To showcase the importance of art and music in students’ lives and to continually fund those positions, the Macon County Board of Education plans to create a presentation for the county commissioners.
Board member Diedre Breeden spoke about potentially showcasing art and music programs to the commissioners to provide more local funding for them.
“I was reflecting on how those things have been the showcase in all the meetings we’ve had in our schools, so why can’t we bring that to the commission board as well,” Breeden said, suggesting the submission of art pieces, singing, dancing and more.
Breeden wants to show that the return on investment in students is always worth it and feels this would be a better way of showing it off.
Breeden also said since art and music programs can help students’ mental health, funding could come from the county’s opioid settlement, per Sen. Kevin Corbin.
In various meetings over recent months, parents have spoken to the school board about cuts to art and music programs due to lack of funding. Last month at Iotla Valley, students performed for the school board.
Board member Stephanie Laseter referred to the presentations as a “carousel of arts.” When asked how quickly it could be pulled together, Breeden said possibly by the Board of Commissioners meeting in March. Board Member Hilary Wilkes said there could be requests to keep those programs funded at the upcoming March 4-6 strategic planning meetings.
“Maybe it’ll be the best thing we do is to speak out and be louder than we have in the past,” Board Chair Jim Breedlove said, to which Breeden replied, “or sing it.” Board member Melissa Evans said she has been very impressed with the talent at all the schools showcased before their meetings.
Breedlove asked if Breeden could lead this effort, which she accepted.
Liaison reports
During the liaison update, Breeden talked about the Feb. 6 Construction Manager At Risk interviews for Highlands School. Breeden said Vannoy Construction was very impressive and offered Career and Technical Education labs for students to be hands-on during the construction. Wilkes said Vannoy does background checks for all their employees before doing on-campus labs. Commissioner Chair Gary Shields said negotiations with Vannoy are still ongoing. Shields confirmed the plan is for April-June bids and construction to start in July.
Wilkes said the Highlands soccer field project report should be available soon. This follows a year-long soil sample review by CreekStone Environmental and Geological Services’ Ronnie Dilbeck. This analysis will determine which type of drainage system would be best, and if the field should be grass or turf. Wilkes hoped that the soccer field and school renovations would take place concurrently.
In other news from the meeting:
• The 2024-25 Macon Early College calendar was unanimously approved.
• The Summer Edventure camp will take place at Iotla Valley Elementary, with the entire camp going from June 10 to July 26. Session A is June 10-28 and Session B is July 1-26. Staff training is June 3-7. Staff will present fees at the March board meeting.
• The board unanimously approved a BalsamWest easement for a small concrete pad at Nantahala School. BalsamWest plans to install fiber-optic hardware on the pad to connect the library, fire station and several hundred homes.
• Several board policies, which consolidate policy-making procedures, were unanimously approved. A policy on public participation in meetings was not voted on as board members only recently received it.
• The fundraising policy, discussed since the summer, was again not voted on as board attorney John Henning said he forgot to put in some recent suggestions.
The board went into closed session at 7:38 p.m., returning at 8:48 p.m. to approve the personnel report, then adjourned.
The next Board of Education meeting will be at 6 p.m. Monday, March 25 at Macon Middle School.