[Call to Order]
[00:00:10]
PUBLIC AT BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND SCHOOL RELATED TOPICS.CITIZENS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS 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 IN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY.
YOU CAN FIND THE, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC COMMENT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE, WW BUFORT SCHOOLS.NET/ABOUT US SLASH BOARD OF ED.
PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM 24 HOURS FROM THE DAY OF THE START OF THE MEETING.
REQUESTERS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE BUDGET 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 CITIZEN, FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL IN THE EVENT THE BOARD IS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THE MAY 20TH, 2025 AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AT 6:00 PM ON MAY 21ST, THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS.
[Executive Session]
SO, UH, MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY ACTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? UH, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATING TO PENDING CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH SEVEN A TWO.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOLS FACILITY PROPOSALS GO AHEAD, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO PROPERTIES IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT PROMOTION COMPENSATION PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IN PURSUANT TO THE, UM, RECEIPT RELATED TO LEGAL PENDING CLAIMS, UH, SECTIONS 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70, UH, TWO, WELL, EIGHT DASH TWO, UH, WHO WILL BE ADVISING US ON, ON, ON THAT MS. CARTILAGE? UH, AND, AND, AND, AND WILL THAT BE THE ONLY PERSON ADVISING US, UH, GIVING US A LEGAL ADVICE IN, UH, IN, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY? NO, SIR.
BUT YOU ASKED ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR CLAIM.
SO WE HAVE, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE, UM, UM, ANDREW WHITE, UM, AND WE HAVE SARAH ROBERTSON, AND THEY WILL BE ADVISING US ON ON WHICH, ON WHICH, ON, ON WHICH, UH, UH, ANDREW WHITE AND RIVERVIEW CHARTER AND SARAH ROBERTSON ON THE, UM, UH, SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, AR ARRANGEMENTS, CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO PROPERTIES IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, NOW HAVE, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ONLINE, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ONLINE? GORDON AYE.
ANY OF 'EM OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
THERE'S A SMASH TO RIGHT FIELD.
SO, BUFORD COUNTY HOME RUN, SHOT OVER THE RIGHT FIELD, LOOKING FOR A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPENINGS IN AREAS THAT WILL MATCH YOUR SKILLSET.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, DETENTION CENTER OFFICERS, STORMWATER AND
[00:05:01]
GROUND CREWS, AIRCRAFT MECHANICS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG SPECIALISTS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT SPECIALISTS, LIBRARY ASSISTANCE, BUS DRIVERS, AND MUCH MORE.BUFORT COUNTY OFFERS COMPETITIVE SALARIES, BEST IN CLASS BENEFITS, AND A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
APPLY TODAY@BEAUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV.
CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY ACTIONS AS APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE DO, I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL.HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MR. SMALL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ONLINE, PASTOR GORDON, MS. GORDON, SHE'S NOT ON YET.
UH, WE HAVE ANY NAYS? UH, MR. SMITH IS A NAY.
THAT CONCLUDES THE MOTIONS OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE, WE, WE GONNA HAVE ONE FOR YEAH.
[Approval of Agenda]
MADAM SECRETARY, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FACT TO THE BOARD? DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE AN AMENDMENT ADDED BY A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE.I MOVE TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD A BOARD BUSINESS ITEM FOR AUTH.
UH, I'M SORRY, I DID THE WRONG THING.
I, UH, WOULD LIKE TO, UH, AMEND THE AGENDA TO NOMINATE CARLTON DALLAS TO SERVE AS THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR FROM REGION ONE.
IT'S SECONDED BY MS. DR. CARR.
ANY DISCUSSION? AND AS A POINT OF ORDER, IT DOES REQUIRE TWO THIRDS VOTE TO PASS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MADAM, UH, MS. GORDON, NOTHING HEARD, BUT IT'S PASSED BY TWO THIRDS.
WITH THAT, THEN, UH, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REST OF THE AGENDA AS STATED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MS. GORDON, NOTHING HEARD ANY NAYS? MR. SMITHFIELD WAS GONNA AB ABSTAIN.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
NEXT ITEM IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TUTORING REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.[Student Performance]
A STUDENT PERFORMANCE THIS EVENING.THE CREATIVE ARTS SINGERS, THE AMBASSADOR GROUP FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS, IS COMING IN NOW COMPRISED OF FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE CHORUS MEMBERS.
THEY'RE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MELINDA BRAY.
THEY WILL, THEY WILL BE SINGING MUSIC.
MS. BRAY, WHEN YOU'RE READY, TAKE IT AWAY.
[00:10:04]
ABSOLUTELY.HEY, I WANT IS LOVING YOU AND MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC.
ALL I WANT IS LOVING YOU AND MUSIC.
AND MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC, MY DEAR.
COME THE NICEST WHEN THE I GOT, I GOT MUSIC.
[00:15:15]
GOOD JOB, MR. GENTLEMEN.[Points of Celebration]
WE HAVE POINTS OF CELEBRATION.THIS EVENING ON, UH, POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
UH, WE BEGIN WITH, UH, STUDENTS OF THE MONTH AND THE CHARACTER EDUCATION, UH, STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL.
UH, WE'RE, WE ARE EXCITED, UM, ABOUT THIS.
THE, THE CHARACTER TRAIT WAS FORGIVENESS.
AND FORGIVENESS IS DEFINED AS TO STOP FEELING ANGER TOWARDS SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
THE APRIL STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS DESTINY SIMMONS, A SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND HERE TO INTRODUCE, UH, MACKEY IS PRINCIPAL SIOBHAN BROWN.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT SEE DESTINY HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, IS SHE HERE? IS SHE CLOSE? YEAH.
CAN WE PAUSE ON LADIES ISLAND JUST FOR A MOMENT? YEAH.
OR I CAN YOU WE'LL COME BACK, BACK TO IT? YES.
UM, WE'LL BEGIN THEN WITH, UM, APRIL STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
IS STORM SHARIF A SECOND GRADE STUDENT AT MC RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? AND HERE TO INTRODUCE STORM IS PRINCIPAL MELISSA HOLLAND.
WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT FOR MICHAEL C. REILLY STORM HAS QUITE A FAN SHOW BACK HERE BEHIND ME.
HE IS, GOT LOTS OF FANS BACK HERE TO CELEBRATE HIM.
HE HAS BOTH OF HIS TEACHERS HERE TONIGHT.
AND I'M GONNA READ WHAT THEY WROTE ABOUT HIM WHEN THEY NOMINATED HIM FOR STUDENT OF THE MONTH.
STORM IS AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND DEDICATED SECOND GRADE STUDENT WHO ARRIVES AT SCHOOL WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE EACH DAY.
WHEN FACED WITH CHALLENGES, HE CONSISTENTLY PERSEVERES AND PUTS HIS FORTH HIS BEST EFFORT.
STORM HAS CULTIVATED STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH HIS TEACHER AND CLASSMATES, DEMONSTRATING KINDNESS AND RESPECT IN ALL INTERACTIONS.
HE IS KNOWN FOR HIS EXCELLENT MANNERS AND HIS POLITE DEMEANOR, MAKING HIM A JOY TO BE AROUND IN GROUP SETTINGS.
STORM COLLABORATES EFFECTIVELY CO CONTRIBUTING TO TEAMWORK AND FOSTERING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
HE ADHERES TO CLASSROOM RULES AND EXPECTATIONS, SHOWCASING RESPONSIBILITY AND INTEGRITY.
STORM IS AN EXCEPTIONAL FRIEND WHO CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATE KINDNESS TOWARDS HIS PEERS.
THROUGHOUT MY TIME WORKING WITH HIM, I'VE WITNESSED HIS REMARKABLE ABILITY TO SHOW FORGIVENESS.
ONE MEMORABLE INSTANCE OCCURRED WHEN ANOTHER STUDENT MADE A NEGATIVE COMMENT ABOUT SOMETHING STORM WAS DOING.
INSTEAD OF REACTING NEGATIVELY, STORM CALMLY EXPRESSED HIS FEELINGS ABOUT THE COMMENT AND HOW IT AFFECTED HIM.
THE OTHER STUDENT SINCERELY APOLOGIZED AND STORM QUICKLY FORGAVE HIM.
CHOOSING TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT HOLDING ANY RESENTMENT.
STORM UNDERSTANDS THAT EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES AND CAN MAKE POOR CHOICES AT TIMES.
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR ACTIONS AND APOLOGIZING WHEN NECESSARY IS CRUCIAL FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND MAINTAINING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS, HIS COMPASSIONATE NATURE AND WILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE EX OH, EXCUSE ME, EXEMPLIFY THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY WITH OUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU AT MICHAEL C. RILEY.
[00:20:17]
NOW, I BELIEVE DESTINY'S HERE AND IF YOU COME FORWARD SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE DESTINY AS THE, UH, NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENT OF THE MONTH.UH, I'M THE SEVENTH GRADE PRINCIPAL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT LAY ISLAND MIDDLE.
I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER TO STAND HERE WITH THIS YOUNG LADY.
UM, SHE IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING YOUNG LADY.
SHE HONESTLY COULD BE PART OF EVERY STUDENT OF THE MONTH, UM, CATEGORY.
SHE FITS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
EVERY ONE OF HER TEACHERS WANTED TO NOMINATE HER EVERY MONTH, BUT OBVIOUSLY SHE CAN'T WIN ALL 10 OF THEM.
SO, UH, THIS IS THE ONE WE, UH, NOMINATED HER FOR.
I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER THAT SHE WON.
I, I, I KNOW I KEEP SAYING IT, BUT SHE'S AN AMAZING STUDENT, SO I AM VERY PROUD.
DESTINY, UH, HER MOM DONE JUST WALKED IN THE DOOR.
IF THEY WANNA TAKE PICTURES, HER MOM THEM.
IF THEY JUST WANNA TAKE PICTURES.
NEXT, UM, IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER AND BASEBALL AWARDS.
UH, AND TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING SPRING MIDDLE SCHOOL, SOCCER AND BASEBALL.
AND DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MR. CARLOS CAVE, UH, IS HERE TO TELL US MORE.
SO TONIGHT, UH, I'M BEING ASSISTED BY THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC HERE, UH, AT HILTON HEAD MIDDLE.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH BASEBALL.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE 2025 BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR FROM HE MCCRACKEN, NICHOLAS CARPENTER.
OUR VERY OWN MR. DAVE GRISSOM.
[00:25:11]
NOW WE MOVE ON TO GIRL SOCCER PLAY OF THE YEAR FROM HILTON HEAD, MIDDLE, MISS YASMINE KIPER, MISS YASMINE KIPER COACH, AND THE COACH'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR FOR GIRL SARKER FROM 18 MCCRACKEN, MISS EMILY VILLE AND YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP COACH.GIRLS SOCCER FROM HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL, MR. JACOB KEN, THE BOYS SOCCER CHAMPION AND PLAYER OF THE YEAR FROM ROBERT SMALLS.
MR. JO RAMIREZ, COACH'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR VOTED ON BY HIS PEERS, MR. TREY AUSTIN BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THE CHAMPION WINNING COACH OF THE ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 20 24, 25 COACH OF THE YEAR.
THE FINAL AWARD THAT WE'RE GONNA PRESENT TONIGHT WAS ESTABLISHED THIS YEAR AND VOTED ON BY THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS IN OUR BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS AWARD IS A CELEBRATION OF ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT
[00:30:01]
AS AN OVERALL PROGRAM.THIS IS THE INAUGURAL PRESENTATION OF THIS AWARD.
THIS AWARD AGAIN, GOES TO THE PROGRAM THAT, UH, ON THE FIELD HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AND ALL OF THE SPORTS THAT THEY OFFERED.
AND THIS YEAR'S INAUGURAL WINNER OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP CIRCLE AWARD GOES TO HILTON HEAD, ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, MR. LEWIS AND CLINT AUSTIN.
COME FORWARD TO TAKE A PICTURE, RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
I'M NOT FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS EITHER, BUT THIS IS MY HUSBAND
IN 2025, UH, 2026 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE POINTS OF CELEBRATION.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING EACH OF OUR SCHOOL'S TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR.
THE PROFESSIONALS WE RECOGNIZE TONIGHT WERE SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS, WHICH MAKES THEIR AWARDS EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT, WE SUPPORT EACH OF YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR STUDENTS.
THE 25 26 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS ARE AS FOLLOWS, BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, JULIE AMSDEN AND HEATHER BAILEY FOR BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY TO MYRA SMITH AND IRIS CRUZ FOR BEAUFORT HIGH, MARTINE MARSHALL AND ALTHEA GAMBLE FOR BEAUFORT, JASPER ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.
IT'S JEFF BATES AND JILL PUNAL.
FOR BEAUFORT MIDDLE, IT'S CHRISTY BARR AND LAIKA CAPERS FOR BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY AND ECC, JILL PINK AND DEBORAH ALBERT.
FOR BLUFFTON HIGH, IT'S BETH HERRING AND ROSARIO RIVERA.
FOR BLUFFTON MIDDLE, IT'S SAMANTHA GURA AND KRISTEN HOLMAN.
FOR BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY, IT'S LAKEISHA WILLIAMS AND AMY BUTLER.
FOR CUSA ELEMENTARY, IT'S AMY TURNER AND MARKIA COHEN.
FOR HE MCCRACKEN MIDDLE, IT'S ALLISON GALLAGHER AND EMMANUEL WHEELER.
FOR HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, IT'S ALLISON LOPES AND AISHA AUSTIN.
FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH, IT'S HANNAH HARRINGTON.
AND KATIE JOEL SCHULTZ FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND, IB ELEMENTARY, IT'S JASON ZIEGLER AND MIRANDA PATTERSON.
FOR HILTON HEAD, ISLAND MIDDLE, ANDREA NORMAN AND JOSE TRUJILLO.
FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE ARTS IN DUSSE ISLAND, IT'S CYNTHIA STRAND AND NITZE GARCIA.
FOR JOSEPH S SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY, IT'S KAYLEE FLANAGAN AND REGINA HOLMES.
FOR LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY, IT'S SICILY SCOTT AND JOLANDA HAZEL.
FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE, IT'S CORY HOLLIS AND MARIAH KINNEY.
FOR MAY RIVER HIGH, IT'S KELLY JARDEN.
FOR MICHAEL C. RILEY ELEMENTARY IS LIZ DOE AND SABRINA COPELAND FROM MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY.
IT'S MISTY GERARD AND DEANNA SNIPES.
FOR OKEE ELEMENTARY, IT'S AMANDA ALTMAN.
AND CARRIE DOLLAR FOR PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY, JORDAN FRANKS AND YVONNE SIMMONS.
FOR PRICHARD VILLE ELEMENTARY, IT'S MADELINE LUMLEY AND RICHARD CAMPON.
FOR RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY, IT'S AUDREY KANEY AND KATIE CHILO.
[00:35:01]
IT'S MARLENA, TRACY AND TAYLOR ANDERSON.FOR ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, IT'S REBECCA GERARD AND JOHN LITTLE FIRST ST.
IT'S FELICIA SIMMONS AND GWEN CAMPBELL.
FOR WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH, IT'S CAR BLIN AND KELVIN SIMMONS FOR WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY.
IT'S SABRINA JOHNSON, GREEN AND SHARIA WYNN FOR WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE, IT'S JAMES FLOYD AND JESSICA MELBOURNE.
FOR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, IT'S KAMIKO MILLER.
FOR THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, IT'S JUDY BABA.
AND AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE IT'S TINA PURVIS AND THE INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
JENNIFER CASS FROM MOSSI OAKS ELEMENTARY.
THE DISTRICT INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
HONOR BEGAN IN 2021 TO RECOGNIZE A FIRST YEAR TEACHER WHO DEMONSTRATES THE PASSION, DEDICATION, AND PROMISE OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION'S NEXT GENERATION.
AND HERE, UH, TO INTRODUCE THE 25 DISTRICT INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MAI OAKS ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL S WENDY OS.
IT IS MY ABSOLUTE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR, MS. CASS, THE 20 24 20 25 DISTRICT INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
THIS HAS BEEN MS. CASS'S FIRST YEAR AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY.
IT HAS BEEN LIKE SO MANY FIRST YEAR TEACHERS, SHE STEPPED INTO THE CLASSROOM FACING THE CHALLENGES AND BALANCING WORK AND HOME LIFE, MASTERING NEW CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS, AND BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH HER STUDENTS, ALL WHILE LEARNING THE INS AND OUTS OF A BRAND NEW SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
BUT MS. CASS DIDN'T JUST SURVIVE HER FIRST YEAR.
SHE APPROACHED EVERY CHALLENGE WITH GRACE, PERSEVERANCE, AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO HER STUDENTS FOR A DAY.
FROM DAY ONE, SHE EMBRACED HER ROLE WITH A CHAMPION'S MINDSET, COLLABORATING CLOSELY WITH HER TEAM, SOAKING IN FEEDBACK, AND ALWAYS PUTTING STUDENTS' GROWTH AT THE CENTER OF HER WORK.
THANKS TO HER DEDICATION AND HEART, SHE HAS BUILT A CLASSROOM OF CONFIDENT, CAPABLE, AND CURIOUS FIRST GRADE LEARNERS WHO ARE WELL PREPARED FOR THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR JOURNEY.
HER IMPACT HAS BEEN IMMEDIATE AND MEANINGFUL, AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO HAVE HER AS PART OF OUR MOSSY OAKS FAMILY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING MS. CAST THE 20 24 20 25 DISTRICT INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
UM, THREE MORE, UH, THIS EVENING.
UH, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE.
SO, UH, IF YOU GIMME A SECOND HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ANNOUNCE THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LOW COUNTRY TECHNOLOGY CHAMPION, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
RECENTLY HONORED 12 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, AND WE'RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT ONE OF THEM IS FROM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THE LOW COUNTRY TECHNOLOGY CHAMPION IS WELDING INSTRUCTOR B BRAD CHILDRESS.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS? HOW ARE YOU? WELL, DOING GOOD.
I'M, I'M BETTER AT WELDING THAN I AM PUBLIC SPEAKING, BUT
ANYTIME I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ON THIS WONDERFUL YOUNG LADY, I'M, I'M, I'M GOING TO DO IT.
UM, I WANNA START BY SAYING A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS AMAZING YOUNG
[00:40:01]
LADY.I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TEACHING MORGAN MORGAN FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN WELDING.
WHEN MORGAN STARTED WELDING, SHE WAS VERY QUIET AND VERY OBSERVANT.
THE REASON WHY THAT SHE WAS THAT WAY IS SHE HAD SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL.
SHE HAD TWO BIG BROTHERS THAT WENT THROUGH MY CLASS, AND THEY DID SUPER, SUPER GOOD.
UM, MORGAN SOON DEVELOPED INTO A LEADER AND A CHAMPION FROM WINNING MANY COMPETITIONS, PASSING ALL OF HER CERTIFICATIONS LIKE OSHA 10 LOCAL INDUSTRY WELDING CERTIFICATIONS, AND TWO, NOT ONE, BUT TWO NATIONAL WELDING CERTIFICATIONS THROUGH AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY.
I MEAN, SORRY, EXCUSE ME, A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.
UM, MORGAN HAS SURPASSED WHAT I CALL A, A GOOD STUDENT.
UM, SO WITH GREAT PRIDE, I PRESENT YOU THE LOW COUNTRY TECHNOLOGY CHAMPION MORGAN WAGER THANK BOARD MEMBERS.
SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE MORGAN, BECAUSE WHENEVER WE HAD A GRAND OPENING AT RIVER RIDGE, UH, MORGAN WAS THE STUDENT WHO WAS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT BODY.
AND THEN LATER ON WE WERE HAVING A, UM, A GROUNDBREAKING CELEBRATION AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
A FEW YEARS LATER, MORGAN WAS THERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF, OF THE STUDENT BODY.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS MORGAN.
THE NEXT AWARD, UM, THE OTHER NIGHT I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND THE EMAIL READS AS FOLLOWS.
THE LETTER THAT CAME WITH IT READS AS FOLLOWS.
THE S-C-B-D-A OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD IS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE AWARD GIVEN TO A BAND PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
POINTS ARE ACCUMULATED THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND RATINGS EARNED AT THE FOLLOWING, STATE SPONSORED PERFORMANCE EVENTS, MARCHING BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS, HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, ALLSTATE, AND REGION BAND CONCERT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT, SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL.
IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE TO INFORM YOU THAT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL HAS EARNED THE POINTS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE THE S-C-B-D-A OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD FOR THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR.
THE OUTSTANDING MARCHING CONCERT AND INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PERFORMANCES ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE HIGH QUALITY OF TEACHING TAKING PLACE IN THE BAND DEPARTMENT AT YOUR SCHOOL.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.
AWARDS CHAIRMAN FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, PRINCIPAL RON WEBB.
WE HAVE MS. DEB HAMNER AND SOME STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE.
AND I INVITE YOU, UH, TO COME FORWARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
MS. HAMNER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO COME IN AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR THIS GREAT AWARD.
UM, I HAVE WITH ME LUKE BAUER AND SKYLER THORNTON, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP AS WELL, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME ON UP.
UM, THEY'VE PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE, THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
ALL OF THE KIDS HAVE, STARTING WITH THE MARCHING BAND.
WE PLACED, WE TIED FOR 19TH OUT OF 22 OUT OF THIS ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR OUR LEVEL.
AND THAT'S THE SCHOOL LEVEL, THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL, NOT THE SIZE OF THE BAND.
AND WE HAVE A PRETTY SMALL BAND.
SO IT'S, IT SPEAKS ACCOLADES ON EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE.
AND USUALLY WE TAKE FIVE TO SIX STUDENTS TO THE REGION BAND PARTICIPATING IN IT.
AND THIS YEAR WE TOOK 12 STUDENTS TO THAT.
SO EVERYTHING, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PUT IN FOR TEACHERS TO COME IN AND WORK INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE STUDENTS ON SOLO AND ENSEMBLES, THEY REALLY WORK HARD AND OVERCOME THOSE BATTLES BY DOING THAT.
AND, UM, NEXT, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SAME THING HAPPENING NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
A LOT OF THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS WEREN'T ABLE TO COME BECAUSE YESTERDAY WE DID A BIG, A MASS BAND REHEARSAL FOR THE PARADE THAT ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S GONNA BE PARTICIPATING IN FOR MEMORIAL DAY ON IN THE BEAUFORT PARADE.
[00:45:01]
GUYS WILL ALL BE ABLE TO COME AND WATCH ALL OF THE BANDS TOGETHER.NOW I HAVE ONE MORE AWARD THIS EVENING, SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS GAZA 2025 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
EACH YEAR, UP TO THREE EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS RECEIVE THE PRESTIGIOUS GAZA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, WHICH RECOGNIZES THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT OF VETERAN ADMINISTRATORS SERVING IN THE ROLE OF CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE AND HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER FOR WELL OVER A DECADE.
MS. WALTON HAS OVERSEEN MANY INITIATIVES TO ENSURE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HIRES AND SUPPORTS EDUCATORS IN EVERY AREA.
SHE HAS LED HER TEAM TO SPEARHEAD EVENTS SUCH AS THE SUBSTITUTE BLITZ, JOB FAIR, INTERNATIONAL NIGHTS SALARY COMPENSATION STUDY, AND IMPLEMENTATION, COVID-19 RESPONSE AND RECOVERY, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.
MS. WALTON IS ALSO ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND AN EAR WHEN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS ARISE, PROVIDING SAGE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE BASED ON HER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SERVING THE STAFF, FAMILIES, STUDENTS, AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IN FACT, HER STRONG LEADERSHIP IS MADE EXCEPTIONALLY APPARENT IN CRISIS SITUATIONS AS SHE CONSISTENTLY REMAINS STEADFAST, CALM, AND SUPPORTIVE WHILE ADDRESSING THE CIRCUMSTANCE AT HAND FROM START TO FINISH WITH THE TYPE OF POISE AND INNER STRENGTH THAT ONLY SEASONED AND EFFECTIVE LEADERS SUCH AS MS. WALTON POSSESS.
THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT NOT, NOT ALL CAN CARRY THE WEIGHT OF PROVIDING A DISTRICT WITH LONGEVITY, INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY, AND A STRONG SENSE OF BEING A PILLAR FOR THE DISTRICT.
ALICE WALTON HAS THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, AND FORTITUDE TO BE THE BACKBONE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BUT WHAT IS OF GREATER SIGNIFICANCE IS HER DEDICATION TO CHALLENGING THOSE AROUND HER TO PRODUCE THE VERY BEST.
THIS IS TRULY THE HALLMARK OF A GREAT LEADER.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS ACHIEVEMENT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE NOMINATION FOR THE AWARD WAS THE FIRST SURPRISE.
THE SECOND SURPRISE WAS MY STAFF KEPT IT FROM ME,
THE THIRD SURPRISE WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT DID THIS TONIGHT AND DIDN'T TELL ME.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE BIGGEST REWARD FOR THIS AWARD IS THE FACT THAT THE COLLEAGUES THAT I'VE WORKED WITH AND FOSTERED RELATIONSHIPS WITH HAVE GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE LEADER THAT I AM IN BEAUFORT.
AND WITHOUT THEM, I WOULDN'T BE HERE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING.
[First Public Comments]
PUBLIC COMMENT CARD FOR THE FIRST PERIOD, AND, AND THAT IS ON AN AGENDA ITEM.AND THE AGENDA ITEM WAS MAY RIVER BANS, UH, AWARD.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THAT AWARD.
THE MOST POSITIVE IS THAT IT IS, THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION KEEPS RECORDS OF THIS AWARD OVER 50 YEARS.
THIS IS THE ONLY SECOND TIME THAT ANY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT HAS RECEIVED THIS AWARD.
[Chair’s Report]
THE CHAIR'S REPORT.I HAVE NO REPORT THIS NOT TONIGHT.
[Committee Reports]
GO RIGHT TO THE COMMITTEE REPORTS.AND THE FIRST REPORT IS FINANCE COMMITTEE BY MR. DALLAS.
SO, UM, LAST WEEK ON THE 15TH, WE HAD A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'VE TRIED TO FOCUS ON CERTAINLY IS BEING VERY FRUGAL, UH, WHEN THERE'S A
[00:50:01]
LOT OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHERE THE DOLLARS WILL COME FROM.UH, AND THE FINANCE STAFF AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS, UH, PEOPLE IN THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION, WE BELIEVE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF PREPARING US FOR THINGS GOING FORWARD.
UH, WE ALSO HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, POTENTIAL, UM, EXPOSURE AND HOW WE COULD MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED, UH, THROUGH CFO CROSBY AND OTHERS THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE $27 MILLION THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE AT RISK GOING FORWARD.
IT HAS NOT BEEN PULLED AS OF YET.
AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT AS LONG AS IT'S COMMITTED AND IN THE BUDGET THAT IT WILL COME THROUGH FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR.
SO WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE, UH, EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
THE OTHER THING, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ASK CFO CROSBY TO COME UP 'CAUSE SHE HAS, UM, SHE, SHE DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT HER, SHE AND HER STAFF HAVE DONE.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS USING OUR REPORTS, UH, IN A VERY EFFICIENT WAY SO THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE VARIANCES AND BEING ABLE TO MOVE VERY QUICKLY TO THOSE AND TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN AREAS OF DEFICIT OR WHAT'S MAKING A PARTICULAR AREA THAT'S REALLY EXCEEDING ITS TARGETS.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING AND HOW DO WE CAPTURE THAT AND SPREAD IT TO OTHER AREAS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
SO, MS. CROSBY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP, MA'AM? GOOD EVENING, MR. TIP THAT ON THERE WITHOUT KNOCKING ANYTHING OVER
UH, I WON'T HIT ON ALL OF THE DETAILS OF THE, OF THIS FINANCE REPORT.
UH, THE AGENDA, WE HAD ABOUT NINE DIFFERENT ITEMS, BUT REALLY THE COMMON THEMES WERE EFFICIENCY AND CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING OUR PROCESSES TO SAVE MONEY, SAVE TIME, AND TO, UM, SAVE US, UM, REDUCE RISK OF ANY FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY.
SUCH AS, UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION TO LESSEN, DO MORE ELECTRONIC TRANSFERS OF FUNDS TO OUR VENDORS, UH, TO OUR EMPLOYEES FOR REIMBURSEMENTS.
AND SO WE'RE EMBARKING ON AN EFFORT TO DO AN ELECTRONIC TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT, UM, THAT WAY WE'RE NOT SENDING CHECKS OUT IN THE MAIL.
WE'RE NOT FOLDING IN CEILING, VERY EXPENSIVE CHECK STOCK, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT IN MANY AR OTHER AREAS, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE EFFICIENCIES LIKE THAT.
AND A, AS A DISTRICT, ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COUNTY, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE PROCESS IS PROBABLY TWO THIRDS OF THE VENDOR CHECKS THAT WE MAKE.
UM, SO WE ALSO PRESENTED THE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE THIRD QUARTER.
EVERYTHING WAS ON, UH, THE REVENUES WERE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE PROJECTIONS.
SO WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, AS, UH, AND WE DO HAVE THE REMAINING THREE MONTHS, BUT ALSO, UM, TEACHERS BEGIN TO BE PAID IN AUGUST.
SO WE HAVE JULY TO ACCRUE BACK AS WELL.
SO THERE'S STILL SOME PAYROLL TO, TO OCCUR, UH, THAT IS EARNED IN THE CURRENT, UH, FISCAL YEAR, BUT PAID OUT JUST BEYOND THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AS MR. DALLAS MENTIONED, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CURRENT, CURRENTLY HAVE ANY FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS, BUT WE DO HAVE $27 MILLION OF FUNDS IN THE DISTRICT THAT ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED.
MOST MANY OF THESE ARE SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMS. UH, THE LARGEST PROGRAM IS THE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM, UH, THROUGH USDA.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AND MONITORING AT THOSE TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE'RE UP TO DATE WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
UH, THERE'S ONLY ONE, UH, INDICATION RECENTLY THAT WE, THERE'S A DELAY IN APPROVALS.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE DELAYS IN PROCESSING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, OUR MSAP OR, UM, THE, UH, MAGNET SCHOOLS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS IN ITS FIFTH YEAR OF AUTHORIZATION.
AND WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THAT FIFTH YEAR AUTHORIZATION FROM CONGRESS YET.
SO WE'RE ACTIVELY AWAITING THAT AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR US DEPARTMENT OF ED COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY UP TO DATE ON WHEN THAT AUTHORIZATION IS GOING TO OCCUR, WHICH WE DO EXPECT FOR IT TO BE SOON.
UM, SO WE HAVE A FEW APPROVALS THIS EVENING.
ONE IS AN E-RATE AUTHORIZATION, THE OTHER IS A GRANT AUTHORIZATION.
THESE ARE STANDARD APPROVALS THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR.
SO WE'LL BE ASKING FOR MOTIONS TO BE MADE, UH, I BELIEVE OUT OF, OUT OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
UH, SO WE DO HAVE THOSE PREPARED FOR YOU.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE STANDARD AUTHORIZATIONS THAT ALLOW US TO EITHER APPLY FOR GRANTS OR APPLY FOR FEDERAL E-RATE FUNDS AND REIMBURSEMENT OF THOSE FUNDS FOR SERVICES SUCH AS WIRELESS ACCESS NETWORK, UH, INTERNET, ONE THING.
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GETTING, CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT JUST UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT DIFFERENT FUNDS OR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF BUDGETS AND THEN, UH, WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE AND MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, NOT ONLY FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, BUT ALSO FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, VIEWERS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THINGS MORE VISUALLY AND, UM, TO, TO UNDERSTAND THINGS WEATHER THAN LOTS OF WORDS AND NUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.SO, AS WE ROUND OUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, UH, OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, WE'LL BE SHIFTING GEARS TOWARD BEING ABLE TO WORK ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WE, AS WE FINISH UP THE BUDGET AND, UH, OUR EARLY SPRING AUDIT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE, UH, THIS WEEK AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE EITHER A MOTION OR SOME, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I, I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE MS. CROSBY, THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE CHAIR, WHO MADE A VERY SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE SECOND READING.
THEY WERE, THERE WAS ALL, THERE WAS ALMOST A, A EXUBERANCE ON THEIR PART AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT AND, AND PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO, KUDOS TO ALL INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND THE MOTION, I THINK SHE DOES MOTION.
I DO HAVE THE MOTIONS, BUT I DID JUST, IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT I'M JUST TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WAS ACTUALLY SHOCKED THAT WE WERE STILL HAVING PAPER CHECKS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE PAPER CHECKS STILL REALLY EXISTED.
ONE OF MY, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS JUST SO WE, WHAT OTHER VENDORS ARE WE STILL PAYING? 'CAUSE IT'S, THIS IS A VERY NARROW JUST TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT.
ARE WE STILL DOING NON-TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT WITH PAPER CHECKS FOR THE MOST PART? OR ARE WE, GIMME A PERCENTAGE OF HOW MUCH OF OUR PAYMENTS ARE SENT OUT WITH PAPER CHECKS AND HOW MUCH ARE SENT OUT ELECTRONICALLY? IS IT A 50 50? IS IT, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
BUT, UH, I COULD BRING THAT BACK INFORMATION THAT'S TO YOU AND SEND IT THE EMAIL TO ALL OF THE BOARD.
MY OVERARCHING THEME AND COMMENT IS FANTASTIC.
IT'S TIME TO GET EVERYTHING IN ONE SPOT, AND IT'S TIME TO GET EVERYTHING.
I THINK WE WERE FOCUSED MORE ON THE INTERNAL DOCUMENTATION, THE PURCHASE REQUESTS, THE, UH, PURCHASE ORDERS, UH, REQUISITIONS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, AND ALL THE DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THAT.
SO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE BEEN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PAPERLESS INTERNALLY.
UM, AND SO SHIFTING AWAY FROM THE STORAGE AND THE SHREDDING AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON IN THE PAST.
THIS IS SORT OF ANOTHER PHASE.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN TO, UH, CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AND WE WANNA JUST FINE TUNE THAT TO MAKE SURE THE DOCUMENTATION'S COMING FORWARD IN AN EMAIL TO YOU, UH, TO THE EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SEEING WHAT YOU'RE, UM, BEING PAID FOR AND IS ELECTRONICALLY POSTING.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN BETWEEN WITH AUDITORS AND BUDGET AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO WE ARE FITTING THIS IN AND IT'S A PRIORITY FOR US TO GET FINISHED BY, IMPLEMENTED BY JULY ONE.
I WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT BEMUSED THAT THERE WAS TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS, BUT, WE'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE AND, AND START WITH THE MOTION.
IT SHOULD BE RELATIVELY MINIMAL AND SELF-EXPLANATORY.
SO WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HERE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE REGARDING E-RATE.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZE THE FILING OF E-RATE FUNDING YEAR 2025 APPLICATIONS FOR ELIGIBLE E-RATE CATEGORY ONE SERVICES.
AND THAT BY DOING SO, THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT WILL BUDGET FOR SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE DISTRICT SHARE OF THESE SERVICES THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY THE E-RATE PROGRAM.
SECOND, WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FROM MS. FRAZIER.
ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MS. MS. GORDON, UH, NOTHING HEARD ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY NA, ANY NAYS? YOU'RE GOOD.
SECOND MOTION COMING OUTTA FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HEREBY AUTHORIZE A SUPERINTENDENT, OR I GUESS I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF AUTH OF EDUCATION HEREBY AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO APPLY FOR SIGN, SUBMIT AND ADMINISTER FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND FOUNDATION GRANT APPLICATIONS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR THE 20 25 20 26 SCHOOL YEAR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, DR. CARR? ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY NA, ANY NAYS? MOTION CARRIES.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE FINANCE? OKAY.
[01:00:01]
UH, LEGISLATIVE.AND YOU'RE STILL ON THE DOCKET? STILL ON THE DOCKET.
UM, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SPENDING TIME LOOKING AT HOW DO WE DEVELOP OUR PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD.
THE ASSEMBLY IS AT REST NOW, BUT THEY COME RETURN IN JANUARY OF, UH, 2026.
AND WE ARE ASKING, WE HAVE ASKED OUR MEMBERS TO SUBMIT THEIR PRIORITY LIST, UH, BY NEXT WEEK, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF CULLING OUT AND PRIORITIZING WHAT THE COMMITTEE SAYS AND RECOMMENDS, BUT ALSO AT THE BOARD LEVEL.
SO EVERY BOARD MEMBER WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE THE OTHER THING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, BOARD MEMBERS, ANYONE WHO HAS CONTACT WITH US, TO IDENTIFY AREAS THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT AS A SCHOOL BOARD WE ARE AFFECTED AND THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE, AND WE ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PROFFER SOME LEGISLATIVE SUGGESTIONS THAT ARE PROPERLY VETTED WITHIN THE PROTOCOLS OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WITHIN THE PROTOCOLS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, AND THAT WE CAN MOVE THOSE FORWARD BASED ON A VOTE.
UH, WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO OUR KIDS AND THE FAMILIES THAT SUPPORT THOSE YOUNGSTERS.
SO THAT HAS BEEN THE REAL PRIMARY TOPIC THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
WE PROBABLY WILL BE ABLE TO CONCLUDE THAT IN ANOTHER, HOPEFULLY SIX WEEKS, AND THEN BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD, UM, WITH EFFECT AND, UH, PROPER PROTOCOLS.
AND THAT'S IT FOR LEGISLATIVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE? I JUST ADD SOMETHING.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD WE, UM, WITH THE LAST MEETING, I DO THINK THAT THERE, THAT THE PRIORITIZATION, UH, PROCESS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME BIG, BIG ISSUES CONFRONTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, LEGISLATIVELY.
AND I THINK THAT REALLY WE NEED TO, AS A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND AS A BOARD, KEEP OURSELVES EDUCATED ON THOSE AND, UH, KEEP THE DISCUSSIONS GOING.
SO I THINK PRIORITIZATION IS KEY OF THOSE ISSUES.
MR. NICK, DID YOU HAVE OPERATION? HE'S READY TO ROLL.
I DON'T HAVE A COMMENT FOR THAT, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M NEXT IN THE QUEUE.
CAN I DO ONE MORE? YOU'RE UP, SIR.
SO ALL, ANY DISCUSSION? OH, THE, UM, YEAH.
WE, WE, WE JUST WANT TO IMPRESS UPON THE PEOPLE LISTENING WHO ARE HERE, WHO, UH, MAY BE VIEWING, UH, FROM HOME OR WHAT HAVE YOU, HOW CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGE.
AND WE ARE HAVING MEETINGS AND PASTOR MOORE, PASTOR GORDON, I'M SORRY, HELD, HELD ONE IN WHICH WE HAD 57 PEOPLE ATTEND TO LEARN ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OPINE WITH WHERE THEY BELIEVE WE CAN DO THINGS TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO REALLY, WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE IF YOU ARE INVOLVED OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE, WE DEFINITELY ARE OPEN TO THAT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS TO COMMUNICATE AND THE MOST CREDIBLE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE IS FROM SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW AND SOMEONE THAT YOU TRUST.
AND SO, INTERPERSONAL DELIVERY AND WHICH WILL BE SUPPORTED AND, AND REALLY UNDERPINNED BY ALL THE GREAT DIGITAL WORK THAT'S DONE.
BUT PLEASE, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM TO US.
I KNOW OUR AGENDA SAYS, UH, THAT ONLY LOOKS LIKE A COUPLE THINGS ON THERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.
WE DO HAVE TWO MOTIONS AT THE END, BUT, UH, WE'LL GET TO THAT SOON.
UH, FIRST UP, CAUSE CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE, UH, BETWEEN, UH, ON CUSTODIAL BETWEEN DISTRICT, DISTRICT STAFF AND VENDORS, WE HAD 709 CUSTODIAL INSPECTIONS.
AVERAGE VENDOR INSPECTION SCORE WAS 86.4.
AVERAGE DISTRICT INSPECTION WAS 81.1.
EACH OF THE THREE VENDORS RECOGNIZED MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY EMPLOYEE AWARDS, WHICH I BELIEVE, UM, SOMEBODY, I'M SURE SOMEBODY WILL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT WE WERE GOING TO PRESENT, UH, NEXT MONTH.
UM, THE RECOGNITION, UH, AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE GOES, UM, TOTAL WORK ORDERS TODAY IS 23,251.
UH, THERE WAS A WORK ORDER BACKLOG, UH, LOG THAT WE DISCUSSED, AND THERE WAS AN ANALYSIS DONE.
I FOUND OUT THAT WORK ORDERS ARE BEING COMPLETED, BUT NOT NOTED IN THE SYSTEM TO OUR LACK OF OR LOST, UH, PHYSICAL COPY OF THE WORK ORDER.
UH, THUS MAKING IT LOOK LIKE, UH, THERE WAS AN EXOR EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF WORK ORDERS, UH, THAT WERE LISTED AS OPEN.
UH, THIS IS DRIVING A MOVE TO A STREAMLINED ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS, UH, NOW BEING RESEARCHED, UH, BY OUR OPERATIONS STAFF.
UM, EVEN WITH THE ANTIQUATED SYSTEM, THE NUMBER OF DAYS TAKEN TO COMPLETE WORK ORDERS HAS FALLEN FROM JUST UNDER FIVE DAYS TO JUST UNDER FOUR DAYS.
OUR APRIL SCHOOL BLITZ WAS BLUFF IN HIGH SCHOOL.
[01:05:01]
UH, FOR THAT SCHOOL, ONLY 21 WERE COMPLETED.AND LET'S SEE, AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE GOES, WE STILL HAVE EIGHT MAINTENANCE POSITIONS OPEN.
IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY LOOKING FOR PLUMBING JOBS, SEND 'EM OUR WAY.
AS FAR AS THE FISCAL YEAR, 27, 8% PROJECT LIST, UM, AS A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR THE COMMUNITY, OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN IS A 10 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LIST AND IS UPDATED ANNUALLY.
THE LIST CONTAINS EVERYTHING FROM LIGHTING, FLOORING, WINDOWS, DOORS, AND ROOFING TO HVAC, UH, AND EVEN THE NECESSITY FOR NEW BUILDINGS.
THE CURRENT TOTAL PROJECT PROJECTED NEEDS STANDS AT 364.3 MILLION TO ALIGN WITH OUR LONG-TERM DEBT MANAGEMENT PLAN AND TO NOT RAISE, UH, DEBT MILLAGE.
THE OPERATION STAFF WAS ASKED TO BRING FORWARD $35 MILLION WORTH OF 8% PROJECTS.
UH, WE, UH, GOT INPUT FROM PRINCIPALS, PROJECT MANAGERS AND STAFF AROUND THE DISTRICT, AND THE OPS, UH, STAFF ALSO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE LIFECYCLE REQUIREMENT NEEDS, UH, OF THE HVACS AND ROOFS AND SERVERS AND NETWORK SWITCHES AND THE LIKE, AND FLEET VEHICLES.
UH, AND I ASK THE OPERATIONS TEAM TO BRING FORWARD THREE OPTIONS THAT EACH FOCUSED ON DIFFERENT PRIORITIES.
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS STILL REVIEWING THE OPTIONS AND DISCUSSING THE DETAILS.
AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON JUNE 5TH, WE'LL FINALIZE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD AND BRING THOSE FORWARD.
AT THE JUNE 10TH BOARD MEETING, CONSTRUCTION UPDATE, 2019 REFERENDUM.
FINANCIAL UPDATES ARE ALL GREEN LIGHTS OF THE 375.7 BILLION OR MILLION DOLLARS BUDGET.
UH, REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS, INCLUDING CONTINGENCY IS 3.4 MILLION.
UH, REMAINING FUNDS LIST THAT IS PROPOSED TO THE BOARD HAS BEEN ALTERED TO ALIGN TO OUR BOND COUNCIL'S GUIDANCE ON BOND SPENDING FOR THE 23 REFERENDUM.
ALL MONTHLY PROJECT UPDATES ARE REPORTING GREEN LIGHT FOR BUDGET AND SCHEDULE TO INCLUDE THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, CTE, AND RT, ROTC EDITION, AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THE EXCEPTION, UH, BEING MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY, BUT MORE OF THAT IN A MINUTE.
PUBLIC READING FOR THE ANNEXATION AND REZONING FOR THE NEW EARLY LEARNING CENTER, UH, IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED THIS MONTH.
THE CITY OF BEAUFORT PLANNING AND ZONING HAS APPROVED THE ZONING REQUEST FOR THE NEW LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT.
THE FIRST READING AT CITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR THIS MONTH OF THE $439 MILLION BUDGET, 182 MILLION HAS BEEN PAID AND COMMITTED, UH, WITH 256.4 REMAINING IN FUNDS TO INCLUDE CONTINGENCY FOR THE ELEMENTARY, UH, I'M SORRY, THE MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY.
THE RESULTS OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY YOU'RE IN, I KNOW EVERYBODY'S, UH, HOLDING THEIR BREATH ON THAT ONE.
UH, BUT THERE ARE NO SURPRISES.
IT SHOWS THAT THE, THE SCHOOL WILL HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON THE TRAFFIC.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE A SIGNAL BE INSTALLED AT THE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL MAIN ENTRANCE, AS WELL AS DEDICATED TURN LANES WITH CUES, UH, OF VARYING LENGTHS BETWEEN 250 TO 350 FEET.
UM, WE ARE WAITING TO, UH, RETURN, UH, WORD FROM PALMETTO BLUFF 'CAUSE WE ARE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING TO, UH, ENTER NEGOTIATIONS ON THE RESULTS BASE OR THE RESULTS BASED ON THAT TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH DEDICATION CEREMONY FOR BE, UH, BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL TO RENAME THE MEDIA CENTER TO THE CAROL INGRAM LIFELONG LEARNING CENTER TOOK PLACE ON MAY 1ST AND THEN REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
PROPOSAL PROPOSALS AND QUALIFICATIONS.
UH, PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN SELECTIONS COMMITTEE ARE MAKING TO EVALUATE THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER'S PROPOSALS FOR THE BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL CTE BUILDING AND THE RIVERVIEW GYMNASIUM EDITION WORKFORCE HOUSING PROPOSAL.
ABODE DEVELOPMENT AND THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAVE OBTAINED 4.4 ACRES OF LAND ADJACENT TO WILBORN ROAD BEHIND HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
THEIR GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A 32 UNIT MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT PRIORITIZES DISTRICT EMPLOYEES TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE WORK WORKFORCE HOUSING ON THE ISLAND.
UH, IF, IF REQUIRED TO PUT THE PARKING ON THE LAND THAT IS PROVIDED THOSE 4.4 ACRES, THE PARKING WOULD TAKE UP ALL THE GREEN SPACE THAT IS NOT TAKEN UP BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING.
THE DEVELOPERS ARE SEEKING AN AGREEMENT TO USE THE ADJACENT PARKING LOT THAT CURRENTLY IS BEING USED AS CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO USE THE REMAINING PROPERTY FOR GREEN SPACE, UH, OR MAYBE EVEN A POOL, UM, MOTION IN A MINUTE.
AND THEN, UH, PROJECTION, UH, PRITCHARD STREET EASEMENT, UH, AGREEMENT.
THE BEFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER.
UH, PRITCHARD STREET DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, PROJECTS SINCE MAY, UH, DURING OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UH, ESPECIALLY THE SPECIFICALLY ONE IN APRIL, UH, THE MEETING, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, SOME, UM, VERBIAGE IN THE, IN THE, UH, STUFF THAT WAS KIND OF CONFUSING.
UH, THERE WAS, UH, LIKE SOME OF IT SAID THAT WE HAD TO PAY SOME, IT SAID THEY HAD TO PAY.
UH, BUT WE ASKED 'EM TO GO BACK AND CLEAR THAT UP.
AND IT'S ALL BEEN, UH, CLEARED UP AND BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND THAT WILL BE OUR SECOND MOTION.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU, MR.
SO I, HOLD ON A SECOND BEFORE YOU GO ON.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT MR. UH, MR. ING IS NOT HERE, SO TAKE IT EASY.
UH, AND, UH, AND RESPONSES COULD VARY.
WE HAVE, UH, MS. MAJORS AND, UH, MS. COFIELD.
I ATTENDED THE LAST, UM, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, AS DID I THINK ALMOST ALL OF
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THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ABODE AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE PROJECT, UH, UH, WHAT'S NOW IT'S CONTAGIOUS AND WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT FOR HILTON HEAD, UH, SCHOOLS.
SO, BUT THE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA BRING UP IS WE, ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HAVING YET ANOTHER MEETING, AND THESE MEETINGS GO ON FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, AROUND 8% PROJECTS, IS BECAUSE THE WAY THE DISTRICT DOES IT IS THEY BRING FORWARD, THEY TAKE 35 MILLION AND IT'S LINE BY LINE.
SO THERE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, A $20,000 CONCRETE PAD FOR A BENCH THAT IS LISTED UNDER ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF BIG TICKET ITEMS, BUT IT IS A LONG LIST.
AND THEN YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET 11 BOARD MEMBERS HORSE TRADING OVER, YOU KNOW, THESE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
SO BACK IN 2022, WE HAD, WE TOOK THIS ON BECAUSE IN 2022, I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT CAME OUT.
AND THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT WAS A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, IN INVENTORY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, OF ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, ALL THE SYSTEMS, MECHANICAL ROOFING, PLUMBING, UH, YOU KNOW, HOUSING CASINGS, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND BASICALLY SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, THEY PHOTOGRAPHED EVERYTHING.
THEY SAID, HERE'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE, BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.
THEY HAVE ALL THESE PROJECTIONS.
IT'S A, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DOCUMENT.
UM, AND WE WANTED TO TIE THE 8% PROJECTS TO THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT.
SO WHAT WE PROPOSED AND DID IN 2022 WAS WE HAD LIKE, I THINK IT WAS 10, UH, ROBIN SENT ME THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT WE GOT.
WE ASKED THE DISTRICT TO MOVE TO A FORMAT OF HAVING AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHERE THEY WOULD PROPOSE 10 DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS. LIKE, WE NEED, YOU KNOW, $500,000 FOR ROOFING.
WE NEED, YOU KNOW, $1.2 MILLION FOR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING, AND WE WOULD APPROVE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND THEN THE DISTRICT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIGURING OUT WHAT SCHOOLS AND HOW IT ALLOCATED AND HOW THEY CATEGORIZED IT.
AND WE WOULD, UH, PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY BY GETTING REPORTS ON THAT.
SOMEHOW OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE GONE BACK TO THIS, IN MY OPINION, I'M GONNA SAY IT BLUNTLY.
I THINK THIS RIDICULOUS SPREADSHEET WHERE WE ARE LINE ITEM BIT BY BIT EVERY NUT AND BOLT BY SCHOOL.
AND IN THESE KIND OF VERY BROAD STROKES, THE ONLY CATEGORIES REALLY WE HAVE ARE ASSET PROTECTION, SAFETY, AND SECURITY, AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
SO EVERYTHING GETS INTO ONE OF THOSE THINGS AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
AND I THINK IT LEADS TO A LOT OF FRUSTRATION.
SO I GUESS, CAROL, YOU'RE ON THE HOT SEAT.
WHY DID WE GO BACK TO THIS METHOD? I, I THINK IT WAS BOARD MEMBER REQUEST TO SEE THE DETAIL BEHIND THOSE CATEGORIES.
TURNED IT UP, TURNED THE VOLUME, VOLUME.
I'VE GOT, MY MICROPHONE IS LEFT NOW.
IT'S ON OUR END NOW IT'S FIXED.
I, I THINK MS. BOATRIGHT, IT GOES BACK TO BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS TO SEE THE DETAIL BEHIND THOSE CATEGORIES.
UM, AND SO IT IS, IS EVOLVED BACKWARDS IN JUST SHOWING THAT.
BUT AGAIN, WE TRY TO PRESENT IT TO YOU ALL, UM, IN THE CATEGORIES, BROKEN DOWN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THOSE BIG GROUPINGS.
BUT PEOPLE STILL WANTED TO SEE THE DETAILS BEHIND THAT.
AND SO THEY'RE THERE FOR YOU ALL TO SEE.
IT'S NOT THAT WE WANT YOU TO KIND OF PICK THROUGH THOSE LINE ITEM THINGS.
IT WAS TO KIND OF ASK YOU FOR GUIDANCE ON HOW YOU WANT TO PRIORITIZE THINGS.
AND WE HAVE THAT DIS SORRY, SORRY, MS. CRUTCHFIELD.
SEVERAL OF THEM ACTUALLY DURING THE BOARD SESSIONS.
I THOUGHT WE ACTUALLY MADE A MOTION.
I DIDN'T SEE A MOTION, BUT WE HAD THE DISCUSSION AND THE AGREEMENT WAS IN GENERAL THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE BOARD WANTED TO DO IT.
SO NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, IF THEY WANNA SEE THE BREAKDOWN, I THINK THAT'S FINE.
I DON'T WANNA APPROVE THESE BREAKDOWNS.
I DON'T WANNA APPROVE, YOU KNOW, $15,000 FOR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS.
I, I WANNA APPROVE AND LET YOU GUYS HANDLE IT.
I JUST THINK IT'S CREATING A LOT OF FRICTION.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT BOARD MEMBER WANTS EVERY LINE ITEM BROUGHT FORWARD.
I'VE LOOKED AT OTHER DISTRICTS OF COMPARABLE SIZE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SOUTH CAROLINA, AND NO ONE'S DOING IT LIKE THIS.
SO I JUST, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS MOVING FORWARD, BUT WE'RE HAVING YET ANOTHER MEETING 'CAUSE WE CAN'T GET 11 PEOPLE TO AGREE ON EVERY SINGLE LITTLE, UH, POT OF MONEY THAT'S GONNA BE SPENT NEXT SUMMER.
SO I GUESS I WOULD ASK THE BOARD, DO WE WANNA GO BACK TO THIS LINE ITEM OR GO BACK TO THE WAY WE DID IN 2022, WHERE IT WAS BASED ON THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT AND IT WAS MORE OF A CATEGORICAL APPROVAL.
AND CAN I INTERJECT AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE BIG LIST, THE, AS, UH, MR. NAY SAID, THE 300 MILLION BIG LIST IS BASED ON THAT FCA.
SO EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH IN THERE HAS BEEN BASED ON THE FCA IN TERMS OF THE ROOFS, THE HVAC, WINDOWS LIGHTING, ANYTHING OF THOSE PROJECTS.
O OKAY, UH, MR. DALLAS AND THEN MR. SMITH.
[01:15:01]
YEAH, I, I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, BASED ON, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WE JUST SENT IT BACK TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN FINANCE WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE SAME TYPE OF EFFORT TO CONSOLIDATE AND PROVIDE THE HIGH LEVEL OF DATA, BUT WE'VE NOT TAKEN AWAY ANY OF THE SPECIFICS.SO ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT FEEL LIKE YOU GOTTA HAVE IT, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS THAT.
WE'LL BE MORE POINTED IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE, WHERE, WHERE IS THE BIGGEST BUCK FOR IMPROVING THE OPERATION OF OUR DISTRICT.
SO THAT MAY BE AN, A WAY TO HANDLE IT AS WELL.
BUT THANKS FOR RAISING THAT MR. SMITH.
WELL, UH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND, UH, ADDRESS THIS.
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME BOARD MEMBERS LIKE THINGS CERTAIN WAY, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, YOU MAY LIKE COFFEE, UH, YOU MAY LIKE SUGAR IN YOUR COFFEE.
YOU MAY NOT, YOU MAY LIKE CREAM IN YOUR COFFEE.
UH, SO LOOKY LOOK CAKEY MESSY AND INTO FINE LINES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? ME? YES MA'AM.
CHLOE, THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE SPEAKING.
UH, AS SOON AS IF HE'S FINISHED, I'LL CALL YOU.
UM, SO, UH, AS I WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY LIKE SUGARY COFFEE, SOME PEOPLE MAY LIKE, UH, CREAM IN THEIR COFFEE.
UM, AS, AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS OF HOW WE DO THIS.
AND I, AND I'VE BEEN ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE PROBABLY ABOUT MAYBE ABOUT MAYBE SIX OR 5, 5, 5 OF MY, ABOUT MY SEVEN OR EIGHT, EIGHT, UH, ABOUT MY SEVEN YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD.
UM, AND IN, IN OPERATIONS WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT METHODS OF HOW YOU, HOW YOU, HOW YOU GET TO THINGS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT ONE'S METHOD IS MORE, UH, DIFFERENT.
SO, SO SOLELY DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER.
UH, I THINK THAT THE, IN THE INFORMATION THAT THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN, HAS BEEN GIVEN.
AND WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED IS, UH, IS JUST A, A FORMALITY OF UNDERSTANDING AND PROCESSING.
AND SOME PEOPLE MAY PROCESS THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS.
AND, AND, AND, AND WITH WITHIN THAT, THAT THE LIST THAT HAS BEEN GIVING, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT WE AS, AS THE, I BELIEVE THAT THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE HAVE ASKED FOR THE 8% LIST AT FIRST AND FOR THE STAFF TO BRING THE 8% LIST.
AND SO I BELIEVE IN BRINGING THE 8% LIST, I BELIEVE I, I DID, I I DID MAKE MENTION OF SOME OF WHAT, UH, MRS. BOATWRIGHT HA HAVE, UH, MENTIONED, UH, IN TERMS OF THEY, THEY, THEY PRESENT.
AND ALSO THERE'S A BOOK THAT HAS GIVEN TO THE BOARD THAT, UH, I KNOW THAT COLONEL GEIER EVERY YEAR LIKES TO, UH, TAKE SAYING HE, AND HE REQUESTED THAT ALL TOWN COUNCILS HAD HAD GOTTEN HIS BOOK.
AND THAT TELLS FROM YEAR TO YEAR DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS THAT WE HAVE OR DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEEDS TO MAKE, UH, MAKE HAPPEN.
SO THE, I THINK, I THINK THE MORE THE QUESTION IS AS, AS, AS A DISTRICT IN, IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THE DECISIONS, IS THAT IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO US HOW WE PERCEIVE, HOW WE PERCEIVE IT, AND WHETHER SOME PEOPLE WANT, UH, IN TERMS OF DIVISION, WHETHER YOU WANT THE LONG ANSWER OR THE SHORT ANSWER.
I, I THINK, I THINK THAT IS A, UH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT THAT'S WITHIN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER.
BUT TO EVERY TIME IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME WE GET DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT DECISIONS AND, UH, DECISIONS ON THIS BOARD, EVERYBODY OR CERTAIN, CERTAIN, I SAY, I WON'T SAY I'M GOING BE, BE CANID, IT SEEMS LIKE, LIKE CERTAIN PEOPLE OR CERTAIN GROUPS HAVE A, A PROBLEM WITH IT.
OH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT IT SHORTENED.
WELL, IT, LIKE, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE EARL CAMPBELL WOULD SAY, WHO WAS NOT HERE TODAY? OH, WELL IF YOU WANT SHORTENED, YOU DON'T WANNA BE HERE, GO HOME.
BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES NOT LEARN THE CERTAIN, THE SAME WAY.
AND SOME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
AND IT ALSO HELPS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S BROKEN DOWN THINGS TO THE PUBLIC AND IT'S VERY TRANSPARENT, VERY TRANSPARENT IN HOW WE DO THINGS AND WHAT BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON AND WHAT WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I'M JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, AND I'M KIND OF LIKE KIND OF GETTING SICK OF HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
AND WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE, THE SAME THING WAS, WAS TOLD.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF IF THE, THE CHAIR, IF HE THOUGHT THIS, THEN I, APPARENTLY I GLY APPARENTLY BECAUSE THIS WAS ALL HOW, HOW HE THOUGHT THIS WAS HOW HE WANTED TO RUN THE MEETING AND, AND, AND HOW THIS FORM WAS GONNA TAKE CARE OF, I MEAN, HOW, HOW, HOW THE, HOW THIS 8% PROCESS WAS GONNA GO.
SO IF THIS IS HOW HE RUNS HIS PROCESS AND HOW HE'S, HOW HE'S, HOW HE'S RUNNING IT, THEN I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S, IT IS, IT'S UP TO US CONTINUOUSLY TO ALWAYS HAVING A SHORT SAYING THAT WE WANT WANT IT TO BE SHORT.
WELL, IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO BE THAT SHORT, THEN HEY, HEY, GET WHAT YOU CAN GET FROM IT AND KEEP IT MOVING.
IT, THERE'S NO MEAN THAT EVERY BOARD MEMBER SAID YOU HAVE TO ATTEND.
WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ATTEND SOME BOARD MEETINGS BY, BY VIDEO AND, AND WHO GET WHAT THEY WANT.
SO BASICALLY THAT'S, THAT'S MY SPILL ON IT.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT AND IT'S BEEN GETTING DONE.
THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS, AND THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX,
[01:20:01]
BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE, YOU MAY SEE, YOU MAY KNOW INFORMATION THAT SOMEONE ELSE DOES NOT KNOW IN THAT DISTRICT, OR YOU MAY, MAY SEE SOMETHING BECAUSE AS, AS, UH, HE ELOQUENTLY, UH, MR. VICTOR NAY ELOQUENTLY LAID OUT IN THE, IN HIS PRESENTATION, THAT A QUESTION CAME FROM THE SAME OPERATIONS COMMITTEE STATING THAT IT WAS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORK ORDERS.AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SOME TROUBLESHOOTING, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND OUT THAT, THAT THAT ACTUALLY HELPED HIM OUT.
SO LET, LET'S NOT ALWAYS SAY WE WANT THE QUICK WAY OUT, BECAUSE THE QUICK WAY OUT DON'T ALWAYS GIVE US THE ANSWERS THAT WE WANT.
I THINK, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST RESPECTFULLY BE RESPECTABLE TO EVERYONE ELSE AS WELL.
AND FOR SURE, I DON'T ALWAYS LEARN THE SAME WAY EVERYONE ELSE LEARNS AS WELL.
UH, FORGIVE ME FOR HAVING A HOT MIC A FEW MINUTES AGO,
EVERY NUT AND BOLT, EVERY CHAIR, EVERY PENCIL, EVERY PIECE OF MATERIAL HAS TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE WE ARE USING TAXPAYER MONEY AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BREAK IT DOWN WHERE THEY CAN SEE THAT ONE SCHOOL GOT 200 NAPKINS AND THE OTHER ONE ONLY GOT 100.
AND FOR, FOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND, AND THE COST, I'M LIKE, MR. UH, I, I KINDA AGREE WITH BOTH MR. UH, SMITH AND MS. BOATRIGHT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY.
WHETHER WE WANTED IT SHORT OR LONG WAS NOT OUR DECISION.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, THAT COMMITTEE'S REPORT TO US, TO THE PEOPLE, AND WE NEED TO LISTEN, LOOK AT IT.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA READ THE WHOLE THING, DON'T.
BUT, UM, BECAUSE ONE PERSON WANTS, ONE WANTS IT ONE WAY AND THE OTHER WANTS IT THE OTHER WAY, IT, IT MAKES NO SENSE.
WE ARE ABOARD, THERE ARE 11 OF US.
NO, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT DOCUMENTS AND GET WHAT WE NEED FROM IT AND KEEP IT MOVING.
UH, REST ASSURED THAT, UH, WE WILL BRING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION FORWARD AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP IT DOWN TO ONE MEETING.
AND, UH, I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, UM, I, I, I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES, UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE IS A JUSTIFICATION TO DO IT THAT WAY EVERY TIME EACH, EACH SITUATION IS UNIQUE AND PRESENTS ITS OWN, UH, CHARACTERISTICS, SCENARIOS, WHATEVER IT IS.
UM, BUT, UH, REST ASSURED WE'LL BRING FORWARD A PRODUCT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE'RE READY FOR MOTIONS.
I AM GOING TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT I'M GOING TO AMEND THE ONE THAT'S PRINTED.
SO I'M ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE TWO VOTES, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT THE FIRST ONE IS I MOVE TO AMEND THE MOTION AS WRITTEN BY STRIKING THE CURRENT LANGUAGE AND INSERTING THAT I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE A SHARED USE AGREEMENT WITH A BOW DEVELOPMENT FOR POTENTIAL USE OF BCSD PROPERTY, IN SUPPORT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING FOCUSED ON TEACHERS, AND TO BRING ANY PROPOSED AGREEMENT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
WE HAVE A SECOND, A SECOND FROM MS. HAY.
AND ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
YEAH, AND I'LL, I DON'T NEED TO RESTATE THE MOTION, BUT NOW THAT YOU AGREE TO AMEND IT, UM, I'VE MOVED, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION, GO AHEAD.
I MOVE THAT THE, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE A SHARED USE AGREEMENT WITH ABODE DEVELOPMENT FOR POTENTIAL USE OF BCSD PROPERTY, IN SUPPORT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING FOCUSED ON TEACHERS, AND TO BRING ANY PROPOSED AGREEMENT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
UH, MR. SMITH, ANY DISCUSSION? UH, YES, SIR.
I'D JUST LIKE FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO, UH, WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF WHAT BILL BO IS, UM, THE REASON WHY I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS MOTION IS BECAUSE IT WILL GRANT, UH, TEACHERS THE, UH, AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN HELP OUR TEACHERS GET 'EM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I BELIEVE I LOOK AT THIS PROJECT AS A, UH, POSSIBILITY, AS A, AS A PILOT PROJECT, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
[01:25:01]
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND, AND SAY, THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I SUPPORT IT.JUST GIVING COMMUNITY SOME TYPE OF INFORMATION OF WHAT THIS MOTION IS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
PASTOR GORDON MOTION CARRIES OUR SECOND MOTION OUT OF OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO FINALIZE EASEMENT DOCUMENTS AND SIGN PRITCHARD STREET EASEMENT AGREEMENT AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COST SHARE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MR. NAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MR. SMITH, I'M GONNA ABATE ON THIS ONE.
I STILL HAVE MR. FREE, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
ANYTHING FURTHER? MR. NAY? UH, UH, NOTHING ELSE FROM ME.
OH, GO AHEAD, MR. EXCEPT FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING IN THE REPORT ABOUT LAYS ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT THE, SOMETHING ABOUT THE, YEAH.
IT WAS THE, I THINK THEY BELIEVE THERE WAS NEEDED TO BE A REZONING OF, UH, YES.
UH, CITY VIEW FOR PLANNING AND ZONING HAS APPROVED THE ZONING REQUEST.
UH, THEY HAD TO REZONE SOME OF THE PROPERTY, UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, SO THEY APPROVED THE ZONING REQUEST, UM, AND EVERYTHING, THE SCHEDULE, UH, WE'RE BACK TO GREEN LIGHT ON EVERYTHING.
AND THEN ALSO, ALSO, JUST LIKE TO MAKE NOTE TONIGHT THAT, UH, I KNOW THAT TONIGHT, UH, LIAISON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THAT, THAT'S WHY, WHY THE PRINCIPAL WAS NOT HERE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING THEIR SI SIC MEETING.
AND I HOPE THAT THEN THEY, UM, THEY ARE LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT THE NEW BUILDING OF THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
I MEAN, NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'M IN NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE TONIGHT, AND I DON'T, DON'T THINK THAT TONIGHT WAS A GREAT NIGHT DURING OUR BOARD MEETING, ESPECIALLY WITH ONE, THE BOARD REPRESENTATIVE COULD NOT BE THERE.
UH, I THINK THAT WAS VERY, VERY UNFORTUNATE.
AND, UM, I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
I JUST WANNA LET THAT KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING ME NO INFORMATION.
I HAVE TO GO BACK AND KIND OF PIECE IT TOGETHER.
[Superintendent’s Report]
UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.UH, THIS EVENING, UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, WE HAVE ONE ITEM UNDER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND IT RELATES TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING LAB, AND WE HAVE DR.
STRADDLES, OUR CHIEF INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES OFFICER, AND, UH, ASHLEY FROM OUR, SHE'S OUR DIRECTOR OF, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, MS. ASHLEY GOLD.
GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, CHAIRMAN GEIER AND DR. RODRIGUEZ.
THIS EVENING, OUR DIRECTOR OF READINESS, ASHLEY GOLD, WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU A, A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD LAB CENTER THAT IS COMPLETED.
WE STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WITH A GRANT, SO IS CURRENTLY COMPLETED.
AND THIS IS AN IN COLLABORATION WITH USCB, AND THE LAB HAS BEEN CREATED AT HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD.
THIS INITIATIVE IS AN EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BEAUFORT SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, AND A FISCAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WOULD BE REMISS, IF NOT TAKING A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE FOUNDATION'S FISCAL PARTNERSHIP IN SUPPORTING US WITH $125,000 IN A GRANT IN SUPPORT OF THIS INITIATIVE THAT HAS MADE A COLLECTIVE IDEA COME TO FRUITION.
SO, BOARD MEMBERS WITH THIS, I BRING FORWARD MS. GOLD, OUR DIRECTOR OF READINESS, AND FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, MA'AM, GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH, WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE OBSERVATION LAB CLASSROOM AT HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
SO, THE REASON THE LAB OBSERVATION CLASSROOM WAS INITIATED WAS BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS.
WE'VE RECENTLY BROUGHT IN A PROGRAM CALLED OUR PURPOSEFUL PLAY-BASED KINDERGARTEN INITIATIVE.
UM, THAT MODEL IS SUPPORTING OUR KINDERGARTNERS, UM, IN DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE USING PLAY THROUGH THEIR LEARNING.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, SO OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN AND OUR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OBSERVATION LAB CLASSROOM IN ORDER TO ENHANCE CHILD DEVELOPMENT, UM, TRAIN OUR EDUCATORS.
WE HOPE TO RESEARCH AND, UM, ASSESS, UH, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THE, THOSE CLASSROOMS. AND THEN ALSO USE IT AS A VERY REFLECTIVE PRACTICE.
UM, WE DON'T PLAN TO HAVE A CLASS
[01:30:01]
ASSIGNED TO THIS PARTICULAR CLASSROOM.THIS WILL BE A CLASSROOM WHERE LOTS OF TEACHERS CAN FLOW IN AND OUT OF WITH THEIR STUDENTS AS WE HAVE OBSERVERS BEHIND, UM, A TWO-WAY MIRROR IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO, IN A FEW MINUTES, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A COUPLE PICTURES OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, THE BENEFITS OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD, UM, OBSERVATION LAB CLASSROOM, THAT CONCEPT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.
IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE CREATED, UM, AND WE CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR, BUT WE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR DISTRICT DEFINITELY NEEDED IN ORDER TO FURTHER ENHANCE OUR TEACHER'S EDUCATION.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BENEFITS TO, UM, AND DIFFERENT GROUPS AND POPULATIONS THAT BENEFIT, UM, WHEN WE HAVE AN OBSERVATION CLASSROOM, WHEN WE TAKE FUTURE EDUCATORS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH USCB COMES IN.
WE'RE ABLE TO BRING OUR IN-SERVICE, OUR FUTURE TEACHERS INTO THE CLASSROOM, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AND TEACHING HOW LEARNING THROUGH PLAY OCCURS.
THEY'RE ALSO ABLE TO DOCUMENT CHILDREN'S BEHAVIORS, SO WE CAN LOOK AT CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT BEFORE IS IN SOME CASES, WE DON'T WANNA CREATE OUR OWN GAPS.
WE WANNA MEET OUR CHILDREN WHERE THEY ARE, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO TRAIN OUR TEACHERS TO MEET CHILDREN WHERE THEY ARE, AND THEN CONTINUE TO GROW THEM AS THEY LEARN AND DEVELOP OVER TIME.
UH, YOUNG CHILDREN ALSO ARE BENEFITED.
UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN TO BE IN A, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAN THEIR TYPICAL CLASSROOM.
ALTHOUGH WE MIRRORED, UM, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD OBSERVATION CLASSROOM TO THE STANDARD EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DISTRICT.
BUT WE HAVE PUT A COUPLE OTHER INTERACTIVE THINGS, UM, IN THIS CLASSROOM, SUCH AS MORE SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN, SO THAT TEACHERS CAN UNDERSTAND HOW SELF-REGULATION IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR OUR LITTLE ONES TO LEARN AT A YOUNG AGE.
WE'VE ALSO PUT INTERACTIVE SAND TABLES SO THAT, UM, THE SENSORY PLAY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO DAVIS EARLY LEARNING CENTER, BUT IN THE NEW MEDIA CENTER OUT THERE, THERE'S AN INTERACTIVE SAND TABLE THAT CHILDREN CAN ACTUALLY, UM, MANIPULATE OBJECTS IN THE SAND, OR BURY OR BUILD VOLCANOES.
UM, IT'S A VERY, IT'S A VERY COOL THING IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
UM, AND THEN OUR CURRENT, UM, TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO, UH, ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE SO THEY CAN LEARN NEW CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
THEY CAN LEARN NEW TEACHING STRATEGIES AND IMPROVE THEIR PRACTICE OVER TIME AS WELL.
STRATAS MENTIONED OUR COLLABORATING PARTNERS ON THIS, UM, INITIATIVE.
SO WE HAVE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY THAT GAVE US A GENEROUS GRANT OF $125,000 TO ESTABLISH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM THAT WENT TO THE MATERIALS IN THE CLASSROOM TO PROVIDE THOSE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
IT WENT FOR SOME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON OUR END TO LEARN HOW TO IMPLEMENT A LEARNING LAB.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, AT BEAUFORT, UH, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO PARTNER WITH US AS WELL IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR END, OUR FUTURE TEACHERS ARE RECEIVING THE SAME TRAINING AS OUR CURRENT TEACHERS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE SPACE WAS CREATED.
SO WE TOOK A SPACE AT HILTON HEAD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, AND, UM, WE BUILT A WALL IN THE MIDDLE OF, NOT REALLY THE MIDDLE, BUT IN PART OF THE CLASSROOM.
ONE SIDE IS THE OBSERVATION SIDE, AND ONE SIDE IS THE, UM, THE CLASSROOM.
SO OUR OBSERVERS WILL BE BEHIND A TWO WAY MIRROR.
WE CAN FIT ABOUT 12 TO 15 PEOPLE IN THAT AREA.
WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO RECORDING TYPE SYSTEM, TWO WAY AUDIO SO THAT OUR OBSERVERS CAN TALK TO THE TEACHER, AND THE TEACHER CAN ALSO TALK TO THE OBSERVERS.
ONE OF THE REALLY COOL THINGS THAT, UM, HAPPENED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IS ORGANIZED CHAOS.
SO WHEN YOU GO IN AN EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM AND YOU SEE THESE CHILDREN IN THEIR LEARNING CENTERS, IT CAN BE LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING AT ONE TIME.
SO THE VIDEO IS ABLE TO KEY IN ON CERTAIN CONVERSATIONS.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF WE HAD TWO OR THREE CHILDREN IN THE BLOCK CENTER, UM, THE VIDEO CAMERA CAN KEY IN ON WHAT THEY'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT.
AND THEN PLAY OVER A, UM, A MONITOR IN THE OBSERVATION ROOM SO THAT OUR OBSERVERS CAN HEAR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CONVERSATION, OR WAYS THAT THE STRATEGIES THEY CAN LEARN TO DEVELOP THAT LANGUAGE EVEN FURTHER WITH CHILDREN.
SO THAT IS KIND OF A ONE NEAT WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OBSERVERS WERE ABLE TO HEAR AND COMMUNICATE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO THE, UM, CLASSROOM HAS BEEN FULLY OUTFITTED.
UH, THE TWO PICTURES IN, ON THE LEFT SIDE ARE THE ACTUAL CLASSROOM WITH THE MATERIALS AND, UH, LEARNING, UM, MATERIALS.
[01:35:01]
WHAT THE OBSERVATION, UM, AREA OF THE CLASSROOM WILL LOOK LIKE AS WELL.THIS IS, UM, ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL, UH, PROFESSIONAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT THERE ARE.
BACK IN 2009, UM, WHEN I SERVED AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, UH, MY SCHOOL HAD A BEHIND THE GLASS, UH, CLASSROOM AND OBSERVATION.
AND IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING WAY TO GROW AND DEVELOP OUR TEACHERS, UH, IN BEST PRACTICES, WHETHER IT WAS INSTRUCTION, WHETHER IT WAS CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, UM, AND THEY WOULD HAVE A TARGETED FOCUS AS THEY WERE GOING IN THERE.
AND, UM, AND THEY WOULD WATCH LIVE CLASSROOMS. ONE THING IS TO SIT AND TALK ABOUT IT, RIGHT? AND, AND HAVE ALL THE THEORY.
BUT ANOTHER THING IS TO HAVE THAT THEORY AND WATCH THAT PRACTICE PLAY OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GO FORWARD? UM, THIS WAS, THE TWO THINGS I HAVE TO ADD IS, ONE, I MENTIONED COLLABORATING PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT.
THIS WAS A COLLABORATING PARTNERSHIP WITHIN THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
IT WAS NOT JUST INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN.
OUR FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM ABSOLUTELY PLAYED, UM, A HUGE ROLE AS WELL AS OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAD TO COME TOGETHER AND WE HAD TO EXPENSES TO PAY TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENED ALONG WITH THE GRANT.
SO EACH DEPARTMENT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS, WHICH IS MAKING THAT, UM, GONNA BE A HUGE SUCCESS.
AND I KNOW ROBERT'S ING IS NOT HERE, BUT, UH, HE HELPED AS WELL.
ONE GOAL WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND IT THROUGHOUT THE THREE CLUSTERS IN THE DISTRICT.
SO NOT ONLY HILTON HEAD, EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, UH, THE WIND, THE OBSERVATION WINDOW IS ALREADY GOING IN AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO CREATE ONE AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY FOR NORTH OF THE BROAD.
AND THEN FOR THE BLUFFTON AREA IN THE NEW EARLY LEARNING CENTER THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN PROCESS OF BUILDING, WE WILL HAVE AN OBSERVATION ROOM IN THERE AS WELL.
MR. SMITH? UM, WITH, WITH, WITH CREATING THIS, WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE FROM WHAT DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE AT A DISTRICT OFFICE NOW? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A, A, UH, AN AREA NOW WHERE YOU GUYS SERVE AT IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
SO THE AREA IN THE DISTRICT, OH, I'M SORRY.
NO, I WAS JUST GONNA, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MEDIA CENTER.
UH, I KNOW THE, ON THE BACK HALL THAT THEY HAD, THEY HAD AN AREA, UH, WHERE IT USED TO BE THE OLD, UM, UH, RIGHT.
CHOICES AT I KNOW THEY HAD A WING OVER THERE.
WELL, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS YOU HAVE RIGHT THERE IN A SCHOOL CENTER, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE STUDENTS, YOU HAVE, AND YOU HAVE TEACHERS PRESENT.
AND YOU CAN BRING IN, UH, OTHER CLASSROOMS FROM WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS YOU CAN HAVE, UM, UH, OTHER, OTHER INSTRUCTORS VISIT FROM OTHER SCHOOLS, UH, FOR THEIR OWN, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROCESS.
AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD, AL? THE ONLY THING THAT, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE IS DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS FOR CHILDREN THREE TO SIX YEARS OLD.
SO IT'S, IT'S HOW CHILDREN GET INTO OUR CLASSROOMS, THAT THAT'S THE PROCESS.
WE SCREEN THEM AND THEN WE SEND THEM TO THE SCHOOLS, AND THEY'LL BE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. SO OBSERVATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAPPEN AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AS FAR AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE AGE, THE AGE THAT WE WOULD BE TARGETING WITH THESE OBSERVATIONS? UM, PRE-KINDERGARTEN? WELL, WE ACTUALLY COULD LOOK AT EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION, OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN AND OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS. SO WOULD THAT BE FROM ZERO TO THREE, ZERO TO FIVE? LIKE WHAT, WHAT AGE, SPECIFICALLY? BECAUSE THREE TO FIVE.
BECAUSE, AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAID THE, THE PLAY TO, UH, LEARN MODEL, THAT REMIND ME OF, OF HEADSTART.
I KNOW HEADSTART IS VERY, UH, INFAMOUS IN, UH, IN THAT.
UH, SO, UH, UH, HOW, HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH SOME OF THOSE AGENCIES, UH, WITH, WITH THIS MODEL THAT, THAT, UH, WITH THIS INFORMATION THAT WE ARE CREATING, HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WE CAN CURRENTLY, UH, WE CURRENTLY ALREADY HAVE THE MO IN PLA, A-O-A-M-O-A IN PLACE WITH HEAD START TO SHARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH EACH OTHER.
SO WE CAN EXTEND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OUR HEAD START PARTNERS.
AND ALSO THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OBSERVING OUR TEACHERS, OR, OR IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE THE CLASSROOM IN ORDER FOR US TO OBSERVE THEIR TEACHERS, WE COULD, WE COULD DO THAT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR MORE, HAVE MORE OF THAT.
OTHER QUESTIONS, DR. CARR? I'LL JUST CHIME IN.
AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN PLAY-BASED CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS, THIS IS AWESOME.
AND PULLING OUR TEACHERS IN TO SEE IT WORK IN LIVE SETTINGS IS FABULOUS.
SO I'M FULLY, FULLY SUPPORTIVE.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. NAY? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE PLAYFUL PROGRAM? UH, IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S A, I THINK IT'S A PLAY-BASED, UH, TYPE OF CURRICULUM, BUT IT'S MEANT TO BE OUTSIDE WHERE IT'S LIKE A PLAYGROUND OF PARTS, UH, WHERE KIDS GET TO DO THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, BUT THE WHOLE POINT IS, IS THAT THERE'S NO, UH, ADULT SUPERVISION ON
[01:40:01]
THE PLAYGROUND.UM, AND THIS SEEMS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE OF THAT.
UM, I, I'M READING A BOOK, UH, ACTUALLY, I, I THINK I HAVE, UH, MAYBE A COUPLE CHAPTERS LEFT, UH, CALLED THE ANXIOUS GENERATION.
UH, AND, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE AUTHOR IS A PROPONENT OF THIS PLAYFUL TYPE, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, AND THIS SEEMS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE OF THAT, UH, WHERE WE HAVE, IT SEEMS MORE LIKE HELICOPTER STYLE, UH, OF OVERSIGHT, WHERE WE HAVE CAMERAS ZOOMING IN ON KIDS.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UH, SO, UH, I'M, I'M WONDERING, IS, IS IS THIS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT IS MEANT TO AUGMENT, UH, UH, CAN YOU I, I GUESS EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? I, I THINK THIS IS MORE ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, UM, EVEN BEHAVIOR, UH, UH, CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT, UH, AND THOSE TYPES OF SKILLS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL AND NECESSARY FOR, FOR, UH, TEACHERS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT, IT'S MOSTLY REALLY ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATORS IN, IN THEIR OWN PRACTICE.
NOT, NOT NOT GEARED TOWARDS MAKING SURE KIDS ARE PLAYING NICE TOGETHER.
UH, MS. MS. ASHLEY, WE'RE FILMING THESE CHILDREN.
UH, DO WE HAVE PERMISSION FROM PARENTS TO FILM THESE CHILDREN? WE, YES, WE WILL.
AND, AND MARK, YOU MAY WANT TO HELP ME A LITTLE BIT.
UM, FOR THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE, IT'S NOT RECORDING CHILDREN.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A RECORDING MECHANISM, BUT WE WOULD HAVE PERMISSION FOR, FROM PARENTS TO EVEN GO INTO THE OBSERVATION CLASSROOM.
UM, SO THAT WE HAVE THAT COVERED, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT? UM, YES.
UM, THIS IS USING, UTILIZING A, WHAT THEY CALL A 360 CAMERA.
SO WE MOUNT ONE CAMERA IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM, NOTHING, NO VIDEO ON THESE CHILDREN ARE BEING STORED.
WE WILL HAVE, UH, PARENTS SIGN OFF.
UH, WE DO THAT WITH ANY TIME WE, UH, PUBLICIZE THE PICTURE OF ANY OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE PARENTAL CONSENT ON THAT.
UM, BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEACHERS.
IT'LL ALSO GIVE US A CHANCE TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT COULD DO IN THE FUTURE.
WE NOTICE THAT MULTIPLE STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE STARTING TO PUT CAMERAS IN ALL OF THEIR CLASSROOMS AND DOING, SO.
THEY'RE SEEING A BIG DROP IN REFERRALS AND, UM, INCIDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO THIS COULD BE A SEGUE INTO THAT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING WIDE OPEN WITH THAT IN ANY MEANS, BUT IT'S A START.
SO, ONE OF MY SONS ACTUALLY ATTENDED A LAB WHEN HE WAS IN PRESCHOOL, AND THE PARENTS WERE INVITED IN AS WELL, WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL.
I THINK I'VE VOICED THIS BEFORE, BUT THE PARENTS WERE ALLOWED IN AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY, ACTUALLY.
I THINK WE WERE ALWAYS ALLOWED ACCESS, AS LONG AS WE WEREN'T DISRUPTING ANYONE ELSE BEHIND THE MIRROR, WE WERE ALWAYS ALLOWED ACCESS TO THE MIRROR ROOM.
THIS ACTUALLY HELPED A LOT OF PARENTS SEE PERHAPS THAT BEHAVIORS THEY WERE EXPERIENCING AT HOME WEREN'T HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM SETTING, BECAUSE ANY OF US WHO ARE PARENTS KNOW THAT WE TEND TO GET A SPECIAL BRAND OF OUR CHILDREN, UM, THAT SOMETIMES EDUCATORS DON'T SEE LIKE THEIR LITTLE ANGELS AT SCHOOL AND THEN THEIR TERRORS AT HOME, OR VICE VERSA.
UM, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS ROOM AS WELL, BECAUSE AGAIN, IF THEIR CHILD IS HAVING SOME KIND OF ISSUE IN A CLASSROOM SETTING OR MAKING FRIENDS, IT'S A LOT OF TIMES VERY VALIDATING AND HELPFUL FOR THE PARENTS TO SEE THIS, UM, FOR THEMSELVES.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
A ACTUALLY, MS. HAY, YOU BROUGHT FORWARD AN EXCELLENT IDEA ON BUILDING THAT CAPACITY OF OUR PARENTS IN ORDER TO BE PART OF THAT LEARNING MECHANISM TO PUT IN PLACE A PURPOSEFUL PLAY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD WORK WITH OUR PARENT LIAISONS AND OUR PARENT EDUCATORS SO THAT OUR PARENTS CAN PICK UP AND CONTINUE THAT LEARNING OUTSIDE.
SO IT COULD BE A LEARNING PLACE FOR THEM.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT POINT.
IT JUST HELPS AS WELL WHEN PARENTS ARE GETTING FEEDBACK.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM ALL SORTS OF RESOURCE BACKGROUNDS AND DEMOGRAPHICS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT, IT'S ONE THING TO TELL A PARENT, BUT IF YOU CAN SHOW THEM, YES, MA'AM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S WORKING AT SCHOOL THAT LEADS THEM BETTER THAN IF THEY'RE JUST HEARING IT, WHETHER VERBALLY OR IN AN EMAIL.
SO THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
IT'S A COMPONENT WE COULD BRING FORWARD.
AND WE'LL ALSO SHARE THAT WITH OUR GRANT FUNDER.
UM, I WANTED IDEAS FROM THE BOARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I WAS GONNA SAY, I, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH WHAT MRS. UH, HAY, HAY JUST SAID.
I DEFINITELY, UH, DO AGREE WITH THAT.
AND, UH, JUST TO, UH, MR. NA'S, UH, POINT, I MEAN TO, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE, BUT YOU'VE DEFINITELY PIQUED MY INTEREST IN THAT, UH, FORM.
BUT I, I, I, LIKE, I WILL SAY, UM, I THINK IF YOU COULD TO, UH,
[01:45:01]
POSSIBLY, UH, JUST SEE THE FORM OF IT, OF HOW HEAD START DO IT, AND I WAS, I WAS FORTUNATE TO GO IN AND SEE IT.IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE OF WHAT THAT PLAY TO LEARN LOOKS LIKE.
I THINK THAT, UH, ALL OF, ALL OF US SHOULD GO AND BE, BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND, AND, AND WHAT, AND WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE AND WHAT THAT DOES FOR A KID IN TERMS OF ENHANCING THEIR LEARNING.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, ANYTHING FURTHER? THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT.
[Board Business Action]
THE, UH, AGENDA IS, UH, BOARD BUSINESS ACTION, AND WE HAVE BUDGET CERTIFICATION.ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS. SO I'VE BEEN BUSY UP HERE THIS EVENING,
SO, UM, AS MS. BERRY BRINGS UP, UM, SO WE HAVE A, AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH I CAN HIT ON.
UH, THE, THE POWERPOINT YOU HAVE THIS EVENING IS MUCH LIKE THE FIRST TWO THAT YOU HAD, UH, A SUMMARY.
AND SO I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH, UM, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
AND THEN WE DO REQUEST THIS EVENING THAT, UH, WE HAVE A BUDGET CERTIFICATION OF BOTH THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUNDS.
UH, ALL OF THE SUMMARY INFORMATION IS IN THE POWERPOINTS AND IN SUMMARIES.
UM, AND THEN THE DETAILS ARE IN THE HANDOUTS WITH ALL OF THE FINE TO, UH, NUMBERS, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ALL REVENUES, ALL EXPENDITURES IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, FOR THIS IS THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, THIS IS, BUDGET IS BASED ON A LOT OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK, BOTH, UM, THROUGH SURVEYS, IN-PERSON MEETINGS, WITH STUDENTS, WITH STAFF, UH, WITH THE BOARD, AND, UH, BUT A LOT OF SETTING OF PRIORITIES AND, UH, WHICH HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN GUIDING THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, SO OUT OF ALL OF THE MEETINGS, MANY THREE PRIMARY, UH, TOP PRIORITIES EMERGED, AND THOSE ARE TEACHER AND SUPPORT STAFF COMPENSATION, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, AND SAFETY AND SECURITY.
AND THOSE ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF, OF OUR BUDGET.
UH, SO ON THE TEACHER AND SUPPORT STAFF, UM, WE ARE GOING TO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE MAKING EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN, UH, COMPETITIVE STARTING TEACHER SALARIES AND TO ATTRACT, UH, HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, SO WE, WE ARE NUM WE ARE FOURTH IN THE STATE.
UH, WE WERE ASKED TO COMPARE OURSELVES NATIONALLY AND WITH OUR PROPOSALS OF THE INCREASES OF BOTH $4,000 TO, UM, AND THE COLLAPSING OF THE ZERO TO FIVE STEPS, WE, THAT WILL TAKE US TO $60,087 FOR A STARTING TEACHER SALARY OF BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
AND THAT WILL PUT US JUST ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGES.
AND, UM, AND THE STARTING IN THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY, AS WELL AS THE AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY OVERALL, WHICH IS MORE IN THE 72,000 RANGE.
UM, SO FOR OTHER, ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES WOULD BE A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ARE PROPOSING TO MOVE THE STEPS FROM 28 STEPS TO 30, WHICH HELPS TO RECOVER OR KEEP SOME OF OUR MOST VETERAN, MOST SENIOR TEACHERS ONBOARD JUST A LITTLE LONGER, UH, TO SERVE STUDENTS FOR ON OUR BEHALF.
AND, UM, AND TO HELP US IMPROVE, UH, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IS ANOTHER MAJOR AREA WHERE WE'RE INVESTING RESOURCES.
UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT BOTH IN THE PRIOR YEAR.
WE HAD SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE, UH, WERE INITIATING BOTH, UH, IN MATHEMATICS AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER, UH, POST PANDEMIC.
AND, UM, IN SPECIAL EDUCATION THERE WAS 6% SUPPLEMENT FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS IN WHICH WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEW YEAR FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS YEAR WE HAVE SOME FOCUS AS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM STUDENTS, AN INVESTMENT IN FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS IN SCIENCE, UH, CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, DUAL ENROLLMENT, UM, SPECIFICALLY A TIDES EXPANSION, WHICH WILL BE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY AND EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICALLY IN THE AI ARENA.
AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND SECURITY GUARD PROGRAM, HOPING FOR SOME, UH, STATE FUNDING, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR, UH, AT, AT
[01:50:01]
THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.AND I'LL, I'LL HIT ON THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN JUST A MOMENT.
UM, AND THEN CONTINUING OTHER SERVICES FOR STUDENTS THAT, UH, CRISIS PREVENTION AND RESPONSE EFFORTS, AND THEN MENTAL HEALTH FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.
SO THIS BUDGET IS A 5% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
UH, 80% OF THE INCREASES IN IT ARE ALLOCATED TO EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
UH, WE ARE THE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, NEXT TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
WE ARE THE LARGEST WITH ALMOST 3000 EMPLOYEES.
UH, SO THIS IS A MAJOR IMPACT, UH, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND, UH, THE TOTAL REVENUES WOULD BE 376,980,000.
UM, AND AS OUR, UM, STATE REVENUES CONTINUE TO DECLINE OUR LOCAL TAX, IT'S PUTTING MORE, UM, UM, PRESSURE ON US TO, UH, GENERATE FUNDS LOCALLY.
AND SO THE NEED FOR A 4.3 MILLION INCREASE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WILL GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 8.2 MILLION, WHICH WILL BE PRIMARILY, UM, THE COST OF JUST THE TEACHER'S SALARY.
THE $4,000 IS ABOUT $10 MILLION.
UM, SO WE DO PLAN TO HAVE, UH, A, UH, A 19 POINT, 19% FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND WHICH WE'LL NEED TO SUPPORT OUR CREDIT RATING.
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG CREDIT RATING IN DOUBLE A ONE WE MOODY'S.
AND IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT, WE NEED TO BE, UM, SOME SIMILAR TO OUR PEER DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF THE FUND BALANCE AND THEN TO HAVE, UH, RESERVES ON HAND IN CASE OF AN AN AN AN EMERGENCY.
UM, SO THE OPERATING MILLAGE HAS, UH, THE MILL VALUE IS JUST UNDER $2 MILLION.
UH, AND IT DOES EXCLUDE PRIMARY HOMES.
SO, UH, THAT WILL EXCLUDE ANY, ANY HOMEOWNERS THAT OWN A HOME.
UH, THEIR PRIMARY HOME IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THIS, AS IS DIRECTED BY STATE LAW IN ACT 3D EIGHT.
SO, UM, THE, THERE ARE OTHER OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES PRIMARILY IN THE AREA OF CONTRACTS AS WELL.
AND WE DISCUSSED, UH, SOME, UH, CUSTODIAL, WE HAVE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT COMING UP AS WELL.
AND THOSE ARE OUR CONTRACTS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL HAVE INCREASES IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.
SO, UH, AS MR. DALLAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH, UH, UH, THE COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE LAST, UH, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, EIGHT MEMBERS WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, AND SO WE HAD A, UH, A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
AND AS HE MENTIONED, THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEGINNING THOSE THREE READINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED OF US, UH, STARTING ON THE DAY AFTER LATE, UH, MEMORIAL DAY, SO MAY 27TH, I BELIEVE.
AND, UM, SO THIS EVENING, UM, I'LL, WE'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, ANY OTHER DETAILS.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE READY, WE CAN, UH, ENTERTAIN ANY MOTIONS.
UH, WE'LL START OFF AND MAKE THE FIRST MOTION AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
BUT SINCE THIS IS A KEY VOTE, I'M GONNA BE CALLING A ROLL FOR BOTH OF THESE MOTIONS.
IF YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT, UH, TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, UH, WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED IN A ROLL CALL, FEEL FREE TO DO SO.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST, UH, MOTION, PLEASE.
UH, THE FIRST MOTION I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26 GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF 3,000,007 376,980,000 WITH AN OPERATION OPERATIONS MILLAGE RATE OF 1 2 6 0.1 MILS.
AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
UH, DISTRICT ONE, PASTOR ISAAC GORDON.
HOW DO YOU VOTE, SIR? PASTOR GORDON? NOTHING HEARD? OH, YES, I VOTE.
UH, DISTRICT TWO, UH, MS. CHLOE GORDON? I VOTE YES.
DISTRICT THREE, MR. WILLIAM SMITH? YEAH, I VOTE YES.
DISTRICT SEVEN, DR. DAVID CARR.
DISTRICT EIGHT? UH, MR. CARLTON DALLAS.
DISTRICT NINE, MS. LEAH FRAZIER.
[01:55:01]
AYE.I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 THROUGH 2026 DEBT SERVICE FUND BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $108,300,686 WITH A DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE RATE OF 36.3 MILS.
HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY DR.
AND WE'LL START WITH THE VOTE.
UH, DISTRICT ONE, UH, PASTOR GORDON GORDON.
DISTRICT TWO, MS. GORDON B GORDON.
MR. SMITH WILL OFFER THIS COMMENT FIRST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, UH, BY SUPPORTING THIS VOTE, I'M DEFINITELY WILL BE IN THE RESULT SECTION LOOKING FOR THE RESULTS OF THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR, OF GIVING THESE, UH, TEACHING TEACHERS THESE, UH, AND, AND, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING THIS BUDGET BE WHERE, WHERE IT'S AT TO GIVE 'EM OPPORTUNITIES TO COME IN AND SERVE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL CERTIFY.
UH, DISTRICT FIVE, UH, MR. NAY? AYE.
DISTRICT 11, MS. BOATWRIGHT? AYE.
NOW WE DO ALSO HAVE A BOARD ACTION FOR OPPOSED OE FIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING POLICY CHANGE? YES.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION.
YEAH, LET'S, LET'S START WITH A MOTION, THEN I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO OE FIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING.
A SECOND FOR MS. NAY AND MS. CROSBY, IF YOU LIKE TO DESCRIBE THAT.
I'M SORRY, MS. HAY, WAIT UNTIL I TELL HIM.
AND, UH, COLONEL, WE ALSO, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE DISCUSSION.
DO YOU, MR. SMITH? DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK WE DO.
I WAS GONNA SAY, IS THIS COMING FROM THE, IS IS THIS MOTION COMING FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? THIS MOTION WAS BROUGHT UP AND DISCUSSED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, BUT DUE TO OUR POLICY MANUAL, OUR PROCEDURE FOR CHANGES TO THE OE IS THAT THEY'RE DISCUSSED AT ONE MEETING AND VOTED ON A SECOND ONE.
SO THIS IS JUST THE VOTE ON THE DISCUSSION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN HAD.
WAS IT THIS, SO THIS IS NOT THE ONE THAT, UH, I KNOW THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, THERE WAS A MOTION IN TERMS OF, UH, CHANGING, SOME, CHANGING.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALLUDED TO EARLIER.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT CHANGING THE FORM, THE FORMS OF ONE OF THE, UH, CHANGING THE, CHANGING THE FORMS OF IN TERMS OF, UH, THE FI THE FIN FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT, THIS IS IT.
MS. CROSBY, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? THIS IS ABOUT RAISING THE CEILING ON THE FUND BALANCE.
THE 20%, THIS IS, UH, THERE'S CURRENTLY A POLICY, UH, OE FIVE HAS A POLICY OF A FUND BALANCE TARGET RANGE FROM, UH, 15 TO 17%.
THIS, UH, UH, ALIGNS WITH THE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL STANDARDS TO HA MAINTAIN A, A FUND BALANCE OF NO LESS THAN TWO MONTHS OF THE NEXT YEAR'S EXPENDITURES.
SO, UM, THAT IS THE, BASICALLY THE, UM, GIST OF THE, UH, CHANGES THAT ARE IN THE ONLY CHANGE THAT IS IN THIS OE.
SO THAT WOULD TAKE AT ABOUT 60 DAYS OF OPERATIONS.
WELL, THAT GOES TO SHOW WHY IT'S IMPORTANT EVERY TIME TO, UH, EX EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT THE MOTION IS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT MS. CROSBY.
WE, WE HAVE, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[Consent Agenda]
CONSENT AGENDA.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[Future Agenda Topics]
ITEM IS FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS? HEARING NONE, WE'LL GO TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[Announcements]
DR. RODRIGUEZ.UM, THANK YOU, UH, COLONEL GEIER THIS EVENING I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE, UH,
[02:00:01]
THE PERSONNEL, UH, CHANGES OR, OR, UH, ADJUSTMENTS.CURRENTLY THE PRINCIPAL AT CUS ELEMENTARY WILL SERVE, UH, NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, OVER ELEMENTARY.
UH, MICHELLE SACKMAN, CURRENTLY THE PRINCIPAL AT, UM, BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WILL SERVE AS DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, UH, IN THE, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION.
AND WE HAVE THREE PRINCIPAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, NEXT YEAR, UH, THE PRINCIPAL AT BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE BRANDY BULLOCK.
UH, THE PRINCIPAL AT BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY WILL BE MICHELLE DE BRUIN, AND THE PRINCIPAL AT S ELEMENTARY WILL BE MS. KELLY GOWDY.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE INDIVIDUALS AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ALSO, I'LL DEFINITELY TO GIVE A, UH, SHOUT TO THE STAFF WHO HAD, WE HAD THE, UM, CINDERELLA FELLOW BALL THAT WE, THAT WE NORMALLY HAD.
THE KIDS WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
ON SATURDAY WAS, IT WAS HELD HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
AND YOUR STAFF DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
I JUST WANNA SAY HATS OFF TO YOU.
UH, THE KIDS, THEY, THE PEOPLE REALLY ENJOYED IT.
UH, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, A MEMORABLE MOMENT.
I JUST WANT TO LET THE STAFF KNOW AND EVERYONE KNOW THAT, THAT WE, THAT, THAT WAS VERY POSITIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? ALRIGHT,
[Second Public Comments]
WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.AND WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE, NEW FOLKS HERE THAT HAVEN'T, UH, UH, SPOKEN IN SOME TIME.
I'D LIKE TO READ SOME OF THE, UH, RULES INVOLVING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND ONE OF THE RULES IS ISSUES INVOLVING PENDING LITIGATION OR NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE USE OF PHYSICALLY DEMANDING, THREATENING ACTIONS OR REMARKS, COMMENTS, OR CONDUCT BY SPEAKERS OR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ARE PROHIBITED.
AND ANY BEHAVIOR THAT WILLFULLY DISRUPTS THE MEETING, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE 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.
A SUITABLE TIMING DEVICE WILL 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 BOARD MEMBERS ARE WITHOUT, ARE WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY AS INDIVIDUALS IN OFFICIAL ME OFFICIAL MATTERS.
NEITHER THE BOARD OR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WILL RESPOND TO SPEAKERS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE BOARD CHAIR WILL DESIGNATE A LOCATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
PERSONS SHALL REMAIN IN SUCH LOCATION DURING THEIR ALLOTTED TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD BY THE PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOLLOWING THE, THE COMMENTER'S APPEARANCE.
PERSONS WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER COMMENTS PUBLICLY MAY SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE BOARD EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
THOSE ARE THE RULES FOR BOARD MEETINGS THAT ARE ON THE BACK OF THE FORM THAT YOU SIGNED.
THE FIRST, UH, FIRST PERSON IS MR. JOHN.
I'M, I DON'T THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME RIGHT, SIR.
WELL, YOU PLEASE TELL US WHEN YOU COME UP.
AND YOUR TOPIC IS STUDENT SAFETY.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU.
UM, YOU ALL HAVE A BOOK IN YOUR LIBRARY, UM, IN BEAUFORT, UH, HIGH SCHOOL ENTITLED BOY TOY BY BARRY LIGA.
IT'S ABOUT A SIXTH GRADE TEACHER WHO GROOMS AND MOLESTS HER 12-YEAR-OLD STUDENT.
AND WITH WHAT TOOK PLACE EARLIER.
UM, THIS MONTH, WE WILL, ONE COULD CONSIDER THAT POSSIBLY THAT STUDENT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ FROM THAT BOOK AT SOME POINT.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UH, ALSO YOU HAVE A BOOK ENTITLED COLLATERAL BY ELLEN HOPKINS.
AND THIS IS IN BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.
AND PAGE 77 SAYS THIS, WHEN MY ENTIRE TOP WAS HALF EXPOSED, HIS TONGUE EXPLORED IT INCH BY INCH.
AND BY THE TIME HE UNZIPPED MY JEANS, SLID THEM OFF MY QUAKING LEGS, MY PANTIES HAD
[02:05:01]
SOAKED THROUGH.IT ALSO SAYS, I OPENED MY LEGS WIDE, PUSHED HIS FACE IN BETWEEN AND URGED HIS TONGUE DEEP INSIDE ME AND ASKED HIS FINGERS TO FOLLOW.
IT ALSO SAYS THIS, WHEN HE FINALLY SLIPPED HIS SIDE OF ME, IF I HADN'T BEEN SO WET, IT WOULD'VE BEEN UNCOMFORTABLE AS IT WAS, HE FILLED ME UP COMPLETELY, A SENSATION I HAD NEVER KNOWN.
HE FLIPPED ONTO HIS BACK, PULLED ME ON TOP OF HIM.
AS HE LIFTED MY HIPS, SLID ME BACKWARD AGAINST HIS CRITICALLY HARD ERECTION.
WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THAT? BOARD CHAIRMAN IS THAT PORN.
LOOK AT ME IN MY FACE AND TELL ME THAT THAT'S NOT PORN.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF MEN ON THIS BOARD.
AND MEN ARE CALLED TO BE PROTECTORS, NOT COWARDS.
SO WHY ARE WE ALLOWING THIS PORN TO PERSIST IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM? WE EVEN HAVE A PASTOR ON THIS BOARD, RIGHT? AND THE PREACHER KNOWS THAT IT'S BETTER FOR A PERSON TO HAVE A MILLSTONE TIED AROUND THEIR NECK AND TO BE THROWN INTO THE SEA THAN FOR ANYONE TO CAUSE A CHILD TO STUMBLE.
THIS IS PORN AND PARENTS HAVE ADDRESSED THESE ISSUES.
97 BOOKS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED AND ONLY FIVE HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
WHY DO YOU ALL LIKE PORN SO MUCH? THAT'S THE QUESTION.
WHO IS THE PERVERT IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT LOVES PORN? YOU KNOW, IF YOU FIGHT THE PORN AND GET RID OF THE JUNK, THE FALSE DEI CRAP THAT THEY PUSH ON KIDS.
MAYBE YOU WON'T HAVE TEACHERS MOLESTING STUDENTS.
MAYBE IF YOU GOT RID OF THE BOOK BOY TOY FROM YOUR LIBRARY, A TEACHER WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THE IDEA OF DOING SUCH AND A STUDENT WOULDN'T THINK IT'S OKAY.
AND THE KIDS IN THIS DISTRICT BELIEVED THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THAT TEACHER TO DO THAT.
THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT.
THIS IS DISGUSTING AND IT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
NEXT UP IS, UH, MR. JIM MILLER, WHO IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT A OPA AWARD COMPARISON WITH OTHER SCHOOLS.
I CAN ONLY PRAISE WHAT THE SCHOOL BAN AWARD OF OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD THAT YOU RECEIVED.
IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IS ONE ONLY TWICE IN THE LAST 50 YEARS HAS ANY SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT ACHIEVED IT.
AS I LOOK AT IT, THE PRIMARY DIFFICULTY IS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE HAVE IN BAND.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY TO GET EASIER, TO GET MORE POINTS TOWARD THAT AWARD IF YOU HAVE MORE STUDENTS.
AND THIS IS AN AREA THAT I AM SEEING THAT SOME OF OUR BAND DIRECTORS ARE REACHING OUT AND GOING TO ELEMENTARY AND HELPING IN THAT RESPECT, UH, TO RECRUIT AND SHOW WHAT CAN BE DONE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDE AND SAY, HOW DO WE COMPARE WITH OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE? AND ALONG THAT LINE, UH, BANDS AS OPPOSED TO, UH, ATHLETICS.
THERE ARE FIVE OR THERE ARE SIX CATEGORIES.
ONE A THROUGH SIX A ONE A, OBVIOUSLY BEING THE SMALLEST AND WHALE BRANCH IS IN THAT CATEGORY.
AND BECAUSE OF FEWER STUDENTS, YOU DON'T EXPECT AS MANY PEOPLE, UH, BANDS, UH, ACHIEVING THAT AWARD.
HOWEVER, ACROSS THE STATE IT WAS 6% OF THE BANDS AND A ACHIEVED THE AWARD THIS YEAR FOR TWO A, WHICH INCLUDES BATTERY CREEK.
21% OF THE BANDS ACROSS THE STATE IN TWO A ACHIEVED THE AWARD FOR THREE A, WHICH INCLUDES BL BUFORD.
32% OR A THIRD OF THE SCHOOLS ACHIEVE THE AWARD FOR FOUR A, WHICH INCLUDES BLUFFTON, MAY RIVER AND HILTON HEAD.
[02:10:03]
SO IT'S A PRESTIG.WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHERS IN FIVE A.
IT WAS 45% FIVE OR IN SIX A 55%.
ALL I'M SAYING IS WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, BUT WE AREN'T UP TO PAR.
NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, MS. IVY SY, AND HER TOPIC IS OATH OF OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW TO THE BOARD AND DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS IVY SAI.
TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OATH OF OFFICE THAT YOU TOOK WHEN YOU WERE ELECTED TO FILL YOUR RESPECTIVE BOARD SEATS.
AND THAT OATH, YOU SWORE THAT YOU WILL TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES THEREOF AND PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE AND THE UNITED STATES.
SO HELP YOU GOD BY SWEARING TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, YOU ARE ALSO COMMITTING TO UPHOLD THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE VALID UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT REGULATION 43 1 70.
WHILE REGULATIONS ARE NOT LAWS ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE, THEY ARE LEGALLY BINDING RULES.
THEY CARRY THE FORCE OF LAW WITHIN THEIR DESIGNATED SCOPE.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF STATUTES AND ARE ENFORCEABLE BY THE AGENCIES THAT ISSUE THEM.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SUPPORT THE RETURN OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL TO THE LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOMS, YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF YOUR OATH OF OFFICE.
AS A SWORN IN MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU MUST ABIDE BY LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
WHEN YOU DON'T, YOU GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE ABOVE THE LAW AND THAT IT IS OKAY TO BREAK IT.
THE FACT THAT YOU ARE ABOARD WITH THE AUTHORITY TO CRAFT POLICY AND EXPECT THE POLICY TO BE FOLLOWED, IT SETS A VERY BAD EXAMPLE FOR THE STUDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
IT'S AS IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE SPEED LIMIT, JUST SPEED.
OR WORSE YET, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE LAW OF HAVING TO BE 21 YEARS OLD TO PURCHASE OR DRINK ALCOHOL, THEN JUST DON'T ABIDE BY IT.
I HOPE THAT MY WORDS THIS EVENING SINK IN JUST A LITTLE BIT AND YOU RECONSIDER YOUR POSITION AS A BOARD.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO INSTRUCT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BE PROACTIVE AND ABIDING BY REGULATION 43 1 70.
I RECOMMEND THAT THE DISTRICT CONDUCT A FULL AUDIT OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL, WHICH INCLUDES LIBRARY AND CLASSROOM BOOKS UNDER THE REGULATION.
ANY BOOK THAT IS FOUND IN VIOLATION SHOULD BE REMOVED.
IT SHOULD NOT TAKE APPARENT MAKING A COMPLAINT.
IN ORDER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN FURTHER, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, THEREFORE BE THE EXAMPLE YOU WISH TO SET FOR THE STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. DAVID CARR.
AND UH, IT JUST SAYS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SORRY I DIDN'T MR. COOK SPEAKING.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND STAFF, I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO WITNESS IS THE SOUND OF MY VOICE FREELY ADVOCATING FOR MY CHILDREN IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
KEEP IN MIND MY VOICE FREELY ADVOCATING FOR MY CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
[02:15:04]
I DON'T GET TO ADVOCATE FREELY FOR MY CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS.WHEN I TRY TO ADVOCATE FOR MY KIDS IN THEIR SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE NO VOICE IN ISSUING ME A TRESPASS NOTICE IN AUGUST OF 23, BANNING ME FROM MY KIDS' SCHOOLS, YOU'VE VIOLATED MY CHILDREN'S RIGHTS, NOT MINE.
YOU'VE CREATED A PRIOR RESTRAINT TO FREE SPEECH.
THIS IS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRIOR RESTRAINT IS WHEN ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY CREATES A CONDITION IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO EXERCISE THEIR FREE SPEECH RIGHTS, WHICH INCLUDES ATTENDING SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL MEETINGS, PTSO MEETINGS IN ANY MEETING FOR THEIR CHILD IN ISSUING ME A TRESPASS NOTICE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
ON ANOTHER LEVEL, YOU'VE VIOLATED MY CHILDREN'S RIGHTS TO HAVE A PARENT FREELY PARTICIPATE IN THEIR EDUCATION, THEIR RIGHTS, NOT MINE.
YOU'RE GONNA STOP VIOLATING MY CHILDREN'S RIGHTS.
ALL RIGHT, DO I HAVE, UH, ANY OBJECTION TO ADJOURNMENT? HEARING NONE.
WE WILL ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN WAS DEVISED IN PROBABLY OR 2006, RIGHT AROUND THERE.
WE WERE STARTING TO SEE THE GROWTH EFFECT, OUR SMALL TOWN COMING WEST OFF OF HILTON HEAD AND MOVING ITS WAY INTO BLUFFTON.
AND BLUFFTON WAS JUST THIS SMALL, SOMEWHAT OF A SQUARE MILE, BUT GROWING.
SO WE DECIDED TO PUT SOME MONEY AND A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS INTO WHAT IS CALLED THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN.
IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2006 AND IT REALLY IS A BLUEPRINT FOR ALL OF OUR POLICIES, IMPROVEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THE GARVIN HOUSE IS BEHIND US.
IT'S THE PROBABLY THE LAST FREEDMAN'S COTTAGE THAT'S ON THE RIVER.
SO YOU LOOK AT IT AND PEOPLE THINK TEAR IT DOWN.
WELL AGAIN, IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN, IT WOULD TELL YOU ENHANCE YOUR STRUCTURES, PUT YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN YOUR MONEY INTO PLACES THAT CAN'T BE DUPLICATED.
MY WIFE AND I LIVE HERE IN BLUFFTON.
AND UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, A, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT SINCE ABOUT 2008 AND, UH, BEFORE THE RESTORATION AND RENOVATION STARTED.
AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN SEEING PROGRESS OVER TIME.
WELL, IT IT'S, IT'S VERY INTERESTING.
UM, THE, THE HAR THE HOUSE HAS BEEN CALLED THE GARVIN HOUSE FOR JUST KIND OF FOLKLORE VERNACULAR.
AND AS, UH, MELANIE MARKS MY WIFE, WENT THROUGH THE, THE GENEALOGY, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HIS REAL NAME WAS CYRUS GARVEY.
BUT THROUGH TRANSFER OF DEEDS AND OTHER, OTHER, THE WAY PEOPLE WROTE THINGS THAT HIS NAME IS ACTUALLY CYRUS GARVEY.
AND AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVIN, AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVEY.
BUT HIS REAL NAME AS YOU TRACK BACK HIS FAMILY AND SO FORTH IS, IS TRULY CYRUS GARVEY.
YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY SAYS THAT HE BUILT THE HOUSE IN 1870, SHORTLY AFTER, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS FREEDOM, UH, ON PROPERTY THAT BELONGED TO JOSEPH BAYNARD, WHO WAS A PLANTATION OWNER.
HIS SUMMER HOME WAS HERE ON THIS PROPERTY.
BUT HIS PLANTATION WAS NEAR OR POSSIBLY IN THE BOUNDS OF PALMETTO BLUFF, THE
[02:20:01]
DEVELOPMENT.AND, UH, SOMEHOW CYRUS WAS ABLE TO WORK THIS LAND, BUILD HIS HOUSE IN 1870, BUT DIDN'T GET DEEDED THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1880 BY JOSEPH BAYNARD.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND HE WAS LIVING HERE IN THE VIEW THAT HE HAD, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.
MY WIFE AND I GOT TOGETHER AND WE SAID WE HAVE TO BECOME PART OF THIS.
SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO COME TO COME DOWN HERE AND SPEND TIME HERE AND TRY AND FACILITATE AND BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT, THIS IS HISTORY AND HOW COULD WE HELP? WELL, WHAT BRINGS US TO BLUFFTON IS THIS MAGNIFICENT HOUSE HERE, THE GARVIN HOUSE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS AS DIRECTOR OF THE PALMETTO TRUST.
I'M ALL OVER THE STATE WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND AND UH, COMMUNITIES AND THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR RADAR EVER SINCE I CAME ON IN 2007.
THIS WAS AN AMAZING STORY OF THIS FAMILY AFTER FREEDOM, WERE ABLE TO BUILD THEIR OWN LIVES HERE AND THEIR OWN PROPERTY.
UH, THIS IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION 'CAUSE MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WE WORK WITH DO GET TURNED INTO PRIVATE HOMES.
THIS IS ONE WHERE IT REALLY IS GONNA BE LIKE A MUSEUM, UH, SITUATION WHERE THE PLACE IS SAVED AND THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN LEARNING ABOUT IT AND THE TOWN CAN LEVERAGE IT AS PART OF THEIR HISTORIC CHARACTER THAT IS SO KNOWN IN BLUFFED.
SO, WELL, BASICALLY WHEN WE TOOK OVER THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS A STABILIZATION PROJECT, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WHERE THESE SIX BY SIXES, CRIBBING CARRIES A STEEL BEAM THAT PRETTY MUCH RUNS THROUGH THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSE.
SO YOU'VE GOT ONE HERE AND YOU'VE GOT ONE PRETTY MUCH THAT RUNS DOWN THE CENTER.
AND THIS WAS BASICALLY TO GIVE SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE GOT TO THE POINT OF WHERE IT REALLY COULDN'T STAND BY ITSELF.
NOW THIS IS NEW PRODUCT, BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE ALL OF THE, UH, ORIGINAL FLOORING.
SO WE BASICALLY REMOVED IT FROM THE HOUSE, WRAPPED IT UP, DOCUMENTED IT, AND NUMBERED IT SO THAT IT CAN GO BACK DOWN IN THE SAME PLACE.
AND WHAT WE'LL END UP DOING IS PAINTING THE PLYWOOD FLOOR BLACK SO THAT YOU CAN'T SEE DOWN THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND IT GIVES THE ILLUSION OF WHAT IT USED TO LOOK LIKE.
WE'LL INSTALL AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL STUFF AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO PULL DOWN.
BUT WE'LL TAKE THIS DOWN, PHOTOGRAPH IT, DOCUMENT IT, AND WE PUT IT BACK IN THE SAME PLACE.
THIS IS SOME OF THE ORIGINAL OLD BEAM AND BASICALLY IT'S ANYWHERE FROM SIX INCHES TO SIX AND A HALF INCHES 'CAUSE IT'S ALL ROUGH HUED.
IT WAS ALL DONE BY AX AND BASICALLY, OR HAND SAW.
SO IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A STA OR A LITTLE BIT OF A WAVE HERE AND THERE.
SO WE'VE INTERLOCKED AND TIED IT IN.
WHEN WE DUG THE FOOTING, WE CAME ACROSS A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS.
SO JUST VARIOUS BOTTLES, LITTLE BABY PERFUME BOTTLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PRECIOUS TO THEM BACK IN THE DAY.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE OLD ORIGINAL LIDS FROM THE CANNERY, FROM THE UH, OYSTER FACTORY.
I KIND OF ALWAYS ENJOYED THE CHALLENGE OF LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND TRYING TO LOOK AT, OKAY, WHY DID THEY DO THIS? OR HOW DID IT DEVELOP INTO THIS AND HOW IT PROGRESSED AND CHANGED.
AND JUST EVEN STANDING HERE, YOU NOTICE THAT THIS IS EXTERIOR SIDING.
SO THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE USED TO END HERE.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BACK DOOR.
HAD A FRONT PORCH ON THE FRONT SIDE.
SO AS TIME PROGRESSED THEY NEEDED MORE ROOM.
THEY BASICALLY JUST NOTCHED IN, ADDED TO THE FOUNDATION, BROUGHT A NEW ROOF OUT.
AND NOW THIS BECAME BASICALLY A ROOM, BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM AREA.
AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT RUNNING DOWN TO HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S, YOU CAN SEE THEY ACTUALLY JUST WENT DOWN TO THE BEACH, GOT SAND AND BASICALLY MIXED A SAND MORTAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OYSTER SHELL PIECES IN IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT WE'VE GOT A HEAVY DUTY FOUNDATION LIKE WE HAVE NOW, AND THIS USED TO BE BASICALLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS TAKE A CYPRESS STUMP, HOPEFULLY CYPRESS BECAUSE IT WOULD LAST LONGER AND THIS IS 1870.
BUT THEY WOULD BURY THIS INTO THE GROUND AND THEN THEY WOULD START ALL OF THEIR HEAVY BEAM AND FRAMING AND BASICALLY SIT ON TOP OF THIS.
YOU HAVE MILESTONES EVERY DAY AND YOU THINK AFTER, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS THAT YOU KNOW IT, IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.
SO WE HAVE A STAIRCASE THAT WAS INTACT, SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO REMOVE IT, WE KIND OF KEPT IT IN PLACE.
WE WORKED UNDER IT, AROUND IT, IN IT.
AND I, WE TEMPORARILY SECURED THIS THING EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE WE PUT THE FLOOR SYSTEM UNDER IT.
SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE STRUCTURE, WE WANNA KNOW WHERE IT IS AND WHAT IT WENT.
SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD PHYSICALLY REMOVE IT, PHOTOGRAPH,
[02:25:01]
AND THEN WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND JUST LABEL THIS PIECE, WHAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE IT WAS ON, WHERE IT WAS AT.AND IT BASICALLY GIVES US A GUIDE TO PUT THIS GIANT PUZZLE, YOU KNOW, BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
MOST OF THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ARE DONE, A RENOVATION, A REHABILITATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE MODERN USE.
WE DO HAVE MODERN CODES THAT HAD TO BE IMPLEMENTED HERE BECAUSE OF ITS PUBLIC ACCESS.
UH, BUT EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO TRY TO ENSURE IT COMMUNICATED WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAD TO BUILD.
SO WE DIDN'T PUT IN THESE BIG BRICK PIERS UNDERNEATH.
UH, BUT EVERYTHING HAS WORKED TO GIVE THE AESTHETIC LOOK OF THE TYPE OF HOUSE THIS THING WOULD'VE BEEN WHEN IT WAS BUILT TO CAPTURE A POINT IN TIME TO CAPTURE WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PIECE OF A BROADER PICTURE TO CAPTURE WHAT A FAMILY, CYRUS GARVEY WAS LIVING IN HERE WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THESE RECLAIMED WOOD AT THE TIME IT WAS RECLAIMED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM HOUSES THAT WERE BURNED AFTER THE WAR ENDED AND PUT THIS TOGETHER WHERE HE LIVED.
AND THEN THAT'S WHY THE GENEALOGY AND THE HISTORY OF HIM AND HIS FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE IT ISN'T JUST A BUILDING, IT'S A MAN AND HIS FAMILY IN A TIME OF OUR HISTORY WITH A BUILDING AND A COMMUNITY AT A TIME OF MOVEMENT.
AND SO YOU WANT TO MAKE IT AS REAL AS POSSIBLE.
IT COMMUNICATES A TIME AND PLACE THAT NOT MANY PLACES DO ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, UM, IN THE LOW COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE SUCH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES, USUALLY LITTLE WOODEN BOXES LIKE THIS GET DESTROYED AND LOST.
AND SO THIS COMMUNICATES SOMETHING, UH, POST CIVIL WAR, UM, POST ENSLAVEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT THESE PEOPLE SURVIVING AND OVERCOMING ENSLAVEMENT INTO A PLACE OF FREEDOM AND THEIR NICHE IN PROPERTY AND THEIR OWN HOUSE.
AND, AND THAT TRANSITIONAL STORY IS NOT TOLD ENOUGH IN THE STATE, AND WE'RE SO GLAD IT COULD BE DONE HERE.
THE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, IS WORKING IN ALL OF THE OLD LUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TO THE EXCITING PART OF IT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY DONE WITH THE FRAMING.
NOW WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE PUZZLE BACK TOGETHER.
YOU GET A FEEL FOR WHEN THEY ACTUALLY PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WHEN THEY RAN OUT OF A PARTICULAR SPECIES OF LUMBER OR SOMETHING TO USE.
AND THEY JUST CHANGED IT UP AND, AND STILL KEPT GOING AND PUSHED FORWARD.
I KNEW THE HOUSE WOULD BE HERE WHEN WE GET BACK.
JUST THE, THE METHODICAL WAY THAT WE PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THESE BEAUTIFUL OAK TREES THAT HAVE SURROUNDED THIS.
'CAUSE I DID COME DOWN HERE THREE DAYS AFTER THE STORM AND THERE WAS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE HOUSE.
I, I GOT DOWN THE ROAD AS FAR AS I COULD AND LOOKED AT THE HOUSE AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.
IT JUST BLEW ME AWAY THAT THE THING WAS STILL HERE, HIGH AND DRY, NO LEAKS, NO NOTHING, NO DAMAGE.
AND THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, LUCKY, VERY LUCKY.
IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, I PRESENTED THE TOWN WITH OUR FINISHED REPORT.
UM, AND I KNOW THE TOWN IS PLANNING ON USING THAT MATERIAL TO PROMOTE THE, THE HISTORY OF THE, THE HOUSE THROUGH BROCHURES, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE TO MAKE IT A TRUE DESTINATION FOR TOURISTS.
I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO APPLY THE BLUFFTON PRESERVATION SOCIETY FOR KNOWING THE VALUE AND, UH, OF THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE.
FOR THE TOWN IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IN THIS COUNTRY THESE DAYS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH STRIFE AND THERE'S SO MUCH CONFLICT AND FRICTION TO ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS SAY THIS IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT OUR MONEY HERE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW HOW PEOPLE OVER TIME DID WORK TOGETHER AND RESPECT EACH OTHER.
AND WE'RE RESURRECTING NOT ONLY A HOUSE, BUT REALLY A, A LEGACY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT ROSE ABOVE A BIG CHALLENGING TIME.
SIR, YOU DON'T WANT TO CUT THOSE TREES.
WHY NOT WATER? BOY, THEY'RE IN THE BUFFER ZONE.
THAT'S TREES AND PLANTS THAT SLOW RUNOFF AND FILTER POLLUTANTS.
IT MAKES SENSE WITHOUT THE BUFFER, THE WATER SUFFERS.
REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE SOLUTION TO RUNOFF POLLUTION.