Caldwell County Board honors students, approves routine business and places 2026–27 calendars for public comment
Summary
At its January meeting the Caldwell County Board of Education highlighted student art and character education recognitions, announced awards and teacher finalists, and approved routine items including the agenda, December minutes, HR personnel contracts, board transfers and NC School Board Association policy revisions; the board also voted to place the 2026–27 school calendars on public comment.
The Caldwell County Board of Education opened with recognition of students and staff before taking routine business actions. Chief Information Officer Nathan Pope introduced the district’s new Education Center art gallery and called forward student artists representing several schools. Pope described the exhibit as “the newest installment of the education center art gallery” and said it “displays unique artworks of different media created by students” across the district.
Superintendent Dr. Thomas Howe took time to congratulate staff selection Joshua Reed of Granite Falls Middle School for a Yellowstone Park professional development opportunity and to mark School Board Appreciation Month. Dr. Howe told the board, “a letter grade that the state of North Carolina puts on a website does not justify what our schools are,” urging the public and parents to view school quality beyond single test scores.
Motions and votes at a glance (public record at this meeting): - Agenda: motion to approve the meeting agenda as presented — moved by Speaker 3; seconded; voice vote, motion passed. - Minutes: motion to approve the regular session minutes from December — moved by Speaker 3; seconded by Speaker 6; voice vote, motion passed. - Human resources contracts: motion to approve usual and customary HR personnel items for contracts — moved and seconded; voice vote, motion passed. - Board transfers (Jan., 2025–26 school year): motion to approve January board transfers — moved by Speaker 2; seconded by Speaker 6; voice vote, motion passed. - NC School Board Association policy revisions (Fall 2025): motion to approve the policy revisions as presented — moved by Speaker 6; seconded; voice vote, motion passed. - School calendars (Proposed 2026–27): motion to place the proposed 2026–27 school calendars (traditional schools, Caldwell Early College, Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy) on public comment — Speaker 3 moved after correcting the year to 26–27; motion seconded and passed.
Other recognitions: the board highlighted students selected for the district holiday card and students who participated in state honors chorus events. The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCAT) representative presented Georgia Yuka of Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy as a finalist for the NC Beginning Teacher of the Year award and outlined that finalists will attend leadership-focused professional development and interviews; the award announcement for finalists will occur in March at Wake Forest University.
A motion to go into closed session under the statutory language read on the record was made and passed; the board later returned to open session and removed item 11(b) from the agenda. The public record shows the board then approved the appointment of Adrian Dula as assistant superintendent for human resources and adjourned.
What was not stated on the public record: no salaries, contract financial terms or detailed budget figures were disclosed during the meeting.
