Below is the BCS Board Briefing for March 2, 2023.
Photos from the meeting are viewable in Google Drive.
The recording of the meeting can be found on the BCS Communications YouTube page and also timestamped below.
In our Good News segment, we recognized National Board Certified Teachers.
Our curriculum feature was STEM Education in Elementary and Intermediate Schools, presented by Carla Billups, Elementary STEM Coach
Below is the action agenda and links supporting documents.
· Elementary Class Size Waiver Request
· Addendum to Memorandum of Understanding with United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County Schools to Support Community Schools
· Memorandum of Understanding with NC Outward Bound Regarding Services for Owen High School
· North Buncombe High School: Use of Capital Outlay Athletic Allotment
· CTE Sole Source Procurement Request: Camp Grier
· Sole Source Procurement - Edulog
· Avery’s Creek Elementary School Re-Roof Phase 3: Authorization to Award Contract
· A.C. Reynolds High School Track Replacement Project: Authorization to Award Contract
· North Buncombe Middle School Security Addition Project: Authorization to Award Contract
· Entrance and Lobby Reconfiguration – Accept GMP and Authorize CMAR to Proceed
· Black Mountain Primary School: Proposed Permanent Sidewalk Easement with the Town of Black Mountain
· Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Buncombe Regarding Solar Project
· Intent for Purchase of E-Rate Related Network Gear
Below are the Superintendents Comments:
Good evening Parents, Members of the Community, Board Members, and Teammates,
I would like to share with the Board and with the community that Buncombe County Schools is hosting an Educator Career Fair on this Saturday, March 4, 2023 from 9 a.m.-noon, right here. This is an amazing school system, and we are looking for incredible and dedicated educators to join our team. If you are interested in attending the Job Fair or in applying for a position, please call the school system or refer to our website.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Town Councils of Black Mountain, Montreat, Weaverville, and Woodfin and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners for their support of our school system through passing a resolution in favor of school calendar flexibility. These five elected Boards have all taken action in support of our students and families. Thank you to the town of Black Mountain. Thank you to the town of Montreat. Thank you to the town of Weaverville. Thank you to the town of Woodfin, and thank you to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners for your partnership and support.
The Superintendent's Listening and Learning Adventure continues as I spend my first 100 days as your superintendent in discovery and exploration. I have visited all 45 schools and have spent a full school day in 26 of our schools. This month we completed the seven Community Town halls with meetings in each of our six districts and an additional virtual Town Hall. I tremendously enjoyed meeting parents and community members and want to thank all who were able to attend. I would like to especially thank our Board Members for their attendance. Several Board Members were able to attend multiple Town Halls. I want to give a special shout-out to Madam Chair for having Perfect Attendance by attending all seven. Please also let me thank our Communications Team for their work to set each one up and for their work with the Technology Department to be able to stream the Virtual Town Hall live on two different platforms simultaneously. Finally, I do want to thank our district team members, including our Sign Language and Spanish interpreters who were present at one or more Town Halls and tip my cap to Mr. Jeremy Stowe and Mr. Stephen Earwood who are helping to lead our District Disaggregation Team and also attended all seven Town Halls.
This week I had the opportunity to join Dr. Reed, Mr. Hough, District staff and Madam Chair in enjoying the talents of our youngest student-musicians as our Elementary, Intermediate, and Middle School All-County Chorus performed. It was amazing! A huge shout-out to our music educators across the school system. What a tremendous example of what it means to be a school system as students came together from Alexander to Azalea to Asheville, from Jupiter to Skyland to Enka, from Leicester to Montford to Montreat, and from Candler to Swannanoa to Forks of Ivy. Their voices, joined in harmony, vividly demonstrated how our Buncombe County Schools system is the tapestry that weaves together all of the communities across our great county.
The rigor I am encountering in the classrooms during my visits, the feelings of warmth and care that permeate our buildings, and the quality of our teachers and staff members all make me confident that we will accomplish our collective goals. I am so proud to say that the school system I encountered 48 years ago as a student, 31 years ago as a new employee, and 22 years ago as a parent continues to build upon our great tradition of excellence.
We know that we still have much work to do and that we can and must continue to improve. I just want you to know that I could not be prouder of all I experience in our classrooms and schools.
We know that students, families, and the community have never needed a strong, loving, and caring school system as much as they do now. We accept this challenge. We commit to each and every one of our students. We will elevate to new and majestic heights. We will give our all because our students are worthy of our very best efforts.
To our team and to our Board Members, Thank you for all that you do for the students, families, teachers, and staff of Buncombe County Schools.