On the behalf of the Martin County Board of Education, I want to extend encouragement to our students, their parents, and their communities. I especially want to encourage those that work hard to provide basic education to all of the children that attend Martin County Schools-- principals, assistant principals, student support personnel, teachers, teacher assistants, cafeteria staff, custodians and maintenance staff, and our bus drivers. I also want to extend my gratitude to our superintendent, the directors and his administration staff at the central office for navigating through this pandemic.
As mandated by the Governor, schools are cancelled through May 15 to protect our children and to lessen the spread of the Covid-19 virus. It is extremely difficult for the Martin County Board of Education to oversee such a change of routine in educating our students, providing continuous employment to all staff and also to providing at least two meals per day for all children in Martin County, and yet, we stand together to be available to all people in our community and to those to whom we provide guidance.
This is a difficult time for the world and we, as leaders of our local education system, extend words of encouragement, appreciation, plans and our prayers. We will strive to identify ways to provide basic education for our students at the same time we continue to follow all of the directives that have been given to us to be safe and healthy.
To our Martin County parents, please follow the communications that are extended to you by phone, newspaper, school websites, and social media and assist with your child’s education at home until Governor Cooper lifts the school closing mandate. Please stay connected to your child’s teacher so that we all can move forward with their education.
Again, please be encouraged that we shall get through this and move beyond the loss of on-campus instruction. As for families and communities, please assist in any way you can with our children while making sure to maintain safety and well-being.
I encourage you share your concerns with your district representatives, but be aware that we must follow the guidelines that are given to us and allow the leader of our school system, Dr. Chris Mansfield and his staff to continue to serve our students the best ways possible with what we have available.
Sincerely,
Barbara Council, Chair, Board of Education
Your school district board members:
Barbara Council, Chair bcouncil@martin.k12.nc.us
Gene Scott, Vice-Chair gscott@martin.k12.nc.us
Van Heath vheath@martin.k12.nc.us
Renee Purvis rpurvis@martin.k12.nc.us
Keisha Manson kmanson-rodgers@martin.k12.nc.us
Gail Cargile gcargile@martin.k12.nc.us
Kenneth Harrell kharrell@martin.k12.nc.us