Feb 17, 2026 Board of Education

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

UM, WE JUST MOTIONED AND APPROVE THE AGENDA.

AND KEVIN VOTED ALL IN FAVOR.

HEARING TWO, MS. GORDON? AYE.

THANK YOU MS. GORDON AND EVERYONE.

PLEASE JOIN US IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, A MOMENT OF SILENCE, AND I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO 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.

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

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.

WITH THAT, UH, MS. CUSHING BARRY, HAS THE MEDIA BEEN NOTIFIED? YES.

AND WITH THAT, WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, AS HAVE BEEN NOTED.

THAT CONTINUING EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY, SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING.

SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS FIRST SESSION, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE AGENDA RELATED DISCUSSION TOPICS.

ANYTHING NOT ON THE AGENDA WILL BE, UH, CARRIED OVER TO THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[Chair’s Report]

THE CHAIR'S COMMENTS REPORT IS THE FOLLOWING THE YEARS PROGRESSING WITH THE FOCUS ON ENSURING

[00:05:01]

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN VERY, UH, INFORMATIVE IS THAT THE SIX LOCATIONS ARE HOSTING OR HALF HOSTED ATTENDANCE MEETINGS WITH A TRAVELING CONTINGENT OF EDUCATIONAL, UH, AND PEOPLE PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENT SERVICES PROFESSIONALS TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND AND MEET THE STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN THOSE MEETINGS, ATTENDANCE SO FAR, ATTENDANCE IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR YOUNGSTERS GETTING UP THE ACADEMIC LEARNING CURVE.

AND THE MORE DAYS THEY MISS, THE HIGHER THE CLIMB THEY HAVE TO MAKE TO CATCH UP.

AND SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS INVESTED A LOT OF EFFORT AND TIME WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT THE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS.

I THINK WE HAD ABOUT, EXCUSE ME, ABOUT 35 OR 40 PEOPLE, PEOPLE ATTENDING.

WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE INCLUDING THE SUPERINTENDENT, VICE, UM, SUPERINTENDENT WAS THERE, A LOT OF THE PROFESSIONALS.

AND WHAT I FOUND SO PARTICULARLY REWARDING IS THAT THE PARENTS THAT WERE THERE ENGAGED AND TALK AND ASK QUESTIONS.

THERE WAS EVEN AN INTERPRETER FOR PEOPLE WHO SPEAK SPANISH AS THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE.

AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO HOW CARING THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS, NOT ONLY US, BUT OTHERS AS WELL, TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOLS HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE BEST CHANCE TO BE A PREMIER LEARNER.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH BUDGET MEETINGS HAVE PROGRESSED WITHIN THE, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, INCLUSIVE OF BEAUFORT, JASPER COUNTY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTY.

AND IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE TO SEE MS A BAR MAKE A SUPERB PRESENTATION ON THE FINANCIALS OF THE, UH, BEAUFORT JASPER ACE.

MANY PEOPLE QUESTION US ABOUT THE VALIDITY, THE VIABILITY OF THAT PARTNERSHIP.

IT IS A STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT ASSET FOR BOTH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND WE SEE JUST TREMENDOUS TALENT COMING OUT OF THERE.

IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO ATTEND A COMPLETE A CEREMONY, PLEASE DO SO.

YOU'LL SEE STUDENTS WHO ARE GRADUATING FROM BEAUFORT, JASPER, EIGHTH, AND OUR SIX HIGH SCHOOLS WITH CAREER AND TECHNICAL, UH, COMPLETER, UH, GRADUATES, DIPLOMAS, ET CETERA, AS WELL AS THE RIDGELAND CAREER FOR, UH, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

AND THESE YOUNGSTERS ARE GETTING JOBS NOT ONLY JOBS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO GETTING SCHOLARSHIPS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE GRADUATING FROM OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE GETTING SCHOLARSHIPS TO, UH, SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY FOR AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING.

AND SO THAT'S A LITTLE KNOWN FACT THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.

SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUPERBLY GIFTED AND MOTIVATED TALENT, COME TO OUR SIX HIGH SCHOOLS, THE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS IN JASPER COUNTY, BEAUFORT, JASPER A SO WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

THE OTHER THING IS WE WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN A ACADEMIC MEETING LED BY OUR COLLEAGUE TO THE LEFT VICE CHAIR, DAVID CARR.

AND THE TOPIC THERE WAS THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

YEARS AGO, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE BOARD ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I WAS APPROACHED BY A TEACHER WHO SAID, MR. DALLAS, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE? I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT, BUT I QUICKLY JUMPED IN.

AND THAT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US RETRACK RERA THE HEALTH ADVISORY AGENDA UNDER THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION, AND MAKING SURE IT'S RELEVANT, MAKING SURE IT COMPLIES WITH STAY AND FEDERAL LAWS, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

THE THREE STANDING COMMITTEES OF ACADEMICS, FINANCE, FINANCE AND OPERATIONS HAVE MET COVERING AGENDAS INCLUSIVE OF THE, NOT ONLY THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT BUDGET UPDATES, FINANCIAL, UH, FACILITY MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS A PHENOMENAL DOCUMENT, AND ALSO THE, UH, BUDGETING AREA.

SO THE THREE STANDING COMMITTEES ARE MOVING FORWARD, AND WE HOPE THAT WE ARE HELPING THEM HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE WORKLOAD BY, UM, SPREADING THINGS OUT.

WE ALSO HAVE PLANNED FOR MARCH A WORK SESSION TO, UH, CONTINUE IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE PERFORM.

I LIKE TO ASK THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE.

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE PRESCHOOL BUS? IS THAT NOT AMAZING? IT GENUINELY IS.

AND WHEN I TOOK THE TOUR, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THIS LAMP.

I'M, I'M FROM EAST OF NORTH CAROLINA, SO FORGIVE ME IF I DON'T HAVE THE PROPER TERM FOR IT.

BUT IT, IT CASTS A LIGHT DOWN ON THIS SANDBOX, AND IT CASTS

[00:10:01]

DINOSAURS RUNNING ACROSS THESE HILLS ON THE SANDBOX.

AND THERE IS A VOLCANO IN THERE THAT WHEN IT GETS COVERED UP WITH TOO MUCH SAND, IT ERUPTS.

YOU CANNOT BEGIN TO IMAGINE THE JOY THAT THESE YOUNG KIDS HAVE IN SEEING THAT VOLCANO ERUPT.

SO IF YOU HEAR ABOUT THE PRESCHOOL BUS, PLEASE TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THERE AND TAKE A LOOK.

I LEARNED A LOT.

ALSO, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THIS PAST WEEK IN THE, UM, THE ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY CONFERENCE.

AND THE THING THAT I WAS IMPRESSED THAT ABOUT THAT IS THAT ORIGINAL PRIMARY RESEARCH WHERE YOU HAVE A RESEARCHER WHO IS NOT REFERRING TO SOMEONE ELSE'S RESEARCH.

THEY'RE REFERRING TO ACTUALLY WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

AND IT WAS SO INFORMATIVE.

THERE'S SO MANY GREAT THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE FROM ALL RACES, UM, DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT CAME TOGETHER IN BEAUFORT COUNTY TO MAKE THIS A PLACE WHICH WE ALL ENJOY LIVING AND WE BENEFIT FROM THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME.

THE, AS I MENTIONED LAST, UM, TIME, WE ALSO ARE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH BOARD MEMBERS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE A BOARD RETREAT, BOARD SELF-DEVELOPMENT, I'M SORRY, SELF-ASSESSMENT AND BOARD DEVELOPMENT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMPROVES EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IS TO HAVE A COHESIVE, COLLABORATIVE INTERACTION AMONG COLLEAGUES.

WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE.

WE MAY COME FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, BUT OUR GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE UNIFIED AND VERY CLEAR AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING.

AND THEN LASTLY, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

LEVERAGING THE CLOCK COMMITTEE, UH, CONTINUES TO MEET TARGETS FOR SCHEDULE EXECUTION, BUDGETARY COMPLIANCE, AND A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PROJECT COMPLETIONS.

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET VIEWED, AND YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND SEE THIS, THE MA FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, THAT IS JUST AN AMAZING DOCUMENT THAT HAS SO MUCH INFORMATION.

AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ASK FOR FEEDBACK OR GUIDANCE, THAT'S A REFERENCE DOCUMENT THAT I REALLY LEAN ON QUITE HEAVILY.

SO THAT CONCLUDES THE CHAIR'S REPORT, AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

AND WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY BOARD BUSINESS ACTION? I SEE NONE.

WE'LL GO WITH THE COMMITTEE REPORTS.

AND WITH THAT,

[Committee Reports]

ACADEMICS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2026.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS MET FOR THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS, ONE, THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER APPLICATIONS TWO, AN UPDATE ON A HEALTH COURSE THAT IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT FOR VIRTUAL DELIVERY.

AND THREE, REVIEW OF TWO LOCAL BOARD APPROVED COURSES.

LBAS ONE IS A SPANISH FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS COURSE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

THE SECOND ONE IS SPANISH FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

THE COMMITTEE ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE PARTNERSHIP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LOW COUNTRY VIRTUAL CONSORTIUM, AS THEY WERE AUTHORS OF THE VIRTUAL HEALTH COURSE.

THIS COURSE IS FOR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AND WAS SHARED WITH THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT THEIR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 12TH.

DURING THE MEETING, KAREN MCKENZIE PRESENTED INFORMATION ON THE TWO LBAS, AND THERE WILL BE FURTHER INFORMATION DURING THE UPCOMING SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING, THE MOTION, A MOTION WAS MADE TO BRING FORWARD THE TWO LBAS LOCAL BOARD APPROVED FULL, UH, COURSES TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.

ADDITIONALLY, FURTHER TOPICS WERE DISCUSSED, UH, K EIGHT INTERNSHIP INTERVENTIONS AND RIGHT CHOICES.

THE NEXT ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 25TH AT 4:30 PM MM-HMM .

ARE WE NOT VOTING ON THE MOTIONS THAT ARE BRINGING BROUGHT FORWARD NOW? UM, THE, THE LOCAL BOARD APPROVED COURSES, UH, WILL REQUIRE A VOTE, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE COME THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT'S, UH, REPORT, UH, FROM UH, ISD.

SUPERINTENDENT FINANCE.

50 POINT, UH, 8%, UH, SPENT AS OF DECEMBER 31ST WITH NORMAL SPENDING TRENDS.

MR. CHAIRMAN.

FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON FEBRUARY 12TH.

UH, WE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF THINGS, UH, MOSTLY PROCEDURAL.

UH, THE FIRST THING WE DISCUSSED WAS BOARD BUDGET STATUS.

AND THE BOARD BUDGET IS, UH, RIGHT ON TARGET AT

[00:15:01]

WE ALSO DID A REVIEW OF THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT, UH, TRANSPARENCY REPORT, UH, UH, SHOWS WHERE OUR MONEY IS BEING SPENT AND AT WHAT LEVEL AND, AND HOW IT COMPARES WITH HISTORICAL TRENDS.

AND AGAIN, UH, WE ARE RIGHT ON TRACK TARGET WITH OUR, OUR EXPENDITURES.

THEN WE HAD OUR QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT.

I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MS. CROSBY, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, UH, TO GIVE US A OVERVIEW OF THAT, PLEASE.

UH, WE HAD, WE, UM, AS, AS OUR BOND, UM, FINANCIAL ADVISOR STATED WE WERE THE PRETTIEST GIRL IN SCHOOL THAT DAY.

SO FOR THE, UM, THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT, AS OF, UH, DECEMBER 31ST, UH, WE REPORTED PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS ARE ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR VERY CLOSELY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

UH, AND AS OF DECEMBER, THEY WERE LOWER THAN EXPECTED DUE TO MORTGAGE ESCROW PAYMENTS.

UH, AND THE PREVIOUS YEAR HAD BEEN DEPOSITED AT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE IN DECEMBER, THIS YEAR, IN JANUARY.

SO, UH, AND IT LOOKED A LITTLE ALARMING AS, UH, AS DECEMBER CLOSED, BUT THOSE REVENUES LOOKED VERY GOOD.

AS OF JANUARY ON AS OF FRIDAY, WE RECEIVED THE REPORTS FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

AND WE ARE, UH, THE RESULTS ARE VERY FAVORABLE.

SO YEAR TO DATE COLLECTIONS THIS YEAR ARE 223.8 MILLION.

UH, THE YEAR TO DATE COLLECTIONS IN THE SAME PERIOD AS OF LAST YEAR WAS 202.7.

SO IT'S AN INCREASED AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S PACE, ABOUT 21 MILLION.

SO WE ARE IN, IN, IN A SOLID GROUND, PARTIALLY DUE TO THERE WAS A MILLAGE INCREASE, UH, BUT THAT, THAT WE USED TOWARD, UH, TEACHER SALARIES AND MANY OTHER PRIORITIES OF THE DISTRICT.

UH, BUT WE ARE, UH, NOW, WE DID RECEIVE THE REPORT EARLIER THAN USUAL AS WELL.

SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

UH, CONSIDERING THAT THE 92% OF OUR REVENUES HAVE NOW BEEN RECEIVED AS OF THE END OF JANUARY, UH, 31ST IN THE LOCAL TAX, UH, CATEGORY.

SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UH, METRIC FOR US TO TRACK NOT ONLY FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, BUT AS WE PROJECT FOR NEXT BUDGET YEAR AS WELL.

UH, SO EXPENDITURES, MOST EXPENDITURES WERE ON TRACK WITH THE PRIOR YEAR.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LINE ITEMS THAT WERE, UH, LOOKED AT, AND WE WILL BE COMING BACK WITH A FEW, UH, COMMENTS ON, UH, ON THOSE AREAS.

THEY LOOKED A LITTLE, UM, USED MORE OF THE BUDGET THAN, THAN TYPICAL.

SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THOSE.

UH, STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS HAVE BEEN AN AREA OF DISCUSSION OF THE, OF THE COMMITTEE.

UH, WE DID BRING BACK, UH, UH, A NARRATIVE ON ITEMS THAT WE, UM, THE SPEND DOWN PLANS THAT THE PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN, UH, ASKED TO PROVIDE.

THOSE PLANS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, AND MANY OF THEM, UH, ARE, ALL OF THEM ARE ALIGNED WITH, UH, STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBER, UH, BOTH THE SUPPLIES, MATERIALS OR APPRECIATION, UH, AREAS FOR USE IN THOSE STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS.

SO WE REVIEWED THOSE BALANCES ACROSS THE SCHOOLS, EMPHASIZE THE, THE REQUIREMENT FOR PRINCIPALS TO SPEND DOWN THOSE, UH, DOLLARS.

AND THE SUMMARIES ARE VERY FAVORABLE, WHAT WE RECEIVED BACK.

AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, ON CERTAIN LINE ITEMS AND EXAMPLES OF WHAT THEIR SPENDING IS FOR FOOD SERVICE.

UH, WE DID HAVE, UH, IT IS THE MONTH, UH, FOR A OE 18, I BELIEVE IT IS.

AND THAT IS THE FOOD SERVICE UPDATE FOR OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION OF THE BOARD.

UH, WE PROVIDED, I PROVIDED A PRESENTATION OF CERTAIN LINE ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED, UH, AS OF THE, UH, POLICY AND OUR FOOD SERVICE TEAM WAS PRESENT AND SHOWED, DISPLAYED A PRESENTATION ABOUT DIFFERENT, UM, UNIQUE AND, AND INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

UM, ALSO, WE CITED THAT, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING THE, UH, TO BE SUCCESSFUL USING IN THE A HUNDRED PERCENT COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROGRAM, ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE MEALS, UH, ONE FREE BREAKFAST AND ONE FREE MEAL AT NO COST EACH EACH DAY.

UM, AND, UH, SO THAT O ADMINISTRATIVE O THE, UH, OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS, EXCUSE ME, IS GOING TO BE PLACED ON, IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.

SO IT'LL BE VOTED ON LATER.

IT WAS ACCEPTED FULLY BY THE COMMITTEE.

AND FINALLY, AN, A BOND UPDATE WAS PROVIDED.

UM, THE SECOND BOND ISSUANCE OF THE 2023 REFERENDUM WAS ISSUED LAST WEEK, $125 MILLION BOND WITH A 3.8% INTEREST RATE.

AND WE HAD EIGHT OR NINE BIDDERS, WHICH IS VERY FAVORABLE.

[00:20:01]

WE WERE THE BIGGEST BOND, AND WE HAD THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CREDIT RATING THERE COULD BE.

SO, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS A VERY GOOD DAY.

AND OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 16TH AT 4:30 PM THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT, UH, COMPLETES THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT.

I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THAT REPORT.

UM, I HAVE CHRIS FOR MR. CROSBY, UM, IN THE, IN, IN THE ME AND YOUR MINISTER.

NOW, YOU BROKE DOWN THAT, UM, YOU RECEIVED A BREAKDOWN OF THE FINANCES THAT THE PRINCIPALS HAVE BOUGHT TO YOU.

WAS THAT CORRECT? I HAVE SPIN DOWN PLANS FOR EACH, FOR EACH SCHOOL THAT I, THAT I REQUESTED, YES.

UM, , LEMME LET THE BOARD KNOW I AM AT THIS TIME, I WANNA BE ON THE RECORD.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FINANCE AND HOW WE ARE ASKING OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO BREAK THIS DOWN.

UM, I, IN, IN, IN THE PAST, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THE, THE AMOUNT OF OVER OVERAGE, UH, POSSIBLY AND WHAT ALL THIS MONEY'S BEEN, WHAT, WHAT'S THIS MONEY'S BEEN SITTING IN THESE ACCOUNTS FOR.

AND I THINK THAT'D BE, I THINK THAT BEFORE WE ASK OF THEM TO SPEND THIS MONEY, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT US AS WE ASKED 'EM TO SPEND MONEY RECKLESSLY HAVING THAT.

WE NEED TO SEE, UH, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE REASON AND WHAT'S THE LOGICS OF, OF, UH, WHY THEY HAVE HAD THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'VE HAD IN, IN, IN THE ACCOUNTS AND, AND WHAT ARE THE REASONINGS BEHIND IT.

I AM CONCERNED THAT WE ARE ASKING THEM TO SPEND THIS MONEY DOWN.

AND MAYBE WE, WE MAY BE UN UN VISED OR WE MAY NOT BE SURE OF WHY, UH, THE AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN.

AND I PERSONALLY, AS A BOARD MEMBER, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT MY COLLEAGUES.

I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM, SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATORS, TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE REASONING OF WHY THEY HAVE THESE ACCOUNTS.

WHERE IS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS, THAT THAT IS, UM, INTENTIONAL THAT WE PUT THEM IN ROUGH SPOTS TO, UH, TELL THEM SPEND DOWN MON SPEND DOWN MONEY.

IF THAT IS NOT THE, IF THAT, IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THEN THEY'VE HAD MONEY.

BECAUSE HECK, THE DISTRICT, WE TALK ABOUT OUR, ABOUT OUR, OUR BILLABLE BALANCE FROM TIME TO TIME AND, AND WHAT WE HAVE IN, UH, IN KIDS OF EMERGENCIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE, WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE FOR THEM.

SO I, I, I THINK, I THINK IT IS, COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR THEM TO SPEND THAT MONEY AND SOMETHING ACTUALLY COMES UP AND WE NEED IT.

BUT, BUT TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER, TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.

I THINK IT'S MORE REALISTICALLY WHAT WE'RE AIMING TO, TO, TO GET TO.

SO, I, I, I, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE, THAT I'M CONCERNED OF TELLING 'EM THAT, HEY, SPIN, SPIN, SPIN.

THAT, THAT, THAT MIGHT NOT LOOK, LOOK GOOD IN, IN THE, IN THE EYES OF OUR, UH, OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.

SO, I, I, I MEAN, AND ALSO I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

MAY I MAKE A COMMENT? MR. CHAIRMAN? SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE.

THIS IS MONEY THAT IS COLLECTED AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

THIS IS MONEY THAT, UH, THEY GET FROM PARKING FEES FROM STUDENTS TO, UH, THIS IS MONEY THAT THEY COLLECT WHEN THEY SELL HOT DOGS AT THE CONCESSION STANDS.

THIS IS THE PRINCIPAL AND THE SCHOOLS MONEY.

NOW, SOME SCHOOLS HAVE GENERATED, UH, QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.

AND, UH, MS. HAYES SENT OUT AN EXCELLENT EMAIL, UH, SAYING THAT SINCE, UH, UH, HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL HAD THE GREATEST AMOUNT, AND SHE, SHE HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD EMAIL SAYING EXACTLY WHAT THE, THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL, UH, PLANS TO DO WITH THAT FUNDS.

BUT THIS IS NOT A GENERAL FUND, UH, ISSUE.

THIS IS A SCHOOL INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL FUNDING ISSUE, SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT ANYBODY ELSE BUT THE SCHOOL AND THE STUDENTS THAT THEY SERVE, AND THIS IS REALLY STUDENT MONEY, AND THEY SPEND IT FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, AND MRS. HAYES EMAIL, SHE SAID, UH, THEY REFURBISHED THE FOOTBALL HELMETS EVERY YEAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT COSTS MORE MONEY THAN I ANTICIPATED.

BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR DECISION ON WHAT THEY USE THAT MONEY FOR MR. SMITH.

KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL FEELS GOOD ABOUT HOW IT'S SPENT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, MS. BOATWRIGHT? UM, I AGREE WITH COLONEL GUYER THAT IT'S A SCHOOL'S MONEY.

I THINK THERE IS, UM, A QUESTION OF, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMEBODY, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT AND, AND MS. CROSBY.

UM, AND I WOULD HOPE IF I'M PUTTING MYSELF ON RECORD, THAT PRINCIPALS WOULD INVOLVE THE SIC, INVOLVE, THE PTSO, INVOLVE THE, THE BOOSTER CLUBS THAT ARE RAISING THE MONEY SO THAT YOU

[00:25:01]

I THINK MS. HAYES EMAIL LAID THAT OUT FOR HILTON HEAD.

I ALSO HAD MY OWN CONVERSATION, UM, REGARDING HILTON HEAD.

'CAUSE THAT WAS A HIGH DOLLAR VALUE, AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

SO I THINK THAT WE, UM, THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE.

UM, I DO THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THEM TO INVOLVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND FUNDRAISERS, MAYBE EVEN THE COMMUNITY TO DECIDE HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A LARGE AMOUNT.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS? I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC? MR. SMITH, DO YOU HAVE A YEAH, UM, I HEAR, I HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING, BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S EASY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S STILL THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW.

AND WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE TO SPEND MONEY AND, AND THAT, THAT, THAT DIRECTIVE CAME FROM THE BOARD, FROM, FROM, FROM MEETING, FROM WHICH WHERE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FOR YEARS.

AND I THINK THAT'S MORE REASON WHY WE SHOULD HAVE SOME ADMINISTRATORS OR, OR OUR, OR, OR, OR, OR THE PRINCIPLES TO COME TO US AND EXPLAIN TO US WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT MONEY.

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA FICTITIOUSLY THINK THAT THEY JUST HAD SOME OF THOSE MONIES, THEY HAD THAT THO THOSE LARGE AMOUNTS JUST SITTING IN THOSE ACCOUNTS FOR, FOR NO REASON.

JUST LIKE THE DISTRICT, WE COULD SAY, OH, WELL, WELL, WHY DO WE HAVE THE THIS SOME? WELL, WHY DO WE HAVE FUNDINGS THAT WE HAVE SITTING IN SOME OF THE ACCOUNTS THAT WE HAVE SITTING IN? AND AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THERE, SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE FOUR REASONS.

AND I JUST DON'T WANT US TO BE PUSHING THE BUTTON TO HAVE ADMINISTRATORS TO SPEND THE MONEY WHEN THE MONEY, IT MIGHT NOT NEED BE A NEED FOR THAT MONEY TO BE SPENT.

AND YES, THERE'S STUDENT MONEY.

SO THEN, THEN IF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING, THEN THE QUESTION WILL COME BACK TO SAY, WELL, THEN, THEN, SO YOU NEED TO TELL ME THAT IF, IF THE MONEY WAS CALIBRATED TO, TO BE THIS AMOUNT, THEN WAS THERE NO OVERSIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE BOARD IS SAYING.

SAY THAT'S A LARGER AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND THAT MONEY'S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE, AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS MONEY FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, AND THIS YEAR HERE, WE, WE, WE PUSH IT DOWN.

SO WAS THERE NO OVERSIGHT OF THE MONEY? THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ON WHAT WE'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PUSH THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.

SO, SO, SO, SO I ASK MY COLLEAGUES, WHAT ARE WE REALLY SAYING? ARE WE SAYING THERE WAS NO OVERSIGHT OVER THIS MONEY? OR SHOULD WE UNDERSTAND WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE START OF IT TO UNDERSTANDING TO WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW AND, AND HOW THIS WORKS AND WHY IT WAS THIS WAY.

IT WAS JUST, JUST SAYING THAT LOOKING IN FROM A, FROM AFAR, I, I, I THINK IS, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT.

VERSUS UNDERSTANDING WHY THE MONEY IS, IS, IS WAY THE WAY IT'S, AND I'M DONE WITH IT.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.

SO THE, THE DIRECTIVE OR THE INQUIRY WAS ABOUT JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WERE THERE ASSETS THAT COULD BE PURCHASED TO BENEFIT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS? AND SO IF THERE WERE TO BE A RESPONSE, I THINK IT SHOULD RIGHTFULLY COME FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.

UH, SINCE ALL OF THESE GROUPS AND SCHOOLS REPORT TO HIM, UH, HE'S BEEN GIVEN LATITUDE AND AUTHORITY BY COHERENT GOVERNANCE TO MANAGE THOSE PARTICULAR SCHOOLS AND WHAT THEIR FUNDING IS.

SO LET'S, UM, LET'S, LET'S LEAVE IT AT THAT.

MR. SMITH, YOU RAISED THE POINT.

IT'S HEARD.

I WOULD, I ASK MR. SMITH, YOU'RE NOT RECOGNIZED.

CURRENT REFERENDUM BUDGET IS $375.7 MILLION.

BUT I WOULD LIKE A RESPONSE TO THAT THOUGH FROM YOU.

DON'T GET A RESPONSE, SIR.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I DON'T GET A RESPONSE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? UH, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.

WE CAN'T KEEP GOING BACK TO YOU.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GET BACK.

I'M JUST SAYING I WOULD LIKE A RESPONSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

YOU, YOU BROUGHT IT UP AND YOU SAID, AS THE CHAIRMAN THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.

NO, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SAID NOW.

NO, WHAT I SAID ISCU UPON THE SUPERINTENDENT TO RESPOND.

NOT FOR US TO DIRECT THE PRINCIPLES.

SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC, OPERATIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

WELL, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THAT, UH, WHOEVER MADE POPCORN, I'M DISAPPOINTED NOBODY TO SAVE MANY, UH, UH, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE ALL WAITING FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, REPORT.

SO HERE WE GO.

BUSINESS FIRST 2019, BOND REFERENDUM PROJECT CLOSEOUTS.

UH, WE ARE FINALLY IN FINAL FEE RECONCILIATION FOR OUR ARCHITECTS, RECONCILIATION FOR OPEN PURCHASES AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMITMENTS PUT UNDER CONTRACT UTILIZING PROGRAM CONTINGENCY SAVINGS.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE LAST DROP OF THE LAST DROP, UH, 2019 BOND REFERENDUM FI.

FINANCIAL UPDATES AS OF JANUARY 31ST, FINANCIAL UPDATE BEING, UH, ARE BEING REPORTED AS GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS.

PAID IN, UH, COMMITTED FUNDS ARE 3 73 0.8 MILLION, UH, WHICH IS 99.52% OF OUR FUNDS.

UH, SO WE'RE LESS THAN HALF A PERCENT.

UH, LEFT REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS, INCLUDING CONTINGENCY IS $1.8 MILLION.

UH, CONTINGENCY ACT ACTIVITY IN JANUARY 26, UH, INCLUDED THE SAVINGS OF $348,000 IN USE OF $203,000.

CONTINGENCY REMAINING AT THE END OF JANUARY, 2026 IS $1.7 MILLION

[00:30:01]

FOR THE 2023 BOND REFERENDUM.

ALL MONTHLY PROJECT UPDATES REPORT GREEN TRAFFIC, LIGHTS FOR BUDGET AND SCHEDULE 2023.

BOND REFERENDUM FINANCIAL UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 31ST, FINAL UPDATE IS BEING REPORTED AS GREEN LIGHT.

CURRENT REFERENDUM BUDGET IS $439 MILLION.

PAID IN COMMITTED FUNDS IS 258.9 MILLION, OR 58.97%.

REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS, INCLUDING CONTINGENCY IS $180.1 MILLION.

CONTINGENCY ACTIVITY FOR JANUARY, 2026 INCLUDED THE USE OF $745,000.

PROGRAM CONTINGENCY REMAINING AT THE END OF JANUARY, 2026 IS $7.5 MILLION, OR 65.5.

UH, FIVE 7% ORIGINAL PROJECT LEVEL CONTINGENCIES, TOTAL $17 MILLION.

UH, REMAINING PROJECT LEVEL CONTINGENCIES, TOTAL 6.6 MILLION.

ANYTHING ABOUT REFERENDUMS? MOVING ON TWICE.

MOVING ON.

ALL RIGHT.

CUSTODIAL UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.

THERE WERE 83 BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT INSPECTIONS AND 417 VENDOR INSPECTIONS.

ALL VENDORS MET OVERSTAFFING GOALS OF 90% OR GREATER, WHICH IS AWESOME.

UH, 'CAUSE WE, WE'VE BEEN REAL CLOSE TO RIDING THAT LINE, SO THEY'RE, WE'RE DOING AWESOME.

AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE UPDATES GO, OUR NEW MAINTENANCE VENDOR HAS PASSED THEIR 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD.

STAFFING DROPPED DOWN TO 50%, UH, OR AROUND 50% AT THE CHANGEOVER.

BUT SODEXO HAS BROUGHT THE STAFFING BACK UP TO 96.9, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN WHAT IT WAS WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY TOOK OVER.

SODEXO HAS ESTABLISHED COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES THAT CREATE EMPLOYMENT PIPELINE THROUGH THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY, ALONG WITH PROGRAMS CONNECTING, TRANSITIONING MILITARY PERSONNEL, COMPLETING GOVERNMENT CONSTRICTED SERVICES WITH CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

WORK ORDERS TO DATE IS 16,300.

THAT'S, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, STARTING JULY 1ST TO NOW, JULY 1ST, 2025 TO NOW IS 16,300.

WORK ORDERS COMPLETED IS THREE, UH, 13,613.

SO I DID A LITTLE BIT OF THE MATH OF THE 230 DAYS SINCE JULY 31ST.

THAT'S 70 WORK ORDERS A DAY.

IF YOU TAKE OUT THE WEEKENDS, THAT'S 94 WORKOUT, UH, WORK ORDERS A DAY, UH, OF WHAT'S GETTING SUBMITTED.

UH, AND, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND.

UM, WORK ORDERS COMPLETED AT THE SAME TIME PERIOD ARE 59 A DAY OR 78 A DAY IF YOU TAKE OUT THE WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS.

SO, UH, OUR, UH, OUR MAINTENANCE CREW IS, IS GETTING THINGS DONE.

UM, THE TOP TWO WORK, UH, ORDER BY CRAFT CATEGORIES, WE, PLUMBING AND GENERAL MAINTENANCE.

UM, AND THE AVERAGE DAY FOR COMPLETION IS ABOUT 4.5 DAYS PER WORK ORDER.

OUR MAINTENANCE SPLITS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY CAME, UH, TO JAMES J. DAVIS EARLY, UH, CHILD CENTER.

UH, AND WE HAD 39 OF THE 50 WORK ORDERS COMPLETED.

ANYTHING ABOUT MAINTENANCE OR CUSTODIAL? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.

MOVING ON, UH, OKAY.

OE EIGHT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REVIEW THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE EIGHT, WHICH IS THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN.

AND IT IS PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UH, THE HARD COPIES ARE AT THE PRINTERS, SO WE WILL, SHOULD BE RECEIVING THEM SOON.

HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT MEETING, MAYBE.

UM, HUMAN RESOURCES BROUGHT FORWARD A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION, HRS 56, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EXPECTATION.

PROTECT INDIVIDUALS FROM RETALIATION WHO HAVE MADE GOOD FAITH, REPORTS OF SUSPECT SUSPECTED OR ACTUAL VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, OR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE RE REGULATIONS.

THIS REGULATION SATISFIES THE FEDERAL WHISTLEBLOWER NOTICE REQUIREMENT, WHICH PROTECTS EMPLOYEES FROM RETALIATION FOR REPORTING, MISUSE, OR MISMANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDS OR OTHER VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW.

SINCE THIS IS AN AR, IT'S INFORMATIVE ONLY AND NO BOARD APPROVAL IS REQUIRED.

AND LASTLY, OUR NOVA HEALTH EASEMENT.

NOVA HEALTH HAS ACQUIRED A 14.4 ACRE PARCEL AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY ONE 70 AND WK AUSTIN DRIVE.

THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES A 11,620 SQUARE FOOT FREESTANDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND A 5,750 SQUARE FOOT PRIMARY CARE CLINIC.

THESE NEW FACILITIES WILL EXPAND ACROSS HIGH QUALITY, WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES, SUPPORT COMMUNITY WELLBEING, AND HELP MEET THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY GROWING POPULATION.

BECAUSE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT OWNS THE PARCEL SITUATED BETWEEN WK AUSTIN DRIVE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY, AND THE NOVA HEALTH PROPERTY.

NOVA HEALTH IS REQUESTING AN ENCROACHMENT AND EASEMENT TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROPOSED ROADWAY CONNECTION, AS WELL AS THE ASSOCIATED PROPOSED DRAINAGE AND UTILITY WORK.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE KEY POINTS OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING.

UM, PRIMARY SITE ACCESS WILL BE PROVIDED VIA A NEW RIGHT IN AND RIGHT OUT DRIVEWAY, ALONG HIGHWAY SEVEN, WHICH INCLUDES A DECELERATION TURN LANE FOR WESTBOUND TRAFFIC.

A SECONDARY ACCESS ROAD IS PROPOSED ALONG THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, CONNECTING THE PRE-PLANNED ROAD STUB OUT.

WITH THE 4,000 MARGARET APARTMENT COMPLEX AND EXTENDING TO WK AUSTIN DRIVE, THE EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNALS WK AUSTIN DRIVE AND HIGHWAY 70 INTERSECTION WILL ALLOW FOR SAFE LEFT TURN MOVEMENT TO AND FROM THE SITE.

THE CONNECTION IS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO TIE INTO WK AUSTIN DRIVE, RATHER THAN THE ADJACENT SCHOOL BUS ACCESS ROAD, ENSURING SEPARATION OF SCHOOL RELATED AND DEVELOPMENT RELATED TRAFFIC.

HOWEVER, OUR TRAFFIC DI, OUR TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, UH, MR. GLENN FRAZIER, HAS RECOMMENDED THAT A TURN LANE EXTEND

[00:35:01]

ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE SCHOOL.

ANOTHER POINT OF FULL TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS WILL CURRENT TRAFFIC COUNTS IS BEING CONDUCTED TO ENSURE THAT THE SURROUNDING ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE CAN SUPPORT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE ROAD CONNECTING THE 4,000 MARGARET COMPLEX TO WK AUSTIN.

UH, NOVIT WILL BUILD A, UH, THAT ROAD AND THE SIDEWALK CONNECTING THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, ALL THE WAY TO WK AUSTIN AND WRAP AROUND TO THE SCHOOL.

NOVIT WILL MANAGE DRAINAGE FROM THE, THE PROPERTY AND DIRECT IT TO THE DOWNSTREAM OUTFLOW PIPE.

UH, AND NOVIN IS COLLABORATING WITH A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPER TO EXTEND OR EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPERATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE AND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES TO TARGET A PORTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL.

NOVA HAS ALSO AGREED TO A STRATEGIC HEALTH EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO CAREER AWARENESS AND EXPLORATION, PAID WORK-BASED LEARNING, ACCELERATED CERTIFICATION PATHWAYS AND CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT COURSEWORK AND READ, UH, WORKFORCE READINESS.

IN THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE, UH, MR. JOEL TAYLOR FROM NOVIN HEALTH, UH, MR. CONNOR BLANEY FROM WARD EDWARDS, AND MR. STEVE KLEBER FROM MEADOWS AND OLE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE THERE IS A MOTION COMING FROM OPERATIONS DISCUSSIONS OVER THE NOVA HEALTH.

MR. SMITH.

SO, SO MY, MY QUESTION IS, UH, HAVE WE CAME UP TO AS A, AS WE CAME UP WITH, AS A BOARD, WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THEM TO GIVE THEM THIS, UH, EASEMENT? HAVE WE DONE THAT YET AS A BOARD? THE, THE, THE MOTION IS GOING TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO, TO FINALIZE NEGOTIATIONS OR TO NEGOTIATE THE EASEMENT AND OF THAT IN THE NEGO IN THE, UM, MOTION.

UH, THE MOTION STATES THAT, UH, WE ARE ASKING FOR TEACHER HOUSING TEACHER PARTNERSHIP, UM, BUT THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO, UH, FINALIZE NEGOTIATIONS.

I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST, UH, TEACH YOUR HOUSING AND TEACH YOUR, TEACH YOUR PARTNERSHIPS.

SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BECAUSE , THE, THE, THE FACT OF, I REMEMBER ME SAYING BEFORE, I WAS NOT ON THE, WHEN I WAS ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WHEN WE FIRST HEARD FROM, UH, HEARD FROM NOVAN HOSPITAL, WE TALKED ABOUT DOING PART PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF STUDENTS, IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT I, WHAT THE HEALTHCARE, UH, LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW.

SO I I I AM, UH, I'M KIND OF BAFFLED.

AND, AND THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT THAT EVEN WHEN, WHEN THE, AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GUYS SAID IN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT THIS WOULD BE WHAT BRINGING FORWARD AS MOTION TO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE, UH, I DON'T SEE HOW HE'S NEGOTIATING.

WHEN WE AS A BOARD, WE ARE NOT, IN TERMS OF BOARD MEMBER LOOKING OUT FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, WE HAVE NOT FULLY SIDED WHAT WE ALL THINK THAT WE WOULD WANT TO THIS, UH, ORDEAL TO ENCOMPASS.

AND SO I THINK IT, I THINK IT'S UP TO US TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.

I I THINK THAT, THAT WE, WE ARE PUTTING THE, UH, CART BEFORE THE HORSE BY, BY, BY DOING THIS.

BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT COULD, THAT COULD BE BOUGHT OUT.

AND, AND I, AND I DEFINITELY DO AND WOULD LOVE TO, UH, WORK WITH NOVANT HOSPITAL, UH, BE BEING A NEW NEIGHBOR, UH, HOSPITAL IN, IN THE, IN THE AREA.

UM, I, I, BUT THE, THE NEGOTIATING PART IS I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT.

AND, AND I'VE SAID IT TO SEVERAL TIMES, NOT JUST SAY, NOT IN OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, BUT ALSO IN COUNTY COUNCIL, THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE GIVING AWAY FREE OUR RIGHT AWAYS BECAUSE RIGHT AWAY IS COST.

NOT YOU.

YOU CAN'T, PEOPLE AREN'T JUST GIVING YOU A RIGHT AWAY JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NICE OR JUST BECAUSE, UH, THEY, THEY LOVE YOU.

YOU GOT, YOU GOT PARENTS AND MOTHERS WHO ARE TROUBLE, WHO ARE CHARGING NEIGHBORS OR, OR KIDS SAYING, GIMME SOMETHING FOR THE RIGHT OF WAY.

SO I, I, I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET EVERY BANG THAT WE CAN GET FOR OUR BUCK IN TERMS OF NEGOTIATING THIS, THIS, THIS RIGHT OF WAY.

SO I I, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

THANK YOU MR. SMITH.

MR. NATE? YES.

UM, UH, YOU SAID THAT LIKE YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE STUDENT PARTNERSHIP.

IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? BECAUSE, UH, NOVA HEALTH ACTUALLY CAME TO US AND SAID, THIS IS HOW WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH YOUR STUDENT AND TEACHING PROGRAM.

THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO BRING CAREER AND AWARENESS AND EXPLORATION, ROUTINE CAREER PANELS AND FACILITY TOURS, ALLOWING FOR EXPOSURE TO CLINICAL AND NONCLINICAL HEALTHCARE ROLES, INCLUDING CAREER SHADOWING OPPORTUNITIES, PAID WORK-BASED LEARNING BRIDGES TO HEALTHCARE PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS STRUCTURED WORK-BASED LEARNING, MENTORSHIP, CAREER COACHING, AND UH, EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, ACCELERATED CERTIFICATION PATHWAYS, CERTIFICATION ASSISTANCE AND SPONSORSHIP.

SPONSORSHIP FOR INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED HEALTHCARE CERTIFICATIONS, CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT COURSEWORK, PROVIDE COMPLETION OF CLINICAL HOURS FOR KNOW WHAT HEALTHCARE FACILITIES TO INCLUDE HANDS-ON PATIENT CARE EXPERIENCE AND THE READINESS WORKFORCE.

UH, WORKFORCE READINESS OFFERS CAREER PATHWAYS AND COACHING AND DIRECT PIPELINE INTO NURSING AND, AND ALLIED HEALTHCARE, UH, UH, CAREERS, UH, UH, IN ALIGNMENT IN HIGH DEMAND HEALTHCARE ROLES.

SO THEY CAME TO THE TABLE TO US AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO OFFER YOU GUYS, IN ADDITION TO THE TRAFFIC CALL MEASURES ALONG THE ROAD THAT THEY'RE GONNA BUILD.

AND, UM, THE TRAFFIC STUDY, WHICH, UH, I, I BELIEVE WE SAID IN THE OPERATIONS COMMUNITY, UM, MEETING THAT THEY'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THEY'RE DONE WITH THAT.

SO, I, I'M, I, IS THAT, ARE YOU FINISHED? I'M FINISHED, YES.

NO, LET ME GO TO SOMEONE ELSE.

MR. SMITH, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A LIKE TO YES, MA'AM.

[00:40:01]

? I COULDN'T SEE.

WE ARE GLASSES.

WE'RE REFLECTING IF YOU SAW ME.

UM, I THINK WE'RE OVERCOMPLICATING AT THIS PHASE 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE EASEMENT.

WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY TAKEN A VERY HARD LINE ON EASEMENTS, UH, FOR FINANCIAL GAIN WITH PRIVATE PARTNERS.

SCHOOLS ARE A MISSION CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE COUNTY, AS IS HEALTHCARE.

WHAT WE'RE ENTERING INTO IS A PARTNERSHIP WHERE THE BOARD IS SIGNALING THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO DEVELOPING AN EASEMENT.

I THINK THIS IS AN EVOLVING SITUATION.

I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOL BOARD'S THE ONLY PLAYER AT THE TABLE.

I THINK THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GONNA BE ONGOING AND HAVE A LOT OF GIVE AND TRICKS.

SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S GOING TO NEGOTIATE.

WE ARE SIGNALING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE AMENABLE TO AN EASEMENT AND HIS JOB IS TO GO OUT, MAKE THE BEST DEAL HE CAN AND COME BACK.

THAT'S WHEN WE ACTUALLY VOTE ON IT.

SO I THINK WE'RE KIND OF OVERCOMPLICATING IN TERMS OF WHAT EXACTLY WE WANT.

'CAUSE THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEN.

THAT'S WHAT DR.

RODRIGUEZ'S JOB WILL BE.

UM, I'D LIKE TO GO TO THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ONLINE.

MS. HAY, MR. PASTOR GORDON, MS. GORDON, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO'S A BOARD MEMBER.

ANY COMMENTS? NO COMMENTS FROM ME.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? OH, MR. MR. SMALL.

I'M SORRY, SIR.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY, WELL IF I, LEMME START OFF BY SAYING IF I WAS NOVANT, UH, MR. NE I WOULD DEFINITELY HIRE YOU BECAUSE THAT WAS A GREAT COMMERCIAL.

YOU JUST CUT FOR THEM BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID IT SOUND GOOD.

BUT MY, MY, MY, MY, MY POINT IS, LET'S GET DOWN TO THE MEAT AND, AND THE MEAT OF IT IS THIS.

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT DOWN ON THE FIVE YARD LINE OF THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO BRING TO US IN CIRCLE? SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT I WANNA HEAR MOVING FORWARD.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT THE SUPERINTENDENT.

THOSE ARE THINGS I'M LOOKING FOR TO MOVE FORWARD, TO START ENCOMPASSING AND SAYING, HOW ARE WE'RE GONNA DO THOSE SO I CAN GIVE YOU A LARGE LIST OF WHAT I CAN OFFER YOU SO THAT, THAT, THAT DON'T MOVE ME.

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MOVES, WHAT YOU CAN GUARANTEE ME AND WHAT'S IN BLACK AND WHITE.

SO I MEAN, IT IT, IT IS GREAT.

IT IS GREAT TO HAVE THOSE COMMERCIALS, GREAT TO HAVE THOSE LIST OF THINGS THAT, THAT STOP.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

BUT THE MEAT OF IT, THE RESULTS SECTION IS WHAT I'M IN RIGHT NOW.

AND IN THE RE IN THE RESULTS SECTION, I'M LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT EN ENCOMPASSES.

WE CAN OFFER YOU THIS PROGRAM AND WE'VE DONE IT.

THIS RIGHT HERE, NIRVANA IS A HUGE HOSPITAL.

SO I'M SURE THEY HAVE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY ARE, THEY ARE INVOLVED IN WITH STUDENTS.

I'M LOOKING FOR THEM TO BRING SOME, SOME EXAMPLES AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS ONE, THIS IS ONE.

WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? HOW, HOW WOULD THIS, UH, HOW WOULD THIS HELP YOU OUT? YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR YOUR COMMUNITY? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU, IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US TO START HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH AROUND, WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT? I'M LOOKING, I'M LOOKING FOR THE MEAT OF IT.

THE, THE, THE, THE COMMERCIALS AND, AND THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE BIG, THE BIG PICTURES.

I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THOSE.

I'M LOOKING FOR THE, THE, THE REAL MEAT.

THANK YOU MR. SMITH.

SO I THINK EVERY BOARD MEMBER WHO HAS, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? DR. PAUL? I'M SORRY.

IN THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED, UM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT NOVANT AND THEIR OPERATION, WHAT THEY'RE BUILDING.

AND I THINK THEY'VE MADE SOME REASONABLE OFFERS TO US AS TO THINGS THAT WE COULD ENGAGE IN.

AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S UP TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE THE BEST OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US.

AND ONCE WE GET THAT PLAN, THEN WE CAN VOTE ON IT.

THANK YOU SIR.

SO WITH THAT, MR. NAY, IF YOU HAVE A MOTION.

I DO.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZED AND SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE AN EASEMENT AGREEMENT WITH NOVA HEALTH TO INCLUDE TEACHER HOUSING, TEACHER PARTNER, TEACHING PARTNERSHIP, AND TO RETURN TO THE BOARD WITH THE FINAL AGREEMENT FOR APPROVAL.

AWESOME.

SECOND PROPERTY MOTION.

ALL IN FAVOR HERE, SAY I.

ALRIGHT.

OTHER NAYS? OKAY, SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHAT, EIGHT ONE? CORRECT.

SO FIVE HERE, THOSE ON BOARD, UH, ONLINE PLEASE.

THANK YOU PASTOR GORDON.

UH, OR DO WE HAVE MS. HAY BACK? IF NOT, I BROUGHT AGAIN FOR OKAY.

ARE THERE ANY NAYS? YES.

MS. YES, MR. SMITH IS A DEFINITELY A NAY.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

ANY

[00:45:01]

THANK YOU SIR.

AND, UM, OUR LAST, THE LAST THING IS OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE MARCH 10TH, UH, UH, AT 1700 OR, UM, 5:00 PM SIR.

THANKS EVERYONE.

SUPERINTENDENT

[Superintendent’s Report]

REPORT.

LOCAL BOARD APPROVED COURSES.

YES, DR.

STRADDLES.

THANK YOU DR. RODRIGUEZ.

GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.

THANK YOU CHAIRMAN DALLAS.

THIS EVENING WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD, AS ASKED EARLIER THIS EVENING, UNDER THE COMMITTEE REPORT REGARDING TWO OF OUR LOCAL BOARD APPROVED COURSES, BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS, ONE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, ONE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

COMING FORWARD THIS EVENING WILL BE KAREN MCKINSEY, OUR SECONDARY DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.

BOARD MEMBERS.

THANK YOU DR.

STRATAS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS IN FRONT OF YOU.

I THINK IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UM, WE BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF PUTTING THIS IN PLACE.

WE HAVE TRIED A FEW THINGS.

UM, WE'VE MOVED SPANISH ONE HONORS INTO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

UM, BUT THERE'S STILL SUCH A STUDENT NEED, SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THIS COURSE.

WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO SPEAK SPANISH IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WE ALSO HAVE A VERY ROBUST DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM.

SO THESE COURSES ARE DESIGNED AS A LEARNING PROGRESSION FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

HILTON HAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, IS GOING TO BUILD A PATHWAY INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL, INTO THE D UM, THE DP PROGRAM THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THE MATERIALS YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDED ARE REALLY OUTLINED, VERY STRUCTURED FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.

BUT YOU PROBABLY HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF EXPLANATION FOR THAT.

AS THOSE KIDS ARE COMING OUT OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE WILL BE ASSESSING THEM USING THE STAMP ASSESSMENT AND THEN WE WILL DETERMINE WHAT LEVEL OF MATERIALS WE'LL NEED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.

SO IT'S GONNA BE MORE OF AN IN INDIVIDUALIZED TRACK FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

IT WILL, HOWEVER, MEET ALL THE NEEDS OF LITERACY.

SO THEY'LL BE SPEAKING, THEY'LL BE LISTENING, THEY'LL BE WRITING, AND ALL OF THAT'S GONNA BE DONE AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN WHAT WE CAN DO WITHIN THE CURRENT STATE STANDARD COURSE.

UM, WE HOPE THAT THIS IS GOING TO LEAD A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER IT FITS INTO THE STANDARD LEVEL OR THE HIGHER LEVEL OF OUR GP TRACK FOR DIPLOMA, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE STUDENTS MOVE INTO THAT TRACK.

UM, YOU WILL NOTICE ALSO THAT BOTH TEACHERS THAT ARE LISTED ARE VERY HIGHLY QUALIFIED.

THEY'RE BOTH CURRENTLY WORKING WITH US.

I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH BOTH OF THEM AND THEY'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY OF TEACHING THIS COURSE AT THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF RIGOR.

UM, SOME OF OUR STUDENTS ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT LEVEL.

UM, AND AS WE GRADUATE, SO MANY STUDENTS WITH A OF BILITERACY, THIS GIVES THEM THAT EXTRA OOMPH GOING INTO THE CAREER AND COLLEGE, UM, FIELD.

SO, ANY QUESTIONS MS. BOATWRIGHT? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO MARIA GERNER, WHO HAS BEEN A BIG CHAMPION OF THIS AND I'M SURE SHE'S VERY HAPPY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.

TODAY WAS THE FIRST, UH, INTERACTION I HAD.

UM, WHEN I FORGOT ELECTED TO THE BOARD, SHE WAS ONE OF MY CHILDREN'S TEACHERS AND SHE PULLED ME ASIDE AND SAID, LET'S TALK ABOUT HERITAGE LANGUAGE COURSES.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THIS IS, THIS IS VERY NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY IN HILTON HEAD.

SO THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? THERE IS A MOTION.

MM-HMM .

I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE COURSE SPANISH FOR ADVANCED LANGUAGE LEARNERS FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND THE COURSE SPANISH FOR ADVANCED LANGUAGE LEARNERS FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AS PRESENTED ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026.

UH, SECOND, MR. SMALL, YOUR COLLEAGUE, UH, DR. CARR HAS AWARDED.

SECOND TO YOU, SIR.

SO .

ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR HERE.

RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.

ALL ALL IN FAVOR LINE.

PLEASE NOTE YOUR VOTE.

A AYE IF SO, A BOARD.

OKAY, SO WE GOT THREE I'S HERE.

THAT GIVES US WHAT, HOW MANY? 9, 4, 5.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM, OH, IT'S EIGHT.

MS. GORDON, DID YOU? THAT'S FINE.

[00:50:01]

BOARD MEMBERS APPRECIATE IT.

I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, FOUR BOARD MEMBERS ONLINE.

FOUR.

ALRIGHT, SO ONE ABSENT.

UH, MRS. CLOE GORDON IS, OH, SHE'S, SHE'S GONE NOW.

SHE'S GONE.

BUT SHE, YEAH, SHE, SHE, SHE DID NOT RESPOND.

SHE DIDN'T SAY.

GOT IT.

YEAH, SHE DID SAY A CORRECTION.

SHE DID SAY A, I DID NOT HEAR A RESPONSE.

WELL SHE DID.

I I DIDN'T SEE HER ON, ON MUTE.

SHE'S BEEN ON MUTE FOR THE WHOLE VOTING.

NO, I THINK I, THIS PASSED GORDON.

I THINK I HEARD HER SAY I TOO.

SOMEBODY SAID IT LONG ALONG WA WHEN SHE WAS SAYING IT OR MAYBE SHE WAS ON TOP OF SOMEBODY.

I, YEAH, I CAN SEE HER.

THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

MS. GORDON, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REITERATE YOUR VOTE IF YOU VOTED? OKAY.

IT'S LISTED UNDER SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

SO YES, MS. VOTE, RIGHT? I JUST HAD A QUESTION PROCEDURALLY, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TALK, I WAS WONDERING IF WE WERE GONNA TALK ABOUT LOW COUNTRY VIRTUAL HEALTH UNDER SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT OR NO? 'CAUSE I DID HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

UM, YEAH, 'CAUSE I JUST ON THE AGENDA IT IS LISTED UNDER SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE AND POINT A OR, BUT I JUST COULD.

IT WAS PART OF ACADEMICS.

CAN I MAKE ASK A QUICK QUESTION? OH, ACADEMIC.

UM, THE LOW CONTROVERSIAL, YEAH.

MS. BILL WRIGHT.

HOPE SO APPROPRIATELY.

WHERE DOES THIS GO? UH, IT MAY HAVE BEEN COVERED ACT ACADEMIC.

YEAH, IT WAS.

YES.

AND THEN I WASN'T SURE BECAUSE WE DID THIS SORT OF TWO-WAY THING AND I SAW IT ON YOURS AND I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, I PROMISE.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

JUST JUST A MINUTE.

SO IT THEN IT'S ALREADY BEEN PROPERLY BROUGHT UP AND OUR COLLEAGUE HAS A QUESTION.

SO YOU WILLING TO PROCEED WITH THE QUESTION? OKAY, MS. BOAK, PLEASE.

HEY, HERE I AM.

JUST QUICKLY THE, THE UH, VIRTUAL HEALTH CLASS, 'CAUSE THIS WAS AN ONGOING STRUGGLE THAT DOES NOT REPLACE THE PE CLASS.

CORRECT.

SO IF YOU DO THE LO THE VIRTUAL HEALTH CLASS, YOU STILL HAVE TO DO THE HALF SEMESTER PE CLASS.

YES MA'AM.

WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH THE OTHER HALF OF THE SEMESTER IF THEY'RE DOING, WILL THEY DO THE LOW COUNTRY VIRTUAL THEN? THE WAY WE HAVE OUR, SOME OF OUR CLASSES SET UP, THE VIRTUAL COURSE WILL BE ESTABLISHED ON FRIDAYS FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE NOT ENROLLED.

THIS WILL BE PREDOMINANTLY BEING UTILIZED FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE EITHER WITHIN LCV AT UP UNTIL GRADE NINE BECAUSE WE DO NOT USE LCV FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 10 THROUGH 12.

WE PARTNER WITH BERKELEY CURRENTLY, SO THEY HAVE ENOUGH CLASSES THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK AND COMPLETE THEIR WORK INDEPENDENTLY.

HOWEVER, WITH TIDE STUDENTS, IT WILL BE WITHIN THE CLASS ON FRIDAYS AND A STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT FOR THE UPCOMING NINTH GRADERS.

THEY WILL BE OUR FIRST COHORT GROUP OF STUDENTS ONCE A COURSE IS FINALIZED AND APPROVED THROUGH HACI THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO FIGURE OUT, THEY USED TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PE CLASSES ONLINE, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS WHO ARE INVAR IN ATHLETICS BECAUSE THAT LITTLE HALF SEMESTERS OR KIDS ARE DOING ROTC USED TO BE ROTC COUNTED FOR THAT.

NOW IT DOESN'T, AND IT, IT, IT REALLY CAN MAKE A MESS OF THE STUDENT SCHEDULE.

SO FOR RIGHT NOW, SC VIRTUAL GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE 0.5 PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

THE HEALTH COURSE WASN'T AVAILABLE.

THAT'S WHY WE ACTUALLY WANNA HEAD TO WORKING WITH LCV, THAT WE ARE PART OF THAT CONSORTIUM AS A DISTRICT TO HAVE THAT COURSE DEVELOPED.

SO NOW THEY CAN DO BOTH ONLINE? YES MA'AM.

THAT'S GOOD.

TWO POINTS OF CELEBRATIONS.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MAKES US

[Points of Celebration]

THANK YOU SIR.

UH, THIS EVENING UNDER POINTS OF CELEBRATION, UH, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR, UH, NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND AND SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

SO CHARACTER ED FOR OCTOBER TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING SEVERAL STUDENTS OF THE MONTH, BEGINNING WITH THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER.

THE CHARACTER TRAITS FOR OCTOBER WERE COURAGE AND TOLERANCE.

TOLERANCE IS DEFINED AS DOING THE RIGHT THING IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTY AND FOLLOWING YOUR CONSCIENCE INSTEAD OF THE CROWD.

TOLERANCE IS DEFINED AS REALIZING THAT EVERYONE IS AT VARYING LEVELS OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

THE OCTOBER STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS IS MIKEY JACOBS, AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT AT ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.

UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING.

UH, BUT WE STILL WANTED TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS TONIGHT.

[00:55:07]

CHARACTER ED FOR NOVEMBER.

THE CHARACTER TRAITS FOR NOVEMBER WERE RESPECT AND GRATITUDE.

RESPECT IS DEFINED AS SHOWING HIGH REGARD FOR AUTHORITY AND OTHER PEOPLE, SELF AND COUNTRY GRATITUDE IS DEFINED AS SHOWING THAT YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE FOR YOU.

NOVEMBER'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS FINN KIRKLAND, A FOURTH GRADE STUDENT AT ST.

HELENA ISLAND ELEMENTARY.

AND HERE TO INTRODUCE FINN IS PRINCIPAL CONSTANCE GOODWIN LEWIS.

AND SHE MIGHT BE JOINING US ONLINE.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ACCOMMODATING AND GIVING ME THE ABILITY TO BE ONLINE.

UM, FINN, I FIGURED OUT HOW TO BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONE TIME JUST FOR YOU.

WE ARE VERY PROUD TO RECOGNIZE FINN IS OUR STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER.

CELEBRATING GRATITUDE AND RESPECT.

FINN DEMONSTRATES THESE QUALITIES EACH AND EVERY DAY.

HE'S ALWAYS POLITE, HARDWORKING, AND COMMITTED TO FOLLOWING SCHOOL RULES.

HIS KINDNESS TOWARDS HIS CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS MAKE OUR CLASSROOM A MORE POSITIVE PLACE FOR EVERYONE.

AND HE HAS WHAT HIS TEACHER DESCRIBES AS QUIET CONFIDENCE.

I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING HIS PRINCIPAL AND HIS OLDER BROTHER'S PRINCIPAL.

HIS MOM IS OUR SIC CHAIR.

AND WE JUST ENJOY HAVING THE KIRKLAND FAMILY AS A PART OF PANTHER LAND AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU.

NEXT IS CHARACTER ED FOR DECEMBER, THE CHARACTER TRAIT WAS COMPASSION AND WE'RE CELEBRATING TWO STUDENTS DEMONSTRATING THIS TRAIT.

COMPASSION IS DEFINED AS A FEELING OF WANTING TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS SICK, HUNGRY, IN TROUBLE, ET CETERA.

DECEMBER'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY IS COLE PORTER, A SIXTH GRADE STUDENT AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL HERE TO INTRODUCE COLE AS PRINCIPAL SHAVAN BROWN.

GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.

I AM HAPPY AND SO PROUD AND SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE OUR SIXTH GRADE STUDENT COLE PORTER, ALONG WITH HIS PARENTS WHO HAVE HELPED TO SHAPE HIM TO BE SUCH A COMPASSIONATE YOUNG MAN.

UH, COLE HAS ENTERED OUR DOORS AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS YEAR AND IS OFF TO A STRONG START, A MEMBER OF SEVERAL CLUBS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

HIS PARENTS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, HIS ACADEMICS, HIS TEAMWORK, AND ABSOLUTELY HIS COMPASSION.

WE'RE PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT COLE HERE.

ALSO.

TONIGHT IS OUR SIXTH GRADE SCHOOL COUNSELOR, MS. PATTERSON, WHO IS, UM, INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING COLE THROUGHOUT HIS ACADEMIC GOALS AND HIS ADJUSTMENT TO LIFE AS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER.

DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? WELL, LET ME SAY ONE THING.

COLE IS A GOOD HELP WITH OTHER STUDENTS.

HE'S ON A WELCOME COMMITTEE WHEN WE HAVE NEW STUDENTS COME IN THE BUILDING, HE'S OUR GUY ALONG OUR SOCIAL WORKER WITH KENNY RIGHT ALONGSIDE AND WAY TO GO.

COLE, DECEMBER, STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS CHRISTIAN ALVARENGA, A FOURTH GRADE STUDENT AT OKT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND HERE TO INTRODUCE CHRISTIAN IS PRINCIPAL TRACY LENISE.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, WELL DESERVED.

WE HAVE SUCH AN HONOR OF, UM, HONORING CHRISTIAN.

I TELL YOU, THIS YOUNG MAN HAS SO MANY GREAT ATTRIBUTES AND COMPASSION IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY THAT HE SHOWS UP EVERY

[01:00:01]

DAY AT SCHOOL.

HE'S NOT ONLY A HARD WORKER EVERY DAY, UM, IN HIS CLASS, BUT HE ALWAYS THINKS OF OTHERS FIRST AND WANTS THEM TO BE AS SUCCESS AS SUCCESSFUL AS HE IS.

ONE OF THE EXAMPLES WE HAD IS WE HAD A LITTLE HOLIDAY SHOP AND HE SAW A FRIEND THAT DIDN'T HAVE MONEY AND HE USED HIS OWN MONEY TO MAKE SURE HIS FRIEND COULD GET A GIFT FOR HIS FAMILY AS WELL.

AND IT JUST SHOWS IN EVERYTHING HE DOES.

HE ALWAYS STRIVES TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF HIMSELF AND LIFT OTHERS UP.

HIS PARENTS ARE WONDERFUL SUPPORTERS OF EDUCATION AND OUR SCHOOL AND WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE HIM IN THE NEST.

OKAY, OUR CHARACTER ED FOR JANUARY.

WE ALSO HAVE TWO STUDENTS TO CELEBRATE IT'S JANUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH.

FOR THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF PERSEVERANCE.

PERSEVERANCE IS DEFINED AS PURSUING WORTHY OBJECTIVES WITH DETERMINATION AND PATIENCE WHILE EXHIBITING FORTITUDE WHEN CONFRONTED WITH FAILURE.

JANUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS PRINCETON HENRY, A SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND HERE TO INTRODUCE PRINCETON IS PRINCIPAL BRANTLEY WILSON.

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE PRINCETON THIS EVENING.

I PULLED SOME DATA HERE JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PRINCETON.

UH, HE'S CURRENTLY PASSING ALL OF HIS CLASSES AT WILL BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL IN OUR INTERVENTION PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS ARE WORKING TOWARDS DEVELOPING READING SKILLS.

PRINCETON HAS LOGGED OVER 50 HOURS SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR COMPLETED 116 LESSONS AND READ OVER 62,000 WORDS IN OUR MATH PROGRAM, WHICH WE STARTED WORKING IN JANUARY.

HE'S ALREADY COMPLETED 18 HOURS AND DEMONSTRATED PROFICIENCY IN 27 MATH SKILLS.

HE'S ALSO AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR BOOK CLUB AND HAS SO FAR EARNED 54 POINTS FOR HIS HOUSE OF ALTRUISM.

UH, THAT IS ALL ON TOP OF HIS REGULAR CLASS ASSIGNMENTS.

THOSE ARE EXTRA THINGS.

UM, BUT PRINCETON IS RECOGNIZED BY THE SEVENTH GRADE TEAM FOR WORKING DILIGENTLY AND CONSISTENCY CONSISTENTLY.

UM, HE'S ALWAYS RELIED UPON TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY.

UH, AND HIS TEACHERS RECOGNIZED AS WELL THAT HE COMES INTO THIS SOMETIMES WITH MORE CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF AN INJURY HE EXPERIENCED BEFORE.

HE HAS SOME THINGS THAT HE HAS TO WORK THROUGH AS A STUDENT AND SO HE DOES THESE THINGS ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT.

UH, IF I HAD 150 KIDS LIKE HIM, WE WOULD BE ROCKING IT OUT OVER OVER THE SCHOOL.

UM, BUT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND THE SEVENTH GRADE TEAM UNANIMOUSLY SUBMITTED YOU AS THEIR RECOMMENDING.

NOW JANUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS REN TRASHER, A KINDERGARTNER AT OKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND HERE TO INTRODUCE REN IS PRINCIPAL LENISE.

I GOT TALK FIRST.

UM, REN THRASHER EPITOMIZES PERSEVERANCE.

I'M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK AND INTRODUCE THE COUNTY BECAUSE YOU WILL KNOW HER.

YOU COULD HAVE NO IDEA THAT S SPUNK COMES IN SUCH A SMALL PACKAGE.

SHE IS KNOWN BY ALL AT THE SCHOOL AND SHE ENCOUNTERS ANY CHALLENGE WITH PIZAZZ AND FINDS FUN ALONG THE WAY.

SHE IS SUCH AN AMAZING STUDENT AND SHE DOES NOT LET ANY OF HER MEDICAL, UM, CONCERNS AND SPINAL BIFIDA STAND IN HER WAY OF ALL OF SHE'S GOING TO ACHIEVE IN HER LIFE.

UM, WE ARE SO PROUD FOR HER TO REPRESENT OKEE, AND WE KNOW SHE HAS AN AMAZING FUTURE AHEAD IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND IN THE NEST.

IS THAT RIGHT, REN? BUT SHE WILL NOT SMILE FOR PICTURES, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW.

SO THANK YOU.

[01:05:37]

AND YOU SHOULD SEE HER ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AND THE SOCCER COURT AS WELL.

IT'S DONE IN BASKETBALL, IN THE GYM.

YEAH, YEAH.

I WAS GONNA LET, HE'S GONNA LET ME SLIDE ON IT, BUT REALLY IT'S TRUE.

AND IT'S ON THE COURT.

ALL RIGHT.

BEFORE I GET PICKED ON SOME MORE .

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ITEM IS PARENTS AS EDUCATORS PROGRAM.

SO BEFORE I BEGIN, WE'D LIKE TO SHARE A BRIEF VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT OF OUR PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM.

THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE ITS PARENTS' TEACHERS PROGRAM, HAS BEEN NAMED A BLUE RIBBON AFFILIATE FOR DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN HONORED WITH THIS NATIONAL AWARD.

THAT SUCCESS COMES FROM THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR DEDICATED PARENT EDUCATORS AND THE FAMILIES THEY SERVE.

AND IT REFLECTS OUR BELIEF THAT INVESTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WAYS WE STRENGTHEN SCHOOL READINESS.

AFTER 25 YEARS AS A PARENT EDUCATOR AND AS A NATIONAL PARENT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR, I CAN SAVE IT CONFIDENCE THAT EARLY SUPPORT CHANGES LIVES.

PARENT AS TEACHER ALLOW US TO PARTNER WITH FAMILIES FROM BIRTH THROUGH KINDERGARTEN, STRENGTHENING PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND BUILDING THE SKILLS CHILDREN NEED TO THRIVE IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND.

HI, GOOD MORNING.

EVERY VISIT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EMPOWER PARENTS AND CELEBRATE THEIR CHILD'S PROGRESS.

WE SEE THE IMPACT EVERY DAY, A STRONGER EARLY LITERACY, HEALTHIER DEVELOPMENT, AND CHILDRENS ENTERING SCHOOL READY TO LEARN THIS WORK STRENGTHS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND REFLECTS THE DISTRIBUTIVE COMMITMENT TO EARLY CHILDHOOD SUCCESS.

THE PARENT AS TEACHER PROGRAM HAS STRONGLY BEEN LIFE CHANGES FOR OUR FAMILY.

EVERY VC LIVE US FEELING, SUPPORT AND COURAGE AND MORE CONFIDENT IN HOW TO NURTURE OUR CHILD, GROW OUR PARENTS, EDUCATE, CELEBRATE EVERY MINISTER WE ASK, AND GIVE US THE TOOLS TO HELP OUR CHILD RIGHT AS A GREAT GRANDPARENT.

THE PARENT AS TEACHERS PROGRAM HAS GIVEN OUR FAMILY THE CONFIDENCE AND TOOL TO SUPPORT OUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT.

THE GUIDANCE, ACTIVITIES AND ENCOURAGEMENT WE RECEIVE HELP US TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO NURTURE LEARNING AT HOME.

AND IT'S CLEAR WHY BEAUFORT COUNTY IS HOME TO A BLUE RIBBON PARENT AS TEACHERS PROGRAM, THIS DISTRICT TRULY INVESTS IN EARLY LEARNING AND HEALTHY, CRUNCHY VEGETABLES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, PARENTS AS TEACHERS IS ABOUT BUILDING STRONG BEGINNINGS.

WHEN WE INVEST IN FAMILIES EARLY, WE STRENGTHEN THE FUTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

YES.

SKILLS.

I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR DISTRICT HAS EARNED PARENTS AS TEACHERS BLUE RIBBON AFFILIATE STATUS.

THE ORGANIZATION'S HIGHEST HONOR FOR QUALITY AND FIDELITY PARENTS AS TEACHERS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITATION MODEL THAT PARTNERS WITH FAMILIES TO SUPPORT CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHEN EARLY LEARNING.

THIS ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTS THE DEDICATION OF OUR PARENT EDUCATORS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE FAMILIES AND PARENT EDUCATORS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.

YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS CENTRAL TO THIS ACHIEVEMENT.

OUR PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM WILL BE FORMALLY HONORED AT THE PARENTS AS TEACHERS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER OF 2026 IN PORTLAND, OREGON.

BUT WE'RE PROUD OF THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES, THRIVING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHO ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND.

AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DR.

REBECCA STEM STEMPEL COORDINATOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PARENT EDUCATION, AND THE PARENT EDUCATOR TEAM, IF THEY ARE HERE TODAY, TO COME UP WITH, UH, WITH DR.

STEMPEL TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE.

[01:10:40]

UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE CELEBRATION WITH YOU TONIGHT.

I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY RECOGNIZE EACH OF THE PARENT EDUCATORS.

MYRA, TORO BAY, LINDA FREEMAN, DEBORAH WASHINGTON, MONIQUE WALLACE, AND LAURIA WASHINGTON, AND ALL THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN THAT CAME OUT THIS EVENING.

THEIR PARTNERSHIP HAS TRULY BEEN WONDERFUL TO HELP US BE SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING THEIR CHILDREN DEVELOP AND GROW.

THAT CONCLUDES POINTS OF CELEBRATION.

MR. CHAIR.

[Consent Agenda]

I HAVE A, I HAVE A, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I HAVE A COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UM, ON THE, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAVE TWO, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. WE HAVE FACILITIES AND ALSO MONITORING OF THE FOODS.

AND ALSO, UM, I, I BROUGHT UP WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MONITORING THE FOODS AS THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, THAT WE, UH, SHOULD POLL THESE STUDENTS AND INVOLVE THE STUDENTS MORE INTO WHAT THEY, WHAT, WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING, EAT, WHAT THEY'RE EATING, AND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING IN, WHAT THEY'RE GETTING IN THE CAFETERIAS AND HOW THEY FEEL.

BECAUSE ACTUALLY, EVEN SINCE THIS MEETING, I'VE, UH, I, I ATTENDED SOMETHING AND I'VE HAD SOME STUDENTS WHO HAVE MENTIONED SOME THINGS ABOUT FOOD.

AND I TOLD THEM TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE, UM, TO THE, TO THE, THE FOOD, THE, THE FOOD STAFF TO CO POSSIBLY REACHING OUT TO THEM AND ASKING THEM, WELL, WHAT TYPE OF FOODS WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE OR, UH, UH, GET A, GET SOME TYPE OF SURVEY TO GET SOME INPUT FROM FOR, UH, FROM THEM.

BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING.

SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO, UH, INVOLVE OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE EATING THE FOOD IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.

SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.

UM, THAT WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE INSISTED.

I HAVE TALKED TO SOME, SOME STUDENTS WHO HAVE ASKED ME ABOUT THE CAFETERIA OF FOOD.

AND SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT AND PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WILL BE DOING.

SO FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MAY BE WATCHING THAT, THAT THEY GET THE KIDS, THE, WHO'S GONNA LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED.

I THINK IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED.

AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR HERE.

RAISE YOUR HAND SAYING AYE.

ONLINE, OUR COLLEAGUES THERE PASS COURT.

MS. GORDON OR MR. SMALL.

IN TERMS OF THAT AND, AND ALL.

ALRIGHT.

IT, UM, VITAL EIGHT TWO.

[Future Agenda Topics]

TOPICS? YES, SIR.

MS. SMITH? UH, YES, SIR.

UM, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, ACTUALLY I DO HAVE TWO, UH, UH, FUTURE TOPICS.

UM, UH, TWO OF MY ONE, ONE OF MY TOPICS ARE IS THAT, UM, I WAS TO THE, I WAS TO THE PROGRAM ON SATURDAY.

AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, HOW MUCH HAVE WE PAID FOR GRADUATION CEREMONIES IN TERMS OF DECORATIONS AND, UH, AND FIELD, THE FIELD, UM, THE FIELD, FIELD TEXT THAT WE HAVE.

WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO DOES THE SOUNDS, THE, THE SOUNDS OF THE GRADUATIONS? I, SO I LIKE TO KNOW WITHIN THE LAST, I I DO, I DO THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THE LA LAST EIGHT YEARS, HOW MUCH HAVE WE PAID? UH, FOR, FOR, FOR GRADUATION, CER UH, CEREMONIES.

MM-HMM.

AND IN, IN, IN, IN,

[01:15:01]

AND ALSO, UM, WELL, I, I JUST STARTED THERE.

THANK YOU MR. SMITH.

YOU'RE GONNA GET INTO COVID YEARS AND THAT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE.

WELL, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE EVEN, EVEN IN, EVEN IN COVID YEARS, UM, YEAH, IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST A DI DIFFERENCE.

IT, IT WON'T MATTER ACTUALLY, THAT, THAT'LL PROBABLY BE EVEN GREATER.

ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? ALRIGHT, HEARING

WE HAVE THAT DOWN.

ANY OTHER AGENDA TOPICS, ANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES ONLINE? IT'S PASTOR GORDON.

[Second Public Comments]

NONE THEN WE ARE READY FOR OUR TWO COLLEAGUE, TWO, UH, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, UH, PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THE FIRST IS MR. HARPER HOFF.

WHO? IT'S MS. I AM SO SORRY.

UM, WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT AUDITORIUM FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL PLANS? PLEASE COME UP.

GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, MY NAME IS HARPER HOFF.

I AM SIC REPRESENTATIVE FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT GOVERNMENT.

MM-HMM.

I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR NEW SCHOOL AND WHY WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PUT A LECTURE THEATER IN THE PLAN SPORT.

I BELIEVE WE SHOULD KEEP IT NOT ONLY FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS THERE.

MM-HMM.

LIKE OUR RISING FIFTH GRADERS SAT IN THERE TO BE TALKED TO ABOUT LADIES ELEMENT SCHOOL.

OUR LECTURE THEATER IS VERY COMMONLY USED SPACE, NOT ONLY FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT IT FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS.

SO I THINK IT SHOULD BE A PART OF THE PLANS IN OUR NEAR FUTURE.

IT COULD ALSO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE USED IT FOR SIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS OUR NEW SCHOOL.

MM-HMM .

ALSO OUR COMMUNITY HAS SAID NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THEY WANT IT, AND SO IS OUR STUDENT BODY.

SO I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO KEEP IT, KEEP OUR LECTURE THEATER IN THE PLANS FOR OUR NEW SCHOOL.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SAVANNAH SENA.

AM I PRONOUNCING THE NAME CORRECT? SEN ENA SENA.

MY NAME IS SAVANNAH SNA.

I AM VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLES SCHOOL STUDENT GOVERNMENT.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUILDING OF OUR NEW, I'LL START OVER.

SORRY.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS SAVANNAH SENA AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT GOVERNMENT.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUILDING OF OUR NEW SCHOOL AND WHY WE SHOULD HAVE A LECTURE THEATER, A PART OF THE INITIAL BUILDING.

THE LECTURE THEATER IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN, EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

THE BAND NEEDS A LECTURE THEATER FOR DIFFERENT PERFORMANCES.

CHORUS NEEDS IT FOR RECITALS, DANCE FOR MANY SHOWCASES WE HAVE AND THEATER FOR PLACE.

I FEEL IF WE DON'T HAVE THE LECTURE THEATER OUT IN OUR NEW SCHOOL, WE ARE LIMITING OUR STUDENTS' ABILITIES AS ART PERFORMERS.

ASIDE FROM THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCES, THE LECTURE THEATER IS USED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE USE OUR LECTURE THEATER FOR SMALL GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS, CEREMONIES, PARENTAL MEETINGS, AND ET CETERA.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE, WE WON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO MEET THAT IS AT LEAST CONVENIENT TO US.

ALSO, WE ARE IN AN ARTS INTEGRATION SCHOOL, SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE LECTURE THEATER, THEN WE ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET THE RENEWAL THAT WE NEED FOR OUR SCHOOL.

ALSO, OUR LECTURE THEATER IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO USE, SUCH AS OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

WHEN WE GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, WE WILL HAVE, HAVE A LECTURE THEATER.

WHY SHOULDN'T WE HAVE ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE A LECTURE THEATER IN OUR NEW SCHOOL BUILDING.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO MS. HOFF AND MS. S THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING UP AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.

THAT CONCLUDES THE SECOND ROUND OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[01:20:01]

I, MR.

[Executive Session]

CHAIR, AT THIS TIME I MOVE THAT WE MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOW REASONS.

DISCUSSION, NEGOTIATION INCIDENT TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INCORPORATED FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL EARLY RELEASE PACKAGE FOR SITE WORK 2023 REFERENDUM.

SCOPE GUARANTEE MAXIMUM PRICE.

GMP PROPOSAL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO.

AND RECEIVABLE.

LEGAL ADVICE RELATING TO PENDING LEGAL CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO.

OKAY, PROPERLY MOTION.

RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.

SIX HERE.

COLLEAGUES THAT ARE ONLINE.

ALL NAYS? ANY NAYS? OKAY.

PASS.

NOW

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

BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.

MR. CHAIR.

THERE'S ONE MOTION COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR THEIR EARLY RELEASE PACKAGE FOR THE SITE WORK AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE, GMP OF $7,752,754.

ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTION.

AND SECOND.

ALL HERE IN FAVOR? YES.

MS. SMITH? YES, SIR.

UM, UM, UM, ALRIGHT.

IN REFERENCE TO THIS, UH, ACCEPTING THIS, UH, ACCEPTING THIS, UM, PACKAGE, I, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS, UM, ACT AS THOUGH MY CONSTITUENTS DID TODAY HERE.

UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE A, UH, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON CERTAIN THINGS WITH, UH, THIS SCHOOL, WITH, WITH THE NEW LIAISON, MIDDLE SCHOOL BEING BUILT, UM, AND ALSO THAT THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE HERE ALSO WHO, WHO, WHO, UH, THERE WERE STUDENTS HERE TODAY WHO EXPRESSED THE, THE, THE WARNING OF A AUDITORIUM.

BUT ALONG, ALONG WITH THAT, THE COMMUNITY HAS, THE COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED OKAY.

THE COM THE COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED THE, THE DIS OF THE, THE BUILDING LOCATION CHANGING.

AND I, AND, UM, I DO BELIEVE SOME OF THIS, SOME OF THIS, UH, THIS EARLY PACKAGING HAS TO DO WITH THE CHANGING OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THE COMMUNITY OR, OR JUST, UH, IT, IT, IT CHANGED FROM THE SIZE, FROM THE SIDE OF LAY MIDDLE SCHOOL TO, UH, FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK.

AND THE, THE COMMUNITY HAS SOME CONCERNS IN TERMS OF THE CHANGING OF WHAT WE WERE SHOWED THE FIRST TIME TO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WHAT IS BEING DONE NOW.

AND I HAVE UNDERSTANDING THEY SAY DUE TO COST OR, OR, OR WHAT THEY THOUGHT, THAT MAY, MAY MAY MAKE MORE SENSE, BUT TO ME, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN HEARING IT, IT, IT BRINGS SOME CONCERNS BECAUSE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BRING US A PROPOSAL OF HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH OF HOW MUCH IT WILL COST, THEN THAT'S GENERALLY HOW MUCH IT IT WOULD COST.

UH, NO, NO, NO MATTER.

NO MATTER WHAT.

SO I, I'M JUST, UM, DEF DEFINITELY CAN DEFINITELY, UH, CONCERN.

AND LIKE I SAID, I'M JUST, I'M EXPRESSING WHAT MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE EXPRESSED WITH ME.

SO I I WILL SUPPORT THIS, BUT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE VERY, ARE VERY CONCERNED MOVING FORWARD, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH, WITH THE, UH, BUILDING OF THE NEW BUILDING, THE NEW BUILDING OF MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HAVE NOT GOTTEN BACK, UH, THE ANSWERS IN THE, AND MAYBE IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE GOTTEN ANSWERS BACK THEN MAYBE I, I, I'M JUST NOT PRIVY TO SOME OF THE ANSWERS, BUT I KNOW THE, MY COMMUNITY, AND THEY WOULDN'T JUST CAME TODAY AND STATE THE, THE FACTS OF THAT THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT HAVING A, A, UH, AUDITORIUM.

THANK YOU, MS. SMITH.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? YES, SIR.

DR. CARR, IT WAS QUITE SOME TIME AGO THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE NEW DESIGN AND WE WENT THROUGH IT EXTENSIVELY AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THE FACTORS FOR MOVING THE BUILDING, UH, CREATING A THREE STORY BUILDING AND ALL THAT WENT IN IT TO SAVE OTHER FACILITIES AND SAVE OTHER COSTS.

THAT WAS DONE QUITE SOME TIME AGO.

AND I THOUGHT WE'RE NOW IN THE MOVE, WE'RE NOW MOVING FORWARD TO BUILD THE NEW SCHOOL.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE AT THIS POINT.

POINT.

UM, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS? EVERYBODY GOOD? MS. SMITH? DR.

CARL? ACTUALLY, I'M, I'M GONNA SAY SILENCE IN THE COMMUNITY IS, IS, IS NOT, IS NOT, UH, THE ANSWER BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HA THAT THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS WHEN, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THIS, AND I SAID, DID YOU MAYBE HAVE NOT, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU'VE GONE ON THIS BOARD, BUT THERE WAS, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS BECAUSE I REMEMBER EVEN ONE TIME, EVEN WHEN WE WERE TALKING, TALKING ABOUT THIS, ME AND COLONEL GUY, OUR GUYER WERE TALKING ABOUT THEM CLOSING OFF THE ROAD TO LAY OUT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T SEE GO ANY, ANY ANYWHERE WITHIN THIS DISCUSSION.

AND THAT WE HADN'T GOT, WE

[01:25:01]

IF, IF, IF THEY HAD, THEY, IF, IF THIS WAS STATED A LONG TIME AGO.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY, THAT THERE WERE, THAT THERE WAS NOT GONNA BE AN AUDITORIUM.

AND THAT THAT WAS TOLD TOLD US A LONG TIME AGO.

SO I, SO I, I JUST DON'T KNOW, BUT I MEAN, AND MAYBE YOU MAY HAVE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, AS BEING A BOARD OFFICER OR YOU KNOW, OR, OR A, A BOARD MEMBER THAT I JUST, I'M JUST NOT PRIVY TO IT.

IF YOU DO, THEN I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD SHARE THAT WITH ME.

BUT AT THIS TIME, WHAT YOU'RE STATING THAT I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT AWARE OF, BUT I DO REMEMBER WHEN, WHEN I WAS, WHEN WE WAS TOLD ABRUPTLY THAT THE LOCATION OF THE CH OF THE BUILDING WAS GONNA CHANGE AND THAT IN, AND THAT WAS DISCLOSED, THAT WAS DISCLOSED AT THE SIC MEETING IN LA SIC MEETINGS ARE SO, ARE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN WE HAVING BOARD MEETINGS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT AND PUT THAT OUT THERE.

SO, NO, NO.

SO NO, AS, AS, AS THE BOARD, AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THAT REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT AREA, I, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

MR. SMITH.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? PROPERLY? MOTION AND SECOND, MR. SECRETARY.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE.

ALL LINE.

MS. HAY, MS. UH, PASTOR GORDON A AYE.

PASTOR GORDON? AYE.

ANY NAYS? YOU VOTED AFFIRMATIVE, MR. SMITH.