Article 8 defines county’s role in public education
HALEY PAYNE ROBERTS
MCO Senior Staff Writer
As the 2016 MCHS yearbook put it, Moore County is a place of “ones.” The kids on the yearbook staff had it right. The county is renowned for its one city and one stoplight. What gets less attention is that it’s one school system made up of the only elementary and high schools in the county.
This undoubtedly contributes to our uniqueness, as all of the surrounding counties and beyond hold multiple schools. We are fortunate to be the place that our one college, Motlow State Community College, calls home, where our high schoolers can participate in dual enrollment to work toward an associate degree. Our modest size allows all kids to have an opportunity to succeed, be it in sports, clubs, organizations, or even writing for the newspaper.
While its smallness makes it seem less complex, the Moore County school system takes much hard work to ensure our kids get a top-notch education. Article 8 of the charter establishes the school board, which meets on the second Monday of each month:
“Public education within the area of the Metropolitan Government shall be the responsibility of a single, consolidated Metropolitan School System which shall be controlled and administered by a Metropolitan School Board. The cost of public education shall be assigned to the Metropolitan General Services District. The School Board shall be composed of five members elected each from each of the five Councilmanic Districts as provided for in Article 15.
“The School Board shall, by general law, do all things necessary and proper for the operation of an efficient and accredited school system. The School Board shall adopt written rules, regulations, and policies for the operation of the school system; prepare budgets which shall be delivered to the Metropolitan Council by Article 9 hereof; shall adopt a pay plan to be applicable to all certified employees employed under teaching certificates both in teaching and in administrative positions; and meet publicly at least monthly to set policy and review the operation of the school system. School Board
meetings shall be public, and a record of all proceedings shall be maintained by the Superintendent.”
Article 8 also establishes the guidelines and duties of the Superintendent:
“A Superintendent of Schools, certified as required by law, shall be elected at large from the area of the Metropolitan Government. Service as Superintendent shall not be credited to the acquisition of tenure unless specifically approved by the School Board. The Superintendent shall be the chief administrative employee of the School Board. The School Board shall, in accordance with general law, assign to the Superintendent such duties and responsibilities as are necessarily or properly assigned to a city or county Superintendent of Schools.”
Our Superintendent, Chad Moorehead, is another example of our uniqueness. All three of his children will have graduated from MCHS. His wife, Lisa, is the high school librarian. Being ingrained within the schools shows he understands what it
means to succeed in a county this size.
There’s something to be said about being able to call your students neighbors and representing the community in its truest of forms.
• Metro Moore: What does it mean?
• How do the ‘charter’ pieces fit together?
• Article 4 outlines minimum requirements for county services
