*Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include the most recent estimate for Isaac Bear.
Teacher of the Year tips for the board, community
Hannah Moon, an English teacher at Laney High School, said that tip number one is to treat the almost 2,000 district educators as professionals who are in the trenches every day and should be trusted.
“When teachers are recognized as professionals, they receive the respect that they deserve and the autonomy to exercise their expertise in the classroom,” she said.
As for tip two, Moon said, “Ask, don't assume. I am asked, probably on a weekly basis, about wild rumors that people hear about what is happening in our schools, in our classrooms. I've heard things you literally cannot believe are coming out of people's mouths.”
Her third tip was to focus on the positive things happening in the district, and tip four was to empower public education.
“We are all public servants, just trying to serve the greater good. Public education is the cornerstone of our society. It's the great equalizer, providing every child with the opportunity to learn, grow, and realize their full potential, regardless of background or circumstance,” she said.
Moon ended by asking the board to enact “thoughtful policies,” ones that will benefit all students, and by saying, “Let's make it a year to remember where teachers feel valued, students reach their highest potential, and our community comes together to support the one thing that unites us all: public education.”
New Hanover High update
New Hanover County school board members were updated about ongoing construction at New Hanover High School.
Staff said they’ve removed most of the sheetrock inside the main building. They’re now assessing the condition of the brick wall behind it and consulting a historic preservation group on how to repair it. They’re also stabilizing the main building’s foundation.
Since about 16 classrooms had to close for the construction, the school is now getting three trailers, each subdivided into two classrooms. The last trailer is expected this Thursday, but it will likely be the end of the month before all three are fully operational since they have to connect them to utilities.
Officials also said that 100 students were offered placement at other area high schools because of the construction. Laney was their top choice, followed by Hoggard. Those transfer students had to provide for their own transportation.
The district has also advertised for firms to complete New Hanover’s master design plan, which should be finished within the next six months. After that, they’ll have estimates on whether to rehabilitate or rebuild the school. Cost estimates for rehabilitation are currently around $90 million dollars.
The future of NHCS women’s wrestling
The board voted 6-1 to sponsor a women’s wrestling team at Laney High School while keeping co-ed teams at Hoggard, Ashley, and NHHS. Board member Stephanie Kraybill was the dissenting vote because she wasn’t convinced the district had the funds necessary to pay a coach for a separate women’s team.
The board said that 92 athletes signed up to wrestle at Laney, 27 of whom were women. Most of the board thought that if they didn’t create a separate team, some students, mainly women, could be cut, creating a potential Title IX issue. The board members touted the women's success across the state and want to dedicate more resources and support to them.
Barnes initially gave a ballpark figure of $20,000 to run the program but later said he didn’t need a dollar amount and that he and district staff would work out financials and bring it back to the board of what it would cost.
Kraybill said, “I still believe we are short EC [exceptional children] teachers and teacher assistants. I believe we're short on bus drivers. I believe we are short on a number of other areas that we can't afford, and I am not in favor of adding another sport at this point.”
Board member Josie Barnhart pushed back, saying the public needed to know they were expecting $1.5 million in additional funds to cover positions. WHQR contacted Barnhart and the district for details about this funding stream and is awaiting an official response.
Board member Hugh McManus said he would offer his remaining $1,500 travel budget to support the new team.
NHCS legislative priorities
The board unanimously approved this year's legislative priorities, which are directed toward the General Assembly and the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.
They are mainly advocating for more "multi-tiered system of support" coordinators, a change to the allotment formula, which dictates how much state funding is given for positions, increasing salaries for teachers who have 15-24 years of service, an increase in the CEP meal incentive program, exceptional children formula funding formula rollout, funding for Isaac Bear High School, increasing school year calendar flexibility, and funding for a capital facility plan over the next three years.
A district spokesperson said that $994,000 was allocated to UNCW to plan the future Isaac Bear building in 2022, but the overall estimate for constructing the school is $101 million. No funds have been allocated so far.
Barnes said he was “really pleased to see a lot of these are pivoting around the allotments from the state, and those are critical pressure point issues.” He has said at several public meetings that the state's allotment rates haven’t changed in over ten years.
