Apr 07, 2026 Board of Education

THANK YOU, SIR.

IF YOU'LL JOIN IN THE PLEDGE VOTE.

ANY OTHERS? GAVIN BAKER.

ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

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

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

MS. CUSHING BERRY, HAS A MEDIA BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED? YES, SIR.

AND THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AND IT IS HUMBLY SHARED SINCE IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS SINCE THE LAST BOE MEETING.

ALRIGHT THEN WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE TO THE CHAIR'S REPORT.

[Chair’s Report]

THIS REPORT WILL BE LIGHTER THAN PRIOR ADDITIONS.

NO ONE NEEDS TO CLAP FOR BREVITY ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THOUGH.

WE'LL DO OUR BEST.

WE ATTENDED A PROGRAM PRESENTED BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM IS OMICS.

IT WAS PRESENTED BY GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR DR.

MARGUERITE ROSA, PHD, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE ED GENOMICS LAB AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY.

DR. ROSA RESEARCHES ANALYZES BUDGETARY EFFECTIVENESS IN VARIOUS MATHEMATICAL MODELS TO DETERMINE METHODOLOGIES THAT SEEM TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN SUPPORTING PROGRAM OUTCOMES.

SO THEY'RE TRYING, SHE IS TRYING AND HAS DONE A SUPERB JOB OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO LINK FORMULAIC APPROACH TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

AND SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

ONE, TWO WAS

[00:05:01]

ROLE ASSUMPTIONS.

SO ALL OF THOSE OF US WHO ATTENDED, WE HAD TO ACTUALLY, INSTEAD OF SAYING WE ARE A BOARD MEMBER, WE HAD TO BE A TEACHER, A CUSTODIAN, WHATEVER.

AND LOOK AT THE BUDGETING PROCESS, PROCESS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WHICH ACTUALLY WAS QUITE EFFECTIVE, UH, IN EXPANDING ONE'S PERSPECTIVE.

SO THAT WAS A TIME WELL SPENT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE OUR BOARD MEMBERS IS LET'S BE A LEARNING BOARD CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE AND BECOME BETTER AT OUR ROLES AND OUR SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THE PUBLIC, AND THE CITIZENS.

THE SECOND, UH, ITEM THAT I WAS FORTUNATE TO ATTEND IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, WHICH DOES A LOT OF LOBBYING ON BEHALF OF SCHOOL BOARD STATEWIDE.

THEY'RE SOLICITING FEEDBACK VIA WHAT PROGRAMS STATEWIDE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONTINUE TO GROW, PROGRAM ATTENDANCE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, NEW AREAS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN FUTURE OFFERINGS.

AND WHEN YOU STOP TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SOCIETY, THE NEW SYSTEMS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED, THERE ARE MYRIAD OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO LEARN AND WE ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY ATTEND, UM, THESE TYPE SESSIONS.

THE THIRD ITEM WAS, WAS ABLE TO ATTEND OUR PARTNER, JASPER COUNTY, WHICH HELD A KATE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING WITH INVITEES FROM SURROUNDING AREAS FROM THE STATE COUNTY EDUCATORS, BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO ARE SEEKING TO EXPAND THEIR EFFORTS IN ATTRACTING CERTIFIED TALENT.

THEY HAD 28 OF THEIR STUDENTS WHO WON GOLD, SILVER, OR BRONZE AT STATE COMPETITIONS.

AND I WAS VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT OUT OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS, WE'VE HAD A HUGE, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER THAT ALSO ATTENDED AND HAVE BROUGHT BACK MEDALS.

SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GO TO THESE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES AND COME BACK AND KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE EQUALLY WELL.

THOSE OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE A SOURCE OF, EXCUSE ME, BENEFICIAL INNOVATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY INTERESTED ME WAS THAT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PRIVATE ENTERPRISE OWNERS, DIRECTORS WHO WERE THERE AND THEY WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND SEE HOW THEY COULD BETTER LINK IN IN TERMS OF JOBS, THE TALENT.

WE HAVE THE SAME THING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO TO ANY OF OUR SIX C KATE PROGRAMS AND YOU CAN GET REAL INSIGHTS INTO THE TYPES OF COMPANIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL.

SOME COMPANIES ARE ALSO LOOKING TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO CREATE JOBS THAT THEY SEE ON THE, ON THE HORIZON.

AND THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE CRAFTED, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.

I'LL SHARE MATERIALS FROM THESE EVENTS TO TRIGGER IDEAS FOR MORE INNOVATIVE, UH, UH, SUGGESTIONS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS AS PART OF OUR BEING A LEARNING BOARD, IS AS EACH OF US GO TO THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS, AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY IN SUPPORT OF YOU GOING AND LEARNING, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND, IF YOUR SCHEDULE AND INCLINATION ALLOW, PLEASE JUST GIVE US A SHORT RECAP THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.

SO WHETHER WE ARE WORKING OR NOT, WE ALL LEARN, UH, MUTUALLY.

AND THAT'S THE CHAIR'S REPORT, MR. NOW? YES, SIR.

UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION.

UH, MR. SMITH ASKED WHO WAS PROVIDING, UM, ADVICE ON THE, ON THE THIRD ITEM, UM, THE DISCUSSION OF MATTER COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.

SO THAT IS STAFF.

IT'S OUR ATTORNEY, BUT IT'S ALSO ATTORNEY HEISER F HEISER THAT THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO JOIN US TOO.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.

BUSINESS ACTION COMMITTEE REPORTS.

BOARD

[Board Business Action]

[Committee Reports]

UH, COLONEL GEIER, I THINK YOU ARE UP FOR ACE, IS THAT CORRECT, SIR? YES, SIR.

I'M, I'M PREPARED TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS.

PLEASE PROCEED, COLONEL.

IN, IN A BOARD MEETING AND DISCUSS HOW FINANCES CAN BE ADJUSTED OR MODIFIED OR WHATEVER, UH, TO ADEQUATELY FUND THE, UH, THE ACE PROGRAM.

UH, WE HAD A MEETING, INITIAL BOARD MEETING, UH, AND WE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT FRANKLY, UH, THE BIG ISSUE THAT CAME UP IS, UH, FINANCES AND THE SPLIT OF HOW MUCH, UH, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDES AND HOW MUCH THE JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDES.

UH, BASICALLY WE SAID AND ASKED THE TWO SUPERINTENDENTS WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING, UH, TO BRING, COME TOGETHER AND, UH, COME TO US

[00:10:01]

UH, IT HAS TO DO WITH NOT ONLY THE NORMAL OPERATING BUDGET, BUT ALSO IT HAS TO DO WITH INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS.

SO I, I REALLY DON'T WANNA GIVE ANYTHING OUT ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL WE HAVE THAT MEETING.

AND ONCE WE HAVE THAT MEETING, UH, WE WILL COME BACK TO THE FULL BOARD AND GIVE HIM A, UH, A REPORT.

MR. SMITH WAS IN ATTENDANCE, AND IF HE HAS ANYTHING FURTHER, HE COULD, HE CAN CHIME IN AS WELL.

STRATOS, DR. DIXON, MELISSA MURRAY, AND MICHAEL JACKMAN.

UH, THAT CONCLUDES YOUR REPORT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, ON MARCH 17TH, UH, THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MET FOR REVIEW OF THE FOLLOWING TWO PRESENTATIONS, ONE ON STUDENT ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ONE ON THE DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM.

UH, THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE DIVISION FIRST PRESENTED ON STUDENT ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND PRESENT WERE DR.

MELO LEE, DR.

UH, THEY SHARED A COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY OF TIER ONE, HIGHLY QUALIFIED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, UH, FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATH, AND SCIENCE THAT SUPPORT CLASSROOM LEARNING.

ADDITIONALLY, MICHAEL JACKMAN PRESENTED ON THE USE OF HQIM AS A PRIMARY, AS PRIMARY MATERIALS FOR TIER ONE.

IN INTRODUCTION BY THE PRIMARY TEACHER OF RECORD, MS. JACKMAN ALSO PRESENTED INFORMATION TO DEEPEN PARTICIPANTS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS FOR STUDENTS AS THEY ENTERED TIER THREE OF THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM.

UH, DURING THE PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, EMPHASIS WAS MADE BY THE, UH, ISD TEAM THAT GOOD INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING FOCUSED UPON TEACHING AND LEARNING ARE KEY TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

FOLLOWING THIS, UH, DR. LEE AND DR. COX PRESENTED ON THE DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM BEING SUPPORTED THROUGH, UH, THE DIVISION HEADED BY DR. COX.

AND HE PLACED EMPHASIS ON THE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THE DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM HAS MADE UPON STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO SHARE.

A HIGHLIGHT THAT WAS REFERENCED OF A FAMILY WHOSE STUDENT IS ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM.

QUOTE, MY CHILD NOW LOVES TO ATTEND SCHOOL.

A SIMPLE EXPERIENCE OF GETTING OUT OF THE CAR AND WALKING INTO THE BUILDING IS WITH EASE AND LOWERED ANXIETY.

I CAN NOW EASILY GO TO MY EMPLOYMENT AS MY CHILD EASILY GOES TO SCHOOL.

THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE NORM.

UH, DR. COX THEN SHARED HOW THE PROGRAM HAS, UH, ADDED SIGNIFICANT VALUE TO THE LIVES AND STUDENTS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON MARCH 16TH.

AND, UH, SO A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED IN THAT MEETING INCLUDE THE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY REVIEW.

UH, WE HAD SUMMARIES FOR DECEMBER 20, 25 AND JANUARY, UH, WHICH WERE ALSO REVIEWED, UM, AND INCLUDED ITEMS, UH, FOCUS AREAS AND SPECIFICALLY IN CONSTRUCTION AND FACILITIES.

AND TECHNOLOGY.

UH, DECEMBER INCREASES WERE, UH, IN, IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS WERE DUE TO EXPANDED SCOPE OF WORK AND NEW CONTRACTS IN CONSTRUCTION.

TARGETED INCREASES RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS AND SOFTWARE RENEWALS, INCLUDING A MICROSOFT RENEWAL.

UH, SO TWO FOCUS AREAS INCLUDED, UH, RENEWAL OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES.

AND JANUARY'S FOCUS REVIEW WAS FOR STORM WATER FEES, PAID TO BE FOR COUNTY ANNUALLY.

SO WE PROVIDED A MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE BEGINNING, UH, THIS PAST MONTH.

UH, AND SO, UH, WE PROVIDED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES AND, UH, REVENUES, UH, HAD ACTUALLY SHOWN COLLECTIONS REACHING 92.7% OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.

SO THOSE ARE TAX REVENUES THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED THROUGH JANUARY.

SO THAT'S A GOOD, UH, STRONG PERFOR REVENUE PERFORMANCE FOR US.

AND THEN EXPENDITURES SHOWED AT 55.1% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

UM, OUR TEACHERS, GENERALLY, THEIR FIRST PAYCHECK IS IN AUGUST.

[00:15:01]

AND SO, UH, THOSE LAG BEHIND A NORMAL CYCLE OF THE, THE QUARTERLY, UH, QUARTERLY BUDGET.

WE ALSO HAD AN UPDATE TO OS 37 R.

IT'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULE FOR FOOD SERVICE.

UH, THIS WAS JUST TO, UM, UPDATE INFORMATION THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN, OR THE POLICIES BEHIND THE, UM, PRACTICES THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PUT IN PLACE RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS CEP AND RESULTS IN A FREE MEAL FOR STUDENTS.

UM, A FREE BREAKFAST AND A FREE LUNCH EACH DAY FOR EACH STUDENT.

DISTRICTWIDE, UH, ELIMINATING MEAL PAYMENTS, COLLECTIONS AND IMPROVING EQUITY AND ACCESS TO FOOD, NUTRITIOUS FOOD FOR STUDENTS, UH, AND FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK.

WE, UH, TALKED ABOUT PREPARATIONS FOR THE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE UPDATE, WHICH WE HELD AT THE, UM, AT THE WORK SESSION, UH, THE FOLLOWING FRIDAYS, THE MARCH IN, UH, THE LAST FRIDAY IN MARCH.

AND MR. NEWICK ADDRESSED, UM, DIFFERENT GLOBAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY SHIFTS AND, UH, OTHER WORLDWIDE GLOBAL, UH, UH, EFFECTS ON OF A ECONOMY ON THE DISTRICT'S PORTFOLIOS.

SO WE'RE KEEPING IN TUNE WITH THOSE AND WATCHING THEM VERY CLOSELY AS THINGS EVOLVE.

SO OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO CONTINUE MONITORING SOME OF THE FEES THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD AND CONTINUE OUR FOCUS REVIEWS AND THE SELECTION OF THOSE FOCUS REVIEWS FOR WITH, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, AND OUR NEXT MEETING IS MONDAY, APRIL 20TH AT FOUR 30.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? THANK YOU.

CURRENT REFERENDUM BUDGET IS 375.7 MILLION.

OKAY, THIS IS SECRETARY.

YAY.

MY, MY FAVORITE TOPIC.

UH, LET'S SEE.

WE HAD OUR LAST OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING ON MARCH 10TH FOR THE 2019 REFERENDUM.

UH, AS OF FEBRUARY 28TH, WE ARE IN FINAL FEE RECOGNITION OR RECONCILIATION FOR ARCHITECTS, RECONCILIATION FOR OPEN PURCHASE ORDERS, AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMITMENTS PUT UNDER CONTRACT.

UTILIZING PROGRAM CONTINGENCY SAVINGS FOR THE 2019 FINANCIAL UPDATE.

PAID COMMITTED FUNDS ARE 374 MILLION REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS, INCLUDING CONTINGENCY IS 1.6 MILLION AND CONTINGENCY REMAINING AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.

UH, 2026 IS 1.5 MILLION FOR THE 2023 REFERENDUM PROJECT.

UNDER, UH, UPDATES, PROJECT UPDATES, ALL MONTHLY PROJECTS, REPORTING GREEN TRAFFIC, LIGHTS FOR BUDGET AND SCHEDULE FOR THE 2023 BOND REFERENDUM FINANCIAL UPDATE.

ALL FINANCIAL REPORTS ARE REPORTING GREEN LIGHT.

CURRENT REFERENDUM BUDGET IS 439 MILLION PAID AND COMMITTED FUNDS, UH, AS OF FEBRUARY ARE $267.8 MILLION.

REMAINING AVAILABLE FUNDS, INCLUDING CONTINGENCY IS 171.1 MILLION.

FOR OUR CUSTODY REPORT.

THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, WE HAD 820 TOTAL INSPECTIONS WITH A DISTRICT AVERAGE OF 90.8.

ALL VENDORS MAINTAIN ALL THREE OF OUR VENDORS MAINTAIN A 90% STAFFING FOR THE MAINTENANCE UPDATE.

UH, WORK ORDERS TO DATE ARE 18,384.

WORK ORDERS COMPLETED TO DATE ARE 15,591.

OUR DIS DISTRICT AVERAGE FOR DAYS TO COMPLETE WORK ORDERS ARE FOUR 4.23 DAYS.

THE HIGHEST TWO CATEGORIES FOR WORK ORDERS BY CRAFT ARE HVAC AND PLUMBING.

AND OUR, OUR SCHOOL BLITZ FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY WAS HM MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, 58 TOTAL WORK ORDERS.

AND OF THOSE 43 WERE COMPLETED.

FINALLY, UM, THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY DIVISION IS SEEKING A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF BUCKFIELD LAND ACQUISITION PROJECT, AS SEEN ON THE ATTACHED MAP.

IF, IF WE CAN THROW THAT UP THERE.

SORRY, ROBIN, I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU I SKIPPED AROUND A LITTLE BIT IN THE ORDER.

MY APOLOGIES.

I JUST FELT THIS NEED TO GET THROUGH MY UPDATE AS FAST AS EVERYBODY ELSE.

THERE IT IS.

YAY.

SO THE, THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD IN WHICH IT INTENDS TO PURCHASE AND HOLD THE LAND.

THE LETTER IS DUE TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AS PART OF OUR APPROVAL PROCESS TO PURCHASE THE LAND.

THE BUCKLAND LAND ACQUISITION, I'M SORRY FOR NOT US TO PURCHASE, BUT FOR THEM TO PURCHASE.

THE BUCKLAND LAND ACQUISITION PROJECT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY

[00:20:01]

COMMISSION, OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE, SOUTH CAROLINA CONSERVATION BANK, SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICE OF RESILIENCE, AND BEAUFORT COUNTY GREEN SPACE.

THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 2,828 ACRES, UH, WITH 1,766 OF THOSE ACRES BELONGING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION IS THE INTENDED LONG-TERM STEWARD OF THE PROPERTY.

THE PROPERTY WILL BE MANAGED FOR SUSTAINA, SUSTAINABLE TIMBER PRODUCTION, WILDLIFE HABITAT, RECREATIONAL USES, CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, SOIL HEALTH, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PROTECTION, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND STORAGE PER STATE STATUTE 48 TAC 23 TAC TWO 60.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION PAYS 25% OF ITS GROSS REVENUE GENERATED TO THE COUNTY IN WHICH THEY'RE LOCATED TO BE USED FOR GENERAL SCHOOL PURPOSES.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE AND AUTHORIZED THE CHAIR TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION'S BUCKFIELD LAND ACQUISITION PROJECT.

FURTHERMORE, I MOVE THE BOARD, AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TAKE ANY AND ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO EXECUTE AND SUBMIT THIS LETTER IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.

UM, I HAVE QUESTIONS.

UM, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IS THIS CAUTIONING THE SCHOOL BOARD OR ANYTHING NEGATIVE? OKAY.

AND, AND BA AND BASICALLY, UM, THE WAY HOW I UNDERSTAND IS THAT, IS THAT, UH, AT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE YEAR, BASICALLY THEY CUT US A CHECK.

CORRECT.

IF THE 1,766 ACRES THAT ARE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY YIELD ANY TYPE OF, UM, ANY TYPE OF PROFIT OFF OF THE SALE OF TIMBER OR USE, IF IT YIELDS PROFIT, THEN WE GET 25% OF THE PROCEEDS.

I YOU, SO JUST FOR THE, SO FOR THE, UH, CONSUMERS AND THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO I THINK THAT, THAT, WITH THAT INFORMATION, I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE, UH, HELPING US OUT AS A DISTRICT.

SO I DEFINITELY WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

REPORT DEALS WITH, UH, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS, AND DR.

THANK YOU MR. SMITH.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS? OKAY, I THINK WE'RE READY TO VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR? HERE.

RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.

SO IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

WELL DONE.

UH, AND OUR NEXT MEETING AS AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS APRIL 9TH AT 1700 OR 5:00 PM SORRY.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE, THIS CONCLUDES MY THANK YOU MR. SECRETARY.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PRESENTERS TO SO FAR.

AND NOW THANK YOU.

UM, ITEM ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S

[Superintendent’s Report]

STRATOS AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN REVIEWING, UH, SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS.

AND SO WITH THAT, UH, DR.

STRATOS, THANK YOU, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS.

I'D LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUGH A DOCUMENT THAT IS RATHER LARGE AND I WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING A FEW OF THE SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS.

BUT I FIRST WANNA START WITH OUR TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR YOU, WHICH WE'LL FIND ON PAGE TWO.

DOES IT GIVE YOU A PATHWAY TO UNDERSTAND AS WE WALK THROUGH THIS FULL DOCUMENT? I KNOW IT STOPS AT 13 THERE, BUT IT ACTUALLY GOES TO PAGE 105.

SO IF I CAN GET US TO TAKE A LOOK AT PAGE FOUR.

THANK YOU MRS. BERRY, IF WE COULD STOP AT ITEM TWO.

I WANNA GO THROUGH A TIE LINE.

SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS ARE A FIVE YEAR CYCLE.

WE ARE IN THE MIDPOINT ANNUALLY.

WE HAVE TO UPDATE OUR INTERIM INTERIM GOALS.

WE AS A SYSTEM DID THAT IN 2024, AS DID ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.

WE BRING FORWARD TO YOU ANNUALLY AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE HAVE LANDED AT MEETING OUR ULTIMATE FIVE-YEAR GOAL.

EVERYONE IN HERE SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH 75, 75, 92.

THAT'S GONNA BE PART OF OUR WALKTHROUGH FOR OUR DISTRICT UPDATE.

BUT AS WELL, YOU'RE GONNA SEE IF YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS, A PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE UTILIZED THE 75, 75 WHEN IT'S APPLICABLE.

AND THE 92 WHEN IT COMES TO GRADUATION RATE.

AND A FEW OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY IDENTIFIED TO EXCEED THAT IN 2029.

IF YOU LOOK DOWN TO THE LOWER PART OF THIS PAGE, THERE'S A GRAPHIC THAT WE TRY, WE'VE USED WITH YOU IN THE PAST TO HELP BRING FORWARD THE UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR SCHOOLS, ALL OUR WORK RISES FROM OUR SCHOOLS.

AT THE VERY TOP OF THE FIRST LAYER IS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

[00:25:02]

WE SEEK FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY, PREPARING FOR SUCCESS.

WE HAVE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, SCHOOL CLIMATE, STUDENT PROGRESS, GRADUATION RATE, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SUCCESS.

MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS.

WE, WE'VE COME, BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE PAST, BUT I LIKE TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION 'CAUSE IT'S THE SCHOOLWORK THAT BRINGS THAT FORWARD AND FOR OUR WORK THAT YOU'LL SEE IT AS YOU READ THROUGH THE PLAN.

SO ON PAGE FIVE, I, I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE PILLARS THAT SUPPORT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO OBTAIN 75, 75, 92.

OUR PILLARS ARE SUPPORT, ENGAGEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT, AND STEWARDSHIP.

TO IDENTIFY THESE PILLARS, WE ANNUALLY DO A COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

WE BRING THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ONCE OUR DATA POINTS ARE EMBARGOED AND THAT GENERALLY HAPPENS IN OCTOBER.

IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WHICH IS SIX, AND AGAIN, THIS BRINGS FORWARD TO YOU BRIEF INFORMATION ON OUR MISSION, VISION, AND CORE BELIEFS OF, OF US IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND IF YOU LOOK TO THE NEXT PAGE ON SEVEN, THIS STARTS WITH OUR FIRST FIVE YEAR GOAL, AS I SHARED WITH YOU 75 MATH AND READING.

AND I WANNA PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE STATE REQUIRES MATH AND READING.

DOESN'T ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE BIOLOGY, US HISTORY AS GOALS.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THE SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS HAVE EXCEEDED THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.

AND I WANNA PAY CUDAS 'CAUSE THERE ARE A FEW PLANS IN HERE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.

OUR INTERIM GOAL, IF YOU LOOK TO THE NEXT ROW, ONE NOTE, IF WE CAN GO BACK UP.

DETAILING ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH.

WE SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE A 2% INCREASE.

AND IF YOU NOTE THIS IS FOR THE YEAR OF 2027, WE TURN TO PAGE.

THANK YOU MRS. CUSHEN.

BARRY.

OUR NEXT IS MATH.

MATH.

WE SAID WE'LL HAVE IN 2027, A 6% INCREASE AND KEEPING WHAT I FIRST SHOWED YOU ON PAGE FOUR.

IF YOU SEE ON THE TOP OF PAGE NINE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR 1% IN INCREASE IN GRADUATION RATE.

AS WE LOOK ONTO PAGE 10, WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATE REGULATION TO HAVE A GOAL FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

WE'RE SEEKING A GROWTH OF 1.2% FOR ALL STUDENTS.

UM, STUDENT POPULATIONS WHO ARE SCREENED AND QUALIFY AND ELIGIBLE FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED FOR ACADEMICS AS WELL AS GIFTED AND TALENTED FOR THE ARTS BY LAW, WE ARE TO HAVE GOALS FOR TEACHER QUALITY PERFORMANCE.

THIS FALLS HEAVILY IN OUR AREA OF HUMAN RESOURCES.

THAT WILL BE ON THE TOP OF PAGE 11.

AND THESE INTERIM GOALS ARE INCREMENTAL STEPS FROM THE ORIGINAL FIVE YEAR GOALS.

ON PAGE 12, ANOTHER REQUIREMENT BY STATE IS SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY.

AND FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE BOARD AND, AND, AND PUBLIC, WE CONDUCT TWO SURVEYS.

ONE IS OUR CLIMATE SURVEY THAT IS TIED TO OUR ACCOUNTABILITY.

THAT PROCESS IS BEING EXECUTED AT THIS TIME WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.

AND THEN THE DISTRICT ITSELF CONDUCTS A SURVEY THAT IS DONE CALLED UPBEAT DATA.

SO NOW I COULD TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ON SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS.

EVERY SCHOOL HAS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN YOUR PACKET, BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO TURN TO PAGE 26.

THIS IS BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.

THE SCHOOL HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB IN IDENTIFYING THEIR GOALS, MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW AND

[00:30:01]

SO AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE THE STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE GOALS.

ON PAGE 27, YOU'LL SEE THE SCHOOL CLIMATE PERFORMANCE GOALS AS WELL AS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COUNCIL WHEN THEY'VE HAD THEIR MEETINGS.

AND EACH SCHOOL HAS TO SUBMIT THEIR MINUTES AND AGENDA FOR THE APPROVAL OF THESE EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES AND THEIR OVERALL SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN.

TO US.

AND I JUST WANNA DRAW ATTENTION BACKWARDS TO PAGE 25.

'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY DID.

THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOLS AT AT READING.

AND OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY START WITH A LITTLE B IT'S GONNA BE EASY TO COUNT, IDENTIFY.

BUT THEY DID THEIR READING BASED ON STRETCH GOALS BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING SUCCESS AT PROFICIENCY.

THEY'RE SEEKING TO SEE HOW FAR THEY CAN STRETCH THEIR STUDENTS.

SO THEY'RE CHALLENGING THEIR OWN SYSTEM.

AND I WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT WAS, IT'S A FEW OF THE SCHOOLS TOOK THAT APPROACH.

THE ELEMENTARY AND THOSE ARE OUR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HIGH FLYERS AND THEY SAY, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GROWING, WE'RE DOING GREAT, BUT NOW WE WANNA EVEN DO MORE.

SO I HAVE TO GIVE KUDOS TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE REALLY CHALLENGING THEMSELVES.

I WANTED TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU, MRS. CARY, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO GO TO PAGE 61.

AND I, I, I STAND CORRECTED.

IT'S SIX, IT'S PAGE 60 'CAUSE I WANNA HIGHLIGHT JOSEPH SHANKLIN AS WELL.

KUDOS TO THE SCHOOL AND THE, AND THEIR SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COUNCIL.

AND MY WHY FOR THAT IS 'CAUSE THEY REALLY BROKE DOWN THEIR DATA AT ANALYZING BY GRADE LEVEL.

THERE IS FREEDOM WITHIN THE SCHOOLS AND THE STATE ALLOWS FOR UNIQUENESS.

THEY HAVE TO GIVE ANNUAL GOALS.

IT MUST BE BASED ON DATA POINTS.

SO THEY ARE MEETING THE LETTER OF THE LAW, BUT THEY WENT A LITTLE DEEPER.

THEIR POINTS ARE IDENTIFIED BY PROFICIENCY.

'CAUSE THEY'RE STILL GROWING TO GET PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF YOUR STUDENT POPULATION AT HIGHER LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY.

BUT THEY'RE TAKING A DEEPER LENS AT LOOKING AT THEIR STUDENTS.

SO NOW IF I COULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE 85.

AND NOT THAT I GRADE THESE, BUT I DO READ THEM.

BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF AN SRP FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE RED CEDAR AND HIGHLIGHT, THEY'VE EVEN LOOKED AT THEIR SUBGROUPS AND IN THIS CASE, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND TARGETED A GOAL FOR IMPROVEMENT.

SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS ARE WHAT DRIVES TRANSFORMATION AT OUR SCHOOLS.

SO I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE KUDOS WHEN YOU HAVE THAT THERE.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT SUBGROUPS GOALS AS WELL.

AND NOT TO BE LEFT OUT, WE HAVE A MIDDLE SCHOOL I'D LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO, AND THAT'D BE ON PAGE 1 0 4.

THIS IS WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT HAS BEEN PERSONALIZED FIRST BY USING THEIR MASCOT AT THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR GOALS.

COULD WE STRETCH A LITTLE HIGHER ON PROFICIENCY? BY ANSWER WOULD SAY YES WITHIN THE GOALS.

IS HE WORKING AT BUILDING PROFICIENCY AT THE SCHOOL AND BEING VERY STREAMLINED AT APPROACH? MY ANSWER TO YOU IS YES.

SO WITH THAT, THAT BRINGS FORWARD TO YOU BOARD MEMBERS THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES I BRING BEFORE THE OPPORTUNITY OF ASKING FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THESE SCHOOL RENEWABLE PLANS.

AND IT'S A FULL PLAN THAT GOES INTO A SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT'S CALLED GEMS. WITH THE UPDATE ON THE INTERIM GOALS AS THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU IN YOUR DOCUMENTS THIS EVENING.

IS IT, I DO APOLOGIZE, UM, MR. DALLAS, I DID

[00:35:01]

NOT BRING FORWARD THE MO THE MOTION IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT AT THIS POINT I WILL PAUSE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, SIR.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? YES, SIR.

MR. SMITH.

SO UNDERSTANDING THIS, UH, AS THIS SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN, BASICALLY WE GET A PLAN FROM EVERY SCHOOL, UH, FOR FIVE YEARS.

IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT I'M TO UNDERSTAND? SO YES, THERE'S A FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT A FIVE YEAR CYCLE FOR THE OVERARCHING GOAL.

MR. SMITH, UM, CASE IN POINT IS OUR DISTRICT OVERARCHING GOAL OF 75, 75, 92.

AND THEN ANNUALLY, IF YOU CAN SCROLL BACK UP, MRS. BERRY.

SO IF YOU SEE WHERE IT SAYS FIVE YEAR GOAL 20 20, 24, 20 29, AND THEN ANNUALLY, THE YEAR BEFORE THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR STARTS, IF YOU LOOK ON TO THE RIGHT COLUMN, THIS TARGET, THAT WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL IS IDENTIFIED WITH THE WORK OF THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR SIC THAT THEY'RE GONNA TARGET IF IT IS UPCOMING ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.

SO ANNUALLY, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR PLAN, WE HAVE TO GO BACK ANNUALLY, LOOK AT OUR PERFORMANCE AND UPDATE OUR GOALS.

I MEAN, AND, AND, AND THAT SOUNDS GREAT, BUT MY QUESTION WOULD BE H HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, THAT HOW, HOW, HOW WE ANALYZING WHEREVER WE'RE MAKING, WHEREVER WE'RE MAKING OUR MARKET ON.

I MEAN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT IS A EXCELLENT QUESTION.

SO IF I RECALL THAT I SAID THAT TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS FROM YOUR SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF THE SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN UP HERE.

THEN I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT A TITLE ONE PLAN IS DEVELOPED FROM YOUR SCHOOL OF RENEWAL PLAN, AND THAT SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN HAS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

WHEN I ANALYZE MY SCHOOL, I'M ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT I NEED FROM DATA POINTS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS BUILT OFF OF YOUR SCHOOL OF RENEWAL PLAN.

WHEN THEY'RE MONITORING VISITS, THE GOALS ARE LOOKED AT TO SEE HOW CLOSE ARE YOU GETTING FROM FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS.

SO THERE ARE POINT OF REFERENCE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR THROUGH MONITORING VISITS, THROUGH INTERNAL REVIEWS, INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS THAT ARE CONDUCTED.

AND WE GO BACK TO SEEING IF THAT MARK IS BEING MADE AND ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE INTERNALLY AT THE SCHOOL SITE.

I, IF ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE A QUESTION, BUT, UM, I, I MEAN THIS IS A, A, A GREAT TOOL, BUT I THINK THAT THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE MAY NEED TO, UM, THE BOARDMAN MAY NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, UH, MORE IN, IN, IN DEBT AND, UH, GO AND I TEND TO A DEEPER CONVERSATION TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, UH, PROS AND CONS AND ALSO THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THESE PLANS AS WELL.

AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENTS BRINGS US, UM, IDEAS WHERE HE BRINGS US DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HE MAY SEE THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO THESE, INTO THESE, UH, BUILDINGS IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, RESOURCES AND AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE.

BUT I THINK FROM, FROM THE BOARD AND FROM THE BOARD, UM, ASPECT OF IT, FROM, FROM THE BOARD, FROM THE BOARD PERSPECTIVE OF IT, I JUST THINK THAT THERE, THERE THAT THERE'S A, A DEEPER CONVERSATION THAT NEED TO BE HAD IN TERMS OF, UM, UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN BECAUSE THIS IS ALMOST LIKE A, UM, A, UH, A, A A LIVING LIVING BIBLE AS, AS WE WERE SAYING IN TERMS OF A PLAN.

BUT TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL, EVERYONE NEED TO BUY INTO THAT AND ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT IS IN THERE AND WHAT THAT DETAILS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, HOW I WOULD CALL SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN, UH, DAYS AND YEARS TO COME.

SO I, I'LL I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE.

MAY I? YES MA'AM.

MR. SMITH.

I VALUE THAT APPROACH BECAUSE THE SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN IS AT THE CENTER OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AND OUR DISTRICT RENEWAL PLAN.

SO I VALUE THAT STATEMENT, SIR.

HAVE YOU OVERCOME THAT? BECAUSE CLEARLY IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE, ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, WHERE WE DO A LOT OF THAT WORK IS WE, ONE, WE HAVE PORTFOLIO MEETINGS BY, UM, UH, SO OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT MEET TOGETHER WITH THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? UM, I HAVE ONE IF I MAY.

THOSE ARE PHENOMENAL NUMBERS.

THE SMALLEST MULTIPLE I SAW WAS 2.1 TIMES WHATEVER THE PRIOR YEAR WAS, 13 TO 29.

SO IF THEY CONTINUE THAT MULTIPLICATION IS NOT GONNA TAKE MANY YEARS BEFORE THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.

SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, BUT I SAW GREAT VARIANCES BETWEEN ONE OF THE EARLIER SCHOOLS, EARLIER SCHOOLS, AND ONE OF THE LATER SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF SHOWING THEIR RESULTS.

SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE THAT TYPE OF DICHOTOMY, THERE'LL BE A HESITANCY TO TAKE THE LEARNINGS FROM A FELLOW COLLEAGUE AND THEIR INSTITUTION AND IMPORT THEM INTO OURS.

HOW

[00:40:01]

AND ONE OF THE CORE, UM, UH, I THINK MISSIONS OF A PORTFOLIO MEETING IS TO DO JUST THAT.

TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE WORKING AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PROLIFERATE THOSE THINGS TO OTHER SCHOOLS AT THE SAME LEVEL.

SO, SO THAT IS AN AVENUE FOR THAT PURPOSE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THROUGH THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS YOU HAVE DISTRICT PERSONNEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS WHO, WHO LEAD THAT WORK, UH, IN COLLABORATION.

IS THIS ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME? IN COLLABORATION WITH, UM, WITH THE SCHOOLS, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS AND, UM, TO INCLUDE COACHES, UH, FROM THOSE SCHOOLS.

AND PART OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTS THERE IS THAT EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND DISTRICT STAFF THAT SUPPORT AND WORK AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT ALSO BRING IDEAS TO THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS.

THAT IS PART OF WHAT YOU, OF WHY WE INITIATED INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEWS.

IT'S NOT JUST TO MONITOR AND SEE HOW WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN OUR, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, BUT IT IS ALSO DESIGNED TO PROLIFERATE GOOD PRACTICES AND GOOD IDEAS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE GOING ON ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

YES, VERY MUCH SO.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE, THE MECHANICS OF HOW YOU'RE DOING IT.

UM, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE FOR A CONSIDERATION JUST TO CODIFY THOSE IN A SEPARATE SHEET AND STEPS THAT YOU DO SO THAT WE AS BOARD MEMBERS CAN TAKE THAT AND TAKE IT INTO THE PUBLIC AND, AND HELP THEM REALIZE WHAT AN AMAZING OUTCOME IT IS, IF THAT'S OKAY? ABSOLUTELY, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. SECRETARY.

MR. CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN AND SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR.

SECOND.

HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED.

AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR.

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE.

ALL LINE PLEASE.

AYE OR AYE BEFORE GORDON.

IS THAT IT? OKAY.

I THINK WE'RE READY FOR STUDENT PERFORMANCES.

THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY SIX THOUGH.

[Student Performance]

YES.

THAT TAKES US TO POINT OF CELEBRATION.

I'M SORRY.

UH, STUDENT PERFORMANCE.

IN THE REALM OF PERFORMING ARTS.

UM, IF WE'RE, WE'RE READY FOR OUR, FOR OUR STUDENT PERFORMANCE.

, ARE YOU READY OVER HERE? YES, PLEASE.

SORRY, I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE, OBVIOUSLY.

UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE TALENT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS HERE

[00:45:01]

TODAY WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE FROM LUCAS LEONARDOS, WHO IS AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT FROM HG MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HE'LL BE PERFORMING ALONGSIDE HIS TEACHER, DR. JEFFREY SIMPSON, WHO ALSO FROM HG MCCRACKEN, AND THEY WILL BE PERFORMING CARELESS WHISPER .

I MEAN, MAYBE, I THINK IT STILL HAS THE WARM UP.

NOW WE'VE ANNOUNCED .

OH, SOMETHING STUPID.

LIKE, LIKE I DID NOT GO NEAR IT.

ALRIGHT, WE GOOD? ALRIGHT.

[00:53:31]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.

WE, I, I MEAN, YES.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK FOR AN ENCORE PRESENTATION.

, WHEN YOU SAY, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

ON THE, ON THE AGENDA IS POINTS OF CELEBRATION.

WONDER, FORGET ENCORE.

I'M READY TO GO RIVER STREET.

I'M, I'M READY TO MAKE SOME MONEY.

, WHEN, WHEN YOU NEED SOME SECURITY, LET ME KNOW Y'ALL, MAN, I'M ALL THERE.

I'M I'M THERE FOR IT.

[Points of Celebration]

AND HERE THIS EVENING WE BEGIN POINTS OF CELEBRATION WITH OUR FEBRUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH FROM SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY CHARACTER ED FOR FEBRUARY.

AND TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.

FEBRUARY'S CHARACTER TRAITS WERE HONESTY AND INTEGRITY.

HONESTY IS DEFINED AS TELLING THE TRUTH AND ADMITTING WRONGDOING.

INTEGRITY IS DEFINED AS A FIRM ADHERENCE TO A CODE OF ESPECIALLY MORAL OR ARTISTIC VALUES FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY.

THE FEBRUARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS JASMINE RODRIGUEZ, A FIRST GRADE STUDENT AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND HERE TO INTRODUCE JASMINE IS SCHOOL COUNSELOR JULIE MARKLE.

THANK YOU DR. RODRIGUEZ.

AND TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD.

I AM SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE JASMINE THIS EVENING, ALONG WITH HER FAMILY AND HER FIRST GRADE TEACHER, MS. NYGARD.

[00:55:01]

AND I'LL JUST READ A FEW OF THE WORDS WRITTEN ON JASMINE'S BEHALF IN FIRST GRADE.

THESE CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS CAN LOOK LIKE ADMITTING WHEN YOU MADE A MISTAKE OR RETURNING SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU.

TELLING THE TRUTH EVEN WHEN IT MAY BE DIFFICULT OR APOLOGIZING AND CHOOSING TO DO BETTER NEXT TIME.

IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE ASKING FOR HELP WHEN NEEDED, AND SHOWING KINDNESS TO CLASSMATES AND LEARNING AND GROWING EVERY DAY.

JASMINE DEMONSTRATES HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.

WHEN SHE FACES A CHALLENGE OR MAKES A CHOICE, SHE WISHES SHE COULD REDO.

SHE REFLECTS, ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY AND USES THE EXPERIENCE TO GROW.

THAT IS TRUE INTEGRITY.

SHE SHOWS EMPATHY MORE THAN ANY FIRST GRADER WE KNOW AND OFTEN NOTICES WHEN OTHERS NEED ENCOURAGEMENT OR SUPPORT.

JASMINE PERSEVERES WHEN LEARNING FEELS CHALLENGING AND RESPECTFULLY ADVOCATES FOR HERSELF BY ASKING FOR HELP.

SHE WORKS HARD, CARES DEEPLY FOR HER PEERS, AND CONSISTENTLY STRIVES TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF THE EFFORT THAT SHE'S PUT INTO HER LEARNING AND THE COMPASSION SHE SHOWS IN HER CLASSROOM COMMUNITY.

CONGRATULATIONS JASMINE, FOR BEING THE RECIPIENT FOR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY.

CAN YOU JOIN US? YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.

COME ON.

NEXT ITEM IS SKILLS USA COMPETITION.

RECENTLY A FEW BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS COMPETED IN THE SKILLS USA CHAMPIONSHIP THROUGH THEIR COURSES WITH THE ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.

AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE COMPETITION AND INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS IS ACE DIRECTOR DR.

MIKE VECCHIO.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

WE WERE, UM, REALLY LUCKY THIS YEAR.

WELL IT WAS BASED ON THE HARD WORK OF THESE KIDS AND THEIR TEACHERS BEHIND ME.

WE HAD, UM, NINE GOLD MEDALS IN 10 GOLD MEDALISTS.

'CAUSE TWO OF THEM WORKED AS A PAIR, UM, UP AT SKILLS USA, UH, THE EVENT OCCURRED OVER A NUMBER OF DAYS IN COLUMBIA AND ALSO IN GREENVILLE.

UM, THESE STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE NATIONALS, WHICH IS IN ATLANTA THIS YEAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'VE MOVED THEM UP TO THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE, WHICH IS, WE KNOW IS THE GRADUATION WEEK.

IT'S TRADITIONALLY THE THIRD WEEK, BUT THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH THE WORLD CUP.

SO, UM, WE'RE HOPING WE CAN GET A FEW OF THEM UP THERE THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA PROBABLY HAVE THE PRESENCE WE USUALLY HAVE, IN ADDITION TO OUR NINE, UM, GOLD MEDALISTS COMPETITION, WE ALSO HAD, UH, 11 SILVERS AND ABOUT 11 BRONZES.

SO WE FARED VERY WELL WITH ABOUT ALMOST 50% OF THE STUDENTS.

WE BROUGHT UP, UH, MEDDLING IN THE EVENT.

I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I CHECKED OFF THE NAMES OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE I SAW, BUT, UH, FIRST I'M GONNA CALL UP, UM, JORDAN WASHINGTON.

SHE IS, UH, A GOLD MEDALIST IN RELATED TECHNICAL MATH, WHICH IS A MATHEMATICAL COMPETITION.

JORDAN, UH, FINISHED WITH THE SILVER LAST YEAR, BUT GOT TO GO TO NATIONALS AND COMPETE.

SO SHE IS A TWO TIME MEDALIST AND, UM, SHE IS FROM BEAUFORT HIGH AND IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BATTERY CREEK BAND AND IS IN OUR BARBERING PROGRAM.

SO SHE WON THAT FOR MATH.

UH, NEXT WE HAD OUR, UH, EMT COMPETITION AND IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT.

AND WE HAD RICKY ORTEGA FROM BLUFFTON AND BRADY WALL FROM BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.

[01:00:06]

BUT THESE GENTLEMEN PERSEVERED DEMONSTRATING TOUGHNESS,

IF FEW JUST SHOWED UP.

UM, NEXT FROM BATTERY CREEK, WE HAVE UH, NATHAN NAJAR, WHO IS THE STATE CHAMPION IN BARBERING.

HE'S ALSO GONNA BE HONORED, UH, AT THE NEXT MEETING 'CAUSE HE IS THE STATE WRESTLING CHAMP.

SO HE HAS HAD A PRETTY GOOD MONTH.

NEXT UP IS VICTORIA VARGAS.

SHE WON CUSTOMER SERVICE.

SHE IS A HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.

SHE IS IN COSMETOLOGY AND TOOK HER COSMETOLOGY TEST TODAY UP IN CHARLESTON.

SO SHE'S HAD A REALLY BUSY DAY.

WALKED IN HERE.

I THINK YOU FORGOT TO MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT VICTORIA STATE SUPERINTENDENT.

STATE SUPERINTENDENT.

OH, SHE'S ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, WHEN WE HAD A VISIT FROM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, UM, MS. WEAVER, SHE HAD A CHANCE TO STYLE HER HAIR.

IS THAT CORRECT? I WANNA MAKE SURE I USE THE PROPER TERMINOLOGY BECAUSE, UM, AND SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB.

HER AND, UH, ONE OF HER CLASSMATES HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT.

AND, UM, I THINK THEY'RE BESTIES NOW.

IS THAT SAFE TO SAY ? SO ANYONE ELSE I MISSED? I WANNA MAKE SURE I SAW.

THAT'S EVERYONE I SAW.

OKAY, GOOD.

BEFORE, UH, WE TAKE A PICTURE, I DO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE OTHER STUDENTS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THEIR NAMES ARE, ARE HEARD HERE THIS EVENING.

ONE IS SHANIA MARTIN EXTEMPORANEOUS, UH, SPEAKING DIVISION, UH, MASON SCHWEIGERT IN CABINET MAKING DIVISION.

TAYLOR ANDERSON, UH, PREPARED SPEECH DIVISION.

EMILY MONTANO IN BASIC HEALTHCARE SKILLS DIVISION.

AND AARON PARRA ORTEGA IN JOB SKILL, UH, DEMONSTRATION DIVISION.

SO IF YOU GIVE 'EM ALL ROUND OF APPLAUSE, WE'LL TAKE NEXT.

THIS EVENING WE WANNA CELEBRATE A WRESTLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

SO BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS WELL REPRESENTED IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT WITH A CHAMPIONSHIP WIN FROM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.

SEVERAL STUDENTS WON INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AS WELL.

AND HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THE WRESTLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AS DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DR.

CARLOS CAVE.

BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COACH POWELL IF HE WILL COME FORWARD AS WELL AS THE MAY RIVER WRESTLING TEAM.

SO AS THE TEAM COMES FORWARD, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL AND WATCH THEM LIVE IN ACTION IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AGAIN, MAY RIVER IS THE CLASS FO A STATE CHAMPIONS IN WRESTLING HISTORY AGAIN HAS BEEN MADE BY MAY RIVER ATHLETES WITH GRIT AND DISCIPLINE AND UNRELENTING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.

THESE YOUNG MEN HAVE CAPTURED THEIR SECOND CLASS FO A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, SUBMITTING THE PROGRAM AS ONE OF THE PREMIER WRESTLING PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS A TESTIMONY TO THE DEDICATION OF THE STUDENT ATHLETES, THE LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE OF THEIR HEAD COACH, COACH POWELL AND HIS STAFF, AND THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE MAY RIVER ADMINISTRATION.

MAY RIVER FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE COMPETING FOR THIS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

MAY RIVER WRESTLERS ROSE TO EVERY CHALLENGE NOT BEING A WRESTLING GUY MYSELF, I DID NOTICE THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF INJURY TIMEOUTS, I GUESS, BY THE OTHER TEAM, WHICH KIND OF BECAME PROBLEMATIC.

[01:05:01]

DIS DEMONSTRATING RESILIENCE, AND MOST OF ALL CHAMPIONSHIP COMPOSURE WHEN IT MATTERED.

THE MOST WINNING ONE STATE TITLE IS, IS SPECIAL WINNING TWO PROVES IT'S A PROGRAM BUILT FOR SUSTAINED GREATNESS.

AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO BRING COACH POWELL UP.

UH, THANK YOU.

UM, APPRECIATE DR.

CAVE AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.

UM, LIKE COACH CAVE SAID, WE FINISHED, UH, BACK TO BACK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 27 AND ONE.

HE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMMITMENT.

OUR, UH, KIND OF OUR MOTTO ALL YEAR WAS, UH, DISCIPLINE OVER MOTIVATION.

UH, WE THINK MOTIVATION IS KIND OF TEMPORARY.

I'VE BEEN MOTIVATED TO LOSE A LOT OF WEIGHT, UH, ABOUT EVERY JANUARY AND IT REALLY HASN'T WORKED.

UM, SO DISCIPLINE WE THINK IS ULTIMATELY, UH, HOW YOU ACHIEVE GOALS.

'CAUSE MOTIVATION AGAIN IS ONLY TEMPORARY.

UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY.

WE'VE HAD, UH, BACK TO BACK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, BEING 10TH YEAR OF A PROGRAM.

UM, I THINK IT'S ONLY BEEN DONE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY TWICE BY BATTERY CREEK, UH, BACK IN, UH, 2014 AND 15 AS WELL AS 95 AND 96.

AND THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO, UH, THE LATE NATE DAY.

UM, SO ANYTIME THAT WE CAN SPEAK ABOUT COACH DAY IN THIS COUNTY, UH, I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UH, TO DO THAT.

SO IT, PRIOR TO THAT HAS ONLY BEEN DONE TWICE AND THAT WAS BY THE BATTERY CREEK, UH, DOLPHINS.

UH, THANKS TO COACH AND NATE DAY.

UM, IN TERMS OF CHAMPIONS, WE HAD FIVE INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS AND THIS YEAR, UM, SO WE ACTUALLY WON THE TRADITIONAL STATE TOURNAMENT AS WELL.

AND BASICALLY YOU ACCUMULATE POINTS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TOURNAMENT TO DETERMINE THE TRADITIONAL STATE CHAMPION, UM, AS WELL.

AND WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE FIVE INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS THIS YEAR.

OUR 1 0 6 STEFAN O CALDRON, OUR 1 26, UH, MARCUS FOLK, OUR ONE 50 POUNDER.

UM, THOMAS BUFF, OUR 1 57 BLAKE BUTLER.

BLAKE ACTUALLY WON HIS SECOND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BLAKE'S HERE.

UM, AND HE WAS ALSO NAMED THE FORAY WRESTLER OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR FIRST FEMALE STATE CHAMPION THIS YEAR.

UM, VIVIAN YOLA, SHE WAS OUR FIRST STATE CHAMPION AT 130 POUNDS IN THE GIRLS DIVISION.

AND, UH, KIND OF IN CLOSING, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE HONOR, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT BY OUR PRINCIPAL.

UH, DR. WEBB, OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, UH, COACH BIGHAM AND OUR DISTRICT ACT LIKE DIRECTOR, COACH CAVE.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

UM, LAST NOTE, IF SOMETHING COMES UP AT A DISTRICT ABOUT GETTING A BIGGER ROOM, WE SUPPORT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL BE HERE FOR THAT VOTE, BUT, UH, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

DID YOUR PRINCIPAL TELL YOU SAY THAT? IS HE HERE? YEAH, HE'S OH, HE IS.

YEAH, HE'S RIGHT HERE.

DR.

WE COME ON UP.

WE GOT A PICTURE YOU GOTTA BE IN.

COME ON.

I'D LIKE TO UM, GO AHEAD AND, AND CALL THE NAMES OUT OF STUDENTS AND, UH, OR ATHLETES AND IF YOU WOULD, STEP RIGHT UP HERE AND THEN GO BACK TO YOUR SPOT.

'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING A PICTURE WITH YOU.

I SAW NATE A MINUTE AGO.

UH, WE'LL TAKE A FIRST PHOTO WITH, UH, MAY RIVER STUDENTS AND THEN WE'LL TAKE, UH, HILTON HEAD HIGH AND IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, SCHOOLS REPRESENTED, WE'LL TAKE THAT ONE AFTER.

SO WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO IN ORDER.

THAT WORK? NOW WE HAVE HILTON HEAD AND BOTH HILTON HEAD

[01:10:01]

BATTERY CREEK.

GO.

BATTERY CREEK FIRST TELL.

SO COL COLTON, UH, WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AT BEAUFORT HIGH, BUT, UM, AS OF A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, HE'S A SEAHAWK, SO I I'LL ACCEPT THE AWARD ON HIS BEHALF TONIGHT.

THE LEMELSON EARLY INVENTOR PRIZE AWARD WAS GIVEN TO MICAH TORRES.

UH, REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR IS NEXT 2026.

LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL SCIENCE, UH, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR SAW STRONG PARTICIPATION FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH ALL EIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOLS INVOLVED.

BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENTS EXCELLED EARNING 26 AWARDS.

AND HERE TO TELL US MORE, TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST PLACE AND SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS IS DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

ALISON GALLAGHER.

THANK YOU YOU DR. RODRIGUEZ AND MEMBERS OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD.

I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO REPRESENT SCIENCE IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND AS AN EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER, I EVERY DAY SEE FIRSTHAND THE EXPERIENCE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROCESSES IN MY CLASSROOM.

I KNOW THAT THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO OPEN DOORS, PROMOTE CREATIVITY AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN OUR STUDENTS AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO TRULY EMBRACE THEIR GENIUS.

UM, I WANNA THANK THEIR STUDENTS, UM, THE STUDENTS FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE RISKS AND TO ACHIEVE THIS GREATNESS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.

I ALSO WANNA THANK THEIR TEACHERS FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROCESS AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE EXTREME TEAM FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AS WE TRULY ENCOURAGE THEM TO THINK CRITICALLY, UM, REASON QUANTITATIVELY AND INVESTIGATE THROUGH INQUIRY.

SO WE ARE GOING TO START OUT WITH HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THIS STUDENT IS LIAM MAH.

AND THIS PERSON EARNED THREE AWARDS, A FIRST PLACE IN THE ENGINEERING, MATH, ROBOTICS, AND SYSTEMS CATEGORY JUNIOR ONE DIVISION, THE THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD, AND THE EXCELLENCE IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES AWARD.

AND FROM MY HOME SCHOOL, THE NEXT ONE WHERE I TEACH EIGHTH GRADE.

UM, AT H MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE HAD TWO WINNERS FOR THE EXCELLENCE IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES AWARD.

WE HAD FIRST PIERCE FAIRER AND ANNA HOFFMAN PIERCE FAIRER ALSO WAS AWARDED THE NASA EARTH SYSTEM AWARD AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAD AN AWARD GIVEN FOR THE ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN GEOSCIENTISTS.

AND THAT WINNER IS BROOKLYN SCHAEFER.

THE FOLLOWING WINNERS ARE FROM RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CATEGORY, JUNIOR TWO DIVISION, OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER WAS JOSIE ANN HURLEY IN THE EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CATEGORY.

JUNIOR TWO DIVISION.

THE FIRST PLACE WINNER WAS BRYCE THORNTON IN THE PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY CATEGORY.

JUNIOR TWO DIVISION, WE HAD OUR FIRST PLACE, WHICH WAS MIA PITA, THE THERMO FISHER.

SOON, UH, THE THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC JUNIOR INNOVATORS CHALLENGE AWARD WAS ALSO AWARDED TO JO ANN HURLEY.

[01:15:06]

HAM MOVED THAT WE CAN, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AWARD WAS GIVEN TO KATIE SINI AND FOR THE OVERALL JUNIOR TWO DIVISION WINNER.

OUT OF ALL THE CATEGORIES, OUR WINNER WAS BRYCE THORNTON.

THANK YOU SIR.

THAT, UH, CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION.

I KNOW WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA, UH, FUTURE TOPICS, SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT THEN WHEN WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO WALK THROUGH AND SEE SOME OF THEIR SCIENCE FAIR THINGS ON THE, UH, POSTERS AND DISPLAYS ON THE WAY TO, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THANK YOU MR. CHAIR

[Consent Agenda]

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR HERE.

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE.

THAT CONSTITUTES OKAY.

PASSAGE IN THE TOPICS.

HEARING NONE MOVE TO

[Announcements]

ANNOUNCEMENTS.

ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY.

SECOND PUBLIC

[Second Public Comments]

THANK YOU FOLKS AGAIN FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UH, I NOTED, UH, DURING THE SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS, MR. DALLAS, YOUR COMMENT ABOUT DICHOTOMY.

I HAVE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS OR MONTHS COMMENTED ON WHERE I SAW IMPROVEMENT, BUT THERE IS A BIG DICHOTOMY AND IN THAT RESPECT, I WOULD POINT OUT, WELL I POINTED OUT LAST WEEK OR LAST MONTH THAT FIVE OF THE EIGHT, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOLS DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN CPA.

TWO OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS DO NOT PARTICIPATE.

AND I'VE KEPT THESE RECORDS FOR NOW THREE MONTHS.

THREE YEARS.

I SEE NO IMPROVEMENT IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.

I HAVE TO MAKE A SPECIAL REQUEST OF YOU, YOU FOLKS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND PROVIDED THE DISTRICT AND THE DISTRICT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL ARE MOVING FORWARD, I FEEL IT IS TOTALLY AT THE INDEPENDENT

[01:20:01]

SCHOOL DISTRICT OR SCHOOL LEVEL THAT THESE, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME GOALS SET.

AND I THINK WITH THIS PERFORMANCE, HAD THIS BEEN IN A CORE CURRICULUM, MATH, SCIENCE, ET CETERA, YOU WOULD BE ASKING THE, UH, PRINCIPLES TO COME FORWARD AND EXPLAIN WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO, TO PROVE, TO IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS.

I APPRECIATE THE REQUEST OF YOU.

THANK YOU MUCH.

THANK YOU MR. MILLER.

MS. SARAH CONE.

OKAY, I'LL CALL HER AFTER YOU.

THEN THE NEXT PERSON WOULD BE MS. SUNNY LEE, ALSO BROOKE BROOK.

HELLO, MY NAME IS SUNNY LEE ALSBROOK AND I'M A-B-C-S-D TIDE STUDENT.

THE TIDES PRO, OH, EXCUSE ME.

THE TIDES PROGRAM HAS BEEN A BLESSING FOR ME FOR A LOT OF REASONS, BUT WHAT STUCK OUT TO ME IS THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND THE FRIENDS I HAVE MADE TO ME, THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY IS MUCH MORE INVITING TO HIGH PERFORMING STUDENTS LIKE ME.

I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEN SWITCHED TO ONLINE IN SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE.

IN EIGHTH GRADE I CAME BACK TO PUBLIC SCHOOL AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT CHOICE THAT I ENDED UP HEARING ABOUT THE TIDES PROGRAM.

I MADE THE DECISION TO JOIN IT SHORTLY AFTER.

AT FIRST, GOING STRAIGHT TO COLLEGE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL SEEMED DAUNTING.

I MEAN, I WAS JUST IN EIGHTH GRADE AFTER ALL.

I WAS ALSO ONE OF TWO KIDS FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL THAT GOT INTO THE TIDES PROGRAM.

SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS NERVOUS, BUT IT ONLY TOOK ONE DAY IN THE PROGRAM FOR ME TO FORGET ALL ABOUT THOSE NERVES.

AS SOON AS I WALKED IN, I COULD TELL I HAD MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE BY JOINING TIDES.

AT TIDES, I'M SURROUNDED BY LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WHO REALLY GET ME.

THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A OVERACHIEVER OR A NERD, AND WE ALL GET ALONG SUPER WELL.

MY CLASSMATES ALSO HAVE A CLEAR FOCUS ON ACADEMICS AND IT'S GIVEN ME A CHANCE TO NOT ONLY BE MYSELF, BUT TO BETTER MYSELF.

BEING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT HAS GIVEN ME OR HAS MADE ME MORE MOTIVATED TO WORK HARDER THAN EVER BEFORE AND I OWE IT TO THE TIDES PROGRAM TODAY.

I WOULDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THE SHY, TIMID EIGHTH GRADER I WAS BEFORE I JOINED THE PROGRAM.

THANKS TO TIDES, I HAVE BECOME MORE CONFIDENT IN MYSELF, NOT ONLY IN MY ABILITY TO DO SCHOOLWORK, BUT SOCIALLY AS WELL.

I AM SO GLAD I CHOSE TIDES AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT I WOULD'VE DONE WITHOUT IT.

I WOULD'VE LIKELY GONE BACK TO VIRTUAL SCHOOL AND WOULD'VE STAYED JUST AS UNSURE OF MYSELF AS I USED TO BE.

SO ALL IN ALL, THE FRIENDS I'VE MADE IN THE TIDES PROGRAM ARE A BLESSING FOR ME.

I HAVE THRIVED IN THIS ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE I'M SURROUNDED BY HARDWORKING, ACADEMICALLY INCLINED, AND MATURE STUDENTS ALL DAY.

IT IS A PLACE IN WHICH I FEEL SAFE AND CARED FOR AND I'M SO THANKFUL I WAS GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE BCSD TIDES PROGRAM AS AN OPTION FOR HIGH PERFORMERS LIKE ME.

DUAL ENROLLMENT AND TIDES IMMEDIATELY LOCKS IN LOWER OVERALL COSTS DUE TO LESS COURSES AND LESS SEMESTERS AT THE FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITY LEVEL, WHICH MEANS LESS HOURS WORKED FOR MY HUSBAND AND ME.

FOLLOWING THAT PERFORMANCE, UH, MISS CINDY ALSO BROOKE .

UM, HEY THERE, CINDY, ALSO BROOKE.

MY HUSBAND JOEL AND I ARE THE PARENTS OF SAM'S, SETH AND SLATER, ALL HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND OUR TISH SON AND LOU THAT YOU JUST MET IS A SOPHOMORE.

FOR A POINT OF REFERENCE, I GREW UP ON A 350 ACRE FARM IN RURAL KANSAS.

I KNEW MORE COWS THAN PEOPLE.

UM, I WAS THE FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE, WHICH MEANS THAT I ALSO RACKED UP $25,000 IN STUDENT LOAN DEBT.

SO I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO REGISTER OUR FOUR KIDS FOR FREE COLLEGE AS SOON AS THEY BECAME AVAILABLE AND ELIGIBLE.

OUR THREE BOYS WERE ALL DUAL ENROLLMENT AT TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY WHILE HIGH SCHOOL WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, AND THAT LED TO THEIR ASSOCIATES DEGREE AND OUR DAUGHTER GRADUATES WITH HER ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM TCL NEXT MONTH AS A PART OF THE BCSD TIDES PROGRAM.

MY HUSBAND IS A UPS PACKAGE CAR DRIVER AND I AM A VERY PROUD BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BUS DRIVER.

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHEN FILLING OUT THE NECESSARY FORMS FOR FREE COLLEGE, THAT MY HUSBAND AND I WERE NEVER THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED WITH GPA AND CLASS RANK

[01:25:01]

THESE PROGRAMS HAVE KEPT TAX DOLLARS FOR EDUCATION WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

AND YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ONCE YOU LOCK IN THAT TWO YEAR DEGREE, NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY THAT CONCRETE CREDENTIAL.

AND IT'S ALSO BEEN A RELIEF TO KNOW THAT THROUGH THE TIDES PROGRAM, OUR DAUGHTER IS RIDING THE BUS IN THE HALLWAYS, EATING LUNCH, AND IN EVERY ONE OF HER CLASSES HOUSED AT TCL WITH HER LIKE-MINDED PEERS THAT HAVE VERY SIMILAR ACADEMIC GOALS.

MENTAL SPEEDS, INTENSITIES AND MATURITY.

TIDES HAS BEEN A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR DAUGHTER, SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, WHICH HAS INCREASED HER DISCIPLINE FOR LEARNING AND AT THE SAME TIME SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED HER FRUSTRATION AND HER FEELINGS OF ISOLATION THAT IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE GIFTED AND TRULY TALENTED STUDENTS.

THE AUTONOMY SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AT TIDES MEETS HER GROWTH AND SUCCESS NEEDS EVERY DAY, ALL DAY SO THAT SHE CAN SIMPLY ENJOY SCHOOL.

THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT ACCELERATED PATHWAYS FOR OUR BRIGHTEST AND OUR BEST BEHAVED STUDENTS AND THEIR HARDWORKING FAMILIES.

OKAY, WE'LL HAVE OUR FOURTH PERSON COMING UP.

HI.

I AM GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKER PHONE IF YOU GIVE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND THEIR TOPIC AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

ARE YOU HI, MY NAME IS SARAH SAAN.

I AM LIVE HERE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.

I HAVE TWO CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOLS.

CURRENTLY I HAVE A CHILD AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND A CHILD AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CLUSTER SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY HAVE SERVED MY CHILDREN.

THEY HAVE THRIVED IN ALL OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS THEY'VE ATTENDED.

MY DAUGHTER, LIKE THE PREVIOUS TWO SPEAKERS, IS ATTACHED TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TIDES.

SHE WAS IDENTIFIED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THAT PROGRAM AND WE ARE BOTH VERY GRATEFUL THAT SHE CHOSE TO PURSUE IT.

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR IDENTIFIED HER AS A CHILD WHO WOULD DO BETTER WITH HIGHER RIGOR, SMALLER, UH, SMALLER COURSES LIKE GROUP CLASS SIZES, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT TIDES HAS OFFERED HER.

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WORKS SO HARD TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS A PATH THAT WORKS VERY WELL FOR THEM.

SO I WANTED TO TAKE TONIGHT'S OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE THAT SO MANY THE VERY DIVERSE POPULATION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS SERVED SO VERY WELL.

WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO.

THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

MR. SECRETARY, MR.

[Executive Session]

CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

DISCUSSION OF THE EMPLOYMENT MATTER, UH, REGARDING MARCH, 2026.

PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 TYPE FOUR TAX 70 A ONE.

DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR LAY ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, REPLACEMENT SCHOOL 2023 REFERENDUM TOTAL PROJECT SCOPE GUARANTEE MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 TAX FOUR, TAX 70 A TWO.

DISCUSSION OF MATTER COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE REGARDING THE RECLASSIFICATION OF THE DESC SECURITY ENTRY RENOVATIONS FUND FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 8% CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO THE 2019 BOND REFERENDUM PURSUANT TO CAL SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO SECOND.

OKAY, PROPERTY MOTION AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.

[01:30:04]

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

THANK YOU COLONEL GORDON.

THANK YOU MS. GORDON PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NUMBER TWO, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT SCHOOL.

TOTAL PROJECT SCOPE FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $54,414,709.

SECONDED PROPERLY MOTIONED.

AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR HERE, SAY AYE.

AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

BOTH ONLINE MEMBERS PASS UNANIMOUS.

AND FINALLY, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE RECLASSIFICATION OF DESC SECURED ENTRY RENOVATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 8% CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO THE 2019 BOND REFERENDUM FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,600,000.

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

THANK YOU BOTH PASS UNANIMOUSLY.

THIS CONCLUDES MOTIONS OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I NEED DO AGENDA ONE SESSION.

IS THERE A SECOND OR DO I NEED I'LL, I'LL SECOND IT.

ALRIGHT, SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.