The County Board of Education approved Aug. 2 renaming the West Carteret High School gym in memory of the late Craig P. McClanahan, who retired from the school after serving many years as a coach and the school’s athletic director. (Cheryl Burke photo)
The County Board of Education approved Aug. 2 renaming the Bogue Sound Elementary School gym in honor of Colleen Whilldin, a retired physical education teacher who started many innovative programs at the school. (Cheryl Burke photo)
The County Board of Education approved Aug. 2 renaming the West Carteret High School gym in memory of the late Craig P. McClanahan, who retired from the school after serving many years as a coach and the school’s athletic director. (Cheryl Burke photo)
BEAUFORT — The County Board of Education approved renaming two school gyms in memory of a popular retired high school athletic director who died of cancer and in honor of a beloved retired elementary school physical education teacher.
During their Aug. 2 meeting, BOE members approved renaming the West Carteret High School gym in memory of coach Craig P. McClanahan, who served as the school’s athletic director for 15 years, leading his school to numerous conference championships in tennis and basketball and other major awards. McClanahan retired in 2019 and died of cancer June 27, 2020.
CRAIG McCLANAHAN
The board also approved naming the Bogue Sound Elementary School gym in honor of retired PE teacher Colleen Whilldin, who started numerous innovative programs at her school.
Members unanimously approved both efforts, which were requested and endorsed by school parents and community members one year ago. Board policy lays out stringent guidelines for renaming school facilities, with a one-year waiting period once a request is received.
COLLEEN WHILLDIN
Superintendent Dr. Rob Jackson recommended both requests be granted because they had met all guidelines.
Board member Dennis Goodwin made the motion to rename the WCHS gym the Craig P. McClanahan Gymnasium, with Travis Day providing the second.
The County Board of Education approved Aug. 2 renaming the Bogue Sound Elementary School gym in honor of Colleen Whilldin, a retired physical education teacher who started many innovative programs at the school. (Cheryl Burke photo)
Prior to voting, Day said, “He was an outstanding individual.”
Dr. Jackson said Robert Lancaster, McClanahan’s brother-in-law who has served as a WCHS assistant basketball coach for many years, had informed him the school would soon hold a special event to dedicate the gym now that the board has approved the request.
Goodwin also made the motion to rename the BSES gym the Colleen Whilldin Physical Education Center. Katie Statler provided the second.
As for McClanahan, he started his 34-year career in education at Morehead City Middle School. He taught health and PE at MCMS and Beaufort Middle School, while coaching various sports. Additionally, he coached the WCHS JV boys’ basketball team while teaching at the middle school level.
In 1998, he was hired as a teacher and coach at West Carteret. He taught health/PE and weight training while serving 21 years as the head varsity boys’ basketball coach. He also coached boys’ and girls’ tennis for 17 years. Many of his basketball and tennis teams advanced to the state playoffs.
In a letter requesting the renaming of the WCHS gym, dated June 8, 2021, Mr. Lancaster said, “He cared deeply about his student-athletes, always encouraging them, demanding excellent effort and inspiring them to be the best they could be. Coach McClanahan’s passion and commitment earned him numerous Conference Coach of the Year Awards.”
McClanahan was also instrumental in coordinating fundraising and installation of the current scoreboard and play clocks on the school’s football/lacrosse/soccer field and many other sports related improvements.
Regarding Whilldin, the school’s parent advisory council had requested the gym be renamed in her honor. She began her career in 1998 at Bogue Sound Elementary School, retiring in June 2019.
In their letter, the school’s PAC members said Whilldin built the foundation of the school’s PE program and served as the school’s leadership chair. She also led Bogue Sound’s beginner teacher program for many years.
“She gave countless hours to our school by helping create and manage projects like our Safety Patrol, the Fall Pumpkin Run, the Bunny Hop and running clubs just to name a few — and many of these now are still going on today because of her influence,” the letter states. “Ms. Whilldin has given so much to so many of our students that came through our school’s doors. We believe honoring this way would mean so much to her and help create a rich history for our school to always remember her and her love of education and the students.”
The letter goes on to state the Bogue Sound parent advisory council will place a plaque outside the gym door in her honor.
“This will allow our school community to view it in the lobby,” the letter states.
In other action, the board:
Received a presentation on the school system’s summer programs.
Received a presentation on the 2022-23 school system’s strategic plan.
Approved first and second readings of several school board policy revisions.
Received updates on school bond and capital projects.
Heard a report regarding a Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training program.
Met in closed session for a confidential personnel matter, with no action taken in open session.
The board also approved, under its consent agenda, the following:
A contract with Kinetic Physical Therapy for the 2022-23 school year for two speech pathologists and two occupational therapists. The cost ranges from $63.90 per hour to $64.90 per hour.
A contract with Invision Services for the visually impaired. The contract includes $88 per hour for face-to-face instruction and $95 per hour for virtual instruction.
A contract with Stepping Stones Group to employ seven nurses for the 2022-23 school year. The range of salaries is from $45.32 per hour for a registered nurse to $30.90 per hour for a paraprofessional.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Carteret County Health Department to provide school health programs Sept. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2023.
A MOU with the Carteret County Parks and Recreation Department for the use of certain facilities during the 2022-23 school year.
A MOU with the County Department of Social Services to assist with child welfare issues during the 2022-23 school year.
A School Athletic Trainers MOU with Moore Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, PA through 2024.
A Carteret County Schools NC Pre-K and Coastal Community Action Inc. MOU for 2022-23.
A MOU with The Bridge Downeast on Harkers Island for after school and summer enrichment programs for the 2022-23 academic year.
A qualified observer list for teachers on mandatory improvement plans for the 2022-23 academic year.
Revised salary scales to comply with the NC Department of Public Instruction’s minimum/maximum pay grades.
An amended MOU with MaST to reflect recent decisions by the County Board of Education regarding the school.
A MOU with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain and Beaufort Elementary School to provide after school programs for the 2022-23 school year.
A MOU with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain to provide a juvenile structured day program.
A MOU with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain to outline expectations for county school students enrolled in BGCCP programs for the 2022-23 school year.
A MOU with Carteret Community College for the operation of the Career and College Promise program.
Contact Cheryl Burke at 252-726-7081, ext. 255; email Cheryl@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @cherylccnt.
As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to edit or
remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats
of violence, racism, anti-Semitism, or
personal/abusive/condescending attacks on other users or goading
them. The same applies to trolling, the use of multiple aliases, or
just generally being a jerk. Enforcement of this policy is at the
sole discretion of the site administrators and repeat offenders may
be blocked or permanently banned without warning.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to edit or remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, anti-Semitism, or personal/abusive/condescending attacks on other users or goading them. The same applies to trolling, the use of multiple aliases, or just generally being a jerk. Enforcement of this policy is at the sole discretion of the site administrators and repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without warning.