Stephen Gainey - Randolph Record

01 Feb

RCSS seeks to hire more bus drivers

Bob SuttonNewsbus drivers, Education, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO — The need for bus drivers is ongoing within the Randolph County School System. Superintendent Stephen Gainey said the latest push to attract more drivers isn’t an alarm as much as a reminder that the topic remains on the minds of school administrators. “Our No. 1 job is taking care of children,” Gainey said. “We have to get them to school.” As of last week, there were 26 positions open that include responsibilities as bus drivers. That’s a reduction from a few years ago when the problem became heightened. “It has been a pretty steady need since the pandemic…

24 Jan

Area schools don’t shift in second NCHSAA league draft

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, nchsaa, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Randolph County School System, realignment, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Stephen Gainey, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

There were no changes involving Randolph County schools in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s second draft of conference alignments. That revised draft was released this week. “What I gather is our schools are pretty happy where they are,” said Stephen Gainey, superintendent of the Randolph County School System. RCSS has six high schools as part of the NCHSAA. Gainey began a term as NCHSAA president last summer, so has a keen eye on the topic. Appeals and comments from schools regarding the conference make-ups are due Tuesday. The realignment committee is scheduled to meet again Feb. 3-4. “A…

13 Jan

RCSS parents go on alert with phone snags

Bob SuttonNewsEducation, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO — Officials with the Randolph County School System are working with a new provider to work out snags that have popped up regarding the district’s alert system. Amber Ward, the public information officer for RCSS, said a couple of phone carriers have blocked the number used for the alerts so that messages haven’t reached all their intended audiences. The situation became heightened last week when there were weather-related delays and closures. Ward said RCSS switched during the summer to a different website provider and, as part of that, it has meant a different process for the phone alert system.…

24 Dec

Uwharrie Ridge focusing in on post-secondary career readiness

Ryan HenkelNewsboard of education, Education, Randolph County School System, Stephen Gainey, Uwharrie-Ridge

ASHEBORO – The Randolph County School System's Board of Education was given an update on a new vision and focus for Uwharrie Ridge at a regular business meeting earlier this month. “One of the challenges we’ve been working through as a leadership team, Uwharrie Ridge is a unique place being that it’s a 6-12 school so it has middle and high school grade levels,” superintendent Stephen Gainey said. “We’ve been continuing to look for ways of what can make Uwharrie Ridge 6-12 standout and continue to attract students to it. It is an application school. You can go if that’s…

08 Dec

Waiting for conference configurations factors into NCHSAA meetings

Bob SuttonSportsnchsaa, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO — Putting together conferences for the new North Carolina High School Athletic Association classifications is a priority and that became a factor regarding several topics during last week’s bi-annual meetings. Stephen Gainey, the superintendent of the Randolph County School System, is serving as NCHSAA president. He said the overwhelming issue that schools want resolved is the release of the next conference alignments in the newly configured eight-class set-up. “I want that information as soon as possible,” Gainey said. Gainey said the board dealt with “a lot of operational issues” during its gathering in Chapel Hill. He said it was…

24 Nov

Standout students, employees recognized by RCSS Board of Education

Ryan HenkelNewsboard of education, Education, Gary Cook, Randolph County School System, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO – The Randolph County Board of Education recognized a few standout performers from across the district at its Nov. 18 regular business meeting. Makayla Eibach, a fifth grade teacher at Ramseur Elementary, was selected as the Outstanding Elementary Math Teacher of the Year for the Randolph County School System. “Each year, the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the North Carolina Department of Instruction recognize outstanding math teachers in our schools,” said public information officer Amber Ward. “They recognize and reward those teachers who make mathematics exciting, nurture their students’ enthusiasm in mathematics, motivate students to excel…

23 Oct

Randolph County School System receives more than $100,000 in grant funding

Ryan HenkelNewsEducation, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO – The Randolph County School System has found itself with a bit of extra funding. At its Oct. 21 meeting, the RCSS Board of Education approved the acceptance of two grants. The first was a $50,000 Career and Technical Education Grade Expansion grant from the Education and Workforce Innovation Commission. The grant will provide partial funding to support a middle school career development coordinator whose job is to ensure students have a documented career development plan and will support staff with facilitation of each student’s plan. The second grant is a $60,000 Innovation Grant from the North Carolina Department…

09 Oct

Commissioners approve purchase of property for new elementary school in Liberty

Ryan HenkelNewsEducation, Liberty, public schools, Randolph County Board of Commissioners, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO – Randolph County has taken a big step toward the construction of a new elementary school as the Randolph County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of land for the new Liberty Elementary School. At its Oct. 7 meeting, the board approved the purchase of 32 acres of land at a sale price of $62,500 per acre located at 4547 Starmount Road for the site. “The board and myself believe this is the best site for the new school,” Randolph County School System superintendent Stephen Gainey said. “The feasibility study may require us to buy more, so we’ve been…

18 Sep

Contract extended for RCSS superintendent Stephen Gainey

Ryan HenkelNewsEducation, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO – Stephen Gainey, who has been the superintendent of the Randolph County School System since 2013, had his contract extended by the Board of Education for an additional four years with his term now set to end June 30, 2028. “Dr. Gainey continues to lead the Randolph County School System with strategic, long-term thinking and thoughtful attention to the needs of our students and staff,” the board said in a released statement. “Over the last year, Dr. Gainey planned for the future in our county. At the same time, Dr. Gainey elevated the parts of the school system that…

02 Aug

Prep Sports Notes: Participant numbers rise; NCHSAA committee set for realignment

Bob SuttonSportsnchsaa, realignment, Stephen Gainey

Participation rose in many sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for the 2023-24 school year in numbers compiled by the governing body. Based on the NCHSAA’s totals that came from member schools and released in July, there were increases in participants in every sport except for baseball compared to 2022-23. This spring, there was a 1.4 percent decline with 10,574 baseball players. There were significant boosts in boys’ golf (7 percent) and boys’ lacrosse (6 percent). The largest increase came in what’s called winter spirit (cheerleading). The uptick came in part because 60 schools joined that competition…