Regular Meeting of the Edgecombe County Board of Education Monday October 10, 2011 6:30 PM Redistricting Public Hearing Top Of The Agenda

Regular Meeting of the Edgecombe County Board of Education

Edgecombe County Board Rooms

412 Pearl Street

Tarboro, NC 27886

October 10, 2011

AGENDA

6:30 P.M. (OPEN SESSION)

(1) Call to Order of Regular Meeting of the Board

(1.1) Pledge of Allegiance

(2) Recognition – none

(3) Public Hearing

(3.1) Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Redistricting Plan

(4) Public Comments

(This time for public comments has been established for citizens who desire to address the board and who register prior to the start of the meeting. The Board has established a 3-minute time limitation for comments to be taken into consideration by the Board. Public comments must relate to items on the agenda. Feedback will not be given during the Board Session. If a response is necessary, the Board will respond within ten working days. Thank you. [Edgecombe County Board of Education Policy 2210])

OPEN SESSION:

(5) Approval of Agenda

(6) Approval of Open Session Minutes

(7) Items for Information

(7.1) Field Trips:

SWEHS – J.A. Holmes High School, Edenton, NC; Band Competition; 10/01/2011;

12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

W.A. Pattillo – NC Zoo, Asheboro, NC; 6^th Grade; 10/06/2011; 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

(7.2) SAT Scores 2010-2011

(8) Committee Reports

(8.1) Policy #4300 Code of Student Conduct (Revision)

(8.2) Policy #4300-R Disciplinary Guidelines (Procedures)

(8.3) Policy #4303 Student Suspension Procedures (Procedures)

(9)A. Consent Items (One Motion Approval)

(9.1.A) Approval of Field Trips:

SWEHS – Clayton High School, Clayton, NC; Band Competition: 10/15/2011;

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

SEMS – NC State Fair, Raleigh, NC; 8^th Grade; 10/17/2011; 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

SWEHS – NC State Fair, Raleigh, NC; 10/20/2011; 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

SWEHS – Greene Central High School, Snowhill, NC; Band Competition; 10/22/2011

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Elementary/Middle/High Schools Migrant Students – NC Museum of National Sciences,

Raleigh, NC; 10/22/2011; 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Board Agenda September 12, 2011

Page 2

W.A. Pattillo – Aquarium/Fort Macon, Atlantic Beach, NC; 10/28/2011; 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

SWEHS – ECU, Greenville, NC; College Band Day; 10/29/2011; 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

SWEHS – Campbell University, Buies Creek ,NC; 11/01/2011; 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

THS – Airborne/Special Operations Museum, Fayetteville, NC; JROTC; 11/02/2011;

7:30 a.m. – 3:05 p.m.

C. B. Martin Middle – Museum of History/Natural Science Museum/Legislative Building,

Raleigh, NC; 8^th Grade; 11/04/2011; 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

SWEHS – NC School Science & Math, Durham, NC; 11/07/2011; 5:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

THS –Wright Brothers Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, NC; JROTC; 11/09/2011;

7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

SWEHS – NC Central University, Durham, NC; 11/18/2011; 8;30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

SWEHS – Regional Drill Competition, Hertford County High School, Ahoskie, NC; 11/19/2011;

5:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

PMS – John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD; Grades 6-8; 02/06/2012; 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

EECS – Middle College National Consortium Leadership Conference, Carson City, CA;

04/18/2012 Departure Time: 5:00 a.m. – 04/22/2012 Return Time: 12:00 a.m.

(9)B. Items for Action

(9.1.B) Approval of 2011-2012 Budget Amendments

Motion Required: I make a motion under the North Carolina Open Meetings Law, Sections 143-318.11 (a) (1), (a) (3), and (a) (6), to go into Closed Session to consider personnel matters, to consult with the attorney to preserve attorney-client privileged information, and to prevent the disclosure of student records rendered confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and the disclosure of personnel records rendered confidential under G.S. 115C-319 through 321.

CLOSED SESSION:

(10.1) Personnel Management

(10.1.1) Listed Personnel (Contracted, New Hires, Resignations, Retirements,

Substitutes, Transfers, Leave Requests, etc.)

(10.2) Student Management

(10.2.1) Student Transfers

(10.3) Review of Closed Session Minutes

OPEN SESSION:

(11) Approval of Resolution Adopting New Election Regarding District Boundaries

(12) Approval of Closed Session Items:

(12.1) Personnel

(12.2) Closed Session Minutes

(13) Board Correspondence – None

(14) Items Brought by Board Members or Superintendent for Consideration/Discussion

(15) Adjourn

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Press release regarding calendar changes at both ECPS and Edgecombe Early College High School to make up days lost during Hurricane Irene

Early College High School

Edgecombe County Public Schools 2011-2012

Edgecombe County Public Schools Calendar Changes

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Video/Pictures – Breaking News: Dr. Adelphos (Del) Burns Was Sworn In As Interim Superintendent For Edgecombe County Public Schools Beginning Tomorrow Instead Of October 1, 2011

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Video/Pictures – Breaking News: Dr. Adelphos (Del) Burns Was Sworn In As Interim Superintendent For Edgecombe County Public Schools Beginning Tomorrow Instead Of October 1, 2011

Dr. Adelphos (Del) Burns was sworn in as interim Superintendent Edgecombe County Public Schools Board of Education this evening. Dr. Burns will begin on tomorrow Tuesday, September 13, 2011. Dr. Burns was welcomed onboard and Dr. Wayne Talley was thanked by the board for his services.

I am looking forward to Dr. Burns doing some wonderful things during his stay here. Dr. Burns didn’t like the things that the Wake County Public Schools Board of Education chair and other board members were implementing while he was the Superintendent there so he decided to resign.

I have been following Wake County Public Schools for several years now and I believe that Dr. Burns did a wonderful job. My good friends in Wake County one being J. Ronald White President South Central Wake County NAACP and 4th vice president NC NAACP State Conference of Branches all have nothing but good things to say about Dr. Burns.

Although I spoke to Dr. Burns on tonight I want to welcome Dr. Burns to Edgecombe County.

Keith Pittman Edgecombe County Public Schools Board Member was presented a plaque in honor of South Edgecombe Middle School Gymnasium being named in his honor during the past board meeting.

Click on picture to view video (1 hr. 43 mins. 48 secs. total).

Dr. Aldelphos (Del) Burns Interim Superintendent (Click on picture to view pictures.)

Dr. Wayne Talley Former Superintendent (Click on picture to view pictures.)

Keith Pittman Board Member (Click on picture to view pictures.)

The following is from ECPS Lauren Edmondson Communications Specialist.

Picture courtesy of Lauren Edmondson ECPS Communications Specialist.

See related:

Tarboro NC – Breaking News: Adelphos John (Del) Burns former Wake County Superintendent Was Appointed Consultant and Interim Superintendent of Edgecombe County Public Schools Beginning October 1, 2011

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Repost: From the Publisher – Response to Evelyn Wilson Edgecombe County BOE Chair “Schools help – not hurt – students”

First of all I attended the Edgecombe County Public Schools board of education meeting on this past Monday night. During the transition from the public meeting and the break before they began the closed meeting, Evelyn Wilson was explaining to the Rocky Mount Telegram’s reporter a black female that she didn’t know what the D.A. Robert A. Evans was referring to because he had not been to a school board meeting. After listening to them I said, how do you know he was talking about ECPS and both of them walked over to where I was sitting. I said Evans used to sit on the Rocky Mount Charter School board and so did Leonard Wiggins whom Wilson named in her response.

It is my opinion that Evans has served on both sides of the fence whereby he has served on the Rocky Mount Charter School Board and in the courtroom. I am quite sure he is a parent as well, but I don’t know him personally so I am not going to attempt to speak for him. However he does a good job speaking for himself.

I find Evelyn Wilson’s response in defense of the Edgecombe County Public Schools to be quite interesting especially when I am an involved Negro and has been since the early 90’s however I am a product of the ECPS. I have a daughter that just graduated on this past Friday and I have a son who will be going to the middle school on next year.

I know the board objective should be to educate all children however Wilson and other board members are very much aware that there are some educators who does not give a damn about the children and/or they feel do not have the necessary skills. Administrators are removed from the classroom and sent to the central office from time to time. Some administrators are removed from certain schools and the list goes on. But the thing is the board of education never give a reason to the public why such moves. Unlike some folks I understand that it is a personnel issue.

Wilson you say parents do not need to spend a lot of time challenging the school system. Well Wilson I have had to challenge the system dating back to 1993 when a group of children who staged a walkout at SouthWest Edgecombe High School when a white coach grabbed a black student around the neck in the hallway. The white student body government President and other students protested. I received numerous calls the night before. I went to work at 5:00 am that morning and got off at 9:00 am and went to the school to help resolve this issue. I was the 1st vice president of the Rocky Mount NAACP during that time.

After the incident above I became a member of (P.I.E.) Partners in Education where the late Beverly May along with Katie Staton was the chair and co-chair. The group was able to get black males to volunteer to work in the school system running copies and doing other minor things. The goal was to have some black role models in the school since there was a shortage of black male teachers.

The principal at that time Lowell Thomas said I couldn’t volunteer nor T. C. Cherry former Highway Patrol and now currently an Edgecombe County Commissioner because we were both racist. I had responded to Cherry who had written an article in the Rocky Mount Telegram saying a local grocery store closed because black people were stealing merchandise.

One day Thomas and I had a deep discussion and he invited me to the cornfield (a racist term) and walked out of the school in front of me. The Rocky Mount NAACP where I served as the 1st Vice President asked for his resignation. Later the President Rev. Elbert Lee, Rev. Richard Joyner, Evelyn Wilson and some other black folks met with Thomas and nothing was done.

Wilson you say, “it is the business of Edgecombe County Public Schools to help students, not hurt them.” It should be and I trust that the majority of the administrators have that mentality.

I know that because of my challenge at  South Edgecombe Middle School in a one year’s time frame 2 principals were moved to the Central Office. We later got principal number 3 who retired at the end of the year and then it was principal number 4 which was the first black principal in the schools history. But he was not ready however he had some racist administrators to deal with.

Well Wilson what in the hell do you think happened when principal number 1 at South Edgecombe Middle School tried to keep my daughter and several others from receiving the “A” honor roll several years ago at the end of the 6th grade school year. The “A” students received a trophy and my daughter was given the “B” honor roll. My wife and I spent countless hours during that summer learning how to do an excel spreadsheet. After exhausting all of our means and addressing the board of education that summer, it appeared we were not getting anywhere. But the good master laid the answer on us and at the beginning of the following school year South Edgecombe had to go back and have another ceremony not only to give my daughter her “A” and the trophy but they had to give others theirs as well.

The Superintendent of ECPS during that time found out that we had a problem with the grading system within the middle school. He found that if a child moved from one middle school in the county that their grades did not truly follow them. The middle schools were not truly using the SIMS system and were doing the grades by hand so they say. The system put something in place to take care of the problem.

I also challenged principal number 1 that same year when he got on the intercom and called all the black males to the auditorium to lecture them because he was trying to send a message that black males were at-risk. Well damn all of the males were not per say at risk. However hell all black folks are at-risk if you let some folks tell the story. What this principal did was unprofessional to single out all black males during the school day so what kind of message did that send to the white males, white females and the black females as it relates to black males as if they all were troublemakers. This principal had the audacity to communicate with me via emails and I still have them on file. How ignorant or maybe he just didn’t care.

Well Wilson what in the hell do you think happened when my daughter watched principal number 2 ban me from the school because I questioned the process used during the PTO election night and after the election when we went to the various classrooms to pick up report cards and to talk to the teachers? The principal followed me as we went to the classrooms. In one of my daughter’s classes I asked the teacher about an issue with a grade pertaining to a question on a test. The principal said okay Dancy leave. I said I have not done anything and so he said he was going to call the police. I said to call him. I went to the next class and my wife and daughter followed him to the office. I waited for the Sheriff Deputy to come while standing outside talking to the Pinetops Police who came out but could not act because it was out of his jurisdiction. The deputy asked us where was the principal and we said inside. When the deputy came back out he said the principal wanted me to leave. I said can I get a police report and he said it would not be one. I left the school and 2 days later I received a letter from the Superintendent that I was banned from the school. I recorded the election on video and presented this to the board. I was recording my daughter’s volleyball games at the time and basketball season was going to start afterwards. I gave the coaches a copy so they could view the video and learn from their mistakes. But remember I  was banned from the school.

Principal number 2  administrators who served on the PTO and School Improvement Team where I was a member had a problem with me because I challenged them.  They told him they had a problem with me because I had a talk show on a local radio station. What did they have to hide? I requested that the Central Office provide the administrators with diversity training and they did along with G.W. Carver Elementary School as well. You know they were mad with me about this.

Principal number 2 only stayed at the school from the beginning of the school year until December

Principal number 3 sent a letter to all of the administrators shortly after he arrived saying I was allowed back into the school because he did not see where I had done anything wrong.

So Wilson I beg the difference when you say, “Schools help – not hurt students.” That should be the final answer however that is not the case always. Well my friend the system hurt my daughter as well as my wife and I.

You also said, “the parents do not need to spend a lot of time challenging the system.”  My wife and I had to challenge the system an entire summer. Hell we would have loved to spent that summer doing other things however it was all about justice, justice for my daughter and the others who benefitted.

Note: Original post dated: June 9, 2009 Reposted today because this is the beginning of a new school year and it is time to gear up again. Son is in the eighth grade at South Edgecombe Middle School and daughter is a Junior at North Carolina Central University and I am a proud parent of both.

From the Publisher – Response to Evelyn Wilson Edgecombe County BOE Chair “Schools help – not hurt – students” 

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Tarboro NC – Retired Secretary of Edgecombe County Public Schools

I seen Juanita Westry retired secretary of Edgecombe County Public Schools on Wednesday in Tarboro NC. Boy did she look good. She looked like she was not under any stress at all because I am assuming that was the case right before she retired. She just didn’t look like she was at peace. Well can’t say that after seeing her on yesterday. But then again I don’t know her like that no more than seeing her at the board meetings. Never really had any dealings with her other than speaking to her when I call to speak to the Superintendent and/or speaking to her at a board meeting. Just maybe I ought to try to get up with her to see if she was ready to retire or what. I am beginning to wonder now since I found out that Sandra Jones didn’t really retire but was forced out. Maybe Westry was too. Oh well.

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools

School Closings – Edgecombe And Nash Counties Schools Closed Wednesday August 31, 2011

Edgecombe and Nash Counties Schools closed Wednesday August 31, 2011 for students. Edgecombe County Schools optional teacher workday.

Stay tuned for updates.

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Edgecombe County Public Schools

Edgecombe County – ECPS Recovers From Hurricane Irene And Tornado Damages (Will Meet At 3:30 PM Today About Re-opening The Schools)

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Edgecombe County Public Schools

Edgecombe County – Hurricane Results In School Damages And Closings For ECPS

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Edgecombe County Public Schools

Tarboro NC – Breaking News: Adelphos John (Del) Burns former Wake County Superintendent Was Appointed Consultant and Interim Superintendent of Edgecombe County Public Schools Beginning October 1, 2011

Click on picture to view video (3 mins. 28 secs. total)

Correction:

Please note that there was an error in the press release regarding the
naming of our interim superintendent. It was announced at the board
meeting held tonight (Wednesday) Aug. 24, in the release I said it was
announced Monday, Aug. 24. I apologize for the typo. Thanks!
Lauren

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Note: Updated 8/24/11 20:50.

Repost – Breaking News: Tarboro NC – Today Edgecombe County Public Schools To Hold Yet Another Closed Session Meeting On Wednesday, August 24 7:00 PM – Source: ECPS Website

Board to meet in Special Meeting Wednesday, Aug. 24 The Edgecombe County Board of Education will meet in a Special Meeting Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Central Office Board Room in closed session to discuss the search for an interim superintendent and other personnel matters.

Note: Atleast this time they are mentioning that they will discus the search for an interim superintendent. The last closed session was held at Edgecombe Community College about 2 weeks ago. I attended the closed session meeting because I thought they were going to name an interim superintendent. It was so funny because when I arrived at the college the couple of people who were getting off work didn’t know it was going to be a meeting there. School was out so there were no classes and I only seen 3 people, 2 administrators and 1 facilities manager person.

I was the only person who attended the closed session along with Ann Kent Chair, Johnathan Bloomberg the board attorney, Dr. Evelyn Johnson, Evelyn Wilson Vice Chair, Janice Davidson and Faye Taylor. Keith Pittman was not present because his brother in law had died. Attorney Teresa D. Bryant was out of town on vacation. There were a couple of other people who attended and was allowed to go into closed session however I will not discuss that at this time.

I thought it was right interesting neither paper showed up. I have found it right interesting that since I advertised the meeting that I have not had one person to ask me about what happened at the meeting. Well maybe because I didn’t do a follow up story about the meeting, no video and no comments. There was a reason. I have not heard anyone talk about the meeting.

I attended the meeting without knowing what was going to take place in closed session since the announcement only stated they were meeting to discuss personnel matters. I thought with the rumors on the street that the board would appoint Dr. Lana VanderLinden as the interim superintendent and we would go home. Well I was way off base and I ended up staying there about 2 hours. Evidently I was wrong because there has not been any information communicated from the board about what actually took place in the meeting however mind you I was there and although I could not go into closed session, I am not ignorant to the fact of what was going on.

I have been told that a school system could not go on without a superintendent so therefore I guess they will name an interim superintendent on Wednesday night so that the school year will begin with an interim superintendent.

Okay now back to a previous post from yesterday when I talked about my concerns about closed session meetings. Atleast the Wednesday meeting you know they will be discussing an interim superintendent and when they come out of closed session they should say something about what took place such as interviewed candidates or whatever and the vote should be made known in open session. The other personnel matters ie: transfers, retirees, resignations and etc. I asked for that information after the closed session meetings years ago so I used to get that list after the closed session but now it is posted on the website the next day. That is good because now everyone can see it especially those who do not know about The DCN News Blog.

If you visit the ECPS website you will see that there is an announcement that read: Board of Education Appeals Committee to meet Monday, Aug. 22 The Edgecombe County Board of Education Appeals Committee will meet Monday, August 22, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Services Office Boardroom #3 to hear 2 student transfer appeals. Well this is a closed meeting as well because this is confidential information just like personnel issues.

Oh well time to gear up for a new school year so who will be the interim superintendent?

See related:

Tarboro NC – Faye Taylor Board Member Edgecombe County Public Schools Must Go

Tarboro NC – Edgecombe County Public Schools, Closed Session Meetings, Dr. Wayne Talley Superintendent, John Westberg Former Principal, Sandra Jones Former Associate Superintendent, Juanita Westry Former Superintendent/Board Secretary

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Media Alert – Edgecombe County Public Schools and earthquake

MEDIA ALERT

Re: Edgecombe County Public Schools and earthquake

 

North Carolina experienced tremors this afternoon from a 5.9 earthquake which started in Virginia at approximately 1:55 p.m. and was felt as far as Ohio. Students and staff, along with other Edgecombe County citizens felt the effects of the earthquake at or around 1:57 p.m. Several schools in the district were conducting Open Houses for their parents, staff and students at the time of the quake.

All schools in the district were contacted and there are no reports of any damages found in the structures of the buildings. Principals have been advised to walk through their school to check for gas leaks, water leaks, and any electrical problems that may have been caused by the after shock.

Dr. Wayne Talley, superintendent of ECPS, contacted Butch Beach, director of Emergency Services with Edgecombe County and Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight, to ensure that no evacuations or other actions had been taken by other businesses and locations in the area. Since there was no damage reported to the school buildings, the Open Houses that were currently in session continued.

– Lauren H. Edmondson

lhedmondson@ecps.us

(252) 641-2654

Communications Specialist

Edgecombe County Public Schools

412 Pearl Street

Tarboro, NC 27886

(252) 641-2600

 

Breaking News: Tarboro NC – Edgecombe County Public Schools To Hold Yet Another Closed Session Meeting On Wednesday, August 24 7:00 PM – Source: ECPS Website

Board to meet in Special Meeting Wednesday, Aug. 24 The Edgecombe County Board of Education will meet in a Special Meeting Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Central Office Board Room in closed session to discuss the search for an interim superintendent and other personnel matters.

Note: Atleast this time they are mentioning that they will discus the search for an interim superintendent. The last closed session was held at Edgecombe Community College about 2 weeks ago. I attended the closed session meeting because I thought they were going to name an interim superintendent. It was so funny because when I arrived at the college the couple of people who were getting off work didn’t know it was going to be a meeting there. School was out so there were no classes and I only seen 3 people, 2 administrators and 1 facilities manager person.

I was the only person who attended the closed session along with Ann Kent Chair, Johnathan Bloomberg the board attorney, Dr. Evelyn Johnson, Evelyn Wilson Vice Chair, Janice Davidson and Faye Taylor. Keith Pittman was not present because his brother in law had died. Attorney Teresa D. Bryant was out of town on vacation. There were a couple of other people who attended and was allowed to go into closed session however I will not discuss that at this time.

I thought it was right interesting neither paper showed up. I have found it right interesting that since I advertised the meeting that I have not had one person to ask me about what happened at the meeting. Well maybe because I didn’t do a follow up story about the meeting, no video and no comments. There was a reason. I have not heard anyone talk about the meeting.

I attended the meeting without knowing what was going to take place in closed session since the announcement only stated they were meeting to discuss personnel matters. I thought with the rumors on the street that the board would appoint Dr. Lana VanderLinden as the interim superintendent and we would go home. Well I was way off base and I ended up staying there about 2 hours. Evidently I was wrong because there has not been any information communicated from the board about what actually took place in the meeting however mind you I was there and although I could not go into closed session, I am not ignorant to the fact of what was going on.

I have been told that a school system could not go on without a superintendent so therefore I guess they will name an interim superintendent on Wednesday night so that the school year will begin with an interim superintendent.

Okay now back to a previous post from yesterday when I talked about my concerns about closed session meetings. Atleast the Wednesday meeting you know they will be discussing an interim superintendent and when they come out of closed session they should say something about what took place such as interviewed candidates or whatever and the vote should be made known in open session. The other personnel matters ie: transfers, retirees, resignations and etc. I asked for that information after the closed session meetings years ago so I used to get that list after the closed session but now it is posted on the website the next day. That is good because now everyone can see it especially those who do not know about The DCN News Blog.

If you visit the ECPS website you will see that there is an announcement that read: Board of Education Appeals Committee to meet Monday, Aug. 22 The Edgecombe County Board of Education Appeals Committee will meet Monday, August 22, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Services Office Boardroom #3 to hear 2 student transfer appeals. Well this is a closed meeting as well because this is confidential information just like personnel issues.

Oh well time to gear up for a new school year so who will be the interim superintendent?

See related:

Tarboro NC – Faye Taylor Board Member Edgecombe County Public Schools Must Go 

Tarboro NC – Edgecombe County Public Schools, Closed Session Meetings, Dr. Wayne Talley Superintendent, John Westberg Former Principal, Sandra Jones Former Associate Superintendent, Juanita Westry Former Superintendent/Board Secretary

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Tarboro NC – Edgecombe County Public Schools, Closed Session Meetings, Dr. Wayne Talley Superintendent, John Westberg Former Principal, Sandra Jones Former Associate Superintendent, Juanita Westry Former Superintendent/Board Secretary

I must address the Edgecombe County Public Schools because I believe they are not following procedures for coming out of Closed Session meetings. Although many times I am the only citizen that stays until they come out of closed session I have begin to wonder about the board actions. Problem number one is before I get in the room they be gone back into open session. Problem number 2 they don’t discuss anything about what happened in closed session.

Today I just happen to run into Sandra Jones former Associate Superintendent in Walmart. She did not see me so I hollered out to speak to her. After I caught up with her I questioned what was she doing these days. I also asked her did she live in Tarboro in which I thought she did but was not for sure. The conversation with her  was the longest I have ever held with her since she came to Edgecombe County Public Schools.

Ms. Jones told me she was working in Pitt County as an Associate Superintendent of K-8 something. I was just totally shocked because I thought I had heard or read somewhere that she had retired so I thought she was not working anywhere.

So obviously what I had heard several months ago that Faye Taylor board member had said that it was too many blacks in the Central Office must have been true. I am going to say I got my confirmation today. I say that because Ms. Jones said she was told by Dr. Wayne Talley that he was going to renew her contract for 2 years and then he did a 360 on her.

Recently I was in New Bern visiting the in-laws and mother-in-law was telling me that a female from Craven County Public Schools was coming to Edgecombe County Public Schools. Well I was on my laptop at the time and I did a search online in the Sun Journal Newspaper in Craven County. This is when I found out who the female was. I did a post on my blog about her and I thought maybe she was replacing Roland Whitted to later find out in the Daily Southerner that Dr. Renee Franklin replaced Sandra Jones. Someone that read my blog said they were shocked when they read it and that they didn’t think the job had been advertised. They said they would have applied for it. And then later I ran into someone else who lives outside of the county at the moment and they said they may would have been interested in the position. I don’t know if the position was posted on the Edgecombe County Public Schools website or not because I don’t check the link to employment.

I was told that the position was posted but under a title that folks probably didn’t know it was the position that Sandra Jones had held.

I remember one night at a board meeting whereby John Westberg was there with an attorney and they met in closed session with the board. I understand the other person was an attorney to mediate Westberg’s complaint as he addressed the board and the board attorney. I was told Westberg was trying to have his records sealed. So if that was the case why was he in the newspaper recently where he is suing Edgecombe County Public Schools?

So I wonder who else has a lawsuit?

I wonder is Diane LeFiles and Dr. Lana VanderLinden suing?

I wonder is Sandra Jones suing because I believe she may have a lawsuit if it is true that her contract was not renewed based on race Faye Taylor said it was too many blacks in the Central Office? I don’t know that much about Ms. Jones and I have not heard anyone say anything negative about her unlike LeFiles and VanderLinden.

So I wonder did Dr. Talley run Juanita Westry away because I wonder was she really ready to retire? I don’t know her like that but maybe I will run into her in Walmart one day. However I don’t know if she lives in Tarboro so that may never happen.

So I wonder why is Dr. Talley really leaving? Is he really sick? It is funny that I have not seen anything in the newspaper about if the board renewed his contract. I can’t remember if the terms of his contract was for one year, two years or what? Can someone tell me? Maybe I will call him on tomorrow to see better yet I will send him an email tonight along with the board members.

You know it is funny that when school board issues arise, I don’t hear about any meetings in the black community. But I did read in the local newspaper about a group that met to support Quincy Robinson and also they were going to hold a forum to invite all 3 candidates but I could not attend. Of course Robinson nor the other candidates Rev. Roy Gray and Thomas Edison were appointed because the board deadlocked on Gray and Edison for 2 consecutive meetings.

What I have been told is that meetings have been held in the white community pertaining to recent/past Superintendent issues and other. I received a call from a white person asking me to meet with them about supporting Dr. Lana VanderLinden last year. 

I thought I was going to like Dr. Talley after meeting him at the College Round Up back in March and then after seeing that he was going to make some changes in the Central Office. But for some reason I have had mixed emotions about him because he kept stressing that he was going to do the right thing.

In my closing I find myself dealing with the following, “With all of the recent happenings surrounding Dr. Talley I am questioning why he has resigned?” So is he really sick physically or mentally? Some folks have been saying he is crazy but I was willing to give him a chance.

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Note: Updated 8/22/11 22:14.

Repost: Edgecombe County Public Schools Personnel Announcements – New Hires, Transfers, Reassignments, Resignations And Etc. August 8, 2011

Personnel Announcements for Edgecombe County Public Schools for August 9, 2011 click here.

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools

Correction: Edgecombe County Public Schools Personnel Announcements – New Hires, Transfers, Reassignments, Resignations And Etc. August 8, 2011

Personnel Announcements for Edgecombe County Public Schools for August 9, 2011 click here.

See related:

Edgecombe County Public Schools