Burke schools gear up for new year

With summer winding down and the first days of the new school year just around the corner, Burke County Public Schools officials are preparing for students to return to class in less than a month.

District leaders are working to fill vacant positions, see that buildings are cleaned, repaired, and ready for the new year, and looking forward to watching progress on a new central office.

FEDERAL FUNDS RESTORED

On June 30, just hours before the U.S. Department of Education was set to release federal funds for the new fiscal year (which began July 1), the department paused transfer of the money to states. North Carolina was set to receive more than $165 million in federal funding, with about $1 million earmarked for BCPS.

NC Attorney General Jeff Jackson, along with 24 other state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that the freeze was unlawful and unconstitutional because Congress had already approved the funds.

As a result of the suit, the US Department of Education released the money, and according to Burke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan, the funds will be used for personnel positions.

“For BCPS, it is $987,000, and (that) pays for four instructional coaches, two LEP (Limited English Proficiency) positions, a nurse, and two SROs (school resource officers),” Swan said.

STAFFING NEWS

Burke County Schools Human Resources Director Keith Recker said the district has had a successful summer as officials sought to fill job openings in the school system.

“This summer we have had almost half as many retirements as we did over the 2024 summer,” Recker said. “We have also retained more teachers and classified staff. This has led to fewer job postings.”

Recker stated that as of Tuesday, July 29, BCPS has nine teaching positions posted, but he said his office is still receiving applications from quality, certified applicants.

“Our schools look to be in a better spot this August than we have in the past few years regarding vacancies,” Recker explained. “EC (exceptional children) teachers remain a demand in Burke County and across the state.”

NEW CENTRAL OFFICE

Dr. Bob Acord, director of Auxiliary Services, said work on BCPS’s new central office location is progressing well. The district purchased the former home of Burke United Christian Ministries, at 305 W. Union St. in Morganton.

According to Acord, Moss-Marlow Building Company, of Hickory, began the selective demolition phase of the project last week.

“They are making quick progress on the inside of the building,” Acord explained. “The next part of the project will be bidding for the construction phase of the new central office.”

Vern McKissick of McKissick Architecture will make the construction bid documents available to potential bidders for review in the coming weeks, Acord said.