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The Dare County Board of Education voted unanimously to prepare an application for a North Carolina Purple Star Designation in February 2025.

In Dare County Schools, 418 students and 280 families are military-connected.

The award is based on individual schools, which are required to have a staff member designated as a point of contact for military students and families, a designated central administration staffer, and professional development concentrating on special considerations for military students and families.

In addition, Purple Star schools are required to have a dedicated page for military families on their websites and a transition program to support inbound and outbound military students and families.

For optional activities, awarded schools select one of five activities, such as Month of the Military Child, Month of the Military Family, Purple-Up! For Military Kids!, Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Board student advisor Anna Tynch is a military student and has moved seven times. She was recommended for the committee to be formed to pursue the application.

The board approved the North Carolina Association of School Administrators as a qualified source for conflicts of interest training.

The state now requires that local school administrative employees involved in making or administering contracts to receive two hours of conflicts of interest training. The training is required once in odd-numbered years, with initial training coming within 90 days. Position-specific education on conflicts of interest and ethical standards of conduct is required.

The school board adopted school improvement plans and confidential school safety components for each schools. The safety were approved in closed session.

The board accepted a Solar+Schools grant for Manteo High and Cape Hatteras Elementary schools from NC Green Power. The contracts call for installing 20-kW solar systems in each school at a cost of between $65,000 and $75,000. The exact figure will be determined after site visits.

The adoption of a policy and regulation on parental involvement was delayed. Board member Mary Ellon Ballance asked for the delay until the December meeting.

At its next meeting, the school board is expected to take up, on second reading, seven policies as recommended by the North Carolina School Boards Association. The following is an explanation as contained in the Dare school board’s agenda book:

– Policy 3610, Counseling Program: This policy has been updated with proposed revisions from the N.C. School Boards Association, which reflect the statutory requirement to have peer-to-peer student support programs in schools with grades six and higher.

– Policy 4040-7310, Staff-Student Relations: This policy has been updated with proposed revisions from the N.C. School Boards Association based on the legal requirements from new state law G.S. 115C-326.20.

– Policy 4110, Immunization and Health Requirements for School Admission: This policy has been updated with proposed revisions from the N.C. School Boards Association by eliminating reference to the Governor’s Commission on Early Childhood Vision Care, which no longer exists.

– Policy 4240-7312, Child Abuse and Related Threats to Child Safety: This policy has been updated with proposed revisions from the N.C. School Boards Association, which modifies Section D to reflect legal requirements in new state law G.S. 115C-326.20.

– Policy 4342, Student Searches: This policy has been updated with proposed revisions from the N.C. School Boards Association, which includes changes in the first paragraph and Section A based on new state law G.S. 115C-391.2.

– Policy 5210, Distribution and Display of Non-School Material: This policy has been updated with proposed revisions from the N.C. School Boards Association, with some changes from Poyner Spruill LLP.

– A new Policy 5240, Advertising in the Schools: This new policy contains language drafted by the N.C. School Boards Association. The opening paragraph of the new policy reads “advertising for and promotion of commercial products and services are discouraged during the instructional day. School officials shall screen and approve the distribution and display of advertising materials and messages publicized through school media or displayed on school property and at school events.”

Dare County Schools Superintendent Steve Basnight announced that all schools, administration spaces and other facilities passed air quality testing.

Basnight also announced that Shannon Castillo has been named to the state’s School Safety Advisory Council at the Center for Safe Schools.

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