Ashe County Board reviews capital and program requests; approves one‑year pilot of high‑school personalized program

The Ashe County Board of Education on March 6 approved a one‑year pilot of a personalized “school‑within‑a‑school” program at Ashe County High School and approved several related staffing and equipment requests while asking administrators to return with more detailed cost and enrollment information for larger items.

Board members debated the high‑school proposal — described by staff as a personalized learning space to support students who struggle in traditional settings — before voting to fund the program for one academic year and to authorize an 11‑month instructional coach position tied to the initiative. "They need somebody to champion them differently," a board member said in support of giving the program a year to operate and be evaluated. Another board member asked for a formal enrollment estimate and verification of the program’s staffing before final budget submission to county commissioners.

The pilot, presented as a blend of credit recovery, personalized scheduling and targeted experiential opportunities, was described by district staff as serving students in grades 9–12 who are behind on credits, have attendance or anxiety issues, or otherwise do not fit the traditional classroom model. Administrators told the board the recommended model would serve up to 15 students in a cohort but that some students might rotate in and out as they complete credit recovery. Staff also said the program would use online credit‑recovery platforms in combination with targeted, in‑person instruction and local field experiences.

The board approved a related 11‑month instructional coach position and directed staff to explore one‑time grant funding already applied for that could offset some of the pilot’s costs. "If that grant goes through, we would already have the funding to be able to do this," a district staff member said during the meeting.

Separately, the board approved a series of smaller capital and program requests during the meeting: a replacement floor scrubber for the middle school, audio and playground upgrades and early‑learning equipment at Blue Ridge, classroom and CTE equipment requests (including additional welding machines and storage to support CTE projects), and several transportation and maintenance items (including an activity bus/minibus funding request and a canopy for the district fuel site). For Mountain View Elementary, the board approved replacement of a burnisher and renovation of bathroom sinks but declined a proposed tractor purchase as outside current priorities.

On personnel and program funding, the board authorized the district to forward a request to county commissioners to increase local supplements for certified and non‑certified staff (a tiered percentage model for certified staff and an increased flat supplement for non‑certified staff). The board also approved seeking continued funding for an ASK (school‑based behavioral health) clinician and supported requests for curriculum and science materials identified as gaps by teachers.

Board members pressed staff on larger, higher‑cost athletic and facilities projects — notably stadium lighting and field turf proposals — and asked that those be prioritized or broken into smaller, phased asks before being forwarded to the county. Board members also discussed a long‑running water pressure and sprinkler issue at Westwood (West Jefferson) and requested staff continue to work with town and county officials and engineers on a technical fix and funding plan.

Votes at a glance - One‑year pilot of the Ashe County High School personalized program (Hill School): approved (motion to approve pilot for one year carried by voice/hand vote) — staff to return in April/at next budget cycle with refined enrollment and cost details. - Instructional coach (11‑month) for high‑school programming: approved. - Blue Ridge audio upgrade, playground/early‑learning equipment and pre‑K classroom materials: approved (some items flagged as grant‑eligible; staff to confirm funding sources). - Middle school floor scrubber replacement: approved. - Mountain View: burnisher and bathroom sink repairs approved; proposed tractor not approved. - CTE items (additional welding machines, student storage shed groundwork, classroom chairs, and an additional agriculture teacher position): approved. - Ash Early College: approved request for a curriculum/instructional coach position (11‑month); staff to refine budget details and grant offsets. - Transportation requests (activity/athletic bus funding, minibus, canopy at fuel site) and one evaporative cooling unit for a summer program area: approved to seek funding; staff to refine technical specs and wind/load requirements for canopy. - ASK center clinician (school‑based mental‑health clinician) funding: approved to seek continued funding. - Curriculum and science materials requests (K–2 decodables / ELA supplemental materials and 5th/8th grade science materials): approved to seek funding. - Local supplement increase for staff (tiered percentage model for certified; $500 additional for non‑certified locally): board approved sending the request to county commissioners.

Context and next steps Board members emphasized that many of the proposals are preliminary requests for the district’s annual submission to county commissioners. For several items the board either approved one‑time funding, authorized staff to seek grants, or directed staff to return with additional details before the county presentation. Administrators said final budget and project lists will be refined and returned to the board at the next meeting and for the April presentation to county commissioners.

The board asked staff to provide enrollment verification and clearer cost breakdowns for the high‑school pilot and several CTE items, to pursue possible Cooperative Extension or county support for tree replacement work, and to continue outreach to local hospital systems and regional partners about athletic trainer coverage and MOU options.

The board’s decisions allow the district to begin limited implementation of the high‑school pilot and to proceed with several replacement and program items that district staff said were near‑term safety, instructional or operational needs.