# Board of Education Meeting - November 2nd 2026

The McDowell County Schools Board of Education regular meeting was held November 2, 2026. The board approved a Safety and Security Capital Project of up to $150,000 for contractor work, inspections, repairs, and facility security improvements. Initial planned work includes a new security system at Foothills Community School and a Viper emergency-responder communications system at McDowell High School, together estimated at approximately $80,000; cell-signal boosters are also planned for North Cove Elementary and West Marion. The project will supplement a $450,000 Department of Justice safety grant, with about $325,000 remaining. The superintendent also reported that flooring proposals from PBI, a state contractor, had been received and accepted for Glenwood and North Cove, and that HVAC and other facility projects are underway.

The board approved the 2026–27 school improvement plans and final summer policy updates. It also approved two resolutions advancing the new elementary school project: conveying the site to the county and authorizing related documents. The school has $42 million in state funding, while the current project estimate is about $54 million; the additional financing amount has not yet been determined, and construction bids are expected later in the project timeline. In committee updates, members supported issuing RFQs for parent and family engagement training and continuing Project GLAD coaching using $5,000 in available funding. No vendor award for those training services was made at this meeting.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Education, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 02, 2026

### Sources
- [Board of Education Meeting - November 2nd 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgKbdN4diY4) - McDowell County Schools