[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6370784,"mediaKeyId","2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e","parentId",2150852,"title","Board approves Brevard Middle School TSI plan, asks staff to verify a purchase listed in plan","audioSeconds",145,"startMs",501000,"endMs",646000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e&start=501&end=646","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e/thumbnail_501000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6370784/North-Carolina/Board-approves-Brevard-Middle-School-TSI-plan-asks-staff-to-verify-a-purchase-listed-in-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6370784-6b8eefcfe92e9ed217d56417e403b78f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775092622&Signature=c3ADTm5-oFuFm2SGXQudImQr~QDyJhN4OjpMCB1PLPLpX-alGx9AhQ6xJ21dkdsQvNAByG27sZluQ5wHXv~2sN0FPzylelJ0U5I8glJSlbwMe9k06G4GwY-IZox4GZ60CVSKUJNjDqcBFgIrg027vz10KcEDB65npgYymFVk0p-kmqHSj9KVh5jdgweNy7mvhxYpw9DTTdp0AWU8YTRZx1BQczznFZ2n5tCvzrOg7hBjPS-DbFcyZP-rZgd71YRl3uAXrm~WVWNRK~E8aWEGCShBtNg5CYiZiGmNem4~BZFkkqWACio~peBeNyNVAd1zHTgF7cUz6cY29OQ4DX8PFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Transylvania County Schools","date","2025-01-21T00:00:00Z","article","The Transylvania County Schools board approved Brevard Middle School's Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) plan and directed administration to submit the approved plan to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction by the Jan. 30 deadline.

The plan is required documentation detailing how Brevard Middle School will use funding allocated to help meet TSI goals. A staff member present on behalf of the absent plan author said the board must approve the plan before DPI submission.

Board discussion and request for clarification

- Purchase listed as \"Sunday system\": One board member asked about an item listed in the plan on page 5 described as the \"Sunday system,\" asking whether it represents character-education materials, when it was purchased and which funds paid for it. Staff said the item appears to be a character-education program but that administration would verify whether the purchase had already occurred, when it occurred and which fiscal year or fund paid for it. The board asked staff to return that clarification outside the formal approval process.

Board action

- Motion and vote: A board member moved to accept the TSI plan as presented; the motion was seconded and the board approved the TSI plan. The plan will be submitted to DPI by the district before the Jan. 30 deadline.

Next steps

- Administration will verify the \"Sunday system\" item and report back on timing and fund source.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","TCS Board Meeting 1-21-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved Brevard Middle School's Targeted Support and Improvement plan and instructed staff to submit the plan to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction by the Jan. 30 deadline.","taxTitle","Transylvania County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",49402,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6370793,"Board debates random drug testing policy, directs administration to present student-survey trend data",2154,694000,2848000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e&start=694&end=2848","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e/thumbnail_694000.jpg","/articles/6370793/North-Carolina/Board-debates-random-drug-testing-policy-directs-administration-to-present-student-survey-trend-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6370793-0ec09018cd71def1f3399294c3ec82bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775092622&Signature=V1bG41bpd7ButCzPftnX94TOiRRsYlkrdrXJSVxM1AEc7Wc56sNeGnq88nL7qVVT0Nhuo1SHQUfLj~DDPjankrw-nYm8jo8bW~6uVfeltMSEqE4huJ24wXi7lGUgXCSn2MQkIdIf~52BWoRZ-X2Xdsn25NzgetRI2dvt34jzDtgYq718eU0F6N3MiBHCeFWGDVuU5tgc6DJ7LX6UsIzPBBzWZ-snZW~-pds1-dFwRPlvTzmapq~BUNAT9ChdmoPn9ay-GatocaL4oNeferUe6MYvULTj0fkiTAi3XkFbU7k-Cfj5nfCgpD4HLWiEkew4c8weJBuxa0KUoWgLaJdfpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Transylvania County Schools board members spent an hour debating the district's random drug-testing policy for students who participate in extracurricular activities, including school parking-permit holders and athletes. The board discussed legal authority for testing, program costs, test accuracy for different drugs and whether the policy reaches the students most at risk.

The debate was prompted by a board member who said the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld drug testing of students who participate in extracurricular activities and argued the district does not violate students' rights by testing. He told the board that each drug test costs $25.50 and that testing every athlete each season would cost about $11,475 per season compared with roughly $1,600 the district currently spends.

Why it matters: the policy sets the district's approach to student privacy, enforcement and prevention for a wide set of extracurricular participants (athletes, drivers and other students who represent the district). Board members said legal precedent and effectiveness of random testing are relevant to whether the district expands, narrows or rewrites the rule.

Discussion highlights

- Legal basis and scope: The board member who opened the discussion cited Supreme Court precedent that participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege and not a right, which he said provides the legal basis for the district's testing program. Other board members and the superintendent noted that the district's policy framework (policy 2230 was mentioned in the meeting) allows the board to appoint committees and set policy direction.

- Effectiveness and detection windows: Several board members questioned whether randomized urine/saliva testing is an effective deterrent for substances with long detection windows (marijuana) or for very short detection windows (some opioids). One attendee said randomized testing is a poor tool for identifying students with substance-use problems because detection windows vary by substance and by test type.

- Equity and environment concerns: Board members voiced concern about turning schools into a law-enforcement environment, potential chilling effects on participation and the requirement that parents consent for students to obtain driving permits if the permit triggers testing. One board member asked whether the program covers performance-enhancing drugs; the response in the meeting was that the current tests are designed to detect illegal recreational drugs and are urine-based.

- Cost and scope alternatives: The board discussed the cost trade-offs of testing every athlete each season versus continuing the current randomized program. A proposal to expand testing to middle-school students was raised as a theoretical response if the board's goal is to delay first use, but members observed that parental and community support for that would likely be limited.

Board action and next steps

- Motion to form a subcommittee: A board member moved to form a subcommittee to review the district's drug-testing policy (identified in discussion as policy 4325 in the motion). That motion failed for lack of a second.

- Direction to administration: The board directed the superintendent and administration to compile and present student-survey trend data (historical results and the most recent survey results when available), and to summarize whether the existing policy appears to meet the district's stated goals. The superintendent said the new survey results should be available in a couple of weeks; the administration was asked to present those results together with historical data and to invite subject-matter experts if the board requests them.

No formal change to the drug-testing policy was adopted at the meeting; members agreed to return to the issue after the administration's presentation and after review of trend data and expert input.

","Transylvania County Schools board members spent an hour debating the district's random drug-testing policy for extracurricular participants and directed the administration to present historical and current student-survey data to help decide whether the policy should be revised.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6370788,"Board asks county to combine funds to build new athletic facility after Brevard High old gym closed to students",2080,2852000,4932000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e&start=2852&end=4932","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e/thumbnail_2852000.jpg","/articles/6370788/North-Carolina/Board-asks-county-to-combine-funds-to-build-new-athletic-facility-after-Brevard-High-old-gym-closed-to-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6370788-88696a44d5b1db21c3e61bfffc006ab4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775092622&Signature=FHnU5mL8SLBdQNmiphrSfxiEKcmCZsowr9XduRCiHQx2IH3PHzZcxAFDyyI9GEF1uiIagps~jkSMQM8eUGYt2Iba5orhcZrN4IizOgAhr8i0ftaJs2rEsGcosjR-xIO0AJrncptkdbLHNAit8vbdmhvfxlXFxJkAgIjea13Nze~NES6R5oUUEwis7gcy07kJIP9H6XmBR-2uOezSd0I1WteiPUWZ49HETuH7YFB~LyrK-st2CvZyfS86yeWzES2gFsn5Qh-az3Lrcxg0p0bhkDjrBy-mVkogG9D1XOfhTc0yvZL0NicTVtHm-oaRoA3u5kV23jUiR2qfAoTagtCq0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Transylvania County Schools board members voted to ask the county commissioners to combine bond funds and county cash funds to construct a new indoor athletic facility on the Brevard High School site that includes a space for a wrestling program.

The board took the step after hearing an update that the old Brevard High gym is closed to students because of structural concerns. Facilities staff and county engineers have recommended not allowing students in the old gym while architects and contractors assess and plan repairs or replacement. The superintendent and facilities director described several options, including replacing the roof and main beams, reconstructing the roof with engineered steel beams or demolishing the building and installing a pre-engineered metal-frame gym.

Why it matters: The old gym's structural questions touch multiple bond-funded line items and county capital dollars. Board members and staff said combining available funds into a single project could allow construction of a new, modern indoor athletic facility that would serve multiple sports and activities rather than repeated short-term repairs.

Details presented at the meeting

- Closure and scope: The district's facilities director said the old gym has beam and roof issues and that county engineers and the district asked that students not occupy the building for probably the remainder of the school year. Adults may use the space for limited, supervised activities while work continues.

- Cost estimates and bond line items: Board members referenced existing bond allocations of roughly $1.06 million for roof/renovation line items and a county-held cash allocation identified for a wrestling facility; staff said initial estimates for full roof replacement and related repairs could exceed earlier budget assumptions and that a full replacement with beam work could approach or exceed earlier estimates (discussed figures ranged from about $1.06 million to higher, depending on scope). Staff also said replacing glulam beams with curved steel I-beams could lengthen service life, and that demolition plus a prefabricated building may be an alternative.

- Motion and vote: The board approved a motion requesting that the county combine the bond funds dedicated to the old-gym project with county cash funds earmarked for a pre-engineered wrestling facility and to provide any additional funding necessary to construct a new athletic facility that includes space for wrestling. The board asked the superintendent to present the proposal to the county commission for consideration and to provide detailed cost estimates and scope options.

- Next steps: The board said the joint committee established for bond management (the Braun project committee) and administration should refine cost estimates, consult with DPI on instructional-use approval if required, and coordinate with county staff on funding and demolition/construct options. The administration and facilities staff will report back with cost estimates and proposed project scopes.

","The school board voted to ask the county to combine bond and county cash funds to replace Brevard High School's old gym with a new indoor athletic facility that would include space for a wrestling program. The old gym remains closed to students while architects and contractors assess structural and roofing options.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6370774,"Board appoints chair and vice chair to joint Braun project management committee",101,3124000,3225000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e&start=3124&end=3225","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e/thumbnail_3124000.jpg","/articles/6370774/North-Carolina/Board-appoints-chair-and-vice-chair-to-joint-Braun-project-management-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6370774-e9d0c7f4a48a79372a0be5028ced6c07/orig.mp4?Expires=1775092622&Signature=nInkhqOYAix-BI252-vWe89yCd12bBkjTBzUfj4Ici4PBP-RWOalhLBgcA7Nw1wHk2xYfl-gyXmkuDcMHgT5s9AqRfUIZI-BREazlTlIb6FSDmJIB7e-HWCz8ag0--sQbGqVunqGv2bfrln1EI9RsdpClVp0-CxmDvu4pSjFfbgYDDHijNKGwT7Ld0v1~xeu-rQ-KP-ISAb9si6-knM8oGf5cXwLvqSnUzhP0TX9lgzwU5EQgOLjcNzvw-FGEiRfbER~lN5WchYx1MNmIlLEaQmZccRfdKSyIuncFFzw9ILouVolKOe7EqEVnStd8mUfr4PMgnEJkg2LvhRfyNSL6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Transylvania County Schools board members appointed the board chair and vice chair to serve as the district's two representatives on the joint Braun project management committee (the bond-management committee). The interlocal agreement had been returned to the district attorney for review, and the board discussed whether to appoint the usual pair (chair and vice chair) or different members. The chair and vice chair volunteered and were approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: The joint committee will advise and help oversee bond-funded projects; appointing the chair and vice chair maintains continuity with past practice and ensures the district has two named representatives ready to serve while the interlocal agreement is finalized.

Board action

- Motion and vote: A board member moved to appoint the chair and vice chair to the joint committee, another board member seconded, and the motion passed by voice vote.

Next steps

- The superintendent and legal counsel will continue to review and finalize the interlocal agreement and the joint committee will begin work once chartered.

","The board appointed the chair and vice chair to serve as the district's two representatives on the joint Braun project management (bond management) committee. The board made the appointment by motion and voice vote.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6370779,"Board approves $104,980 budget amendment for teacher performance bonuses",63,431000,494000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e&start=431&end=494","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150852-4211f3a30557de840fda48ef6dec4f7e/thumbnail_431000.jpg","/articles/6370779/North-Carolina/Board-approves-104980-budget-amendment-for-teacher-performance-bonuses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6370779-eb4d4a4fddefb6729d63dbcd76c131ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1775092622&Signature=oLJ1HEx2ICA~rjzLmr9ZUyjUWpeU7wmUMeLxj~-GgUUsneXF3GusI5bg3GSdn2~qMT0D9TJoTRpSYc2j78icqvb7vh-iUbTqlHwnVuFKE5-ZP77QBk0TjhbyOUEJXymAkZ6VGAwx40ljU4gusDSwPSPRsLwryS9nVtTcu8lZjlRGglxhnmGRA4wR1n1WTnXqcuQMym68pHIowyOlL02ZW4TGt1q-sAu5YJ8Arl6UybuiRTrp5j~QVLhgAP-jIaJ4vZ6QVtxkwc4nf0fecEbfba55WZidjRJdO0-rdKw9UqasFNSV7LKH2IGJPcNfZesu9xNvTCJrCIOj801HcbSKzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Transylvania County Schools board approved a budget amendment to add $104,980 in allocations to two performance-bonus line items for teachers (PRC 046 and PRC 048). The board chair said the amendment had been approved at the December meeting and that the current agenda item allowed board members to view prior columns showing the previous figures.

Board action

- Motion and vote: A board member moved to approve the budget amendment on the consent agenda, the motion was seconded and the board approved the amendment by voice vote.

Details

- The budget amendment increases allocations to PRC 046 and PRC 048 (performance bonuses for teachers) by a combined total of $104,980. No other changes to the budget were reported in the discussion.

","The Transylvania County Schools board approved a budget amendment that allocates an additional $104,980 for two performance-bonus line items for teachers. The amendment had been approved at the December board meeting and was passed on the consent agenda.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves Brevard Middle School TSI plan, asks staff to verify a purchase listed in plan

Board debates random drug testing policy, directs administration to present student-survey trend data

Board asks county to combine funds to build new athletic facility after Brevard High old gym closed to students

Board appoints chair and vice chair to joint Braun project management committee

Board approves $104,980 budget amendment for teacher performance bonuses