Jun 07, 2022 Board of Education

WATTS, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING TWO PENDING CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 34 70 TO RECEIVE INFORMATION RELATED TO DESERT SECURITY PLANS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA, CODY ON SECTION 34 20.

SEE WHAT MATTER REGARDING PERSONNEL GRATIFICATION REPORT.

SO WE WENT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE AND HANDLES SECTION 34 78, 1 DID ADULT EDUCATION HOMESCHOOL REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANIMAL SECTION 34 48 FOR DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT.

IT WAS MODULAR CLASSROOM LOCATION AT PRITCHARD HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AMENDMENT NUMBER 21, AND BE CON CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANAL, SECTION 34 78 TO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT PO'S WELL-BRANDED DRONE CALL TRAINING SCHOOL PHASE ONE, SAFETY SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THEN THE NUMBER ONE TO CHARLES PERIOD PARTNERS INCORPORATED CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA COLONIAL SECTION 34 72, AND FINALLY DISCUSSION ON NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, HVAC UPGRADE AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTERIOR WALL REPAIRS, AND THEN NUMBER 12 TO TOPS AND TURNER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE AND SECTION 34 78 2.

IS THERE A SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH BOMBSHELL, WHO WILL BE ADVISING US IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND PROMAT PURSUANT TO THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE, OUR CLIENT ATTORNEY, CLIENT PRIVILEGE OPPORTUNITIES.

HOW CAN OUR CODE SECTION 30 DASH SEVEN DASH FOUR? THAT'S 70 A DASH, A TWO AS WELL AS IMPORTANT EMPLOYEE RATIFICATION REPORT.

RODRIGUEZ WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

UM, WE HAVE THIS VIRGINIA MATTHEW, UH, WE HAVE MRS. WEBBY CARTILAGE FOR OUR PLAYERS, AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE, UH, HR HEARING AND DISTRICT STAFF.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ALL IN FAVOR OF ENTERING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

WISNESKI AND MR. WILLIAM SMITH.

SO THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THOSE MEMBERS ATTENDING IN PERSON THIS EVENING ARE ANGRY BOAT, RIGHT? MELBOURNE CAMPBELL, THE STATE OF QUADS, MYSELF, KATHY ROBOT, AND ANGELA MIDDLETON, COLONEL DICK GEIER, WHO IS YOUR BIG RIG? EARL CAMPBELL AND REMOTELY AT THIS TIME, SUBJECT TO CHANGE IS, UH, DR.

[00:05:01]

WE WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THANK THE AUDIENCE FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

WE, UM, DID DELAY STARTING BY 10 MINUTES SO THAT WE COULD FINISH OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION BUSINESS AND NOT HAVE TO RECONVENE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.

SO AT THIS TIME,

[2A. Action as necessary or appropriate regarding matters discussed in Executive Session. ]

DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MA'AM MADAM CHAIR.

WE HAVE SEVERAL MOTIONS.

THE FIRST MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE MAY 1ST TO MAY 31ST, 2022 PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.

IS THERE A SECOND? UH, DR.

GRADS HAD HER HAND UP FIRST, SO, OKAY.

ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MOTION? THE MOTION IS WE MOVE.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE MAY 1ST TO MAY 31ST, 2022 PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.

SEEING NO HANDS FOR DISCUSSION.

I'LL CALL THE VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

SO THAT'S UNANIMOUS 10 ZERO.

UH, IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION? YES.

MA'AM THE SECOND MOTION.

I MOVE.

WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MONTHLY ADULT EDUCATION HOMESCHOOL REPORT FOR MAY, 2022.

IS THERE A SECOND, MS. FIDGETS, ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT REPORT? THEY SEE NONE I'LL CALL THE BOAT EMOTION AGAIN IS TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, NOPE.

IT'S NOT UP THERE YET FOR THE MONTHLY ADULT, THAT MONTHLY ADULT EDUCATION.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS UP THERE BEFORE WE DID OUR BOAT.

HERE WE GO.

SO NOW IT'S THERE FOR THE MONTHLY ADULT EDUCATION HOMESCHOOL REPORT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS 10 ZERO, MADAM CHAIR.

THE NEXT MOTION I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT.

NUMBER ONE WITH CHARLES PERRY PARTNERS, INC FOR WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOL PHASE ONE SAFETY SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP OF $712, 712, 900 $4.

IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY.

MR. SMITH SECONDS.

IT, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? YES, MA'AM SHE, I'M JUST, UM, I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN WE CAN NOT PIECE IT TO ME, TO MY RECOLLECTION AND JUST WHERE WE CAN JUST PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND GET, AND GET IT DONE.

UM, SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP BRINGING THESE TYPES OF MOTION FORWARD.

THAT'S ALL SET BY THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL THE VOTE? THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS THE APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT.

NUMBER ONE WITH CHARLES PERRY PARTNERS.

THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.

I MOVED AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 21 WITH NB CON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC FOR THE MODULAR CLASSROOM RELOCATION AT PRINCEVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP OF $782,000.

IS THERE A SECOND, MR. EARL CAMPBELL? UH, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION AC NONE.

I CALL THE BOAT.

UH, WE WILL WAIT FOR IT TO COME UP.

THIS IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 21 AMENDMENT NUMBER 21 WITH M B CON CONSTRUCTION FOR THE MODULAR CLASSROOM RELOCATION AT PRITCHARD FALL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS, ONE ABSTENTION DR.

ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS AMENDMENT? HEY, THIS MOTION.

THIS IS THE LAST AMENDMENT COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED AMENDMENT NUMBER 12 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE HVAC UPGRADES DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AND EXTERIOR WALL REPAIRS AT BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP OF 2 MILLION 512, 100 $17.

IS THERE A SECOND, MS. BOATWRIGHT,

[00:10:01]

UM, SO THIS IS AMENDMENT NUMBER 12, AND IT'S NOW ON THE SCREEN WITH, UH, THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION OR HVAC UPGRADES, UM, AT BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU.

THE VOTE CARRIES NINE YEAS, ONE ABSTENTION, DR.

WISENESS, MADAM MADAM CHAIR.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE EMOTIONS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

GREAT.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

SO, UH, NOW

[2B. Approval of Agenda]

GWADAR.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

IS THERE A SECOND? HEY, TRISH, FRIEDRICH, ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AGENDA, SEEING NONE, I CALL A VOTE ON APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU STAND AND JOIN US AND JOIN IN WITH US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS 10 ZERO.

[2C. Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]

AND I ASK THAT YOU REMAIN STANDING AFTER THE PLEDGE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

IT IS IT'S TIME.

I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HONOR OUR ELO STUDENTS IN TEXAS THAT WERE TAKEN FROM WAIT.

IT'S BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.

[3. Points of Celebration]

SO DR.

RODRIQUEZ POINTS OF CELEBRATION.

THANK YOU, MS. ROBOT.

AND WE'LL BEGIN THIS EVENING WITH OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION, UH, FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, UH, FOR NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.

AND SO TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE CHARACTERIZED STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL THAT EXHIBITED THE TRAIT OF FORGIVENESS.

FORGIVENESS IS DEFINED AS TO STOP FEELING ANGER TOWARDS SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG OR TO STOP BLAMING SOMEONE.

WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL IS BRIAN BYRON, A SEVENTH GRADER AT WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THEIR STUDENT OF THE MONTH AS WELL.

BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, COUNSELOR, LAVERNE, LAWTON.

GOOD EVENING.

I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIAN, OUR SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT WILLOW BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR HIS CHARACTER TRAIT OF FORGIVENESS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE READ WHAT WAS WRITTEN, BUT IT WAS JUST A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN HE AND A TEACHER THAT HE LATER CAME BACK AND APOLOGIZED TO HIS TEACHER ABOUT.

SO FOR THAT HE WAS NOMINATED AND NOT ONLY DID HE WIN FOR OUR SCHOOL IN GENERAL, BUT NOW HE'S NOW STANDING BEFORE YOU WINNING FOR THE DISTRICT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS THIS LOT.

AND IF YOU WOULD COME BACK UP HERE, DON'T GO TOO FAR NOW BECAUSE THE CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR THE MONTH OF MAY IS ALSO FROM WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE.

AND SO, UH, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE TONIGHT, UH, CELEBRATING THE CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT IN THE MONTH OF MAY EXHIBITING THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF RESPONSIBILITY AND COOPERATION.

RESPONSIBILITY IS DEFINED AS BEING ACCOUNTABLE IN WORD AND DEED.

COOPERATION IS DEFINED AS A PROCESS OF WORKING TOGETHER TO THE SAME END.

WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR MAY IS JADE JONES, AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT AT WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MS. LAWN, IF YOU WOULD COME BACK AND INTRODUCE YOUR STUDENT.

[00:15:06]

SO ONCE AGAIN, WE THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS J FOR YOUR HONOR OF BEING RECOGNIZED THIS EVENING.

SO IN THE MONTH OF MAY, IT IS ACTUALLY A VERY TUMULTUOUS TIME FOR US PREPARING FOR PROMOTION.

SO DURING THAT TIME WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF PREPARING FOR OUR EIGHTH GRADE PROMOTION AS SHE RECEIVED THIS NOMINATION.

SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, JAY.

WE CAN GET THE BULLSHIT TWO PICTURES.

VERY GOOD.

MS. ALLEN IS ALSO HERE FROM RANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL.

THANK YOU, MS. ALLEN.

NEXT ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND RECOGNIZE THIS EVENING IS OUR GAME BALL.

AND SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM WHO IS HERE TODAY, THINKING THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELPING MS. WALTON WITH A PRESENTATION TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, MS. WALTON, BUT REALLY SHE'S HERE TO RECEIVE A GAME BALL.

SO I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, D MATTHEWS TO COME UP HERE, PLEASE.

SO, UH, D IS SOMEBODY THAT WE COUNT ON.

WHO'S A RETIRED FROM OUR SYSTEM, BUT HAS COME BACK, UH, TO HELP, UH, AND TO, AND TO WORK WITHIN OUR SYSTEM TO SUPPORT OUR AND MENTOR SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL.

SHE WAS AN EXCELLENT ADMINISTRATOR AND, UH, IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB MENTORING, UH, OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHER ROLES THAT WE ALSO UTILIZE MS. MATTHEWS FOR, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.

AND SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS GAME BALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

AND THE COMPETITION IS AGRISCIENCE INSTRUCTOR ELIZABETH MELTON.

SORRY ABOUT THAT UNTRUTH THERE.

UH, MS. MATTHEWS, BUT YOU'LL FORGIVE US.

I'M SURE.

UM, NEXT ITEM ON POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS BATTERY CREEK, UH, FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA, STATE CHAMPS.

AND SO BATTERY CREEK, HIGH SCHOOLS, FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA TEAM COMPETED IN THE WILDLIFE HABITAT EDUCATION PROGRAM THIS PAST SPRING, AND HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA.

HI, GOOD EVENING.

UH, TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY FOUR STUDENTS WHO REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND.

THEY WENT TO PRACTICES AFTERSCHOOL DURING THEIR LUNCH TIMES ON WEEKENDS, AND THEY REALLY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT AT THE STATE COMPETITION THIS PAST YEAR.

UH, THEY WILL GO TO LONDON, KENTUCKY AT THE END OF JULY TO COMPETE AT NATIONALS.

THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN RECOGNIZED, AND THIS IS A SURPRISE FOR MOST OF THEM TODAY, BUT THEY WERE ALSO RECOGNIZED BY NANCY MACE, CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE, AND RECEIVE A PERSONALIZED LETTER AND A COPY OF, UM, THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD WHERE SHE DID RECOGNIZE THEM ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.

AND THEN I DO HAVE OUR PLAQUE HERE.

UH, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID, WHAT THEY HAD TO DO WAS THEY WENT OUT TO NEMOURS PLANTATION IN EMC.

THEY WERE GIVEN A DIRECTIVE.

THEY HAD TO MAKE ONSITE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEY HAD TO WRITE A COMPREHENSIVE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS TYPICALLY ABOUT FOUR PAGES PLUS THE MAP.

AND THEN THEY HAD TO GIVE ORAL REASONS.

SO ALL OF THEM HAD TO KNOW EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF A VERY COMPLEX PLAN TO HELP THE SPECIES ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY DO AT NATIONAL.

SO IF I COULD HAVE UP HERE, TANNER MCCRACKEN, HUNTER SMITH, HUNTER HOLLINGSWORTH, AND DIEGO VEGA.

[00:20:05]

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.

WHAT STACY SAY, WOULD YOU COME BACK UP HERE PLEASE? SO THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT SPECIES YOU WERE RESEARCHING AND WORKING ON A PLAN FOR.

WE DID A NORTHERN PIN TAIL, A RIVER OTTER, A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE.

WAS IT, UH, BOBWHITE QUAIL.

SO I QUIT MY SISTER SPECTATION IN DISTRESS.

THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE A METHOD THAT SAYS THAT'S A STORY.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE HAD TO LIKE, LOOK AT THE W THE HABITAT AND WE HAD TO DO WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE TO MAKE THE ANIMAL THRIVE, BASICALLY.

SO WE'D BETTER PROUD OF HER AND WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL ACKNOWLEDGING HER.

AND THE LAST ITEM ON THE POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS, UH, SOME OF OUR, UH, ATHLETIC, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND SO, UH, BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL HAS A COUPLE OF STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS THAT WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND TALK ABOUT.

SO TUESDAY CHAMPIONS FROM, UH, BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND THE SPORTS OF TENNIS AND IN TRACK AND FIELD, AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THE STATE CHAMP IS TENNIS COACH DAVE RIDE MAYOR FOLLOWED BY TRACK AND FIELD COACH, MR. HERBERT GLAZE.

UM, HELLO, I'M INTRODUCING TO A VERY EXCELLENT STUDENT, UM, AND, UM, FOR A FIVE EIGHT STATE SINGLES CHAMPION GRAHAM ANGUS, UM, HE'S ALSO A HIGH SCHOOL.

ALL-AMERICAN A TENNIS PLAYER.

HE WORKS REALLY, REALLY HARD.

AND, UM, HE PROVIDES REALLY PROUD OF HIM CAUSE HE'S AN EIGHTH GRADER AT M B FRONT MIDDLE, AND WE HAVE, SHE TRAVELS A LOT AROUND THE, AROUND THE STATE AND EVEN IN THE, ON THE COUNTRY TOURNAMENTS.

UM, EVEN DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR MISSES A LITTLE BIT OF SCHOOL AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME ACCOMMODATIONS MADE FOR HIM TO MAKE UP HIS WORK WHILE HE'S, WHILE HE'S TRAVELING.

AND IT REALLY HELPS HIM A LOT SO THAT HE HAS A GOAL TO BE A DIVISION ONE TENNIS PLAYER, OR EVEN HIGHER THAN THAT.

AND HE, AND THIS IS A COMBINATION TO HELP HIM REACH HIS MS. DREAM.

SO IT'S FUNNY TELL YOU THAT EASILY, UH, EXCELLENT KID, VERY HARD WORKER, 4 8, 5, A STATE CHAMP RIGHT HERE.

GUYS, PARENTS ARE GOING TO LARRY, LARRY, LARRY, AND JENNY ANGUS FOR A PICTURE MR. BLAISE, BUT EVENING CHAIRMAN TO THE BOAT TO BE ATTENDED.

AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE A YOUNG LADY WHO HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY AND WORK IS REALLY PAYING OFF FOR HER.

UH, I'LL LET THE COACH TELL YOU ABOUT HER BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT'S RECRUITING AND REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HER, BUT SHE HAS SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE.

UH, SHE HAVE QUITE A FEW OFFERS WITH FULL SCHOLARSHIPS AND SHE HAD LOOKED AT IT AND MEDIARY HAS TO WHERE THE CHILD READY TO GO, BUT WE'RE SELL, BUT SHE GOES, SHE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO DEALER DEZ IS A SENIOR AND, UH, THE FUTURE LOOK BRIGHT FOR HER.

AND I'LL LET MR. SHERMAN JUST SAY A FEW WORDS FOR MR. GLAZE WITH EVERYTHING, BUT ON THE SPOT SHE JAYLA ONE OF THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A THROW OF 37.

UH, WE VERY PROUD OF HER.

THIS WAS ONLY A SECOND YEAR ACTUALLY THROWING.

AND SHE CAME IN THIRD LAST YEAR.

SO SHE SAID SHE WAS DETERMINED.

SHE WAS GONNA TAKE IT TO THE TOP THIS YEAR.

[00:25:01]

AND I'M SURE SHE WILL DO WELL ON THE NEXT LEVEL.

AUGUSTINE IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

YOU WANT TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR CHOICES WITH US FOR SCHOOL? YEAH.

WHERE ARE YOU THINKING? I'M THINKING ST.

WE HAVE SOME OTHER, UH, STATE THANK YOU.

SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE HERE IN PERSON, AND THEN WE WILL FOLLOW BY ONE ON THE TELEPHONE.

[4. Public Comments]

SO FIRST UP WILL THE CHOSEN GOOD EVENING.

UM, I'M BEFORE YOU TODAY, BECAUSE I HAVE, I SHOULD OFF OF BUFORD SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROPERTY AND ASKED NOT TO RETURN HERE, AND I HAVE TWO COPIES OF GRIEVANCES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FILE.

WHEREAS MY ACCESS TO ONLINE APPLICATION AS A BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEE APPARENTLY HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY WHERE I CANNOT CONTACT ANYONE PER EMAIL.

AND MY EMAIL CANNOT BE ACCESSED.

I CANNOT ACCESS MY FORMS, DOCUMENTS, OR ANY INFORMATION I'M HERE TODAY, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS AND HAVE BEEN ASKED NOT TO COME ON ANY BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY, I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THESE GRIEVANCES, PLEASE.

YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT I'M GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF ALL OF THIS.

UM, MARY MOINES, GOOD EVENING.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALL AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

UM, I AM HERE AGAIN BECAUSE OF YOU FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL'S MASCOT AND COLORS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A DECISION MADE AND, UM, THE PERPLEX LOOKS ON SOME OF YOUR FACES.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN CARRYING FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT I CAME TO YOU ALL, BUT I WENT BACK AND I HAD TO RETHINK THAT, YOU KNOW IT, BEFORE COMING TO THE BOARD, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN BETWEEN THE INITIATOR AND THE BOARD.

SO I AM NOT ONE TO RUSH TO JUDGMENT OR ANYTHING.

I GIVE EVERYONE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, BUT THOSE PEOPLE BETWEEN THE INITIATING AND THE BOARD, I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

SO I'M TELLING YOU, IT MAY SEEM LIKE NOTHING TO YOU, BUT ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, ROBERT SMALLS AND BUFORD HIGH WERE BLACK SCHOOLS.

WE MADE HISTORY, ROBERT SMALLS, I STAND CORRECTED ROBERT SMALLS, INSTANT HELENA.

SO HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES ME FEEL? I GRADUATED FROM BUFORD HIGH.

I WAS HAPPY TO KNOW THE HISTORY.

I KNEW THE HISTORY BEFORE GOING THERE.

AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO TIES TO IT, IT'S JUST ANOTHER SCHOOL.

BUT TO ME, YOU KNOW, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.

THAT'S A PART OF MY HISTORY.

SO HOW DARE ANYONE COME IN AND CHANGE THAT YOU ALL ARE TIRED OF HEARING THE STORY AND I'M, I'M NOT TIRED OF BEING HERE AND I WILL BE HERE AND YOU WILL HEAR THIS STORY UNTIL SOMEONE ANSWERS ME WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK, BUT WE ASK QUESTIONS.

THAT'S NOT TRUE BECAUSE I JUST, I JUST WITNESSED WHAT HAPPENED UP HERE.

WHEN I'M GOING TO SOMETHING NEGATIVE IN YOUR EYES, YOU, YOU CAN'T, OR YOU DON'T WANT TO ADDRESS IT AT ALL.

YOU ADDRESS IT AT YOUR CONVENIENCE,

[00:30:03]

I'M HOME EVERY DAY, JUST WAITING AND I WILL STAND, AND I WILL FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO FIGHT THOSE WHO CAN'T FIGHT THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID TO THOSE WHO FEEL PRESSURE FROM IT.

I'LL STAND IN THE GAP FOR THEM, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

I AM.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE, UM, GARY, TO PUT YOU ON SPEAKERPHONE, IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME, PLEASE.

AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

HOLD ON, GO AHEAD.

I'M A PARENT OF TWO KIDS AND HILTON HEAD SCHOOL.

UM, THANK YOU.

UH, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE.

I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ FOR SENDING MY EMAIL OVER TO DR.

STRATOSE.

I HAD A NICE PHONE CALL WITH HER IN REGARDS TO A SYSTEM MATERIAL IN THE LIBRARIES.

AND I WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND TAKING CARE OF THAT.

UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I HAD TO, UM, TO BRING UP IS AFTER SPEAKING WITH MY DAUGHTER, THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY WHERE KIDS ARE TOLD WHEN THEY, UH, WHEN THEY'RE ALLOWED TO USE THE BATHROOM, UM, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO SIGN OUT TO USE THE BATHROOMS ANYWAYS, BUT IF WE CAN GET RID OF THE, THE TIME RESTRAINTS, OR IT'S JUST NOT HEALTHY TO, TO TELL A KID WHEN THEY CAN AND CANNOT GO TO THE BATHROOM, MOTHER NATURE CALLS AND IT'S TIME.

SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE SUMMER, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

AND THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING AND HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A NICE EVENING.

WE WILL MOVE FROM THAT INTO THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.

THAT CONCLUDES, UM, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

[5. Chairman's Report]

I AM SITTING IN THE CHAIRMAN SPOT TODAY, SO I WILL GIVE THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.

UM, IT WAS AN HONOR FOR ME AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, I'M SURE TO ATTEND OUR GRADUATION CEREMONIES.

UM, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND ALL SIX AND IT'S TRULY ONE OF THE MOST GRATIFYING, UM, PARTS OF BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS STANDING UP AND WATCHING OUR STUDENTS WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE.

SO I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THEM AGAIN, GOOD LUCK AND KEEP UP THE WORK ETHIC, UM, AND PRACTICE YOUR KINDNESS.

UH, THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A THANK YOU A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, OUR BUS DRIVERS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, TO EVERY EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

EACH OF YOU TOUCHES THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS.

YOU ARE ALL IMPORTANT.

YOU MATTER, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND SAY, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

SO, UM, THAT CONCLUDES THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.

SO NOW

[6. Committee Reports]

WE MOVE INTO COMMITTEE REPORTS AND THE FIRST COMMITTEE REPORT WILL BE THE AD HOC LEFT-TURN GROWTH AND NORTH OF THE BROAD.

AND I BELIEVE DR.

WILL BE GIVING THAT REPORT.

UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT ON THE FIRST SIDE, THE MAIN QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED WAS WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE? AND EACH COMMITTEE ITSELF HAD ITS OWN SCOPE.

UM, THE AD HOC BLUFFTON GROWTH, UH, COMMITTEE AND THE NORTH OF THE BROAD COMMITTEE MET TOGETHER IN A JOINT MEETING RECENTLY.

UM, AND THERE IS A PACKET WITH ALL OF THE SLIDES.

UM, IT WAS A WELL ATTENDED MEETING AND A LOT OF INFORMATION WAS PUT FORTH BY ROBERT ODDING AND MS. CAROL CRUTCHFIELD FROM THE DISTRICT.

UM, THERE WAS A RECAP OF THE WORK THAT THE INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEES HAVE DONE, UM, THUS FORTH.

UH, THERE HAS BEEN MANY SITE VISITS BY EACH OF THE COMMITTEES THEY'VE VISITED THE NORTH OF THE BROAD SCHOOLS SOUTH OF THE BROAD SCHOOLS THEY HAVE MET WITH, UM, VARIOUS DIFFERENT TOWN OFFICIALS OR COUNTY OFFICIALS RECEIVED DATA AND REPORTS.

AND THAT'S GONE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS TO GET US TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE TODAY.

[00:35:01]

UM, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ASP THAT IS BEING MADE TODAY, LATER ON IN EMOTION.

ONE IS ADDRESSING THE EXTRA CAPACITY AND NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.

THE OTHER IS NOT ENOUGH CAPACITY IN SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY AND ALSO EQUITY ACROSS ALL OF THE DISTRICT-WIDE INSTRUCTIONAL SPACES.

UM, THERE WAS INPUT GIVEN BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PUT FORTH, UM, PREDOMINANTLY ON THE AGE OF THE BUILDINGS, UM, THAT IS LISTED ON SLIDES TWO, THREE, AND FOUR, I BELIEVE.

AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FACILITIES MASTER PLANS FOR BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD, UM, ON SLIDE 25, THERE IS A COMMUNITY INPUT, UM, AND THERE WAS ALSO INPUT INTO THIS AND WHAT THAT WOULD EXACTLY LOOK LIKE, BUT I AM GOING TO MOVE ALONG TO THE RECOMMENDED MOTION THAT CAME OUT OF THAT JOINT COMMITTEE.

UM, WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE AT A POINT IN TIME WHERE, UM, BASED ON ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE THUS FAR, THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS RECOMMEND IN MOTION FROM THE NORTH OF THE BROAD COMMITTEE AND THE BLUFFTON GROWTH AD HOC COMMITTEES THAT THE BOARD TRANSITION FROM SEPARATE COMMITTEES TO MOVE FORWARD AS ONE COMMITTEE REGARDING REFERENDUM AND FUTURES FACILITIES PLANNING.

I NEED A SECOND ON THAT MOTION, MR. KIM, AND I'LL GIVE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THAT.

UM, THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS HAD IN THE JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING WAS THAT THE DESIRE IS FOR THESE COMMITTEES TO COME TOGETHER AND FORM A SMALLER COMMITTEE, UM, TO VET MOVING FORWARD.

THERE'S THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PORTION THAT THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING TO CONDUCT.

UM, AND WE THINK THAT THAT JOINT COMMITTEE, UH, WOULD BE BEST TASKED WITH HELPING THE DISTRICT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? YES, MA'AM.

I AM NOT.

I AM NOT THERE.

I DO THINK THAT, THAT THIS, THAT THE THERE'S NOW AS A TIME FOR JOINING A JOINT COMMITTEE, I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO I'M ALSO GETTING, I'M ALSO CONCERNED OF HOW FAST AND RUSHING, UH, WE ARE TO GET THIS TEED OFF, UH, AND UP AND MOVING AND MOVING.

UM, HOWEVER, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME ISSUES MAY BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BROADEN IN TERMS OF RUM AND, AND, UH, AND IN TERMS OF LEARNING, I DO BELIEVE IN EQUITIES THAT ACROSS THE BROAD, BUT I ALSO DO BELIEVE IN BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH TAXPAYERS' MONEY STARTED STATUS.

NO PROBLEM.

WE ALL, WE ALL DO IT.

UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THAT, I, I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT WE ARE READY AT THIS POINT TO START OFF AND A JOINT COMMITTEE TO RUSH INTO A REFERENDUM.

AND THAT'S WHY I FORESEE THIS TO BE GOING.

UM, ALSO THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES ABOUT CLOSING OF SCHOOLS, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE A JEW, WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT, THOSE ISSUES, HOWEVER, THIS HAIR, IT DOESN'T MAKE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS HOW QUICK WE'RE MOVING IN TERMS OF, UH, TAKING FROM ONE FROM TWO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES TO ONE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE, AND HOW WE'RE MOVING THIS ALONG.

AND I QUICKLY, AND I FORGOT THIS, THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN RUSHED.

UM, MR. MALIK CAMPBELL, I SUPPOSE THE EFFORT OF WHAT THIS COMMITTEE TENDS TO DO, BUT I I'M, I'M WARY OF WHETHER THE PROPER COLLABORATION WITH THE STRUCTIONAL NEEDS ALSO GOING TO BE USED INTO THIS GOING FORWARD WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CONSTRUCTIONAL STUFF WELL ABOUT INSTRUCTION OR STUFF ABOUT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT AND THE PLANS OF EDUCATING, YOU KNOW, OVERALL OR FUTURE FIVE BULLET POINTS IS EQUITY AND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL BASIS, UH, WHAT THAT MEANS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, DR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT.

I ATTENDED, UH, THIS MEETING, UM, OF THE JOINT AD HOC BLUFFED GROWTH AND THE NORTH OF THE BROAD, AND I FULLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION, I BELIEVE, AS YOU STATED, THE AD HOC BLOCKED AND GROWTH COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING FOR CLOSE TO TWO YEARS.

THE, UH, NORTH OF THE ABROAD, UM, COMMITTEE HAS DONE EXTENSIVE SITE VISITS.

AND AS YOU'LL NOTE ON THE SLIDE THAT IS, UM, BEING SHOWN ON THE LARGE BOARDS THERE, THE NEXT STEP IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

WE WOULD NOT WANT TO PROCEED FURTHER WITHOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

AND THIS IS, I BELIEVE WE'RE AT THAT POINT TO FIND OUT HOW THE COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT MYRIAD CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.

SO I FULLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS,

[00:40:01]

BUT I MEAN, I THINK WE, IT JUST ONE STEP TOWARDS A THOUSAND STEPS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT BUFORD COUNTY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN 25 YEARS, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN CLOSING DOWN SOME SCHOOLS AND BUILDING SOME NEW SCHOOLS.

I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO GO TAKE ALL OF, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF DIRECTIONS, INCLUDING BRINGING IN EXPERTS FROM SO, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND CONCEPTS.

AND I THINK THE INSTRUCTIONAL PART OF IT, DR.

RODRIGUEZ AND HIS TEAM IS TO BE ON BOARD AND WHERE THE DIRECTION IS GOING, WHETHER WHEN HE SEES THE DISTRICT IS GOING.

BUT MY THING IS, I THINK WE NEED A COUNTY WIDE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PART OF THIS AGENDA OR NOT.

I KNOW MOST OF THE FOCUS THAT I HEARD, IT'S BEEN A GROWTH IN BLUFFTON AND OVERCROWDED AND UNDER CROWDED SCHOOLS OR GOING ABROAD THOUGH, A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN JUST THAT.

SO I WILL SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE, BUT I HOPE WE DON'T GO TOO FAST.

I ACTUALLY THINK WE NEED TO SPEED UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, BECAUSE WE GOT SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS AND WE TOOK 18 MONTHS TO GET THROUGH RESEARCH ENROLLMENT.

AND I THINK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE DON'T WANT TO RUSH THROUGH THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO START GETTING SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN ON THIS MOTION BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SCOPE OF THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE.

AND I, I AGREE WITH MR. CAMPBELL, I FEEL LIKE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A DESTINATION.

WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A VISION YET OF WHAT THIS NEXT REFERENDUM LOOKS LIKE.

SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COMBINING THE, UH, COMMITTEES.

I THINK THEY CAN DO GOOD WORK.

I THINK THAT THEY ARE CLEARLY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT, BUT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE SCOPE IS WITHOUT KNOWING HOW THIS IS ALL GOING TO COME ABOUT, I HAVE HESITATION, UM, VOTING TO SUPPORT IT.

SO I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN AFTER RISKY.

NEED THIS, THIS COMMITTEE, WOULDN'T IT WOULDN'T WOULDN'T BE NEEDED BECAUSE THOSE TWO COMMITTEE I'LL SEE WHY THOSE, IS THERE ANYTHING STOPPING THE TWO COMMITTEES FROM CONTINUING CONTINUING TO MEET? I MEAN, FYI IS A FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

UM, I WAS GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THE CONCERNS AND IT KIND OF ALL GOES TO THAT SCOPE CONVERSATION.

SO AT THE JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING, WE DID DISCUSS WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WOULD LOOK LIKE.

THE SLIDE THAT IS UP HERE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE DID DISCUSS WHAT EXACTLY WOULD THIS JOINT COMMITTEE BE TASKED WITH DOING? UM, AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS, MR. CAMPBELL IS LOOKING AT THE INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS OF THE FACILITIES, NOT JUST THE DOING HOW MANY SQUARE FEET DO WE NEED, UM, TO FIT THE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND THE PROGRAMMATIC CAPACITY AT EACH SITE.

SO, UM, THAT WAS ADDRESSED AND THE SCOPE WOULD BE FORTHCOMING.

SO ONCE THE CHAIR, I ASSUME WHO'S GOING TO BE CHOOSING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, ASSIGNED TO THEM.

THEN THE FIRST TASK OUT OF THAT COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO ASSIGN THE SCOPE AND TO HAVE THAT APPROVED BY THE FULL BOARD.

SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT ADDRESSES SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS SMITH.

SO THEN, SO THEN MY QUESTION WOULD BE IF THE TWO COMMITTEES WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE THIS MEETING TOGETHER AND DECIDE THAT, THEN WHY COULDN'T THE TWO COMMITTEES CONTINUE TO MEET AND MAKE SOME OF THESE DECISIONS, THESE DECISIONS TOGETHER AS A COMMITTEE VERSUS RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IS THAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL BE LESS THAN FIVE.

UH, IT W IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO, WHO WAS, WHO, WHO WAS PUTTING IN THE WORKER, WHO HAS BEEN MEETING ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN, THEN THERE'S NO NEED FOR A, AND AT ONE COMMITTEE, THEN THE TWO COMMITTEES STILL CAN COME TOGETHER AND ALSO GO OUT AND SEE WHAT DIFFERENT CONSTITUENTS IN DIFFERENT AREAS ARE, ARE INTERESTED IN.

I MEAN, IF THAT'S THE CASE THOUGH, SO THEREFORE THEN I WOULD THINK THAT, THAT HE WOULDN'T

[00:45:01]

THAT'S THE QUESTION, UH, PER OUR BOARD POLICY, OUR, OUR BOARD COMMITTEES HAVE TO BE FIVE MEMBERS OR LESS.

SO IF WE COMBINE THE TWO COMMITTEES, WE WOULD HAVE SIX MEMBERS.

SO THAT'S DOES NOT COMPLY WITH OUR POLICY, MR. SMITH.

SO THEN MY QUESTION WOULD BE SO, SO THAT'S ALL PROBABLY A POLICY THAT MEANS THAT WE HAD THE FIRST TIME IT WAS, WASN'T AN ILLEGAL MEETING.

WHAT, WHAT WAS IT ABOLISHING THE BOARD POLICY? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS IT BECAUSE I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T CONTINUE THOSE MEETINGS AND YOU SEND IT BECAUSE PER BOARD POLICY, THAT BOTH OF THOSE COMMITTEES HAVE MORE THREE OR MORE PEOPLE ON IT.

AND ALL OF US WAS INVITED TO, ALL OF US WAS INVITED TO THE MEETING THEN HELPED ME, HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, I'LL JUST CHIME IN HERE, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.

WISNESKI.

I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS IT WAS A JOINT MEETING.

IT WASN'T A STANDING COMMITTEE, IT WAS A JOINT MEETING FOR A ONE-TIME PURPOSE, BUT DR.

YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.

YES, MA'AM THAT'S CORRECT.

IT WAS JUST A JOINT MEETING OF TWO COMMITTEES.

UM, IF WE COMBINED BOTH THE COMMITTEES THAT MADE THAT ITS OWN, IT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF OUR BOARD POLICIES AND ALSO WOULD CONSTITUTE A FORUM OF THE FULL BOARD, I BELIEVE BECAUSE IT'S AN EIGHT MEMBER MAKEUP THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE LIKE CONDUCTING A FULL BOARD MEETING IF WE DID THAT.

SO IT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF OUR POLICY.

BUT MY, BUT MY POINT IS, IF WE DID THAT ONCE, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN END GOAL IN MIND THAT I DON'T SEE WHY WE COULDN'T DO THAT SEVERAL MORE TIMES UNTIL WE GET SOME MORE THINGS FINITE.

AND IN TERMS OF, UH, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE GOING AT EXACT EXACTLY THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY AND HOW OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT AND PROCESS AND USES OF THESE BUILDINGS, BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO BUILD BRICK BUILDINGS, BUT WHAT'S THE BLUEPRINT IN TERMS OF THE LEARNING PROCESS IN EVERY BUILDING THAT WE ARE DOWNGRADING OR ADDING TO, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO, I MEAN, THAT, THAT STOWS US IN, WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY SEES THE NEEDS IN THAT AREA? SO, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT STILL, THAT I BELIEVE THAT THOSE WERE COMMITTEE DRIVEN VERSUS THIS COMMITTEE DRIVEN.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M A LITTLE THINKING WE'RE MOVING A LITTLE TOO, AND I'M STILL CONCERNED.

I'M GONNA LET DR.

, UM, RESPOND AND THEN WE'LL CALL THE VOTE.

UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I WOULD CAUTION AGAINST THERE BEING TWO COMMITTEES THAT CONTINUE TO MEET LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT CONSTITUTES A VOTE OF THE FULL BOARD AND GIVES FULL PORT AUTHORITY TO THOSE TWO COMMITTEES.

AND I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.

UM, MR. CAMPBELL, ONE LAST COMMENT, AND THEN MS. ROBIN, IF YOU CAN HAVE THE MOTION UP ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE, I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN WAIT AROUND TO DO THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS I'M HEARING HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD SCHOOLS.

WE KNOW THAT, UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW.

AND SO WE CAN GET TO THE COMMUNITIES, BOTH COMMUNITIES, NORTH AND SOUTH ABROAD AND LET THEM GIVE US SOME INFORMATION.

AND AS SOON AS WE GET THAT INFORMATION, THEN WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE BECAUSE WE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD MORE SCHOOLS THAT'S THAT, YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE KNOW THAT ALREADY.

UM, I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE TO CLOSE IN THE SCHOOLS, NOT IN SAY HOW WOULD SAY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, OR MAYBE REDO WHO KNOWS, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION WHEN YOU COME TO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THAT, UM, CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP WILL BE THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE.

THE COMMITTEE WILL DISCUSS THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY HERE HAS HEARD, UH, WHAT, UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS ARE.

AND, AND I HAVE GREAT FAITH THAT THE PEOPLE THAT, UM, IF THIS COMMITTEE, IF THIS VOTE PASSES, THAT THE COMMITTEE WHO ARE APPOINTED, PEOPLE WHO ARE APPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE THAT IN TO, UM, KEEP THAT IN MIND.

SO AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL THE VOTE AND THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TRANSITION FROM SEPARATE COMMITTEES TO MOVE FORWARD AS ONE COMMITTEE REGARDING REFERENDUM IN FUTURE FACILITIES, PLANNING, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE, THOSE OPPOSED.

AND THOSE HAVE STAINED.

UH, ONE NO, AND ONE ABSTENTION.

SO WE HAVE, UM, 8, 8 1, 1 8, COUNT EIGHT IN FAVOR.

[00:50:01]

UM, THE, NO WAS MR. WILLIAMS SMITH, THE ABSTENTION WAS INGRID BOATRIGHT THE MOTION PASSES.

UM, SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BEING SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE TO SEND AN EMAIL TO CHAIR DAVID AND PLEASE, UM, CC, UH, ANGELA AND MYSELF AS WELL.

SO ALL THREE OFFICERS WILL KNOW WHO'S INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE.

UM, DR.

, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR, UM, BEFORE? OKAY.

SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, DR.

GWADAR.

VICE-CHAIR ROBOT.

SO, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MET SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AND WE WERE TASKED WITH THE BASICALLY WORDING OF THE BOARDS WILL TO BRING FORTH A LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION FOR THIS UPCOMING, UH, UH, LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WOULD START NEXT JANUARY.

AND WE HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, AND PROJECTED ON THE SCREEN, UH, WHAT THE, UH, BOARD RECORD, EXCUSE ME, WHAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO THE BOARD FOR OUR FIRST SUBMIT A SUBMITTAL TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.

AND THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS NEXT WEEK.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THIS IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, THIS WILL GO TO THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THEN THEY ALSO, UH, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO HAVE THIS GO FORWARD AS PART OF THEIR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

AND THEY MAY WELL, UM, UH, WORDSMITH THAT EVEN FURTHER.

AND, OR THEY MAY SAY, WE DON'T WANT THIS TO GO FORWARD.

IT'S IT'S ULTIMATELY THEIR VOTE.

AND I KNOW IN THE PAST, UM, WHEN I SERVED AS THE CHAIR FOR THE BOARD HERE, UH, I WAS CONTACTED BY THEM ABOUT ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WE SUBMITTED AND THEY DID WANT TO WORDSMITH IT.

AND I SAID, THAT'S FINE.

SO LONG AS YOU DO NOT CHANGE THE MEETING.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND.

I'LL READ ALOUD TO GET IT INTO THE RECORD.

AND THIS IS THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, PROPOSAL FROM BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TO GO TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION DUE TO THE NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE.

AND SINCE SOUTH CAROLINA CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SEEKING TEACHERS FROM THE SAME CANDIDATE POOL, THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR TEACHER HIRING TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS CHARTER SCHOOLS TO EMPLOY NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN A RATIO OF UP TO 25% OF THEIR ENTIRE TEACHING STAFF.

ALL TEACHERS IN CORE ACADEMIC AREAS WILL BE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AS DEFINED IN THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT, WHICH IS A SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNALS 59, 40 55, DR.

LIZ SMITH, OR DID SOMEONE MAKE, WAS THAT A MOMENT? YEAH, I CAN SAY I MOVE THAT WE, UH, BRING FORTH WHAT I JUST READ, UH, TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO BRING THIS PARAGRAPH, THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.

UM, AND, UH, DOES ANY, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION DR.

UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY I FULLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION, AND ALSO I WOULD HOPE THAT IF STSB DOES NOT PICK IT UP, THAT THE BOARD DOESN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THIS AND THAT WE DO, UM, KEEP IT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE OR PERHAPS ADD IT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND A LETTER TO THE DELEGATION.

GLAD'S.

I WOULD AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

WHO IS WHAT YOU JUST SAID? CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO JUST GO THROUGH THE, THE CONDUIT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.

IN FACT, WE PROBABLY, WELL, YEAH, LET'S START WITH THAT.

RODRIGUEZ, I WOULD AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH ANY OTHER COMMENTS SEEING NONE.

I CALLED THE BOAT.

WE ARE VOTING ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, SENDING THE, UH, LANGUAGE TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION AND REGARDING TO A TEACHER HIRING ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED ANYONE ABSTAINING ABSTAINING.

SO THAT'S 8, 10, 0, MR. SMITH.

I'M SORRY.

DID YOU VOTE? I DIDN'T SEE YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.

SORRY.

I JUST WANTED TO CHECK.

10 ZERO.

NEXT IS THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT.

TWO THINGS TO TALK ABOUT REAL QUICK.

UM,

[00:55:01]

WE HAD A CHANGE TO OUR, ONE OF OUR H R A RS, UH, HR S 18 EMPLOYEE VACATIONS AND NON-WORK DAYS.

UH, WE HAVE THE DISTRICT HAS ADDED, UH, PRESIDENT'S DAY AS A THIRD, MONDAY IN FEBRUARY AS A NON-WORK DAY AND ALSO JUNETEENTH, WHICH IS COMING UP THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 19TH.

UM, SO THEY JUST LET US KNOW THAT THEY HAD MADE THOSE CHANGES TO THE, UH, NON WORKDAY SCHEDULE.

THOSE WILL BE HOLIDAYS.

UM, THE NEXT THING IS A MUCH BIGGER ITEM.

WE HAVE BEEN REVIEWING WITH MR. AND MS. CAROL CRUTCHFIELD AMONG OTHERS.

UH, THE 8% PROJECT LISTS FOR NOT THIS SUMMER, BUT NEXT SUMMER.

AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST TAKE A SECOND FOR PUBLIC RECORD, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME CONFUSION WHEN I SAY 8% PROJECTS.

UM, THESE ARE, THIS IS THE MONEY THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO BORROW.

WE CAN BORROW UP TO 8% TOTAL OF, UH, HAVE A TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS OF 8% OF ASSESSED VALUE OF TAXABLE PROPERTY.

UM, THE BOARD YOU FOR COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY HAS AUTHORIZED THE DISTRICT BORROW 25 MILLION A YEAR, UM, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY FAR LESS THAN THE 8%, BUT THAT'S SORT OF A GOOD NUMBER, UM, THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH.

THE BOARD HAS ARRIVED AT, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN BORROW FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS, NOT OPERATIONAL CLASS COSTS FOR, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

SO THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THE GENERAL BUDGET.

UM, WHAT WE USE THAT 8% MONEY FOR IS TO BASICALLY DO THINGS THAT ARE 35 SCHOOLS LIKE HPAC REPLACEMENT, ROOF REPAIRS, PAINTING, WE, UM, UPDATE AND UPGRADE OUR ATHLETIC STRUCTURES, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, TECHNOLOGY, FLOORING FURNITURE, UH, OTHER EQUIPMENT.

UM, WE HAVE RECURRING COSTS SUCH AS PAINTING AND RESURFACING.

UH, ALSO ANY REQUESTS MADE BY THE PRINCIPAL.

SO 25 MILLION DOESN'T GO THAT FAR.

UH, SO WHAT WE DO IS THE, UH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BASICALLY PRESENTS US WITH THIS HUGE LIST WITH, I THINK A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK THAT PROBABLY IF IN AN IDEAL WORLD WOULD GET DONE AND WE NARROW IT DOWN TO 25 MILLION, UM, AND THEY COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE HAVE THREE CATEGORIES ON THIS LIST.

THERE IS RECOMMENDED TO BE DONE.

UM, AND WE DO THESE A YEAR IN ADVANCE.

SO THESE WOULD BE PROJECTS THAT WOULD START SUMMER OF 20, 23.

UH, THEY RECOMMEND THEIR PROJECTS THAT THEY THINK, UH, SHOULD TAKE PRIORITY.

THEY HAVE ONES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE IF THERE'S MONEY LEFTOVER, AND THEN THEY HAVE ONES THAT JUST ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE CUT FOR THIS NEXT SUMMER.

AND IT'S A PRETTY GRUELING PROCESS.

THE, UH, INFORMATION IS IN BOARD DOCS.

UH, WE HAD, THIS WAS THE SECOND MEETING THAT WE HAD HAD TO REVIEW THESE LISTS AND WE KIND OF STARTED GOING THROUGH THEM LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM.

UM, AND WE SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES AND MS. FEDORAS KIND OF SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.

SO WE ABANDONED THAT APPROACH AND IT JUST KIND OF LED TO A DISCUSSION ON HOW WE PRIORITIZE WHEN WE HAVE MORE THAN WE CAN DO.

AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S EQUITABLE, THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE, SANITARY AND CLEAN, UM, R O E O E EIGHT.

DOESN'T PROVIDE A LOT OF CRITERIA FOR THIS.

SO WE'RE KIND OF JUST ALL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND IN THE COURSE OF OUR, UM, DISCUSSIONS AND WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME DISCUSSING IT.

AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, UH, FOR MOSTLY FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION.

UH, ONE THING THAT WAS RECOMMENDED WAS A BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL TO ADD A SHADE STRUCTURE IN SEATING BY THE BASKETBALL COURT AND SOCCER FIELD.

AND SOMETHING THAT WAS TAKEN OFF WAS, UH, AT A CANOPY TO A FRONT SIDEWALK FOR CAR RIDER DROP OFF AND PICKUP.

SO HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS? RIGHT? WHAT GOES INTO THE DECISIONS? WHAT'S THE CRITERIA? AND SO IT BECOMES THIS REALLY LABORIOUS, VERY OPERATIONAL DETAIL ORIENTED PROCESS.

AND IN THE COURSE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, I THINK THERE WAS KIND OF A CONSENSUS TO NOT BE QUITE AS OPERATIONAL, UM, WHAT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD TO.

I MEAN, THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT AND BRINGING FORWARD TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS OUR FACILITIES ASSESSMENT THAT WE COMMISSIONED LAST YEAR.

IT IS 95%.

NONE.

DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN THERE? IT'S CLOSE TO BEING ALL THE WAY DONE.

AND, UH, DR.

UH, MR. AND HIS DEPARTMENT, UM, ARE CREATING THIS NEW DATABASE AND THEY'RE GOING TO SORT OF HAVE, OKAY, HERE ARE THE HACS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED.

AND HOW MANY ARE CRITICALLY IN NEED OF REPAIRING VERSUS HOW MANY CAN WAIT A COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT FURNITURE.

THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT FLOOR AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS NEW DATABASE.

UM, SO WE KIND OF DISCUSSED THAT, THAT MAYBE BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS LIST, WE SHOULD KIND OF HAVE THAT FACILITIES ASSESSMENT DONE.

UM, THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED TO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND BORROW THE MONEY.

WE HAVE TO BORROW THE MONEY A YEAR IN ADVANCE.

SO WE BASICALLY HAD SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS AND I WANTED TO, WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW, UH, MR. ADION HAS SOME, HE GOT A LITTLE TWINKLE IN HIS EYE.

HE HAD SOME IDEAS ON, HE THINKS WHAT MIGHT REALLY BE A GOOD PROCESS THAT WILL KEEP US FROM HAVING TO LINE BY LINE, DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $17,000 ON RUBBER RISERS

[01:00:01]

ON STAIRS, BUT STILL HAVE SOME SAY IN HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS.

SO, UM, THAT IS KIND OF MY NUTSHELL SUMMARY OF A RATHER LENGTHY MEATY CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD OPERATIONS.

UM, MR. AUDIENCE IS GOING TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO US TOMORROW.

UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW IT AGAIN.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT.

SO I ENCOURAGE ALL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED TO ATTEND EITHER IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.

AND AT THIS POINT I WOULD BE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE FULL BOARD.

I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, IN LOOKING AT THE LISTING UNDER CATEGORY AND DISCIPLINE, THERE ARE SOME OF THEM THAT ARE MISSING WITH THAT INFORMATION.

UM, THEY'RE JUST BLINKS FOR THOSE.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT WAS, UM, THERE'S A WAY TO GET THAT INFORMATION.

IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC REASON FOR IT BEING LEFT OFF, I'LL LET MS. I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DATABASE AND HOW IT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED AND SORT OF IN PROGRESS, BUT I'LL LET MS. CRUTCHFIELD, AND I THINK THE LIST THAT WHILE LOOKED AT YOUR FLASK, WHEN WE LOOK, I THINK THE LIST THAT YOU ALL LOOKED AT AT THE LAST MEETING HAD BEEN UPDATED FROM THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

CAUSE I THINK THIS IS VERSION THREE, AND I THINK Y'ALL LOOKED AT VERSION FOUR WHERE WE DID GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD CATEGORIZED.

WE MADE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT WAS IN THE RECOMMENDED CATEGORY, I THINK HAD THOSE CATEGORIES SHOWN ANYTHING IN THE PRIORITY THAT SAID RECOMMENDED YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING.

SO I'M PRETTY SURE THE LAST ONE WAS CERTAINLY ISN'T IT.

AND THOSE ARE MOSTLY 20, 22.

SO I JUST THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY ONES THAT HADN'T GOTTEN PUT IN THE DATABASE, RIGHT? YES.

AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, IS IN REGARD TO, PRIOR TO PRIORITIZATION OF ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THIS LIST, FINALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS STILL HAVE SOME MORE TO DO WITH THE DATABASE AND WHATNOT, BUT I'M LOOKING JUST FOR AN OVERALL IDEA OF WHEN YOU LOOK TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH OFF.

UM, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE THOSE PRESENTLY IS SAFETY.

AND I WOULD THINK THAT LIFE SAFETY AND SECURITY WOULD BE THOSE DON'T GET PUSHED.

THOSE ARE FIRST.

SO THIS IS THE CONVERSATION WE HAD.

AND I WENT INTO THE O E BECAUSE COHERENT GOVERNANCE SHOULD KEEP US FROM GOING LINE BY LINE THROUGH A BUDGET.

UM, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF CRITERIA FOR SCHOOL BOARD PRIORITIES.

WE HAVE, UH, SAFETY AND SECURITY IS NUMBER ONE.

WE HAVE CLEAN AND SANITARY AND SAFE.

SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S KIND OF THE BROAD CATEGORIES.

UM, THERE IS ALSO A SECTION IT'S NOT AS STRICTLY APPLICABLE TO FACILITIES, BUT WHERE WE MENTIONED WISE USE OF RESOURCES AND EQUITY.

UM, AS FAR AS I THINK AS ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR STUDENTS.

AND, UM, I THINK THAT MOST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, IF NOT ALL ARE VERY STUDENT CENTRIC, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, HOW IS THIS BENEFITING STUDENTS? AND OF COURSE THE DISTRICT IS AS WELL.

UH, MR. AUDIENT ALSO KIND OF LOOKS AT PRACTICALITY.

SO IF WE'RE SHUTTING DOWN ONE SCHOOL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAINT IT, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OTHER WORK DONE, UM, AND HAVE A CREW THERE.

SO THERE IS THAT KIND OF, AND THAT'S WHAT I, I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WAS SORT OF A PUSH AND PULL BETWEEN MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND IT'S EQUITABLE AND EVERYONE'S SAFE AND SANITARY, UM, AND, AND HOW WE SET THAT UP VERSUS WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FROM AN EFFICIENT FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HE'S GOING TO BRING BACK AS A FULLER UNDERSTANDING.

CAUSE I, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST QUESTIONS IS WHO SETS THE PRIORITY AND WHAT CRITERIA ARE WE USING AND IS THAT CRITERIA FAIRLY TRANSPARENT? THE OTHER PIECE THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION IS THAT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT ONCE THESE PROJECTS ARE APPROVED, WE'RE APPROVING THESE IN JUNE FOR SUMMER 2023.

THERE IS SOME LIKE THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, SHIFTING AROUND OF, OF MONEY AND OUT OF NECESSITY AND SOMETIMES DECISIONS ARE MADE, UM, AND CHANGES.

SO IF, AS HE'S TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THIS NEW DATABASE, THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT FORWARD, HAVING MORE FREQUENT UPDATES ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY GETTING DONE AND THAT, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MORE BENEFICIAL AND PROVIDE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND PROVIDE MORE CRITERIA THAN TRYING TO DO IT ALL IN ADVANCE AND THEN KIND OF LOSING TRACK OF WHERE THE PROJECTS ARE.

SO HIS THOUGHTS ARE, HE'S GOING TO HAVE A MORE, UH, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE, YOU'RE APPROVING X AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR HPAC, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SUPER SPECIFIC WHAT SCHOOL, WHAT HPAC.

IT MIGHT JUST BE MORE GENERAL, BUT THEN HE WILL BE REPORTING TO OPERATIONS AND THEN WE'LL REPORT TO THE FULL BOARD WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, WHAT'S BEING SPENT AND HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.

I THINK, NEED TO BE ADDRESSED WELL, AND I THINK THAT THAT MAYBE IS WHERE WE GET A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE IF LET'S SAY THE RE WE TALKED ABOUT RESTROOMS, I THINK YOU WERE AT THE MEETING WHERE YOU NOT, UM, OKAY.

UM, MR. EARL CAMPBELL, SO ANYTHING CAN BE ADDED TO THE NEXT, FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING, UH, THE AGENDA'S POSTED, BUT YOU MEAN TO THE LIST OR AS AN AGENDA ITEM, I WOULD TALK TO MR. ADI.

I DON'T, I'VE NEVER ADDED ANYTHING TO THE LIST.

UM, THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT SHANKEN,

[01:05:01]

THE ONE BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT RESTROOMS, RIGHT? SO LET'S SAY YOU BRING UP SHANKLIN.

CAUSE I THINK YOU'D MENTIONED THAT SHANKLIN IS RESTROOMS. THERE'S SOME ISSUES.

I KNOW MY CONSTITUENTS ARE HAIR ON FIRE ABOUT THE RESTROOMS. SO HE'S RATHER THAN SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $60,000 AT THIS SCHOOL RESTROOMS. IT GIVES A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $150,000 THIS YEAR ON RESTROOMS. AND SO I THINK THAT MAY BE PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT I WILL BRING IT UP WITH HIM IF YOU'RE NOT THERE.

MR. SMITH.

WELL, UM, JUST TO ALSO, UM, I BELIEVE IN HAVING EVERYTHING DETAILED AND NOT GIVING ROOM FOR MOVING AROUND, OR BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN I STAYED WHERE I SAID AT THE MEETING, I DID ATTEND THE MEETING AND WHERE I STATED WAS THAT PRINCIPALS ARE LOOKING FOR CERTAIN THINGS TO BE DONE IN THE BUILDINGS AND THEY'RE WAITING, THEY'RE WAITING TO GET ON THAT LIST.

SO AS THAT LIST GETS WORKED ON, THAT'S WHEN EVERY SCHOOL KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE DONE AT THIS POINT IN TIME OR AT THIS SUMMER FOR MAKING A GENERAL LIST.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT THAT WILL CAUSE A, THAT'S NOT REALLY GETTING THE JOB DONE BECAUSE THEY COULD GO ANYWHERE AND DO ANYTHING.

BUT WHEN YOU, BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU RENT, BECAUSE TYPICALLY BE OUR CONSTITUENTS, KNOW EXACTLY THAT $10,000 IS GOING TO GO TOWARDS BROAD RIVER OR $10,000, $25,000.

IT'S GOING TO GO TOWARDS MAY RIVER AND THAT'S CLEAR CUT AND DRY CHANT THAT TRANSPARENCY, MAN, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING AT.

BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ALSO IN TERMS OF GIVING A EXACT AMOUNT AND LETTING IT BE A BLESSING TO BE KIND OF ABROAD, THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY STILL A CONCERN OF MINE.

I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MONEY FOR THE MONEY WHEN I WAS ON.

I REMEMBER WHEN I, WHEN I WAS AN OPERATIONS, WE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE, WHERE IT WAS GOING, WHAT PROJECTS WAS BEING PERFORMED.

AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD STICK WITH WITH THE LINE ITEMS. SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING DONE.

WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME.

AND WHEN LOOK FOR THAT PROJECT TO BE DONE, VERSUS LET'S JUST DOING ALL THE RESTROOMS ARE DOING A HUNDRED DOLLARS TOWARDS RESTROOMS, KNOW WHAT EXACTLY RESTROOMS AND WHO'S NEXT ON THE LIST TO GET THEIR STUFF DONE.

SO THAT'S IMPERATIVE.

I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION WE'LL HAVE TOMORROW.

AND WHAT I'D SAY TO THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT'S COME UP IS WHAT WE APPROVE ISN'T NECESSARILY WHAT GETS DONE, RIGHT? SO YOU COULD SAY, WELL, BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY IS EXPECTING 25,000.

THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT COMES UP AND THEY REALIZE THEY CAN'T MAKE THAT IMPROVEMENT FOR WHATEVER REASON OR SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED.

AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S A END PROCESS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE'S WHAT HAS BEEN SPENT.

AND I CAN GO, OR YOU CAN GO TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND SAY, HEY, WE JUST DID $30,000 WORTH OF UPGRADES TO THE FURNITURE AT THIS SCHOOL, AS OPPOSED TO, HEY, WE'RE PLANNING A YEAR FROM NOW BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE.

AND THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT KIND OF CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS, AND I THINK MISS FRIDGES POINTED OUT, UM, WE'RE RESURFACING THE TENNIS COURTS AT BUFORD HIGH NEXT SUMMER.

THAT'S PART OF, IT'S A RECURRING THING IT'S PLANNED.

IT WENT FROM WHENEVER THEY ASSESSED THAT INITIALLY WENT FROM LIKE A, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, 170,000 TO RESURFACE THE TENNIS COURSE TO OVER 400,000 BECAUSE OF INFLATION.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IF WE'RE TRYING TO LOCK IN THE PRICE AND TRYING TO LOCK IN THE LOCATION A YEAR IN ADVANCE, BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE THAT WE DO IS WE'RE GOING TO MEET TOMORROW, GO OVER THIS NEW SYSTEM.

WE'LL BRING BOTH LISTS TO THE FULL BOARD MEETING NEXT MEETING.

AND WE, AND WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION AND SAY, HERE'S ONE WAY OF DOING 8%.

AND HERE'S THE OLD WAY OF DOING 8%.

AND IF THE BOARD PREFERS TO STICK WITH THE ITEMIZED LIST, THEN I TH THAT I'LL, I'LL GO WITH THAT.

BUT WHAT LET'S AT LEAST HAVE THIS OTHER DISCUSSION AND SEE WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

CAUSE I THINK ON HAVING THE BACKEND REPORTING OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING SPENT TO ME AS AN ELECTED MEMBER WOULD ACTUALLY BE MORE VALUABLE.

UM, MR. MEL CAMPBELL.

SO ALL OF THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, DYNAMICS ABOUT THE SITUATION, BUT THE INTENT OF THE 8% AGENDA WAS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR CAPITAL RESOURCES, MAINTAIN FACILITIES.

I, YOU KNOW, I'M A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD DISCUSSION ABOUT IT KIND OF LANDS ON WHAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE 8% IN THE FIRST PLACE.

YOU KNOW, NOW IT PERCENT, YOU KNOW, USING $25,000 AS STEP NUMBER, I 25 MILLION FANS, WE'RE NOT TOUCHING THE SURFACE OF WHAT 8% IS AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S KIND OF STAGNANT.

SO WE'RE NOT DOING THE KIND OF IMPROVEMENT THAT NEEDED THAT'S THAT MEANT THAT MUCH MORE FACILITIES.

NOW THAT WHEN THAT WAS FIRST PUT IN PLACE.

[01:10:01]

AND IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE DUG DOWN INTO FIND A THINGS, BUT THAT, THAT OPERATION BELONGS TO THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.

AND IT'S UP TO THEM IN MY MIND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FACILITIES ARE KEPT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL.

WE'RE DIGGING INTO THE WEEDS WHEN WE STOP PITCHING AND WILLING WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, WHAT SHOULDN'T BE DONE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE ENCOURAGE ROBERT TO COME IN WITH A BIGGER TOPIC LIST AND A PRIORITY.

AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO FIND THOSE BATHROOMS AND OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S YOUR PRIORITY LIST, YOU GOT YOUR MONEY SLOTTED, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SLOPPY.

OUR GOAL IN MY MIND IS TO MAKE SURE THAT 80% IS ADEQUATE AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT BECAUSE IT SENT, AS WE SEE IT, IT'S NOT EMPHASIZED AS WE USE THE 25,000 CAN'T STAY HERE FOR 15 YEARS AND THOSE MILLIONS AND THOSE MILLIONS KEEP GOING TO PAY 150 MILLION, 250 MILLION.

SO 8% CAN'T STAY THE SAME THING.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

AND THEN WE GOT MORE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP AT A CERTAIN LEVEL.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE MADE NEED TO LOOK AT.

I DON'T KNOW, THROWS THAT DR.

RODRIGUEZ, I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, AS YOU CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT IT, UH, AND WORK THROUGH IT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE.

I THINK LOOKING AT YOUR OPTIONS ON, ON HOW IT'S PRESENTED AND HOW YOU WORK THROUGH IT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE OPTIONS, LOOK OUT RIGHT, MAKE, MAKE DECISIONS.

I TH I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO ADD THIS PIECE, RIGHT.

SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE HAVE BENEFITED TREMENDOUSLY FROM IS OUR CREDIT RATING.

RIGHT? AND SO IF WE ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, 25 MILLION RIGHT, IS DONE STRETCH THE SURFACE AND WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO BORROW MORE.

UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE US TO ENGAGE OUR FINANCE TEAM AS WELL IN THAT PROCESS, SO THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND PROTECT THAT CREDIT RATING, WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD OF AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, IN THIS HERE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST AND I, AND SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART AS WE'VE MOVED THROUGH REFERENDUMS AND, AND, UH, THROUGH THE REFERENDUM AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO I APPLAUD THE, THE IDEAL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING, UH, SOME POSSIBLY PROVIDING, POSSIBLY PROVIDING SOME FLEXIBILITY TO DEAL WITH, UH, THE SPECIFIC NEEDS AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY AROUND IT, YOU KNOW? UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT FINANCE PIECE, AS WE, AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT, UH, AND THAT CREDIT RATING COMPONENT AS WELL, UH, DR.

GLOSS AND THEN COLONEL GUYER.

NO, I WOULD JUST GOING TO ALSO MENTION WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.

UM, THE, UH, 8%, UH, UH, UM, BORROWING THAT WE DO ANNUALLY IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS REALLY, UH, BASED UPON WHAT OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR RECOMMENDS TO KEEP OUR, OUR CREDIT RATING HIGH, OUR BOND RATING VERY HIGH.

AND AS I RECALL FROM HIS DEBT DAY, UH, UM, UM, DOCUMENT THAT WAS, WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AT THE WORK SESSION IN APRIL, I BELIEVE THAT AMOUNT ACTUALLY DOES INCREASE OVER OVER MANY YEARS.

AND, UM, UH, AND I THINK THAT THE RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, YES, I THINK THE BORROWING WOULD BE SOMETHING IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE 8% OF THE TOTAL ASSESSED VALUES OF BUFORD COUNTY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THAT 8% REPRESENTS IT'S MUCH, MUCH LARGER THAN 20, 25 MILLION, WHERE WE'RE WHAT WE'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO, UH, LIMIT OUR BORROWING TO BY, UM, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

AND ALSO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT, UH, BECAUSE WE WENT MANY YEARS WITHOUT A REFERENDUM, WE HAD TO BUILD, UH, BOTH RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.

I THINK BOTH OF THOSE FRONT, NO ONE OF THEM, WHICH ONE WE HAD TO BRING MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL FROM 8% FUNDS.

SO THAT OBVIOUSLY GREATLY DEPLETED THEN WHAT WE COULD DO IN TERMS OF TYPICALLY OUR, OUR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, MAINTENANCE OF, OF, OF

[01:15:01]

OUR OTHER BUILDINGS.

SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE POINTS.

I ALSO THINK THAT THE ABSOLUTELY THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WOULD BE THE ONES TO BE MAKING THE CALLS ON EXACTLY WHAT DOES HAVE TO BE DONE.

YOU KNOW, NONE OF US ARE REALLY QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.

YES, WE'RE HERE AT THE TABLE REPRESENTING OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAINLY THE NEEDS OF SCHOOLS CHANGE.

AND UNFORESEEABLY, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF A TREE FALLS THROUGH THE ROOF OF A SCHOOL, WELL, THAT PROJECT IS NOT GOING TO WAIT TWO YEARS TO BE REPAIRED.

WE'LL HAVE SPENT $344 MILLION, $344 MILLION.

MADAM CHAIR, THIS DISCUSSION WAS REALLY TALKED ABOUT AT GREAT LENGTH DURING OUR DEBT DAY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OF COURSE, WE'VE SPENT 344.

AND I'LL USE MY BIG BOY VOICE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

WE SPENT $344 MILLION ON SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES ON MANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE ON THE 8% LIST, NO LONGER HAVE TO BE ON THE 8% LIST.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A FUTURE REFERENDUM.

IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE CITIZENS LED GROUP THAT LOOKED AT ALL OUR REQUIREMENTS IN THE DISTRICT, IT WAS OVER $600 MILLION.

THAT WAS IN 2018.

YOU CAN TELL WITH INFLATION, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN $300 MILLION ADDITIONAL, AND THAT'S GOING TO ALSO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE BACKLOG 8% MONEY.

NOW THE 25 MILLION IS SET UP.

NOW, IT'S NOT ONLY USED FOR OUR NORMAL MAINTENANCE UPDATES AND FOR VEHICLES AND SO ON, BUT IT'S ALSO USED, OR, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IT COULD BE USED FOR DOING, UH, WORK ENGINEERING WORK TO PREPARE FOR THE BIG REFERENCE.

SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH MA OR THE EXTENSIONS ON MAY RIVER AND RIVER RIDGE THAT ALLOWED US TO START WORK.

AS SOON AS THE REFERENDUM PASSED.

THAT'S ANOTHER USE FOR IT.

ADDITIONALLY, REMEMBER THAT 8% MONEY IS OUR EMERGENCY MONEY.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GET.

THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR CREDIT BALANCE THAT LIKE YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE A LINE OF CREDIT ON THE BANK THAT YOU CAN GET RIGHT AWAY AND WE CAN GET 8% MONEY VERY QUICKLY TO ADDRESS ANYTHING THAT CAME UP IN A MAJOR HURRICANE.

AND WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF BORROWING CAPACITY AT 8% THAT WE COULD GET OUR HANDS ON VERY QUICKLY, NOT IF WE SPEND IT ON OTHER THINGS LIKE WE DID WHEN WE BUILT NAVY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE.

NOW, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE $25 MILLION IS AN ESTIMATE OF FUTURE NEEDS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO FUND THE NEXT REFERENDUM WITHOUT A MILLAGE INCREASE.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A MILLAGE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE OF 36.3 MILS BY SPENDING DOWN OR PAYING OFF OUR 8% MONEY.

REMEMBER 8% MONEY IS A FIVE-YEAR BOND.

SO WE USED 8% MONEY TO, FOR ABOUT $70 MILLION FOR MAID RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S ABOUT PAID OFF.

SO THAT'S HOW RESTRUCTURING OUR DEBT SERVICE SO THAT WE CAN NOT HAVE TO HAVE A HUGE RAISE IN ONTO TAXPAYERS OR OUR, OUR DEBTS BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE REFERENDUM MONEY IS A 25 YEAR BOND.

SO YOU'RE STRETCHING OUT THAT THOSE PAYMENTS.

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ON HOW WE DO THESE THINGS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER TO KEEP FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND STRATEGIC FISCAL PLANNING IN, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

YOU COME BACK WITH A GOOD PLAN ON HOW THE DISTRICT OPERATIONS IS GOING TO KEEP OUR MAINTENANCE UP, KEEP OUR TECHNOLOGY, REFRESHED OUR VEHICLES AND SO ON.

KEEP OUR SCHOOLS PAINTED AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS JUST SNACK.

UM, JUST FIRST OFF, JUST START OFF ACTUALLY I'M AT

[01:20:01]

THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETINGS, FINANCE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THEN MRS. CROSBY WAS BOUGHT IN ON THAT.

SO SHE, SO WAS SUPPOSED TO ACTUALLY, SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO GET SOME INFORMATION AND SPEAKING TO, UM, I BELIEVE MRS. MRS. HEIZER TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO SHE HAS TO YOUR POINT, SHE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SPEED AND SHE HAS BEEN, UH, UP TO DATE ON THAT, BUT ALSO, UH, JUST TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING THAT SHE SAID, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER SPECTRUM OF THIS IN TERMS OF, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU SAID, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE VOTING ON HER CERTAIN NUMBER AND THIS AND OTHER THINGS ARE BEING DONE.

THEN THAT MEANS THAT AS A BOARD, IF WE'RE GIVEN DIRECTION, THEN WE MUST FOLLOW UP AND MAKE SURE THAT THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GIVEN IS BEING TAKEN OUT.

SO HAVING IT BECOME A IT'S BECOME ON US TO, TO DO OUR JOBS, BECAUSE ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES IS ACTUALLY FINANCE THE IT'S THE MONEY.

SO WE'RE GIVING THEM MONEY TOWARDS SOMETHING TOWARDS CERTAIN THINGS.

THEN THAT'S WHAT THAT MONEY SHOULD GO TOWARDS.

THAT MONEY SHOULD GO TOWARDS ANYTHING ELSE.

SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT WE POSSIBLY NEED TO HAVE AS WELL, BECAUSE, I MEAN, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU SIT IN THE, WE ALSO SAID IN THE LAST MEETING, SO IT'S NOT, WE GIVE, WE GIVE THEM A, A, A NUMBER AND SAID, WE APPROVE THIS, BUT THEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY DO THAT.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

DID.

I MEAN, BOY, AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB BECAUSE THERE WERE, WE WERE JUST RUBBER STAMPING THINGS.

SO, SO I BRING THAT UP AND SAY THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT US AS BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP INTO.

SO, I MEAN, I MEAN, AND MY QUESTION IS HOW DO, HOW, HOW TO, HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT'S OCCURRING, THAT WE MUST, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE MUST GET THAT IN THE BUD, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOBS.

MAYBE WE WON'T TAKE THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, TO RESPOND TO COLONEL GARR, YOU'RE HIJACKING MY OPERATIONS REPORT WITH FINANCE.

AND I'VE JUST WANT TO SAY, WE'RE HERE TO, I'M MAKING THE POINT TO THE PUBLIC, THAT WE HAVE $25 MILLION, AND WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLION DOLLARS OF REQUESTS AND IT'S A BUDGETING PROCESS.

AND SO I THINK THAT SHOWING FISCAL DISCIPLINE TO OUR TAXPAYERS AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE ESSER FUNDS AND REFERENDUM FUNDS AND MAKING WISE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE PROJECTS, THAT'S REALLY, TO ME, THE THEME IS HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE? WHAT SCHOOL, WHAT PROJECT AC OVER ROOF SHADE, OVER BASKETBALL COURT, OVER SHADE.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT, UM, OPERATIONS, YOU HANDLE ALL THE BOND STUFF.

AND YOU JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN WE CAN RAISE THAT AMOUNT.

AND THAT'S WHERE I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT.

SO, UM, BUT WE ARE AT 25 MILLION NOW TO MR. SMITH'S POINT.

I, I AGREE THAT IT IS THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS BEING DONE.

THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT.

WELL, NOT THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THAT.

MY POINT RESPONSE TO THAT WOULD BE, THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED A, A AFTER THE FACT, AFTER WE VOTED ON IT PROCESS, MR. WILL COME AND SAY, AND I'LL WITHOUT GIVING A LOT OF SPECIFICS.

ONE OF MY SCHOOLS, UM, THAT I THOUGHT HAD HAD A PROJECT VOTED ON, THEY HAD TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE THERE WAS AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE PROJECT BEING DONE.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL I HAD ASKED ABOUT IT.

UM, I WOULD RATHER HAVE, RATHER THAN ME HAVING TO GO TO THE DISTRICT AND SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT THIS LIST OF PROJECTS FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH GOT DONE AND WHICH DIDN'T AND HOW MUCH ARE DONE.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE HIM COME TO ME AND SAY, HEY, WE COULDN'T DO THIS PROJECT BECAUSE OF THESE REASONS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN OUR MEETING.

I THINK YOU AND I VERY MUCH AGREE WE ARE TOUCHPOINTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS DONE IS REPRESENTED BY US.

WE CAN'T GO IN AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR KEY, MY CONSTITUENTS PRIORITIES GET FIRST BILLING BECAUSE THERE'S 11 OF US, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE A VOICE FOR THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, IN ADDITION TO WHICH I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO BE THE ONE GOING IN AND SAYING, HERE'S WHAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING, BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON ALL THE TIME.

AND, UM, THE NEWSPAPER CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.

SO I WANT, WHEN PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND SAY, LOOK, THE BATHROOMS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL ARE DARN NEAR UNUSABLE.

I WANT TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT THE DISTRICT HAS PLANNED FOR THAT.

NOW THE PROBLEM IS WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS ALL IN ADVANCE, AND I SAY, WELL, YES, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT BECAUSE NEXT SUMMER, AND THEN IT TURNS OUT THINGS CHANGE.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE IT BE AN ONGOING PROCESS.

UM, SO WHAT I THINK, I THINK YOU AND I ARE VERY MUCH ON THE SAME PAGE, DIFFERENT APPROACH.

SO WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS HEARING MR. AUDIENCE, OTHER IDEA, OPTION B LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT IT THIS WAY AND WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION OPERATIONS, AND WE'LL BRING BOTH PRO BOTH SITUATIONS TO THE BOARD AND WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION THE BOARD, BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOARD APPROVING $25 MILLION IN BORROWING AND MS. CROSBY, UM, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP MS. CROSBY, BECAUSE THERE IS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW MUCH DETAIL WE NEED

[01:25:01]

TO PROVIDE TO BOND HOLDERS.

SO SHE IS GOING TO WORK ON THAT AS WELL.

UM, DR.

I JUST HAD A QUESTION KIND OF TO MR. SMITH'S POINT.

UM, AND I WENT BACK TO OUR POLICIES AND THERE IS SOMEWHERE IN THERE WHERE IT SAYS THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE QUARTERLY UPDATES ON PROJECTS.

SO IS THAT A PART OF BASIC PART OF APRIL? IT DOESN'T SAY 8% PROJECTS.

WE'VE BEEN GETTING AT EVERY MEETING, THE CLOCK UPDATE AND THEY HAVE INCLUDED 8%.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS MORE AN UPDATE.

LIKE THIS IS WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE YOU VOTED TO APPROVE THIS PROJECT, OR, HEY, YOU VOTED TO GIVE US THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

HERE'S HOW WE'RE USING THAT ON AN ONGOING BASIS RATHER THAN SO, YEAH, I DO THINK THEY ARE MAKING REPORTS.

I THINK MR. ADI, AND AGAIN, I'M JUST SORT OF PREVIEWING.

SO TUNE IN TOMORROW, FOUR O'CLOCK HILTON HEAD ISLAND, HIGH SCHOOL BY ZOOM OR IN PERSON.

UM, I THINK HE HAS SOME IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN KIND OF WORK BETTER WITH THE DISTRICT.

UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL BRING BOTH FORWARD TO THE BOARD, OUR NEXT MEETING.

UM, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK, UM, HAVING THE FACILITIES, ASSESSMENT, THE INFORMATION FROM THAT WILL BE CRITICAL AND, AND MOVING FORWARD.

UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE LOOK AT VERY SERIOUSLY AND I'M SURE THAT THE DISTRICT WILL, I MEAN, THAT'S A PRETTY CRITICAL PIECE TO HAVE THAT ASSESSMENT DONE.

UM, IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS NOT SPOKEN ON THIS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK MR. CAMPBELL? YES.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN WAIT AROUND WHEN YOU HAVE A BATHROOM PROBLEM IN A SCHOOL, IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF OR A HANDICAP AROUND THAT SHOULD THAT SAFETY.

SO I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE PUSHED DOWN TO THIS.

AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT.

AND ANYONE ELSE? UM, I THINK, IS THERE MORE, THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID? I THINK THAT WE'VE HEARD IT.

I HATE TO PULL UP THE BEATING, BUT I STILL THINK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM ALL POINT OF VIEW, MAYBE THE FACILITY'S REPORT WILL CHANGE YOUR MINDSET, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT LONG-TERM OR WHAT THE 8% MONEY IS DOING TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A VALUE FOR OUR TOTAL PROPERTIES VERSUS WHAT IS NOT DOING A RISK VERSUS WHAT THE REFERENDUMS DO.

BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN, WE ARE MISMANAGING THAT 80% OVER AND OVER THE FACILITIES BECOME BECAME MORE AND MORE FASTER THAN THE REFERENDUM CAN UPGRADE OR SELL THE PERCENTAGES.

THEN WE ARE MISMANAGING AND WE ARE NOT BORROWING ENOUGH, 8% MONEY TO MAINTAIN.

AND I THAT'S GOTTA BE LOOKED AT IN A LONGTERM APPROACH.

WHAT IS, WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS WITH IT, HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAD TO SPEND TO UPGRADE, AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THAT'S HAS TO BE DONE.

WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE GOING TO FIX A BATHROOM OR PAINT THE WALL THIS YEAR, AND IT DIDN'T GET DONE THAT ASIDE.

ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO MANAGE AND KEEP OUR FACILITIES AT THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF VALUE, SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO THE BUILD SCHOOLS? HAVE THEY GO TO THE DECAY FASTER THAN WE REPAIRING THEM? WE'RE MISMANAGING, THAT'S OUR MANAGEMENT ROLE.

UM, MR. SMITH, AND THEN THIS WILL CONCLUDE OUR DISCUSSION ON THIS, I THINK, GO AHEAD.

WAS PUT MORE ON THE BOARD TO MAKE THE DECISION TO SOME POINT THAT MR. CAMPBELL, TO MR. CAMPBELL'S THE POINT.

UM, AND, AND JUST TO SPEAK TO SOME WHAT MR. MR. CAMPBELL WAS SAYING TO TIE IT TO MY POINT.

UM, I STILL DON'T THINK THAT WE REALLY ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

AND IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A MANAGEMENT ISSUE HERE THAT WE'RE NOT WILLING TO TAKE UP.

AND, AND IN TERMS OF, IF, WHAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE ARE VOTING FOR TO ACTUALLY LET ME BACK UP BETTER YET, LET ME, LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE MORE.

UM, I WILL ACTUALLY, I WOULD ASK EVERYONE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE LAST YEAR MEETING OF HOW WE DEALT WITH 8% AND WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE, TO THE COMMITTEE, THIS YEAR'S COMMITTEE THIS YEAR WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHEN, UH, THE CHAIR, WHEN, WHEN DAVID SCRIMMAGE AND I, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE ON THE BOARD AND HOW WE DEALT WITH IT THIS YEAR, IT WAS MORE, IT

[01:30:01]

YES, WE DO LOOK TO, FOR THE STAFF TO BRING US EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE A PART OF 8% BETWEEN LAST YEAR.

AND THIS YEAR, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW OR WHERE OR WHO OR WHAT, WHY AND WHERE THE TRANSFORMATION WAS OF HOW WE DEALT WITH THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE DID WELL, THIS IS WHAT WAS BROUGHT TO US TO OUR FIRST YEAR, MY FIRST YEAR ON OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD JUST HOPE THE CHILD WOULD GO BACK AND WATCH IT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING WITH.

WHAT'S GOING ON NOW.

AND THEN JUST THE BACK TO GO TO MY SECOND POINT IS THIS, I THINK I BUILT WHAT I THINK, WHAT I, MY UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IF WE'RE VOTING ON THESE PROJECTS TO BE DONE, THAT KNOWS THAT OUR PROJECT SHOULD BE DONE POINT BLANK, PERIOD.

IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY BATHROOM THAT THAT HAS TO BE DONE OR SOMETHING, THEN WE HAVE EMERGENCY FUNDS.

THAT'S WHAT THAT IS USED.

WE CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT FOR US TO GO TO WHAT PART AND USE FOR WHAT BUILDINGS, EVERY, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, WE HAVE EMERGENCY FUNDS.

THAT'S WHAT WE USE THAT FOR.

BUT WHEN WE VOTE AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT BE DONE TO GET, TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, WE'VE ONLY GOT 8% PROJECT AT GMSC HELENA.

THERE WAS THINGS THAT THE STAFF THAT, THAT STAFF WENT AND THEY MET WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THE SCHOOL AND THEY, AND THEY MADE THAT ADDITIONS.

NOW, THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR LOOKING AT ME FOR THOSE ADDITIONS AND THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH THAT.

THIS IS BECAUSE OF WHAT I'M BEING TOLD IS THAT THE FUNDS IS NOT THERE.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON SOMETHING, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS USED AT EXACTLY WHAT IS, WHAT IS UNDERSTAND? AND THAT IS WHAT IS CARRIED OUT.

BUT THAT'S MY POINT.

AND I THINK THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING IS TOMORROW.

I JUST WOULD SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH INFLATION RATES AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHEN WE SAY WE CAN DO SOMETHING AT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND THEN WE'RE HIT WITH HIGH INFLATION, GUESS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL PERSONALLY HAVING THOSE SAME, BUT WE CAN'T BUY AS MANY GROCERIES AS WE USED TO WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.

SO, UM, MS. ABOUT RIGHT.

DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR MORE TO ADD MY REPORT? OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE TOMORROW FOUR O'CLOCK HE'LL NET OUT OF THAT.

GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT WAS VERY DETAILED.

UH, OUR NEXT REPORT, UM, COMMITTEE REPORT IS RESULTS.

YES.

VICE CHAIR, RABBI.

MINE'S GOING TO BE, UH, VERY QUICK COMPARED TO OUR LAST REPORT, AND THAT IS FOR RESULTS.

WE MET LAST NIGHT AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET AGAIN ON THE 16TH OF THIS MONTH.

WE ARE, WE ARE TASKED BY THE BOARD TO REVIEW OUR SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION DOCUMENT, WHICH WE CALL BASICALLY RESULTS BECAUSE WE ARE OVERSEE AND SUPERVISE OUR SUPERINTENDENT.

AND WE ARE CONTRACTUALLY IN AN AGREEMENT TO, UM, UH, UH, EVALUATE HIS PERFORMANCE EVERY FALL.

AND WE'VE HAD THIS PANDEMIC THROWN INTO OUR, UH, PRIOR P R R RESULTS FORM THAT WAS DEVELOPED PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, UM, BE SURE THAT WE, UH, HAVE A, UH, HAVE A FORM THAT'S, UH, COMPLIES WITH WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON NOW IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT.

SO WE DID NOT REACH ANY CONSENSUS, CONSENSUS AT OUR MEETING FOR ANY VOTES TO BRING FORTH TO THE BOARD TONIGHT.

SO WE'LL BE MEETING AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED ON JUNE 16TH.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

THANK YOU,

[7. Superintendent's Report]

RODRIQUEZ SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.

OF TIME, HAVE HALF A DAY AT THE SCHOOL, HALF A DAY WITH US HERE AT THE DISTRICT.

UM, OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT UNDER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS REGARDING OUR ARTS INITIATIVE.

UM, DR.

STRADDLES IS GOING TO LEAD US THROUGH THAT, UH, FIRST DISCUSSION, GOOD EVENING, SECRETARY ROBOT AND BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING, MRS. KAREN MCKINSEY, OUR SECONDARY DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING WILL SHARE WITH YOU CURRENT DISTRICT INITIATIVES WITHIN THE AREAS OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS.

THESE ARE WITHIN THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION, AND WE HAVE COLLABORATE COLLABORATED WITH SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY DURING THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.

BEFORE I BRING FORWARD, MRS. MCKINSEY, I WANT TO SHARE TWO IMPORTANT HIGH POINTS WITH YOU.

ONE WE HAVE RECENTLY RECENTLY ADDED MR. CHRISTOPHER CRAB TO OUR FINE ARTS AND PERFORMING, PERFORMING PROGRAM AS OUR COORDINATOR, HIS INSTRUCTIONAL CONTRACT RECENTLY ENDED AND MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND NOW HE WILL TRAIN US FULL TIME.

IN OTHER WORDS, HE WAS WORKING BOTH POSITIONS FOR A PERIOD

[01:35:01]

AND NOW HE'S FULL-TIME WITH US.

MY SECOND HIGH POINT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN COUNTLESS STUDIES THAT STUDENTS WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS EDUCATION ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO DO, TO DO READ FOR PLEASURE, HAVE STRENGTHENED PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS, AND FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN A MATH OR, AND OR SCIENCE FAIR.

THESE WERE WORDS ARE FROM THE GREAT MUSICIAN AND MUSIC PRODUCER, PRODUCER, QUINCY JONES, AND ARE WORDS THAT I STRONGLY BELIEVE ARE THE COLLECTIVE BELIEF FOR EACH OF US.

SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD MRS. KENT, CAMERON MCKINSEY.

COLLEEN BECK IN VARSITY, WHO ALSO WORKED ON THAT PROJECT THROUGH OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER.

YOU THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT OUR ACADEMIC ARTS AND ARTISTICALLY GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS. WHEN I CAME INTO THE POSITION AS DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, I TOOK OVER THE LEAD OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOR BUFORD COUNTY.

THERE WERE CERTAIN GOALS THAT I WANTED TO PUT INTO PLACE.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE A RICH AND ENGAGING ART EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS AS A PART OF THAT GROWTH OPPORTUNITY.

I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE SUPPORTED OUR ARTS INTEGRATION AND OUR ARTS AND BASIC CURRICULUM SCHOOLS.

I WANTED TO INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SHOWCASE STUDENT ART.

AND I WANTED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS ARTISTICALLY GIFTED AND TALENTED.

AND I WANTED TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND TALENTED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN ENGAGING ARTS EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS.

THE PARTNERSHIP WAS DEVELOPED THAT ALLOWED FOR SIX WORLD PREMIER ARTISTS CONCERTS TO BEGIN OUR SCHOOLS.

THERE WERE TWO JAZZ CONCERTS, ONE SOPRANO, ONE LATIN AND FUSION, ONE BLUES AND ONE POET SONGWRITER.

AND THEY WERE ALL WELL RECEIVED IN OUR SCHOOLS.

THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO DO WAS ALL I WANTED TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.

WE HELD IN INAUGURAL HIGH SCHOOL, REGIONAL COMPETITION.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU MORE ON THAT IN JUST A MOMENT THROUGH OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER IN EDUCATION, WE PROVIDED 4,952 HOURS OF SERVICE TO OUR DISTRICT.

OUR KENNEDY'S, UM, CENTER PARTNER HAS ALSO WORKED WITH OVER 5,000 OF OUR STUDENTS THIS YEAR.

NEXT WE WANTED TO HAVE INDEPENDENT ARTISTS COME INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND THEY DID THAT.

THEY CREATED MORE MURALS, A GULLAH WALL AT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY PERFORM STORYTELLING OUR STUDENTS THROUGH OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE GENEROSITY OF MY BOSS, DR.

STRATUS, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.

WE ALLOCATED AN ADDITIONAL $114 PER BAND STUDENT PER SCHOOL.

FINALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE A PURCHASE QUAVER, WHICH IS A MUSIC PROGRAM FOR GRADES K THROUGH FIVE.

DO HAVE A SLIGHT CHANGE ON THAT.

WE ALSO WENT BACK AND PROVIDED THAT TO OUR PRE-K TO ENSURE QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS.

WE SECURED THE ONLY ARTS NOW, SOUTH CAROLINA COHORT GRANT IN THE STATE THAT FOCUS $250,000 OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS TOWARDS TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND IN-CLASS MODELING THIS GRANT PROVIDED THREE DAYS OF FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING FOR OUR TEACHERS.

AND THREE DAYS OF IN-SCHOOL MODELING.

IT ALSO PROVIDED ONGOING FOLLOWUP SUPPORT, DO AN EXTENDED CONTRACT.

ALSO THE FIRST ONE IN THE STATE WITH ARTS NOW, GEORGIA.

THIS GRANT ALSO PROVIDED OUR TEACHERS WITH FREE GRADUATION CREDITS THROUGH WINTHROP UNIVERSITY.

I PERSONALLY LED THREE DISTRICT WIDE VIRTUAL TRAININGS, AND THEY WERE MEANT TO KIND OF BRING COHESION TO OUR ARTS PROGRAM.

ONE WAS CALLED ACA DEMEC ARTS.

THE SECOND MORE THAN THE FROSTING AND THE LAST WAS ARTS FOR ALL.

AND THEY WERE BASED ON INTEGRATION AND CONTENT SUPPORT FOR OUR CORE CONTENT TEACHERS.

LASTLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE CREATED AN ARTS ROUND TABLE TO ELICIT TEACHER INPUT AND SUPPORT TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR ARTS.

WE INCREASED OUR RIVER OF WORDS TO INCLUDE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHOWCASE 283 STUDENTS ART IN POETRY.

I WILL DO WANT TO THANK OUR DIRECTOR OF LITERACY, MELISSA MURRAY, AND OUR DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY.

[01:40:01]

WE HAD A STUDENT ART EXHIBIT AT HILTON HEAD HOT, EXCUSE ME, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

UM, OUR PARTNER ACTUALLY FRAMED ALL OF THAT WORK AND HUNG IT FOR US NOW MORE ON THAT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, HIGH SCHOOL, REGIONAL FATHER OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED, AND OUR STUDENTS WON BIG.

THEY WON THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM AWARD.

THEY WON THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, BUFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS AWARD.

THEY WON FIVE DIRECTORS AWARDS, TWO OF THOSE GOING TO STUDENTS AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, HIGH SCHOOL, ONE GOING TO BE FOR, EXCUSE ME, TO BATTERY CREEK, ONE TO BLUFFTON AND ONE TO MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.

IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL SHOW AND I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO ATTEND THIS YEAR.

WE WILL BE HELD IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BUFORD.

NEXT WE HAD 48 STUDENT WINNERS IN THE PRESTIGIOUS, GOT PLASTIC ART AND WRITING AWARDS CONTEST.

34 OF THOSE WERE FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

HIGH SCHOOL, 12 WERE FROM MAY RIVER AND TWO WERE FROM BLUFFTON HIGH OUT OF THOSE WINNERS.

EIGHT WERE GOLD.

KEY WINNERS, 16 WERE SILVER, KEY WINNERS AND 14 FOR HONORABLE MENTIONS.

THAT'S A GREAT SHOWING FOR ME FOR COUNTY.

NOW I HAD TO BEGIN TO DIG INTO THE DATA, WHICH IS ALWAYS A CRITICAL PIECE WHEN YOU'RE SETTING GOALS.

WHEN I LOOKED AT THE 2021 DATA, I NOTED THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED 83 STUDENTS WHO WERE WHITE 16, WHO WERE BLACK AND 36 WHO WERE OTHER, THAT OTHER FOR US REPRESENTS OUR HISPANIC POPULATION.

I KNEW WE COULD DO BETTER.

I KNEW WE HAD TO DO BETTER.

BASED ON THAT.

I DEVELOPED TWO GOALS FOR MYSELF AND I PUT THEM INTO PLACE THROUGH A STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.

THEIR FIRST GOAL WAS TO INCREASE BY 25%.

THE NUMBER OF OVERALL STUDENTS REFERRED FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED ARTISTIC SCREENING.

THE ACTION PLAN I PUT INTO PLACE WAS A TINY LITTLE PIECE OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S POLICY, WHICH SAYS PARENTS COULD REFER THEIR CHILDREN FOR SCREENING.

I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK OUR AWARD-WINNING COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR HELPING ME ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.

WE PUT OUT FLYERS, WE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE WORKED HARD TO GET THAT OUT.

AND 2021, WE REFERRED 207 STUDENTS FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED SPRAINING.

IN 2022, WE REFERRED 288 STUDENTS THAT IS A 39% INCREASE, BUT NOW COULD WE INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IT COULD WE INCREASE THE NUMBERS FROM AN UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS? SO MY PLAN WAS TO INCREASE BY 25%.

THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS ARTISTICALLY GIFTED AND TALENTED.

THE ACTION PLAN I PUT INTO PLACE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN WAS THE UTILIZATION OF THE STATE'S PROCESS.

AND THAT USES T TEAMS OF TEACHERS, COMMUNITY ARTISTS, PUBLICLY.

THANK CHRIS CRAB FOR COMING AND HELPING ME ON THAT.

HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL, OUR PROGRESS ON THAT GOAL.

AND 2021, WE HAD IDENTIFIED 135 STUDENTS THIS YEAR AND 21, 22, WE IDENTIFIED 182 STUDENTS THAT IS A 31% INCREASE.

THIS BRINGS US TO THE POINT OF BREAKING THAT PLAN DOWN, FOCUSED ON THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE AND UNDERREPRESENTED.

WE IDENTIFIED 106 WHITE STUDENTS.

THAT'S A 27% INCREASE.

WE ENDED UP VIDE 27 AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, A 68% INCREASE AND 49 WHO FELL INTO THAT HISPANIC OR OTHER CATEGORY, WHICH IS A 36% INCREASE.

EVEN THOUGH THOSE NUMBERS SEEM HUGE.

AND IT'S A SOLID INCREASE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO.

SO THAT BRINGS US ON TO NEXT YEAR.

LAST SLIDE, MS. ROBIN, LOOKING AHEAD, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING TO SECURE TWO BRANDS.

ONE IS WITH THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA, FOCUSED ON FOLK LIFE.

AND WE'VE ENTITLED THAT GULLAH ON THE GO.

THIS'LL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS.

THE OTHER GRANT IS WITH BUFORD HISTORY MUSEUM, AND THAT IS ENTITLED, DIRECTED BY ART.

A DEVELOPMENT OF MAPS USED IN TRADITIONAL ART AND CRAFT FORMS IN THE LOW COUNTRY.

[01:45:01]

WE'RE HOPING TO HEAR REALLY POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THOSE TWO GRANTS.

SO I'M ALSO WORKING TO CONTINUE TO SECURE ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS.

AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 12 SESSIONS BEING OFFERED AT SUMMER INSTITUTE, SPECIFICALLY FOR ARTS.

I'M WORKING TO ALSO SECURE ADDITIONAL AVENUES FOR IDENTIFICATION THIS YEAR, AND I'M PLANNING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FAMILIES, BUT ALSO PLAN TO TAP INTO OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DANCE, STUDIOS, INSTRUCTORS, THEATERS, UM, IT'S MY HOPE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE AT LEAST A 30% GAIN FOR NEXT YEAR AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THERE'S A LOT LEFT TO DO, TO MAKE BUFORD COUNTY THE CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

HOWEVER, THE OVERALL GOAL IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT BUFORD COUNTY, THEY WON'T JUST THINK WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION.

THEY'LL THINK SECOND TO NONE IN THE ACADEMIC ARTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. MCKENZIE.

UM, THAT WAS FABULOUS AND, AND APPRECIATE THE GOAL SETTING AND THEN THE DATA TO SUPPORT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOALS.

UM, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT, SO WHERE LIKE WHAT AGE GROUP ARE MOST OF OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED? IS IT OUT OF ELEMENTARY OR IS IT, WE IDENTIFY GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT AND THAT STATE REQUIRES THREE THROUGH EIGHT AND STATE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY FOR ARTISTICALLY.

YES MA'AM.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA TO SUGGEST THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS LIKE A, THE SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS, DO THEY TEND TO HAVE MORE STUDENTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED OR AS GIFTED OR SOME OF OUR OTHER SCHOOLS OF CHOICE THAT ARE ART SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ART? DO THEY TEND TO, WE TEND TO SEE MORE FROM OUR ARTS AND THE BASIC CURRICULUM SCHOOLS.

AND IF I'M ALLOWED, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK EXPLANATION AS TO WHY, UM, OUR TWO BASIC CURRICULUM SCHOOLS THAT ARTS IS INTEGRATED INTO THE REGULAR CLASSROOM.

WHEN YOU'RE IN GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE, YOU WERE GOING TO MUSIC AND ART ONCE A WEEK, WHEN YOU'RE IN GRADE SIX THROUGH EIGHT, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AN ART OR A MUSIC CLASS AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING.

THAT WAS WHY I KIND OF WANTED TO GO AROUND IT AND PULL THE PARENTS INTO THE PROCESS BECAUSE WHO KNOWS THEIR STUDENTS BETTER THAN THE PARENTS.

AND I FIGURED IF, HEY, IF THIS KID DOESN'T HAVE MUSIC, HE'S GOT A MAMA WHO KNOWS HE'S TALENTED.

SO THAT WAS THE REASON THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY THIS BOAT, RIGHT? THANK YOU.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, UM, WAS TO INCREASE ARTS EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS.

UM, AND I KNOW PART OF MY CONCERN AND I THINK THIS IS IMPRESSIVE, AND I THINK YOU'VE GOT THE GOALS IN YOUR, AND YOU'RE HITTING THOSE TARGETS.

WHAT'S MISSING FROM MY POINT OF VIEW IS HIGH SCHOOL.

SO MUCH OF THIS IS FOCUSED ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL POINT, UM, THERE'S NOT AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU'RE TRULY, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE ANY STUDENTS THAT WENT MADE LIKE STATE ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA? WE DID THIS YEAR.

AND WE ALSO, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE GOLD KEYS, SILVER KEY AND HONORABLE MENTIONS, THOSE WERE ALL HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, WAS THAT IN THE, THAT WAS IN THE VISUAL ARTS THAT WAS IN THE VISUAL ARTS.

WE ARE WORKING ON THE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR, UM, TO EXTEND THAT BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS THIS THE HIGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND LIKE I WAS LOOKING AT THE FRIENDS OF FRIPP CONCERTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THAT THEY WERE CLAPPING THEIR HANDS AND THAT'S GREAT.

AND GETTING KIDS INTERESTED IN ART AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND EXPRESSING THEMSELVES, THEN THINGS KIND OF GET CATTYWAMPUS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND KIDS GET MORE RESERVED.

THEY'RE LESS COMFORTABLE.

SOMETHING'S NOT HAPPENING THERE BECAUSE WHAT I SEE, AND I KNOW I HAVE, I'M VERY INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH HILTON HEAD'S ARTS PROGRAM, BUT I SEE IT ALSO IN OTHER SCHOOLS, THEY'RE COMING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE, AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT PERFORMING ARTS BECAUSE YOU CAN BE A GREAT WRITER IN ISOLATION.

YOU CANNOT HAVE A ROBUST PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM WITHOUT OTHER PERFORMERS, WITHOUT A CULTURE OF PERFORMANCE.

AND WHEN WE HAD HILTON HEAD IN HIGH, HIS GRADUATION, THE SALUTORIAN, SHE WAS ACCEPTED TO NYU TISCH SCHOOL OF ARTS, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLY COMPETITIVE TOP OF CLASS ACTING PROGRAM.

AND SHE THANKED HER VOICE TEACHER.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE PERFORMING EXPERIENCE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT.

AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE LEVEL.

IF YOU TRULY WANT TO PURSUE PERFORMING ARTS OR IT'S YOUR PASSION OR IT'S, WHAT'S BRINGS YOU TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

WE AREN'T, I DON'T SEE THE OPPORTUNITY AS MUCH IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND I, SO I APPRECIATE THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE SO MUCH OF THE EMPHASIS IS ON DEVELOPING AN INTEREST IN ART, BUT THEN THERE'S GOTTA BE THAT HANDOFF THAT THE, THOSE PEOPLE WHO, WHO HAVE A LOVE OF ART THAT WANT TO PURSUE IT, THAT THEY HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGH.

SO ONE OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT I CAME FROM HAD, UH, UH, SCHOOL OF THE ART HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ESSENTIAL IN DRIVING,

[01:50:01]

UM, THE SUCCESS OF THAT SCHOOL AND IT IS AMAZING, RIGHT? I MEAN, THEY, THOSE KIDS DO PERFORMANCES THAT JAMES PATTERSON, THE AUTHOR, JAMES PATTERSON RENTS OUT THE, UH, UH, UH, THEATER, PERFORMING ARTS IN THE COUNTY FOR THOSE KIDS TO PERFORM IN DECEMBER.

AND WHAT YOU GET THERE IS A BROADWAY QUALITY PERFORMANCE, AND THEN THEY GO TO JULLIARD RIGHT TO ART.

SO, OKAY.

THE REASON THAT IS WHERE IT IS TODAY, UM, IS, IS BECAUSE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVE AND EFFORT TO GET ARTISTS AND RESIDENTS THAT, THAT WERE APART OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT THAT SCHOOL, UNTIL YOU GO AFTER COLLEGE LEVEL, UH, UH, PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUCTORS AT THAT LEVEL, UH, TO REALLY BUILD THAT KIND OF, UH, OF, OF PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

AND, AND, UH, AND IT'S A JULLIARD.

NO, BUT, BUT, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF EXPOSURE THAT KIDS NEED AT THAT LEVEL, AT THAT AGE TO DEVELOP AND FLOURISH IN THE ARTS, WHICH IS AMAZING.

I MEAN, IT REALLY IS.

SO, SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THERE'S A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT IN THAT DIRECTION TO DO SOMETHING AT THAT LEVEL.

CAN I, DO YOU MIND IF I HAVE, AND I THINK YOU'RE, I THINK THAT'S EXCELLENT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT AS A GOAL, YOU KNOW, TO INCREASE FUNDING AND DEVELOP ARTISTS AND RESIDENTS BECAUSE, AND I HATE TO KEEP HARPING ON HILTON HEAD.

IT'S JUST WHAT I KNOW.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO USE IT AS AN EXAMPLE.

WE HAVE THAT LEVEL OF PERFORMERS THAT LIVE ON HILTON HEAD THAT MIGHT DO IT THAT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOLS.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO A LOT OF PERFORMING ARTS MAJORS.

A HILTON HEAD IS THEY WILL GO TO HILTON HEAD DANCE COMPANY.

THEY WILL GO TO MAIN STREET, YOUTH THEATER.

THEY WILL GO TO PRIVATE LESSONS.

AND, BUT WHAT YOU LOSE WITH THAT, YOU'RE SO READY TO SPEAK, UM, IS THE CULTURE OF THE PERFORMANCE.

CAUSE, UM, I DO, I WANT THE KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO WANT TO GO TO JULLIARD AND TISH TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT I REALLY WANT, IS THERE A LOT OF KIDS WHO LOVE IT, WHO MIGHT COME TO SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, AND GO TO THE CLASSES THEY HATE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S MATH AND HAVE THAT AND HAVE THAT ATTENDANCE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO THAT TO GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BAND, TO GET TO BE IN THE JAZZ CHOIR, TO GET TO BE IN THE PERFORMANCE.

SO TO ME, THAT'S, IF WE CAN PUT THAT INTO THE GOALS, AS WELL AS WE DO THAT, OF THE THINGS I WANT TO REAFFIRM WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE, BECAUSE THOSE FUNDING INITIATIVES WERE NOT JUST REALLY SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING INITIATIVES, BUT THOSE WERE COMMUNITY FUNDING INITIATIVES WITH THAT LEVEL OF INTEREST TO GET THAT QUALITY OF, OF, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, PRESENCE THERE FROM ARTISTS AND RESIDENTS.

RIGHT? SO, SO IT WAS, IT WAS HEAVY ON, ON THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL, UH, UH, UH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, UH, IN ORDER TO GET THAT OFF THE GROUND AND SUSTAIN IT AND JUST HAVE OUR CODE REAL QUICK.

THAT WAS THE FOCUS OF OUR APRIL MEETING WITH OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER.

WE DID SEND STUDENTS OVER TO THE CHARLOTTE BALLET COMPANY THAT CAME IN TO HILTON HEAD.

AND MY REAL FOCUS FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO START A PORTFOLIO PROCESS FOR OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNERS IS GOING TO BE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US GET THAT STARTED.

BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT AS AN AID.

YES, MA'AM.

I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU SET THOSE MEASURABLE GOALS, YOU SET A NUMBER AND YOU DID IT, AND WE DID IT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A, A LESSON FOR EVERY TEACHER AND I, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE, YOU, YOU HAVE TO SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR STUDENTS SO THAT YOU CAN, UM, OKAY, MEL.

UM, WE HAD TWO THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL, ONE SCHOOL YEAR, ONE IN THE FALL, AND ONE IN THE SPRING, THEY ARE DEFINITELY ON OUR RADAR.

WILLIAM, UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORKING ON IN THIS DISTRICT.

UH, SECOND, SECONDLY, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, MY, MY QUESTION IS ALWAYS NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS, UM, UH, GIFTED AND TALENTED, BUT HOW ARE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PUT IN THE, PUTTING THERE, THESE STUDENTS WITH IEP OR 5 0 4 IS HOW ARE WE COOPERATING THEM INTO THIS? YES.

OR WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL AS A MATTER OF SPAT THROUGH OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER.

AGAIN, WE HAVE AN ADAPTIVE ART CAMP FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THIS SUMMER.

[01:55:01]

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND TO SHARE MR. SMITH, OUR ABC SCHOOLS ARE OPEN ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS AS WELL.

SO A STUDENT WITH AN IEP OR AN EYE LAB AT THE ABC SCHOOLS, IT IS CURRICULUM ACROSS THE BOARD WITH INTEGRATION OF ART TEACHERS THIS YEAR THROUGH THE WORK WITH MS. MCKINSEY AND ON D APPLEBY.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE ALSO TO ACQUIRE A WONDERFUL, UM, INTEGRATED LESSON PLAN TOOL THAT IS PROBABLY AMONGST HALF OF OUR SCHOOLS NOW, ALREADY.

SO TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO PULL LESSONS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH THE STATE STANDARDS AND THAT'S WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL.

SO OUR STUDENTS NOW HAVE ALL FULL ACCESS.

UH, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

NEXT ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT AND MS. CROSBY WAS READING MY MIND ALREADY UP THERE ON DECK AND READY TO GO.

WE HAVE, UM, UPDATE ON THE FIRST READING AT COUNTY COUNCIL OF OUR BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE, UH, TRANSFORMATION.

WE KNOW THAT, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, TRANSITION.

WE KNOW THAT THAT WAS A IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND IMPORTANT TO OUR BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT GOES WELL.

SO WE WANT TO, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TODAY, RIGHT? THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, JUST WANTED TO, I PROVIDED A BRIEF UPDATE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS VIA EMAIL ALREADY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, BASICALLY WE, THE VIEWERS VIEWING AUDIENCE ALSO HEARD THE MESSAGE, UH, REGARDING WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

UM, SO THE BOARD'S APPROVAL ON MAY 17TH AND CERTIFICATION OF THE BUDGET, UH, W THE 20 22 23 BUDGET LED TO THEN, UM, UH, MOVEMENT, UH, TO GET APPROVAL, SEEK APPROVAL FROM COUNTY COUNCIL IN THREE READINGS.

SO THAT WORK BEGAN ON MONDAY, MAY 23RD.

WE HAD A COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AT BURTON WELLS RECREATION CENTER, AND, UH, WE PROVIDED AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MUCH LIKE THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED, UM, AND, UM, KEY POINTS TO INFORMATION AND SUMMARIZED INFORMATION AS WELL AS MANY OF THE DETAILS.

AND THE BUDGET ON NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WERE ASKED.

GOOD QUESTIONS.

UM, MANY OF WHICH WE'D ALREADY HAD, UM, ANSWERED FOR THE BOARD AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN, IN MANY, ON MANY OCCASIONS.

UM, AND SO A FEW REMAINING, UH, RESPONSES ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET WE'RE WORKING ON THIS WEEK.

UH, AND SO THE COUNCIL DID VOTE WITH UNANIMOUS CONSENT, UH, TO APPROVE THE BUDGET IN THE FIRST READING.

SO AGAIN, UH, OUR BUDGET IS, IS A PR THE PRIORITY IS EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.

AND AS WE FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE HOUSE, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT PAY INCREASES FOR TEACHERS THIS YEAR.

SO IT IS, IT IS A EASY MESSAGE TO DELIVER IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.

UH, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY YEARS, AND THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE ONE PRIORITY AND THAT'S TEACHER SALARIES, AND IT'S AN EASY SELL TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

SO I, I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD AND THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD.

AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING.

SO WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS COMING UP.

SECOND READING IS MONDAY, JUNE 13TH, THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN BUFORD AT 6:00 PM.

AND THEN THIRD AND FINAL READING WOULD BE, WILL BE MONDAY, JUNE 20, UH, ALSO AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 6:00 PM.

SO AGAIN, I'M ENCOURAGED, I THINK THAT WILL, THIS WILL BE A RELATIVELY EASY PROCESS GOING THROUGH.

AND, AND I THINK THERE, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THE BUDGET.

SO WITH THAT, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM.

UH, FOOD SERVICE TRANSITIONS.

SO THIS EVENING, I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE SHEILA BURTS.

UM, SHEILA BURTS IS OUR BUSINESS SYSTEMS COORDINATOR IN THE DISTRICT.

SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, INTEGRATING, IMPLEMENTING, UM, OUR NOVA TIME SYSTEM WHERE AUTOMATING OUR TIME CLOCK SYSTEM.

SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR MOBILE ATHLETIC TICKETING PROCESSES, UH, AND MOBILE TICKETING FOR OTHER SERVICES AS WELL.

SO SHE'S ALSO UPGRADING OUR MUNIS, UM, OUR MUNIS FINANCIAL SOFTWARE RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO TO THE CLOUD.

SO SHE WEARS A LOT OF HATS.

UM, BUT RECENTLY I, UH, APPROACHED HER TO REQUEST HER, TO OVERSEE THE TRANSITION OF THE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM.

UH, I'M VERY MUCH IN THE DEPTHS OF THE BUDGET AND STILL, UH, PULLED TO THAT AREA INTO THE FINANCIAL MINI FINANCIAL,

[02:00:01]

LARGE TOPICS, LIKE BOND ISSUES AND SO ON.

SO I REALLY FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO GIVE SOME MORE ATTENTION TO THAT AREA.

AND I FELT LIKE SHE HAD THE BACKGROUND TO BE ABLE TO DO A VERY GOOD JOB AT THAT.

SO FAR, SHE'S REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE NUTRITION GROUP.

AND I'M GOING TO LET HER SPEAK THE SAME EVENING AND TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.

THANKS.

I GOT TO PULL IN REINFORCEMENTS.

UH, THANK YOU BOARD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE NUTRITION GROUP PERSONNEL THAT WOULD PAY US PATIENTLY WAITED THROUGH THE MEETING TODAY.

YOU GUYS COULD SEND THIS CHAIN HAS, UM, BEEN WORKING THIS WEEK WITH THE ONBOARDING PROCESS OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO GET THEM TRANSITIONED FROM SEDEXO TO THE NUTRITION GROUP.

AND I'M GOING TO REFER TO THEM AS TNG.

SO EVERYBODY WILL KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT AS I SPEAK.

THANK YOU GUYS.

ALONG WITH ME, COME ON UP.

THESE ARE OUR TWO PROJECT MANAGERS, LET'S SAY THAT, UM, THAT IS REPRESENTING T AND G AND WORKING CLOSE WITH ME.

THIS IS LOUD CARROT.

HE'S THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

HE LIVES IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND JOE GUY'S WHITE.

I GOT IT.

CORRECT.

I STRUGGLED WITH HIS NAME.

HE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SCHOOL DIVISION FOR, UH, T AND G AND JOE WILL ACTUALLY BE RELOCATING TO BE FOR COUNTY FOR US.

WE'RE OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS DR.

UM, SO, UH, WE PROVIDED AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR YOU, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'VE HAD TIME TO LOOK AT IT.

IF NOT, I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON MONDAY, MAY 23RD.

WE FINALIZED THE CONTRACT WITH TNG AND, UH, WE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING ON THAT DAY.

UM, WE STARTED VISITING EVERY SCHOOL WITHIN THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING ALL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, AS WELL AS ACE.

UM, IN THOSE VISITS, WE, THEY MEASURED EQUIPMENT, THE SERVING LINES AND SO FORTH, GETTING READY FOR THE BRANDING OF T AND G WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, BASED OFF THE LEVEL OF, OF THE, THE SCHOOL.

ALONG WITH THAT, THEY DID LOOK AT SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS IN THE, THE KITCHENS, AS WELL AS COLD AND DRY GOODS THAT WERE BEING STORED.

WE WILL DO AN OFFICIAL INVENTORY IN THE TRANSITION OF SEDEXO TO TNG AT THE END OF JUNE WHEN THEIR CONTRACT EXPIRES.

SO I'LL HAVE MORE TO REPORT AFTER THAT.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MET WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

SO MYSELF INCLUDED, I WAS ALONG FOR ALL OF THESE VISITS FOR FOUR DAYS.

UM, EVERY PERSON THAT WAS IN THE BUILDING THAT WORKED FOR FOOD SERVICES, WE TOUCHED, WE TALKED TO AND PERSONALLY INTRODUCED OURSELVES AND, AND, UH, HAD A GREAT TIME DOING IT.

UM, AFTER WE DID THAT, WE THEN SCHEDULED THREE MEETINGS IN THAT, WAIT ONE ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY IN THE AFTERNOON.

AND THAT GAVE TNG THE CAPABILITY TO PRESENT MORE ABOUT THEIR COMPANY AND ALLOW THE PERSONNEL TO ASK MORE IN-DEPTH QUESTIONS.

THE MEETINGS WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

UM, THE DIALOGUE WAS VERY OPEN AND WE WERE PLEASED WITH THE RESULT.

UH, THE LARGEST MEETING WAS HERE AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

WE HAD THE MOST, PROBABLY 50, 60 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT CAME IN AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE VERY OPEN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS AS FAR AS THEIR OPINIONS.

SO BRINGS US TO THIS WEEK.

WE START ONBOARDING TODAY.

WE HAD TWO LOCATIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE EMPLOYEE SERVING THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.

UM, BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, OPENED THEIR DOORS FOR US.

AND WE DID THE MAJORITY, I GUESS, OF THE ONBOARDING.

THAT'D BE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN ACE SUPPORTED SOUTH OF THE BROAD.

AND, UM, WHAT'S THE TURNOUT BETWEEN THE TWO WE DID.

UM, THE LAST COUNT WAS 78 PEOPLE WE ONBOARDED TODAY.

SO THAT'S ABOUT 60% OF OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEE BASE.

SO WE REPEAT THIS TOMORROW.

THERE'LL BE AT THE SAME LOCATIONS TOMORROW WAITING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO COME IN.

AND THEN WE WILL LOOK AT WHO HAS NOT APPLIED AND THEN GO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT PERSONAL PHONE CALLS BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANYBODY IN THIS PROCESS.

WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN OUT LOBBYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE BACK, GET THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LEFT US BACK ON THURSDAY.

WE'LL BE, UH, HANDLING THE HILTON HEAD CLUSTER HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE, UM, HOSTING US THERE IN THE ROTC ROOMS. AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THIS GROUP BACK HERE AT HILTON HEAD.

SO AS WE PROGRESS, I WILL PROVIDE YOU UPDATES ON HOW WE ARE.

WE'RE PROGRESSIVE.

WE HAVE A LOT TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND THE FIRST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND

[02:05:01]

GRADS.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WELCOME.

AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR ONE OF YOU IS RELOCATING TO BUFORD COUNTY.

UM, SO IT'S, UH, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING, AND THAT IS, UH, YOUR ONBOARDING IS THAT, UM, THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN FOOD SERVICE THAT WANT TO CONTINUE IN THAT POSITION OR ARE IN FOOD SERVICE, ARE FILLING OUT APPLICATIONS WITH YOUR COMPANY AND THEN PER YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UH, YOU ARE TAKING WALK-INS.

SO I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR TONIGHT THAT IF SOMEBODY IS INTERESTED IN WORKING IN FOOD SERVICE IN OUR SCHOOLS, PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETINGS THAT WERE JUST, UH, UM, REPORTED OUT SO WE CAN, UH, EVALUATE YOU OR SO WALK-INS ARE WELCOME.

THEY DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO COMPLETE APPLICATIONS SITE.

THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF THAT TODAY.

AND, UM, AGAIN, IF YOU ARE, ARE LISTENING AND YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A POSITION, PLEASE COME BY AND SEE US AGAIN AT BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM EIGHT TO FIVE TOMORROW, OR A, THE BJA ACADEMY ON ONE 70 FROM EIGHT TO FIVE TOMORROW.

AND THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY THERE TO HELP YOU.

AND THEN IF YOU ARE ON HILTON HEAD FOR CONVENIENCE, AGAIN, IT WILL BE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL ON THURSDAY SIX NINE.

I HAVE A QUESTIONS, MR. SMITH.

YEAH, I DEFINITELY JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND WELCOME.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO Y'ALL.

UM, I'VE HAD WHERE WE ARE, ARE THE SAME WAY, HOW OUR STAFF, THE STAFF WAS PRETTY MUCH TRANSPARENT.

THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND STAFF WILL BE TRANSPARENT.

SO I'M, I'M REALLY THE BAR'S RAISED.

HI, I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO GET FOR YOU GENTLEMEN AND LADIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO COME IN AND, UH, SERVE OUR STUDENTS TO THE, WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE THE LEVEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE SERVED.

UH, I WELCOME YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU IN WHOLE AND LOOKING FOR, LOOKING FOR KNOW THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME GREAT POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM, FROM COMING OUT OF THE GATE.

COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR SALARY RANGE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO HIRE FOR THE HOURLY EMPLOYEES? YES.

SO THE HOURLY EMPLOYEES ARE ALL GOING TO BE STARTING AT $14 AN HOUR.

SO IT DEPENDS ON THE POSITION AFTER THAT POINT AND ANY, YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE MADE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS TO ALL EMPLOYEES, CURRENT SODEXO THAT ARE COMING ON AS WELL.

SO I WILL SPEAK IN THE NEGOTIATION PART OF THE CONTRACT.

I DID PARTICIPATE IN THAT PORTION.

UM, AND COLONEL GEIER WAS THERE, UM, BEFORE WE STARTED NEGOTIATING, UM, WE REALLY FOUGHT HARD FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND WE FOUGHT HARD FOR WHAT THEY DESERVE.

AND THEN WE KNOW THAT WE'VE LOST GOOD TALENT BECAUSE IT IS SO COMPETITIVE NOW WITH THE, THE HOURLY RATES AND, UH, T AND G STEPPED UP AND HAS HELPED US WITH THAT MS. BELL.

WE READY TO GO TO BOARD BUSINESS ACTIONS? ACTION.

UM, OR YOU ADVERTISE, WE HAVE A LOT OF ESAU, UH, WORKFORCE ON HILTON HEAD.

ARE YOU CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS IN SPANISH? DO YOU HAVE LITERATURE IN SPANISH THAT CAN BE HANDED OUT? YOU HAVE A WHOLE SET OF LITERATURE THAT WE CAN GET AND MAKE SURE WE GET IT OUT THERE.

UM, WE'LL PULL OUT ALL THAT TONIGHT.

AND SO THAT IT'S AVAILABLE AND OUT THERE FOR ON HILTON HEAD AND WE'LL GET IT OUT TO THE, TO YOUR EIGHT DOM COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AS WELL.

SO IT GETS OUTPUT WILLIAM.

I APOLOGIZE.

I, I DEFINITELY THINK THE HOME TEAM, WHAT'S YOUR NAME NOW? APOLOGIZE, SHEILA BIRDS OR SOMEBODY I'M NOT, I'M NOT TO BE EMBARRASSED.

MS. BURSTS, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE YOUR PRESENTATION WAS SPOT ON, WAS VERY INFORMATIVE BIT BY BIT, PIECE BY PIECE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW INFORMATIVE YOU, WASN'T, HOW YOU TOOK YOUR TIME AND GAVE GREAT, ACCURATE INFORMATION.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

THANKS MS. CROSBY, TOO, WITH THAT.

UM, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT THIS EVENING.

MADAM CHAIR, DR.

GWADAR.

[8. Board Business Action]

I MEAN, YOU DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A CHANCE TO SAY IT.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM THE PRICHARD VILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION, AND THE AMOUNT OF $18,357 AND 63 CENTS TO THE PRICHARD VILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR FIELD TRIPS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS.

K MR. SMITH SACRAMENT, ANY DISCUSSION? OH, UH, DR.

GRADS.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PRICHARD VILLE ELEMENTARY PTO.

IT'S A VERY GENEROUS,

[02:10:01]

UH, THOUGHTFUL DONATION.

AND TO BE USED FOR FIELD TRIPS IS AWESOME.

I MEAN, WE GET TO SUPPLEMENT OUR STUDENTS, GET THEM OUT IN THE, IN THE WORLD FOR EXPERIENCES THAT WE, UM, WE KNOW ARE SO VERY IMPORTANT.

UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.

I'LL CALL THE VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

UH, THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ANY, UM, NOS, ANY ABSTENTIONS? NO.

SO IT PASSES 10 ZERO.

[9. Consent Agenda]

I MOVE THAT.

WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA BRACE HERE, SECONDED BY INGRID BOAT RIDE.

ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA, SEEING THAT OTHERS KNOWS DISCUSSION.

SORRY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SAYING AYE.

10 ZERO.

AM I ABSTAIN? ABSTAIN.

ONE NINE, YES.

ONE ABSTENTION THAT'S.

ON THE AGENDA, FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.

ALL RIGHT.

[10. Future Agenda Topics]

PUBLIC COMMENTS, THIS RULE, THE CHISHOLM.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE, BUT I HAD RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC IN REGARD TO OUR ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, IT WOULD BE BEST FOR IT TO GO TO ACADEMICS FIRST BY TO JUST WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE.

I CAN GIVE MORE INFORMATION TO, IF IT DOES GO TO ACADEMICS OR MS. BOATWRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. UM, WE'VE DONE THE ONE, UH, ST.

HELENA.

THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OTHERS, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING IN A WHILE.

ANY OTHER REQUESTS? OKAY.

UH, SECOND

[12. Public Comments]

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT I HAVE TRIED EVERY LEVEL OF CHAIN OF COMMAND BEFORE COMING HERE TODAY.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING ON EVERY, EVERY LEVEL, SCHOOL LEVEL, DISTRICT LEVEL, SEVERAL REQUESTS.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THIS, AT THIS TIME I HAVE A LAPTOP THAT'S ISSUED FROM SOUTH, FROM BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT I AM BEING ALIBI RIGHTS TO USE.

IT HAS BEEN TAKEN.

AND I WILL ASK THIS AFTERNOON, WHOEVER HAS THE AUTHORITY FOR ME TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THERE THAT I HAVE TRIED TO SEND THROUGH TO SHARE, BUT IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER IF I COULD JUST TOUCH AN EMAIL AND SEND IT THROUGH ALSO, UM, I WAS HOSPITALIZED ON THE 17TH OF MAY SENT BY AMBULANCE FROM MY SCHOOL, UM, MISSED WORK ON THAT 17TH AND THE 18TH, 19TH.

I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE PAID LEAVE ON FROM THE 20TH UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

I, MY LAST PAYCHECK ON FRIDAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE LIVES FROM PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.

I'M A 15 YEAR OLD, 15 YEAR WIDOW WHO PROVIDES FOR MYSELF.

SO FROM MY PAYCHECK ON THIS PAST FRIDAY, I WAS MISSING PAY FROM THE TIME I WAS HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE I WAS SENT FROM MY SCHOOL ON THE 17TH, THE 18TH, THE 19TH, THE 20TH, THE WEEKEND AFTER THE WEEKEND, THE 23RD, 24TH, 25TH, 26TH, STRAIGHT THROUGH UNTIL JUNE 2ND.

UM, HOWEVER, THE PAY PERIOD IS CALCULATED.

I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID FOR, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE THAT SAYS, UM, I'VE BEEN PLACED ON THAT SHOWS NO RECORD.

I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE COPIES OF THIS FOR SOMEONE CAUSE I'VE REQUESTED FROM HR, EVERY LEVEL OF HR TO GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION AS WELL AS A MEETING, TO HELP ME WITH THIS AS WELL AS SO, SORRY, MAY I PLEASE HAVE COPIES OF DOCUMENTS? FORMS THAT I RECORD? THE REASON WHY I WAS PLACED ON THEY RE RECORDED ME AS BEING ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.

MAY I PLEASE HAVE COPIES OF FORMS THAT I FILE THAT SAYS WHY I WASN'T PAID MY PLEASE HAVE COPIED MY PAYCHECK STUBS BECAUSE I HAVE NO RIGHT TO COPY THEM.

I HAVE NO WAY TO COPY THEM NOW BECAUSE MY RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM MY COMPUTER.

MY POLICE HAVE ACCESS TO MY EMAILS, INFORMATION MADE AVAILABLE TO ME FROM BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT LAPTOP THAT I WAS ASSIGNED.

MY PLEASE HAVE COPIES OF ALL DOCUMENTS AND FORMS THAT REFER TO AN INCIDENT

[02:15:01]

ON MAY 17TH, WHICH I WAS TRANSPORTED FROM SAINT HELENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BY AMBULANCE.

MY PLEASE HAVE COPIES THAT FORMULA EXPLAINED THE STATUS, THE PROCESS OF REPORTS THAT I MADE ON THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING ON LIKE ONLINE REPORT OPTION BY PLEASE HAVE COPIES OF INFORMATION THAT RECORDS MY RECORDS OF VIOLATIONS THAT WERE AGAINST STAFF MEMBERS.

UM, I'M SORRY, FOLKS.

YOU CAN'T GO TO A GERMAN CAUSE I NEGLECTED ANNOUNCEMENTS.

SO I SKIPPED RIGHT OVER THAT.

ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME? OKAY.

THERE'S A REASON I SKIPPED OVER IT.