[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
[Call to Order]
THE MEETING TO ORDER THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BEING HELD AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER, SIX FIFTY FIVE WILBORN ROAD, HILTON HEIGHT ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA.IT'S JUNE 24TH, 2025 AT 4:30 PM IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW SAFETY AND SECURITY GUIDANCE BAGS, BACKPACKS, AND PUR AND PURPOSE PURSES ARE PROHIBITED BY THE PUBLIC AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND SCHOOL RELATED TOPICS.
CITIZENS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC FORUMS 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 SESSION 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 BUFORT, UH, COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC COMMENT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE AT HTPS WW DOT BEAUFORT SCHOOLS.NET/ABOUT US SLASH BOARD OF EDUCATION.
PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM FROM 24 HOURS FROM THE DAY OF THE MEETING.
REQUESTERS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORUM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK.
CITIZENS DESIRING TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL.
[Executive Session]
AGENDA IS THE REQUEST IS A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATING TO THE PENDING CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO SECURITY PLANS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 20 C AND 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A THREE.
DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED PROPOSED SELECTION OF FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, CONTRACT RFP NUMBER 25 DASH 0 24 PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF ADDENDUM NUMBER ONE, MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACT FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS GROUNDS WITH BRIGHTVIEW LANDSCAPE SERVICES INCORPORATED, RENEWED FOR ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH 40 DASH 78 2.
DISCUSSION OF MATTERS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED LOCATION, EXPANSION AND PROVISION OF SERVICES, ENCOURAGING LOCATION OR EXPANSIONS OF BUSINESSES IN THE AREA SERVED BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A FIVE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND SECONDED BY MR. DALLAS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? MR. SMITH? YOUR HAND IS UP.
HE'S SPEAKING BUT I DON'T HEAR HIM.
UM, I, I THINK I KNOW THE QUESTION.
IT'S MS. CARTILAGE AND MS. HEISER.
UH, MS. HEISER AND MS. CARTILAGE WILL BE SPEAKING, UH, FOR, FOR ALONG WITH LEGAL, WITH DISTRICT STAFF.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE MR. SMITH.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ONLINE, UH, I SEE MR. UH, ISAAC GORDON SPEAKING.
UH, CAN YOU TEXT US, UH, YOUR VOTE? WE, WE ARE HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM GETTING YOUR, UH, AUDIO.
[00:05:04]
OKAY.WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND PLEASE, LET'S FI LET'S GET THIS, LET'S GET THIS FIGURED OUT.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION ASI MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ISSUE AN AWARD FOR FACILITIES MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO SODEXO INCORPORATED AS DESCRIBED IN RFP NUMBER 25 DASH 24.
THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE CONTRACTORS UPON THE EXPIRATION OF THE PROTEST PERIOD.
WE HAVE SECOND, SECOND BY MS. FRAZIER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE, UH, PASTOR GORDON'S RESPONDENT, I CANNOT HEAR HIM.
CAN WE FIX THE SOUND, PLEASE? OKAY.
UH, PASTOR GORDON AND, UH, MR. SMALL AND MS. GORDON, CAN YOU USE THE CHAT TO GIVE YOUR VOTE, PLEASE? YES.
SEE, PASTOR GORDON IS I, UH, MR. SMALL? IS I, MS. MS. GORDON, COULD YOU PROVIDE A CHAT, PLEASE? AND CAN WE PLEASE FIX THE SOUND? CAN WE CALL MS. GORDON TO FIND OUT HER VOTE? UM, SHE ABSTAINS.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE ADDENDUM NUMBER ONE, ATHLETIC FIELDS, GROUND MAINTENANCE SERVICES CONTRACT WITH BRIGHTVIEW LANDSCAPE SERVICES, INCORPORATED AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SMITH? UH, YES.
UNFORTUNATELY I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION BECAUSE I'VE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES AND I, AND I'VE ASKED IN, UH, IN OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT THESE GROUNDS AND FIELDS AND, AND HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THESE FIELDS AND ARE, ARE, ARE GETTING MAINTAINED AND WHAT PROOF
[00:10:01]
THAT WE HAVE AND WHO ARE WE SENDING OUT THERE TO? WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHERE, AND WHY AND HOW.I'VE NOT BEEN GOTTEN, I HAVE NOT BEEN, GOTTEN BACK TO IN TERMS OF THAT INFORMATION.
AND THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY TO, UH, TO SPEND AND TO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND, TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS THAT.
AND I'VE, AND I, I STATED ALSO AS WELL, UH, I DO KNOW OF, OF A, OF A FIELD AND A TRACK IN OUR DISTRICT THAT, UH, I MEAN, YEAH, I MEAN OF A TRACK, UH, IN PARTICULARLY THAT HAVE, THAT HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED.
SO, WHICH IT GIVES ME CONCERN BECAUSE I, TO ME, A FIELD IN THE TRACK GO HAND IN HAND.
AND IF ONE IS MESSED UP IN THE, THE OTHER, THE OTHER ONE, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT, WHAT MAY BE DONE.
SO THEREFORE, UM, I CAN DEFINITELY NOT, I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION DUE TO THAT TODAY.
SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT ME SUPPORTING THIS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? HERE IN THE BUIL BUILDING SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AND MS. GORDON? SHE'S ABSTAINING.
AND, OKAY, SO THE MOTION MOTION DOES NOT CARRY, IS THAT RIGHT? 4 2, 1.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING BEFORE I MAKE THIS? OKAY.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING BEFORE I MAKE THIS NEXT MOTION? DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING BEFORE I MAKE THIS MOTION? NO.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOT SUPPORT THE USE OF ANY SCHOOL OPERATIONS OR DEBT SERVICE FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANY NON-DISTRICT FACILITIES.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS? OKAY, NO COMMENTS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
PASTOR GORDON, YOU SAID I AYE.
WE HAVE SIX, FOUR, AND TWO ABSTENTIONS.
[Approval of Agenda]
IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, PLEASE? MS. MS. FRAZIER? DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT MOTION? SECOND, SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, ONLINE, UH, PASTOR GORDON.
AND MS. UH, GORDON? UH, ABSENT.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
UH, RISE WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND STAY STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.I PLEDGE ALL THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[Points of Celebration]
OF CELEBRATION,[00:15:01]
DR. RODRIGUEZ.THANK YOU, UH, COLONEL GEIER THIS EVENING.
UNDER, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME THIS EVENING? UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION, WE HAVE A CUSTODIAL SERVICE AWARDS, AND TONIGHT WE'RE RECOGNIZING OFTEN UNSUNG GROUP OF HEROES IN OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF, THEIR DEDICATION, HARD WORK, AND COMMITMENT TO KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING, DO NOT GO UNNOTICED.
AND TONIGHT, WE CELEBRATE THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. ROBERT OTTING, OUR CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, WHO WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT THE CUSTODIAL SERVICE AWARD AND HELP US RECOGNIZE THESE HONOREES.
UM, ONE THING I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY IS THIS KIND OF CAME OUT OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
UH, THERE'S A REQUEST TO BRING FORWARD, UH, QUARTERLY, UH, CUSTODIAL EMPLOYEES.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GLAD TO DO TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HONORING.
AND I THINK THIS IS GONNA END UP BEING VERY SPECIAL.
UM, BUT ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE LOOKING IN THE FUTURE TO EXPAND THIS AND FORMALIZE IT, UH, AS A YEARLY EVENT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL GO AHEAD AND START, UM, A BM.
I KNOW, UM, BRANDON, WHY DON'T WE HOLD YOU OFF FOR LAST AND SEE IF JET, WE HAVE ONE PERSON COMING THAT IS A LITTLE LATE, SO WE'LL HOLD OFF AND SEE IF THEY SHOW UP.
SO I CAN START WITH THE BUD GROUP.
UH, REGGIE SMAR, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE, UH, YOUR EMPLOYEE, HAVE TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
THIS IS, UH, MY FIRST YEAR WITH BUD GROUP.
UH, OF COURSE, THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR, UH, WORKING IN, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD, UH, EXPERIENCE SO FAR.
AND, UH, I TELL YOU, THIS YOUNG LADY THAT, UH, I HAVE HERE TODAY, SHE HAS REALLY MADE MY JOB A LOT EASIER.
UM, HER WORK ETHIC, OR HER ATTENDANT AND HER CUSTOMER SERVICE, OR, UH, EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE AT THE BUD GROUP.
UH, WITH NO FURTHER ADO, MISS ELAINE SCOTT, IF YOU COULD COME UP, PLEASE.
SHE IS MY, UH, EMPLOYEE OF, SHE WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR, I BELIEVE, OH, WHAT WAS IT, JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
AND THEN SHE'S ALSO THE EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER.
SO SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, MANY MORE, UH, DAYS AND WEEKS AND HOPEFULLY YEARS.
UH, NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO WITH INTERSTATE.
UM, THIS IS ALSO THEIR FIRST YEAR, AND I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE FOUR UNI, THEIR, UH, MANAGERS, UNI FREEMAN.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA INTRODUCE FOR HER, KAREN, UH, GIAN, IF YOU, JOHNS JOHNS IF YOU'D COME FORWARD, PLEASE.
AND I TELL YOU WHAT, UH, SINCE UH, STEVE SKIRT IS HERE, UM, SHEDRICK, I'M SORRY.
SO THAT'S MY PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
I'M GONNA LET HIM SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
SO, UM, KAREN GIANTS, UH, IS DEFINITELY, UH, A GREAT CUSTODIAN.
AND ONE THING I I WANNA SAY ABOUT HER IS WHEN YOU HAVE A SCHOOL AS LARGE AS OURS, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE HAVE, UM, NO MATTER WHAT THE MESS, SHE RESPONDS BACK WITH A NICE SMILE.
UH, SHE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP.
SO EVEN WHEN SHE RESPONDS ON THE RADIO, YOU CAN HEAR THE SMILE IN HER VOICE.
SO, UM, SO SHE'S, SHE'S TRULY AWESOME.
BUT, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS WE CAN CELEBRATE TONIGHT TOO.
SHE'S THE EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER, UM, BUT ALSO SHE ALSO IS CELEBRATING SOMETHING ELSE.
TODAY, UH, TODAY KAREN BECAME A US CITIZEN.
[00:20:01]
AND NOT, BUT NOT LEAST, AND IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO TOP BRANDON.SO, MR. BRANDON CLARK FROM A BM, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAD SOME PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY, SO THEIR SUPERVI, YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT SANDRA? YEAH, SURE.
SO BRANDON CLARK, UH, RDO FOR A BM.
UH, FIRST OFF, UNFORTUNATELY SANDRA COULDN'T MAKE IT TODAY.
SHE HAD PRIOR COMMITMENTS THAT SHE, UH, HAD ALREADY COMMITTED TO.
UM, BUT WE DID WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY, UM, DISPLAY OUR APPRECIATION FOR, UH, SANDRA.
SHE HAS HELPED QUITE A BIT OVER TO OKT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND AS YOU KNOW, DURING ANY TRANSITION THAT CAN BE KIND OF A DIFFICULT TIME AS YOU TRY TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT SEAT.
SANDRA HAS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, SHE'S GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ARE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE LEVELS THAT THEY'RE, UH, RECEIVING.
SO, UM, I WISH SHE COULD BE HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR, UM, ACTUALLY TAKING THE TIME TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, RECOGNIZE HER PUBLICLY AND, AND THANKS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AS WELL.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION THIS EVENING.
AND A QUICK POINT OF ORDER, UM, THE MOTION, IF YOU'LL LET THE RECORD REFLECT ROBIN, THAT THAT SECOND MOTION ABOUT BRIGHTVIEW ACTUALLY DID PASS.
THE FINAL VOTE WAS FIVE YESES, TWO NOS, AND ONE ABSTENTION.
AND THAT IS A, A APPROVED MOTION.
AND ALSO, UH, I I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY FROM OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, THE, UM, FOR THE FIR THE FIRST, UM, MRS. UM, FAMILY ON MY, ON MY HEART, NOT MY MIND.
MRS. UM, THE FIRST AWARD FOR THE FIRST CUSTODIAL, UM, MS. SCOTT, MS. SCOTT, SHE, SHE'S OVER AT SHE HELENA.
UM, I, I JUST BE BEING THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY, UH, TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY AS A BOARD MEMBER, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE HER AND I, SHE, SHE'S VERY ACTIVE WHEN I, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE IN THE BUILDING, SHE, UH, HELPS OUT WITH THE KIDS AND SHE, SHE DEFINITELY DOES HER JOB AND SHE'S VERY NICE.
SHE SAID, HOW YOU DOING? SHE SPEAKS AND SHE'S ALWAYS VISIBLE.
YOU ALWAYS HEAR HER THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT.
AND ONE TIME I, UM, THE PRINCIPAL SAID, NOW SHE A BIG HELP.
NOW IF WE LOSE HER, I GOT PROBLEMS,
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET HER KNOW THAT, THAT SHE'S DEFINITELY APPRECIATED IN THAT BUILDING.
[First Public Comments]
WE DON'T HAVE ANY FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS.UH, PUBLIC FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE TO BE, UH, ADDRESSING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THE SECOND PERIOD.
AND IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE SECOND PERIOD, YOU CAN STILL HAVE TIME TO GET THE FORMS IN, UH, CHAIR'S
[Chair’s Report]
REPORT.I HAVE NO REPORT TODAY TO GO TO THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
[Committee Reports]
FIRST COMMITTEE REPORT IS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, MR. DALLAS.UM, I'LL GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO HAVE OUR CFO MS. CROSS BE COME UP 'CAUSE SHE CAN SPEAK WITH SOME PRECISE DETAILS ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT THE FINANCE GROUP IS DOING.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON CONTINUING THE WORK DONE BY THE PRIOR FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS SITTING TO MY RIGHT, COLONEL GEIER, AS WELL AS MEMBERS, UH, WHO HAVE FOCUSED ON REALLY HELPING AND TARGETING ALONG WITH MS. CROSBY AND THE SUPERINTENDENT.
HOW CAN WE EFFICIENTLY USE OUR REPORTS? SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE BEING DONE IN DEVELOPING DATA, USING GRAPHS, UH, REDUCING THE VERBIAGE REPORTS, WHICH HIGHLIGHT THE EXCEPTIONS TO VARIANCES.
SO A READER'S EYES AND MIND IMMEDIATELY GOES TO, TO WHERE THERE'S A, A NEGATIVE DELTA TO A PARTICULAR, UH, VARIANCE YEAR OVER YEAR AND CURRENT BUDGET YEAR AS WELL.
WE ALSO, THEY'RE ALSO CONTINUING THE EFFORT TO LEVERAGE NEW TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS AI.
MS. CROSBY HAS INFORMED ABOUT USING AI TO ALSO HELP LIGHTEN THE LOAD ON HER PARTICULAR WORKFORCE, WHICH IS ALWAYS COMMENDABLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IS A TIGHT REVIEW OF THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT, UM, WHICH IS, IS A LOT, IS 71 PAGES.
AND, UH, EACH PAGE CAN HAVE UP TO 65 ENTRIES.
BUT THOSE REPORTS ARE VITAL TO US MAKING SURE WE ARE FULFILLING OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL O OVERSIGHT IN A VERY PRECISE AND PARTICULAR WAY, AND PROTECT THE REPUTATION OF THE, UH, INSTITUTION.
ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SOME TIME, AND IT'S NOTEWORTHY THAT THE, UH, DISTRICT HAS WON AWARDS FOR THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY AND PERFORMANCE.
AND, UH, THE COHORTS THAT ARE INVOLVED, UH, REFLECT THAT.
AND WE WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THEM.
NOW, ANOTHER KEY POINT IS THE COLLABORATION WITH OUR BOND ADVISORS AND ATTORNEY TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF FINANCIAL BENEFITS ACCRUING DUE TO EARNINGS FROM BOND PREMIUM AND ALSO INTEREST EARNED FROM PRIOR YIELDS
[00:25:01]
PROJECTS.SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN EFFICIENCY MECHANISM WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE DOLLARS BY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MANAGING THINGS VERY TIGHTLY.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT, UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S INVOLVEMENT IN MS. CROSBY AND HER TEAM WITH THE WELLNESS POLICY, WHICH IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN SUPPORTING THE IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTHY LIVING LIFESTYLES, WHERE THE DISTRICT CONSCIOUSLY COMPLIES WITH FEDERAL AND STATE REQUIREMENTS OF NUTRITION AND BENEFICIAL EXERCISE TIME WHEN I READ THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS, IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE HOW MUCH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS FOCUS ON OUR KIDS BEING HEALTHY.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MS. CROSBY AND SHE CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE DETAILS AND OTHER THINGS THAT SHE'S WORKING ON.
UH, JUST A BRIEF RUN THROUGH OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE, UH, JUNE 12TH FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, EACH MONTH WE PROVIDE A SERIES OF TRANSPARENCY REPORTS, WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON AS, AS, UH, MR. DALLAS MENTIONED, UH, AND MORE VISUAL APPROACH TO THOSE REPORTS.
THEY ARE RATHER LENGTHY AND, AND VOLUMOUS.
SO WE PLAN TO, UH, CONTINUE TO OUR WORK ON THAT, UH, MORE VISUAL ASPECT INFOGRAPHIC AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, UH, MY STAFF ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING ON THAT.
UH, WE ALSO WORKED, UH, DISCUSSED THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE FIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING, AND THAT WAS PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL.
AND, UM, THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE ADMINISTRATION'S COMPLIANCE WITH BOARD POLICIES RELATING TO THE ANNUAL BUDGET, WHICH WE, UH, HAVE NOW COMPLETED.
AND WE HAVE PROVIDED, UH, SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE INDIVIDUAL POLICIES WITHIN, WITHIN EACH SUBSECTION.
UH, SINCE IT IS A BOARD POLICY, UH, IT, IT WILL BE, UH, THERE WILL BE A MOTION FOLLOWING THIS PRESENTATION FOR APPROVAL OF OE FIVE.
AND SO WE HAVE PREPARED THAT FOR YOU ALL.
UH, BOND DATE UPDATE WAS PROVIDED AS WELL.
UH, MOST NOTABLE INFORMATION INCLUDES A RECENT BOND ISSUE FOR THE 2023 REFERENDUM IN THE AMOUNT OF $132.2 MILLION.
IT WAS DELIVERED TO THE COUNTY.
THE CASH WAS WIRED TO THE COUNTY TREASURER ON, UH, MAY 29TH.
AND AS MR. DALLAS MENTIONED, AGAIN, WE'RE, UH, IN THE, IN A POSITION WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GENERATE $3 MILLION OF BOND PREMIUMS. AND SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL CASH ON HAND IF NEEDED, UM, FOR THAT PROJECT.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, WE WILL HAVE A, THIS EVENING, A LITTLE LATER THIS EVENING, TOWARD THE END OF THE, UH, EVENING, WE WILL HAVE AN 8% BOND ISSUE FOR $30 MILLION.
AND IT FUNDS THE 2027 8% PROJECTS THAT WERE RECENTLY APPROVED BY THE BOARDS.
SO THIS WILL FUND, UH, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO ISSUE THE BOND ON THOSE PROJECTS.
UH, NEXT ITEM WAS A FEDERAL FUNDING UPDATE BY STAFF.
WE STILL HAVE TWO AREAS, TWO PARTICULAR, UH, GRANTS OR ALLOCATIONS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
UH, AN ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, ONE IS A DIRECTLY COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S THE MSAP GRANT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS THE GRANT FOR THE, THE FIRST ROUND.
IT IS, UM, FOR THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE'RE IN OUR FIFTH YEAR OF THAT FIVE YEAR GRANT.
UM, SO WE'RE STILL, UM, LOOKING FOR AUTHORIZATION, UM, FROM CONGRESS HAS BEEN DELAYED.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF ED HAS ACTUALLY RELEASED THE FUNDS TO THE US TREASURY, BUT WE ARE STILL WAITING ON, UH, THE FINAL AUTHORIZATION FROM, UH, FROM THE TREASURY.
UH, ALSO, WE, UH, EARLIER IN THE WEEK, WE HAD, UH, OR AT OUR LAST MEETING, UH, ON JUNE 12TH, WE INDICATED THAT SEVERAL TITLE FUNDS, FEDERAL FUNDS, LIKE TITLE ONE, TITLE III, TITLE IV, HAD BEEN DELAYED.
WE'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED ALL OF THEM, BUT ONE, SO WE HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED ALL OF THE TITLE FUNDS, INCLUDING TITLE ONE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND TITLE THREE AND FOUR, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING ON TITLE TWO, WHICH IS ABOUT $900,000 A YEAR.
AND THOSE ARE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE DO EXPECT THEM TO BE, UH, AUTHORIZED.
I'M HOPING THAT THE NEXT REPORT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL INDICATE THAT ALL FUNDS HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
THAT IS MY HOPE AND BELIEF THAT THAT WILL TRULY HAPPEN.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, BUT WE'RE MAKING EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, THINGS IN PLACE TO, IF, IF THAT DOES NOT OCCUR, UH, AGAIN, UH, SS 42, THE DISTRICT WELLNESS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION.
IT REQUIRES TWO MINOR CHANGES, UH, SINCE THIS IS AN ADMIN REG AND NOT A BOARD POLICY, IT JUST IS REQUIRED FOR INFORMATION.
AND THERE WERE TWO MINOR CHANGES WE NEEDED TO MAKE.
WE'RE GONNA GET THAT UPDATED ON OUR WEBSITE,
[00:30:01]
LINK IT TO OUR TRIENNIAL REPORT, AND THEN WE'LL BE ALL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE WHO IS VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC AND IS ON US EVERY WEEK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FULL IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.UH, WE DID HAVE A, UH, WELLNESS COMMITTEE MEETING.
MS. FRAZIER WAS, UH, GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO COME AND ATTEND FOR IT WITH US, AND, UH, WAS VERY HELPFUL IN US WORKING ON GOALS FOR AND SETTING THOSE GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO THERE'LL BE MORE TO COME IN THAT AREA.
WE'LL BE GETTING MORE ON THE WEBSITE AS WE GET THESE POLICIES UP AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE.
AND LASTLY, UH, THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 14TH, 2025.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ONLINE? I DON'T, YES, IT DOES.
WE HAVE THE MOTIONS COMING OUTTA THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
WE, WE HAVE A MOTION COMING OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.
YEAH, BUT THEN, BUT THEY, OKAY.
WE, THE OTHERS ARE ANOTHER DOZEN BOARD PIECES.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, EXCEPT THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE FIVE, FINANCIAL PLANNING.
ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A.
UH, I, UH, MS. F, MS. GORDON, DON'T SEE MS. GORDON VOTE.
AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM IS OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
UH, WOULD LIKE TO JUST GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN DOING, AND I APPLAUD ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE ENTIRE BOARD MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO HAVE PROVIDED INPUT.
UH, STARTING BACK IN MARCH, WE SOLICITED, UH, AREAS FOR PRIORITIZATION.
AND WE GOT QUITE A LIST THAT CAME IN FROM VARIOUS, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, JUST TO SHARE WITH SOME OF, WITH YOU SOME OF THOSE, UH, UH, LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS THAT WE WANTED TO AT LEAST PRIORITIZE AND REVIEW AND BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH.
WERE S 17, S 28, S 1 25 FROM THE STATE, AND THEN FROM THE HOUSE WILL S 32 40, I MEAN, H 32, 45, 34, 35, 34, 55, 34, 59, 38 0 2, 41, 63, AND 45, 49.
SO THOSE ONES THAT WERE SUBMITTED BACK IN THAT TIME PERIOD, WE HAD A SECOND SOLICITATION ON MARCH THE 14TH.
AND THAT TIME, AS WE'VE GROWN AS A COMMITTEE IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE, UH, OUR ROLE CAN BE AND HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY HELP BENEFIT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NOT ONLY HERE, BUT STATE WINE, UH, WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AND FAMILIARIZE OURSELVES VERY, VERY MUCH WITH THE NEW FUNDING FORMULA, WITH THE ATHLETICS, WITH SCHOOL CHOICE, SCHOOL VOUCHERS, BILL OF RIGHTS, TEACHERS RIGHTS BOARD MEMBERS, INSURANCE, STATE WINE, AND THEN THE SRO BILL.
SO THINGS THAT AFFECT E EACH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EXCUSE ME, IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND THEN SINCE THAT TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, SUCH AS GOOGLE, APPLE, FACEBOOK, THOSE APPS THAT NEED TO VERIFY THE AGE OF THE PARTICIPANTS BEFORE THEY CAN DOWNLOAD APPS OR MAKE APP PURCHASES.
WHY IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT LOOKING AT THAT? BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SOCIETY IS MUCH OF THE ETHICAL PLATFORMS IN KIDS BETWEEN ZERO AND FIVE IS FORMED IN THE HOME, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE SUBJECT TO SOCIAL MEDIA, THEIR ETHICS, THEIR MORALITY IS FORMED AND, AND SORT OF DEVELOPED ALONG THOSE PLATFORMS. AND WE BELIEVE, AT LEAST WHEN THEY COME TO US, WE ARE AFFECTED BY THAT.
AND WE WANT TO GIVE EVERY KID IN THE WORLD THAT'S BORN IN OUR DISTRICT THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND, AND BE GIVEN TREMENDOUS SUPPORT AND, AND, AND, AND DEVELOPING TO THEIR MAXIMUM ABILITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE US ASK, UH, VERY SHORTLY IS WE WORK
[00:35:01]
DILIGENTLY ON A RESOLUTION THAT WILL GO FORWARD IF APPROVED TONIGHT.NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA MAKE PRISTINE CLEAR IS WE ARE NOT ATTACKING ANY OF THE OTHER THREE EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS THAT ARE AFFORDED TO A CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE ARE JUST ASKING THAT WE BE ALLOWED COMMENSURATE EXPOSURE TO OUR COLLEAGUES AND THE OTHER THREE OPTIONS AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO ALSO ENABLE THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OR THE COUNTY OF THE DISTRICT TO SEE THE SAME INFORMATION IN OUR GOOD PARTNERS IN THE OTHER THREE OPTIONS THAT WE PRODUCE, WHICH ARE THE SCORES, THE DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION OF OUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT, OUR STUDENT BODY.
AND SO WE THINK THAT WILL HELP A CITIZEN BE VERY MUCH ENABLED TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION, AND ALL FOUR OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
WE'RE NOT BEING PEJORATIVE TOWARDS ANY OTHER OPTION.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE RE REEMPHASIZE THAT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY OPEN.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT MR. CHAIR, WE WILL CONCLUDE OUR PRESENTATION UNLESS THEY HAVE QUESTION, QUESTION, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE THE MOTION? THERE IS A MOTION THAT WAS RECOMMENDED COMING OUT OF COMMITTEE.
I MOVE THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL, I, I MOVE THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT THE FOLLOWING MOTION A RESOLUTION, EXCUSE ME.
RESOLUTION I, THE RESOLUTION IS BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD BELIEVES THAT PRIVATE, RELIGIOUS, AND HOMESCHOOL WHO ACCEPT STUDENTS SPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ALL FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATED ASSESSMENTS REQUIRED OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.
I DO, UM, APPLAUD THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE CHAIRMAN'S, UH, FOCUS ON PRIVATE SCHOOL CHOICE AND VOUCHERS.
I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY, UM, SUBSTANTIAL, UH, IMPACT ON, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, MOST, A LOT OF STATES ARE STARTING TO ADOPT THIS.
I THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF, UH, NOT IF, BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE SOME SORT OF PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM AND WE NEED TO BE LASER FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED AS POSSIBLE.
I AM ON THE RECORD, UH, AS BEING OPPOSED TO THESE TESTS.
AND IN GENERAL, THESE STANDARDS BASED TESTS, I THINK THAT THEY'RE OUTDATED AND UNSOPHISTICATED AND HAVE LED TO TREMENDOUS HARM IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
SO I WOULD NOT SUPPORT EXPANDING THAT TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS.
I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT SAID THAT WE ARE OFFERED THE SAME FLEXIBILITY THAT PA PRIVATE THEY'RE OFFERING TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HOME SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS MO OF THIS RESOLUTION.
BUT THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THERE ARE THREE PARTS TO HOW WE ARE GOING TO COMPETE WITH PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
AND AS MY CHILDREN HAVE ALL GRADUATED FROM HILTON HEAD, UH, PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, IN MY PERSONAL BELIEF, PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE A VASTLY SUPERIOR OPTION, UH, FOR ALL STUDENTS.
AND WE ARE, I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANY COMPETITION FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, BUT THERE ARE THREE ASPECTS OF THE TESTING THING.
IT'S NOT JUST THE TESTING, IT'S ALSO HOW IT'S PUBLISHED, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO PUBLICIZE THE RESULTS AS WE ARE.
AND IT'S ALSO NOT TIED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT TESTS THEY TAKE, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE RESULTS BE PUBLICIZED, THAT THERE BE A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO COMPARE THEM ACCURATELY, BREAKING THEM DOWN BY THE DIFFERENT GROUPS JUST LIKE WE DO.
AND THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS, UM, IF THEY ARE NOT MAKING THEIR GOALS ON THESE TESTS, WHATEVER TESTS THEY DECIDE TO USE, THEY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO I, AND FOR THOSE REASONS, WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A PRELIMINARY QUESTION.
UH, BEING THAT SHE MADE THE MOTION AND SHE'S NOT SUPPORTING IT, THEN WHAT WILL THAT YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION AS LIKE A SECRETARIAL ROLE AND NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT.
THANK FOR THE PUBLIC GENERAL PRESIDENT.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION, PLEASE, UH, RAISE YOUR HEAD AND SAY AYE.
UH, MR. SMALL, MR. SMALL IS AN AYE AND NAY B ONE NAY.
ALL RIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES YOUR REPORT.
[Superintendent’s Report]
REPORT, SIR.UH, THIS EVENING, UNDER SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS UNDER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
ONE ITEM UNDER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND ONE ITEM UNDER OTHER MATTERS.
SO UNDER SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, WE HAVE FIRST, UH, THE PRIMARY EDUCATION THINKING SKILLS, UH, INITIATIVE, WHICH I'M GONNA ASK DR.
[00:40:01]
TO COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND CHAIRMAN GUYER THIS EVENING.THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE DIVISION HAS TWO PRESENTATIONS.
THE FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE BY SCARLET MOONEY, AND THE SECOND WILL BE FOCUSED ON A THIRD GRADE RETENTION.
UM, MS. MOONEY WILL SHARE INFORMATION ON PRIMARY EDUCATION SKILLS, ALSO REFERENCED AS PETS.
THE INITIATIVE WAS PILOTED DURING THIS CURRENT ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR AND IS BEING PREPARED FOR IMPLEMENTATION DURING THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
WITH THIS, I BRING FORWARD OUR DIRECTOR OF TIDES AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, MRS. SCARLET MOONEY, MS. SCARLET, THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, BOARD CHAIR, COLONEL GEIER, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT DR. RODRIGUEZ AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
STRATOS FOR, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
AS SHE SAID, MY NAME IS SCARLET MOONEY AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF BCSD TIDES AND ACADEMIC SPECIAL PROGRAMS. I'M HONORED TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS AN IMPORTANT GOAL IN OUR DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS, PROBLEM SOLVERS, AND INDEPENDENT LEARNERS.
I'M HERE TO SHARE THE PROGRESS AND FUTURE VISION OF THE PRIMARY EDUCATION THINKING SKILLS PROGRAM, ALSO REFERRED AS PETS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT PROVIDES THIS OVERVIEW.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, REGULATION IS NINE OUTLINES OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO NURTURE INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES IN OUR STUDENTS BEGINNING AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, PETS DIRECTLY FULFILLS THIS MANDATE.
IT IS A CUSTOMIZED ENRICHMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC TOOL ROOTED IN BLOOM'S TAXONOMY, DESIGNED TO TEACH THOSE FOUNDATIONAL THINKING SKILLS THROUGH A COMBINATION OF ENGAGING STORIES, GAMES, PUZZLES, AND CHARACTERS.
PETS SPECIFICALLY TARGET STUDENTS IN FIRST AND SECOND GRADE.
THE FOUR TYPES OF THINKING TAUGHT IN PETS INCLUDES CONVERGENT, DIVERGENT, EVALUATIVE THINKING, AS WELL AS VISUAL AND SPATIAL REASONING.
TOGETHER THEY FORM A SCAFFOLD THAT SUPPORTS ACADEMIC SUCCESS, NOT JUST IN READING AND MATH, BUT ACROSS ALL CONTENT AREAS.
SO YOU MAY ASK WHY PETS? BECAUSE WHEN STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT TO THINK THEY PERFORM BETTER, THEY DEVELOP GRIT, THEY PERSIST WHEN LEARNING BECOMES CHALLENGING.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY BEGIN TO SEE THEMSELVES AS CAPABLE PROBLEM SOLVERS.
A MINDSET THAT WE KNOW CONTRIBUTES TO LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
THE OVERALL BENEFITS ARE SIGNIFICANT.
ONE OF THE CRITICAL ADVANTAGES FOR PROVIDING PETS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IS THAT IT LAYS A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS SUCH AS AVID, IB, AP AND CAMBRIDGE CLASSES.
IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR ASSESSMENTS SUCH AS THE NARY GENERAL ASSESSMENTS, THE NAG, EXCUSE ME, THE NARY GENERAL ABILITIES TEST, AND THE PERFORMANCE TASK ASSESSMENTS.
IN THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE CHARACTERS I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO TO A FEW PETS HAS SIX CHARACTERS THAT STUDENTS WILL MEET.
EACH CHARACTER ALIGNS WITH A SPECIFIC TYPE OF THINKING.
FOR EXAMPLE, DUDLEY, THE DETECTIVE, IS A DEDUCTIVE THINKER.
HE MUST USE CLUES TO FIND ONLY ONE RIGHT ANSWER WITH JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS.
ISABELLE, THE INVENTOR, IS A DIVERGENT THINKER.
SHE THINKS CREATIVELY WILL BRAINSTORM IDEAS AND LIKES TO FIND MANY ANSWERS.
EACH CHARACTER HAS A PURPOSE WITH ALIGNED ACTIVITIES THAT CONNECTS AND ENGAGES STUDENTS TO THE VARIOUS TYPES OF THINKING SKILLS.
IF YOU WILL, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT, ALLOW ME FOR A MOMENT TO SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE LESSON FOR DUDLEY, THE DETECTIVE.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT DUDLEY IS A DEDUCTIVE THINKER.
HE MUST USE CLUES TO FIND ONE CORRECT ANSWER IN THIS LESSON.
WHO IS MARY? STUDENTS ARE GIVEN FOUR CLUES.
THEY MUST USE THE CLUES TO HELP FIND MARY.
ENTERTAIN ME FOR A SECOND AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND MARY CLUE NUMBER ONE.
MARY DOES NOT PLAY WITH DOLLS.
WHO IS MARY? HOPEFULLY WE THOUGHT THROUGH EACH OF THOSE CLUES, NOT JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS TO FIND THE ONE RIGHT ANSWER.
AND HOPEFULLY WE ALL CAME UP WITH THE SAME ANSWER.
[00:45:02]
THIS PAST YEAR, PETS WAS PILOTED IN FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.HELENA ELEMENTARY, BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY, RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY, AND BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY IN-SERVICE TRAINING WAS PROVIDED TO OUR TEACHERS.
AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, UM, WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND, WE ENVISION PETS PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN HELPING US REACH OUR DISTRICT'S GOAL OF 75% MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY IN 2029.
AS MEASURED BY SC READY TO CLOSE PETS IS MORE THAN JUST A CURRICULUM.
IT IS A COMMITMENT TO CULTIVATING THE THINKERS AND LEADERS OF TOMORROW.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PROFILE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GRADUATE, A PROMISE TO EQUIP EVERY CHILD WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO THINK AND THRIVE IN COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS WE WORK TO GROW ALL STUDENTS.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHAT RESEARCH IS THIS BASED ON? SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
PRIMARY EDUCATION THINKING SKILLS, UM, DOES HAVE RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-BASED.
UM, IT IS A CURRICULUM THAT IS PROBABLY CLOSE TO 40 TO 50 YEARS OLD, AND IT DOES HAVE, UM, RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS, UM, THAT IT GROWS STUDENTS IN THEIR THINKING ABILITY BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SYSTEMIZED STRATEGY, UM, THAT'S VERY TARGETED TO THOSE SPECIFIC THINKING SKILLS.
SO WITH THE, WITH THESE DOGS, EXCUSE ME.
WHO, WHO'S ALL TRAINED TO DEAL WITH THESE DOGS? THE PETS, THE CHARACTERS.
SO WE HAVE A GT LEAD TEACHER IN EACH BUILDING THAT, UM, AND THAT WENT UNDER THE, THE INITIAL TRAINING FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR, WE WILL WORK WITH, UM, OUR GT LEAD TEACHERS IN ADDITION TO FIRST AND SECOND GRADE TEACHERS, UM, SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, TO IMPLEMENT THIS, UM, IN THE WAY THAT IT WAS INTENDED.
BUT BASICALLY, THAT PERSON IS THE DOG HANDLER THEN.
IS THAT, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? IS THAT MY ASSUMPTION? OR MAYBE I NOT SO THE, THESE CHARACTERS ARE EXACTLY AS YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, THEY, THEY ARE THE CHARACTERS HERE, UM, THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SCREEN, THEY'RE KIND OF TIMELESS.
RIGHT? DID YOU YEAH, I, I SEE THAT, BUT MY UNDER UNDERSTANDING IT WHEN YOU SAID THEY WERE PETS AT THE PETS AT THE SCHOOL, SO I'M, I'M, I'M ENVISIONED AN ACTUAL REAL DOG IN THE SCHOOL.
SO PETS, UM, ISN'T THE ACRONYM FOR PRIMARY EDUCATION EDUCATION THINKING SKILLS? PETS.
WELL, I AIN'T SURE I'M THE ONLY ONE, MAN.
MAYBE I'M, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I GOT, I'M A LITTLE, LITTLE LOT.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS, THAT'S WHEN YOU SAID PETS WERE IN THE SCHOOLS.
THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I, WHAT I, YOU KNOW, I ENVISIONED, YEAH.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU ASKED THAT CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO CHAIRMAN GEIER, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF FOLLOWING UP TO BUILD ON CONVERSATION ACTUALLY WHERE MRS. BOATWRIGHT HAD BROUGHT FORWARD ON TESTING AND IMPACTS.
SO AS YOU MAY RECALL, YOU HAVE DOCUMENTATION AS TWO PARTS TO IT.
ONE IS, THANK YOU MRS. CUSH BARRY, APPRECIATE IT.
WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT, THERE IS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND THEN I PROVIDED YOU SOME RESEARCH.
SO I'M GONNA ASK MRS. CUSH BARRY TO GO FIRST TO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
AND THIS SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION IS ABOUT THIRD GRADE RETENTION.
YOUR PACKAGE ACTUALLY HAS A TABLE OF CONTENTS.
AND I'M GONNA HAVE YOU LOOK AT PAGE TWO.
AS WE LOOK AT THE VERY TOP OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU IS INDEED UPDATED LAW.
THE ORIGINAL LAW WAS IN PLACE SINCE 2017 FOR HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN 2024.
AND FOR THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR TO 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR, A THRESHOLD MARK FOR RETENTION WAS INCREASED.
I HAD SHARED THAT TO YOU PREVIOUSLY BOARD MEMBERS THAT STUDENTS IN ORDER NOT TO BE RETAINED WOULD NOW HAVE TO GO ANOTHER 70 POINTS AS THEY WERE DOING THEIR SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM.
SO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN THE BEGINNING SHARES WITH YOU.
THE REQUIREMENT BY LAW ALSO GIVES YOU FOUR
[00:50:01]
GOOD CAUSE AND EXEMPTIONS.ONE IS WITH REGARD TO A STUDENT WHO IS LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
SECOND, GOOD CAUSE EXEMPTION FOR A STUDENT BEING RETAINED AT THIRD GRADE WITH MAYBE A STUDENT WHO 5 0 4 OR THEIR IEP WAS NOT MET, OR A STUDENT WHO ACTUALLY ATTENDS OUR SUMMER CAMP.
THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW AND SCORES.
THE NEW THRESHOLD POINT OF 489.
IN THE PAST IT WAS FOUR 19 OR A FOURTH, A THIRD GRADER WHO DEMONSTRATES THEIR ABILITY TO, ALTHOUGH THEY'VE SAT FOR THE TESTS IN THE SUMMER, BUT THEY DIDN'T MEET THAT 4 89, THERE'S A PETITION THAT CAN GO FORWARD FOR THAT AS WELL.
IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE THREE, AT THE CORE OF THE LAW BY OUR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LEGISLATION IS THE OPPORTUNITY OF STUDENTS TO TRANSITION FROM LEARNING TO READ, TO READING, TO LEARN.
THAT'S A LANGUAGE THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD BEFORE AND YOU ACTUALLY CITED YOURSELF.
PAGE THREE GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE GOOD CAUSE EXCEPTION EXCEPTIONS.
AND I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT PAGE FOUR, WHICH GIVES YOU THE IMMEDIATE UPDATE CHANGE FROM THE 2017 TO THE 2024 LEGISLATION.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE FIRST BULLET FOR A REASON, BECAUSE IF YOU SEE THE VERY FIRST LINE, IT SAYS THAT INCREASING THE THRESHOLD FOR RETENTION TO THE LOWEST ACHIEVEMENT DOES NOT MEET, HAS TWO LEVELS.
SO IF A STUDENT DOES, DOES, DOES NOT MEET ONE, THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE LOOKED AT FOR POTENTIAL RETENTION, DOES NOT MEET TWO, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE NOT SCORING AT A LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY.
THE STATE, WE DO INCLUDE THEM INTO OUR SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM, BUT IS NOT UNDER THE LEGISLATION TO BE MANDATORY RETENTION.
PART OF YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HAS ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR YOU TO REVIEW.
IF YOU LOOK AT APPENDIX A, THAT WILL BE FOUND ON PAGE FIVE.
IT ACTUALLY GIVES YOU THE DECISION TREE THAT IS USED BY OUR SCHOOLS.
THE VERY FIRST LINE SHARES WITH YOU, STUDENT SCORES ABOVE DOES NOT MEET CUT SCORE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK TO THE RECTANGLE BOX TO THE RIGHT OF THAT, A STUDENT WHO SCORES AT OR BELOW DOES NOT MEET CUT SCORE AND LET'S REMEMBER DOES NOT MEET ONE.
IT GIVES YOU TO LISTEN, ONCE AGAIN, A SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPTIONS FOR GOOD CAUSE AND THEN IT SHARES WITH YOU IF THEY HAVE ONE OF THOSE EXEMPTIONS FOR GOOD CAUSE THEY COULD BE PROMOTED.
IF NOT, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL FOUR.
WHAT YOUR QUESTION WAS, UM, CHAIRMAN GEIER IS REALLY THE RESEARCH BEHIND RETENTION, IF I'M CORRECT, PAGE SIX GIVES YOU OUR DECISION TREAT PROCESS THAT WE DO AT THE SCHOOL SITE AS WELL AS AT THE DISTRICT.
UM, YOUR FIRST QUARTER IS WHERE WE GIVE NOTICE TO FAMILIES.
MARY MARY'S MAY NOT MAKE IT TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL.
WHAT IS THAT? BASED ON OUR FALL DIAGNOSTIC, SHE'S ON A PATHWAY.
SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE PROMOTED TO FOURTH GRADE AT NOVEMBER.
PARENTS ARE GIVEN ANOTHER NOTIFICATION.
MARY'S STILL NOT MEETING THAT POTENTIAL PROJECTED PROJECTION.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT MARY'S GONNA GO THERE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE SCHOOLS ARE ALSO PUTTING IN PLACE INTERVENTIONS TO HELP MARY MEET.
AND YOU COULD SEE IT GOES FROM FIRST QUARTER TO SECOND QUARTER TO THIRD QUARTER, FOURTH QUARTER OF A CHILD HAS NOT MET AGAIN, DOES NOT MEET ONE.
THEN WE, WE ARE ENROLLED INTO SUMMER SCHOOL.
BUT IF YOU GO TO APPENDIX C, PAGE SEVEN, WHAT I'VE GIVEN YOU IS A TABLE THAT SHARES WITH YOU NEGATIVE IMPACT, NEUTRAL IMPACT AND POSITIVE IMPACT OF A STUDENT BEING RETAINED.
AND I'LL PAUSE TO LET YOU REVIEW THAT.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WAS YOUR CENTRAL QUESTION FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND AS YOU GO FORWARD TO PAGE EIGHT, THERE'S A FEW STUDIES THAT COME FORWARD.
ONE WAS CONDUCTED IN MISSISSIPPI WHERE THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN READING AND STUDENTS GOING FORWARD WHO HAD BEEN RETAINED.
[00:55:02]
BUT I HAVE TO GIVE A ROADMAP OF CAUTION BECAUSE NO STATE HAS THE SAME REQUIREMENT OF WHAT A PASSING SCORE IS.YOU MAY BE MISSISSIPPI, YOU MAY BE FLORIDA, YOU MAY BE SOUTH CAROLINA, IT MAY BE 4 14, 4 21, 4 89.
SO IF YOU HEAR THAT FLEXIBILITY, SO LET'S RECOGNIZE IT IS NOT A UNIFIED THRESHOLD.
THE RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS, AS YOU WERE READ, THAT YES, THERE HAS BEEN AN IMMEDIATELY INCREASE OF STUDENTS WHO WERE RETAINED IN THEIR, AT THEIR STANDARDIZED TEST SCORE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE TWO POINTS.
ONE, IS IT BECAUSE OF, I MAY BE, I DON'T WANNA BE RETAINED AGAIN, WELL AT WORKED, PUT PRESSURE ON MARY OR TWO.
IS IT BECAUSE I DID GET ANOTHER YEAR OF EDUCATION? THAT'S THE POINT THAT THE RESEARCH HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE DEFINITE TO DEFINE WHAT IS THAT INTRINSIC MOTIVAT MOTIVATION WITHIN THAT CHILD TO NOT BE RETAINED AGAIN OR REALLY WAS IT THE INTERVENTION PUT IN PLACE TO HELP MARY IMPROVE.
SO AS YOU TURN TO PAGE NINE, THAT'S WHY I MAKE EMPHASIS FOR YOU TO SEE THIS, UM, SETTING THE PASSING SCORE.
IT FLUCTUATES FROM STATE, STATE TO STATE.
THAT'S IN YOUR FIRST PARAGRAPH.
BUT ONE THING THAT DID COME OUT FROM THE RESEARCH THAT I REVIEWED IS THAT MIDDLE GRADE RETENTION DOES HAVE AN IMPACT, HAS A GREATER IMPACT UPON THE LEARNER THAN ELEMENTARY.
SO I DO WANNA SHARE THAT WITH EACH OF YOU.
AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH ON PAGE NINE, BASICALLY IT TALKS A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INTERVENTION.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS, SOUTH CAROLINA REQUIRES INTERVENTION FOR EVERY STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN RETAINED, THEY REQUIRE A READING PLAN.
IT MUST BE FOLLOWED AND REVIEWED AND FOLLOW ON THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM, RIGHT? MTSS THAT OF OF SUPPORT THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
SO IF A CHILD IS RETAINED, IT JUST DOESN'T, OH, YOU'RE RETAINED.
NO, MARY GETS PLACED ON A READING PLAN, AN ACADEMIC PLAN FOR SUPPORT THAT MUST BE MAINTAINED AND CONFIRMED THAT IT IS BEING FOLLOWED.
AND THEN AS YOU GO TO PAGE 10, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT STUDIES THAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU.
ONE THAT WAS CONDUCTED IN THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE SIZE OF IT.
SO THEY HAD A VERY GOOD DENOMINATOR TO TAKE TO KEEP IT INTO SIMPLE LANGUAGE, RIGHT? TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE RESEARCH STUDY.
THE SECOND ONE WAS CONDUCTED IN LOUISIANA.
AND THE THIRD ONE ACTUALLY WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST RECENT THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL.
AND THAT WAS OUT OF THE HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION.
WE REALLY DID SAY THAT POST COVID, IF YOU PULL THE RESEARCH, THERE HAS BEEN A POSITIVE IMPACT OF RETENTION AT ELEMENTARY.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE WE'VE LIVED THROUGH THE FOUR YEARS OF SHIFT OF OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING.
SO I DIDN'T WANNA PUT THE DIRECTION EITHER WAY, IF IT'S A GOOD THING OR BAD, BUT I DID WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE MOST CURRENT RESEARCH IS SHOWING A TREND THAT RETEN RETENTION MAY BE GOOD TO CA CATCH UP FOR THE GAPS THAT WE HAD HAD OF STUDENTS ON ATTENDING SCHOOL ON A REGULAR BASIS.
YOUR LAST PAGE ACTUALLY REFERENCES THE RESOURCES THAT WERE UTILIZED.
AND WITH THAT, IT, IT CLOSES THE PRESENTATION BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS.
UH, THIS WAS A VERY IMPRESSIVE RESEARCH AND AND YOUR SHARING WITH US, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FASCINATED ME IS WITH ALL THOSE DIFFERENT TESTS IN DIFFERENT STATES AND SITUATIONS, IT, IT SAID THAT QUITE OFTEN BY EIGHTH GRADE, THE ADVANCES HAD SORT OF DISAPPEARED.
THAT IT, THERE'S A PLATEAU EFFECT THAT HAPPENS ON, AT THAT ACCELERATION THAT THEY SAW HAPPEN TO THE STUDENT WHO WAS RETAINED AT EARLIER YEARS.
BUT LET'S ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT, WHAT THE RESEARCH DIDN'T DEFINE WAS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STANDARDS THAT HAPPEN AS THE STUDENT MOVES FROM EIGHTH GRADE INTO HIGH SCHOOL, SIR.
BECAUSE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT JUMP.
YEAH, I'VE BEEN KIND OF INTERESTED IN THIS BECAUSE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE MISSISSIPPI MIRACLE, RIGHT? YES.
AND I THINK THAT PART OF THAT IS A COMPLETE AND WHOLEHEARTED DEDICATION TO THE SCIENCE OF READING.
I THINK THAT THE RESEARCH IS COMING OUT PRETTY CLEARLY THAT THE SCIENCE OF READING AND PHONICS-BASED READING INTERVENTIONS IS UM, IS THE WAY TO GO.
ARE WE 100% SCIENCE OF READING? ARE WE, LIKE WHERE ARE WE ON THE SCALE? I KNOW THERE'S SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR SOME DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, DISABILITIES AND WHATNOT, BUT WHERE
[01:00:01]
ARE WE ON THAT ACTUALLY, MRS. BO? IT'S A GREAT POSITION YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD.SOUTH CAROLINA WENT INTO PLACE THREE YEARS AGO FOR THE SCIENCE OF READING THROUGH LETTERS.
IT WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR OUR PRE-K UP THROUGH THIRD GRADE.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SCHOOLS WHO HAVE GONE FURTHER, UM, TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THIS YEAR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS ACTUALLY DOING TRAIN TO TRAINER MODEL FOR OUR SPECIAL ED EDUCATORS SO THAT WE COULD GO CAST A NET LARGER TO HAVE MORE OF OUR EDUCATORS PICKING UP THE SKILLS OF THE SCIENCE OF READING.
SO IT'S STATE LAW, IT IS A REQUIREMENT AS IT IS IN GEORGIA AS WELL, OUR SISTER STATE.
SO IS THE ANSWER A HUNDRED PERCENT THEN? I CAN'T SAY A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE GETTING THERE BECAUSE THEY'VE GIVEN A FIVE YEAR TRANSITION, MA'AM, BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING THROUGHOUT THE STATE EDUCATING.
BUT I WANNA ADD ONE MORE ITEM TO THAT IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE WILSON READING, WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR THE SCIENCE OF READING AS AN OG AUTHOR, AUTHOR GILLINGHAM, WHICH HAS BEEN UTILIZED WITH OUR OLDER STUDENTS WHO AND WHO ARE SPECIAL ED TO HELP THEM QUI ACQUIRE THE SCIENCE AND READING AS WELL.
SO OUR DISTRICT WAS A LITTLE AHEAD ON SOME AREAS AND THEN THE STATE.
SO WE ARE TRANSITIONING, SO I CAN'T SAY WE'LL EVER BE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE TE TEACHERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL OF STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE THAT CAPABILITY.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE ARE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY OF THE SPECIAL ED EDUCATOR WITH LETTERS WILSON AS WELL AS ARTHUR GILLINGHAM.
WOULD IT BE A FAIR ASSESSMENT TO SAY THAT WE ARE STRONGLY MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, PARTICULARLY IN THE LOWER, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? ABSOLUTELY.
AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION IS NOW A REQUIRING AS WELL TO HAVE EMBEDDED, UM, LETTERS AS A PRACTICE BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE WITHIN THEIR OWN SCHOOL OF THOUGHT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH OF THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION.
THE OTHER THING IS, I ACTUALLY PERSONALLY I'M INTRIGUED BY THIS IDEA OF THIRD GRADE RETENTION BECAUSE IN THE COMMUNITY I GET FROM PEOPLE ALL THE TIME IS WHY AREN'T THEY HOLDING PEOPLE BACK IN THIRD GRADE? WE, I HEAR THAT A LOT LIKE IT, LIKE APPARENTLY, AND I DO, I, A MEMBER OF MY OWN FAMILY WAS HELD BACK LIKE THERE, IT WAS PRETTY COMMON TO BE HELD BACK IN SECOND OR THIRD GRADE IF YOU COULDN'T READ.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THESE LEVELS, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GOT HELD, YOU GOT HELD BACK AND YOU TOOK THE CLEAR OVER AGAIN.
SO I ACTUALLY HAVE HEARD THAT MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN I READ THIS STUFF ABOUT MISSISSIPPI AND WHERE I THINK THEY WENT FROM 49TH TO NINTH OR SOMETHING IN READING IN KIND IN IN STATE RANKINGS.
AND IT'S HAS SHOWED A SUSTAINED IMPACT.
'CAUSE THAT WAS, WE'RE NOW AT LIKE 12 YEARS OUT FROM WHEN THEY STARTED DOING THAT.
BUT I DO WANNA SHARE AGAIN, THINK ABOUT WHAT THE PASSING THRESHOLD CORRECT.
THAT THAT'S AND ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES RIGHT? TO WORK OUT.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER EXPLORING AND TO, I THINK WE HAVE SORT OF NEGATIVELY, UM, HAD A NEGATIVE PERCEPTION OF, OF RETENTION AT A SECOND OR STIGMATIZED THIRD GRADE STIGMA.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UM, THAT WE HAVE KIND OF STIGMATIZED THAT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO THOSE OF US WHO GRADUATED IN THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES.
'CAUSE IT WAS JUST, IT SEEMS TO ME ANYWAYS, A MORE COMMON EVENT.
AND I JUST WONDER AS WE LOOK AT THIS TO UM, REALLY CONSIDER WHAT I, I DO THINK THE MISSISSIPPI, THE DATA IS PRETTY ROCK SOLID.
SO IT IS THAT, THAT AS WELL AS A, THE HARVARD STUDY YEAH.
THAT IS CONTINUING ACTUALLY IS SHOWING A SHIFT BECAUSE AGAIN, I DO WANNA SAY WITH THE IMPACT OF STUDENTS HAVING NOT HAD A CONTINUUM RIGHT INTO SCHOOL FOR SINCE 2020, WE HAD A GAP AT STUDENTS ATTENDING.
THEY'RE SHOWING THAT THEIR RETENTION IS HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT.
IT GOES BACK TO THE STATEMENT THEY, THE CHILD IS HAVING MORE TIME IN SCHOOL.
THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.
UM, I'M SURE IT'S NOT A SURPRISE AT THIRD GRADE THAT THE STUDENT IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH READING.
I'M CERTAIN THAT THAT PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED IN FIRST GRADE AND SECOND GRADE.
AND SO WHAT KIND OF INTERVENTION IS HAPPENING IN FIRST AND SECOND GRADE TO HELP ENSURE WE HAVE FEWER PEOPLE AT RISK IN THIRD GRADE? SO THERE'S TWO THINGS.
THE SECOND IS WHAT MRS. BOATRIGHT HAD SHARED, HIS LETTERS A REQUIREMENT, AND THEN PUTTING IN PLACE FOR US AS A SYSTEM, PUTTING AN INTERVENTION OF USING IREADY READING, WHICH ACTUALLY GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHILD TO GO ON A PATHWAY OF THEIR LEARNING AS THEY ACQUIRE THE LANGUAGE OF READING, THE SKILLS OF READING.
AND THEN THAT GRADUALLY SORT SHIFTING YOUR READING SKILLS BECOME MORE OF A LEARNER.
SO WE AS A SYSTEM HAVE PUT ITEMS IN PLACE TO HELP PROVIDE INTERVENTION.
SO I-READY IS NOT THE CURRICULUM, IT'S A SUPPORT TOOL FOR OUR YOUNGER GRADES.
AND THEN AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR VOCABULARY AND READING COMPREHENSION, WE'VE PUT READING PLUS IN PLACE THAT'S COMPLIMENTS WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSES.
[01:05:01]
OTHER PART OF THIS IS THE PARENTS MM-HMMAND LETTING THE PARENTS KNOW IN FIRST AND SECOND GRADE AND THIRD GRADE THAT THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S, UH, ABILITY TO READ THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND HELPING THE PARENTS KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP.
THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER PART TO THIS AS WELL AS EDUCATING PARENTS THAT, UH, HUMAN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IS NOT CONSTANT.
I MEAN, EVERY INDIVIDUAL IT DEVELOPS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
AND JUST BECAUSE YOUR CHILD IS HAVING DIFFICULTY IN FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD GRADE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEIR BRAIN'S NOT GONNA CATCH UP AT SOME TIME SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE STIGMA OF BEING HELD BACK.
ALTHOUGH I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS THE ABSENTEE RATE DURING THOSE FIRST TWO OR THREE YEARS TO SEE IF THERE'S, THAT'S A CAUSAL THAT COULD BE AFFECTING IT.
IF THE CHILD'S NOT IN SCHOOL OR NOT IN SCHOOL AS OFTEN AS THEY SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL, UH, THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE IDENTIFIED.
SO THERE, THERE'S A, A WHOLE LOT TO THIS THAT, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARENTS ARE INVOLVED AND, AND THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAVE GOOD WAYS TO SHARE WITH THEM.
THIS IS WHAT WE SEE, THIS IS WHAT WE PLAN TO DO AND THIS IS HOW YOU CAN HELP.
IF I MAY, CHAIRMAN GARD FIRST ITEM ACTUALLY IS THROUGH OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
HE HAS CHALLENGED OUR DIVISION THAT WE NEED TO BRING WHAT WE KNOW TO THE COMMUNITY.
HENCE WE RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE OUR EXTENDED LEARNING SITES, BUT KEEPING THE KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE HOUSE SO THE SCHOOL ISN'T THE PATHWAY TO GO.
SO WE'VE CHALLENGED WITHIN OUR DIVISION, UM, ACTUALLY WE NEED TO TAKE WHAT WE KNOW TO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S BEEN WORKED OUT THROUGH DR. CAMPBELL SHOP, OUR PARENT ENGAGEMENT.
WE'VE NOW TAKEN A LARGER INITIATIVE THERE.
YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE YOUNGER GRADES.
SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, IN THE 20 24, 4 LEGISLATION UPDATE IS NOW REQUIRED THAT FIRST GRADERS OF THAT MEETING, THEY ARE TO BE RETAINED AS WELL.
AND SECOND, SECOND GRADE, NOT RETAINED, BUT AT ATTEND ARE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL SECOND GRADERS.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE NEXT YEAR, FIRST GRADERS ATTENDING SUMMER SCHOOL AND THEN THE SECOND GRADERS THE FOLLOWING YEAR WILL BE A REQUIREMENT.
THEY'VE PUT THAT INTO PLACE WITHOUT MAKING A FISCAL.
SO THAT'S THE SECOND ITEM TO KEEP, KEEP IN MIND.
AND BUILDING THAT CAPACITY OF OUR EDUCATORS AND QUALITY EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU'RE ALSO DRIVING TO.
WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING, SIR? PICKING IT UP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. SMITH? UH, JUST TO KINDA SPEAK ON THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR A LOT OF TIMES ABOUT STUDENTS MISSING DAYS AND, UM, AND WHICH, WHICH I, UM, I WAS AT A MEETING IN SOMEONE, WE WERE SOMEWHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, MY QUESTION IS HOW ENGAGED, WELL, LEMME BACK UP.
DO WE HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER IN EVERY SCHOOL? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, SIR.
AND I COULD TURN TO MRS. WALTON, BUT MY ANSWER, I BELIEVE IS YES.
AND WE HAVE A LEAD CONTACT, UM, WHO I BELIEVE IS ANDREA MURRAY AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
RIGHT? SO, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES HOW ENGAGED OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE, ARE BECAUSE IF THESE, UH, IF THESE STUDENTS ARE NOT IN SCHOOL, THEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME SOMEONE HAS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
AND SO WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TO SAYING, WELL, THEY AIN'T COMING HELLA, THEY AIN'T COMING.
THEN LET'S LET, LET'S GO TO THE PARENTS AND FIND OUT WHY THEY'RE NOT COMING.
AND ALSO, LET'S UNDERSTAND IF, IF THE STUDENTS ARE NOT COMING, WHAT RESOURCES CAN WE OFFER TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY ARE, THAT THEY ARE COMING? BECAUSE I, I, I THINK THAT, THAT THERE'S A, A PIECE HERE THAT HAS TO BE A CONVERSATION.
AND I, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD GET THIS CON WELL, I'M SURE HOW WE GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST, WE JUST GOTTA TAKE IMMEDIATE, MASSIVE ACTION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
BUT MY, MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE SOCIAL, THAT IS ONE OF THE, PART OF THE, THE SOCIAL WORKERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S A PART OF THEIR WHEELHOUSE.
SO IF WE HAVE THEM IN THERE EMPLOYED, THEN IT'S NOT A, A, A, UM, A QUESTION ABOUT STUDENTS ARE NOT, ARE NOT, ARE NOT COMING TO SCHOOL.
SO WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A DISTRICT? BECAUSE WE CAN HOLD THE PARENTS, WE CAN, WE CAN SAY THAT THE STUDENTS AREN'T COMING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TOO.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SAY, OH, WE, WE, WE'VE MADE SURE WE, WE WE'VE TRIED TO GET THE STUDENTS TO THE DISTRICT, OR WE'VE DONE THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT,
[01:10:01]
WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO AID AND HELP THESE PARENTS? BECAUSE I, I HONEST WITH YOU, I, I, I BEL I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD SOME, UH, IN FACT I'VE, I'VE HEARD FROM, I, I'VE WATCHED SOME DISTRICTS DO PARENT UNIVERSITY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.I THINK THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO A LITTLE MORE IN THE PARENT UNIVERSITY.
AND I THINK THAT MEETING THE PARENTS AND, AND TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO GET MORE ACTIVE IN, BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST SAY, OH, IT'S THE PARENTS.
SOME PARENTS MAY NOT, MAY NOT HAVE THE SKILL SET, OR THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE KNOW HOW, OR, OR THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE MATH AIN'T MATH NO MORE.
SO I WAS TALKING TO MY COUSIN THAT HE WAS SAYING, MAN, LOOK, HERE, HELP ME OUT.
HE'S LIKE, UM, MY SON'S, UH, WAS WORKING ON SOMETHING AND TWO PLUS TWO PLUS TWO AIN'T FOUR NO MORE.
IT'S LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? SO THEREFORE, WITH WHAT TIMES ARE CHANGING IN, IN HOW MATH IS MATH, THERE, THERE, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF NUTS AND BOLTS THAT THIS IS NOT A ONE SHOE, ONE SIZE SHOE FIT, ALL OF IT.
BUT THERE IS SOME WORK TO BE DONE HERE IN TERMS OF PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND, AND HOW WE CAN INVOLVE, INVOLVE PARENTS.
AND SO WITH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, I SEE HE'S READY TO TALK, BUT, AND I'LL LET THAT GO.
BUT I THINK THAT THE MAIN THING IS HOW ARE WE UTILIZING OUR SOCIAL WORKERS TO, UH, TO, TO HELP, TO HELP THAT ALONG WITH PARENT UNIVERSITY MOVING FORWARD.
DR. RODRIGUEZ? YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA BE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT IS WORK THAT OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ENGAGE IN.
SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THAT WORK.
AND I THINK, UH, WHAT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT? SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, IN MY OPINION, REALLY IMPORTANT IS, UH, FOR A FUTURE TOPIC TO SIT HERE AND HAVE, UH, SOME OF, UH, OUR, OUR LEAD SOCIAL WORKER COME AND TALK ABOUT THE WORK OF SOCIAL WORKS.
ACTUALLY, IT'S PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE FOR AN ACADEMIC COMMITTEE AND THEN A REPORT OUT FROM THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UH, FOR, FOR YOU AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UH, TO BRING SOME CLARITY AROUND THE WORK OF, UH, SOCIAL WORKERS.
'CAUSE IT DOES ENCOMPASS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THEY'RE OUT THERE, UH, DOING THAT WORK TOO.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
YOU HIGHLIGHT A VERY GOOD POINT.
AND I'LL JUST SAY, LEMME MAKE IT CLEAR FOR THE RECORD.
I'M NOT SAYING BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE FACTS IN FRONT OF ME, SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA ASSUME SOCIAL WORKERS AREN'T, AREN'T WORKING, BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW SOME SOCIAL WORKERS AND I HAVE COUSINS THAT ARE, ARE SOCIAL WORKERS MATTER OF FACT, IN ONE COUNTY AND WHO, WHO'S SAYING THAT THEY, THEIR CASELOADS, YOU KNOW, MAY, MAY, MAY, MAY, MAY DIFFER, BUT THEY MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY GET THE JOB DONE.
AND I, I GOT NO, I KNOW ONE WHO GO, WHO, WHO, WHO DOES HOUSE CALLS AND THEY'RE OUT DOING, THEY'RE OUT DOING HOUSE CALLS VERY REGULARLY AND LATE AT NIGHT.
AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, MY, MY QUESTION GOES BACK.
I MEAN, MY, MY MAIN PART OF IT ALSO GOES BACK TO THE PARENT UNIVERSITY AND HOW WE ENGAGE THEM IN THIS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND HOW WE UTILIZE UTILIZING THEM IN TERMS OF CHANGING THESE, CHANGING WHAT THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IS, IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS BETWEEN BIRTH TO FIVE.
AND REALLY WE NEED TO, AS A SOCIETY, HAVE SOME HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ONE SINGLE PARENT HOMES.
AND I'M NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, DESCRIPTIVE IN THE ORIENTATION OR THE MINDSET.
I'M JUST SAYING REARING A KID IS A CHALLENGING THING AND IF THEY DON'T GET THAT NURTURING THAT I'VE LEARNED IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO START AT THE SOCIETAL LEVEL AND CREATE THINGS THAT HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT BENEFITS NOT ONLY THE TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE PARENTS, BUT ALSO THE SOCIETY AT LARGE AND THE GENERATIONS GOING FORWARD.
AND THAT'S A TOUGH CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IT SINCE I'VE LEARNED HOW CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT IS.
AND PEOPLE THINK, WELL, YOU GOT ALL THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THAT.
IT'S, UH, WE ALL HAVE BEEN THROUGH THINGS.
SO I, I THINK TO THE POINT THAT MR. SMITH IS RAISING, I THINK, UM, MAYBE INCREASING THE, THE, UH, DECREASING THE SPAN THAT A SOCIAL WORKER HAS TO COVER.
UH, AND BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS AS TEACHERS, I WAS SHOCKED WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO.
AND THOSE TWO PEOPLE WHO WON NATIONAL AWARDS ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
I MET ONE IN THE LIBRARY AND I HAD MY NAME TAG ON, AND SHE STOPPED AND SHE STARTED TALKING.
AND SHE COULD, I, IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO, I COULD HAVE STAYED THERE 30 MINUTES AND SHE WOULD'VE STILL BEEN TALKING.
AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF PASSION THAT SHE HAD ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS DOING.
SO TO YOUR POINT, IT'S EFFECTIVE.
WE MAY NEED TO COME TO GRIPS WITH SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO HAVE GREATER IMPACT, UH, WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN GUYER, AM I CATCH? I JUST BUILD ON BOTH THE GENTLEMEN.
WE HAVE A, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR FINANCE AND DR. RODRIGUEZ COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FUND TWO ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, SPECIFICALLY ONE FOR WHALE
[01:15:01]
RANCHER ELEMENTARY, ONE FOR WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE, WHO WILL DO WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO HELP OUR FAMILIES.THEY'LL EACH DO A 50 CASELOAD TO HELP BUILD AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF SERVICES TO CHILDREN.
IT'S A PILOT, THIS COMING ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, BEEN ABLE TO PUT THAT IN WITHOUT INCREASING COSTS.
WE JUST DEDUCTED 18% FROM ANOTHER BUDGET, IF THAT MAKES, AND COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS HAS PICKED UP 50% OF THE INDIVIDUALS SALARY.
I'LL BRING INFORMATION THAT TO ACADEMIC COMMITTEE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, MS. BERRY AND OUR TECH TEAM, THE SCREEN IS OFF, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS, UH, IMPACTING HER ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE RIGHT NOW.
MS. GORDON, WE, UM, WE SEE YOU BACK UP AGAIN, AND IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND SPEAK, THEN WE'LL KNOW YOU'RE CONNECTED TO US.
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE HAVING ANY LUCK.
LET'S SOMEONE CALL HER AND PUT THE MIC TO THE PHONE.
GIMME, CAN WE CALL HER AND SEE IF WE CAN GET HER ON THE PHONE? MS. CHRISTIAN BARRY, GO AHEAD.
HELLO, MR. CHAIR AND, UH, BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING THE COMMUNITY.
VERY QUICKLY, I JUST WANNA THANK DR.
STRATAS AND HER TEAM FOR, UH, FOR THIS REPORT.
I, I'M HEARING WHAT SHE'S SAYING AND I HEAR YOU, MR. UH, DALTON AND, AND MR. SMITH.
UH, WE DO NEED TO KNOW WHAT OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE DOING, AND THEY'RE DOING AN AWFUL LOT AND PARENTS ARE DOING AN AWFUL LOT.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, A MOTHER WITH FIVE CHILDREN FROM PRE-KINDERGARTEN ON UP TO THE EIGHTH GRADE, SOMEONE IS GONNA FALL SOMEWHERE IN THAT, IN THAT ARC.
ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN WILL NOT, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO READ AS HE OR SHE, SHE SHOULD.
IT'S A VERY GOOD, UM, INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED TODAY.
AND I HOPE THAT, UH, WHEN WE COME BACK IN AUGUST THAT WE HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION.
SO I'M GONNA HANG UP BECAUSE I KNOW I'M HARDLY, UH, COMING THROUGH.
BUT AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO THANK, UH, DR.
STRATAS AND HER TEAM AND ALL OF YOU WITH THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION TODAY.
RAS, WOULD YOU ALSO ADD COACHES INTO THAT LITERACY COACHES INSIGHT AS WELL INTO THE EQUATION WHEN YOU BRING SOMETHING BACK? YES, SIR.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COACHES WHO ARE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOO AS WELL.
THE MICROPHONE, SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE, SO WE CAN HEAR YOU PLEASE
[01:20:03]
SAID.STRATOS, WE WENT OFF INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT TANGENTS.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED HER TO COME BACK WITH THE INFORMATION YOU'RE ASKING HER TO PRESENT, BECAUSE WE DID GO FROM PETS TO RETENTION, TO SOCIAL WORKERS, TO WHAT WAS SHE IS NOW.
GO SHADOW, GO SHADOW TO COACHES, GO SHADOW TO SOCIAL WORKERS.
I DON'T THINK SHE NEEDS TO COME BACK WITH SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ATTAIN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF IN A DIFFERENT ASPECT THAN A LONG MEETING OR ASKING HER TO DO EXTRA WORK.
YOU'RE PUTTING A LOT OF WORK ON HER WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY WE MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF WORK ON SOCIAL WORKERS.
I, BECAUSE I CAN, EVEN IF YOU WANNA ASK ME AN ACADEMIC COMMITTEE WITHOUT HER HAVING TO DO AN EXTRA REPORT, I CAN GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION OR WHAT SOCIAL WORKERS DO.
UH, UH, UM, I, I THINK THAT, UH, UH, IT, IT WOULD BE QUITE EASY.
I THINK THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY, UH, WRONG BECAUSE, BECAUSE DUE TO, DUE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT IF, IF SHE'S ALREADY DOING THIS WORK, THEN WHAT I'M ASKING HER FOR IS WHEN SHE WENT, WHEN WE SAID THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE FAILING, THEN I'M ASKING HER IN TO WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW.
AND ASKING HER ALSO, HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE USING COACHES? BECAUSE WE HAVE LITERACY, WE HAVE COACHES IN SCHOOLS THAT ARE WORKING ON THESE, ON THESE SKILLS.
SO THEREFORE, THE SAME WAY HOW WE TALK ABOUT THE SOCIAL WORKERS.
SO WE HAVE A, A TEAM OF PEOPLE.
AND I ALSO SAY THAT IT IS NOT A ONE SIZE, UH, SHOE FITS ALL.
SO I'M IN CORRELATION UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE AT, AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR IN THE, IN THE PAST, PEOPLE COME UP AND, AND SAY, WELL, HEY, WELL WE NEED COACHES.
WELL, HEY, WHAT ARE THE COACHES DOING? HEY, WHAT ARE SOCIAL WORKERS? SO THEREFORE, ARE WE GETTING A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF THE BOTTOM LINE? AND THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS STUDENTS.
SO WE, I'M, I WANT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF COACHES, SOCIAL WORKERS, HOW THEY'RE HELPING THIS DISTRICT IN TERMS OF THE BOTTOM LINE.
WHAT ROLE ARE THEY PLAYING FOR, NOT, NOT JUST FOR ME TO GET INFORMATION ON THE SIDE, ON THE SIDEBAR CONVERSATION WITH DR.
SRAS, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I HAVE PEOPLE QUESTIONING ME TOO, AS WELL.
ASKING, ASKING, ASKING, GO SHADOW THOSE SOCIAL WORKERS.
EVERY THEN GO SHADOW THE COACHES, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS DON'T THAT THEY, THEY CAN'T GO, THEY CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT.
TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE ALWAYS ASKING YOU THESE QUESTIONS, I'M GETTING, THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR OPINION.
STRADDLE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANY SPECIFIC NUMBER OF STUDENTS FAILING? SHE JUST GAVE YOU INFORMATION AND YOU WENT AHEAD AND SAID, SOCIAL WORKERS AREN'T DOING THEIR JOBS.
AND THEN YOU HEARD SOMEONE ELSE SAY A STATEMENT AND TOOK IT FORWARD AND SAID, PARENTS AREN'T DOING THEIR JOBS OR PARENTS ARE BEING BLAMED AND YOU'RE ASKING HER TO DO WORK THAT IS UNNECESSARY.
AND ONCE AGAIN, GO SEE IT FIRSTHAND AND SHARE IT OUT.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD, I WILL SAY THAT THAT'S YOUR OPINION.
OPINION BECAUSE OF THE FACT, AND I HOPE YOU ATTEND THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING TO GET THIS INFORMATION.
I'VE BEEN THIS BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS.
'CAUSE MOST TIMES YOU ASK FOR PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND SHARE INFORMATION AND DON'T EVEN ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS AND I, I I, THERE THERE ARE VERY SIMILAR MEETINGS THAT I, THAT I MISSED.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE, YEAH.
GETTING OFF THE, TO BE QUITE ACCURATE, WE'RE GETTING OFF THE TOPIC HERE.
UH, AFTER THE MEETING WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE TALK AND, AND WORK THIS OUT.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, GOAL NUMBER THREE, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND MS. CROSBY'S COMING FORWARD TO PROVIDE THE LATEST AND FINAL BUDGET UPDATE.
UM, LAST EVENING WE ATTENDED, UH, THE THIRD AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET AT COUNTY COUNCIL, BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AT BURTON WELLS PARK.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY FIRST WE WERE, WE WERE FIRST ON THE AGENDA AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO IT WAS A NOT AS LENGTHY AS EVENING AS WE THOUGHT.
AND, UH, SECOND OF ALL, IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BUDGET.
THEY WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, NOT JUST WITH THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT WITH DEBT AND CAPITAL AND PROJECTS AND THE, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THERE.
FINANCES AND ALL, UH, AS A WHOLE PACKAGE.
SO, UM, THEY WERE VERY, VERY GRACIOUS, VERY COMPLIMENTARY.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? SO WE ARE PREPARING, UH, FOR THE NEW YEAR IN THE PAYROLL DEPARTMENT, UH, TAKING THE SALARY SCHEDULES AND BEGINNING OUR FIRST PAYCHECK OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THAT'S THE WORK THAT, UH, MY STAFF IS ALREADY UNDERGOING THIS WEEK.
[01:25:01]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FALLS UNDER OTHER MATTERS.AND I SEE THAT, UH, MS. WALTON SHIFTED OVER AND WAS ON DECK, UH, READY TO GO.
UH, THIS, THIS ITEM IS DISCUSSION ON HOW TEACHERS ARE MOVED.
AND THIS IS IN RELATION TO A QUESTION, UH, FUTURE TOPIC QUESTION FROM ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA MAKE THIS AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THERE ARE, UH, ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WAYS STAFF CAN BE MOVED AND THEY'RE ALL GOVERNED BY ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS.
AND THE RESPONSIBILITY IS PLACED ON THE SUPERINTENDENT TO MOVE STAFF.
HE CAN ALSO DELEGATE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO HIS HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER.
SO EMPLOYEES CAN BE MOVED VOLUNTARILY.
AND THAT IS WHEN THEY REQUEST TO GO TO ANOTHER BUILDING OR ANOTHER POSITION WITHIN THE SAME BUILDING.
THEY CAN BE MOVED INVOLUNTARILY.
AND THAT IS THE DECISION MADE BY THE PRINCIPAL, THE SUPERINTENDENT, OR THE HR DEPARTMENT BECAUSE STAFF IS OVER IN A BUILDING.
AND STUDENT GROWTH DOES NOT WARRANT THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS WE HAVE IN THAT BUILDING.
SO TEACHERS ARE MOVED BASED ON THAT, BASED ON THEIR CERTIFICATION, THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, AND WHERE THE NEED IS.
THEY CAN BE REASSIGNED, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH AN INVOLUNTARY, UH, TRANSFER.
SO IF YOU'RE IN A POSITION IN ONE BUILDING, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH STUDENTS IN A PARTICULAR CLASS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN CLOSE THAT CLASS, REDUCE THAT STAFF, AND PUT STAFF IN OTHER POSITIONS IN THE SAME BUILDING OR IN A DIFFERENT BUILDING.
AND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAY STAFF CAN BE MOVED WOULD BE WHAT WE CALL RIF, A REDUCTION IN FORCE.
AND THAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DISTRICT PO FINANCIAL ISSUES MIGHT COME UP OR A STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM.
THAT'S WHEN THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN REDUCE THOSE STAFF MEMBERS AND TERMINATE THOSE STAFF MEMBERS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE DISTRICT DOES NOT NEED THAT SUPPORT.
BUT THAT IS A MOVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD HAVE TO BRING TO YOU AS A BOARD TO HAVE APPROVED.
FIRST, HE HAS THE OPTION TO FIRST FIND ALTERNATE POSITIONS FOR THOSE STAFF MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IN BEAUFORT.
I CAN REMEMBER ONLY ONE TIME WE'VE DONE A REDUCTION IN FORCE, AND THAT IS WHEN WE MOVE THE HALL MONITORS.
I THINK MR. SMITH, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT.
SO THAT IS A, A PROCESS THAT'S VERY TECHNICAL AND IT IS LEGAL AS WELL BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT YOU ARE YOU HOPING TO TERMINATE.
AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR TENURE, THEIR CERTIFICATION, THEIR SERVICE TO THE DISTRICT, AND MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHO THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME SUPERINTENDENTS STAY AWAY FROM THAT.
IF THE SUPERINTENDENT DECIDES THAT HE'S GONNA REDUCE STAFF, HE NEVER LOOKS TOWARD REDUCTION IN FORCE, HE REALLOCATE, ALLOCATES THOSE POSITIONS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO HE REPURPOSES THOSE UM, POSITIONS, BUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME, HE CAN MOVE STAFF MEMBERS BASED ON WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT ARE.
THAT IS ALSO NOTED IN ALL CONTRACTS THAT TEACHERS SIGN EVERY YEAR.
THAT IS A POSSIBILITY THEY COULD BE PLACED SOMEONE ELSE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS.
SIR, THAT CONCLUDES, UM, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
[Board Business Action]
BUSINESS ACTION.UH, WE HAVE BEAUFORT, JASPER, ACE CAPITAL PROJECT TRANSFER.
I, UM, A FACILITIES ASSESSMENT WAS DONE ON BEAUFORT JASPER ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE, UH, WHICH WE SHARE WITH JASPER COUNTY.
UH, THAT UPDATE, UH, THAT WAS UPDATED IN AUGUST OF 2024.
[01:30:01]
ARCHITECTS WAS THE FIRM THAT, UH, PERFORMED THAT ASSESSMENT AND IDENTIFIED $11 MILLION OF CAPITAL NEEDS AT THE TIME.UH, ANOTHER $2 MILLION OF NEEDS WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY STAFF FOR TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS.
SO THE GRAND TOTAL AT THIS POINT IS 13 MILLION.
UM, IN ON JUNE 11TH, 2024, THE BOARD APPROVED A MOTION THAT AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THE FUNDING OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR ACE AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FUNDED BY EXCESS GENERAL FUND BALANCE.
AT THAT TIME, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE FULL INTENT OF THE BOARD WAS TO ACTUALLY USE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND OLD, UNUSED 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO, UM, AND, AND THROUGHOUT EVERY DEBT REPORT, UH, WE CALL IT, UH, DEBT DAY REPORT IN MARCH, I HAVE UPDATED THE BOARD THAT WHAT FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE AND THAT THOSE FUNDS WERE DESIGNATED IN EIGHT, THE OLD UNUSED 8%, THEIR BOND PREMIUMS AND INTEREST, UM, THAT THEY WERE DESIGNATED FOR ACE.
SO WE HAVE A, A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFLICTING, UM, UH, IDEA OR, OR FUNDING SOURCE THAT WE DO NEED TO RESOLVE.
BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL THIS EVENING IS TO INFORM YOU THAT, UM, JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS DESIGNATED, UM, $1 MILLION AND HAS ACTUALLY WIRED, AND I'VE CONFIRMED A WIRE TRANSFER INTO A NEW BANK ACCOUNT AT THEIR REGIONS BANK, WHICH THEY BANK WITH.
UM, AND SO THAT WIRE TRANSFER OCCURRED ON JUNE 9TH.
AND, UH, THAT IS INTENDED FOR BEAU UH, JASPER'S, A PORTION OF TO BEGIN SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR BEAUFORT, JASPER, ACE.
UH, THOSE ARE DESIGNATED INTO A SEPARATE CAPITAL PROJECTS ACCOUNT AT REGIONS BANK.
VECCHIO AND I OPENED THE ACCOUNT AND HAVE IT READY AND PROVIDED WIRING INSTRUCTIONS.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE REQUESTING APPROVAL TO MOVE THAT MILLION, UH, A MILLION DOLLARS FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, 8% FUNDS INTO THE SAME ACCOUNT TO BEGIN THE WORK OF BUILDING WHICH PROJECTS WILL NEEDED AND PRIORITIZED, UH, FOR ACE.
SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WITH AN 8% PROJECT FUNDING SOURCE, WE'LL NEED TO RESOLVE THE, UH, ISSUE OF JUNE 11TH OF THE MATTER OF THE FUNDING SOURCE INDICATING IT WAS GENERAL FUND, WHEN IN FACT, I BELIEVE THE INTENT WAS TO DO CAP TO MAKE IT CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO I PROVIDED A FEW MOTIONS THIS EVENING.
I THINK THERE'S MAYBE SOME, UH, LOGISTICS
UH, SO BEAR WITH US ON RESOLVING THOSE, UH, TO FIX, TO CORRECT THAT AND SUBSTITUTE THE FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THEN AT THE END, WE'LL COME BACK WITH ACTUALLY THE REQUEST TO TRANSFER THE MILLIONS.
SO IT MAY BE A LITTLE COMPLICATED, BUT, UH, I THINK MISS BOAT WRIGHT, WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS WITH HER
SO FOR THE KIDS AT HOME, THIS IS GONNA BE A LESSON IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, ACCORDING TO SOUTH CAROLINA FOIA, WE CANNOT CHANGE AN APPROVED MOTION IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, WHICH THIS IS NOT.
SO THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THIS, UM, TIMELY ISSUE OF TRANSFERRING THE MONEY.
AND THIS IS GOING TOWARDS SECURITY AND SAFETY PROJECTS AT ACE.
SO THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS BY A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY MAKE A VOTE TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE AMEND THE, UH, BOARD MEETING AGENDA FOR DON'T JUNE 24TH, 2025 TO INCLUDE A REQUEST TO, UH, APPROVE, AMEND AN ALREADY APPROVED, UH, MOTION.
DID YOU GET THAT, ROBIN? I MOVE.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR THE JUNE 24TH, 2025 MEETING TO AMEND AN ALREADY APPROVED MOTION.
AND WENDY, IF ANY POINT I GET OUTTA LINE AND STEP IN HERE, WE NEED A SECOND.
SO WE NEED A SECOND, MR. DALLAS.
OKAY, SO WE NEED TWO THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE IN ORDER TO PUT THIS, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIR? I HAVE ONE, UH, BRIEF COMMENT.
UH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, UM, THE COOPERATION FROM THE JASPER SIDE, UH, THE JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY.
UH, THEY HAVE RE I KNOW THEY HAVE DEALT WITH SOME CHALLENGING, UH, SITUATIONS GOING BACK IN THE PAST.
THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE, THEY'RE DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.
THEY HAVE STEPPED UP AND WANTED TO SHOW BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT YES, THEY'VE PASSED A REFERENDUM, BUT THEY ARE MAKING SURE THIS MONEY IS CLEARLY IN THE BANK WITH CO-OWNERSHIP BETWEEN WHEN WE PUT OURS IN THE, IF WE PUT OURS IN THE, IN THIS ROOF, CO-OWNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
[01:35:01]
TWO COUNTIES, AND THAT THERE'S A SUPERB PARTNERSHIP AT THIS POINT IN TIME.SO I HOPE PEOPLE WILL VIEW IT VERY POSITIVELY RELATIVE TO HOW, UH, THE PERCEPTIONS MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE DISTANT PAST.
OH, I GO AHEAD AND HAVE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
A ONLINE PASTOR GORDON AS GORDON AYE.
AND MS. HAY, MS. AS MS. HAY HAY AND, UH, MS. GORDON? AYE.
SO NOW WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
SO NOW THAT WE'VE GOT IT ON THE AGENDA, I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AMEND AND REPLACE THE MOTION FROM JUNE.
UH, WELL, UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST DO IT THE WAY YOU HAVE IT WRITTEN ON HERE? 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT IT.
FIRST, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AMEND THE MOTION PASSED ON JUNE 11TH, 2024, AUTHORIZING $6.5 MILLION, UH, FOR BJ ACE BY SUBSTITUTING THE FUNDING SOURCE TO THE 8% CAPITAL FUNDS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
I HEAR MS. GORDON YE I HEAR MS. HAY.
AND, UH, MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, SO NOW WE'VE MOVED TO AMEND THE MOTIONS.
NOW WE ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION.
THE AMENDED MOTION IS AS READ, I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FUNDING CAP OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE ACADEMY OF CAREER EXCELLENCE IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 6.5 MILLION TO BE FUNDED BY 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS.
ALL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OH, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, IF I WAS GONNA SAY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, COULD YOU GIVE 'EM A LITTLE, A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, ABOUT J JASPER MEETING US IN THE, IN THE, IN THE MIDDLE.
SO, SO THAT JUST, IF SOMEONE JUST TUNING IN, THEY CAN KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO, SO I MAY I JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER.
JASPER COUNTY IS MAKING A VERY VALIANT EFFORT TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CARRY THEIR HALF OF THE PIE.
AND, AND WE JUST HAD A LARGER AMOUNT THAT WE WERE GOING TO PUT IN INITIALLY, BUT WHAT WE'RE RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A MILLION DOLLARS FROM US AND A MILLION OR SO FROM, FROM THEM SO THAT IT'S EQUAL.
AND THEN AS NEEDS ACCRUE, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND MAYBE SAY WE NEED TO MOVE MORE.
UM, SO 13, SO SIX AND A HALF MILLION THAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS HALF EXACTLY HALF OF THE $13 MILLION.
SO WHAT, WHAT I SEE THOSE FUNDS AS ARE DESIGNATED, UH, OR COMMITTED 8% FUNDS THAT ARE, WILL SIT THERE UNTOUCHED UNTIL THE BOARD DECIDES TO APPROVE, TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO ACE.
SO WHEN, ONCE THIS MILLION DOLLARS, I, IF THIS MILLION DOLLARS IS APPROVED, THERE WILL BE FIVE AND A HALF MILLION REMAINING UNCOMMITTED.
BUT I WILL NOT DESIGNATE THOSE FOR ANY OTHER, OR THE DISTRICT HAS NOT DESIGNATED THOSE FOR ANY OTHER PROJECTS OTHER THAN ACE.
SO THOSE WILL REMAIN AN 8% HELD UNTIL FURTHER APPROVALS WILL BE MADE TO DO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AS JASPER'S FUNDS ARE RELEASED, WE WILL RELEASE, WE, I WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY OTHER TRANSFERS THAT ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO MATCH THEIR FUNDS.
I APPRECIATE, I'M SURE THE PUBLIC APPRECIATE IT AS WELL.
UH, ANY DI NO MORE DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WE ARE ROUNDING THIRD AND HEADING FOR HOME.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A TRANSFER OF $1 MILLION TO BEAUFORT, JAN PER CA ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
GOT A SECOND FROM MS. FRAZIER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAD FOR THAT.
MUCH FOUR SHORT MOTIONS LATER.
WE HAVE ONE MORE MOTION THAT WE MORE TO DO.
ARE WE AT THAT POINT NOW? YES.
[01:40:01]
UH, 8% WILL BE THE NEXT TOPIC.THAT'S THE ONLY WHAT WE HAVE LEFT.
UM, SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE ON THIS, UH, ITEM IS FOR, UM, AS YOU RECALL, THE BOARD APPROVED THE 2027 LIST OF 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, A FEW BOARD MEETINGS AGO, THAT LIST WAS $35 MILLION, OR JUST UNDER THAT 34,000,999.
UM, SO THE DISTRICT HAS IDENTIFIED OTHER 8% FUNDS, BOND PREMIUMS AND INTEREST.
THESE ARE IN ADDITION TO THE SIX AND A HALF MILLION THAT WE HAVE DESIGNATED FOR ACE.
SO THERE ARE BOND PREMIUMS IN INTEREST ON, UH, 20 19, 20 20, 21, AND 22 8% FUNDS.
WE DO HAVE A BOARD POLICY THAT REQUIRES US TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO ROLL THEM FORWARD, UM, UH, TO ROLL THEM FORWARD TO A FUTURE, UH, YEAR TO BE USED FOR THIS PARTICULAR PURPOSE, UM, FOR, TO LOWER THE BORROWINGS OF ANY, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO WE DID IDENTIFY $5 MILLION OF THOSE BOND PREMIUMS AND INTEREST.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER THE, THE BORROWING AMOUNT FROM, FROM 35 MILLION TO 30 MILLION.
SO THIS EVENING WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD A BOND RESOLUTION.
MS. FRA HEISER IS HERE WITH BER FOREMAN, OUR BOND COUNSEL, AND SHE WILL BE, UH, GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF, OF THE BOND RESOLUTION WITH YOU.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HER AND THEN IT, WE HAVE A MOTION PREPARED.
UH, IT'S, THESE ARE USUALLY SOMEWHAT LONG BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERBATIM FROM THE RESOLUTION ITSELF, BUT, UH, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MS. HEISER.
COLONEL GEIER, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IS REALLY NICE TO BE WITH Y'ALL.
I ALWAYS SAY IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS I CAN SET MY CLOCK DEBT DAY AND BUFORT 8% DAY.
UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL TO THE ONES YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, DELEGATES TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE CERTAIN DETAILED DECISIONS.
THE, UH, AMOUNT THAT YOU WOULD AUTHORIZE AS, UH, MS. CROSBY SAID WAS $30 MILLION.
I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT, AND DON'T WORRY, I'M GONNA BE BACK IN TIME TO WATCH JEOPARDY JUST LIKE WE ALWAYS DO.
SO SHOULD WE GO AHEAD AND READ THE MOTION, PLEASE? OKAY, HERE WE GO.
I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOT EXCEEDING $30 MILLION.
GENERAL OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2 0 2 5 C OR SUCH OTHER APPROPRIATE SERIES DESIGNATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, FIXING THE FORM AND DETAILS OF THE BONDS, DELEGATING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF HIS LAWFULLY AUTHORIZED DESIGNEE, THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE CERTAIN MATTERS RELATING TO THE BONDS, PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE BONDS AND THE DISPOSITION OF THE PROCEEDS THEREOF AND OTHER MATTER RELATING THERETO.
ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA SAY THE MOTION SAID 30,000.
YOU WANNA GO THROUGH ALL THAT AGAIN? NO.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ONLINE? I HEARD, I HEARD PASTOR GORDON.
AND MS. GORDON? MS. GORDON, SHE MIGHT HAVE MUTED.
SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE JEOPARDY, SHE SAID.
OH, NO, I GOT SOME ON THE BOARD BUSINESS.
I HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION AS WELL.
I'LL GET IT IN THE, UH, UH, BOARD.
SO AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, I MAKE A MOTION THAT, THAT THE BOARD, I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE BOARD DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BRING BACK A, A TO BRING, TO BRING BACK INFORMATION RE REGARDING MALE DETECTORS IN THE SCHOOLS.
SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MS. UH, FRAZIER.
UM, IS MOTION REALLY FOR METAL DETECTORS SPECIFICALLY OR FOR BROAD ARRAY OF SECURITY
[01:45:01]
EQUIPMENTS BE WILLING WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS? I, UM, I, I, I CAN, I CAN, I CAN, I CAN PUT THAT IN THERE.UH, I CAN PUT THAT IN THERE AS WELL AS WELL AS WEAPONS.
UH, WHAT, HOW DID YOU, WHAT DID YOU SAY NOW IN TERMS OF, SO, SO MAYBE, MAYBE NOT JUST METAL DETECTORS, RIGHT? YEAH, I JUST ADD TO IT, I JUST ADD TO THE MOTION AS, AS WELL AS WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS, WEAPONS DE DETECTION SYSTEMS, SECURITY SYSTEMS, ET CETERA.
MAKE IT SO THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS A LATITUDE TO, TO SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
SO I, I STARTED OUT WITH, AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BRING BACK, TO BRING BACK INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO METAL DETECTORS AND AS WELL AS INFORMATION REGARDING SECURITY SYSTEMS, SECURITY SYSTEMS, DETECTION SYSTEMS, DETECTIVE SYSTEMS AND YEAH.
PLEASE PUT, TO BRING BACK INFORMATION DETECTORS AS WELL AS SECURITIES.
I WOULD ADD DETECTION SYSTEMS JUST TO BE, JUST TO GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SECURITY SYSTEMS AND DETECTION SYSTEMS DETECTIONS.
UP YOU CAN'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE, CAN'T.
LET'S, UH, PLEASE SECONDED IT.
RIGHT, LEO? YEAH, AND PLEASE LET'S, UH, READ IT AGAIN A LITTLE LOUDER SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR IT.
MOTION TO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BRING BACK INFORMATION ON REGARDS OF METAL DETECTORS AS WELL AS SECURITY SYSTEM AND DETECTION SYSTEMS. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ONE ABSTENTION.
[Consent Agenda]
TO, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE, UH, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[Future Agenda Topics]
OR ANY FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS? OKAY, HEARING NONE.[Announcements]
AND, UH, MS. CUSH BERRY COME UP TO THE, GO TO THE PODIUM.I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE, VERY HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT I HAVE A FULL-TIME ASSISTANT.
SHE IS A RECENT GRADUATE OF GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
SHE IS A GRADUATE OF BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO I WANT TO WELCOME HER AND INTRODUCE HER TO YOU ALL.
[Second Public Comments]
UH, AGENDA TOPICS.UH, MR. MILLER, UH, TOPIC IS BAN MANAGEMENT 1 0 1.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LETTING ME HAVE A FEW MINUTES.
UH, LAST MEETING I COMMENTED AND THANKED YOU, THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO,
[01:50:02]
TO LOOK INTO AND, AND IMPROVE THE BAN SITUATION.UH, I MAKE THIS, UH, MANAGEMENT 1 0 1 COMMENT THAT FIRST YOU IDENTIFY A SITUATION, YOU IMPLEMENT IT AND SEE THAT IT'S GOING.
BUT THE MAIN THING IS AT THE END, YOU, UH, HAVE A WAY OF JUDGING THAT IT IS HAPPENING AS YOU ANTICIPATED OR EVALUATING THAT GOAL.
THAT'S AN AREA THAT I'VE BEEN REALLY KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
WE MAKE A SUGGESTION, IN FACT, YOU FOLKS, AS THE BOARD, I THINK FOUR YEARS AGO, APPROVED A NEW POSITION FOR A COORDINATOR OF FINE ARTS.
AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, DID THE BOARD EVER COME BACK AND SAY, WAS IT WORTH IT? THAT'S MY POINT IS WE'VE GOT TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT WE DO AND EVALUATE IT.
I, SO I, MY COMMENTS ARE LAST BOARD MEETING I SAID THANK YOU, THIS I'M WATCHING.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW, HOW THE JUDGES THAT IMPROVEMENT IS, IS PROCEEDING.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR TIME.
NEXT ITEM IS, UH, I CAN'T READ IT.
UH, YOU HAVE A STUDENT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LOSING SCHOOL, COMPUTER AND DISTRICT LOCKED THEM OUT.
UM, WELL I GOT A QUITE A FEW THINGS I NEED TO SAY.
I HOPE I'M NOT TIME, BUT, UM, LISTENING TO WHAT THE STAFF HAD TO SAY, I HEARD 13 MILLION, 30 MILLION, 8% BOND.
ONLY THING I HEARD WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY EVERYWHERE FROM THE LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS JUNE 11TH.
I HAD QUITE A FEW PARENTS THAT REACHED OUT TO ME THROUGH FACEBOOK.
UM, TIKTOK CALLING ME, YOU KNOW, AND THE FIRST THING THAT THEY SAID WAS, THE DISTRICT AIN'T S**T.
THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE PROTECTED THEIR TEACHERS IN KNOWING THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN SAYING THINGS TO THE STUDENTS OR BULLYING THE STUDENTS OR WHATEVER HAVE YOU.
SO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WAS PROTECT THEIR TEACHERS AND NOT GIVE TWO S***S ABOUT THE KIDS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS.
OKAY? SO I TOLD THEM, WELL, WHY DON'T Y'ALL COME DOWN TO THE BOARD MEETINGS? YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE THAT COME DOWN TO THE BOARD MEETING AND, AND VOICE MY OPINION.
SO FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, SOME LAWSUITS ARE THERE, THIS IS THERE, THAT'S THERE, WHATEVER, WHATEVER.
NOW I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DISTRICT PROTECTING THE TEACHERS GOOD FOR THEM.
I'M GONNA PROTECT MY CHILD AND I'M GONNA PROTECT MY SON'S EDUCATION.
NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE JUNE 11TH, I STATED THAT MY SON WAS BEING BULLIED AND BY HIS FATHER, WHICH WAS HIS TEACHER, MY EX-HUSBAND TOOK UPON HIS SELF TO CHANGE MY SON'S SCHEDULE AND PUT HIM IN HIS CLASSROOM.
MY SON COMMITTED, HAD A PLAN TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
I CAME TO Y'ALL AND I TOLD Y'ALL EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.
I ASKED Y'ALL, I TOLD Y'ALL, I SAID I NEEDED HELP FOR MY SON THERESE TO RECEIVE SUMMER SCHOOL.
THE DAY AFTER THAT, JUNE 12TH, THE SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHER EMAILED ME AND SHE INTRODUCED HERSELF STATING THAT SHE WILL BE MY SON'S SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHER.
MY SON WILL DO SUMMER SCHOOL ONLINE AT HOME.
MY SON HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY DOING HIS WORK.
NOW, HERE COMES YESTERDAY 'CAUSE MY SON ALSO DOES HIS WORK ON THE WEEKEND.
[01:55:01]
HERE COMES YESTERDAY I WOKE MY SON UP AND I SAID, HEY WILLOW, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO SIGN IN TO YOUR SUMMER SCHOOL SO YOU CAN DO YOUR SUMMER SCHOOL.HE SAID, MOMMY, I CAN'T LOG IN.
YOU WASN'T, YOU DID YOUR SUMMER SCHOOL SUNDAY, YOU DID IT SATURDAY.
HE SAID, I CAN'T LOG IN, SO, OKAY, NO PROBLEM.
HIS TEACHER SAID, WELL, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE CAN'T LOG IN.
SHE SENT ME EMAILS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS, THIS MORNING I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM HIS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND HE STATED THAT, HEY MS. FREEMAN, I WAS TOLD THAT YOU DIDN'T GET PERMISSION FOR WILLOW TO RECEIVE SUMMER SCHOOL AT HOME.
I SAID, WELL, AFTER I LEFT THE MEETING ON JUNE 11TH, JUNE 12TH, I GOT AN EMAIL INTRODUCING THAT MY WHO MY SON, SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHER WAS WHEN ABOUT MR. CHAIRMAN, HER TIME HAS EXPIRED AND YOUR YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
TO BE CONSISTENT, IT'S NOT PERSONAL.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO? JUST, JUST CUT IT OFF OR CONTINUE ON YOU COME BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
YOU CAN EMAIL ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
CAN I HAVE ALL Y'ALL EMAIL PLEASE? THEY'RE ALL LIST ON THE WEBSITE AND I'LL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET THE WEBSITE LINK FOR YOU.
UM, THAT IS THE LAST AGENDA ITEM AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION, UH, WE WILL ADJOURN WITH UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
YOU ARE WATCHING BBC TVI AM EMERY CAMPBELL AND THIS IS YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
DO WE GLAD FOR UNA? WE GLAD COME FOR HAVE A SAY.
THE GULLAH LANGUAGE IS A MIXTURE OF ENGLISH AND AFRICAN WORDS.
AND WHAT I SAID TO YOU WAS, HOW ARE YOU DOING UNA? WAS YOU IN THAT SENTENCE? I'M GLAD THAT YOU CAME TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
THE COLOR LANGUAGE CAME OUT OF WEST AFRICAN MIXED WITH ENGLISH AND IT WAS SPOKEN THROUGHOUT BUFORD COUNTY AND THE LOW COUNTRY BY AFRICAN AMERICANS UP UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUR POPULATION HAS CHANGED SO THAT WE NOW SPEAK MORE LIKE OHIOAN
BUT THE LANGUAGE HAS AFRICAN WORDS.
YETI MEANS TO HEAR, UNA MEANS YOU.
BIDDY IS FOR CHICKEN, CUDA IS FOR TURTLE.
SO THOSE WORDS MIXED IN WITH ENGLISH HAVE MADE THE GULLAH LANGUAGE A UNIQUE LANGUAGE.
UH, SOME PEOPLE CALL IT A PATOIS.
AND WE FIND COLOR LANGUAGE BEING SPOKEN THROUGHOUT THE LOW COUNTRY.
SO WE ARE GLAD FOR SI THANK YOU.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS, GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.