September Board of Education Highlights Now Available

Highlights from the 9-10-12 Board of Education Meeting

Mr. Ethan Todd recognized the district's teachers of the year for the 2012-2013 school year. He also welcomed Mr. Paul Cook of Wells Fargo, who presented the Wells Fargo Outstanding Educator awards to Debra Lester (Troutman Elementary School) and Jeanie Shannon (West Iredell High School). Mr. Johnson recognized the 2012-2013 Iredell-Statesville Schools Teacher of the Year, Byron Jones (Statesville Middle School).

2012-2013 Iredell-Statesville Schools Teachers of the Year Mr. Paul Cook recognizes Debra Lester of Troutman Elementary School

Mr. Paul Cook recognizes Jeanie Shannon of West Iredell High School Superintendent Brady Johnson recognizes Byron Jones of Statesville

Middle School

Mr. Ethan Todd recognized Ms. Kimberly Souther, a kindergarten teacher at Cool Spring Elementary School, who was recently named a Craig Phillips Honored Educator Scholar by the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching.

Mr. Bill Brater recognizes Cool Spring teacher, Kimberly Souther

Ms. Dawn Creason honored Ms. Melissa Boughman and the Gaston Family Health Services Open Door Dental Clinic. The clinic provides services to more than a dozen Iredell-Statesville Schools, and has donated more than $40,000 worth of free dental work to students in need.

Board of Education Chairman, Dr. David Cash, thanks Melissa Boughman for her work with Iredell-Statesville Schools students

Dr. Kenny Miller presented the board with a proposal to enter into an agreement with Energy United to provide remote energy controls for heating and air systems. The board was supportive of this action and unanimously approved the proposal. As an employee of Energy United, board member Bryan Shoemaker recused himself from the vote.
Superintendent Johnson presented the board with a plan from the Pregnancy Resource Center of Iredell County to hold a voluntary after-school program for 7th and 8th grade students at North Iredell Middle School. The abstinence program would be provided at the school one afternoon each week during the school year. The board unanimously approved the program.
Ms. Wike presented to the board of education several options for increasing the local supplement. The board of education was eager to provide employees with an increase, but wanted to ensure doing so did not jeopardize the district's financial footing in the future. The board made the decision to increase the local supplement for certified staff to 7% (previously 6%) and for classified staff to 5.6% (previously 4.6%). The salary cut for administrators was reduced to 1% (was previously 2%). All increases are effective July 1, and are only for fall 2012. The board of education will re-visit the issue in early 2013 to determine the amount of the spring supplement and administrative pay.
Mr. Rob Jackson presented minor changes to the district's facilities use policy. This was the second reading and was passed unanimously.
Dr. Taylor updated the board of education on the requirements for the optional graduation project as a part of the state's new accountability model. All high school principals in Iredell-Statesville Schools support the initiation of a graduation project to help improve high schools' performance on the state's accountability model. Dr. Taylor will be bringing the board of education in October an update to the current graduation requirements policy. The graduation project will have some common components for all high schools, while still providing schools with flexibility in certain areas. The project requirement will begin implementation this fall.
Mr. Johnson updated the board of education on the current and historic funding levels for the district, including local, state, and federal. Both the county funding and the state funding remain well below pre-recession levels. Federal funding increased significantly with the infusion of ARRA (stimulus) funds; however, those funds are no longer being provided and federal funding is beginning to decline once again. Mr. Johnson reported that, despite the cuts in funding and the elimination of 287 positions, the district continues to perform well. The district's composite score remains above 80%, while both the graduation rate and dropout rate are at their all-time best. He thanked teachers, teacher assistants, and all other employees for the work they have done to help students continue to be successful.