Ashe County board approves overnight stay for students traveling to Charlotte competition
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Summary
The Ashe County Schools Board approved an overnight stay so students attending a scheduled competition in Charlotte can travel the night before because of a forecasted storm; board members discussed adding a policy provision to address similar safety decisions in future.
The Ashe County Schools Board of Education voted to approve an overnight stay for students traveling to a competition in Charlotte so they could arrive before bad weather expected later in the week.
Board members moved and seconded the request during the board's meeting; Miss Ward moved approval and Miss Alvarez seconded. The request covered an overnight the evening before the competition so students would be present for the start of events on Thursday and Friday after weather forced planners to move the trip from a same‑day schedule.
Board members and staff described the change as a safety measure. An administrator summarized the travel plan: "So this was a planned, competition, and they weren't supposed to be overnight. But with the weather forecasted, they thought it would be best to go down, with on Tuesday night so that they're they are there on Wednesday morning and not have to travel in perhaps bad weather. So the request is for them to, attend this competition in Charlotte, and go down the night before, essentially, which is this week." A staff member also addressed funding: "I think it's taken care of." The board discussed that the trip would cover Thursday and Friday and that moving travel to the night before would avoid a very early departure the morning of the competition.
Miss Ward offered the motion: "I move that we approve the overnight stay. I would rather they were safe and got there." After Miss Alvarez seconded, the board voted by show of hands; the motion passed (the board used a voice/raise‑hand roll call and no roll‑call tally was read aloud at the meeting).
During discussion, a board member suggested adding language to the district's field‑trip policy to allow the board to make discretionary safety decisions when a special‑call meeting is not practical. No formal policy change was adopted at this meeting; board members said they would consider such language when the board next reviews the field‑trip policy.
The approval covers the overnight travel for the Charlotte competition on the specified Thursday–Friday schedule; the superintendent's office and event organizers are responsible for final travel logistics and any related expenditures.