The regular monthly meeting of the Yancey County Board of Education was held in the Board Room of the YCS District Office on Monday, August 18, 2025.
Wells at EYMS, BES and BRES
Mr. Steve Robinson reported he is in discussions with the architects and engineers on the specifics of placement and next steps for the wells.
Stadium Update
Mr. Robinson reported that the plans have been submitted to DPI and feedback has been returned. DPI has requested more areas of the stadium to be ADA compliant therefore Mr. Steve Parks would like to meet with the Board for more discussion.
Renovations and Additions
Mr. Robinson reported that there are many punch list items remaining but all school buildings were open and occupied for the first day of school.
Hurricane Helene Repairs
Mr. Robinson reported that debris removal and clean up is continuing and being monitored appropriately.
FEMA Letter for YCS Alternate Projects Request
Mr. Fortner reported that the Board must present a letter to FEMA outlining the projects for which received funds will be used. The guidance from legal counsel was for the chairman and vice chairman to work with the superintendent on the details of the letter. The Board unanimously approved the authorization of Mr. Fortner and Mr. Whitson to work with Mrs. Amos and legal counsel to draft the letter to FEMA.
Welcome & Pledge of Allegiance
Chairman Edwin Fortner welcomed everyone to the meeting. Mr. Cody Whitson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Good News
Yancey County Opioid Settlement Fund Grant
Mrs. Amos reported that YCS has partnered with PATH and the Yancey County Commissioners to utilize funds from the Opioid Settlement Fund. The $22,000 will be used for student support and services through June 30, 2026.
Eblen Charities
Mrs. Amos reported that Eblen Charities has awarded Rebuilding Hollers $100,000 for many of their projects. These include tiny homes that are being built by the MHHS carpentry program.
Superintendent Updates
First Day of School
Mrs. Amos thanked all involved in making the first day of school a great success. She reported that the current student enrollment is 2,083 and pre-K has around three openings remaining.
Transportation Task Force
Mrs. Amos reported that the transportation task force met throughout the summer and brought many good suggestions to improve processes and services.
AI Training
Mrs. Amos reported that a representative from DPI provided training to YCS staff on using AI effectively in the classroom.
New Business
Calendar Waiver
The Board unanimously approved the calendar waiver for the 2026-27 school year. The waiver requests the first day of school to be August 17, 2026 and the last day to be May 28, 2027.
Public Input
None
John C. Belk Foundation
Mrs. Amos congratulated Mrs. Melanie Bennett on receiving a $200,000 grant from the John M. Belk Foundation for new playground equipment at Blue Ridge Elementary School.
Chairman’s Update
Mr. Fortner thanked all involved in making the school renovations and additions. He asked for continued community support and advocacy as the Board works to allocate FEMA funds and to continue to keep acceptable class sizes and up-to-date facilities for the continued success of YCS.
Informational Items
The next regular meeting will be Monday, September 15, 2025 at South Toe Elementary School. Work Session will begin at 5:30 pm, Regular session will begin 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.
