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Rowan County board approves Ross Tarant facilities contract and adopts two policy changes
Summary
The Rowan County Board of Education approved a contract with Ross Tarant for architectural and engineering services for a five-year facilities plan and adopted two policy changes: expansion of Rowan Academy enrollment language to include K–5 and a revised alcohol/drug policy emphasizing education for grades 4–12. Voice votes were used; tallies were not specified in the record.
The Rowan County Board of Education voted to hire Ross Tarant for architectural and engineering services to complete the district's five-year facilities planning process and approved two policy changes during its meeting.
A board member described the facilities planning requirement as detailed and labor-intensive, saying the firm will inventory every square foot of district buildings, including ceilings, electrical, roofs, HVAC and outlets. The board then moved to approve Ross Tarant for the contract and passed the motion by voice vote.
On policy, the board completed the second reading and approved CS09-4341, which expands Rowan Academy language to allow enrollment wording for elementary students (grades K–5) in addition to grades 6–12 to reflect the district’s virtual school model. The board also adopted a revised policy on the use of alcohol, drugs and other prohibited substances that shifts the district’s approach toward broader education for students in grades 4–12, with curriculum to be delivered during advisory time at middle and high schools and discussions with elementary principals about fourth- and fifth-grade implementation.
Board members discussed implementation details during the second readings. A presenter described the alcohol-and-drug policy as moving ‘‘from testing of just a certain population of students to more of educating all of our students in grades 4 through 12.’’ The presenter said the district would continue researching program options and hoped to begin implementation in August, subject to staff planning and principal coordination at the elementary level.
All three motions (the Ross Tarant contract and the two policy changes) were approved by voice votes; the transcript records the motions passing but does not provide roll-call tallies or identify the individual who made each motion in the public record.
The approvals allow the district to begin facilities inventory work immediately, update enrollment language for Rowan Academy, and begin curriculum planning for the substance-use education program ahead of the next school year.
