[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6353325,"mediaKeyId","2221424-dbacf229faf2c5c0d538506d342e238e","parentId",2221424,"title","Burke County School Board approves calendar, policies, personnel and budget revisions; FEMA vendor contract discussed and approved","audioSeconds",171,"startMs",1375000,"endMs",1546000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221424-dbacf229faf2c5c0d538506d342e238e&start=1375&end=1546","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221424-dbacf229faf2c5c0d538506d342e238e/thumbnail_1375000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6353325/North-Carolina/Burke-County-School-Board-approves-calendar-policies-personnel-and-budget-revisions-FEMA-vendor-contract-discussed-and-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353325-63814faf0f951177ad51ca6a407dd3a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146083&Signature=BqIoVLqvLOCbyYKbX2wf324f9JIsKqkFiDjUXhOJ2t3gHMQyD4MdJXCT4Gax4iGf6CC2~W1VpDcrpCdpRkH9qXZ0cvSW6dEBVjFux1qEL2Bu3UdDPveZTNBIogsqvK9WDL2DOMk2EYm1DdJaZjEqC~H7f6VQfZr3D0Tp~pItBNd7MW5htFYrOTm~M3c2DlFT8S1QKjbp3dE-VFOqBWVhs9WZr88AdpbFBG0VcBZ6fNawsn5ieUgV~3y8yfM33Wgn9trrmFMJ8-VKoTIHQnWnuiUmPPi1CwZ4XOsDxr2pw2U997Z2zjFRN-Bg0DPjpncZUtAi4y6vD6usQFEjUJ-Dmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","BURKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS","date","2025-02-03T22:47:08Z","article","The Burke County Board of Education unanimously approved a package of routine and time‑sensitive items at its Jan. 27 meeting, including the 2025‑26 Burke Middle College calendar, the second reading of several board policies, a personnel report, and budget revisions numbered 7 and 8 dated Jan. 27, 2025.

Why it matters: The calendar and policy approvals set the academic schedule and administrative rules the district will use in the coming year; the budget revisions and vendor approval matter because of ongoing storm recovery work and potential long‑term FEMA reimbursement processes.

The board’s actions included: 1) approval of the meeting agenda at the start of the session, 2) approval of consent items, 3) approval of the Burke Middle College 2025‑26 calendar after a brief staff presentation, 4) approval of the second reading of several board policies, 5) approval of the personnel report, and 6) approval of budget revisions #7 and #8 (dated Jan. 27, 2025). Each motion was made, seconded and approved by voice vote with board members responding “Aye.” No roll‑call tallies by name were recorded in the transcript.

Contract for FEMA assistance: During discussion of post‑storm recovery work staff described the vendor’s role and limits. A staff member said the district is still “assessing the extent of the damage” and that recovery with FEMA “could literally be years.” The same staff member described the vendor’s fee structure as limited to \"a 5% recruitment of all FEMA‑recoverable damages,\" and said the district would return to the board if any costs needed to be front‑funded or would not be recoverable.

Budget detail: Finance staff presented budget revisions numbered 7 and 8 and identified the documents as dated Jan. 27, 2025. The board approved the revisions after a short presentation and a motion to approve.

Other approvals: The board accepted a second reading of district policies after a staff summary and approved the personnel report presented at the meeting.

Ending: Board members closed the meeting after taking public comments and asking whether a closed session was needed. The meeting adjourned after a motion and second; no further action on the FEMA matter or the homeschool eligibility issue was recorded during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Regular Session 02/03/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Burke County Board of Education unanimously approved a package of routine and time‑sensitive items at its Jan. 27 meeting, including the 2025‑26 Burke Middle College calendar, the second reading of several board policies, a personnel report, and budget revisions numbered 7 and 8 dated Jan. 27, 2025.","taxTitle","Burke County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14186,"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},6353329,"Homeschool families ask Burke County board to ease rules restricting sports eligibility",289,727000,1016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221424-dbacf229faf2c5c0d538506d342e238e&start=727&end=1016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221424-dbacf229faf2c5c0d538506d342e238e/thumbnail_727000.jpg","/articles/6353329/North-Carolina/Homeschool-families-ask-Burke-County-board-to-ease-rules-restricting-sports-eligibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353329-631c9861607ad01e337f0125d2bf7bf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146083&Signature=Z4UQ~5n1wEWRw4IlHvfWv8IvmSofI9pNrUDjsqEWZ~VSr0RRBR5B4greyM5o904C1in0Kkco4vQUrg9JNH-LmPD-DPUgkdy8w03RjxgI7Tjk4my2lTJRsVUSneSt17SMRcgb~MfUztfBqvqs370jjMoC4z~7yWRoGhttBxILoQHYlUnZw4F2eS56uBthq52Snd4FDciP80qrQ5poM3rAltkg-wEpYiv1ID12meB4ASCIUMM6~ZcszbPZDk3cYXnLr8ptWU0riBWkI-LerBgRteMvu66m9wERYzRQPyVMC8ublgfi0B9tz1UyRcIh5RTiTtiLd8hr-h8X3SVMKUZ3pw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kelly Harmon, a former Burke County Public School teacher and homeschool parent, told the board on Jan. 27 that existing local policy requires dually enrolled homeschool students to attend “seated classes for half the day,” and that the rule’s language—“may only satisfy this enrollment through face to face instruction”—leaves homeschool families with “no wiggle room.”

The matter matters because several families said the rule prevents students who are homeschooled for legitimate instructional reasons from trying out for school teams. “My goal is to hopefully come alongside you in the future months to hopefully find some way to allow homeschoolers to play sports in Burke County without so much difficulty and confusion,” Kelly Harmon said.

Nut graf: Parents and students described multiple practical problems created by the district’s requirement that dually enrolled homeschoolers complete face‑to‑face coursework for half a school day. They urged the board to accept North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) coursework or other approved online options, to allow case‑by‑case documentation (transcripts, yearly testing and report cards), or to recognize accredited co‑ops such as Classical Conversations as qualifying programs under current policy language.

At the podium, Jacob Harmon, a homeschooled student who attends a classical co‑op Monday through the week, described the challenge of balancing six hours of home instruction, dyslexia tutoring and extracurricular classes while meeting the half‑day in‑seat requirement. “I will have 0 chances,” Jacob Harmon said of continuing competitive middle‑school sports if current rules remain in place.

Leanne Bradley, a longtime Burke County resident, and her daughter, Sarah Beth Bradley, added that they have repeatedly met with school staff and administrators to comply with the district’s dual‑enrollment rules. Sarah Beth said she has been dually enrolled three years and that this year’s changes removed virtual options that previously made participation possible. “I think I should go to try out or have the chance to try out for middle school team because I’ve gone beyond and beyond to meet the requirements to be able to play sports,” Sarah Beth Bradley said.

Speakers asked the board to consider three specific options: 1) permit homeschool students to use NCVPS/other approved online courses to meet the dual‑enrollment requirement, 2) evaluate homeschool eligibility on a case‑by‑case basis using transcripts and required yearly testing, or 3) amend the district policy’s “or similar programs approved by the Board of Education” clause to explicitly recognize rigorous co‑ops such as Classical Conversations.

Several commenters said neighboring counties explicitly allow online dual enrollment for athletic eligibility and urged Burke County to emulate those practices. Board members did not take immediate action during the meeting; the comments were heard during the public comment portion of the agenda and no vote or staff directive on the matter was recorded.

Ending: The board closed public comment and moved on to other agenda items. Parents and students who addressed the board asked for follow‑up from staff and said they planned to continue working with administrators to resolve eligibility questions.","Several homeschool parents and students told the Burke County Board of Education that current local rules effectively block many homeschoolers from playing middle- and high-school sports and asked the board to accept online coursework, review cases individually or recognize accredited co‑ops.","actionData","errors"]

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Burke County School Board approves calendar, policies, personnel and budget revisions; FEMA vendor contract discussed and approved

Homeschool families ask Burke County board to ease rules restricting sports eligibility