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Gates County Schools board approves budget resolution, a school-based therapist pilot and early-release days
Summary
At its May 11 meeting the Gates County Schools board approved the consent agenda, a one-year partnership to place full‑time school-based therapists at middle and high schools, a budget resolution, and early-release days for summer programming; several routine minutes and scheduling items also passed by voice vote.
The Gates County Board of Education approved several routine but consequential items during its May 11 meeting.
By voice vote the board approved the consent agenda — which included multiple field trips and fundraising requests — and then approved revised minutes for several past meetings. The board also approved a budget resolution covering state, federal and local funds after the finance presenter reviewed fund balances and expenditures; the presenter reported the district's state funding at about 87.67% and other fund percentages for the board's information.
Board members discussed and approved early-release days tied to summer scheduling and available banked hours. Board discussion flagged coordination concerns for elementary pickup logistics and double bus routing; members agreed to permit the proposed early-release days this year, saying they will try to improve coordination in future years.
The board approved a one-year pilot partnership with a nonprofit described in the meeting as "Contegra," which staff said would hire full-time therapists to work in schools and is funded largely through federal grants and insurance reimbursements. District staff said the proposal would continue existing rotating services at elementary schools (currently provided by Integrated Family Services) while placing permanent therapists at the middle and high schools if Contegra can recruit them. Presenters noted parent consent and insurance arrangements would be required for student therapy and that recruiting clinicians is a likely challenge; the board approved the one-year agreement by voice vote.
Other approvals included dates for the Summit Islands summer program (June 8–August 7), and a modest recurring administrative tool (described as approximately $20/month) to aid recording or minute-taking. The board also scheduled two special-called meetings: May 14 at 9:00 a.m. to finalize personnel/transfers, and May 18 at 9:00 a.m. for an attorney‑privilege closed session.
Most votes were carried by voice; no roll-call tallies were read into the record during the actions covered in open session.
