This comes amid the district's $20 million shortfall last budget cycle due to federal COVID funds running out, increasing employee benefits costs, and state-mandated employee raises. The state provides moneyfor the increased pay for many employees, but not for locally funded positions. Because of this reality, they had cut over 200 positions.
Interim superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes said the funds were available due to faster attrition, meaning more staff were leaving their positions within the district than anticipated. A spokesperson for the district also said the additional funds come from not filling specific vacancies and limited spending from March until June 2024. The district enacted a spending freeze in April.
The spokesperson said the job openings will be posted on Wednesday, October 2. Those include 13 special education teacher assistants — a large chunk of the funds at $637,457, a shared assistant principal at Bradley Creek Elementary and Mary C. Williams, a sixth counselor at Laney High School, two special education teachers, and two bus aides at J.C. Roe and Lake Forest Academy.
Barnes added during the meeting that he planned to avoid dipping into the fund balance this year.
Another funding stream that came to the schools is a 2023 General Assembly allocation for advanced teaching roles. It's $1.3 million for NHCS over five years.
The program was created to compensate teachers who took on additional leadership roles in supporting and co-teaching with other teachers, some of whom are beginning in the profession.
The first cohort will consist of ten elementary teachers from Forest Hills, Mary C. Williams, Murrayville, Winter Park, and Wrightsboro.
This year, each educator will receive a $10,000 stipend. Based on their EVAAS score, they can also receive a $1,200 bonus for each co-teacher who exceeds growth.
New Hanover High Update
Leanne Lawrence, the district's capital projects administrator, updated the board on the rehabilitation of New Hanover High.
She said the trailers will be up and running at the school this week. The district initially hoped it would be closer to the start of the school year.
They're also close to finishing Phase I, which includes some foundation rehabilitation and the installation of micro piles. That phase should be completed by the end of November.
Phase II still needs to be funded by the county commission, but the district hopes to get a cost estimate to them around the beginning of November so that they can approve spending at their November 18 meeting.
The initial estimate for Phase II was $9.1 million, but Lawrence said one of the building walls doesn't need as much work as anticipated, so this could be lower.
She added that these improvements would be finished by the next school year.
Board member Stephanie Walker told Assistant Superintendent Eddie Anderson that some community members were concerned about putting millions of dollars into rehabilitation when the Master plan, which was recently approved by the commission, might say to build an entirely new school instead of rehabilitating it.
Anderson responded that immediate needs must be addressed now and that if the Master Plan calls for a new school to be built, that would be at least five years away.
"We hate to spend money, but we don’t have a choice," he said.
He added that the total cost estimate for a new high school is over $150 million (not including the land purchase), and the district would need at least 70 acres to build one. Board member Pat Bradford asked if the district has that acreage already, and he replied, 'No.'
Anderson reiterated that they can't make good decisions on New Hanover High until the plans are completed.
WHQR asked for the contract for the companies completing New Hanover High's Master Plan. Anderson told HQR they're still confirming the contract details and would send it when complete.
Superintendent's 'Listening Tour' and Student Voice update
Barnes announced that he had conducted a three-month listening tour with district staff. He said he learned that employees wanted to be trusted and share feedback without fear of retaliation. (*See the presentation at the end of this report.)
His findings with around 2,200 staff echoed the May 2024 climate survey findings, which showed that many staff wanted the board to act in less partisan ways.
He also said that staff want reduced stress regarding "policy, personnel, and curriculum."
The board also amended the Student Voice policy 4-3, with members Stephanie Walker, Stephanie Kraybill, and Hugh McManus dissenting.
The major change is to "allow opportunities to include at least one high school student on advisory committees." This student representative used to be "provided" opportunities at "all board committees" and "ad hoc committees."
Correction: The original article incorrectly stated the price of a new high school and the number of acres it would take to build one.
Listening Tour by Ben Schachtman on Scribd
