Eskridge 4 Education

Stuart Cramer HS.

🚗✨ Ticket Tuesday! ✨🚗

This is your reminder that our Final Ride Car Raffle is officially underway—and this is the last year to be part of it!

Secure your tickets today for a chance to win and help drive hope forward for women and children at Catherine’s House.

🚨Mount Holly, let’s talk! Join me tomorrow at Muddy River Distillery from 6–8 PM for the first stop of my Meet the Candidate Tour. I’d love to hear your thoughts on our schools and share my vision for the future of education in Gaston County. Bring a friend and come say hello! 📚⭐️

🚨The BOE did not vote on the future of Beam tonight. Stephens (Riverbend Township) moved to postpone the vote on today’s agenda, stating that he’d “heard” they were getting closer to providing additional funding at the state and county levels. Robbie Lovelace (Cherryville Township) and Lee Dedmond (Gastonia Township) opposed the motion.

📍Will you be attending the BOE meeting tonight?

I’ve attended the last several Board of Education meetings where Cherryville residents have presented thoughtful and compelling reasons why the proposed closure of W.B. Beam Intermediate should not move forward at this time. Parents, teachers, community leaders, and even students have shared how this decision could impact their schools and community.

I remain hopeful that the Board will make the right decision based on all evidence before them. At this point, I do not believe there is sufficient data to justify the proposed change. Historically, W.B. Beam was built to relieve capacity concerns at Cherryville Elementary. Making a decision that would place Cherryville Elementary at 101% capacity, while growth in the community continues, does not seem to be the most prudent path forward.

I recognize that difficult decisions must be made to address the district’s financial challenges. However, I am not yet convinced that this particular option is the best solution.

Let’s see how the Board votes.

‼️SAVE THE DATES‼️

Grab a Dr. Pepper, a brew, a cup of coffee, or a scoop of ice cream and come chat with me. We’ll be making our way around Gaston County, and I’d love the opportunity to hear from you. Bring a friend or five! Parents, teachers, students, and community members are all welcome. After all, the success of our schools impacts every one of us.

I look forward to meeting, connecting, and listening as you share your vision for our schools! See you soon! 📚

PUBLIC NOTICE: The Gaston County Board of Education will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, June 11, 2026 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. in the Myers Center at Gaston College, 201 Highway 321 South, Dallas. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments from the public regarding the proposed closing of W.B. Beam Intermediate School and its consolidation with Cherryville Elementary School and John Chavis Middle School. More information is available on the Gaston County Schools website (www.gaston.k12.nc.us).

💭Food for Thought…

If families are choosing schools outside of the district or other options, we should ask ourselves why.

I believe every school in Gaston County should be a school of choice. No parent wants to gamble with their child’s eduction. I remember making that tough decision when my son was headed into 7th grade. Today, he’s 27, has an MBA, and a successful career. I don’t play about education, and I bet you don’t either.

Every parent wants safe schools, strong academics, supported teachers, and opportunities that prepare students for college, careers, and life.

What would need to change for every school in Gaston County to become a school of choice? I know we can get there.

🚨Top 3 Takeaways from Today’s BOE Operations Committee Meeting🚨

1. School Consolidation Option C Remains on the Table

Option C for the consolidation of schools in Cherryville is still under consideration (see slides). This proposal will be presented at a hearing on June 11th and up for a vote on June 15th.

2. Staffing, RIFs, and Vacancies Update

Beth Suber provided an update on reductions in force (RIFs), vacancies, and staffing for next school year.

Key highlights:
• 2 media specialists and 14 school counselors will be hired.
• 151 retirements will impact staffing for the 2026-27 school year.
• Employees continue to submit retirement paperwork daily.
• Since the hiring freeze was implemented in April, 160 separations have been entered into Oracle. (These are not actual layoffs, but employees leaving for various reasons.)
• Hiring managers are currently allowed to post up to 50% of vacancies while budget discussions continue.
• The largest staffing reductions are at the secondary level, while elementary schools have the highest number of openings.
• Additional job fairs are planned in the coming weeks to help fill vacant positions.

Beth Suber confirmed that the staffing fluctuations and vacancy activity we are seeing are not atypical for the year.

Mr. Crisp emphasized that the district is following state protocols related to RIFs and rehires. Beth Suber explained that positions are eliminated to terminate the contract tied to that position, and employees may then be rehired into a different role. While the superintendent has the authority to reassign employees, that is not typically the process used.

My Opinion: The board and district leadership should do a better job communicating this process to the public. Without context, it can appear that employees are being laid off while dozens of positions remain open, leaving many community members confused and frustrated. 😵‍💫

3. Progress on Academic Achievement

I always appreciate hearing updates from Associate Superintendent of Academic Services Tanya Kales and Chief Accountability Officer Kelly Cunningham, regarding the district’s academic improvement efforts.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet with Ms. Kales and members on the team to learn more about the Innovation Schools strategy, including its origins, current progress, and goals for the future. I will continue to support her team and advocate for the resources needed to improve student outcomes.

I appreciate their focus on long-term academic improvement and their evidence-based approach to results. While I wish these efforts had started years ago, I am encouraged that there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel. I believe that every child can learn and every teacher can teach effectively in a supportive environment with the appropriate tools and resources.

I am eager to see what the 2025-26 report card reveals. Frankly, I am tired of talking about Gaston County’s low rankings on key academic indicators based on the 2024-25 data. We need a win!