[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6204673,"mediaKeyId","3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7","parentId",3778442,"title","Cumberland County Schools honors students, staff and Superintendent Dr. Connolly ahead of his June 30 retirement","audioSeconds",2965,"startMs",157000,"endMs",3122000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7&start=157&end=3122","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7/thumbnail_157000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6204673/North-Carolina/Cumberland-County-Schools-honors-students-staff-and-Superintendent-Dr-Connolly-ahead-of-his-June-30-retirement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204673-22d97b63bb85fa7232d95c54f5682be5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162396&Signature=We1YAYopS8CqqQSMowZpRwOqTJN4CJmgBcUNc4GccWt~ZLrupPWc-GJ~FLyfCjjtUDNPLxo4zhoA9q3GcOF0lRIk8FEjVtNtAQKwfmYP5RJESv51gKV5RKs0tDVD1j1X2dD8js6xHQDoINhqkgHqHbpe0XlfZxf4ya3QLv1qJ9Rl5x-8CmW2xrFGVqMHsxTpYtWeR1BZu~qCtCO97EqFsS0hnv8S8JvPeuvH~BVyxdOH9KYMZvbiFHMBoYATwT66-6XkDdzucfzJDR2M~S-yB7pKalkpOyMcpBOMBMb6RlvJmNths~AvQuiPPiqzpZ6isl1IXmDb5b4RgU7kbY6oRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cumberland County Schools","date","2025-06-12T03:04:57.643Z","article","The Cumberland County Board of Education opened its June 16 meeting with multiple recognitions for students, staff and community partners and heard a final superintendent update from Dr. Connolly, who said his retirement is effective June 30, 2025.

Board members presented certificates and plaques to student athletes and academic teams from across the district, including individual state champions and teams from Terry Sanford High School, Douglas Byrd High School, E.E. Smith High School and others. The Cumberland County Association of Principals and Assistant Principals presented the Bridal Edkins Memorial Scholarship: the association awarded $1,000 scholarships to 17 graduating seniors (one per high school), an increase from $750 enabled by support from the company ESS, the association said.

During his remarks, Superintendent Dr. Connolly reflected on seven milestones from his seven-year tenure and listed district accomplishments including pandemic response, narrowing the number of schools on the state’s “not performing” list, Purple Star recognition for military-family support, and being named among Forbes magazine’s best employers in North Carolina (as reported in his update). He noted districtwide student outcomes and scholarship totals reported for multiple high schools (for example: Cumberland International reported a student graduating with 81 college credits and the class earning more than $4,800,000 in scholarships; Cross Creek reported more than $6,300,000 in scholarships; Jack Britt reported more than $4,500,000 in scholarships). The figures were presented in the superintendent’s update and the meeting video.

Dr. Connolly addressed graduates directly and said, “I love all of you,” and thanked the community for the opportunity to serve. The transcript records the superintendent calling graduation “the memory I always carry” and noting more than 21,000 students served over his tenure. Colleagues and local partners presented tokens of appreciation during the meeting; board members and community representatives offered thank-you remarks and congratulations.

The board also recognized multiple district staff members as “premier professionals” for behind-the-scenes work supporting operations and events. The list of individual honorees called at the meeting included employees such as Linda Caesar, Deborah Perry, Darryl Henry Sr., Derek Hodges, Pam Gallimore and others; the chamber of recognitions included presentations by board chair Deanna Jones and vice chair Judith Musgrave.

No formal board action tied to the recognitions or the superintendent’s retirement was recorded in the meeting minutes excerpt beyond the ceremonial presentations and the superintendent’s spoken farewell. Any transition planning or personnel changes related to the superintendent’s retirement will follow district procedures and any separate agenda items the board schedules for that purpose.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CCS Board of Education Meeting June 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board recognized student athletic and academic achievements, awarded scholarships and honored district staff; Superintendent Dr. Connolly delivered a final update and acknowledged his retirement effective June 30, 2025.","taxTitle","Cumberland County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14089,"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},6204678,"Cumberland County Board approves personnel list after divided vote",218,3801000,4019000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7&start=3801&end=4019","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7/thumbnail_3801000.jpg","/articles/6204678/North-Carolina/Cumberland-County-Board-approves-personnel-list-after-divided-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204678-3cdd50db8d45b1d2b011d3b6dc44c478/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162396&Signature=C9GWxekELj1FC~CRPXS8ECJPRpMtr4uGJ4J9t4LWzw732Yl6~Ye4mKHZXnZMBp1glJWFjR6hNTP249YzaWviOToZHAe3fcX-mypjRip0mmUYOEHdDmf5rWWo6jEC1e8kKfdPs~qtGj2AehSkBeIdXjYP6JTd4KAiIpOtbekmIRG6zSeMOxYF6iVNZTeKWpwVBTUGhxieP3DVN3-BPwiIXuBfe33JTYSI5IPtfRV4E931dfORtYmjbbPHwqz6Q5Weaq~UyRgHCOeqdNiJfylcyL97Udt6jdZcgDpzft5ltwIr3Foiy8F23Hy51xtjugJZ0~fSGrhYmqMTElVMQpOdfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cumberland County Board of Education voted to approve the personnel list recommended by the personnel committee (item 13.01) at its regular meeting on June 16.

Board members recorded the final result as 6 yes, 1 no and 2 abstentions. The transcript identifies Dr. Hills as the lone no vote and records Ms. Williams and Dr. Jordan Epstein as the two abstentions. The meeting record indicates there was some confusion during the electronic roll-call before the clerk announced the final tally.

The item was presented by the personnel committee as part of the meeting’s consent and personnel reports. The transcript shows a motion to approve followed by a roll-call procedure and multiple confirmations before the chair declared the motion passed.

No text of the personnel list (names or positions) appears in the publicly available transcript excerpt; the transcript shows board members voting on the personnel recommendations but does not list the individual personnel actions included in the packet.

Because the approval was recorded as a formal vote, the personnel recommendations become board-approved as of this meeting; any subsequent personnel implementation will follow district human-resources procedures and applicable state rules.","The Cumberland County Board of Education approved the personnel list (agenda item 13.01) following a roll-call vote recorded in the meeting transcript as 6 yes, 1 no and 2 abstentions amid some voting confusion.",{"_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},6204683,"Resident urges Cumberland County Schools to adopt formal flag-handling policy",91,2188000,2279000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7&start=2188&end=2279","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3778442-497a0a19504d53b54f14b8f64d1b8bb7/thumbnail_2188000.jpg","/articles/6204683/North-Carolina/Resident-urges-Cumberland-County-Schools-to-adopt-formal-flag-handling-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204683-5aebb10c1018a5c1c62a07c118f01859/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162396&Signature=P~1xfSef8-vHtKigBa5j4kKC--o-Qp7kGp-yNuVz6gRAzZsti7MiLQyy-kinauoJty71cByTFuVuP0xbKnK-Ps9KzivMad1dbjKZtUCgRNQLigZwXRYcBE-H3DlGEeiaz0h4CFNFILhwLEfiVLuKYPFBIl3cUMDfInAxQ1DnJJdclGYCcPCrIZSwteA0Jo5f6oe4GdEYYTH8D7ftKqMU0K2YLr4adMJCrMCFClIysaqNWoOlp~2jv-3Jh0MyRbOh3iC7CvAMhOxfPe-YY9K-8N9be3a8V~ZNwTaOmD0M9xakzaWbNTa8n5wv9ZkeDPtDEkfBPWiLJ92R67~GR0UPng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Cumberland County resident told the Board of Education on June 16 that the school system lacks a written policy for handling U.S. and state flags and urged officials to adopt one.

Ron Ross spoke during the meeting’s public forum, saying he observed students removing flags and placing them “in the box” without folding them. “They take the flag, blow it up, throw the box,” Ross said. He told the board he checked district policy and “you have no policy on how to handle the flags.”

Ross said he raised the issue with a school principal’s office before coming to the board and that local media were aware of his concern. He asked the board to create a “simple policy” requiring that the flags be taken down, properly folded and stored.

Board chairwoman Deanna Jones thanked Ross for his participation and the meeting proceeded to the agenda; no formal action or directive to staff regarding a new flag-handling policy was recorded in the meeting minutes or on the consent agenda.

Because Ross raised the matter during the public-comment portion of the meeting, it was presented as a citizen concern rather than as a board agenda item; the transcript shows no formal motion, committee referral, or vote on the flag-handling issue during the meeting.

The board did not use the meeting transcript to record any follow-up assignment or timeline for staff to draft a flag policy.","During public forum at the Cumberland County Board of Education meeting, resident Ron Ross said he observed U.S. and state flags being placed loosely into storage boxes and urged the district to adopt a written policy requiring flags be properly folded and stored.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cumberland County Schools honors students, staff and Superintendent Dr. Connolly ahead of his June 30 retirement

Cumberland County Board approves personnel list after divided vote

Resident urges Cumberland County Schools to adopt formal flag-handling policy