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Bethany Stephens

The Board of Education met this Monday for their regularly scheduled monthly session. After approving the minutes of last month’s meeting and of last week’s special meeting to discuss possible consolidations and facility concerns, the board proceeded to recognize various groups for their achievements.

The following West Bladen High School students were recognized for earning the qualifications to work as a CNA: Kassidy Anderson, Hugh Clark, Selene Flores, Kristen Hunt, Amber Long, Brianna Nancd, Kayla Nunnery, Kathryn Schultz, Destinee Singletary, and Sophia Singletary.

Students who won the Bladen County Public Library’s Short Story writing competition were honored next. The competition had Kindergarten through twelfth grade students write short stories suitable for a Kindergarten through fifth grade audience. The following seven students were recognized for taking home prizes: Summer Ward, Steadman Davis, Sarah Allen, and Abigail Young.

The following West Bladen Foods 2 students were acknowledged next for recently earning their ServSafe Certifications: Cierra Byrd, Payton Chavis, Jenna Floyd, Brandon Thompson, Sydney Mitchell, and Mikaela Winebarger.

The following students from East Bladen High School were recognized for earning Microsoft Office Certifications: Brittany Townsend, Cassidy Thomas, Cristian Marquez-Mejia, Destini Jones, James Monk, Jennifer Munoz, Jessica Pridgen, Kimberly White, Logan McLemore, Nikoletta King, ShaHyra Hogan, Shianne Adkins, Tyler Dingess, Alexis Lewis, Kiara Gibbs, Charity Montgomery, Clintell Owens, and Cortavias Hatcher. The following West Bladen High School students earned the same certifications: Brandon Walden, Daniella Burga-Cupen, Berenice Vasquez, Jonathan Robinson, Eduardo Carranza, Brianna Taylor, Haleigh Dunn, Megan Baxley, Mixi Bravo, Trista Flores, and William Todd.

Attendance awards were presented next. Plain View Primary won in the Elementary School Division while Elizabethtown Middle won in the Middle School Division, and West Bladen High School won in the High School Division.

Following the spotlights and recognitions portion of the meeting, Valerie Newton, Public Information Officer, gave the board an outline of various times Bladen County Schools were mentioned in the news during the past month. This month had more than usual with more than sixty mentions.

Earl Miller, an agriculture teacher at East Bladen High School and two of his students, Camille Campbell and Olivia Barnes, addressed the board next concerning a competive grant they are applying for through the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund. Due to lack of lab space and inadequate facilities due to other curriculums having to share the school’s lab, Miller explained that the grant would help build a new laboratory, classroom, and livestock area (to make more animal science, poultry, and related classes available) on par with similar facilities at Gray’s Creek, Midway, and Union. Additionally, if awarded the grant, the site could also possibly be used for regional Livestock showing and judging competitions. If awarded, the grant would probably fund $200,000 to $225,000 towards the project. Miller explained that there are currently on average 60,000 agricultural jobs available with only a pool of 30,000 people to fill them. He hopes that the facility and being able to encourage Bladen students to pursue these jobs through schools like NCSU and NC A&T State University, Bladen students will have reasons to come back to Bladen to live and work without feeling like they have to move elsewhere (such as larger cities or neighboring counties) to have a good job. The board agreed to write a letter of support to send with the grant application.

Tanya Head, Assistant Superintendent, gave a brief update on NC Star Schools, and a financial report summarizing the finances during the month of January was approved. Six fundraiser requests and three overnight field trip requests were approved as recommended by Robert Heavenridge, Title 9 Coordinator. Booker T. Washington Primary’s Advisory Council was approved as well as the 2017-2018 proposed school calendar. A budget ammendment was approved to account for the receipt of state allocations along with other revenue. Following the above, the board proceeded to go into closed session to discuss personnel and legal issues.

Upon reconvening into open session, the board approved Addendum Action Items as recommended by Antonia Beatty, Personnel Director.

Dr. Robert Taylor, Superintendent, told the board of several upcoming happenings in the county. There will be a NC Groundhog Shadowing program for 8th graders on February 15th and a county-wide Job Awareness Fair on February 23rd. A Lunch ‘n Learn workshop will be offered to parents on February 23rdfrom 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. to help parents help their children with information concerning study skills, health and wellness, and what to ask during teacher conferences.

Taylor told the board that he had spoken with the County Manager about setting up a meeting with the County Commissioners to discuss possible funding for possible school consolidations as discussed at last week’s special meeting.

Dennis Edwards, a board member, spoke of concerns that parents had come to him with concerning the time parents are called when their children have been absent from school. The board discussed the logistics in calling parents sooner than 6 o’clock (the time frame that they are usually contacted), but when schools used to call parents earlier in the day, students would often go home earlier than the parents to delete the voicemail and messages, and parents would never learn of their child skipping school.

Lastly, before adjourning for the evening, Vinston Rozier, Board Chair, told the board that Gary Grady, Board Attorney, was still working on logistical concerns surrounding the gym behind the Paul R. Academy.

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