Johnston County
Board of Education

report from April 13 meeting

Board members present: Chairman Todd Sutton, Lyn Andrews, Al Byrd,
Kay Carroll, Ronald Johnson, Terri Sessoms
Taking part via Zoom: Mike Wooten (recovering from knee-replacement surgery)


MATH CONTRACT ACCEPTED AFTER "THOROUGH" VETTING

Nicholas King, the school system's chief academic officer, assured the board that the enVision Mathematics materials chosen for Johnston's schools was rated tops among competing vendors after a "thorough" process that included considerable review by teachers as well as "pilot instruction" with students this past year.

Curriculum Director Leanne Daughtry described the enVision choice as "a bridge from a very traditional way" of teaching math to a more "conceptional" approach favored by most educators.

Responding to a warning voiced earlier in Tuesday's meeting by Richard Wall, parent of a student at Cleveland High School, Ms. Daughtry said enVision is not the math-curriculum program known as "MVP" that has drawn parental ire in Wake County.

Board members expressed concern about preparing Johnston's teachers for the new program before school starts in August. Dr. King said extra help may be provided this summer, perhaps with extra pay for teachers, and he emphasized that enVision will provide ongoing assistance to teachers throughout the school year as questions and problems arise.


SUMMER MAKE-UP LEARNING SET TO BEGIN JUNE 7

Assistant Superintendent Patty Whittington presented plans for Johnston's Summer Learning Program mandated by the N.C. General Assembly to help students catch up for instruction lost during the coronavirus pandemic. Six weeks of classes Monday-Thursday for students in all grades will begin June 7 and continue through July 15. Ms. Whittington said an estimated 9,000 K-8 students and 3,000 high-school students are expected to sign up. Families will be asked to make commitments to participate by April 30, she noted. Finance Director Stephen Britt said a "very, very roughly estimated" cost of Johnston's program is just over $9 million including salaries for teachers and expenses for busing, utilities, and supplies. He expects federal coronavirus-relief funds coming to Johnston County to cover all of that. The board unanimously approved the summer-school plan.


2021-22 TERM: 79 DAYS IN FALL SEMESTER, 99 IN SPRING

The board adopted the calendar for the 2021-22 school term as recommended by a committee made up of principals, teachers, parents, and students. Following a plan in use the past two years, the calendar allots 79 instructional days for the fall semester and 99 for the spring so the first semester can be completed before the Christmas holidays. Chief of Human Resources Brian Vetrano said the shortened fall semester "mostly affects" high-school students but assured the board that Johnston's high-school principals favor the plan. Following state law, August 23 will be the first day of school, Thanksgiving holidays are November 24-26, Christmas holidays cover the two weeks starting December 20, Spring Break is the week of April 11, and the last day of school will be June 2. View the entire calendar online>


VIRTUAL ACADEMY MADE OFFICIAL; NUMBERS UNCERTAIN

The board approved a Johnston County Public Schools Virtual Academy for students in all grades who choose a full-time remote-learning option for the entire 2021-22 school term. In effect, that officially establishes an additional school that will require its own principal and staff. How many will enroll remains uncertain at this point, noted Assistant Superintendent David Pearce. A recent survey showed 31 percent of 5,800 parents who responded favor the online, at-home option for schooling, he said, adding that presently about 13,400 of Johnston's 36,200 students have continued with remote learning at home even though school classrooms are open again to students in all grades four days a week.


ARCHER LODGE MIDDLE TO GET 12 MORE CLASSROOMS

The board approved a $3,204,000 contract with low-bidder Group III Management Inc. of Kinston to construct a 12-classroom addition at Archer Lodge Middle School. Brooks Moore, the school system's chief of facilities and construction, said the addition will increase the school's capacity to 1,186 students. It's presently 384 over capacity with 12 mobile units serving as classrooms, he noted. Funding for the project will come from the 2018 county bond issue.


SOUTH SMITHFIELD ELEMENTARY TO GET A METAL ROOF

The board approved a $1,480,000 contract to low-bidder Eastern Corporation of Youngsville to construct a new metal roof on top of the existing low-sloping rubber roof at South Smithfield Elementary School. A new canopy will be constructed at the school's front entrance. Funding will come from the 2018 county bond issue.


ALL BUSES TO BE EQUIPPED WITH INSTALLED RADIOS

The board approved the purchase of two-way radios to be mounted on 185 yellow buses whose drivers have been relying on cell phones for communications. The cost is $544,377 including hardware, programming, and installation. Finance Director Britt noted that the radios are preferred over cell phones because they don't need to be recharged, provide continuous communication with the bus garage, and enable radio traffic to be monitored by 9-1-1 Communications. Mr. Britt said funds for the purchase will come from bus-transportation savings related to COVID-19 shutdowns of schools this past year. Also, about $42,000 annually will be saved by doing away with monthly bills and replacement costs for cell phones now in use, he added. Presently, buses operating in the Clayton and Corinth-Holders school districts are the only ones equipped with radios.


BOARD URGED TO AVOID "CRITICAL RACE THEORY"

Sonny Surles of the Meadow community was one of nine persons given three minutes each to address the board during the "Public Comment" segment of Tuesday's meeting. "Do NOT allow 'critical race theory' to come into our schools," he exclaimed. "That will teach hatred. It will divide us even more.... There are too many race hustlers that are trying to keep us torn apart. I urge you to work on opportunity for everyone. It breaks my heart to think there are going to be some black children that are going to hear this critical race theory and say 'there's no way I can succeed because of that white man.' I'm tired of being called racist. I'm tired of everything being blamed on racism."


BOARD THANKED FOR ELEVATING AFRICAN-AMERICANS

The Rev. Robert O'Neill praised the board for recent appointments of African-Americans to key leadership positions in Johnston County Public Schools, including members of the Superintendent's Cabinet, the principal of a traditional high school, the Superintendent of Schools, and a recently chosen member of the Board of Education. "More than symbolic gestures, these appointments speak to a commitment to foster learning and equitable achievement for every student on the part of our school system, Mr. O'Neill stated. "You have renewed our belief in the school system's mission to empower every student and to enrich their lives," he told board members. "We pay homage to you because it occurred on your watch."


BOARD WILL HOLD ANNUAL "RETREAT" THIS SATURDAY

The board will discuss a variety of issues during its annual "retreat" starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the Facilities Services Center on West Market Street in Smithfield. Seating for the public will be limited; the session will NOT be live-streamed.

In addition, the board has scheduled a special meeting to put together a proposed budget for fiscal 2021-22 starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 29.




The school board Tuesday recognized nine teachers in Johnston's public schools who have earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Malissa Graham of South Smithfield Elementary is among the group that also includes Matthew Barnhill at Corinth Holders High, Fran Clark at West Johnston High, Melissa Hichue at Corinth-Holders Elementary, Carla Johnson at Pine Level Elementary, Kirsten Lam at Four Oaks Elementary, Ashley Schiess at East Clayton Elementary, Madison Simerson at Four Oaks Elementary, and Heather Thompson at East Clayton Elementary.