A new rezoning plan was adopted Tuesday to prepare for the opening of the new Southeast Alamance High School next year. Three separate plans were explored that would ease overcrowding at the District’s existing high schools and limit the number of students who would have to move schools. ABSS used natural boundaries like roads, creeks, and railroad tracks to reconfigure the lines. After surveying ABSS staff and families and several months of discussions, the Board decided on Plan D.
Plan D uses the current middle school boundaries as a start and includes fewer elementary school splits, limits student movement, and keeps most all schools at or under capacity.
“Change is difficult and we know that. We’ve been talking about these maps for months. It’s also created anxiety for this community, students, and the families we serve. We gave the public an opportunity to engage by sending out surveys, social media posts, text, and emails. There’s no perfect plan but I feel confident our student can be successful under this plan,” said Sandy Ellington-Graves, ABSS Board Chair.
A decision will be made at future meetings regarding administrative procedures around rezoning.
Plan D Street Level View (Page 3 of PDF)
STAFF BONUS
The ABSS Board of Education approved a $2,000 retention bonus for staff Tuesday at its monthly work session based on percent of employment. The one-time bonus will be paid using the District’s federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to all employees except substitutes, daycare staff, or those who recently received the ABSS $10,000 sign-on/retention bonus. In addition to the retention bonus, certified teachers and school-base certified instructional staff will receive a one-time state supplement of $1,145 on December 7, 2022.
“I see this bonus as a recruitment tool. We’ve got to take care of our staff,” said Ryan Bowden, Board Member.
ELEVATE K-12
The Board approved a contract with the company Elevate K-12 to provide a virtual instructor in classrooms that currently have teaching vacancies. Broadview Middle School will pilot the program to help alleviate learning loss due to teaching vacancies. Elevate K-12 is used by districts across the nation as a way of putting certified experienced teachers in classrooms in hard to fill core areas. While the teacher is live streaming a lesson to the class, the technology allows a paraprofessional to support the teacher, while supervising and supporting the students in the classroom.
“Broadview is one of most at-risk schools with 26 current vacancies. This will help us in the interim. I want the public and this Board to know we’re recruiting and we’re doing our best to fill these vacancies,” said Dr. Dain Butler, Superintendent.
AUDIT REPORT
The annual audit report for the school year 2021/22 was presented by the audit firm of Anderson, Smith, & Wike. ABSS received an unmodified opinion which means a clean audit report with no internal control issues or findings. The firm applauded the District’s Finance Department for its transparency in record keeping and responsibility.
NEW ADMINISTRATORS
Superintendent Dr. Dain Butler and the Board named two new administrators at Eastern and Graham High. Jennifer Lackey will be the new Assistant Principal at Graham High School and Artimuss Wade was named as Assistant Principal at Eastern Alamance High School. Wade has more than 20 years educational experience and is currently the Assistant Principal at Dudley High School in Guilford County. Lackey started her career in 2002 as a math teacher and most recently served as a counselor at Dudley High School in Greensboro since 2015.