Freedom High School in Morganton leaped past nearly 100 other schools in the state's new report on graduation rates.
Ranked 274th among the 414 schools last year, Freedom High rose to 180th — solidly in the upper half — after 77 percent of the Class of 2008 graduated on time last spring.
Morganton.com Story
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It just goes to show what can happen when the number of students is reduced and they become more visible. More activities to go around and better interaction with staff helps too.
Let's see if the same happens at East Burke after Draughn is open for a year.
Just remember who was adamantly against the new high schools (can you say Rob Hairfield?).
Here we go again
Yes, I remember Mr. Robert Hairfield agreeing with his favorite County Commissioner saying that Freedom High School had "plenty of room".
Teachers were pushing carts and doing their planning wherever there was an empty chair.
Such a capable board member!
Go to a meeting and observe this board. It is the best cheap entertainment you can find.
I hope the air does not break at any of the meetings. If it does we will all smell Tracy's camel toe.
If there is a fowl odor in the room and you are unsure, just ask President Tim he enjoys the aroma.
Well, Mr.Armour is to blame with not having new high school's sooner.How long had he been on the board before they were concieved into fruition?
5:39
you are so mature.
where does tracy buy her camel toes at? Does she buy in burke?
No, she slips off and meets the president at SAM'S for a little "SHOPPING"
it's all for the kids
I love the fact the Fab 5 wanted Scott Smith gone sooo bad and when they get their chance to replace him they have to pay someone almost double what Scott was making. Blaylock will be making over 100,000 a year, Smith only made 60,000 and he had his doctorate. Idiots!
why do you call them 'fab' five?
oh yeah, the previous board was the "fraud five" !
Scott Smith got unlimited travel pay,and his salary was well over 60 grand and you can not prove me wrong.
Re: Scott Smith's pay. Then prove you're right.
Re: Blaylock's salary. Again, prove it.
Or shut up about both.
hey 6:57
i don't have to shut up
Scott made in 2007 90,000 according to my roster from BCPS of employee salary's. I know in his contract he got bonuses out of the sky,unlimited travel pay,and could go to any conference in the US.Although the contract did not specify whether he could travel internationally because it said any technological conference.Maybe this will help answer your questions about his pay.Call Mooresville city schools to see what his salary is now.If they will not release it you can file a suit that you would win if they do not release public information. Please let me know if I can assist you.All you have to do is ask central office what any employee's salary is,and not their pay grade their actual salary.It is a law they must give it to you!
ref: Please let me know if I can assist you.
HOW CAN WE DO THAT??
What is the title of the employee salary roster that I should ask for?
Call central office, and ask for a complete roster of salary's for this fiscal year or wait til january and ask.This would mean central office staff and all teachers,assistant teachers,custodians,caferteria workers,bus drivers etc. Ask for it to be broke down yearly and monthly. Example Randall Keith Brackett 9,000 per month,111,000 per year.It will be broke down to the cent.Tell them you want it on cd or in paper.They will try to charge you 20 cents per page.This was the old boards way of trying to make you not want any information.I think in do time the new board will change it.The main reason the old board did this was because Mr.Hairfield asked for it every year.When he would write letter's about their salary in the paper it got to them.It was what they had gave him and had to.The same goes for County employees and City employees. You must ask the governmental entity to provide it.Mel Cohen would probably try to scare you,but if you got an attorney you would win in court and legal fees would be paid for.Most places do not want you to know your rights. If you run into trouble with the request blog back. You should request the information in writing and be specific.The policy is five days from the request.This means actual working days.
Also employee's do not know their appeal rights.Just about all employees have a right to appeal decisions from principals or administartion all the way up to the board.Then you may appeal to the proper court.I guarantee you if you appealed a legitamite decision in front of this board there will be principals on their toes. What gets me is people sit back and listen to what they are told by central office and buy it.I have heard Burleson claim many things are laws only to call another school system and find out he lied.
speaking of money.
doesn't take too much to find out
Name BRANDON, THOMAS ANDY
Job Title PROBATION/PAROLE OFF I
Division DOC-COMMUNITY CORR
Salary $41,420
Position Type PERMANENT FULL-TIME
County BURKE
Department DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION
Yes,but I want everyone to know they can call central office and get everyone's exact amount.
WHY?
When you get the exact salaries, please compare them with the new people recently hired. You will most likely find that only the name has changed, the salary is still the same. So much for the new board's promise to cut the fat and share the wealth. So far their money saving tactics have been to go after maintenence and child nutrition.
we are not in kansas anymore.
MAYBE SOMEONE CAN DO THIS FOR TRACY?
Name NORMAN, TRACY
Job Title BAGGER
Division FAILED (SUBTRACTION TOO)
Salary MINIMUM WAGE
Position Type DOGGY STYLE
County BURKE
Department CAMEL'S-R-US
I do not believe moving the purchasing department out of child nutrition is going after them.Most systems have it seperate in their budget.Making maintenance park vechicles is something this board has been behind the times on.Look across the state and you will find this is a standard.Ablemare schools went to a four day week to save money and on gas.Only three supervisors in Catawba county drive home vehicles if they are on call. So you argue this board is mean to do this.If you ask me they shouldnt still be debating. If Randall promised these guys things let it come from his salary. Call other school systems to see what goes on.Do not take Randall and David's word for it.
As for recent hires maybe there are some positions that demand what the state says you must pay and some you have to coax someone to come.Maybe Rob is finding this out,but I know many teachers infact most want some fat cut and they no where it needs to be. At the festival three teachers were talking about how this board needs to release Robert Bonner,Charles Cook,and some of the Instructional coach positions they thought were and are worthless. Hopefully this board will cut the fat in these areas.If they would really put their foot down we would see more money at the end of the tunnel.
I get sick and tired of David and Randall thinking they have a monopoly on the school's.If other school systems across NC are having to cut why should we be different. Maybe the new Human Resource director and Rick Sherrill can help in these areas because they have been in different systems and may know there are better ways of doing things.
Dear Todd, Honey, (9/7/08 7:10am)
PLEASE find a good Christian counselor who can help you work through this difficult time in your life. She has moved on. You can, too. Spewing your vile on a blog is not healthy.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman [or Todd] scorned."
Cultural Literacy Lesson...
No one is angrier than a woman [or Todd] who has been rejected in love. This proverb is adapted from a line in the play The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve, an English author of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
Speaking of Nutrition... how are the school lunches nowadays? Please share your experience with the quality of the food at your school.
Isn't it COOL that the bid went to the lowest bidder this year instead of to Randal's good buddies?
Let's hear it for quality food at a good price! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!
Now then, new board, let's go ahead and get rid of that give-the-cafeteria-managers-a-bonus-if-they-save-us-money-by-watering-down-the-gravy-tea-and-potoatoes-thus-bring-us-in-under-budget deal.
Then we'll do a really big cheer!
Have a great evening--
I'm raising my hand.
Umm - who are Robert Bonner and Charles Cook?
HEY, BRANDON, THOMAS ANDY WHO'S A PROBATION/PAROLE OFF I MAKING $41,420, HOW'S THE LAWSUIT COMING? DO YOU ANY HOPE IN ABILITY TO OVERTURN THE ELECTORATE'S DECISION? I SURE HOPE YOU WIN BECAUSE - GEE I MISS WATCHING YOU ON THE TV, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEFINITIONS OF 'REVENUE' AND 'PROFIT'.
Bonner Energy resource manager 50,000 or more.
Charles Cook Custodial supervisor for schools 48,000 or more.
Most teachers do not make this money until about 20 years in the system. What have they done to improve our system.
September 8, 2008 4:03 AM
Bonner is a waste of money - he tells folks to turn off their lights and to be careful on ice.
Not sure about Cook. The person who is certainly a waste is Mr. Picture Taker. He's creepy and is the cousin of a former administrator. For all you Scott Smith haters....Scott touted this position as a waste from the beginning. The fellow was paid under the IT budget for a while - not sure where he's been shuffled to now.
Lets discuss another waste.Bill Caraway's job.As driver's education coordinator he has leached off of this system way to long.All his family has BCPS so he can now go to the house.Re work that position to be less cost on the taxpayers.Rob, we will thank you.
Whoever you are speaking about child nutrition, you have no idea what you are talking about. BTW, Norman promised cafeteria workers a raise, I heard her in my school. I have not yet seen any action. And as far as the food service selection, great job. The company the board selected is not local, so the trucks are arriving later in the day, so workers are having to stay longer and be paid more to shelve the food. Brilliance at work again. And if something is missing from the delivery, then you just have to forget it because the company is in Charlotte or Rock Hill or somewhere like that. And for the picture taker, I am no fan of that position either, but the guy (Bill Woody) almost lost his life a few weeks ago to a heart attack. You people get on here and say horrible things about some people who are actually good. I guess it is no concern to most of you though. You just get on here and spill words all over the place about how important your cause is worth. If I did not know better I would think Burke was full of low down dirty scoundrals. There are a lot of wonderful teachers, admins, tech staff, and so on people who have not searched out greener pastures just because they love the area, the kids, and the schools. You board members past and present should be ashamed of the way you have let us all down. I can only pray this will pass and things will get better. I wish this school board would decide to take the high road for the first time in their lives. No the answer is not running DB out of town. I still have not heard anything he has done to hurt our school system. Bring up the Anderson guy all you want, yes it was a debacle, but there are more people to blame for that. I do not know anybody in the school system who does not have realitives working somewhere else in the schools. You will never get rid of that in Burke, and that is not such a bad thing. People will always get jobs because they know somebody, it has happened and will always happen anywhere. It has happened even with this board. If you care (board memebers I know you are on here) then please begin immediately to strive for the good of everybody, not just your own agenda.
ref: board memebers I know you are on here
HOW DO YOU KNOW ???
you just answered our question dumbass board member
8:54 AM
yep. you got me. geez you are smart. guess that's why you are a former board member.
I think the thing that needs to be looked at is, what is being done to undermine the board? Is Randall or David telling people to do certain things to stall or make the board look bad.Yes,some of it is their own doing,but we need to look at the bigger picture.
David Burleson may be a good man and has done many things to improve our system,but he has been complacent.After many years he has probably done as much as he could.Did the old board force him to do certain questionable things? The answer is yes.Mr.Burleson has played to a certain crowd in morganton and valdese that will not allow him to do what this board asks.They need to be able to call on him for various favors from time to time.If he went against them they would turn on him and he does not want that.When he decided to be in bed so to speak with the likes of Buddy Armour and other members who played the rich,he forgot the middle class and poor. Over 5,000 people voted for a new board, and are happy with some things and not others.David has a lot he can do to make a smoother transition with this board and he has not.I would like to see him do well,but only believe he can do that in another system.Burke county is way to political and will always be til some of the old elite rich die out.I do not wish death on people it is a figure of speech.If David believes in doing things the same old way,then our children have no hope.It is no wonder the dropout rate is what it is.Im not saying Burleson does not care,but believe he needs new ideas or he needs to retire.One last thing,if he would let Randall go he would improve his relationship with the board and many in the community.People are tired of the way new schools were built and then are falling apart or underfunded,or cut corners.How can you be in debt then say you found 2 million to furnish patton?All of us wish we could find that kind of money.I think many are afraid one day David and Randall will have to account for funds of the schools soon and are hoping a new commission board will go in to bail them out.If we look at just saving Mr.Burleson for BCPS schools we may as well shut the door.I do not hate him or wish him ill,but he needs to go and let someone else try to improve our system.Many were educated before him,and will be after.
If I heard one of the previous meetings online correctly.
Food service employees are to receive a 10% raise mandated by the state. Tracy Norman had nothing to do with your raise. If you have not received it yet you need to ask some questions.
Hairfied voiced much oposition about raises in the last meeting.
I challenge everyone who cares about raises to be at the next board meeting next monday night at 6:00 at social services.
The secret votes won't start until after 10:00 pm. Let's hang around.
Hang around.They will come out way before Ray and his boys do.
I know Mr.Hairfield wants to give everyone a raise not just a select few.The problem seems to be that one month Randall and Keith Lawson say the system is broke.The next week they have found a big some of money.What is going on?Can Randall and Keith Explain? The taxpayers deserve to know.
Ray and them came out at midnight many times hoping everyone including Troy Houser was gone.Old Troy stayed and reported the news the next morning,and it pissed off the good ole boys.
Randall and Keith Lawson do not know what they are doing.This is proven by how nervous they seem when putting out figures to the board. My question is why is Keith Lawson still around? He slashed his wife's tires and my sources say it is recorded on a atm machine.If this is true,a man in such a high profile position should not be allowed to commit criminal activity.Yes, it happend outside his school position,but if anyone else did this they would be gone.Does the board know the full story, or what administration tells them? It is time to getr results.
Why don't you Buff-kissers look in your own back yard? DUI's are nothing to you. Living out of district is nothing to you. Switching maps without people's knowledge is nothing to you. Hell, you just hired an individual whose spouse was arrested in a Hickory mall parking lot for indecent exposure! It was front page news!
You tell the public you're going to cut the high salaries in the central office, then hire repacements for as much or more than you were paying them. You "smart" people are so calculating and careful! David Burleson is doing his job as well as you and Rick will allow. Sadly, your recommendations and your conduct provides the best comedy on TV. What an embarrassment you are.
You will never be happy,and do not care about education.I like Tim Buff,but am starting to think he may be to nice.This board has problems,but you never have told us why your former chairman was in debt to most of NC.It is one thing to owe some debt,but when you refuse to pay people you should not oversee a multimillion dollar empire.We know Rob had DWI charges and have for years.He has stayed clean for a long time and we respect that.But why was Ray in the Charlotte Observer and on the radio trying to portray himself as the victim.Go to the courthouse and look yourself,but he owes people in many county's.Who was his attorney's? Sam Aycock,Hugh Blackwell. For your information when Rob got his charges yes it was the firm of Simpson who handled it,but Eric Bellas was his attorney.He is now the assistant DA.
Can you give us an update on an agenda topic for Monday night's board meeting? We heard Shandra McFarland tell the board about the overspending on the Patton budget, many, many items, including the annual overspent by $20K. There's now a move to help "balance" this overspending by the board mandating the transfer of monies from Freedom's budgets into Patton's, actually including student raised club monies and booster club money. The same mandate is being considered for East Burke, that they will release money to Draughn to avoid over spending. This certainly seems way beyond the power of the board. Is there more to this?
I also heard that an increase in day care fees may be on the agenda. Not sure why that would be - the daycares are self supporting and the schools already take funds from the daycare to help fund school projects. Parents cannot continue to fundraise, pay more for lunch, pay more for day care, etc. Enough is enough. When times are tough, you cut - not just look for another group to foot the bill.
How much is Rick Sherrill making again? Most parents in Burke don't make that combined - we can't afford to pay more than we already are.
No the board can not take booster club money and they knew this legally.The problem is David Burleson did not do his job.He was suppose to make this happen from club money.This all started when the band director for East Burke high would not let the students who went to Draughn go to Italy with East Burke students.They helped raise the funds but now can not go. I understand Rick Sherrill set the record straight in a room full of employee's at East Burke yesterday about him not being the principal when the social security numbers got out.That will teach David to lie.I think the money transfer is his fault.Although the board is responsible for his actions,they must take the blame.As for Rick's salary it does not bother you that we have a deadbeat like Randall making a big salary.Why did your board screw us with Burleson and Randall's contract til 2010?A board can not extend the Superintendent's contract in an board election year.That is why they did this early.I think rifting Charles Cook and Robert Bonner's positions will needed to make up for the money that should be transfered to the new high schools.David and Randall are running out of places to hide on underfunding the new schools.Lets see some of the blame placed where it needs to be.Rick can help move BCPS in the right direction.Randall needs to go and fast. Ask Mr.Armour to tell you why they underfunded the schools.He will blame the commissioners but we know Randall and David are to blame.They have not been held fiscally responsible until now.
They should FIRE EVERY ONE who leaked East Burke confidential data Rick Sherrill, Wayne Whaley, Terri Willms and force Department of Instruction to sends reprimands to DOCTOR Scott Smiths new district.
Rick again,was not there.Sorry to upset you.He had left two months before because of a Jerry Yoder controlled ball-less board.Hey, was Ray and Andy to blame? I can not believe such shit took place under their watch.You know they did run the school in tip top shape.Dr.Scott Smith is a major player in this game.He needs to answer serious questions about such a sensitive matter.Rick will be fine,the facts are on his side.
I know it kills Buddy Armour to think someone he shielded for years and capitulated to screwed up royally.Thanks Buddy,and Scott, now East Burke is tainted again.
Rick should have done his job while he was there to make sure this didn't happen. I guess this is why he left in such a hurry.
I hope this doesn't happen to his teachers from the county he just left.
Is this what we get for $100,000.00 per year?
Nice job school board. Let's hope this new lawyer is ready.
Wrong again fool, how could he do his job when he was gone to another county?You can try to place blame with him but it rests with Wayne Whaley,Scott Smith no way around it.Ricks employment record proves he was gone.Nice try though.We know you wish it could be blamed on him.Oh by the way he set the record straight at EB when this meeting took place.I wish everyone could have seen the color leave David Burleson's face.
Wow sounds like he is demonstrating subordinate behavior. I hope the board will reprimand him
Will Karen Sain Brittian have anything to say at the meeting on Monday?
Maybe she needs to drink a 10 hour energy drink before she gets there.
Karen hello, anything going through that head of yours.. Speak.. Why did you even run? You have done nothing on this school board..
If the board starts reprimanding administration,David and Randall's files would be full of insubordination.
TRUTH BE TOLD 8:39 AM, YOU DID NOT EITHER.
An increase in day care fees??? I was informed the last time the directors asked for an increase that the directors are taking way toooo much money for their salaries!!! Why does Burke County have two directors in the first place??? There used to be just one, and she managed. Now we have two!!! making over $50,000 each per year. Parents making minimum wage who use the daycare should be outraged!! Rob, Tim, and Tracy, if you are for saving money, you need to look at how much daycare money goes for salaries. Even some of the "directors" at the schools make more than $35,000 per year and don't even work 40 hour weeks when school is in session. The parents who use the daycare services should be outraged!!!! Rob, are you out there!!!
TRUTH BE TOLD 8:39 AM, YOU DID NOT EITHER.
YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT.
can't believe a certain AP at Freedom High keeps is job. He must be good buds with Brian Oliver. He has had one affair after another. He is the reason one teacher was transferred to Patton High. She is well known around town so she kept her job too I guess. This broke up her marriage and I know because her husband told me this personally. APs wife needs to wise up.
Someone needs to get a life and stop trying to cause problems for other people. Stop passing on gossip, or at least say who you are saying such malicious things about other people. People on this site state things that they hear through the gravevine and at least 50% has no merit. It's one thing to talk about what the schools need, etc. It's another to talk about someone's personal lfe. That's just low down.
Which AP? Collette? Ford? My money's on Ford.
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