Sonja Ebersole

The Board discussed various personnel actions, including hiring for positions such as middle school principal, elementary music teacher, school security officer, and various coaching and substitute roles. They also reviewed and approved the preliminary general fund budget for the 2026/2027 fiscal year, multiple service agreements and cooperative academic programs with regional institutions, and facility usage requests. Additionally, the Board reviewed several policy updates, authorized the purchase of equipment including a district vehicle and biomass furnace components, and appointed a new board treasurer.

The board meeting agenda covered a range of personnel and operational matters, including the appointment of a new Superintendent, hiring of custodial staff, resignations, and FMLA leave approvals. Discussions also encompassed the approval of the IU08 Substitute Teacher Consortium membership, withdrawal from the 21st Century After School program, and the approval of a Special Education plan. Additionally, the board reviewed and approved various school policies, appointed volunteers for band and horticulture programs, and addressed administrative reports concerning the budget, athletics, and academic performance data.

Key discussions and actions included a student presentation on the Addams Family Musical and reports on personnel changes, specifically resignations of the Secondary Custodian and School Psychologist. The board was set to elect IU08 Board of Director representatives for 2026-2029 and approve the 2025/26 IU08 Budget. Personnel items included retroactive approval of one resignation and approval/stipulations for other resignations, the hiring of a new school psychologist, approval of several teacher substitutes and bona fide volunteers/coaches for the 2026/27 season, and a correction to a coach's pay from a previous meeting. Approvals also covered attendance at regional events (Band and FBLA), the allocation of Arbiter Software funds for athletic physicals, and the selection of Dr. Jacob Stern as the graduation speaker. Furthermore, the agenda called for retiring or reviewing several school policies and holding an Executive Session for security and personnel matters.

This document outlines the Northern Bedford County School District's comprehensive plan for special education. It details the district's approach to identifying students with specific learning disabilities, ensuring oversight for non-resident and incarcerated students, and upholding the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) principle. The plan emphasizes enhancing academic programming, providing extensive professional development for staff in areas such as autism and positive behavior support, and offering supplementary aids and services to support students' participation in general education and extracurricular activities. It further addresses interagency collaboration, school-based behavioral health services, and structured procedures for behavior management. The overarching objective is to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and foster inclusive environments for the holistic development of all students with disabilities.

The meeting agenda included multiple personnel actions, primarily the approval of several resignations, including the Superintendent, a teacher, an administrator, and various advisors/coaches. Approvals were sought for substitute personnel, a sick bank donation, assignments for Sarah Smith, and appointments for bona fide volunteers and several coaches for the 2026/27 sports season. Key financial and facility decisions included the approval of a bid for paving/sealing the Elementary building parking lot and the submission of a Public Facility Improvement Grant for various upgrades such as HVAC, generator, and boiler work, requiring a 25% local match. Policy discussions involved suspending policy 707 for a basketball game, approving the 2026/27 school calendar on final reading, and retiring or reviewing several board policies. Administrative reports covered updates on the Governor's budget proposal, summer paving projects, budget meetings, parent communication platform (ParentSquare) success, professional development, and athletic records, as well as updates on CTE competitions and scheduling for the upcoming school year.