Hello, BCS Staff and Families.
Here’s a look at the BCS Board Briefing for Sept. 3, 2026. The full broadcast is on YouTube, and photos are posted in this Google Drive folder.
In our Good News segment, we recognized and celebrated:
· Marilynn Whitcher, North Windy Ridge Intermediate- Buncombe County Schools Math Teacher of the Year
· Alex Ermurache, Nesbitt Discovery Academy- National History Day participant
· Carter Starke, T.C. Roberson High School- Air Force JROTC Flight Academy participant
· Emily Erickson, Enka Intermediate- United Way Game Changer Award
Strategic Plan Highlight: Budget Considerations
Action Agenda
· Athletic Supplement Increases and Additional Sports
· Exceptional Children Assistant Workday
· Policies for Approval with a Request to Waive First Reading
o 3200 Selection of Instructional Materials
o 3210 Parental Inspection of and Objection to Instructional Materials
o 3510 Religious-Based Exemptions from School Programs
o 4354 Suspension of Participants in High School Athletics
o 5150/7313 Reporting to External Agencies
o 6220 Operation of Student Nutrition Services
o 6420 Contracts with the Board
o 6442 Vendor Lists
o 9115 Prequalification of Bidders
o 9120 Bidding for Construction Work
· Regulations for Ratification
o 3210R Parental Inspection of and Objection to Instructional Materials
o 5120R Relationship with Law Enforcement
· Policies for Recission
o 6402 Participation by Historically Underutilized Business
o 9125 Participation by Minority Businesses
Consent Agenda
· Minutes: August 6, 2026- Regular Meeting
· Minutes: June 15, 2026- Policy Committee
· Personnel Report – September 3, 2026
· Athletic Capital Outlay Request- Clyde A. Erwin Middle School
· Athletic Capital Outlay Request- T.C. Roberson High School
· Athletic Capital Outlay Request- A.C. Reynolds Middle School
· Advisory Council Members for Approval
· Beginning Teacher Support Program Plan
· Request for Disposal of Public Records
· Leicester Elementary School Roof Replacement- Authorization to Award Contract
· Policies for Second Reading
o 1310/4002 Parental Involvement
o 2330 Board Meeting Agenda
o 2340 Parliamentary Procedures
o 3105 Home School Dual Enrollment for Athletics
o 3225/4312/7320 Technology Responsible Use
o 4318 Use of Cellular and Other Personal Wireless Communication Devices
o 4353 Long-Term suspension, 365-Day Suspension, Expulsion
o 7130 Licensure
o 7351/5071 Electronic Stored Information and Retention
Announcements/Future Meetings
· The Board of Education will hold a Policy Committee meeting on September 21, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. in the Executive Conference Room at 175 Bingham Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
· The next Board of Education Regular Meeting is October 1, 2026. Work session updates and Closed Session beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the Executive Conference Room, and the Open Session beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Minitorium at 175 Bingham Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
Superintendent's Comments
Good evening, Board Members, BCS Family, and Community Members,
Today is both a bittersweet and exciting day in the life of our school system—and certainly a meaningful day for me. This is our first Board meeting in almost four years without Dr. Jackson sitting in this seat.
I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on his leadership, as well as on the leaders who came before him. Each of them has helped pave the path we are on today and has contributed to the strong foundation upon which Buncombe County Schools continues to build. Because of their vision, their commitment, and their belief in our students, we are positioned to reach new heights in the 2026–27 school year.
And what an incredible start it has been.
Across all six districts and our at-large district, our administrators are building school cultures where teachers love to work and students love to learn. Our teachers are building strong relationships with one another and, most importantly, with their students. And our students are coming through our doors excited to see old friends, make new ones, and begin another year of learning.
For many of our students, these first few weeks have been marked by firsts: the first day of kindergarten, the first day of high school, the first time playing on a team, the first time learning an instrument, or perhaps the first time taking an elective like a world language or Agriculture Mechanics.
Those moments matter. They are the experiences that make school more than a place where students earn credits or take tests. They are the experiences that help students discover who they are, what they are capable of, and what possibilities lie ahead.
And today, we received some powerful evidence that the work happening in our schools is making a difference.
The State Board of Education released statewide results from the 2025–26 school year, and I could not be more proud of the progress our schools have made.
We have four fewer schools identified as low-performing. Nine of our schools improved their overall letter grade - the highest number of schools moving up in a single year since 2015-16. Reading proficiency is at its highest recorded level in every grade from third through eighth, and math proficiency is at its highest recorded level in five of the six grade levels.
Forty-one schools improved their overall grade-level proficiency, and grade-level subject-area proficiency increased in 19 of 20 areas.
These results do not happen by accident. They are the result of teachers who believe in their students, principals who create the conditions for great teaching and learning, staff members who support students and schools every day, families who partner with us, and a community that believes in the promise of public education.
So, as we begin this new school year and this new chapter for BCS, our charge is not simply to celebrate where we are. Our charge is to build on it.
We will continue to hold high expectations. We will continue to support our teachers and school leaders. We will continue to create opportunities for students to discover their strengths, develop their talents, and pursue their chosen paths.
And we will do all of this with a clear belief: every student in Buncombe County Schools deserves the opportunity to learn and grow at high levels, and every adult in this organization has a role in helping make that possible.
I am incredibly proud of where BCS is today, deeply grateful to those who have helped us get here, and genuinely excited about where we are going.
Dr. Jackson shared these words at his final Board meeting just a month ago: “For me, the climb is meaningful, the journey is extraordinary, and the people make all the difference.”
I believe that is exactly where we are as a school system. We are on a climb. The journey ahead will be meaningful. And the people—our students, our staff, our families, our Board, and our community—will make all the difference.
What an honor and privilege it is to serve Buncombe County Schools.
Thank you.
Mister Chair, this concludes my comments.