[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[Call to Order]
ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THE NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024 AGENDA.THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW EVENING AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS
[Executive Session]
CHAIR, I HAVE MOVED.RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING PENDING CLAIMS AND A SETTLED CLAIM COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 25 WITH AJAX BUILDING COMPANY LLC FOR HVAC REPLACEMENTS 2023 REFERENDUM SCOPE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
GMP PROPOSAL AT WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PURSU PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
ALSO DISCUSSED WITH, UH, INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 26 WITH AJAX BUILDING COMPANY LLC FOR APPROVAL OF ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SAFETY AND SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS 2023 REFERENDUM SCOPE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 45 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR HVAC REPLACEMENT 2023 REFERENDUM.
SCOPE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL AT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 46 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE DESC SECURED ENTRY RENOVATIONS, 8% CIP SCOPE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PRO PROPOSE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
AND LAST DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED PROPERTY PURCHASE IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 40 A FIVE SECOND.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, WHO WILL BE ADVISING US? WHO WILL BE ADVISING US ON AND, AND LEGAL COUNSEL TODAY? ANDREA WHITE.
FOR SOME REASON I CAN'T HEAR, I CAN'T BARELY HEAR THE CHAIR WHEN SHE TALKS FOR SOME REASON SHE GOES, SHE,
[00:05:01]
HER MIC IS GOING IN AND OUT.COULD THE OTHER CHLOE, I'M HAVING THAT SAME ISSUE.
SO WE'RE GONNA, UM, TAKE THE VOTE HERE IN THE ROOM AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ONLINE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
ALL THOSE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SES SESSION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
ONLINE WILL GO GORDON HAY SMITH.
A AYE SMITH, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN.
SO THE, AND MR. NAY IS ABSENT.
SO WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND ANDREA WHITE IS WITH US FIRST.
SO, DR. RODRIGUEZ, YOU'LL JOIN US SHORTLY.
HEY HONEY, CAN YOU SET THE TABLE? DALE 9 1 1.
WHY IS YOUR EMERGENCY? 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 UP DEBRIS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SEPTIC SYSTEMS. PRACTICE SEPTIC SMART PROCEDURES WHEN LANDSCAPING ALWAYS FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS.
LET'S KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY WATERWAYS CLEAN
[6:00 Public Session]
AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING OF NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024.THE BOARD HAS JUST BEEN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE ARE NOW, NOW BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING THE MATTERS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MA'AM.MADAM CHAIR IN WE HAVE SEVERAL MOTIONS IN LIGHT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S POSITIVE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD EXTEND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT FOR ONE YEAR THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2029, AND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SALARY BE INCREASED BY 5%.
ALL IN FAVOR FIRST AND THEN ONLINE.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
CAN YOU UNMUTE CHLOE? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH.
SO THE, UM, UH, MOTION, UH, REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S, UH, CONTRACT IS APPROVED AND IT IS NINE, EXCUSE ME, 10 0 1.
10 10, UH, YESES AND ONE NO SMITH, HEAD OF CHAIR, BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 25 WITH AJAX BUILDING COMPANY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC REPLACEMENTS BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $803,765.
MOTION SECONDED BY, UM, INGRID BOATWRIGHT.
[00:10:01]
ANY OBJECT? YES, MADAM CHAIR.UH, THIS QUESTION FOR THE PUBLIC, IS THIS A REFERENDUM, UM, SAFETY AND SECURITY UPDATE? WAS IT VOTED, VOTED UPON THE YES.
IT SAYS PRINTED ON THE AGENDA.
YEAH, AS I MENTIONED, MM-HMM,
MADAM CHAIR, I'M WITH BOARD OF EDUCATION 20 SIXX BUILDING COMPANY FOR THE ROBERTS FALLS DISTRICT ACADEMY SAFETY AND SECURITY BASED ON THE GUARANTEE SEVEN $93,884.
MR. MR. SMITH? ACTUALLY, I HAVE A COPY, BUT LIKE I SAID, SOMEONE WHO MAY BE, WHO MAY NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE TV, THEN THEY, THEN THEY DON'T SEE THAT.
SO THEREFORE THAT'S WHY I'M PUTTING IT OUT.
IT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S JUST MY, THAT'S, THAT'S MY PREROGATIVE, NOT MY RIGHT.
I HAVE, I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION.
UH, IS THIS A SAFETY AND SECURITY? WAS THIS VOTED ON UPON THE VOTERS? MR. UH, UH, MR. DARLING IS IS THAT, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? THANK IN FAVOR, YOU SAY AYE.
MADAM 45 THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION, INC.
THE FOR THE PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC REPLACEMENT BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL OF $2,293,613.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT, MR. CAMPBELL, GO AHEAD, MR. OTTING.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THIS IS PART OF THE 2023 REFERENDUM.
MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS OUR LAST, UM, MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 46 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION, INC.
FOR THE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CENTER, SECURED ENTRY RENOVATIONS BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL OF $5,405,232.
UH, IF, IF THE FUNDING FOR THIS WAS 8% FUNDING, THANK YOU.
UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT, DID YOU VOTE YOU'RE NO.
RIGHT, SO THE MOTION, UH, CARRIES, UM, NINE, UH, YESES, ONE ABSTENTION HAY, AND ONE NO BOATRIGHT MOTIONS FOR TONIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
MADAM CHAIR FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Approval of Agenda]
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.THE AGENDA IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.AYE, JUSTIN, FOR ALL, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
BLUFFED IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CRYSTAL BUCK PASSED AWAY AFTER LENGTHY ILLNESS LAST WEEK
[00:15:05]
WILL BE NOTIFIED.[Student Performance]
WE'LL NOW HAVE OUR STUDENT PERFORMANCE, AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY, THIRD GRADE SINGERS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF LAURA BOOZER.[00:21:56]
OUR SINGERS, UH, REQUEST, IF WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY, LET'S THANK OUR VETERANS.SO WOULD ALL THE VETERANS THAT ARE PRESENT TONIGHT IN OUR ROOM, PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN APPLAUD YOU AND WOULD ALSO LIKE EVERYONE AT HOME THAT'S A VETERAN TO STAND.
SO YOU WILL ALSO GET APPLAUSE FROM US.
THANK THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[Points of Celebration]
NEXT, OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE POINTS OF CELEBRATION, DR. RODRIGUEZ.UH, THIS EVENING ON POINTS OF CELEBRATION, WE BEGIN WITH, UH, CHARACTER EDUCATION.
UH, STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO SUPPORT PARENTS' EFFORTS TO DEVELOP GOOD CHARACTER IN THEIR CHILDREN.
AND TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE CHARACTER ED STUDENT OF THE MONTH EXHIBITING THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF ACCEPTANCE.
ACCEPTANCE IS DEFINED AS THE ACTION OR PROCESS OF BEING RECEIVED AS ADEQUATE OR SUITABLE, TYPICALLY TO BE ADMITTED INTO A GROUP OR RECEIVED BY OTHERS.
SEPTEMBER'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ABNER GUPTON, A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT ST.
AND HERE TO INTRODUCE ABNER IS PRINCIPAL CONSTANCE GOODWIN LEWIS.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THOSE STARFISH WERE PRETTY AWESOME
SO I'M GLAD THAT THEY WERE SEEING TONIGHT.
WHILE WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE A VERY SPECIAL YOUNG MAN, MR. ABNER GUPTON, A FIFTH GRADE PANTHER, WHO YOU CAN'T JUST SAY ANYTHING ABOUT, LIKE, I COULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT.
HE IS ABSOLUTELY THE MODEL STUDENT.
AND ACCEPTANCE IS THE PERFECT, PERFECT THING FOR HIM TO BE HONORED FOR.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS CLASS ON OUR FIRST DIAGNOSTIC.
AND WHEN I AND I, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT PRINCIPAL? WELL, I ASKED HIM, HOW WAS YOUR DAY TODAY? AS I WAS PUTTING HIM IN THE CAR? AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR TEACHER WENT OVER OUR PERFORMANCE AND I, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF MY CLASSMATES,
AND I SAID, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEVEL OF CONCERN.
I SAID, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE THE NEXT TIME.
HE DESCRIBES THIS TEACHER AS BALANCED.
THAT'S HIS DESCRIPTION OF HIS TEACHER.
AND HE APPRECIATES WHAT HE IS LEARNING FROM HER AND HOW SHE'S FAIR WITH HER
[00:25:01]
CONSEQUENCES.YOU KNOW, SHE DOESN'T PUNISH THE WHOLE CLASS.
HE SAYS, I'M SHARING THESE THINGS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HIS PERSONALITY.
UM, I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE HIS TEACHER AT THIS TIME, THE AMAZING MS. DOE IS GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS ALSO ABOUT OUR AMAZING ABNER.
'CAUSE LIKE SHE SAID, WE COULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT,
UM, BUT JUST TO SUM UP ABNER, I THINK HIS LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE MIRRORS WHAT A LOT OF ADULTS NEED IN THIS COUNTRY.
UM, HE CAN ENTER ANY ROOM WITH ANY UNFAMILIAR FACE AND MAKE ANYONE FEEL WELCOME.
THE WORLD COULD BE ON FIRE AROUND HIM, AND HE WOULD CALMLY OBSERVE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO THIS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
UM, HE DOESN'T TOLERATE ANY PUT DOWNS.
HE MAKES SURE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS INCLUDED.
AND I COULD NOT THINK OF ANOTHER FACE WHEN I SAW THIS WORD.
AND I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT HE WAS CHOSEN.
IS ABNER ALSO ONE OF YOUR SUPERSTAR DRUMMERS? ABNER IS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT ABNER? WHEN I TELL YOU THE STARS ALIGN, THE STARS ALIGNED FOR SUCH AN AMAZING YOUNG MAN.
YOU GONNA TAKE A PICTURE? IS MICHAEL'S DAD HERE? OH, THAT'S, I'LL COME OVER HERE.
SO, DR. RODRIGUEZ, WE NEED THE, UM, PODIUM.
ONE MORE ITEM ON POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING, THE 2024 NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR, AND WE HAVE A VIDEO TO SHOW YOU.
UH, SO BEFORE I MOVE, UH, FURTHER INTO THIS PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE VIDEO THAT'S GONNA PLAY DIFFICULTIES AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SHOW, UH, THE VIDEO THIS EVENING.
HOWEVER, THIS EVENING WE CELEBRATE LINDA FREEMAN AS THE 2024 NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR.
AND AS A PARENT EDUCATOR FOR THE PAST 26 YEARS WITH THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, MS. FREEMAN UNDERSTANDS
[00:30:01]
THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS BEING THEIR CHILD'S FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHER.MS. FREEMAN HAS HELPED THE DISTRICT'S PROGRAM GROW INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY, A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED AND NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON AFFILIATE HOME VISITATION PROGRAM THAT SERVES CHILDREN, AGES, BIRTH TO FIVE AND THAT, AND THAT HAS SERVED THE FAMILIES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
MRS. FREEMAN PARTNERS WITH FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION AND SUPPORT SYSTEM TO FOSTER, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD SUCCESS.
SHE IS SUCCESSFUL IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVED PARENTING PRACTICES, THE EARLY DETECTION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS IN HEALTH ISSUES, THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND THE INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF SCHOOL READINESS SKILLS TO LEAD TO FUTURE SCHOOL SUCCESS.
IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US THIS EVENING, WE HAVE SEVERAL PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO ARE ENROLLED IN OUR PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM.
THEY ARE HERE TONIGHT SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT FOR MS. FREEMAN AND THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MS. FREEMAN ON BEING AWARDED THE 2024 NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR.
YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS MADE A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU'D COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME, OH, THEY GOT THE VIDEO FOR YOU.
LINDA FREEMAN, EXCITED TO RECEIVE HER REWARD FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION HAS A NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR.
THIS VIDEO WAS RECORDED AS LINDA FREEMAN WAS NAMED THE 2024 NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AT A NATIONAL PARENT AS TEACHERS CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.
I WAS HONORED AND HUMBLE TO ACCEPT THAT AWARD, KNOWING THAT I'M DOING GREAT WORKS IN THE JOB THAT I DO DAILY, AND ALSO THAT I HAVE WORKING ALONG WITH AN AWESOME TEAM THAT PUSHES ME ALONG.
AND THAT REWARD MEANS THAT I AM TOUCHING FAMILIES ALL OVER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BEING A BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL PARENT EDUCATOR, MS. FREEMAN HAS BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT'S PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM FOR THE PAST 28 YEARS.
WHAT I LIKE SO MUCH IS THAT I GET TO GO INTO THE HOMES OF THESE FAMILIES AND GIVE THEM PARENTING SKILLS, RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY MEETING WITH THEM, WITH GROUP CONNECTIONS AS A GROUP WITH OTHER FAMILIES, THE SAME AGE OR A DIFFERENT AGE OF CHILDREN.
AND ALSO THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCREENINGS THAT WE DO EACH MONTH, AND ALSO THE MILESTONES THAT WE DO TO LET PARENTS KNOW THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE DOING WELL AND GETTING READY FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL.
MS. FREEMAN'S PASSION FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN THROUGHOUT OUR AREA.
MRS. FREEMAN EMPOWERS FAMILIES TO SET AND ACHIEVE GOALS TO BUILD UPON BEST PARENTING PRACTICES.
SHE PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES TO HELP CHILDREN REACH DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES.
THROUGH OUR DISTRICT PARENTS' TEACHERS PROGRAM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, MRS. FREEMAN PARTNERS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO CONNECT FAMILIES TO LOCAL RESOURCES TO HELP THEM OVERCOME BARRIERS AND THRIVE.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A DISTRICT PARENT EDUCATOR HAS BEEN NAMED A NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR.
LAST YEAR, DEBORAH WASHINGTON WON THE AWARD FOR THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
RON LOVES IF YOU HAD COME UP HERE AT THIS TIME, AND OF COURSE, YOUR TROPHY, WHICH I'LL LEAVE HERE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ASHLEY HUTCHINSON OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, UM, EDUCATION.
STIPEL HERE IS THE COORDINATOR FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK SOME OF MY FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, THE ONES THAT ARE HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME COME INTO YOUR HOMES AND THE ONES THAT ARE WATCHING BACK HOME IN, IN YOUR HOME.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I JUST HAVE TO THANK MY FAMILY THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
MY HUSBAND, MY GRANDCHILDREN, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, EVERYONE.
I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT EVERYONE BECAUSE IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
AND I HAVE TO THANK MS. DIXON OVER THERE.
BUT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO, UH, WORK WITH THE FAMILIES AND WORK WITH MORE CHILDREN.
AND I KNOW THAT IF WE DO THIS AS A TEAM, ALL OF OUR CHILDREN WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
[00:35:18]
UM, I DID NOT SAY SECTION TO THE OTHER PARENT EDUCATORS BECAUSE WE ALL WORK AS A TEAM.OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEAM, OUR TRAVELING PRESCHOOL BUS, BUT MOST OF ALL MY PARENT EDUCATORS BACK THERE ON THE BACK ROW.
[First Public Comments]
OUR AGENDA, THERE ARE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS.UM, YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE HIS TOPIC ON THE AGENDA.
[CLOC Update]
HAVE, UH, THE CLOCK UPDATE GIVEN BY MIKE MCNALLY AND RAY WCO.IS THAT OKAY? IS THAT WORKING? NOW? IT IS.
QUAD, COLONEL AND, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
AND, UH, MY FRIEND CARLTON DALLAS.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 2019, UH, BOND REFERENDUM, UH, CITIZENS LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UH, I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE AS OF THE THIRD QUARTER.
THAT WOULD BE ENDING, UH, THIS SEPTEMBER.
DO WE HAVE SLIDES ON THIS ANYWHERE? IF NOT, I CAN JUST GO WITHOUT THEM.
UH, FOR THOSE HERE, UH, THIS EVENING MAY BE IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR COMMITTEE.
UH, THE CITIZENS LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
WE USE THE ACRONYM, UH, CLOCK, CLOC.
UH, WE ARE COMPOSED OF, UH, EIGHT VOLUNTEERS.
UH, WE'RE MAINLY ALL RETIRED PROFESSIONALS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, FINANCE, AND EVEN EDUCATION.
UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN, UH, INTERVIEWED AND SELECTED BY DR. RODRIGUEZ TO SERVE IN THIS, UH, CAPACITY.
WE'VE BEEN MEETING, UH, ONCE A MONTH FOR THE, ALMOST THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
UH, WE MONITOR ALL THE BUILDING PROJECTS INDEPENDENTLY.
UH, THE SCHEDULES, THE BUDGETS, THE EXPENDITURES ALL RELATED TO THE BOND REFERENDUM TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPER USE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TAXPAYERS FUNDS, UH, WERE WHAT WAS PROMISED AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT, UH, AS SUPERIOR FACILITIES FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENTS.
MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE, UH, OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS OUR 58TH MEETING TOMORROW EVENING.
UH, THE PUBLIC'S ALWAYS WELCOME.
THIS ONE WILL BE AT, UH, OTTE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT SIX O'CLOCK.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO JOIN US, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME AND, AND COMMENT AND LISTEN.
UH, THE BOND REFERENDUM HIGHLIGHTS, OR THIS, UH, GO OVER THIS QUICKLY.
IN 2019, BUFORT COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED A 344,610,000 BOND ISSUE, UH, FOR WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ADDED AN ADDITIONAL $31,000,100, UH, DUE TO THE SALE OF THE BONDS AND THE BOND PREMIUM.
[00:40:01]
HAVE BEEN USED TO COVER SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, UH, AND UPGRADES AT 17 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, EIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOLS, SIX HIGH SCHOOLS, AND INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF, UH, NEW MAJOR ATHLETIC ADDITIONS AND OTHER RENOVATIONS AT MANY OF THE SCHOOLS.AND I MIGHT ADD, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THE MONEY PUT INTO SAFETY AND SECURITY, ESPECIALLY IN TECHNOLOGY.
AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT WAS A SMALL RENOVATION AT A SCHOOL OR A WHOLE NEW SCHOOL, EVERY SCHOOL GOT ALL OF THIS SAFETY AND SECURITY WORK DONE.
UH, AS FAR AS THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, AT THE END OF THE QUARTER, UH, COMPLETED NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS INCLUDE THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL EDITION, THE RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY EDITIONS, BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING AND WEIGHT ROOM EDITION, ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SCHOOL REPLACEMENT, AN ENTIRE NEW SCHOOL, AND TAKING THE OLD SCHOOL DOWN.
UH, THERE WERE COMPLETED MAINOR MAJOR RENOVATIONS AT BUFORT ELEMENTARY AND BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, AND COMPLETED ADVANCED DESIGN PROJECTS AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL WITH ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS, AND ALSO MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, FURTHER, THERE WERE SOME COMPLETED LIMITED SCOPE ITEMS, INCLUDING PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AT 23 LOCATIONS, ATHLETIC IMPROVEMENTS AT 13 LOCATIONS, BUILDING ENTRY IMPROVEMENTS AT 36 LOCATIONS.
BIDIRECTIONAL AMPLIFIERS INSTALLED AT 34 LOCATIONS.
NEW EMERGENCY GENERATORS AT 28 LOCATIONS, PN, PA, AND INTERCOM SYSTEMS AT 30 LOCATIONS.
SECURITY CAMERAS AT 20 LOCATIONS, ACCESS CONTROL AND INTRUSION ALARMS AT 19 LOCATIONS.
AND TECHNICAL TECHNOLOGY ROOM ADDITIONS AND EXPANSIONS AT 33 LOCATIONS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S BEEN ONE HECK OF A LOT OF WORK DONE OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME, UH, REMAINING ITEMS. UH, THE WORK AT OVER 30 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTY IS NOW FINALLY WINDING DOWN AND THE DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO DO THAT WORK, UH, ARE ALSO WINDING DOWN.
AND, AND THE CLOCK COMMITTEE HAS BEEN VERY DILIGENT, UH, IN MONITORING ALL OF THIS WORK.
AS FAR AS THE PROGRESS OF THE WORK, THE QUALITY OF THE WORK, THE TIMELINESS OF THE WORK, AND THE DOLLARS SPENT, UH, THE REMAINING ISSUES AS THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
UH, THE HILTON HEAD, HIGH ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, NEW FIELD HOUSE, UH, SHOULD GET THE FINAL STATE INSPECTION.
UH, SHOULD HAVE HAD IT, I THINK IT WAS DONE END OF OCTOBER.
THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL RENOVATIONS, UH, THEY'RE GONNA GET THE FINAL INSPECTION ON NOVEMBER 20TH.
ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
THERE'S SOME TREE REMEDIATION BEING DONE.
THE BI-DIRECTIONAL AMPLIFIERS ARE NEEDED AT TWO LOCATIONS.
A FEW MORE PAS AND INTERCOMS AT SIX LO SIX LOCATIONS.
SECURITY CAMERAS AT 15 LOCATIONS, ACCESS CONTROL AND INTRUSION ALARMS AT 23 AND FINAL.
UH, COURSE WORK ADJUSTMENTS, UH, MADE BY THE ARCHITECTS AND, UH, CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS.
UH, THERE'S 30 PROJECT CLOSEOUTS, UH, TO BE DONE.
AND ALL THE PARTIES HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TRY TO GET THESE DONE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING DONE THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
SOME OF THE THINGS MAY SLIDE ON A LITTLE BIT INTO THE FIRST QUARTER AND NEXT YEAR.
AS I SAID BEFORE, THE MONEY'S DWINDLING DOWN AS WE NEAR THE COMPLETION OF ALL THE WORK IN THIS ROAD AND, UH, IN THIS REFERENDUM.
AND, UH, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK, UH, FINAL SUMMARY.
IF SOMEBODY HAS THE SLIDES THERE, THEY COULD PUT THAT UP.
WE SEE A, UH, A GREEN, WHAT WE CALL A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE TOP.
THAT MEANS EVERYTHING'S GOING SMOOTH.
THAT MEANS THERE'S A PROBLEM AND WE NEVER LIKE TO SEE A RED ONE.
THE SUMMARY IS THIS, AS OF NOVEMBER 30TH, THE BEGINNING ORIGINAL BUDGET, AS I SAID BEFORE, WAS 344,610,000.
[00:45:04]
THE BOND PREMIUM WAS ADDED TO THAT TO GIVE A TOTAL BUDGET OF $375,000,710, AND PAID AND COMMITTED THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 99.59% OF THAT HAS BEEN COMMITTED.UH, THE REMAINING FUNDS TO COMMIT IS JUST 0.41% OR LITTLE OVER, UH, ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME CON SMALL CONTINGENCY ACTIVITY.
IN SEPTEMBER, A FEW DOLLARS RETURNED, AND WE'VE USED A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN $15,000 OF THE CONTINGENCIES, TOTAL CONTINGENCIES REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE WORK, $169,632.
UM, IN, UM, SUMMARY, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED AND TRACKED USING THE PROGRAM CONTINGENCY LOGS.
UH, BUDGET INCREASES WERE SUPPORTED BY THE REFERENDUM CONTINGENCY AND BOND PREMIUMS. THE DOLLAR SPENT AND ENCUMBERED DID NOT EXCEED THE BUDGETED PROJECT TOTALS.
AND THE DOLLARS SPENT PER PROJECT DID NOT EXCEED THE ESTIMATED PROJECT PERCENTAGE COMPLETED.
THE DISTRICT'S, UH, CONSULTANTS, TURNER AND TOWNSEND HUIE, THEY CONTINUE TO REPORT WHAT WE CALL A SOFT LANDING.
THAT IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH MONTHS, ENOUGH MONEY AND A COUPLE NICKELS IN OUR POCKET AT THE END.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY MY NEXT REPORT WILL BE THE FINAL REPORT, UH, JUST SAYING WE MADE IT, WE'RE ACROSS THE GOAL LINE.
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU DO, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM.
IF NOT, RAY WCO HAS A BRIEF, UH, REPORT ON THE 2024 REFERENDUM.
AS YOU HEARD, AND I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE THIS BRIEF.
MIKE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE 2019 REFERENDUM.
I SEE YOU LOOKING AT YOUR WATCH, CARL.
NOW WE, WE, I WILL BE BRIEF
BUT YOU DID SEE THAT 99% OF WHAT, WHAT WAS, UH, APPROVED BY THE VOTERS HAS BEEN EITHER SPENT OR COMMITTED.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT IS SPENDING IS THE ACTUAL DOLLARS THAT THE DISTRICT PUT OUT.
COMMITTED MEANS THEY SIGNED CONTRACTS NOT TO EXCEED CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT.
SO THEREFORE, AS HE SAID, WE'RE ALMOST DONE.
NOW, AS FAR AS THE NEXT REFERENDUM IS CONCERNED, HE, HE INDICATED IT WAS 24.
IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GONNA CARRY ON FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS, THAT REFERENDUM WAS LARGER THAN THE 19 REFERENDUM.
SO FAR, WE HAVE EITHER SPENT OR COMMITTED TO SPEND $105 MILLION, WHICH LEAVES 333 MILLION LEFT.
HOW MUCH OF THAT ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS IS LEFT? 76%.
SO WE ARE ALMOST THROUGH, IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE PASSED THE 2 0 2 3 REFERENDUM, AND WE'VE GOT 76% LEFT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAD A CONTINGENCY OF STARTING OUT $28 MILLION.
WE'VE USED VERY LITTLE OF THAT.
AND SO THE CONTINGENCY IS STILL, BY THE WAY, WE'VE USED LESS THAN A MILLION.
SO THE CONTINGENCY IS STILL 28 MILLION.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONTINGENCY COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE LEFT TO SPEND, WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY PERCENTAGE OF 9.25%, WHICH IS, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE AS FAR AS THE INDIVIDUAL WELL PROJECTS ARE CONCERNED.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE, UM, ON THE SCREEN, THE MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND BY THE WAY, ALL THESE JOBS THAT WE, ALL THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ARE WITHIN BUDGET.
AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE LOOK AT.
WE LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE MONIES THAT THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED, THAT THEY SAY THEY'RE GONNA SPEND, HAVE APPROPRIATELY BEEN SPENT, AND ARE, UH, THE REPORTS THAT WE GET FROM THE DISTRICT VERIFY THAT.
WE, WE CHECK THEM MATHEMATICALLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY TELL
[00:50:01]
US IS, IN FACT, WHAT WE SEE.AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE, I THINK THE LAST QUARTER, WE WILL GET THE AUDIT REPORT SHORTLY, PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
AND WHAT WE WILL DO IS TAKE THE RE AND IT'S, IT'S A BY THE WAY, IT'S, IT'S A BALANCE SHEET AS OF JUNE 30TH.
WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR JUNE 30 NUMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TIE BACK IN ALL OF THE PRIOR FOUR YEARS, THEY HAVE TIED BACK WITH THE, WITH THE 2019 REFERENDUM.
SO WE LOOK TO DO THE SAME THING IN 2 0 2 3.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS THAT I'M PROBABLY NOT GONNA GO OVER.
I'M, I'M GONNA CONCLUDE MY REPORT, AND I WILL END UP WITH ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF ANY OF YOU AT THIS POINT IN TIME? QUESTION, QUESTIONS? UH, I JUST, MR. SMITH? YEAH, I, I JUST DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU AND YOUR, YOUR COMMITTEE AND DO THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DONE.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A MEETING, TO ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS IN A WHILE, BUT I'M GOING GET BACK ON, GET BACK ON TRACK.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU.
THANK FOR ALL THE, THE HOURS THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO OUR ENTIRE COMMITTEE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.
AND, AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO APPEAR, WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY.
BASICALLY, I WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, BOTH OF YOU AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE PUBLICLY.
I'LL PASS, I'LL PASS THAT ON TO THE COMMITTEE AT OUR MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT.
[Chair Report]
ALRIGHT, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE, UM, CHAIR REPORT AND JUST RECENTLY COM, UH, COMPLETED ITS ANNUAL, UH, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.AND I WILL READ THE SUMMARY OF THAT EVALUATION TONIGHT.
DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ BEGAN HIS TENURE AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ON JULY 1ST, 2019, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION EMPLOYS AND EVALUATES THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION JUST COMPLETED ITS FIFTH ANNUAL EVALUATION OF DR. RODRIGUEZ ON THE 20 23, 20 24 SCHOOL YEAR, AND IS NOW SHARING THE RESULTS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THE 20 23, 20 24 SUPERINTENDENT ANNUAL EVALUATION INSTRUMENT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE LETTER, AND IT WAS UNCHANGED FROM 2022 TO 2023.
THE TOTAL COMPOSITE EVALUATION SCORE INCLUDED 32 QUESTIONS RELATED TO FIVE COMPONENTS OF PR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, WHICH WAS WEIGHTED AS 45%.
AND SEVEN QUESTIONS WERE RELATED TO THREE MEASURABLE COMPONENTS.
AND THOSE THREE COMPONENTS ARE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT WITH A WEIGHT OF 25%, TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WITH A WEIGHT OF 15%, AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT WITH A WEIGHT OF 15%.
SCORING CHOICES FOR EACH QUESTION WERE ONE, INEFFECTIVE, TWO, MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE, THREE EFFECTIVE, AND FOUR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
BOARD MEMBERS COMPLETED INDIVIDUAL EVALUATIONS, WHICH WERE COLLATED AND THEN SHARED WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD.
THE 32 QUESTIONS INCLUDED IN THE FIVE COMPONENTS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WERE WEIGHTED AS FOLLOWS, GOVERNMENT AND BOARD RELATIONS, 20% COMMUNITY RELATIONS, 15% STAFF RELATIONS, 15% BUSINESS AND FINANCE, 20% INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, 30%.
THE AVERAGE SCORES FOR EACH COMPONENT OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WERE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD RELATIONS.
3.50, COMMUNITY RELATIONS 3.54, STAFF RELATIONS 3.49, BUSINESS AND FINANCE 3.80 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, 3.67.
THE TOTAL COMPOSITE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE SCORE WAS 3.62.
THE AVERAGE SCORES FOR THE THREE MEASURABLE COMPONENTS WERE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, 3.35, TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION 3.50 AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT 3.63.
DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ EARNED A TOTAL TOTAL COMPOSITE EVALUATION SCORE OF 3.353, WHICH IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE OVERALL.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION CON CONGRATULATES DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ ON HIS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE RATING LEADING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE 20 23 20 24 SCHOOL YEAR, DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ
[00:55:01]
SCORED HIGHEST IN THE AREAS OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE IN THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE SECTION AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT IN THE MEASURABLE COMPONENTS PORTION.THE BUDGET WAS SPENT WITH 0.7% REMAINING, AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN A MOODY'S AA ONE BOND RATING, THE HIGHEST RATING SHARED WITH GREENVILLE FOR THE 73 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, THE DISTRICT EARNED A PERFECT SCORE OF 10 INDICATING LOW OVERALL FINANCIAL RISK ON THE SUBRECIPIENT RISK ASSESSMENT BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE OVERALL STRONG FINANCIAL TRACK RECORD OF THE DISTRICT, ALONG WITH DR.
SUCCESSFUL OVERSIGHT OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF THE $344 MILLION 2019 SCHOOL BOND REFERENDUM UNDOUBTEDLY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SECURING RECORD BREAKING BOND FUNDING IN 2023.
72% VOTER APPROVAL OF THE $439 MILLION SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR DR.
RODRIGUEZ'S EMPHASIS ON QUALITY CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION INCLUDES BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BEING RANKED AMONG THE TOP IN THE STATE FOR TEACHER COMPENSATION FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, MAINTAINING STAFF CHILDCARE OPPORTUNITIES, PROVIDING ONGOING QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS.
MORE THAN HALF OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS ARE RANKED AS EXCELLENT OR GOOD ON THE 20 23, 20 24 SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL REPORT CARDS IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENTS MEET AND EXCEED SCORES FOR SOUTH CAROLINA READY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH, AND OF COURSE, EXAMS FOR ALGEBRA AND BIOLOGY AND MEETING COLLEGE OR CAREER READINESS STANDARDS.
DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ HAS BEEN NAMED THE 2025 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR, AND SELECTED ONE OF 25 SUPERINTENDENTS NATIONWIDE AS A 2023 SUPERINTENDENT TO WATCH BY THE NATIONAL SCHOOL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION.
THE BOARD SINCERELY, THANKS DR. RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP, HIS MANY EFFORTS FOR HIS DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE DISTRICT.
I HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM THAT I'M BLESSED TO WORK WITH, SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT HAPPEN.
ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, DELEGATE, DELEGATE, ASSEMBLY AND LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCES.
UH, IN THE FIRST WEEK OF, UH, WEEKEND OF DECEMBER, AND, UH, ALL 73, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE BELONGED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD'S ASSOCIATION.
AND, UH, EACH, UH, DISTRICT IS GIVEN REPRESENTATION AT THE DE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THE DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 21,000 STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO WE HAVE SEVEN, UH, DELEGATES, UH, FOR THE, UM, ASSEMBLY AT, AT IN CHARLESTON ON IN DECEMBER.
AND WE HAD SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS SIGN UP TO GO TO THE ASSEMBLY AND THE, UM, CONFERENCE.
AND, UH, IT'S USUALLY, UH, UH, EXCELLENT, UH, INFORMATION.
AND WE, WE VOTE ON ISSUES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION WILL THEN BRING FORWARD TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
[Committee Reports]
WE HAVE OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND FOR ACADEMICS, WE HAVE ANGELA MIDDLETON REPORTING.AND I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS VERY BRIEF OUT OF THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2024.
TWO MOTIONS CAME OUT, UH, CAME ABOUT, AND I'LL PRESENT THOSE AT THE END.
BUT THIS IS OUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THE AGENDA, INCLUDING PRESENTATIONS ON STUDENT SERVICE DIVISION, OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION 13 DISCIPLINE PRESENTED BY DR.
DEREK SKAGGS, INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION.
LOCAL BOARD APPROVAL COURSE PRESENTATIONS BY KAREN MCKENZIE INDICATED 22 CURRENT ACTIVE LBA COURSES IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 12.
AND PROVIDED A BREAKDOWN OF STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED BY SCHOOL.
ALSO, MS. MCKENZIE PRESENTED THE THREE NEW LBA COURSES, WHICH IS STUDENT GOVERNMENT, MUSICAL THEATER, INTERNATIONAL BA BACCALAUREATE, MIDDLE YEARS PERSONAL PERSONAL PROJECT.
[01:00:01]
PRESENTED TWO NEW LBA COURSES, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, TRADES AND INDUSTRIAL TRADES, UM, AND INDUSTRIAL.I IMPLORE BOARD MEMBERS TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THAT MEETING BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IN DEPTH AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
MADAM CHAIR, AT THIS TIME, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE LOCAL BOARD COURSE LISTING FOR THE USE OF THE 20 24 20 25 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THAT WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE NEXT MOTION, UM, WE NEED TO APPROVE THE NEW COURSES THAT, UM, WERE PRESENTED.
SO I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE LOCAL BOARD COURSES PRESENTED ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2024 OF THE, THE IB MYP PERSONAL PROJECT, MUSICAL THEATER TWO, LEADERSHIP, GOVERNMENT, CTE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHCARE, CTE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRADES AND INDUSTRIAL.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY, MR. DALLAS, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? OH, MR. NAY? UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UH, SINCE OUR, OUR SCHOOL, UH, HAS A, A CURRICULUM THAT IS THE IB CURRICULUM, WHY ARE WE HAVING TO APPROVE THE COURSE LOCALLY? IS IT NOT PART OF THE, UH, THE IB CURRICULUM? THIS IS ONE OF THE NEW COURSES THAT'S GOING TO BE A PART OF THE CURRICULUM.
STRATOS ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION, UH, THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE THE, THE JUSTIFICATION WRITEUP SAID THAT WE WERE NON-COMPLIANT, SO THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED TO RUN THIS COURSE.
SO I'M WONDERING, HOW LONG HAVE WE, HAVE WE BEEN NON-COMPLIANT IN I, I'M SORRY.
STRATAS, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND VERIFY.
THE COURSE HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD AS AN ELECTIVE COURSE FOR 10TH GRADERS WHO HAD IN THEIR 10TH GRADE, WHICH IS LEVEL FIVE OF THE IB MYP, WHERE STUDENTS COMPLETE A PERSONAL PROJECT TO SHOW THEIR CUMULATIVE KNOWLEDGE IN AN AREA THAT IS COMMUNITY AND SERVICE, EITHER WITHIN THE SCHOOL OR THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
IN ORDER TO ENHANCE OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, IS THE NICEST WAY OF BEING ABLE TO PUT THAT FOR IT IS STUDENT DRIVEN.
THEY HAVE A MENTOR WHO HELPS DEVELOP AND ENSURE, AND THE COURSE IS SET UP FOR 60 HOURS.
SO WE MEET THE NECESSARY CARNEGIE UNITS.
YEAH, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M SORRY.
UH, BUT IT, THE WRITE-UP SAID THAT WE WERE NON-COMPLIANT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS.
UM, SO HOW, HOW, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN NON-COMPLIANT? I WILL, LET ME GET MY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, SIR, BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AS WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ISSUE OF COMPLIANCE.
LET ME JUST GRAB MY BINDER, SIR.
AND WHILE SHE'S DOING THAT, ALSO, UM, MS. MCKENZIE, UM, DID A FINAL PRESENTATION ON THE PERFORMING ARTS AND ART PROGRAM.
SO ALL THOSE UPDATES ARE IN THAT PARTICULAR, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING, HOLD ON.
AND THE ID DOES NOT GIVE COURSES FOR MIDDLE YEAR PROGRAMS. SO I'M QUESTIONING THE LANGUAGE ITSELF IN THE NON-COMPLIANCE, SIR.
SO IF YOU, I AM JUST PULLING UP THE GOVERNMENT COURSE MUSICAL THEATER, I-B-M-Y-P, MAY YOU REFERENCE ME WHICH CATEGORY YOU WERE FOCUSED ON, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
UH, IT WASN'T IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
IT WAS IN THE LOCAL BOARD APPROVED, LIKE THE, THE ACTUAL WRITEUP, UM, BY THE INSTRUCTOR.
UM, IN THE, UM, PARAGRAPH THREE LISTED CRITERIA, SELECTING STUDENTS FOR THIS COURSE, INCLUDING PREREQUISITE COURSES.
IF WE ARE NOT, OR WE ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE ONE BMYP, IF WE DO NOT HAVE 100% PARTICIPATION IS CULMINATING PROJECT.
LET, LET ME GIVE YOU CLARIFICATION ON THAT, SIR.
IT IS NOT A MATTER OF THE COMPLIANCE OF NOT HAVING A COURSE.
THE GOAL OF THE SCHOOL IS TO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS WITHIN THE IB MYP, AT A LEVEL FIVE TO
[01:05:01]
COMPLETE THE PROJECT.THE TERM MAY BE BEING UTILIZED A LITTLE TOO STRONGLY.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF COMPLIANCE.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
IT'S A SENSE OF THEIR EVALUATION THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.
THEY WANNA ENSURE SUPPORT FOR THE EVALUATION AND GIVE SOME SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS AS ANOTHER ISSUE AS TO WHY THIS IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO YOU AS A LEARNER, AS WELL AS TO OUR MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM.
THE LANGUAGE MAY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED MORE AT THE EVALUATION WHERE THEY WERE NOT HAVING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE 10TH GRADERS COMPLETING THEIR MIDDLE YEARS PERSONAL PROJECT.
OH, I WAS JUST GONNA DO SOME FILLER, BUT, UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY ON THAT AP MUSIC THEORY, IT'S VERY EXCITING, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CLASS TO ADD.
BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY ON THE VISUAL ARTS PERFORMANCE, UM, PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN, IT WAS, THERE WAS A FULSOME DISCUSSION IN ACADEMICS COMMITTEE.
AND CERTAINLY ANYONE CAN GO BACK AND, AND WATCH THAT.
BUT I THINK IF WE HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA, UM, AND WE INCLUDE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION SLIDES, WHICH DON'T PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT PROVIDE A LOT OF DATA POINTS, I DO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OR SOMETHING, JUST BECAUSE FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, UNDERSTANDING WHY THIS INFORMATION MIGHT HAVE BEEN, UH, PRESENTED IN SORT OF A GENERAL SENSE OF, OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED MIGHT BE USEFUL.
UM, MR. MCKENZIE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND ACTUALLY, I WAS GONNA SPEAK TO THAT MRS. BOATRIGHT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE DID SAY THAT MS. MCKENZIE WAS GONNA COME UP AND GIVE US A BRIEF.
THAT WAS, THAT IS WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.
SO I WAS KIND OF LOST WHY SHE HADN'T COME UP YET.
BUT YEAH, IN TERMS OF HERE SHE IS.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME UP.
WE DID DISCUSS ME GOING OVER BRIEFLY THE SLIDES THAT I HAD SHARED AT THAT PRESENTATION, IF MS. BERRY CAN PULL THOSE UP.
AND THIS REALLY STARTED BECAUSE WE WANTED TO JUST GIVE, UM, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED, AND WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BASIC OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THE ARTS PROGRAM.
SO I WENT OVER SOME OF THOSE PIECES, VERY BASIC THINGS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE SEVEN ARTS AND BASIC, UM, CURRICULUM SCHOOLS HERE IN OUR DISTRICT, AS WELL AS TWO ART INTEGRATED SCHOOLS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAD THREE VISUAL AND PERFORMING HIGH SCHOOLS.
WHY WAS THAT IMPORTANT TO US? WE'RE STARTING TO SEE ARTS MORE STRONGLY INFUSED IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND BY ARTS, I MEAN ALL OF THE ARTS.
SO THAT WAS A POSITIVE FOR US.
WE ALSO, UM, HOLD TWO CAMPS FOR OUR ART STUDENTS.
BUT A REALLY BIG THING THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT OUT THERE IS LAST YEAR, 32 SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR STUDENTS PUT ON 433 STUDENT PERFORMANCES.
IF YOU'LL GO ON UP, MS. BERRY, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, I DON'T WANNA BE MISLEADING THERE.
THE DISTRICT DOES 79 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN WE HAVE A KENNEDY CENTER PARTNER GRANT.
AND WITH THEM WE DID AN ADDITIONAL 83 HOURS.
WE ALSO ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ANOTHER COMMUNITY PARTNER HERE, UM, FOR ISLAND FRIENDS OF MUSIC, WHO ALSO PROVIDES SOME THINGS FOR US AND FOR OUR TEACHERS VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM.
WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW HOW OUR VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM HAS GROWN.
UM, I JUST, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THOUGH, AND I HAVE TO SHARE IT.
I KNOW I WAS, I PROMISED I'D HURRY, BUT IF YOU SEE THE PICTURE ON THIS, THAT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR JUST TOOK PLACE.
WE HAD TONS OF STUDENT WINNERS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY SHOWS UP AND TAKES NAMES THIS YEAR.
WE ALSO HAD A TEACHER WHO PLACED WITH A PITCHER.
WE HAD A SCHOOL COUNSELOR WHO PLACED WITH A PITCHER.
AND THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS A WINNER FROM ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL TO DRIVE IN IN THE MORNING.
SO WE ARE, UM, ON THAT, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SHOW THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW THOSE HIGHER LEVEL OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER.
[01:10:01]
ON AND THIS IS JUST, UH, THIS IS WHY IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THAT ONE PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.AND THIS IS NOT ALL OF WHAT OUR STUDENTS DID LAST YEAR, BUT JUST SO YOU CAN GO BACK WHEN YOU HAVE TIME AND LOOK TWO REALLY BIG ONES.
THERE IS STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY.
AND STUDENTS WHOSE WORK IS CURRENTLY AT CONGRESS BEING DISPLAYED AT CONGRESS AND DC IT'S IMPORTANT, AS YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A CHARGE WE HAVE, IS TO, UH, TO CONTINUE TO GROW THOSE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS. AND WE ARE GETTING THERE.
I DO WANNA PULL SOME ATTENTION ON A FEW THINGS ON THIS SLIDE, THOUGH.
DANCE IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF OUR FASTEST GROWING PERFORMING ARTS HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT DANCE TEACHERS.
UM, GUITAR IS ALSO GROWING VERY QUICKLY.
THAT STARTED OFF VERY SMALL WITH THREE YOUNG MEN.
NOW WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT'S ALMOST 300 STUDENTS.
PIANO IS ALSO GROWING VERY QUICKLY.
AGAIN, TOO MANY CELEBRATIONS REALLY TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT, UM, WE DO DO A GOOD JOB.
WE HAVE A GREAT, UH, COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HERE, AND THEY ARE CONSTANTLY PUTTING THINGS OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR US.
AND THEN THIS IS THE PART THAT I REALLY WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA TAKE A SECOND ON THIS.
GIFTED AND TALENTED IDENTIFICATION.
THIS HAS REALLY CHANGED FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THIS POSITION, I DIDN'T LIKE THE NUMBERS I SAW, I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST.
I WAS LIKE, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE.
WHY ARE WE ONLY IDENTIFYING SIX STUDENTS? WHAT'S HAPPENING? BUT WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAD IN PLACE, IT REALLY WAS, IT WAS KIND OF A, A WORDY PROCESS TO GO THROUGH.
SO WE HAVE REWORKED THAT PROCESS.
THAT'S ONE WE'VE MADE IT EASIER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUDGING FOR US TO JUDGE FOR US.
WE'VE ALSO TRIED REALLY HARD TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS AS WELL AS TEACHERS AND EVEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LET US KNOW WHEN THEY SEE A STUDENT WHO THEY THINK MIGHT BE ARTISTICALLY GIFTED AND TALENTED.
THAT HAS REALLY BROUGHT US SOME INCREASES.
WE'VE, WE'RE RUNNING ON ABOUT A 50% INCREASE RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU COULD SEE, THOSE BOTTOM ONES, THOSE LITTLE BOTTOM CHARTS AT THE VERY BOTTOM, WE'RE ALMOST GETTING THERE.
IF WE COULD JUST GET THOSE LINES A LITTLE MORE ON THE EVEN SIDE, I'LL BE A LOT HAPPIER ABOUT IT.
BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THIS REAL QUICK.
IN CLOSING IS OUR PROGRAM WAS REALLY REWRITTEN.
I STARTED DOING SOME WORK, BUT WHEN JOSH WALL CAME IN AS OUR COORDINATOR, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I TOLD HIM.
I SAID, FIX THIS, FIX THIS, GET THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR KIDS.
AND HE WORKED HARD ON IT WITH WHAT HE COMPLETED.
HE SHARED THAT WITH THE STATE.
AND HE HAS NOW BEEN ASKED BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO TUTOR AND HELP AND MENTOR OTHER DISTRICTS ARTS COORDINATORS.
AND JUST OUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR.
FOR, UM, FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE LISTED ON PAGE FIVE, IS THAT LIKE K THROUGH 12 OR JUST SIX THROUGH 12? TH THOSE ARE SECONDARY NUMBERS RIGHT THERE.
SO THOSE ARE SECONDARY SIX THROUGH 12.
SO, UH, I, I WE WANNA KNOW STANDARD PROGRAMS THEN.
UH, I DON'T MEAN TO, UH, UM, UM, DISCOUNT, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, OR, BUT, UH, THE, THE 433 STUDENT PERFORMANCES, THAT'S ONLY 13 PER SCHOOL.
UH, AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU DIVIDE THEM UP, UH, AMONG THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THEY HAVE LISTED, I WOULD THINK THAT'S ONLY ONE OR TWO PER CATEGORY.
UM, SO 433 PERFORMANCES I THINK IS KIND OF SMALL.
UH, AS FAR AS THE, THE, THE HONOR BAND, UM, DOWN THERE, UH, I'M ON PAGE SIX NOW.
UH, 51 STUDENTS AND, UH, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL HONOR BAND.
SO THAT'S JUST AN HONOR BAND HONOR OF STUDENTS FROM OUR DISTRICT ONLY IS, AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO, I, THAT'S CORRECT.
WHEN ONCE A STUDENT IS IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND TALENTED, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE STATE REQUIRES US TO DO IS PROVIDE UNIQUE PROGRAMS FOR THAT GIFTEDNESS AREA.
SO AS A DISTRICT, WE PROVIDE THAT IN MANY AREAS.
WE DO A DISTRICT DANCE FESTIVAL, WE DO TWO UM, BANDS.
WE DO A HIGH SCHOOL BAND, WE DO A MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND.
[01:15:01]
UM, WE DO TWO CHORUSES, BUT WE GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE ALSO DO THE SUMMER PROGRAM OPPORTUNITY.UM, I'M SORRY IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MADAM CHAIR, I JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, SO THE, THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES THAT YOU'VE, UH, THAT YOU'VE BRIEFED THE ARTS, YOU'VE PLACED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON THE GIFTED AND TALENTED.
WHAT IS THE INCENTIVE, UM, FOR GETTING UP OUR, OUR, OUR GIFTED AND TALENTED? I MEAN, IS THERE FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDING INVOLVED? UM, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU PLACE A LOT OF WEIGHT ON GIFTED AND TALENTED.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE INCENTIVE? I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, MY INCENTIVE IS NOT ON THE FUNDING THAT WE GET FOR ANY STUDENT.
MINE IS FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING STUDENTS.
SO WHEN I SAW A DISTRICT OF THE, YOU KNOW, 20,000 KIDS AND WE WERE COMING UP WITH A HUNDRED KIDS BEING IDENTIFIED, NATIONAL AVERAGES ARE USUALLY SIX TO 10%.
SO I WANTED TO SEE BEAUFORT COUNTY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 TO 12%.
'CAUSE I DEFINITELY THINK WE HAVE THAT GIFTEDNESS HERE.
SO THAT WAS ONE REASON WHY WE PUT SOME EMPHASIS HERE.
AND ANOTHER REASON, QUITE HONESTLY, IS WE HAD SOME POPULATIONS THAT WERE NOT REPRESENTED IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THAT BEING MORE FAIR.
UM, FIRST I'LL JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND THE STAFF HAVE DONE WITH THIS.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT THESE, UM, ABOUT THESE, THIS, THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US TONGUE.
BUT, UM, JUST TO SPEAK TO THE LAST COMMENT, UH, THAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID, I, I, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO HIS AND TO YOUR, ALSO TO BOTH OF YOUR DEFENSES.
I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TOOK A KALEIDO KALEIDOSCOPE TO SEVERAL OF THESE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE GIFTED AND TALENTED.
UH, IN TERMS OF, I THINK AT, MAYBE IT WAS AT THE LAST I THINK, MEETING WE HAD HERE AT THE COMMUNITY, UH, UH, OUR COMM IN PARTNERS, I THINK YOU WERE SAYING IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS IN TERMS OF GIFTED AND TALENTED AND GIFTED AND TALENTED, AND ACTUALLY KIND OPENED UP SOME PEOPLE'S EYES THAT GIFTED AND TALENTED IS NOT THAT ONE LOOK OF THAT ONE, UH, SPARK SMART, BRILLIANT STUDENT THAT IS DIFFERENT LAYERS OF WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, ALONG THE WAY, THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT AND EDUCATE PEOPLE WHAT EXACTLY THAT IS.
AND SO I WILL, I WILL LET, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, AND, AND, AND, AND AS WELL AS, UM, WE HAVE A, SOMEONE WHO COMES TO THE BOARD MEETING AND WHO TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE BAND, AND WE SPOKE AT LENGTH, SO THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE WANTED YOU TO, I WANTED YOU TO BRING THIS, BRING THIS, UH, PUBLICLY BECAUSE WE SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF, UH, THE ARTS LOOKED LIKE AND HOW WE, HOW YOU WERE WORKING TOWARDS THEM.
UH, SO I THINK THAT IF YOU, IF YOU DIDN'T ATTEND THAT MEETING AS MY OTHER COLLEAGUES SAID, THAT IT WOULD BE DEFINITELY, UH, GOOD FOR YOU TO GO BACK AND LOOK, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT OUR, WE COVERED A LOT IN THAT MEETING AND WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THIS AT LENGTH.
SO, UM, AND I SAY THIS TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC, NOT ING, JUST TO SAY WE ARE LOOKING AND WE DO HEAR SOME, WE DO HEAR Y'ALL VOICES, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING, CONTINUE TO COME AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK.
AND I THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM REALLY BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING THE WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOU CONTINUE TO DOING THE ACTUAL WORK THAT GOES INTO THESE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT TO, TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS DONE.
AND YOU, WE DO KNOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU LOOK AT EVERY KID EVERY DAY.
SO WE DO APPRECIATE, WE DO APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND THAT, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S, AND I THINK THAT WAS IT ON THAT, IT WAS ONE MORE THING I MEANT TELL YOU ABOUT, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER.
OH, OH, WE DIDN'T SAY IT ON THIS PARTICULAR POWERPOINT, BUT I DO REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT, AND I WAS KIND OF WAITING FOR IT, BUT I DO REMEMBER ALSO IN TERMS OF WRAPPING UP MY COMMENTS ON THIS WHOLE SEGMENT THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE MENU IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE VOTED FOR.
I SAID I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND I WANTED TO PUT OUT PUBLICLY, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SAY, OH, HEY, HE GOES AGAINST VOTING.
SO I'LL TAKE, SAY PUBLICLY IN TERMS OF BRINGING THESE PROGRAMS AND WHAT WE'RE, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF OUR MENU, I'M LOOKING FOR STAFF AND TEACHERS TO KIND OF STREAMLINE AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON OUR MENU BEFORE WE START TO ADD OTHER ITEMS ON YOUR MENU TO SEE WHAT COULD BE WORK, WHAT, WHAT PROGRAM COULD BE UTILIZED FOR MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL AND MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE THE LARGER OUR MENU GETS, I THINK SOMETIMES OUR MENU CAN GET, OUR APPETITE CAN GET AWAY FROM US.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON WHEN I GO TOWARDS LOOK TOWARDS MY MEAL, I WANT TO BE CAREFUL OF HOW I SPEND MY CALORIES.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO US LOOKING IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE
[01:20:01]
ADDING TO OUR MENU ON WHERE ARE WE PUTTING OUR MENU, AND WE SEE WHAT THAT, WHAT OUR MENU ALREADY SERVES AND, UH, WHO IT SERVES MOVING FORWARD.SO ONE LAST THING, MADAM CHAIR, IT'S AN UPDATE ON THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, THERE WAS, UM, A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMU THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND IT IS THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE'S DECISION THAT ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS MUST BE CONDUCTED AT THEIR MEETINGS.
THIS DECISION WAS MADE BY THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE COMMITTEE AS THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE FALLS UNDER THEIR DOMAINS.
SO ANY COMMUNICATIONS, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM NEEDS TO ATTEND THEIR MEETINGS.
THE NEXT ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024.
THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP PRESENTATION ON STUDENT SERVICES OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION 13.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, COLONEL GEIER REPORTING FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON OCTOBER 18TH, UH, AND ITS NORMAL.
UH, MONTHLY COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, MS. TANYA CROSBY PRESENTED THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, BUDGET, AND WE ARE ON BUDGET, ALSO PRESENTED THE MONTHLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REPORT FOR THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND AUGUST, AND THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT FOR THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND AUGUST.
UH, SOME QUESTIONS, MINOR QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, AND ALL ANSWERS WERE SATISFACTORY.
MS. DENISE MATSON PRESENTED AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ESSER FUNDS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHICH IS THE END OF ESSER FUNDING.
AND I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE SPENT EVERY DIME OF $73,658,403 GIVEN TO US BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COPE WITH THE IMPACT OF COVID.
AND THAT BOUGHT US EXTENSION, UH, EXTENDED LEARNING FACILITIES NORTH AND SOUTH OF ABROAD.
IT BOUGHT US COACHES, IT BOUGHT US SOFTWARE, IT BOUGHT US SOME INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES, BUT VERY LITTLE.
UH, IT DID HELP PUT GOOD, UH, FILTRATION IN EVERY ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. BUT TO MANAGE THIS PROGRAM OF THIS, UH, EXTENSIVENESS BY A SMALL GROUP, BY DENISE AND AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, HAVING MONITORED, UH, FEDERAL BUDGETS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, THIS IS NOT EASY WORK BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT EXACTLY SET SO THAT YOU SPEND THE MONEY AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE SPENT WAS MONITORED BY THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE USING IT AS DIRECTED BY CONGRESS.
SO MY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ON AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THAT PROGRAM.
NEXT ITEM, ANOTHER GREAT, UH, PIECE.
WELL, WE'LL GO TO THE, UH, WE'LL GO TO THAT OTHER PIECE IN A MINUTE.
MS. CROSBY PRESENTED THE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS OS 22 PARENTAL SUPPORT GROUPS, BOOSTER CLUBS, UH, AND AREAS THAT WERE CHANGED IN THE IR ARE DEFINITIONS, BOOSTER CLUB DEFINITIONS AND FINANCIAL OFFICER WAS DEFINED.
AND OTHER CHANGES IN SECTION FIVE, BOOSTER CLUB RESPONSIBILITIES.
THERE'S BEEN, UH, SOME PROBLEMS WITH BOOSTER CLUB FUNDING AND HOW FUNDS FROM THE BOOSTER CLUB HAVE BEEN EXPENDED.
AND, UH, WITH STATE GUIDANCE AND WITH THE, UH, GOOD WORK OF OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE TIGHTENED THAT UP TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF A PROBLEM, UH, IN OUR DISTRICT.
NEXT ITEM, MS. KAYLEE LEER PRESENTED THE SEMI-ANNUAL MINORITY WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS REPORT.
MS. LINGERER, WOULD YOU COME UP AND GIVE AN UPDATE AND DO YOU HAVE THAT SLIDE, THE SHOW? UM, I DON'T WANNA TAKE ALL THE CREDIT FOR THE ESSER FUNDS.
THIS TEAM OF FOLKS YOU SEE HERE
[01:25:01]
AND OTHERS AT HOME HAD A TREMENDOUS PART OF THAT EFFORT.AND I WANNA MAKE SURE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY WORKING WITH US.
IT, WE DID A GREAT JOB TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENED.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO, UM, SHOW YOU THE REPORT THAT WE PRO, UH, PROVIDED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, IT WAS OUR SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT.
WE REPORT THIS EVERY SIX MONTHS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MEET OUR GOAL OF NON-CERTIFIED AT 17.24%.
OUR GOAL IS 10%, SO WE'VE EXCEEDED IT FOR THAT SEMI-ANNUAL.
UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF OUTREACH, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, TURNER TOWNSEND HEERY, WORKING WITH OPERATIONS, WORKING WITH THE BOARD, UM, WORKING WITH THE, UH, BEAUFORT BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, WORKING WITH, UM, MS. RAQUEL FROM E FOR ALL.
UM, UM, AND THEN SOME NEW ENDEAVORS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BY THE BOARD.
AND DR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, FOR THE HISPANIC BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE'LL BE VENTURING OUT FOR THAT.
SO, YEAH, WE HAVE, UH, WE MET OUR GOAL AND WELL, LET'S NOT, UH, MINIMIZED THIS.
SINCE 2017, WE HADN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO THIS GOAL.
AND IN 2024 FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE EXCEEDED THE GOAL.
IT'S A SHOUT OUT TO THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THIS E FOR ALL THAT MEANS ENTREPRENEURIAL, UH, ENTREPRENEURIALISM FOR ALL PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS A NONPROFIT THAT'S COME IN AND IN FACT, WE HAD A MEETING TODAY WITH HER, WITH, UM, MS. RAQUEL, WHO'S THE HEAD OF THAT, UH, THE LOCAL CHAPTER HERE.
VECCHIO FROM ACE TO EXPAND ON ENTREPRENEURIAL PROBLEM OR ISSUES WITH OUR SMALL CONTRACTORS.
AND WHAT SHE HAS DONE HAS TAUGHT THESE SMALL CONTRACTORS, MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED CONTRACTORS, HOW TO BUILD A BUSINESS PLAN, HOW TO GIVE A PITCH A THEIR BUSINESS TO PRIME CONTRACTORS SO THEY CAN GET SUBCONTRACTS.
THEY'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.
AND, UH, I, I WANNA SHOUT OUT TO THEM ABOUT THAT END TO YOU FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT, UH, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, OUR, WE MET IT BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION, AND I THINK THAT HAD A LARGE PART TO DO WITH IT THIS TIME AS WELL.
AND OUR PARTNERS WITH TURNER TOWNS AND HUIE, OUR FACILITIES OFFICE STAFF, THEY HAVE DONE MANY OUTREACH, UH, SEMINARS.
WE HAD ONE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT HAD A GOOD TURNOUT.
AND SO I THINK WE ARE ABLE TO, AS WE DO MORE OUTREACH LIKE THAT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THE REWARDS OF THAT.
LAST ITEM IS MS. CROSBY PRESENTED AN AUDIT UPDATE, AND MS. CROSBY WILL PRESENT THAT TO THE FULL BOARD.
SO OUR AUDIT IS GOING VERY WELL.
UH, I THINK I HAVE AN AN ITEM UNDER BOARD BUSINESS THIS EVENING, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A, A, UM, A REQUEST, MAKE A REQUEST AT THAT TIME.
BUT, UH, WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A NEW AUDIT TEAM, UM, WITHIN THE SAME COMPANY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN SWITCHED OVER TO THE COLUMBIA OFFICE INSTEAD OF THE MACON OFFICE.
WE ARE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
UH, WE HAVE A CALL WITH THEM TOMORROW.
WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED A DRAFT.
I'M REVIEWING IT OVER THERE AS WE GO THROUGH THE BOARD MEETING.
AND, UH, SO ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTANTS ARE LOOKING THROUGH IT AND SEE FINDING NOTES.
WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AND WE'RE GONNA BE WRAPPING THINGS UP AND HOPEFULLY ISSUING BY NEXT FRIDAY, WHICH IS WELL BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND BASED ON THE DRAFT I HAVE, UH, THERE IT IS, NO AUDIT FINDINGS.
SO, UM, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT YEAR THAT MAKES, BUT IT'S 20 SOMETHING, UH, AROUND THE 24 MARK, I BELIEVE, UH, CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF NO AUDIT FINDINGS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE JUST WRAPPING UP THE FINAL REPORT, WHICH IS ABOUT 200 PAGES LONG.
SO IT'S A LITTLE, A LOT OF STUFF
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT A DIFFERENT OFFICE CAME IN AND AUDITED US.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT OFFICE COME IN, THEY'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER OFFICE DIDN'T FIND, SO THEY LOOK A LOT HARDER.
SO TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER GOOD CLEAN AUDIT IS, IS NOT JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL.
IT'S A LITTLE EXTRA MORE, UH, DIFFICULTY THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF
[01:30:01]
THE DIFFERENT O OFFICE COMING IN AND DOING IT.SO, CONGRATULATIONS ON, THANK YOU, UH, ON SOMETHING THAT'S VERY WELL DONE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT? OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UH, NO, TWO DAYS FROM NOW, UH, AT, UH, 1:00 PM THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
THANK YOU, COLONEL GEIER, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO ACADEMICS BECAUSE, UH, WE GOT SIDETRACKED.
WE HAD THE MOTION AND SOME PRESENTATION, AND WE NEVER DID THE FINAL VOTE.
SO GO AHEAD AND REPEAT THE, UM, THE MOTION FOR US.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE LOCAL BOARD COURSES PRE PRESENTED ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2024, IB, MYP, PERSONAL PROJECT, MUSICAL THEATER TWO, LEADERSHIP, GOVERNMENT, CTE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHCARE, CTE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRADES AND INDUSTRIAL.
AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK IT WAS YOU MM-HMM, UH, MR. DALLAS, THAT SECOND IT.
SO MOTION ON ON NOW ON THE TABLE.
SO THE, THE MOTION, UH, CARRIES, UH, UH, 10 0 0 WITH, UM, MS. UH, GORDON, ABSENT FROM THE VOTE, NOW WE CAN GO ON TO OPERATIONS AND WE HAVE, UH, CARLTON DALLAS REPORTING AS THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, WE, ON NOVEMBER THE SEVENTH, WE HAD OUR MEETING AND, UH, WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING, GOOD DIALOGUE, AND, UH, I THINK OUR CLOCK COLLEAGUES HAVE REALLY, TO A LARGE EXTENT, BROUGHT US UP TO DETAIL ON MANY OF THE PROJECTS.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH THAT VERY BRIEFLY.
UM, THE 2019, AS YOU ALREADY HEARD, IS BASICALLY CLOSED SIX FIGURES IN TERMS OF CON, UH, PROGRAM CONTINGENCY LEFT.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SORT OF TOUCH ON IS ALL OF THE ENERGY THAT'S COMING WITH THE 2023 REFERENDUM, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS SUCH AS MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MAY RIVER CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AS WELL AS OUR JUNIOR ROTC EDITION, NEW, UH, EARLY LEARNING CENTER, HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? UH, NEW LADIES MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT IS ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, IS PART OF THE 2023 REFERENDUM.
AND AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE A PROGRAM CONTINGENCY LEFT OF 11.4 MILLION, WHICH WAS STATED EARLIER.
AND WE HAVE A PROJECT CONTINGENCY OF RIGHT AT 14 MILLION.
SO STILL A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S LEFT TO BE SPENT.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MR. OTTING COME UP, SPEAK ON, UH, ARE TWO SPECIFIC EFFORTS THAT HE'S UNDERTAKEN.
ONE WAS, UH, TRIGGERED BY MS. BOATWRIGHTS REQUEST ABOUT HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE HVAC PERFORMANCE, IN PARTICULAR, IN VIEW OF THE CHALLENGES FROM LAST SUMMER.
UH, MR. ING HAS PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS IN A FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE FINANCE GROUP SOME HIGH WATER USAGE, AND MR. OTTING HAS ALSO JUMPED ON THAT AND DONE SOME RESEARCH.
SO HE HAS TWO REALLY GOOD PRESENTATIONS THAT HE HAS, UM, PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO PART OF THE EFFORT, THE VISION THAT MR. OTTING SORT OF SHARED WAS TO LOOK AT HOW CAN THE OPERATIONS GROUP BE MORE FORWARD LOOKING, NOT JUST RESPONDING TO URGENT CALLS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT LIKE PUSHING A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, SORT OF LEVEL OUT YOUR CALLS SO YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY CHAOTIC URGENT CALLS THAT COME IN.
AND, AND WHAT HAPPENS IN SITUATIONS.
I'VE SEEN ONCE YOU HAVE A GOOD PM PROGRAM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FEWER CALLS AND YOU SHORTEN YOUR CLOSEOUT TIME.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, MASSING AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IS LOOKING AT THE CLOSEOUTS.
WE STILL HAVE 30 CLOSEOUTS, BUT, UH, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED CHANGES THAT WILL HELP MAKING CLOSEOUTS A LOT MORE EFFICIENT FOR FINANCE.
UH, ONE OF THOSE IS THE SCHEDULING, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE HAVE PROJECTS, WE KNOW WHO DOES WHAT BY WHEN, UH, SO THAT THOSE CAN BE CLOSED OUT.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. ROBERT OTTING.
ROBIN, WHICH ONE DO YOU WANNA BRING UP? WATER OR HVA.
WATER FIRST, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH
[01:35:01]
EVERYONE.UH, THIS CAME OUT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, A REQUEST FOR US TO LOOK INTO, UM, OUR WATER USAGE.
AND, UH, AS ROBIN'S BRINGING IT UP, ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE FIRST CHART THAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS THAT THERE WAS A PRETTY BIG SPIKE IN AUGUST.
UH, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT'S PARTIALLY TO DO WITH, UM, INCREASED RATES THAT HAVE RECENTLY HAPPENED.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST, OF COURSE, COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, IS WE STARTED SCHOOL WAY EARLIER.
SO IT'S KIND OF NOT SURPRISING.
AND THAT'S THE LAST FULL MONTH THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO THIS REPORT.
I'M EXPECTING THAT TREND TO CONTINUE.
SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, ROBIN.
UM, THE BIGGEST THING TO SEE IS SOME OF THE RATE INCREASES FROM BUFORT, JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
YOU, YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT WE HAVE WATER AND IRRIGATION AND SEWER ALL BROKEN DOWN IN DIFFERENT CATEGORIES WITH THE HIGHEST BEING ALMOST A 35% INCREASE IN, UM, UH, THAT WAS IN, UH, SEWER USAGE, SEWER FEES.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE NEXT, YEP, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE I JUST DISCUSSED ONE MORE.
AND SO WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, UH, UTILITIES.
THE SECOND IS, UH, HILTON HAD PSD, THEIR RATE INCREASES HAVE NOT BEEN QUITE AS HIGH WITH THEIR LARGEST BEING ALMOST A 10% INCREASE RECENTLY JUST IN WATER USAGE.
AND SO THAT NEXT SLIDE THAT ROBIN BRINGS UP KIND OF PUTS ALL THE INCREASES IN TOTALITY AND COMPARES BOTH BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER AND SEWER INCREASES THAT THEY'VE HAD ALONG WITH HILTON HEAD, PSD.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT MASSIVE JUMP THAT KIND OF OCCURS IN JULY OF THIS YEAR WHEN ALL THOSE EFFECTS WENT INTO PLACE, ALONG WITH, UM, SOME INCREASED WATER USAGE.
THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST LOOKING AT SOME DIFFERENT AVERAGES FOR LOOKING AT WATER, SEWER, AND IRRIGATION USE, WHICH YOU SEE FLUCTUATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
KIND OF THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT OUR AVERAGE COSTS ON THAT LAST SLIDE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER SHOWS A TREND UPWARD WITH THAT DRASTIC JUMP OCCURRING IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MONITORING OUR ACTUAL USAGE, UH, IN THE PAST, THE WAY IT'S FUNCTIONED IS FROM A LETTER FROM BUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER, WHICH MAY TAKE A COUPLE WEEKS TO GET TO US BY THE TIME WE RECEIVE THE LETTER, AND THEN, UM, INVESTIGATE THE, IF THERE'S A LEAK OR SOME CAUSE OF A BIG FLUCTUATION.
UM, AND TYPICALLY BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER AND SEWER WHEN REQUESTED, AND THEN YOU SAY YOU FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY ARE ABLE AT TIMES TO REIMBURSE THAT.
BUT ALL THAT BEING SAID, THE BETTER WE CAN FIND THE LEAK, THE QUICKER, THE BETTER OFF WE ALL ARE.
SO, ROBIN, IF YOU CAN TO THAT NEXT SLIDE.
SO, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, WE RECENTLY, UM, ENROLLED IN WHAT IS CALLED THE BEACON PROGRAM WITH BEFORD JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
AND AS MR. DALLAS WILL KNOW, WE HAD, UM, BRANDY MAJORS AND SOME OF OUR TEAM THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS.
AND SHE GOT REALLY EXCITED WHEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ITEM AND HOW THEY'VE WORKED TOGETHER WITH THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO, UM, SET ANY OF THE ALERTS THAT WE HAVE THE WAY WE WANT TO BASED ON WHEN WE WANT TO BE ALERTED OF WHAT ITEM.
SO THAT ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS, UH, YOU KNOW, GET AN ALERT OF A LEAK ISSUE IF ONCE IT EXCEEDS A THRESHOLD WE PUT IN AND ALLOWS US TO GET TO IT, UH, MUCH QUICKER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE RECENTLY ENROLLED IN, AND WE'RE KI VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OUTCOMES OF HOW THAT MAY HELP US.
AND THEN THE LAST SLIDE JUST TALKS ABOUT, UM, SOME OF OUR UPCOMING GOALS TO DO WITH, UM, LOOKING INTO DORMANT METERS, BEING METERS THAT WE AREN'T CURRENTLY USING, AND MAKING SURE THERE IS NOT, UM, ANY USE FROM THE FUTURE AND THEN WORKING TO SHUT SOME OF THOSE DOWN.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY, UM, PRESENTATION ON WATER USAGE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MR. SMITH? UH, ONE THING I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, IN LEARNING, UH, FROM THIS PRESENTATION, UH, IS THAT WHEN WE START SCHOOL EARLIER, OBVIOUSLY OUR EXPENSES GOES UP.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO DO.
IT SEEMED LIKE WE MAY BE IN THE, UH, THE COURSE OF TIME OF OUR, OF OUR, OF US FINALIZING OUR BUDGET, THEN THAT MAY NEED TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE MAY NEED TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION TOO.
IF THIS IS GONNA BE THE TIMELINE THAT, AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE TIME THAT WE KEEP THE SCHOOL SCHEDULE ON.
SO, SO THAT MAY, UH, THAT MAY JUST BE SOMETHING, UH, TO, UH, F FOR ONE OF THOSE FYI THINGS WHEN YOU MOVE TO THE, THE TIME UP IN SCHOOLS, THEN YOU HAVE MORE POWER AND MORE WATER THAT YOU US UTILIZING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO, SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN
[01:40:01]
KIND OF EX EXPECT TO, UH, TO, TO, TO, TO HAPPEN.SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, WANTED THE TAKEAWAYS FROM AND FROM THE LEARNING AS WE WOULD SAY NORMALLY ON THE BOARD.
ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS THAT I TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS THAT THOSE ARE JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CONSIDERATE CONSIDER, UH, TO CONSIDER.
UH, AND, UH, AND I'D DEFINITELY HAVE TO GIVE A A DEFINITELY, UH, THANKS TO MRS. MAJOR BECAUSE SHE DEFINITELY DID A THOROUGH JOB EXPLAINING THAT LAST PROGRAM.
AND YOU COULD TELL SHE WAS EXCITED AND SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND TELL HER KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
APPRECIATE YOU AT THE UNION DEPARTMENT ON THAT AS WELL.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, WE HAD QUITE A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT HVAC SYSTEMS, AND THIS IS A PRETTY DETAILED DIVE INTO IT, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO GIVE THE HIGHLIGHTS.
AND, UM, SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE INTRODUCTION PAGE, WHICH IS THE NEXT PAGE, IS ONE THING THAT GRABBED EVERYONE'S ATTENTION WAS A STUDY, UH, THAT WAS DONE IN 2018, UM, BY A, UM, SOMEONE FROM THE HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND IN JOINT COLLABORATION ALSO WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES IN REGARDS TO A STUDY TITLED HOT TEMPERATURE AND HIGH STAKES EXAMS, EVIDENCE FROM NEW YORK CITY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BASICALLY, THEY WERE IN NEW YORK CITY TRYING TO TRANSFER OVER TO ADD AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS TO SCHOOLS, AND THEY HAD SOME WITH AND SOME WITHOUT.
AND THEY SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT THE DATA FROM END OF YEAR EXAMS TO SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS BASED ON THE TEMPERATURE, UH, WHEN THOSE TESTS WERE TAKEN AND WHAT THE IMPACT HAD ON EXAMS. AND ONE OF THE EYE-OPENING STATISTICS THERE WAS THAT, UM, HOT DAYS REDUCED PERFORMANCE BY UP TO 14% ON THOSE END OF, UH, COURSE HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS. UM, GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO ONE OF THE, THE BIG THINGS, TAKEAWAYS IN 2022, WE DID A FACILITIES CONDITION ASSESSMENT, UM, WHERE WE EVALUATED THE STATE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, AND WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS A NEED FOR OVER 273 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE INVE INVESTMENTS TO BE MADE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND OF COURSE, THIS BECAME THE FOUNDATION OF OUR 8% LIST THAT WE PUT TOGETHER EVERY YEAR.
AND WE STILL, UH, USE THAT TO THIS DAY.
UH, WITH TO, WITH HVAC SYSTEMS BEING A FOCUS OF THAT, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 42 MILLION IDENTIFIED AS NECESSARY REPLACING HVAC EQUIPMENT WITH AN IMMEDIATE NEED IN 2022 OF 28 MILLION ALONE.
UM, PART OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH JUST THE AGE OF OUR, OUR SYSTEMS AND R 22 REFRIGERANTS BEING PHASED OUT, WHICH YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ROBIN.
AND THE BIG DEAL ABOUT R 22 REFRIGERANT WAS THAT IT WAS, IT'S ELIMINATED.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TOTALLY ELIMINATED BY 2030, AND THAT'S PART OF THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL.
AND THE PRODUCTION OF R 22 WAS BANNED IN 2010.
AND THE PRODUCTION OF THE REFRIGERANT ITSELF, THOSE ARE UNITS WERE BANNED IN 2010, AND THE PRODUCTION OF REFRIGERANT ITSELF WAS BANNED IN 2020.
SO BCSD AT THIS TIME STILL OPERATES 1,510 HVAC UNITS THAT USE R 22 REFRIGERANTS.
SO THE COST OF THAT IS BECOMING EX, UM, YOU KNOW, EXORBITANT.
UH, WHAT WE DO IS ANYTIME WE, UH, SHUT DOWN A UNIT, WE HAVE TO CAPTURE BY LAW ACTUALLY THE R 22 OUT OF THAT.
AND THAT BECOMES OUR BASE OF WHAT WE USE FOR WHEN WE NEED R 22.
UM, AND THEN IT'S PART OF THE FCA OF THOSE UNITS, 49% OF THEM WERE IN GOOD CONDITION, 45% IN FAIR CONDITION, AND 4.7% IN POOR CONDITION JUST SHOWS YOU THE, KIND OF THE SIZE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AHEAD.
BUT THE GOOD THING IS WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE SOME INVESTMENTS THERE.
AND IN 2022, SINCE 2022, THE BCSD BOARD HAS COMMITTED TH 32.5 MILLION IN HVAC REPLACEMENTS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE BREAKDOWN THERE, AND I WON'T GO INTO THAT IN DETAIL, BUT OF THAT ONLY, UM, 12.5 MILLION OF THAT HAS BEEN SPENT.
AND PART OF THAT IS NOT, IS A, IS THE ISSUE WITH OUR SHORT SUMMERS THAT WE ARE SUMMERS HAVE GOTTEN SHORTER.
IT MAKES IT HARDER TO DO HVAC RE REPLACEMENTS, BUT ALSO JUST OUR LOCAL LABOR POOL.
UM, THIS SUMMER WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUR LARGEST AMOUNT THAT WE'VE DONE TO DATE, WHICH IS 7 MILLION.
AND THE CONSTRAINT THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER EVERY TIME BEFORE WE AWARD THESE PROJECTS AS WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY GET DONE WITH THE LABOR POOL THAT WE HAVE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE CHALLENGED BY THE OPERATION COMMITTEE TO DO, WHICH WE HADN'T DONE PREVIOUSLY, IS GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP A SCHEDULE BETWEEN NOW AND 2030.
WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE FOR US TO PHASE
[01:45:01]
OUT OUR, UM, R 22 UNITS? AND WE PLAN ON DOING THAT AS PART OF OUR 8%, UH, REPORT IN THE SPRING.JUST BASICALLY AS OUR SQUARE FOOTAGE HAS GONE UP, WE'VE MAINTAINED, UM, PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME EXPENDITURES FOR ENERGY, ALTHOUGH RECENTLY WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE ALSO SEEN AN UPTICK IN, UM, THE COST OF, UH, ENERGY FROM DOMINION.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS, AS WE MENTIONED, WATER AND SEWER USAGE HAD GONE UP TO ITS HIGHEST LAST AUGUST.
YOU SEE THE SAME THING HAS GONE HAPPENED IN ENERGY USAGE.
OF COURSE, THIS AUGUST, IT WAS THE HIGHEST IT'S BEEN.
PART OF THAT HAS TO DO, OF COURSE, WITH, UM, THE LONGER STARTING SCHOOL EARLIER.
UM, ENERGY TRENDS JUST SHOWING WHAT OUR, ACROSS A FOUR YEAR LOOK AT OUR ENERGY USE.
YOU SEE HOW IT'S CYCLICAL AND GOES UP AND DOWN BASED ON THE SEASON.
UM, SAME THING WITH OUR MU MONTHLY COSTS.
SO OUR KEY CHALLENGES, UM, OUR KEY CHALLENGES ARE, OF COURSE, TRANSITIONING FROM OUR 22 TO NEW REFRIGERANTS.
YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF COVID-19 HAS BEEN DEALING WITH THE INCREASED, UM, UM, NOTICE OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUES AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT HAS BECOME, AND THEN THE MAINTENANCE AND WORKFORCE STRUGGLES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS IS OUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS CONSISTENTLY UNDERPERFORMED.
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED AND ALONG AND STAFFING SHORTAGES ON OUR HVAC TEAM HAS NOT HELPED THAT.
AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN LOWER QUALITY RECRUITS AND SLOWER REPAIR TIMES WITH THE DISTRICT, OFTEN RELYING ON OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS FOR COMPLEX RE REPAIRS.
SO WHAT IS OUR WORKFORCE CHALLENGES? SO WE HAVE TO MANAGE THE TURNOVER AND THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AMONGST OUR HVA TEAM.
AND THEN POST COVID, THE SALARY INFLATION HAS CREATED RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES, WHICH WE NEED TO WORK AT AND RISE TO THOSE CHALLENGES.
JUST TO NOTE, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, BCSD PLACED ITS HVAC CONTRACTOR, A BM UNDER NOTICE SECURED DUE TO UNDERPERFORMANCE OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS WERE BROUGHT IN TO SUPPLEMENT THE TEAM, AND THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN REPAIRING UNITS THAT PREVIOUSLY DONE DEEMED UNREPAIRABLE.
THIS REVEALED GAPS IN OUR INTERNAL TEAM'S DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITIES.
SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SAY SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR SMART HVAC SYSTEMS, WHICH WE WERE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN JUST A SECOND, HAS BEEN THAT WE DO HAVE A COMPUTERIZED MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE USED FOR OUR, UM, UH, UH, PM PROGRAM AND OTHER PROGRAMS. BUT WE NEED TO GET BETTER WITH THAT, AND WE NEED TO UPGRADE WHAT WE HAVE, OF COURSE, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
NOT ONLY IS R 22 PHASED OUT BY 2030, BUT ALREADY THERE'S TALKING ABOUT CHANGES WITH R FOUR 10 A, WHICH PLACED, UM, R 22.
AND AS OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, NO UNIT CAN BE MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES WITH R FOUR 10 A.
SO IT'S MOVING ON TO A NEW REFRIGERANT THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, TO ADDRESS ITS WORKFORCE CHALLENGES, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO RESTRUCTURE OUR HVAC MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS WILL INCLUDE, ONE OF THE THINGS IS MERGING HVAC TECHNICIANS AND PM CREWS, SO THERE'S BETTER OVERSIGHT.
UM, WE, AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT A PERFORMANCE BASED ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FOR ALL OF OUR CONTRACTORS, UH, THIS WILL FOCUS ON TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND OFFERING COMPETITIVE SALARY AND ONGOING TRAINING TO ENSURE STAFF CAN MANAGE THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY, COMPLEXITY OF MODERN HVAC SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE.
OUR STRENGTHS, WE WERE AN EARLY ADAPTER IN BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND ALL OF OUR 32 SCHOOLS ARE ON A, UM, COMPUTERIZED BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, SKILLED PERSONNEL.
WE INTERNALLY WITHIN THE DISTRICT HAVE VERY HIGHLY SKILLED, UM, STAFF.
ONE BEING OUR ENERGY MANAGER, UH, MR. JD ATKINSON, WHO IS VERY SKILLED IN OVERSEEING OUR HVAC AND OUR COMPUTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THIS IS ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS.
UH, THE DISTRICT HAS SECURED PUBLIC AND BOARD SUPPORT FOR HVAC FUNDING IN THE TOTAL OF $32.5 MILLION SINCE 2022.
[01:50:01]
FUNDING, WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR INDOOR AIR QUALITY BY INSTALLING BIPOLAR IZATION SYSTEMS AND IMPROVING OUR INDOOR AIR QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS RESEARCH INTO WHAT WE COULD DO FOR HVAC SYSTEMS IS, UH, WE JOINED THE US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S EFFICIENT AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND AS PART OF THAT, ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, WE HAD OUR STAFF MEETING ALONG WITH THE NEW BUILDING INSTITUTE STAFF TO DISCUSS THE EFFICIENT HEALTHY SCHOOLS PROGRAM AND TALKED ABOUT WHERE BCSD NEEDED SUPPORT.
EVEN SINCE THAT MEETING, WE'VE, UM, BEEN PART OF WEBINARS, UM, AND A AND A COUPLE FOLLOW UP MEETINGS, AND THEY'VE GIVEN US SOME CONTACTS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL IN OUR MOVING FORWARD.
LA UH, NEXT SLIDE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SO AS PART OF THIS, AND I KNOW THIS WOULD, UM, BE SOMETHING THAT MR. DALLAS WOULD FIND INTERESTING, AND MANY OF YOU MIGHT AS WELL, AND IT KIND OF SHOCKED ME THAT JUST IN THIS MONTH, OR ACTUALLY LAST MONTH, UM, UM, ON THE 12TH, THERE WAS A ARTICLE IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL TITLED AMERICANS KNEW MILLIONAIRE CLASS PLUMBERS AND HVAC ENTREPRENEURS, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTORS HAVE PURCHASED NEARLY 800 HVAC AND PLUMBING COMPANIES SINCE 2022.
THAT TELLS YOU A LOT IS GOING ON IN THE HVAC FIELD.
YOU GOTTA TURN OVER OF, UH, WHAT THE COMPANY LANDSCAPE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE EQUIPMENT'S LOOKING LIKE.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT GOING ON.
SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO IS IMPROVING, UH, THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
NUMBER ONE, AS CARLTON ALLUDED TO, WE NEED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO PREVENT SYSTEM FAILURES AND REDUCE EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
NUMBER TWO, WORKFORCE QUALITY RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES DUE TO RISING WAGES HAVE REDUCED THE QUALITY OF RECRUITS, PARTICULARLY IN THE HVAC DEPARTMENT.
AND SO HOW, ONE OF THE WAYS WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THAT IS CONTRACT STRUCTURE.
THE CURRENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACT WITH A BM HAS LED TO INCOMPLETE REPAIRS AND RECURRING SYSTEM UNIT ISSUES.
A MORE ROBUST PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACT STRUCTURE IS NEEDED TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES.
SO THE LAST ITEM, OUR ACTION PLAN, NUMBER ONE, GOING OUT WITH A-H-V-A-C, UH, CONTRACTOR SCOPE OF WORK, WHICH WE'RE GONNA BASE, UH, VERY CLOSELY TO WHAT WE DO WITH A ROOFING CONTRACT, WHICH WE DEVELOPED A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA RE OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WITH IMPROVING PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, DEVELOP CHECKLISTS TO BE USED, UM, BY OUR TECHNICIANS AND INTRODUCE OVERSIGHT MECHANISM TO ENSURE TASKS ARE COMPLETED CORRECTLY.
WE'RE, ANOTHER ITEM WILL BE OUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE.
WE'RE GONNA NEED TO MAKE A TRANSITION TO A SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR TRACKING PM WE'RE DUE THIS YEAR, UM, TO UPGRADE, OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE IN OUR SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT WE USE FOR WORK ORDERS.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE CRUCIAL THAT WE, UM, FOCUS ON THE PRO PROGRAM WE GET AND IMPLEMENTING IT SO WE CAN IMPROVE OUR PM PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, IS REFORMAT THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT THAT IS DUE TO COME OUT IN 2025.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND I TRIED TO CATCH ALL THE HIGH REPORTS, BUT MS. BE RIGHT.
UM, SUPER EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT NEW SOFTWARE FOR THE, UH, MONITORING.
'CAUSE I, THERE WERE A LOT OF, UH, I'VE NEVER HAD AS MANY PARENT CONCERNS AND TEACHER CONCERNS.
AND I THINK THAT IN ADDITION TO IT, CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE THAT'S CHALLENGING FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS WHEN IT'S 88 DEGREES IN THE CLASSROOM, I THINK IT'S GONNA HURT US ON TEACHER RETENTION.
BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, WHAT I GOT FROM MULTIPLE TEACHERS, AND NOT JUST TEACHERS I KNOW IN HILTON HEAD, BUT TEACHERS THAT WERE PUT IN TOUCH WITH ME FROM OTHER, UM, PARTS OF THE COUNTY WAS THEY FEEL, UM, THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET.
WITH THE, WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING OUT.
UM, AND IT'S SORT OF, I KNOW WE HAD SOME, UH, TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS.
WE BROUGHT IN DIFFERENT UNITS AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO GET ON TOP OF THIS.
SO WHAT I NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS WE JUST APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO REPLACE, I BELIEVE ALL OF THE HVAC UNITS AT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
CORRECT? IT WAS FOR ALL THE H-A-V-A-C, IT'S ALL THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.
THERE'S A COUPLE WERE IT'S NOT, THERE'S A COUPLE WE'RE REPLACING PRIOR TO THAT AMENDMENT.
SO, BUT BASICALLY, UM, BY THE TIME THAT'S ALL DONE, ALL THE UNITS WILL HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
SO, AND I WAS TRYING TO, I HAVE THE F THE FCA PULLED UP, BUT I DON'T SEE H-V-A-C-I THOUGHT IT WAS MECHANICAL, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THE MILLION DOLLAR RANGE IN MECHANICAL.
[01:55:01]
MUST BE ON A SEPARATE REPORT.'CAUSE WHEN I LOOK UP, YEAH, IT WAS A BROADER CATEGORY THAT HAD IT THAT ENCOMPASSED, UM, HVAC AND OTHER ITEMS. SO BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK UP, UH, PORT ROYAL, IT SHOWS THAT THEY'RE WORTH, UM, $311,000 WORTH OF MECHANICAL AND GOOD $399,000 IN A MONITOR AND 246,000 IN REPLACE.
SO MAYBE I'M READING THIS INCORRECTLY, BUT WE DID PUT 2.2 MILLION IN THE AMENDMENT.
SO WHAT'S THE GAP THERE? I'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND THEN GET BACK TO YOU.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE ARE TRYING TO GET ALL OF PORT ROYAL TAKEN CARE OF, SO, RIGHT.
AND THIS IS WHERE MY REALLY, MY QUESTION COMES THROUGH IN TERMS OF BEING STRATEGIC.
NOW GRANTED, I KNOW MORE PEOPLE SOUTH OF THE BROAD 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE I LIVE.
AND SO THE, THE, THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THAT I TALKED TO, I BELIEVE IT WAS HILTON HEAD ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MC RILEY, UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHERS THAT HAD A LOT OF, HAD A HAD MORE THAN THE USUAL NUMBER OF PROBLEMS. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA GET THE YEAH, NO.
I MEAN, UM, SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THIS SUMMER YES.
SOME, THOSE ARE SOME PROBLEMS. SO WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS IF WE'RE BEING STRATEGIC IN OUR REPLACEMENT, IS IT SMART TO REPLACE? SO IF WE'RE GONNA SPEND $7 MILLION AND THE MONEY GETS ALL KIND OF WONKY, 'CAUSE YOU GOT THESE DIFFERENT POTS, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $7 MILLION THIS SUMMER, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
WHICH IS OUR SMALLEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE OUR NEWEST NUMBERS, BUT PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY UNDER ENROLLED.
MEANWHILE YOU'VE GOT MC REILLY, WHICH IS GROWING OUT THE SEAMS, AND THEY CAN'T MOVE KIDS TO ANOTHER CLASSROOM 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY EMPTY CLASSROOMS. IT IS A SCHOOL OF HIGH GROWTH.
UM, WHY ARE WE REPLACING ALL OF THEM AT PORT ROYAL AND NOT ANY OF THEM AT MC REILLY? THE FAILURES AT MC REILLY ARE NOT DUE TO THE NEED TO REPLACE THE UNITS.
WHAT DO THEY DO TO WELL, THAT'S A LONGER CONVERSATION.
BUT I MEAN, UM, A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO.
I MEAN THAT'S, BUT MY QUESTION, I GUESS IS JUST, I KNOW THAT OUR MOTIF HAS BEEN SORT OF THAT WE ARE GONNA GO INTO A SCHOOL AND WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING THAT SCHOOL NEEDS.
'CAUSE IT'S EFFICIENT FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT.
BUT I HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NOT ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS SUBSCRIBE TO THAT SAME METHODOLOGY.
HORRY COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY SPENT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON ROOFS AND THEY FIND OUT WHICH ROOFS AND THEY JUST REPLACE THE ROOFS.
THEY DON'T GO IN AND REPLACE THE ROOFS AND THE HVAC ON THE FLOOR.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T DO THE WHOLE SCHOOL.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, SHOULD WE NOT WHACK-A-MOLE, THE HVAC UNITS THAT ARE ON OUR REPORT? 'CAUSE THERE ARE A LOT MORE REPORT ON THIS REPORT IF THE MECHANICAL'S CORRECT UNDER MONITOR THAT WE'RE NOT, ARE NOT ON OUR LIST TO REPLACE AND INSTEAD REPLACE ALL OF THE UNITS AT ONE SCHOOL.
IS THAT THE BEST STR STRATEGY FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, TEACHER RETENTION AND JUST A GENERAL RUNNING OF THE SCHOOL? SO I WOULD SAY THIS, WE ALMOST ALL, WE ALMOST NEVER REPLACE ALL THE UNITS AT ONE SCHOOL.
THE ONLY REASON WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AT PORT ROYAL IS BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE AND BECAUSE OF ITS, UM, THE AGE OF THAT EQUIPMENT IS ALL RELATIVELY THE SAME TIME FROM WHEN IT WAS RENOVATED IN THE PAST.
SO I, I CAN TELL YOU LIKE IB, WE'VE REPLACED, WE'VE NOW PROBABLY REPLACED ALL THE UNITS AT IB, BUT IT TOOK US ABOUT FOUR YEARS TO DO THAT.
UM, WE HAD TO SYSTEMATICALLY DO A LITTLE BIT EACH YEAR.
AND THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF IB COMPARED TO POOR ROYAL, THAT'S WHY IT TAKES THAT, UM, YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AT, WELL, BRANCH ELEMENTARY THAT YOU PLACE TONIGHT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, WELL, BRANCH ELEMENTARY FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS.
UM, SO IT IS, I'D SAY THIS IS A RARITY DUE TO THE SIZE.
I MEAN, WE COULD PROBABLY ALSO DO THAT IN AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, REPLACE ALL THE UNITS AT ONE TIME.
BUT MOST ALL OTHER SCHOOLS, YOU'RE, I MEAN, LOOK AT BEAUFORT HIGH, WE'RE IN YEAR FOUR OR FIVE REPLACING AT BEAUFORT HIGH.
THAT'S JUST DUE TO THE SIZE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AT PORT ROYAL.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE HERE.
CHLOE, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? CAN YOU YES.
I WAS LISTENING TO YOUR, YOUR COMMENTARY AND, UH, IN AGREEANCE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I COULD SAY WITHOUT REPEATING WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK THAT HVAC BEING, UH, REPLACED AT ST.
AND I THINK THERE WERE TWO, UH, PLACES AT THAT SCHOOL.
I THINK ONE WAS THE MEETING CENTER AND ONE
[02:00:01]
MIGHT'VE BEEN THE, UH, GYM.WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE WAS AN EVENT AT THE SCHOOL AND ONE OF THOSE HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED.
AND I'M QUITE SURE THAT WHEN WE HAD A BOARD MEETING PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD, MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW YOU DO A PUNCH LIST OF WHAT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU DO THIS, WHEN YOU DO THAT, WHEN YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A SCHOOL AC READY, WHEN A SCHOOL HAS A MAJOR EVENT AND YOU HAVE COMMUNITY AND PARENTS COMING IN, WHAT DO YOU LET THE PRINCIPALS KNOW? BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY HOT TO SIT UP IN A VENUE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND THE AC IS NOT WORKING.
SO CAN YOU ANSWER THAT FOR ME? WHAT HAPPENED, UM, IN THE, IN THE EXAMPLE OF THE ST.
HELENA SCHOOL GYM ISSUE TO BE, I KNOW, UM, I BELIEVE MR. SMITH TOLD ME ABOUT THAT, OR I, I HEARD ABOUT IT, UH, LAST WEEK WHEN THE PRINCIPAL SHOULD BE TOLD AT DAY ONE.
UM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT DID NOT OCCUR THERE OCCUR OR WHY, UM, THEY WERE UNAWARE.
BUT I, I WILL LOOK INTO THAT AND FIND OUT.
AND, AND, AND IF YOU CAN, UH, CAN YOU DEVELOP A SYSTEM SO THE PRINCIPALS NO, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE PEOPLE IN A, IN THAT BUILDING OR ANY BUILDING THAT WE, UH, TAKE OWNERSHIP OF.
AND IT'S NOT READY TO GO FOR THEM TO BE IN, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN, WHEN YOU SAID THAT IT WOULD BE.
SO THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THAT.
AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL CHECK WITH THE PRINCIPAL, YOU KNOW, AND SEE IF YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH.
UH, MR. OTTI, UH, OUT OF ALL THE YEARS YOU'VE BEEN IN THE, UH, AT THE DISTRICT, UH, HOW MANY TIMES HAD WE HAD, UH, UH, UH, A NEW REFRIGERANT COME OUT THAT WE HAVE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH? OOH.
UM, LIKE, UH, SO OUR 22, THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS ACTUALLY CYCLED THROUGH.
'CAUSE R 22 WENT OUT PRIOR TO 2010.
UM, SO FOUR 10 A GOING OUT THIS YEAR, UH, IS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT'S OCCURRED.
AND IT'S CAUSING A MAJOR TRANSITION IN THE HVAC MANUFACTURER WORLD, BECAUSE EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW IS HAVING TO RETOOL THEIR FACTORIES TO ADDRESS THE NEW REFRIGERANTS COMING OUT.
I, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET, UH, TO THE RIGHT OF THIS.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TWO REFRIGERANTS, UH, IN 12 YEARS.
SO EVERY SIX YEARS A NEW REFRIGERANT COMES OUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ISH, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I PLAY DRUMS FOR A LIVING.
BUT, UH, IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PLAYING CATCH UP WITH REPLACING AIR CONDITIONERS WITH NEW REFRIGERANT.
UM, SO I MEAN, WHAT, HOW, AND WHY, I MEAN THE, THE REGULATORY BODY THAT DEMANDS THESE THINGS, I MEAN, HOW, HOW DO, HOW DO WE EVEN BEGIN TO AFFECT THAT? UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE OUTTA COMPLIANT.
WELL, THE ONE THING THAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, UM, IN 2010, OBVIOUSLY THEY MADE THAT RULING AND MOST AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, YOU KNOW, LAST 2020, WELL, 15 TO 20 YEARS, AND THEY GAVE 20 YEARS TO, UH, MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS WE'VE BEEN BEHIND, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT TO, BECAUSE OF NOT PASSING REFERENDUMS FOR SOME TIME, WE HAVE UNITS THAT ARE OVER 25 YEARS OLD THAT WE STILL USE.
SO, WHICH IS BEYOND THE RECOMMENDED LIFE FOR HVAC EQUIPMENT.
SO THEY DO GIVE YOU THAT 20 YEAR WINDOW WHEN THEY'VE MADE THESE CHANGES.
THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING WITH R FOUR 10 A.
THEY'RE STOPPING MANUFACTURING OF EQUIPMENT NOW.
SO 10 YEARS FROM NOW, THEY'LL STOP, UH, THE PRODUCTION OF, UM, R FOUR 10 A AS BEING USED FOR, UM, MAINTENANCE.
AND THEN 10 YEARS AFTER THAT, THEY'LL PROBABLY BAN IT ENTIRELY.
SO THEY GIVE YOU A 20 YEAR WINDOW.
COLONEL GEIER, BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY IS IN DISTRICT FOUR.
[02:05:01]
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, IN THAT SCHOOL.IT, UH, WAS BUILT IN, I THINK 1911, FIRST PART OF IT.
PORT ROYAL WAS BUILT ABOUT 1911.
1911 BROAD RIVERS IN THE SIXTIES.
AND, UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT AIR CONDITIONING IN A BUILDING THAT WAS NOT BUILT FOR CENTRAL, UH, AIR.
SO DUCT WORK AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO IT HAS A SERIES OF SMALL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS THAT ARE INDIVIDUALLY ROUTED INTO INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOMS, INTO THE GYM AND TO OTHER PLACES.
IT IS A, FRANKLY, A NIGHTMARE, BUT IT'S ALSO ON THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER.
AND NOTHING GONNA HAPPEN TO IT.
THERE IS A, A NUMBER OF AT LEAST 5,000 NEW HOMES AND APARTMENTS GOING UP WITHIN THAT CATCHMENT AREA WITHIN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
SO I, I, I WANNA KINDA PUT MY PROTECTIVE ARMS AROUND THAT A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT, UH, BEAST TO, UH, TO DEAL WITH.
AND SO IT'S NOT A GOOD COMPARISON WITH OTHER, OTHER UNITS BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUENESS.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE QUESTION AND THE ENERGY THAT MR. OTTING HAS DISPLAYED, UH, WAS TO GET AHEAD OF THIS.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO, TO, TO 1999 WHEN WE ALL NATIONWIDE HAD FACED WITH HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONVERT COMPUTERS THAT WERE NOT BASICALLY SET UP TO COMPUTE USING AT ANY YEAR AFTER 2000.
THERE WAS AN ABSOLUTE DEARTH OF PEOPLE WHO WERE SKILLED TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD IS HOW DO WE HELICOPTER UP AND GET AHEAD OF THAT? SO WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE FAR BEYOND THE NORMAL PALE OF WHAT AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION WOULD DO.
SO IF IT'S HV CS, THEN DO WE GET INVOLVED IN PUTTING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO INTO THAT PROFESSION WHEN THEY FIRST GO TO COLLEGE, OR TO FIRST GO TO CTE AND GET IT THEM TO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO US SO THAT HE HAS SUFFICIENT HUMAN TALENT TO GET AHEAD OF HIM? REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, BREAK FIX AS IT'S KNOWN WHEN YOU FIX SOMETHING AFTER IT'S BROKEN, THAT IS JUST, IT'S HECK PLANNING ON THAT.
AND YOU ALWAYS ARE TRYING TO SWIM UPSTREAM.
AND SO THE THINGS THAT I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHT IS THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CONCEPTS WE MIGHT WANT TO USE.
AND MR. OTTING HAS, HAS REFERENCED SOME OF THESE.
HE HASN'T REALLY MENTIONED 'EM TONIGHT.
SO DO WE WAIT, WHICH ISSUES GET FIXED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BASED ON THE INFLOW OF PARENTS OR STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING INTO THAT SCHOOL IS, AS COLONEL GUY MENTIONED.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS BE MORE METHODICAL PROJECT INTO THE FUTURE AND SAY, WHERE'S THE DEMAND FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND THE TALENT TO INSTALL THAT DEMAND? AND THEN I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IS AN EXPONENTIALLY BETTER OUTCOME IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION.
MASSING AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THAT, AND HE, HE'S DISCUSSED SOME SOLUTIONS PARTICULAR CLOSING OUT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO DO AND WE HAVE TO TRACK THOSE.
BUT THE REAL INTENT OF HAVING HIM COME UP, I DON'T MEAN TO THROW IN FRONT OF THE LION, SO TO SPEAK, BUT THE REAL INTENT OF HAVING HIM COME UP HERE WAS TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GIVE DISCOMFORT, HOPEFULLY, UH, AND ACCEPT ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE LEGITIMATE, HEARTFELT.
AND, BUT THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF EFFORT BEING PUT INTO, TO PROVIDING SOLUTIONS.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT IN TIME AND TELL YOU WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE FINANCIAL BUDGETS IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE TRANSITION OF R 22 WITH THIS 2024 IN SIX YEARS.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THAT.
SO TO MISS BOAT RICE'S POINT, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE GOT A HELICOPTER UP AND LOOK AT IT STRATEGICALLY.
AND SO, UH, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT MISING.
UM, AND SO WE WE'RE STILL WORKING AND IT WILL, IT WILL CONTINUE MR. SMITH, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST TO SAY, UH, AT 1 1, 1 OF THE TAKEAWAYS IS TO, YOU KNOW, I WON'T HASH OUT ANOTHER, I MEAN, REPEAT WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAID, BUT WHAT HOUSE SAID THIS PRESENTATION HAS TAUGHT US.
AND WE, WE EXPRESSED THAT, AND WE WE SPOKE ABOUT IT TO SOME DEGREE AT THE MEETING,
[02:10:01]
WAS THAT AC IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE.SO COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GUARANTEEING AND WE ARE SHOWING PE SHOWING OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE AT, AT, AT EVERY TURN OF BEAUTY THAT ARE UNDER, THAT ARE UNDER, UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF BEKIN SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT WE HEAR THEM AND WE'RE MAKING SURE, AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR WILL AND OUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET THESE SITUATIONS RESOLVED.
WE ARE GOING TO GET 'EM FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND WE HEAR EVERYONE, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROCESS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO FEEL, WANT NO ONE TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE BEING IGNORED.
BUT PLEASE DO WORK WITH US AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE SITUATIONS.
BUT WE DO HAVE WHAT WE HAVE REALIZING, AND EVEN IN, IN THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, IT TELLS YOU THAT STUDENT LEARNS THAT, THAT, THAT WITH ONE STUDY THAT SHOWED THAT STUDENT LEARNED BETTER WHEN THEY HAVE THE NECESSARY AIR QUALITY CONTROL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE FOR YOUR REPORT? NO, THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, REPORT.
SO USE YOUR MICROPHONE PLEASE.
THE, UM, OPERATION C COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR, UM, ON THE GROUNDS CONTRACT, Y'ALL TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT AND SEE AND LET THE CONTRACTOR KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO DO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB NOW AT ALL.
THEY COME AROUND THE SCHOOLS AND CUT AROUND THE EDGE AND ALL LEAVE ALL THE REST OF THE GRASSO.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOUR BOARD NEED TO DO.
THANK, THANK YOU MR. CAMPBELL.
WE ARE IN TOTAL AGREEMENT ON THAT, UH, CLOSING OUT, HAVING VISUAL CONFIRMATIONS THAT IT, IT MEETS THE AESTHETIC STANDARD THAT WE ALL EXPECT OF OUR BUILDINGS AND PLACES WHERE OUR KIDS LEARN.
UH, AND THERE HAS TO BE THAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ALREADY ARE SEEING IS IMPOSITION OF SCHEDULES SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE THE CLOSEOUT.
AND LASTLY, IF YOU WANT, UH, ORGANIZATION TO PERFORM, YOU HAVE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND SO THAT STARTS WITH THE CONTRACTORS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO, UM, THOSE INSTRUMENTS SO THAT WE CAN HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AND WE DON'T MIND SAYING THAT BEFORE GOD AND EVERYBODY, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IN THE CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD IS YOU COME TO US AND SAY, THIS IS NOT YOU DID THAT.
I SAID, I'LL GO OUT THERE WITH YOU AND WE'LL DO A VISUAL SCAN OURSELVES.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.
WE'RE READY FOR TECHNOLOGY REPORT FROM THE CHAIR.
UM, THIS IS GONNA BE A SLIGHTLY LENGTHIER REPORT BECAUSE THIS IS ONLY OUR SECOND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE THAT WE'VE HAD A MEETING WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR.
UM, AND PART OF THAT, IT IS, IT'S DIFFICULT TO ROUND UP THE STAFF BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT REALLY, IT'S MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE IN MANY PLACES.
SO IT CAN BE HARD TO GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
UM, AND WHAT I WANTED TO SAY, I'M GONNA START FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE REPORT AND WORK MY WAY UP.
TECHNOLOGY, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY, BUT ALSO AS SOMEONE WHO JUST GOT REELECTED AND THE ONLY MEMBER WHO RAN FOR REELECTION, MIGHT I ADD, UM, HAVING THE BENEFIT OF HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUR YEARS AND LOOKING OUT AHEAD AT FOUR YEARS, I THINK TECHNOLOGY IS GONNA BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL AREAS FOR K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS.
AND THAT IS NOT TECHNOLOGY IS NOT COMPUTERS AND CYBERSECURITY AND PASSWORDS.
IT IS REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGING RAPIDLY, UH, THE JOB MARKET.
UM, AND AS, UH, MR. DALLAS POINTED OUT, WHICH I WAS THOUGHT WAS JUST A FABULOUS IDEA, WE NEED TO BE TRAINING OUR OWN HVAC LIKE, UH, UH, CONTRACTORS.
THEY DON'T NEED TO GO TO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE.
UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CHANGES ON THEIR HORIZONS.
SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO START WITH, UM, AN ARTICLE THAT I SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE ABOUT THE DIGITAL USE DIVIDE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WE TALK ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET.
UM, THERE'S ALSO NOW A GROWING AWARENESS IN K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION ON THE DIGITAL USE DIVIDE.
AND IT'S LOOKING AT, THERE'S A BIG DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOME SCHOOLS WHERE THEY ARE NOT IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY AS THOROUGHLY AS OTHERS, AND THE KIDS IN THESE SCHOOLS ARE FALLING BEHIND IN TERMS OF HOW THEY USE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS PUTTING THEM AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT, THERE'S NOT A JOB IN THE WORLD INCLUDING AN HVAC REPAIRMENT THAT IS NOT GONNA REQUIRE TREMENDOUS USE OF TECHNOLOGY.
[02:15:01]
OUR COMMITTEE MET, AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF REALLY INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS.UM, FIRST OFF WE TALKED ABOUT THE AI PIECE, WHICH, UM, EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES.
IT'S IN THE, UM, IN OUR AGENDA.
IT'S, I'M SURE IT'S IN OUR, UH, DOCUMENTS, UH, THE DISTRICT'S POSITION ON AI, WHICH IS THEY ARE STARTING TO LET STAFF USE IT.
UM, IT HAS SOME TREMENDOUS APPLICATIONS IN CURRICULUM AND LESSON PLANNING.
WE ARE STILL BLOCKING IT FOR STUDENTS, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
AT WHAT POINT DO WE START TRAINING KIDS ON HOW TO RESPONSIBLY USE THIS TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE IT'S BEING USED IN THE WORKPLACE, UM, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO, UH, THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY AT THE DISTRICT.
I THINK IT'S A STARTING POINT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS TO BE HAD GOING FORWARD.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WAS OUR, THE COMPUTERS THAT THE KIDS HAVE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AS A PARENT, YOU HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THE REPAIRS.
AND SO WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET SOME DATA OUT OF THE SYSTEM ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE, ACTUALLY LEMME PULL IT UP HERE, UM, ARE REPORTING, UH, DEVICE BREAKAGE.
'CAUSE WE ARE PAYING JUST FOR PEOPLE'S, UH, GENERAL UNDERSTANDING, IT'S SLIGHTLY OVER $600 PER DEVICE BECAUSE WE PAY FOR THE HEAVY DUTY EDUCATION VERSION, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO HOLD UP BETTER.
UM, THERE IS NO, UH, PUBLISHED, UM, ACCEPTABLE BREAKAGE RATE FOR COMPUTERS.
BUT I HAVE HEARD, UM, SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SOME ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING MICROSOFT PEGGED THAT AROUND 12 TO 15% THE DATA THAT WAS PULLED WAS RAW AND IT WASN'T REALLY VALIDATED.
BUT IF YOU TOOK THE GROSS NUMBER OF INCIDENTS AND DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, IT WAS 43%.
I'M GONNA ASSUME THAT THERE ARE.
SO IF YOU BROKE A COMPUTER, THEY MAY HAVE BROKEN INTO A COMPUTER, A BROKEN SCREEN, A BROKEN KEYBOARD.
WE KNOW THAT SOME STUDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE BREAKS.
WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR, UM, HAVE A HIGHER BREAKAGE RATE.
BUT I THINK, UM, WE HAVE CURRENTLY, WELL THE NUMBERS UP HERE, QUITE A FEW STUDENTS ON PROMISSORY NOTES, 207 STUDENTS THAT OWE THE DISTRICT AS A RESULT OF THESE DEVICES.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE, UM, AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION WE HAVE IN GENERAL ABOUT THIS IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS THE DISTRICT IS AT LEAST CONSIDERING ARE THESE THE APPROPRIATE DEVICES? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS CLEAR FROM THE DATA IS THAT HIGH NUMBER OF SCREEN BREAKAGES.
AND I KNOW FROM MY OWN SON HAVING CRACKED HIS SCREEN, IT'S $400 TO REPLACE.
THAT IS A LOT ON OUR AVERAGE FAMILY.
UM, AND SO WHEN I BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE THE COMPUTER THAT TURNS INTO A TABLET, IT HINGES SO YOU CAN FULLY TURN IT AROUND.
AND IT'S CLEARLY GONNA, I JUST WANNA KNOW THAT SOMEONE'S LOOKING AT AND SAYING AS A, AS A TWO IN ONE DEVICE FOR 600 AND SOME DOLLARS WHEN THIS COMPUTER WAS $350 AND HAS A BIGGER SCREEN AND A BETTER BATTERY LIFE.
LIKE, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COME TO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH THE IMPACT OF, UH, THESE PROMISSORY NOTES AND IT IS CAUSING A LOT OF STRESS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE, WE DID GET THAT DATA AND BROUGHT THAT FORWARD.
IT'S NOT OPERATIONAL FOR US TO DECIDE LIKE WE SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT.
AND THERE MAY BE USE CASES, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF PROCUREMENT 'CAUSE WE ARE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR ON DEVICE REFRESHES.
UM, SO WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
AND THEN WHAT I WANTED TO BRING TO THE BOARD AND POTENTIALLY DISCUSS MAYBE FOR A WORK SESSION IS, UM, ONE THING I'VE NOTICED AS A PARENT AND A BOARD MEMBER AND SOMEONE THAT'S OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND IS, WE ARE NOT, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A GREAT MECHANISM TO GET WHAT WE WOULD CALL USER FEEDBACK ON OUR DEVICES.
WE GET USER FEEDBACK ON OUR DEVICES WHEN THEY SHOW UP UPSET ON THE SOFTWARE THAT'S BEING USED, HOW IT'S BEING USED.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS GOES TO THAT DIGITAL USE DIVIDE.
ARE WE REALLY IMPLEMENTING IT? AND I GAVE THE EXAMPLE, WE BOUGHT THE NEW RAPTOR, UM, ATTENDANCE TRACKING SOFTWARE AND I THINK WE PROBABLY ENDED UP PAYING AROUND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR IT AND WE HAD TO BUY SOME NEW COMPUTERS.
I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED AT THE MAJORITY OF SCHOOLS.
A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE STILL HANDWRITING THE ATTENDANCE INFORMATION ON SHEETS, WHICH IS BEING GATHERED AND KEPT IN A FILE PROBABLY FOR SOME LENGTH OF TIME.
BUT IF DR. RODRIGUEZ WANTED TO LOOK AT TARDY RATES AT A SCHOOL, IT'S NOT BEING ACCURATELY CAPTURED.
SO IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WE'RE NOT GETTING USER FEEDBACK FROM THE WOMEN WORKING AT THE FRONT ATTENDANCE DESK, THE STUDENTS WHO ARE SIGNING IN AND OUT, THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON HOW WE'RE BUYING THIS TECHNOLOGY AND WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT'S BEST FOR THE DISTRICT, BUT ARE WE REALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT PARENTS' NEEDS? AND IT IS PERSONALLY SOMETHING THAT I FIND REALLY FRUSTRATING.
SO I'M HOPING TO KIND OF MAYBE BRING THAT FORWARD TO THE BOARD AT A WORK SESSION OR SOMETHING TO SAY, IS THERE A MECHANISM, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, A FEEDBACK, UH, CAN WE, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGE THE SIC SOME WAYS WHERE WE'RE GETTING SOME FEEDBACK TO THE DISTRICTS THAT, HEY, WE HATE THIS SOFTWARE, IT'S NOT WORKING.
[02:20:01]
IT, BUT MY KIDS' NOT, IT'S NOT GETTING ACCESS TO IT.SO THAT WAS, IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING TOPICS THAT I HOPE WILL HAVE MORE COMING FORWARD, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, MR. SMITH? WELL, I'LL JUST PICK RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT OFF AT ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY.
UM, AND THAT IS WHY I SPOKE TO THE MENU TONIGHT ABOUT OUR APPETITE.
AND SO I I, I HAVE GOTTEN SOME, UH, SOME INPUT ABOUT SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT SOME OF 'EM MAY DO, MAY DO THE, THE SAME FUNCTIONS THAT OTHERS HAVE AND THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HEY, THIS PROGRAM HAD, DOES THE SAME, SOME OF THE SAME FUNCTIONS THAT ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO THAT'S, THAT IS WHY I SAID WHAT I SAID TONIGHT ABOUT THE MENU AND YOU LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE TO COMPARE TO WHAT WE ARE GOING OUT THERE AND GETTING THAT WHEN I SAID THAT, THAT WAS WHAT THAT WAS SPEAKING TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SPOKE TO.
AND THE SECOND THING, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF WHEN WE DID HAVE THAT MEETING AND WE DID TALK TO, UH, MR. SHOHAN, I THINK I FORGOT EXACTLY.
HE DID GIVE SOME REASONS, UH, UPON WHY HE WANTED TO USE THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE, THAT MEAN THE, THE COMPUTERS THAT WE USED.
AND IN TERMS OF THE RUGGEDNESS, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT THE ANALOGIES HE WAS HE WAS USING.
I WISH HE WAS, UH, WAS, WAS, UH, HERE TONIGHT SO THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY, UH, UM, GET, GET THAT INFORMATION FROM HIM.
BUT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE'S NOT.
SO, UH, I DO, I WILL SAY I DO REMEMBER HIM SAYING THAT THERE WAS A REASON THAT HE DID SAY THAT HE WOULD LOOK FURTHER INTO IT AS DAYS AND MONTHS AND YEARS COME, UH, MOVING FORWARD TO, IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE.
HE DID SAY THAT HE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SEE HOW HE COULD, UH, BETTER HELP US OUT IN TERMS OF, OF COSTING AND FUNDING IT, BECAUSE I KNOW FOR SURE, UM, I HOPE I DON'T GET CAUGHT AND GET IN TROUBLE CALLED TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE.
BUT I, I DIDN'T, THAT'S WHEN I REMEMBER OUT THERE, SOME OF YOU WERE THERE, REMEMBER I SAID, I TOLD THEM THAT I REMEMBER BEING AT A PARTICULAR CEREMONY AND I REMEMBER BEING, REMEMBER, UM, THERE WAS SOME PRINCIPALS WHO DO PUT, I KNOW FOR SURE WHO DO, UH, EMPHASIZE THAT IF YOU DON'T PAY THIS TECHNOLOGY FEE, WE DO TAKE IT SERIOUS THAT THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.
BECAUSE I, I AND MYSELF HAD IN ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER, WE WERE AT A PROGRAM WHERE THAT DID TAKE PLACE.
SO SOME OF IT, I THINK IT COMES FROM MANAGE MANAGING IT AND NOT JUST LOOKING AT IT AT THAT ONE DAY OF THE YEAR WHEN IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR AND YOU HAVE ALL THESE FEES THAT, I MEAN, THESE TECHNOLOGY FEES THAT SOMETIMES ADMINISTRATION HAVE NOT LOOKED AT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I KNOW THAT APPARENTLY THESE FEES HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT THROUGHOUT, SO THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND IT, IT, IT, IT MAY BE A A LOT AND HOW WE, I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IS, IS WHEN WE DO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IS, IS HOW DO WE APPROPRIATELY HELP THESE FAMILIES THAT HAVE THESE FEES, PAY FOR THESE FEES AND SOME OF THESE DONATIONS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, HOW, HOW CAN WE MAYBE CHANNEL SOME OF THOSE, UH, DONATIONS INTO SOME OF THESE FEES AS WELL, UH, ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE DO GET, WHERE WE DO GET SOME FUNDING FROM.
AND THOSE IN THAT FUNDING SHOULD BE HELPING US BALANCE OUT SOME, SOME OF THESE FEES RIGHT HERE.
NOW, WHO, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW THAT TAKES PLACE.
SO I, I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP AND I THINK I THANK YOU.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT, YOU BRING IT UP.
I THINK I DID BRING UP AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, NOT LONG AGO, WE, UH, DID A, DID A COUPLE GRANTS AND WE, WE SAID THAT ALL STUDENTS NEEDED A FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, AND WE GOT THOSE GRANTS TO PAY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS, OR WE SAID, WE SAID THAT AS A DISTRICT THEN WE CAN'T CONTRADICT OURSELVES IN TERMS OF HOW, OF HOW WE HOLD OUR KIDS AND THE PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR PAYING FOR THESE SCREENS.
SO I DID NOT SAY THAT TO SAY, I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I JUST WANT TO FURTHERMORE HEAR FROM MR. SHOHAN AND SEE WHAT THE LOGIC IS BEHIND USING THE COMPUTERS THAT HE, THAT HE'S USING IN THE SYSTEMS THAT HE'S USING TO SEE HOW WE CAN LOOK DEEPER INTO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING FOR, IN THE UPCOMING, FOR TECHNOLOGIES TO DO AS WELL, TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT CONVERSATION HAPPEN AND SEE WHAT THAT ANALYZE WHEN HE WANTS TO ANALYZE THAT DATA OR THAT INFORMATION JUST TO SEE WHAT, WHAT HE, WHAT HE COMES BACK WITH.
SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PUT SOME OF THAT OUT THERE AND ALSO JUST DO SOMETHING, I DID SPEAK TO SOME OF THAT EARLIER TONIGHT WHEN I SPOKE ABOUT THE, UH, THE MENU.
IS YOUR REPORT COMPLETED? YES.
BUT CAN I MAKE ONE MORE POINT REALLY QUICK? I KNOW WE'RE BUSY, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS, UM, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DRIVE HOME HERE, AND I SORT OF FEEL LIKE I'M ON MY OWN LITTLE PERSONAL QUEST, BUT
[02:25:01]
I DON'T THINK TECHNOLOGY IS A SIDE HUSTLE ANYMORE.IT IS DRIVING THE BUS, AND I GIVE THE EXAMPLE 'CAUSE MR. UM, DALLAS IS ALWAYS SAYING WE NEED TO COMPETE GLOBALLY, RIGHT? SO I WAS IN CHINA FOR TWO WEEKS, THEY DON'T USE CASH.
EVERYTHING FROM THE STREET VENDORS IS ON AN APP.
MY PASSPORT WAS MY TICKET TO EVERYTHING FROM THE BUS TO THE ZOO.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY THEY'RE USING.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JASPER, AND THIS IS, UM, VERY SPECIFIC TO THIS AREA, WE TALK ABOUT THE JASPER PORT.
CHINA NOW HAS A PORT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE HUMAN WORKERS EXCEPT FROM A COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER WHERE THEY'RE USING THE COMPUTERS, BUT THERE'S NOT A SINGLE HUMAN BEING ON THE DOCK.
SO WE TALK ABOUT EXPANDING OUR PORT AND ALL THE JOBS THAT'S GONNA BRING, WHAT KIND OF JOBS ARE WE BRINGING, RIGHT? WE NEED TO BE BRINGING TECHNOLOGY DATA CENTER JOBS, AND THAT PORT HAS REDUCED CONTAINER SHIP UNLOADING, OR THEY CAN UNLOAD A CONTAINER FROM EIGHT HOURS TO 45 MINUTES.
SO I REALLY THINK THIS COMES DOWN TO THE FUNDAMENTAL MISSION OF EDUCATION.
IT'S NOT MAKING YOU GETTING KIDS TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
IT IS GETTING KIDS TO USE TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT, THEY WILL NOT BE VERY EMPLOYABLE IN THE FUTURE.
I'LL JUST SAY REAL QUICK, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING TO, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.
RATHER THAN, WE'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE PAST THAT SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT, I REMEMBER THERE WERE GROUPS THAT WERE SAYING THAT WE USE TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS AND THAT, AND TO HEAR THAT YOU HEAR YOU SAY THAT, I JUST HOPE THAT THEY'RE LISTENING TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A PUSH THAT WE USE TECHNOLOGY TOO MUCH IN THIS DISTRICT.
[Superintendent’s Report]
ALL RIGHT.WE'RE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
UH, THIS EVENING ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, WE HAVE TWO, UH, PRESENTATIONS FOR YOU.
ONE REGARDING MATHEMATICS, WHICH, UH, DR.
STRADDLES IS COMING UP, AND SHE'S GONNA INTRODUCE IT AND WILL BE LED BY DR. DIXON.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS REGARDING UNDER UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL DESIGNATION, UH, BOARD QUARTERLY HEARING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE SHARE WITH YOU EVERY YEAR, UH, AND AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR, UH, AS IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
SO THIS IS JUST SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE THREE SCHOOLS THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
THANK THANK YOU, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS FIRST PRESENTATION WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TEACHER DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENT LEARNING.
I SHARE WITH YOU A NEWLY IMPLEMENTED, IMPLEMENTED INITIATIVE THAT IS BEING LED BY DR.
MONA DIXON OF MANY OF, AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, DR. DIXON HAS JOINED INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION.
SHE'S CHARGED WITH THE SUPERVISION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF K 12 MATH AND SCIENCE.
RECENTLY, SHE HAS ENGAGED AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL DUE TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS AT BUILDING TEACHERS CONTENT, KNOWLEDGE, CAPACITY.
AND ONE WAY THIS HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IS THROUGH DR.
DIXON'S INTEGRATION OF ONGOING ASSESSMENT PROJECT, ALSO KNOWN AS OGAP.
OGAP IS A MATHEMATICAL PROGRAM WHICH COMBINES TEACHER FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES WITH KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRESSION TO BUILD DEEPER STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICS CONTENT.
BUT NOT TO STEP TOO FAR INTO DR.
DIXON'S PRESENTATION, I BRING FORWARD TO YOU DR.
MONALISA DIXON BOARD, WHAT DO YOU THINK MATTERS HERE? WHO DO YOU THINK? AND BOARD MEMBERS, I HAVE PREPARED TWO DOCUMENTS FOR YOU TONIGHT, AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, MINDING THE MATHEMATICAL GAP WITH ONGOING ASSESSMENT PROJECT O GAP.
SO THE PRESENTATION WILL EXPOUND THE PAN OR EXPAND UPON THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT WE HAVE.
MS. CUSHING BERRY, MAY YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
OUR ANALYSIS OF THE MATH DATA FROM SC READY AND I-READY HAS REVEALED A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.
THERE IS A COMMON THREAD WITHIN THE STRAND, DATA NUMBER SENSE BASE 10 FRACTIONS, ALGEBRAIC THINKING, GEOMETRY AND MEASUREMENT.
FRACTIONS IN PARTICULARLY HAVE EMERGED AS A KEY AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE
[02:30:01]
IN ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE.IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MATH HAS THE LARGEST GAP.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR 75% PROFICIENCY IN FIVE YEARS, THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT TO ALL TEACHERS, EMPOWERING THEM TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN DEVELOPING THEIR MATHEMATICAL REASONING SKILLS.
WHAT IS OGAP? THE ONGOING ASSESSMENT PROJECT OGAP IS A SYSTEMATIC, IS A SYSTEMATIC INTENTIONAL FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND MATHEMATICS BASED UPON MATHEMATICS EDUCATION, RESEARCH.
IT'S NOT A PROGRAM, IT'S A SYSTEM BASED ON THE MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION, RESEARCH ON HOW STUDENTS LEARN SPECIFIC CONCEPTS, COMMON ERRORS STUDENTS MAKE, OR PRECON PRECONCEPTIONS OR MISCONCEPTIONS THAT INTERFERE WITH STUDENTS LEARNING NEW CONCEPTS AND SOLVING RELATED PROBLEMS. OGAP PRESENTLY HAS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR ADDITIVE REASONING, MULTIPLICATIVE REASONING, FRACTIONS, AND PROFESSIONALITY.
THESE MATHEMATICAL TOPICS REPRESENT ABOUT 80% OF THE MATHEMATICS AND THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS OF MATHEMATICS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE GRADE SPANS.
AT THE FOUNDATION OF OGAP IS TEACHER KNOWLEDGE THAT INCLUDES MATHEMATICAL CONTENT, MATHEMATICS, EDUCATION, RESEARCH ON HOW STUDENTS LEARN CONCEPTS.
UNDERPINNING THE FRAMEWORK, LEARNING PROGRESSION FOR OGAP MATH TOPIC, INFORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICE FOR MATHEMATICS.
THEREFORE, INVOLVEMENT IN OGAP INVOLVES AN INVESTMENT IN EXTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ONGOING SUPPORT.
THE SYSTEM INVOLVES USING OGAP KNOWLEDGE AND THE OGAP LEARNING PROGRESSIONS TO IMPLEMENT A CONTINUOUS AND INTENTIONAL SYSTEM OF INSTRUCTION, PROBING WITH INSTRUC EMBEDDED QUESTIONS AND ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE AND STUDENT WORK TO MAKE TIMELY INSTRUCTIONAL MODIFICATIONS.
SO FINALLY, OGAP CAN HELP TEACHERS DRAW ON THIS RESEARCH TO MAKE SENSE OF AND RESPOND TO STUDENT THINKING.
MS. CUSH BERRY, THE ELEMENTARY COHORT.
THESE ARE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WE REQUIRED EACH SCHOOL TO SEND THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL COACH A FOURTH OR FIFTH GRADE TEACHER, AND AN EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS TEACHER.
SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR THOSE OF YOU.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH THE, UM, AUTHENTIC VOICES FROM THE TRAINING TEACHERS AND NUMERACY COACHES.
UM, RESPONDED BACK, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE PRESENTATION, BUT ONE FROM PORT ROYAL KATHERINE HENLINE SAID, THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF OGAP TRAINING WAS PACKED FULL OF POWERFUL MATERIAL, UNCOVERING LAYER AFTER LAYER OF INFORMED INSTRUCTIONAL DECISION MAKING PROTOCOLS AND ANSWERING THE HOWS AND THE WHYS OF FRACTIONAL LEARNING.
I WAS TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSED BY THE FRAMEWORK SHARED WITH US BY WORKING THROUGH THE CONTENT OURSELVES AND STRATEGIZING TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
I AM ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE NEXT ROUND OF TRAINING AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTING ABSORBED CONTENT WITH TEACHERS IMMEDIATELY IN THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SESSIONS IN ORDER TO GROW TEACHER CAPACITY IN OUR STUDENT LEARNING.
MS. CUSHEN BERRY, AS YOU CAN SEE, OOH, SKIPPED.
YOU SKIPPED A SLIDE ON ME, BUT THAT'S OKAY IF THEY GOT THAT.
UM, WILSON NUMERACY COACH, UM, FROM HILTON HEAD, EARLY CHILDHOOD, UH, NOT EARLY CHILDHOOD.
HILTON HEAD, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF THE CREATIVE ARTS.
SHE SAYS THE OGAP TRAINING USING FRACTIONS WAS AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AS A COACH.
I LEARNED SO MUCH IN THE FIRST TWO DAYS, AND IT IS EVEN DEEP IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF FRACTIONS.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE PARTS OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED WITH TEACHERS AT HILTON HEAD SCHOOL OF THE CREATIVE ARTS.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS FOR OUR SYSTEM IS TO TRAIN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES, TEACHERS AND EXCEPTIONAL LEARNER TEACHERS.
ALSO, WE WILL TRAIN, UM, TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH OUR EXTENDED LEARNING SITES AS WELL AS OTHER SCHOOLS AND OUR SYSTEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION FOR MINDING OUR MATHEMATICAL GAPS WITH ONGOING ASSESSMENT, PROJECT LEARNING O GAP.
ANY OR CONCERNS? COLONEL GUYER.
[02:35:01]
A PROBLEM.BUT THE CHALLENGE OF, UH, MATHEMATICAL INSTRUCTION IS IT IS PROGRESSIVE AND SEQUENTIAL.
YOU GOTTA LEARN HOW TO ADD AND LEARN HOW TO SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, THEN DIVIDE AND SO ON.
AND PART OF THE COVID ISSUE HAS BEEN THAT WE LOST MM-HMM.
NOW THAT WE'RE BEYOND THAT, WE, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE STUDENTS THAT LEARN AT DIFFERENT RATES.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IS IT GOING TO BE A TIME WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HOLD STUDENTS BACK IN A GRADE, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT, AND NOT WIRED YET TO MAKE THAT JUMP FROM HOLD NUMBERS TO FRACTIONS.
SO TO, SO TO SPEAK, IS, DO YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING? DOES THAT, IS THAT A REQUIREMENT OR DO YOU, CAN YOU MAKE, DO AND FIX THOSE GAPS OVER LIKE SUMMER SCHOOL? WELL, THE, THE GAPS YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO NOT ONLY JUST SUMMER SCHOOL, BUT THEN YOU WOULD ALSO LOOK AT THE TEACHERS THAT FOR THAT NEXT GRADE, THAT HAVE TO MIND THAT GAP AS WELL.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, MATHEMATICS IS FOUNDATIONAL.
SO IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH, FOR INSTANCE, WITH THE FRACTIONS, FRACTIONS, THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT FRACTIONS IS NOT TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
AND THAT'S THE NUMBER ON THAT NUMBER LINE SYSTEM.
SO I DO NOT SEE WHERE WE HAVE TO HOLD A CHILD BACK.
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, UM, THE EVIDENCE IS LIKE WHAT OGAP IS REALLY, UM, HAVING US TO DO THE TEACHERS TO DO, IS TO REALLY ANALYZE THAT STUDENT WORK.
SO WE HAVE A PROGRESSION THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT HERE, THAT, OF WHAT OUR TEACHERS AND THE COACHES WENT THROUGH AND LEARNED ABOUT THAT.
SO YOU GO FROM NON FRACTIONAL TO EARLY FRACTIONAL STRATEGIES TO TRANSITIONAL TO THE FRACTIONAL STRATEGIES.
SO REALLY WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH OUR TEACHERS HOW TO, TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT CHILD IS ON THAT LEARNING CONTINUUM, AND THEN BE VERY INTENTIONAL AND STRATEGIC WITH THE TYPES OF STRATEGIES THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO LEARN TO MOVE THAT CHILD THROUGH THE PROGRESSION.
COULD YOU TELL ME HOW THEY'RE TESTED? IS IT, IS IT A WORD PROBLEM OR IS IT, OR IS IT JUST A SIMPLE, UM, SET OF FIGURES THAT YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ANSWER AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PICK THE RIGHT ANSWER? MY, MY MY REASON I ASK THAT IS, IS IT A HOW ARE WE DEALING WITH THE TESTING PIECE VERSUS APPLICATION IN IN THE CLASSROOM? WELL, IT'S ALL AN ALL ABOVE COLONEL.
THEY HAVE TO KNOW THEIR, YOU KNOW, THE FACTS.
THEY HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO MULTIPLY.
BUT IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM STRATEGIES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, IN REALLY TAKING UP THIS NEW POSITION IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE DATA AND THEN REALLY DIVE IN DEEPER IN THAT DATA WITHIN THE STRAND DATA.
THAT'S WHY WE PICKED FRACTIONS FIRST, BECAUSE OUR DISTRICT, WE HAD A CHALLENGING AREA THERE K THROUGH, OR I WOULD SAY THREE THROUGH EIGHT WITH THE FRACTIONS.
BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY AS MATH, MATH HAS ITS OWN LANGUAGE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THROUGH THIS OGAP TRAINING IS THAT IT WAS FUNNY THAT WE SAID FIVE ORANGES.
WELL, FIVE WAS THE ADJECTIVE, ORANGES WAS THE NOUN.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON SE READY, THEY JUST DON'T GET WHAT'S FIVE TIMES FIVE.
THEY HAVE A WORD PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE TO CIPHER THROUGH.
THEY HAVE TO THINK THROUGH IT.
THAT'S WHY WITHIN OUR, UM, ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE I-READY, WHICH DOES THE THREE READS, AND REALLY WE HIDE THE NUMBERS FROM IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE CHILDREN NUMBER PICKING OR PLUCKING.
AND WE REALLY WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THAT QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS THAT QUESTION ASKING YOU TO DO BEFORE YOU EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE NUMBERS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MY TEAM, AND WE, WE HAVE A TEAM AND WE'RE CALLED THE EXTREME TEAM.
AND THAT WE, UM, WE WORK WITH TEACHERS, WE WORK WITH COACHES ON THE MATH VOCABULARY.
UM, IT, IT IS, IT IS A LANGUAGE.
AND, UM, A LOT OF KIDS SAY, I CAN'T DO MATH.
I JUST NEED, WE NEED TO BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE, UM, AND ALSO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE VOCABULARY BEHIND MATH.
I, I WOULD JUST ADD, UH, ANOTHER POINT, WHICH WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED A LOT ABOUT, BUT IN ELEMENTARY PREPARATION COURSEWORK THAT TEACHERS TAKE
[02:40:01]
IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S MANY OF THEM.RIGHT? AND SO, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THAT LIMITED, UH, YOU TAKE A LOT MORE READING COURSES AND METHODS COURSES THAN YOU DO, UH, NECESSARILY IN MATHEMATICS.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU GET IN THE FIELD, AND THAT, THAT POSES, UH, UH, A BIT OF A CHALLENGE IF YOU LOOK AT THE AUTHENTIC VOICES THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN HERE, RIGHT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DAWNED ON ME IS THAT TO USE FRACTIONS ONE HALF, THE THREE FOURTHS OF THE COMMENTS, RIGHT?
SO PART OF THIS OGAP PIECE IS DEVELOPING A GREATER AND DEEPER UNDERSTANDING, SO IT'S EASIER TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION AROUND THOSE STANDARDS AND MATHEMATICS.
AND ALSO THE AG COLONEL, UM, THE STATE DOES NOT RETAIN KIDS FOR MATH, BUT THAT'S ONLY IN READING THAT WE HAVE WITH THE THIRD GRADE READING CHALLENGE FOR LANGUAGE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I SEE WITH OUR SCORES WITH OUR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.
AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW THE DON'T KNOW THE ENGLISH, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME.
THAT'S WHY IT'S, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, NOT JUST, WELL, WHEN YOU'RE IN ELA SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, BUT ALSO IN MATH, THAT THE CHILDREN DO UNDERSTAND THE VOCABULARY.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK, I MEAN, I MAJOR IN MATH, SO I MEAN, I LOVE MATH.
SO, UM, MATH VOCABULARY IS IMPORTANT.
UM, I CRINGE EVERY TIME I GO INTO A MATH CLASS, AND IF I HEAR THAT KEEP CHANGE, WHAT IS IT? DR.
LAVAN KEEP CHANGE FLIP THAT WE JUST LIKE GO, UH, NO, IT'S CALLED MULTIPLY BY THE RECIPROCAL, AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THE MATH, UM, VOCABULARY.
THAT IS, UM, WITHIN THE WORD PROBLEMS THAT THEY SEE WITHIN, UM, THEIR DAY IN, DAY OUT WITHIN THE PROBLEMS. AND LIKE MS. BOATWRIGHT WAS SAYING ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, AS A MATH PERSON SAY, I SEE TOO MUCH OF IT DO KIDS.
MATH IS WITH THAT PAPER AND PENCIL WITH YOUR THINKING THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEIR THINKING IS GOING ON.
IF THEY CLICK THEM BUTTONS, I CAN'T SEE WHAT'S GOING ON UP HERE, BUT IF WE CLICK, IF THEY CLICK THE BUTTONS, BUT WE ALSO MAKE THEM WRITE IT DOWN, THEN WE CAN SEE THEIR THINKING.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WITH OGAP IS REALLY LOOKING AT THAT EVIDENCE, WHICH IS THE STUDENT WORK TO MAKE THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE 'EM QUICKER THAN RATHER THAN LATER.
AND THEN HAVING THOSE GAPS, WIDENING CARLTON DALLAS, EXCUSE ME.
UH, DR. DIXON, AS FAR BACK AS I HAVE KNOWN YOU, AND WHEN YOU WERE AT WHALE BRANCH MM-HMM.
AND, UH, I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS VIVIDLY BECAUSE YOU PRODUCED JUST TREMENDOUS TALENT.
AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE STARTING POSITION WAS, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, AND I SHARE THIS OCCASIONALLY, I HAVE SEEN DESPERATELY POOR KIDS WHO WERE JUST PHENOMENAL IN MATH, IN A DIFFERENT CULTURE.
AND WHAT I SEE TOO OFTEN NOW IS KIDS SAY, WELL, I CAN'T DO IT.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, COLONEL SAID, AND YOU'VE ALLUDED TO, AND OTHERS MATH, I SAY, ACCRETIVE FOUNDATIONAL.
SO HOW MUCH IS IT CULTURE THAT WE AS BOARD MEMBERS CAN HELP CARRY OUT A MESSAGE THAT THIS IS WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S DOING, BUT HOW DO WE HELP THE COMMUNITY KNOW THEY HAVE A PART TO PLAY AS WELL? AS YOU'VE STATED, I HAVE LED SOME DIFFICULT CHALLENGES, BUT, UM, AS MY HUSBAND ALWAYS TELL ME, YOU ARE BUILT FOR THOSE CHALLENGES.
SO I'M BUILT FOR THIS CHALLENGE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS TOLD KIDS IS THE POWER OF THE WORD THREE, A THREE LETTER WORD YET.
SO INSTEAD OF SAYING, THEY SAY, I CAN'T DO THIS, I SAID, YET, NOT YET.
[02:45:01]
CAN'T.SO THAT IT WOULD BE MY, UM, MANTRA TO SEND OUT TO, UM, FOR YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CAN'T DO IT YET.
THAT'S THE POWER OF THAT, THE, THAT THREE LETTER WORD.
AND I ALWAYS TELL PARENTS THAT USED TO COME IN AND THEY USED TO SAY, WELL, I WASN'T GOOD AT MATH, SO MY CHILD, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD JUST BECAUSE YOU MADE IT AND UNDERSTAND IT, OR YOU DIDN'T HAVE A TEACHER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S, UM, HAVING HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS ALWAYS, AS A LEADER, YOU HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THAT SUPPORT.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN THE CHALLENGE.
UM, BUT I HAVE THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS, UM, FOR MY COLLEAGUES, UM, MY PRINCIPALS, MY INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, AND LIKE I SAID, OUR EXTREME TEAM, UM, BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF NOT ONLY THE COACHES, BUT ALSO THE TEACHERS.
SO WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH OUR PRINCIPALS.
WE ARE TRYING TO ALIGN THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL, THOSE BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT ARE GONNA BE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
YOU BROUGHT TECHNOLOGY INTO IT.
NO, I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN EXCELLENT, UM, I WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING.
BUT I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN EXCELLENT, UH, ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH THE DIGITAL USE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT TEACHING THE KID, YOU'RE JUST PUTTING IN TECHNOLOGY.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE PROBABLY MULTITUDES OF VERY TALENTED, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATORS WHO HAVE TREMENDOUS SOFT SKILLS, CRITICAL THINKING.
THEY'RE WARM, THEY'RE INSPIRING.
THEY'RE THE KIND OF TEACHERS THAT 30 YEARS FROM NOW, SOMEONE'S LIKE, I OWE IT ALL TO, TO DR. DIXON, THE DOCTOR NOW.
SO, UM, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE GREAT AT MATH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MY LANGUAGE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH.
SO I MAY HAVE AN ANXIETY ABOUT MATH THAT IS HARD FOR ME TO PERSONALLY OVERCOME, AND THAT SHOULD NOT NEGATE MY SOFT SKILLS.
I'M ALSO NOT GOOD AT BEING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER, BUT IN THIS FICTIONAL VERSION OF ME, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHERE TECHNOLOGY CAN COME INTO THE CONTENT GAP.
'CAUSE YOU CAN HAVE REALLY BRILLIANT, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD? NOT ARTIFICIAL EDUCATION, BUT VIRTUAL TEACHERS THAT COME INTO THE CLASSROOM THAT YOU COMBINE WITH THESE PHENOMENAL PEOPLE THAT ARE HANDS ON AND LOVING AND CARING AND INSPIRING.
BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT, IF YOU CAN'T GET THEM OVER THAT HUMP AND OVER THAT GAP, THERE ARE WAYS TO BRING IN SOME TECHNOLOGY TO SUP SUPPLANT, NOT SUPPLANT.
'CAUSE I REALLY DO THINK IT'S THAT MERGING OF THE HUMAN ELEMENT WITH WHAT COMPUTERS ARE EXCELLENT AT.
AND YOU CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, RICHARD FEYNMAN COME IN AND TEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATH IN A VERSION OF AN, IN AN AI VERSION, BUT THEN COUPLE THAT WITH THESE WONDERFUL TEACHERS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARILY A BAD VERSION OF HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN BE IN THE CLASSROOM.
NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT, BUT I'M SAYING THAT WITH MATH.
I REALLY LIKE SOME OF OUR SOFTWARES.
WE REALLY HAVE TO BE, HAVE A BALANCE FOR IT.
I THINK ANYTHING, UM, IS GOOD.
I THINK HOW WE UTILIZE IT, BECAUSE EVEN WITH, UM, OUR TECHNOLOGY, UM, I, ON MY TEAM, I HAVE A TECHNOLOGY PERSON, WHICH IS ESTEE WILLIAMS, WHO TELLS ME HOW MANY CLICKS SOMEONE HAS DONE WITH AN IXL OR DELTA MATH OR THIS PART OF IT.
I DON'T WANT IT TO BECOME THE TEACHER.
IT CAN HELP, LIKE YOU SAID, SUPPLEMENT, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE THE SOLE SOURCE OF, UM, DIRECT INSTRUCTION OR DIFFERENTIATING THE INSTRUCTION, ESPECIALLY WITH MATH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE KIDS DID WHAT THEY DID THROUGH COVID.
THEY DID IXL OR THEY DID THIS SOFTWARE.
AND IF THEY CAN'T EXPLAIN IT TO YOU, THEN WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR YOUR SE READY, THEY CAN'T UTILIZE IT.
I'M NOT SAYING NO TO TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE NEED TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND OUR INSTRUCTION SO THAT OUR, WE CAN SEE WHAT OUR KIDS ARE THINKING.
'CAUSE I CAN'T, IT'S NOT LIKE A BUBBLE IS THEY'RE TELLING ME, OH, WRONG, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
THAT'S, YOU DIDN'T DIVIDE RIGHT OR YOU DIDN'T MULTIPLY RIGHT.
BUT FOR THEM, I NEED TO SEE THEIR THINKING.
I NEED TO SEE THAT ON PAPER AND PENCIL.
AND I AGREE, YES, BUT I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IXL AND YES, IT IS VIRTUAL.
I AGREE TOTALLY WITH YOU, MS. BOATWRIGHT.
AND I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE GREAT TEACHERS GIVE UP ON TEACHING EDUCATION, ON TEACHING MENTOR SCHOOL.
I'M JUST SAYING, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EMBRACE THE SOFT SKILLS TOO.
[02:50:01]
THANK YOU DR.ONCE AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING I AM UPDATING THE BOARD ON THE COMMITMENT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND SHARE WITH YOU THE RECENT SCHOOL STATE REPORT CARD REQUIREMENTS OF ACTION UNDER THE STATE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY CODE PER SC CODE FIVE NINE DASH 18 DASH 1625, THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD, AND LOCAL DELEGATION OF ANY SCHOOL STA STATUS AS UNDERPERFORMING, DEFINED AS A SCHOOL RECEIVING AN OVERALL REPORT CARD RATING OF BELOW AVERAGE OR UNSATISFACTORY.
AT THE OCTOBER 15TH SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, I SHARED OUR SCHOOL RATINGS.
AT THIS TIME, I INFORMED THE BOARD OF TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST THREE OF OUR SCHOOLS RATED BELOW AVERAGE PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY, LADIES, ISLAND MIDDLE, AND BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
THE SECOND ITEM THAT I SHARED WAS THAT WE HAD NO SCHOOLS REPORTED AS UNSATISFACTORY.
UNDER STATE CODE A SCHOOL RECEIVING A RATING OF BELOW AVERAGE THE DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOL MUST PRESENT NOTICE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND PRESENT AN IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND AS SUCH, THIS IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED TODAY.
AND ON DECEMBER, THE SECOND PART OF THE IMMEDIATE ACTION OF SHARING THESE PLANS WOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD MEETING.
I WANNA SHARE THAT THE THREE SCHOOLS PRESENT TONIGHT HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY ADDRESSING THEIR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES AS DEFINED BY THE STATE CODE.
ON OCTOBER 21ST, PORT ROYAL SHARED THEIR BELOW AVERAGE REPORT CARD RATING TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS WITH A FOLLOW UP SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COUNCIL MEETING, TURNAROUND PLAN PRESENTATION THAT THEY WILL BE DOING ON NOVEMBER 18TH.
LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 19TH WITH THEIR TRANSFORMATION PLAN.
STAKEHOLDER MEETING SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 10TH AND BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
MET WITH THEIR STAKEHOLDERS ON NOVEMBER 4TH WITH A TRANSFORMATION PLAN FOLLOW-UP MEETING SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 2ND TO ADD, AT THE END OF OCTOBER, BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL ALSO CONDUCTED A SCHOOL-WIDE DATA ANALYSIS MEETING THAT FOCUS UPON SCHOOL STUDENT INVOLVEMENT TO BUILD UPON STUDENT AGENCY AND EFFICACY, WHICH SOME OF YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH DR. DIXON.
I AM JOINED THIS EVENING WITH VICKI GAUD, PRINCIPAL OF PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DR.
SHA SHAVAN BROWN, PRINCIPAL LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND DENISE ARD, PRINCIPAL BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
AND NICK'S FLOWERS, OUR DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY, IS JOINING US ELECTRONICALLY.
I BRING FORWARD PRINCIPAL GOUT AND WANNA SHARE THAT THE PRINCIPLES PRE PRE PRESENTING TO YOU TONIGHT HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT THAT THIS IS ONE AND DONE.
WE RECEIVED THE RATING, WE'LL DO THIS FOR A YEAR, AND WE ARE DONE.
WE ALSO HAVE THIS EVENING OUR TWO EXECUTIVE RE UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, DR.
LES LEBAN HERE AS WELL ON PRINCIPLES.
IF YOU CAN COME ON DOWN AND WE'LL START WITH OUR PRESENTATION.
THE SLIDE YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, I WANT YOU TO PUT A LINE RIGHT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE FROM WHERE YOU SEE THE GREEN BOXES AND THE BLUE BOXES.
WE ARE GONNA BE FOCUSED AT THE BLUE BOXES.
THOSE ARE ANNUAL CLASSIFICATIONS, AND THEY ARE STATE VERSUS THE GREEN OR THE FEDERAL CLASSIFICATIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO REFRESH MEMORY.
AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT SIDE, THE STATE REQUIRES SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BELOW AVERAGE OR UNSATISFACTORY TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND ALSO SHARE THAT THE SCHOOLS HERE TONIGHT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH A TIER TWO SUPPORT.
SO FOR BELOW AVERAGE, THERE ARE TWO TIERS, ONE AND TWO.
[02:55:01]
THESE THREE SCHOOLS AT THE VERY TOP OF TIER TWO, MEANING THEY JUST FELL DOWN INTO THE BUCKET.THIS WHAT I ALREADY GAVE TO YOU, INFORMATION ON THE DESIGNATION OF UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
IT IS A SCHOOL THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS EITHER BELOW AVERAGE OR UNSATISFACTORY.
SO HERE YOU HAVE INFORMATION REGARDING REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL'S DESIGNATION.
EACH SCHOOL, EACH SCHOOL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTIFYING PARENTS.
WE, WE HAVE DONE THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE.
WE'LL BE CONDUCTING THAT SHORTLY.
SCHOOL TURNAROUND PLANS MUST INCLUDE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND APPROVED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.
WE'LL BE BRINGING THOSE FORWARD TO YOU IN DECEMBER.
THEY ARE DUE TO THE STATE AT THE END OF JANUARY, DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.
I WANNA SHARE THAT NO GOALS WILL BE CHANGED.
WE WILL JUST ADD A DIFFERENT ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES.
AND I'LL UPDATE THAT TO YOU ON DECEMBER 10TH AS WELL.
AND AS I SHARED WITH YOU, THE DUE DATE FOR THAT IS, UM, JANUARY 30TH.
THIS SHOWS A SUGGESTION OF QUARTERLY REVIEWS, AS DR. RODRIGUEZ HAS SHARED WITH YOU IN THE OPENING OF THIS PART OF THE TONIGHT'S MEETING.
WE HAVE DONE THIS IN THE PAST.
IT'LL BE EXECUTED ON A QUARTERLY MATTER.
SO WE CAN GIVE YOU UPDATES EITHER FROM DIAGNOSTIC DATA OR INFORMATION FROM EOC DATA FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THIS IS SHARING WITH YOU THE TARGETED SCHOOL SUPPORT THAT THE DIS DISTRICT WILL BE PROVIDING IMPLEMENTATION OF ONGOING SUPPORT AND PROGRESS MONITORING.
THIS IS WHAT HAS ALREADY ACTUALLY HAPPENED FOR A HOST OF SCHOOLS AS WE ARE MONITORING OUR REPORT CARD RATINGS COMING IN.
THE NEXT ITEM IS IMPLEMENTATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK.
ALSO BUILDING THAT CAPACITY OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS THAT HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN THIS ROOM, THERE'LL BE SOME TRAINING FOR OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS REVIEW OF ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL DATA TO MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL INITIATIVES THAT DRIVE THE DISTRICT SUPPORT TEAMS. IN OTHER WORDS, AS WE GIVE SUPPORT, WHAT IS THE IMPACT? WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK WE GET FROM THE FEE, FROM THE SUPPORT, AS WELL AS WHAT ELSE IS IT THAT YOU NEED AT THE SCHOOL SITE? TARGETED SUPPORT OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS LANGUAGE.
WE'VE, WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE'S RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PLC PRACTICES AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND MULTILINGUAL.
THIS IS WHAT OUR, OUR COACH IS GOING IN AND BUILDING THAT INSTRUCTIONAL HUMAN CAPITAL.
AS DR. DIXON HAS SHARED WITH YOU, BUILDING THAT CAPACITY OF OUR EDUCATORS.
WE ARE PUTTING MORE FOR MORE SUPPORT INTO THE SCHOOLS WHO ARE THROUGH OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION AS WELL AS OUR MUL MULTILINGUAL TEAMS. AND WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE NOTE HERE IS ONE THING THAT WE ARE BUILDING THE CAPACITY IS, IS THE LANGUAGE OF EFFICACY.
AND I WANNA GIVE YOU A DEFINITION FOR US TO WORK WITH AS A SYSTEM.
ACADEMIC SELF EFFICACY IS THE, THE DEGREE TO WHICH STUDENTS BELIEVE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF LEARNING OR ACCOMPLISHING AN ACADEMIC TASK WITHIN A SPECIFIC AREA OF EDUCATION.
EFFICACY, HAVING BELIEF IN YOURSELF, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS HAS ALREADY DONE BY HAVING DATA ANALYSIS WITH THEIR STUDENTS.
BUILDING THAT CAPACITY IS NOT JUST THE ADULTS WITH THAT SCHOOL.
IT'S THE YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD OUR PRINCIPAL VIC GOUT, WHO WILL WALK US THROUGH THE INTERVENTIONS AND PRACTICES FOR PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR RECENT REPORT CARD RATING AND OUR COMMITMENT TO DO THE WORK THAT WE REALIZE IS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE GROWTH THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY BEGAN, UM, STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES TO HELP MOVE OUR STUDENTS.
AND I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU JUST A FEW TONIGHT.
UM, WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S GONNA BUILD OUR TEACHER CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STA OUR STATE STANDARDS ARE ASKING STUDENTS TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO.
AND ALSO ALIGN AS, UH, ASSESSMENTS, APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENTS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUALLY MONITOR AND THAT MASTERY OF THOSE STANDARDS.
WE'RE USING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
[03:00:01]
TO FOCUS ON STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH THE LESSONS THAT THEY ARE, UM, EXPERIENCING IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. WE'RE USING THOSE ONGOING ASSESSMENTS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES LIKE, UM, DR. DIXON WAS TALKING ABOUT.WE'RE USING THOSE ASSESSMENTS, LOOKING AT THAT STUDENT WORK SO WE KNOW WHERE WE CAN FRONT LOAD SKILLS, BUT ALSO, UM, RETEACH SKILLS WHEN WE CAN NEED TO IN SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO HELPING STUDENTS SET GOALS AND MONITOR THEIR OWN PROGRESS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE A PATH AND, AND A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP IN THEIR OWN LEARNING.
WE THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO USE DATA GATHERED THROUGH OBSERVATIONS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK FOR OUR TEACHERS AND COACHING SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE RESEARCH BASED PRACTICES THAT WE KNOW ARE EFFECTIVE AND CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD GROWTH IN OUR STUDENTS.
UM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THIS WORK.
ONE AND DONE IS WHERE I AM STANDING ON THAT.
AND I BELIEVE WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THE GROWTH THAT WE, UM, WE HAVE SET A TARGET TO MEET THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
STATES THAT OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE SECOND PART IS AT NINE O'CLOCK.
WE HAVE MR. MILLER, UM, PRESENT.
SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK NOW OR LET THEM FINISH? UH, LET THEM FINISH AND I'LL MODIFY MY COMMENTS JUST TO A MINUTE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR, UM, BEING WITH US TONIGHT.
AND, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND DR.
STRADDLES, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
UM, AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
TAKE THIS AT YOUR ONE IT EASIER.
UM, LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS YEAR ON OUR REPORT CARD SCORED A BELOW AVERAGE, WHICH IS TWO POINTS.
UM, WE SCORED 34 POINTS AND WE WERE TWO POINTS BELOW THE AVERAGE MARKER OF A SCORE OF 36.
WE HAD BEEN AVERAGE THE PREVIOUS YEAR BEFORE.
UM, SMALL DIP IN STUDENT PROGRESS, GREAT GAINS IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
HOWEVER, A VERY LARGE DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF ML STUDENTS WHO, UM, SCORED PROFICIENCY IN THEIR, UM, SC READY ASSESSMENTS.
SO OUR SCHOOL IS FOCUSED ON, AND WE BEGAN THIS WORK, UM, ONCE WE GOT PRELIMINARY DATA.
UM, THIS PAST SUMMER, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL STUDENTS THAT DID NOT MEET THEIR GROWTH TARGET FOR SC READY, UH, A TIER TWO INSTRUCTIONAL INTERVENTION BLOCK.
SO ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE THEIR CORE INSTRUCTIONS, UH, DAILY IN MATH, ENGLISH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
AND THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL, UH, CLASS PERIOD FOR ALL STUDENTS, UM, THAT DID NOT MEET THEIR TARGETED GROWTH POINTS FOR SC READY.
THERE ARE ALSO, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TARGETED STUDENTS.
WE HAVE, UM, IDENTIFIED, UH, MANY STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
UM, WE CANNOT GET EVERY STUDENT TO ATTEND THE PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO, TO REALLY SELECT AND SOLICIT THOSE ONES, UM, AND INPUT FROM THEIR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED BY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS WITH TRANSPORTATION AND TUTORING FUNDS FOR STAFF FOR AFTER SCHOOL.
WE TOO ARE FOCUSING, UM, ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES WORK DIRECTLY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF TEACHERS.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD SPOKEN ABOUT TONIGHT, CLARITY OF THE STANDARDS.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE STANDARDS REQUIRING OF STUDENTS? DO TEACHERS KNOW WHAT THOSE STANDARDS MEAN? AND DO THEY KNOW HOW TO CHUNK AND BREAK DOWN THE INFORMATION SO THAT IT CAN BE CONVEYED TO STUDENTS, UM, IN A MANNER THAT IS CLEAR AND, UM, UNDERSTAND TO THEM DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION.
LIKE I SAID, WE SERVE ALL KINDS OF STUDENTS AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT LEARNING NEEDS AND DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS WHERE THEY ARE.
SO OUR TEACHERS HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND CONTENT TO THEM ON THE LEVEL THAT WORKS AND SPEAKS BEST TO THEM.
AND THEN THE LAST POINT THAT YOU CAN SEE REFLECTED ON OUR SLIDE IS TO ALSO INCREASE TEACHER CAPACITY WITH THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT ARE, UM, TRAINED AND CERTIFIED OR HAVE AN ENDORSEMENT AND GIFTED AND TALENTED, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT ARE TRAINED IN S IOP, WHICH IS THE SHELTERED
[03:05:01]
INSTRUCTION OBSERVATION PROTOCOL THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY WITH STRATEGIES FOR OUR ML STUDENTS.SO, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD A SMALL DIP IN THE STUDENT PROGRESS, AND THAT IS A ACCOUNTED BY ALL STUDENTS, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SCORED ON SC READY DID THEY MEET THEIR OWN PERSONAL GROWTH TARGET.
AND THAT GOES FOR SOME OF OUR ADVANCED STUDENTS AS WELL, WHO DID NOT CONTINUE, UM, TO MEET THEIR ADVANCED TARGETS.
SO WE ARE PROVIDING TRAINING OR GETTING ENDORSEMENTS FOR THOSE STAFF TO CONTINUE PUSHING AND REACHING THE ADVANCED STUDENTS AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO GET TRAINED IN, IN STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH OUR ML STUDENTS.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL JOIN ME IN THE PATH AS WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THANK YOU, DR. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE BATTERY CREEK'S VISION FOR ONGOING SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT INVOLVING A, UM, ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
WE HAVE FIVE COMPONENTS OF OUR, UM, ONGOING IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
OUR FIRST ONE IS A LASER FOCUS ON SUPPORTING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SUCCESS, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS EARN THE MAXIMUM CREDITS EVERY YEAR TO PROCEED TOWARD GRADUATION.
ALSO, WE'RE FOCUSING ON SCAFFOLDING INSTRUCTION TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS CAN MASTER THE STANDARDS TO THE LEVEL WHICH THEY ARE EXPECTED.
WE'RE ALSO IMPLEMENTING INCREASED PROGRESS MONITORING, VERY INTENSIVE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TIMELY INTERVENTIONS, BUT ALSO ENRICHMENT.
SO WE'RE MEETING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT OUR CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AND OUR TCL PATHWAYS TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE BEING CHALLENGED AND PLACED APPROPRIATELY AND PURSUING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE CONSIDERED.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS IS ON, UM, PROVIDING TEACHERS WITH LOOKING AT OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA AS WELL AS THEIR FEEDBACK, AND THEN OUR WALKTHROUGH AND OBSERVATION DATA, PROVIDING TEACHERS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY, FOCUSING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK S IOP TRAINING AS WELL FOR OUR ML LEARNERS.
AND THEN ALSO THE, UM, TEXT TALK, TEXT STRATEGIES OF REALLY GETTING STUDENTS TO FOCUS ON THE, THE BASICS, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL OF RIGOR.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE GETTING FROM OUR DISTRICT, UM, TEAM.
SO YOU COULD SEE WITHIN THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF VIABLE CURRICULUM, PERSONALIZED LEARNING, AND OUR STUDENTS ARE AT THE CENTER.
BUT I NEED TO PUT SOMETHING EVEN MORE SO FORWARD TO EACH OF YOU.
THESE PRINCIPLES WHO CAME FORWARD THIS EVENING HAVE DEMONSTRATED TO YOU TO DEDICATION TO EDUCATION AS WELL AS TO THEIR SCHOOLS.
IN THE LANGUAGE OF COLONEL, THEY'VE CONDUCTED AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW.
THEY'VE TAKEN A LOOK, THEY HAVE REFLECTED, AND THEY'RE PUTTING IN A PLAN OF ACTION.
THE, THAT FORMAL PLAN OF ACTUAL COMPARED TO YOU ON DECEMBER 10TH.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS, UM, FROM OUR PRINCIPALS AND TO MYSELF FROM THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THAT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
I MEAN, TO ME AS FAR AS STATE RATING SCHOOLS, UM, YOU NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CARD.
COLONEL GEIER, THREE OF YOU IS, UH, HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOUR CHILDREN TO TAKE THIS TEST? SERIOUSLY, WHEN THIS TEST DOESN'T GO, THE RESULTS DON'T GO ON A REPORT CARD.
WELL, I CAN TELL YOU ONE OF THE STRATEGIES WE'RE USING AT FORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY, AND THIS IS FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, IS THEY ACTUALLY TOOK TIME TO ANALYZE THEIR PREVIOUS, UM, I-READY SCORES AND SET GOALS FOR THEMSELVES.
AND WE NOT ONLY SET GOALS FOR THEIR TYPICAL TARGET GROWTH, BUT WE ARE ASKING THEM TO PUSH WHAT IS A STRETCH GOAL FOR YOU? AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, IT'S A, WAS A CONFERENCE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE WITH THEIR TEACHERS TO NOT ONLY IDENTIFY THOSE NUMBERS 'CAUSE A 5-YEAR-OLD, 10, YOU KNOW, 7-YEAR-OLD, 8-YEAR-OLD, THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT ABSTRACT FOR THEM.
BUT THEN THEY DUG DOWN A LITTLE MORE AND SAID, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO INFLUENCE THOSE SCORES? AND THEY ARE THOSE THAT ACHIEVEMENT, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO NAME THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO.
THEY'RE GONNA READ EVERY NIGHT,
[03:10:01]
THEY'RE GOING TO PRACTICE THEIR MATH FACTS, THEY'RE GONNA PAY ATTENTION AND GIVE A LITTLE MORE EFFORT DURING THEIR LESSONS.SO THEY WROTE ALL OF THESE THINGS DOWN AND THEN THEIR TEACHERS ARE REMINDING THEM OF THE GOALS THAT THEY HAVE SET.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE WAY WE'RE DOING THAT.
AND EVEN OUR LITTLES ALL THE WAY TO OUR FIFTH GRADERS ARE NAMING THOSE THINGS AND REVISITING WHAT THEY CAN DO IN ADDITION TO WHAT OUR TEACHERS ARE HELPING THEM DO.
WE ALSO HOME OF THE MIGHTY COUGARS, AND WE ARE ON THE P PROWL.
AND OUR P PROWL IS OUR, UH, PBIS MATRIX, WHERE THE O STANDS FOR OWN YOUR LEARNING.
SO DURING OUR ADVISORY PERIODS, UM, STUDENTS DID S SIMILAR PRACTICES, UH, WITH THEIR MAP PERCENTAGES AND LOOKING AT THEIR PERCENTILES AND KNOWING HOW MUCH THEIR TARGET GROWTH IS SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, EACH TIME THEY TAKE THAT ASSESSMENT.
AND THEY TOO SET GOALS FOR HOW TO REACH THEM.
WE BRIBE THEM A LITTLE WITH INCENTIVES AND REWARDS AND THINGS THAT ARE GONNA MOTIVATE YOUR, UH, AVERAGE 10 TO 14-YEAR-OLD WHO ARE MOSTLY NOT MOTIVATED ON, ON MANY DAYS.
UM, BUT THE CONSTANT, UH, EFFORT THAT MY TEACHERS AND MY, UH, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS PUT INTO US ALSO MEETING ONE-ON-ONE WITH STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGING THEM, UM, KNOWING THAT YOU ARE SO CLOSE, YOU JUST NEED X, Y, Z NUMBER OF POINTS.
I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS, AND IF YOU DO, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO READING INTERVENTION NEXT SEMESTER.
THOSE THINGS WORK, AND WE DID HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS MAKE THEIR PROGRESS JUST NOT QUITE ENOUGH, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THE WORK.
COLONEL GEIER, FOR US AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, OURS INVOLVES A LOT MORE THAN JUST THE TEST SCORES.
THAT'S A COMPONENT, BUT WE INVOLVE STUDENTS IN DATA ANALYSIS, UM, THROUGH, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE REPORT CARD.
UM, BUT ON A DAILY BASIS, LEADERSHIP, WE USE GOAL SETTING ALL THE TIME.
BUT WHEN WE DID THAT SCHOOLWIDE ACTIVITY WHERE THE STUDENTS REALLY DUG DEEP INTO THE REPORT CARD, UM, IT, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
SOME OF THE RESULTS THAT THEY GAVE TO US, REALLY THOUGHTFUL AND SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED OR WAYS THAT THEY COULD IMPROVE, UM, BECAUSE THEY DID, THEY REALLY DID CARE, AND THEY REALLY WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THE REPORT CARD IS CALCULATED AND WHAT IS THEIR DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO IT.
SO IT WAS A VERY EFFECTIVE PRACTICE FOR US TO DO AS A SCHOOL.
MR. SMITH, WELL, MY QUESTION WOULD JUST, I'LL BE JUST LIKE TO ASK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO GET YOU OUT THIS UNDER ON THIS UNDERPERFORMING, UH, SITUATION FROM AS BOARD MEMBERS, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM, FROM US AS BOARD MEMBERS? WHAT, TELL US WHAT DO YOU, IS IT MONEY? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THIS, FROM US, FROM THIS LEVEL TO HELP YOU OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT AND OUR WITHIN OUR POWER TO HELP YOU GET, GET, GET OUT OF THIS, OUT OF THIS, UH, SITUATION OR STATUS? BY YET? EXCUSE ME.
WELL, I CAN SPEAK TO, AS SOON AS WE RECEIVED OUR SCORES, WE STARTED DIGGING IN.
WE KNEW WE WERE GONNA NEED A PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT.
AND WE HAVE OVER ALREADY RECEIVED, UM, OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OUR ISD DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF RESOURCES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO, UM, OBSERVATIONS.
WE'VE HAD TEAMS OF FOLKS COMING AND OBSERVE AND TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE OUR STRATEGIES.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE, UH, AVAILABLE TO US.
I PERSONALLY WILL JUST, UM, JUST RESERVE THE RIGHT TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR A LITTLE SOMETHING LATER.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UH, WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE A DENT AND, AND, AND MAKE PROGRESS THIS YEAR, ECHOING THOSE SAME POINTS.
AS MY COLLEAGUE, MS. GAUD STATED, UH, THE DISTRICT IS WORKING WITH MY SCHOOL AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY ON, UM, MONITORING, OBSERVATION VISITS AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REPORTING ARE TAKING PLACE, ARE ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
IT'S THAT CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT PROCESS OF THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
NOT ONLY AM I MONITORING AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, BUT THEY ARE ALSO HELPING TO ASSIST WITH THAT.
REGARDING TRAINING FOR MY TEACHERS, SPECIFICALLY IN GT AND S IOP, THEY HAVE OPENED UP ADDITIONAL SPOTS SO THAT I COULD ADD MORE TEACHERS TO THAT TRAINING EARLY ON.
UM, INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT, I THINK THEY GET 10 SPOTS EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, I WAS AFFORDED TO SEND A LARGER NUMBER OF TEACHERS TO THE TEAM FOR THE TRAINING, UH, AHEAD OF THIS BECAUSE THE NEED FOR MY STAFF TO BE TRAINED WITH THOSE STRATEGIES IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
UM, SIMILARLY WITH GT UM, ENDORSEMENTS, THOSE ARE TWO FULL GRADUATE COURSES THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED TO GET THE ENDORSEMENT ADDED ON.
UM, AND I AM WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DISTRICT'S GT COORDINATOR, UH, SCARLET MOONEY, ON MAKING SURE THAT
[03:15:01]
MY TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHO ARE TEACHING ADVANCED CLASSES RIGHT NOW, HAVE PRIORITY TO, UM, ATTEND THOSE COURSES AND, AND GET TRAINED.BUT I TOO WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UM, AS IT BECOMES NECESSARY.
AND I'LL JUST, UH, AGAIN, ECHO WHAT, UM, BOTH MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, WE WORK, UM, TO MONITOR OUR PROGRESS ALL THE TIME.
UM, HAVING THE TEAMS COME IN, GIVE US ADDITIONAL EYES IS DEFINITELY HELPFUL.
AND, UM, I MEAN, IT'S, EVERYBODY'S BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO ANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE OR NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
SO, UM, I GUESS I'LL ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR HELP IN THE FUTURE IF NEEDED.
I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, OH, ACTUALLY YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT? WELL, YEAH, I DO.
UM, ACTUALLY FOR A GIFTED AND TALENTED, WE GO OPEN A SECTION THAT'S GONNA BE CONDUCTED AT BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WE ADDRESS IN BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS NORTH OF ABROAD WILL BE CONDUCTED BY DR. PRATT AND U-S-C-B-S IOP TRAINER.
WE'VE INCREASED THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE AND INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITY OF TRAIN THE TRAINERS.
IF YOU RECALL, UM, LIZ BERRA LAST YEAR SPOKE WITH YOU AND SHE MET THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT MARK OF PS IOP TRAINING.
AND I HAVE A FEELING IT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING WITH THE, THE GROUP BEHIND ME.
UM, JUST TO ADD TO
AND, UM, JUST TO SPEAK TO MR. CAMPBELL, UM, ABOUT WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE, UH, ABOUT THE TWO POINTS OF DR. BROWN, THE LIZZIE, UH, LIZZO MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE'RE NOT IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, MR. CAMPBELL.
WE ARE NOT, NO, WE'RE NOT WORRIED AT ALL.
BECAUSE ONE THING I WILL TELL YOU THAT DR. BROWN DO WORK VERY DILIGENTLY WITH THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY TO GET THOSE NUMBERS UP.
AND SHE DOES NOT HIDE THAT SOMETIMES SHE'S NOT ALWAYS WHERE SHE WANTS TO BE, BUT THEY ARE WORKING.
AND SHE, AS THE TIMES WHEN I VISIT THE SCHOOL AND I WALK THE HALL WITH THOSE KIDS, I WILL SAY THAT SHE KNOWS THOSE NUMBERS AND SHE TELLS THEM, HEY, WHAT, WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON IN THIS CLASS RIGHT HERE? SO WITHOUT A SHOUT, DOUBT, DR. BROWN, I'M NOT WORRIED NOT ONE BIT THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE IN THIS BUBBLE COME NEXT YEAR.
SO I I I'M JUST GETTING, I'M EXCITED TO KNOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE AT AND THE, AND YOU'RE GONNA LET THE COMMUNITY HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUE OF YOUR WORK.
BUT MR. CAMPBELL YEAH, WE WILL.
WE ARE LOOKING TO, UH, WELL SUCCEED, UH, THAT BUBBLE AND MOVE TO THE, THE ONE BEYOND THAT.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR, I'M EXCITED ABOUT Y'ALL WORK AND CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU DO.
UH, YES, I, I'M FAMILIAR WITH MS. BROWN FROM WILLOW BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE CAN DO.
IF I MAY, A, AS THE PRINCIPALS HAD SHARED WITH YOU, THEY'RE ONE AND DONE, THERE'S A PATHWAY FOR EXCELLENCE AND IN THE LANGUAGE OF DR. DIXON, WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE WILL BE THERE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? GORDON? YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY, JUST SAY SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY, UH, TO THE PRINCIPALS THAT ARE THERE TONIGHT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, UH, PRESENTLY WITH, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD PRESENTING WHAT YOU PRESENTED.
AND, UH, WE DO, WELL, I DO, UH, BELIEVE IN YOU AND KNOW THAT THIS IS A ONE AND DONE, BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR YOU TO BE HERE TONIGHT,
SO I WISH YOU GREAT SUCCESS AND WITH THE ISD TEAM BEHIND YOU AND EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY ROOTING FOR YOU.
UH, YOU ARE ONE AND DONE, BUT TONIGHT YOU WERE SPECTACULAR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[03:20:41]
FINE.UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
SO THE, UM, SECOND PERIOD PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE ONE COMMENTER WHO'S HERE IN PERSON, AND THIS IS JIM MILLER, AND HIS TOPIC IS BANNED GOOD OR BAD NEWS.
AND MAY I CHANGE THAT THE LATE HOUR? I WILL DO THAT NEXT TIME.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE ACADEMICS PRESENTATION ON THE ARTS.
AND I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE OTHER ARTS EXCEPT BAND, BUT ALL I SAW WAS VERY MUCH OF JUST A SURFACE.
THE, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THERE'S A WIDE VER IT WAS JUST A NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN BAND VERSUS PUT IT IN THE MATH TERMS OVER THE DENOMINATOR OF THE ENROLLMENT OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL AND HOW THAT RATES WITH OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, I HAVE GIVEN THEM DATA THAT THEY CAN PRESENT TO YOU THAT SHOWS HOW YOU, HOW THEY COMPARE WITH OTHER SCHOOLS.
[Board Business Action]
YES, MA'AM.WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL MOTIONS HERE.
AND THE FIRST MOTION IS I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM BEACHSIDE TIRE AND AUTO REPAIR FOR A BOOK BENDING MACHINE, VALUED AT $6,170 FOR MC RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER STUDENTS FROM GRADES PK THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
AND HAY? I THINK SHE HAS LEFT THE MEETING.
SO THE, UM, DONATION IS APPROVED, UH, UM, 10 0 0 WITH, UM, ELIZABETH HAY ABSENT.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE VERY GENEROUS DONATION, UH, TO MC RILEY.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED TO EXTEND THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH MALDEN AND JENKINS, LLC FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.
SO, UM, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND GIVE A LITTLE SUMMARY HOLD.
JUST GONNA HOLD THE MICROPHONE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO MISS PODIUM.
UM, JUST, JUST REITERATE BRIEFLY, UH, OUR AUDIT IS REQUIRED, UH, BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE A PROCUREMENT AUDIT THAT'S ALSO REQUIRED EVERY THREE YEARS, BUT WE DO IT EVERY YEAR SO WE DON'T HAVE TO PULL THREE YEARS BACK OF DATA.
UH, WE'VE HAD MAL MALDEN AND JENKINS OUT OF THE MACON OFFICE AS OUR AUDITORS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
WE'RE FINISHING OUR FIFTH YEAR NOW.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN MOVED FROM THE MACON OFFICE TO THE COLUMBIA OFFICE, A BRAND NEW TEAM, ALL NEW LEADERS, STAFF, AND ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THEIR, UH, COMMUNICATION, THEIR EFFICIENCY.
AND WE'RE ABOUT TWO WEEKS EARLIER ON OUR AUDIT THIS YEAR AND HAS GONE VERY, VERY SMOOTHLY.
AND THE INTERESTS OF EFFICIENCY ON OUR STAFF, UH, SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO, GO OUT FOR TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS WITH BOARD APPROVAL, AND THEN WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO BID OUT THE SERVICES.
UM, AND SO THIS AUDIT, UH, AUDITING SERVICES IS REQUIRED OF FOR BOARD APPROVAL.
UM, AND SO JUST BECAUSE OF WE ARE, UH, IN,
[03:25:01]
IN DOING SO WELL, SO EFFICIENT AND A BRAND NEW TEAM, WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN EXTENDING THAT CONTRACT BY TWO YEARS.UM, AND WE, UH, ARE THIS, THIS EVENING ARE REQUESTING THAT EXTENSION.
UM, ANOTHER POINT IS THAT, UH, IN THE WORLD OF AUDITING, THERE ARE, UM, A LOT OF FIRMS GETTING OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUSINESS.
IT IS ALSO INCREASINGLY TEDIOUS WITH NEW GASB OR GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARD PRONOUNCEMENTS AND STATE DEPARTMENT DEADLINES THAT, UM, LACK INFORMATION, UH, EARLY ON TO HELP DO THEIR AUDITS.
SO THE POOL OF APPLICANTS TO DO THEM IS GETTING MORE NARROW, SO IT'S BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND FOLKS THAT ARE WORK WELL WITH US.
SO JUST MAKING THAT REQUEST THIS EVENING AND HOPE THAT, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO EXTEND FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN WE'LL SHIFT BACK TO THE BIDDING PROCESS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? GO AHEAD.
OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
WOULD YOU TRY TO MOVE THINGS ALONG? RIGHT? YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? UM, UH, I, I, I DO HEAR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID AND EVEN, UH, STUFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE, UH, MEETING EARLIER TODAY.
BUT IT IS, IT IS JUST, UM, IN THE PROCESS OF, OF STUDYING SOME OF THIS, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GETTING A DIFFERENT TEAM, BUT EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER THE SAME COMPANY, SOMETIMES THOSE COMPANIES STILL HAVE SAME, THE SAME, THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME FUNCTIONS, AND THE, THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME SYSTEMS OF HOW THEY ACCOUNT INFORMATION AND HOW THEY COLLECT DATA.
SO TO ME, IT'S JUST A LITTLE CONCERNING IN TERMS OF, THEY SAY THAT YOU SHOULD CHANGE COMPANIES AFTER SO MANY YEARS.
SO DUE TO US NOT POSSIBLY CHANGING THE COMPANY, UM, I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT THAT.
I, I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT THIS MOTION TODAY.
JUST, JUST BECAUSE, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT AND JUST, UM, YEAH, JUST, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT, JUST, I'M JUST LOOKING.
SOMETIMES WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO CHANGE, UNFORTUNATELY AND NOT NECESSARILY GET OUR COMFORT ZONE, BUT THERE'S DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS THAT DIFFERENT COMPANIES DO.
SO THAT'S JUST GOING GONNA BE MY VOTE TODAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY A AYE AYE.
SO THE MOTION, UH, IS, IS, UH, CARRIE'S.
AND IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTS, THEY SUBMIT THEIR COMMENT CARD UP UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MEETING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THIS IS THE SECOND READING, AND THIS WILL BE, UH, COME POLICY IF IT PASSES.
CARRIE IS MY PRIVILEGE TO MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOMINEE MR. CARLTON DOWN FOR THE SSPA REGION ONE DIRECTOR.
AND, UM, YEAH, I'D SAY, UH, NICELY.
BRIAN CARSON, UH, S-C-S-B-A, UH, ASKED FOR HIM TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION.
AND, UH, IT IS FOR A ONE YEAR TERM.
PATRICIA SIMMONS, WHO'S CURRENTLY IN THAT POSITION, UH, DECIDED NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION.
AND SO I, I BELIEVE, UH, OUR NOMINATION, IF SUCCESSFUL, WHICH I EXPECT IT WILL BE THAT, UH, THEY WILL, UH, MAKE IT FORMAL AT THE, UM, DELEGATE ASSEMBLY.
MR. SMITH, UH, WELL, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF, I, I DID, UH, SPEAK, BUT I, UH, JUST IN TERMS OF HOW DID WE GET TO THIS, THIS, THIS POINT, THIS POINT IN TERMS OF, UM, PUTTING THIS UP AS THE MOTION AND TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THEY REACHED OUT TO US.
AND MR. UM, DALLAS, UH, GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED.
[03:30:01]
JUST, I, THAT'S SOMETHING I WILL TAKE UPON, TAKE UPON AT THE MEETING.BUT ALSO, UH, ME AND SOME, UH, I HAD BEEN, I HAD SPOKEN TO THE LADY THAT WHO WAS NOT RUNNING AT ONE OF OUR LAST, UH, SESSIONS, AND, UH, SHE AND I ALSO TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY LOOKING TO DO THIS, UM, PUTTING TO DO THIS.
BUT I WILL CONCEDE, UH, TO MR. UH, MR. CARLTON, UH, MR. MR. DA, TO MR. CARON DALLAS, BEING AT THE OLD ORGANIZATION THAT REACHED OUT TO HIM.
BUT THAT'S JUST, UH, I JUST WANNA PUT THAT ON RECORD TODAY.
ALSO, HOW HE GOT HERE AND, AND WHAT THE, WHAT WAS, WHAT THE ACTION, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE PRIOR ACTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MRS. DALLAS.
I HAVE TO SIGN SOMETHING AGAIN.
I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR THAT.
[Consent Agenda]
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND WHO'S GONNA SECOND IT? MS. BOATWRIGHT A ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.[Future Agenda Topics]
AGENDA[Announcements]
AND, UM, YESTERDAY WAS VETERANS DAY, AND I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK ALL OF THE VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND CERTAINLY HERE ON THE BOARD.
AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, EVERYONE'S SERVICE AS WELL AS OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE VETERANS AS WELL.
WE'RE DOWN TO ADJOURNMENT, AND WE CAN ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN AND, UH, WAS, UH, WATCHING ALSO.
FORT FREMONT CLOSES OUT A 350 YEAR LEGACY OF COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS IN PORT ROYAL SOUND, BEGINNING IN THE MID 16TH CENTURY.
IT ALSO REPRESENTS THE CLOSING CHAPTER OF AMERICA'S COASTAL DEFENSE SYSTEM BEFORE THE DAWN OF AIR POWER.
PORT FREMONT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE MOST ADVANCED MILITARY TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME.
IT WOULD PARALLEL THE B 17 AND AIRCRAFT CARRIER OF WORLD WAR II, THE F 35 OF TODAY.
FORT FREMONT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BEAUFORD CULTURE, VERY SIMILAR TO PARIS ISLAND AND THE MARINE CORPS AIR BASE.
TODAY IN 1525, THE SPANIARDS NAMED THIS SOUND AND THIS HARBOR, SANTA ELENA, THEY CALLED THE NAVIGATIONAL POINT, LA PUNTE DE SANTA ELENA, THE POINT OF SANTA ELENA.
AND WHAT THE SPANISH EXPLORERS DISCOVERED IS THAT PORT ROYAL SOUND IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF GEOGRAPHY.
IT'S THE DEEPEST NATURAL HARBOR SOUTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, POSSIBLY SOUTH OF NEW YORK, THE CHANNEL INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
THIS, I FIND A REMARKABLE GEOLOGICAL FACT.
THE CHANNEL HA, UH, HAS NOT CHANGED FOR 500 YEARS.
THERE'S NO INLET ON THE SOUTHERN COAST THAT HASN'T SHIFTED ENTIRELY IN 500 YEARS EXCEPT PORT ROYAL SOUTH.
THERE'S SOMETHING GEOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT, OR ONE MIGHT SAY MAGICAL ABOUT PORT ROYALS OUT.
SO SPANISH SAILORS BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN THEIR TIME, FOUND THIS PLACE VERY EARLY, KNEW THAT FOR THE SPANISH EXPLORATIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHEAST, THIS WOULD BE THE ENTRATA, THE ENTRANCE.
AND SO THEY BUILT A CITY ACROSS THE RIVER, UH, ACROSS THE SOUND FROM WHERE WE ARE ON PARIS ISLAND THAT BECAME THE FIRST CAPITAL OF FLORIDA.
AND THEY EXPLORED THE BACK COUNTRY FROM THIS LOCATION FOR, UH, MORE THAN
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A CENTURY, WITH THE OBJECT OF BUILDING A HIGHWAY FROM THIS MAGNIFICENT HARBOR TO MEXICO CITY.SO THE SOUND WAS KNOWN TO THE SPANIARDS, IT WAS KNOWN TO THE FRENCH WHO ACTUALLY GOT HERE FIRST AND FOLLOWED AND CREATED THE FIRST PROTESTANT COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD ON PARIS ISLAND OVER MY SHOULDER.
UM, AND THAT COLONY WAS A FAILURE.
IT WAS PART OF SPANISH, FLORIDA WHEN THE ENGLISH ARRIVED 150 YEARS LATER.
AND THIS WAS BECAME, AS A CONSEQUENCE, A BATTLEGROUND IN THE 18TH CENTURY BETWEEN SPANISH INTERESTS IN FLORIDA AND ST.
AUGUSTINE, AND THE ENGLISH COLONY IN CAROLINA AND IN CHARLESTON.
AND BACK IN FORTH, THESE WARS WENT, MANY OF THEM NAVAL WARS, MANY OF THEM EMPLOYING, AS ALL THE SAILORS KNEW BY THEN, THE MAGIC OF PORT ROYAL SOUND.
BUT WHEN THE CIVIL WAR CAME, CONFEDERATES DEFENDED THE, UH, HARBOR, BUT IT WAS BASICALLY INDEFENSIBLE AGAINST, UH, LARGE NAVAL FORCES.
SO THE US NAVY MADE IT THEIR PRINCIPLE TARGET DURING THE BE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR, AND SENT THE LARGEST FLOTILLA OF SHIPS, UM, ASSEMBLED BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN THE 19TH CENTURY INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
ON NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 7TH, 1861.
IN A FOUR HOUR CANON AID, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN DEAFENING FROM WHERE WE'RE SITTING, WAS HEARD FROM MILES FROM SAVANNAH, NEARLY TO CHARLESTON.
IT WAS CALLED THE DAY OF THE BIG GUN SHOOT.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, THIS HARBOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAS FILLED WITH SHIPS.
THERE WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF SHIPS IN THIS HARBOR.
THERE WAS A THOUSAND FOOT, UH, DOCK WITH A RAILROAD ON TOP OFF OF HILTON HEAD.
UM, THE MILITARY INSTALLATION WAS MAMMOTH.
THERE WERE 13,000 US SOLDIERS ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGEST POPULATION ON HILTON HEAD UNTIL 1974.
SO THIS WAS A MAJOR US GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH.
IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE US ARMY DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, SOUTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON.
SO THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE NAVY WERE HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT, IT BECAME, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE STORY OF FREIGHT.
FORT FREMONT STARTS WITH THAT HUGE CIVIL WAR MILITARY, UH, OPERATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS, UM, ON HILTON HEAD, ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND IN BEAUTIFUL AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GONNA REVOLUTIONIZE THE MILITARY.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, WE HAD IRONCLAD SHIPS, WE HAD RIFLE CANNONS, BUT THEY WERE ALL MADE OUT OF IRON, AND THEY WERE NOT TERRIBLY EFFECTIVE.
BUT ITS TECHNOLOGY IS GONNA CHANGE.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WE'RE GONNA SEE STEEL PRODUCED, AND STEEL IS MUCH HARDER.
SO NOW WE HAVE A NEW MATERIAL, UH, TO MAKE ARMOR OUT OF FOR SHIPS.
SO WE CAN HAVE THESE ARMORED SHIPS MADE WITH STEEL AT A MUCH MORE RESISTANCE, A SHOT, BECAUSE I HAVE STEEL, I CAN MAKE, UH, STRONGER BARRELS FOR MY GUNS.
UH, I CAN RIFLE AND MACHINE THESE MUCH BETTER.
AND THE RIFLING IS THE SPIRALS THAT ARE CUTTING THE BARREL THAT ALLOWS IT TO SHOOT FURTHER WITH MORE ACCURACY.
AND WE CAN ALSO NOW HAVE BREACH LOADING GUNS THAT CAN LOCK FROM BEHIND.
SO I CAN LOAD MY GUN FROM BEHIND.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO HAVE THE OLD BLACK POWDER MUZZLE LOADING CANNON, UH, HEAD BEFORE NOW, I CAN FIRE A MUCH MORE RAPIDLY.
IF I COMPARE THE GUN OF, UH, 1890 TO THE GUNS OF 1860, UH, FOR THE SAME CALIBER, THE SAME DIAMETER GUN, UH, THE 1890 GUN WILL BE ABLE TO FIRE PROJECTILE AS FOUR TIMES HEAVIER, CAN SHOOT IT THREE TIMES FURTHER, CAN PUT IT IN WITH GREATER PRECISION, AND CAN PUT IT THROUGH MUCH MORE ARMOR THAN ANYTHING.
WE HAD IN 1860S WORLD DIFFERENCE.
A MILITARY HISTORIAN, ER LEWIS, WOULD SAY THAT THE CHANGE BETWEEN THE CIVIL WAR AND 1890 IN ARTILLERY TECHNOLOGY WAS THE GREATEST THAT WE'D BE SEEN SINCE INVENTION OF ARTILLERY IN THE 14TH CENTURY, TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NUCLEAR PROJECTILE IN THE 1950S.
SO THERE'S BEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN GUN TECHNOLOGY AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S NOT JUST THE STEEL, BUT ALSO THE POWDER THAT FIRES THESE GUNS IS DIFFERENT.
WE'RE HAVING NEW CHEMICAL MAKEUP.
AND SO, LIKE CORDITE IS INVENTED NOW, AND IT'S STILL A WIDELY USED MILITARY EXPLOSIVE.
SMOKELESS POWER IS INVENTED DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT'S NOT JUST CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, BUT IT'S THE DETAILS OF HOW YOU MAKE THE GRAIN, HOW FAST THEY BURN.
SO MUCH LIKE THE SKILL OF FIRING A SOLID ROCKET, UM, SOLID FUEL, UM, ROCKET.
IT'S THAT SAME KIND OF TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED IN THESE, UH, GUNPOWDER, IN THIS NEW POWDER.
SO OUR WEAPONS OF THIS DAY ARE MUCH, MUCH GREATER.
UM, THEY WOULD BE THE GREAT KILLING MACHINES IN WORLD WAR I.
MOST OF THE CASUALTIES ON THE BATTLEFIELDS WORLD WAR, I WOULD COME FROM ARTILLERY.
SO THE WORLD HAS SEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN ARTILLERY, AND THAT'S TIED INTO
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CHANGES IN SHIPS.WE NOW HAVE STEEL ARMORED SHIPS.
THEY'RE ALL, UH, STEAM POWERED.
THEY ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH THESE FINE LONG RANGE GUNS, AND THEY NOW BECOME THE DOMINANT THREAT OF THE LATE 19TH, EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH WOULD BOMBARD CITIES LIKE CAIRO AND REDUCE THEM TO RUBBLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DEFEND THEM.
SO THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WAS SEEING THE THREAT FROM THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, BIG BATTLESHIPS, OR THE THREAT OF THE ERA.
AND NEW GUNS AND FORTIFICATIONS ON, UH, THE GROUND ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST THEM.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IS THEY BUILT A RAILROAD TO PORT ROYAL SOUND, WHICH DIDN'T EXIST.
IT WAS THE FIRST CONNECTION OF THE SEA ISLANDS TO THE MAINLAND.
AND THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT RAILROAD IS IT BROUGHT COAL TO PORT, ROYAL SOUND.
SO WHEN THE COAL WAS DELIVERED, THE NAVY FOLLOWED IN 1872, ROBERT SMALLS WAS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE, AND HE PUSHED THROUGH A RESOLUTION TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR CALLING FOR THEM TO PUT A NAVY STATION ON PARIS ISLAND.
AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD GO ON TO CONGRESS WHERE HE WOULD CONTINUE HIS SUPPORT FOR A NAVY STATION HERE IN THE BEAUFORT PORT OIL AREA.
THEY EVENTUALLY OPENED A NAVY STATION HERE AND A COALING STATION THEY CREATED IN THE 1890S ON PARAS ISLAND, THE LARGEST DRY DOCK IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE US NAVY WAS SWITCHING FROM SAIL TO STEAM.
ALL THE NAVIES OF THE WORLD NEED COALING STATION.
THIS WAS THE PRINCIPLE COALING STATION BECAUSE THE RAILROAD FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN US FLEETS, THIS WOULD BE THE BIGGEST DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK.
IN FACT, IT IS THE ONLY DRY DOCK SOUTH OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, THAT'S CAPABLE OF TAKING THESE NEW MODERN BATTLESHIPS AND THESE NEW MODERN ARMORED CRUISERS.
SO THIS BECOMES, AT THIS POINT, A STRATEGIC NAVY BASIN, THAT IT PROVIDES COAL AND IT PROVIDES, UH, TOP LINE SUPPORT TO THE SHIPS, AND THEY CAN REPAIR THE HULLS OF EVEN THE BIGGEST SHIPS IN THE US NAVY.
FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR, NATIONAL STRATEGY AND EMPHASIS IN THE UNITED STATES SHIFTED FROM TO RECOVERY FROM WAR, AND ALL OF OUR COASTAL FORTIFICATIONS WENT INTO NEGLECT.
THE MILITARY WAS BUSY TAMING THE WEST, AND COASTAL DEFENSES, UH, BECAME SOMETHING THAT WAS NO LONGER IMPORTANT IN THE REST OF THE WORLD.
TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING FORWARD, AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THESE BATTLESHIPS.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING NEW, UH, HIGH QUALITY ARTILLERY, AND THIS IS GOING ON, UH, WORLDWIDE.
AND IN 1885, PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND APPOINTED ENDICOTT BOARD, THIS WAS SEC HEADED BY SECRETARY WAR ENDICOTT, WILLIAM ENDICOTT AND THE BOARD WOULD MEET AND ISSUE A REPORT IN 1886.
AND THEY SAID THE CONDITIONS OF OUR COASTAL DEFENSES WERE JUST UNBEARABLE.
THEY CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY LIKE THAT.
AND THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FORTIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY IDENTIFIED 29 PLACES THAT NEEDED FORTIFICATIONS, AND 11 OF WHICH WERE CRITICAL IN THAT LIST OF 29 SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON ON THE LIST.
BUT BUFORT IS NOT ON THE LIST.
IT'LL TAKE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS TO BRING BUFORT INTO THE PLAY OF, OF MODERN FORT TECHNOLOGY.
SO THE USS MAINE WAS HERE ON PATROL AND IN THE HARBOR, AND WHILE THEY WERE IN THE HARBOR, SEVERAL TIMES, THEY ENTERTAINED THE LOCAL POPULATION.
SO THE MERCHANTS AND THE SOCIAL LEADERS AND THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF BEAUFORT WERE INVITED TO COME HAVE LUNCH WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP, CAPTAIN SBY.
AND THE OFFICERS GOT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE GET, GOT TO KNOW THE OFFICERS.
THE CREW, WHICH WAS LARGE, WOULD GO ASHORE ON PAYDAY AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH EVERYBODY IN TOWN.
SO IT WAS A VERY SOCIAL, UM, ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNS, PORT ROYAL, AND BEAUFORD, AND THE SHIP.
SO THE MAIN LEFT HERE, IT WENT AND REPROVISION, IT REFUELED IN KEY WEST, AND THEN WENT THE 90 MILES ACROSS TO HAVANA INTO THE HARBOR AND BLEW UP THIS INFLAMED, THE ALREADY, UH, HOT PASSIONS, BOTH IN CUBA AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AT THAT POINT, SOMEBODY IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT REALIZED THAT WE HAD THIS BIG DRY DOCK, THE ONLY DRY DOCK IN THE SOUTH THAT COULD TAKE ON AND REPAIR THESE BIG CAPITAL SHIPS THAT WERE IN OUR NAVY.
WE WERE GOING TO START OPERATIONS AGAINST A POWER IN THE CARIBBEAN.
AND THIS FORT WAS TOTALLY UNDEFENDED, AND THAT'S WHAT PUT FORT FREMONT ON THE MAP.
WE HAD TO HAVE A FORT HERE TO DEFEND THE COALING STATION, AND ESPECIALLY THIS BIG DRY DOCK, AS WELL AS THIS FINE HARBOR THAT'S HERE.
AND OF COURSE, THAT EVENT, WHICH KILLED 300
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OR MORE SAILORS ON THE SHIP, UM, WAS VERY MUCH FOLLOWED BY THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA AND VERY MUCH LAMENTED BY THE MANY FRIENDS THAT THE CREW HAD MADE HERE.THE DESTRUCTION OF THE USS MAINE WAS A PERSONAL MATTER TO BEAUFORT AND TO PORT ROYAL SOUND.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IT WAS THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR AND THE ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THIS HARBOR AGAIN, WHICH LED TO THE, THE CREATION OF FORT FREMONT.
THE UNITED STATES DECLARED WAR ON SPAIN IN, IN APRIL, 1898.
AND BY EARLY MAY, WE HAD TEMPORARY BATTERIES IN PLACE HERE, SUBMARINE MINES WERE IN PLACE, AND IN THE SUMMER, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY PLACE THE MINES ACROSS THE BEAUFORT RIVER.
THE TEMPORARY BATTERIES WERE A TEMPORARY EXPEDIENT.
THEY WERE LOCATED TO MY LEFT ABOUT A THOUSAND YARDS.
THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT WOULD BECOME FORT FREMONT.
THE LARGE BATTERIES WOULD HOUSE THE LARGE GUNS BATTERY FOR THE RAPID FIRE GUNS.
THE SMALLER BATTERY WAS COMPLETED BY JUNE OF 1898.
IN THE 1898, EVERYBODY IN TOWN WENT TO WAR.
UM, THEY HAD A NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, SOUTH CAROLINA NAVAL MILITIA UNIT, AND THEY WERE ABSORBED BY THE NAVY.
UH, MANY OF THEM RAN TUGBOATS FROM HERE TO NEW YORK TO KEY WEST, WHICH WAS THE PRINCIPAL SUPPORT BASE, TAMPA AND KEY WEST FOR THE US ARMY OPERATIONS IN CUBA.
PEACE WAS DECLARED BY THE END OF 1898, AND THE, UH, REMAINDER OF FORT FREMONT WOULD NOT BE FINISHED UNTIL EARLY 1899, AND THE FIRST SOLDIERS WOULD ARRIVE FROM THE REGULAR ARMY AT THAT POINT IN MARCH, 1899.
WELL, FORT FREMONT WAS NAMED FOR, UH, MAJOR GENERAL JOHN FREMONT.
UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY A LOCAL BOY, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, HE WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN, UH, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, JUST, UH, SOUTH OF US.
AND, UH, WENT TO, UH, COLLEGE IN THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, UH, JUST NORTH OF US IN CHARLESTON.
HE SERVED IN THE ARMY AND, UH, PRIMARILY INITIALLY AS A, UM, EXPLORER, AS ARMY FORTS WERE GENERALLY NAMED FOR ARMY OFFICERS.
UH, AND HE WAS, UH, CONNECTED LOCALLY.
UH, THIS WAS, UH, MORE THAN LIKELY WHY THE FORT WAS NAMED FOR HIM.
THE FORT WAS CONSTRUCTED ON A SITE, UH, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM, UH, THE PARIS ISLAND, UH, UH, NAVAL STATION.
AND THE SITE SELECTED WAS 170 ACRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE TWO, UH, ARTILLERY, UH, BA BATTERIES, UH, FORT, UH, FOR FREMONT, OF COURSE, HAD BATTERY FOREIGNNESS AND BATTERY JESSUP.
UH, BUT THEN ADJACENT TO THE BATTERY SITE WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE QUADRANGLE, VERY TYPICAL MILITARY TYPE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SQUARE.
UH, WE ARE SITTING IN THE NUMBER THREE GUN POSITION OF A THREE GUN BATTERY BATTERY JESSUP, WHICH HAD THREE 10 INCH DISAPPEARING CARRIAGE, LARGE CALIBER GUNS BREACH LOADING GUNS.
THEIR PURPOSE WAS TO, UH, ENGAGE THE WARSHIPS THAT MIGHT, UH, BE ENTERING THE HARBOR, UH, AND PORT ROYAL SOUND.
WE'RE HERE NOW AT THE SECOND BATTERY, UH, THAT WAS PART OF FORT FREMONT.
THIS IS BATTERY FOR NANCE, UH, WAS NAMED FOR A ARMY OFFICER, UH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY KILLED DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.
UH, DURING THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL, UH, BATTERY ANCE MOUNTED TWO, UH, BRITISH MADE 4.72 INCH ARMSTRONG QUICKFIRE GUNS.
UH, THEY WERE CALLED QUICKFIRE BECAUSE THEY LOADED, UH, WERE LOADED WITH A COMPLETE CARTRIDGE, AND IT, UH, IN TIME OF ACTION, THEY COULD FIRE FOUR TO SIX ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THE PURPOSE OF BATTERY FOR NANCE WAS TO DEFEND THE MINEFIELD, WHICH WAS THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THE ENDICOTT COAST ARTILLERY OR OR COAST DEFENSE SYSTEM.
UH, A MINEFIELD, UH, WITH CONTROLLED MINES.
CONTROLLED MEANING THAT THEY WERE CONNECTED ELECTRICALLY TO SHORE AND COULD BE FIRED ON COMMAND FROM SHORE.
THAT, UH, CONTROL STATION WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, PROBABLY SHARED WITH THE PLOTTING ROOM.
AND IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE MINEFIELD, OBVIOUSLY AN ENEMY WOULD WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THAT.
MIGHT SEND VESSELS, UH, SMALL SHIPS IN HERE AT NIGHT TO TRY TO INTERFERE.
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AND THIS BATTERY WOULD TAKE THOSE VESSELS UNDER FIRE IF THERE WERE SOME, UH, THEY WERE SUSPECTED THAT, UH, UH, THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING TO INTERFERE WITH THE MINES, SUCH AS, UH, PULLING UP THE CABLES AND CUTTING THOSE.THE INDEGO ERA ERA OF FORT WAS A FORMIDABLE TECHNOLOGY.
IT REPRESENTED STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME AGAINST THE STATE-OF-THE-ART THREAT, WHICH WOULD BE THE BATTLESHIP.
THE LIFE FOR THE SOLDIERS AT FORT FREMONT WAS DISCIPLINED AND REGIMENTED.
THEY EVEN HAD MEALTIMES WERE SPECIFIED LENGTHS OF TIME, 15 MINUTES FOR LUNCH, 15 MINUTES AT BREAKFAST, 20 MINUTES AT SUPPER.
THEY HAD TO PRACTICE THEIR SKILLS.
THEY WERE TRAINING AND DOING MAINTENANCE CONSTANTLY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH THESE BIG GUNS.
THEY HAD TO HAVE SKILLS IN AND PRACTICE THE SKILLS IN ARTILLERY MIND LAYING SIGNALING, WHICH INVOLVED IN OUR CASE AT FORT FREMONT, THE USE OF THE FIRE CONTROL TOWER, WHICH WAS A PRETTY SOPHISTICATED AND, UM, ADVANCED SIGNALING TECHNIQUE.
THEN THEY ALSO HAD TO, UM, PRACTICE THE TYPICAL MILITARY SKILLS, MARCHING AND DRILLING, SMALL ARMS, FIRE, FIRST AID, AND SO FORTH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO, UM, HAD PARTICIPATED IN ATHLETICS.
THEY HAD PHYSICAL TRAINING, PT, AND THEY ALSO HAD SPORTS TEAMS. SO THIS WAS TO KEEP THEM PHYSICALLY FIT SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE THEIR, THEIR DUTIES, BECAUSE THEY WERE, IT WAS PRETTY RIGOROUS AT FORT F FREEMONT.
WHEN EVENTUALLY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE A DRY DOCK AND THE COALING STATION AND THE NAVY STATION UP TO CHARLESTON, THEN THIS FORT NO LONGER BECAME SIGNIFICANT.
THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT HERE THAT WAS TO BE PROTECTED.
AND AT THAT POINT, 1911, THE LAST TROOPS WERE TRANSFERRED OUT, AND THE FORT WAS CLOSED IN 1901, THE MAYOR OF CHARLESTON AND THE UNITED STATES SENATOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, WANTED THIS TO MOVE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO CHARLESTON COUNTY 'CAUSE THERE ARE MORE VOTES IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
AND THE MAYOR WANTED THE US CORPS OF ENGINEERS THAN IN THE NAVY TO DREDGE THE HARBOR IN CHARLESTON.
'CAUSE BATTLESHIPS IN THOSE DAYS REQUIRED 26 FEET OF WATER.
CHARLESTON'S NATURAL HARBOR IS 15 FEET OF WATER.
PORT ROYAL IS 30 FEET OF WATER.
IN ORDER FOR CHARLESTON TO SUSTAIN ITS PORT, ITS COMMERCIAL PORT, IT HAD TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
WELL, IF THEY COULD GET THE NAVY UP THERE, THEY GET THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO DREDGE THE HARBOR.
AND THE, UH, THE PLAY FOR PITCHFORK, BEN TILLMAN, THE US SENATOR IN 1900, WAS THAT HE'D GET A WHOLE LOT MORE VOTES FROM VOTES FROM THE LARGEST CITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IT WAS A POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL OPERATION, AND THEY MOVED THE NATION AND IT WAS DONE, BOOM, LIKE THAT.
THE FORT DID ITS JOB, A DETERRENT FOR ANYBODY THAT WISHED TO ATTACK THESE.
IN FACT, THE WHOLE INDICO SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH NEVER CHALLENGED IN, UH, THIS ERA HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, PROVIDED SOME 300 MAJOR GUNS, COASTAL GUNS, TO PRO, UH, PROTECT MAJOR AREAS, AND LEFT THE UNITED STATES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY WITH AS WELL DEFENDED, UH, COASTLINE AS ANY PLACE IN, IN THE WORLD.
BUT I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S A MAGNIFICENT ARTIFACT OF AN ERA, AND IT'S AN ERA THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED, UH, THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, UM, THE NAVAL STATION ACROSS THE RIVER HERE.
AND, UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A PIECE OF HISTORY THAT'S DISAPPEARING.
AND THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE PRESERVED IT FOR THE USE OF THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, AS A MEMORIAL TO THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY, FORT FREMONT CLOSES A 350 YEAR STORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ADDRESSING EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
IT'S A TALE OF HOW GEOGRAPHY, TECHNOLOGY, AND NATIONAL SECURITY CREATES A TRANSITION FOR AMERICA TO BECOME A GLOBAL POWER.
IT'S ALSO A WONDERFUL SNAPSHOT OF AMERICA.
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE A VALUED PARTNERSHIP WORKING IN TANDEM TO PRESERVE THE FORT'S INTEGRITY AND PROMOTE THE HISTORICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE FORT.
MOST IMPORTANT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CREATIVE WAYS TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
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ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.VERY GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH US TO SHARE SOME TIME, UM, AS WE CELEBRATE YET ANOTHER GREAT MOMENT AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMING THIS BUILDING THAT YOU'RE STANDING IN NOW.
UH, THE NEW TERMINAL IS GONNA FEATURE NEW AND MODERN SPACES, AND IT'S GONNA HELP OUR RESIDENTS FEEL AT HOME, AND IT'S GONNA HELP OUR VISITORS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN START THEIR VACATION AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE DIRECTLY TO OUR ISLAND, THE NUMBER ONE ISLAND, BY THE WAY.
SO WITH THE NEW BUILDING, THE TRAVELERS ARE GOING TO ENJOY MUCH MORE SPACE.
WE'LL HAVE A NEW SECURITY CHECKPOINT, EASIER DROP-OFFS AND PICKUPS, BAGGAGE CAROUSELS, JET BRIDGES, AMONG MANY OTHER GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TERMINAL.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TODAY TO AMERICAN AIRLINES, DELTA AIRLINES, AND UNITED AIRLINES FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO TO HELP US CONNECT PEOPLE TO PLACES.
YOUR AIRPORT NOW BOASTS 100% JET SERVICE NONSTOP TO NINE CITIES AS FAR AWAY AS DALLAS, TEXAS, AND ONE STOP SERVICE TO HUNDREDS MORE CITIES.
WITH ALL OF THESE CHANGES AND WITH THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE FACILITY, WE REALIZED IT WAS TIME TO UPDATE OUR BRANDING.
THE CURRENT LOGO, IT'S FUN, IT'S COLORFUL, OKAY.
IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE ON VACATION, SO WE LOVE THAT LOGO, BUT IT'S TIME TO RETIRE, OLD FRIEND.
IT IDENTIFIES THE AIRPORT AS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S A DISTINCT GRAPHIC TIE TO OUR GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE LOGO REFLECTS THE FIRST CLASS FEEL OF OUR RESORT ISLAND.
THE COLORS EVOKE FEELINGS OF OUR BEACH ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS OUR BEAUTIFUL COASTAL SKIES.
THIS NEW LOGO SETS YOUR AIRPORT APART AND HELPS TO CONTINUE BUILDING THE AIRPORT'S IDENTITY.
AND THEN AS WE LOOK FORWARD TOGETHER TO THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THIS GREAT NEW TERMINAL, WE LINK OUR ARMS AND WE FLY TOGETHER INTO THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF THE TEAM.