The Moore County Board of Education recognized several students for state and national achievements before moving on to a series of divided discussions on Monday evening. During the four-hour meeting, board members discussed several hot topics, including the installation of artificial turf at Union Pines High School and the participation of homeschool students in extracurricular activities.
Outstanding students recognized
The Board of Education formally recognized two students, Caroline Oakley and Andrew Campbell, for academic, athletic, and leadership achievements throughout their academic careers.
Caroline Oakley, a rising senior at Union Pines High School, was honored as the Engaged Inspire Succeed student for June. Oakley, who holds an outstanding 4.6 GPA and ranks first in her class of 346, serves as president of the National Honor Society and secretary of Health Occupations Students of America. She has competed at regional and state levels, and is also a varsity track and former junior varsity volleyball athlete.
The board also recognized Andrew Campbell, a recent Union Pines graduate who placed first in carpentry at the National SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta on June 27.
“With five generations of carpenters in his family, his win reflects incredible talent, dedication, and passion,” reads Andrew’s official recognition. “Accompanied by his shop teacher, Mr. Garner, and his father, Andrew showcased the strength of our Career and Technical Education programs.”
Additionally, the North Moore High School FFA Nursery and Landscape Team was honored for winning both regional and state competitions, having taken first place out of 22 teams statewide.
The team is comprised of Luke Atkins, Gavin Moore, Braden Sutherland, and Kasey Williams. Special thanks was given to Bradley Kidd, FFA Advisor and Horticulture teacher, for his leadership.
The recognition acknowledges that this event tests students’ knowledge of horticulture and landscaping through plant identification, exams, design interpretation, and real-world team scenarios. Now, the team will go on to represent North Carolina at the National FFA Convention in October.
The acknowledged students receiving their Certificates of Recognition while posing with board members Steve Johnson and Pauline Bruno. Top image: Bradley Kidd, Gavin Moore, Kasey Williams, and Luke Atkins. Bottom left: Caroline Oakley. Bottom right: Andrew Campbell. Photos via Moore County Schools.
Artificial turf grant application for Union Pines High School
The board also discussed applying for a Moore County Tourism Development Authority grant to help fund artificial turf installation at Union Pines High School’s football field.
In a previous Moore County Board of Commissioners meeting held in July, the commissioners allocated $600,000 apiece to both Union Pines and North Moore High School for the installation of artificial turf. The commissioners encouraged the Board of Education to pursue a matching grant from the Moore County Tourism Development Authority for further funding, which the Board of Education then moved forward with.
According to the Board of Education, the turf would be low-maintenance, playable in nearly all weather conditions, and beneficial to a range of programs, including marching band, arts classes, and athletics, making it an asset to the greater Moore County community.
The official proposal outlines that work could begin as early as mid-November, with completion expected by mid-February in time for spring play.
Though the current request started with installation at Union Pines, plans include turf installation at North Moore High School at a later date.
It was noted that the Carolina Football Club, which has teams in Pinehurst, Sanford, Holly Springs, Apex and North Raleigh, has already expressed interest in hosting a tournament at Union Pines next summer if the project moves forward.
Several members referenced similar benefits experienced at Pinecrest High School since its turf was installed, particularly reduced maintenance costs and year-round playability.
The discussion also revisited recent spending to install grass at the school, which would now be switched to artificial turf. Board member Pauline Bruno expressed frustration over what she called wasted taxpayer funds, so Jenny Purvis, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, attempted to explain that legal requirements and timelines for procurement meant turf installation could not have been completed in time for the current season.
“I know there was some questions in regards to the amount of money that we’ve spent to put down the grass at Union Pines and the worry that we’d put money in there that was wasted,” said Purvis when addressing this issue. “Those students definitely would have started their season without playing at home, and maybe if everything went great and the weather helped us out—and as you can see, it hasn’t—we’d be backed up. … [Union Pines Principal] Mr. McCormick was focused on making sure that his kids could have a full season at their home place.”
Concerns about injury risk, water capacity for grass fields, and the balance between turf and natural surfaces were also raised.
“Myself and Ms. Purvis are not necessarily environmental experts or medical experts, but there are pros and cons for both of those types of surfaces,” stated Dr. Tim Locklair, Superintendent of Schools. “I think there’s some research out there that would show there may be a small percentage of higher lower extremity injuries on artificial turf versus sod. However, that’s assuming that the sod is kept in great condition, which is a very big challenge for our high schools with the amount of play they’re getting on those fields throughout the year.”
Bruno, however, was unconvinced.
“I think that this whole thing has been so mishandled, so done in a terrible way, wasted all the taxpayers’ money,” said Bruno. “Everybody thinks it’s okay. Well, the money’s gone. You just wasted over $50,000 in taxpayer money. I can’t get over that. I just can’t.”
Board member Dr. Amy Dahl stated that while she favors real grass over artificial turf, she knows that the fields see a lot of traffic and that the band and teams at Pinecrest have been happy with their decision to opt for artificial turf.
Fellow board member Steve Johnson echoed this sentiment and added, “we’re not experts on turf versus sod, so we have to do research.”
The application will seek matching funds from the Tourism Development Authority’s one-time project program, which some board members argued should dedicate a larger portion of its budget toward school facilities that serve both students and visitors, given the county’s growing tourism industry.
The motion passed six to one, with the dissenting vote coming from Board of Education Vice Chair Shannon Davis.
Homeschool student access to extracurricular activities
The board revisited the recent discussion on whether homeschooled students should be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, such as all-county band, which followed the debate over how the issue has been handled in recent months.
Board member David Hensley raised the issue after previously learning that a message from the central office had informed homeschooling families they would no longer be able to participate in the all-county band program. Hensley had placed the topic on the agenda earlier in the summer with the intention of holding a public discussion before sending it to the policy committee. Instead, it was referred to a private committee without discussion, delaying any action until after the start of the school year.
Hensley argued that board deliberation should occur before the policy committee begins drafting changes, especially on topics with differing opinions among board members. He encouraged fellow board members to openly share whether they believe non-enrolled but local, taxpaying students should have access to school-based extracurriculars on a space-available basis.
Johnson said he supported discussing the issue but wanted more information from staff and the superintendent before taking a position.
“I would say yes, let’s have the discussion,” encouraged Johnson, “but let’s do it at a work session so we can all get input from staff and make sure we know what we’re talking about before we discuss it.”
The board ultimately agreed to place the discussion on the September work session agenda. After that meeting, the topic will return for possible action.
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~ Article by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
