The Onslow County Board of Education held a regular meeting on June 29 at 6 p.m. at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items for the meeting included the adoption of the 2021-2022 budget and a discussion on COVID-19 protocols for the 2021-2022 school year.  

After two speakers during the public comment period, OCS Chief Communications Officer Brent Anderson presented to the Board a series of good news highlights from the past several months. Anderson said that the list was not complete, but just a few highlights since the Board stopped having a Good News Spotlight at meetings due to COVID-19. He said the district looks forward to resuming typical Good News Spotlight segments at the August meeting.  

The meeting’s general business opened with Chief Financial Officer Jeff Hollamon, who presented to the Board the 2021-2022 budget for approval. The budget, which had been discussed at length in prior meetings, will include allocations for sign-on bonuses and pay increases for bus drivers. The Board unanimously approved the budget as presented.  

Next on the agenda was the discussion of COVID-19 protocols for the upcoming school year. Board Chair Bob Williams read a statement to the audience in which he said that the Board supports Senate Bill 173, which would give school districts the flexibility to create localized COVID rules, and believes it is time for local boards to take the lead in creating COVID policy. Several Board members agreed with his sentiments and the Board unanimously decided to direct staff to create local protocols for approval in the August meeting. 

In his closing comments, Superintendent Dr. Barry Collins thanked the Board and staff for their work this year and for the work they will do for the next school year. He said he looks forward to getting back to the basics and reestablishing OCS’ high academic standards. Dr. Collins also said that the district is in dire need of bus drivers, so those interested in making a difference in that way should contact the district to learn more.  

The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on June 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items for the meeting included the presentation of the 2021-2022 Title I Plan.  

After five speakers during the public comment period, the meeting moved on to its only item of general business. Dwayne Snowden, the OCS director of federal programs, presented to the Board the 2021-2022 Title I Plan.  

Title I, as Snowden explained, is a federal program that provides schools with large populations of economically disadvantaged students (35 percent or higher) with additional funding for resources and staff to support the learning environment. Nineteen elementary schools and all eight middle schools will qualify for this funding next school year.  

With the extra funding for these schools, Snowden shared that OCS plans to focus on continuing support for math PD and instruction, supporting the OCS Instructional Framework, early intervention and remediation, school level needs and supporting the OCS Early Childhood Program.  

The total Title I allotment for the 2021-2022 school year is $4,989,483. The Board unanimously approved the district’s Title I Plan.  

In his closing comments, Superintendent Dr. Barry Collins thanked everyone from staff to families for their part in making the most of this challenging school year.