* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY. CALLING TO [Call to Order] CALLING THE OPENING THE SESSION FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION HERE AT BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL. CHAMBERS, 100 REEBOK STREET IN BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA FROM FIVE TO NINE 15, HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING IS AVAILABLE. THE MEETING WILL BE BROADCAST BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW SAFETY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES. BAGS, BACKPACKS AND PURSES ARE PROHIBITED BY THE PUBLIC AT BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS. REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY. YOU CAN FIND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC COMMENT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE AT HTTPS DOT SLASH SLASH WW DOT BEAUFORT SCHOOLS.NET/ABOUT US SLASH BOARD OF ED SLASH PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM, 24 HOURS FROM THE DAY OF THE MEETING. REQUESTERS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORUM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK. YOU MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR MAXIMUM THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN. THE FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES. CITIZENS' DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON APPROVAL. REQUEST FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE IN THE SAME MANNER AS ABOVE. THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT, NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM THE SECOND FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES IN THE EVENT THE BOARD HAS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON JUNE 9TH, 2026 AGENDA. THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AT 6:00 PM ON JUNE 10TH, 2026. THE NEXT BUSINESS DATE OF FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS WITH THAT WE CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. IS THERE AN [Approval of Agenda] APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. MR. CHAIRMAN? YES. I'D LIKE TO, UH, MOVE THAT WE INCLUDE A NOMINATION FOR THE SECURITY OR SECRETARY TREASURER'S POSITION ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION UNDER BOARD BUSINESS ACTION. OKAY. SECOND. OKAY. PROPERLY MOTION BY COLONEL GEERS. SECOND BY MS. BOATWRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND. ACTUALLY, THIS QUESTION. OKAY. YEAH. CAN WE, CAN WE HAVE THAT QUESTION? YEAH. CAN WE, BEFORE WE TAKE, CAN WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT? UH, YES, WE CAN GO AHEAD. UM, MY QUESTION IS, WHERE DOES THIS, WHERE DID, WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? IT COMES FROM A LEGITIMATE REQUEST FOR A BOARD MEMBER TO PRESENT IT BEFORE THE BOARD. AND SO THE PROPER WAY TO HANDLE IT, SINCE THE INITIAL REQUEST WAS BEYOND THE TIME LIMIT. SO WE, THAT WOULD REQUIRE, ALLOW US TO CHANGE THE AGENDA. WE SUGGESTED THAT IT BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE FULL BOARD. SO THAT'S WHERE IT COMES FROM AND THE BOARD SPEAKS ITS WILL THROUGH THEIR VOTE, RIGHT? MM-HMM . AND I AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT MY, MY, MY, MY QUESTION, UH, WOULD BE, HAVE WE HAVE WE NOT HAD TO, UH, HAVE SOMEONE SELECTED, SELECTED FOR THIS ALREADY? UM, WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE IN THE SCHOOL. THIS IS NOT FINAL IN TERMS OF WHO IS ACTUALLY SELECTED. THAT STILL HAS TO GO BEFORE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. SO WHAT WE ARE RULING ON TODAY AS WELL, THIS BOARD SUPPORTS THE NOMINATION POINT OF ORDER. MADAM, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHAT WE'RE ROLLING ON IS WHETHER OR NOT TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA, THEN THE MOTION YES. TO WE'LL FOLLOW THAT. SO THIS VOTE IS JUST WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA. WE NEEDS A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY. OKAY. TWO THIRDS MAJORITY IS REQUIRED. WE HAVE BEEN, WE'VE LEGALLY VETTED HOW TO HANDLE THIS. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, MAY WE PROCEED WITH THE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. ALFONSO, THIS NATE FOR ME. OKAY. I'M NAY AS WELL. ALRIGHT. IT PASSES WITH HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE. 4, 8, 9. AND IT PASSES WITH, UH, SEVEN. SO IT PASSES WITH TWO THIRDS. SO WELCOME IN TERMS OF THE NOMINATION AND IT BEING ADDED TO THE AGENDA RIGHT NOW. THE RIGHT. AND THEN WE TAKE ANOTHER VOTE REGARDING THAT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, [00:05:01] UH, LET'S MOVE IN SO WE CAN CONCLUDE THIS PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION FOR YOUR NOMINATION? YES, BUT I, I WAS THINKING IT WOULD BE BEST RIGHT UNDER THE BOARD BUSINESS ACTION WE HAVE ON THIS AGENDA. OKAY. BUT WE CAN DO IT. WHATEVER YOU PREFER. CHAIR. I, IF, IF THE GROUP GO AHEAD, POINT OF ORDER. WE SECRETARY, WE MOTION TO HAVE IT ADDED TO BUSINESS, BOARD BUSINESS. SO THAT'S WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE YES, THAT THAT WAS THE MOTION. THAT'S FINE. ALRIGHT. SO WE'LL MOVE IT TO THAT POINT. ALRIGHT. UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A PLEDGE OF [Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification] ALLEGIANCE. MOTION OF SILENCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU MS. BOLT. I MEAN MS. CUSHING BARRY, HAS THE MEDIA BEEN NOTIFIED? OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY. NONE FOR THE FIRST SECTION. UM, CLOCK UPDATE [CLOC Update] OUR TWO COLLEAGUES FROM THE CLOCK. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IN COLLEGE, I WAS SEE WATCHING TELEVISION, AND I WAS WATCHING THE REPORTS COME IN FROM THE VIETNAM WAR, I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE I WAS JUST GETTING CHAPTER, CHAPTER, CHAPTER, CHAPTER. AND I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE WHOLE THING. SO WHAT I WANNA DO TONIGHT IS TELL YOU ABOUT CLOCK, WHAT IT DOES, WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND WHERE WE STAND WITH EACH OF THE REFERENDUMS. OKAY? AND IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL PUT MY GLASSES NOT AT ALL ON SO I CAN READ MY NOTES. FIRST OF ALL, WE DO MEET ON A MONTHLY BA. THE CLOCK MEETS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AND IT CONSISTS OF SIX INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. WHAT WE DO IS, AS WE DISCUSS THE PROGRESS OF EACH OF THE REFERENDUMS, FIRST OF ALL, WHO ATTENDS THE MEMBERS OF THE CLOCK, SOME BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES, SOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM. WHAT WE DO IS WE REVIEW THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULES AND WE GET COMMUNITY INPUT FOR EACH MAJOR PROJECT. WE UNDERSTAND WHEN THE DESIGN DOCUMENTS ARE READIED, WHEN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS THAT CONTAIN NOT TO EXCEED CLAUSES IN THEM. WE UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY'RE SIGNED AND WE SEE WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE IS AND WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE WITH THAT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE. WE REVIEW THE FINANCING SCHEDULES PREPARED BY THE DISTRICT, AND WE ASK THE, WELL THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER AS, AS FAR AS THE CLOCK IS CONCERNED, IS, ARE THE PROJECTS WITHIN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AND WILL THE PROJECT BE COMPLETED AS ORIGINALLY SPECIFIED? WHEN WILL THE BONDS BE ISSUED? THESE, AND, AND TYPICALLY WE'VE HAD, WE'VE NOT HAD ANY EXCEPTIONS TO ANY OF THESE PARTICULAR THINGS. THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE CLOCK MEETING AND, AND ANSWERS ARE PROVIDED, AND IF WE DON'T GET AN ANSWER, WE SAY, WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. AND THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF APPROPRIATELY. THERE'S A, THERE'S A CONSTRUCTION SEGMENT TO OUR GROUP, AND WHAT WE DO IS NOT ONLY DO THEY DO THE CONSTRUCTION FOLKS OR THE MEMBERS OF CLOCK ATTEND THE CLOCK MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THEY WILL VISIT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. THEY'RE THERE FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING CONSTRUCTION NEAR COMPLETION, AND THEN THE ACTUAL RIBBON CUTTING WHEN THE FACILITY IS OPENED. THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE COMMENTS AND BRING QUESTIONS BACK TO THE REGULAR CLOCK MEETINGS BASED ON THEIR VISITS. WHY DO WE DO THIS? WHY IS THAT THERE? GOOD, GOOD QUESTIONS. I THINK, AND, AND BY THE WAY, THE CLOCK CONSISTS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CONSTRUCTION ISSUES AND THEY'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT FINANCE ISSUES AND, AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ISSUES TOO. WE'RE ALSO ASKED TO PROVIDE REPORTS TO YOUR GROUP ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 2019 REFERENDUM. FIRST. THAT WAS TO BE OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD. BY THE WAY, WHEN I SAID 2019, [00:10:02] IT WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2019 WHEN THE REFERENDUM WAS PUT TO THE VOTERS. SO REALLY THAT'S 20 21, 22, AND 23. THAT WAS DURING THE PERIOD OF COVID AND OTHER PRICE INCREASES. SO WHEN THE BONDS WERE ISSUED, SAVINGS WERE CREATED. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THE, AND, AND OF COURSE THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT KNOWS THIS BETTER THAN I DO, BUT WHEN THE BONDS WERE ISSUED, THEY SAID, HEY, WE CAN SELL 'EM FOR THIS. AND WE ACTUALLY GOT THIS. SO WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT, WHICH, WHICH WE RETAINED NOW DUE TO THOSE COVID ISSUES AND THE RISING COSTS, THE BUDGET PROVIDED FOR AN ADD BY BY THIS BOARD, AN ADDITIONAL 31.1 MILLION, DO $31.1 MILLION. THAT BROUGHT THE TOTAL BUDGET TO 375 MILLION. NOW, WE DIDN'T NEED ALL THAT MONEY CLOSE, BUT WE DIDN'T NEED, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA NEED IT, BUT WE DIDN'T. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS, IS THE, ARE THE TAXPAYERS GOING TO HAVE TO HOOF UP ANY MORE MONEY? AND THE ANSWER WAS NO. IT WASN'T GONNA COST THE TAXPAYERS ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY BECAUSE WE, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T NEED THE WHOLE 31 MILLION. WHAT WE DID WAS WE SPENT THAT ADDITIONAL, THOSE ADDITIONAL MONIES THAT WE HAD, AND THEY WE'RE STILL SPENDING THEM ON 8% MONIES, WHICH WAS OUTSIDE OF OUR SCOPE. AND IT WAS RELAY, IT WAS, IT WAS THINGS THAT THE 2000 REFERENDUM PASSED, LIKE SAFETY AND SECURITY. AND WHEN THE 8% MONIES WERE SPENT ON THOSE ISSUES, THE BOND COUNCIL AGREED WE WERE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID. THE 2019 REFERENDUM IS 99.9% COMPLETE. AND WE'RE WAITING ON FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION SO IT IT CAN BE COMPLETED. AND THE CLOCK IS ANXIOUS TO, TO GET IT DONE. I KNOW YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO GET IT DONE. WE'RE ALL ANXIOUS TO GET THIS 2019 BEHIND US. BUT WE ALSO DEAL WITH THE 2023 REFERENDUM, THAT ORIGINAL BUDGET, 439 MILLION BONDS ARE BEING ISSUED WHEN THE FUNDS ARE NEEDED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT ORIGINAL BUDGET. AND THE 2000 REFERENDUM IS NOW 80 POINT 79% COMPLETE. WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE MONEY YET, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN CONTRACTS NOT TO EXCEED FOR 80%, 80 PLUS PERCENT OF, OF THE, UH, ORIGINAL BUDGET. THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO WHY, WHY ARE WE ABLE TO COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS WITHIN BUDGET WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE NOT EVERYBODY ELSE CAN. AND THE REASON IS OUR ESTIMATORS ARE GOOD. THEY ARE REAL GOOD, BUT THEY ALSO, THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD IN CONTINGENCIES SO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO BE MADE, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL WITHIN THE RANGE OF THE ORIGINAL BUDGET. SOME OF THOSE ADJUSTMENTS MADE BY THE CONTRACTORS, THEY MAY BE JUSTIFIED, OTHERS ARE NOT. AND THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOLKS LOOK AT, THEY LOOK AT WHAT THE ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE AND THEY APPROVE THEM. THAT IN A NUTSHELL, IS WHAT CLOCK HAS DONE. AND SO I WILL NOW OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANY MEMBER MAY HAVE. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. WCO. AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY, I THINK THAT THE CLARK CLOCK HAS PROVIDED TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY AND THE SUCCESS OF TWO REFERENDUMS. SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. AND WHEN I TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT OTHER GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING OTHER GROUPS COULD, UH, REPLICATE TO RESTORE TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY. SO KUDOS. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF THE NEW OR FURTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE. GO AHEAD. GO. UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO COMPLIMENT THE SUPERINTENDENT, UH, DURING THE TRANSITION BETWEEN HIS PREDECESSOR AND, UM, HIM COMING ON FOR BEING FORWARD THINKING IN BRINGING EXTERNAL RESOURCES AND TALENTS THAT RESIDE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND TO FOCUS THEM ON HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE WAY THINGS HAD BEEN DONE PRIOR TO THIS ADMINISTRATION COMING IN. I THINK THAT HAS TO BE NOTED AND IT HAS BEEN SUSTAINED. AND THE CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS IS REACHING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO BRING IN FRESH TALENT, [00:15:02] DIFFERENT IDEAS, IS VERY LAUDABLE. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS NOTED. SO THANK YOU. AND THE CLOCK MEMBERS AS WELL. THANK YOU CARLTON. OKAY WITH THAT, UH, I, I, I, I AM FINISHED. NO PROBLEM. SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY. THE CHAIR'S [Chair’s Report ] REPORT, AND FOR THIS, I NEED TO PUT MY GLASSES ON. UH, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, DR. LEE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN TERMS OF THE GRADUATION. SO I'LL DEFER TO WHAT SHE IS GOING TO SAY. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS THE STATISTICAL COMPOSITION OF THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2026 IS VERY IMPRESSIVE. I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF PARTICIPATING IN, IN HOSTING A TV SHOW IN WHHI AND THE TOPICS TODAY WAS THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2026. IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME, LET ME SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE VERY MUCH, UH, PRIVY TO THAT. IS THAT OKAY DR. LEE? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. 1,529 GRADUATING, UH, SENIORS, $35 MILLION EARNED IN SCHOLARSHIPS, 442 HONOR GRADUATES, 601 DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS, 789 OF THE 1,529 ARE GOING STRAIGHT INTO COLLEGES. 265 ARE ENTERING TECHNICAL TRADE PROGRAMS. AND SOME OF THE OFFERS THAT THESE STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED ARE TRULY IMPRESSIVE. 78 ARE ENTERING THE MILITARY. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ATTENDED OUR SIX GRADUATIONS, YOU SAW WHERE THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID THOSE ENTERING THE MILITARY, PLEASE STAND. AND THERE WAS A, A GROUP OF PEOPLE AT EACH OF THE GRADUATIONS THAT ENTERED THE MILITARY, HAVING LIVED AND WORKED ABROAD IN SOME AREAS THAT NONE OF YOU WANT TO GO TO. OUR MILITARY IS ABSOLUTELY BEYOND BELIEF AND WE ARE LUCKY TO BE AMERICANS. THE NEXT ITEM IS 451 STUDENT ATHLETES SAW GRADUATING 158 CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS CREATED AND LED BY SENIORS, 30,121 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. AND THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT OUR GREAT SOCIETY AND WE SEE WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO NOT FORGET, THIS IS A UNIQUE SOCIETY. THE DEMOCRACY WE HAVE IS NOT A PERMANENT OUTCOME. IT HAS TO BE WORKED AT. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR PARTNER, BEAUFORT JASPER ACE, HAD 183 COMPLETERS. AND IF YOU EVER GO TO A COMPLETE A CEREMONY, ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS IS THEY'RE GETTING JOBS. THEY'RE GETTING FOUR YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS BY MAJOR AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS SAYING, COME WORK WITH US, OR WE ARE GOING TO SUPPLY OR SUPPORT YOU THROUGH FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE SO YOU CAN GET YOUR BACHELOR'S DEGREE. SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF TALENT THAT RESIDES THROUGH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND IT BENEFITS SOCIETY. I OWN, I KNOW MANY OF YOU TRAVEL, BUT WHEN YOU TRAVEL, DON'T JUST GO FROM SOME OF THE, THE, THESE TOURISTY PLACES. LOOK AT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE OFFICE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. LOOK AT HOW HARD IT IS TO GET SOME OF THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS GROUP OF TALENTS, SENIORS IS GOING DO SOME IMPRESSIVE THINGS. THE NEXT THING I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE VERY PHILANTHROPIC APPROACH THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLY IN THE SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM. HOW MANY OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE ARE AWARE OF THAT PROGRAM? OKAY. MORE THAN NORMAL FUNDING GOES TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE FOOD TO STUDENTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE REGISTERED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THAT IS THE AMERICAN WAY, FOLKS, BECAUSE STATISTICALLY, I'VE LEARNED IN MY TIME ON THE BOARD THAT HUNGER IS A DETRIMENT TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. SO MANY THINGS LIKE THAT I DID NOT KNOW, HAD NO IDEA THE CORRELATIONS. AND SO I'M VERY PROUD TO NOTE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS THAT, UH, AS A PARTICIPATING PROGRAM. AND PLEASE CARRY THAT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC. THE LAST THING I WANNA SHARE IS I'M ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE DOLLAR MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION. AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL, LIKE EVERY OTHER WEEK, WE'RE HAVING SOME REALLY PHENOMENAL PRESENTERS. THIS PAST WEEK IT WAS THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA RESEARCH AUTHORITY. LET ME ASK AGAIN. HOW MANY OF YOU HEARD OF THAT ORGANIZATION? IT IS A PHENOMENAL STARTUP ORGANIZATION FUNDED FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. AND IT HAS SIX KEY DEVELOPMENTAL TARGETS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. [00:20:01] I PETITION TO FOR THEM TO ADD THE LOW COUNTRY AS ONE BECAUSE OF OUR CURRICULA AMONG ALL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND SO THERE MAY BE SOME CONSIDERATION OF THAT, JUST SUGGESTING IT DOESN'T MEAN IT HAPPENS, BUT THE NEW PERSON IS REALLY JUST A FIRE PLUG OF A, OF A PERSON IN TERMS OF GOING FORWARD. SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE REPUTATION THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS, THE GROWTH THAT WE ARE HAVING. AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE ITEMS, THOSE THREE ITEMS, AND WHERE YOU CAN LEND A HAND. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO. AND THAT IS THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. OKAY. BOARD BUSINESS ACTION. [Board Business Action] WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF THAT. MR. CHAIRMAN? MM-HMM . I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS THE NOMINATION OF DR. CHRISTINA GWA TO THE POSITION OF SECRETARY TREASURER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION. OKAY. PROPERLY MOTION. SECOND. SECOND. ALRIGHT. QUESTIONS? EVERYBODY GOOD? I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION. UM, READING THE LETTER THAT, UM, MS. SQUAD SENT OUT, UM, IT SHOWS THAT, UM, THE S-S-E-S-B-A ALREADY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE THAT IF, IF YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS SOMEBODY ALREADY REPRESENTING THEM, THAT THEY, THAT WE CAN'T PUT SOME, WE CAN'T NOMINATE SOMEONE ELSE. I'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO THAT. UM, I TOOK THAT, I, UH, UH, ADDRESSED THAT QUESTION WITH THEM BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT POSTED FOR THE S-E-S-B-A MEMBERS AT ALL ANYWHERE. THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR, THEIR, UH, BOARD POLICY. AND, UH, RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY THEY'RE REVIEWING THAT, UH, THEY'RE TAKING THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THAT ELIMINATES 69 OF THE 72 SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM, FROM HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS TO BE ELECTED TO THIS POSITION. AND THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE IS ONE WAY. SO YOU WOULD STILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR BOARD SUPPORT IE VOTE TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION. THERE STILL IS AN ELECTION, BUT THAT'S NOT UNTIL DECEMBER AT THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY. SO YOU ARE NOT DISQUALIFIED IF, IF, UH, YOU ARE ELECTED THROUGH ANOTHER AVENUE, NOT THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING, HONESTLY. AND THE, UM, THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH THE MEMBERSHIP WOULD'VE VOTED ON, DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT RESTRICTION AT ALL. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT. SO THERE'S OTHER AVENUES. IT'S NOT JUST THAT AVENUE, AND THIS IS JUST PURELY TO, UH, BE CONSIDERED AS A CANDIDATE. IT IS NOT TO BE ELECTED TO THAT POSITION AS I THINK OUR CHAIRMAN ALREADY SAID IN THE MEETING. YEAH. OKAY. NO, YOU GO AHEAD. SO I SUPPORT WHAT DR. WA IS SAYING. SO IN THE DECEMBER MEETING, SHE CAN BE ELECTED TO THE POSITION FROM THE FLOOR, BUT IT STILL REQUIRES WHAT YOU VOTE ON HERE TODAY IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING HER AS THE NOMINEE. SO JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT, UM, THAT IS THE WAY THE RULES ARE. SHE IS ALSO CORRECT. IT IS NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION, BUT JUST LIKE WE HAVE OUR POLICY MANUAL THAT MAY NOT STATE WHAT YOU KNOW IS CONSTITUTIONALLY, UH, APPROPRIATE OR REQUIRED. THEIR POLICY MANUAL DOES AT JUST AS SHE SAID, IT CAN BE, UH, NO VOTED ON BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. SO WHAT YOU DO HERE TODAY IS IMPORTANT IN GIVING HER THE THRUST TO GO FORWARD. OKAY. IF YOU SO ARE SO INCLINED. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON THAT. THANK YOU. YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, AT THIS TIME, WHO HOLDS THAT POSITION AT THIS CURRENT TIME? I REPRESENT, I REPRESENT THE, THIS SCHOOL BOARD. I ALSO REPRESENT FOUR OTHER COUNTIES AS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR. SO I'M ON THAT CURRENT LEADERSHIP TEAM. SO WITH THAT, WITH, WITH THAT, WITH, WITH THAT. UNDERSTOOD. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL SUPPORTED YOU WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU JUST GOT, WHEN I THINK, UH, THE, THE, ONE OF THE LAST MEETINGS WHEN YOU WERE ELECTED AS THE SECRETARY SLASH TREASURER AT THE, AT ONE OF THE LAST MEETINGS WHEN Y'ALL TOOK OFFICE, Y'ALL TOOK OATH OF OFFICE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SAME BOARD SUPPORTED YOU. SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN, IN THE, IN THE BALANCE, WHAT NOW CHANGE FROM THIS FULL BOARD SUPPORTING YOU TO HAVE THAT POSITION THEN, UH, TO NOW, BECAUSE WE WERE, BECAUSE WE KNEW THEN THAT WHEN, ONCE YOU TOOK THAT POSITION, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THAT WAS REALLY IN THE, IN THE BUILDUP TO THIS YEAR HERE. BECAUSE IF MY, IF MY MEMORY SERVE ME CORRECTLY, YOU WERE NOT REALLY PRIOR. YOU, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE PRIOR OR PRIOR OR PRIOR IN THAT POSITION. IS, IS, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. [00:25:01] SO, SO, SO, SO WITH THAT BEING UNDERSTANDING, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHERE WOULD WE COME WITH THIS AT NOW, IF THE FULL BOARD JUST JUST SUPPORTED YOU A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, OR A, OR A COUPLE, UH, YEAH, COUPLE, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, JUST LATE LATELY. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE MOVE TO THIS. SO IT, IT, IT, IT, THIS, TO ME, THIS THROWS THE BOARD OUT, OUT, OUT OF, OUT, OUT, OUT, OUT THE ROUTINE. BECAUSE THIS DECISION HAS ALREADY HAS KIND OF, SHE, THE DECISION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE AND ALSO PRIOR TO, PRIOR TO LEAVING, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SAME PERSON THAT ALSO KIND THRUST YOU TO GO, GO AFTER THIS AND, AND BE IN AND BE IN AND, AND, AND, AND BE IN THE POSITION OF DEALING WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION. BECAUSE I, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST GOT IN INTO THE POSITION, I WAS INTERESTED IN THE POSITION AND, AND, AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A PERSON IN COLLEGE AND COUNTY THAT, THAT LOST A RACE. THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, A APPOINTED, APPOINTED YOU, CORRECT? MM-HMM . AND, AND THEN THE BOARD THAT AT THAT TIME BLESSED YOU WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO I, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF, IF, IF, IF YOU'VE BEEN DOING THE WORK AND WE'VE BEEN FINE, THEN I'M TRYING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE NOW HOW AND HOW WOULD WE GET TO, TO, TO THIS PLACE WHEN YOU JUST BECAME AN OFFICERS ON THE, ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION AND YOU HAVE NOT EVEN HAVEN HAVE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO GET YOUR FEET WET IN THE DOOR. SO I'M, YOU KNOW, TO ME THAT'S, THAT'S, I'M A LITTLE BAFFLED TO UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS CAME FROM IN THE PROCESS OF ALL OF US JUST BEING UP THERE CELEBRATING YOU AND, AND CONGRATULATIONS. AND NOW SAYING, OKAY, WELL, WE HAVE A CHANGE COME DECEMBER, POSSIBLY LIKE THAT. I'M, I'M A LITTLE, I'M A LITTLE, I'M A LITTLE LOST. IF, IF KNOW YOU CAN SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE. WANNA SPEAK TO THAT. CAN I, CAN I PLEASE, UH, LET ME, SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH HER COMING ON THE BOARD. SHE AND I HAD SOME REAL DIRECT CONVERSATIONS. WOULD YOU AGREE? OKAY. AND WE EXPRESSED HOW WE FEEL. UH, SHE ACTUALLY WAS THE PERSON WHO HELPED ME GET THE POSITION. 'CAUSE SHE WAS CHAIR, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY. IS THAT RIGHT? AND SO THROUGH HER INFLUENCE, SHE SELECTED AND SAID, HEY, WHAT ABOUT YOU? AND I WAS SORT OF LIKE, INTIMIDATED. BUT LIKE ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED TO ME IN LIFE, I DIVE IN ONCE GIVEN THAT ROLE. AND I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT. I ALSO WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYBODY HERE TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME REAL ACTIVE PROGRESSIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. FOR EXAMPLE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE GOT PASSED AT THE WHOLE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, I DON'T RECALL OR READ ABOUT ANOTHER RESOLUTION COMING FROM THIS AREA. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S PECULIAR TO ME. WHAT IT MEANS IS THERE WAS SUPPORT FROM THE ENTIRE BOARD TO MOVE THAT FORWARD. SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IF THE BOARD ELECTS, UH, DR. WA I'M FINE WITH THAT. NO ISSUES. OKAY. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO ANIMOSITY ON MY PART. IF YOU KNOW MY CAREER AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE, I HAVE A FIVE PAGE CV HERE THAT SHOWS ALL THE DOGGONE JOBS I'VE HAD, ALL THE PLACES I'VE LIVED, ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH A TEAM TO ACHIEVE. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING, BUT I DON'T WANT TO FRACTURE THE BOARD. AND SO I'M OKAY WITH, UH, WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, THE VOTING OUTCOME IS. OKAY, DR. TO, TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC. UM, MS. UH, OUR CHAIRMAN DALLAS, HE'S IN A DIFFERENT POSITION. HE'S IN A REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION. THE ONE I'M, UH, ASKING FOR NOMINATION IS ONE OF THE TWO ELECTED, UH, OTHER ELECTED POSITIONS THAT ARE CONSIDERED OFFICERS POSITIONS. OFFICE. ONE IS THE SECRETARY, TREASURER, THE ONE I'M, I, UH, UH, AM ASKING FOR NOMINATION. AND THERE'S ALSO, UH, PRESIDENT ELECT. SO IT'S A 20 MEMBER BOARD. AND RIGHT NOW IT'S SCOTT CHILDERS WHO'S IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, POSITION. BUT EVERY YEAR IT CHANGES. IT, IT, IT, IT'S NOT THE SAME PERSON AFTER ONE YEAR, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE CAPACITY THAT, THAT CHAIRMAN DALLAS IS SERVING IN, I BELIEVE YOUR TERM IS FOUR YEARS TO BE A REGIONAL DIRECTOR. SO IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MAYBE YOU COULD SAY APPLES AND ORANGES. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME THING. I COULD SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL. YEAH. SO, SO I THINK WHAT WHAT THAT CLARIFIES IS THAT MOVING FORWARD, IF THE POLICIES OF THE S-C-S-B-A DO NOT PRECLUDE IT, OKAY, THE CONSTITUTION IS SILENT ON THAT, BUT THE POLICIES IS, WE HAVE POLICIES THAT COULD SAY, YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. SO AGAIN, I'M VERY COMFORTABLE THIS THING IS GONNA WORK ITSELF OUT AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH OTHER TYPE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS AND IT'S BEST TO DEFER WHATEVER THE PROTOCOLS ARE. AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY DISCIPLINED ABOUT THAT. SO WITH THAT, [00:30:01] HAVE WE VOTED SECRETARY? OKAY. READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR OF RAISE YOUR RIGHT HANDS AND SAY, AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED SAY NAY AND I MEAN, NAY. ALRIGHT. ONLINE. ONLINE, MR. SMALL NA. KIA. NAY. OKAY. WHAT'S THE COUNT MR. ? TWO EIGHT TO TWO FOUR. HIM. SIX FOUR. IT PASSES. IT'S MAJORITY VOTE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. ALRIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. THANK YOU FOLKS FOR BEING SO PROFESSIONAL ABOUT THAT. ALRIGHT. COMMITTEE REPORTS. [Committee Reports] THAT'S THE ACADEMICS REPORT. UM, ON MAY 18TH, 2026, THE ACADEMICS COMMITTEE MET AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED UPDATES TO SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS RELATED TO STUDENT SAFETY AND SCHOOL SECURITY, INCLUDING UPDATES TO POLICIES ON SECRET SOCIETIES AND GANG ACTIVITY. SS 21 WEAPONS IN SCHOOLS, SS 26, AND THE USE OF METAL DETECTORS SS 29.1. UH, ADDITIONALLY, THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE RIGHT CHOICE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTING ONGOING EFFORTS TO SUPPORT POSITIVE STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES. OVERALL, THE MEETING CENTERED ON STRENGTHENING SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND REINFORCING PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE STUDENT WILL BEING AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. YES, SIR. UM, I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT RIGHT. CHOICES, UH, REPORT TO COME FORWARD. UH, AS IN TO THIS MEETING TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL. UM, I, I DEFINITELY DO HAVE SOME CONCERN WITH, IN TERMS OF RIGHT CHOICES AND WHERE THAT PROGRAM IS GOING AT. UM, SO, UH, I DEFINITELY WAS LOOKING FOR THAT TO COME FORWARD, UH, HERE, UM, HERE, HERE TODAY AS WELL, UM, TO, UM, GET MORE CLARIFICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON WITH THE RIGHT CHOICES. OKAY. SO YOU'RE, SO HOW YOU, YOU WILL, I HEARD YOU SAID YOU WILL, I'LL GO BACK TO DR. COX AND WE'LL WORK OUT DETAILS. THANK YOU, SIR. I, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE YEAH, THANK YOU. THE OTHERS? YES, MS. BOATRIGHT. I DO THINK WHEN UPDATES COME TO COMMITTEES, THEY NEED TO COME TO THE BOARD OR AT LEAST BE LISTED ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE, UM, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE POLICY IS NOT THAT PRO UH, UPDATES ARE GIVEN JUST TO THE COMMITTEE. THEY'RE GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE CAN ASK QUESTIONS, BUT THEN THE UPDATE SHOULD AT LEAST BE ON THE AGENDA OR PRESENTED OR AT LEAST MENTIONED IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S OUR POLICY POLICY, BUT I THINK THAT'S BEEN OUR PAST PRACTICES AND I THINK THAT SHOULD CONTINUE. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU THREW DR. CAR? I AM DONE. OKAY. MOVING TO THE NEXT ITEM COMMITTEE REPORTS. FINANCE COLONEL GUY. THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 21ST, 2026. THE FOLLOWING KEY DISCRETION AREAS, BUDGET, STATUS AND SPENDING. THE DISTRICT REPORTED 65% OF THE BUDGET EXPENDED, UH, YEAR TO DATE WITH OVERALL SPENDING TRENDS REMAINING STEADY AND THE BUDGET IS CONSIDERED STABLE AND ON TRACK FOR YEAR END COMPLETION. NEXT ITEM WAS TRANSPARENCY REPORT REVIEW. THE TRANSPARENCY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR MARCH WAS REVIEWED PRIMARY SPENDING ITEMS INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES AND FOOD SERVICE. A FOCUSED REVIEW WAS ON BOOKS WHICH HIGHLIGHTED AN INCREASED INVESTMENT FROM FISCAL YEARS 24 TO THROUGH 2026. LIBRARY MATERIAL EXPENDITURES SURPASSED PREVIOUS YEAR LEVELS WHILE EXPERT PURCHASES REMAINED BELOW HISTORICAL TRENDS. THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT WAS NEXT. UH, CINDY PHILLIPS REPORTED STRONG REVENUE CONNECTIONS WITH PROPERTY TAXES AT 96.2% OF PROJECTIONS AND DEBT SERVICE REVENUE AT 99.8%. WHILE EXPENDITURES WERE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER LAST YEAR. THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO SHOW A POSITIVE FINANCIAL [00:35:01] POSITION AND PROGRESS ON CAPITAL PROJECTS. NEXT ITEM WAS ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION OS 17 WAS REVIEWED OUTLINING PROCEDURES FOR EXPENSE AUTHORIZATION AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL. AND THE LAST ITEM WAS E-RATE FUNDING. THE COMMITTEE PRESENTED THE E-RATE FUNDING APPLICATION AS INFORMATION, WHICH NO LONGER NEEDS BOARD APPROVAL FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. THE NEXT MEETING IS MONDAY, JUNE 15TH, 2026 AT 4:30 PM AND THAT COMPLETES THE REPORT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS ONLINE? MS. HAY? MR. I'M SIR. THANK YOU MA'AM. MRS. SMALL. NO, I DON'T, NO QUESTIONS. MR. SMITH? I I DID BRING UP A, UH, POINT, UM, AND I WILL SEND THE BOARD AN EMAIL ABOUT THE ACTUAL THAT TOOK PLACE AT THAT MEETING, UM, ABOUT A CONCERN THAT I THINK THAT POSSIBLY, UM, IF THE BOARD'S WILLING, I THINK THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY SEND THAT OVER TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. I THINK IT'S A MORE OF A OPERATIONAL THINGS OF JUST KIND OF, UH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF, UH, OF, UH, FINANCE. UM, AND, AND, UM, HOW WE ARE KIND OF, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE KIND OF MOVE AROUND AND WHAT, WHAT, UM, SOMETIMES WE HAVE A BUNCH OF PROJECTS GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. SOMETIMES SOME OF THEM MAY BE AT ONE PART OF THE BUILDING AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT THEN IT, IT, IT COULD BE, UH, WE SH BACK AGAIN AND, AND WE'RE WORKING ON ANOTHER PART. AND I JUST THINK THAT, SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE COULD ALSO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY, UH, TAKING PLACE IN TERMS OF PROJECTS. BUT I'M GONNA LOOK BACK AT THAT, THAT MEETING. AND I, AND I'LL SEND OUT SOMETHING TO THE BOARD. SO I JUST WANT TO, AND FYI FOR THE BOARD. SO I SEE OUR SECRETARY WRITING. I'VE ALSO WRITE WRITTEN THAT, UH, RIGHT CHOICES IS A SELECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS AND YOU'RE ADDING FINANCES. IS THAT CORRECT? UH, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, THIS TOPIC, YEAH. THIS TOPIC. THIS TOPIC WILL BE GO TO, UH, THIS TOPIC WILL BE FOR OPERATIONS. IS OPERATIONAL OPERATIONS. YES SIR. CLARIFY, UH, I'M JUST GONNA SAY POINT OF ORDER. UH, WE HAVE A OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR FUTURE TOPICS. MM-HMM . SHOULD WE SAVE IT FOR THEM AND THEN WE CAN GET SOME MORE CLARIFICATION, I GUESS IS OKAY WITH THAT? YEAH. SO HERE'S MY CONCERN. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE UTTER THINGS THEY WANT ON THE AGENDA AND SOMEHOW THEY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE CAN HOLD IT AND TO REAFFIRM AT THE END OF THE MEETING WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY SCHEDULED. BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL WRITE THESE ITEMS DOWN FOR ME. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. YES, SIR. ALRIGHT, NO PROBLEM. ANY OTHERS? OKAY, NEXT ITEM, [Superintendent’s Report] MR. SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. AND GOOD EVENING. FIRST ITEM UNDER, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS, UH, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, BCSD UNIVERSITY AND THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING AROUND THAT WITH A SERIES OF, UM, OF PRESENTATIONS TO, UH, UM, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND, UM, THEY COVER DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TODAY. UH, STUDENT SERVICES IS, UH, THE ASPECT THAT WE'RE GONNA SHARE IN WITH YOU, SHARE WITH YOU REGARDING, UH, THEIR MOST RECENT PRESENTATION. DR. COX. THANK YOU. WOO. GOTTA MAKE SURE IT WAS THE RIGHT HEIGHT. UM, SO THIS ACTUALLY IS TWOFOLD GIVEN THIS PRESENTATION. SO FIRST, AS DR. RODRIGUEZ ALLUDED TO, UM, WE WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE B-C-S-D-U AND THEN THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS GIVING TO B-C-S-D-U. UM, SO THERE YOU DID HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. UM, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS MORE ABOUT THE B-C-S-D-U PROCESS AND WHAT WE GO THROUGH THERE. 'CAUSE EACH DEPARTMENT REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT OFFICE, THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT, UM, PRESENTATIONS THAT WE GAVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR THROUGH B-C-S-D-U. AND THE PROGRAM IS CALLED ALI, IT'S THE ASHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE, UM, THAT WAS DONE THROUGH USCB. AND SO PARTICIPANTS CAN SIGN UP THERE TO, UM, LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO EACH DEPARTMENT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT OFFICE, AS YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT THE EXECUTIVE, UM, SUMMARY WAS ABOUT. SO THIS PRESENTATION IS TWOFOLD, IS ONE, JUST TO INFORM THE BOARD ABOUT, UM, BCSU AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ALI AND WHAT WE'RE GOING OUT TO PRESENT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND THEN THE PRESENTATION TO FOLLOW IS, IS ONE OF THE EXACT PRESENTATIONS THAT WAS DESIGNED AND PRESENTED TO ONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. SO WE WANTED TO NOT JUST TELL YOU ABOUT [00:40:01] OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALI AND WHAT WE'RE AND USCB, BUT GIVE YOU A CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF EXACTLY WHAT WE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY. SO AS YOU GO INTO THE PRESENTATION, THE PRESENTATION ISN'T DESIGNED AS A NORMAL BOARD PRESENTATION. AGAIN, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE, BUT I WILL PRESENT IT TO YOU AS IF I WERE PRESENTING IT TO THE ALI. THE REASON I WANT TO SAY THAT IS YOU ARE, UH, A MORE OF INFORMED AUDIENCE AS WE'RE GOING INTO, UM, THESE PRESENTATIONS, WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT OUR, UM, EDUCATIONAL JARGON THAT WE WILL SOMETIMES USE BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING TO FOLKS THAT WANT TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WANT TO BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT THEY REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. UM, SO THE AUDIENCE WAS, IS A VARIED AUDIENCE. UH, MANY RETIREES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. UM, IN OUR PRESENTATION THAT WE GAVE, YOU WOULD HAVE FORMER CEOS WE HAD AND A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME, A FORMER STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY. AND SO A VARIETY OF, OF, UM, DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS REPRESENTED THERE. AND SO JUST LIKE, UM, LIKE AT THAT PRESENTATION, IT WAS MORE OF A SMALLER INTIMATE SETTING. SO AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, IT IS MORE GEARED TO ILLICIT DISCUSSION INSTEAD OF JUST A LOT OF TALKING POINTS. UM, 'CAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO EXPLAIN HOW A SYSTEM OPERATES TO A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN EXPOSED TO THAT PRIOR TO, UM, THE MEETING. UM, SO JUST AS WE ARE TODAY, MANY OF MY TEAM, UM, AND I'LL REFERENCE THEM, THEY ARE HERE AND THE AUDIENCE HERE TODAY, UM, YOUR VERSION WILL BE ME TALKING. UM, BUT WHEN WE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC, IT WAS, UH, IN A SMALLER, MORE, UM, INTERACTIVE KIND OF WORKSHOP MODEL. SO IT, WE HAD OUR WHOLE TEAM THERE, UM, GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, AND THEN WE DID DO A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION. I'M KIND OF REVIEWING THE AGENDA. SO AS WE WENT IN, YOU CAN SEE THE MEETING AGENDA. WE DID INTRODUCTIONS, WE INTRODUCED THE TEAM, OUR DIFFERENT AREAS. THEN THE MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY PRESENTED I'LL PRESENT ON THEIR BEHALF TODAY. AND THEN WE DID APARTMENT QUESTION AND ANSWER. YES SIR. DR. COX, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ASK YOUR TEAM TO STAND SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE WHO, WHO'S DOING ALL THIS GREAT WORK? AND I HAVE TO ALSO APPLAUD YOUR TEAM BEFORE THE EVENT THAT WAS AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WAS REACHING INTO THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT. SO I'LL DEFER TO YOU, SIR. YES, SIR. UM, SO I'LL ACTUALLY INTRODUCE THEM TWICE THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. SO, UM, I'LL INTRODUCE THEM HERE AS A WHOLE. NOT ALL OF THEM COULD BE HERE THIS EVENING, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE HERE. I'LL ALSO RECOGNIZE EACH TEAM MEMBER AND THEY DON'T KNOW IT. BUT WHEN I GET TO THEIR PART, I WILL ASK THEM TO STAND AGAIN. UM, AS, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. SO OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE, UM, MYSELF UP THERE. DR. DIETRA HOLMES IS, UM, TRAVELING TODAY. SHE'S OUR DIRECTOR OF EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS AND THE OUTLIERS, HER OVERALL TITLE THERE, WE DO HAVE WITH US MS. DENISE ARD. MS ARD, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? UM, MS. ARD IS OUR DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND WHEN WE GO INTO EACH INDIVIDUAL AREA, WE'LL DIG DEEPER INTO WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. UM, NEXT WE HAVE MS. LATASHA MIDDLETON, I BELIEVE SHE IS HERE. UM, SHE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL COUNSELING AND SHE OVERSEES ALL OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS, K TO 12. SHE DOES HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL PERSON THAT SUPPORTS HER, BUT THEY, EACH OF THESE FOLKS, UM, MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, FOLKS WITHIN STUDENT SERVICES TO SUPPORT THEM, BUT THEY'RE THE LEAD OF THEIR PARTICULAR AREA. UM, AND MS. ANDREA MURRAY, I BELIEVE SHE IS HERE, SHE'S OUR DIRECTOR OF, UM, UH, IT ACTUALLY SAYS DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WORK, BUT SHE HAS A MUCH MORE FORMAL TITLE THAN THAT. I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THOUGH, WE DID CATER SOME OF THE TITLES A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY SO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS LISTED. UM, DR. JUANITA MORELL, SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT. UM, SHE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF ADULT EDUCATION. UM, SHE WASN'T WITH US WHEN WE PRESENTED, BUT THAT, THAT PART OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IMPORTANT. AND SHE DID PROVIDE THE INPUT AND INFORMATION THAT WENT INTO THE PRESENTATION. UM, DR. DEREK SKAGGS, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES. IT'S ACTUALLY DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT, BUT WHEN WE KEPT, IT WAS SIMILAR TO SOME OTHER TITLE. SO WE, WE TRY AND CATERED IT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND. AND THEN WE HAVE DENISE UNRU. SHE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF NURSING. SHE IS HERE TODAY. AND THEN WE HAVE MR. JOEY WARD, AND HE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION. HE OVERSEES THE RIGHT CHOICE PROGRAM AND HE IS WITH US HERE TODAY. ROBIN, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? UM, SO AS YOU START TO GO THROUGH HERE, UM, YOU'LL SEE, UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO STARE AT MYSELF ON THE SCREEN UP THERE, BUT I INTRODUCE MYSELF AS THE CHIEF OF STUDENT [00:45:01] SERVICES. UM, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE AREAS OF, OF RESPONSIBILITY. MY OVERALL GOAL IS TO OVERSEE THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS A CHIEF. IT IS A STANDALONE APARTMENT WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND WE OUTLINE THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE KINDA STARTED WITH. THIS IS THE TEAM. AND THEN WE DIG INTO MY RESPONSIBILITY. SO MY JOB IS TO NOT JUST MONITOR THE WORK, BUT COLLABORATE WITH THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR TEAM TO GET OUT INTO SCHOOLS. UM, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE STUDENT SERVICES ROLE. UM, THE CHIEF OF STUDENT SERVICES IS TO GO INSPECT AND, AND, AND, AND ENGAGE WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF AT THE SCHOOLS TO SEE WHAT WE ARE PLANNING OUT, HOW IT'S BEING CARRIED OUT. UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, JANINA, WE WANTED TO LIST SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS BEHIND THE SCENES TO DO THIS. JANINA, UM, DID HELP PRESENT, 'CAUSE THIS IS A TOPIC THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WANTS TO BE EDUCATED ON. UM, AND SHE WENT THROUGH OUR SCHOOL CHOICE, UM, MODEL AND THE PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW. SO WE WENT THROUGH OUR MISSION, HOW WE HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR THAT, THE DASHBOARDS TO SUPPORT FAMILY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE PROCEDURE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE IF A FAMILY HAS A SPECIFIC NEED AND THEY NEED TO APPLY FOR A DIFFERENT SCHOOL SETTING OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL CHOICE WINDOW. UM, JANINA PRESENTED ON ALL THAT INFORMATION AND TALKED ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT DIVERSE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OFFERINGS IN OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR PORT CHOICE PROGRAMS AND THE SCHOOL COUNSELING TEAM. MS. MIDDLETON, AGAIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND WAVE ? UM, THIS PART WHEN UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN, UM, SHE'S GONNA LOVE THIS. MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS THERE, WHEN THEY WERE IN SCHOOL, THEY REFERRED TO THE POSITIONS AS GUIDANCE COUNSELORS. UM, SO WE'VE SINCE CHANGED THAT TITLE. UM, NOT JUST STATEWIDE, NATIONWIDE, THEY'RE REFERRED TO AS SCHOOL COUNSELORS. UM, SO YOU HAVE MS. LATASHA MIDDLETON AS THE DIRECTOR, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, MS. IRIS CALHOUN. SHE, MS. MIDDLETON PREDOMINANTLY SERVES OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AND I, MS. IRIS CALHOUN SERVES OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE SYSTEM. AND SO THAT'S THE ACADEMIC COUNSELING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE. AND THEN THEY LIST OUT THE SPECIFIC ROLES WITHIN THERE THAT THEY DO HELP PREPARE SCHOOLS, THE, THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS WITH. SO THEY SUPPORT THE SCHOOL'S COUNSELORS THAT SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS. THAT'S THEIR ROLE. AND THEY ALSO, NOT JUST, NOT JUST THOSE INDIVIDUALS, BUT EVERYONE I TALK ABOUT UP HERE, OUR MANTRA IS THAT THE WORK OF STUDENT SERVICES OCCURS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. UM, AND SO MS. MIDDLETON, UM, YOU SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS. SHE GUIDES THE PROGRAM, MS. IRIS FALLS UNDERNEATH HER, BUT THEY COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT ALL OF OUR SCHOOL SETTING. UM, SO JUST BECAUSE MS. IRIS DOES SUPPORT PREDOMINANTLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DOESN'T MEAN THAT MS. MIDDLETON WON'T COLLABORATE WITH HER ON DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AND THINGS ACROSS THE SYSTEM. NEXT WE HAVE MS. DENISE LARD. PLEASE STAND. MS. LARD. SHE WAIVED ON HER OWN. UM, MS. LARD IS ALL OVER BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. UM, SHE DOES A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE QUICK, QUICKLY RECOGNIZED, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OVERLAP IN OUR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY. UM, LATER WE WILL TALK ABOUT MR. WARD OVERSEEING THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A K TO 12 ALTERNATIVE K EDUCATION PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE A PROMISING STUDENTS PROGRAM THAT SERVES OUR STUDENTS, THAT K TO FIVE THAT, UM, MAY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THAT THEY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR RIGHT CHOICES PROGRAM. BUT MS. LESSARD SUPPORTS THE PROMISING STUDENTS PROGRAM AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH ME. SHE GOES AND VISITS, OBSERVES, HELPS INITIATE THE PROCESS OF STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ENROLLED IN THAT PROGRAM. AND THE LENGTH OF TIME SHE ACTS AS THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE SCHOOL SITE AND THE PROGRAM SITE. AND SO THAT IS BOTH FOR RIGHT CHOICES AND FOR PROMISING STUDENTS. UM, SHE ALSO COLLABORATES WITH ON-TIME GRADUATION AND DROPOUT PREVENTION. UM, SO WE'VE LED SOME INITIATIVES THIS YEAR, UM, HEADED BY MISS ARD, UM, TO WORK WITH, WE'VE ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED A DROPOUT PREVENTION TEAM AT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THIS YEAR. AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY MISS ARDS IDEA OF SOME OF THE RESEARCH WE'VE DONE. WE'VE STARTED HAVING A POINT OF CONTACT FOR DROPOUT PREVENTION, K TO 12, OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND HIGH SCHOOLS. AND SO SHE'S LED SOME OF THAT WORK HERE. WE'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN SOME OF OUR, THAT, THOSE TEAMS OFFSITE TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR TRAININGS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT GRADUATION IS A K TO 12 RESPONSIBILITY. IT'S NOT JUST A HIGH SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY. UM, SHE'S ALSO, UM, YOU'LL SEE TEMPORARY REMOTE. WE [00:50:01] WANNA PROVIDE AS MANY FLEXIBLE SITUATIONS FOR FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE. UM, SO IF A FAMILY'S GOING THROUGH SOMETHING AND THEY NEED TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL TEMPORARILY, SHE HELPS, UM, MANAGE THAT PROCESS FOR US. THERE COULD BE A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, THAT WILL LEAD THE CHILD TO NEED TO BE OUT FOR TWO, THREE DAYS. IT'S SOMETIMES IT MAY BE A COUPLE OF WEEKS, NOT NECESSARILY THE FULL SEMESTER LONG-TERM PLACEMENT, BUT SHE COMMUNICATES WITH FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WHILE THEY'RE IN THAT TEMPORARY STATUS SETTING FOR WHATEVER REASON. AND THEN MTS BEHAVIOR AND SECONDARY LEVEL SUPPORT, THIS IS WHERE WE GO INTO OUR EDUCATION JARGON AND WE KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN FOR THE FAMILY, FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS AS WE WERE TALKING TO THEM. MTSS IS MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR BEHAVIOR AND SECONDARY LEVEL SUPPORT. AND THAT MEANS THAT IF A STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING AND SCHOOL MISS ASSAULT HELPS THE SCHOOL-BASED TEAMS, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME MORE OF THAT LATER ON WITH DR. SCAGGS, HELPS THE SCHOOL BASED BASED TEAMS DEVELOP PROCESS PROCEDURE. AND THERE IS COLLABORATION WITH ISD, THE MTSS PROCESS FOR SUPPORT. IT'S NOT JUST FOR BEHAVIOR. IT COULD BE FOR BEHAVIOR, IT COULD BE FOR ACADEMICS. IT COULD BE FOR ANY CHALLENGE THAT THE STUDENT MAY FACE. UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS YOU MATRICULATE THROUGH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. MEANING THAT THE, THE SUPPORTS THAT A STUDENT MAY NEED IN HIGH SCHOOL MAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE SUPPORTS A STUDENT MAY NEED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. UM, SO WE DO COLLABORATE ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, AND SHE DOES SERVE ON A VARIETY OF TEAMS AND COMMITTEES WITHIN OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE. AND FINALLY, SHE LEADS A LOT OF THE BULLYING PREVENTION AND INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE SYSTEM. UM, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DAYS AND DIFFERENT, UM, NOT JUST MONITORING THE PROCEDURES, BUT SHE'S MORE ON THE PREVENTATIVE SIDE, UM, TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE KINDNESS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, NOT JUST A, NOT JUST A BULLYING WEEK OR A BULLYING MONTH THAT WE TRY TO DO. THIS IS SOMETHING WE TRY TO ENGAGE IN YEAR ROUND AND SHE LEADS THOSE EFFORTS. NEXT YOU HAVE MR. JOEY WARD. UM, WE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON WHEN MR. WARD WAS PRESENTING BECAUSE DIFFERENT STATES OPERATE DIFFERENTLY WHEN IT COMES TO ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION. UM, SO AT THE TIME YOU DO SEE SOME NUMBERS UP THERE. UM, AT THE CURRENT TIME OF THAT PRESENTATION, UM, WE HAD 38 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENROLLED AT RIGHT CHOICES, AND WE HAD 30 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ENROLLED. UM, AND HE LISTS OUT THE STAFF THERE. THEY HAD TO SUPPORT, UM, THE STUDENTS AT RIGHT CHOICES. AND THEN HE KINDA LISTED OUT THE TIMELINE THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE, RECEIVE A HEARING OFFICER DECISION WHILE YOU WOULD'VE A REFERRAL FROM THE SCHOOL FOR A HEARING, HEARING OFFICER DECISION, THE ORIENTATION OR INTAKE, THE RIGHT CHOICES PLACEMENT. AND HE MANAGES THE TRANSITION BACK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE OUTLINED WAS AN INITIATIVE THAT HE BROUGHT THIS YEAR WAS HE ACTUALLY WENT OUT OF WRIGHT CHOICES TO VISIT THE SCHOOL SITES, UM, TO VISIT HOW THE STUDENTS WERE DOING WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS. BUT MEETING WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS OCCURRING AT WRIGHT CHOICES AND TRYING TO ESTABLISH A VISION OF HOW WE ARE BUILDING THAT PROGRAM, WHERE WHAT'S GOING WELL, WHAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE. UM, SO THAT WAS REALLY, UM, HIM JUST NOT JUST EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO AT RIGHT CHOICES, BUT WE REALLY HAD TO GO INTO WHAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. AND NEXT, DID I ASK JOEY TO STAND? JOEY, IF I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO STAND, PLEASE STAND AGAIN IF YOU'RE ALREADY STAND, IF THAT'S YOUR THIRD TIME STANDING. MY APOLOGIES. . UM, THIS IS MS. DIETRA HOLMES. UM, WE, THIS IS OUR, WHAT YOU WOULD TRADITIONALLY REFER TO AS WE REFER TO OUR DEPARTMENT AS THE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN THE LAST LIKE 10 OR 15 YEARS, YOU'VE REALLY SEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATES START TO NAME THIS DEPARTMENT DIFFERENTLY, AND OUR DEPARTMENT AS EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS. SOME DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA REFER TO THIS AS DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. UM, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF ACRONYMS WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIAL EDUCATION. SO WHEN WE GEARED THIS TO THE PUBLIC, WE TRY TO MAKE IT THE OVERARCHING THINGS THAT GUIDE US. AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE TWO THINGS AT THE TOP THAT KIND OF GUIDE MANY MUCH OF THE WORK THAT WE DO BASED ON IDEA. AND THAT IS FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN WHICH YOU'LL HEAR US REFER TO AS FAPE AND THEN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. AND SO IT TALKS ABOUT HOW WE PROVIDE GUIDANCE, INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. HER DEPARTMENT HAS A VARIETY OF SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. UM, WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WHAT WE, WHAT THE STATE CALLS EXCEPTIONALITIES OR DIFFERENT AREAS THAT STUDENTS MAY HAVE CHALLENGES IN. UM, AND THEN ALL [00:55:01] OF THOSE SERVICES ARE GUIDED THROUGH THE IIEP PROCESS THAT'S LISTED UP THERE. THEN SHE GETS INTO HOW MANY NOW AS WE PRESENTED THIS PRESENTATION, WE USED ACCURATE NUMBERS AS OF THAT DATE. UM, SO THAT IS 2,796 STUDENTS ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND REPRESENTING ALL 13 IDEA DISABILITY CATEGORIES THAT I REFERENCED BEFORE. NOW, EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES COULD HAVE A VARIETY OF SUBCATEGORIES WITHIN THEM. UM, AND THEN SHE TALKS ABOUT OUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL. YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE FIRST POINT IS THE NEW THERAPEUTIC DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM, WHICH WE'VE, WE'VE, UM, INFORMED THE BOARD OF, OF ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. SO SHE GOES INTO THE, THAT, THAT MODEL AND THEN THE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, THE STUDENT SCISSOR DECISION MAKING, AND THE STRONG SCHOOL FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH IS SOMETHING MR. DALLAS HAD ALLUDED TO EARLIER. WE HAVE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS WE DO TO REALLY TRY TO EDUCATE PARENTS ON THE PROCESS AND WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, NOT JUST THROUGH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT AND IMPORTANT WORK FOR US IS POST GRADUATION PREPAREDNESS, NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL OF DISABILITY THAT CHILD MAY HAVE LEAVING US AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF OUTCOMES. SO WHEN MR. DALLAS WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER, SINCE HE REFERENCED IT, UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT NIGHTS WHERE WE BRING IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE FAMILIES THAT COME TO THE OUR SCHOOL SETTING HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE, UM, DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS. SO ONE EXAMPLE OF A PARTNERSHIP, I WOULD FORGET, THERE ARE MANY OF THEM, BUT ONE EXAMPLE THAT'S EASIER TO EXPLAIN IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH VOC REHAB. UM, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES. AND SO IT HELPS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ADULTS WITH THE DISABILITIES, UM, PREPARE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, JOB PLACEMENT, UM, NOT JUST IN THE BEAUFORT AREA, BUT ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY. OKAY. AND MS. ANDREA MURRAY, SHE IS HERE. SHE'S GONNA WAVE AGAIN AND SMILE. REAL BIG . ONE MORE SENTENCE, MS. SO, MS. ANDREA'S WORK, THE FIRST TITLE ON THE BEGINNING WAS A LITTLE MISLEADING, AND THIS IS WHERE WE GET INTO THE FULL BREADTH OF HER WORK. IT'S NOT JUST THE SOCIAL WORK COMPONENT, THE SO, AND IT'S THE STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE THERE. SO OUT TO THE SIDE IS A MORE ACCURATE VIEW WHEN WE GOING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION IN A PROGRESSION. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, WHICH THEY PROVIDE. WE'RE FORTUNATE AND IF YOU, AND IN COMPARISON TO DISTRICTS AROUND SOUTH CAROLINA, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORKER IN EVERY SITE, EVERY SCHOOL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND MS. MURRAY HELPS LEAD THAT WORK, DEVELOP THAT WORK, SUPPORT THE SOCIAL WORKERS, AND PROVIDE THE TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THEM. SHE ALSO LEADS OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, IN SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER TIME, UM, WE'VE HAD, OUR DISTRICT IS NOT UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE COUNTRY, WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE DIAGNOSIS OF SOME FORM OF MENTAL ILLNESS OR NEED ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. UM, AND MS. MURRAY LEADS THAT WORK FOR US. THE OTHER AREA THAT SHE HELPS MANAGE AND WITH HER TEAM IS THE MCKINNEY-VENTO. THAT IS THE HOME BOUND STATUTE THAT WE FALL UNDER. UM, AND SHE LEADS THAT WORK NOT JUST ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, BUT SHE HELPS SUPPORT FAMILIES THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND THAT IS CONNECTING TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO PROVIDING, UM, WHAT WE TRY TO DO. THE GOAL IN THIS IS TO NOT INTERRUPT THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING OF THE CHILD IF THE FAMILY'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. UM, THEN ATTENDANCE AND SAFETY AS WELL. SHE HELPS MANAGE AND MONITOR A LOT OF OUR, UM, TRUANCY THINGS ALONG WITH MS. LARD, BUT SHE ALSO DOES MANY OF OUR ASSESSMENTS. WE HAVE A ROBUST PROCESS, UM, TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHEN A CHILD IS HAVING A, UM, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN OR BEGINS TO MAKE SOME, UM, GOING THROUGH SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE NEED TO ASSESS FURTHER TO DIG DOWN TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF IT. SO WE HAVE, UH, AN ESTABLISHED PROCESS ACROSS OUR SYSTEM, WHICH MS. MURRAY HELPS GUIDES GUIDE US THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND THEN SHE ALSO HELPS CONNECT FAMILIES AS, AS A KID MAY ESCALATE THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT. SOMETIMES IT MAY JUST BE THEIR CHILD NEEDS COUNSELING OR MAY JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO IF THEY NEED FURTHER PLACEMENT OR FURTHER SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. A LOT OF MS. MURRAY'S WORK IS HELPING CONNECT FAMILIES TO SERVICES THAT ARE WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND I'LL BE HONEST, SOMETIMES SUPPORT THEY MAY NEED TO RECEIVE NATIONALLY. UM, SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE SERVICES OR THE [01:00:01] FAMILY'S INSURANCE OR WHATEVER MAY NOT COVER IT LOCALLY. SO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS GO TO RECEIVE SUPPORT IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY. AND THEN DR. S SCAGGS IS NOT HERE. UM, SO DR. S SCAGGS IS ANOTHER PERSON THAT WHILE WE WORK AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE, HE WORKS OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. UM, SO HE DOES COME TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE, BUT YOU'RE GONNA SEE WE HAVE BE BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS IN ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. DR. S SCAGGS LEADS THEIR WORK FOR THEM, PROVIDES A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR THEM. HE ALSO PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE, AND YOU'LL SEE HE'S GOT THE NTSS SPREAD OUT THERE FOR BEHAVIOR. UM, AND HE HELPS GUIDE THAT PROCESS. UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH MISS ARD AND STAFF FROM ISD AS WELL, HE RESPONDS TO A CRISIS. IF THERE IS A CRISIS, THAT THAT CRISIS MAY NOT BE THE CRISIS IN THE TERMS THAT YOU'RE THINKING OF, THAT COULD BE A STUDENT THAT'S IN CRISIS, A FAMILY THAT'S IN CRISIS. UM, SO HE HELPS, GOES AND HELPS SUPPORT NOT THE SCHOOL TEAM THROUGH THAT AND THE FAMILY THROUGH THAT AS WELL. AND THEN THE REENTRY ENTRY COMMITTEE LEAD, IF STUDENTS ARE RETURNING BACK TO US, SAY A STUDENT HAS, UM, PLACED IN AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING IN A GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEY MOVE HERE, IF THAT STUDENT WAS AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING THERE, THAT ALTERNATIVE SETTING FOLLOWS THAT CHILD TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SO THAT AN IS AN EXAMPLE. WE HAVE ENTRY AND REENTRY, UM, AR AND HE HELPS CARRIES OUT THE LETTER OF THAT AR UM, FOR THOSE SETTINGS, THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY MAY OCCUR. AND THEN THE BIG ONE THAT HE DOES, IT'S AT THE BOTTOM, IS THE DISCIPLINE MATRIX. HELPING DEVELOP THE DISCIPLINE MATRIX, HELP UPDATE IT ANNUALLY. UM, AS OFTEN YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE HAVE TO UPDATE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, BRINGING IT FORWARD MANY TIMES THOSE ARE PROMPTED BY CHANGES IN THE LAW. UM, SO HE HELPS LEAD THAT WORK FOR US, NOT JUST AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT HELPING SCHOOLS AND STAFF UNDERSTAND THE MATRIX AND HOW TO FOLLOW THE MATRIX AND THE PROCESS. SO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DISCIPLINE, UH, PRACTICES ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THE MATRIX, UH, OUTLINES FOR US. NURSE UNRU IS HERE. SHE'S GONNA SMILE AND WAVE AGAIN. SO THIS OUTLINES OUR NURSING PROCEDURES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THERE. UM, YOU'LL SEE THE THEME THAT WE WERE, UH, GOING FOR WHEN WE PRESENTED TO THE, THE, UM, ALI GROUP AND PRESENTING TO YOU HERE WAS THAT OUR WORK EXPANDS BEYOND THE SCHOOL WALLS AND HOW WIDE THE STUDENT SERVICES WORLD IS. AND THEN NURSES ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. THEY SHOW DATA ON HERE TO ENSURE LIKE THE NUMBER OF VISITS THAT OUR SCHOOL NURSES HAVE DONE, THE AMOUNT OF SCREENINGS THEY DO, SCHOOL NURSING ENCOMPASSES SO MANY THINGS. I THINK IN, IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S MIND, THE SCHOOL, AS WE WERE PRESENTING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IF YOU WOULD'VE ASKED THEM PRIOR TO THE PRESENTATION, THEY THINK OF THE KID IN SCHOOL THAT HAS A TUMMY ACHE GOES DOWN AND SEES A NURSE, GETS A LOLLIPOP AND GOES BACK TO CLASS. THAT IS NOT SCHOOL NURSING. AND THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT SCHOOL NURSING AND BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. UM, SO THEY SUPPORT WELLNESS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. THE MTSS TEAMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. THEY PLAY A ROLE IN THAT. UM, THEY LEAD SOME DIFFERENT MEDICAL INITIATIVES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU SEE LAID OUT THERE. AND THAT'S CONNECTING OUR FAMILIES TO THE DIFFERENT MEDICAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE. AND THEY PLAY A STRONG ROLE IN WHAT OCCURS AT THE SCHOOL'S DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. UM, AND SO NURSE UNRU IN HER WORK, SHE GOES OUT AND SUPPORTS THE SCHOOL NURSES AND THE, NOT JUST IN THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDED, BUT HOW THEY'RE DOCUMENTING THOSE SERVICES, BEST PRACTICE AND WHAT'S CURRENT AND THE CURRENT TRENDS THAT WE'RE FACING AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ADULT EDUCATION. UM, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A WHOLE VARIETY OF THINGS THAT ARE OFFERED IN ADULT EDUCATION. UM, WE HAVE OUR MAIN SITE THAT'S LISTED AT THE KING STREET SITE THAT YOU SEE THERE. WE ALSO HAVE SATELLITE SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. UM, THEY LIST OUT THEIR INFORMATION THERE STUDENTS TO BREAK IT DOWN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE, WE REALLY IDENTIFY TWO PATHWAYS STUDENTS THAT COMPLETE THE ADULT EDUCATION. IF YOU'VE NEVER ATTENDED A SUMMER ADULT EDUCATION, UM, UH, GRADUATION CEREMONY, I URGE YOU TO DO SO. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST JOYFUL EVENTS THAT YOU WILL ATTEND. UM, BUT THEY HAVE G YOU CAN EITHER LEAVE WITH A GED, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENCY TO A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, AND THE AGE RANGES THERE COULD BE. UM, I DID A VISIT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND I CHARTED DOWN AFTER I LEFT 'CAUSE I KNEW THIS PRESENTATION WAS COMING. THE AGE RANGE IN THERE WAS 19 TO, IN THE MID SEVENTIES. [01:05:01] UM, PEOPLE COMING BACK TO FINISH THEIR DIPLOMA TO GET THEIR EDUCATION. SO THEY, THEY OFFER A VARIETY OF CAREER PREPARATION. PREPARATION AS WELL. THEY OFFER ALSO OFFER ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAM. SO THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF SERVICES THERE THAT YOU WILL SEE. AND THEY'VE EVOLVED OVER TIME TO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ONLINE OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE FAMILIES WHEN THEY COME IN. BUT OFTENTIMES THE NEED, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THEIR WORK ONLINE, BUT THEY COME TO THE BUILDING FOR ACTUAL SUPPORT, UM, TO ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR WORK AND THROUGH PREPARING THEM FOR THEIR EXAMS. OKAY. OKAY. AND YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS UP THERE. WE WANTED TO HAVE OUR CONTACT INFORMATION. UM, I DID NOTE AN ERROR THAT I WANNA POINT OUT. THERE'S AN S ON MY LAST NAME, SO I DON'T KNOW. WHEN I WAS TRANSITIONING THIS OVER TO A PDF, I MADE THAT ERROR, SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO THE BOARD IN ADVANCE. UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED. UM, WHEN OUR TEAM PRESENTED TO, UM, THIS GROUP, I THOUGHT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS INTERESTED IN ALL OF THESE TOPICS. IT WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE. UM, IT WAS VERY ENGAGING FOR US. IT WAS VERY ENGAGING FOR THE TEAM. WE FAR, UM, EXCEEDED OUR TIME ALLOCATED WITH THE GROUP. UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS AND WANTED OF THE TEAM AND WANTED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION. THEY DO SUBMIT FEEDBACK TO, UM, TO ALI AS THE PARTICIPATION. AND, AND IT WAS, I WAS PROUD THAT WE GOT POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND THE LEVEL ENGAGEMENT OF IT. SO THAT IS THE KIND OF BREADTH OF OUR PRESENTATION. I HOPE I ACCOMPLISH EXPLAINING NOT JUST WHAT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ALI IS AND USCV, BUT THE KIND OF MATERIAL THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT AND EXPLAINING. UM, I, I WANTED THE BOARD TO SEE HOW WE WOULD EXPLAIN OUR STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SO NOW I WOULD ASK YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OLLIE OR OUR PRESENTATION THAT WE GAVE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC? ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. PASTOR GORDON, UM, THE NEW THERAPEUTIC DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM. YES, SIR. IT SAYS THAT, UM, SERVES STUDENTS WITH LEVEL TWO AND LEVEL THREE AUTISM. YES, SIR. UM, HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN THERE NOW? OR DO WE NO. DO WE HAVE THE NUMBER? YES, WE DO. SO RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA ANSWER, ACTUALLY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW SINCE SCHOOL IS OUT. SO RIGHT NOW WE CURRENTLY HAVE ESY. SO E THE ESY PROGRAMS. I'LL ANSWER IN TWO WAYS. OKAY. SO WHEN WE FINISHED OUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD FIVE HIGH SCHOOL STU FIVE SECONDARY STUDENTS IN THE SECONDARY PROGRAM. AND WE HAD FOUR ELEMENTARY IN THE ELEMENTARY PROGRAM WHEN WE FINISHED THE SCHOOL YEAR. ESY IS DIFFERENT. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I CLARIFY THE DISTINCTION. ONCE THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDED, ESY IS EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR AND, UH, THE STUDENTS HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR THOSE SERVICES. RIGHT NOW WE'RE SERVING THREE STUDENTS IN THE ESY PROGRAM, BUT THAT NUMBER IS PREDICATED ON NEED. STUDENTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR ESY THROUGH THEIR IEP TEAM. SO THAT NUMBER'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SMALLER DURING THE SUMMER. MM-HMM . DOES THE PROGRAM HAVE A CAPACITY OF HOW MANY STUDENTS? THE ELEMENTARY PROGRAM IS UP TO EIGHT STUDENTS AND THE HIGH AND THE SECONDARY PROGRAM IS UP TO EIGHT STUDENTS. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. COS. YES, SIR. SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID THAT SHOCKED ME. YOU SAID THAT THE EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM IS GONNA HAVE LESS STUDENTS. YES, SIR. WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE I, THE, UH, IF MY, IF MY MEMORY SERVE ME RECORD, MY RECOLLECTION SERVES ME CORRECTLY. EXTENDED STUDENT, EXTENDED STUDENT LEARNING IS, UH, IS A PROGRAM TO HELP STUDENTS KIND OF CATCH UP AND TO BUILD UP WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. AND I, I REMEMBER DOING EXTENDED LEARNING LEARNING UNLESS THERE'S EXTENDED LEARNING OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO WE HAVE SUMMER SCHOOL. RIGHT. OKAY. SUMMER SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SPECIAL HAVE A IEP CAN ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL. ESY IS DIFFERENT. SO ESY STUDENTS THAT QUALIFY AND TEACHER'S NOT STANDING HERE. SO I'M GONNA DO MY ABSOLUTE BEST TO EXPLAIN IT, UH, IN THE RIGHT DEFINITION. THAT IS WHEN THERE WOULD BE AN, A SIGNIFICANT REGRESSION OF SKILLS IF THEY DID NOT CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR SERVICES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. SO IF THEY WERE HAVING, UM, LIKE A BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR EXAMPLE, OR IF A NONVERBAL STUDENT WAS BEGINNING TO MAKE ITERATIONS AND SOUNDS AND IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE TEAM, THE TEAM HAS TO HAVE A WHOLE DATA PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF A STUDENT QUALIFIES FOR THAT. WE DO HAVE ESY SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY, UM, DURING SUMMER SCHOOL, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS TO QUALIFY FOR ESY [01:10:01] 'CAUSE IT'S A PROCESS TO QUALIFY IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT AT EVERY SCHOOL SITE AROUND THE DISTRICT. SO IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST SIGN KIDS UP FOR. THEY HAVE TO QUALIFY THROUGH THE IEP TEAM. SO THE IEP TEAM WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT IF THEY WERE REQUIRE ESY SERVICES. AND THAT'S BASED ON WOULD THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT REGRESSION IN SKILLS THAT THEY DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ESY DURING THE SUMMER. DOES THAT HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, ? IT DOES, BUT IT DOES BECAUSE I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU MY ESY UH, TEACHER RIGHT NOW, HER NAME WAS MARTY BABIN, AND SHE ACTUALLY, SHE DID HERS AT HER HOUSE IN PORT RAW, AND SHE WORKS BEAUTIFUL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BACK IN THE DAYS. AND WHEN I, WHEN I LEFT OUT, ANOTHER STUDENT WAS COMING IN LIKE CLOCKWORK. SO I MEAN, THERE WAS ALWAYS, THERE WERE SEVERAL STUDENTS AND, AND THEY, SHE HAD A FULL CASELOAD AND THERE WERE OTHERS. BUT MINES, LIKE I SAID, MINES WAS MARTY BABIN. AND LIKE THOSE WERE SERVICES THAT WE, THAT, THAT WE NEEDED. I MEAN, SO MAYBE THIS IS MAYBE FOR MORE OF A ES MAYBE THIS IS A ESY INTENSE VERSUS A REGULAR AS IN STUDENT WITH AN IEP. BECAUSE BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS, MY RECOLLECTION SERVE ME CORRECTLY IS THAT ANY KID WITH AN IEP, WHEN YOU'RE AN IEP TEAM, UH, CONVENE OR YOU MEET OR YOU MEET TOGETHER, THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME IS WHEN YOU SAY, HEY, THIS KID HAD NEEDS SOME EXTENDED LEARNING, OR THIS KID HAD NEEDS SOME, NEEDS, SOME TUTORING OVER THE SUMMER. AND THAT'S WHEN THAT, THAT'S WHEN THAT KICKS IN. AND SO I JUST DON'T IMAGINE KNOWING NO BE GOING IN ACTUAL VISITING ACTUAL SCHOOLS AND SEEING SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A STRONGER LEVEL ADDITIONALLY FROM, FROM SUMMER SCHOOL THAT WE HAVE MORE KIDS IN, IN, IN, IN, IN THE EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAMS. BECAUSE THAT IF, IF WE ARE, I THINK THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY MISSING THE, WE, WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MISSING THE MARK ON THAT. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST A, JUST A CONCERN FROM ME UNDERSTANDING IT FROM, FROM, FROM, UH, MY, MY, MY PAST, UH, PRACTICE EXPERIENCES WITH IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? MS. BOATWRIGHT? MR. COX, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WILL SAY PROBABLY STUDENT SERVICE, YOU GET MORE CONVERSATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY FROM STUDENT SERVICES 'CAUSE IT'S SO IMPACTFUL OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL WALLS. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, UM, WITH THE ADULT EDUCATION. SO I WAS READING TODAY, AND I'VE DECIDED THAT I'M GOING TO BRING UP AI IN EVERY MEETING UNTIL IT GETS ON THE AGENDA . UM, BUT, UH, IT'S META ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE DOING A PROGRAM THAT FREE TRAINING FOR, TO BUILD DROUGHT DATA CENTERS, FIVE WEEK TRAINING. THEY'D FLY ANYONE WHO WANTS TO APPLY IN. AND I JUST THINK THAT THERE IS A REAL NEED, A, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND B, FOR SOME OF OUR KIDS, ESPECIALLY LOCALLY. UM, I ALSO READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE STUDENTS ON ST. HELENA FELT THAT THERE WEREN'T AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES. SO COMBINING THOSE TWO ARTICLES, UM, IS THERE NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO ADULT CTE WITH SOME OF OUR RESOURCES? IS THERE NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN TAKE SOME OF THESE KIDS, RECENT GRADUATES WHO MAYBE ARE LOOKING TO GET INVOL INTO SOME OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? THAT HAS BEEN DR. COX. UM, IF YOU ALLOW ME YES, SIR. SO, UH, WITH RESPECT TO ADULT ED, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING OUR ADULT ED MODEL AND LOOKING AT POSSIBILITIES FOR, UH, ADJUSTMENTS WHERE WE CAN, I THINK, UM, UH, UH, MODERNIZE THE SUPPORT AND THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ADULT ED PROGRAM. UM, AND, AND CONSEQUENTLY REACH MORE INDIVIDUALS AS A RESULT OF THAT. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH, UM, WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UM, NOT BCSD STUDENTS, RIGHT? UH, A LOT OF THE, UM, UM, TECHNOLOGY, A LOT OF THE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS WE HAVE HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT IS SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES ARE PURCHASED THROUGH A SPECIFIC GRANT PROGRAMS, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHO'S ALLOWED TO USE THOSE, UH, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND WHO CANNOT. AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY FOUR, UH, CURRENTLY ENROLLED STUDENTS, NOT JUST ANYBODY, UH, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THE SERVICE MODEL THAT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT, NOT ONLY WOULD SERVICE OUR EXISTING STUDENTS, BUT SERVICE ANY ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE LOOKING TO ENHANCE THE SKILLSET, UH, AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, GO INTO THE WORKFORCE. SO WE WE'RE, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ONE OF THOSE LITTLE HOOKS THAT WE'RE WANNA MAKE, WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY CAREFUL WITH. SO WE ABIDE BY, UH, ANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY OF THOSE FEDERAL GRANTS THAT PROVIDE FUNDING THAT ALLOW US TO DO [01:15:01] THE THINGS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, UH, WITH THE EQUIPMENT WE'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE. WE DON'T WANNA VIOLATE THAT. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL AND LIABILITY THINGS, BUT IF, YOU KNOW, BRING YOUR OWN BLOWTORCH TYPE OF THING AND START BUILDING SOME STEEL, I JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THANKS FOR THAT. AND ANYBODY ELSE GOT A QUESTION? JUST ONE MORE QUESTION. SURE. GO AHEAD. UM, THE KING STREET, UH, LOCATION, IS THAT THE PRIMARY LOCATION FOR US? THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE FOR ED, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE PRIMARY LOCATION. OKAY. YES, SIR. BUT WE HAVE, IF I, I'LL JUST ADD, THAT'S PART OF THE MODEL ADJUSTMENT THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, TO CAPITALIZE WHERE OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED, UH, BECAUSE OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE VERY WELL DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN OPERATE AND RUN AN ADULT ED PROGRAM FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND THROUGH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, ALLOWS US TO REACH THE COMMUNITY, UH, UM, IN A BROADER FORM. THANK YOU SMITH. UH, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, UH, PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT, UH, MRS. UH, BOATWRIGHT WAS SAYING. ALSO, I DO, I AM AWARE OF, UM, AT THE ADULT, AT THE ADULT ED, UH, PROGRAM, THE, UH, BUILDING RIGHT NOW. ALSO WE DO, THEY DO O THEY DO OFFER A TESTES, UH, TEST. LIKE AS IN, YOU MAY WANNA PASS YOUR GGED TEST, OR YOU MAY WANT TO GET A, UM, YOUR, UH, INSURANCE LICENSE, DIFFERENT TESTING. SO ACTUALLY THEY, THEY ARE, THEY ARE KIND OF AI THEY ARE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GO THERE AND, AND TEST, AND THAT, THAT, THAT MONEY DOES COME TO THE COUNTY. SO ACTUALLY A DOUBT IS THROUGH ONE, THROUGH ONE WINDOW, THROUGH ONE SCOPE, IT IS ACTUALLY MAKING ITS OWN MONEY TO SUSTAIN ITSELF TOO. SO I THINK THAT IS A, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S AWESOME THAT THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH KIND OF GEN, THEY ARE GENERATING SOME INCOME AND THEY ARE HAVING PEOPLE WHO COME IN WHO COME IN THE BACK ACTUAL BUILDING AND THEY GO TO A ROOM AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE A TEST, AND THEY HAVE PEOPLE WHO MONITOR THOSE TESTS WHILE THEY'RE TAKING THEM. AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE SERIOUS REAL RIGOROUS TESTS THAT THOSE PEOPLE SIT IN THERE AND TAKE. SO THAT IS KIND OF SOME OF WHAT THE PROGRAM, BASICALLY, IF YOU WANT TO BE A WELDER, MAYBE YOU MAY GO TO ADULT AND ACTUALLY TAKE THAT TEST IN THE ADULT ACTUAL BUILDING ON, ON KING STREET. SO THEY HAVE SOME GOOD THINGS IF YOU HADN TO STOPPED BY THERE, YOU MAY WANNA STOP BY AND, AND, AND, AND SEE, AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN, IN THAT BUILDING AND, YOU KNOW, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF, HUH? NO BLOW. NO, WE DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE, DON'T HAVE NO BLOW TRAIL. I, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS THAT MAYBE THAT BLOW TORCH MAYBE ON THAT TEST THAT THEY TAKING THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T STAY FROM BLOW TORCHES MYSELF, BUT YEAH. , YEAH, JUST, UH, AND ALSO, I, I DO HAVE A, A QUESTION IN TERMS OF THIS REAL QUICK, BUT YOU CAN GO AHEAD THOUGH. LET ME, LET ME SEE. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? EVERYBODY GOOD? OH, OKAY. GO AHEAD. DR. COX. MAY OH, ONLINE. ONLINE. I'M SORRY. MR. SMALL AND MS. HAY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SIR? MA'AM? NO, SIR. I DON'T HAVE ANY AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. UH, HE MAY, RAY, RAY REFERENCE TO THAT SOME OF THESE POSITIONS OVERLAP. UM, IS THERE, IS THERE, I MEAN, IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR REASON WHY WE HAVE SOME POSITIONS OVERLAPPING? BECAUSE, UM, IS THIS THE BIGGEST DEPARTMENT EVER BEEN, OR MM-HMM. NO, NO, SIR. IT'S NOT THE, THE, BECAUSE WE DON'T OPERATE AT, THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE DON'T OPERATE IN A SILO. AND SO WE, WE TRY TO THINK TANK AS MANY THINGS AS POSSIBLE. UM, WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE NTSS PROCESS, THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. UM, THE NURSES MAY BE INVOLVED IN A SITUATION WITH A CHILD TRYING TO HELP THINK THROUGH IT. SO YOU MAY HAVE DR. SCAGGS WORKING THROUGH IT WITH THE FAMILY, THE NURSES COME IN, EACH OF MY TEAM BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. AND SO WHEN I SAY THEIR WORK IS GOING TO OVERLAP, IT'S REALLY AN EASIER WAY TO SAY THEIR WORK IS GONNA TOUCH EACH OTHER. AND SO IT'S MORE SO SPEAKS TO THE COLLABORATION OF THE DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF LIKE, EVERYONE HAS THEIR LANE AND EVERYONE MUST STAY IN THEIR LANE. WE CANNOT FUNCTION THAT WAY, UM, BECAUSE STUDENTS AREN'T PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE FAMILY, WITH THE SCHOOL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE KIDS. AND THAT WILL TAKE A VARIETY OF PEOPLE TO DO THAT WITH THEIR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. AND I DO CONSIDER MY TEAM EXPERTS IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL FIELDS. AND SO I WANT THEM COLLABORATING WITH ONE ANOTHER. I WANT TO TALK TO THEM TO ONE ANOTHER. FOR EXAMPLE, IN AREAS SUCH AS NURSING, IF I GET A QUESTION AS THE CHIEF OF STUDENT SERVICES, I NEED TO NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO RELY ON OUR LEAD NURSE, BUT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MY TEAM OUT IN THE FIELD BE ABLE TO GO TO THAT NURSE TO HELP THEM SOLVE A PROBLEM WITHIN THE BUILDING. AND SO THEY'RE THE EXPERTS ON THOSE AND THEY COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. IS THAT, IS THAT A BETTER WAY TO EXPLAIN THE OVERLAP OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY DO? KIND OF WHAT I, WHAT I'M, MR. SMITH, CAN WE, IS THIS YOUR, YOU OKAY WITH THIS QUESTION? [01:20:01] THIS HIS ANSWER? OH, I ACTUALLY, I'M, YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE? NO, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME QUESTION, BUT HE'S ASKING, HE'S ASKING ME, I'M JUST DOING THE REBUTTAL OF IT, UH, UH, OF THE QUESTION. WELL, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND SAY, UH, BASICALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET A CLAR A CLARIFICATION ON IS THAT PRIOR TO THE, THE, MY QUESTION IS I'M JUST, I'M JUST, I'M BASED, I'M DONE. I'M COMPARING AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF WHERE WE AT IN TERMS FROM THE LAST, UH, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT, UH, WHAT THAT, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD? WHAT THAT WAS COMPRISED OF TO THE DIFFERENCE TO WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE'RE COMPRISED OF, OF NOW. BECAUSE I SEE SOME OF THESE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE NOW, AND I STILL HAVE OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER PLACES THAT ARE SAYING THAT, THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND I DON'T SEE SOME OF THESE POSITIONS BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT THE DIFFERENT NEEDS ARE THAT, THAT, THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY OR THAT, THAT ARE BEING SAID, THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD COME FROM THIS, FROM THIS DEPARTMENT. AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT WE HAVE, HOW IS THAT KIND OF SERVING AND VERSUS WHERE, WHERE, WHERE WE, WHERE WE, WHERE WE, WHERE ARE WE GOING AT? IT'S BA BASICALLY IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO, UH, I'M, I'M BASICALLY WHERE, WHERE'S WHERE I'M GETTING AT? I GUESS DR. RODRIGUEZ CAN COME UP AND SPEAK TO THAT. YEAH. SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE, UH, THE, YOU ASKED ABOUT THE PRIOR, UH, STUDENT SERVICES DIRECTOR. RIGHT? OKAY. AND WE, THE, THE, THE, THE TEAM THAT'S THERE, YOU KNOW, ARE, IS A TEAM THAT, UH, COVERED THE SAME GROUND OKAY. IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW WAS THEY OPERATED MUCH MORE IN SILOS. SO THE OVERLAP SUPPORT THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT IS BECAUSE HE HAS THEM INTEGRATING THEIR WORK MORE, UH, TO BETTER SUPPORT THE STUDENT NEED THAT WE SEE, THAT WE HEAR ABOUT, AND THAT WE RECEIVE. IF YOU'RE HEARING OF ADDITIONAL STUDENT NEEDS OUT THERE, UH, LET ME KNOW BECAUSE THEY MAY OR MAY NOT FALL WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF EITHER STUDENT SERVICES OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, UH, RESPONSIBILITY. AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO WHATEVER THOSE NEEDS MIGHT BE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT IS ON US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HITTING, UH, THE NAIL ON THAT WE DO THAT, YOU KNOW. BUT, BUT WHAT DR. COX HAS DONE IS TO INTEGRATE THE SUPPORT AMONGST THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN STUDENT SERVICES SO THAT, UH, THEY'RE BETTER ABLE AND BETTER EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT, UH, STUDENTS' NEEDS THAT THEY FACE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. YEAH. THANK YOU. BUT WE'VE GOT SOME OF THOSE, THOSE EMAILS TOO, BY THE WAY, BUT I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU. YOU SIR. ALRIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? DR. COX? QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? EVERYBODY GOOD? ALRIGHT, MOVING RIGHT ALONG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . SO THE NEXT ITEM I THINK IS A VERY, VERY QUICK ITEM. AND THEN I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER WE WANNA PAUSE ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT AND BRING IN POINTS OF CELEBRATION SINCE YOU HAVE FAMILIES OUT THERE. ARE YOU ALL GOOD WITH THAT? YEAH. MS. CROSBY, DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THIS OR DO YOU WANNA DO THIS? OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST A BUDGET UPDATE FOR YOU. AND, UH, WE HAVE NOW BEEN THROUGH TWO READINGS AT COUNTY COUNCIL. LAST NIGHT WAS THE SECOND READING. AND, UH, BOTH READINGS WERE, UH, UNANIMOUS UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL ON THE BUDGET. AND SO WE'VE GOT ONE, ONE MORE, UH, READING TO GO. SO CREDIT TO THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR FINANCIAL TEAM, UH, DID. AND IN THE COLLABORATION FROM THE FINANCIAL TEAM WITH ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE GIVE THE FINANCIAL TEAM AND ALL THE SUPPORTERS OF THAT FINANCIAL TEAM. A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 'CAUSE THAT IS, SO WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WE'LL [Points of Celebration] BEGIN THE POINTS OF CELEBRATION SECTION, SECTION. IS THAT FINE? MM-HMM . GOOD. FIRST OFF, UH, THIS EVENING, UH, WE BEGIN WITH THE CHARACTER ED, UH, FOR, FOR MAY. AND TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE MAY STUDENTS OF THE MONTH, BEGINNING WITH NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY MAY'S CHARACTER TRAIT WHERE RESPONSIBILITY AND COOPERATION RESPONSIBILITY IS DEFINED AS BEING ACCOUNTABLE IN WORD DEED. COOPERATION IS DEFINED AS THE PROCESS OF WORKING TOGETHER TO THE SAME END FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY. THE MAY STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS SAMARA PAGE, A FORMER FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND HERE TO INTRODUCE SAMARA IS HER FIFTH GRADE TEACHER. MS. BENDER. [01:25:11] IS SAMARA HERE AND IS MS. BENDER HERE? THERE'S A LOT. YEAH. THERE, THERE'S SEATS DOWN FRONT, UH, AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT IF SOMEONE 'EM REALLY WANTS TO SIT, OKAY, I'LL, I'LL PAUSE ON THAT ONE AND WE'LL GO TO SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY AND THEN COME BACK TO THAT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY'RE HERE. SO FOR SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, THE MAY STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS TATE BIG WOOD, A RISING FIFTH GRADER AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND HERE TO INTRODUCE TATE IS PRINCIPAL DR. CORLEY. THAT'S RIGHT. NO . GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. I AM VERY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE TATE BIG WOOD TO YOU. THE FOURTH GRADE TEAM PROUDLY NOMINATES TATE BIG WOOD. SORRY, SORRY WE COULDN'T GIVE YOU DR. PRATT, ONE OF HIS TEACHERS. YES. AND MR. EUGENE MCLAURIN, ALSO ONE OF HIS TEACHERS. AND WE COULDN'T KEEP THEM BACK, COULD WE? YOU HAD TO BE TATE CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS THE EXPECTATIONS THAT ALL RED CEDAR STUDENTS ARE HELD TO, AND HE CONSISTENTLY STRIVES TO MEET AND EXCEED THEM. HE DEMONSTRATES POSITIVITY AND EMPATHY IN HIS INTERACTIONS WITH BOTH PEERS AND ADULTS. ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP LINDA. HELPING HAND. TATE REGULARLY OFFERS SUPPORT TO CLASSMATES AND WORKS COOPERATIVELY WITH ANY GROUP. HE VALUES, MAKING OTHERS FEEL RESPECTED AND INCLUDED. AND THIS IS EVIDENT IN ALL OF HIS DAILY INTERACTIONS. IN ADDITION, TATE SHOWS RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH HIS ORGANIZATION AND PREPAREDNESS. HE TAKES CARE OF HIS MATERIALS, COMES READY FOR EACH LESSON, MAINTAINS EXCELLENT ATTENDANCE, AND IS CONSISTENTLY ON TIME. ONE OF MY FAVORITES, TATE'S THIRD GRADE TEACHER STATED, THESE BEHAVIORS WERE EVIDENT IN HIM LAST YEAR AS WELL. BEYOND MEETING OTHERS' EXPECTATIONS, TATE SETS HIGH STANDARDS FOR HIMSELF. HE TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HIS OWN LEARNING UNDER STANDING. THAT SUCCESS IS EARNED THROUGH EFFORT AND PERSEVERANCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. HE HAS SET PERSONAL GOALS AND WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ACHIEVE THEM. TATE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE ALL LEVELS IN MATH FACT LAB AND MASTER HIS MATH FACTS. HE INDEPENDENTLY UTILIZES AVAILABLE TOOLS TO DEEPEN HIS UNDERSTANDING AND CONTINUOUSLY GROW ACADEMICALLY. TATE'S DEDICATION IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT IN ACADEMIC CHALLENGES THAT REWARD COMMITMENT. IN THE READ BOWL, THE IREADY MATH CHALLENGE AND IXL MARCH MATH NESS, HE CONSISTENTLY ROSE TO THE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD BY PUTTING IN THE TIME AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO SUCCEED. WHILE HE IS HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND COMPETITIVE, TATE ALSO DEMONSTRATES INTEGRITY AND FAIRNESS DURING THE SCHOOL WIDE, ACTUALLY DISTRICT-WIDE IXL CHALLENGE, ALTHOUGH, WHICH WE WON BY THE WAY, JUST SUCH. CONGRATS. YOU GET THAT IN. NO, NOT BREAKING, DON'T DO THAT. I WON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. ALTHOUGH HE INITIALLY HELD THE TOP SCORE FOR HIS GRADE, HE CHOSE NOT TO ADOPT SHORTCUTS THAT OTHERS USE TO PROGRESS MORE QUICKLY. INSTEAD, HE CONTINUED WORKING THROUGH THE SKILLS AS INTENDED, RECOGNIZING THAT DOING SO WOULD LEAD TO GREATER LEARNING AND REFLECT WHAT HE BELIEVES IS THE RIGHT WAY TO LEARN. TATE BIG WOOD IS TRULY A RESPONSIBLE YOUNG MAN WHO TAKES OWNERSHIP OF BOTH HIS BEHAVIOR AND HIS LEARNING. HE CAN BE COUNTED ON TO MAKE THOUGHTFUL, GOOD CHOICES AND TO ALWAYS DO HIS BEST. THE FOURTH GRADE TEAM IS PROUD TO NOMINATE HIM AS STUDENT OF THE MONTH. AND WE ARE TWO. YES? MM-HMM . MS. CORLEY, IS THIS YOUR LAST ACT? IS THIS CAPPING YOUR CAREER HERE? UH, THIS, UH, DR. CORLEY, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR AMAZING PRINCIPALS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS RETIRING THIS YEAR. SO DR. CORLEY, DID YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING FOR JUST A MINUTE? YES. THANKS. I'M NEW AT THIS, BUT RETIRING I THINK MAKES A PERSON THINK ABOUT LIFE CHOICES. AND I THINK ABOUT 20 YEARS SPENT IN THREE OTHER STATES AND 27 MORE SPENT HERE ALL ON EDUCATION. I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT. BUT WHY DO YOU STAY FOR 27 YEARS IN THE SAME PLACE? YOU DO THAT? BECAUSE THIS [01:30:01] IS THE KIND OF PLACE THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO ALLOWING AND NURTURING GOOD THINGS TO HAPPEN AND GROW O PLANNING, FUNDING, INTENTIONALITY ON THE PART OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, SENIOR STAFF, THE BOARD, OTHERS AT DISTRICT OFFICE ALONG WITH THE EFFORTS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEACHERS HAVING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS OR NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. THEN THERE'S THE STAFF AT RED CEDAR SCHOOL STAFFS ARE PUT TOGETHER BY HIRING AND TRANSFERS, BUT OURS FEELS MORE LIKE IT WAS CURATED LIKE IN AN ART MUSEUM. I'LL STAND BY THAT. THEY'VE BEEN WONDERFUL AND I'VE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED BEING WITH THEM. I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU AS WELL AS THE 900 STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STAFF AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY FOR MAKING BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT A GREAT PLACE, PLACE TO BE. THANKS, DR. CORLEY. I JUST WANT TO, UH, PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND I KNOW THE REST OF THE BOARD JOINS ME WITH THAT. YES, THOSE COMMENTS. AND THE FIRST YEAR YOU WERE HERE AS PRINCIPAL OF BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY, YOU HAD TWO OF MY THREE SONS , ONE IN SECOND GRADE, AND ONE IN FOURTH GRADE . SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR, UH, UH, YOUR STAFF AT, AT THE SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. WELL DONE. I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO ASK IF, UH, SAMARA PAGE IS HERE AND, UH, MS. BENDER. OKAY. UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS. SO TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC AWARDS, INCLUDING THE CHAMPIONSHIP CIRCLE AWARD. AND HERE TO TELL US MORE IS DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CARLOS KAFE, DR. KAFE. WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SOME HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS THAT ARE COMING FORTH, UH, TONIGHT TOO. ALL RIGHT. SO AGAIN, UH, WE BEGIN THE YEAR END, THE YEAR AS WE BEGIN THE YEAR, UH, ANNOUNCING STATE CHAMPIONS AND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA BEGIN BY CELEBRATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD. UH, THESE YOUNG LADIES WILL CROWN STATE CHAMPIONS AND CLASS FOER. AND WE'LL ASK AT THIS TIME, UM, IF THE HEAD COACH AND ANY OF THOSE ATHLETES WILL COME FORWARD TO BE RECOGNIZED. SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT AS A TEAM. THANK YOU. THIS YEAR'S TEAM WAS A SURPRISE, BUT YET NOT A SURPRISE. UM, 'CAUSE WE HAD SOME REALLY DEDICATED ATHLETES, YOUNG LADIES THAT, UM, AT REALLY DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO PERFORMING WELL. IT WAS THE SMALLEST NUMBER OF ATHLETES THAT I'VE HAD. I'VE BEEN AT HILTON HEAD FOR 21 YEARS, THE SMALLEST NUMBER OF GIRLS I'VE HAD IN YEARS. SO I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED. UM, BUT THEY GAVE ME FAITH BECAUSE, UH, AT THE END, AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR, WE USUALLY HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF ATHLETES TO PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL. AND THOSE ATHLETES THIS YEAR WAS THE TEAM. SO WE HAD QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. UM, SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM. NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OTHER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP INDIVIDUALS. UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. THIS YOUNG MAN WON STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 800 METER, UM, RUN AND AS AN INDIVIDUAL. AND ALSO IN THE 1600 METER, WHICH IS A MILE EIGHT HUNDREDS, TWO TIMES AROUND THE TRACK. 16 IS FOUR [01:35:01] LAPS. UM, HE WENT SUB TWO MINUTES AND THE 800 AND SUB FIVE MINUTES, ALMOST ECLIPSING A SUB FOUR MINUTE IN THE MILE. MR. JACKSON WRIGHT, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, MAN. WOW. NEXT WE'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE, UH, WAL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL. UM, I'LL ASK THAT ALL OF THOSE YOUNG LADIES THAT ARE PRESENT AND THE HEAD COACH, UH, BUT HE WOULD COME UP. UM, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CHAMPIONS THAT WERE CROWNED. UM, SEVERAL OF THESE YOUNG LADIES ON THE RELAY TEAM TOGETHER AS WELL. FIRST YOUNG LADY IS MS. JANIE. UH, UH, UM, UM, MS. JANEFIELD, SHE'S STATE CHAMPION AND THE 100 METER HURDLES SHE WENT 15, 20, UH, 15 SECONDS, 15 POINT 20 SECONDS IN THE HUNDRED METER HURDLES. ALSO COMING UP, UH, IN THE LONG JUMP. MS. LAMAR PRYOR, UH, IN THE LONG JUMP, SHE WENT 17 FEET TWO INCHES IN THE LONG JUMP. AND, UH, ALSO THE SAME YOUNG LADIES RAN ON THE FOUR BY ONE. UM, AND THEY WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH THE TIME OF 48 33. UM, SO THAT'S MISS, UH, NA, NAOMI KANE, TAMARI BLACK, LAMAR PRYOR, AND MS. CHAIN FIELD SU SUPERINTENDENT BEFORE THE WILL BRANCH CONTINGENT GO BACK TO THEIR SEATS. IT IS SO GREAT TO HAVE SEEN THEIR PRINCIPAL AND THEIR COACHES CLAPPING AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM. SO I'M SO HAPPY YOU BROUGHT THEM UP. SO KUDOS TO THE TEAM AND THE ADMINISTRATION THERE. ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO MIDDLE SCHOOL ACCOLADES ATHLETICALLY. AND WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH, UH, BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, AT THIS TIME WE WILL ASK THAT, UH, THERE ARE SOFTBALL AND GIRLS TRACK AND TRACK AND FIELD MVP COME UP FRONT, UM, SOFTBALL COACH'S CHOICE OF THE YEAR, UM, FOR BEAUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, MS. PAT STARR. AND WE ASK IF YOU JUST REMAIN UPFRONT AND WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU COLLECTIVELY AS A SCHOOL. UM, GIRLS TRACK COACHES, CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR, MS. JANIE WILLIAMS, AND THE GIRLS' RUNNING MVP, MS. LAKI ON LE IF SHE WILL COME UP. SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL RECOGNIZE BEAUTIFUL MIDDLE WITH THEIR ACCOLADES WE GET ON THE OTHER SIDE. COME ON THIS SIDE. CONGRATULATIONS. NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO BLUFF BLUFFING MIDDLE SCHOOL. UH, THEY HAVE SEVERAL AWARDS, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA ANNOUNCE. AND AGAIN, WE'LL ASK THAT THEY ALL COME UP AS WE CALL THEM, AND WE'LL RECOGNIZE THEM COLLECTIVELY AS A ONE LARGE GROUP. UM, SO AT THIS TIME, BLUFFING MIDDLE SCHOOL, BL BOYS, TRACK COACHES CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR, MR. DARREN WINGARD, BASEBALL COACH OF THE YEAR, MR. DEWAN FIELDS, PLAYER OF THE YEAR. MR. KEVIN BAYSMORE, [01:40:15] GIRLS SOCCER COACH OF THE YEAR. MISS CHRISTIE CAMPOS, PLAYER OF THE YEAR. GIRLS SOCCER, PEPPER HEWITT BOYS SOCCER COACH OF THE YEAR. MR. TRE AUSTIN, BOY, SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR. MR. FABIO BELLO. AND NOW I'M GONNA END THIS PORTION WITH BLUFF THE MIDDLE. OBVIOUSLY YOU SEE THAT THEY DID VERY WELL ON ON FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL STANDPOINT WITH RACKING UP SEVERAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. THERE ARE ALSO ALSO OUR 20 25, 20 26. AND IF MISS, UH, THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, MISS SAMANTHA, IF SHE WILL COME UP AND THE PRINCIPAL, IF THEY'RE HERE, THEY'RE OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHAMPION CIRCLE AWARD WINNER FOR THE TOP MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. ALRIGHT, FOR THE BOARD, JUST GOING TO SHOW YOU THIS 'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT LAST YEAR. THIS IS THE AWARD THAT THEY WILL DISPLAY MOVING FORWARD. UH, AND THEY'LL TROPHY CASE. AND IT REPRESENTS, AGAIN, BEING CROWNED AS THE TOP MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. HILTON HEAD WAS THE WINNER ON LAST YEAR. I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE THEY WERE RECEIVING AWARD, BUT THEY ACTUALLY RECEIVED THIS AT A LATER DATE. I DELIVERED IT TO THE SCHOOL. SO I'M GONNA GIVE THIS TO THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. ALSO, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES VOTED, UH, TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER. SO THEY ALSO WILL RECEIVE A BANNER THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DISPLAY IN THE GYM. AND IT SAYS, BEAUTIFUL COUNTY CHAMPION CIRCLE AWARD WINNER FOR BEST MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM 20 25, 20 26. YEAH. SO WE'RE, WE'RE WINDING DOWN. I KNOW THIS IS A LOT. H HE MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL NOW RECOGNIZE THERE ARE OUTSTANDING, UH, COACHES AND PLAYERS. BOYS, SOCCER COACHES, CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR, MR. JULIO LOPEZ, SOFTBALL, COACH OF THE YEAR. MS. PATRICIA NUTTER, [01:45:23] PLAY OF THE YEAR, SOFTBALL, MISS GIANNA MARTINEZ, AND BASEBALL COACH'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR. MR. J, UH, JASON, UH, SHARPEN. HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY AT THIS TIME. NOW WE'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM GONNA CALL UP ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BEING RECOGNIZED AT THIS TIME. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PICTURE. UH, WE'LL BEGIN TRACK AND FIELD BOYS AND GIRLS, TRACK AND FIELD COACH OF THE YEAR, MS. HALEY EDWARDS. SO AS MS. EDWARDS, IF SHE'LL REMAIN UPFRONT. UM, WE ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HILTON HAD MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS PARTICIPATED IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, MIDDLE SCHOOL INVITATIONAL, AND THEY ALSO WERE CROWN CHAMPIONS, UH, AS PARTICIPANTS IN THAT AS WELL. BOYS RUNNING MVP, MR. CRE, FROST GIRLS FIELD, MVP, MS. KENNEDY FORD AND BOYS FIELD, MVP, MR. CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS. YOU CHRISTOPHER? YEAH. IF, UH, THE RECOG, THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED TONIGHT FROM, UH, MCCRACKEN, IF YOU WOULD COME UP FOR THE GROUP PHOTO. ALRIGHT. HEY, AM I CRACKING? SORRY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. LEWIS. THE COMPETITION'S GETTING THIN NOW. IT'S GETTING THICK. ALL RIGHT. IN OUR FINAL AWARD, UM, THIS PERSON'S NOT PRESENT, BUT DAY IS A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TO RECEIVE THAT AWARD, AND THAT IS THE COACH'S CHOICE COACH OF THE YEAR FOR GIRLS SOCCER. MISS, UM, IVY COLEMAN FROM LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. BARNES WILL BE ACCEPTING THAT AWARD. [01:50:19] SO AS I CLOSE, JUST WANNA SHARE AGAIN WITH THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE SOME NEW INITIATIVES GOING IN NEXT YEAR, ATHLETIC WISE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE ADDING, WE'LL BE ADDING, UH, GIRLS INDIVIDUAL WRESTLING, UH, WHILE WE NOW HAVE, UH, WRESTLING ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. UM, YOU HAVE A TEAM CHAMPION THAT'S BEING CROWNED. YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL, UH, CHAMPIONS BY WEIGHT CLASS, BUT IT WAS ONLY ON THE BOYS SIDE. THIS YEAR, UH, UH, THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR, WE'LL OFFER IT AS WELL FOR OUR FEMALE WRESTLERS BECAUSE WE HAVE A HUGE GROUP OF YOUNG LADIES THAT PARTICIPATE IN WRESTLING. AND FINALLY WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THE FACT THAT IN THE, THE FALL, UM, WE RECEIVED A GRANT. I APPLIED WITH THE CAROLINA PANTHERS, AND WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED, UH, FUNDING FOR GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL, WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED AS A CLUB COMPONENT THIS YEAR. UH, THE ANTICIPATION IS THAT IT WILL BE SANCTIONED FULLY BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE STEP AND MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WHEN IT IS SANCTIONED, WE ARE NOT BEGINNING, WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME AND WE'LL BE CROWNING CHAMPIONS IN GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GONNA ASK, UH, JUST ONE MORE TIME AND SEE IF, UH, SAMARA PAGE IS HERE. OKAY. UM, I WAS GONNA, UH, DO A RECOGNITION, UH, DURING ANNOUNCEMENTS, UM, BUT WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO, UH, DO IT AT THIS TIME. WOULD THAT WORK? OKAY. OKAY. UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UM, MR. TERRANCE, MR. BRAD TERRANCE TO COME FORWARD AND MS. BRIBE, WHO IS HERE TO COME FORWARD, UH, AS WELL. SO, MS. BRI BAIN IS A TEACHER AT ROBERT SMALLS, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OR K TO EIGHT SCHOOL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO IS I REC, WHEN I, WHEN I SEE, UH, SOME REALLY GREAT INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND SOME REALLY GREAT WORK, UH, TAKING PLACE, UH, FROM EITHER OUR STUDENTS OR, UH, OR OUR, UM, UH, EDUCATIONAL, UH, EMPLOYEES, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WITH A SUPERINTENDENT'S CHALLENGE COIN. AND ON THAT CHALLENGE COIN, ON ONE SIDE, IT'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT. ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S, UH, IT SAYS, THIS IS OUR MOONSHOT MOMENT, AND IT HAS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, GOALS THAT ARE ON THERE, 75, 75, 92. THANK YOU, SIR. AND SO, SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DRIVING TOWARDS, RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME WHEN I SAW THIS IS THE WORK THAT MS. BRIS BAIN HAS UNDERTAKEN WITH HER STUDENTS, AND HER STUDENTS ARE PUTTING THIS PRODUCT TOGETHER AT THEIR SCHOOL. AND IT IS A QUITE IMPRESSIVE PRODUCT, UH, UH, MR. TERRANCE HAS BROUGHT COPIES OF, OF THAT PRODUCT FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT. UH, BUT I WANNA RECOGNIZE MS. BRI BAIN FOR THIS REALLY AWESOME WORK BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAPPING INTO SOMETHING THAT A, A STUDENT'S SKILLSET, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE TEACHING THEM A SKILLSET, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TEACH TEACHING THEM MUCH MORE THAN THAT THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AND IT'S JUST, UH, UNIQUE. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. AND I WANNA JUST RECOGNIZE YOU, UH, FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, UH, ON. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'D REALLY LIKE TO THANK PRINCIPAL TERRANCE FOR ALLOWING ME THE AUTONOMY TO JUST GO OUT THERE AND TRY IT AND DO IT. HE CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO THE NEWSPAPER. I SAID, OKAY. I WALKED AROUND THE SCHOOL. I'M NEW TO ROBERT SMALLS. SO I WALKED AROUND THE SCHOOL AND I SAID, WELL, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE. HOW AM I GONNA MAKE THAT CONNECTION? BUT I WENT INTO EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM, MET EVERY SINGLE TEACHER, AND THEY WELCOMED ME IN THEIR ROOMS. I GOT TO MEET EVERY SINGLE STUDENT. AND AS YOU'LL SEE THROUGH THE NEWSPAPER, THAT EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY STAFF MEMBER PARTICIPATED IN THIS NEWSPAPER. UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ FOR RECOGNIZING MY WORK. I MEAN, IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THIS POSITION AT THIS TIME. AND OF COURSE, MY FAMILY, THEY'RE HERE. MY GRANDSON, MY DAUGHTER, HIM FOR JUST HIM FOR JUST SAYING, OH, IT'S COOL. AND FOR HER FOR SAYING, OKAY, I'LL LISTEN MORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, MS. THANK YOU, MS. BRISBANE. I WILL WANT TO ADD, UH, WHILE SHE'S HERE, WHEN YOU'RE [01:55:01] LOOKING THROUGH IT, IT'S NOT A NORMAL, UH, NEWSPAPER. THERE ARE QR CODES THAT YOU SCAN, AND THIS GOES TO STUDENTS SPEAKING AND THEIR FACES WILL POP UP ON YOUR PHONE. WE'RE LOOKING TO EMBARK THIS AND, AND, AND PURSUE THIS EVEN FURTHER WITH OUR HISTORIC CLUB OF ROBERT SMALLS, WHERE WE CAN CARRY ON THE ALUMNI'S MESSAGE AND THE HISTORY OF ROBERT SMALLS THROUGH SIMPLE QR CODES. UH, WE HAVE T-SHIRTS ALSO OF, UH, THE, I WANNA SAY IT'S THE SECOND, SECOND TO LAST PAGE. OH, RIGHT HERE. UH, PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, ALL DREW ROBERT SMALLS. AND WE HAVE THESE MADE UP INTO T-SHIRTS TOO, AND EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS, UM, AND OUR EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS AS WELL THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THAT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING AMAZING. JUST POINT OF PRIVILEGE. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY MRS. BAIN, MR. YEAH, I, UH, WELL, I I'M NOT SURPRISED BY IT BY THIS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE SAME, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN YOU HAD RIGHT. CHOICES. SO I, I WANTED TO TELL YOU CONTINUE TO DO WELL CONTINUE THE POINTS OF THE STUDENTS BECAUSE YOUR WORKER WILL SPEAK LOUDER THAN YOUR ACTIONS. AND I, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. MR. TERRANCE LIKES IT 'CAUSE HE'S ON THE COVER, BUT THAT'S, BESIDES, WE NOTICED THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW. THAT CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT THIS EVENING, UH, REGARDING THIS LAST AWARD. BUT NOW AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT AND WE HAVE OUR PRESENTATION FROM DR. LEE. A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS? GO AHEAD. UM, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS BACK, UH, HOW OFTEN WOULD THIS BE PUBLISHED? WELL, UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO TWO THIS YEAR. UM, ONE, UH, THE STUDENTS ARE LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THAT. IT DOES. UH, WE HAVE A TEACHER, UH, MR. DAWSON THAT WE'RE GONNA FEATURE BECAUSE HE WORKS WITH APPS AND BUILDING APPS. I THINK HE'S ONE OF TWO TEACHERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. HE BUILDS APPS AND SO WE WANNA FEATURE HIM. SO THAT'S WHAT THE DIRECTION THAT THE STUDENTS ARE LOOKING AT. AND ALSO WE ARE LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY FROM THE POINT OF WHETHER OR NOT STUDENTS SHOULD BE USING IT IN THE CLASSROOM. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. AND THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA HAVE PARENTS ACTUALLY DOING A SURVEY. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. OH, CAN WE HAVE THAT DATA PLEASE? YES. . SO THAT'S THE DATA WE ARE LOOKING AT. YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL IDEAS COMING FROM THE STUDENTS. I JUST LEAVE IT OPEN AND ALLOW THEM TO THINK AND WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO, I TRY TO LET THEM DO IT FROM THERE. THANK YOU. WELL DONE. YES. NICE. GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. GOOD EVENING. UM, AS WE WRAP UP OUR 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE OUR 26 GRADUATES AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THIS UPCOMING VIDEO, UM, SHOWS A FEW OF OUR GRADUATES AND THEIR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, THE CLASS OF 2026. YOU MAY NOW LOVE YOUR FROM THE BRIGHT. HI, I'M KA STEWART. AND I'M ELIZABETH MARKOWITZ. AND I'M GRADUATING HILTON AT ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE EXPERIENCES IN CONFIDENCE TO PURSUE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE. AFTER FOUR YEARS OF RUNNING TRACK AT HILTON AND ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, I'M TAKING MY TALENTS TO CLEMSON UNIVERSITY TO RUN TRACK WHILE STUDYING COMPUTER SCIENCE. I'M LEONARDO PARKER, A SENIOR AT WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'LL BE HEADING TO THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON TO MAJOR IN PUBLIC HEALTH. HI, I'M AIDEN MCCARTHY. AND I'M REBECCA WON. I'M GRADUATING FROM BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND I WILL BE ATTENDING CLEMSON UNIVERSITY'S HONORS COLLEGE THIS UPCOMING FALL FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND I'M HEADED TO UMASS TO CONTINUE MY FOOTBALL CAREER IN STUDY BUSINESS. I'M HANLIN WE CAMPER FROM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. I'LL BE JOINING WEST POINT WITH A BIOLOGY MAJOR IN HOPES OF JOINING THE MEDICAL CORPS. HI, I'M ALLISON DENISON. AND I'M CALEB SINGLETON. I'M GRADUAT RIVER FROM BEFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND HEADING TO BOSTON WE'RE, I STUDY CHEMISTRY AT BOSTON COLLEGE AND I'M HEADING TO FLORIDA TO PLAY VOLLEYBALL, MAJORING IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AT FLORIDA TECH. MY NAME IS MERRICK ELLENBERGER. I'M GRADUATING FROM BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL AND I PLAN ON ATTENDING UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO STUDY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. NO MATTER WHERE WE'RE HEADED, WE'LL ALWAYS CARRY WHERE WE STARTED. GO. GO EAGLES, GO WARRIORS. GO BOBCATS. GO. DOLPHINS. FINS UP. GO SHARKS. GO SEAS. GO SEA. OUR NEXT TWO SLIDES SHOW [02:00:01] THE GRADUATING CLASSES AT EACH OF OUR SIX HIGH SCHOOLS. MANY OF YOU ALL WERE IN ATTENDANCE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO PREPARING FOR GRADUATION. A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK. WE HAD STUDENTS, UM, THAT ASSISTED MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AT THE SCHOOL WORKED ON LOGISTICS. UM, I WANNA SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL ARE AWARE, BUT OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT GOES IN AND THEY SET UP OUR STAGES AND OUR CHAIRS OUTDOORS, BUT THEY ALSO SET UP INDOORS ON THE OFF CHANCE THAT OUR LOW COUNTRY WEATHER DOESN'T COOPERATE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT THIS YEAR. WE ALSO HAD THE WEAPONS DETECTION DISTRICT TEAM THAT CAME AND ASSISTED THE HIGH SCHOOL SO THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT COMPONENT. OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT ASSISTED AND WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR COUNTY CHANNEL FOR LIVE STREAMING, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T ATTEND OUR SENIOR STAFF, THAT ALL WERE IN ATTENDANCE. UM, THERE'S A LOT THAT TAKES PLACE TO GET THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU CAN GO INTO THE NEXT SLIDE. UM, OUR GRADUATE FACTS. THIS IS WHAT MR. DALLAS, UM, REFERRED TO EARLIER. SO AS YOU SAW WHEN OUR ROOM WAS FILLED UP, WE HAVE ATHLETIC, UM, SUCCESSES. WE HAVE ACADEMIC SUCCESSES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE C CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. AND THESE NUMBERS SHOW ALL THAT WE OFFER FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THERE'S A PATHWAY FOR EVERYONE, UM, TO GO BACK JUST A SECOND, I JUST WANT TO SAY 1500 GRADUATING STUDENTS AND $35 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS. THAT'S INCREDIBLE. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WE HAVE AS TO DATE. YOU CAN GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICED EARLIER WHEN WE HAD THE TEACHER FROM ROBERT SMALLS, IT IS THE IMPACT OF A TEACHER. MANY OF US REMEMBER OUR TEACHERS. THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR TEACHER THAT WE HAVE THAT WE THINK OF WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR SUCCESSES. AND THESE STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND SAY THANK YOU TO THEIR FAVORITE TEACHER. SO I WANT THIS VIDEO TO PLAY SO YOU CAN SEE THIS. YOU NERVOUS? I AM VERY ACTUALLY YEAH. SHAKING AND EVERYTHING. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LETTER THAT SHE WROTE HERE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ON MY WALL. THAT'S AWESOME. SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE TEACHER. IT'S ALWAYS NERVE WRACKING. I HAVE TO SPEAK SOMETIMES IN PUBLIC TOO. YEAH. OOH, NOW MY HEART IS FOUNDING . I'M GONNA START CRYING. OH MY GOSH. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? IT'S BEEN SO LONG. I KNOW. HEY, SO GOOD. HI, MR. VAPES. . UH, I WROTE A SENIOR LETTER ABOUT YOU. YOU DID IT. YEAH. THEY WANT ME TO READ IT OUT TO YOU. WHAT'S HAPPENING, ? I'M . HI. THIS IS SO FUNNY. WHATCHA DOING? I HAVE A LETTER TO READ. YOU DEAR MR. RAYS DEAR BUT DEAR MS. LEY, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE YOU PASSED DOWN TO ME ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, YOU TOLD ME YOU BELIEVED ME. MANY TEACHERS HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT FOR SOME REASON WHEN YOU TOLD ME, IT STOOD OUT TO ME. EVERYONE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE TEACHER THAT CHANGES THEIR LIFE FOREVER. AND FOR ME, THAT WAS MY FIFTH GRADE TEACHER, MISS FIELD LAW. AS I PREPARE TO CLOSE THIS CHAPTER OF MY LIFE AND LOOK BACK FROM THE FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT SEE YOUR INFLUENCE. YOU ARE THE MOST KIND AND CARING TEACHER THAT I KNOW YOU ARE MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER IN BAND. YOU, YOU'RE IN ALMOST EVERY GAME AND FIELD SHOW THAT I NEEDED THAT MADE MY, MADE ME MY GREATER SELF. YOU HAVE LIFTED ME UP WHEN I DIDN'T THINK I COULD DO IT. SHE HAD A LIGHT THAT RADIATED POSITIVITY EVERY SINGLE DAY. SHE TAUGHT ME THAT KINDNESS CAN NOW SHINE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. I LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE KIND BECAUSE OF HER. I LOOKED UP TO HER SO MUCH THAT I BOUGHT THE SAME SHOES AS HER AND WORE THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY. CHECK YOUR VANS. YOU TRULY BOUGHT ME OUTTA MY SHE. AND BECAUSE OF YOU, I'VE GROWN FROM SOMEONE WHO'S A LITTLE UNSURE OF THEMSELF AND VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO BEING SOMEONE THAT'S FULLY CONFIDENT IN WHO THEY ARE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW IT OR IF YOU EVER WILL KNOW IT, BUT YOU MAY COME INTO SCHOOL WORTH IT. YOU HAVE THIS WAY OF LIFTING EVERYONE'S SPIRITS AND MAKING EVERYONE'S SMILE ON DAYS THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE CAN. FROM TIME TO TIME, I WOULD STRUGGLE, BUT YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE TO HELP ME ALONG THE WAY. YOU ARE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED PUSH ME OUT ON MY SHELL DURING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT. IN A PLACE THAT CAN BE SO LOUD AND OVERWHELMING, YOUR ROOM HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE A PLACE OF SUPPORT, A PLACE WHERE I FEEL LOVED, SEEN, HEARD, AND TRULY UNDERSTOOD. I LOVE YOU AND I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME AND MY BAND AND MY COLOR GUARD GIRLS . I WISH EVERY STUDENT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HER AS A TEACHER. I AM WHO I AM TODAY BECAUSE OF MY KIND, BEAUTIFUL, ENCOURAGING AND SELFLESS FIFTH GRADE TEACHER. AND I ALWAYS HAVE THE NOTE. YOU LEFT ME UP IN MY ROOM. [02:05:01] OH MY GOD, LOOK AT YOU. YOU ARE NOT A GOOD GRADE. WITH ALL MY BEST WISHES. THANK YOU FOR BEING AN AMAZING TEACHER. SINCERELY, YOUR FORMER STUDENT, ALANA EZ FRANCISCO. OH MY GOSH. THANK YOU DARLING. OH, THANK YOU PATTY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME, SWEETHEART. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. I REMEMBER THAT LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY. MM-HMM . FOR YOU. SIMPLY BEING THE MOST AMAZING TEACHER THAT I COULD EVER ASK FOR. I LOVE YOU BETH. AND WITH ALL OF MY LOVE AND GRATITUDE IN THE WORLD, TATIANA SPENCER , DON'T LEAVE ME. , DON'T LEAVE ME. OKAY. OH MY GOSH, DON'T CRY. THIS IS AMAZING. WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING? I DUNNO. AND THIS IS FOR YOU. SORRY. OH MY GOD, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. WHERE ARE YOU GOING? OHIO STATE FOR THE SAME THING THAT YOU WROTE CARDIOLOGY FOR PRE-MED. SAME THING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED. SO I'M GOING THERE NEXT YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. SHE'S, SHE'S A SEAHAWK. YES. IT'S AMAZING. I'M SO, YOU GUYS ARE LUCKY. I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THE LUCKY ONE. I CAN'T. YEAH. THIS IS TOO MUCH. CAN WE JUST DO THIS IN PRIVATE ? YES. SO AS WE WRAP UP THE YEAR, WE KNOW OUR KIDS. I AM VERY, WE KNOW THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE A GREAT FUTURE AHEAD OF THEM, AND WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO WE WANNA THANK THEM AND THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BEAUTIFUL. JUST WANT TO ADD THE, UH, THE VIDEOS THAT CAPTURE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT THAT OUR, UH, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES HAVE WITH THE CHILDREN THAT WERE BLESSED TO SERVE, UM, ARMED BY ACCIDENT HAS COME COURTESY OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO. BUT THIS LAST VIDEO, RIGHT AT THE HEART OF THAT WORK IS MOLLY AND MOLLY, IF YOU COME UP HERE FOR A MINUTE, PLEASE. OH, MOLLY DOESN'T LIKE TO BE EMBARRASSED, BUT, BUT I HAVE A, A CHALLENGE GOING. THANK MOLLY FOR HER WORK AS WELL. FANTASTIC. . THAT WAS A GREAT VIDEO. IT WAS A GREAT VIDEO. MOLLY . ALRIGHT. BUT SHE DOES TREMENDOUS WORK BEHIND THE SCENES AND SHE LOVES TO STAY BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU OUR, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM HAS JUST REALLY LEVELED UP ON, ON THE WORK THAT, THAT THEY'RE DOING. AND IT, IT, IT SHOWS 'CAUSE IT BEGINS TO CAPTURE THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND THE SUCCESSES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO THANK YOU MOLLY, AND THANK THE TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DR. LEE. OKAY. UH, NEXT TOPIC IS [Future Agenda Topics] FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS. WE'VE CAPTURED. TWO, I HAVE RIGHT CHOICES, AND THEN FINANCE. ARE THERE OTHERS? MM-HMM . SETTING THE AGENDA, BOARD POLICY AND FOIA. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHERS? MM-HMM . UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEEK SOME CLARIFICATION. MR. SMITH, CAN YOU PLEASE ELABORATE, UH, ON WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? UH, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ASKED IN THE PAST, UH, UH, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT, UH, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ASKED IN THE PAST, UH, FOR, FOR AN UPDATE AND THEN WHEN STAFF BROUGHT INFORMATION FORWARD, THERE WAS SOME CONSTERNATION BECAUSE IT WASN'T WHAT WAS ASKED FOR. UH, AND BE, BECAUSE I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE SPECIFICALLY WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR SO WE CAN BRING FORWARD WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. AND MY RESPONSE WILL BE THE SAME AS I RESPONDED TO YOU. AS EARLIER I SAID I WILL SEND IT TO YOU IN THE FORM OF AN EMAIL AND FROM THE INFORMATION YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE OUT OF IT FROM THAT EMAIL. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THAT, IS THAT CLEAR? YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHERS? OKAY. ALRIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. ANNOUNCEMENTS. [Announcements] OKAY. CHECK MARK. SECOND PUBLIC [Second Public Comments] COMMENTS. OUR FIRST PERSON IS MR. JAMES MILLER. THANK YOU AGAIN. NICE TO SEE ALL YOUR FACES AGAIN. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I MADE AN ERROR IN [02:10:01] THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS. YOU'VE HAD POINTS OF INTEREST AND RECOGNIZED BAND, UH, HONOREES WHO RECEIVED, UH, SOLO AND ENSEMBLE RECOGNITION. I SAID THERE WAS ONE ADDITIONAL SCHOOL THAT WASN'T RECOGNIZED, AND I APOLOGIZE. I WAS WRONG. I WENT AND GOT MY INFORMATION FROM SOUTH CAROLINA BANNER DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE'S TWO MCCRACKEN'S IN THE STATE, ONE IN UPSTATE. UH, ALONG THAT LINE, ONE OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS SAID SOLO AN ENSEMBLE. AND IT ALSO ADDED OP, A OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD THAT GOES, THAT NEEDS EMPHASIS IN THE PAST 50 TO 60 YEARS, ONLY THREE SCHOOLS HAVE EVER RECEIVED THAT AWARD. IT IS CONSIDERED THE HIGHEST AWARD FOR BANDS AND IT ENTAILS A BAND GETTING POINTS FROM AR FOUR MAJOR AREAS. THEY'RE MARCHING IN THEIR STATE COMPETITION, HAVING STUDENTS IN THE REGION OR, OR STATE BAND AND, UH, CPA AND ET CETERA. THERE'S FOUR AREAS THAT, LIKE I SAID, IN 50 TO 60 YEARS, ONLY THREE OF BUFORT SCHOOLS HAVE EVER RECEIVED IT. HA. THAT IS DESERVES SPECIAL ATTENTION. AND I WANT TO GIVE THAT TO HOWEVER, FLIP SIDE, EXCUSE ME, FLIP SIDE. IT IS THE HIGHEST AWARD, BUT OFFERED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION. BUT IN ANY, BUT IN THIS YEAR, 30%, OR LET ME SAY 32% OF THE FOUR A SCHOOLS RECEIVED IT, 29% OF THE SCHOOLS RECEIVED IT FOR THREE A. SO YOU SEE, WE OUGHT TO BE HAVING ONE OR TWO EVERY YEAR, AND WE'VE ONLY HAD THREE IN THE LAST 60 YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. ANTHONY CAMBRIA. GOOD EVENING BOARD. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THESE COMMENTS AND TELL THE SPIRIT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION OF OUR STUDENTS. BUT THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS LEAVE OUR SCHOOLS UNPREPARED FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. THE 25 SOUTH CAROLINA CAREER AND READY DATA REPRESENTS A REALITY THAT WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE. IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS, 76% OF THE STUDENTS EARNED A CAREER READY CREDENTIAL. 76% IN SOUTH BEAUFORT COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS, THAT WAS ONLY 56%. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE IS 69. MOST ALARMING, HOWEVER, IS THAT IN NORTHERN BUFORT COUNTY, ONLY 43%, I'M SORRY, 43% GRADUATED WITHOUT EARNING ANY CAREER CREDENTIAL. ZERO 43% GOT NO CREDENTIALS. THAT'S NEARLY HALF OF THE STUDENTS IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY. A DIPLOMA SHOULD REPRESENT MORE THAN ATTENDANCE AND ACCUMULATED CREDITS. IT SHOULD REPRESENT PREPARATION. PREPARATION FOR CAREERS, PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE, PREPARATION FOR MILITARY SERVICE, PREPARATION FOR ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, PREPARATION FOR SUSTAINABLE QUALITY OF LIFE. WHEN READINESS OUTCOMES DIFFER BY ALMOST 20% POINTS BETWEEN THE SAME DISTRICT. THIS IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE OF PERFORMANCE. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF EQUITY AND IT'S AN ISSUE OF PUBLIC TRUST. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVE AN MORAL OBLIGATION TO EDUCATE EVERY CHILD AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO TELL THE PUBLIC THE TRUTH ABOUT [02:15:01] STUDENT OUTCOMES AND A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. DOESN'T THIS COMMUNITY DESERVE A CLEAR ANSWER? WHY DO THESE DISPARITIES CONTINUE YEAR AFTER YEAR? WHAT INTERVENTIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED AND WHY HAVE THEY FAILED? HOW CAN GRADUATING RATES BE PROMOTED AS EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS WHEN HALF OF THE STUDENTS RESIDING IN HALF OF THE DISTRICT LEAVE WITHOUT A CAREER READY CREDENTIAL? ACCOUNTABILITY CANNOT END WITH AWARDING A DIPLOMA. IT MUST INCLUDE ANSWERING FOR WHAT THE DIPLOMA REPRESENTS BECAUSE THE TRUE TREASURE OF THIS DISTRICT IS NOT HOW MANY STUDENTS COMPLETE THE SYSTEM, BUT HOW MANY LEAVE TRULY PREPARED FOR WHAT'S BEYOND IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH THIS MR. CHAIR. I MOVE [Executive Session] THAT WE GO INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION OF A PERSONNEL MATTER REGARDING MAY 26TH. PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A ONE DISCUSSION OF PERSONNEL MATTER PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR T 70 A ONE RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO PENDING LEGAL CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 T FOUR TAX 70 A TWO RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO DISTRIBUTION OF SURPLUS TIF FUNDS FOR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 TECH FOUR, TECH 70 82. OKAY, IS THERE SECOND GO AHEAD. SECOND. OKAY. PROPERLY, MO YES, I HAVE A QUE CALL QUESTION. GO AHEAD. UM, THIS, THIS EMPLOYEE MATTER, UH, MAY, 2026, WHO WILL BE, UH, ADVISING US ON THESE, ON THIS, ON THIS, ON THESE SITUATIONS? EMPLOYEE MATTER. UH, STAFF. STAFF. OH, OKAY. UM, HOW ABOUT THIS ATTORNEY? THIS, UH, RECEIPT OF LEGAL, UH, UH, A LEGAL PENDING, UH, CLAIM, UH, ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE? UM, THAT IS, UH, MS. CARTILAGE. OKAY, SIR, DO WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY COMING FOR, FOR ANYTHING IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, SIR. UH, PERSONNEL MATTER. AND, AND WHO WOULD THAT ATTORNEY BE? ANDREA WHITE. OKAY. UH, OKAY. AND FOR THE THANK YOU AND FOR THE TIFF AS WELL, UH, MIKE BURNS. TIFF IS MIKE. AND, AND THEN YOU SAID, UH, ANDREA WHITE? YES. THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. OKAY. ALRIGHT. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTION. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR GOING TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED LINE. OKAY. AYE. A IS MR. SMALL STILL THERE? AYE. OKAY. PASS UNANIMOUS. UH, SMITH OPPOSES. HUH? I OPPOSE YOU OPPOSE? YEAH, I OPPOSE, I OPPOSES. COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE THREE MOTIONS COMING [Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session] OUT OF THE SESSION. FIRST I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON MAY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH MAY 31ST, 2026. PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT. SECOND. OH, AYE. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS AND SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED ONLINE. I PAUSE ON. OKAY. SECOND, I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DENY THE REQUEST OF AN EMPLOYEE TO PURSUE A GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE SUPERINTENDENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD POLICY GC 12. SECOND. I HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE. I WOULD, I WOULD, I JUST WANNA COMMENT ON IT. UM, TONIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, I WILL JUST DO YOU SOME CONCERNS I HAVE. I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT THERE FOR TIME. THANK YOU. OKAY. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HANDS HERE AND SAY AYE. A AYE. LINE A AYE. AZA AYE. MR. SMITH, YOU AND NAY A. OKAY. ALRIGHT. YOU GOT IT. AND FINALLY, I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. RECALL THE REMAINING TIF TWO FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT TO INCLUDE INTEREST EARNED ON THE SURPLUS FUNDS SINCE THE DATE THOSE SURPLUS FUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SECONDED. OKAY. PROPERLY MOTION. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. ONLINE A AYE. ALFONSO AYE. THANK YOU. A AYE. THANK YOU MS. HAY AND MR. SMALL. YOU GET THAT MR. SECRETARY? ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES MOTIONS OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. OH, I'M KEEP ONE OUT. I USE COMPUTER. YOU GOOD? SO [02:20:01] THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE BUSINESS THOUGH, RIGHT? ALRIGHT, EVERYTHING? YEP. EVERYTHING OKAY? I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. SO MOVED. SO MOVED. BAR, ANY, UH, BAR? ANY OF OBJECTION? WE WHATEVER. YES. OKAY. ? UH, YEAH. UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV. I'M DENNIS ADAMS AND THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT. CALL IT FROGMORE STEW LOW COUNTRY BOIL, BUFORT BOIL. WHATEVER YOU PLEASE. THIS ZESTY POT OF SHRIMP, SAUSAGE AND CORN ON THE COB MAY BE OUR BEST KNOWN SPECIALTY, BUT THE RECIPE IS LESS THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. IN FACT, HISTORIAN GERHARDT SPEER SAID THAT THE KIND OF LINKED SAUSAGE USED IN THE STEW CAME TO THIS AREA WITH IMMIGRANTS NO EARLIER THAN THE 1940S. BEFORE THAT TIME, ONLY PATTY STYLE SAUSAGE COULD BE BOUGHT. AND SPEER THINKS THAT THE RECIPE WAS THE ACCIDENTAL INVENTION OF SHRIMPERS THROWING EVERYTHING THEY HAD ON HAND TOGETHER. ALTHOUGH BOILED SHRIMP HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF SEA ISLAND DAILY LIFE, THE 1847 CHARLESTON COOKBOOK, THE CAROLINA HOUSEWIFE HAD NO RECIPES LIKE PRESENT DAY FROGMORE STEW, BUT FOR A BATCH OF WHAT HAS BECOME THE TASTE OF THE LOW COUNTRY BOILED CORN AND SAUSAGE IN WATER WELL SPICED WITH SEAFOOD SEASONING POWDER, ADDING RAW SHRIMP AT THE LAST MINUTE, DRAIN FAST, AND SERVE HOT. TRY IT TONIGHT. I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT. TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.