Pitt County Schools highlights Bethel media center grant, counselor work and growth in CTE and transportation

The Pitt County Board of Education at its February meeting announced that Bethel School received a $68,918 grant from the James J. and Mamie Richardson Perkins Trust to renovate its media center, recognized school counselors during National School Counselors Week and heard updates on career and technical education (CTE) and transportation services.

The Bethel Media Center grant, presented during the board iscussion of teaching and learning, will be used to modernize the school—ollection and create collaborative learning space. Amelia White, district media specialist, said, "We are just so thrilled, for Miss Whitehurst and the media team, for the long process of grant writing." Katie Whitehurst was identified at the meeting as Bethel's media coordinator.

The board also recognized school counselors during National School Counselors Week. Robin Dale Barnett, a counselor at Ayden-Grifton High School who volunteered in Buncombe County after its hurricane-related school closures, described the experience during public remarks: "This is what school counselors do. We show up. We provide a safe space. We listen. We love. We encourage. We empower." Barnett recounted working at Oakley Elementary the first days students and staff returned after flooding, listening to teachers and providing classroom-level supports.

Sarah English, executive director of student services, told the board the district has adopted the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) national model as its framework. The model groups counseling work into four components and three domains: academic, career and social-emotional. English said the district will use ASCA efinitions and mindset/behavior standards to guide counselor programming and emphasized counselors will "take a deep dive at the data" including academics, attendance and discipline to shape interventions.

Kelly Beach, director of career and technical education, gave an overview of CTE developments. She said three instructors produced 100% proficiency on fall course assessments and that the district continues to push credential attainment for students. Beach described the district pprenticeship consortium, "Transformers," noting four new employer partners (Thomas Electrical, Custom Builders, Precision Walls and ECU Health—or trade positions) and said 40 students applied to the current cohort.

Board members also recognized school transportation staff. Director of transportation Rich Hutchinson said the system serves about 14,000 students and outlined staffing levels including bus drivers, safety assistants and mechanics. Several individual drivers and transportation staff were honored at the meeting for long service and on-route problem solving.

Why this matters: The media center grant and CTE expansion reflect targeted investments intended to increase student access to modern learning environments, credentials that align to local employers and work-based learning. The counselors' adoption of the ASCA model and the account of volunteer support in Buncombe County underline the district's emphasis on social-emotional supports following extreme weather events. Transportation staffing and reliability continue to be central to daily student access to school.

The board closed the teaching-and-learning portion of the meeting with thanks to staff, reminders about an upcoming listening tour, and recognition of Black History Month activities across the district.