Swain County Board approves budget request, 2025–26 calendar and SRO MOU; authorizes continued Vannoy negotiations

The Swain County Board of Education approved the district’s annual county budget request and multiple budget amendments, adopted the 2025–26 school calendar and approved a memorandum of understanding for school resource officers at a recent meeting, while authorizing continued negotiations with Vannoy Construction as construction manager at risk pending final contract approval.

Board members voted to send the district’s county budget request to county commissioners as presented. District presenters asked the board to request sufficient funds to cover core operations, saying the maintenance and facilities operations request totals $1,863,345 to pay utilities and most maintenance salaries. The superintendent-level presenter told the board that the district historically receives less than the full amount requested and urged continued advocacy for full funding.

The district also said it is requesting $200,000 for specialized reading assistants to place two reading specialists at each elementary school and identified other capital needs, including a projected $350,000 estimate for unexpected playground repairs at Bridal Adventures and potential major work on the gym roof. Administrators said some figures remain estimates and indicated the totals may change as they refine bids and inspections.

Stephanie, a district budget staff member, reviewed a set of budget amendments and allotment changes the board approved. She said the state public school fund will increase by $187,071 overall, and noted specific allotments received or adjusted: an additional $37,315 for summer reading camp, a $132,000 allotment for SROs tied to the MOU under consideration, $7,745 in literacy funding, and several small federal and state adjustments across PRC codes. The district also booked a capital-projects increase tied to the receipt of an electric school bus funded via a competitive grant administered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality using Volkswagen settlement funds.

On the electric bus, district staff emphasized that the district did not pay for the bus itself and said Duke Energy paid for the charging station (described in the meeting as roughly $116,000). “None of that came out of our funding,” a presenter said, adding that accepting the bus allowed the district to replace a diesel bus at no cost and to evaluate electric technology.

The board adopted the 2025–26 school calendar after reviewing staff input gathered by survey and other adjustments. The calendar as presented includes two optional staff workdays in August, quarterly optional teacher workdays, two parent conference days (a new addition), and a spring break scheduled to align, where possible, with neighboring districts. Administrators said the calendar is intended to balance instructional-hour requirements and staff preparation time.

The board approved a school resource officer memorandum of understanding in an open vote; meeting minutes record the MOU’s approval as unanimous. The board also authorized administrators to continue negotiations with Vannoy Construction to serve as construction manager at risk, with direction that hiring would be pending final contract language and legal review. Administrators said Vannoy initially declined the proposed fee, reoffered, and that the district and its counsel are working to align definitions and terms with partner firms, including LS3P and John Henning’s team.

Board business included a motion to enter closed session under the statute cited by a board member to address privileged or confidential matters; the motion carried. The board scheduled a special called meeting on personnel for Friday at 2 p.m. and set its next regular meeting for April 7 at 5 p.m.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the meeting agenda and consent agenda by show of hands; it approved the county budget request and budget amendments; it adopted the 2025–26 school calendar; it approved the SRO MOU (noted as unanimous in the meeting); and it authorized continued negotiations with Vannoy Construction pending contract approval.

The meeting opened with a school awards ceremony recognizing multiple students for character and leadership and adjourned after routine announcements about upcoming community events, including the Swain High School production of The Wizard of Oz. The board adjourned following a motion and second.

Sources: remarks and motions recorded in the Swain County Board of Education meeting transcript. Quotes and specific allotment amounts are drawn from district presenters’ statements during the meeting.