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AND WELCOME TO THE BEAVER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK SESSION OF FRIDAY, JANUARY 27TH, 2023.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL AND IS BEING CONDUCTED BY HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING.
PARTICIPATION WAS ACCEPTED BETWEEN EIGHT AND EIGHT 30 THIS MORNING.
THOSE THAT SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES MINUTES.
ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, THE FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES.
IF YOU ARE IN PERSON, YOU MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES.
ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, EACH SPEAKER MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
IF THEY ARE IN PERSON, PLEASE SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR A CARD.
WE NOW NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU, ALTON AND EARL.
ANY DISCUSSION? UM, MS. BOATWRIGHT, UM, I JUST, WE, WE, WHEN WE TALKED IN AGENDA SETTING, UM, THERE'S SOME CLARIFICATION AS TO RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOLS AN ORDER IN THE AGENDA.
CAUSE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT PUTTING BOARD BUSINESS ACTION ITEMS AHEAD.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I'M GONNA APPROVE THE AG.
I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
BUT GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UM, WERE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY HASH OUT AND DISCUSS ON THE BOARD AND VOTE ON COME FIRST IN THE AGENDA AND THE STUFF THAT'S MORE FOR INFORMATION, EVEN IF WE NEED TO VOTE TO ACCEPT IT, THAT WE PUT LATER IN THE AGENDA.
SO, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS TIME.
SO I'M STILL GONNA SUPPORT THE AGENDA.
CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THIS IS KIND OF A NEW THING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT POINT ON RECORD.
YEAH, I HEARD NOT, UH, I CONCUR WITH YOU.
WE DISCUSSED IT IN AGENDA SETTING AND HEARD NOTHING FURTHER AFTER THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTION? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FOR APPROVING THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND ONLINE, MR. SMITH, I SUSTAIN.
SO WE HAVE, YEAH, SO, SO SEVEN.
SO THE, THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.
WE'LL NOW STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WE WILL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY.
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
CAN YOU, UM, GARY, TO PUT YOU ON SPEAKERPHONE? GO AHEAD.
STATE YOUR FIRST, UH, FIRST AND LAST NAME AND AHEAD AND SPEAK.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THIS IS DAVID.
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DAY TODAY.UM, IT'S VERY CLEAR WHEN THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES ARE ASSEMBLED, DR.
STRATAS AND HER STAFF ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
BUT THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY AVOIDING THE USE OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHEN ASSIGNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SOME OF THE POSITIONS ON REVIEW COMMITTEES, UH, SUCH AS A PARENT REPRESENTED, UH, SCHOOL FAMILY, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND IN THOSE SITUATIONS, THEY'RE PUTTING IN DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
THIS INCLUDES THE STAFF OF DISTRICT EMPLOYEES IN PLACE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
ON A COUPLE OF OTHER OCCASIONS, YOU'VE HAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT ARE IN AREAS OF EXPERTISE FOR A BOOK THAT IS IN A HIGH SCHOOL.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE.
FUTURE TOPICS SHOULD INCLUDE THE PROPER ASSIGNMENT OF CITIZENS AND NOT ASSIGNING DISTRICT STAFF IN AN OBVIOUSLY BIASED MANNER TO THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES.
IF YOU DON'T SPEAK OF IT TODAY, I SAID THAT RIGHT? YOU'RE VIOLATING YOUR OWN POLICY THAT YOU WROTE AND YOU'RE ALSO VIOLATING THE POLICY FOR STAFF CONDUCT IN WHICH TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS ARE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.
SO THAT'S UNDER YOUR CONDUCT POLICY.
SO I REQUEST THAT THE BOARD REVIEW THIS, INVESTIGATE THE VIOLATIONS OF IS 38.1 AND ORDER THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EITHER REMOVE THAT POLICY OR CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES.
OUR COUNTY CONSISTS OF 4,000 EDUCATORS IN TOTAL, THE POPULATION OF OUR COUNTY IS ABOUT 200,000.
SO OUR EDUCATORS REPRESENT ABOUT 2% OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
YET EVERY COMMITTEE HAS ABOUT 80% OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TAKEN FROM A POOL OF 4,000 PEOPLE.
THIS IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF A COMMUNITY.
AND ACCEPTING THE BOOKS AND KEEPING THESE BOOKS UNDER THOSE COMMITTEES IS NOT GOING TO BE CONSIDERED A COMMUNITY STANDARD WHEN YOU GO UP AGAINST LITIGATION.
I, AS INDI AS I INDICATED BEFORE THE PROCESS STARTED ITS BIAS.
AND FOR MY CHILD, YOU'RE NOT GIVING THEM THEIR RIGHTS FOR DUE PROCESS.
UNDER THIS COMMITTEE AND RE AND REVIEW OF THESE BOOKS, I ASKED YOU TO LOOK AT THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
I KNOW THAT THE BOARD LASTS ABOUT US.
WE KNOW THE BOARD LASTS ABOUT US BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
WE KNOW THE DISTRICT'S STAFF IS CURF AT US BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
AND IT'S UNTHINKABLE THAT ANYONE ON THE BOARD OR ANYONE IN DISTRICT STAFF BELIEVES THAT THESE BOOKS NEED TO BE IN OUR SCHOOL.
SO I ASK WHY, WHY DO YOU WANNA PROTECT THESE BOOKS? WHY DO YOU WANNA KEEP THESE BOOKS? BECAUSE THEY OFFER NO EDUCATIONAL CONTENT WHATSOEVER AND YOU CAN'T JUSTIFY MR. YOUR TIME IS UP.
SO THAT'S OUR ONLY PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT TODAY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY IN PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.
NEXT UP IS THE CRAZE TRAINING.
I AM GONNA PASS THAT NOW TO YOU ALL FIRST, AND Y'ALL DO HAVE TO FORGIVE ME.
UH, I FOLLOWED, UH, WELL BRANCH ALL THE WAY UP TO BA LAST NIGHT FOR ARRESTED.
AND, UH, HOW'D THEY CRACK HORN? HOW DID THEY DO? AND I WILL HAVE EXTRAS, UH, MAKE SURE THIS IS WORKING.
ALRIGHT, SO I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A MEETING, YOU'LL HAVE OTHER THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
SO, UM, I WILL TRY TO POWER THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION FOR YOU, UM, THIS MORNING.
UM, MY MAIN THING, ONE FOR YOU TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IN CASE OF, UH, OF SOME TYPE OF CRISIS, BUT AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO KNOW WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT TO OUR SCHOOL STAFF ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SO I'M MASTER SERGEANT DANNY ALLEN WITH THE BUFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE A LITTLE OVER 16 YEARS NOW.
UM, I DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, MAINLY DURING OUR CRIME PREVENTION AND GOING ALL THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, AT, AT TIMES DOING DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS.
THIS IS A PRESENTATION THAT I WISH WE DID NOT HAVE TO GIVE, UM, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
UM, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PRESENTATION.
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IS UP THERE.UM, I ALSO HAVE A FEW CARDS ON ME.
MY CONTACT INFORMATION WILL BE UP IN THE END.
UM, EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU ARE CONNECTED TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO PLEASE TAKE THIS INFORMATION AND SHARE IT WITH YOU WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND CHURCHES, UM, AND OTHER SCHOOLS AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'LL QUICKLY GO THROUGH, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WILL SAY IF YOU DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, MAYBE SAVE IT FOR THE END SO WE CAN GET THROUGH IT.
SO THE PRESENTATION IS CALLED CRAZE, WHICH STANDS FOR CIVILIAN RESPONSE TO ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENTS.
THIS IS NOT A PRESENTATION THAT WE AT BEFOR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR JUST, UH, ALL THE AGENCIES HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY STARTED THIS, ACTUALLY STARTED DOWN IN AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY BY A GROUP CALLED ALERT.
THIS IS, UH, WAS, UH, IS TAUGHT ALL OVER OUR NATION AND WAS ADOPTED BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR ALL OF THE, UM, UH, AGENCIES TO TEACH THIS IN ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO EVERY LAST ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS, IS SUPPOSED TO GET SOME FORM OF THIS PRESENTATION AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR TO GO ALONG WITH THOSE DIFFERENT, THOSE THREE LOCKDOWN DRILLS THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, SO THE INFORMATION IN HERE COULD ACTUALLY, IS HELPFUL DURING THOSE LOCKDOWN DRILLS.
IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE THAT I TALK ABOUT TODAY, YOU SEE THE THREE WORDS THAT SAY, AVOID, DENY, DEFEND.
IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE, REMEMBER THAT.
AND I WILL BREAK DOWN THOSE THREE WORDS.
HOMELAND SECURITY DEFINES AN ACTIVE SHOOTER AS AN INDIVIDUAL ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN KILLING OR ATTEMPTING TO KILL PEOPLE IN A CONFINED POPULATED AREA.
NOW, ALWAYS STOP HERE AND USUALLY ASK FOLKS, HOW MANY TIMES IN YOUR DAILY LIVES ARE YOU IN A CONFINED POPULATED AREA? AND WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THROUGHOUT YOUR DAILY LIFE, AND NO MATTER YOU MAY BE AT DIFFERENT PLACES ON THIS DAY COMPARED TO ANOTHER, BUT YOU ARE IN A CONFINED POPULATED AREA MULTIPLE TIMES IN YOUR DAILY LIVES.
WHERE IF IT'S A GROCERY STORE, WHERE IF IT'S GOING TO A MOVIE WHERE IF IT'S AT A SCHOOL OR A BUSINESS CHURCH OR SOME OTHER ORGANIZATION, UM, YOU ARE IN, BLESS YOU, YOU ARE IN A CONFINED POPULATED AREA MULTIPLE TIMES IN YOUR DAILY LIVES.
AND SO THE INFORMATION THAT IS BEING PRESENTED, YOU'RE GIVING, YOU'RE GETTING IT NOW, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE PART OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU'RE PART OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, IF I WAS AT YOUR CHURCH, IT'S CUZ YOU WE'RE, WE'RE AT THAT CHURCH LOCATION OR A BUSINESS OR A SCHOOL.
BUT THE INFORMATION REALLY COULD BE USED NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.
UH, IT MAY HAVE TO BE ADAPTED COMPARED, UH, UM, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF BUILDING YOU'RE IN.
BUT THE SAME INFORMATION COULD BE HELPFUL NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.
NOW, ANOTHER PART OF THE DEFINITION SAYS THERE IS USUALLY NO PATTERN OR METHOD TO THEIR SELECTION OF VICTIMS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTIVE SHOOTING.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO COMES TO THIS LOCATION, THEY'RE JUST UPSET WITH ME AND WHOEVER'S IN THEIR WAY.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA GET THEM OUT THE WAY SO THEY CAN GET AT ME.
THEY DON'T WANNA HURT ANYBODY ELSE.
MAJORITY OF OUR SHOOTINGS ARE ISOLATED INCIDENTS, MEANING EVEN IF IT'S IN A PUBLIC LOCATION, THEY'RE SHOOTING AT THAT ONE PERSON.
THEY'RE MAD WITH THAT ONE PERSON.
OKAY? THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS IT IN THEIR MIND THAT THEY WANT TO NOT HURT, NOT HARM, BUT KILL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
THERE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN GUNMEN WHO HAVE WRITTEN IT DOWN, SAID IT TO SOMEONE.
B, RECORDED THEMSELVES SAYING THAT THEY WANTED TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY FOR KILLING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S THE TYPE OF SICK PERSON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
OKAY? AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE MALE OR FEMALE, BLACK OR WHITE, PREGNANT, A MOTHER, A FATHER, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
A DEFINITION OF A MASS SHOOTING IS DEFINED AS FOUR MORE PEOPLE SHOT OR KILLED IN A SINGLE INCIDENT.
FOUR P FOUR OR MORE PEOPLE SHOT OR KILLED IN A SINGLE INCIDENT.
AND A DEFINITION OF A SCHOOL SHOOTING IS ANY SHOOTING THAT OCCURS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS OR SCHOOL PROPERTY, EVEN IF NO ONE WAS ACTUALLY HURT OR HARMED, IF SOMEBODY'S JUST OUT IN THE PARKING LOT SHOOTING UP, THAT STILL COULD GO DOWN, UM, DEFINED AS A SCHOOL SHOOTING.
BUT YOU HAVE ALL THESE DEFINITIONS AND THEN WE SEE THESE, UH, UH, SCENES LIKE THIS.
WE HAVE SEEN SCENES LIKE THIS FAR TOO MANY TIMES IN OUR NATION.
FAR TOO MANY TIMES WE'VE TURNED ON THE NEWS AND WE SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WE JUST HAD IT EARLIER THIS WEEK.
AND SO CAN WE STOP THEM ALL? NO, I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE CANNOT STOP THEM ALL.
BUT ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP PREVENT A, A LOT OF THESE ACTS FROM OCCURRING? ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU CAN BE TAUGHT SO YOU KNOW, TO PAY ATTENTION TO DIFFERENT RED FLAGS, UM, THAT MAY HELP YOU EITHER, UH, REPORT SOMETHING PRIOR TO IT HAPPENING OR TRY TO STOP IT? AND ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN TEACH FOLKS SO IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ACT, THEY, THOSE ARE THINGS THEY CAN DO TO HELP SAVE THEIR LIVES AND SAVE OTHERS' LIVES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE
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PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS.WE MAY NOT WANT TO, BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS.
I TOOK THIS SLIDE FROM AN FBI, UM, PRESENTATION THAT THEY PUT OUT IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.
THEY HAVEN'T PUT OUT A NEW ONE, UM, FOR 2023 YET, BUT ONE WILL BE COMING OUT.
UM, BUT WHAT THEY LOOKED AT IS THE ACTUAL DEFINITION OF ACTOR SHOOTER.
THE DEFINITION THAT I READ OFF TO YOU.
THEY LOOKED AT, UM, THE INCIDENTS THAT WE HAVE HAD OCCUR IN OUR NATION OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND WHAT THE F B I SAW WAS A 52.5% INCREASE IN ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENTS IN OUR NATION.
FOLKS, IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S HAPPENING AROUND US.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING, BUT IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING ACROSS OUR NATION.
AND SO WE DO HAVE TO BE PREPARED, UM, UH, FOR IT.
WE DON'T WANT YOU PARANOID, BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR IT JUST IN CASE.
AND OF COURSE THERE'S CERTAIN ACTS THAT STICK OUT IN OUR HEAD LIKE WHAT HAPPENED DOWN IN TEXAS, UH, JUST THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, UM, AND KNOW AND ALL.
AND THERE'S OTHER INCIDENTS THAT PUNCHES IN THE GUN THAT WILL ALWAYS STICK IN OUR HEAD.
LIKE THE CHILDREN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES AT SANDY HOOK.
I KEEP THIS ONE IN HERE EVEN THOUGH IT'S SEVERAL YEARS OLD BECAUSE IT'S A REMINDER TO US.
REMEMBER ME SAYING THAT THEY DON'T REALLY CARE WHO THEY MAY BE ATTACKING.
IF SOMEONE CAN LOOK AT THESE PRECIOUS KIDS, 26 AND SEVEN YEAR OLD KIDS AND SEE A TARGET, SEE THAT THEY CAN TAKE THEM OUT.
I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AT HOME THAT RUNS MY HOUSE.
I WANT TO GO HOME TO MY LITTLE ONE EVERY DAY.
I CAN'T STAND THERE TO A GUNMAN AND SAY, PLEASE NOT ME.
I WANNA GO HOME TO MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD.
CUZ THEY REALLY DON'T CARE IF THEY CAN TAKE THESE SIX AND SEVEN YEAR OLD KIDS OUT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'LL DO TO ONE OF US? SO AGAIN, WE DO HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
IF IT CAN HAPPEN TO THEM, IT COULD HAPPEN TO US.
SO WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD DO STRAIGHT OUT THE GATE FOLKS, IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING, SEE SOMETHING OR KNOW OF SOMETHING, PLEASE REPORT IT.
AGAIN, IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING, SEE SOMETHING, NOTE OF SOMETHING, PLEASE REPORT IT NOW.
REPORT IT TO THE RIGHT AUTHORITIES.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN CALL YOUR NEIGHBOR, THAT DOESN'T MEAN TALK TO YOUR BEST FRIEND AND SAY IT TO THEM.
REPORT IT TO THE RIGHT AUTHORITIES.
SO ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE IN SCHOOLS OR EVEN BUSINESSES OR OTHER THINGS, YOU MAY HAVE, THEY'RE SO USED TO REPORTING SOMETHING DIRECTLY TO, UH, LEADERSHIP.
UH, MAYBE A PRINCIPAL, A MANAGER, A DIRECTOR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I ALSO SAY THAT THE LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IS ALSO ON THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE REPORTING IT TO THE NEXT THING.
BECAUSE A TEACHER VERY WELL COULD COME TO AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OR A PRINCIPAL WITH SOMETHING AND THEY'RE, THEY'VE DONE THEIR JOB THINKING THAT IT'S GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
UM, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ALL OF OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS DO HAVE SROS IN IT, MAKING SURE THINGS ARE REPORTED TO THEM.
UM, CUZ WE DO KNOW AT SOME, IT DEPENDS.
SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE GO DIRECTLY TO THE SRO, SOME MAY NOT.
SO, BUT THAT IS A DIRECT LINE RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
BUT LET'S SAY IT'S SOMETHING OFF OF CAMPUS OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU CAN CALL IT NINE ONE ONE DIRECTLY.
WHY? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WOULD NOT REPORT SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT IT COMING BACK THAT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REPORTED IT.
THEY WANNA REMAIN ANONYMOUS, OKAY? AND THAT'S A REAL THING.
SO WITH THAT SAID, THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS.
ONE I USUALLY ASK EVERYONE, TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS RIGHT HERE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBER UP THERE, UH, RIGHT UNDERNEATH 9 1 1 IS OUR NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER TO DISPATCH, WHICH IS 8 4 3 5 2 4 2 7 7 7.
I TELL PEOPLE, TAKE A PICTURE OF IT, SAVE THAT NUMBER INTO YOUR PHONE AS BEAUFORT.
UM, SO DON'T BE ON I 95 SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND YOU'RE CALLING THAT NUMBER.
UM, BUT THAT IS A NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER.
IT CAUSED, IT CAUSED THE SAME DISPATCH CENTER AS IF YOU DOUBT 9 1 1.
IT JUST DOES NOT TIE UP OUR EMERGENCY LINES.
YOU MAY BE CALLING IN A TIP ABOUT SOMETHING.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN EMERGENCY, BUT YOU WANT TO PASS INFORMATION ON.
THAT NUMBER IS TWENTY FOUR SEVEN.
SO SOMEONE COULD CALL IN AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE NIGHT.
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ANSWER THAT PHONE, OKAY? I ASK PEOPLE IF YOU KNOW OF SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING AT THAT POINT IN TIME, CALL IT IN THEN DON'T WAIT 30 MINUTES, AN HOUR, TWO HOURS, TWO DAYS, GO AHEAD AND CALL IT IN RIGHT THEN AND THERE SO WE CAN JUMP ON TOP OF IT.
SO AGAIN, THAT NUMBER IS 8 4 3 5 2 4 2 7 7 7.
THAT DISPATCHES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT
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IN THE AREA, ALL FIRE IN THE AREA, AND A MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE AREA.SO SOMEONE CAN CALL THAT FOR ANY REASON.
SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT NUMBER TO HAVE.
AND YOU CAN CALL THAT NUMBER AND REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
PEOPLE CAN GO TO OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBSITE, IT IS WWW.BCO.NET OR YOU CAN JUST GOOGLE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I ALSO HANDED YOU ALL SOME CARDS THAT HAVE WAYS THAT YOU CAN STAY IN CONTACT WITH US.
BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY LEAVE TIPS, NOT A FULL OUT REPORT ON THE WEBSITE, BUT YOU CAN LEAVE TIPS DIRECTLY ON THE WEBSITE.
YOU CAN LEAVE COMPLAINTS OR ATTABOYS DIRECTLY ON THE WEBSITE.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE, LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION FOR YOU.
CRIME STOPPERS IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM, UM, AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA DOES SUPPORT IT.
AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THEN BREAKS THE, UH, IT DOWN INTO MULTIPLE REGIONS.
WE'RE IN THE LOW COUNTRY REGION.
OKAY? SO SOMEONE CAN REPORT THINGS DIRECTLY THROUGH CRIME STOPPERS.
THEY CAN CALL CRIME STOPPERS OR GO TO THE CRIME STOPPERS WEBSITE.
CRIME STOPPERS KEEPS EVERYTHING ANONYMOUS.
UM, AS FAR AS WHO'S REPORTING IT, THEY DO NOT REPORT WHO'S REPORTING SOMETHING TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
THEY ONLY PROVIDE THE TIPPING INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY PEOPLE CAN STAY ANONYMOUS.
AND CRIME STOPPERS HAS AN APP, IT'S CALLED THE P THREE APP.
THAT'S NOT A SHERIFF'S OFFICE APP.
THAT IS THE CRIME STOPPERS APP THAT CAN BE DOWNLOADED ON ANY DEVICE.
UM, WHERE IF IT'S A LAPTOP, TABLET OR YOUR PHONE, IT CAN BE DOWNLOADED ON ANY DEVICE.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S A CRIME STOPPERS APP, SO IT KEEPS YOU ANONYMOUS, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN REPORT THINGS.
SO WHAT I TRY TO GIVE OUT IS MULTIPLE WAYS PEOPLE CAN REPORT INCIDENTS WITHOUT USING THAT SAME OLD EXCUSE.
WELL, I DIDN'T WANT IT COMING BACK TO ME BECAUSE WE WANT TO SAVE LIVES AND I WOULD RATHER YOU REPORT SOMETHING, UM, THAN NOT REPORT IT.
AND HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY FROM SEPTEMBER OF 21.
SO LAST SCHOOL YEAR, UM, THIS, THIS OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT HERE, BUT THESE ARE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS WHO WERE PLANNING AN ATTACK ON THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT WAS FOUND OUT BECAUSE OVER A GAMING DEVICE, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
A PARENT OVERHEARD SAID SOMETHING TO THE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL SAID SOMETHING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY INVESTIGATED IT.
AND YES, THE KIDS WEREN'T PLANNING AN ATTACK.
I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THE, I'LL MENTION THIS TO SAY THIS, DID THAT PARENT HAVE FACTUAL INFORMATION? KIDS JUST COULD HAVE BEEN KIDS JUST TALKING TRASH OVER A GAMING DEVICE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE FACTUAL INFORMATION, BUT THEY HAD ENOUGH TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I NEED TO REAY SOMETHING.
OFTENTIMES WE HAVE ENOUGH WHERE WE CAN SAY SOMETHING AND LET IT, THE INVESTIGATION GO FROM THERE.
BUT WE DON'T BECAUSE THIS PARENT DID, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOLLOWED UP BECAUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLLOWED UP.
WE CAN'T, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COUNTLESS LIVES WERE SAVED, BUT NO LIES WERE LOST.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, PEOPLE OFTEN ASK, WHAT IS THE MOST USED WEAPON IN THESE CRIMES? I KNOW AR FIFTEENS AND ASSAULT RIFLES AND AUTOMATIC RIFLES, AK 47 S GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT PISTOLS, HANDGUNS ARE THE MOST USED WEAPON.
NOW, I GENERALLY WILL STOP HEARING ASK, I WON'T DO IT TODAY.
BUT THE GUESS IS IT'S THE ONE YOU CAN GET A HAND ON THAT QUICKER IS ALSO EASY TO HIDE.
SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SIT BY WINDOWS WHO MAY BE ABLE TO LOOK OUT THOSE WHO ARE NEAR ENTRANCEWAYS AND DOORS, PAYING ATTENTION TO PEOPLE AS THEY COME UP, BUT LOOKING AT THE INDIVIDUALS AND LOOKING UP AND DOWN TO SEE IF THEY SEE ODD BULGES.
BULGES OR ODD, ODDLY, PLAY SHAPES ON SOMEONE'S BODY.
THAT COULD BE THEM HIDING A WEAPON BECAUSE A GUN HANDGUN COULD BE EASILY CONCEALED.
BUT THE MOST USED WEAPON IS A HANDGUN.
ALSO, IT'S THREATENED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN AS MANY THREATS.
AND I'M GONNA KNOCK ON THIS WOOD AND HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T OCCUR.
BUT IF YOU DO REMEMBER WE STARTED OFF THIS SCHOOL, THIS SCHOOL YEAR, TWO WEEKS PRIOR WITH A BOMB THREAT FOR HILTON HEAD HIGH.
UM, SO 3% OF THE TIME, UM, AND THIS IS NATIONAL NUMBERS, 3% OF THE TIME THERE MAY BE A, UH, BOMB OR ID OR SOME KIND OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE I ALSO WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES HAVE A BOMB TEAM, UM, WITH EQUIPMENT TO DEAL WITH, UH, BOMBS, IF THERE IS ONE.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS PEOPLE TO SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS
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AND THINK IT'S ON THEM TO GO GRAB IT, KICK IT, SHAKE IT, MOVE IT.WHAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS MOVE BACK FROM IT, KEEP EVERYONE ELSE BACK FROM IT, CALL IT INTO US SO WE CAN COME OUT AND ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A BOMB TEAM THAT CAN ACTUALLY RESPOND TO IT IF NEED BE.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START BREAKING DOWN THESE THREE WORDS.
YOU WILL SEE RIGHT UNDER THERE THAT IT SAYS WHAT YOU DO MATTERS.
AND I JUST WANNA GO AHEAD AND SAY, WHAT WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DO IS GIVE UP.
WE DON'T WANT YOU JUST TO GIVE IN.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BE JUST THAT EASY TARGET.
WE, WE NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO.
DON'T WANNA PUT PEOPLE IN HARM'S WAY.
ALL RIGHT? UM, I DON'T WANT THE SUPERINTENDENT RUNNING OUT OUTTA HERE.
LIKE HE'S RAMBLE AND GOING STRAIGHT TOWARDS IT.
IF HE'S RIGHT THERE NEXT TO A EXIT AND CAN GET PEOPLE OUT IN A SAFE MANNER.
OKAY? SO WE WANT YOU TO THINK SMARTLY, BUT WE WANT YOU TO START THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
W START THINKING ABOUT IT NOW.
CUZ THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INCIDENT.
THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT IS NOW.
SO WHAT IS THE WORD AVOID MEAN? IT MEANS CREATE SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND WHATEVER IS GOING ON.
CREATING SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND WHATEVER IS GOING ON.
YOU MAY BE USED TO ALWAYS USING A CERTAIN ENTRANCE TO COME IN, BUT THAT COULD BE THE ENTRANCE THAT THE GUNMAN USES OR THAT ENTRANCE MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
AND IF THAT'S WHERE THE GUNMAN IS OR THAT'S WHERE THE INCIDENT IS, YOU DON'T NEED TO TRY TO GO THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE YOU'LL BE GOING STRAIGHT TO UH, THE PROBLEM.
SO YOU DO NEED TO TRY TO CREATE SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND WHEREVER'S GOING ON WHEREVER YOU CAN ACTUALLY TRY TO GET OUT OR GET TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
I'M GONNA SCOOT PAST THE SECOND ONE AND COME BACK TO IT.
THE THIRD THING SAYS RUN TOWARDS NEAREST EXIT.
SO IF YOU ARE ALREADY IN THE HALLWAY OR IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN AN OPEN SPACE THAT MAY NOT HAVE LOCKABLE ROOMS FOR YOU TO GET TO.
FOR INSTANCE, THIS ROOM THAT WE'RE IN NOW, THIS IS A LARGE OPEN SPACE THAT I KNOW WE HAVE DOORS, BUT LET'S SAY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, THOSE DOORS WEREN'T THERE OR WE WEREN'T ABLE TO LOCK THOSE DOORS.
WOULD I WANT YOU TO STAY IN THIS LARGE OPEN SPACE THAT HAS EASY ACCESS TO YOU? THE ANSWER IS NO.
SO WE WOULD WANT YOU TO TRY TO GO AHEAD AND GET TOWARDS EXITS OR LOCKABLE SPACE.
IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE HALLWAY BUT YOU'RE NEAR EXIT, THEN TRY TO GET OUT THAT WAY.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WE DO LOCKDOWN DRILLS AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IF YOU'RE ALWAYS IN YOUR CLASSROOM, THEN YOU'RE GONNA THINK, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO DO.
OR I HAVE TO GET BACK TO MY CLASSROOM.
THAT'S A, A FALSE WAY OF THINKING BECAUSE THEY MAY BE NOWHERE.
YOU'VE SEEN THE SIZE OF SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS.
THEY MAY MAY BE NOWHERE NEAR THEIR CLASSROOM, BUT THEY MAY HAVE ANOTHER EXIT OR ANOTHER ROOM THAT THEY CAN GET INTO.
SO WE WANT TO START PRACTICING, YOU KNOW, REAL LIFE THINGS.
WHAT COULD YOU DO IN THAT MOMENT? SO IF YOU'RE RIGHT THERE NEAR EXIT AND YOU CAN SAFELY GET OUT RIGHT THEN AND THERE, TRY TO GET OUT RIGHT THERE.
IF THERE ARE NO EXITS, TRY TO GET TO THE NEAREST LOCKABLE ROOM.
NOW YOU MAY BE CLOSER TO A LOCKABLE ROOM THAN YOU ARE TO AN EXIT.
SO TRY TO GET INTO THE NEAREST LOCKABLE ROOM OR LOCKABLE SPACE.
NOW, I WILL SAY THIS, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE KEYS TO LOCK THAT ROOM, BUT IF THE LOCK THE ROOM HAS DOORS ON IT, MOST LIKELY THERE IS A WAY TO BARRICADE YOURSELF INTO THAT ROOM.
YES, YOU DO HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION.
DO THE DOORS SWING IN? DO THE DOORS SWING OUT? ARE THERE THINGS IN THAT ROOM THAT I COULD USE? TABLES, DESKS, CHAIRS, MAYBE CORDS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
BUT IF THERE ARE DOORS ON IT, MOST LIKELY THERE ARE WAYS TO LOCK YOURSELF INTO THAT ROOM.
UM, IF THEY CAN'T, IF THEY AREN'T ABLE TO GET INTO A LOCKABLE ROOM, BUT LET'S SAY THEY ARE ABLE TO EXIT OUT ONCE THEY GET OUTSIDE.
DO WE WANT THEM TO STOP? OKAY, THERE'S INCIDENTS HAPPENING INSIDE, I'M SAFE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
NO, WE WANT THEM TO CONTINUE MOVING TOWARDS SOMETHING SOLID.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? GOING INTO ANOTHER BUILDING IF POSSIBLE.
THAT ALSO HELPS BECAUSE NOW THEY CAN MAYBE HAD TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND.
NOW THEY MAY CAN REPORT IT, CALL IT IN, UH, TRY TO GET BEHIND IF THEY'RE NEAR WOODED AREAS, GO INTO THE WOODED AREA, GET BEHIND LARGE TREES.
IF THERE'S OTHER RESIDENT, IF A RESIDENTIAL AREA RUN TOWARDS A RESIDENTIAL AREA, MAYBE TRY TO SEE, SEE WHO MAY KNOCK ON DOORS.
TRY TO GET IN, BUT AT LEAST YOU'RE AWAY FROM THE FIGHT.
IF YOU'RE STILL IN THE PARKING LOT, GO TOWARDS DUMPSTERS OR OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE LARGE SOLID OBJECTS.
WHEN I SAY SOLID, I MEAN SOMETHING STRONG ENOUGH, HARD ENOUGH, THICK ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY STOP A BULLET FROM STRIKING YOU IF YOU'RE BEHIND IT.
[00:30:01]
WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE ON TV.PEOPLE JUMP BEHIND CHAIRS AND AND SOFAS.
UM, AND MIRACULOUSLY THOSE SOFT SOFAS FILLED WITH FEATHERS STOP THE BULLET.
SO WE WANT TO GET BEHIND SOMETHING HARD ENOUGH, SOLID, UH, STRONG ENOUGH AND SOLID ENOUGH.
NOW LET'S SAY YOU RUN TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT AND YOU GET INTO THE CAR AREA, BUT YOU HAD TO LEAVE YOUR KEYS BEHIND.
WHERE'S THE MOST SOLID PART OF A CAR TO TRY TO HIDE BEHIND? IT'S THE FRONT ENGINE, BAY AREA, THE FRONT TIRE WELL AREA.
BE PART OF THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE BLOCK THAT'S IN THAT CAR.
OKAY? SO WE TRY TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT JUST IN CASE BEFORE GOING TO THE WORD DENY.
HERE'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACT THAT ALERT PUTS OUT THERE.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY, LOCKING DOWN BUILDINGS AND OTHER THINGS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING SOMEONE OUT THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN, THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE CAMPUS.
A PROBLEM WITH THAT THINKING IS THIS, MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE SHOOTER HAS A CONNECTION TO THE LOCATION, MEANING THAT SHOOTER MAY HAVE ALREADY, MAY ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO THE LOCATION.
IT'S A SCARY THOUGHT TO THINK OF.
BUT THAT SHOOTER COULD BE NOT ONLY A STUDENT, BUT COULD BE AN EMPLOYEE, COULD BE A FORMER EMPLOYEE THAT STILL HAS ACCESS OR PEOPLE RECOGNIZE SO THEY LET THEM IN.
COULD BE A FORMER STUDENT OF THAT LOCATION.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIVE SHOOTERS WE HAD THIS YEAR, THIS SCHOOL YEAR UP IN ST.
IT WAS A STUDENT THAT GRADUATED FROM THAT SCHOOL.
WE ALWAYS HAVE KIDS COME BACK.
SO IT WOULD BE NOTHING FOR SOMEBODY TO ALLOW A KID LIKE THAT TO COME IN, MAYBE TO SEE A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR OR, OR SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND SO HAVING A CONNECTION TO THE LOCATION TO ME, INCREASES THE THREAT.
WHY? BECAUSE NOT ONLY MAY THEY KNOW THAT BUILDING BETTER THAN YOU, THEY MAY KNOW THE PLACES THAT YOU COULD GO AND COULD HIRE.
THEY MAY KNOW THE SCHEDULES, THEY MAY KNOW WHO'S ACTUALLY THERE.
OKAY? UM, SO THAT IS ALSO MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO TRY TO GET BEHIND LOCKABLE SPACES, UM, AND TO BE VIGILANT WHEN IT COMES TO THESE THINGS.
SO WHAT IS THE WORD DENY FOLKS.
WE DON'T WANT YOU JUST TO HIDE.
REMEMBER WHAT I JUST SAID? 55% OF THE TIME THE PERSON HAS A CONNECTION TO THE LOCATION.
THEY MAY KNOW WHERE YOU MAY GO TOO HIGH.
THE REAL QUESTION IS, CAN THEY GET TO YOU? YOU WANT TO DENY THEM THE ABILITY TO GET TO YOU.
THEY MAY KNOW YOU'RE IN THAT OFFICE, THEY MAY KNOW YOU'RE IN THAT CLASSROOM, BUT CAN THEY GET IN? WE WANT YOU TO DENY THEM THE ABILITY TO GET TO YOU.
HOW DOES THAT LOOK? LOCKING DOORS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT IS SOMETHING AS WE'VE GONE AROUND AND DONE THESE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO PUSH, UM, TO A LOT OF THE, TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, LOCK DOORS, SAVE LIVES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN SCHOOLS, THE GUNMAN GAINED ENTRY THROUGH AN UNLOCKED UNSUPERVISED DOOR.
THEY GOT INTO CLASSROOMS THAT WERE UNLOCKED OR THE TEACHER DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOCK THE DOOR.
IT HAS BEEN FOUND, UM, THAT IN ALL THESE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED IN OUR NATION, OVER 90%, THERE ARE, UH, OF THE, DURING OVER 90% OF THESE INCIDENTS, NO ONE WAS HARMED BEHIND LOCKED DOORS.
AND IF THE LOCK IS ALREADY ENGAGED, EVEN IF THE GUNMAN IS SHOT AT THE LOCK, THE LOCKS GENERALLY DO NOT FAIL, MEANING THEY'RE STILL NOT ABLE TO GET IN.
SO AGAIN, LOCK DOORS, SAVES LIVES.
SO WE REALLY WANNA PUSH THAT HOME.
SO LOCK DOORS, TURN OFF LIGHTS IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRY TO BARRICADE THEMSELVES IN THAT ROOM AGAIN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? CHAIRS, TA TABLES, DESKS.
USING CORDS, MAYBE USING BELTS, PURSE STRAPS, USING WHATEVER YOU COULD TO TRY TO BARRICADE YOURSELF INTO THAT PARTICULAR ROOM.
ALL RIGHT? YOU WANT TO STOP THEM FROM COMING IN.
I GIVE A LOT OF PRAISE TO THE TEACHERS AT BEFOR HIGH SCHOOL.
WHEN WE HAD THAT HOAX CALL EARLIER THIS YEAR, I TOOK A TEAM, UM, AS LARGE WITH A LOT OF OTHER OFFICERS.
I TOOK A TEAM AROUND AND MY 260 POUND SELF WITH FIVE O OFFICERS BEHIND ME STRUGGLED TO GET INTO SOME OF THOSE CLASSROOMS, EVEN WITH THE KEYS.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY USED EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO BARRICADE THEMSELVES IN.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
IF YOU ARE STOPPING US FROM GETTING IN, WHO ELSE ARE THEY STOPPING FROM GETTING IN THAT ROOM? THE GUNMEN.
AND WHAT HAS BEEN FOUND IS GUNMEN WILL SKIP LOCKED OR BARRICADED DOORS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SPEND FIVE MINUTES TRYING TO GET INTO ONE ROOM.
THEY WANT TO KILL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE IN AS SHORT AS AMOUNT OF TIME AS POSSIBLE.
[00:35:01]
SO AGAIN, LOCK DOORS, SAVE LIVES.SO BARRICADE YOURSELF IN, GRAB WEAPONS OF OPPORTUNITY AND GET BEHIND SOMETHING SOLID IF YOU CAN, DEPENDING ON THE STRUCTURE OF THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING.
UM, THIS BUILDING, YOU SEE THE CINDER BLOCK WALLS, CINDER BLOCK WALLS ARE, ARE, CAN WITHSTAND MAJORITY OF THE BULLETS THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE USED.
UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE JUST PLASTER ROLLS, BULLETS CAN'T GO THROUGH THAT.
SO YOU WOULD WANT TO TRY TO GET BUT DOWN BEHIND SOMETHING SOLID IN THAT ROOM IF POSSIBLE.
A VERY IMPORTANT PART THAT IS UP HERE, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO SAY TO THE YOUNGER SCHOOLS, THE TEACHERS AND STAFF AT YOUNGER SCHOOLS, BUT ONCE YOU HAVE GOTTEN EVERYONE IN THAT ROOM, ONCE YOU HAVE LOCKED THAT DOOR, THAT DOOR, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO OPEN IT FOR ANYONE.
THAT'S HARD TO TELL PEOPLE BECAUSE WHAT IF YOU GOT EVERYONE IN BUT YOU HAVE ONE STUDENT OUTSIDE AND YOU'RE SAYING, PLEASE LET ME IN.
THE PROBLEM WITH IT IS, AND IT ACTUALLY HAS OCCURRED IN SOME ACTOR SHOOTER EVENTS, YOU OPEN THE DOOR FOR ONE AND YOU NOW HAVE REST THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN ROOMS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTACKED CUZ THE GUNMAN WAS WAITING ON SOMEONE TO OPEN THE DOOR.
THEY COULD EVEN FOLLOW A CHILD AND WAIT TO SEE WHO OPENS THE DOOR.
PLUS AS THE EXAMPLE I GAVE YOU EARLIER WITH THOSE MILLER SCHOOLERS, THOSE WERE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THE GUNMAN REALLY COULD BE.
WHAT IF YOU'RE OPENING THE DOOR FOR THAT PERSON? THAT ACTUALLY IS THE GUNMAN.
SO GET AS MANY PEOPLE IN AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AS YOU SAW EARLIER WHEN WE SAID IF THEY'RE ALREADY IN A HALLWAY, TRY TO GET INTO A LOCKABLE ROOM.
SO YOU MAY HAVE A CLASSROOM THAT HAS THREE OR FOUR CLASSES IN IT.
THEY MAY GET EVERYONE INTO THAT ROOM CAUSE THAT WAS THE CLOSEST ROOM THAT THEY CAN GET PEOPLE IN AND THEY STUFFED THEM IN THERE.
BUT ONCE THEY HAVE LOCKED THAT DOOR AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO OPEN IT FOR ANYONE, AS WE COME AROUND, UM, WE'RE FIRST CO GOING FOR THE SHOOTER.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'RE GOING ROOM BY ROOM.
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GET OUR HANDS ON KEYS, UM, TO GET INTO THOSE ROOMS. AND EVEN IF IT'S A LOCATION WHERE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO, WE DO TRAINING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, UM, TO LEARN HOW TO OPEN UP DOORS EVEN WITH SOME OF THEIR TOOLS.
AND THEN LASTLY, YOU HAVE THE WORD DEFEND.
FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY NEVER WENT TO GET INTO A FIGHT A DAY OF THEIR LIFE.
THEY MAY HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A FIGHT, BUT THEY MAY NOT HAVE A CHOICE.
THIS MAY BE THEIR ONLY OPTION, ESPECIALLY DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY MAY BE LOCATED.
WHEN THIS INCIDENT FIRST OCCURS, REMEMBER ME SAYING A LOT OF THESE YOUNG MEN TRY TO COME IN THROUGH AN UNMANNED, UNOPENED, UNSUPERVISED DOOR.
WHAT IF YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON IN THE HALLWAY THAT THEY RUN INTO? YOU MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHOICE.
WHEN I SPEAK WITH CHURCHES, I SAY, I HOPE THE FOLKS THAT SIT TO THE BACK OF THE CHURCH AREN'T FOLKS THAT JUST CAME LATE TO CHURCH, THAT THEY ARE PREPARED IF SOMEBODY WERE TO COME IN.
BECAUSE THE WAY MOST EX MOST CHURCH EXITS AND ENTRANCES ARE, THERE'S AN EXCELLENT ENTRANCE AT THE VERY BACK BEHIND EVERYBODY'S BACKS.
AND THERE'S ONE TOWARDS THE FRONT, WHICH MEANS THOSE PEOPLE AT THE BACK, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE OTHER EXIT.
AND ONE EXIT IS ALWAYS ALREADY CUT OFF.
SO AGAIN, YOU MAY NOT WANT TO CHOOSE THIS OPTION.
NOT TRYING TO PUT PEOPLE IN HARM'S WAY.
WE DON'T WANT YOU RUN INTO THE INCIDENT IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER SAFE LOCATION OR SAFE WAY TO GET OUT.
BUT YOU MAY NOT HAVE A CHOICE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURS.
ARE WE WANTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND? YES, YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF AND THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANT YOU WORRIED ABOUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I TOLD YOU THIS IS NOT SOMEONE WHO'S JUST MAD WITH ONE PERSON.
THIS IS SOMEONE WHO HAS COME IN SET ON KILLING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S THE LAST THING I WANT YOU WORRIED ABOUT.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? GRAB WEAPONS OF OPPORTUNITY.
EYES, NOSE, THROAT, FACE AREA, GROIN AREA JOINTS.
IF ANY OF YOU GOT A LARGE DOG, IT'S PROBABLY BUMPED INTO YOU BEHIND YOUR LEGS BEFORE AND YOU WENT DOWN.
OKAY? BUT REALLY WE DON'T CARE WHERE YOU MAY STRIKE THEM.
JUST STRIKE THEM AND CONTINUE STRIKING THEM WITH WHATEVER YOU CAN.
NOW, SOME MAY SEE GRAB WEAPONS.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF WEAPONS? WELL, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT GUNS AND KNIVES.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE WEAPONS AROUND US AT ALL TIMES.
NOW, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT RIGHT NOW, BUT GENERALLY I'LL GIVE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THREE TO FIVE SECONDS TO PUT SOMETHING IN THEIR HAND THAT THEY CAN USE AS A WEAPON.
AND WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS PEOPLE START REACHING FOR PURSES, FOR BAGS, LAPTOPS, CORDS, PINS, KEYS, THEIR PHONE, MAYBE HOT COFFEE, WATER IS A DISTRACTION TECHNIQUE, SPLASHED IN THEIR FACE.
YOUR CUP OR YOUR BOTTLE, YOU YOURSELF, CHAIRS, DESKS.
I'VE HAD PEOPLE REACH FOR FLAG POLES OR FIRES.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS OR TRASH CANS.
[00:40:01]
NOW, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF WEAPONS AROUND YOU THAT YOU CAN USE.A WEAPON IS ONLY SOMETHING THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR HAND.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE WEAPONS ON US AT ALL TIMES.
WE JUST DON'T THINK OF IT AS A WEAPON.
SO GRAB A WEAPON OF OPPORTUNITY AND USE THAT.
OKAY? UM, WE HAVE 'EM AROUND US AT ALL TIMES AND YOU CAN USE THAT TO HELP PROTECT YOURSELF.
THESE GUNMEN DO NOT EXPECT FOR YOU TO DO ANYTHING.
THEY MAY EXPECT SECURITY TO BE AROUND.
THEY MAY, THEY KNOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IS COMING AT SOME POINT IN TIME, BUT THEY DO NOT EXPECT YOU TO DO ANYTHING.
AND WE ALSO PUT OUT THERE THAT ALL IT REALLY TAKES IS ONE, ONE INDIVIDUAL STEPPING UP.
AND NOW YOU MAY FIND EVERYBODY ELSE JOINS INTO IT AS WELL.
OKAY? UM, SO WHO'S THAT PERSON? AND AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE RAMBLED RUNNING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HALL, RUNNING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDING TO THE NEXT TO GET INTO THE FIGHT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SAYING, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE RIGHT THERE.
YOU MAY HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT, OKAY? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, FOLKS, WHAT YOU DO MATTERS.
UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, AND THIS IS DIFFERENT FOR OUR SCHOOLS, BUT IT'S STILL, IT'S SOMETHING TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
UM, BUT 55% OF THE TIME ATTACKS END PRIOR TO LAW ENFORCEMENT GETTING THERE.
RESPONSE TIME REALLY STARTS WITH YOU, WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING UNTIL WE EITHER IFRA RIGHT THERE AND MOST ARE NOT GONNA DO IT WITH US RIGHT THERE, STANDING THERE.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING UNTIL YOU SAY SOMETHING.
SO AGAIN, WHEN I SAY IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, HEAR SOMETHING, KNOW OF SOMETHING, REPORT IT, BUT ALSO REPORT IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
YOU HAVE SEEN IN SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS, SOMEBODY CALLED THEIR MOM, THEY CALLED THIS THIS PERSON, THAT PERSON THEY CALLED THREE PEOPLE BEFORE ANYBODY ACTUALLY CALLED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ANOTHER THING WE DO HAVE TO SAY IS THIS, PLEASE.
IF YOU ARE IN A LARGE SETTING, SOMETHING HAPPENS, MAYBE YOU'RE GIVING MEDICAL ATTENTION TO SOMEONE AND YOU YELL OUT IN THE CROWD, SOMEONE CALL 9 1 1.
INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, PICK SOMEBODY OUT IN THE CROWD WILL CALL 9 1 1, PUT IT ON SOMEONE BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE MAY THINK SOMEONE ELSE IS CALLING.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY SEE PEOPLE GRABBING FOR THEIR PHONES.
OKAY? AND NOBODY MAY BE CALLING US.
AND THEN 20 OR 30 MINUTES HAVE PASSED PRIOR TO.
SO AGAIN, YOU SEE THOSE THREE WORDS, AVOID, DENY, DEFEND.
IT MAY NOT BE IN THAT CORRECT ORDER.
YOU MAY ONLY HAVE TO DO ONE THING.
YOU, YOU MAY HAVE TO TRY TO GET INTO A ROOM SO YOU'RE AVOIDING FIRST, BUT MAYBE YOU RAN INTO SOMEBODY.
YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THEM OFF PRIOR TO, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GET INTO A ROOM AND AND DENY THEM ACCESS TO YOU.
SO IT MAY NOT BE IN THAT CORRECT ORDER, BUT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING.
SO THIS IS JUST A SHORT EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS GIVEN TO OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, WHEN WE'RE AT THE SCHOOLS AGAIN FOR A SECOND TIME, I TRIED TO SPEAK THROUGH IT SOME TODAY.
UM, SOME, SO WE CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AND OTHER THINGS.
WE TRY TO GO BACK OVER A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL RULE OR AT LEAST MENTION THINGS PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW.
FOR, FOR INSTANCE, WE GET NEW TEACHERS OR NEW STAFF ALL THE TIME, DO THEY ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO DURING THE LOCKDOWN DRILL? BECAUSE SOME DO NOT KNOW.
UM, AND SO WE PUT THAT BACK ON THE ADMINISTRATION.
MAKE SURE YOUR EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, WHERE THEY COULD GO.
KNOWING THEIR SCHOOL RULES, KNOWING THEIR REGULATIONS, KNOWING THEIR POLICIES.
UM, SO AGAIN, HERE'S MY CONTACT INFORMATION FOLKS.
UM, I WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT TO AGAIN, TO Y'ALL MAYBE WITH MORE TIME, UM, OR COME PRESENT AT SOME OTHER LOCATION AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE TRY TO GET OUT TO AS MANY PLACES AS POSSIBLE WITHIN OUR COUNTY.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ASKED AT TIMES TO EVEN OUTSIDE OUR COUNTY IF ANOTHER AGENCY IS UNABLE TO GIVE THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT WE CAN GO WAY MORE IN DEPTH.
OR IF THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS TIME, WE CAN SHORTEN IT UP.
HOWEVER IT NEEDS TO BE SHORTENED.
IN THE PAST WE HAVE DONE, UM, SCENARIOS WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE THAT SINCE COVID WE'LL DO SOMETHING SMALL, LIKE I SAID, GRABBING FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN USE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES OR ASKING THEM TO LOOK AROUND THEIR ROOMS AND SEE WHAT COULD BE USED TO BARRICADE THEMSELVES IN.
BUT WE HAVE DONE SCENARIOS, UM, FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WE'VE, AS FAR AS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY FIRE, WE TRAIN FOR THIS TYPE OF THING ALL THE TIME.
UM, BUT HERE'S MY INFORMATION.
IF ANYBODY EVER NEEDS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO FIRST WANT TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU, MASTER SERGEANT DANNY ALLEN, FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE YOU AND I, I UM, THINK THIS WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE TO THE PUBLIC THAT TUNES INTO THE MEETING NOW OR, OR OR LATER TO WATCH OUR DISCUSSION TODAY.
UM, I'LL LET THE BOARD MEMBERS GO AHEAD AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT I'LL GO AFTER EVERYONE ELSE.
MASTER, IS IT MASTER SERGEANT? IS THAT YES MA'AM.
[00:45:01]
I HAD THAT TITLE.I'D MAKE EVERYONE CALL ME THAT.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF SECURITY UPGRADES MM-HMM.
WHAT IS SORT OF THE GOLD STANDARD THAT ALL OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ON IN TERMS? CUZ FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ENTRY POINTS, RIGHT? SO THAT ALDI WAS A DOOR WAS LEFT TO JAR MM-HMM.
THE, THE GOOD THING IS, UM, AND I I, I WAS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR OUR, OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I'VE BEEN IN PRETTY MUCH ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS HERE.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN IN SCHOOLS IN OTHER PLACES TOO.
OUR DISTRICT HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OVER THE YEARS WITH MAKING OUR SCHOOLS EVEN SAFER.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, MAJORITY OF THE SCHOOLS, YOU, EVEN IF YOU GOT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, YOU STILL HAVE TO GET BUZZED TO THE NEXT DOOR OR WHATEVER ELSE.
UM, MAJORITY OF OUR WINDOWS ARE SO THICK THAT ON TV OR SOMETHING LIKE WHAT YOU JUST SAW, WHICH WAS A, UH, A MENTION, WHICH IS A ODOR BUILDING.
UM, ON TV YOU SHOOT AT A WINDOW TWO TIMES OR SOMETHING OR ONCE IN ALL THE GLASS BREAKS OUT.
UM, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN WITH, WITH, WITH OURS BECAUSE OF THE THICKNESS AND THE TYPE OF GLASS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO WE'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOMS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, THE MAIN THINGS WOULD BE MAKING SURE THOSE DOORS ARE LOCKED AND IF IT IS AN UNLOCKED DOOR FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOR INSTANCE, FIRST THING IN THE MORNING YOU HAVE DOORS OPEN SO KIDS CAN COME IN MAKING SURE IT'S SUPERVISED.
AND I WOULD SAY HAVING MORE THAN ONE PERSON SUPERVISING THAT PARTICULAR ENTRANCE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE MAY HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE AT THE FRONT, MULTIPLE PEOPLE AT THE BUSES.
BUT DO WE HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE AT OTHER ENTRANCES AS WELL? OR IS IT JUST ONE? WHY WOULD IT BE NICE TO HAVE MORE THAN JUST ONE? BECAUSE IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT, MAYBE ONE PERSON IS ACTUALLY DEALING WITH IT.
WHY ANOTHER PERSON IS GETTING A, ASKING FOR MORE ASSISTANCE OR THOSE TWO PEOPLE TOGETHER COULD DEAL WITH THAT INCIDENT.
AND SO THAT IS, IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO AT ALL LOCATIONS, UM, IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PERSONNEL AT THOSE TIMES.
ALSO DURING THE DAY, SAFETY IS ON ALL OF US.
YOU CAN ADD ONE SRO TO A SCHOOL, YOU CAN ADD ONE SECURITY PERSON TO A SCHOOL, BUT THAT'S STILL ONE PERSON.
THEY CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AT ONE TIME.
UM, SCHOOLS ARE VERY BUSY, BUT EVERY LAST ONE OF US IS ADULTS.
AS WE WALK PAST A DOOR, HOW HARD IS IT TO REACH OUT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOOR IS CLOSED, THAT TAKES A SPLIT SECOND TO REACH OUT AND JUST PULL ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOOR IS CLOSED.
BECAUSE ANYTHING COULD PROP A DOOR, PEOPLE ACCIDENTALLY BUMP INTO A DOOR.
A A SMALL PEBBLE COULD BE IN THAT DOOR SO ANYTHING COULD PROP A DOOR OPEN.
SO IT'S ON ALL OF US TO DOUBLE CHECK AND AS WE ARE WA LIMIT OUR DISTRACTIONS.
SO AS WE'RE WALKING CLASS WINDOWS AND ENTRANCE AREAS, WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING OUT.
CUZ YOU MAY SEE SOMETHING ODD OR SUSPICIOUS IN THAT PARKING LOT THAT YOU COULD CALL IN.
UM, I KNOW WE NOW HAVE THE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY FOR A TEACHER TO CALL IN A LOCKDOWN.
UM, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATOR BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF TIMES ADMINISTRATION IS IN MEETINGS OR NOT AVAILABLE.
HOW DO THEY CALL IN, UM, PHONE LIKE NINE ONE ONE WITH UH, WITH UM, THE, I DON'T WANNA CAREFUL HOW MUCH I SAY, BUT WITH THE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES THAT THAT WE PUT IN PLACE.
I JUST WASN'T, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY.
SO THAT WAS JUST NOT A QUESTION OF PERMISSION, IT'S A QUESTION OF CAPABILITY.
SO IT'S ON ALL OF US IS WHAT IS THE MAIN THING AND GETTING EVERYBODY TO LOCK INTO THAT, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
CUZ YOU WILL HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO MAY SEE SOMETHING AND SAY, THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.
AND SO THAT'S, IF WE CAN DO THAT, THAT WILL MAKE US EVEN SAFER.
SO NEW BOARD MEMBERS, ONE OF THE, UM, FOIA EXEMPTIONS IS SAFETY AND SECURITY.
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY DETAILS MM-HMM.
SO THOSE SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSED IN, IN, IN PUBLIC.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF QUESTIONS WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO DETAILS, YOU KNOW, DOES THIS SCHOOL HAVE UH MM-HMM.
BULLETPROOF WINDOW IN THE CAFETERIA THAT NO, THAT'S NOT FOR DISCUSSION HERE.
WE WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, MR. OTING DID A GOOD JOB OF INSTRUCTING US ON THAT DURING THE CLOCK DAYS AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IS THE CONCEPT OF IF YOU SEE IT, YOU OWN IT.
[00:50:01]
YOU HEAR SOMEONE SAY, I'M GONNA SHOOT UP THE SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND YOU ARE QUIET.BUT TO EMPOWER EVERY PERSON IN THAT ORGANIZATION, THEY HAVE WHAT COULD BE CALLED STOP WORK AUTHORITY.
SO IF YOU SEE A THREAT, I'M EMPOWERING THE WHOLE WORKFORCE TO SAY, CALL IT, STOP IT, DO WHATEVER.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF MOVEMENT TOWARDS DEAD IN THE AVOID, DENY AND DEFEND? AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS, A LOT OF THESE CASES, THE TIME BETWEEN THE INCIDENT AND THE IMPOSITION OF ANY JUDICIAL OUTCOME IS SO LONG.
IS THERE ANY LEGISLATIVE MOVEMENT TOWARDS A SEPARATE COURT SYSTEM THAT DEALS WITH CAPITAL MASS SHOOTING CASES? SO I DON'T KNOW ON THAT, SIR.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, UM, A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THINGS IN THE JUDICIAL SIDE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
AND OFTENTIMES WE'RE NOT EVEN CALLED IN OR WE MAY NOT EVEN BE PRIVY TO WHAT HAPPENS ON THAT SIDE OF THE THING.
UM, WE OFTEN ARE ASKED, YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS PERSON GET BACK OUT? THAT AIN'T EVEN ON US.
UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST PART AND THAT'S WHY IN THERE, YOU KNOW, IT IS ON ALL OF US.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE SAY IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, HEAR SOMETHING, GO AHEAD AND SAY SOMETHING.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY EVEN MENTIONING YOU MAY NOT HAVE ALL FACTUAL INFORMATION, UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH AND YOU HAVE THAT GUT FEELING, GO AHEAD AND REPORT IT.
UM, SO YES, WE DO WANT PEOPLE, BECAUSE THE THING IS, IN ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE ALL WATCHED THE NEWS AFTER ONE OF THESE INCIDENTS AND SOMEONE IS INTERVIEWED THAT SAYS, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I OVERHEARD THEM TALKING ABOUT IT.
I SAW THEM, YOU KNOW, CHANGING, BUT DID THEY EVER REPORT IT? AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT THINGS REPORTED EARLIER, NOT NOT AFTER THE FACT.
WE WANT YOU TO, WE WANT YOU TO, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT'S TRUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOT FEEL LIKE, WELL WAS THAT JUST A CAR BACKFIRING? WAS THAT JUST SOMEBODY'S SHOOTING OFF FIREWORKS? WHAT YOU HEAR? BELIEVE IT.
I WOULD RATHER YOU CALL IT IN AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS THAN YOU NOT CALL IT IN THINKING THAT IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE AND LIES OR LOST.
BECAUSE THAT'S PRECIOUS TIME AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN TRY TO GET THERE AND RESPOND FASTER.
CUZ RESPONSE SIGNS TRULY JUST START WHEN THE FIRST PERSON CALLS IT IN.
RODRIGUEZ, UH, I JUST WANNA JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO, TO ECHO THAT.
I MEAN, SO MUCH OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARN ABOUT, RIGHT? WE LEARN ABOUT BECAUSE A STUDENT COMES FORWARD AND SAYS SOMETHING TO US, UH, A TEACHER STEPS UP AND SAYS SOMETHING TO US AND IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF I HAD A REQUEST OUT THERE, IT WOULD JUST BE THAT, THAT AS SOON AS YOU HEAR IT, AS SOON AS YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, COME FORWARD WITH IT RIGHT.
SO WE CAN CONNECT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR, OR, OR YOU CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
HOWEVER, UH, IT WORKS OUT BECAUSE, UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, A STUDENT WILL CONNECT WITH US IN THE EVENING RIGHT? AND SAY, WELL, THINKING BACK ON IT, I WAS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE ON THIS TODAY AND, AND IT COULD BE FOR TOMORROW.
RIGHT? AND SO, SO I'M GLAD THEY DO IT EVEN IF IT'S AT THAT TIME BECAUSE WE'LL CALL THEM RIGHT AWAY AND THEY'LL GO TO THE HOUSE.
THEY WILL, THEY, THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, SO THAT, THAT, THAT COMMUNICATION PIECE IS JUST SO IMPORTANT.
AND IF I, WE STRESS THAT ALL THE TIME WITH OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF, UH, IT'S JUST CRITICAL.
AND THAT'S ALSO JUST TO, TO SAY WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THOSE ANONYMOUS WAYS PEOPLE CAN REPORT STUFF AS WELL.
BECAUSE AGAIN, ESPECIALLY DEALING WITH THE STUDENTS OR EVEN PARENTS, THEY MAY NOT REPORT.
THEY MAY KNOW OF SOMETHING AND MAY NOT REPORT IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT A COMMUNITY MEMBER OR SOMEBODY ELSE COMING BACK AT THEM.
AND SO WE WANT TO GIVE THOSE OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL BECAUSE SOMEBODY KNOWS ABOUT THESE THINGS PRIOR TO THEM ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU WAS
SO HOW DO YOU, I'M JUST CURIOUS YOU, HOW DO YOU ANNOUNCE YOURSELF? BECAUSE HOW WOULD THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT, DIDN'T PUT ON A UNIFORM AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY THE SHOOTER AND YOU KNOW, PRETENDING YOU'RE THE, THE DEPUTY? WELL, WE, WE ARE ANNOUNCING OURSELVES, UM, AS WE'RE COMING IN AND I, AND I CAN JUST, AGAIN, JUST USE BEHAS EXAMPLE.
UM, SO AS WE WENT AROUND TO EVERY ROOM, UM, PRIOR TO GOING IN THOSE ROOMS WE'RE, WE ARE YELLING OUT, YOU
[00:55:01]
KNOW, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, I I IS ANYONE IN THEIR SHERIFF'S OFFICE WE'RE COMING IN HANDS UP, HAND UP.WE'RE, WE'RE YELLING OUT DEMANDS AND WE PRACTICE THAT.
UM, SO WE'RE YELLING AT DEMANDS AS YOU COME IN.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU ARE PREPARED.
THERE WERE SOME TEACHERS WHO HAD SOME OBJECTS IN THEIR HANDS, UM, TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AND THEY, ONCE WE CAME IN, THEY QUICKLY REALIZED AND THEY STOPPED.
UM, SO YOU, AND, AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO SIT THERE WAITING TO GIVE ME A HUG.
UH, CUZ YOU DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING IN.
RIGHT? AND SO WE WILL ANNOUNCE OURSELVES, UM, AS, AS BEST WE, THE BEST WE CAN COMING IN.
BUT AGAIN, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW UNTIL THEY GET IN.
AND THE THING IS, WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS YOU JUST OPENING THE DOOR BECAUSE ANYONE COULD YELL OUT SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU OPEN THE DOOR AND IT COULD BE THE BAD GUY.
UM, SOMEONE COULD YELL OUT, THIS IS THE SUPERINTENDENT, OPEN THE DOOR.
OH, THIS IS THE BOSS, I GOTTA OPEN THE DOOR.
NO, SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD HAVE THE KEYS.
THE PRINCIPAL SHOULD HAVE THE KEYS.
SO YOU'RE NOT, ONCE YOU GO INTO THAT LOCK, NOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO.
AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT.
UH, LAST FALL WAS AT, UH, BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM FOR A FOOTBALL GAME.
AND AS THE GAME WAS, HADN'T STARTED YET, WAS PEOPLE WERE FILING IN I HEARD GUNSHOTS.
AND THERE'S EVIDENTLY SOMEBODY, UH, TO THE WEST OF THE STADIUM MM-HMM.
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, BUT THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO THOSE OWNERS OF THAT, UH, ESTABLISHMENT OR WHOEVER SAYING DON'T DO THAT, OR EVERY TIME I'M GONNA CALL 9 1 1 MM-HMM.
WHETHER THAT'S A, A BEING FIRED TOWARD US.
AND, AND THAT'S JUST NOT SAFE.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S LIKE PETER AND THE WOLF, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
SO WHAT I WOULD TELL PEOPLE IS THIS, UM, YES, IF YOU DO HEAR GUNFIRE, GO AHEAD AND CALL IT IN.
UM, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, GO AHEAD AND CALL IT IN.
UM, WHAT WE ALSO TELL PEOPLE, BECAUSE IN THE COUNTY, UM, IT, NOT IN THE MUNICIPALITIES, BUT ACTUALLY IN THE COUNTY, WE ARE STILL THE RURAL SOUTH.
SO YOU ACTUALLY CAN, UM, FIRE A WEAPON AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A BURM, YOU'RE FIRING, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FIRE IT SAFELY, HAVE A BERM, SOMETHING THAT CAN STOP IT.
YOU CAN'T, YOU AIN'T SUPPOSED TO JUST SHOOT ACROSS THE WATER OR JUST INTO THE WOOD LINE.
YOU'RE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BERM OR SOMETHING ELSE TO ACTUALLY CATCH THOSE BULLETS.
SO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FIRING OFF SAFELY.
WHAT WE DO GENERALLY ASK IS FOR PEOPLE TO GO AHEAD AND CALL IN TO THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER AND REPORT THAT THEY ARE, THEY DO HAVE A RAGE OR THEY ARE SHOOTING, UM, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DO THAT.
SO IF YOU DID CALL IN, THEN, UM, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CALL BACK AND LAW AND SAY, HEY, THAT'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY DOING THIS.
WOULD WE RATHER THAT PERSON NOT DOING THAT DURING, WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S A GAME RIGHT UP THE STREET? UM, YES, BUT THEY ARE ON THEIR PROPERTY AND BY COUNTY RULES, THEY ACTUALLY CAN'T DO IT AS LONG AS THEY'RE DOING IT SAFELY.
UM, WHAT WE, WE'VE, CUZ I'VE WORKED SOME OF THOSE GAMES AND WE'LL CALL IT IN, HAVE ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, OR IF WE HAVE ENOUGH, ONE OF US WILL BREAK OFF AND MAYBE GO UP THE STREET.
IF THEY'RE ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEY'RE DOING IT IN THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
UM, SO IT IS, THAT'S, THAT'S HANDS ARE KIND OF TIED ON THAT ONE.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT P TO THAT PART, YES, SIR.
BUT AGAIN, I WOULD TELL PEOPLE CALL IT IN BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE A GUN FIGHT GOING ON OR WHATEVER ELSE.
UM, SO WE WOULD STILL TELL PEOPLE CALL IT IN NO MATTER WHAT.
MR. SMITH, UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, UM, THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THIS, UH, CHANNEL.
BUT, UM, JUST, UH, LISTENING IN, ONE THING THAT YOU SAID TO ME TODAY, WELL, WE JUST, YOU SAID TODAY THAT CALLED MY ATTENTION WAS, UH, YOU SAID, THINK ABOUT IT NOW, BECAUSE WHEN THAT TIME HAPPENS, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS TRULY THAT WAS THAT, THAT, THAT WAS DEEP.
BECAUSE I, I, I REMEMBER BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, AND I, AND, AND WHAT I DID WAS, WHOA, WHOA, A COUPLE OF IT DID.
WE REVERT BACK TO WHAT, WHAT WE, WHAT WE WERE TRAINED TO DO IF THAT SITUATION WAS TO HAPPEN.
SO WHEN YOU SAID THAT, I HOPE THAT PEOPLE TAKE HE AND THEY DO WHEREVER YOU AT REV NCE IN THE COMMUNITY, NCE CHURCH REPRESENTING THE MEETING NCE IN THE CLASSROOM, I DO HOPE THAT THEY DO TAKE THE TIME TO, UM, FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THAT SITUATION WAS TO HAPPEN? BECAUSE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND TO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE IT LIKE LIGHT LIGHTLY AS WE TAKE IT.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU ONLY HAVE ABOUT 2.5 SECONDS TO ACTUALLY REACT.
[01:00:01]
YES.AND IMPORTANT THING WITH THAT TOO IS WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE PARANOID, BUT WE DON'T WANT YOU PREPARED.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'M AT THE AGE NOW, NO MATTER WHERE I STOP AT, I GOTTA USE THE RESTROOM.
SO AS I'M FINDING THE BATHROOM, I'M LOOKING AROUND FOR EXITS.
UM, SO JUST EVEN KNOWING YOUR LOCATION AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR LOCATION THAT YOU'RE AT, WELL YOU'RE GOING TO NATURALLY HESITATE.
UM, AND YOU GET THAT DEER AND HEAD LIKE A, UH, EFFECT.
UM, WHICH COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR YOU.
CUZ IF YOU HESITATE, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GIVE UP OR BE THAT EASY TARGET.
AND SO WE WANT YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX PRIOR TO.
SO JUST KNOWING YOUR EXITS, WHERE DOES THIS LEAD ME KNOWING WHERE LOCKABLE DOORS ARE, WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, CAN I GET IN THERE? WHAT PARTS MAY BE IN THERE? SO WE, WE'VE START, STARTED OUR THIRD ROUND OF LOCKDOWNS FOR OUR SCHOOLS YESTERDAY DURING THIS LOCKDOWN.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T TELL ANYBODY WE'RE COMING.
THE PRINCIPAL DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WE'RE COMING.
I JUST SHOW UP IN SCHOOL AND IT HAS TO BE DURING, UM, RECESS, LUNCH, BUS ARRIVAL IN THE MORNING, BUS DEPARTURE IN THE AFTERNOON, SOMETHING WHERE THE KIDS ARE OUT AND ABOUT.
UM, SO WE JUST SHOW UP IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUT 'EM IN LOCKDOWN, AND THEY'RE EXPECTED TO REACT TO IT WHEREVER THEY'RE AT.
MOST OF THEM WON'T EVEN BE IN CLASS, SO THEY GOTTA REACT TO WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES PRESENTS THEMSELVES.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, A A TIME WHERE THE TYPICAL STRUCTURE OF EVERYBODY IN ROOMS, UH, IS, IS NOT, UH, IN OCCURRENCE.
RIGHT? SO CLASS CHANGE, LUNCH, THAT KIND OF THING WAS, IT COULD HAPPEN ANYTIME, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE TO TRAIN AT ALL DIFFERENT TIMES.
SO WE SHOWED UP AT BEAUFORD ELEMENTARY YESTERDAY.
THERE WAS, THERE WERE CLASSES OUT FOR OUT RECESS.
THEY WERE IN THE LUNCHROOM, THEY WERE IN THE HALLWAYS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY, UM, DON'T LIKE IT, BUT WE GOTTA DO IT.
WENSKI, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU MASTER SERGEANT FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAD, UM, TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
I THINK THEY'RE MORE SO FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, HOW DO WE DOUBLE CHECK OR ENSURE THAT STAFF MEMBERS ARE RECEIVING THE CROSS TRAINING? CUZ IT'S ONLY TWICE A YEAR.
CORRECT? SO IF SOMEONE'S ABSENT THAT DATE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GO TO A, A SMALL GROUP OR DO IT PRIVATELY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THEY, THEY, IT'S MAINLY TWICE A YEAR.
BUT EVERY TIME I USUALLY DO SPEAK WITH THE PRINCIPALS AND SAY, IF YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT, MAYBE YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE.
CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S REFRESHERS, BUT YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE TOO SHY TO ASK A QUESTION.
USUALLY WHAT WE'LL DO IS THE, UM, MR. GRISMAN WAS SENT OUT TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, AND SO IT CAN DEFINE A TIMEFRAME.
SO EVEN IF SOMEBODY MISSED THIS ONE, THEY CAN TRY TO GO TO ONE OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS AND MAKE UP THAT AND GO THERE.
UM, SO IT'S OFFERED A LOT, UM, TO SEVERAL LOCATIONS.
AND A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS ARE RIGHT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF EACH OTHER AS WELL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF AVAILABILITY FOR THEM.
BUT IT IS KIND OF ON THOSE DIFFERENT PRINCIPALS TO MAKE SURE ALL THEIR FOLKS DO HAVE IT.
UM, AND IN THE PAST THERE ARE VIDEOS, UM, BECAUSE DURING COVID, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID ASK FOR A VIDEO BE MADE.
THAT HAS THE, THE ISSUE, UH, THE, THE AVOID DENIED DEFEND ON IT.
AND SO EVEN IF SOMEBODY DOES MISS AND MAYBE THEY CAN'T MAKE UP, THEY CAN GET THAT AS WELL.
AND IT, AND JUST TO CONFIRM, IT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT ALL STAFF MEMBERS DO THIS, RIGHT? YES.
IT WAS, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT LIKE THE SCENARIOS WERE SUSPENDED DURING COVID MM-HMM.
SO DURING COVID WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO A, UM, A TALK, A TALK AROUND FOR THE LOCKDOWNS.
NOW WE RESUME BACK TO THE, THE NORMAL WAY OF DOING THOSE.
EVERYTHING'S BACK TO, YEP, EVERYTHING'S BACK.
AND I THINK THAT WILL BE THE LAST QUESTION.
WELL, I'VE HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SCHOOL, ONE OF THE THINGS IS WITH COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? YOU CAN TWEET IT, YOU CAN CALL ALL THESE DIFFERENT NUMBERS, YOU CAN TEXT NICKEL.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF METHODS OF COMMUNICATION WHEN IT'S, AND LIKE, LET'S SAY WE'RE IN A SCHOOL AND I SEE SOMETHING, IS THERE NOT LIKE ONE NUMBER? BECAUSE WHAT I WORRY ABOUT, AND I'M SURE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TOO, IS THAT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, KIDS TEXT THEIR PARENTS, THE PARENTS TEXT ME HYSTERICAL, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE SCHOOL? YOU KNOW, THERE'S, IT'S, EVERYONE'S GOT A PHONE.
SO IS THERE ONE NUMBER WE SH LIKE, SHOULD CALL LIKE YOURS OR NUMBER? SO, SO WHAT, WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND YOU KNOW, I'LL USE BEAUFORD HIGH AS AS AN EXAMPLE.
WE'VE USED IT SEVERAL TIMES TODAY.
OF ALL OF THESE SCENARIOS, RIGHT? GOLD STANDARD OF ALL OF THIS COMMUNICATION SCENARIO, MY PERSONAL OPINION FOR WHATEVER THAT'S WORTH, RIGHT? UM, THING, OKAY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN A CRISIS, WHEN WE'RE IN A CRISIS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS IN CHARGE OF THE SITE, THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF THAT.
OKAY? WHAT WE'RE DOING ON OUR END WITH OUR CRISIS TEAM IN, IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT,
[01:05:01]
IS I'M TYPICALLY AT THE COMMAND POST.SO I'M GETTING INFORMATION, UH, FROM THEM AS WELL.
AT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, OUR CHIEF, OUR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IS THERE.
AND, AND WHAT WAS EXCELLENT ABOUT THAT SITUATION WAS THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, PIO O WAS THERE, BUFORT, UH, PIO, O BUFORT PD, PIO O WAS THERE, AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, CANDACE BROODER WAS THERE.
AND COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? THAT WAS COMING OUT WAS CONSISTENT FROM ALL THREE BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNICATION GOES OUT.
ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN IS YOU HAVE VARYING COMMUNICATIONS THAT GOES OUT.
SO MYSELF, CANDACE RIGHT? IS, IS A GOOD NUMBER FOR, FOR YOU TO CONNECT WITH US DIRECTLY IN, IN, IN, IN A CASE LIKE THAT.
AND I THINK I MISUNDERSTOOD, I MISSTATED MY QUESTION, BUT I'M SAYING LIKE, IF I'M ON, I'M ON A SCHOOL TOUR AND SOMETHING'S GOING DOWN, DO I NOTIFY, LIKE, NOT LIKE OBVIOUSLY A DIRECT THREAT, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I, I SEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, YOU WALK THROUGH, YOU SEE SOMETHING AMISS.
YOU'RE LIKE, I NEED TO NOTIFY SOMEBODY.
DO I TELL THE BUILDING PRINCIPAL? DO I CALL LAW ENFOR? LIKE WHAT'S THE BEST ONE SOURCE? YEAH.
SO IF, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A THREAT THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, CALL LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRST.
THAT, AND THEN LET US KNOW SO THAT WE DON'T MISS A BEAT, RIGHT? OKAY.
WE, WE GO IN THE LOCKDOWN AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IS THAT, AND IT WAS AN EMERGENCY.
NO, THIS IS SORT OF LIKE, I WOULDN'T DO THE WEIRD IN THE PARKING LOT.
AND THEN, YEAH, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, BASICALLY THE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU'LL BE WANTING BOTH TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD BE CALLING, WELL YOU COULD BE CALLING US AS YOU'RE MAKING YOUR WAY IN, OR MAKING SURE SOMEBODY, CUZ YOU CAN EASILY CALL WHILE YOU'RE OUTSIDE, BUT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REACH SOMEONE INSIDE AT FIRST.
SO AS YOU'RE RESPONDING, CUZ WE'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN, THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS WHERE THERE WAS STUFF GOING ON IN THE PARKING LOT AND A SCHOOL HAS GONE DOWN, GONE INTO A LOCKDOWN BECAUSE OF IT, BUT THEY DIDN'T INITIALLY KNOW.
AND SO AGAIN, CALLING BOTH, UM, GO AHEAD AND GET ON THE PHONE CUZ OUR NUMBER IS EASY.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, IF YOU CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE, JUST DIAL 9 1 1.
RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK A BETTER WAY TO ANSWER THIS RIGHT NOW IS WE, WE'VE EMPOWERED EVERY SINGLE TEACHER IN EVERY SINGLE BUILDING TO CALL A LOCKDOWN NO LONGER THAN THEY HAVE TO GET A PERMISSION OF A PRINCIPAL OR AP.
THEY ARE EMPOWERED TO PUT THAT SCHOOL IN LOCKDOWN.
IF ONE OF YOU ARE IN THE SCHOOL FRONT OFFICE LOCKDOWN, YOU DON'T NEED AN EXPLANATION.
YOU TELL 'EM LOCKDOWN, THEY GO INTO LOCKDOWN.
WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHY LATER.
A LOCKDOWN DOESN'T HURT THE PRACTICE ANYWAY.
SO I'D RATHER BE SAFE THAN SORRY.
IF SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, PUT 'EM IN LOCKDOWN.
AND SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID TO STAFF IS THIS TOO.
DON'T BOMBARD THE FRONT OFFICE WITH WHY ARE WE IN THE LOCKDOWN BEFORE YOU GO INTO IT.
IF THEY'RE SAID, IF YOU'RE TOLD TO DO IT, JUST DO IT.
CAUSE WE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION YET.
JUST GO INTO, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE, GO INTO THE FULL OUT LOCKDOWN.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT A MODIFIED OR SOMETHING ELSE, JUST DO IT BECAUSE AT LEAST YOU KNOW YOU'RE SAFE OR WHATEVER AT THAT POINT IN TIME AND WAIT FOR MORE INFORMATION TO COME.
SO WHEN, WHEN I SHOW UP AT A SCHOOL NOW, I, I DON'T GO TO THE PRINCIPAL.
EVERY I SEE AT THE FRONT OFFICE, EVERY WHO'S UP THERE.
I SAY, YOU PUT US IN LOCKDOWN RIGHT NOW, NO QUESTIONS.
IF THEY'RE FUMBLE, WE'VE GOT SOME ISSUES, THEY BETTER KNOW HOW TO DO IT AND DO IT NOW.
SO THEY'VE ALL BEEN TRAINED AND WE'VE GONE OVER IT AND OVER IT, AND THEY DO.
THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, VERY MUCH.
AFTER THANK YOU, THE PRESENTATION.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK SO WE CAN SWITCH OUT, UH, THE PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT? WE'RE BACK IN, UH, PUBLIC SESSION.
AND OUR NEXT, UH, TOPIC ON THE AGENDA IS THE RIVERVIEW ANNUAL REPORT BY MR. BECKTEL.
AND, UH, GOOD MORNING, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I'LL HAVE ONE MORE STEP IN SHORTLY.
I JUST GOT A 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT, SO I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, IF THERE'S ONE THING MY STAFF AND THE STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT ME, IT'S THAT IT'S HARD TO GET ME TO STOP WHEN I START GOING.
UM, I'M, UH, YEAH, SO I DON'T SEE THE POWERPOINT, BUT ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT.
IF, IF I COULD JUST SPEAK FOR A MINUTE WHILE THAT COMES UP.
UM, SO A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE, UM, FOR SWAG, UH, GOING OUT CURRENTLY.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, UH, THAT YOU HAD SOME OF OUR SWAG PART OF THE FAMILY.
THE, UM, ALL YOU'LL SEE ON THE FIRST SLIDE IS OUR RIVERVIEW LOGO.
ON OUR SECOND SLIDE IS THE MISSION OF RIVERVIEW
[01:10:01]
CHARTER SCHOOL.UH, AT THE START OF EVERY ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, WHETHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, UH, WE BEGIN, UH, WITH THE READING OF OUR RIVERVIEW, UH, WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT, AND IT GOES AS FOLLOWS, RIVER VIEW'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A SMALL, DIVERSE LEARNING COMMUNITY THAT ACTIVELY ENGAGES STUDENTS IN MEANINGFUL AND INNOVATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES, EMPHASIZING LEARNING BY DOING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN ENGAGED CITIZENSHIP.
RIVERVIEW IS COMMITTED TO NURTURING THE WHOLE CHILD AND PREPARING EACH STUDENT FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY.
I WAS GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS.
OKAY, SO AGAIN, THAT'S OUR MISSION.
WE WANNA BE ACTIVE, WE WANNA BE INNOVATIVE, AND WE WANT INVOLVEMENT.
OUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR PARENTS, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE, UH, AIDS US IN, IN STANDING OUT.
OKAY, IF YOU COULD GO, THAT'LL PLAY
IF YOU JUST CONTINUE TO THE, THE NEXT SLIDE, IT SHOULD GO AHEAD AND START.
AND IF NOT, WE CAN BYPASS THAT.
SO, UM, THAT VIDEO IS A VIDEO WE START AT, AT, UM, FOR, FOR MOST OF OUR, UH, OPEN HOUSES.
AND AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON, IT SPEAKS TO THE HISTORY OF RIVERVIEW.
HI, RIVERVIEW OPEN AT STORES IN 2009.
UM, WE RENEWED OUR CHARTER IN 2019, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO RENEW OUR CHARTER AGAIN IN 2029.
UM, IN SHORT THOUGH, WE SERVE 720 STUDENTS, UM, IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.
WE HAVE A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 20 STUDENTS PER HOMEROOM, AND WE HAVE FOUR HOMEROOM PER GRADE LEVEL.
UM, WE'RE GOVERNED BY, UH, OUR RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE CHAIR OF THAT CURRENTLY IS REESE BERTH OFF.
WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH ANOTHER BOARD ELECTION CYCLE AND BROUGHT ON, UH, FOUR NEW, UH, BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UH, UH, RENEWING ONE MORE.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, WHO WE ARE, WE'RE AT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ONLY, UH, LOCAL CHARTER SCHOOL.
AND, UH, WE WERE THE FIRST AND WE'RE STILL THE ONLY, AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PART OF YOUFOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT JUST UNDER TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I WONDERED ABOUT OUR IDENTITY WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
AND, UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT ME TO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO USE THE WORDS ASSET WE SERVE AS AN ASSET TO THE DISTRICT THROUGH, UH, THROUGH THE WORD INCUBATOR.
UM, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, UM, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AUTONOMY THAT WE RETAIN AS A CHARTER SCHOOL, AND THE IDEA THAT, UM, WE CAN BE USED AS AN ASSET TO THE DISTRICT IN THAT CAPACITY.
IF THERE'S PROGRAMS, UH, WE WORK A LOT WITH YOUR, UM, WITH BEFOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF, WHETHER IT'S THE, UM, SPECIAL SERVICE ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, EVERYONE FROM TANYA TO, UM, UM, WENDY, UM, TO ALL OF YOUR, UH, SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
AND OFTEN WE GET GOOD IDEAS, UM, THAT WE'D LIKE TO IMPLEMENT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
UH, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT ON A SMALLER SCALE, JUST A SMALLER SHIP, EASIER, EASIER TO TURN.
AND WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS, PROVIDE THEM BACK TO A DISTRICT, UH, AND THEN THE LEVEL OF IMPACT ON THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE FOR TAKING ON A PROGRAM IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, AND WE CAN PROVIDE RESULTS FROM THAT.
SO, UH, WE'D LIKE TO SERVE AS AN INCUBATOR TO THE DISTRICT.
UH, YOUR, AGAIN, YOUR TECH TEAM, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAM, UM, DR.
RODRIGUEZ'S ENTIRE TEAM, UH, FULLY AND MUTUALLY SUPPORTING.
AND, AND AGAIN, I I SAID IT LAST YEAR, IT WAS A WARM WELCOME.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN, UH, FANTASTIC EVER SINCE.
SO, UM, IF YOU REMEMBER TWO THINGS.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA BE FOR THE DISTRICT.
WE WANNA BE AN ASSET, AND WE WANNA BE AN INCUBATOR TO THE DISTRICT.
WE, WE, UM, WE SERVE THE ENTIRETY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, AND ONLY BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO YOU AS A BOARD AND TO BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT RUNS THE, THE GAMBIT OF WHAT WE SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR STATE STANDARDS, UM, AND STATE STANDARDIZED TESTING.
WE TAKE THE SAME MAP, SC READY, ET CETERA.
[01:15:01]
UM, AND THEN THE, ALL, ALL OF THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND, UH, CIVIL AND, AND DISABILITY RIGHTS, ALL OF THOSE WE RETAIN OR YOU RETAIN ACCOUNTABILITY OVER THE SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THE STATE'S ACCOUNTABILITY.AND THEN, UH, UNIQUE TO OUR SCHOOL IS THE DESEGREGATION AGREEMENT FROM THE 1970S WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
UM, THE SHORT OF THAT, IF YOU'VE NOT SEEN THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO STAY WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS 15% OF THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, RACIAL DEMOGRAPHIC, UM, PLUS OR MINUS 15% OF THAT.
SO, UM, WE ARE, UM, WE, IN FACT, CURRENTLY WE'RE IN OUR ENROLLMENT PERIOD, OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT ON THE 31ST, WE'LL END THAT, AND THEN WE'LL EXECUTE A WEIGHTED LOTTERY TO MAKE SURE WE REMAIN IN, IN COMPLIANCE THERE.
UM, WE ARE, UM, UNDER, WE UNDERGO OUR OWN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
THERE'S FINANCES COME THROUGH YOU AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WELL, THE MAJORITY OF IT DOES, BUT WE ALSO SERVE AS A NONPROFIT, UM, AND DO OUR OWN INDEPENDENT FUNDRAISING AS WELL.
SO, WE'LL, AT THE END OF THIS, YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR INDEPENDENT AUDIT, UM, THAT JUST COMPLETED, UH, A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
UM, AS A NONPROFIT, WE RUN, UH, QUITE A FEW, UM, COMMUNITY EVENTS IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN OURSELVES AND IN ORDER TO, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, DO OUR BEST FOR OUR PEOPLE AND GET THE THINGS THAT WE NEED.
UM, ONE THING THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL FIND IN THE BAGS IS A, IS A SHAMELESS PLUG FOR THE, UM, BEAUFORT TWILIGHT RUN, WHICH IS COMING UP IN MARCH.
SO BEFOR TWILIGHT RUN IS OUR BIGGEST FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR.
IT'S, UM, AND, UH, AND IT'S PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST COMMUNITY EVENT OF THE YEAR, BUT YOU'LL TYPICALLY SEE REAR REVIEW AS, AS OFTEN AS WE CAN GET OUT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, I'VE COME HERE BEFORE YOU ONCE A YEAR AND PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO TODAY, AND I'LL GET THAT DONE UNDER 30 MINUTES.
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT THOUGH IS OUR, OUR AUTONOMY PARTICULARLY, AND RIGHT OFF THE JUMP IS OUR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION.
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE, UM, UM, THOSE ARE, UM, THE, THE BIGGEST PIECE, UH, THAT WE, UM, THAT, THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT.
I BELIEVE OUR SPECIALS ARE UNIQUE TO RIVERVIEW.
UM, EVERYTHING SPANNING THE GAMBIT FROM OUR, OUR LANGUAGES, UM, TO OUR VISUAL AND CREATIVE ARTS, OUR ATHLETICS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UM, WE, WE HAVE GROWN OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT FROM TWO OR THREE SPORTS, UM, TO NINE, OR I CAN'T EVEN KEEP COUNTING ANYMORE, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
SO IT WAS SOMEWHERE WE WERE DEFICIENT, BUT WE'VE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, AND THEN OUR TECH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW.
IT'S SOMETHING, IT'S A PRIORITY OF OURS THAT WE'RE EVOLVING NOW.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OWN, UH, BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE, UH, PROGRAM CALLED TIDE WATCH AND EN ENRICHMENT PROGRAM.
UM, OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT TO INCLUDE OUR DISCIPLINARY MEASURES ARE UNIQUE TO RIVERVIEW.
AND THEN OUR EMPLOYMENT POLICIES ARE UNIQUE TO RIVERVIEW AS WELL.
UM, AND AGAIN, OUR SCHOOL SIZE BEING, UH, MAXIMUM AT SEVEN 20 IN THE CLASS SIZE OF, OF 20.
UM, THAT'S WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT.
SO THAT'S RIVERVIEW IN A NUTSHELL.
I HAD A GOOD VIDEO, BUT THAT JUST CUT THREE MINUTES OUT OF IT, SO I'LL BE EVEN FASTER.
UM, BUT NOW IF YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, IN YOUR PACKET.
I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A COPY OF OUR, OUR HARD COPY ANNUAL REPORT, AND THE, THE REMAINING FEW SLIDES ARE JUST EXCERPTS FROM THAT.
UM, AND JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTED ITEMS THAT I'LL RUN THROUGH.
SO THIS IS THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF IT, AND ALSO THE BORING PART IF I'M NOT, IF I'M NOT BORING ENOUGH ALREADY.
UH, SO TO GET STARTED, AGAIN, WE STARTED IN 2009.
FIRST RENEWAL WAS IN 19, UM, WE SERVED K THROUGH EIGHT.
WE'RE LOCATED OVER THERE ON 81 SAVANNAH HIGHWAY ON THE WAY OVER TO BLUFFTON.
UM, YOU CAN FIND US@RIVERVIEWCHARTERSCHOOL.ORG.
UM, I, ROBERT BECKEL, I'M THE DIRECTOR.
REESE BERNOFF IS THE CURRENT BOARD CHAIR, AND WE SERVE, AND OUR L E A IS YOU AT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE OUR CURRENT, OUR ENROLLMENT LAST YEAR, AND, UM, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE A LITTLE, LITTLE STOPPED UP, BUT WE'RE ON PAGE TWO OF THE PACKET.
AND ALL THAT IS, IS A LIST OF OUR, OUR MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL, WHICH IS 80, CAPTAIN 80, AND THEN OUR 135 DAY COUNT FROM LAST YEAR AND OUR 45 DAY COUNT THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK IN, IN ATTENDANCE.
I THINK THAT IS STILL SOME COVID RECOVERY AND, UH, FAMILIES BEING COMFORTABLE COMING BACK IN THE SCHOOL.
UM, OUR CURRENT COUNT TODAY IS 7 0 5.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON ONE MORE.
SO HERE WE ADDRESS WHAT THE INTENT OF, UM, OF, UH, LARGE INTENT OF WHAT WE HAVE, UH, THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR, AND THAT'S HOW WE INTEND TO CLOSE OUR ACHIEVEMENT GAP.
SO WE'RE PROUD, WE'RE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE EXCEED STATE AND, UM, AND LOCAL, UM, AVERAGES AS IT PERTAINS TO, UM, UH, OUR SCORES AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WITH THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.
UH, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE IN ORDER TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
UM, AND OF NOTE, WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON ARE REALLY THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF HOW RIVERVIEW BEGAN.
[01:20:01]
A HARD HIT WHEN COVID CAME AND WENT, AND, UM, AND WE ARE COMING BACK FROM IT, UH, MUCH LIKE THE, THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IN EDUCATION.SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS OF NOTE THAT WERE, THAT AS YOU READ THROUGH, UM, THAT PARTICULAR, UM, UH, PAGE AND A HALF OF TEXT, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THIS WITH THIS PORTION OF THE POWERPOINT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE DOING, UH, IS CONTINUING TO EMPLOY QUALITY FACULTY.
UM, SO I'M BLESSED WITH A, UM, SOLID, UH, OUTSTANDING GROUP OF TEACHERS AND FACULTY ACROSS THE BOARD AT RIVERVIEW.
UM, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO RETAIN THEM.
AND WHEN WE DO HAVE HOLES, WE ONLY WANT TO BRING IN, UH, THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST.
SO THAT'S OUR, THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
UM, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WE'VE TAKEN, TAKEN A, UM, OR ELEVATED THE PRIORITY FOR, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH OUR TEACHERS.
OF NOTE, WE, WE INSERTED A FEW HALF DAYS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR THIS YEAR, UM, THAT ALLOW US TO PROVIDE THE, UM, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WEREN'T BEFORE.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE, THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE SCHOOL IS WE HAVE SCHEDULED AND PROTECTED COMMON PLANNING FOR OUR TEACHERS, UH, THE INTENT TO ENSURE COLLABORATION ACROSS ALL OF OUR DISCIPLINES.
SO THAT IS PROTECTED AND GUARDED, AND, UM, AND WE FIND A GREAT DEAL OF BENEFIT WITH IT.
CONNECTING THE DOTS WITH INTEGRATED AND CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM AT EVERY ONE OF OUR CYCLES.
WE OPERATE IN THREE CYCLES, K THROUGH TWO, THREE THROUGH FIVE, AND SIX THROUGH EIGHT.
UM, ALL OF THEM HAVE BIG IDEAS AND THEY HAVE CONCEPT-BASED CURRICULUM.
UH, EACH ONE OF THOSE CYCLES CULMINATES THOSE, UH, CULMINATES, UM, IN WHAT WE CALL OUR CAPSTONE TRIPS.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO EXERCISE THROUGH THAT.
IT WAS SUCCESSFUL BEFORE, AND IT WILL ALLOW US TO REGAIN, UM, THE, THE, UM, DIRECTION THAT WE ARE IN.
SO THOSE CAPSTONE TRIPS, UH, FIRST IS LOCAL.
WE TAKE THEM UP TO, UH, BARRIER ISLAND.
UH, THE, THE SECOND AND FIFTH GRADE IS NATIONAL.
THEY GO TO WASHINGTON, DC AND THEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THEM INDEPENDENT AND GLOBAL CITIZENS, UH, WE'LL TAKE THAT GROUP TO COSTA RICA THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, SO MOVING ON, UH, ANOTHER, AGAIN, THESE EFFORTS BEGAN LAST YEAR OR MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, BUT WE PLUSED UP OUR NUMBER OF ASSISTANTS IN THE SCHOOL, UH, FROM KINDERGARTEN TO KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE.
AND THEN WE, WE'VE ALSO INCREASED OUR, OUR INTERVENTIONISTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL FOR THE WHOLE KA MODEL TO, TO BE ABLE TO TARGET AND ADDRESS THE GAPS THAT WERE INDICATED IN OUR REPORT.
THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IS BENEFICIAL ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.
PLENTY OF DATA SUPPORTS ARTS INFUSION AND HOW IT BENEFITS ACROSS THE SPAN OF OUR DEMOGRAPHICS IN SCHOOLS.
UM, LIVING OUR CORE VALUES THAT WAS UNIQUE TO, TO RIVERVIEW.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I SIGNED ON SO QUICKLY AND TOOK THE LEAP, UH, WAS RIVERVIEW HOLDS DEAR THE CORE VALUES, UM, THE EIGHT CORE VALUES, UH, THAT MAKE US UNIQUE.
AND, UM, AND THEY'RE INFUSED INTO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO THERE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT WILL ASSIST US IN OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND, UM, AND, AND BENEFIT BOTH THE GAP AND, UH, LEARNING DOWN THE ROAD.
WE HAVE DAILY MORNING MEETINGS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND ARE BECOMING MORE OF A PRACTICE, UM, DAILY MORNING MEETING AND ADVISORY TIME.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THOSE AND CONTINUE THAT, UH, THAT PROGRAM.
AND, UH, AND WE ALSO DO INCREASED, UM, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WERE OBLIGATED TO DO AND FOUND BENE OFFICIAL AT THE ONSET OF OUR CHARTER.
UM, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT THROUGH RECESS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS, KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, AND JUST GENERALLY INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THROUGH BOTH ATHLETICS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
AND THEN FINALLY, JUST THE, THE INCREASED INSTRUCTIONAL, UH, STRATEGIES.
SO A PART OF OUR, UM, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NOW, UM, IS TO FOCUS ON THAT WHEN, WHEN TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS COME, OR FACULTY IN GENERAL, UH, COME TO RIVERVIEW, WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, UM, GETTING THEM ONBOARDED AND MAKING SURE THEY'VE RECEIVED THE TRAINING, UH, THAT'S GONNA MAKE THEM EFFECTIVE IN, IN OUR SPACE, IN OUR UNIQUE SPACE.
SO THAT'S A SUMMATION OF THAT PARTICULAR, UH, PAGE AND A HALF OF OUR SCORES.
AGAIN, UM, OUR REPORT CARD IN GENERAL TOOK A HIT.
IT WAS COMMENSURATE WITH, UM, THE HIT THAT WE SAW AT THE DISTRICT AND THE STATE LEVEL.
SO WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME RECOVERY TO DO.
UM, WE STARTED THAT RECOVERY, UM, IN COVID.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY THAT MOST OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, MOST OF THE PERSONNEL CHANGES WE'VE IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, HAVE BEEN LONG UNDERWAY.
SO, UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO THE, THE NEXT PIECE TO THE MEAT OF THIS PARTICULAR REPORT, I'M SORRY, ONE BACK IS A SUPER PLAIN SLIDE.
[01:25:01]
GOALS.LAST YEAR WE DID NOT, WE DID NOT MEET ALL OF OUR GOALS ACROSS THE, UM, WHAT I'LL GO THROUGH NEXT.
ONE OF THOSE WAS OUR, OUR SURVEYS.
AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS, UM, A TOUGH FEW YEARS.
UM, BUT THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, UM, WE DID NOT REACH ONE OF OUR, UH, GOALS WITH RESPECT TO SURVEYS AND OUR CHARTER AND OUR OBLIGATION TO YOU, UH, TO MAINTAIN THOSE.
BUT THIS YEAR, ACROSS ALL OF THE, UM, OBJECTIVES WE'VE MET EVERY GOAL.
I'LL HIGHLIGHT THOSE VERY QUICKLY AS I GO THROUGH.
UM, ACADEMIC GOAL ONE IS JUST OUR ACADEMIC ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE MEASURES.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS FROM ON PAGE NINE, OUR FIRST GOAL THAT WE MET WAS, UM, TO ADMINISTER, UM, MAP IN 2021 IN SPRING OF 22, 60 9% OF STUDENTS IN THREE TO EIGHT.
THREE TO EIGHT DEMONSTRATED GROWTH THAT MET THAT GOAL.
OBJECTIVE 1.2, UM, MAP WAS TESTED IN 21 AND 22, 80 0.9% OF THE STUDENTS IN GRADE THREE THROUGH EIGHT.
UM, SHOW SHOWED GROWTH OBJECTIVE, 1.3 PORTFOLIO NIGHTS.
THOSE ARE UNIQUE TO OUR SCHOOL AND OUR CHARTER.
UM, WE EXECUTED TWO OF THOSE AS, UM, AS REQUIRED, ONE ON THE 4TH OF NOVEMBER AND ONE ON MAY 19TH.
UM, THOSE PORTFOLIO NIGHTS ARE, UM, EVERYTHING THAT THE SCHOOL IS ALL ABOUT TO INCLUDE THE, THE KIDS AND ALL OF THEIR WORK, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, BOTH OF THOSE OBJECTIVE ONE, FOUR, THE SURVEYS THAT WE DEVELOPED, UM, SURVEYS THAT WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE YEARS PRIOR ADMINISTERED TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS RESULTS OF SATISFACTION.
AND THIS IS, UM, FAR BETTER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR.
93.8% SATISFIED FOR PARENTS, 100% FOR TEACHERS, AND 86.5% OF STUDENTS.
SO AS IT PERTAINED TO LEARNING LOSS AND OUR, UM, NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH OUR MISSION, OUR GOAL FOR LAST YEAR WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT THE FAMILY BACK TOGETHER.
WE, WE WERE LOOKING INWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR CLIMATE WAS, WAS, UM, UH, EXCEPTIONAL.
AND, AND THEN WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO WHERE IT WAS.
AND SO THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY, UH, INFORMED THE DECISION THAT WE CAN, THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH WHEN WE GO INTO ACADEMIC GOAL NUMBER TWO.
UM, THERE WERE, EXCUSE ME, YEP, ONLY ONE THERE.
UM, THOSE COVERED, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, RATED RIVERVIEW CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH AN OVERALL RATING OF AVERAGE RIVERVIEW CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH AN OVERALL RATING OF GOOD.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, AT RIVERVIEW, WE SEE, UM, A LESSER SCORE THERE FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND, UM, AND A GREATER SCORE AND, UH, EX EXTENSIVE PROGRESS AS THEY WORK THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AGAIN, NOT THE MOST FUN PART, UH, ON, UH, GOAL NUMBER THREE.
THAT'S OUR, UH, S E L UM, OBJECTIVE.
UM, AND THAT WAS, UM, IF YOU READ THROUGH IT, THERE ARE FITNESS GRAMS AND OUR MEASURE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
UM, AND ALL THE WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, YOU'LL FIND THAT, UM, OVERALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBER, STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED GROWTH IN THEIR PERSONAL FITNESS GRAM.
EIGHTH GRADE WAS 96%, SEVENTH GRADE WAS 98% IN GRADE SIX WAS 91%.
AND THEN OBJECTIVE THREE, THREE, THAT GOAL WAS MET OVERALL, 92%.
92% OF STUDENTS GRADE ONE THROUGH EIGHT WERE NOTED AS AREA OF CONCERN OR AREA OF DEVELOPMENT, AND GREW BY ONE OR MORE LEVELS FROM FALL TO SPRING, MAINTAINING A TWO OR HIGHER.
SO THAT WAS ACADEMIC GOAL NUMBER THREE.
ON NUMBER FOUR, RIVERVIEW WILL PREPARE STUDENTS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY.
FOUR, ONE IS OUR CORE VALUE ASSEMBLIES.
AGAIN, OUR CORE VALUE ASSEMBLIES ARE NEAR.
AND D OUR CORE VALUES ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO US.
UH, WE HELD CORE VALUE ASSEMBLIES, UM, DURING EACH OF THE TRIMESTERS OF THE 20 21, 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THEN OBJECTIVE FOUR, TWO, UH, SINCE R REVIEW'S INCEPTION, PART OF OUR SCHOOL'S MISSIONS BEEN TO CREATE ENGAGED CITIZENS AND GLOBAL LEARNERS.
UM, AND THE RESULT OF THAT WAS, UM, DURING 20 21, 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR, 100% OF R REVIEW'S STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN ANOTHER STAPLE OF OURS IN THAT SERVICE LEARNING.
UH, AT, AT A MINIMUM, THEY PARTICIPATED IN TWO, MOST OF THEM FAR MORE.
OUR FIRST MAJOR, UM, SERVICE LEARNING EVENT IS RISE AGAINST HUNGER OR EMPTY BOWLS HERE, IT REFERRED TO AS, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE PACK MEALS FOR COUNTRIES THAT ARE, UM, SHORT.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THE YEAR CLASSES DID EVERYTHING FROM PENNIES FOR POETRY.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF SUPPORT AND, UM, AND ARE MUTUALLY SUPPORTING WITH KAPPA PROJECT LINUS.
AND WE SENT MEDICAL AID A GREAT DEAL OF MEDICAL AID TO UKRAINE, AND WE SUPPORTED THE LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS.
THAT'S ALL THE, UM, ALRIGHT, IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE AND
[01:30:01]
WE'LL, OKAY.SO WE HAVE THE DISCRETION TO HIRE UP TO 25% OF, UM, NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
THIS IS A SLIDE TO SAY NOTHING MORE THAN 20 21, 20 22.
UM, WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME RIGHT NOW GOING THROUGH THIS YEAR.
THAT'S ALSO A PART OF, UH, THIS YEAR.
A FINANCIAL, UM, SU SUSTAINABILITY.
LAST YEAR, THE CHANGE IN WAITINGS AT THE STATE LEVEL IMPACTED OUR BUDGET AND THE POSITIVE GREATLY.
SO IT ALLOWED US TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS.
IT ALLOWED US TO BRING OUR STAFF UP TO COMPETITIVE RATES.
IT ALLOWED US TO, UM, UM, RELIEVE SOME OF THE BURDEN OF TR TR IF YOU DON'T KNOW.
UM, TRANSPORTATION AND OUR FACILITIES COSTS ARE, ARE SOMEWHAT INHIBITING, BUT IT, IT, UM, ALLOWED US TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, FINANCIALLY FREE AND AGAIN, TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE WE HAD THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED.
SO AT THE END OF EACH YEAR, WE GO THROUGH OUR OWN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
UM, WE IN, UM, WE USE A FIRM, A BOOKKEEPING FIRM CALLED VARIS.
THEY'RE OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY HELPFUL WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR AUDIT.
AND, UM, SO THIS YEAR WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THAT WE HAD ANOTHER CLEAN AUDIT WITH NO FINDINGS, UM, BOTH, UM, THROUGH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDITS AND THROUGH COMPLIANCE.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT AND THROUGH THE WORK OF BOARDS ACROSS THE STATE AND THE STATE, UM, THAT, UM, THAT CHANGE IN WAITING AND THAT CHANGE IN THE BUDGET WAS, UM, INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL FOR OUR LITTLE CHARTER SCHOOL.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT WORK FOR SURE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, CLEAN AUDIT INTERNAL TO THAT AUDIT.
THERE'S A PORTION ON THERE THAT ASKS FOR THE APPROVED SCHOOL BUDGET THAT'S INTERNAL TO THE AUDIT AS WELL.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK THIS YEAR, WE RUN, UH, ROUGHLY AN 11, UM, 11 MILLION BUDGET FOR OUR 720 STUDENTS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT INCREASED, UM, BY NEARLY TWO FULL MILLION, UM, FOR US BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.
SO, AGAIN, INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL, UM, FOR A SMALL SCHOOL.
IF WE COULD GO ONE MORE, AND THIS IS OUR BOARD.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONSISTS OF 11.
THEY HAVE TO BE A SMATTERING BASED ON SOUTH CAROLINA CHARTER LAW.
UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE EDUCATORS AND WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE BUSINESS SECTOR.
SO BOTH OF THOSE WERE WITHIN COMPLIANCE.
YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, SHORTLY.
UM, WE RUN OUR BOARD SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, OUR BOARD ELECTIONS, UM, IN THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO RETAIN THAT LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE, UM, WE ELECT 50% OF OUR BOARD AND WE APPOINT NO MORE THAN 50% OF OUR BOARD SO THAT, THAT ALLOWS US TO REMAIN COMPLIANT.
UM, AND THEY'RE OFFSET MUCH LIKE ANY OTHER BOARD COMMISSION EVERY TWO YEARS.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW THE ONLY THING ACTIVE, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE BOTH ENGAGED IN A STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, WORK, WORK RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS SOME BR BRAND WORK.
UM, THE ONLY TWO ACTIVE COMMITTEES WE HAVE WITH OUR NEW BOARD ARE THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE INTEND TO, UM, WE RAN, UH, OTHER COMMITTEES ALL THE WAY UP TILL THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE INTEND TO, UM, CHANGE, CHANGE THE SHAPE OF SOME OF THOSE DEPENDENT ON THE RESULTS OF OUR, UM, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SO IF YOU COULD GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND SO THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE.
SO THAT, THAT'S OUR NEW, UH, CURRENT BOARD, UH, WHO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK SUMMATION ABOUT ALL OF 'EM.
UM, BUT IF, IF YOU NEED THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET IT FROM ME.
BUT LISTED ON THAT, THAT POWERPOINT THAT YOU HAVE IS ALL OF THEIR EMAILS.
UH, CURRENTLY OUR EXECUTIVE, UM, COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF REECE BERDOFF AS THE BOARD CHAIR.
UH, VINCE BRENNAN IS OUR TREASURER.
LEE COPELAND IS OUR, UM, BOARD SECRETARY.
AND MS. KIMBERLY DUDI IS OUR, UH, VICE CHAIR.
AND AS FAR AS THE, UM, ANNUAL REPORT IN AND OF ITSELF, THAT'S ALL I HAVE BARRING ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. WE'RE TOLD VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I MOVED AT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOLS 2022 ANNUAL REPORT.
ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, I'M GONNA GO TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
WIKI, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
UH, YOU DID COVER IT IN THE REPORT.
SO, UM, I DO HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT I WAS SEEKING ON PAGE 13, IT REFERENCES UNDER THE SCHOOL STAFF THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF INFORMATIONAL APPENDIX.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN OUR PRINTOUTS, AND YOU MAY HAVE PROVIDED IT TO US, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UM, POINT THAT OUT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
BUT YOU DID REFERENCE IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION AT 12% FOR WE DO.
WE'RE WELL, 12% BEING THAT IT WAS FOR LAST YEAR'S REPORT FOR OUR 2122 SCHOOL YEAR.
WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME NOW.
[01:35:01]
MS. CARTILAGE DOES HAVE THAT.THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHICH ONE I NEEDED TO SEND, WHETHER IT WAS THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR.
SO SHE, SHE HAS THAT INFORMATION AND SHE'LL, SHE CAN GET IT TO YOU.
AND YOU CAN PUT ME IN ANY ORDER.
I JUST HAVE A LITTLE FLAG UP, LIKE A LITTLE LIGHT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT I HAD NOT HEARD BEFORE ABOUT THE 15% MM-HMM.
UH, THAT THAT'S A COMPLIANCE ISSUE AND THAT STEMS BACK FROM SOME SORT OF STATE STATUTE.
SO MY, I DON'T SEE ANY, UH, ANYTHING REGARDING YOUR CURRENT OR PAST, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC, UM, MAKEUP.
AND WHAT IS INTRIGUING TO ME ABOUT THAT QUESTION IS, YOU SAID BASED ON THE COUNTY.
SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT MOST OF RIVERVIEW STUDENTS COME FROM THE AREA THAT WE CALL NORTH ABROAD.
WHICH IS A VERY DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC THAN SOUTH OF BROAD BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING EVERY YEAR.
SO ARE YOU ACTUALLY, SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE, AND I WOULD SAY SPECIFICALLY OUR LATINO POPULATION, SOUTH OF BROAD IS SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER.
IS IT, DO YOU HA DO, ARE YOU MEETING THAT 15% IN ALL THOSE CATEGORIES? SO THE, THE DESEGREGATION AGREEMENT IS FROM THE 1970S.
IT, THE ONLY DEMOGRAPHICS, UM, IT'S CATEGORIZED BY WHITE, BLACK AND OTHER, AND THAT'S IT.
AND SO YOU'LL HAVE MORE OF THAT.
UM, TOWARDS THE END OF JANUARY, WE'LL CLOSE OUT OUR, UM, OUR ENROLLMENT AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE INTO A LOT A WEIGHTED LOTTERY AT THAT POINT.
UM, WE'LL PRESENT ALL OUR DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
UM, BUT IT DOES, IT, IT PROVES CHALLENGING.
AND, AND THE 2020 CENSUS WAS VERY HELPFUL TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO BREAK IT DOWN FROM, UM, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE K EIGHT.
BECAUSE REALLY WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND THEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE DISTRICT, UM, THERE'S MORE OF A, THERE'S RIGHT AROUND A 15% DELTA BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH SOME OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
AND SO WHERE THAT BECOMES CHALLENGING IS OUR STUDENT BODY COMES FROM THE ENTIRETY OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY POPULATION, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HELD AGAINST JUST THE DISTRICT ALONE.
YOU'RE HITTING THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD.
SO WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DO TO, TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE, UM, WE'VE, UM, WE, UH, CONTRACT BUSES THROUGH THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW, WE PAY ABOUT $80,000 A YEAR FOR FOUR BUSES THAT GO A FEW PLACES.
THAT'S HELPFUL, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, UM, GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE.
UM, BUT IT BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING AS BEAUFORT COUNTY BECOMES MORE DIVERSE.
UM, AND WE ARE ONLY LOOKING AT WHITE, BLACK AND OTHER.
UM, SO DOES OUR, UM, COMPLIANCE, IT BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING.
SO JUST WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE IN THAT, THAT THREE PART BREAKDOWN.
BUT RECOGNIZING THAT THAT MAY NOT BE KIND OF WHERE THE DIS THE, THAT THAT STILL DOESN'T, YOU'RE STILL CHALLENGED BY SOME OF THE OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS.
WOULD IT BE REASONABLE TO REQUEST THAT I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE FIND OUT, WENDY, AFTER THE LOTTERY, UM, WHAT THE, THE BREAKDOWN IS.
I WOULD JUST BE KIND OF CURIOUS, UM, HOW WE'RE WE'RE DOING ON THAT.
SO THE, WITH THAT DESEGREGATION AGREEMENT, THAT AGREEMENT IS BETWEEN BEFOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE OCR R IT WAS, IT WAS ENACTED WHEN, WHEN WE CAME FORWARD TO REQUEST THE CHARTER APPROVAL.
SO, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE, UM, ALL OF OUR DATA, ALL OF OUR DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN, BECAUSE IT'S GOTTA BE REVIEWED HERE PRIOR TO ITS SUBMISSION INTO THE, UM, TO, TO THE O C R.
YES, YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. DALLAS.
MR. BECK TOLD FOR YES, SIR, FOR VERY INFORMATIVE, UH, PRESENTATION.
I'M ONE OF THE NEWBIES, SO MY ALL RIGHT.
MAY NOT BE GROUNDED, BUT, UM, DOES, AND THIS IS FOR SUPERINTENDENT, UH, RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU'LL DOES BERE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PERFORM SIMILAR SURVEYS AS MR. BETO SPOKE ABOUT? WE PROVIDE, UH, SURVEYS, VARIOUS SURVEYS TO, TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THROUGH THE STATE ASSESSMENT, UH, UH, THERE'S A SURVEY THAT THAT, UH, UH, GOES OUT AS WELL, UM, THROUGH, UH, IN OTHER INDEPENDENT OKAY.
LIKE, WE, WE SPOKE ABOUT PANORAMA AS PART OF, UH, OF A SURVEY THAT WE, THAT WE INITIATE, UM, ACCORDING TO ACT TWO 13 AND M T S S.
UM, SO WE, WE HAVE VARIOUS SURVEYS OKAY.
AND MR. BETO, IF I MAY, UM, IS THERE PRIVATE FUNDING FOR THESE TRIPS? BECAUSE HAVING LIVED ABROAD, THE INTERNATIONAL TRIPS CAN BE ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL TO BROADENING THE PERSONS PERSPECTIVE.
SO THEY'RE, UM, AN INITIATIVE THAT BEGAN LAST YEAR WAS THEY ARE, YOU'RE RIGHT, SIR.
AND, UM, WE, SO THE MINDSET THAT I CAME INTO THE SCHOOL WITH WAS, THESE ARE CAPSTONE EVENTS FOR OUR CURRICULUM.
UM, SO THE EF EVERY EFFORT NEEDS TO BE MADE TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO OUR, THE ENTIRETY.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOL, LIKE WE HAVE, WE HAVE VERY WEALTHY
[01:40:01]
FAMILIES, WE HAVE VERY IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES, AND THE ACCESS NEEDS TO BE THE SAME.UM, SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE BEGAN, WE RETOOLED THE WAY WE WERE FUNDRAISING FOR THOSE.
ONE, THEY FUNDRAISE OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS, THE CLASS AS A WHOLE, NOT IN INDIVIDUAL, WELL, THERE'S SOME INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISING.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO BEING THAT WE CAN'T GET THERE FAST ENOUGH, OUR, OUR, UM, UM, BUFORD TWILIGHT RUN THIS YEAR, ALL THOSE PROCEEDS LAST YEAR IT WAS $60,000 IN PROCEEDS THIS YEAR.
UM, ALL OF THOSE WILL BE PUSHED TO, UH, FUNDING CAPSTONE TRIPS WITH THE END GOAL OVER THE NEXT PROBABLY YEAR OR TWO.
UM, BEING THAT, UM, IF THERE'S INSURANCES THAT PARENTS WANT TO ENGAGE IN, IF THERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER EXPENSES, OPTIONAL EXPENSES, THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
BUT IF WE'RE CLAIMING THAT THESE ARE CAPSTONE AND THEY'RE INTEGRAL TO OUR EDUCATION, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PAY FOR THOSE.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXPLORING, AGAIN, THE ROLLING FUND OF EVERY THREE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THEY FUNDRAISE FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS AS A CLASS.
AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, ARE FINDING THINGS LIKE OUR, OUR, UM, TWILIGHT RUN TO JUST FOR CASH INJECTION FOR NOW, BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING BEFORE.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, UM, WE'LL, I'LL WORK WITH INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES IF, IF, AND, UM, AND OFTENTIMES IT'S HELPFUL.
WE, WE KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY THOSE FAMILIES SOMETIMES THROUGH, WELL, I KNOW HOW, UM, THROUGH OUR OWN MEANS AND, AND JUST THE FACT THAT IT'S A TIGHT COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, WE'LL MAKE EVERY EFFORT THIS YEAR.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY ONE OF OUR, NOT ONLY DO WE DO THOSE CAPSTONES, BUT WE DO SOME PRETTY EXTENSIVE FIELD TRIPS AS WELL.
UM, ROUTINELY WE HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE FIELD TRIPS BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE, WE'VE REMODELED THAT COMPLETELY.
SO IF THERE ARE FIELD TRIPS THAT COST $50 AND WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT WE KNOW THROUGH WHATEVER MEANS ARE, UM, UM, NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT, WE WE'LL FIND A WAY.
SO, UM, WHEN THAT'S, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING, WHETHER IT'S WASHINGTON DC OR IT'S, UM, OVER TO, UM, THE, THE FARMS, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORK.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT, THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE TIE OUR CURRICULUM TO OUR IN, UM, YOU KNOW, TO CAPSTONE TRIPS AND FIELD TRIPS, AND WE TALK ABOUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, WE REALLY HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS.
AND THAT MEANS IF WE WANT TO CLOSE GAPS, WHETHER IT'S UM, UM, YOU KNOW, INCOME INEQUALITY OR RACIAL INEQUITIES ACROSS EDUCATION, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE DO THAT.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW ARE Y'ALL, AND, AND, BUT YET HAVE, I'VE HAD PLENTY OF QUESTIONS ASKING ME.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME EXACTLY HOW DO, HOW ARE YOU SERVING THE SPECIAL NEEDS OR HOW DO YOU SERVE THE STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE LEARNING DISABILITIES? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN RIVERVIEW? SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL SERVICES COORDINATOR, AND SHE WORKS, I MEAN, SHE WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THE DISTRICT HERE, CUZ I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE A PRETTY SMALL SCHOOL.
WE DON'T HAVE SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS OVER AT RIVERVIEW.
UM, BUT WE, WE, UM, ALL OF OUR SPECIAL SERVICES ARE, UM, THEY ARE, UM, OVERSEEN BY THE SAME GUIDELINES THAT THE DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER SCHOOL IS.
SO THE ONLY THING THAT I BELIEVE WE DO A LITTLE DIFFERENT, WE'RE A LITTLE MORE WEIGHTED WITH RESPECT TO OUR PERSONNEL THAT ARE DEDICATED, UM, TO OUR SPECIAL SERVICES AND OUR SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND, UM, AND OFTEN WE'LL ENGAGE WITH OUTSIDE RESOURCES BEFORE.
UM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UM, ROUTINELY I WILL HAVE, UM, THERAPISTS OR, UM, OR, UM, OTHER SPECIALISTS FOR ANY SPECIAL SERVICES INSIDE OF THAT SCHOOL, AND I'LL CONTRACT WITH THEM INDEPENDENTLY.
SO WE, I THINK WE DO, UM, WE PROBABLY THROW A, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THE SAME STANDARDS AS A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT WE TRY AND GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
UM, IF, IS THAT MAKING, IS THAT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, SIR? KIND OF.
UM, I'M TRYING TO ALSO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? LIKE HOW, LIKE HOW ARE YOU, UH, HOUSING THEM? HOW, HOW ARE, HOW ARE, HOW ARE, HOW THOSE KIDS, BASICALLY, THEY, THEY HAVE IEPS, HOW THOSE NEEDS, HOW ARE THOSE NEEDS, UH, BE, UH, GETTING MET? SURE.
IT'S ALL, I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE NOT, UM, I MEAN THERE'RE, IF THERE'S AN I E P OR IF THERE'S A PORTION OF AN I E P THAT RE REQUIRES THEM TO BE PULLED FROM CLASS, THEY ARE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, THEY WILL PULL OR THEY WILL, UM, EXECUTE INCLUSION.
AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, SELF-CONTAINED CLASSES.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO CHIME IN ON? THIS IS KAREN MILLER.
KAREN MILLER IS MY, UH, OUR, OUR CURRICULUM LEADER AS WELL AS OVERSEAS, THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
AND I, I DON'T THINK I'M HITTING YOUR TARGET HERE.
[01:45:01]
SERVICE, UM, WE SERVICE IEPS.PLEASE TALK INTO THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE YES, IT'S BROADCAST.
WE, WE SERVICE IEPS 5 0 4 PLANS.
LIKE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE ARE FULLY COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW.
WE, UM, WHEN NEW STUDENTS ENROLL AT RIVERVIEW WHO HAVE THOSE EXISTING PLANS, UH, THE WHOLE TEAM MEETS WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THEIR ENROLLMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
UM, SO JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SCHOOL, SO WE HAVE THOSE SERVICES.
WE HAVE A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL SPECIAL SERVICES TEAM.
UM, AND ONE THING THAT WE TRY TO DO IS TIE THAT TO OUR WHOLE CHILD APPROACH IN MEETING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, MEDICAL CONDITIONS, ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND WE HAVE GREAT PARTNERS WITH THE DISTRICT.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE EX EXCEPTIONAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO NOT HAVE OUR OWN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST.
UM, WE CONTRACT THOSE SERVICES EITHER INDEPENDENTLY AS DR BE AS MR. BECK TOLD, SAID, OR WITH THE DISTRICT.
JUST LAST QUESTION, JUST TO FOLLOW UP, UH, ACTUALLY, WHILE, WHILE, WHILE WE'RE ON THIS SUBJECT, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF RIVERVIEW IS EXPAND? UM, CAN, CAN I, CAN YOU GIVE ME A FEW? DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU MIND JUST SHOOTING THAT OFF AND ASKING THAT QUESTION? IF YOU NEED TO EMAIL PATRICK, DAVE, IF YOU NEED TO EMAIL, I CAN.
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR SCHOOL, UH, UH, IS, IS SPENT.
UH, I, I'D TAKE A CRACK AT IT, BUT I DON'T WANNA GET IT WRONG.
I'LL GET YOU AN ANSWER SHORTLY.
YOU MENTIONED THE OVERALL BUDGET WAS 11 MILLION? YES, MA'AM.
IS THAT INCLUDING CAPITAL BUDGET? THAT'S ALL INCLUSIVE.
WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO, UM, SPEAK MR. CAMPBELL? YES.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
MORNING AND FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE AGREEMENT WITH O C R THAT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO COURT.
AND THAT WAS, THAT HAPPENED IN, IN 1972.
THAT WAS DURING THE TIME WHEN BEAUFORD HIGH ST.
HELEN AND ALL THAT CAME TOGETHER.
SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE, WE IN THE, TO COURT, MA'AM, HAVE TO GO TO COURT.
BEG PARDON? YOU SAID WE WERE THE ONLY DISTRICT TALKING TO YOUR MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
YOU SAID YOU WERE THE ONLY DISTRICT.
I THINK WE WERE THE ONLY DISTRICT IN THE STATE THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO COURT.
AND, AND, AND ALSO, UH, IN, IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR, IN YOUR TESTS, YOU DIDN'T GIVE US SOME TESTS, SOME TESTS, UH, DATA.
DID YOU, UH, ALSO, UH, DID YOU, DID, UH, IS DID YOU BREAK THAT UP INTO DEMOGRAPHICS AS, AS WELL AS, UH, AS SEX AS A MALE AND FEMALE? NO, IT'S NOT BROKEN.
OUR, OUR OBLIGATION, LET ME MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSPEAKING HERE.
UM, THE OBLIGATION OF THE REPORT IS TO, UM, MEET THE NEED OF OUR, UM, RACIAL DEMOGRAPHIC.
IT'S NOT, I HAVE THAT DATA CERTAINLY, BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE REPORT, UM, THE INTENT IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE, UM, DELTA BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND WHITE STUDENTS IS HOW IT READS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I HAD TO PUT THROUGH THIS ONE.
BUT ANY INFORMATION YOU NEED, WE, I CAN GET IT TO YOU FOR SURE, IF YOU'D LIKE THAT.
ROBIN HAS THE, UM, THE MOTION UP THERE ON THE SCREEN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UH, I HOPE THAT THE DISTRICT IS SHARING WITH YOU OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT WE RUN FOR OUR FACULTY.
FACULTY AND, AND YOUR FACULTY IS, AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND, I HOPE.
THEY, THEY, UM, WE GET A WEEKLY ROLL UP.
AND LASTLY, I HOPE THEY'RE BEING PARTICIPATING IN THE REFERENDUM DEVELOPMENT.
RODRIGUEZ'S STAFF WILL COME BY AND, UH, AND THEY'VE DONE CAMPUS WALKS WITH US.
AND, UM, AND SO IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO SEGUE THAT INTO PLEASE COME BY AND VISIT.
SO WE'RE GONNA SHOOT OUT A, UM, A COUPLE OF EMAIL MESSAGING FROM MYSELF OR MY, UM, TEAM.
AND, UH, I'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU OVER.
IN FACT, A LOT OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN THERE.
AND, UM, YEAH, THAT, THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO COME TO DR.
BUT I GUESS WE GOT A LITTLE, UH, I DID, UM, WANTED TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAD.
I JUST HEARD BACK FROM OUR STAFF.
[01:50:01]
76 STUDENTS WITH IEPS AND 17 STUDENTS ON 5 0 4 PLANS.THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 10% OF OUR POPULATION.
THANK YOU MR. BECK, FOR YOUR THANK YOU VERY MUCH PRESENTATION.
RODRIGUEZ, WHO'S NEXT FOR THE ACCREDITATION, COME ON UP.
WE HAVE, UH, MR. NICHOLAS FLOWERS WHO'S GOING TO, UH, SHARE WITH YOU, UM, DISTRICT ACCREDITATION UPDATE.
SO I AM GONNA REVIEW KIND OF THE STATUS OF WHERE WE ARE WITH ACCREDITATION AND JUST BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED ON, ON THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND JUST KIND OF REVIEW ALL OF THOSE VARIOUS COMPONENTS THAT COME ALONG WITH OUR ACCREDITATION.
SO AS PART OF A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL, WE ARE GOING THROUGH OUR ACCREDITATION.
WE HAVE THE OPTION OF USING THE COA PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHAT WE USE, OR WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED.
SO WE USE THE COA ACCREDITATION PROGRAM AND WE'VE USED A HISTORICALLY USED TO BE WITH ADVANCED ED FOR THOSE THAT REMEMBER THAT, UM, NAME.
IT'S NOW, UM, BOUGHT INTO COA.
AND SO WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THEY USE A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT DELINEATES OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACCREDITATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THINKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, THOSE ARE WHERE WE'RE HELD TO SPECIFIC MEASURES OF EXPECTATIONS, RULES, REGULATIONS, AND WERE MEASURED UP AGAINST THOSE.
SO THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ISSUE THAT ASPECT.
THE ACCREDITATION THOUGH, LOOKS AT ENSURING THAT WE AS A DISTRICT AND A SYSTEM HOLD TO A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL, THAT WE ARE TRULY DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR CHILDREN AND WORKING HARD TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO GROW AND BE THE BEST LEARNERS THAT THEY CAN BE.
SO IN DOING THAT, THEN THEY USE KIND OF THREE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
WE ARE IN THE SELF-ASSESSMENT PHASE AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REALLY WRAPPING UP NOW SELF-ASSESSMENT AND WE ARE ENTERING INTO THEIR ENGAGEMENT PHASE.
SO PART OF THE SELF-ASSESSMENT PHASE IS WE HAVE TO, UM, DO A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS, REALLY GET THE STATUS OF WHERE WE'RE AT FOR THE DISTRICT, WHICH I WILL TOUCH ON NEXT.
AND THEN THE ENGAGEMENT PHASE WILL BE WHERE, UH, WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THEM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKING DIFFERENT QUESTIONS AND, AND MAY WANT ADDITIONAL ARTIFACTS.
AND THEN ONCE WE FINISH THAT, WE GO INTO THE PROGRESS PHASE WHERE WE ARE PROGRESS MONITORING OURSELVES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE FROM WHEN THE CYCLE COMES BACK AGAIN.
SO AS WE ENTER INTO THIS, I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT A, A ME THING AT ALL.
IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO SUBMIT THIS, UM, IF IT WAS SOLELY UP TO ME.
SO I DO WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS PRINCIPALS AND APS AND TEACHERS THAT, UM, PARTICIPATED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, BUT ALSO TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS, UM, THIS BUILDING HERE.
BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN TIMES THAT I, I'VE RAN TO SOME OF THEM AND SAID, I NEED THIS.
HOW HARD IS IT? SO RUNNING TO FINANCE TO SAY, I NEED A BUDGET COPY OF THAT.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD ACCREDITATION, UM, THEY'RE ASKING NOW FOR, DO YOU EVER AUDIT THEM? ABSOLUTELY.
DO WE HAVE AN AUDIT THING THAT I CAN EASILY UPLOAD? SO, UM, TANYA'S TEAM HAS BEEN AMAZING TO HELP ME THROUGH THERE LOOKING AT OUR FACILITIES OF HOW WE DO ALL OF THAT.
SO I, I JUST, KUDOS TO EVERYBODY THERE.
UM, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY AS WE HAVE HONED IN ON THE, THE WRITING AND PULLING EVERYTHING TOGETHER, GIVING KUDOS TO, UM, BRETT FRITZ TO HELP WITH ALL OF THE DATA PIECES, AND THEN BLAKELY FOWLER FROM HUMAN RESOURCES, THAT HAS ALSO HELPED WITH THE WRITING COMPOSITE AND KIND OF THAT TALK THROUGH PERSON OF, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT I HEARD HOW TO DO HERE, AND ALL OF THAT.
SO, TO START OFF THE ACCREDITATION, THERE ARE THREE SPECIFIC LARGE OVERARCHING PIECES THAT WE HAVE TO DRILL DOWN INTO LOOKING AT THOSE STUDENT PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS, STAKEHOLDER, UM, FEEDBACK, AND THEN CLASSROOM LEARNING OBSERVATIONS.
SO THE FIRST ANALYSIS TO HONE IN ON WOULD BE OUR, UM, CLASSROOM LEARNING OBSERVATIONS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE THAT YOU CAN SCROLL.
[01:55:01]
THAT WE CANNOT USE TEACHER EVALUATIONS.THIS IS NOT FOCUSED ON THE TEACHER, THIS IS FOCUSED ON THE LEARNER.
SO AS WE WENT THROUGH HERE, UM, THIS FALL, WE COMPLETED, UM, CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS THAT WERE IN EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO GET A SAMPLING ACROSS THE DISTRICT FROM EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY LEVEL.
AND THEN USING OUR INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THIS YEAR, AND ALSO IN THE PAST TO KIND OF HONE IN ON WHERE WE ARE FROM THERE.
AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEN WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY, UM, WHAT ARE YOUR AREAS OF, UM, ACHIEVEMENT AND THEN SOME NOTEWORTHY OR SOME AREAS TO NOTE TO THINK ABOUT THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IN.
SO ONE OF THE, THE BIG PIECES THAT CAME HERE IS THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
OUR TEACHERS KNOW, UM, THEIR, THEIR DATA, THEY HAVE THAT EXPECTATION FOR THEIR LEARNERS TO LEARN AND FOR THEIR LEARNERS TO ACHIEVE AT THAT HIGH LEVEL.
THE AREA THAT TRENDED UP, UM, FOR CONTINUING TO GROW IS REALLY THAT DIGITAL LEARNING ASPECT AND THE THOUGHT OF NOT HAVING, UH, A PROGRAM PIECE SPECIFICALLY, BUT THINKING ABOUT USING THEIR TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS. NOW, USING IT AS AUTHENTIC AREAS OF RESEARCH, UM, AND REALLY BRINGING THAT ASPECT INTO IT.
SO AS WE SIFTED THROUGH, UM, ALL OF THOSE VARIOUS, UM, STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, WITH THE DATA SET, IT LEFT US WITH SOME KEY THEORIES OF ACTION THAT REALLY HAD US HONING IN ON ENSURING THAT WE HAVE, UM, VERY CLEAR MEASURES OF SUCCESS SO THAT WE CAN PROGRESS MONITOR THEM THROUGH THE OBSERVATIONS OVER TIME AS WE GO THROUGH THE LEARNERS.
UM, LOOKING AT WHAT THE LEARNERS DO, UM, WHEN WE'RE IN CLASSROOMS, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SEEING HANDS ON LEARNING HAPPENING.
SO SCIENCE CLASSROOMS ARE BREAKING OUT, UM, SCIENCE TOOLS AND, AND THE SCIENCE KITS AT ALL LEVELS IN MATH CLASS.
THEY'RE HAVING THAT MANIPULATIVES OUT AND ENGAGING LEARNERS THROUGH THEIR, UM, AND THEN REALLY JUST USING THAT TECHNOLOGY TO DEEPEN THEIR THINKING TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. THE NEXT ANALYSIS HAD US LOOKING AT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK.
SO HERE IS WHERE WE REALLY COMPREHENSIVELY LOOKED OVER THE PAST, UM, FIVE TO SIX YEARS AT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT FEEDBACK THAT'S BEEN RECEIVED SYSTEMATICALLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
UM, SO HERE'S WHERE WE HONED IN ON LOOKING AT OUR UPBEAT DATA, UM, FEEDBACK COLLECTED FROM THE ACADEMIC RECOVERY PLAN, UM, THE STATE REPORT CARD THAT THEY HAVE, THE MEASURE, UM, WHERE YOU ENGAGE AND GET FEEDBACK FROM, UM, FROM PARENTS ON THAT.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE MEASURES.
UM, WE, UH, THE WORK THAT, UM, MS. CROSBY'S TEAM DOES AND FINANCE EACH YEAR OF PREPARING THE BUDGET, THEY SOLICITED FEEDBACK, LOOKING AT THAT INSTRUCTIONALLY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THE LISTENING TOUR THAT DR.
RODRIGUEZ PUT ON WHEN HE FIRST CAME, UM, SIFTED THAT DOWN.
AND ONE OF THE AREAS OF, UH, UM, THAT FEED THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT WAS COLLABORATION.
THAT STAKEHOLDERS DID FEEL THAT THERE WAS A COLLABORATIVE, UM, ATMOSPHERE FROM, UM, THEM BEING ENGAGED FROM THE CLOCK COMMITTEE TO SICS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS, UM, AND REALLY HAVING THOSE CROSS, UM, CONVERSATIONS THERE.
AND THEN ONE OF THE AREAS OF CONCERN IS, UM, ESSER FUNDS ARE GONNA BE GOING AWAY SOON.
SO WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR, AS ESSER FUNDS GO AWAY FOR, UM, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE SEEING SUCCESS IN AND UM, ARE, ARE BEING ENJOYED BY, UM, LEARNERS AND ALL OF THAT.
WHAT, WHAT'S THAT PLAN THERE? SO REALLY HAVING THEN THOSE THEORY OF ACTIONS BEING THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS INITIATIVES COME UP, WE REDIRECT STRAIGHT TO OUR VISION AND MISSION FOR THE DISTRICT.
UM, REALLY FOCUS IN ON THOSE FISCAL RESOURCES FOR THOSE POST COVID SUPPORTS.
UM, AND REALLY JUST STREAMLINING THE COMMUNICATION.
UM, AND REALLY KIND OF GOING THO THOSE ASPECT THERE.
UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK OVER TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE SYSTEMATIC.
THE THIRD ANALYSIS LOOKED AT STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
UM, HERE IS ONE OF THOSE PIECES THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA AND WE COLLECT A LOT OF DATA.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THIS PROCESS, THEN WE REALLY HONED IN ON WHAT ARE THOSE KEY PIECES OF DATA THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO KIND OF HELP US MAKE SOME DECISIONS REGARDING STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
SO WE HONED IN ON OUR SC READY DATA, UM, COMING IN AT K EIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS IN E L A IN MATH.
WE LOOKED AT OUR MAP DATA BECAUSE WE DO HAVE LONGITUDINAL DATA.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, WE DID SOMEWHAT LOOK AT IREADY, BUT TO REALLY SIFT IT DOWN, WE OPTED TO GO WITH MAP JUST FROM, WE HAVE MORE, UM, MORE TIME COVERED IN THE MAP DATA, AND THEN LOOK AT END OF COURSE ASSESSMENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, HONING IN THERE.
[02:00:01]
SAW THE POSITIVE PIECES THAT WE ARE SEEING SOME UPWARD TRENDS WITH OUR E L IN READING.UM, BUT THEN ON THE AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT WOULD BE THAT MATHEMATICS ASPECT, BECAUSE WE DO SEE A, A DECLINE CURRENTLY THAT IS COMPARABLE TO WHAT HAPPENED ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION, UM, WITH THE IMPACT OF COVID AND, AND HOW LEARNING CHANGED TO, UH, MEET THE NEEDS OF THEM FOR THAT CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING BEING MISSED THERE.
SO THEN WHEN WE HONE INTO THOSE THEORIES OF ACTION FROM THERE, REALLY DEFINING WHAT ARE THOSE SUCCESS, EXCUSE ME, WHAT ARE THE DIS UM, THE PROGRAM SUCCESS MEASURES AS WE IMPORT OR AS WE, UM, PUT INTO PLACE, UM, KEY PROGRAMS TO INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
WHAT, WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE FOR EACH PROGRAM? HONING IN ON VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT'S ALIGNED TO THE STANDARDS, LOOKING AT THE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY AND ASSESSMENT VOCABULARY, UM, AND THEN BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER, THINKING ALSO ABOUT CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE, UM, STRONG CLASSROOM AND MANAGEMENT IN PLACE AND ENGAGEMENT, UM, THEN THE LEARNING WILL NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL.
SO HONING IN ON THAT, KNOWING THAT'S A KEY PIECE ALSO.
SO AFTER THOSE THREE ANALYSIS, UM, THEN WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT, THERE ARE 30 STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO SELF-ASSESS THE DISTRICT ON.
SO THEY'RE GROUPED INTO FOUR DIFFERENT KEY CHARACTERISTICS.
SO I'M JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE FOUR KEY CHARACTERISTICS FOR YOU.
SO THE FIRST KEY CHARACTERISTIC BEING THAT CULTURE FOR LEARNING.
SO HERE WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
ARE WE ALIGNED TO THE VISION AND MISSION? WHAT IS THE CULTURE THAT WE HAVE FROM WITHIN THE CLASSROOM OF TEACHER TO STUDENT, TO STUDENT, TO PARENT TO, UH, TEACHER TO DISTRICT, JUST REALLY GETTING THAT PULSE.
AND WE RATE OURSELVES 1, 2, 3, OR FOUR.
AND SO LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE STANDARDS, OUR AVERAGE SCORE HERE WAS A 3.0, UM, FOR HOW THAT CAME ACROSS.
THE NEXT AREA IS LEADERSHIP FOR LEARNING STANDARDS.
HERE WE HAD AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 3.3.
UM, THIS IS REALLY LOOKING AT MAINTAINING THE STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE OVERSIGHT AND LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE DISTRICT, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE EQUITABLE ALLOCATION AND EQUITABLE MANAGEMENT OF OUR HUMAN MATERIAL, DIGITAL AND FISCAL RESOURCES.
AND ALL OF THAT'S ALIGNED, AND KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE IT ALSO COMES INTO THE GOVERNING BOARD.
SO, UM, WITH THE STANDARD BEING, DO, DO YOU HAVE A GOVERNING BOARD THAT HAS, UM, SPECIFIC PROCEDURES AND POLICIES IN PLACE? YES.
SO BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR COHERENCE GOVERNANCE, IT'S ALLOWED US TO BE SPECIFICALLY A FOUR FOR GOVERNING BODY.
SO, UM, KUDOS THERE FOR ENGAGEMENT FOR LEARNERS.
SO HERE WE WERE AVERAGE WHO OF A 3.0.
SO THIS IS LOOKING AT, ARE THE LEARNERS AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, ARE WE ENSURING THAT WE ARE BRINGING THROUGH CREATIVITY, CURIOSITY, COLLABORATION, RISK TAKING WITHIN OUR CLASSROOMS? UM, ARE WE DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE AND, UM, ENSURING THAT LEARNERS ARE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING AND THEN BRINGING BACK EVERYBODY TO HAVE THAT LEARNER CENTERED, UM, ATMOSPHERE.
SO AS WE MAKE DECISIONS AT THIS LEVEL, ARE WE FOCUSED ON THE LEARNER ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CLASSROOM LEVEL, HAVING THAT LEARNER CENTERED, UM, FOCUS COMING ACROSS THERE.
AND THEN THE LAST, UM, CHARACTERISTIC OF THE STANDARDS IS THAT GROWTH IN LEARNING WHERE WE HAD AN AVERAGE SCORE OF A 3.0.
SO THIS IS LOOKING AT ENSURING THAT WE HAVE TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE A FOCUS ON IMPROVING THEIR PRACTICE, THAT WE HAVE ADMINISTRATORS FOCUS ON HELPING THEIR STAFF AND ALSO THEM GROW WITHIN THEIR PRACTICE, UM, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENT NEEDS ARE BEING MET.
THIS IS LOOKING AT ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC NEEDS, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST GIVING THEM MORE OF, OF A CONTENT AREA, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT THEM HOLISTICALLY THERE.
AND IT ALSO THEN, AS WE THINK ABOUT GROWTH, DO WE HAVE A BALANCE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM? SO WE ARE FOCUSED IN ON HAVING ASSESSMENTS OF LEARNING AND ASSESSMENTS FOR LEARNING TO REALLY DRIVE OUR DECISION MAKING.
SO AS WE WRAP UP THAT SELF-ASSESSMENT PHASE OF THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, UM, PIECE THAT KANA HAS FOR ACCREDITATION, W THIS WILL THEN TRANSITION US INTO THE ENGAGEMENT REVIEW.
SO TENTATIVELY RIGHT NOW, OUR ENGAGEMENT REVIEW TEAM, UM, WILL BE ENGAGING WITH US ON MARCH 21ST, IS, IS THAT TENTATIVE DATE THAT HAS BEEN SELECTED.
SO ONCE THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY READ THROUGH EVERYTHING, THEN WE'LL GET ADDITIONAL, UM, INFORMATION
[02:05:01]
FROM THEM OF WHAT THEY'RE WANTING.BUT REALLY WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE WILL, UM, THE DISTRICT PRESENTING KIND OF AN OVERARCHING POWERPOINT OF THE KEY PIECES THAT WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT, BUT THEN HAVING THEIR REVIEW TEAM ASK US QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND THEN DEPENDING ON HOW THEY FEEL FROM THE VARIOUS ARTIFACTS THAT HAVE BEEN UPLOADED, UM, THEY MAY REACH OUT TO SPEAK WITH SOME DIFFERENT, UM, KEY STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS THEY MAY WANNA PULL TOGETHER A FEW TEACHERS JUST TO GET THEIR TAKE ON IT.
UM, THEY, THEY SAID, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T WANNA PLAN ANY OF THAT BECAUSE, UM, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, FEELING PRETTY CONFIDENT OVER THE ARTIFACTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT, UM, REALLY JUST THAT OVERARCHING DISTRICT TEAM WILL BE ENOUGH AT THIS TIME.
UM, ONCE THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM DOES THAT, THEN THEY WILL, UM, GO BACK AND, UH, SYNTHESIZE THE REMAINING INFORMATION FROM THE TEAM AND THEN ISSUE A REPORT, UM, UH, THE OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE THE DISTRICT IS FOR THAT ACCREDITATION PROCESS.
BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, OR MAYBE CLARIFICATION FROM DR.
SO HOSPITALS, FOUR OUTTA FIVE HOSPITALS ARE ACCREDITED THROUGH A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION CALLED JOINT COMMISSION.
I REMEMBER YOU'VE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE.
COGNI IS ONE, UM, GROUP THAT CAN ACCREDIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
CAN YOU JUST GET TO THE BACKGROUND OF THAT, OF IT'S, IT'S THE MOST COMMON, IT'S THE, YEAH.
CO COA IS THE LARGEST, UH, ORGANIZATION ABOUT ON SCHOOL ACCREDITATION.
THEY ACTUALLY ACCREDIT INTERNATIONAL AS INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, WITHIN, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA, THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY TWO OPTIONS AROUND, UH, ACCREDITATION.
ONE IS COG AND THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UH, PROGRAMMING.
SO, UH, THE, THE ONE THAT IS TYPICALLY USED IS THE COA ONE BECAUSE IT HAS A LARGE BREADTH OF, UH, EXPERIENCE.
AND IT'S, IT'S A STANDARD, I GUESS, UH, THAT, THAT'S UTILIZED.
SO IT'S PRIVATE, IT'S A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, I ASSUME, OR NO, THAT'S NOT CORRECT.
SO, UM, COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT AND THE REVIEWERS WILL BE INDEPENDENT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE LEAD FOR OUR REVIEW IS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA AREA, BUT COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT AND NO CONNECTIONS.
AND THEN IF IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ANYBODY THAT HAD A CONNECTION TO OUR DISTRICT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECUSE THEMSELF THERE.
THERE'S, UH, SO LONG HISTORY, UH, WITH COGNI, BUT, BUT THERE, THERE, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF, UH, ONE TIME THERE WERE TWO OR THREE, UH, MAJOR ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE OUT THERE, AND THEY SORT OF ALL CAME UNDER THE UMBRELLA OVER OVER TIME OF COGNI.
AND TODAY, THE BOARD, AS I RECALL IT, AGENDA SETTING, YOU JUST, THE REQUIREMENT WAS THAT JUST THE BOARD BE INFORMED OF THE ACCREDITATION KIND OF, UH, PROCESS OR WHATEVER? WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON, UM, WHETHER WE APPROVE IT OR NO, THERE'S JUST APPROVE IT OR WHATEVER.
YEAH, THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S NOTHING TO VOTE ON.
BUT PART OF THE PROCESS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU INFORM YOUR BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THAT, UH, YOU ARE MOVING THROUGH THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS, UH, AND, AND, AND GIVE 'EM AN UPDATE ON, ON WHAT IT IS.
SO WE'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS.
AND THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT THEY COULD SAY THEY WANNA SPEAK TO A COUPLE BOARD MEMBERS AS YOU ARE A STAKEHOLDER AND A GOVERNING BODY.
UH, SO WHILE I'M GETTING, UH, UP TO SPEED ON THIS AND STEPPING ONTO THE MOVING TRAIN, AS I PUT IN OUR COMMITTEE MEETING EARLIER, UH, HOW, UH, ARE WE MOVING TOWARDS THIS NOW? ARE WE CHANGING FROM SOMETHING ELSE? AND WHY, WHY WAS THE CHANGE? NO, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A CHANGE.
ACCREDITATION IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO.
OH, NO, THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
AND IT'S THE PROCESS THAT, THAT WE GO THROUGH, IT'S NOT A CHANGE, IT'S JUST, UH, AN UPDATE TO YOU THAT WE ARE IN THE, UH, UH, PROCESS OF THE ACCREDITATION.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY ALWAYS IN IT REALLY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
CUZ YOU SEE HOW, YOU KNOW, OVER FIVE YEAR PERIOD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, YOU'RE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT AT ONE JUNCTURE IN TIME, YOU HAVE TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER FOR A COA UH, UH, ACCREDITATION, RIGHT? AND, AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE IN THE BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER, THE WORK OVER YEARS, UH, AND EVERYTHING, UH, TO THE, TO THE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S, THIS IS WHY THE UPDATE.
[02:10:01]
AND ENLIGHTENING, UH, PRESENTATION HERE.A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, JUST LOOKING FOR EXAMPLES.
UNDER ENGAGEMENT FOR LEARNING STANDARDS, UH, SAYS PARTICIPATE WITH CONFIDENCE.
COULD YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, SIR, IS IN GROWTH AND LEARNING STANDARDS SAYS LEARNERS POSSESS NON-ACADEMIC SKILLS.
WHAT WOULD THAT, WHAT WOULD BE A NON-ACADEMIC SKILL THAT ENHANCES LEARNING? HMM.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PARTICIPATE WITH CONFIDENCE, SO AN ARTIFACT THERE COULD LOOK AT THE CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS.
SO WHEN, WHEN STUDENTS ARE IN CLASSROOMS, DO YOU SEE STUDENTS THAT DON'T PARTICIPATE AT ALL? OR DO YOU SEE CHILDREN WILLING TO RAISE THEIR HAND? DO YOU SEE CHILDREN THAT ARE WILLING TO, UH, UM, STEP OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE POTENTIALLY? UM, LOOKING AT, UM, HOW THE CHILD FOCUSES IN ON THEIR OWN, UM, OWNERSHIP OF LEARNING.
SO THINKING ABOUT, UM, THEIR ASSESSMENT ASPECT THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO, UH, WORK TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT TYPE OF THING.
SO THE TEACHER COULD POTENTIALLY KEEP, UM, A CHART AND THEY CHART THE STUDENT'S PERSONAL GROWTH ONE-ON-ONE.
AND THEN LOOK TO SEE, YOU KNOW, OH, LOOK, IN MATH IS, WE'RE REALLY SEEING GREAT GROWTH IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING MULTIPLICATION, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY SHOWING THAT CONFIDENCE THERE.
SO IT COULD COME FROM THAT ASPECT TO RAISING THEIR HAND INTERACTIONS AND ALL OF THOSE.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONAL, UH, MR. DALLAS IS, IF YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TERMS OF YOUR OBSERVING INSTRUCTION AND AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, YOU'RE SAYING, UH, OKAY, THE MECHANICS HERE ARE THAT WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, UH, 85, 90% OF THE QUESTIONS ARE ALWAYS GE, YOU KNOW, DIRECTED AT MR. CAMPBELL, MR. SMITH, MR. NAY, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM? RIGHT? SO ARE THERE THERE SKILLSETS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE, UH, UH, AS WE MO MONITOR INSTRUCTION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SO, SO THAT'S THAT KIND OF THING.
CHAIR, MAY I ASK JUST A VERY BRIEF FOLLOW UP? SURE.
UM, MATH IS, IS A, A SUBJECT THAT REQUIRES DISCIPLINE.
AND A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT DON'T PERFORM WELL IN MATH HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY CAN'T DO IT.
IS THERE ANY TYPE OF SORT OF ENCOURAGEMENT AT THE OUTSET THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION IN THE FIRST LEVELS BECAUSE IT'S SECRETIVE OVER TIME? AND H HOW IS THAT, HAVE YOU SEEN INDICATION? YEAH.
SO ONE OF THE PIECES THERE, AND THIS CAN ALSO ANSWER, UM, YOUR GROWTH AND LEARNING.
SO THOSE NON-ACADEMIC SKILLS, AND THINK OF THOSE AS 21ST CENTURY SKILLS, UM, ALSO REFERRED TO AS EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS.
AND SO HAVING THOSE SKILLS OF COLLABORATION, TALKING THROUGH THINGS.
SO THAT MATH PIECE THEN OF ONE OF THE AREAS AS REALLY HAVING, UM, OUR TEACHERS BEING ABLE TO FACILITATE PRODUCTIVE DISCOURSE, WHICH IS A FANCY WAY OF SAYING THE TEACHER FACILITATES A CONVERSATION AMONG THE CLASS.
AND SO AS THAT TEACHER, THEY'RE NOT LEADING IT AND THEY REALLY HAVE THEIR MINDSET SHIFT TO A TRUE FACILITATOR OF IT, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE CHILDREN THEN REALLY START TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THEIR THINKING, BRING THEIR THINKING OUT, SO THAT WAY THEY ARE LISTENING.
AND THEN AS THEY ARE HAVING THAT, UM, DISCOURSE, THE TEACHER AS THE FACILITATOR IS, THAT'S GREAT, UM, MR. DALLAS, BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME, UM, A BETTER EXPLANATION AND SUPPORT IT TYPE OF THING? SO IF I'M MULTIPLYING TWO TIMES THREE, IT'S SIX.
BUT HOW ELSE COULD WE DO THAT? SO WE'RE GONNA DRAW AN ARRAY.
BUT YEAH, NOW I JUST, I DON'T UNDERSTAND AREA MODELS, OTHER WAYS.
WELL, LET'S LOOK AT MAYBE FROM MORE OF A, A NUMBER LINE APPROACH.
SO GETTING THEM THINKING, TALKING THROUGH THAT, AND I CAN, AND, AND REALLY THROUGH THE INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS THAT DR.
RODRIGUEZ STARTED, UM, LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THAT PRODUCTIVE DISPOSITION WAS REALLY COMING OUT HOT AND HEAVY TO WORK ON THAT.
SO IT IS AN AREA THAT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, ALONG WITH DR.
STRATUS AND THE TEAM IN I S D HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MAKING THAT SHIFT OF REALLY GETTING STRONG FACILITATION AND PRODUCTIVE DISCOURSE.
IT IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE IN THE UNCOMFORTABLE SPACE OF MAYBE STRUGGLING WITH A MATH PROBLEM, RIGHT? THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE COMFORTABLE IN THAT SPACE, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
ALL RIGHT, MS. BOATRIGHT, THIS IS A QUICK COMMENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AS A DATA PERSON, ONE THING THAT JUST DRIVES ME CRAZY WHEN I SEE THIS PRESENTATION, IF NOT, IT'S NOT A C BUT 3.0 OUT OF WHAT RIGHT.
FOUR, THREE OUT OF FIVE, THREE OUT OF 10.
SO THAT WAS JUST ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS SO IT'S OUT OF FOUR POINT, SO THAT'S LIKE A B 3.0 IS LIKE A RIGHT.
JUST GIMME A LITTLE BIT MORE OF, AND SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET THESE PRESENTATIONS,
[02:15:01]
JUST LABELING THE AXIS AND STUFF.CAUSE I LIKE TO LOOK AT IT AND JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SEEING IN A THREE DIDN'T REALLY JUMP OUT AT ME.
AND YOU CAN'T GIVE, YOU CAN'T GIVE, UH, YOU CAN'T GIVE, UH, 3.1.
I THINK IT'S A 3.3, RIGHT? YOU'RE EITHER A THREE OR YOU'RE A FOUR.
AND THEN IT ALL SORT OF, DIDN'T WE GET A 3.3? YEAH.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY GAVE A FOUR, SOMEBODY GAVE A THREE AND RIGHT.
AS AN INDIVIDUAL, YOU CAN'T GIVE, UH, UH, A 3.2.
UM, IN RE IN REGARDS TO COA, HOW ARE, HOW ARE, HOW IS THAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK, HOW, HOW DID WE PICK COA? WHAT'S THAT PROCESS? SO WE, WE'VE TRADITIONALLY HAD EITHER ADVANCED DEAD BEFORE NOW COA, UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST OUR ROUTINE TIME FOR IT TO COME UP TECHNICALLY.
UM, WE WERE UP FOR RENEWAL LAST YEAR, BUT THEN COA CONTACTED ALL THOSE DISTRICTS AND SAID THAT, UM, DUE TO C O V I D, THEY WANNA BUMP EVERYTHING BACK A YEAR.
SO THIS IS JUST OUR ROUTINE CYCLE THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY HAD ALL THE WAY BACK THROUGH, UM, ADVANCED DEAD BEFORE.
NOW ADVANCED DEAD IS COGNITIVE.
IT'S JUST OVER TIME THEY'VE COUPLE, TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS MERGE TOGETHER INTO COLLECT.
AND REALLY ALSO, MY QUESTION IS TOO, IN TERMS OF WHO, WHAT'S THE PROCESS IN PICKING WHO WILL CERT WHO WILL CERTIFY US? OR, OR, OR, OR WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? DO, DO THE STATE TELL US OR DO WE HAVE A, IS THERE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO WHERE WE HAVE, WE KNOW EVERY, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WHERE EVERY FIVE OR FOUR YEARS WE HAVE TO RECERTIFY.
BUT MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS TO PUT, UH, JUST TO, TO NAIL PUT THE, TO NAIL PUT THE NAIL NAIL TO THE HEAD, IS THAT HOW, HOW, OR WHAT'S THE PROCESS AND WHO, UH, CERTIFIES THIS BASICALLY? YEAH, SO GOOD QUESTION.
SO, UM, THE, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S COA OR IT'S THE STATE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND SO, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MOST MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, GENERALLY GO WITH COA.
UH, I THINK GENERALLY THE STATE PREFERS YOU TO GO WITH COA, UM, ESSENTIALLY, BUT, BUT THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS REALLY, UH, IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT SPEAKS HIGHLY OF COA? YES.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, COA THAT BEEN DOING ACCREDITATION FOUR YEARS.
THEY'VE GOT MULTIPLE, AS I SAID, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAME TOGETHER AND MERGED TO, UH, TO BECOME COA AND, AND OR INTO COA.
AND, UM, UH, THEY ACCREDIT INTERNATIONALLY.
THEY ACCREDIT NATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THIS IS, THIS ISN'T JUST SOMEBODY WE PICKED OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE, YOU KNOW, WIND, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS, THESE ARE YOUR TWO OPTIONS.
AND, AND THIS IS A VERY, VERY WELL KNOWN, UH, ORGANIZATION.
AND MY, MY REASONING OF ASKING IS THAT IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, SOMEONE, SOME SOMEWHAT OF ASKED ME THAT QUESTION ONE TIME BEFORE ASKING WHEN WE WAS DOING, WHEN WE WERE GOING, UH, WHEN WE WERE GOING UP FOR ACCREDITATION, ATAN, I COULDN'T REALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WELL, HOW DO YOU, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW.
AND IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT IN THE QUESTIONS OF COGNITIVE, BUT JUST KNOW WHAT, WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE IS, IS OUT THERE, AND WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS INTELLIGENTLY AND TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN LIFE.
I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR BRINGING THIS, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND, UH, LET, LETTING US KNOW, LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT, THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS, UH, THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS CYCLE RIGHT NOW.
THAT WE ARE UNDER THE SCOPES AND THAT WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING THIS DONE.
AND I APPRECIATE FOR, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU AND, AND DOC AND HER STAFF AND YOU AS WELL.
YOU'VE ALWAYS ARTICULATED, ALWAYS ANSWERED QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY.
BEYOND BEING INFORMED OF THIS, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP OF US MOVING FORWARD IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND, AND TO MAKE IT EASY, WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE THAT ASK, JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MEASURED BY ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT OUR ACCREDITATION IS OUR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TO EXCEED ALL OF OUR EXPECTATIONS.
THAT THAT'S WHAT THE STATE JUST WANTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL LEARNERS.
ROBIN, ARE WE BREAKING FOR LUNCH AT ABOUT NOON? YEAH, I'LL BE READY
[02:20:01]
AROUND 12.NEXT WAS, NEXT IS, UH, ON THE EXPANSION OPTIONS AND, UH, PLANNING FOR POSSIBLE 8%.
UH, SO MR. ROTTING AND MS. CRUTCHFIELD? YES.
UM, NORMALLY BY THIS TIME WE WOULD'VE ALREADY GIVEN YOU THE BOOK, THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, UH, WHICH IS GOING TO DETAIL A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TAKEN OUT OF THAT AND PUT IN HERE.
UM, WE DID NOT MEET WITH THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IN JANUARY, SO FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE WAITING ON THAT MEETING TO BRING THAT BOOK FORWARD.
UM, BUT WITH, AND I KNOW WE HAVE NOT GONE OVER THE BOOK AND WE HAVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE GONNA DO IS TALK A LITTLE BIT IN DETAIL ABOUT HOW PROJECTIONS ARE DONE AND WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, LOOK AT WHERE SOME OF OUR GROWTH AREAS ARE SPECIFICALLY IN BLUFFTON.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO CAROL CRUTCHFIELD, OUR DISTRICT PLANNER.
AND ROBERT IS CORRECT, WE ARE THROWING A LOT OF DATA AT YOU IN THIS, AND I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH IT AS QUICKLY AS I CAN CUZ I SMELL LUNCH AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE READY TO EAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, DRINK THROUGH THE FIRE HOSE.
SO
AND SINCE OUR EXPANSION NEEDS ARE REALLY IN THE BLUFFTON AREA, I'M GONNA JUST FOCUS ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO IF YOU'LL GO TO SLIDE TWO THERE, ROBIN.
UM, SO WHAT WE DO, WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU HERE IS JUST THE BLUFFTON DATA.
YOU SEE THE SCHOOL, YOU SEE THE GRADE LEVELS IT SERVES.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE 45 DAY, UM, ATTENDANCE DATA, JUST, UM, SO YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS THE POINT IN TIME WE MAKE COMPARISONS EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR DATA POINT SO THAT WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT TRENDS, WE'RE ACTUALLY TRENDING THE SAME TYPE OF DATA.
UM, THIS TABLE ALSO SHOWS, UM, THE BUILDING CAPACITY AND THE PERCENT USAGE BASED ON THAT BUILDING CAPACITY AS WELL AS THE PROGRAM CAPACITY AND ITS PERCENT USAGE.
UM, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE OVER WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR IDEAL TARGET CAPACITY, WHICH IS 85%, AND THAT ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY, UM, AND INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS AND PROGRAMMING.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA POINT OUT PRITCHARD BILL BECAUSE IT'S OVER 126 CAPACITY BUILDING CAPACITY AND 1 61 OF PROGRAM CAPACITY NEEDS.
SO JUST KEEP PRI BILL KINDA IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND.
AND WE DO HAVE MOBILES THERE AND WE'LL COVER THAT TOO, BUT JUST HOLD THAT THOUGHT.
AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE SO YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND, UM, BLUFFTON AND ITS ATTENDANCE ZONES.
I'M SHOWING YOU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONES HERE.
UM, BASIC ATTENDANCE ZONE LINES HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE 2016 WHEN WE OPENED MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, UM, IN DECEMBER OF 2018, DISTRICT STAFF PROPOSED A REZONE TO KIND OF BALANCE OUT SOME OF THOSE ENROLLMENTS.
UM, BUT THE BOARD CHOSE NOT TO REZONE AT THAT TIME.
HOWEVER, THEY DID GIVE ADMINISTRATION THE ABILITY TO ASSIGN NEW NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE COMING, THAT WERE BEING BUILT THAT DID NOT HAVE HOUSES YET WE COULD ASSIGN THOSE TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL THAT HAD THE ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE MORE STUDENTS OR THE ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE ADDITIONAL MOBILES.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SOME, SOME LITTLE TINY WEIRD LITTLE SPOTS THAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED WITH THESE RED CIRCLES.
SO THERE'S TWO IN THE RIVER RIDGE AREA THAT ARE ZONED TO BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY.
AND THERE'S TWO BIGGER ONES THAT ARE ZONED, UM, TO BEAUFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
THAT, THAT, I'M SORRY, SLOW DOWN.
YOU GOTTA EXPLAIN THIS BETTER BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ON HERE FOR A WHILE AND I'M, I THINK, THINK I GOT IT, BUT I'M SURE.
SO IN THAT BIG CIRCLE, YOU SEE THERE'S TWO YELLOW AREAS.
SO THAT SORT OF LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD BE WITHIN THE PRITCHARD ATTENDANT ZONE, BUT THOSE WERE NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, DIDN'T HAVE KIDS YET, AND WE ASSIGNED THEM TO BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THE SAME KIND OF LITTLE DON I'LL, I'LL CALL 'EM THE DONUT HALLS.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE SAME DONUT HALLS.
SO THAT BIG ONE RIGHT THERE IN THE BIG RED CIRCLE IS ACTUALLY ADJACENT TO THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, THOSE STUDENTS ARE ZONED
[02:25:01]
TO BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, EXCEPT FOR, I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID THIS WAS ONLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.BUT SAME, THAT SAME LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP IS ALSO ASSIGNED TO BLUFF AND HIGH.
JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT THOSE, OKAY.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THOSE LITTLE DONUT HOLES EXIST.
THAT WAS KINDA THE POINT OF THIS.
SO THE 2, 2, 2 AREAS ZONED OUT OF, UH, RIVER RIDGE AND TWO AREAS ZONED OUT OF PRITCHARD.
OKAY, NOW A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, THE, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND, AND ITS GROWTH AND HOW BACK, UM, IN THE HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THEY CREATED THESE, UM, PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENTS.
PUDS, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE.
AND A LOT OF THESE AGREEMENTS GO BACK OVER 20 YEARS.
AND IN THOSE, THOSE P U D AGREEMENTS, THEY ALLOW FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE TOWN DOES A GREAT JOB OF TRACKING WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF BUILD OUT BOTH COMMERCIALLY AND RESIDENTIAL.
OUR CONCERN, OBVIOUSLY IS RESIDENTIAL.
SO, UM, I'VE PULLED TOGETHER THIS DATA THAT CAME OUT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR FROM THE TOWN.
THAT TOP, UM, TABLE SHOWS YOU THE PERCENT BUILDOUT OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
SO I, I SHOWED YOU THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT ARE REMAINING TO BE DEVELOPED OKAY.
NOW, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE PERMITTED, THEY MAY NOT BE BUILT YET.
THEY MIGHT HAVE GIVEN, UM, WHAT'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE STREET FROM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL? CAN'T THINK OF IT NOW.
UH, I KNOW THEY HAVE PERMITTED THOSE 500 DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE EFFECTS OF THOSE YET.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE PERMITTED AND THEY'VE ONLY GOT, YOU KNOW, 943 UNITS LEFT TO PERMIT, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF HOMES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN BUILT.
JUST SO YOU KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR WHERE THINGS ARE IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
WE CAN WE LOOK AN EXAMPLE, WHICHEVER ONE LET SET RESIDENTIAL BUILD OUT UHHUH
SO LET'S SAY, LET'S LOOK AT JONES ESTATE.
SO JONES ESTATE, UM, PRITCHARD ELEMENTARY IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE JONES ESTATE, P U D.
SO THEY'RE AT 77% BUILDOUT NUMBER APPROVED VERSUS THE NUMBER THEY'VE PERMITTED.
SO JONES ESTATE, THERE'S 291 RESIDENTIAL UNITS LEFT TO PERMIT.
BUT AGAIN, REMEMBER IN THAT PERMITTING, THAT MEANS THEY'VE SAID, YES, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND BUILD THESE 500 HOMES.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'VE BEEN BUILT YET.
SO DOES THE WHITE ON HERE REPRESENT UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY? THAT IS UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY? CORRECT.
AND, AND THEY DON'T DO AS WELL OF GOOD A JOB OF TRACKING THIS FOR US.
AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL TOUCH ON SOME OF THOSE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE TOO.
NEXT, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROJECTIONS AND HOW WE DO PROJECTIONS.
SO PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON WHERE STUDENTS LIVE, NOT WHERE THEY ATTEND SCHOOL.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE GET A DATA PULL FROM, FROM POWER SCHOOL AT THE 45TH DAY AND USING THOSE ADDRESSES, I PUT EVERY STUDENT THAT I CAN ON THE MAP.
THERE'RE ALWAYS A CERTAIN NUMBER THAT CAN'T BE PUT ON THE MAP CUZ EITHER THEY DON'T LIVE IN OUR COUNTY OR THE, THEY PUT DOWN A PO BOX OR THERE'S SOME ADDRESSING PROBLEM AND I COULD, THOSE ARE THE NONGO CODES.
SO YOU'LL SEE SOMETIMES IN THE TABLE AND IN THE BOOK WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE NONGO CODED.
THEY COULD BE TEACHERS, KIDS WHO LIVE IN JASPER COUNTY, BUT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO COME HERE.
ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT WE START WITH.
AND WE DO THAT FOR FIVE HISTORICAL YEARS AND THAT'S WHY THE IMPORTANCE OF PULLING THAT DATA AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME PERIOD.
WE ALSO LOOK AT BIRTH DATA FOR THE COUNTY FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, CUZ THAT GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT MAY POTENTIALLY BE COMING IN, YOU KNOW, UM, INTO PRE-K, INTO KINDERGARTEN AND INTO FIRST GRADE.
AND REMEMBERING THAT PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN ARE NOT MANDATORY.
SO REALLY FIRST GRADE IS YOUR, YOU'RE IMPORTANT, BUT THAT'S HOW WE GET WHAT WE THINK MIGHT BE POTENTIALLY COMING IN.
[02:30:01]
UM, CALCULATES A COHORT SURVIVAL BASED ON WHO LIVES IN LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.SO THOSE LITTLE YELLOW LITTLE PIECES, THOSE ARE AN EXAMPLE OF AN M P U.
I LOOK AT HOW MANY KIDS LIVE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS OVER TIME.
AND THAT'S HOW THE PROGRAM CALCULATES YOUR COHORT SURVIVAL.
HOW MANY FIRST GRADERS LAST YEAR BECAME SECOND GRADERS THIS YEAR? SO IT LOOKS AT THAT AND THAT DETERMINES GROWTH.
DOES THAT NUMBER, UM, SO THEN THE MODEL PROJECTS FIVE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE BASED ON A WEIGHTED AVERAGE.
SO WHAT IT DOES, IT PUTS MORE EMPHASIS ON WHAT THE MOST RECENT THING THAT'S HAPPENED IN TERMS OF HOW MANY KIDS ARE LIVING WHERE THAN WHAT HAPPENED FIVE YEARS AGO.
THAT'S TRADITIONALLY BEEN AN AN EXCELLENT GUIDE FOR WHAT WE THINK IS GONNA HAPPEN.
THEN WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE TRANSFERS.
HOW MANY KIDS ARE, ARE GOING OVER HERE BECAUSE OF SCHOOL CHOICE, BECAUSE OF, UM, ALL THE REASONS THAT ARE ALLOWABLE IN BUFORT COUNTY FOR OPTING TO OTHER SCHOOLS.
UM, SPECIAL EDUCATION IS INCLUDED IN THAT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ASSIGNED SCHOOL IS NOW OVER HERE, BUT YOU LIVE IN, THIS ONE IS STILL ACCOUNTED FOR.
SO NOW TAKING ALL THIS INFORMATION AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER ON A, ON A CHART, A GRAPH, SORRY.
WE ARE SHOWING YOU FOUR YEARS OF PROJECTIONS.
STARTING BACK WITH 2019 BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PRE COVID PROJECTION.
TRADITIONALLY BE, BLUFFTON HAD BEEN VERY CONSISTENT IN ITS PROJECTION MODEL.
IT WAS GROWING STEADILY, YOU KNOW, 3% EVERY YEAR.
WE, WE KIND OF KNEW IT HAD JUST BEEN ON THAT PATTERN EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2007.
SO WE'RE SHOWING YOU THAT PROJECTION.
WE'RE SHOWING YOU 2020 WITH COVID.
WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN ENROLLMENT.
YOU'VE BEEN AROUND, YOU REMEMBER THAT? SO WE'RE SHOWING YOU THAT ONE AS WELL.
THAT IS THE, UM, BLUE, NO, 2020 IS THE L LINE.
WE SAW AN INCREASE BACK, UM, IN BLUFFTON LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE ON A, LIKE A 2% INCREASE OVER FIVE YEARS.
THE BLUE LINE, WHICH IS THIS YEAR'S PROJECTION, WE KIND OF SEE A LEVELING OFF AGAIN.
SO WE SAW SOME, AGAIN, SOME CHANGE IN THOSE PROJECTIONS.
WE'RE SHOWING YOU ALL FOUR YEARS BECAUSE THESE HAVE, THIS COVID JUST DID UNPRECEDENTED THINGS FOR OUR ENROLLMENT PATTERNS AND WE'RE TRYING TO TRACK THEM ALL TOGETHER.
NOW FOR THE, I'VE GOT THE CAPACITY LINES ON HERE AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT THE, THE PROGRAM CAPACITY IS THAT SOLID YELLOW LINE, I MEAN SOLID RED LINE, EXCUSE ME.
THAT IS WHAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PUSHING US TO USE MORE THAN BUILDING CAPACITY IS THE PROGRAM CAPACITY, HOW WE'RE USING THAT SCHOOL THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ALL THE SPECIAL EDUCATION USES AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT HAPPEN IN THAT BUILDING.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE MADE THAT THE SOLID YELLOW, I MEAN SOLID RED LINE THIS YEAR.
BUT WE'RE SHOWING YOU THE BUILDING CAPACITY ON THERE AS A DOTTED RED LINE.
AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR IDEAL, OUR TARGET 85%.
WHAT'S THE CAPACITY WE NEED TO, TO BE FULLY FLEXIBLE? SO THAT'S THE DA THE GRAY DOTTED LINE.
OKAY, SO THIS FIR SH FIRST ONE IS K-12.
THIS IS EVERYBODY IN BE BLUFFTON AND WHAT THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE.
THE NEXT ONE IS SHOWING YOU PRE-K THROUGH FIVE IN THE BLUFFTON CLUSTER.
AND THIS IS ALL OF THE STUDENTS PRE-K THROUGH FIVE, INCLUDING THOSE AT RIVER RIDGE, WHICH IS A K EIGHT.
SO I'VE JUST GROUPED THEM THIS WAY JUST TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
SO YOU SEE THAT THAT NEEDED CAPACITY LINE IS ABOVE OUR PROGRAM CAPACITY LINE AND OUR STUDENT LINE IS TRENDING DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
THEN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT SLIDE AGAIN AT RIVER RIDGE IS INCLUDED IN THESE NUMBERS.
WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? I AM NOW ON PAGE EIGHT ON THAT GRAPH, SHOWING YOU THE, THE DOTTED GRAY LINE THERE ABOVE OUR CURRENT CAPACITY LINE AND WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE ON THE BLUE LINE.
AND THEN FINALLY LOOKING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, GRADES NINE THROUGH 12.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S GREAT NEED THERE EVEN FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
[02:35:04]
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE I'M GONNA FOCUS ON VILLE.UM, AGAIN WITH 126% OF ITS BUILDING CAPACITY USE AND 161% OF PROGRAM CAPACITY USE.
YOU SEE THOUGH THAT THEIR ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR KIND OF LEVELED OFF.
HOWEVER, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN THERE IN THOSE, UM, MOBILES.
THE NEXT PAGE IS A PAGE RIGHT OUT OF THE BOOK, THIS YEAR'S BOOK.
THIS IS PRITCHARD VILLE AND I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS CUZ YOU WILL, WHEN WE GET TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE WHOLE BOOK.
WE'LL, WE'LL KIND OF COVER THIS AGAIN, BUT THIS KIND OF GETS YOU FAMILIARIZED WITH THE DATA THAT WE TRACK ABOUT EVERY SCHOOL.
SO WE SHOW YOU THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ATTENDING AT THE TOP, UM, UNDER THE LITTLE BLUE, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, UM, IN THE ATTENDANCE ZONE.
SO WE'VE GOT 1,005 STUDENTS ATTENDING THERE THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE 1,145 STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THAT ATTENDANCE ZONE, THANK GOODNESS A HUNDRED, 170 OF THEM CHOOSE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IT'S THROUGH PROGRAMMATIC OR WHATEVER.
BUT IF WE WERE TO HAVE TO SERVE ALL OF THE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN THAT ZONE, WE WOULD REALLY BE IN TROUBLE AT THAT SCHOOL.
UM, THAT BOTTOM LITTLE CHART, UH, SCROLL DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UH, IN, IN TERMS OF QUESTIONS, UH, HOW ARE WE DOING, HOW WE, HOW WE DOING QUESTIONS? ARE WE DOING QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG? OR YOU, UH, WELL, YOU MIGHT GET ANSWERED AS I GO ALONG WHAT SHE'S PRESENTING.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE WHILE SHE'S DOING IT.
YEAH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS? NO, NO.
I SAW MR. MR DO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? OKAY.
THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
THANK YOU MS. SMITH AND, UH, MADAME CHAIR.
UM, I MISSED THAT LAST PORTION RIGHT HERE.
I'M SORRY TO DELAY, BUT COULD YOU NO, THAT'S FINE.
OKAY, SO THE, THE TOP, UH, LITTLE BLUE BOX THAT IS WHO'S ATTENDING THE SCHOOL SHOWS YOU LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR YOU SEE THEY LOST 11 STUDENTS, IF I'M READING THAT CORRECTLY.
THEN IN THE ATTENDANCE ZONE, THERE ARE 1,145 STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THAT ATTENDANCE ZONE AND THEY LOST 33.
AND SO THAT'S A NET MINUS 170 STUDENTS.
I'VE ALSO GOT 30 THERE, NON GIA CODED THAT.
THE BOTTOM BOX THAT SHOWS TRANSFERS, SHOWS YOU HOW MANY ARE COMING AND GOING, HOW MANY ARE COMING IN AND HOW MANY ARE GOING OUT.
SO 185 ARE GOING OUT AND 15 ARE COMING IN.
AND YOU SEE THEY'RE GOING OUT AS KIND OF SPREAD ACROSS SEVERAL SCHOOLS THERE IN BLUFFTON.
AND THEN THE PROJECTIONS AGAIN ARE BASED ON RESIDENT STUDENTS AND IT'S SHOWN BY GRADE.
AND THEN WE MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT NET TRANSFER WITH WHAT WE CALL THE CHOICE EFFECT.
SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT, CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT PRITCHARD.
UM, MOBILES BEING USED AS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
SO SUMMER OF 2018, WE ADDED A SIX CLASSROOM MODULAR UNIT THERE.
THAT'S A SELF-CONTAINED THING AS BATHROOMS SIX CLASSROOMS COST US APPROXIMATELY A HUN, UH, 1.02 MILLION.
UH, THE FIFTH GRADE STARTED OUT IN THERE NOW, BUT MOSTLY IT HOLDS, UH, FOURTH GRADE, UH, SUMMER OF 2019.
THE NEXT YEAR WE ADDED TWO DOUBLE WIDE TRADITIONAL MOBILE CLASSROOMS OUT THERE.
UM, THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN REGULAR CLASSROOMS, SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A CLASS OF, YOU KNOW, 25 TO 30 OUT THERE IN THOSE.
SO THOSE ARE USED FOR SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION.
AND WHEN YOU GET TO THAT MANY STUDENTS OVER CAPACITY, THERE'S NO PLACE IN THAT BUILDING TO DO A LOT OF THAT SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION.
SO A LOT OF THOSE THINGS HAVE MOVED OUT TO THAT, TO THOSE MOBILES.
THEN THIS SUMMER, UH, 22 WE ADDED, WE MOVED THE EIGHT CLASSROOM, UM, MODULAR BUILDING FROM RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY OVER TO PRITCHARD HILL TO GAIN THEM EIGHT NEW CLASSROOMS. UM, IT WAS NO LONGER NEEDED AT RIVER RIDGE BECAUSE AS PART OF THE 2019 REFERENDUM, WE ADDED 16 CLASSROOMS AT RIVER RIDGE.
SO WE, WE DID NOT NEED THAT, THAT MODULAR BUILDING THERE.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE COST, THE ORIGINAL COST, UM, OF THOSE MODULARS THERE AT RIVER RIDGE.
WHAT IT COST FOR US TO MOVE IT ALMOST AS
[02:40:01]
MUCH AS IT COST TO INITIALLY INSTALL THEM.AND RIGHT NOW THAT EIGHT CLASSROOM IS HOLDING THE WHOLE FIFTH GRADE ABOUT 160 STUDENTS.
AND AGAIN, WE
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CHILDREN IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS AND THESE ARE MEANT TO BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
SOME OF THE LOGISTIC ISSUES THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE MOBILES IS A TEMPORARY JUST BEING SEPARATED OUT OF THE BUILDING.
YOU'VE GOTTA MOVE KIDS IN AND OUT ALL THE TIME TO GO TO LUNCH, TO GO TO, UH, RELATED ARTS, TO GO TO ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, IT ALSO ADDS STRESS TO THE CORE FACILITY SUCH AS, PAUSE FOR A MINUTE, PLEASE, MR. SMITH.
UM, PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY.
YOU KNOW, I, I, UH, I HEAR PEOPLE, I HAD PARENTS SAY SOMETIMES ABOUT MOBILE UNITS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.
I DON'T SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH MOBILE UNITS AND I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT PUBLICLY.
AND I HONESTLY DO, I DO MEAN THAT BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH MOBILE UNITS.
SO I I THINK IT'S A, WHEN WE SAY STUFF LIKE THAT, IT'S A NEGATIVE NOTION MM-HMM.
I, I WENT THROUGH MOBILE UNITS IN SCHOOL.
UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER CLASSES THAT WERE, THAT WERE, THAT WERE, THAT HAD, THAT HAD TOOK PLACE IN THE MOBILE UNITS AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO USE, UH, TO BE, TO BE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF THE MONEY THEN IT IS WHAT IT IS.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE AS, AS WE'RE TALKING AND WE'RE GOING OVER THESE PLANS, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO DO, DO SAY AS SOMEONE WHO'VE EXPERIENCED MOBILE UNITS, SO YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A PART OF, THEY, LIKE SOME PEOPLE WORK IN MOBILE UNITS AND, AND THEY AND THEIR JOBS AND THEY HAVE CUB SOME WORK IN CUBICLES.
THEY'RE NO, THEY'RE NO DIFFERENCE.
THE, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THESE ARE, UH, FRAGILE UNITS AS FAR AS KEEPING THEM MAINTAINED, KEEPING THEM, AND THEY ARE FRAGILE AS FAR AS SECURITY IS CONCERNED.
AND, AND WE'VE CONSTANTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH HVAC AND OTHER THINGS IN THOSE BUILDINGS AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PARENTAL DISSATISFACTION WITH THEIR CHILDREN GOING TO THAT.
PLUS WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA SHOW IT LATER ON WHEN YOU ADD THESE MOBILES TO A SCHOOL AND YOU ADD THOSE CHILDREN, BUT THE CAFETERIA HADN'T CHANGED.
AND SO WE'VE GOT KIDS GOING TO LUNCH AT 9 45 AND NOT, AND OTHER KIDS NOT FINISHING LUNCH UNTIL AFTER ONE TWO O'CLOCK BECAUSE THE CAPACITY OF THE CORE JUST WASN'T BUILT FOR THAT NUMBER OF KIDS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION.
IT'S AN EXPENSIVE SHORT-TERM SOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A USABLE LIFE OF WHAT, 10 YEARS? 10 TO 15? YES SIR.
WHEREAS WE BUILD A BUILDING, WE'VE GOT A USABLE LIFE OF 40, 50 YEARS.
SO YOUR POINT'S VALID FOR THE KIDS IN THIS AND THE TEACHERS IN THAT BUILDING AT THE TIME TEACHING GOOD.
BUT AS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, IT MAKES NO ECONOMIC SENSE.
IT MAKES, IT MAKES NO OPERATIONAL SENSE TO KEEP THOSE.
AND, AND THE SOONER WE CAN GET RID OF THEM AND PUT OUR KIDS INTO FULLY DEVELOP HARD BUILDINGS, SECURE BUILDINGS, THE BETTER.
THIS, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER POINT.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE? UM, I CONCUR.
UH, I MEAN, YOU DON'T EVER BUILD A BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOL WITH THE IDEA THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MOBILES THERE.
THE WHOLE IDEA IS YOU WANT THE BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOL TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ENROLLMENT THAT'S GONNA BE AT THAT SCHOOL.
SO IF, IF MOBILES ARE THERE, THAT INDICATES YOU'VE EXCEEDED THAT ABILITY TO, UH, EDUCATE THOSE STUDENTS IN THAT BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOL AND YOU NEVER BUILD A SCHOOL SAYING OR BUILD A SCHOOL JUST TOTALLY OUT OF MOBILES.
YEAH, I MEAN CERTAINLY MY CHILDREN WENT TO THE MOBILES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT IDEAL? NO.
IS IT A TEMPORARY MEASURE TO SUFFICE? YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY IT IS.
BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO GO INTO THINKING OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN THINKING, WELL, WE'RE GONNA PUT THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE ALWAYS IN, IN, IN MOBILES.
AND, UM, I THINK YOU'RE BRINGING OUT THOSE POINTS HERE,
[02:45:01]
UH, WITH THE SLIDES.MR. SMITH AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT TO, TO ME IT IS, ONCE AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE CON THE CONTEXT THAT I BROUGHT IT UP IN.
AS IN, I I DO UNDERSTAND YOU STAND, Y'ALL, BOTH, BOTH OF YOUR, UH, BOTH OF Y'ALL POINTS.
BUT TO ME IT'S A, IT IS THE NEGATIVE TONE AND THE NEGATIVE NOTION THAT IT BRINGS IS, WHAT CONCERNS ME IS AS IN THIS PERSON STAYS IN PERSON A STAYS IN A TRAILER, PERSON B STAYS IN A, IN A, IN AN ACTUAL, UH, HOUSE.
AND SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE WHO STAY IN HOUSES VERSUS PEOPLE WHO STAY ON IN TRAILERS, THEY SN DOWN AND SAY THAT, WELL, YOU STAY IN THE TRAILER.
SO THAT NOTION TO ME IS A NEGATIVE CONFRONTATION THAT I, I WOULD LIKE FOR, I THINK THAT WE AS A, AS A GOVERNMENT, WE AS A DISTRICT SHOULD KIND OF NOT, UH, PERSONALLY ANALYZE THAT BECAUSE THAT COULD COME US ACROSS AS YOU PUSHING YOUR POINT OR YOU MAKING YOU DRIVING, DRIVING THE, THE, THE BALL IN THE AREA THAT YOU WANT TO, TO GO UP THE FIELD.
SO, SO, SO THEY, SO THEREFORE I THINK IT BASICALLY, IT ALMOST SEEMS AS A BIASED STANCE.
THE NEGATIVE CONFRONTATION THAT IT TO ME THAT IT BRINGS.
WELL, I'LL RESPOND TO THAT BECAUSE I'LL RESPOND TO YOU BECAUSE I'M NOT FINISHED.
I REPRESENT, FINISH WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY.
SO, SO I, AND, AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF THAT, IT'S NO HARM.
I DO UNDERSTAND BOTH OF YOUR POINTS AND BRICK AND MORTAR AS IN TERMS OF, OF BUILDING IT.
IT WILL, IT WILL MAKE IT SUFFICE IN TERMS OF THE MONEY THAT WE SPENT IN THE LONGEVITY THAT WE GET, THAT WE GET OUT OF IT.
ANYONE KNOWS THAT BUILDING A A BUILDING, AN ACTUAL STRUCTURED BUILDING WILL LAST LONGER THAN AN ACTUAL TRAILER THAT EVEN THAT CAN MOVE AND GO AND GO OTHER PLACES.
BUT IT, IT WON'T LAST AS LONG AS A BRICK AND MORTAR.
BUT MY, MY POINT IS JUST THE NEGATIVE, THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATION THAT, THAT, THAT IT BRINGS.
WELL, I REPRESENT THIS TREMENDOUS AREA OF GROWTH IN BRO BLUFFTON IS THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE CONSTITUENTS, THE PARENTS, NO, THEY'RE REALLY NOT SATISFIED THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE, ARE IN MOBILES.
AND LOOK AT ALL THE MOBILES WE'VE GOT IN THIS AREA.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'VE GOT ONE OR TWO TO, TO, TO TO, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILD, TO TAKE UP THE, THE SLACK FOR THE OVER ENROLLMENT.
THERE, THERE ARE TONS OF THEM HERE.
SO WE HAVE TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
AND WHEN WE PUT THE MOBILES IN THE BOARD, IT WAS A BOARD DECISION THAT IT WASN'T REALLY GOING TO BE A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW IT WAS PRESENTED.
THAT IT WAS PRESENTED AS A TEMPORARY SORT OF, UH, SOLUTION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE GROWTH.
AND ULTIMATELY WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE, HAVE A NEW SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S I THINK ULTIMATELY WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS GONNA MORPH INTO.
UM, SO GETTING OFF THAT A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL, I HAVE A COMMENT AFTER WE FINISH ABOUT THE, ABOUT SOMETHING IN HERE.
WISNESKI ALSO AS A, A BLUFFTON REPRESENTATIVE AND A PARENT OF STUDENTS IN OUR BLUFFTON SCHOOLS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE COMMENT ABOUT THE MOBILES.
I ALSO WENT TO HILTON NET HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION THOUGH, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DRIVE HOME.
UM, I REGRET THAT ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE A, A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION TO THE MOBILES, BUT WE DO WANT TO DRIVE HOME THE IDEA THAT THESE ARE TEMPORARY.
IT'S MEANT AS A, AS A BANDAID, NOT A, A FULL FIX.
UM, I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IN ADDITION TO COLONEL GERE'S COMMENTS ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY, IS THAT IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE GREEN SPACE THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE OUTSIDE.
AND IN SOME OF THESE, AT SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS, THAT'S TREMENDOUS.
SO I JUST WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, OH, WE WANT OUR KIDS TO HAVE RECESS AND BE OUTSIDE AND PLAY, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
ALTHOUGH I THINK OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN GIVING GREAT FACILITIES FOR THEM TO PLAY OUTSIDE, IT WOULD BRING SO MUCH MORE TO THAT CULTURE AND THAT SCHOOL SITE.
UH, MS. CRUTCHFIELD AND, UH, MR. OTTING, UH, YOUR PROJECTIONS ARE VERY GOOD.
LOOKING AT HISTORICAL, WHAT THE INFLUX HAS BEEN, ARE YOU LOOKING AT EXTERNAL FACTORS SUCH AS THE JASPER OCEAN TERMINAL, WHICH IS EVICTED AROUND EARLY 2030 AND THE INFLUX THAT WILL COME FROM THERE.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS, IS WOULD THIS BE A GOOD PROGRAM OR PRESENTATION TO TAKE INTO THE PUBLIC EVEN BEFORE THE PROJECT TEAM COMPLETES? BECAUSE THIS WOULD HELP EXPLAIN WHY POSSIBLY CAPITAL WOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THIS AREA.
WELL, I'M GONNA ASK YOUR ANSWER YOUR SECOND QUESTION FIRST.
THIS INFORMATION IS KIND OF, WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO OUR C P R C GROUP WHEN THEY START LOOKING AT WHAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE NEXT REFERENDUM.
SO, AND ONCE YOU, UM, ONCE THE BOARD, IF THEY DO DECIDE,
[02:50:01]
GO FORWARD THE NEXT REFERENDUM, THIS WILL BE, SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WILL TAKE IN SUPPORT OF THE NEED FOR, UM, FOR THE NEW BUILDINGS.YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT THE OCEAN TERMINAL, WE'RE ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF THAT AND, AND THINGS THAT ARE COMING AND THE CONCERNS THAT WE MAY HAVE, CUZ WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OKAT IN A MIDDLE MINUTE, WHICH IS NOT A, UM, PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE SEE IT COMING.
UM, AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS MEASURING THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL AND WE SEE THOSE TRENDS COMING.
THEY MAY COME IMMEDIATELY OR THEY MAY COME SLOWLY, BUT WE'LL SEE THAT AS KIDS COME INTO THE BUILDING, IF THE OCEAN TERMINAL COMES AND THERE'S A BIG INFLUX OF PEOPLE, WE'LL START TO SEE THOSE KIDS COMING.
AND THEY USUALLY DON'T COME ALL AT ONCE.
THERE'S A BUILDUP AND A GROWTH IN THOSE PROJECTIONS.
SEE THAT BY GETTING THE MOST RECENT DATA FIRST, YOU SEE THAT COMING.
YOU, YOU SEE THAT INFLUX WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SHOW A A AN EXPECTATION OF THAT TO CONTINUE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE CAPTURE THAT.
IF, IF I MAY, UM, I KNOW THE 2018 PROCESS WAS VERY EFFECTIVE AND GETTING SUPPORT FOR THE REFERENDUM.
SO THEY, THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S THE, IT'S THE PROJECTION VERY SUBSTANTIALLY FOUNDED THAT IT'S GOING TO DIRECT CAPITALISM.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT POINT MADE AND I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY SCHEDULE, UH, THOSE TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS AND, AND PLACES AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND I, AND I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S A PIECE I CAN ADD AS I DO MY SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, UH, UH, A LITTLE MORE SUMMARY TYPE OF, OF, UH, WAY THAN, THAN MAYBE WE'RE DOING IT TODAY.
BUT, BUT IT PAINTS A, IT PAINTS AN IMPORTANT PICTURE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION? NO, GO AHEAD.
OH, OH, OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WOULD PROBABLY AGREE WITH ME IN THE PAST, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PLANNING THAT WE HAVE TODAY IN THE LAST, SAY, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, AND WHEN MANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE BUILT IN BLUFFTON, WE DID NOT PREDICT THE GROWTH THAT WERE COMING.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAD HAVE THE PROBLEM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND AS FAR AS MOBILE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOMETIME YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE MOBILES.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN'T HELP THAT.
AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT IF, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE COVID, IT'D BE A LOT WORSE THAN IT IS TODAY.
SO CAN I TAG ONTO WHAT, UM, MR. DALLAS SAID, AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS GONNA HOLD TO THE END, BUT I THINK IT COMES INTO A, INTO PLAY HERE.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE LINE GRAPHS THAT YOU HAVE, UM, THE, THESE ARE PA UH, SLIDE 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
UM, IN GENERAL, THE SLOPE IS STEEPER FOR THE PREDICTIONS BACK IN OR PROJECTED IN 2019, AND THEN NOW THE 2022 PROJECTIONS HAVE, HAVE FLATTENED MORE, NOT AS STEEP AS SLOPE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY PERHAPS THERE'S AN ASSOCIATION WITH THE PANDEMIC, WHICH LIKELY THERE IS.
YOU CAN'T SAY IT'S DEFINITELY CAUSE AND EFFECT.
WHAT I SEE AS AN ISSUE WITH THESE IS THEY HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, ACCESSES AND DIFFERENT SPREAD OF THE ACCESSES, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO THEY'RE A LITTLE HARD TO COMPARE ONE TO THE OTHER.
SO FOR BLUFF AND CLUSTER, THE PK TO 12, UH, THE UNITS ARE IN THOUSANDS BETWEEN THE LINES AND THEY'RE FAIRLY CLOSE TOGETHER.
THEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE, PK TO FIVE, UH, IT'S, IT'S, THEY'RE SPREAD BY THE LINES ARE SPREAD BY 500 UNITS.
AND, AND I REALLY JUST DID THAT SO YOU COULD SEE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER CUZ THEY JUST KIND OF OFF GROUP.
AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE IT FOR THE FIRST ONE AS WELL, SO YOU COULD JUST SPREAD IT OUT SO YOU CAN SEE IT A LITTLE BIT.
SO I WAS, AND THAT'S WHY ADVOCATING HAVING THE SAME, UM, PACING 500.
YOU'RE SPACING 500 STUDENTS BY THE SAME DISTANCE OR WHATEVER WORD YOU WANNA USE ON ALL OF THESE.
EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN THE FIRST ONE.
BECAUSE THEN YOU COULD REALLY COMPARE ONE TO THE OTHER.
I MEAN, I, MY, MY ASSESSMENT FROM THIS IS, OKAY, THE, THE, THE PROJECTED GROWTH IN 19 DIDN'T
[02:55:01]
QUITE PAN OUT.BUT IT, BUT IS THAT REALLY ACCURATE? I THINK IT IS.
UM, AND IT SEEMED LIKE TO ME, AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THESE, THAT THE MOST, THAT THE STEEPEST, UH, PROJECTED GROWTH FOR 2022 IN THE BLUFFTON CLUSTER WAS THE GRADES NINE THROUGH 12.
WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL, I MEAN, A NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE, HAVE ACCURATELY.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD WANNA HAVE 'EM ALL ON THE SAME GRAPH, THE SAME SPACING, BECAUSE I THINK THEN YOU CAN COMPARE ONE TO THE OTHER.
I DON'T THINK YOU REALLY CAN AS EASILY HERE.
I'M A DOCTOR, I NOT A PLANNER LIKE YOU ARE, SO NO, I MIGHT BE LOOKING.
YOU'RE, AND NORMALLY I DO HAVE THAT SAME ACCESS.
I, BECAUSE IN THIS PRESENT IT WAS REALLY HARD TO SEE.
THEY WERE ALL ON TOP OF EACH OTHER CUZ WE'VE GOT SO MANY LINES.
BUT, AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH AS I COULD AND SPREAD IT OUT.
SO YES, GOING FORWARD I WILL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING STARTS WITH ZERO.
AND A 500 OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER CONSIST, TAKE THE 500 SPACING THE ABSOLUTE SAME DISTANCE ON EACH OF THE CHARTS.
AND I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY THAT WAY IN THE BOOK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE BOOK YOU WILL GET SOON.
MS. BOATWRIGHT, JUST ALSO A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
ARE WE HAVING THE DISCUSSION NOW? BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF THEY WERE DONE, LIKE I WAS KIND OF WAITING UNTIL THEY WERE DONE, BUT THEN WE'RE BRINGING UP ALL THIS OTHER STUFF AND NOW I'M INTERESTED, BUT I'M HAPPY AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE BREAKING FOR LUNCH.
LIKE MY QUESTION WOULD BE, LET ME JUST TELL YOU MY QUESTION IS WITH THE TIES INTO THIS ACCESS THING, THE PROJECTION FOR GROWTH IN 2019, THE YEAR THAT WE DID THE REFER, THE FIRST PART OF THE REFERENDUM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY STEEPER THAN THE PROJECTION NOW.
SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, CUZ WE DID NOT INVEST IN CAPACITY IN THE LAST, UM, REFERENDUM.
AND NOW HERE WE ARE WITH A MUCH FLATTER CAPACITY LINE ACTING LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T SEE COMING.
AND I'M JUST PERPLEXED AS TO I GUESS, THE PLANNING ISSUE.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN WAIT.
WE, WE DID INVEST IN, WE DID INVEST IN CAPACITY.
WE, WE ADDED CAPACITY AT RIVER RIDGE.
UH, WE ADDED CAPACITY AT, UH, MAJOR HIGH SCHOOL, LARGE NUMBER OF CLASSROOMS. BUT AS FAR AS LIKE WHEN WE WENT, THE SCHOOLS THAT WE SPENT, THE FOUR MAJOR PROJECTS, THREE OF WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY UNDER ENROLLED.
SO I'M JUST SAYING LIKE, IF THIS WAS THE PROJECTION, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 2019, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ALL HANDS ON DECK FIRE.
UNLESS UN UNLESS I MISINTERPRETED THIS DATA AND NOW IT'S LIKE IN 2022, WE'RE SORT OF LIKE, THIS HAS SNUCK UP ON US.
WE ACTUALLY, ACCORDING TO THE LAST, UM, FACILITIES MASTER PLAN C I P THING THAT WE HAVE, WE ACTUALLY HAD A NET DECREASE OF 272 IN SOUTH ABROAD.
ANYWAYS, IT'S JUST, I I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHY THIS SEEMS LIKE A NEW ONSET CRISIS.
CUZ IT LOOKS LIKE THIS WAS WELL, IT, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING AND IN THE ORIGINAL, UH, COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE YEAH.
AND THEY HAD IN THEIR 629 MILLION, THEY HAD A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THERE, WHICH GOT PUSHED OFF TO THE SECOND PART.
WHICH IS THAT'S, AND SO THAT'S KINDA WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND I'M NOT HERE TO, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT SECOND PART.
WE'RE STILL ADDING MOBILES AT, AT VILLE IN SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS.
THE THESIS OF THIS PRESENTATION IS USING 8% FUNDS.
SO YEAH, I THINK WHAT WAS REQUESTED, UH, BY COLONEL GEIER WAS NOT THE THESIS, NOT ABOUT USING 8% FUNDS TO BUILD A SCHOOL.
IT'S ABOUT USING 8% FUNDS TO DO DESIGN WORK SO THAT OUT OF THE GATES WE CAN GET STARTED QUICKLY LIKE, LIKE, LIKE WE'RE DOING WITH HILTON HEAD.
BUT WE DIDN'T PUT THAT MONEY IN THE REFERENDUM, SO NOW WE'RE LUCK TALKING ABOUT TAKING OUT THE 8% FUNDS.
AND I'M, I DON'T WANNA REHASH THE PAST, BUT I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO STRONGLY INFORM OUR NEXT ROUND OF REFERENDUMS THAT WE HAVE GOT TO PAY ATTENTION TO CAPACITY WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE'RE SPENDING ON THE NEXT REFERENDUM.
I, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THAT LAST R YOU GUYS GONNA HAVE TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I WASN'T HERE, BUT, BUT PRIOR TO THAT REFERENDUM PASSING, THERE WAS 8% DOLLARS THAT WERE USED TO DO DESIGN WORK FOR THE EXPANSIONS AT MAY RIVER AND RIVER RIDGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT THAT WAS, THAT DIDN'T, THAT WAS NOT THE WAY TO USE 8% FUNDS, WAS WHAT DOC COLONEL GEIER SAID BACK AT THE TIME.
I'LL, I'LL LET, LET, LET ME LITTLE, LITTLE, LITTLE HISTORY.
UM, ONE OF THE REASON WE HAD A, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION IN 2018 IN 19 ABOUT THE GROWTH.
WE HAD A, WE PAID FOR THIS GUY MCK KIPPEN TO COME IN AND WORLD FAMOUS DEMOGRAPHER WHO SAID 2023, IT'S GONNA LEVEL OUT COMPLETELY.
IF THEY, THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T POSSIBLY BUILD MORE IN BLUFFTON.
[03:00:01]
WE SAID, WELL, OKAY, WE GOT SOME TIME TO GO FOR THIS OTHER SCHOOL.WELL THAT CAROL'S DATA THAT YOU SEE HERE WAS CORRECT AN ACTUAL, BUT WE, WE TOOK THIS WORLD CLASS DEMOGRAPHER AND THAT'S, THAT WAS WHY WE PUSHED THAT BACK.
NOW, SECONDLY, SECONDLY, THERE WAS A MOTION AT THE VERY END OF THE LAST BOARD, THE BOARD THAT LEFT IN 2018 TO BUILD THE EXTENSIONS ON MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL AND RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY USING 8% MONEY.
AND AS SOON AS THE NEW BOARD CAME ON, WE RE WE REJECTED THAT MOTION AND CHANGED IT TO HAVE IT DO JUST THE DESIGN WORK SO THAT THE DESIGN WAS ALL SET, PERMITTING WAS ALL SET.
SO WE COULD BREAK GROUND THREE MONTHS AFTER THE REFERENDUM, ACTUALLY TWO MONTHS AFTER THE REFERENDUM PASSED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE KIND OF THE SAME SITUATION IS THAT WE HAVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR A SCHOOL, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE IT SHOVEL READY WHEN THE REFERENDUM PASSES.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED.
DO WE WANNA KEEP GOING ON THIS CONVERSATION OR PAUSE? LET'S, SO LET ME JUST SAY WE HAVE, LUNCH IS GONNA BE READY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
SO WHY DON'T WE BREAK AT 1215 AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A 30 MINUTE BREAK AND COME BACK AT, AT 1245.
SO WHAT WE DON'T GET TO RIGHT NOW, WE WILL CONTINUE ON.
SO LET'S, I THINK CARLTON WAS NEXT.
UM, I THINK THE VISUAL OF THE SLOPE DECREASING AND VERSUS WHAT IT WAS IN 2019 MM-HMM.
COULD BE THE, UH, FIVE YEAR WAITING, IF IT'S BACKWARDATED TOWARDS THE MOST RECENT YEAR, AND THAT IS SORT OF SLOWED UP.
IT WILL SORT OF DEPRESS THE SLOPE AND SURE.
IT, SO THAT, THAT MAY BE WHY VISUAL, IT DOESN'T LOOK AS, UH, AGGRESSIVE IN GROWTH AS WHAT WE, MR. SMITH.
WELL, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND LOOKING AT WHAT YOU BOUGHT FOR BOUGHT TO US TODAY, UM, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS IN, IN TERMS OF THE GROWTH THAT IS GOING ON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST MAKE DECISIONS BASED OFF OF ONE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE IN BUFORD COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND LET ME, LET ME SAY THIS, WITHIN THE NOTION THAT THERE'S STILL PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS POPPING UP, IN FACT, SOMEONE CONTACTED ME ABOUT A OR ABOUT A CHARTER SCHOOL AND ALSO ONE OF ONE OTHER SCHOOL THAT HAS IN EXISTENT, NOW THAT THEY'RE THE SAME WAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING ON, THEY'RE ADDING ON.
SO WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE IN, WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE IN, INTO QUESTION, YOU KNOW, E EVEN IN THE ATHLETICS, WELL, I'M LOOKING AT THEM PULLING A LOT OF BRIEF COUNTY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR SCHOOLS AS WELL.
SO EVEN WITH THESE NUMBERS, THESE NUMBERS ARE GOOD AND THEY'RE OKAY TO HAVE, I MEAN, DATA, THEY, THEY, THEY, THE DATA CAN BE BUILT.
BUT HOW MANY OF HOW, HOW MUCH OF THIS DATA APPLIES TO BEEF COUNTY? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DON'T WANNA DO IS WE DON'T WANNA BE LIKE SOME OTHER DISTRICT WHO HAVE BUILT TONS OF SCHOOLS AND, AND NOW THEY DON'T HAVE BE BECAUSE OF OTHER THINGS.
THEY, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO GO IN THE BUILDINGS.
AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ACTUALLY SELL THESE BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU GO RIGHT THERE TO CHARLESTON WHO HAVE ADDED ON THE HIGH, WHO HAVE ADDED ON THE SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS MORE, AND THEY HAVE LARGER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN MORE, TO SOME DEGREE, MORE OF EFFICIENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT GOES IN THIS DAY, HAVING DATA IS OKAY AND IT'S GOOD AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, BUT THE, THE REALISTIC QUESTION IS WHEN COVID CAME, WE LOST A LOT OF STUDENTS.
A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS, WE DIDN'T GET BACK.
SO THE REALISTIC QUESTION IS NOW, EVEN, LIKE I SAID, EVEN WHEN SOMEONE CONTACTED ME, THAT THERE'S POSSIBLY ANOTHER, THERE'S A CHARTER SCHOOL GOING UP IN BLUFFTON, YOU KNOW, HOW WILL THAT IMPACT RIVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT? BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, WE, WE, WE, WE GO, WE THROW UP A WHOLE NEW HIGH SCHOOL, WE GO UP AND THROW UP A WHOLE NEW SCHOOL THEN, THEN WHAT? AND ALSO IN, IN, IN TERMS OF BUILDING MAY RIVER, WE TALKED ABOUT ADDING ON TO BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, SO THOSE ARE STILL DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT I WANNA DEFINITELY HAVE OUT THERE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT PLAYS MY MIND IN AS WELL.
COMMUNITY ME, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL.
AND LIKE I SAID, ALSO, THERE'S, THERE'S GROWTH.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A, A TON OF HOUSES AT THE, THE BOTTOM OF BEEF BEEFER BRIDGE.
AND, AND THOSE ARE GONNA BE GONNA BE FOR, FOR YOUNGER, YOUNGER PEOPLE.
HOW ARE WE GONNA ACCOMMODATE, ACCOMMODATE THAT ON LAY ISLAND? SO IT IS, IT'S, IT IS GOOD, IT IS GOOD WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BLUFFTON, BUT LET'S LET, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
BECAUSE IN, IN THE, IN THE REFERENDUM, WHAT WHAT'S TAUGHT IS THAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO BE IN INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE.
[03:05:01]
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN BLUFF THAT IT'S GROWING RIGHT NOW.RODRIGUEZ? YEAH, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE HERE, LET'S, AND LET'S KEEP THE PURPOSE IN, IN PERSPECTIVE, UH, NUMBER ONE, UM, WHEN ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, ASKED FOR THIS ON THE AGENDA WAS SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A CONVERSATION THAT TOOK PLACE WITH INFORMATION SO THAT THE BOARD COULD DETERMINE WHETHER THEY WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD AND, UH, USE 8% DOLLARS TO, TO DO SOME PRE-DESIGN WORK SO THAT WHEN WE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, IF REFEREND THE NEXT, AFTER THE NEXT REFERENDUM HOPEFULLY PASSES, RIGHT? THAT THEN, UH, WE COULD, WE COULD NOT, WE COULD START IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY AND NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL OR MAY, UH, TO, TO GET GOING, UH, IN THE, IN THE WORK.
SO THAT, THAT'S NUMBER ONE, THE PURPOSE FOR THE PRESENTATION TO SHOW YOU THAT INFORMATION.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY AND SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, WHILE THERE IS GROWTH IN AREAS, UH, GROWTH, WHILE YOU SEE DEVELOPMENTS STARTING TO BE BUILT IN NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, UM, YOU, YOU ALSO HAVE, UH, SOME CAPACITY IN NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, YOU SEE THAT GROWTH IS STILL CONTINUING, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH THAT MAY HAVE SLOWED AFTER COVID SLOWING AND STILL GROWING IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
I I IS WHAT WE SAW, RIGHT? IT'S SLOWED, BUT IT'S STILL GROWING.
OKAY? OUR TEAM HAS SHARED WITH YOU THAT CAPACITY, PROGRAM CAPACITY, UH, WANT TO HIT ABOUT 85%, I THINK IS WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SHARED, RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, UH, YOU SEE THAT PRITCHARD IS AT 161% PROGRAM CAPACITY.
THAT'S NOT, IT'S NOT CLOSE TO THE 85, RIGHT? YOU SEE MC RILEY IS ALSO AT 87% AND YOU SEE RIVER RIDGE, UH, ITSELF, UH, AT 88%.
UH, THESE ARE ALL SCHOOLS THAT IMPACT, UH, ELEMENTARY AGE STUDENTS.
WHEN YOU SEE, UM, OKAT, THEY'RE AT 81% BLUFF ANDELS AT 80%.
UH, AND THEN YOU HAVE RED CEDAR AT 71%.
BUT IN TERMS OF PROGRAM CAPACITY, YOU SEE 161% SITTING AT PRITCHARD BILL, YOU SEE 87% ALREADY AT MC RILEY.
AND YOU SEE 88%, UH, AT, AT RIVER RIDGE, RIGHT? SO, SO IN ESSENCE, UH, THE CONVERSATION, THIS IS WHY YOU SEE EXAMPLES BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU ABOUT, UH, PRITCHARD VILLE, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE ONE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OQ T RIGHT? THE REASON YOU SEE THAT IS BECAUSE THIS IS THE AREA WHERE YOU STILL, WHERE YOU'RE CURRENTLY HITTING CAPACITY, SURPASS CAPACITY, AND THERE IS STILL GROWTH THAT YOU'RE SEEING, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THAT FORWARD ON THE NORTHERN END.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL HAVE, UH, SOME CAPACITY IF WE NEED TO AS SOME OF THE, UH, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENTS COME ONLINE, RIGHT? SO THAT, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING EXAMPLES FROM, FROM, UH, THE BLUFFTON AREA AND THE OAK AREA, CUZ THAT'S THE AREA, UH, THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO UTILIZING THE 8% DOLLARS FOR SOME PRE-DESIGN WORK.
CUZ THE PRE-DESIGN WORK IN TERMS OF THE HILTON HEAD PIECE IS ALREADY IN THE EXISTING REFERENDUM, RIGHT? SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
SO WE'RE GONNA PAUSE, LIKE I SAID, IT'S 1215.
YOU, YOU CAN GO FIRST WHEN WE COME BACK.
AND SO WE'LL RE RECONVENE IN, IN 30 MINUTES AT 1245.
ALL RIGHT? WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE AND CONTINUE OUR, UH, PUBLIC PORTION OF THE MEETING, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE YEP.
WITH OUR TOPIC OF, LET ME AGENDA.
OUR EXPANSION OPTIONS OF PLANNING FOR POSSIBLE 8%.
WE ALREADY HAD A ABOUT A 45 MINUTE DISCUSSION ON THIS, AND WE'RE CONTINUING ON.
AND EARL CAMPBELL WAS NEXT FOR COMMENTER QUESTION.
I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS, UH, SOMETHING MR. SMITH TALKED ABOUT THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
UM, THERE'S TWO, TWO THINGS THAT'S GONNA SLOW DOWN GROWTH IN THE NORTHERN PARTY OF THE COUNTY.
THAT'S THE AIR STATION AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND FROM TALKING TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[03:10:01]
AND SOME OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I DON'T SEE THEY, THEY DON'T SEE ANY CHANGE THAT'S GONNA COME TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.AND AS FAR AS THE AIR STATION IS CONCERNED, IT'S GONNA BE VERY HARD FOR ANY GROWTH BECAUSE, UH, OF, OF, TO KEEP THE AIR STATION OPEN.
BECAUSE IF ANY LARGE GROWTH, THEN YOU GONNA SEE TALKING ABOUT CLOSING THE AIR STATION, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ITEMS, TWO THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY, DO YOU HAVE, WANNA CONTINUE? YOU KIND OF HAD LIKE A FEW MORE SLIDES.
I, I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE ON AND GET THROUGH AND, UM, POINT OUT OKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO OKEE ISN'T IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UM, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE AT 91% OF THEIR BUILDING BUILDING CAPACITY.
AND IF YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY GREW BY 43 STUDENTS ATTENDING THIS YEAR WITH 45 ADDITIONAL ONES LIVING IN THE ZONE.
UM, PROJECTIONS SHOW THEM AT ABOUT 99% CAPACITY RANGE IN 25, 26.
AND THEN THAT NEXT SLIDE, ROBIN, I WANTED TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND OKEE.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, SO IT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN ANY OF THOSE P U D AGREEMENTS.
UM, I'LL WAIT TILL I CAN GET THAT ONE GOING.
SO I JUST DID TWO QUICK AERIAL GRABS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
SO THERE ARE PUDS, AND THESE ARE THROUGH BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND THESE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, BUT THEY FINALLY STARTED DEVELOPING.
SO MALIN, UC, OKEE ELEMENTARY LABEL THERE THAT'S RIGHT AT THE SCHOOL.
SO TO THE NORTH OF THAT, ON TOP OF THAT IS MAYLAND BLUFF.
AND IF YOU DROP DOWN ONE 70, YOU SEE THOSE SIGNS FOR THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT.
AND IT'S APPROVED FOR OVER 300, UM, HOMES.
THE OTHER ONE THAT'S SORT OF TO THE RIGHT OF OKEE, WE THINK OF IT WHEN YOU DRIVE IN THERE AS BEING BEHIND OAT T ELEMENTARY, IT'S APPROVED FOR ANOTHER 300 PLUS HOMES.
SO BETWEEN THESE TWO DEVELOPMENTS, THERE'S 700 RESIDENTIAL UNITS APPROVED AND LOOKING SINCE THEY'VE STARTED BUILDING AND THEY'RE CLEARING NOW.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED IN ONE YEAR.
UM, AND I DIDN'T GET THIS, THIS YEAR'S ARROWS AREN'T AVAILABLE YET ON THE COUNTY G I S MAP, BUT, UM, YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH THEY'VE DONE IN ONE YEAR.
THESE KIDS ARE COMING
WE ANTICIPATE GETTING QUITE, QUITE THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME RELIEF, NOT ONLY AT PRITCHARD, BUT ALSO AT OGA TEA.
SO IN OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN THAT YOU HAVE THE HARD COPY YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND, WE'VE OUTLINED THAT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, CLASSROOMS AT ALL GRADE LEVELS IN BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO OUR RECOMMENDED ORDER IS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY OPTIONS, SOME OF WHICH CAN BE MET WITH EXPANSIONS THROUGH SOME OF THE C T E PROGRAMS AND ATHLETIC SPACES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, IF WE ADD A WEIGHT ROOM THERE, UM, THEIR CURRENT WEIGHT ROOM IS COMPRISED OF TWO OLD PE CLASSROOMS. SO BUILDING THAT WEIGHT ROOM GAINS US TWO CLASSROOMS BACK IN THAT BUILDING.
SO THERE'S SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE THERE.
WHEN WE ADD ON THAT THEY'RE USING REGULAR CLASSROOM SPACE FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS.
SECONDLY, WE WOULD RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD WITH A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS PLANNED ON THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS.
AND FINALLY A, A MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO ON THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS, AS YOU RECALL, WE HAVE 200, HOW MANY ACRES DO WE HAVE?
AND THAT WAS 220 ACRES ON MAY RIVER.
80 OF IT WAS USED BY MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, SO, AND ONLY, BUT THAT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE, BUT ONLY ABOUT 120 IS, UH, HIGH LAND.
THE REST OF IT'S WETLANDS STUFF.
SO WE BOTH, ANYWAY, OUR MASTER PLAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO ADD ANOTHER, UH, AN ELEMENTARY AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL TO CREATE A CAMPUS THERE AT MAY RIVER.
AND ONCE THINGS ARE BUILT ON THAT LAND, WE HAVE NO REAL OTHER LAND TO BUILD SCHOOLS.
SO ARE THERE, IS THERE ANY, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR MR. SMITH MENTIONED, UH, THAT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL COULD BE ADDED TO, BUT THE,
[03:15:01]
THE THIRD FLOOR OR YEAH, THIRD FLOOR WAS FINISHED ON LIKE ONE YEAR AFTER IT OPENED.SO WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITY IS THERE AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR EXPANSION? WELL, ACTUALLY, I MEAN, SO THE ONLY THING WE HAVE PLANNED RIGHT NOW IS THAT ADDITIONAL WEIGHT ROOM.
WE HAD AT ONE TIME LOOKED AT PUTTING ANOTHER WING ON BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, THAT WOULD BE LIKE A TWO-STORY WING COMING, UM, NEAR THE CAFETERIA AREA, COMING STRAIGHT OUT, KINDA WHERE THAT SOLAR PANEL IS.
WE, THAT DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL JUST BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF THE CAMPUS.
UM, IF WE ADDED THAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO THAT CAMPUS, THERE'S KIND OF, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY CROWDED ALREADY AS FAR AS PARKING, ABSOLUTELY.
AS FAR AS USE OF ATHLETIC FIELDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE DON'T REALLY RECOMMEND DOING THAT AT BLUFF AND HIGH.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THOSE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS.
BUT IF WE NEED IT, THERE IS SPACE BEHIND BLUFF AND HIGH THAT ADD MORE MOBILES.
UM, AT MAY RIVER, OF COURSE, WE'RE PLANNING THE C T E AND J R O T C BUILDING.
J R T C RIGHT NOW IS IN THAT EIGHT CLASSROOM, UH, MODULAR.
SO BUILDING THAT BUILDING FREES UP THAT EIGHT CLASSROOM MODULAR THAT'S SITTING ON SITE THAT COULD THEN GO BACK TO REGULAR CLASSROOMS. YOU DO HAVE THIS, THIS, YOU DO HAVE THE SAME, YOU KNOW, SORT OF IDEA THOUGH AT BLUFF AND HIGH, WHERE IF YOU HAVE A CAPE FACILITY OR SO THAT YOU ADD ON THE BACK THERE, YOU FREE UP.
FOR EXAMPLE, RTC RIGHT NOW IS SITTING IN CLASSROOMS IN TWO CLASSROOMS. RIGHT.
SO YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT, UH, CONFIGURATION.
UH, WELL TO YOUR POINT IN MAY RIVER OR BLUFF, IF YOU ADD CTE E UH, SPACES, THAT'S ADDING CAPACITY TO YOUR BUILDING FOR THE MOST PART.
AND REMEMBER YOU ALL HAD A COMMITTEE, DR.
WISNESKI AND, AND COLONEL GEER ON LOOKING AT BLUFF AND GROWTH AND LOOKING AT WHERE EXPANSIONS HAVE PRETTY MUCH ALREADY OCCURRED AT MOST OF THE BLUFFTON SCHOOLS AND THE, THE CAMPUSES, THE CORE FACILITIES JUST REALLY AREN'T ABLE TO SUPPORT MORE ADDITIONS.
MR. BOATWRIGHT, SO REMIND ME, MAY RIVER KATE WAS ON THE LAST REFERENDUM, RIGHT? YES.
DESIGN, DESIGN DESIGN FOR THE EXPANSION, YES.
SO THAT'S, SO THAT DESIGN WORKS.
CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING.
I WAS READING THE REFERENDUM QUESTION.
I WASN'T CLEAR IF THAT WAS, CUZ WE ONLY BUDGETED 700,000 FOR IT OR SOMETHING.
UM, AND THEN I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE DOING THAT BLUFF AND WEIGHT ROOM THING ALREADY.
NO, WE DID A, UH, WRESTLING ROOM.
AND SO WE'RE STILL USING THOSE TWO CLASSROOMS FOR WEIGHT, WEIGHT ROOMS. YEAH.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU HAD YOUR, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
HOW'S THAT? ANYBODY ELSE LIKE MINE? UH, COLONEL GEIER? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE, UH, HAVING A MOTION, UH, TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO START THE PROCESS TO USE 8% MONEY TO DO THE DESIGN WORK FOR, UH, THIS NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT, UH, UH, MAY RIVER CAMPUS.
IS IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY PROBLEM WITH DOING THAT? UM, VICTOR WAS NEXT.
WISNESKI, I'D BE IN FAVOR OF MOTION IN THAT REGARD.
I THINK THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I KIND OF HAD FROM THE PRESENTATION WAS IN REGARD TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WANTED TO EXPLORE AN E C C OPTION AS WELL, E C C AT THAT.
SO IT BEING IN ELEMENTARY AND ECC SINCE OH, YEAH.
IT COULD HAVE, IT COULD HAVE THAT.
SO MAYBE THAT IS AN OPTION THAT IS CONSIDERED WHEN THOSE DESIGN, SO YOU JUST, SOMEBODY IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU PREK THROUGH FIVE, IF YOU DIRECT US OR DIRECT ME TO LOOK AT USE 8% FUNDING, UH, TO DO DESIGN WORK, WE WOULD AS PART OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAVE IN CONSIDERATION AND ECC IN MY, IN MY MIND, UH, THAT THAT MIGHT BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT.
THERE'S A NEED FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD IN BLUFFTON.
SO I MEAN, I, IN MY MIND, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DO AT THE SAME TIME.
I WOULD INTERPRET THAT MOTION TO GIVE ME TO ARTIE THE LEEWAY TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN AN OVERALL CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST ABOUT EXPANSION OF PK OFFERINGS, SO, AWESOME.
UM, MS. BOATWRIGHT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF USING 8% FUNDING TO DO DESIGN WORK FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, I THINK IT'S PREMATURE CUZ WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THE
[03:20:01]
C R P C.WE HAVEN'T EVEN REALLY HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA BE IN THE NEXT REFERENDUM.
BUT NUMBER TWO GUYS, I THINK WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE ARE EXTERNAL FORCES.
AS MUCH AS I WANT, I MEAN, I'M A HILTON HEAD, MY KID'S IN HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M A PARENT AND A, UH, BOARD REPRESENTATIVE.
I AM DESPERATE FOR THE NEXT REFER TO PASS.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN IF IT DOESN'T, AND WE WILL HAVE TAKEN MONEY OUT OF OUR 8% PROJECTS TO HAVE PLANS.
AND THEN IF THE REFEREND DOESN'T PASS, WHAT DO WE DO? AND THE THIRD THING IS THAT THAT 8% MONEY IS INADEQUATE FOR OUR CURRENT MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
AND AS MUCH AS PARENTS, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, I DON'T, NO, I DO, I HAVE PA UM, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE IN MOBILES FROM THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO I DON'T HEAR ABOUT THAT AS MUCH.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, WHAT I HEAR ABOUT CONSTANTLY FROM PARENTS, FROM STAFF, FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IS WHY CAN'T WE GET THIS DOOR TO WORK? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING? WE HAVEN'T HAD AIR CONDITIONING THIS BUILDING FOR, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS.
I'VE PUT IN A MAINTENANCE TICKET AND THEY SAID THEY CAN'T GET TO IT FOR A YEAR.
WE CAN'T KEEP BUILDING IF WE CAN'T MAINTAIN IT.
SO TAKING THE 20 TO 25 MILLION PER YEAR THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND ON MAINTENANCE FOR 35 SCHOOLS AND DIRECTING THAT TO DESIGNING SOMETHING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT PASS TO ME, SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR SOME POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. HEY, COLONEL GEIER? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND.
UH, WHEN I CAME ON THE BOARD FOUR YEARS AGO, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 20 MILLION IN 8% BORROWING CAPACITY.
TODAY WE HAVE ROUGHLY HOW MANY MILLION DOLLARS AND HUNDRED HUNDRED MILLION IN BORROWING CAPACITY FOR 8% MONEY.
SECONDLY, THE BUILDING PERMITTING PROCESS AND THE DESIGN WORK IS A EX EXTENSIVE, TAKES EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THE PUBLIC, UH, FEEDBACK.
YOU'VE GOTTA GO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS, UH, PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO HIRE A ARCHITECT.
AND IF WE STARTED NOW, AND WE, THIS IS, THIS IS BACK ON WHAT WE DID WHEN WE, UH, GAVE 8% MONEY AT THIS TIME FOUR YEARS AGO, WE HAD IT JUST READY TO GO.
AND WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS GOING TO COST SO THAT WE COULD PUT THAT INTO THE REFERENDUM WITH, YOU KNOW, IN MOST GOVERNMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU DO DESIGN WORK FIRST AND THEN YOU GO AND APPROPRIATE THE MONEY SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST.
THIS IS A PERFECT USE OF 8% MONEY BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO USE OUR, UH, CREDIT CARD, IF YOU WILL, OUR 8% BORROWING CAPACITY THAT WE, FOR THE NEW MEMBERS, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET PUBLIC APPROVAL TO, UH, AUTHORIZE 8% MONEY.
THAT'S, UH, THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD.
AND SO THIS MAKES IT MORE RESPONSIVE AND IT MAKES IT, AND, AND OH, BY THE WAY, 8% MONEY GETS PAID OFF IN FIVE YEARS, NOT 25 YEARS.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WE HAVE NOW A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE WE BUILT SCHOOLS WITH 8% MONEY THAT WE HAVE NOW PAID OFF.
BUT IF, IF WE DON'T DO THIS AND WE WAIT, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AND SAY THAT SAY IT DOESN'T PASS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PROBABLY BUILD THOSE SCHOOLS OR THAT ONE SCHOOL WITH 8% MONEY, AND THAT'S GONNA COST US 40 50 MILLION.
SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE DO THIS AND WHY, WHY WE DO, AND WE SHOULD DO THIS, UH, TO USE 8% MONEY BEFORE THIS.
AND IT, IT REALLY MAKES NO IMPACT ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR BUDGET FOR OUR, UM, MAINTENANCE.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF CAPACITY FOR THE BUDGET.
WE COULD RAISE THAT UP TO 25, 30 MILLION A YEAR JUST SIMPLY BY AUTHORIZING THAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE THAT IT'S A, UH, A BAD MOVE, A STRATEGIC MOVE.
UM, THE CENSUS DATA BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, EXCUSE ME, SHOWED THAT BLUFFTON HAD THE ABS THE HIGHEST ABSOLUTE INFLOW OF CITIZENS IN THE WHOLE STATE.
UH, IT IS PROJECTED BY 2030 CENSUS.
IT POTENTIALLY COULD BE PUSHING
[03:25:01]
AT OR PAST HILTON HEAD IN TERMS OF TOTAL POPULATION.UM, AND, AND I REALLY THINK THAT, UM, WITH THE, UM, 8% WITH THE BORROWING CAPACITY, WHICH IS LEGITIMATE USE OF FUNDING AND IT'S A LOT EASIER.
UM, I THINK TO GET AHEAD OF IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT I, SO WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE, I'LL VOTE FOR, HOWEVER, I WOULD ADD A COUPLE OF FOOTNOTES.
ONE IS I WOULD REQUEST, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR HIS CONSIDERATION TO ACTUALLY DO THE SAME ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE FOR BLUFFTON FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY SO THAT OTHER AREAS SEE WHAT THE PROJECTIONS LOOKED LIKE AND WHY THERE MAY BE A VERY LOT, NOT MAYBE THERE VERY LOGICAL REASON AS, UH, MR. CAMPBELL NOTED, UH, FOR, FOR WHERE THE CAPITAL DOLLARS FLOW.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, UM, TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT, UH, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, UH, DR.
RODRIGUEZ TO ACTUALLY TAKE THAT COUNTYWIDE SO EVERY PARTICULAR MUNICIPALITY CAN SEE WHAT THE DATA SUGGESTS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
AND SO THAT WILL, THAT WILL, THAT WILL SORT OF BE THE FOUNDATION FOR MY VOTE.
ROSKI, I WAS JUST GONNA TOUCH ON A COUPLE THINGS BASED ON WHAT COLONEL BYER SAID AND, UM, MY OTHER COLLEAGUES IN REGARD TO THE, THE DESIGN WORK THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE.
UM, IN THE PAST, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THAT TAKES MONTHS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT OUT AN R F P, YOU'VE GOTTA ELICIT THOSE RESPONSES.
YOU'VE GOTTA THEN CHOOSE WHO YOU'RE GOING TO UTILIZE.
SO THAT IS A, A MULTI-MONTH LONG PROCESS.
UM, AND CLEARLY THE NEEDS ARE GREAT.
WE'VE KNOWN THE NEEDS ARE GREAT FOR A LONG TIME IN THE BLUFFTON AREA, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER CONCERNS COUNTYWIDE LIKE MS. BOATWRIGHT MENTIONED WITH OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
AND TO COLONEL GEIERS POINT, WE DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY AS A BOARD TO RAISE, UM, WHAT THE AMOUNT IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW FOR THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
SO I DO THINK THAT SHOULD BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, WE NEED TO LET OTHERS KNOW THAT THAT IS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
IT'S ALL IN THE, UM, PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT THERE TO PEOPLE.
SO LET THEM KNOW WE'RE NOT NEGLECTING OR, UM, TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE OTHER NEEDS THAT OUR CURRENT FACILITIES HAVE.
BUT THAT BLUFFTON HAS A NEED THAT WE NEED TO GET A JUMP ON.
UM, AND IN REGARD TO SELLING THE REFERENDUM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO FAIL, UM, OR PASS, HAVING THE DESIGN WORK DONE IN ADVANCE IS A MOVE THAT IS DONE AND ALSO REQUIRED IN SOME STATES.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THAT MOST OF THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT SEE PASSAGE RATES ARE DOING DESIGN WORK IN ADVANCE BECAUSE THEY CAN USE THAT AS PR, THEY CAN SHOW THOSE DESIGNS, THEY CAN TAKE THOSE TO THEIR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THEY CAN SELL THAT CONCEPT AND THAT NEW VISION FOR A NEW SCHOOL TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, SO I'D JUST LIKE US TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
UH, AND ALSO CONSIDER DOING, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE UH, RANDOM SURVEY IN REGARD TO WHAT THE PUBLIC WILL SUPPORT IN TERMS OF TOTAL DOLLARS.
MS. BOAT, RIGHT? JUST RESPONDING TO THAT AS WELL.
I WASN'T AWARE THAT WE HAD A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, 80% FUNDING IF WE, CUZ I'VE LOOKED AT, I'VE SPENT TWO YEARS NOW GOING OVER THAT 8% LIST AND IT IS A LONG AND EXTENSIVE LIST AND THERE ARE THINGS ON THERE FROM 2013 THAT ARE, HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THEY CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE TOP OF THE LIST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
WE APPROVED 1.5 MILLION IN ONE OF THE YEARS.
I CAN'T GET, IT GETS CONFUSING CUZ WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU DO IT FOR TWO YEARS FROM NOW, BUT IT WAS, I THINK MY FIRST YEAR, UH, OPERATIONS, WE APPROVED 1.5 MILLION FOR BATHROOM REPAIRS, WHICH AS A PARENT, I CAN TELL YOU IS A VERY BIG CONCERN.
SO THERE WERE, THEY IDENTIFIED I THINK SIX HIGH PRIORITY SCHOOLS THAT NEEDED BATHROOM REPAIRS.
I THINK SHANKLIN WAS ONE OF 'EM.
I THINK HILTON HEAD, UM, HIGH SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THEM THERE, IT WAS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
THAT MONEY GOT DIVERTED TO A DIFFERENT BATHROOM PROJECT.
THOSE HIGH PRIORITY BATHROOM PROJECTS FROM 2018 ARE STILL SITTING ON THAT LIST.
AND I CAN ATTEST PERSONALLY TO HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL'S BATHROOM SITUATION IS DIRE.
SO WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO CAUSE WE CAN ONLY DO 25 MILLION A YEAR.
NOW IT'S LIKE, WELL WE HAVE A HUNDRED MILLION A YEAR, SO LET'S DESIGN SOME NEW SCHOOLS.
AND I'M JUST SAYING EVERY DROP OF 8% THAT WE HAVE, IN MY OPINION, NEEDS TO GO TO ALL THIS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
BECAUSE WHEN PARENTS GO IN, AND I'M SURE PEOPLE HAVE HEARD FROM THEIR C R P C UH REPRESENTATIVES, IT'S MAINTENANCE THAT SHOCKS PEOPLE.
IT'S THE OVERGROWTH, IT'S THE BROKEN FURNITURE IN THE HALLWAY.
IT'S THE FACT THAT THE FURNITURE WAS BOUGHT 25 YEARS AGO.
IT'S THE CRACKS IN THE FLOOR AND THE CEILING TILES AND THE WATER DRIPPING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HALLWAYS.
THAT IS MORE OF A CONCERN THAN THE GROWTH.
I THINK IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE MORE, UH, DESIGN WORK IN THE FIRST REFERENDUM.
[03:30:01]
CUZ CLEARLY WE TALKED ABOUT IT.WE HAVE DESIGN WORK FOR HILTON HEAD HIGH.
WE HAVE DESIGN WORK FOR, UH, MAY RIVER CAPE PROGRAM.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF DIVERTING MONEY FROM DEFERRED MAINTENANCE TO DESIGN WORK FOR MUCH NEEDED CAPACITY.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE COMING THROUGH THE SEAMS IN BLUFFTON AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SOME MOVES ON THAT WAY.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED TO TELL PEOPLE, YOU'VE GOT TO VOTE FOR THIS REFERENDUM TO ACCOMMODATE THIS GROWTH.
BUT I CANNOT SUPPORT TAKING MONEY OUT AWAY FROM THINGS THAT I THINK ARE MUCH MORE, UM, SHORT-TERM CRITICAL.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING TOO.
I JUST WANNA PUT SOME CLARIFICATION OUT THERE.
AS YOU'RE ALL HAVING YOUR DIALOGUE.
WE, WE DO NOT HAVE A HUNDRED MILLION PER YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE A HUNDRED MILLION TOTAL.
RIGHT? AND, AND IN THAT A HUNDRED MILLION, SOME OF THAT CAN'T REALLY BE SPENT CUZ IT HAS TO BE KEPT, UH, UH, UNRE RESERVED.
I JUST, AS YOU'RE, AS YOU'RE HAVING THAT DIALOGUE, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR, FOR EVERYBODY.
I WAS TRYING TO QUICKLY GO BACK TO THE D DAY PRESENTATION FROM BRIAN NERK THAT I HAVE IN MY BRIEFCASE.
AND AS I RECALL, HE SAID THAT IT DID LOOK LIKE WE COULD PROBABLY GO UP TO LIKE 25 MILLION.
UM, WE HAD BEEN AROUND THE 20 MILLION MARK FOR THE 8% AND THEN THEN 25 WE COULD, I THINK EASILY GO UP TO 25.
DIDN'T WE VOTE 25 MILLION? I THOUGHT WE DID VOTE THAT IN.
SO, SO MY, I HEARD EVERYBODY
MY CONCERN IS THAT HERE WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION TODAY AND RECOMMENDED ORDER OF NEW BUILDINGS.
ONE IS THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY AS NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND NUMBER THREE IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
NOW WE HAVE FOCUSED NOW ON THE NUMBER TWO.
AND WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THESE GRAPHS PREVIOUSLY, IT LOOKED LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE MORE PRESSING PR PRESSING ISSUE.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHAT THE STAFF BROUGHT OUT HERE.
RODRIGUEZ, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRIORITY IN BLUFFTON VERSUS, UH, THE HIGH SCHOOL? YEAH.
REQUIREMENTS OR NEEDS? I THINK, YEAH, I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES IS, UH, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE SOME SPACE FOR, UH, FOR, FOR SOME EXPANSION AT A HIGH SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE, UH, IF YOU KNOW WHEN A NEW CAPE FACILITY GOES IN, UH, AT AT AT MAY RIVER, WHICH WE'RE DOING DESIGN WORK NOW, THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE CAPACITY IN THAT SCHOOL, UH, AUTOMATICALLY, RIGHT? SO THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE SOME, SOME RELIEF IN THAT SENSE AS WELL.
UH, YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO GO IN MOST OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE IS NO ROOM ANYMORE.
VICTORVILLE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM FOR MOBILES.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, BEEN USED UP BECAUSE YOU STILL WANT TO HAVE SOME GREEN SPACE FOR, UH, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AND THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE NEEDS FOR, FOR, UH, ELEMENTARY, UH, FIRST TO SORT OF PROVIDE THAT, THAT SPACE.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD? WELL, NO, YOU COVERED IT PRETTY WELL.
I, I'D JUST SAY THAT, UH, WHAT WE EXPERIENCE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL OR WHO'S HAVING THE MOST TROUBLE IS THE ELEMENTARY, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE DEALING WITH THE EXPANSION AND HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO DEAL WITH IT.
AND ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, LIKE AT MCCRACKEN OR EVEN AT MAY RIVER, IF WE HAD TO, WE HAVE SPACE FOR MOBILES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SPACE AT PRI ORVILLE.
I MEAN, I, I'M, WE'RE RUNNING OUT AND IT'S, THAT AREA IS CONTINUING TO GROW.
SO THAT, THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM.
AND OKEE, I HAVE TO SAY, IS GONNA BE RIGHT BEHIND IT.
UM, AND SO A NEW SCHOOL IN MAY RIVER, UM, SINCE OKEE IS ACTUALLY IN MAY RIVER'S, UH, ATTEND, YOU KNOW, FEEDER ZONE, UM, WE'LL BE BUILDING THIS SCHOOL EXACTLY WHERE THE GROWTH IS.
SO YOU COULD GET ALL THOSE NEW RIVERSIDE TO GO TO THAT NEW SCHOOL.
SO IT, IT REALLY, UM, YES, THAT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING IT PRIOR TO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND FOR A HIGH SCHOOL, QUITE HONESTLY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO PUT ONE IF WE WERE GONNA LOOK AT ONE AND, UH, IT'S ALSO A MUCH MORE DRASTIC STEP JUST BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE.
TALKING ABOUT AN ELEMENTARY IS ABOUT 800 KIDS, YOU KNOW, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU'RE TALKING A THOUSAND KIDS NOW.
A HIGH SCHOOL YOU MAY BE TALKING 1500.
SO YOU NEED TO BUILD UP MORE OF A NEED BEFORE YOU TAKE THAT STEP.
BEFORE, LET'S PAUSE CUZ WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE HAD A MOTION AND COLONEL GEIER HAS ONE.
SO LET'S HAVE THE MOTION AND WE CAN CONTINUE DISCUSSION.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD WILL COMMIT THE USE OF 8% BORROWING AUTHORITY TO FUND THE DESIGN WORK FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE MAY RIVER
[03:35:01]
CAMPUS.OKAY, SO COLONEL GEIER MADE THE MOTION AND, AND, UH, DR.
WISNESKI, UH, SECOND THE MOTION.
I GO, WE'LL GO OVER THIS WAY CUZ MORE OF US HAVE BEEN TALKING OVER THIS WAY.
UM, SO AS I UNDERSTAND, UH, UH, MR. GUYER, YOU SAID THAT IF WE, IF THE REFERENDUM DOES NOT PASS, WE'RE GONNA WIND UP USING 8% MONEY TO PAY FOR A SCHOOL ANYWAYS.
SO IF WE DO THE DESIGN WORK NOW, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE WASTED EFFORT.
UH, AND IF SOME HA SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE HAVE TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, HOW MUCH OF THIS EFFORT IS GONNA HAVE TO BE DUPLICATED IF WE WAIT YEARS? I MEAN, SINCE THE DESIGN IS ALREADY OUT THERE, IS IT GONNA SIT ON THE SHELF OR IS IT GONNA HAVE TO BE LIKE, COMPLETELY REDONE IF WE DECIDE TO KICK THE CAN FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD? PROBABLY, UH, ROBERT, YOU CAN COME UP AND THIS IS YOUR AREA MORE, YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY BIT PROBABLY IF, IF, IF IT WENT DOWN THE ROAD, PRICING WILL BE DIFFERENT ON, UH, ON A, ON A FACILITY FOR SURE.
BUT, WELL, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS IF WE DID THE DESIGN WORK AND ALREADY HAD IT PERMITTED, MOST OF THOSE WILL LAST A YEAR.
SO WE COULD, WE COULD GO THROUGH ANOTHER CYCLE IF WE HAD TO AND WAIT.
UM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE, WE'D HAVE TO REVISIT THINGS IF WE WENT MUCH BEYOND A YEAR, I WOULD SAY.
AND PART TWO, UH, IS, UM, FOR THE LAST REFERENDUM, HOW MUCH DOES, DOES THE, DOES THE DESIGN PROCESS COST? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? SO FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WELL, UH, JUST SAY THE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU'RE TALKING IN THE THREE TO 4 MILLION RANGE FOR AN ELEMENTARY, YOU'RE TALKING IN THE ONE TO TWO.
AND IT'S ALSO HOW FAR INTO THE DESIGN, JUST DUE TO THE, WHERE WE ARE IN TIME RIGHT NOW, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET, IF, IF YOU TELL US TODAY TO GO, WE'LL GO, BUT WE WON'T GET ALL THE WAY TO COMPLETE BY THE TIME OF THE REFERENDUM.
SO I WOULD SAY, I'M THINKING WE NEED ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF, UM, FOR THE PORTION THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND THE REFERENDUM.
I WAS LISTENING TO, UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT AND I HAD SOME CONCERNS AS WELL AND NOT HAVING INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME.
UH, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BATHROOM SITUATIONS, UH, RESTROOM SITUATIONS, MR. ROBERTS, UH, OUTING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SCHOOL THAT'S AT LEAST 60 YEARS OLD AND THEY CONTINUALLY HAVE THOSE ISSUES AT THE SCHOOL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE THINGS THAT WERE ON THE SHELF GET TAKEN CARE OF.
I DO UNDERSTAND ABOUT GROWTH AND FUTURE, BUT WHAT ABOUT RIGHT NOW? UH, OUR TEACHERS, OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN, PARENTS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WALK INTO SCHOOLS WHERE THE BATHROOMS HAVE OVERFLOWN CUZ IT'S STILL SITTING ON THE SHELF.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE THOSE ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND I'M, I'M REALLY WITH THIS BOATWRIGHT UNTIL I'M SATISFIED THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEARED, UH, PROPOSALS TO DO WHAT WE PROMISED, UH, SCHOOLS AND PARENTS THAT WE DO BEFORE I VOTE FOR GOING INTO A FUTURISTIC, UH, SCHOOL.
AGAIN, WHEN OUR KIDS, UH, AND OTHER SCHOOLS GET, YOU KNOW, THE SHORT END OF THE STICK, THEY'LL BEEN A BRAND NEW SCHOOL, TALLEST AND FLUSH AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY BACK TO ME.
SO I AGREE WITH MS. BOATRIGHT, MR. SMITH AND I, UM, ACTUALLY I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND, AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF, ACTUALLY, I'VE, UH, BEEN ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE FOR A MAJORITY OF MY TIME ON THE WELL BOY FOR TWO YEARS OF, OF, OF MY FIRST FOUR YEARS ON THE BOARD.
AND I'VE STILL STAYED WITH IT.
AND, UH, ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN REMINDED OF EVERY TIME I GO TO PEOPLE, THE HIGH SCHOOL AND, AND, UH, EVERY TIME I GO TO PEOPLE HIGH SCHOOL TO A BASKETBALL GAME, I GO RIGHT INTO THE, THE BATHROOM.
AND I, THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE THE OTHER DAY, I HAD A DAD THAT SAY, OH MAN, YOU A BOARD MEMBER.
OH MAN, WHAT'S THE SMELL? AND YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DRIVING THERE, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR SOME TIME NOW.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE I'VE, YOU KNOW, TALKED TO THE DEAF AIR.
I MEAN, LIKE, WHY SHOULD WE WALK IN A PRACTICALLY, ALMOST NOT LONG AGO HIGH SCHOOL THAT WAS BUILT WITHIN THE TWO THOUSANDS AND THE BATHROOM, THE SMELL THAT COMES OUT OF THERE IS JUST GOD AWFUL, YOU KNOW? AND TO GET CALLED OUT ABOUT IT AND ACTUALLY BE AT A GAME, IT'S RATHER EMBARRASSING FOR ME TO, TO VOTE TODAY TO DO THAT.
WE, I WOULD BE TOO C CUTTING MY CONSTITUENTS AND CUTTING OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY, UH, SHORT.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID EARLIER, AS
[03:40:01]
IN IT'S OKAY TO BRING THIS INFORMATION UP FORWARD, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THAT ARE, THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN HOW WE ARE TACKLING ALL OF IT.AND IT IS NOT AS A ONE SIZE SHOE FIT ALL, BUT, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENCOMPASSING EVERYONE BECAUSE EVERYONE AND EVERYBODY DOES MADNESS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I TOO FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, DO HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS, UH, ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THERE'S GROWTH, BUT THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS AND WITH 8% MONEY THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
UH, AS I'M LISTENING TO THIS, UH, DIALOGUE, MY SENSE IS THAT PROCEEDING WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN BLUFFTON AND, UH, ADDRESSING THE BATHROOM ISSUES ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
I THINK WITH 25 MILLION, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DISCHARGE ALL OF THOSE.
AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, BECAUSE I CERTAINLY HEARD, UH, AT THE S I C THERE'S A LOT OF PASSION ABOUT SOME OF THE LENGTH OF THOSE ISSUES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
SO I WOULD HOPE WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AND SAY BOTH OF 'EM CAN BE DONE.
SMITH, GO AHEAD AND SPEAK ABOUT IT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, ROBERT, I'M TRYING TO PULL UP, IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE HUNDRED AND 70 MILLION RANGE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE ON OUR LIST RIGHT NOW FOR 8%.
I KNOW IT'S LIKE 40 MILLION IN FURNITURE ALONE, RIGHT? CAN YOU I'M TRYING TO PULL THAT UP OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
OH, I, I DON'T WELL, IN ALL, IN PAST YEARS, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR 10 YEAR PLAN AND HOW MUCH IS IN THERE, IT'S 300 AND SOMETHING MILLION.
OUR F C A THAT WAS JUST DONE, SAYS RIGHT NOW TO, OF CURRENT NEEDS.
THERE'S A HUNDRED MILLION IN CURRENT NEEDS RIGHT NOW IN THE FCA.
NOW THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM WINDOWS BEING REPLACED TO FLOORS, TO, TO FIRE ALARMS, TO AIR CONDITIONING, THE WHOLE GA.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS BATHROOMS,
I AS FAR FIND OUT, I, I'LL PULL UP THE SHEET, I'VE GOT IT HERE, BUT IT WILL BE A SMALLER PORTION OF THAT AS FAR AS BATHROOMS THAT ARE, YEAH.
WHAT THE OTHER THING IS, WHAT I WANTED TO RESPOND TO AS WELL IS, UM, WHEN I'VE TALKED TO STAFF, THIS IS ACTUALLY A BIG CONCERN FOR STAFF AND IT, IT, WE NEED TO BUILD THESE SCHOOLS AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT, UM, EXPRESSLY.
IT'S JUST WHEN YOU GO AND TALK TO STAFF, IT IS DEMORALIZING WHEN YOU ARE WORKING IN A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS NOT WORKED FOR A YEAR.
THAT IS DIFFICULT WHEN, AND I KNOW THAT MR. PIRO, BILL PIRO FROM THE C R P C SAID THAT THEY'RE ALREADY, UM, IDENTIFIED 300 MILLION WORTH OF AIR CONDITIONING REPAIRS AND AND WHATNOT WITH THIS THING.
SO IT'S A, YEAH, 30 HE SAID 300.
I THOUGHT THAT SOUNDED LIKE A LOT.
I SHOULD QUESTION OUR CITIZEN REPORTERS.
THAT MAKES MY, THAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE 300.
UM, IT IS, UH, SORRY THAT I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
IT'S, UM, BUT WHAT THEY TELL ME IS THAT LIKE WE DO SCHOOL TOURS AT HILTON HEAD AND FAMILIES COME IN IF YOU BREAK, TAKE 'EM INTO SCHOOL AND THE FURNITURE IS FROM THE SEVENTIES AND THE FLOORS ARE WARPED AND THE BUILDINGS, BATHROOMS DON'T WORK.
I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE HURTING OURSELVES IN THE LONG TERM BY NOT PUTTING, IF WE HAVE AVAILABLE MORE MONEY, BECAUSE WHAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD IS THAT WE CAN ONLY GO UP TO 25 MILLION, ET CETERA.
IF WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE MONEY, WE NEED TO DO MORE TO GET THESE BUILDINGS, UM, THAT ARE PR THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO REPLACE, UM, IN TERMS OF THAT.
SO, AND THEN THE OTHER THIRD THING I'LL SAY IS WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM IF, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID, IF WE DON'T PASS THIS REFERENDUM, WHICH I THINK WE WILL, I I HAVE CONFIDENCE WE WILL.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY MUCH ON BOARD WITH THE REFERENDUM.
UM, BUT THERE ARE EXTERNAL FORCES AND THERE'S SOME ECONOMIC HEADWINDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A 40 MILLION SCHOOL, I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ON MAY RIVER, KATE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT HILTON HEAD HIGH.
SO WE CAN'T JUST BE LIKE, WELL, WE'LL JUST USE THAT 40 MILLION TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL.
I MEAN, I, THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THIS THING IN THE APPROPRIATE, UH, MANNER.
SO I GUESS THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MR. SMITH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT TOO, AS, AS WELL.
ALSO, UM, I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION TOO AS WELL WAS WHEN I, I REMEMBER WHEN I, MY FIRST, IN MY FIRST YEAR ON THERE, I REMEMBER, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS, I BELIEVE, UM, WHEN MR. SSON, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE WERE VOTING TO OVERSEE SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND THEN LEADING UP TO THE SECOND YEAR ON THERE,
[03:45:01]
AND BASICALLY, IF YOU ARE NOT FIXING IT, THEN IT'S, IT IS, YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU, YOU TALK ABOUT DEPRECIATING OR YOU TALKING ABOUT IS GETTING IN A WORSE, WORSE CONDITION.SO NOW YOU, NOW NOW WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH OR WE ARE DEFINITELY AN END AND END UP GOING TO HAVE TO EITHER REPLACE THOSE THINGS ON THIS SIDE OR, OR WHEREVER THOSE, THOSE, UH, ISSUES ARE.
AND, AND, AND SAYING THAT TO, TO NOT TO PROLONG IT.
MY POINT IS THIS, IF THOSE THINGS WERE ON 8% LIST BECAUSE THEY WERE IMPORTANT THEN AND WE DIDN'T GET TO IT, THEN HOW OVER THE, OVER THE, WITHIN THE COURSE OF THE COUPLE YEARS THAT WE'RE JUST JUMPING OVER IT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA JUST TAKE FIGHT ON THIS NOW.
SO WE HAVE TO ALSO TAKE IN PERCEPTIVE IS THE 8% LIST REALLY EMERGENCY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE? BECAUSE IF IT IS, WHAT ABOUT THE STUFF THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE THAT HAS BEEN ON THERE FOR YEARS? WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT AND WHAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION FOR IT? WE ACTUALLY EVEN BEING ON THAT LIST, YOU KNOW, IF IF WE'VE, IF WE'VE, THERE'S STUFF THAT'S ON THE 8% LIST FROM WHEN I FIRST CAME ON IT, THAT'S STILL ON THERE.
YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW, HOW REALLY IMPORTANT IS IT FOR THOSE THINGS TO GET DONE BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING BEHIND.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO PUT OUT THERE.
I WAS GONNA CALL THE QUESTION
UM, SO THE ROMAN IN WHICH I WORK IS IN K-12 REFERENDA.
SO I, I KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
AND SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT AGING FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE.
OF COURSE, BEAUFORT COUNTY WANTS TO SEE, BE SEEN AS THE PILLAR OF EXCELLENCE, RIGHT? SO, UH, THE BUCK STARTS WITH, STOPS WITH US AS THE SCHOOL BOARD AND AS THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
SO IF WE SEE AN ISSUE WITH THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING AND THAT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, THEN WE NEED TO START AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL AND START WORKING ON THAT CHARGE.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST THE, THE ONE STATEMENT I WOULD MAKE IN REGARD TO THAT.
AND THEN ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT IN OTHER LOCALITIES, UM, THEIR FUNDING MECHANISMS ARE DIFFERENT FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY AND PROJECTS.
SOUTH CAROLINA, THE STATE DOES NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE ARE LIMITED TO OUR 8% FUNDS OR REFERENDA.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE OTHERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THINGS AND IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE THEY'VE GOT GREAT STUFF GOING ON, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE DON'T.
UM, SO I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THE BUCK STOPS WITH US OPERATIONS COMMITTEE GO FORTH AND CONQUER.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD.
WE'RE GONNA CALL THE QUESTION THE MOTIONS, UH, DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.
UH, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD WILL COMMIT THE USE OF 8% BORROWING AUTHORITY TO FUND THE DESIGN WORK FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
SO LET'S SAY, KEEP YOUR HANDS UP.
SO WE HAVE CAMPBELL NAY, GUS GEIER WAS NASKI AND DALLAS, ALL THOSE WHO SAY NO, WE HAVE GORDON, SMITH AND BOATRIGHT, AND I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYBODY.
SO THAT IT CARRIES, UH, SIX THREE.
SO NEXT, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR DISCUSSION,
SO NEXT UP WE HAVE THE JOINT BOARD S I C LEFTOVER LIST FROM THE DECEMBER, 2022 MEETING.
SO WE, THE, THE BOARD, UH, HAS A JOINT MEETING WITH THE S I C TWICE, TWICE A YEAR.
AND WE DID THE MEETING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY IN DECEMBER IN THAT WE HAD THE DIFFERENT, UM, SCHOOL LEVELS THAT WOULD BE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, WRITE DOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS OR TOPICS THAT THEY THINK, UH, THEY WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO ADDRESS.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THE TOPICS WE DISCUSSED SOME AT THE MEETING, WE PICKED, UH, THE MOST COMMON SORT OF, UH, UH, TOPICS THAT SEEMED TO BE MORE THAN ONE GROUP WAS INTERESTED IN.
AND A LOT OF THE TOPICS WERE ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL ISSUES THAT HAVE WENT TO DR.
LIKE LET'S SAY, UH, THERE WERE ANALS ON THE PLAYGROUND, OR, UH, THAT I THINK WAS ONE OF 'EM AT ONE OF THE SCHOOLS.
SO AN AGENDA SETTING FOR, TO TODAY'S WORK SESSION.
THE, UH, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WENT OVER ALL THE PROJECT LIST, OR EXCUSE ME, ALL THE ITEMS THAT WERE LISTED, UH, BY THE SICS AT THAT MIGHT MEETING.
AND REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS HOLDOVER THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS TODAY WAS THE LARGER SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE MORE SROS.
[03:50:01]
THE CONVERSATION.YEAH, I THINK I CAN JUST SHARE A LITTLE INSIGHT, UH, FOR YOU.
UH, NOT OPPOSED AT ALL TO AN ADDITIONAL S R AT OUR, UH, LARGER SCHOOLS.
UM, THE, THE SR REMEMBER, UH, WE HAVE ARMED, UH, SECURITY GUARDS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE SROS AT MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND WE HAVE SROS AT HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND, AND THE BOARDS INTENT IS TO, AND, AND THE GOVERNOR'S INTENT, I BELIEVE ALSO IS TO HAVE SROS AT ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AT ALL SCHOOLS.
UH, THE REASON, UH, IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES OF SROS, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT? UH, MUNICIPALITIES, YOU KNOW, ARE DEALING WITH THEIR OWN VACANCIES AND, AND, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SAME THING DEALING WITH VACANCIES IN, IN IN THEIR, UH, UH, RESPECTIVE CAPACITIES.
SO, UM, USED TO BE THAT, UH, THEY WOULD PROVIDE YOU WITH FUNDING.
THE STATE WOULD PROVIDE YOU WITH FUNDING FOR TWO ADDITIONAL SROS, UH, EVERY YEAR.
UH, SO THAT A, YOU CAN, YOU CAN FILL IT.
COLUMN IS THE EIGHT LOCAL AGENCIES, UH, CAN'T FILL IT, RIGHT? SO, E EVEN THOUGH, UH, WE'RE PROVIDED WITH THAT FUNDING, THEY CAN'T FILL IT AT THE MOMENT.
I KNOW THAT, UM, SLED HAS RECENTLY, UH, BELIEVE GRANTED, UH, UH, OUR SHERIFF'S, UH, DEPARTMENT HERE IN BEAUFORT WITH THE ABILITY TO OPEN UP, UH, AN ACADEMY, UH, LOCALLY, WHICH WILL PROVIDE, UH, TRAINING FOR SROS.
AND THERE'S VARIOUS CLASSIFICATIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE TECHNICALITIES OF WHAT THEY'RE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S CLASS A, CLASS B, THEY HAVE THE SAME ARREST POWERS.
THEY HAVE THE SAME, UH, UH, UH, POWERS AS A, UH, NORMAL S R O ON ROAD PATROL, IF YOU WILL.
THERE ARE SOME NUANCES ABOUT WHETHER IT'S ON, UH, PUBLIC PROPERTY OR PRIVATE PROPERTY OR OTHER LEVEL NUANCES LIKE THAT, WHICH WOULD NOT AFFECT US OR, OR THOSE SROS IN OUR AREA.
THERE ARE SOME NUANCES, UH, UH, WITHIN THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WOULD NOT AFFECT HAVING THE, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT THEIR POLICING HOURS, UH, WITHIN OUR BUILDINGS.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UH, UH, STARTING THAT ACADEMY PROBABLY, UH, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE IN THE SPRING, UH, EARLY SUMMER, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, OFFICERS, SROS, UH, FOR THE FALL, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY CONNECT.
AND SO TO MAKE IT MORE APPEALING, UH, UH, TO MORE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT WANT TO, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN DO THAT.
UH, UH, BUFORT POLICE DEPARTMENT, BLUFFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, I KNOW FOR SURE ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL, SO THAT CANDIDATES FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE MUNICIPALITIES WOULD GO THROUGH THIS ACADEMY AND THEN BE, UH, PROPERLY CREDENTIALED, UH, TO BE AN S R O IN OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH THEY BELIEVE AND HOPEFULLY WILL PLAY OUT THAT, UH, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SROS THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO OUR SCHOOLS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATE, BECAUSE THIS IS A, UH, OBVIOUSLY A NATIONWIDE ISSUE, THE, THE, THE AVAILABILITY OF SROS RIGHT OUT THERE, UM, FILL THESE, THESE POSITIONS AT SCHOOLS THAT MAY NOT HAVE 'EM.
UM, SLED HAS, I BELIEVE, UH, PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, IF YOU RECALL, EXCUSE ME A SECOND, I'M GET MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
IF YOU RECALL, BEFORE THE RULE WAS THAT IT HAD TO GO INTO A SCHOOL THAT DID NOT HAVE AN S R O PRIOR.
I BELIEVE THEY'VE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT SOME FLEXIBILITY AROUND THAT, SO YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO GO ONE PLACE THAT DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
UH, BUT IN ADDITION, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT FLEXIBILITY, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THESE DOLLARS, UH, AND MANY PEOPLE CAN'T FILL 'EM, RIGHT?
[03:55:01]
UH, THEY DO MORE THAN TWO A YEAR POSSIBLY.IS THAT TANYA? IS THAT FAIR? A CERTAIN RENEWAL? A COUPLE MONTHS.
SO, SO THE POSSIBILITY DOES EXIST THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO MORE, UH, THAN JUST TWO A YEAR CAPITALIZING ON THOSE DOLLARS AND THE NEW FLEXIBILITY THAT SLED IS GONNA BE PROVIDING AROUND THAT.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE IN TERMS OF HOW, HOW THIS, UH, PARTICULAR ITEM, LARGER SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE MORE SROS.
I THINK THAT WAS TARGETED AT HIGH SCHOOLS, UH, PRIMARILY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE IF, IF THAT ACADEMY ACTUALLY IS ABLE TO PAN OUT, UH, ADDITIONAL SROS THAN, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW, RIGHT? SO I THINK THERE'S GREAT, GREAT POSSIBILITY IT'S HERE LOCAL.
THERE MAY BE, UH, RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED MILITARY WHO, UH, MAY BE INTERESTED IN, IN THAT.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE AREAS THEY'RE LOOKING TO TARGET AND CAPITALIZE ON, UH, BECAUSE THEY COULD END UP WITH, UH, A TEACHER CALENDAR, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? THEY COULD END UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THERE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT I THINK MAYBE VERY MARKETABLE, UH, TO PEOPLE WITH AN INTEREST THAT ALREADY HAVE SOME EXPERTISE.
AND, AND THEY'LL GO THROUGH THAT TRAINING.
UH, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY, UH, SAME LEVEL OF TRAINING AND, UH, UH, WOULD BE, WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
WISNESKI, I WAS JUST GONNA KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT RIGHT AT THE END THERE, BECAUSE IT SAYS LARGER SCHOOLS.
SO WHEN I THINK LARGER SCHOOLS, I THINK MORE KIDS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR ON WHAT THE TARGET WAS, IF IT'S GONNA BE HIGH SCHOOLS, WHICH I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF, UM, IN-SCHOOL INCIDENTS OCCUR.
I THINK, UH, UH, AND I, AND, AND JUST TO CLARIFY FOR YOU A LITTLE BIT, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO, INTO THIS PART OF IT, BUT, UH, A STRATEGIC, UH, UH, OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE TO ME IS NOT JUST, UH, UH, SIZE OF THE SCHOOL, RIGHT? ALTHOUGH THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THE NATURE OF WHY THIS EVEN CAME UP, RIGHT? BUT IN ADDITION, UH, YOU KNOW, LOCATION OF, OF SCHOOLS AND PROXIMITY TO, UH, OTHER, OTHER RIGHT AREAS, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND I WAS JUST GONNA ADD ONE MORE PIECE, AND THAT'S THAT, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, MAYBE YOU MIGHT WANNA TAKE THIS UP AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ISSUE SUPPORT FOR MR. SMITH.
UM, ALSO, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF A, A, UH, NOW SOLUTION, UM, I KNOW OVER AT, WELL BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S, THEY'RE STILL DOING IT, BUT I KNOW AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THE, BASICALLY THE SCHOOL, THERE WERE A CERTAIN PART IN THE SCHOOL WHERE IT WAS ACTUALLY A SUBSTATION.
AND I, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT IN COLUMBIA AND, AND SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN COLUMBIA, UM, AND, AND I THINK IT WAS, I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE EVIL ELECTION TOO AS WELL, I THINK, I THINK.
BUT ANYWAYS, THEY HAVE SUBS, THEY HAVE SUBSTATIONS WHERE SUBSTATIONS ARE NOT ACTUALLY FOOD STATIONS, BUT SUBSTATIONS ARE BASICALLY WHERE OFFICERS GO AND DO THE REPORTS, OR WHEN THEY CAN'T GO BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY ACTUALLY GO THERE AND THERE'S A PLACE THERE FOR 'EM TO ACTUALLY WORK IN, WRITE UP THEIR REPORTS THAT THEY DON'T WANNA DO IN THE CAR, OR PUT 'EM, TAKE A BREAK.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SROS, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THEIR ROLES AND WHAT THEY DO, THEY WILL TELL YOU, LIKE, THEY, THEY DON'T WANNA BE LOOKED AT AS IN, HEY, I'M COMING TO DISCIPLINE THE KID.
HEY, I'M COMING TO LOCK UP THE KID.
BUT I THINK THAT, UH, THAT WILL BRING A STRONG RAPPORT WITH OFFICERS AND STUDENTS HAVING A MORE OF A ONE-ON-ONE, UH, RELATIONSHIP, AND WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO GO AND WRITE THEIR REPORT AND ALSO POSSIBLY WALK AROUND AND TALK TO THE KIDS AND MEET THE KIDS.
AND I THINK THAT WILL BRING MORE, BRING MORE RELATIONSHIPS OF, UH, THE OFFICERS IN THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY TO TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT WILL BE A GREAT NICHE IF WE COULD HAVE, UM, IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL, IF WE COULD HAVE SOME STATIONS IN ALL OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THAT WILL NOW BRING MORE SUPPORT DURING THE DAYTIME AT, AT THE SCHOOLS.
BECAUSE THOSE OFFICERS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY OUT THERE DEALING OR WRITING REPORTS OR GOING, GOING TO DEAL WITH ISSUES ON, ON, OR DEAL WITH ISSUES ON THE CAMPUS, THEY'RE WRITING SOMETHING HAPPEN ON THE ROAD, DO YOU STILL HAVE ANOTHER OFFICER ON CAMPUS WHO'S ACTUALLY WRITING A REPORT OR DOING SOMETHING? SO THAT'S ANOTHER EYE THAT SHE POSSIBLY DID NOT HAVE, YOU KNOW? UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN, I KNOW EVEN
[04:00:01]
UH, THE ISLAND PLAZA AND THE PENN CENTER, AND WE WOULD KNOW THAT CERTAIN TIMES OR THAT THOSE OFFICERS WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE.AND IF YOU NEEDED ONE OF, YOU COULDN'T, COULDN'T DOW 9 1 1, OR IF YOU RIGHT THE ROAD THAT YOU COULD ALSO POSSIBLY GO BY THE SWING BY THERE.
SO THAT'S JUST A MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, BUT THAT'S JUST ANOTHER THING THAT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT, TO ACTUALLY HELP HELP OUR BOTTOM LINE OUT IS HAVING, HAVING THOSE SUBS, HAVING THOSE SUBSTATIONS AT ALL THOSE HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE THEY ARE LARGE POPULATIONS, AND SOME PLACES WHERE THEY COULD ACTUALLY GET TO GET TO THE BUILDING OR GO TO A CLASSROOM OR OFFICE WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS IT FROM THEIR CAR QUICK AND GET IN THERE AND, AND DO SOMETHING.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THINGS I WANNA PUT OUT THERE.
ROSKI, I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME CONVERSATIONS GOING ON AT COUNTY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW ABOUT POLICE SUBSTATIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS A CONVERSATION CURRENTLY GOING ON.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I, UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A WELCOME SUPPORT, RIGHT? THAT THAT'S NOT A, NOT AN ISSUE FOR ME, BUT, BUT, UH, I LIKE THE IDEA OF KNOWING THAT I HAVE TWO THAT I CAN COUNT ON THAT ARE THERE ALL THE TIME.
UH, AS OPPOSED TO IF IT'S JUST WHEN THEY HAVE TO DO A REPORT AND THEY'RE SWINGING BY.
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I WELCOME THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FINE, YOU KNOW,
BUT I'D LIKE THE IDEA KNOWING THAT I'VE GOT TO OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
I THINK, UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE DISCUSSION ON THAT, UM, ITEM.
THERE'S NOTHING TO, UH, VOTE ON, I DON'T THINK.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION OF MEETING RELOCATION AND RECORDING OF BOARD MEETINGS.
SO THE, UM, THE BOARD IN THE PAST HAS HAD TWO BUSINESS MEETINGS A MONTH.
AND THE, IN THE, IN THE PAST, THE FIRST MEETING WAS ON NORTH OF THE BROAD, UH, LOCATION.
AND THE SECOND MEETING EACH MONTH WAS SOUTH OF THE BROAD LOCATION.
THE SOUTH OF THE BROAD LOCATIONS ARE, ARE, UM, LESS IDEAL FOR, UH, VIDEO RECORDING AND TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
UM, THE, UH, SO FOR THE SOUTH OF THE BROAD MEETINGS, UH, WE WERE USING THE COUNTY CHANNEL TO RECORD THOSE MEETINGS AND, AND, UH, TRANSMIT THEM.
WE WERE PAYING, UH, AN ANNUAL FEE, UH, FOR THAT SERVICE.
SO THE DISTRICT, UH, RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS DATED DECEMBER 19TH OF THIS PAST YEAR, WHERE THEY WERE UNILATERALLY GOING TO TERMINATE OUR CONTRACT WITH COUNTY CHANNEL, UM, AS OF JANUARY 31 WITHOUT CAUSE.
AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT PER OUR CONTRACT.
SO WE NOW ARE IN THE NEED FOR FINDING AN AN ALTERNATIVE.
THE REASON THEY GAVE IN THE LETTER WAS THAT THEY FELT THAT IT WASN'T COST EFFECTIVE, BASICALLY.
SO, AND THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS.
RODRIGUEZ AND, AND, UH, STAFF HAVE BEEN TRYING TO INVESTIGATE WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS.
I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT, UH, THE SOUTH OF THE BROAD REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS BOARD FEEL IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE MEETINGS SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
UM, THE STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS IS APPROXIMATELY 21,000 IN TOTAL, AND ABOUT 13,000 STUDENTS ARE SOUTH OF BROAD AND ABOUT 8,000 NORTH OF BROAD.
AND OBVIOUSLY FOR PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD TRY TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, BOTH SIDES, UH, OF THE COUNTY, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
WE, UH, WE HAVE EXPLORED VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES.
UH, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO, WE LOOKED AT, UH, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT, UH, UH, UH, CULINARY INSTITUTE, UH, UP ON THAT, ON THAT BIG ROOM THAT THEY HAVE, UH, AVAILABLE AS A, AS A POSSIBILITY.
UH, NONE OF NONE OF THOSE, UH, REALLY PAN OUT VERY WELL.
UH, SO IN ADDITION, SO, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR TEAM HERE AT THE DISTRICT RIGHT, HAS VARYING SETS OF EXPERTISE.
THE COMPLEXITY OF RUNNING A LIVE MEETING WITH VIDEO, WITH AUDIO, ADDING ZOOM TO IT, AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, UH, IT'S JUST NOT THAT EXPERTISE TO, TO BRING ALL OF THAT TO FRUITION.
BUT THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF LEGWORK CONNECTING WITH OTHER VENDORS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, JUST YESTERDAY, UH, WE CONNECTED WITH, UM,
[04:05:01]
A U S C B AS AN EXAMPLE TO SEE WHAT AVAILABILITY THEY HAVE, NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF CONNECTING WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS, RIGHT? SO IT APPEARS THAT U S C B, UH, HAS, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, UH, OF DELIVERING ON THIS.UH, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THE POSSIBILITY.
UH, I THINK THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DELIVER ON THIS.
CUZ CUZ THEY HAVE, UH, THROUGH COURSE THAT THEY OFFER AND, AND, UH, UH, AND INDIVIDUALS THERE, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY'VE DONE IT FOR, UH, PRIVATE BOARDS AND, UH, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SO I THINK THEY HAVE THE, PRETTY SURE THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IT.
UM, WE'RE THAT, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY TO EXPLORE, UH, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO GO BACK TO CREATIVE ARTS OR, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY OF OUR SCHOOL SETTINGS MOST LIKELY.
UH, AND THEN DELIVER ON, ON THAT FOR, UH, FOR A BOARD MEETING.
UM, AND THEN IT'S OBVIOUSLY A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH PROCUREMENT TO MAKE SURE WE DO ANY OF IT THE RIGHT WAY.
IF, IF THERE'S A BILLING PROCESS OR IF THERE'S WHATEVER HAS TO HAPPEN.
UH, BUT THAT'S HOT OFF THE PRESS AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DELIVER.
UH, AND ACTUALLY COUNTY COUNCIL MAY HAVE BEEN CORRECT.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR US AS WELL, MR. SMITH.
UM, I AM QUITE DISAPPOINTED, UH, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, SEES THAT, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS A CONVERSATION THAT WAS TAKING PLACE, BUT IT'S OKAY FOR THEM TO BUT 'EM TO ISSUE US A LETTER.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE A CONVERSATION BECAUSE AS A TAXPAYER, I, I, I TAKE KIND OF AN ISSUE TO THAT, TO THEM SAYING THAT, I MEAN, IT'S OKAY TO SEND A LETTER, BUT WE NEED YOU TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF RESPONSE.
AND MY QUESTION WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WHY NOT? UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, WHEN, WHEN WE COME TO YOU AND WHO SAY WE NEED EXTRA AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO RUN THE DISTRICT, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OKAY? SO NOW A SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE, HELP US, PROVIDE US WITH THAT YOU SAID THAT'S, UH, THAT COULD BE MORE COSTLY TO US, AND THAT YOU PROVIDED, THEN YOU ARE NOW SAYING THAT YOU DON'T WANNA PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
SO, I MEAN, IF YOU RE YOU CAN READ BETWEEN THE LINES, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHY, JUST WHY THEY WOULD NOT WANT TO OFFER THOSE SERVICES AND THAT, AND THAT, AND THAT IS QUESTIONABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY QUESTION US ON OUR BUDGET AND THINGS OF, OF OF THAT NATURE.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST, TO ME, IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE, IT'S, IT IS KIND OF ONE SIDE, ONE SIDED.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE TAXPAYERS AND WE, AND WE ARE ONE UNIT.
WE ARE, WE ARE ONE UNIT, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE COUNTY COUNSELING, WE'RE A SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL ONE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S CONCERNING ME, AND I THINK THAT THAT CONVERSATION SHOULD BE HAD ON THAT.
UM, I HAVE THE SAME CONCERN AS YOU DO MR. SMITH ABOUT IT.
I, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT IN ADVANCE.
AS, AS BOARD CHAIR, IT WAS NOT EVEN SENT TO THE BOARD.
THE LETTER WAS NOT SENT TO THE BOARD.
THE LETTER WAS SENT TO THE DISTRICT, AND IT WAS DATED, AS I SAID, I BELIEVE IT WAS DECEMBER 19TH.
IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS.
THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE, IT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.
THE, UM, IT WAS SIGNED BY ERIC GREENWAY.
UM, IT, I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT THE, THE, UM, UH, COUNCIL KNEW ABOUT IT IN ADVANCE.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A, CERTAINLY A PUBLIC VOTE ABOUT IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AS, AS, UH, THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
AND, UH, I HAVE MET, UH, WITH TAB TABERNAC, WHO'S ONE OF THE NEW COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SHE IS DISTRICT SIX, I BELIEVE, BUT SHE IS THE LIAISON FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT WAS THE SAME POSITION THAT STU RODMAN HAD PREVIOUSLY.
SO I MET WITH HER AND I PRESENTED THIS TO HER, UM, AND SAID TO HER, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU, CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT? AND, UH, SHE IS WORKING ON THAT, BUT, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER BACK YET FOR THE BOARD.
SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
THE BOARD KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL IT ARRIVED.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, AND, UH, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.
SO IF WE DO RECORDING SEPARATE FROM COUNTY CHANNEL, WILL WE STILL GET TO CATALOG AND PUT THEM ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST? BECAUSE IT'S GREAT TO HAVE ONE CENTRAL LOCATION, UH, FOR ALL THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.
[04:10:01]
NICE ON THAT, ON THAT PARTICULAR SITE THAT YOU CAN GO TO THE, THE VIDEO AND UP COMES THE AGENDA.YOU CAN CLICK ON THE AGENDA AND WATCH THE SPECIFIC PORTION OF THE MEETING THAT YOU WANT.
DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT? I THINK ROBIN HAS, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, INVESTIGATED THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND I BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS YES TO THAT.
THAT, THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO HOST IT THERE.
SO WE HAD OTHER HANDS UP, EARL CAMPBELL, UM, COUNTY, THIS WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO THE, TO THE, TO THE, UH, ATTENTION OF COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AT ALL.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE TIMING OF THIS, I, I MAY BE WRONG, BUT, UH, AND MY COUNCIL MEMBER BELIEVED THE SAME WAY I DO.
WE FILED A LAWSUIT AND RIGHT AFTER THAT, THAT'S WHEN THIS CAME UP.
SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE NO MEMBERS KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, WASN'T EVEN BROUGHT THEIR ATTENTION, MS. BOATRIGHT.
IT'S AN, IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE FOR ME TO COME TO THE DISTRICT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.
THE ISSUE IS, I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN, YOU'RE ON, IT'S, I THINK IT IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR HILTON HEAD, AND I KNOW PARTS OF BLUFFTON AS WELL, BUT IF YOU'RE ON HILTON HEAD AND THERE'S SOMETHING, YOU WANNA COME TO THE MEETING AND BE WATCH OR BE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS OR PARTICIPATE, THAT STARTS AT SIX O'CLOCK, WHICH, AND YOU HAVE TO BE HERE, WHEN DO WE HAVE TO TURN IN PUBLIC COMMENTS? LIKE FIVE 30, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE COMING OFF ISLAND AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
IT WILL TAKE YOU AN HOUR AND A HALF WITH BRIDGE TRAFFIC TO GET OUT THERE.
YOU GOTTA GET YOUR KIDS PICKED UP FROM SCHOOL, YOU GOTTA GET DINNER, YOU GOT, SO WE ARE BASICALLY TO, UH, DR.
GUS POINT, WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS TO 13,000, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY PARENTS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS TO BE A VERY HIGH PRIORITY.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WILL POINT OUT, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT, JUST, WE'VE GOTTA GET MORE EQUITY BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WHEN IT COMES TO PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETINGS.
AND THAT ALSO GOES TO THE PERFORMING.
AND I BROUGHT THIS UP AN AGENDA.
I WENT BACK CUZ I WAS CURIOUS, WE HAD SEVERAL OF OUR MEETINGS IN HILTON HEAD AT THE LIBRARY WHERE PEOPLE CAME FROM BUFORT TO DO THEIR PERFORMANCE.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHY WOULDN'T WE HAVE, SO WE HAD 11 PERFORMANCES IN 2022, UH, 10 OF WHICH WERE FROM NORTH ABROAD.
WE HAD ONE SOUTH ABROAD PERFORMANCE, BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO I STILL WANNA UNDERSTAND WHY, AND I KNOW DR.
RODRIGUEZ, YOU SAID YOU'RE STRAIGHTENED THAT OUT, BUT IT SHOULD BE MORE PARENTS ON THE SOUTH OF ABROAD WANT TO SEE THEIR KIDS PERFORM TOO.
SO ES ESSENTIALLY, UH, THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IS THAT THE SCHOOLS SIGN UP TO, UH, TO PARTICIPATE, RIGHT? SO THE WAY I'M FIXING IT IS, UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'M TELLING THEM YOU'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE.
SO, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE SIGN UP, I KNOW FROM AN ARTS TEACHERS PRETTY, CAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT OTHER THAN TO JUST SAY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING IT.
SO SIGN UP AND THAT'LL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
SO, BUT I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER ELEMENT.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS WHAT PERPLEXES ME ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING, COUNTY CHANNEL ASIDE, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS, GREENVILLE, CHARLESTON, LEXINGTON, THEY'RE JUST DOING YOUTUBE CHANNELS LIKE THIS IS THIS IN 2022, WE LIVE ON HILTON HEAD WHERE THERE ARE NATIONAL CONFERENCES, INCLUDING THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES ROUTINELY.
LIKE WE, THE CAPACITY TO HAVE A ZOOM MEETING RECORDED AND LIVE STREAMED INDEX.
YOU CAN GET YOUTUBE TO DO A VIDEO INDEX JUST LIKE COUNTY COUNCIL DOES.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE AS DAUNTING AS IT APPEARS TO BE.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S, UM, THE TECHNOLOGICAL PIECE IS THE, IS THE DIFFICULT PIECE.
MAYBE IT'S NOT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING IT.
SO, ROB, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE TECHNOLOGICAL DAUNTING PIECE ABOUT THIS? UM, COME, COME TO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
OTHER THAN WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I HAVE SAID, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, UH, I KNOW HOW TO USE MY IPHONE.
I KNOW HOW TO USE THOSE THINGS, BUT, BUT, UM, ROB, WE'RE MY EXPERTISE, UH, DIRECTOR NETWORK OPS.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF OUR GUYS TAKING AND TRYING TO ASSIST WITH, I KNOW YOU'VE ALL SEEN THEM AT THE MEETINGS.
UM, DOMIN FRISCO, THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
BUT THE PROBLEM WE ARE RUNNING INTO IS NONE OF OUR LOCATIONS THAT WERE SET UP FOR AS AUDITORIUMS WERE MEANT TO HAVE THE TYPE OF AUDIO LIKE ZOOM.
EVERYTHING'S GOING OUT TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS.
I MEAN, WE CAN ACTUALLY, I MEAN, WE COULD PUT, YOU KNOW, A PHONE WITH, YOU KNOW, A YOUTUBE STREAM IT LIVE, BUT THE AUDIO'S GONNA BE ATROCIOUS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET AROUND THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO END UP PUTTING SOMETHING OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AUDIO IS POOR FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DO THIS.
[04:15:01]
UPON U S C B, THEY'VE GOT ALL THE MICS, THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, BETTER CAMERAS THAN WE HAVE TO TAKE AND TRAVEL DOWN SOUTH OF THE, THE BROAD.THEY CAN ACTUALLY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION, KIND OF LIKE THE COUNTY DID FOR US BACK PRE COVID.
WE HAD HOOKUPS HERE THAT THEY WOULD HOOK INTO, THEY COULD CONTROL THE CAMERAS AND THE AUDIO.
THE AUDIO IS THE HARDEST PART OF ALL OF IT.
UM, AND THAT, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, EVEN TRYING TO SIT AT THE LIBRARY IN BLUFFTON WITH THE COUNTY CHANNEL TRYING TO ASSIST, YOU'RE GOING CRAZY WITH AUDIO.
SO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO HAVE US TAP INTO THAT TO TAKE AND ACTUALLY SEND OUT AS A STREAM, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA BE THROWING THINGS AT A WALL TO SEE WHAT'LL STICK.
AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT WE REALLY WANNA OPERATE THE BOARD MEETINGS IN, IN ANY CASE, YOU KNOW, SOUTH OR NORTH.
AND, AND SO IN ADDITION, I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS, IF IT HAS TO BE A BIDDING PROCESS, BIDDING PROCESS, BUT WHOEVER WE GET, RIGHT, THAT WE HAVE THEM, UH, IN A CONTRACT TO DO BOTH SOUTH AND NORTH, RIGHT? ALL OUR MEETINGS.
UH, AND I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT IS, UH, A BETTER WAY BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR EXPERTISE.
AND ACCESS TO PEOPLE IS IMPORTANT AND THE QUALITY OF SOUND IS PART OF THAT ACCESS WHEN THEY'RE AT HOME, IF THEY CAN'T COME HERE, WHATEVER ELSE, WE WANT THEM TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO, WANT TO HEAR YOUR DIALOGUE, PUBLIC COMMENTS, ALL OF IT.
UM, IT, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, I THINK WE NORMALLY HAVE SCHEDULED TWO MEETINGS PER MONTH.
AND SO IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE FOR EQUITY TO SAY ONE MEETING IS HERE NORTH OF BROAD AND THE OTHER SOUTH OF BROAD.
AND I THINK THAT HELPS ADDRESS THE, UM, MAJORITY POPULATION, BUT IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, TAKE AWAY FROM THE NORTH.
AND, AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE OTHER IS, UH, ARE YOU REFERRING TO U S C B ON THE HILTON HEAD CAMPUS? DR.
RODRIGUEZ? UM, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I SPOKE WITH THEM YESTERDAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE PHYSICALLY LOCATED.
I, I BELIEVE IT'S THE BLOCKMAN CAMPUS THAT THEY'RE AT, BUT I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE.
BUT, BUT NOT FOR US TO GO THERE.
THEY'LL COME TO WHEREVER OUR MEETING IS.
THEY'LL COME TO WHEREVER WE ARE.
BUT I THINK THEY CALL IT THE BLUFFTON CAMERAS, BUT I, YEAH, I THINK THAT, UM, HILTON HEAD DOES HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BROADCAST FROM THEIR U S C B HILTON AND THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE 104 PEOPLE.
SO ROBIN AND I AND MOLLY, AND I'VE FORGOTTEN, UM, MIGHT HAVE BEEN DOM.
WE WENT THERE MAYBE LIKE, LIKE YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS AGO.
AND I, WHAT WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
EVERYBODY AT HOME CAN HEAR, DEFINITELY HEAR THE AUDIO.
WELL, WE WENT TO USC AND IT HAS BEEN ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WE WENT TO THE NEW CAMPUS AS ON SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND.
AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE SIZE CAPACITY FOR OUR MEETING.
UM, A AND SAID TO FOR IT TO WORK, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE AUDIO.
UM, WAS THE AUDIO IN THE ROOMS THAT WERE AVAILABLE, UH, FOR US TO MEET SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE US.
I WAS GONNA SAY ONE OTHER, ONE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE'LL RUN INTO IS NETWORK ACCESS.
WE DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO BE RELYING ON WIRELESS IN THE SAME, SAME CAMPUS OR AREA THAT ALL THE PUBLIC IS, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOLD, YOU KNOW, USING UP, YOU KNOW, THE WIFI, IT COULD END UP HAVING ISSUES FOR YOU.
AND THEN WHOEVER'S DOING, YOU KNOW, THE STREAMING OF VIDEO WILL RUN INTO ISSUES AS WELL.
SO NETWORK ACCESS IS ALSO A, A CONCERN.
CAN NOW I'M FINISHED? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UM, I, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT U S C B HILTON HEAD.
THEY HAVE SOME VERY PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ORGANIZATIONS THAT NOW USE THE HILTON HEAD CAMPUS.
[04:20:01]
I THINK IT WILL HANDLE ABOUT 80 PEOPLE IN THERE.AND IT'S, UH, STAGGERED, UH, STAIR STEPPED.
THAT'S WHEN YOU WALK, WALK TO THE RIGHT, TO THE RIGHT.
YEAH, WE LOOKED AT THAT, BUT IT, IT MAY BE DIFFERENT NOW.
AND, UM, SO THEY HAVE THE SCREEN BEHIND THERE THAT CAN DROP DOWN AND THEN THEY CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE ALL OF YOUR TECHNOLOGY FROM THE BACK OF THE, UH, AUDITORIUM, THE AMPH.
SO THEY MAY HAVE MADE ADVANCES SINCE THEN.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE ONLY OPTION.
I THINK ANOTHER, ANOTHER THING THAT ALSO SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS TO THE SPECIFIC LOCATION IS, IS ALSO A SAFETY AND SECURITY COMPONENT TO IT.
WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN AN AMPHITHEATER LIKE THIS AND YOU'RE THE BOARD, YOU'RE SITTING DOWN AT THE BOTTOM AND I SOMETIMES THERE'S NO EXIT TO THE SIDE OR THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, AND THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE DO NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ON THAT TOO.
I'M NOT SURE THE CONF, I'VE BEEN IN THAT ROOM, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IT.
THEY HAVE TWO XS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT.
WE ALSO ASKED, UM, THE, UH, UH, INDIVIDUAL FROM U S C B FOR HER TO TAKE AND LOOK INTO AREAS THAT SHE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WERE, WERE ALSO ADEQUATE THAT SHE'S BEEN AT.
SO, YOU KNOW, SHE THREW A COUPLE OF ITEMS OUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK SHE'S KIND OF PONDERING IT RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS ALL FRESH FOR, FOR HER AS WELL.
UM, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT MRS. UH, BULLRIGHT IS SAYING I, IN, IN TERMS OF US, UH, MAKING ACROSS THE, UH, I, I DO SEE THE IMPORTANCE, IMPORTANCE OF IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO, UH, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH EXPLORING THOSE THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT WE STILL NEED THOSE ANSWERS.
AND ALSO
BUT ALSO I DON'T THINK THAT, I THINK THAT EVERY, I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IS WILLING TO COME, UH, SOUTH, SOUTH, SOUTH OF ABROAD TO THOSE, TO THE MEETINGS.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT NO ONE ON THE BOARD IS, UH, OPPOSING TWO, THERE'S TWO COMES SOUTH, SOUTH OF BROAD TO, UH HA HAVE MEANS OVER THERE.
AND I DEFINITELY DO TAKE THAT IN THAT, UH, IN CONSIDERATION.
AND YOU AND I DO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POINT OF MEETING THE, THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BROAD, BECAUSE EVERY, EVERYONE DOES MATTER.
SO I BELIEVE, I, I JUST SAY FOR ME, I, I DO BELIEVE, AND I DO, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH COMING OVER THERE IN, IN HAND WITH THE CONSTITUENTS OVER, OVER THE, OVER THERE SAID, I, UM, I DO HEAR YOU ON THAT, BUT
I DO BELIEVE EVERYBODY, EVERYONE IS GOING TO COME OVER THERE WANTS BEEN, YOU HAVE, HAS HAVE BEEN FOUND.
SO I DON'T WANT THE CONSTITUENTS OVER THERE THINK THAT, THAT SOME OF US ARE, ARE, ARE SHINING THEM WITH OUR SUPPORT AS WELL IN TERMS OF THAT.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, ESPECIALLY BASED ON PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, THAT THE PRIORITY IS THE LIVE ASPECT OF HAVING THE, THE LIVE PUBLIC.
UM, IS THERE A COMPROMISE WHERE WE CAN MAYBE LIKE, UH, CUT A COUPLE CORNERS ON THE AUDIO VISUAL SIDE? UH, WELL, THE COUNTY, OR I'M SORRY, I, IF, IF WE'RE ABLE TO GO AHEAD WITH U S C B AND, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WE CAN PROCURE IT, ET CETERA.
UM, THEY WERE GONNA DO ALL THE STREAMING FOR US.
THEY WERE GONNA BRING IN ALL THE MICS, ALL THE CAMERAS, THE WHOLE BIT.
AND REALLY THE PRICE WAS QUITE REASONABLE.
WE ENDED UP, UM, JUST, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S, I WOULDN'T DISCUSS PRICE.
OH YEAH, WE CAN'T DISCUSS THAT CUZ IT'S, IT WOULD BE, UH, AN A CONTRACT WITH THE POTENTIAL NEGOTIATIONS.
AND THAT WOULD BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
AND WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT, UM, AUDIO EQUIPMENT, JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT OURSELVES, THE COST WAS, WAS SIGNIFICANT TO DO IT IN, IN WHAT WE THINK WOULD WORK TO DO IT.
BUT AGAIN, IF WE GO WITH ANOTHER ENTITY, WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS THAT, I MEAN, KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
WISNESKI, WHAT'S OUR TIMELINE FOR HAVING, YOU KNOW, A PLAN IN PLACE? OR WHAT FIRST MEETING DO WE ANTICIPATE THIS BEING ABLE TO BE EXECUTED AT? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE THE ONES THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND WE WERE MEETING AT, UH, CREATIVE ARTS.
SO, I MEAN, WE, WE COULD CONTINUE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT GROUP THAT'S MANAGING OUR AUDIO AND VISUAL, UH, UH, AND EXPLORE OTHER, OTHER SPACES THAT MIGHT BE BETTER SUITED OR, UH, OR WORK OUT BETTER FOR, FOR, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY, UH, TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE VENUE.
[04:25:01]
UH, MY, WHEN I GOT ENGAGED, MY, MY, MY PERSONAL INTEREST WAS AROUND THE LOGISTICS OF THE, UH, SOUND AND VISUAL AND THAT SORT OF THING.SO THAT, CUZ I KNOW WE HAVE A PLACE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, UH, THAT IN PLACE AND THEN WE KEEP MOVING THE WAY WE WERE OPERATING, RIGHT? AND NOW WE CAN EXPLORE VENUE, UH, AS WELL.
SO THAT'S, SO, SO I, I, ONCE I FIND OUT ABOUT, UH, PROCUREMENT, OKAY, THEN, UH, ONCE IT'S FINISHED, THEN, THEN THE VERY NEXT MEETING, RIGHT? SO IF THAT'S AN EASY STEP, UH, THEN, THEN THE NEXT MEETING, I THINK THAT'S THIS MEETING THAT'S SCHEDULED TO BE THERE IS FEBRUARY 21.
IT'S ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE HILTON HEAD A LIBRARY.
SO I THINK, SO THE SEVENTH FEBRUARY WOULD'VE BEEN HERE ANYWAYS, CUZ SO IF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS A SIMPLE THING, THEN, THEN WE COULD BE THERE FEBRUARY 21, WE COULD JUST GET ON SCHEDULE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE AN AGENDA TOPIC IN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR FEBRUARY 7TH, DISCUSSING THE CONTRACT.
CONTRACT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT UNLESS REPORT TO SPECIFICALLY, UM, PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
AND THERE'S NO, I JUST WANNA, WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS, UH, IN TERMS OF A PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE BID OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THAT THAT'S THE, THE THAT'S THE PART THAT I WANT CLEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, YEAH.
UM, MS. BOAT, RIGHT? FIRST OF ALL, I THOUGHT WHEN YOU SAID WHEN I GOT ENGAGED AND I THOUGHT THERE WAS GONNA BE A CHARMING STORY ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOUND AND QUALITY AT YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
UM, BUT
UH, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEEDED A MOTION, CUZ IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE PRETTY FAR DOWN THE PROCESS CUZ I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE WANT THAT THE, TO HAVE THE BOARD VOTE TO DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY THERE.
WELL, I THINK Y'ALL HAVE MADE IT CLEAR.
UH, THROUGH EITHER CONVERSATIONS WITH ME OR, AND YOUR JUST DIALOGUES AND DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU WANT THAT DONE AND YOU WANT IT DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO, AND I DON'T WANNA WASTE MY BEAUTIFUL MOTIONS ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS IF WE, SO I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KINDA THE WAY WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING TO GET IT DONE.
I'LL JUST GO BACK TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND SAY THAT HOPEFULLY BY FEBRUARY 21ST.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR, UH, JUST WHAT, I DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? IF THE BOARD, YOU ALL WILL KNOW IF THE BOARD WAS TO CHANGE THE VENUE, DOES THAT REQUIRE A VOTE? YES.
CUZ WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE, UH, CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR, FOR THE BOARD MEETING.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, SO FEBRUARY 7TH COULD BE ANOTHER TIME THAT WOULD BE TAKEN UP IF IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WELL, BUT ALSO IN THE MEANTIME, UM, WHAT'S THE PROCESS TO STILL ASK THOSE QUESTIONS? BECAUSE, UH, I BELIEVE WE STILL NEED THOSE.
I WE STILL NEED THOSE ANSWERS.
WHO WERE WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW SO WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IN, IN TERMS OF THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO US AND, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW DO WE WANT TO D DEAL WITH THAT? I MEAN, BECAUSE I I, WE STILL SHOULD HAVE, WE, WE STILL, I I STILL NEED THOSE ANSWERS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS A BOARD MEMBER, UH, TO TAKE BACK THE CONSTITU AS WELL WHEN THEY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M DEFINITELY GONNA CALL, CALL MY COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND ASK.
SO, BUT MY QUESTION IS AS A BOARD FOR AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT OF, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND, AND HOW, UH, AND WHAT WAS THE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND CLEARLY OF, OF NOT JUST GETTING THE LETTER, BUT AS IN WHY THEY MADE THIS DECISION AND WHO MADE, WHO MADE THIS DECISION.
AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY, UH, THIS DECISION, THIS, THIS DECISION WAS MADE WHEN IT WAS MADE.
I MEAN, WE STILL NEED THOSE ANSWERS.
WELL, AS I JUST ALREADY SAID EARLIER IN THIS DISCUSSION, I ALREADY, UH, MET, UH, WITH, UH, THE LIAISON FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND, UH, SHE AND I GAVE HER THE LETTER WE RECEIVED AND THE, AND THE CONTRACT.
WE HAD A COPY OF IT AND ASKED HER TO GET BACK AND LET US KNOW.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
MY QUESTION IS, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT, THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, AS A CHAIR
[04:30:01]
IN YOUR POSITION, YOU MADE THE, YOU WENT WITHOUT, AND YOU MADE THAT, THAT HAPPEN TO BRING US THAT INFORMATION BACK.BUT MY, MY COURSE IS OKAY, NOW THAT YOU DID THAT, IS THERE A TIMELINE IN GETTING THAT INFORMATION BACK FROM HER? AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHAT WE DISCUSS IT, HOW, HOW INFORMATION BE DISPLAYED TO US AND WHEN WILL IT BE DISPLAYED TO US? BECAUSE I, I JUST, I READ YOU SAY, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON IT? MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON UNDERSTANDING WHAT, WHAT TOOK PLACE? OKAY, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CONTRACT THAT WE HAD WITH C WITH THE COUNTY CHANNEL, IT, THEY EITHER PARTY I E UH, THE COUNTY CHANNEL OR, OR THE DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION COULD UNILATERALLY TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WITH 30 DAY NOTICE WITHOUT, CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY, OH, YOU GUYS ARE A BAD, YOU DON'T PAY YOUR BILL, OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A REASON AT ALL.
SO THEY'RE ACTING WITHIN THE, THE SCOPE OF THEIR, OF THEIR, UH, LEGALITY
SO I DON'T THINK THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, AS TO WHO MADE THE DECISION.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE, YEAH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE IF, IF, UH, WE HAD INPUT INTO IT, BUT WE DIDN'T.
AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
UM, SO I DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, I I I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO DO.
I, I, I MEAN, I THINK I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, THIS FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT, RIGHT? I MEAN, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CAME TO THAT DECISION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT RESTS SOLELY WITH, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, OR IF THAT WAS, UH, UH, I, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY CAME TO THAT DECISION.
THE LETTER WE GOT WAS SIGNED BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT INCLINED UNLESS DIRECTED BY YOU ALL.
UH, I'M NOT INCLINED TO WASTE A LOT OF ENERGY IN, IN SORTING THAT STUFF OUT.
I GOT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON AND, AND MOVE FORWARD AND FIND THE OTHER SOLUTION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UH, WHICH IS WHERE I THINK WE ARE.
YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S JUST MY PERSPECTIVE.
I DO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON, ON WANTING TO UNDERSTAND, WANTING TO KNOW, NOT FEELING LIKE IT'S FAIR, UH, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I GET THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, SO, UH, UNLESS DIRECTED BY YOU ALL, I'M, I'M MOVING ON.
I'M NOT EVEN ENTERTAINING THAT, THAT LETTER.
AND UNLESS YOU ALL TELL ME TO INQUIRE AND SPEND ENERGY ON THAT, SO, DR.
WISNESKI, UM, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU DO HEAR BACK FROM COUNCILWOMAN TABERNAC, IF YOU COULD JUST REPORT IT UNDER YOUR REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING, OR I'D BE HAPPY TO.
THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, GOOD FOR ME.
UM, OH, EXCUSE ME, MR. SMITH, ONCE AGAIN.
AND IT'S, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S JUST, IT IS ABOUT TIMING.
THIS IS, I JUST DON'T WANNA LET THE BALL GO BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.
IT'S ABOUT HAVING A CLEAR, UH, UH, RELATIONSHIP AS IN WITH THE COUNTY COUNCIL, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE STILL GOING THROUGH LITIGATION.
AND, AND AT END DAY WE WERE ALL REPRESENTATIVES OF, OF THIS COUNTY RIVERS COUNTY COUNCIL OR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, SO I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT, AND I DON'T RESPECT DR.
RODRIGUEZ TO, UH, DO THAT AS WELL.
I THINK THAT, THAT, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT'S A BOARD TO BOARD CONVERSATION IN, IN TERMS OF IF YOU SAY WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY, OR WE'RE DOING, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THIS, AND WHEN WE BRING UP, WHEN WE BRING UP OUR BUDGET, IF YOU HAVE THESE ISSUES, THEN NOW YOU'RE MAKING US HAVING TO GO SPEND MORE MONEY OUT OF OUR BUDGET.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO DON'T TELL ME ON ONE HAND, DON'T, DON'T, UH, EAT ON ONE HAND.
BUT THEN WHEN I GO TO START EATING, YOU TELL ME THAT I'M EATING TOO MUCH.
SO EITHER YOU WANT ME TO EAT OR YOU DON'T WANT ME TO EAT.
SO, I MEAN, I WANT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING ME AS A REPRESENTATIVE, BECAUSE I, I FEEL I DO ALL MY CONSENTS.
THAT IS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO I, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PROCESS WAS AND GOING IN, GOING INTO THAT, SO I CAN KNOW IN THE FUTURE, IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT, WHAT GOES ON.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU ARE GONNA GET THAT ANSWER BECAUSE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PERIOD.
AND, AND I THINK WE WASTED TIME.
JUST DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO, TO, TO MOVE OUR MEETING TO SOUTH OF BROAD, LEAVE IT ALONE.
CAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU ANSWER AND GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
AND CERTAINLY EVERY BOARD MEMBER HERE COULD REACH OUT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE OR GO BEFORE THE COUNTY COUNCIL AS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU CAN DO THAT AS A CITIZEN AND, AND MAKE A POINT OF IT.
ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS DISCUSSION REGARDING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, UH, A MOTION MADE BY, UH, TRICIA FRIEDRICH AND SECOND BY DR.
WISNESKI, UH, TO POSTPONE THIS DISCUSSION UNTIL AFTER JANUARY ONE
[04:35:01]
WHEN WE HAD THE NEW, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, SEATED.AND YOU HAVE HERE, UH, IT WENT TO POLICY, UM, AND, UH, UNDER GC 2.23, PUBLIC COMMENT AT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.
AND, UH, THE BLUE WOULD BE THE, THE NEW PORTION.
WISNESKI JUST MAKE, IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.
SO THIS WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT READING IT WAS.
I THINK IT JUST, IT CAME OUTTA POLICY.
AND THEN I DON'T, THIS WAS A POST HAVE BEEN THE FIRST, BUT IT WAS TABLED OR POSTPONED.
SO, UM, FOR CLARIFICATION, THERE HAD BEEN SOME CONVERSATION GOING ON ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT AND HOW A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE JUST SITTING HERE LISTENING TO SOMEONE, AND THERE MAY BE, THEY MAY ASK A QUESTION OR THERE MIGHT BE, UM, SOME CLARIFICATION THEY'RE SEEKING.
UH, AND SO THIS WAS TO ALLOW THE CHAIR TO GIVE A CLARIFICATION COMMENT, UM, SOMETHING VERY BRIEF.
IT WAS JUST TO GIVE SOME MORE DISCRETION TO THE BOARD AND, AND HOW WE CONDUCT PUBLIC COMMENTS SO THAT WE WEREN'T JUST SITTING HERE STOIC, STONE FACED.
UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
UM, I THINK THIS PARTICULAR EDIT OR POTENTIAL, UH, ADJUSTMENT IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
UM, BECAUSE ONE OF THE MUNICIPALITIES HAD WHERE THOSE PEOPLE ON THE DIOCESE WOULD RESPOND AND IT DEGENERATED TO WHERE THE, UH, PERSON IN CHARGE, THE CHAIR OR THE MAYOR HAD TO ACTUALLY DISCONTINUE THE MEETING AND CONFER WITH ATTORNEYS AND SECURITY.
SO I THINK, UH, PLAYING THE ALI ROOKE, UH, SO WE, WE CAN THEN BE MORE DELIBERATIVE IN WHAT OUR POTENTIAL RESPONSE IN TERMS OF POLICY AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND THEN WE CAN REVERT BACK AND SAY, THIS CAME UP AT THIS PARTICULAR DATE WE DISCUSSED AND PUT ON AGENDA.
AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD UNDERSTAND, WE'RE RESPONDING.
I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT GET VERY CONTENTIOUS.
UM, I SEE THIS ALSO AS, UM, A WAY THAT THE PUBLIC COULD BASICALLY HIJACK THE BUSINESS MEETING.
UM, CERTAINLY THE PUBLIC HAS MANY V MANY, UH, AVENUES TO BRING FORTH CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR STUDENT OR GRANDCHILD OR WHATEVER IT IS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, FIRST THROUGH THEIR TEACHER, UH, THEIR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, THEY CAN WRITE, UM, US AN EMAIL.
THEY CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OUR, OUR, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING ARE AT BUSINESS MEETINGS.
AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, IS TO GET BUSINESS DONE.
AND I JUST ALSO SEE THIS BEING A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO HAVING THE MEETING HIJACKED ONTO THIS, UH, CONCERN OR IN, AND THEY'RE PEOPLE WE KNOW, THEY'RE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY ADAMANT OR, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT AND WRONG, AND THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO COME TO EVERY SINGLE MEETING AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DUMP 10 QUESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, ON, ON THE, ON THE BOARD.
BUT PARTICULARLY THE CHAIR HAS TO, I GUESS I DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND RIGHT THEN, BUT I JUST SEE IT BEING A, A, A REAL ISSUE.
AND, AND I'M NOT REALLY IN THE POSITION TO SPEAK FOR THE BOARD UNLESS THE BOARD DIRECTS ME TO DO THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF, UH, MR. CAMPBELL DOESN'T AGREE WITH WHAT I, WELL, HOW I ANSWERED THE QUESTION, OR, I MEAN, IT GETS TO BE, IT'S A NI YOU KNOW, ON THE SURFACE IT SEEMS LIKE A NICE IDEA, BUT OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS DO NOT DO THIS.
AND THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY DON'T.
NOW, IF WE WERE A PRIVATE BOARD, MAYBE THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY, BUT WE ARE A PUBLIC BOARD AND, UH, I JUST, I DO NOT SEE IT WORKING WELL.
UM, AND, UH, I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. DOS.
UH, MR. GEIER, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I WANT TO REMIND THE, ESPECIALLY THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE UNDER ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO EVEN HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE DON'T, WE DO NOT BY FOIA OR ANY OTHER STATUTE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS GIVEN THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IT'S GOT TO BE REFERRED TO WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
AND IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, THAT LITTLE FORM THEY FILL OUT IS NOT RECOGNIZED.
SO IF, IF, IF THAT IS THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD TO RESTRICT IT THAT WAY, FINE.
BUT, UM, I, I REALLY WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT WE, WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THEM.
AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY OPEN ABOUT ACCOMMODATING
[04:40:01]
THEM WHEN THEY GO OVER, WHEN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPEAKERS GO OVER THE ALLOTTED TIME.WE'VE ALWAYS VOTED EVERY TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, LET IT GO.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY LONG ONES IN THE PAST, AND SO I, I THINK WE'RE GOING OUT AND DOING WHAT WE CAN TO EXPRESS OUR INTEREST.
TALKING IN HEARING, TALKING TO THE MIC.
GET YOUR MOUTH A LITTLE CLOSER.
NEXT, MS. BOATWRIGHT, THEN MS. DR.
YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC COMMENTS WHEN I, BEFORE I CAME ON THE BOARD, I ASSUME THEY RESTRICTED TO THE AGENDA MORE OR LESS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT FOIA AND OPEN MEETINGS ACT, IT'S, AND THE WHOLE THING ABOUT HAVING THE AGENDA POSTED IS SO THAT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO COME UP AND GIVE THE BOARD INFORMATION BEFORE A VOTE, I, I THINK ONE THING THOUGH IS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT BECAUSE, UM, IT'S, IT IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FOR PARENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THE BOARD.
BUT I DO THINK THAT PRIOR TO COVID, WE HAD SOME MORE, LIKE, I KNOW MR. EARL CAMPBELL'S HAD LIKE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UH, TYPE OF THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, AND I'VE TALKED TO, UM, MR. UH, CARLTON DALLAS ABOUT DOING THAT ON HILTON HEAD AS WELL.
AND, UH, SO TENTATIVELY FEBRUARY 6TH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE LIKE A TOWN HALL SO THAT PARENTS STILL HAVE AVENUES TO BE HEARD, BUT THAT WE'RE NOT HERE FOR EIGHT HOURS FOR A BUSINESS MEETING BECAUSE THEN WE ARE ACTUALLY DISENGAGING THE PUBLIC IF WE, IF OUR MEETINGS, AND I HAD SOMEONE TELL ME THIS, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS, UM, A, AN INTERESTING POINT OF VIEW.
SHE SAID, I'D WATCH YOUR MEETINGS IF THEY WEREN'T ONE TO TWO HOURS, BUT IF THEY'RE SIX AND A HALF HOURS, WHO'S GOT THAT KIND OF ATTENTION SPAN, RIGHT? SO TO ME, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS BOARD KIND OF TREAT OUR TWICE A MONTH BUSINESS MEETINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, QUESTION, ANSWER, MOTION VOTE, UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE WOULD ACTUALLY ENGAGE A LOT MORE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH THAT.
SO I A AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, THAT THE, THAT IN A PUBLIC BUSINESS SETTING, IT'S NOT THE RIGHT MOVE TO ENGAGE AND HAVE DIRECT PEOPLE TO RESPOND.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER AVENUES FOR, UM, MAKING PARENTS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE A WAY TO BE HEARD.
WISNESKI, YEAH, I AGREE WITH, UM, MS. BOATWRIGHT.
I THINK THAT THEY'RE OPPOS I AM OPPOSED TO THIS AS IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW IN THE SENSE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S MORE JUST A SHIFT IN PERHAPS THE CULTURE OF OUR MEETING.
SO PEOPLE DO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE OPEN AND WELCOME TO COME HERE, BUT THAT THEY'RE NOT COMING HERE MEETING AFTER MEETING AND ASKING US QUESTIONS OF WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT THIS? OR WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT THAT? AND THEN NOT, THEY'RE NOT GETTING A RESPONSE.
THE RESPONSE THAT THEY TYPICALLY GET FROM THE BOARD IS A THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, NOT AN ANSWER TO THEIR SPECIFIC QUESTION NEED, WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND IT RUNS THE GAMUT FROM THE ISSUE THAT WAS AT ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS WITH THE LOGO OR THE MASCOT, UM, THAT PEOPLE WERE COMING UP AND THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE NOT GETTING A RESPONSE THAT WAS SUFFICIENT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, UM, NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO MANDATE BY POLICY.
PERHAPS IT'S A PIECE OF PAPER THAT WE PUT ON THE DOOR THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, EMAIL THIS EMAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD EARLIER TODAY THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT GETTING STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND BEING ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY VIA COMMUNICATION, THAT'S ONE LINE OF IT.
AND SO WE AS A BOARD NEED TO PRESENT A CULTURE THAT ENGAGES THAT AND FOSTERS IT.
UM, LET ME STOP BY SAYING THIS.
UM, AS A BOARD MEMBER, MY PERSPECTIVE IS THIS, IF A MEETING TAKES US 30 MINUTES, TWO HOURS, FOUR HOURS, SIX HOURS, THAT'S WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR.
MY GRANDMA ONCE TOLD ME THAT PEOPLE MAKE T IN LIFE, PEOPLE MAKE TIME FOR WHATEVER THEY, THEY FEEL IS IMPORTANT.
PEOPLE MAKE TIME FOR WHATEVER THEY WANT TO MAKE TIME FOR.
SO THEY WANT TO REALLY WATCH THE MEETING AND COME TO THE MEETING.
THEN THEY, THEN THEY HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO, AT NO POINT IN TIME, THE SAME WITH HOW TODAY, UH, MS. B WRIGHT SAID THAT WE, UH, THAT, THAT WE, THAT HER CONSTITUENTS DESERVE THE, THE RIGHT FOR US TO COME OVER THERE AND HEAR THEM AND HEAR THEM.
WE DON'T, WE, I I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES IN TERMS OF THE TIMES, BECAUSE THAT'S AS BOARD MEETING, THAT'S WHAT WE SIGN UP FOR.
AND IF PEOPLE MAKE TIME TO, TO EVEN WATCH THE BOARD MEETING OR COME TO THE BOARD MEETING AS THEY SEE, AS THEY SEE, UH, FIT.
AND I, AND I CAN, I'M SPEAKING FROM IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY LIVING THAT PRIOR TO, BEFORE COMING ONTO THE BOARD MEETINGS WHEN I CAME TO, I USED TO COME TO BOARD MEETINGS, BOARD MEETINGS WERE LONG THEN TOO, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO THEREFORE I PUT THE TIME ASIDE TO COME HERE
[04:45:01]
AND TO UNDERSTAND AND TO WATCH THESE BOARD MEETINGS, WHETHER THEY WERE LONG OR NOT.SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S OUR, OUR MISSION HERE IS TO MAKE BEAVER COUNTY CONTINUOUS GROWING.
AND, AND TO, I, I'M, RIGHT NOW, I FORGOT WHAT THE, WHAT, WHAT THE ACTUAL, UM, HAVE.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON, TRYING TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT MY WORDS AND BE SHORT, BUT WHERE LEARNING LEADS THE WAY THAT'S OUR, THAT, THAT THAT'S OUR MISSION.
SO REFERENCE, SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW LONG THAT TAKES.
AND WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE CAN'T PUT A, I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT, CALL OURSELVES PUTTING A TIME ON IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING CUZ SOME PEOPLE AIN'T GONNA COME TO THE MEETING REG, REGARDLESS.
AND TO SAY THAT'S MY FIRST, MY FIRST POINT AND MY SECOND POINT IS THIS TO SAY THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE A A, A, A A, A A, BASICALLY A, UM, AN AGENDA ITEM THAT THEY WANNA COME AND SPEAK TO.
THAT'S TO ME, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT BEING TRANSPARENT
BECAUSE A PARENT COULD BE FRUSTRATED AND BEEN TRYING TO REACH, REACH, REACH, REACH, REACH SOMEONE FOR FOUR MONTHS.
I'VE HAD A COUPLE PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN OTHER DI OTHER, OTHER AREAS WHO FELT THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD.
AND JUST TODAY, OVER, OVER LUNCH, UM, A PARENT WHO WAS COMING CAME TO A BOARD MEETING MEETING AND SAID, WHEN SHE FINALLY, WHEN SHE FINALLY GOT HERE, SHE, UH, SPOKE TO ME AND, AND, AND I KIND OF GAVE HER THE RE RE REDIRECT ME BEFORE SHE EVEN WENT, WENT UP THERE.
AND I, UH, AND, AND WE, AND WE TALKED AND THEY WORKED IT OUT.
SO I THINK FOR US TO CUT PARENTS OFF AND SAY, HEY, YOU CAN'T COME SPEAK ABOUT EGO, I DIDN'T, THAT'S PEOPLE'S PERSONAL PREROGATIVE.
AS LONG AS LIKE OUR THINGS SAY THEY'RE NOT BEING DISRESPECTFUL, THEY'RE NOT BEING RUDE TO PEOPLE, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR POINTS.
OF COURSE, I BELIEVE THAT WE OWE THEM THAT, RIGHT? AND TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT AWAY, I THINK THAT'S BEYOND WRONG.
AND THAT, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE CUTTING THEM OFF AT, AT, AT, AT, AT, AT THE TO, AND I, I CANNOT SUPPORT THAT.
AND I, I I, I I, I, THIS HAS BEEN THE WAY BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD, UH, BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD AS A KID, I CAME TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I CAME AND I SPOKE ABOUT STUFF AT THE SCHOOL, AT THE SCHOOL, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WAS ON THE AGENDA.
AND I REMEMBER WHAT TIME WHEN MR. CAMPBELL WAS CHAIRMAN, I CAME FOR THE SEVERAL MEETINGS.
THEY WERE NE IT WAS NEVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER COMING BACK AS A KID.
AND SO I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD BE A DISHONEST MOVE, WELL, NOT EVEN DISHON, I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE UNEXCEPTIONAL FOR US TO DO THAT TO THE PUBLIC.
I I THINK THAT, THAT THAT'S WRONG AND I WILL NOT SUPPORT THAT, THAT'S WANTED TO MAKE THAT PUBLICLY.
UM, LIKE MS. BULLRIGHT SAID, ME AND MY COUNCIL MEMBER EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, EVERY, WE HAVE MEETINGS IN BIGGER STATE, UH, DALE LUCO, BURTON WELLS, AND EVERYBODY, NOT ONLY JUST PARENTS, BUT EVERYBODY COMES TO THE MEETING AT ANY QUESTION THEY HAVE, I GIVE THEM THE ANSWER.
AND, AND THIS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE, AND THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE ANY PART FROM MY COMMUNITY COME TO BEHOLD MEETINGS.
I, I UNDERSTAND MR. SMITH, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE FLOOR AND YOU LET MR. CAMPBELL SPEAK PLEASE.
AND, AND, AND IF A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL CALL ME OR THEY'LL SEE ME AT CHURCH AND I, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S JUST SHUT YOUR MIC OFF, I THINK.
IT HAPPENS MONTHS OR TWICE A MONTH OR, OR OR EVERY TWO MONTHS.
UM, I, I THINK, UM, IF, IF, IF THE PUBLIC FIELDS WERE NOT RESPONDING TO THEIR ISSUES, I THINK THAT'S SORT OF THE GENESIS OF SOME OF THIS.
AND SO FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, AND I TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S BEEN FEEDBACK SAYING, MOVE THE MEETING SOUTH.
A COUPLE OF US HAVE GOTTEN LETTERS TO THAT EFFECT.
THE BOARD ACTED ON THAT TODAY.
SO THAT GOES OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
SECOND THING IS, UM, WE'VE BEEN GETTING, UM, LETTERS, EMAILS, AND WHEN WE RESPOND TO THEM AND SAY, I'LL MEET YOU FOR LUNCH, I'LL TALK TO YOU.
WHIZ NEVSKY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, AGREED, WE'RE WILLING TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVELY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO I THINK THAT CAN HELP DISSIPATE SOME OF THE, THE, THE FEELING OF, UH, ALIENATION, WHICH IS MAYBE NOT, YOU KNOW, PROPERLY FOUNDED, BUT THEY HAVE IT.
SO I WOULD SAY, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE RETAIN THE CURRENT POLICY.
WE, UH, ADOPT A APPROACH MORE LIKE THE US SENATE THAN THE HOUSE.
UH, AND THEN WE RESPOND TO THOSE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE BRING UP.
SO THEY KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE LISTENING.
YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH, UM, WHAT YOU'VE JUST SAID, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS
[04:50:01]
THE, THE PURPOSE OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.EACH ONE OF US REPRESENTS A UNIQUE, UNIQUE AREA OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE WERE ASKED TO SIT IN THIS SEAT, ELECTED TO SIT IN THIS SEAT TO REPRESENT THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY.
SO THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, WHERE WE'RE CONSTITUENTS, IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE ANSWER FROM THE TEACHER OR THE SCHOOL OR THE PRINCIPAL OR WHATEVER IT IS, THAT'S WHO THEY NEED TO APPROACH.
WHO'S, WHO IS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THEN THAT REPRESENTATIVE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, DETERMINE WHAT'S APPROPRIATE IN TERMS OF BRINGING IT TO DR.
SO, UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK MS. GORDON? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
JUST BRIEFLY, UH, I'VE LISTENED TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, AND I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT.
AND AS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE, UH, LITTLE BIT OF A, A HINDRANCE FOR US TO COME TO MEETINGS OR SIT HERE FOR HOURS, BUT I REMEMBER, AND I KNOW MR. CAMPBELL REMEMBERS THAT BOARD MEETINGS COULD LAST FOR FOUR AND A HALF HOURS.
AND SO THUS THE, UH, THE TIME LIMIT WAS IMPOSED UPON OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, TO THREE MINUTES, BECAUSE SOME WOULD GO FOR, UH, 10, 15 MINUTES.
BUT ALSO THE RESPONSES, OUR BOARD MEMBERS AT THAT TIME DID RESPOND IN KIND BACK TO THE, UH, CITIZENS.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF RESPONSE, UH, TO CITIZENS WHO COME FORWARD.
AND YES, THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THEY DON'T COME ANYMORE, BECAUSE THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO THE AGENDA.
MAYBE WHAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
WE SAID THEY CAN COME TO THE BOARD MEETINGS.
WE'RE HERE, WE START AT SIX, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S AN ENDING TIME OF NINE 15.
IF WE DON'T FINISH THERE, WE START AGAIN THE NEXT DAY.
UM, BUT I TOO AM BOMBARDED WITH, WE ARE NOT, LIST BOARD IS NOT LIST.
UH, YOU KNOW, I SENT A LETTER, I SENT A EMAIL, NO ONE RESPONDED BACK TO ME.
I, YOU KNOW, I JUST LOOK BECAUSE I'M NO ON THE BOARD AND I CAN'T RESPOND TO WHOMEVER THEY SENT IT TO.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE DO NEED, I THINK THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD ONE.
YES, THEY NEED MAYBE NEED A LITTLE TWEAK.
UM, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO FIND SOME WAY TO RESPOND TO CITIZENS WHO BRING THEIR CONCERNS TO US, UM, RATHER THAN JUST SIT HERE AND LOOK AT 'EM.
THEY GOT, AND THEN THEY GO SIT DOWN.
AND MAYBE JUST SAYING THANK YOU COMING UP TO SPEAK, BUT WE DO NEED TO WORK ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT RIGHT NOW, THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS LIMITED TO AGENDA ITEMS. IT IS TOTALLY OPEN.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR POLICY, THERE'S NOTHING LIMITING IT TO AGENDA TOPICS.
THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC, MR. SMITH, AND, AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY CORRECT, UH, MADAM CHAIR, BUT THERE WAS DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT LIMITING, THAT'S WHAT I CAN'T SUPPORT.
BUT WITH THE NOTION, ACTUALLY, UM, THE BOARD IN PRIOR YEARS, ACTUALLY, UH, THE BOARD DID RESPOND TO, UM, I'M MUST GO AHEAD AND ACTUALLY PUT IT OUT THERE TOO.
GOT WITH THE LAST TIME, HAD A GOOD, BAD AND UGLY.
THE BOARD DID RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO WERE AT THE, WERE AT THE PODIUM, WHO LEFT AN EMAIL BECAUSE MRS. ROBEN, UH, WOULD, SHE WOULD ALWAYS EMAIL THEM AND TELL THEM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DA DA DA, ET CETERA.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMMENTING, DA DA DA.
AND, YOU KNOW, SAY HOPEFULLY YOU'VE BEEN HELPED OR SOMETHING.
OR, BUT, BUT SHE WOULD NORMALLY RESPOND WITH SOMETHING LIKE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THEN WHEN SHE, WHEN SHE WAS HERE AS, WHEN SHE WAS THE VICE CHAIR, WHEN SHE WAS THE VICE CHAIR, I REMEMBER SHE WOULD SAY THAT ALSO, I, I'M NOT SURE IF THE WHOLE BOARD WAS INCLUDED IN THAT, BUT I REMEMBER, I DON'T REMEMBER.
SHE ONLY INCLUDED OFFICERS IN THAT.
UM, BUT SHE DID RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO DID PUT DOWN THEIR EMAILS.
AND ONE TIME I DID HAVE A, A, UM, A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO SAID, WELL, I GOT THE EMAIL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW TO KNOW LITTLE, LITTLE MORE.
AND SO THEN, UM, SHE, SHE, AND SHE WAS THANKFUL FOR THAT.
SHE SAID, WELL, SHE SAID, AT FIRST I SAID I WAS UPSET THAT NIGHT, BUT SHE SAID, UH, I DIDN'T NOTICE THE LADY THAT, THAT THE, UM, THE ROB LADY HAD EMAILED ME AND SHE SAID, YOU DIDN'T EMAIL ME.
AND ONCE AGAIN, ONCE SHE WASN'T ALSO IN MY, IN MY AREA, BUT SHE JUST SAID, I, WELL, WELL, YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION.
AND I SAID, WELL, YEAH, WELL, I SAID, WELL, SHE EMAILED YOU, IT WAS FOR THE BOARD.
[04:55:01]
KNOW, REVEREND, WE CONTINUED TO DO THAT.BUT AS MRS UH, UH, MRS. GORDON JUST SAID TOO, IT REFERENCE TO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT WILL GO A LITTLE, A LITTLE FURTHER IN TERMS OF, UM, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF LETTING OF TALK, OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD, WE'VE HEARD THEIR CONVERSATION.
AND NORMALLY WHEN PEOPLE COMMENT, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF WILL GET UP AND, UH, TAKE CARE, AND THEY TAKE CARE OF ANY ISSUE THAT IS BROUGHT TO THE, TO THE, TO THE PODIUM.
IF, IF, IF I, I BELIEVE I AM CORRECT ON THAT REFERENCE, DEALING WITH A PARENT WHO MAY HAVE HAD A EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM OR SOMETHING OF THAT NOTION, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF MAY CATCH THEM BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE OF THIS DOOR.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I'M MORE, I'M MORE INCLINED NOT TO CHANGE WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, BECAUSE SOMEONE, ONCE AGAIN, MIGHT DON'T HAVE THE SKILLSET OR THE KNOW-HOW TO HANDLE THAT SITUATION, BUT THEY BRING IT TO THE BOARD MEETING, AND THEN THEY CAN, THEY CAN THEN GET THAT UNDERSTANDING AND CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THE WHO'S WHAT, WHERE, WHERE'S, WHY, AND HOW.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT IS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO KEEP, KEEP THAT, KEEP THAT AT, AT THE MINIMUM.
SO, OH, UM, WE CAN EITHER GO ON WITH COMMENTS OR DO WE HAVE A MOTION OR JUST FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, SO WE, SO TABLE THE LAST QUESTION.
IT WAS POSTPONED TO A, TO A CERTAIN TIME.
SO WITH, SO YEAH, I GUESS WE SHOULD, I WOULD SAY THAT SINCE MS. FRICK IS NO LONGER ON THE BOARD, PROBABLY IT HAS TO BE, UH, REMADE BECAUSE SHE CAN'T, HE'S NOT HERE.
UM, AND THAT, SO THAT'S THIS, THIS PAPER.
SO I'M JUST, I'M GONNA MAKE THE MOTION TO BRING THE POSTPONED MOTION OFF THE TABLE SO I DON'T HAVE TO REGURGITATE THAT WHOLE THING.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK YOU REALLY HAVE TO BECAUSE IT WAS POSTPONED TO A CERTAIN TIME.
SO I HAVE TO REMAKE THE ORIGINAL MOTION, I THINK.
OR YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I MEAN, WE SAID WE WOULD BRING IT BACK FORWARD IN JANUARY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH OUR DISCUSSION.
SO WE CAN SAY WE DON'T WANNA HAVE A MOTION ABOUT IT.
I'M GONNA GO WITH WHAT I THINK.
UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD DISPOSES OF THE PROPOSED REVISION TO WHATEVER GC IT WAS GC, UM, 2.23.
WISNESKI, DID YOU HEAR THAT, ROB? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA DISPOSE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO GC, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
MOTION MADE BY HUSKY SECOND BY CARLTON.
ANY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? I THINK WE'VE VICTOR.
I WILL SAY AS A FRESHMAN MEMBER, I WILL GO AHEAD AND VOLUNTEER TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR COMMENTS.
SOON AS, UH, CUSH VERY, HAS IT DISPLAYED, IT SHOULD BE, UH, 2.23.
YEAH, YOU GOT THREE L THERE SOMEHOW.
SO PUT THIS, BUT, SO IT'S 2.23.
YOU'RE MISSING STILL A TWO? YEAH.
I SEE, I SEE WHERE YOU GOT THAT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO BEFORE WE, UH, ADJOURN, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR A GREAT DAY AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
THEY WERE VERY INFORMATIVE AND, UH, I THINK WE MOVED ALONG NICELY AND HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE AGENDA SETTING VIA ZOOM ON MONDAY EVENING AT 5:00 PM AND THAT WILL BE SETTING THE AGENDA FOR THE FEB FEBRUARY SEVEN, UH, BUSINESS MEETING.
UH, JUST THANK EVERYBODY FOR THOUGHTFUL, UH, DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS ON ALL THE TOPICS
[05:00:01]
THAT CAME THROUGH TODAY.AND WE CAN ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.