03/28/2024
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The Board of Education recently met for their monthly session where they recognized several teachers and students for various awards and achievements.

The following teachers were all recognized as their respective school’s Teacher of the Year: Olivia Ollis of Booker T. Washington, Pamela Bryant of Bladenboro Middle, Mary Willoughby of Bladenboro Primary, Beth Pope of Clarkton School of Diacovey, Kim McVicker of Dublin Primary, Deneanne Waddell of East Arcadia School, Cheryl West of Eas Bladen High School, Reece Lancaster of Elizabethtown Middle, Joy Frith of Elizabethtown Primary,  Roberta Graham of Plain View Primary, Jolanda Crumb of Tar Heel Middle, and Melinda Coughlin of West Bladen High School. Cheryl West of East Bladen High School was chosen as the countywide Teacher of the Year, and Kristy Smith of Elizabethtown Primary was chosen to be the Bladen County Teacher Assistant of the Year. Additionally, Priscilla Brayboy of Bladen Lakes Primary was chosen to serve as the Bladen County Principal of the Year.

Dublin Primary’s Battle of the Books Team was recognized for winning first place in the 2016 Bladen County Battle of the Books. This is the second year that the team has won the competition.

East Bladen’s Envirothon Team won fifth place in the Bladen Soil and Water Conservation District Area 7 Envirothon Competition. The team is now qualified to compete at the state competition.

Two West Bladen Students received a star award at the FCCLA State Conference. Madilyn Parrish won a Gold Medal in Life Event Planning, and Payton Chavis won a Bronze Medal in the Career Investigation Event. Also, Allie Marsh was installed as a state FCCLA officer for 2016-2017.

East Bladen High School’s Lady Eagles Basketball Team made it to the Final Four State Championship. The team’s overall record was 31-1 with a conference record of 14-0.

West Bladen had two students place in the top five at Skill USA State Conference.  Colby Ashe won 5th place in welding; Mary Butler won 3rd place in Metal Art, and Zachary Monroe won second place in Plumbing.

Attendance awards were presented next.  East Arcadia School won in both the Elementary and Middle School Divisions, and East Bladen won in the High School Division.

Willa Dean Williams, Career and Technical Education Director, presented the CTE Newsletter, and Dr. Reida Roberts, Exception Children Director, informed the board of a Migrant Headstart Memo of Agreement.

Spring Board Policies Custom Updates were postponed until next month’s meeting. An Agreement of Affiliation between Bladen County Schools and Bladen Community College.  Among various benefits, the affiliation will allow students that quit school early to pursue a GED instead to no longer be counted towards the county’s dropout rate.

A draft of a local Analysis of Student Work Plan was approved. The plan would make assessments simpler and less faulty than the current assessment for teachers in non-core subjects.

A 2016-2017 Pre-K Contract and some Fundraiser requests were both approved.  Overnight field trips for various clubs’ conventions and a 2018 Europe trip were all approved. Two Exceptional Children Contracts were approved before the board proceeded to go into closed session to discuss personnel and legal matters.

Upon reconvening open session, the board approved one Personnel List Addendum Action Item and voted a second one down.

Dr. Robert Taylor, Superintendent, reminded the board of upcoming dates. The facilities committee agreed to meet again soon. Ophelia Munn-Goins, board member, announced that she will be unable to attend next month’s meeting,  and Dennis Edwards, board member, expressed his gratitude to local EMS and firefighters that helped with incidents at both East Bladen High School and Dublin Primary.

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