The regular monthly meeting of the Yancey County Board of Education was held in the Boardroom of the YCS District Office on Monday, November 18, 2024.
South Toe Elementary & East Yancey Middle
Superintendent Kathy Amos reported that Harper is continuing to work on punch list items for these renovations. At STES we are working on the dishwasher in the kitchen, bathroom sinks and discussing options for the driveway. At EYMS we are finishing items on the east end of the building and preparing to begin work on the west end of the building in the Spring.
Blue Ridge Elementary, Burnsville Elementary & Cane River Middle
Mrs. Amos reported that the site work has begun for the addition at BRES. At BES work has begun in some of the classrooms and the addition is planned to be completed by the end of December 2025. At CRMS work has begun in some of the classrooms and will continue during breaks.
Orr Building Update
Mrs. Amos reported that they are reviewing the contract and the timeline for this project.
Barn Update
Mrs. Amos reported that the requested extension on the timeline for the grant to build the Barn has been approved. She will continue working with architects and other stakeholders to keep the project moving forward.
Clearmont Elementary School
Mrs. Amos reported that attorney Donny Laws is working on this project.
Micaville Elementary School
Mrs. Amos reported that the YCS team is working with FEMA and insurance on the process to have damaged items replaced and the building assessed.
Welcome & Pledge of Allegiance
Chairman Edwin Fortner welcomed everyone to the meeting. Mr. Ronnie Randolph led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Good News
Safety Grant Update
Mrs. Amos reported that Dr. Heather Cox has worked with the lock company to oversee that new locks have been installed so there will be one master key for the district.
Dollar General Grant
Mrs. Amos congratulated Mrs. Melanie Bennett on securing a grant to purchase books and improve literacy.
Altec Learning Commons at MHHS
Mrs. Amos congratulated Mr. Daron Williams and Mrs. Kelly Boone on the installation of the new furniture in the Learning Commons at MHHS. This was made possible by a grant received from Altec.
Superintendent Updates
State and Federal Waivers
Mrs. Amos reported that her team has worked on submitting several waivers due to instruction time lost from Hurricane Helene. A testing accountability waiver for the Fall semester has been submitted to the US Department of Education as well as state waivers including the school calendar, bus ridership and ADM count.
Transportation Update
Mrs. Amos thanked everyone for ensuring a smooth transition back to school. There were many community stops for areas where buses could not travel and everything went well.
Thank You to Fellow School Systems
Mrs. Amos thanked the following school systems for helping YCS with extra counselors, maintenance workers and school and classroom supplies:
- Henderson County Public Schools
- Transylvania County Schools
- Burke County Schools
- Mooresville Graded School District
- Buncombe County Schools
- Rutherford County Schools
Congratulations
Mrs. Amos congratulated Mrs. Melanie Bennett on being named the new principal of Blue Ridge Elementary School. Mrs. Bennett will work with Dr. Cox on the transition and officially start on January 1, 2025.
New Business
Calendar Updates
Mrs. Amos presented the Board with the updated 2024-25 calendar which showed the forgiven days missed during Hurricane Helene. Mrs. Amos also presented the Board with the proposed calendar for the 2025-26 school year. This calendar will be presented to the Board for approval at the December meeting.
FEMA Consultant
Mrs. Amos stated that she may request a consultant to assist Mrs. Kim Bennett with all of the FEMA reporting that is required, however, she would like to wait until after the FEMA meeting on Thursday to assess what is needed before she makes a recommendation to the Board.
Public Input
Kim Higgins spoke
Chairman’s Updates
Chairman Edwin Fortner took a moment to state his appreciation for everyone who has worked outside of their regular duties to help our community. Each of the Board members thanked the YCS employees and requested that they reach out with any needs they see for the students.
Informational Items
The Swearing-In Ceremony for the Board of Education and County Commissioners will be held at the Yancey County Courthouse on Monday, December 2, 2024 at noon.
The Burnsville Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024 beginning at 1:00 pm.
The next regular meeting of the school board will be held on Monday, December 16, 2024 in the Boardroom of the YCS District Office. Work Session will begin at 5:30 pm, followed by the Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm.
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 at the meeting location from 4:00-5:50 pm prior to the meeting.
