Summary of "Lee County Schools Board of Education"

The Lee County Board of Education held a regular meeting covering several key topics related to school operations, funding, and strategic initiatives.

Meeting Opening and Procedures:

The meeting began with a closed session to discuss confidential student and personnel matters and legal consultations. Upon returning to open session, the board observed a moment of silence, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and reviewed the district’s vision and ethics statements emphasizing student growth, innovative learning, and ethical conduct by board members.

Administrative Approvals and Reports:

The agenda and minutes from previous meetings, including employee and student appeal hearings, were approved without public comments.
The chairman reminded board members about the North Carolina School Board Association’s call for nominations to their board of directors.
A welcome back message was shared, highlighting the excitement of the new school year and expressing appreciation for students, families, teachers, and staff.

Superintendent’s Report and Golden Leaf Grant Overview:

Superintendent introduced Dr. Natalie Kelly, who presented details on a $2.1 million grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation awarded to two Lee County middle schools: Wesley Middle and San Lee Middle.
The grant supports two cohorts: the Transformative Cohort (Wesley) focusing on comprehensive school-wide improvement, and the Personalized Competency-Based Education (PCBE) Cohort (San Lee) focusing on instructional enhancement and mastery learning.
Key components funded include professional development, coaching, new math curriculum (Open Up Math for Wesley), career development resources, and incentives such as stipends and travel for training.
The grant spans five years, with varying levels of support and funding allocations, aiming to build teacher capacity and improve student outcomes, especially in math.
Dr. Kelly assured the board that the grant initiatives align with the district’s recently adopted strategic plan and existing curriculum, with plans to extend benefits beyond the two schools to the entire district.

Evergreen Audit Update:

The board received a progress report on implementing recommendations from the Evergreen audit conducted in 2023.
Out of 97 recommendations, 87% have been completed, with some still in progress and a few not pursued (e.g., retaining the federal programs director position).
The district is exploring outsourcing some longstanding custodial vacancies to a subcontractor to save costs and fill positions difficult to staff, with safeguards to ensure fairness and safety.
Board members praised the audit process for improving accountability, transparency, and financial efficiency.
Upcoming board self-evaluation was noted as part of ongoing accountability measures.

District Events and First Day of School:

The recent district-wide convocation was celebrated as a successful event that launched the new strategic plan “Thrive in Lee,” honored staff, and fostered community spirit.
The first day of school was acknowledged with reminders about free breakfast and lunch for all students, new menu items including locally sourced produce, and anticipated transportation delays with requests for patience.

Financial Report:

June financial statements were reviewed, with a total fiscal year budget of approximately $143.7 million and 85.41% budget utilization reported.
Updates included changes to retirement and hospitalization rates following recent legislation, and clarification on fund balance management pending final audit review.
Questions were addressed regarding possible cost-of-living adjustments for board members and procedures for handling donations to the district.

Legislative and Policy Updates:

Legal counsel provided a summary of recent and upcoming legislative changes impacting school operations, including requirements for transparency in central office compensation, nursing services contracting, cell phone policies, parental opt-outs, and potential impacts of Senate Bill 227 on instructional policies.
The board was assured that policies would be reviewed and updated as needed to remain compliant.

Committee Reports:

Curriculum and Instruction committee’s next meeting scheduled for October 22.
Exceptional Children committee’s next meeting on September 24.
Operations committee reported on recent activities including vehicle purchases, contracts for exceptional children services, and insurance renewals with a noted 20% increase in property insurance costs. Next meeting is August 26.
Policy committee’s next meeting is August 19.

Consent Agenda and New Business:

The consent agenda, including fundraisers, donations, financial statements, vehicle purchases, exceptional children services contracts, and insurance policies, was approved unanimously.
New business included approval of a $918,625 contract with CRA Associates for the design and planning of a new transportation and maintenance facility, with an added optional long-term master planning service.
Board members emphasized the importance of functionality and safety over aesthetics in the new facility and discussed permitting and regulatory compliance.

Resolution on Exceptional Children Funding:

A resolution was presented and approved urging state legislators to revise funding formulas for exceptional children (EC) services.
Lee County currently serves 16.8% EC students but is only funded for 13%, creating a local shortfall of nearly $1.87 million.
The resolution calls for eliminating the funding cap, supplemental state funding