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Board approves interim 2025–26 budget and a slate of curriculum, software, construction and personnel actions
Summary
Trustees approved the interim budget for 2025–26 and unanimously approved contracts and purchases including Envisions math ($119,568.60), Formative ($55,754.50), Inspire reading ($34,724.45), Microsoft licensing ($117,005.00), an EAP contract, multiple construction and maintenance contracts, and personnel recommendations.
The Catawba County Board of Education on June 23 approved interim appropriations for the 2025–26 fiscal year and a series of vendor contracts and maintenance projects intended to support instruction, operations and staff services.
Interim budget: Miss Davis presented an interim budget and asked the board to adopt appropriations so the district can continue “paying our normal expenses” while the state budget remains unsettled. The board approved the interim budget by motion and second.
Curriculum and instructional technology: The board approved three purchases presented by Lee Miller: a combined K‑5 and 6‑8 quote for the Savvas Envisions math curriculum totaling $119,568.60 (K‑5 mix of digital and consumables; 6‑8 digital access), a Formative assessment subscription for $55,754.50 (to be paid from AIG funds; staff reported over 290,000 engagements last year), and Inspire, a reading program for EC students, for $34,724.45 (to be paid from EC funds). Miller said he would send a school‑by‑school breakdown to trustees.
Software and licensing: Marty Sharp requested approval of a one‑year Microsoft licensing renewal through Softchoice under a state contract; the amount presented to the board was $117,005.00. The board approved the renewal.
Employee assistance program: The board approved a three‑year contract renewal with The Counseling Group for the district’s EAP. Ray Thompson said the program costs $18 per employee, covering 1,924 employees, or $34,632 per year and $103,896 for the three‑year term; the contract provides staff and family counseling visits and on‑site services after traumatic incidents.
Construction, maintenance and accessibility work: The board approved construction change directives that produced deducts of $454,718.39 (Clermont Elementary HVAC) and $82,791.04 (Balls Creek PK) to be held in general contingency. Conover Roofing was approved for reroofing the maintenance department storage building at $153,500. BNL Telephone’s low bid of $54,967.91 was approved to replace the intercom at Catawba Elementary (one vote was recorded as non‑unanimous in the meeting record). Precision Paving’s bids for repaving at Oxford Elementary ($79,060), Saint Stephen’s Elementary ($133,121), and Startown Elementary (combined $248,228) were approved. The board also approved an owner‑architect agreement with Holland and Hamrick for Maiden Middle School’s HVAC work and a $31,300 purchase for an aluminum ADA ramp from Mobile Modular to serve a modular classroom at Balls Creek Elementary.
Personnel: After a closed‑session discussion on attorney‑client and personnel matters, the board recused the chair from voting on the Catawba Elementary principal appointment. Bethany Settlemeyer was approved as principal of Catawba Elementary; the board then approved the remaining personnel recommendations.
Votes: The meeting record documents motions, seconds and show‑of‑hands approvals; most actions were recorded as unanimous. Individual roll‑call tallies and full vote listings were not recorded in the transcript for all items.
Next steps: Staff committed to sending trustees breakdowns of curriculum quotes by school and to circulate any county materials related to the possible Newton‑Conover merger when available.
