Aug 13, 2024 Board of Education

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IN THE ROOM AND SAY AYE.

DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE FOUR MOTIONS.

ONLINE, SAY YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR VOTE, PLEASE.

SMITH.

A AND I BELIEVE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE ONLINE.

SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

SO WE'LL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION DOWN THE HALLWAY.

BUFORT COUNTY IS MADE UP OF RIVERS OPEN, OCEAN, SALT, AND TIDAL MARSHES, TIDAL ESTUARIES, LEGUMES, AND PONDS.

BEAUFORT COUNTY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT REMINDS US TO ALWAYS PROPERLY DISPOSE OF TRASH, PICK UP PET WASTE, MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLES, KEEP ALL STORM DRAINS AND DITCHES, CLEAR OF DEBRIS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SEPTIC SYSTEMS FOR PRACTICE SEPTIC SMART PROCEDURES.

WHEN LANDSCAPING ALWAYS

[00:05:01]

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS.

LET'S KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY WATERWAYS CLEAN.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAFE? DON'T PROVIDE EASY ACCESS, ESPECIALLY TO NARCOTIC MEDICATIONS, INVENTORY OF MEDICINE CABINETS, ESPECIALLY CONTROL SUBSTANCES SAFELY DISCARD, OUTDATED, OR UNUSED MEDICATIONS PROPERLY.

DID YOU KNOW BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS MANY LOCATIONS FOR YOU TO DISPOSE YOUR OUTDATED OR UNUSED MEDICATIONS? GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF AUGUST 13TH, 2024.

THE BOARD WAS JUST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND NOW WE ARE BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.

SO, COLONEL GEIER,

[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]

FIRST MOTION, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE JULY 1ST, 2024 TO JULY 20, UH, JULY 30TH, FIRST, 2024 PERSONAL RATIFICATION REPORT.

THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COLONEL GEIER AND SECOND BY, UM, INGRID BOATWRIGHT.

ANY DISCUSSION THERE BEING NO HANDS UP? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? IN THE, IN THE ROOM PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.

AND ONLINE WE HAVE, UM, ANGELA MILTON ABSTAINS BECAUSE I WAS NOT PRESENT AT DURING THAT PORTION OF THE MEETING.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO THE MOTION, UH, CARRIES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 7 1.

WELL, 7 0 1.

EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A 10 YEAR INTER-GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT AGREEMENT OR IGSA WITH THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BUFORT TO PROVIDE MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES TO MCAS BUFORT IN SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR AN ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5 MILLION.

THE BOARD WILL BE NOTIFIED OF EACH PROJECT BY MEANS OF AN INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENT TIED TO THE IGSA SECOND.

SECOND, OH, .

I THINK, UH, VICTOR NAY GOT THAT ONE.

SO THE, UH, MOTION MADE BY COLONEL GEIER AND SECOND BY VICTOR NAY.

ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MADAM CHAIR? YES.

I A YES.

OKAY, GO AHEAD.

I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A GREAT, UH, BEGINNING OF A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO.

AND SO I DEFINITELY WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.

SO, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

MEMBERS AND AYE.

SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY MAD CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SIGN THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH CLEARVIEW HOMES FOR THE CHERRY POINT ROAD PROPERTY EXCHANGE, WHICH EXCHANGES PARCEL D FOR PARCEL B AS SHOWN IN THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR CHERRY POINT.

UM, COLONEL GEIER MADE THE MOTION, VICTOR NAY SECOND THE MOTION.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 7 1 0.

MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE.

THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ISSUE AN AWARD TO ESS SOUTHEAST LLC TO PROVIDE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND MISCELLANEOUS STAFFING SERVICES AS DESCRIBED IN RFP NUMBER 25 DASH 0 0 2.

THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE CONTRACTOR UPON EXPIRATION OF THE PROTEST PERIOD.

SECOND WAS MADE BY EARL CAMPBELL.

UH, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AND AYE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

I THINK THOSE WERE YOUR FOUR FOUR UH, MOTIONS.

AGENDA, SO WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THAT.

NEXT, WE HAVE

[Approval of Agenda]

APPROVAL OF THE

[00:10:01]

NEXT, WE WILL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

MR. EARL CAMPBELL MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

AND INGRID BOATWRIGHT SECOND THE MOTION.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

EVERYBODY, UH, APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]

THE FLAG IS MY, TO MY RIGHT I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TWO REPUBLICAN FORWARD, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

PLEASE BE SEATED.

THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.

NEXT, WE HAVE,

[Student Performance]

UH, OUR STUDENT PERFORMANCE TONIGHT BY THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, SILVER SOUND, PERFORMING LOUIE, LOUIE AND SHARKS ON THE MOVE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DEBORAH HAMNER.

WELCOME MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, SILVER SOUND.

THANK YOU, VICTOR.

YEAH,

[00:15:19]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND HAVING THE BAND HERE.

IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU.

AND, UM, HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE CAN ACTUALLY GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, OF THE BAND DIRECTORS TO STAY IN THE AREA AND A FEW MORE BAND MEMBERS AND GROW OUR PROGRAM JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

BUT, UM, IF YOU GUYS COULD ALL, UM, GIVE THE BAND ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE IF YOU WANNA.

WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW EIGHTH GRADERS WITH US.

WE ARE A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE, PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO COME OVER AND, AND PLAY FOR YOU GUYS AND PERFORM FOR YOU GUYS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.

[First Public Comments]

ON OUR AGENDA, OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND AS IS WELL STATED ON THE AGENDA, UH, THESE COMMENTS MUST BE ADDRESSING ONE OF THE AGENDA TOPICS.

AND IF IT'S NOT ADDRESSING ONE OF THE AGENDA TOPICS, THEN IT WILL BE PLACED IN THE SECOND, UH, SESSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH COMES LATER, BUT, UM, BEFORE, NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM SO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE DELIVERED AT THE PODIUM THAT IS, UH, HERE IN THE FRONT OF THE, THE, UM, THE, UH, GALLERY, I GUESS YOU'D CALL IT.

AND WE HAVE, UH, FIRST SPEAKER DAVID COOK.

AND WHAT IS YOUR TOPIC ON AC ACADEMIC SIR? MATERIALS? I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT AS A TOPIC.

UH, TONIGHT ON THE AGENDA, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN YOUR, YOUR, UM, TOPIC AT THE SECOND SESSION.

THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC, UH, UM, AGENDA, TOPIC OR COMMITTEE REPORTS FOR ACADEMIC COMMITTEES IS ON THE AGENDA, MA'AM.

YEAH, BUT WHAT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE ACADEMIC, UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS? YOU NEED TO BE SPECIFIC.

I, I CAN'T BE SPECIFIC.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO INSPECT ANY AGENDA PACKAGE DOCUMENTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.

SO I'M JUST SPEAKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.

THAT IS NOT TRUE, AND I'M NOT, I'M GONNA CORRECT THAT ON, ON, UH, THE PUBLIC.

SO WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU ADDRESSING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE ACCESSIBILITY TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.

IT'S ACADEMIC COMMITTEE OVERSEAS.

SO I'M GONNA, UH, DEFER TO OUR CHAIR OF ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.

CHLOE GORDON.

WAS THAT, UH, IN THE ACADEMIC, UH, COMMITTEE REPORT? OKAY.

SO PLEASE SIT DOWN AND WE WILL HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.

NO, THAT'S THIS AFTERNOON.

AFTERNOON.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ACADEMICS AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL LIBRARY MATERIALS.

THE LAST YOU'RE DISRUPTING THE MEETING.

THE COMMITTEES VOTED TO REMOVE BOOKS.

I YOU FAILED TO DO SO TO DATE.

I'M HERE TO REMIND, REMOVE ALL OF YOU.

RECESS FROM THE BOARD ON DOWN.

YOU WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I HAVE TO ADMIT, MR. GUYER STOOPED LOWER THAN I THOUGHT HE COULD IN HIS RECENT COMMENTS COVERED BY THE MEDIA ABOUT BOOK BANS AND WHAT HE REFERENCED TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION CODE 16 17 560 IN FEW ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ME FROM THIS MEETING IS AGAINST THE LAW.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T CALL A DEPUTY TO REMOVE ME, AND I'VE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING BY THE,

[00:20:20]

UM, THE FIRST SESSION.

AND, UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE? NO, MA'AM.

UH, GOOD EVENING, DR. RODRIGUEZ.

NEXT, WE

[CLOC Update]

HAVE OUR CLOCK UPDATE.

UH, GOOD EVENING.

UH, MY NAME'S MIKE MCNALLY.

I'M THE CURRENT, UH, CHAIRMAN OF CLOCK.

DR.

GUAD, COLONEL GEIER.

COLONEL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF, UH, OUR COMMITTEE FOR BEING THE LIAISON AND FOR ATTENDING SO MANY OF OUR MEETINGS OVER THE PAST YEARS AND GOING INTO THE FUTURE.

I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

UM, WE HAVE HAD, UH, SOME CHANGES IN PERSONNEL.

WE'VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE, UM, LEAVE OUR COMMITTEE FOR OTHER REASONS FOR MOVING.

TED BARBARA MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.

UH, CARLTON DALLAS ACTUALLY LEFT AND JOINED YOUR BOARD.

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH CARLTON ON THE, UH, PROJECTS TEAM, UH, FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

UH, AND, UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, JUST REVIEW FOR, I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR COMMITTEE, BUT THERE'S SOME, UH, PUBLIC, PUBLIC, UH, FOLKS HERE THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING.

AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON.

UH, WITH TED LEAVING, I WAS HIS VICE CHAIRMAN FROM, UH, THE VERY FIRST, UH, WHEN DR. RODRIGUEZ PUT THIS COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND CHOSE ALL OF US TO SERVE.

UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR 55TH MONTHLY MEETING TOMORROW.

UH, WE'VE BEEN BUSY.

WE SORT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WE REPRESENT ALL OF THE VOTERS WHO APPROVE THIS REFERENDUM IN 2019, AND ALSO THE ONE COMING AHEAD.

UM, AND IT'S AN INDEPENDENT GROUP OF, UH, VOLUNTEERS.

WE, UH, MONITOR ALL OF THE REFERENDUM PROJECTS, UH, THE SCHEDULES, THE BUDGETS, ALL OF THE, UH, EXPENDITURES, UH, THE QUARTERLY REPORTS FROM THE CLOCK ARE SUCH AS TONIGHT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

UH, WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF ALL OF OUR MEETINGS POSTED ON THE, UH, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, WEBSITE.

UM, CAN WE JUST FLIP MAYBE ANOTHER SLIDE? GET UP JUST ONE SECOND.

APOLOGIZE.

YEAH, SURE.

UH, I DO WANT TO SORT OF PERSONALIZE, UH, UH, THE CLOCK.

THIS, UH, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE, UH, KNOW WHO ARE INVOLVED, MAYBE EXCEPT YOURSELVES.

AND I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK, UH, RESUME OF THOSE WHO ARE ON THE BOARD SO YOU CAN SEE THE KIND OF TALENT THAT'S WORKING ON A SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT.

UH, MYSELF, I'M A RETIRED CIVIL ENGINEER.

UH, I WORKED FOR 55 YEARS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, LAND SURVEYING, URBAN PLANNING CONSTRUCTION, WAS LICENSED IN SEVEN STATES, INCLUDING SOUTH CAROLINA.

HAD MY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS LICENSE AND, UH, INVOLVED IN ALL SORTS OF CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

UH, MY VICE CHAIRMAN, UH, IS RAY WCO.

UH, RAY IS A RETIRED CPA WITH NEARLY 50 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN ALL SORTS OF ACCOUNTING FIRMS, COMPANIES, TRUSTS, UH, AND HE, UH, SPECIALIZES ESPECIALLY IN FINANCIAL REPORTING.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DOES ON OUR COMMITTEE.

HE'S ALSO THE HEAD OF THE, UH, FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE.

AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS IN A MOMENT.

UH, DAN CLAIRE IS ALSO ON THAT FINANCE COMMITTEE.

HE'S A RETIRED VICE PRESIDENT OF GENERAL DYNAMICS.

UH, HE'S HAD EXECUTIVE ROLES AS PRESIDENT OF JET AVIATION AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE, OVER 40 YEARS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, RICH RITLER, UH, HE'S BEEN

[00:25:01]

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT AND REPLACEMENT AND SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR 3 0 3 ASSOCIATES IN BEAUFORT.

THAT'S THE STEWART'S COMPANY.

UH, RICH IS SERVING AS, UH, VICE CHAIR UNDER RAY WCO, WHO RAY IS GOING TO BE THE CHAIRMAN IN THE 2024 CLOCK GOING AHEAD.

SO THE COMMITTEE DECIDED WE WERE BASICALLY THE SAME COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S BROKEN INTO TWO GROUPS FINISHING UP THE 2019, AND THEN RAY LEADING THE SAME PEOPLE FORWARD ON THE 2024.

WE ALSO HAVE, UH, MARIAN JOHNSON.

PAYNE.

MARIAN IS A, UH, RETIRED CAREER EDUCATOR.

UH, SHE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN K 12 TEACHING, UH, AS A READING SPECIALIST, A ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, A PRINCIPAL, AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR WITH OVER 40 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, UH, IN SCHOOLS.

UH, WE HAVE ROBERT PRIEST, WHO'S A FOUNDING PARTNER OF REI, EQUITY PARTNERS, A BIG REAL ESTATE BASED PRIVATE EQUITY FUND WITH OVER 45 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN FINANCE.

MICHAEL SWEI, RETIRED EXECUTIVE VP AND PRESIDENT OF NBS CARD SERVICES IN NEW JERSEY AND TORONTO.

UH, HIS FOCUS WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESSES.

AND, UM, WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER COMING IN, UH, DAVID TRAIL.

UH, DAVE'S IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.

DAVE, YOU JUST WANNA STAND UP A SECOND.

YOU STILL HERE? HE LEFT.

HE LEFT.

THAT'D BE THROUGH THE END OF, OF JUNE.

, UH, DAVE, UH, IS A GOVERNMENT, UH, RELATIONS DIRECTOR AND COMMUNITY PLANS LIAISON OFFICER UP AT THE MARINE AIR STATION.

AND DAVE IS GOING TO BE, UH, HEADING UP OUR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE.

SO I THINK, UH, YOU'LL AGREE IT'S A GREAT ROSTER OF PEOPLE WE HAVE.

SO, UH, CLOCK STANDS MORE THAN JUST AN ACRONYM.

YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S PEOPLE, IT'S, UH, PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY ALL OVER THE COUNTY WITH, UH, VERY WELL EDUCATED BACKGROUNDS IN FINANCE AND CONSTRUCTION.

AND WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON EVERY PENNY THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TOWARDS THESE PROJECTS.

AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, WE'VE HAD SUCH GREAT COOPERATION FROM, UH, JUST THE STAFF IN THE DISTRICT, UH, THE PROJECT MANAGERS, UH, AND SO FORTH.

AND HOW, HOW DO WE DO THIS? OKAY, WE MEET ONCE A MONTH, BUT BETWEEN THAT, OUR SUBCOMMITTEES ARE BUSY WORKING TOGETHER.

WE HAVE THREE SUBCOMMITTEES, A PROJECT SUBCOMMITTEE THAT, UH, I HEAD UP AND SEVERAL OF US GO OUT A COUPLE TIMES A MONTH TO ALL THE VERY DIRT PROJECTS.

UH, WE GET OUR FEET DIRTY, WE WALK THROUGH THE MUD, WE TALK TO THE PROJECT MANAGERS.

AND THE OTHER GREAT THING, WE GET TO TALK TO THE PRINCIPALS, THE TEACHERS, AND EVEN THE STUDENTS.

UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE 2019 REFERENDUM.

UH, IT WAS A DIFFICULT CONSTRUCTION TIME, PROBABLY ONE OF THE WORST WITH COVID-19 WITH SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEMS. UH, WE HAD WEATHER PROBLEMS. WE HAD, UH, CONSTRUCTION WORKER DEFICITS AND PROBLEMS. BUT WITH ALL THAT, UH, THE TEAM BETWEEN THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE CONTRACTORS, THE SUBS, THE, THE, UH, PROJECT MANAGERS AND CLOCK, WE'VE REALLY PUT THIS TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING IS COMING ALONG VERY, VERY WELL.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE PROJECT COMMITTEE DOES.

WE HAVE A FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT RAY WCO IS IN CHARGE OF.

HE'S GOT FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE THAT MEET DURING THE MONTH GETTING INFORMATION, UH, FROM THE DISTRICT.

AND WE TRUST EVERYTHING THAT WE GET, BUT WE VERIFY IT.

WE VERIFY EVERY NICKEL WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND WHERE IT'S GOING.

UH, WE ASK A LOT OF HARD QUESTIONS AND WE GET GOOD ANSWERS.

AND WE HAVE THIS COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, THAT WORKS ON THINGS, UH, SUCH AS ADVERTISING, GROUNDBREAKINGS, AND, UH, JUST GENERAL INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.

WE ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE.

IT'S A SUB WEBSITE OF THE DISTRICT WEBSITE, HAS ALL OUR MINUTES ON IT, AND, UH, TELLS EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING.

UH, SO WHAT I WANT TO DO NOW IS GET TO SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, ROBERT.

I GUESS, UH, WE CAN SKIP RIGHT THROUGH THAT.

IT'S REALLY THE SECOND QUARTER REPORT.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TONIGHT.

UH, SO

[00:30:01]

AND, UH, THE FIRST PROJECT IS, UH, CALL IT, THE SLIDE SAYS ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.

WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THE NAME YET.

IT'S THE, UH, LEARNING ACADEMY LEADERSHIP.

IS THAT RIGHT? LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.

AND, UH, I'VE JUST GOTTEN, UH, AN UPDATED REPORT, AND YOU'LL SEE YOU ON THAT SLIDE.

THIS IS A TYPICAL, UH, SLIDE THAT WE'LL SEE AT OUR MEETINGS.

WE HAVE ONE FOR EACH PROJECT.

UH, WE USE THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS UP THERE, THE GREEN, RED, AND YELLOW.

UM, THE GREEN MEANS EVERYTHING IS ON SCHEDULE, ON BUDGET.

IF WE SEE A YELLOW ONE THAT CLUES US IN THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF A PROBLEM.

AND THERE'S GENERALLY A NOTATION ON THE, ON THE SLIDE, UH, THAT WILL TELL US WHAT'S BEING DONE, WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND WHAT'S BEING DONE TO OVERCOME IT.

ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, UH, THERE'S A, A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT.

AND WHAT THAT REPRESENTS IS THAT THERE WAS, UH, A CONTRACT WITH, UH, JE DUNN, WHO'S THE CONTRACTOR.

UH, THEY HAD NOT REACHED A SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION FOR PHASE PART OF PHASE TWO ON THIS PROJECT, AND THERE WERE LIQUIDATED DAMAGES THAT WERE IN PLACE IN THE CONTRACT.

UH, THOSE ARE ACCUMULATING AT A RATE OF $750 A DAY, AND THAT'S SINCE LIKE MAY, UH, TALKING TO THE, UH, PROJECT MANAGER JUST YESTERDAY, UH, THE WORK IS BEING DONE.

UH, IT WILL BE DONE.

AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT, UH, AT THE END OF THIS, THE TOTALS WILL BE LIFTED UP AND IT WILL BE TAKEN AS A DEDUCTIVE COST ON THE INVOICE.

SO THE MONEY WILL BE MANAGED THAT WAY.

BUT OTHERWISE, UH, BESIDES THAT ONE ISSUE, UH, ROBERT SMALLS IS ON BUDGET, ON SCHEDULE.

WE'D GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

THE, UH, HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL RIGHT HERE.

UH, THIS IS WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE.

ALL GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS, EVERYTHING'S ON BUDGET, ON SCHEDULE.

UH, THERE'LL BE A FINAL, UH, IT SAYS AN OSF, THAT'S AN OFFICE OF STATE FACILITY.

INSPECTION WILL BE DONE IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

UH, ONE OF THE LAST ITEMS, THE EMERGENCY GENERATOR'S BEEN DELIVERED TO THE SITE, AND ALL THE TIE-INS, UH, WERE DONE, UH, IN JULY.

SO THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED.

THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE, IS, UH, RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY.

UH, HERE AGAIN, UH, ALL GREEN.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE, AND EVERYTHING THAT'S INDICATED ON THERE.

AS FAR AS THE, UH, TECHNOLOGY CABLING, CONCESSION BUILDINGS, UH, THAT WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED AS OF NOW.

I TALKED TO TIM SUMMERS TODAY.

AND, UH, ALL OF THAT WORK IS DONE ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, GENERALLY SHOWS THE, THE SCOPE, UH, PROJECT SCOPE PACKAGES.

IN OTHER WORDS, THIS ISN'T THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS NECESSARY, BUT THE, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AND SUBCONTRACTS, THERE'S 94 OF 'EM.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LAST ONE THERE, THERE'S 50 HALF OF 'EM ARE TOTALLY COMPLETED, UH, 19 OR IN A CLOSEOUT PHASE AND 23, OR STILL LINGERING IN SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF CONSTRUCTION, BUT EVERYTHING'S COMING TO AN END IN THIS, UH, REFERENDUM.

UH, SO THE NEXT ONE IS, UH, THE FINANCIAL UPDATES.

UH, THIS IS THE IMPORTANT ONE.

THIS IS THE MONEY WE'VE BEEN WATCHING, UH, EVER SINCE, UH, THIS FIRST REFERENDUM WAS APPROVED.

AND IN THE FIRST LINE, IT SHOWS THE MONEY THAT WE STARTED WITH.

WE HAD 344 MILLION, $610,000.

UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL 31 MILLION, 100 IN BOND PREMIUMS TO BE ADDED TO THAT.

AND THOSE TWO COMBINED FOR, UH, 3 75, 7 10, UH, THOUSAND, WHICH WAS THE BUDGET.

AND OUT OF THAT, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE MOVING ALONG.

99.56% OF THAT HAS BEEN PAID COMMITTED THROUGH, UH, THE END OF JUNE.

AND WE HAVE REMAINING FUNDS AT THAT TIME OF MILLION 6 71

[00:35:01]

AND CHANGE.

AND, UH, WE HAVE SOME SAVINGS THAT WERE RETURNED BY THE WAY OF CONTINGENCIES.

AND WE USED ABOUT LITTLE OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN CONTINGENCIES.

AND THERE'S 129,000,105 LEFT IN, UH, CONTINGENCY MONEY.

SO, IN SUMMARY, UH, ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS HAVE BEEN, UH, ADJUSTED AND TRACKED USING A PROGRAM CONTINGENCY LOG, WHICH IS ON THE WEBSITE.

UH, THE BUDGET INCREASES WERE SUPPORTED BY THE REFERENDUM AND CONTINGENCY IN THE BOND PREMIUMS. UH, THE DOLLARS SPENT AND ENCUMBERED DID NOT EXCEED THE BUDGET PROJECT TOTALS, AND THE DO, UH, THE DOLLARS SPENT PER PROJECT DID NOT EXCEED THE ESTIMATED PROJECT PERCENTAGE COMPLETION.

SO, UH, OUR CONSULTANTS, UH, TURNER AND TOWNSEND HUY, UH, THEY CONTINUE, WE ASK THEM THE SAME QUESTION AT EVERY MEETING.

IT'S THE LAST THING WE SAY, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE MONEY? ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT? ARE WE GONNA GET THERE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE IN OUR POCKET? THE ANSWER HAS ALWAYS BEEN YES.

AND WE CALL THAT A SOFT LANDING.

AND WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A SOFT LANDING AT THE END.

UH, ALL OF THE PROJECTS ESSENTIALLY ARE ON TIME AT OR UNDER BUDGET.

WE HAVE MAYBE TWO PROJECTS THAT MAY HAVE SOME SMALL THINGS LINGERING INTO THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR, BUT WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH, UH, SUCH A DIFFICULT CONSTRUCTION TIME THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS TEAM TO BRING IT TO FRUITION.

AND, UH, SPEAKING FOR THE REST OF, UH, OUR COMMITTEE, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR TO ALLOW US TO, TO SERVE YOU AND THE PUBLIC, UH, IN THIS CAPACITY.

AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, BRING ON, UH, RAY WCO TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE 24 CLOCK, UH, COMMITTEE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MIKE.

AND GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

DECEMBER, DECEMBER ONE, DECEMBER ONE, WE GO BACK AND WE TAKE, WE TAKE ALL THE NUMBERS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE DISTRICT AND TIE IT BACK INTO THAT ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH WE, WE THINK IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO DO, BECAUSE THEY COULD BE GIVING US ANYTHING THAT, ANYTHING THAT LOOKS GOOD TO THEM.

YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD WHAT WE DO.

I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT ALL THAT.

YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM MIKE UNTIL THE, UNTIL THE 2 0 1 9 REFERENDUM IS COMPLETE.

YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING FROM ME EACH AND EVERY MEETING UNTIL THIS ONE, UNTIL THE 23 REFERENDUM IS COMPLETE.

THAT'LL TAKE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.

WE ARE, WE ARE STILL IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS PARTICULAR REFERENDUM, AND WE HAVE STARTED MAJOR PROJECTS, AND I'M NOT GONNA NECESSARILY GO THROUGH THE SLIDES AS WE HAVE THEM UP HERE, BUT THE, YOU SAW ACROSS THE STREET WHEN YOU CAME IN, IT'S, IT'S LOOKING LIKE THERE'S A LOT GOING ON OVER THERE.

AND THERE IS, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE, IT'S GONNA TAKE THIS ENTIRE FOUR YEAR, WE THINK, THIS ENTIRE FOUR YEAR PERIOD TO COMPLETE THE, TO COMPLETE WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE STREET, BECAUSE IT IS THE LARGEST OF OUR PROJECTS, AND IT'S GONNA BE BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR PHASES.

RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE ON TIME, WE'RE WITHIN BUDGET.

EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.

THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE BESIDES THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE THE MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN STARTED.

THE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THE, AND THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, CTE RENOVATION.

THOSE FOUR PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY NOW.

THE 23 REFERENDUM IS LARGER THAN THE 19.

IT IS $439 MILLION SO FAR UP WITHIN THIS FIRST YEAR.

WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED, AND I'M, I'M NOT SAYING SPENT, WE, WHEN, WHEN I SAY COMMITTED, I MEAN SPENDING PLUS SIGNED CONTRACTS NOT TO EXCEED.

THAT NUMBER IS OVER A A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

AND THAT LEAVES 338 MILLION.

NOW, YOU'LL SEE ON THE, ON THE CONTINGENCY, THAT'S THE PROGRAM CONTINGENCY IS 11,500,000.

BUT EACH ONE OF THE PROJECTS HAS A CONTINGENCY ALSO.

AND THAT CONTINGENCY, THOSE CONTINGENCIES ALL ADDED TOGETHER EQUALS 17 MILLION.

SO THE TOTAL CONTINGENCY WE HAVE IS 28 MILLION PLUS.

WE'VE USED 356,000 OF THAT, WHICH IS NOT VERY MUCH.

SO WE HAVE LEFT 28 MILLION.

HOW MUCH OF THAT, OF THE REMAINING CONSTRUCTION IS THAT? THAT'S OVER 9%.

AND I LOOK AT THAT AS A GOOD THING.

WE ALL LOOK AT IT AS A GOOD THING.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU IS JUNE 30 IS THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.

AND WHEN WE GET THE AUDIT REPORT, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE SOMETIME IN

[00:40:01]

BUT OBVIOUSLY, WHEN IT GETS INTO THAT AUDIT REPORT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD NUMBER.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, AND YOU MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, AND I WANNA BRING, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT MIKE CAN ANSWER OR I CAN ANSWER, FEEL FREE TO ASK AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.

NO.

I, I SEE HEADS SHAKING, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT.

UM, THANK YOU FOR EXCELLENT REPORTS, BOTH OF YOU, AND THANK YOU TO YOUR COMMITTEE FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE BOARD AND THE, UH, CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.

WE WILL PASS THAT ON TO THEM.

OUR AGENDA IS THE CHAIR REPORT.

NEXT ON

[Chair Report]

AND LAST WEEKEND, UH, SEVERAL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDED THE ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION LAW CONFERENCE, UH, THAT WAS HELD THIS YEAR IN CHARLESTON.

AND DESPITE IT BEING JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER TROPICAL STORM, DEBBIE BLEW THROUGH THE LOW COUNTRY.

UH, THE CONFERENCE, UH, UH, WAS IN FULL SWING, AND THERE WERE NO, UH, WATER PROBLEMS AT THE MARRIOTT HOTEL WHERE IT TOOK PLACE.

AND I KNOW, UH, HAVING ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE AND, UH, OTHERS HERE, UH, ATTENDED AND, AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS, UH, REALLY AN EXCELLENT CONFERENCE.

IT USUALLY IS, IS VERY INFORMATIVE, GIVING US UPDATES ON, UH, LAWS AFFECTING EDUCATION, BOTH NATIONALLY AND STATE LAWS.

WE HAVE NOW THE COMMITTEE

[Committee Reports]

REPORTS.

WE FIRST HAVE ACADEMICS REPORTING AND CHAIR CHLOE GORDON.

MADAM CHAIR.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE, UH, DR.

STR STRATAS AND HER TEAM, AND MRS. BERRY FOR, UM, PREPARING THIS REPORT FOR ME.

I HAD SOME EYE SURGERY, SO I CAN'T SEE AS WELL AS I USED TO, BUT I CAN SEE THIS.

I BELIEVE THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MET ON JULY 17TH, 2024.

DR.

MARY STRATAS INTRODUCED STAFF WHO INFORMED THE COMMITTEE OF THE UPDATES TO THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, IS 11, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, IS 35, INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS, IS 41 STUDENT TRAVEL, SS 31 EXTRA CLASS ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, SS 36 STUDENT ACTIVITIES, UH, ATHLETES, I'M SORRY, AND SS 39, SUSPENSION, EXPULSION AND ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENTS OF STUDENTS.

THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS SCHEDULED THEIR FIRST MEETING FOR JULY 22ND, BUT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A QUORUM, A SECOND MEETING WAS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 29TH.

AND AT THAT TIME, THE COMMITTEE HELD AN ELECTION OF OFFICERS, AMY PRYOR, CHAIR, CONSTANCE POPE VICE CHAIR, AND CYNTHIA COLBURN SMITH SECRETARY, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE OFFICERS.

THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ACT THEY DISCUSSED IS 17 HEALTH EDUCATION.

AND BEGIN THE REVIEW OF THE ADOPTIVE K THROUGH 12 HEALTH RESOURCES, THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S.

NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 22ND AT 5:00 PM AND THE NEXT ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD AUGUST 28TH AT 5:00 PM THAT'S THE END OF THE REPORT.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, UM, MS. GORDON, FOR YOUR REPORT.

ANY, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS?

[00:45:01]

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, FINANCE REPORTING, AND THAT IS, UH, COLONEL GEIER.

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON AUGUST 1ST, AND, UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA WAS THE MONTHLY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET, WHICH SHOWS THAT, UH, WE EXPENDED OUR BUDGET PROPERLY.

IN FACT, CAME IN UNDER BUDGET, UH, FOR THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.

UH, THE NEXT, UH, FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET IS LAID OUT.

THERE'S A SMALL INCREASE DUE TO BASICALLY DUE TO, UH, IN INCREASING COSTS OF, UH, PAPERWORK AND OTHER THINGS.

SO THE NEXT ITEM WAS THE MONTHLY $100,000 REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, AND THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.

UH, WE SPENT, UH, SOME TIME LOOKING THROUGH THAT, FOUND A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT.

ALL ITEMS, UH, WERE, UH, ANSWERED SATISFACTORILY.

AND, UH, UM, I, I HAVE TO TELL THE PUBLIC AND TELL THE FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE REALLY PAY A LOT OF CLOSE ATTENTION TO EVERY DIME THAT IS SPENT BY THIS, UH, DISTRICT.

AND THERE ARE, ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE LOOKING AT IT, NOT ONLY IN OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO THE, THE COMMITTEE GOES THROUGH EVERY PAGE OF THE, OF EVERY ITEM THAT WE PURCHASE.

AND, UM, I THINK IF SOMEBODY WOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT AND HAVE AN IDEA OF THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THAT, THEY WOULD BE AWESTRUCK.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ASKED FOR, UH, TO BE BROUGHT UP IN THE NEXT MEETING IS TO PUT TOGETHER, I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT WE SPEND FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

AND IF YOU LOOK WHAT THE LOCAL STAPLES, THE LOCAL WALMART, AMAZON'S NOT REALLY LOCAL, BUT IT'S ALL OVER.

AND WHAT WE SPEND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, IT'S REALLY, UH, INSPIRING TO SO SHOW THAT WE ARE GIVING BACK, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY IN JOBS AND POSITIONS.

MS. DENISE MATSON, UH, PRESENTED THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ESSER FUNDS.

THOSE ARE THE COVID FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH JULY 29TH, 2024, 98% OF THE COVID FUNDS HAVE BEEN SPENT.

AND WE ARE ON TRACK BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER TO SPEND EVERY DIME OF ALMOST, I THINK $70 MILLION.

$70 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SPENT, NOT JUST SPENT, BUT PROPERLY SPENT.

AND THAT'S A GREAT TESTAMENT TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE DISTRICT BECAUSE THIS MONEY HAS GONE DOWN VIRTUALLY TO EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT.

AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE ARE THE MODEL, UH, FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THE HOW TO EXECUTE, UH, THIS, THIS FUNDING SOURCE, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

NOW WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING MS. CROSBY UP TO, UH, TALK ABOUT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLEX, BUT MS. CROSBY PRESENTED A RECOMMENDATION ALLOWING THE INCREASE OF THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE BY $7,900,000, AND TRANSFERRING ALL THE REMAINING EXCESS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND FOR FUTURE BOARD DISCRETION.

THIS, THE EXCESS EXPECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $9 MILLION.

AND I'M GOING TO READ THE MOTION, AND THEN I HAVE MS. CROSBY EXPLAIN WHAT THE, UH, UH, PROPOSAL IS.

THE MOTION IS MADAM CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZED THE TRANSFER OF ANY INCREASE IN THE FY 24 FUND BALANCE ABOVE $7,900,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.

SO THIS EVENING I'M JUST REQUESTING, UM, THIS FOR, UM, THIS FOR TWO MAIN REASONS.

UM, THANK YOU COLONEL GEIER.

AND THE MOTION WAS, UH, SECONDED BY VICTOR NAY.

SO, MS. CROSBY, UH, PLEASE, UH, ELABORATE.

YES, GOOD EVENING.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY, THIS EVENING, TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT, UH, PROPOSAL OR RECOMMENDATION.

UM, SO THE FUND BALANCE IS THE DISCUSSION THIS EVENING, AND THE FUND BALANCE IS THE EXCESS RESERVES THAT ARE HELD IN, UM, IN THE DISTRICT'S CASH ACCOUNTS OR FUND

[00:50:01]

ACCOUNTS.

UM, AND WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY OF WHAT THOSE RESERVES WOULD BE AT JUNE 30TH, 2024, SO THIS PAST JUNE, AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE AT THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR THAT WE ARE HAVING, UH, UM, UNDERGOING AN AUDIT NOW.

AND WE'LL ISSUE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BY DECEMBER 1ST, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER.

SO THE FUND BALANCE, UH, IS IMPORTANT TO, FOR A FEW PURPOSES.

UH, HAVING A, UH, A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE DOES A COUPLE OF MAIN THINGS.

THE BOARD HAS A POLICY THAT, UH, WE SHALL MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE THAT WE SHALL NOT HAVE OR NEED A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS AT JUNE 30, WE ARE IN, UH, THE PRIME OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF, OF FUND BALANCE.

WE, WE TAKE IN TAX REVENUES IN JANUARY, DECEMBER, AND JANUARY.

SO THAT'S THE HIGH POINT OF OUR CASH BALANCE.

AND WE, WE TAKE IN VERY LITTLE REVENUES THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO OUR LOWEST POINT IN CASH FLOWS AS WE PAY TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF AND OTHER EXPENSES IS AROUND OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, WHICH HAPPENS TO ALSO BE HURRICANE SEASON.

SO, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH CASH RESERVES DURING THAT TIME TO NOT GO IN THE NEGATIVE, NOT HAVE TO BORROW FUNDS, TEMPORARY FUNDS, PAY INTEREST COSTS, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH AT JUNE 30TH TO MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE FALL TIMEFRAME.

UM, AND SO UNTIL THE TAX SPILLS GO OUT AGAIN IN, UH, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.

SO THAT'S ONE.

THE SECOND MAIN IMPORTANT REASON TO HAVE A GOOD FUND BALANCE IS OUR CREDIT RATING.

WE JUST PASSED A $439 MILLION BOND REFERENDUM.

WE ARE NOW BEGINNING TO ISSUE BONDS.

WE JUST WENT OUT FOR A CREDIT RATING, AND I HAVE AN UPDATE LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION IN THE, ON THE AGENDA.

UH, BUT WE GO OUT FOR A CREDIT RATING, JUST LIKE SOMEONE BORROWING A MORTGAGE OR, OR A CAR, A VEHICLE LOAN.

AND WE TOO GET A RATING.

AND IT IS REALLY CRITICAL FOR THAT RATING TO BE AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE.

UM, AND SO FOR US, A DOUBLE A ONE IS THE HIGHEST WE CAN POSSIBLY ACHIEVE.

AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE IN COMPARISON TO OUR PEER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND GOVERNMENTS THAT ALSO HAVE AA ONE IS VERY CRITICAL TO, UM, KEEPING THAT, MAINTAINING OUR GOOD RATING AND GETTING THE LOWEST POSSIBLE INTEREST RATES, UM, THAT WE CAN.

SO AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO BORROW THROUGH A SERIES OF BONDS OF THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS AS WE'RE DOING THESE, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THAT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO WE ARE FORTUNATE THIS YEAR, OUR LOCAL TAX REVENUE, UH, HAS COME IN VERY STRONG.

WE ARE ALREADY, WE ARE ALREADY EXCEEDING THE TAX REVENUE BUDGET OF BY $12 MILLION.

WE'RE EXPECTING TO COLLECT AT LEAST ANOTHER MILLION IN OUR DELINQUENT TAXES THAT ARE, UH, CO CODED BACK TO THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR ATTRIBUTED TO THAT YEAR.

SO IN ALL, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXCESS OF AT LEAST $17 MILLION THIS YEAR.

AND MY RECOMMENDATION, THAT WILL BE 22.7% FUND BALANCE.

UH, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I THINK WE, UH, I THINK, UH, OUR CURRENT FUND BALANCE WHEN WE BEGAN THE FISCAL YEAR WAS 20%.

AND MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO STAY AT 20% AND SHIFT THE, THE EXCESS FUNDS OVER TO A CAPITAL PROJECTS ACCOUNT.

THAT IS THEN AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION FOR ANY SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT WE MAY HAVE.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF NEEDS.

UH, THEY COULD BE EMERGENCIES, UH, THEY COULD BE BUSES, THEY COULD BE HVA CS.

UH, SO IT WILL ALLOW US TO, TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND THEN, UH, TARGET THOSE FUNDS FOR ANY SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT, UH, MAY BE COMING FORWARD.

SO MAINTAINING THAT FUND BALANCE, UH, PERCENTAGE IS A KEY, NOT THE SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT, BECAUSE AS OUR, OUR BUDGET GROWS, UH, IF WE MAINTAIN THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE, OUR FUND BALANCE PERCENTAGE WILL DECLINE.

SO WE WANNA MAINTAIN THAT 20%, SO IT MUST GROW A LITTLE, UH, EACH YEAR AS WELL.

SO THAT'S THE REASONING FOR ADDING TO THE FUND BALANCE AT 7.9 MILLION AND MOVING, SHIFTING THE REST, WHATEVER THAT FINAL NUMBER WILL BE AS WE GET CLOSER TO OUR DECEMBER 1ST, UH, AUDITED NUMBER AND TRANSFER THAT ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO TRANSFER THAT, THOSE FUNDS.

AND THEN WHEN THAT FINAL NUMBER COMES FORWARD, WE WILL REPORT THAT BACK TO THE BOARD, UM, VERY CLOSE TO THE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER TIMEFRAME.

AND SO, UM, THIS MOTION, UH, DOES REFLECT, UM, THAT WE WOULD TRANSFER THAT EXCESS, BUT I WILL BE, UH, REQUIRED, I WILL BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TO INFORM YOU EXACTLY AMOUNT OF WHAT THAT TRANSFER AND IT WILL SHOW AS A LINE ITEM ON OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS A TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS.

SO, UM,

[00:55:01]

AGAIN, THE, THE BOND RATING, TO MAINTAIN THE BOND RATING, TO REMOVE THE NEED FOR A, UH, CONTINUE TO, UH, NOT NEED A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE, WHICH WE HAVE.

WE ARE IN OUR SECOND YEAR OF, UH, NOT ISSUING A TAN, UH, ALTHOUGH WE HAD ISSUED IT PREVIOUSLY FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

UH, BUT ALSO THIS MOTION GIVES THE BOARD FLEXIBILITY TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, UM, TO ADDRESS CERTAIN NEEDS.

BUT WE ALSO HAD THE FLEXIBILITY, IF FOR ANY, FOR UNFORESEEN SHORTFALLS, WE COULD MOVE IT BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.

UH, ANY OF THE MOVEMENT OF THESE FUNDS WILL REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL.

SO THEY DON'T, THEY AREN'T, UH, AUTHORIZED.

WE CANNOT AUTHORIZE THEM WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL.

AND SO, UM, THIS WILL WORK, UH, WE'LL CLOSE THE FISCAL YEAR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ISSUE, THE AUDIT REPORT.

WE WILL DO A JOURNAL ENTRY TO MOVE, MAKE THAT TRANSFER, AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEETING AND REPORT OUT TO THE BOARD.

SO, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

I KNOW THIS REAL FOREIGN CONCEPTS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN OUR FUND BALANCE AT A CONSERVATIVE LEVEL, BUT YET STILL BE ABLE TO TRANSFER IT IN AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND TO ADDRESS NEEDS.

SO, QUESTION FOR YOU, TANYA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, SO COULD THIS ALSO, UH, UH, UM, DECREASE THE NEED FOR, UH, BORROWING FOR OUR, UH, AGAINST OUR 8% OF OUR PROPERTY VALUES? IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE OFFSET SOME OF THAT BORROWING.

IS THAT TRUE? YES, THAT IS TRUE.

MM-HMM, .

ALRIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR MR. SMITH, IN TERMS OF MOVING THIS MONEY OVER TO THE 8%? AT, AT WHAT POINT, UM, WILL YOU CONSIDER US NEEDING TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS MONEY FROM THE 8% PROJECTS AS SOON AS THE TRANSFER IS MADE AND YOU ARE INFORMED OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT? WE CAN, UH, THE BOARD COULD DIRECT US TO IDENTIFY NEEDS FOR ALL OR SOME, OR OF THE FUNDING AT ANY TIME? WELL, BASICALLY THE 8% FUND, THE FUNDING WILL JUST BE, I MEAN, MOVING THE MONEY TO THE 8% IS BASICALLY A KIND OF JUST A WILL BE A HOLDING.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT'LL BE HELD, YES.

AND I WILL, ANY FUNDS HELD IN RESERVE, I ALWAYS, UH, REPORT IN MARCH OF EACH YEAR WHEN WE HAVE OUR, OUR DEBT PROGRAM UPDATES, I REPORT ANY FUNDS THAT ARE HELD, UH, AND THAT HAVE, HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SPECIFIC FUNDING, I WILL BRING THOSE FORWARD AND, UH, SO I WILL REPORT IT AT LEAST ANNUALLY IN THE MARCH REPORT.

AND AND FROM WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BASICALLY THAT MONEY DON'T BE SPENT, IT WON'T BE SPENT UPON UNLESS THE BOARD IS FORWARDED UPON THAT, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

WE GET THIS EXTRA MONEY AND WE'VE GOT IT IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, LET'S PAY OFF OUR DEBT A LITTLE QUICKER.

COLONEL GEIER, I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A ONE TIME AFFAIR.

UH, THIS IS, BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR YEAR WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY NEW APARTMENTS WOULD COME ONLINE, HOW MANY NEW HOUSES WOULD BE SOLD AT ALL.

THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT COMES IN.

WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERY HOUSE THAT WAS PURCHASED FOR $200,000.

AND, AND OVER THE TIME THEY GOT, UH, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

SO IT'S ASSESSED AT $150,000, BUT THEN THEY SOLD IT THAT LAST YEAR FOR $400,000.

SO THAT HOUSE IS BRINGING IN DOUBLE, MAYBE EVEN TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF TAX FOR THAT ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY.

SO THIS IS A ONE TIME THING AND PUTTING IN AN 8%, BUT WE ALSO, IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, IT PROBABLY WILL BE MENTIONED, UH, BECAUSE MR. SMITH ASKED FOR THIS ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FLEET OVERVIEW, ALL THE VEHICLES, THE BUSES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND FRANKLY, IT'S SHOCKING OF HOW, ONE, HOW MANY WE HAD.

I, I HAD NO IDEA WE HAD THAT MANY.

AND THEN TO SEE THE AVERAGE AGE, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF MILES AND SO ON, UH, VERY CONCERNING TO SEE THAT.

AND WHEN YOU GET A WINDFALL, A ONE TIME WINDFALL, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO.

ONE, YOU COULD MAKE A BIG MISTAKE AND PUT IT INTO RE SOMETHING THAT WILL COST YOU RECURRING MORE MONEY EVERY YEAR, LIKE ADDING SALARIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

OR YOU CAN USE THAT TO INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY TO INCREASE OR DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND ON OLDER VEHICLES.

YOU MIGHT HAVE AN, AN INVESTMENT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND AS MUCH ON GAS BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE EFFICIENT.

SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY ONE TIME TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THIS MONEY, WHAT WE CAN'T DO, AND WHAT I ASKED INITIALLY WAS, OKAY,

[01:00:01]

BUT WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THAT OUR DEBT, UNLIKE A MORTGAGE, LIKE IF, IF WE GOT, UH, SAY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT SHOWED UP IN OUR BANKING ACCOUNT, OUR PERSONAL BANKING ACCOUNT, YOU'D SAY, WELL, WE'LL JUST SEND THAT IN AND PAY OFF PRINCIPLE ON MY MORTGAGE.

WELL, WE CAN'T DO THAT WITH A BOND.

A BOND HAS A CALL DATE AND IT'S GENERALLY ABOUT 10 YEARS, AND YOU CAN'T RENEGOTIATE OR CALL IN THAT BOND TO PAY IT OFF EARLY FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE A MORTGAGE.

IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THOUGH, IS AT A ONE TIME PERIOD, UH, MAKE OURSELVES HEALTHY FOR THE LONG TERM.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

ARE WE READY TO VOTE? I SEE NO FURTHER.

HANDS UP.

SO, UM, THE MOTION IS, UH, DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

THANK YOU TANYA.

MADAM CHAIR, THAT COMPLETES THE, UH, FINANCE REPORT.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COLONEL GEIER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR COLONEL GEIER? YEAH, SO SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.

I DON'T, YEAH.

THIS IS KIND OF A QUESTION, BUT IT, IT, I APPRECIATE COLONEL GEIER DID, I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I DID WATCH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND YOU DO ABSOLUTELY GO OVER THINGS.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD NOTICED YOU HAD ALREADY ASKED AND ANSWERED ABOUT, AND ONE THING THAT COMES UP A LOT IS THE MONEY ON TECHNOLOGY.

SO WHAT I DO WANNA HAVE, THIS IS SORT OF A FUTURE TOPIC SLASH COMMENT, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE TO DIG INTO, WE BOUGHT NEW, UH, MINI COMPUTERS, SMALL COMPUTERS FOR A NEW VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE.

BUT WHAT I'M INTERESTED IS I LOOKED INTO THIS, UM, VISITOR MANAGE, UH, SYSTEM, AND I'M GONNA BE INTERESTED IN HOW WE ARE MAXIMIZING THAT INVESTMENT, HOW WE'RE UTILIZING IT, UM, FULLY BECAUSE THE NEW VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UH, IT HAS TREMENDOUS MORE SECURITY OPTIONS, BUT IT ALSO WILL ALLOW KIDS TO GET RID OF PAPER.

UH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CHECK IN AND OUT ELECTRONICALLY.

THAT DATA CAN BE KEPT AND REPORTED ON, AND IT WILL INTEGRATE WITH POWERSCHOOL.

SO I WOULD LIKE, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THAT ON, UM, IN THE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE.

BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE LOOSE ENDS OUT THERE THAT ARE TECHNOLOGY RELATED, THAT ARE GOOD INVESTMENTS, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE PURCHASE THESE SYSTEMS, THAT THEY GET IMPLEMENTED, TRAINED, AND FULLY UTILIZED.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT.

ALL.

SO NEXT, UH, REPORTING WE HAVE OPERATIONS AND IS IT, VICTOR, ARE YOU REPORTING BECAUSE, UH, CARLTON IS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT? YES, MA'AM.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, COLONEL GARR FOR STEALING SOME OF MY THUNDER.

THAT'S ONE LAST THING I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, WE ALSO REVIEWED, UM, THE LAST QUARTER, UH, QUARTER TWOS FOUR REPORT.

UH, AND WE TALKED ABOUT CONSTRUCTION, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.

SO THE, THE LAST THING THAT I JUST WANTED TO BRING LIGHT TO, UH, WAS THE IGSA, UH, WHICH WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE, IN THE MOTION.

UM, WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, MARINE CORPS STATION, UH, BUFORT, UM, FOR USE OF TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.

UM, THE, THE MOTION MAY HAVE SOUNDED A LITTLE CONFUSING, SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.

UH, THERE IS NO MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS GOING ONTO THE AIR STATION.

THEY ARE USING OUR EXPERTISE, NOT OUR MONEY.

SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

UM, BUT THE, THE PARTNERSHIP IS TO BASICALLY TO USE, UM, SOURCE DATA AND, UH, ANY OTHER STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE, RECEIVE, AND SHARE INSTALLATION SUPPORT SERVICES.

IF THE SECRETARY DETERMINES THAT THE AGREEMENT WILL SERVE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DEPARTMENT BY ENHANCING MISSION EFFECTIVENESS AND CREATING EFFICIENCIES OR, UH, ECONOMIES OF SCALE, INCLUDING BY REDUCING COSTS, WHICH THE AIR STATION CAN DO BY USING OUR EXPERTISE.

UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, I CONCLUDE WHAT IS LEFT OF THE PRESENTATION.

WELL SAID, AND VERY SUCCINCT.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UM, MR. NAY? YES, THANK YOU.

[Superintendent’s Report]

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DR. RODRIGUEZ REPORTING.

STRATOS AND DR. CAMPBELL.

AND, UM, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING UNDER SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT UNDER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

UM, WE'RE GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION FIRST ON THE UPDATE ON TEACHER OPENING DAY.

ESSENTIALLY, UH, JUST SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, UH, THE EVENT THAT WE HOSTED, UH, WITH ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS.

UM, HERE TO DO THAT IS DR.

GOOD E GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS THIS

[01:05:01]

EVENING.

I HAVE THE HONOR OF BRINGING FORWARD OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE OFFICER, DR.

NIKIA CAMPBELL.

SHE'LL BE SHARING HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OPENING OF SCHOOL.

SO PLEASE GIVE US A FEW MINUTES.

THANK YOU, DOC.

GOOD VIDEO.

THE FIRST, WHAT I WANNA DO THIS MORNING IS TALK A LITTLE BIT WITH EVERYONE HERE ABOUT OUR TRAJECTORY.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING.

I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU, UM, A PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR OPENING OF SCHOOLS, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND SUPPORT STAFF.

I WANTED TO START WITH ONE QUOTE.

UM, ZIEGLER SAYS IT BEST.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GREAT TO START, BUT YOU HAVE TO START TO BE GREAT.

AND I BASICALLY THINK THAT THIS QUOTE KIND OF SUMMARIZES OUR WORK OVER THE SUMMER AS WE, UM, PROVIDED THE NECESSARY TRAININGS AND SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR THEM TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW YEAR.

UM, IT IS THE VERY ACTIVE PLANNING AND TAKING THE STEPS TOWARDS BEING GREAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CHARGED WITH DOING.

UM, I WANNA BEGIN THE PRESENTATION BY TELLING YOU, UM, THAT A LOT OF OUR PREPARATION DOESN'T JUST BEGIN IN THE SUMMER.

IN THE SUMMER, BUT IT ACTUALLY BEGINS BEFORE WE CLO CLOSE, UM, THE SCHOOL YEAR OUT.

AND WE STARTED WITH OUR NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION.

AND OUR ORIENTATION IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN HUMAN RESOURCE, INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITIES, AS WELL AS FINANCE.

AND WE HELP TO, UM, SUPPORT OVER 300 NEW HIRES TO INCLUDE CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED.

OUR ORIENTATIONS ARE SCHEDULED WEEKLY, UM, BEGINNING IN MAY, AND OUR ORIENTATIONS INCLUDED SUPPORT FOR TECHNOLOGY POLICY, SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, HR BENEFITS, AND A LOT OF OTH OTHER, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT.

ON JUNE 20TH AND 21ST, HR DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A TWO DAY TRAINING FOR OUR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.

UM, THIS INTENSIVE BOOTCAMP TRAINING PROVIDED OUR SCHOOL LEADERS WITH TOOLS, UM, TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING FOR THE YEAR.

THE BOOTCAMP INCLUDED HR POLICIES, LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, LEGAL, AND SAFETY, UM, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

WE HAD OVER 100 SCHOOL LEADERS THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE.

ON JULY 24TH, INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HELD, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR MORE THAN 100 ATTENDEES, AND OUR ATTENDEES INCLUDED BOTH OUR PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES.

UM, THE DAY WAS, UM, JAM PACKED WITH INSTRUCTIONAL UPDATES, UM, RESOURCES AND MATERIALS THAT WERE BENEFICIAL FOR THE ATTENDEES.

AND OUR GOAL FOR THAT DAY WAS THAT TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT TO HELP IN PROMOTING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.

UM, THAT TRAINING WAS HELD AT OUR BEAUFORD JASPER ACE, UM, AGAIN, JULY 24TH.

ON JULY 25TH, UH, WE HAD OUR ATHLETIC COACHES CONVOCATION.

AND AS YOU KNOW, OUR COACHES AND ATHLETIC DIRECTORS PLAY

[01:10:01]

A PIVOTAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE ATHLETIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR EX, UH, EXPERIENCES FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.

AND TO SUPPORT THEM IN THAT ROLE, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT SPONSORED THE COACHES CONVOCATION, WHICH INCORPORATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FOCUSED ON SAFETY LEADERSHIP AND BEST PRACTICES FOR OUR COACHES, COACHES, COACHES, AND THE, UM, ATHLETIC COACHES.

CONVOCATION WAS HELD AT BATTERY CREEK, AND WE HAD MORE THAN 150 MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC COACHES THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE.

ON JULY 27TH, WE HAD OUR ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL EXPO, AND THIS WAS FACILITATED IN ORGANIZED BY OUR STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT OUR BACK TO SCHOOL EXPO.

UM, IT WAS HELD AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS WHERE OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES COME OUT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCHOOL BEFORE THE START OF SCHOOL, MEET THE PRINCIPAL STAFF AND RECEIVE RESOURCES AND CONNECT TO OUR COMMUNITY AGENCIES.

UM, STUDENTS AT THE BACK TO SCHOOL EXPO, UM, RECEIVES SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO INCLUDE BOOK BAGS.

NEARLY 500 FAMILIES PRE-REGISTERED FOR THE EVENT, AND NEARLY 1100 STUDENTS WERE IN ATTENDANCE.

WE HAD 71 VENDORS THAT WERE PRESENT ON JULY 31ST, WHICH YOU SAW THE VIDEO THAT KIND OF, UM, SHARED WHAT WE DID AS A DISTRICT.

UM, OUR DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY WAS HELD AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND H MCCRACKEN, AND WE BEGAN THE DAY WITH A GENERAL SESSION.

DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ, OUR SUPERINTENDENT, PROVIDED A MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE TO OUR STAFF, FOSTERING THE CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.

AND AFTER THE GENERAL SESSION, TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF WERE ABLE TO SELECT AMONG 150 SESSIONS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS.

UM, THAT DAY WE HAD MORE THAN 2300 TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION IN ATTENDANCE ON, ON AUGUST 1ST, 2024, UM, WE HELD OUR FIRST TIDES DUAL ENROLLMENT ORIENTATION FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE BEAUFORT TIDES PROGRAM IS A DUAL ENROLLMENT PARTNERSHIP FOR QUALIFYING NINTH GRADERS, UM, TO ENROLL IN A FULL-TIME DUAL ENROLLMENT COHORT AT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.

WE HAD MORE THAN 50 PARTICIPANTS, UM, IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT.

AND AUGUST 1ST, SECOND, FIFTH, AND SIXTH WERE SCHEDULED SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY DAYS, BUT WE HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO OUR TROPICAL STORM, DEBBIE.

SO OUR SCHOOLS WERE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON AUGUST 1ST AND SECOND, ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS SUBMITTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS OUTLINING THE LEVEL OF TRAINING AND ALIGNMENT TO OUR DISTRICT, UH, GOALS.

UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE SCHOOL START, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD A GREAT START.

AND I KNOW THAT THE PREPARATION AND TRAINING, UM, THAT WE PROVIDED OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR.

I WANNA THANK OUR BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND, UM, PROVIDING THE NECESSARY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR OUR TEACHERS.

AND WE COULD NOT DO THAT WITHOUT YOU.

I WOULD ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A LARGER VENUE BECAUSE IT, IT WAS A FULL HOUSE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? VICTOR? THANK YOU MA'AM.

CHAIR, UH, AS FAR AS THE STUDENT EXPO GOES, UH, YOU SAID WE HAD, UH, JUST UNDER 1100 STUDENTS.

WE HAVE 21,500 STUDENTS.

SO I, I MEAN, IF MY MATH RIGHT, I'M, I'M A MARINE, SO LIKE WE'RE GOT JUST, JUST UNDER 5%.

WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE FUTURE TO, UH, TO GET MORE OF OUR STUDENTS TO THE STUDENT EXPO? I MEAN, 'CAUSE 5% SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY SMALL ATTENDANCE.

UM, WELL AGAIN, THAT WAS OUR STUDENT SERVICES, SO I FEEL THAT MAYBE MORE PREPARATION, UM, ADVERTISEMENT COULD ALSO HELP US.

I THINK WE NEED TO SET SPECIFIC GOALS SO THAT WE KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INFORMATION OR DATA, UM, WAS LAST YEAR TO SEE IF THAT WE INCREASED ENROLLMENT FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, BUT THAT WOULD BE MAYBE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SPECIFIC GOAL TO SEE THAT WE ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.

WE COULD BROADEN THE OPPORTUNITY, SERVE FOR A COLLABORATION.

WE DID WORK WITH THE STUDENT SERVICES, AND AS DR. CAMPBELL SHARED, HAS INCREASED THE OPPORTUNITY OF MEDIA TO GET THE WORD OUT.

I, AT THAT

[01:15:01]

SO AS WE LOOK AT SETTING GOALS, AS DR. CAMPBELL SUGGESTED, WE COULD ALSO LOOK AT WORKING AT A LARGER VENUE AS WELL.

SIR, MR. SMITH, UH, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, UM, ACTUALLY THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.

IT MAY NOT SOUND LARGE AS IN THE ACTUAL NUMBER THAT IS SAID, BUT IN TERMS OF SERVING COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE SERVED, UH, TO THE ACTUAL TO, TO YOU GO AND SEE IT, IT, IT IS A, IT IS A VERY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE GOING THERE FOR A SERVICE.

SO THAT, THAT'S A ANOTHER COMPONENT OF UNDERSTANDING THE, IT'S MORE OF A, WHEN YOU GO TO THE COUNTY, COUNTY HAVE IT HAVE A AREA CALLED ONE-STOP SHOP.

SO FOR KIDS COME BACK TO SCHOOL, THAT'S KIND OF A ONE STOP SHOP TO SEE YOUR SCHOOL AND ALSO TO GET, GET ANY SCHOOL SUPPLIES THAT YOU MAY NEED.

SO IN TERMS OF EVERY STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT MAY JUST NOT NEED OR SOME, EXCUSE ME, SOME STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT MAY NOT NEED THAT ONE STOP SHOP BECAUSE SOME FAMILIES ARE MORE FORTUNATE THAN OTHERS.

BUT THAT'S, UH, THE MOTIVE OF THAT.

IT STARTED BECAUSE OF IT'S A ONE STOP SHOP TO HELP AID FAMILIES WHO MAY NEED SOME OF ASSISTANCE TO, UH, BE SUCCESSFUL IN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THEM MORE DOING THAT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO EVEN GROWING IT AND FINANCIAL AS WELL, AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

OKAY, NEXT ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, UH, IS UNDER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND IT'S THE CREDIT RATING UPDATE THAT, UH, MS. CROSBY SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.

AND SO SHE'S GOING TO, UH, COME UP AT THIS TIME AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THAT FOR YOU.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

UM, I, I GAVE A PREVIEW, UH, TO SOME OF THE IMPORTANT, UH, ASPECTS OF HAVING A STRONG, UH, CREDIT RATING.

WE ACTUALLY HAD A CREDIT RATING, UM, THE FIRST, UH, WEEK OF AUGUST.

AND IN ANTICIPATION OF THE BOND SALE OF THE BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE, WHICH IS A ONE YEAR BOND, UH, THAT WAS THE FIRST REFERENDUM BOND ISSUE OF $50 MILLION.

UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD SEVEN BIDDERS AND WE CAME IN WITH AN INTEREST RATE OF 3.1%, WHICH WAS A VERY HEALTHY INTEREST RATE, UH, CONSIDERING, UH, THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT.

NOW, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE BAN AGAIN, WAS TO DO A TEMPORARY BOND SO THAT, UH, ANY FURTHER REDUCTIONS IN THE INTEREST RATE AS WE GO ON AND DO EXPECT IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW QUARTERS.

UH, WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT BY ISSUING A PERMANENT BOND IN JANUARY AND THE AMOUNT OF THAT FOR THE REFERENDUM WILL BE 182 MILLION.

UM, SO, UH, ALSO IN AUGUST, UH, AUGUST 15TH IS PLANNED A CLOSING ON THE $43 MILLION 8% BONDS.

SO WE HAVE THAT COMING UP AS WELL.

AND SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, SERIES OF BOND ISSUES, HOW CRITICALLY IMPORTANT OF STRONG BOND RATING IS.

UM, SO THE REPORT WE PROVIDED TO YOU, UH, JUST GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE, THE SCORECARD THAT MOODY'S RATING AGENCY IN NEW YORK, UH, PROVIDED TO US.

AND SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT ARE, UM, THAT THE CREDIT STRENGTHS WERE THE FUND BALANCE, UH, ALSO A GROWING POPULATION, UH, IN, IN OUR AREA.

UM, WE HAVE, WE ARE CONSIDERED, UH, HAVE HIGH AMOUNTS OF, UH, ASSESSED VALUES AS COMPARED TO OTHER, UH, OF PROPERTY VALUES AS COMPARED TO OTHERS THROUGH ACROSS THE STATE AND SOUND, FISCAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, AND PRUDENT BUDGET AND CAPITAL PLANNING.

SO THOSE THINGS WERE CITED AS BEING VERY STRONG, CONSISTENT LEADERSHIP IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND THOSE THINGS ARE SEEN AS VERY POSITIVE ASPECTS.

AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UH, THE MOODY'S HAS A SCORECARD AND THEY HAVE CERTAIN, UH, DATA IN THE THIRD PAGE THAT I PROVIDED CERTAIN ITEMS, RESIDENT INCOME, FULL VALUE, PROPERTY VALUES, AND THEY COMPARE US TO OTHER LIKE DISTRICTS, UH, OTHER LIKE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES.

AND WE ACTUALLY SCORED AS A DOUBLE A TWO, WHICH IS BELOW WHERE WE ARE NOW.

BUT THE STRENGTH IN OUR FUND BALANCE, UH, WAS ABLE TO NOTCH US UP AND TO KEEP US TO MAINTAIN THAT AA ONE.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT AND THE OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR STRENGTHS ARE, ARE HELD TO, UH, BE ABLE TO KEEP US AT THAT LEVEL.

SO I JUST, UM, AND THE REASONING FOR THAT LEVEL IS TO LOWER INTEREST RATES AND ESSENTIALLY TO PASS THAT SAVINGS ALONG TO OUR TAXPAYERS.

SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

UH, THANK YOU MS. CROSBY.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? VICTOR? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UH, AS FAR AS THE CREDIT CHALLENGES, UH, LISTED AS ONE AS RESERVES AND LIQUIDITY LEVELS BELOW THOSE AS SIMILARLY RATED DISTRICTS, UH, BUT YET WE JUST, UH, DECIDED TO PASS, UH, A FUND OVERAGE

[01:20:01]

OF $7.9 MILLION INTO OUR OPERATIONS.

SO CAN YOU SPEAK ON THAT? 'CAUSE IT SEEMS CONTRADICTORY LIQUIDITY LEVELS, UM, SO RESERVES AND LIQUIDITY LEVELS BELOW THOSE AS SIMILAR RATED DISTRICTS.

SO OTHERS HAVE, DO HAVE, UM, IN THE 25% RANGE OR THAT SORT OF THING.

SO THOSE WHO, UM, BUT OUR RESERVES WERE STILL GROWING AND AT A, AT A LEVEL THAT WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP US AT, UH, AT THE CURRENT RATING.

SO ALTHOUGH THE RESERVES AREN'T AS LARGE AS SOME OF THE AAA DISTRICTS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE DID STILL HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE IN THEIR OPINION.

SO, UM, THAT RESERVE, IT JUST SHOWS HOW IT DEMONSTRATES HOW IMPORTANT THAT FUND BALANCE RESERVE IS.

UM, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, DR. LEE WILL BE COMING FORWARD.

AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE THE, UH, STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRING, UM, CELL PHONE BANS.

AND SO, UH, DR. LEE AND OUR TEAM GOT TO WORK, UH, IN PREPARATION FOR THE FOR IT.

AND, UM, SHE'S HERE TO JUST GIVE YOU A FINAL UPDATE ON, UH, ON THE CELL PHONE, UH, VAN FROM WHERE WE LEFT LAST TIME.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE WITH A CELL PHONE POLICY.

UM, WE MET WITH PRINCIPALS A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND WE WENT THROUGH THE, UM, AR UM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION AND PROVIDED THEM WITH THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU RECEIVED THIS EVENING.

THE FIRST DOCUMENT IS THE PERSONAL ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE GUIDELINES, WHICH YOU'VE SEEN PREVIOUSLY.

THIS WENT OUT, THIS, THESE DOCUMENTS ARE ALSO ON THE WEBSITE IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.

AND THEY WERE PROVIDED, UM, BY THE ADMINIS TO THE ADMINISTRATORS TO BE ABLE TO GO HOME TO PARENTS.

UM, THE SECOND DOCUMENT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES.

WE TOOK THE CONSEQUENCES FROM THE DISCIPLINE MATRIX AND PUT THEM ALL ON ONE PAGE SO THAT IT WAS EASY TO FOLLOW FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS, BUT ALSO FOR OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT GOES FROM, THERE ARE EIGHT INFRACTIONS THERE.

IT GOES FROM LEVEL ONE, LEVEL TWO, AND LEVEL THREE AT THE BOTTOM.

WE ALSO PROVIDED ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE, UM, FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

UH, SO IF A STUDENT REFUSES TO GIVE UP A DEVICE, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS AT THAT POINT IN TIME? UM, AND THAT AT NO POINT, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY, AT NO POINT SHOULD A TEACHER OR AN ADMINISTRATOR ACTUALLY TAKE FROM A STUDENT, UM, BY FORCE, UH, THE A DEVICE AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THAT WERE TO OCCUR IN A STUDENT WHEN GIVE THEIR DEVICE UP.

SO WE WENT THROUGH THESE, UM, DISCUSSIONS WITH PRINCIPALS.

THEY ALSO HAD SOME OTHER SCENARIOS AND OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TALK, TALK THROUGH THAT.

ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS WAS CONSISTENCY, ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNICATION.

UM, AND WE'VE WORKED AS A DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNICATION HAS GONE OUT TO OUR PARENTS AND TO OUR STUDENTS.

AND, UM, SO FAR FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY MAJOR DISRUPTIONS.

HOPEFULLY THAT STAYS THE SAME.

UM, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IS, UM, ATTRIBUTED TO OUR PARENTS.

UM, AND HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AND REALLY WANTING TO FOCUS ON ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION.

WE ALSO PROVIDED SCRIPTS TO OUR PA TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS.

YOU DON'T HAVE THAT DOCUMENT, BUT WE PROVIDED, AS YOU REQUESTED, A MORNING ANNOUNCEMENT SCRIPT AND ALSO, UM, SCRIPTS FOR OUR TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS TO, UM, STATE TO THE STUDENTS.

AND THEN THAT LAST DOCUMENT IS RESEARCH.

UM, WE PUT THAT ON A ONE PAGER.

UM, COLLEEN DID THAT.

IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

UM, BUT JUST TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION LASTLY, TO THE ADMINISTRATORS.

WE PROVIDED ALL OF THE LINKS THAT WE ORIGINALLY PROVIDED TO YOU, JUST SO THAT THEY HAD THAT, UM, INFORMATION SO THAT IF PARENTS DID REQUEST OR WANTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND RESEARCH, THEY HAD THAT.

ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.

BOAT.

UM, SO FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM PARENTS THAT IT'S, IT'S OFF TO A GOOD START.

THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION, AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION.

I THINK MY OBSERVATION IS THAT PARENTS DON'T PAY AS MUCH ATTENTION TO AN UPDATE TO AN AR MM-HMM.

WE UPDATE A LOT OF AR, WE UPDATE DISCIPLINE CODES, ET CETERA.

THAT KIND OF LEVEL OF, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S A LITTLE WONKY, A LITTLE POLICY WONKY TYPE THING DOESN'T NECESSARILY PENETRATE INTO THE DINNER TABLE CONVERSATIONS.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT NEEDS TO COME ACROSS TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ON PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IT'S NOT JUST ON THE SCHOOL, BUT IS THAT THIS IS A CULTURAL SHIFT THAT'S OCCURRING NATIONWIDE.

THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE HAS TO GET BEHIND, UM, TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION IS, IS IT WAS WELL COMMUNICATED, BUT IT WAS COMMUNICATED LIKE A DISCIPLINE UPDATE AS OPPOSED TO, THIS IS GONNA BE MAKE, KIDS ARE GONNA HATE THIS.

IT'S GONNA BE A TREMENDOUS, UM, UPHILL BATTLE.

THE ONE THING I WILL SAY I, I DO HAVE A BIT OF A CONCERN IS WE, YOU GUYS I'M SURE ARE GONNA MEET AND TWEAK THIS GOING FORWARD, HAVING THE PHONE IN THE POCKET, I THINK IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

AND THE REASON IS A LOT OF THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT'S THE INTERRUPTION

[01:25:01]

TO THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

SO WHEN MY KID'S HOME, I, HE'S GOT HIS IPAD AND HE'LL NOT BE IN THE ROOM, BUT I HEAR BING, BING, BING GOING OFF ALL THE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL TEXTING EACH OTHER, POSTING THINGS.

SO IT'S THAT NOTIFICATION, EVEN IF IT'S SILENT IN THE POCKET, THEY'RE GONNA BE FEELING THESE VIBRATIONS.

MM-HMM.

AND SO THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ONCE THAT KID IS LIKE, OH, I WANT TO CHECK THAT IT CAN TAKE A WHILE BEFORE HE REFOCUSES ON THE CLASSROOM.

SO I WOULD JUST PAY ATTENTION TO THAT AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS WORKING OR IS STILL CAUSING PROBLEMS, HOWEVER WE CAN ASSESS THAT.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DOING.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ARE KEEPING TRACK.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE DISCIPLINE, AND THEY'RE ALSO MEETING AND TALKING WITH PRINCIPALS, AND WE WILL REGULARLY GET BACK AND, UM, ADJUST AS WE NEED TO.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

COLONEL GEIER.

YOU KNOW, HOW I FEEL THAT I'M NOT REALLY FULLY ON BOARD WITH THIS.

I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY LATEST NEWS FROM THE STATE? IS WHAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE? I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

YEAH.

SO, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY ANY ADJUSTMENTS, UH, TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, THE TIMING MIGHT BE BEST IN JANUARY ONCE WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO COLLECT SOME DATA ALONG THE WAY ON, ON OUR OWN PROGRESS AND IMPLEMENTATION.

UH, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'LL BE SOMETIME IN JANUARY WHEN WE GET INFORMATION FROM THE STATE ON THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THAT LEGISLATION AND WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL HAVE TO DO.

SO THERE MAY BE A REQUIREMENT, UH, THERE FOR US TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AT THAT TIME ANYHOW.

UH, AND SO THAT, THAT SEEMS TO ME, AFTER GATHERING ENOUGH INFORMATION, AND THAT MAY BE, UH, WHATEVER CHANGES THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD, WHATEVER IMPLEMENTATION OR INTERPRETATION THEY HAVE WHEN THEY BRING THAT FORWARD, MAY BE THE, THE IDEAL TIME TO MAKE THAT, UH, THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

I CAN ALSO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

UM, I WAS ASKED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, A HANDFUL OF, UH, BOARD MEMBERS IN THE STATE, UH, WE'RE INVITED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON JULY 25TH FOR A, A, A MEETING REGARDING THIS, UH, CELL PHONE POLICY.

SO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS PASSED, I BELIEVE IT'S A PROVISO AS OPPOSED TO, UH, LEGISLATION.

UM, AND THEY'VE TWEAKED IT A LITTLE BIT NOW, AS I RECALL.

THE WORDING NOW IS THAT, UH, STUDENTS CAN, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS, AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY WORD, UH, UH, DURING, AND IT'S NO LONGER INSTRUCTION TIME.

IT'S DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, THEIR DEVICE, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE, THEY CANNOT IMPLEMENT IT, UH, AND MAKE IT A STATEWIDE REQUIREMENT UNTIL JANUARY, AS DR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, JUST SAID.

SO IT'S VERY LIKELY, I MEAN, I THINK THE PUBLIC AND THE PARENTS, THIS IS, THIS IS A STATE REQUIREMENT AND IT'S, IT'S COMING VERY SOON.

AND SO I, I THINK WE TOOK A GREAT LEAD ON, UM, AS THE BOARD, IT WAS THE BOARD'S WILL TO START, YOU KNOW, START NOW AND PREFERABLY START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND, UM, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT.

AND IT IS, UH, AS MS. BOATWRIGHT SAID, I MEAN, IT'S NATIONALLY.

THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF A BIG, A BIG, UH, UH, CHANGE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE REALLY, IT'S RECOGNIZED HOW DETRIMENTAL, JUST CONSTANT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, INTERRUPTION AND, AND, UH, WHATNOT FROM YOUR CELL PHONE IS JUST, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR ACADEMIC, UH, ACHIEVEMENT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

I DID SHARE, UH, SHARE WITH THE SCDE, UH, ARE THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAD DEVELOPED SO FAR THAT YOUR, UH, TEAM HAD DEVELOPED, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ.

AND, UH, THEY, THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH, UH, HOW WE WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT, UM, NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO, UH, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT EARL, UM, I, I THINK PARENTS HAVE TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT ONLY A STATE LAW.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ALSO GOING TO COME OUT WITH, WITH ABOUT USE OF CELL PHONE, AND THAT'S GONNA BE SOMETIME TO FIRST NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

WELL, THE, UH, ONE OF THE ONLY CONCERNS THAT I, I HAVE, UH, IN TERMS OF WHERE, OF WHERE WE ARE AT IS, UH, WHEN JANUARY COMING, HOW, HOWEVER, MUCH MORE RIGOROUS OR, UH, LAST WEEK WHEN WE LAST, UH, WE WILL HAVE TO RE TRAIN OUR STUDENTS IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, LISTENING TO THE LANGUAGE.

BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT UPON THE LANGUAGE AND THE, THE, THE DIRECTIONS OR THE DIRECT WORDS THAT ARE USED, AND THAT THOSE LANGUAGE, THE WORDS THAT WERE USED, THIS, NOW IT'S A LITTLE MORE UNLAXED.

SO I'M LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF, OF LUNCH OR CERTAIN TIMES.

THEN THAT MEANS ABSOLUTELY.

THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW STUDENTS TO USE CELL PHONES DURING THOSE, DURING THE, DURING THOSE TIMES.

SO THAT, THAT DUDE, THAT DUDE DOES KIND OF CONCERN ME, UH, IN TERMS OF HOW, OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AS A STATE AND THAT, AND THAT AND THAT, AND AS A SCHOOL BOARD, BECAUSE I MEAN, I'M CERTAIN PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'M,

[01:30:01]

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL, ALL, ALL BOARD, ALL, ALL BOARDS DON'T MOVE IT WITH, WITH THE STATE.

UNFORTUNATELY.

SOME PEOPLE DISAGREE, BUT SO, I MEAN, I, THAT'S JUST CONCERNING ME IN TERMS OF HOW WE WILL MOVE THAT PLAN FORWARD AND I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE STATE'S INTERPRETATION IS AND WHAT THEY PUSH DOWN THE LINE, BUT WHATEVER THAT IS, RIGHT.

WE WILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH, RIGHT? AND, AND SO I THINK THIS IS A BIG STEP, UM, BECAUSE THAT, THAT WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN.

UH, BUT IF THE INTERPRETATION IS THAT EVEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, UH, IT'S NOT ALLOWED AT ALL DURING THE DAY, RIGHT? NOT JUST DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, BUT DURING THE DAY, RIGHT? UH, THEN, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO COMMUNICATE THAT WITH OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE STATE'S INTERPRETATION OF THIS, UH, PROVISO IS THAT THAT'S NOT ALLOWED DURING LUNCH.

AND SO WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT ANY LONGER, RIGHT? UH, BUT I THINK WE'VE TAKEN A MAJOR STEP IN, UH, UH, IN DEALING WITH THE ISSUE, UH, JUST BY STARTING, UH, EARLY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SAID THIS YET THIS EVENING, RIGHT? BUT, UH, TRUTHFULLY, YOU KNOW, HATS OFF TO OUR STUDENTS, UM, WHO, WHO ARE, UM, REALLY FOLLOWING ALONG AND, AND MAYBE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT UNDERSTANDING, UH, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHY.

AND SO, UM, UH, WE HAVEN'T SAID THAT YET, BUT, BUT MY HAT HAT GOES OFF TO OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE, UM, THEIR COOPERATION IN THIS PROCESS IS, IS ESSENTIAL.

AND I DEFINITELY DO, AND I DEFINITELY DO AGREE WITH THAT.

DR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, ALSO IN TERMS OF, UM, I HOPE THAT THE STATE, AND I'M TALKING TO THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW, I HOPE THAT IF THAT IS THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU DO WANT TO USE, THAT YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE STUDENTS, WELL, I KNOW WITHIN THIS DISTRICT HAVE BEEN NICE TO US.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT.

SO I THINK THAT A LITTLE NEGOTIATION WOULD BE, UH, PREFERRED IN TERMS OF ALLOWING THOSE STUDENTS TO USE THAT PHONE DURING THAT LUNCH PERIOD TIME.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, THE GIVE AND TAKE A LITTLE TAKE A LITTLE BIT.

AND I WILL SAY, UM, TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ'S POINT, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, I WAS AT THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND I ONLY HEARD TWICE THAT AN ADMINISTRATOR OR A TEACHER HAD TO SAY, PUT YOUR PHONES AWAY.

SO STUDENTS WERE COMPLYING AND, AND THEY DID EXACTLY WHAT WAS REQUESTED OF THEM.

SO, ANY OTHER QUESTION? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

AS DR. RODRIGUEZ SAYS, AGAINST STANDARDS.

SO, UM, THE LAST ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT THIS EVENING IS AN UPDATE FROM OUR RIGHT CHOICES DIRECTOR.

SO WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL RIGHT CHOICES DIRECTOR OVER, UH, A SERIES OF YEARS.

UM, BUT I WANNA BRING UP, UH, DR.

WARAL, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OVER OUR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM.

AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT THAT IS HAPPENING OVER THERE IS, IS, UH, THE STRUCTURE THAT HE'S BRINGING TO AN ALTERNATIVE ED PROGRAM.

AND I THINK THAT'S NECESSARY.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND, AND HE'S GROUNDING HIS WORK, UH, IN NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM.

AND SO WHENEVER YOU CAN DO THAT, THEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS ALONG THE WAY.

AND SO, UM, DR.

WARRELL IS HERE, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HIM, UH, TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT HE'S DOING.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I WANT TO INTRODUCE BRIEFLY MY NEWLY APPOINTED ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, DR.

RENEE JENKINS.

SHE'S JOINED US.

UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, AS YOU SEE ON THE BOARD, DR. RODRIGUEZ DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF PRETTY MUCH SUMMARIZING WHERE WE ARE WITH ALTERNATIVE ED.

ONE OF THE MAJOR FACTORS IN ALTERNATIVE ED IS THAT IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS.

IN MOST DISTRICTS.

PEOPLE HAVE A CONCEPT OF ALTERNATIVE ED AS BEING THOSE STUDENTS OVER THERE.

AND AS A FORMER TRADITIONAL REGULAR ED ADMINISTRATOR, WE WANT KIDS OUTTA SCHOOL WHO DISRUPT.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THE RESEARCH TELLS US THAT WHEN A KID IS ACTING OUT, THEY'RE REALLY CRYING OUT.

AND AS INTELLIGENT EDUCATORS, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DECIPHER THAT CRY AS THOUGH THEY WERE A BABY.

IF A BABY CRIES, IS THE BABY HUNGRY? IS THE BABY DRY? IS THE BABY TIRED? SO ALL CRIES DO NOT MEAN THE SAME THING.

AND SO THE NEW STANDARD OF ALTERNATIVE ED IS LOOKING AT DIVERSE LEARNERS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO THEM AND NOT JUST MERELY REACT TO THEM.

AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO THAT IS TO TAKE A HOLISTIC LOOK OF THE WHOLE CHILD AND THEN BEGIN TO MEASURE IT,

[01:35:01]

NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT WE STILL HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO.

AND I DON'T WANNA READ THIS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN READ, AND I, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN READING TO INTELLIGENT PEOPLE, BUT I WANNA SHOW YOU ON THAT LAST BULLETED POINT WHERE IT SAYS KEY POINTS LA SECOND PAGE, I BELIEVE SECOND PAGE WHERE IT SAYS KEY POINTS.

I'M SORRY.

IT SAYS THAT WE PROVIDED SERVICES FOR 135 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT SCHOOL, YEAR 23, 24, AND YOU HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE GRADES.

NOW, THE LAST SENTENCE SAYS, THERE WAS ONE PHYSICAL ALTERCATION WITH 135 STUDENTS.

AND THAT SPEAKS TO THE STRUCTURE.

OUR STUDENTS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WE DO NOT MOVE THE GOALPOSTS WHEN THEY COME IN.

THE EXPECTATION IS SET.

WE TELL THEM WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS, THEN WE INSPECT WHAT WE EXPECT, HOWEVER, WE SUPPORT THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY ALONG THE WAY, AND EVERY DAY HAS TO BE A NEW DAY.

UM, OUT OF THAT, AND I DID NOT PUT THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SCHOOL YEAR 2223 IS BEST WE CAN TELL THAT WERE 31 RETURN STUDENTS, WHICH THAT MEANS IS THAT STUDENTS WENT BACK TO THEIR HOMESCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN 31 OF THEM RETURNED OUT OF 135 STUDENTS THAT WE SERVICE THROUGH SIXTH AND 12TH GRADE THEIR RIGHT CHOICES, ONLY EIGHT STUDENTS RETURNED TO US.

NOW I NEED THE BOARD'S HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CHANGE THE CONVERSATION SURROUNDING ALTERNATIVE AIR.

THESE ARE OUR STUDENTS.

THEY BELONG TO US, AND THEY DESERVE THE VERY BEST THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER THEM.

SO LEMME REPEAT WHAT I JUST SAID.

I NEED YOUR SUPPORT IN CHANGING AND REFRAMING THE CONVERSATION AROUND ALTERNATIVE ED BECAUSE THESE ARE OUR STUDENTS.

THEY BELONG TO US, AND THEY NEED OUR SUPPORT.

SO IN CONCLUSION, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM HAS DONE GOOD WORK, BUT THERE'S STILL A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO SO THAT WE CAN REDESIGN AND ALIGN OUR PRACTICES, OUR PROCESSES, AND OUR PROCEDURES TO NATIONAL STANDARDS.

ONCE WE DO THAT, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHO THE DIRECTOR OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION IS.

IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT THE STANDARDS SAY THAT MUST BE DONE TO BETTER SUPPORT STUDENTS ON THEIR JOURNEY TO SUCCESS.

SO I'M GOING TO END BY SAYING THIS.

I ISSUE AN INVITATION FOR ANY ONE OF YOU ALL TO COME OUT TO WRITE CHOICES, TO SIT DOWN WITH US SO WE CAN DO A DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT RIGHT CHOICES AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM SENIOR STAFF AND DISTRICT OFFICE AT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? CHLOE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

YES, MA'AM.

BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR, UH, ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM FOR, FOR KIDS AND INVITING US TO COME ALONG THIS JOURNEY.

IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

AND I, I DON'T THINK, UM, IT'S SOUNDING THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD SOUND, BUT 135 STUDENTS IN THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, AND HOW MANY DID YOU SAY RETURNED? EIGHT.

THAT'S AWESOME.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

UM, KUDOS TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND FOLLOWING THE STANDARDS, BECAUSE THESE ARE OUR STUDENTS AND THEY ARE IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEY REPRESENT BEAUFORT COUNTY.

MM-HMM.

AND THEY ALSO REPRESENT WHAT YOU AS THEIR DIRECTOR IS PUTTING OUT FOR YOUR STAFF EXPECTATIONS.

AND WHEN KIDS KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, THEY WILL COMPLY.

BUT YOU HAVE TO DO IT EVERY DAY.

YES, MA'AM.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND I WILL BE COMING BY TO SEE YOU.

ME VERY HARD, HE SAID, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE CHILDREN IN HIS PROGRAM IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THOSE CHILDREN THAT WE SEND OUT FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.

UM, MY CHOICES, OF COURSE, IS AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE IN DISTRICT FOUR.

THAT'S MY DISTRICT.

I HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH DR.

LL AND HERE'S ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE TOLD ME THAT REALLY HIT

[01:40:01]

THESE ARE CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ADVANCED PLACEMENT.

THEY'RE THEY'RE BOARD, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AHEAD OF THE CLASS, SO THEY PUT 'EM IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT.

THESE ARE CHILDREN THAT ARE LEARNING IN A DIFFERENT MANNER OR A DIFFERENT WAY, OR HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES.

AND SO WHEN WE PUT THEM IN THAT SCHOOL, IT'S LIKE PUTTING THE, THE BRIGHT KID IN THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT.

AND WE HAVE TO TEACH, GIVE THE SAME KIND OF PRIORITY TO THOSE CHILDREN AS WE GIVE TO THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CHILDREN.

I HAD NEVER LOOKED AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT WAY, BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

UM, I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THIS IS THE FIFTH DIRECTOR THAT I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK TO SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD IN FIVE AND A HALF YEARS.

AND WE NEED STABILITY AND WE NEED THE STANDARDS THAT HE MENTIONED IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENT STANDARDS AND THAT HOPEFULLY WE KEEP DR.

RELL AROUND A GOOD LONG TIME TO ENFORCE THOSE STANDARDS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

MR. SMITH, DR.

AL FARRELL.

I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF DO BECAUSE I VISITED THERE AND THE ONE THING, THE ONE THING ABOUT IT'S, I'VE LEARNED THAT THOSE KIDS UNDERSTAND THAT ONCE THEY GET FROM OUTTA THERE, THAT YOU DON'T JUST STOP CHECKING 'EM.

BECAUSE I HEARD THE KID SAY ALL NOW, YOU KNOW, MR. MR. MIKE, MR. PHARRELL MIGHT COME BY TO SCHOOL AND SHE'S NOT.

AND AND WE AIN'T TRYING TO GO BACK THERE.

SO I, I REMEMBER A POINT IN TIME WHEN THAT WAS THE PLACE WHERE STUDENTS DIDN'T WANNA GO AND HANG OUT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU, FOR YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU CHANGING THAT AND TELLING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

LOOK HERE, IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR REGULAR SCHOOL AND YOU HAVING PROBLEMS, THEN YOU CONTACT ME YES.

AND SAY, HERE, STUDENTS SAY THAT THAT MEAN MORE THAN YOU COMING UP AND SAYING, OR PITCHING US A, A GREAT, A GREAT, UH, PICTURE AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING.

WHEN YOU CAN HEAR IT AND SEE, SEE IT AND BREATHE IT, THEN YOU KNOW, LIFE IS IN THE BUILDING AND FOR SAYING, FOR, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR STAFF.

I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND JUST KEEP UP WITH GOOD WORK.

I'M LOOKING TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THIS PROGRAM AT.

THAT CONCLUDES SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU DR.

WARRELL AND DR.

GUS.

APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, BOARD BUSINESS ACTIONS, SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR TO

[Consent Agenda]

SO MOVED.

WE'LL GIVE IT TO SMITH AND THEN WHO SECOND IT VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AND AYE.

CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED.

UH, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS?

[Announcements]

DR. RODRIGUEZ? UH, DR.

WA.

NOW WE ARE ONTO OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS.

UM, UH, JUST FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAD AT YOUR, UM, UH, SEAT TONIGHT, UM, IF A, UH, UH, A REQUEST TO LET ROBIN AND MOLLY KNOW IF YOU'LL BE ATTENDING THE S-C-S-B-A REGIONAL ADVOCACY MEETING, UH, THAT I BELIEVE IS NEXT MONTH AND IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE HELD AT WHALE BRANCH, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO THAT'LL BE KIND OF NICE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTY TO GO TO THE MEETING.

UM,

[Second Public Comments]

UH, I'LL TELL THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE 11 CARDS HERE, WHICH MEANS PROBABLY ABOUT 33 MINUTES IF EVERYBODY USES THE MAXIMUM TIME.

UH, WE, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA EXCEED THE 15 MINUTES, AND IF THERE'S AN OBJECTION TO THAT, PLEASE LET ME PLEASE MAKE A MOTION AND, AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE JAMES MILLER, WHO, UH, WILL BE SPEAKING ON THE TENURE OF THE BAND DIRECTORS.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS.

UH, I'VE SPOKE THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE THAT ARTS AND SPECIFICALLY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, UH, IT JUST DOESN'T SUPPLEMENT, BUT INCREASES ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

NOW I'M READY AND WE'LL BE COMING PROBABLY MORE THAN ONCE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE STAND.

I'VE HAD MANY, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.

I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THAT GOAL,

[01:45:01]

BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW, UH, THE SITUATION WITH THE TENURE OF OUR BAND PROGRAM, THREE FOURS OF THE BAND DIRECTORS THIS YEAR WILL BE EITHER IN THAT POSITION FOR THE FIRST TIME OR ONE YEAR.

THAT MEANS THE MEDIAN TENURE FOR A BAND DIRECTOR IS ONE YEAR.

I SUBMIT TO YOU SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

AND IF THAT WERE THE CASE FOR MUSIC OR WERE A CASE FOR ENGLISH, SCIENCE, MATH, ET CETERA, YOU FOLKS WOULD BE UPSET AND YOU'RE THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD ELECTED YOU WOULD BE UPSET.

I JUST LIKE TO TAKE, I HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU 15 SECONDS TO JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAID.

WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF 50% TURN OVER WAS AN OCCURRING IN MATH TEACHERS, SCIENCE TEACHERS, ET CETERA.

I'LL BE BACK AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC THINGS.

I DO WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE DISTRICT.

I'VE HAD FIVE THINK MEETINGS OVER THE PAST YEAR.

I KNOW THEY ARE AWARE, THEY'RE TALKING, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS WORK.

I'LL JUST SAY ONE OTHER THING OF THE OPENINGS FOR THIS YEAR.

ONLY ONE WAS HIRED AND THEY'RE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

THERE'S STILL THREE OPENINGS.

I THINK ONE MAY BE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FILLED BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER POSTED, BUT I THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM.

STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN.

NEXT UP WE HAVE TERRY LYNN TEO, AND HER TOPIC IS RESTRICTIONS EXCLUSION OF STUDENTS IN BAND PROGRAM.

HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN SEE ME OVER THIS PODIUM BECAUSE I'M SHORT .

UM, SO TONIGHT SEEMS TO HAVE A THEME WITH THE MUSIC FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

UM, MY CHILDREN ATTEND BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL AND WE WERE JUST INFORMED THAT WE ARE LOSING PROBABLY ABOUT SEVEN CHILDREN IN OUR BAND PROGRAM DUE TO, I GUESS, UPDATES TO, WHAT IS IT? THE SS DASH 36 OF STUDENT ATHLETICS SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THESE CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN OUR BAND ANYMORE.

UM, THAT'S INCREDIBLY DISHEARTENING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AS DISCUSSED EARLIER IN YOUR EVENTS SUCH AS THE ACE PERFORMANCE AND THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT, THE BAND WAS REQUESTED TO PLAY THERE.

SPECIFICALLY THE BATTERY CREEK BAND.

THEY DID.

YOU GUYS ALL PROUD IN REPRESENTING YOU IN CHICAGO, THE ONLY SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL TO HAVE REPRESENT, BEEN REPRESENTED THERE, REQUESTED TO ATTEND.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS A LITTLE DISHEARTENING THAT THAT SAME SUPPORT ISN'T RETURNED WHEN THEY'VE COME TO SUPPORT YOU AT MULTIPLE EVENTS LIKE THIS.

UM, IT IS CITED THAT THE BAND PROGRAM IS OFFERED AT OTHER SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

UM, AND WHILE THAT MAY BE KIND OF TRUE, THOSE BANDS DO NOT OFFER THE SAME THINGS THAT THE BATTERY CREEK MARCHING BAND DOES.

THEY DO NOT OFFER A-H-B-C-U STYLE MARCHING.

THEY DO NOT COMPETE THROUGHOUT THE STATE, NOT JUST IN THE COUNTY.

UM, SO THERE'S REALLY NO COMPARISON BETWEEN THE OTHER BANDS AND THE BATTERY CREEK BANDS.

SO I FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD NOT CONSTITUTE AS A REASON TO EXCLUDE THE KIDS.

WE HAD, I BELIEVE, 13 SENIORS GRADUATE THIS YEAR FROM THE BATTERY CREEK MARCHING BAND.

FOUR OF THEM HAVE APPLIED TO COLLEGES AND THEIR MUSIC PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE AT LEAST TWO, MAYBE THREE OF THEM WERE HBCUS AND ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS TO GO TO COLLEGE.

THEY WERE ALL ACCEPTED.

THEY WERE ALL ACCEPTED TO THE PROGRAM, WHICH THEY HAD TO AUDITION FOR.

THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND NUMBERS LIKE THAT OR ANYTHING THROUGH LIKE ATHLETICS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO, I MEAN, WITH EVERYTHING BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM THERE IN BUFORT, THEY NO LONGER HAVE A MOVIE THEATER, A BOWLING ALLEY, NO OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR TEENAGE

[01:50:01]

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WORK VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY TOWARDS BUILDING TO BE ABLE TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION.

AND IT'S LIKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING TAKEN FROM THEM.

THE EXPOSURE TO COLLEGES AND ALL OF THAT, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING TAKEN FROM THESE SEVEN CHILDREN THAT ARE NO LONGER GONNA BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS BAND.

SO I REALLY RE URGE YOU GUYS TO RECONSIDER THAT RULE AND ALLOW THOSE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE, ESPECIALLY SINCE SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN THERE ALREADY FOR YEARS.

NEXT UP WE HAVE JU JUDITH HOWARD.

HER, HER TOPIC IS RETAINMENT OF STUDENT FOR BAND AND FUNDING.

GOOD EVENING, THE BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL DOLPHIN PRIDE MARCHING BAND IS UNIQUE AND UNLIKE THE OTHER MARCHING BANDS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT FULLY EMBRACES AND CELEBRATES THE RICH AND DIVERSE CULTURE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY AREA, WHICH THAT IS DIFFICULT TO EMULATE BY THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BANDS LOCALLY.

THE BAND INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHERS HAVE FOSTERED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN BY ENCOURAGING HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, DISCIPLINE AND BOLSTERING COMRADERY AMONG THE PAR PARTIC, THE PARTICIPATING STUDENTS.

THESE POSITIVE TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS INSTILLED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT ONLY OF REFLECTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

THERE ARE SEVEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, I BELIEVE SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING WITH BATTERY CREEK'S MARCHING BAND FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.

LAST WEEK, THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PRACTICE OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THE BANDS FUNCTIONS BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS CONCERNED ABOUT LIABILITY AND THAT, UH, HIGH OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE THEIR OWN MARCHING BAND TO BE PART OF SOMETHING SO GREAT FOR SO LONG TO HAVE IT TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU IS A HEAVY BLOW TO DELIVER ON CHILDREN AND COULD POSSIBLY IMPEDE OR DISSUADE THEM FROM CONTINUING THEIR DREAMS AND DESIRE.

DESIRE FOR MUSIC TO GET ALTOGETHER.

MOST OF THESE STUDENTS ARE UNABLE TO TRANSFER TO BATTERY CREEK, EITHER FROM, FROM FAMILY TIMING OR LOGISTICAL CONFLICTS OR ISSUES.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO PLACE YOURSELF IN THE, THEIR YOUNG AND EMOTIONAL STATE, STATE AND IMAGINE HOW THEY MUST FEEL TO ABRUPTLY BE TOLD THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RANKS OF THIS DISTINGUISHED AND HIGHLY PRAISED AND RENOWNED GROUP OF MUSICIANS WHERE THEY HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVEN YEARS BUILDING THAT COMRADERY AND BEING A PART OF SOMETHING LARGER THAN THEMSELVES.

NOT TO MENTION THE REMARKABLE GUIDANCE FROM THE INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHERS.

DO WE REALLY WANT TO IDENTIFY AS A MAJOR LIFE DISAPPOINTMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION AND FINE ARTS? WE ARE ASKING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DISTRICT TO REEVALUATE THE DEC, THE DECISION OF NOT ALLOWING OUTSIDE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOLERS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR MUSICAL TALENTS AND PURSUING THEIR DREAMS WITH A BATTERY CREEK MARCHING BAND, WHERE THEY HAVE DECIDED AND DEDICATED SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT WHILE GRASPING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMRADERY WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND BAND INSTRUCTORS.

IN CLOSING, OUR STUDENTS SHOULD, OUR CHILDREN SHOULD NEVER BE DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE WITH THE BEST SCHOOL.

NEXT WE HAVE, UH, JAMIE FINLEY SPEAKING ABOUT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL BAN POLICY.

MY NAME IS JAMIE FINNLEY SCREVEN.

I AM THE BAND BOOSTER PRESIDENT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM A PARENT, A PARENT OF A BAND STUDENT, ONE GRADUATING THIS YEAR, ONE WHO GRADUATED IN 2023 AND ALUMNI OF BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, MYSELF.

CLASS OF 2004, UM, AFTER MS. JUDITH, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY, BUT A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE NOTED, UM, IT WAS MADE, OH, I WAS MADE AWARE YESTERDAY IN MY MEETING WITH ARD THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE FROM THE BOARD PASSED IN DECEMBER OF 2023, WHERE YOU GUYS VOTED.

'CAUSE THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD TO, UM, MAKE THE BAND PROGRAM AT BATTERY CREEK SCHOOL OF CHOICE, STATING LIABILITY REASONS, AND THAT OTHER SCHOOLS HAD A BAND.

UM, NOT THIS SUNDAY, BUT PAST SUNDAY, I RECEIVED PHONE CALLS FROM PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN WERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR

[01:55:01]

BAND.

THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO WE HAVE HAD 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 YEARS IN OUR BAND PROGRAM.

THIS IS OUR FAMILY.

THESE STUDENTS ARE OUR FAMILY, AND THEY KNOW MS. JAMES GONNA COME AND, AND REPRESENT FOR THEM.

UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LIABILITY.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE SAYING, WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF FORMS THAT COME FROM THE DISTRICT WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF WAIVERS PUT IN FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS, MAYBE THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AS A REASON TO OVERTURN THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE.

ALSO, UM, AS STATED, SOME OF THESE KIDS AREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND IN THE DAYTIME.

HOWEVER, THEY'RE USING THEIR OWN RESOURCES, THEIR PARENTS, THEIR GAS, THEIR TRANSPORTATION TO GET HERE TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM.

WHEN WE ARE ASKED TO PERFORM THESE KIDS SHOW UP, NOT ONE TIME HAVE THEY TURNED DOWN EVEN WHEN FUNDING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, WE HAVE SHOWED UP.

UM, AS FAR AS THE OTHER SCHOOLS HAVING BANDS, OTHER SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE AN HBCU STYLE BAND AND THEY DO NOT PERFORM LIKE US.

SOME OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE CORE STYLE.

SOME OF THEM HAVE, UH, A GENERAL BAND PROGRAM, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THIS PROGRAM.

THEY DON'T HAVE MAJORETTES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE TYPE OF FLAGS THAT WE HAVE.

THEY DON'T PERFORM THE TYPE OF WAY THAT WE DO.

AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT OPENS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS TO GO AND APPLY AUDITION TO GET SCHOLARSHIPS TO SCHOOLS.

MY DAUGHTER AND HERSELF PAYS TO GO TO NCAT WITH HER AUDITION WHEN SHE GRADUATES.

SO I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO PLEASE REVERSE.

UM, PLEASE MEET WITH US.

PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE CHILDREN BECAUSE IF IT'S ABOUT THE CHILDREN, THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND NOT FEELINGS.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE KIDS SIGNED PAPERWORK, UM, TO SPEAK, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO HEAR FROM THE KIDS AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

UM, YOU ENCOURAGE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT, LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, SELF-DISCIPLINE AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

NEXT WE HAVE SAMANTHA HODGES, UH, ALSO SPEAKING ON BAND.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I AM A PARENT OF A BAND STUDENT.

SHE HAS BEEN IN BAND SINCE THE SEVENTH GRADE.

SHE WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE BY GOING THROUGH ROBERT SMALLS AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS.

SHE ONLY LEARNED WITH ONE.

AND OVER TIME, SHE HAS GROWN TO LEARN MORE THAN ONE INSTRUMENT.

UM, I AM NOT SURE IF YOU ARE AWARE, BUT THE EDUCATION LEVEL OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS RANKED 45 OUTTA 50.

AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

WHAT IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF IS THE FACT THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAS OPPORTUNITIES, VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO RECOGNIZE THESE CHILDREN FOR THE TALENTS THAT THEY HAVE.

AND BATTERY CREEK IS ONE OF THE BEST BANDS I'VE EVER SEEN PERFORM ANYWHERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ATTEND ANY OF THE FOOTBALL GAMES.

UM, I HAVE BEEN A SILENT LISTENER.

PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT THEY THINK THIS IS A COLLEGE LEVEL PERFORMANCE.

I DON'T SEE THAT FROM WHALE BRANCH.

I DON'T SEE THAT FROM BEAUFORT HIGH.

I HAVE SEEN MANY DISORGANIZED FORMATIONS DURING THE PARADES.

UM, YOU GUYS PUT IN YOUR REGULATION SS 31 FOR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU GUYS PROMOTE.

ENCOURAGE COOPERATION CONCEPTS OF TEAM BUILDING, PROVIDE HEALTHY OUTLETS AND COMPETITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND DEVELOP PERSONAL SKILLS AND TALENTS.

AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE KIDS ON THIS BAND SHOW ALL THOSE QUALITIES.

THEY REPRESENT THIS DISTRICT, THEY REPRESENT THIS SCHOOL, AND THEY REPRESENT THIS STATE.

AND TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM THE CHILDREN WHO DESERVE IT MOST, AND ANY FUTURE CHILD THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS BAND, THAT'S REALLY SHAMEFUL.

UM, THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT STATES THAT A CHILD CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES IF THEY DON'T BELONG TO THAT SCHOOL.

UM, APPARENTLY THIS WAS VOTED ON IN DECEMBER, BUT ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE, THIS WAS NOT UPDATED IN DECEMBER.

THE LAST UPDATE WAS IN JUNE OF 2023.

SO I HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT YOU GUYS RECONSIDER THIS.

UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FOR THESE KIDS.

POVERTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS AT 10 POINT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS LIKE 10.4%, WHICH IS JUST UNDER THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

WE NOW HAVE TO PAY $250 IN BAN FEES FOR THESE CHILDREN.

AND IF THEY HAVE A SIBLING, IT'S $200.

WHY, WHY I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

BAND FEES AND ALL THE FUNDRAISERS THAT WE PUT ON AND PARTICIPATE IN,

[02:00:01]

THESE KIDS STILL DON'T GET SHOT DOWN FOR BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

YOU GUYS ARE TURNING THEM DOWN AND YOU SHOULD BE.

VERY ASHAMED.

NEXT WE HAVE FRANKLIN SAMUEL ON ATHLETIC, FUN, BATTERY CREEK.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIRMAN.

UM, BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO START OFF, I KNOW I'LL ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES, HOPEFULLY I DON'T TAKE ALL YOUR TIME.

I'M A FATHER.

I'M A VETERAN.

I'M A SUPPORTER OF THESE KIDS.

THE BAND DOES JUST ABOUT MORE ARE THE SAME AMOUNT AS ANY ATHLETIC CLUB OUT THERE.

THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE BLISTERING HEAT DURING THE SUMMERTIME MARCHING.

THEY PUT ON BAND CAMPS FOR YOUNGER KIDS TO COME OUT THERE TO BE EXPOSED TO MUSIC, TO LEARN WHAT IT IS, TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MARCHING, OF BEING IN A MARCHING BAND OF ONE OF THE BEST OF, OR NOT THE BEST BAND DIRECTOR IN BEAUFORT.

TO HAVE THEM NOT BE A PART OF THE ATHLETIC CLUB IS A SLAP IN THE FACE.

YOU, WE CALL 'EM FOR BASKETBALL GAMES.

WE CALL 'EM FOR FOOTBALL GAMES.

WE CALL 'EM FOR PEP RALLIES.

WE CALL 'EM TO BE IN PARADES.

WE CALL ON THEM TO BE IN ANY OTHER THING THAT WE NEED THEM TO BE IN, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A FUND FOR THEM.

THE FUN COMES OUTTA THE PARENTS' POCKETS.

MAYBE THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE CAN'T KEEP THE BAND DIRECTOR, AS A GENTLEMAN SAID AT ANY OTHER SCHOOL BECAUSE THE BANDS ARE NOT PART OF THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.

YOU GOTTA HAVE A FUND TO KEEP THESE THINGS GOING ON.

WE WANT HIGHER EDUCATION.

WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE EXCELLENT IN EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO.

WE WANT 'EM TO HAVE HIGH ACADEMICS.

BAND IS A PART OF THE CURRICULUM.

WHY NOT HAVE BAND A PART OF THE ATHLETIC CLUB? WHY, WHY NOT DO THAT? I, MY SON, I HAVE NEVER SEEN MY SON SO HAPPY TO COME HOME AND WANT TO SHOW ME WHAT HE'S LEARNED IN BAND.

I'M TELLING YOU, WE, WE SIT IN THE LIVING ROOM AND WE WATCH HIM.

WE WATCH HIM PLAY.

WE'RE THERE AT EVERY GAME.

ANY, ANY TIME.

WE CAN GO SEE THE BATTERY CREEK BAND.

WE GO SEE THEM ANYTIME.

ANY PARENT IN HERE CAN GO SUPPORT THEIR KID.

THEY'RE THERE.

WE'RE THERE.

PEOPLE WEAR SHIRTS AT THE FOOTBALL GAME THAT SAYS, I'M HERE FOR THE HALFTIME SHOW.

THAT, THAT, THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

WE, WHEN YOU'RE STANDING OUT AT THE PARADE, LIKE AT THE ST.

PATRICK, AT THE ST.

PATRICK'S DAY PARADE THAT WAS HERE IN HILTON HEAD, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE PRACTICING, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO THAT IS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.

IT'S BATTERY CREEK.

AND THAT, THAT GOES FOR THE HARD WORK AND THE DETERMINATION THAT THEY PUT IN DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THEY HAD A PERFORMANCE TO GO TO AND HAD TO BE RIGHT BACK AT THE SCHOOL EARLY THE NEXT MORNING.

I HAVE PICTURES ON MY FACEBOOK POST, BUT WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING WITH THE KIDS.

WE DEFINITELY GOTTA DO SOMETHING.

NEXT WE HAVE DAGMAR LEVINE ON BATTERY CREEK BAND.

A SAXOPHONE PLAYER AND WAS OUR PREVIOUS DRUM MAJOR THIS PAST YEAR.

UM, MY NAME IS DAGMAR LEVINE.

I'M A SENIOR AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, I'M ONE OF THE SECTION LEADERS FOR BATTERY CREEKS BAND PLAYING SAXOPHONE.

UM, WITH THIS RULE BEING PUT IN PLACE, THIS HAS CAUSED US TO LOSE SEVEN BAND MEMBERS.

I'VE BEEN IN THE BAND FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND FOR ME, BAND WAS A GETAWAY FOR A LOT OF MOST STUDENTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH SCHOOL, MAYBE SOMETHING GOING ON AT HOME.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WITH YOU GUYS PUTTING THIS RULE IN PLACE, THIS HAS TAKEN THAT AWAY FOR SOME STUDENTS.

UM, ONE OF OUR SAXOPHONES, SHE IS A SENIOR THIS YEAR AND UNFORTUNATELY IS ABLE, IS UNABLE TO TRANSFER FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT SHE'S AT.

SHE'S BEEN IN THE BAND FOR THE PAST FIVE, SIX YEARS AND YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM HER.

UM, SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE SHIRT I'M WEARING, I GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY'S BAND CAMP THIS SUMMER.

UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE HBCUS THAT WE GO TO ALL THE TIME.

AND WE ARE EXPOSED TO COLLEGE BANDS.

UM, ONE OF OUR GRADUATES FROM CLASS OF 2023 IS NOW PART OF THE MARCHING ONE.

OH, MARCHING 1 0 1 AND HAS RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE SHE WAS PART OF BATTERY CREEKS BAND, TWO OF OUR BAND MEMBERS THIS PAST YEAR.

UM, ONE OF 'EM IS A TRUMPET PLAYER, THE OTHER ONE BEING

[02:05:01]

BOTH RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS FROM BENEDICT COLLEGE AND HBCU NOW PLAYING ON THEIR BAND.

YOU GUYS PUTTING THIS RULE IN PLACE, IT HAS CAUSED A BREAK IN THE VAN.

AND AS A SENIOR, IT'S DISHEARTENING.

IT'S, THERE REALLY ARE NO WORDS FOR, FOR IT BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE TAKEN SENIORS OPPORTUNITIES AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT HOW SENIORS ARE PRIORITY FOR WHEN IT COMES TO GRADUATING, BUT WITH THIS BAND, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NOT TRUE.

YOU GUYS' PRIORITY.

THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT WE HAVE IONA GARDNER TOPIC, BATTERY CREEK BAND.

MY NAME IS AYANA AND I'M CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT WILL BRANCH.

I FEEL AS YOU ALL ARE BEING INCONSIDERATE OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN A PART OF, OF THIS BAND SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT HURTS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE GROWN AS A FAMILY AND CONNECTED THROUGH MUSIC.

AND NOW YOU ALL ARE TAKEN THAT AWAY FROM US.

WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE BAND, I WAS SCARED.

BUT BEING WITH MR. WILLIAMS, IT AND THE PARENTS, IT MADE ME FEEL SAFE.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE THE WAY THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY END.

WE ALL HAVE WORKED HARD OVER THE YEARS AND ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH, AND I WANNA KEEP ACCOMPLISHING THINGS WITH THIS BAND.

I'VE BEEN PLACES WITH THIS BAND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD'VE BEEN OR THOUGHT I WOULD EXPERIENCE.

IT'S EVEN MORE DISHEARTENING THAT WE DID NOT GET A HEADS UP AND WAS INFORMED RIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED.

WE CAN NO LONGER BE IN THIS BAND.

IT'S EVEN MORE PAINFUL THAT SOME OF US HAVE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN FIVE YEARS AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COM COMPLETE OUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE MARCHING WITH THIS BAND.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I REALLY HOPE YOU REEVALUATE YOUR DECISION FOR THE CURRENT END OR UPCOMING BAND MEMBERS.

NEXT WE HAVE SAMARI GARDNER ON THE BATTERY CREEK BAND.

MY NAME IS SAMARI AND I'M A SENIOR AT WELL BRANCH.

I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL BAND SINCE THE SUMMER BEFORE MY SEVENTH GRADE YEAR.

AT FIRST I WAS HESITANT BECAUSE I HAD ONLY BEEN PLAYING FOR NINE MONTHS, BUT ONCE I MET MR. WILLIAMS, ALL OF MY WORRIES WENT AWAY.

HE IMMEDIATELY MADE ME FEEL WELCOMED AND I COULD TELL THAT HE WOULD BE A CARING AND SUPPORTIVE EDUCATOR.

HE HAS TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I KNOW, NOT ONLY ABOUT MUSIC, BUT ABOUT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF LIFE.

WHEN I ENTERED HIGH SCHOOL, MY SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE A BAND FOR ME TO SWITCH OVER TO.

AND EVEN IF THEY DID, THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A CHOICE.

THIS BAND BECAME MY SECOND FAMILY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND I LOVE AND APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE BAND MEMBER AND BAND PARENT.

I REMEMBER MY FIRST FIELD SHOW AND REMEMBER HOW EVERYONE CAME TOGETHER AFTER WINNING ALMOST EVERY EVENT.

THIS BAND HAS ALLOWED ME TO GO TO PLACES I'VE NEVER, I'VE NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED.

HEARING THAT I CAN NO LONGER BE A PART OF THIS PHENOMENAL FAMILY THAT MR. WILLIAM PUT TOGETHER WAS DEVASTATING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS MY LAST YEAR.

I, I PERSONALLY FEEL AS IF OUR FEELINGS WERE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE YOU ALL MAJOR, THE, I PERSONALLY FEEL AS OUR FEELINGS WERE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.

BEFORE YOU ALL MADE YOUR DECISION, Y'ALL DID NOT THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THIS WOULD PUT ON OUR LIVES.

THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LITTLE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY, BUT TO US, THIS IS A GETAWAY FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN TALK AND KNOW THAT WE WILL BE HEARD.

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE FEEL LOVED, COMFORTABLE, AND APPRECIATED.

THIS IS OUR HOME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE YOU RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION.

TWO DIFFERENT COLLEGES, FULL RIDES BECAUSE OF BAND.

NEXT WE HAVE TAKA BULLS ON BATTERY CREEK BAND.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

I WANNA GOOD EVENING.

BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, LIKE SHE SAID, MY NAME IS SAKARA AND I PERSONALLY HAVE CHILDREN, UM, ON THE BAND ACTUALLY, WHO JUST SPOKE, UM, AYANA AND SAMARI, WHO, UM, GOES TO WELD BRANCH AND THEY HAVE BEEN WITH THIS BAND SINCE SIXTH GRADE.

UM, WHEN THEY JOINED, WELL, WHEN THEY STARTED WITH WELL BRANCH, UM, THERE, THERE WAS NO BAND.

THERE WAS NO MARCHING BAND THERE.

UM, SO THEY STAYED OF COURSE WITH BATTERY CREEK.

UM, THEY FELT VERY WELCOME.

THERE WAS LEARNING A LOT.

THEY WERE DOING A LOT OF THINGS THAT A LOT OF THE HIGHS, WELL, HIGH SCHOOL BANDS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING GOING TO, GOING TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

UM, THE EXPERIENCE ON JUST HEARING MY CHILDREN TAKE YOUR TIME.

I KNOW THIS IS GONNA TAKE UP MOST OF MY TIME, BUT IT'S JUST THAT IT HURTS ME TO HEAR THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS SO, SO BIG IN, IN AN IMPACT IN MY OWN CHILDREN'S LIFE DURING HIGH SCHOOL AND HAS HELPED THEM, WHO'S ACTUALLY GOING IS LOOKING FORWARD TO FULL SCHOLARSHIPS, TO

[02:10:03]

AND THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN FINISH AT LEAST THEIR LAST TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BAND WHO THEY GREW WITH, WHO THEY HAVE THEIR FAMILY WITH, IT IS DEVASTATING.

IT REALLY IS.

AND THE FACT THAT JUST HEARING THAT THERE WAS A SO-CALLED A VOTE BACK IN DECEMBER.

I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY NOT HAVE BEEN A MEETING TO HEAR THE KIDS OUT? IT'S NOT LIKE AS IF, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO OF COURSE STEAL THE KIDS FROM OTHER PARENT, I MEAN FROM OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

UM, I MEAN, IT'S JUST THAT AGAIN, LIKE HOW MY FELLOW PARENTS SAID, IT'S THE STYLES OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE NOT THE SAME AS BATTERY CREEK IS NOT.

AND THAT'S HOW COME A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE THE, WELL, THE, THE, THE BAND SIZE AT OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS ARE NOT THE SIZE OF CREEK BECAUSE OF THE STYLE.

I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT YOU ALL JUST REALLY RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION AND REALLY SEE THAT THE THE IMPACT THAT YOU ALL WILL BE DOING BY SEPARATING THEM, UM, AND NOT ALLOWING THEM TO FINISH, FULFILL, YOU KNOW, THEIR DREAMS WITH THE BAND AND FULFILL LIKE, THE SUCCESS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, UM, WITH THE BAND.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT WE HAVE ANGELA HOLLAND ON BATTERY CREEK BAN.

GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBER AND MADAM CHAIR.

I JUST REALLY WANNA PICK A PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS SAYING.

I AM A PARENT OF ONE OF THE BAND STUDENTS.

UM, MY DAUGHTER DOES NOT GO TO BATTERY CREEK.

SHE GOES TO BEAUFORT HIGH AND SHE'S BEEN ON THE BAND SINCE, UH, HER EIGHTH GRADE AT BEAUFORT MIDDLE.

AND AT THAT POINT SHE WAS PLAYING THE TROMBONE.

WHEN SHE GOT WITH MR. WILLIAMS, SHE STARTED ON THE DRUM LINE AND SHE LOVED IT.

UM, THE SPARK IN HER EYE.

EVERY TIME I WOULD SEE HER ON THAT FIELD, AT PRACTICE, AT EVENTS, HE TOOK HER OUT THE SHELL THAT SHE WAS IN.

AND THE BAND JUST IS HER COMFORT ZONE BY TAKING THIS, THAT OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM HER, IT HURTS.

IT HURTS HER.

IT HURTS ME.

IT HURTS ALL THE STUDENTS ON THE TEAM IN, IN THE BAND.

UM, I WISH YOU ALL REALLY RECONSIDER.

UM, I HAVE A 1-YEAR-OLD SON WHO SEES HER PLAY AND HE GOES AND GET A PENCIL, A PEN, WHATEVER HE CAN FIND BECAUSE HE THINKS HE'S A PART OF THE BAT CREEK BAND.

WATCHING HER AND THE BAND ON THE NEWS ON PLUTO TV AT CHICAGO'S THANKSGIVING PARADE WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO COOK, WAS WONDERFUL.

THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

NOW SHE'S A JUNIOR WHERE IT'S TIME FOR SCHOLARSHIPS.

SHE WANTS TO GO TO SCHOOL.

SHE, I MEAN, SHE WANTS TO GO TO COLLEGE.

SHE WANTS TO GO TO A AND T AND BE BETTER AT BEING, DOING MUSIC.

AND IT'S, THIS HAS BEEN SWEPT FROM UNDER HER FEET.

YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERYONE SAID, IT'S DISHEARTENING, IT HURTS.

I MEAN, IT, YOU GUYS, Y'ALL DON'T WANNA PUT THESE KIDS IN A BUBBLE.

THIS IS WHEN MENTAL HEALTH STARTS TO GET AT THEM.

'CAUSE WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A SAFE ZONE AND THEIR COMFORT ZONE, IT WAS SNATCHED AWAY FROM THEM.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN SAYING ON THE NORTH OF THE BROAD FOR THESE KIDS.

THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.

THEY, THEY FIND EVERYTHING TO GO TO BAND.

THEY, THEY WANNA GO TO BAND, THEY WANNA GO TO PRACTICE, THEY WANNA GO TO ALL THESE EVENTS, PARADES, EVERYTHING.

THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AND THEIR COMMUNITY.

STAND BEHIND THEM.

LIKE YOU'VE HEARD, WHEN YOU HEAR THOSE DRUMS, THEM TRUMPETS, EVERYTHING.

IF YOU'RE EVER BEEN TO A PARADE, WHEN YOU HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THEY MAKE A STATEMENT.

PLEASE RECONSIDER.

THAT CONCLUDES THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK ALL OF YOU THAT COMMENTED DURING THIS TIME, THE 11 OF YOU FOR BEING VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE, OF THE, UH, RULES FOR SPEAKING.

THANK YOU KINDLY.

[02:15:03]

IF THERE IS NO FURTHER, UH, BUSINESS, WE CAN ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.

OH, SORRY.

FUTURE TOPICS, .

THANK YOU ANYBODY FOR FUTURE TOPICS? TOPIC, BUT I, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE BOARD DID THIS AND I I DON'T REMEMBER WE TAKING ANY VOTE.

NO, I JUST WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE MINUTES.

SO THERE'S SOME MISINFORMATION OUT THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

YEAH, THE BOARD NEVER TOOK A VOTE.

YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY ALL.

SO WE WILL NOW ADJOURN BY YOU UNANIM, UNANIMOUS CONSENT IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.

GOODNIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT PARTICIPATED AND ATTENDED.

YOU ARE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV LIVE, WORK, PLAY.

JOE, GOOD TO SEE YOU, DALE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

TO SEE YOU.

SHERIFF.

UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT IN A, ALL OF THIS IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR.

UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAD KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.

UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE AN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.

DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.

UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.

I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.

SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE OR A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.

WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.

UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.

WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE.

UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.

UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.

UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, OUR FIRST CLASS.

WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.

UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.

UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.

WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.

SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.

AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.

IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.

UH, IT'S A UNIFORM POSITION, IT'S AN ARMED POSITION.

UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.

SO WHAT

[02:20:01]

UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.

AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.

SO THANK YOU.

DALE.

WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE THAT, THAT ARE ABLE TO RETIRE FAIRLY YOUNG AND MAYBE LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.

THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.

UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.

AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.

SO I, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.

I'M, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN.

BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, INTO COUNTY, UH, BEAUFORT, AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.

AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKERS.

RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.

AND THEY'RE STILL, STILL IN AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.

UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.

YES, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.

BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.

IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN A RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND YOU KNOW, TO, TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.

AND I, WE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.

THEY ARE.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.

AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.

LET'S JUST DO IT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THE TRAINING.

AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.

THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.

AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.

SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.

YOU KNOW.

SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.

I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEFOR COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND THE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.

THERE IS, AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.

NO.

THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

UH, THIS GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.

AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM.

, WHETHER THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED MILITARY IS IMPORTANT.

THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF, SO HOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OPENINGS DO YOU HAVE FOR THIS PROGRAM? FOR THIS PROGRAM, WE, WE ONLY HAVE TWO CURRENTLY.

POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.

I'VE GOT NINE.

JOEY'S, I HAVE FOUR.

SO I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.

IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.

PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.

AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.

THE PAY IS GONNA BE THE SAME.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.

IT MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE PAY.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.

SO ALL WE WANT

[02:25:01]

AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE? YEAH.

AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.

UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.

UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.

MM-HMM.

, UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU WILL REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.

AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.

WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.

THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.

IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR, AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL TO NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.

SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.

I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.

THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.

BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.

AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.

SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER, BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.

WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.

SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.

ALRIGHT, LET'S GET IT DONE.

HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? MY NAME IS DEPUTY KLAUS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

MY DAD WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR, I WANNA SAY 26, 27 YEARS IN CANTON, OHIO.

AND, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST GREW UP AROUND THE, THE PROFESSION AND, AND HOW MUCH, I GOT TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU GOT TO GIVE BACK TO PEOPLE.