* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:01]
          CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BOARD WORK SESSION DATED APRIL 24TH, 2026, HELD AT THE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CENTER. 
          MEDIA CENTER AT 2,900 MINK POINT BOULEVARD IN BEAUFORT HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING. 
          THE MEETING WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW SAFETY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES. 
          BAGS, BACKPACKS, AND PURSES ARE PROHIBITED BY THE PUBLIC AT BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS. 
          PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON BCSD AND SCHOOL RELATED TOPICS. 
          CITIZENS WISHING, WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN DO SO IN PERSON OR VIA PHONE. 
          REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY. 
          YOU CAN FIND THE B OE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE, HTTPS SLASH SLASH TRIPLE W BEAUFORT SCHOOLS.NET/ABOUT US SLASH BOARD OF ED SLASH PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM, 24 HOURS FROM THE DAY OF THE MEETING. 
          REQUESTERS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORUM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK. 
          CITIZENS DESIRING TO PARTICIPATE IN IN-PERSON MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL. 
          WITH THAT, IS THERE MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AGENDA? SO MOVED PROPERLY. 
          MOTION AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR HERE. 
          RAISE YOUR HANDS AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ONLINE PLEASE. 
          AYE. 
          THANK YOU, MR. GORDON. 
          MS. MS. HAY. 
          AYE. 
          THANK YOU, MS. HAY. 
          ANYONE ELSE? MR. SMITH? THAT, THAT WAS MR. SMITH. 
          WHO SAID I, THAT WAS ME. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WHO SAID WHO SAID I ONLINE? SMITH. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ISAAC GORDON. 
          HE'S ON MR. GORDON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO OH, HE DID. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          YOU GOT HIM. 
          OKAY. 
          IF YOU WILL JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. 
          ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU, MS. CUSHING BARRY, HAS THE MEDIA BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED? YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO, SIR. 
          UM, FOR SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR FINANCIAL STAFF, WE ARE READY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27 BUDGET PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AS OUR, OUR TEAM MOVES FORWARD, THIS IS, UH, UH, REALLY SERVE AS THE FIRST READING FOR, FOR OUR BOARD ON, UH, BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. 
          AND MS. CROSBY, UH, IS GONNA WALK US THROUGH IT THIS MORNING. 
          HER TEAM'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB WORKING ON THIS. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          EVERYONE'S DOING WELL TODAY. 
          SO TODAY'S BUDGET PRESENTATION IS THE FIRST LOOK OF THE 26 20 27 SCHOOL YEAR BUDGET. 
          THIS PRESENTATION AND THE HANDOUTS WE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD, UH, THAT ARE INFORMATION AND FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY TODAY, THERE, UM, UH, THERE IS NO VOTE OR ACTION REQUIRED TODAY. 
          TODAY IS MORE OF A HIGH LEVEL CONVERSATION. 
          UM, THERE WILL BE TWO MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING FURTHER DETAILS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          THERE'LL BE THREE OPPORTUNITIES TOTAL, UM, ONE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING AND, AND IN, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S MAY 5TH, AND THEN AGAIN, TWO WEEKS LATER. 
          UM, SO WE'LL BEGIN TO GO IN DEPTH AS WE MOVE INTO FURTHER INTO THESE PRESENTATIONS. 
          BUT, UM, WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION FOR YOU TODAY. 
          SO I THINK WE'RE CATCHING UP ON THE, UM, IS THE POWERPOINT UP. 
          [00:05:13]
OKAY. 
          SO MOVING ON TO THE, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          UH, WE HAVE STATE THE MISSION AGAIN. 
          ONCE AGAIN, THE MISSION OF THE BEFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH A PERSONALIZED LEARNING APPROACH, WILL PREPARE GRADUATES WHO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE. 
          SO THAT, UH, THAT IS THE ULTIMATE MISSION OF THE DISTRICT. 
          EVERY ITEM IN THIS BUDGET IS CENTERED AROUND THAT MISSION. 
          SO THE PILLARS ARE OUR STRATEGIC PART, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          UH, IT'S THE BUDGET FRAMEWORK. 
          UH, THE BUDGET FRAMEWORK IS DESIGNED TO FOLLOW AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN IN THE AREAS OF SUPPORT, ENGAGEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT, AND, AND STEWARDSHIP. 
          AND SO, AS A RESULT OF, UH, THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE COURSE, UH, WE BEGAN THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE IN OCTOBER, UM, DOING OUR STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, UM, VERY EARLY AND, UH, CAST A WIDER NET OF FEEDBACK, UH, FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS. 
          UH, WE REALLY BEGAN, UH, WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND HAD A COUPLE OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT SESSIONS AND, AND THEN MOVED ON TO SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS. 
          WE MET, UH, WE HAD A JOINT BOARD AND SIC MEETING WHERE WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK. 
          WE HAD ONLINE SURVEYS AND, UH, STUDENT ADVISORY MEETINGS AS WELL. 
          SO WE HAD A VARIETY OF, UM, VARIETY OF CONVERSATIONS. 
          AND THIS IS, UH, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY ARE THE PRIORITIES OF WHAT WE RECEIVED BACK AS FEEDBACK. 
          SO, UM, THE FEEDBACK CONSISTENTLY BRINGS US TO THE MAIN PRIORITIES OF STAFF COMPENSATION, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS, AND SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. 
          SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT CAN OPERATIONAL SERVICES AND SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS SORT OF GO HAND IN HAND. 
          BUT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PRESENTATION, I SEPARATED THEM OUT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME MAJOR CATEGORIES LIKE CONTRACTS FOR DISCUSSION, BUT REALLY ALL THAT WE DO IN OPERATIONS IS TO PROVIDE SAFE AND, AND CLEAN AND, UM, WELL MAINTAINED BUILDINGS IN OUR, TO PROVIDE A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF. 
          SO THE FIRST ITEM IS ABOUT, UH, IS, IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN STAFF COMPENSATION. 
          COMPENSATION IN OUR DISTRICT IS MORE THAN 80% OF OUR BUDGET. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, IT'S, THAT THAT WOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          UM, SO MAINTAIN THE GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, CONVEY HERE ARE THAT WE WISH TO MAINTAIN ONE OF THE HIGHEST STARTING TEACHER SALARIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          WE WANNA ATTRACT AND COMPETE FOR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL TALENT, IMPROVE RETENTION AND REDUCE HIGH TURNOVER COSTS, STRENGTH, STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE STABILITY AND CONTINUITY. 
          INSTRUCTIONAL CONTINUITY AND SUPPORT IMPROVES OUTCOMES, STUDENT OUTCOMES THROUGH EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS. 
          SO THE SECOND, UH, AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE AN, A TARGETED INVESTMENT IN THIS BUDGET FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, STAFFING AND SUPPORTS, AND MULTI MULTILINGUAL LEARNER SUPPORTS WERE TWO OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES OF OUR PRINCIPLES. 
          AND THOSE, UH, THOSE THAT FEEDBACK REPLICATED THROUGHOUT OTHER BODIES THAT WE, UH, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL. 
          A MONTESSORI EXPANSION, YOU WILL SEE IN THIS BUDGET. 
          UM, BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS, CTE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR, AND TARGETED SUMMER LEARNING SUPPORT. 
          SO THINGS, SO INSTRUCTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE, THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL DAY. 
          SO BY MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE KIND OF AN EXPANSION OF, UM, OF THE, THE NORMAL TRADITIONAL SCHOOL DAY. 
          AS WE'VE ALL, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A FEW TIMES, THE WORLD OF EDUCATION IS CHANGING AND WE HAVE TO ADAPT TO THAT. 
          SO THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT GIVE SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY AND, UH, MORE OFFERINGS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. 
          ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS. 
          UM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UH, THAT, UH, OUR DESIRE IS TO MAINTAIN CORE DISTRICT OPERATIONS AND EXPAND. 
          UM, SO CONTRACTED SERVICES LIKE CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE AND GROUNDS CONTRACTS, TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES. 
          THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OPERATIONALLY, BUT ALSO THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO THE OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          UH, WE, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOSE AND THAT 
          [00:10:01]
IN, AND THOSE, UH, OPERATIONAL AREAS PROVIDE HELP TO PROVIDE SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR STUDENTS FROM THE TIME THEY GET ON THE BUS TO THE TIME THEY GET HOME AT NIGHT. 
          UM, PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE, THERE ARE INCREASES YOU WILL SEE IN THIS BUDGET. 
          WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOFTWARE LICENSES. 
          UH, WE HAVE REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AS WELL WITHIN THE OPERATIONAL SERVICES DIVISION. 
          AND FINALLY, MAINTAINING A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 
          WE HAVE FUNDING SPECIFICALLY IN THIS BUDGET FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, SECURITY GUARDS, SAFETY CONTRACTS SUCH AS ALARMS, SPRINKLERS, CAMERAS, BUILDING ACCESS, AND THEN EXPANSION OF SAFETY INITIATIVES SUCH AS WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. 
          UH, WE JUST IMPLEMENTED THOSE, UH, THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND THE HIGH SCHOOLS SO THAT YOU'LL SEE, UH, FUNDING FOR, UM, SUPPORT FOR THE WEAPONS DETECTION AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          AND THEN MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORTS AS WELL, WHICH IS AN ONGOING THING THAT WE NEED TO HELP PROVIDE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS CAN LEARN, UH, UM, AND, UH, REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT THEY MAY BRING BRING FROM HOME OR, OR, OR IN OTHER AREAS. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA TALK TODAY FIRST ABOUT TEACHER SALARIES. 
          UM, THIS SLIDE IS A LOOK AT THE TOP 10 STARTING TEACHER SALARIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. 
          UM, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT BUFORT IS NUMBER TWO, UH, JUST BELOW CHARLESTON, WHICH MADE A MASSIVE EFFORT LAST YEAR, UH, AND A LARGE INCREASE. 
          UM, AND IN KIND OF COMPETITION OF THAT, BUFORT WENT UP, UH, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THIS PAST YEAR, UM, IN OUR TEACHER SALARY, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE A STARTING TEACHER SALARY OF 60,087. 
          UM, SO THAT'S A STARTING TEACHER WITH BACHELOR'S, WITH A BACHELOR'S SCIENCE, UH, BACHELOR'S DEGREE. 
          SO STEPS ZERO TO FIVE ARE, UM, ARE, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME, UM, HANDOUTS FOR YOU AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT ZERO TO FIVE STEPS. 
          THE FIRST FIVE YEARS ARE AT 60,087. 
          SO THE NEXT SLIDE, IT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR, BUT IT HAS, UH, A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UM, MEANING. 
          AND THAT IS, UH, IT'S A PHASE IN. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE LAST YEAR'S, UH, SALARIES. 
          AND THOSE WHERE, WHERE WE WERE NUMBER FOUR. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE TECHNICAL, WE'RE PAUSING FOR A TECHNICAL ISSUE. 
          . 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY, HERE WE GO. 
          UH, SO LAST YEAR, UH, SO THE SAME SLIDE YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE, UM, BUT, UH, THE CURRENT YEAR, UH, ON THE RIGHT, LAST YEAR ON THE LEFT, SO WE WERE NUMBER FOUR LAST YEAR. 
          THIS SLIDE'S A SNAPSHOT OF HOW WE RANKED LAST YEAR VERSUS A CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. 
          WE MADE A $4,000 INCREASE IN ORDER TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR. 
          UM, WE ARE HOLDING AT A SOLID NUMBER TWO POSITION, UH, WITH BERKELEY, UH, A FEW, UM, THOUSAND DOLLARS BEHIND US. 
          AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SORT OF A SPLIT BETWEEN THE OTHER DISTRICTS, THE NEXT FIVE DISTRICTS, UM, THAT ARE WELL BELOW A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS BELOW BERKELEY. 
          SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE TEACHER'S SALARY FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IS A BASE PAY OF 60 2005 87. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE A $2,500 PAY INCREASE. 
          SO THE, THE LOWER THE LEFT LOWER SIDE, IT SHOWS THE EXISTING THE CURRENT RATE OF 60,087, WE WOULD MOVE UP TO BY $2,500. 
          UM, AND THE STATE IS PROPOSING 2000. 
          UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THE 2,500 IS GONNA BE A VERY COMPETITIVE RATE FOR US. 
          UM, AND IN LIGHT OF CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS SURROUNDING DISTRICTS AND, AND SO ON, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE, WE, WE WILL MAINTAIN THE, UH, $1,500 LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT FOR ALL THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT CURRENTLY. 
          SO THAT INCLUDES TEACHERS. 
          AND SO THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR OUR FIRST STARTING FIRST YEAR STARTING TEACHERS IS ACTUALLY $64,087. 
          SO THIS, I, I, I WANT TO BE, UM, TRANSPARENT 
          [00:15:01]
ABOUT WHAT OUR NUMBERS ARE. 
          62,587 IS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE A $1,500 SUPPLEMENT, WHICH I LIST JUST BELOW THAT, TO SHOW THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR, FOR, UH, TEACHERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          SO WE BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE, AS I SAID, COMPETITIVE AND WILL KEEP US IN THE NUMBER SOLIDLY IN THE NUMBER TWO SPOT OF THE STATE. 
          SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT, IS A COMPARISON. 
          UM, SO WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS CONCERNING CPI INFLATION AND, AND WHETHER WE WERE MEETING THAT EFFORT, UM, MEETING, MEETING THE DEMANDS, UH, OF INFLATION, UH, WITH THE SALARIES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING. 
          SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE, THE NAVY LINE IS, UM, OUR TEACHER SALARIES OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. 
          AND SO WE STARTED IN 20 19, 20, WHICH WAS IN THE PANDEMIC. 
          UH, AND WE HELD, UM, WE HELD THE LINE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AT THE $36,928. 
          IT LED TO THE PANDEMIC LED TO A CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT YEAR BY THE STATE. 
          AND OUR DISTRICT AND SALARIES WERE HELD FLAT THE FOLLOWING YEAR. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE NO INCREASE, UH, FROM 2020 TO 21. 
          UM, WE WERE PARTIALLY REMOTE STILL. 
          AND THEN LATER ON IN THE YEAR, UH, WHEN WE RETURNED, WE DID AN INCREASE. 
          WE WENT RETROACTIVELY BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND GAVE A 3% INCREASE. 
          UM, THE NEXT YEAR THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND TEACHER SALARIES, UH, AND WHERE WE WERE IN THE STATE. 
          AND WE FOUND AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE 53RD RANKED, 53RD OF 77 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. 
          WE WERE ONE OF THE LOWER THIRD OF SALARY, UH, STARTING SALARIES. 
          UH, HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE, UH, LOCALITY SUPPLEMENTS IN THE RANGE OF 5,000 IN THOSE YEARS, UM, WHICH WEREN'T SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT. 
          THEY WEREN'T, UH, TEACHERS WEREN'T GETTING RETIREMENT CREDIT FOR THOSE. 
          SO, UH, WHAT WE DID WAS A COMBINATION OF AN INCREASE IN PAY AND MOVING THAT LOCALITY, LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT INTO A PERMANENT BASE SALARY, GIVING THEM CREDITS FOR RETIREMENT, AND, UH, INCREASING THE BASE SALARY, UH, WITH NO QUESTION THAT IT WOULD BE REMOVED FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. 
          UM, SO THAT WAS A CONSCIOUS EFFORT, AND WE ACTUALLY INCREASED BY 20% THAT YEAR IN THE SALARY AMOUNT, TWO MORE YEARS OF HEALTHY INCREASES. 
          AND THEN ANOTHER BIG JUMP LAST YEAR OF 17.7%. 
          SO THIS, THE PERCENTAGES ON THE TOP IN THE, IN THE LIGHTER YELLOW OR GOLD COLORS ARE THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. 
          SO, UM, SO FROM 25 TO 20 FISCAL YEAR 25 TO 26, WE MADE 17.7 JUMP BY CONSOLIDATING THE FIRST FIVE STEPS ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE, UM, MIRRORING, UM, CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S EFFORTS. 
          IT WAS AN, UH, UM, E EFFORT THAT I BELIEVE IS PAID OFF. 
          UH, AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'RE PROPOSING AN INCREASE THAT WOULD BE A 4.2% INCREASE. 
          UH, SO THE 2,500 PROVIDES A 4.2% INCREASE FOR JUST THIS, FOR JUST THIS COST OF LIVING, BASICALLY. 
          AND THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A STEP WOULD RECEIVE ALMOST ANOTHER FULL 1%. 
          SO, UH, A ALMOST, UH, ABOUT 0.7%. 
          UM, AND SO WE WERE, WE'RE NEARING THE 5% MARK WITH OUR TOTAL INCREASE IF, UH, FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE, UM, FOR A, A PAY INCREASE AND THOSE THAT RECEIVE A STEP. 
          SO THE NEXT, UM, SO OF ALL IN ALL THIS IS A 69% INCREASE IN THE TEACHER'S SALARIES OF A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS, ALL OF WHICH ARE UNDER DR. 
          RODRIGUEZ'S LEADERSHIP. 
          THE NEXT LINE WE'RE GONNA POPULATE HERE IS IN YELLOW IS THE CPI THAT, UH, WHICH IS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, UH, THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS. 
          UH, THIS IS THE AGENCY THAT WE RECEIVE INFORMATION ON BECAUSE WE RECEIVE FUNDING AND MILLAGE CAPS FROM THAT AGENCY THAT IS THE TOP ECONOMIC AGENCY FOR THE STATE. 
          UM, SO WE COMPARED THE CPI TO, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SALARY INCREASES AND FOUND THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, OF THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC, WE EXCEEDED CPI PERCENTAGE INCREASES EVERY YEAR. 
          HAVE WE PROVIDED ONLY THE CPI INCREASE OUR STARTING TEACHER SALARIES WOULD BE AT THE LEVELS FROM THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO. 
          THE CPI INCREASES OVER, UH, TOTALS 28% OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME IF YOU ADD THOSE TOGETHER, AS OPPOSED TO THE 69% OUR DISTRICT HAS 
          [00:20:01]
PROVIDED. 
          SO I THINK WE, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A STRONG POSITION OF WHERE WE ARE AND THE MOVEMENT THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          UH, WE'VE EXCEEDED THE CPI THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED, THE DATA THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE STATE. 
          OKAY, SO THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE, WE'RE GONNA BACKTRACK BACK INTO THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES. 
          PRIORITY NUMBER ONE BEING STRETCH, STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION. 
          AND I'M GONNA REFER YOU TO, UH, THE, THE HANDOUTS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE DETAILS. 
          AND I'LL BE DOING IT AS WE SPEAK AS WELL. 
          UM, IN THE HANDOUTS IN PAGES FOUR AND FIVE ARE MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CATEGORIES THAT I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. 
          LEMME GRAB THOSE. 
          SO, FOR PURPOSES OF THE PRESENTATION, WE CONSOLIDATED MANY CATEGORIES, SIMPLIFIED THEM AND COMBINED THEM. 
          UH, THERE'S LESS DETAIL ON THE SLIDE, OF COURSE, THEN THE HANDOUT. 
          SO, UM, WE'LL GO, I'LL PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AS WE MOVE THROUGH BY, WE'RE REFERENCING PAGE FOUR AND FIVE OF THE HANDOUT. 
          SO AGAIN, THIS BUDGET PROPOSES STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN COMPENSATION FOR TEACHERS. 
          $2,500 INCREASES PROPOSED TO EVERY SALE OF THE TEACHER'S SALARY SCHEDULE FROM BACHELOR'S IN ZERO TO PHD IN 31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE GIVING ALL TEACHERS AN INCREASE, A STEP INCREASE WOULD BE PROVIDED, UM, TO TEACHERS IN STEPS FIVE AND UP. 
          AND WE WOULD INCREASE THE MAX STEP AS WELL FROM 30 TO 31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. 
          THIS ALLOWS OUR MOST VETERAN TEACHERS TO RECEIVE A STEP INCREASE. 
          AND DURING THE SEVEN YEARS THAT WE'VE RAISED TEACHER SALARIES, WE'VE ALSO RAISED THE MAX STEP INCREASE, UM, EVERY YEAR. 
          UM, AND WE BEGAN AT 24 YEARS EXPERIENCE. 
          UM, KEEP IN MIND THE RETIREMENT AGE IS 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. 
          UM, BUT WE'VE MOVED THIS PROPO, THIS BUDGET PROPOSES TO MOVE IT TO 31. 
          SO THE DETAILS, UH, THE COSTS, THE PROJECTED INCREASES OF THOSE ARE STATED HERE. 
          SO, 6.4 MILLION IS FOR THE $2,500 TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE. 
          UH, THE 2.3 MILLION IS FOR THE STEP INCREASE. 
          SO AVERAGING, UM, ONE TO ONE AND A HALF PERCENTAGE POINTS, UH, DEPENDING ON THE STEP. 
          UH, INCREASE IN MAX STEP IS ABOUT 224,000. 
          SO THESE PROPOSED SALARY INCREASES ARE ABOUT $9 MILLION. 
          AND AGAIN, THIS LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT OF $1,500 REMAINS IN PLACE AND IN, IN THE BUDGET. 
          SO, A SECOND SLIDE OF PRIORITY NUMBER ONE IS STRATEGIC, UM, STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION, UM, WHERE WE'RE MAKING, UM, SO THIS INVESTMENT WE'RE MAKING IN OUR LEADERS SUPPORT STAFF, AND, UH, NOT ONLY SALARIES, BUT ALSO BENEFITS, WE'RE PROPOSING PROPOSING 3% COST OF LIVING FOR ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL BUS DRIVERS, ADMINISTRATORS, PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. 
          WE HAVE AN ANNUAL STEP INCREASE AND AN A MA AN INCREASE IN THE MAX STEP FOR THESE GROUPS. 
          UM, WE HAVE, UH, TERMINAL LEAVE AND LAB LABS LEAVE, WHICH ARE, ARE IN, IN MANY OPERATIONS. 
          WE HAVE AN AGING WORKFORCE. 
          SO MANY PEOPLE ARE RETIRING AND, UM, ARE, AND THAT SORT OF THING. 
          SO THAT IS INCREASED FOR THESE COSTS. 
          AND, UH, WE HAVE ALSO A, UH, PAID PARENTAL LEAVE IS IN THE BUDGET. 
          UM, SO AS YOU MAY RECALL, A FEW YEARS AGO THERE, UM, PAID PARENTAL LEAVE WAS, UH, PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, UH, IMPLEMENTING, UM, SIX WEEKS OF LEAVE FOR A, A NEW PARENT. 
          UM, AND THEN FOR THE SPOUSE IT WOULD BE TWO WEEKS OF LEAVE. 
          UM, SO THAT WAS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE. 
          THERE IS A BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE CURRENTLY THAT IS BEING WORKED ON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YESTERDAY'S, UH, ANY ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE SOME FAVORABLE AND, AND SOME, UM, PUSHBACK AS WELL. 
          SOME, UM, RESERVATIONS FROM OTHERS IN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT THEY'RE EXPANDING THAT, UH, THE BILL EXPANDS THE LEAVE FROM SIX WEEKS TO 12 WEEKS FOR THE PRIMARY PARENT AND FROM TWO TO FOUR WEEKS FOR THE SPOUSE. 
          SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME 
          [00:25:01]
CONCERNS. 
          IT, IT IS A WONDERFUL BENEFIT, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME CONCERNS OF LOST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME FOR, UM, FOR STUDENTS. 
          SO, UM, THERE IT IS, THE EXPANSION OF THAT, THE COST IS $400,000, AND SO THE EXPANSION OF IT IS ANOTHER $400,000, WHICH WOULD CONTINUE TO BE AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. 
          SO THAT IS THAT WORK ITEM. 
          UM, I, I DON'T HAVE THE HOUSE BILL, UH, NUMBER WITH ME, BUT I COULD CERTAINLY FIND IT VERY QUICKLY IF YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED, UM, THIS AFTERNOON. 
          UM, AND SO I, I DID, BY THE WAY, I DID CONTACT THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND EXPRESSED TO THEM, UM, OR THE SECRETARY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE LEGIS LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO INFORM THEM OF THE COST AND THE CONCERNS ABOUT A LOST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AS WELL. 
          SO, UM, AND THEN THE FINAL AREA HERE IS, UH, THE CHILDCARE BENEFIT. 
          AS YOU MAY RECALL, BACK WHEN WE, UM, DURING THE ESSER FUNDING PERIOD, UH, WE DID HAVE IMPLEMENTED A, AN CHILDCARE PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES AS A BENEFIT. 
          AND SO THAT, THAT PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED. 
          UM, THERE ARE ABOUT 200 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM, UH, DISTRICTWIDE, AND THE COST IS ABOUT $338,000. 
          WE DO, UH, UH, HAVE A SMALL NOMINAL FEE FOR EMPLOYEES AND PARENTS, UM, WHICH GENERATES ABOUT $150,000 TO OFFSET THIS COST. 
          SO THE TOTAL OF THE COSTS HERE ARE $6.2 MILLION, BRINGING THE GRAND TOTAL OF ALL COMPENSATION INCREASES IN THE BUDGET FOR TO 15.2 MILLION. 
          SO THE NEXT PRIORITY, PRIORITY NUMBER TWO, WAS A TARGETED INVESTMENT IN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, UH, MUL MULT MULTILINGUAL PROGRAM SUPPORT ABOUT $200,000. 
          WE HAVE, UH, TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE, UH, FUNDED, WILL BE FUNDED IN THIS, UH, CATEGORY, UH, ADDING CERTIFIED TEACHERS. 
          AND THEN YOU'LL SEE SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT OF 336,000. 
          THERE ARE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, UM, TO SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION, BOTH TEACHERS AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS MONTESSORI. 
          UM, WE HAVE A ONE SCHOOL, UH, WAS REDUCED, UM, HAD SOME SMALLER ENROLLMENT IN MONTESSORI IN, UH, PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN. 
          SO THIS, UH, THIS BUDGET PROVIDES FUNDING TO TRANSITION, UH, ONE KINDER AND ONE, UH, ONE KINDER AND ONE PRE-K CLASSROOM TO A MONTESSORI TO PROVIDE MORE, UM, A NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL AND TO HELP PROMOTE, UH, STUDENTS AND RE UM, AND ATTRACT THEM BACK TO THE SCHOOL. 
          HAVING THE MONTESSORI PROGRAM, UH, CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION INCREASES. 
          UH, WE HAVE A NEW, UH, FACILITY AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. 
          SO THIS IS A POSITION FOR THE AUTO TECHNOLOGY CLASSROOM. 
          UM, WE HAVE ALTERNATIVE AND EXTENDED YEAR OPPORTUNITIES. 
          SO THIS IS A COM COMBINATION OF FUNDING THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT, UH, BOTH RIGHT CHOICES AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR OPTIONS, 346,000. 
          UM, THE CHARTER SCHOOL ALLOCATION. 
          UM, SO OUR, WE HAVE A STATE FORMULA THAT'S REQUIRED TO ALLOCATE, UH, BASED ON FUNDING FROM THE PRIOR YEAR'S REVENUES. 
          SO THIS YEAR'S REVENUE ALLOCATION WILL, UH, IS, IS THE CALCULATION NEEDED FOR NEXT YEAR'S RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL ALLOCATION. 
          SO A COMBINATION OF AN INCREASED REVENUE SOURCE THIS YEAR DUE TO THE TAX INCREASE THAT WE HAD, UM, THIS PAST YEAR, BUDGET YEAR, UM, WITH A PRIMARY, UM, REASON OF INCREASING TEACHER SALARIES. 
          AND SECONDARILY, THE IN, THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT FOR RIVERVIEW, ALL WITHIN THE ALLOTTED ALLOCATION. 
          UM, THEY WERE AT 695 STUDENTS APPROXIMATELY, AND WILL BE ANTICIPATING RAISING ABOUT 15 STUDENTS THROUGH THE YEAR. 
          SO A COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO THINGS CALCULATES TO A $1.2 MILLION INCREASE. 
          AND LASTLY, THE, UH, BEAUFORT JASPER ACE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. 
          UM, THEIR SCHOOL FOLLOWS THE SALARIES AND BENEFIT INCREASES OF THE, OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PER BOARD POLICY. 
          AND AS A RESULT, UH, THEIR TEACHER SALARIES WILL INCREASE AS WELL. 
          AND, UM, THEY 
          [00:30:01]
WILL, AT A COST OF ABOUT 145,000 FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THERE'LL BE A CORRESPONDING INCREASE FOR JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL. 
          AND I FORGOT TO MENTION ONE THING, AND IT RELATES TO BOTH ACE AND THE CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION INCREASES. 
          UM, THERE IS A BILL, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S PASSED YET, BUT TO THE BILL IN THE, IN THE LEGISLATURE IS TO PROVIDE EXPERIENCE CREDIT TO CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS FOR THE EXPERIENCE THEY HAD IN INDUSTRY PRIOR TO COMING TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION. 
          SO THAT IS GOING, THERE IS FUNDING IN THE BUDGET, ABOUT $200,000 TO SUPPORT THAT UN ALSO UNFUNDED MANDATE, UM, THAT WOULD COME, UH, AS A RESULT OF THIS BILL. 
          AND IT DOES SEND, TEND TO MY FEELINGS ABOUT IT, IS THAT IT IS A FAVORABLE, UM, THAT, UH, IT IS FAVORABLE AND THAT IT IS A POSSIBILITY, HAS A GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING THIS YEAR. 
          SO THE TOTAL OF THIS CATEGORY IS OUR $2.9 MILLION OF INCREASES. 
          SO PRIOR PRIORITY THREE IS ESSENTIAL OPERATING SERVICES. 
          UH, SO WE SEE, I HAVE A COMBINATION HERE. 
          CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE GROUNDS WASTE, UM, IS ON, IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS OF INCREASES. 
          SO A COMBINATION OF THOSE, UM, SERVICE CONTRACTS THAT WE ARE ARE OUTSOURCING FOR THE DISTRICT. 
          ALSO, UTILITIES WE'RE SEEING INCREASES, UH, IN ENERGY, INCREASES IN WATER, MAJOR INCREASES IN WATER AND SEWER AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS, ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS, UM, PROPERTY AND, UH, LIABILITY INSURANCE, 428,000. 
          UM, WE DID, UH, WE HAD, AND IN SOME OF THESE CASES WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT THIS YEAR AND HAVING TO OFFSET THEM WITH SAVINGS IN OTHER AREAS. 
          UM, SO THAT'S THE CASE WITH PROPERTY INSURANCE. 
          WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER INCREASE 'CAUSE WE'RE MAKING UP FOR THAT AND, AND PUT ADDING ON A LITTLE MORE. 
          SO, UM, INSURANCE IS INCREASING AS WELL. 
          UH, WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS OF 354,000. 
          UH, WE HAVE COMPENSATION STUDY. 
          UH, SO THIS IS THE, UH, EVERY FIVE YEARS APPROXIMATELY. 
          WE HAVE A ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLASSIFIED COMPENSATION STUDY TO SEE, UH, IF THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH COM COMPETITIVELY, UM, WITH OUR PEERS ACROSS THE REGION, UH, OR ACROSS THE NATION. 
          UM, AND SO THIS IS A, AN AMOUNT PLACED IN THE BUDGET TO DO A STUDY, UH, THIS SCHOOL YEAR FOR POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION IN A FUTURE YEAR. 
          TRANSPORTATION COSTS. 
          YOU'VE SEEN THE GAS, YOU'VE SEEN THE PRICE OF THE GAS PUMP. 
          UH, SO THIS IS FOR FUEL AND ADDITIONAL HALF OF A POSITION IN THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICE FOR A MECHANIC. 
          UM, SO 189,000 WOULD ATTRIBUTE IS ATTRIBUTED TO THOSE FUEL COSTS AND ADDITIONAL STAFFING REQUESTS, UH, DISTRICT SUPPORT. 
          THERE ARE OTHER, UH, POSITIONS IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE. 
          I THINK THIS IS, UH, TWO POSITIONS. 
          UM, AND I HAVE SOME DETAILS, UH, LATER IN, IN THE HANDOUTS. 
          UM, PEST MANAGEMENT, WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK FOR SOME REASON IN PEST, UH, IN THE MANAGEMENT PEST MANAGEMENT AREA. 
          SO THERE IS AN INCREASE THERE. 
          AND STORM WATER AND, UH, POLICE FEES, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, UH, DUE TO POLICE FEES IN THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AREA THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. 
          UM, SO BASICALLY WE RECEIVE A TAX BILL FOR OUR SCHOOLS. 
          AND THE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO TAXES ASSESSED THERE, THERE ARE STORMWATER FEES. 
          AND IN HILTON HEAD THERE ARE POLICE FEES AS WELL. 
          AND SOME ARE RELATIVELY, UM, HIGH IN CON TERMS OF, UM, OF THE FEES ARE. 
          SO $50,000 IS, UH, PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE INCREASE TO MATCH THE, UH, HISTORICAL AND RECENTLY, UM, INCREASED RATES AT FOR STORMWATER. 
          UH, SO TOTAL OPERATIONAL INCREASES TOTAL OF ABOUT $3.4 MILLION. 
          UH, I WANNA NOTE THAT, UM, SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON. 
          UM, AND IN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE NEW FACILITIES AND WE HAVE REBUILT FACILITIES. 
          UM, I WANNA DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO. 
          WHEN WE HAVE NEW BUILDINGS OPENING, SUCH AS MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, INCREASE COSTS IN A SCHOOL WHERE WE'RE REBUILDING, WE MAY BE BUILDING A NEW BUILDING AND DEMOLISHING AN OLD ONE. 
          WE MAY KEEP SIMILAR OR MAY REDUCE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, WE 
          [00:35:01]
COULD HAVE SAVINGS IN THE BUDGET, UM, OR IF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER, WE COULD HAVE A SLIGHTLY HIGHER, UH, ENERGY COSTS, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          BUT WE'RE, AS WE'RE BUILDING NEW BUILDINGS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SAVINGS BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCIES THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE BUILDING. 
          SO, UM, SO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW BUILDINGS THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING, AND WHEN YOU, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT A FIVE-YEAR PROJECTION OF, OF WHAT THE OPERATING COSTS WILL BE AS A RESULT OF THE NEW BUILDINGS, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE MORE WITH THE NEW FACILITIES THAT ARE BRAND NEW, UH, AND AREN'T REBUILDING ANOTHER, AS OPPOSED TO RENOVATING OR, OR, UM, OR ADDING A WING OR, UH, REBUILDING AND DEMOLISHING ANOTHER SPACE. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, SOME CHANGES IN THE PATTERNS OF OUR ENERGY, WATER, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND, UM, THOSE SORTS OF UTILITIES AS WELL. 
          AND LASTLY, PRIORITY NUMBER FOUR. 
          UM, OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 
          UM, SO, UH, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICES IS, ARE, IS THE, UH, TOP ITEM, UH, AT $389,384. 
          UH, THIS DOES REPRESENT A 7% INCREASE FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND WE ESTIMATED A 4% INCREASE IN THE SECURITY GUARD CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, CONTRACTS FOR SECURITY GUARDS OF 300,000. 
          THIS IS FOR ADDITIONAL SECURITY GUARDS THAT WILL BE NEEDED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT, UH, THE WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS. SO, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS SAFETY CONTRACTS. 
          I MENTIONED EARLIER, ALARMS, SPRINKLERS, CAMERAS, UM, UH, BADGE ACCESS. 
          UH, THERE ARE INCREASES IN THESE CONTRACTS AS WELL OF 391,000 AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS STAFFING. 
          UM, AND THERE'S, UH, A POSITION REQUESTED, UH, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT WITH BENEFITS OF 93,000 TO SUPPORT HEALTH AND WELLNESS DISTRICTWIDE, AND TO OFFSET, UM, SOME OF THOSE COSTS. 
          UH, WE DO LOOK FOR REDUCTIONS IN AREAS, AND THERE ARE TWO MAJOR REDUCTIONS THAT HELP US TO OFFSET THE, THE COST INCREASES. 
          UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, EACH YEAR WE DO HAVE, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME VACANCIES, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN REDUCING DR, UM, BECAUSE OF THE SALARY EFFORTS THAT WE'VE MADE. 
          UM, AND SO WE DO ESTIMATE CONSERVATIVELY THAT, UH, THERE'S A, WILL BE A SALARY SLIPPAGE. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE, UH, SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT NOT BE HIRED AT THE FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, OR MIGHT LEAVE DURING THE MIDDLE OF SCHOOL YEAR. 
          WE MIGHT GO WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, A POSITION OR A PERSON IN THE POSITION FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. 
          THEY MIGHT LEAVE EARLY, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS VARIETY OF THINGS. 
          UM, BUT WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT WE COULD CAPTURE IT BACK ANOTHER $3.1 MILLION IN SALARY SLIPPAGE TO OFFSET THE COST OF THIS BUDGET. 
          UM, WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE WOULDN'T TAKE EVERY DIME BECAUSE THERE ARE OFTENTIMES ADJUSTMENTS DURING THE YEAR THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR. 
          BUT THIS IS A, A, A CONSERVATIVE, BUT YET, UM, UH, IT, IT'S AN AN AMOUNT THAT ALLOWS US TO HELP TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET, UM, FORMULA-BASED STAFFING REDUCTIONS AS WELL. 
          SO EACH YEAR WE HAVE A HUGE EFFORT TO, UM, WE HAVE A STAFFING FORMULAS FOR EVERY, EVERY SCHOOL, UM, THAT WE HAVE AN ELEMENTARY, A PRE-K EIGHT, A MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND A HIGH SCHOOL STAFFING FORMULA. 
          WHEN WE APPLY THOSE FORMULAS AND APPLY THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENTS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, UM, WE, AND WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE SOME, UH, REDUCTIONS IN STAFFING AS A RESULT OF DECLINES IN ENROLLMENT. 
          UH, THERE'S SOME SLIGHT DECLINES IN SOME SCHOOLS, AND, UM, SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE, UM, THIS HELPS TO OFFSET THE REDUCTIONS, UH, OFFSET THE INCREASES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, SO WE CAN HAVE CONSISTENTLY ESTIMATED 1% YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
          UM, AND THAT NUMBER HAS PROVED TO, UH, PROVED IT SERVED US VERY WELL IN PREVIOUS YEARS BUDGETS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, AS OUR MOST PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE TOO ARE EXPERIENCING SOME, SOME SLIGHT DEC DECLINE DECLINES IN ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS. 
          OUR STAFFING IS LARGELY BASED ON A FORMULA. 
          UH, IT HAS TO BE DONE ON A FORMULA IN ORDER TO BE EQUITABLE. 
          BECAUSE OUR FEDERAL FUNDING THAT SUP SUPPLEMENTS THESE FUNDS, THESE OPERATIONAL FUNDS, HAS TO PROVE THAT WE ARE DOING A, UM, PROVIDING STAFF AND, AND OTHER SUPPORTS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE BASIC STAFFING FORMULA ALLOWS. 
          SO IT, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, PARTICULARLY IN THE BUDGET, REQUIRE A, ARE BASED ON A FORMULA. 
          SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE DO SEE 
          [00:40:01]
SOME, UH, UM, STAFFING REDUCTIONS AT AMOUNT OF $1.2 MILLION. 
          AND SO THE TOTAL OFFSETS AND REDUCTIONS ARE $4.3 MILLION. 
          SO WHEN WE BRING THOSE ALL TOGETHER, THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES, SO OUR TOTAL, UH, APPROVED EXPENDITURES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR ARE $377 MILLION. 
          UH, EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AT 15.2 MILLION, INCREASE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AT 2.9, OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AT 3.4, SAFETY AND SECURITY 1.2, AND THEN OUR OFFSETS AND REDUCTIONS OF 4.3 GIVE US A TOTAL INCREASE OF $18 MILLION. 
          UM, THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IS $395,321,600. 
          83% OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION. 
          NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE FUNDS, WHERE THE FUNDS WILL COME FROM IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL. 
          SO THE PROPOSED REVENUES, AGAIN, I MENTIONED EACH YEAR, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UM, PRI TWO PRIMARY AREAS. 
          WE HAVE LOCAL STATE, AND THEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS IN THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET. 
          AND SO, UM, THE WHITE AREA IS THE STATE FUNDING. 
          IT'S 34.1% OF THE TOTAL REVENUES IN THIS BUDGET. 
          IT DID DECREASE THIS YEAR FROM 36%. 
          UM, SO THE FUNDING, AND YOU'LL SEE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, I HAVE, UH, THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE, UH, BEHIND THE GRAPH, AND YOU'LL SEE HOW OUR STATE FUNDING HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          UH, LOCAL IS NOW AT 65.6% UP FROM 64% LAST YEAR. 
          AND THEN LOCAL, UH, EXCUSE ME, FEDERAL AND OTHER TRANSFERS IN FROM OTHER, UH, STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES IS LESS THAN 1% AT 0.3%. 
          UH, MOST FEDERAL FUNDING IS IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, LIKE THE TITLE FUNDS, TITLE 1, 3, 2, 4, AND SO ON. 
          SO I'M GONNA START WITH LOCAL FUNDING. 
          AND THE KEY TO THIS SLIDE IS THE VALUE OF THE MILL. 
          THAT IS THE MOST KEY, THE KEY PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO BUILD THIS BUDGET ON YOUR TAX BILLS. 
          THE NEXT TIME YOU RECEIVE A TAX BILL. 
          UNDER SCHOOL OPERATIONS TAXES, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. ONE IS SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND SCHOOL DEBT. 
          AND SO THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS TAXES ON THAT TAX BILL ALL COME INTO THIS FUNDING SOURCE. 
          YOU WILL SEE THE MILLAGE RATE OF 1 26 0.1 THERE. 
          ACCORDING TO STATE LAW, PRIMARY HOMES ARE EXEMPT FROM SCHOOL OPERATING TAXES. 
          SO THERE ARE NO PRIMARY HOMES PAYING IN TO THE OPERATIONS, UH, TO PAY FOR TEACHER SALARIES IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET IN SOUTH CAROLINA DUE TO ACT 3 88. 
          THE HOWEVER THE TAX DOES APPLY TO BUSINESSES, SECOND HOMES, VEHICLES, WATERCRAFT, ET CETERA, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE GENERATE FROM THESE TAXES IS APPROXIMATELY 243, UH, $242 MILLION THIS YEAR. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE PROJECTED 2026 IN THE FAR LEFT HAND COLUMN, AND THE LOCAL REVENUE SUPPORTING THAT IS $242 MILLION, UH, AT A RATE, UH, AT A MILL RATE OF 2120 6.1. 
          SO IF YOU DIVIDE 242 THOU MILLION DOLLARS DIVIDED BY 126, YOU GET THE MILL VALUE OF 1 MILLION 925 6 52. 
          THAT IS THE VALUE OF THE OPERATING MILLAGE FOR BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS OR OTHER ENTITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY, UH, THE, THE MILLAGE, UM, FOR THEIR SCHOOL, UH, FOR THEIR OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR THE ENTITY, MUNICIPALITY AND THEIR DEBT ARE THE SAME. 
          OURS ARE NOT. 
          OUR MILL VALUE IS 2 MILLION BASICALLY FOR OPERATIONS AND $3 MILLION FOR DEBT SERVICE. 
          SO WE JUST WANNA DRAW A LITTLE DISTINCTION THERE. 
          THIS $242 MILLION MAKES UP TWO THIRDS OF THE FUNDING FOR OUR, FOR ENTIRE BUDGET. 
          WE'RE FORTUNATE IN BEAUFORT TO HAVE A MILL VALUE THAT'S GROWING. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE OVER THE YEARS, I THINK I'VE PROVIDED LIKE NINE OR 10 YEARS THERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S BEEN GROWING YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
          AND THE GROWTH FACTOR IS IN THE, ON THE FAR 
          [00:45:01]
RIGHT HAND SIDE, SOME YEARS MORE THAN OTHERS. 
          REASSESSMENT YEAR IN 2019 GREW ABOUT THE SAME AS NORMAL. 
          BUT OUR MILL VALUE WAS PROJECTED WHEN WE PREPARED THE BUDGET AT A MUCH LOWER LEVEL. 
          WE HAD A HUGE SHORTFALL THAT YEAR. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH WHAT WE'RE, UH, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE CALCULATING PART. 
          AND IT'S PARTICULARLY HARD TO CALCULATE IT IN A REASSESSMENT YEAR, 2024, THOUGH WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE. 
          UM, THE T THE, THE HOME VALUES WENT WAY UP. 
          THE ECONOMY, UM, HOME, HOME PRICES WERE UP, AND WE HAD A, AN INCREASE, A LARGE INCREASE OF 14.6% THAT YEAR. 
          AND SO WE ENDED UP, YOU'LL SEE IN, IN A FUTURE SLIDE WHERE WE HAD SOME EXCESS REVENUES THAT YEAR THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH AND SAVE IN, IN OUR RESERVE FUNDS. 
          AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD ON THAT, AND IT OFFERED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE IN FUTURE YEARS. 
          UM, SO, UM, JUST A LAST NOTE ON THIS ITEM. 
          UH, WE HAVE A REAS. 
          UM, WE WON'T HAVE A REASSESSMENT AGAIN, UH, UNTIL, UM, SCHOOL YEAR 28 29. 
          SO THAT'LL BE THE NEXT YEAR OF A REASSESSMENT. 
          UM, SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING, UM, A 5% GROWTH FACTOR IN THE MILL VALUE BASED ON ACTUAL COLLECTIONS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING. 
          SO WHEN WE MAY RECEIVE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A MILL VALUE FROM THE COUNTY YET. 
          UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT OUR NUMBER, A MORE CONSERVATIVE NUMBER, WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR OUR DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NO SHORTFALLS IN TAX REVENUE IN LOCAL TAX REVENUE. 
          SO, HISTORICAL MILL OPERATING MILLAGE, YOU'LL SEE IT, UH, WAS AT ONE 13.5, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND WE'VE HAD SOME DIPS, UM, DUE TO REASSESSMENT. 
          UH, AND THEN WE'VE MADE, MANAGED TO MOVE THAT TO ANOTHER, UH, A LEVEL, UM, THAT'S BEEN RELATIVELY STABLE THE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          THE NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES, UM, THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE GRAPHS AND THE CHARTS. 
          UM, SO ONE, YOU'LL SEE THE VARIANCE. 
          SO THE BUDGET, WE HAVE A BUDGET TO ACTUAL BACK TO, UH, SCHOOL YEAR 21, 22. 
          YOU'LL SEE THAT WE CAME ABOVE, UH, OUR BUDGET IN ALL OF THESE YEARS. 
          AND WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING THIS YEAR, WE BELIEVE WILL BE ABOVE THE BUDGET AS WELL. 
          UM, AT THE TIME OF THIS, UM, PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT, WE PROJECTED 3.5 MILLION. 
          UH, OUR REVENUES WEREN'T QUITE AS GOOD AS WE THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA BE. 
          NOT, NOT BAD, BUT WE WERE. 
          UM, SO OUR PROJECTIONS MAY SHOW THAT THIS NUMBER COMES DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT STILL, WELL, UH, STILL ABOVE THE PROJECTED AMOUNT. 
          SO BASED ON THE FI, UM, 5% INCREASE, UH, WE DO PROJECT 254,000,966 FOR THE NEXT YEAR, UM, WITH THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE. 
          SO WHAT THIS SHOWS IS ACTUAL LOCAL TAX REVENUES HAVE EXCEEDED THE BUDGET IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. 
          SO THAT SHOWS WE HAVE BUDGETED CONSERVATIVELY, BUT ACCURATELY, LOCAL REVENUE TRENDS ARE STABLE AND GROWING, AND IT SUPPORTS THE CONFIDENCE IN THE REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS THAT THEY'RE WE'RE MAKING. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE IN A MOMENT WHEN WE LOOK AT STATE REVENUES, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR, WE HAVE A POSITIVE VARIANCE HERE, BECAUSE IN SOME YEARS WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE IN THE STATE, UM, IN THE STATE REVENUES. 
          SO THE STATE REVENUE ALLOCATIONS, YOU SEE ABOUT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 YEARS HERE, THEY'VE BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, SHOWING AN INCREASED NEED OF SUPPORT FROM LOCAL TAX REVENUE. 
          STATE REVENUES HAVE SOUGHT FALLEN SHORT IN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 25 BY $2.6 MILLION, AND THEY'RE PROJECTED TO FALL SHORT BY $3.8 MILLION. 
          THIS YEAR. 
          WE WERE GIVEN A PROJECTION IN STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS OF $54 MILLION DURING THIS TIME LAST YEAR IN THE HOUSE PROJECTIONS AND THE NUMBERS. 
          UM, INSTEAD OF 54 MILLION, WE ARE BEING ALLOCATED 50 MILLION, UH, IN STATE AID CLASSROOMS. UM, THEY'RE RETURNING THAT ALLOCATION TO 54 MILLION NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT IT IS NOT AN INCREASE IN THE BUDGET. 
          IT IS, IT IS A FLAT AMOUNT GOING ACROSS FOR US. 
          IT'S AN INCREASE FROM WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GIVE US IN THE CURRENT YEAR TO WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING TO RECEIVE NEXT YEAR. 
          UM, SO IF THERE'S ANY WORD OF AN INCREASE IN STATE REVENUE, IT'S NOT AN INCREASE. 
          IT'S, IT'S AN, UM, IT'S A FLAT BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR US. 
          SO IT IS 
          [00:50:01]
WHEN WE, UM, HAVE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE, UM, LOWERED FUNDING THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR PURPOSES OF PARTICULARLY OF THE STATE AID TO CLASSROOM LINE ITEM, WHICH IS THE, ONE OF THE LARGEST LINE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE. 
          THAT IS THE PRIMARY STATE FUNDING FORMULA IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          WHEN WE FALL SHORT THERE, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME SAFETY NET, ANOTHER PLAN FOR FUNDING TO OFFSET THESE COSTS. 
          SO THE REVENUE PLAN WITH EXISTING MILLAGE, UH, THIS, THIS BUDGET DOES, UH, PROVIDES FOR NO MILLAGE INCREASE. 
          UM, AND IT HELPS TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE 126.1 MILLS. 
          IT WOULD GENERATE LOCAL TAX REVENUE OF A 259 MILLION, UH, STATE REVENUE OF 135 MILLION AND OTHER REVENUE, FEDERAL AND OTHER REVENUE SOURCES. 
          SO THESE ARE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF IMPACT AID, A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, E-RATE FUNDING ARE THE FEDERAL SOURCES HERE. 
          AND THEN OTHER REVENUE IS PRIMARILY INDIRECT COSTS THAT COMES FROM FEDERAL FUNDS. 
          SO FEDERAL FUNDS CAN ALLOCATE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF COSTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD COSTS TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR, FOR OPERATING THOSE GRANTS. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT THE $1.3 MILLION IS. 
          BUT OVERALL, THE TOTAL PROPOSED REVENUE BUDGET IS $395,321,600. 
          THIS BUDGET IS BALANCED WITH REVENUES EQUALING EXPENDITURES, WHICH IS A, A BOARD POLICY ACCORDING TO BOARD POLICY. 
          UM, IT BRINGS THE ENDING FUND BALANCE, IT MAINTAINS IT AT WHAT WE PROJECT TO BE 85,825,000, WHICH IS A FUND BALANCE PERCENTAGE THAT LOWERS A LITTLE. 
          UM, BUT WE ALL, WE GENERALLY, UH, CONSERVATIVELY BUDGET SO THAT WE, UH, OUTPERFORM THAT FUND BALANCE PERCENTAGE. 
          THE DAYS OF OPERATIONS IN BOARD POLICY SAYS THAT WE MAY NOT GO UNDER 60 DAYS OF OPERATIONS. 
          THIS MAINTAINS US AT 74 DAYS OF OPERATIONS. 
          SO WITH THIS SLIDE, WE'RE, UH, STATING THAT WE'RE MEETING BOARD POLICY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE PROPOSING. 
          SO THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO APPROVE, NOT TODAY, BUT UH, ON MAY 19TH, UH, APPROVE AN EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF 395,321,600. 
          AND, AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET DATE OF CERTIFICATION WOULD BE MAY 19TH. 
          UM, AND JUST A, UM, FEW WEEKS AWAY. 
          SO THE NEXT STEPS ARE THAT WE SEEK BOARD INPUT TODAY. 
          UH, WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR ESTIMATES BASED ON LEGIS, ANY LEGISLATIVE PROJECTIONS THAT WE RECEIVED, OR INTERNAL INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE. 
          AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN TO COLLABORATE WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS. 
          UM, MAY 18TH IS THE FIRST, UM, FIRST LOOK OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET WITH COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          THAT WILL BE A ON MONDAY, MAY 18TH TYPIC AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          UM, SO I'LL TURN THE SLIDE AND YOU'LL SEE THE TIMELINE HERE. 
          AND I THREW DREW SOME ARROWS TO KIND OF SHOW YOU KNOW, WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GOING. 
          SO, UH, MAY 5TH IS THE NEXT BOARD DISCUSSION, UH, AT A REGULAR BOARD MEETING. 
          MAY 18TH IS THE COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. 
          TYPICALLY IT'S AT TWO O'CLOCK. 
          I'LL, I'LL, UH, CONFIRM THAT TIME AND DATE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT OUT TO YOU ALL. 
          UM, AND MAY 19TH IS, UH, IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE BOARD CERTIFICATION. 
          THEN WE GO TO FIRST READING ON TUESDAY, MAY 26TH, THE DAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY. 
          UM, SO THAT'S AN UNUSUAL FOR A TUESDAY FOR COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT IT'S, THERE'S A HOLIDAY THERE. 
          AND THEN, UH, THEN WE'LL GO TO SECOND READING ON JUNE 8TH AND THIRD READING ON JUNE 22ND WITH HOPEFULLY AN FINAL ADOPTION AND FINAL READING OF THE B OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET. 
          SO THE LAST SLIDE IS, IS A THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR, UM, ENTERTAINING THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND TO ALL OF THE ENTITIES, UH, ALL OF THE GROUPS THAT PROVIDED STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK. 
          UM, I FEEL LIKE THIS BUDGET REALLY, UH, WAS A REAL KIND OF A TRANSFORMATION IN THE WAY WE DID THE STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK THIS YEAR. 
          AND I FOUND IT VERY HELPFUL TO DO THAT VERY EARLY AND HAVE THE BUDGET BUILT ON THE A THE, UM, UM, WITH, WITH THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES THAT WERE COMMUNICATED, UM, FROM THE VARIOUS GROUPS AND PUBLIC INPUT CAN STILL BE ACCEPTED. 
          THERE'S AN EMAIL ADDRESS HERE THAT WILL GO TO THE ENTIRE BUDGET TEAM. 
          AND FINALLY, I WANNA THANK THE BUDGET TEAM FOR ALL THE EFFORTS THAT THEY'VE DONE. 
          UM, KATIE ABAR IS OUR DIRECTOR OF BUDGET. 
          CINDY PHILLIPS IS RUNNING THE POWERPOINT FOR US AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AND, AND 
          [00:55:01]
SHE'S OUR ECONOMIST OF THE GROUP. 
          SO SHE'S MAKING SURE WE'RE JUST STAYING IN LINE WITH THE ECONOMIC, UH, INTERESTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ON TRACK. 
          UM, LOU ACKERMAN AND JIMMY LEVI ARE BOTH, UH, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE DETAILS AND IN THE TRENCHES AND GETTING THIS ALL DONE. 
          SO, UH, I WANNA THANK THEM PUBLICLY AND, UH, ALL THE OTHER SENIOR STAFF WE'VE MET MULTIPLE TIMES AND, UH, MANY OTHER GROUPS. 
          AND, UH, IT'S A HUGE EFFORT. 
          BUT WE, UH, I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION THA SO I CONCLUDE AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS, COLONEL GUY. 
          UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, VERY IN DEBT, UH, BRIEFING. 
          BUT I HAVE ISSUES. 
          UH, FIRST ISSUE IS, UM, I HAVE ONLY ONE EXCEPTION WITH THE EXPENDITURES, BUT I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH THE REVENUE PROJECTION. 
          UH, THIS IS A TIME OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE THERE'S A THING CALLED ECONOMIC LAG, WHICH MEANS ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF CURRENT EVENTS TAKE MONTHS BEFORE THEY HIT THE ECONOMY. 
          AND RIGHT NOW, UH, WE HAVE A WAR AND WE HAVE ENERGY ISSUES AND SUPPLY ISSUES, CRITICAL SUPPLY ISSUES THAT ARE NOT COMING IN THOSE COSTS HAVE NOT HIT YET. 
          THE INFLATION NUMBERS THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE THE STATE INFLATION NUMBERS. 
          THEY ARE NOT BEAUFORT COUNTY INFLATION NUMBERS. 
          BEAUFORT COUNTY INFLATION NUMBERS, ACCORDING TO A BEAUFORT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          UH, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS PRESENTED AT, UH, DATTA ISLAND ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, SAID THAT THE INFLATION RATE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS APPROACHING 4%. 
          4%. 
          AND THEY USE THIS DATA MOSTLY BECAUSE OF HOUSING MARKET COSTS TO, FOR A FAMILY TO AFFORD A HOUSE AT THE MEDIAN, UH, PRICE LEVEL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE, ACCORDING TO THIS ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, THIS FAMILY NEEDS TO HAVE A INCOME OF $166,489. 
          THAT GIVES YOU A IMPACT OF THE HOUSE. 
          THAT'S FOR A HOUSE. 
          AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RENTAL PROPERTY, UH, IT'S HIGHER ACTUALLY THAN, UH, NORTH CHARLESTON. 
          AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHERE, UH, WE ARE COMPETING WITH. 
          YOU DON'T SHOW THE CHARLESTON 26, 27 TEACHER SALARY. 
          WE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN WHAT THEY HAD THIS YEAR. 
          THAT'S WHO WE COMPETE WITH FOR TEACHERS. 
          IT'S A LABOR MARKET. 
          IT'S THE TEACHER LABOR MARKET, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER LABOR MARKETS. 
          AND WE MUST COMPETE WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG TEACHERS. 
          THE STATE REVENUE THAT YOU, UH, PROPOSE OR ANTICIPATE IS AN ASSUMPTION, AND IT'S A DANGEROUS ASSUMPTION BECAUSE IT'S DONE DURING AN ELECTION YEAR. 
          AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FLAT STATE REVENUE. 
          I THINK WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, THEY'LL FIGURE OUT A WAYS TO CUT IT SO THEY CAN COME BACK TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND SAY, WE'RE SAVING YOU MONEY. 
          THIS BUDGET TAKES EFFECT ON THE 1ST OF JULY. 
          WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET, WHAT THE, UH, ECONOMIC SITUATION IS IN THE 1ST OF JULY. 
          I CONTEND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE GRAVE. 
          SO THIS NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE ANTICIPATING, I THINK ARE PREMATURE. 
          WE HAVE TIME TO FOLLOW THIS MARKET. 
          I BELIEVE THAT KEEPING MILLAGE RATE FLAT IS A STRATEGIC MISTAKE. 
          KEEPING MILLAGE RATE FLAT IS GREAT FOR YOUR POLITICAL, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT. 
          BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS, 
          [01:00:01]
AS INFLATION HITS AND YOU KEEP YOUR TAX RATE STABLE, THAT JUST MEANS YOU'RE KICKING THAT INFLATION RATE DOWN THE ROAD. 
          SO IF WE KEEP OUR REVENUE AT FLAT, OUR, OUR MILLAGE RATE AS FLAT, AND IT, IN ACTUALITY THE, THE EXPENDITURES ARE THREE TO 4%, THEN THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, INCREASE OF THE PREVIOUS YEARS, UH, INCREASE THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE. 
          AND THE NEXT YEAR. 
          SO WE DOUBLE OUR, AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR, HOW WE DID, UH, MILLAGE RATES IN THE PAST, UH, WE DID THAT, AND ESPECIALLY THIS IS THE LAST YEAR BEFORE REASSESSMENT YEAR. 
          THAT'S ANOTHER UNCERTAINTY THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH. 
          AND IT'S BETTER TO BE UNCERTAIN POSITIVE THAN UNCERTAIN NEGATIVE. 
          AND, AND I, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE 2019 AND WE HAD A $9 MILLION REVENUE DEFICIT, AND WE HAD A HARD TIME GETTING OUT OF THAT DEFICIT. 
          AND HAVING A DEFICIT, A REVENUE DEFICIT IS ALSO HARMS OUR, UH, CREDIT RATING WHEN WE LOOK AT IT. 
          THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO TAKE A CHANCE AND GET A NEGATIVE REVENUE, UH, RECEIPT BASED ON YOUR ASSUMPTIONS. 
          IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A POSITIVE REVENUE IMPACT AND THEN ADJUST AFTER THAT, AFTER YOUR UNCERTAINTY HAS HAD A CHANCE TO WORK ITSELF OUT. 
          SO I, I REALLY CANNOT SUPPORT THIS BUDGET AS CURRENTLY, UH, WRITTEN. 
          AND, UH, I'LL KNOW MORE, WE'LL KNOW MORE AS THE MONTHS, UH, PASS. 
          SO WE'LL HAVE TIME TO, TO ADJUST. 
          BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT I JUST MENTIONED ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, THE COST OF LIVING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          AND THAT'S WHO, UH, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PAY OUR EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY CAN AFFORD IT. 
          BUT $166,489 FOR THE AVERAGE COST OF A HOME HERE AND TEACHERS WILL COME IN, EVEN OUR TEACHERS THAT ARE MARRIED AND WE HAVE TWO INCOMES DON'T COME UP TO THAT AMOUNT. 
          SO, UH, THAT'S MY COMMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU COLONEL. 
          YES, MS. BOATWRIGHT SHORT COURT OVER HERE. 
          UM, SO IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU WOULD BE MORE IN FAVOR OF RAISING MILLAGE. 
          IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE S SUGGESTING TO ANTICIPATE SHORTFALL REVENUE? I RE I RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A, A A 3.2 MIL INCREASE IN, UH, MILLAGE. 
          THAT'S, THAT IS, UH, APPROXIMATELY, UH, UH, 3%, WHICH IS RIGHT EVIL WITH INFLATION. 
          RIGHT? SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IN RESPONSE TO THAT IS, FIRST OF ALL, IN MY FIVE YEARS ON THE BOARD, I HAVE NEVER GONE WRONG RELYING ON TANYA CROSBY'S PROJECTIONS. 
          SO I'M SURE THAT THERE IS SOME HISTORY SOMEWHERE FOR THAT. 
          BUT I ACTUALLY DO THINK WE'RE IN A VERY VARIABLE MARKET AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME DOWNSIDES 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. 
          UM, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME BIG UPSIDES. 
          I MEAN, WE COULD SWING WILDLY TO THE UPSIDE. 
          IN FACT, THE STOCK MARKET HAS COME BACK, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STOCK MARKET AS AN ECONOMIC BEACON, WHICH I DON'T TEND TO, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST AS AN EX A VERY OBVIOUS EXAMPLE, I MEAN, IT CRASHED OUT AND IT'S COME RIGHT BACK BECAUSE WE HAVE THINGS, UH, COMING ON BOARD, UH, THAT GIVE PEOPLE REASONS FOR OPTIMISM. 
          I ALSO HAVE TWO KIDS WHO HAVE GRAD, ARE GRADUATING, HAVE GRADUATED, AND ARE LOOKING AT A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE ECONOMIC MARKET. 
          BUT I REPRESENT THE SOUTH SIDE OF HILTON HEAD, WHICH IS THE SECOND HOMEOWNERS. 
          WE HAD AN AMAZING HERITAGE, THE ISLAND, THEY ADDED A THIRD FLOOR TO THE CALABOGIE CLUB. 
          LIKE WE CANNOT GET ENOUGH PEOPLE INTO THE HERITAGE. 
          SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD TOURISM SEASON, BUT IF WE START PASSING ON THESE COSTS TO BUSINESSES WHICH ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO ATTRACT WORKERS, UM, AND WE START ADDING ON THESE COSTS TO SECOND HOMEOWNERS, I THINK, UH, BASICALLY WHAT I'LL SAY RIGHT NOW WITHOUT DOING, WE'LL HEAR MORE AS WE GO ALONG IN THIS PROCESS, BUT I WOULD NOT SUPPORT A MILLAGE INCREASE. 
          THAT WOULD BE KIND OF MY STATEMENT AT THIS POINT. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN? YEAH. 
          HAVE FOLLOW UP. 
          LET ME JUST ASK IF ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU. 
          ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE 
          [01:05:01]
ANY INPUT RESPONSES? YES. 
          YES, SIR. 
          MR. SECRETARY. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          UM, SO, UM, MR. NA, BRAND NEW BAND DIRECTOR JUST GOT HIRED LAST YEAR. 
          UM, AND SINCE WE'VE COLLAPSED THE FIVE FIRST, UH, THE FIRST FIVE STEPS, UM, THE, THERE IS AN INCREASE TO THE FIRST FIVE STEPS. 
          AM I LOCKED IN INTO LAST YEAR'S PAY FOR THE, THE FIRST FIVE STEPS, OR AM I GOING TO GET THE $2,500 INCREASE? YOU GET THE 2,500 INCREASE. 
          OH, EXCELLENT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UM, IS ADDING A STEP NOW WE'RE GOING TO 31 STEPS MM-HMM . 
          AT WHAT POINT DO WE HIT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, SURPASS THE POINT OF DIMINISHING RETURN? AT WHAT POINT IS IT GOING TO BECOME NOT COST EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN? I KNOW WE'RE USING THIS AS KIND OF A, UH, A RECRUITING TOOL TO MAINTAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR SENIOR TEACHERS AND I GET THAT. 
          UH, BUT AT WHAT POINT ARE WE LIKE REALLY STARTING TO PAY A LOT OF MONEY? 33, 35 STEPS? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S OUR EXIT STRATEGY WHEN, WHEN WE'RE GONNA DECIDE TO CAP OUT? UM, WELL, CHARLESTON IS AT 40 STEPS. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          YES. 
          SO, UH, AND A FEW OTHER DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE ARE HIGH, MUCH HIGHER AS WELL, OR NOT HIGHER THAN 40, BUT THAT'S THE HIGHEST I'VE SEEN. 
          UM, SO OTHERS AS MANY AS 35. 
          BUT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, UH, I DON'T HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY, UM, BUT I FELT LIKE 31, UH, THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE. 
          AND IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE. 
          SO THE COST IS RELATIVELY MINIMAL CONSIDERED TO THE, CONSIDERING THE IMPACT OF, OF, UH, UM, MAINTAINING THOSE MOST VETERAN TEACHERS. 
          SO, UH, FOR ME IT'S MORE OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO MAINTAIN THOSE TEACHERS THAT WISH TO STAY A LITTLE LONGER THAN THEIR 28 YEARS. 
          GOTCHA. 
          AND MY AUNT IS A TEACHER AND, AND A SMALLER SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT THEY'RE BASICALLY BEGGING HER TO RETIRE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT SURE THEY CAN AFFORD HER, HER PENSION. 
          MM-HMM. 
          UH, SO SCALED UP TO OUR SIZE, I'M, I'M WONDERING THERE'S, AT SOME POINT THERE'S GONNA BE A CAP. 
          MM-HMM. 
          UM, THE, THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING, THE, I THINK IT WAS LIKE $336,000 INCREASE. 
          YES. 
          UM, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM ISN'T GOING AWAY, UM, AS FAR AS, UH, OUR NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, SPED QUALIFIED AND PARAPROFESSIONALS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          YEAH. 
          SO WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR ANOTHER $336,000 TO MITIGATE THIS, TO PUT US AHEAD OF THE CURVE? IS, IS, IS OR ARE WE JUST SCALING IT TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET, SO WE'RE JUST INCREASING AS WE INCREASE THE BUDGET. 
          SO I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA TRY THIS, BUT IF I NEED SOME HELP, I'M GONNA ASK ON, UH, DR. COX TO COME FORWARD. 
          SO THIS BUDGET HAS, UH, TWO TEACHERS AND TWO ASSISTANTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT WOULD EXPAND TO OUR SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO AS, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION, BUT IS LISTED IN OUR HANDOUTS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT ALTERNATE, ALSO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN IDEA, THE FEDERAL, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT FUNDING. 
          SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT, UH, WITH THAT FUNDING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. 
          UM, SO THEY REQUESTED MORE THAN FOUR POSITIONS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN OFF, OR, UH, ADD ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN SPECIAL REVENUE. 
          SO IN THE COMING WEEKS, UM, MR. DR. COX AND MS MATSON AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER VERY CLOSELY TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FILL. 
          SO THEY HAVE SOME STRATEGIES, UH, AS FAR AS THE STRATEGIES AND INSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF WHAT'S BEHIND THOSE, I WOULD HAVE TO YIELD TO DR. COX TO EXPLAIN KIND OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA PLAN ON DOING WITH THOSE POSITIONS. 
          BUT, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE CLUSTERED SPECIAL EDUCATION. 
          SO I THINK THE INTENTION IS TO BEGIN TO SORT OF, UH, DISTRIBUTE A FEW OF THOSE, UH, CLASSROOMS TO OTHER SCHOOLS SO THAT THERE ISN'T SUCH A HEAVY LOAD ON THE CLUSTER SCHOOLS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE ONE PRIMARY AREA. 
          UM, EXPANSION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL ED. 
          WE'RE FINDING A LOT MORE CHILDREN AND CHILD FIND, UM, THAT DO HAVE DISABILITIES AND WE COULD BRING THEM IN EARLY AND, UM, AND BEGIN TO WORK, UH, WITH THEIR, UH, IN, WITH STRATEGIES TO, UM, TO SUPPORT THEM. 
          SO, UM, IF YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE IN DEPTH THAN THAT, THEN I'LL GET SOME WE DON'T NEED TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S OF PHONE A FRIEND OVER HERE, . 
          YEAH, I GOT, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S MOVING AWAY FROM BUDGET. 
          I GET THAT. 
          UH, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE BACK ACADEMICS COMMITTEE AND DO A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE ON THAT. 
          BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO, TO, TO GO A LITTLE DEEPER ON THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SURE. 
          THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, INPUT HERE IN THE ROOM OR ONLINE? NO, BACK TO YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          SORRY. 
          YES, SIR. 
          YEAH, I DEFINITELY HAVE SOME, UH, QUESTIONS. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          MR. SMITH, PLEASE PROCEED. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UM, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THE 3% LIVING INCREASE, UM, 
          [01:10:01]
THAT'S, SO THAT 3% LIVING INCREASE THAT WE'RE GIVING OUT, THAT WILL NOT CONSIST OF THE $1,500 THAT WE, THAT, THAT WE GIVE OUT. 
          CORRECT. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE. 
          UM, THE $1,500 IS A SUPPLEMENT THAT ALL, UM, ELIGIBLE STAFF ARE ALREADY RECEIVING, FULL-TIME STAFF ARE RECEIVING. 
          UM, THAT WOULD NOT CHANGE IN THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. 
          SO THAT WOULD STILL BE, IT'S, IT'S, YOU CAN SEE IT, WE CALL IT A SUPPLEMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE A BONUS, IT'S GIVEN IN TWO INSTALLMENTS, HALF IN DECEMBER, HALF IN MAY. 
          SO THAT WOULD MAINTAINED THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE TO THAT RATE. 
          SO 3% IS ON THE BASE SALARY. 
          SO, UM, IF THE SALARY IS $50,000 A YEAR, 3% OF THAT $1,500 INCREASE FOR, OR THAT'S PROBABLY A BAD EXAMPLE. 
          'CAUSE IT COMES UP WITH THE SAME NUMBER BUT 3% ON THE BASE AND THEY WOULD MAINTAIN THE SUPPLEMENT AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          AND HAVE A STEP, AND HAVE A STEP INCREASE. 
          OH, RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT, BUT, BUT MY, MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS THIS AND, AND IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THIS 3% LIVING IN GREECE, UM, WHERE, WHERE WOULD WE PUT THAT MONEY AT? AND ALSO WHAT, WHAT, ONE OF MY ISSUES, ONE OF MY ISSUES ARE WITH THIS IS THAT, UH, FOR PEOPLE LIKE BUS DRIVERS IN THE LOWER LEVEL POSITION, THAT WITH THE CLASSIFIED, THE, THE CLASSIFIED STAFF IS THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE GIVE UP, WHEN WE GIVE THESE LIVING INCREASES THAT TEACHES TEACHERS, TEACHERS GET AN ADDITIONAL IN, TEACHERS GET A, TEACHERS ALREADY GET AN INCREASE. 
          SO NOW THEY'RE GETTING A, THEY'RE GETTING A, A NEXT THING, A A TOTAL DIFFERENT INCREASE. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND SO AND SO, SO IS THE UPPER STAFF, UH, THAT THE, THAT THE CALCIFIED STAFF IS, IS NOT GETTING. 
          AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF RETAINING TEACHERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. 
          BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT IT ALSO IN, IN RETAINING OUR, OUR CLASSIFIED STAFF AS WELL. 
          BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE CHILD, YOU LOOK AT THE, AT THE WHOLE BUILDING AND THE, AND THE WHOLE STRUCTURE OF IT AND WHAT BRINGS WHAT BRINGS ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER. 
          AND IT'S JUST, AND IT IS JUST, I, I HATE TO SAY IT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S JUST NOT TEACHERS ALONE. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS AND TEACHERS AND, AND, AND, AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, US WANTING TO BE A, A LEADING THE WAY IN TERMS OF RETAINING TEACHERS. 
          BUT WE ALSO, WE ALSO, I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE A MULTI, MULTI-TIERED AND IN, IN TERMS OF NOT JUST LEADING, NOT JUST LEADING THE WAY IN RETURN IN RETURNING OUR TEACHERS, BUT IN, IN RETURN RETURNING STAFF. 
          THAT THAT IS NECESSARY. 
          THAT THAT IS NECESSARY. 
          AND THAT IS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL. 
          YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE HAVE PLACES LIKE, UH, THE, UH, THE, UH, WAL WALMART TAKING OUR, OUR, OUR STAFF MEMBERS. 
          IT, IT, IT BEGINS TO, YOU KNOW, GET A LITTLE IRRITATED WHEN OUR STAFF SAY THAT THEY MAKE MORE, THEY CAN MAKE MORE, MORE AT WALMART THAN, UM, THAN, THAN THEY, THEY CAN AT THE DISTRICT. 
          AND THEN, THEN YOU HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE SAYING, WELL, WELL, WE DO NEED OUR SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS. 
          HEY, I DO NEED ASSISTANCE. 
          YOU KNOW, SO, SO I, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE INCREASES AND, AND BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT DOING THEM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT SOME OF THEM ARE MANDATED, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO, NEED TO, NEED TO START SHIFTING THE CONVERSATION IN, IN TERMS IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR IFIED AS WELL. 
          UM, I MEAN, I MEAN, UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF MY POINTS. 
          MRS. UH, MR. MRS. CROSBY AND, AND, UH, AND DR. RODRIGUEZ IN, IN, IN THIS, IN THIS BUDGET THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE, UM, ALSO, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF CONVERSATION THAT MR. GUYER, MRS. BOATRIGHT IS HAVING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS, UH, UH, IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS, THEN, THEN HAVING, UH, HAVING A, UH, TAX INCREASE OR A SECOND HOME, THAT'S A PRIVILEGE. 
          SO, UH, EDUCATING OUR KIDS ARE IMPORTANT. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND IT HELPS OUT, DOC, IT HELPS TO KNOCK A LITTLE BIT OUTTA THEIR POCKET. 
          I SEE. 
          NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. 
          I, I I, I, ON SOME DEGREES, I, I DO, UH, AGREE WITH, WITH COLONEL GUY AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF, UM, THE, THE, THE SECOND HOME, THE SECOND HOME, UH, THOSE SECOND HOMEOWNERS IN, IN, IN THOSE BUSINESS PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS EDUCATING KIDS, NOT, NOT, UH, TOTALLY. 
          UH, SAYING THAT WE WANNA GOD SUPPORT FOR, FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE BUSINESSES AND SECOND HOMES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S BUSINESS FOR THEM AS WELL. 
          WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF, OF EDUCATING KIDS. 
          SOME OF US, WE, WE MUST, WE MUST SEPARATE OUR, OUR, UH, I JUST LEAVE THAT THERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          FOR RIGHT, FOR RIGHT NOW. 
          THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, THAT THAT'LL BE, UH, UH, OH, ALSO, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT, I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT, WAS IT ? UM, WELL, ACTUALLY, I HAD, I HAD A 
          [01:15:01]
QUESTION. 
          UH, CAN I GO BACK TO, CAN I, MR. SMITH, CAN I GO BACK TO COLONEL, THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. 
          IS THAT OKAY? WHY? I'VE REALLY MADE A STATEMENT, BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY ASKED ANY QUESTIONS. 
          SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS BASICALLY BASING THAT ON IN TERMS. BUT, BUT, BUT I, I, I, I CAN, I CAN GO, I CAN GO, I CAN GO THAT FOR RIGHT NOW. 
          THAT'S FINE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, COLONEL. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          THERE'S ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION TO YOU ABOUT ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY FOR REVENUE. 
          A YEAR AGO, BEFORE THIS TAX YEAR, THERE WAS A NEW, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX OPENED UP IN PORT ROYAL CALLED THE PRESERVE. 
          THEY PAID OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAX TO BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          AND THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS YEAR THEY PAID NO PROPERTY TAX BECAUSE THERE WAS A, UH, LAW PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT SAID IF YOU HAD A PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU DID NOT HAVE TO PAY, UH, LOCAL PROPERTY TAX ON THAT. 
          THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL, UH, PROPORTION OF LOCAL HOUSING THAT'S QUOTE, AFFORDABLE. 
          THERE'S SOME QUESTION WHETHER IT IS ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE OR NOT. 
          IF YOU THINK THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND YOU CAN BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT ALL THE OTHER APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND JUST IN THIS AREA, THERE'S FIVE OF THEM WITH OVER 300 HOMES OR 300 APARTMENTS EACH. 
          AND YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT ALL FIVE OF THEM ARE GOING TO APPLY FOR THIS VERY SAME THING. 
          AND THE IMPACT IS MILLIONS. 
          NOW, I ASKED MS. CROSBY TO CONFIRM THAT WE DIDN'T GET $770,000 IN, UH, 6% REVENUE FROM THE PRESERVE THIS YEAR, LESS THAN WE GOT THE YEAR BEFORE. 
          BUT THAT'S WHAT CONCERNS ME. 
          AND I, AND I CAN JUST SEE THIS HITTING LIKE A, LIKE A, A, A TIDAL WAVE. 
          YES. 
          MS. RACK. 
          NO, I THINK THE PRESERVE RES IS A RED FLAG, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS BECAUSE IT KIND OF CLICKED INTO PLACE FOR ME WHY EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          I WAS LIKE, WOW, THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT AROUND HERE IS AMAZING. 
          AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, UM, I FORGET THE NAME OF THE GROUP, THE C WHAT IS IT? ALAN WOLFE'S GROUP, SEE THE COMMUNITY GROUP. 
          AND THEY'RE TRYING REALLY HARD TO GET THESE THINGS TOGETHER. 
          BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA EXPLOIT THIS LOOPHOLE. 
          AND NOT TO MENTION, BUT THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE REAL ISSUE IS A MORE POLITICAL ONE. 
          YOU CAN'T KEEP GRANTING THESE TAX LOOPHOLES TO PEOPLE BECAUSE IT HURTS THE SCHOOLS. 
          AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, USCV IS PROPOSING AN MCIP, WHICH IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL TAX LOOPHOLE THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS SAID IS NOT HOW THAT LAW WAS MEANT TO BE APPLIED, BUT TECHNICALLY THAT'S HOW THE LAW WAS WRITTEN, AND IT COULD END UP COSTING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT $40 MILLION. 
          SO WE CAN PREPARE FOR THAT IF WE NEED TO. 
          BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES. 
          THE PROBLEM I HAVE, AND YOU KNOW, I AM A BUSINESS OWNER, AND, UM, WHAT I'LL TELL YOU IS I DON'T FEEL THAT OWNING A BUSINESS IS A PRIVILEGE. 
          I THINK IT'S A JOB. 
          I THINK IT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND YOU LOOK AT MY STATE OF WASHINGTON, MY HOME STATE OF WASHINGTON, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH WASHINGTON STATE OR THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY'RE PUTTING THESE TAXES ON, AND IT SOUNDS GREAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA TAX THE RICH AND WE'RE GOING TO TAX THESE PRIVILEGED SECOND HOMEOWNERS. 
          MOST OF THE SECOND HOMEOWNERS IN MY AREA, NOT MOST, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY HALF ARE REVENUE PRODUCING. 
          THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT OWN THEM, AND THAT'S HOW THEY PAY THEIR BILLS. 
          UM, AND I DO THINK THAT PROBABLY IF WE RAN THE NUMBERS, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THE SECOND HOMEOWNERS, UM, WHERE I LIVE CONVERTING TO PRIMARY HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE THEY ARE MOVING OUT OF PLACES LIKE WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK. 
          UM, BUT WASHINGTON STATE DID THAT, AND THEY SAID, WE'RE GONNA TAX ALL THE BILLIONAIRES. 
          WELL, GUESS WHAT? THE BILLIONAIRES ALL MOVED TO FLORIDA. 
          STARBUCKS JUST RELOCATED IT, IT NOT OFFICIALLY, BUT IS RELOCATING TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 
          SO IT'S NOT A ZERO SUM GAMES. 
          AND I REALLY DO FIND IT WHEN WE'RE TALKING IN A PUBLIC SQUARE AND WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE OPPOSED TO TAX, YOU KNOW, JUST NECESSARILY RAISING TAXES VERSUS TAKING CARE OF STUDENTS. 
          OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL HERE TO TAKE CARE OF STUDENTS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY WITH THIS. 
          SO MY OUT OF THE BOX IS, I THINK THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE IS TRYING TO BECOME MORE OF A TAX FRIENDLY STATE, NUMBER ONE. 
          AND I THINK THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S NOT JUST IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TAX SHORTHOLD FALL, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO REDUCE, 
          [01:20:01]
UM, TO IMPROVE, TO RAISE REVENUE. 
          YOU CAN RAISE TAXES OR YOU CAN REDUCE COSTS. 
          AND WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE. 
          WE CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL, WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT ANOTHER 3 MILLION. 
          UM, AND I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TWICE NOW AND HAVE RAISED CLOSE TO, I'M, I'M TERRIBLE WITH NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. 
          $800 MILLION IN BONDS FOR CAPITAL, OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS TO BUILD SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE, THE SCHOOL, THE PUBLIC SUPPORTS US. 
          BUT AT SOME POINT, IF THEY SEE FLATTER DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND SUBSTANTIAL MILLAGE INCREASES, THAT'S GO, THAT SUPPORT WILL ERODE. 
          SO I THINK IT'S A CAREFUL CONVERSATION OUT OF THE BOX. 
          MY COMMENT TO YOU IS, I'M NOT UPFRONT OF SUPPORTIVE OF RAISING A MILLAGE. 
          I'M NOT EVEN DISAGREEING NECESSARILY WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT, BUT I THINK IT WARRANTS FURTHER CONVERSATION. 
          UM, AND I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS JUST REALLY QUICK, IF YOU DON'T MIND. 
          UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WITH, UH, LEMME PULL UP MY QUESTIONS HERE. 
          DO WE HAVE, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THING WITH THAT SAFE K THROUGH 12 MEMO, NOW WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE BUDGETED FOR CYBERSECURITY. 
          DO WE HAVE THAT IN OUR BUDGET? 'CAUSE THE STATE HAS SENT THAT MEMO OUT. 
          DO WE HAVE THOSE LINE ITEMS BROKEN OUT? THAT'S A NEW REQUIREMENT. 
          , MR. SHOHAN STEPPED OUT. 
          OKAY. 
          , WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER. 
          YES, I, I'LL GET SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU. 
          UM, BECAUSE ONE THING IS WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY IS A BIG PART OF ANY BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE LIKE WHAT ALL THAT MEANS. 
          SO CAN YOU REPEAT AGAIN EXACTLY WHAT SAFE, THE SAFE K THROUGH 12? SAFE K THROUGH 12. 
          SO WAS THIS A BILL OR NO, IT WAS A BILL THAT'S NOW AN IMPLEMENTATION. 
          OKAY. 
          I THINK IT CAME IN TWO YEARS AGO. 
          BUT ONE OF THE LINE ITEMS IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR CYBERSECURITY, AND THEY ACTUALLY PROPOSE A, UM, BUDGET MODEL THAT TO USE. 
          UM, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS I DIDN'T SEE IN OUR CURRENT FACILITIES MASTER PLAN THE COST PER PUPIL, BUT A $1.2 MILLION CHARTER SCHOOL. 
          I NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT IF SOMEONE ASKED ME ABOUT THAT. 
          MM-HMM. 
          WHAT'S OUR COST PER PUPIL AT RIVERVIEW VERSUS LIKE PRITCHARD? IT, IT'S AROUND, UH, WELL, I DON'T HAVE THE, ALL OF THE COSTS. 
          UH, THERE'S A COST CENTER REPORT. 
          I THINK MR. MR. GUY IS GONNA PULL IT UP FOR US. 
          UM, A COST CENTER REPORT. 
          THIS WILL BE THE CURRENT YEAR OR BA PRE BASED ON THE, UH, CURRENT BUDGET YEAR IS THAT REPORT THAT THE BOARD'S GOTTEN, AND I JUST CAN'T FIND IT. 
          WENT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. 
          UM, SO WHEN DID IT GO TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? UM, ABOUT I THINK DECEMBER. 
          YOU HONOR IT FOR RIVERVIEW? YES. 
          RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL IS A 10,886, UH, 10 MILLION, UH, I'M SORRY. 
          YEAH, THAT'S THE TOTAL, THE TOTAL COST PER STUDENT IS 15,000 AT RIVERVIEW. 
          AT RIVERVIEW. 
          15,663. 
          THAT'S BEFORE THE $1.2 MILLION INCREASE. 
          RIGHT? YEAH. 
          SO IT, IT IS A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ROBERT SMALLS IS AT 14,000 AND RIVERVIEW RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY IS AT 12,000. 
          WE'LL GET THE CALL CENTER REPORT AND SEND IT TO THE BOARD, AND IT RANKS THEM BY, UH, HIGHEST TO LOWEST COSTS. 
          AND WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION. 
          YEAH, THAT GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE THAT WE'VE GOT A CHARTER SCHOOL AT 15,000 AND WE'RE GONNA ADD 1.2. 
          AND, UM, AND THAT'S NOT A HIGH NEED SCHOOL, CORRECT? IS THAT NOT A HIGH POVERTY SCHOOL OR WHATEVER? IT'S NOT A HIGH POVERTY SCHOOL. 
          SCHOOL. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE, UM, LIKE ROBERT SMALLS IS, IS IT HIGH NEEDS? I'VE, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. 
          IT IS A TITLE ONE SCHOOL. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SO IT'S A TITLE ONE SCHOOL AND WE'RE, AND GETTING LESS PER PUPIL THAN, THAN OUR CHARTER SCHOOL, WHICH IS ABOUT TO GET A $1.2 MILLION INCREASE. 
          I'M GONNA, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE RIVERVIEW HERE TODAY. 
          WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO GET PUPIL'S ATTENTION. 
          OKAY. 
          MS. CROSBY, YOU HAVE ALL THOSE QUESTIONS NOTED, MA'AM? YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYONE WHO HAS NOT SPOKEN WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, I APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES FOR RAISING MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD, SO IT WAS ALL WELL ARTICULATED. 
          SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO NOW DISCUSS AND MOVE ON. 
          SEE, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GO? THANKS. 
          OKAY. 
          ONE LAST TIME. 
          OH, CAROLYN, DID WE COME BACK TO YOU? YOU CAN MR. SMITH. 
          YOU OKAY? MR. SMITH? UH, YES, SIR. 
          UH, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET, I'M ALSO LOOKING, UH, TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE'RE PUTTING MONEY INTO THE TIER ONE SCHOOLS VERSUS THE O THE OTHER, THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT MAY BE, THAT ARE TITLE ONES AS, UM, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES JUST POINT OUT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WHO ARE WORKING AND WHO DO AND WHO DO HAVE NEEDS IN EVERY SCHOOL'S NEED. 
          I DO WANNA SAY THAT EVERY SCHOOL'S NEEDS SOMETIMES ARE, ARE DIFFERENT AND SOMETIMES ARE ARE MORE THAN OTHERS. 
          AND SO, UH, THROUGH, THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS, I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR 
          [01:25:01]
THAT TO BE ANALYZED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE, UH, I'M GONNA BE INTENTIONAL, UH, ABOUT LOOKING FOR, LOOKING FOR THAT. 
          BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA BE IN THE RESULTS SECTION. 
          I'M SO MATTER OF FACT, BUT YEAH, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I CLOSED MY MOUTH RIGHT NOW. 
          AND COULD YOU SPEAK THAT, MS. CROSBY, OF HOW WE BEING, UH, INTENTIONAL AND, AND, AND, AND PUT WHERE WE, HOW WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL AND PUTTING MONEY INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, AND NOT JUST SAYING THAT, OH, WE'RE JUST HIRING TEACHERS OR, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND GRABBING PROGRAMS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT, MS. CROSBY? DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER OR YOU'VE GOTTEN THE COMPLETE, UM, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. 
          UM, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? HE'S, I THINK HE'S ASKING FOR MORE DEFINITION ON HIS ORIGINAL QUESTION OF HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPLIT BY SCHOOL. 
          OKAY. 
          SO NOT NE NOT NECESSARILY BY EXCUSE ON, UH, APART, PARDON ME. 
          UM, NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT, NOT NECESSARILY BY SCHOOL, BUT ALSO IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF BY, BY, BY PROGRAMS AND HOW WE, ARE WE PERSONALLY TARGETING SCHOOLS? WHO ARE, WHO ARE WE, I GUESS BY SCHOOL? EXCUSE ME. 
          I GUESS YOU'RE CORRECT A LITTLE BIT, BUT BY SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO THE POKER SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE HAVING, ARE HAVING, UH, SITUATIONS, HOW ARE WE TARGETING THEM AND WHERE AND WHERE ARE WE PUTTING AT THE MONEY? WHERE ARE WE PUTTING MONEY AT IN THOSE SCHOOLS? SO, MR. SMITH, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY SCHOOL, INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT. 
          EVERY SCHOOL HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS. 
          UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, WE DON'T JUST BUDGET WITH A GENERAL FUND. 
          WE BUDGET WITH SPECIAL REVENUE EIA FUNDS, UM, OUR FEDERAL FUNDING. 
          WE HAVE STUDENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS. 
          THEY'RE HELPING TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES THROUGH DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES AS WELL. 
          UH, AND THEN CAPITAL NEEDS. 
          UM, AND SO THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT WE ASSESS, UM, OR ASSESS WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AT SCHOOLS, AND THEN SUPPORT THEM THROUGH VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES. 
          SO THE BASE FUNDING FORMULA IS IN THE OPERATING BUDGET IN THIS BUDGET. 
          AND SO WE ARE EQUITABLE AMONG THE SCHOOLS HOW PROVIDING A PER PUPIL AMOUNT FOR SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS. 
          UM, AND THEN ALSO FOR STAFFING, UH, WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR SCHOOLS WITH HIGH NEEDS, HIGH POVERTY AND OTHER, UM, SPECIAL UH, CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          UH, BY GIVING A WEIGHTED STAFFING FORMULA, WE WEIGHT THEM IN A HIGH POVERTY AND A VERY HIGH POVERTY SCHOOL. 
          SO ADDITIONAL, THEY, WE LOWER THE CLASS SIZE FOR EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES. 
          SO WE'RE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN THAT WAY. 
          KEEP IN MIND, 80% OF THE BUDGET IS SALARIES AND BENEFITS, SO THAT TAKES UP THE LION'S SHARE TO, UM, OF THE BUDGET. 
          UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, THEN WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, THEN WE HAVE TITLE ONE FUNDS THAT CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS AND ADDITIONAL STAFFING, ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES, MATERIALS AND SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORTING, UH, TITLE ONE, TITLE TWO, UH, IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO THAT'S ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. 
          TITLE THREE IS MULTILINGUAL LEARNER SUPPORTS. 
          SO WE'RE ABLE TO ADD, ADD POSITIONS OR, UH, PROVIDE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS THROUGH THOSE FUNDS. 
          SO WITH SCHOOLS WITH HIGH MULTILINGUAL POPULATIONS, WE USE THOSE, THAT FUNDING SOURCE. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE COMBINE. 
          WE DON'T SEE THE BUDGET IS JUST, JUST THE, THE, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY. 
          WE HAVE ALTERNATIVE SUPPORTING SYSTEMS TO HELP THE SCHOOLS WITH HIGH NEEDS IN VARIOUS AREAS, HIGH SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS, UM, AND SO ON. 
          SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF IT. 
          IT, IT'S, UH, THE TOTAL BUDGET, UH, WITH ALL THOSE ADDITIONAL, WE, WE HAVE PROBABLY A $35 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN SPECIAL REVENUE AND EIA FUNDS ALONE. 
          AND THEN THE SCHOOLS ALSO ARE ABLE TO HELP, UH, AUGMENT THEIR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENTS IN THE SPECIAL, UH, IN, UH, STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND THEN THROUGH BOOSTER CLUBS AS WELL. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS AROUND THE SCHOOL IN TERMS OF FUNDING. 
          UM, THIS IS JUST ONE MAJOR, AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT, BUT ALSO WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT MORE WITH THOSE OTHER, OTHER POTS OF MONEY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MS. CROSBY. 
          MR. SMITH. 
          MR. SMITH? YES, SIR. 
          MR. SMITH, MAY I ASK YOU TO INDULGE US AND ALLOW US TO MOVE ON? WE'RE GOING ASK MS. CROSBY IF THE SUPERINTENDENT AGREES TO, YOU'VE HEARD ALL THE QUESTIONS. 
          UH, CONTACT MR. SMITH INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS COLONEL GEIER AND SOLICIT WHAT THEIR CRITIQUES AND QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT, AND THEN COME BACK WITH A VERY COGENT RESPONSE TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS. 
          IF THAT'S, AND MR. AND MR. AND MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THE BUDGET IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE AS BOARD MEMBERS GET 
          [01:30:01]
RIDICULED FOR. 
          AND, AND, AND IF WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN BASICALLY WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB. 
          AND I, I, I MEAN, I HATE TO RU I WOULD HATE FOR IT TO APPEAR THAT JUST THOUGH THAT WE'RE RUSHING THROUGH THE BUDGET AND NOT GETTING OUR, GETTING OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND NOT, AND NOT, UM, COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY, THEN THE NEXT THEY COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, WELL, WE, WE'VE HAD TWO OR THREE, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL BUDGETS, DISCUSSIONS PUBLICLY, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS WERE KIND OF MET. 
          I THINK THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE WE DO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. 
          AND, AND I, AND I DO HAVE A, A A A CO A COMMENT, BECAUSE SHE GAVE ME A LOT. 
          SHE GAVE ME A LOT OF, UH, INFORMATION. 
          WELL, SHE SAID A LOT OF STUFF JUST NOW, BUT THERE, BUT THERE IS, THERE IS, THERE IS SOME MORE MEAT THAT NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD. 
          AND, AND IN TERMS, MR. SMITH, MR. SMITH, MAY, MAY, I AGAIN, ASK YOU TO CONTACT MS. CROSBY AND SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY WITH HER. 
          UH, THIS MEDIUM, I THINK EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE FELT EMOTIONALLY AND PASSIONATELY ABOUT HAS BEEN SURFACED. 
          NO ONE'S BEEN DENIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND MULTIPLE SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, UH, GIVEN MORE THAN ONE CHANCE TO SPEAK. 
          SO WE'RE NOT DODGING, WE'RE NOT DODGERS. 
          THERE'S NOT A BONE IN OUR BIG BODY THAT DODGERS ANY DOGGONE THING IN LIFE. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS AND HAVE ALL THE DATA A TIME. 
          AND I THINK THE NEXT BOARD MEETING ON THIS IS WHEN MAY 19TH. 
          MAY 5TH, MAY 5TH. 
          SO THAT, THAT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO GO AND DO SOME REAL RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND COME BACK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. 
          SO, WITH THAT, IF YOU, AGAIN, IF I MAY ASK YOU TO ALLOW US TO MOVE ON, I'D APPRECIATE IT. 
          WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT ANSWER, THAT, THAT ANSWER, I, I, I HEARD WHAT MRS. CROSBY SAID, BUT IN, IN, IN ADDITIONAL, I THINK THAT IS, IS THEY'RE MORE NUTS AND BOLTS. 
          THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT COMES ALONG WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, THE RESPONSE THAT I WAS GIVEN. 
          UH, I, I'M JUST, I'M STILL LOOKING FOR, LOOKING FOR MORE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, YOU, WE, WE ARE CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF YOU FOR BEING AFFORDED THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO HER. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO ALLOW US TO MOVE ON. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          NEXT TOPIC IS RIVERVIEW CHARTER. 
          THANK YOU MS. CROSBY. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, BOARD MEMBERS. 
          ANYBODY WANT FIVE MINUTES? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          FIVE MINUTE BREAK. 
          LET'S MAKE IT, UH, ACTUALLY EIGHT MINUTE BREAK. 
          COME BACK AT 10 40. 
          THANKS EVERYBODY. 
          ALRIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING MR. CHAIR. 
          MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND HIS STAFF. 
          THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY. 
          UM, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE JUST TO ALSO RECOGNIZE A FEW AUDIENCE MEMBERS JOINED WITH ME ARE A FEW OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MR. MAURICE GREENLEAF, MS. CHRISTINA GACY, AS WELL AS, UH, SORRY, MS. GENEVA BAXLEY. 
          UM, NOT SURE IF YOU ALL KNOW, BUT ACTUALLY, UM, MS. GACY WAS A RIVERVIEW TEACHER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UH, BEFORE STEPPING INTO, UH, A DIFFERENT REALM. 
          BUT SHE HAS NOW RETURNED BACK AND IS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 
          SO VERY GLAD THAT OUR BOARD COULD BE HERE TO, UH, SUPPORT US AND JUST KIND OF, UM, REALLY SHOW THAT CAMARADERIE THAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING. 
          SO, WOULD IT BE OKAY, SIR, IF WE GAVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR SHOWING UP? SURE, ABSOLUTELY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SORRY FOR INTERRUPT. 
          VERY HARD. 
          UM, TODAY I'M HERE TO GIVE THE ANNUAL REPORT UPDATE FROM THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          UM, I WANNA START WITH JUST A GENERALIZED STATEMENT. 
          RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL IS BEAUFORT COUNTY'S K EIGHT CHARTER SCHOOL. 
          UM, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE MEASURABLE PROGRESS IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, OPERATIONAL STABILITY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 
          UM, BUILDING UPON THE 2024 FOUNDATION, THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR, IT REFLECTED BOTH STRONG STUDENT OUTCOMES AND A CLEAR STRATEGIC FOCUS ON CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. 
          AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE TODAY ARE, UM, A FEW OF OUR KEY INDICATORS AND HOW WE'VE BEEN MAKING THOSE, UM, AREAS OF GROWTH AS WELL AS PROGRESS. 
          SO, STARTING WITH ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GROWTH, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SHARE THAT RIVERVIEW, UH, HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMON DEMONSTRATED STRONG ACADEMIC OUTCOMES, PARTICULARLY AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. 
          UH, RIVERVIEW EARNED, UH, AGAIN, AN EXCELLENT REPORT CARD RATING WHILE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EARNED AN AVERAGE REPORT CARD RATING. 
          UH, JUST TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF DETAILS ABOUT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, 74.6% OF OUR STUDENTS MET OR EXCEEDED THE ELA EXPECTATIONS. 
          UH, AND 57.1% MET OR EXCEEDED MATH EXPECTATIONS. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, SHOW THAT, THAT, UH, THOSE METRICS OUTPERFORM BOTH BEAUFORT COUNTY AS WELL AS STATE AVERAGES. 
          IN BOTH OF THOSE AREAS. 
          OUR ELEMENTARY PERFORMANCE, 71.3%, MET OR EXCEEDED ELA EXPECTATIONS WHILE 57.4%, UH, MET OR EXCEEDED IN MATH. 
          UM, ALTHOUGH WE HAD 
          [01:35:01]
A SLIGHT DIP IN OUR OVERALL SCHOOL REPORT CARD RATING, I AM EXCITED TO SHARE THAT, UM, WE DID ACHIEVE AN EXCELLENT IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. 
          SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AT IDENTIFYING WHERE THOSE CONSISTENT BARRIERS TO OUR, SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THEM, UM, AS WELL AS WORKING ON INCREASING THAT REPORT CARD RATING. 
          AGAIN, UM, LOOKING AT OUR ALGEBRA ONE AND OF COURSE, 77.14% OF STUDENTS SCORED A C OR HIGHER, WHERE THE STATE AVERAGE REMAINED AT A 53.1. 
          SO IN RESPONSE TO THE ELEMENTARY PERFORMANCE AND THE IDENTIFIED ACHIEVEMENT GAPS, UM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED TARGETED STRATEGIES INCLUDING, UM, EXPANDED INTERVENTION STAFFING, UH, STRENGTHENING OUR RTI SYSTEM SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A STRONG TIER ONE, UM, UH, MTSS PROGRAMS. SO THAT REALLY, WHEN TRULY, WHEN YOU HAVE A STRONG TIER ONE, IT REALLY REDUCES, UH, THE TIER TWO AND TIER THREE STUDENTS NEEDING THOSE ADDITIONAL SPED SUPPORTS. 
          UM, AND ALL IN ALL, WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, WE ALSO MAINTAINED CONSISTENT USE OF I-READY DIAGNOSTICS, WHICH IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE DISTRICT. 
          UM, PREVIOUSLY WE RELIED ON MAP TESTING AS WELL AS I-READY, BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS BEEN USING I-READY FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          AND SO THAT IS OUR CONSISTENT, UH, DIAGNOSTIC THAT WE HAVE USED. 
          UM, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A CLEAR GOAL OF 75% OF STUDENTS PERFORMING AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL BY SPRING 2026. 
          UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ALSO REPORT THAT WE JUST COMPLETED OUR IREADY BENCHMARK TESTING FOR THE SPRING. 
          AND ALTHOUGH WE JUST HAVE THOSE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, UM, I'M EXCITED TO SAY THAT AT LEAST RIGHT NOW IN ELA, THOSE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS ARE SHOWING THAT WE ARE AT THAT 75%. 
          UH, WHILE WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO IN THE MATH COMPONENT, I'M HAPPY TO, UH, SHOW THAT WE ARE MAKING CONSISTENT STRIDES. 
          I'M EXCITED FOR OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE SC READY THIS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN SEE JUST HOW MUCH OF THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN, UH, RETAINED SO THAT WE CAN SEE THOSE EFFORTS. 
          UM, CONTINUING ON LOOKING AT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESSES, UM, RIVERVIEW HAS HAD A, A PHENOMENAL YEAR THIS PAST YEAR. 
          UM, IN 2025, WE RECEIVED THE INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARD FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE, UH, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, IS, UH, THE STATE'S FLAGSHIP, UM, ALLIANCE FOR, UH, MOST, UH, CHARTER PROGRAMS IN THE STATE, LOCALLY AUTHORIZED AND STATE AUTHORIZED, AS WELL AS, UH, UNIVERSITY AUTHORIZED AS WELL. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIVERVIEW WAS NAMED THE 2025 BEST OF BEAUFORT BEST CHARTER SCHOOL BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA POST AND COURIER BUFORT. 
          UM, WE ARE SUPER PROUD OF THAT. 
          UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, BRIDGES CHARTER SCHOOL HAS TAKEN THAT AWARD THE LAST MANY YEARS. 
          UM, AND SO FOR RIVERVIEW TO COME FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HAVE TAKEN THAT, WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TRAJECTORY CONTINUING ON. 
          UM, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, RIVERVIEW ALSO RECEIVED THE PALMETTO GOLD AWARD FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          UM, AS I'VE SEEN SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS RECEIVED THAT AS WELL FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT. 
          SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE, UM, AMONGST THE NUMBERS AS WELL. 
          SEVERAL STUDENTS IN OUR EIGHTH GRADE CLASS CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS SOUTH CAROLINA JUNIOR SCHOLARS, AND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS, UH, REINFORCING OUR WHOLE CHILD MODEL. 
          UM, JUST THIS PAST NOVEMBER, WE, AGAIN, PARTOOK IN OUR, UM, SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT, EMPTY BOWLES, UH, WHERE OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PARENTS, BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF, EVERYONE, UH, WE HELPED PACK OVER 50,000 MEALS YET AGAIN, UH, THAT GOES AND SUPPORTS, UM, CHILD HUNGER, NOT ONLY HERE LOCALLY IN BUFORT, BUT THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ACROSS THE, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES AS WELL. 
          UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE, ARE PROGRAMS THAT, UM, WE RAISED FUNDS FOR TO BE ABLE TO DO. 
          SO. 
          NONE OF THESE ARE COMING OUT OF OUR ACTUAL GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET. 
          UM, SO SUPER PROUD OF THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING. 
          UM, I WANNA APPLAUD OUR, OUR BOARD BECAUSE, UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR HERE AT RIVERVIEW. 
          AND WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE ALL AGREED ON WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO COME TOGETHER AND RENEW A STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, SO THAT WE HAD A SENSE OF DIRECTION OF WHERE WE'RE GOING. 
          UM, OUR BOARD, UH, HAS WORKED ON THAT FOR ALMOST A, A FEW MONTHS, STARTING OVER THE SUMMER. 
          WE HAVE FINALIZED THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, AND IT IS IN, UH, UH, EFFECT RIGHT NOW. 
          UH, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE ACADEMIC GOALS, AS WELL AS, UH, STRATEGIC PLANS THAT ARE HELPING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE MEETING OUR STUDENTS, UH, THE, OUR HIGHEST NEED IN STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE. 
          UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR OVERALL RATING, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME GAPS WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, PUPILS IN POVERTY. 
          WE HAVE SOME GAPS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LOW SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, UH, AS WELL AS OUR, UM, STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. 
          SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT OUR ACADEMIC PLAN IS INTENTIONALLY FOCUSING ON, UM, FINANCIALLY, WHEN YOU ALL RECEIVE OUR ANNUAL REPORT BACK IN DECEMBER, UM, WE ALSO PROVIDED OUR FINANCIAL AUDIT, 
          [01:40:01]
UH, WHICH IS TYPICALLY DUE SOMETIME IN EARLY NOVEMBER OR BEFORE NOVEMBER THE FIRST. 
          UM, ONCE AGAIN, WE, UM, HAD A CLEAN AUDIT WITH ABSOLUTELY NO DEFICIENCIES. 
          UM, AND THAT HAS BEEN A CONTINUED TREND, UM, FOR THE LAST FORESEEABLE MANY, MANY YEARS. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, JUST LIKE MS. CROSBY, RIVERVIEW IS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF BUDGET PLANNING FOR, UM, 26, 27 AS WELL. 
          UM, SO I KNOW IT ALL TOO WELL. 
          MS. CROSBY, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASES TO INSURANCE, INCREASES ALL ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT RIVERVIEW IS ALSO, UM, HAVING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH AS WELL. 
          UH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IS, UM, WE HAVE STARTED A VENDOR REVIEW PROCESS, UH, WHERE WE ARE JUST WANTING TO ENSURE, UH, THE MOST COST EFFICIENT, UH, VENDORS ARE IN PLACE. 
          SO ANY RFP THAT WE HAVE, UM, CONTRACTS OVER $10,000, WE HAVE RENEWED THAT ENTIRE PROCESS, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE DOLLAR, AND THE MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE COMPANIES AND PROVIDERS THAT WE ARE PARTNERING WITH ARE GIVING US THE BEST SERVICES FOR THE FUNDS THAT WE ARE EXPENDING. 
          UM, AS YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT BUDGET PLANNING, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE STILL ONGOING, SUCH AS THE LEASE NEGOTIATION, UM, AS WELL AS AN IN-HOUSE. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE NOT PAYING SOMEONE OUT-HOUSE, BUT AN IN-HOUSE STRATEGIC COMPENSATION STUDY, UH, JUST TO DETERMINE WHERE OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE, UM, IN COMPARISON TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN CLOSE SOME OF THOSE GAPS. 
          UM, SUPER EXCITED TO STATE THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH WE, UM, HAVE SOME CONSTRAINTS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH WHERE WE WANT WITH OUR BUDGET, UH, WE ARE CERTAINLY STILL LOOKING AT OUTSIDE OPTIONS. 
          SO, UH, THIS PAST YEAR WE WERE THE RECIPIENT OF SEVERAL GRANTS AND RECOGNITION, UM, AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS. ONE MOST RECENTLY THAT WE LEARNED OF, UH, RIVERVIEW, UH, RECEIVED A $50,000 MARKETING MATCH GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED THROUGH THE POST AND COURIER BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE ABLE TO BE EXPENDED UNTIL THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, BUT THAT MARKETING MATCH GRANT IS, UM, MEANT TO HELP US EXPAND OUR MARKETING, UM, RESOURCES AND, AND ADVERTISING SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S NEEDS. 
          UM, WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO EXPAND AND, AND GO OUT MORE INTO THE SAME HELL IN THE AREA, THE LOKO AREA, THE WHALE BRANCH AREA, UM, AND ENSURE THAT THOSE FAMILIES KNOW ABOUT RIVERVIEW, BUT THEY ALSO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO RIVERVIEW. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE MUCH OF THAT GRANT IS GONNA H HELP US FOCUS ON. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WITH THE WORK, AGAIN OF OUR AMAZING BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UM, MR. NVA BAXLEY, UH, SHE SERVES AS OUR ADVANCEMENT CHAIR. 
          UH, SHE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MYSELF AND OUR BOARD CHAIR TO REALLY STRATEGICALLY FIND A, A PARTNER WHO CAME ALONGSIDE TO SUPPORT RIVERVIEW, UM, SO THAT WE COULD START THE FIRST EVER STINGRAY SCHOLARS PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND THAT IS AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM THAT WAS COMPLETELY FUNDED BY A PRIVATE DONOR, UM, SO THAT WE COULD PUT IN PLACE A TARGETED, UM, SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT'S AFTER SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE. 
          YOU MAY ASK, WHY ARE YOU FOCUSING ON THREE THROUGH FIVE? BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR REPORT CARD, UM, THAT'S THE AREA THAT I CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHERE WE HAVE OUR GREATEST DEFICITS AND WHERE WE HAVE MORE GAPS THAT WE NEED TO CLOSE. 
          UM, AND SO BY US BEING ABLE TO PUT THAT PROGRAM IN PLACE, WE'RE NOW ABLE TO TRACK THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO GRADE LEVELS BELOW AVERAGE AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, UM, AND PUT THEM IN THIS, UM, INTENSIVE INTERVENTION PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL. 
          WE MEET TWO DAYS OUT OF THE WEEK, UM, FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS. 
          UM, AND WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT THEIR I-READY ASSESSMENT SCORES TO SEE HOW THOSE STUDENTS HAVE GROWN FROM FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING. 
          UH, WHICH IS HOW I AM ABLE TO, TO PRELIMINARILY SHARE THAT. 
          UH, WE HAVE MET THAT 75% GOAL IN ELA, AND THAT'S JUST BASED OFF OF OUR I-READY ASSESSMENT SO FAR. 
          UM, FROM THIS PAST SPRING, UM, RIVERVIEW WILL CON, WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP LONG-TERM FUNDRAISING AND ENDOWMENT STRATEGIES, UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT Y'ALL ARE HAVING ABOUT THE FUTURE, UM, NOT JUST AT RIVERVIEW OR IN SCHOOLS, BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE STATE IN GENERAL. 
          WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO FOLLOWING THOSE TRENDS AS WELL. 
          WE DON'T WANNA FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE, UM, SOMEHOW WE MIGHT END UP SEEING A REDUCTION IN FUNDS IN FUTURE YEARS JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND WE NOT BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THAT APPROPRIATELY. 
          SO THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL DEVELOP ALONGSIDE, UM, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE. 
          UM, IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SCHOOL CULTURE, UH, RIVERVIEW CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A COMMUNITY-CENTERED SCHOOL WITH STRONG FAMILY ENGAGEMENT. 
          JUST THIS PAST MONTH, UM, WE HAD OUR, I WANNA SAY 16TH OR 17TH ANNUAL, UH, BEAUFORT TWILIGHT RUN, WHERE WE HAVE HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS TO DATE WITH OVER 1100 RUNNERS THAT WERE REGISTERED AND CAME OUT TO SUPPORT THAT. 
          I WAS VERY HONORED TO SEE A FEW OF Y'ALL OUT THERE AS 
          [01:45:01]
WELL, JUST ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND FAMILIES AND JUST SEEING HOW, UM, THAT COMMUNITY IS, IS REALLY SUPPORTING, UM, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR KALEIDOSCOPES ARTS FESTIVAL, UM, I ACTUALLY SENT ALL OF YOU AN EMAIL YESTERDAY, UM, INVITING YOU TO COME OUT TO OUR KALEIDOSCOPES ARTS FESTIVAL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT THURSDAY, UM, UH, APRIL THE 30TH. 
          WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU TO COME OUT THERE, BUT THAT IS OUR WAY OF ENSURING THAT WE ARE STAYING TIED TO THE LOCAL BEAUFORT ARTIST COMMUNITY WHO ARE MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR SCHOOL AND COMING IN AND, AND REALLY DEMONSTRATING TO OUR STUDENTS THE IMPACT OF ART PROGRAMS AS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO, UH, MY HEART. 
          UM, IN ADDITION, THIS PAST YEAR, ALONG WITH A COUPLE OTHER BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS, UM, WE WILL BE PARTNERING TO, UM, ADOPT A PART OF THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL, UM, FOR COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION AND SERVICE LEARNING. 
          SO WE ARE CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH LIKE PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE JUST EXTENDING AVENUES OF EDUCATION TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO, UM, OUR RIVERVIEW FAMILIES AS WELL. 
          UM, LASTLY, WE HAVE CONTINUED DEVELOPING CLOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE U UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BUFORT, UM, IN THEIR COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AS WELL AS NURSING THIS PAST YEAR. 
          UM, AND THE YEAR PRIOR, WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE MULTIPLE INTERNS, UM, IN EDUCATION AND NURSING, UM, WHICH IS JUST HELPING TO STRENGTHEN, UM, THAT, THAT INPUT FROM THOSE STUDENTS AND IN SECURING, UM, WELL NEEDED OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO, UM, WORK IN A, A CHARTER SCHOOL. 
          BUT ALSO YOU THINK ABOUT NURSING, UM, THERE IS AN, UH, THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANYONE THAT HAS STATED THAT, UH, SCHOOL NURSING, UM, MAKES MORE THAN REGULAR HOSPITAL NURSES. 
          AND SO WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A, A, A HINDRANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOING INTO THAT FIELD. 
          UM, AND SO BY BUILDING THAT PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE HOPING THAT THOSE INTERNS WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY SEE THAT YOU CAN BE JUST AS IMPACTFUL AS A SCHOOL NURSE AS, UH, IN THE HOSPITAL, DESPITE WHAT THE PAY MIGHT BE IN TERMS OF, UH, VARIANT DIFFERENCES. 
          UM, SO SUPER EXCITED TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH USCB. 
          UM, WE KNOW THAT ULTIMATELY OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE, IT, IT DOES REMAIN STRONG, UH, WITH A HIGH SATISFACTION RATING ACROSS STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES, UH, THUS REINFORCING A POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 
          UM, THE AREA WHERE I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT AND, AND I, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY SECRET. 
          WHEN I CAME BEFORE THIS BOARD LAST YEAR, MULTIPLE TIMES, I MADE IT CLEAR THAT MY GOAL AS A DIRECTOR AT RIVERVIEW WAS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT, UM, SO THAT WE WOULD ALL BE ABLE TO MOVE ON ONE ACCORD. 
          UM, AND THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE DAY ONE. 
          UM, THE CONVERSATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT I'VE FORMED WITH NOT ONLY DR. RODRIGUEZ, BUT MANY OF YOUR SENIOR CABINET MEMBERS HERE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. 
          UM, AND IT HAS TRULY HELPED TO AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO, UH, JUST THE PROGRESSION OF THE BOTH, UH, FACULTY AND STAFF COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, YOU ALL CHALLENGED US WITH LAST YEAR, UM, INCREASED YOUR COORDINATION IN STUDENT TRANSITIONS TO DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS. 
          WE'VE, WE HEARD THAT, AND WE DID THAT. 
          UH, JUST THIS PAST YEAR. 
          WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT, UM, WE TOOK EVERY EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT TO TOUR BOTH BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL AS BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL. 
          AND THEN WE HAD A, A SPECIAL PRESENT PRESENTATION, UM, FROM MS. FREEDOM MECHANIC AT WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, WHO CAME TO RIVERVIEW AND WAS ABLE TO SHARE ABOUT HER SCHOOL AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE. 
          UM, ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE THE STATISTICS HERE, UM, WE JUST ACTUALLY FINALIZED, UM, OUR OVERALL STATISTICS OF WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE MATRICULATING AFTER THEY LEAVE FROM RIVERVIEW. 
          UM, EXCITED TO SAY THAT 91% OF OUR EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS WILL BE MATRICULATING INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS. 
          UM, AND THAT IS A NUMBER THAT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE, AND I KNOW WE WILL AS OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING MORE INPUT, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THOSE SCHOOLS AND SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE, WHEREAS IN YEARS PAST, THAT MAY NOT HAVE NECESSARILY HAPPENED. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR COLLABORATION ON INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WITH THE DISTRICT STAFF. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO TAKE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE TO JUST RECOGNIZE JUST A FEW SCHOOLS, NOT NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT, UM, ROBERT SMALLS, LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, ST. 
          HELEN, THE ELEMENTARY, UM, THOSE TWO SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE TRULY BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A PARTNERSHIP WITH. 
          UM, AND WE HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY'VE BROUGHT SOME OF THEIR STAFF OVER TO RIVERVIEW TO OBSERVE AND COLLABORATE. 
          WE'VE SENT OUR STAFF OVER TO THEIR PLACES, UH, TO OBSERVE AND COLLABORATE. 
          ST. 
          HELENA DID A PHENOMENAL JOB AT HAVING THEIR LEADERSHIP DAY JUST TWO WEEKS AGO. 
          UM, AND MYSELF AND MR. MAURICE GREENLEAF, WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO GO AND BE A PART OF THAT AND JUST SEE THE GREAT WORK THAT'S GOING ON. 
          UM, ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO GET IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS AND BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO SERVE AS ONE, UM, TRULY IS AN 
          [01:50:01]
OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR ALL STUDENTS. 
          AS I SAY, UM, EVERY STUDENT IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENT, SO IF IT'S GOOD FOR ONE, IT'S GOOD FOR THE GANDER. 
          UM, SO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT PART. 
          UM, ONGOING OPERATIONAL COORDINATION, INCLUDING FACILITIES SAFETY AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT. 
          I AM SURE THAT I AM MR. ING'S BEST FRIEND AT THIS POINT, UM, AS MANY TIMES AS WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE AND, UH, COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER. 
          BUT, UH, WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE ARE TRULY STRENGTHENING THAT SUPPORT ONGOING, SO, UH, THAT IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL ARE ADDRESSED IN A VERY TIMELY FASHION. 
          UM, AND THEN LASTLY, ALIGNMENT WITH DISTRICT PRIORITIES WHILE MAINTAINING OUR CHARTER AUTONOMY. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOOK TO HEART WAS A DEEP ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE FROM ACADEMICS, OPERATIONS, FINANCE, ALL THE ABOVE, UM, AND WORKING WITH SOME OF THESE SENIOR LEADERS TO ENSURE THAT I KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, UH, FOR ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS, AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND COMPARE OURSELVES WITH THAT. 
          AND WHERE WE'RE FALLING SHORT, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN INVESTING, IN ENSURING THAT WE ARE INCREASING, UM, AWARENESS AND AS WELL AS, UH, JUST NUANCES SO THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. 
          UM, SO WITH THAT, I, I AM SUPER EXCITED TO SHARE THAT RIVERVIEW, WE, WE TRULY ARE CONTINUING TO DEMONSTRATE A STRONG ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE DESPITE, UM, UM, DECREASES IN OVERALL REPORT CARD RATINGS, UH, WHICH WE COULD CERTAINLY GET INTO, UH, UH, DURING QUESTIONS AND ANSWER. 
          UM, ALSO JUST RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, UM, BY WAY OF US HAVING NO DEFICIENCIES IN OUR AUDIT FOR MANY PERIODS OF A TIME AT, UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND BEFOREHAND, UM, AS WELL AS JUST INCREASING OVERALL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 
          UH, WE CELEBRATE THE SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT OUR SCHOOL HAS. 
          UM, AND WE ALSO REMAIN FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING AREAS OF GROWTH AS WELL AS STRENGTHENING ITS ROLE AS A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER WITHIN BUFORT COUNTY. 
          SO, UH, BEFORE I CLOSE THIS PART OUT, I AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT THIS BOARD HAS DONE, UM, AND HOW YOU HAVE ALL COME ALONGSIDE TO SUPPORT OUR BOARD AS WELL. 
          UM, I TRULY FEEL AND SEE THE DIFFERENCE, OUR FACULTY AND STAFF, THEY CAN TELL AND FEEL THE DIFFERENCE, AND OVERALL OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE FEELING THE DIFFERENCE IN A MORE POSITIVE WAY. 
          UH, SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND, UH, OR COMMENTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME. 
          ANY BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. 
          COLONEL, UH, THANK YOU, DEVON. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          UH, BRIEFING. 
          UH, COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS MM-HMM . 
          UH, ONE OF THE SMALL AREAS THAT YOU DON'T QUITE MATCH OUR DEMOGRAPHICS IS HISPANIC. 
          MM-HMM . 
          TELL US ABOUT YOUR EFFORTS TO, UH, OUTREACH TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITIES. 
          SURE. 
          YEAH. 
          THAT, THAT WAS AN AREA THAT I IDENTIFIED VERY EARLY ON THAT WE NEEDED TO, TO TRULY, UM, STRATEGIZE AND COME, UH, TOGETHER WITH. 
          SO, UM, IMMEDIATELY WHAT I DID LAST YEAR WAS I REACHED OUT TO SOME OF OUR, UM, HISPANIC, UM, LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          ERIC NAVARRO MAY BE ONE THAT YOU KNOW OF. 
          HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISPANIC SMALL BUSINESS ALLIANCE. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN COMING TOGETHER AND COLLABORATING ON IDENTIFYING DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN REACH SOME OF THESE FAMILIES MORE SO, UM, AND SO WHAT THAT HAS LOOKED LIKE OVER THIS PAST YEAR, UH, GOING OUT TO COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE THINGS ARE HAPPENING, GOING OUT TO LOCAL CHURCHES, UH, GOING OUT TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES. 
          UM, WE ORGANIZED, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO COME OUT TO THE LEKO LIBRARY, UM, BACK IN JANUARY WHEN WE WERE HAVING OUR LOTTERY, UM, OPEN SEASON. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO COME ON CAMPUS TO TOUR AND SEE RIVERVIEW. 
          UM, FOR, UH, BASICALLY THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JANUARY, WE HAD OPEN, OPEN HOUSES WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, JUST COME ON, UM, AND SEE THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING. 
          SO THIS PAST YEAR, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR HISPANIC POPULATION, IT EQUATED TO ABOUT 7% OF OUR POPULATION. 
          BUT, UM, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. 
          UM, BUT I DO WANT TO, WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF DEMOGRAPHICS, JUST TO POINT OUT, UM, THIS PAST YEAR, RIVERVIEW, UM, WE WERE LITERALLY MAYBE THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS AWAY FROM QUALIFYING FOR TITLE ONE. 
          40% OF OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WIDELY KNOWN. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE, UM, THINKING ABOUT THE GAPS THAT OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING IN HAVE, UH, STUDENTS WHO ARE MULTIPLE GRADE LEVELS BEHIND, I TOLD YOU GUYS BEFOREHAND THAT, UM, ALONG WITH MA MANY SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT, RIVERVIEW ALSO IDENTIFIED AS BEING ON THE A TSI LIST. 
          AND THAT IS FOR, UH, PUPILS AND POVERTY AS WELL AS OUR, UM, STUDENTS WHO ARE NEEDED NEEDING SPED SERVICES. 
          UM, WE KNOW THAT WHEN FAMILIES COME IN AND THEY HAVE HIGH NEEDS, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS ARE NOT SO MUCH. 
          UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT GAPS THAT WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY GAPS, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ONE TO ONE JUST YET FOR EVERY STUDENT. 
          UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS. 
          AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT OUR MINOR MINORITY FAMILIES, UM, I'M, I'M ABLE TO 
          [01:55:01]
TRULY SEE WHY THERE IS A, A WIDER, UM, GAP BETWEEN THOSE STUDENTS COMPARED TO NON-DISABLED PEERS COMPARED TO PEERS THAT COME FROM TWO FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS OR PEERS THAT ARE COMING FROM HOMES THAT HAVE A HIGH MEDIAN, UM, UH, SALARY FOR, FOR THOSE FAMILIES. 
          ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS? DR. CARR? THANKS FOR, UH, BRINGING US UP TO SPEED. 
          SURE. 
          UM, COLONEL GEIER ASKED KIND OF WHERE I WAS GOING, BUT YOU SHARED SOME OF YOUR CHALLENGES. 
          MM-HMM . 
          ARE THERE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT YOU SORT OF ARE WORKING TOWARDS OR YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AND ARE THERE STRATEGIES TO KIND OF GET THERE? SURE. 
          UM, OUTSIDE OF SOME OF THE ACADEMIC CHALLENGES, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE, THE FACILITIES CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, RIVERVIEW. 
          UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED IN THE OLD SHELL POINT ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS A, A VERY, UM, IT'S AN OLDER SCHOOL, UH, THAT DOES NOT COME WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES OR RISKS. 
          UM, SO WORKING WITH ROBERT OUTING AND HIS TEAM TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THOSE NEEDS CAN BE MET. 
          UM, BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT, UM, LIKE MY OVERALL WAY OF PROJECTING FOR OUR BUDGET, UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HAVING TO, TO CONSTANTLY THINK THROUGH. 
          UM, WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN, JUST LIKE, UH, TANYA, UH, CROSBY HAS, UM, OUTLINED INCREASES ALL ACROSS THE BOARD WITH, UM, UTILITIES, UM, ELECTRICITY, WATER, SEWER, UM, THINGS THAT WE ARE WANTING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROJECT MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TRULY, UM, PUT OUR FUNDS WHERE IT NEEDS TO MATTER THE MOST. 
          AND RIGHT NOW THAT, THAT IS DEFINITELY IN THE FACILITIES AREA AS WELL AS WITH THE, UH, STRATEGIC COMPENSATION OF OUR FACULTY AND STAFF AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          MS. BILL. 
          RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED. 
          YOUR COMMUNICATION TO THE BOARD HAS BEEN LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF WHERE IT WAS, AND I FEEL VERY INFORMED. 
          UM, AND I, IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH YOU'RE DOING. 
          SO I THINK YOU'VE BEEN DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. 
          UM, I DID RAISE THE QUESTION ABOUT THE COST PER PUPIL AND THE EXTRA $1.2 MILLION IN OUR BUDGET. 
          SO CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THAT 1.2 MILLION IS NEEDED? SURE. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT ONCE WE GET OUR GENERAL ALLOCATION, THAT ALLOCATION IS FRONT LOADED, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE FACILITIES AGREEMENT FROM THE LEASE ALSO ATTACHED. 
          AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALMOST $600,000 THAT WE PAY TO THE DISTRICT. 
          UM, AND RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THAT LEASE AGREEMENT WE'RE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS, I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO BUDGET FOR THE ACTUAL TRUE AMOUNT, UH, THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN PAYING AS PER THAT AGREEMENT. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, RIVERVIEW, WE, UM, HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, LAST YEAR IN PARTICULAR, A DRASTIC INCREASE TO JUST OUR GENERAL, UH, LIABILITY AND PROPERTY INSURANCE, THAT THOSE RATES WENT UP ALMOST 50 TO $60,000. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THE REMAINING OF THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING SO THAT WE COULD REALLY CLOSE THE, UH, THE SALARY DEFICIT BETWEEN OUR TEACHERS AND THAT OF THE DISTRICT. 
          SO LAST YEAR, UM, OR SORRY, BEFORE I GOT HERE, THE MEDIAN AVERAGE SALARY FOR A FIRST YEAR TEACHER WAS $50,000. 
          UM, SO A FEW THOUSAND BELOW THAT OF THE DISTRICT. 
          UM, WE WERE ABLE TO STRATEGICALLY, UM, REBALANCE THINGS, UH, THIS PAST YEAR SO THAT WE COULD BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH BUFORT COUNTY AND OUR STARTING TEACHER PAY WENT UP TO 60,000. 
          UH, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PERSONNEL BUDGET, OVER 82% OF OUR BUDGET IS GOING STRICTLY TO PERSONNEL. 
          AND THAT IS REALLY SO THAT WE CAN STICK WITH, UH, THE INCREASES ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT ALSO ACCOUNT FOR THINGS THAT, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO MANUALLY AND STRATEGICALLY PLAN FOR, SUCH AS INSURANCE, UM, SUCH AS, UM, FACILITIES COSTS AND, AND ALL THE ABOVE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DEFINITELY PROVIDE OUR AUDITS, UM, EACH YEAR, LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD, UH, OUR END OF YEAR, UM, FUND BALANCE, UM, WE TYPICALLY ARE RANGING SOMEWHERE AROUND LESS THAN TWO TO 3% OF OUR GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET, UM, IN TERMS OF, OF SAVING MEASURES. 
          UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, MS. CROSBY HAD MENTIONED, UM, THAT OUR ENROLLMENT ALLOCATION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE. 
          NOW I, I'D LIKE TO TO TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND. 
          YES, THAT IS TRUE. 
          BUT WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM IS A, A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN OUR OVERALL ENROLLMENT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PER OUR CHARTER. 
          WE ARE NOT ABLE TO BACKFILL SEATS IN SEVENTH OR EIGHTH GRADE, AND WE DON'T BACKFILL SEATS AFTER JANUARY 1ST. 
          SO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I HAVE A SIXTH GRADE STUDENT WHOSE FAMILY LEAVES JANUARY THE SECOND, THAT NOW MEANS THAT'S TWO AND A HALF YEARS THAT WE OR WILL NOT BE SEEING THOSE FUNDINGS, UM, UNTIL THAT SPOT IS ABLE TO BE REPLENISHED AGAIN. 
          UM, AND SO WHAT I'M HAVING TO DO STRATEGICALLY, YES, WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT 
          [02:00:01]
INCREASE, HOWEVER CONSERVATIVELY IT IS NOT IN MY BEST INTEREST TO SAY, OH, YEP, THAT'S GONNA BE THE EXACT NUMBER THAT WE'RE GONNA START WITH AND END WITH. 
          SO THIS PAST YEAR WE SAW A REDUCTION IN OUR FUNDING BECAUSE OF, UM, SOME PER, UH, PUPIL ALLOCATION CHANGES. 
          UM, AND SO WE'VE ALSO GOTTA BE STRATEGICALLY PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THAT. 
          UM, AND SO YES, WE MAY SEE A 1.2 MILLION, BUT THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE 600,000 FOR THE RENT. 
          THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR A POCKET OF MONEY THAT I THINK I NEED TO SET ASIDE JUST IN CASE WE SEE THAT DROP, UM, FOR OUR PER PUPIL ALLOCATIONS. 
          I DON'T WANNA BE IN THE RED ESSENTIALLY, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. 
          UM, BUT I, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION A BIT. 
          THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT ANSWER. 
          BUT CAN I JUST ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION? SURE. 
          THE CHARTER THINK SCHOOL IS CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU ARE A DISTRICT OWNED, UH, SPONSORED, NOT OWNED. 
          YEAH. 
          YOU'RE A DISTRICT SPONSORED CHARTER. 
          SO YOUR STUDENTS ARE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND I DO KNOW THAT THAT WAS KIND OF A WEIRD THING WITH THE NOT BEING ABLE TO REPLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, BECAUSE WHEN I ASKED ABOUT TITLE ONE SURE. 
          WHEN WE LOOK, SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN THE $20,000 PER PUPIL. 
          MM-HMM . 
          GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER-ENROLLED SCHOOLS AND TITLE ONE SCHOOLS. 
          MM-HMM. 
          AND SO THAT'S, YOU GUYS ARE NOT UNDER-ENROLLED. 
          I MEAN, REALLY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS COMPARED TO SOME, AND THEN TITLE ONE, YOU'RE NOT TITLE ONE. 
          SO WHEN I LOOK AT ROBERT SMALLS, WHICH IS LAST TIME I CHECKED, AND YOU MIGHT KNOW MORE THAN I DO, BUT KIND OF BURSTING OUT THE SEAMS AND IT'S BEEN VERY, GOTTEN VERY POPULAR AND UH, THEY ARE A TITLE ONE SCHOOL, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE UNDERNEATH YOUR PER PUPIL, UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, RIGHT? MM-HMM . 
          SO MAYBE YOU JUST NEED TO CLARIFY FOR ME, BECAUSE THIS IS HARD FOR ME TO KEEP TRACK OF WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THE, YOU KNOW, STATE SPONSORED CHARTER SCHOOLS, BUT IF WE, WE ARE ALL 35 OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME INCREASES IN UTILITIES AND LIABILITY, RIGHT? I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE ALL ON THE SAME PLAN MORE OR LESS, AND WE'RE NOT BUDGETING AN EXTRA MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR 35 SCHOOLS TO COVER THAT WAY. 
          I THINK WE BUDGETED 3.3 MILLION FOR THOSE COSTS. 
          RIGHT. 
          WAS THAT, I'M TERRIBLE. 
          I SHOULD NOT SPOUT OUT NUMBERS AT ALL. 
          I SHOULD JUST STOP IT, BUT, SO THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE WHEN PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, OKAY, WE'VE GOT THIS CHARTER SCHOOL, WHICH IS VERY WELL RESPECTED IN THE COUNTY. 
          UM, IT'S NOT A TITLE ONE SCHOOL. 
          IT'S FULLY ENROLLED AND YET IT'S COST PER PUPIL IS EXCEEDING CERTAINLY THE BLUFFTON SCHOOLS, WHICH SOME OF THE BLUFFTON SCHOOLS ARE IN THE 10, YOU KNOW, NINE, $10,000 PER PUPIL. 
          AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ALLOCATE $1.2 MILLION OUT OF THIS BUDGET. 
          JUST GIMME AN UNDERSTANDING. 
          'CAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT WITH THE LEASE AND WITH HOW YOU ALLOCATE COSTS, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VISIBILITY INTO YOUR SALARY ON THAT COST CENTER DOCUMENT. 
          YOUR SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE THE SALARY. 
          SO WE DON'T KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS TO SET THE SALARY. 
          IT'S DETACHED FROM US. 
          AND IT MAY GIVES ME JUST A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MONEY IS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PER PUPIL COST OR THE $1.2 MILLION, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF VISIBILITY INTO HOW THAT GETS SPENT, RIGHT. 
          BECAUSE OF THE CHARTER. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? OR IT'S TANYA ACCOUNTING FOR ALL OF THAT? I BELIEVE YOU ACCOUNT FOR THAT MS. UE. 
          OKAY. 
           OR SHE CAN HAVE, I'VE GOT AN EXTRA MICROPHONE, . 
          SO, UM, RIVERVIEW HAS A SEPARATE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, SEPARATE AUDITOR. 
          SO THEY HAVE SEPARATE SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEIR, UH, FINANCIALS BECOME PART OF OUR, AS A COMPONENT UNIT. 
          SO IT'S A SEPARATE SCHEDULE IN THE BACK OF OUR AUDIT REPORT. 
          SO THEY'RE NOT COMBINED WITH OUR FINANCIALS AS FAR AS SALARIES AND BENEFITS. 
          SO, UH, REALLY WE DON'T RUN THEIR PAYROLL. 
          THEY, THEY MANAGE THEIR PAYROLL, THEY MANAGE THE COST, UH, AND THE, UM, UH, ALLOCATE THE A DOLLAR AMOUNT OR THAT EACH TEACHER WILL RECEIVE. 
          SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY FOLLOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, UM, UH, SALARY SCHEDULES. 
          UM, SO THE ONLY SALARY INFORMATION WE WOULD HAVE WOULD BE BASICALLY AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN WE HA SEE THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THE FINANCIAL REPORTS. 
          UM, AND SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE A, UM, SO I GUESS SALARIES COULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN, IN THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. 
          I THINK THE COST CENTER REPORT. 
          UM, BUT REALLY WE JUST SAY 'EM AT ONE TIME, A YEAR AT THE END WHEN THEY'RE COMBINED WITH OUR FINANCIALS AT THE, UM, IN THE, IN THE FINANCIAL REPORT. 
          SO, AND I, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE. 
          THIS IS TRUE. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I RECOGNIZE WHEN I GOT HERE. 
          UM, WE, THERE, THERE WAS NOT A PUB OUTWARD FACING, UH, SALARY SCHEDULE. 
          THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE SHIFTING, UM, IN THE NEXT YEAR. 
          RIGHT NOW WHERE OUR PRIORITIES WERE, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GIVE A STANDARD, I I MENTIONED THAT WE INCREASED OUR STARTING TEACHER PAY FROM 51 TO 60. 
          THAT WAS THE ONLY MAJOR INCREASE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE. 
          SO THOSE, FROM YEAR ZERO TO FIVE, THEY RECEIVED THE, THE HIGHEST INCREASE. 
          UM, WHILE THOSE SIX THROUGH EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY JUST GOT A 2%. 
          SO THIS NEXT YEAR, UM, 
          [02:05:01]
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA KEEP OUR ZERO TO FIVE WHERE IT IS. 
          THERE'S NO PLANS TO INCREASE IT. 
          UM, AGAIN, BUT NOW MOVE ON TO YEARS SIX THROUGH 13, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. 
          AND THEN BY YEAR, UM, YEAR THREE OR NEXT YEAR, WE'LL FOCUS ON THE LATTER PART. 
          UM, MY GOAL IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CREATE, UM, ALMOST LIKE A, A UNIVERSAL SALARY SCHEDULE. 
          UM, REALLY MY GOAL IS TO MATCH BEAUFORT COUNTIES. 
          I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT OUR SALARY SCHEDULE IS THE EXACT SAME FOR THE DISTRICT. 
          UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL STRATEGICALLY BE WORKING THROUGH. 
          UM, AND THAT WILL BE PUBLICLY OUTWARD FACING. 
          AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH BECAUSE THE TWO THINGS I LIKE ABOUT THAT STRATEGIC AND TRANSPARENT, I THINK THAT'S EXCELLENT. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          I THINK THERE'S A CLARIFICATION THAT I, I'M, I'M, I'M ASSUMING, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE ON, UH, THE SAME WAVELENGTH ON IT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT, THAT YOU HEAR THIS. 
          'CAUSE IT MIGHT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TOO. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SO I MENTIONED IT BRIEFLY IN OUR, IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, BUT THERE WAS A LOT THERE, SO YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IT. 
          BUT, UM, SO BASICALLY THERE'S A FORMULA THAT THE STATE PROVIDES TO ALLOCATE, UH, FUNDING TO RIVER TO CHARTER SCHOOL, TWO DISTRICT SPONSORED CHARTER SCHOOLS. 
          AND IT IS, UH, THE TOTAL REVENUES OF THE DISTRICT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. 
          SO WE HAVE TO PROJECT WHAT OUR ACTUALS WILL BE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S LOCAL, STATE AND AT THAT FEDERAL AND OTHER CATEGORIES. 
          SO WE TAKE THAT TOTAL, WE DIVIDE IT BY THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, INCLUDING RIVERVIEW WEIGHTED PUPIL UNITS AT THE, I THINK IT'S AN AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP. 
          THERE'S A CERTAIN ENROLLMENT NUMBER WE TAKE EACH YEAR, AND IT'S CONSISTENT. 
          WE DIVIDE IT AND GET A TOTAL, UH, PERCENTAGE, UH, UM, A DOLLAR AMOUNT PER PUPIL FOR EVERY STUDENT AND THEN MULTIPLY IT BY RIVERVIEW WEIGHTED, PROJECTED WEIGHTED STUDENTS FOR THE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND SO THEIR, THEIR FUNDING ALWAYS IS BASED ON THE PRIOR YEAR'S FINANCIALS. 
          UM, SO IT'S AN ALLOCATION. 
          AND IF THEIR WEIGHTINGS, IF THEY HAVE FEWER SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS OR MORE, THEN THAT MAY FLUCTUATE A LITTLE, LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. 
          UM, AND THIS YEAR THEY, THEY HAVE A MAXIMUM RATE OF 700 AND NUMBER OF 720 STUDENTS IN ENROLLMENT. 
          THAT'S BASED ON A CHARTER AGREEMENT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM YEARS AGO. 
          UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY ABOUT 695 STUDENTS. 
          AND SO THOSE NUM THOSE SEATS AREN'T FILLED. 
          THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. 
          AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTING TO, UM, MA MAKING MEASURES TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS IN THE COMING YEAR. 
          SO THE COMBINATION OF ADDITIONAL 15 STUDENTS AND OUR TAX REVENUE GOING UP FROM LAST YEAR TO THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, THAT IS THE COMBINATION OF WHAT'S CREATING THAT MILLION DOLLARS EXTRA MM-HMM . 
          SO IT'S NOT, IT, IT'S, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT RIVERVIEW COMING SAYING WE NEED 1.2 MILLION MORE. 
          RIGHT. 
          OR, OR IT'S, IT'S FORMULA DRIVEN MM-HMM . 
          UH, IN THAT FASHION. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HERE OR ONLINE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR. 
          GO AHEAD, MR. SMITH. 
          UM, FIRST OFF, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK, THANK, THANK YOU. 
          THANK, THANK YOU, UM, FOR COMING TO US AND GIVING US THIS, UH, PRESENTATION. 
          THERE'S A LOT, A LOT OF ME MEANING MEANINGFUL INFORMATION. 
          UM, JUST, JUST TO, JUST TO, UH, I, I, I, I JUST LIKE GO BACK TO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUE, UH, WAS, WAS ASKING YOU ALONG THE LINES OF, UM, I JUST DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAID YOU WERE 40, 40% REDUCED LUNCH ALSO. 
          UM, ALSO IN, IN TERMS OF THAT, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT, WHAT DOES YOUR SPREAD DEPARTMENT LOOK LIKE AT AT CHARTER SCHOOL? COULD YOU SAY THAT LAST PART? WHAT DOES THE, OH, OH. 
          WHAT DOES YOUR SPREAD DEPARTMENT LOOK LIKE? OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, SERVICES ARE, ARE ACTUALLY CONTINUING TO INCREASE. 
          UM, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE FOR SOME OF THE FIRST TIMES WHERE RIVERVIEW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T ACCEPT STUDENTS. 
          IT'S A LOTTERY. 
          IF THEY'RE, IF THEY GET SELECTED IN THE LOTTERY, WE ACCEPT THE STUDENT. 
          UM, SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS' NEEDS ARE COMING IN MORE. 
          UM, AND MORE THAN, THAN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE STAFF TO, UM, ASSIST WITH THAT. 
          SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE'VE SEEN A, UH, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE, UM, AUTISTIC OR, OR STUDENTS WHO ARE, UH, COMING IN WITH PROFOUND DISABILITIES. 
          UM, WE'RE HAVING TO STRATEGICALLY THINK THROUGH, UM, STAFFING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS' NEEDS. 
          BUT WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED, UM, AS IDEA OR STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING, UM, UM, RTI SERVICES. 
          UM, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I, I WOULD GLADLY GET THAT TO YOU. 
          UM, BUT WE ARE TRENDING, UM, UPWARDS. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE, UM, OUR COLLABORATION WITH, LIKE MR. COX 
          [02:10:01]
OR DR. COX HAS BEEN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UM, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. 
          UM, AT THIS TIME, WE ARE, WE ARE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, OFFSET THE, UH, NEED FOR A, THE A TSI STATUS, BUT ALSO, UM, OUR, UH, STUDENTS IN POVERTY, UM, BY INCREASING ONE INTERVENTIONIST, UH, FOR THE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'LL HELP KIND OF CLOSE THOSE GAPS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, UH, WHERE WE SEE THE, THE GREATER, THE GREATEST NEED RATHER. 
          RIGHT. 
          UH, AND THEN THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND ALSO, I NOTICED THAT WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID WAS THAT, UH, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF TESTING, YY NOT WHERE Y'ALL WANTING TO, WANTING TO BE AT, BUT YOU WERE, UH, STILL, WELL, YOU STILL, YOU GONNA GET THERE. 
          AND, AND, AND ONE OF MY REASON WHY I WAS ASKING THAT TOO, BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING, AND IN THE, AND YOU KIND OF ANSWERED IN THE, THE, IN THE, UH, EFFORT OF MOVING IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE LARGE FLUCTUATE OF SPED STUDENTS, UM, WITHIN THE LINE OF YOUR LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. 
          I WAS WONDERING, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH YOU, WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR TESTING, WITH, WITH, WITH YOUR SCORES POSSIBLY ARE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING IT CORRECTLY, YOU'RE WONDERING IF THE INCREASE IN STUDENTS WITH SPED SERVICES IS EQUATING TO THE CHANGE IN REPORT CARD RATING. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. 
          OR, OR, BUT, OR WHAT OTHER FACTORS ARE CONTRIBUTING? SURE. 
          YEAH. 
          THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE. 
          UM, THAT IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE, THE FACTORS AND ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT LED TO THE A TSI STATUS. 
          UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE, WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO IS WHERE WE, I, I CALL IT THE, THE, THE GREAT RESURGENCE OF STATE STANDARDS. 
          UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE JUST ADOPTED NEW, UH, SCIENCE STANDARDS. 
          UM, AND SO TWO YEARS AGO, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR, UM, UM, PREPARING FOR SUCCESS, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE STATE REPORT CARD, THAT'S THE SCIENCE ASSESSMENT. 
          UM, LAST YEAR THERE, THERE WAS NONE BECAUSE THE STANDARDS WERE, UH, WERE NEW, OR TWO YEARS AGO, THIS PAST YEAR, OUR STUDENTS, UH, TOOK THAT ASSESSMENT AND WE DID NOT PERFORM, UM, UP TO, UH, SATISFACTORY, UH, PERFORMANCE. 
          UM, THAT, THAT HAS A HUGE, UM, VARIANCE ON THE ELEMENTARY REPORT CARD RATING MOVING, UM, FROM GOOD TO AVERAGE THIS PAST YEAR. 
          UM, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE DONE WAS WE HAVE STRATEGICALLY IDENTIFIED THAT FOURTH GRADE SCIENCE TEST, UM, AND LOOKED AT THE CURRICULUM THAT WE WERE USING, AND WE HAVE REVISED THAT CURRICULUM TO COME MORE ON PAR WITH WHERE BUFORT COUNTY IS DOING. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, COLLABORATING WITH THE, THE SCIENCE COORDINATOR HAS BEEN A HUGE GAME CHANGER FOR US. 
          OUR FOURTH GRADE TE UH, TEAMS HAVE ADOPTED THE PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, UM, AS I KNOW, AS IN MOST OF THE, THE SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          UM, AND WHAT DID I DO? I LOOKED AT THE SCHOOLS THAT HAD THE HIGHEST REPORT CARD RATING IN THAT AREA, AND THAT'S THOSE PRINCIPLES. 
          CAN I COME AND SEE THE GREAT WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING? UM, WE ARE, WE'RE LOOKING TO ADOPT PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, AND WE HAVE, WE ADOPTED THAT BACK IN SEPTEMBER, UH, THIS PAST YEAR. 
          UM, AND SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY HAD A STANDARDIZED SCIENCE BENCHMARK. 
          IREADY DOESN'T HAVE, UM, A STANDARDIZED SCIENCE ONE. 
          AND SO WE, WE HAVE ADOPTED A SCIENCE BENCHMARK WHERE WE'RE NOW ABLE TO TRACK OUR STUDENTS' PROGRESS SO THAT WE CAN SEE, UM, WHERE DO WE NEED TO COME BACK IN AND, UM, UH, DO RETEACHING OR HAVE INTERVENTION OR MOVE STUDENTS FROM, UM, IN CLASS TO RTI OR TIER ONE TO TIER TWO. 
          ALL OF THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON STRATEGICALLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS. 
          SO MY EXPECTATION, UM, IS THAT THOSE SCORES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. 
          UM, WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR BOARD HAS GIVEN A, A VERY HIGH, UM, VERY HIGH GOAL AT GETTING BOTH OF OUR SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE BACK TO AN EXCELLENT RATING, UH, BEFORE 2028. 
          UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T TAKE, UH, UM, LIGHTLY. 
          I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. 
          UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE CONTINUE THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN COORDINATORS, UM, AND OUR STAFF, AS WELL AS JUST BREAKING DOWN ANY OLD BARRIERS THAT WERE IN PLACE WHERE, UM, FOLKS MAY HAVE FELT THAT RIVERVIEW WAS ON THE ISLAND ALONE. 
          AND I'LL ALSO SAY, UM, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN PERCEPTION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT RIVERVIEW WAS ALSO ONE OF THE ONES THAT FELT LIKE THEY WERE ON AN ISLAND. 
          I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT. 
          WE ARE ONE DISTRICT, AND MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO, UM, DO, BE, ACT AND PERFORM THE SAME WAY AS ANY OTHER HIGH ACHIEVING SCHOOL. 
          WELL, TH WELL, WELL, THANK YOU. 
          I, I DEFINITELY, UM, AS YOU, AS YOU STATED WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED, THAT ONE OF YOUR GOALS WHEN YOU FIRST CAME OUT WAS TO BASICALLY TO MEND, MEND THE, MEND THE RELATIONSHIP AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE THERE WAS NO, UH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS, THERE WAS NO, UM, SEPARATION IN BOTH ENTITIES. 
          AND I WILL DEFINITELY SAY YOU HAVE DONE THAT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. 
          [02:15:01]
E EVEN THE WAY HOW YOU TALK, HOW YOU, HOW YOU TREAT OUR, OUR ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE COME AROUND, OR YOU INVITE US TO YOUR EVENTS, AS SOMEONE STATED EARLIER ALREADY, I MEAN, I, I HEAR GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOU, EVEN WHEN YOU AT, I TELL, I TELL, I WOULD TELL ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS THAT THAT, THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT WHEN THEY COME FORTH AND THEY BRING US THEIR SCORES, LISTEN, YOUR ENERGY IS, IS VERY EXCEPTIONABLE. 
          YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE A HIGH ENERGY PERSON. 
          YOU'RE SPEAKING WELL, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT I HAVE NO, UH, QUESTION THAT YOU WILL NOT MAKE, MAKE THAT GOAL. 
          I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING OVER THERE. 
          CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO PLEASE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US. 
          AND DR. RODRIGUEZ AND I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S, I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MR. SMITH. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ONLINE OR HERE? THEN I JUST HAVE A ONE QUESTION YES, SIR. 
          AND IT'S A PRESUMPTION. 
          SURE. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF ON THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS VERY SUPPORTIVE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND I HEAR ABOUT HOW THEY ARE ENGAGING. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I'VE SEEN WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO AS WELL. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UH, JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THESE BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE BEING IDENTIFIED ON EITHER SIDE ARE BEING SHARED. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          YOU, IS THAT OKAY? ABSOLUTELY. 
          THAT'S IT ON BOTH SIDES. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          ALRIGHTY. 
          ACADEMIC, ACADEMIC CALENDAR. 
          GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBERS AND CHAIRMAN DALLAS. 
          HOW ARE WE TODAY? I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          , IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR THAT WE BRING FORWARD, UM, ACADEMIC CALENDAR AND AS A BOARD, WE ARE, AND AS A DISTRICT, WE HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVE. 
          AND AT THIS POINT, WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD THE 28 29 ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR YOU WITH THREE OPTIONS. 
          AND BEFORE I TURN OVER, WHO'S JOINING ME TODAY IS NICHOLAS FLOWERS. 
          AND I WANNA ALSO SHARE THAT NICHOLAS FLOWERS, AS WELL AS KAREN MCKINSEY, HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE PRESENTATION WORK OF THIS CALENDAR. 
          ON A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, IT STARTED FIRST WITH SENIOR STAFF, WENT TO PRINCIPALS, FROM PRINCIPALS TO OUR TEACHER FORUM, FROM TEACHER FORUM TO OUR SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COUNCIL GROUP, FROM THAT TO PUBLIC FEEDBACK. 
          AND WE, AND THAT SURVEY CLOSED ACTUALLY THIS MORNING. 
          AND FROM THAT, IT'S NOW IN FRONT OF YOU AS OUR BOARD. 
          SO WITH THAT, WHAT OUR PRESENTATION APPRECIATED VERY MUCH, MRS. BERRY. 
          I'LL WALK THROUGH A FEW POINTS AND THEN I WILL HAVE MR. FLOWERS GO THROUGH SOME ITEMS FOR, FOR YOUR EDUCATION REGARDING THIS. 
          THESE OPTIONS I WANNA BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT OUTSIDE OF THE LAW, WHICH IS 59 POINT SC REGULATION, THE CALENDAR REPRESENTS A 90 90 SPLIT. 
          IT REPRESENTS AS REQUESTED THROUGH OUR BOARD THE ELECTION DAY AND VETERANS DAY AS DAYS OFF IN NOVEMBER. 
          EACH ONE OF THESE OPTIONS, OPTIONS ALSO DEMONSTRATE SHORT INTERMITTENT BREAKS, NEW TO THE CALENDARS OPTIONS ISN'T THE START OF SECOND SEMESTER IN THE PAST, WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED ON A FRIDAY. 
          TEACHER FORUM HAD MADE THE REQUEST NOT TO START SECOND SEMESTER ON A FRIDAY. 
          YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, WITHIN THE OPTIONS, THE SPRING BREAK ALIGNS WITH HERITAGE. 
          THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FEEDBACKS COMING IN FROM SURVEY. 
          SO THERE WAS SOME SURVEY RESPONSES AND RES AND SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. 
          THERE WAS SOME SURVEY RESPONSES NOT, BUT WE DO RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT THAT HAPPENS TO OUR COUNTY WITH SUCH A LARGE EVENT. 
          THE CALENDARS ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SUMMER SCHOOL TO BE EXECUTED IN JUNE, AND THEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES DIVISION TO START WITH SCHOOL READINESS. 
          I WANNA WANNA BRING FORWARD FOR YOUR RECOGNITION THAT IN THIS, EACH ONE OF THESE CALENDARS TESTING HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. 
          AND I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE. 
          WE HAVE ONE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT. 
          THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ABOUT 700 AP PLACEMENT EXAMS THAT THEY SAW, AND THEY START BEING EXECUTED IN APRIL. 
          AND WITH THAT, YOU ARE GONNA SEE ONE ITEM A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND I THINK IT'LL COME UP IN OPTION TWO IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FULL WEEK IN THANKSGIVING TO BE OFF. 
          SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, WITHIN THE LAW, THE REQUIREMENTS HAS THAT WE MUST HAVE EMERGENCY 
          [02:20:01]
DAYS PUT IN 180 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS. 
          THERE MUST BE 10 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS. 
          TEACHERS ARE TO RECEIVE TWO UNENCUMBERED DAYS. 
          AND THAT IS FOR THE OPENING OF THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. 
          WE HAVE THREE MAKEUP DAYS AS OUR EMERGENCY DAYS AND THREE HALF DAYS. 
          WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO MR. FLOWERS WITH THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND HE CAN GO WALK YOU THROUGH THE OPTIONS AS WELL, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, SO WITH THIS, UM, ON PART OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THERE ARE SEVERAL PIECES THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO, UM, AS WE BUILD IT. 
          SO, UM, IF YOU WILL GO TO PAGE FOUR, THOSE KEY PIECES THAT WE LOOK AT ARE HAVING 180 STUDENT DAYS, 190 TEACHER DAYS. 
          UM, WE LOOK AT THE MODIFIED BALANCE, WHICH GIVES US A 90, 90 SPLIT ON OUR SEMESTER. 
          SO THEY'RE BOTH EQUAL. 
          UM, THE BENEFIT HERE IS THAT IF WE HAVE EARLY GRADUATES, THEY DO FINISH THEN AT THE END OF THE FALL SEMESTER PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS. 
          SO PRIOR TO THAT WINTER BREAK, UM, WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS OF THREE BUILT IN, UM, TO THE CALENDAR. 
          UM, ALONG WITH CLASSROOM READINESS DAYS, HAVING TWO, UM, THERE ARE THREE MAKEUP DAYS BUILT INTO IT. 
          ONE THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FALL SEMESTER, AND THEN TWO THAT HAPPENED IN THE SPRING SEMESTER. 
          AND THEN THERE ARE THREE HALF DAYS THAT ARE BUILT IN. 
          GENERALLY THEY CORRESPOND WITH THE END OF A QUARTER. 
          SO IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRST OPTION ON PAGE SIX, SO OPTION ONE WOULD HAVE TEACHERS RETURNING ON JULY 31ST WITH STUDENTS STARTING ON AUGUST 7TH. 
          THEN WE WOULD HAVE LABOR DAY IN SEPTEMBER, A FALL BREAK THAT CORRESPONDS IN OCTOBER 12TH AND 13TH. 
          UM, THAT ALSO CORRESPONDS WITH THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER FOR A HALF A DAY. 
          NOVEMBER THEN WOULD BE VETERANS DAY AND, UM, ELECTION DAY, AND THEN A THREE DAY THANKSGIVING BREAK WITH, UM, A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY FOLLOWING THE 21ST. 
          FIRST. 
          SO IF ALL WOULD GO TO PLAN, THE LAST STUDENT DAY WOULD BE THE 20TH. 
          BUT IF A WEATHER MAKEUP WAS NEEDED, THE LAST STUDENT DAY THEN WOULD BE THE 21ST OF DECEMBER, THEN TEACHERS WOULD RETURN ON JANUARY 8TH WITH STUDENTS RETURNING ON JANUARY 9TH. 
          AND THEN IN FEBRUARY YOU WOULD HAVE, UM, FOR STUDENTS A MINI BREAK, BUT THERE WOULD BE A TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY ON THE 16TH WITH THE WEATHER MAKEUP DAY BEING ON THE 20TH. 
          AND THEN IN MARCH, AT THE END OF THE QUARTER, FALLS A HALF A DAY, AND THEN A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY ON THE 19TH, GOOD FRIDAY IS ON MARCH 30TH WITH THE SPRING BREAK FALLING THE WEEK OF APRIL 9TH THROUGH THE 13TH. 
          AND THEN IN ORDER SO THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT COMING BACK FOR JUST ONE DAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY. 
          UM, THE LAST STUDENT DAY THEN WOULD BE ON MAY 30TH WITH THE LAST TEACHER DAY BEING ON JUNE 4TH. 
          OPTION TWO INCORPORATES THAT FULL WEEK AT THANKSGIVING BEING ONE OF THE BIG DIFFERENCES. 
          SO, UM, IT STARTS AT OPTION ONE AND, UH, WITH THE SAME START DAY BEING FOR STUDENTS AUGUST 7TH, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE FULL WEEK AT THANKSGIVING, IT SHORTENS THAT BREAK IN OCTOBER. 
          SO THERE WOULD ONLY BE OCTOBER 13TH FOR THAT DAY, AND THEN IT WOULD GO ONE ADDITIONAL DAY AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER. 
          SO THE WEATHER MAKEUP DAY WOULD FALL ON DECEMBER 22ND TO ALLOW FOR THAT FULL WEEK FROM NOVEMBER 20TH TO THE 24TH. 
          THEN IN JANUARY, TEACHERS WOULD RETURN ON JANUARY 5TH, STUDENTS ON JANUARY 8TH. 
          AND THEN IN FEBRUARY IT WOULD BE ONE PROFESSIONAL DAY ON FEBRUARY 16TH, A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY ON MARCH 19TH, SAME SPRING BREAK. 
          AND THEN THIS CALENDAR OPTION DOES HAVE THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDING. 
          THEN ON MAY 25TH PRIOR TO, UM, MEMORIAL DAY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY, IF IT WERE NEEDED, 
          [02:25:01]
UM, ON MAY 29TH, IF THE WEATHER MAKEUP DAY IS NOT NEEDED, THEN, UM, FOR STAFF THAT WOULD JUST BECOME, UM, A FOUR DAY WEEKEND. 
          THEN WITH THE LAST TEACHER DAY BEING ON JUNE 1ST, IT WAS HARD TO FIND THAT WEATHER MAKEUP DAY FOR THAT SEMESTER TO STILL MAINTAIN THAT 99 OR 90 90 SPLIT. 
          SO OPTION THIRD ON PAGE EIGHT. 
          SO THIS ONE WOULD HAVE TEACHERS, UM, COMING BACK A LITTLE LATER IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS FOR THE START OF THE YEAR. 
          SO IT'D BE AUGUST 2ND FOR TEACHERS, AUGUST 9TH FOR STUDENTS. 
          AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR, UM, LABOR DAY, YOUR, UM, BREAK IN OCTOBER FOR ONE DAY. 
          UM, YOU WOULD HAVE THREE DAYS FOR THANKSGIVING WITH THE SEMESTER ENDING ON, UM, DECEMBER 21ST WITH THE WEATHER MAKEUP DAY ON THE 22ND. 
          AND THEN IN JANUARY, TEACHERS WILL BE TURNED JANUARY 5TH, STUDENTS ON JANUARY 8TH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY IN FEBRUARY, A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY IN MARCH. 
          AND THEN IN APRIL WOULD BE OUR SPRING BREAK WITH THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR STUDENTS BEING MAY 25TH, UNLESS THERE IS THE NEED FOR A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY, WHICH WOULD BECOME MAY 29TH. 
          AND TEACHER'S LAST DAY BEING JUNE 1ST. 
          SO WITH THAT CHAIRMAN DALLAS, AS WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION, THIS IS ACTUALLY LIES WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD. 
          WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD THE OPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REVIEW FROM A SERIES OF CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS PERSONNEL WITHIN THE DISTRICT, COMMUNITY AND TEACHERS. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          THANK YOU, DR. 
          STRATAS. 
          ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE INPUT QUESTIONS? YES, I DO. 
          UH, I THINK MS. BOATWRIGHT WAS FIRST AND THEN YOU, MRS. SMITH AND MR. I MEAN, DR. CARR, THIS IS MY PERENNIAL ACADEMIC CALENDAR. 
          HOW ARE WE HANDLING API B, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO START AT THE END OF APRIL IN 2027 TESTING IN REGARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF TEST ADMINISTRATION? SO, SO IF WE'RE STARTING JANUARY 8TH YES, MA'AM. 
          AND THE FIRST IB TEST STARTS APRIL 27TH. 
          AND FROM WHAT I'M LOOKING AT, IT'S THE LANG, IT'S ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE DO OFFER. 
          SO, AND THEN I THINK MAY 3RD IS WHEN THE AP TEST START. 
          SO IS THE STRATEGY THAT WE'RE GOING TO FRONT LOAD AP V OR WHAT, I KNOW WE ASK, I ASK THIS EVERY TIME, BUT WHAT'S THE STRATEGY TO MANAGE THAT? SO IT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT YOU DID BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT CAME FROM ONE OF OUR TEACHERS FROM LUPTON HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL. 
          AND UPON REVIEW, UM, STRONG INPUT WAS THAT HE FELT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A GREATER AMOUNT OF ACADEMIC DAYS FOR THE READINESS OF THE ASSESSMENTS. 
          ALSO, TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE NOTE THAT WE'RE ON A FOUR BY FOUR, BUT WE ALSO NOTE THAT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS BACK UP A CLASS PRIOR TO THE, LET ME USE FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AP BIOLOGY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN A BIOLOGY CLASS FIRST SEMESTER TO PICK UP THE I, UM, AP BIOLOGY CLASS SECOND SEMESTER. 
          SO THERE'S A MASTER SCHEDULE COMPONENT THAT INDIVIDUALLY WITH SCHOOLS, BUT WE DID RECEIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR READINESS, UM, FROM ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. 
          THAT PROBABLY CARRIES A A VERY LARGE WEIGHT. 
          CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR READINESS? BECAUSE EMPIRICALLY THERE ARE FEWER DAYS, RIGHT? BECAUSE NO, MA'AM. 
          START, THERES 90 90 SPLIT, RIGHT? BUT THAT INCLUDES MAY AND IF MAY'S NOT, IF THE ASSESSMENT YEAH, I JUST, YES, BUT THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE INTO SPRING BREAK, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO KEEP THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS ALIGNED AND WHAT IS THE MAGIC NUMBER OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS PRIOR TO SITTING FOR AN ASSESSMENT? WE HAVE TO GIVE A SOMETHING IN THE CALENDAR WITHIN THOSE 90 DAYS. 
          WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, AND BACK TO THE BOARD IS WHAT DO WE WANT TO GIVE UP? I I, I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO PUT THAT QUESTION AT THE TABLE. 
          THE TEACHERS RECOGNIZE THE READINESS THAT IF I COULD HAVE THE SAME STUDENTS FIRST SEMESTER FOR AND, AND HAVE THOSE STUDENTS SECOND SEMESTER, THEY ARE WORKING THE PACING INTERNALLY FOR THEIR INSTRUCTION AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THEIR COLLEAGUE. 
          LET'S SAY, IF I DON'T HAVE THOSE STUDENTS BOTH SEMESTERS FOR READINESS FOR ASSESSMENTS, SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THAT TYPE OF CULTURE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE ASSESSMENTS. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S AN INTERNAL OPERATIONAL TOOL THAT WE MANAGE WITH OUR MASTER SCHEDULE, AS WELL AS WHO'S MY COLLABORATIVE 
          [02:30:01]
PEER THAT WORKS WITH OUR STUDENTS. 
          SO I WOULD HAVE TO PUSH AND SAY, WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT TO GIVE UP MATHEMATICALLY WITHIN THIS IN ORDER TO HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF DAYS RECOGNIZING THAT AP AND IB ARE ALWAYS WILL BE SECOND SEMESTER. 
          THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. 
          SO, YES, MA'AM. 
          SO IF YOU DON'T MIND ME FOLLOWING UP, JUST SO, I MEAN, I'M PRETTY SURE I WOULD ASSUME THE BOARD WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO GIVE UP AN PIB PROGRAM, RIGHT? OH GOD, NO. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE FOUR BY FOUR, UM, WELL, BUT I MEAN, WE GET TO A POINT WHERE THE FOUR BY FOUR DOES NOT FIT WELL. 
          AND IF WE START DOING THIS, SO HERE'S WHAT I'M HEARING IS WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT SOMEONE WHO'S TAKING, GOING TO TAKE THE BIOLOGY, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH SENIOR YEAR AS IT DOES JUNIOR YEAR, AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUSHING MORE AP INTO FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR. 
          AND THE REASON THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPORTANT IS THOSE SCHOOLS WILL IMPACT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, RIGHT? SO LET'S SAY BIO, WHICH IS GENERALLY TAKEN SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR YEAR, YOU GET EIGHT CLASSES PER YEAR, FOUR BY FOUR. 
          SO IF YOU ARE SAYING THAT BASICALLY A JUNIOR, LET'S SAY IT'S GONNA TAKE AP BIO, UH, IN THE SPRING OF THEIR JUNIOR YEAR, YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT THEY TAKE LIKE HONORS BIO, WHICH INCORPORATE SOME OF THE AP BIO AND THEN GO STRAIGHT INTO AP BIO. 
          IS THAT YOUR, IS THAT, AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY? THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT I COULD SUGGEST. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE IB PROGRAM IS YOU HAVE TO TAKE SIX COURSES. 
          YOU, IT'S NOT THE SAME STRUCTURE. 
          YOU HAVE TO TAKE SIX COURSES IN ORDER ORDER TO GO FORWARD FOR AN IB DIPLOMA. 
          THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, BUT THE DESIGN OF OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO SIT FOR IB CLASSES OUTSIDE OF THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING FULL DIPLOMA, I THINK WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS WHO ARE SITTING FOR IB COURSES THAN GOING COMPLETELY ON THE DIPLOMA PA PATHWAY. 
          SO OPPORTUNITIES LIE WITHIN THE MASTER SCHEDULE, HOW IT'S DESIGNED, AND THEY ALIGN THE MATRICULATION OF COURSES WITH STUDENTS LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCT THAT IS DEFINED BY A FOUR BY FOUR SCHEDULE. 
          IT MAY NOT BE THE POINT OF CONVERSATION FOR THE CALENDAR. 
          THESE ARE BASED ON A FOUR BY FOUR THAT HAS BEEN HERE. 
          BUT I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE, AND I DO, I APOLOGIZE, MRS. BOATWRIGHT, THAT WITH THE CURRENT FOUR BY FOUR, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY OF 32 CHANCES FOR 24 CREDITS. 
          NONE THE IB PROGRAM, BECAUSE YOU TAKE A JUNIOR SENIOR YEAR, SO THAT'S 16 AGAIN, BUT I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE OF THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? YEAH. 
          AND I'M LOOKING AT THE WHOLE COHORT OF STUDENTS. 
          THE IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM PROVIDES A PATHWAY THAT THEY DO HAVE OUR STUDENTS FOR READINESS WHO ARE CONTINUING ON THAT PATHWAY. 
          PATHWAY. 
          AND I THE SAME ALSO FALL FALLS FOR OUR AP CAPSTONE PROGRAM. 
          THERE'S NOT ARBITRARILY DESIGNED FOR COURSES FOR STUDENTS JUST, WELL, NOW I'M GONNA GO ON THE PATHWAY. 
          THERE'S A READINESS THAT'S COMPONENT ALSO WITHIN THE STUDENT THEMSELVES THAT IS A SELF-REGULATORY AND A READINESS WITHIN THE STUDENTS. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE DAYS FOR SECOND SEMESTER AND, AND I, I, I JUST NEED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING. 
          DO YOU MIND IF I, I DON'T WANNA MONOPOLIZE, BUT WHAT MY, THE REASON I BROUGHT IT UP IS BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT MEMORY WHERE THE ENTIRE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY IS, IS OFF. 
          I THINK IN THE PAST WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT. 
          MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING AT THOSE DATES AND I'M LOOKING AT APRIL 27TH TO APRIL 27TH IS THE FIRST DAY. 
          SO OBVIOUSLY I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH IB PROGRAM. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING A LITTLE BIT IS IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO, THE D IB DIPLOMA IS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO HALF AN, YOU CAN'T DO A FULL YEAR OF IN, YOU HAVE TO TAKE SIX SUBJECT AREAS. 
          SO YOU CAN'T EXTEND THE YEAR. 
          WE CAN GET INTO THIS, LET ME SAY THIS, I'LL VOTE ON THE CALENDAR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BECAUSE IT MAY BE THAT THE IB DIPLOMA IS GOING TO GET, IS GONNA HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT. 
          AND YOU, AS YOU SAID, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE JUST TAKING THE CLASSES, THEY'RE NOT DOING THE DIPLOMA AS MUCH. 
          AND THEN IF WE'RE GONNA PUSH THE AP CLASSES MORE INTO THE FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS, WHICH THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION OF THAT, THIS MIGHT BECOME MORE IMPACTFUL. 
          SO I WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND DROP MY COMMENTS AT THIS POINT. 
          BUT FOR FUTURE TOPICS, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MANAGE THE FOUR BY FOUR SCHEDULE WITH, UM, ADVANCED COURSE AND COLLEGE LEVEL COURSEWORK THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. 
          BECAUSE I, IF YOU'RE ASKING WHAT THE BOARD'S WILLING TO GIVE UP, THIS IS A HILL I'M WILLING TO DIE ON. 
          I DO NOT WANNA LOSE THE IB OR AP PROGRAMS. MAY, MAY I, BECAUSE I, I ABSOLUTELY, I, I STAND WITH THE STRONG, THE SUPPORT FOR OUR AB, AP, IB AND CAMBRIDGE PROGRAMS. I HAVE TO SHARE THAT. 
          AND THERE ARE OTHER MEANS BY WHICH TO GIVE ACADEMIC SUPPORT TO STUDENTS. 
          AND THAT COULD EVEN BE BEYOND GOING THROUGH EXTENDED DAY TUTORING AND USING TUTORING MONEY TO HELP THE ACCELERATED OR ADVANCED MODELS THAT WE HAVE OR ALOS THAT, YOU KNOW, ACCELERATED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS. 
          SO THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE HOW THAT WAS REFRAMED BECAUSE 
          [02:35:01]
I THINK THE QUESTION GOES BEYOND WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US AS TO WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF THE, UH, SCHEDULING OF CLASSES. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU, RODRIGUEZ. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          ANYONE ELSE? DR. CARR, SORRY, YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS, BUT IS, WAS THERE A STRONG RECOMMENDATION FOR A FULL WEEK AT THANKSGIVING VERSUS THREE DAYS? THERE WAS. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD. 
          THERE WAS JUST CONFIRMING, UM, TO YOUR POINT OF 48.9% TO, TO THAT LEVEL. 
          YES, SIR. 
          MR. SMITH. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UH, YES, SIR. 
          UM, A ALSO, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, THE SURVEYS CUT OFF THIS MORNING. 
          UH, DO YOU HAVE THE RESULTS FROM THOSE, FROM THOSE, FROM THOSE SURVEYS? MR. MAY I? YES, MA'AM. 
          UM, MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY TAKING DOWN THOSE STATS EARLIER THIS MORNING, UM, OF THE SURVEY RESPONSES. 
          AND, UH, AND I HAVE DR. 
          BRUDER HERE IN CASE I INTERPRET SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. 
          BUT OF THE RESPONSES, WE HAVE 58% WERE FROM PARENTS, 44% FROM STAFF, 9.8% FROM COMMUNITY, 7.3% FROM STUDENTS OF THOSE RESPONDENTS, AND I AM CORRECTED IT, IT WAS OPTION ONE WAS 29.3%, OPTION TWO WAS 44.2, AND OPTION THREE WAS 26.3. 
          I WANNA SHARE THE, THAT WE HAD OVER 4,000 INDIVIDUALS AT LEAST LOOK AND TOUCH THE CALENDARS, BUT WE HAD ACTUALLY 1,406 FULL RESPONDENTS, OR AS THE LANGUAGE HAS UTILIZED AND IS, THEY WERE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SURVEY SURVEY 30, UM, 3,500, UM, ACTUALLY ENGAGED BUT DIDN'T, WEREN'T RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY ITSELF. 
          SO OVERALL, WE HAD OVER 4,000 REVIEW, 1,406 RESPONSE RESPON, UH, RESPONSES ON OUR FIRST DAY. 
          UM, THERE WAS OVERWHELMING RESPONSE IN RES, UM, THE AMOUNT OF HITS THAT THE SURVEY RECEIVED WENT FROM A HIT, MEANING THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT THE SURFACE OF IT ACTUALLY, AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE 'CAUSE THAT I COULDN'T BREAK DOWN THE DATA POINT. 
          IT WAS 20,000 HITS TO 27 HITS TODAY, 2,700 I'M CORRECTED 2,700 HITS TODAY. 
          SO ON THE FIRST DAY, GENERALLY ON A SURVEY THAT GOES OUT ELECTRONICALLY THE FIRST 48 HOURS, YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR HIGHEST RATINGS. 
          AND, AND COULD YOU TELL ME HOW LONG HAS THIS SURVEY BEEN OUT FOR? HOW, HOW MANY DAYS FOR TOTAL? UM, THREE COMPLETE DAYS, INCLUDING THIS, THIS MORNING, SIR, THAT WOULD MAKE THE FOURTH MORNING WE PUT THE SURVEY OUT AFTER WE HAD COMPLETED WHAT OUR SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COUNCIL TEAM, AND WE LET THEM KNOW. 
          AND THEY ALSO WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE THE INFORMATION, SIR. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S ONE OF MY, AND THAT'S ALSO ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, BEING, BEING A BOARD MEMBER, WE ALSO, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT I BELIEVE IN GETTING, GETTING, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE BOSSES TOO. 
          AND, UH, AND JUST IN TERM OF, IN ALL DUE RESPECT, IN TERMS OF, UH, LAST YEAR WE GOT, I, I GOT CHEW, I GOT CHEWED OUT, UH, BECAUSE, UH, WE DIDN'T GET TO HEAR FROM OUR, FROM OUR, SOME OF OUR, OUR TEACHERS AS WELL, AND, UH, AND, AND PARENTS. 
          AND SO MY, MY QUE MY QUESTION IS, SO, SO WITH IT ONLY BEEN THREE, THREE DAYS AND STILL, UH, I THINK IT'S STILL THAT, THAT, THAT WE, UH, GET TO HEAR FROM SOME MORE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN TRYING TO, I'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT, UM, DISCUSSING THAT A LITTLE BIT AND ASKING SOME OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AND UH, UH, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE AT IN LINE IN TERMS OF THIS, UM, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A, A VOTE TODAY, ARE WE? BECAUSE YES. 
          SO WE LOOK FROM OUR FIRST DAY OF, UM, SURVEY BEING POPULATED TO ACTUALLY, TO TODAY, THERE WAS A 90% DECREASE IN RESPONDENTS. 
          SO AS I SHARED ON, WHEN YOU HAVE SURVEYS THAT GO OUT, YOUR FIRST 48 HOURS ARE GONNA BE THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTION AND IMPACT. 
          SO I DO WANNA SHARE THAT IN REGARD TO THE SECOND QUESTION, YES, THERE IS A MOTION ON THE TABLE, SIR, FOR THE BOARD REGARDING THIS CALENDAR. 
          WELL, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND I DO, I DO UNDERSTAND, I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, ABOUT THE, THE, THE HUGE RESPONSE AT THE BEGINNING, BUT EVERYONE, EVERYONE IS NOT ALWAYS TECHNOLOGY SAVVY AND EVERYONE, EVERYONE HAS NOT ALWAYS HAD A CHANCE TO PUT, PUT, UH, TO, TO, TO GIVE, TO GIVE THE RESPONSE THAT THEY NEED. 
          I JUST DON'T THINK THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN A SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TIME, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE EVERY, EVERYONE DOES NOT HAVE, UH, 
          [02:40:01]
SOME, SOME EVERYONE IS NOT JUST TECHNOLOGY SAVVY AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE SOME TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES THAT OTHER OTHERS MAY HAVE. 
          SO I, I, I, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE POPULATION THAT I, THAT I SERVE, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DIG TO DIFFERENTIATE YOU BECAUSE OF THAT. 
          AND I DO UNDERSTAND, AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE KICKBACKS THAT I HAVE GOTTEN, UH, WITH WITHIN, WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OF THE CALENDAR THAT, THAT WE DID, THAT WE DID VOTE ON, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW TODAY. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          I WOULD JUST, MY COLLEAGUES TO, UH, TO TAKE THAT, TO TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION. 
          UM, I'M NOT SURE WHOEVER EVER, WHOEVER MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS ARE, ARE, ARE NOT IN TERMS OF, IN TERMS OF IT, UM, THE C BEING, BEING PUT OUT. 
          BUT I, I DEFINITELY WOULD THINK ABOUT, UH, TABLING THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING. 
          I'LL SEE WHY IT WOULD HURT IF WE, IF WE TABLED IT TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. 
          LIKE I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. 
          THANK YOU, MR. I, I MAKE A MOTION THAT I, I'M MAKING A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT WE TABLE IT TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? I'M, LOOK, I'M LOOKING AROUND MR. SMITH NO SECOND, SO NO, IS THERE, I HAVE A QUESTION IF I MAY. 
          UM, WHEN I LOOK AT OPTION ONE, IT HAS THREE DAYS DURING NOVEMBER, THANKSGIVING AND ALSO OPTION THREE IF I'M MIS NOT MISTAKEN, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          AND OPTION TWO RECEIVED THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF POSITIVES IS 44.2, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THERE'S NO VOTE NEEDED TODAY OR DO, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD? SO THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, SIR. 
          WE DO HAVE A MOTION TIED FOR A VOTE FROM THE BOARD. 
          IT IS ALSO PART OF OUR SECOND PRESENTATION REGARDING THE FINALIZATION OF GRADUATION DATES REGARDING THREE OF OUR CALENDARS. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC. 
          OKAY, MR. SECRETARY MOTION, IS THERE A MOTION, UM, READING THE ROOM, READ THE ROOM. 
          IT APPEARS THAT, UH, OPTION TWO WOULD BE, UH, THE, THE PRIMARY. 
          SO I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPT OPTION TWO FOR THE 20 28 29 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR. 
          I'LL SECOND. 
          SECOND. 
          PROPERLY MOTION. 
          AND SECOND THAT OPTION TWO BE THE RECOMMENDED OPTION FOR THE BOARD. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ONLINE, MS. HAY A AYE. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          MR. SMITH, A UM, A ACTUALLY, I HAVE A COMMENT BEFORE YOU, UH, TAKE THAT TAKE BEFORE YOU TAKE THAT, UH, MOTION, UH, YOU JUST WENT AHEAD AND WENT TO THE, UH, MOTION. 
          UH, THERE WAS STILL A DISCUSSION ONCE YOU MAKE THAT, BUT I, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY, UM, I, I, I HAD SOME PEOPLE LOOKING MORE AT OPTION ONE, SO, UM, THE, THE BOARD DIDN'T REALLY GIMME A CHANCE TO, TO, TO QUERY THE, QUERY MY COMMITTEE. 
          I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY, BUT, BUT I, I'M STILL A LITTLE, UM, CONCERNED. 
          THANK, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MR. SMITH. 
          NO, SO, SO I'LL ASK YOU, SAM, I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, LOOK, LOOK TO, UH, GO, GO WITH, UH, DIFFERENT OPTIONS. 
          SO, UH, I WOULD, UH, VOTE NO ON THIS OPTION. 
          THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. 
          APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COURAGE IN, IN, IN REPRESENTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS. 
          ALRIGHT, I THINK IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED. 
          SECOND AND WE VOTED. 
          OKAY. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          OPTION WHAT? SORRY? YEAH. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          OPTION TWO. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          BOARD MEMBERS AND THANKS EVERYBODY, MR. DALLAS. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA ASK MRS. BERRY TO ENVY YOURSELF TO PLEASE LOOK AT A SECOND HANDOUT REGARDING GRADUATION DATE OPTIONS. 
          MAYBE WE CAN PULL THAT UP PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AS THAT'S BEING PULLED UP, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
          AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT BECAUSE THIS DOCUMENT WAS MADE PRIOR TO THE LANDING OF THE 28 29 ACADEMIC CALENDAR. 
          SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE OF CONTENTS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE GRADUATION OPTION DATES FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          YOU'RE GONNA SEE IF AT A 27 28 SCHOOL YEAR PUT A 28 29 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          AND I'M GONNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE SIX WHEN WE GET TO THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE JUST DID THE 28 29 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          AND ON PAGE SIX YOU WILL SEE THAT IT CITES GRADUATION DATE OPTIONS IF OPTION TWO OR THREE WAS SELECTED FOR THE 20 28 20 29 ACADEMIC SCHOOL 
          [02:45:01]
YEAR. 
          SO IF I COULD PLEASE HAVE YOU GO TO PAGE THREE. 
          WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR GRADUATION FOR OUR SCHOOLS IS ON A ROTATION ON THE 26TH, 27 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. 
          BATTERY CREEK WILL HOST THE FIRST GRADUATION UNDER OPTION ONE. 
          GRADUATION STARTS ON MAY 24TH AT 7:00 PM MAY 25TH. 
          THE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL 7:00 PM WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE, MAY 26, 7:00 PM AND YOU, YOU COULD PICK UP THE PATTERN WE HAVE HERE MAY RIVER WILL BE MAY 27TH, BUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, MAY 28TH, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE IN THE MORNING WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF A MAKEUP UNDER THE OPTION ONE AT 7:00 PM THE REASON BLUFFTON WAS MOVED TO THE TEN EIGHT TEN O'CLOCK WAS JUST IN CASE IT RAINED IN THE MORNING. 
          THEY TOO HAVE AN OPTION OF UTILIZING THAT SEVEN O PM GRADUATION SLOT UNDER OPTION TWO FOR A 26 27 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. 
          SAME SEQUENCE OF SCHOOLS. 
          BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THE CALENDAR. 
          IT STARTS FOR BATTERY CREEK ON MAY 21ST, 7:00 PM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, MONDAY THE 24TH AT 7:00 PM WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE, MAY 25TH AT 7:00 PM MAY RIVER FOLLOWING DAY AT 7:00 PM WHICH WOULD BE THE WEDNESDAY BEAUFORT HIGH. 
          MAY 27TH IS A THURSDAY, 7:00 PM AND MAY 28TH, WHICH IS A FRIDAY, 7:00 PM THIS LEAVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MAKEUPS IF NEEDED FOR TWO SCHOOLS, ONE AT 10:00 AM AND ONE AT 7:00 PM AND THEN ON OPTION THREE, IT TRUNCATED, AT ONE TIME THERE WAS CONVERSATION OF DOING TWO GRADUATIONS IN A DAY. 
          I WANNA SHARE THAT THERE'S NO PREFERENCE FROM OUR SEAT. 
          WE JUST PUT THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE FOR YOU. 
          BOARD MEMBERS. 
          UM, IF YOU NOTE ON THIS, ON THE 26TH, IT'LL BE, WE HAVE A MORNING AT 10:00 AM AND AN EVENING AT 7:00 PM THAT WOULD BE BATTERY CREEK HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, RESPECTIVELY. 
          ON THE 27TH, SAME PATTERN, A 10 AND A AM A 7:00 PM WHICH WILL GIVE YOU WHALE BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE, MAY, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL ON THE 28TH, A 10:00 AM A SEVEN 7:00 PM RET HIGH SCHOOL. 
          LOUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL. 
          ONCE AGAIN, SIMILAR SCENARIO ON THE 29TH, THE OPPORTUNITY OF TWO MAKEUPS. 
          WITH THAT, I WILL POUR PAUSE AS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA TAKE ACTION INDIVIDUALLY OR WAIT UNTIL WE WALK THROUGH EACH CALENDAR. 
          SIR, IT'S UP TO YOU. 
          I'LL KEEP DRIVING. 
          GRADUATION OPTIONS. 
          ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR 27 28. 
          I WANT YOU TO NOTE IT HAS ROTATED NOW, HILTON HEAD WILL MOVE TO THE FIRST GRADUATION. 
          SO UNDER OPTION ONE, MAY 24TH, 7:00 PM WHALE GRAND JURY COLLEGE, THE 25TH, 7:00 PM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, MAY 26TH, 7:00 PM AN OPTION WAS PROVIDED HERE. 
          SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY TO HAVE MAKEUP THAT 27TH CAN BE UTILIZED FOR MAKEUP DAYS. 
          FOR THOSE FIRST THREE LISTED HIGH SCHOOLS AS WE GO INTO THE FOLLOWING WEEK, MAY 31ST, 7:00 PM BEAU, UM, BLUFFTON HIGH BATTERY CREEK, JUNE 1ST, 7:00 PM AND YOU SEE A MAKEUP DAY IS PROVIDED ON JUNE 2ND, 10:00 AM OR 7:00 PM AS NEEDED. 
          OPTION TWO, WE'LL START ON THE 
          [02:50:01]
25TH. 
          THERE IS A 7:00 PM FOR HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL ON THE 26TH, A 7:00 PM FOR WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE. 
          WE HAVE A SATURDAY GRADUATION OPTION FOR 10:00 AM FOR MAY RIVER, MAY 30TH, A 7:00 PM MAY 31ST TON HIGH 7:00 PM BATTERY CREEK, JUNE 1ST, 7:00 PM AGAIN, OPTIONS FOR TWO MAKEUP DAYS AS PROVIDED IN THIS AREA. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE ON OPTION THREE, SAME PATTERN AS ON THE PRIOR PAGE STARTING ON THE 30TH. 
          WE START WITH A 10:00 AM AND A 7:00 PM GRADUATION RESPECTIVELY FROM MAY 30TH THROUGH JUNE 1ST, UTILIZING JUNE 2ND FOR MAKEUP. 
          DR. 
          RETOS, UM, PAGE FIVE AND SIX, BOTH ADDRESS, UH, THE 28 29 CALENDAR THAT THEY JUST NOTED ON, RIGHT? YES SIR. 
          OKAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THEY, THEY SEE THAT AND THEY KNOW THAT PAGE FIVE AND SIX ARE BOTH ADDRESSING THE SAME CALENDAR, BUT IT JUST DEPENDED ON THE OPTION SELECTED. 
          SO SINCE OPTION TWO WAS SELECTED, YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING AT PAGE SIX. 
          YES SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IF I COULD DRIVE YOU TO DR. PAGE SIX. 
          AND THESE WOULD'VE BEEN THE OPTION HAD YOU SELECTED OPTION TWO OR THREE FOR THE 29 28 29 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. 
          GRADUATIONS HERE, WE'LL START ON THE 23RD OF MAY. 
          WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE WILL BE THE FIRST COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. 
          7:00 PM MAY RIVER WILL BE THE SECOND ON THE 24TH. 
          BE PUT HIGH THE THIRD AT 7:00 PM MAY 30TH, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO NOTE THAT MAY 29TH IS IDENT WAS IDENTIFIED ON THE CALENDAR AS A WEATHER MAKEUP DAY, WE CANNOT NOW GO CHANGE AND SAY IT COULD BE A GRADUATION DAY. 
          WE DON'T KNOW. 
          SO THAT MAKEUP DAYS, WEATHER DAYS MUST VIEW MAIN AS SUCH ON OUR CALENDARS. 
          THAT IS A STIPULATION ON THE REGULATION. 
          SO THEN GRADUATION WILL CONTINUE ON THE 30TH FOR BLUFFTON HIGH, THE 31ST FOR BATTERY CREEK, HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL ON JUNE 1ST. 
          THIS GIVES A MAKEUP DAY ON JUNE 2ND, AND YOU CAN CONTINUE SEEING THE, THE READING FOR THE OTHER TWO OPTION BOARD MEMBERS. 
          I'LL PAUSE AND LET YOU REVIEW SO THAT YOU COULD SPEAK AMONGST YOURSELVES. 
          'CAUSE AS I SHARED, WE HAVE NO PREFERENCE. 
          THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THESE DATES IN ADVANCE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GET NEXT YEAR'S DATES OUT. 
          OPTION ONE, ALL, ALL THE WAY DOWN. 
          OPTION ONE. 
          UH, I AM NOT A FAN OF DOUBLING UP. 
          UH, THE, THE TWO ADAY, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF TIME SITTING UNDER THE SUN AND EATING AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          SO I, I'M, I'M, I'M ALL ABOUT OPTION ONE ALL THE WAY DOWN RIGHT COUNTER PROPOSAL. 
          THE TWO THINGS THAT I WORRY ABOUT ARE, ONE, IF THE GRADUATIONS ARE HELD AFTER THE LAST DAY OF TEACHERS BEING IN THE SCHOOL, LIKE A SET, I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OPTIONS, LIKE JUNE 2ND, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, ON THE LAST ONE THERE. 
          SO THE LAST DAY OF TEACHER SCHOOL IS FRIDAY, JUNE 1ST, AND THEN, UH, GRADUATION IS SATURDAY, JUNE 2ND. 
          IT'S DEFLATIONARY. 
          'CAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS ARE DONE AND THEY WANT TO GO ON SUMMER BREAK TO COME BACK. 
          SO THAT'S JUST ONE THING TO FACTOR IN. 
          AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT, I MEAN, TO ME, AS MUCH AS WE CAN GET DONE THE WEEK OF THAT, 'CAUSE THERE'S MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LEAVING. 
          SO THE, AS MUCH OF THE GRADUATION THAT WE CAN GET DONE BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, TAKING OFF AND WHATNOT, I THINK WOULD BE, WOULD BE GOOD. 
          UM, AND I KNOW THAT LIKE ON THE 28 20, I GOTTA KEEP TRACK OF THE DATES ON THE 28, 29 ON BASED ON OPTION TWO. 
          I WOULDN'T DO JUNE 2ND. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, OR, AND EVEN JUNE 1ST IN THE EVENING CAN GET KIND OF DICEY 'CAUSE TEACHERS ARE DONE, THEY'RE OUT FOR SCHOOL FOR THE SUMMER. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO FACTOR THAT IN AS WE LOOK AT THAT. 
          'CAUSE THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT GET PARENTS UPSET. 
          UM, WHEN THEY LOOK AT GRADUATION DATES. 
          [02:55:01]
MAY, MAY I BRING FORWARD? YES, MA'AM. 
          SO THIS WAS AN INTERNAL CONVERSATION AT LENGTH BECAUSE WE WERE SUSPECT THAT THIS WOULD COME FORWARD. 
          I WANT US TO KEEP ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE TRY TO HAVE 180 DAYS OF OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOL. 
          SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE TABLE AS WELL. 
          IT'S A VERY EASY SHIFT AS MRS IS PUTTING FORWARD THAT WE JUST SHIFT EVERYTHING UP FROM THE 22ND AND GO AND CONTINUE ON THAT PATTERN, WHICH WILL JUST ELIMINATE THE MAKEUP DAY, HAVING TO BE ON THE JUNE 2ND AND PROVIDES JUNE 1ST AS A MAKEUP DAY. 
          ANY CONSIDERATION OF THAT BY BOARD MEMBERS? BLUE PEN? UH, GO AHEAD, MS. SMITH. 
          I, THAT WAS, I WAS, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT I, I, I THINK THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE, WITH THE WAY HOW IT WAS PUT, UH, IN OUR IN OPTION OPTION OPTION, OPTION ONE. 
          AND I DO, I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, IN TERMS OF TEACHERS HAVING THEIR LAST DAY AND COME AT THE GRADUATION, BUT THAT'S JUST, UM, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE, A LITTLE GIVE OR TAKE THE SAME WAY HOW WE, HOW WE, HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THAT WE GIVE THEM, WE FIND THE MONEY FOR THEM TO START AT $60,000. 
          I MEAN, AT SOME POINT IN TIME THEY HAVE TO GIVE SOMETHING TOO. 
          SO I, SO COMING BACK FOR A GRADUATION, I DON'T SEE WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THAT'S ASKING, UH, FOR A LITTLE TOO MUCH OR IF, IF, IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU WANNA DO. 
          IF YOU WANNA COME BACK, YOU COME BACK. 
          BUT I MEAN, I, I I THINK OPTION ONE IS TO SPREAD OUT FINALLY. 
          AND THEY'VE WORKED ON AND YOU ACCEPTING EVERYTHING ELSE, THEN WHY NOT ACCEPT OPTION ONE AS IT IS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO IF MR, IF MR. UH, HAY MADE THAT A MR. A MOTION, THEN I WOULD GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT MOTION. 
          MOTION, YEAH. 
          MR. NAY. 
          OKAY. 
          I BE NAY. 
          YES SIR. 
          I APOLOGIZE. 
          YES, MR. NAY, THERE ARE NO MOTION TO MAKE JUDGE. 
          OKAY, GO AHEAD. 
          I, I WAS JUST FOR DISCUSSION, I WAS PUTTING OUT THAT I WAS IN FAVOR OF ALL OPTION ONES. 
          YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION IN? I'LL MAKE MOTION. 
          ALL YES. 
          UM, SO WE MUST, UH, VOTE ON EACH CALENDAR, UH, EACH GRADUATION SET INDIVIDUALLY. 
          SO, UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT OPTION ONE FOR GRADUATIONS OF THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. 
          ALRIGHT, PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, MS. BOATWRIGHT, MR. SMITH AND MS. HAY? I'M A NO. 
          'CAUSE I WOULD'VE BEEN OPTION TWO. 
          OKAY. 
          MR. SMITH AND MS. HAY? AYE. 
          MR. SMITH IS AYE I'M A NO AS WELL AS I WOULD'VE VOTED FOR OPTION TWO AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU BOTH, UH, PASSES. 
          NEXT ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPT OPTION ONE FOR GRADUATIONS OF THE 27 7 28 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND. 
          SECOND BY MR. SMALL. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          I'M GOOD WITH OPTION ONE HERE ON ONLINE. 
          MR. SMITH AND MS. HAY A AYE SMITH A AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU GOT THAT MS. MS. AND LAST ONE I MOVE TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT OPTION ONE FOR GRADUATIONS OF THE 28 29 SCHOOL YEAR. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. 
          SECOND. 
          BY MR. SMALL. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? NO. 
          HOLD ON. 
          I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          I MOVE THAT WE MAKE AN AMENDMENT FOR, UM, THAT, UH, TO OPTION TO JUNE. 
          I'M SORRY, I'M LOOKING AT THE DATES, UH, MOVE THAT WE MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO. 
          ACTUALLY, NO, HOLD ON. 
          WHAT AM I DOING? THIS IS HARD TO DO ON THE DATES. 
          WE'RE ON THE RIGHT. 
          20 28, 20 29. 
          UM, YEAH, SO, UH, ACTUALLY NO, I'M GOOD. 
          OPTION ONE'S FINE. 
          I TAKE IT ALL BACK. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTION AND MRS. SMALL SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL OPPOSED? NO, MR. SMITH AND MS. HAY A AYE, AYE. 
          OKAY. 
          PASSES. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          THANK BOARD MEMBERS. 
          THANK YOU MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, BEFORE WE LEAVE OFF THIS TOPIC, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION ON THIS TOPIC. 
          UM, UH, AND, AND THAT MOTION WILL BE THAT AND, AND, AND, AND IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN THE CALENDAR'S PUT OUT THAT WE GIVE, THAT WE GIVE ENOUGH DAYS OR, OR, OR, OR AT LEAST SEVEN, SEVEN DAYS OR, OR A WEEK. 
          FOR THE ACTUAL, FOR THE ACTUAL, UM, FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE, AND ACTUALLY I WOULD SAY TWO WEEKS THAT WE GIVE IT TWO WEEKS GRACE PERIOD FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE ACTUAL, UH, SURVEY. 
          FIRST SURVEY TO CIRCULATE WITH THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND ALSO THAT WOULD GIVE BOARD 
          [03:00:01]
MEMBERS, UH, TO TIME US UP TO TALK TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE WHEN THE STAFF IS, IS GOING OVER IT, THAT'S FINE AND UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE, WE ARE STILL HAS BOARD MEMBERS HELD TO, UH, A STANDARD OF CONCERN IN TERMS OF, UH, TALKING TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. 
          UH, AND FINDING AND FINDING OUT WHICH WILL BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS THE STAFF. 
          OKAY. 
          MR. SMITH HAS MADE A MOTION. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? SEEING NONE, THE MOTION DOES NOT GO FOR VOTE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, MR. CHAIR? UH, I I DON'T THINK THAT THE, THAT THE MOTION WAS WITHOUT MERIT THOUGH. 
          I THINK THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT MAYBE BACK TO ACADEMICS. 
          UH, I ALMOST SECOND IT JUST SO WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION. 
          UH, BUT I THINK WE CAN GO BACK TO THE ACADEMICS COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT MAYBE A POLICY MOVING FORWARD AS OPPOSED TO MAKING A MOTION TODAY. 
          WE'VE MADE A MOTION AND IT PASSED. 
          RIGHT? SO YOU'RE SAYING WELL, I MEAN, NO, NO, NO. 
          TO A MOTION. 
          TO, TO, SO MR. SMITH'S MOTION WAS NOT SUPPORTED. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT THE TOPIC IS NOT WITHOUT MERIT. 
          CORRECT. 
          SO I'M SAYING WE CAN GO BACK TO ACADEMICS COMMITTEE AND HAVE THE ACADEMICS COMMITTEE DISCUSS IT AS FUTURE TOPIC. 
          YES. 
          AGREE. 
          ANY OTHER TOPICS ON THAT? EVERYBODY GOOD? LUNCH IS READY. 
          IF YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR BREAK NOW FOR LUNCH. 
          YES. 
          WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE IT. 
          HOW MUCH TIME? 30 MINUTES. 
          30 MINUTES. 
          30 MINUTES. 
          SOUNDS GOOD. 
          YEAH. 
          GOOD IDEA IS, UM, 1240. 
          SO OUR NEXT TOPIC IS THIRD GRADE RETENTION. 
          MR. DO THINK SHE'S GOTTA DO SOMETHING? YOU GOOD? THANK YOU MS. BLACK. 
          WE'RE NOT RECORDING. 
          RECORDING IN PROGRESS. 
          WAY TO GO, MS. BLACK. 
          ALL YOURS. 
          THANK YOU LADIES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S ALL YOURS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. 
          BOARD MEMBERS AND CHAIRMAN DALLAS. 
          UM, SEAT SEATED WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON IS MELISSA MURRAY, OUR DIRECTOR FOR LITERACY, AND SHE'S GONNA BE BRINGING INFORMATION FORWARD TO YOU REGARDING THIRD GRADE RETENTION. 
          I'D ALSO LIKE TO SHARE THAT THIS YEAR WORKING FOR SUMMER SCHOOL IS ALSO MICHELLE ACKMAN, WHO'S ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS FOR ELEMENTARY. 
          AND MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW HER FROM HER GREAT WORK IN OUR PRIOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 
          UM, MS. ACKMAN WOULD BE HERE TODAY, BUT SHE'S HAS A FAMILY WEDDING. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF TURNING THIS SEGMENT OF OUR PRESENTATION WORK OVER TO MELISSA MURRAY. 
          WELCOME MS. MURRAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE AN OVERVIEW OF THIRD GRADE RETENTION. 
          OVER THE PAST DOZEN OR SO YEARS, MORE THAN 30 STATES HAVE PASSED THIRD GRADE RETENTION LAWS. 
          THESE LAWS ARE ONE WAY STATES ARE TRYING TO ENSURE ALL THIRD GRADERS HAVE THE READING SKILLS REQUIRED TO SUCCEED IN FOURTH GRADE AND BEYOND. 
          AND SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THESE STATES. 
          EVERYTHING REFERENCED IN THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE COMING FROM ACT ONE 14 AND THE THIRD GRADE RETENTION GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED TO US BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, THE 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL YEAR CAME WITH CHANGES TO OUR RE RETENTION GUIDANCE. 
          AS YOU THINK THROUGH ACT ONE 14 AND MANDATORY THIRD GRADE RETENTION, WE WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THE SOUTH OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA MTSS FRAMEWORK GUIDANCE DOCUMENT, THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, HAS ALIGNED THE WORK OF ACT ONE 14 AND THIRD GRADE RETENTION TO SUPPORT THE STATE MTSS GUIDANCE. 
          MICHELLE SACKMAN IS NOW THE ISD LEAD FOR THE MTSS PROCESS, AND SHE AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS. 
          THIS FLOW CHART CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE FIVE OF THE GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THIS IS A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE EXPECTATIONS FOR THIRD GRADE RETENTION. 
          THIS FLOW CHART SUPPORTS THE MTSS GUIDANCE AND THIRD GRADE RETENTION REQUIREMENTS. 
          [03:05:01]
IN THE LARGER BOX, YOU WILL SEE A LIST OF APPROVED EXEMPTIONS TO RETENTION. 
          AND OUR NEXT SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THOSE. 
          THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THE APPROVED EXEMPTIONS TO RETENTION AS OUTLINED IN ACT ONE 14 AND THE GUIDANCE DOCUMENT. 
          IF A CHILD QUALIFIES FOR EXEMPTION, THE EXEMPTIONS ARE INDIVIDUALLY COMPILED WITH A COVER SHEET AND EVIDENCE FOR EACH STUDENT. 
          THAT IS STARTED AND COMPLETED AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AS A LITERACY TEAM OF PRINCIPAL, COACH, AND TEACHER. 
          AND THEN IT IS SENT TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE FOR A FINAL LOOK THROUGH BEFORE GOING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. 
          EACH STUDENT THAT HAS AN EXEMPTION WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN TO SUPPORT LEARNING. 
          THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ALIGNMENT TO THE MTSS PROCESS. 
          ONE OF OUR GOOD CAUSE EXEMPTIONS IS FOR AN ML LEARNER WITH TWO YEARS OR LESS OF ML INSTRUCTION WHEN CONSIDERING MLS FOR RETENTION, WE ARE GUIDED TO REFER TO THIS GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ON PAGE 11 FOR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ML LEARNERS. 
          THIS GUIDANCE ALIGNS TO OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION IN PLACE. 
          THIS PAGE IN THE GUIDANCE DOCUMENT HAS QUESTIONS LISTED TO HELP US DISCUSS THE EVIDENCE AND MAKE BEST DECISIONS IN RETENTION OF ML LEARNERS. 
          AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO EDUCATION IS OUR COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES AND THE MANDATORY RETENTION PROCESS OUTLINES THE STEPS IN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS EACH QUARTER. 
          WE ALSO HOST LITERACY EVENTS AT SCHOOLS TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH FAMILIES. 
          I HAVE INCLUDED A SAMPLE HANDOUT THAT IS OFTEN PROVIDED TO FAMILIES DEVELOPED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. 
          THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN ALIGNED TO OUR, OUR MOST CURRENT STANDARDS AND ARE AVAILABLE PRE-K THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL IN ALL CONTENT AREAS. 
          IN ADDITION, STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED FOR MANDATORY RETENTION ARE INVITED TO THE ELEMENTARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM THAT DR. 
          STRATOS MENTIONED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS CAMP. 
          STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ALREADY HAVE AN EXEMPTION FROM RETENTION ARE TO TAKE A STATE APPROVED SCREENER. 
          EACH OF THESE ASSESSMENTS HAVE A MINIMUM SCORE REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR AN EXEMPTION. 
          WHILE THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUPPORTS THIS WITH SOME FUNDS, WE TYPICALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE WILL RECEIVE UNTIL MARCH OR APRIL. 
          UM, SO, BUT WE STILL INVITE ALL THIRD GRADERS THAT ARE QUALIFIED FOR AN EXEMPTION. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION TODAY. 
          PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTION, INSIGHTS, MS. HAY OR MS. SMITH? YEAH, SORRY. 
          IS THERE ANY DEPARTURE FROM THE REGULATION THAT WE WEREN'T ALREADY DOING? NO. 
          OKAY. 
          THE THE ONLY SLIGHT CHANGES YOU SAW IN THE FIRST SLIDE WAS, UM, THE, THE SHIFT IN, UM, WHO IS A QUALIFIED FOR A RETENTION. 
          UM, BECAUSE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED NOW ARE THIRD GRADERS, IT USED TO BE, DOES NOT MEET ONE AND DOES NOT MEET TWO, BUT THEY ARE NOW ALL GROUPED INTO, DOES NOT MEET. 
          SO IT CAPTURES MORE STUDENTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE OR MIGHT BE UP FOR RETENTION. 
          UM, AND SO THAT WAS THE LARGE CHANGE. 
          UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION, AS FAR AS SUMMER READING CAMP, THE BIG CHANGE IS WE MUST INVITE FIRST GRADERS THIS YEAR. 
          UM, AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO INVITE SECOND GRADERS. 
          SO IN TWO YEARS, THE OUR READING CAMP WILL BE REQUIRED OF THIRD, FIRST, AND SECOND GRADE STUDENTS. 
          GYER. 
          UH, THANK YOU. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, DO YOU HAVE DATA ON THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN THAT, UH, THROUGH THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM, UH, GO AHEAD AND, AND PASS ALONG? YES. 
          UM, NOT, I DON'T HAVE PERCENTAGE IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I DO HAVE NUMBERS. 
          UM, SO LAST YEAR WE HAD 24 STUDENTS THAT WERE ENDED UP BEING RETAINED. 
          UM, BUT WE, THE NUMBERS STARTED. 
          SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 349 KIDS PROJECTED TO SCORE DOES NOT MEET TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR RETENTION. 
          AND SO YOU SEE IT, WHAT THAT TRICKLED DOWN INTO IN THIS MOMENT, WE ALREADY HAVE 148 EXEMPTIONS, UM, THAT INCLUDES STUDENTS WITH I, ALL OF THOSE EXEMPTIONS, IEPS, ML STUDENTS ALREADY BEEN RETAINED OR TAKE THE ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT. 
          AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THAT, BUT IT SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASES. 
          SO THE, WHEN SHE SAYS THE PROJECTION, RIGHT? YEAH. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S US LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT OUR DIAGNOSTIC TELL US, 
          [03:10:01]
UH, AND SORT OF OUR PREPARATION FOR OUR, FOR OUR, UH, SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THESE STUDENTS. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS RESULT, UM, UH, OUTPERFORM THAT PROJECTION, SO THAT NUMBER DROPS SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          RIGHT? THEN YOU GET INTO THEIR WORK IN, UH, THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM THAT, THAT WE HAVE. 
          AND THEN THAT NUMBER DROPS AGAIN, BASED ON THEIR PERFORMANCE AND THE CRITERIA THAT'S SET BY THE STATE FOR, UH, MATRICULATION. 
          YEAH, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR THE PERCENTAGE, JUST KIND OF A, IT'S, IT'S VERY SIMILAR. 
          SO WE, YEAH. 
          SO IT, IT WAS ABOUT 400 KIDS ELIGIBLE FOR RETENTION LAST YEAR, AND IT, AND THERE ENDED UP BEING 24 STUDENTS. 
          UM, SO I CAN GET YOU THAT EXACT NUMBER, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD ESTIMATE. 
          UM, AND THEN ON THE SLIDE THAT'S UP THERE RIGHT NOW, THE 4 89 NUMBER, SO TO DR. 
          RODRIGUEZ'S POINT, WHEN THEY TAKE THE SCREENER AT THE END OF SUMMER SCHOOL, UM, WHEN STUDENTS, OR IF A STUDENT EARNS A 4 89, THAT IS THE CUT SCORE, THE STATE HAS DECIDED, ALLOWS YOU TO SHOW THAT YOU, UM, HAVE EXCEEDED WHAT SC READYS DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS, UM, STATES. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          IS BO WRIGHT, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE STATE, THIS IS THE STATE'S POLICY, SO WE'RE JUST SORT OF RECEIVING IT, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME. 
          I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHY ARE WE DOING IT THIS WAY? TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. 
          UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID, I'M GETTING OLD NOW, SO THAT MEANS SOMETHING BACK WHEN, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS IN THIRD GRADE. 
          I MEAN, IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR KIDS IT TO BE HELD BACK. 
          IT WAS NOT A STIGMA. 
          AND PARTICULARLY WITH BOYS. 
          AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS NO, I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE, AND NOW, WELL, THE REVERSE IS NOW THEY'RE STARTING BOYS SO LATE, SO BOYS ARE STARTING BECAUSE OF SPORTS. 
          THEY'RE STARTING, UM, UH, SCHOOL AT A MUCH LATER RATE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DID, YOU HAD A LOT OF, IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE SOMEONE HELD BACK IN THIRD GRADE. 
          IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL. 
          IT WAS JUST SORT OF, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED AN EXTRA YEAR. 
          THESE EXEMPTIONS, LIKE IF THEY DON'T, BECAUSE HILTON HAD NOW I THINK, UM, HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 
          WHY WOULD THEY HAVE A GOOD CAUSE EXCEPTION IF THEY HAVE DONE IT? BUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE JUST PASSING THAT ALONG, YOU KNOW? AND SO I GUESS WHAT I'M, MY, MY THING HERE IS THIS DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME AS, UM, A BOARD MEMBER OR AS A CONSTITUENT. 
          AND I ALSO HAVE TO SAY, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO A LITTLE PLUG. 
          I MEAN, THE DATA COMING OUT OF MISSISSIPPI IS NOT, SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. 
          I KNOW THAT THERE'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S CONTROVERSIAL. 
          IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. 
          IT IS A LARGE SAMPLE SIZE, AND IT MOSTLY FOCUSES IS ON READING, YOU KNOW, SCIENCE OF, UH, THE PHONICS, UM, AND INTENSE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND ALL THAT. 
          BUT ONE OF THE CRITERIA IS THIRD GRADE RETENTION. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THEY SAID. 
          AND YOU KNOW, I I, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE OR AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT AGAIN, IT JUST, THIS THIRD GRADE RETENTION THING GETS BROUGHT UP A LOT WHEN I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO JUST HOLDING KIDS BACK? SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE AS A KIND OF A MOMENT TO SAY SURE. 
          TO THE STATE. 
          AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE LEGISLATURE. 
          HAVE WE STARTED LOOKING AT GOING FROM, WHAT, 47TH TO NINTH IN THE COUNTRY ON READING SCORES? I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S LIKE THE GLP ONES OF, UM, THIRD GRADE READING. 
          YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST, UM, JUST TO COMMENT, I KNOW THAT, UM, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAS LOOKED VERY CLOSELY AT MISSISSIPPI, IN FACT HAVE CHANGED THE CURRICULUM PROGRAM, UH, IN LITERACY TO ALIGN WITH THAT WORK FROM MISSISSIPPI. 
          AND SO THE SCIENCE OF READING IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR CURRICULUM PROGRAM IS. 
          BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, UH, AN IMPLEMENTATION OF A MAJOR SHIFT LIKE THAT, IT, IT DEFINITELY TAKES TIME ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A RETRAINING AND SHIFTING OF, UH, OF, UH, STAFF TRAINING IN TERMS OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND THE CURRICULUM THAT THEY'RE OFFERING. 
          AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, UM, IT, IT'S, IT HAPPENS, BUT OVER A SERIES OF YEARS IN ORDER TO GET EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY TRAINED. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN TRAINING OUR STAFF IN THE SCIENCE OF LITERACY, UH, UH, YES. 
          OF READING. 
          DO YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO. 
          UM, SO OUR STATE ADOPTED LETTERS TRAINING, UM, FOR SCIENCE OF READING, IT IS A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT. 
          SO, UM, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE TEACHERS, UM, OR ANYONE THAT WORKS WITH A KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS, SO YOUR ML TEACHERS, YOUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE TAKING THIS ALL INTERVENTIONISTS, UM, WE'VE ALL COMMITTED TO AND TAKE, ARE TAKING OR HAVE TAKEN THE LETTERS TRAINING, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON SCIENCE OF READING AGNOSTIC TO A CURRICULUM. 
          UM, AND THEN ALSO, AS DR. RODRIGUEZ SAID, WHEN WE RECENTLY ADOPTED THE CURRICULUM, 
          [03:15:01]
SO WE'RE IN YEAR TWO OF OUR NEW READING SERIES. 
          THE LIST COMPILED AND GIVEN TO US FROM THE STATE LEANED HEAVILY INTO THE CURRICULUM THAT FOLLOWED THE SCIENCE OF READING AND HAS A REALLY STRONG FOUNDATIONS OF READING. 
          UM, SO OUR TEACHERS VOTED ON AND SELECTED WHOM FLYNN HARCOURT, UM, INTO READING K THREE. 
          UM, AND THEN OUR STANDARDS, THE 20, FROM THE 2015 STANDARDS TO THE 20 23, 24 STANDARDS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED, THERE WAS A HUGE SHIFT IN THE YOUNGER GRADES TO FOUNDATIONS OF READING STANDARDS. 
          UM, AND EVEN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, UM, ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL HAVE COMPLETED LETTERS. 
          UM, HOWEVER, IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS BECAUSE EVERYONE NEW, UM, WILL THEN TAKE LETTERS. 
          SO WE HAVE EIGHT SCHOOLS LEFT. 
          WE HAVE 11 SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ALREADY FINISHED. 
          UM, BUT WE STILL HAVE A COHORT OF ABOUT 150 PEOPLE THIS YEAR THAT SHOW THAT ARE TAKING LETTERS, OR THE STATE HAS ALLOWED FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS TO OPT IN AND, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TO OPT IN. 
          AND I THINK A HIGHLIGHT IS 25 OF OUR SPECIAL ED MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS OPTED IN TO DO THIS TRAINING AS WELL. 
          UM, AND SO IN THIS MOMENT, I'M ACTUALLY COMPILING LISTS FROM ALL OF THE SCHOOLS OF WHO ARE NEW K THREE, WHO'S GONNA OPT IN FOR FOUR OR FIVE, WHO'S GONNA OPT IN FOR SPED, UM, AND ANTICIPATE A FEW MORE DISTRICT COHORTS. 
          SO LIKE ON JUNE 1ST, WE WILL HAVE A 11 SESSIONS OF LETTERS HAPPENING ALL THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH OVER 500 PARTICIPATING EDUCATORS. 
          ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? YEAH. 
          UH, HOW, HOW MANY KIDS ARE, HOW MUCH, HOW MANY KIDS ARE WE LOOKING TO SERVE THIS SUMMER? SO WITH, UM, THIRD GRADE AND FIRST GRADE, AND WE ARE INVITING ALL STUDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PROJECTED IN WINTER, UM, FOR PLANNING PURPOSE IS WE ARE CLOSE TO 800 IF THEY ALL SAY YES. 
          HUH. 
          GOTCHA. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THIS IS, AND THIS IS AT NO, AND THIS IS AT NO COST TO, TO THESE STUDENTS, CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          AND IT'S A 15 TO ONE RATIO STUDENT TO TEACHER. 
          THE TEACHERS HAVE TO BE HIGHLY QUALIFIED. 
          WE ARE USING A SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION AND PHONICS, SPIN, MAKE AWARENESS AND SITE WORDS CURRICULUM. 
          WE ALSO, UM, HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AND ARE LEANING INTO INFORMATIONAL TEXTS THAT MATCH OUR SCIENCE CONTENT FOR THE UPRISING FOURTH GRADE. 
          SO WE WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT SUPPORTS THEM, UM, WHILE BEING, YOU KNOW, A FUN TIME AND WE GET SOME NICE SUCCESS, UM, FROM THE PROGRAM AS FAR AS LIKE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING AND ENJOYING THE TIME AND LEARNING THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, UM, AND, AND, AND THIS DOESN'T AFFECT THE, ANY OF THE, UH, UH, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ANY OF THE OTHER, OTHER CURRENT STU UH, SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, CORRECT? YES. 
          IF A, IF A STUDENT IS AT JEOPARDY OF RETENTION, THE STUDENT IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE SUMMER PROGRAM FOR LITERACY. 
          RIGHT? BUT SO THE THIRD, THE THIRD GRADE RETENTION PROGRAM TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER ATTENDANCE OF OTHER SPONSORED PROGRAMS FOR US AS A DISTRICT. 
          'CAUSE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ACADEMIC INTERVENTION THAT IS STRUCTURED UNDER THE STATE REQUIREMENT. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT NO, MY QUESTION WAS, I SAID, BUT THE, THE, THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS NOT, IS, IS BASICALLY IS NOT AFFECTING ANY OTHER PROGRAMS. IS, IS MY QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY, SIR. 
          DOES NOT, THE FUNDING IS A SEPARATE, UM, SOURCE FOR US, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          THANK YOU, MA'AM. 
          YOU, MR. SMITH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, INPUTS, UH, MR. SMITH? I MEAN, NOT MR. SMITH. 
          MS. UH, MS. HAY. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MAY I REMAIN? YES. 
          WELL, THANK YOU. 
          BYE. 
          WE'RE ON A ROLL. 
          OH YEAH. 
          HI, . 
          HOW'S IT GOING? I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE WITH PRESENTATION TODAY, BOARD MEMBERS AND CHAIRMAN DALLAS. 
          SO WE MAY THANK YOU, MRS. CUSH. 
          BARRY, THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU. 
          I'D LIKE TO PAUSE ACTUALLY AT THE TITLE PAGE FOR A SECOND, JUST TO WALK THROUGH THE WHY OF SELECTED RESEARCH. 
          I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. 
          [03:20:01]
SO IN THIS OPENING PAGE, IT SHARES, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE EFFORT OF IDENTIFYING PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT EFFECT UPON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, THE SERIES OF RESEARCH PAPERS ARE REVIEWED. 
          REVIEWED RESEARCH WAS SELECTED BASED ON ACADEMIC STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN PEER REVIEW WITH PEER REVIEW APPROVAL, ADHERENCE TO ETHICAL GUIDELINES, STATING NO PLAGIARISM OR DUAL SUBMISSION CONTAINING PROPER CITATIONS AND CLEAR, CONCISE WRITING. 
          THESE RESEARCH ARTICLES ALSO MET WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE I-M-R-A-D FORMAT. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, IT HAS AN INTRODUCTION METHODS RESULTS IN DISCUSSION, I WANNA SHARE THE SELECTED RESEARCH FOR THE SUMMARY IS PRESENTED WITHOUT THE PROVISION OF ANY BIAS OR CONCLUSIONS. 
          THE FINDINGS ARE INCONCLUSIVE, BUT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE LENSES FOR YOU, FOR YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE YOUR DISCUSSION. 
          UH, IT'S PAGE TWO OF YOUR HANDOUT WALKS YOU THROUGH WHAT IS WITHIN YOUR PACKET. 
          AND WITH IT, I'M GONNA TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS OF WHAT I UTILIZE FOR MY QUERY. 
          I WENT FROM WHAT HAS A GREATER IMPACT ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, UM, SINGLE CAREGIVER HOUSEHOLD VERSUS TO CAREGIVER HOUSEHOLD TO CAREGIVER HOUSEHOLD VERSUS CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT? CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT VERSUS CAREGIVER LEVEL OF EDUCATION, SINGLE OR DUAL CAREGIVER, HOUSEHOLD VERSUS CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT. 
          WHAT ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SCHOOL? WHAT ACTIONS ARE WE TAKING TO SUPPORT FAMILIES? AS YOU LOOK TO ROMAN NUMERAL TWO, YOU'LL SEE THAT I STARTED TO GIVE YOU DEFINITIONS THAT ARE UTILIZED OR WERE COMMON, UH, WITHIN THE RESEARCH DEFINITION FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT, ENGAGEMENT, PARENT INVOLVEMENT, FAMILY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS. 
          AND IT, IT GOES INTO DEFINING TWO PARENT, SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. 
          PAGE THREE ACTUALLY STARTS WITH THE FINDINGS. 
          WHAT I WAS BUILDING OFF OF SEMINAL WORK, I'LL GO WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE AUTHORSHIP AS WE GET TO THE RESOURCES, BUT I WENT FROM EARLY WORK TO CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH. 
          SO YOU COULD SEE A RELATIONSHIP ON THIS PAGE AS YOU GO THROUGH REVIEW, RIGHT? IT'LL SHARE WITH YOU IN CONCLUSIVE, UM, FINDINGS. 
          BUT, WE'LL, AS YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND PARAGRAPH, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS HERE I WOULD SHARE IS MOST IMPORTANT IS PARENT STUDENT TALK. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, THE TALK THAT PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS MAY HAVE WITH THAT CHILD ATTENDING SCHOOL WHEN THEY COME HOME TO SAY, HEY, WHAT DID YOU DO TODAY? WHAT DID YOU DO? SO YOU TAKE THAT PAUSE, IT GIVES THAT CHILD THE IDEA OF WHAT SOMEONE IS MONITORING AND SOMEONE IS CARING. 
          AS YOU GO TO PAGE FOUR, YOUR SECOND PARAGRAPH ON THE TOP OF MOTTO, HE IS ONE OF THE LEAD RESEARCHERS. 
          YOU'LL SEE THAT'S HIS EARLIER WORK FROM OH FIVE. 
          YOU'LL SEE LATER ON, IS WORKING HERE, CITED ON 2015 TO I BELIEVE IN 2020 OR 2022. 
          BUT MIDWAY ON THE PAPER ON THIS PAGE IS SHARES INFORMATION REGARDING SOCIAL ECONOMIC. 
          AND IT'S NOT TALKING IN REGARD THAT IF SOMEONE HAS A LARGE BASE OF FISCAL RESOURCES, JUST TO STRESS THAT A CHILD MAY GO UNDER, SHOULD THERE BE ISSUES WITHIN A HOME. 
          AND THAT'S SOMETIMES AN ITEM THAT WE DO FORGET THE IMPACT OF STRESS ON STUDENTS. 
          WHEREAS YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ACTUALLY HAD CONVERSATION IN THE PAST REGARDING MENTAL WELLNESS, I'D LIKE TO SAY, VERSUS MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN. 
          I DO WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE VERY LAST PARAGRAPH, ONE OF WORDS. 
          , DID YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE MICROPHONE? ONE OF THE WORDS THERE SHOULD HAVE A CONSTANT, NOT A V, UM, SECOND PARA, UM, SECOND SENTENCE. 
          IN THAT LAST PARAGRAPH, IT SHOULD SAY SHOW, NOT SHOW. 
          I CAUGHT THAT. 
          I DO APOLOGIZE BOARD MEMBERS AS WE GO TO PAGE FIVE ONE. 
          AND IF WE LOOK MIDWAY IN THE LARGE PARAGRAPH THERE, ONE OF ITEMS I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, AND I'LL COUNT DOWN THE LINES SEVEN EIGHTH LINE IN THAT LARGE PARAGRAPH. 
          PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AT HOME AND AT SCHOOL, SUCH AS PARENTS READING TO THEIR CHILDREN, EXCUSE ME, AT HOME, PROVIDING AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR LEARNING, MAINTAINING HIGH ASPIRATIONS, AS MANY OF US TALK ABOUT EFFICACY OR HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CHILDREN. 
          YOU KNOW, EDUCATION AND, AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS HAS BEEN A COMMON THEME IN THE RESEARCH THAT SHOWS GREATEST IMPACT ON UPON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. 
          THIS PARAGRAPH ALSO IDENTIFIES AS YOU GO FURTHER DOWN, THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS MADE BETTER USE OF 
          [03:25:01]
THEIR PARENTS' INVOLVEMENT THANKS TO THEIR PARENTS, GREATER CULTURAL CAPITAL. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, THE, THE OPPORTUNITY FISCALLY TO HELP FAMILIES. 
          I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE SIX. 
          FIRST PARAGRAPH MIDWAY. 
          THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT CHANGES IN THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN LIVING WITH SINGLE PARENTS WERE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH TEST SCORES PRIOR TO THAT SENTENCE. 
          BASICALLY, WHAT THIS IS SUMMARIZING IS SAYING THAT IF I WENT FROM A TWO PARENT HOUSEHOLD TO A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLD, THERE WASN'T AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON TEST SCORES. 
          THE RESEARCH CONCLUDED THAT THE RESULTS DID NOT SUPPORT THE NOTION THAT INCREASES IN SINGLE PARENT HOUSE HOUSEHOLD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE FOR US CHILDREN SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT. 
          AND I SHARE THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE, UH, MANY INTERNATIONAL STUDIES THAT ARE CONDUCTED COMPARING THE UNITED STATES HOUSEHOLD AND CULTURAL PRACTICES TO OTHER CULTURES. 
          SO I TRIED TO TAKE A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE TO PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION AS WELL. 
          THE TABLE GIVES YOU A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT THE RESEARCHERS AGREE ON AND WHAT RESEARCH DOES NOT SUPPORT. 
          THEN ROMAN NUMERAL FOUR PROVIDED YOU A CONCLUSION. 
          AND AGAIN, I REITERATE THAT THE RESEARCH SELECTED HAD METHODS, IT WAS FROM PEER REVIEW JOURNALS. 
          AND AS YOU GO ON TO ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE, PROVIDED YOU SOME EXAMPLES THROUGH THE DIVISION OF INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES OF SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DO FOR ENGAGING PARENTS AND GIVING PARENTS INFORMATION THAT CONTINUED THROUGH PAGE 7, 8, 9, 10. 
          IF YOU'RE GETTING AN IDEA, WE'D REALLY DO TRY TO OPEN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FA FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY TO HAVE INFORMATION SO THAT OUR CAREGIVERS CAN BE INVOLVED WITH OUR CHILDREN. 
          AND AS YOU TURN TO PAGE 12, THAT IS WHERE THE CITATIONS FOR THE RESEARCH IS PROVIDED FOR YOU BOARD MEMBERS. 
          I'VE GIVEN YOU A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WAS OVER A HUNDRED PAGES OF REVIEW, UM, MANY MIDNIGHT REVIEW. 
          SO I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY BOARD MEMBERS. 
          THANK YOU, DR. 
          STRATUS. 
          ANY BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. 
          DR. CARR? THANK YOU, DR. 
          STRATAS. 
          UM, KIND OF IN MY WHEELHOUSE A LITTLE BIT, HAD A FEELING. 
          UM, I WILL MAKE NOTE DR. CARR, THAT I'M PAGE 12. 
          J EPSTEIN IS JOYCE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE RESEARCH OF 10 YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO, 30 YEARS AGO? IN ALL TRUTH. 
          WELL, WHEN YOU, WHAT I FOUND AT MY READING ACTUALLY WAS THE IMPACT OF COVID AND THE ISOLATION MM-HMM . 
          AND THE MENTAL WELLNESS ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
          SO SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT WAS CONDUCTED 20 WAS 2000 ISH PRE COVID. 
          PRE LONG BEFORE COVID. 
          YES, SIR. 
          IS STILL, STILL STANDING. 
          HOLDS UP IN REGARD UP. 
          YEAH. 
          STILL STANDING IN REGARD TO ONE OR TWO FAMILY. 
          AND AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHO'S DOING THE RESEARCH, THAT'S WHY I TRIED TO STAY WITH VETTED PEER REVIEW ARTICLES VERSUS A PERSONALIZED FOUNDATION. 
          AND I, I WANTED THAT CLARITY, BUT AT WHAT COVID WAS SHOWING, IS THE ANXIETY RISING IN OUR CHILDREN OR KNOWN ALSO AS ELEMENTS OF STRESS THAT DOES HAVE IMPACT ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THAT WAS RESULTED OF SOME OF THE RESEARCH SHOWING UP ISOLATION, THE HIGHER AMOUNT OF SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH HAS OTHER RAMIFICATION AND TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING NATIONALLY AND ACTUALLY INTERNATIONALLY. 
          RIGHT? YEAH. 
          AND IN EVERY DISCIPLINE, THERE ARE LANDMARK PIECES THAT SORT OF SET A FRAMEWORK FOR WHAT WE THEN FOLLOW GOING FORWARD. 
          IN SOME DISCIPLINES, IT'S CHANGED. 
          YEAH. 
          WHAT WE LEARNED 20, 30 YEARS AGO HAS BEEN SORT OF REPLACED BY WHAT WE'VE LEARNED SINCE THE EXPECTATION OF YOU, THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER OR WHOEVER THE CAREGIVER IS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SEEMS TO RESONATE AS A COMMONALITY. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT I'M GONNA SAY ONE THING AT ALL. 
          MY READING, I DIDN'T FIND EVIDENCE OF THE PERSONIFICATION OF GRIT WITHIN THE LEARNER. 
          THAT TYPE OF MEASURE WAS NOT CONDUCTED AT THE RESEARCH THAT I CONDUCTED. 
          AND I, AND I WANTED TO PUT THAT LENS AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK 
          [03:30:01]
YOU. 
          YES, SIR. 
          YES, SIR. 
          COLONEL, THANK YOU, MARY. 
          THIS, THIS IS, I, I'M GONNA SPEND AS A LOT MORE TIME LOOKING AT THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT GOOD DATA HERE. 
          BUT LET ME ASK YOU AND PUT YOU ON THE SPOT A LITTLE BIT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, YOU GOT TWO FACTORS. 
          IT SEEMS TO ME YOU HAVE, UH, INSTITUTIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND YOU HAVE SOCI SOCIETAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT. 
          GIMME A RATIO OF WHICH HAS THE GREATER IMPACT AND, AND HOW MUCH, IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE WHERE DO WE PUT OUR EMPHASIS? I WISH WE COULD PULL UP JOHN HATTIE. 
          SO JOHN HATTIE'S WORK ACTUALLY SHOWS WITHIN THE CONSTRUCT OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE, THE NUMBER ONE IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EDUCATOR. 
          YEAH. 
          NUMBER TWO IS THE EFFICACY, THE BELIEF SYSTEM THAT THE SCHOOLHOUSE HAS FOR THAT CHILD. 
          SO I'M GONNA GO TO LANGUAGE THAT DR. RODRIGUEZ HAS USED NUMEROUS TIMES. 
          THAT CULTURE ALWAYS BEATS CULTURE. 
          WHAT YOU BELIEVE CAN HAPPEN FOR A CHILD, WHAT WE SYSTEMS WE PUT IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THAT CHILD, TO REINFORCE THE CULTURE. 
          AND THE THIRD ITEM ON THE HATTIE ACTUALLY FALLS THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL. 
          SO THOSE THREE ITEMS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW, NO MATTER THE BACKGROUND, AND THAT HATTIE HAS DONE SIGNIFICANT MENTAL ANALYSIS THAT NO MATTER WHAT MARY WALKS IN WITH WHAT BAGGAGE, IF YOU HAVE THOSE THREE ITEMS TIED WELL, WHICH ISN'T EASY TO DO, THERE'S A LOT THAT'S AT ALL LEVERAGE TO MANAGE. 
          OKAY. 
          THE CHILD DOES HAVE INCREASE IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. 
          YEAH. 
          I, HERE'S, HERE'S MY, MY QUESTION I I PUT A LITTLE BETTER. 
          I SPENT SEVEN YEARS IN LIVING IN GERMANY. 
          SO, UH, I WAS VERY ATTUNED TO THE, THE GERMAN, UH, SOCIETAL, UH, IMPACT VERSUS THE FAMILY INSIDE, YOU KNOW, IN INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT. 
          AND THAT CULTURE, THAT NATIONAL CULTURE SEEMED TO HAVE A MUCH STRONGER INFLUENCE ON, UH, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT THAN DID EVEN THE INDIVIDUAL STRUCTURE. 
          AND IN OTHER WORDS, THE, THE CULTURE OUTSIDE THE HOME WAS SO MUCH STRONGER THAN THE CULTURE THAT INDIVIDUALS, UH, UH, EXPOSED TO. 
          AND, AND, AND I'M TRYING, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, TRYING TO FIND A MAGIC FORMULA OF WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO IMPROVE ACHIEVEMENT. 
          AND I KNOW THAT PARENTS HAVE A BIG ROLE. 
          I KNOW THAT THE INSTITUTION HAS A BIG ROLE. 
          UH, WE'RE WORKING HARDER, INSTITUTIONALIZE HOW CAN WE WORK HARDER, UH, SOCIETAL WISE, UH, TO GET MORE EMPHASIS. 
          IT'S ALWAYS BOTHERED ME. 
          WHEN I RAN FOR THIS BOARD, I SAID, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, I SAID TO MYSELF, WELL, WHY AREN'T THE CULTURES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES MARCHING IN THE STREETS DEMANDING WHY WE HAVE THESE, UH, GAPS, UH, BOTH RACIALLY AND, UH, AND GENDER WISE, BUT WE DON'T SEE THAT IF, IF THIS WAS GERMANY, THEY WOULD BE MARCHING IN THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY, THEY SAY, WELL, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE THAT WE HAVE THIS. 
          BUT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, IT SEEMS LIKE, OH, WELL, I WON'T GET INTO THE CONVERSATIONAL OF FOREIGN POLICY SHIFTS FROM ONE NATION TO ANOTHER OR NATIONALISTIC PERSPECTIVE. 
          UM, THAT CENTRALIZED WITHIN JOURNEY FOR, FOR MANY DECADES AND CONTINUES, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY, THERE'S BEEN SOME DILUTION THERE AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT I WILL SHARE THAT HERE. 
          THE RATE OF IMPROVEMENT OF OUR STUDENTS, AND I MEAN ALL STUDENTS MINORITY OR, OR STUDENTS OF COLOR, BOYS AND GIRLS, OUR RATE OF ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT IS IMPROVING. 
          UM, THAT I BEL STRONGLY FEEL IS THE SHIFT OF MINDSET AND TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE STRESS IN COMMUNITIES BY YOU KNOWING THAT YOUR CHILD IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF AS YOU'RE WORKING. 
          AND WE'RE BEING ABLE TO PARTNER WITH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXTENDED LEARNING. 
          SO WE'RE SEEING IMPROVEMENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES NORTH AND SOUTH OF ABROAD FOR STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE STUDENTS AND DI DIVERSE ACADEMIC NEEDS. 
          IT'S TAKING TIME. 
          THE RATE, IT MAY NOT BE TO WHERE YOU AND I MAY BE COMFORTABLE OR ANYONE IN THIS ROOM, BUT WE ARE SEEING A SHIFT OF IMPROVEMENT OF, AND PART OF IT'S STUDENTS ALSO BELIEVING IN THEMSELVES THAT THEY CAN DO IT. 
          YEAH. 
          GOING BACK TO THE ANXIETY AND WELLNESS. 
          YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD 
          [03:35:01]
POINT. 
          ANY OTHERS? YES, MS. ? YEAH, I THINK THE GERMANY, UH, ANALOGY IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IN, UH, DAN CARLIN, WHO'S A HISTORIAN THAT, I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THIS, BUT HE HAS A REALLY GREAT, UM, DISCUSSION ABOUT AFTER THE STORMING OF THE BEACH AT NORMANDY, THAT BASICALLY 80% OF THE OFFICER CORPS ON BOTH SIDES WAS WIPED OUT. 
          I MAY BE MAKING UP 80%, BUT IT WAS IN THAT RANGE, RIGHT? AND, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE GERMANS WERE COMPLETELY FROZEN BECAUSE THEY'RE SO HIERARCHICAL AND THEY HAD NO CREATIVITY, AND THEY JUST SAT AND WAITED. 
          MEANWHILE, THE US TROOPS RECONSTRUCTED THEMSELVES. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER STATISTIC THAT THEY PULL UP ALL THE TIME IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT WHO'S WINNING THE MATH OLYMPIADS, I MEAN, ASIA DOMINATES THE MATH OLYMPIADS. 
          LOOK WHO'S WINNING THE NOBEL PRIZES? SO MY THING IS, I DON'T LIKE THE, THE COUNTRY TO COUNTRY COMPARISON. 
          I THINK AMERICA IS A FABULOUS EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND IT HAS ITS FLAWS. 
          BUT EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF THEIR PARENTS' MARITAL STATUS, THEIR RACE, THEIR GENDER, THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS HAS OPPORTUNITY TO BE EDUCATED. 
          AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO REALLY CELEBRATE THAT IN THIS COUNTRY. 
          I THINK BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES A GREAT JOB. 
          THE THING WITH ALL OF THIS IS, IS THAT I THINK WE GET TOO FAR AFIELD INTO EACH KID'S HOME LIFE. 
          I DON'T REALLY WANT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 
          I THINK WE TAKE ALL COMERS AND ALL COMERS HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY, AND WE SUPPORT THE FAMILIES. 
          WE, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE TO ENGAGE THE FAMILIES. 
          WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO, TO DO WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING WITH, YOU KNOW, TO, IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, WE PROVIDE LUNCHES AND BREAKFAST. 
          AND THEN THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE. 
          BECAUSE I THINK IF WE START GETTING INTO, WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND WE COMPARE OURSELVES, AUSTRALIANS LOVE TO COMPARE THEMSELVES TO THE US OR GERMANY OR SOMETHING, BUT WE'RE KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION. 
          SO FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, UM, NOT A BIG FAN OF THE RESEARCH BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO, UH, DISTINGUISH CORRELATION FROM CAUSATION. 
          AND I THINK THAT, UM, THERE IS A MOVEMENT AFOOT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT SAYS THE SCHOOL SHOULD, YOU KNOW, EDUCATE AND STOP, RIGHT? LIKE WE WE'RE HERE TO EDUCATE AND SUPPORT KIDS THROUGHOUT THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. 
          I GET A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE 'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THIS INFORMATION. 
          I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE ACTIONED, UM, IN THE SCHOOL. 
          SO I THINK FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD. 
          I KNOW IT WAS AT, UH, THE BOARD'S REQUEST, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THIS INFORMATION. 
          I KNOW I REALLY DON'T WANNA START DOWN A PATH WHERE WE START PAYING ATTENTION AND SAYING, WELL, THIS KID HAS THIS SITUATION AT HOME AND THIS KID HAS THIS SITUATION AT HOME, AND THAT MATTERS IN THE SCHOOLS. 
          EVERY KID SHOULD BE TREATED AS, YOU KNOW, AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, EXCUSE ME, AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO THROW OUT THERE WITH THIS. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND DOING THE RESEARCH. 
          I WANNA COMMENT. 
          WELL, YES, SIR. 
          UH, GO AHEAD, MS. SMITH. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARENT ENGAGEMENT, I, I, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT, THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE RESOURCES IN TERMS OF IMPAIRING ENGAGEMENT, UH, OURSELVES AS A DISTRICT TO REALLY MOVE, MOVE, MOVE THE FOOTBALL, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO THE END ZONE TO REALLY MOVE THE BALL INTO THE END ZONE. 
          BUT, BUT EVEN, EVEN GOING INTO THIS BUDGET, UH, INTO, INTO THE, TO THIS BUDGET SEASON AND BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO REALLY ASK OURSELVES AND INTO, IN, IN TERMS OF BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT EVEN, EVEN IN, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET, WHEN THEY'RE ARE, ARE THEY REALLY THINGS BUILT IN THE BUDGET TO ENGAGE PARENTS? ARE THEY, ARE, ARE WE REALLY, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT BOUGHT IN, IN TERMS OF ENGAGING PARENTS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE? AND FOR, FOR INSTANCE, YOU, WHEN YOU ENGAGE PARENTS, YOU, YOU ENGAGE, YOU ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER THINGS. 
          AND YET WE HAVE A COUPLE, UH, LIKE WE Y HAD ON YESTERDAY, WE HAD THE PARENT ENGAGEMENTS, BUT TO ME IT'S BIGGER THAN JUST THEIR PARENT ENGAGEMENTS. 
          UH, WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, UH, WE HAD A, A SEVENTH GRADE TEAM AND THE EIGHTH GRADE TEAM, UH, BASKETBALL, BASKETBALL TEAM. 
          WHAT, WHAT THOSE THINGS IS THOSE THINGS, THEY, THEY GARNERED MORE STUDENTS INTO THE SCHOOL, WHICH GARNERED MORE PARENTS INTO THE SCHOOL AND INTO ACTIVITIES. 
          WHEN, WHEN YOU TAKE SCHOOLS LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT, THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE GARNERING, GARNERING PARENTS, AND I'VE BEEN OUT ASKING, BEATING THE BUSHES, SEEING, WELL, HEY, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THE TIME ABOUT, WELL, WHY ARE, WHY ARE OUR KIDS GOING TO SOME OF THESE PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR DIFFERENT ENTITIES? IS, IS, IS WHAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER THEM WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE GET THE STUDENTS IN, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, CULTURE. 
          I MEAN, I MEAN, I'M MEANT CLIMATE. 
          I MEAN, I'M MEANT CLIMATE 
          [03:40:01]
IN TERMS OF, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CLIMATE LOOK LIKE. 
          WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE CLIMATE THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO ENGAGING WITH PARENTS, THAT COMES FROM THE BOARD ON DOWN. 
          SO WHEN IT COMES TO, I THINK I, I BELIEVE THAT WE, THAT, THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO LOOK TO MISSISSIPPI AND ALL THE OTHER PLACES AND THERE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE DO. 
          I BELIEVE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK WITHIN OURSELVES AND SEE HOW WE REALLY TO TIGHTEN UP OUR SCRAPS AND PUT SOME TIME IN AND DO, DO THIS, DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY TO ENGAGE PARENTS AND GET PARENTS TO BUY AND TO, AND TO ACTUALLY SPEND, SPEND, SPEND SOME OF THE MONEY AND THEN SOME, AND SOME OF IT DOESN'T EVEN COME TO MONEY. 
          I THINK SOME OF IT JUST BECOMES TO PERSONALITY AND MAKE YOU FEEL, MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WELCOME. 
          I, I, I'VE HAD SEVERAL PARENTS WHO SAID THAT, NO, WE'RE NOT WELCOME O OVER HERE AND, AND OVER, THERE'S A BIG BUSINESS AT THE DISTRICT VERSUS THIS SCHOOL HERE IS MORE OF A, THEY'RE MORE FAMILY ORIENTED. 
          SO THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I THINK THAT WE AS BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO ASK OURSELVES AS, AS WELL AS, AS ASK STAFF, ARE WE FRIENDLY ENOUGH? UH, YOU KNOW, ARE WE CUT ALL OUR ANSWERS? BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ENGINE IN, IN THIS COUNTY THAT CAN SERVE STUDENTS. 
          BUT WHEN YOU, BUT WHEN YOU, UH, WHEN YOU'RE SOMEONE LIKE S SC AND G, THEN, THEN YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR CHEST UP BECAUSE YOU ONE OF THE ONLY, UH, UH, ARE YOU ONE OF THE ONLY, UH, LICENSED PEOPLE WHO CAN GIVE OUT, WHO CAN GIVE ELECTRICITY ON THIS HAND, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ENGINE SERVICING ENGINE WHO CAN GIVE OUR EDUCATION. 
          SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES TOO, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SCHOOLS WHO ARE WINNING AND SCHOOLS WHO ARE DOING GOOD, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR SPORTS, YOU LOOK AT THEIR PARENTS PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT RIGHT HERE IN THIS DISTRICT. 
          THE, THE, THE, THE CLASSROOMS ARE SPEAKING BECAUSE THE SPORTS ARE SPEAKING, THESE KIDS ARE ENGAGED IN SPORTS AND, AND, AND THEY UNDERSTAND TO PLAY SPORTS. 
          YOU HAVE, YOU, YOU HAVE TO BE PRODUCTIVE IN THE CLASS ALL YEAR ALONE. 
          SO I I I, I YIELD AND LEAVE AND LEAVE. 
          I'M SURE I'VE GIVEN YOU ENOUGH TO TAKE IT FROM. 
          SO I, I THINK THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DO SOME DIGGING AMONGST OURSELVES IN TERMS OF, WE JUST, WE JUST REBRAND. 
          DID WE REALLY REBRAND? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. SMITH, MS. ATE. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          UM, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT PARENT ENGAGEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT. 
          UH, REGARDLESS IF IT'S A SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD, IF IT'S A DUAL PARENT, DUAL CAREGIVER HOUSEHOLD, UH, IS ABSOLUTELY IRRELEVANT. 
          AND, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. 
          UH, AS, UH, AS MS. BOATWRIGHT SAID, UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY EFFECT. 
          THERE'S, THERE'S NO ACTION WE CAN TAKE ON ON THE, THE, THE, THE, THE HOUSEHOLD BEYOND, BEYOND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          AND NOR DO I THINK IT'S OUR PLACE TO STAND ON A MORE HIGH BOX AND TELL OUR SOAPBOX AND, AND TELL OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WR AT LARGE HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE SHOULD BE PARENTING KIDS. 
          THAT'S NOT OUR JOB. 
          OUR JOB IS TO TAKE EVERY KID THAT COMES THROUGH THESE DOORS AND LOVE THEM AND TO GROW THEM TO THE BEST OF THEIR POTENTIAL REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT HOME. 
          UM, I SPENT THREE YEARS ON RECRUITING DUTY, UH, AND ON THOSE THREE YEARS, I, I WAS SPENT 75 WEEKS NOT LIVING AT HOME. 
          UM, AND WHEN I WAS, IT WAS USUALLY AT HOME AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, MY DAUGHTER WOULD COME DOWNSTAIRS, FALL ASLEEP IN MY ARMS, IN, IN THE ARMCHAIR. 
          SO EFFECTIVELY, MY, MY WIFE WAS A, A SINGLE PARENT FOR THREE YEARS, AND MY STORY, AND I'M SURE, UH, MR. GUYERS GOT HIS OWN STORIES, BUT MY STORY IS ONE OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE, THE STATE, UH, UH, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S E EVERY FAMILY, EVERY, UH, NUCLEAR UNIT IS, IS INDIVIDUAL. 
          AND, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MEET EVERY CHILD THAT COMES THROUGH THE DOOR, WHERE THEY'RE AT, PERIOD. 
          AT THE END, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S OUR JOB TO, TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND PREACH ABOUT WHAT HOUSEHOLDS SHOULD BE LIKE. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR COMPILING THE INFORMATION. 
          I THINK THAT'S THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO AS A SCHOOL IS SAY, HERE'S THE INFORMATION. 
          WE'VE BROUGHT IT TO ONE PLACE. 
          DO WITH IT, AS YOU WILL. 
          IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO SAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHETHER AGREE OR DISAGREE. 
          I'M KIND OF GLAD THAT IT'S INCONCLUSIVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO SAY WHETHER IT'S ONE THING OR ANOTHER. 
          OUR JOB IS TO LOVE THESE KIDS THAT COME THROUGH THESE DOORS AND EDUCATE THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS? MS. HAY? MR. UH, OH MAN. 
          OH, SORRY. 
          WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SPEAK? YES, MA'AM. 
          I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, IT'S SUCH A LOADED TOPIC AND IT'S AN AREA OF MY EXPERTISE AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. 
          SO I COULD GO ON FOREVER ON THIS TOPIC, BUT I WON'T. 
          UM, I LOVED WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID. 
          ALL OF THAT IS TRUE. 
          UM, AND I LOVE, YOU KNOW, MR. NATE POINTING OUT, EVERY FAMILY HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE, JUST LIKE PEOPLE DO. 
          WE ALL HAVE OUR UNIQUE STRUGGLES, WE ALL HAVE OUR UNIQUE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. 
          [03:45:02]
I DO AGREE, WHICH MR. NAY TOUCHED ON FOR A MOMENT THERE. 
          YOU KNOW, THE BEST WE CAN DO IS COMPILE THE INFORMATION AND, YOU KNOW, ALLOW ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK INTO IT ON THEIR OWN. 
          UM, IN MY TIME ON THE BOARD, I'VE BEEN A HUGE PROPONENT OF, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING FAMILIES ON THINGS THAT THEY DO HAVE CONTROL OVER, HELPING THEM FEEL EMPOWERED, UM, AND HAVING INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR KIDS AS A WHOLE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THOSE HILLS I'M WILLING TO DIE ON IS ABOUT THE USE OF SCREENS AND TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE AS WE TALK ABOUT KIDS AND THEIR ANXIETY, AND WHAT CHANGED, ESPECIALLY OVER THE COVID PERIOD, WAS WE'VE NOW INTEGRATED COMPLETELY INTO THIS TECHNOLOGICAL WARP SPEED, UM, WHERE A LOT OF, AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T BLAMING PARENTS, BUT A LOT OF KIDS FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND FROM SEEING IT IN STUDIES, THEY'RE SITTING ON TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES OF ONE FORM OR ANOTHER A LOT OF THE DAY. 
          AND THAT IS BEING TIED TO A LOT OF THESE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ANXIETY ISSUES. 
          SO AGAIN, BUT ALL WE CAN DO, WE CAN'T GO INTO EVERYBODY'S HOME AND CHANGE THAT. 
          ALL WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE INFORMATION AROUND IT, ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO DIG INTO WHAT'S GOING TO PROP UP THEIR CHILDREN THE BEST. 
          I'M ALSO FULLY AWARE THAT FRANKLY, WE CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN, AND WE ALSO CAN'T MAKE PARENTS VALUE THE EDUCATION. 
          AND I HAD SOMEONE SAY TO ME, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK, WHICH IS SO TRUE, THAT THE GOALS OF EACH FAMILY ARE DIFFERENT. 
          SOME PEOPLE SIMPLY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO GET THE GED OR THE DIPLOMA, AND THEN THEY WANT THEM TO GO DIRECTLY TO WORK. 
          LIKE, DO NOT PASS, GO. 
          DO NOT COLLECT $200. 
          DO NOT JUST GO STRAIGHT TO A JOB. 
          YOU'VE CHECKED THIS BOX, YOU ARE DONE. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANNA SEE THEIR CHILDREN GO TO IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS. 
          SO WE CAN'T COMPARE THOSE TWO GROUPS. 
          YOU CAN'T FALL IN THE SAME COMPARISON. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE LOSE, WE AS HUMANITY IN GENERAL, WE LOSE WHEN WE'RE CONSTANTLY IN THE COMPARISON GAME BECAUSE THERE WILL NEVER BE A WINNING IN THAT. 
          UM, SO AGAIN, I JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR RESEARCH, DR. 
          STRATOS AND YOUR TEAM, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY ALWAYS DO. 
          UM, A LOT OF WHICH GOES UNSEEN, BUT I THINK ALL WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE INFORMATION OR LIKE I SAID, BE ENCOURAGING PARENTS. 
          AND AGAIN, IS IT AT BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT? IS IT THE TEACHER HAVING THAT CONVERSATION DURING A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE? HEY, HERE ARE SOME THINGS I REALLY THINK COULD HELP LITTLE JOHNNY, OR ASKING IT IN A QUESTION INSTEAD OF DICTATING TO THEM WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. 
          HEY, HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED INTO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS MIGHT HELP A DIET SHIFT, MIGHT HELP LITTLE JOHNNY WITH, YOU KNOW, HYPERACTIVITY OR THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER THING. 
          BUT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T TELL PARENTS HOW TO PARENT AND WE WILL, THAT WILL BE A LOSE LOOP SITUATION IF WE GO DOWN THAT PATH. 
          SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE FLOOR TO SPEAK. 
          SPEAK VERY WELL SAID. 
          MS. HAY, UH, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, I WANTED TO AFTER YOU GET DONE, MR. AFTER YOU GET DONE THIS. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY, GO AHEAD. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          WHAT? OKAY. 
          WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY WAS THAT I, I HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING, BUT UH, ABSENT THAT WORK IS DEAD. 
          SO HAVING, HAVING, HAVING A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION IS NO DIFFERENT FROM A BOOK BEING ON THE SHOW. 
          SO AS THE LEADERSHIP OF, OF, OF THIS, OF THIS DISTRICT, UH, WITH, WITH US BEING, BEING THE BOARD, BEING THE HEAD, I, I, I THINK, I THINK THERE'S ABSOLUTELY THINGS THAT WE CAN CAN'T DO. 
          AND I'M NOT SAYING, AND I'M NOT SAYING FU TO TELL PARENTS THE SAME WAY MR. HEYS. 
          AND SO ELEGANTLY SAID, UPON GIVING PARENTS INFORMATION OR TALKING ABOUT MAYBE THAT DIET CHANGE FOR LITTLE JOHNNY MIGHT, MIGHT HELP OUT IN THE CLASSROOM, IT IS JUST HOW MUCH ARE WE DOING? AND LET'S DO MORE OF IT. 
          AND HOW DO WE DO MORE OF IT? HOW DO WE EDUCATE THE PARENTS? BECAUSE FOR INSTANCE, YOU, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU PULL THE KIDS WHO WERE IN SOME OF THESE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND YOU LOOK AT THEIR TEST SCORES AND YOU, YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE, THE PARENT ENGAGEMENT IN SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUAL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT YOU SEE, THE, THE YOU, YOU SEE, YOU SEEN THAT ACTUALLY YOU GETTING MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, SO TO SAY AND SAY, OH, THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION. 
          AND, AND WHAT DO WE DO? WE DO. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE DON'T NEED TELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT TELLING PARENTS ABOUT HOW TO, 
          [03:50:01]
HOW TO PARENT YOUR CHILDREN BECAUSE HELL, THAT'S CASE. 
          WE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE, UH, THAT GROUP OUT THERE WHO, UM, YEAH, I SAID THE GROUP WHO WANNA TELL US WHAT BOOKS THEY PUT IN THE LIBRARY. 
          SO, SO, SO WE CAN SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT THEM. 
          THEY WON'T TELL US WHAT, WHAT, WHAT KIDS, WHAT KIDS SHOULD NOT AND SHOULD HAVE TO READ, BUT NONE. 
          BUT, BUT, BUT NONE. 
          BUT NONETHELESS, IT'S ABOUT US EDUCATING PARENTS AND, AND HAVING PARENT UNIVERSITIES AND TELLING THEM HOW THEY CAN GET TO HOW, HOW THEY CAN GET TO RESOURCES WHERE THEY CAN SEE THEIR KIDS' GRADES. 
          DO, YOU KNOW, WORK POWER SCHOOLS? I MEAN, SO, SO, SO, SO I THINK THAT MORE OF US EDUCATING THEM AND GIVING THEM THAT INFORMATION THAT THEY MAY BE HEARING FOR THAT SOME OF 'EM MAY NOT, MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK FOR HOW IN TERMS OF PARENT UNIVERSITY, HOW MUCH OF THOSE DO WE HAVE? HOW ARE WE ENGAGING PARENTS, THOSE INTO THOSE THINGS. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MORE, MORE OF WHAT THIS IS WHAT THIS IS FOR, NOT JUST HAVE ANOTHER BOOK ON THE SHELF. 
          AND I JUST SUPPOSE ASK, WORK WITH THAT THIS DAY. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU MR. SMITH. 
          SO, UH, IF I MAY, I GUESS THIS IS MY FIRST TIME THIS AFTERNOON OR TODAY TRYING TO WEIGH IN WITH A, WITH AN OPINION. 
          UM, I GO BACK IN SOCIETY 60 YEARS IN RURAL SOUTHERN, EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT WAS NOT VERY HIGH. 
          BUT PARENTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY NEITHER HAD FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL, INSISTED, ACCEPTED NOTHING LESS THAN THEIR KIDS EXCELLING WHEN THEY WENT TO SCHOOL. 
          THAT IS NOT AMERICAN SOCIETY. 
          NOW, KID COMES HOME AND COMPLAINS THAT IT'S, IT'S TOO HARD OR THE TEACHER ASK THEM TO DO IT AGAIN. 
          THERE'S RESISTANCE. 
          THERE'S RESENTMENT. 
          WHEN I WAS A YOUNG KID, AND I HATE TO MAKE IT PERSONAL, BUT THE PREACHER WAS THE GREATEST REINFORCEMENT. 
          OUR DOGONE PREACHER WORKED EVERY WEEK, 40 PLUS HOURS AND PASTORED TWO CHURCHES ON ALTERNATING WEEKENDS. 
          AND HE TOOK HIS STRUGGLES OR HER STRUGGLES IN THE LATER YEARS OF WHAT THEY HAD TO DO, ENDURE ON A JOB. 
          AND THEY RELATED TO US AND SAID, EDUCATION WAS A GREAT LIBERATOR, A GREAT EQUALIZER. 
          WE DON'T HEAR THAT NOW. 
          AND SO I THINK, UH, TO MS. HAY'S POINT TO MR. SMITH'S POINT TO OTHER POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND MR. MR. NA'S POINT ABOUT WE CAN'T GO IN AND MANDATE AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT WITH A VERY EMPATHETIC APPROACH. 
          I THINK IF PARENTS KNOW WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, AND I, I THINK WE HAVE TO APPLAUD DR. 
          STRATUS BECAUSE SHE REVIEWED MULTIPLE MASSIVE STUDIES AND YET SHE STRADDLED THAT MIDDLE GROUND AND MADE SURE TO NOT OFFER HER OPINION. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S VERY LAUDATORY. 
          SO I THINK AS AN INSTITUTION, WE COULD ENGAGE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS INFORMATION TO SHARE, NOT TO TRY TO IMPRESS UPON THEM THAT THERE'S SOME DEFICIENCY IN THEIR SOCIETY OR THEIR FAMILY, BUT DID YOU KNOW THIS? SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STOPPING POINT FOR US, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO, UH, GAVE THEIR THEIR OPINIONS. 
          SO WITH THAT, THE NEXT TIME, YES SIR? NO, WE HAVE ONE MORE. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, PRICHARD ELEMENTARY, WHO'S WHOSE DONATION, DONATION, DONATION. 
          OH, WE RECEIVED A DONATION FOR PRICHARD ELEMENTARY. 
          UM, IT'S TO PURCHASE A SUNSHADE FOR THE PLAY AREA. 
          AND SO, UH, THE DONATION, LET'S SEE. 
          THERE'S A, THERE'S A QUOTE IN HERE, I BELIEVE, UH, 11,000, 11,000 1 51. 
          YEAH. 
          AND SO THAT, THAT'S THE ESTIMATE FOR IT THAT'S SITTING IN HERE. 
          AND SO IN ESSENCE, THIS IS JUST A, A VOTE TO ACCEPT, UH, OWE A DONATION IN THE APPROXIMATE VALUE OF 11,000 $151 AND 12 CENTS, UH, TO PURCHASE A SUNSHADE AT, UH, PRI ELEMENTARY FOR THE PLAY AREA. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE MOTION TO, UH, TO, TO, TO ACCEPT THE CHECK FOR, I THINK IT WAS 11,000, WAS IT SECOND? HOW MUCH? OKAY. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND, AND WE HAVE A COMMENT. 
          I THINK YOU HIT, UM, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY THAT CAME FORWARD AND WITH A NICE DONATION. 
          I'M SURPRISED 
          [03:55:02]
AT THE, UH, INSTALLATION COST AND I'M SURPRISED AT THE SHIPPING COST. 
          I JUST FELT I NEEDED TO MAKE A COMMENT. 
          COULD HAVE GOTTEN TWO SHADES FOR THE DONATION PRICE. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, FOR ANYBODY LISTENING THAT, UH, IT'S NOT JUST THE ITEM, IT ALSO INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION. 
          SO, OKAY. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTION. 
          AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE DONATION. 
          RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          MR. SMITH AND AYE. 
          THANK YOU, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, SIR MR. CHAIR A MOTION THAT, UH, MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES, THE DISCUSSION OF THE 20 26 20 27 EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 TAC FOUR TAC A ONE DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER 15 FOR HVAC REPLACEMENT SCOPE AT BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 TECH FOUR TAX 70 A TWO. 
          OKAY, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. 
          SECOND BY DR. CARR. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS, SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL OPPOSED, MS. HAY AND MR. SMITH? A AYE. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          MR. SMITH. 
          OKAY, IT PASSES AND I'M GETTING READY TO GAVEL OUT. 
          RE RECORD. 
          RECORDING IN PROGRESS, MR. CHAIR. 
          UH, WE HAVE A FEW MOTIONS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION NUMBER ONE, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONDITIONALLY ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONTRACT FOR CONTINUING CONTRACTOR, EMPLOYEE A, NOT BE RENEWED FOR THE 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL YEAR SUBJECT TO THE BOARD'S DUTY TO REVIEW THE MATTER ON THE MERITS OF A HEARING PURSUANT SOUTH CAROLINA CODE LAW. 
          SORRY, SECOND AYES BEEN PROPERLY. 
          MOTION. 
          AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          LINE A. 
          AYE. 
          THANK YOU MS. AYE. 
          THANK YOU MRS. SMITH. 
          PASS UNANIM I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. 
          ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CONTRACT OF AN ANNUAL CONTRACT TEACHER, EMPLOYEE B, NOT BE RENEWED FOR THE 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL. 
          YOU'RE SUBJECT TO THE EMPLOYEE'S RIGHT TO APPEAL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAW. 
          SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND BY MR. SMALL. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL LINE. 
          MS. HAY. 
          HAY. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MR. SMITH PANAMA SMITH. 
          AND FINALLY, FOR THIS, UH, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION EXCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE RENEWAL OR CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES FOR THE 20 26 27. 
          2027 SCHOOL YEAR'S. 
          BEEN PROPERLY MOTION IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY DR. CARR. 
          ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT. 
          OH, HOLD, HOLD ON. 
          POINT BOARD. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          A ACTUALLY, THERE'S, THERE'S COMMENTS ON THIS AND I, I AND I LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. 
          UH, I WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THIS BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET TO SEE EVERY, I DIDN'T GET TO TAKE, TAKE MY TIME AND READ IT BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M NOT THERE. 
          SO I, I DIDN'T, I SO THEREFORE, DUE TO IT BEING A LARGE LIST AND I'M NOT ABLE TO SEE, I WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THIS. 
          I WILL BE UPSETTING FOR THIS VOTE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU MR. SMITH. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          LINE MS. HAY. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND FINALLY I MOVE THAT BOARD OF EDUCATION. 
          I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 15 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL HVAC REPLACEMENT SCOPE OF WORK WITH A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $3,907,699 USING 2023 BOND REFERENDUM FUNDS. 
          OKAY, IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND BY COLONEL GEIER. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? HAVE A I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OH, WHAT WAS IT? I DO HAVE A QUESTION. 
          YES, MR. SMITH? UH, FOR FOR THE PUBLISH. 
          UH, FOR THE PUBLISH, THIS WAS A BOND REFERENDUM, UH, UH, A, UH, A BOND REFERENDUM ITEM. 
          CORRECT? IT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT IT IS A BOND REFERENDUM ITEM IN THE MOTION. 
          I, I-I-I-I-I-I-I HEARD THAT, BUT I STILL WAS JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE MANY APPLICATION JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I, THAT I UNDERSTAND IT AND IF SOMEONE ELSE PROBABLY DID NOT, DID NOT, I PUT THAT OUT THERE. 
          THAT, SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION. 
          I'D LIKE FOR IT TO BE ANSWERED. 
          THAT'S IT. 
          OKAY. 
          PROPERLY MOTION. 
          AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS. 
          [04:00:01]
AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OPPOSED? MS. HAY OR MR. SMITH? A AYE. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          MR. MR. SMITH. 
          MRS. MR. SMITH. 
          AYE. 
          OKAY. 
          PASS UNANIMOUSLY. 
          ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES MOTIONS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          THANK YOU MR. SECRETARY. 
          UH, PUBLIC SESSION, NO PUBLIC SESSIONS. 
          UM, WOW. 
          HMM. 
          BARR, ANY OBJECTION TO THIS MEETING? BEING ADJOURNED. 
          WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED. 
          YOU ARE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV. 
          LIVE, WORK, PLAY. 
          THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA. 
          TODAY MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY. 
          THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS A LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT. 
          IN 1975, THE HOME RULE ACT GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY. 
          BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN, GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KEISLING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON. 
          AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN. 
          HARRIET KLIN WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORD COUNTY. 
          WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK AND SOME YEARS AGO, BACK THERE ON WEST STREET, AND THEN WE PUT 'EM IN PILES. 
          YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE. 
          COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY. 
          THE SEALS COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST. 
          THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICT SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES. 
          ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE, AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS. 
          I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED. 
          I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WHOLE SO THERE AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN. 
          I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT. 
          UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SIMS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY. 
          INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT 
          [04:05:01]
YACHT TYPE BOAT. 
          AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECT OF BEFORD COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH. 
          SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BEFORD COUNTY CULTURE, SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SALE. 
          THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 CENTURIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE. 
          HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN. 
          BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.