In presentations at the Jan. 26 meeting of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education:
– Kathy McDuffie, director of secondary education, presented the new N.C. graduation requirements. Beginning in the fall, the state will require incoming high school freshmen to declare a concentration for study. A concentration helps high-school students focus on career-related subjects.
– Assistant Superintendent of Operations Gene Miller presented bids to replace roofing at West Rowan High. The board approved the lowest bid, submitted by Roof-Tek, Inc. from Marshville, N.C. The company has assured Miller they can complete the work within 90 days. Miller has a detailed plan for roofing all schools as the roofs age.
The school system will submit requests for construction projects at Shive and Koontz elementary schools as soon as the federal government accepts proposals for “shovel-ready” projects. Both schools’ plans originally called for larger buildings, but they were downsized at construction time for budgetary reasons.
– Miller also updated the board on a Jan. 23 meeting with county commissioners to discuss building a new central office for the school system. The staff is now spread throughout the county in several buildings. At that meeting, school board members and county commissioners agreed to explore mutual commitments of $350,000 per year toward a capital commitment of $7.5 million for the building. The school board is studying three top sites for the location. Construction estimates at all three sites are about equal.
– The executive director of technology updated the board on a system strategic technology plan that runs through 2013. At the current time, Rowan-Salisbury exceeds state norms on student-to-computer ratios and on computers connected to the Internet.
– The board recognized many school staff and students. Nine area teachers were recognized for receiving National Board Certification, the highest merit a teacher can achieve. In addition, two area teachers recertified with the National Board.
Salisbury High principal Windsor Eagle received praise for the school’s silver recognition in U.S. News and Word Report as a high school of merit. The magazine considers 21,000 high schools for the distinction.
The board recognized the West Rowan High School football team for being 3A state champs and Coach Scott Young for being named coach of the year.