The Moore County Board of Education held a regular business meeting Monday, June 14. An in-person event, the session took place at the Central Office in Carthage.
At the top of the meeting, the board – as it does every month during the school year – recognized two staff members and a student for contributions to Moore County Schools.
Erica Hammond, part of the certified staff at West End Elementary, and certified staff member Lynn Pennington, who works at North Moore High School, were saluted for contributions made in May. Iralynne McBride, a student at Pinecrest High School, was also recognized.
Among others receiving recognition were student Rollins Rodriguez (Southern Middle School), Phyllis Simmons (McDeeds Creek Elementary), who was named NCPTA School Nurse of the Year, and the men’s golf team at Pinecrest High School, winners of a state championship May 10. The victory capped an undefeated season for the squad.
Senior Jackson Van Paris, with a round of 72, won the individual state championship. He’ll attend Vanderbilt University in the fall. Other seniors on the Pinehurst team were Colin Dutton and Caden Bertagnole.
Following a tribute to 2021 graduates and approval of the Consent Agenda, several members of the public provided input and information on relevant issues, including the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in district schools. Opponents of the curriculum stated it promotes divisiveness, racism and teaches students what – and not how – to think.
Proponents of the theory claimed public education has been teaching learners how to think for many years.
Others spoke on the district’s sale of properties, in particular sites of former schools, and the Panorama Education Survey Platform, maintaining, amongst other things, it is obsessed with race.
Panorama Education is an online survey platform that partners with schools and districts across the nation to collect and analyze data.
The school board voted to table a decision on whether or not to enter a contract with Panorama until its next meeting, slated for July 12. That contract would pay the provider $184,380 over three years.
Earlier in the meeting, the board – after two rounds of voting – reappointed Gary Evans to the Sandhills Community College Board of Trustees. His new term runs through June of 2025.
Feature photo by Sandhills Sentinel Photographer Melissa Schaub.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Dave Lukow.
