Daniel Prince
Following executive session, school board votes to expel student
The Union County Board of School Trustees had more items to address in their executive session than they did in open session. After an executive session that lasted for two hours, in which the board was to discuss a contractual matter, a student discipline matter, a personnel matter, and a legal matter, they came back into open session at 8:30 p.m. The board voted to uphold the hearing officer’s decision and the school’s decision regarding the student discipline matter. Due to privacy issues, no more could be said about the matter, but Board member Manning Jeter, who made the motion, did confirm after the meeting that the decision that had been upheld was to expel the student in question.
Personnel Director Jeff Stribble presented to the board signing bonus certification award areas for the 2022-2023 school year. Stribble said after the meeting that the district would offer a $7500 signing bonus for newly hired teachers in certain critical areas for the coming school year. Stribble said those critical areas are: math, science, middle level math and science, special education self-contained teacher, special education resource teacher, Spanish, media specialist, art, speech and language pathologist, health occupations teacher, CATE certification areas to be decided on a case-by-case basis, and other critical needs areas as determined by the Superintendent. The board approved the proposal unanimously.
They then approved the personnel report in two parts. Misty Mercado, special education assistant at Sims Middle School, was unanimously approved. In a separate vote, Jason Hatcher was approved as classroom coach in a math setting, and an athletic coach at Union County High School. The vote was 7-2, with Manning Jeter and BJ McMorris opposed.
The meeting then adjourned.