Operations, curriculum and policy committees report budget pressures, easements and draft wireless-device policy; board approves consent agenda

Committee chairs delivered reports from operations, curriculum & instruction, and policy committees at the Dec. 15 meeting.

Operations Committee chair Brett Moore said the district’s annual audit has been delayed because of recent federal legislative developments and that final statements are expected in January. Gary Hoskins told the committee about a projected $7,200,000 decrease in low-wealth funding and other state budget pressures. Facilities items presented for the consent agenda included permanent and temporary easements and HVAC and skylight work on school buildings; several contract amendments were included for board approval.

The curriculum committee noted a reading grant provided by First Presbyterian Church for Sherwood Elementary and the Department for Exceptional Children’s request for an adjustment for the 2025–26 school year. The policy committee reviewed required updates to extracurricular-activities policy and presented a draft wireless communication device policy (to comply with a 2025 North Carolina session law) that would require devices to be off and put away during the school day with limited exceptions.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the reported items, by unanimous vote.