Mount Airy board hears overview of Behavior Threat Assessment & Management program

At its Sept. 2, 2025 work session at the Mount Airy City Schools Central Office, the Mount Airy City Board of Education heard an overview of the district's Behavior Threat Assessment & Management (BTAM) program from district BTAM leader Emily Hardy. The board also approved the meeting agenda before the presentation.

The program description was presented by Emily Hardy, identified in the minutes as "District Leader of Behavior Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM)." Hardy reviewed a process developed by the North Carolina Center for Safer Schools that, she said, "identifies, assesses, and manages potential threats of violence or self-harm." She described BTAM as a multidisciplinary approach to gather information, evaluate risk, and develop intervention plans to address concerning behaviors early and provide supports intended to make schools safer and more supportive.

Board Chair Tim Matthews convened the meeting; Kyle Leonard moved to approve the Sept. 2 agenda and Randy Moore seconded. The minutes state, "Upon the call of the roll, the vote was recorded as follows:" and list each member with an "X" beside their name; the record indicates the agenda was approved as presented. The minutes do not provide a numerical yes/no tally beyond those marks.

The board announced a public comment period with a three-minute limit per speaker and a maximum total of 30 minutes, but the minutes do not record individual public comments in this segment. The meeting later adjourned to closed session, and the minutes include placeholders for the chairman's and secretary's signatures.

The presentation, as summarized in the minutes, emphasizes early identification and coordinated intervention; the record attributes the overview and the program description to Emily Hardy. The minutes do not include verbatim quotes from Hardy beyond the program summary, nor do they specify next steps, timelines, or funding sources for implementation.