RCSS executive director of operations to retire at end of month

Dale Brinkley has handled various duties for RCSS through the years. (Randolph County School System photo)

ASHEBORO — After 25 years of service with the Randolph County School System, executive director of operations Dale Brinkley is retiring at the end of the month.

At the Board of Education’s Nov. 17 meeting, the board recognized Brinkley for his service to the board and the district.

“When you stay somewhere long enough, you start watching people you love and that you really care about and that have been great teammates to you, make decisions with what they want to do in the next phase of their life and so one of those individuals we will be losing is Dale Brinkley,” superintendent Stephen Gainey said. “We appreciate you and everything you’ve done for the Randolph County School System. You will be missed.”

Brinkley has served as the executive director of operations since November 2020, but before that, spent 15 years as the director of information systems for the school system and also as a technician and WAN engineer.

“It has been a pleasure to work here and one of the reasons I have worked for this school system for so many years is because of the people, the staff and also the community,” Brinkley said. “I grew up here, been here all my life. It’s been a great and rewarding career.”

Board chair Gary Cook said: “We have a lot of employees in the Randolph County School System, but I’ve never heard anybody say a negative thing about Dale Brinkley. What a joy it’s been to work with you.”

Future schedules discussed

The board also approved the first reading of the 2027-28 school calendar.

The calendar has the first day of school on Aug. 23, 2027, and the last on June 7, 2028.

“The calendar includes 180 student days, 14 teacher workdays, 11 holidays and 10 leave days for a total of 215 days, as required by the calendar guidelines,” Brinkley said. “It also includes an inclement weather make-up plan similar to the 2026-27 calendar.”

The board once again discussed the potential merits of an early start calendar, namely stating that an early start date would be better for students’ performances, especially to end the first semester.

However, due to current state law, districts are not allowed to start any earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26.

“Until the state changes the law, there’s nothing we can do about it and it’s a problem every year,” vice chair Sharon Petty Farlow said. “It’s a major issue. It makes no sense.”

The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet Dec. 8.