* 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.
          [00:00:12]
          THANK YOU, 
          [Call to Order]
MS. CUSHING BERRY. 
          HAS MEDIA BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED? THANK YOU, MA'AM. 
          [Swearing-In for new Board Member - Rebecca H. Hale, Esquire of Hale & Hale, P.A. ]
AND NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME A NEW AND EXPERIENCED BOARD MEMBER BACK TO THE REALM WITH THE SWEARING IN. 
          AND PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY AND I'LL COME OVER. 
          AND IT HAS BEEN ADMINISTERED BY ATTORNEY REBECCA HALE OF THE HILL AND HILL LAW FIRM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HI, I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY. 
          UM, SO RIGHT HAND UP AND YOUR LEFT HAND ON THE BIBLE. 
          AND REPEAT AFTER ME. 
          I STATE YOUR NAME. 
          I, CHRISTINA WADS. 
          DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. 
          DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I'M DULY QUALIFIED, THAT I'M DULY QUALIFIED ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE, TO EXERCISE, THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, TO EXERCISE THE DUTIES OF TO WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED, TO WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED, AND THAT I WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, AND THAT I WILL TO THE BEST DISCHARGE THE DUTIES THEREOF, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES THEREOF, AND PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND PRESERVE PROTECT OF THIS STATE, OF THIS STATE AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
          FURTHER IS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. 
          FURTHER, I WILL FAIRLY AND IMPARTIALLY TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. 
          I WILL FAIRLY AND IMPARTIAL AND SKILL EXERCISE THE TRUST AND SKILL EXERCISE IMPOSE IMPOSED OF ME, IMPOSED OF ME. 
          AND I WILL USE MY BEST ENDEAVORS AND I'LL USE MY BEST ENDEAVORS TO PRESERVE AND CARRY INTO EFFECT, TO PRESERVE AND TO CARRY ACCORDING TO THE LAW, ACCORDING TO THE LAW, FOR THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOR THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN. 
          SO HELP ME GOD. 
          SO HELP ME GOD. 
          OH, GREAT. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR, OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          OKAY. 
          NONE FOR THE FIRST SEGMENT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. 
          [Chair’s Report ]
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. 
          THE, THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT TODAY WILL BE, UH, SOMEWHAT INFORMAL, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THREE ITEMS I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. 
          THE FIRST IS THE GRADUATIONS THAT ARE COMING UP. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, HAS BEEN VERY IMPRESSIVE IS THE ATTENDANCE AT THESE GRADUATIONS. 
          WE HAVE SIX, UH, STARTING WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY OF THE LAST WEEK OF MAY. 
          WE HAVE THREE THAT'LL START, WILL BE HELD ON THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF JUNE. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE. 
          WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM FAMILY MEMBERS, FROM TEACHERS, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTENDING, UM, POSSIBLE WAYS TO MAKE IT, UM, MORE VISIBLY ACCESSIBLE BY THOSE, SOMETIMES SIX OR 700 PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE, MAKE IT MORE VISIBLE TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE THEIR FAMILIES, UH, ACTUALLY SI RECEIVE THE DIPLOMAS. 
          SO WE'VE TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. 
          AND DR. RODRIGUEZ, I APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SPECIFIC DETAILS TO BRING THAT ABOUT. 
          SO WE ENCOURAGE, AS MANY OF YOU THAT ARE HEARING THIS OR ARE AWARE TO PLEASE ATTEND, IT REALLY BENEFITS THE, THE, UH, GRADUATES. 
          AND IT MEANS A LOT. 
          IT 
          [00:05:01]
IS A SEMINAL MOMENT IN THEIR LIFE THAT WILL NOT BE REPLICATED. 
          AND AS THEY GROW OLDER, THEY WILL APPRECIATE IT EVEN MORE. 
          SO, THE SECOND TOPIC I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT IS AI. 
          IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS, I'VE ATTENDED FOUR AI SEMINARS, TWO PRESENTED BY THE DOLLAR MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, ONE BY THE CYBERSECURITY SOUTH COAST CYBER CENTER HERE ON ISLAND, AND THEN ONE BY THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED IS THAT OUR COUNTRY IS GOING TO GREAT LINKS TO PROTECT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR. 
          AND DR. RODRIGUEZ IS AWARE OF THAT. 
          THEY MENTIONED HIM PROMINENTLY, UH, IN THE COURSE WITH THE, UH, TWO OF THOSE THAT I WENT TO. 
          UH, AND SO I KNOW THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW DO WE INTEGRATE AI INTO THE CURRICULUM, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY A TOPIC THAT IS IN THE CROSSHAIRS, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE WANT TO LEVERAGE IT. 
          AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE, UH, PROTECT OUR, OUR SYSTEMS AND OUR, OUR STUDENTS. 
          I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GIVE AN INTERVIEW TO W-H-H-I-T-V LAST WEEK. 
          AND ONE OF THE WORDS THAT I LEARNED IN RESEARCHING FOR THAT PRESENTATION WAS AGEN, WHICH I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. 
          AND I'M SO SURE SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES SUCH AS MS. BOATWRIGHT AND OTHERS WILL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT. 
          WHAT IT MEANT IS AI WAS VERY WELL DEVELOPED FOR BEING ABLE TO DO VERY BASIC TASK. 
          WHAT AG AGENTIC MEANS, IT IS NOW MOVING TO THAT ATMOSPHERE AND THAT ERA WHERE AI CAN TAKE BASIC TASKS AND ENABLE THE SYSTEM THROUGH ROTE MACHINE LEARNING TO ACTUALLY MAKE SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS THAT HAVE NOT YET OCCURRED. 
          SO IF YOU ARE IN THE INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW THAT MEANTIME BETWEEN BREAKDOWNS IS A VERY KEY STATISTIC. 
          HOW LONG IS SOMETHING GONNA RUN BEFORE IT BREAKS DOWN? IF IT BREAKS DOWN UNEX UNEXPECTEDLY, THAT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. 
          AND AI IS PREDICTED TO HELP REDUCE SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, AND EXPAND THE TIME, MEAN TIME BETWEEN BREAKDOWNS. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT IT'S A VERY VIBRANT TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND GLOBAL HISTORY AND, UH, THANKS TO OUR, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD FOR ACTUALLY WORKING TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT. 
          SO THAT IS THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. 
          [Board Business Action]
OKAY. 
          REPORT, BUSINESS ACTION BUDGET CERTIFICATION. 
          HEY, GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME BACK DR. WATTS. 
          THANK YOU . 
          JUST TIME FOR THE BUDGET. 
          SO THIS EVENING WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU. 
          UH, THAT IS OUR, UH, UH, BASICALLY A CULMINATION OF ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS WE'VE SHOWN SO FAR. 
          YOU'VE SEEN THE BUDGET, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES. 
          UH, AGAIN, LAST EVENING WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL, UH, EVENING AT BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          THERE WAS A, UH, FINANCE, UH, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WE PRESENTED A LENGTHY PRESENTATION, UH, WITH SOME DETAILS FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, WHICH THEY HAVE, UH, UNANIMOUSLY MOVED FORWARD TO FIRST READING. 
          AND THAT FIRST READING WILL BE COMING UP IN, UH, THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. 
          SO THIS EVENING, WE ARE PRESENTING A, A PRESENTATION FOR YOU TO CERTIFY THE BUDGET. 
          OH, UH, HOPEFULLY. 
          AND THERE ARE TWO MOTIONS THIS EVENING. 
          UH, BOARD, BOARD POLICY, IT DOES REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE, UH, UH, AN APPROVAL OF BOTH THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND THE DEBT SERVICE BUDGET. 
          SO LET'S GET STARTED. 
          SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE, UH, 20 26, 20 27 SCHOOL YEAR BUDGET. 
          UH, THIS, UH, OUR FIRST, UM, ITEM IS THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET. 
          WE HAD A STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, SESSIONS, UH, STRATEGIC FINANCIAL PLANNING. 
          EXCUSE ME, I THINK I HAVE THE WRONG INFORMATION HERE. 
          I PAUSE JUST A MOMENT. 
          NO PROBLEM. 
          [00:10:15]
SIT RIGHT HERE. 
          ALRIGHT, I THINK I'M READY NOW. 
          SO THE BUDGET IS DESIGNED AS A STRATEGIC PLAN TO SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE. 
          UH, WE USED, UH, COLLABORATION, UH, DEMONSTRATING, UH, UNIFIED LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND DECISIONS. 
          UH, SO WHETHER IT WAS LENGTHY FEEDBACK FROM OUR, UH, SESSIONS AT BOTH PUBLIC FORUMS, ONLINE SESSIONS, OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR STUDENT ADVISORIES, AND SO, AND THE, THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 
          SO WITH THAT, WE STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED THOSE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND OUR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL PLANS. 
          SO THE FINANCIAL DECISIONS DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENTS, STAFF, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING. 
          SO THE COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PLAN, UH, ALLOWS FOR OR PROPOSES A FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET. 
          APPROXIMATELY 395.3 MILLION IS CAREFULLY ALIGNED WITH THE DISTRICT'S MISSION, MISSION AND PRIORITIES. 
          UH, WE HAD STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, AGAIN, FROM VARIOUS GROUPS AND USE THOSE DIRECTLY IN OUR DECISION MAKING AND TO DEVELOP, WHICH DIRECTLY, UH, LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOUR PRIORITIES. 
          THE BUDGET IS BALANCED AND HAS, UH, IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO AND, UH, TARGETED AT ACADEMIC OUTCOMES WITH OPERATIONAL STABILITY, ENSURING EFFECTIVE RESOURCE USAGE. 
          AND WE, IT SUPPORTS CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN INNOVATION AMID FISCAL CHALLENGES FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. 
          SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, UH, INCLUDE RISING COSTS, COMPETITIVE JOB MARKETS. 
          UM, STATE FUNDING HAS BEEN QUITE A CHALLENGE THE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          UM, WE ARE, WE SEE PROJECTIONS IN THE SPRING THAT FALL SHORT IN THE, UH, BY THE SPRING OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR. 
          SO FINAL, UH, REVENUES FOR THE STATE ARE ADJUSTED BY BASED ON THE HUNDRED AND 35TH DAY OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS IN MARCH. 
          SO WE TEND TO SEE REDUCTIONS DURING THAT TIME. 
          SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE ARE, UH, WE ARE BUDGETING CONSERVATIVELY FOR STATE REVENUE, UH, TO, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, THE PROPER FUNDING IN REVENUES TO SUPPORT THAT. 
          SO ALSO WE, UH, THE CHALLENGE WE, UM, ARE, WE ARE, UH, CONSTANTLY WORKING, UH, TO, UH, MAINTAIN OUR BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND CREATE THE BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS. 
          UM, WITH THAT COMES CONTRACTUAL INCREASES. 
          WE HAVE MAJOR CONTRACTS IN THE DISTRICT, AND WE JUST CONTINUE TO, UH, ATTEMPT TO AND WORK TOWARD, UH, INVESTING IN PEOPLE, PROGRAMS, AND FACILITIES SO THAT EVERY GRADUATE IS PREPARED TO SUCCEED. 
          SO SOME OF THE CORE PRIORITIES ARE STAFF COMPENSATION. 
          THIS MAKES UP, UH, 83% OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET. 
          UH, A FOCUS ON ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. ALTHOUGH WE'RE MAKING GAINS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND, AND MATHEMATICS, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. 
          AND WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS, UH, PARTICULARLY ON A COUPLE OF CORE SUBSETS OF AREAS BASED ON, UH, THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND PARTICULARLY MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS. 
          AND SPECIAL EDUCATION BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS IS AN ALSO IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, UH, BUDGET AS WELL. 
          AND THEN MAINTAINING THOSE SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, UH, AND POSITIVE LEARNING ATMOSPHERES IS A PRIORITY FOR THE DISTRICT. 
          SO THE OVERVIEW, UM, THE LARGEST PORTION OF THIS BUDGET IS FOCUSED ON, UH, DEDICATED TO INSTRUCTION AND STUDENT SUPPORT. 
          AND, UH, REVENUE SOURCES, UH, COME FROM LOCAL AND STATE SOURCES WITH TWO THIRDS FROM THE LOCAL SIDE, ONE THIRD FROM THE, UH, FROM THE STATE SIDE. 
          AND THOSE ARE SHIFTING TOWARD THE LOCAL SIDE, UH, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, ONE TO 2% PER YEAR. 
          AND SO WE HAVE CERTAIN FINANCIAL STRATEGIES THAT WE ENSURE, UH, THAT WE WANT TO, UM, IN THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IN ORDER TO, UH, MANAGE THE BUDGET AND MANAGE NOT ONLY THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, BUT ALL, UH, COMPREHENSIVE BUDGETS THROUGH THE DISTRICT. 
          SO 
          [00:15:01]
WE USE THOSE ADDITIONAL, UH, REVENUE SOURCES SUCH AS SPECIAL REVENUE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS, FUNDS TO COMPLETE, UH, COMPLETE THE FULL PICTURE OF THE BUDGET. 
          SO AGAIN, UH, INSTRUCTION, UH, AND SUPPORT ARE, UH, AT 237.2 MILLION. 
          ABOUT 60% OF THE BUDGET OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ARE 63 MILLION, ABOUT 16%. 
          THOSE ARE FACILITIES, UPKEEP, TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES, SAFE INFRASTRUCTURE, ADMINISTRATION, AND SUPPORT IS ABOUT 14%. 
          AND STUDENT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, COUNSELING, HEALTH SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ABOUT 10%. 
          SO THIS BUDGET, UH, MAINTAINS A FINANCIAL STABILITY, UH, WITH NO INCREASE IN THE MILLAGE RATE AND ENSURES AFFORDABILITY, AFFORDABILITY FOR TAXPAYERS. 
          UH, BOARD ACTION INCLUDES, UH, THIS EVENING THAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS A $395.3 MILLION BUDGET AND $120.9 MILLION DEBT SERVICE BUDGET. 
          THIS BUDGET EMPHASIZES TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH OUR PRIORITIES. 
          AND, UH, IT SUPPORTS STUDENTS AND STAFF IN THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT RAISING, UH, THE MILLAGE. 
          SO BEFORE YOU, IS THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND MOTION THIS EVENING, UH, WITH THE AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY STATED. 
          AGAIN, NO MILLAGE INCREASE AND, UH, WOULD MAINTAIN THAT, UH, MILLAGE RATE AT 1 26 0.1 AND THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE AT 36.3. 
          AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU. 
          QUESTIONS? YEAH, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          HOW YOU DOING, MR. ? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON LAST NIGHT. 
          UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, WE HAD A PRETTY IN DEPTH CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS BUDGET, UM, AT THE, UH, IT WAS THE WORK, THE WORK SESSION THAT WE, WE HAD . 
          AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU PRESENTED THIS BUDGET, BUT IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE THINGS, UH, COULD WE BE, COULD WE BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT AN, UH, WHERE ARE WE AT IN TERMS OF ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF TEACHER PAY AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE? WHAT, WHAT IS THAT FOR THAT IN THIS BUDGET? WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHICH EXACTLY WHAT QUESTIONS YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT I'LL BRING UP A COUPLE OF TOPICS THAT I RECALL WE HAVING DISCUSSED. 
          SO, TEACHER SALARIES, UH, PARTICULARLY ARE GOING TO BE AT, UH, PROPOSED TO BE 62,587. 
          UH, THOSE ARE THE, THAT IS A $2,500 INCREASE, AND THAT WOULD BE TO EVERY CELL OF THE TEACHER'S SALARY SCHEDULE. 
          AND SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOSE, UH, TEACHERS THAT ARE AT YEAR FIVE AND ABOVE, UH, WOULD MOVE TO A STEP INCREASE AS WELL. 
          AND THEY WOULD MAINTAIN THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT OF $1,500. 
          THIS BRINGS US FROM THE FOURTH RANKED. 
          WE ARE CURRENTLY THE SECOND RANKED, UH, HIGHEST RANKED, UH, SALARY, SALARY IN THE STATE FOR STARTING TEACHER SALARIES. 
          AND THIS WOULD, WE BELIEVE, WILL HELP MAINTAIN THAT, THAT EFFORT. 
          ALONG WITH THAT, I THINK THAT THIS BOY HAD A CONCERN ABOUT, UM, ABOUT, ABOUT THE TEACHERS PAY AS WELL AS IN TERMS OF HOW WE, HOW WE, HOW WE MOVE OUR, EVERYONE UP IN, IN, IN TERMS. AND SO, UM, AND I KNOW WE, WE MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE CERTIFIER, I MEAN THE, UH, UNCERTIFIED STAFF JUST GETTING A 3% RAISE. 
          SO, UH, IN TERMS OF BRINGING THEM ALL UP, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I'VE HEARD YOU SAY THAT, UH, THAT, THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE THE BALL INTO, UH, FOR TEACHERS DIRECTION SO THAT WE CAN GET A RANKING WITHIN THE STATE RESPECTFULLY. 
          BUT WHAT DOES IT, WHAT DOES THAT PUT US AT IN TERMS OF UN UNCERTIFIED STAFF? SO, FOR CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, WE ARE PROPOSING A 3% INCREASE IN ADDITION TO A STEP INCREASE FOR ALL, ALL THE STEPS OF THE ANYONE IN EACH OF THE STEPS, UH, UP TO 31. 
          SO WE ALSO HAVE IN THE BUDGET, UM, AN AMOUNT FOR A CLASSIFIED SALARY STUDY, A CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL SALARY STUDY TO BE PERFORMED IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, SO THAT WE CAN ASSESS WHAT THOSE AMOUNTS, UH, WHAT, WHAT OUR PEERS ARE DOING, HOW WE ARE MEASURING UP IN TERMS OF SALARIES FOR THE OTHER EMPLOYEES, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE TEACHING STAFF. 
          WELL, I'LL JUST GO CONCERNS. 
          I'M GONNA JUST LET IT SEE AS MANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I, I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN, WE, IF WE CAPITALIZE WHAT THE GENERAL, UM, BOARD WAS TALKING ABOUT THE, THE LAST WORK SESSION IN TERMS IN TERMS OF, UM, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BOARD WAS ASKING. 
          I'M NOT SURE THAT, THAT THIS, THAT THIS DOES THAT, BUT I'LL, I'LL MAYBE, LET'S SEE IF ANYONE'S HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          RESPECTFULLY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? 
          [00:20:02]
YOU GONNA MAKE IT? YEP, I HAVE THE MOTIONS. 
          YOU GONNA MAKE IT SECOND ELSE? NOPE, GO AHEAD. 
          ALRIGHT, MS. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED AND CERTIFIED THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF 395,321,600 WITH AN OPERATION MILLAGE RATE OF 126.1 MILLS. 
          OKAY? YOU DON'T HOLD IT DOWN, IT'S VOICE ACTIVATED. 
          NOT WORKING. 
          IS JUST OFF. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          JUST YELL, COME BACK. 
          , WELCOME BACK. 
          IT DOESN'T WORK. 
          YOU CAN SPEAK. 
          I'LL SECOND. 
          YEAH, ALL I CAN SAY DR. 
          GUUS IS YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO COME OVER THERE AND TRY TO FIX IT. 
          , CAN YOU HEAR NOW? YEAH, THIS ONE'S WORKING. 
          YEAH, I SECOND THE MOTION. 
          OKAY. 
          PROPERLY MOTION. 
          AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. 
          ANYBODY LINE, UH, FATHER AYE. 
          THANK YOU MR. SMALL. 
          I SEE PASTOR GORDON IS THERE. 
          PASTOR GORDON NYE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          PASTOR GORDON. 
          IS THAT IT FOR EVERYONE? ONLINE? OKAY. 
          PASTOR UNANIMOUS. 
          MR. SMITH, YOU YEAH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT THIS TIME, BUT, BUT LIKE I SAID, I, I ALREADY MADE MY COMMENT. 
          I DON'T THINK THAT WE, WE, WE, UH, WE, WE GET IN THESE AT TIMES. 
          I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. 
          WE, YES MA'AM. 
          YES, I THOUGHT, YES MA'AM. 
          MS. CHRISTIAN BERRY, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AND CERTIFY THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 DEBT SERVICE FUND BUDGET, AND THE AMOUNT OF $120,907,292 WITH A DEBT SERVICE MILEAGE RATE OF 36.3 MILS. 
          I'LL SECOND. 
          OH, SHE'S ON ROLL. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND, ANY COMMENTS? ALRIGHT. 
          ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          MR. SMALL AND MR. UH, PASTOR GORDON. 
          PASTOR GORDON? AYE. 
          ALFONSO AYE. 
          THANK YOU BOTH. 
          YOU GOT IT, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT 
          [Committee Reports]
WE HAVE, UH, ON COMMITTEE REPORT, THERE'S STILL OPERATIONS. 
          YEAH, YEAH. 
          DID I MISS THAT? YEP. 
          YEAH, YOU DEFINITELY DIDN'T WANT ME TO TRY TO FIX THAT. 
          . 
          OKAY. 
          MISSED OPERATION . 
          HEY, FOR ALL THE FUN STUFF. 
          UH, LET'S SEE. 
          CONSTRUCTION UPDATE FIRST. 
          UH, I'M TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF OUT ORDER OF WHAT WAS LISTED, BUT, UH, GET ALL THE, THE, THE BORING STUFF OUTTA THE WAY. 
          FIRST 209, UH, 2000 219 2 2019. 
          BOND REFERENDUM PROJECT CLOSEOUT RECONCILIATION OF COMMITMENTS PUT UNDER CONTRACT UTILIZING PROGRAM CONTINGENCY SAVINGS. 
          AND THAT'S IT. 
          WE'RE ALMOST DONE. 
          OF THE $375.7 MILLION BUDGET, UH, 375.4 OR 99.94% HAVE BEEN PAID OR COMMITTED. 
          THE REMAINING CONTINGENCIES FUND AT THE END OF MARCH IS $221,000. 
          263. 
          WE'RE ALMOST DOWN TO ZERO FOR THE 2023 BOND REFERENDUM PROJECT UPDATES. 
          ALL MONTHLY PROJECT UPDATES ARE REPORTED AS GREEN, GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS FOR BUDGET AND SCHEDULE. 
          UH, THE BOND REFERENDUM FINANCIALS. 
          ALL FINANCIALS ARE REPORTING, UH, AS GREEN LIGHT OF THE $439 MILLION BUDGET, 321.7 MILLION HAVE BEEN PAID OR COMMITTED. 
          REMAINING PROJECT CONTINGENCIES, TOTAL 4.1 MILLION COMMUNITY OUTREACH. 
          WE HAD THE MAY RIVER ELEMENT ELEMENTARY TOPPING OFF CEREMONY ON MAY 15TH AT 10:00 AM THE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 22ND AT NINE 30. 
          AND THE BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL CTE BUILDING GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 22ND. 
          AT 11:00 AM MONTH OF APRIL, THERE WERE 672 VENDOR INSPECTIONS, 85 DIS DISTRICT INSPECTIONS. 
          AND THE OVERALL AVERAGE WAS 91.7. 
          ONE VENDOR HAD THREE DISCREPANCIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE, FOR CLEANING SPECIFICATIONS FOR OUR MAINTENANCE REPORT TO, TO, UH, UH, TOTAL TO DATE IS 22,554. 
          WORK ORDERS, UH, MAINTENANCE ISSUED WERE 8,320. 
          WORK ORDERS OF THOSE, UH, 20,039 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. 
          AND WE HAVE 1,685 WORK ORDERS IN PROGRESS. 
          THE SCHOOL BLITZ FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL WAS, UH, I THINK IT WAS, UM, BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I THINK. 
          NO, UH, WHAT WAS IT? I CAN'T REMEMBER. 
          MIGHT SPELL CHECK OUT IT WRONG. 
          UH, MAYBE BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          UM, 
          [00:25:01]
WHERE WAS IT? WHAT WAS IT? I DON'T REMEMBER. 
          WELL, ANYWAYS, IT WAS 42 TOTAL WORK ORDERS 25 WERE COMPLETED AND 24 IN PROGRESS. 
          WHY DOES IT SAY BLOCKED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHATEVER. 
          UH, AND WE'RE, WE'RE AT, UH, OUR, UH, SODEXO IS AT 98.4%. 
          STAFFING, UH, NOW, UH, OF OUR FIRST OF OUR MANY, UH, UM, MOTIONS COMING UP, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE, UH, MICROPHONE, MRS. JENNIFER BAYFIELD FROM PITTVILLE ELEMENTARY TO TALK ABOUT OUR BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY CHILDHOOD CENTER. 
          CHILDHOOD CENTER NAMING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. 
          UM, AS I SAID, I AM A TEACHER AT PRE, UM, PRINCE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          I TEACH PRE-K. 
          UM, OUR COMMITTEE WAS FORMED WITH PRINCIPALS OF ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON. 
          TWO OTHER OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE SCHOOL, INCLUDING STAFF MEMBERS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS. 
          AT OUR FIRST MEETING ON APRIL THE 20TH AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, THE COMMITTEE DEVELOPED A LIST OF NAMES, COLOR COMBINATIONS, AND MASCOTS. 
          THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, MR. CARLTON DALLAS, WAS IN ATTENDANCE TO OBSERVE THIS PROCESS. 
          HE THANKED US ALL FOR OUR PARTICIPATION. 
          THEN OPERATIONS STAFF CREATED A SURVEY THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED BY THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO GET FEEDBACK ON ALL THE SUGGESTIONS. 
          AT OUR SECOND MEETING ON APRIL THE 30TH, THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE RESULTS, NARROWED THE OPTIONS, AND CREATED THREE COMBINATIONS OF NAMES, MASCOTS, AND SCHOOL COLORS TO AGAIN SEND OUT IN A SURVEY FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S INPUT. 
          THE RESULTS REVIEWED MAY THE 11TH AT OUR FINAL MEETING, AND BY CONSENSUS, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE NAME, PALMETTO EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, OUR MASCOT, PELICANS AND COLORS, LIGHT BLUE AND GRAY. 
          THIS INFORMATION WAS ALSO PRESENTED VIA ZOOM ON MAY 12TH WITH ALL IN AGREEMENT. 
          AND I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE YES, A SLIDESHOW OF AN EARLY MOCKUP OF THE PELICAN AND ALSO OF A PIE GRAPH OF THE RESULTS. 
          THANKS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? NO. 
          AND I MAY JUST MAKE A COMMENT. 
          YES, SIR. 
          I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED SITTING IN AND WATCHING THE DYNAMICS OF THE TEAM. 
          YES, SIR. 
          THE TRUST, THE CREDIBILITY THAT EACH MEMBER HAD, THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PUT IN SOME REALLY INNOVATIVE SUGGESTIONS. 
          AND THEN TO SEE THAT CUTE LITTLE PELICAN THERE COME OUT AS A WINNER. 
           YES. 
          WAS VERY, VERY HEARTWARMING. 
          SO THANKS TO THE TEAM AND THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SIT THERE AND, AND TRY TO LEARN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE NAME PALMETTO EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER WITH THE SCHOOL COLORS OF LIGHT BLUE AND GRAY, AND A PELICAN MASCOT. 
          SECOND. 
          A MOTION PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL LINE. 
          PASTOR GORDON AND MR. SMALL PASTOR GORDON. 
          AYE, AZA AYE. 
          THANK YOU BOTH. 
          YOU HAVE IT MR. SECRETARY? YES. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT THING UP IS THE PRICHARD STREET, UH, EASEMENT. 
          BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFF DUN PROJECT SINCE 2022. 
          THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS ASKING TO EXPAND THE EASEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH ALLOWS DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTION. 
          OKAY. 
          I DON'T THINK WE HAVE. 
          OKAY. 
          I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO FINALIZE THE AMENDED STREET SCAPE EASEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRICHARD STREET EASEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. 
          SECOND PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND BY MS. BOATWRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          , SHE'S JUST ON TOP. 
          DID SHE BEAT YOU TOO? LOUDER? YEAH, SHE WAS LOUDER. 
          OH, LOUDER. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
           ONLINE, MR. SMALL PASTOR GORDON AZA. 
          AYE. 
          AZA AYE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU MR. SMALL. 
          PASTOR GORDON. 
          PASTOR GORDON. 
          AYE. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          GOT IT, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, I'LL ABSTAIN. 
          I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OF THE EASEMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          NOTED FOR THE 2028 8% FUNDING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE CAPITAL OR THE 28, UH, FISCAL YEAR, 28 8% FUNDING, UH, INCLUDE HVAC, PAINT, ROOF REPAIRS, TECHNOLOGY, AND ADDITIONAL NEEDS. 
          ORIGINALLY, THE OPERATIONS SECTION BROUGHT FORWARD FIVE OPTIONS, WHICH EMPHASIZED THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS. 
          THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS IN OUR COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING. 
          SO, UH, WE ASKED THE OPERATIONS TO COME BACK WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO OPTIONS. 
          THEY CAME BACK WITH TWO MORE OPTIONS AND THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS, UH, HAS MOVED, MOVED FORWARD WITH OPTION FIVE B. 
          THIS ALLOCATES, UH, 7.1 MILLION TO HVAC, 4.1 MILLION 
          [00:30:01]
TO PAINT 9.3 MILLION TO ROOFS, 6.3 MILLION TO TECHNOLOGY, AND 9.9 MILLION TO ADDITIONAL NEEDS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YEAH, I'M MAKING A MOTION. 
          WELL, I MEAN, IF, IF WE, IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION OUT THERE, BUT YES, I HAVE A MOTION TO MAKE GO AHEAD. 
          WE'LL DO DISCUSSION. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. 
          OPTION FIVE B IN THE AMOUNT OF 36,831,000 AS THE FINAL LIST OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028. 
          8% FUNDING APPROVAL. 
          ASK SECOND. 
          SECOND, ELIZABETH, GO FOR IT. 
          OKAY. 
          . 
          . 
          I'M LIKE, SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA RUN ME OVER. 
          WE OPEN THE, ALRIGHT. 
          PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND. 
          YEP. 
          ALL DISCUSSION. 
          DISCUSSION. 
          YES. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          I WAS AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WHERE YOU HAD THE THIRD SET OF OPTIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT BACK. 
          AND I DID GO BACK AND LOOK BECAUSE, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA DO A LITTLE PREAMBLE TO MY COMMENTS HERE. 
          UM, MY POSITION HAS BEEN, AND IT HAS BEEN FOR QUITE A WHILE, THAT THE WAY WE DO THIS PROCESS IS OVERLY OPERATIONAL. 
          IT IS, UH, PROJECTS WHAT WE MIGHT BE SPENDING THEORETICALLY, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. 
          AND IT TAKES A LOT OF STAFF TIME. 
          IT TOOK THREE MEETINGS, PROBABLY SEVEN, EIGHT HOURS TOTAL, DISCUSSING AT MULTIPLE OPTIONS. 
          AND I'M GONNA MAKE THOSE COMMENTS HERE AGAIN. 
          BUT WHEN I MADE THOSE COMMENTS IN OPERATIONS, UH, COMMITTEE, UM, SOME PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH ME, WHICH I AM FULLY IN SUPPORT OF, THAT'S DEMOCRACY AT WORK. 
          WHAT I FOUND TROUBLESOME WAS THAT I WAS, UM, IMPLIED THAT I, THAT MY EFFORTS TO MAKE MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS, UH, WAS, COULD BE CONSIDERED LAZINESS ON MY PART. 
          UM, IT COULD BE CONSIDERED THAT I AM NOT INTERESTED IN THE JOB OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. 
          AND I WAS, UH, THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE, TOLD TO GET OUT AND GO HOME MM-HMM . 
          AND THAT IS WHAT WE CALL AN AD HOMININ ATTACK, WHERE YOU DON'T ATTACK THE IDEA, YOU ATTACK THE PERSON. 
          AND THAT IS AGAINST BOTH ROBERT'S RULES. 
          IT'S AGAINST OUR POLICY. 
          IT'S CLEARLY IT OUT IN GC TWO. 
          AND IT SETS A HORRIBLE EXAMPLE FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT IF YOU DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE, THAT YOU CAN IMPUGN THEIR CHARACTER OR OTHERWISE DISPARAGE THEM. 
          SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A POINT HERE TO SAY I WOULD LIKE THOSE SORTS OF COMMENTS TO STOP, NOT BECAUSE THEY PARTICULARLY BOTHER ME, YOU HAVE TO BE FAIRLY THICK SKINNED TO BE IN POLITICS. 
          BUT BECAUSE I THINK THEY SET A BAD EXAMPLE FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO REALLY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO, TO HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE DISCOURSE. 
          NOW I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP ON MY COMMENTS. 
          THE REASON I'M KIND OF PASSIONATE ABOUT NOT DOING THIS, UM, SPREADSHEET OF, I, I DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT IN OPTION FIVE, A KUSA ELEMENTARY GETS A THERMOSTAT, BUT IN OPTION FIVE B, THEY DON'T. 
          IN OPTION A JAMES OR OPTION THREE, JAMES DAVIS GETS PAINTED. 
          BUT IN OPTIONS FIVE FIVE A AND FIVE B, THEY DON'T, I'M NOT AN ELECTRICIAN. 
          I'M NOT WALKING THESE SCHOOLS. 
          I FEEL LIKE THIS LEVEL OF OPERATIONAL EVALUATION IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR US. 
          BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT COMES DOWN TO, AND I'M GONNA QUOTE, UH, ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOKS, PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH, ANYBODY? IT'S KIND OF A WEIRD, OKAY. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS IN THAT, UH, BOOK, THE MAIN CHARACTER ENCOUNTERS ONE OF THE VILLAINS IN THE BOOK, UM, I THINK IT'S LIKE THE TERRIBLE TRIVIUM. 
          AND HE TAKES 'EM TO THE LAND OF USELESS TASKS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND ONE OF THE TASKS HE GIVES HIM IS A GIANT PILE OF SAND. 
          HE SAID, I WANT YOU TO MOVE THIS PILE OF SAND FROM THERE TO HERE USING THESE TWEEZERS. 
          AND THE CHARACTER SAYS, WHY WOULD YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT? AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, IF YOU'RE OCCUPIED DOING THE THINGS THAT ARE EASY, YOU WILL NOT WORRY ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE HARD AND IMPORTANT. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT, IS WE DON'T DO ENOUGH. 
          I'M GONNA TELL, TALK ABOUT AG AGENTIC AI FOR JUST A SECOND . 
          I TOOK THE DATA OF THE PROPOSED 8% PROJECTS AS FAR BACK AS I COULD GET 'EM OUT OF DILIGENT. 
          AND THEN THANKS TO ROBERT, WE HAVE THAT AMAZING, UM, AMENDMENT TRACKING LOG WHERE WE ACTUALLY SEE WHAT GETS AUTHORIZED EACH YEAR. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR LABELING ALL OF OUR DATA. 
          IT'S CHANGED OVER TIME. 
          SO THAT IT WAS HARD TO BUILD A DASHBOARD BECAUSE IT WAS SOME CONFUSION. 
          WE PRESENT MULTIPLE OPTIONS AND IT'S NOT IN THE MOTION WHICH OPTIONS APPROVED AND ALL THAT. 
          BUT I WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THAT 88% OF 8% PROJECTS DO NOT REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL. 
          WHICH MEANS ONCE WE'VE APPROVED THEM TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE, WE NEVER FIND OUT IF THEY ACTUALLY GOT DONE. 
          I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS RELY ON OUR STAFF MORE, RELY ON THE DATA, THE FACILITIES CONDITION ASSESSMENT, AND THEY COME TO US. 
          AND THIS IS HOW EVERY OTHER LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SOUTH CAROLINA DOES IT. 
          WE ARE THE OUTLIERS HERE. 
          THEY SAY WE NEED $200,000 FOR PAINTING. 
          AND WHO KNOWS IN TWO YEARS WHO'S GONNA NEED THAT PAINTING. 
          WE HAVE TO TRUST THAT THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS. 
          WE SET POLICY WHERE 
          [00:35:01]
WE SAY, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA PRIORITIZE. 
          HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU MUST DO. 
          HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU, EXCUSE ME, MUST NOT CONSIDER. 
          THAT'S A POLICY, UH, FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
          AND THEN AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, WE COULD HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID. 
          SO OUR CONSTITUENTS, WE COULD SAY WE SPENT THIS MUCH MONEY ON THIS SCHOOL. 
          I TRIED TO BUILD A LITTLE, LIKE I SAID, THIS LITTLE GENIC. 
          I PUT IT ALL THIS DATA IN CHAT. 
          GPTI ASKED IT TO BUILD A DASHBOARD. 
          IT TOOK ABOUT 30 MINUTES. 
          IT BUILT A BEAUTIFUL TOOL. 
          IT BROKE IT DOWN BY SCHOOL, BY FISCAL YEAR. 
          IT PUT THE RAW DATA IN IT, ORGANIZED IT. 
          UM, AND BASICALLY IT'S SAYING, SAYING THAT WE COULD, IF WE HAD THE DATA BETTER, WE COULD AT THE END RECONCILE, HERE'S WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO, HERE'S WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID. 
          'CAUSE YOU'LL SEE $1.2 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR HVAC AT HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT WE ONLY APPROVED 697,000. 
          THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION, BUT NOT IN ADVANCE. 
          OR $1 MILLION APPROVED FOR HVAC FOR THE 2027 FOR ST. 
          HELENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          UM, AND WE AUTHORIZED, OR WE, UH, IT WAS ONE POINT MILLION REQUESTED. 
          WE AUTHORIZED 1.4. 
          IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW WHY THERE'S THAT DEGREE OF VARIANCE IN SOME OF THESE. 
          SO I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY MAKE A MOTION TO REQUEST THAT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE EVALUATE THIS, EXCUSE ME, UM, PROCESS AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION. 
          AND IF THE RECOMMENDATION IS WE LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING AND WE WANNA KEEP DOING IT, THAT'S FAIR ENOUGH. 
          BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING THIS. 
          'CAUSE WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF STAFF TIME AND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE MINUTIA, YOU KNOW, THE THERMOSTAT OSA, WHICH IF WE VOTE ON THE ONE THAT WE APPROVED, WILL NOT GET DONE. 
          HOPEFULLY THAT'S NOT A SECURITY OR SAFETY ISSUE OR SOMETHING RELATED. 
          UM, SO MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, UH, BEGIN A REVIEW OF THIS PROCESS AND BRING BACK TO THE BOARD A RECOMMENDATION FOR NEXT YEAR MOTION. 
          I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. 
          MOTION FLOOR NOW. 
          YES. 
          PRIOR TO THAT WAS THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. 
          YEAH, RIGHT. 
          WELL, DIDN'T DIDN'T HE HAVE A MOTION MR. NATE? DID YOU HAVE A MOTION? YEAH. 
          YES. 
          SO THEREFORE, IF YOU HAVE A MOTION, THEN SHE CANNOT BRING A MOTION BECAUSE THERE'S A MOTION. 
          SO THEREFORE THAT MOTION IS NOT, IT IS OUT OF ORDER. 
          YEAH. 
          SO THAT A MOTION'S OUTTA ORDER. 
          UM, I'LL CHECK THE OTHER AGENT I BUILT THE PARLIAMENT AGENT. 
          YES. 
          SO, UM, INGRID, YOUR, UH, ASSESSMENT WAS VERY CO VERY, UH, ELOQUENT AND UNDERSTANDABLE. 
          I'D LOVE TO HEAR, WHAT DO YOU, DR. RODRIGUEZ, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE THE CEO OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          AND, AND, UH, UH, WHAT ARE YOUR COMMENTS? AND MAYBE THIS IS NOT REALLY FAIR IN THE SENSE THAT WE'RE BRINGING IT UP RIGHT NOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE, BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOUR INPUT IS. 
          I MEAN, I THINK THE BOARD HAS, UH, BATTED THIS AROUND, UH, AT DIFFERENT TIMES. 
          BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'VE FORMALLY TAKEN A, UH, UH, A VOTE TO TRY TO GET TO A FINAL DECISION ON IT. 
          BUT IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT SHE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTING, I MEAN, IT, IT IS DEFINITELY, I WOULD SAY MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT A COHERENT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WOULD BE, WHERE, UH, IT'S AN OPERATIONAL MATTER. 
          UH, WE BRING FORTH, UH, ON A, ON A LARGER SCALE, UH, WHAT IT IS WE, WE WOULD BE DOING AND THEN REPORT BACK OUT AFTERWARDS, UH, ON, ON WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY A CERTAIN TIME. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK WE, I THINK WE'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC BECAUSE THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND THIS IS, NONE OF THIS CONVERSATION IS GERMANE TO THE MOTION ON THE, ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW. 
          I THINK WE WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER MOTION THAT IS NOT THE ACTUAL MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR. 
          HE'S CORRECT. 
          I'M GONNA SUSPEND MY MOTION. 
          UM, I JUST WANTED TO END WITH AN ACTION ITEM AND NOT JUST BE A CONSTANT COMPLAINER, BUT HE IS CORRECT THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE FIRST MOTION. 
          AND THEN IF YOU'LL GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY, I'D LIKE TO REMAKE THAT MOTION. 
          COULD YOU READ THE MOTION AGAIN, PLEASE? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, EXCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. 
          OPTION FIVE BEING THE AMOUNT OF 36,831,000 AS THE FINAL LIST OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 28, 8% FUNDING APPROVAL. 
          SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND ALL AYE, AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ONLINE A FOLLOW. 
          AYE. 
          PASTOR GORDON. 
          PASTOR GORDON. 
          SO ME VOTING ON THIS RIGHT HERE, SO THE, THE, UM, THE EMOTION THAT MS. BOATWRIGHT IS MAKING, IS THERE GONNA BE ANOTHER MOTION? I'M SORRY, SAY IT AGAIN? THAT, THAT MOTION IN MS. BOATRIGHT MOTION'S NOT ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW. 
          NO, WE'RE, I'M ASKING SO THERE'LL BE ANOTHER MOTION? YES, ANOTHER MOTION MADE. 
          SHE WILL MAKE ANOTHER MOTION 
          [00:40:01]
IF SO, DIS INCLINED AND WILL PROPERLY HANDLE THAT ONE. 
          BUT THE ONE ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW IS THIS MOTION. 
          HOW DO YOU VOTE? OKAY, THEN I THEN PASTOR, GO ON. 
          IS NAY. 
          NAY. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO YOU GET IT. 
          GOT IT. 
          COUNT. 
          MAY I MAKE MY MOTION AGAIN? MM-HMM . 
          AND THANK YOU MR. SMITH. 
          YOU WERE CORRECT. 
          SO I WITHDREW THAT MOTION. 
          UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DIRECT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TO, AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, BEGIN A PROCESS TO RE BEGIN TO REVIEW THIS PROCESS AND BRING A RECOMMENDATION BACK TO THE BOARD. 
          SECOND. 
          SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          PROPERLY MOTION. 
          AND SECOND BY MS. HAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          YES, SIR. 
          I'D LIKE TO RESPOND. 
          UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT ACTUALLY, UM, I'VE BEEN OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE PRETTY MUCH MAJORITY OF THE TIME THAT'S EVERYONE WAS BOARD. 
          AND ACTUALLY THIS, THIS, THIS PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN GEARED DOWN ALREADY BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN, UH, DAVID SRI WAS THE CHAIR OF THE CHAIR, AND ACTUALLY HE WOULD BRING US ALL, HE WOULD BRING US ALL PROJECTS AND WE WOULD THEN, WE WOULD, WE WOULD, WE WOULD THEN, UH, NARROW IT DOWN. 
          SO THIS, THIS, THIS HAS BEEN FINE TUNED SEVERAL TIMES. 
          AND THE LAST TIME WE FINE TUNED IT, WE SAID THAT WE WERE NOT DONE. 
          AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN ALSO, UH, MRS. UH, UM, I BELIEVE MRS. BOATRIGHT HAS BROUGHT THAT UP BEFORE. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHEN, WHEN, UH, IT WAS SHOT DOWN AND IT WAS REMINDED THAT THIS, THIS PROCESS HAS ALREADY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT DOWN. 
          BECAUSE I REMEMBER, UH, THE QUESTION WAS, WE KEPT HAVING MR. OT, MR. DEN KEPT SAYING, LOOK HERE, WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANT, WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANT. 
          AND SO DAVID WOULD, WOULD SAY, NO, YOU BRING YOU, YOU BRING US THE REPORT AND YOU AND YOU AND YOU TELL US WHICH YOU WANT IS WHICH, WHAT'S THE NEED VERSUS WANT. 
          AND WE, AND WE GO FROM THERE. 
          AND THE, AND, AND, AND IN THE, UH, FULL AND IN THE FULL, IN FULL DIS IN FULL DISCLOSURE, UM, ANYTIME YOU MAKE ANY DECISION BASED UPON WHAT WE DO AS BOARD MEMBERS, IT TAKES TIME. 
          AND SOMETIMES, AND SOMETIMES IT MAY TAKE SOME LONGER THAN OTHERS TO, TO UNDERSTAND AND TO DEVELOP WHAT THEY REALLY CONSIDER, WHAT THEY'RE REALLY CONSIDERING. 
          AND WE ALL HAVE WHAT THEY CALL CONSTITUENTS. 
          AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE TO JUST, IF STAFF BOUGHT US EVERYTHING, STAFF COULD, UH, LIKE A FEW MINUTES AGO THEY COULD BRING US A, A BUDGET, A BUDGET FOR $40 BILLION AND WE JUST, WE JUST RUBBER STAMPING IT. 
          AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT THAT IS THE, THE BLACK GUY THAT THIS BOARD WANTS. 
          I DON'T THINK THAT WE WANT THE NOTION OF THIS BOARD IS JUST A RUBBER STAMPING BOARD. 
          SO ASKING QUESTIONS, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WAS, THAT THAT WILL BE WITHIN OUR WHEELHOUSE OF THIS BOARD TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO BE ABLE TO DISSECT INFORMATION AND TO UNDERSTAND INFORMATION. 
          SO, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF MY, UM, IN TERMS OF MY COMMENTS WERE AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING WAS, AND UH, IS IS THE SAME AS MY OLD, UH, COLLEAGUE EARL CAMPBELL WOULD SAY, IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO THE WORK, THEN GO, THEN YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO HOME. 
          THAT'S NO, THAT'S NO OPINION. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S AN JUST, JUST AN OPTION NOT TELLING ANYONE TO DO THE WORK BECAUSE YOU MAKE THAT DECISION. 
          IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO THE WORK, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO HOME. 
          SO THAT, THAT'S JUST A, THAT'S POINT ORDER, THAT'S JUST A OPINIONATIVE NOT BEING DIS DISRESPECTFUL. 
          BUT I FEEL THAT SOMETIMES WE, WE RUSH WORK AND, AND I JUST FEEL THAT WE, WE, WE RUSH WORK AND I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT WE SOMETIMES WE SHOULD BE RUSHING TO WORK AND, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S, IT'S PASSION AND, AND THERE'S THINGS THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING US BECAUSE OUR CONSTITUENTS, TRUTHFULLY, OUR BOSS AND I, AND I LEAVE IT THERE. 
          UH, SO LET'S, LET'S NOT SPEAK IN WAYS THAT OUR WORDS COULD BE NEGATIVELY ASSIGNED TO SOMEONE ELSE. 
          I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I WOULD JUST CAUTION ALL OF US TO BE VERY HUMANE. 
          WE ARE COLLEAGUES AND GOOD IDEAS COME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES AND WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO  IN PUTTING UP A NOVEL IDEA THAT MAY BE CONTRARY TO WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN PLACE. 
          SO, ALRIGHT. 
          ANY OTHERS? YES, MA'AM. 
          UM, I SUPPORT THE MOTION. 
          I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE BOARD IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING THE MEMBERSHIP. 
          IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, INGRAINED AS TO THE SAME MEMBERSHIP, YOU KNOW, IN 20 22, 24, 26. 
          SO THAT'S ONE THING. 
          AND THE SECOND THING IS THIS MOTION IS PURELY TO ASK OPERATIONS, COME FORWARD WITH A PROCESS OR A PLAN. 
          WE CAN VOTE IT DOWN IF WE DON'T LIKE IT. 
          I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S JUST ASKING THEM TO, WHAT DO THEY THINK IS BEST AFTER HAVING SERVED ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND, UH, WITH, AND HAVE HAVING RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION FROM THE, UM, THE STAFF. 
          I THINK, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US HERE ARE NOT EXPERTS IN PAINTING OR ELECTRICITY OR HVAC OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO I, I THINK IT'S FINE. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS ONLINE? PASTOR GORDON SOUNDED LIKE YOU MAY HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS, THIS SECOND MOTION MADE BY MS. BOATWRIGHT. 
          [00:45:01]
YEAH, I, UM, I AGREE WITH, UM, WITH WHAT MS. BOATWRIGHT WAS SAYING, AND, AND LIKE MS. SQUAD SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I DON'T SEE A ISSUE WITH THIS BEING PRESENTED AS SO WITH, TO THE, UM, OPERATION COMMITTEE. 
          AND LIKE SHE SAID, IF IT DON'T, IF IT DON'T PAN OUT, IF IT DON'T WORK, THEN WE GO BACK TO DOING IT THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT. 
          BUT IT JUST, IT'S JUST TRYING, TAKING ANOTHER PLACE AT IT OR ANOTHER STAND AT IT, THAT'S ALL. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU MR. SMALL. 
          ANY COMMENTS? SIR? I CONCUR WITH MS. BOATRIGHT EVERYTHING SHE SAID, UM, THAT WE NEED TO DO. 
          OKAY. 
          SO PROPERLY MOTION SECOND DISCUSSED. 
          ALL IN FAVOR. 
          RAISE YOUR HAND RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL OPPOSED. 
          WE'LL VOTE ON THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          WE'VE DONE IT ENOUGH. 
          I WANT, I WANT TO APPRECIATE AND THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN. 
          SO, UM, WE LIKE THOSE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS. 
          PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BRING FORWARD THE, THE NEW NOVEL IDEA. 
          WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY GO BACK AND REAFFIRM WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING OR IT'S NOT SO WELL DONE, COLLEAGUES. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ALMOST DONE. 
          LAST, UH, LAST TOPIC IS STUDENT ASSIGNMENT. 
          UH, OPERATIONS CAME FORWARD WITH, UH, OUR PLAN FOR STUDENT, UH, ASSIGNMENT, UH, ONCE MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENS AND TO, UH, ALLEVIATE THE DONOR HOLES THAT WE HAVE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. 
          SO, UH, THEIR CUR THE CURRENT TIMELINE WAS JANUARY TO FEBRUARY TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS. 
          UH, BUT WE HAD TO, UH, AND WE WILL, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE TIMELINE. 
          WE'VE TAKEN A LITTLE EXTRA LONG, UH, IN SOME OF THESE THINGS, UH, TO COME BACK WITH A ANOTHER OPTION. 
          UH, BUT THE CONSIDERATIONS, UH, LIKE I ALREADY SAID, WAS TO, TO TAKE THE PRI UH, PRICHARD PRESSURE OFF, ELIMINATE THE DON HOLES. 
          UH, OPERATIONS CAME WITH THREE OPTIONS. 
          UM, OPTION NUMBER ONE WAS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF MOVES. 
          SO, UH, TO MOVE THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF STUDENTS. 
          OPTION TWO WAS, UH, UH, TRIED TO GET THIS CLO THE, THE SCHOOLS AS CLOSE TO 80% EVENLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT WITH THE EMPHASIS ON TRANSPORTATION. 
          AND THEN OPTION THREE WAS JUST TARGETING, UH, 85%. 
          UH, AND THEN, UH, WE ASKED OPERATIONS TO GO BACK AND COME BACK WITH A FOURTH OPTION, WHICH IS WHAT HAS, UH, DELAYED OUR PROCESS A LITTLE BIT. 
          AND THAT OPTION WAS JUST HAVING A STRICT FEEDER PROGRAM ONLY. 
          UM, SO, UH, OPTION ONE, I THINK LEE, UH, AFFECTS ABOUT 7% OF THE STUDENTS. 
          OPTION TWO AFFECTS 11% OF THE STUDENTS. 
          OPTION THREE AFFECTS, I THINK 17% OF THE STUDENTS. 
          AND OPTION FOUR AFFECTS LIKE 42% OF THE STUDENTS. 
          UH, SO, UM, THE WHEN, UH, TRANSFER, OR I'M SORRY, WHEN THE OPERATIONS KIND OF TUTORED AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE, UH, WE, UH, AGREED TO BRING TO, UM, UH, THE BOARD, UH, OPTION NUMBER TWO. 
          SO MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. 
          OPTION TWO FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENTS AND ACCEPT THE AMENDED STUDENT ASSIGNMENT TIMELINE. 
          OKAY. 
          IS, IS THERE A SECOND? YEAH, SECOND. 
          PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND. 
          SECOND BY DR. CARR. 
          YES, MR. SMITH. 
          I'M CAN, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT. 
          SO YOU, WE BRING THIS MOTION FORWARD AND THEN BASICALLY, SO THIS IS IT. 
          I IT'S NO HEARING FROM NO, NO. 
          SO THIS IS THE, NOW THEY'RE GONNA GO THROUGH AND PRESENT IT TO THE, THE PUBLIC, LET THE PUBLIC HAVE SOME FEEDBACK ON IT. 
          UH, IT MIGHT CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, UH, DEPENDING ON PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND, UH, THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          AND THEN IT WILL BE, UH, BROUGHT BACK FORWARD TO THE BOARD AGAIN. 
          BUT IT BASICALLY ALLOWED OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TO CHEW IT DOWN FROM FOUR OPTIONS DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE DECIDE ON AS, AS, AS A BOARD TO TAKE OUT TO THE PUBLIC. 
          AND I WOULD THINK THAT IT'S NOT FINALIZED YET, RIGHT? BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT WE PROBABLY THINK WE'RE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE BECAUSE IF, IF, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE KIND OF STEERING THE PUBLIC TO WHERE WE'RE GOING AT AND THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE OTHER OPTIONS, I THINK, I THINK IF THEY, IF, IF, IF WE TOOK SOME SERVICE FROM THE PUBLIC, OWNED THE FOUR OPTIONS, AND THEN MAKE A DECISION FROM THERE, UH, INTO, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT. 
          BUT TO JUST BRING IT DOWN TO SAY THAT, HEY, WE WANT, WE, WE WANNA GO WITH JUST THIS OPTION. 
          THIS IS WHAT WE, WHAT WE FEEL IS THE BEST OPTION. 
          THIS IS ALMOST LIKE WHY, WHY, WHY TAKE IT TO THE PUBLIC NOW? I THINK THE, THE PUBLIC MAY FEEL SOME TYPE OF WAY, BASICALLY, YOU BASICALLY KINDA SHOVING THIS DOWN OUR THROAT. 
          AND I JUST THINK THAT, THAT, THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO THIS A LITTLE, A LITTLE, A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF OFFERING THEM FOUR OPTIONS AND SEEING WHICH OPTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC LEADING TOWARDS THE MOST. 
          AND THEN FROM THERE, WE, WE, WE, UH, WE, WE MAKE A DECISION. 
          SO I I, I'M, I I THINK THAT WE PUT THE CARD. 
          I JUST, I DON'T THINK THAT, THAT THIS MAY BE, MAY BE, UM, PRODUCTIVE AS MUCH AS I WOULD'VE WANT IT TO BE. 
          THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MR. OTING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, YES. 
          I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THE PROCESS, I MEAN, THE WAY IT STARTED WAS, UH, WE DID PUBLIC MEETINGS. 
          FROM THOSE PUBLIC MEETINGS WE BROUGHT TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THREE OPTIONS. 
          SO THOSE CAME 
          [00:50:01]
FROM THE PUBLIC. 
          UM, FROM THE S WE GOT FROM THE FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, OF COURSE, UH, A FOURTH OPTION WAS ADDED, AND THAT'S WHAT WE BROUGHT. 
          AND SO NOW, UH, IF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CHOOSES ONE OPTION, WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE NARROWED IT DOWN TO. 
          WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO BEING FINISHED. 
          AND THEN GET PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THAT AND BRING BACK, AGAIN, TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE PUBLIC ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEST OPTION, UM, BROUGHT FORWARD FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. 
          SO JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT'S GOTTEN US HERE. 
          SO WE DIDN'T JUST START YESTERDAY, WE STARTED IN THE FALL, AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE ROUND OF PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          AND NOW THAT WE'VE NARROWED IT DOWN, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT FOR SECOND ROUND. 
          LET ME, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I GO BACK TO MR. SMITH? I, YOU, YOU GOT YOUR HAND UP? YES. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, SO THE, THE REASON WE WENT, WE WHITTLED DOWN TO OPTION NUMBER TWO IS THE TRANSPORTATION. 
          UH, THAT SEEMED TO BE THE OPTION THAT HAD THE GREATEST SECOND AND THIRD ORDER EFFECTS. 
          UM, TRANSPORTATION'S, UH, WEIGHING IN ON THE PROCESS, UH, IS, UH, OF COURSE TRANSPORTATION WAS ALSO TRYING TO GET TO THE 85% GOAL TOO, BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE 80, 85% OPTION IN THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT SAVING BUS DRIVERS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT SAVING GAS, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT SAVING TIME. 
          UH, SO ALL KINDS OF OPTIONS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING MONEY, TIME, ENERGY, ALL THESE THINGS. 
          UH, THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT OPTION TWO BACK TO THE FULL BOARD. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS HERE OR ONLINE? MR. SMALL OR PASTOR GORDON? THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. 
          MR. SMITH, MY QUESTION IS, WHY CAN'T WE GIVE THE PUBLIC ALL FOUR OPTIONS LIKE MR. SMITH SAID, AND LET THEM CHOOSE, UM, WHICH ONE WOULD BE THE BEST, UM, FOR THEM? WELL, UM, THE, THE, THE MAIN REASON IS BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO WHITTLE DOWN, UM, AND THE, THE CONFUSION AS WELL AS HAVING TOO MANY OPTIONS. 
          WE HAVE 11 PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. 
          YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENCIES. 
          WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. 
          THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY THAT DISAGREES WITH EVERY ONE OF THESE OPTIONS. 
          THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO FIGHT FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE OPTIONS. 
          SO BY BRINGING THEM ALL OUT TO THE PUBLIC, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. 
          AND EVERY, ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE UP TO THIS POINT WILL BE WASTED TIME BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE COULD HAVE JUST SKIPPED ALL THIS COME UP BEFORE OPTION AND GONE DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC. 
          SO WE TOOK IT TO OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, CHEWED IT DOWN, THOUGHT ABOUT IT, FIGURED IT OUT, THEN BROUGHT IT TO THE BOARD. 
          IF WE TAKE ALL FOUR OPTIONS TO THE PUBLIC, THEN THERE'S NO POINT OF ALL THE WORK THAT WE JUST DID. 
          THAT IS THE POINT OF THE, OF THE COMMITTEES, IN MY OPINION. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, LET ME GO TO MR. MR. SMITH PLEASE, AND THEN I'LL GO TO YOU. 
          MS. BO. 
          RIGHT, MR. SMITH? UM, WELL, MY, MY, AND MY POINT IS, I, I THINK MR. UH, OUTING HIS COMMITTEE, UH, HIS ATTENTION STAFF FOR DOING THAT. 
          I'M GLAD HE, HE BOUGHT WHAT HE BROUGHT UP, BUT BRINGING UP, SAYING WHAT HE SAID WAS EXACTLY MY POINT. 
          UM, SO NOW WHEN WE WERE AROUND WITH THAT FIRST, THAT FIRST ROUND, I DIDN'T THINK THAT PEOPLE UNDER POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF IT. 
          AND, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE ACTUAL DECISION MAKING IS WHEN THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY, THIS THING IS SERIOUS NOW. 
          AND THAT'S WHEN THEY REALLY GET IN TUNE AND START SAYING, OKAY, HEY, WE HAVE FOUR OPTIONS. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND TO PICK WHICH OPTION THAT, THAT THEY WANT. 
          I, AND I, I THINK, I THINK IT IS AOUS FOR US TO GO TO THEM AND SAY, HEY, THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVE US FEEDBACK ON THIS. 
          BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU OFFERING A BABY A CANDY AND THEN YOU OFFER 'EM FOR CANDY, BUT THEN YOU PULL BACK AND SAY, OKAY, NOW I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THIS ONE, BUT YOU, LIKE, YOU'RE PUTTING IT BACK IN YOUR FOR AND SAYING, TELL THE BABY THIS. 
          IF YOU GONNA GIVE THE BABY THE CANDY, THEN YOU GIVE IT, OR YOU OFFER THEM FOUR AND SAY, HEY, GO AHEAD AND GO AHEAD AND PICK. 
          I JUST THINK THAT THAT, THAT THAT'S MORE COMMON SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T SAY THAT. 
          YOU KNOW, I HEAR OFTEN THAT WE, WE DO ALL THESE SURVEYS AND THEY ASK, PEOPLE ASK, SAY, WELL, WHAT DO Y'ALL DO WITH THESE SURVEYS? AND WHAT DO Y'ALL DO WITH THESE DATAS? WHAT DO Y'ALL DO WITH THE DATA POINTS? SO I JUST THINK THAT GIVING THEM THAT OPTION AND, AND, AND MOVING FROM THERE, I THINK THAT'S JUST, I THINK THAT'S JUST MORE HELP HELPS US GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE. 
          AND, AND, AND TO BE TRUTHFUL FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THAT AREA, I WILL DEFINITELY BE IN, BE BE IN, BE IN SUPPORT, UH, AND NOT REALLY, UH, NOT REALLY, UM, UH, PUSHING, PUSHING, UH, PUSHING BACK IN, IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE, THE REPRESENTATIVES AND THE CONSTITUENTS FROM THAT, FROM, FROM THAT AREA TOO AS WELL. 
          SO I, I, I JUST, BUT I JUST AS A BOARD MEMBER, EVERY KID, EVERY DAY, I JUST WANNA GIVE EVERY, EVERY KID AND EVERY, EVERY, UH, FAMILY AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE, TO HAVE THE FOUR OPTIONS. 
          I JUST THINK THAT, THAT, FOR ME, THAT'S ALL THAT IS. 
          AND I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA JUST TEASE THEM WITH THE CANDY AND SAY, HEY, HEY, THESE ARE FOUR CANDIES, BUT I'M ALL FOR YOU. 
          THIS ONE. 
          THAT'S HOW I TAKE IT. 
          THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. 
          SUPERINTENDENT. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, THAT I HEAR FROM, UM, UH, MR. SMITH AND MR. SMALLS WITH RESPECT TO, UM, THE VARIOUS OPTIONS IS JUST A, ARE REALLY AROUND FEEDBACK FROM CONSTITUENTS AND, 
          [00:55:01]
AND, UH, AND AS YOU KNOW, AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE, I THINK THAT THE PROCESS THAT, UH, WE'VE UNDERGONE PROVIDES FEEDBACK ON THE FRONT END, UM, INFORMATION TO THE BOARD BASED ON FEEDBACK ON THE FRONT END. 
          UH, POTENTIALLY THE DESIGN, UH, CARRIES THAT, THAT FEEDBACK IN IT, RIGHT? UH, WHICH, WHICH THE BOARD IS IDENTIFYING. 
          I THINK MR. NAY SAID SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IF IT, UH, WAS CAPTURED, BUT I, BUT I WANT TO JUST SORT OF HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          NICK REALLY ADDRESSES, I THINK THAT THAT FEEDBACK, UH, THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A THIRST FOR, AND SO, UM, WHEN THIS OPTION IS VOTED ON, RIGHT, IF IT'S SELECTED AND APPROVED, THAT THAT GOES BACK TO THE PUBLIC. 
          AND WHEN IT GOES BACK TO THE PUBLIC, THERE'S, THERE'S MORE FEEDBACK THAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN THAT SESSION. 
          AND I THINK, I THINK WHAT MR. NAY SAID WAS THAT IT CAN SHIFT AND ADJUST A LITTLE BIT BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT, UH, THAT IS PROVIDED. 
          SO, SO I JUST WANNA JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK, UH, EVEN AFTER THE BOARD SELECTS THIS ITEM, UH, I'M SORRY, THIS, UH, THIS OPTION, UH, OR NOT, UH, OR NOT, RIGHT. 
          BUT WHATEVER THE CHOICE IS, IF THEY DO SELECT IT, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK AND, AND, AND ADJUSTMENTS, UH, MAY BE A PART OF THAT AFTER THAT FEEDBACK IS RECEIVED. 
          I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, MS. BOATRIGHT, MR. CHAIR. 
          OH, GO. 
          MS. BOATRIGHT, WHO COME TO YOU? PASTOR GORDON. 
          OKAY. 
          I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DONE AND THE ALL THAT WAS CONSIDERED, I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION. 
          I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A PARENT, THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE REALLY HARD TO DECIDE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEM. 
          SO I'M GLAD THAT THERE IS A FEEDBACK OPTION, BUT I THINK THAT I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AT THE OPERATION COMMITTEE LEVEL. 
          AND I THINK WE'VE ALL SAID THE, EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID AT THIS POINT, WELL, FOR ME ANYWAYS, I DON'T NEED TO REHASH WHAT MR. NAY SO ELOQUENTLY SAID, PASTOR GORDON. 
          YES. 
          YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN I CAME BACK IN 22, UM, AREA SUPERVISOR OVER THERE IN BLUFFTON AND BEFORE THAT, BEFORE I LEFT AND CAME BACK, UM, I USED TO DRIVE BUS OVER THERE. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA HAPPEN IS BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN OUR AREA, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TO SHIFT. 
          I MEAN, WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TRY TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE. 
          NOW, WHEN I LOOKED AT IT AND LISTEN TO THE PLAN, IT SOUND REAL GOOD TO ME, AND ESPECIALLY THE FACT THAT WE ARE ADDING TRANSPORTATION IN IT. 
          BECAUSE LOOK, I, WHEN I DROVE OVER THERE LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE WERE PASSING SCHOOLS WHERE KIDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GOING TO THAT SCHOOL, BUT WE WERE PASSING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TAKING 'EM TO ANOTHER ONE. 
          THIS, THIS IS A, IS A, A IS A REAL GOOD PLAN TO ME. 
          BUT I THINK EVEN AS WE MOVE ON, LIKE SUPERINTENDENT SAID, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FEEDBACK COMING UP. 
          THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF SHIFT IN THAT'S GONNA STILL NEED TO BE DONE EVEN AFTER WE DO THIS. 
          SO I, I, I AGREE WITH THE, THE PLAN THAT'S THAT WE PICKED. 
          THANK YOU PASTOR GORDON, MR. SMALL, ANY INPUT FROM YOU, SIR? UH, NO SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          THEN WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. 
          UH, THE, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT IF I'M, GO AHEAD. 
          OH, SO MY, MY QUESTION IS, IF I HEARD THAT WHAT I, PASTOR GORDON, DR. RODRIGUEZ WAS SAYING, SO IF THERE'S SHIFTING GOING TO BE IN PLACE, THEN WHY MAKE A DECISION ON AN OPTION IF THEY'RE STILL SHIFTING? BECAUSE, OH, WE COULD TAKE ONE OPTION TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY COULD SAY, LOOK AT, WE TOTALLY DON'T WANT THIS OPTION, SO, SO WHY WOULD WE JUST GO OUT THERE AND DO IT? VERSUS JUST GIVING THEM THE FOUR OPTIONS. 
          I'M, I'M JUST PARTICULAR REASON BE, BE, BESIDES, WE WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT, WE WANT TO SAVE MONEY OR WE WANT TO, UH, SUPPORT, SUPPORT THIS, UH, STAFF. 
          IS THERE A REAL PARTICULAR REASON, UH, TO, TO HELP ME, TO CONVINCE ME OF WHY, WHY WE'RE TRYING TO PICK AN OPTION VERSUS AN OPTION? COULD, COULD GO EITHER WAY OR, OR, OR IT COULD CHANGE TOTALLY. 
          JUST, I MEAN IF, IF, I MAY TRY TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION. 
          UM, TYPICALLY WHEN WE GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE RE-ZONE REZONING, WE'VE DONE IT IN THIS MANNER. 
          AND IF WE WERE WANTING TO TAKE MULTIPLE OPTIONS, IT'S VERY HARD TO WORK IN A BIG PUBLIC GROUP WITH MULTIPLE OPTIONS. 
          WE WOULD ACTUALLY, PROBABLY FORM A SMALL COMMITTEE, RUN THOSE OPTIONS THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE SO THEY CAN STUDY EACH OPTION IN DETAIL AND THEN GIVE FEEDBACK OR CHOOSE ONE. 
          WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LARGE PUBLIC GROUP, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ONE OPTION. 
          THEY'RE GONNA GIVE VERY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT ONE OPTION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ADJUST IF NEEDED FROM, BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK, FOUR OPTIONS. 
          YOUR FEEDBACK WILL BE ALL 
          [01:00:01]
OVER THE PLACE. 
          WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CONS, YOU KNOW, PUSH THAT TOWARDS, IN A LARGE GROUP TO A FINAL VERSION. 
          SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON THE REASON FOR ONE OPTION COMPARED TO MULTIPLE WHEN YOU'RE GOING OUT TO A PUBLIC FORUM AS COMPARED TO A SMALL COMMITTEE. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, IF NO ONE ELSE HAS A COMMENT, I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO I, UH, HAVE ATTENDED, I THINK ABOUT FOUR OF THOSE REASSIGNMENT MEETINGS, THREE OR FOUR. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED IS PEOPLE ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT HOW IT AFFECTS THEM, AND RATIONALITY SOMETIMES TAKES A HIT. 
          SO WHAT I'VE SEEN SINCE THIS ONE OPTION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS PREFERRED, IT CAPTURES SOME ECONOMICS, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT. 
          IT CAPTURES REDUCING THAT SORT OF DOUGH HOLE FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN AS WELL. 
          DOESN'T ELIMINATE IT, BUT IT CERTAINLY REDUCES THAT. 
          AND I THINK, UH, WHAT I'VE ALREADY SEEN IN WRITING IS WE HAVE PARENTS WHO HAVE APPROACHED THE OPERATIONS GROUP AND SAYING, WE WANT TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING WITH YOU, AND THEY HAVE CONCURRED, SO THEY WILLING TO EXPLAIN IT IN DETAIL. 
          AND I THINK, UM, JUST THE NORMAL PROCESS OF CULLING DOWN TO THE MOST FAVORABLE ON MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS IS NORMAL BUSINESS REGIMEN. 
          AND I THINK WE TAKE OUT, WE, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS, UM, UH, MOTION AND I THINK AS YOU TAKE IT OUT, LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE CAPTURING FEEDBACK. 
          SO WE BLEED OFF ANYBODY WHO THINKS WE'VE MADE UP OUR MIND AND WE'RE JUST GOING WHOLE HOG ONE DIRECTION WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION. 
          THE SECOND POINT IS, I THINK NOT, I THINK OUR OPERATIONS GROUP IS SUPREMELY TALENTED, AND I THINK RELYING ON THEM, AS MS. BOATRIGHT ALLUDED TO, IS, IS VERY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. 
          AND THEN WE STILL GET TO WEIGH IN ON IT. 
          SO I THINK THERE'S THAT, THAT, THAT RAIN CHECK POSSIBILITY. 
          SO, UH, IF WITH THAT, IS THERE EVERYBODY READY TO VOTE? ALRIGHT. 
          ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ONLINE PASTOR GORDON? AYE. 
          AZO. 
          AYE. 
          THIS IS SMITH. 
          HOW DID YOU, OKAY. 
          SO, ALRIGHT, WELL DONE PASSES, AND OUR NEXT MEETING IS JUNE 16TH. 
          DONE. 
          OKAY, 
          [Superintendent’s Report]
MR. SUPERINTENDENT. 
          OKAY. 
          NEXT ITEM IS, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. 
          AND WE HAVE A CAREER IN TECHNICAL ED, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND, UH, MS. KAREN GILBERT IS AVAILABLE HERE, UH, WITH HER TEAM. 
          SO CHAIRMAN DALLAS. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SHARE SOME UPDATES OF HOW WE ARE ALIGNED TO THE WORKFORCE. 
          AND, UH, ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. 
          UH, VERY APPRECIATIVE. 
          AS SOME MAY NOT KNOW, I'M KAREN GILBERT. 
          I SERVE AS A DISTRICT'S CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR. 
          UH, WITH ME TONIGHT, UH, IS DR. 
          LAKEISHA BRANTLEY. 
          SHE IS OUR DISTRICT'S CTE COORDINATOR. 
          WE, I WANTED TO REVISIT AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST, THE WHY BEHIND HAVING A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO HOW WE HELP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT THEY WANNA DO WHEN THEY LEAVE US. 
          I LOVE THIS GRAPHIC BECAUSE, UH, FROM THE, THE TODDLER TO THE ELEMENTARY STUDENT, UH, AS THEY PROGRESS, WHAT OUR CURRENT, UH, LITTLE ONES THAT'S, THAT'S OUTSIDE, UH, UH, ARE IN SCHOOL NOW, WHAT'S THE WORLD OF WORK GONNA LOOK LIKE, UH, 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW? AND HOW DO WE AS PUBLIC EDUCATION CONTINUE TO EVOLVE WITH THAT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A, A CLEAR, UH, STRUCTURED ALMOST WHAT WE CALL ROADMAPS THAT ALIGN EDUCATION DIRECTLY TO THE WORKFORCE. 
          IT'S ALSO HELPING IMPROVE STUDENT RETENTION. 
          UH, IF YOU GO INTO ANY OF OUR CAREER IN TECH ED CLASSES, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HANDS-ON AND CONNECTING THAT MATH AND SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS, UH, TO WHAT THEY WERE, THEY'RE LEARNING IF THEY WERE ON THE JOB. 
          AND THEN WE ARE ALSO MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN GRADUATION RATES. 
          UH, YOU HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT SHARES LAST YEAR'S CAREER AND TECH ED STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED WITH THEIR COHORT, AND WE CONSISTENTLY STAY ABOVE 95% THAT GRADUATE ON TIME. 
          SO IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. 
          THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          UH, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT WE, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR EMPLOYERS ARE UP AGAINST. 
          SEVERAL OF YOU ARE, ARE BUSINESS FOLKS YOURSELF. 
          AND, UH, I VALUE MY JOB. 
          SO 
          [01:05:01]
I WON'T ASK YOU TO TELL ME WHAT GENERATION OR CATEGORY YOU'RE IN. 
          UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR MILLENNIALS, OUR OUR BABY BOOMERS, UH, GENERATION Z. 
          WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE THREE TO FOUR OF THESE GENERATIONS WORKING AT THE SAME TIME IN THE SAME WORKPLACE. 
          SO IT PRESENTS, UH, UH, CHALLENGES FOR OUR EMPLOYERS TO BE ABLE TO WHERE IT'S RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, UH, BECAUSE WE ALL APPROACH LIFE AND WORK, UH, A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. 
          AND I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE, UH, UPCOMING GENERATION ALPHA. 
          UH, THEY WERE BORN BETWEEN 2013 AND 15. 
          AND WHAT DID THEY EXPERIENCE, UH, WHEN THEY WERE IN THEIR, OR THEIR EARLY GRADES? WHAT, WHAT WAS THE MAJOR THING THAT HAPPENED? COVID DID. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING THROUGH A LENS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH OUR GRADES AND AS THEY'RE PREPARING FOR THE WORKFORCE. 
          SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS WE, UH, LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT WE KEEP A COMMON LANGUAGE. 
          UH, SOMETIMES WHAT WE TALK AND EDUCATION SPEAK DOESN'T ALWAYS MATCH UP WHAT IS, UH, OCCURRING IN THE WORKPLACE. 
          SO I WANNA DO A SHOUT OUT TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          THEY RECENTLY HOSTED A LOW COUNTRY JOBS NOW EVENT, AND I'M PROUD OF, UH, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND CAREER CENTER. 
          THEY, WE HAD STUDENTS REPRESENTED ACROSS THE COUNTY, UH, AND, UH, SHOUT OUT TO, UH, UH, TOM HENS AND, AND BILL KN, BILL MILES, BECAUSE THIS WAS A VERY ENGAGING, IT WAS A DIFFERENT FORMAT. 
          UH, YOU COULD TELL THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM WHERE STUDENTS WERE ACTUALLY NETWORKING, WHICH IS WHAT, AS ADULTS WE DO A LOT. 
          BUT THEY WERE NETWORKING WITH THESE EMPLOYERS THAT THE CHAMBER HAD, UH, PULLED TOGETHER, UH, AGAIN, FOSTERING THAT COMMON LANGUAGE. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          AND THEN, SO TO DO THAT, WE WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TWO MAJOR STATE INITIATIVES. 
          ONE, ONE WE PLACED ON YOUR RADAR LAST FALL. 
          IT IS A NEW PATHWAYS FRAMEWORK. 
          AND WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE EFFECTIVELY, THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, UH, THIS WILL GO INTO FULL PHASE IMPLEMENTATION. 
          AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS? IT MEANS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE NEW COURSE TITLES FOR, SO FOR SEVERAL OF OUR COURSES, STANDARDS ARE BEING UPDATED AS WE SPEAK. 
          I LIKE HOW THE STATE, UH, WILL BRING TOGETHER TEACHERS, UH, UH, LOCAL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON IF THE WORKPLACE HAS CHANGED IN THE ENERGY SECTOR, UH, IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA. 
          UH, THEN, THEN THEY NEED TO KEEP UPDATED WITH THEIR STANDARDS. 
          SO THIS NEW FRAMEWORK, UH, IS GONNA BE, I THINK, A VERY GOOD THING FOR THE LANGUAGE THAT NOT ONLY DO WE, WE PRO PROMOTE TO OUR PARENTS AS TO IF YOUR CHILD IS INTERESTED IN GOING TO THIS FIELD. 
          THESE ARE SOME OPTIONS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ANOTHER MAJOR STATE INITIATIVE. 
          UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, WILL BE, AS PART OF THIS FRAMEWORK, IS THE NEW STACKABLE CERTIFICATIONS OR CREDENTIALS. 
          SO, I'M GONNA SLOW DOWN BECAUSE THIS, I DO WANT YOU TO, UH, BE FAMILIAR WITH IT, UM, BECAUSE IT, IT DOES HAVE A, WILL HAVE A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL. 
          SO IN 2025, THE SOUTH CAROLINA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE APPROVE THE STATE'S TIERED CREDENTIALING SYSTEM. 
          SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO IT'S GONNA BE, UH, A WAY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO ALIGN, UH, WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM WITH AN INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATION. 
          UH, IT'LL HAVE SOME WORKFORCE PRIORITIES, AND IT'S GONNA HELP THEM, UH, WITH THEIR DECISION MAKING AS TO WHAT THEY WANNA MOVE INTO AND TO HELP BETTER PROMOTE THEMSELVES. 
          WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING THAT WITH SUCCESS. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVING STUDENTS THAT ARE EARNING AT LEAST ONE CERTIFICATION NOW, AND THAT'S PART OF OUR, UH, STATE REPORT CARD. 
          THE DIFFERENCE WILL BE STARTING NOT THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, GRADUATES WILL NEED TO EARN WHAT'S A TOTAL OF THREE POINTS. 
          SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE A CTE COMPLETER AND THEY EARN A STATE APPROVED CERTIFICATION. 
          WE CAN COUNT THAT IN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. 
          BUT STARTING IN ANOTHER YEAR WITH THOSE COHORT OF GRADUATES, WE'LL BE ON A TIERED SYSTEM. 
          SO THE FIRST ONE IS JUST INTRODUCTORY FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS. 
          THE SECOND TIER IS, UM, INTER INTERMEDIATE INDUSTRY ALIGNED, SUPPORTS OUR CAREER PATHWAYS. 
          AND THEN REALLY TIER THREE, IF WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT EARN A CERTIFICATION AND THEY EARNED THE THREE POINTS THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT CERT, UH, THAT SAYS, HEY, THEY CAN GO REALLY BEYOND AN ENTRY LEVEL JOB, UH, STRAIGHT INTO PERHAPS ADVANCEMENT WITHIN THE WORKPLACE. 
          SO AGAIN, 
          [01:10:01]
THIS HAS ALREADY STARTED WITH OUR CURRENT NINTH AND 10TH GRADERS, BUT WE WANT IT AS A DISTRICT TO BE PROACTIVE AND BE AHEAD OF THE GAMES. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          SO, ALONG WITH DR. 
          LAO AND I, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL JOINT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 
          UH, WE HAVE, UH, TALKED WITH OUR PRINCIPALS, UH, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, OUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATORS HAVE BEEN A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THIS AND OUR TEACHERS. 
          SO I CREATED SOME FEEDBACK FORMS OVER THIS PAST YEAR. 
          WE SENT IT OUT TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND WE SAID, HERE'S THE STATE APPROVED CERTIFICATIONS. 
          UH, HERE'S WHAT YOU GENERALLY TEACH. 
          WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? HOW'S IT GONNA REFLECT, UH, WHAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY TEACHING? AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO SET ASIDE SOME TIME. 
          MAYBE, UH, IT'LL BE MONDAY CERTIFICATIONS OR FRIDAY, UH, CREDENTIALING DAY TO INTEGRATE IN THIS WITHIN THEIR REGULAR STANDARDS. 
          UH, WE WILL HAVE FLEXIBILITY BUILT IN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED, UH, SOME EXTRA SUPPORTS. 
          UH, BUT AGAIN, THE TEACHERS ARE GONNA BE THE CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THIS. 
          SO THEY PROVIDED US FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT THEY THINK IS A GOOD MATCH. 
          WE'LL HAVE A WRITTEN PLAN THAT WILL GO OUT TO OUR PRINCIPALS IN JULY, AND IT'LL, UH, ALSO COVER WHAT ARE THE COSTS INVOLVED, UM, TEACHER TRAINING, STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY. 
          A LOT OF THESE ARE ONLINE. 
          SO WE WILL, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT. 
          AND JUST A REMINDER, WE DO RECEIVE CERTIFICATION FUNDS FROM THE STATE AS PART OF THE CTE LOCAL PLAN, UH, ANNUAL PROCESS. 
          AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UH, WE ALREADY ARE DOING, AS I SAID, SEVERAL CERTIFICATIONS, SERVEE FOR OUR CULINARY, UH, UH, AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES EXCELLENCE WITH OUR AUTOMOTIVE, UH, AMERICAN WELD AND SOCIETY AND SO ON. 
          AND BASICALLY, WHEN STUDENTS, IT'S OUR GOAL IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WHEN STUDENTS WALK ACROSS THE STAGE IN JUST IN A FEW WEEKS AND, AND YOU'RE THERE AND THEY'RE HANDED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A PORTFOLIO, IF YOU WILL, THAT WILL ALSO PROBABLY DIGITAL, LIKE DIGITAL BADGES THAT WILL SAY, HMM, I ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EARNED A CERTIFICATION THAT CAN HELP ME TO PROMOTE MYSELF. 
          SO THIS IS HUGE. 
          AND, UH, WE RECENTLY HEARD FROM A SOUTH CAROLINA COMPETITIVE COUNCIL, UH, THAT THE GOVERNMENT MASTERS HAS PUT INTO PLACE. 
          AND THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING CALLED SKILLS FLIP. 
          SO THAT AS, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DOING THEIR RESUMES, UH, STILL INCLUDE YOUR EDUCATION AND YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE, BUT THEY WANNA PUT THOSE SKILLS TOP AND I THINK THAT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MARKET THEMSELVES. 
          AND, UH, PART OF THIS FRAMEWORK, JUST SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW, THE STATE HAS, UH, APPROVED WHAT'S CALLED UNIVERSAL CERTIFICATIONS. 
          AND I'M GLAD THEY DID BECAUSE THESE, UH, REFERENCED CER UH, EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS. 
          SO IF I'M IN WELDING OR AUTOMOTIVE OR CULINARY OR BUSINESS OR MARKETING, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST CREDENTIALS THAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO TRY WILL BE THAT EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS CREDENTIAL. 
          WE HAVE A COUPLE OF VENDORS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED THAT WE'LL BE USING, AND, UH, ACTUALLY SHOUT OUT TO HILTON AT ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL. 
          UM, UH, BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, UM, BARRY CREEK. 
          THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN ALREADY ON BOARD WITH THE PILOTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THESE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS. 
          SO THEY'RE LEARNING TEAMWORK, CRITICAL THINKING, UM, PROBLEM SOLVING. 
          IT'S 10 MODULES. 
          THEY TAKE, UH, ASSESSMENTS. 
          THERE'S SCENARIOS THAT THEY WORK THROUGH. 
          AND AGAIN, IT TAKES, IT IS TEACHER BUY-IN, BUT THEY REALLY DO LIKE, UH, THESE SOFT SKILLS, UH, CERTIFICATIONS. 
          AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME WORKPLACE READINESS, UH, OSHA, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, FOR OUR HANDS-ON TRADES PROGRAMS, OSHA IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. 
          THEY, THEY GET AN ACTUAL CARD OR DIGITAL CARD NOW TO AN EMPLOYER. 
          AND IT IS VERY, UH, WELL RECOGNIZED. 
          AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE ACTUALLY ALREADY DOING STACKABLE CREDENTIALS. 
          THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WITH OUR HEALTH SCIENCES CLUSTER. 
          WHEN OUR STUDENTS TAKE HEALTH SCIENCES ONE AND TWO, THEN THEY TAKE THE THIRD LEVEL, IT'S MORE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, AND THEN THEY DO SOME TYPE OF FOURTH LEVEL, EITHER CLINICALS OR AN INTERNSHIP. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE TAKING AN OSHA FOR HEALTHCARE. 
          THAT'S ONE POINT. 
          THEN THEY'RE DOING A BASIC LIFE SUPPORT CPR. 
          OKAY, THAT'S TWO POINTS. 
          THEY'RE DOING A NATIONAL HEALTH SCIENCE CERTIFICATE IN HEALTH SCIENCES THREE. 
          AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, OR HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS YEAR TO DO A, UH, UH, LEVEL THREE FOR PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN, CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT, UH, UH, CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT. 
          UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM YOUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION, A YOUNG LADY THAT'S HERE TONIGHT, ALONG WITH HER TEACHER, MRS. VALISA GRISWOLD. 
          AND SHE HAS IMPLEMENTED THE PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE PLAN TO 
          [01:15:01]
DUPLICATE AT OTHER SCHOOLS, AND HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB SPEAKING OF THE HEALTHCARE AS ONE OF OUR PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS. 
          UH, ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE, UH, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. 
          WE ARE NOW AT OUR SECOND COHORT. 
          WE ARE GONNA CELEBRATE THEM NEXT WEEK, UH, FOR THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONY AT BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL THIS YEAR. 
          THEY ARE EARNING THEIR CER CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT, UM, TRAINING CERTIFICATE. 
          AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL THAT HAVE SIT, UH, TO TAKE THE EXAM THAT ARE NOW CERTIFIED CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT. 
          UH, THAT'S THE FIRST IN THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND JUST VERY PROUD OF THEM. 
          IT'S A TEAM EFFORT FROM, AND IT'S REPRESENTATION FROM ALL SCHOOLS. 
          AND AGAIN, WE DO PLAN TO DUPLICATE THAT, PARTICULARLY AT HILTON, AT ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL, UH, WHEN THAT HEALTHCARE PROGRAM STARTS. 
          NOT THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR WE'LL BE EXCITED TO WORK WITH NOVANT. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY, UH, ANXIOUS TO HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          AND THEN, MR. DALLAS, YOU MUST HAVE READ MY MIND BEING FROM NORTH CAROLINA, I WAS SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED, UH, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SOME OF THE SYMPOSIUMS THAT YOU'VE BEEN GOING TO. 
          I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE'RE ALIGNING CTE TO THE WORKFORCE WITH OUR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PILOT. 
          UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING THIS YEAR AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL. 
          CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT, UH, DR. 
          SEAN CEDAR, THE INSTRUCTOR THERE. 
          HE IS JUST DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB. 
          HE'S TAKEN THE CURRICULUM THAT THE STATE HAS BEEN PROVIDING AS A PILOT, HE IS MOLDING IT TO, TO FIT THAT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. 
          UH, DR. 
          BRANTLEY AND I WERE ABLE TO SIT IN ON ONE OF THEIR PANEL PRESENTATIONS WHERE THE STUDENTS HAD TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA IN HEALTHCARE AS HOW AI COULD BE USED, AND THEY HAD TO PITCH IT AS PART OF THEIR, UH, PRESENTATIONS. 
          BUT THEY'RE DOING THAT ACROSS SEVERAL INDUSTRIES. 
          SO HE'S PREPARING THIS SUMMER FOR THE SECOND LEVEL THAT WILL BE OFFERED NEXT YEAR. 
          AND THEN IT IS OUR GOAL THAT ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND IN A CAREER CENTER WITH DR. 
          LUCHI TO HAVE A TYPE OF AI TRAINING AVAILABLE, UH, INTRODUCTORY AT THE MIDDLE GRADES, BUT, UH, A TYPE OF AI TRAINING. 
          IT MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT SCHOOL TO SCHOOL BASED OFF THE TEACHER, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AND, AND THE, UM, UH, PATHWAYS THAT ARE OFFERED THERE. 
          BUT IT IS OUR GOAL OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS THAT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE THAT TRAINING AVAILABLE TO THEM. 
          IT MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE STATE PILOT LOOKS LIKE, UH, BUT WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, OF TAKING THIS ON. 
          AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MR. MARK SHOHAN AND HIS TEAM, UH, MS. BECKON KY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THE TEACHER ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE SURE, JUST WHAT YOU WERE MENTIONING MR. DALLAS, ABOUT OPERATING WITHIN SAFE PARAMETERS. 
          UM, AND I THINK I KNOW MS. BOATWRIGHT, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT WITH THE, THE AI, SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT THIS IS COMING ALONG. 
          AND THEN JUST LASTLY ON THIS ONE, UM, I THINK FOLKS, WE ARE POISED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN OUR COUNTY, IT'S VERY NICE TIMING WITH LET'S GO PUBLIC, UH, CAMPAIGN. 
          UH, BECAUSE IF YOU, IF YOU TALK TO OTHER DISTRICTS, THEY DON'T, IN MY OPINION, HAVE THE OPTIONS THAT WE DO FOR OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER IT'S AT OUR CAREER CENTER ACROSS OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. 
          I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE. 
          THE CITIZENS LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHEN THEY, UH, HEARD ABOUT THE CT PROJECTS, THEY INCLUDED THAT WITHIN THE REFERENDUM. 
          APPRECIATIVE DR. RODRIGUEZ TO ALSO RECOGNIZE IT WAS IMPORTANT AND THE BOARD WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU VOTED ON THESE. 
          SO WE ARE TRACKING NI VERY WELL ON THESE PRIORITY PATHWAYS. 
          UH, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A GROUNDBREAKING SOON FOR BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL. 
          AND AGAIN, WITH THE EYE TO THE MODERNIZATION OF IF I'M GONNA BE IN CONSTRUCTION, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WITH THE ADVANCE IN TECHNOLOGIES? UH, IF I WANNA BE A, AN ELECTRICIAN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE AI CENTERS THAT'S COMING IN? WHAT KIND OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES DO I HAVE? SO I'M, I'M EXCITED TO, TO BE A PART OF IT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE, UH, THE VISION OF MODERNIZING AND EXPANDING TECHNICAL FIELDS WAS A GREAT TEAM EFFORT AND COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT YOU. 
          AND THEN, AS DR. 
          BRANDLEY IS COMING UP, SINCE WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, TO ANSWER, UH, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION, WE'RE, WE'RE BIG ON ACRONYMS. AND, UH, SO WE'RE KIND OF PROUD OF OURSELVES THAT WE COME UP WITH, UH, CTE WORKS. 
          SO WITH THE W OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO EMBED SOME WORK-BASED LEARNINGS, INTERNSHIPS FOR KIDS TO CONNECT TO OUR LOCAL EMPLOYERS. 
          WE WANT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PATHWAYS, UH, STRATEGICALLY LOCATED SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE A 
          [01:20:01]
LITTLE BIT IN CAPACITY, UH, FOR ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR STUDENTS, UH, THAT ARE FOR RESUME AND PORTFOLIO BUILDING IS GONNA BE SO IMPORTANT SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN, CAN BETTER MARKET THEMSELVES BY, BY EARNING THESE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS. 
          THE K STANDS FOR KNOWLEDGE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. 
          AND THEN S IS SUPPORT SYSTEMS. I THINK IF A YOUNG PERSON WANTS TO GO INTO A FIELD THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE A FOUR YEAR DEGREE, WE, WE WANT TO HELP THEM PREPARE FOR THAT. 
          BUT IF THEY DON'T, UH, I THINK THIS BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY HAS SENT A GREAT MESSAGE THAT WE VALUE YOUR DECISIONS AS TO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE AND, AND WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU TO TRAIN. 
          AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT OUR, OUR INCREDIBLE TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND OUR PRINCIPALS THAT HELP US WITH THAT. 
          SO HAVING SAID THAT IS YOU HAVE IN YOUR BOARD DOCS, UM, A SUMMARY OF SOME OF OUR, UH, POINTS OF CELEBRATION, SOME STATS, AND ALSO YOU HAVE A CHART, IT'S A DRAFT, UH, IT'LL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, BUT JUST A DRAFT OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD WHERE OUR, OUR PATHWAY OFFERINGS, UH, WE ARE PRO PLANNING AND PROPOSING. 
          ANY QUESTIONS, MR. SMITH? UH, YES. 
          UM, I FIRST, LEMME STOP BY SAYING I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS GREAT PRESENTATION. 
          UM, BUT HOWEVER, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS. 
          AND LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. 
          WHAT'S THE AVERAGE GPA OF STUDENTS IN, IN THIS PROGRAM? ALL, ALL THE AVERAGE GPA OF, OF, OF, UM, OF THIS, OF, OF THIS PROGRAM? SO A GREAT QUESTION. 
          I KNOW THAT TO BE IN THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL HONOR SOCIETY, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A 3.0 OR HIGHER, BUT I'D HAVE TO GET YOU THOSE NUMBERS. 
          MR. SMITH, THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION TO MOVE INTO THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRIES CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS. THAT'S MORE ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE. 
          IT'S A 2.75, BUT WE CERTAINLY, FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE COMPLETERS, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A GREAT DAY TO POINT TO LOOK AT. 
          UM, I, I WILL SAY WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT RANGE, AS YOU'LL SEE FROM ONE OF OUR, YOUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION OF A, A YOUNG LADY AT MAY RIVER WHO'S GOING ON TO COLLEGE. 
          SO IT DOES VARY, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN GET YOU, UH, SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, THE, I THINK THE, THE LAST COUPLE TIMES YOU'VE COME BEFORE THE BOARD, I WAS, I WAS, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A, A A A, UM, A SURVEY TO GIVE THE STUDENTS BECAUSE THE STUDENTS AND THE STUDENTS IN MY, AND THE, MY CONSTITUENTS IN MY COMMUNITY, UH, WE APPRECIATE SOME OF THESE JOBS AND SOME OF THESE THINGS, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EDUCATING EVERY KID, THEY'RE GIVING EVERY KID AND THAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND I, AND, AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS MAY, SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS TO HAVE AT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS OR TO HAVE MULTIPLE ONES MAY NOT ALLOW US TO MAXIMIZE MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN TERMS OF HAVING DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AT DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, UM, RIGHT NOW YOU LOOK AT BEAUFORT COUNTY, THEY'RE BUILDING ALL ACROSS, ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTY. 
          UH, THERE ARE PLUMBERS THAT ARE, THAT ARE NEEDED. 
          WE DON'T HAVE PLUMBER. 
          I TALKED TO PLUMBERS. 
          WE DON'T HAVE PLUMBER PROGRAMS. UH, WE HAVE ELECTRICIANS IN OPERATIONS. 
          WE TALK ABOUT WE NEED ELECTRICIANS LEFT TO RIGHT OR WE NEED DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT POSITIONS. 
          AND I JUST THINK THAT WE CAN GET SOME, UM, POSSIBLY THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING FOR THE, THE SURVEY SO THAT, SO THAT WE COULD GET SOME FEEDBACK AND, UH, SOME DATA TO HAVE THE TEAMS TO SEE HOW MUCH OF OUR, HOW MUCH OF OUR STUDENTS ARE REALLY ACTUALLY GOING INTO SOME OF THESE, UH, UH, SOME OF THESE, UM, PROGRAMS AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT'S THE, UH, WHAT'S THE GREATER, WHAT'S THE RETURN THAT WE'RE GETTING, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH OUR STUDENTS ARE, ARE, ARE, IS GREAT FOR 'EM TO COMPLETE IT, BUT HOW MUCH ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE FIELD AND ACTUALLY, UH, WORKING IN THE FIELD, AND THEN ALSO TO SEE IF THERE'S A NEED, NEED VERSUS WANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THERE PROPS POSSIBLY A PROGRAM THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT WE COULD HAVE? UM, I WAS, I WAS, I WAS IN A MEETING AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, NOW EVEN IN, IN TERMS OF AI, HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF EVEN HAVING A TRUCK, UH, AI TRUCK DRIVERS. 
          SO, WHICH IS MIND BOGGLING TO HAVE A COMPUTER DRIVING A TRUCK. 
          IT'S JUST MIND, IT IS JUST MIND BLOWING. 
          UM, SO IT'S JUST THINGS OF, OF THAT NATURE IN TERMS OF, WE, WE, WE CONTINUOUSLY TALK ABOUT AI, WE TALKING ABOUT EVERY INVOLVING, BUT, UH, PLUMBERS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE RIGHT NOW IS, IS IS LABOR IS THO THOSE ARE JOBS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WE DON'T, THAT WE DON'T HEAR THAT AI IS TAKING. 
          SO ARE WE PUSHING, ARE WE PUSHING THOSE THINGS OUT? ARE WE, ARE WE OFFERING THOSE COURSES? BECAUSE THE REASON, IT GOES BACK TO THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING FOR THE, THE GPA OF THESE STUDENTS, BECAUSE YOUR, YOUR AVERAGE PLUMBER MIGHT 
          [01:25:01]
NOT HAVE 3.5 GPA AND YOUR AVERAGE PLUMBER MIGHT NOT HAVE A 2.5 GPA. 
          SO THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE MARKETING OUR PROGRAMS AND ARE WE MAXIMIZING OUR PROGRAMS TO GIVE EVERY KID AN OPPORTUNITY? AND, AND, AND THAT, AND THAT'S SOME OF MY CONCERNS BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S SOME OF WHAT I'VE, WHAT I'VE GOTTEN AT SOME MEANS. 
          AND WHAT PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE ASKED ME SAY, HEY, LOOK HERE, WHY DON'T WE HAVE, WHY DON'T WE HAVE THIS? AND SO I'VE BEEN KIND OF SOFTLY ASKING FOR US TO HAVE A SURVEY SO THAT WE COULD GATHER THAT DATA AND BRING THAT DATA BACK SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THEM FEEL THAT WE, WE, WE HEAR YOU. 
          WE JUST, NOT, WE WE'RE NOT KNOWING YOU, BUT WE UNDER, WE UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. 
          AND SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M, I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THAT SURVEY SO THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY EVEN SEE IF THERE IS AN APP, AN APPETITE FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS IN THIS COMMUNITY NEED, NEED VERSUS ONE, BECAUSE THERE'S SET, THERE'S SEVERAL PLACES RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THESE PLUMBERS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR IONS RIGHT NOW. 
          SO IT'S JUST A CONCERN. 
          SO I, I JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MR. SMITH. 
          MAY I, CAN I WEIGH IN ONE MOMENT, PLEASE? YES, SIR. 
          MS. GILBERT. 
          SO ONE OF THE, TWO OF THE DATA POINTS YOU HAD IN YOUR DECK, WHICH WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE. 
          YOU HAVE A 95% OF STUDENTS ACTUALLY GRADUATING ON TIME, BUT YOU HAD A 90, 97% NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY GO TO WORK WHEN THEY GRADUATE. 
          SO I THINK IF WE WERE TO SEGMENT THAT BY JOB TYPE AND SHOW WHAT THE DEMAND IS, AND THEN WHAT TYPE OF EJECTION, NOT EJECTION, BUT STUDENTS GO INTO THOSE ROLES, I THINK THAT WILL SATISFY BECAUSE IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST WHEN JOBS ARE AVAILABLE BUT NOT FILLED. 
          IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO PRODUCE AS MANY PEOPLE AS ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE. 
          SO IF YOU AS SUPERINTENDENT, IF YOU COULD TAKE THAT ON, I THINK THAT WOULD ANSWER AND GIVE A LOT OF DETAIL TO IT. 
          I THINK THAT WOULD ANSWER MR. SMITH'S, UH, QUESTION. 
          ALRIGHT, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA. 
          AND MR. SMITH, YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THE HEART OF IT. 
          UH, WE DON'T REQUIRE A GPA TO TAKE OUR COURSES. 
          UH, WE TAKE STUDENTS WHERE THEY'RE AT. 
          WE'VE HAD OUR WELDING TEACHERS THAT CAN JUST TAKE A STUDENT AT ANY LEVEL AND, AND WORK WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT HEART TO, TO WANNA LEARN THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF IT. 
          UM, IF, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART OF THE FUTURE OFFERINGS, I, I LIKE WHERE YOU'RE GOING BECAUSE WITH ACE AND WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE SEPARATED NORTH OF THE BROAD, SOUTH OF THE BROAD RIVER. 
          UH, WE'VE HAD THAT INTENTIONALITY IN MIND FOR MORE ACCESSIBILITY. 
          SO AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, AT, AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ONE AT ACE, WE'LL HAVE A MODERNIZED BUILDING TRADES PROGRAM. 
          AND WHAT THAT'LL LOOK LIKE IS, AS I'M A NINTH AND 10TH GRADER, I GET MY SAFETY, I LEARN BASIC TOOL IDENTIFICATION, I DO SOME BASIC, UH, BLUEPRINT READING, UM, UH, BASIC RESIDENTIAL, UH, CARPENTRY. 
          WHEN I MOVE INTO A JUNIOR, THEY'RE GONNA BRANCH OUT AND THEY'RE GONNA SELECT, DO WANNA DO THE HVAC, THE ELECTRICAL OR THE PLUMBING. 
          AND THEN THE GOAL IS BY THEIR SENIOR YEAR, WE WANT THEM TO MOVE OUT, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH TCL FOR THEIR CERTIFICATION WITH THEM WHILE THEY ARE WORKING ON THE JOB WITH THOSE EMPLOYERS WITHIN THOSE AREAS. 
          SO WE'LL HAVE THREE STRONG, UH, PLACES WITH THAT, JUST LIKE WE HAVE NOW WITH OUR WELDING. 
          SO I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THAT VISION. 
          YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MR. SMITH. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. 
          AND YES, SIR, WE CAN PULL SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, A BREAKDOWN OF THE DATA. 
          YEAH. 
          AND YES, DR. RODRIGUEZ, SIR, I KNOW THIS IS, UH, A RICH DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION. 
          I JUST WANNA ASK FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BOARD. 
          WE HAVE LITTLE ONES THAT ARE OUT HERE THAT HAVE ARRIVED FOR, AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE FOR OUR, UH, AND SO IF, IF YOU'RE OKAY, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF MOVE THEM, UH, FORWARD ON THE AGENDA. 
          THERE'S ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT REPORT ITEM THAT, THAT WE CAN COME BACK TO. 
          OR IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NOT A PROBLEM, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO DO THAT? UH, NO. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO DONE. 
          I JUST WANNA, UH, PLEASE ALLOW US TO GIVE MS. DR. 
          BRANTLEY, IS THAT CORRECT? ANY COMMENTS FROM YOU, MA'AM? I THINK AS THE CTE DEPARTMENT, I THINK THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS MOVING, I THINK, IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY. 
          I THINK WE ARE IMPLEMENTING AND PUTTING IN PLACE, UM, AS MR. SMITH SAID, VARIES, UM, AT THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND AT THE CAREER CENTERS, UM, DIFFERENT CAREERS AND PATHWAYS, UM, THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A HIGH GPA, UM, REQUIREMENT. 
          THE REQUIREMENT IS BASICALLY IF THEY WANNA DO THE, LIKE, THE DUAL ENROLLMENT, BUT I THINK WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF BEING EMPLOYABLE AND BEING ABLE TO GO TO COLLEGE OR THE MILITARY OR THE WORKFORCE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRADLEY, YOU WANT TO GO AND IS THAT OKAY? 
          [01:30:01]
YES, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'LL SEE UNANIMITY. 
          YOU BETTER. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY RESTLESS. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          I DON'T NEED TO DO IT. 
          I DIDN'T SEE HIM. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          GOT IT. 
          I KNOW HOW A PODIUM WORKS. 
          OH, OH, YEAH. 
          I'M FINE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU 
          [Student Performance]
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          AND DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT OUR STUDENT PERFORMERS HERE AT THE BOARD MEETING. 
          SO HERE TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADERS FROM MC BRILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UNDER THE DIRECTOR, UH, DIRECTION OF DR. 
          MELANIE NOLAN. 
          THEY'RE GONNA BE PERFORMING A COUPLE PEOPLE, UH, A COUPLE PIECES FROM THEIR UPCOMING, UPCOMING MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL. 
          OKAY, YOU CAN GO RIGHT UP TO THE MICROPHONE. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS MADELINE AND I'M A FOURTH GRADE GRADER AT MICHAEL C. RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          EACH YEAR A SCHOOL PUTS ON AN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL. 
          DURING THE DAY, ALL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE BY LEARNING AND PERFORMING A SONG AND DANCE FROM A COUNTRY OR REGION CHOSEN BY THEIR TEACHERS. 
          THEY ALSO DRESS IN TRADITIONAL, IN A PARADE WITH THE COUNTRY'S FLAG. 
          TWO WELL LOVED TRADITIONS OF THIS EVENT ARE THE FASHION SHOW WHERE STUDENTS COME DRESS IN AN EXAMPLE OF A DESIGN FROM THEIR FAMILY'S HOME COUNTRY AND THE CARNIVAL OR FESTIVAL AT NIGHT, TEACHERS PLAN A GAME AND PREPARE A SNACK OR FOOD FROM THE COUNTRY FOR GUESTS AND FAMILIES TO ENJOY. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A CAKEWALK AND WONDERFUL SILENT AUCTION BASKETS PUT TOGETHER BY TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. 
          THURSDAY NIGHT, MAY 21ST WILL BE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FROM FIVE O'CLOCK TO SIX 30. 
          JOINING US TODAY ARE TWO SONG SAMPLES FROM OUR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS, UM, IN FIRST GRADE. 
          UM, FIRST GRADE IS DOING MEXICO AND MEXICO. 
          PEOPLE WEAR COLORFUL CLOTHES. 
          SOME MEN WEAR A HAT CALLED A SORO, AND WOMEN MAY WEAR BRIGHT DRESSES WITH PRETTY DESIGNS. 
          A SONG FOR YOU IS THE FAMOUS MARIACHI SONG, LINDO, WE HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. 
             UH, KENDALL GO. 
          KINDERGARTENS WILL SING A BABY A TRADITIONAL MELODY. 
          MELODY FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA, 
          [01:36:32]
WE ARE GONNA DO A DANCE FOR YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, BYE. 
          WE GO DO THE HOOKY LOVE, HOOKY, HOOKY HOOK LOVE. 
          EVERYBODY LOVES HOOK, THE AND ALL THE, WE GO TO THE HOOK FOR A WONDERFUL DAY FOR FISHING A WHILE AWAY, THE HOOK SW. 
          OH, WE GO TO THE HOOK. 
          HOOKY HOOK. 
          EVERYBODY LOVES THE HOOK, THE INTO THE SEA. 
          AND ALL THE ME OH, WE GO TO THE HOOK. 
          TO THE HOOK. 
          HOOKY, HOOKY, HOOKY HOOK. 
          EVERYBODY LOVES THE HOOK WHERE THE AFTER HOOK WINS THE SEA. 
          AND ALL THE COME SWEAR TO ME. 
          OH, WE GO EVERYBODY. 
          THANK YOU, 
          [01:40:39]
MR. DALLAS. 
          I, I THINK I CAUGHT ALL OF YOU DANCING A LITTLE BIT. 
          , WHAT I DO COULD NOT BE CALLED DANCING. 
          TRUST ME. 
          UM, PREFERENCE TO CONTINUE ON THE AGENDA AND THEN COME BACK TO, TO POINTS OF CELEBRATION AS, AS IS, UH, APPROPRIATE ON THERE. 
          IS THAT WHAT YOU THE WILL THE BOARD? OKAY. 
          THE NEXT ITEM ON SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS OTHER MATTERS AND, UM, BUFORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP UPDATE, WHICH I BELIEVE MR. GEIER IS, UH, PREPARED TO OFFER UP. 
          AND, UH, MS. GOLD, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD, UH, DIRECTOR IS HERE FOR SUPPORT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. UH, CHAIRMAN AND, UH, AND DR. RODRIGUEZ. 
          UH, EIGHT YEARS AGO, THREE INDIVIDUALS, THREE CITIZENS FROM THE HABERSHAM COMMUNITY, UH, STARTED A GROUP GATHERING AND CALLED IT THE BUFORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, A BELOVED ORGANIZATION. 
          UH, THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING, UH, MANY TIMES. 
          THEY'VE INCORPORATED, UH, UH, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, UH, HELP TO HELP THE, HELP THE DISTRICT, UH, SET UP SOME, UH, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. THEY'RE NOW FINALLY GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. 
          AND THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED, DEDICATED TO CLOSING THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GAP THAT EXISTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. 
          THEY HAVE A DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH I'LL READ TO YOU. 
          THE BEAUFORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT BY INCREASING ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT, AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, WHILE FOSTERING A SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE CAN THRIVE AND SUCCEED. 
          THEY'RE PROPOSING THAT THE BEAUFORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP SERVE AS A HUB THAT CAN HELP INCUBATE AND SCALE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE MENTORSHIP, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SUMMER PROGRAMMING. 
          THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP WILL HELP THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREAS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, FUNDRAISING, FINANCIAL COMPLIANCE, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND DATA COLLECTION AND PROGRAM EVALUATION. 
          THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED FIVE MEMBERS WHO ARE WILLING TO BECOME BOARD MEMBERS AND HAVE RECEIVED COMMITMENTS FOR $50,000 IN FUNDING FOR 2026. 
          THE FIRST MEETING THAT, UH, THEY HAD WITH THE DISTRICT WAS TO EXPLORE THE ISSUE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SUPPORT AND WITH MS. ASHLEY GOODE, UH, GOUL GIVING A EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. 
          AND THAT'S JUST TO SCOPE THE PROBLEM. 
          AND NOW THE PARTNERSHIP IS GOING TO, UH, WORK OUT. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF MS. GOULD IS HERE. 
          SHE'S THERE. 
          SHE'S HERE. 
          FIND  MIND, UH, SPEAKING ABOUT YOU DISCUSSED AND BRIEF BRIEFLY WITH, UH, THIS GROUP. 
          SURE. 
          UM, I'M ASHLEY GOULD. 
          I'M THE DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD FOR THE DISTRICT, AND PRESENTED TO THE PARTNERSHIP, WAS IT LAST WEEK? SO, UM, JUST A COUPLE, UM, PIECES OF, UM, DATA THAT I SHARED WITH THE GROUP. 
          WE, AS A COMMUNITY HAVE AND AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, AS DISTINGUISHED THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP OR IDENTIFY THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BEFORE OUR STUDENTS ENTER THE DOORS. 
          YOU'VE HEARD THIS STATISTIC BEFORE. 
          82% OF OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE SCREENED FOR 4-YEAR-OLD PRE-K ARE FALLING BELOW THE 50TH PERCENTILE DEVELOPMENTALLY. 
          SO WE'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE THROUGH OTHER PRESENTATIONS THAT I'VE GIVEN THIS YEAR ALONE. 
          UM, 58% OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVED NO PRIOR PRESCHOOL BEFORE ENTERING OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM. 
          FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, 34% OF THE CHILDREN ARE STAYING HOME WITH A CAREGIVER OR A FAMILY MEMBER. 
          AND THEN 8% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING A HEAD START PROGRAM PRIOR TO ENTERING THE DISTRICT. 
          UM, 55% OF THE CHILDREN IN OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR ARE FALLING BELOW THE 25TH PERCENTILE DEVELOPMENTALLY. 
          AND THEN 76% 
          [01:45:02]
OF THE CHILDREN ARE FALLING BELOW THE 50TH PERCENTILE. 
          SO WE ARE TRYING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO SERVE AS MANY FOUR YEAR OLDS AS WE CAN, BUT WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A TREND OF IS CHILDREN NEEDING MORE INTERVENTION PRIOR TO KINDERGARTEN. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU ATTENDED THAT MEETING. 
          DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES, I DO. 
          UM, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND PRESENTATIONS I HAD SEEN. 
          I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN BIRTH TO FIVE SINCE PROBABLY ABOUT 10 YEARS SINCE I ARRIVED HERE. 
          AND I GREW UP HAVING NO IDEA HOW IMPORTANT THAT PERIOD IS IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND GIVING KIDS A HEAD START AND WHAT YOU PRE WHAT YOU SHOWED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MS. GOUL WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. 
          I'VE RECOMMENDED IT TO OTHERS THAT I THINK IT SHOULD BE A TRAVELING PRESENTATION, PARTICULARLY MOVING INTO SOCIAL GROUPS, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE FROM MY OWN STEEP LEARNING CURVE, SO FEW PEOPLE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT PERIOD IS AND THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, BUT SO FEW PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THEM, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE. 
          AND FROM A SOCIETY, I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT SOME OF THE I ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN SOCIETY BY FILLING THAT GAP FROM BIRTH TO FIVE. 
          AND SO I WAS VERY MUCH PLEASED WITH THE, UH, UM, UH, BEAUFORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, COLONEL. 
          AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, PRESENTATION AND THE PRESENCE. 
          MS. GOUL, I THANK YOU AND FOR THE BOARD I'LL KEEP YOU APPRAISED OF, UH, HOW THIS PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPS AND, UH, ASK WILL ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, ASHLEY AND KAREN, MS. DAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. 
          APPRECIATE YOU ALL. 
          [Points of Celebration]
UM, NEXT ITEM IS POINTS OF CELEBRATION. 
          AND THE FIRST ITEM IS STUDENT OF THE MONTH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MARCH AND APRIL. 
          AND, UH, CHARACTER ED FOR MARCH AND APRIL. 
          TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING TWO OF OUR STUDENTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH AND APRIL. 
          UH, MARCH'S CHARACTER TRAIT WAS SELF-CONTROL, DEFINED AS THE ABILITY TO HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR FEELINGS OR ACTIONS. 
          MARCH'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS NATALIA HUGGINS, A JUNIOR AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. 
          AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE NATALIA AND HER FAMILY TO JOIN ME UP HERE AT THE PODIUM, NATALIA'S TEACHER SHARED THAT SHE'S AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO DEMONSTRATE SELF-CONTROL IN BOTH HER ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL CONDUCT. 
          NATALIA SHOWS STRONG SELF-CONTROL BY MANAGING HER REACTIONS, MAKING POSITIVE CHOICES, AND MAINTAINING A RESPECTFUL ATTITUDE TOWARDS BOTH HER CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS AT ALL TIMES. 
          AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS WHEN OTHERS AROUND HER ARE OFF TASK OR DISRUPTIVE, SHE CONTINUES WORKING QUIETLY AND DOES NOT ENGAGE. 
          SETTING A POSITIVE EXAMPLE FOR THOSE AROUND HER. 
          SHE SETS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR HER CLASSMATES BY FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS, PARTICIPATING APPROPRIATELY AND MAINTAINING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. 
          NATALIA, THANK YOU FOR MODELING THE KIND OF CHARACTER THAT STRENGTHENS OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. 
          WE'RE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE YOU AS MARCH'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          APRIL'S CHARACTER TRAIT WAS FORGIVENESS DEFINED AS STOPPING THE FEELING OF ANGER TOWARDS SOMEONE. 
          APRIL'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS JRI PITTS THE FIRST GRADER AT MC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          AND HERE TO INTRODUCE ARI IS MC RILEY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER'S ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TOWANDA DANIEL TOWANDA DANIEL, AND I HOPE I DIDN'T BUTCHER HIS NAME. 
          . 
          MS. DANIEL, SORRY. 
          OH, COME ON. 
          YOU CAN COME UP TOO. 
          COME ON UP. 
          STAND HERE. 
          SO OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER MEMBERS, WE ACTUALLY ARE EXCITED TO BE HERE. 
          I AM STANDING IN BEHALF OF MS. MELISSA HOLLAND, WHO IS OUR PRINCIPAL FOR MICHAEL C. RILEY. 
          [01:50:01]
I AM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF MICHAEL C. RILEY, ECC BUILDING. 
          AND WITH ME, I HAVE MR. MR. OSBORNE, ONE OF OUR FIRST GRADE TEACHERS AS WELL. 
          UH, WE ARE PROUD TO STAND HERE WITH, UH, JRE PITTS, UM, THE CARROT EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR MR. OSBORNE'S CLASS. 
          UM, HE HAS AN AMAZING HEART FOR FORGIVENESS. 
          FORGIVENESS CAN SOMETIMES BE DIFFICULT FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN. 
          SO THE CONCEPT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IS STAND, BUT HE IS A NATURAL A AT IT. 
          AND WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A MISTAKE, HE CHOOSES TO FORGIVE THEM AND SHOW KINDNESS. 
          HE UNDERSTANDS THAT EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES AND HE IS ALWAYS READY TO GIVE OTHERS A SECOND CHANCE. 
          INSTEAD OF STAYING UPSET, HE USES KIND WORDS AND MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES AND HE MOVES FORWARD. 
          JJ ARI IS ALSO A GREAT LEADER IN OUR CLASSROOM. 
          HE HELPS OTHERS SOLVE PROBLEMS, INCLUDES EVERYONE DOING ACTIVITIES AND SHOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CARING FRIEND. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, IF A CLASSMATE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPS INTO HIM, HE CALMLY SAYS IT'S OKAY AND KEEPS BEING KIND. 
          I AM SO PROUD OF HOW HE SHOWS FORGIVENESS EVERY DAY AND HELP MAKE OUR CLASSROOM AND OUR SCHOOL A HAPPY AND A SAFE PLACE. 
          I PRESENT TO YOU JRI PITTS. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          HE'S MAKING A BREAK FOR THE BOARD. 
          . 
          OKAY. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION, SOLO ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL, SEVERAL BCSD STUDENTS RECENTLY TOOK PART IN SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION. 
          SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL, AN EVENT THAT HIGHLIGHTS INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT, DISCIPLINE AND ARTISTIC GROWTH. 
          AND HERE TO INTRODUCE THEIR STUDENTS ARE BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL'S, UH, CHORUS DIRECTOR, ADAM MCCORMICK AND MAY RIVER HIGH'S BAND DIRECTOR DEBRA HAMNER. 
          RIGHT? UM, MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE BEST OF THE BEST KIDS ARE DOING MANY THINGS AT ONCE. 
          UH, WE ONLY HAVE ONE KID ACTUALLY REPRESENTING BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL TONIGHT. 
          AND IT'S DOMINIC GUERRERO MEIA. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT AREN'T REPRESENT, THAT AREN'T HERE TONIGHT, BUT WERE ACKNOWLEDGED AS SUPERIOR OR EXCELLENT IN SOLO ENSEMBLE OR COLEMAN LOADER. 
          COLEMAN LOADER. 
          AGAIN, ROBERT SBE AND LUCAS MCKENZIE. 
          AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR BAND DIRECTOR, JACOB LTZ, WHO IS ALSO HERE. 
          A COUPLE OF THOSE ARE BAND KIDS AND BAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. 
          WE HAD A TOTAL OF I BELIEVE, 32 STUDENTS WHO WENT AND WE HAD 24, 23 DIFFERENT EVENTS, 15 OF WHICH GOT SUPERIORS AND SEVEN OF WHICH GOT EXCELLENCE. 
          AND SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED. 
          CADEN CLAFFEY, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, COME ON UP, CARRIE. 
          [01:55:12]
SO, DIEGO, ARIANO RIVERS, MAGGIE BRELAND. 
          AND SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY, NOR ALBERTO IS NOT HERE TODAY. 
          PHILIP SCHRADER IS NOT HERE TODAY. 
          QUENTIN TI ELLISON. 
          DONALD. 
          EVAN DOBBINS. 
          ROSE. 
          ANGEL ARIANO. 
          ANNIE BRANCH. 
          ABIGAIL LUCAS GREENAWAY. 
          DEAN ZAM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CADEN. 
          DANIEL AGU. 
          MORGAN WALKER. 
          DANIEL AGAIN. 
          GO. 
          LUCAS GREENAWAY AGAIN. 
          MORGAN WALKER AGAIN. 
          SO THEY PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN ONE EVENT. 
          SOMETIMES A SOLO AND THEN A SMALL ENSEMBLE. 
          OR RYAN MCCLURE IS NOT HERE. 
          KENDALL MUNGIN IS NOT HERE. 
          FRANCESCA PASTOR GO IS NOT HERE. 
          RYAN KKI IS NOT HERE. 
          AALIYAH RIVERA IS NOT HERE. 
          DEAN AGAIN. 
          DEAN NAZA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MARIAH GARCIA. 
          PARKER. 
          LEPO DELANEY. 
          YANNICK CAM POWELL, A COUPLE. 
          LOGAN MCKENZIE, SKYLAR THORNTON, ANOTHER ONE FOR CADEN. 
          CLAFFEY. 
          KADEN. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          JASON RIVERS, BRIANNA PICASSO, EMMA NEWMAN, AND THEN ONE FOR THE WHOLE BAND FOR ALL OF YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK. 
          SO THANK  CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN TO OUR MAY RIVER BAND AND OUR STUDENTS, UH, MS. HAMNER AND BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          UH, YOU NEXT WE HAVE SOUTH CAROLINA WORK-BASED LEARNING STUDENT OF THE YEAR AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE WORK-BASED LEARNING STUDENT OF THE YEAR, SELECTED FOR THEIR EXCELLENCE IN CONNECTING CLASSROOM KNOWLEDGE WITH REAL WORLD INDUSTRY, UH, WITH REAL WORLD INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE. 
          AND WE'RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE STATEWIDE SOUTH CAROLINA WORK-BASED LEARNING STUDENT OF THE YEAR IS FOR MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. 
          AND HERE TO INTRODUCE AURORA IS HEALTH SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTOR, MS. FEA GRISWALD. 
          HELLO. 
          UM, I NOMINATED AURORA RICK. 
          I'M SO PROUD OF HER. 
          SHE HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL STUDENT, UM, IN SO MANY WAYS. 
          UM, SHE HAS BEEN, SO SHE WON THE WORK-BASED LEARNING KATE SCHOLARSHIP. 
          UM, MOSTLY FOR ALL THAT HARD WORK. 
          SHE PUT IN HER ENTHUSIASM 
          [02:00:01]
IN CLASS. 
          SHE GETS ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS EXCITED TO LEARN. 
          UM, GOOD TEAM PLAYER, WORK ETHIC, UM, PROFESSIONALISM, EVERYTHING. 
          UM, SHE HAS SO MANY CERTIFICATIONS GOING WITH MS. WHAT MS. KAREN GILBERT WAS DISCUSSING. 
          UM, SHE ALREADY HAS 10 ON THE TIERS. 
          SHE HAS, UM, CPR OSHA, THEN SHE TOOK HEALTH SCIENCE COMPLETED, UM, HER NATIONAL HEALTH SCIENCE CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS TWO TIER. 
          AND THEN SHE STARTED HER THREE TIERS. 
          SO, UM, SHE THEN GOT HER EKG TECH CERTIFICATION. 
          UM, SHE ALSO COMPLETED SPORTS MEDICINE AND SHE DID A WORK-BASED LEARNING AT THE WELLNESS INSTITUTE. 
          THEY LIKED HER SO MUCH THAT THEY HIRED HER. 
          SO SHE'S STILL WORKING THERE AS A PHYSICAL THERAPY, UH, TECHNICIAN. 
          UM, AND THEN THIS SEMESTER SHE EVEN WENT TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL PATH PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND SHE HAS HER JUST THIS WEEK, UH, THIS PAST WEEK, SHE GOT HER MEDICAL ASSISTANT, UM, CERTIFICATION. 
          UM, AND I, I KNOW SHE'S JUST GONNA CONTINUE DOING SO MANY MORE THINGS. 
          UM, YEAH, I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF HER. 
          SHE'S GONNA GO TO ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY, UM, TO PURSUE NURSING. 
          UM, AND I HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS THAT I JUST LOVE SEEING ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND I'M VERY PROUD OF AURORA. 
          NEXT, OUR PREMIER COMMUNITY THEATER EDUCATION AWARD. 
          I WANNA OFFER A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL'S THEATER PROGRAM FOR EARNING THE PREMIER COMMUNITY THEATER AWARD FROM THE EDUCATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL HONOR RECOGNIZES AN EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO ACCESS, EXCELLENCE AND OPPORTUNITY IN THEATER EDUCATION. 
          AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE THEATER PROGRAM, UH, AND THE AWARD IS DRAMA TEACHER KIMBERLY GWEN. 
          AND I SAW MR. SID RICH HERE IF HE'LL COME UP AS WELL. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR RECOGNIZING THIS AWARD. 
          UM, IT COMES FROM THE EDUCATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF OUR INTERNATIONAL THESPIAN SOCIETY. 
          UM, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE KIDS IS GOING, IS EITHER IN THE SOCIETY OR BEING INDUCTED INTO THE SOCIETY THIS YEAR. 
          UM, AND BASICALLY I HAD TO PRESENT LOTS OF INFORMATION ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DATA ON HOW MUCH WE SPEND ON FUNDING FOR LIKE OUR CORE CLASSES VERSUS OUR ARTS CLASSES. 
          UM, IT WAS ABOUT 15 HOURS WORTH OF WORK AND THIS ALLOWS US TO, UM, ACCESS MORE GRANTS AND HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP US DO GRANT WRITING. 
          ALSO ACCESS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN OUR PROGRAM AND PROFESSIONAL THEATER ARTISTS TO COME IN AND WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS. 
          AND OUR, IT'S A THREE YEAR LONG AWARD. 
          AND IN 2028 THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY BE ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT ARE CHOSEN, UM, TO ATTEND THE TONY AWARDS. 
          THERE ARE ONLY 15 SCHOOLS IN THE EDUCATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATING STUDENT THAT WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS. 
          SO IT'S A VERY BIG DEAL AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MR. CEDRICK FOR ALL OF HIS SUPPORT FOR OUR PROGRAM AND LETTING US CONTINUE TO GROW AND GET BIGGER AND BIGGER EACH YEAR. 
          AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO WORK SO HARD, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THE HOURS THAT THESE KIDS SPEND PUTTING ON THESE SHOWS. 
          SO, THANK YOU, USUAL. 
          AND NOW, UH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE CELEBRATIONS. 
          AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING EACH OF OUR SCHOOL'S TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR. 
          THE PROFESSIONALS WE RECOGNIZE TONIGHT WERE SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS, WHICH MAKES THEIR AWARDS EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL. 
          AND ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT, WE SUPPORT EACH OF YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR STUDENTS. 
          THE 20 26 20 27 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR AND SUPPORT 
          [02:05:01]
STAFF OF THE YEAR FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS ARE AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL. 
          A TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS QUILA WILSON AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS CHARLES BROWN. 
          BUFORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS JENNIFER PARK AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS AMY PATRICK BEAUFORD HIGH SCHOOL. 
          ERIC THOMPSON AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS HOLLY VEGA, BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JOAN GARY. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS CRITERIA. 
          HAMILTON BEAUFORT, JASPER ACE TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KENNETH VAN NORMAN. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KELLY MANASI. 
          BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY, ECC TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS DEREK APPLE. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS REBECCA MURPHY AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL. 
          OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS BRANDON SLY AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS MARIA SABRINA ROLLIN BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JOHN BRUNO. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS NORMA MC VER, BROAD RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS LARA BOOZER. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KEVIN MCCANTS. 
          CUSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS NICOLE BOSEK AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS TIFFANY SCHLUTER AT H MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS ANGELA RANON AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS MADAM MINO. 
          HILTON HEAD, ECC TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KIMBERLY MARSHALL AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LISA LINK. 
          HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS NORA LOMA LOMAS KNEE AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LAURA ANTE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CREATIVE ARTS AND DUSKY TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MELINDA BRAY. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LORI ANN WEBSTER AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MICHELLE EASTHAM AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS CORY FEA. 
          HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS SHELLY DANGERFIELD AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS MONICA STANTON. 
          JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CHRISTIAN PLO AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LATARSHA MCLEOD. 
          LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CHERYL HORTON. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS DANA MOULTRIE. 
          LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MILES SANDERS AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS SAMUEL MARTIN. 
          MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CLAUDIA VERONICA YABA AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS MARIA JACKSON MC RILEY ELEMENTARY, ECC TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CHRISTIE BROWN. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KAY JOHNSON AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS LISA. 
          10 10 I AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LISA BARKER. 
          OKT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JOHAN MCCANN AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS KATE LAYTON. 
          PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS SUSAN SECONDER AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS ELIZABETH BOUR. 
          PRICHARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS DON HOWARD. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS ANTHONY MURRAY. 
          RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CHRISTINA DUNCAN. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS PAMELA POOL. 
          RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY. 
          TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS HALEY BOGAN. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS MOLLY SEK AT ROBERT SMALL'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. 
          TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS KELLY HALL AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR. 
          ALEXIS FRAZIER. 
          ST. 
          HELENA ELEMENTARY. 
          ECC TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS JULIA LOUISE DOE AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR. 
          MARSHA BENNETT WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS VERONICA HAMILTON PIERCE. 
          SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS LENORA JENKINS AT WILL BRANCH ELEMENTARY. 
          AND JAMES J. DAVIS. 
          ECC TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS CASSANDRA PO AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR IS SHONDA ROYALS WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS DANIELLE VAN HOLST AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR, UH, CHIANA MAJOR AND DISTRICT OFFICE. 
          STAFF OF THE YEAR IS JENNIFER MACK FROM OUR HR DEPARTMENT. 
          TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS BRIANNA GLOVER AND THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CHRISTINA EASTON. 
          DISTRICT INDUCTION TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS MARY LARA FROM BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          AND THE INAUGURAL LEAP TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS ABIGAIL SMITH HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL TO JOIN ME AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, I KNOW THAT THAT BOARD MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO ATTEND SEVERAL OF THESE CELEBRATIONS AT SCHOOLS AND IT'S ALWAYS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOU JOIN US ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT CELEBRATION TO US. 
          SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO ALL. 
          HEY, THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TOIS AND THE SOY. 
          SO, UH, SINCE THERE'S NOTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE CAN MOVE TO FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS. 
          [02:10:03]
I  HEARING 
          [Announcements]
NONE. 
          WE'LL MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
          ANYONE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENT ALLENS AGAIN? OKAY. 
          ACTUALLY I WANTED TO GIVE A, UM, THERE, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THERE WAS A PROGRAM THAT YOU AND I BOTH WERE AT, UM, FOR THE, UH, THE SPECIAL ED. 
          I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT THAT WAS, UH, IN FACT, UH, THE, THE, THE, UM, THE MAN, ONE OF THE LADIES WHO, UH, STARTED GOT AN AWARD PRESENTING HERE TONIGHT. 
          THEY PUT A, THEY PUT THAT A VERY GOOD JOB. 
          UM, I AND UM, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER. 
          AND THEN ON THE, AND THEN ON SATURDAY TO GO TO THE, UM, THE CINDERELLA FELLOW BALL AND TO SEE THE, THE, THE FACE OF THE STUDENTS OF, IN THIS DISTRICT. 
          I THOUGHT IT WAS A MAGNIFICENT, I JUST WANNA SAY TO THE STAFF THAT DID THE CINDERELLA FELLOW BALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THEY DID IT. 
          Y'ALL DID A WONDERFUL JOB. 
          IT WAS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER. 
          IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS A VERY NICE, NICE EVENT. 
          THE STUDENTS ENJOYED IT. 
          UH, I EVEN ENJOYED IT A LITTLE BIT TOO. 
           I'M SUPPOSED TO BE, BUT YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY NICE. 
          AND I JUST WANNA SAY KEEP UP, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. 
          AND I THINK IT WAS THAT THAT UH, THE UM, THAT THAT THAT PROGRAM THAT WE HAD ON THURSDAY WAS VERY INFORMAL. 
          THAT WAS, THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY INFORMAL. 
          I THINK ALL BOARD MEMBERS PROBABLY WHO GET A CHANCE TO GO TO IT SHOULD DEFINITELY, SHOULD DEFINITELY ATTEND THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I'LL JUST TAG ON TO WHAT MR. UH SMITH IS SAYING. 
          THE COMMUNITY, UH, HELP A PARTNERSHIP EVENT ON, UH, THURSDAY NIGHT WAS BASICALLY WHERE ABOUT SEVEN TO 10 DIFFERENT, UH, ORGANIZATIONS CAME OUT AND THEY WERE PROMOTING THEIR SERVICES INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK IS ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY. 
          UH, WE HAD THE STUDENT SERVICES STAFF AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT THAT WERE THERE. 
          IT WAS VERY WELL, IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. 
          I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THINGS THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF. 
          AND I THINK THE MORE WE CAN TAKE THAT, REPLICATE IT AND PUSH IT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THE BETTER SERVED OUR POPULATION WILL BE. 
          SO, JUST WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL SECOND PUBLIC 
          [Second Public Comments]
COMMENTS. 
          OKAY. 
          MR. JAMES MILLER, I THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          MANY TIMES, I'M KIND OF CHANGING THE SUBJECT A LITTLE. 
          UH, I WAS GONNA SPEAK ON KIND OF THE BLOCK  AND DECIDING WHERE, HOW TO GO, UH, DIVISION OF POWER BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. 
          I, THERE'S SOME REAL SITUATIONS THERE. 
          UH, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR MR. BRENNER, I'M SURE TO, I KNOW HE HAS PLENTY OF I IDEAS AND IT'S HARD TO COMMUNICATE TO GET THEM TO THE SCHOOL LEVEL. 
          NOW THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE OTHER COMMENT 'CAUSE I AM CHANGING THE SUBJECT. 
          THE AWARDS YOU SAW FOR ENSEMBLE, SOLO AND ENSEMBLE THAT WAS INCLUSIVE OF BOTH, UH, ORCHESTRA OR STRINGS AND BAND. 
          I GET MY DATA FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION. 
          TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA. 
          THERE WERE SEVERAL BAND STUDENTS RE RECOGNIZED THIS AWARD THIS YEAR, THIS WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO. 
          OUT OF THAT 14 MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS, ONLY FOUR SCHOOLS SENT SOMEBODY TO PARTICIPATE AND NOT TO BE CRITICAL. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHO READ OR DIDN'T READ MEMOS, BUT ONE HIGH, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL, MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL NOT RECOGNIZED. 
          AND THEY HAVE 14 SUPERIOR AND FIVE EXCELLENT STUDENTS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MR. MILLER. 
          [02:15:03]
OKAY. 
          HAVING 
          [Executive Session]
NO FURTHER SECOND SECTION COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          IS THERE A MOTION MR. CHAIR? MOVING WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS NEL MATTER REGARDING EMPLOYMENT, UH, APPOINTMENT PROMOTION, COMPENSATION PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 TECH FOUR. 
          ACTIVITY A ONE. 
          RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING THE PORT ROLE MCIP COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX. 
          A TWO, UH, RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED PENDING LEGAL CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO. 
          DISCUSSION NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT 19 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW BHS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER BUILDING 2023 REFERENDUM. 
          SCOPE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO. 
          DISCUSSION NEGOTIATION INCIDENT TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR RIVERVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL GYM. 
          UH, UH, GYMNASIUM EDITION AND RENOVATION. 
          SCOPE OF WORK GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO SECOND MOTION. 
          OKAY, IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. 
          AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR? I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          AYE, UH, WHO WILL BE ADVISING US IN PERSONNEL MATTERS IN RECEIPT OF, UH, LEGAL, UH, LEGAL, LEGAL ADVICE ON THESE, UH, PORT RAW, UM, STAFF? UM, MS. HEISER, UM, MS. CARTILAGE, THOSE FIRST THREE? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE ASKING? YES, SIR. 
          I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY LEGAL MATTER THAT ATTORNEY PER THANK YOU, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          WE NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
* 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.