School board approves extra pay for staff who worked after Helene

HENDERSONVILLE — Some school employees who worked in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene will be getting a reward in the form of extra pay. 
After Tropical Storm Helene hit Western North Carolina Sept. 27, Henderson County Schools were closed for two-and-a-half weeks. The N.C. state legislature allowed the school district to pay employees regardless of whether they reported to work. 
“This resulted in a situation where we had a number of our employees who stayed at home, but they were still paid, while we still had other employees who worked additional hours under some very challenging conditions, who were not getting any extra compensation,” Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Scott Rhodes told the Henderson County Board of Education during its regularly scheduled meeting Nov. 19. 
Rhodes proposed an “additional responsibility stipend” for 11- and 12-month employees who did report back to work, many of them passing out emergency supplies and handling similar tasks. The amount would be a one-time award. Workers would receive their daily rate of pay, on top of the pay already received. 
One School Board member, Robert Bridges, was out sick but the others voted unanimously to approve the award. About 200 employees will get the award, with the total not to exceed $250,000.  
Also during the meeting, the board unanimously approved a set of school improvement plans. Four schools — Apple Valley Middle, Dana Elementary, Edneyville Elementary and Hillandale Elementary—are low-performing, down from six last year.
Chief Administrative Officer Carl Taylor presented 13 updates to the board’s policy manual, which Board Member Blair Craven told the Hendersonville Times-News is reviewed and updated twice per year. 
The board approved 12 of the policy updates. 
Among them, the term “tobacco product” was redefined to include alternative nicotine products such as vapor products and electronic cigarettes. Health and wellness policies were updated to include references to mental health and mandate certain amounts of physical activity during the school week. 
One policy update, which was proposed to make the district’s policy align with state law passed in 2023, would state that students not be promoted from eighth grade until a career development plan is completed, and not be promoted from 10th grade until such plan is revised.
However, the suggested policy language states that students must be able to access the plans, which Henderson County students may not be able to do because the district is switching its student portal from Power School to another platform. The board tabled that item for approval until the next meeting.
Several students spoke highly of career counseling already underway at some schools.
During a public comment period, Cher Sylvius complained about “propaganda” at an election symposium at Hendersonville High School which included a mock election in which Kamala Harris won 344 votes to Donald Trump’s 144. Schools Superintendent Mark Garrett said later in the meeting that all children who attended had permission slips to do so. 
Carol Cannon praised a new Pathfinder program that began at East Henderson High school,which pairs students with community mentors. It aims to help “disconnected youth – meaning they are neither in school nor employed.” 
Joe Elliott worried about federal officials implementing policies that would threaten funds that flow to schools through Title One to support low income students.
Mary Hardvall, a member of Public School Strong, expressed opposition to an expansion of voucher programs being considered by the state legislature. “This bill hurts all public schools, especially rural ones,” she said.
Deirdra Funcheon covers Henderson, Polk and Transylvania Counties for the Hendersonville Times-News. Got a tip? Email her at [email protected].