✨ BOE Meeting Highlights ✨
January 14, 2025
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Long Branch Songbirds led the pledge of allegiance during the January PSRC Board of Education meeting.
🤝 RECOGNITIONS 🤝
🎉 School Board Appreciation Month
PSRC Board of Education members were shown appreciation in honor of School Board Appreciation Month.
“As you are all aware, January is School Board Appreciation Month. We appreciate you every single day. The work that you do is critical,” he said.
Pattie Mitchell, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Public Schools of Robeson County Board of Education, also shared words of gratitude.
“I appreciate working with this board. I often talk about you. I have been here 41 years and my goal has been to work with the superintendent’s office,” Mitchell said. “I thank God every day for being allowed to have such a great board. You might disagree but you come together in the end, that’s what you do. I appreciate all you do.”
🎉 NC Governor’s Page
Dr. Connie Locklear recognized the following NC Governor's Page Program Participants:
— Ellarey Barton, a junior at Purnell Swett High School, plans to attend UNC Wilmington to pursue a master's degree in Criminal Justice and become a homicide detective. She enjoyed meeting state leaders, making new friends, and learning about government operations. Ellarey is active in the Beta Club, National Honor Society, JROTC, Battle of the Books, band, bowling, SGA, and CCP classes.
— Arista Lowery, a 10th grader at St. Paul’s High School with a 3.8 GPA, serves as President of the AISES Club and organized the first annual "Being Their Voice Rally" for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). An actress with Purple Door Productions, she is also a member of the Beta Club and NCNAYO. Arista appreciated networking, meeting new people, and gaining hands-on knowledge of state government.
— Roderick Deese, a senior at Fairmont High School, ranks first in his class with a 4.51 GPA. He is President of the AISA Club, a member of the Beta Club and National Honor Society, and plays varsity baseball and cross country. Roderick enjoyed meeting the governor, exploring government roles, and connecting with others.
— Mynkoda Smith, a senior at Fairmont High School with a 3.87 GPA, recently committed to Robeson Community College for baseball. He is a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, AISA Club, and varsity teams for baseball and cross country. Mynkoda valued meeting leaders, learning about government archives, and riding scooters during the program.
— Jordyn Hunt, a junior at Fairmont High School with a 3.8 GPA, is President of Robeson County Teen Democrats, a Robeson STEM Ambassador, and a former member of the NC Child Youth Advocacy Council. She also takes four college courses and is active in the Beta Club and National Honor Society. Jordyn enjoyed meeting the governor and learning from her peers statewide.
“Founded in 1973, the Governor’s Page Program gives North Carolina high school students the opportunity for hands-on participation in state government. Hosted by VolunteerNC in Raleigh, pages will grow in four areas: history, civics, service, and professional development,” according to the NC Office of the Governor’s website.
✅ OTHER MATTERS
📝 Green Grove Transfer Request
Board members heard a request to transfer ownership of Green Grove to Robeson Community College. They discussed talking more about the transfer and what that would entail during the closed-door session of the meeting. The district plans to maintain the ownership of one mobile unit from the property to be moved to provide more classroom space. No action was taken on the matter Tuesday evening.
🔗 PowerSchool Data Breach
Bobby Locklear, assistant superintendent of Auxiliary Services, shared that the district like many across the state and nation has been impacted by the PowerSchool data breach. The district is working closely with the NCDPI and PowerSchool to determine the number of individuals impacted by the PowerSchool breach. As the district learns more about how it has been impacted, additional information will be communicated to parents and educators. PSRC will work alongside NCDPI and PowerSchool, to ensure that all required notifications are conducted.
🗨️ Additional Information
Board members also heard about the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The program provides grant funding to help cover meal costs and cafeteria staff salaries at Shining Stars Preschool.
The board also heard from Alex Grosskurth, an attorney with the board’s attorney firm Schwartz Law, who explained high school athletics name, image and likeness rules. The rules allow high school athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL). The State Board of Education recently approved NIL rules. Temporary rules will take effect on February 1 and permanent rules will take place July 1.
💼 Other Business
Also during the meeting, the board approved:
— Monthly Financial Report (Terry Locklear recused himself from voting)
— Personnel Report
— Closed Session Minutes
📲 Watch the livestream here: