Background material for each agenda item is available online under the Board Meeting Materials link

Consent Agenda

The Board approved the following items on the consent agenda:

• Second Reading – Policy GA, Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace
• Contract with First Student, Inc. for Transportation Services

The Personnel Action Report and an Addendum to the Personnel Action Report were approved following closed session

Staff Reports

MWBE (Minority Women Business Enterprise) Disparity Study

Dr. Gongshu Zhang, executive accountability & research officer, presented the Board with a MWBE Disparity Study analysis. Superintendent Grier and Sharon Ozment, chief finance officer, discussed with the Board the possibility of the district entering into a contract with a third party to conduct a more current disparity study for the district. The Board will discuss the possibility of a disparity study and associated costs with the Board of County Commissioners at their joint meeting, which is scheduled for February 15.

Smith High School – Academy of Health Careers

The Board discussed the possibility of having two different academies at Smith. One would focus on health careers and the other would focus on construction/engineering careers. A vote was deferred to a future meeting.

Board Discussion

Continued Discussion of Magnet and Option Schools and Programs

Chairman Duncan led the Board in a continued discussion of magnet and option schools and programs. The Board voted to approve:

• Weaver Academy – the program remains the same with some changes to attendance. Ragsdale, High Point Central High School and Andrews students will take courses that are offered in one of the High Point high schools, if courses are not offered in High Point, students then can go to Weaver Academy

• Early College – due to a lack of student participation, the business program at High Point Central High School will discontinue as well as the education program at Southwest High School. High Point Central’s culinary arts program will become a hospitality/culinary arts program. The medical careers program at High Point Central will add to the health sciences program at Andrews

• Hampton Academy – the leadership magnet program will remain for the upcoming school year

• Brown Summit Center for Advanced Academics – applicants must score 70 percent or higher on state reading and math tests or have at least a “B” or higher in language arts and math for the previous school year for admission

• Proposal for Providing Transportation in 2006-2007 for Mobile Students at the district’s 10 most Impacted Schools – approved using the mobility model for identifying the 10 most impacted schools

• 6 th and 9 th Grade Academies – pilot program for one middle and one high school to have 200 days of instruction and reduced class size in reading and math; proposals are to be submitted by the schools

• Pre-IB at Ferndale Middle – deferred to future meeting

• Penn-Griffin Dedicated Arts Magnet for Grades 6-12 – effective for the 2006-07 school year

Reports from the Chairman

• The Board winter retreat will take place Saturday, January 28 from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, January 29 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
• A public forum on redistricting regarding the Southern/Sumner school zones will take place Monday, January 30 from 7-8 p.m. in the auditorium at Southern High School

• Board member Dot Kearns will represent the district on a state legislative committee