[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY ALLIE BUSINESS MEETING
[1.A. Call to Order]
ON MAY 17TH, 2022.IT WILL BE CONDUCTED IN MY PROFESSION AND ALSO LIVESTREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN FIVE AND 5:30 PM.
BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND TOPIC TO ROBIN CUSHION BERRY AT BUFORD DOT K12 AS C DOT U S.
YOU WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
THE FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES.
IF YOU'RE IN PERSON, YOU MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE DIVORCE DOMAIN.
EACH SPEAKER MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR A CARD REQUEST FOR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN SEVEN AND 7:30 PM ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
THERE IS A THEME WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, PROBABLY PICKED UP ON SECOND.
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM.
SECOND FORUM WON'T BE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES IN THE EVENT.
THE BOARD HAS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THIS AGENDA.
THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AT 6:00 PM TOMORROW, MAY 18TH.
TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE A MOTION
[1.B. Move into Executive Session]
TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, DR.I MOVED AT THE BOARD GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO IMPACT FEES COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE AND SECTION 34 78 TO RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO ONE PENDING CLAIM COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNALS, SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR SERVICES WITH COMPASS MUNIB SUPPLE ADVISOR, LLC, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODY ANNALS, SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR BANKING SERVICES WITH FIRST CITIZENS BANK PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE AND SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE SAFETY, SECURITY TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE GMP AT MC RILEY SCHOOL AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE TO AJAX BUILDING COMPANY CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE L SECTION 34 78, 2 DISCUSSIONS DISCUSSION OF INCIDENT TO PROPOSE SAFETY, SECURITY TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ATHLETICS GMP AT BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN TO THOMPSON TURNER CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANIL, SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE SAFETY, SECURE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE GMP AT LADY'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN TO THOMPSON TURNER CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANAL, SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE SAFETY SECURITY TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE GMP AT ST.
HELENA ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR TO AJAX CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE AND ALL SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED RENOVATIONS AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, MIDDLE SCHOOL AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
SO THOMPSON TURNER CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA, CODY ON SECTION 34 78 TO HIGH SECOND.
WELL, THE SECOND AGAIN WAS THE EASY PART.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD YOU, UH, COULD YOU LET US KNOW WHO WILL BE ADVISING US ON THESE, UH, RECEIPT OF LEGAL, UH, IMPACT FEES AND AS WELL AS THE RECEIPT AND LEGAL OPINION CLAIM COVERED UNDER ATTACK UNDER ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE, PURSUANT TO SACRAMENTO CODES, 30 A DASH FOUR THAT'S 47.
MR. SMITH WITH RESPECT TO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE IMPACT FEES, MR. FLYNN WITH THE POPE FLYNN LAW FIRM.
AND WITH THE SECOND ITEM, I WILL BE ADVISING THE BOARD, SIR.
UH, ALSO I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I'VE, UH, UH, I LOOKED AT A LOT OF THESE, UH, GMPS
[00:05:01]
AND A LOT OF NEGOTIATION.UH, DID ANY OF THESE GO BEFORE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BEFORE TONIGHT, PRIOR TO THE NIGHT? I HAVE NO IDEA.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S RELEVANT.
I'M JUST ASKING, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW NORMALLY THAT SOME OF THE STUFF WOULD GO EVEN, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD GO BEFORE OPERATIONS.
AND I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST WONDERING, DID I, DID I MISS ANYTHING? THAT'S ALL, UM, MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, MY RECALL IS THAT NONE OF THESE ITEMS WOULD HAVE GONE IN FRONT OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL BEING HELD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO THE CONTENT OF THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED IN AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND HOWEVER, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, UH, GOING BEFORE THE OPERATION, SOMETIMES IT'S THE DIFFERENT LOOKS NOT TO LOOK BEFORE, NOT THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION BE BEHIND IT.
SO IT'S JUST, IT WAS ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE A HABIT.
I HAVE EYE ON IT BEFORE, PRIOR TO TONIGHT.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
AND THAT'S THE PART, THAT'S THE REASON FOR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, UM, MRS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, SPECULATION.
IT'S UNANIMOUS ROMAN I FROM SOUTH CAROLINA AND MY VOTE COUNTS, I WENT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AIR NATIONAL GUARD, AND MY VOTE COUNTED I'M FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, THAT POUND METAL STATE NIVO WINTER.
I'M FROM SOUTH CAROLINA AT MY BOAT COMPANY.
THIS YEAR, THOUSANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS WILL VOTE USING THE NEWEST, MOST ADVANCED VOTING TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD.
EVERY VOTE MATTERS, EVERY VOTE COUNTS IT'S BEEN SAID, THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHY HERE AT COASTLINE.
WE WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE CHANGES THAT TAKE PLACE IN BUFORD COUNTY AND THE CITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US, UH, VARIOUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH TO SEE COASTLINE AND THE GUESTS THAT WE BRING THAT WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT YOU DAY TO DAY THAT'S COASTLINE HERE ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL SESSION.
[2.A. Action as necessary or appropriate regarding matters discussed in ExecutiveSession.]
APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS, DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.MR. CHAIR, THERE'S SEVERAL MOTIONS RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH COMPASS MUNICIPAL ADVISORS, LLC, COMMENCING ON JULY 1ST, 2022 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027.
ACTUALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A AMENDMENT TO THAT MOTION THAT WE ADD.
WE ADD A GET OUT OF THE, THAT WE ADDED A CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT FOR 30 DAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE A 30 DAY SEPARATION IN INTO THAT MONTH TO THAT MOTION.
THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A SECOND TO THAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION MR. SMITH, UH, DUE TO US NOT HAVING A CLAUSE AT THIS TIME, READY TO GO ON THIS MOTION? I CAN NOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
AND AS WELL AS I THINK FIVE YEARS IS A LITTLE TOO LONG BECAUSE, UM, WITH, WITH, WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT, UH, SHOPPING AND SEEING WHAT ELSE, UH, TALENT IS OUT THERE, I THINK THAT WE ARE, WERE STOPPING OURSELVES IN TERMS OF NOT STOPPING WE'RE LIMITING.
WE LIMITED OURSELVES TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS IF ANY OF US ONE HAS THE DESIRE TO COME TO COME BY AND IMPOSSIBLY
[00:10:01]
COULD OFFER US THAT SERVICE.I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO CLOSING THAT DOOR.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THIS TIME I CAN NOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
THE MOTION IS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.
OPPOSED ONE OPPOSED MR. SMITH.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED TO EXTEND THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH FIRST CITIZENS BANK FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
I SECOND, THE MOTION SECOND BY DR.
SEEING NO HANDS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE CORRECTED AMENDMENT.
NUMBER FIVE WITH AJAX BUILDING COMPANY FOR SAFETY, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AT MC RALEIGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE, A G M P OF $867,643.
MR. SMITH, COULD SHE ELABORATE WHEN SHE MEANS CORRECTED A MOTION? ABSOLUTELY.
ON THE AMENDMENT, IT WAS LISTED FOR THE TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT WAS LISTS ANOTHER SCHOOL WAS LISTED.
SO IT WAS A SCRIBNER'S ARROW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY WILL CHANGE IT TO MC RALEIGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO RE TO REFLECT THAT SCHOOL.
AND ALSO THIS, THIS, UH, THIS MOTION WAS ALSO, UH, BORDERED UPON BODY.
THAT'S PART OF THE REFERENDUM, CORRECT? REPEAT YOUR QUESTION.
I SAID THIS, THIS, UH, THIS, UH, THIS, UH, MOTION WAS VOTED UPON UPON THE REFERENDUM, CORRECT? THIS, THIS IS STILL REFERENDUM WORK.
I MOVED AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR SAFETY SECURITY TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ATHLETIC AT BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP OF 3 MILLION, $299,996 A SECOND.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF THESE VOTES SHOULD NOT REFLECT THE TWO ABSENT MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT COMING UP.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, I MOVED AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, WITH AJAX BUILDING COMPANY FOR SAFETY, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AT LADY'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP OF $786,481.
SECOND, COLONEL BRUNNER, SECOND DISCUSSION MR. SMITH.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS STILL REFERENDUM TO WORK, CORRECT? CORRECT.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR WITH AJAX BUILDING COMPANY FOR SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE EIGHT AT ST.
HELENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP OF $1,397,363
[00:15:06]
SECOND FOR MR. SMITH DISCUSSION.SEEING NO HANDS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO FOR THE RENOVATION WORK AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AND THE AMOUNT OF $28,326,789 A SECOND.
IT HASN'T BEEN, IT HASN'T SHOWN UP YET.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[2.B. Approval of Agenda]
APPROVE.I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED TONIGHT'S AGENDA SECOND, MS. FIDRYCH ALMOST MADE YOU A DOCTOR.
ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
MR. SMITH, YOU WERE LIKE, OKAY.
[2.C. Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE FLAG AS OVER HERE.UH, THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED MR. SERBIAN JUROR, THE, UH, STUDENTS COMING FROM A BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMANCE ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BLUFFTON AND THE LIBRARY AT THIS JUNCTURE.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO PROCEED WITH THE REST, THE, UH, ITEMS AND THEN WHEN THEY ARRIVE? UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN.
UH, INSTEAD OF THE STUDENT WITH THE STUDENT PERFORMANCE, WE'LL BEGIN WITH POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
[3. Points of Celebration]
AND SO THE FIRST ITEM UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS HISTORY DAY WRITTEN COMPETITION.NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IS A NON-PROFIT EDUCATION ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS YEAR LONG ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT ANNUALLY ENGAGES OVER HALF A MILLION, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD IN CONDUCTING ORIGINAL RESEARCH ON HISTORICAL TOPICS OF INTEREST HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY PROGRAM AND TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST PLACE WINNER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL HISTORY DAY STATE CONTEST IS KAREN MCKINSEY, DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING MR. KENZIE, THE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY.
EMILY HENDERSON IS A RISING JUNIOR AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE OF NATIONAL HISTORY DAY ON TOP OF HONORS COURSES AND AP COURSES WINNING FIRST PLACE IN OUR STATE FOR THE HISTORICAL PAPER CATEGORY WHEN TO CALL HIM EMILY UP NOW THANK YOU, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, AND THANK YOU MRS. MCKENZIE FOR THE TIME AND THE EFFORT YOU HAVE DEDICATED TO HELPING ME THROUGHOUT THE COMPETITION PROCESS BOTH THIS YEAR AND IN 2020, I BEGAN MY PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY COMPETITION AS A REQUIREMENT IN EIGHTH GRADE FOR ADVANTAGE
[00:20:01]
SOCIAL STUDIES, I QUICKLY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COMPETITION AS IT NOT ONLY ALLOWED ME TO EXPLORE UNCONVENTIONAL TOPICS THAT AIDED ME IN DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLS THAT I WILL UTILIZE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO PLAY SECOND IN STATES IN 2020 AND MOVE ON TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION WITH MY PARTNER THIS YEAR, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE ALONE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL PAPER.
THE TOPIC I SELECTED INVOLVES MEDICAL PRACTICE LAWS IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT THEY HAD ON WOMEN IN MY PAPER AND MY PAPER.
I USE SPECIFIC EVENTS AS A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR AN ANALYSIS OF HOW FLAWED LOVES US LEGISLATION HAS RESOUNDING IMPACTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ANALYZE PAST PRACTICES IN ORDER TO ENSURE A FUTURE DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH A DEEP UNDERSTANDING.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE RECOGNITION.
I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AS I ADVANCED INTO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION.
THE NEXT ITEM UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS CHARACTER ED FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH AND TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING CHARACTER, CHARACTER ED FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH FOR EXHIBITING THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF SELF-CONTROL SELF-CONTROL IS DEFINED AS THE ABILITY TO HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR FEELINGS OR ACTIONS IN PARTICULAR ONE'S EMOTIONS AND DESIRES OR THE EXPRESSION OF THEM IN ONE'S BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH IS JACKSON MAZIE, A SOPHOMORE AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THEIR STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
RODRIGUEZ, AND THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, JACKSON HAS A 10TH GRADE STUDENT AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS NOMINATED BY ONE OF HIS SCIENCE TEACHERS.
WHO'D WANTED TO SHARE THAT HE HAS HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH HIS BIGGEST BEING, LOSING HIS BEST FRIEND.
HE HAS STRUGGLED WITH COPING AND HAND AND HANDLING HIS PEERS, BUT ULTIMATELY HAS LEARNED HOW TO COPE.
JACKSON HAS LEARNED TO COME AND TALK TO THOSE.
HE FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH WHEN HE FEELS OVERWHELMED AND THE MATURITY HE HAS EXPRESSED IN SITUATIONS WHERE HE HAS EXPRESSED TO HIS TEACHER, WHERE HE WANTED TO REBEL.
HE HAS GREATLY LEARNED HOW TO ADJUST TO LIFE BY FINDING NEW HOBBIES.
AND MOST RECENTLY GETTING HIS FIRST JOB THROUGH ALL OF HIS STRUGGLES.
HE HAS FOUND WAYS TO READJUST HIS THINKING AND WORK ON BEING THE BEST VERSION OF HIMSELF.
BOTH MS. ROCKWELL AND THE REST OF MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU, JACKSON.
NEXT ITEM IS THE CHARACTER ED STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL.
SO SINCE WE'RE CELEBRATING THE MONTH OF APRIL TONIGHT AS WELL, THE CHARACTER ED TRAIT IS FOR EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS.
FORGIVENESS IS DEFINED AS TO STOP FEELING ANGER TOWARDS SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG TO STOP BLAMING SOMEONE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL IS MADELINE.
RICARDI A FOURTH GRADER AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY, AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THEIR STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS RED CEDARS SCHOOL COUNSELOR, DR.
GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE RED CEDAR'S FOURTH GRADE STUDENT MADELINE RICARDI.
SHE WAS NOMINATED BY HER PEERS FOR FORGIVENESS, AND HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT HER.
SOME OF US HAD REACHED OUT TO MENTAL ZERO SYSTEM PRINCIPAL ABOUT IDEAS FOR A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY ON ZOOM FOR OUR PRINCIPAL, DR.
CORLEY, MADDIE DID NOT GET BAD WHEN SHE DIDN'T GET ANY CREDIT FOR IT.
EVEN WHEN A COUPLE OF OTHERS WANTED CREDIT,
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SHE IS FORGIVING AND APPRECIATIVE.SHE'S ABLE TO LAUGH AT HERSELF.
SHE ALWAYS MAKES MY DAY BETTER.
SHE ALWAYS BRINGS OTHERS UP AND CARE CARES A LOT AND IS HONEST WITH THEM.
SHE DOESN'T JUDGE OTHERS AND SHE HELPS HER PEERS NOT SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT OTHERS.
HER TEACHERS STATED THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MADELINE HAS BEEN SEEN, INCLUDING OTHER STUDENTS THAT WERE EXCLUDED BY THEIR PEERS.
SHE GIVES A HUNDRED PERCENT IN ACADEMICS AND THE SOCIAL CLIMATE IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.
SHE IS THE KIND OF STUDENT THAT WILL DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SITUATION.
CONGRATULATIONS, MADELINE RICARDI THE NEXT ITEM.
THIS EVENING AND POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS RIVER OF WORDS.
RIVER WORDS IS A COLLECTION OF ART AND POETRY BY BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS, THE COMPLEX ECOLOGY AND PEACEFUL BEAUTY OF THE PORT.
ROYAL SOUND SERVES AS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS ANNUAL COLLECTION TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TAKE THEIR LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND BECOME INSPIRED BY THE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS YEAR'S BOOK HAS 280 WORKS OF ART AND POETRY.
ONE STUDENT'S ARTWORK IS SELECTED FOR THE COVER OF THE PUBLICATION THIS YEAR, H G MCCRACKEN SEVENTH GRADER, UH, HIT SRI CAMACHO CAPTURED THE ESSENCE OF THE LOW COUNTRY HERE TO INTRODUCE OUR WINNING STUDENT.
AND TO TALK MORE ABOUT RIVER AWARDS IS KAREN MCKENZIE, DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING BOARD MEMBERS.
EACH ONE OF YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY AT YOUR, UH, AT YOUR TABLE.
AGAIN, THE BEAUTIFUL BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU IS OUR RIVER OF WORDS FOR THIS YEAR.
IT IS A PARTNERSHIP OF TRUE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, PAT CONWAY CENTER, THE MARITIME CENTER, AND THE COASTAL CAROLINA ART CENTER, ALL PARTNERS FOR US.
UM, AS FAR AS THE BOOK THIS YEAR, THERE ARE 280 STUDENTS REPRESENTED FROM 23 SCHOOLS.
WE TYPICALLY GET AROUND 400 PIECES.
SO IT IS A TOUGH, TOUGH PROCESS.
IT IS PICKED BY AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION.
AND THIS YEAR WHEN THEY CALLED AND SAID, WE HAVE THE RIVER WARDS, OUR PUBLISHER PICKS IT.
THEY SAID, WE KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE COVER.
I SAID, SEND IT TO ME, SEND IT TO ME.
SO I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WELCOMING THAT ARTIST TO YOU TONIGHT.
AND THAT IS A, A RITZY MONICA CAMACHO.
IT MAKES ME HAPPY KNOWING THAT MY ARTWORK IS ON THE COVER AND EXCITED THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO SEE MY HARD WORK.
THE SEVENTH GRADER USED LOTS OF BRIGHT COLORS TO BRING HER ARTWORK TO LIFE.
I USED COLOR PENCIL, AND I CHOSE A BIRD BECAUSE KIND OF REMINDS ME OF LIKE THE COUNTRYSIDE AND STUFF, BOTH SIDES.
AND I WAS LIKE OUTSIDE WHILE LIKE DRAWING IT.
SO LIKE I GOT INSPIRATION FROM LIKE, I LIKE CAN EVERYTHING.
UM, THIS YEAR'S EDITION TO THE RIVER OF WORDS, FEATURES ARTWORK AND POETRY CREATED BY 280 STUDENTS FROM 23 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
ALL THE WORK SUBMITTED WAS INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
MY ARTWORK WAS BASED OFF OF THE CHURCH OF THE CROSS AND OLD TOWN BLOCKED IN, AND I USE COLORED PENCIL AND GRAPHITE PENCIL, AND I WANTED TO DO IT BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE ARCHITECTURE HERE IN BLUFFTON.
[00:30:01]
TYPE AND I WANTED TO DO THE COLOR PART TO REPRESENT THE SCENERY I WANTED TO DO THE BLACK AND WHITE TO REPRESENT THE HISTORY AND THE BLANK PARTS ARE FOR THE MEMORIES THAT ARE MADE.I DREW A MARSH AS SUNSET BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE CULTURE THAT'S IN THE LOW COUNTRY FOR ME.
AND I DID IT WITH COLORED PENS.
THE BOOK IS SPONSORED BY THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION MARITIME CENTER, PAT CONROY, LITERARY CENTER, AND THE ARTS CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA AT HD MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, RON LOPES, BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, THIS EVENING AND POINTS OF CELEBRATIONS IS THE RECOGNITION OF OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
UH, I'M GONNA, UH, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS, TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WE RECOGNIZED TONIGHT WERE SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS, WHICH MAKES THEIR AWARDS EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT, WE SUPPORT EACH OF YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR STUDENTS.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ, UH, THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FOR EACH LOCATION AND THE SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
UH, SO IF YOU'LL, UH, LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THESE WONDERFUL NAMES, THE NAMES OF THESE WONDERFUL EDUCATORS, THE 20 22 23 TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR ARE THE FOLLOWING FOR ADULT EDUCATION.
IT'S PEGGY, DARIAN AND NIKIA AKIN FOR BATTERY CREEK.
HI, IT'S JUSTINE HARDY AND QUINTIN MOULTRIE.
BUFORD ELEMENTARY IS PAIGE GRENNAN AND SHANNON SWITZER AT BUFORD.
HI, IT'S DAWN PEOPLES AND CHRISTINA, ALAN BUFORD, JASPER ACE, OUR ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.
IT'S EDWIN TUCKER AND STEVE, BOTH AT BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'S JORDAN PENDER AND JOHN OMEN AT BUFORD ELEMENTARY IN ECC.
IT'S LAURA BRADLEY AND SHARON ALLEN AT BLUFFTON.
HI, IT'S JOHN MARTINEZ AND CATHY OLSON AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE IT'S KINSEY BUTLER AND DEBBIE ALINA AT BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY.
IT'S TRACY MAXWELL AND ALICIA SHAW KUSA ELEMENTARY AS JENNIFER LYLES AND KIMBERLY FIX AT H MCCRACKEN MIDDLE IT'S KELLY MCMANN AND LISA MCQUEEN GROWTH HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
IT'S THERESA NELSON AND CHRIS
IT'S HELEN ASHTON, AND GAIL OSLAND AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE IT'S DR.
LAVERNE STEWART AND STEPHANIE VANDERPOOL HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS.
IT'S EMILY JEFFORDS AND JUDITH KLAUS AT JOSEPH S SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY.
IT'S KATHY COP'S AND LOUANN JANE AT LADY'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY, ANGELA TIDWELL AND JULIE RIDDLE, AND THAT LADY'S ISLAND MIDDLE IT'S MARTA, MARTA SMITH AND TAMMY SMITH AT MAY RIVER.
HI, IT'S CARRIE KERNS AND MELISSA HOLSEY AT MICHAEL C. RILEY ELEMENTARY.
IT'S VICTORIA COCKRELL AND KEVIN FULTON AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY.
IT'S BECKY SCHLACK, BAB AND JODY, NOR AT OTT ELEMENTARY.
IT'S DIANE WOODS AND KATE LAYTON AT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY.
IT'S KIMBERLY EAST, LOS AND HOLLY MORERE AT PRICHARD VILLE ELEMENTARY.
IT'S ROSEMARY BURCHILL AND JULIE HOUGHTON AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY.
IT'S ANITA GARBAGE CUMMINGS AND MELODY RIGHT AT RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY AT LAUREN
IT'S AMBER REEVES AND RAQUEL HERNANDEZ GOT DENNIS AT ST.
HELENA ELEMENTARY IT'S SHALAN PRESTON AND REBECCA MIKEL AT WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE.
HI, IT'S ROBERT JACK BRYANT AND SHARIKA GREEN AT WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY DAVIS ECC.
IT'S CINDY CROSBY AND SHONDA ROYALS AT WHALE BRANCH, MIDDLE IT'S BLAKELY, FOWLER, AND ANGELA, RIGHT IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
IT'S CAMICO MILLER IN THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
IT'S MYRA TORO AND AT RIGHT CHOICES.
AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE IT'S MELISSA HIBBS OPERATIONS SPECIALIST IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR
[00:35:08]
MR.WELL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATIONS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BAND HAS ARRIVED.
UH, CANDICE, ARE THEY READY TO COME ON IN OR? OKAY.
MR. STEVEN JURY, THE BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, GIFTED TALENTED GRIFFIN MUSICIANS PERFORMING THE BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALMA MATER AND TRY EVERYTHING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MUSIC TEACHER.
AMANDA TRIPPY SO THE, UH, ALL THE WATER WAS WRITTEN INTO FUNDING FROM THE DAC GRANTS, UM, DID THE CMS ARTS PROGRAM GRANT, AND THAT WAS WRITTEN BY OUR STUDENTS.
THEY CONTINUE IT AND, UM, OH, YES.
[00:41:12]
YEAH, YES, YES.MR. SHERMAN JUROR, THAT CONCLUDES PERFORMANCE AND POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING.
NOW, MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[4. Public Comments]
FIRST IS MATTHEW DAILY, MR. CHAIRMAN BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK MY NAME'S MATTHEW DAILY, AND I'M WITH ASSURANCE FINANCIAL MORTGAGE WHERE A NEW LENDER LOCATED ON BAY STREET.AND I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A PROGRAM THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF.
THIS PROGRAM DOES A COUPLE THINGS.
IT PROVIDES $10,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, AND IT ALSO OFFERS A REDUCED RATE.
FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY, IF A TEACHER SIGNED A CONTRACT AND WE RATIFIED A LOAN, A PURCHASE OF $250,000, THEY WOULD RECEIVE $10,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, COMPARED TO WHAT A REGULAR LOAN WOULD BE, THEY WOULD SAVE OVER $35,000 OVER THE TERM OF THE LOAN.
SO IN ESSENCE, THERE'S A $45,000 SAVINGS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND MAKE THE BOARD AWARE OF THAT.
WE CAN UTILIZE THAT PROGRAM IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOAN PROGRAMS, CONVENTIONAL FHA, USDA, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT PERSON, THE TEACHER COULD PURCHASE A HOME AND HAVE VERY LITTLE OR NO MONEY OUT OF POCKET AND RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT ON THEIR LONG-TERM MORTGAGE.
SO ALSO LIKE TO SAY, THIS IS I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL MEETINGS AND THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM TODAY HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS THAT WERE RECOGNIZED.
AND HAVE YOU GUYS ALL A BAG THAT HAS NINE INFORMATION IN THERE AS WELL AS THE MACHINE REGARDING THE APPROPRIATE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING MY RIGHT TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
A STATEMENT RECENTLY ISSUED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO STATUTORY PROVISION EXISTS FOR PARENTS TO OPT THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF STATE ASSESSMENT TESTING.
THE STATE DISTRICTS, THE STATE DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED BY STATE AND FEDERAL LAW TO ADMINISTER ASSESSMENTS TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT GOES ON TO STATE TO ENSURE THAT YOUR DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEADERS ARE CONSISTENTLY COMMUNICATING THAT THE SCHOOL'S OBLIGATION IS TO ADMINISTER TESTS TO ALL STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THAT OBLIGATION.
IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS IN LIEU OF TESTING.
DURING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR MY CHILDREN, I DID NOT CONSENT TO SURVEYS AND STATE ASSESSMENTS.
I CLICKED OUT, CLOSED OUT THE BROWSER AND I LEFT THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.
THE LAST TWO WEEKS I'VE SPENT EMAILING TEACHERS AND STAFF INFORMING THEM OF OUR DECISION TO NOT HAVE OUR KIDS PARTICIPATE IN STATE ASSESSMENTS.
MY CHILD DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE THE STATE ASSESSMENT.
I KNOW THAT IT'S USED FOR, FOR PURPOSES TO, TO GRADE THE SCHOOLS AND HOW THE TEACHERS PERFORM.
BUT WHY IS IT WHEN PARENTS EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS OVER THEIR CHILD? THEY'RE IGNORED.
I ASKED KINDLY THAT MY SON NOT BE PUNISHED FOR A DECISION WE'RE MAKING TOGETHER AND PUNISH
[00:45:01]
HIM AS EXACTLY WHAT WAS DONE BY TELLING HIM HE COULDN'T READ A BOOK THAT HE BROUGHT INTO SCHOOL ON HIS OWN, IN PLACE OF TAKING THE SC READY ASSESSMENT, WHICH ISN'T REQUIRED FOR HIM TO ADVANCE.I'M NOT A TEACHER, BUT THAT, ISN'T WHAT I WOULD CALL AN IDEAL RECOMMENDATION FOR A STUDENT TO NOT READ, ESPECIALLY A BOOK THAT THEY ENJOY.
EVEN IF IT'S A POKEMON BOOK FICTION WITH STORIES ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AND THE BATTLES AND MOVES IN POKEMON.
IN REGARDS TO TEACHER SALARIES, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN TEACHERS ADVOCATED FOR STUDENTS RIGHTS TWO YEARS AGO, THOSE TEACHERS WERE FORCED TO CHANGE LANES OUT OF THEIR CHOSEN PROFESSION.
CAN WE GET THEM BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY CHOSE TO DO, TEACH TEACHING FOR THAT AHA MOMENT TO SEE THE LIGHT BULB GO ON AND THE STUDENTS HAD, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT A SALARY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS, BUT WITH THAT SALARY INCREASE, WE NEED TO CONSIDER GIVING TEACHERS THE NECESSARY TRAINING IN THE ARENA OF A CHILD'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FAIR AND EQUAL EDUCATION AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AMENDMENT AND THE PARENT'S RIGHT TO KNOW ACT.
TEACHERS DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY'RE NOT TRAINED TO ENFORCE NOR MAKE HEALTHCARE DECISIONS FOR A STUDENT IN ABSENCE OF A TRUE EMERGENCY OR CRISIS.
AS A PARENT, I'VE COME TO LEARN.
I DON'T WANT TO TEACH HER TO CROSS.
TEACHERS NEED TO SUPPORT PARENTS RIGHTS.
THAT MEANS WHEN WE SAY NO SERVICE FOR MY CHILD, THAT'S A HARD, NO.
AND TEACHERS RESPECT THAT RIGHT? WHEN WE STAYED NO TO STATE ASSESSMENTS FOR OUR KIDS, THAT MEANS DON'T ASK THEM TO DO A MAKE-UP.
IF THEY WERE PRESENT DURING THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT, I'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I CAN TO SUPPORT MY KIDS' CLASSROOMS WITH SUPPLIES WHEN POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, THE DISTRICT IS CUTTING THE BUDGET ON SUPPLIES, IN AN EFFORT TO PAY TEACHERS MORE.
THAT MEANS PARENTS WILL BE ASKED TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON SUPPLIES FOR THE CLASSROOM, AND IT'S LIKELY TEACHERS MAY SPEND MORE OUT OF POCKET AS WELL.
IF YOU WENT UP, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN THAT BUFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUDGET IS BEING SET TO GIVE TEACHERS A SALARY RACE I'M IN FULL, I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF GIVING TEACHERS OR RACE TEACHERS SPEND MULTIPLE HOURS WITH OUR CHILDREN.
AND THE AMOUNT OF DEDICATION THAT GOES INTO THEIR PROFESSION IS COMMENDABLE.
TEACHERS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY HELP US BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION.
THEY DESERVE BETTER SPECIFICALLY IN OUR AREA WHERE TEACHERS ARE FACED WITH MULTIPLE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND QUALITY OF LIVING, THE EXTRA MONEY THAT THEY CAN EARN, HOPEFULLY WILL HELP THEM TO STAY WITH US.
LUCKILY, HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY AND ALSO STAY WITHIN THE PROFESSION.
IT IS NOT A SECRET THAT MANY TEACHERS ARE LEAVING THE PROFESSION BECAUSE ARE BURNT OUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU AS THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, TO ENSURE THAT TEACHERS CONTINUE TO TEACH, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO OUR CHILDREN TO SERVE 100% OF THE TEACHERS, TIME TO TEACH, TO INSTRUCT, TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE, WHETHER IT'S MATH, HISTORY, SCIENCE, LANGUAGE ARTS, IF TEACHERS WERE ALLOWED TO FOCUS ON TEACHING, I AM SURE THE ACADEMIC RESULTS WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.
UNFORTUNATELY, LATELY TEACHERS HAVE BECOME SURVEY ADMINISTRATORS, STATE ASSESSMENT, PROCTORS, HEALTHCARE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL COACHES, YOU NAME IT.
THEY'RE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME DOING OTHER THINGS.
PLEASE LET THE TEACHERS TEACH.
THAT IS WHAT THEY WENT TO SCHOOL FOR.
IF IT IS WITHIN YOUR REALM OF RESPONSIBILITIES TO ENSURE THEY CONTINUE TO BE TEACHERS, PLEASE DO.
SO IF ALL THESE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES ARE COMING FROM THIS STATE, THEN PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
YOU HAVE THE POWER SHARE WITH THE STATE OFFICIALS, OUR CONCERNS AS PARENTS.
I WANT TO BE CONFIDENT THAT MY KIDS ARE GETTING THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE WITH CONTENT THAT IS AGE APPROPRIATE, WHICH IS FUNDAMENTAL.
AND THEY, AND IT, AND THEY'RE BEING TAUGHT BY TEACHERS THAT ARE HAPPY
[00:50:02]
THAT ARE WELL PAID AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR JOB, WHICH IS TEACHING.I'M THE LEAD SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST FOR THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WANT TO COMMEND THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL JUDGE FOR WORKING TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF HAVING THE HIGHEST TEACHER SALARY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, IF THAT'S THE GOAL FOR TEACHERS, IT SHOULD BE THE GOAL FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST AS WELL.
OBSERVING MULTIPLE DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND FOUND THAT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY COMPENSATED ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST PAYING DISTRICTS.
UM, B FOR COUNTY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST ARE ESSENTIAL TO STUDENT SUCCESS TO PRACTICE AS A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO HOLD A SPECIALIST LEVEL DEGREE AND COMPLETE A FULL TIME SUPERVISED INTERNSHIP.
WE ARE UNIQUELY CO QUALIFIED WITH A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED SKILL SET.
OUR PRIMARY FUNCTION WITH BEAVER COUNTY RIGHT NOW IS TO EVALUATE STUDENTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
UM, BUT DUE TO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF STAFF, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ALLOCATE OUR TIME TO OTHER CAPACITIES THAT WERE TRAINED TO DO SO.
I'M MOVING, WE'RE MOVING FURTHER IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE WE HAVE THE, UM, EXTRA POSITIONS, BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL THEM.
MANY STUDENTS ARE IN DESPERATE NEED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL ASSISTANCE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WE'RE NOT ONLY UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO WE'RE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO NOT ONLY IDENTIFY A SPECIAL RELATED NEEDS SPECIFIC RELATED NEEDS AND COLLABORATE TO CREATE TARGETED PLANS.
BUT IN MANY CASES OFFER DIRECT SERVICES.
IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A HIGH TURNOVER RATE, UM, YOUNG PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HIRE FREQUENTLY LEAVE FOR OTHER HIGHER PAYING DISTRICTS WITH LOWER CASE LOADS.
UM, THIS ISN'T COUNTER-INTUITIVE, UM, AS RETAINING THESE EMPLOYEES WOULD ELIMINATE THE YEARLY NEED FOR ONBOARD TRAINING, WHICH REQUIRES A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THIS TIME COULD BETTER BE SPENT SERVING STUDENTS, UH, WHEN OUR NEW HIRES LEAVE THE DISTRICT, THEY TAKE THE TALENTS THAT THEY GAINED FROM US AND UTILIZE IT IN OTHER PLACES PROPER'S COMPENSATION FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST IS ESSENTIAL TO RECRUIT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY RETAIN OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S A NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND WE'RE LISTED AS A CRITICAL NEEDS AREA FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, BCSD MUST COMPENSATE THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST FOR THE INTENSITY AND VOLUME OF WORK THAT'S REQUIRED AS WELL AS, UM, ASSIST IN THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS.
UM, INCREASE IN SALARY APPEARS TO BE THE CHIEF WAY TO DISSUADE DISSATISFACTION AND ENCOURAGE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST TO STAY THAT'S LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN OF THE DISTRICT HAVE ACCESS TO THE MOST HIGHLY TRAINED AND COMPETENT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO CHOOSE TO WORK AND STAY HERE IN BCSD.
UM, WHEN WILL, UH, GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M SORRY.
UH, WELL, FOURTH GRADE CHINESE TEACHER IN HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UH, WE HAVE A FANTASTIC PROGRAM, DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS IN BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE CHINESE PROGRAM AND SPANISH PROGRAM.
SO I CAME TO THIS, UH, TO HILDA HAD SIX YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR KNOWING WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BUDGET, LIKE FOR TEACHERS RACE.
SO, UH, AT FIRST, I DIDN'T KNOW, OH, WELL WHAT'S THIS BUDGET LIKE, WHAT'S IT GOING ON? SO AFTER MY PRINCIPAL AND FRIENDS AND MY NEIGHBORS HELPED ME EXPLAIN A THAT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE OF BEING A FLOORING NURSE.
I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, UM, WHEN I FIRST YEAR CAME HERE, UM, I HAVE, UH, I HAVE MY DAUGHTER, SHE, UH, WHO IS A THIRD DEGREE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WHEN WE MOVED TO HERE, THE FIRST APARTMENT WE RENTED IS $900 PER MONTH.
AND THE RIGHT NOW WE HAD, WE JUST HAD TWO CHINESE TEACHERS THAT CAME FROM CHINA AND THE MINIMUM RENTING PRICES FOR TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT TO HERE IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS 1000
[00:55:01]
FOR 400.SO FOR THEM, AND FOR US, ESPECIALLY PERSON LIKE JUST CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, NEW IT'S IT'S, UH, LIKE IT'S A BURDEN FOR US, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A KID.
AND ANOTHER, UH, ANOTHER THING I NOTICED IS AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, UH, MY PRINCIPAL, UH, LIKE NORMALLY HAS, OH, WHO'S WHO GOT RETIRED, WHO'S LEAVING, WHO'S STAYING LIKE A BIG STAFF MEETING AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I WAS SURPRISED THAT A LOT OF TEACHERS LEFT THEIR POSITIONS.
AND I TALKED TO ONE OF MY, UH, FORMER COLLEAGUES AND THE, SHE HAD THE, UH, SHE LIKE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THE PLANNING TIME AND THE DISCIPLINE STUDENTS WITH HOMEWORK, WITH OTHER MEETINGS AND THE TRAININGS.
AND, UH, AFTER THE WHOLE YEAR SHE QUIT HER JOB AND SHE SAID, THIS IS NOT WORTH IT BECAUSE SHE FEELS, SHE FEELS TIRED AND SHE DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THE REWARDING PART.
SO I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT, WOW, THAT LIKE TEACHERS POSITION, I NEVER, THIS NEVER HAPPENED THAT I WAS A TEACHER IN CHINA TOO.
SO I WAS SURPRISED AT THAT TEACHER, LIKE JUST TO SPEND ONE YEAR IN THAT POSITION I LEFT.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE, UH, TWO OR THREE JOBS AFTER TEACHING.
AND, UH, LIKE IF WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS HERE AND AFTER LIKE A WHOLE DAY TEACHING, IF WE LIKE GO HOME, WE DON'T WANT TO DO MARY MORAD.
EVENING PROTOCOL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
UM, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I'M HERE ABOUT THE BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT AND COLORS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE DECIDED ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO OR WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO COME TO THE FOREFRONT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR DR.
I WANTED TO KNOW, DID YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON? DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE MASCOT AND THE COLOR CHANGE? I MEAN, YOU, THOSE ARE YOUR SCHOOLS, THESE ARE YOUR SCHOOLS AND BEAUTIFUL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND IF, IF THAT GOT TO THE BOARD AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT THAT'S DISRESPECTFUL, BUT IF YOU DID KNOW, I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT PART DID YOU PLAY A PART IN THAT, OR DID YOU KNOW ABOUT IT AND WHAT DID YOU DO? AND FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, IT IS SO SAD.
I MEAN, I FEEL AWFUL STANDING UP HERE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, COMPARED TO WHAT THESE TEACHERS ARE SAYING, THIS IS MY NEWT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF OR COULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE NOW.
AND UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE, I WILL BE HERE EVERY TIME IT TELLS SOMETHING IS DONE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO UNFAIR AFTER ALL THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
AND I PRAY TO GOD THAT I DON'T HAVE TO STAND UP HERE BEFORE YOU ALL AGAIN ABOUT THIS.
I STAND BEFORE YOU ALL, BECAUSE I SENT YOU AN EMAIL CHAIRMAN, DAVID SCRIPTURE FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN AND GET YOUR BOARD ABOUT THE COLOR CHANGE FOR BUFORD HIGH AND THE MASCOT BACK IN MARCH, YOU MADE A STATEMENT AND I SAID THAT TO YOU TOO.
SO YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, REVIEW WITH YOUR COMMITTEE.
ANOTHER THING I USED TO WORK IN BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, I STARTED, I USED TO SERVE AND I STARTED WORKING IN 2007 AT COOSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL UNTIL 2011.
WHEN I CAME OUT ON DISABILITY, I LOVE WORKING WITH THE KIDS, BUT DURING THE TIME THEY HAD ALREADY CUT THE DAY IS FOR THE CLASSIFIED WORKERS.
BECAUSE ONE TIME THEY USED TO GO TO SCHOOL.
WHEN THE TEACHERS, WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED UP A WEEK, THEY DESERVE EVERY PENNY THAT THEY ASKED FOR.
NOW WE NEED TO PAY THESE TEACHERS.
CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEALING WITH TEACHERS WHO COME TO MAKE MONEY, WHO LOVED THE KIDS AND DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
WE SEND OUR KIDS OUT TO THESE TEACHERS, LOVING SOME.
I HAVE GRANT THAT TEACHERS TREAT THEM, YOU KNOW, NOT GOOD AT THE DAY IS, BUT UNDERSTAND
[01:00:01]
HOW TEACHERS I'VE BEEN A TEACHER ASSISTANT.AND I KNOW HOW CHILDREN HAVE, SO YOU CAN EXPECT THESE TEACHERS TO GO TO SCHOOL AND PLASTIC, PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ON A SALAD.
THEY WANT THE KIDS TO EAT IT EVERY DAY.
YOU HAVE TO BE, IT HAS TO TASTE GOOD TO THEM TOO.
SO I ASKED THAT YOU ALL THINK AND COME TOGETHER AND GIVE THESE TEACHERS AND CLASSIFIED WORKERS SOME MONEY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HARD.
AND THEY'VE BEEN BEGGING SINCE 2007.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED, NO, WE HAVE SOME FUN, YOU KNOW, AS A CITIZEN, YOU'RE HERE, YOU'D BE ON PUBLIC COMMENTS WOULD BE DISTINCT DEPRESSED IN YOUR LAST THREE MINUTES.
MY SON ATTENDS 18 MCCRACKEN SINCE THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MY HUSBAND AND I HAD A MEETING WITH MR.
SKAGGS, A MEETING THAT ALMOST DIDN'T TAKE PLACE BECAUSE MR. MILLIGAN WAS REFUSING TO ALLOW ME TO RECORD THE MEETING UNTIL I SPOKE WITH DR.
WHITE AND ALSO EXPLAINED TO DR.
SKAGGS, WHY MR. MILLAN WAS TRYING TO RESCHEDULE THE MEETING.
WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE MEETING.
SKAGGS NOTICED THAT MY SON HAS AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS.
SKAGGS SAID, WAIT, HER SON HAS AUTISM.
SKAGGS HAD TO TELL HIM MR. MELLON, HE WAS WRONG BECAUSE HE WAS LOOKING AT MY SON'S FILE AND WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT IT.
SKAGGS ADVISED MR. MILLING TO GET AN IEP MEETING SET UP, TO PROVIDE MY SON WITH AN EXTRA COUNSELING TO TEACH HIM HOW TO RESPOND WHEN HE IS BEING BULLIED.
ALSO IN THAT MEETING WAS MS. SWOFFORD, WHO I THOUGHT WAS REALLY GREAT AS SHE WAS MAKING SOME REALLY GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS.
HOWEVER, MY SON HAD BROUGHT UP ANOTHER, UH, KID THAT WAS HARASSING HIM.
SHE TOLD HIM TO, AFTER THE MEETING, SHE WAS GOING TO BRING HIM TO GET BREAKFAST.
AND SHE WAS GOING TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THIS OTHER KID TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE.
WHEN MY SON CAME HOME, I WAS SAYING, HOW GREAT I THOUGHT MISS WALFORD WAS THAT'S WHEN HE INFORMS ME, HE'D DUMPED HIM OFF IN THE CAFETERIA AND NEVER CAME BACK FOR HIM TO THIS DAY.
NOBODY IN THIS SCHOOL HAS EVEN TALKED TO MY SON ABOUT IT.
LAST THURSDAY ON THE BUS RIDE HOME, TWO STUDENTS WERE PUNCHING MY SON IN THE STOMACH AND ELBOWING HIM IN THE CHEST.
THE BUS DRIVER, LET MY SON KNOW SHE WAS GOING TO REPORT IT.
I WAITED FOR A CALL FROM THE SCHOOL AND THAT CALL NEVER CAME ON SATURDAY.
WE TOOK MATTERS INTO OUR OWN HANDS AND FILED A POLICE REPORT WITH THE BOSTON POLICE.
I SPOKE WITH CHAD COX YESTERDAY AND HE ADVISED ME HE WAS HAVING, HE WAS HAVING THE VIDEO FROM THE BUS INCIDENT, PULP.
IT WASN'T UNTIL TODAY THEY CALLED MY SON INTO THE OFFICE TO DISCUSS THE BUS INCIDENT.
PRIOR TO HIS PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
RODRIGUEZ AND MS. GOATS, NEITHER OF YOU RESPONDED TO MY EMAIL, MY HUSBAND CALLED IN DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS AND ALL DO JUST SPLIT THE DR.
RODRIGUEZ AS HE KEPT HIS HEAD DOWN AND HIS LAPTOP IT'S REALLY DISCERNING THAT, NOT A SINGLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, UM, OR THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
I ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT OUR SON BEING BULLIED AND ASSAULTED.
WAIT, ARE YOU ALL GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? ARE YOU WAITING UNTIL SOMETHING REALLY TRAGIC HAPPENS TO OUR CHILDREN, PLEASE ADDRESS THIS.
AND MY TITLE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT'S BEING ASSAULTED IN SCHOOL AND ON THE SCHOOL BUS, THEN THIS NEEDS TO STOP.
MY NAME IS JOSEPH
[01:05:01]
I WANTED TO GET THERE TONIGHT, BUT A KIND OF A LITTLE WAY LATE AT WORK.SO I'M CALLING IN TO BRING UP SOME ISSUES THAT MOST OF WHICH I'VE BROUGHT UP BEFORE THIS SEEM TO BE ONGOING ISSUES, YOU KNOW, UM, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT A SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR, FOR A SECOND.
UM, EXCESSIVE TEACHER ABSENCES, SHORT STAFFING TEACHERS RESIGNING AT AN ALARMING RATE OR AN AGRIFOOD BEING RECORDED IN THE BATHROOMS AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOLS.
UM, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION CONSISTENTLY VIOLATING PARENTAL RIGHTS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATING, BUT ADMINISTRATION CONSTANTLY VIOLATING STUDENT'S RIGHTS, ILLEGAL AND UNLICENSED VACCINATION CLINICS OPERATING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
I HOPE THAT NONE OF THAT SOUNDS LIKE A FUNCTIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ANY OF YOU BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTY.
PRETTY MUCH SINCE I MOVED HERE LAST SUMMER, YOU GUYS SHOULD HONESTLY BE EMBARRASSED AT, AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THE CAUSE OF THIS IS ATTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING IN FRONT OF THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND YOU'VE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BROUGHT THESE THINGS TO YOUR ATTENTION SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE, IN THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
UM, I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION TO THE VACCINE CLINICS THAT WERE SCHEDULED TO BE, UH, TAKE PLACE ON OUR SCHOOL PROPERTY.
UM, THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD CHOSE TO IGNORE THAT, UM, FROM ME AND FROM OTHER PARENTS.
AND YOU JUST CONTINUED TO LET THEM GO ON.
UH, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THAT AND FOUND OUT THAT THOSE, THOSE CLINICS WERE NOT LICENSED TO OPERATE IN COUNTY.
I ALSO BROUGHT THAT BACK TO YOUR ATTENTION, AND I'VE NOT HEARD A WORD ABOUT IT SINCE I BROUGHT THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION, YOU GUYS HAVE LET UNLICENSED VACCINATION CLINICS OPERATE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, AND THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
I ALSO HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT TEACHERS WILL BE TAKING PART IN, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE SESSIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT OUR CIC, OUR T BASED, UH, CRITERIA AND CURRICULUM THAT WILL BE TAUGHT TO THE TEACHERS.
UM, MY ASSUMPTION AND A PRETTY SAFE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THAT INTERN IS GOING TO BE TAUGHT TO OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE TO REMIND THE SCHOOL BOARD, UM, THAT CRT AND ANY CR RELATED MATERIAL IS ILLEGAL IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT WAS IN THE PROVISO THAT WAS PASSED.
AND YET YOU GUYS ARE KNOWINGLY LETTING THIS STUFF COME INTO BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF I, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF, UH, THAT PARENTS AROUND THE COUNTY, AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE COMPLETELY AGAINST THIS POISONOUS MATERIAL.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO TALK TO OUR KIDS AND WE DON'T WANT IT IN OUR SCHOOLS.
SORRY, BUT YOU CAN'T CUT THEM OFF LIKE THAT.
IF YOU CAN SPEAK AS LONG AS WE WANT, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
IT IS TRUE THREE MINUTES, SIR.
I DON'T BELIEVE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST BE QUIET? LET US RUN THE MEETING.
THEN YOU CAN COME UP AND TALK TO US AFTERWARDS.
UM, JIM WAS THE NEXT PERSON THAT WAS CALLING.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, DR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAVE GREATLY BENEFITED FROM ATTENDING THE HILTON HEAD, IB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, THE TEACHERS AND STAFF AND LEADERSHIP THERE HAVE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME AND EFFORT DESPITE ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS THAT THEY'RE PULLED TO MAKE MY GIRLS FEEL LOVED, APPRECIATED, AND VALUED.
WHEN WE RETURNED TO SCHOOL AFTER MY YOUNGEST, AFTER COVID, MY YOUNGEST HAD A TOUGH TIME AND WAS ABLE TO ATTEND A WEEKLY CLASS TO HELP HER.
UM, WITH THE CHANGES AT SCHOOL, BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE OTTERS RISE PROGRAM, WHICH, UM, ALLOWED THEM TO GAIN CONFIDENCE IN MATH.
AND NOW THEY'RE BOTH VERY PROUD OF THEMSELVES.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BUFORD COUNTY FOR 27 YEARS, AND IT'S NOT DIFFICULT TO DO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH
[01:10:01]
AND FIND OUT THAT BUFORD COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST COST OF LIVING COMPARED TO OTHERS IN THE STATE.YET THESE SCHOOL SALARIES REMAIN IN THE 53RD PERCENTILE.
WE ARE ALREADY IN A STAFFING SHORTAGE AS EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS HERE IN OUR COUNTY.
SO I ENCOURAGED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO INCREASE THE BASE SALARY AMOUNT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF IN ORDER TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND ATTRACT TOP TALENT.
UM, TEACHERS AND STAFF MUST SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME AS MENTIONED EARLIER, BY WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, UM, INCREASING THEIR WAGES COULD ALLOW THEM TO INSTEAD FOCUS ON EDUCATING OUR YOUTH.
OUR COUNTY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THIS TOP TALENT THAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND ACTION SHADED ALRIGHT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HARD NOT TO RESPOND TO THIS PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT WE CAN'T BUY POLICY.
I HAVE NOTHING ACTUALLY TO REPORT A SIGNIFICANCE OF COMMITTEE REPORTS, AD HOC JOINT,
[6. Committee Reports]
NORTHERN NORTH OF BRAUN AND BLUFFTON GROWTH.I BELIEVE THAT MEETING WAS CANCELED AND RESCHEDULED.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REPORT BRIEFLY ON THE CONTENTS OF THE MEETING, UH, THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON MAY FOUR, DURING THAT MEETING, WE HAD A PRESENTATION, UH, UM, THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS. ONE WAS A R I S FOUR, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE CALENDAR AR IS THAT, UM, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT WAS CHANGED IN THAT AR OR THE WORDS, UH, THESE WORDS THAT WERE ADDED, UM, ELECTION DAYS IN NOVEMBER OF EACH, EVEN NUMBER DAYS THAT WERE ADDED IN THERE TO SPECIFY THAT WE WOULD NOT SCHEDULE SCHOOL ON THOSE DAYS, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, THIS AR HAS BEEN PLACED IN BOARD DOCS, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT IT.
THE OTHER PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD, WHICH IS ALSO IN BOARD DOCS WAS, UM, REGARDING OUR MEDIAS SERVICE, UH, SERVICES, OUR LIBRARIAN SERVICES.
UM, IT SEEMS THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG A LITTLE BIT AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS NOW PREFER TO BE CALLED LIBRARIANS AGAIN.
AND THAT REPORT IS ALSO IN BOARD DOCS.
AND THE THIRD THING THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT DR.
STRATOSE WILL BE PRESENTING IN DETAIL, UM, DURING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND THAT'S TEXTBOOK ADOPTION.
SO THERE ARE SOME STATE ADOPTED TEXTBOOKS THAT, UM, WILL BE PRESENTED TONIGHT THAT SHE WILL GO OVER IT.
I DO WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT THE PROCESS FOR, UH, STAFF TO LOOK AT THE TEXTBOOKS FOR PARENTS TO LOOK AT THE STEP, THE TEXTBOOKS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LOOK AT THE TEXTBOOKS WAS, UM, FOLLOWED.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN JUNE, UM, THE DATE TO BE DETERMINED.
WE'VE, UH, HAVE NOT FALLEN ON THAT DATE YET.
UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE, COLONEL GUY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON THE 10TH OF MAY.
WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF BRIEFINGS.
WE RECEIVED A THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT FROM, UH, MR. REGGIE MURPHY.
UH, WE'VE HAD THEY ADDRESSED ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD.
THE BOTTOM LINE ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE THIRD QUARTER IS THAT WE ARE ON TARGET FOR EXPENDITURES AND FOR REVENUE.
WE THEN SPENT SOME TIME ON THE MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE EXEMPTIONS, UH, MRS. YANG MILLER REPRESENTED THE COMMITTEE WITH AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE 2020 SCHOOL DISTRICT MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE.
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DOCUMENT INCLUDED A SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE PROCUREMENT CODE.
THE SUMMARY INCLUDED THE RECOMMENDED TIMELINE OF MAY 17TH THAT'S TODAY.
THE CODE GOES BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A SECOND READING AND BOARD VOTES FOR THE FINAL ADOPTION OF THE 2020 SCHOOL DISTRICT MODEL CODE EXEMPTIONS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR ADOPTION, AND THAT WILL OCCUR AS A SEPARATE MOTION.
I'M PREPARED TO GIVE THAT MOTION AT THE END OF THIS REPORT, UH, MRS. INGLER OFFICER PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS, THE 2021 MODEL SCHOOL PROCUREMENT CODE AND PR PROPOSED PROCUREMENT EXEMPTION WITH REFERENCES TO STATE EXEMPTIONS
[01:15:01]
WITH THE NOTES BOTTOM LINE FOR THIS EFFORT, OUR PROCUREMENT CODE IS ONLINE WITH THE STATE PROCUREMENT CODE, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING MOTIONS.I MOVED THAT THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPTED SC 2020 MODEL SCHOOL DISTRICT PROCUREMENT CODE.
SECOND, WE HAVE A LOT OF SECONDS THERE.
I THINK ANGELA MIDDLETON WAS FIRST ON THE SECOND KIND OF AN OXYMORON.
AND FIRST ON THE SECOND, OKAY.
DISCUSSION MR. SMITH, BASICALLY IN ACCEPTING THIS CODE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE JUST UPDATING OUR CODES TO THE STATE STANDARDS CODE.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS FROM THE SECOND MOTION.
I MOVED THAT BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THAT BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PROCUREMENT CODE EXEMPTIONS AS PRESENTED SECOND, DR.
ROD SECOND DISCUSSION MR. SMITH.
AND WHEN I WAS EXEMPTIONS, WHAT ARE THOSE EXAMPLES? THERE'S QUITE A FEW EXCEPTIONS.
UH, BUT ALL THE EXEMPTIONS ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE THOSE EXEMPTIONS.
SO THEREFORE, ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE JUST UPDATING TO THE STATE.
WE JUST UPDATED TO THE STATE OF EXEMPTION.
UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. SMITH.
UH, THE EXEMPTIONS, UM, WILL APPLY FOR THE STATE EXEMPTIONS AND THE CURRENT EXEMPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CURRENT PROCUREMENT CODE WILL CARRY THOSE FORWARD AS WELL.
BECAUSE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE REQUIRE SOME EXEMPTIONS THAT THE STATE WOULD NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT STATE AGENCIES OR ENTITY WITH WHICH, WHICH EXEMPTIONS THAT WE WILL BE, WHICH ONE'S THAT, WHICH ONES THAT WEEK, THAT WE CARE THAT THE STATE DOING THAT CARRIES, LET'S SEE HEPATITIS B AND OTHER VACCINES, UM, GOODS AND SERVICES THAT MAY BE PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, PAYMENTS OF TAXES.
SO SECURITY ANNUITIES AND CREDIT UNIONS, THAT CONTRACTUAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, WHICH THOSE ARE THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH HELPS US BETTER SOURCE GOODS AND SERVICES AS ONE ENTITY KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH A COOPERATIVE EVALUATION SERVICES AND THE EX, UM, EXPENSIVE VISITING COMMITTEES, SUCH AS THOSE COMING DOWN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, LET'S SEE TRAINING MATERIALS, SECURITY, OR PREPARED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES, HOMEBOUND SERVICES AND HOME VISITS INSTRUCTION PROVIDED BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS, INTERPRETERS, INTERPRETER SERVICES, TUTORS, EMPLOYMENTS, UH, SOURCING SERVICES, REFUNDS OF HEALTH INSURANCE, EARNEST MONEY'S BID SECURITIES, OR OTHER FUNDS TEMPORARILY ENTRUSTED TO THE DISTRICT, LEASING OF PUBLIC PARKING, LOTS LECTURE HALLS AND THEATERS ARENAS, OR ATHLETIC FACILITIES.
UM, AND THEN TRAVEL SUCH AS MEAL ALLOWANCES, WHICH ARE ALSO SET BY THE STATE WITH PER DIEM HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THOSE TRAVELING FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, AIRLINE CAR RENTALS, BUS TRAINS, AND TAXIS, AND, UM, ANY GOODS AND SERVICES OF CONFIDENTIAL, SENSITIVE NATURE THAT WOULD CAUSE INJURY TO STUDENT STAFF OR DISTRICT IF PROCURED THROUGH PUBLIC SOLICITATION.
THOSE ARE ALL THE ONES THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY A STATE EXEMPTION, BUT ARE CURRENTLY USED BY BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OUR CURRENT GOOD.
BUT THEY ARE NOT PROHIBITED BY STATE LAW.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSE YOUR HANDS SO FAST WITH NO, I DID NOT SAY I'M JUST GOING TO, UH, I'M JUST GOING TO ABSTAIN FOR RIGHT NOW.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ON THAT ONE.
THAT CONCLUDES THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT.
WE HAVE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
THE CHAIR IS 30,000 FEET OVER HOUSTON RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, GOING TO HER DAUGHTER'S GRADUATION.
SO WHO, WHO CAN REPORT ON THAT IS FIDRYCH.
UM, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 11TH AND WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL THINGS.
[01:20:01]
UM, THEY ALWAYS 16, THE FOIL FIRST QUARTER MONITORING REPORT.AND WE, UM, AGREED TO HAVE THAT SENT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALSO IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THERE IS A DRAFT LETTER THAT, UH, I WILL BRING FORWARD A MOTION WHERE THAT, UH, TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD PARTNER TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON BY ALLOWING A WATER QUALITY INFILTRATION DEVICE IN AN EXISTING SCHOOL PARKING LOT.
UM, IT BASICALLY, IT'S A, UM, A WIN-WIN SITUATION WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THAT THIS FLOODING THAT OCCURS IN THOSE SCHOOLS PARKING LOT WOULD BE MITIGATED.
SO MR. ADINA WAS HERE AND HE CAN ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT WILL I, WHAT I WILL BE ASKING THE BOARD TONIGHT IS FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS DRAFT LETTER THAT IS INCLUDED IN EVERYONE'S PACKET.
SO, UM, MR.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.
SO, UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THIS DEVICE IS REALLY? SO IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD THE TERM, A RAIN GARDEN, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE A LARGE SWALE AREA, UM, WHERE THE SOIL IS VERY PENETRABLE AND SO WATER WILL PENETRATE INTO THE GROUNDWATER VERY QUICKLY AND THEY'LL VEGETATE IT AND IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK MC RILEY PARKING LOT.
SO IF YOU'RE BACK THERE WHERE THE POOL IS, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, IT FLOODS OFTEN.
SO THAT FLOODING AREA IN THE PARKING LOT WILL BE DIRECTED INTO THIS LOW LYING AREA AND THE WATER WILL INFILTRATE INTO THE GROUND AND THEY'LL DECORATE IT WITH LANDSCAPING.
SO BASICALLY THIS LETTER, THIS DRAFT LETTER IS SO THAT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON CAN APPLY FOR A GRANT.
AND SO WE ARE ASKED, THEY'RE ASKING IF WE COULD BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ACTIVITY AND THEY'LL SUBMIT THIS LETTER WITH THAT APPLICATION FOR A THREE 19 GRANT.
MAYBE WE SHOULD ADD TO THAT LETTER.
AND WE HOPE THEY WILL IN TURN SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
UM, LET ME THINK OF MR. SMITH.
UM, IS THERE, UH, IS THERE ANY, UM, LAB OR TO THE DISTRICT AND PUTTING THIS IN, ON THE PROPERTY ON THIS PROPERTY AND WHO'S OVERSEEING AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? SO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON WILL TAKE ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING AND KEEPING UP WITH THE, UH, UH, WE'LL CALL IT A RAIN GARDEN.
IT WILL BE LOCATED ON OUR PROPERTY.
SO ANYTHING ON OUR PROPERTY OF COURSE WOULD HAVE SOME LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UH, DO WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING THAT THEY WILL BE TOTAL RESPONSIBLE IS WHAT WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING BEFORE SENDING THEM THE LETTER OVER.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE WOULD HAVE THAT IN WRITING, BUT NOT AT THIS TIME.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING AT THIS TIME IS WE SUPPORT THEIR EFFORT TO GET THE GRANT.
IF THEY GET THE GRANT, THEN THEY WILL DESIGN IT.
AND AT THAT TIME WE WOULD NEGOTIATE ANY KIND OF EASEMENTS OR ANYTHING ON OUR PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE NOT TO THE STAGE YET OF FORMING ANY KIND OF AGREEMENT.
THEY'RE JUST ASKING IF WE'RE SAYING IT'S OKAY FOR THEM TO GO ASK FOR MONEY.
AND WOULD THAT BEING SAID, THEN ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THEN YOU WILL BRING THAT BACK BEFORE THE BOARDS WILL BRING IT BACK BEFORE THE BOARD AND WHEREVER WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
I JUST WANNA GET THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND TO THAT, I'D LIKE TO READ THIS DRAFT LETTER INTO THE RECORD, JUST SO THAT THOSE LISTENING KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT JUST SAYS, DEAR MR. RYBACK, ON BEHALF OF BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR SHARED CONCERN REGARDING WATER QUALITY OF THE MAY RIVER AND OFFER OUR SUPPORT FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ON A SECTION THREE 19 GRANT FUNDED PROJECT KNOWN AS PRITCHARD STREET DRAINAGE AND WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THE TOWN DESCRIBED PROPOSED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A RAIN GARDEN TO INCLUDE SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS, DRAINAGE, STORM, WATER, RUNOFF CAPTURE, AND TREATMENT ALONG PRITCHARD STREET, BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDERSTANDS THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO IMPROVE OVERALL DRAINAGE AS WELL AS IMPROVE WATER QUALITY OF STORM WATER RUNOFF.
SO THIS IS THE DRAFT LETTER, AND I THINK MR. ROD EXPLAINED THAT IS REALLY JUST A FIRST STEP TO PROCURE THE SECTION THREE 19 GRANT.
SO I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE DRAFT LETTER REGARDING THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON APPLICATION FOR THE SECTION THREE
[01:25:01]
19 GRANT DONALD SECOND, AND DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.NEXT THING IS THAT WE DID START TO HAVE A LITTLE INTRODUCTION TO OUR 8% PROJECT.
UM, LAST WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AT NOON TIME WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DELVE DEEPER INTO THIS 8% PROJECT.
SO IT WILL BE AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE IF ANYONE CARES TO JOIN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, A CONSTRUCTION UPDATE, I'M ASSUMING MR. CORBIN IS ONLINE OR YOU MR. HARDING, I WILL BE FILLING IN.
IF YOU COULD GIVE US THAT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
SO JUST TO START, WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FIRST OFF THAT IT'S BEEN MORE THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC STRUCK AND MULTIPLE IMPACTS ARE STILL BEING EXPERIENCED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DEFINITELY SEEING THE UNPRESS ZED AND PRECEDENTED INCREASES IN MATERIAL COSTS, SUPPLY CHAIN, DISRUPTION, AND INCREASING TIGHT LABOR MARKETS.
UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADJUST TO THESE CHALLENGES.
UH, PROJECT MANAGERS CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH DESIGNERS AND CONTRACTORS TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR THESE CHALLENGES WHILE KEEPING SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR PROJECTS.
SO, UH, ROBIN, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE PRESENTATION, UM, AND THEN WE'LL START WITH SLIDE FIVE.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE THREE YELLOW TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT APPEAR IN THIS MONTH UPDATE.
ONCE HE GETS IT UP THERE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START TALKING ABOUT SLIDE FIVE IS BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WE HAVE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY HAS SOME SCHEDULE CONCERNS DUE TO MATERIAL DELAYS.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE EIGHT, WHICH IS ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME SCHEDULE CONCERNS DUE TO MATERIAL DELAYS IN THIS, UH, SITUATION RIGHT NOW IT'S ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR.
UM, WE'VE REPORTED THAT PREVIOUSLY.
AND OF COURSE, UM, WITHOUT THE ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR, WE CAN'T, UH, FIRE UP AND TEST AIR CONDITIONING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IF YOU GO ON TO SLIDE 27, WE ACTUALLY REPORTED TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT, UH, WE HAD BUDGET CONCERNS.
AND AS WE REPORTED, WE WOULD BE BRINGING, UM, THAT, UH, GMP TO THE BOARD TONIGHT, WHICH WE DID.
AND YOU WERE APPROVED EARLIER THIS EVENING.
SO THAT PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD.
IF YOU'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE 69 AND 70, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE CLOSEOUT PROJECTS.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK ON THE 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, THERE ARE TWO REMAINING F Y 2018 COMMITMENTS, SIX F Y 2019 AND SIX F Y 20.
UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO CLOSE THOSE OUT ON PAGE 69.
I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE REFERENDUM PROJECTS WITH SEVEN PROJECT CLOSE OUTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
AND THEN WE HAVE SIX WITH TRAFFIC LIGHTS THAT ARE RIGHT THERE AT THE FINISH LINE.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARD TO PUSH THEM ACROSS, UH, HOPEFULLY BY NEXT TIME TO HAVE THOSE REMOVED.
UH, WE CONTINUED TO ADDRESS THESE ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH THE PROJECT MANAGERS.
UM, IF YOU'D FLIP OVER TO THE EXPENDITURES, IF YOU'LL MOVE DOWN TO THE FINANCIAL, THERE YOU GO ONE MORE OR TILL YOU GET TO THE CHART ROBIN, AND JUST THE THING TO NOTICE ON, UH, THE EXPENDITURES TO DATE.
UM, AS OF APRIL 30TH, 2022, RECOGNIZING THIS WAS DONE FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, WITH THE APRIL REPORT BEING THE LAST, UH, CLUE THAT THOSE LAST FINANCIAL REPORT THAT WE HAVE, IT TOTALED 1 MILLION 22, 990 $1,100 THAT HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE.
AND IF WE'D GO TO THE END TO COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, WE REPORTED THAT APRIL 28TH.
UH, WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING
[01:30:01]
AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS.AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING ON MAY 12TH, UH, WITH HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AT THAT TIME WE WERE REPORTING IT'S TO OCCUR THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED.
THAT WENT VERY WELL AND WAS A VERY WELL ATTENDED.
AND THEN THIS MORNING WE HAD OUR LAST MEETING, UH, THAT WE HELD WITH OUR MOST RECENT MEETING THAT WE HELD WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND STAFF TO GO OVER THE PROPOSED REBUILD PROJECT FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
WE WILL THEN HAVE ANOTHER MEETING ON THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, UH, AT SIX O'CLOCK WITH THE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL SIC TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE PROPOSED REBUILD FOR HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND CHAIRMAN THAT CONCLUDES MY, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT.
THAT MOVES US TO SUPERINTENDENTS
[7. Superintendent's Report]
REPORT.THE FIRST ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT AROUND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS ON TEXTBOOKS TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS.
MS. STRADDLES IS GOING TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS AND THE COMMITTEES.
UH, THERE IS, UH, PUBLIC INPUT ON TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS.
UH, WE, WE COMMUNICATE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC, WITH THE PARENTS, WITH THE TEACHERS SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN WEIGH IN ON THE POTENTIAL TEXTBOOKS THAT THE STATE, UH, IS PUTTING FORTH WITH RESPECT TO, UH, THE ADOPTION PROCESS, THE TEXTBOOK ADOPTION PROCESS STRATUS.
CHAIRMAN STRIP INJURE AND BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION IS BRINGING FORWARD A TEXTBOOK ADOPTION PRESENTATION FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
THIS IS A FORMAL ADOPTION THAT DIFFERS FROM THE PRIOR SPECIAL ADOPTION THAT YOU APPROVED IN MID NOVEMBER.
AT THAT TIME, THE STATE WAS ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED IN A SERIES OF TEXTBOOK ADOPTION CYCLES.
AS I HAD SHARED WITH YOU WAS ABOUT 11 YEARS WITH SOME OF THOSE, UM, AREAS TONIGHT'S TEXTBOOK PRESENTATION AND ADOPTION REQUESTS IS WITHIN SOUTH CAROLINA TEXTBOOK CYCLE GUIDELINES.
AND THE PROCESS IS ALIGNED WITH SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULATION, 43 DASH SEVEN ZERO AND BCSD ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION.
THIS TEXTBOOK ADOPTION CYCLE STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2021 IN WHAT IS REFERRED TO BY THE STATE AS THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS CARAVAN.
PART OF THIS CARAVAN INCLUDES PUBLIC NOTICE FOR REVIEW AND INPUT ON INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITHIN THE ADOPTION CYCLE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND EDUCATORS WERE PROVIDED NOTIFICATION OF THIS PROCESS THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, STATE WEBSITES, AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH DIRECTLY TO OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS REVIEW PROCESS CONTINUED THROUGH JANUARY INTO MID FEBRUARY LOCATIONS FOR TEXTBOOK REVIEW CONSISTED, CONSISTED OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN COLUMBIA.
AND OUR LOCAL REVIEW SITE WAS A UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BUFORD TO SHARE.
AFTER THE REVIEW CYCLE IS COMPLETED.
SCHOOL SITES VOTE UPON THEIR TEXTBOOK SCHOOL TEXTBOOK 0.0 CONTEXT AND PROVIDE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE STACY CLEVELAND WITH THEIR SCHOOL RESULTS.
THIS EVENING, I BRING FORWARD OUR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY DIRECTORS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ROBERT FLOWERS AND KAREN MCGILL KINSEY WHO WILL SHARE THE PRESENTATION FROM THE MAY 4TH, 2022 ACADEMIC COMMITTEE, MS. MCKINSEY AND MR. FLOWERS, PLEASE.
SO TO START OFF WITH THE OVERVIEW, IT'S IMPORTANT IN THE TEXTBOOKS ARE STANDARDS DRIVEN BASED ON THE STANDARDS AS THEY WERE REVIEWED BY THE STATE.
WE'VE ENSURED THAT THEY'VE BEEN MODERNIZED AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, THEY THEY'VE BEEN ALIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT WE DELIVER THE INSTRUCTION OUT THERE AND VETTED THROUGH THE STATE AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND ONCE YOU ADOPT THE TEXTBOOKS, ANY ADDITIONAL TEXTBOOKS THAT HAVE TO BE PURCHASED, WE'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE THEM THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CYCLE, UM, BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN PRE-APPROVED.
SO JUST KNOW THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR THIS ADOPTION CYCLE, UM, WE WILL JUST BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE AS THE TEXTBOOKS ARE NEEDED.
[01:35:01]
I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH REALLY QUICKLY ON THE REGULATION, BECAUSE I THINK DR.STRATUS DID A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
THAT DOES COME IN FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WITH A LIST OF THOSE BOOKS, TOPICS, AND TITLES AND PUBLISHERS THAT IS SENT OUT TO ALL SCHOOLS BY STACY CLEVELAND, ALONG WITH THE VERIFICATION FORM, TEACHERS ARE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY.
IF THEY'RE TEACHING THAT SUBJECT TO VOTE, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO REVIEW THOSE, THOSE LINKS ARE PROVIDED AND ALL THE LOCATIONS THAT DR.
STRATUS JUST SAID, AS WELL AS SENT OUT BY OUR OFFICE.
UM, PUBLIC REVIEW IS ALSO THIS YEAR.
IT WAS HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BUFORD ON OUR BLUFFTON CAMPUS.
THE DISTRICT TEXTBOOK, UM, COORDINATOR MAINTAINS THOSE RECORDS.
ONCE THEY COME BACK IN, WE COMPILE THEM AND WE DEVELOP A DISTRICT CONSENSUS.
SO FOR THIS CYCLE OF ADOPTION, THE TEXTBOOKS THAT ARE UP FOR ADOPTION WOULD BE YOUR ECONOMICS AND FINANCE FOR GRADES NINE THROUGH 12 HUMAN GEOGRAPHY AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT, MACRO ECONOMICS AND MICRO ECONOMICS FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCIENCE GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT AND SOCIAL STUDY GRADES K TWO AND SIX ARE WHAT THE STATE'S DOING FOR THIS ADOPTION RIGHT NOW.
SO FOR SOCIAL STUDIES, WE BRING FORWARD THE APPROVAL OF THE K2, MY WORLD THROUGH SAVVIS LEARNING COMPANY, FORMERLY PEARSON, AND THEN IN SCIENCE FOR GRADES K FIVE, THE SAVVIS LEARNING COMPANY, UM, THEIR SOUTH CAROLINA ELEVATE SCIENCE PROGRAM.
WE ALSO BRING FORWARD GRADE SIX WORLD HISTORY.
THAT IS THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SENGAGE SIRI WORLD HISTORY.
WE ALSO BRING FORWARD GRADE SIX THROUGH EIGHT SAVVIS LEARNING COMPANY, SOUTH CAROLINA, ELEVATE SCIENCE, SECONDARY TITLES FOR NINE 12 THAT WE BRING FORWARD FOR APPROVAL.
OUR HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, SAVVIS LEARNING COMPANY, CONTEMPORARY HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, FOURTH EDITION, AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, HUMAN GEOGRAPHY FOR AP AND THAT'S BY BEDFORD FRIEDMAN AND WORTH PSYCHOLOGY THINKING PSYCHOLOGY FOURTH EDITION BY BLAIR BROKER EARNEST, ECONOMIC AND PERSONAL FINANCE, UNDERSTANDING ECONOMICS, MCGRAW HILL MICRO ECONOMICS, MACRO ECONOMICS, AP THAT IS CRUDE MINTZ ECONOMICS FOR THE AP COURSE.
OUR NEXT STEPS IS THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TEXTBOOK COORDINATOR IS GOING TO FORWARD AT YOUR APPROVAL.
OUR TEXTBOOK SOLU SELECTIONS TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THOSE TEXTBOOKS WILL THEN BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO PRE-ORDER SO THAT WE WILL HAVE THEM AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY.
AND THAT IS PENDING FUNDING FROM TEXTBOOKS SELECTIONS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT AT THIS TIME.
DO ANY OF THESE TEXTBOOKS, EVEN OLD BLEAKLY MENTIONED CRC.
SO IF I'M TO UNDERSTAND THAT CRT STANDS FOR CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THAT, OUR TEXTBOOKS ARE ALIGNED WITH STATE STANDARDS.
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A VETTING PROCESS THROUGH THE STATE.
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A SECONDARY VETTING PROCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, AND EDUCATORS.
SO TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE STATE WHO, WHO ACTUALLY HASN'T LEGISLATION, WE ARE A TEACH TO STANDARDS.
OKAY, MR. KRA, MR. CAMPBELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO S I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE TONIGHT IT WAS MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE CALLERS TALK ABOUT CRT BEING TARGETED ON SCHOOL.
AND ONCE THAT GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S GOING TO KEEP ROLLING AND ROLLING AND ROLLING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE LIE.
SO MR. CAMPBELL, I, I HAVE TO SAY FROM MYSELF AS A PROFESSIONAL, BUT ALSO AS A PERSON, THANK YOU FOR THAT STATEMENT.
UM, WE APPRECIATE, WE STAY VERY MUCH ALIGNED TO WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES.
AND IN ADDITION, NONE OF THE TRAINING THAT WE DO WITH OUR TEACHERS, OR EVEN IN THE SUMMER FOR A SUMMER INSTITUTE, WHICH HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS, THAT'S NOT A NEW THING.
IT PAUSED DURING COVID, BUT, UH, BUT NONE OF THAT TRAINING IS CRT TRAINING.
UH, SO TO BE, TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT, UH, AND EVEN, UH, UH, UH, THE VACCINE CLINICS FOR MIAMI USC, THOSE ARE ALSO BY THE WAY, A STATE LICENSED, WHICH TRUMPS COUNTY
[01:40:01]
LICENSE.RIGHT? SO FOR CLARITY, THANK YOU.
WE CAN'T RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT WE CAN BE CLEVER.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER.
SO DO WE NEED A MOTION? IT'S UNDER BUSINESS ACTION.
BEN, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, AS TANYA MAKE SURE WAY FORWARD UNDER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, OUR, OUR TRADITIONAL, UH, MONTHLY TRANSPARENCY REPORT, MONTHLY A HUNDRED K REPORT BOARD, MONTHLY BUDGET, AND AN ESTHER UPDATE, WHICH WE ALWAYS COVER IN THIS MEETING OF THE, IN THE SECOND MEETING OF THE MONTH.
UM, TYPICALLY I JUST OPEN UP THIS, UH, AREA FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON EITHER THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT, THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR REPORT, OR THE WARD MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT.
UH, MS. CROSBY, ARE THESE REPORTS BROUGHT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE PRIOR TO THEM COMING TO US? NO, MA'AM, THEY'RE NOT.
UM, THE TIMING IS SUCH THAT, UH, IT DOESN'T QUITE ALLOW ALIGN WITH THE DATE OF THE REPORT.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO, SO WE DECIDED TO BRING THEM FULLY TO THE, TO THE, UH, BOARD.
UM, AND, UH, DENISE MATTSON IS HERE THIS EVENING DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL REVENUE, AND SHE WILL PRESENT, UH, THIS MONTH'S ESTER UPDATE FOR YOU.
UM, WE HAVE, AGAIN, THE MONTHLY UPDATE FOR OUR S OUR GRANTS.
UH, WE HAVE THREE OF THOSE THAT ARE STILL IN, IN, UM, EFFECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
WE HAVE, UM, THE CARES ONE, WHICH IS ASTRO ONE, AND, UM, WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT, UM, LEFT IN THERE.
AND, UM, WE'VE ONLY HAVE IT SETTING IN PPE AND A LITTLE BIT IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAD ONE PRIVATE SCHOOL PURCHASED THE LAST $1,400 THAT THEY HAD.
UM, AND ONE OTHER IS SITTING WITH STILL A BALANCE.
SO WE'LL WAIT TILL, UM, THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THEN WE'LL PULL THAT BACK UP.
WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND, UM, AMEND THIS ONE SO THAT WE WILL HAVE AN EXPAND THOSE AREAS IN SOME APPROVED SOFTWARE PURCHASES ALREADY SO THAT WE CAN FINISH THIS OFF THIS SUMMER AND NOT HAVE THIS ONE.
IT ENDS IN SEPTEMBER, UH, FOR US, UM,
WE STILL HAVE LOW OVER 13,000, UH, 13 MILLION, UM, TO EXPAND OUR LARGEST AMOUNT.
THIS MONTH WAS IN LITERACY SUPPLIES AND IN OUR TUTORING PROGRAMS AND AFTER SCHOOL, AS WELL AS WE'VE BEGUN SUMMER LEARNING.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING READY FOR ALL THE SUMMER SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS. UM, SO THOSE ARE THE EXPENDITURES THERE FOR SR TWO AND THEN SR THREE, UM, WE'VE SPENT $143,000 STILL HAVE 41 MILLION LEFT THERE.
UM, WE'RE STILL NOW STARTING TO MOVE INTO THREE, UM, W BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE ARE CONTINUATION OF OUR, UM, EXPENDITURES THERE.
SO A TOTAL OF A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION WAS SPENT IN APRIL AND AS SIR.
UM, AND TANYA AND I WERE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE THIS, UM, THIS MORNING AND DID A QUICK PROJECTION REPORT THROUGH DECEMBER OF NEXT, UM, OF 2022, WHERE, UM, FOR ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE SET, WE EXPECT TO SPEND $20 MILLION BY DECEMBER OF 2022, AND THEN WOULD, UM, LEAVE US WITH ANOTHER, UH, TWO YEARS OF $33 MILLION.
UM, EACH OF THOSE ARE ALREADY, UH, IN CERTAIN ACTIVITIES, BUT, UM, WE TALKED THAT WE'RE AT 33% OUT OF A THREE-YEAR GRANT, AND WE HAVE, UM, FELT LIKE THAT WAS A, A GOOD EXPENDITURE.
THIS WAS ANOTHER, UM, AREA WE HAD ALMOST $27 MILLION SPENT OUT OF ASUR IN ONE YEAR.
[01:45:01]
HAD ASTRO TWO AND THREE FOR ONE YEAR.AND SO WE'VE SPENT $27 MILLION IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS MR. SHRIM, ANDREW, THIS, UH, CONCLUDES THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.
I HAVE SOME, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS TO MAKE AROUND, UH, ATHLETICS, WHICH I'LL I'LL HOLD THAT AND DO THAT LATER DURING THE ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION OF THE BOARD MEETING.
THAT MOVES THE ZONE THEN TO BOARD BUSINESS
[8. Board Business Action]
ACTION, 2020 TO 2023 BUDGETS CERTIFICATION.MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVED TO THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND THE AMOUNT OF $298,133,593 WITH AN OPERATION MILLAGE RATE OF 125.6 MILS.
SECOND CAMEL, SECOND DISCUSSION IT'S FEBRUARY.
UM, MS. CROSBY, WE HAD A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BUDGET A LITTLE BIT AGO, AND, UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE FOR YOU, FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO EXPLAIN AGAIN, THAT WE CAN CERTIFY THIS BUDGET AND WE CAN SAY, THIS IS WE WANT TO PROVIDE FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT IS NOT UP TO US.
WE DON'T MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
SO EVERYONE THAT SPOKE TONIGHT AND AS YOU KNOW, WE, 100% WANT THIS TO PASS, BUT WE NEED EVERYBODY TO TALK TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND SAY, PASS THOSE BUDGET SO OUR TEACHERS CAN GET A RAISE.
SO COULD YOU QUICKLY JUST EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS AGAIN FOR ALL INVOLVED? SURE.
SO, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED, UH, BY COUNTY ORDINANCE TO, UM, PASS OUR BUDGET APPROVE AND CERTIFY OUR BUDGET GENERAL FUND AND OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET AS WELL.
AND THEN OUR OPERATING BUDGET MUST GO TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND BE APPROVED IN THREE READINGS, UH, AND PASSED IN AND WRITTEN IN ORDINANCE.
UM, TWO OF THE THREE READINGS, UH, INCLUDE A PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S REQUIRED.
SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, AT A, AT A CERTAIN TIME DURING THE COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR, UM, PUBLIC MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ACTUALLY SPEAK TO COUNCIL, UH, REGARDING OUR BUDGET.
UM, AND SO INSTEAD OF PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING, WHICH IS TRADITIONALLY DONE, THERE IS A SET TIME FOR THAT TO OCCUR.
SO THE, UH, LAST EVENING WE HAD A, UH, NO, IT WAS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, ACTUALLY TWO O'CLOCK YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WAS OUR FIRST, UH, CONVERSATION WITH COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, THERE WERE TWO, IT WAS IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, TWO COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT, UH, THE REST VIRTUALLY, UH, AND, UH, NOT ALL MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST, UH, PRESENTATION WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE WITH COUNTY COUNCIL.
UM, THERE WERE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS.
IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND, UM, A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, ECONOMIC INFORMATION PRIOR TO OUR MEETING, UM, UH, OR OUR PRESENTATION, THERE WERE FIREFIGHTERS, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME STRUGGLES THAT WE'RE FACING, UH, OUR ECONOMY, THE, THE INFLATION FUEL PRICES, LABOR SHORTAGES, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE BEING REFLECTED AND MANY OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE POSITIONS.
AND, UM, AND SO THOSE WERE ACTUALLY MENTIONED, UM, MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE WE EVEN HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SAY THE SAME THING, ACTUALLY.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY COMMON THEME, UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW IT'S A STRUGGLE FOR ALL AND MANY ARE ASKING FOR, FOR LARGE PAY INCREASES FOR STAFF TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN A, AND THEN F TRYING TO FIND UNIQUE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR EMPLOYEES AS WELL THROUGH OTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, UM, IT WAS VERY GOOD, UH, MEETING AND, UH, VERY POSITIVE.
AND, UM, WE ARE READY TO RETURN ON MONDAY AT IT.
THE FIRST MEETING IS AT BURTON WELLS RECREATION CENTER AT SIX O'CLOCK ON MONDAY, FIRST READING, THE SECOND WILL BE ON JUNE 13TH.
AND THAT ONE IS TYPICALLY A CRITICAL POINT AT THAT POINT.
I BELIEVE THE, THERE CAN BE NO MAJOR CHANGES,
[01:50:01]
UH, IN THE, IN THE MOTION OR THE, UH, THE BUDGET AT THAT POINT.AND SO A THIRD AND FINAL READING BY MONDAY, JUNE 27TH.
SO THE FIRST AND SECOND MEETINGS TO ME ARE THE MOST CRITICAL FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN SPEAKING.
AND, UH, WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ATTEND TO DO SO.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE BUDGET FORUM MEETING MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD THIS PAST WEEK, UM, NORTH OF THE BROAD AND SOUTH ABROAD, THEY WERE VERY INFORMATIVE.
THE POWERPOINT THAT YOU PRESENTED IS IT UP ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ASK ACCESS IT? UM, I TYPICALLY REPORT IT TO THE BOARD FIRST, AND THEN AS SOON AS I GET BACK THE NEXT MORNING WE HAD POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO WE'LL DO THAT TOMORROW MORNING.
BECAUSE A COUPLE OF CONSTITUENTS THAT ATTENDED ASKED, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU AGAIN, YOU ALL, YOU'VE DONE ONE FOR, THANK YOU.
UM, JUST WANT TO MENTION ONE NOTE ON THE FORUM.
UM, WE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE, AND WE HAD MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT STRIDES THIS YEAR AND THAT FEEDBACK, BUT WE KNOW WE CAN DO EVEN BETTER NEXT YEAR.
UM, BUT DUE TO ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE BOARD ON DOING SOME PUBLIC FORUMS, WE DID TWO LIVE PUBLIC FORUMS. WE GOT A TOTAL OF ABOUT 50 PARTICIPANTS.
UH, BUT THEN, UH, WE INSTITUTED THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, UH, INSTITUTED BCSD CONNECTED THIS YEAR.
IT'S AN IT'S, IT'S A FORUM THAT'S ATTACHED TO OUR WEBSITE.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON THAT FORUM WAS FOR THE BUDGET.
AND SO WE PLACED OUR PRESENTATION, OUR LATEST PRESENTATION OUT THERE.
UH, WE ASKED THE TWO S THE SAME TWO QUESTIONS ON THE, AT THAT WEBSITE THAT WE DID IN OUR, IN OUR LIVE FORUMS. AND WE'VE GOTTEN 636 VIEWS, UH, ON THAT, UH, SECTION OF THE, OF THE SITE, UH, SINCE JUST PUTTING IT UP JUST, UH, SEVERAL DAYS AGO.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, WITH THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD ABOUT 250 VIEWS ON OUR LIVE, UH, UH, YOUTUBE VIDEO LAST YEAR.
SO OUR GOAL WAS TO DOUBLE THAT WE'VE ALMOST TRIPLED THAT.
SO IT'S VERY EXCITING THAT WE STILL, WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON THAT.
AND WE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK.
UM, MANY OF THE THINGS ARE BEING ADDRESSED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, THERE WERE SOME NEW ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP THAT WE DEFINITELY PLAN TO, UM, CONSIDER AND TRY TO WORK WITH, UH, AND WORK TO ADDRESS.
AND THEN SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'RE ALREADY ADDRESSING WITH OUR, UH, SR FUNDS THAT MS. MATTSON JUST MENTIONED.
SO, UM, GREAT FEEDBACK, AND IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL AND VERY EYEOPENING FOR ALL OF US COLONEL CRIME.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST, THE GENERAL FUND IS WHAT IS USED TO BUY THE FUEL FOR THE BUSES PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE IN OUR, IN OUR SCHOOLS, UH, PAY FOR THE LIGHTS AND POWER AND PAY FOR EVERY SALARY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS THAT THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
I, AFTER THAT MOTION, I HAVE EMOTION FOR THE DEBT SERVICE, WHICH I'LL MAKE A BRIEF EXPLANATION.
I LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M ENCOURAGED WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS BUDGET.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC A LOT MORE ON HOW, YOU KNOW, WE GET THE FUNDING FOR, FOR SCHOOL BUDGET AND THE PROCESS AND THE LIMITATIONS, BECAUSE I THINK MOST FOLKS BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AT OUR DISPOSAL AS BOARD MEMBERS.
I THINK THE EDUCATION HAS TO BE PRESENTED WITH FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WERE LIMITED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
I TEST THAT THE COUNTY WHERE THE BUCK STOPS AT THE COUNTY, WHERE WE PRESENT WHAT THE STATE METHOD OF ALLOCATING FUNDS AND, UH, THE LEVERAGE THAT THEY ALLOW FOR EDUCATION.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF, OF HOW WE ARRIVE AT OUR BUDGET AND PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BOARD CAN TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY IN CREATING A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATION ON HOW IT'S DONE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE COME HERE OVER RECENT 10 YEARS, DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF, OF THAT BUDGETING PROCESS AND THE HISTORY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE ALL IMPACTUAL AND WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
AND I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING IT A LOT LESS CONTENTIOUS ON OUR PART IN TERMS OF EDUCATORS
[01:55:01]
AND OTHERS URGING US TO DO WHAT IN REALITY, WE CAN'T DO.UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE.
WHO'S WATCHING EVERYONE WHO CAME TONIGHT TO ATTEND, UH, THESE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UM, I DID WANT TO STATE THAT ON MAY 23RD.
MOST OF US SITTING HERE WILL BE AT A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
THAT'S ONE OF THE DUTIES THAT I THINK WE ALL TAKE WITH GREAT HONOR TO ATTEND THE GRADUATIONS OF OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS.
SO WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO, I SAY, WE, THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ATTENDING A GRADUATION CEREMONY THAT EVENING.
SO BECAUSE WE'RE NOT NET THERE DOESN'T MEAN OR NOT ADVOCATING FOR THIS BUDGET.
I MEAN, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO SAY BEFORE.
UM, WE, WE NEED PEOPLE TO SHOW UP ON MAY 23RD.
I THINK, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS AND A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, UH, MR. CAMPBELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IS SPOT ON ABOUT THE, UH, FUNDING AND FUNDING FORMULA OF SQUAT.
I, FOR EXAMPLE, CAME HERE FROM FLORIDA FUNDING.
SCHOOL FUNDING IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT HERE THAN IT IS IN FLORIDA, AND WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE IN A UNIQUE, UH, SITUATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH RESPECT TO SCHOOL FUNDING.
SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, UH, AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
THE BUDGET FORUMS WERE, WERE, UH, VERY INSIGHTFUL.
WE GOT SOME GOOD INFORMATION FROM, UH, FROM PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY, UH, THE INFORMATION ON BCSD CONNECTED, UH, AND THOSE COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL.
UM, BUT I WANNA, I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH ONE THOUGHT BEFORE YOU GO AHEAD AND, AND TAKE YOUR VOTE.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL TODAY FROM, UM, SORRY, JOE, FROM JOE MCCANNON, WHO IS OUR CHIEF RECRUITER, RIGHT? IF YOU WILL, FOR, FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, AND IN THAT EMAIL, UH, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY SOMETHING THAT SHE RECEIVED FROM A POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE, UH, FROM ONE THAT SHE WAS RECRUITING AND TRYING TO BRING ON BOARD.
AND THEN IT, SHE WAS VERY POLITE, VERY COURTEOUS, VERY PROFESSIONAL, UH, AND THIS OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE CLEARLY, BUT VERY NICELY SAID THAT WITH THE EXISTING SALARIES THAT WE OFFER, SHE JUST COULDN'T MAKE IT WORK.
AND SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, WHICH IS WHY OUR BOARD HAS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE ABOUT PUTTING THIS AS A PRIORITY AND AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE DO.
WE SHARED THAT MESSAGE WITH COUNTY COUNCIL ABOUT THE CHALLENGES ABOUT RECRUITING MR. MCKENNON, LET THE MEMBERS IN THAT COMMITTEE KNOW THAT IT IS A CRISIS IN EDUCATION, AROUND RECRUITING, UH, EDUCATORS.
AND SO, UH, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I KNOW YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WITH THIS AND CERTIFYING THIS, BUT I, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, MR. SMITH, UH, QUICK QUESTION DESCRIBED ALSO IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, HOW DO WE TAKE YOUR RETIREES? BECAUSE THAT'S A QUESTION I'VE HAD A LOT OF RETIREES OVER THE LAST COURSE OF A WEEK, OR SO HAS BEEN ASKING ME RETIREES THAT ARE BACK WORKING IN THE DISTRICT, YOUR RETIREE TEACHERS AS WELL, RETIRED TEACHERS.
UM, IN THE, IF THEY'RE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SAME INCREASES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR ALL FULL-TIME, UH, TEACHERS, IF THEY'RE WORKING IN A TEACHER CAPACITY, UM, IF THEY'RE WORKING IN A CLASSIFIED OR ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE, THOSE THAT APPLY TO THAT GROUP.
UM, SO IF THEY'RE PART-TIME, UH, THESE COMPENSATION INCREASES, UH, ARE FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND, UH, WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO THEM.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO KNOW THE EXACT SITUATION.
UM, I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS IN ORDER TO REALLY ADDRESS WHAT, UH, EXACTLY, UM, SORT OF HOW THIS BUDGET MAY BENEFIT THAT INDIVIDUAL, BUT INSTANT WHEN WE, WHEN WE READ OR WE, WHEN WE HAVE A RETIRED RE TEACHERS COME IN AND WORK, UH, IN TERMS OF BONUSES, HOW DO THEY QUALIFY FOR THE BONUSES? BECAUSE I W WHAT, WHAT ONE OF THEM WANTED TO TELL ME WAS THAT THE BONUSES THAT WE GAVE OUT, THAT THEY WERE THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE RETIREE THAT I BELIEVED THAT, THAT WHAT SHE WAS SAYING WAS THAT SHE WAS NOT IN LINE BECAUSE SHE WAS A RETIRED TEACHER NOT TO GET THAT.
OUR BONUSES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED SO FAR HAVE BEEN FOR FULL-TIME ACTIVE FULL-TIME
[02:00:01]
EMPLOYEES.SO THEN WE WOULD, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT, EVEN IF THEY CAME, THEY CAME BACK.
WE WERE REALLY LOOKING, UM, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, ANY PART-TIME EMPLOYEES ARE VERY VALUABLE TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, THE POSITIONS THAT ARE MOST CRITICAL ARE, ARE SOME THAT ARE, MANY OF THEM ARE FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND WOULD NEED TO BE FILLED FOR AN ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT, UM, SUPPLEMENT.
BUT SHE CAME BACK AS A RETIREE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THEN SHE WOULD, SHE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT, OR NO, NO, NO.
AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.
IF THEY ARE A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, THEY MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE RETENTION OR RECRUITING BONUS.
I'D HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THAT PARTICULAR.
AND WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SAYING IS SHE STARTED THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THEN SHE WOULD OBVIOUSLY BUILD MR. SMITH, MR. SMITH, HERE.
THIS IS A REAL SPECIFIC EXAMPLE THAT YOU HAVE, MAYBE YOU COULD SEND IT IN AN EMAIL AND GET A SPECIFIC ANSWER.
WELL, I MEAN, LOADING ON HIS BUDGET, I MEAN, MY QUESTION IS GOING INTO THIS ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR RETIREES? AS MUCH AS WE SAY THAT WE NEED THEM RETIREES TO COME BACK OUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR BRIGHTEST AND EXPERIENCED TEACHERS, THEN, YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THEM AND HIS BUDGET? AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE ASKED HIM ME TO VOTE ON THIS BUDGET TONIGHT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CLARIFICATION.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TOUCHED MY HEART THAT SAYS BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, OF THIS BUDGET, UH, DR.
RODRIGUEZ FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, THE, THE, THE RETENTION BONUSES THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, THAT WAS A SEPARATE MOTION THAT THE BOARD DID, THAT IS NOT PART OF THE BUDGET, RIGHT? SO, SO THIS IS ABOUT CERTIFICATION OF THE BUDGET, BUT NOT, UH, NOT THOSE RETENTION BONUSES IS BOARD ALREADY APPROVED THOSE RETENTION BONUSES.
RIGHT? SO IF WE, IF, IF YOU WANT, WE CAN, WE CAN CONNECT WITH YOU, UH, AND, AND, AND SHARE WITH YOU, UH, ELIGIBILITY FOR THOSE BONUSES.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, RIGHT.
SO-SO THE MOTOR SAYS, I MEAN, SO WHAT, WHAT, WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TO BE CLEAR RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST THE BONUSES FOR, I MEAN, THE, UH, THE SALARY FOR TEACHERS, NOT ASSISTANTS OR ANYTHING ELSE, IT'S, IT'S THE WHOLE, NO, SIR.
THERE ARE, I INCREASES FOR, UH, TEACHERS CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONALS, ALL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN THIS BUDGET.
SO I GET THAT PART, BUT THAT IS THE, THAT IS WHY I'M ASKING THESE, THE, THE, THESE QUESTIONS, UH, BECAUSE TO ME, THESE QUESTIONS, UH, ALIGN IN TERMS OF, UH, AND, AND TO, IN TERMS OF THEM BEING SUPPORTIVE TOWARDS OUR STAFF OR THEM COMING AND COMING AND BEING, AND BEING STAFF.
ALL RIGHT, THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER MOTION COLONEL GUY.
WELL, WE HAVE NOW ASKED THE BUDGET TO PAY OUR FOLKS, PAY THE BILLS, AND NOW WE HAVE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE AND THAT'S THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
UH, WE BORROW, UH, THROUGH BOND ISSUE, THE MONIES TO FUND A REFERENDUM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND OUR 8% BORROWING EVERY, EVERY YEAR.
THEREFORE I MOVED AT THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR, 20, 20, 20 23 DEBT SERVICE FUND BUDGET, AND THE AMOUNT OF $81,084,495 WITH AN OPERATIONS MILLAGE RATE OF 36.3 MILS, DARK RODS.
I THINK YOU WANT TO SAY THAT SURFACE MILLAGE, YOU JUST SAID OPERATING MILLAGE, SORRY.
SERVICE, DEBT, SERVICE FUND BUDGET.
DID YOU HAVE AN OPERATION WITH A DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE RATE THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I JUST LIKE TO SAY, OH, I JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE IS NO INCREASE IN THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE, NOWHERE.
THAT'S JUST, UM, SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO MENTION AS WELL.
THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE IN THE, IN THE MILLAGE RATE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN APPROVE AND WE DO NOT NEED COUNTY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL FOR THIS RATE.
[02:05:01]
THAT IS CORRECT.UH, TH THIS, UH, MILLAGE RATE WILL ALSO BE SHOWN IN THE SAME ORDINANCE AS THE OPERATIONS MILLAGE, BUT THERE'S NO, UH, CONVERSATION OR DELIBERATION AND ON THAT TOPIC.
SO, UM, MS. CUSHING BARRY, UP ON THE SCREEN THERE, IT HAS TO SAY WITH A BET SURFACE MILLAGE, YOU GOT TO RE STRIKE OPERATIONS.
I HAD PUT THE WRONG LANGUAGE IN THERE IN THE MOTION.
UM, THE WORD OPERATIONS ON THE YEP.
AND OPERATES WITHOUT IT'S FINE.
UH, IF ROBIN, IF YOU MIGHT, UM, THE FIRST WORD MILLAGE UNDER THE WORD MOTION, THE BUDGET.
YEAH, A QUESTION, I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING 81 MILLION, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD GET THE WORDING, RIGHT? YEAH.
YESTERDAY EXACTLY HOW THEY WOULD COME UP WITH THIS THREE POINT, I MEAN, 36.3%.
UM, IN THERE'S BEEN A CASHFLOW REPORT THAT WE WE'VE SEEN BROUGHT TO THE BOARD TWICE, ONCE WAS IN, ON OUR DEBT PRESENTATION BACK IN MARCH.
AND IT WAS A CASH FLOW ANALYSIS.
UH, IT WAS BROUGHT, UH, IS IN THE HANDOUT LAST WEEK AS WELL, THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO REFER BACK TO, TO BACK IT UP REAL QUICK FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
UM, SO THEY, THEY ALL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
SO KIDS, SO CAN YOU, UH, EDUCATE THEM AS WELL? NOT JUST ME IN PARTICULAR.
UM, SO DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE IS THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS ON OUR BONDS THAT ARE ISSUED IN ORDER FOR, TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS, RENOVATIONS, AND OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR PROVIDED US A CASHFLOW ANALYSIS OF AN 18 MONTH PERIOD, UH, FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND, UH, THIS WOULD, THAT WOULD COVER THE FISCAL YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS INTO DECEMBER OF THE FALL OF THAT FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO THESE FUNDS WILL COVER PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UH, AND AS WELL AS THOSE SIX ADDITIONAL MONTHS TO FALL THROUGH WHEN THERE ARE NO TAX REVENUES IN THE FALL OF EACH YEAR, SO THAT THERE IS A SCHEDULE THAT WAS PROVIDED.
IT SPELLS OUT EVERY BOND, UH, EVERY BOND THAT IS OUTSTANDING IN THE DISTRICT AND THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS TOTAL TO THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT.
HI, POSED I'LL BE ABSTAINING MR. SMITH, ABSTAINS.
OUR NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE TEXTBOOK ADOPTION WE'VE HAD, HAD EXPLAINED TO US ALREADY AND HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS NOT, I SAID THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS
[02:10:01]
IS TEXTBOOK ADOPTION, WHICH WE'VE HAD EXPLAINED EARLIER.SO I MOVED THAT THE BUREAU, UH, BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE PROPOSED TEXTBOOKS OF THE PROPOSED TEXTBOOK ADOPTION SELECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULATION, 43 70, AND BCSD ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION.
I S 36 AS PRESENTED AT THE MAY 17TH, 2022 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING AT NO COST TO THE DISTRICT AND UPON AVAILABILITY OF STATE FUNDING, CAMPBELL SECONDS.
DO YOU HAVE ALL THAT ROBYN? OH, SAY AFTER WE AGONIZED OVER THE TWO SENTENCE ONE, I WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE HAVE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION REQUEST FOR 20 22, 20 23 LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS ON ANY CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION.
THIS IS, THIS IS A TO DO ITEM.
UM, AND I THINK WE WERE ALL TASKED WITH TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS.
IF WE'RE IN FACT, WE WANTED TO MAKE CHANGES.
UM, I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANY CHANGES, BUT I DID.
UM, I, I DO THINK THERE ARE, UM, THINGS OF GREAT INTEREST TO US IN THESE PROPOSALS.
ONE IS THE EDUCATION FUNDING REFORM.
I THINK THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO SUPPORT THAT THE WAY THAT EDUCATION IS FUNDED IN OUR STATE.
UM, AND UNDER THAT IS THAT, UH, IT WOULD GRANT ALL ELECTED SCHOOL BOARDS, FULL FISCAL AUTHORITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD, UM, IS ALSO A PORTION OF THE, UH, THAT DEALS WITH IMPACT FEES THAT SUPPORTS IMPACT FEES.
UM, AGAIN, A SECTION THAT WE'VE BROUGHT UP FOR THE LAST, FOR EVERY YEAR I'VE BEEN ON HERE AS THE SCHOOL START DATE.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD TO THAT IN THIS DAY, UH, MOST RECENTLY DUE TO THE COVID THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS PROPOSAL.
SO TO ME, THOSE WERE THE, THE, UH, THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WERE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, UH, STRINGER.
SO I ASKED FOR THIS TO BE ON THE AGENDA SINCE I'M THE CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
AND I'LL JUST GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND THANK YOU, KATHY, FOR YOUR INPUT.
SO TONIGHT IN, IN THE, IN YOUR PACKET, UH, THE TWO MAIN DOCUMENTS ARE THE 2022 S SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTIONS.
AND THESE ARE THE RESOLUTIONS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION PLANS TO BRING FORWARD TO THE ANNUAL ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS IN DECEMBER AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS BELONGS TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
AND SO WE WILL HAVE DELEGATES THAT, GO TO THAT ASSEMBLY AND WE'LL VOTE ON THESE RESOLUTIONS, WHETHER, UH, WE'VE WE AGREE OR WANT TO ALTER THEM, OR DON'T AGREE WITH THEM.
SO EACH, UM, AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT IS THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.
SO EACH SPRING, THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION ASKS US, DO WE WANT TO PROMOTE, DOES OUR BOARD WANT TO BRING FORTH ANY ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTIONS THAT ULTIMATELY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION HAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY, THEY AGREE AND WANT TO BRING THAT FORWARD TO THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY IN DECEMBER.
AND THEN IF THE, THE DELEGATES APPROVE
[02:15:01]
IT, IT THEN GOES INTO THE, UH, THE ADVOCACY, UH, RESOLUTIONS THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 2023.SO IN PREPARATION FOR TONIGHT, I REACHED OUT TO OUR LOBBYISTS LYNN STOKES, MARIE, AND, YOU KNOW, ASKED FOR HER INPUT BECAUSE SHE HELPED US LAST YEAR.
I THINK TWO YEARS AGO, WE DID, UM, EXPANSION OF BROADBAND STATEWIDE.
WE SUPPORTED THAT, AND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ULTIMATELY UNANIMOUSLY PIE, THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY, AND WENT ON.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT'S NOW, UM, ADVOCATED BY THE, BY THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.
SO THE TWO AREAS SHE THOUGHT THAT PROBABLY, UH, WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED, WOULD BE THE FUNDING FORMULA, BUT THAT HASN'T, UH, TOTALLY, UH, BEEN DETERMINED AS OF THIS DATE.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO RECONVENE IN JUNE THE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE SECOND THING SHE MENTIONED WHERE THE, UH, ALTERNATE ALTERNATIVES TO TEACHER CERTIFICATION, BUT, UH, ANOTHER, UM, IN DISCUSSION ACTUALLY WITH DR.
RODRIGUEZ, HE BROUGHT FORTH, I THINK ARE A GREAT, UM, SUGGESTION THAT ALSO, UH, I KNOW SOME OF US HAD DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, AND THAT IS IN LINE WITH THE, UH, ALTERNATIVE TO TEACHER CERTIFICATION IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT, IS HELD TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN OUR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR, UM, HIRING TEACHER CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
THE, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS CAN HAVE 25% OF THEIR STAFF AS NON-CERTIFIED YET.
WE ARE NOT GRANTED THAT SAME, UH, LEEWAY, AND YET WE'RE COMPETING FOR THE SAME TEACHERS.
SO I REALLY THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD, UM, BRING FORTH AS A SEPARATE RESOLUTION THAT IS NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS BOOKLET.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WILL MEET, UM, TO, I GUESS, DO THE WORDSMITHING, BUT I DIDN'T THINK WE SHOULD GO DOWN THAT PATH IF THE BOARD DOESN'T AGREE WITH THAT.
IF THE BOARD IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE THE, THAT WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION I WOULD RECOMMEND SEPARATE FROM THIS BOOKLET.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND NEITHER DID LYNN STOKES, MARIE, REGARDING THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD.
I THINK THE BOARD IS EXPRESSED A COUPLE OF TIMES IT'S SUPPORT ON, ON THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS.
SO I, I THINK IT'S PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE TO WEAR.
LET'S JUST SAY, IS, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO, TO BRINGING THAT FORWARD BECAUSE IF THERE'S AN OBJECTION SPEAK NOW, PLEASE OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE.
SO, UM, WE WILL BRING THAT FORWARD AT THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE IT, UH, WORDSMITH AND VOTED THEN ULTIMATELY THAT WE DO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN JUNE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS JUNE 7TH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, UM, PRESENT IT, UH, SEND IT IN WRITING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION BY JUNE 13TH.
SO OUR TIME IS LIMITED, BUT, UM, THANK YOU.
THE OTHER QUESTION DOWN HERE, DO WE, UM, CAN WE ADD ANOTHER RESOLUTION TO THAT? WE CAN DO THE ACTUAL, YOUR COMMITTED MEETING.
SO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR ANOTHER ONE.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S THE PROBLEM WITH TEACHER SHORTAGE TEACHER SHORTAGE.
UM, WE SHOULD DO LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN GEORGIA, BRINGING BACK RETIREES, LET THEM DRAW THEIR FULL RETIREMENT AND THEIR FULL SALARY UM, SO I'M, I'M, I DON'T, I'M PROBABLY NOT QUALIFIED TO RESPOND TO WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, EARL, SO THAT WOULD BE ON PAGE EIGHT IN THIS BOOKLET HERE.
AND IF YOU CAN SEE UNDER RETIRED TEACHER SALARY CAP, IT DOES SAY THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS OR STATE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS THE ELIMINATION OF THE SALARY CAP FOR RETIRED CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
SO I THINK THAT'S ALREADY SAYING WHAT YOU ARE ADVOCATING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
YES, MR. SMITH, BUT AT THAT MEETING, THAT MEETING WILL BE OPEN TO TAKE MORE SUGGESTIONS, CORRECT.
[02:20:01]
JUST IN CASE SOMETHING WAS NOT SOUGHT TONIGHT OR THOUGHT OF AT THAT MEETING, IT WILL BE OPEN TO ANY, ANY MORE EMOTIONS.CORRECT? I DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ALL THE, ALL THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN.
JUST, JUST TO JUST ASK FOR POINT CLARIFICATION, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
IT TAKES US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA,
[9. Consent Agenda]
DR.WE APPROVE THE ITEMS UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT THE FORTIES.
THINKING OVER HERE AND TO REGARD REGARDING THE FOYER, UM, THERE WAS SOME, THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS, THAT WAS NOT WEIGHING A BORDER.
MA'AM UH, IF SOMETHING, TO BE TALKED ABOUT THAT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I BELIEVE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA PRIOR TO THE VOTE TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
[10. Future Agenda Topics]
THE TOPICS MR. SMITH, UPDATING THE, I NOTICED IN ME UPDATING OF THE WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT, UH, FROM THAT DAY THAT GOES BACK TO WHEN THEY WERE ON THE ORIGINAL WEBSITE THAT IS MISSING AND IN VIDEOS.AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS? AND I RE I, WE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SAVE ALL THE INFORMATION IN THE VIDEOS FROM THE OLD WEBSITE TO THE NEW WEBSITE.
[11. Announcements]
DOC.UH, MR. STRIVEN
SO IF YOU WILL, UH, BUFORD MIDDLE GRIFFINS WERE UNDEFEATED AND WON THE LOW COUNTRY ATHLETIC LEAGUE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE GRIFFINS AVERAGE SCORE WAS 34 TO 180 MCCRACKEN, MIDDLE SCHOOL, BOYS BASKETBALL PLAY SECOND IN THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL PLAY.
SECOND IN THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP, WRESTLING, SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL, ALL WON THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS, HILTON HEAD, MIDDLE HILTON, HEAD ISLAND, MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS WON SIX CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS YEAR, BOYS AND GIRLS, BASKETBALL, BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD AND BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY, VOLLEYBALL TEAM RECOGNIZED AS THE LOW COUNTRY ATHLETIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, MIDDLE SCHOOL WRESTLER, VIVIAN ARRIOLA PLACED THIRD AT HIGH SCHOOL STATE WRESTLING MEET ROBERT SMALLS, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, BOYS TRACK BOYS TRACK TEAM PLAYS SECOND AT THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP.
GIRLS TRACK TEAM TOOK FOURTH PLACE AT THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP.
SEVENTH GRADER, ISAIAH BRANDON LEE WRESTLED WITH BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL JV AND TOOK SECOND AT REGIONAL.
AND THE BOYS BASKETBALL REACHED THE FINAL FOUR BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL COUNTY RUNNERS UP AND GIRLS BASKETBALL AS WELL.
GIRLS AND BOYS SOCCER COUNTY RUNNERS UP AND FIONA ROGERS, GIRLS WRESTLING, STATE QUALIFIER.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND OUR ATHLETES.
YEAH, THAT TAKES US TO THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[12. Public Comments]
UH, MR. FITZ MCCANN VERY MUCH.I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO HOME.
AND SO DO I, AND SO DOES MY WIFE, JILL, UM, WITH REGARD TO WHAT MELVIN CAMPBELL SAID ABOUT GETTING EVERYBODY OUT TO SUPPORT THIS AT AS MANY MEETINGS AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER TO DO THAT IF THERE WAS A GOOD DEAL, MORE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE SITUATION THAT YOU'RE IN AND THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE IN, UM, IT USED TO BE IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS THAT THE ISLAND PACKET AND THE BUFORD GAZETTE WOULD HAVE HAD TWO REPORTERS HERE, ONE FOR EACH PAPER.
I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY HERE
[02:25:01]
TONIGHT.SO THIS CRISIS THAT WE'RE FACING HAS GOTTEN VERY LITTLE ATTENTION AND THE PUBLIC PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE OF IT IS VERY LIMITED.
MY SUGGESTION IS IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE IT AND YOU MAY HAVE AN I IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT I MISSED IT, THAT OP-ED PIECES BE WRITTEN AND SENT TO THE ISLAND PACKET, WHICH WILL ALSO GET IN THE BUFORD CASSETTE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PAPERS NOW THAT, UH, PRESENTATIONS BE MADE IF POSSIBLE, ON W H I RADIO STATIONS, ANY PLACE YOU CAN GO TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THIS SITUATION, THE SAME PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, THAT AREN'T AWARE OF.
IT WILL BE THE ONES ASKING A YEAR FROM NOW, WHY DOES MY CHILD HAVE IT? WHEN I WAS MY CHILD IN A CLASSROOM WITH 29 OR 30 OTHER STUDENTS, INSTEAD OF THE 22 THAT I EXPECTED, WELL, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS THE COUNTY COUNCIL PASSES THIS BUDGET.
AND THE ONLY WAY IT'S GOING TO GET PASSED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL IS FOR PRESSURE TO BE BROUGHT TO BEAR.
I WISH YOU LUCK AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
I THINK THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVEN'T MOVED TO ADJOURN SECOND OR THIRD OR FOURTH BENEFIT.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO, ON DEMAND.
GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM BELLIS CALL TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL WHEN THE DOG OR CAT IS ADOPTED FROM THE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER IN MICROCHIP CAN BE IMPLANTED IN THE ANIMAL, IDENTIFYING ITS OWNER.
THE COST IS $20 IN ADDITION TO AN ADOPTION FEE OF $80, WHICH INCLUDES SPAYING OR NEUTERING AND VACCINATIONS, A MICROCHIP PET MAY BE RECLAIMED BY THE OWNER OR A FEE.
I MESSAGED FROM BUFORD COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AND CONTROL.
THE SHELTER IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO ACCEPT DONATIONS OF ALL BLANKETS, ELLS, OR PET TOYS.