prepared.
A time for Public Expression was provided, however, no requests to address the Board were received.
The Chair offered for consideration the Consent Agenda. Mr. Billy Peaden requested that the Personnel Report be discussed in Closed Session.
Chair of the Policy Committee, Ms. Betsy Leech, presented the report from the Policy Committee. She advised that Policy 10.117 - College Visits - and Policy 10.501 and Procedure 10.501 - Pregnant Students - had been submitted at the previous meeting for First Reading. Having received no comments regarding either of these policies since that time, she motioned that they be approved as written. The motion received a second from Mr. Dick Tolmie and was unanimously approved by the Board.
Ms. Barbara Owens, Chair of the Educational Program and Services (EPS) Committee provided a report from that Committee’s meeting held on Tuesday, April 26, 2005. She advised that the Committee had received a presentation by Gene Hemby and Debbie Gray on the Visions Career Development and Scholarship Program offered by Pitt Community College. She described the program and explained that it is funded by a grant provided by Eddie and Jo Smith Family Foundation.
She noted that additionally Dr. Williamson had explained to the Committee the process used to allot teacher positions and discussed the steps that were approved by the Board at its meeting on May 21st to determine if a position should be allotted for classes with less than 12 students. She noted that the questions asked in such a situation are: (1) Can the course be offered via the Interactive Learning System, (2) Are computer-based instructional programs available from outside the county, (3) Are dual enrollment courses available through Pitt Community College or ECU, (4) Can combination classes be formed in the school, and (5) If the course is a unique, upper level course, could the student take it at another high school. She stated that if none of these options were viable in any one of the three small high schools, administrators may elect to assign a teacher to teach a section in core curriculum areas with course requests of at least 1% of the school’s population. If no other options are available and students need a completer course to finish a CTE pathway, she said, administrators will assign a teacher to teach the section, even without the required enrollment.
Ms. Owens stated that the Committee specifically discussed the concerns shared during Public Expression at the previous meeting in regard to agriculture education. She said that the declining enrollment at Ayden-Grifton was documented for the committee and noted that 24 students had registered for Animal Science for the upcoming school year, and that one section would be allotted for that course. She advised that in response to a question regarding the possible construction of a new lab at one of the schools, the cost would be in excess of $400,000, not including the green house, slate house, or head house. Additionally, she advised that should an environmental studies program be added, an aqua-cultural facility would be required. She stated that Dr. Williamson would draft a letter to Mr. Dendy (who addressed the questions to the Board in Public Expression) responding to the issues and requests raised.
Ms. Owens also shared that Dr. Williamson provided for the committee her plan for reorganizing the Educational Programs and Services Department by adding a Director of 6-8 position and redistributing the duties previously assigned to Mary Alice Yarbrough. Ms. Owens noted that the plan proposed was endorsed by the committee.
One Board member requested a copy of the $400,000 cost estimate for the lab to see what the $400,000 included.
The Chair noted the nominations for appointment of an individual to the Pitt Community College Board of Trustees as being Dr. Edgar Boyd, Mr. Randy Collier, and Mr. Charles Long. He stated that these names would be presented to the Community Relations Committee for review, interviews, and a recommendation back to the Board.
The Chair welcomed members of the Chamber Leadership Institute to the meeting and recognized Mr. Wayne Bowers and Mr. Ralph Soree.
Mr. Dixon also introduced the Executive Director of the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA), Dr. Ed Dunlap.
Dr. Dunlap shared information with the Board in regard to the services that could be offered by the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA) to assist the Pitt County Board of Education with its search for a new superintendent. He discussed the search process that would be proposed by the NCSBA, the Board’s responsibility in this process, and the NCSBA’s experience in this type of process over the last six years. He further discussed the need for an orderly transition between the current and future superintendents, the need for a process that would evoke a quality pool of candidates, and the need for the Board of Education to remain in charge of the process. He suggested the Board would need to come to consensus on the characteristics and strengths it desired in its candidates so that when the applications were reviewed, it would be easy to determine who would be a good fit. He added that the Pitt County Schools’ employees and the community should also be asked what they think is important in the qualities of a superintendent and he described ways this type of survey could be done via the internet. This profile, Mr. Dunlap stated, would then be used in screening the applications for the new superintendent.
He explained that Board members would receive copies of the applications and supporting documents and would rank their candidates individually and these rankings would be collectively discussed in a closed session. He suggested that a natural clustering would occur and the Board could decide how many candidates it would desire to interview. He recommended a short interview time period, and he discussed the question/answer portion of the interview process and the need to be sure the Board maintains control of this process. He recommended that a second round of interviews be used with the finalists, that the finalists’ names be held confidential, and that community interviews not be conducted. These procedures, he said, would assist the Board in getting a larger pool of quality candidates.
Dr. Dunlap discussed the administrative and clerical processes and procedures that would be handled by the NCSBA and the normal methods used to advertise the position vacancy. He shared that the process would be handled from the NCSBA’s legal department and that the fee was $6,000 plus expenses, with the expenses being $500 for advertising, plus travel expenses for the candidates to be interviewed. He further discussed the advertising plan and the steps that would be taken to put information out on various websites.
Questions by Board members centered on the total costs of the process, whether or not Dr. Dunlap or anyone from his office sat in on the interviews or if the School Board Attorney sat in to be sure the Board did not ask illegal questions, the average number of applications that are usually received, and if it was reasonable to think that the interview process could be concluded by September or October.
The Chairman commented on his request to have Dr. Dunlap come and speak this evening and shared also that he had talked with staff who had previously conducted the searches for the Board. He explained that in the past, the district had been without a superintendent or had an interim superintendent while the search was being conducted, but that in this case, the staff members would continue to have responsibilities to the current Superintendent.
Other questions from Board members were in regard to how many superintendent searches had been conducted by the NCSBA, the cost of the search completed in-house five years ago, the feasibility of conducting the search in-house again, whether a local contact would be needed and if so who that would be, and how much money had been budgeted for this process. Dr. Priddy was asked about the search process that he went through with the Board five years ago. In response to additional questions, it was clarified that the NCSBA would do all of the duplication and mailing of applications and other materials and that the Chair would be the contact for the Board of Education with the NCSBA office and that all questions and request would be funneled through him.
Upon motion by Ms. Mary Grace Bright and second by Ms. Betsy Leech, the Board unanimously voted to secure the services of the NCSBA to conduct the Superintendent Search.
Under Superintendent comments, Dr. Priddy noted the agenda on the table for the Joint meeting with the Board of Commissioners as set for May 9, and he reviewed the items listed on the agenda. In reviewing the capital construction projects portion of that agenda, Dr. Priddy emphasized that it would be important for the County Commissioners to make available to the Board of Education as soon as possible the debt service money that is going to be freed up within the next two years on the J. H. Rose project, so that the Board could go ahead and set its next several priorities, buy land, employ an architect, etc. He suggested that it was possible that this revenue stream could be made available to the Board as early as July 1. He suggested additionally, that an appropriate question to the Commissioners would be what their plans would be for funding capital projects should the 1% sales tax not become a reality.
In regard to the meeting with the Commissioners, Board members emphasized that not one single new initiative was included in this operating budget request and also a clarification was made that the $190,000 or $200,000 for Mills Road Middle School was not additional dollars because of a decision to convert the school to a 6-8 school, but was rather a reduction in what the cost would have been should the school have remained a K-8 facility. Also questioned was whether it was possible to project cost out to 5 years to show what the cost would look like should we not act now.
Dr. Priddy commented on his attendance at the North Carolina Association of Teacher Assistants over the weekend and he noted that Diane Wyndam was present in the audience.
Under Board member comments, Mr. Dixon asked Board members to consider the date of May 23rd as a possible dinner meeting date for the Board to begin its Superintendent Search process.
Mr. Sidney Scott stated that he thought it would be important to go ahead and start the application process for the superintendent search and not wait until after the 23rd.
Ms. Betsy Leech mentioned that she attended the dedication of the Don Carson Tennis Courts at North Pitt on Thursday and that Mr. Carson was very appreciative of this honor.
Ms. Barbara Owens indicated that on Friday, she had the honor to serve on the Perkins Scholarship Selection Committee, and that she was impressed with both the seniors and the experience.
Ms. Mary Grace Bright commented on the “Eye on Education” newsletter and commended the staff on a good job. She asked Board members to remind folks in the community that it is there and available for them. She asked the Community Relations Committee to begin looking at their calendars so that interviews could be held with the candidates for appointment to the Pitt Community College Board of Trustees. She additionally advised that the School Naming Committee would meet on May 6 at noon.
Mr. Billy Peaden commented that he wished there was someway to get the principals to give a boost to the PTA events by getting the school staff members to attend.
Upon motion by Ms. Barbara Owens and second by Mr. Roy Peaden, the Board voted to go into closed session to (1) establish or instruct the staff or agent concerning the negotiations of the amount of compensation or other terms of an employment contract. [N.C.G.S.§ 143-318.11(a)(5)] and (2) to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, condition of appointment of a public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee; or hear or investigate a complaint, charge, or grievance by or against a public officer or employee [N.C.G.S.§143-318.11(a)(6)].
A lengthy closed session was held to discuss several personnel matters.
Upon returning to open session, Mr. Delano Wilson motioned to approve the Personnel Report. The motion received a second from Ms. Barbara Owens and was unanimously approved.
Upon motion by Ms. Betsy Leech and second by Ms. Marcy Romary, the Board voted to approve the Third Amendment to the Superintendent’s Contract and Interim Contract of the Superintendent. One nay vote was casts by Mr. Billy Peaden.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
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A. Michael Dixon, Chairman
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Michael D. Priddy, Ed.D. Superintendent