Johnston County Board
of Education

report from April 7 meeting

Board members present (via remote hookups):
Chairman Todd Sutton, Teresa Grant, Ronald Johnson, Terri Sessoms,
Peggy Smith, Tracie Zukowski
Absent: Mike Wooten


BOARD MEMBERS MOSTLY AT HOME FOR THE MEETING

Following recommendations regarding the coronavirus pandemic, members of Johnston's school board took part in Tuesday's meeting through electronic audio and video hook-ups, enabling most of them to remain at home.

Chairman Todd Sutton was the only member inside the board's meeting room. The only member counted absent was Mike Wooten, a banker who was tending to pressing duties at work that were related to the federal Paycheck Protection Program, Mr. Sutton explained.

Tuesday's meeting began with a closed session on personnel matters at 4 p.m. followed by an open session that began at 5 p.m. and lasted almost two hours.

Archived recording of the meeting on the schools' website>

JOHNSTON SCHOOLS TO GET $1,472,000 FROM STATE

The board learned that Johnston's school system is receiving $1,472,000 in coronavirus emergency-relief funds from the state that can be used for nutrition programs, child care, cleaning and sanitizing schools and buses, protective equipment, and at-home learning. That's Johnston's share of $50 million released by Governor Roy Cooper for needs statewide. The money is comprised of unused funds from the current and previous year's state budget as well as the state's Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund. Johnston's board members asked if similar assistance can be expected from the Federal Government. No one at Tuesday's meeting had an answer to that question.


SMITHFIELD MIDDLE TO GET 350 CHROMEBOOKS

The board approved the purchase of 350 Chromebook-brand laptop computers to be used by students at Smithfield Middle School --- in class at school and also at home in some cases. Based on contract pricing through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the computers will cost $319.18 each --- $111,713 for the 350.


22 SCHOOLS "CAPPED" FOR 2020-21 ACADEMIC YEAR
The board approved a list of Exceeding Capacity Schools for the 2020-21 school year. "Capped schools" are defined as campuses "that do not have at least 51 available seats or more" for students seeking reassignments outside their school district of residence. The list for the coming year includes:
• Elementary schools --- Benson, Cleveland, Cooper Academy, Corinth-Holders, Dixon, East Clayton, Four Oaks, McGee's Crossroads, Pine Level, Polenta, River Dell, Riverwood, Selma, and West View. (Selma made the list this time because fifth graders will be assigned there rather than Selma Middle School after the current school year ends.)
• Middle schools --- Archer Lodge, Cleveland, Four Oaks, and Riverwood.
• High schools --- Clayton, Cleveland, Corinth Holders, and South Johnston.
The county operates 45 public schools in all.


REASSIGNMENT REQUESTS APPROVED AND DENIED
As part of its consent agenda requiring no discussion, the board approved and denied several requests for reassignment of students to schools outside the attendance districts where they reside. This month 21 transfer requests were approved and nine were denied for various reasons, including the "capped school" classification.

View this month's list of APPROVALS>

View the list of DENIALS>


WEST VIEW ELEMENTARY TO GET A NEW ROOF

The board approved replacement of the storm-damaged roof at West View Elementary School in Cleveland Township. Eastern Corporation of Youngsville won the contract with a low bid of $948,300. A separate $41,900 contract was approved for Wolf Trail Engineering of Monroe to oversee the project. Insurance will cover the expenses, the board was told. The roof was damaged by a hail storm last year.


SOUTH HIGH TO GET NEW AGRICULTURAL BUILDING

The board approved a $184,000 contract with Sohn, Inc. of Wilson's Mills to construct a pre-engineered metal building at South Johnston High School for agricultural instruction. Funding for the project comes from a North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission grant.


SEVERAL POLICY CHANGES ARE APPROVED

The board approved two new policies and revisions to four others (Internet links that follow are to full text of each, with changes highlighted in red type):
• The new policies address (1) Child Abuse and Related Threats to Child Safety and (2) Title I Parent and Family Engagement.
• Revisions were made to existing polices on (1) Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities, (2) Employee Conduct with Students, (3) Sales and Solicitations, and (4) Contract Administration.


INTERVIEWS SET WITH FINALISTS FOR SUPERINTENDENT

The board scheduled four sessions over the next two weeks to interview seven finalists board members have chosen for the superintendent's position. The interviews will be conducted next Tuesday and Wednesday (April 14-15) and the following Tuesday and Wednesday (April 21-22). The names of the candidates will not be released. The interview sessions will be closed to the public.


FIRST BUDGET SESSION SCHEDULED APRIL 27

The board scheduled its first meeting to consider what's to be included in the 2020-21 budget for Johnston County Public Schools at 5 p.m. Monday, April 27. The session will be open to the public. Interim Superintendent of Schools Ben Williams has not yet made public his budget recommendations. Normally, the school board delivers its annual budget request to the County Commissioners by May 15. The commissioners usually adopt the county's budget before July 1, the start of a new fiscal year for local government. How the coronavirus crisis affects the normal schedule remains to be seen.
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