BY DEBBIE PAGE
The Mooresville Graded School District Board of Education voted on Tuesday to maintain the district’s tax rate of 15.5 cents per $100 valuation. The board also voted to maintain the existing MGSD facility use fee structure.
LOCAL CTE PLAN
CTE Administrator Kevin Wilson presented the initial draft of the 2026-2028 Local CTE Plan to the board, with approval requested at the board’s June meeting.
Wilson shared some celebrations from the 2025-2026 year:
♦ The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA club), under adviser Jessica Clark, had several national qualifiers. The district conducted 18 field trips for students in grades 6-12 (industry specific experiences for high school), and the Career on Wheels program introduced sixth-graders to multiple career paths (98 percent attendance rate).
♦ More than 20 guest speakers visited schools at the middle and high school levels. Fifth-graders also had a career exploration activity led by the National Technical Honor Society and MHS Teaching as a Profession students.
♦ The district also had a CTE Signing Day to celebrate 190 students who completed career pathways.
♦ Wilson also recognized MGSD CTE Teacher of the Year Allison Teeter.
Seventy-six percent of CTE students attained workplace credentials last year, with the CTE department goal set for 78 percent in the 2025-26 school year. Wilson noted that students’ career credential attainment rate was nearly 85 percent for fall semester. Looking at spring test numbers, he is optimistic students should reach 80 percent or better and expects MGSD to exceed its credentialing goal.
Wilson’s ultimate goal is for MGSD to be in the top 10 in the state for credential attainment.
Major expenditures this year include include $53,000 in automotive program upgrades, including a realignment machine, HVAC recycler, and new technology. CTE also spent $33,000 for a 3D printer, housed in the Mooresville High School STEM Lab, to be used for multiple career areas.
CTE also invested $25,000 in Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, and Electrical Trades training aids, $10,000 to buy equipment and tools for the new masonry program, which begins next year with two class sections, and $9,000 for Health Science training aids and a Health Science Learning Management System.
To prepare the 2026-2028 CTE Plan, the department conducted a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA), which included a self-evaluation of performance, a labor market alignment, a look at the size, scope and quality of programs, the career pathways offered, the recruitment, retention and training of CTE staff, and equal access to all students.
The CLNA process used a consultation method, meeting with stakeholder partnerships and advisory boards, including the CTE Advisory Board (2 meetings), Automotive Advisory Board (1 meeting), CLNA Team (including administrators, counselors, social workers, teachers, and students) (3 meetings), CTE Leadership (biweekly all year), Mitchell Community College (3 meetings), CTE Student Advisory (2 meetings), MGSD Leadership (2 meetings), and Workforce Development Board Meetings involving the Iredell Economic Development Corporation and Iredell Ready (monthly).
The assessment also included almost 400 student survey responses about about their classes and curriculum and also about courses of interest not currently offered. Students expressed interest in getting career pathways in (in order of interest) cosmetology and barbering; hospitality, travel and tourism; culinary arts; radiology tech; masonry; occupational therapy; and respiratory tech.
The assessment identified several areas of improvement, including continuing to market the rebranding of CTE pathways in 2026 with the goal of growing areas that align with county-wide workforce needs (Trades, Advanced Manufacturing/STEM, Health Care, Retail and Sales).
CTE also will work to increase rigor and active learning for all CTE students (in the 20 honors-level courses as well as other levels) and strive to connect CTE instruction to Math, Biology, and English EOC standards to help with all high school scores.
The department will continue to assist students with aligning interests with career pathways and to evaluate current career exploration activities in grades 5-12, including the development of individual digital portfolios.
CTE also aims to increase career and technical student organization participation and work based learning opportunities.
Wilson said targeted expenses for FY26 are challenging with decreased federal money and state budgets not approved. The department has 298 months of employment and will exhaust its credentialing funds to ensure all students have the opportunity to get workplace credentials.
FY 26 targeted expenses include hiring a SparkNC Lab Facilitator (12-month position), enhancing a computer lab for drafting, completing middle school Paxton-Patterson lab upgrades, completing masonry program preparations with community partner with Gates Construction, and increasing work-based learning experiences.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board retroactively approved Friday, May 1, as an optional teacher workday in response to the significant number of staff members taking leave to attend a pro-public education event in Raleigh.
Despite efforts to cover absences with substitute teachers as well as assigning central services employees to substitute, the district determined that it would not be able to adequately cover classrooms to ensure a safe and productive environment.
No make-up day for students has been scheduled as the district has adequate time built into the calendar to meet all legislative requirements for school attendance.
The board gave permission for three students and two chaperones to travel to Washington, D.C. The students competed and placed highly enough to be invited to the National Leadership Conference. The only cost for students will be meals as the remaining costs will be covered utilizing CTE funding.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Mooresville Middle School seventh-grader Taitlyn Lanning was nominated by Team Hurricanes teachers and the MMS admin team as the Student of the Month.
“Taitlyn is friendly, kind-hearted, and always has a positive attitude with her peers, displaying the heart of a Red Imp in all that she does. Academically, she is truly a hard worker who always contributes to classroom discussions. She is consistently engaged in each day’s lesson, completes her assignments on time, and asks questions if she doesn’t understand. Taitlyn’s also challenged herself this year, taking an Honors math class for the first time; it’s going so well that she’s chosen to also take Honors English next year in eighth grade.”
Taitlyn is also a star for Red Imp athletics, becoming a standout three-season athlete in both sixth and seventh grade in cross country, basketball, and soccer. Earlier this season, Taitlyn scored three goals in a single soccer game. Her coaches and teachers rave about her positive attitude, drive to get better, and sportsmanship.
ARTIST OF THE MONTH
MMS eighth-grader Nayyir Reed, nominated by the Fine Arts department, was chosen as Artist of the Month.
“Nayyir comes to school every day with a positive attitude. At the beginning of the Theatre semester, he asked for two main acting roles, and he just volunteered to acquire a third role after being informed that one of his cast mates would not be returning.
Theatre teacher Taren Mangual said, “Nayyir is an excellent actor who is always willing to grow and is an absolute joy to work with.”
Spanish I teacher Jessenia Gonzales, said Nayyir “is kind, a positive influence on others and is always using his Spanish.” Nayyir was also recognized by multi-lingual teacher Catherine Hamilton-Genson because he often greets her in Spanish, even though she’s not one of his teachers.
Nayyir performed in the eighth-grade theater show as Dewey, the Scarecrow, and Bo in “When Bad Things Happen to Good Actors,” the second year in a row that Nayyir has had major roles in MMS theater performances.
“He has truly grown as a confident artist and stage performer, and we hope he continues to express himself through art in the coming years.”
Nayyir performed a monologue for the board after accepting his recognition.
ABCD AWARD
Lori Denzel, MMS EC Teacher Assistant/Athletic First Responder, was nominated by the MMS Instructional Team, for the Above and Beyond the Call of Duty (ABCD) Award.
“Denzel personifies the “All Heart” message of Mooresville Middle School. She is fully committed to her work each and every day to our students, teachers, and athletes whom she positively impacts.”
“During the day, Ms. Denzel serves as a Teacher Assistant, helping our EC teachers modify and implement specially designed instruction for learners who may need more time, attention, and support than others. Her patience and consistency are both what makes her truly valued in the classroom and her students sometimes scream and laugh when they see her each morning, excited for what’s to come that day!.”
Denzel also serves as the MMS Athletic First Responder, closely working with the athletic director and school nurse to ensure students are medically cleared to participate in sports and receive the appropriate care if injured during a game.
“Ms. Denzel puts in countless hours watching practices, examining physicals from doctors, and providing on-the-field care for our Red Imp athletes.”
Denzel also “doesn’t come to us with problems; she brings us solutions of how our school could be better.” She also is not afraid to dance and sing when morning arrival music is playing.
“Her dedication to Mooresville Middle School and the people within the building is unmatched, and she is a beacon of sunshine and fun for students and staff alike.”
SPOTLIGHT ON PEOPLE
MGSD Birthday Card Art Contest Winner
East Mooresville Intermediate School fourth-grade student Leila Tomosovitch’s artwork was chosen to be the official MGSD staff birthday card art for the 2026-2027 school year.
At MGSD, birthday cards are shared with all of the dedicated staff members. This year, the district wanted to make this tradition more special by inviting students from across the district to submit their original artwork for the card’s design and received many submissions.
Leila’s art teacher Michelle Corbett shared that “she really is a wonderful artist and so deserving of this honor!”
K9 Officer Bella Retires
After years of dedicated service with the Mooresville Police Department as one of the MGSD School Resource Officers, K9 Bella is officially hanging up her badge and heading into a much-deserved retirement.
Bella has been a part of MGSD since December of 2019. At nine years old, Bella has been a steady and important part of the district’s safety efforts while also becoming a familiar presence to students and staff across the district.
Superintendent Jason Gardner said Bella “has been a steadfast protector, a friendly presence in our hallways, and a source of comfort and joy for our students and staff alike. She showed up every day ready to work, did her job well, and didn’t need much supervision, unless someone had snacks or lunch out on their desk.”
“We are incredibly grateful for her service, her loyalty, and the paw prints she has left on the hearts of our community. Please join us in thanking Bella, and her handler, Sergeant Walther, for their unwavering dedication to MGSD and in wishing Bella a long, happy, and treat-filled retirement.”
SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT
Mooresville Middle Principal Patrick Kosal shared a presentation on the school’s “Monthly Lunches with the Principal” to celebrate students of high character at MMS.
Kosal said that each month the school’s sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade teachers are asked to nominate students who personify the H.E.A.R.T. (honorable, engaged, accountable, responsible, tolerant) of a Red Imp. One student per trait is celebrated from the team, and reasons are provided for how that student demonstrated recent exceptional character in their classrooms.
Students receive certificates and are invited to a principal-catered lunch.
At the lunch, Kosal asks the students for feedback with two questions: “What’s going well at Mooresville Middle School that shouldn’t change? What’s something that MMS can change to make us a better school?”
Sixth-grade students liked their teachers and class choices, especially wheel and elective classes. They also liked getting tickets to buy prizes when they demonstrated success, club time, and the amazing school lunches, especially chicken wings, cheese dippers, and walking tacos.
Seventh-graders liked the teachers, the class choices, having more freedom, elective choices, and the Camp Thunderbird trip.
Eighth-graders liked their teachers for encouraging questions, having pep rallies, getting opportunities for test corrections to assist learning, and gaining more club options.
To make MMS better, students suggested spending more time outside, fixing AC units to make some classrooms less cold, adding more club options (jump rope and baking clubs), and having more chances to demonstrate learning, not just one quiz/test.
They also suggested a longer lunch, being ablte to sit where they want, serving breakfast for lunch sometimes, having staggered class transitions to alleviate crowding, and starting a flag football team and a whiffle ball league.
Spirit days, spreading testing dates out more, using phones outside of class time, and meeting with WEB Leaders more often were other student ideas. They also thought social studies and ELA classes should do more writing and typing in sixth grade to help students prepare for later grades.
More enrichment activities and a more challenging vocabulary program were other recommendations.
Kosal thanked MMS staff members Jacqueline McGrath, Kathleen Johnson, and Jaclyn McAllister for their help with the nomination process, lunch ordering and serving, and photos and communication about program and winners with parents.