[{"_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",6481625,"mediaKeyId","5680819-169b7accbf3037166542e0150aa236be","parentId",5680819,"title","Anson County Schools board, administrators report smooth first day of classes and introduce Dr. Thorpe","audioSeconds",1912,"startMs",287000,"endMs",2199000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5680819-169b7accbf3037166542e0150aa236be&start=287&end=2199","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5680819-169b7accbf3037166542e0150aa236be/thumbnail_287000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6481625/North-Carolina/Anson-County-Schools-board-administrators-report-smooth-first-day-of-classes-and-introduce-Dr-Thorpe","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481625-7d243042d0dc7589bf1aa12c5a847738/orig.mp4?Expires=1775095287&Signature=Z~bdremZ1kxObJ9tVeF1qV9YShLuIIaEvPH7q1tT05G0x-ekG5QM68LKxB6ISE~iv7WXPicppJXU4d1Z56rCPprdw5fGiTZaPJOqTT0dmaOYwo0Z785jilzuazJeCgup7Pw3YK2ZPf1ZDr52hibqLsSA75hdG-u4Voj5QKqDPj0UcdBCNq38VaTeDztus8fQ5-iE9RZya6VgM1l-ZIJH5mO5V1p4l-zbU6A7Ls16Xw3FkQpJJR1IRcxg2Avikz1fnfz2S9J5IQiawFp8Tr14xCuhQ6rPq4fJHcIozBZ5SnKDfQsC7MCIQKYV4yRVhSGb7Ke7gmKbx6DOr1x0LM~RJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Anson County Schools","date","2025-08-26T10:45:13Z","article","Board members and district leaders at an Anson County Board of Education meeting reported generally smooth first days of school and described visits to multiple campuses. The meeting also included a brief public introduction of Dr. Thorpe to the board.

The chair asked colleagues to join a moment of silence for two longtime local educators and former board members: Dr. Jim Sims and Richard Allen, both of whom died in recent days. The chair also read funeral visitation and service times announced at the meeting.

Board members gave short reports about school-opening visits. One member said they visited Peachland and Anson Middle and saw many students excited for the first day; another reported visiting Wayzborough Middle School and called the start a \"wonderful day.\" The superintendent and other leaders said they attended convocation and several open houses and noted both successes and areas for improvement in registration and logistics.

Dr. Thorpe, introduced by a district speaker who said he had been \"busy\" preparing strategic planning work, told the board he visited the high school, the early college and transportation operations on the first day. Thorpe said principals and staff were actively greeting students, and he described transportation staff engaging with the Department of Transportation about traffic timing where buses were backing up near the high school. He said staff were working to adjust signal timing so buses would not be delayed.

Several board and staff speakers praised school staff for student-focused interactions, including \"Chalk the Walk\" and other welcoming activities used during the first day. Administrators described principals and curriculum staff being present at each school to support processes for arrival and dismissal.

The chair thanked attendees for coming and invited any open-session questions for the superintendent; none were raised before the board approved routine consent items and moved into closed session later in the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Board of Education Meeting 8-25-25","oneSentenceSummary","Board members and administrators reported generally smooth school openings, convocation feedback and campus visits; the meeting included a brief introduction of Dr. Thorpe, who visited multiple campuses and transportation staff about bus timing.","taxTitle","Anson County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",54431,"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},6481626,"Anson County Schools auditor gives clean opinion but flags three material weaknesses in FY2024 audit",759,431000,1190000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5680819-169b7accbf3037166542e0150aa236be&start=431&end=1190","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5680819-169b7accbf3037166542e0150aa236be/thumbnail_431000.jpg","/articles/6481626/North-Carolina/Anson-County-Schools-auditor-gives-clean-opinion-but-flags-three-material-weaknesses-in-FY2024-audit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481626-1fa7850b291c9572b5f2d1d38c390bb4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775095287&Signature=IpoTxp2BE1vOzSFEtJhvdRuWrywmcDuvKmYsw0Hq~PSqSO5WQw-zjadFRJUdeTq0QSH58lAsU~Lw~npaIkgk3wcJkHJotys7APvw33TFbfFKyUVfRf6t~PesOm0hWi-r1HD7qnCrOKarGFWYJPs5c3oBOAd3cMb53p6VDMEdLQ7C2Avf6OESufa65LX-ePrHE0kZFGvuVROlCuu4k0r2lBDFKm37CSOrWxEUHcPPLRjg-sLehjQQJsC8EWtHKzN5ls3E9bmse9Ekt6mJ9dNno8X3pwX-ZlQ5llPJq5ihJi1~Ghk~pQXDAiv7gUiO-idfg1RaOk5J5f2vil4DPb2Pyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anson County Schools\u0000auditor Nick Wicker told the school board the district received an unmodified opinion on its FY2024 financial statements but that the audit identified three material weaknesses and several bookkeeping issues.

Wicker said, \"We express an unmodified opinion over your basic financial statements. That is what we commonly refer to as a clean opinion.\" He told the board auditors tested four major programs for single-audit purposes and reported three findings the firm classified as material weaknesses: excessive expenditures over appropriations, internal controls over capital assets, and general ledger deficiencies.

The audit showed budgetary overspending in the general fund\u0000instructional services by $12,928 and ancillary services by $5,718. The Child Nutrition Fund operating expenditures were overexpended by $58,387. Wicker said some of the Child Nutrition overage resulted from pension and OPEB adjusting journal entries that are difficult to predict and recommended keeping a cushion on those lines.

Wicker also reported that $385,823 of governmental fund expenditures and $14,871 in the school food services fund met the capitalization threshold but were incorrectly recorded as current-period expenditures instead of capital assets. He described the general ledger finding as the result of a large number of correcting journal entries and noted turnover in a key position had likely contributed.

The auditor highlighted changes in the district\u0000financial position: a $915,370 overall decrease in governmental fund balance compared with FY2023, driven by a $789,417 decline in the general fund. State revenue decreased $1,489,506 while federal revenues rose $2,423,523; total revenues increased $1,659,596 year over year. The Child Nutrition Fund net position declined $386,048, though child nutrition revenues rose $106,444.

Wicker pointed to two uncorrected misstatements in the financial statements: an overstatement of cash in account 11/1012 (which he said will be eliminated) and an understatement of commodities inventory of $1,764. He told the board auditors obtained a signed management representation letter and encountered no disagreements with management over accounting procedures.

Board action that evening included approval of two consent items: a personnel report and a sole-source purchase from Reality Works Incorporated. The board then voted to return to closed session \"for matters related to personnel pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6),\" the chair said.

The auditor concluded his presentation by offering to answer questions and thanking board members for the opportunity to serve the district.

Votes at a glance

- Consent items (personnel report; sole-source purchase from Reality Works Incorporated): motion made, seconded, approved by voice vote (counts not specified).
- Motion to enter closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) (personnel): motion made, seconded, approved by voice vote (counts not specified).","At a board meeting, auditor Nick Wicker reported an unmodified (clean) opinion on Anson County Schools\u0000FY2024 financial statements but identified three material weaknesses, overspending in several funds, and bookkeeping issues; the board approved routine consent items and moved to closed session.","actionData","errors"]

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Anson County Schools board, administrators report smooth first day of classes and introduce Dr. Thorpe

Anson County Schools auditor gives clean opinion but flags three material weaknesses in FY2024 audit