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WE'LL NOW CALL THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023 TO ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED VIA A HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING, AND IT IS BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
IT IS IN PERSON AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS MULTIPURPOSE GYM ON HILTON HEAD.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW SAFETY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES.
BAGS, BACKPACKS, AND PURSES ARE PROHIBITED BY THE PUBLIC AT BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 THIS EVENING BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AND TOPIC TO ROBIN.
AND THAT'S ROBIN WITH A Y CUSHING BERRY AT BEAUFORT DOT K12.
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 ALSO FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
AND EACH SPEAKER MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
PLEASE SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR A CARD REQUEST FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC.
COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30 AS DESCRIBED ALREADY.
AND 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 THE SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023 AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AT 6:00 PM TOMORROW EVENING.
TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS, WE NOW NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UH, RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO TWO PENDING LEGAL CLAIMS AND ONE SETTLED LEGAL CLAIM COVERED BY ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO CODE SC CODE, UH, SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH SEVEN ZERO A TWO.
SECOND ITEM, EMPLOYMENT MATTER IN REGARDS TO PERSONNEL RATIFICATION.
REPORT PURSU PURSUANT TO SC CODE SECTION THREE ZERO DASH FOUR DASH SEVEN A.
ONE THIRD ITEM, DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT G M P AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE EIGHT FOR BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC IMPROVEMENTS PURSUANT TO SC CODE SECTION THREE ZERO DASH FOUR DASH SEVEN A TWO.
LAST ITEM, DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CHARLES PERRY PARTNERS INCORPORATED CONTRACT G M P AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, ONE FOR RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PHASE TWO, SAFETY, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE SCOPE PURSUANT TO SC CODE SECTION THREE ZERO DASH FOUR DASH SEVEN ZERO A TWO.
ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MR. SMITH? UH, HE'LL BE
CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT'LL BE MS. CARTILAGE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, SO WE'LL DO THE VOTING.
ALL THOSE IN THE, THAT ARE PRESENT WILL VOTE BY HAND SHOWING THEIR HANDS HERE TO TONIGHT.
AND THEN THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE PARTICIPATING ONLINE, PLEASE SAY YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR VOTE.
SO, UH, ALL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION HERE IN PERSON PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO EVERYBODY PRESENT HERE SAYS YES.
THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, GO AHEAD.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW, UH, GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
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WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023.THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED VIA HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE BOARD HAS BEEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NOW WE ARE BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED SETTLEMENT AUTHORITY IN THE PENDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION CASE INVOLVING THE FEMALE COMPLAINANT CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL RIGHT, MS. BOATRIGHT SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? SO WE'RE GONNA VOTE TODAY BY ROLL CALL.
UM, AND WE'LL LET ROBIN CONDUCT THAT.
YOU NEED TO TALK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE PLEASE.
UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S EIGHT OF US.
WELL, WE GOT A REQUEST TO CONTINUE WITH THE ROLL CALL.
IS THAT A YES SIR? THAT'S A YES.
SAY THEIR NAME AND VOTE PLEASE.
WE HAVE SOME NEW MICROPHONES AND SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT 'EM AND GET THAT FIXED BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED.
ANGELA, CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? YES.
SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE MOTION THAT MR. GUYER READ.
DID, DOES, DO WE NEED TO READ IT AGAIN? YES, PLEASE.
I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE SETTLEMENT AUTHORITY IN THE PENDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION CASE INVOLVING THE FEMALE COMPLAINANT CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND THE MOTION WAS SECOND BY, BY, UH, MS. VOTE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE DID THE ROLL CALL, VOTE VOTE IN THE ROOM.
ANGELA, CAN YOU HEAR US? I CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN'T HEAR HER.
OR ELIZABETH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? THIS IS MRS. HAY, YOU HAVE TO PAUSE 'CAUSE THEY'RE PART OF THE MEETING.
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SO ELIZABETH, WE JUST GOT YOUR CHAT MESSAGE THAT YOU CAN HEAR US, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.OR ANGELA, THE TWO OF YOU THAT ARE ON, UM, REMOTE CONNECTION, MAYBE SHE CAN DO IT BY.
CAN YOU, UM, GIVE YOUR VOTES BY, UM, ANGELA SAID YAY AND ELIZABETH.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE AUGUST 1ST, 2023.
PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL JUST GO DOWN AND JUST SAY YOUR LAST NAME AND, AND YOUR VOTE PLEASE.
HEY, CAN YOU TYPE IN THE CHAT YOUR VOTE? I AND GU I, SO UNANIMOUS MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 11 FOR RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PHASE TWO, SAFETY, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE SCOPE WITH CHARLES PERRY PARTNERS FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $2,827,224.
OKAY, SECOND BY EARL CAMPBELL.
ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SMITH? MR. SMITH? UM, IS THIS A BOTTLE? UM, ITEM? ITEM? COULD SOMEONE, COULD SOMEONE YES IT IS.
DO YOU WANNA COME? DO YOU WANNA COME? UH, UH, MR. OTTING, MR. OTTING, IF YOU THIS WORKING? THIS WORKING? YES.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT YES, IT IS A BOND REFERENDUM FUNDED PROJECT 2019 BOND REFERENDUM.
ALL RIGHT, YOU READY FOR THE VOTE? STARTING WITH CAMPBELL NAYYY.
AYE SMITH AYE GUY OR AYE, WISNESKI ABSTAIN.
SO, UH, ALL AYES EXCEPT FOR WISNESKI ABSTENTION MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 58 FOR BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL H V A C IMPROVEMENTS WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $1,779,003 BID.
ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MR. SMITH, IS THIS A BORROW
I THE, THIS IS FUNDED WITH 8% MONEY FROM FY 2024.
IT'S A LATE PROJECT, IT'S A LATE PROJECT.
THIS, UM, UH, I WOULD NOT, YES, I MEAN WE, WE DID NOT GET IT DONE LAST SUMMER, BUT WE ARE PLANNING ON GETTING IT DONE THIS SUMMER.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
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CAMPBELL? YES.AYE SMITH? YES, GUY RYE WIZ, WIZOWSKI ABSTAIN.
WITH WIZOWSKI ABSTENTION, NO MOTION CARRIES.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER, UH, ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO, MA'AM.
NEXT UP IS WE NEED APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ESKI MADE THE MOTION AND, UH, MR. DALLAS SECOND THE MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, ROLL CALL CAMPBELL.
MIDDLE TO I AND HEY, SAID AYE.
SO THE MOST, THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.
NEXT WE'LL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE, WITH, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THE MEDIA IS PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
TONIGHT WE HAVE THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL MASTER SINGERS, SINGERS PERFORMING, PERFORMING JAVA JIVE AND FOUND TONIGHT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF JASON SNYDER, DIRECTOR OF CHORAL AND ORCHESTRAL ACTIVITIES.
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THANK YOU.AND I'M SORRY WE ARE NOT ABLE TO HEAR IT VERY WELL TONIGHT.
NEXT UP IS, UH, A PARKER'S DONATION.
MADAM CHAIR, DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT? WHAT I WAS GONNA HAVE THEM DO IS, UH, DO THE PRESENTATION AND UM, THEN I WAS GOING TO HAVE DO THE MOTION AFTERWARDS.
UM, REPRESENTATIVES HERE? WE DO.
SO EACH YEAR WE RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT DONATION FROM PARKER'S CONVENIENCE STORES AS PART OF THE COMPANY'S FUELING THE ECONOMY INITIATIVE, FUELING THE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE.
THE PROMOTION GIVES 1 CENT OF EVERY GALLON OF GAS SOLD ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH TO LOCAL SCHOOLS.
A PORTION OF THE DONATION COMES TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ANNUAL SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR RECOGNITION PROGRAM, WHICH HONORS SCHOOL NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS, BOOKKEEPERS, OFFICE MANAGERS, TEACHING ASSISTANTS, SCHOOL SECRETARIES AND TECHNOLOGY AND DATA SPECIALISTS.
MONEY ALSO IS DISTRIBUTED TO SPECIFIC SCHOOLS DESIGNATED BY PARKER'S CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY PURCHASE THEIR GASOLINE.
TONIGHT WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PARKER'S FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE PARKER'S CORPORATE RECRUITER, MS. OLIVIA PARKER.
SO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS TO APPROVE ANY DONATION THAT'S OVER $5,000.
SO IN JUST A MINUTE WE'LL HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DONATION.
THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK, UM, THE GENEROUS DONATION OF PARKER'S, UH, UH, KITCHEN.
THIS YEAR'S DONATION IS $75,000 AND IS UNRESTRICTED, UH, IN ITS USE.
AND, UH, PARKER'S HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR DISTRICT FOR YEARS.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS GENEROUS DONATION? MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM PARKER'S KITCHEN IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000.
WISNESKI AND SECOND BY MR. DALLAS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WE'LL JUST GO AGAIN.
I DALLAS, I BOAT RIGHT EYE MIDDLETON.
SAY BOTH ANGELA AND, AND MS. HAY BOTH SAID AYE.
AND GUS, I SO WE UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPT THIS WONDERFUL DONATION.
UH, MS. PARKER WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I DO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH HERE AT PARKER'S KITCHEN.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AT PARKER'S WE REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE BACK TO EVERY COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN SO LOYAL TO US OVER THE YEARS.
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UM, WE ORIGINALLY STARTED GIVING BACK IN 2011 THROUGH OUR FUELING THE COMMUNITY, UM, CHARITABLE INITIATIVE.AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE BACK MORE THAN $2 MILLION TO AREA SCHOOLS ACROSS GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, SO WE'RE EXTREMELY THRILLED THAT THIS YEAR IS OUR BIGGEST CHECK DONATION TO YOU ALL IN THE AMOUNT OF 75,000.
YOU GUYS ARE CONSTANTLY OUR SECOND RUNNER UP, UM, ACROSS ALL OF THE COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE.
UM, SO LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, IF YOU ARE A PARKER'S REWARDS MEMBER OR IF YOU SHOP WITH US, YOU'RE ABLE TO DESIGNATE WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES SO YOU CAN SPECIFY A SPECIFIC SCHOOL.
UM, AND JUST BY GOING TO FILL UP THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, NO MATTER WHAT COUNTY YOU'RE IN, IF YOU FILL UP IN BEAUFORT, THEN ALL OF YOUR MON ARE GONNA GO BACK TO THAT COUNTY.
UM, SO WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE AND EXCITED TO SEE HOW YOU GUYS PUT THIS MONEY TO YOUTH.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR COMING AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF, OF THE SCHOOLS.
SECOND ITEM ON POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING IS REGARDING A CAREER SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR.
OVER THE SUMMER, ONE OF OUR EDUCATORS EARNED THE HIGH HONOR OF BEING NAMED THE SOUTH CAROLINA 2023 CAREER SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR HERE TO INTRODUCE HIS EDUCATOR AND TELL US MORE ABOUT HIM.
IS HE MCCRACKEN PRINCIPAL, MR. RYAN MILLING.
I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF HE MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO MR. BRADFORD BEAR WILSON ON TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE AG MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT, THE B C S D CT DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS IN HELPING US BE SUCCESSFUL THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THE HE MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL MISSION HAS THAT WE WANT AUTHENTIC AND REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
A GLOBAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR DOES THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS.
THE WAYS THAT MR. WILSON DID THAT THIS YEAR FOR US WAS BRINGING IN THE AMERICAN GERMAN CAREER SYMPOSIUM AND WHERE OUR SCHOOL COLLABORATED WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL IN GERMANY FOR OUR KIDS TO LEARN ABOUT EDUCATION FROM EACH OTHER AND CAREERS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE A CAREER CAFE AND WHERE WE BRING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH IN OUR BUILDING AND THEY TEACH OUR EIGHTH GRADERS THIS YEAR ABOUT THE CAREERS AND HOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN A CLASS IS APPLICABLE IN THE WORLD OF LIFE.
MR. WILSON IS A PART OF A LOT OF POSITIVE PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AT H E MCCRACKEN, SUCH AS OUR STUDENT OF THE MONTH AND OUR MENTORING PROGRAMS. HE'S WELL-ROUNDED AND HE DOES IT ALL.
THERE ARE 11 REGIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT HAVE CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR NOMINATIONS.
ALL REGIONS NOMINATE ONE PERSON OUT OF 200 PLUS INDIVIDUALS.
MR. WILSON IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA GLOBAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR OF THE YEAR, AND HE'S THE REASON IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT TIME TO BE A BULLDOG.
AND AT THIS TIME WE'RE ASKING MR. WILSON TO COME UP SO WE CAN PRESENT HIM THE AWARD.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS,
SO THE BOARD DIRECTED ME TO READ THIS STATEMENT, UM,
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BEFORE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT EACH MEETING, WHEREAS IN ORDER TO BETTER ENSURE THE SAFETY, SECURITY, AND GOOD ORDER OF ITS SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND ALLOW ALL CITIZENS A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS BOARD GOVERNANCE POLICY GC 2 23 4 ADHERENCE TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATIONS.PARAGRAPH B STATES THAT SHOULD A PARTICIPANT FAIL TO ABIDE BY THE REASONABLE DIRECTIVES, DIRECTIVES OF THE BOARD'S OR COMMITTEES PRESIDING OFFICER, THE BOARD OR COMMITTEE MAY PROHIBIT THE OFFENDING SPEAKER FROM PARTICIPATING IN FUTURE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED SIX MONTHS, PLEASE CONFINE YOUR COMMENTS TO ISSUES WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF THE BOARD.
YOUR SPEAKING TIME WILL NOT EXCEED THREE MINUTES AND THERE'LL BE A VISIBLE AUDIBLE TIMING DEVICE AND ONE PERSON MAY NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO THE OTHER.
IF YOU'RE IN PERSON, YOU COMPLETE THE THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND IT MUST INCLUDE, UH, YOUR NAME, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION AND TOPIC.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN PERSON TONIGHT AND THEN WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO ONLINE THAT WILL BE COMMENTING.
FIRST IS MICHELLE DALLAS AND SHE'LL BE HER TOPIC IS ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN EVENT, COLLEGE PREP.
HI, MY NAME IS MICHELLE DALLAS AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY SORORITY DELTA SEMA THETA, A MEMBER OF THE DIVINE NINE AND THE LOW COUNTRY SCHOLARSHIP GROUP.
THE DIVINE NINE ARE COLLEGE EDUCATED AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN THAT BELONG TO NINE FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES WITH AN ESTIMATED MEMBERSHIP OF 1.5 MILLION.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PANHELLENIC COUNCIL, WHOSE MEMBERS INCLUDE THE DIVINE NINE FORMED THE LOW COUNTRY SCHOLARSHIP GROUP.
THE GROUP HAS ORGANIZED A COLLEGE PREPARATORY WORKSHOP FOR STUDENTS IN BEAUFORT AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
THIS EVENT IS BEING HELD AT U SS C BLUFFTON ON OCTOBER 7TH FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES NINE THROUGH 12 AND IT STARTS AT NINE O'CLOCK AND ENDS AT 2:00 PM THE WORKSHOP IS FREE AND LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED FOR REGISTERED STUDENTS.
PARENTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS FOR THE STUDENTS WILL INCLUDE DECIDING IF COLLEGE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU, EXPLORING THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINANCIAL AID, CHOOSING THE MAJOR THAT BEST SUITS YOU AND IMPROVING YOUR ESSAY AND INTERVIEWING SKILLS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A TOUR OF THE CAMPUS TO REGISTER.
YOU GO TO EVENTBRITE OR CONTACT YOUR HIGHEST SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.
NEXT WE HAVE RICHARD BEY TOPIC, SOUTH CAROLINA READY TEST SCORES PART ONE.
THEY SAID THEY CAN'T HEAR ON THE, UH, I THINK THEY SAID THEY CAN'T HEAR.
YOU CAN'T BECAUSE THEY THEN WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU, BUT YOU'VE GOTTA PAUSE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, UH, THEY CAN, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES RIGHT NOW.
NO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHO WAS KICKED OFF ZOOM.
SO WE NEED A CONNECTION WITH THESE PEOPLE, WITH THE PEOPLE ONLINE AND WE STILL HAVE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA ADJUST TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
LET US KNOW WHEN WE'RE READY TO CONTINUE ON.
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AND MS. MIDDLETON, CAN YOU ALSO HEAR HERE? YES.WOULD YOU LIKE THE SPEAKER TO THEY DIDN'T HEAR ANY FURTHER.
SO LET ME INTRODUCE THE, UM, SPEAKER AGAIN AND YES, WE NEED YOU TO USE THE MICROPHONE SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU.
RICHARD BEY ON SOUTH CAROLINA.
CAROLINA READY? TEST SCORES WERE YEAH, TO PUT THE HIT HIT THE MICROPHONE.
YEAH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT ON SO HE'LL HELP YOU.
TWO WEEKS AGO, THE 2 8 23 SOUTH CAROLINA READY TEST SCORES WERE UNVEILED.
AND YOU WERE TOLD THAT THE DISTRICT TEST SCORES WERE THE HIGHEST EVER, BUT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
YOU WERE MISLED A LOT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS.
THE FACTS OF THE MATTER ARE AS FOLLOWS.
GRADE EIGHT STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW IN HIGH SCHOOL TESTED WELL BELOW GRADE LEVEL.
NEARLY 70% OF EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN MATH.
AND MORE THAN 52% WERE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN ENGLISH.
YOU HEARD A NEW TERM TWO WEEKS AGO.
PROFICIENT, ADDING, APPROACHING, MEETING AND EXCEEDING WILL GIVE YOU PROFICIENT, BUT ONLY THOSE STUDENTS WHO MEET OR EXCEED ARE AT GRADE LEVEL.
AND I POSED THAT QUESTION TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAST WEEK AND WAS INFORMED IN WRITING THAT I WAS ACCURATE.
AND THE WORDS OF LAURA BAIN, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT, THOSE RATED AS APPROACHING NEED ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC SUPPORT, ACADEMIC SUPPORT IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT GRADE.
SO YOU CAN'T COUNT THOSE STUDENTS AT GRADE LEVEL.
AND THE SCORES ALSO SHOW VIRTUALLY NO PROGRESS BEING MADE FROM GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT.
FOR EXAMPLE, 49.4% OF THIRD GRADE STUDENTS ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN ENGLISH.
BY GRADE EIGHT IT WAS 49.2%, NOT AT GRADE LEVEL.
WHERE'S THE PROGRESS MATH SCORES EVEN WORSE.
47% OF THIRD GRADE STUDENTS ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL BY EIGHTH GRADE.
NEARLY 70% ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL AS A DISTRICT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU HEARD THAT TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND IT'S WORSE FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR.
ACCORDING TO THE SEA ISLANDS HERITAGE ACADEMY, A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL THAT'S BEEN FORMED ON ST.
FOR EVERY 10 STUDENTS OF COLOR ENTERING SIXTH GRADE AND BEAUFORT COUNTY, ONLY TWO WILL ENTER AT GRADE LEVEL TWO OUT OF 10.
MOST OF YOUR TIME OUGHT TO BE SPENT HOLDING SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ AND HIS STAFF ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT HOW THE PANDEMIC RESULTED IN A HUGE DROP IN TEST SCORES BECAUSE OF REMOTE LEARNING.
THE ISSUE OF LOW TEST SCORES HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR DECADES.
JUST ASK MR. CAMPBELL AND ADMINISTRATORS KEEP PROMISING TO MAKE IT BETTER, BUT IT DOESN'T GET BETTER.
DO YOU WANT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE KNOWN AS UNDISTINGUISHED RUN OF THE MILL, LOW QUALITY SECOND RATE EDUCATION? OR DO YOU WANT IT TO BE KNOWN AS A HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL DISTRICT? IT'S UP TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE IN CHARGE AND ARE AND ON A LIGHT NOTE, REMEMBER WHAT GEORGE CARLIN SAID.
NEXT WE HAVE JOAN DEARIE TOPIC.
SOUTH CAROLINA READY TEST SCORES.
AS SOME OF YOU REMEMBER, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S TEST SCORES FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
STARTING WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD FROM 2007 TO 11, EARL CAMPBELL WAS ON THE BOARD AT THE SAME TIME.
WHENEVER OUR BOARD CHAIR FRED WASHINGTON HEARD THE WORD DATA, HE WOULD CHECK WITH ME.
I AM A SERIOUS BELIEVER THAT DATA CAN TEACH US ALL TO SELF-EVALUATE HOW WELL WE ARE DOING AND TEACH US WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE.
RICHARD BUSY HAS CORRECTLY POINTED OUT THAT THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA 2023 TEST SCORES THAT TOO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL.
HE HAS PROVIDED THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS TO YOU.
THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL ARE IN TWO CATEGORIES, DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS AND APPROACHES
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EXPECTATIONS.SO MY QUESTION TONIGHT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD IS, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE GOAL OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT? IS IT SIMPLY TO GRADUATE ALL STUDENTS OR TO PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ENROLL IN A TWO YEAR, FOUR YEAR COLLEGE OR TECHNICAL COLLEGE PURSUING ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, CERTIFICATE, OR DIPLOMA IN THE FALL FOLLOWING THEIR GRADUATION? I BELIEVE IT IS THE LATTER.
THESE POST-SECONDARY INVESTMENTS WILL GROW BEAUFORT COUNTY'S HIGH QUALITY FUTURE LABOR FORCE TO OUR STUDENTS.
STUDENTS BENEFIT AND TO THE BENEFIT OF US ALL.
ONLY ABOUT 60% OF OUR GRADUATING SENIORS ARE PURSUING ANY POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION THAT IS FEWER THAN TWO THIRDS OF OUR GRADUATING SENIORS.
MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS ARE NOT BEING PREPARED FOR WELL-PAYING MIDDLE CLASS JOBS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
OUR STUDENTS GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT ARE THE BEST EARLY INDICATORS THAT WE HAVE.
HOW LIKELY THEY WILL INVEST IN THEIR OWN FINANCIAL FUTURES FOUR YEARS LATER, KIDS WHO READ SUCCEED.
NEXT WE HAVE ROBIN LIEBENBERG, TOPIC TEACHER SUPPORT.
AS A RETIRED TEACHER, I WANT TO COMMEND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF FOR IMPOSING A TRESPASS NOTICE TO PROTECT, HARASSED AND THREATENED HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM A HOSTILE PARENT DISAGREEMENT.
WE NEED TO WELCOME IN A FREE SOCIETY, BUT THREATS AND INTIMIDATION AND BLATANT DISRESPECT THAT HAS NO PLACE HERE I COME HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF TEACHERS WHEN PUBLIC LIFE SHUT DOWN.
IN 2020, FAMILIES DISCOVERED AND APPRECIATED THE VALUE OF TEACHERS THAT HAS FLIPPED.
TEACHERS NOW UNDER ATTACK BY A VOCAL MINORITY FUELED WITH AGITATION TACTICS BY DARK MONEY HATE GROUPS IN OUR STATE AND ELSEWHERE.
LEGISLATION HAS PASSED TREATING TEACHERS AS THE PROBLEM AS GROOMERS FROM THE WOKE MOB WHO SHIVERS TEACH THE FACTS OF OUR HISTORY, THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, AND SHARE BOOKS THAT SPARK A LOVE OF READING AND SELF.
A JOINT STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES, TEACHERS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS OF MATHEMATICS, THE SCIENCE TEACHING ASSOCIATION AND THE COALITION AGAINST CENSORSHIP THIS WEEK STATES IN THEIR ZEAL ACTIVISTS OF THE CURRENT CULTURE WARS UNFORTUNATELY TREAT TEACHERS AS IF THEY ARE ENEMIES.
TEACHERS NEED OUR SUPPORT, THEY NEED OUR TRUST.
THEY NEED TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EXERCISE THEIR PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, 15 STATES, INCLUDING OURS, HAVE ENACTED BANS OR RESTRICTIONS ON HOW TO TEACH THE TOPICS OF RACISM AND SEXISM.
IN K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS, THERE'S BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED VOLUME OF CHALLENGES TO BOOKS IN SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE THAT FOCUS ON RACE, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY.
TOPICS LIKE EVOLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE BEEN THREATENED IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM AND THE WAY STUDENTS MAKE SENSE OF AND CRITIQUE THE WORLD IN MATH CLASS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED.
DO WE WANT THIS STUDENTS ENTERING SCHOOLS WITH EMPTY BOOKSHELVES LIKE FLORIDA, A TEACHER FIRED AFTER ONE STORY TIME OBJECTION.
LIKE GEORGIA ERASING SEMINAL EVENTS IN HISTORY BECAUSE IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE LIKE OKLAHOMA.
WHAT KIND OF COWARDS ARE WE? PUBLIC EDUCATION IS ABOUT CONVERSATION.
WE GIVE EVERYBODY A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN WE REMOVE SO MANY STORIES BOTH FROM LIBRARIES AND CURRICULA.
WE ERASE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THE RIGHTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO READ AND ASK CRITICAL QUESTIONS.
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TEACH CRITICAL THINKING.
LET'S EMBRACE THE WAY TEACHERS DO THIS AND SUPPORT THEM.
AND IF THAT MEANS BANNING A PARENT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE CIVIL, SO BE IT.
AND IF IT MEANS YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD NEED TO PUSH BACK AT THE STATE LEVEL QUESTION THE MUZZLING OF TEACHERS THAT WILL HOLD OUR STUDENTS BACK, THEN PUSH BACK.
[00:45:05]
NEXT UP WE HAVE KATHY INE.HER TOPIC IS SUPPORTIVE REFERENDUM.
PRIOR TO MY UM, TALKING ABOUT THE REFERENDUM, I THINK I NEED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE SITTING UP THERE.
HANG YOUR HEAD HIGH, KEEP THE STUDENTS' BEST INTEREST IN MIND AS I KNOW THAT YOU DO.
NOW I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, THE 2023 REFERENDUM THAT YOU ALL APPROVED IN MAY.
UM, I'M THE CHAIRPERSON OF A NONPROFIT CALLED BETTER SCHOOLS NOW TOO.
WE ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT THE REFERENDUM.
WE'VE HEARD THAT OUR SCHOOLS NEED HELP.
OUR SCHOOLS DO NEED HELP AND WE NEED TO RAISE MONEY THROUGH BONDS TO HELP OUR SCHOOLS SO THAT WE CAN BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT I INVITE YOU ALL TO VISIT.
IT'S CALLED VOTE YES 20 THREE.COM.
YOU CAN SEE WHY WE SUPPORT THE REFERENDUM, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THE REFERENDUM AND YOU CAN OFFER TO GET INVOLVED.
SO I IMPLORE THE PUBLIC TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE, LOOK AT WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE REFERENDUM, DO SOME STUDYING, LOOK AT THE FACTS, ASK SOME QUESTIONS SO THAT WHEN NOVEMBER 7TH COMES, YOU WILL WALK INTO THAT VOTING BOOTH WITH CONFIDENCE AND VOTE YES TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS OF BUFORT COUNTY.
WE'RE READY FOR THE UM, PHONE COMMENTERS.
HELLO IVY, LAST NAME ING TOPIC.
ARE YOU READY? ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.
MY NAME IS IVY SAI AND MY TOPIC IS PORNOGRAPHY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS I HAVE HEARD TWO PEOPLE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT QUOTE THE DEFINITION OF PORNOGRAPHY, THE DEPICTION OF EROTIC BEHAVIOR AS IN PICTURES OR WRITING INTENDED TO CAUSE SEXUAL EXCITEMENT.
THEY TRIED TO SAY THAT THE WORST BOOKS ARE NOT PORNOGRAPHIC.
THE RAPE OR INCEST THEMES IN THE BOOKS MAY NOT CAUSE SEXUAL AROUSAL FOR THEM, BUT FOR SOME IT DOES.
JUST BECAUSE IT DOES NOT CAUSE AROUSAL FOR THEM DOES NOT NEGATE THE MEANING OF THE DEFINITION WHEN APPLIED TO THE BOOK.
AN AUTHOR MAY NOT WRITE IT TO ELICIT SEXUAL AROUSAL, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT CANNOT BE TRUE.
SOME OF THE BOOKS CONTAIN HORRIFIC SCENES THAT WOULD REPULSE MOST PEOPLE, BUT TO SOME, NO MATTER HOW BADLY THEY MAY BE REPULSED, IT STILL CREATES AROUSAL.
ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE IN POPULAR SCIENCE BY JENNY MORVER, RAPE IS NOT ALWAYS VIOLENT.
SHE GOES ON TO SAY, AND SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ACT THAT IS ALWAYS A VIOLATION.
A RAPE SURVIVOR MIGHT EXPERIENCE INCREASINGLY INTENSE PHYSICAL SENSATIONS LEADING TO CLIMAX AND ORGASM.
OF THOSE WHO REPORT THEIR RATES AROUND FOUR TO 5% ALSO DESCRIBE EXPERIENCING ORGASM.
BUT THE TRUE NUMBERS ARE LIKELY MUCH HIGHER.
IN A 2004 REVIEW PAPER, A CLINICIAN REPORTS, I'VE MET QUITE A LOT OF VICTIMS, MALES WHO HAD THE FULL SEXUAL RESPONSE DURING SEXUAL ABUSE.
I'VE MET SEVERAL FEMALE VICTIMS OF INCEST AND RAPE WHO HAD LUBRICATION AND ORGASM.
FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO SAY THAT THE BOOKS DO NOT QUALIFY
[00:50:01]
TO BE PORNOGRAPHY, THEY'RE SIMPLY MISINFORMED.THERE'S NOT MUCH RESEARCH ON THIS AND IT IS PROBABLY UNDER-REPORTED BECAUSE OF EMBARRASSMENT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE CHANCE THE PERPETRATOR WILL TRY TO SAY IT HAD TO BE CONSENSUAL IF THE VICTIM WAS AROUSED OR CLIMAX.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO A BROADER DEFINITION OF PORNOGRAPHY, AS NOTED BY ROBERT JENSEN AND A PAPER PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL ONLINE RESOURCE CENTER ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
HE NOTED THAT IN MANY LABORATORY STUDIES OF PORNOGRAPHY EFFECTS, THREE CATEGORIES OF PORNOGRAPHY ARE CREATED OVERTLY VIOLENT, NONVIOLENT, BUT DEGRADING AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, BUT NEITHER VIOLENT NOR DEGRADING AND BELIEFS.
THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT RESEARCH CAN TELL US ABOUT THE COMPLEX INTERACTIONS OF MASS MEDIA AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
BUT FROM BOTH LABORATORY RESEARCH AND THE NARRATIVES OF MEN AND WOMEN, IT IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL TO ARGUE THAT PORNOGRAPHY CAN ONE BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN SHAPING A MALE DOMINANT VIEW OF SEXUALITY.
TWO, BE USED TO INITIATE VICTIMS AND BREAK DOWN THEIR RESISTANCE TO UNWANTED SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
THREE, CONTRIBUTE TO A USER'S DIFFICULTY IN SEPARATING SEXUAL FANTASY AND REALITY.
AND FOUR, PROVIDE A TRAINING MANUAL FOR ABUSERS AS A BOARD.
DO YOU WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVEN ONE STUDENT? YOUR TIME UP? THANK CALLING INTO THE CATEGORY.
I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS, I'M TYING YOUR TIME IS UP.
I'M GONNA SPEAK ABOUT DISTRICT POLICIES REGARDING SURVEYS.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.
I JUST WANT YOU TO REMEMBER SOMETHING AS A DISTRICT, YOU MADE ME, I SPEAK TO YOU THE WAY I DO BECAUSE OF YOUR BEHAVIOR AND YOUR ACTIVITY.
MY STATEMENTS ARE MADE IN AN EFFORT TO NOTIFY AND WARN THE PUBLIC AND PROTECT MY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST WORK FOR THE PEOPLE AND NOT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SOME OF OUR DISTRICT STAFF NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON PARENTAL RIGHTS BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS NO CLUE ON HOW TO GOVERN DR.
RODRIGUEZ AND DIRECT HIM TO HAVE HIS STAFF FOLLOW PARENTAL.
BY NOW, I'D HOPE YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF THE PROTECTION OF PUPILS RIGHTS AMENDMENT.
FORCING STUDENTS TO DO SURVEYS WITHOUT NOTICE TO PARENTS VIOLATES THE PROTECTION OF PUPILS RIGHTS AMENDMENT AND DISTRICT POLICY.
FORCING STUDENTS TO TAKE A SURVEY BY TELLING THEM IT WOULD BE GRADED IN GIVING THEM A REWARD.
REWARD VIOLATES DISTRICT EMPLOYEE POLICY.
IT WOULD BE NICE THOUGH IF THE RETALIATION AGAINST MY CHILDREN WOULD STOP BECAUSE AT THIS POINT IT'S RAMPANT.
NOT A WEEK GOES BY WHERE SOMEBODY DOESN'T CREATE A PROBLEM FOR MY KIDS IN SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
AND TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS TO TRY TO TURN THEM AGAINST ME.
SINCE YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY ACTION AGAINST EITHER OF THE TEACHERS WHO DEFEND ME IN AN ATTEMPT TO BECOME VICTIMS THAT I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT IN THE PAST, YOU'RE PUTTING THEIR FAITH IN THE HANDS OF THE REAL VICTIMS. MY CHILDREN, THE PROCESS OF QUESTIONING AN EDUCATOR'S CONDUCT IS TO REACH OUT TO THE TEACHER FIRST, SPEAK WITH THE PRINCIPAL, THEN SPEAK WITH THE DISTRICT, THEN THE BOARD, AND THEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW NOW WHERE WE ARE.
WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE YOU TRY TO INTIMIDATE AND SLANDER A PARENT FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST UNTRUSTWORTHY EDUCATORS AND STAFF.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL TEACHERS OR ALL STAFF, I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE.
VIOLATING A SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACT IS GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION.
BUT APPARENTLY EITHER THE SO-CALLED SISTERHOOD OR THE DIVINE NINE IS TELLING DR.
RODRIGUEZ NOT TO TERMINATE THEM.
BOTH OF THE TEACHERS I SPOKE OF BEFORE HAVE VIOLATED DISTRICT POLICY AND VIOLATED THEIR CONTRACTS.
REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING I SAID, YOU MADE ME YOUR LACK OF INTEGRITY AND LACK OF TAKING ACTION HAS CAUSED ME TO BE MORE ASSERTIVE IN PROTECTING MY CHILDREN THAN OTHERS.
SO YOU'VE MADE ME YOUR BEHAVIOR CREATED MY ATTITUDE.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU NEEDED TO CARRY
[00:55:01]
WITH YOU FOR A WHILE.AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU DO AND THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE OR DON'T MAKE, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE YOUR HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT I THINK YOU'RE TOO AFRAID TO STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES OUR FIRST PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT SESSION.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE THE CHAIR'S REPORT.
NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS CELEBRATED FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH.
NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATES THE HISTORY'S CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS WHOSE ANCESTORS CAME FROM SPAIN, MEXICO, THE CARIBBEAN, AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
THIS OBSERVATION STARTED IN 1968 AS HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK UNDER PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON.
IT WAS EXPANDED BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN IN 1988 TO COVER A 30 DAY PERIOD.
AND IT WAS ENACTED INTO LAW ON AUGUST 17TH, 1988.
THE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 15TH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE FOR LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES, COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, AND NICARAGUA.
IN ADDITION, MEXICO AND CHILE CELEBRATE THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAYS ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AND SEPTEMBER 18TH RESPECTIVELY.
ALSO, COLUMBUS DAY, WHICH IS OCTOBER 12TH, FALLS WITHIN THIS 30 DAY PERIOD.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRENTLY HAS 5,478 HISPANIC STUDENTS CONCENTRATED MOSTLY ON HILTON HEAD AND IN BLUFFTON.
AND THREE IN EVERY FOUR ARE MULTILINGUAL AND DEVELOPING FLUENCY IN ENGLISH.
FRANK RODRIGUEZ, IS BILINGUAL AND FLUENT IN SPANISH.
HE IS SOUTH CAROLINA'S FIRST AND ONLY HISPANIC SUPERINTENDENT.
OUR SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT THIS MONTH ARE CELEBRATING THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES AND TO NAME A FEW.
THERE ARE SPECIAL ART CLASSES, MUSIC CLASSES, A STAFF POTLUCK WITH FOODS FROM HISPANIC COUNTRIES.
A FLAG DAY, A SPORTS JERSEY DAY.
SINCE FOOTBALL IS THE NUMBER ONE SPORT IN MANY SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES, TO NAME A FEW OF THE CELEBRATIONS, THE INFORMATION I JUST PROFI PROVIDED WAS COURTESY OF WWW.HISPANICHERITAGEMONTH.GOV AND THE ISLAND PACKET.
WE DID NOT HAVE ANY COMMITTEES, UH, MEETINGS SINCE OUR LAST BUSINESS MEETING.
SO THERE ARE NOT ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS FOR TONIGHT.
NEXT WE HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
AS WE BEGIN, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT BEFORE, UH, DR.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP, UM, DR.
MELLOW LEE AND HAVE HER INTRODUCE HERSELF TO YOU.
SHE'S THE NEW, UH, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT CHIEF OF SCHOOLS.
MICROPHONE IS OFF NOW AND YOURS IS GOING IN AND OUT.
STRADDLE, UH, FOR HER PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND HAVE, UH, DR.
SHE IS OUR NEW DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT IN CHIEF OF SCHOOLS.
I'M FROM CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.
AND UM, THIS IS MY 25TH YEAR IN EDUCATION.
I WAS PREVIOUSLY IN KANAWHA COUNTY SCHOOLS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER, A BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR, AND A DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR.
MUCH OF MY WORK HAS BEEN IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND WORKING WITH STUDENTS TO INCREASE ACHIEVEMENT.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK.
[01:00:01]
MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.I WILL SHARE THAT IT IS DIFFICULT HEARING IN THE CORNER, SO I DO APOLOGIZE.
BUT GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR IN YOUR, YOU SHOULD HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE END OF COURSE EXAMS. AND THEN I WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE UN EMBARGOED DATA POINTS TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
TONIGHT'S PRE PRESENTATION REPRESENTS TWO E O C TEST ADMINISTRATIONS FROM LAST YEAR'S FIRST AND SECOND SEMESTER ADMINISTRATIONS.
THE END OF COURSE EXAM PROGRAM IS A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM OF END OF COURSE TESTS ARE ALSO KNOWN AS GATEWAY COURSE COURSES AWARDED UNITS OF CREDIT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
THE END OF COURSE ASSESSMENTS ENCOURAGE INSTRUCTION AND SPECIFIC STANDARDS FOR THESE COURSES ARE STUDENTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SIT FOR THE FOLLOWING STATE APPROVED COURSES.
ALGEBRA ONE E O C INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA IS USED WITHIN THE STATE, BUT NOT IN BUFORD COUNTY, BIOLOGY ONE, ENGLISH TWO, AND UNITED STATES HISTORY AND THE CONSTITUTION.
IN SUMMARY OF OUR STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE, I DO WANNA SHARE SOME INFORMATION IN ADVANCE WHEN WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION.
A STUDENT WHO EARNS A D IS MEETING THE EXPECTATION OF THE STANDARD.
THAT LANGUAGE IS DEFINED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THAT IS A GRADE OF A 60 TO A 69, A STUDENT WHO EARNS A, C OR B.
THE STUDENT HAS MET THE EXPECTATION OF THE COURSE STANDARD, A STUDENT EARNING AN A A 90 TO A HUNDRED.
OBVIOUSLY THAT STUDENT HAS EX EXCEEDED.
I WANNA SHARE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, I'LL FIRST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SUMMARY OF THE PERFORMANCE AND THEN I'LL ALSO GO THROUGH SOME DATA POINTS.
BUT IN SUMMARY, ONCE AGAIN, OUR STUDENTS OUTPERFORMED THE STATE IN ALL END OF COURSE EXAMS. OUR STUDENTS IMPROVED IN EACH END, OF COURSE EXAM.
OVER PRIOR PRE PANDEMIC YEARS, OUR STUDENTS PERFORMED TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST POST PANDEMIC SCORES IN EACH END, OF COURSE EXAM AREA.
AND THEY ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST SCORES IN DISTRICT HISTORY IN ENGLISH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, AND OF COURSE EXAM.
LET ME PAUSE TO REMIND YOU THAT THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF EXAMS UTILIZED THAT YOU'LL BE FAMILIAR WITH FOR ENGLISH.
NOW ENGLISH TWO IS A GATEWAY TESTING AREA.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTE IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT ALL STUDENTS IN SUBGROUPS, HISPANIC, WHITE, AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, PUPILS IN POVERTY, GIFTED AND TALENTED, IMPROVED OVER LAST YEAR'S E O C PERFORMANCE.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS DOUBLED THEIR SCORE IN US HISTORY AND CONSTITUTION.
AND AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE, WE WHERE WE OFFER ALGEBRA ONE, 98% OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS PASS THE ALGEBRA ONE EXAM.
AND I WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF ALGEBRA ONE AS WE REVIEW THE HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS.
'CAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE STUDENTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL ARE NOT IN THOSE SCORE RESULTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SAT FOR THAT ASSESSMENT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE SOME STUDENTS ARE TAKEN ALGEBRA ONE, MAYBE AS A SEVENTH GRADER AND SOME OF THEM GO THEN, THEN, THEN THEY WILL THEN GO ON TO GEOMETRY.
SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU GET THE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOLERS, LET'S RECOGNIZE THAT THAT 98% OF PASSING ARE NOT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SCORES AT THIS TIME.
MRS. CUSHEN, BARRY, IF YOU COULD PROCEED TO THE PRESENTATION.
SO SLIDE TWO IS JUST A RECAP OF WHAT I SHARED WITH YOU IN THE VERY BEGINNING, THE REQUIREMENT OF THE END OF COURSE EXAM.
IF WE GO TO SLIDE THREE, I'D LIKE US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE END OF COURSE EXAMINATION PROGRAM MEETS THE FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE.
THESE ASSESSMENTS MUST BE ADMINISTERED TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE STUDENTS AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW OR AS ACTUALLY LET'S RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY.
[01:05:01]
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT TO RECEIVE A SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO PASS A HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT COURSE IN BIOLOGY AND A HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT COURSE IN US HISTORY AND CONSTITUTION IN WHICH THEY DO HAVE AN E O C COURSE.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT THESE COURSES ARE 20%, OR ACTUALLY THESE ASSESSMENTS ARE 20% OF A STUDENT'S GRADE.
LAST ITEM OF REMINDING, UM, THANK YOU.
IN SLIDE FOUR FOR ALGEBRA ONE, BIOLOGY ONE, ENGLISH TWO SLASH READING AND US HISTORY.
AND, UM, CONSTITUTION, THE DISTRICT TESTING WINDOW CANNOT BE EARLIER IN THE LAST 15 DAYS OF A SEMESTER WITH ONE EXCEPTION THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE LAST BULLET THAT THE WRITING COMPONENT OF ENGLISH TWO CAN HAPPEN 20 DAYS PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SEMESTER.
IF WE GO TO SLIDE FIVE, PLEASE, THIS GIVES A QUICK RECAP OF STUDENTS EARNING GRADES OF A THROUGH C FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
AND IF I COULD TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE IN 2021, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT OUR OVERALL A THROUGH C WAS 81.9%.
AND WE CAN GO TO SLIDE SIX PLEASE.
THIS GIVES AN OVERALL OVERALL COMPARISON OF STUDENTS EARNING A GRADE A THROUGH THROUGH C.
IN OTHER WORDS, FROM A 70 THROUGH A HUNDRED OF OUR SUBGROUPS, WE HAD GROWTH IN ALL SUBGROUP AREA AREAS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE.
AND THAT HAD A SLIGHT SLIDE OF 0.13% FOR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS.
AND IF YOU RECALL IN THE OPENING SLIDES THAT I SHARED WITH YOU, IT IS REQUIRED FOR ALL STUDENTS TO SIT FOR THIS ASSESSMENT.
SO I MAY HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR AN ASSESSMENT, MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS PROFICIENT AS A STUDENT SITTING NEXT TO ME IN, IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE OF ENGLISH.
AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT POPULACE.
SO AS WE WERE KINDLY REMINDED REGARDING ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME POINTS IN ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS.
AND THAT'S WHY I OPEN WITH GIVING YOU GRADES INFORMATION.
THOSE ARE STATE STANDARDS, THAT SAME ALIGNMENT ALSO LAND LANDS FOR SC READY AND SC PASS.
AS WE LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE OF MEETS AND APPROACHES, APPROACHES MEANS THAT YOU HAVE MET THE STANDARD BUT AT GRADE LEVEL PROMOTION, BUT YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO HAVE SOME SUPPORT THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, EITHER AN INTERVENTION AND SOME MODEL BEING MONITORED WITH M T SS S AND OBVIOUSLY MEETS DOES MEAN YOU MET THAT STANDARD.
SO I WANNA JUST SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU BOARD MEMBERS AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY MEASUREMENTS WE WERE TRYING TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD THAT THE POINTS FOR SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY START AT APPROACHES.
WE DO NOT EARN ANY POINTS, AS YOU WILL SEE ON SLIDE EIGHT FOR NOT MEETING THE BAR.
THE BAR IS STA SET BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
MRS. CUSH, IF YOU CAN GO SLIDE NINE PLEASE.
SO REGARDING THE STATE GUIDELINES, THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SLIDE NINE.
THIS IS WHERE I'M SHARING WITH YOU THE DATA POINTS OF STUDENTS EARNING AN D THROUGH AN A RESPECTIVELY BY EACH SUBGROUP.
AND I SHARED THE DATA POINTS WITH YOU TO RECOGNIZE A FEW THINGS.
OUR STUDENTS ARE MOVING ACADEMICALLY, THEY'RE MEETING THE STATE REQUIREMENT.
THOSE WHO WERE WEREN'T OUT AT THE BAR ARE STEPPING FORWARD.
THAT'S THE WORK OF OUR EDUCATORS HERE AT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS WHO WERE AT THE BAR MOVING FORWARD.
AND IF WE COULD STRETCH BEHIND BEYOND THE HUNDRED, WE WOULD, WHAT ARE EDUCATORS.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
[01:10:01]
YOU INFORMATION AS I SHARED WITH YOU TWO WEEKS AGO.LOOK AT IT FROM THE 50 YARD LINE AND AS I SAID WITH YOU TO, TO E TO YOU AT THE OPENING.
THESE ARE HIGHER SCORES WE'VE HAD WITH AND OF COURSE EXAMS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.
MRS. CUSH BERRY, MAY WE GO TO NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
THIS IS SHOWN OUR ALGEBRA ONE FROM OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT.
THERE'S A NATIONAL RECOGNITION THAT MATH AS A LANGUAGE HAS HAD DEFICITS SUBJECT TO A PANDEMIC.
THE ACQUISITION OF LANGUAGE TAKES THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
LET'S LI LIE ON TOP OF THAT A PANDEMIC, OUR BIOLOGY BY SCHOOLS.
AND IF YOU COULD BE SO KIND TO GO TO SLIDE 13 FOR US HISTORY.
SO MANY OF YOU ARE ALREADY AWARE BECAUSE THERE WAS A RE RELEASE OF AN ARTICLE.
I WANTED TO SHARE SOME OTHER GREAT NEWS FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, UM, AS IT COMES TO THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR SC READY SCORES, WHICH INCLUDE MATH, ENGLISH, AND SCIENCE.
UM, ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS IS A NATIONAL BLUE BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL.
I'D LIKE FOR US TO JUST PAUSE FOR A MINUTE SO WE COULD RECOGNIZE THAT PLEASE.
WHAT SCHOOL IS THAT? THAT WOULD BE SSA.
I I WAS GONNA WAIT, BUT I ANSWERED YOU SIR.
BUT THAT WOULD BE CUSA ELEMENTARY.
I IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A WHOLE SCHOOL STAFF FOR NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
AND THIS IS OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT, ELLEN ELLEN WEAVER.
HELLO CUSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FAMILY AND PRINCIPAL PENDER.
THIS IS YOUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, ELLEN WEAVER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL FOR THE HONOR OF BEING DESIGNATED AS A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL.
THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE DISTINCTION AND YOU HAVE MADE US SO PROUD.
THANK YOU FOR LEADING THE WAY FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AND REALLY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
I KNOW IT TAKES A HUGE TEAM EFFORT TO MAKE THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLE.
AND SO TO THE STUDENTS, TO THE TEACHERS, THE FAMILIES, THE STAFF, THE ADMINISTRATORS THERE AT THE SCHOOL, I JUST WANNA SAY A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS AND GO BOBCATS.
I HAVE TO REACH AND JUST SHARE TWO WONDERFUL BULLETS OF QUALIFYING FOR THIS NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
ONE IS EXEMPLARY HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS SHOW HIGH PERFORMANCE AND STANDARDIZED TESTING.
THE SECOND CRITERIA IS ACHIEVEMENT CAP CLO CLOSING FOR STUDENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
SO THAT CLOSES MY PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON THE END OF COURSE EXAMS AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO SHARE SOME GREAT NEWS FOR ONE OF OUR LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
RODRIGUEZ IF HE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY.
I THINK IT'S JUST QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MIGHT HAVE.
STRATOS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AS I WAS GOING THROUGH, UH, THE E O C EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UM, WHICH DOES LAY OUT THAT A TO D, WHICH IS THE STATE REQUIREMENT, UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE A THROUGH C IN THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
UM, I STARTED COMPARING IT TO OUR 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN THAT'S DUE FOR RENEWAL EVERY FIVE YEARS, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND ON PAGE 70, FOR ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT, OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PERFORMANCE GOAL BY THE END OF 20 23, 24 SCHOOL YEAR, A MINIMUM OF 62% OF ALGEBRA ONE STUDENTS AND 69% OF ENGLISH TWO STUDENTS.
UM, OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE A SCORE OF C OR
[01:15:01]
HIGHER ON THE END OF COURSE ASSESSMENTS.ONE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE OUR WINS.
UH, ENGLISH TWO, I BELIEVE WE MET THAT GOAL.
BUT HOWEVER, ALGEBRA ONE PERFORMANCE GOAL HAS NOT BEEN MET.
UM, A COUPLE THINGS JUST FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE VERY TRANSPARENT IN THESE REPORTS AND WE CELEBRATE THOSE WINS.
WE SAY, HEY, WE MET THAT GOAL THAT WAS IN OUR 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED THAT THRESHOLD, UM, FOR ALGEBRA ONE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S MISSING FROM THIS REPORT AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD ON THE OTHER ASPECTS ALSO THAT ARE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S MAPPED OUT.
IF ANYBODY TAKES A LOOK AT IT, IT'S A VERY LONG DOCUMENT THAT HAS A LOT OF GREAT MAPPING TO OUR GOALS.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THESE REPORTS.
AND ACTUALLY WHEN WE REVIEW THESE DATA POINTS, THAT COMPARATIVE GOAL SHEET IS AT THE TABLE WITH US.
AND I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE THAT COMPARATIVE GOAL SHEET.
SO AT LEAST IT'S A POINT OF REFERENCE TO OUR BOARD AND THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IT IS, HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.
BUT YES, IF WE DO LOOK AT THAT IN COMPARE TO SEE WHAT WE WANT AS SUCCESS, AND WE, I WILL NOT NEGATE THAT THERE'S WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE AREA OF MATH BY NO MEANS, MA'AM.
I APPRECIATE YOU ENTERTAINING THAT LONG EXPLANATION OF WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY, UH, THANK YOU RA FOR YOU, TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR PREPARING THIS, UH, PREPARING THIS PRESENTATION.
AND I'LL JUST ECHO MY COLLEAGUE IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, I'LL CELEBRATING THE, UH, THOSE, UH, WS, THE, THE, THE WINS.
BUT, UM, LOOKING AT THIS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND IN TERMS OF IN, IN THE, IN THE SCORE TESTING AT THESE E O C SCORES, HOW DO THIS ALIGN WITH THOSE, WITH THE SCORES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING IN TERMS OF HOW, HOW DO THEY LOOP IN TOGETHER? BECAUSE I DO SEE, I DO SEE SOME GAPS IN HERE THAT I, I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION FIRST.
SO THE SCORES THAT ARE PRESENTED THIS EVENING, MR. SMITH, ARE ACTUALLY FOR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT COURSES.
THEY ARE PART OF THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENT AS ARE SC READY.
SCH TESTING IS PART OF FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE ASSESSMENTS IN ORDER TO HAVE EITHER A NATIONAL RANKING THAT'S IDENTIFIED.
UM, SO STATE RANKING, SCHOOL DISTRICT RANKING.
SO THESE ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S WITH A HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT.
HOWEVER, IN ALGEBRA ONE, WE DO HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO DO SIP IT AT ALGEBRA ONE AND THE COURSE EXAM BECAUSE IT IS TIED TO THIS COURSE AND A REQUIREMENT BY THE STATE.
AND WE HAVE STUDENTS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL SITTING FOR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT CLASSES.
SO STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS, BOTH ASSESSMENTS, ASSESS READING AND WRITING AND MATH.
I, I I AND SCIENCE, THE ADAGE HERE IS US HISTORY AND THE CONSTITUTION.
SOCIAL STUDIES FOR A COMMON LANGUAGE IS NOT UTILIZED AND IS NOT AN AREA OF ASSESSMENT OR GATEWAY COURSES AT THE ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THAT WAS REMOVED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
ALSO, UM, WHEN LOOKING AT THESE SCORES, AND THANKS FOR THAT, UH, DEFINITELY FOR THAT BREAKDOWN TOO.
UM, WHEN I LOOK AT THE ESPECIALLY GROUP, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SCORES ARE VERY, UH, TROUBLESOME AS A, AS A AS A CULTURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, MY, MY, UH, MY, MY QUESTION IS, I I I, I HEAR SOME OF THE OVERALL SCORES, BUT AS A DIS AS A DISTRICT, AND JUST TO MEET GOALS TOO, WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL STUDENTS THAT ARE READY TO BE ABLE TO, WHO CAN COMPETE ON ALL, ON ALL LEVELS, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF MAKING THOSE GOOD CITIZENS AS OUR GOAL STATES, AS A DISTRICT.
SO MY QUESTION, UH, TO TO TO, TO THE STAFF OR TO DR.
RODRIGUEZ, WILL BE TO HOW WOULD WE SEE FIT TO BRING THESE SCORES UP FROM WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT RESOURCES AND WHAT, WHAT WOULD WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE? BECAUSE, UM, I THINK TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, UH, MS. MR. SMITH, IT IS TRUTH THAT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OF EVERY STUDENT, RIGHT? PERIOD.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RE REMEDIATION
[01:20:01]
FOR STUDENTS COMING UP THE PATHWAY WHO WILL SIT FOR THESE ASSESSMENTS, THOSE STRATEGIES ARE BEING PUT, BEING PUT IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.FIRST OF ALL, MOST IMPORTANTLY IS ASSURING THAT OUR TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THE STANDARD THAT IS BEING TAUGHT AND BEING TAUGHT IN, IN RELATION TO HOW IT WILL BE ASSESSED.
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGY THAT'S BEING UTILIZED AND BUILDING THAT CAPACITY AMONGST OUR EDUCATORS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT THIS YEAR THERE ARE NEW SCIENCE STANDARDS AND WILL BE OUR FIRST TIME THAT OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS WITHIN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE GONNA BE SITTING TO A NEW FORMATTED TEST.
SO A GREAT AMOUNT OF FOCUS IS BEING AT THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE STANDARD TO BE INSTRUCTED TO THE DEPTH OF INSTRUCTION? AND ARE WE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IT WILL BE ASSESSED THAT, AND THAT'S JUST A CURSORY REVIEW I'M SHARING WITH YOU, RIGHT? ONE OF, ONE OF OUR FUTURE PRESENTATIONS IS TO ADDRESS WHAT OUR ACADEMIC PLAN AND WHAT WE ARE DOING WITHIN OUR DIVISION AND AMONGST OUR SCHOOLS.
THAT IS A FUTURE PRESENTATION FOR US, SIR.
UM, AND, AND WHEN, AND JUST, JUST TO, UH, BE CLEAR, I JUST, I JUST MAKE THIS, UH, COMMENT WHEN I SAY THOMAS OF THE ESSENCE, IT JUST CONCERNS ME WHEN I LOOK AT THESE SCORES, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE SCORES RELATE TO ME AND WHAT THEY MATCH.
UM, WHEN I CAN CONNECT THE DOTS AS IN THE CRIME RATE IN THE COUNTY, THE SAME WAY I TELL BEFORD COUNTY COUNCIL THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, THIS SCHOOL BOARD, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE KIDS OF THIS DISTRICT THAT WE SERVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR WHEELHOUSE AND THAT WITHIN OUR RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GIVING THEM A, A, A FAIR SHOT.
BECAUSE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS OR SO, WE'VE BURIED THIS DISTRICT, WE'VE BURIED A COUPLE OF OUR OWN KIDS.
AND TO ME, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY, MAY DISAGREE, AND THIS IS MY MY OPINION, I THINK SOME OF THESE TEST SCORES RELATE TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN, IN, IN THIS COUNTY.
SO I THINK THAT THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE ALSO FOCUSING ON, ON EDUCATING 'EM MORE.
I THINK THAT GIVES THEM A, A MORE OF A, OF A FAIR SHOT.
AND, AND NOT TO DISMISS ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN, THAT, THAT IS BEING DONE AND HAS BEEN DONE, BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING IT TO THE NOTIFICATION OF EVERYONE THAT, THE SAME WAY I TOOK IT TO COUNTY COUNCIL, I THINK THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT TOO.
THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, THAT WE PROVIDED YOU, PROVIDED YOU AND THE STAFF, ALL THE RESOURCES AND THE MECHANISM THAT YOU NEED TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND THERE, THERE NO, THERE NO, THERE'S NO STUMBLING BLOCKS FROM US AND THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT, WHAT WE CAN DO AS A BOARD TO MAKE, TO MAKE THE KIDS KIDS UP TO BE AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME AND BE ABLE TO COMPETE.
MR. EARL CAMPBELL AND THEN, UH, VICTOR NAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
UM, FROM WHERE I SIT, UM, THE DISTRICT AND THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVE PUT IN PROGRAMS TO BRING THE SKULLS UP.
BUT, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND PARENTS PROBABLY GONNA GET ANGRY AT ME, BUT PARENTS HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE ALSO, YOU KNOW? UM, AND I, I THINK THAT IT, IT HAPPENED BEFORE AND IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.
BUT PARENTS HAVE TO GET AND BE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN EDUCATION.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT, THEN YOUR CHILD WILL NOT, UH, SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, PERIOD.
UM, ALTHOUGH I, I WANNA SAY IT'S IMPORTANT TO RUN OUR OWN RACE, MEANING THAT WE SET OUR OWN GOALS, UM, BASED ON WHERE WE'VE COME FROM IN THE PAST AND WHERE WE WANT TO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, COME OR GET TO IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UH, HOWEVER, IS THERE ANYWHERE THAT WE CAN COMPARE OUR DATA AGAINST THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL STANDARD? SO THAT IS COMING RATHER SOON.
OUR NEXT RELEASE OF INFORMATION WILL BE ON OCTOBER 10TH.
AT THAT POINT, ALL STATE DATA POINTS WILL BE EMBARGOED.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO DO TOTAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS.
OUR GOAL IS ONCE WE HAVE THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY RANKINGS, AND THEN EVERYTHING IS OPEN, THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OTHER DISTRICTS, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO PREPARE A STRONGER PRESENTATION TO GIVE A RANK IN WHERE BEFORD COUNTY SITS IN COMPARISON TO OTHERS.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN KNOWING THE RESULTS OF OUR INCREASED REMEDIATION
[01:25:01]
THAT WE GOT THROUGH THE ESSER PROGRAM AND THE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR OUR AFTER SCHOOL SATURDAY AND SUMMER SCHOOLS.WHAT IMPROVEMENT HAVE WE SEEN ON THOSE FOR THOSE STUDENTS FOR THAT INVESTMENT? I, I'M LOOKING FOR A RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE AND HOW WE CAN SUSTAIN OR, OR IMPROVE THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
MAY I ADD A COMMENTARY? UM, COLONEL GEIER.
SO YES, THE ACADEMIC RETURN ON INVESTMENT, THE A R O I, UM, WILL BE SHARED WITH REGARD TO OUR EXTENDED LEARNING SITES THAT'LL BE PART OF THAT PRESENTATION THAT MR. NAY HAS PUT ON THE TABLE AS WELL.
I CAN'T GO INTO THE ACCOUNTABILITY COMPONENT RIGHT NOW, AND, BUT WE ARE GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO AS CLOSE TO A CORRELATION, GIVEN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE WILL HAVE TO STUDENTS WHO WERE ENROLLED AND THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
OUR PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION THAT WE PROVIDED AT FINANCE DID SHOW AN INC AN INCREASE OF LEARNING FOR OUR STUDENTS, PARTIC, WHO HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING WITHIN OUR EXTENDED LEARNING SITES.
AND THOSE DATA POINTS WE DO HAVE, BUT WE WANT 'EM NOW CORRELATE EVEN FURTHER.
UH, I'M A NEWBIE ON THE BOARD, ONLY BEEN HERE EIGHT MONTHS AND IT HAS BEEN LIKE DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE.
UH, I'M A BIG NERD, SO I READ EVERYTHING I CAN GET MY HANDS ON, PARTICULARLY RESEARCH COMING FROM PLACES OUTSIDE OF THE US.
WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT THAT THE US WAS NUMBER ONE AFTER WORLD WAR II.
I NOW HEAR AND READ THAT WE'RE AROUND 27 NOW.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? THERE ARE SOCIETAL CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED.
WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT KIDS ARE BORN INTO, HOW THEY ARE REARED.
DO PARENTS UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FROM BIRTH TO FIVE? THERE'S A, A RESEARCHER WHO DOES METADATA IN, UH, FINLAND, AND HE IS SHOWING FROM ALL CONGEALING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT BIRTH TO FIVE IS REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I'M GONNA SUGGEST THAT MAYBE CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ACTUALLY STARTING A REVIEW OF THE FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN SO WE CAN INPUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO IT.
ALSO, LOOK AT THE SOCIOECONOMIC REALITIES THESE KIDS WHO ARE COMING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE BRINGING, BECAUSE MY PERSONAL OPINION AS A NEOPHYTE EDUCATOR OKAY, IS THAT IT'S ALMOST LIKE I'M RUNNING A MANUFACTURING LINE AND WE GET HALFWAY THROUGH, AND NOW YOU, I'M BEING ASKED TO ACTUALLY REVAMP WHAT I'M PRODUCING.
WE HAVE TO START THAT EARLY, AND THERE HAVE TO BE REAL SOLID CONVERSATIONS, PAINFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IF YOU WANT TO JUDGE US, THEN WHAT ABOUT PRE-K? STARTING AT FOUR? SOUTH CAROLINA DOES NOT REQUIRE PRE-K.
SOME OF THE BETTER PERFORMANCE STATES DO, IF THERE'S STATISTICAL VALIDATION THAT THAT IS A WAY TO BASICALLY OVERTURN THIS TREND.
EVEN KUDOS TO YOU ON THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SHOWING IMPROVEMENT AGAINST SOME REAL CHALLENGES.
I JUST SAY WE, WE GOTTA COME TO REALITY.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING TOO.
STRATOS, I'M NOT MY, THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY, UH, WHAT YOU SAID.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE ADVANCED ACADEMICALLY STUDENTS THAT TAKE THE COURSE, THESE END OF COURSE, EXAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD BE LIKELY GET VERY HIGH, HIGH SCORES, BUT THOSE ARE NOT COUNTED IN OUR E O C.
IT WILL GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR THAT THEY ARE SEATED AT ON THE HUNDREDTH AND 80TH DAY OF THEIR ATTENDANCE.
SO THAT SCORE WILL FOLLOW THAT STUDENT.
AND LET ME JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
I SIT FOR THE ALGEBRA ONE E O C AT, AT HG MCCRACKEN, AND THEN I FEED INTO MAY RIVER.
MY PERFORMANCE, SHOULD I BE AT MAY RIVER ALL YEAR NEXT YEAR? MY PERFORMANCE AS THAT ALGEBRA ONE, AS AN EIGHTH GRADER, WE'LL GO TOWARDS THAT MA MAY RIVERS ACCOUNTABILITY NEXT YEAR.
SO IT, SO THEY ARE, I GUESS YOU'D SAY COUNTED.
BUT I'M, BUT IT'S DELAYED LIKE A YEAR, BUT IT'S NOT REF NOT REFLECTED IN HERE, IN HERE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NOW.
[01:30:01]
THAT ARE, TAKE THE CLASS.IF YOU WANNA FINISH SOMETHING, I, I JUST WANNA GIVE A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE IF THAT SHIFT, THIS IS GONNA BE THE FIRST YEAR THAT THAT SCORE IS GONNA FOLLOW ME NEXT YEAR.
SO I, I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION.
SO, YEARS PAST, I THINK, GO AHEAD.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY, THE STUDENTS THAT TOOK THESE E O C COURSES AND EXAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I DON'T THINK THEIR, THEIR SCORES WERE COUNTED FOR THE DISTRICT, IS THAT CORRECT? BUT NOW THEY ARE DOING THAT, BUT IT'S DELAYED A YEAR OR WHATEVER.
SO FOR CORRECTION, YEAH, WE'RE CHANGING FROM A STATE COHORT MODEL.
SO MY SCORES IN THE PAST, MY SCORES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR AN END OF COURSE, EXAM WOULD'VE STAYED WITH ME TO MY GRADUATION YEAR.
SO BY 2020 SAT, LET'S JUST SAY EIGHTH GRADE, THAT FOR THAT ALGEBRA ONE, AND WE WERE STILL IN THAT, THAT PRIOR MODEL WHEN I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, THAT SCORE FOR MY E O C WOULD'VE BEEN PART OF THAT GRADUATION ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO DO THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE EXCELLING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TAKE AN WHAT IS ONE OF THESE END OF COURSE EXAMS AND, AND DO WELL AND, AND, UH, HAVE PASSING GRADES AND, AND, UH, E O C TEST SCORES IS COMPUTED AS PART OF THEIR GRADE, THE 20%, DO THOSE STUDENTS GET THAT, UH, CREDIT AND DOES THAT FOLLOW THEM TO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL? YES, MA'AM.
IT IS ACTUALLY, IT IS ABSOLUTELY CALCULATED INTO YOUR TRANSCRIPT.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT CAN NEVER BE REMOVED.
THE, THAT CLARIFIES IT FOR ME, MR. CAMPBELL? UH, YES.
UM, MR. DALLAS BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT, UM, OTHER COUNTRIES, UH, FAR AHEAD OF US.
WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT FUNDED EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY TAX.
UM, AND OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO HAVE MANDATORY KINDERGARTEN FOR ALL THEIR STUDENTS.
AND YOU EVEN HAVE SOME, UH, UH, STATES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE MANDATORY, BUT THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COULD KILL S YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE, WE FUND EDUCATION.
WOULD MI ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK THAT HASN'T SPOKEN, MS. MIDDLETON OR, UM, MS. HAY? NO.
SCRATCH, I CAN TELL THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO FINISH, AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO PICK UP, IT'S NOT ONLY PRE-K, BUT PRE PRE-K IS ALSO AN AREA, AND THAT IT, THEY'VE ALSO FOUND IN STUDIES THAT IT HELPS NOT ONLY THE STUDENT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO THE FAMILY STRUCTURE.
SO WITH THAT, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU AND DR.
GUS HAD, UH, IN TERMS OF THAT, SO BASICALLY THE FIRST YEAR IS, AM I UNDERSTANDING, SO THE FIRST YEAR OF A NINTH GRADER COMING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, BASICALLY THAT IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
THE FIRST YEAR WILL BE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT WILL BE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL'S TEST SCORES.
IS THAT HOW I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS? NO, NO.
THAT FOUR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT COURSE, IF IT IS TIED TO AN END OF COURSE EXAM.
WELL, THE RESULT OF THAT, OR THE PERFORMANCE OF THAT WILL GO WITH THE, WITH ME TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AS A STUDENT.
I KEEP MY CREDIT, I KEEP MY GRADE RIGHT NOW, I WILL ALSO SIT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE SC READY MATH, SO THAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS WILL STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY OF THAT ACCELERATED STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE.
I DO WANNA SHARE THAT AS WELL.
BUT WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THAT PERFORMANCE AT THAT TIME, THAT PERFORMANCE LEVEL, THE CREDIT FOR THAT WILL GO TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, NOT THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, THAT STUDENT TOOK THAT TEST AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL VERSUS THE HIGH SCHOOL.
IS IS, IS THAT WHAT I'M SAYING? DID YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? ARE YOU, ARE YOU KIND OF, UH, I'M, I'M JUST ASKING FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION WITHOUT DISMISSING THE QUESTION, SIR.
THE RESULT WILL BE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
SO IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ALTHOUGH IT IS PART OF THE SE LEAD, IF YOU SET A GOAL OF IMPROVING YOUR OVERALL PERFORMANCE YES MA'AM.
TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE
[01:35:01]
NOT EVALUATED ON A VALUE ADDED MODEL OR ON STANDARDIZED TESTING PERFORMANCE.NOW, FOR ME AS A PRINCIPAL AT A SCHOOL, THAT I PUT A GOAL FOR MYSELF THAT I AM MOVING ALMOST TO HOW DR.
WISNESKI WAS REFERRING TO THE STRATEGIC GOAL.
I SET A GOAL OF X IMPROVEMENT OF MY CAMPUS THAT WILL BE WRAPPED INTO MY EVALUATION.
SHOULD I DIRECT THAT MYSELF AND DRIVE THAT? BUT FOR STATE LEGISLATION PURPOSES, THAT DOES NOT EXIST IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS.
WISNESKI AND LOOKING THROUGH THESE, THESE, UH, PERFORMANCE RESULTS THAT I AM, SORRY, DR.
I TOLD YOU I WAS NOT AN EDUCATOR, SO I'M TRYING TO CATCH UP HERE.
THEY WERE SECOND ONLY TO BLUFFTON HIGH.
SO THAT MAY BE ONE OF THOSE DIAGNOSTIC OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN WHALE BRANCH THAT ENABLES THEM ON MATH, WHICH IS NORMALLY VIEWED AS A, A SUBJECT THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CERTAIN SOCIOECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS RIGHT? BUT THEY'RE SUCCEEDING THERE.
AND MAYBE SOMETHING LOOKING IN, REPORTING ON WHAT IS IT THAT'S OCCURRING THERE CAN BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE REST OF THE, UM, SYSTEM, IF I MAY SHARE.
SO ONE OF THE SUCCESS FORMULAS AT WILBURN SHIRLEY COLLEGE HAS BEEN NOT ONLY THEIR EDUCATOR AND I, I DON'T WANNA DISMISS THE TALENT OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO MANAGES A LOT OF THE ALGEBRA ONE THERE, BUT ALSO THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE A MODEL WHERE THE STUDENTS WERE TAKING FOUNDATIONS TO MATH.
INTER ALGEBRA IS INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA, AND THEN THEY WOULD EARN A CREDIT.
THIS IS THE LAST YEAR THAT SOUTH CAROLINA IS ALLOWING THAT MODEL.
SO WITH THAT, I TURNED TO MR. CAMPBELL.
'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, SOMETHING RATHER WISE A MOMENT AGO.
UM, SO THAT OPPORTUNITY OF STUDENTS, IF YOU WANNA THINK ABOUT IT, TAKING AN ALGEBRA A AND AN ALGEBRA B AND THEN SITTING FOR THE END OF COURSE EXAM.
THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF THAT UP THAT FORMULA TO BE IN PLACE GOING FORWARD AFTER THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, THAT OPTION ONE EXISTS.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT A MODEL, AND A FEW OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE PICKED IT UP.
AND YOU MENTIONED A SECOND SCHOOL, SIR, WHICH IS BLUFFTON.
THEY HAVE PICKED UP THAT MODEL, BUT THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY YEAR WE HAVE THAT.
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US LEGISLATIVELY TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT WITH A GREAT DEGREE OF PERSISTENCE AND AGITATION? BECAUSE IF IT'S PROVEN THAT IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT KIDS TO THAT MAGNITUDE, I THINK OUR LEGISLATORS WHO ARE GOOD PEOPLE, YES THEY ARE, WILL BE VERY INTERESTED IN TRYING TO SAY, IS THIS A MODEL WE CAN EXPORT STATEWIDE AND HELP THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE RAISE ITS OVERALL SCORES? THAT WOULD BE THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD.
I WILL SHARE THAT THE STATE IS UNDER DISCUSSION OF LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT PROGRESSION FOR MATH, GOING FROM WHAT WE RECOGNIZE AS A TRADITIONAL ALGEBRA ONE, GEOMETRY TO ALGEBRA TWO.
THERE IS CONVERSATION OF GOING FROM ALGEBRA ONE TO ALGEBRA TWO.
THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH OF THE ADAGE OF ANOTHER E O C, BUT THERE'S A PUSHBACK ON THAT AS WELL.
SO I'M SURE THE STATE IS AT FLUXX RIGHT NOW IN THE AREA OF MATHEMATICS.
BUT I DO EMBRACE VERY MUCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THE LOGIC BECAUSE ALGEBRA IS A GATEWAY COURSE.
AND PART OF THAT IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THIS SUCCESSION OF HOW OUR STANDARDS IN MATHEMATICS STARTED EARLY YEARS.
AND IF YOU HAVE STANDARDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE THEY SAY THAT MULTIPLICATION IS A STANDARD AT FOURTH GRADE, WHERE OTHER STATES HAVE IT AT SECOND OR THIRD GRADE, WE'VE ALREADY HAVE CREATED A LARGER STEP FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE PURVIEW TO BOARD.
I COULD JUST SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT I JUST DID, SIR, WITH YOU.
STRATOS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
RODRIGUEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL ON YOUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT? NO.
[01:40:01]
BUSINESS ACTION, A RECOMMENDED MOTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 8% PROJECT LIST.UM, I'M GONNA KIND OF GO OVER A LITTLE TIMELINE FOR THIS, UH, 8% FY 25 LIST.
SO BACK IN JUNE, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, PRESENTED THREE VERSIONS OF FY 25 8% LIST IN THE AMOUNTS OF 25 MILLION, 30 MILLION, AND $55 MILLION.
UM, THE COMMITTEE AT THAT MEETING MADE A MOTION, UM, TO RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD THAT THE F Y 25 8% LIST, UM, NOT TO EXCEED 30 MILLION.
AND SO AT THE JUNE 13TH BOARD MEETING, YOU ALL VOTED TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT TO BORROW THAT $30 MILLION FOR THE 8% CAPITAL FUNDS FOR 25 USING THAT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LIST.
THEN IN JULY, JULY 10TH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, STAFF PRESENTED A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT SORT OF MADE UP THAT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UM, AS WELL AS THE LIST OF PROJECTS IDENTIFIED FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AFTER DISCUSSIONS AT THAT MEETING, UM, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE ASKED STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LIFE SAFETY CATEGORY ITEMS THAT WERE AT THAT TIME UNDER F Y 26 TO SEE IF THEY COULD BE MOVED TO F Y 25 WITH NO EFFECT ON THAT 30 MILLION.
SO AT THE AUGUST 8TH OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, THE STAFF PRESENTED THAT AMENDED LIST, UM, MOVING THOSE LIFE SAFETY SECURITY ITEMS FROM F Y 26 TO 25, BRINGING THAT TOTAL PROJECT LIST TO $29.99 MILLION, RIGHT AT YOUR 30.
UM, THEN AT YOUR LAST BOARD MEETING, UM, COLONEL GEIER PRESENTED FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT LIST, UM, FOR YOU ALL TO ASK QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING.
AND SO TONIGHT WE'RE HERE HOPING THAT YOU ALL WILL TAKE A VOTE TO MOVE THIS LIST PRO FORWARD.
UM, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE NICK FILA FROM C B R HUY, WHO'S INTIMATELY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ALL THE PROJECTS, AND HE CAN EITHER HE OR I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, SO JUST TO BE, JUST FOR I HAVE A CLARIFICATION THEN A QUESTION.
THIS IS THE $140 MILLION THAT WE'RE EVENTUALLY TRYING TO GET THROUGH, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT THE, THE WHOLE BIG 10 YEAR LIST.
UM, AND SO IS IT CORRECT TO ASSUME THAT THIS IS AN ORDER OF THE, OF WHERE WE'RE PLANNING? LIKE THERE'S NOTHING TELLING ME WHAT OFF THIS LIST IS GOING IN 2025, RIGHT? THE 25 LIST IS ON THERE.
IT IS UNDER A DIFFERENT IN THIS FORMAT, RIGHT? YES.
WITH THE SUBCATEGORIES MM-HMM.
SO, UH, ONE OF MY THING, ONE OF MY, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS ON OPERATIONS BACK IN THE DAY, THE WAY WE CATEGORIZE THIS STUFF, LIKE GOING FORWARD, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME AND IT BUGS ME FROM A DATA STANDPOINT LESS THAN FROM A, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M APPROVING HERE.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE KIND, THERE'S, THERE'S CEILING MOUNTED PROJECTORS IN THE CAFETERIA AT ONE SCHOOL.
IT'S CONSIDERED ACADEMIC SUPPORT IN ANOTHER SCHOOL.
IT'S CALLED STANDARDIZATION AND EQUITY.
THEN WE HAVE, UM, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ABOUT FIVE MAIN CATEGORIES ON THIS LIST.
ASSET PROTECTION, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, UM, STANDARDIZATION, LIFE SAFETY.
AND THERE WAS A PRINCIPAL REQUEST.
THOSE ARE EXTREMELY BROAD CATEGORIES AND THEY KIND OF, THERE'S NO, TO ME, I CAN'T MAKE HIDE NOR HAIR OF WHAT'S UNDER WHAT.
THEN WE GET THIS ONE, WHICH IS THE 25, AND IT'S BROKEN DOWN, SIMILAR I THINK TO OUR, UM, FACILITIES CONDITION ASSESSMENT.
THIS LOOKS BETTER TO ME, RIGHT? AS FAR AS LIKE UNDERSTANDING.
SO NEXT YEAR, WHAT I'M HOPING IS WHEN WE GET THIS, THESE LISTS SHOULD MATCH UP A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND WE, AND THEN IT ALLOWS US TO KIND OF SLICE AND DICE, WHICH IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
I DON'T WANNA LOOK AT LINE ITEMS. I WANNA LOOK AT HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING ON LIFE SAFETY, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING ON BUILDING ENVELOPE, ET CETERA, AND BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE DATA MORE EASILY EASIER.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST MY FEEDBACK ON THAT IS THIS WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO KIND OF REALLY PIECE TOGETHER.
[01:45:03]
DR.THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS OR CONCERNS FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, I DON'T SERVE ON OPERATIONS, SO I HAVEN'T NECESSARILY HAD THE TIME TO GET IN THE WEEDS WITH EVERYBODY ON THIS.
BUT AS I LOOK THROUGH THE C I P LIST, UM, FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, SOMETHING THAT I DID NOTE IS THAT TECHNOLOGY IS ALLOCATED AT A DISPROPORTIONATE BASIS.
NOW, SOME OF THE ITEMS ARE THE WHITEBOARDS AND THEN OTHER ONES ARE THE STANDARD TECHNOLOGY REFRESHES.
BUT I DID NOT SEE THE TECHNOLOGY REFRESHES AFTER FISCAL YEAR 28.
AND I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THAT EATING INTO A LARGE CHUNK OF THAT $30 MILLION.
'CAUSE IT'S 5 MILLION ON AVERAGE, WHICH IS, THAT'S A VERY LARGE CHUNK OF OUR, UM, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
UH, SO I'D LIKE TO PERHAPS DISCUSS OR HAVE OPERATIONS DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE WAYS, UM, THAT WE CAN LOOK FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING OF PAYING FOR THOSE TECHNOLOGY REFRESHES, IF IT'S MAYBE TACKED ON TO A REFERENDUM BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY IS A HARDWARE ITEM.
IT CAN BE INCLUDED IN REFERENDUMS, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, MAYBE AS, AS SOME, YES, SIR.
ZEKI HAS THE FLOOR
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT AS SOMETHING FOR OPERATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I WAS, I SAW THAT THERE IS A LAND, UM, ALLOCATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 IN THE AMOUNT OF $10 MILLION, WHICH AGAIN, IS SIZABLE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PERHAPS LOOK AT SOME TYPE OF BANKING OF THE 8% FUNDS FOR FUTURE LAND PURCHASES, AS OPPOSED TO THROWING A $10 MILLION CHUNK OUT OF OUR 30 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, JUST SOME COMMENTS AND CONCERNS.
AND OUR REFERENDUM MONEY IS USED FOR LONG-TERM CAPITAL BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT WITH 25 YEAR BONDS.
WE'RE PAYING FOR 8% WITH FIVE YEAR BONDS.
SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT IT CAN LAST 25 YEARS, BUT NOT MANY.
WHEREAS OUR BUILDINGS AND OTHER THINGS, WE EXPECTED TO LAST 25 YEARS.
SO USING THE 8% MONEY FOR TECHNOLOGY IS LIKE TAKING OUT A SECOND MORTGAGE FOR TECHNO FOR YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT A WISE, UH, FINANCIAL DECISION, BUT YOUR POINT IS VALID IN LOOKING AT THE BACKBONES AND THE SERVER ROOMS AND THE, UH, UH, ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON TECHNOLOGY IN THE REFERENDUM, BUT WITHOUT THE BASIC, UH, COMPUTERS AND IPADS AND STUFF THAT WE BUY AND HAVE TO DO ON A KIND OF A FLEET MANAGEMENT EVERY THREE YEARS, YOU TURN OVER A THIRD OF THE FLEET IS, IS THE WAY YOU TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT, UH, YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD POINT.
I LIKE POINT ABOUT BANKING AND WE'RE GONNA TALK, WE'LL PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR A FUTURE, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING.
WISNESKI ONE THING, AND AS THE CHAIR OF THE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON IS, I THINK HAVING A TECHNOLOGY BUDGET AT 8 MILLION IS AN INSUFFICIENT REPRESENTATION.
IS THAT HARDWARE, IS THAT SOFTWARE, IS THAT STORAGE COST? IS THAT CLOUD FEES? IS THAT CYBERSECURITY? I OVERSEE A TECHNOLOGY BUDGET.
WE CAN'T JUST LUMP EVERYTHING SOMEWHAT RELATED TO COMPUTERS INTO AN $8 MILLION TECHNOLOGY BUDGET.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE TECHNOLOGY CLIN, UH, COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE WORKING TOWARDS SHOULD WE EVER BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE A MEETING.
I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT RIGHT THERE.
MR. SMITH, FIRST OFF ALL I'D LIKE TO SAY, WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST OFF, YOU TOLD US PART OF THE, WELL, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT'S THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THESE THINGS ON THESE, ON THIS LIST? WHAT'S THAT PROCESS? WELL, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN, UH, 22, WE HAD A FACILITIES CONDITION ASSESSMENT COMPLETED WITH
[01:50:01]
C B R HERE.AND SO THAT HAS FORMED THE BACKBONE FOR A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS.
UM, Y YES, WHAT MS. BOATWRIGHT REFERRED TO AS PRINCIPAL'S REQUESTS THOSE PROJECTS THAT THEY KIND OF IDENTIFY FOR THEIR SCHOOL, THEY DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE INPUT, UM, TO GET THINGS ONTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LIST THROUGH THE PROJECT MANAGERS WHO ASSESS THOSE AND LOOK AT THOSE
AND BASICALLY THAT'S HOW YOU FORMALIZE THIS, THIS, THIS LIST RIGHT HERE THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, THAT, AND OTHER ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
WE HAVE ROOFING CONSULTANT WHO, WHO IDENTIFIES ROOFING NEEDS.
UM, OUR ENERGY MANAGER WORKS WITH H V A C TECHNICIANS AND, AND IDENTIFYING WHICH UNITS NEED TO BE REPLACED.
BA AGAIN, SOME OF THAT'S BASED ON THE, UH, THE AGE AND THE CONDITION OF THEM, WHICH WE'RE IDENTIFIED IN THAT, UM, ASSESSMENT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS THAT, THAT THEY GET ON THERE,
AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT IS BECAUSE I, I'M, I'M, I, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE, I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE HAD SOME 8% PROJECTS THAT WE'VE PUT SOME AIR CONDITIONING IN SOME BUILDINGS, AND WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THOSE THINGS AND WE, WE HAVE OTHER UNDERLYING ISSUES IN THE DISTRICT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M ACCUSTOMED TO KIND OF UPKEEPING WHAT WE HAVE.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ALSO MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE TOO.
AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WILL START NEW IDEAS, AND I'M CONCERNED AND, AND I'M, UM, I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS, WHEN, WHEN THIS IS BOUGHT OUT, HAVE THE ACTUAL FACILITIES DIRECTOR HAVE, HAVE THEY WENT OUT AND CHECKED THESE BUILDINGS BEFORE THEY BRING THESE, THESE, UH, ITEMS TO US? BECAUSE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR, OUR PROJECT MANAGERS WHO ASSIGN TO DO COMPLETE ALL THE PROJECTS, THEY DO WORK CLOSELY WITH EVERYONE TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT, WHAT NICK HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON TO IDENTIFY THE FULL SCOPE OF THAT PROJECT WORK.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND I DO, I DO HEAR THAT, BUT THE, THE, THE SITUATION IS THAT WE HAVE, I I I'VE BEEN JUST IN THE VISITING OF SCHOOLS, I'VE SEEN TOO MANY MAJOR OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE THAT'S NOT ON THIS LIST.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I ASK THAT, I MEAN, AS IN THE, THE PERSON WHO WHO IS BRINGING THIS, THAT'S WHY I ASKED WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
ARE THEY CHECKING IN BALANCES AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE NOT THINGS IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT FACILITIES THAT NEED TO BE DONE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SOME OF THESE.
BECAUSE JUST FROM GOING IN THE DISTRICTS, UH, IN THE FACILITIES, THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS ARE WRONG ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GOING IN.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, UH, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, OUT IN MAY RIVER, WHEN YOU WALK IN THE FRONT BUILDING, THERE'S A, THE FLOOR IS JUST CHIPPING AWAY AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THAT, THE COST OF THAT.
HOW IS THAT GETTING DONE? SHOULD THAT BE ON THIS LIST? I MEAN, IT'S SOMEWHERE ON THAT LIST.
OH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR AND THEN YEAH.
IT, THAT IS ONE PROJECT THAT IS GONNA BE GET, BE DONE SOON,
NOW, WITH THAT PROJECT BRINGS A GREAT AMOUNT OF CONCERN.
AND, UH, AND IN, IN TERMS OF HOW LONG WAS THAT FLOOR DONE, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT TO BE A BRAND NEW BUILDING AND FOR THAT FLOOR TO BE CHIP CHIPPING AWAY, THAT BRINGS A LOT OF CONCERNS.
AND, AND IN TERMS OF ARE WE PAYING, ARE WE, ARE WE GETTING WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY, WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
SO THAT BRINGS A LOT, THAT BRINGS CONCERNS IN TERMS OF US KEEP HAVING THIS, AND WE ARE, AND WE'RE STUCK WITH THE BILL AND THESE CONSTRUCTORS, THESE COMPANIES ARE MOVING ON, AND THEN THEY, THESE THINGS ARE REOCCURRING ON THE LIST OR THESE THINGS ARE COMING ON THE LIST.
SO THAT BRINGS ME, UH, SOME CONCERNS IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT PROCESS IS AND WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE.
BECAUSE IF, IF THEY'RE NOT FIXING IT, RIGHT.
UH, WHO'S HOLDING THESE, THESE, THESE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE, AND WHAT'S THE TIME, WHAT'S THE TURN, WHAT'S THE TURNAROUND TIME ON THESE CONTRACTS IN TERMS OF HOW LONG THEY ARE PERMITTED TO OR BE OR THEY, BUT EXCUSE NOT PERMITTED? HOW LONG ARE THEY OBLIGATED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE FIXED CORRECTLY BEFORE THERE'S NO, THERE'S, THERE'S NO INSURANCE CLAUSE OR SOMETHING.
BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BOUGHT, HAVE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION IS THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE HOPING THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING THE, WE'RE NOT PAYING THE, THE, WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR, FOR, FOR THAT.
THEY, THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE BANG FOR OUR BUCK, THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR WORK, THAT THEY HAVE SHORT, THEY HAVE SHORT DONE TO GET THESE BUILDINGS UP.
[01:55:01]
MEAN, SO I, I AM DEFINITELY CONCERNED WITH NOT JUST THE LIST, UH, THE FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICT, BUT HOW WE ARE COMING UP WITH THINGS AND HOW WE ARE ANALYZING WHAT WE PUT ON THIS LIST STRATEGICALLY IN TERMS OF THE UPKEEPING AND THE MAINTENANCE OF, OF, OF, UH, OF OUR FACILITIES.SO THAT IS A GREAT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT, UM, CONCERN TO MINE.
AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I KNOW YOU PUT WORK INTO THIS.
MY PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION AND I'VE, AND I'VE JUST SEEN SOME OF 'EM.
SO I'M, I'M VERY CONCERNED TODAY, MOVING FORWARD.
I'M A LITTLE, I'M NOT, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD IN TERMS OF APPROVING THIS LIST THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS.
MS. CRUTCHFIELD, IS THERE A PAGE IN OUR TENURE, OUR BOOK THAT WE GET THAT EXPLAINS HOW THOSE ITEMS GO ON THE LIST? IS THERE AN LIKE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGE THAT EXPLAINS THAT? I'M TRYING TO, I THINK WE'VE TAKEN THAT OUT OF OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
SO IT REALLY OCCURS AT THIS OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
ALL THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD SINCE, UM, JUNE.
YOU KNOW, ON THE DETAILS OF THESE LISTS, I'M JUST WONDERING FOR, FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND MR. SMITH, PERHAPS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT EXPLAINS THE, UM, HOW PROJECTS MAKE IT ON THAT LIST MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S BENEFICIAL JUST TO PUT AS A COVER SHEET ON YES.
I THINK IT USED TO BE IN OUR BOOK, AND THEN WE, AS WE CHANGED OUR PROCESS, WE SORT OF SEPARATED THOSE TWO THINGS.
THE LONG-TERM FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, WHERE WE'RE HEADED TOWARDS THE BIG PICTURE THINGS, AND THEN THE DETAILS JUST BEING IN THE, IN THESE LISTS.
MR. SMITH, UH, JUST TO ANSWER THIS DR.
WINKYS, UH, QUESTION, I DO BELIEVE THAT I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT ALONG, ALONG, ALONG WITH THAT, LIKE I SAID, THERE HAS BEEN QUESTIONS IN, IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE BRAND NEW BUILDINGS, LIKE, WELL BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT IN THE BRAND NEW WEIGHT ROOM THAT WE JUST BUILT, IT'S LEAKING AND IT, IT HAS, IT HAS DIFFERENT ISSUES, ISSUES IN IT THAT I WON'T GO INTO TODAY, BUT, SO, YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES THAT FALL AT? AND, AND, AND HOW DO, HOW DO WE APPROACH THAT? AND, AND, AND WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING CERTAIN NEW PROJECTS, THE BEFORE, BEFORE YOU'VE START NEW PROJECTS, THEN HOW ARE, HOW ARE WE BEING STEWARDS OF THE, OF THE, OF WHAT WE HAVE? YOU KNOW, MY MOM TAUGHT ME BEFORE YOU GO, BEFORE I GO BUY YOUR BRAND NEW CAR, I WANT YOU TO TAKE CARE OF THAT OLD CAR YOU GOT.
IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THE OLD CAR, THEN I'M NOT GONNA BUY YOUR A NEW CAR.
SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S CONCERNING AND ALARMING AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BRINGING THAT TO MY ATTENTION LATELY.
MR. CAMPBELL, UM, THE ISSUE AT, WELL BRANCH THE CONTRACTOR WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE AND THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
IF, EXCUSE ME, MR. SMITH, HE HAS THE FLOOR MICROPHONE.
UM, ROBERT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? YES, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY THE TWO POINTS.
UH, WITH WHALE BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE ROOF.
UM, THAT IS A MANUFACTURER PRODUCT ERROR AND IT'S UNDER WARRANTY, AND THAT'S BEING COVERED BY THE WARRANTY.
IT'S JUST TAKING US TIME TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND GET THAT WORK DONE.
BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS ADMITTED IT'S A FAULTY PRODUCT AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY WILL PAY FOR THOSE REPAIRS.
NOW WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPLACE THE ROOF IN ITS ENTIRETY.
UM, IN REGARDS TO MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, THAT BUILDING IS SEVEN YEARS OLD.
UM, SO YOUR FLOOR NOW IS SEVEN YEARS OLD.
AND YES, THERE IS SOME DAMAGED AREA IN THE FRONT, UH, ENTRANCE.
IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED THIS SUMMER.
IT GOT HELD UP WITH SOME ORDERING OF MATERIALS.
THOSE MATERIALS ARE COMING IN, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLACE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND TO ANSWER QUESTION ON WARRANTIES, A CONTRACTOR'S WARRANTY ON A NEW BUILDING IS ONE YEAR THAT'S STANDARD THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY.
YOU MAY HAVE PRO OTHER, UM, PIECES LIKE AN AIR CONDITIONING, UH, UNIT MAY HAVE A FIVE YEAR WARRANTY OR A ROOF MAY HAVE A 25 YEAR WARRANTY.
BUT A, A CONTRACTOR WARRANTIES EVERYTHING IN THAT BUILDING FOR ONE YEAR, AND THAT IS IT.
WE ACCEPT, OR I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE F Y 2025 8% PROJECT LIST.
SECOND WAS MADE BY, UM, MR. DALLAS.
SO LET'S, UH, SEEMS LIKE WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE DISCUSSION AND LET'S GO WITH A ROLL
[02:00:01]
CALL.NA, I, NO GUY OR A, WHAT'S NEVSKY? I DALLAS.
A I QUADS, I, SO, UM, ALL PRESENT.
SO THE, UH, PROJECT LIST IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
THANK YOU MS. CRUTCHFIELD,
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TONIGHT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, FUTURE, UH, TOPICS, UH, THAT BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO MENTION? DR.
WISNESKI, MADAM CHAIR, THIS MIGHT BE AN ITEM FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
ACTUALLY, I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE ITEMS MENTIONED FOR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING MR. DALLAS'S, PK MM-HMM.
UM, BUT I'M GETTING A, A LOT OF, UM, CHATTER IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT, UM, ISSUES OF LAND DEVELOPMENT ALONG ONE 70 IN NEAR OAK T ELEMENTARY.
UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
AND I SENT, UM, TODAY TO THE, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, A REQUEST FOR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE THAT CAME THROUGH FROM A, ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT THEY WANTED, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SEEKING SUPPORT FROM, FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UH, I'D ASKED SEVERAL MEETINGS AGO, WE'RE TALKING LIKE MAYBE GOING ON AT LEAST TWO MONTHS, MAYBE THREE MONTHS, UH, ABOUT, UH, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR, OR HAVING AN INTER LOAN, UH, LI LOAN SYSTEM WITH OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UH, IF WE COULD HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN MANY WEEKS SINCE I ASKED ABOUT THAT.
MS. MIDDLETON OR MS. HAY? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
RODRIGUEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YOU COVERED IT IN YOUR, UH, CHAIR'S REPORT TODAY.
SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ARE THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND WE HAVE RICHARD BEY.
HIS TOPIC IS SOUTH CAROLINA READY TEST SCORES PART TWO.
UH, MR. OTTING MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER, UM, IMPROVING THE SOUND SYSTEM HERE, UH, AS PART OF HIS, UH, 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS LIST.
UH, BACK HERE WE COULD HEAR ABOUT EVERY THIRD WORD THAT YOU FOLKS WERE SAYING AND WE COULD BARELY HEAR WHAT THE SPEAKERS WERE SAYING.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO, UH, YOU WERE TOLD THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA READY SCORES, UH, REPRESENT A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE.
AND I AGREE, AND IF YOU, YOU HEARD A LOT OF NUMBERS TONIGHT, BUT EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS TESTED IN THE SPRING.
NOW IN HIGH SCHOOL, 49% NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN ENGLISH, 70% PLUS NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN MATH.
AND I DON'T WANT MY PRIOR REMARKS, UH, ON THE POOR TEST SCORES TO SOMEHOW BE CONSTRUED AS AGAINST THE TEACHERS.
QUITE TO THE CONTRARY, OUR TEACHERS HAVE AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT JOB.
THE BURDEN IS ON THE ADMINISTRATION AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS.
KEEP DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS.
IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT BOARD MEMBERS WERE SEEING THE READY SCORES FOR THE FIRST TIME TWO WEEKS AGO.
NO ADVANCE NOTIFICATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD, AND HENCE, VERY FEW QUESTIONS YOU HAD SO MUCH TO ABSORB.
SECOND, THE PRESENTATION WAS VERY MISLEADING, AS I EXPLAINED EARLIER THIS EVENING, TO PUT THE DISTRICT IN THE BEST LIGHT.
AND THIRD, THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE.
IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM HERE FOR DECADES.
FOURTH ADMINISTRATORS, NOT JUST THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT PRIOR ADMINISTRATORS KEPT PROMISING TO MAKE IT BETTER, BUT SOMEHOW IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER TO ANY LARGE DEGREE.
AND FINALLY, BOARD MEMBER WILL SMITH, I WAS HOPING HE'D BE HERE WHEN I MADE THESE COMMENTS, HE NOTED, AND I QUOTE HIM, THIS MEANING THE TEST SCORES, THIS WAS AT YOUR MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, IS THE MAJORITY OF OUR JOB.
[02:05:01]
AND HE HOPED, QUOTE, THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSS IT, BUT DR.RODRIGUEZ TOLD YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HEARD TWO WEEKS AGO IS JUST RAW DATA AND YOU NEED TO WAIT BEFORE YOU EXAMINE THE RESULTS.
WHAT HE'S REALLY SAYING IN MY VIEW IS THIS, LET'S NOT HAVE ANY NEGATIVE INFORMATION OUT THERE BEFORE THE NOVEMBER BOND REFERENDUM.
GOD FORBID THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY KNOW ABOUT THE ACADEMIC RESULTS.
IF THEY DID, HECK, THEY MIGHT VOTE NO ON THE REFERENDUM.
THIS BOARD NEEDS TO SPEND A CONSIDERABLY MORE TIME ON ACADEMIC RESULTS AND HOLD ADMINISTRATORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE RESULTS OR THE LACK OF RESULTS.
AND SOME OF YOU, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY, WOULD KNOW THIS TERM, THE MANHATTAN PROJECT, THAT RING A BELL, THE MANHATTAN PROJECT, AND THAT'S WHAT EXACTLY IS NEEDED IF YOU EXPECT TO TURN THE SITUATION AROUND.
WE HAVE A AT LEAST ONE PHONE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, THIS IS IVY
I'M SURE THAT ALL OF YOU GOT MY EMAIL ANNOUNCING THAT OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, ELLEN WEAVER, HAS SEVERED TIES WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS.
THIS IS WHAT I HOPE TO BE THE FIRST STEP IN A PROCESS OF ADDRESSING OBSCENE BOOKS FROM OUR SCHOOL IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY.
ADDITIONALLY, ACCORDING TO AN OPINION SOUGHT AND ESTABLISHED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 1999, UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HONORABLE HARRY C STYLE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE MEMBER, I QUOTE, THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS AGAINST CENSORSHIP OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, BUT DOES NOT PROHIBIT REMOVAL OF INDECENT OR OFFENSIVE MATERIALS FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARY.
IF THE MOTIVATION OF SCHOOL OFFICIALS IS NOT TO SUPPRESS IDEAS, BUT TO REMOVE A PERVASIVELY, VULGAR BOOK OR A BOOK WHICH IS DEEMED EDUCATIONALLY UNSUITABLE, THEN THE REMOVAL IS CONSTITUTIONALLY VALID.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE A DUTY UNDER THE LAW TO PROTECT SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM INDECENCY AND LEWDNESS.
THE FACT THAT IF STUDENT MAY BE EXPOSED OR HAVE ACCESS, THE VERY SAME BOOK OR OFFENSIVE MATERIAL OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, CANNOT JUSTIFY SCHOOL OFFICIALS ABDICATING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT, YOU HAVE THE BACKING FROM THE AG OPINION, AND YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND THAT IS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
PLEASE SAVE YOURSELVES THE EMBARRASSMENT BEFORE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STEPS IN, BECAUSE I FEEL I HAVE A FEELING THAT THAT IS NEXT.
THAT COMPLETE CONCLUDES OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO WE'RE DOWN TO ADJOURNMENT BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.