[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC AT BUFORT COUNTY.
[Call to Order]
MEETINGS.PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SCHOOL RELATED TOPICS.
CITIZENS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC CONFERENCE CAN DO SO IN PERSON OR VIA PHONE.
THERE ARE TWO SCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENT FORUMS DURING EACH BOARD MEETING.
THE FIRST IS A 30 MINUTE SESSION NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, LIMITED TO TOPICS ON THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
THE SECOND IS A 15 MINUTE SESSION, WHICH TAKES PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT, BUT NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM.
REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE AT PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY.
YOU CAN FIND THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC COMMENT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS HTTPS WW BEAUFORT SCHOOLS.NET/ABOUT US SLASH BOARD OF ED SLASH PUBLIC COMMENTS PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM 24 HOURS FROM THE DAY OF THE TIME OF THE MEETING.
REQUESTERS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK.
CITIZENS DESIRING TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL.
[Executive Session]
ASK FOR A READING OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.CAN MR. VICE, WOULD YOU MIND DOING THAT PLEASE? YEAH, YOU MOVE.
MOTION TO YEAH, GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE ITEMS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED.
EMPLOYMENT MATTER REGARDING PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATION SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70.
UH, A ONE AND IS, UH, NEXT ONE IS ADULT EDUCATION MONTHLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 40 A FOUR.
NEXT ONE IS DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 69 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION, INCORPORATED FOR MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
INTERIOR PAINTING AND TRACK RESURFACING IMPROVEMENTS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATION SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 70 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION, INCORPORATED FOR DESC PHASE THREE AMENDMENT COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATION SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO AN ENCROACHMENT PERMIT AT MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
AND LASTLY, DISCUSSION OF SUPERINTENDENT BOARD RELATIONS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE.
HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FOR MR. SMALL.
ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? YES SIR.
MA'AM, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, WHO WILL BE ADVISING US IN, UH, ADVISING US, UH, IN EXECUTIVE DISCUSSION TODAY? I DISTRICT STAFF.
AND IF WE HAVE, UH, MS. CARTILAGE ONLINE, UH, MS. CARTILAGE AND, UM, MS. MIDDLETON, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE IPHONE, CAN, THE PERSON'S ON THE IPHONE PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF PLEASE.
THERE'S THREE OR FOUR OF THEM.
WE HAVE THREE, THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE ON THE IPHONE.
GOT MS. BOATRIGHT, DO YOU SEE MY NAME? I CHANGED THE PHONE NAME.
THE MOTION, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR HEARING IN THE MEDIA CENTER, UH, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WE ARE NOW GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[00:05:01]
THREE SIMPLE STEPS.EVERY FAMILY SHOULD HAVE A PLAN FOR HOW THEY WILL COMMUNICATE DURING AN EMERGENCY AND WHERE THEY WILL MEET IF SEPARATED.
HAVING BASIC EMERGENCY SUPPLIES ON HAND WILL KEEP YOU ALIVE DURING THE DISASTER.
MONITOR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND UPDATES.
VISIT BCSO.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
IS THERE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, SIR.UH, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE MARCH 1ST, 2025 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2025.
PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
ANY DISCUSSION? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
WE HAVE A QUORUM RIGHT HERE AND PLUS WE HAVE ONLINE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN THE ROOM SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ONLINE MS. BOATRIGHT NOTHING HEARD.
AND WE HAVE, UH, FOUR ABSENT THE MOTION CARRIES IS ALSO ONLINE.
UH, MS. HAY, DO YOU VOTE ON THIS, ON THIS MOTION? YES.
OKAY, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MONTHLY ADULT EDUCATION REPORT FOR APRIL 1ST, 2025.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN THE ROOM SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
VOTE WRIGHT MS. BOATWRIGHT AYE.
OKAY, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 69 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED FOR THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING INTERIOR PAINTING, TRACK AND TRACK RESURFACING BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL OF $1,101,428.
MOTION HAS BEEN SECONDED BY VICTOR NAY.
ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, RESPECTFULLY I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN THERE WHEN THIS WAS DISCUSSED.
I'M NOT SURE OF THE DETAILS, SO I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN THE ROOM SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MOTION CARRIES MR. CHAIR AND BOARD, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 70 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED FOR THE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CENTER, PHASE THREE RENOVATIONS BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL OF $2,638,128.
SECOND I SECOND BY MS. FRAZIER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN THE ROOM SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY NAYS? MR. SMITH? MR. SMITH IS, I WILL TAKE OUR EXTENSION.
[Approval of Agenda]
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MR. UH, DR. CARR? I APPROVE.
[00:10:01]
NONE.ALL THOSE IN THE ROOM SIGNIFY BY SAY AYE.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE.I FLAG THE UNITED STATES WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. CHRISTIAN BERRY, HAS THE MEDIA BEEN NOTIFIED? YES, SIR.
[Points of Celebration]
DR. RODRIGUEZ? YES, SIR.UM, WE BEGIN POINTS OF CELEBRATION TODAY WITH OUR CHARACTER ED FOR FEBRUARY TONIGHT.
WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND FEBRUARY'S CHARACTER TRAITS WERE HONESTY AND INTEGRITY.
HONESTY IS DEFINED AS TELLING THE TRUTH AND ADMITTING WRONGDOING.
INTEGRITY IS DEFINED AS A FIRM ADHERENCE TO A CODE OF ESPECIALLY MORAL OR ARTISTIC VALUES FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
THE FEBRUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS RILEY QUINN, A FOURTH GRADE STUDENT AT DUSKY ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT RILEY IS PRINCIPAL NIKKI LUCAS.
I GOT OUTTA ORDER STUDENT PERFORMANCE, SUPPOSED GOOD EVENING.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND AUDIENCE.
THIS IS RILEY QUINN, AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING WITH RILEY AND HER WONDERFUL FAMILY AND THE WONDERFUL STAFF OF DUSKY ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THEY TRAVELED FROM DUSSE ISLAND TO COME BE PART OF THIS TONIGHT, SO WE WELCOME THEM.
RILEY IS A WONDERFUL YOUNG LADY.
SHE'S CURRENTLY IN FOURTH GRADE AT DUSKY ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME WORDS THAT HER TEACHER MRS. INGRAM WROTE ABOUT RILEY.
RILEY QUINN IS THE TYPE OF STUDENT THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF INTEGRITY.
RILEY ALWAYS ALLOWS HER CONSCIENCE TO BE HER GUIDE, BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND WITH HER PEERS.
HER ABILITY TO CHOOSE WHAT IS RIGHT OVER WHAT IS EASY CAN BE SEEN THROUGH HER ACTIONS EACH DAY.
RILEY'S TRUE AND HONEST EFFORTS ARE GIVEN TO HER TEACHERS ALONG WITH EVERY ASSIGNMENT SHE TURNS IN.
SHE WORKS EACH DAY TO DO WHAT SHE KNOWS IS RIGHT EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING.
SHE HAS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEGRITY AND WE CONGRATULATE HER.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HER FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE FEBRUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS LUCILA GARCIA BARRIOS, A SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND HERE TO INTRODUCE LUCILA IS PRINCIPAL BRANTLEY WILSON, SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I DON'T SEE MY STUDENT HERE YET.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A TREK FROM OUR SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
UM, BUT I I DO KNOW SHE INTENDED ON COMING WITH HER FAMILY.
UM, BUT LUC IS A WONDERFUL SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT OUR SCHOOL.
WE HAVE THE RCA HOUSE SYSTEM, AND SO ACROSS THE GRADE LEVELS, THE TEACHERS GET TO NOMINATE STUDENTS FROM EACH OF THE EIGHT HOUSES AT EACH GRADE LEVEL.
AND SO AMONG OUR STUDENTS, SHE WAS SELECTED OUT OF ALL OF HER CLASSMATES FOR THE GRADE LEVEL AND THEN ACROSS THE SCHOOL FOR INTEGRITY AND HONESTY.
UH, HER TEACHERS REPORTED THAT SHE CONSISTENTLY PUTS IN PERSONAL EFFORT INTO HER ASSIGNMENTS AND DESPITE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SHORTCUTS, THAT SHE DOES THINGS WITH INTEGRITY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT SHE CARRIES HER WEIGHT AND GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
[00:15:01]
AND, UH, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE TO HER CLASSMATES IN DOING THESE THINGS.AND SO WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE HER, FOR HER TO RECEIVE THIS, UH, RECOGNITION.
SARAH, IS SHE SHE AND HER FAMILY EN ROUTE? SIR? IS SHE, SHE AND HER FAMILY EN ROUTE? I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT CONFIRMATION FROM THEM THIS EVENING, BUT SHE DID SAY EARLIER TODAY THAT SHE WAS STILL PLANNING TO COME.
WOULD YOU LET US KNOW? AND IF POSSIBLE, WE'LL FIND A PLACE, UH, TO HAVE HER PRESENTED WITH THE AWARD.
NEXT ITEM IS SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION, LOW COUNTRY CONCERT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS.
RECENTLY, THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL MASTER SINGERS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF COURSE, TEACHER JASON SNYDER EARNED A SUPERIOR WITH DISTINCTION AWARD AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION'S CONCERT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT ON A ROLE WITH SUPERIOR RATINGS.
MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL'S BAND RECENTLY RECEIVED A SUPERIOR RATING ON THEIR CONCERT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AS WELL.
AND HERE TO TELL US MORE IS BAND INSTRUCTOR DEBORAH HAMNER.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, THIS PAST WEEK WE DID THE, DID GO TO CPA IN CHARLESTON AT WEST ASHLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ACTUALLY PERFORMED A GRADE FIVE LEVEL, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN WE HAVE IN THE RECENT YEARS.
AND WE JUST, WE ENDED UP RECEIVING STRAIGHT ONES, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST YOU CAN GET AS WELL AS THE CHOIR DIRECTOR, MR. JASON SNYDER.
AND WITH ME, I HAVE MY LEADERSHIP FROM THE BAND ALSO FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
SO LEADERSHIP, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME UP TO BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL.
BUT, UM, THE, SO WITH BOTH GROUPS, THE CONCERT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT, WE PLAY THREE PIECES THAT WE HAVE BEEN REHEARSING AS WELL AS ONE SITE READING PIECE WHERE WE GET SIX MINUTES TO REHEARSE OR TO TO TALK THROUGH THE MUSIC.
AND THEN WE PLAY IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY AND WE GET ADJUDICATED ON THAT.
SO ALL, BOTH BAND INQUIRED DID AN AMAZING JOB THIS YEAR WITH THAT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION.
AND ALSO, DR. WEBB IS HERE ALSO.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
NEXT ITEM IS SKILLS USA COMPETITION.
RECENTLY A FEW BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS COMPETED IN THE SKILLS USA CHAMPIONSHIP THROUGH THEIR COURSES WITH ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.
AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE COMPETITION AND TO INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS IN ACE IS DIRECTOR DR. MICHAEL VEO.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, WE HAD A WONDERFUL TRIP UP THERE.
WE HAD, UM, 22 TOTAL STUDENTS, UM, RETURN BACK WITH MEDALS INCLUDING FOUR STATE CHAMPIONS.
UM, WE HAVE DANIEL FLORES, WHO WAS A STUDENT FROM BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS THE STATE CHAMPION IN FIRST AID, CPR.
UM, THIS IS JILLIAN BAYO FROM BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND CAROLINA BOWMAN FROM BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY TEAM, IT'S A TWO PERSON TEAM FOR EMS. SO THEY ARE THE STATE CHAMPIONS IN EMS. AND WE HAD TWO STUDENTS THAT COULDN'T JOIN US TONIGHT.
UH, VIVIAN FIGUEROA FROM MAY RIVER, WHO IS THE AESTHETIC STATE CHAMPION.
AND ALSO, UH, CHARLES, UM, BRENNAN FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, WHO IS OUR MARINE TECH STATE CHAMPION.
SO, UM, WE DID VERY WELL IN THESE KIDS REPRESENTED, UH, THE DISTRICT IN, IN EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE THEATER SCHOOLS AS WELL AS ACE WONDERFULLY.
SO, UH, THEY DESERVE ANY APPLAUSE THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM.
[00:20:22]
NEXT ITEM IS OUR REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR, THE 2025 LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR AND ENGINEERING FAIR SAW STRONG PARTICIPATION FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH ALL EIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOLS INVOLVED.THE JOURNEY BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER WITH 785 STUDENTS CONDUCTING 625 SCIENCE PROJECTS, OFTEN WORKING IN TEAMS SUPPORTED BY 31 EDUCATORS.
STUDENTS REFINE THEIR PROJECTS THROUGH 27 IN SCHOOL COMPETITIONS LEADING TO THE SELECTION OF 98 TOP PROJECTS FOR DISTRICT-WIDE JUDGING.
ULTIMATELY 32 PROJECTS ADVANCED TO THE REGIONAL FAIR IN MARCH ACROSS SIX SCIENTIFIC CATEGORIES AND BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENT STUDENTS EXCELLED EARNING 23 AWARDS, INCLUDING SEVEN FIRST PLACE HONORS AND EIGHT SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS.
THIS SUCCESS HIGHLIGHTS THE DISTRICT'S STRONG SCIENCE PROGRAMS, DEDICATED EDUCATORS AND THE STUDENT'S PASSION FOR STEM.
AS I CALL YOUR NAME, UH, GROUP BY SCHOOL, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS ARE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD AS WELL.
FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES CATEGORY JUNIOR ONE, DIVISION FIRST PLACE, ELLIE SINGH FOR ENGINEERING, MATH, ROBOTICS AND SYSTEMS. CATEGORY JUNIOR TWO.
DIVISION FIRST PLACE FANG FOR THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD.
CHARLES OMANI, OVERALL DIVISION TWO WINNER.
THANK WHEN BACK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES CATEGORY JUNIOR TWO.
DIVISION FIRST PLACE, LUCY VANPORT JOHNSON, BIRTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CATEGORY JUNIOR TWO DIVISION FIRST PLACE PIERCE FARNER FOR PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY.
CATEGORY JUNIOR TWO DIVISION FIRST PLACE, ADRIANA HEN FOR THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD.
MCGUIRE LEVI FOR THE S-C-A-W-W-A EXCELLENCE IN WATER AWARD.
PIERCE INGER LEMELSON EARLY INVENTOR PRIZE AWARD.
PIERCE INGER FOR ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD.
TRAYSHAWN WILLIS FOR RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CATEGORY JUNIOR TWO DIVISION FIRST PLACE RHETT ADAMS, THE CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY CATEGORY.
JUNIOR TWO DIVISION FIRST PLACE JACK SHAVE BEAUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD NASIR DO FOR BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD.
[00:25:01]
YES, YES.12-YEAR-OLD BODY WITH A, WITH A 25-YEAR-OLD MOM.
[Student Performance]
PERFORMANCE FROM BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA.AND THEY WILL BE PERFORMING HIGH HOPES AND DRAGON HUNTER FERN.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT OUR OUR STUDENTS FROM BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE BEEN, UH, TRYING TO GET HERE.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE RIGHT HERE SETTING UP.
BUT UH, THAT'S WHY WE WENT WITH THE OTHER.
DO YOU WANNA STAY TO YOU OR FACE? FACE THAT WAY, WAY.
CAN I HAVE YOU MOVE OVER A, OKAY.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR INVITING US.
THIS IS OUR PART OF OUR ORCHESTRA AT BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE ARE ONE OF ONLY TWO ORCHESTRAS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
IT'S US AND THEM AS BLUFF IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY AND PROUD TO CONTINUE WITH OUR ORCHESTRA AND STRINGS EDUCATION.
SO, UH, WE HAVE TWO SONGS FOR YOU TONIGHT.
UM, OUR FIRST ONE IS CALLED DRAGON HUNTER BY RICHARD BYER.
IT'S A VERY, VERY COMMON, UH, PIECE IN ORCHESTRA.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA END UP, END WITH A HIGH HOAX, UH, BY PIT TO GET THE DISC.
READY? STARTING WITH DRAGON HUNTER.
READY UP AND CHANGE THE SHOWER HEAD IN YOUR HOME.
[00:31:58]
NOW WE ALREADY DID THE, THE, UH, THE JOB.[00:35:24]
I SAY, YOU DOING HANDS? HMM.YOU DOING HANDS? YOU NEXT ITEM ON THE
[First Public Comments]
AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.I, I READ THE INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS ON RULES FOR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WHEN WE STARTED THE MEETING, BUT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
UH, THE RULES THAT I'M READING ARE ON THE BACK OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT EACH, UH, PERSON WHO WISHING TO SPEAK SIGNS, AND WE HOPE THAT THEY READ THE READ WHAT'S THERE.
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE AUDIENCE, UH, I'LL READ SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE RULES FOR BOARD.
ISSUES INVOLVING PENDING LITIGATION ARE NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE USE OF PHYSICALLY THREATENING ACTIONS OR REMARKS, COMMENTS, OR CONDUCT BY SPEAKERS OR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ARE PROHIBITED.
AND ANY BEHAVIOR THAT FULLY DISRUPTS THE MEETING, TO THE EXTENT THAT ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING IS SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED IS PROHIBITED.
NO PRESENTATION BY A SPEAKER SHALL EXCEED THREE MINUTES.
THE CHAIR WILL STRICTLY ENFORCE THIS TIME LIMIT.
SUITABLE TIMING DEVICE SHALL BE EMPLOYED TO NOTIFY THE SPEAKER OF THE END OF HIS OR HER COMMENT, PERIOD.
SPEAKERS SHALL NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER.
PERSONS APPEARING BEFORE THE BOARD SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY AS INDIVIDUALS IN OFFICIAL MATTERS.
NEITHER THE BOARD NOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WILL RESPOND TO SPEAKERS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE BOARD CHAIR WILL DE DESIGNATE A LOCATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH IS AT THE PODIUM.
DOCUMENTS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD BY THE PUBLIC COMMENTER SHALL BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVES ASSISTANT FOLLOWING THE COMMENT COMMENTERS, UH, APPEARANCE PERSON WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER COMMENTS PUBLICLY MAY SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. ANDREA ANTHONY CAMBRIA.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY TO DEAL WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IMPROVING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS REQUIRES FULL PARTICIPATION.
A THRIVING SCHOOL COMMUNITIES CREATED THROUGH THE INPUT AND IDEAS FROM EVERYONE.
STEPS NECESSARY IN MAKING DIFFERENCE INCLUDE VOTING, DONATING, AND SPEAKING.
THE ENVIRONMENT OF EXCELLENCE CANNOT EXIST AS LONG AS THE MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD CONTINUES THEIR QUEST OF SILENCING PUBLIC COMMENTS, OFFERING OPINIONS, RAISING CONCERNS, OR PROVIDING FACTUAL DATA IS SYSTEMICALLY DISCOURAGED UNDER THE PRETEXT OF EFFICIENCY.
PUBLIC COMMENTS QUITE OFTEN INFLUENCE AN OUTCOME.
VERIFY DATA CORRECT ERRORS, OFFER ALTERNATIVES, SHARE EXPERTISE, PROVIDE NEW DATA, CLARIFY THE LEVELS OF ACCEPTANCE OR RESISTANCE, HELP YOUR CONSTITUENTS UNDERSTAND YOUR POLICY, GIVEN THE FACT THAT COUNTY COUNCIL AND HILTON HEAD TOWN COUNCIL PUBLISH THEIR AGENDAS SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETINGS.
WHEN IS YOUR AGENDA POSTED? HILTON HEAD TOWN COUNCIL MAKES THEIR BOARD PACKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE TO THE PUBLIC SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE MEETINGS.
WHY DON'T YOU? BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL HAS NO RESTRICTION ON PUBLIC COMMENTS TOPICS.
BEAUFORT TOWN COUNCIL ALLOCATES FIVE MINUTES PER PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ANY REASONABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON SEES THE HYPOCRISY OF YOUR POLICY AND PROTOCOLS.
YOU ARE TRYING TO SILENCE THE PUBLIC'S VOICE.
YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME IS OBVIOUS.
HOW MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS ROOM ARE HERE? VOLUNTARY.
WINSTON CHURCHILL SAID, CRITICISM MAY NOT BE AGREEABLE, BUT IT IS NECESSARY.
IT FULFILLS THE SAME FUNCTION AS PAIN IN THE HUMAN BODY.
IT CALLS ATTENTION TO AN UNHEALTHY STATE OF THINGS.
[00:40:01]
RECONSIDER YOUR POLICY ON PUBLIC COMMENTS.AND NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. RICHARD BIY.
CHAIRMAN, AM I ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT THE SECOND PART AS WELL? YES, SIR.
UM, I WANNA TALK VERY, VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
I SENT AN EMAIL TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, GOT NO RESPONSE, AS IS TYPICAL.
UH, BUT IT WAS ABOUT POINTS OF CELEBRATION THAT WE SAW TONIGHT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING BETTER.
WHAT I SUGGESTED IS TO HAVE THREE LARGE COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS, ONE IN HILTON HEAD, ONE IN BLUFFTON, AND ONE IN BUFORD.
HAVE IT CO-SPONSORED BY THE SICS.
OBVIOUSLY THE BOARD WOULD BE A CO-SPONSOR AS WELL.
AND CELEBRATE WHAT I CALL THE THREE A'S ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS, ART ACHIEVEMENTS, AND ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS AND CELEBRATE AND STYLE.
I MEAN, WHAT YOU SAW TONIGHT, I MEAN, GREAT PERFORMANCE, BUT THIS IS NOT A STAGE.
HAVE IT IN AN AUDITORIUM AT ONE OF THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON HILTON, HEAD IN BUFORT, AND KEEP THE BOARD MEETING TO BUSINESS.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT DESPITE, UH, WHAT SOME MAY PERCEIVE MYSELF AND A FEW OTHERS AS TROUBLEMAKERS, WE DO LOOK TO SUGGEST IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I THINK BY REMOVING POINTS OF CELEBRATION FROM THE BOARD MEETING AND HAVING IT AS A TRUE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION, GET THE COMMUNITY BEHIND IT.
I THINK YOU WOULD SEE AN ENORMOUS TURNOUT.
AND I THINK IT COULD BE A HUGE SUCCESS.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT.
THAT IS THE, ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAVE FOR THIS FIRST SESSION.
[CLOC Update]
CLOCK UPDATE, AND WE HAVE TWO UPDATES FROM TWO O'CLOCK CHAIRS.UM, DR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, ON BEHALF OF CLOCK, I'D REALLY LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS GROUP TOGETHER.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, INDEPENDENT GROUP.
EACH ONE OF US WAS INTERVIEWED BY YOU FIVE YEARS AGO, AND, UH, IT'S JUST AN HONOR, UH, TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND TO SERVE THE BOARD.
AND, UH, COLONEL GREER, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU.
YOU ARE OUR, HAVE BEEN OUR LIAISON, AND, UM, THERE'S BEEN AN AREA MEETING YOU'VE MISSED.
YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR US ALL ALONG THROUGH THIS, ADDING SUPPORT FOR US AND HELPING US OUT ALONG THE WAY TO DO A JOB.
WELL, MY REPORT'S GOING TO BE BRIEF TONIGHT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A VERY GOOD BRIEF, UH, IN THAT OUR, UH, MAIN MISSION.
COULD YOU GO TO SLIDE TWO, PLEASE? THAT'S IT.
UH, HAS BEEN TO WATCH THE PROJECTS AND WATCH THE MONEY, UH, FROM THE, UH, 2019, UH, REFERENDUM.
UH, OUR CHAIRMAN, RAY WCO BACK HERE IS GOING TO BE GIVING A SECOND CLOCK REPORT, UH, ON THE 2023, UH, REFERENDUM.
AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH OF, UH, WHAT THE CLOCK IS REALLY DOING, ESPECIALLY FOR, UH, THOSE MAYBE IN THE AUDIENCE OR HOME LISTENING WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR.
UH, WITH THIS, UH, CITIZEN LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THAT'S WHAT THE ACRONYM STANDS FOR.
UH, MOST ALL OF US ARE RETIRED PROFESSIONALS.
I'M A RETIRED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND CIVIL ENGINEER WITH OVER 50 YEARS IN CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN.
WE HAVE OTHERS WHO ARE ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS, CEOS, CPAS, AND FINANCIAL SPECIALISTS.
WE'VE BEEN WATCHING EVERY PROJECT ON THAT REFERENDUM FOR FIVE YEARS.
ONCE A MONTH, WE MEET, AND IN BETWEEN WE GO OUT AND WE VISIT THE PROJECTS, WE TALK TO THE PROJECT MANAGERS, WE FIELD THEIR PROBLEMS AND DISCUSS SOLUTIONS WITH THEM.
UM, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
MR. MCGAIN, CAN YOU POINT THE MIC TOWARDS YOU? THE MIC'S POINT, THE MIC IS POINTED OFF TO THE SIDE.
UM, THE 2019, UH, VOTERS APPROVED A REFERENDUM, UH, TO DO CONSTRUCTION AT, UH, AND UPGRADES
[00:45:01]
AT 17 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, EIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND SIX HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOLS.THESE WERE MAJOR ADDITIONS AND OTHER RES RENOVATIONS, ATHLETIC FIELDS, UH, MANY SAFETY AND SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES WERE DONE, UH, ALL AROUND THE DISTRICT.
UH, WHERE WE STAND NOW, UH, THE PROJECTS ARE WINDING DOWN.
MY LAST, UM, REPORT HERE WAS THAT THE PROJECTS ARE CLOSING DOWN.
WE'RE DOING, DOING WHAT'S CALLED PROJECT CLOSEOUTS.
AND WE'VE BEEN PROCEEDING VERY CAUTIOUSLY.
EACH ONE OF OUR MEETINGS SINCE WE STARTED, ENDED WITH A QUESTION FROM RAY KO'S FINANCIAL COMMITTEE, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FINISH THIS WORK AND DO ALL THE WORK THAT WAS PROMISED? AND WE'D LIKE TO CALL THAT A SOFT LANDING.
WE DON'T, HOW MANY GOVERNMENT PROJECTS HAVE YOU SEEN WHEN THE GOVERNMENT SAYS, OH, WE CAN BUILD THAT FOR $20 MILLION, AND 12 YEARS LATER YOU COME OUT TO SEE IT WAS $50 MILLION.
WELL, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN HERE.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY ASSOCIATED WITH IT FROM THE, THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, TO THE CONTRACTORS, THE MANAGERS, UH, THE STAFF AT THE DISTRICT, AND THE CLOCK PEOPLE CAN BE VERY PROUD OF IT.
WE ARE, AND I CAN GUARANTEE THIS, HAVING A SOFT LANDING.
EVERYTHING THAT WAS PROMISED BACK IN THE REFERENDUM IS BEING DONE, AND IT'S BEING DONE WITHIN THE REASONABLE TIME.
THAT WAS SAID, IT WAS GOING TO BE DONE, AND IT'S BEING DONE AT OR BELOW THE BUDGET.
SO WHAT WE DID AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE END, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF TECHNICAL WORK, ESPECIALLY, UH, COMPUTER WORK, UH, SAFETY AND SECURITY WORK, SECURITY CAMERAS, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT HAD TO BE PURCHASED AND PUT IN.
AND IT WAS DONE INCREMENTALLY ON PURPOSE TO MAKE SURE THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH MONEY BECAUSE UPWARDS TO, UH, 25 TO 30% OF THE ENTIRE JOB WAS SAFETY, SECURITY, AND TECHNICAL, UH, ASPECTS.
SO IT WAS A, A DIFFICULT JOB TOO, BECAUSE THINKING BACK SINCE 2019, SO MUCH OF THIS WORK WAS DONE UNDER COVID.
WE HAD A COUPLE HURRICANES IN THERE.
WE HAD LABOR PROBLEMS, UH, GETTING THE PROPER EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
THESE WERE ALL PROBLEMS. AND THE TEAM WORKED THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THESE ISSUES.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW IS, UH, JUST A FEW JOBS ARE LEFT, MAYBE 20 OUT OF THE ORIGINAL LIST.
AND THEY'RE PAIRING DOWN EVERY DAY.
UH, AS FAR AS THE LARGER SCALE JOBS, UH, COMPLETED NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL EDITION, THE RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY EDITIONS, THE BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING AND WEIGHT ROOM EDITION.
UH, THE ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETED MAJOR RENOVATION PROJECTS ARE BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, COMPLETED ADVANCED DESIGN PROJECTS INCLUDE THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS IN THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ADDITIONS AND REVISIONS.
NUMBER FIVE, UH, THERE ARE COMPLETED LIMITED SCOPE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AT 23 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, ATHLETIC IMPROVEMENTS AT 14, BUILDING ENTRY IMPROVEMENTS AT 36 LOCATIONS, AND BIDIRECTIONAL AMPLIFIERS AT 35 LOCATIONS.
UH, THIS HAS TO DO WITH, UH, TECHNICAL, UH, AMPLIFIERS THAT TIE INTO THE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, UH, RADIOS, THE FIREMEN, THE POLICE AND EMS AND SO FORTH.
UH, AGAIN, RADIOS AT 36 LOCATIONS AND EMERGENCY GENERATORS AT 31 LOCATIONS, UH, PA AND INTERCOMS AT 36 LOCATIONS AND SECURITY CAMERAS AT 33 LOCATIONS.
ACCESS CONTROL AND INTRUSION ALARMS AT 30 LOCATIONS AND TECHNICAL ROOM ADDITIONS AND EXPANSIONS AT 34 LOCATIONS.
THIS IS A LOT OF WORK AND IT'S BEING WRAPPED UP.
SO WE CAN GO THROUGH SLIDE SIX.
[00:50:01]
GO RIGHT TO SLIDE SEVEN, WHICH IS THE MONEY.UH, WHEN WE STARTED UP THERE ON LINE ONE, THE ORIGINAL BUDGET THAT THE VOTERS VOTED ON WAS FOR AN EXPENDITURE OF $344,610,000 TO THAT.
UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD ADDED, UH, WHAT WAS MADE ON THE BOND PREMIUM, AN INCREASE OF 31,000,100.
SO THERE'S THE CURRENT BUDGET, 375 MILLION, 710,000.
AND ON THE NEXT LINE SHOWS THAT PAID AND COMMITTED IS 99.34% OF THAT.
SO WE'RE REALLY RIGHT DOWN TO SPENDING, UH, THE LAST PERCENT OF THE MONEY.
UH, OUT OF THAT, THERE WERE TOTAL REMAINING FUNDS TO COMMIT IS 2,400,000.
A LITTLE MORE THAN A HALF A PERCENT.
AND HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT SAVINGS WERE RETURNED FROM THESE JOBS THAT CLOSED OUT.
THEY HAD EXTRA MONEY LEFT OVER $997,000.
AND THERE WERE SOME CONTINGENCIES USED, OF COURSE, FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS OF 616,000.
SO WHAT IS LEFT IN THE CONTINGENCIES AS OF THE END OF FEBRUARY IS 1,000,200 65,000.
IT WILL BE A SOFT LANDING WITH THAT MUCH MONEY LEFT OVER.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH AT OUR LAST TWO MEETINGS WITH THE DISTRICT PERSONNEL WAS, WELL, HOW CAN THAT LEFTOVER CONTINGENCY MONEY BEST BE USED? IF YOU GO TO SLIDE EIGHT, IT'S ENTITLED BOND REFERENDUM SUGGESTED ITEMS. AND THEN TO THE NEXT ONE, THERE'S A LIST.
ALL OF THE PROJECT MANAGERS AND THE DISTRICT STAFF SAT DOWN AND WENT OVER, UH, THESE TECHNICAL THINGS THAT WE WERE, THAT I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THAT WE WERE METER OUT.
WE DID ENOUGH TO, UH, SATISFY THE REFERENDUM, BUT THERE'S MORE THAT WE COULD DO TO ENHANCE IT.
I WON'T GO O OVER ALL THESE IN DETAILS BECAUSE BOARD MEMBER VICTOR NAY, WHO'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE, UH, BOARD'S OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT THIS, UH, LATER ON.
UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, NUMBER ON THIS IS 3.2 MILLION COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY OF, UH, THE MILLION TWO SOMETHING.
UH, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT NUMBER IS GROWING DAY BY DAY AS THE, UH, VARIOUS PROJECTS CLOSE OUT.
SO IT'S VERY GOOD NEWS TONIGHT, AND I'M PLEASED TO REPORT IT TO YOU.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I'D BE PLEASED TO ANSWER, I FOR MR. MCNALLY.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. DON'T SEE ANY.
MR. MCNALLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS WORK AND HEADING UP, UH, THIS VERY HUGE EFFORT AND, UH, YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS HELPED US, AND I CAN SAY WITH VERY, UH, GREAT HONESTY THAT THE CLOCK HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION AS SOON TO BE COMPLETION OF THIS HUGE REFERENDUM THAT BROUGHT THAT MESSAGE WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT PROCESS THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE CAUSED OUR VOTERS TO VOTE AGAIN FOR THE SECOND REFERENDUM.
AND THE NEXT CLOCK ITERATION IS STARTING UP, AND MR. RAY WCO IS GONNA COME UP AND TALK TO US ABOUT THE NEXT PART.
BUT I'M GONNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PART, SIR.
MY NAME IS RAY WCO AND I AM GOING TO BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE 2023 REFERENDUM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS UNDERWAY.
AND NOW I WANTED TO NOT GIVE YOU A LOT OF FACTS AND FIGURES.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST TELL YOU WHAT, HOW WE OPERATE AND WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS.
BOB, WAY BEHIND ME, YOU, YOU JUST HEARD FROM MIKE, AND HE IS CHAIR, HE'S THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE 2 0 1 9 REFERENDUM.
AND ALSO WITH HIM IS ONE OF MY OTHER FELLOW MEMBERS, MR. RICH TRESSLER.
AND HE, HE, HE THAT, SO THAT GIVES US THREE OF THE EIGHT THAT WE HAVE ON THESE PARTICULAR MEETINGS.
BUT SO WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING? FIRST OF ALL, WHENEVER THE PROJECTS ARE
[00:55:01]
ANNOUNCED, WE GET THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON WHAT THEY SEE IN THE PROJECTS AND IF, AND, AND IF WE CAN INCORPORATE WHAT THEY WOULD REALLY WANT, THEN WE TELL THEM, OKAY, WE CAN DO THAT.SOMETIMES THEY'LL MAKE SUGGESTIONS THAT ARE COMPLETELY OUTTA SCOPE, AND WE ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT TOO.
NOW, WHAT I'M REFERRING TO IS WE HAVE SOME MONIES MAYBE FOR ART OR FOR BUILDING DESIGN, BUT WE DON'T HAVE MONIES TO ADD PARTICULAR ADDITIONS TO CERTAIN SCHOOLS.
AND SO WE LEAVE THAT UP TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE FOR ANOTHER TIME.
OUR, THE GROUP OF EIGHT THAT WE DO HAVE IS BROKEN UP INTO THREE DIFFERENT SUBCOMMITTEES.
ONE IS CONSTRUCTION, ONE IS FINANCE, AND ONE IS COMMUNICATIONS.
NOW OUR MISSION IS TO ASSERT THAT THE REFERENDUM IS PROPERLY ADMINISTERED.
AND WHAT OUR JOB IS, IS TO TIMELY ALERT THIS GROUP IF ANY ISSUES ARE DISCOVERED.
YOU HAVEN'T HEARD US SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY ISSUES THAT, THAT WE THINK ARE WORTHY OF CONCERN.
WE ALSO REQUEST A LOT OF INFORMATION AND WE GET EVERYTHING THAT WE REQUEST.
ONE THING IS WE GET THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
WHY? SO WE CAN DETERMINE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION IS ON TIME.
WE WANNA KNOW WHAT THE ALLOCATIONS ARE, HOW MUCH DO WE SPEND ON EACH PROJECT? AND IS THE DISTRICT CONFORMING TO THE APPROVED REFERENDUM SPENDING? ARE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WITHIN THE BUDGET? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, YES.
ARE CONSTRUCTION REPORTS ACCURATE? THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE HAVE.
ARE THE DOLLAR SPENT BEFORE CONSTRUCTION PHASE IS COMPLETED? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO.
AND TO DO THE REPORTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION CONFORM TO THE AUDIT REPORT.
FOR THE LAST FOUR AUDITS, I BELIEVE IT'S FOUR, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE, AND BY THE WAY, THE AUDIT IS AS OF A, IT'S FOR A WHOLE YEAR OF INCOME AND EXPENSE, BUT THE BALANCE SHEET IS AS OF ONE POINT IN TIME, WHICH IS JUNE 30TH.
SO WE TAKE THE REPORTS THAT WE RECEIVED EVERY JUNE, AND WE TIE THEM BACK TO THAT AUDIT REPORT.
THEY TIE, THEY AGREE, WE'RE ALL THAT.
THAT MAKES, WE'RE ALL PROUD TO SEE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
SO WHERE DO WE MEET? WE MEET AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AND WE TYPICALLY FOCUS ON WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION IS TAKING PLACE.
WHY DO WE DO THAT? SO THAT MAYBE AT FIVE 30 WE CAN MEET AND WE CAN TOUR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CONSTRUCTION? OUR MEETINGS TYPICALLY START AT SIX, AND THEY'RE OVER AT SEVEN, AT SEVEN 30.
NOW WE SAID WE MEET MONTHLY AND YOU CAN EITHER JOIN IN PERSON OR YOU CAN JOIN IN ZOOM.
EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO ASK ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
WHO COMES THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS, AND CERTAIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS? AND WE ARE PLEA ALONG WITH THE, WITH THE GROUP OF EIGHT.
AND WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE EVERY ONE OF THOSE FOLKS COME.
WE ALSO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT THEY MAY HAVE AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY CONCERNS THAT TO, TO, THAT TELLS ME THAT THINGS ARE GO, ARE GOING THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE GOING, AND WE MAINTAIN MINUTES AND POST THOSE MINUTES ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE, WE ARE ALLOWED TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE, THAT WE COME UP WITH.
AND BY THE WAY, WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
MIKE IS BEHIND ME, IS A CONSTRUCTION GUY.
AND, AND WE HEAR THESE AND, AND THERE'S OTHER MEMBERS THAT ASK DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ABOUT CERTAIN AREAS THAT MAYBE WE, THAT I DIDN'T THINK OF OR SOME OF THE OTHERS DIDN'T THINK OF.
SO WE ALL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.
AND ABOVE ALL, WE HAVE FUN DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING THAT WE DO? I SEE ONE COMING UP, MR. SMITH? YES, SIR.
UH, I KNOW I HEARD YOU SAID THAT IT'S NOT A, Y'ALL WALK AROUND THE SCHOOLS AND Y'ALL CHECK THINGS OUT.
SO FOR INSTANCE, UH, DO Y'ALL CHECK OUT THE EQUIPMENT THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THE SCHOOL AS WELL? YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE WALKTHROUGHS THROUGH SOME OF THE SCHOOLS, AND YES, I CAN TELL YOU WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT IN SOME OF THE ROOMS. WHEN I SAY CHECKOUT, AS IN FOR FOR INSTANCE, UH, LIKE THIS CAMERA BEHIND ME, DO Y'ALL SEE THE ACTUAL CAMERA AND SEE WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING IN, IN TERMS OF FUNCTIONING? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING? WELL, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, NO, WE DON'T DO IT DURING SCHOOL TIME, BY THE WAY, BUT ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, WE, WE HAD A DEMONSTRATION OF HOW THE ALARM SYSTEM WOULD WORK AND HOW THE CAMERA SYSTEMS WORK.
AND THAT WAS ENLIGHTENING TO ALL OF US BECAUSE OF, OF HOW THESE, THESE
[01:00:01]
PARTICULAR, UH, ALARMS CAN BE SOUNDED AND, AND WHO GETS NOTIFIED WHENEVER THERE'S A PROBLEM AT ANY ONE OF THE SCHOOLS.HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION,
OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR, BECAUSE I, I SEE I'VE, I'VE BEEN TO SOME OF YOUR MEETINGS AND I SEE HOW, HOW HARD YOU GUYS WORK.
I DEFINITELY WANNA SAY I DO APPRECIATE, I DO APPRECIATE YOU NOT JUST WITH A QUESTION, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUE TO CONTINUE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, AND COLONEL GUYER, I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, RAY.
I KNOW THIS IS A LONG SLOG AND, UH, SURELY THIS NEXT ITERATION, WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER PANDEMIC TO DEAL WITH OR DOUBLE DIGIT INFLATION OR ANY OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAD TO COPE WITH DURING THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS OF THIS PROCESS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, AND I'LL BE SEEING YOU.
[Chair’s Report]
CHAIR'S REPORT.UM, 10 DAYS AGO I WENT TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, AND IN PUBLIC COMMENTS, I READ THE FOLLOWING THING TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL, MADAM CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS EVENING, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME PERSONAL COMMENTS ABOUT GROWTH IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.
BUT FIRST I'D LIKE TO MENTION PAST GROWTH IN THE COUNTY.
20 YEARS AGO, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL OR THE BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL COULD HAVE ENVISIONED THE POPULATION GROWTH IN TODAY'S BLUFFTON.
THAT GROWTH HAS RESULTED IN THE FACT THAT ALMOST HALF OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ENROLLMENT IS IN, IS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF BLUFFTON.
THIS GROWTH WAS IN FITS AND STARTS AND NOT IN A LINEAR FASHION.
IT EXPANDED IN POCKETS AND NOT IN A GEOGRAPHIC WAVE.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REACTED TO GROWTH BY EXPANDING EXISTING SCHOOLS AND BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS ON AVAILABLE ACREAGE.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENT MASTER PLAN FOR PROGRESSIVE AND SEQUENTIAL POPULATION GROWTH.
AND IF THERE WAS A PLAN, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THROUGH ITS OWN FAULT, WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY MEANINGFUL GROWTH PLANNING.
CURRENTLY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE MAY RIVER CAMPUS AND HAS THE ROOM TO BUILD AN ADDITIONAL SCHOOL THERE IF NECESSARY.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING THE WILLOW RUN PROPERTY IN BLUFFTON.
THIS IS THE LAST SUITABLE TRACK IN BLUFFTON FOR ADDITIONAL SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.
RECENTLY, I PROVIDED THE COUNCIL WITH THE DISTRICT'S FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
IF YOU READ THE LAST PART OF THE MASTER PLAN, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS ADDITIONAL PROPERTY WILL ALLOW US TO ACCOMMODATE THE FINAL BUILD OUT OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
WITH 2020 HINDSIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT IF 20 YEARS AGO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS MORE INVOLVED WITH THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF BLUFFTON, WE COULD HAVE PROPERLY DISPERSED SCHOOLS TO BETTER ACCOMMODATE THE GOAL OF NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
SOME NATIONAL MEDIA TELL US THAT SOUTH CAROLINA WILL BE ONE OF, IF NOT THE FASTEST STATE GROWING STATES IN THE NATION.
BEAUFORT AND PORT ROYAL ARE NOW EXPERIENCING SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY GROWTH, AND THE CURRENT CAPACITY IN OUR NORTHERN COUNTY SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT GROWTH FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN HERE IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS? NO ONE CAN ACCURATELY PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PAST.
IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THE BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD TO COME TOGETHER AND CONDUCT AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW OF THE GROWTH OF BLUFFTON OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
THIS REVIEW COULD IDENTIFY LESSONS LEARNED THAT COULD BE INVALUABLE IN CHARTING THE PLANNING FOR FUTURE GROWTH IN BUFORD COUNTY.
IT'S HARD TO PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO REMAIN ENGAGED WITH COUNTY CITY TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS ABOUT PROVIDING CLASSROOM SPACE TEACHERS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OF THE CHILDREN THAT COMES WITH POPULATION GROWTH.
PLEASE CONSIDER A BLUFFTON GROWTH AFTER ACTION REVIEW.
I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING WITH THE, UH, BUFORD OR CITY
[01:05:01]
COUNCIL AND THE PORT ROYAL CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS.THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK THAT WE COULD SIT DOWN AND HELP US AND HELP THE CITIES GROW TOGETHER.
THERE'S GOING TO BE GROWTH AND IT'S GOING TO COME A LOT NORTH OF THE BROAD.
AND SO WE MUST, WE MUST GET OUT, UM, IN FRONT OF THAT GROWTH.
THAT'S THE END OF THE CHAIR'S REPORT, COMMITTEE REPORTS,
[Committee Reports]
UH, ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.MS. CHLOE GORDON, MS. FRAZIER.
DID, DID SHE TALK TO YOU ABOUT GIVING THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE REPORT? OKAY.
UH, MS.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT.
UM, I, I DO NOT HAVE A REPORT TONIGHT.
FOR, FOR THE ACADEMIC, UH, COMMITTEE.
UM, WOULD LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, CFO CROSBY TO ACTUALLY COME UP AND GIVE SOME MORE DETAILS.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS REALLY SORT OF TARGETING, IN ADDITION TO THE THINGS THAT NORMALLY ARE REQUIRED DURING THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
UH, WE REALLY ARE LOOKING AT MAINTAINING EVERYTHING, DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, MAINTAIN OUR BOND RATING THAT LOOKS VERY GOOD DUE TO THE FISCAL DISCIPLINE EXHIBITED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS IN TODAY'S, UH, ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, UH, CFO CROSBY AND HER TEAM HAS PROACTIVELY LOOKED AT WHAT POTENTIAL INCOME STREAMS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE AT RISK, SO THAT WE CAN BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE INSTEAD OF BEING, HAVING TO REACT TO IT.
SO KUDOS TO HER AND THE TEAM ON THAT.
THIRD ELEMENT IS THE NORMAL PROCESSING OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY DETAILED, UH, VERY INTRICATE REVIEW OF EXPENSES AND INCOME.
AND, UH, HOW DO WE SORT OF KEEP THOSE THINGS GOING? SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR CFO MS, UH, CROSBY.
UM, JUST A BRIEF REPORT OF THE, UH, ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 13TH.
UM, AS, UH, WE HAVE A SERIES OF STANDARD REPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE.
UH, TRANSPARENCY IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SO THE, OUR STAFF PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING REPORTS, THE BOARD MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT, UH, THE MONTHLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REPORTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
SO THOSE, WE HAVE A CONSOLIDATED AND A VERY DETAILED REPORT THAT SUMMARIZES, UH, EACH VENDOR BY THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT IS TOTALED, UH, EXPENDITURES FOR THE MONTH OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE.
UH, AND THEN OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
THIS IS TYPICALLY A VERY LONG REPORT, MAYBE 50 OR 50 TO 75 PAGES.
UH, THIS IS WHAT GOES ON OUR WEBSITE.
UH, THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT IS REQUIRED OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UH, BY EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, NOT NECESSARILY THE LEVEL OF DETAIL.
WE PROVIDE MUCH MORE DETAIL THAN MOST OTHERS.
UH, BUT IN, SO THAT REPORT IS ALSO GENERATED AND PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT THAT TIME, AND THEN POSTED TO THE WEBSITE.
SO WE ALSO HELD DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIALLY, UH, CONSOLIDATING AND STREAMLINING SOME OF THE VARIOUS REPORTS THAT GO TO THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, AND THE, AND THE METHOD IN WHICH, THE FORMAT IN WHICH WE PRESENT THEM, UM, IT'S ABOUT AT LEAST A HUNDRED PAGES OF INFORMATION, UM, WHICH IS QUITE A LOT TO DIGEST, UH, EACH MONTH.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STREAMLINING THAT TO MAKE IT MORE, MAYBE PERHAPS MORE VISUAL AND, UH, SIMPLER TO UNDERSTAND ANY, UH, PARTICULARLY ANY HOT POINTS IF THERE'S BIG INCREASES OR DECREASES IN CERTAIN VENDORS, THAT SORT OF THING.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING, UM, AS RECOMMENDED BY, UH, ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WAYS TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP US, UM, COME TO A, THAT VISUAL ASPECT OF THINGS TO CREATE THAT.
AND SO WE'RE ACTIVELY MONITORING, UH, UH, RESEARCHING TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO DO THAT IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT QUITE READY TO BRING A DRAFT YET.
AND, BUT WE'RE STILL EXPLORING THAT.
WE'RE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING THE REGULAR TRANSPARENCY REPORTS.
UH, AND THOSE ARE ALSO JUST PUBLICLY POSTED AND WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN THAT WAY EVEN AFTER WE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE ANY NEW OPTIONS.
UM, ALSO REPORTED THIS MONTH WAS THE STATE'S, UH, MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED ENTERPRISE,
[01:10:01]
UH, BUSINESS ENTERPRISE REPORT.UM, THIS IS REQUIRED OF THE STATE PROCUREMENT CODE, UH, AS A SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTING.
WE GOT OUR, UH, PROCUREMENT AUDIT TODAY.
UH, WE NOT, IN ADDITION TO OUR REGULAR AUDIT, WE HAVE A PROCUREMENT AUDIT THAT'S REQUIRED EVERY THREE YEARS.
WE CHOOSE TO DO IT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO FIND 3-YEAR-OLD DOCUMENTS.
SO, UH, THAT ACTIVE, THAT REPORT CAME BACK VERY WELL.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY, UH, LOOK FOR IS THAT REPORTING OF THE SIM SEMI-ANNUAL, UH, REPORT IN OUR PROGRESS.
UH, MS. KAYLA JINGER, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT, AND SHE PRESENTED AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THAT.
THE MOST RECENT IN, UH, REPORT ENDED DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
AND WE, THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT WE ACHIEVED 4.9% OF THE CONTROLLABLE BUDGET FOR ALL WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED ENTERPRISES, WHICH TOTALED ABOUT $7 MILLION OF AWARDS.
THAT DOESN'T QUITE MEET OUR GOAL OF 10%, ALTHOUGH WE MET IT AND EXCEEDED IT THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UH, SO IT, IT, IT REALLY FLOWS ON THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION SPENDING CYCLE, AND WE DO EXPECT THAT TO BUMP BACK UP IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, THE, UH, THERE WAS A BOARD MEMBER REQUEST FOR SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT STATEWIDE SCHOOL BOARD STIPENDS AND LOCAL STIPENDS.
SO WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN, AND, UM, NO ACTION FOR ANY OF THOSE ITEMS WAS TAKEN OR NEEDED AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND WE HAVE A SCHEDULED DATE OF APRIL 10TH FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, WE DID ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A VERY, UH, UH, A BUDGET, UH, PREPARATION.
SO OUR TEAM IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING BACK THE STANDARD REPORTS, BUT, UH, WE, WE ARE GONNA BE, UH, RUNNING ON FUMES
SO, UM, BUT, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL BRING BACK AT THE, AT THE COMMITTEE'S DISCRETION, THE ITEMS NEEDED.
IF, IF I COULD JUST, UH, ADD ON, I WOULD LIKE TO GRAD CONGRATULATE THE FINANCE TEAM AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH IT.
UM, IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY ARE LOOKING TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO ACTUALLY MOVE TO MORE OF A VARIANCE ANALYSIS, WHICH MEANS THE REPORTS AND THE TECHNOLOGY WILL IDENTIFY WHERE PERFORMANCE IS OUTSIDE OF A CERTAIN RANGE.
AND THAT WILL SAVE US A LOT OF TIME OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH VERY METICULOUS REPORTS, AND YET OUR EYESIGHT AND EFFORTS WILL BE DRAWN DIRECTLY TO WHERE THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.
SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE.
AND WE'LL MOVE TO LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AGAIN, MR. DALLAS.
UM, OUR MEETING WAS HELD ON MARCH 12TH, AND ONE OF THE PRIORITIES AND EFFORTS STRATEGICALLY SPEAKING OF THE, UM, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE IS TO GET AHEAD OF THINGS THAT ARE DEVELOPING AND IMPACT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NOT ONLY OURS, BUT ALSO THE OTHER 72 OR 73 THAT IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND PART OF THAT MEANS WE HAD TO, WE ARE DOING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME.
SO IF YOU WILL GO TO TODAY'S AGENDA, YOU'LL SEE TWO DOCUMENTS, UH, THAT COMPRISE REVIEWS, SUMMATIONS OF 1,615 PRE-FILED BILLS.
NOW, THOSE ARE BILLS THAT LEGISLATORS HAVE PRE, PRE-FILED, AND THEY MAY POSSIBLY COME THROUGH DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT TO THE BEST KNOWLEDGE I HAVE, ABOUT 300 OF THOSE BILLS ARE PROGRESSING.
OUR INTENT WITH THE FIVE MEMBERS WHO ARE VERY CAPABLE IN THIS AREA IS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE AS MONITORING THOSE BILLS COMING, BRINGING UPDATES INTO THIS PARTICULAR BODY SO THAT THE BOARD CAN DECIDE IF ANY ACTION IS NEEDED.
ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT THE SUPER, I MEAN THE CHAIR HAS DONE THAT HAS REALLY HELPED IS HE HAS ASKED BOARD MEMBERS TO JOIN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS TO GO TO GOVERNMENTAL MEETINGS.
AND WITH THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE SO FAR, WE ASK EACH OF THEM TO SAY, WHAT POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS WOULD YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO OR HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH? THOSE FIVE MEMBERS SO FAR HAVE PROVIDED 50 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, I'M GOING TO JOIN FOUR ROTARIES, OR THAT LIST, FOUR ROTARIES.
THAT'S JUST THE INDICATION OF THE ROTARY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THAT.
UH, AND AGAIN, THE CHAIR AND I ATTENDED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS, BUT AS A RESULT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN INVITED TO JOIN.
SO LOCO, WHICH IS THE SOUTHERN VERSION
[01:15:01]
OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY REGIONAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE.SO THOSE ARE ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES, THE COUNTY OF JASPER AND BEAUFORT.
AND WITH YOUR, THE CHAIR'S REQUEST AND ACTION BEING TAKEN ON, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND MAKE A REC AND MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
JUST WANNA BRIEFLY, UH, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ELSE ARE HAPPENING.
UM, WE ALSO LOOKING TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS ON EACH OF THE MUNICIPAL BOARDS, THE COUNTY BOARDS.
SO IF WE ARE THINKING OF IF THERE'S A BOARD THAT MEETS AND HAS JURISDICTION OVER THIS DISTRICT AND TETHERS INTO THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL, WE WANT TO BE ACTIVE AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING INFORMATION BACK TO THIS BOARD, BACK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AND THEN LET'S HAVE A DIALOGUE AND LET'S COME UP WITH A COGENT ACTION THAT WE SAY THIS IS GOOD FOR THE DISTRICT OR HOW WE WOULD RESPOND.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, WE'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONDING AND SAYING WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND, AND HELP EVERYONE KNOW THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SOME OF THE BEST OPTIONS IN THIS WHOLE GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. DALLAS? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WE'RE GONNA GO NEXT TO OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT.
UM, ALL YOU KNOW THAT I, UH, I EXCEL AT BREVITY, BUT, UH, THIS ONE IS A LONG REPORT.
WE, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT IN THE LAST, UH, MONTH OR SO.
UH, A COUPLE, UH, SO WE BET ON MARCH 11TH.
AND, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT A GREAT DEAL.
UH, FORTUNATELY MR. MCNALLY, MR. WARHOL ALREADY COVERED ALL THE CONSTRUCTION, SO I WILL NOT, UH, REPEAT ANY OF THE ATORY REMARKS.
OTHER TO SAY, UM, ALL PROJECTS FOR THE 2019.
AND THE 2023 OF REFERENDUMS ARE GREEN LIGHT, EXCEPT FOR MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THERE'S YELLOW LIGHT DUE TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH PALM METAL BLUFF DEGRADING, UM, OVER THEIR OWNERSHIP OF RIVERSIDE ROAD, UH, AND THE REQUIREMENT OF A TRAFFIC STUDY THAT IMPACTS, UH, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WE'RE PLANNING THERE.
UH, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE DONE BY THE END OF THE MONTH, AND THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY WILL DETERMINE HOW THE BOARD MOVES FORWARD.
UM, AT OUR MEETING, UM, WE HAD AN ORGANIZATION, UH, INTRODUCED BY MISS, UH, CAROL COFIELD, A, UH, UH, UH, REAL ESTATE AGENT, UH, REPRESENT, UH, PARCELS NEXT TO LADY ISLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S ABOUT SIX ACRES, UM, ADJACENT TO LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THEY PREVIOUSLY, UH, THOUGH WE PREVIOUSLY DECLINED, UH, THE PURCHASE, UH, THEY BROUGHT IT BACK UP BECAUSE, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY'S GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAME BACK TO US AND ASKED US IF WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING MAINTENANCE IF THEY BOUGHT IT, AND ALLOWED US TO USE IT.
UH, AND I, I MADE THE DECISION AT THE TIME THAT THE BOARD HAD NO APPETITE FOR MOWING THE LAWN.
UH, IF THERE'S, WE, WE DIDN'T APPROACH THEM TO ASK FOR IT.
UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I THINK THEY'RE JUST KIND OF GRASPING THE STRAW.
I THINK WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS, IS NOBLE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY FOR THE SCHOOL TO USE THE SIX ACRES.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I ASKED THEM TO COME BACK WITH THREE CO UH, CO COURSES OF ACTION, UM, AND MAYBE SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY, LIKE, UH, LIKE AN OUTDOOR, UH, PERFORMANCE VENUE, LIKE A SHELL NATURAL AMPHITHEATER KIND OF THING.
SO, UH, WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME BACK TO US ON THAT.
UH, THE PRITCHARD STREET EASEMENT, UM, LET'S SEE.
DAN RYBACK, UH, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, PRESENTED UPDATES TO THE PRITCHARD STREET EASEMENT, UH, PROJECT AFFECTING THE AREA BEHIND MC RILEY ELEMENTARY, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO DRAINAGE AND RESURFACING OF THE PARKING LOT NEAR THE POOL.
UH, EASEMENTS REQUESTED INCLUDED TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION ACCESS AND PERMANENT EASEMENTS FOR STORM WATER AND STREETSCAPE ELEMENTS TO BE, UH, PERMANENT EASEMENTS.
SO, SO THE, THE TOWN CAN MAINTAIN, UH, THOSE AREAS.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS SOME LEGAL ISSUES WITH THE CONTRACT.
UM, THEY, THEY ASKED US, THE, THE CONTRACT MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT US SPLITTING THE COST, BUT THEN LATER IN THE CONTRACT, THEY SAID WE WOULD ASSUME THE ENTIRE 318,000.
SO, UH, THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK, THEY'RE GONNA FIX ALL THE, THE LEGAL JARGON AND COME BACK.
AND ONCE, UH, WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT, UH, PASSES, UH, REVIEW, WE'LL BRING IT TO THE BOARD, UH, WATER CREST, APARTMENT EASEMENT.
MR. ANDREWS AND CHRIS BATES, UH, DAVIS AND FLOYD UPDATED THE COMMITTEE ON THE WATER CREST, UH, APARTMENTS PROJECT.
THE PROPOSED DRIVEWAY, AMBROSE DRIVE, UH, CONNECTS WK AUSTIN ROAD NEAR ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
A TRAFFIC STUDY SHOWED THAT TRAFFIC, UH, WOULD USE THE WK AUSTIN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS INTEREST WAS, UH, CONSTRUCTED.
UM, THE DEVELOPER REQUIRED A PRELIMINARY, PRE PRELIMINARY SUPPORT BEFORE FUNDING, UH, ANY REVISED STUDY THAT INCLUDED A SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND PLANNED ROAD IMPROVEMENT PENDING, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION APPROVAL.
UH, AND THEN WE STATED AS A COMMITTEE THAT, THAT WE WERE OPEN TO DISCUSSION.
OF COURSE, UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPRESSED, UH, THAT, UH, APPARENTLY THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT APARTMENT COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED HANDS.
UM, WE HAD EXPRESSED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER THAT, UH, WE'D BE, UH, INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING EASEMENTS PERMISSION, THAT KINDA STUFF SHOULD MAYBE, UH, WE, UH,
[01:20:01]
WE SCRATCH EACH OTHER'S BACK WITH MAYBE SOME, UH, LOWER INCOME HOUSING FOR IN ONBOARDING TEACHERS IN OUR, IN OUR DISTRICT.UM, THAT APPARENTLY WAS NOT PASSED ON WHEN NEW TEACHERS, UH, OR WHEN THE NEW OWNERS TOOK OVER.
UH, SO THEY'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THAT.
UH, MR. KUSH, BARRY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE PULL UP THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
UM, WHILE SHE'S PULLING THAT UP, UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE THIRD DOCUMENT IN, UH, OUR AGENDA FOR THE OPERATIONS.
YEAH, THE THREE POINT, UH, OR, UH, AUGUST, I'M SORRY, MARCH 11, 25.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
UM, THE DISTRICT'S MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACT, UH, NO, THE, THE, UH, I'M SORRY.
THE, UH, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PLEASE.
THE, UM, THE CONTRACT FOR OUR MAINTENANCE EXPIRES ON JUNE 30TH, 2025.
UH, AS A RESULT, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PREPARED TO SOLICIT BIDS FOR MAINTENANCE SERVICES.
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REQUESTED A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS COMPARING CONTRACTED MAINTENANCE SERVICES, UH, AND SELF-OPERATED MAINTENANCE SERVICES.
SO BRINGING THEM IN-HOUSE BELOW IS OUR SUMMARY.
UM, THE CURRENT CONTRACT IS 3.7 MILLION.
ESTIMATED CONTRACT RATES FOR 20 25, 20 26 SCHOOL YEAR IS GOING TO BE AROUND 4.9 MILLION BECAUSE THE CON, THE, THE, THE CONTRACT COMPANY HAS BEEN RESTRICTED TO NO MORE THAN 3% INCREASE, UH, FOR THE FIVE YEARS OF THE CONTRACT.
HOWEVER, UM, INFLATION HAS EX FAR EXCEEDED THAT.
SO, UH, IT'S EXPECTED TO JUMP, UM, BY PUTTING IT OUT BY ABOUT 30%.
UH, SO IT'S ALREADY GONNA BE A JUMP.
THE, UH, IF WE WERE TO BRING IT IN-HOUSE, UM, THE ESTIMATED, UM, ADDITION TO THAT IS ANOTHER $1.6 MILLION, UM, BECAUSE OF THE ONBOARDING OF, OF 64 EMPLOYEES THE PURCHASE OF ALL THE EQUIPMENT TO INCLUDE TRUCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, NOT TO MENTION, UH, THROUGH THE ONBOARDING PROCESS, WE ARE STILL, I BELIEVE, UM, EIGHT PEOPLE SHY.
UH, I THINK WE'RE ONLY AT 89 POINT PER PERCENT, UH, STAFFING FOR OUR MAINTENANCE CREW.
UH, SO TO ONBOARD THEM IN-HOUSE, WE WOULD HAVE TO RECRUIT PROBABLY OUTTA STATE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UM, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, UH, OR MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH THE, THE, THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS IN THE AREA, THE TWO MARINE CORPS BASES, UH, AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS PAY MORE.
SO IT'S JUST A, A MATTER OF FACT THAT WE ARE COMPETING, UM, WITH, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UH, LARGE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE, UH, CERTIFIED AND EXPERT, UH, UH, MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES.
SO, UH, THAT'S AN ONGOING THING.
AND TO TRY TO BRING IT IN-HOUSE, IT'D BE AT LEAST ANOTHER $1.6 MILLION ANNUALLY TO INCREASE 5% EVERY YEAR.
SO, UM, WE CHOSE NOT TO BRING IT FORWARD, UH, IF ANY OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO DISCUSS IT AND, UM, MAYBE WE CAN PUT IT ON A WORK SESSION, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT IT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE DISTRICT TO BRING THAT FORWARD.
AS FAR AS CUSTODIAL UPDATES, MS. MAJORS REPORTED CUSTODIAL STAFFING IS STABLE ACROSS ALL VENDORS.
CONTRACTOR BENEFITS AND PERFORMANCE WERE DISCUSSED WITH THE FOCUS ON REPLACING HIGH PERFORMANCE VENDOR PRACTICES.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, UM, DUE TO, UH, THE MISS, UH, MAJOR'S, UH, EXCELLENT, UM, DISPLAY OF GRAPHICS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, IT'S VERY EASY TO SEE THAT A BM IS ALREADY JUST STARTING TO SHOW A TRACK RECORD OF, UH, AND WE'RE BEEN IN THIS ABOUT A YEAR NOW, UH, UH, A TRACK RECORD OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN STAFFING.
THEIR, THEIR, THEIR STAFFING SHORTFALLS ARE BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT, MORE AND MORE PROGRESSIVE OVER, OVER THE MONTHS.
UH, AS FAR AS, UH, MR. MCNALLY MENTIONED, UH, AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE, UH, CONTINGENCY AND THE THE PRICE OVERAGES, UM, AND THE LIST OF PROJECTS, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT $3.2 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS.
UM, AND, UH, IT'S BEEN ON, I, WE THINK WE EMAILED IT OUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AS SOON AS WE CAME UP WITH THAT, SO THAT WE COULD GARNER SOME MORE INPUT FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, BUT IT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, TALKED, IT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN COMMITTEE.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. VARGAS TO COME UP AND BRIEF US ON, UH, THE, UH, THE POTENTIAL, UM, USES OF THE OVERAGE MONEY AS WE APPROACH OUR SOFT LANDING.
UNDERSTANDING, OF COURSE, THAT NO MONEY WILL BE SPENT UNTIL ALL THE PROJECTS ARE CLOSED OUT, AND WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WE HAVE.
UH, BUT AS MR. MCNALLY UH, MENTIONED, UH, IT DOES APPEAR TO BE INCREASING FROM 1.2 MILLION.
AND, UH, MR. VARGAS TICKET AWAY.
AND I DO WANNA REPORT THAT AS OF THE END OF MARCH, ACTUALLY, THAT CONTINGENCY IS NOW SITTING AT 3.02 MILLION.
SO THAT IS FALLING MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE HAVE PROJECTED IN THE SUGGESTED ITEMS LIST.
UM, IF YOU GO DOWN THAT LIST, AND, UH, ROBIN HAS IT UP ON THE SCREEN, WE PRIORITIZE ITEMS BY HIGH, MEDIUM, AND LOW PRIORITY.
WE TOOK ALL THIS FEEDBACK FROM STAFF, UH, OF COURSE, THEY'RE AT THE FOREFRONT.
[01:25:01]
SOME OF THESE ITEMS, THE WAY THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS WAS TO APPROACH IT AS THE CATEGORIES THAT WERE APPROVED THROUGH, THROUGH THE REFERENDUM.SO IT WOULD BE RELATED TO PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS, UH, IT UPGRADES AS WELL AS SAFETY, SECURITY AND ATHLETICS.
AND WHAT WE'VE, UH, COME UP AS FOR THE LIST IS TO PROVIDE UPGRADES THAT GO BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY, UH, DONE AT SOME OF THESE FACILITIES.
UH, WHAT WE'VE SUGGESTED IN THE ELEMENTARIES IS GOING AND DOING SOME PLAYGROUND RENOVATIONS TO THE ACTUAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
'CAUSE WHAT WE DID, A LOT OF THE ELEMENTARIES WAS ACTUAL TURF FIELDS.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THOSE FACILITIES, AND THESE ARE OUTLINED IN THIS LIST, LIKE, UH, CO ELEMENTARY, YOU HAVE MC RILEY, UM, ELEMENTARY AND NOCA ELEMENTARY, WHICH HAVE EQUIPMENT'S DETERIORATE, DETERIORATING QUICKER THAN WE COULD KEEP UP WITH.
AND THIS WOULD HELP ACCELERATE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED IN THE 8% CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND WE COULD BRING IT UP TO PAR WITH SOME OF THESE FUNDS THAT REMAIN FOR THE REFERENDUM.
NOW, MOVING ALONG THAT LIST, WE ALSO INCLUDE SOME HVAC IMPROVEMENTS IN THE IT ROOMS, WHICH WOULD HELP SUPPORT THIS TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE, A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE DID AT THESE FACILITIES, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF SERVERS IN THE IT ROOMS, AND THIS SERVER EQUIPMENT CREATES A LOT, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HEAT.
SO WE, IN ORDER TO KEEP THIS EQUIPMENT FULLY FUNCTIONAL, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP UP WITH THOSE ITEMS. THE TWO FACILITIES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THIS LIST, WERE NOT IDENTIFIED TO NEED THE HVAC REPAIRS, BUT AS THE REFERENDUM WENT THROUGH, SOME OF THE, UH, COMPONENTS FAILED.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DO REPAIRS HERE AND THERE, IT'D PROBABLY JUST BE BEST TO DO THE REPAIR IN ONE, OR NOT REPAIR, BUT REPLACEMENT OF THE EQUIPMENT TO START OFF FRESH ON THOSE, UH, UH, IT, UH, RENOVATION WHEN THE ROOMS, THE MEDIUM LIST.
WE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WE DID SOME OF THE SAFETY, SECURITY, UH, ITEMS. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS GIVE IT SOME ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THAT THEY CAN HAVE ON HAND, SHOULD EQUIPMENT AT THE FACILITIES BREAK DOWN SO THAT THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND DO REPAIRS.
SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED WHERE, UH, BRINGING SOME CLASSROOM SPEAKERS OR DOING, UH, CAMERAS, BRINGING TEACHER PEN ON MICROPHONES, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'RE USING NOW, NOT ONLY TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO FOR SAFETY, SAFETY REASONS.
AND ALSO WHAT WE'VE, UH, IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THOSE IS BRINGING SOME OF THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES, PUTTING THEM UP TO PAR WHEN IT COMES TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY.
SO, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE DO THE FIBER CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE FACILITY WITH THE ATHLETIC FIELD, WHICH WILL BETTER PREPARE US FOR THE 2023 REFERENDUM RENOVATIONS THAT ARE GONNA TAKE PLACE AT THAT FACILITY.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE ON A LOWER PRIORITY, UH, FELL THROUGH OR WENT TO, UM, SOME PARKING LOT RENOVATIONS FOR BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY.
UH, WE SPOKE ABOUT A ADDITIONAL DUMPSTER PAD FOR ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
AND THEN, UH, SOFTBALL, UH, SOFTBALL WARNING TRACK FOR HILTON HEAD ON HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WITH THAT, I OPENED UP TO QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LIST QUESTIONS.
BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS LIST HAS BEEN PUT OUT, YOU SAID, YES, WE PRESENTED THE OPERATIONS.
RIGHT NOW, WE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS HOW WE SUGGEST WE PROCEED WITH THE REMAINING FUNDS THAT ARE COMING BACK FROM ALL THESE SAVINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM THE CMS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE WITH THE CLOSE OUT OF THE REFERENDUM.
AND LIKE WE'VE MENTIONED, A LOT OF THESE ITEMS, THEY'RE ALL FALLING IN LINE WITH WHAT THE ORIGINAL REFERENDUM CATEGORIES WHERE IT WOULD JUST BE ENHANCING THE SCOPE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
SO THE, UM, IN AND IN TURN THE, UH, BEFORE, BEFORE WE MOVE ANY FORWARD, ALSO ON THE, ON, ON THE REPORT OF THE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FLASHING LIGHT AND THE YELLOW LIGHT OVER AT
I KNOW WE HAD THE, UH,
UM, IS THAT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, UH, IN TERMS OF, I DON'T SEE THAT ON, ON HERE.
IS THAT, HAVE THAT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF WITHIN ITS ENTIRETY? I KNOW IT WAS DOWN FOR SOME TIME OR WE WERE WAITING ON A PART OR SOMETHING.
IS THAT, HAVE THAT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF? SO I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE, UH, MEDIA CENTER.
IT WAS DOWN FOR A WHILE AND WE ACTUALLY HAD TO REBUILD THAT UNIT.
AND THAT WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, THE HALL EARLY LEARNING CENTER.
THAT WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A COUPLE DAYS BECAUSE OH, YES.
SO THAT WAS WHEN THE EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED, THERE WERE ISSUES OF WHEN THE EQUIPMENT ARRIVED.
AND THAT HAS ALL BEEN SINCE REPAIRED AND IT IS ALL FUNCTIONING FINE NOW.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND ALSO, UM, IN, IN
[01:30:01]
TERMS, IN TERMS OF THE REFERENDUM, THE REFERENDUM, UH, PROJECTS.SO, SO THE, SO WE'RE BRINGING, WE'RE BRINGING THIS LIST.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT ALL, THAT, ALL THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, THAT THERE'S BEEN THOROUGH CHECKS AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE NOTHING OUT.
THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT, UM, IS QUESTIONABLE.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE PRIOR TO TAKING A SHOT AT THIS MONEY THAT THEY, THERE HAVE BEEN THREE AND FOUR LOOKS AND THAT, HEY, THIS IS NOT GONNA, THIS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN TERM IN TERMS OF LIKE OVER AT MAY RIVER.
WE HAVE THE FLOOR, THE, THE, THE FRONT FLOOR, UH, THAT, THAT IS COMING UP IN, IN THE BUILDING IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MAY, UH, THAT MAY, THAT MAY HAPPEN.
UH, SO WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY HICCUPS.
IT, IT, WE, WE WON'T NEED THIS MONEY RIGHT HERE.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND WHAT I WANTED TO TELL YOU, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAVE CHECKS IN PLACE.
IF YOU'VE GONE TO SOME OF THESE CLOCK MEETINGS, WE DISCUSSED THAT WE DO HAVE DAVE GRISSOM WALK WITH US SO THAT WE CAN DO A THOROUGH CHECK OF THE SECURITY SYSTEMS, ALL THE, IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BASICALLY EVERYBODY'S HAVING TO SIGN OFF ON THESE EQUIPMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL THROUGH, IF THERE'S SOMETHING AT THAT POINT THAT IS IDENTIFIED THAT NEEDS TO GET ADDED, IT HAS BEEN ALREADY RELATED TO THE PROJECT MANAGER.
SO THIS IS ON TOP OF ANYTHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS PART OF THE BASE SCOPE.
AND THAT BASE SCOPE IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
IT'S ALREADY COMING TO A CLOSING BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN GETTING ADDRESSED.
AND YES, WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA RUN TO ANY OF THESE ISSUES, SO THAT THE LIST IS, IS WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING GOING FORWARD.
SO YOU WANT TO TAKE A QUESTION THOUGH? ALRIGHT.
I, I, THAT'S ALL FOR RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. MR. NAY? I'LL KEEP GOING IF, UH, GO AHEAD.
UH, I, AND MR. VARGAS ALLUDED TO IT, UH, BUT I JUST WANT THE, THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS, UH, UH, LEGALLY ABOUT HOW WE SPEND THIS MONEY.
UH, IT HAS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, THE 2019 REFERENDUM.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA TAKE IT AND, UH, SPEND IT TO BUY, UH, YOU KNOW, PLAYGROUNDS HERE AND THERE WILLY NILLY AND REPLACE FOR IT HAS TO BE, UH, SPENT IN, ASSOCIATED WITH REFERENDUM, AS I UNDERSTAND FROM OUR CFO.
UH, SO IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S WHY THIS IS THOUGHT OUT.
A LOT OF THESE, UH, SOME OF THIS STUFF IS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THINGS THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING MAYBE TO GO DOWN EXTRA CAMERAS, EXTRA MONITORS FOR THE HALLWAY STUFF AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, BUT, UH, YES, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AND, AND, AND THAT'S MORE HINT OF WHY I SAID WHAT I SAID, WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
BECAUSE NOW WE'RE HAVING ISSUES AT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE NOT EVEN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS MAY RIVER'S, NOT EVEN A 10 YEAR BUILDING, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PLACES IN THAT SCHOOL WHERE THE FLOORS AND THINGS ARE COMING UP.
AND SO, UH, YOU, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THE CONTRACT IS, IS NOT HELD.
SO I'M WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING OVER THE, OVER THIS WITH A, WITH A HIGHLIGHTER OR ANY FLASHLIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT ONE, THAT WHEN WE SAID THAT, THAT THIS IS EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING IS A HUNDRED PERCENT AND EVERYTHING IS A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE IF NOT, IT FALLS BACK ON TAXPAYERS.
AND THIS IS A BIG PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THIS IS A PART, A PART OF ME THAT I WILL NOT RUSH.
AND SO THAT'S WHY, WHY I'M ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS BOARD NOW FOR, FOR PROBABLY ONE LONG, MAYBE GOING ON SEVEN YEARS.
SO I'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE THINGS OCCUR.
SO, SO, SO WITH MY, UH, WITH MY EXPERIENCE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE NOT REOCCURRING OR NOT REOCCURRING.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT OF ME, OF ME ASKING WHAT I'M ASKING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. VARGAS.
UH, AS WE GET CLOSER, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, NONE OF THIS MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT UNTIL OUR RE REMAINING 20 PROJECTS CLOSE OUT.
UH, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, MORE CONCRETE, UH, WAYS OF, UH, UH, DISTRIBUTING THIS MONEY.
UH, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE APRIL 8TH AT 1700, UM, 5:00 PM SORRY.
UM, AND BARN, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.
SO, DR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, YOU'RE UP FOR SUPERINTENDENT'S
[Superintendent’s Report]
REPORT.UM, THIS EVENING WE HAVE, UH, DR.
STRATOS AND, UM, MELISSA MURRAY FROM OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES TEAM, UH, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT ACADEMIC COACHES PRACTICES, UH, WITH SCHOOLS.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, BEFORE WE GO INTO THIS PART OF OUR EVENING, I DO WANNA BRING TWO ITEMS TO YOUR ATTENTION.
ONE, OUR ACADEMIC COMMITTEE WAS ITEMS WERE BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE WORK SESSION CONDUCTED ON THE 28TH.
HENCE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A REPORT FOR THIS EVENING.
AND WHEN I DID REPORT TO YOU ON AT THE 28TH, I MENTIONED THAT OUR EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION WAS BEING CONDUCTED AT BLUFF, AT BUFORD.
IT IS AT ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
SO I DID WANNA BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BOARD MEMBERS.
AND NOW AS WE CROSS OVER TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES
[01:35:01]
PRACTICES, YOU HAVE TWO DOCUMENTS.ONE IS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR YOUR EDUCATION.
FOR SOME INFORMATION, WE'LL GIVE YOU A DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN YOUR SECOND DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE THIS EVENING, IT'S ACTUALLY THE PRESENTATION THAT I'M GONNA HAVE THE HONOR OF TURNING OVER TO MELISSA MURRAY, WHO DOES A DEEP DIVE WITH OUR COACHES AT BUILDING THEIR CAPACITY.
THE NEXT STEP THAT MS. MURRAY'S ALSO DOING IS BRINGING THOSE TALENTS AND SKILL SETS TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS, MEANING OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POOL.
SO WITH THAT, MRS. MURRAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'M MELISSA MURRAY, THE DIRECTOR OF LITERACY FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OUR SYSTEM IS BUILT ON THE NEEDED SYSTEMATIC SUPPORT OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL COACH AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES IS TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS WITH YOU.
SO IF YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT A TIME THAT YOU WERE COACHED, IT COULD BE SPORTS, FITNESS, EDUCATION, LEAN INTO THE VALUE FOR YOU AND HOW IT HELPED YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS.
OUR COACHES ARE ALL TRAINED ON ONGOING PD AND SCHOOL VISITS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT TEAMS TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN RESEARCH-BASED COACHING CYCLES.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THOSE CYCLES.
STUDENT-CENTERED MEANS WE ARE FOCUSED ON STUDENT LEARNING AND EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OF OUR INSTRUCTION BASED ON HOW STUDENTS PERFORM AND RESPOND.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES WHAT COULD BE DEVELOPED DURING A PLANNING ON A OF A COACHING CYCLE.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOCUS ON GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS AND STUDENT WORK.
JUST LIKE COACHING SPORTS, WE NEED TO KNOW THE STUDENT MOVES TO LOOK FOR, TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE LEARNING AS A SYSTEM.
BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ALIGNS THEIR WORK WITH COACHES TO ADMINISTRATORS.
ADMINISTRATORS ARE ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL COACHING.
AS OUR SLIDE SAYS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE A HU ARE A HUGE DETERMINANT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
I WILL BE DOING A VERSION OF THIS PRESENTATION WITH OUR ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS TOMORROW, SO THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE AND CELEBRATE THE GOOD WORK THEY'RE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GROW IN OUR PRACTICES.
OUR ADMINISTRATORS SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE TEACHER, COACH, AND STUDENTS THROUGH ENGAGING ALONGSIDE THE FOCUS PLANNING OF INSTRUCTION.
THEY ALSO ENSURE TIME IN THE SCHEDULE TO HAVE A PLC THAT IS TRULY FOCUSED ON INSTRUCTION.
DEPENDING ON WHERE WE ARE IN OUR UNIT OF INSTRUCTION OR COACHING CYCLE, WE CAN START AND END AT DIFFERENT PARTS WITHIN THE PLC CYCLE, BUT WE ALWAYS DO THE WHOLE CYCLE DURING THE PLANNING AND MONITORING OF INSTRUCTION.
OUR WORK IS TO ADDRESS THESE FOUR QUESTIONS ALONG WITH HOW ARE WE GOING TO INSTRUCT QUESTION ONE.
SO THERE'S SOME INFORMATION ON THAT SLIDE FOR YOU.
BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM MAPS THE PACING OF STANDARDS FOR ALL EDUCATORS.
THIS IS HOUSED IN RUBICON ATLAS FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO HAVE A CONSISTENT STARTING POINT IN UNDERSTANDING OF ALIGNMENT AND IN PACING AND EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT WORK.
HERE ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE DETAILS OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN YOU, UM, ARE PARTICIPATING WITHIN A PLC CYCLE.
THE QUESTION NUMBER TWO IS, HOW WILL WE KNOW IF ALL STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED IT? COMMON ASSESSMENTS CAN BE CREATED AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, AND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ALSO HAVE THESE.
THESE ARE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE STUDENTS UNDERSTANDING AS A STUDENT IS LEARNING.
COACHES ALONG WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE OUR VOICE TO ENSURE FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS.
SOME BELIEVE LEARNING IS A STRAIGHT PATH, BUT OFTEN LEARNING IS NOT.
AND TEACHERS NEED TO KNOW HOW STUDENTS ARE PROGRESSING.
THINK BACK TO THAT MATH EXAMPLE.
TO DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY OF THAT STANDARD, STUDENTS NEEDED TO KNOW AND HA AND BE ABLE TO SHOW UNDERSTANDING OF A FEW SKILLS.
QUESTION THREE, WHAT WILL WE DO IF A STUDENT DOESN'T LEARN IT? THIS IS THE ART OF TEACHING.
OUR EDUCATORS HAVE THE RESEARCH-BASED TOOLS, BUT THEY BRING IN THEIR EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS TO DETERMINE WHAT INSTRUCTION IS NEEDED FOR NEXT STEPS.
COACHES ARE PREPARED TO SUPPORT TEACHERS IN SELECTING EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS AND PROGRESS MONITORING
[01:40:01]
BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS OR STUDENT GROUPS.QUESTION FOUR, WHAT WILL WE DO IF THEY ALREADY KNOW IT? WE ALSO ACCELERATE AND GIVE STUDENTS WHO HAVE SHOWN PROFICIENCY ENHANCED WORK TO GROW UNDERSTANDING OR EVEN DIP INTO THE STANDARDS FOR NEXT YEAR'S THAT ARTICULATE COACHES USE OUR STATE ADOPTED RESOURCES.
THESE IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROVIDES VERTICAL ARTICULATION DOCUMENTS THAT HELP US PROGRESS ALONG A STRATEGIC CONTINUUM OF LEARNING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
AS WE WRAP UP, I'M SHARING A FINAL GRAPHIC THAT SUMMARIZES THE PLC WORK SHARED.
IT IS A PROCESS THAT TAKES TIME FOR PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND FOLLOW UP, BUT IT WILL YIELD THE RESULTS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MS. MURRAY? MR. NA, UH, NOT FOR MS. MURRAY, BUT, UH, DID, DID SOMEBODY ASK FOR THIS PRESENTATION BE BROUGHT FORWARD OR IT WAS JUST, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING? NO, THIS WAS JUST A BRIEFING ON SOMEONE, THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE.
UH, I ATTENDED AND WATCHED A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY AT A, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS.
AND THEY BROUGHT IN A MATH COACH.
AND IT WAS TRULY A, A KIND OF A SOCRATIC DISCUSSION.
IT WAS NOT, UH, IT WAS NOT TOP DOWN.
IT WAS BRINGING UP FROM THE EXPERIENCES THAT THE TEACHERS, THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS CAME IN AND SOME HAD STRONG MATH LEANINGS AND SOME DID NOT.
AND I SAW SHARING, I SAW A VERY OPEN DISCUSSION.
AND WHEN THE COMMITTEE WAS FINISHED, I ASKED THEM INDIVIDUALLY, WENT TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND SAID, OKAY, WHAT DID YOU GET OUT OF THIS? AND EACH OF THEM TOLD ME THAT THEY LEARN THINGS OF HOW TO DO THINGS BETTER AND TECHNIQUES.
SO, UH, I WAS, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF THINGS THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN USED TO SEEING, UH, DONE IN, IN TRAINING SESSIONS.
AND I'M WONDERING, UH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUSTAIN THIS? WE, WE ONGOING SUPPORT OUR COACHES AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS THROUGH MODELING THIS, PRACTICING IT WITH DATA, UM, SO THEY CAN TAKE IT BACK.
WE ALSO TRY TO BE EXTREMELY STRATEGIC WITH OUR RESOURCES SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO USE THEM TO SUPPORT THOSE DEEP CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE NEXT STEPS.
THE GOAL ALWAYS BEING WITH THE EDUCATORS LEAVE, UM, WITH PLANNING DONE SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT.
SO WE DO TRY TO PUT IT THROUGHOUT, UM, OUR YEAR IN PD AND SUPPORTS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
I, I SAW THE MATRIX, UH, THAT THE COACH WAS USING, UH, WITH STEPS AND END RESULTS.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY LOGICAL AND IT'S SOMETHING THEY ALL, ALL THE TEACHERS TOOK WITH THEM TO IMPLEMENT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. CHAIRMAN GUY, JUST TO BUILD UPON THAT IN INQUIRY THAT YOU PUT FORWARD THE PLC BOOK, THE REFERENCE TO MATRIX THAT YOU PUT FORWARD AS IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR LARGE PROJECTS WITHIN THE DIVISION.
IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH EDUCATORS BRINGING THEIR, THEIR TALENT TO THE TABLE THAT WAS BUILT.
THE NEXT LEVEL WAS THE INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR US AS A SYSTEM.
SO AS WE'RE ROLLING AND DEEPENING OUT THE DELIVERY OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES, THE SUSTAINABILITY IS DUE THE WORK OF INDIVIDUALS AS MRS. MARY AND THE COACHES.
NOT ONLY WHAT THEY DO, BUT BRING IT INTO THE CLASSROOM ITSELF.
SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION, SIR.
NEXT ITEM, UM, IS MS. CROSBY, AND SHE'S GOT INFORMATION REGARDING OUR, UH, INSURANCE REBATE FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD INSURANCE TRUST.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, I COME TO YOU WITH GOOD NEWS.
UH, SCOTT, SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD INSURANCE TRUST IS, UH, IS THE VENDOR THAT, UH, SERVICES OUR PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE EVERY YEAR.
UH, AND THEY SERVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.
UM, THIS YEAR, UH, THEY, UH, DID SOME ANALYSIS, FOUND SOME, UM, HAD AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE TO REDUCE EXPENSES FOR SCHOOL
[01:45:01]
DISTRICTS AND UTILIZE SOME OF THEIR EXISTING FUNDS ON HAND, UH, TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE $2 MILLION OF SAVINGS IN INSURANCE COSTS ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, RECEIVED A REBATE OF 202,400 AND $542, UH, WHICH WILL BE APPLIED TO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
OUR PREMIUMS WILL BE REDUCED BY THAT AMOUNT.
SO WE'LL SEE A BUDGET LINE ITEM OF A REDUCTION OF THAT AMOUNT.
UM, AND IT'S CALCULATED ON THREE FACTORS, PRIMARILY, UH, MEMBERSHIP, LONGEVITY AND LOYALTY.
TWO IS, IS HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE FORM OF PREMIUMS. AND THREE, THE LOSS RATIO FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
MEANING WHAT, UH, EVENTS DID WE HAVE THAT NEEDED TO BE SERVED WITH INSURANCE COSTS.
SO INSURANCE, UM, UH, UM, UM, INSURANCE EVENTS.
SO, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, BY REDUCING SOME OF THEIR OPERATING COSTS AND, AND FUND BALANCE AND THAT TO SERVE THE DISTRICTS THAT, UM, THEY ARE, THAT ARE MEMBERSHIP IN THEIR MEMBERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT GOOD NEWS FORWARD TO PROVIDE TO YOU, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT AGAIN IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BOARD.
[Board Business Action]
BUSINESS ACTION.WE HAVE A DONATION FROM PARKER'S KITCHEN, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $75,000.
AND, UH, BY OUR BYLAWS, UH, WE HAVE TO APPROVE AS A BOARD, UH, ANY ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS.
UH, THIS WAS DONE AT A CEREMONY AT THE NEW PARKERS THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROBERT SMALLS AND HIGHWAY 21.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? DR. RODRIGUEZ? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE UTILIZED? THERE'S, UH, DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, SCHOOLS, UH, UH, HAVE ACCESS TO, TO THE FUNDS THAT'S DISTRIBUTED TO, TO OUR, TO OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, UM, IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IS, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT RECOGNITIONS AND THINGS THAT WE DO WITH OUR, WITHIN OUR, UH, ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR, FOR PEOPLE AND PERSONNEL.
SO, UH, BUT, BUT, BUT A LOT OF IT, THERE'S, THERE'S A, A DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TO, TO SCHOOLS TO UTILIZE AS THEY SEE FIT AS WELL WITH, UH, RECOGNITION FOR THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OWN SITES.
THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN, UH, PERSONNEL HERE.
MR. CHAIR AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM PARKER'S KITCHEN IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000.
SECOND, MR. CARR, UH, DR. CARR, ANY DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR IN THE, IN THE BOARD ROOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
MS. BOATWRIGHT? MS. BOATWRIGHT, MS. GORDON.
WE HAVE, UH, NINE, NINE EYES AND ONE ABSENT.
THERE'S NOTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Future Agenda Topics]
DO WE HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS? UH, YES.UM, THE, UM, THE, THE PLAYGROUND AT THE LAYS ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE PLAYGROUND.
PLAYGROUND, LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SLASH GRAVEYARD.
ANY OTHER TOPICS? DON'T SEE ANY.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY, TIME FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS,
[Second Public Comments]
JOANNE? I DON'T, I THINK I'D KILL, I'D MURDER THIS NAME.COULD YOU, COULD YOU TELL US YOUR NAME, PLEASE? YES, MY NAME IS JOANNE KLAZINSKI.
OKAY, MA'AM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TEACHER APPRECIATION.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK IS CELEBRATED EACH YEAR DURING THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY, TO HONOR AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF ALL OUR TEACHERS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, IN PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS.
ON BEHALF OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON AREA, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, WHICH WE ARE BOTH PART OF, WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK ACTIVITIES
[01:50:01]
THAT WE ARE CO-SPONSORING IN HONOR OF OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY TEACHERS FROM MAY 5TH THROUGH THE NINTH.OUR FIRST ACTIVITY INVOLVES THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE HAVE INSTALLED TEACHER APPRECIATION, WEAK SIGNS IN FRONT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND APPRECIATION OF EVERYTHING THAT OUR TEACHERS DO FOR THE STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
OUR THEME FOR TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK THIS YEAR IS REACH FOR THE STARS.
IT'S A REMINDER THAT HARD WORK CAN INSPIRE STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR DREAMS JUST AS THEY CAN AIM HIGH FOR THEIR OWN TEACHING JOURNEYS AND SUCCESS.
WE HAVE OVER HERE, WELL, IT'S ALSO, YEAH, WE HAVE OVER HERE EXAMPLE OF TEACHER APPRECIATION THAT WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
UM, AND WE PUT THE STARS OUT AND WE ALSO USE THE SAME ONES, BUT WE ADDED SOME STARS TO IT FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, WE WILL BE INSTALLING THEM AT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS ON MONDAY MORNING, MAY 5TH, AND WE'LL BE REMOVING THEM FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 9TH BY VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR LOCAL, UM, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
NEW THIS YEAR IS THE REQUEST AND APPROVAL FOR TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK PROCLAMATION PROCLAMATIONS FROM THE TOWNS OF HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON, AND BUFORD.
WE WILL BE SENDING THE OFFICIAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK PROCLAMATIONS TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THROUGH DR.
RODRIGUEZ'S OFFICE WHEN THE TOWNS HAVE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THEIR PROCLAMATIONS AND HONOR OF OUR BEAUFORD COUNTY TEACHERS DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK 2025 AT THEIR LOCAL TOWN MEETINGS.
LASTLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AND HONOR YOU FOR THE EXCELLENCE OF YOUR BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH WE SAW TONIGHT BEING PART OF THIS MEETING, UM, AND WORK IN SUPPORTING AND APPRECIATING OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY TEACHERS FOR ALL THE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS AND THEIR DEVOTE TO MAXIMIZING THE EDUCATION AND THE LIVES OF THEIR STUDENTS.
NEXT, MR. MILLER AT WEST FLORENCE BANNED A CASE STUDY.
I, AGAIN,
AND A, UM, I THINK WOULD SERVE AS A GREAT CASE HISTORY.
I WOULD LIKE TO COMPARE IT TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
UH, HOWEVER, HAVING SEEN THE, UH, PRESENTATION SOME OF THIS MORNING, UH, EARLIER, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THAT COM, UH, SUBJECT.
I DID IT LAST TIME WE MET AND SAID, WELL, THERE'S SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT.
AND SO I'M GONNA HAVE SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT AGAIN TO SAY.
WE SAW THE, UH, SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM BUFORD, UM, ORCHESTRA, NOT THE WHOLE THING.
UH, MS. TIMMY, UH, COMMENTED THAT THAT WAS ONE OF TWO IN THE DISTRICT.
QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK YOU WOULD FIND, THOUGH I'M NOT INVOLVED WITH ORCHESTRA OR CHORUS, SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT MAY BE A LITTLE INACCURATE.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HER PROGRAM, ALMOST EVERY MANY OF THE CLASSES SHE TEACHES IS A COMBINATION OF STRINGS AND BAND, AND THEREFORE THE BAND NOR THE, THE, UH, STRINGS GETS TOTAL APPRECIATION, IF YOU WILL.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE, UH, WE HAD THE MAY RIVER COURSE AND THE MAY RIVER, UM, BAND, UH, PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE CORE SIDE, BUT, UH, TO GIVE YOU SOME PRO, UH, IN DEPTH OUT OF THE, UH, I'LL SAY THE, UH, MY INVOLVEMENT GOING BACK IN ANCIENT HISTORY FIVE OR 10 YEARS BC THAT'S FIVE OR 10 YEARS
[01:55:01]
BEFORE COVID, THAT, UH, INVOLVING, UH, AND HELPING BANDS THAT THIS PERFORMANCE OF THE MAY RIVER BAND PERFORMING AT LEVEL FOUR FIVE IS PROBABLY THE ONLY SECOND TIME IN 10 YEARS OR SO THAT A BAND HAS PERFORMED AT CPA AT THAT LEVEL AND LET, AND ONLY TWICE HAVE THEY EVER GOTTEN THAT RECOGNITION OF A SUPERIOR WITH DISTINCTION.NEXT WE HAVE A, A CARD FROM MR. RICHARD BIY, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GAP.
THE ONE AND ONLY EMPLOYEE THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING IS THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, HERE'S WHAT HE TOLD THE ISLAND PACKET LAST WEEK.
AND I QUOTE, OUR LITERACY SCORES ARE THE HIGHEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EVER HAD.
IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND ACHIEVE THAT LEVEL.
OUR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SCORE IS THE HIGHEST THE DISTRICT HAS EVER HAD, AND OUR CURRENT GRADUATION RATE IS THE HIGHEST RECORDED GRADUATION RATE THE DISTRICT HAS HAD.
WELL, THE GRADUATION RATE MAY BE THE HIGHEST, BUT THE QUESTION IS, CAN THE STUDENTS READ AND WRITE THE SOUTH CAROLINA READY TEST SCORES FOR GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT TELL A FAR DIFFERENT STORY? MOST BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS ARE NOT PERFORMING AT GRADE LEVEL AND ARE NOT CAREER READY.
MY THREE MINUTES DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO SHARE ALL THE DATA, BUT I DID SEND AN EMAIL TO ALL OF YOU LAST WEEK WITH ALL OF THE DETAILS.
NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF BLACK STUDENTS NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN GRADE THREE ENGLISH, WELL, NEARLY SEVEN OUT OF TEN EIGHTH GRADERS WERE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL.
60% OF HISPANIC STUDENTS NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN GRADE THREE ENGLISH, NEARLY 62% NOT AT GRADE LEVEL.
IN EIGHTH GRADE, MATH SCORES SHOW THAT TWO THIRDS, TWO THIRDS OF BLACK STUDENTS WERE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN GRADE THREE, WHILE NEARLY NINE OUT OF 10 STUDENTS NOT AT GRADE LEVEL IN EIGHTH GRADE, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS ARE REGRESSING, NOT PROGRESSING.
THE SCORES, AS YOU KNOW, ARE WORSE IN EIGHTH GRADE THAN THEY ARE IN THIRD GRADE.
IN ADDITION, THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITE SHOWS THAT LESS THAN 35% OF BLACK STUDENTS ARE CAREER READY WHILE 50% OF HISPANIC STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED CAREER READY.
SUFFICE IT TO SAY THE SCORES OF WHITE STUDENTS ARE MUCH BETTER.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LAST FEW YEARS OF HOW THE STATE HAS PERFORMED IN BOTH MINIMIZING EDUCATIONAL LOSS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE RECOVERY RATE FOR GETTING BACK ON TRACK, THE STATE HAS OUTPERFORMED BEAUFORT COUNTY IN BOTH AREAS.
IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS BOARD TAKE ITS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY, AND START ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
WHY ARE THESE SCORES SO DISMAL? AND WHAT ARE YOU SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ PLANNING TO DO TO TURN THIS SHIP AROUND? THESE ABYSMAL SCORES HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY BAD FOR DECADES, AND YET NOTHING CHANGES.
AND IT'S CALLED THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.
NEXT AND LAST IS, UH, MR. CAMBRIA, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES.
I, I I NOT TO SPEAK AT THE FIRST SESSION.
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK AGAIN? YES.
ALRIGHT, SO UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION, UH, WE WILL ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
DO I HAVE ANY OBJECTION? WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.