Bullet point summary of Chatham County School Board Meeting – 4.15.24
(created by AI script so typos will be evident.)
Meeting : Start of a board meeting.
Agenda : Adoption of the meeting agenda.
Personnel : Approval of the personnel agenda.
Consent : Approval of the consent agenda.
Announcement : Superintendent’s announcements.
Music : Recognition of district’s music education achievement.
Athlete : Recognition of middle and high school athletic achievements.
Introduction of Championship Students:
Carum Wares
Whan Hardy
Amber Brown
Eie Grace
Roso Olivia
Deanna Messi
Emma Pacer
Noel Whitaker
Naomi Stevenson
CIA Kelly
Tatum Dale
Lila Jacobs
Blair Heel
Neil L and Rees CLW
Cheerleader: Margot Davis
Acknowledgment of Staff:
Coach B Wars (Athletic Director)
Assistant Coach Fred Whitaker
Boys Tournament Champions:
School: Chadam Middle School
Principal: Mr. Leak
Assistant Principal: Dr. Warner
Athletic Director: Todd Bean
Cheerleading Squad:
School: Chadam Middle
Head Coach: Courtney Wilmouth
Including: Somaya Garner, Sophia Grimes, Abigail Herrera, Cheyenne Hopkins, Bri Balderas, Martina Lozano, Gamani Ramos, Yaslin Renon, Vanessa Cifuentes, Stephanie Velasquez, Carly Wiggins, Madison Wilmouth
Swimming Achievements (Chadam Central):
Swimmer: Jesse Escalin
Soccer Achievements (Jordan Matthews):
Team: Men’s Soccer
Coach: Paul Cuadros
Wrestling Achievements (Jordan Matthews):
Wrestler: Jakari Blue
Tennis Achievements (Chadam Central):
Women’s Tennis Team
Coached by Heler Brooks
Swimming Achievements (Northwood High):
Swimmer: Abby Emerich
Basketball Achievements (Northwood High):
Girls Basketball Team
Coached by Carrie Snipes
Boys Basketball Team
Coached by Matt Brown
Wacovia Cup (Seaforth High):
Leading in the athletic program for the state
Track, Wrestling, and Cross Country Achievements (Seaforth High):
Various individual champions and medalists
Athlete Recognition:
Jackson, Vaughn, and Hebburn acknowledged.
Excellence and Opportunity Champion:
Recognized Ms. Ksten Berger for her role in promoting equity and student success.
Facilitates the Black Student Union, organizes events, fundraisers, and advocates for student voices.
Power of One Award:
Rodney Barker awarded for his dedication as a custodian at Bennett School.
Praised for his long-standing service, rapport with staff and students, and commitment to safety.
Introduction of Education Foundation Executive Director:
Welcome to Britney Sander, the new executive director of the Chatham Education Foundation.
Public Comments:
Appreciation expressed for the board’s efforts and the need for collaboration with legislators to address funding issues.
Language Accessibility:
Suggestions made to improve Spanish translation services for board meetings.
Social Media Litigation:
Attorney Emily B discusses the addictive nature of social media platforms and their impact on mental health, particularly among students.
Problem with Platforms:
Students causing disruptions in schools by engaging excessively with social media platforms.
Platforms designed with addictive features acknowledged by their creators.
Defendants:
Defendants include major tech companies like Facebook (Meta), TikTok (ByteDance), Snapchat (Snap), and Google (YouTube).
Litigation Reason:
School boards litigating to hold tech companies accountable for disruptions in schools.
Seeking compensation and changes in social media company behavior through safeguards.
Damages Sought:
Seeking compensation for resources diverted due to disruptions, especially addressing mental health needs.
Educating students and the community about the addictive nature of social media.
Low Financial Risk:
Contingency fee agreement of 25% for successful recovery.
Minimal time and resource investment required from the school system for litigation.
Litigation Management:
Lawsuits consolidated in California, with North Carolina attorneys filing locally.
Collaboration with legal teams in Baltimore and California.
Litigation Team:
Legal representation by W. Black Law, Bar Mandalis, and Leaf Cabraser.
Leaf Cabraser experienced in similar litigations, with a team member on the steering committee.
Previous Approvals:
School boards have already approved participation in litigation.
Presentation provided for informational purposes.
Policy Manual Update:
Reviewing policies aligned with strategic plan priorities.
Segment-by-segment review with input from the North Carolina School Boards Association.
AI Implementation:
Exploring AI to enhance learning while preserving the importance of teachers.
Balancing technological advancements with the human element in education.
Rapid Changes: Things are evolving quickly in our work since our last presentation at the Parent Academy session.
Financial Support: Applied for digital learning grants focused on AI, awaiting confirmation to fund professional development and materials.
Transparency in Timeline: Transparent about AI implementation timeline, action steps, supports, and collaborations.
Professional Development: Providing various professional development sessions and archiving resources for ongoing support.
Director’s Role: Dr. Kier Bergren, Director for Digital Teaching and Learning, leading AI initiatives.
Educational Objectives: Aligned objectives for educating students about AI, shared with parents and teachers.
AI Basics: Brief overview of AI, common terms, and its relevance in education.
Examples of AI Use: Examples include generative AI, AI literacy, and social media algorithms.
Advantages for Students: Positive impacts of AI on student tasks like proofreading and interview preparation.
Ethical Considerations: Importance of teaching ethical AI usage to prepare students for the future job market.
Drafted Guidelines: Developing flexible pedagogical suggestions for AI use in classrooms.
Feedback Process: Collecting feedback from students and teachers on draft guidelines for refinement.
Detection of AI Use: Teachers advised to know students’ writing styles and use revision history for potential AI detection.
Google Tools for Monitoring: Recommending Google Docs revision history to monitor student work for AI usage.
Positive Outlook on AI: Recognizing the potential benefits of AI for education and preparing for its integration.
Students engaging in various AI-related activities like music creation and art
Discussion about the broad scope of AI beyond just generative models like ChatGPT
Reference to the DPI recommendations for integrating AI into curricula
Mention of North Carolina being among the few states with AI education guidance
Concerns about losing focus on basic skills due to reliance on technology
Acknowledgment of AI as an essential skill for future jobs, alongside the need for basic education
Emphasis on balancing AI integration with preserving traditional teaching methods and human interaction
Reassurance to educators that AI will complement, not replace, their roles
Comparison of AI’s impact to the transition from calculators to computers
Introduction of proposed academic calendar requirements and considerations
Explanation of the state’s calendar laws and parameters
Presentation of draft calendars for community feedback and preferences
Inclusion of religious observances in the calendar planning process
Review of survey feedback on calendar preferences and improvements
Discussion of concerns regarding midweek breaks and maintaining continuity in school months
Maximizing Work-Life Balance : Consideration of workdays on Mondays and Fridays to support Working Families’ needs for vacations and childcare.
Preferred Start Day for School : Anecdotal evidence suggests teachers prefer Wednesday, while parents prefer Monday, influencing the school start day.
Strategic Placement of Spring Break : Aligning with the end of the third nine weeks to accommodate community preference.
Exploring Alternative Spring Break : Survey revealed no interest in breaking traditional spring break into multiple shorter breaks.
Day After Spring Break : Positive feedback received, suggesting a work day to ease the transition back to school.
Balancing Semesters : High school exams before winter break favored by some, but with various preferences among stakeholders.
Thanksgiving Break Consideration : Feedback leaned towards maintaining semester balance over extending Thanksgiving break.
Cross-Comparison of Survey Data : Interest in placing high school exams before winter break consistently noted.
Bank Time for Inclement Weather : Calendar B includes 3.5 bank days, with potential makeup days for inclement weather.
Financial Overview of Curriculum Adoption : One-time cost of $337,187 over two years, covered by existing funding sources.
Instructional Vision for Literacy : Developed in alignment with state standards and Science of Reading principles.
Selection Process for Curriculum Materials : Utilized a robust rubric and input from literacy leaders to reach consensus.
Alignment with District Goals : Supports Priority One curriculum and Innovation goals, enhancing literacy instruction.
Collaborative rubric created with Asus departments & school literacy leaders
Rubric used to review curriculums aligned with district initiatives
Stakeholders included literacy leaders, administration, & Asus team members
Feedback from literacy leaders used to evaluate curriculums
“EL” curriculum selected as best for comprehension and writing focus
Brainstorming sessions held to discuss pros and cons of each curriculum
Visited Buck Horn Creek Elementary to observe EL curriculum in action
Financial implications and funding sources discussed for curriculum adoption
Policies revised based on School Board Association suggestions
Copier service contract renewal discussed, no significant changes expected
Softball memorandum of agreement with Jordan Matthews approved
Capital outlay budget proposal includes additional funding request from County Commissioners
Chart shows other project considerations
Fire alarm system replacement discussed
Proactive system replacement before failure
Aluminum ramps for accessibility
Gym/auditorium door replacement
Capital outlay budget breakdown
Various school infrastructure projects listed
Vehicle replacements: mowers, mini bus
Budget approval needed
Next Board of Education meeting: May 13th, 5:30 PM
Motion to adjourn made and seconded
From: Gene Galin
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 09:59:03 AM EDT
Subject: Bullet point summary of Chatham County School Board Meeting – 4.15.24