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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT
[Call to Order]
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF MAY 16TH, 2023.UH, MR. MEAGLE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED BY HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED THIS EVENING BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AND TOPIC TO ROBIN.
AND THAT'S ROBIN WITH A Y DOT CUSHING, BARRY BEAUFORT.K12.SC.
DO US YOU'LL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES.
ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, THE FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES.
IF YOU 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 AND PLEASE SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR THE CARD REQUEST FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC.
COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED THIS EVENING BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30 IN THE SAME MANNER AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED.
THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT, NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM THE SECOND FORM IS LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES.
IN THE EVENT THE BOARD IS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW NIGHT, MAY 17TH, 2023 AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS, WE NOW NEED A MOTION
[Executive Session]
TO GO, UM, INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE MO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING FISCAL AUTHORITY COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
ALSO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS.
INCIDENT TO PROPOSE SALE OF PROPERTY ON TOFUS ISLAND COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION THREE DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
AND DISCUSSION OF PROMOTION OF A STUDENT PURSUANT TO SOUTH KARA CODE SECTION THREE DASH FOUR DASH SEVEN ZERO A ONE.
ALSO DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TWO.
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF E S S CONTRACT PERSON WENT TO SC CODE SECTION THREE DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
NEXT DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED SELECTION FOR ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES CONTRACT RFQ NUMBER 2313 PROFESSIONAL DESIGN SERVICES CAMPUS MASTER PLAN UPDATE AND NEW SCHOOL IN BLUFFTON PURSUANT TO S SC CODE SECTION THREE ZERO DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
AND LASTLY, DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER 43 G M P FOR SAFETY, SECURITY, AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
FIRST WENT TO CODE SECTION THREE DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
SMITH WITH NKI EYE? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
OH WAIT, WE DALLAS, I, MR. SMITH RAISED HIS HAND, SO I WAS WAITING FOR HIS QUESTION OR COMMENT.
OH, OH YES, THAT WAS, I WAS JUST ASKING, UM, WHO, UH, UH, WHO, WHO WOULD BE GIVING US LEGAL ADVICE TONIGHT? OKAY, WELL I KNOW, UM, ONE OF THEM IS MR. JOHN REGAL.
I DON'T KNOW THE REST DISTRICT STAFF AND, AND JOHN REGAL.
ALL IN FAVOR OF GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE REASONS GIVEN, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
AND WISNESKI WAS I, MIDDLETON AYE AND MIDDLETON? I DALLAS.
[00:05:01]
I SMITH.I THINK THAT COVERS EVERYBODY.
THAT WAS ON ZOOM, RIGHT? OKAY, DOC, YOU GOT ME RIGHT.
SO, UH, THE MOTION, UH, IS APPROVED.
UH, BELIEVE IT'S 10 ZERO WITH ONE PERSON ABSENT.
[ Action as necessary or appropriate regarding matters discussed in Executive Session]
AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF MAY 16TH, 2023.THE BOARD WAS JUST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND NOW WE ARE BACK OUT IN PUBLIC SESSION.
DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? VICE CHAIR GEIER, MADAME CHAIR, WE HAVE FIVE MOTIONS TO ACT ON THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST MOTION IS I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED TO EXTEND THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH ESS FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
THE MOTION WAS SECOND BY, UM, MR. WILLIAM SMITH.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE UNANIMOUS.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED THE BEAUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE STATE WAIVER APPEAL FOR A STUDENT AT BEAUFORD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION.
THE MOTION WAS SECOND BY MR. WILLIAM SMITH.
ANY DISCUSSION? I'M GOING TO SAY THAT I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS, AND THE REASON I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS IS ALTERNATIVES.
REMEDIES WERE PROVIDED, AND I WANT OUR ACADEMIC STANDARDS HIGHER, NOT LOWER.
AND I DON'T WANNA SET THIS AS A PRECEDENT, SO I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS.
SO ALL THOSE MR. SMITH, UH, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.
UM, I I THINK THAT IT, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT IS, IT IS A, A TOUGH DECISION AND I THINK THE DECISION HAS TO BE MADE.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, IN, IN, IN TERM, IN TERMS OF THE LOGISTICS THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN, I THINK THE, THE RIGHTFUL THING IS TO DO IS SUPPORT IT.
SO I DEFINITELY WILL SUPPORT THIS DECISION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR, YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
OKAY, SO MR. UH, DALLAS, YOU RENEE ALSO? YES, MA'AM.
SO WE HAVE, UM, NINE Y YESES, TWO NOS, AND NO ABSTENTIONS.
THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ISSUE AN AWARD TO QUACKENBUSH ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN UPDATE AND NEW PRE-K ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH AN ARCHITECTURAL CONTRACT AND UPON SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS, EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE FIRM.
ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MR. SMITH? UM, THIS MOTION IS FOR THE SCHOOL, CORRECT? YES.
UH, IN, IN, IN, IN TURN, IN TERMS OF THIS, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
I, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE HAD THIS TO SOME DIFFERENT DEGREE WITH A COUPLE DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS, I THINK IN THE PAST, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF THE AREA THAT, UH, IN DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I'VE REPRESENTED, I'VE GOTTEN PUSHBACK AND I, AND YOU KNOW, I'M J I JUST THINK THAT ALSO THAT IN TERMS OF USING THE 8% FUNDING, THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE COULD BE USING 8% FUNDING FOR.
[00:10:01]
I JUST HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES, THAT, THAT WE ARE TAKING NOTE IN THAT, IN, IN THE, IN THE FUTURE REFERENCE WHEN THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE GONNA SUPPORT IT AS, AS, AS WELL.I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
UM, THIS VOTE, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
I, UM, DISAGREE WITH MS. I VOTED WITH MR. SMITH AT THE TIME THIS CAME UP, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SAY THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO FUND IT, BUT RATHER WHO WE WERE GOING TO USE AND PER ROBERT'S RULES, WHICH IS OUR GOVERNING PRINCIPLE, ONCE THE BOARD HAS DECIDED THAT THE BOARD SPEAKS AS ONE.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S OF THE APPROPRIATE THIS TIME TO RE-DISCUSS THAT ISSUE.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? I'M MORE ABSTAIN.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES 10 0 1 MADAME CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES AMENDMENT NUMBER 43 FOR PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE SCOPE WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $1,887,110.
ANY DISCUSSION LIGHTS? YES, MR. SMITH, AND THIS IS A REFER REFERENDUM PROJECT, CORRECT? THIS WAS VOTED BY, BY THE VOTERS, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY, ANY NAYS AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? ABSTENTION? OKAY, SO THE MOTION CARRIES 10 0 1 MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE.
THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE SALE OF 20 MARY FIELD ROAD ON DUFUS ISLAND IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000 TO BURKE BRENNAN.
PROCEEDS FROM THE SAME FROM THE SALE SHALL BE DEPOSITED IN THE DISTRICT'S CAPITAL PROJECT FUND BACK IN DALLAS.
ANY DISCUSSION, MR. SMITH? I STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, AND I STILL, UM, I'LL HAVE, I'M, I'M, I STILL HAVE SOME, UH, UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, SO THEREFORE, TONIGHT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
NAYS AND ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THE MOTION CARRIES TEN ONE ZERO.
MADAM CHAIR, THAT COMPLETES THE ACTIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Approval of Agenda ]
APPROVE THE AGENDA.MS. BOATRIGHT MADE THE, MO MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THE AGENDA IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Statement of Media Notification, Moment of Silence]
WE HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH IT STANDS NATION, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
IRON MARKS AN EIGHTH GRADER AT HILTON HEAD.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PASSED AWAY, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO, AND CECILIA CAIN, A RETIRED INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK.
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
[Student Performances - Bluffton High School & Hilton Head Island High School Guitar Course Students]
I THOUGHT WE HAD BLUFF IN HIGH SCHOOL FIRST.UH, THE BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA COULD NOT JOIN US TONIGHT AS THEY ARE PERFORMING A CONCERT.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE SHARED A RECORDED PERFORMANCE WITH US PERFORMING THE OVERTURE
[00:15:01]
TO BARBER OF SEVILLE BY GIO AQUINO ROSSINI, ARRANGED BY CARRIE ANN GRUSELLE, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MUSIC TEACHER ALANA IRWIN.THANK YOU TO THE BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA.
ALSO WITH US HERE TONIGHT ARE SOME STUDENTS FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL'S, GUITAR ONE COURSE PERFORMING YATI PURDY AND S QUAN VIENDO UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BAND TEACHER SEAN PK.
AND SHE SAID, UM, I'M, I TEACH AND INSTRUMENTAL CLASSES.
THESE ARE SOME STUDENTS WHO, AND JOSE ARE ALSO PIECES
[00:26:33]
THANK[00:26:33]
YOU ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.NEXT WE HAVE POINTS OF CELEBRATION, DR.
[Points of Celebration]
THANK YOU, UM, DR.GUZ, AND THANK YOU TO OUR STUDENTS, UH, BOTH FROM BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL FOR A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE TONIGHT.
AND, UH, SETTING US OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK, UH, TONIGHT UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
THE VERY FIRST ITEM I WANNA BRING BEFORE YOU IS REGARDING THE 2023 RILEY AWARD FOR S I C EXCELLENCE, AND THE WINNER OF THAT AWARD THIS YEAR, UH, WAS, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU
AND I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT, UH, FOR MR. HUDSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, WHO IS GOING TO SHARE THE NEWS WITH YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, IT'S A PLEASURE OF YOU BACK DOWN HERE IN BUFORD, AND CERTAINLY THOSE ARE BETWEEN THE ORCHESTRA AND THE GUITAR ENSEMBLE.
TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW
I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL AND WAS TALKING WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS MOMENTS AGO AND, UH, ON THE RIDE DOWN HERE.
IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO NEXT MONTH THAT I ACTUALLY STARTED WORK WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO IT'S GOOD TO BE, I WAS HERE FOR A FEW YEARS IN THE, IT'S, I GUESS THEY CALL IT THE TS.
IT'S NOT THE TEENS OR THE TWENTIES, IT'S THE, UH, THE TWO THOUSANDS.
AND SO, UH, BEAUFORT IS ALWAYS, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OH, WE HAD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART, SO I'M WAS PARTICULARLY EXCITED THIS YEAR WHEN THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL OF HILTON ED ISLAND HIGH WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S RILEY WARD FOR S I C EXCELLENCE, NAMED FOR FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR AND US EDUCATION SECRETARY, DICK RILEY AND HIS LATE WIFE, CHUNKY.
UH, THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES SISS THAT HAVE REALLY DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN SUPPORTING THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THEIR STUDENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, GARNERED THE ATTENTION OF OUR, UH, JUDGES WERE FOUR OF THE THINGS THAT THIS SIC WORKED ON IN THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
UH, THEY WORKED ON ELEMENTS OF ACADEMIC RE-ENGAGEMENT COMING BACK AFTER THE PANDEMIC, SOMETHING THAT WE SEE, UH, SO NEEDED IN SO MANY SCHOOLS ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AND OUR COUNTRY.
UH, ALSO, THEY, UH, TOOK ACTIVE ROLES IN THE OVERSIGHT OF THEIR BOND REFERENDUM PROJECTS THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THEY, UH, TOOK EFFORT, TOOK ON EFFORTS TO BUILD COMMUNITY AWARENESS ABOUT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL AND ALSO TO INCREASE PARENT INVOLVEMENT.
SO THOSE WERE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT THE SIC UNDERTOOK AND SICS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE LIVES OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO BRING TOGETHER PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND EDUCATORS, AND IN THE CASE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, TO REALLY TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE
[00:30:01]
IN SUPPORTING, UH, THE GOALS OF THAT FIVE YEAR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND TO REALLY, UH, HELP PREPARE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES FOR SUCCESS.THE HILTON HEAD, UH, ISLAND HIGH S I WAS O'REILLY AWARD FINALIST IN 2018.
IN 2019, AND THEY ALSO RECEIVED THE AWARD OF ME FOR S I C REPORT TO THE PARENTS EXCELLENCE FOR 2021.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THAT.
UH, SINCE THAT CAME IN THE THROES OF THE PANDEMIC, WE DID EVERYTHING VIRTUALLY BY, UH, I WAS, I'M GLAD TO BE BACK IN PERSON AGAIN.
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I WAS THE BRADY BUNCH WHEN I WAS DOING THE ZOOM MEETINGS AND SO ON.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE THREE DIMENSIONALLY, SO WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THAT AWARD.
BUT SOME, UH, NAMES TO, TO NOTE WERE, UH, PAST S I C CHAIR, JENNIFER FIELDING, PAST VICE CHAIR, AUDREY CLAYTON, UH, SECRETARY JAN DAVIS VADER, UH, CURRENT CHAIR, MIKE QUIGLEY, CURRENT CHAIR, MIKE QUIGLEY, CURRENT VICE CHAIR KRISTIN KELLER AND PRINCIPAL.
SO I'D LIKE TO WELCOME UP WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AT THIS TIME AND, UH, CHRIS, IF WE COULD, IF WE, WE COULD HAVE MEMBERS OF THE S IIC CHAIR, UH, OF THE S IIC COMMITTEE AND HILTON HEAD COME, COME UP FRONT.
THEY'LL RECEIVE, UH, A BANNER FROM THANK YOU.
WE PRESENTED THEM WITH THEIR TROPHY.
UH, WE BROUGHT IT AND YOU BROUGHT IT THERE ON THE SIXTH.
JAN, DO YOU SLEEP WITH THAT UNDER YOUR PILLOW?
BUT, UH, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO PRESENT OUR LICS WHO WIN THIS AWARD WITH A BANNER THAT THEY CAN DISPLAY WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
AND I CAN STAY THERE FOR AS LONG AS THEY WANT.
SO I'LL COME OUT HERE AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO HAND THIS TO YOU.
JUST THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME DOWN AND, UH, MAKE THIS WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION.
THE NEXT ITEM UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING IS THE CHARACTER ED FOR APRIL FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO SUPPORT PARENTS' EFFORTS TO DEVELOP GOOD CHARACTER IN THEIR CHILDREN.
TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE CHARACTER ED STUDENT OF THE MONTH EXHIBITING THE CHARACTER TRADE OF FORGIVENESS.
FORGIVENESS IS DEFINED AS STOP FEELING ANGER TOWARDS SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH IN SOUTHERN, UH, BEAUFORD COUNTY IS SENIOR CONNOR FLOOD FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
CONNOR CANNOT JOIN US TONIGHT AS HE IS ATTENDING AN ATHLETIC AWARD CEREMONY, BUT I WILL SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT HIM FROM HIS NOMINATION.
HE WAS NOMINATED BY HIS SCHOOL COUNSELOR, MR. TIM KECK.
MR. KECK SHARED THAT CONNOR HAS ALWAYS HAD THE GOAL OF ATTENDING A UNITED STATES SERVICE ACADEMY.
CONNOR HAS EXCELLED BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY DURING HIS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, GIVING HIMSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ACCEPTED TO BOTH WEST POINT AND THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY.
ALL THAT CHANGED WHEN HE TORE HIS ACL ON THE FIRST LACROSSE PRACTICE OF HIS SENIOR YEAR.
CONNOR NOTIFIED BOTH SERVICE ACADEMIES AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DEFER HIS ENROLLMENT UNTIL FULLY HEALED.
AS A RESULT, CONNOR MADE THE TOUGH DECISION TO ATTEND CLEMSON UNIVERSITY AND RECONSIDER HIS OPTIONS ONCE HEALED.
[00:35:01]
I WAS AMAZED AT HIS ATTITUDE AND POSITIVE MINDEDNESS.CONNOR IS CHOOSING TO LOOK AT HIS FUTURE AS A GLASS HALF FULL AND HAS FORGIVEN HIS UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES.
CONNOR EXEMPLIFIES PERSEVERANCE, STRENGTH, AND FORGIVENESS.
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST OF LUCK TO CONNOR.
THE NEXT ITEM THIS EVENING UNDER POINTS OF CEL CELEBRATION, IS MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL MASTER SINGERS SUPERIOR WITH DISTINCTION AWARD.
RECENTLY THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL MASTER SINGERS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CHORUS TEACHER JASON SNYDER, EARNED A SUPERIOR WITH DISTINCTION AWARD AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION'S CONCERT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT.
THE MASTER SINGERS ARE UNABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT AS THEY ARE PERFORMING A JOINT CONCERT WITH BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
AND HERE WITH US TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE MASTER SINGERS IS KAREN MACKENZIE, UH, DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.
AND I JUST WANNA STRESS THAT THIS AWARD MEANS SO MUCH BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO THIS.
ONE IS THEIR ACTUAL PERFORMANCE AND ONE IS THEIR READING OF MUSIC.
THEY NOT ONLY RECEIVED A DISTINCTION, BUT THAT MEANS THAT THEY GOT A PERFECT SCORE IN BOTH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, JASON SNYDER CAME BACK TO US.
HE LEFT AND WENT TO LEXINGTON ONE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SNATCH HIM BACK THIS YEAR.
HE HAS 11 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A CHORAL DIRECTOR AND HE IS MOVING THAT PROGRAM FORWARD REALLY QUICKLY.
SO WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM WITH US, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THOSE 30 STUDENTS.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA ADD BEFORE I STEP AWAY IS THE WEEKEND BEFORE THIS PERFORMANCE, THURSDAY NIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY, AND TWO PERFORMANCES ON SUNDAY OF SPONGEBOB TUESDAY WAS THIS PERFORMANCE TOTALLY DIFFERENT MUSIC AND THEY STILL EARNED AN HONOR OF DISTINCTION, SO THAT IS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.
NEXT ITEM AND POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING IS RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY, BANNED SUPERIOR RATING ON A ROLL WITH SUPERIOR RATINGS.
RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY'S BAND RECENTLY RECEIVED THE SUPERIOR RATING AT THE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC.
HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS AWARD IS BAND DIRECTOR SAVANNAH GAVIN GAVIGAN.
I AM THE BAND DIRECTOR AT RIVER RIDGE.
UM, THE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT MS. MCKENZIE JUST MENTIONED.
OUR STUDENTS PERFORM A CONCERT OF THREE PREPARED PIECES IN FRONT OF A PANEL OF JUDGES WHO ARE VERY RENOWNED IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S COMPOSERS OF THE MUSIC THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PLAYING, UM, PROFESSORS OF SOME REALLY HIGH END UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.
AND SO IT'S A VERY PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FOR US TO DO THIS.
UM, SO THIS GROUP WAS A GROUP OF SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS.
IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME JOIN US.
ONE OF YOU IS HIDING
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT TYPICALLY STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE OR PROGRAMS THAT RECEIVE THESE AWARDS HAVE BANNED EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OUR STUDENTS ONLY MEET TWICE A WEEK, SO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL A SUPERIOR OFF, NOT TO MENTION WE ALSO EARNED A SUPERIOR WITH DISTINCTION AT THIS AWARD, MEANING WE EARNED SUPERIORS FROM ALL OF THE JUDGES WITH ONLY SEEING STUDENTS TWICE A WEEK IS A HUGE CHALLENGE IN ITSELF IN A REMARKABLE, REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.
NEXT ITEM UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
THIS EVENING, OUR REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR WINNER, MEYER SMITH FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE, SEVERAL BEAUFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETED FOR HONORS AT THE 2023 SEA ISLAND REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR IN MARCH.
TONIGHT WE RECOGNIZE THE FIRST
[00:40:01]
PLACE AWARD WINNER FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPETITION.THAT'S HILTON HEAD, ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT MEYER SMITH.
I INVITE MEYER TO COME UP TO RECEIVE HIS CERTIFICATE AND IF HE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS PROJECT MEYER.
SO FOR SCIENCE FAIR THIS YEAR I BUILT, UM, A WOODEN SCOOTER POWERED BY A CORDLESS ELECTRIC DRILL IN OUT OF LIKE SCRAP WOODEN KINDS OF STUFF.
BUT, UM, I, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I BUILT.
WERE YOU ABLE TO RIDE IT? YEAH.
THE NEXT ITEM THIS EVENING IS A 2023 ENLIGHTENED SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S BOOK CHALLENGE WINNERS SAWYER BLAKELY COSTELLO AND KAYA BISHOP, TWO HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ART STUDENTS WERE RECOGNIZED AS THE STATE HOUSE AT THE STATE HOUSE FOR WINNING THE LOCAL AND STATEWIDE ENLIGHTENED SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S BOOK CHALLENGE HOSTED BY PALMETTO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.
HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE AWARD AND THE CONTEST IS SOUTH AS, UH, SCA PRINCIPAL MS. NIKKI LUCAS.
IF I COULD ASK, UM, KAYA BISHOP AND SAWYER BLAKE LEE COSTELLO TO JOIN ME UP HERE.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF SAWYER AND KAYA, UM, FOR THEIR AWARD.
THEY WERE RECOGNIZED NOT ONLY ON THE LOCAL LEVEL AS THE FIRST PLACE WINNERS OF THIS CONTEST, BUT ALSO ON THE STATE LEVEL.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MRS. FRIEND KERR, WHO IS TO MY LEFT.
I COULD GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
SHE, ALONG WITH ALEX HOLLAND, ONE OF OUR FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS, LED THE STUDENTS IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, THEY CREATED A BOOK, UM, CALLED THE ELECTRIC TRAIL THAT THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM AND, UM, WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF THEM AND OF THEIR WORK.
THANK THE NEXT ITEM, UH, THIS EVENING THAT I WANT TO UH, PRESENT TO YOU ALL IS OUR STUDENT GAME BALL AWARD.
UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO A STUDENT HAD A SEIZURE WITHOUT HESITATION.
STUDENT JESSE BAILON STAYED BESIDE THE STUDENT TO ENSURE THAT HE DID ALL THAT HE COULD TO KEEP THE STUDENT FROM ANY FURTHER HARM.
JESSE WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A HERO FOR THE STUDENT EXPERIENCING THIS MEDICAL INCIDENT, AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE JESSE'S BRAVERY AND WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT KEEPING THE STUDENTS SAFE.
JESSE IS NEW TO THE SCHOOL AND DID NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT SUPPORTING A CLASSMATE THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO HAVE JESSE HERE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
JESSE, WOULD YOU JOIN ME UP HERE? APPRECIATE GOOD JOB.
[First Public Comments]
GUZ AND UH, BACK TO YOU.NEXT WE'LL BEGIN OUR, UM, FIRST UH, SESSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AND
[00:45:01]
RULES FOR SPEAKING.THE SPEAKERS ADDRESSING THE BOARD MUST CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF THE BOARD.
YOUR TIME WILL NOT EXCEED THREE MINUTES AND THERE'LL BE A VISIBLE AUDIBLE TIMING DEVICE USED AND ONE PERSON MAY NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO THE OTHER.
IF YOU'RE SPEAKING IN PERSON, UH, YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS CARD PROVIDING YOUR NAME AND, AND SPECIFIC TOPIC.
AND IF YOU'RE SPEAKING VIA PHONE, WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND TOPIC.
SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE ROBIN, UH, LEIBENBERG SPEAKING ON BOOK REVIEW PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO ISLAND.
I THOUGHT WHEN I RETIRED FROM TEACHING IN TWO 10, I WOULD NEVER AGAIN ATTEND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
I NEVER FOUND THEM BE INTERESTING OR FUN AND IN GENERAL THEY PULLED ME AWAY FROM THE WORK I HAD FINISH THE MARKET PERIOD.
YET HERE I AM AND HAVE BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS NOW SHOWING UP WHENEVER I CAN AND CHOOSING TO SPEAK WHEN I RATHER JUST WRITE.
SO I THOUGHT I SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY I SHOW UP.
I CHOOSE TO ATTEND BECAUSE THE MOST VOCAL AND PERSISTENT GROUP SPEAKING HAS BEEN THE STUDENTS IN A BOOK CLUB CALLED DAY LOW.
THEY'RE ABOUT TO GRADUATE AND MOVE ON AND AS THE GREAT JOHN LEWIS WOULD SAY, THEY'RE MAKING THE BEST KIND OF TROUBLE AND SPEAK FOR OUR FREEDOM AND DISCERN ALLIES AND SUPPORT AS A TEACHER AND A MOTHER, I WILL ALWAYS ACT THE KIDS AND CHOOSE TO SPEAK BECAUSE EVERY DYSTOPIAN NOVEL I CAN RECALL HAS SOME VERY REAL MOMENTS IN HISTORY INCLUDE AND OFTEN BEGIN WITH MUZZLING OF TEACHERS AND WRITERS AND THINKERS AND THEIR BOOKS.
THAT MUZZLING IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE FREE SOCIETY.
WITH THIS BOOK BAN EFFORT AND THE EDUCATION LEGISLATION, OUR STATE IS PASSING IN THIS SESSION, FREEDOM DIES.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF THE STATE HERE.
I CHOOSE TO BE HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN A WELL CURATED LIBRARY COLLECTION THAT PROVIDES VIBRANT SELECTION AND STUDENTS MIND AND ALLOW THEM TO EXTEND THE SAME STUDY IN THE CLASSROOM OR EXPERIENCE IN THEIR OWN LIVES OR ARE CURIOUS TO LEARN ABOUT OTHERS' LIVES.
THE 97 BOOKS TARGETED ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT KINDA THOUGHTFUL COLLECTION.
DIVERSITY MAKES DEMOCRACY STRONGER AND A CULTURE MORE VIBRANT.
I CHOOSE TO SPEAK BECAUSE THE ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN EXPENSIVE, UNFAIR, UNSUPPORTED BY MOST RESIDENTS AND YET SLOGS ON AS OF LAST WEEK, ONLY FOR 54 BOOKS HAD FINISHED THE REVIEW PROCESS.
50 HAVE OR MAY RETURN TO LIBRARY SHELVES DEPENDING UPON YOUR VOTE THREE REMOVED, ONE RE-REVIEWED DUE TO A TIE.
THE OTHER 43 BOOKS CONTINUE TO WAIT.
THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS IN WHAT, TWO WEEKS? WHAT HAPPENS THEN AND WHEN MOMS FOR LIBERTY HANDS THESE COMPLAINANTS THEIR NEXT LIST? WHAT THEN A CHOOSE TO SPEAK BECAUSE I WAS A TEACHER AND A WRITER WHO BELIEVES CENSORSHIP IS UN-AMERICAN.
IT'S A POOR CHOICE WHEN RAISING CHILDREN AND KEEPS ADULTS FROM THE TRUTH, DISAGREEMENT BEGINS DIALOGUE.
THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF DEMOCRACY.
LET'S BRING THAT BACK TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS ALONG WITH THOSE LAST 43 BOOKS AND HAVE REAL CONVERSATIONS AGAIN.
NEXT WE HAVE ELIZABETH FOSTER.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME'S ELIZABETH FOSTER AND I'M GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE UNINTENDED RAMIFICATIONS OF THE EFFORTS AT CENSORSHIP WITH THE WHICH THE COMPLAINANTS ARE SO RELUCTANT TO CALL BOOK BANDS.
WHEN TWO OF MY PEERS AND I HAD THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO CONVERSE WITH JODI PICO, WE WERE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE NATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF BOOK BANDS ON THE ENTIRE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY.
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A NEWLY CONTROVERSIAL AUTHOR, SHE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN BOOKS CONTAINING CERTAIN CONTENT WRITTEN BY CERTAIN AUTHORS BECOME AS HOTLY DEBATED AS THEY ARE NOW PUBLISHING COMPANIES MUST TAKE BOOKS POTENTIAL TO BE BANNED INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO PUBLISH IT.
PUBLISHERS OBVIOUSLY WANT TO SELL AS MANY COPIES AS POSSIBLE AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SCHOOLS MAY BE MORE HESITANT TO PURCHASE CERTAIN BOOKS AND THAT THOSE STORIES WILL THEREFORE LOSE A KEY AUDIENCE WILL CAUTION PUBLISHERS AGAINST INVESTING IN THESE KINDS OF STORIES.
NOW, I HAVE REPORTED ON THE STATISTICS THAT MY BROTHER AND I GATHERED AFTER INDIVIDUALLY RESEARCHING ALL 97 BOOKS ON THE COMPLAINANT'S LISTS, BUT I WILL REPEAT THESE
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NUMBERS AGAIN IN THIS CONTEXT.30% OF THE CHALLENGED BOOKS FEATURE MAIN CHARACTERS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
24% ARE WRITTEN, WRITTEN BY NON-WHITE AUTHORS, AND 19% CONTAIN MAIN CHARACTERS OF COLOR.
THESE ARE THE BOOKS THAT PUBLISHERS ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE AS HAVING A HIGH POTENTIAL OF BEING BANNED.
THE STORIES THAT DETAIL SOCIAL SYSTEMS OF INJUSTICE, VICIOUS RACIAL HIERARCHIES AND DEVASTATING EXAMPLES OF HATRED TOWARDS THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
THE BOOKS THAT REFLECT HARDSHIP EXPERIENCE HARDSHIPS EXPERIENCED BY MARGINALIZED STUDENTS WHILE OFFERING SUCCESS STORIES THAT FOSTER HOPE IN CHILDREN WHO PREVIOUSLY FELT TRAPPED IN A CYCLE OF VIOLENCE OR ABUSE.
WHEN PEOPLE REFUSE TO CALL THESE CHALLENGES BY THEIR TRUE NAME BOOK BANDS, THEY IGNORE THE EFFECTS OF CENSORSHIP THAT SPAN FAR BEYOND SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND ULTIMATELY DO RESULT IN THE EXACT DEFINITION THEY ASSOCIATE WITH BOOK BANDS.
TO ALL OF YOU, I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER THESE CONSEQUENCES ON EVERY FUTURE VOTE ABOUT WHETHER TO CONCUR WITH BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT BY ECHOING THE CLAIMS THAT BOOKS LIKE THE ONES ON THIS LIST SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM SCHOOLS.
YOU ARE CREATING A SOCIETY THAT IS FORCED TO INTENTIONALLY SILENCE STORIES WITH THE ABILITY TO BUILD EMPATHY AND EVEN SAVE LIVES IN THE POLARIZED STATE OF OUR NATION.
THE INFLUENCE OF YOUR DECISIONS IS MUCH GREATER THAN YOU MAY HAVE INITIALLY IMAGINED.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT TONIGHT.
THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE TIME AT DALE, MY GRANDMOTHER HAS READ EVERY SINGLE BOOK WITH ME AND ADORED EVERYONE.
WE'VE HAD TWO HOUR LONG CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BOOKS AND IT HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER.
THAT WAS UNTIL WE READ THE BLUEST EYE BY TONY MORRISON, ONE OF THE 97 BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED.
MY GRANDMOTHER THOUGHT IT WAS AWFUL.
SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE KEPT WAITING FOR SOMETHING GOOD TO HAPPEN, BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED AND THE BOOK WAS TOO DARK AND UNREALISTIC.
VERY SHORTLY AFTER THIS CONVERSATION, UH, ONE OF MY MOM'S STUDENTS CAME TO HER AFTER CLASS AND TOLD HER THAT SHE WAS BEING PHYSICALLY AND SEXUALLY ABUSED BY ME, MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY.
MY GRANDMOTHER'S OPINION OF THE BLUEST EYE DID A 180 INSTANTLY.
INSTEAD OF AN UNREALISTIC DARK BOOK, SHE SAW A GIRL WHOSE STREET SHE PASSES TWICE A WEEK, A GIRL SHE'S SEEN AND TALKED TO WHILE HELPING MY MOM DECORATE A CLASSROOM.
SHE REALIZED THAT THE BOOK WASN'T TOO DARK.
SHE JUST NEVER HELD A CANDLE TO THAT DARK.
THE BLUEST EYE HAS EXPANDED THE BEAUFORT CAMP BEAUFORT COMMUNITY.
IT'S THE REASON MY GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR FRIENDS HAVE DONATED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN SCHOOL, SUPPLIES, CLOTHES, ACTIVITIES, AND BOOKS TO STUDENTS WHO NEED IT.
IT HAS BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER TO DO GOOD BOOKS AND SO MU.
IF YOU THINK A BOOK IS TOO DARK, UNREALISTIC, OR A BAD REPRESENT REP REPRESENTATION OF OUR WORLD AND COUNTY, I ASK YOU TO OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN.
YOU ARE ENCLOSING YOURSELF INTO SHELTERED SOCIETY AND REFUSING TO OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE REST OF IT.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR RETURNING THE BLUEST EYE TO THE SHELVES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUT I DIDN'T.
INSTEAD I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH A QUESTION.
WHY CAN SOMEONE WALK HOME AFTER SCHOOL, GET TO HER HOUSE, WALK IN HER FRONT DOOR AND SEE AND FEEL WHAT SHE CANNOT READ? MADELINE CONFA BOOK BANDS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS HAD A REPUTATION FOR ITS RICH HISTORY AND DIVERSITY.
THERE IS HISTORY WRITTEN WITHIN THE ROADS WE WALK ON IN THE SALT MARSHES THAT WE STARGAZE OVER.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTY HAS BEEN TORN APART OVER THESE BOOK BANDS.
DISAGREEMENTS AREN'T LIMITED TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS EITHER WITH MANY USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO DISCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THESE BOOK BANDS.
QUOTE, I WONDER WHO GROOMED HER.
THIS CONDUCT IS PRETTY TYPICAL OF A GROOM CHILD END QUOTE.
I THINK THESE STUDENTS SUFFER A FORM OF STOCKHOLM SYNDROME REGARDING TEACHERS.
THESE ARE THE RESPONSES THAT ADULTS ARE PUBLICLY MAKING ON FACEBOOK ABOUT STUDENTS STANDING OUT AGAINST BOOK BANDS.
I DON'T EVEN WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO PONDER WHAT THEY MAY SAY ABOUT US BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MOMS FOR LIBERTY WORKS TOWARDS SHATTERING COMMUNITIES AND MAKING BOOKS EXPLORING OUR REALITIES INTO A POLITICAL GAME.
THE BOOK BANDS THAT WE SEE IN OUR COUNTY ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE THAT IS GIVEN BY MOMS
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FOR LIBERTY.WHETHER IT WAS THE BOOKS THAT WERE CHOSEN TO BE PULLED FROM THE SHELVES OR USING FOAS AS WEAPONS, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN COUNTY IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT.
AN ARTI, AN ARTICLE FROM THE STATE OF IOWA RIGHTS QUOTE.
IT'S A FULL CIRCLE OF COMMITTING AND RECOMMITTING TO THE CAUSE OF MOMS FOR LIBERTY AND NOT ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS, CURRICULUM, EDUCATION, OR PARENTAL RIGHTS.
THE GROUP CHOOSES TO IGNORE THEIR OWN RIGHTS IN ORDER TO BUILD A CASE FOR HOW THEY DESERVE TO REMOVE BOOKS AND CURRICULUM FROM SCHOOLS SOUND FAMILIAR, IGNORING THE OPT-OUT FORM AND PLAYING THE VICTIM TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE EVERY PROCESS IS RIGGED AGAINST THEM.
EVEN IN OTHER STATES, THE PEOPLE INITIATING THESE BOOK BANDS ARE USING THE SAME TACTICS TOO.
ADDITIONALLY, ONE COMMENTER DURING A PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING USED A BOOK LOOKS REVIEW AS EVIDENCE AS TO WHY A BOOK IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
BOOK LOOKS IS NOT A TRUSTED OR IMPARTIAL SOURCE.
IT WAS CREATED BY MOMS FOR LIBERTY AND USES A SUBJECTIVE RATING SYSTEM THAT DEPENDS ON FACTORS SUCH AS SEXUALITY, GENDER, IDEOLOGIES, AND EVEN THE PRESENCE OF ACTIVISM.
NO MATTER WHAT THE INTENT OF MOMS FOR LIBERTY OR BOOK LOOKS WAS CREATED FOR, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE THAT THEY'RE PUSHING FOR RHETORIC THAT IS HARMFUL TO ALL MINORITIES AND IS SEEKING TO ERASE THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T EVEN INCLUDED IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.
USING INDEPENDENT AUTHORS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ACCESS THE LAW STORIES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR OR QUEER PEOPLE BECAUSE OUR TEXTBOOKS ALWAYS SHOW US THE FULL PICTURE.
THE REALITY OF THIS SITUATION IS THAT THESE CONCERNED PARENTS DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE STUDENTS' BEST INTERESTS AT HEART WHEN YOU ARE RESORTING TO PERSONAL ATTACKS AGAINST MINORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO FURTHER YOUR CAUSE, IT ONLY SHOWS THAT YOU CAN'T HANDLE CHILDREN HAVING THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND THAT THESE PAR PARENTS REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED AT ALL.
MY NAME IS MILLIE BENNETT AND I AM A SENIOR AT BEAUFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU MAY BE CURIOUS ABOUT THAT BOOK THAT THAT BAG I JUST BROUGHT UP HERE.
AND IT IS A BOOK THAT HAS BEEN CURRENT CURRENTLY BANNED IN OUR COUNTY, ALL SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR HERSELF.
SO DURING A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IN MARCH, I SPOKE UP ABOUT THE BANNING OF THE BOOK 19 MINUTES BY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR JODI PECO.
HER BOOKS PORTRAY COMPLEX MULTI-SIDED NARRATIVES ABOUT MO POLARIZING SOCIETAL ISSUES.
19 MINUTES TACKLES A STR, A TRAGIC SCHOOL SHOOTING IN THE PAINFUL AFTERMATH AND WAS WRITTEN AT A TIME WHEN THE SHOOTING, WHEN THE SHOOTING OF SCHOOL'S CHILDREN WAS A SHOCKING TRAGEDY RATHER THAN AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE.
AS A RESULT OF DE'S DEEP DIVE IN DEFENDING AND PROMOTING INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, SOME OF US RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK THAT HAS BEEN STOLEN OFF OF OUR SHELVES.
WHILE WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY, WE ARE SADDENED THAT INTOLERANCE AND IGNORANCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WAS THE CATALYST.
IT IS NOT LOST IN US THAT OUR COUNTY, A COUNTY THAT HAS A LONG-STANDING REPUTATION AS A LITERARY COMMUNITY WITH ABUNDANCE OF DI OF DIVERSE LITERATURE, HAS BEEN THE SOURCE OF THE LARGEST BOOK CHALLENGE IN THE STATE.
MISS PACO WAS A KIND DOWN TO EARTH AND ALL AROUND A LOVELY INDIVIDUAL WHO WROTE THIS BOOK TO BRING GREATER UNDERSTANDING TO THIS DEEPLY TRAUMATIZING ISSUE.
THESE BOOKS ARE NOT THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO SHOOT UP A SCHOOL THAT SOME HAVE CLAIMED THEM TO BE.
RATHER, THEY ARE PRODUCT OF A LOT OF RESEARCH IN THE RESULTING KNOWLEDGE AND EMPATHY.
THIS ISN'T JUST A BOOK TO US, IT IS OUR REALITY.
19 MINUTES AS WE HOPE YOU'LL FIND WHILE READING THE PROVIDED SIGNED COPIES IS A BOOK BORN FROM THE TRAGEDY OF VIOLENCE THAT ULTIMATELY POINTS THE READER TOWARDS THE BEAUTIFUL OPTIMISM OF HOPE, COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.
IF IT DOES SERVE AS ANY KIND OF GUIDE, IT IS A GUIDE ABOUT HOW TO GRACE ALL OF HUMANITY WITH EMPATHY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ASKING FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.
A LESSON STUDENTS DESPERATELY NEED TO LEARN.
19 MINUTES HOLDS CULTURAL IMPORTANCE FOR ITS ABILITY TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO EXPLORE HOW TO COPE WITH THE CURRENT DANGEROUS CLIMATES IN SCHOOLS.
LIKE I SAID IN MARCH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I AM TOO YOUNG FOR THIS BOOK.
I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY OF OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE TOO YOUNG FOR THIS BOOK BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW.
WE DEEPLY KNOW ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THAT THIS HAPPENED IN SCHOOLS.
IT IS DELO SINCERE HOPE THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER WILL TAKE THE TIME TO READ THESE GIFTED COPIES OF 19 MINUTES AND SERIOUSLY REFLECT ON THE EMPATHY AND WISDOM IT CONTAINS AND QUESTION THE QUESTION, THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THOSE WHO TRY TO CENSOR IT.
HOLLAND PERRYMAN ON BOOK BANDS.
MY NAME IS HOLLAND PERRYMAN AND I AM THE FOUNDER OF DELO, THE DIVERSITY AWARENESS YOUTH LITERACY ORGANIZATION.
I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN EDUCATED IN THREE BEAUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT BEAUFORT HIGH, IOWA WAS STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, GRADUATED IN THE TOP 2% OF MY CLASS, HELD EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN SEVERAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND WAS CAPTAIN OF MY LACROSSE TEAM.
I ALSO VOLUNTEERED MORE THAN 800 HOURS AS THE FIRST INTERN OF THE PAT CONROY LITERARY
[01:00:01]
CENTER.I'M A NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR AND THE RECIPIENT OF MANY OTHER LOCAL AND REGIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS AS WELL.
I'VE JUST COMPLETED MY FRESHMAN YEAR AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY WHERE I'M IN THE HONORS PROGRAM.
I'M THRIVING AT A COMPETITIVE AND DIVERSE UNIVERSITY, NOT IN SPITE OF WHERE I'M FROM, BUT BECAUSE OF IT.
BEAUFORT IS A WONDERFULLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY, RICH WITH CULTURE AND HISTORY, AND THE EDUCATORS OF BEAUFORT GAVE ME ALL THE TOOLS I NEEDED TO BUILD WHATEVER FUTURE I DESIRED AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SEVERAL OF THEM TODAY.
THE MENTORSHIP I RECEIVED FROM CONROY CENTER DIRECTOR JONATHAN HALT, HAS BEEN PARAMOUNT IN SHAPING ME AS A LEADER.
MY ENGLISH TEACHERS, PAULA CORBETT AND WENDY LACOMB HONED MY CAPACITY FOR EMPATHY BY TEACHING DIVERSE LITERATURE.
FRANK RODRIGUEZ AND OTHER DISTRICT LEADERS LIKE DR.
NIKIA CAMPBELL FACILITATED CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATION HELPING US AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO CREATE DELO.
ONE OF THE CORE TENETS OF DELO IS IMPROVING EARLY LEARNING LITERACY.
THE ABILITY TO READ AND TO ENJOY IT IS A CHILD'S GREATEST AVENUE TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
LITERACY IMPROVES TEST SCORES IN ALL AREAS AND IT LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD FOR DISADVANTAGED KIDS.
DELO REGULARLY HOSTS READ ALOUD EVENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THESE STUDENTS.
ANOTHER OF DE LO'S CORE TENETS IS PROMOTING A DIVERSE RANGE OF REPRESENTATION ON OUR SCHOOL BOOKSHELVES.
EVERY CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A BOOK THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY WITH AND THAT WAS WRITTEN BY A PERSON WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM.
MOREOVER, REPRESENTATION ENCOURAGES MORE KIDS TO READ AND THAT IMPROVES BOTH TEST SCORES AND ACADEMIC POTENTIAL.
AND JUST AS IMPORTANT, WHEN STUDENTS READ ABOUT EXPERIENCES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN, THEY GAIN EMPATHY AND BROADEN THEIR WORLDVIEW.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO LEARN ABOUT THE HARD EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS IN ORDER TO FOSTER KINDNESS AND GRACE FOR ALL.
THIS YEAR, THE STUDENT LEADERS OF DELO HAVE USED THESE FOUNDATIONAL TENETS TO LEAD AN INSPIRING RESPONSE TO PROTECT 97 CHALLENGED BOOKS, AND I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF THEM.
BANNING BOOKS LIMITS THE CAPACITY AND THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT DILUTES THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT BEAUFORT SCHOOLS PROVIDE.
IT DENIES OUR STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER, AND IT WEAKENS CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
BOOK BANDS ALSO VILIFY OUR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS, SO WE LOOK TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS BOARD TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS, AND THAT MEANS LISTENING TO THOSE SAME STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS WHEN THEY TELL YOU AS THEY HAVE FOR MONTHS TO RETURN OUR BOOKS TO OUR SHELVES, TO TRUST OUR EDUCATORS, TO DO THE ESSENTIAL WORK THEY ARE TRAINED TO DO AND TO SAFEGUARD THEIR RIGHTS TO EXIST SAFELY AND MEANINGFULLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IF YOU CAN DO THAT, THEN YOUR STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, ISABELLA TROY BOOK BANDS.
SINCE THIS WILL BE MY LAST TIME ADDRESSING THE BOARD.
AS A BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT, I DECIDED TO MAKE A FULL CIRCLE AND END WHERE I BEGAN.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH COUNTLESS HARDSHIPS FROM EXPOSURE TO DRUG ADDICTION, POVERTY, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND CHILD ABUSE.
AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYONE'S SYMPATHY, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE IT.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE TERRIBLE IN THEIR OWN WAYS.
HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE SOMEONE READ 19 MINUTES.
GIVE MILK AND HONEY THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER OR ANY OF THE OTHER CHALLENGED BOOKS.
AND THOUGH MY HARDSHIPS ARE TERRIBLE, THEY ARE NOT UNIQUE.
MANY OF MY FRIENDS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE SAME AWFUL THINGS THAT I HAVE.
WE AS A DISTRICT ARE FOCUSING ON THE WRONG ISSUES.
NO BOOK CAUSED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND NO BOOK CAUSED MY BROTHER TO OVERDOSE.
WHAT CAUSED THESE ISSUES IS THE LACK OF EDUCATION AND VOICES BEING SWEPT UNDER THE RUG SO OFTEN THAT IT FINALLY BECAME A MASSIVE LUMP CAUSING EVERYONE TO TRIP.
ATTACKING EDUCATION IS A CENTURY'S OLD TACTIC USED FOR MANIPULATION.
THIS IS A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN TIME.
MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NOT EVERYONE GETS TWO PARENTS, A WHITE PICKET FENCE, A FLUFFY DOG OR SUMMER VACATIONS.
SOME KIDS GET A DIRT, A DIRT ROAD IN A SINGLE WIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS.
IT'S FILLED WITH BUGS AND A CONSTANT CYCLE OF MISTREATMENT.
IF KIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO LIVE THROUGH IT, THEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO READ ABOUT IT.
THE ONLY WAY OUTTA GENERATIONAL CYCLES IS THROUGH SOLID EDUCATION.
AND FOR SOME KIDS LIKE ME, PART OF THAT IS READING AND OTHER KIDS THAT HAD, UH, READING ABOUT OTHER KIDS THAT HAD IT ROUGH AND WERE ABLE TO MAKE A 180.
THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND FOR THE FOUR YEARS, UH, AND FOR THE YEARS AT CREEK LIBRARY HAS BEEN OPEN, I'VE SEEN THE SAME 10 STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARY.
MAYBE WE SHOULD GET MORE STUDENTS READING BOOKS BEFORE WE START BANNING THEM.
BUT BY BANNING BOOKS, WE ARE TEACHING STUDENTS THAT IT IS OKAY TO SILENCE VOICES BY BANNING BOOKS, WE ARE TEACHING STUDENTS THAT THEIR VOICES SHOULD BE SILENCED.
RACIAL ISSUES ARE UNCOMF UNCOMFORTABLE TO READ ABOUT.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS HARD TO READ ABOUT
[01:05:01]
DRUG ADDICTION, SEXUAL ASSAULT, SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND GUN VIOLENCE ARE ALL HARD TO READ ABOUT, BUT LIVING THROUGH THEM IS HARDER, UNCOMFORTABLE DOES NOT EQUAL AND SAFE.AND ENDING THESE ISSUES WILL ONLY HAPPEN ONE WAY, AND THAT IS THROUGH EDUCATION.
NEXT WE HAVE CLAIRE BENNETT BOOK CHALLENGES.
I'M A DISTRICT PARENT AND THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR FAMILIES AGAINST BOOK VANS.
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, 223 SPECIFIC BOOKS WERE CHALLENGED NATIONWIDE IN 2020.
IN 2022, THAT NUMBER GREW TO OVER 2,500.
HAVE INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY RANDOMLY DECIDED TO CHALLENGE SIMILAR LISTS OF BOOKS USING COMPARABLY AGGRESSIVE TACTICS, OR IS THIS PART OF A MORE COORDINATED EFFORT? POLITICAL STRATEGIST STEVE BANNON HAS SAID PUBLICLY THAT THE PATH TO SAVE THE NATION IS THROUGH SCHOOL BOARDS, WHICH IS WHY HE IS WORKING WITH MOMS. FOR LIBERTY TO ATTACK INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE FIGHTING SO HARD AGAINST THESE CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE.
AN UN-AMERICAN ATTEMPT AT CONTROLLING ACCESS TO INFORMATION BY POLITICAL EXTREMISTS IN AN EFFORT TO DESTABILIZE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AMASS POLITICAL POWER.
THE LACK OF SUPPORT FOR THIS AGENDA IS EVIDENT AT BOARD MEETINGS WERE LOCAL MEMBERS OF FAMILIES AGAINST BOOK VANS, INCLUDING PARENTS, STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS HAVE CONTINUALLY EXPRESSED DISAGREEMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, LOCAL AND NATIONAL POLLS CONFIRM THE LACK OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR CENSORSHIP.
WHILE LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS ENDORSED BY MOMS FOR LIBERTY HAVE RECOGNIZED THE GROUP'S LACK OF POPULARITY ENOUGH TO PUBLICLY DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE LABEL.
I HOPE THEY WILL ALSO COME TO RECOGNIZE THE DAMAGE THAT IS BEING DONE AS A RESULT OF CONTINUING TO VOTE.
IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS MOVEMENT, A VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE COMPLAINANT'S APPEALS RESULTS IN THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT YOU ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS.
ONE DEMANDS TO HAVE LIBRARIANS ARRESTED AND THE CONTINUED USE OF LIBELIST LABELS LIKE GROOMER.
WHEN REFERRING TO OUR ESTEEMED EDUCATORS, I CANNOT EXPRESS STRONGLY ENOUGH HOW DANGEROUS AND DEMORALIZING THIS IS FOR OUR EDUCATORS.
YOU ARE CHARGED WITH SUPPORTING TWO.
THIS SUPPOSITION THAT EDUCATION WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE SOCIALLY JUST OR EQUITABLE.
THIS IS AN ALARMING MISALIGNMENT WITH THE INCLUSIVE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE BEFOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPHOLDING THREE, THE COMPLAINANT'S CONTINUED RELIANCE ON A DESIGNATED HATE GROUP, THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PEDIATRICS AND THEIR APPEALS.
THIS GROUP HAS EARNED THAT DISGRACEFUL DESIGNATION FROM THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER AS A RESULT OF HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC, LEGITIMIZING HATE GROUPS, FURTHER MARGINALIZES VULNERABLE QUEER STUDENTS WHO ARE AS DESERVING OF A SUPPORTIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AS THEIR STRAIGHT COUNTERPARTS.
THE BOOK BANNER IS ALARMINGLY AGGRESSIVE VERBAL ATTACKS AGAINST STUDENT ACTIVISTS BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN OVERTLY SEXUAL IN NATURE.
THIS DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF REGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS YOU WERE ELECTED TO SERVE.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WILL CHOOSE TO PRIORITIZE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO EDIFY THIS DISTRICT AND REFRAIN FROM ALLOWING THEMSELVES WITH LOCAL, LOCAL PROPONENTS OF A NATIONAL POLITICAL STRATEGY THAT ULTIMATELY SEEKS TO GAIN POLITICAL POWER THROUGH THE DESTABILIZATION OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M PETER COOPER AND I SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME LOOKING OVER THE LIST OF OBJECTIONS TO THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO BE BANNED.
AND I CAME TO QUITE THE REALIZATION IF I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT GROWING UP IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THERE WOULD BE A MOVEMENT TO GET IT BANNED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THERE.
I HAVE NOT GONE MORE THAN TWO DAYS SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL WITHOUT HEARING SOMEONE REFERRED TO AS AN F A G.
I HAVEN'T GONE A WEEK WITHOUT HEARING A WHITE KID USE THE N WORD, A WORD WITH SUCH A WRETCHED HISTORY.
THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE TOO IF THEY'D READ ABOUT IT, BUT GOD FORBID THEY'D BE MADE IT UNCOMFORTABLE.
I'VE HAD ADMINISTRATORS FIRED FOR HAVING INTIMATE RELATIONS WITH ELEMENTARY LEVEL TEACHERS.
I'VE BEEN TOLD STORIES FROM MY PEERS ABOUT BEING TOLD THEY WERE NOT PRETTY ENOUGH TO BE A HOUSE SLAVE.
I, ONE OF THE PROPONENTS OF THESE BANDS EVEN RECENTLY TOLD A BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENT TO COME OVER AND EXPLAIN WHAT A B*****B IS FARTHER BOTH SOME OF MY PEERS AND I WERE IN A MOCK TRIAL TEAM WITH CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 13 WHO HAD TO WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND THE FACT THAT
[01:10:01]
PRACTICE WAS CANCELED BECAUSE THEIR COACHES WERE TESTIFYING IN A NATIONALLY TELEVISED MURDER TRIAL.IF YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE PROTECTING THESE CHILDREN FROM BEING EXPOSED TO THESE THINGS BY BANNING BOOKS OR WHATEVER, IT'LL INEVITABLY BE FRAMED AS NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE PROVE THAT THESE ARE BANDS, YOU'RE WRONG.
THIS ISN'T STUFF THAT ONLY HAPPENS IN THE EYES OF THE INDOCTRINATED OR HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO.
THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING NOW.
THEY'RE HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND THEY'RE HAPPENING HERE.
IT HAS BEEN SAID, OUR KIDS ONLY NEED TO LEARN READING AND MATH TO SUCCEED AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT THOSE ARE NOT THE ONLY THINGS WE NEED OUR CHILDREN TO BE PREPARED FOR.
FOR INSTANCE, I'VE BEEN OUT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR A WEEK SINCE THEN.
MY BEST FRIEND HAS BEEN RAPED.
IN THE FEW DAYS BETWEEN THE END OF MY HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND TODAY, MY BEST FRIEND OR GIRL WHOSE BABY PICTURES SIT NEXT TO MINE IS DRUGGED AND RAPED.
THE MAN WHO DID IT WENT TO SOME SCHOOL, SOME SCHOOL WITH TEACHERS THAT DIDN'T HELP HIM UNDERSTAND THE TRUE WEIGHT OF WHAT HE DID, BUT I DID.
I CAN AT LEAST ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DOESN'T SLEEP ANYMORE.
WHY SHE'LL ONLY DRINK BOTTLED WATER.
WHY SHE'S SCARED OF EVERY MAN SHE PASSES.
AND I'M LIVID THAT INSTEAD OF FIXING THE FACT THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN MAKE MEN LIKE THAT, MY PEERS AND I HAVE TO TRAVEL AN HOUR ON A NIGHT THAT FOR SOME OF US IS BEFORE FINALS, TO TELL YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN THE FACTS THAT PROOF THAT BANNING THESE BOOKS IS WRONG AND BE FACED WITH CONSPIRACY AND SPECULATION.
I'M HERE BECAUSE THAT GIRL DESERVES TO TELL HER STORY AND STUDENTS DESERVE TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND.
MY NAME IS LORI LOBIN AND I COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND I SPEAK OUT OF MY CONSCIENCE.
IT'S A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE AND IN MY FAITH TRADITION THAT IS A BIG DEAL.
ONE OF OUR FOUNDATIONAL STORIES IS ONE OF CENSORSHIP.
IN THE 16TH CENTURY, A CATHOLIC NAMED MICHAEL CERES PUBLISHED TWO BOOKS ON THE ERROR OF THE TRINITY AND THE RESTORATION OF CHRISTIANITY.
CERUS BELIEVED THAT THESE ACCEPTED DOCTRINES WERE NOT BIBLICAL AND HE BELIEVED THEY NEEDED TO BE SET ASIDE IN ORDER TO RESTORE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TO ITS PURITY.
WELL, A LITTLE THING CALLED THE SPANISH INQUISITION TOOK EXCEPTION TO THAT AND SIRUS FLED SPAIN.
WE DON'T KNOW WHY HE ENDED UP IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, BUT HE DID WHERE HE WAS PROMPTLY ARRESTED BY A PROTESTANT CONTROLLED GOVERNMENT AND CHARGED WITH HERESY BOOK BANNING WAS FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WHAT HE WROTE.
IMAGINE BEING BURNED AT THE STAKE WITH AS MANY COPIES OF YOUR BOOKS AS THE OFFICIALS COULD FIND BEING USED AS TENDER FOR THE FLAMES.
THREE COPIES SURVIVE THIS GOOD PEOPLE IS WHERE BOOK BANDS LEAD, WHERE THEY CAN LEAD TO THE DEATH OF SOMEONE WHO SIMPLY HAS A DIFFERENT IDEA.
NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY OF YOU GOOD PEOPLE, WANTS ANYONE TO DIE BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'VE WRITTEN OR BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY THINK OR BECAUSE A BOOK ENDS UP IN A CHILD'S HANDS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE OR BECAUSE A PERSON MIGHT NOT FIT YOUR IDEA OF WHAT MIGHT BE NORMAL.
NOW IT'S CLEAR THAT THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED HERE ARE PRIMARILY BY AND ABOUT L G B T QIA A PEOPLE OR PEOPLE OF COLOR OR BOTH.
IT'S ALSO CLEAR FROM RECENTLY FILED FOYER REQUESTS THAT THE SAME GROUP THAT SPEARHEADED THESE CHALLENGES AND INTENDS TO LITERALLY GO AFTER BULLY L G B T QIA A STUDENTS.
NEXT, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND A DUTY TO PROTECT THIS PRIVACY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TO PROTECT THEIR SAFETY.
DEAR PEOPLE, IT'S TIME TO STOP BANNING BOOKS ABOUT PEOPLE YOU CONSIDER NOT NORMAL OR SOME OF US CONSIDER NOT NORMAL AND DON'T, AND TO STOP LETTING SOME PEOPLE BULLY THE VERY VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
[01:15:02]
UM, ROBIN, CAN I ASK YOU HOW MANY, UM, YOU HAVE ON THE PHONE? THREE.OKAY, SO THE BOARD, WHAT'S THE BOARD'S? WILL 30 MINUTES HAVE PASSED? AND WE HAVE TWO MORE IN PERSON AND I BELIEVE THREE ON THE PHONE.
I MOVE THAT WE CONTINUE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS UNTIL THEY'RE COMPLETED AND I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.
ALL RIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
I, I'M SORRY, DID HE SAY AYE? OKAY.
OKAY, SO ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CONTINUE ON.
NEXT, NEXT UP IS DAVID COOK AND PLEASE TELL ME YOUR TOPIC.
I CANNOT READ YOUR HANDWRITING.
LIBRARY STANDARDS, BUT YOU'RE A DOCTOR.
YOU KNOW HOW TO READ THAT, DON'T YOU? LET'S SCRIBBLE.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
THANKS FOR GIVING ME A FEW MINUTES TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
READING IS NOT A CRIME NO ONE SAID IT IS, BUT DISSEMINATING A SEED MATERIAL TO A MINOR IS A CRIME UNDER THE RESOURCE ALIGNMENT.
THROUGH COLLECTION MAPPING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY RESOURCE COLLECTIONS, SCHOOL LIBRARIES SHOULD SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC CURRICULUM TO PROMOTE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY PROVIDING INFORMATION RESOURCES IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS.
THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN SHOULD BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE CURRICULUM AT ALL GRADE LEVELS AND IN ALL SUBJECTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE RESOURCE COLLECTION IS PROPERLY ALIGNED.
I'VE YET TO FIND INFORMATION ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE THAT, THAT CONNECTS WITH THIS.
A CURRICULUM MAP IS CRITICAL TOOL FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS TO UNDERSTAND CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTED IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE LEADING AUTHORITY ON CURRICULUM MAPPING.
ACCORDING TO HEIDI HAYES JACOBS, A CURRICULUM MAP.
CURRICULUM MAP GIVES A VISUAL PRESENTATION BY MONTH OF THE CURRICULUM INCLUDING STANDARDS, BENCHMARKS, TEXTBOOKS, CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES.
THE DISTRICT FAILS TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION FOR PARENTS.
IT'S ALSO DIFFICULT FOR ME TO FIND WHAT CURRICULUM INCLUDES HEARING, READING ABOUT ORAL SEX, A**L SEX, PREMARITAL SEX, AND UNPUNISHED SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
BY KEEPING BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARIES THAT CONTAIN THIS MATERIAL, YOU'RE ONLY FOMENTING THE BEHAVIOR SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA.
UNDER APPENDIX C, THE GUIDELINES OF WEEDING.
WEEDING IS A PRACTICE KNOWN, UH, AS THEY, AS THEY DESCRIBED THE REMOVAL OF MATERIALS FROM A LIBRARY FOR GOOD ENOUGH REASONS.
SOME OF THOSE REASONS INCLUDE CONTENT, THE INTEREST OR LEADING READING LEVEL, INAPPROPRIATE FOR STUDENT BODY AT SOME OF THE SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA.
WHY WEED? WHY WOULD YOU WEED BOOKS OUT TO REMOVE OUTDATED, OBSOLETE ITEMS AND MAKE ROOM FOR NEWER MORE VALUABLE ITEMS TO MAKE THE LIBRARY MORE USER FRIENDLY TO STRENGTHEN THE COLLECTION ALIGNMENT WITH THE CLASSROOM CURRICULUM? AGAIN, THAT'S NOT BEING DONE.
THERE'S A LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCE WE'RE WE'RE SEEING HERE.
SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR DISPOSING OF DISCARDED MATERIALS.
APPENDIC TO D MY SON RECENTLY BROUGHT A BOOK HOME FROM THE SCHOOL THAT WAS DISPOSED OF FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARY UNDER DISPO DISPOSING OF DISCARDED MATERIALS.
THEY REQUIRED, THEY RECOMMEND THAT YOU REMOVE ALL SCHOOL AND DISTRICT IDENTIFIABLE MARKINGS, REMOVE BARCODE LABELS, REMOVE FRONT AND BACK COVERS.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WHY DOES A MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATER PRODUCTION OF HORTON, HERE'S A WHO HAVE A HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP IN IT? IT'S A QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE WHY IT'S IN THERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS, BUT SUPPORTING LITERARY WORKS IS HARDLY BEING DONE WHEN YOU'RE CHANGING THE LITERARY WORKS.
NEXT WE HAVE SUSANNA COOK LIBRARY REVIEW COMMITTEES.
RODRIGUEZ AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
RODRIGUEZ, CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THE WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENTS MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE A VERY HARD JOB AND IT IS TO MAINTAIN, UM, ALL OUR CHILDREN EDUCATED AND IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
NOW, IN REGARDS TO THE BOOK REVIEW PROCESS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE USE THE RIGHT WORDS.
FIRST OF ALL, NO BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED, SO WE NEED TO STOP SAYING THAT EVERYBODY'S STILL FREE TO
[01:20:01]
BUY THESE BOOKS IN A STORE OR CHECK 'EM OUT FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.THEY ARE AVAILABLE IF YOU, IF YOU SO NEED TO READ THEM, THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF LIVING IN A FREE COUNTRY.
AND I KNOW IT BECAUSE I'M COMING FROM A COUNTRY WHERE FREEDOM DOES NOT EXIST.
WHY ARE WE SO FOCUSED ON PUSHING BOOKS FILLED WITH RAGE, VIOLENCE, DRUGS, AND ABUSED ON YOUNG CHILDREN? I HAVE TWO YOUNG KIDS.
I DON'T WANT THEM EXPOSED TO THAT UNLESS I WANT TO CUZ THOSE ARE MY KIDS.
LET'S GO BACK TO CURRICULUM AND TEACH OUR KIDS WHAT THEY ARE INTENDED TO LEARN AT SCHOOL.
MY KIDS LOVE READING GOOD STUFF.
BUT YES, READING IS NOT A CRIME.
WHAT IS A CRIME AND PUNISHABLE BY THE LAW IS TO GIVE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS TO MINORS.
SO PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THAT MATERIAL TO MY KIDS.
SO ROBIN, WE'RE READY FOR THE, UM, PHONE COMMENTS AND COULD YOU PLEASE REMIND THEM TO STATE THEIR NAME AND TOPIC? THANK YOU.
UM, HAVING NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, I DECIDED TO CALL IN FOR COMMENTING TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE BOOKS AVAILABLE TO OUR UNDERAGE YOUTH IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AS A PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER FOR MANY YEARS, I AM DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE GRAPHIC AND OFFENSIVE CONTENT THAT IS BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN IN OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
I BELIEVE IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AND URGE YOU TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THIS MATTER.
AS I HAVE OBSERVED SOME OF THE BOOKS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL, LIBRARIES PROVIDE LITTLE TO NO ACADEMIC VALUE WHATSOEVER AND ARE ONLY SERVING TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT.
SOME OF THESE BOOKS CONTAIN PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES AND GRAPHIC SEXUAL LANGUAGE.
THAT IS NOT ONLY UNSUITABLE AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING, BUT ALSO HIGHLY OFFENSIVE TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARENTS LIKE MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND, WHO ENGAGE THEMSELVES IN PARENTING THEIR KIDS.
IT IS MY BELIEF THAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEXUAL MATERIAL AND SEXUALITY SHOULD BE HELD BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS IN THE PRIVACY OF THEIR HOME, NOT BETWEEN CHILDREN AND OTHER CHILDREN, OR CHILDREN AND TEACHERS IN A PUBLIC FORUM, SUCH AS THE CLASSROOM.
THEREFORE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS ISSUE GETS ADDRESSED WITH GREAT URGENCY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO A BROAD RANGE OF LITERATURE TO BROADEN THEIR HORIZONS.
HOWEVER, THAT SHOULD NOT MEAN THAT THEY SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL IN NATURE OR OFFENSIVE.
MOREOVER, THE BOOKS IN QUESTION ARE NOT ADDING ANY VALUE TO OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A COMPLEX MATTER TO DECIDE WHICH BOOKS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR KIDS, GIVEN THE DIVERSITY AND OPINIONS AND BELIEFS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, STILL, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS PARENTS AND EDUCATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE NOT EXPOSED TO CONTENT THAT IS UNSUITABLE, INAPPROPRIATE AND OFFENSIVE.
I URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH THE UTMOST URGENCY, EVEN IF YOUR OWN CHILDREN ARE GROWN AND NO LONGER LIVE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO YOU DON'T PERSONALLY FEEL THE IMPACTS THAT IT'S HAVING ON TODAY'S YOUTH.
AS A CONCERNED PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER, I AM OPEN TO WORKING WITH YOU TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE AND VALUABLE LITERATURE THAT ENCOURAGES LEARNING AND PROMOTES POSITIVE VALUES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RENEWED ATTENTION TO THIS SERIOUS MATTER.
HI, MY NAME'S TANYA ANDREWS, AND I AM
[01:25:01]
TALKING TO TODAY ABOUT THE BOOKS.I PROMISE I WON'T TAKE LONG, BUT CLEARLY THIS NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT AGAIN.
UM, YOUR REVIEW PROCESS ON THESE BOOKS IS BIAS.
YOUR COMMITTEES ARE MADE UP OF MAJORITY DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES THAT PUT THE UNLAWFUL MATERIALS IN THE BOOKS TO BEGIN WITH.
SINCE WHEN HAS THE CRIMINAL BEEN ALLOWED TO SIT ON THE JURY? THESE BOOKS DO NOT REPRESENT THE VALUES OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS.
THAT IS CLEAR WITH THE ELECTION OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT ELLEN WEAVER, WHO JUST YESTERDAY REMINDED MOST OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS THAT THESE BOOKS DO NOT BELONG IN SCHOOL.
WHEN ARE YOU ALL GONNA START DOING YOUR JOBS AND START FOLLOWING THE STATE LAWS AND POLICIES? SHE WAS VOTED IN BY THE PEOPLE.
THEREFORE, THE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR THESE BIASED COMMITTEES WASTING EVERYONE'S TIME AND TAX DOLLARS.
THESE ARE JUST SAYING THAT BOOKS DO NOT BELONG IN MINOR'S HANDS WITH THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL.
ALL THE KIDS THAT ARE THERE ARE FREE TO GO READ ALL THESE BOOKS THEY WANT FROM ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE STATE, COUNTY, COUNTRY, WHATEVER, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T NEED TO BE COMING FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT SAID JUST ON MONDAY AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS THERE AT THAT MEETING HEARD IT.
I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE UNRESTRICTED YOUTUBE ACCESS IN INAPPROPRIATE WEBSITES ON THE SCHOOL LAPTOPS THAT MY
NOT ONLY IS THIS A HUGE DISTRACTION FOR THEM WHILE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK, WHICH IS ALL ON THE COMPUTER THESE DAYS, IT IS ALSO GIVING THEM ACCESS TO INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT, INCLUDING PORN AT A YOUNG AGE.
I, AS A PARENT OF THREE, CANNOT WATCH THE SCREEN OF EACH KID DURING HOMEWORK TIME AND CANNOT PREVENT MY KIDS FROM TAKING THEIR LAPTOPS WHILE I'M SLEEPING TO WATCH LIMITLESS YOUTUBE VIDEOS ALL NIGHT LONG.
IF THEY SO CUES BECAUSE OF THE ADDICTIVE NATURE OF SCREEN TIME DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT INVOLVES LIMITLESS CONTENT, INCLUDED INAPPROPRIATE AND SEXUAL CONTENT, I PROPOSE THAT YOUTUBE AND SAFARI BE RESTRICTED ON SCHOOL COMPUTERS SINCE THEY'RE NOT NEEDED FOR REGULAR HOMEWORK AND CAN CAUSE A HOST OF PROBLEMS, INCLUDING SLEEP LOSS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS DUE TO STAYING UP LATE WATCHING YOUTUBE CONTENT AND OTHER CONTENT, UNNECESSARY DISTRACTIONS DURING HOMEWORK AND EXPOSURE TO DAMAGING AND APPROPRIATE CONTENT.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE'RE ONTO THE
[Committee Reports]
COMMITTEE REPORTS.OUR FIRST COMMITTEE REPORT IS FINANCED BY CHAIR, UM, DICK GEIER.
I'LL BEGIN WITH, UH, TWO MOTIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.
MADAM CHAIR, LET'S FOR YOU, FOR THOSE THAT ARE LEAVING, COULD YOU PLEASE BE QUIET AS YOU EXIT? THANK YOU KINDLY.
WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS, UH, THAT ARE RECOMMENDED, UH, BY THE COMMITTEE.
BOTH MOTIONS WERE PASSED BY THE COMMITTEE HUMAN UNANIMOUSLY.
I'LL START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS DESIGNEE TO APPLY FOR SIGN, SUBMIT AND ADMINISTER FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AND FOUNDATION GRANT APPLICATIONS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR THE 20 23 20 24 SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS IS AN ANNUAL, THIS IS AN ANNUAL REQUIREMENT.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, DR.
WISNESKI, I'M LOVING THESE WIRELESS MICS.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, WAS THERE ANY REPORTS GIVEN ON, UM, KIND OF A GRANT REPORT OR IS THERE ONE THAT'S FORTHCOMING THAT SAYS, HERE'S THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IN THAT PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR? UM, I KNOW WE GET, WHEN WE GET ONE, WE GET A A REPORT, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE COULD BE A CUMULATIVE ONE ON, UH,
[01:30:01]
MS. CROSBY.CAN YOU, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? WHETHER YOUR TEAM CAN, CAN DO THAT? SUSTAINING IS YOUR REQUEST IS THAT WE BRING FORWARD AN ANNUAL REPORT OF ALL THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
UM, YES, WE, MS. MATSON IS HERE AS WELL.
SHE'S, UH, IN CHARGE OF THE GRANT'S OFFICE.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING A ANNUAL REPORT TO THE BOARD AND, UM, THROUGH COMMITTEE, I ASSUME, AND THEN BRING IT TO THE FULL BOARD AS WELL, SO WE CAN GET THAT ON AN AGENDA.
AND MY RATIONALE FOR THAT IS, IS IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THIS EVERY YEAR, I THINK WE SHOULD SEE WHAT WE GOT IN THE PRIOR YEAR AND, AND MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
UM, THERE IS A POL A BOARD POLICY THAT DOES REQUIRE THAT WE BRING FORWARD ANYTHING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO THE BOARD, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN BRING, UM, A COMPREHENSIVE LIST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER ANNUAL MOTION THAT MUST BE PASSED, AND I MOVE.
THE BEAUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZED THE FILING OF ERATE FUNDING YEAR 2023 APPLICATIONS FOR ELIGIBLE CATEGORY ONE SERVICES.
AND THAT BY DOING SO, THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT WILL BUDGET FOR SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE DISTRICT'S CHAIR OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY THE E-RATE PROGRAM.
TH SO DID YOU HEAR THAT YOU HAVE MR. DALLAS SECOND THE MOTION? ANY DISCUSSION? YES.
MR. SMITH, UH, COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT FOR THE PUBLIC? MS. CROSBY? UM, THE DISTRICT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED ERATE PROGRAM SUPPORT EVERY YEAR SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION IN 1998.
UH, CATEGORY ONE SERVICES ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR DATA TRANSMISSION AND INTERNET ACCESS.
SO THE DISTRICT PROVIDES ADVANCED PAYMENT AND THEN IS REIMBURSED AT A RATE OF 80%.
AND SO THIS IS OUR, UM, AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR ANY GRANTS, UH, THE E-RATE REP, UH, FUNDING, EXCUSE ME, AND TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT AND OUR COMMITMENT TO PAY THE OTHER 20% SO THAT WE WILL, UH, ENSURE THAT THE WE'RE HOLDING UP OUR END OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO THIS JUST GIVES US AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR THOSE CATEGORY ONE SERVICES AND GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT.
THANK YOU, MS. CROSBY, BEFORE THAT VERY, UH, INTENTIONAL AND, UH, QUICK, UH, SYNOPSIS AND BRIEF.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE RESULTS, UH, THE DISCUSSIONS IN THE MAY 16TH, UM, I'M CORRECTION, MAY 11TH, FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, MS. CROSBY PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING REPORTS.
THE MONTHLY BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET IS WELL UNDER BUDGET.
THE MONTHLY $100,000 REPORT, WHICH WAS GONE OVER AND THE ONLY, UH, QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT BILLING CYCLES AS TO WHY, UH, WE SPENT MORE IN ONE MONTH THAN WE DID IN THE SAME MONTH THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
BUT IT HAD TO DO IN EVERY CASE BY HOW THE BILLS CAME IN OR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, MONTH.
WE ALSO HAD ALL THE TRANSPARENCY REPORTS GONE OVER.
MS. MATSON PRESENTED AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ESSER FUNDING THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2023.
MS. MATSON PROVIDED THE BREAKDOWN OF EACH OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AND IS PROVIDED IN YOUR PACKET TO INCLUDE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION, TOTAL ALLOCATION, TOTAL EXPENDITURES, ENCUMBRANCES, AND THE BALANCE.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE ARE IN TRACK OF SPENDING EVERY DIME OF FEDERAL MONEY IN THE ESSER PROGRAM.
MS. CROSBY PRESENTED THE THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT AT GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
LOCAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, FY 23 ARE REPORTED AT 177.9 MILLION, OR 99.9% OF REVENUE COLLECTION.
[01:35:01]
PRIOR YEARS COLLECTIONS WERE AT 98.4, SO WE'RE EVEN AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S.A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE OF APPROXIMATELY 7.5 MILLION WAS DRAWN DOWN DURING OCTOBER.
THE TOTAL WAS REPAID IN FEBRUARY, 2023.
STATE REVENUES ARE 76.6 MILLION OR 65% AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.
PRIOR YEAR'S COLLECTIONS WERE AT 67%.
SO WE'RE SLIGHTLY BELOW OF WHAT WE WERE LAST YEAR, BUT WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE ALL THE STATE REVENUES DUE US GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
TOTAL SPENDING AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER IS REPORTED AT 202 MILLION OR 67.8% OF THE BUDGET PRIOR YEAR SPENDING WAS 65.8%.
UH, THAT IS UNDER THE 75%, UH, THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SPEND AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.
SO WE ARE UNDER BUDGET BY THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.
INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING IN THE GENERAL FUND AMOUNTED TO 66.4% WITH THE PRIOR YEAR'S EXPENDITURE REPORTING AT 63.3%.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE EXPEND WE ARE SPENDING MORE IN INSTRUCTIONAL, UH, GENERAL FUND SPENDING, BUT WE ARE STILL UNDER OUR BUDGET FOR THE THIRD QUARTER.
OTHER FUNDS, SPECIAL REVENUE AND EIA FUNDS, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS RECEIVED ARE REPORTED AT 58.4% OF BUDGETED ACCOUNTS AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.
A PRIOR LE PRIOR YEAR COLLECTIONS WERE AT 69.4, SO WE'RE SLIGHTLY BEHIND LAST YEAR'S SPECIAL REVENUES.
FEDERAL ESLER EXPENDITURES AT THE END OF THIRD QUARTER AMOUNTED TO 21.2 MILLION IN OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND.
LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE REPORTED AT 79.9 MILLION, OR 102% OF PRIOR YEARS COLLECTIONS.
SO WE ARE WELL AHEAD WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX FOR OUR DEBT SERVICE.
OUTSTANDING CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE 78.9% COMPLETE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, 2 20 19.
REFERENDUM PROJECTS ARE AT 89.4% PAID AND ENCUMBERED AS OF THE END OF MARCH, 2023.
MS. CROSBY ALSO PRESENTED THE ACE BUDGET FOR 2324, AND WE WILL BE MEETING LATER ON IN JUNE TO, UH, CERTIFY THAT BUDGET.
FUTURE TOPICS FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, OUR MONTHLY REPORTS, AND A DEBT UPDATE.
AND MADAM CHAIR, THAT COMPLETES MY REPORT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? DR.
WISNESKI? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I THINK I ONLY HAVE TWO ONE'S, REALLY.
UM, JUST FOR THE, THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE IN REGARD TO THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACCOUNTS, I KNOW IN THE PAST, UM, THAT DISTRICT OFFICE AMOUNT HAD BEEN RELATIVELY HIGH AND WE HAD INSTITUTED A PRACTICE OF HOW THAT WAS TO BE KIND OF WOUND DOWN.
TANYA, IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO THAT, UM, AND KIND OF THE STATUS OF IT.
CAUSE I SEE IT AS ALMOST AT A MILLION NOW.
UM, YES, THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACCOUNT AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE INCLUDES, UH, OUR GEN, UH, FOR THE MOST PART OUR TECHNOLOGY USE FEES.
UM, IT ALSO HAS FACILITIES USED FEES AS WELL, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE BALANCE IS FOR TECHNOLOGY USE.
THOSE ARE FOR USED FOR OUR, UH, TECHNOLOGY REPAIRS.
SO AS WE, UM, NEAR THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'LL BE, UM, GATHERING ALL OF THE DEVICES AND THEN ASSESSING THE NEEDS, UH, ANY BREAKAGES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, MAKING ANY REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
SO, UM, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, UM, OUR TECHNOLOGY STAFF, UM, PAYS ATTENTION TO.
AND I CONSTANTLY URGE TO, TO SPEND THESE DOLLARS, UM, FIRST AND TO, AND THEN WE COULD ALSO USE THEM FOR REPLACEMENT DEVICES AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT AND TRY TO BRING THAT BALANCE DOWN, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, MAKING AN EFFORT TO DO THAT.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, ON THE 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, AS I'M LOOKING THROUGH THE REPORT, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT YEARS, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M READING IT CORRECTLY.
SOME OF THEM, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2022, UM, PAGE 30,
[01:40:01]
IT'S HAS INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS, BUT NEXT TO THAT LINE ITEM, IT ALSO HAS THE FACILITY OR THE SITE THAT, THAT IS FOR THE ONE THAT DOES NOT, OR OTHER EXAMPLES OF THESE THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SITE OR THE FACILITY.IS IT, UM, A CORRECT STATEMENT THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE DISTRICT OFFICE, THE ALLOCATION FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE, UM, WE GENERALLY BUDGET THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS IN ONE POT, WHICH IS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
AND THEN WHEN THE NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED, UM, THE NUMBER OF DEVICES THAT ARE NEEDED, THE DISPLAYS THAT ARE NEEDED AT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, THEN THOSE BUDGETS ARE ALLOCATED FROM, OR REASSIGNED OR TRANSFERRED FROM THE DISTRICT LEVEL TO THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
SO WE, UNTIL AN ASSESSMENT IS DONE AT EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT BUDGET, UH, WHEN THAT, UH, TOTAL SOURCE IS COMPILED, BUT IT IS MORE OF A PLACEHOLDER AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL UNTIL THE ACTUAL AMOUNT IS, UM, IDENTIFIED AS A NEED AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
SO IF THERE'S ANY REMAINING, IT WOULD, UM, IT WOULD THEN FALL BACK AND, UM, BE AN UNUSED SOURCE, A AVAIL AVAILABLE FOR OTHER BOARD DECISIONS TO BE MADE.
OH, SO FOR CLARIFICATION THEN THAT MM-HMM.
THAT'S THE BUDGET FOR ALL OF THEM, ALL SCHOOLS.
MR. SMITH ALSO IN THE FINANCIAL, UH, REPORT, I BELIEVE IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UH, ABOUT, UH, OUTSIDE, UM, OUTSIDE, UH, COUNCIL IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, USAGE OF, UH, UH, BOOSTER CLUBS.
UH, AND, AND, AND, AND IN, AND IN TURN OF THAT, UM, PROB PROBABLY NOT TONIGHT, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I BELIEVE THAT WE, THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE USAGE OF BUILDINGS AND HOW, UH, BECAUSE I'VE HAD SEVERAL PARENTS HAVE CALLED ME AND CONCERNING OF HOW BOOSTER CLUBS ARE USING THEIR MONEY AND BOOSTER CLUBS DON'T HAVE ACCOUNTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE CONTROL, BUT THEY DO UTILIZE OUR, OUR FACILITIES AND OUR BUILDINGS AND EVERYTHING OF, OF THAT, OF THAT SORT.
AND SO THEREFORE, UH, SOME PEOPLE, UH, THEY UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT GIVING THE BOOSTER CLUB OR, UH, GIVING BOOSTER CLUB AND BOOSTER CLUB FUNDINGS IS RAN THROUGH THE SCHOOL.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PUT SOME FOCUS AND, AND, AND BASICALLY WE NEED TO PUT THE LINES ALONG WITH WHERE THEY ARE, SO THAT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO ACTUALLY DONATE MONEY TO THE SCHOOL, THEN THEY DONATE MONEY TO THE ACTUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOT THE BOOSTER CLUB, UH, WITHIN ITSELF.
OR, BECAUSE ONCE YOU DONATE TO THE BOOZER CLUB, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NO TIES TO THAT MONEY.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, UH, IS CONCERNING AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE, UH, DISCUSSED AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
IS THAT CORRECT, MS. MS. CROSBY? WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, SAY SO WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE BOO CLUBS FUNDINGS, IS THAT CORRECT? WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE BOOSTER CLUBS AND PTOS.
AND, AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE BOARDS AND OFFICERS AND, UM, SET OF BYLAWS THAT THEY, THAT DICTATE THEIR, UM, THAT DICTATE THEIR WORK.
AND SO, THEREFORE, WITH THAT, BE, WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT BASICALLY THOSE ACCOUNTS THAT WE, WE HAVE NO, WE HAVE NO SAY SO OVER THOSE ACCOUNTS AT ALL.
AND THOSE ACCOUNTS ARE NOT ATTACHED TO THE DISTRICT.
MR. UM, EARL CAMPBELL, I, I, I THINK WE HAVE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT FOLKS THAT ARE ELECTED BY THEIR GROUP, COLLECT THE BOOSTER CLUBS.
THEY HAVE THEIR TREASURE, THEY HAVE EVERY, THE WHOLE OUTLINE.
AND I THINK WE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LEAVE THAT ALONE.
I DON'T THINK THE DISTRICT OR THE BOARD SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN THAT.
THEY RAISED THEIR MONEY FOR THEIR PURPOSE, WHAT THEY WANNA USE IT FOR.
I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THAT ALONE.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD NO PROBLEM IN THE PAST, MR. SMITH.
WELL, UH, I, I HEAR, I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IN, IN TERMS OF, IN, IN TERMS OF CONCERNS THAT I'VE GOTTEN, UH, VERY CONCERNING IN, IN TERMS OF PEOPLE GIVING BOOSTER CLUBS MONEY AND BOOSTER CLUBS, FOR INSTANCE, UH, PAYING FOR CERTAIN SPORTS AND BUSES AND OTHER THAN NOT PAYING FOR OTHER SPORTS.
SO THEREFORE, UM, SOME PEOPLE ARE UNDER, ARE UNDER, THEY FEEL THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE UNDER, UH, DIFFERENT ULTERIOR MOTORS.
AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL OF THAT.
SO, SO, SO, SO THEREFORE, THEREFORE, AND WHAT THEY'RE USING, WHAT THEM, USING OUR FACILITIES AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS IN TERMS OF SPORTS, SELLING FOODS OUT OF THE CONCESSION STANDS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, AND THE DISTRICT IS NOT GETTING ANY MONEY FROM THAT.
SO I, I, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED.
WE NEED TO ADJUST, BECAUSE IF WE'RE
[01:45:01]
CHARGING PEOPLE TO USE OUR FACILITIES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, THEN UH, IT COMES WHERE WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO QUESTION THEM AS WELL.WE CAN FINISH THIS CONVERSATION AT A, AT A TIME WHERE THE BOYS' DEEM IS APPROPRIATE.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS, IS IS AN AREA THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE ALONE.
UH, THEY'LL RAISE THEIR MONEY TO USE WHAT THEY WANT TO USE IT FOR, AND IT'S USE IT FOR THE STUDENTS, FOR THE ATHLETE ATHLETES THAT, THAT SOMETIME THEY EVEN, UH, USE THEIR MONEY TO, TO GET A, A BUS TO TAKE THE STUDENT TO A DIFFERENT FUNCTION.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THAT ALONG.
THAT CONCLUDES YOUR FINANCE REPORT.
SO YOU'RE ALSO OPERAT GIVING THE OPERATIONS REPORT, UH, CHAIR THE OPERATIONS REPORT, UH, FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT MET ON MAY 9TH, UH, THAT SEEMED TO BE EASEMENT DAY.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, EASEMENTS, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EASEMENTS.
AND, UH, WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH MR. STEVE ANDREWS FROM ANDREWS ENGINEERING, AND HE GAVE US A FIRST LOOK AT AN EASEMENT THAT THEY'RE, THEY ARE ASKING US TO EVENTUALLY CONSIDER, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW, UH, ACCESS TO A NEW APARTMENT THAT'S GOING IN, A COMPLEX THAT'S GOING IN BEHIND THE KMART AND AN EASEMENT FROM, UM, THAT SUBDIVISION OVER TO AUSTINS STREET, THAT IT'S THE STREET THAT RUNS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ROBERT SMALLS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, WE'VE HAD SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
UH, WHEN WE GET MORE, UH, FROM, UH, THE CONTRACTOR AND FROM, UH, UH, THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE MOTIONS ABOUT EASEMENTS.
MR. UH, OTTING INTRODUCED MR. ANDREW DUDLEY WITH THE BUFORD JASPER WATER AUTHORITY, WHO PRESENTED HIS REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE BUFORD JASPER WATER AUTHORITY FOR A SEWER EASEMENT AT JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'M GONNA READ THE MOTION, THEN I'M GONNA ASK MR. OTTING TO COME UP AND DESCRIBE WHAT THAT EASEMENT ENTAILS.
THE MOTION IS I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EASEMENT WITH BEAUFORD JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.
SO ROBERT, COME TO THE PODIUM.
SO, BEAUFORD JASPER WATER AND SEWER, UH, AUTHORITY IS CLOSING DOWN, UH, THEIR WASTEWATER PLANT THAT THEY HAD ON LAUREL BAY.
AND ONCE THEY CLOSE IT DOWN, THEY'RE THEN GONNA HAVE TO PUMP THE SEWER TO, UH, ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR PLANTS.
AND SO THEY'RE NEEDING A ROUTE.
THE, UM, MOST DIRECT ROUTE IS THROUGH SHANKLIN.
UM, THEY ARE PLANNING ON DOING, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A JACK AND BOAR.
SO IT'LL, ALL THE WORK WILL BE UNDERGROUND.
UH, THEY'LL SET UP A BORE PIT OFF THE SHANKLIN PROPERTY.
THEY'RE GONNA RUN A, A SEWER LINE DOWN THE PROPERTY LINE UNDERGROUND, AND THEN COME OUT RIGHT NEAR THE ROAD, AND THEN THEY WILL TIE INTO THE ROAD.
THEIR LINE, THOUGH, WILL BE LOCATED RIGHT ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE, AND THAT IS WHERE THEY WILL NEED THE EASEMENT IN CASE FOR SOME REASON, SOME REPAIR HAS TO HAPPEN THERE IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING.
I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
SO YOU SAID THAT THE, UM, IT'LL BE QUOTE ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE.
PROPERTY LINE BETWEEN WHAT? UH, IT'S RIGHT AT THE, IF YOU GO, I SEE THE PHOTO HERE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT RED LINE MM-HMM.
SO IT'S KIND OF A ON THE EDGE PROPERTY LINE ON THE EDGE OF THE PROPERTY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CUZ I'M NOT SURE THIS IS ON.
JUST PUT THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH.
IT'LL BE BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE.
MY QUESTION IS, WILL THE PROPERTY OWNERS RECEIVE, UH, ANY KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PAYMENT OR THE ONES WHERE THE PROPERTY LINE? OR IS THIS UH, SO THE ONLY PROPERTY OWNER BEING IMPACTED IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
AND RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO OFFER OF PAYMENT THAT THEY HAVE MADE.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THE LEGAL, HAVE LEGAL TOOK A, TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
MS. CARTILAGE HAS REVIEWED THE EASEMENT REQUEST.
AND MR. GAR, JUST, UH, FOR, FOR THE, FOR MEMORY, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE, WHAT THE MOTION OF OP COMING OUTTA OPERATIONS
[01:50:01]
COMMITTEE WAS, UH, MOVING THIS FORWARD? IT WAS THREE ZERO.NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT, WHAT DID THE MOTION ACTUALLY READ? THE, THE MOTION IS, AS I STATED, I MOVE THAT THE BU THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THE JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EASEMENT WITH BUFORD JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING, CAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW WE HAD ONE MOTION THAT I BELIEVE THAT, THAT CAME OUT OF THERE THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR, UH, LE LEGAL TO JUST LOOK AT THAT WE DIDN'T, I BELIEVE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE AT THAT MEETING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH CALLED STORMWATER, WHICH IS COMING UP.
WELL, I JUST WANNA MAKE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT THAT MOTION.
DOES THIS, DOES THIS EASEMENT PREVENT ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT'S LAND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OR EXPANSION? UM, I WOULD SAY NO, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ON THE PROPERTY LINE AND THERE'S A BUFFER AREA WE COULDN'T BUILD UP AGAINST THE PROPERTY LINE ANYWAY.
UM, THERE IS A BUFFER AREA REQUIRED, SO I, I WOULD SAY NO, IT DOESN'T PREVENT US BECAUSE THE AREA THAT THEY'RE PLACING THIS, WE CAN'T BUILD IN ANYWAY.
DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING EARL? NO.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, MR. OTTING ALSO ASKED THE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD THAT THEY PROVIDE A BLANKET EASEMENT FOR THE DITCH CLEANING AT WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE THE RECOMMENDED MOTION.
I MOVED AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, PROVIDE BUFORD COUNTY A BLANKET EASEMENT FOR DITCH CLEANING AT WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE.
SO, YES, THIS IS FOR, THE COUNTY HAS DONE THIS IN THE PAST, BUT THEY'VE ASKED FOR AN EASEMENT TO DOCUMENT THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED ON THE WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL PROPERTY TO COME IN WITH THEIR MOWER.
THEY HAVE AN ARM MOWER THAT CAN GET DOWN ON THE BANKS OF SOME OF THE, UH, DRAINAGE DITCHES AT THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, THIS IS THE EASEMENT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A COPY.
THIS HAS SINCE, SINCE BEEN WRITTEN BY, UM, UH, SARAH ROBERTSON AT BURR FOREMAN.
UH, MS. CARTILAGE HAS REVIEWED THIS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE DEFINE WHAT BLANKET EASEMENT MEANS? BLANKET MEANS YOU DON'T GIVE A, WE ACTUALLY HAD, MR. DUDLEY CAME TO OUR MEETING AND TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE DON'T DEFINE BY MAPS, SAY, WHERE A LINE IS LOCATED.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME IN AND CLEAN THE DITCH AND, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A FEW FEET ON EITHER SIDE OF THE DITCH.
SAME THING HAPPENS WITH WATER AND SEWER EASEMENTS ON OUR PROPERTY, THAT YOU COULD HAVE A, A SPECIFIED EASEMENT WHERE YOU SAY, UH, FROM THIS POINT TO THIS POINT, YOU HAVE AN EASEMENT.
UH, A BLANKET EASEMENT PRETTY MUCH JUST SAYS, WHERE YOU HAVE STORMWATER DITCHES, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO COME IN AND CLEAN.
OR IF IT'S A SEWER WHERE YOU HAVE SEWER LINES, THEY CAN COME SERVICE THOSE.
I, I, I THINK MR. OTTING ANSWERED MY QUESTION IS IN THAT THIS EASEMENT BENEFITS US BECAUSE IT HOPEFULLY HELPS WITH DRAINAGE, UH, OF THAT LINE.
SO THAT IF THAT'S MY PRESUMPTION IS ACCURATE, THEN I WILL, I'M READY TO VOTE.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE.
YOU, YOU ARE CORRECT, MR. DALLAS.
UM, TONIGHT I WILL SUPPORT THIS, UH, I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION, UH, DUE TO, DUE TO THE, UM, THE, THE, THE TIMING OF IT.
BUT ALSO I WOULD JUST WANNA MAKE MENTION THAT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE FUTURE, UH, IN TERMS OF CONTRACTS, WHEN, WHEN WE ARE CONTRACTING, UH, WHEN WE ARE CONTRACTING PEOPLE TO, TO CUT THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, SCHOOLS, THEN TO, TO ME, THIS IS A PART OF, THIS SHOULD BE A PART OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO DO IT, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T BID THE CONTRACT POINT BREAK PERIOD.
WE CAN'T GIVE SOME PEOPLE BREAKS AND, AND NOT OTHERS.
BECAUSE I, I, I GET ON IN MY DITCH WITH MY WEED EAT, AND I, AND I, AND I WEED EAT.
SO HOPEFULLY THE, WITH WITH LUCKILY COUNTY GO IN THERE AT THIS TIME AND PUTTING IT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, THEN THIS WILL GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[01:55:01]
BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT.THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE CONTRACTS, BECAUSE I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THE COUNTY WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY CUTTING THIS FOR THE DISTRICT FOR FREE.
AND IF THEY ARE, THEN I MEAN, SOMEONE CAN LET ME KNOW.
BUT IF NOT, THEN I, I'LL JUST SAY IN THE FUTURE THAT, I MEAN, WE WON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THIS CON THIS, THIS CONVERSATION TODAY, BUT BASICALLY UPON THAT IS WHY WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE, UM, SUPPORTING THIS MOTION TONIGHT.
UM, THE DITCH THAT MR. AUDITING IS TALKING ABOUT, THOSE ARE COUNTY DITCHES.
IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY AND ALSO IN THE FRONT.
THERE, THERE, THOSE ARE REAL DEEP.
AND, AND, AND THEY, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IT, BUT SINCE THEY HAVE A NEW, UM, ADMINISTRATOR NOW YOU, THEY HAVE TO GET AUTHORIZATION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
MR. SMITH AND MR. CAMP, I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PLACES ON IN INSIDE THAT, INSIDE, INSIDE THAT CAMPUS THAT ARE ON CAMPUS THAT I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL BE CUTTING.
THAT COULD BE CUT WITH A, WITH, WITH, WITH DIFFERENT TOOLS BESIDE HAVING THE COUNTY GOING IN.
DUDE, I'M SURE THE COUNTY'S GONNA GO THROUGH THOSE.
UM, AND, AND I, LIKE I SAID, I WON'T GO INTO DETAILS, BUT I'M BEING SPECIFIC AND I'M BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING BECAUSE I MEAN, WHAT I SAY, POINT BLANK PERIOD.
THERE, THERE, THERE IS, THERE'S, THERE'S PLACES ON THAT PROPERTY THAT CAN BE CUT BY THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE CONTRACTS.
THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE CLEAR.
LOOKS LIKE WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
DON'T THINK SHE'S THERE RIGHT NOW.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, WITH 10 10, AND WE HAVE ONE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.
MADAM CHAIR, UH, MR. CORBIN PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE, THE MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE, AND THIS EVENING, I BELIEVE MR. OTTING IS GOING TO GIVE THE FULL BOARD THAT UPDATE.
YES, I WILL TRY TO DO MY BEST.
UM, SO A AS HE STARTS ALL OF THESE, OF COURSE, WE STILL HAVE LONG LEAD TIMES AND INFLATIONARY COST INCREASES ARE CONTINUING IN.
THE PROJECT MANAGERS ARE MANAGING THOSE AND DOING THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY WITH THAT.
THERE ARE FOUR YELLOW TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN THIS UPDATE.
UM, WE'VE REPORTED ON MANY OF THESE BEFORE.
ROBIN IS, UH, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT IS JUST ABOUT, UM, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE SCHEDULE DUE TO HAVING THE TURF FIELD COMPLETED BY THE FIRST FOOTBALL GAME, WHICH IS AUGUST 18TH.
THE SECOND IS SLIDE 14, WHICH IS HILTON HEAD ECC.
THERE'S A YELLOW LIGHT THERE DUE TO SCHEDULING TO DELAYS.
NOW TAKE IT, THESE ARE FROM APRIL 30TH, BUT AT THAT TIME, A HUNDRED PERCENT CDS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, UM, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DESIGN CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS DRAWINGS.
UH, AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING QUICK, UH, TURNAROUND FROM SUBCONTRACTORS.
UM, THE GMP PROPOSAL IS SCHEDULED TO BE RECEIVED IN MAY.
IT IS STILL, UH, IT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED YET.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL IS A YELLOW LIGHT DUE TO SCHEDULING DELAYS.
UM, AMENDMENT NUMBER 37 FOR SECURITY CAMERAS HAS BEEN SIGNED.
THE FINAL BID DOCUMENTS FOR THE MAIN CAMPUS PA WERE DISTRIBUTED ON MAY 4TH IN BCAN IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A PROPOSAL FOR THIS ON MAY 17TH.
THEY'RE STILL STILL ON SCHEDULE FOR THAT.
UH, MCMILLAN PATTON SMITH ISSUED THE FINAL BID DOCUMENTS FOR THE NEW FIELD HOUSE AND REMAINING ATHLETIC SCOPE ON MAY 5TH.
MB CON IS CURRENTLY PRICING THIS WORK AND IS COMMITTING TO PROVIDING THIS PROPOSAL ON OR BEFORE MAY 12TH, WHICH THEY DID DO.
WE ARE CURRENTLY EVALUATING THAT.
AND WHEN THAT EVALUATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED, WE WILL BRING THAT TO THE BOARD.
UM, SLIDE 38 WAS YELLOW DUE TO BUDGETARY CONCERNS FOR PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
NOW THIS IS ONE THAT YOU, YOU, WE DID BRING TO YOU TONIGHT, AND OF COURSE YOU DID APPROVE.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SKIP OVER THAT.
HELEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYM ENTRY CANOPY.
UM, AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE APRIL 18TH OPERATION COMMITTEE MEETING REQUEST, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR THE SCHEDULE FOR THE CANOPY THAT WAS TO BEGIN ON MAY 13TH.
AS FAR AS THE DEMOLITION THAT DID OCCUR, UH, CANOPY
[02:00:01]
MATERIALS HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND THE SCHEDULE FOR THE CANOPY TO BE COMPLETE IS AUGUST 14TH, 2023.AS FAR AS ESSER UPDATES, UH, ALL BIPOLAR UNITS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.
THAT'S ON SLIDE 27TH BOTTLE FILLER PROJECT.
ALL SCHEDULED BOTTLE FILLERS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED EXCEPT FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
UH, SO PROJECT CLOSEOUTS FY 2019 8%.
THERE'S ONE PROJECT THAT REMAINS FY 2020.
THERE ARE 10 PROJECT REMAINS, UH, REFERENDUM PROJECTS ON SLIDES 76 THROUGH 78.
UH, 21 CLOSEOUTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND A TOTAL OF 111 FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO DATE.
SO THE SLIDE 80 IS THE ONE PROBABLY MOST OF Y'ALL ARE MOST INTERESTED IN, WHICH IS THE FINANCIAL UPDATE.
THE REFERENDUM BUDGET AT 375,710,000 HAS NOT CHANGED.
PAID IN COMMITMENT COMMITTED THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2023 IS 336,583,999, OR JUST UNDER 90% PAID EXPENDITURES THROUGH APRIL 30TH, TOTAL, 222,440 222,446,064, JUST UNDER 60%.
AND THE REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS, INCLUDING CONTINGENCY TOTAL, 39 MILLION $126,001, WHICH IS JUST OVER 10%.
UH, CONTINGENCY ACTIVITY IN APRIL INCLUDED THE USE OF $815,082.
THE CONTINGENCY REMAINING AT THE END OF APRIL, TOTAL, 707,992,203.
AND ANALYSIS IS STILL INDICATING THAT THE REMAINING REFERENDUM SCOPES CAN BE COMPLETED WITH THE REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UH, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT HOPEFULLY Y'ALL TAKE NOTE OF.
THESE ARE, THERE ARE RIBBON CUTTINGS COMING UP AS WE'RE COMPLETING PROJECTS.
THIS INCLUDES BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE FIELD HOUSE AND WEIGHT ROOM.
UH, THAT IS TO OCCUR ON JUNE 1ST AT ONE O'CLOCK.
WE HAD IT TENTATIVE ON HERE, BUT THAT DATE HAS SINCE BEEN SET.
THE ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY RIBBON CUTTING IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON AUGUST 9TH, 2023 AT 3:00 PM BATTER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL RIBBON CUTTING IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON AUGUST 25TH, 2023.
THAT TIME IS TO BE DETERMINED.
IT'S GONNA BE BASED ON YOUR WORKSHOP SCHEDULE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK IN YOUR WORKSHOP OR TOWARDS END OF IT FOR THAT RIBBON CUTTING.
THEN AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE PROPOSAL DATE IS AUGUST 30TH, 2023 AT 1:00 PM.
UM, JUST TO NOTE, AS FAR AS RFPS OR RFQ THAT ARE ON THE STREET RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE RFP 23 0 9 PROFESSIONAL ROOFING SERVICES.
UH, PROPOSALS WERE RECEIVED ON APRIL 8TH.
UH, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO MEET ON MAY 19TH.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM HAS TO DO WITH THE PK THROUGH FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS, WHICH YOU APPROVE TONIGHT.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM IS RFQ 2318 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ESTIMATOR FOR THE FUTURE BOND REFERENDUM.
AND THAT CONTRACT WAS AWARDED TO C*****G MANAGEMENT GROUP THAT I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, MY QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO THE BIPOLAR IONIZATION PROJECTS ON SLIDE 72, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE.
I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA IMPROVE THE QUALITY, UM, OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT AREAS DO THESE BIPOLAR IONIZATION PROJECTS NOT COVER? OOH, GOOD QUESTION.
I, I MEAN, I, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS.
THE ONLY AIR CONDITIONING UNITS THAT WE HAVE NOT PUT THOSE IN.
UM, UH, WE, WE'VE GOT THE, THE ONLY ONE MAY BE SOME OF THE MODULARS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO ANY OF THEM, SOME OF 'EM DO HAVE, AND SOME OF 'EM WE HAVE ADDED IN THE CLASSROOMS, RIGHT.
BIPOLAR IONIZATION DEVICES THAT TAKES THAT PLACE.
BUT AS FAR AS IN THE UNITS THEMSELVES WOULD BE SOME OF THE MODULAR UNITS.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY FUNDS REMAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COVER ANY GAPS?
[02:05:01]
NOT ON THE ESSER, BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS ADDED THOSE UNITS IN THE ROOM THEMSELVES IN THE MOD IN SOME OF THE MODULAR UNITS.AND THOSE WE COULD DO IF NEEDED, IF THEY'RE BEING USED AS CLASSROOMS. YEAH.
MY CONCERN IS MOST OF THE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE JUST AS GOOD AS OR IF NOT BETTER, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE EVERYTHING EQUAL AND ANY, ANY UNIT WE'VE BOUGHT SINCE 2000 IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, LET'S JUST SAY HAS 'EM, AND ANY UNIT WE BUY GOING FORWARD HAS AS WELL.
UM, MR. EARL CAMPBELL? YEAH, HE DID SAY THAT.
UM, BATTER CREEK IS ON THE 25TH OF AUGUST.
SO I JUST REMIND BOARD MEMBERS THAT'S, UM, THE DAY THAT YOU GO TO GREENVILLE FOR THE LAW CONFERENCE ALSO.
OH, I WAS GONNA SAY, WE, WE HAD IT DOWN AS A WORK SESSION OF YOURS IF WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT, BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THAT AS A WORK SESSION DATE AS WELL.
IT IS THE, IT S SCS B A LAW REFERENCE ROBERT'S, AND IT'S IN GREENVILLE.
LET'S, UH, CHECK ON THE SCHEDULE.
AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE BOARD DETERMINES, UH, THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH RESPECT TO THAT AUGUST 25TH DATE AND, AND WORK SESSION.
OBVIOUSLY, IF Y'ALL ARE IN GREENVILLE, WE WILL RESCHEDULE
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED THIS IN PRIOR, UM, THESE PRIOR CONSTRUCTION UPDATES, BUT I DID NOTICE UNDERNEATH THE RFPS LISTING, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT WAS, UH, A COMMENT THAT I HAD MADE PRIOR ON, I THINK IT WAS OH EIGHT MM-HMM.
WHICH IS COMING UP, MR. SMITH.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE, HERE, THIS ONE IS GOOD BECAUSE NO ONE'S USING IT.
CAROL CRUTCHFIELD UPDATED THE COMMITTEE ON A NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX IN NEW RIVERSIDE AND MADE THE COMMITTEE AWARE THAT THE NEW COMPLEX IS, IS WITHIN ONE MILE OF PRITCHARD ELEMENTARY, BUT THE BUILDING CAPACITY OF PRITCHARD ELEMENTARY IS AT 126%.
SO STUDENTS WILL BE ZONED TO BUFORD, OR I'M SORRY, BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY, JUST TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT WE DID NOT, WE HAVE NOT MADE THAT, WE HAD THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT HAS NOT, HASN'T, THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED.
SO YES, WE HAVE NOT GONE FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO WHEN'S THAT GONNA HAPPEN? WELL, THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN.
UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WASN'T A DECISION FINALIZED AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, UH, WE PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS ADJACENT TO IT THAT ALREADY GO TO BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY.
SO, UM, IT WAS UP THERE FOR A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.
CUZ WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PRITCHARD AND THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX COMING IN.
I DO, I BELIEVE IT IS A HUNDRED AND SOME UNITS.
SO, SO IT'LL BE COMING FORWARD AT A FUTURE, FUTURE BOARD MEETING? IT CAN IF THAT'S THE WISH IT NEEDS TO, YEAH.
NOW MRS. UH, MS. UH, BRANDY BRANDY MAJOR SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE AN OUTLINE FOR THE QUALITY ASSURANCE CONTINUATION PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE FOR THE CUSTODIAL CONTRACTOR.
UH, THEY, AS YOU RECALL, HAVE BEEN PLACED ON PROBATION.
SHE SHARED THE MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL REPORT THAT THE BOARD WILL RECEIVE MONTHLY.
THE FORMAT OF THE, OF THE REPORT CAN BE REVISED AS NEEDED.
UH, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SO I ASK THE BOARD TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRST REPORT WHEN IT COMES IN WITH DATA AND WHEN IT HAPPENS, YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE MORE ADDED OR SOMETHING DELETED.
BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, THEY HAVE A DRAFT THAT THEY'RE GOING OUT AND BE USING AS A CHECKLIST FOR THE INITIAL, UM, USE OF THAT REPORT.
THE COMMITTEE REVISITED O E A FACILITIES MONITORING
[02:10:01]
REPORT AND MAKE THEY MADE A RECOMMENDED MOTION.I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION EXCEPT THE O E EIGHT FACILITIES MONITORING REPORT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THOSE CARRY, THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE, AN INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN THE PRITCHARD VILLE MOBILES, AND A DISCUSSION OF A RED CEDAR SIDEWALK EASEMENT.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT.
MA'AM, CHAIR DOWN HERE AT THE END,
SO I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED CUZ I LISTENED TO THE DISCUSSION ON PRITCHARD AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE DISTRICT WAS BRINGING IT TO US, BUT I'M CONFUSED.
SO DO THEY COME BACK TO US AND THEN WE HAVE A MOTION COMING OUT OF LIKE, I'M NOT SURE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THAT? I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE THE DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT AT THE BOARD MEETING.
WELL, I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS UP TO THE BOARD.
I MEAN, ARE YOU PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION AT A LATER DATE OR, WE PRESENTED JUST THAT THAT IS A SITUATION, UM, AS FAR AS THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX COMING UP AND THAT IT HAS AN ADJACENT PROPERTY THAT IS ALREADY GOING TO, UM, UH, BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY.
OUR RECOMME OUR CONCERN IS, UH, PRI NOW THEY'RE BLUFF AND HIGH AND MAY RIVER ARE BOTH AT ABOUT THE SAME CAPACITY.
SO IT'S NOT A HIGH SCHOOL ISSUE.
UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, IS NOT AS CONCERNING AS WELL.
THE ON THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS, IS THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
THEY'RE AT 161% PROGRAMMATICALLY.
BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS OUT OF COMMITTEE, IF WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS IF THEY NEED, WHEN THEY NEED TO COME FOR THE BOARD, WHEN THERE'S A MOTION, WHEN THERE'S ACTION.
CAUSE I FEEL LIKE ON, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS RECENTLY, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS IN COMMITTEE AND EVERYONE'S KIND OF LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND GONE, OKAY.
AND THEN WE JUST SORT OF MOVE PAST IT.
SO I'M JUST NOT SURE WHAT THE MECHANISM IS ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
RODRIGUEZ WANTS TO RESPOND TO THIS.
I, WELL, I MEAN, I THINK, UM, JUDGING BY THE CONVERSATION TODAY, TODAY'S PROBABLY NOT THE DAY TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'LL NEED IS, UM, OUR TEAM TO COME BACK, UH, MAYBE GO BACK THROUGH, UH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND THEN BRING IT BACK, UH, UH, BACK TO THE FULL BOARD, UH, FOR THE NEXT TIME SO THAT IT'S VETTED AND WORK THROUGH, UH, IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BEFORE IT COMES TO YOU, UH, AT THAT JUNCTURE.
AND I ALSO THINK IT SHOULD, THIS IS A TOPIC THAT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
I MEAN, THAT'S ONLY FAIR TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE IT ON THE AGENDA.
AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSIGNING STUDENTS TO THE SCHOOLS.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT WHAT YOU JUST SUGGESTED WAS GOOD, MR. SMITH.
RODRIGUEZ, UH, GIVING, UM, GIVING, GIVING THAT, UH, SUGGESTION TO, UH, AS A, AS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE, WHAT IT WAS SAID WAS, AND I, AND I, AND I DEFINITELY HAVE TO GIVE MRS. MS. CRUTCHFIELD HER KUDOS, BECAUSE WHAT SHE SAID SPECIFICALLY WHEN SHE, WHEN SHE PRESENTED THIS WAS, HEY, UM, THIS WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT POPPED UP.
AND ALSO, UM, I'VE CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT IS GOING ON.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE THE BOARD AWARE OF IT.
AND, AND AS, AND AS THOSE THINGS, AS HE, I, AS AS, UM, MR. OUTING OUTLINED THOSE COUPLE THINGS ABOUT STUDENTS GOING TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN THOSE AREAS.
IT WAS AN, AS AN FYI, AND SHE WOULD KEEP IN CONTACT AND SHE WOULD ALSO GO BACK AND SEE IF SHE CAN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE.
AND SHE WOULD, UH, SEE WHERE WE WANTED TO GO FROM THERE.
UH, IS WHAT IS, WHAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
UM, BUT HOWEVER, BUT I ALSO, HOWEVER, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT, UM, AND, AND IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, THAT CURRENT GUY GAVE, GAVE AN UPDATE ON, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THE, THE BUILDING ON, UM, WHAT IS IT, WHAT IS IT? UM, BY WALMART, THE, UM, NOT BRUCE K WHAT IS IT NOW? W K AUSTIN.
UM, AS, AS A BOARD MEMBER, OUR JOB, OUR JOB IS DEFINITELY IS BE TO BE STEWARDS AND TO MAKE DR.
RODRIGUEZ'S JOB AS, AS WELL EASIER AND BE A TEAM PLAYER AS WELL AS HR.
AND HIS END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND SAYING THAT, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT DEVELOPERS
[02:15:01]
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS COMING BACK.AND I WANNA GO AHEAD AND SAY THIS PUBLICLY.
IF A DEVELOPER, AND, AND, AND ALSO ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER SAID, IF A DEVELOPER IS COMING TO US AND THEY ASKING US FOR EASEMENT, DEVELOPERS MAKE MONEY.
SO IF YOU'RE DEVELOPER AND YOU'RE COMING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOU ASKING FOR AN EASEMENT, THEN IF YOU'RE BUILDING A, IF YOU'RE BUILDING AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, ARE YOU GONNA GIVE US SOME HOUSES YOU CAN PREPARED TO COME TO THE TABLE TO BE FOR NEGOTIATION? ARE YOU GONNA GIVE US SOME HOUSES FOR OUR TEACHERS? ARE YOU GONNA MAKE, ARE YOU GONNA MAKE SOME THINGS EASIER FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT USE PUBLIC FUNDS AND GIVE PEOPLE DIFFERENT THINGS AWAY.
SO IF YOU'RE DEVELOPER, YOU COME TO THE BOARD, THEN MY, THEN MY QUESTION'S GONNA BE, IF YOU COME TO THE OPERATION TABLE, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? BECAUSE IT IS OUR JOB TO NEGOTIATE BECAUSE YOU AS A DEVELOPER, YOU AIN'T, YOU AIN'T GIVING US NOTHING FOR FREE, YOU ASKING FOR SOMETHING.
I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE IT IS OUR JOB, LIKE I SAID, TO MAKE EVERY, IT'S ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND, AND, AND MAKE IT DR.
RODRIGUEZ'S JOBS, UH, MUCH MORE EASIER.
IT, SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
UM, WHEN, WHEN THE DEVELOPER CAME TO US, OR SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, ALMOST A YEAR NOW, THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD ADDRESS IT THEN NOW TO WAIT UNTIL THE ACTUAL EASEMENT, WE, WE SHOULD HAVE ADDRESS IT A YEAR AGO WHEN THEY CAME BEFORE US THE FIRST TIME.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A SUGGESTION CUZ I'M LOOKING AT THIS, UM, THE NEW RIVERSIDE VILLAGE IN THE EASTWOOD HOMES, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE AN ADVERTISEMENT OR SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE USING WHEN THEY'RE PITCHING TO POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS.
AND IT HAS LISTED FOR THE SCHOOLS.
HM, MCCRACKEN AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IT NEEDS TO HAVE AN ASTERISK BECAUSE IT'S A NEW SITE AND WE HAVE A POLICY.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO IMPLORE, UM, THE DISTRICT STAFF, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S MS. CRUTCHFIELD OR WHOEVER, TO CONTACT THESE DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS THAT ARE AROUND HERE AND ASK THEM TO PUT AN ASTERISK ON THERE BECAUSE IT'S PUTTING US IN A TOUGH SITUATION WHEN THESE PEOPLE MOVE INTO THESE HOMES, THEY GET THIS EXPECTATION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ZONED FOR THAT SCHOOL.
BUT THAT'S NOT OUR POLICY AND IT'S NOT BEING DISCUSSED WITH THEM PRIOR TO THEM PURCHASING.
WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, WE, WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND COMMUNICATE ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, UH, UH, THEY DO THAT FOR A REASON AND, UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, RIGHT, YOU KNOW, ALL OUR BLUFFTON SCHOOLS ARE GREAT.
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FALLOUT FROM THAT.
NO, JUST SAYING ALL THE BLUFFTON SCHOOLS ARE GREAT.
SO I MEAN, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HA WHEN IT COMES TO A HIGH SCHOOL, THERE MIGHT BE A CHOICE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN PARTICULAR.
BUT OUR ELEMENTARY, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, ALL OF THEM ARE GREAT.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE A PROBLEM PUTTING AN ASTERISK ON THERE THIS BOAT.
UM, THE THING IS, I I DON'T DISAGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE ON, IF WE'RE GONNA TAKE ACTION ON IT SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA.
MY CONCERN IS WHY ARE WE HAVING IT COME TO COMMITTEE? WE DISCUSS IT, IT DOESN'T COME TO THE BOARD, IT GOES BACK TO THE COMMITTEE.
IT GETS DISCUSSED AGAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT IF WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS IN A COMMITTEE, THERE'S AN, AND THERE'S AN EXPECTATION EITHER WHY ARE WE, WHY IS COMMITTEE DOING THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE BEEN EVENTUALLY COME TO THE BOARD, BUT THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TAKING IT TO THE BOARD.
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS IN COMMITTEE AND I GO TO A LOT OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND THEN, AND I, AND THERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE BECAUSE I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE ARTS PRESENTATION DIDN'T COME OUT OF ACADEMICS BECAUSE IT WAS PRESENTED IN ACADEMICS AND WHAT, WHAT'S IN THE REPORT? CAN WE HAVE A DISC DISCUSS? SO THERE'S JUST SOME CLARIFICATION THAT I THINK I NEED BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH THE EASEMENT.
NOW THE EASEMENT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CUZ THE DEVELOPER DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN YET.
THEY WERE KIND OF JUST SENSING IF WE WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN THEY WERE GONNA GET THEIR PLAN TOGETHER AND COME BACK.
BUT I DON'T WANNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN COMMITTEES REHASHING THE SAME THING.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO COMMITTEE UNTIL IT'S EITHER GONNA HAVE AN ACTION OR IN A REPORT OR SOMETHING TO THE FULL BOARD.
OR IF IT'S STRICTLY FOR THE COMMITTEE, I GUESS WE COULD NOTIFY THAT ON THE AGENDA.
I JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE.
AND SO THAT WOULD, WITH THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW TIME PERIOD.
WE DON'T KNOW REALLY THAT MY ARGUMENT WOULD BE, IT SHOULDN'T BE FOR COMMITTEE INFORMATION ONLY, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT SHOULD BE EITHER FOR BOARD INFORMATION OR IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THINGS GOING TO COMMITTEE THAT ARE JUST FOR COMMITTEE INFORMATION.
WE, YES, WE DID NOT MAKE ANY, WE DIDN'T GO FORWARD WITH ANYTHING THOUGH YET.
[02:20:01]
UH, THE WAY MS. CRUTCHFIELD SO ELEGANTLY BROUGHT IT UP THERE AND SHE TOLD US, AND I, AND I'M ONE TO, I DON'T LIKE THE LAST MINUTE PROJECTS OR THE LAST MINUTE INFORMATION.SHE'S SAYING, HEY LOOK, FYI, I'M PUTTING THIS OUT THERE, JUST LETTING YOU KNOW BECAUSE IT SNUCK UPON ME.
SO THEREFORE SHE'S GIVING THE WHOLE BOARD TIME TO PROCESS AND THINK ABOUT AND SLEEP ON WHAT DECISION THAT WE WANT TO MAKE AND BE INTENTIONAL BECAUSE DR.
WINKY HAS BROUGHT UP SOMETHING YOU AND YOU BROUGHT UP A DIFFERENT, I BELIEVE IT, POSSIBLY A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
SO THEREFORE WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT DID WAS THAT ALREADY HAD ALREADY STARTED US TALKING AROUND BUT NOT, NOT GETTING TOO INVOLVED IN THE ACTUAL, UH, IN ACTUAL PROJECT.
SO I THINK THAT WHAT THE, BEING A PART OF THAT, UM, BEING, BEING A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE, I THINK THE INITIAL TENT WAS MET.
IT WAS MEANT FOR THE, NOT JUST TO PUT THE COMMITTEE ON NOTICE, BUT ALSO TO PUT THE WHOLE BOARD OF NOTICE BECAUSE ON THIS BOARD SERVE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON THAT COMMITTEE WHO SERVED THAT AREA.
SO IT PUT PUTTING THEM ON NOTICE TRACK.
I THINK THAT WAS A, IS BEING MORE OF A TEAM PLAYER BECAUSE EVERYONE DON'T COME TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS UNFORTUNATELY.
SO I I THINK THAT JUDGE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE LEARNS DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS DIFFERENTLY.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BEAR WITH PEOPLE AND UNDERSTAND WHY THINGS ARE COMING IN.
IT'S NOT A ONE YOU AT ALL SIDES.
I THINK WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE TO STOP THAT ON THIS BOARD.
UH, I SEEM TO RECALL THAT, UH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND MS. UM, MR. SMITH IS CORRECT.
UH, AS I RECALL THAT, UH, MS. CRUTCHFIELD AS PART OF THE, I THINK IT WAS THE FACILITIES MANUAL THAT WAS BEING REVIEWED AND SHE HIGHLIGHTED THIS SPECIFIC PICTURE ON PAGE THREE, UH, AND SHE SHOWED, SHE SHOWED THE TWO, UM, BUBBLES, UH, THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW WHERE THE REST OF IT'S GREEN.
AND SHE NOTED THAT THO THERE ARE SCHOOLS THERE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE KIDS ALREADY GO TO THE MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED BLUFFING SCHOOLS.
AND THAT GROWTH WOULD PROBABLY MAKE THAT AN ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED.
UH, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE TODAY OR TONIGHT IS THAT THE AWARENESS THAT THIS, THESE APARTMENT OR CONDOMINIUM COMPLEXES HAVE SPRUNG UP SO QUICKLY.
SO I THINK THE, THE CYCLE TIME HAS SORT OF BEEN SHORTENED.
SO I, I THINK THE COMMITTEE TAKING IT BACK AND SORT OF ADJUDICATING WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS APPROPRIATE.
UH, WE CAN EXPECT MORE OF THIS ON THAT, UH, PART OF BURET COUNTY THAT ADJOINS JASPER AND HEADS INTO SAVANNAH BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PROGRESS THAT ARE COMING THERE.
SO I THINK, UH, REVIEW OF THE FACILITIES MANUAL, WHICH WAS VERY WELL DONE, UH, WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
UM, MR. GEIER, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR REPORT? OKAY.
SO NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, POLICY COMMITTEE REPORTING CHAIR DR.
UM, THE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA TODAY ARE RECOMMENDED MOTIONS OUTTA COMMITTEE.
UM, IF YOU RECALL AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE, UM, SUSPENDED THESE ITEMS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT, UH, SPECIFICALLY ON THE AGENDA AS RECOMMENDED MOTIONS.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THEM BACK UP.
AND I GUESS WE WILL CALL THE VOTE ON I'M, IT SHOULD BE RELATIVELY QUICK, I BELIEVE, UNLESS THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION.
SO CALLING BACK UP THE RECOMMENDED MOTION THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE CHANGE OF ADDING THE WORD SECURE TO THE INTRODUCTION OF O E EIGHT FOR FINAL PASSAGE.
SO WHAT'S THE PROCESS IN THAT? DO YOU HAVE THE, THE RECORD OF THAT, ROBIN? SO WHILE SHE'S LOOKING FOR IT, CAN I JUST ASK YOU YES.
SO WE HAVE OH EIGHT IN FRONT OF US, SO IT WOULD BE THAT FIRST SENTENCE THAT WE ADD THE WORD SECURE TO? YES.
IT MAY BE JUST THAT WE POSTPONED IT, BUT WE POSTPONED IT.
WELL, I THINK, BUT WE HAD A SECOND JUST SO THAT WE COULD POSTPONE IT.
AND I'M TRYING TO PULL UP AND SO I CAN READ THE ACTUAL SENTENCE FOR US.
AH, SO IT WILL READ IN, ITS IN ITS FINAL FORM IN THE INTRODUCTORY SENTENCE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL ENSURE THAT PHYSICAL FACILITIES SUPPORT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT
[02:25:01]
OF THE BOARD'S RESULTS, POLICIES ARE SAFE, SECURE, AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED.SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
AND THE LAST ITEM WAS THE RECOMMENDED MOTION THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADD QUOTE AND VOLUNTEERS TO THE END OF OE FOUR, SUB PART FIVE.
JUST SEE YOU DOWN THERE, GIRL.
SO TO ME IT'S, THIS DOESN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE BECAUSE, UM, OE FOUR IS PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION.
SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED BY THE DISTRICT.
NOW IF YOU ADD VOLUNTEERS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
THIS WAS ALL PART BROUGHT UP BECAUSE WE WERE GONNA MOVE VOLUNTEERS OUT OF OE FOUR AND INTO COMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE, AND THAT WAS, THIS WAS SORT OF THE COMPROMISE THAT WAS ARRIVED AT BY THE BOARD.
SO MS. WALTON BROUGHT THIS TWO, UH, OPERATIONS.
UH, IN FACT, TRICIA FRIEDRICH MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION, IF THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA.
UM, AND MS. WALTON, AT THE TIME, I, I THINK I'M, I'M QUOTING CORRECTLY, OR WE HAD A DISCUSSION THAT VOLUNTEERS AND PERSONNEL WERE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO THAT VOLUNTEERS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS.
WISNESKI BROUGHT OUT OF COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE KIND OF SETTLED ON, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST ADD AND VOLUNTEERS TO THE OE.
YEAH, AND I'LL PROVIDE SOME MORE CONTEXT FROM MY NOTES.
UM, SO THE DISCUSSION SURROUNDED THE MULTIPLE OE LIKE MS. BOATWRIGHT MENTIONED, UM, MS. WALTON AND DR.
BRUTER REPORTED ON THE CHANGES TO THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES.
VOLUNTEERS ARE CURRENTLY VETTED BY HR, BUT MANAGED BY COMMUNICATIONS.
THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS UNDERGOING SOME INTERNAL CHANGES CURRENTLY.
THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT THE OE PRESENTLY GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS INTO VOLUNTEERS, BUT THERE IS NOT A BOARD POLICY THAT PROVIDES THE SUPERINTENDENT AUTHORITY TO CREATE RULES, REGULATIONS, OR STANDARDS OVER THOSE VOLUNTEERS.
SO THAT'S WHY ADDING VOLUNTEERS TO THIS AREA WAS DECIDED BECAUSE IT'S UNDER THE SAME AREA THAT HAS THE BACKGROUND CHECKS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY, UH, ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT, MS. GORDON.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 9 1 1
I WHAT? MR. CAMPBELL SAID, HE'S, HE UPSTAIRS BECAUSE I, I, OKAY, I'M SORRY.
THIS THING ABOUT VOLUNTEERS AND, AND, AND THIS WALFORD HAVE EXPLAINED IT, WHAT, HOW THE PROCESS GOES.
YOU GO ONLINE AND, AND YOU, THE BACKGROUND CHECK IS DONE THROUGH THAT.
SO THE VOTE IS EIGHT ONE NAY IS ME, AND WE HAVE TWO ABSTENTIONS, EARL CAMPBELL AND CHLOE GORDON.
SO JUST TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, IT'S ABOUT ANY OTHER RULES, STANDARDS, REGULATIONS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WANTS TO PUT IN PLACE FOR.
SO IN, IN SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, CUT OFF SHORTS OR SOMETHING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF WHAT A STUDENT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO WEAR IT, THAT THOSE KIND OF STANDARDS OR ADVERTISING POLITICAL CANDIDATES.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE POLICY COMMITTEE? ALL RIGHT.
THERE BEING NONE, WE ARE NOW ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S
[Superintendent's Report]
REPORT.GUS, FIRST ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT UNDER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS YARDS PRESENTATION THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, UH, BUT WE'RE BRINGING IT FORWARD UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, UH, AT THIS TIME.
STRATOS AND MS. MACKENZIE, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND MADAME CHAIR, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
[02:30:01]
TIRED.SO, MADAME CHAIR, ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BRINGING FORWARD MS. MCKINZIE, OUR SECONDARY DIRECTOR FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING.
SHE'LL GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON FINDING PERFORMING ARTS THAT WAS CONDUCTED AT OUR PRIOR ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.
AND AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL BE PREPARED FOR QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE TO COME AND TALK ABOUT THE ARTS.
I DO WANNA, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, I DO WANNA APOLOGIZE THAT MR. WALL WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING.
HE IS DIRECTING A MULTI-SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CORAL PROGRAM THIS EVENING, SO HE WAS ALREADY SCHEDULED TO DO THAT, SO THAT'S WHERE HE IS.
JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT MR. WALL.
HE HAS BEEN HIRED AS THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS COORDINATOR, SO HE'LL BE WORKING WITH ME IN THE ARTS DEPARTMENT.
HE HAS 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, MOST OF THAT RIGHT HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, HE IS CORAL MUSIC, UM, INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC AND THEATER.
SO I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM WORKING WITH ME.
SO, LOOKING AT OUR ARTS PROGRAM, WE ARE OPERATING STILL UNDER OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN GOALS.
UM, I DO WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WITH THE ADDITION OF EXTRA HELP, UM, WITH THE CAVALRY HERE AND HAVING SOMEBODY TO WORK WITH ME, WE WILL BE DOING SOME UPDATES TO OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN.
RIGHT NOW, OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN STATES THAT WE'LL INCREASE INCREASE ART EXPERIENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, THAT WE WILL INCREASE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS.
AND WE REALLY ARE FOCUSING ON TWO AREAS PRIMARILY.
WE'RE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERYTHING, BUT TWO AREAS GET A LITTLE EXTRA ATTENTION.
AND THOSE ARE OUR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ARTS INTEGRATION AND OUR SEVEN ARTS AND BASIC CURRICULUM SCHOOLS.
UM, WE ARE INCREASING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOWCASE STUDENT WORKS, AND THAT IS A REALLY EXCITING THING FOR US.
WE ALSO WANNA INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED.
UM, IT'S ARTISTICALLY GIFTED AND TALENTED, AND THOSE WHO ARE IDENTIFIED TO INCREASE OUR DIVERSITY OF GIFTED AND TALENTED ARTISTIC STUDENTS.
OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED THIS YEAR, AND I'M GONNA BE HONEST, THIS IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO ALL OF THEM.
I WOULD BE UP HERE FOR LITERALLY DAYS TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT I JUST PULLED OUT SOME OF OUR BIG HIGHLIGHTS.
SIX WORLD PREMIER ART CONCERTS WERE HELD IN OUR SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.
WE HAD A HIGH ENERGY MIX OF CLASSICAL MUSIC.
UM, A CLASSICAL PIANIST, A DRUMMER LED JAZZ BAND, WHICH I'M GONNA TELL YOU IS A HUGE FAVORITE OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND A WORLD-CLASS RENOWNED SINGER AND SONGWRITER, AND A PIANO DUO.
I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL SIX OF THOSE CONCERTS WERE PROVIDED TO US THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH RIP ISLAND FRIENDS OF MUSIC.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY JUST SENT ME A LIST AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVEN'T COME NEXT YEAR AS BEAUFORT COUNTY INTERESTED.
I DON'T THINK MY EMAILS USUALLY GET THAT KIND OF RESPONSE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD OUR SECOND HIGH SCHOOL REGIONAL ART EXHIBIT THIS YEAR.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU DID NOT GET THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU TRULY MISSED OUT.
THAT WAS HELD THIS YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BUFORT.
THAT IS A JOINT PARTNERSHIP WITH BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ALL OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR AREA, INCLUDING PRIVATE CHARTER, ALL OF THEM, AND COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
NEXT YEAR, THAT WILL BE HELD AT COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
IT WILL GO BACK AND FORTH ONE SITE TO THE OTHER, OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER IN EDUCATION.
SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS THE OLDEST PARTNERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES WITH THE KENNEDY CENTER, SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD OF.
WE, UM, DEPEND ON THEM FOR PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEY ALSO OFFER HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS.
AND LAST, BUT DEFINITELY ONE THAT IS DEAR TO MY HEART, IS I WAS ALLOWED TO BRING BACK DISTRICT HONOR LEVEL PROGRAMS IN ALL ARTS AREAS THIS YEAR.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE, TOO.
SOME OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED WE WERE ABLE TO GET GUEST ARTISTS BY CONTRACT.
WE BROUGHT IN INSTRUMENTALISTS, WE BROUGHT IN VISUAL ARTISTS, WE BROUGHT IN STORYTELLERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN AN ADAPTIVE ART PROGRAM FOR OUR SPECIAL STUDENT POPULATIONS, UM, DANCERS, AND OF COURSE, OUR LOCAL GULLAH ARTIST.
WE HAVE A NEW SUPPORT THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FROM OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES.
[02:35:01]
YOU, DR.WE HAVE ALLOCATED $122 PER BAND STUDENT.
THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUOUSLY REVIEW THOSE INSTRUMENTS AND THOSE REALLY SNAZZY UNIFORMS. THEY WEAR
WE ALSO PURCHASED QUAVER, AND THAT IS FOR OUR GRADES.
PRE-K THROUGH FIVE QUAVER IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO BEGIN TO READ MUSIC.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSIC.
THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE WORKING WITH THOSE PRE-K THROUGH FIVE, THAT'LL HELP US GROW OUR SECONDARY PROGRAMS AS WELL.
ALSO, THIS YEAR, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS AND AFTERSCHOOLS ARTS PROGRAMS. SO THAT, THAT WAS A REAL BLESSING.
WE PROVIDED 19 DISTRICT LEVEL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS THIS YEAR.
WE DO HAVE A FEW MORE LEFT FOR JUNE.
UM, WE ALSO CONTRACTED THOSE GUEST ARTISTS TO COME IN ARTS NOW, GEORGIA.
AS A REAL PERK FOR US, WE WERE THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO REACH OUT TO ARTS NOW GEORGIA.
THEY ARE A PREMIER ORGANIZATION.
WE REACHED OUT AND SAID, HEY, DO YOU WANNA COME TO SOUTH CAROLINA? AND THEY DID.
UM, THEY DO A LOT OF WORK WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE NOW ONE OF THE LEADING PROVIDERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN LESS THAN A YEAR, TELLS YOU WHAT KIND OF ORGANIZATION THEY ARE.
THE ABC PROJECT, WHICH IS HOUSED AT WINTHROP UNIVERSITY, ALSO PROVIDES US A GOOD DEAL OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THAT IS THE, UM, ENTITY THAT ACCREDITS OUR ABC SCHOOLS.
BY THE WAY, WE SECURED A GRANT THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS LEAGUE, ALONG WITH OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER TO DO SOMETHING.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE OPENED IT UP TO OUR SCHOOL TEACHERS AND WE SAID, HEY, WE WANT AN ARTS TEACHER, AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER.
WE'D LOVE TO GET Y'ALL TO WORK TOGETHER.
THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF MY POPULAR EMAILS.
SENT IT OUT, FILLED UP IN NO TIME.
TEACHERS WERE NOW ASKING, CAN WE HAVE A SECOND ROUND OF THAT? SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT GRANT.
NOW, THE REALLY GREAT THING ABOUT THIS GRANT IS IT DID TWO THINGS.
IT ALLOWED US TO PROVIDE OUR TEACHERS TO HAVE HANDS-ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THEY WENT TO DUSKY, THEY WENT TO, UM, PENN CENTER.
THEY WENT TO PLACES IN, UM, ERT, ALL WITH LOCAL ARTISTS.
UM, THEN WE TOOK THAT AND TOOK IT INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WORKED WITH STUDENTS.
TEACHERS LOVED THIS EXPERIENCE, AND SO DID OUR STUDENTS.
THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WE WANT TO DO HERE,
AND I KNOW IN OUR LAST MEETING, I WAS KIND OF ANTICIPATING DOING THIS.
I HOPE THAT YOU'VE ENJOYED THOSE.
THERE WERE SOME MAJOR CHANGES IF YOU RECOGNIZED, UM, ONE, THERE'S NOT A BIRD ON THE COVER.
TWO, WE OPENED IT UP TO HISTORY AND PEOPLE AS WELL AS PLACES IN ECOLOGY.
WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT, WE WERE, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT BEAUFORT HAS TO OFFER.
WE FELT LIKE WE WERE HONING THOSE KIDS IN.
SO WE OPENED THAT UP FOR THIS YEAR, AND WE WERE REALLY EXCITED WITH WHAT OUR KIDS DID.
STUDENT ART EXHIBIT AT HILTON HEAD, CONCOURSE DE ELEGANTS, ONE OF OUR STUDENTS TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THAT COMPETITION.
I HAD A HARD TIME, BUT I WANTED TO COME TO YOU WITH A NUMBER.
I'LL LOOK THROUGH THREE YEARS OF DATA ON THIS.
THREE YEARS AGO, WE WERE RUNNING AROUND 98 PERFORMANCES OF OUR STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THIS YEAR SO FAR, WE HAVE MORE COMING.
SO THAT IS STEADILY INCREASING.
WE HOPE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND YEAR OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL REGIONAL ART EXHIBIT.
I WAS REALLY THRILLED, UM, WITH HOW OUR STUDENTS DID.
WE RUN THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM ART AWARD FIRST PLACE.
WE WON THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA CENTER FOR THE ARTS AWARD, FIRST AND SECOND PLACE, AND WE WON THE HONORABLE MENTION.
OTHER SHOWCASE OPPORTUNITIES, THE SCHOLASTIC ART AND WRITING AWARDS IS A REAL BIG ONE FOR US.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT JOIN THAT.
THIS YEAR WE HAD 33 WINNERS FROM HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, 17 FROM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, FOUR FROM BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND FIVE FROM BEAUFORD HIGH SCHOOL.
SO A REALLY GOOD SHOWING BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
OUT OF THOSE WINNERS, NINE WERE
[02:40:01]
GOLD KEY WINNERS.20 WERE SILVER KEY WINNERS AND 29 WERE HONORABLE MENTIONS.
REALLY FASCINATING STUFF THERE.
THIS WAS A REAL HAPPY MOMENT FOR ME.
WE HAVE THE SECONDARY ART EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, PATTY JOLO.
THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG, THAT'S BIG ONE THAT OUGHT BE REPRESENTED.
AND WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT TOO.
WE'LL GET ANOTHER ONE IN THERE.
UM, IN THE KURTZBERG COMPETITION, WE HAD THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD PLACE AWARDS FOR THAT ALL COMING OUT OF HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ALSO TOOK THE HONORABLE MENTION AT THAT CONTEST AT HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS.
AND THIS IS WHERE I'M STILL HAPPY, BUT I'M OPTIMISTIC FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THIS ONE.
SO I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU THAT UPFRONT, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IN THE DISTRICT ASKED FOR US TO HAVE A 25% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE REFERRED FOR ARTISTIC GIFTING AND TALENTED SCREENING.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD BE AN EASY PROCESS, BUT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, OUR STUDENTS AREN'T SEEING DAILY NECESSARILY.
IF I'M A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, I MIGHT NOT BE IN ART OR MUSIC OR BAND THIS SEMESTER.
SO GETTING THOSE STUDENTS REFERRED IS, IS TOUGHER THAN IT SOUNDS.
WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR NUMBERS BY REACHING OUT TO PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN WENT INTO PLACE.
WE WERE AVERAGING AROUND 135 STUDENTS BEING REFERRED.
THAT WAS A LOT OF KIDS DISAGREEING
I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU WHAT WE DID WITH THAT THOUGH, IS WE TRIED TO DO IT AFTER SCHOOL, SO THEY'RE NOT MISSING INSTRUCTION.
AND FOR CONVENIENCE OF PARENTS, WE ALSO DID THE WEEKEND.
OUR NEXT ONE IS, OKAY, SO NOW WE ARE REFERRING THEM FOR SCREENING.
HOW MANY ARE WE IDENTIFYING? AND I WILL BE HONEST, NOT REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS NUMBER.
SO WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING AND LOOKING AT OUR PROCESS TO SEE HOW WE CAN GET THIS NUMBER UP AGAIN BEFORE THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.
WE ARE AT 1 62 THIS YEAR, WHICH IS GOOD.
THERE'S SO MANY MORE STUDENTS OUT THERE, SO IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER.
AND PART OF THE DIS DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL IS THAT WE INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF DIVERSITY IN OUR ARTISTIC STUDENTS WHO WERE GIFTED AND TALENTED.
THIS YEAR, PRIOR TO THE GOAL, WE WERE AT 83, UM, WHITE STUDENTS, 16 BLACK, AND 30 OTHER.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT OTHER CATEGORY TYPICALLY MEANS STUDENTS WHO ARE A MIXED RACE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE HISPANIC.
IN 22, 23, WE HAD 104 WHITE STUDENTS, 16 AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND 32 IN THE OTHER CATEGORY.
I WILL BE HONEST, LAST YEAR WE HAD A 48% INCREASE, AND I WAS FLYING HIGH ON THAT, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT WAS GONNA CONTINUE, AND IT JUST DIDN'T PAN OUT FOR ME THIS YEAR AND FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO I HAVE TO DO BETTER ON THAT.
I'VE ALREADY ASKED TO BE INCLUDED IN A COUPLE THINGS AS FAR AS COMMUNITY MEETINGS NEXT YEAR.
UM, ONE EXAMPLE, WE WEREN'T REALLY CLOSELY WITH CHURCHES FOR AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY I CAN'T GO IN THERE AND MAKE MY PITCH THEN.
I'M SURE THAT YOU'VE ALL HEARD BY NOW THAT THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS ADDED SOME COORDINATORS.
SO AS THOSE COORDINATORS COME IN, I WANT THEM TO HAVE OWNERSHIP SO THAT THEY HAVE INVESTMENT IN THAT PLAN.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON SOME CHANGES ON SOME OF OUR PLANS.
WE ARE INCREASING OUR PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES.
MY PRIMARY FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS GETTING MORE KIDS IDENTIFIED AND GETTING THE DIVERSITY UP IN THOSE NUMBERS.
THIS YEAR, WE PROVIDED, UM, SUPPORT TO HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, THEY DO NOT HAVE A THEATER PROGRAM, AND WE WANTED TO GET THAT STARTED.
SO THIS YEAR WE PROVIDED THAT SUPPORT FOR THE GENEROSITY OF DR.
STRATUS, UM, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO WE HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT NEXT YEAR.
I HAVE TWO SCHOOLS IN MIND FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR WORK, I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT THAT.
AND ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT I THINK THAT WE KIND OF MISSED THE MARK ON, UM,
[02:45:01]
IS OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS.SO WORKING WITH DISCOVERY MUSEUM, WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED TWO SLOTS NEXT YEAR AT THE HONEY HORN HILTON HEAD ISLAND FESTIVAL FOR ARTS.
WE'LL HAVE ONE SET UP WITH OUR STUDENT ART AND ONE SET UP WITH OUR TEACHERS ART.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I THINK ANOTHER, UM, ANOTHER PLACE WE CAN TAP INTO IS, UH, THROUGH THE BUILDING RELATIONSHIP AND CONNECTION THAT I HAVE GOING WITH SUN CITY.
AND I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE, UH, FOR, FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SHOWCASE ARTISTIC TALENT, WHETHER IT'S IN MUSIC OR WHETHER IT'S IN, UH, IN THE ART.
LET ME KNOW NEXT TIME YOU'RE GOING.
AND I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS ONE, AND I KNOW THAT ALL THINGS COST MONEY, RIGHT? SO I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF HOW I DO THIS.
BUT I CAME UP WITH SOMETHING, AND THAT IS, I WOULD LIKE TO DO A DISTRICT SHOWCASE PRIOR TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS AND TURN KIND OF OUR DISTRICT OFFICE INTO A SHOWCASE OF STUDENT WORK.
SO YOU CAN ALL SEE IT FIRSTHAND RATHER THAN JUST HEARING ME TALK ABOUT IT AND MAYBE MEET SOME OF OUR ARTISTS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
ALSO, OUR RIVER AWARDS PUBLICATION IS WILDLY POPULAR EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO WHY NOT DO ANOTHER ONE? SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT POSSIBLY DOING ONE WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVE A HUGE INTEREST IN OUR DISTRICT AND PHOTOGRAPHY, AND SOME OF THAT WORK IS ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL.
SO WE'RE THINKING KIND OF MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF LIKE A TABLETOP BOOK AND, AND SHOWCASING SOME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, VISUAL ARTS, DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS.
THIS ONE, IT WAS A TOUGH ONE FOR ME BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED THAT ONE THIS YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN I SHARED MY FIVE YEAR PLAN LAST YEAR, THIS IS IMPORTANT, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
WHEN STUDENTS LEAVE BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THEY'RE GOING INTO ANDERSON COLLEGE, ART DESIGN, SCAD, THOSE TYPE PLACES, THE FIRST THING THEY ASK THE STUDENTS ARE, SHOW ME SOME OF YOUR WORK.
RIGHT NOW OUR STUDENTS HAVE THESE LITTLE BLACK CASES WITH THEIR WORK SHOVE DOWN IN IT, AND THEY PULL THAT OUT AND THEY START SHOWING 'EM SAMPLES.
THAT'S A GREAT THING, AND WE WANT TO KEEP THAT IN PLACE.
BUT IT'S NOT THE MODERN THING THAT MOST DISTRICTS ARE DOING.
THEY'RE DOING THAT E-PORTFOLIO.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A REAL BUY-IN RIGHT OFF THE GET GO FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT WE ARE GONNA START THAT WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
SO EVERY HIGH SCHOOL, EVERY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WILL USE THE TEMPLATE THAT WE HAVE CREATED.
UM, THEY WILL HAVE IT AS PART OF THEIR GOOGLE ACCOUNT.
WHEN THEY LEAVE US, THEY WILL TRANSFER TO A PERSONAL ACCOUNT SO THEY CAN TAKE IT WITH THEM, AND THAT WILL MAKE IT A SHOWCASE OF THEIR ART THAT THEY CAN TAKE ANYWHERE THEY GO.
I'M HOPING THAT THE NEXT YEAR IT WILL GO DOWN TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
EVENTUALLY IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ELEMENTARY.
SO WHEN A STUDENT LEAVES BEAUFORT COUNTY, THEY WILL HAVE THE STORY TO TELL OF THEIR ART ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THAT'S, THAT ONE'S GONNA BE A TOUGH ONE.
THE LAST ONE IS THAT DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED.
AND I'LL BE GOING TO SUN CITY WITH DR.
HE'S GONNA HELP ME SHOWCASE SOME THINGS, BUT I DO, I AM LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO GET OUT THERE AND LET THEM KNOW IF YOU KNOW A STUDENT THAT MAYBE THEY PLAY AT A CHURCH, MAYBE THERE'S SOMEONE THAT YOU SEE DANCE, LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT STUDENT, UM, SCREENED FOR IDENTIFICATION.
THE OTHER THING IS WE DO HAVE A GREAT COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, SO WE'RE GONNA BE DEPENDENT ON THEM TO HELP US GET THAT OUT IN THE MEDIA NEXT YEAR.
DO WE HAVE ANY OF OUR STUDENTS, UH, PERFORMING WITH THE BEAUFORT SYMPHONY? WE USED? WE DO.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, NOT ONLY DO THEY PERFORM WITH THEM, BUT THE BEAUFORT SYMP SYMPHONIES VERY GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO PROVIDE PRIVATE LESSONS TO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO CAN'T AFFORD 'EM.
UM, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
YOU ALSO HAVE, UH, I'M SORRY, MR. CAMPBELL.
YOU ALSO HAVE, UM, THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS WITH THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
UH, THEY BRING IN STUDENTS, UH, FROM SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY AND SOME FROM NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, UH, IN FOR, UH, PERFORMANCE THAT THEY DO.
UH, AND IT'S AN INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE.
UH, AND, UM, WELL, PART OF IT, THEY INVITE THEIR STUDENTS, THEY INVITE OUR STUDENTS TO BRING THEIR RECORDERS WITH THEM AND PARTICIPATE WITH THEM WITH THE RECORDERS, WHICH, UH, IS QUITE A, QUITE A SOUND TO HEAR.
WE'RE TALKING YOUNG, UH, ELEMENTARY AGE STUDENTS.
SO I'D LOVE TO HAVE VIOLINS FOR THAT.
WISNESKI, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, SO I HAVE A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS AS YOU GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
[02:50:01]
UM, WE JUST HAD MAYFEST.I THINK IT WOULD BE AMAZING IF WE HAD A 10 BY 10 AT MAYFEST DISPLAYING STUDENTS WORK AND ALSO GETTING THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE.
I MEAN, I KNOW PRETTY MUCH ALL BLUFFTON TURNS OUT FOR THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST ONE SUGGESTION.
THEN THE OTHER IS, UM, ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS, OR TWO OF MY DAUGHTERS ARE PARTICIPATING AT THE ARTS CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA'S SUMMER PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
SO IF YOU HADN'T SPOKEN WITH THEM YET, THEY HAVE A TON OF, UM, ARTS AND THEATER FOCUSED EVENTS THIS SUMMER, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY COULD HELP TO IDENTIFY SOME POTENTIAL STUDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN OUR SYSTEM.
THAT IS OUR KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER, SO THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.
OH, FIRST LET ME THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, VERY INFORMATIVE INFORMATION.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, UM, JUST TO, TO PIGGYBACK ON DR.
RODRIGUEZ, YOU'LL BE SURPRISED IF YOU TOOK SOME OF THESE KIDS TO THE NURSING HOMES, THE JOY THAT, THAT WILL BRING TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO COULD ACTUALLY SEE, SEE THAT, SEE A LITTLE SHOW OR, I MEAN, THAT, THAT IT WILL JUST, YOU'LL BE, IT'LL BE, YOU'LL BE SURPRISED.
IT'LL BRING JOY TO YOU JUST AS WELL, TO, AS WELL, TO THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING THESE PERFORMANCES.
UM, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF GT THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU GAVE ON PAGE 10, HOW DOES THAT, HOW, HOW DOES THAT, UH, HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? THE STATE HAS A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, AND THAT PROCESS INCLUDES AN IDEN UH, REFERRAL.
OH, ONCE THEY DO THE REFERRAL, THEY HAVE TO COME IN.
LET'S JUST TAKE DANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
IF IT'S A DANCE SCREENING, THEN THEY HAVE TO PERFORM A DANCE ON THEIR OWN THAT THEY'VE MADE UP.
UM, THEN THE LEAD, THE TEACHER OR THE ARTIST THAT'S WORKING WITH THOSE STUDENTS IN SCREENING WILL DO ONE, AND THEY HAVE TO MIMIC THAT BACK.
UM, IT'S A VERY PRESCRIBED PROCESS.
AND THERE IS A RUBRIC THAT WE'RE GIVEN FROM THE STATE, AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT RUBRIC VERY SYSTEMATICALLY AND PROVE THAT THAT KID HAS MET CERTAIN LEVELS.
ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE SEND IT THROUGH A VIEW GIFT PROGRAM TO THE STATE.
AND ONCE IT'S APPROVED, THAT STUDENT IS IDENTIFIED.
AND, AND I, I JUST, I ASKED YOU THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE, WE DO HAVE, I BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE STUDENTS IN CERTAIN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE, I, I'VE SEEN AND ON THE WEEKENDS, OR GO TO DIFFERENT, UH, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. AND I SEE THEM PROGRESSING, BUT THEY'RE PROGRESSING IN OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE VENUES.
AND IT IS JUST ALARMING WHEN I LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS UP THERE.
AND, UH, I, I, I, I HEAR WHAT, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT I, I THINK YOU SHOULD ALSO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE ARTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE, ON, ON DIFFERENT SIDE OF ABROAD.
REACH OUT TO SOME OF THESE TEACHERS AND ASK THEM, SEE IF, IF THEY'RE RECRUITING IT OR SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING TOO.
BECAUSE I MEAN, THAT SOME, THAT SOME OF THEM ARE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE THAT COULD PARSH PO UH, POSSIBLY HELP THE DISTRICT OUT IN TERMS IN TERMS OF WHERE, WHERE, WHERE WE, WHERE WE'RE GOING AT.
BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT.
AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE MAY, YOU KNOW, IT MAY SEEM LIKE WE ARE HALF, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE NIGHT, BUT I JUST WANNA TAKE, KEEP GOING BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO HELP THE, THE GAP IN SO MANY WAYS.
AND SO IN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT KEEP, KEEP GOING, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT, BECAUSE ONE OF OUR TEACHERS HAPPENS TO BE A TEACHER AT WELL BRANCH.
UM, SHE'S A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WE IDENTIFIED THROUGH EIGHTH, SO SHE DOESN'T REALLY SEE THEM, BUT SHE KNEW A STUDENT FROM A DANCE TROUPE IN THAT COMMUNITY, AND SHE STILL REFERRED THAT STUDENT.
THAT STUDENT WAS QUICKLY IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND TALENTED.
MR. SMITH, I JUST NEED TO GET TO 'EM.
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU, WHAT YOU JUST TELLING ME? YOU JUST, YOU JUST, YOU JUST TOLD ME THAT YOU DID THE JOB.
UM, YEAH, THIS WAS A GREAT NIGHT TO HAVE THE ART PRESENTATION CAUSE WE HAD SOME GREAT ART TO PRESENT AND SOME AWARDS, AND THAT WAS REALLY LOVELY.
UM, AND I THINK WE ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE, BUT I DO THINK THAT COMING OUT OF COVID, AND I'M JUST GONNA PITCH IT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT'S HAPPENING IN TECHNOLOGY, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF, EDUCATION'S GONNA HAVE SOME SHIFTS IN TERMS OF WE'RE GONNA MOVE AWAY FROM LIKE A PASSIVE CONTENT BASED, RIGHT? SO WE TALK ABOUT PROJECT BASED LEARNING, WE TALK, BUT ART'S A BIG PART OF THAT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD ARTS CURRICULUM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL IS, IS A COMPULSORY WHETHER, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, IS, UM, THAT BASICALLY IT'S MORE THAN GETTING THEM INTERESTED IN HAVING FUN AND CREATIVITY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
AND AT MY SON'S MUSIC SCHOOL IN COLLEGE, THE MUSIC THEORY CLASS ACTUALLY COUNTS AS
[02:55:01]
A MATH, UM, BECAUSE IT'S SO SYMPATHETIC MATH ORIENTED.UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER EXAMPLES, AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO REMEMBER THE GUY'S NAME.
LESCHI DOME, THE FLORENCE DOME.
HE DEVELOPED LINEAR PERSPECTIVE IN ART, WHICH IS ALL MATH.
AND IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO GET KIDS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO SIT THERE AND WROTE, MEMORIZE, INTERESTED.
THERE'S A HIGH CORRELATION BETWEEN ENGINEERING AND MATH.
A LOT OF THE KIDS, AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT, BUT AT BEING IN SCHOOL OF ART, WHICH IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL ART SCHOOL, UM, THEY DO DUAL DEGREES IN NEUROLINGUISTICS, NEUROSCIENCE, UM, MUSIC CONSERVATIVES ACTUALLY HAVE THE HIGHEST ACCEPTANCE RATE TO MEDICAL SCHOOLS.
SO TO ME, I WANT TO TAKE ALL THIS ENERGY IN THE 162 AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THEM THE DISCIPLINE OF ART, WHICH IS NOT FUN.
IT'S NOT ALL PERFORMANCES, IT'S MUSIC THEORY, IT'S PRACTICE AND REHEARSAL.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOWCASE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S STILL A GAP THAT WE NEED TO PUT INTO THOSE FIVE YEAR PLANS.
UM, AND I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'RE GONNA HAVE IS HAVING A, A DENSITY TO HAVE, LIKE AN ORCHESTRA OR A CHOIR.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE AT EACH INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WHETHER WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT A YOUTH ORCHESTRA, A YOUTH PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, OR A MAGNET PROGRAM, OR SOME SORT OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
UM, AND AGAIN, SPEAKING FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, MY SON WAS A BASS SINGER AS DR.
WALL NOW? OR MR. WALL? IT'S MR. WALL.
MR. WALL TRYING TO MAKE A CHOIR OUTTA 12 SOPRANOS ON A PROFUNDO BASS.
THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF REPERTOIRE FOR HIM.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT I, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, WE'RE HEADING THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF EMPHASIS ON, UH, THE DISCIPLINE AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA GO ON TO A MUSIC, UH, CAREER, THERE IS A HIGH CORRELATION FOR SOME OF THESE KIDS IN TERMS OF THINKING AND LEARNING STYLES.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING TO HEAR DOWN THE ROAD.
I'M, I'M GONNA SHARE SOME, YEAH, I'M WITH YOU.
SHE HIT ME RIGHT ON THE
SO A GOAL IS DEFINITELY TO HAVE AN ARTS PROGRAM THAT, IN THE AREA THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING.
THAT IS IN THE MIND, IN THE HEART AND A BALANCE.
I MEAN, AND I THINK IT'S NOT JUST WITHIN ART DIVISION, OBVIOUSLY IT IS, IT IS AMONGST OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BUT IT IS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE IS AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF TALENT WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
AND ARE WE HITTING ONTO THAT CORE TO BUILD THE DEVELOPMENT TO STUDENTS WHO GO INTO THIS PATHWAY? RIGHT.
WE ARE TRYING OUR INFLUENCE, EVEN A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR SOME REGROWTH HERE IN A LOCAL ISLAND THAT WE MAY BE STANDING ON.
BUT THE GOAL WILL BE THAT WE HAVE TWO SIGNATURE ARTS PERFORMING SCHOOLS HERE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT IT OUT THERE AND, AND THAT WE LAND THERE.
SO I'M NOT GONNA TURN TO MY FAR, FAR LEFT BECAUSE MY BOSS IS HERE IN THE ROOM WITH ME.
HOW LET YOU LOOK AT HIM? YEAH.
AND I THINK ONE WAY THAT WE REALLY SAW THAT BEST WAS WHEN WE PUT THE HONOR PROGRAM OUT THERE.
WE HAD ALL OF THE STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT COME TOGETHER.
THE TEACHERS WORKED WITH THOSE KIDS BASICALLY FOR A WEEK IN CLASS.
THEN THEY CAME TOGETHER FOR A FULL DAY AND PRACTICED TOGETHER AND PERFORMED THAT NIGHT.
AND THOSE CONCERTS WERE AMAZING.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT MATH, AND IT'S FUNNY YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE WE JUST SCHEDULED A PD FOR OUR TEACHERS THAT IS BASED ON KAMINSKY'S ART OF LIONS AND SHAPES, AND IT'S A GEOMETRY MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BRANCHING OUT.
SO, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS OR WHATEVER.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, IN TERMS OF, UH, RECRUITING, UM, MORE CHILDREN FOR SCREENING, UH, I WOULD REACH OUT TO THE, UM, THE HILTON HEAD ORCHESTRA, THE BEAUFORT ORCHESTRA.
A LOT OF THOSE, UH, MUSICIANS, UH, UH, PROVIDE PRIVATE LESSONS TO STUDENTS IN THE AREA.
THERE USED TO BE AN EXCELLENT HILTON HEAD YOUTH ORCHESTRA THAT DREW FROM NOT JUST, UH, BEAUFORT, UH, COUNTY, BUT ALSO, UH, SAVANNAH.
AND SAVANNAH HAS AN ARTS AND ARTS ACADEMY, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT ORCHESTRA IS, UM, I DON'T, UH, IF IT'S IN STILL IN EXISTENCE, I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, WHERE IT WAS, BECAUSE I KNOW THE, UM, PERSON THAT REALLY, UH, WAS BEHIND ALL THAT IS, IS, UH, TOO, TOO ELDERLY TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
I KNOW IN THE HILTON HEAD, UM, ORCHESTRA, UH, THE FIRST VI LIST TEACHES PRIVATE LESSONS IN SAVANNAH.
ONE OF MY CHILDREN ACTUALLY TOOK FROM HIM.
UM, AND, UH, AS A PARENT OF, OF, UH, MUSICIANS, I THINK THAT THIS IS NOW YEARS AGO,
[03:00:01]
I DON'T THINK, UH, THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PARENTS AND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO PARENTS, YOU KNOW, IS YOUR CHILD TAKING PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS? JUST SIMPLE STUFF LIKE THAT.YOU'RE GONNA IDENTIFY A LOT MORE CHILDREN.
UM, AND SO FOR STRINGS, THAT'S, ARE THERE ANY PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL NOW? WE DO HAVE SOME THAT ARE WORKING ON IT, AND THEY, THEY'VE STARTED TO UTILIZE STRINGS WITHIN THEIR ALREADY EXISTING MUSIC PROGRAMS NOW.
THAT'S WHY I REALLY WANT THOSE LITTLE VIOLINS.
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MY, MY CHILDREN ALL GOT INTERESTED WAS THROUGH THE, I THINK IT WAS SECOND GRADE AT MC RILEY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
THEY HAD, UM, STRING, STRING LESSONS, AND THEN IT WAS LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER WOULD CALL AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOUR CHILD REALLY HAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE TALENT OR WHATEVER TO CONTINUE ON.
AND THAT'S HOW WE STARTED PRIVATE LESSONS AND, AND THAT'LL HELP ME GROW.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM.
START 'EM YOUNG AND GET HIM INTERESTED.
GU WANTED TO SHARE WITH, WITH THE BOARD THAT, UM, OR IN, I THINK IT WAS APRIL NOW, UH, EARLY MAYOR, OR NEAR THE END OF APRIL, UH, THE HILTON HEAD, UH, SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAD A, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, MEETING.
AND THEY ASKED ME, UH, TO ATTEND AND JOIN THEM IN WHICH I DID.
AND SO A LOT OF THAT, UH, CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT, UH, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR THEM TO NOT JUST ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING IN TERMS OF THEIR WORK, BUT, BUT HOW DO THEY ALSO ENGAGE, UH, STUDENTS AND, AND, UH, BUILD AND FOSTER A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? SO THEY HAVE AN INTEREST AND WE HAVE AN INTEREST.
AND, UH, SO I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU'VE JUST SUGGESTED, UH, SOME WAYS THAT MAYBE THEY CAN ALSO HELP AND SUPPORT, UH, INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE LOOKING, UH, FOR OPPORTUNITIES TOO.
SO, UH, THERE IS A DIALOGUE THAT EXISTS WITH THEM, IS, IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
AND, UH, AND THAT HAS, I THINK, SOME OP REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I HAVE AN ABSOLUTE RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T MEAN TO BE A DOWNER ON THIS, UM, BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY PRETTY DISAPPOINTED.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THE REASON I HAD, UH, IT CHANGED OFF THE LAST MEETING AND DROPPED OFF THE AGENDA, SO I COULD ASK MR. WAL SOME SPECIFIC QUESTION.
AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN WITH MR. WALL NOT PRESENT, AND THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION AS TO WHEN MR. WALL COULD BE PRESENT, WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
UH, SO I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT.
UH, SO YOU GET THE, UH, YOU GET THE POINT OF ALL MY QUESTIONS IN.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, UH, IN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN ARTS DIRECTOR INSTEAD OF AN ARTS COORDINATOR.
IN, IN MY, IN MY OPINION, UH, WE SHOULD HAVE AS MANY, AS MANY STUDENTS IN THE ARTS AS WE DO IN SPORTS.
THEREFORE, WE SHOULD HAVE AN ARTS DIRECTOR, AND UNDER THE ARTS DIRECTOR SHOULD BE A FINE ARTS OR, UH, A PERFORMING ARTS COORDINATOR AND A VISUAL ARTS COORDINATOR.
UM, THAT WOULD BE MY PERFECT WORLD, UH, TEAM TEACHING.
UH, I, I DON'T THINK OUR TEACHERS ARE BEING UTILIZED, UM, EFFICIENTLY WHEN, WHEN OUR JUNIOR HIGH BAND DIRECTORS HAVE TO BE PAID, UH, BY OUR HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTORS TO COME TEACH WITH THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL, UH, MARCHING BAND STUFF.
I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S EFFICIENT USE.
UH, I, I THINK YOU CREATE KINGDOM BUILDING THERE.
UH, AND, UH, IT'S A, IT'S, I THINK IT'S BAD COMPETITION AMONG OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR SCHOOLS ARE COMPETING AT A FOUR A, UH, LEVEL MM-HMM.
AND, AND BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, THE ONES THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, THAT I LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM, BUT OUR SCHOOLS ARE, BANDS ARE COMPETING AT TWO A, UM, SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO RECRUIT? WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR RECRUITING? UH, BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S LIKE WOEFULLY UNDERUTILIZED, UM, UP UNTIL JANUARY 3RD, BECAUSE I'M NO LONGER ALLOWED TO DO IT.
UH, I WAS WORKING, I WAS ACTUALLY A CONTRACTOR FOR MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, WORKING WITH MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL BAND.
AND I WAS SEEING, UM, THE, THE, THE PRODUCT COMING OUT OF OUR JUNIOR HIGHS GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL BAND.
UH, AND THE BAND, THE BAND DIRECTOR THERE AT GOD BLESS HER, WAS HAVING TO TEACH BASIC CONCEPTS, BASIC ELEMENTARY CONCEPTS TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT HAD, WERE COMING OUT OF THE JUNIOR HIGH PROGRAM.
UH, SO I WAS GONNA ASK MR. WALL SPECIFICALLY, UH, WHAT WAS HE GOING TO DO TO START LIKE A, A, A CURRICULUM, UM, THAT CAN BE ADHERED TO IN MUSIC? BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S NOT, IT'S OFTEN BANDS ARE ISLANDS IN THE STREAM.
EACH BAND IS THEIR OWN ISLAND, AND THEY, THE BAND DIRECTORS, MUSIC IS SUCH A, IS THE ONLY MUSIC, IS THE ONLY, UH, LANGUAGE THAT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE SOUL.
[03:05:01]
IT'S, IT'S A VERY EMOTIONAL THING FOR PEOPLE.UH, SO MOST MUSIC PROGRAMS ARE EMOTIONALLY DRIVEN.
UM, SO ALL THESE BAND DIRECTORS AND CHOIR DIRECTORS AND ORCHESTRA DIRECTORS, UH, THEY'RE OUT THERE THEIR OWN, THEY'RE THEIR OWN ISLANDS.
UH, SO THEY LIKE TO DO THEIR OWN THING BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEST.
UH, AND HERE WE ARE WITH STUDENTS, UH, THAT ARE COMING OUT OF OUR JUNIOR HIGHS AND GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAY UP TO, UP TO GRADE.
UM, IT'S, IT, IT TAKES SEVEN YEARS OF CONSTANT EXPERIENCE, UM, FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO EARN SCHOLARSHIPS ON MUSIC PROGRAMS, UH, TO, TO GET INTO, INTO COLLEGE PROGRAMS AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS.
AND IN THOSE SEVEN YEARS, KIDS ARE TAKING PRIVATE LESSONS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PLANNING GARAGE PLANS, THEY'RE PLANNING CHOIR.
IT'S A KID THAT GETS INTO, YOU KNOW, UM, GETS THROWN ON SECOND TRUMPET OR IS THROWN INTO INTO BAND BECAUSE THEY JUST NEED AN ELECTIVE, UH, THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR OR JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL IS, IT'S, IT'S WORTHLESS.
UM, IT'S, I WILL SAY, NOT WORTHLESS.
THERE IS A PLACE IN MUSIC FOR EVERYBODY, BUT WHEN, WHEN YOU START SOMEBODY IN MUSIC THAT LATE, THEY DEFINITELY FEEL LEFT BEHIND.
THEY DEFINITELY FEEL LEFT BEHIND.
UM, SO IN, AS FAR AS STARTING MUSIC AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, HOW COME WE'RE USING, UM, QUAVER INSTEAD OF KODI? ORFF? UM, QUAVERS IS, UH, ONE OF THE ONES THAT OUR STATE APPROVES.
SO WE FOLLOW, AND JUST LIKE IN BAND, WE FOLLOW THOSE STATE STANDARDS.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
UH, BUT, BUT ORFF IS HANDS ON.
ORPHAN KOAI, KOAI ARE HANDS ON.
THEY HAVE ORPHAN KOAI, WHICH IS WHAT YOUR, YOUR STUDENT PROBABLY YOUR, YOUR CHILD L LEARNED ON, UH, THE ORFF, UH, METHOD FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS, UH, KOAI OR PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS.
UH, SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S AB ABSOLUTELY HANDS ON.
UH, AS OPPOSED TO JUST PUSHING BUTTONS ON A COMPUTER.
UM, UH, AS FAR AS PUSHING BUTTONS ON, UH, ON COMPUTER ELECTRONIC MUSIC, I, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY, UM, DOING ANY ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS YET.
UH, AND I DON'T MEAN SOUND REINFORCEMENT, I DON'T MEAN SETTING UP SPEAKERS, UH, AND MICS, I MEAN, LIKE MAKING MUSIC ON COMPUTERS WITH MID CONTROLLERS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UH, SO I WAS HOPING HE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THE 120, $22 INCREASE FOR, FOR BAND STUDENTS, BANDS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RUN WITHOUT THEIR BOOSTER PROGRAMS. SO ABSOLUTELY LEAVE THEM ALONE.
UM, CUZ THAT'S THE ONLY THING KEEPING 'EM AFLOAT.
UM, THESE BOOSTER PROGRAMS, THEY COME IN, THEY PAY FOR THE, THE, THE, THE, THE UNIFORMS THEY PAY FOR UNIFORM CLEANINGS.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THESE BOOSTER CLUBS PAY PROVIDE FOR BANDS.
UM, SO I APPLAUD THE $122 INCREASE, LEAVE THE BOOSTER PROGRAMS ALONE.
CUZ THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING ALL THE REST.
AND, AND THEN, UM, THE, THE BLOCK SCHEDULING IS, IS HURTING OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS, UM, BECAUSE THE, THE BANDS ARE BEING BROKEN UP.
THEY, LIKE THE BRASS AND THE WOODWINDS ARE IN ONE BLOCK, THE PERCUSSION AND, AND ARE ON ANOTHER BLOCK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIX TO THAT IS.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ABSOLUTELY HURTING OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS. I THINK I'M DONE.
UM,
THEY'D BE BRIEF BECAUSE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS MOMENTARILY.
THE, UM, ADDITIONAL MONEY IS ACTUALLY THROUGH OUR DIVISION IN COMBINATION OF WHAT THE DISTRICT ALREADY DOES.
UM, SO I, I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
YOU'RE TALKING MR. NA, MUCH AS MRS. BOATRIGHT HAS AND WHERE WE WANNA LAND, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE JUST HAD A COORDINATOR JOIN US IN JANUARY, DECEMBER, JANUARY.
UM, OUR DIRECTOR HAS BEEN DOING THIS ME, WELL, I WANNA SAY HER HERSELF AND HER
AND WE ARE VERY, VERY ARTS MINDED AMONGST US, AND I THINK IT'S A PLACE THAT WE WILL GROW TO.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A LEVERAGE OF, A GOOD LEVERAGE OF HAVING YOU AND HEARING YOUR VOICE AS WELL, SIR.
WE NEED TO MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MR. COOK, REGARDING EMPLOYEE POLICY VIOLATIONS.
THANKS FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
UM, SINCE JANUARY, A FEW CONCERNS AS A PARENT, AS IT APPEARS OUR PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT IS BEING IGNORED.
CHILDREN IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE BEEN GIVEN SECRET SURVEYS.
WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTS, KIDS WERE PROHIBITED FROM BRINGING THE PAPER SURVEY HOME TO PARENTS TO REVIEW.
OTHER ONLINE SURVEYS WERE KEPT FROM PARENTS AS WELL.
ALSO 13 AND 14 YEAR OLD CHILDREN IN TWO SEPARATE CLASSROOMS IN HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD A TEACHER DESCRIBED TO THEM WHAT GENITAL MUTILATION IS.
IN GRAPHIC TERMS, THIS TEACHER STILL ENDS
[03:10:01]
IN THE CLASSROOM AS, AND THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN HANDLED.THESE TEACHERS BOTH VIOLATED DISTRICT EMPLOYEE CONDUCT POLICY, HRS FOUR AND 4.1.
THEY VIOLATED THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATOR.
CODE OF CONDUCT, FORMAL COMPLAINTS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILL BE FILED, GIVE 'EM A CHANCE TO RESPOND.
THIS SUMMER, MY DAUGHTER ASKED ME WHY THIS TEACHER REMAINS IN THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT ANY PUNISHMENT.
LAST WEEK, A TEACHER IN MAY, RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, ENGLISH THREE, TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO ENGAGE STUDENTS WITH A BOOK THAT CONTAINS DES DEPICTIONS OF PREMARITAL SEX AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, INCLUDING DEPICTIONS OF ORAL SEX, A**L SEX, AND UNPUNISHED SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
THE TEACHER VIOLATED DISTRICT POLICIES, HRS FOUR AND HRS 4.1.
THE TEACHER VIOLATED THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATOR CODE OF CONDUCT.
THAT TEACHER REMAINS IN THE CLASSROOM TODAY WITH A PRINCIPAL THAT IS ON THEIR WAY OUT AND HAS WASHED THEIR HANDS OF DEALING WITH IT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DECIDED TO KEEP THE BOOK PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER IN OUR SCHOOLS.
YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO BE TREATED AS GROOMERS.
YOU VIOLATED YOUR OWN OATH OF OFFICE, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE EMPLOYMENT OF ANY TEACHERS WHO HAVE VIOLATED THEIR DISTRICT CONTRACTS DEMONSTRATES INCOMPETENCE.
IT REPRESENTS FINANCE, FINANCIAL MALFEASANCE TO CONTINUE TO PAY ANYONE ON A CONTRACT THAT IS IN VIOLATION OF CONTRACT TERMS. AS RECENT AS LAST YEAR, I SAW A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD VOTE TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT OF SOMEONE VIOLATING THEIR CONTRACT TERMS. THIS EXAMPLE COMES WITH OUR CON CONTRACTOR PROVIDING SECURITY SERVICES FOR THE DISTRICT.
THE BOARD'S COMPLICIT BEHAVIOR IN KEEPING STAFF AND TEACHERS WHO VIOLATE THEIR CONTRACTS AS UNDER STRICT SCRUTINY.
THOSE CONTRACTED INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS ARE MS. HARPER, MS. BURLESON, AND AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL AT MR. KEEFER.
HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE UNEMPLOYED VERY SOON.
ROBIN'S GOING TO CONNECT WITH THE ONE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTER ON PHONE.
I CAN'T REACH THEM ON THE PHONE.
SO AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO NINE 15, DO WE WANT A MOTION ABOUT, UH, WHEN WE'RE GONNA, UH, END THE MEETING? SURE.
YOU SURE MA'AM? CHAIR THE TIME.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, EXTEND THE MEETING TO FINISH UP THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT WAS EVERYBODY, CORRECT? YES.
SO THAT, UH, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO NOW WE'RE ON TO, I, LAST ITEM IS UNDER OTHER MATTERS IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
AND IT'S IN REFERENCE TO, UH, THE BOND REFERENDUM.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO, TO THE BOND REFERENDUM, AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD THIS EVENING, UH, THAT, UH, MY INTENTION WAS TO BRING, BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, IN MAY, HOWEVER, I'M STILL AWAITING, UH, THE SECOND, UH, COST ANALYSIS.
AND, AND SO I WILL BE, UH, BRINGING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD IN JUNE.
UH, UH, BUT I DID NOT WANT TO MOVE, UH, MOVE IT FORWARD UNTIL WE HAVE A SECOND COST ANALYSIS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT'S PRUDENT TO, UH, TO THIS WORK.
UM, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT'S THE DATE? THE, BASICALLY THE DROP DATE THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO APPROVE IT TO GET ON? UH, IT'S 90 DAYS, I BELIEVE, PRIOR TO, UM, TO THE, UH, ELECTION.
[Board Business Action]
TANYA CROSBY, UH, FOR THE 20 23 24[03:15:02]
BUDGET CERTIFICATION.UM, I DID PROVIDE A BRIEF, UM, POWERPOINT FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
I'M NOT GONNA GO DIRECTLY ON POWERPOINT.
I'M GONNA GIVE LITTLE MORE OF A BRIEF SUMMARY OF SORT OF WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
UM, AND, BUT THIS EVENING, I, WE ARE REQUESTING A BUDGET CERTIFICATION, UH, FROM THE BOARD.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO MOTIONS AT THE END OF THIS POWERPOINT.
ONE IS FOR THE OPERATIONS BUDGET, AND ONE IS FOR THE DEBT BUDGET.
UH, ALL THE DETAILS HAD BEEN PROVIDED PREVIOUSLY.
UH, LAST, UH, BOARD MEETING'S PACKET HAD ALL THE FINANCIAL DETAILS OF, OF BOTH BUDGETS, AS WELL AS SOME COMPARATIVE, UM, INFORMATION OF ACTUALS AND, UM, AND BUDGETS FOR PRIOR YEARS AS WELL.
SO, UM, THE ONE THING I'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT DURING THIS BUDGET, UM, SEASON IS, UH, FEEDBACK, BUT GETTING, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'VE, UH, IN THE, IN THE, UM, I THINK SLIDE NUMBER TWO OR THREE, UM, PROVIDES A LISTING OF ALL OF THE, UM, THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'VE SOUGHT, UH, INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO SURVEYS, STUDENT ADVISORIES, PUBLIC FORUMS, UM, S I C JOINT BOARD MEETINGS, UM, AND THEN, AND BOARD PRESENTATIONS.
LAST, UH, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND PRESENT A SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET THERE AS WELL.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER FORM OF COMMUNICATION.
UH, FE WE GOT, UM, SOME FEEDBACK, SOME QUESTION OR TWO, UM, RELATIVELY BRIEF SUMMARY, BUT IT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO GET THE WORD OUT AND TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY, UM, HEAR WHAT, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN OUR BUDGET.
SO, UM, IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AND, AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'LL BE GOING TO COUNTY COUNCIL AGAIN ON MONDAY.
SO, UM, THE FEEDBACK REALLY HAS STRUCTURED OR GUIDED US TO BUILD THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
UM, IT HAS ALLOWED US TO FOCUS IN ON CERTAIN AREAS.
AND, UM, SO WHAT I'M GONNA JUST TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING IS SORT OF SOME OF THE NOTABLE, UH, INCREASES THAT WE'RE, UM, EXPERIENCING.
AND I'M GONNA TALK MORE FROM OUR BUDGET FLYER THAN ANYTHING.
SO I PROVIDED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, UH, ONE PAGE BUDGET FLYER.
UM, IF WE DON'T ALREADY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT UP ON OUR WEBSITE VERY SOON UNDER THE BUDGET SECTION.
AND I THINK IT PROVIDES A REALLY GOOD, UH, SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING, UH, OF THE, SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS OF OUR BUDGET.
SO, UM, REALLY THIS OPERATING BUDGET WAS DEVELOPED WITH A TOP PRIORITY IN MIND TO LEAD US, UH, THE, TO LEAD SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION AS AN EXEMPLARY DISTRICT BY ATTRACTING AND MAINTAINING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATORS AND STAFF SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUOUSLY FOCUS AND GROW OUR STUDENTS.
SO ONE OF OUR, SOME OF OUR NOTABLE INCREASES INCLUDE, UH, $3,000 INCREASE FOR OUR STARTING TEACHER SALARY, UH, SCHEDULE.
AND, UH, WITH A THOUSAND OF THAT INCREASE MOVED FROM THE TEACHER LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT.
SO WE'RE MAKING THOSE A PERMANENT INCREASE IN THE SALARY.
IT BECOMES PART OF THE TAKE HOME PAY PART OF RETIREMENT WAGES, AND, AND IS PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED IN THE TEACHER'S SALARY TO SCHEDULE TO ALLOW US TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS.
UM, FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR, WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR MOST EXPERIENCED TEACHERS BY ADDING ANOTHER STEP TO THE TEACHER'S SALARY SCHEDULE.
MOVING US FROM STEP 26 TO 27, WE'RE ON A MISSION OF FOUR YEAR MISSION, AND WE'RE AT YEAR THREE.
AND SO, UH, WE, WITH A GOAL IN MIND OF EVENTUALLY GETTING TO THAT 28TH YEAR, WHICH IS THE RETIREMENT ELIGIBLE YEAR, AND THEN FUNDING TO CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, FULLY IMPLEMENTING OUR SALARY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SALARY STUDY FOR CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
AND THEN AS WELL, IN ADDITION TO 2% COST OF LIVING INCREASES FOR THE SAME GROUP.
AND THEN, UH, FUNDING TO MEET ALL OF THE STATE MANDATED.
WE PARTICIPATE FULLY WITH, UH, AS A REQUIREMENT TO, WITH THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND WITH, UH, UH, THE P A, THE, UH, PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, UH, TO, UH, COVERAGE FOR OUR STAFF.
AND THOSE ARE MANDATORY INCREASES ANNUALLY, UH, WHICH ARE USUALLY, UH, RELATIVE, SEE, RELATIVELY SIGNIFICANT TO OUR BUDGET.
SO THESE WERE JUST SOME OF THOSE MAJOR, UH, AREAS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, UM, WHAT ALL, UH, COMPENSATION AND ALL WAS 17.6 MILLION, WHICH WAS ABOUT 79% OF OUR BUDGET.
[03:20:01]
UH, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS MAKE UP 79% OF OUR BUDGET.SO, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING IN THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET ARE REALLY FOCUSED IN ON THOSE AREAS.
UM, SO WE ARE ASKING FOR, UH, A 22.3 MILLION PROPOSED INCREASE AT 7.5% OF THE PRO OF THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET.
UH, SO THE TOTAL WOULD BE 320.4, AND, UH, THAT WOULD, WE WOULD UTILIZE 15.7 MILLION OF OUR EXISTING LOCAL AND STATE DOLLARS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FUND, UH, PORTION OF THIS.
BUT WE'LL NEED AN ADDITIONAL 4.4 MILLS IN ORDER TO FULLY FUND THIS BUDGET.
SO, UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY SUMMARY.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, AFTER, UM, CERTIFICATION COMES THREE READINGS WITH COUNTY COUNCIL, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS, UH, BEGINNING ON MONDAY AND THEN FOLLOWING ON THE SECOND, UM, SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAYS OF JUNE AS WELL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY DISCUSSION THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $320,412,978 WITH AN OPERATION MILLAGE RATE OF ONE 30.0.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THAT WAS DALLAS.
RUSKI, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A, A BRIEF STATEMENT TO EXPLAIN MY NO VOTE THIS EVENING.
I'M SURE IT DOESN'T COME AS A SURPRISE, JIM, MANY OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, UM, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A REFLECTION ON THE ADMINISTRATION, TANYA'S WORK, MY FAITH IN DR.
SO I DO WANT TO PREFACE MY STATEMENT BEFORE THAT.
UM, I HAVE A CONCERN WITH THE RATE OF INCREASE OF YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH TO THE BUDGET IN THE LAST FIVE OR SO YEARS.
UM, I ALSO HAVE CONCERN THAT, UH, THE AREAS OF POTENTIAL FAT TO BE REMOVED FROM THIS BUDGET WAS NOT DISCUSSED.
UM, I DID MAKE A MOTION AT THE MAY 2ND MEETING, UM, AND THERE WAS A LACK OF BOARD SUPPORT TO LOOK AT A OPTIONAL SECOND BUDGET WITH A 1% REDUCTION TO THE PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET HERE.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I WILL, UH, BE VOTING NO THIS EVENING, BUT AGAIN, NOT A REFLECTION ON ADMINISTRATION.
THERE BEING, BEING NO, UH, HANDS UP.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
AND DO YOU, CAN YOU PUT IT UP THERE? YEAH.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CERTIFICATION OF THE BUDGET AS, AS, UH, AS DISPLAYED THERE, PLEASE SAY, I, I, I, MIDDLETON, MIDDLETON.
SO THE, THE BUDGET CERTIFICATION, UM, PASSES, UH, 9 2 0, MADAM CHAIR.
OH, YOU'VE GOT, WE HAVE ONE MORE MOTION DEBTS SERVICE.
MADAME CHAIR, I MOVED AT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 DEBT SERVICE FUND, BEN BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $90,342,035 WITH A DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE RATE OF 36.3.
THIS SECOND MOTION WAS SECOND BY EARL CAMPBELL.
WISNESKI? I JUST HAVE A PROCESS QUESTION.
IS, UM, THE DEBT SERVICE APPROVAL TIED TO AN OE? YES, IT IS.
SHOULD THAT BE IN THE MOTION BY ANY CHANCE? I THINK BOTH ARE ACTUALLY TIED TO, IN THE SAME ONE, I BELIEVE SO.
BUT IT DOES MIND STIPULATE, UH, DEBT SERVICE, UM, DOES REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL.
AND I JUST WANNA MENTION HERE THAT THERE IS NO INCREASE IN THE MILLAGE.
[03:25:01]
JUST ENOUGH TO PAY THE PRI, UH, PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST PAYMENTS OF ANY 8% AND REFERENDUM BORROWINGS.THERE BE NO, UH, FURTHER HANDS UP ALL, AND YOU HAVE IT UP THERE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION DISPLAYED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO THAT MOTION, UH, PASSES, UH, UNANIMOUSLY.
YES, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE DONATION FROM PETER AND AMY KEBER TO PURCHASE AN ELECTRIC GOLF CART VALUED AT $6,000 FOR THE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS FOR TRANSPORTING EQUIPMENT.
SECOND, I GUESS WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TO MS. BOATRIGHT.
WE HAVE TO, UM, SO THE MO THE MOTION WAS SECOND BY MS. BOATWRIGHT.
AND, UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WOULD LIKE TO THANK PETER AND AMY KEBER FOR THIS VERY GENEROUS DONATION.
THE BOARD HAS TO VOTE ON ANY DONATIONS, UH, THAT ARE OVER $5,000.
WE HAVE NOTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Future Agenda Topics]
AGENDA TOPICS? REMEMBER, JUST, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANNA RECOMMEND IT IN A TOPIC, BUT DON'T GET INTO A DISCUSSION.YES, MS. BOATWRIGHT, I'M NOT MAKING A DISCUSSION, BUT I WANT HAVE PRE-K SPECIFICALLY EMPLOYEES AND, AND IT'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE FOR HEALTH HEALTH FOR SURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, RECOMMEND SAFE SCHOOLS TOPIC, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ENDING OF SCHOOL COMING, COMING HERE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE KNOW WHAT, UM, NOT THE DETAILS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT JUST KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN PREPARING FOR THE END OF SCHOOL YEAR.
I JUST HAVE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE.
UM, I NEED TO CORRECT THE VOTING RECORD FOR THE ITEM OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR MYSELF.
UM, THE ITEM THAT WAS IN REGARD TO THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN, I BELIEVE I VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE I NEED TO ABSTAIN FROM THAT.
IT WAS FOR THE, UM, THE NEW PK THROUGH FIVE FACILITY.
[Announcements]
R YES, GO AHEAD.I, I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE AND, AND SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO OUR, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT, UH, OF THIS PAST, UH, WEEK WITH RESPECT TO, UH, FISCAL AUTHORITY FOR, FOR THE BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, SCHOOL BOARD, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND I KNOW, UH, MS. TABERNAC IS THERE, UH, IS IS PRESENT HERE THIS EVENING AS THEIR OUR LIAISON, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR COUNTY COUNCIL.
UH, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR SUPPORT IN THAT.
AND I, THE BOARD AGREES 100% WITH THOSE COMMENTS,
AND I, I REALLY, UH, WANT TO THANK YOU TAB FOR, FOR, UH, COMING TO OUR MEETINGS AND BEING VERY ENGAGED AND, UH, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
I ENJOYED ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SITTING DOWN WITH YOU AND, AND, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE AN ASSET TO US,
E EVEN EVEN THOUGH SHE SAID THEY'RE, THEY'RE A LITTLE LONG, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY, UM, INTENTIONAL AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY GOOD FOR, FOR THE STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE COME HERE FOR.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE CAN ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT KITTEN.