The Moore County School Board reviewed the proposed strategic plan, budget, and calendar at its March 3 work session.
During reports, the board reviewed the 2025-27 draft for Moore County Schools Strategic Plan. It will send out the draft for community survey feedback after the April 7, regular meeting.
The plan’s draft focuses on building critical thinking skills and reducing school performance grades from a “D” or “F” from three to zero. It wants to increase third grade reading levels from 58.2% to 68.2% and tenth grade reading levels from 66.0% to 76.0%. View draft here.
During a discussion, member Ken Benway suggested wording on early literacy. He stated that the draft did not have a problem statement, quoting Albert Einstein on the importance of defining a problem and how it facilitates solving problems.
Member Amy Dahl asked how the board could identify one overall problem.
Member David Hensley said each person would identify a different problem.
Benway said he would provide examples of problem statements to the board.
According to the department of public instruction, the county had an 89.8% graduation rate in 2024.
Dahl asked for an inclusive statement on support for students of all socioeconomic statuses because she witnessed discrimination from staff at North Moore High School. She expanded, saying most teachers are white middle class and the cultural difference with students is a hurdle.
The board agreed on a stand-alone statement on inclusive support.
Superintendent Tim Locklair reviewed the Preliminary Proposed Operating Budget for 2025-2026. Locklair said they scrubbed the budget per line and saved $570,000, and they will continually look for ways to save. Moore County has 14,367 students with a proposed 2025-26 budget of $165,716,080.
The board will launch an online portal for public feedback on its website through March 14.
In 2023-24, according to the NC Department of Public Instruction, the state paid $7,602 per student, the federal government $1,341, and the county $2,832, totaling $11,775. This ranked the county 109th out of 115 school districts in funding per student.
“My understanding is that the classroom excellence teachers can take on some additional students so that they’ll lead teachers. The adult leadership teachers have some time freed up for mentoring and support of their colleagues. Not, not so that we can reduce positions to pay people more by making class sizes bigger,” Dahl said about flexibility on schedules and supporting new teachers.
Locklair added that the schools were in the top 10 in performance in the state.
The county is considering a 2% salary increase.
Slide image provided by the Moore County School Board.
Locklair will present recommendations at the March 31 work session.
View the budget presentation here.
Under pending action and endorsement, the board reviewed the endorsement to gather public comment for the 2026-2027 school calendar.
At the regular business meeting on March 10, the board will vote on endorsing the calendar on the school’s website from March 18-28 to collect public feedback.
Under North Carolina law, the calendar provides 1025 instructional hours. School begins Aug. 6, 2026, and the second semester begins on Jan. 5, 2027. The school year ends for students on May 21, 2027.
First semester classes end prior to the December winter break and end prior to the Memorial Day holiday on the early start calendar.
Public feedback on the website will be available from March 17 to March 28. The public may comment on a traditional, early start, or no preference calendar.
Under Dahl’s advice, a statement will be added to the public survey’s introduction that informs readers that the General Assembly is considering a change in school calendar law, so their feedback may not be supported by the law, and therefore, not be considered.
The board reviews the calendar again at the May 5 work session.
View the list of state calendar requirements here.
The board will vote on approval of a five-year contract with the option to terminate on the CENTEGIX Safety Platform at the March 10 regular meeting. The first year requires $350,520, with $200,100/year recurring costs for years two through five, for $1,150,920.
Miscellaneous funds will be paid for the security system and previous security contracts will be canceled.
Features include a visitor management system, a safety blueprint, which is the mapping tool, crisis alert, and reunification protocols. The system checks for sexual offenses, custody issues and allows custom banned lists, and requires visitor badges.
It has a one-step button for teachers to request help. The system includes strobe lights, a lockdown announcement inside and outside the building and alerts 911, and is independent of the school’s Wi-Fi.
The board also discussed the future cooperative innovative high school, focusing on the name, the mascot, school colors and the 2025-2026 school calendar.
The proposed name is Moore Innovative High School. The proposed colors are red and white, and a red wolf for the mascot.
The high school focuses on at-risk students who may drop out. The schedule aligns with the community college schedule for attending students and internships and will have early release on Fridays to support hands-on learning.
View the proposed calendar here.
Benway led a discussion on media selection and disposal because of books that were not age appropriate, books with erroneous or outdated content, vulgarity, and obscenity in books.
Each school’s media team reviews books and has a system of disposal in place, and books are removed from the district. View the process here.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel journalist Stephanie M. Sellers. Stephanie is also an English instructor at Central Carolina Community College. Her fictional work includes When the Yellow Slugs Sing and Sky’s River Stone, and a suspense, GUTTERSNIPE: Shakespearean English Stage Play with Translation, and a March 21, 2025, release published by Golden Storyline Books, a science fiction, Amagi.
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