[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[Call to Order ]
IS A LITTLE REVERB IN IT.THAT BETTER? BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
WE'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BOARD MEETING, BEING HELD HERE AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, 55 WILBURN AVENUE ON HILTON HEAD.
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 OF 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.
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 A MAXIMUM OF 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 ARRIVAL.
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 FORM WILL BE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES IN THE EVENT THE BOARD HAS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON JUNE 23RD, 2026 AGENDA.
THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AT 6:00 PM ON JUNE 24TH, 2026, THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS. AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[Approval of Agenda ]
MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, I MOVE.AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A CHANGE UNDER CONSENT AGENDA INSTEAD OF HAVING ALL THREE ITEMS APPROVED AT ONCE.
I WOULD LIKE THE MAY 5TH BOARD MEETING MINUTES APPROVED SEPARATELY, AND THEN THE MAY 19TH AND THE FOER REPORT TOGETHER.
SO MAY 19TH AND FIRST QUARTER TOGETHER.
I, I WASN'T SEATED ON MAY 5TH.
I WAS NOT A BOARD MEMBER ON MAY 5TH.
ARE ANY, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, UH, POINT OF ORDER THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE SECOND.
THAT'S A, UH, A PRIVILEGE OF A MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification ]
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND FOR THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.
FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A VERY PROMINENT ENVIRONMENTALIST, MS. LOIS LEWIS.
TAUGHT AT HHI AND BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOLS FIVE YEARS.
AND FOR ADULT ED PART-TIME DURING HER RETIREMENT YEARS, SHE WAS A TEACHER OF THE YEAR HERE.
SHE HONORED, SHE WAS HONORED WITH THE 2012 SUE WEST EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AT THE HILTON HEAD BLUFFTON CHAMBER BALL.
SHE WAS ALSO NAMED CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR BY THE SOUTH KYLE CAROLINA WILDLIFE FEDERATION IN 2026.
I THINK THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE FOR THE SECOND SET PART OF THE AGENDA, SO NO COMMENTS PART.
AND WITH DIRECTLY TO THE CHAIR'S
[Chair’s Report ]
REPORT, I'D LIKE TO SHARE.UM, LAST WEEK, I SPENT THE ENTIRE WEEK IN WASHINGTON DC AND THIS IS A VERY TIMELY AND REAL CRITICAL AREA IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.
THE TONE AND TENDER HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST TIME I SPENT A WEEK IN DC VISITING
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VARIOUS OFFICES AND, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. AND I WANT US TO REMEMBER, PLEASE, THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO, THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO EXPRESS OUR HUMANITY, TO ENSURE THAT WE ALL REALIZE WE ARE ALL AMERICANS.THERE ARE OUTSIDE GEOPOLITICAL FORCES THAT ARE WORKING AGAINST US COLLECTIVELY.
AND IT'S A TIME FOR US AS A CITIZENRY TO ACTUALLY PULL TOGETHER.
I'VE NEVER FELT THE SAME TONE AND TENOR THAT I DID THIS PAST WEEK.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE INTO SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT POTENTIALLY COULD AFFECT THESE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER TYPES OF SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, MS. BOATRIGHT HAS TALKED ABOUT IS IN, UH, TECHNOLOGY, GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS LIMITED THEIR SCREEN TIMES.
THEY'RE THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE TO DO THIS.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO MANAGE THEIR SCREEN TIMES FOR STUDENTS TO LESS THAN 50%.
THE AUSTIN COURIER HAD AN ARTICLE THAT'S HAD THE TITLE OF CIVIL WAR FUNDING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE ALSO REALIZE WE CHARTER A PUBLIC, A WE, UH, AUTHORIZE A CHARTER SCHOOL.
AND THAT MEANS WE ARE PART OF THAT TEAM AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEAMS. IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY IN THIS GREAT STATE THAT WE ACTUALLY EDUCATE THE PEOPLE AND PREPARE THEM IN TERMS OF SKILL SETS FOR WHATEVER THE FUTURE MAY BRING.
THE SECOND NEXT THING I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY TAKEN PLACE IS ADJUSTING ZONING TO BUSINESS IN MULTI-UNIT AREAS.
WHERE DOES THAT AFFECT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? THE SCHOOL DISTRICT QUITE OFTEN GETS SOLICITATIONS FOR FUNDING FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS REALLY TO EDUCATE OUR KIDS.
THE STATE HAS VERY STRICT GUIDELINES AND METRICS AND TARGETS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.
AND WE HAVE SHOWN GREAT DISCIPLINE, WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE FOR IN TERMS OF HOW WE PROTECT OUR DOLLARS.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE USING THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE BY MANDATE HAVE TO EDUCATE ANY STUDENT, ANY PERSON OF SCHOOL AGE THAT LANDS IN AMERICA HAS BY RIGHT ACCESS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND WE ACCEPT THEM ALL AND WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE WE PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE.
SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THOSE THINGS, UH, THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR GREAT COUNTRY AND ALSO THAT ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO AFFECT US.
[Board Business Action]
BUSINESS ACTION.I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOT EXCEEDING $35 MILLION GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2 0 2 6 B OR SUCH OTHER APPROPRIATE SERIES DESIGNATION OF THE SCHOOL BO OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA, AND AUTHORIZE THE ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE TERMS OF THE RESOLUTION.
WITH THAT, UM, MRS. MADAM CFO NEED A SECOND? A SECOND I CAN PROPERLY MOTION.
UH, I WANNA PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION FIRST.
AND, UH, WE HAVE FRANNY HEISER A, IS IT THE CASE? TRY AGAIN.
COUNTY COUNCIL, I MEAN, COUNTY, UH, CHANNEL PEOPLE TESTING.
UH, SO I'M GONNA PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION AND THEN WE HAVE FOR HEISER ONLINE, UH, THAT IS, UH, WITH US AND IS, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HER FOR THE LEGAL INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD.
UH, SO ON MAY 19TH, THE BOARD APPROVED A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TOTALING $36.8 MILLION,
[00:10:01]
WHICH WERE PREPARED BY THE FACILITIES OFFICE, MR. TING'S OFFICE.UH, THE FINANCING TEAM, UH, CAME TOGETHER WITH, INCLUDING ME, THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND BOND COUNSEL.
AND WE CONSULTED TO DETERMINE, UH, RECOMMENDED LIMIT BUDGET LIMITS THAT MAXIMIZE THE DISTRICT'S DEBT SERVICE REVENUES AND DETERMINE THAT 36.3, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT RATE, WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST PAYMENTS OF THIS BOND.
UH, $35 MILLION WAS DETERMINED AS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF BORROWING, UH, WITHIN THE LIMITS OF MILLAGE.
AND WE WERE ALSO USING AN ADDITIONAL $1.8 MILLION OF UNUSED BOND PREMIUMS AND INTEREST FROM PREVIOUS 8% PROJECTS FROM 2019 TO 2023.
SO THE COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO WILL COVER THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE PROJECTS, BUT TODAY WE WERE JUST, UH, RESOLVING TO, UH, ISSUE $35 MILLION OF BONDS.
UH, THESE DO NEED TO BE, UH, THESE ARE, UH, TIME SENSITIVE SINCE WE ARE GETTING READY TO CERTIFY THE MILLAGE WITH OUR COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE BY JULY 31ST.
AND WE WILL NEED THIS ISSUANCE AT LEAST, UH, AT LEAST THE BONDS SOLD BY THE DATE OF THAT CERTIFICATION.
SO THIS EVENING, UM, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MS. HEISER TO ADD ANY, UH, ITEMS FOR LEGAL PURPOSES.
AND, UM, HOPEFULLY SHE'S READY AND AVAILABLE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME APPEAR VIRTUALLY.
I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS WITH Y'ALL, I SAID I'M GONNA HAVE KNEE SURGERY, SO I'M NOT SURE I CAN MAKE IT DOWN, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS I DO HAVE THE SURGERY AND I CAN MAKE IT VIRTUALLY.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION IN THAT REGARD.
UM, AS, AS YOUR CFO MENTIONED, MS. CROSBY, THE, UH, UH, THIS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES US TO MOVE FORWARD TO ISSUE YOUR ANNUAL 8% BOND.
UM, THIS YEAR, THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT WOULD BE THAT $35 MILLION.
UM, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE AMOUNT THAT'S BORROWED STAYS WITHIN YOUR MILLAGE LIMIT.
AND, UM, AS NOTED IN THE, IN THE CAPTION, Y'ALL HAVE DELEGATE DELEGATED TO DR. RODRIGUEZ, UM, THE AUTHORITY TO, TO DETERMINE CERTAIN DETAILS OF THE BONDS, SUCH AS, UM, EXACTLY WHEN WE SELL AND EXACTLY WHAT THE, UM, MATURITY SCHEDULE IS.
UM, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL HAVE ABOUT THE BONDS OR, OR ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS OKAY.
IS AT REQUEST THAT THERE, UM, BE A VOTE, UH, AND A MOVEMENT TO APPROVE THESE BONDS OF THE BOARD CALL THE CALL THE QUESTION.
MR. I'M GOING TO, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M GOING TO, UH, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN ON THIS ONE.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BROADCAST SERVICES, BCTV FOR PRODUCTION SET STUDIO EQUIPMENT VALUED AT $39,538 AND 79 CENTS TO BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR TEACHING VIDEO PRODUCTION, PROMOTING SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND A MORNING SHOW.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BROADCAST SERVICES, UH, FOR THIS VERY GENEROUS DONATION.
I KNOW THE STUDENTS WILL, UH, UH, LEARN A LOT FROM HAVING THIS EQUIPMENT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND GRACIOUSNESS.
MR. SMITH, DID YOU, HOW DID YOU VOTE, SIR? AYE, YEAH, I'M, I'M IN SUPPORT, BUT I DEFINITELY DID HAVE A, A QUESTION, BUT THAT'S FINE.
YOUR QUESTION? UM, MY QUESTION WAS, UM, I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS THE DETERMINING FOR IT TO GO TO BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL?
[00:15:04]
OKAY, SO HE'S SAYING WHY DID IT GO TO, YOU GOT SOMETHING ON THAT.WAS WITHIN, WITHIN THE SCHOOL OR WITHIN THE DISTRICT? YEAH, SO MR. SMITH, THERE, THERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT GOES WITH IT IN THE MATERIALS AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, I READ A LOT OF MATERIALS SINCE I GOT BACK, SO IT COULD BEEN IN SOMETHING ADJACENT TO THAT.
IT TALKS, IT TALKS ABOUT THE DONORS FELT THAT THAT WAS WHERE THEY WANTED THE PROCEEDS TO GO.
SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO ADHERE AND, UH, HONOR WHATEVER THEIR REQUEST IS.
I MOVE THAT THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURSES TO ELEGANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,500 FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, N-R-O-T-C, SEAHAWK THEATER AND THE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING CLUB.
SECOND BY MS. BOATRIGHT PROPERLY.
ALRIGHT, QUESTIONS ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE.
COULD I ALSO, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK, UH, THE CONCOURSE ELEGANCE FOR THIS DONATION ON BEHALF OF THE HILTON HEAD SCHOOLS CLUSTER? YOU KNOW, IF I COULD TAG ON TO THAT JUST TO SAY THANKS TO ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR EONS ALMOST.
IT REALLY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE AND IT MEANS A LOT THAT THE PUBLIC TAKES CARE AND INTEREST IN BASICALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE OUTCOMES OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO I AGREE WITH ALL THE COMMENTS MADE TO HERE BEFORE.
OPERATIONS REPORT, UH, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UM, SOME OF MY, UH, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MAY REMEMBER, BUT, UH, THE REASON WHY ME MAKING THE QUESTION AND JUST TALKING ABOUT IT, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT I REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN BATTER CREEK WAS ABOUT TO GET A SCOREBOARD AND WE WERE JUST UNDER UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROCESS WAS IN TERMS OF BATTERY CREEK GETTING A SPECIAL SCOREBOARD, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF ALSO WELL BRANCH BEING AN ADJACENT SCHOOL TO IT AND BEING IN THAT COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETIMES LIKE THE QUESTIONS JUST ARE JUST ASKING FOR CLARITY TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S THE PROCESS AND HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT.
SO JUST FOR CLARITY, IN TERMS OF ASKING AND UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE DONATIONS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES DONATIONS ARE GIVEN TO CERTAIN SCHOOLS AND CERTAIN COMMUNITIES FOR CERTAIN REASONS AND WE JUST, UH, TRY TO BE CLEAR, CLEAR OF WHAT THAT IS.
ONE OF THE THINGS, IF I RECALL READING THAT PARTICULAR SEGMENT IN TERMS OF GUIDANCE AND POLICY, IS THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SCOREBOARD AND THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE DONOR MANDATING HOW IT WOULD BE USED.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO ACTUALLY AGREE TO AND HAVE NOT AGREED TO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IS A LONGSTANDING, UM, BUSINESS OR COMMUNITY COLLEAGUE.
AND SO THEY'RE RIGHT THERE AND THAT WAS THEIR INTEREST AND THEIR DESIRE.
SO WE TRY TO BE COLLEGIAL IN ACCOMMODATING THAT.
YOU WERE, YOU WERE, YOU WERE RESPONDING TO WHAT I JUST SAID.
RIGHT? UM, AND I, WELL, I JUST WON'T COMMENT, BUT I DIDN'T GET TO HEAR YOUR, YOUR RESPONSE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, EVEN THOUGH THESE, THEY WERE VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT A COUPLE YEARS AGO ABOUT WHO THEY WERE GIVING THE DONATIONS TO, THE BOARD STILL QUESTIONED IN TERMS OF WHETHER CERTAIN POCKETS OF PEOPLE WERE GIVING OUT DONATIONS, THAT IT WAS STILL BEING EQUITABLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO ALL STUDENTS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND US AND BRING THAT BACK UP.
AND MAYBE IF YOU GET A CHANCE, YOU MAY CAN GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT.
UH, THE BOARD GENERAL CAN WATCH THAT, UH, WATCH THAT.
UM, CLIPPING WHERE THE BOARD DID KIND OF JUST WAS UNDERSTANDING.
AND EVER SINCE THEN WE HAD KIND OF JUST BEEN WATCHING IN TERMS OF GETTING GENEROUS INSTALLATIONS AND BEING APPRECIATIVE OF THEM.
I DIDN'T GET TO HEAR, BUT THAT'S THE GIST OF IT.
SO TOTALLY, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO THE FINE LINE IS THIS, SOMEONE MANDATES AND SAYS,
[00:20:01]
THIS IS HOW YOU MUST U USE MY DONATION THAT IS ON THIN ICE.BUT IN THIS CASE, THAT IS NOT THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A DISTINCTION AND WE'RE SHARING WITH PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, NOT QUESTIONING THE DESIRE IN THAT CONVERSATION TO BE EQUITABLE AND FAIR ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THAT'S ALWAYS A PRIME DRIVER, BUT APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING NOW.
[Committee Reports ]
RIGHT ALONG.YEAH, I'M DOING THE, UH, REPORT FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MET ON JUNE 16TH, 2026 AND REVIEWED SEVERAL ITEMS RELATED TO DISTRICT PROPERTY, TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY, FACILITIES, AND CAPITAL PLANNING.
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED, UM, THE PROPOSED SALE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.2 ACRES AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR A FUTURE ROADWAY PROJECT.
THIS ACTION DOES NOT APPROVE THE ROADWAY PROJECT ITSELF, BUT AUTHORIZES THE DISTRICT TO BEGIN THE PROPERTY SALE PROCESS REQUIRED BY SOUTH CAROLINA LAW.
THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE ITEM TO BRING FORWARD TO THE BOARD.
IT APPROVED IT IF APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
THE REQUEST WILL MOVE TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
THERE'S A MOTION, THERE WILL BE A MOTION THAT'S GONNA BE MADE AT THE END OF THIS REPORT.
THE COMMITTEE HAS ALSO REVISITED THE PROPOSED WATERCRESS DEPARTMENT'S ACCESS EASEMENT.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE DEVELOPER PRESENTED A DETAILED PROPOSAL OUTLINING BENEFITS TO THE DISTRICT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE EASEMENT.
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THIS AS A POSITIVE STEP AND REQUESTED THAT THE PROPOSED COMMITMENT BE INCORPORATED INTO THE EASEMENT AGREEMENT, INCLUDING LANGUAGE CONFIRMING THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TAX CREDITS WOULD NOT BE PURSUED.
THE DEVELOPER WILL RETURN WITH REVISED DOCUMENTS FOR FURTHER REVIEW.
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE FIRST QUARTER, FOUR YEAR REPORT, WHICH DEMONSTRATED CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REQUIREMENTS.
THE REPORT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO THE BOARD AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED UPDATES TO THE DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY.
THERE WERE NO CONCERNS WITH THIS CHANGE.
THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE REQUEST TO LEASE DISTRICT BUSES FOR PUBLIC USE.
AFTER REVIEWING OPERATIONAL LIABILITY AND SCHEDULING CONCERNS, THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTED THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO LEAVE THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION UNCHANGED.
THE STAFF ALSO PROVIDED CONSTRUCTION UPDATES TO THE 2019 AND 2023 BOARD REFERENDUM PROGRAM.
THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM IS NEARING FINAL CLOSEOUT WHILE ALL MAJOR 2023 BOND PROJECTS CONTINUE TO REPORT GREEN STATUS FOR BOTH BUDGET AND SCHEDULE.
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE MAY MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL REPORT AND RECOGNIZED THE OUTSTANDING WORK, UH, OF THE GROUNDS CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE TEAMS DURING GRADUATION SEASON.
THEIR EFFORTS HELP ENSURE SUCCESSFUL CEREMONIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT WITH MAINTENANCE STAFF CARRYING A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL REPO RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE MAYE SCHOOL BLITZ WAS CONDUCTED AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND FOCUSED ON FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND GRADUATION PREPARATIONS.
CUSTODIAL VENDORS MET STAFFING GOALS.
NO SIGNIFICANT CUSTODIAL DEFICIENCIES WERE REPORTED DURING THE MONTH.
FINALLY, THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE DISTRICT'S 8% CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROCESS.
THE STAFF COMPARED BEAUTIFUL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORTING PRACTICES TO THOSE OF FOUR OTHER SOUTH CAROLINA DISTRICTS AND FOUND THAT THE BCSD PROVIDES IS MUCH MORE INFORMATION MONTHLY THAN THE DISTRICTS REVIEWED.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES TO SIMPLIFY FUTURE PRESENTATIONS WHILE MAINTAINING THE TRANSPARENCY.
MS. BOATWRIGHT SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT STAFF REVIEW RY COUNTY'S APPROACH AND CONSIDER ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SHOW THE COMPLETION OF PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROJECTS.
SHE NOTED THAT HER OWN REVIEW USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INDICATED THAT THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN COMPLETING PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
THE OPERATION COMMITTEE DOES NOT HAVE A, UH, A SCHEDULED JULY MEETING.
THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING WOULD BE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH.
THAT CONCLUDES THE OPERATION COMMITTEE REPORT.
ANY MOTIONS MR. CHAIR? WE HAVE A OPERATIONS MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE BOARD CHAIRMAN TO SIGN THE RESOLUTION DECLARING 1.202 ACRES OF THE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS FOR SALE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
PROPERLY MOTION SECOND QUESTIONS, MS. DR.
UM, SO THE, UH, BACKGROUND INFORMATION INCLUDES THAT THE, AN APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN ORDERED BY THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP
[00:25:01]
A COMPENSATION OFFER TO BCSD.UH, USUALLY IT'S THE, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT'S DOING THIS, UH, NEGOTIATION WITH THE COUNTY.
I'M, WHAT'S, WHY IS THIS DIFFERENT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
THE OFFER COO IS COMING UP TO EXPLAIN OUR PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS PART OF BEAUFORD COUNTY'S, UH, UH, PURCHASE OF THE ROADWAY.
UM, IT'S COMMON PRACTICE THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO AN APPRAISAL PRIOR AND WHICH FORMS THEIR OFFER THAT THEY GIVE TO ANY ROADWAY RIGHT OF WAY THAT THEY'RE TAKING.
IF AS, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL OR AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT APPRAISAL, WE CAN REQUEST OUR OWN.
AND THAT WOULD BE OUR, UM, REPLY TO THEM THAT, UH, WE DO NOT THINK THEIR APPRAISAL IS ADEQUATE AND THEY'D RATHER US USE OURS.
BUT IF THEIR APPRAISAL COMES BACK AND WE'RE SATISFIED WITH IT, THEN WE JUST MOVE ON AND, AND CONTINUE THE PROCESS.
UM, THANK YOU ROBERT, FOR THE EXPLANATION.
UM, I'M CONCERNED THAT WE ARE SELLING THIS, THAT WE'RE SELLING THEM LAND AND ALSO THEY JUST KIND OF, UH, WE, WE DID A GREEN SCRAPES PROJECT TO ME AND, AND THERE WAS ALREADY SOME CONCERN AND TALK ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE SWITCHING, UH, APPROXIMATELY SWAPPING, UH, SWAPPING LAND, UH, UH, SWAPPING LAND.
SO I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD AT THIS TIME, THAT WITH US IS NOT LONG AGO GETTING THE GREEN SPACE FROM THE COUNTY THAT WE WOULD BUY, PURCHASE THIS LAND FROM.
I MEAN, THAT WE WOULD ALLOW 'EM TO PURCHASE LAND FROM US.
AND WE'RE BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL AT THE SITE, AND WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW MUCH OF THE SITE ACTUALLY NEED TO BE BUILT, HOW MUCH ACTUALLY WE NEED, BECAUSE WE ALSO TALK ABOUT AN AMLI, AN AMPHITHEATER, AND WE ALSO TALK ABOUT ADDING DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW MUCH OF THIS SITE WE MAY NEED, SO TO SELL IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT I WOULD BE WISE OF THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.
AND I DEFINITELY HAVE SOME CONCERNS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
SO I DEFINITELY WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS ISSUE.
AND I DO, AND I DO MYSELF HAVE, UH, CONCERNS AROUND IT AND HOW IT LOOKS.
AND SO I JUST THINK THAT BOARD MAY NEED TO, UM, MAY NEED TO TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS DEFINITELY A, A, A KIND OF A, A ROUGH TOPIC WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M CONCERNED, I'M DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
MR. LEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME BACK AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE? I THINK THERE'S SOME RIGHT OF WAYS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS TRANSACTION.
YEAH, I MEAN THIS, UH, DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW IS SEPARATE FROM THE GREEN SPACE DISCUSSION.
ALTHOUGH THE LANDS ARE ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER, THIS IS THE NEW ROADWAY ACCESS THAT PROVIDES US A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON SEA ISLAND PARKWAY.
WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF A TRAFFIC LIGHT TO ALLOW BUSES AND OTHERS TO EXIT THE SCHOOL SITE.
AND BY GIVING THEM THE RIGHT OF WAY, THEY WILL OWN THE ROAD AND BE RESPONSIBLE.
IF WE DO NOT DO THAT, THEN WE WILL BE THE RESPONSIBLE PRIORITY FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THAT ROADWAY.
SO I CAN SAY ON A STAFF LEVEL, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING A TRAFFIC LIGHT TO LEAVE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WE SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, BUILDING OF THIS ROADWAY.
AND, UM, ING, I, I'M IN SUPPORT.
CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC, MRS.
MAYBE JUST 'CAUSE I'M LIKE CLOSEST, UM, I SUPPORT THIS MOTION, BUT I DO THINK TO MR. SMITH'S POINT, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THAT THERE IS NO, THESE ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUES.
THE GREEN SPACE, 'CAUSE THAT'S STILL NOT RECORDED, UM, IN THE GREEN SPACE COMMISSION, WHATEVER THAT WEBSITE IS, CAN YOU MAKE, MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE COMMUNITY, THOSE ARE COMPLETELY UNRELATED EVENTS? YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY THAT WE ALREADY OWN.
IT'S ON THE EDGE OF LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE, WHERE THERE'S ALREADY AN EXISTING ROAD NEXT TO THE POND.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY USING THIS SPACE AS AN ENTRANCE ROADWAY OR PART OF OUR ENTRANCE ROADWAY.
AND, AND YES, THIS IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THAT GREEN SPACE PROPERTY.
AND, AND IT HAS NO IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL PROPER WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANY KIND OF, UH, ADDITIONS OR ANYTHING THAT GOES ON WITH THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THOSE ARE ALREADY PLANNED OUT AND ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE PORTIONS OF THE PROPERTY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
UM, I, I WOULD THINK A LITTLE DI DIFFERENTLY.
I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS, BUT IN TERMS OF SWAPPING LAND, THIS COULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF A LAND SWAP.
BUT YOU SAID IN TERMS OF, OF OF, OF THEM BUYING, OF THEM BUYING THE LAND, UH, AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WAS CONCERNED, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY WAS ALSO AGAINST THE COUNTY CHANGING THE, THE ENTRANCE OF THAT, OF THAT PROP OF THAT PROPERTY GOING INTO LA DI MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT A TRAVERSE CIRCLE OR SOMETHING.
AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, WAS, UH, THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY VOCAL TO EVEN TO THE COUNTY AND TO, UH, TO US AND TO ME AS WELL, THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO CHANGE THAT.
[00:30:01]
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS, IF I'M CORRECT, YOU WOULD JUST BE, IF YOU'RE COMING OFF OF, IF YOU'RE COMING OFF OF ST.HELENA ON COMING ONTO TO LAYS ISLAND, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT, UH, I BELIEVE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT RIGHT, THAT RIGHT INTO THE SCHOOL, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COME OUT THAT WAY TO GO ONTO THE ISLAND.
AND SO THEREFORE THAT, THAT WILL CUT OFF THE, THE INTEREST OF ONE WAY OR YOU WILL HAVE ONE ENTRANCE THERE VERSUS YOU HAVE TWO NOW.
AND THERE WAS, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, UH, I THINK IT WAS EITHER LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT WHERE THERE WAS AN A AN ACCIDENT ON THE ACTUAL ISLAND.
AND FROM THAT ENTRANCE, HAVING, HAVING THAT INTEREST, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT INTEREST, WE WOULD'VE, WE WOULD'VE HAVE BEEN THERE IN, IN, IN, IN TROUBLE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET SOME PEOPLE IN AND IN AND OFF OF, OF SALE ISLAND.
I THINK THAT WAS A, A BIG, UM, A THAT WAS A BIG, A BIG CONCERN THAT ALSO H HELPING US OUT WITH ANOTHER OUTLET WAS THE INTEREST ON THE, ON THE OTHER SIDE FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TOWARDS THE TOWN, UH, TOWN WAY.
SO, UM, THO THOSE ARE SOME THAT HAS BEEN SOME CONCERNS IN THE COMMUNITY, HAS SPOKE ABOUT THAT, ABOUT CHANGING THAT ENTRANCE.
SO I, I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE THAT CLEAR, MAKE THAT CLEAR THROUGH TO THE BOARD AS WELL, BECAUSE FROM TIME TO TIME WE DO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE ASK THEM FOR BOND REFERENDUMS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO WE KNOW WE HAVE TO BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE, WE HAVE HEARD THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY MAY BE ASKING FOR.
SO I WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
SO MR. SMITH, YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UM, WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THEY DON'T WANT TO TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT SPOT? UH, NO.
AND, AND THEN ACTUALLY THEY, THEY WERE, I KNOW IT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF A, UH, THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AND THE TRAFFIC LIGHT IS KIND OF, IS KIND OF NEW TO ME.
I DIDN'T REALLY REMEMBER US EVEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IN OPERATIONS, ABOUT EVEN A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF, THAT'S KIND OF NEW TO ME.
I MEAN, WHEN, WHEN THAT CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE, UH, I, I HAVE, I DON'T HAVE THE REC RECOLLECTION OF IT, BUT I GUESS MAYBE, UM, MR. MR. MR. MR. MR. DALLAS DOES, HE'S WAVING HIS HAND, BUT GO AHEAD.
YEAH, WHEN I READ THE MATERIALS THAT ARE IN THE FILE IN THE FOLDER, UH, IT ALLUDED TO IT BEING, UM, BENEFICIAL TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EXCUSE ME, IN TERMS OF ACCESS.
AND SO IF THAT'S TRUE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? BECAUSE IT CAME ACROSS THAT THIS WOULD BENEFIT ACCESS SAFETY TO THE SCHOOL.
THIS IS THE, UM, IT'LL BE A ROADWAY THAT GOES, UH, FROM THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ALL THE WAY TO ROBIN DRIVE.
SO IT WILL PROVIDE A WAY TO GET FROM SEA ISLAND PARKWAY, SAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL SITE OR THE EDGE OF THE SCHOOL SITE.
AND YES, THE BIG BENEFIT IS A TRAFFIC LIGHT.
THERE'S BEEN ACCIDENTS THERE HISTORICALLY.
UM, SO HAVING A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE WILL ALLOW FOR EASIER ACCESS IN AND OUT THE SCHOOL PROPERTY FOR THE ON SEA SEA ISLAND PARKWAY.
SO I KNOW ON A STAFF LEVEL, WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT A TRAFFIC LIGHT BEING AT THAT LOCATION.
YEAH, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT A TRAFFIC LIKE THAT.
JUST, I DROVE THAT ROUTE, UM, FOR THAT SCHOOL.
AND, UM, RIGHT NOW THE WAY IT IS, IT IS, IT IS NOT GOOD.
BUT IF WE PUT A CIRCLE THERE, OH, WE GOT ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE STOPPING, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S REALLY NOT GONNA BE SAFE FOR TRA FOR THE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS PICKING UP THE KIDS AND COMING OUT.
THAT'S GONNA BE A MESS IF PEOPLE PUT A, AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S GONNA BE A MESS IF PEOPLE PUT A CIRCLE AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT IS, IS GOTTA BE THE SAFEST THING AT THIS POINT.
SO ARE WE READY TO VOTE? WELL, MY MY QUESTION IS, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN DID THE TRAFFIC LIGHT COME UP? BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE HEARD WAS THE CIRCLE.
SO WHEN AND WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHERE WAS THIS TALKED ABOUT? I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR INFORMATION, BUT I'M, MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS WHEN WAS THE, WHEN WAS THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS TALKED ABOUT SPEEDING? YEAH, SO IT IS, IT IS, YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO I WOULD SAY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN CONVERSATIONS OF A TRAFFIC CIRCLE IN THAT AREA.
THERE WAS PROBABLY TWO, THREE YEARS AGO TALK OF WHAT YOU CALL, I THINK THEY CALL IT A MICHIGAN LEFT.
THAT WAS WHERE YOU GO TO THE LIGHT AND HAVE TO DO LIKE A U-TURN.
AND WE WERE VERY MUCH AGAINST THAT AND WE LET THE COUNTY KNOW THAT WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SCHOOL BUSES HAVING TO DO A U-TURN AT THIS LIGHT.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IF WE KEPT OUR EXISTING ENTRANCE EXIT.
BUT BY ADDING THIS NEW ENTRANCE, WE'LL GO STRAIGHT TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND UH, WE'LL GO RIGHT THROUGH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN WHAT'S BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION PROBABLY THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS.
WITH THAT I THINK EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE.
COULD WE VOTE ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY SMITH IS, NO, MR. SMITH IS A NO.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM, OH, I STILL HAVE SOME OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE ITEM.
THIS IS AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
[00:35:01]
THE WK AUSTIN EASEMENT.I THINK THE, IT WAS NOT APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE.
IT WAS GONNA GO BACK FOR IT WAS SENT BACK FOR, YEAH, EXACTLY.
SO I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD HAVE A MOTION.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY FOR THAT ONE.
SO SCRATCH THAT AND THEN THAT'S IT.
ALSO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE, UH, THE BUS, THE, THE MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, GOING OUT AND, UH, THE BUSES.
UH, I WAS LOOKING FOR A SIGN REPORT.
THE SUPERINTENDENT LAST THING, UH, WE DISCUSSED WAS THEY WERE COME TO CONTACT, UH, LAYLAW IN CHARLESTON, WHO WAS, WHO WAS, WHO RENT OUT THEIR BUSES.
AND THE, THE REPORT THAT WAS BROUGHT BACK IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WAS A, A SINGLE, IT WAS LIKE TO BE A SINGLE HANDED REPORT FROM STAFF.
AND THERE WAS NOT RESEARCH DONE IN TERMS OF REACHING OUT TO, UH, TO, TO, UH, LAY LAW, UH, IN BRINGING BACK A, UH, PROS VERSUS CON AND, AND AND WHAT AND WHAT THAT, UH, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BECAUSE THE, WHAT STAFF WAS SAYING WAS THAT THEY WERE NOT, THERE WERE JOBS AND, AND THAT THEY WERE, THAT THEY BASICALLY, THAT THEY, THEY, THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BUS DRIVERS TO DO THIS.
AND TO ME, I THINK THAT WE, WE ARE DEFINITELY MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMPLOY, TO EMPLOY PEOPLE, TO BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A SECOND JOB.
AND WE HAVE BUS DRIVERS WHO GO FROM ROUTE FROM DIFFERENT ROUTES TO DIFFERENT TRIPS WHO TAKES TRIPS ACROSS THIS DISTRICT.
AND I THINK, AND I THINK THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF ACCEPTING, I MEAN ALLOWING WALMART TO GET OUR EMPLOYEES OR DIFFERENT OR, OR OTHER VENUES, THEN I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW OUR BUS DRIVERS TO HAVE A, A TO HAVE THAT SECOND JOB WITH WITHIN, WITHIN THE SAME DISTRICT.
SO I, I THINK THAT, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONCERNED ME.
'CAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS NOT RESEARCHED AND IT WAS NOT THE INFORMATION.
IT, IT WAS KIND OF A ONE SIDED AND IT WAS KIND OF A, A NARRATIVE, UH, REMINDS ME OF DATA.
SOMETIMES WE CAN USE DATA TO SUPPORT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR POINTS.
AND I'M, AND I'M CONCERNED AND I WAS LITTLE DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THE INFORMATION THAT I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO COME FROM THIS, UH, I, I DID NOT, I I DID NOT RECEIVE, UH, WE DID NOT RECEIVE, RECEIVE FROM THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, MR. OTTING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO THAT? AND THEN WE HAVE SOME COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS MAY WANNA SIT CLOSE? YEAH, SORRY, I, UM, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UH, I MEAN, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION AND OUR CURRENT POLICY DOES NOT HAVE US, UH, CHARGING PEOPLE TO MAKE A PROFIT.
UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE AN INTEREST IN PROFITING OR COMPETING WITH COMMERCIAL BUSES.
SO I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
THAT WAS COVERED, UH, BRIEFLY AT OUR LAST MEETING.
WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS FOR LEASING BUSES AND THERE WAS NO MOTION BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD TO CHANGE THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE END OF THAT.
WE STILL GOT OTHER PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS.
CAR? YEAH, I WAS IN THE MEETING AND WITH THE CHALLENGES ON STAFFING AND THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE BUSES, WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO START LEASING THEM TO VARIOUS GROUPS FOR VARIOUS TRIPS.
WE HAVE AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF ATHLETIC TRIPS EVERY SEASON FOR EVERY SCHOOL.
AND TO ADD TO THAT, UH, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT AT ALL.
IF I CAN JUST TO BOTH YOUR POINTS BRING THAT IN.
SO IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DRIVE BUSES, PLEASE UH, COME TO OUR WEBSITE.
UH, SO YES, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME JUST TO ADVOCATE THAT WE NEED BUS DRIVERS.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DRIVING A BUS, PLEASE COME TO THE, UH, SCHOOL BUS, UH, I MEAN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE AND PUT IN AN APPLICATION AND BEFORE GOING TO PASTOR GORDON, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THE MATERIAL SAID THAT ONE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE OPERATIONS GROUP WAS CAPACITY, THAT IF OUR BUSES ARE OUT SERVICING OTHERS, WE MAY BE SHORT IN TERMS OF SERVICING OUR OWN INTERNAL NEEDS.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING I READ IN THAT YES, PASTOR.
YEAH, AND I, LIKE I SAID, I USED TO, THAT'S WHAT I USED TO DO.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WHEN, UM, LIKE FIRST STUDENT WAS HERE, WE DID, THEY DID DO THAT, BUT WE HAD THE BUSES, WE HAD THE BUSES SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT.
AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE BUSES FOR THAT BECAUSE THE BUSES THAT WOULD, THAT WE WOULD LEASE OUT WOULD MORE OR LESS BE THE COUNTY.
IT, IT WOULDN'T BE THE STATE SCHOOL BUSES.
WE COULDN'T EVEN, WE COULDN'T EVEN LEASE THEM OUT FOR THAT, FOR THE COMMUNITY, NOT STATE BUSES.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER FOR THAT NEITHER.
SO, SO, SO I'M HEARING I'M MR. SMITH.
OKAY, YOU ASKING ME, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE PLEASE.
YOU'RE GOING, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU TIME TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT WE GOTTA MOVE ON.
[00:40:01]
I'M ABOUT TO.IN CONCLUSION, I HAVE TWO CONCERNS BECAUSE I HEAR, I HEAR ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAYING THAT THIS WAS AN A, AN AR BROUGHT TO US.
SO MY QUESTION IS, ONCE AGAIN, I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.
I ASKED WHEN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN, IN THE COMMITTEE.
SO WAS THIS NOT THE ADDRESS, BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SPECIAL CONVERSATION ON THIS.
SO IS THIS JUST THE TIME FOR THE AR TO COME UP OR IS THIS THE, OR IS THIS THE RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST THAT I HAD TO LOOK TOWARDS BRINGING THE DISTRICT MORE REVENUE AND ANY OP ANY OPTION OF MORE MONEY.
SO WHICH ONE, WHICH, WHICH ONE, WHICH ONE IS THIS TO BE DIRECTLY SO WE CAN ANSWER DIRECT, DIRECT QUESTION.
IT WAS DIRECTLY A RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
WHAT WE SAID WAS, OUR CURRENT AR THE WAY WE ARE STRUCTURED WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO MEET YOUR REQUEST.
SO WE REVIEWED THE AR AND SAID THAT IF WE WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF LEASING BUSES, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THAT AND ASKED FOR, UH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS' INPUT.
AND SO THAT WAS THE FRAMEWORK OF THE CONVERSATION.
SO MR. SMITH, PLEASE LET US MOVE FORWARD.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THE DISTRICT MORE MONEY AND IF WE, IF HE JUST STATED THAT WE HAD THIS PROGRAM DONE BEFORE THEN MAYBE THIS, THIS COULD BE A, THIS, THIS, THIS PROGRAM COULD POSSIBLY BE A GOAL THAT THE DISTRICT COULD WORK TOWARDS.
SO ARE WE, ARE WE THAT CLOSE MINDED TO SAYING WE ARE NOT OPEN TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AND IT WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE, AND WHEN I ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT CLARIFICATION, WHAT HE JUST GAVE ME, I WAS NOT GIVEN AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BECAUSE EVERYONE SEEMED AS THOUGH THEY HAD AMNESIA AND THEY WAS NOT SURE.
SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT UP, SAID, HEY LOOK HERE, IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR RACE.
I, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT WITHIN OUR RACE, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE A WAY OUT HOW, HOW WE SAT IN THE, IN, IN, IN THE PAST TO HOW ANOTHER, ANOTHER FORM OF KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON.
BUT I WILL, I WILL LEAVE IT MR. CHAIRMAN IN RESPECT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON.
BUT THAT'S WHY I WILL GO OUT BECAUSE I'M NOT DONE THIS BECAUSE I DO FEEL THAT IF WE'VE DONE, IF WE DID IT BEFORE, IT CAN BE DONE AGAIN, WE RECRUIT THIS AND WITH WITHIN IN A FORM THAT WE CAN ADVANCE.
SO I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY, THAT'S, THAT'S MY POINT.
I DON'T WANNA THINK THAT WE ARE ALL THAT CLOSE-MINDED ON THIS BOARD.
[Superintendent’s Report ]
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? NO, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, WHO IS HANDLING THAT, DR.STRATOS, UH, IS GONNA COME FORWARD, UH, TO ADDRESS EXTENDED, UH, LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS DURING, UH, DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
GOOD, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME BRINGING, COMING UP TO THE BOARD AREA.
IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU LAST.
AND LET ME SHARE WITH YOU, I BRING A HOST OF TALENT WITH ME THIS EVENING.
SO AS I COME FORWARD TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT EXTENDED LEARNING, I WANNA GIVE YOU A WHY THIS PRESENTATION THIS EVENING IS A RE RESULT OF THE WORK OF DR. CAMPBELL, PRINCIPAL BRANTLEY WILSON, PRINCIPAL JENNIFER MURILLO, DIANA BROSKI, A DIRECTOR MELISSA MURRAY, A DIRECTOR, MICHELLE SACKMAN, KAREN MCKINSEY, UH, MYSELF, UH, YOU KNOW, BUT ACTUALLY THE WORK OF OUR EDUCATORS THIS SUMMER.
OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN PUTTING FORWARD INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES WORKING IN SUMMER SCHOOL FROM ELEMENTARY, WORKING IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WORKING AT HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THE WORK THAT ONE OF OUR DIVISION DEPARTMENTS IS DOING THAT WE HAVE EXTENDED LEARNING FOR OVER 500 STUDENTS ATTENDING CAMPS DURING THE SUMMER AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, IF WE CAN BRING FORWARD THE PRESENTATION AND I'M GONNA ASK FOR THE POWERPOINT AND MRS. CUSH, BARRY, I WILL GO BACK AND FORTH.
I DO APOLOGIZE, BUT I'LL GIVE A PAUSE AS I'M GOING FROM THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TO THE POWERPOINT.
SO WE MAY PLEASE START WITH THE POWERPOINT.
STRATAS, COULD YOU HOLD ONE SECOND PLEASE, MA'AM? MS. CUSHING BERRY IS, IS THE PRESENTATION SUPPOSED TO BE VISIBLE HERE? IT IS COMING.
IT'S NOT HERE, BUT IT'S NOT THERE.
AND I'M TRYING TO STEAL A CORNER OF MY EYE ON THAT ONE SO I CAN KEEP PACE FOR YOU.
I SEE THE BRAIN CELLS TWIRLING OVER THERE.
SO AS THAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE TWO DOCUMENTS THIS EVENING.
ONE IS A POWERPOINT, ONE IS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
IF YOU COULD AT LEAST PULL FORWARD THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND I'LL LET ME WALK
[00:45:01]
YOU THROUGH THE TABLE OF CONTENTS AS THE PRESENTATION COMES FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU A WHY OF THE PRACTICES AND WORK AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT THESE FINE EDUCATORS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING.AS YOU SEE ON PAGE TWO, IT HAS OUR TABLE OF CONTENTS AND I'M GONNA TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO ROMAN NUMERAL ONE WHERE IT'S GIVING YOU THE RATIONALE OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE COMING FORWARD.
AND PART OF THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED A LITTLE MORE WITH PRINCIPAL JENNIFER MARILLO AS SHE TALKS A LITTLE BIT OF THE WORK SHE HAS DONE THIS YEAR WITH HER STAFF BUILDING THEIR CAPACITY WITH JOHN HATTIE'S RESEARCH, YOU'LL SEE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING EFFECT SIZE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE VOCABULARY WORDS PROVIDED FOR YOU IN ROMAN NUMERAL TWO.
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIGH IMPACT ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS.
AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THERE THAT DURING THE SUMMER AND DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, THERE'S HIGH AMOUNT OF EMPHASIS BEING PLACED ON TEACHING OUR STUDENTS HOW TO LEARN.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT ALSO THROUGH AVID.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LOWER PART ON PAGE TWO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IN ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS.
I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT EMPHASIS AS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEEN STRONGLY UPON CLASSROOM FEEDBACK.
HAVING THE STUDENT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG, THAT HAS BEEN HEAVILY EMPHASIZED DUE TO WORK OF DR.
MONA LISA DIXON OG A TRAINING AS WELL AS WITHIN OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, OUR SCIENCES, AND OUR SOCIAL SCIENCES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD THIS YEAR.
AS I TAKE YOU TO PAGE THREE, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF CONVERSATION TODAY REGARDING INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT THIRD GRADE RETENTION AND THE QUESTION OF RETENTION.
DOES IT BENEFIT A STUDENT OR DOES IT NOT? SPEAKING FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, IT DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS I WAS RETAINED IN SECOND GRADE.
MAY MAY, I HAVE HAD AVID IN THE SIXTIES.
SO AS I TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT PART THAT YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT COMING FROM OUR PRINCIPLES, AND I REALLY HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE TWO WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME PHENOMENAL NUMBERS ON THEIR SHIFT OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE ACADEMICALLY DURING THE YEAR TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW AT SUMMER SCHOOL THAT THEY ONLY HAVE 14 STUDENTS WHO NEEDED TO ATTEND.
AND I SHARE THAT WITH YOU WITH GREAT PRIDE.
AND I'M GONNA PAUSE AT THIS PART OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 'CAUSE IT'LL GIVE AWAY PART OF OUR PRESENTATION.
SO MRS. CUSHEN, BARRY BY MAY, PLEASE HAVE THE POWERPOINT.
SO I STARTED YOU WALKING YOU THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD IS MICHELLE SACKMAN AND MELISSA MURRAY AS WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON ELEMENTARY.
AND THERE'S A SHORT VIDEO THAT ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATES TO YOU THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOMS. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF LEARNING FROM THE SCHOOL YEAR INTO THE SUMMER.
THANK YOU MRS. CUSHEN BARRY, AND BOARD MEMBERS.
ALL RESOURCES ARE PROVIDED FOR YOU AT THE END OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, AS WELL AS VIDEOS AND LINKS FOR YOU AS WELL.
JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT A PAGE MARK JOHAN
TURNING UP THE HEAT ON READING THIS SUMMER.
TURNING UP THE HEAT ON READING THIS SUMMER.
SOME ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ACROSS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SPENDING PART OF THEIR BREAK BUILDING SKILLS THAT WILL CARRY INTO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR THROUGH THE EXTENDED YEAR SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
IT'S DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN LITERACY SKILLS AND HELP STUDENTS AVOID THE SUMMER SLIDE.
SUMMER READING CAMP GIVES US THAT GIFT OF ADDITIONAL TIME WITH OUR STUDENTS SO THAT WE CAN BUILD THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND HELP THEM BE READY FOR THAT NEXT GRADE LEVEL.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO DURING THIS TIME IS HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP A LOVE FOR READING THAT THEY MAY NOT GET DURING THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR.
AT MICHAEL C. RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THIS YEAR'S THEME IS MAKE US SPLASH INTO READING, BRINGING A
[00:50:01]
FUN WATER INSPIRED TWIST TO SUMMER LEARNING.THEY'RE FEELING LIKE THEY'RE ON VACATION, BUT A VACATION WITH BOOKS, A VACATION WITH THEIR TEACHERS WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING AND THEY REALLY ARE MAKING A SPLASH.
THIS INCREASED INTERVENTION FOR THE STUDENTS, IT REALLY DOES MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE READING AND THE GAPS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CLOSE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WITH THAT, STUDENTS ARE STRENGTHENING BOTH READING AND WRITING SKILLS THROUGH HANDS-ON PROJECTS AND INTERACTIVE LESSONS.
THE KIDS WERE LEARNING ABOUT PREFIXES, SUFFIXES TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR VOCABULARY.
THIS YEAR WE'RE FOCUSING ON NONFICTION TEXT FEATURES.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING INTO A STORY CALLED CREATURE FEATURES, AND WE'RE LETTING THEM HAVE SOME FUN BY CREATING A PROJECT TO SHARE THEIR FAMILIES WHERE THEY'RE GONNA CREATE THIS CREATURE AND IT'S GONNA HAVE A HABITAT AND THEY GET TO COME UP WITH ALL THIS FUN STUFF TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE FUN.
FOR THE SUMMER, I MADE A LIZARD WITH THORNS AND I CALLED IT THE THORNY BOB.
IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT HOW THEY PROTECT THEIRSELVES AND HOW THEY MAKE THEIR HOME.
THE SCHOOL IS ALSO CONNECTING LITERACY WITH STEM, USING SCIENCE AND PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITIES TO REINFORCE THE TEXT THEY'RE EXPLORING THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
WE ARE LEARNING SIDE WORDS AND SOME PREFIX AND WE ARE WORKING SO HARD.
I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU LEARN MORE AND, AND THEN YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT READING.
THE SCHOOL IS PROUD OF THE HARD WORK STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE PUTTING IN THIS SUMMER.
OUR STUDENTS ARE EXCITED EACH MORNING TO SHOW UP.
THEY'RE IMMERSED IN LITERACY AND READING AND WRITING ACTIVITIES ALL DAY, BUT IT'S REALLY BECAUSE OF OUR TEACHERS AND THE GREAT ENERGY AND WORK THEY'VE PUT INTO PLANNING FOR THIS TIME.
SO IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE AND IT'S REALLY SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR LITERACY INITIATIVES.
ABOUT 900 STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT ARE TAKING PART IN THE 14 DAY PROGRAM AT MICHAEL C. RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
RON LOES, YOU COUNTRY SCHOOL DISTRACT GOOD.
THIS ONE HAS A S SOUND RIGHT, SO THIS MAKES IT PLURAL.
WE FINALLY MOVED FROM CALIFORNIA.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN SAY IT MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT YOU JUST SAW, BUT, UM, OUR SUMMER READING CAMPS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL THIS SUMMER.
UM, THE CAMPS THAT WE OFFER OUR STUDENTS, GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN SMALLER STRATEGIC GROUPS WITH TEACHERS AND TO PARTICIPATE IN READING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THEIR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY.
UM, WE WORK ON FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS WITH OUR SIPS UNITS TO BUILD PHONICS, SYM PHONEMIC AWARENESS, UM, WHILE ALSO USING REPEATED READINGS OF CONNECTED INFORMATIONAL TEXT TO BUILD FLUENCY, COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ONE OF THE, I SAID IT IN THE VIDEO AND I I WILL SAY IT AGAIN BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY TRY TO BUILD WITH OUR STUDENTS DURING THIS TIME IS THEIR CONFIDENCE AND AND ENJOYMENT OF READING TO GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY FEEL SUCCESSFUL, THEY WANNA DO IT MORE.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST AIMS THAT WE, WE TAKE ON AS PART OF, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING SUMMER READING FOR MANY YEARS, SO THE CHART THAT YOU SEE HERE DETAILS THE PERCENT OF THIRD GRADERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SUMMER READING BASED ON SC READY SCORES.
THE 900 THAT WE MENTIONED WERE PART OF IT IS MORE THAN JUST THAT FIRST GRADERS WERE ALSO INVITED AND WE DID HAVE ROOM TO INVITE OTHER STUDENTS THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BENEFIT.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT SLIDE HERE WHERE IT TELLS YOU THE PERCENTS.
UM, I SEE THE, I HOPE YOU SEE THAT THE COLUMN SHOWS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT, OR THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR SUMMER READING BASED ON SC READY.
THE SECOND COLUMN SHOWS YOU THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RETAINED BASED ON ACT ONE 14.
YOU'LL SEE IN THE 20 24, 20 25 SCHOOL YEAR AN UPTICK, UM, IN THAT PERCENT.
BUT THAT IS BASED ON THE CHANGE IN ASSESSMENTS, STANDARDS AND SCALE SCORE FOR THE RETENTION LAW.
AND THEN RIGHT NOW YOU CAN'T SEE, WE STILL HAVE THREE MORE DAYS OF ELEMENTARY SUMMER READING.
SO THE STUDENTS ARE STILL ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND WE STILL HAVE STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT AND ACHIEVE THE NEEDED CUT SCORE TO THEN HAVE AN EXEMPTION TO THE RETENTION.
STRATAS, MAY I YES, MAY I ASK A QUESTION PLEASE? ON THAT DATA POINT, PLEASE, LADIES?
[00:55:02]
SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS MATERIALS BEFORE, YOU HAD A WONDERFUL TREND LINE FROM THE START, LIKE 2021 OR SOMETHING THAT TIME, THAT BREAK BEFORE, UH, 20 24, 20 25, AND IT SHOOTS BACK UP TO 1.6 PERCENTAGE.YOU GIVE A NARRATIVE, BUT WHAT WAS UNDER THAT NARRATIVE? WHAT CHANGED TO MAKE IT GO BE ESCALATED? MULTIPLES.
SO THAT IS THE YEAR THAT WE, WE HAD ALL NEW STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE LEGISLATURE HAD, UM, REVISED ACT ONE 14 AND THEY TOOK AWAY, DOES NOT MEET ONE.
SO PREVIOUSLY THEY SUBDIVIDED THE DOES NOT MEET CATEGORY FOR THIRD GRADERS INTO TWO PARTS.
AND THAT IS THE YEAR THAT NOW ANYONE THAT SCORES DOES NOT MEET WAS INCLUDED INTO THAT RETENTION NUMBER.
SO IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CUT SCORE TO, UM, QUALIFY.
THEY ACTUALLY MADE IT MORE RIGOROUS.
ANY OTHER WHO'S NEXT? SO, SO WITH THAT, I HAVE THE HONOR OF BRINGING FORWARD TWO VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS AND YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THEIR WORK IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG.
UM, PRINCIPAL JENNIFER MARILLO FROM BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PRINCIPAL BRANTLEY WILSON FROM WHALE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL ARE BOTH HERE.
AND THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THEIR INTERVENTIONS, THEIR LEADERSHIP, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHERE I HIGHLIGHTED LEADERSHIP.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT GRAPHIC WITH REGARD TO THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THEM SPEAK OF.
SO WITH THAT, MS. MARILLO, THANK YOU DR.
I AM THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF BERET MIDDLE SCHOOL, JENNIFER MARILLO.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT READERS ARE LEADERS AND I'M A QUOTE LOVER AND EVERY SYSTEM IS PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO GET THE RESULTS IT GETS.
AND WITH THAT, UM, WE REALLY FOCUSED THIS YEAR AT BE FRONT MIDDLE SCHOOL ON COLLECTIVE EFFICACY OF THE ADULTS IN THE BUILDING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REFINED, REVISED WHERE NEEDED THE SKILL SETS AND MINDSETS TO MEET ALL STUDENTS' NEEDS.
THAT HAS TRANSLATED INTO SIGNIFICANT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES, AS YOU WILL SEE, UM, AS EVIDENCED BY THE DECLINE IN OUR SUMMER SCHOOL NUMBERS.
SO I HAVE THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF JUST SHARING SOME OF THE WORK THAT OUR VERY HARDWORKING EDUCATORS AND VERY HARDWORKING STUDENTS AT BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE FOCUSED ON THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU'LL SEE ON PAGE SEVEN.
UM, AND SO I'M JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM IF I MAY.
AND SO WE FOCUSED ON COMMON LANGUAGE, SCHOOLWIDE COMMON LANGUAGE THAT WAS DERIVED FROM OUR CONTENT AREA STANDARDS AND INDICATORS.
WE CALL THOSE THOSE TIER THREE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY WORDS.
AND HATTIE IS FOCUS ON VOCABULARY, WHICH DR.
STRATOS HAS REFERRED TO IN THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT SHE'S PROVIDED TO, UM, PROVIDES GREAT, UM, IMPACT IN ITS EFFECT SIZE AS EVIDENCED BY ITS EFFECT SIZE.
SO BY FOCUSING ON COMMON LANGUAGE DERIVED FROM OUR STANDARDS AND INDICATORS, STUDENTS ARE HAVING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND USE IN THEIR DAILY TEACHING AND LEARNING THE WORDS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ASSESSED ON AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND THE WORDS THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL.
SO A FOCUS ON SCHOOL-WIDE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY.
WE WERE INTENTIONALLY CONSISTENT.
UM, WE ALSO ALIGNED HATTIE'S HIGH YIELD, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THROUGH HIS MEDICINE METAL ANALYSIS TO OUR THREE INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORKS.
AVID ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION, ARTS INTEGRATION AND STEM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS.
I'M PROUD TO SHARE, ALTHOUGH, UM, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME I'M SAYING IT, THAT WE ARE THE TRIPLE CROWN.
WE HAVE EARNED THREE CERTIFICATIONS IN A SINGLE YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN IN ARTS AND BASIC CURRICULUM SCHOOL SINCE 2009.
WE EARNED OUR RECERTIFICATION THIS YEAR.
WE ALSO EARNED COA STEM ACCREDITATION THIS YEAR, AND WE ALSO HAVE CERTIFIED AS A HIGHLY CERTIFIED AVID SCHOOL.
UM, SO THROUGH THAT INTENTIONALITY OF LINING THE BEST PRACTICES AND
[01:00:01]
UM, MAKING SURE WE'RE TEACHING THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND THE LANGUAGE OF ACADEMICS TO OUR STUDENTS, WE HAVE SEEN A GREAT IMPACT, AGAIN, AS EVIDENCED BY THE REDUCTION IN OUR SUMMER SCHOOL NUMBERS.SOMETHING ELSE I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE KNOW ABOUT ADOLESCENT LEARNERS IS THAT IT HAS TO BE MEANINGFUL AND IT HAS TO BE RELEVANT, OTHERWISE THEY DON'T CARE.
UM, AND SO WE HAD FOUR SCHOOL-WIDE GOALS THIS YEAR THAT WERE STUDENT-CENTERED AND THEY WERE CALLED OUR DOUBLE A, B, C GOALS.
AND IT WAS AROUND ACHIEVEMENT, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, AND COURSE GRADES.
EVERY SINGLE STUDENT SAW THESE GOALS POSTED IN A COMMON AREA OF OUR SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE HAD HEALTHY GRADE LEVEL COMPETITIONS TO SEE WHICH GRADE LEVEL WAS MEETING, UH, THE GOALS FOR EACH QUARTER.
WE PROGRESS MONITORED EACH MONTH AND EACH QUARTER, AND THIS MOST IMPORTANTLY, STUDENTS HAD VOICE AND CHOICE OVER HOW THEY WANTED TO CELEBRATE AND REACHING THEIR GOALS.
AND IN THAT CELEBRATION, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A ABROAD.
EVERY STUDENT GOT TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON THAT COLLECTIVENESS THAT IT TAKES ALL OF US TO MAKE AN IMPACT.
AND SO STUDENTS HAD VOICE AND CHOICE OVER HOW THEY WANTED TO CELEBRATE AND REACHING THEIR ACHIEVEMENT AND THEIR ATTENDANCE AND THEIR BEHAVIOR AND COURSE GRADES.
WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT THIS YEAR WITH GREAT FIDELITY.
UM, AND THAT PROVIDED US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS.
WE HAD OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS WORK WITH STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT, UM, PROGRESSING WELL IN THEIR ACADEMIC CORE SUBJECTS IS THEY MET WITH THEM IN SMALL GROUPS AND THEY WORKED ON METACOGNITIVE STRATEGIES NECESSARY AND THEIR REFLECTION STRATEGIES THAT THEY NEEDED IN ORDER TO MAKE REALLY GOOD DECISIONS AND THEIR LEARNING.
UM, AND SO THAT THEY HAD AN INCREASE IN THEIR ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH, UH, WORKING WITH A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AS PART OF OUR MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED ON PAGE SEVEN, UM, THAT I'M PROUD TO SHARE ON BEHALF OF THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS WHO ARE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY DID THE HARD WORK NECESSARY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER NOW TO MY COLLEAGUE, MR. WILSON, PRINCIPAL AT WELL BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, MS. CUSHEN.
BARRY, WILL YOU PULL UP PAGE EIGHT, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF PRE PRESENTING THIS EVENING.
UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF ALLOWING ME TO LEAD WILL BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO I'LL SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
I HAVE TO GIVE SIGNIFICANT CREDIT TO THE REST OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM AND STAFF.
SO OUR ADMINISTRATION, INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, TEACHERS, UH, AND CLASSIFIED STAFF HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED IN VERY SIGNIFICANT WAYS TO THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS EVENING.
UM, WE ADDRESSED A FEW THINGS THIS YEAR VERY SYSTEMATICALLY AND I THINK VERY EFFECTIVELY.
UH, ONE WAS LOOKING AT STUDENTS' COURSE GRADE PROGRESS.
SO AS WE LOOK AT THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE IN SUMMER SCHOOL, WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT FOLLOWING UP WITH STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT DEMONSTRATING SUCCESS EARLY IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND SO WE IDENTIFIED THOSE STUDENTS BEGINNING AT THE END OF QUARTER ONE, CONFERENCED WITH PARENTS, INVITED THE STUDENTS TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD TARGETED SUPPORT FROM TEACHERS HELPING 'EM TO WORK ON THOSE CONTENT GAPS BEFORE THEY INCREASED AND WERE ABLE TO GET BACK ON TRACK FURTHER IN.
I THINK THAT HAVING THE STUDENTS WORKING THROUGH THAT PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE COURSES OVER THE YEAR.
UH, WE CONTINUED THAT PATTERN THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE REMAINING QUARTERS AND HAD VERY HIGH PARTICIPATION.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT STUDENTS SKILL DEFICITS.
SO COURSE PROGRESS IS LOOKING AT WHERE THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THE STANDARDS.
STUDENTS TAKE FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING ASSESSMENTS THAT GIVE US AN A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THEY'RE PROGRESSING IN THEIR READING, WRITING, AND MATH SKILLS.
AND AS WE LOOKED AT STUDENTS' PROGRESS IN THOSE AREAS AND IDENTIFIED DEFICITS, WE TIERED SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS.
WE HAD STUDENTS WHO WERE WORKING IN RELATED ARTS PERIOD CLASSES.
OUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS FOR TWO PER SEMESTER.
SO WE HAD SOME STUDENTS WHO ONE OF THOSE CLASSES WAS FOCUSED ON THOSE GOALS.
AND WE SET SOME CRITERIA FOR THE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO WORK OUT AND BE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO SOME OTHER COURSEWORK.
WE ALSO SET TARGETS FOR STUDENTS AT EVERY TIER THAT ARE THERE IN THE COURSE CLASSES AND BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL SUPPORTS.
AND IN PULLOUT GROUPS THAT WE HAD THROUGHOUT THE WEEK THAT SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS SUPPORTED ABOUT THEIR WEEKLY PROGRESS TARGETS, WE INCENTIVIZED THAT AND REWARDED STUDENTS WITH RECESS STATION OPPORTUNITIES.
AND FOR STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T MEET THOSE TARGETS, WE PROVIDED MORE SUPPORT FOR THOSE STUDENTS DURING THAT TIME IN A RESPONSIVE WEEKLY PATTERN.
UM, WE HAD MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF WHO WERE ALL PART OF DIFFERENT RCA HOUSES WHO TOOK OWNERSHIP OVER MONITORING AND INCENTIVIZING AND RECOGNIZING STUDENTS.
SO IN ADDITION TO SCHOOL-WIDE CELEBRATIONS THAT WE HAD FOR STUDENTS WHO WERE MEETING PROGRESS AND PROFICIENCY TARGETS, GROWTH TARGETS, WE ALSO HAD PEOPLE SUPPORTING STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ACKNOWLEDGING WHERE THEY WERE MAKING THOSE GOALS AND GIVING THEM THAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE STRIVING TOWARDS HITTING WEEKLY TARGETS.
THE TARGETS THAT WE SET IN WORKING WITH STUDENTS WERE PROFICIENCY BASED, SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT TIME IN ITS LOCATION OR, YOU KNOW, TIME WORKING TOWARDS A GOAL,
[01:05:01]
BUT AN OUTCOME BASED, PROGRESS BASED MONITORING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.AND I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL FOR US IN SUPPORTING STUDENTS.
WE ALSO DID A LOT IN INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO USE RESOURCES WELL AND MOTIVATE STUDENTS.
SO DURING A TIME WHERE WE MADE A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE ON FRIDAYS, WE HAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO RECEIVE SOME TARGETED SUPPORT.
UM, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE IN OUR BUILDING AND PEOPLE FROM THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT WHO HELPED AT DIFFERENT POINTS.
SO WE HAD THE SECONDARY MATH COORDINATOR, OUR SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION SPECIALIST, MEMBERS OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CLASSROOM TEACHERS, BUT HAVE SKILL SETS THAT ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO GAVE SOME RESPONSIVE SMALL GROUP TUTORING TO STUDENTS DURING THOSE FRIDAY TIMES.
UM, AND WE ALSO CELEBRATED THE STUDENTS WHO MADE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH AND CREATED FUN IN THE SCHEDULE FOR STUDENTS WITHOUT TAKING IT, UH, ALL WORK, NO PLAY.
SO WE HAD CLUBS ON FRIDAYS THAT STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN, THAT THEY WERE SELF-DIRECTED AND CHOSEN.
MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS SUPPORTED THAT.
OUR CLASSIFIED STAFF AND RELATED ARTS TEAM SUPPORTED THAT.
UM, AND THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN MANY DIFFERENT CELEBRATIONS AS PART OF OUR HOUSE PROGRAM, WE HAD HOUSE CHALLENGES.
UH, WE HAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO MOVE THEIR RANKING AND SCORE AND THEIR HOUSE'S SCORE IN A COMPETITIVE WAY, BOTH FROM THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND GROWTH.
AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE AREAS REALLY HELPED STUDENTS TO GROW.
WE ALSO HAD A SHARED SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING AND OWNERSHIP OF THE DATA.
SO IF YOU SPEAK TO THE STAFF, IT WOULDN'T JUST BE THE ELA OR THE MATH TEACHERS WHO COULD TALK INTELLIGENTLY ABOUT WHERE STUDENTS ARE, WHAT THEY WERE WORKING TOWARDS AND WHAT THEIR GOALS WERE.
BUT AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE RELATED ARTS TEAM WERE FAMILIAR AND SUPPORTING THOSE THINGS.
EVEN MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER GROUP AND CLASSIFIED STAFF WERE GIVING SUPPORT AND MONITORING AND ASSISTING STUDENTS IN THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT SUPPORTS THE COLLECTIVE EFFICACY THAT, UH, PRINCIPAL MURILLO SPOKE OF, WHERE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE WORKING FOR AND HOW WE CAN EACH CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
SO THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT I THINK WE'RE SIGNIFICANT IN MOVING TOWARDS THAT OUTCOME.
AND AGAIN, UH, I OWE MUCH CREDIT TO THE TEAM THAT, UM, THAT I HAVE TO LEAD IN BEING ABLE TO PULL THAT OFF.
SO YOU COULD UNDERSTAND HOW WE WENT TO 14 AT BOTH SCHOOLS.
THESE PRINCIPLES ARE PUTTING SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
THOSE SYSTEMS HAS CONTINUED INTO THE SUMMER TO HANDS-ON EXPLICIT DIRECT INSTRUCTION FOR OUR CHILDREN AS THEY ARE ABLE TO GO FORWARD AND CON IMPROVE THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
WITH THAT, I WANNA BRING MS. DRUMS SKI FORWARD BECAUSE THEIR WORK THAT SHE'S DOING IMPACTS K THROUGH 12.
AND I WANNA SAY IT IS ALL STUDENTS.
WE'VE HAD WORK THIS SUMMER ON INCLUSION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FOR ML.
WE ALWAYS HAVE IT FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, BUT WE'RE OPENING THE DOOR FOR MORE RESOURCES, SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATORS AND DIRECT SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS.
HONESTLY, MY COLLEAGUES, IT'S A GOOD JOB DESCRIBING EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING AND OUR SCHOOLS WITH OUR STUDENTS.
OUR PROGRAM IS CALLED MAINTAINING LANGUAGE AND LITERACY BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON LITERACY, BUT ALL STUDENTS NEED LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TO MASTER THE CONTENT AND WHAT'S COMING THEIR WAY IN THEIR NEXT GRADE LEVEL.
SO THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IS NOT TAUGHT IN ISOLATION, BUT IS ALSO BASED ON THE COMPONENT OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CONTENT STANDARDS.
THE PROGRAM LEVERAGES CODE OR ACADEMIC SUBJECTS SUCH AS MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, READING, WRITING, ALL OF THOSE, RATHER THAN TEACHING AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE SEPARATELY.
IT IS DONE ALL TOGETHER TO PROVIDE CONTEXTUALIZED FOUNDATION FOR LITERACY.
WE ALSO OFFER DIRECT INSTRUCTION.
IT'S A LOT OF SMALL GROUP SO THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCOURSE WITH PEERS AND TEACHERS.
AS WE SAID, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO TEACH BACKGROUND INFORMATION, VOCABULARY THAT THEY WILL NEED TO THE UPCOMING KEY COMPONENTS OF THEIR YEAR.
AND LASTLY, WE TRULY SUPPORT THE FACT THAT ALL SCHOOLS WERE OFFERED THE PROGRAM SELECTION WAS GIVEN AUTONOMY TO THE SCHOOLS AS TO THE STUDENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO IN INVITE MOST OF THEM SELECTED LEARNERS WHO EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND GRADE LEVEL SKILLS.
AND THE GOAL TRULY IS JUST TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM INTENSIVE SUMMER LITERACY SUPPORT AS A BRIDGE TO ENSURE SUCCESS IN THEIR ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY AND LANGUAGE IN THEIR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
SO, MRS. CUSHEN BARRY, AS WE CROSS OVER FROM THE SUMMER SCHOOL, THIS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SERVICING
[01:10:01]
SUMMER CAMPS OR EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE HAVE OVER 500 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING BEFORE WE GO.THIS IS A QUOTE BASICALLY TO NOTE THAT SUMMER CAMP TEACHES CHILDREN MANY LIFE SKILLS IN A FUN AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT, ENABLES THEM TO TRY NEW THINGS, MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND SUCCEED IN WAYS THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.
WE KNOW THAT YOUR CHILD WILL MAKE LONG LASTING MEMORIES AND DEVELOP SKILLS THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
AND I, WE SHARE THAT BECAUSE OUR SUMMER CAMPS HAVE BEEN HANDS-ON LEARNING FOR STUDENTS.
IT HAS BEEN EXPLICIT FROM P PROJECT LEAD THE WAY FOR SCIENCE FOR ELEMENTARY.
YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
YOU'LL SEE A PICTURE FROM HILTON HEAD, UM, IB TO OUR STUDENTS TO IN LIVE CAMPS, GOING TO MITCHELLVILLE HERE ON THE ISLAND TO THE YMCA BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND HAVING EXPEDITIONS.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE LEARNING FUN, KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE, EXTEND OPPORTUNITIES THAT LEARNING CAN BE FUN.
AND WE'RE NOT HAVING STUDENTS JUST SITTING IN FRONT OF A DEVICE.
THERE WAS AN EARLIER COMMENT IN THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION, AND I WAS TRYING TO SHOW THAT AS AN UNDERLYING THEME.
NO SOFTWARE HAS BEEN SPOKEN OF.
I USE THE LANGUAGE TO YOU EXPLICIT DIRECT INSTRUCTION FOR A PURPOSE.
THIS SLIDE SHARES WITH YOU TO CAM SAID WHERE YOU HAVE HAD EXISTING.
AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION ON HILTON HEAD, IB ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS' CAMP.
THIS IS THROUGH CHANGEMAKERS GRANT.
THE LOWER PICTURE ACTUALLY IS WITHIN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WE ARE HERE TONIGHT AT WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT EMPHASIS ON LITERACY.
AND I I DID, I DID NOT SHARE THE VIDEO THAT GOES WITH THIS, THAT RON JUST CREATED.
IF YOU GET THAT OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE PULL IT UP.
IT IS PHENOMENAL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE THROUGH THIS GROUP IN ST.
AND WHEN INDIGO DIES AND LISTENING TO THE STUDENTS SPEAK OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THOSE STUDENTS, MOST OF THEM ARE SECONDARY TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
SO WITH THAT HENRY FORD, AND WE DO KNOW HE'S THE FATHER OF TAYLORISM, KEEP THINGS SIMPLE.
BE REPRODUCTIVE, KEEP IT DOING THE SAME THING, RIGHT? DON'T FIX IT IF IT'S NOT BROKEN.
BUT ONE THING HE DID SAY THAT'S SIGNIFICANT COMING TOGETHER IS THE BEGINNING.
WORKING TOGETHER AS SUCCESS, US AS A DIVISION, US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, US WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH FAMILIES.
IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH SOME GREAT PEOPLE.
ONE IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS IS MY LAST OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE TO YOU, DR. CAMPBELL, BECAUSE IT IS HER LAST BOARD MEETING.
SHE WILL PROBABLY, SHE'S TALLER THAN ME, SO IT'LL BE EASY FOR HER TO, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
BUT I DO WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL HER THANK YOU.
AND THAT IS ONE REASON WHY I'VE ALSO ASKED OUR DIVISION TO JOIN BECAUSE SHE HAS GIVEN 28 YEARS TO THE SYSTEM.
AND IT IS A GREAT HONOR HAVING WORKED WITH HER SINCE 2019.
SO WITH THAT, DR. CAMPBELL, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL OF ISD BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT REPLACEABLE.
YOU ARE UNIQUE AND YOU'RE A PHENOMENAL WOMAN.
BOARD MEMBERS, UM, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
STRADDLE, SHE SAID 28 YEARS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT, UM, 28 YEARS AS AN EMPLOYEE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, 14 YEARS AS A STUDENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND SO WHEN YOU ADD THAT UP, YOU KNOW, IT'S 42 YEARS OF DEDICATION TO ONE, WHAT EXACTLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE,
UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I AM STILL GONNA BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY JUST SERVING A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AND, UM, I'M A PHONE CALL, EMAIL AWAY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE YOUR NUMBER AND WE'LL BE TALKING YOU.
[01:15:01]
YES, DR. RODRIGUEZ.I WAS JUST SAYING CONGRATULATIONS DR. CAMPBELL.
AND, UH, WE, WE HAVE YOUR NUMBER AND WE WILL BE CALLING YOU
I, UH, I DO HAVE, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, AND, AND THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION GIVEN, AND SO WE DEFINITELY WOULDN'T WANNA LET THAT INFORMATION BE GONE FROM THE THANK YOU.
UH, PASTOR GORDON RAISED HIS HAND.
OH, YOU HAVE A QUESTION FIRST? OKAY.
JUST, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND IT'S AMAZING.
UM, MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE MADE A STATEMENT.
SHE SAYS, WHEN SHE LEARNED HOW TO READ, THE WORLD OPENED UP TO HER.
AND YOU'RE NOT JUST TEACHING KIDS HOW TO READ, YOU'RE TEACHING THEM HOW TO LOVE TO READ.
AND THE WORLD WILL OPEN UP TO THEM.
WELL, YOU GO AHEAD, MS. BOATRIGHT.
THANK YOU, UH, MS. STRATAS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, OR DR.
STRATAS, I'M SORRY TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, MY, MY OBSERVATION ON THIS PRESENTATION WAS THERE'S A LOT OF TALK IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAS BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD ABOUT RETENTION IN THIRD GRADE AS A MORE EFFECTIVE TOOL.
AND I THINK YOU'VE PRETTY CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
I THINK ONE THING IS WITH THE, WHAT'S GOING ON IN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE PRESS WITH MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA AND ALL THAT HAS RESURFACED THE THIRD GRADE RETENTION ISSUE BECAUSE THAT IS A PART OF THEIR, UM, PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT, YOU'RE DOING WHAT MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA ARE DOING, BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THESE OTHER STATES IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE NOT READING AT GRADE LEVEL, SPRING OF THEIR THIRD GRADE YEAR.
THEY'RE GIVEN INTENSIVE INSTRUCTION OVER THE SUMMER, AND TWO MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COME UP TO GRADE LEVEL.
AT THAT POINT, ABOUT 15% OF THIRD GRADERS ARE STILL NOT ON READING GRADE, UH, LEVEL.
AND THEN THEY ARE GIVEN GOOD CAUSE EXEMPTIONS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITH, UH, LANGUAGE ISSUES OR, UH, SEVERE LEARNING DISABILITIES.
BY THE END, I THINK YOUR SYSTEM'S VERY COMPARABLE.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT.
UM, THE OTHER, I HAVE TWO MORE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
I LIKED THE VIDEO AND I NOTICED IT WAS ALL PENCILS AND CRAYONS AND HANDS ONS AND TACTILES.
AND AS OUR BOARD CHAIRMAN POINTED OUT EARLIER, I HAVE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY HOW QUICKLY PEOPLE ARE TAKING TO THIS, UM, REDUCTION IN SCREEN TIME.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, PEOPLE SEE THE, THE CHILDREN STILL USING THE, YOU KNOW, THE TACTILE HANDS-ON THINGS BECAUSE THERE IS QUITE A MOVEMENT AFOOT TO GET SCREENS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THESE SUMMER READING PROGRAMS ARE NOT THE KIDS SITTING IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER DOING I-READY, THAT THEY'RE HAVING HANDS-ON INTENSIVE, UM, EDUCATION.
THE THIRD THING I WANTED TO SAY IS EFFECT SIZE.
AND JOHN HATTIE, THAT'S A VERY CONTROVERSIAL FROM A DATA SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE, I'M NOT AN EDUCATOR, BUT HIS EFFECT SIZE AND THE WAY HE COMPARES THAT, IT'S A PRETTY FLAWED METHODOLOGY.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT INTERVENTIONS, IT'S A META META ANALYSIS.
UM, AS SOMEONE PUT IT, HE COMPARES APPLES TO ORANGES TO HUBCAPS.
AND SO I THINK LEANING ENTIRELY ON JOHN HATTIE'S RESEARCH CAN CAUSE THEY, THEY'VE ALSO FOUND SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS MODEL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD, I WOULD THINK, UH, PRIMARY DATA SOURCES FROM OUR OWN INTERNAL STUFF AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE, UM, NEEDING SUMMER INTERVENTION, THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE GETTING IT, ATTENDANCE OF SUMMER INVENTION.
'CAUSE I DID SEE THAT THE SLIDE SAID HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INVITED TO THIRD GRADE.
MY GUESS IS THE NUMBER THAT ACTUALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT INVITATION IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER.
I KNOW IT IS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
UM, AND THEN HOW THE KIDS WHO DO PROGRESS TO FOURTH GRADE, UM, AFTER THE SUMMER READING PROGRAMS, HOW THEY'RE DOING AT THE END OF FOURTH GRADE, TO ME THAT WOULD BE A LOT MORE MEANINGFUL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND JOHN HATTIE'S A VERY COMMON, VERY POPULAR, UM, EDUCATOR, BUT FROM THE DATA SCIENCE ASPECT, HE HAS SOME, SOME OF HIS EFFECT SIZE IS, IS PRETTY OUT OF WHACK IN MY OPINION, AS LIKE SOMEONE WHO FOLLOWS DATA STUFF.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT CONTROVERSIAL.
MAY I SO TO, TO PICK UP ON HATTIE'S WORK, WE RECOGNIZE ON THE ANALYSIS, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS 1300 RESEARCH AREAS THAT HE HAD LOOKED AT, AND HE LANDED THAT ANYTHING OUT OF 0.04 IS THE NORM OF IMPROVEMENT.
ANYTHING ABOVE THAT, YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE EXTRA.
NO DIFFERENT THAN WEIGHT TRAINING THAT YOU ARE DOING 50 POUNDS, 50 POUNDS, 50 POUNDS, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU START PUTTING ANOTHER 10, YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE EXTRA
[01:20:01]
GROWTH.I AGREE WITH YOU ON HIS LISTING OF THE AMOUNT OF STRATEGIES HE WENT FROM 135 TO 215, IT BECAME TOO ROBUST.
HIS REVISITING OF HIS OWN WORK.
HE BROUGHT IT BACK DOWN TO LOOK.
SO HE DID GET IN A LITTLE TOO FAR INTO THE ANALYSIS AND IT HAPPENS WITH RESEARCHERS.
BUT I DO RECOGNIZE HIS SEMINAL WORK THAT OTHER RESEARCHERS HAVE BUILT OFF OF HIM.
AND YOUR COMMENTARY ON LOUIS, LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI, 100% ON ON POINT WITH US AS WELL, MRS. BOATWRIGHT, UH, THEY'RE VERY HARD, THE EDUCATORS TO INTENSIFY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT IS WHAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD, SIR, TO BRING THE LOVE BACK.
AND I WANNA ALSO SHARE THAT WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY AT HAVING A BALANCE OF THAT EXPLICIT DIRECT INSTRUCTION WITH THE BALANCE TO TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS THE MAGIC OF THE EDUCATOR THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO TECHNOLOGY IS A VEHICLE NOT THE TOOL.
SOMETIMES WE MAY PUT OUR CHILDREN TOO FAR OUT THERE RECEIVING TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME WHEN MARY MAY NEED A LITTLE MORE, I MAY NEED YOU TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR ME.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT TECHNOLOGY CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE IT CAN, BUT IT IS A BALANCE THAT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS DO NEED AND NO DIFFERENT.
IN TALKING ABOUT LIT LITERACY, WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLITERACY AND HOW THAT IS DEEPENED.
SO YOU OPEN THAT THIRST AS WELL.
IF YOU JUST LET ME, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
AND I THINK BALANCE IS A VERY KEY WORD AS WE THINK ABOUT.
'CAUSE I'M SIMULTANEOUSLY LOOKING FOR MORE EDUCATION IN TECHNOLOGY AND LESS SCREEN TIME.
BUT THE REASON I BRING UP THE HATTIE'S RESEARCH, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE, AS MY DAD, THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER USED TO SAY, KIDS AREN'T WIDGETS.
RIGHT? SO WHAT HIS RESEARCH DID WAS IT BASICALLY LOOKED AT STUDIES ACROSS DECADES, POPULATIONS, NATIONS AGES.
SO IF I WERE TO EXTRAPOLATE YOUR, UM, WEIGHT LIFTING METAPHOR, YOU WOULD SAY THAT THE AVERAGE HUMAN WEIGHT LIFTS 50.
RIGHT? BUT YOU'RE NOT TAKING IN THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE STUDIES WERE ON PEOPLE IN, UH, ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, AND SOME OF THEM WERE NFL ATHLETES AND SOME OF THEM WERE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT'S WHERE THE EFFECT SIZE TO ME, AND THE REASON I PUSH BACK ON HATTIE'S RESEARCH, I DON'T THINK HIS RESEARCH IS WITHOUT VALUE.
I THINK IT IS A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK THAT EDUCATORS SHOULD STUDY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, IF YOU DON'T ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE KIDS WERE, YOU KNOW, YOUNGER, OLDER, DIFFERENT AGES, DIFFERENT PLACES, DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, SOME OF THEM RECEIVED INTENSIVES AND UH, SUPPORT, SOME OF THEM RECEIVE NO SUPPORT AND THEN COMBINE ALL OF THAT TO DO EFFECT SIZE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH ARE QUALITY METRICS THAT MAY NOT, I'M USING A MEDICAL TERM, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE AS VALID AS THEY COULD BE.
AND THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU GET THESE REALLY SIMPLISTIC, EVERYTHING ABOVE A 0.4 SORT OF MODELS IS THAT IT'S EASY TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN WHY THERE'S THE VARIATION.
SO I DO THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE SORT OF BROAD BASED, UM, STUDIES WHERE THEY'RE NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THIRD GRADE RETENTION PERIOD, BUT HE NEVER LOOKED AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIRD GRADE JUST REPEATING EXACTLY THE SAME THING, JUST GOING BACK IN THE SAME CLASSROOM VERSUS REPEATING.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA DOES WITH ITS, UH, THIRD GRADE REPEATS IS IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT, MORE INTENSE INSTRUCTION WITH THE THIRD GRADE.
SO IF YOU DON'T ACCOUNT FOR THAT SORT OF THING, THE NARRATIVE CAN GET LOST ON WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THIS REPORT, UM, PRINCIPAL, UH, MARILLO SAID SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TELLING THIS DISTRICT FOR A VERY LONG TIME, SINCE I, I THINK SINCE I PRETTY MUCH KIND OF WITHIN THE LAST YEARS, KINDA SINCE I'VE GOTTEN THOSE BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN EIGHTH GRADE, I MEAN, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS START PLAYING BASKETBALL AT THE SEVENTH, AT SEVENTH GRADE, AND YOU PLAY SPORTS IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE.
AND WHEN I'VE TOLD 'EM, EVEN WHEN I LOOK AROUND AT THE DISTRICT AND WHICH SCHOOLS ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS DISTRICT, THERE NORMALLY ARE THE SCHOOLS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFUL ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. AND SHE RALLIED QUICK THREE.
SHE SAID THERE WERE THREE, THREE QUICK THING.
THERE WAS QUICK THREE, UH, AWARDS THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, CAN CAN SHE SPEAK TO THOSE? SHE SAID WHAT WERE THOSE THREE AWARDS THAT, THAT THEY DID, THAT HER SCHOOL RECEIVED STEM CERTIFICATION THROUGH COA.
SECOND ONE WAS A, B, C, THE ARTS.
THE THIRD WAS BEING RECOGNIZED AS, I'M GONNA CALL, IT'S NOT A LIGHTHOUSE SCHOOL, BUT AS A LEAD ABBOTT SCHOOL.
AND I BELIEVE THAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED WITHIN,
[01:25:02]
THIS MAY BE THEIR THIRD YEAR AS AN ABBOTT SCHOOL, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.SO IN ONE YEAR THEY WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, HIGHLIGHT FOR THREE SIGNIFICANT AREAS.
AND I WANNA SHARE, WE HAVE SEVEN OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS NOW ARE ACTUALLY, MY SEVEN SCHOOLS ARE TIED TO MEDTECH GRANT ARE, EACH ONE IS A STEM SCHOOL WHERE LENS, LENS HAS ALREADY BEEN A STEM AND THEY'RE UP FOR RE-CERTIFICATION.
BUT I DO WANNA SHARE THAT EVERY SCHOOL IN BOWOOD ARE MEDTECH GRANT.
EACH ONE HAS OBTAINED STEM CERTIFICATION.
AND LIMS WHO HAD HAD IT ACTUALLY UNDER DR. DIXON, UM, IS UP FOR RECERTIFICATION AS WELL.
AND MY, JUST TO GET BACK TO MY MAIN POINT, KEEP THE MAIN THING, MAIN THING, I, UH, HOW MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS TO THAT SUPPORT THAT, UH, THAT PUT TOWARDS THE BOTTOM LINE WITHIN THESE THREE CATEGORIES? COULD YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE ATHLETES? SO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ARE HOW MANY STUDENTS SUPPORT THOSE THREE AREAS? RIGHT? AM I CORRECT? RIGHT.
SO IT ALL STUDENTS REPRESENT, RIGHT.
SO ARTS INTEGRATION IS SCHOOL-WIDE.
AVID IS UTILIZED WITHIN THE CONTENT AREAS OUTSIDE OF HAVING AN ABBOTT ELECTIVE.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO MAY BE IN THE A OF ABBOTT ELECTIVE, MR. SMITH.
AND LIGHTHOUSE, I'M SURE IS ALL, IS ALL STUDENTS AS WELL.
RIGHT? SO, AND, AND THE COMPARISON, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING HERE IS THAT THE SCHOOL MORALE IN TERMS OF THE LOVE YOU JUST TOLD YOU, AND YOU AND, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES JUST TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF HAVING THAT ALL COMES FROM THE CLIMATE OF, OF, OF THE SCHOOL AND ALSO THE MORALE OF THAT SCHOOL.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE A WINNING TEAM AND YOU HAVE KIDS WHO BELIEVE THEY WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE FIRE, AND UNTIL WE AT THIS DISTRICT UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE HAVING IN TERMS OF STUDENTS LEARNING.
BECAUSE STUDENTS WILL FOLLOW YOU.
STUDENTS WILL LOVE YOU, STUDENTS WILL LISTEN TO YOU IF THEY HAVE A GOLDEN MIND.
SHE ALSO STATED IN HER, IN, IN, IN HER, IN HER PRESENTATION THAT SHE DIDN'T, SHE WAS VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW MUCH STUDENTS WILL BE GOING TO SUMMER SCHOOL THIS SUMMER.
I BELIEVE MR. BRENTLEY SAID THAT THE, THE SAID THE SAME THING.
AND SO WHAT SHE SAID WAS THAT SHE DIDN'T WAIT TILL MIDYEAR FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO DROP WHEN SHE SEEN THEM IN THE, IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
SHE BASICALLY, WHATEVER SHE DID, HOWEVER, LEMME TELL, CALL IT AFTER ACTION REVIEW.
SHE DIDN'T WAIT FOR AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW.
SHE DID A, A RIGHT NOW REVIEW.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT SHE'S DOING AT HER SCHOOL IN THE, I KNOW WE CAN'T CLONE, WE CAN'T CLONE HER, BUT IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT SHE'S DOING, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PRACTICES OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS IN OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS DISTRICT? WHY ARE WE NOT ALL ON THE, ON THE SAME PAGE? BECAUSE THAT IS A GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING TO HEAR THAT WAS A LITTLE REFRE REFRESHING TO UNDERSTAND.
THAT LETS ME KNOW, BEING ONE OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE ON THE BOARD WHO UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND HOW THINGS WORK AND UNDERSTAND, UM, WITH KIDS IS SOMETIMES IS GIVE IS GIVER, IT IS GIVE OR TAKE.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING SO THAT, THAT THEY, THEY CAN GIVE YOU SOMETHING.
AND WHAT, AND WHAT I HEARD WHAT SHE SAID TODAY, AND I'M BRINGING THIS TO MY COLLEAGUES, IS THAT SHE SAID THAT, SHE SAID SHE MADE IT HER POINT TO SAY, IN MY SPORTS ARE DOING GOOD.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE SPORT AND WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS IN SPORTS, YOU HAVE LEADERS.
AND I'M SURE SHE GETS, THEY HAVE A GREAT BAND PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO MY, MY MY MY MY MY MY POINT, JUST TO BRING IT TO A CLOSE ON, ON THAT IS THAT WHEN YOU CREATE LEADERS AND A LEADER IN ME SYSTEM LIKE THAT, SOMETHING THAT'S SYSTEMATICALLY THEN THAT BUILDS YOUR CULTURE OR YOUR SCHOOL AND THAT, AND THAT BUILDS A STRUCTURE AND EDUCATIONAL COMPARTMENT AND THAT BRINGING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.
AND UNTIL WE START GETTING MORE OF OUR SCHOOLS WHO ARE BRINGING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER AND PUT THAT LOVE PIECE IN THERE, THEN, THEN, THEN THAT, THEN THAT IS A, THAT IS A CONCERN IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE AND, AND, AND WHICH SCHOOLS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND, AND, AND WHICH SCHOOLS ARE KIND OF ON, ON, ON, ON THE EDGE.
I MEAN, BECAUSE THIS IS THE EDUCATION, THIS IS A, A PART OF OUR JOB AS EDUCATIONAL MEANS.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT PART, BRING THAT POINT OUT.
AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S THE TYPE OF CLING AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF LEADERSHIP I'M LOOKING IN, IN INFORMATION WHEN THEY ARE BRINGING US INFORMATION IN
[01:30:01]
THIS DISTRICT TO TELL US, LOOK HERE, THIS IS HOW WE ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL.THIS IS MRS. SMITH, YOU AS A BOARD MEMBER, YOU WANNA KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I NEED YOU TO SUPPORT ME ON.
THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO HAVE, TALK TO PARENTS ABOUT.
SO THAT, SO THAT THAT, THAT WE DON'T GET SCHOOLS OR GET STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE JUMPING FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT WILL SAY, LOOK HERE, I WANNA GO TO THAT SCHOOL, BEFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, BECAUSE THEY'RE WINNING.
THEY HAVE WINNING PROGRAMS. BUT ONCE YOU, WE, WHEN WE, AND WE TALK ABOUT BEING IN COMPETITION WITH SOME OF THESE CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHEN WE HAVE ALL WINNING PROGRAMS AND WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE LEADING THE WAY, THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM BECAUSE WE WILL, THE STUDENTS WILL SHUT THEM DOWN THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY WILL WANNA BE A PART OF BEAUTIFUL COUNTY SCHOOLS.
THEY WON'T WANNA BE IN ALL OF BEAUTIFUL COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SO I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT, BRING THAT POINT OUT.
UM, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE.
MY, UH, MY, MY SECOND, MY SECOND POINT IS, UM, AND IN TERMS OF SHINE, I I I'VE GIVEN YOU STAFF CO KUDOS.
I WAS, UH, I WAS ALSO AT THE, UH, ONE OF THE SHINE YESTERDAY.
AND ACTUALLY I WAS AT, I WENT TO PENN CENTER AND I WAS VISITING THE SITES, UH, IN TERMS OF SEEING WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING.
AND I, AND MRS. BOATWRIGHT AND, UH, THE CHAIRMAN WHERE ACTUALLY WAS, THEY WERE, UH, SPOT ON IN TERMS OF HANDS ON AT ALL THOSE SITES.
STUDENTS WERE HANDS ON AND THEY WERE LOVING IT.
I WALKED INTO, UH, MRS. CLOSE'S CLASS, I TELLING THE KIDS WANTED TO READ TO ME, THEY WANTED TO SHOW ME, SEE, I'M WRITING, I'M WRITING, I'M WRITING, I'M WRITING.
AND I, AND IT DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T REALLY DAWN TO ME KIND OF A LITTLE BIT UNTIL I WAS, WHEN I WAS THINKING, THINKING ABOUT HOW, HOW, HOW EXCITED THE KIDS WAS ABOUT READING AND TELLING ME I WAS WRITING.
THE KID WAS AS IN, DID YOU SEE THIS? I'M WRITING, I'M WRITING KIDS.
ONE KID SAID, I'M WORKING ON MY WRITING.
BECAUSE THEY HAD A DIFFERENT AVENUE THAT THEY WERE BEING EXPOSED TO.
SO THAT SPEAKS TO MY COLLEAGUES' POINTS INTO, INTO, INTO WHAT THE, ANYWAYS, THAT, THAT SPEAKS TO, SPEAKS TO THE POINT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT DIFFERENT MESSAGE D DIFFERENT METHODS MAY BE FOR DIFFERENT KIDS IN DIFFERENT POCKETS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO BETTER POLISH THEM.
I JUST WANT, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT AND TO DR. CAMPBELL, THE SMILE PROGRAM WAS PHENOMENAL.
I MEAN, THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE HAPPY.
THE STUDENTS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, IT JUST, IT WASN'T JUST ANOTHER PROGRAM.
PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME, WELL, HOW YOU GET INTO IT? I SAID, WELL, YOU AIN'T, WHY YOU AIN'T BEEN TO MEETING? I SAID, WHY YOU DIDN'T COME? AND THEY ASKED ME, YOU.
AND ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS GONNA BE TOO, UM, IS HOW IN TERMS TERMS OF ALL THESE PROGRAMS, HOW DO WE PICK STUDENTS TO, TO COME INTO THESE PROGRAMS? WELL, WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS? CAN CAN, CAN I, CAN I JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN UP THERE, YOU AND YOUR TEAM BEEN UP THERE A LONG TIME.
YOU'VE GOTTEN SUPERB FEEDBACK FROM COLLEAGUES.
I'M SURE YOU ARE ARCHIVING THIS.
AND MAY I SUGGEST YOU TAKE SOME TIME TO GO AND PUT TOGETHER RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS RAISED BY MS. BOATWRIGHT, MR. SMITH AND OTHERS.
UH, THE THING THAT I WANT TO SORT OF PIVOT TO AND ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT WAS A VERY DIVERSE GROUP IN TERMS OF TOPICS COVERED.
AND I SAW THAT IN THE MATERIALS THAT WERE IN THE PACKAGE.
SO I THINK YOU'RE ONTO SOMETHING WHICH OTHERS ARE SAYING.
EVERYONE STARTED OFF WITH SAYING, KUDOS FOR THIS.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE SEGMENT TO BE CON, UH, FOCUSED ON.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I RESPECTFULLY, I'M NOT FINISHED WITH MY BROTHER.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M MR. MS. BOATRIGHT.
MS. BOATWRIGHT HAD I HAD HER TIME, MR. SMITH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, LISTEN, IN ALL DUE RESPECT, WE, WE, WE CAME HERE FOR A, FOR A MEETING.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT A MI WE'RE NOT A MICROWAVE GENERATION.
THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL ME MEETING WHERE WE'RE COMING TO TALK AND DISCUSS EDUCATIONAL POINTS.
AND, AND MY, AND MY LAST THING IS TO TELL, ALSO TO TELL DR. CAMPBELL HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE HER, BECAUSE I REMEMBER GOING TO HER SCHOOL AND I WAS A STUDENT WHEN SHE, WHEN SHE WAS FIRST AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ROBERT SMALLS.
AND I REMEMBER ME BEING A STUDENT AND HAVING AN ORGANIZATION, AND I REMEMBER HER ALLOWING ME, UH, ALONG WITH MR. MARK WRIGHT AND MR. CALVIN WHITE TO BRING OUR, OUR KIDS OVER THERE, STUDENTS TO TALK TO HAVE A STUDENT TALK, STUDENT ON STUDENT CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT WAS GREAT TO SEE HER AND ALSO TO HAVE HER DAUGHTER HERE TO SHOW, FOR HER TO EXEMPLIFY WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SHOW HER DAUGHTER WHAT HARD WORK IS AND HOW, HOW TO RETIRE, AND WHETHER IN A SUCCESSFUL MANNER OR FORM.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WITHIN MY RIGHT TO DO.
AND I JUST WANNA TELL HER I APPRECIATE HER.
AND MS. DR. CAMPBELL, YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND I THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING ABLE TO EXEMPLIFY AND THIS DISTRICT THAT HAS FOSTERED YOU AND HAS RAISED YOU, HOPEFULLY I AM ABLE TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BE WHERE YOU ARE ONE DAY TOO MAY LEAVE AND, AND WHEREVER I HAVE A KID OR NOT TO SHOW THE STUDENTS THAT THEY CAN DO IT.
AND I APPRECIATE FOR YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND, AND, AND I TELL YOUR DAUGHTER, LISTEN, HEY, TAKE A
[01:35:01]
PAGE OUT YOUR MOM'S BOOK BECAUSE YOUR MOM HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.AND IT WAS AN AWESOME AND AN HONOR TO SEE YOU HERE, TO BE ABLE TO EMBODY THIS MOMENT WITH YOUR MOTHER.
IF MY MOTHER WAS HERE, LISTEN, I WOULD BE BEYOND WHAT SHE COULD SEE ME FIGHTING FOR IT IN THIS DISTRICT.
BUT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE, FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOUR MOM HERE LEADING THE WAY AND LEADING THE CHARGE WAS AN ALWAYS AWESOME.
UM, I THINK THE NEXT ITEM IS BUDGET PRESENTATION.
MS. UH, CROSBY WILL BE ON OUR WAY UP, UH, TO PROVIDE THE BOARD, UH, SOME UPDATE REGARDING 26 27, UH, BUDGET.
I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR BOARD, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BUDGET WAS APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL LAST EVENING AND THIRD AND FINAL READING.
UH, WE HAD THREE UNANIMOUS APPROVALS BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
THEY WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND IT WAS A VERY EASY PROCESS, ALTHOUGH VERY LATE EVENINGS, BUT, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS A VERY EASY PROCESS FOR US THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.
AND, UH, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, THERE'S ALREADY WORK BEING DONE TO GET READY TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR AND TO GET READY FOR THE NEXT.
SO OUR TEAMS ARE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONE ANOTHER AND, UH, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE, UH, BE MOVING ALONG AND CLOSING OUT THE YEAR AND STARTING A NEW, SO THANK YOU.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? GOOD.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE LAST NIGHT WHEN THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE IS THAT THEY ARE ADOPTING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT'S CLOCK PROGRAM.
AND THAT WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS PUBLISHED OR BROADCASTED ON THE SCREEN AND EVERYONE COULD SEE THAT.
SO KUDOS TO, UM, THE DISTRICT FOR ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EFFORTS.
OTHERS ARE SEEING IT AND RESPECTING IT.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
STRATOS AND HER TEAM AND CERTAINLY, UH, MS. CROSBY AND THE WORK THAT HER TEAM HAS DONE ON THE, ON THE BUDGET.
[Consent Agenda ]
UNLESS THE, WE'VE ALREADY MADE CHANGES IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.SO WE HAVE TWO MAY 19TH AND FIRST QUARTER FOIA REPORT THAT I THINK ARE UP FOR CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THE MAY 5TH ONE, JUST SEPARATELY.
WE, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD VOTE TO DO MAY 5TH.
UH, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, ACCEPT THE BOARD MINUTES FOR MAY 5TH, 2026.
DID YOU SAY AYE MR. SMITH? OKAY.
UH, MR. CHAIR, UH, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE MAY 19TH BOARD MINUTES ALONG WITH THE FIRST QUARTER FOIA REPORT.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE MOVING TO FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS,
[Future Agenda Topics ]
SOLICITATION TOPICS.I DO THINK IT'S WORTH BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT SCREEN TIME, OPT-OUTS, ALL THE THINGS.
'CAUSE THEY ARE VERY PRESCIENT AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT DISCUSSED BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND.
UH, MAY, THIS IS DR. RODRIGUEZ.
UH, MS. BOATRIGHT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM IS ALREADY WORKING ON, UH, ON A, ON A PLAN OF ACTION AROUND SCREEN TIME.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO BRING SOMETHING, UH, UH, BACK TO THE BOARD, UH, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, SCREEN TIME AND WHAT THE PLAN, UH, FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS, UH, FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
[01:40:03]
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS? BOARD MEMBERS ONLINE? OKAY.ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YOU GOT ONE MS. SMITH? YEAH, JUST THAT SHINE WILL HAVE, ITS A, A SHINE WILL HAVE HIS SHOWCASE ON THURSDAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK AT ST.
THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE SHINE PROGRAM.
SO THEY'RE ASKING, INVITING EVERYONE TO COME OUT AT AT FIVE O'CLOCK ON THURSDAY AT ST HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
FIVE O'CLOCK THEY WILL HAVE A SHOWCASE.
ONE, ONE THAT, UM, HAS BEEN RAISED PROFFERED BY COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
THEY WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO OCCUR BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
SO WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND TRY TO WORK WITH YOU ON DATES AND TIMES FOR THAT AS WELL.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
[Second Public Comments]
COMMENTS.FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, I HAVE ATTENDED BOARD MEETINGS, SUBMITTED CORRESPONDENCE, AND SPOKEN DURING PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING OUR STUDENTS.
THE CONCERNS I HAVE RAISED WERE NOT BASED ON RUMOR OR OPINION.
THEY WERE BASED ON DISTRICT AND STATE DATA REGARDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
BOARD MEMBERS AND DISTRICT LEADERSHIP WAS COPIED ON ALL CORRESPONDENCE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS PRESENT WHEN THOSE CONCERNS WERE RAISED.
YET NO RESPONSE OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED.
NO DATA HAS BEEN CHALLENGED, NO CONCLUSIONS HAVE BEEN REFUTED WITH EVIDENCE, AND THE COMMUNITY HAS RECEIVED NO PUBLIC EXPLANATION.
TONIGHT, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE EXCEPTION AFTER YEARS OF COMMUNICATING.
THE FIRST WRITTEN RESPONSE I HAVE RECEIVED FROM AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, CAME FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE.
WHETHER WE AGREE IS IRRELEVANT, HE DEMONSTRATED THE COURAGE AND OBLIGATION TO ENGAGE A CONSTITUENT THAT DESERVES RECOGNITION.
BECAUSE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS PART OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
I OFTEN HEAR REFERENCES FROM THE DAY'S ABOUT YOUR TITLES, DEGREES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND EXPERIENCE.
AND THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS DO DESERVE RESPECT.
BUT LEADERSHIP IS NOT DEFINED BY A RESUME.
LEADERSHIP IS DEFINED BY A WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, CONFRONT UNCOMFORTABLE FACTS AND ANSWER TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU ARE ELECTED TO REPRESENT AND SERVE.
WHEN CITIZENS PRESENT EVIDENCE OF PERSISTENT ACADEMIC DISPARITIES.
DISTRICT LEADERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS THE FACTS, EXPLAIN THE OUTCOMES, AND ENGAGE IN TRANSPARENT DIALOGUE.
ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIRES ANSWERS, NOT SILENCE.
IF THE DATA IS WRONG, CORRECT IT.
IF THE CONCLUSIONS ARE FLAWED, CHALLENGE THEM.
BUT SILENCE IS NOT ACCOUNTABILITY.
ASTROPHYSICIST NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON STATED, AND I QUOTE, CURIOUS THAT WE SPEND MORE TIME CONGRATULATING PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED THAN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT.
IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS SIMPLY NOT TO CELEBRATE SUCCESS.
WE MUST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING AND ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IS PROVIDED EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
PEOPLE DESERVE TRANSPARENCY, ANSWERS AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS WILLING TO CONFRONT FACTS.
PUBLIC TRUST DEPENDS ON NOTHING ELSE.
MR. I WANT TO YOU TO KNOW THAT HE'S STEPPING DOWN FROM HIS CURRENT POSITION.
I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO BE HERE, SO I I EMBARRASSED HIM BY INTRODUCING HIM, BUT HE'S STEPPING DOWN AND TAKING OVER, UH, THE, UH, BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
[01:45:01]
DIRECTOR POSITION.AND I THINK YOU ALL OUGHT TO KNOW, I HOPE I SEE POSTED THE, HIS, UH, POSITION TO PHIL WHAT HE'S VACATING.
I HOPE IT CAN BE FILLED WITH SOMEBODY AS PROMINENT AND EXCELLENT AS HE HAS DONE THIS YEAR.
I, I HOPE IT CAN BE DONE RIGHT AWAY.
UH, BAND CAMP FOR SOME SCHOOLS STARTS LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW.
MR. MILLER CONCLUDES THE SECOND, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[Executive Session ]
UH, MR. CHAIR, UH, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD GO TO, INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION OF RECENT LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING THE NINTH AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND A CONCEPT PLAN.BUCK WALTER TRACKED PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO A PERSONNEL MATTER RE EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT PROMOTION COMPENSATION PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO AND NE, UH, TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT, UH OH THREE WITH CE BORN AND COMPANY INCORPORATED FOR THE BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL EXTERIOR WALL TILES, REPAIRS, AND PHASE ONE REROOFING SCOPE OF WORK GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
PROPO PROPOSAL USING FISCAL YEAR 2027 8% CIP FUNDS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER EIGHT WITH SOUTHEAST ROOFING SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOLS FOR THE CR SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS, THE PHASE TWO REROOFING SCOPE OF WORK, GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP PROPOSAL USING FISCAL YEAR 2028 8% CIP FUNDS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78 2 SECOND.
AYE, PROPERLY MOTION AND SECOND.
OPPOSED YOU A TOO? ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, UH, I HAD A QUESTION.
I WANTED TO KNOW WHO WAS GOING TO BE, WHO WAS GOING TO BE, UM, ADVISING US IN, IN, IN, IN THE EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, SIR, THAT'S, UH, MR. CALEB RISER, UH, ON, UH, ON THE LEGAL ADVICE ITEM AND, UH, DISTRICT STAFF ON THE REST.
WE'VE NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE YET.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session ]
HAVE TWO MOTIONS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.UH, NUMBER ONE, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT OH THREE WITH CE BORN AND COMPANY FOR THE BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL EXTERIOR WALL TILES, REPAIRS, AND PHASE ONE REROOFING SCOPE OF WORK IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,498,936 USING FISCAL YEAR 2027, 8% CIP FUNDS AND FISCAL YEAR 2028 8% CIP FUNDS MOTION.
OH, OR YOU CAN GIVE IT TO COLONEL.
UH, THE SECOND MOTION, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT OH EIGHT WITH SOUTHEAST ROOFING SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS, THE PHASE TWO RE-ROOFING SCOPE OF WORK IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,298,000 USING FISCAL YEAR 2028, 8%
[01:50:01]
CIP FUNDS PROPERTY MOTION.ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY AYE.
[Announcements ]
IN TIME, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS.SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT PLEASE, SIR.
UM, WANTED THIS EVENING TO ANNOUNCE, UH, A FEW, UH, UH, PERSONNEL, UH, UH, NAMES THAT WE HAVE SELECTED.
AND SO THE FIRST IS DR. ROGER WARD, WHO WILL BE SERVING AS A SECONDARY, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND THE SECOND, UH, UH, PERSON I WANNA ANNOUNCE IS REPLACING DR. WARD AT H HE MCCRACKEN.
UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE, UM, MS. AMY WEELL.
AND, AND THEN, UH, OVER AT LADIES ISLAND, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, REPLACING, UH, DR.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, THESE CANDIDATES AND WE LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO WORKING WITH THEM AND CONTINUING, UH, UH, TO MOVE THE SCHOOLS FORWARD WITH THEIR SUPPORT.
ALSO, AT THIS TIME, MR. UH, SUPERINTENDENT, CAN YOU TELL THE COMMUNITY HOW, UH, WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS? SIR? WE WENT IN THESE CASES, THESE WERE ALL INTERVIEW PROCESS.
THIS IS, UH, PERSON THAT'S PRIVILEGED.
PERSONNEL PROCESS SMITH, HOW THE, THE, THE PROCESS IS, I THINK THE PROCESS IS, IS, IS THAT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
WHAT THE PRO WHAT THE PROCESS WAS.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING, UH, I'M JUST SAYING IN TERMS OF WHETHER THE, WHETHER WAS APPOINTED OR WHETHER OR WHEREVER THEY WENT INTO AN INTERVIEW PRO INTERVIEW PROCESS.
I'M JUST ASKING WHAT WAS THE PROCESS? THAT'S A GENERAL QUESTION THAT, THAT, THAT I'M NOT ASKING WHO ALL, WHO ALL INTERVIEWED.
I'M ASKING WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND CHAIRMAN CARL, UH, MR. DALLAS, YOU HAVE RULED THAT THAT IS NOT, UH, FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
SO MR. SMITH, YOU WOULD HAVE TO APPEAL THE RULING OF THE CHAIR IF YOU DISAGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT.
ACTUALLY, MADAM CHAIR, UH, MADAM, UH, I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT NOW.
WELL, WELL, YOU MADAM TRUSTEE.
WELL, YOU, WELL, YOU, WELL YOU MADAM TRUSTEE, YOU OPENED IT UP AND I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR HIM.
I DON'T REMEMBER HIM HEARING HIM RULING ON, ON ANYTHING.
UH, I JUST, UH, I, I SAID WHAT I SAID, I HEARD, I HEARD THE SUPERINTENDENT, UM, MAKING COMMENTS THAT, UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY EXPLAINING WHAT THE PROCESS WAS AND YOU MADE A RULING IN TERMS OF YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WAS, UH, A PROPER OR INAPPROPRIATE.
I POINTED OUT THE PROPER PROCEDURE.
I THINK THAT YOU MADE, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT'S IT.
I THINK THAT YOU MADE THE RULING, MR. SMITH.
SO AS CHAIR, WE DO NOT DISCUSS IN PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY KINDLY AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE SELECTED.
AND IT'S INCUMBENT UPON EVERY BOARD MEMBER TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE OFFICIAL PROCESS.
WE WANT THEM TO SUCCEED BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE STEWARDS OF OUR YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUNG STUDENTS THERE.
SO WITH THAT, A MOTION FOR ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK PLAY THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA.
TODAY, MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY.
THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS THE LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
[01:55:01]
PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT.IN 1975, THE HOME RULE ACT GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY.
BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL.
MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN, GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KLING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON.
AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN.
HARRIET K WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORD COUNTY.
WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK AND SOME YEARS AGO, BACK THERE ON WEST STREET.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE.
COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY.
THE SEAL'S COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST.
THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICT SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.
ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS.
I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WHOLE SO THERE AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN.
I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.
UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SIMS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY.
INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT AND YACHT TYPE BOAT.
AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECT OF BEAUTIFUL COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH.
SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BEFORD COUNTY CULTURE, SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SEAL.
THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 CENTURIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE.
HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.