Bladen County Board of Education Packet Summary — 08-24-2026
Meeting Overview
The Bladen County Board of Education packet is for a Special Called Board Meeting scheduled for August 24, 2026. The agenda identifies action items related to Plain View and East Arcadia School Properties, a lawn maintenance contract for the 2026-2027 school year, the 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct, and recommended changes to School Resource Officer (SRO) allocation and funding.
Key Items on the Agenda
Plain View and East Arcadia School Properties
The packet includes materials related to possible disposition options for Plain View and East Arcadia School properties. The agenda item includes property disposal reference materials, tax records for both properties, legal guidance, and state statutes addressing property transactions.
The Plain View Elementary School property record lists the property owner as Plain View Elementary School, with a property location of 1909 Chickenfoot Rd, Elizabethtown, NC. The listed market value and assessed value are both $605,580. The record identifies an improvement year of 1951, a classroom building use, and 8.26 deeded acres.
The East Arcadia School property record lists the property owner as East Arcadia School, with a property location of 21451 NC 87 HWY E, Riegelwood, NC. The listed market value and assessed value are both $2,940,920. The record identifies an improvement year of 1960, a classroom building use, and 20 deeded acres.
The packet includes information about property disposal procedures, including competitive sale methods such as sealed bids, upset bids, and public auction, along with other possible transaction methods under North Carolina law.
Major Financial Items
Lawn Maintenance Contract for 2026-2027
The agenda includes a lawn maintenance contract item for the 2026-2027 school year. The packet states that there were 10 responsive bids submitted through the request for proposals process and identifies Breaking Groundz as the lowest responsive complete bid at an annual cost of $83,160. The administrative recommendation is to approve a contract with Breaking Groundz for lawn services for the 2026-2027 school year.
The bid tabulation lists Breaking Groundz with a monthly cost of $6,930 and annual cost of $83,160, noting that it was the lowest responsive bid with a complete package.
The proposed contract materials describe services beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, unless terminated earlier under the contract terms. Total payments under the contract are not to exceed $83,160.
Policy and Governance Items
2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct
The packet includes the proposed 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct. The agenda identifies this as an action item presented by Ms. Ann Brown.
The packet states that principals and district administrators reviewed the prior year’s Code of Conduct and made changes as needed. The administrative recommendation requests approval of the 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct.
The proposed Code of Conduct describes student expectations for compliance with district policies and school rules, outlines disciplinary procedures, and provides behavior categories and consequences for students in grades K-12.
The document also includes procedures for personal electronic devices. It states that students in grades K-8 are required to turn in cell phones at the beginning of the school day, while students in grades 9-12 are required to turn in phones at the beginning of each class period.
School Safety and Operations
Recommended Changes to SRO Allocation and Funding
The agenda includes an item on recommended changes to School Resource Officer allocation and funding for 2026-2027. The packet identifies the presenters as Ms. Ann Brown and Dr. Atkinson.
The packet proposes reducing the district’s SRO allocation from twelve positions to nine positions. It states that the recommendation is intended to maintain school safety coverage while reducing costs and aligning personnel assignments with campus needs.
The proposed changes include returning to one SRO assignment at each traditional high school, continuing a shared SRO model for Bladenboro Primary School and Bladenboro Middle School, removing a dedicated SRO assignment for East Arcadia School, and noting that Bladen Early College High School receives security support through Bladen Community College.
The packet also proposes requesting that county SRO funding be directly appropriated to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office rather than routed through the school district. The packet states that routing funds through the district results in sharing through broader local current expense distribution requirements and reduces the amount available for intended SRO purposes.
What to Watch at the Meeting
- The board is scheduled to consider materials related to Plain View and East Arcadia School property options, including disposal procedures, property records, and legal guidance.
- The board is scheduled to review the recommended lawn maintenance contract with Breaking Groundz, including the proposed $83,160 annual cost.
- The board is scheduled to consider the proposed 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct.
- The board is scheduled to review proposed changes to SRO allocation and funding structure, including a reduction from twelve to nine SRO positions and a request for direct county funding to the Sheriff’s Office.
