OCS Board News

 

The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on January 6 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included a presentation on AI in instructional practice, a presentation on Cross-Level STEM collaboration, and a Parent Academy update. 

After a Good News Spotlight filled with student and staff recognitions, and a public comment period with one speaker, the Board addressed its general business. 

First to the podium was OCS Chief Technology Officer Jeff Pittman, who shared with the Board information about how the district is “harnessing” artificial intelligence to benefit students and staff. He said that the district’s guiding principles for AI use include remaining human-centered, ensuring security and privacy, using the tools ethically and transparently, integrating the curriculum, using the tool for professional development and educator support, and continuing to evaluate and improve our use of AI tools. 

While staff at all grade levels have access to AI tools, generative AI is currently only being used by high school students. These tools have been implemented in classrooms across the district to allow students access to many tools such as curriculum-driven chatbots and tools that provide detailed and immediate feedback on their work, especially their writing. This allows teachers more time to work with students who are particularly struggling and gives students the opportunity to work independently through more of the revision process, giving them a deeper understanding of their work. 

Next, Brandon Dillman, K-12 science content coordinator, shared a presentation on the apiary at White Oak High School, and how the beekeeping program started as a club activity and has evolved into an apiculture elective class that allows students to earn beekeeping certifications and reaches beyond just White Oak.  

Mr. Dillman said that, from its conception, the apiary has been a community-driven project. Many community partners sponsored and supported the project, and construction students from another high school, Jacksonville High, even got involved by building the Honeybee Education Center on White Oak’s campus once the program was ready to expand. He shared that the program has grown to a point that student beekeepers host groups of younger students for field trips.  

The project that once started as a simple science club idea has bloomed into a unique and elaborate opportunity for students to learn about the world around them and get hands-on science experience. As the program grows, the district looks to expand the elective class at White Oak to more students, provide more field trip opportunities, focus on conservation education with a native pollinator habitat, and allow for district-wide growth. Soon, New Bridge Middle School will partner with Sturgeon City to launch its own apiary and bring these wonderful learning opportunities to their campus as well.  

Finally, OCS Executive Director of Secondary Education Will Laine took to the podium to share an update on the district’s Parent Academy information session series. He shared that a session on completing the FAFSA would be held on January 13 and a session on scheduling for high school would be held on February 5. He also reminded families and high school seniors that the district is holding FAFSA drawings. Students can submit evidence that they have completed their FAFSA for a chance to win prizes for their future dorm rooms. Upcoming drawings are on January 16, January 30, February 20, and April 10.  

 

The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on December 2 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included a discussion on a possible property exchange with the City of Jacksonville. 

In its first order of business, the Board held its annual election of the Board chairman and vice-chairman. Elbert Garvey was re-elected as the chairman, and Bradley Williams was re-elected as the vice-chairman.  

Before approving the meeting agenda, item I on the consent agenda, regarding a resolution in support of stricter punishment for crimes against children, was moved to general business, per a board member’s request.  

After a Good News Spotlight with several school and student recognitions, and a public comment period with no speakers, the Board addressed its general business.  

Dr. Brendan Gartner, OCS chief operations officer, was the first to the podium, where he gave the Board some background on a situation involving Jack Amyette Park and Woodlands Park that has led to the potential for a land exchange between Onslow County Schools and the City of Jacksonville. The Board unanimously approved a motion to authorize staff to work with representatives from the City of Jacksonville to determine the location and dimensions of parcels to be considered for transfer between the City of Jacksonville and the Onslow County Board of Education. 

Next, the Board discussed a resolution in support of stricter punishment for crimes against children. The Board unanimously passed the resolution.  

 

The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on November 4 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included: an annual audit report, OCS middle school math curriculum, Parent Academy, and a closed session. 

The meeting started with a Good News Spotlight, which highlighted the achievements of our students and staff, and a public comment period with one speaker. The Board then moved into its General Business for the evening.  

First on the agenda was an overview of the annual financial audit report from the independent audit firm Anderson Smith & Wike. A representative from ASW shared that the firm’s audit found OCS to be in good financial standing, stating that expenditures for last fiscal year were made in accordance with all applicable laws, as well as the budget set forth by the Board of Education.  

Next, the Board heard from OCS Instructional Services staff about the new middle school math curriculum. Dr. Natalie Ostrander, 6-12 Math Content Coordinator, and Amity Geddes, math instructional coach, shared with the Board that they are excited about enVision Mathematics, the newly implemented middle school math curriculum for Onslow County Schools. They said that, in discussions with teachers, they discovered a need for a curriculum that provided more practice opportunities for students, so teachers would not need to find as many additional supplemental materials.  

In analyzing feedback gathered from teachers from across the county on several different curriculum options, it was determined that enVision was the option that best suited our staff, students, and families. In addition to providing abundant practice materials, enVision provides many layers of student support and gives students and parents access to tutorial videos and detailed breakdowns to allow for better collaboration and family involvement in math education.  

In the meeting’s last order of open business, Will Laine, Executive Director of Secondary Services, shared with the Board upcoming dates for OCS Parent Academy. On November 13, there will be a virtual session about scholarships and college access. On Tuesday, November 18, there will be an in-person and virtual session about military benefits and college. Mr. Laine also shared information about the district’s ongoing FAFSA drawings, which allow students to submit proof that they have completed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid for a chance to win prizes for their future dorm rooms.  

After the superintendent and Board member comments, the Board went into closed session pursuant to NC General Statutes 143-318.11 (a)(1), (a)(3), (a)(6), and (c).  

Upon returning to open session, the Board unanimously voted to dismiss employee Manley Moore.  

 

The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on October 7 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included: Award Nomination Submission: NCSBA County Commissioners of the Year Award, Resolution in Support of Equitable Funding for Exceptional Children, Award of Architectural Services for New Elementary School, and Instructional Leadership: Accountability Update. 

The meeting started with a Good News Spotlight, which highlighted the achievements of our students and staff, and a public comment period with no speakers. The Board then moved into their General Business for the evening.     

In its first order of business, the Board unanimously decided to nominate the Onslow County Board of Commissioners for the North Carolina School Boards Association’s County Commissioners of the Year Award. This nomination recognizes the Onslow County Board of Commissioners for extraordinary leadership in positively impacting student achievement within Onslow County Schools.  

Next, the Board considered a resolution in support of equitable funding for exceptional children. This resolution advocates for state policy to change to allow for EC funding that reflects districts’ actual number of students receiving EC services. Current policy caps funding at $5,593.34 per student for up to 13 percent of the district’s Average Daily Membership. Onslow County Schools currently serves 4,899 students who are identified as Exceptional Children. This represents more than 18 percent of the district’s total student population.  

The Board unanimously approved the resolution.  

As part of the long-range educational facilities construction plan shared with the Board of Education and Onslow County government on February 6, 2025, Onslow County Schools has planned to start the design of a new elementary school to address the growing student population in the Sneads Ferry/Stump Sound region of the county. A new elementary school in this area of Onslow County will address student capacity concerns at both Dixon Elementary School and Coastal Elementary School. 

Staff asked the Board to consider approving Pinnacle Architecture for the design work and construction administration of the new school. The Board unanimously approved.  

Last on the agenda was an update on the district’s latest accountability data.  

Data from the 2024-2025 school year shows that nearly 80 percent of schools in Onslow County are meeting or exceeding their growth expectations, which is up 5 percent from last year and more than 35 percent since the 2021-2022 school year.  

Fifteen of our schools are in the top 25 percent in growth statewide. This is up from nine schools earning this distinction last year. Those schools include Jacksonville High, Jacksonville Commons Middle, Swansboro Elementary, Trexler Middle, Swansboro High, Hunters Creek Middle, Swansboro Middle, Parkwood Elementary, Clear View Elementary, Southwest Middle, Northwoods Park Middle, Onslow Early College, Blue Creek Elementary, New Bridge Middle, and Coastal Elementary.  

While there is always a need for continuous improvement, we are also pleased to share that the number of schools in the district that are designated as “low-performing” has decreased since last year. Thirteen percent of our schools were designated low-performing based on 2024-2025 data, which is down from 26 percent in 2023-2024.  

 

The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on September 2 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included a presentation on Unlocking Student Potential, the architect selection for a new elementary school, a student achievement report, and a presentation on Parent Academy and Title I Parent/Community Engagement.  

Following the Good News Spotlight, which highlighted the achievements of our students and staff, the Board heard from three speakers during the public comment period. The Board then moved into their General Business for the evening.    

Dr. Christopher Barnes, OCS superintendent, presented to the Board information about strategic leadership and the district’s new call to action: “Unlocking Student Potential.” He shared that this is not a theme, but a shared calling that aims to focus the energy and effort of the district’s leadership, staff, students, and families around a common purpose.  

The six priorities Dr. Barnes said he would like to see the district focus on include: Prioritizing Effective Instruction, Upholding a Culture of Continuous Improvement, Building Internal Capacity, Leveraging Parent and Community Support, Inspiring Innovation and Opportunities, and Creating Safe and Secure Learning Environments. 

Following Dr. Barnes’ presentation, administrators from the Swansboro area shared with the Board how their schools are unlocking student potential in the new year.  

Next, Dr. Brendan Gartner, OCS chief of operations, took to the podium to ask for the Board’s approval for an architect for the new southern elementary school construction project.  

Dr. Gartner shared that a new elementary school in the southern part of the county will be one of the first projects undertaken in the district’s long-range school system construction plan. Staff advertised a request for proposals on August 13 and received six responses. The responding firms were Davis Kane, LS3P, Oakley Collier, Pinnacle, SFL+A, and Smith Sinnett.  

After review by the architectural selection committee, staff selected Pinnacle Architecture to provide architectural and engineering services for the Southern Elementary School Project. The Board unanimously approved the selection of Pinnacle Architecture. If terms with Pinnacle cannot be successfully negotiated, the Board authorized staff to negotiate with SFL+A.  

Next on the agenda was a presentation from Instructional Services staff on summer programs and credits, credentials and certifications earned by OCS students. Dr. Will Laine, Executive Director of Secondary Education, and Dr. Michael Elder, Director of College and Career Readiness, shared that, this past summer, students were able to engage in educational activities such as the Health Careers Explorers Program, CTE programs at the ENCRSC, CogniCon, the AVID Summer Institute, and Onslow Virtual Summer Accelerator.  

They also shared data about the credits, credentials and certifications earned by OCS students last year through CTE programs and Advanced Placement courses. Over the past four school years, CTE students in Onslow County have been steadily increasing in the number of industry credentials earned through their high school courses. In 2024-2025, students earned a total of 11,229 credentials, up from 9,390 the year prior. Students in Advanced Placement courses have also seen an increase in scores that qualify for college credit. Last year, the district saw 1,006 qualifying AP scores, up from 784 in the previous year. Northside High School Principal Brad Staley also took to the podium to share how his school has implemented initiatives to improve student achievement.  

Last on the agenda was a presentation on Parent Academy and Title I Parent and Community Engagement. Dr. Elder shared information about the upcoming Parent Academy events, which include sessions on applying for college and scholarships, as well as the new middle school math curriculum.  

The district’s Title I Engagement Coach, Norberto Rodriguez, finished the presentation by sharing a little about his role and what he hopes to accomplish. Mr. Rodriguez said he looks forward to being the link between Title I schools, the district, families, and the community. He will work to connect families with learning resources, plan monthly parent sessions on curriculum and how to support learning at home, assist with volunteer recruitment, and more.  

After the superintendent and board member comments, the meeting concluded with a closed session, pursuant to North Carolina open meetings law.