Haywood County Schools board approves contracts, amended budget, school name and personnel actions

The Haywood County Schools Board of Education on an otherwise routine agenda approved multiple contracts and project designs, an amended interim budget resolution and personnel actions, and voted to name the new middle school "Haywood Innovative." The board also selected voting delegates for the North Carolina School Boards Association annual conference.

The board voted, without recorded opposition, to approve a memorandum of understanding renewing shared services for a teacher for students who are visually impaired; a contract with EverDriven Technologies to provide midday student transportation using vans when regular midday bus drivers are not available; and the district parent advisory council for the 2025–26 school year. The board approved design and renovation work including a $69,470 contract for architectural design on the Poplar Building at Haywood Community College (HCC), $38,300 for design work on the Tuscola Farm Sewer Land project (using R&R funds), and awarded roof replacement contracts for Bethel Middle cafeteria and the North Canton Elementary K–1 building to Bonnet's Company. The board approved a small set of capital and design expenditures from capital and R&R funds and the motions carried unanimously as recorded by the chair.

In finance actions, the board approved an amended interim budget resolution for the 2025–26 year. The personnel slate approved included 35 employments and several status changes; the board also acknowledged 10 separations and several leaves of absence and substitute assignments as presented by district personnel staff. The board approved minutes from August 7 and August 11 and moved agenda adjustments earlier in the meeting.

Board members also authorized membership conference activity: they appointed four voting delegates for the North Carolina School Boards Association annual conference and named alternates to attend the legislative committee portion in November.

Votes at a glance - Agenda as amended — motion carried unanimously. - Minutes (Aug. 7 and Aug. 11, closed and regular) — approved unanimously. - Visually impaired teacher memorandum of understanding (renewal for 2025–26) — approved unanimously (motion made by Miss Hasbeth, second by Miss Morris). - EverDriven Technologies agreement (midday transportation) — approved unanimously. - Parent advisory council for 2025–26 — approved unanimously. - Name recommendation for Innovative Middle School ("Haywood Innovative") — approved unanimously. - Nate Forms Architectural contract: $69,470 for Poplar Building at HCC (design; capital funds) — approved unanimously. - CDC contract for Tuscola Farm Sewer Land project: $38,300 (R&R funds; design) — approved unanimously. - Bonnet's Company roof replacements (Bethel Middle cafeteria; North Canton Elementary K–1; Capacao) — approved unanimously. - Amended interim budget resolution (2025–26) — approved unanimously. - Personnel approvals (35 employments; status changes; coaches; volunteers) — approved unanimously. - North Carolina School Boards Association voting delegates and alternates — approved unanimously.

The board recorded each motion and then voted; the transcript records repeated "motion carries unanimously" or "aye" for every motion listed above. The meeting did not record roll-call vote details for individual members on these items.

Notes: The motions above reference funding sources as stated at the meeting (capital funds, R&R funds). Several items (design work for the Innovative Middle School and Poplar Building) were described as part of previously allocated project funds; board members clarified the new contracts are design-phase costs that will be drawn from those earlier allocations.