OCS Board News | February 2025
News from the Board - February 6, 2025
The Onslow County Board of Education met in special session on Thursday, February 6, at 3:30 p.m. at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items for the special meeting included the selection and election of the superintendent.
The Board began the meeting by entering closed session pursuant to the open meetings law for the purpose of considering the qualifications, competence and performance conditions of initial employment of an employee(s).
Upon their return from closed session, a motion was made to hire Dr. Christopher Barnes as the next OCS superintendent, effective March 1, 2025, with a contract extending until June 30, 2028. The Board approved the motion in a 6-1 vote, with member Angie Todd casting the dissenting vote.
Dr. Barnes closed the meeting by thanking the Board for its vote of confidence and sharing his enthusiasm for serving Onslow County Schools in his new role.
News from the Board - February 6, 2025
The Onslow County Board of Education and the Onslow County Board of Commissioners held a joint special meeting on Thursday, February 6 at 11 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Chambers at the Onslow County Government Center.
The purpose of the meeting was to provide the Board of Commissioners with the Board of Education’s 10-year Capital Improvement Plan.
OCS Chief of Operations Dr. Brendan Gartner presented information about the county’s expected growth and anticipated construction needs over the next 10 years. He shared that the county is growing the fastest in the Dixon, White Oak, and Richlands areas, and that we will need new schools to support the growing population as our current facilities reach capacity.
In the next ten years, Dr. Gartner said the district expects to need a new elementary school in the southern part of the county, and a new middle and elementary in the eastern part of the county. The elementary schools have an estimated investment of $49,500,000 each, and the middle school is projected to cost $68,800,000.
In addition to new schools, the district will have other new construction needs to replace currently outdated facilities. These projects include a new bus garage and support center, with an estimated investment of $24,785,000, a school nutrition distribution and support center, with an estimated investment of $5,170,000, and a virtual school and educational support center, with an estimated investment of $35,425,000.
Construction needs over the next ten years are also expected to include renovations and expansions. Dixon High School, Dixon Middle School, Southwest Middle School, and Richlands High School are among the schools expected to need significant renovations and expansions.
The total estimated investment for all the district’s construction needs over the next ten years is $388,399,000.
The meeting was positive and collaborative, and the two Boards plan to continue discussions on how to best meet the district’s construction needs.
News from the Board - February 4, 2025
The Onslow County Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on February 4 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included the 2025-2026 calendar proposal, a construction update, an Instructional Services presentation, and the 2025-2026 Head Start Grant Application approval.
After a Good News Spotlight with two student recognitions and a public comment period with 4 speakers, OCS Chief Communications Officer Brent Anderson took to the podium to present the 2025-2026 school calendar for approval.
Mr. Anderson shared with the Board that over the past several months of calendar development, district staff have collected feedback from staff and stakeholders and work on different drafts of the calendar before finalizing a calendar proposal for the Board. The final proposal includes two calendars: one for the district’s traditional schools and one for Onslow Early College. Mr. Anderson said the final proposed calendar had the correct number of days, followed all state calendar laws, and incorporated some of the feedback received. The Board unanimously approved the 2025-2026 calendar as presented.
Dr. Brendan Gartner, OCS chief of operations, then shared with the Board updates on two of the district’s ongoing construction projects. He said that the renovations at Northwoods Park Middle School will include a new gymnasium, additional parking and queuing space, and the conversion of the old gym into classroom space. The first phase will be the new gym and parking upgrades, and the second phase will be renovating the old gym. Phase one is currently underway.
Next, Dr. Gartner talked about the progress of the new Woodland Elementary School, which is set to open in August 2025. He said the school is coming along nicely, with most of the exterior work being done. Now, crews are working on finishing the interior and the grounds.
This month’s instructional update focused on Career & Technical Education and Parent Academy. February is CTE Month, so CTE staff shared some of the great things our students are working on. They shared information about the EY30 Career Exploration program, which provides CTE instruction for middle school students, some of the recent accomplishments of our CTE programs, and upcoming CTE events.
OCS CTE educators Ken Brown and Matt Low were recently selected as two of seven members of an NCACTE Leadership Fellows Program cohort from across the state. Jacksonville High School was recently given the College Board AP Computer Science Principles Female Diversity Award, after achieving high female student representation in their computer science courses.
Upcoming opportunities to see our CTE programs in action include Trades Day and Careers on Wheels, Wings & Water, which will both be held at Coastal Carolina Community College on February 28.
Instructional Services concluded their presentation with information about Parent Academy, including upcoming sessions. Upcoming opportunities for families include the Magnet and Educational Opportunity Expo on February 10 and Parent Academy session in March on college preparation and high school scheduling.
In the last order of business in open session, the Board heard a presentation on the 2025-2026 Head Start Grant Application. Director of Early Childhood Initiatives Luisa Davis shared with the Board the Head Start program’s goals and proposed budget for the next year. The program’s goals include fostering the social and emotional development of children, enhancing the delivery of developmentally appropriate instruction, strengthening family partnerships, and expanding outreach and family engagement processes. The program’s budget would include $2,369,969 in federal grant money, which would pay for personnel, materials, training, professional development and more. An additional $592,492 in funding would come from non-Federal sources.
The Board approved the 2025-2026 Head Start grant application in a 6-1 vote, with member Angie Todd casting the dissenting vote. The Board unanimously approved a Change in Scope Request beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
The meeting ended with a closed session of the Board, pursuant to open meetings law.
News from the Board - February 4, 2025
The Onslow County Board of Education met for a special session on Tuesday, February 4, at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center at 5 p.m.
The purpose of the meeting was for the Board to receive public input on desired qualities and characteristics for the next superintendent, as part of the superintendent hiring process.
The Board heard from six public speakers during this session.