[{"_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",6163204,"mediaKeyId","5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf","parentId",5436401,"title","Retired teacher urges board to address boys' reading, engagement and mental health","audioSeconds",165,"startMs",2553000,"endMs",2718000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf&start=2553&end=2718","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf/thumbnail_2553000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6163204/North-Carolina/Retired-teacher-urges-board-to-address-boys-reading-engagement-and-mental-health","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163204-57b3407d510a01cc1b88049349509dd4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139548&Signature=Nj3JeZjeZsGdnOcenArf2h~OuGKP7dZcJLlz285d0QnzdL2RsuITdr2Mh6jQ4BjOOlrof65pxDh0ALuOtuwVzzgsLwJmdA95GDRivJ4owiN7ZT25KmcETwk3q45mia7gEJj1hjt63eDVrxRw7L4HvutpXKpg990KDx~a2SMj1GhwFteu5WqUKVfKsg9ZopUetJYZ~JNks0YPki~G7APbznh3TetEZTwJUKKjhixK4vSPJCS6zfzEs3pF8yuuVJjHhlNq44bEQ4lRi7sLIdHkwRds055DCkXu96624bbpVty7nIdNT-X5lPl25ZhXc5sFkZdYpqTiAWlFFaNP25LjcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cleveland County Schools","date","2025-07-21T20:46:53Z","article","A retired teacher urged the Cleveland County Board of Education on July 21 to make targeted efforts to re-engage boys who are falling behind academically and socially.

Rob (Rod) Powell, who identified himself as a retired teacher and Cleveland County resident, told board members that research and local observation show boys are struggling in reading, school engagement and mental health. He asked the board whether the district is examining third-grade reading scores by gender, expanding vocational and hands-on learning options, and investing in mentoring and mental health supports to keep boys connected to school.

Powell said the concern is not political; he described it as a matter of education and student support and urged the district to \"listen to our teachers\" and to students themselves on how to reach those who have become disengaged.

Ending: Powell closed by thanking the board and asking officials to consider a range of supports — academic, vocational and mental health — to help boys who have \"gone quiet\" in classrooms and who need pathways to remain engaged in school and community life.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting - July 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A retired Cleveland County teacher told the board that boys in the district are falling behind in reading, engagement and mental health, and urged expanded vocational options, mentoring and a focus on third-grade reading scores by gender.","taxTitle","Cleveland County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14188,"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},6163209,"Board committees recommend EC retention bonuses and monthly supplements amid federal budget uncertainty",834,1174000,2008000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf&start=1174&end=2008","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf/thumbnail_1174000.jpg","/articles/6163209/North-Carolina/Board-committees-recommend-EC-retention-bonuses-and-monthly-supplements-amid-federal-budget-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163209-4f05207020421ecd3a12d0c3e28e5e5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139548&Signature=M~vKRKKhWj4p6mcFxbfOoQjcn7pZmiCX1AJmVKrsXTe54pjToN~7dKNiXlG1VRTg-H7xfZXaQes~c8hzKiPXHCc6oZgNovPkvSAu6oPAKmZTsZAQ~1gqV3dQ2Eogmu6~6CRtTPw6SBlkReCMb5aUxO9BLEUu1EpIoXXRZImxSGjgRk4zbBXg5vlJEK5AR6IFj-qq8ko4LAu1NQMr55VWLuBVeOgGwNIXNgvSMa7I7KX-x-Gv3fXh0xNh5fC7ARbhd-iPtTaeal5RZa3fcVRDvW2jjxtctXswOKt3LVJJCjW95m0iW-jLUymS0Nja6j~njxdpGbm~ACEeJgMVZi4AiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District committee reports at the July 21 meeting outlined staffing measures aimed at retaining special education staff and noted pressures from a federal budget freeze that could affect some federal programs.

District officials told the Finance and Personnel Committee and the Education Programs and Policy Committee that leftover PRC 118 funds will be used to provide a one-time retention bonus of $525 in September 2025 to EC-related service providers in occupational therapy, physical therapy, school psychology and speech-language pathology. Committee members also discussed a recruitment and retention plan to pay a $500-per-month supplement to EC teachers and program facilitators who hold a master’s degree in special education or education, or who have a master’s and have completed a graduate-level special education teacher licensure program; staff said the supplement will be renewed annually depending on availability of EC and Medicaid funds.

Committee discussion and staff remarks clarified timing and funding limits: the one-time $525 bonus uses PRC 118 money that staff said expires in December 2025; the $500 monthly supplement is contingent on ongoing EC and Medicaid funding and is not a guaranteed multi-year commitment absent future appropriations.

Separately, the Finance and Personnel Committee reported on state and federal budget uncertainty. Rob McDaniel, the district’s finance official, told the committee that while proposed state allotments had been provided, a final state budget was not yet approved; staff also said federal budget freezes mean the district will use carryover funds for salaries for affected federal programs and that the largest federal allocations (EC and Title I) had not been significantly impacted to date, but several other federal budgets had been affected.

What the board decided: these EC retention measures and supplements were discussed and recommended at committee and were scheduled to come to the full board for action as part of committee recommendations and purchase/contract approvals. The committees unanimously supported the proposed EC measures at the committee level.

Ending: District leaders said they would present the recommended EC supplements and related contracts and purchase orders to the full board for approval (as appropriate) and will monitor federal budget developments and the availability of EC and Medicaid funds before committing to renewals of the supplements.","The board’s Finance and Education committees reported plans to use remaining PRC 118 funds for a one-time retention bonus and to offer a monthly supplement for certain Exceptional Children (EC) staff, while district officials said federal budget freezes will require using carryover funds for some payroll needs.",{"_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},6163214,"Cleveland County Board approves Kings Mountain stadium partnership, adds $750,000 over time to SCIF allocation",719,313000,1032000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf&start=313&end=1032","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5436401-4b05dcd3874261949af321092c555faf/thumbnail_313000.jpg","/articles/6163214/North-Carolina/Cleveland-County-Board-approves-Kings-Mountain-stadium-partnership-adds-750000-over-time-to-SCIF-allocation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163214-e914765baee82cc68e72aedba54e5f73/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139548&Signature=Wzan1POGgl9q87tuugw2ccy7CkoYY1yV75LOxY3jmnsNzUb-SFGypGN~D-~HT-aWcDuaBUhpS9R68rhPsClKEm7SQO89zcT34tVl5RIrSytYTu7BEZyQfVJwQNrbJNl0ekagj0rSMhncLrqHcrpwk2whYghZw-YYWZUF4tsBr-1ZWc09EY73NUtfvKAEc0YW9kdzdUnCrPNhRuAcPjhlE9kGsAYgB4PlPS3yPAjdSvIBkQ19ICcC3HK7Z5I7~pEDXy21APG6MnfVr3hA7dLrTIaW-pVp5TedwRYLpQCeUO66fsP9V~xzkylZpj06aaaKrvv99ybCNENMSXrpVcWzYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cleveland County Board of Education on July 21 approved a partnership with the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club to renovate the stadium and build a new press box at Kings Mountain High School, voting 8-0 to commit existing SCIF grant funds and to allocate an additional $750,000 to be paid over multiple years from district long-term capital funds.

Board action came after presentations from district staff and the contractor representing the Touchdown Club outlining a campus-wide plan that would replace wooden bleachers, improve ADA access in the stadium and parking, add seating connected to the press box, and include ancillary work such as a new wrestling building on the campus. District officials said the total project cost is estimated at more than $4,000,000.

The board’s vote followed prior committee review. The project concept was approved by the Safety and Operations Committee and then considered by the Finance and Personnel Committee, which recommended proceeding to the full board. Aaron Bridges, chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee, moved the motion; Walter Sperling seconded it, and the motion carried 8-0.

Why this matters: the work ties to a previously awarded SCIF grant (the district described the grant under the name \"SCIF\"), for which $1,100,000 had been budgeted for press boxes and other stadium infrastructure. District staff told the board inflation and higher construction costs since the original 2021 grant award created a shortfall. The board agreed to permit the Touchdown Club to move forward with campus enhancements, to use the $1,100,000 as originally budgeted out of the SCIF funds with payments made as work is completed, and to provide $750,000 in additional district support repaid over several years.

Details of the agreement and timeline presented to the board included:
- Estimated total project cost: in excess of $4,000,000 (district estimate).
- SCIF allocation previously budgeted for these projects: $1,100,000.
- Additional district contribution requested: $750,000, to be paid back over multiple years from long-term capital funds.
- Work start: district staff and contractor said construction would begin after football season; district officials emphasized that the lower-bowl seating must be finished before Kings Mountain High School’s graduation to accommodate the Class of 2026.
- Scope: new metal-style bleachers to replace wooden bleachers, ADA upgrades to seating and parking, added seating adjacent to the press box, improved concessions and restrooms, and a new wrestling building between the pool and tennis facility on campus.

District staff said partnering with the Touchdown Club would enable more scope and safety upgrades than the district could fund alone. Officials noted that some stadium lighting work had been completed on other campuses under the same SCIF program and that the increased scope reflects inflation and higher construction costs since the grant application was written in 2021.

Discussion and conditions: board members stressed transparency about funding sources and public messaging. Committee chairs told the full board that committees had vetted the concept and would leave financing details to the Finance and Personnel Committee and the full board to approve. District staff said the $1,100,000 SCIF dollars would be spent first, with the additional $750,000 layered on to resolve the funding gap created by cost increases.

Next steps: district staff and the contractor said they would begin the permitting and construction process if the board’s approval holds, with sequencing intended to protect graduation seating needs. The board did not attach additional conditions beyond standard documentation and construction oversight requirements.

Ending: The board’s unanimous vote authorizes district staff to proceed with the partnership and to obligate the SCIF funds and the additional $750,000 as described. District staff said they would return with standard documentation and construction progress reports as work proceeds.","The Cleveland County Board of Education voted 8-0 to partner with the Kings Mountain Touchdown Club on a multifaceted stadium renovation at Kings Mountain High School, authorizing use of state SCIF funds already budgeted and agreeing to an additional $750,000 to be repaid over multiple years from long-term capital funds.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Retired teacher urges board to address boys' reading, engagement and mental health

Board committees recommend EC retention bonuses and monthly supplements amid federal budget uncertainty

Cleveland County Board approves Kings Mountain stadium partnership, adds $750,000 over time to SCIF allocation