The regular monthly meeting of the Yancey County Board of Education was held in the gymnasium of South Toe Elementary School on Monday, April 24, 2023
Bid Negotiations for EYMS & STES
Superintendent Kathy Amos reported that two contractors had submitted bids. The YCS Construction Committee is currently negotiating with Harper General Contractors to receive lower prices on roofing, HVAC, and plumbing estimates.
STES Project Update
Facilities Director Derek Murphy reported that he will be consulting with NCDOT on the best placement of a second driveway to access STES. In conjunction with this, he is also consulting the Health Department on the best placement of an alternate septic site in the event a new septic system is required in the future. This site will determine where the second driveway will be placed.
Orr Building Update
Mrs Amos reported that she will be meeting with Young & McQueen this week to further discuss contract details and the design for the new CTE building. This expansion will enable the carpentry classes to move into the new building along with Heavy Equipment and Electrical classes which will allow the CTE program to expand and include plumbing and HVAC in the future.
YCS Workforce Housing Research
Mrs Amos reported that she has been researching the possibility of workforce housing for YCS employees. She will work with the board members on a proposal to present to the Dogwood Health Trust to discuss funding options as well as looking into what type of units and where they could be placed.
Welcome & Pledge of Allegiance
Chairman Edwin Fortner welcomed everyone to the meeting. STES Student Council members led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Good News
Mrs Amos introduced the new Technology Director, Sonya Wheat, and welcomed her to YCS.
National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grant
Mrs Amos announced that Child Nutrition Director Lynne Deyton has received this grant in the amount of $18,719.94 to purchase a Convection Steamer and a new Range/6 Burner with Standard Oven for Burnsville Elementary School.
Yancey Fund Grant
Mrs Amos reported that Robert Branch has written and received a Yancey Fund Grant Award totalling $8,000. Each elementary school will receive $1,500 to purchase athletic equipment for physical education classes and $500 each for the Battle of the Books program.
MHHS Accreditation
Mrs Amos announced that MHHS has successfully renewed their accreditation. She thanked Dr Heather Cox and Principal Daron Williams for their hard work in getting this accomplished. The previous process had cost the district $40,000 but Dr Cox and Mr Williams were able to choose an alternative route which only cost the district around $1,800.
Appreciation Days
Mrs Amos stated that the following appreciation days are occurring before the next board meeting and she thanked each person honored by these days:
National Administrative Assistants Day – April 26
School Principals Day – May 1
Teacher Appreciation Week – May 8-12
School Lunch Hero Day – May 5
School Nurse Appreciation Day – May 10
Public Input
John Anglin gave Public Input.
Superintendent Updates
Advanced Ag Expansion
Mrs Amos reported that she will meet with Dogwood Health Trust to explore funding opportunities to expand the agriculture program at MHHS. This expansion would include adding equipment and possibly a barn to house goats, sheep and other livestock.
Aviation Classes
Mrs. Amos reported that she, Cynthia Deyton, Edwin Fortner and Will Hensley had met with Mr Steve Holz, a member of Mountain Air Pilots Club, to explore the possibility of aviation classes in the future. The partnership and future classes could include flight simulators, drones and airplane mechanics. Mrs Deyton will explore the opportunities this summer for a 2-3 day mini camp for students interested in Aviation.
State Superintendent Visit
Mrs Amos reported that State Superintendent Catherine Truitt will be visiting Yancey County on May 11, 2023. She will visit many different schools and speak with employees. Mrs Amos expressed her gratitude to Superintendent Truitt for the her role in YCS obtaining over $36 million for facilities.
New Business
New Elementary Reading Curriculum
Director of Elementary Education Andrea Allen presented the two options reviewed for a new district-wide reading curriculum. She reported that the committee had chosen CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) to use for the next 5 years.
Appointment for MCC Board of Trustees
Mrs Amos reported that after many years of service, Dr Gwen Harris had submitted her letter of resignation as a member of the Board of Trustees for Mayland Community College. We thank Dr Harris for her positive impact on higher education in our community. Among her many accomplishments as a trustee, she was instrumental in the creation of the Yancey Learning Center and Anspach Advanced Manufacturing School while serving during her time on the board. The Learning Center has had a positive impact on our local economic development in Yancey County. The Yancey County School Board now has the responsibility to appoint a new member. The board will take the matter into consideration and appoint a new member in the near future.
Informational Items
School Board Spring Retreat/Planning Session will be Friday, May 5, 2023 at the YCS Tech Building, 10:30am – 2:00pm.
The next regular meeting of the school board will be held on Monday, May 15, 2023 in the Mountain Heritage High School Auditorium. Work Session will begin at 5:30 pm, followed by the Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm.
Mountain Heritage High School graduation will be held on Friday, May 26, 2023.
PUBLIC INPUT – To sign up for public input, please call 828-682-6101 ext. 102 by 3:00 pm on the day of the meeting. A sign-up sheet will also be available outside of the MHHS auditorium from 4:00-5:50 pm prior to the meeting
