[Call to Order ]
[00:00:02]
WE WILL HAVE A QUORUM IN JUST ABOUT THREE MINUTES.
SO RIGHT NOW WE CAN JUST DO, UM, INFORMATIONAL, UH, UH, WORK.
WE CANNOT OBVIOUSLY HAVE ANY VOTES, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ, UM, THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED VIA HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IS BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES.
BAGS, BACKPACKS, AND PURSES ARE PROHIBITED BY THE PUBLIC AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND SCHOOL RELATED TOPICS.
CITIZENS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN DO SO IN PER-PERSON OR VIA PHONE.
THERE ARE TWO SCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENT FORUM TIMES DURING EACH BOARD MEETING.
THE FIRST IS A 30 MINUTE SESSION NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, LIMITED TO TOPICS ON THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
THE SECOND IS A 15 MINUTE SESSION, WHICH TAKES PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT, BUT NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM.
REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL THE DAY OF THE MEETING FROM FIVE TO 5:30 PM FOR THE FIRST TIMEFRAME, AND FROM SIX TO 6:30 PM FOR THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY.
REQUESTS SHOULD INCLUDE THE SPEAKER'S NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AS WELL AS TOPIC AND MUST BE EMAILED TO THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE BOARD.
ROBIN WITH A Y CUSHING BARRY AT ROBIN.
DO CUSHING BARRY AT BEAUFORT K12 SC US REQUESTERS WILL SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK.
CITIZENS DESIRING TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL IN THE EVENT THE BOARD IS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL THE ITEMS LISTED, UH, ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW NIGHT, JUNE 12TH AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS WE HAVE, UH, IN PERSON, UH, VICTOR NAY, ANGELA MIDDLETON, DICK GUYER, AND MYSELF.
WE HAVE CARLTON DALLAS ONLINE, AND WE ARE WAITING.
SO WE'LL JUST PAUSE AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE ON PERSON ON THE IPHONE, IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, HAVE INGRID VOTE RIGHT PRESENT NOW.
SO WE HAVE A QUORUM OF SIX, AN IPHONE USER, WILLIAM SMITH'S IPHONE USER.
SO WE NOW HAVE SEVEN, UH, PRESENT EITHER IN PERSON OR BY, UH, ZOOM OR PHONE.
[Executive Session ]
ALL RIGHT.SO WE NOW NEED A MOTION, UH, UH, TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING MATTERS.
EMPLOYMENT MATTER PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR 70 A ONE ADULT EDUCATION REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 40 A FOUR PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING SETTLED LEGAL CLAIMS AND PENDING LEGAL CLAIM COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER 25 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL BHS 2023 REFERENDUM SAFETY AND SECURITY SCOPE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
OKAY, THANK YOU, COLONEL GEIER.
SO THE MOTION WAS MADE BY, UH, SECRETARY MIDDLETON AND SECOND BY VICE CHAIR, UH, GEIER.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
ONLINE WE HAVE, UH, MR. UH, DALLAS FIRST AND THEN MR. SMITH.
ALRIGHT, THE MOTION CARRIES 6 0 1.
THE ONE OF ABSTENTION IS, UH, MR. SMITH.
SO WE'LL NOW GO INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONFERENCE ROOM E
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session ]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF JUNE 11TH, 2024.THE BOARD WAS JUST IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE ARE NOW BACK IN PUBLIC SESSIONS, SO WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
[00:05:01]
AGAIN.DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING THE MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? MADAM SECRETARY? YES, MA'AM.
MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE FOUR MOTIONS.
THE FIRST MOTION IS MADAM CHAIR.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE MAY 1ST, MAY 31ST, 2024.
PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
ANY DISCUSSION? A SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN THE ROOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
AND THEN WE'LL GO ONLINE AND WE'LL GO ALPHABETICALLY.
SO WE'LL HAVE, UH, DALLAS AND THEN HAY, UH, DALLAS.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AND WE HAVE DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, SEAT OPEN.
WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO EMPLOY CARLOS D WILLIAMS AS PRINCIPAL OF WELL BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO EMPLOY ROGER E. WARD AS PRINCIPAL OF E MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MADAME CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ADULT EDUCATION HOMESCHOOL REPORT FOR JUNE, 2024.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
EVERYBODY SAID YES IN THE ROOM.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 25 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL 2023 REFERENDUM SAFETY AND SECURITY SCOPE BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE, GMP OF $693,459 SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SMITH?
WE'LL HAVE ROBERT COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
THIS IS, UH, FUNDED BY THE 2023 REFERENDUM.
AND JUST TELL THE PUBLIC THE FEW THINGS THAT IT'S, UH, UH, FUNDING.
SO THIS IS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY SCOPE, WHICH INVOLVES ADDITIONAL CAMERAS AND PARKING LOTS, ATHLETIC FACILITIES, AND THEN, UH, SOME DOOR HARDWARE UPGRADES.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR MOTIONS.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? NO, NOT DONE.
OKAY, SO ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND THAT ARE PRESENT.
SO THAT'S ALSO APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY 10.
[Approval of Agenda ]
UP.WE NEED APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
SORRY, MR. CAMPBELL ALREADY DID IT.
UM, ALL THOSE, UH, THAT WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE THE AGENDA IN THE ROOM, PLEASE SAY, I, I, UH, ONLINE DALLAS, I, HEY, I, AND PERFECT.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification ]
WE WILL NOW, UM, STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE JUSTICE PER ALL.PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[00:10:03]
PLEASE BE SEATED.THE MEDIA IS PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
[Points of Celebration ]
ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION, DR. RODRIGUEZ.UH, THIS EVENING POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
WE BEGIN WITH THE CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH OF MARCH.
OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO SUPPORT PARENTS' EFFORTS TO DEVELOP GOOD CHARACTER IN THEIR CHILDREN.
AND TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH, EXHIBITING THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF FORGIVENESS.
FORGIVENESS IS DEFINED AS TO STOP FEELING ANGER TOWARDS SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
AND TO STOP BLAMING APRIL'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS LAYLA FIGUEROA.
HERCULES, A FOURTH GRADE STUDENT FROM JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND HERE TO INTRODUCE LAYLA IS PRINCIPAL LIZ RIVERA.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING WITH LAYLA, ONE OF OUR FOURTH GRADE SAND DOLLAR SCHOLARS.
SHE IS A TRUE PICTURE OF FORGIVENESS AT JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHEN HER CLASSMATES NOMINATED HER, THEY NAMED SPECIFIC EXAMPLES WHERE LAYLA HAD A FORGIVING NATURE.
SHE WANTED TO CONTINUE THE HARMONY IN THE CLASSROOM, AND SHE WILL QUICKLY FORGIVE HER FRIENDS SO THAT THEY CONTINUE TO LEARN, LEAD, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AT JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD TO HAVE LAYLA AS ONE OF OUR SAND DOLLAR SCHOLARS.
NEXT WILL BE, UH, THE 20 24, 20 25 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING EACH OF OUR SCHOOL'S TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WE RECOGNIZE TONIGHT WERE SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS, WHICH MAKES THEIR AWARDS EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL.
ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT, WE SUPPORT EACH OF YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION, PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR STUDENTS.
THE 20 24 20 25 TEACHER OF THE YEAR, AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS.
I WILL MOVE THROUGH THAT LIST, UH, ANNOUNCING THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL AND ANNOUNCING, UH, TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
WE MAY HAVE SOME THAT MIGHT BE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
IF ANY OF 'EM ARE HERE, THEY WOULD PLEASE STAND.
UM, OTHERS, UH, ARE ARE, WE'RE RECOGNIZING THEM THIS EVENING AND THEY MAY BE, UH, WATCHING ONLINE.
SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH ADULT EDUCATION.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS LOIS LEWIS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS CREIGHTON WEIR.
BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JOHN RUTHERFORD.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS GABRIEL HEATH AT BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MARYANNE BLAKE, SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
JOANNA MAY AT BEAUFORT HIGH TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
SETH KENZA, SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
BEAUFORD JASPER ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JOE JOHNSON, AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS VANESSA RUIZ AT BEAUFORT.
MIDDLE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KAYLA FELIX.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS THOMAS ORR BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY AND ECC.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS LAURA VAN HORN AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LINDA JENKINS AT BEAUFORT HIGH TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MICHELLE MOSLER AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KEISHA BURNS AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS VICTORIA RAZA.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LAURA VAN HOUGHTON.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MICHELLE JOHNSTON.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS DOREEN SCOTT AT CUSA ELEMENTARY.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS SHERI MACK.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LATRON HOLMES.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS DESIREE RYAN AND HILTON HAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS ANNA REESE.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS APRIL BLACKMAN HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JEREMY WILLARD.
IS IS NINA CORTES AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
IB ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JILL MIRANDA FERNANDEZ AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS SUSIE
[00:15:01]
DOLAN HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS TIMOTHY HOUSTON.SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LOUIS MORA ESTRADA AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE ARTS.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MELANIE WILLIS, WHO ACTUALLY TEACHES AT DUSKY ELEMENTARY AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS ALLINA JOHNSON AT JOSEPH S SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MELISSA VEDA.
VE AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS PAOLA IN BIDEN.
LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CINDERELLA.
SHAW SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS SHIRLEY SANDERS.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS DR. KAREN PARKER AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS CHRISTINA KIM MAYE RIVER HIGH.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KIMBERLY SCHMIDT.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JENNIFER JONES BROWN AT MICHAEL C. RILEY ELEMENTARY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS ROXANNE O'CONNOR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS VALERIE ELLIOT AT MASSI OAKS ELEMENTARY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS AMBER CLARK AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JULIE.
PR AT O ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS VIRGINIA HELIX.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KAREN SARCO AT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS GRACE HEIS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS HOLLY MAYER PRICHARD V ELEMENTARY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS SUMMER WILLIAMSON AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JOE ROWE AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KATHLEEN ELLIS AND THE SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS RENEE LUCAS SAVAGE AT RIVERRIDGE ACADEMY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KIMBERLY RIOS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS BRANDY TKI KOWSKI AT ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS SIDNEY HARNER AND THE SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS RAQUEL CARDENA HERNANDEZ ST.
HELENA ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS SHIRLEY CLOSE AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JACQUELINE BROWN FIELDS AT WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JESSICA RUSSELL AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JAY ALBANY AT WILL BRANCH ELEMENTARY AND DAVIS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JULIANNE COOPER AND THE SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JANE LOWRY AT WILL BRANCH MIDDLE.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS LYNN GARRETT AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS BERNARD REED TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KEVIN LEVEL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS MARY BETH CHRISTENSEN, OFFICE MANAGER, THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
MEGAN BOYLE, CAMPUS FINANCE, UH, SPECIALIST AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS ISABEL SMITH.
WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IF GIVE 'EM A QUICK ROUND OF APPLAUSE, WE'RE EXCEPTIONALLY PROUD OF EACH OF OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
AND IF ANY OF YOU'RE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, COULD YOU JUST STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU? SO
ENJOYING SUMMER VACATION MAYBE? YEP.
PROBABLY AT WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK STATE CHAMPIONS IS UP NEXT.
SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
DURING THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, WHALE BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK TEAM EARNED A THREE-PEAT AS THEY WERE CROWNED THE 2024 CLASS A STATE CHAMPIONS FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW.
AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT AS WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE PRINCIPAL VENA COLEMAN.
AND I WOULD ASK, ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD PLEASE.
YOU GONNA BRING THEM FORWARD, MS. COLEMAN? YEP.
SO I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TURN THIS HONOR OVER TO OUR TRACK COACH, OUR HEAD TRACK COACH, WHO IS THE THREEPEAT TRACK COACH OF THE YEAR FOR US AT WELL BRANCH COACH CHU.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS BRAD CHU.
AND UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE THIRD TIME.
UM, ALL IN PART TWO, THESE YOUNG LADIES BEHIND ME.
UM, NOT ONLY WERE THEY THREE-PEAT CHAMPIONS, UM, THEY ACTUALLY SCORED THE MOST POINTS ON THE GIRL SIDE OF ANY OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS THIS YEAR.
THEY ENDED UP SETTING EIGHT SCHOOL RECORDS THIS YEAR, AND SIX OF THOSE WERE ACTUALLY SET AT THE STATE MEET.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAD, UM, A YOUNG LADY WHO WON NOT HER FIRST OR SECOND OR THIRD, BUT HER FOURTH CONSECUTIVE 100
[00:20:01]
METER HURDLES TITLE.SO SHE WAS A FOUR TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION.
SHE NOT ONLY WON FOUR TIMES IN A ROW, BUT SHE ACTUALLY RAN THE FASTEST TIME IN ONE A HISTORY.
AND I AM GLAD TO BE UP HERE PRESENTING THEM TO YOU.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH AND I'M GONNA PRESENT ALL OF THEM TO YOU.
UM, ALSO OUR VALEDICTORIAN OVER HERE, UH, IANA RE, WRIGHT
UM, AT THIS TIME, IF WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MR. CAMPBELL COME UP HERE, UM, WE KNOW THAT MR. CAMPBELL, UH, FOR US HAS, UH, SUPPORTED US THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UH, I CAN REMEMBER GOING ALL THE WAY BACK 2012, UH, WHEN WE ACTUALLY WON THE BOYS' TITLE.
UH, HE WAS THERE AT 12 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO GREET ALL OF OUR BOYS COMING BACK IN.
UM, AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO PRESENT MR. CAMPBELL, UH, WITH NOT JUST A BOYS' MEDAL, BUT ALSO OUR GIRLS MEDALS.
UM, AND THEN ACTUALLY BEFORE YOU GO MS. CAMPBELL, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA KEEP YOU UP HERE.
UM, THEY DON'T KNOW THIS YET, BUT, UH, I'M GONNA BRING UP THREE OF MY YOUNG LADIES WHO ARE PART OF MY FOUR BY ONE TEAM.
UM, THEY WERE JUST ACTUALLY NAMED AS THE VERY FIRST ALL AMERICANS AT WILD BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE FOUR BY ONE.
THEY RAN NOT ONLY THE BEST TIME FOUR ONE A, BUT THEY ACTUALLY RAN THE, AGAIN, TOP TIME IN ONE A HISTORY.
AND THE NATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD ASSOCIATION COACH ASSOCIATION HAS ACTUALLY, UH, RECOGNIZED THEM WITH ALL AMERICAN STATUS.
AND SO I'M GONNA HAVE MR. CAMPBELL HELP ME PRESENT THOSE TO MY FOUR BY ONE MEMBERS.
SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR, UM, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE SPORTS THAT YOU GUYS GAVE US.
UH, THEY HAD AN INCREDIBLE YEAR AND I WAS JUST HAPPY ENOUGH TO BE THERE WITH THEM.
WE WILL ALL TAKE A MR. CAMPBELL COME STAY HERE FOR A PICTURE.
YOU GOT A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL.
CANDACE IS GONNA TAKE THE, SHE'S GONNA TAKE THE PICTURE.
NOTHING LIKE SAVING YOUR PEAK PERFORMANCE TO YOUR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I THOUGHT, UH, MR. CAMPBELL WAS GONNA DO HURDLES OUT HERE TOO.
LAST MONTH WE RECOGNIZED MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC COACHES OF THE YEAR FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND TONIGHT WE'RE RECOGNIZING THOSE FROM NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THE COACH'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR IS DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CHACAR KATE, DR.
JUST RECEIVED HIS DOCTORATE AS WELL.
IT IS INDEED AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TO RECOGNIZE OUR SPRING SPORTS COACHES OF THE YEAR FOR NORTH OF THE BROAD AND BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST MR. JOSE MARTINEZ, 2024 BOY SOCCER COACHES
[00:25:01]
CHOICE OF THE YEAR FROM ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.UH, 2024 GIRLS SOFTBALL COACH'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR FROM LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE, MS. DIKA TAYLOR.
UH, 2024 GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD COACH'S CHOICE OF THE YEAR FROM WELL BRANCH MIDDLE, DR.
AND OUR 2024 BOYS TRACK AND FIELD COACH'S CHOICE OF THE YEAR FROM BEAUFORT MIDDLE, JANIE WILLIAMS. THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATIONS.
[First Public Comments ]
NEXT OFFER.OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO TOPICS ON THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
WE HAVE, UH, A ONE THAT WAS SUBMITTED, BUT IT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
SO THE JIM MILLER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK AT OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS BECAUSE THOSE NOT, ARE NOT LIMITED TO AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
SO WE WILL CALL, WE'LL PUT YOU IN THAT, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITY AND WE'LL CALL ON YOU THEN HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, REMOTELY.
[Chair Report ]
NEXT UP IS THE CHAIR REPORT.THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WANTS TO CONGRATULATE OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WE HAD SIX HIGH SCHOOLS, UH, HAVE THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONIES LAST WEEK.
AND THE WEATHER HELD OUT FOR ALL OF THOSE CEREMONIES.
EACH EACH CEREMONY WAS, UH, VERY NICE AND UNIQUE AND WE HAD VERY EXCELLENT BOARD ATTENDANTS AT THE CEREMONIES.
AS BOARD CHAIR, I'VE RECEIVED, UH, MULTIPLE COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THE, UH, CEREMONIES.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATES AND WE WISH YOU ALL WELL IN THE FUTURE, WHATEVER THAT MAY ENTAIL FOR YOU.
AND WE, WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A VERY SAFE AND ENJOYABLE SUMMER.
ALSO, LAST WEEK, THE, UM, BEAUFORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SPONSORED THEIR ANNUAL, UH, LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION RECEPTION.
AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE FOUR OF US THAT ATTENDED THAT FOR THE, UH, DELEGATION LEGISLATORS THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
WE HAD SENATORS CHIP CAMPSEN, SENATOR TOM DAVIS, REPRESENTATIVES SHANNON ERICKSON, MICHAEL RIVERS AND BILL HAGER.
AND I KNOW OF THOSE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED.
A NUMBER OF US GOT TO SPEAK WITH SEVERAL OF THE, OF THE, UH, LEGISLATORS, WHICH WAS REALLY NICE.
I PERSONALLY HAPPENED TO JUST BY CHANCE, SIT NEXT TO MS. MRS. CAMPSEN AND HAD A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION WITH HER.
[Committee Reports ]
NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS AND FIRST REPORTING WILL BE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR DALLAS, MR. DALLAS, WHO IS ONLINE.SO, UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD, MR. DALLAS.
UH, AND IS MR. OTTING IN THE ROOM? YES.
[00:30:01]
GIVE AN OVERVIEW, EXCUSE ME.AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS WE'LL ASK MR. OTTING TO COME UP.
UM, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MET EARLY IN APRIL.
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MET EARLY IN APRIL, APRIL THE NINTH TO GO OVER THE LIST OF, FOR THE FIVE YEAR 8% PLAN.
THAT PLAN HAS TRADITIONALLY COME IN, UH, PER, UH, BOARD GUIDANCE AT AROUND 30 MILLION.
AND SO THE INITIAL SUBMISSION WAS 48.8.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AS THIS TEAM WAS CONGEALING, THAT WE MET THE STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST AND TRADITION, UH, BARRING ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
AND THANKFULLY, SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS DID HAPPEN.
BUT THEN WE MET ON MAY 14TH, UH, A REGULAR OPERATIONS MEETING, AND WE REALIZED THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME EXCESS, UH, FUNDING CAPACITY AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO TAKE CARE OF SOME ITEMS THAT WERE NEEDED THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED, UH, ESTIMATED TO BE OVER AT $15 MILLION AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AND SO WE CALLED IT BACK, UH, TO 13 MILLION.
UH, AND WE ASKED THAT, THAT BE LOOKED AT.
AND WE THEN HELD A JOINT MEETING WITH FINANCE, UH, AND ALSO BRIAN RIC, UH, OPERATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SHOWING FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIZATION.
UM, AND THE TEAM CAME BACK IN WITH A RECOMMENDATION, UH, FOR $43,572,000, UM, FOR OUR, OUR SUBMISSION FOR 8%.
AND SO THAT IS THE FIRST ITEM.
THERE ARE DETAILED SPECIFICS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE BY SCHOOL, BY CATEGORY, BY GEOGRAPHY.
UM, AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, BE HAPPY TO TO ENTERTAIN THOSE PRIOR TO, UH, MAKING A MOTION AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
AND MR. OTTING IS HERE TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
MS. BOATWRIGHT, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL TAKE 'EM ONE AT A TIME.
FIRST QUESTION FOR MR. DALLAS.
YOU SAID THERE WAS A JOINT FINANCE AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
WHEN WAS THAT? WELL, IT WAS, IT WAS MEMBERS OF THE, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
IT WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL MEETING.
WE WANTED TO MEET WITH THE BOND ADVISOR TO MAKE SURE WE WERE NOT EXCEEDING, UM, BORROWING LIMITS THAT WOULD DAMAGE THE CREDIT RATING OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC DATE.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE MEETING LIST.
UM, THERE WAS A, IN FEBRUARY THERE WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE PROPOSAL FOR A $5 MILLION RENOVATION OF THE DISTRICT, UM, SECURITY AND SAFETY, UH, PARTICULARLY UPFRONT IN THE MAIN ENTRANCE.
AND THAT AT THAT TIME, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED, INCLUDING FIVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON HOW IT COULD BE FINANCED, IF YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENT THINGS, PROS AND CONS.
THERE WERE MAPS AND APPARENTLY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE FULL BOARD.
SO I'M WONDERING WHY WE DIDN'T SEE THAT AT THE FULL BOARD, WHY IT JUST STOPPED IN COMMITTEE BACK IN FEBRUARY.
OH, AND MR. OTTING IS RAISING, I GOT THIS ONE.
SO WHAT WAS PRESENTED IN FEBRUARY WAS THE, UH, PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE AS A WHOLE.
IT WAS, THE ENTIRE PROJECT WAS INCLUDED RENOVATING THIS BUILDING, REPLACING ALL THE AIR CONDITIONING, UM, REARRANGING SPACES THROUGHOUT THIS BUILDING.
UM, THAT WAS NOT, UH, AND THERE WERE FIVE OPTIONS GIVEN AS, AS YOU SAID, UM, THAT WAS NOT MOVED FORWARD BY, FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO AT THAT POINT, IT KIND OF STOPPED THE PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE NOW IN THE 8% LIST IS ONLY THE SAFETY AND SECURITY PORTION OF THAT.
SO THE ORIGINAL, UM, THE OPTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN WERE, UM, PRETTY MUCH DO NOTHING OR JUST REPAIR THE AIR CONDITIONING, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS AROUND 18 MILLION.
UM, THERE WAS THE OPTION OF PAY FOR IT AND DO IT ALL AT ONCE, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 MILLION.
AND THEN THERE WAS AN OPTION OF SPREADING IT OVER SEVERAL YEARS, WHICH WAS 23 MILLION.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS A 5 MILLION, WHICH IS A PIECE OF THAT WHICH IS, OR THAT'S A PART OF THIS, IS JUST THE SAFETY AND SECURITY PORTION OF THAT PACKAGE.
SO WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE, UH, PRESENTATION, THERE WERE FIVE OPTIONS.
THREE OF THEM, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE TIMELINE IN WHICH A RENOVATION COULD OCCUR.
[00:35:01]
YES, MA'AM.UH, OPTION NUMBER TWO WAS TO HYBRID INTO SMALLER LOCATIONS, AND OPTION NUMBER THREE WAS TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING.
THOSE OPTIONS, I THINK SHOULD BE AT LEAST DISCUSSED AT THE FULL BOARD BEFORE WE PROCEED IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE OFFICE, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN CERTAINLY EMAIL IT TO EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD.
UM, BUT YOU LAID OUT THE, THE PROS OF THIS OFFICE BUILDING.
THIS OFFICE, THIS BUILDING WAS, UM, BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOLS BUILT IN 1971.
UH, IT BECAME THE DISTRICT OFFICE BUILDING.
I'M GETTING THIS FROM YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, IN 2009.
IT IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
IT HOSTS, UH, UH, RIGHT CHOICES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON IN THIS BUILDING.
IT HAS SOME CHALLENGES BEYOND WHAT'S IN THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, THIS BUILDING IS, IS NOT PARTICULARLY WELL LAID OUT FOR A DISTRICT OFFICE.
I THINK THE MATERIALS MAKE IT REALLY CHALLENGING, UM, FOR TECHNOLOGY, ET CETERA.
BUT THE PRIMARY CONCERN I HAVE IS THE LOCATION FOR MY CONSTITUENTS IS VERY SUBPAR.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT DO WE WANT TO COMMIT 5 18 20 $2 MILLION TO RENOVATING A 1971 ABANDONED HIGH SCHOOL, OR DO WE WANNA LOOK AT IF WE HAVE SOME EXTRA, UH, MONEY IN THE BUDGET AS MR. UM, DALLAS ALLUDED TO, WHAT ELSE COULD WE DO? FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE BUILDINGS ON THE MARKET, MORE MIDDLE OF THE DISTRICT THAT WE COULD PURCHASE FOR $10 MILLION THAT WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, OFFICE SPACE, ET CETERA.
SO I'M HOPING THAT BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION ON INVESTING ON THE PACE AT WHICH WE'LL RENOVATE THE OFF THE DISTRICT OFFICE, THAT THE BOARD HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH.
MAY I, MAY I WEIGH IN NOW? SURE.
SO MS. BOATRIGHT, I APPRECIATE YOUR BRINGING THOSE POINTS UP VERY SALIENT AND ACCURATE IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE DISCUSSION POINTS.
I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS ACTUALLY THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AT THAT PARTICULAR SESSION, LISTEN, UH, SO AS YOU NOTED, AND MR. OTTING NOTED, WE WENT FROM MID TWENTIES DOWN TO FIVE.
AND PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, AND I'M A LITTLE HAZY, BUT IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, IT ALSO ENTAILED AS YOU'RE SEEING, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING NOW IS A SAFETY APPROACH AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE NECESSARY, THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DISTRICT DOES GOING FORWARD, WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUALLY POSITIONING A BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DISTRICT, I THINK THERE ARE TREMENDOUS IMPLICATIONS THAT WOULD, UH, IMPACT THAT LONG-TERM ON THE DISTRICT.
AND SO OUR STRATEGIC THINKING WAS, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME STEPS THAT WILL HELP OUR STAFF FEEL SAFE, COMFORTABLE WHILE WE MAINTAIN THIS BUILDING WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT A POTENTIALLY SUPERIOR LOCATION AS ONE OR SHOULD ONE COME ALONG.
SO I THINK WHAT THE TEAM TRIED TO DO WAS BASICALLY, UH, SPLIT THE BABY, SO TO SPEAK, AND DO WHAT'S NECESSARY SHORT TERM, UH, HAVE THOSE LONG-TERM DISCUSSION, DEEP DISCUSSION YOU'RE REFERRING TO, UH, IN TERMS OF PERMANENT PLACEMENT, BUT ALLOW US TO GO FORWARD AS IS.
AND I CAN VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT, MR. DALLAS.
I THINK THOUGH MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS WOULD BE THAT THIS SHOULD BE COME OUT, THIS SHOULD COME OUT OF OPERATIONS AS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD TO CONSIDER.
UM, WHAT'S COMING OUT IS IT HAS APPARENTLY BEEN CONSIDERED AND NOW IT IS LUMPED IN WITH THE 8% PROJECTS.
UM, WHICH IS GENERALLY 8%, TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN MORE IN THE 20 TO $25 MILLION RANGE.
IN FACT, WE USED TO HAVE A POLICY THAT KEPT IT AT 20 MILLION, RIGHT? IF I CAN REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
OR, UM, BUT THEN THOSE, THAT MONEY IS TO BE SPENT ON FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND FACILITY IDEAS.
SO TO ME, THE PROCESS HERE, I THINK IN TERMS OF TAKING THIS OUT OF OPERATIONS, NOT PRESENTING IT TO THE FULL BOARD, NOT HAVING A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN ADDING IT INTO OUR 8%, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROCESS, I THINK CUTS THE BOARD OUT OF THE DISCUSSION THAT COULD BE HAD.
I, I MAY END UP AGREEING WITH YOU THAT THE $5 MILLION FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO, BUT I DON'T FEEL THAT THE BOARD HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT.
AND I DO HAVE, I HAVE, I HAVE VOICED THIS CONCERN IN THE PAST.
I DON'T THINK THAT DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE IN COMMITTEE DECISIONS, SHOULD, SHOULD BE, UM, RECOMMENDED.
THE COMMITTEE SHOULD DO THE DEEP WORK, GET THE INFORMATION.
AND AS YOU DID SEND, UM, AND I WAS AT THAT FEBRUARY MEETING, SO I HAD SOME COMMENTS AS WELL, BUT SEND STAFF BACK TO IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHEN IT'S READY TO BE PRESENTED TO THE FULL BOARD, THE FULL BOARD STILL ENGAGES WITH THE DECISION.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THAT HAS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS AS TO HOW THIS SHOULD
[00:40:01]
THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS COMING OUT OF COMMITTEE.UM, AND CONCERNING THIS CON UH, CONCERNING THIS SITUATION, FIRST OFF, LEMME STOP, STOP BY SAYING THAT, UM, I LIKE TO GIVE A KUDOS OUT TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE FOR HAVING EVEN PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND MAKING IT A PART OF THIS, UH, DISCUSSION.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE STAFF HERE WHO WE DO HAVE, THEY, WE DO HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAME WAY HOW WE HAVE
AND THAT WHEN WE HAVE STUFF GOING ON IN THIS BUILDING HERE THAT IS SAFE, THAT THEY ARE SAFE REGARDLESS TO HOW WE MOVE ON AS A DISTRICT.
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S OUR OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BUILDING HERE IS SAFE AS WELL.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE I'VE BOUGHT SOME OF THE SIMILAR SAYINGS THAT, UH, THAT SHE'S, THAT, UM, ONE OF MY, THAT MY COLLEAGUE HAVE SAID, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD, WELL, THAT DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE AT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT YOU CAN GET IT FROM THERE.
AND IF THERE'S A DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENS AT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE TO MOVE ON, THEN YOU CAN ASK THE BOARD CHAIR TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA AS A TOPIC.
AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR TODAY, YOU DO HAVE THAT RIGHT TO PUT THIS ON AS A TOPIC.
BUT WHEN IT WAS LOOKED, LOOKED OVER WITH A FAIR SCOPE, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, THEY DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WAS THE TIME NOR WAS, UH, THE DISTRICT READY TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND THAT'S WHY WE TRUST THE PEOPLE WHO WE POLICE ON, ON THESE COMMITTEES IS, IS IF, IF SO, AND ONCE AGAIN, I HONESTLY, I HONESTLY THINK THAT THEY, THEY'RE MOVING IN A, THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF SAFETY FIRST AND DIRECTOR REFERENDUM WAS THE TITLE OF IT WAS SAFETY AND CONCERN.
SAFETY AND SAFETY AND, UH, SAFETY, WHAT IS IT? SAFETY AND, UH, WHAT IS IT? SAFETY, WHAT WAS IT NOW? SAFETY WHAT? SECURITY SAFETY.
SO THIS DIRECTLY CORRELATES WITH THAT SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS PIECE.
SO THEREFORE, I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULD NOT MOVE THIS FORWARD.
BUT IF THERE'S AN UNDERLYING QUESTION OR THERE'S AN UNDERLY CONCERN THAT WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE ALL THE RIGHT AS BOARD MEMBERS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THIS ON, ON THE AGENDA.
AND I, I THINK I DO REMEMBER YOU SAYING THAT, AND I DO REMEMBER US DISCUSSING THIS AND AT LENGTH AT THAT, AT THAT AGENDA SETTING UP, I MEAN, AT THAT, UM, EXCUSE ME, AT THAT COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO HOW, HOW, HOWEVER, I JUST THINK THAT THAT, THAT US, UH, TALK ABOUT TACKLING OR MOVIE REMOVE IT FROM THIS LIST OR WHATEVER WAS BROUGHT UP FOR, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, UM, NOT MAKE SOME OF MY DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, UH, HAPPY.
I THINK THAT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S OUR OBLIGATION.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD AND IF WE WANNA PUT IT ON AGENDA TO DISCUSS FURTHER AND GET, GET THE INFORMATION THAT MR. OTING, UH, SENT TO THE BOARD, SEND TO THE BOARD, UM, SENATOR, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, THEN WE CAN, CAN REVISIT THAT AT THAT TIME.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE WANNA PUT THINGS OFF AND, BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SECURITY AND SAFETY FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IT AT THE SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE THE SAME THING AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE, UH, DOWN THE ROAD, 'CAUSE I, I WON'T BE HERE NEXT YEAR, SO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THIS, LOOK AT, AT WHAT WE COULD DO TO, TO HAVE SOMETHING MAYBE IN MID MIDDLE PART OF THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, BUT AT, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
UM, SAFETY SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AS WELL WHEN IT COMES TO DISTRICT PERSONNEL.
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THIS BUILDING, UM, EVERY DAY, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, SCHOOLS DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WHERE IT'S GONNA BE MIDDLE, MIDDLE OF THE COUNTY HERE, UM, I THINK THAT THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT, BUT NOT AS IMPORTANT AS SAFETY AND PUTTING THIS BUILDING UP TO CODE TO HAVE IT, HAVE YOU FEEL SAFE COMING IN HERE? UM, WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS HERE, BUT, BUT THROUGH THE DAY, SEVEN O'CLOCK TILL SIX O'CLOCK, SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TILL EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
AND I DO AGREE WE NEED TO LOOK MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR THE NEXT DISTRICT BUILDING, IF POSSIBLE, SO THAT OUR OTHER, UM, CONSTITUENTS WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO, TO THE BOARD WITHOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, HOUR AND 15 HOUR 30 MINUTES TO GET HERE.
[00:45:01]
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TALK ABOUT THIS AND GET IT MOVING NOW RATHER THAN LATER.'CAUSE NEXT YEAR, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WE MAY BE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING AND BY THEN WE COULD HAVE HAD THE BUILDING DONE.
SO, UM, I AGREE WITH MS. BOATWRIGHT AND THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING NOW.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
SO AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR, UM, THE BLUFFTON AREA, PRITCHARD V AND DUSKY ISLAND, MY CONSTITUENTS WOULD ALSO WANT, UM, TO HAVE OUR SEAT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
THAT IS WHERE THE GROWTH HAS BEEN.
THAT IS WHERE THE POPULATION IS.
AND, UM, I, I REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO THAT IS WHY I WOULD SAY THAT I, I THINK EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, WANTS OUR, OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES TO BE SAFE.
NOBODY HERE DOESN'T WANT THEM TO BE SAFE.
THE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH TO INVEST IN THIS BUILDING? THIS BUILDING WAS, AS MS. BOATRIGHT BROUGHT OUT, UH, BUILT TO BE A SCHOOL BACK, YOU KNOW, 50 PLUS YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE EASY TO TRY.
UM, HOW SHOULD I SAY, UH, MAKE IT BECOME, YOU KNOW, A STATE OF THE ART DISTRICT BUILDING.
IT'S, IT'S NOT, I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD RE REQUIRE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO DO THAT.
UM, JUST TO, AS MR. OTTING MENTIONED TONIGHT, TO MAKE, UH, POTENTIALLY, UH, CHANGES TO THIS BUILDING TO MAKE IT USABLE FOR THAT AND, AND MORE MODERN, IT WOULD BE ABOUT 23 MILLION.
BUT, UH, I BELIEVE IF WE WERE TO BUILD SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH, IT PROBABLY WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW, IN THE ORDER OF 50 MILLION OR SOMETHING.
SO IS IT AN INVESTMENT WE WANNA MAKE? I PERSONALLY WOULD SAY NO, IT'S NOT AN INVESTMENT WE WANNA MAKE.
UM, I DO THINK WE HAVE TO, TO LOOK AT WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
I KNOW THERE, THERE ARE BUILDINGS, OR AT LEAST A BUILDINGS SOUTH OF THE BROAD THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE EXCELLENT FOR A DISTRICT OFFICE.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, PRICED AT LEAST ON THE REAL ESTATE MARKET AT 10 MILLION.
WELL, THAT'S, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH RENOVATION IT WOULD REQUIRE OR CHANGES TO IT, BUT IT WOULD, 40 MILLION TO GET TO 50 MILLION WOULD BE A LOT OF CHANGES, A LOT OF RENOVATION.
SO I GET MY QUE THAT ALL BEING SAID, MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHO I KNOW BACK WHEN WE DID THE FIRST REFERENDUM, 2019, THIS IS MY EIGHTH YEAR ON THE BOARD, WE HAD, UH, SAFETY STUDIES DONE BY, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, UM, I GUESS YOU'D SAY VENDORS THAT WERE IN THE SAFETY FIELD.
SO DID THEY DO THE DISTRICT OFFICE? WHAT, AND IF THEY DID THE DISTRICT OFFICE FOR HOW IT COULD BE IMPROVED TO BE SAFER, IS THAT THE INFORMATION WE'RE USING FOR THIS $5 MILLION CHANGE OR RECOMMENDED CHANGE? AND WHERE DID THIS, IF THAT'S NOT WHAT DIDN'T COME FROM THEM, WHERE DID THIS $5 MILLION PROJECT COME FROM? SO, TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YES.
PART OF THE 2019, WE BROUGHT IN A CONSULTANT GROUP, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR NAME.
IT WAS, UM, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
UM, BUT THEY DID A STUDY OF ONLY SCHOOLS.
WE DID NOT ASK THEM TO DO THIS BUILDING.
SO THAT GROUP DID NOT DO A SAFETY SECURITY STUDY OF THIS BUILDING.
UM, THIS WAS DONE BY AN ARCHITECT THAT WE TYPICALLY USE.
AND, UM, THEY WERE, WHAT THEY LOOKED AT WAS CREATING AN ENTRANCE LIKE WE HAVE BASICALLY IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO, UM, THE ENTRANCE WE HAVE HERE IS NOT THE SAME STYLE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL.
UM, AND THEN THEY ALSO LOOKED AT REARRANGING THIS BUILDING TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT SO WE COULD CREATE SOME MORE OFFICE SPACES SO WE COULD HAVE SOME OF THE SPACES WE THINK ARE NEEDED IN THIS BUILDING, UM, FOR IT TO FUNCTION BETTER.
UH, AND THEN REPLACING THINGS LIKE WINDOWS AND FLOORS AND CEILINGS AND ALL THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPLACE THE AIR CONDITIONING IN THIS BUILDING.
AND A, IN A MAJORITY OF IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO LAST MORE THAN ONE OR TWO.
IT'S AT THE END OF ITS LIFE TODAY, LET'S PUT IT.
SO, UH, I'D SAY A GOOD POOR, SO THAT JUST REPLACING THE AIR CONDITIONING, IF WE DO NOTHING ELSE, COSTS US $18 MILLION NOW.
AND, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS.
[00:50:01]
HAS LOOKED AT THIS BUILDING AND SAID, IF WE DO ANYTHING IN HERE, WE HAVE TO SPRINKLER IT.UH, THE FIRE MARSHAL IS, SO FOR THE PUBLIC, OSF IS OFFICE, OFFICE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES.
AND THAT'S A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION? CORRECT.
JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND SO THEY, THEY'VE JUST LOOKED AT ANY MODIFICATIONS WE MAKE TO THIS BUILDING, AS SOON AS WE MODIFY IT OR ADD ONTO IT, WE WILL THEN BE ASKED TO SPRINKLE THE BUILDING.
SO THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS, UH, NUMBER FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY PORTION.
UM, THE LOCAL FIRE MARSHAL HAS ALSO SAID THAT WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUT A FIRE LOOP AROUND IT, WHICH WOULD'VE HYDRANTS IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
IF WE DO SAME THING, IF WE DO ANYTHING TO THIS BUILDING, THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE A FIRE LOOP WITH, UH, HYDRANTS IN THE BACK.
AND SO THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS NUMBER ALONG WITH A SECURE VESTIBULE FOR ENTRANCE THAT IS DESIGNED VERY SIMILAR TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO, SO THE 5 MILLION INCLUDES THE VESTIBULE, THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM THAT HAS TO BE, UH, UPGRADED AND THE, LIKE YOU SAID, THE, THE LOOP OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL WITH HYDRANTS, ET CETERA, FOR, FOR BETTER, UH, FIRE MANAGEMENT IF THAT WERE TO OCCUR? YES, MA'AM.
SO WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WANNA SPEAK AGAIN.
AND THEN, UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT, GO AHEAD.
UM,
SO I'M JUST SAYING WHY, WHY? I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE TOWN OF BLUFF.
SO, UH, I DON'T THINK WE SOLD THE BUILDING TO THEM.
I THINK WHAT BUILDING ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WHAT TOWN HALL? WE DIDN'T SELL.
SO, OR WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE DEAL? WHAT DID GIVE TO, DID WE LEASE? NO, I MEAN I, THAT WAS, THAT WAS, UH, UH, MANY YEARS BEFORE.
I WAS HERE, IT GOES BACK A LONG WAY.
IT WAS, IT, YEAH, IT GOES BACK.
WELL, ROBERT, DO YOU KNOW I WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN WE DID THAT? I BE, I WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN WE DID THAT, THAT TOWN HALL FOR TOWN OF BLUFFING.
SO, UH, THAT WAS DONE MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO.
AND IT WAS A 99 YEAR LEASE ASKED, YEAH, I THINK IT'S A LEASE LEASE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THE REASON THEY WANTED TO BUY IT BECAUSE WAS WE OWN IT.
IT'S UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF OSF.
AND THEY DIDN'T WANT, THEY WERE ABOUT TO INVEST MONEY IN THAT BUILDING AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO HAVE TO BE UNDER OSF, SO THAT'S WHY THEY WANTED TO BUY IT.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN DID THEY BUY IT? WHEN DID THEY BUY IT? THEY HAVE NOT.
SO IT'S STILL ON THE, STILL ON THE LEASE? YES.
IT'S STILL ON A, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR IT'S AT.
IT'S PROBABLY A YEAR, 75 OR 75 YEARS TO GO, BUT IT'S ON A 75 YEAR LEASE TO GO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, AND, AND, AND WHEN, WHEN DID WE DO THAT? WHAT YEAR? HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? WE, IT WAS PRIOR TO MY TIME AND I'VE ALMOST BEEN HERE 13 YEARS.
SO I, NO, I WANNA SAY THAT, THAT THEY REDID IT HERE, HERE, HERE, RECENTLY.
AND IT CAME BEFORE US BECAUSE I REMEMBER, YES, I WAS, I WAS IN MY SEAT WHEN THAT CAME TO THE BOARD NOW.
SO LET'S, LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE, THEY ASKED TO BUY IT.
THE BOARD DID NOT APPROVE THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST THING, UH, IN THE, AND THE, THE SECOND THING IS, IS JUST RIGHT HERE.
UM, WHEN I LOOK AT BEFOR AS A WHOLE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL BUILDING IS ON THIS SIDE OF THE BROAD.
WHEN YOU GO TO COURT, IT'S ON THIS SIDE OF THE BROAD.
SO EVERYTHING ELSE IN UNIFORM, THE SHERIFF OFFICE IS ON THIS SIDE OF THE BROAD.
SO IT SEEMED LIKE IF YOU WERE GOING TO TOWN OR YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, EVERYTHING ELSE, THAT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF BUSINESSES ON THIS SIDE OF THE BROAD.
SO WHY WOULD WE WANT TO CHANGE IT UP? MY GRANDMOTHER SAID, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST SEE SOME, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE KIND OF PUSHING AGENDAS.
MY EXTENSIONS MIGHT TELL ME, MRS. SMITH, WELL, HELL, WE WANT TO MEET NO SELLER NOW I'M GONNA TELL HIM NO.
AT END, END OF THE DAY, IT IS HERE AND IT'S HERE FOR A REASON.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MONEY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE JUST HAD ALL THESE REFERENDUMS. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASKING TAXPAYERS FOR MORE MONEY.
ARE ARE WE REALLY SERIOUS RIGHT NOW ABOUT A BUILDING VERSUS PAYING TO GET THE SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERN OUT THE WAY AND MAKING IT SAFE AND, AND WORRYING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE UP THE ROAD IN TERMS IN TERMS OF TEST SCORES AND FOCUSING ON WHAT WE'RE REALLY HERE FOR.
I'M JUST A LITTLE BAFFLED BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THERE'RE BEING A, A LITTLE AGENDA PUSH RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M A LITTLE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE REALLY HAVE GOING ON.
AND WE HAVE SOME ON, ON THE AGENDA, UH, UP UPON, UM, UPON OUR SCHOOL'S PERFORMANCES.
THAT'S MORE OF WHAT I WANNA HEAR.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS A SITUATION THAT WE'RE KIND OF DISCUSSING IT NOW.
I MEAN, IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE SAW THAT WAS FITTING AND WHEN
[00:55:01]
THAT CONVERSATION CAME UP YEARS AGO ABOUT GIVING THEM OR OR WHEREVER THEY WANTED TO BUY IT, WE SHOULD HAVE KICKED THEM OUT AND SAY, LOOK HERE, WE WANNA MOVE.WE WANNA MOVE IN THE BUILDING.
THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE BACK THEN SOME PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT THEN, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT DIDN'T GO NOWHERE.
AND NOW WE ARE, WE NOW REVISITING THIS.
EVERYTHING'S ON THIS SIDE OF THE BROAD.
WHY SHOULD WE CHANGE IT TO PUT THINGS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ABROAD? BECAUSE UH, SOME CONSTITUENTS WANT THINGS.
HECK, MY CONSTITUENTS WANT A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IS LISTEN, THIS IS THE BUILDING THAT WE DO OWN.
THIS IS THE BUILDING THAT WE DO HAVE AND WE JUST BEEN OUT THERE FOR, DANG THERE TWO REFERENDUMS. IF WE KNEW THAT, WHY DIDN'T WE PUT IN A REFERENDUM? LET'S NOT BACKTRACK.
SO, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO RESPOND TO MY COLLEAGUE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM THAT'S COMING OUT OF COMMITTEE.
THIS IS NOT, SO THIS IS WHY I THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
THE, UM, THERE ARE ACTUALLY THE SCHEMATICS AND THE DRAWINGS FROM THE ARCHITECT ARE IN THIS, UH, FEBRUARY, 2024 PRESENTATION.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO THE TAXPAYERS AND ASK FOR $5 MILLION AND YOU WANT US TO APPROVE IT, I FEEL LIKE THIS SORT OF INFORMATION IS USEFUL.
I AM NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OPPOSED TO DOING NECESSARY SECURITY UPDATES, UM, ET CETERA.
BUT WHAT WAS PRESENTED BY OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, OR WHAT WAS BROUGHT TO OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF THE PROS AND CONS.
I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO MOVE THE, UM, OFFICE TO THE ANYWHERE CLOSER TO HILTON HEAD.
I WANT IT TO BE IN THE CENTER.
A LOT OF DISTRICTS ARE DOING THAT.
SOME OF THE DISTRICTS LIKE BAMBERG, THEY'RE CENTRALIZING THEIR SERVICES BECAUSE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, ONE OF THE BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL.
COUNTY COUNCIL HAS A SATELLITE OFFICE IN HILTON HEAD AND A FAIRLY LARGE ONE IN BLUFFTON.
SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY SATELLITE OFFICES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BROUGHT UP BEFORE AS WELL, IS HAVING A, UM, COUNTY SATELLITE OFFICE.
SO THAT IF, UH, THE TEACHERS ON HILTON HEAD NEED TO DO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THERE'S A WRECK ON THE BRIDGE OR THERE'S A TRAFFIC, IT'S NOT QUITE AS CHALLENGING TO GET OVER HERE.
I ALSO MENTIONED AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS THAT AS WE DEVELOPED HIGHWAY ONE 70 AND THIS AREA OF BUFORT, THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION, I DROVE HERE TODAY.
I DON'T NORMALLY GET HERE AT FIVE O'CLOCK, SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT LATER AND SCHOOL'S OUT.
THE INTERSECTION 2 78, 1 70 WAS A DISASTER AND ONE 70 AND THAT'S GONNA GET TREMENDOUSLY WORSE.
SO IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO GET HARDER AND HARDER FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT.
ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT 70% OF THE STUDENTS ARE ON SOUTH OF ABROAD AND MORE SCHOOLS AND MORE TEACHERS BY QUITE A BIT ARE IN THAT AREA.
SO IT MAKES SENSE TO CENTRALIZE THIS.
UM, THE OTHER THING AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL, WE HAVE 3000 EMPLOYEES AND MOST OF THOSE ARE EMPLOYED IN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFED AND THEY'RE EMPLOYED ALL OVER THE COUNTY, WHEREAS THE COUNTY HAS MORE OF A CENTRALIZED MODEL.
SO I THINK THAT THOSE ARE SOME OF, I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO CONSIDER IF THERE'S A COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MAKE A MORE CENTRAL LOCATION AND EVEN IMPROVE THE FACILITIES.
'CAUSE THIS FACILITY IS NOT WELL SUITED FOR ITS PURPOSE.
IT WAS SORT OF A, UM, I GUESS YOU'D CALL IT A STOP GAP MEASURE BACK IN 2009.
AND I CAN TELL YOU AS SOMEONE INTO, I DON'T THINK MARK SHOW HANDS HERE, THESE KIND OF BUILDINGS ARE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR TECHNOLOGY.
THEY'RE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR WIFI, THEY'RE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR ZOOM.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE.
SO THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP NOW IS THAT THIS WAS PRESENTED, A MOTION IS ON THE TABLE ASKING US TO APPROVE $5 MILLION AS PHASE ONE OF THIS.
AND MY POINT IS THAT I WANT THAT PRESENTATION MADE TO THE BOARD AND WE'RE HAVING A GOOD DISCUSSION NOW.
AND I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF HAVING A, UH, MORE MODERN, MORE CONTEMPORARY SOLUTION IN A MORE CENTRAL LOCATION.
AND JUST BECAUSE I WAS BORED, I DID, UM, OKAT T ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IT'S 30 MINUTES FROM ST.
HELENA, IT'S 30 MINUTES FROM WHALE BRANCH, IT'S 30 MINUTES FROM HILTON HEAD.
IT'S VERY EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE COUNTY.
SO THAT IF YOU HAVE, UM, PEOPLE THAT WANNA WORK FOR THE DISTRICT THAT LIVE ON HILTON HEAD OR WHALE BRANCH OR ST.
HELENA, THEY'RE NOT DISADVANTAGED.
IF YOU HAVE STUDENTS THAT WANT TO COME AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS, IT'S EASIER FOR THEM.
IF IT'S A REAL PROBLEM FOR ME TO DRIVE, WE CAN ALWAYS DO ZOOM.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE.
UM, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HAVING EQUAL REPRESENTATION IN THE DISTRICT.
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, WHAT I WANNA STRESS HERE IS THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP NOT IS I AM PERFECTLY HAPPY TO APPROVE FUNDING FOR NECESSARY SECURITY UPDATES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVEN GO FAR ENOUGH WITH SOME OF THE SECURITY UPDATES 'CAUSE WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DOING ANYTHING OVER HERE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DOING ANYTHING ON THIS SIDE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR CURRENT SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS ARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ACCESS CONTROL AT THE FRONT OR IS IT JUST AN OPEN DOOR? DO WE HAVE A VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM? I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULDN'T WANNA DISCUSS EITHER.
NO, I'M JUST SAYING LIKE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE OUR STARTING POINT IS.
SO I AM, UM, I WOULD FEEL CONFIDENT WITH, UM, UH, MR. DY AND DR. RODRIGUEZ MAKING A DETERMINATION OF WHAT IS THE SECURITY THAT'S NECESSARY TO BE DONE HERE AND UPGRADING THAT AND MOVING ON THAT NOW.
AND IF THAT'S $5 MILLION, I CAN DO THAT, BUT
[01:00:01]
I STILL WANNA HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE ARE GOING TO PUT, 'CAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT 25 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS INTO THIS BUILDING.AND I DON'T THINK WHEN WE'VE SPENT THAT $25 MILLION, WHETHER IT'S ON A REFERENDUM OR AN 8% PROJECT, THAT WE'RE GONNA FEEL LIKE THIS IS A GREAT SPOT FOR MEETING MADAM CHAIR.
YEAH, CAN I, I JUST WANNA ASK, UM, ROBERT, ONE QUESTION THEN I'LL LET YOU SPEAK AGAIN AND THEN ANYBODY THAT HASN'T SPOKEN.
SO ROBERT, YOU SAID WHAT, WHO WAS THE ARCHITECT THAT DID THIS SECURITY, UM, PLAN, UH, JUMP RECORDER AND CEASE OKAY.
I DON'T THINK YOU MENTIONED WHO IT WAS.
I'LL SAY CAROL DID CORRECT ME, UM, THAT WHEN THE SAFETY AND SECURITY CONSULTANTS LOOKED AT, UM, UH, THE DISTRICT IN BACK IN 2019, THEY DID, THEY DIDN'T REVIEW THIS BUILDING IN SPECIFIC, BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MADE WERE FOR ALL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
THEY MADE SOME GENERAL THINGS THAT ALL BUILDINGS SHOULD HAVE THIS.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IS IN LINE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY MADE FOR ALL BUILDINGS BACK IN 2019, EVEN THOUGH THEY SPECIFICALLY DIDN'T DO THIS BUILDING.
AND THEN WE WILL, ANYBODY WHO HASN'T SPOKEN, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU PREFER THAT.
IF, IF YOU PREFER THAT THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SPOKEN SPEAK FIRST, I'M FINE WITH THAT AND THEN I'LL SPEAK LESS.
THERE'S A, LET'S SEE, VIC, YOU GUYS THAT HAVEN'T SPOKEN, YOU'RE OKAY.
DALLAS, DALLAS, I'M, I'M A LITTLE, I'M A LITTLE PERPLEXED HERE HOW THIS GOT SIDEWAYS BECAUSE WE HAD A, A OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WHERE THE SAME COMMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE IN OPPOSITION NOW WERE MADE THEN.
AND THE COMBINED TEAMS HAVE ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, SO INSTEAD OF THE 24, 20 5 MILLION THAT I'M HEARING BANDED AROUND IS NOT THAT AMOUNT, WE COLLECTIVELY SAID NO TO THAT AND DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT BRINGING THAT BEFORE THE FULL BOARD.
WE SCALED IT BACK TO 5 MILLION OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS ESSENTIALLY THE CORE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND I WISH SOME OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE ROOM WHEN ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES FIRST SAID THAT THE STUDENTS MATTER MORE THAN THE TEACHERS AND SEEN THE LOOK ON THEIR FACE OR BECAUSE THEY INTERPRETED THAT.
IF YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, I DON'T MATTER, BUT I GOT, AND WE KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF INCIDENCES THAT CREATED A FRIGHTFUL MOOD WITHIN THE BUILDING.
IT'S ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR ME.
AND I THINK COLLECTIVELY WE, THE GROUPS HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF LISTENING TO ALL THE COMMENTS AND COMING BACK AND SHAVING OFF ALMOST $20 MILLION WHAT WAS AN ORIGINAL ESTIMATE BECAUSE OF THE REAL DISCIPLINE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE MADE.
THEN THE SECOND THING IS WHEN WE SAY GROWTH IS ON THE 2 78 CARTER AND I DISTINGUISH THEM AS 2 78, CARTER AND THE HERITAGE AREA, NORTHERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY GOES BACK MUCH FURTHER IN TERMS OF BEING ACTIVE, VIBRANT AND ENGAGING IN TERMS OF AN OPERATING GOVERNMENT THAN THE 2 78 CARTER.
AND I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO TRIGGER AND US VERSUS THEM SCENARIO BECAUSE PLEASE RECALL WE LOST TWO REFEREND WITH ABOUT 29% APPROVAL BEFORE THIS COLLEGIAL BOARD CAME.
NOT THIS ONE, NOT NOT INCLUDING ME.
I'M SAYING THE PRE PROCEEDING ONE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO CAME INTO EXISTENCE.
SO WHAT OUR STRATEGIC THINKING WAS, LET'S DO THE MINIMUM NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES KNOW WE CARE.
WE GOT YOUR BACK, LET'S MAKE SURE WE DON'T OVERINVEST, WE CUT OUT THE TEAMS, CUT OUT ROUGHLY $20 MILLION SO THAT WE COULD GO FORWARD.
AND THEN WITH PRUDENCE AND A VERY METHODICAL APPROACH SAY WHERE IS THE BEST LOCATION FOR A CENTRALIZED OFFICE? ALL OF US CAN BUY INTO THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE ARE TWO POINTS.
THE LAST POINT I WANNA MAKE, I HEAR ABOUT THE GROWTH ON THE SIDE OF THE 2 78 CAR.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO REALLY WORKS IN THAT GROWTH AREA, I THINK WE ARE UNDERESTIMATING THE GROWTH THAT IS COMING TO THE HERITAGE AREA.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
AND IF THE HERITAGE AREA EVER GETS SOME OF ITS PROHIBITIONS AGAINST DENSITY OUT OF THE WAY, THAT SIDE IS GOING TO EXPLODE JUST LIKE THE 2 78 CAR.
SO BEING CENTRALIZED IS BETTER.
I SEE NO RE NEED TO ACTUALLY DEFER ON $5 MILLION WHEN WE'VE ASKED THE PUBLIC FOR $439 MILLION.
SO JUST MY 2 CENTS, AS ALWAYS, I DEFER TO THE WILL OF THE GROUP.
SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
SO, MR. DALLAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION?
[01:05:01]
YES, MA'AM, I WOULD.UM, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 8% CAPITAL NEEDS BY CATEGORY AS PRESENTED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $43,572,000 USING 8% CAPITAL FUNDS.
AND THE SECOND, THANK YOU, UM, MR. DALLAS AND THE SECOND WAS MADE BY, UH, COLONEL GEIER.
SO I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE DISCUSSION.
ANYBODY WANT TO ADD ANYTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY TOUCHED UPON? MR. CAMPBELL? I JUST WANNA SAY THIS, THIS, UH, TALKING ABOUT A CENTRAL OFFICE IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE COUNTY.
THIS WAS DISCUSSED BACK IN 2000 YEAR 2000 WHEN WE DID THE REFERENDUM.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE UPSET ABOUT IT.
EVEN SOME MEMBERS ON COUNTY COUNCIL WAS UPSET ABOUT IT, UH, MOVING THE DISTRICT OFFICE IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE COUNTY.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE CANNOT COMPARE OUR DISTRICT TO BAMBERG.
BAMBERG IS NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT MANY SCHOOLS IN BAMBERG.
SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY CAN CHANGE THAT, THE DISTRICT.
BUT MOST OF THE LARGE DISTRICTS, THE DISTRICT OFFICER IS LOCATED IN ONE SPOT AND PEOPLE GO, GO, GO TO THOSE MEETINGS IF THEY WANT TO LOOK AT CHARLESTON.
AND, AND THE THING ABOUT IT IS THAT THE NORTHERN PART OF THIS COUNTY IS NOT JUST HERE.
IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE COLON COUNTY LINE.
AND WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT COME FROM THERE UP NEAR YA, YOU KNOW, SO I, I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING NOW.
READY TO VOTE? OKAY, SO THE, UM, THE MOTION IS PRINTED ON YOUR, ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S NOT DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, APPROVING THE, UM, THE MOTION AS MR. DALLAS RED AND COLONEL GEER SECOND, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO, MR. DALLAS, YOU'VE GOT A SECOND, UH, MOTION THERE? YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES AND TEAM, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO JUST BRIEFLY SPEAK ABOUT THIS.
ACE IS ONE OF THOSE UNIQUE ASSETS THAT, AS I'VE DISCOVERED MORE ABOUT IT AND PARTICIPATED MORE IN THE TUTELAGE OF MR. CAMPBELL AND COLONEL GEIER AND, AND, UM, MR. CAMPBELL, UH, WELL, THOSE TWO AND MYSELF BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IT IS TRULY AN ASSET.
IT HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, WITH OUR COUNTY GROWING BOTH SEGMENTS.
UM, IT, IT REALLY BEHOOVES US TO IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL PLANT THERE AT ACE, UH, OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES.
I MEAN, OPERATIONS AND FINANCE HAD CONDUCTED AN ASSESSMENT, I THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO THAT TOTALED $11 MILLION.
UM, AND FINANCE CAME BACK IN AND SAID, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TECHNOLOGY ASPECTS OF IT.
ADDING ANOTHER TWO IN MEETINGS THAT WERE TRIGGERED BY COLONEL GEIER.
THEN AS CHAIR AND MR. CAMPBELL AS BOARD MEMBER OF BASE, UH, BOTH COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD BE TO COVER THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE 6.5 MILLION.
UH, WHAT WE ARE ASKING, AND I'M MAKING A MOTION, IS THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STEP FORWARD TO ACTUALLY DO, UM, BASICALLY ANALYZE HOW THAT WOULD BE SPENT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT COLLECTIVELY THIS HELPS US WITH MAINTAINING OUR MILLAGE WITHOUT AN INCREASE.
IT HELPS US IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL PLANT, AND IT ALSO HELPS OUR COLLEAGUES IN JASPER WHO ARE ALSO LOOKING TO PONY UP AND CONTRIBUTE, UH, MORE AGGRESSIVELY, UH, THAN MAYBE IN THE PAST.
SO THAT IS WHAT THIS MOTION IS ABOUT.
I'M VERY PLEASED ABOUT THE COLLEGIAL ASPECTS OF THE COMBINED BOARD, BOTH WHEN I FIRST JOINED, AND THEY'RE ALSO, UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, OF, OF A DR.
T AND HOW HE'S REACHING ACROSS THE LINE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S INCLUDED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
IT DOES NOT REQUEST A SPECIFIC, UM, UH, AMOUNT OR PROJECTS.
IT REQUESTS THAT WE ENABLE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO, I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.
[01:10:01]
I, HAVING A, UM, I THINK ALL OF US, OR MOST OF US CERTAINLY ATTENDED THE, THE JOINT, UM, JASPER BEAUFORT MEETING AT ACE, AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WAS ON THE, UH, PAPERWORK WE WERE PROVIDED, I BELIEVE WAS 11 MILLION FOR WHAT WERE CRITICAL NEEDS THERE.AND THEN YOU JUST SAID TWO MORE MILLION FOR, UH, TECHNOLOGY NEEDS.
SO WE'RE TALKING IN THAT BALLPARK OF 13 MILLION, AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE, SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS, UH, THE TWO, UM, COUNTIES, SCHOOL BOARDS, DISTRICTS, EXCUSE ME, ARE RES ARE SPLIT THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS EQUALLY.
SO THEREFORE, IF IT'S ABOUT A $13 MILLION NEED, THE, UM, ARE, ARE OUR, OUR SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HALF OF THAT.
IE ABOUT SIX AND A HALF MILLION.
SO IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF, IS THAT WHERE WE ARE? THAT IS PRECISELY IT, MADAM CHAIR.
AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO READ THE, UH, MOTION AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, MA'AM.
SO GO AHEAD AND THEN IF THERE IS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT CAN BE ASKED AFTERWARDS, UH, THE MOTION IS MADE AND SECONDED.
WE, WE MOTION THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FUNDING OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 6.5 MILLION TO BE FUNDED BY FISCAL YEAR 2025, EXCESS GENERAL FUND BALANCE, WHICH HELPS US WITH SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT OUR, OUR GENERAL FUND.
THAT SECOND PART IS AN AD-LIB.
SO THE SECOND WAS, OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, MR. DALLAS, AND THE SECOND WAS BY, UH, MR. NAY.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMENTS? I KNOW, CAN YOU, CAN YOU JUST READ IT ONCE AGAIN? SURE, SURE.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FUNDING OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 6.5 MILLION TO BE FUNDED BY FISCAL YEAR 2024 EXCESS GENERAL FUND BALANCE, PERIOD.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR GO AHEAD.
MS. CROSBY IS AT THE PODIUM YES.
UM, I, UM, MR. OTTING AND I WROTE THE, THE MOTION TOGETHER.
UM, SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GENERAL FUND EXCESS AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS FFY FISCAL YEAR 24.
AND I THINK THAT WAS MY ERROR IN THE MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO EDIT THAT TO BE FY 24 INSTEAD OF 25.
UM, BUT WE DO EXPECT, AND I'VE REPORTED TO THE BOARD, UH, A FEW MONTH OR TWO AGO, THAT WE DO EXPECT ABOUT A $15 MILLION EXCESS, UH, UH, IN FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR, WHICH WE WILL BE PROPOSING TO MOVE TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.
UM, BUT THAT IS A, AN APPROPRIATE SOURCE OF FUNDING, UH, THAT IT COULD BE DESIGNATED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
SO, UH, I JUST REQUEST, UH, AN FY 24 EDIT TO THAT MOTION IF I, IF WE COULD, SO DID YOU HEAR THAT, UM, MR. DALLAS MA, MADAM CHAIR? MY, WHAT I READ, I THINK ACTUALLY SAID FISCAL YEAR 2024.
SO THE CORRECTION WAS MAIL? YEAH.
I THOUGHT SO, BUT THEN I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE I DIDN'T HEAR RIGHT,
SO IT'S ALREADY CORRECTED, BUT I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, TANYA FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
AND SO THE MOTION WAS MADE CORRECTLY.
SECONDED CORRECTLY, THOUGH, READY TO VOTE
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR, UM, REPORT, MR. DALLAS? YES, DOES.
SO, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE REPORTING WITH CHAIR MRS. BOATWRIGHT.
UM, COMING OUT OF OUR TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, WE HAD A MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THE GOAL WAS, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PAPERWORK IN THE DISTRICT AND HOW EVERY SCHOOL SORT OF HAS ITS OWN PROCESS AND THAT THIS CAN LEAD TO SOME, UM, CONFUSION, SOME COMPLICATIONS.
AND SO THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT HAVING, STARTING TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR PROCESSES, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR ATHLETIC PAPERWORK, WHAT'S NEEDED, IF YOU'RE GONNA SIGN UP FOR A SPORTS TEAM, WHAT
[01:15:01]
PAPERWORK HAS TO BE SIGNED, HOW OFTEN IT HAS TO BE UPDATED, ET CETERA.AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THE FULL PRESENTATION ON WHAT A STANDARDIZED PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR ATHLETIC PAPERWORK.
UM, AND, AND ALSO LOOKING AT HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY MAKE THAT SOMETHING THAT A PARENT COULD GO TO ONLINE DOWNLOAD, EVEN POTENTIALLY FILL OUT ONLINE, UM, AND SUBMIT.
BUT IT DID, UH, BRING FORWARD A REALLY INTERESTING, AND I THINK FULSOME CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NEED TO STANDARDIZE SOME OF OUR PROCESSES TO CREATE SOME EFFICIENCY IN THE DISTRICT.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF REPETITIVE DATA ENTRY, UM, AND THEN ALSO TO CREATE SOME COHESIVENESS IN TERMS OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO IT KIND OF MORPHED INTO A MUCH MORE GENERAL CONVERSATION.
AND SO, UH, WANTING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO ACTUALLY START LOOKING AT THIS PROCESS, RATHER THAN TALKING ABOUT IT, WE HAVE A MOTION, WHICH I CAN READ HERE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
UM, SO THE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, UH, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EVALUATE CURRENT PROCESSES AND LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO STANDARDIZE AND IMPROVE DATA EFFICIENCY.
AND THIS IS MEANT TO BE A VERY GENERAL STARTING POINT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THERE, THIS IS NOT LIKE SETTING OUT A VERY SPECIFIC COURSE OF ACTION.
THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF START REP SEEING THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS TO MOVE IN THIS GENERAL DIRECTION, UH, FOR THE DISTRICT.
WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN EFFICIENCY MOTION.
I DON'T SEE WHO WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THAT.
HAS, HAS IT BEEN SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
YEAH, IT WAS SECONDED BY MR. SMITH
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CHAIR? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE.
UM, SO IF YOU WANNA COMMENT, COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I THINK THIS IS REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I'M IN, IN TOTAL CONCERT WITH, UH, MS. BOATRIGHT ON THIS.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, STANDARDIZATION, IT CAN MAKE IT SO MUCH EASIER IN TERMS OF MOVING TALENT.
UH, PEOPLE GETTING UP THE LEARNING CURVE A LOT EASIER BECAUSE BASICALLY WHERE POSSIBLE AND, AND APPROPRIATE, THE SAME TYPE SYSTEM WOULD EXIST IN THE NEW LOCATION AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO RELEARN EVERY TIME THEY MOVED.
UH, SO, AND, AND OF COURSE THERE'S SOME EFFICIENCIES, UH, THAT COME WITH THAT AS WELL.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M SUPPORTED AND I PARTICIPATE IN THAT TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSION AND I THOUGHT WAS VERY FRUITFUL.
SO ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, MS. BOATWRIGHT, DO YOU HAVE OTHER RECORDING? THE ONLY THING THAT I WILL BRING UP THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON, AND I, THAT IS PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN ANYONE ELSE ON THIS BOARD, BUT SINCE I'M THE CHAIR, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND BRING IT UP.
UM, THE ESPORTS PROGRAM AND TRYING TO DEVELOP THAT RIGHT NOW, IT'S, UH, MR. SHAHAN REPORTED IT'S IN TWO HIGH SCHOOLS AND THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT CURRENT TRENDS IN EDUCATION, GAMIFICATION OF EDUCATION IS A BIG, UM, ISSUE.
AND IT ALSO TEACHES KIDS A LOT OF BASIC TECHNOLOGY SKILLS.
IT'S SORT OF A HANDS-ON LEARNING.
AND FOR SOME KIDS, IF THEY ENJOY VIDEO GAMING RATHER THAN IT HAVING BE BEING A SOLO ACTIVITY, IT ACTUALLY BRINGS 'EM IN, TEACHES 'EM COLLABORATION STRATEGY.
CHESS WAS ACTUALLY, UM, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SORT OF WAR GAME, SO IT'S, UH, ON THAT SAME THEME.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO, UH, PUSH ESPORTS FORWARD AS A PROGRAM? AND IT WAS JUST A GENERAL DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE.
UM, JUST IN GENERAL THAT I THINK ESPORTS IS MISUNDERSTOOD AND THAT IT SERVES AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAT A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AND ARE OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ESPORTS NOW.
AND IT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE THE DISTRICT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
YES, COLONEL GEIER, I'D LIKE TO STRONGLY ENDORSE, UH, LOOKING AT THIS PRO TYPE OF PROGRAM.
WE LOOK FOR SUBJECTS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE SPORTS, WE HAVE QUIZ BOWLS, WE HAVE UM, BAND, WE HAVE DRAMA, BUT WE'RE LOSING A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT ARE GAMERS AND THEY COME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND THEY GET ON FORTNITE AND OTHER GAMES.
THEY INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT THEY INTERACT FROM THEIR BEDROOMS, THEY INTERACT, UH, ONLINE WITH CHATS AND SO ON, AND THEY LOSE THAT FACE-TO-FACE KIND OF SOCIALIZATION.
[01:20:02]
WE ARE LOSING A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT WAY, AND IT'S RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE TO SET UP A ROOM IN THE SCHOOL LIKE WE DO FOR ALL OUR CLUBS, OUR ROBOTICS CLUBS AND OTHER THINGS TO SET UP A ROOM WHERE THEY CAN COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER IN THE FACE AND THEY CAN GAME AND THEY CAN SHARE AND THEY CAN LEARN TO SOCIALIZE.THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE OF THIS.
AND IT'S, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD, UH, BE LOOKING AT TO FIND A TOPIC, A GOAL, A PROGRAM FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO DO IT.
I HAVEN'T FINISHED MY REPORT, BUT I THANK YOU COLONEL GARR.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT TOO, AND THE REASON THIS IS INTERESTING IS I WORK IN HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT GRADUATION, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR GRADUATES ARE GOING INTO HEALTHCARE OR TECHNOLOGY, THOSE ARE TWO FUTURE FIELDS.
UM, AND SO AT THE CLINIC I WORK AT, WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY'RE CABLING THINGS, THEY ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, BOOTING UP AN ULTRASOUND MACHINE AND DOING ALL THE TECHNICAL BACKEND, I KIND OF WILL TALK TO 'EM AND I ALWAYS ASK, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, LIKE, HOW'D YOU GET INTO THIS CAREER? AND THE CONSISTENT THEME, A LOT OF THEM ARE MILITARY, A LOT OF THEM, AND THAT THEY WERE GAMERS AND THAT'S HOW THEY GOT INTERESTED IN DOING THIS KIND OF WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY STARTED OFF AT SOME, THEN THEY'VE MOVED UP AND NOW THEY'RE MAKING GREAT MONEY.
THEY, YOU KNOW, TRAVEL, THEY'RE MAINTAINING ALL THIS, UM, HIGH-END EQUIPMENT AND THAT IS CERTAINLY A GROWTH FIELD.
SO IT IS, IT IS, UM, TEACHING KIDS THINGS AS WELL.
[Superintendent’s Report ]
REPORTS.SO WE NOW HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
STRADDLE ISS GONNA REPORT OUT ON, UH, ART SHOWCASE THAT WAS HELD AND UH, FULL CONGRESS.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
MS. MOLLY, ARE YOU ABLE TO PULL UP THE VIDEO? MA'AM? I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE THAT ON MAY 30TH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A ROOM ACTUALLY BUILDING FULL OF UNBELIEVABLY TALENTED YOUNG ADULTS, ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, PARENTS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND DISTRICT STAFF HERE TO CELEBRATE AND ACTUALLY WITNESS PHENOMENAL LIVE PERFORMANCES.
AND AS YOU WALK THROUGH THE BUILDING THIS EVENING, YOU COULD ACTUALLY SOME SEE SOME OF THE FINE ART THAT THE STUDENTS PREPARED.
THIS WAS OUR FIRST EVENT THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE PRE COVID AND WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS ANNUALLY.
WE HAVE A QUICK CLIP CELEBRATING OUR TALENTED YOUNG ARTISTS.
CREATIVITY IS TAKING CENTER STAGE AS THE BUER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HOST.
ITS FIRST EVER WIDE ART SHOWCASE FROM STUNNING ARTWORK TO CAPTIVATING PERFORMANCES.
THE EVENT IS HIGHLIGHTING THE INCREDIBLE TALENTS OF OUR STUDENTS.
AFTER SEEING ALL OF THE FANTASTIC ARTWORK FROM CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS AND SCHOOL WALKTHROUGHS IN DIFFERENT COMPETITIONS LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, AND STATEWIDE, WE FIGURED SINCE THE ARTS ARE MORE THAN JUST A FROSTING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE NIGHT CELEBRATING THEM.
ALL THE HALLWAYS OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A GALLERY DISPLAYING MORE THAN 180 PIECES OF OUR WORK CREATED BY STUDENTS FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL.
THE SHOWCASE IS A GREAT WAY TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THE ARTS ARE THRIVING IN OUR DISTRICT.
THE ARTS IS EVERYTHING, IN MY OPINION.
I MEAN FROM THE DANCING TO THE SINGING, TO THE THEATER, TO THE ART, EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T DRAW, BUT HEY, EVERYTHING IS AWESOME AND YOU JUST GET TO BE YOURSELF.
AND WHEN I DO ANYTHING ART RELATED, ANY ART RELATED ACTIVITIES, I JUST GET TO BE MYSELF AND I'M FREE.
AND IT'S JUST, IT JUST FEELS LIKE AN ESCAPE FROM ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.
I JUST LOVE THE ARTS HOLE AROUND.
IT'S REALLY GREAT JUST FOR CREATIVITY AND I'M SO THANKFUL TO HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THOSE CREATIVE FREEDOMS AND HAVE THOSE CREATIVE SIDES TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SEVERAL STUDENTS ALSO STEPPED INTO THE SPOTLIGHT WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES BY BANDS, COURSES AND THEATER STUDENTS.
MUSIC IS JUST LIKE A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT YOU CAN DO.
IT'S LIKE SOMETHING THAT CAN GIVE INSPIRATION.
THE YOUNG ARTISTS REALLY ENJOYED MEETING EACH OTHER IN SHARING THEIR LOVE FOR THE ARTS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE WHAT LIKE OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO.
I LOVE LIKE SEEING OTHER PEOPLE'S TALENTS.
SO FROM KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH YOUR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, YOU GET TO SEE HOW THE KIDS PERFORM, WHAT THEY DID, AND HOW THEY'VE GROWN FROM BEING A KINDERGARTNER TO ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGH SCHOOL.
YES, YOUR HIGHNESS, JUST FOR KIDS TO LIKE EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND WHAT THEY WANT TO EXPRESS.
[01:25:01]
THEY WANT SOMETHING TO BE KNOWN, THEY CAN SHOW THE WHOLE DISTRICT AND THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE IT CAN SEE IT.THE DISTRICT TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN SHOWCASING THE OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC TALENTS OF OUR STUDENTS.
THE TALENT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS JUST OFF THE CHARTS.
NOT ONLY ARE OUR STUDENTS EXCELLING VISUALLY AND IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, WE ARE ALSO TONIGHT CELEBRATING THE CULINARY ARTS.
NOT ONLY DID THESE STUDENTS PREPARE THE WORK, BUT THEY PLATED IT AND PRESENTED IT THROUGH THE ART OF PRESENTATION.
AND SO THIS IS A HOLISTIC CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS FROM THE FOOD ASPECT TO THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ASPECT.
THERE WERE EIGHT LIVE PERFORMANCES AND 187 PIECES OF ARTWORK ON DISPLAY.
WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO MADAM CHAIR, I MAY SHARE ONE OF MOST MOVING MOMENTS THAT EVENING WAS LISTENING TO ONE OF OUR GREAT BANDS FROM A HIGH SCHOOL, BUT ACTUALLY THEN WATCHING STUDENTS FROM ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL LISTENING AND APPLAUDING AND BASICALLY, I'M GONNA SAY IT AS HAVING THE MOST ROLLED OUT YOUNG TEEN EVENT AND JUST CHEERING EACH OTHER ON.
SO TO SEE THAT AND TO SEE THE PERFORMANCES THAT OUR STUDENTS DO, I WANNA THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE THAT NIGHT BECAUSE I HEARD SOME OF YOU SINGING THAT EVENING AS WELL,
SO WITH THAT, IF I CAN GO TO THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.
SO MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WAS PREPARED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE STATE REQUIRED QUARTERLY UPDATE OF UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
EVENT OF ADDIT, JUST IN CASE WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, ARE ELIZABETH RIVERA, PRINCIPAL OF JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY, BRADLEY TERRANCE, PRINCIPAL OF ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
MARA NEAL, PRINCIPAL OF WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY.
ADDITIONALLY JOINING US ARE THE THREE RESPECTIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, DR.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU MS. MOLLY.
IF YOU MAY PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION.
YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS IN YOUR FOLDER.
YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WAS PULLED FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
IT GIVES YOU BRIEF INFORMATION REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE MEMORANDUM.
THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
AS YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, I'D LIKE YOU TO DRAW YOUR EYES TO THE BLUE.
THAT IS ACTUALLY THE STATE COMPLIANCE.
THE MODEL FOCUSES ON THE LEADERSHIP.
THAT IS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANT MODEL FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I WANT US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS IS A STATE CLASSIFICATION, NOT A FEDERAL CLASSIFICATION.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD AND TO MONITOR.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE IN BLUE, THE UN UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS AT THE CRUX OF THIS UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS IS THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL, WHICH FOCUSES ON PLAN, DO CHECKED ACT.
I WANNA OVERLAY THAT WITH REFLECT AND FEEDBACK BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THESE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DOING.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THESE DATA POINTS, AS YOU DO KNOW THAT ARE NOT SC READY, BECAUSE THOSE DATA POINTS RIGHT NOW ARE EMBARGOED.
I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT THESE ARE I-READY RESPECTIVELY READING AND MATH.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE THIRD GRADE, YOU'LL SEE FROM FALL TO SPRING THERE WAS A 24 POINT IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE WHAT WE RE WILL RECOGNIZE AS MEETS OR EXCEEDS FROM FOURTH GRADE.
THERE'S A 13 POINT IMPROVEMENT FIFTH GRADE, A 16 POINT IMPROVEMENT FOR THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.
LOOKING AT MATH WITH JOSEPH SHANKLIN, THERE IS A 15 POINT RESPECTIVE IMPROVEMENT FOR THIRD GRADE, 42 POINT IMPROVEMENT FROM FALL TO SPRING FOR FOURTH GRADE AND A 13 POINT IMPROVEMENT.
AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS.
I CANNOT BRING YOU TO GET THE STANDARDIZED TESTING YET.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE ALSO THAT SOME OF THE AREAS OR WORK THAT THE SCHOOL HAS DONE, YOU HAVE BULLETS ON YOUR NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT IS KEY? AS YOU REVIEW THE READINGS HERE, YOU WOULD SEE THAT THE PRINCIPAL AND STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH EXPERTS.
A COMMONALITY YOU'RE CAN HEAR AMONGST THESE SCHOOLS ARE THEY'RE UTILIZING DATA TO
[01:30:01]
HELP DRIVE INSTRUCTION.BUT I WANNA BE VERY SPECIFIC TO SAY THAT THEY'RE UTILIZING DATA TO MEET THE NEEDS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE STUDENTS, NOT IN THE COLLECTIVE BLANKET.
ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT PRINCIPAL RIVERA HAS BEEN DOING, IF YOU LOOK DOWN TO THE FIFTH BULLET, WHERE THEY ARE EMBEDDING PLCS, BUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS TEACHERS ARE TAKING THE TIME TO REHEARSE WHAT THE QUESTIONINGS AND TECHNIQUES THAT THEY WILL BE DOING IN THEIR CLASSROOM IN FRONT OF THEIR PEER PEERS AND GETTING FEEDBACK THAT IS CRITICAL FOR PERSONAL GROWTH.
AND ONE THING I DO HAVE TO PUT FORWARD AS WELL AS THAT, PRINCIPAL RIVERA WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH A 90 DAY PLAN THAT SHE CONTINUALLY UPDATES AND WITH THE GUIDANCE FROM HER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
MAY YOU GO TO NEXT SLIDE AS YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE TO THE SECOND BULLET.
ONE THING THAT MS. RIVERA HAS DONE VERY SPECIFICALLY FOR HER SCHOOL IS REALLY THIS PAST QUARTER BEING VERY SPECIFIC AND PRESCRIPTIVE TO MEETING THE ACADEMIC NEEDS OF HER STUDENTS.
THEY'VE COINED THE PHRASE ACCELERATION BLITZ IN ORDER TO PUSH AND PULL OUR STUDENTS TO MEETING GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS.
I WANNA SHARE AS WELL THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH HER SCHOOL AND THE ISD DIVISION, 35 COLLECTIVE VISITS WERE CONDUCTED WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND DIVISION, UM, DEPARTMENTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT FROM SPED, SPECIAL EDUCATION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES.
SO WE CAN GO NOW TO ROBERT SMALLS, PLEASE.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE SAME PATTERN IF WE LOOK AT THIRD GRADE, THERE IS AN 18 POINT IMPROVEMENT FOR READING, 17 POINT IMPROVEMENT AT FOURTH GRADE, 21 POINT AT AT FIFTH GRADE IN READING.
AND AS WE LOOK AT MATH, IT GOES RESPECTIVELY.
26 POINT IMPROVEMENT FROM FALL TO SPRING, 16 POINT IMPROVEMENT FOR FOURTH GRADE AND A 21 POINT IMPROVEMENT FROM FALL TO SPRING AT MATH FOR ROBERT SMALLS.
I WILL NOT STAND HERE AND READ TO YOU THE BULLETS.
YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY IN MODELS THAT EACH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF OUR EDUCATORS AS WELL AS OUR PRINCIPALS.
BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT WITH ROBERT SMALLS.
AS MUCH OF THE FOCUS AT THAT CAMPUS HAS BEEN DATA DRIVEN INSTRUCTION KEY TO THE CAMPUS'S PERFORMANCE IS THE SCHOOL-WIDE CULTURE THAT HAS BEEN BUILT UPON LEADERSHIP AMONGST THE STUDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE MOVEMENT OF ACADEMICS.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL.
AGAIN, THIS SCHOOL HAS HAD 65 VISITS OF SUPPORT COMING IN, COLLABORATION WITH DIVISIONS IN OUR DISTRICT FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES.
OUR FINAL SCHOOL FOR UPDATE IS WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY.
SO WE COULD TAKE A PAUSE AND LOOK AT THIRD GRADE.
YOU HEADED INCREASE OF 28 POINTS FROM FALL TO SPRING 23 AT FOURTH GRADE, AND 11 AT FIFTH GRADE, AND RESPECTIVELY AT MATH.
A 37 POINT INCREASE AT THIRD GRADE, 20 POINT INCREASE AT FOURTH GRADE AND 21.
THESE DATA POINTS ARE A RESULT OF I-READY AND READY MATH DIAGNOSTICS.
AND AGAIN, AS DATA POINTS ARE EMBARGOED, WE'LL BRING THE STATE STANDARDIZED TESTING FORWARD.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE WITH WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AGAIN, PLCS ARE AT THE CORE USING DATA TO DRIVE INSTRUCTION.
TAKING THE TIME TO READ THE FIND THE PACING AND LEARNING FOR STUDENTS.
I HAVE TO SHARE THAT IT HAS BEEN FOCUSED INSTRUCTION, WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EDUCATORS, NOT ONLY IN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY AREAS, BUT GREAT FOCUS AS WELL.
AT OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE SUPPORTED WITH 85 INSTRUCTIONAL VISITS TO THEIR CAMPUS.
THESE ARE A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE THROUGH FOR THIS QUARTER TO SHARE WITH YOU REGARDING OUR SCHOOLS.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT ONE MORE IMPORTANT POINT.
IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, IT PROVIDES YOU THE DATES OF WHEN THE SCHOOLS HAVE HAD THEIR PUBLIC RELEASE AND INFORMATION.
ALL NOTES AND AGENDA AND MEETING MINUTES ARE ON FILE HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
SO SHOULD THE STATE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE HAVE
[01:35:01]
ALL THEIR INFORMATION AS WELL, MA'AM.AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SCHOOL, SHOULD YOU HAVE THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
COLONEL GEIER, THESE ARE SOME IMPRESSIVE DATA.
UH, NOW I NEED TO KNOW FROM THE PRINCIPLES, LIKE THE, THE PRINCIPLES WOULD COME UP AND SAY, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SUSTAIN THIS IMPROVEMENT? MAY, MAY, MAY I START RESPECTIVELY IN THE ORDER THAT IT, IT WAS PRESENTED, SIR.
SO LOOKING TOWARDS SUSTAINING THE IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY WHAT WE SAW IN THAT FOURTH GRADE, UM, THE FOURTH GRADE WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE WITH THE OVER 40% WITH THE MATH GROWTH.
AND SO WHAT WE ACTUALLY ARE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR IS WE MADE SOME, UM, VERY STRATEGIC, UM, COLLABORATIVE GRADE LEVEL MOVES WITH LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR STRONGEST TEACHERS AND HAVING THEM GOING AND WORKING WITH THE OTHER GRADES.
UM, AND SO ALREADY STARTING THE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR, NOT SLIDING BACK ANYTHING.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT PLCS PLANNED OUT.
UM, LIKE FOR LIKE THE FIRST SEMESTER, WE'VE GOT LIKE DRAFT PLANS OF EVERYTHING SO THAT WE DON'T START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE AREAS.
THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA KEEP DOING THAT AND THEN ALSO ADDING ON TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MOVE EVEN FURTHER NEXT YEAR.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, MR. BRADLEY.
TERRANCE, IF YOU CAN COMPONENT, IF I MAY ALSO ADD COLONEL GEIER, A LOT OF WHAT MS. RIVERA HAS ALREADY SHARED, SHARED WITH YOU IS ACTUALLY IN HER 90 DAY PLAN THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED, INCLUDING HER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR A CAMPUS FOR NEXT YEAR.
I ECHO, UH, WHAT MR. RIVER VERA SAID.
I THINK IT WAS, UH, MUCH OF IT IS SYSTEMIC, UH, AND LOOKING AT THE SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT AND NOW WE'VE BUILT IN THE SYSTEMS AND BUILT THE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, UH, FOR TIER ONE INSTRUCTION OF OUR, UH, EDUCATORS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THAT CONTENT KNOWLEDGE.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THOSE SYSTEMS OVER TIME AS WELL.
AND I THINK THIS NEXT YEAR IS GONNA BE AN OUTSTANDING YEAR FOR, UH, ROBERT SMALLS AND, AND BEING A DESIGNATION YEAR, UM, WE GET TO SEE THOSE SYSTEMS IN WORK WITH A NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AS WELL.
AND SO WE GET TO SEE THE SYSTEMS CONTINUE ON WITH NEW LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT AND DITTO TO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SAID.
ALSO, UM, FOR US, UM, WE'VE DEFINITELY BEEN MORE FOCUSING ON THE 90 DAY PLAN.
UM, AND THE NEW PRINCIPAL WILL CONTINUE FOCUSING ON THOSE THINGS IN TERMS OF THE 90 DAY PLAN AND JUST EVEN IN PREPARATION FOR NEXT YEAR, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, THIS SUMMER.
SO, SO FAR WE'RE DOING A SUMMER PD, UM, STILL WORKING ON FOCUS.
I'M STILL TRYING TO BUILD TEACHER CAPACITY IN TEACHERS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 12 TEACHERS PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER PD, SO WE'RE GETTING 'EM ALL READY FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO I'M GONNA JUST PASS THAT INFORMATION ALONG.
AND BOARD MEMBERS, IF I COULD MAKE NOTE, THIS COMING ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR THESE THREE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR A TSI SCHOOLS.
SO I DO RECOGNIZE THAT PERFORMANCE WISE, LET'S SAY FOR ROBERT SMALLS, THEIR PERFORMANCE THIS YEAR IS WHAT WILL REMOVE YOU FROM THE UNDERPERFORMING WE ARE MONITORING.
WE DO, WE DO NOT HAVE ALL DETAILS YET, BUT WE'RE MONITOR MONITORING IN ORDER TO SAY WHERE WE POTENTIALLY MAY BE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT INFORMATION IS NOT PUBLIC AT THIS TIME.
I DO WANNA COMMEND, IF I MAY, THE WORK THAT THE EDS HAVE DONE WITH THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE AND TIGHT KNIT WITH THESE PRINCIPLES, WITH THEIR 90 DAY PAN PLANS.
AND THAT HAS TO BE SHARED AS WELL.
UH, FIRST, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE THRESHOLD OF STUDENTS AT OR ABOVE LEVEL, UH, FOR A SCHOOL TO COME OFF THE UNDERDEVELOPED DESIGNATION? I WISH IT I'M GO, GO AHEAD, DOUG.
WHICH CAN'T BE ANSWERED, RIGHT? AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE ME.
HUH? BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE ME.
I REALLY WISH I COULD GIVE, GIVE YOU THE ANSWER.
BUT THE REASON YOU CAN'T ANSWER IT IS BECAUSE IT CHANGES REALLY EVERY YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.
AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT TILL OCTOBER.
IS THERE LIKE A BALLPARK, LIKE A HAVE TO BE AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AROUND 50%, 60%? I MEAN, IS THERE, IN YOUR, IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, IS THERE, IN A BALLPARK FIGURE? SO THERE IS RANKING THAT HAPPENS.
SO YOU LOOK AT THE LOW LOWEST 5%.
THE LOWEST 10%, THOSE PERCENTILES ARE IDENTIFIED AFTER THE
[01:40:01]
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING OF THE STUDENTS.THAT'S WHY IT'S A MOVING TARGET.
SO IN ALL TRUTH, WE WANNA HAVE 75%, ACTUALLY THE STATE IS LOOKING IN 85% OF STUDENTS TO BE AT OR ABOVE THEIR GRADE LEVEL.
UH, MY SECOND QUESTION WAS, UH, BACK ON SLIDE FOUR, UH, UH, I GUESS, UH, SHELTERED INSTRUCTION, OBSERVATION PROTOCOL AT LIZ RIVERA'S SCHOOL.
AND HAS, SHE HAS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF HER STAFF THERE.
AND I THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO SHARE THAT SHE HAS SET A STANDARD, 100% OF HER SCHOOL HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN WHAT IS CALLED SHELTERED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO ACQUISITION OF LANGUAGE.
THOSE STRATEGIES ALSO HELP WITH REGARD TO STUDENTS AS WELL WHO HAVE AN IEP.
THEY'RE JUST BEST PRACTICE STRATEGIES.
SO NOT ONLY TO HEAR IT, BUT YOU WANNA SEE IT AND ACTUALLY BUILD IN THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS.
THAT'S JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF PRACTICE.
SO YOU'LL HEAR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UH, DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS.
THAT'S THE ACRONYM FOR IT, RIGHT? UH, SO IT'S FOR TYPICALLY, UH, IT'S MULTI MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.
IT'S A KEY COMPONENT OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNER INSTRUCTION.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT THOSE STRATEGIES ARE GOOD FOR ALL KIDS.
I THOUGHT YOU MEANT PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, MADAM CHAIR.
MR. UH, QUICK QUESTION, IN TERMS OF, UH, I'VE HEARD THAT YOU, YOU'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, UM, YOU SAID THAT 84 VISITS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHO, WHO ARE THOSE EIGHT? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 84 VISITS.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? OH, BE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD TIME.
UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF WOULD, UH, THE EDS COME FORWARD, PLEASE, PLEASE, THIS TIME AS WELL.
UH, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S VARIOUS THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE, UH, IN, IN, IN THOSE VISITS.
IT COULD BE, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS, IT COULD BE FOLLOW UP TO INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS.
IT COULD BE, UM, OBSERVATION AND FEEDBACK SESSIONS.
UH, BUT I WANT, I WANT TO GIVE THEM EACH A CHANCE.
UH, SO WHOEVER GOES, JUST, JUST GIVE, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF SAMPLES OF WHAT YOU DO.
SO, SO THE FIRST ONE DOESN'T SAY IT ALL FOR EVERYBODY.
SO EACH OF YOU GET A, GET A FEW THINGS IN THERE ON WHAT YOU DO ON INSTRUCTIONAL VI ON, UH, ON VISITS TO SCHOOL.
I'LL GO FIRST AND GET IT OUT THE WAY.
SO, PART OF WHAT WE DO AFTER WE CONDUCT AN INSTRUCTIONAL ROUND IS TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS KPIS, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO COME BACK AND CHECK.
SO PART OF THOSE 82 VISITS ARE EITHER WEEKLY OR BIWEEKLY VISITS WHERE WE BRING IN THE SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAM FROM ISD TO HELP CHECK, TO MAKE SURE THOSE STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE.
UM, NEXT, UM, SOME OF THOSE VISITS, UM, COULD BE BASICALLY LIKE, UM, PLCS, THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES WHERE WE GO IN AND WITH THE PRINCIPAL OR THE AP, WE ARE OBSERVING, UM, THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
WE ALSO, THROUGH THOSE 84 OR SOMETHING VISITS, WE ARE OBSERVING IN CLASSROOMS. SO WE WILL GO WITH THE PRINCIPAL AP OR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES INTO THOSE CLASSROOMS. WE COME BACK, WE DEBRIEF.
WE THEN GIVE THEM ACTION STEPS AS MY, UM, PARTNER SAID, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
BUT WE GIVE THEM ACTION STEPS.
AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK TO VISIT THEM, WE REFLECT ON THOSE ACTION STEPS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE, UM, EXECUTED, OPERATIONALIZED, YES.
AND IF NOT, THEN WE REFLECT ON WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO PERFORM THOSE ACTION STEPS, OR IF THEY NEED ADDITIONAL TIME.
SO THEN WHEN WE COME BACK AND VISIT, WE, UM, INVESTIGATE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS DONE FOR THOSE LEADERSHIP ACTIONS.
UM, SO I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THAT NUMBER THAT YOU SEE THAT DOES, THAT'S NOT INCLUSIVE OF OUR TIME AND VISITS AT THE SCHOOL.
AND SO WE, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE'RE A THOUGHT PARTNER FOR THE PRINCIPAL.
AND SO WHEN GROUPS ARE COMING IN OR MEETING WITH THEM, WE HELP THEM BREAK DOWN THEIR DATA, DISAGGREGATE THEIR DATA, AND HELP THE HELP GUIDE THEIR ACTION STEPS THERE.
SO WE HELP GUIDE THE ACTION AND HELP THEM MONITOR WHAT IS OCCURRING AND HELP MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHEN TO SHIFT AND ADJUST.
THE, THE ROLE OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORT OF, UH, LEADERSHIP AT SCHOOLS.
AND, AND IT'S ABOUT BUILDING INSTRUCTIONAL CAPACITY FOR,
[01:45:01]
UH, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP CAPACITY FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND ALSO FOR, UM, UH, COACHES AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES AND, AND SUPPORT STAFF.SO, UM, THEY DO, THEY DO QUITE A BIT, BUT ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IS THIS CONSTANT, UH, MONITORING AND WHICH, WHICH WITH SUPPORT, RIGHT? SO I, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO CALL IT, UH, THE PRESSURE AND SUPPORT, UH, NEVER JUST PRESSURE, ALWAYS PRESSURE AND SUPPORT, UH, WITH THE RIGHT BALANCE.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS THIS EXACTLY.
UM, ACTUALLY, I, UM, IN CONCLUSION, I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY THIS, UM, I THINK THE EDS AS WELL, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY TO ESPECIALLY THANK THE PRINCIPALS, BE BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE PRESSURE'S ON YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN WE GET, WHEN THEY, WHEN WE GET THIS, UH, NOTICE OF UNDERPERFORMING UNDER STORM, UH, UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS, REFLECTS RIGHT, REFLECTS RIGHT ON YOU.
THEY'RE YOUR SCHOOLS FOR YOU TO COME UP HERE AND OWN THOSE NUMBERS, AND THEN STAY IN THE FIGHT AS A, I WANNA SAY TO YOU, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL, Y'ALL HARD WORK AND Y'ALL STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE YOU HELP THOSE PEOPLE, THOSE TEACHERS, AND HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GIVING THOSE TEACHERS THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED SO THAT WE CAN CHANGE WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND, AND I WANTED TO NOT ONLY THANK YOU, BUT THANK THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR BUILDING FOR CHANGING THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT, UH, IT, IT IS THE HOT BOX.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO AND LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE APPRECIATIVE AND THE STAFF TO YOU.
SRA, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE WE GO AT NEXT WITH, WITH, WITH THESE SCHOOLS AND, AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MOVING INTO THAT AREA.
SCRA, UH, YOU MOVE QUICKLY INTO THE ARTS.
NOW, THOSE STUDENTS, I WENT TO THE, UH, THE ART SHOW.
WE KICK BUTT AS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OH, AT THAT ART SHOW, THERE WAS AWARDS GIVING, UH, I, I, I WAS INVITED BY MRS. UH, WHAT'S HER NAME NOW? MCKENZIE? MS. DR.
AND THE PEOPLE WERE, THEY WERE A LITTLE UPSET.
THEY WERE WONDERING WHY BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT GETTING ALL THESE AWARDS.
WE HAVE SOME TALENT IN THIS DISTRICT, AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO UNNOTICED IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU SEE ON THE WALL.
WE HAVE SOME KIDS WHO THEY TALK ABOUT THAT, UH, THE GAMING.
WE GOT SOME KIDS WHO DO SOME SERIOUS ART IN THIS DISTRICT AT A YOUNG AGE.
SO PLEASE, LET'S NOT, UH, OVERLOOK THAT.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY PUTTING A PIECE OF ART ON THIS WALL.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO APPLAUD THEM TO AS WELL.
THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR YOU? YES, SIR.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE BUDGET UPDATE.
UM, I JUST WANNA GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE.
WE ARE ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE, HAVE ACHIEVED OUR SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET WITH COUNTY COUNCIL ON MONDAY EVENING.
UM, THAT WAS VOTED ON AND UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IN SECOND READING ON CONSENT AGENDA.
SO, UH, THE FINAL DATE, OR OF THE THIRD READING WILL BE, HAS BEEN CHANGED.
UH, IT WAS, IT IS TYPICALLY ON A MONDAY, BUT THERE IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR BUDGET ITEMS THAT WILL BE ON THURSDAY, JUNE 27TH.
BUT, UM, SO THAT, AND I DO EXPECT IT TO BE ON THIRD READING ONCE AGAIN, AND PUBLIC, UH, THERE WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UH, UM, PUBLIC HEARING THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
BASICALLY, THEY STOP THE MEETING AND HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AVAILABLE FOR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.
AND THAT MEETS THE, UH, THERE'S A 15 DAY REQUIREMENT FOR ADVERTISEMENT OF ALL OF THE MILLAGE RATES AND THE BUDGETS, UH, MUST BE, UH, PRINTED IN THE NEWSPAPERS 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
SO THAT WILL MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
SO, UH, SO WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY, UM, FOR AN APPROVED BUDGET, AND I, WE DO ANTICIPATE A SMOOTH, UM, SMOOTH ENDING TO THE BUDGET PROCESS ON THE 27TH.
COLONEL GEIER, I HEARD FROM MS. WALTON THAT WE, WE NO LONGER LEAD THE STATE IN STARTING TEACHER SALARY.
COULD YOU COMMENT? UM, YES, AND I, I, I TOUCHED ON IT BRIEFLY DURING THE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS THAT THE DISTRICT TO WATCH WAS CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, I, MS. WALTON AND I TALKED ABOUT IT, AND I ACTUALLY, UH, WENT ONLINE AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THEIR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.
UM, SO THEY ARE INCREASING OVER $5,000 TO, UH, I THINK IT'S
[01:50:01]
EIGHT, $8,000, EXCUSE ME.AND THEY, I CAN'T, I DON'T, CAN'T QUOTE, UH, THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
OURS WILL BE, UM, 51 0 66, I BELIEVE IT IS.
UH, THEIRS IS SUBSTANTIALLY SEVERAL THOUSAND MORE THAN THAT.
SO THEY, WHICH WILL PUT THEM AT NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE, MOST LIKELY.
I THINK THEIR BOARD LAST NIGHT, UH, VOTED, UH, THE 8,000, AND I THINK THAT'S THEIR FIRST READING.
SO ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, TAX REVENUE MUST BE VERY GOOD IN CHARLESTON COUNTY,
UH, THEY ARE, UH, I DID READ ALSO THAT THEY ARE, UH, INCREASING MILLAGE, SO THERE IS A MILLAGE INCREASE INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL.
SO, ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE NEED, UM, THANK YOU, TANYA.
[Consent Agenda ]
NEXT WE NEED A, A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL.SECOND MOTION MADE BY, UH, SECRETARY MIDDLETON AND SECOND BY, UH, VICE CHAIR COLONEL GEIER.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
WHICH WAY DID YOU VOTE? OKAY, SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS UNANIMOUS APPROVAL.
[Future Agenda Topics ]
ALL RIGHT.FOR FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE LONG, UH, I GUESS IT'S, OR THE DISCUSSION, ONE SHOULD BE THE FUTURE OF THE DESC, CORRECT.
ANY OTHER MR. SMITH? UH, YES, MA'AM.
MY TECHNOLOGY FEES IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, UH, MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO, I'M SORRY.
UH, I LIKE TO, TO TO POSSIBLY HAVE A DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UH, ABOUT DISCIPLINE, UM, IN VARIOUS FACETS OF, OF STUDENT LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A UPDATE FROM THE NEW DIRECTOR OF RIGHT CHOICES TO TELL US ABOUT, UH, WHAT HE'S DOING AND HIS, HIS PLAN.
THAT'S SEVERAL GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT THERE.
UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
[Second Public Comments ]
NEXT WE HAVE OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS.AND SO FIRST WILL BE, UM, MR. JIM MILLER, UM, AND HIS TOPIC IS VALUE OF MUS, VALUE OF MUSIC EDUCATION.
AND LET ME JUST REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE, UH, JUST THREE MINUTES AND THERE'S GONNA BE A TIMER.
AND WHEN THE THREE MINUTES ARE UP, THAT'S YOUR TIME IS UP.
JUST HOLD ON A SECOND, LET HER, 'CAUSE SHE'S GONNA START THE TIMER FOR YOU.
IF I COULD, BEFORE THE TIMER STARTS, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT WITH A COMMENT THAT DR.
RAAS MADE ABOUT THE, UH, SHOWCASE OF THE ARTS.
SHE MADE A COMMENT THAT DURING THE BAND PRESENTATION, SHE OR I WAS THERE AND I WAS DURING THAT PRE UH, BAND PRESENTATION, MANY STUDENTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY THERE, SHE MADE A COMMENT.
NOW, IF I OKAY, FEEL FREE, GO AHEAD AND START THE TIME, BUT THANK YOU MUCH.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA EXPRESS MY CON NOT CONCERN, BUT LET ME START IT THIS WAY.
THERE'S TWO THINGS I WANNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT THAT, FIRST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF AND MY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE BAND PROGRAMS, AND NUMBER TWO, HOW IMPORTANT MUSIC EDUCATION IS TO THE ACADEMIC WORLD.
[01:55:01]
AND SO, FIRST LET ME SAY THAT I GOT INVOLVED.I CONSIDER MYSELF A GRAY HAIRED, RETREAD BAND PARENT.
I'M NOT A, UH, MUSICIAN, I'M NOT AN ART THING.
AND I GOT INVOLVED 10 YEARS AGO WHEN MY SON, UH, COLONEL, UH, WAS A ROXY, GOT OUT, UH, OFFICER GOT OUT AND HE ALWAYS WANTED TO TEACH HIGH SCHOOL, UH, SOCIAL STUDIES THAT OCCURRED 10 YEARS AGO.
AND HE CAME HOME AND HE DIDN'T HAVE THE BACKGROUND OF EDUCATION, HE JUST HAD HISTORY.
AND, BUT HE HAD BEEN IN A PERCUSSIONIST IN A DRUM CORPS.
AND HE, HE GOT HIS MASTER'S IN EDUCATION BY LIVING WITH US.
AND THEN HE, UH, UH, VOLUN DURING HIS, UM, PRACTICE TEACHING, HE BECAME INVOLVED AND VOLUNTEERED WITH THE, UH, LOCAL BAND AT THAT, WHERE HE, HIS PRACTICE TEACHING WAS, UH, BLUFFTON HIGH.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, HE CAME HOME ONE DAY AND HE SAID, DAD, THERE'S GOT TO BE A MORNING AFTER, AND THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME PARENTS.
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARENTS TO HELP ME ON THE THING.
NOW I, I SEE MY TIMING IS GETTING SHORT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, AND I'LL COME BACK AT ANOTHER TIME AND, AND GIVE YOU A STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY THE BRITISH COLUMBIA ON HOW IMPORTANT, UH, MUSIC EDUCATION IS.
AND THEY SHOWED THAT YOU A THOROUGHLY INVOLVED MUSIC EDUCATION STUDENT OUTPERFORMED WHAT YOU EXPECTED IN, UH, BY A FULL GRADE LEVEL.
NOW MY TIME IS UP, I'LL COME BACK AND AT ANOTHER TIME AND GIVE YOU THE FACTS ON THAT BECAUSE THAT IS AN IMPRESSIVE STUDY OF OVER 110,000 STUDENTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
YOU'RE ALSO FREE TO EMAIL THAT TO US TOO, IF YOU HAVE THAT READY? I WILL.
IT'S THE PA IT IS A STUDY AND PRINTED IN A JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY.
IT'S ABOUT A 40 50 PAGE DOC, UH, DOCUMENT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE CHRISTINA WASHINGTON, WHO WILL SPEAK ON SCHOOL FEES.
DO YOU OWE ANY MONEY? DR. RODRIGUEZ, ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE, ANY, HAVE ANY DEBTS? CREDIT CARD DEBTS, CAR LOAN? WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WEREN'T ELIGIBLE TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE OF THOSE DEBTS OR THAT YOU COULDN'T PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF THAT DEBT? NOW IMAGINE YOU'RE AN EIGHTH GRADE CHILD WHO'S JUST EARNED YOUR WAY INTO HIGH SCHOOL IN DEBT WITH YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE A FRIEND KNOCKED OVER YOUR LAPTOP AND BROKE YOUR SCREEN.
OR YOU LEFT YOUR LAPTOP ON THE FLOOR WITH THE OTHER KIDS AND SOMEONE YOU DIDN'T SEE WHO KICKED IT ACROSS THE HALLWAY AND YOU DIDN'T NOTICE THE CRACKS UNTIL YOU GOT HOME.
NO ONE TO BLAME, BUT YOU, NOW YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL IS EMAILING YOUR PARENTS EVERY OTHER DAY ABOUT THOSE DEBTS, SENDING HOME NOTICES ON BRIGHTLY COLORED PAPER LIKE THIS WITH YOUR DEBTS LISTED FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE IN SCHOOL.
TEACHERS ARE COMING UP TO YOU IN CLASS TO REMIND YOU OF THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS THAT YOU OWE OR ELSE RISK MISSING OUT ON ONCE IN A LIFETIME MILESTONES, YOU'RE TURNED AWAY FROM THE DOOR WHEN TRYING TO GO TO YOUR FINAL MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE BECAUSE OF THOSE FEES.
THEN YOU CAN'T WALK ACROSS THE PROMOTION STAGE WITH YOUR CLASSMATES ON THAT DAY.
THEY TOLD YOU YOU EARNED YOUR NAME WON'T EVEN APPEAR ON THE GRADUATION PROGRAM LIST.
THIS IS HAPPENING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENTS.
AND I WAS WITNESS TO ALL OF THESE ACTIONS, WHICH HAPPENED TO MY SON AND HIS FRIENDS AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[02:00:01]
MR. SMITH AND COLONEL GEIER.YOU LOOKED INTO THOSE, THOSE KIDS' DISAPPOINTED EYES AS I POINTED THEM OUT TO YOU AT THE GRADUATION LAST TUESDAY WHERE YOU TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD DO TO CHANGE THE SITUATION FOR THOSE CHILDREN.
AS MUCH AS I WAS OVERJOYED TO SEE MY SON WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, I WAS DISGUSTED SICK TO MY STOMACH, SITTING NEXT TO HIS FRIENDS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO WATCHING THEM SITTING BY THEMSELVES ON THE BLEACHERS, SOURED THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
WE PAID THE $836 BILL PLUS OVER $30 IN SERVICE FEES TO WATCH OUR SON WALK ACROSS THE STAGE.
ONE OF HIS FRIENDS OWES OVER $400 IN FEES.
HE TOLD ME AT THE PROMOTION THAT HE WAS WORKING ON A PAYMENT PLAN THAT WOULD SEE HIM COMPLETE PAYMENT ON HIS CURRENT FEES BY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.
I ASKED HIM TO COME SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE EMBARRASSED, SHAMED BY THEIR OWN SCHOOL WITH THE RISING COST OF EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD.
NOW KIDS HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SUPPOSED FREE EDUCATION BEING ANOTHER ONE OF THEM.
AND TO THIS, I SAY, HOW, HOW COULD YOU SIGN OFF ON OUR CHILDREN GRADUATING EIGHTH GRADE IN DEBT, CONTEMPLATING THIS BEFORE THEY EVEN QUALIFY FOR A JOB? AND HOW COULD YOU DO IT IN THE NAME OF MONEY IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM? WHAT KIND OF MESSAGING ARE WE GIVING TO OUR CHILDREN WHEN WE SHOW WE VALUE MONEY OVER EDUCATION? JUST OVER 50% OF OUR KIDS MEET THE BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR READING AND WRITING MS. WASHINGTON.
SO WHY ARE THESE KIDS NOT ABLE TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AND BEING AS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF FEES? ALRIGHT, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE END OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
SO WE CAN ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE.