Last Monday, Jan. 5, three separate guardians took the stand in district court, facing charges for their children’s truancy. One guardian, a grandmother, left the courtroom in handcuffs and spent the night in jail.

The Burke County Board of Education members recently met to discuss changes to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act that will impact the classification and compensation schedules of some school district employees. Effective July 1, certain employees will be reclassified as non-exempt from exempt, and changes to payment schedules will take place in August 2025. The modifications were triggered by updates to the FLSA in April. Notably, teachers won't be affected by these changes. The board also approved a one-year contract extension and salary increase for Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan, along with several board policies and a partnership with myFuture NC to promote educational attainment in the community.