[00:08:12]
[00:08:41]
WE GOT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WE ARE DUE TO START THE MEETING.LET ME SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS.
WE HAVE A POLICY WHICH IS ON THE TABLE BACK THERE.
AND I INVITE EVERYBODY WHO WISHES TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TO READ THAT POLICY BECAUSE WE WILL BE FOLLOWING IT.
BASICALLY, IT SAYS WE WILL HEAR SIX PEOPLE FOR FIVE MINUTES EACH.
WE ALREADY HAVE MORE SIGNED UP THAN WE HAVE TIME FOR.
WE'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU SAY, BUT IT'S FOR US TO LISTEN TO YOU.
IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK, ANSWER QUESTIONS, DO THAT KIND OF THING.
THE THING THAT'S A LITTLE UNUSUAL TONIGHT IS WE HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. ONE IS THE GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT ESSER ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THAT'S THE SPENDING THE ESSER MONEY.
SO IF YOU ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT ESSER, LET'S CARRY IT OVER TO THE SECOND TIME FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, WHICH WILL OCCUR WHEN WE REACH THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
OK, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? THIS IS A BRAND NEW SOUND SYSTEM TONIGHT.
[00:10:03]
FOR THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR US TALK.AND IT TOOK US A YEAR TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE OF STATE PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS AND SO FORTH. BUT THANK GOD WE FINALLY GOT IT.
AND NOW MAYBE PEOPLE CAN WATCH THE VIDEO AT HOME AND SO FORTH AND ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON. HAVING DONE ALL THAT, I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER NOW.
WE LOST A MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FAMILY RECENTLY, JEFF HARTING, WHO WAS THE
[Call to Order]
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL.SO WE TYPICALLY OPEN OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AND I'D ASK THAT DURING THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE, IF YOU WERE WILLING TO REMEMBER HIM AND HIS FAMILY, PLEASE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THANK YOU. NOW, IF YOU WILL LETS STAND AND PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND ALL BOARD MEMBERS THAT BEFORE YOU SPEAK, CUT ON YOUR MICROPHONE.
OK. NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
EVERYBODY'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. DR.
BRADLEY, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST AND MOVE IF THAT'S REQUIRED TO MOVE ONE OF THE CONSENT ITEM NUMBER FIVE TO AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM.
I HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, AND I BELIEVE IT'D BE BETTER SUITED AS AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM.
THAT'S THE REVISION POLICY GC.
NO, SIR. THAT'S THE CONSIDERATION OF ONE TIME ATHLETIC FUNDS.
ALL RIGHT. SO ITEM FIVE UNDER CONSENT, TO YEAH. B 5 YEAH, OK, CORRECT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUT THAT IN THE FORM OF MOTION? I'D LIKE TO. YES, SIR.
THANK YOU. LETS HEAR A SECOND.
SECOND. I SECOND. I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T MAKE IT A MOTION.
OK, IT'S NOW MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OK, SO WE'LL MOVE B 5 TO THE END OF THE C LIST.
OK. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WE DO HAVE WE FOUND AN ERROR OR AN OMISSION IN THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING, JULY 13TH, MAYBE THAT HAS BEEN CORRECTED AND THE CORRECTED COPY IS IN THE PURPLE FOLDER.
ESSENTIALLY, THE OMISSION WAS THAT WE DID NOT LIST ONE OF THE SPEAKERS FOR THAT MEETING ON MR. PULLEN GOT LEFT OFF.
AND SO WE PUT AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT HE WAS HERE AND ADDRESSED THE BOARD AND THAT WAS THE MODIFICATION. I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING FOR JULY 13TH AND THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF THE BOARD WORKSHOP ON JULY 27TH.
JUST A MOTION. I MOVED TO AND SECOND.
MOVED BY MR. SMITH SECONDED BY MR. SILAS. ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. NEXT IS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
I'VE ALREADY GIVEN YOU A BRIEFING ON THE RULES, EACH SPEAKER WILL GET FIVE MINUTES AS THE CLOCK UP HERE THAT COUNTS DOWN.
IF YOU WOULD JUST WATCH THE CLOCK.
THE PEOPLE WHO CALLED IN WILL BE CALLED ON FIRST.
WE HAVE MS. KIM MARTIN AND MS. SHANNON MELLOCH, WHO ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT CONCESSION STANDS.
IF YOU WOULD GO TO THAT MICROPHONE OVER THERE TO SPEAK SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU.
MY NAME IS KIM MARTIN, I AM THE TREASURER OF THE MIDLAND VALLEY ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB.
I AM APPROACHING THE BOARD TONIGHT IN REGARDS TO PREPACKAGED MEALS THAT ARE BEING
[00:15:04]
REQUIRED OF OUR CONCESSION STANDS THIS YEAR.BY PUTTING THIS MANDATE IN PLACE NOT ONLY ARE YOU NOT ALLOWING US TO HAVE FREE REIGN OF WHAT WE PUT IN OUR CONCESSION STAND, BUT YOU ARE LIMITING WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT SELL.
MIDLAND VALLEY CONCESSIONS NUMBERS ALONE HAVE DECREASED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. I DO UNDERSTAND CERTAIN GUIDELINES ARE SET FORTH FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. BUT THOSE AROUND ABOUT BUT THOSE.
I'M SORRY, BUT I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS MOTION.
TAKE EXAMPLE OF MIDLAND VALLEY.
OUR PROCEEDS FROM OUR CONCESSION STANDS GO TOWARDS THE FUNDING OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES.
WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY MONEY FROM THE AIKEN COUNTY.
AS EVERY CHILD LEAVES AIKEN COUNTY, THEY RECEIVE FIVE DOLLARS FROM THE BOOSTER CLUB PER CHILD TO GET MEALS FOR THESE OUT OF COUNTY, I GUESS OUT OF COUNTY SCHOOLS AND TOURNAMENTS OR GAMES THAT THEY GO TO.
A LOT OF THESE KIDS DON'T HAVE MONEY, SO WE GIVE THEM MONEY SO THAT THEY CAN AFFORD SOMETHING ON THE WAY HOME.
WITHOUT THIS MONEY, THEY DON'T EAT.
OUR CONCESSION STANDS ALSO GIVE CHILDREN MONEY AND FOOD FOR THE WEEKENDS.
WITHOUT THIS CONCESSION STANDS AND THIS PREPACKAGED MEALS, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
WE CANNOT GIVE THESE KIDS A PROPER MEAL THAT THEY DESERVE FOR THE WEEKENDS.
WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND LET US OPEN THIS CONCESSION STANDS.
I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED SEVERAL COUNTIES HORRY, NEWBERRY, YORK COUNTY, GREENWOOD COUNTY, GREENVILLE COUNTY, ORANGEBURG COUNTY, PICKENS, OCONEE, WILLISTON, BAMBERG, ANDERSON, RICHMOND AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES.
NONE OF THEIR CONCESSION STANDS HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN.
YES, I KNOW THINGS CHANGE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE ALLOW US TO SERVE MEALS TO THESE KIDS.
THESE KIDS COME STRAIGHT FROM SCHOOL.
WE PROVIDE THEM MEALS, YOU KNOW, AND THE PREPACKAGED MEALS.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THESE KIDS PRE PACKAGES.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S I MEAN, CHIPS, COOKIES, CANDY.
THAT'S NOT A SUBSTANTIAL MEAL FOR THESE KIDS.
WE PROVIDE THEM HOT DOGS, HAMBURGERS.
I KNOW IT'S NOT A NUTRITION LIKE THEY SHOULD BE GETTING, BUT AT LEAST THEY'RE GETTING A SUBSTANTIAL MEAL.
WE JUST ASK THAT YOU PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK FORWARD AND CHANGE THESE GUIDELINES.
IN 2018, OUR CONCESSION STANDS PROFITED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN 2019 THEY THEY DID FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS AND LAST YEAR WE ONLY DID SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THAT'S COMBINED FOR FOOTBALL, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL AND SOCCER.
WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS GUIDELINE FOR THIS YEAR. I'M SHANNON MATLOCK, M A T L O C K NOT MEDLOCK . GOOD EVENING. THIS YEAR, I'M THE INCOMING PRESIDENT FOR THE BAND BOOSTER'S OF MIDLAND VALLEY.
BAND BOOSTERS AT MIDLAND VALLEY.
WE NOT ONLY SUPPORT THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE SUPPORT TWO FEEDER SCHOOLS LEAVELLE MCCAMPBELL AND LBC. WE HAVE A BUDGET THIS YEAR OF FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH IS NOT LARGE IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS. I UNDERSTAND, BUT TO US IT'S HUGE.
HALF OF OUR BUDGET COMES TO US FROM STUDENT FEES.
IF THEY'RE IN BOTH THE SYMPHONIC CONCERT BAND AND THEN THE MARCHING BAND.
SO THAT LEAVES US HALF OF THAT TO RAISE.
AS AN EXAMPLE, WHAT KIM QUOTED ON THEIR PROFITS WE'RE MUCH SMALLER.
IN 2019, WE HAD A PROFIT OF TWO THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT DOLLARS.
IN 2020 WE PROFITED THESE KIDS USE THAT MONEY TO PAY THEIR FEES.
WE USE THIS MONEY TO HELP THE BAND WE BUY NEW INSTRUMENTS IN ADDITION, WE BUY MUSIC THAT THE BAND PERFORMS WE PAY INSTRUCTORS WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT THE CONCESSION STANDS AGAIN MARTIN, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS GUIDELINE AND PLEASE RECONSIDER WITHOUT THIS OUR BAND CAN'T FUNCTION. AND KIDS DON'T JUST JOIN THE BAND MIC] HIGH SCHOOL. THEY JOIN THE BAND, BECAUSE THEY LOVE MUSIC AND THE BAND TEACHES THEM HOW TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, HOW TO BECOME BETTER ADULTS, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. SOMEBODY WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS.
NEXT ITEM IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION BOARDMANSHIP INSTITUTE RECOGNITION.
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MR. CHAIRMAN DO WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS.NO OTHER SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP. WELL, IT'S ALL UNDER.
THE ONE LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
WHO'S GOING TO DO THE RECOGNITION FOR THE.
GOOD EVENING, DR. BRADLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. LAURENCE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I DO WANT TO MENTION MY NAME IS MIKE ROSIER I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS HERE FOR AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND WE DO HAVE TWO STREAMS GOING TONIGHT.
TONIGHT IS THE FIRST NIGHT THAT WE'RE UTILIZING OUR NEW AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT.
AND SO I THOUGHT A PERTINENT AND PRUDENT TO HAVE BOTH STREAMS. THAT WAY WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERYONE CAN VIEW TONIGHT'S MEETING.
SO THERE ARE TWO LINKS ON OUR HOMEPAGE.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE ONE THAT YOU'RE USED TO.
THAT IS THE BOX CAST LINK, THE ONE BELOW THAT IS THE SWAGIT LINK.
AND SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND UTILIZE BOTH AND GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK.
OUR RECOGNITION TONIGHT, IF MR. LAURENCE COULD GO AHEAD AND AND COME DOWN TO THE FRONT.
WE HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS ON THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WHO HAVE EARNED RECOGNITION BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ASSOCIATION'S 2020 21 BOARDMANSHIP INSTITUTE.
AT THE SCSBA BOARDSMANSHIP INSTITUTE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1982 AND IT OFFERS A YEAR ROUND TRAINING CURRICULUM TO HELP BOARD MEMBERS DEVELOP SKILLS AND STAY ABREAST OF STATE AND NATIONAL EDUCATION ISSUES.
WORKSHOPS FOCUS ON SCHOOL LAW ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATION, IMPROVING BOARD OPERATIONS LEADERSHIP FOR IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND OTHER TIMELY TOPICS.
TONIGHT, DISTRICT NINE AND AREA ONE.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MR. CAM NUESSLE HAS EARNED LEVEL TWO IN THE BOARDMANSHIP INSTITUTE.
TO QUALIFY FOR THIS RECOGNITION HE EARNED 40 POINTS FOR PARTICIPATION AND TRAINING SESSIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND IF HE WILL COME FORWARD, HE CAN RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE AND ALSO A LAPEL PIN FROM THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE SOME FOLKS COME UP FRONT FOR A PHOTO.
[APPLAUSE] MR. NUESSLE, IF YOU'LL HANG AROUND HERE JUST FOR A SECOND, OUR SECOND BOARD MEMBER TONIGHT IS DISTRICT FOUR, AN AREA TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, DR.
PATRICIA HANKS. SHE HAS EARNED LEVEL ONE IN THE BOARDMANSHIP INSTITUTE.
AND TO QUALIFY, SHE NEEDED TO EARN TWENTY FIVE POINTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING SESSIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
YEAH, THAT MAY BE DUE TO THE OH.
OK. [LAUGHTER] CONGRATULATIONS DR.
HANKS. [APPLAUSE] I WON'T SING THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE BOARDROOM.
BUT WE ALSO EACH YEAR LIKE TO WELCOME OUR STUDENTS BACK, WHICH THAT'LL BE MONDAY, AUGUST THE 16TH, WHICH MANY OF US HAVE HAD ON THE CALENDAR FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD TRADITIONALLY WELCOMES THEM BACK ON THE BOARD MEETING PRECEDING THAT BY TAKING A PHOTO WITH A SIGN THAT WE HAVE WELCOMING THEM BACK THAT WE'LL SHARE ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO IF I COULD GET THE BOARD MEMBERS TO COME DOWN TO THE FRONT, WE'LL TAKE A QUICK PHOTO AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MEETING.
MS. SHEALEY CAN PRETTY MUCH STAND WHERE SHE WANTS SO.
[LAUGHTER] A GIANT AMONG PEOPLE WELL SAID.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO MR. NUESSLE AND DR. HANKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[00:25:16]
WE NOW DEPART FROM THE PRINTED AGENDA AND GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL SIGN UPS THAT PEOPLE DID AS THEY ENTERED THE BOARDROOM.FIRST ONE I GOT TONIGHT WAS FROM MR. PUTIN. MR. PUTIN IS YOURS. SO YOU WHAT OR DO YOU WANT TO DO IT NOW? BECAUSE JUST. I'D LIKE TO DO IT NOW.
ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. MR. CHAIRMAN.
TRUSTEE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF, MR. PUTIN. MY NAME IS DAVID PALLAN.
DAVE PALLAN, I'M DISTRICT NINE WITH MR. NUESSLE AS MY TRUSTEE.
I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS A COUPLE OF ACRONYMS WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
SEL STANDS FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
CASEL IS A BODY THAT GENERATES AND ADVOCATES FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
THEY ARE KNOWN AS THE CONSORTIUM FOR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
SEL IS LINKED HERE IN OUR AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS CASEL, WHICH I JUST EXPLAINED FOR YOU.
SEL IS USED TO INFLUENCE NOT ONLY OUR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT IT IS ALSO USED TO INFLUENCE THE PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITIES IN EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE WAY.
THEY ARE AN ALL ENCOMPASSING EFFORT AND THEY EXIST HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. THERE ARE FIVE CORE COMPETENCIES THAT CASEL HAS LAID FORWARD AND THOSE FIVE COMPETENCIES ARE OBVIOUS AND THEY ARE USED WITHIN THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. ONE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR THAT I WILL ARTICULATE IS AIKEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
THIS IS A SIXTH GRADE ONLY SCHOOL AND THEY ADVOCATE AND SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT SEL IS THE FOCUS OF WHAT THEY DO.
AND THESE FIVE CORE COMPETENCIES THAT I TELL YOU COME FROM CASEL ARE SPECIFICALLY INDICATED ON THAT SCHOOL'S HOMEPAGE.
OK, SO THERE IS LINKAGE BETWEEN SEL IN OUR SCHOOLS AND CASEL.
AND I GAVE YOU A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF WHERE CASEL HAS ITS COMPETENCIES ON OUR COUNTY SCHOOL PAGES. OK, THERE CERTAINLY ARE SOME REDEEMING QUALITIES TO SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SUCH AS TEAMWORK, CHARACTER BUILDING, VIRTUOUS CHARACTER TRAITS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. HOWEVER, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ALSO IS BEING MANIPULATED BY THE ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS CASEL, AND I'M GOING TO SHED LIGHT ON WHAT THEY REFER TO AS THEIR LEVERAGE FOR EQUITY. AND LET ME EXPLAIN THAT IN DETAIL FOR YOU.
SEL, IN MY OPINION, SHOULD NOT BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE TRADITIONAL COUNSELING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE COUNSELORS, WE HAVE COUNSELOR GUIDANCE AND POLICIES ALREADY ESTABLISHED, AND THOSE SHOULD NOT BE SUBSTITUTED BY THE SEL APPLICATION IN OUR SCHOOLS.
OK, CASEL IS ALIGNED WITH AND THEY SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES DESIGNED TO MITIGATE RACIAL AND CLASS OPPRESSION.
HOW? BY USING SEL AS A LEVER FOR EQUITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, SUPPORTING ANTI-RACIST PRACTICES AND DISMANTLING INEQUITIES.
LET ME QUOTE TO YOU FROM A CASEL ASSESSMENT WORK GROUP TITLED EQUITY AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING A CULTURAL ANALYSIS.
SEL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP MITIGATE THE INTERRELATED LEGACIES OF RACIAL AND CLASS OPPRESSION IN THE US AND GLOBALLY.
CURRENTLY, THAT POTENTIAL IS UNDER REALIZED, AND I QUOTE AGAIN, WHITE ELITES PROMULGATED RACIALIZED AND CULTURAL STEREOTYPES TO RECRUIT POOR AND WORKING WHITES INTO A SYSTEM THAT EXPLOITED THEM, BUT ALSO EMPOWERED THEM TO IMPRESS AND FURTHER EXPLOIT PEOPLE OF COLOR.
THIS IS A QUOTE FOOTNOTED FROM THOMAS W.
ALLEN, WHO WROTE THE BOOK INVENTION OF THE WHITE RACE IN 1994.
AND THIS GENTLEMAN IS AN AVOWED MARXIST.
SO I'M TYING WHAT CASEL EQUATES TO AN EQUITY LENS IN THE SEL AGENDA TO THE MARXIST THAT THEY FOOTNOTE IN THEIR DOCUMENTATION.
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I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF HOW THIS LINKAGE EXISTS.NOW, LET ME GIVE YOU A COUPLE MORE POINTS IN MY REMAINING TIME.
CASEL VSL PERPETUATES CLASS WARFARE, RACIAL DIVISION NOT UNITY.
CASEL, VIA THEIR EQUITY LENS, SUGGESTS THAT WHITENESS EQUALS WEALTH, WHITE RACIAL ENTITLEMENT AND DOMINANCE, NEGATIVE BIAS AND NEGATIVE STEREOTYPE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME BACKGROUNDS.
NOW, I ASK YOU I ASK YOU THESE QUESTIONS.
DO WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION HERE AT AIKEN COUNTY AND RIGHT HERE IN OUR SCHOOLS? WHAT IS THIS MESSAGE OF EQUITY? HOW WILL EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, WHICH IS WHAT CASEL AND SEL ADVOCATE FOR, HOW WILL THAT BE MEASURED? HOW WILL WE COME TO KNOW WHEN WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS EQUITY THAT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ADVOCATES FOR? WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN? AND AS I LOOK AT THE BOARD AND AS I LOOK AT THE ROOM AND AS I LIVE AND WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY, I SEE THAT WE HAVE RACIAL EQUITY AMONGST MANY OF OUR INSTITUTIONS IN PERFECT CASE IN POINT IS THE BOARD OF MEMBERS THAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. SO I ASK YOU, TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING PLAN.
LOOK AT THE LINKAGE THAT IS TIED TO CASEL AND CASEL HAS A CRITICAL RACE THEORY BIAS IN THEIR PROPAGANDA AND IN THEIR WRITTEN LITERATURE.
AND I'D BE MORE THAN GLAD TO PROVIDE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE AND ALSO DOCUMENTATION'S AND PDF FILES TO ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE ME TO PROVIDE THE SOURCES FOR THE QUOTES THAT I JUST GAVE YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU MR. PALLAN YOUR TIME EXPIRED.
WE DON'T ORDINARILY RESPOND TO SPEAKERS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT AT ANY LENGTH.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE STATEMENT.
WE HAVE NO FORMAL OR INFORMAL AGREEMENTS WITH CASEL AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE NEXT PERSON REQUESTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IS NATALIE BLAND, MS. BLAND, AND SHE'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE DECISION MADE BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS REGARDING ATHLETICS.
HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS NATALIE BLAND AND I'M GOING TO BE A JUNIOR AIKEN HIGH.
BEFORE I START, I WANTED TO THANK EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEMBER HERE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR YOUR ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS OF AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I KNOW THAT THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LEAD HAS DEFINITELY NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
I'M HERE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU TODAY BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF THE VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.
LATE LAST WEEK, OUR TEAM WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A DECISION MADE BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S AD'S TO PREVENT ATHLETIC TEAMS, INCLUDING VOLLEYBALL FROM PARTICIPATING IN CONTESTS THAT INVOLVE MORE THAN TWO TEAMS BECAUSE OF COVID CONCERNS.
ESSENTIALLY, OUR TEAM IS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY TRI MATCHES, TOURNAMENTS OR MULTI TEAM GAMES THIS SEASON.
IN ALL HONESTY, AND I CAN SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE AIKEN HIGH PROGRAM AND MULTIPLE OTHER PROGRAMS, WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS DECISION FOR TWO MAJOR REASONS.
FIRST, AS STUDENT ATHLETES, WE ALL BELIEVE THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR SAFETY AS A PRIMARY CONCERN.
HOWEVER, LAST SEASON WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE OUR SEASON WITH CLEAR PROTOCOLS IN PLACE.
THIS INCLUDED PARTICIPATING IN TRI MATCHES AND TOURNAMENTS.
NOW, THIS SEASON, WE ARE NOT EVEN BEING GIVEN THE CHANCE TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROTOCOLS RATHER TO TAKE STEPS TO MAINTAIN A FULL SEASON, WE HAVE RESORTED TO SIMPLY CANCELING ALL OF THESE EVENTS. SECONDLY, THE DECISION HAS PUT OUR TEAM AT A DISTINCT COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE. THIS DECISION WAS NOT MADE BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, BUT BY AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS INDIVIDUALLY.
AS A RESULT, NO OTHER SCHOOLS IN OUR STATE ARE LOSING ANY PLAY DATES IN THEIR SEASON.
OUR TEAM HAS FIVE TOURNAMENTS, INCLUDING ONE THAT WILL BE HOSTED BY AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LARGEST TOURNAMENT IN THE STATE AND A NUMBER OF TRI MATCHES THAT WILL NOW BE LOST.
BECAUSE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE ARE SUBJECT TO THESE CANCELATIONS IN OUR FULL SCHEDULES, THESE PLAY DATES CANNOT BE RESCHEDULED.
ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE THAT THIS DECISION IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE STUDENT ATHLETES OF AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF PARTICIPATING ON A CLUB TEAM THAT HAS JUST FINISHED TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND COMPETING IN MANY DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS.
MANY OF THOSE TOURNAMENTS TOOK PRECAUTIONS THAT WE AS STUDENT ATHLETES ARE WILLING TO ADHERE TO IN ORDER TO HAVE A FULL SEASON.
THESE INCLUDE PLAYING IN MASKS COMPLETE SCREENINGS, LEAVING THE BUILDING WHEN NOT PLAYING AND MANY OTHER COVID SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS.
NOT A SINGLE EVENT DURING THAT SEASON WAS SIMPLY CANCELED.
OUR TEAM ALSO HAS AN INCREDIBLE CHANCE TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SEASON.
AND BY MAKING A DECISION THAT NOT ONLY IMPACTS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUT AT A DISTINCT DISADVANTAGE TOWARDS REACHING OUR POTENTIAL.
IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DISTRICT WILL REVISIT THIS DECISION BEFORE OUR TEAM IS FORCED TO MAKE CANCELATIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF STUDENT ATHLETES.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOY ACORE, IS THAT RIGHT, ACORE, WHO'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT
[00:35:10]
DRUG TESTING.I'M A MOTHER OF TWO FORMER SOUTH AIKEN STUDENTS.
JOEY HAD ASKED ME TO COME HERE TODAY AND SPEAK ABOUT THIS VOTE THAT'S COMING UP THIS EVENING.
AS YOU JUST HEARD, HOW INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THE STUDENT ATHLETICS IS TO THE STUDENTS, HOW WHAT A CORE PART OF THEIR LIFE IT IS.
AND HOW MUCH IT TAKES, HOW MUCH FOCUS IT TAKES FOR THEM.
AND I'M SORRY, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS IS A ROUGH MONTH FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
BUT ANYWAYS, I ACTUALLY MY OLDEST DAUGHTER, SHE WAS A STUDENT ATHLETE.
SHE STARTED AS A GYMNAST AND SHE WAS A SOCCER PLAYER AND CHEERLEADER.
WE MOVED HER IN 2013 AND THAT'S WHEN SHE ATTENDED SOUTH AIKEN AS A JUNIOR.
AND SHE DID NOT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY, BUT SHE DIDN'T DECIDE TO CONTINUE INTO SPORTS.
I THINK BECAUSE SHE WAS NEW, IT WAS KIND OF A STRUGGLE GETTING ACCLIMATED TO THE NEW SCHOOL AND SHE WAS ABLE TO.
I'M SORRY, THIS IS REALLY HARD.
THIS IS SHE'S OK, SO LET ME JUST PUT THIS OUT HERE.
MY DAUGHTER PASSED AWAY A YEAR AGO.
SHE'S IN TEN DAYS IS HER ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
SHE WAS I FOUND OUT SHE STARTED AFTER SHE DIDN'T GO INTO ATHLETICS.
SHE STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH DRUGS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
NOT A LOT. IT WAS JUST MARIJUANA.
BUT ANYWAYS, SHE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, SHE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH DRUGS AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET CLEAN AND SOBER ANYWAYS.
THE REASON WHY I FEEL THAT THIS VOTE IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS WE AS A COMMUNITY, THERE'S NOT WE HAVE THERE'S LIKE NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO.
SHE WAS GIVEN SHE PASSED AWAY BECAUSE SHE WAS GIVEN A XANAX AND IT WAS REALLY IT WAS REALLY FENTANYL. SO SHE WAS POISONED BY FENTANYL.
AT THIS POINT, THE WAY THINGS ARE IS THERE.
IT'S IN EVERYTHING. I'M VERY INVOLVED WITH THE ADDICTION RECOVERY COMMUNITY.
I'M THE WOMEN'S DIRECTOR OF RECOVERY ROAD.
AND SO I'M SEEING EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AND ABUSE AND THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT'S IN THE FENTANYL IS IN THE WAX, IN PENS IN MARIJUANA, AND IT'S IN EVERY SINGLE DRUG.
SO WITH MUSIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENT ATHLETES, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY DISINCENTIVIZED BECAUSE AS YOU'RE HEARING, AS THE STUDENTS ARE HERE SAYING HOW IMPORTANT THEIR SPORTS ARE TO THEM, IT IS THAT IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WE CAN DO AS PARENTS IN A COMMUNITY TO HELP DISINCENTIVIZE AND GET STUDENTS NOT TO USE EVEN WHAT THEY THINK IS NOT A BIG DEAL SMOKING POT, BECAUSE IT'S THAT'S ONLY WHERE IT STARTS AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW BAD IT CAN GET FROM THERE.
BUT ANYWAYS, SO I'M JUST I'M REALLY I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER THAT VOTE.
I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK, OH, WELL, IT'S AN INVASION OF PRIVACY.
BUT TRUTHFULLY, THE WAY THE EDUCATION THAT'S OUR RIGHT.
BUT STUDENT ATHLETICS IS IT'S THAT'S A PRIVILEGE THAT STUDENTS GET TO DO.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE WAY AS A COMMUNITY WE CAN REALLY HELP TO FIGHT, TO HAVE THEM DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO NOT GO THAT ROUTE, TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT, THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL.
SHE ALSO ONE OF HER HIGH SCHOOL BEST FRIENDS JUST PASSED AWAY THIS LAST SATURDAY.
THAT'S ALL I HEAR ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
AND WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE REALISTICALLY IS DRUG DEALERS NEED TO BE CHARGED WITH MURDER. BUT IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT THIS IS NOT THERE'S NOTHING BEING DONE.
AND SO WE HEAR ABOUT THESE STATISTICS GOING UP HIGHER AND HIGHER YEAR OVER YEAR OF CHILDREN DYING. AND IT STARTS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
IT REALLY DOES. AND SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP, TO HELP DISINCENTIVIZE, TO MAKE IT JUST SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO, CHILDREN DON'T WANT TO DO.
I JUST FEEL LIKE AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO DO IT.
AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER VOTING YES ON THE RANDOM DRUG TESTING IF THERE'S A
[00:40:04]
SUSPECTED I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS OF THE VOTE, BUT IF THERE'S A SUSPECTED NEED, I MEAN, I'VE ALREADY HEARD AND THIS IS WHY I'M HERE, BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER PARENT WHO'S HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR CHILD BEING SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE USING DRUGS WHILE THEY WERE ALSO PLAYING SPORTS.AND SO I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER THAT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
[APPLAUSE]. THE NEXT PERSON REQUESTING TO SPEAK IS GREGORY WILLIAMS, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BIGTHINK.COM USED IN THE CURRICULUM. HOWDY, I'M GREG WILLIAMS. EVERYBODY CALLS ME PASTOR GREG.
I WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE CURRICULUM ON MODERN CULTURE IN TWO OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND I WENT THROUGH AND I LOOKED INTO IT AND I FOUND SOME STUFF THAT I REALLY THINK IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. BUT FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS SAY WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS IN PROVERBS 1:7 THAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE. JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW THAT THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS TO LOVE THE LORD, OUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL AND OUR MINDS.
BUT THIS MODERN CULTURE CLASS GOES TO BIGTHINK.COM AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM.
AND IN THAT IT HAS SECTIONS OF VIDEOS THAT TARGET STUDENTS.
AND ALL THESE GUYS I LIKE COMEDIANS.
THEY'RE FUNNY. I DO THINK THEY'RE FUNNY.
I'M NOT KNOCKING THEM PERSONALLY.
AS STEPHEN FRY SAYS HIS VIDEO WAS TITLED THE IMPORTANCE OF UNBELIEF.
IF YOU ASSUME THERE'S NO AFTERLIFE, HE SAYS, YOU'LL LIKELY HAVE A FULLER, MORE INTENSE LIFE. INTERESTING LIFE.
THAT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE THE KIND OF THING THAT LEADS TO WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID.
NEXT. ANOTHER VIDEO RICKY GERVAIS, JESUS WAS MY INVISIBLE BABYSITTER.
IT'S HIS PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF THE EVOLUTION OF HIS FAITH.
HE DESCRIBES HOW AND WHY HE BECAME AN ATHEIST.
YEAH, THOSE ARE OPINIONS. BUT IN THIS CURRICULUM ALSO.
HOW DO I ESCAPE RELIGION IF THERE IS A GOD, SHOULD WE SERVE HIM.
ANOTHER ONE? PENN JILLETTE AND ONE OF HIS VIDEOS STARTS THE VIDEO OFF WITH A SEXTING JOKE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND THEN TEACHES PEOPLE HOW TO PRAY WITHOUT TALKING TO GOD. MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE WEBSITE, THOUGH, I MUST ADMIT, IS IN THAT AFTER ALL THIS TALK ABOUT GOD AND HOW ILLOGICAL GOD IS AND HOW THEIR HATRED FOR GOD AND CHURCH, THE FIRST THING ON THE WEBSITE IS A VIDEO BY MICHIO KAKU, ABOUT HOW TALKING ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF TIME TRAVEL [INAUDIBLE].
THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS ENTIRE THING IS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO VOTE, AS THE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DID, A CLASS THAT BRINGS UP RELIGION, THAT BRINGS UP THE BIBLE, THAT BRINGS UP BIBLE STORIES FROM THE BOOK OF EXODUS, AS BILL NYE DOES, THEN WHY CAN'T WE HAVE PRAYER IN SCHOOLS? WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN SCHOOLS? WHY CAN'T WE HAVE BIBLES IN SCHOOLS? AND IF YOU TELL ME THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT, YOU STARTED IT.
YOU DID THAT. YOU BROUGHT THE BIBLE THROUGH BIGTHINK INTO THE CLASSROOM.
SO I WOULD LIKE TEN COMMANDMENTS BACK IN SCHOOLS.
I'D LIKE TO OFFER OUR CHURCHES FUNDING AND PUT BIBLE IN EVERY DESK.
AND I'D LIKE PRAYER TO THE GOD OF THE BIBLE BACK IN THE SCHOOLS IN AIKEN COUNTY.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, EVEN THOUGH YOU STARTED IT, AT LEAST LET PASTORS GO INTO THAT CLASS AND REBUT SOME OF THE ABSOLUTE GARBAGE THAT'S THROWN AT THOSE KIDS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE SIDE, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE OTHER SIDE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY THAT THE BIBLE IS A BUNCH OF MYTHS WHILE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TIME MACHINES AND HOW MAYBE WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, BY ALL MEANS, LET ME COME IN THERE AND TELL YOU TIME'S SOMETHING THAT GOD CREATED AND YOU CAN'T GO BACK.
YOU GOT TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
NOW, KIDS, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS NOW.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT THE COMPETITIONS WITH THREE, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT DECISIONS TO MAKE ABOUT COLLEGES TO GO TO WHERE YOU NEED SCHOLARSHIPS THAT THEY'RE TAKING FROM YOU. [APPLAUSE] YOU CAN'T GO BACK AND SCHOOL BOARD YOU'LL STAND BEFORE GOD
[00:45:06]
ONE DAY AND ANSWER FOR WHAT YOU PUT IN THE CLASSROOMS IN THESE KIDS, I PRAY FOR YOU, OUR CHURCH PRAYS FOR YOU.AND I BEG YOU, GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST, BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN DRUGS. HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THESE KIDS LIVES.
AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHERE YOU CAN FIND, AS HE SAID, HE IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE GIVE YOUR SOULS TO HIM.
WOW THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN EARLY, ASK MY CHURCH.
FAITH ISN'T SIMPLY BELIEVING SOMETHING? BILL NYE BELIEVES IN GOD OR HE WOULDN'T FIGHT THAT HARD.
IS FAITH IS BELIEVING SOMETHING STRONGLY ENOUGH TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR YOUR SINS, JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAID HE DID, THAT HE ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY, JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAID HE DID.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT STRONGLY ENOUGH TO FOLLOW HIM, THEN HE WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND YOU'LL HAVE SALVATION THROUGH HIM.
[APPLAUSE] THE NEXT PERSON WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS JANE PAIGE THOMPSON, WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS.
POLICY. I'M SORRY YOU ARE RIGHT POLICIES.
I PROMISE I WON'T TALK ABOUT POLITICS.
I APPRECIATE THAT. JANE PAIGE THOMPSON.
WE HEAR ENOUGH FROM THE POLITICIANS.
I KNOW AND I'M SO SORRY, AND I'M NOT HERE TODAY FOR THAT, BUT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT LOGIC. NOW, THIS ROOM IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A VOLLEYBALL COURT.
I FIGURE IT OUT. AND I FIGURED OUT FROM TALKING TO THESE LADIES AT THE UNVEILING OF THEIR VOLLEYBALL COURT AT AIKEN HIGH THIS MORNING, THAT THEY'RE ONLY THIRTY EIGHT VOLLEYBALL PEOPLE REQUIRED AT A COURT WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR MULTI TEAM GAMES.
GUESS HOW MANY PEOPLE WE GOT IN HERE TONIGHT? SEVENTY FIVE.
NOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME FROM THE WAGENER AREA? RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU.
ONE OVER THERE. HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME FROM NORTH AUGUSTA? RAISE YOUR HAND. IF YOU CAME FROM NORTH AIKEN, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU CAME FROM NEW WELLINGTON, WINDSOR, JACKSON, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU CAME FROM WAGENER, NORTH AUGUSTA, CITY OF AIKEN, MIDLAND VALLEY, SILVER BLUFF, GUESS WHAT? YOU TRAVELED THE AVERAGE DISTANCE THAT A COMPETING TEAM WOULD TRAVEL TO COME TO AIKEN BECAUSE AIKEN COUNTY IS WHAT THE LARGEST TERRITORIAL COUNTY IN THE STATE OTHER THAN BUFORD. SO WHY ARE WE NOT GOING TO LET THESE INCREDIBLE LADIES PLAY? BECAUSE THEY ARE AMAZING.
I GOT SO BIT BY THE OLYMPIC BUG THINKING THAT I AM LOOKING OUT AT THIS ROOM KNOWING ONE OF THESE PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY'RE IN RED OR GREEN OR BLUE, IS GOING THERE ONE DAY AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AIKEN NEXT TO THEIR NAME, LIKE MY FRIEND DOUG PAIN DID WHO COMPETED TWO WEEKS AGO. SO I WANT YOU TO GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TODAY.
DON'T LET THEIR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS CHICKEN OUT BECAUSE IT'S HARD OR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SURE WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING TO COME FROM.
YOU HAVE SOME OF THE SMARTEST PARENTS MONEY RAISING PARENTS IN THIS WHOLE STATE IN AIKEN COUNTY. AND IF YOU NEED MONEY TO LET THESE MULTI TEAM PRACTICES AND TOURNAMENTS HAPPEN, JUST TELL THE PARENTS THEY'LL GET YOU THE MONEY.
IF WE NEED TO DO IT FOR ALL THE ATHLETES, I BET THEY CAN DO THAT FOR YOU, BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING, BECAUSE THESE ATHLETES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OUR SUCCESSES IN AIKEN, WHICH IN SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN TO PLACES LIKE CORNELL OR DARTMOUTH OR PEPPERDINE OR YALE OR PRINCETON OR EVEN COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON OR COASTAL CAROLINA OR USC OR WHAT'S THAT? CLEMSON. YOU KNOW, THOSE PLACES.
I DID NOT GO TO SCHOOL IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT I WISH TODAY I HAD BECAUSE IF I HAD TEAMMATES LIKE THEY HAVE AND I HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED LIKE THEY HAVE, I THINK I WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT A MUCH BETTER PERSON.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO ROLL BACK WHATEVER POLICY REQUEST IT WAS THAT STOPPED THESE MULTI TEAM EVENTS.
AND LET'S PUT SOME COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE LIKE YOU HAD THE LAST 20 MONTHS AND LET THEM HAVE A SHOT AT IT.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THAT IS ALL THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WE HAVE TIME FOR THIS EVENING.
I APOLOGIZE TO THOSE OF YOU WHO SIGNED UP AND WE CAN'T GET TO YOU, BUT WE'VE GOT A LONG AGENDA AND WE'VE ALREADY WELL INTO THE FIRST HOUR.
[00:50:05]
THE NEXT SECTION OF THE AGENDA OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN, I'M GOING TO PASS ON THAT.INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, THESE ITEMS THAT ARE PRESENTED JUST FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND REQUIRE
[Informational Items]
NO BOARD ACTION.THE FIRST FOUR ARE CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORTS.
DR. MURPHY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RUN US THROUGH THESE.
YES, GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS MR. LAURENCE, ONCE AGAIN, I BRING YOU THE LATEST UPDATE ON OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE AREA WE'LL BEGIN TONIGHT WITH BELVEDERE.
HERE YOU CAN SEE A VIEW OF THE FRONT ENTRANCE LANDSCAPE IT CONTINUES, BUT THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS COMPLETE. YOU CAN ALSO SEE A SHOT OF THE CANOPY INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE AND THE LED SIGN HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
BUT WE'RE NOT YET WE HAVE NOT YET LINKED THE POWER TO IT.
THIS IS A VIEW [INAUDIBLE] IS A VIEW FROM INSIDE THE LOBBY AREA WITH THE FLOORING.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO PAINT AND DO SOME TOUCHUP WORK THERE AS WELL.
HERE'S A VIEW FROM THE AMPHITHEATER RIGHT OUTSIDE WHERE THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN WILL BE, AS WELL AS A VIEW FROM INSIDE LOOKING OUT AT THAT AMPHITHEATER.
AND THIS IS THE RECEPTION AREA, THE SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION IS EXCUSE ME, SCHEDULE COMPLETION DATE FOR OCCUPANCY IS PRIOR TO AUGUST 16TH AND TOTAL PROJECT COMPLETION IS NOVEMBER 30TH.
SO THIS PROJECT WAS BUDGETED AT 10.7 MILLION DOLLARS AND SITE WORK AND DEMOLITION WILL BE ALL COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 30TH DATE.
WE ARE ON BUDGET AND ON SCHEDULE AT THIS TIME.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE BRICK VENEER, THE ALL NEW TWO STORY BUILDING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
ROOFING FOR THIS NEW EDITION HAS ALSO BEEN COMPLETED AND THE BUILDING IS DRIED IN COMPLETELY. WE'VE CONNECTED THAT NEW BUILDING TO THE EXISTING ADMINISTRATION WING AND THE WALLS HAVE BEEN OPENED UP BETWEEN THE NEW AND EXISTING WING AS WELL.
WORK ON A TWO STORY BUILDING IS APPROXIMATELY 65 PERCENT COMPLETE AT THIS TIME.
HERE YOU CAN SEE SOME INTERIOR SHOTS, RENOVATION WORK IN THE INTERIOR EXISTING ADMINISTRATION WING IS ONGOING.
YOU CAN SEE A SHOT OF THE NEW CARPETING, LIGHTING, CEILING GRID PAINTING AND ET CETERA, HAS BEEN INSTALLED. THE NEW LVT FLOOR IS DELAYED UNTIL EARLY SEPTEMBER ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES WITH COVID.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FLOOR.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT CLEANED AND AS BUFFED OUT AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT NOT LOOK SO MUCH LIKE A CONSTRUCTION SITE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO STAND BY WITH THAT ORDER BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST MATERIALS INSTALLED AS WE CAN.
THE ADMINISTRATION WING RENOVATION IS APPROXIMATELY 85 PERCENT COMPLETE.
THIS PROJECT IS BUDGETED AT 15.2 MILLION DOLLARS.
AND WE ARE ON TARGET FOR PHASE ONE TO BE COMPLETED IN JANUARY OF 2022.
MILLBROOK IS ROLLING ALONG QUITE NICELY SINCE THE JUNE BOARD MEETING, THE CONTRACT HAS MADE STEADY PROGRESS AT MILLWOOD MILLBROOK EXCUSE ME, OSL FINAL INSPECTION WAS PASSED AND OCCUPANCY HAS BEEN GRANTED FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
THE SITE WORK ALONE EAST [INAUDIBLE] ROAD IS UNDERWAY AND SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY TODAY. DEMOLITION IS IN PROGRESS.
THREE OF THE FIVE EXISTING STRUCTURES SLATED FOR DEMOLITION HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEMOLISHED AND ANYBODY DRIVING BY YOU CAN SEE WE'VE ALREADY I DON'T HAVE A SHOT OF IT, BUT THE PAVING IS TAKING PLACE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING AND IT'S GETTING RID OF ALL THAT MUD THAT WE WERE SUFFERING FROM ALL THOSE TIMES.
THIS PROJECT IS BUDGETED AT 9.6 MILLION IT'S ON BUDGET, AND WE DID ADJUST IT PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE RAIN DELAYS.
PUSHED IT BACK A LITTLE BIT TO OCTOBER 30TH.
BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY ON TRACK AND SCHEDULED TO OPEN UP ON TIME.
AND YESTERDAY WHY IS THIS THING DOING THIS IT'S KILLING ME.
YESTERDAY, WE DID HAVE A WONDERFUL RIBBON CUTTING FOR RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND WE'RE OPEN AND WE'RE READY TO RECEIVE STUDENTS.
AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL PROJECT.
AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL TOUR WITH THE PRESS THERE AVAILABLE AS WELL.
SO WE'LL SCHEDULE OUR NEXT GRAND OPENING AND DEDICATIONS ABOUT SIX WEEKS OUT.
SO YOU HAVE PLENTY OF NOTICE TO COME AND PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR ME.
I THINK THEY HAD THE RIBBON CUTTING SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 12TH AT BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY.
HAS THAT BEEN MOVED OUT NOW BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION ISSUES?
[00:55:01]
YES, ABSOLUTELY.OK, AND DO YOU HAVE THE NEW DATE IN MIND? BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD THE DATE. NO, WE'RE GOING TO WORK.
WE'LL WORK THAT. WE WILL WORK WITH EVERYONE AND PUT THAT OUT AND SEND FORMAL INVITATIONS.
MURPHY. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT ITEM IS THE REPORT OF MINORITY PURCHASES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING IN JUNE 30TH, 2021.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO POST A LIST OF ALL THE PURCHASES, ALL THE MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES THAT WE MAKE PURCHASES FROM, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE REPORT OF SOLE SOURCE AND EMERGENCY PURCHASES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING IN JUNE 30TH.
WE HAVE TO FOLLOW A PROCUREMENT CODE UNLESS WE FIND OURSELVES IN AN EMERGENCY WHEN WE HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT CODE PROCESS.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IT TOOK ONE YEAR FOR US TO GET A SOUND SYSTEM PUT IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE OF GOING THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
SOMETIMES WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO REPORT THOSE PURCHASES WHEN WE DO NOT FOLLOW THAT REQUIREMENT.
THE CONSENT ITEMS, WE GO THROUGH THESE AS A GROUP AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THEM AT THE
[Consent Items]
END. THE FIRST ITEM IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUEST.THESE ARE REQUESTS FROM STUDENTS WHO FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT WHO WANT TO COME INTO THE DISTRICT AND THEY REQUIRE PERMISSION FROM THE BOARD TO DO THAT.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUEST, WHICH IS THE SAME KIND OF THING, EXCEPT THESE ARE OUR STUDENTS WHO WISH TO GO TO SCHOOL IN ANOTHER DISTRICT.
THE THIRD ITEM IS THE JOHN BROPHY DONATION TO MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR FY22.
MR. BROPHY IS GIVING A DONATION OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE BOYS BASKETBALL PROGRAM TO BUY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
THE LAURA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN LIBRARY GRANT AWARD TO MOSS CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THIS FOUNDATION GIVES MONEY TO GRANTS TO LIBRARIES WHO APPLY AND HAVE APPROPRIATE REASON TO GET THE MONEY.
WE'RE GETTING FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THAT FOUNDATION AND IT WILL BE USED TO BUY BOOKS, E-BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND SO FORTH.
NUMBER FIVE IS A CONSIDERATION OF ONE TIME ATHLETIC FUNDS.
MR. CHAIRMAN THAT'S AN ITEM WE MOVED TO.
THAT'S THE ONE WE MOVED I'M SORRY. YES, SIR.
THANK YOU. C ITEMS. THESE ARE ONES THAT WE CONSIDER B WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MOVED. SECOND BY MS. SHEALEY. ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. C ITEMS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
[Individual Items]
YOU RECEIVED A LIST OF PEOPLE BEING RECOMMENDED BY THE ADMINISTRATION FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. MR. SILAS.I KNOW THAT TO BE WHAT I WOULD IMAGINE TO BE A PAPERWORK MISTAKE UNLESS MS. HART KNOWS SOMETHING THAT I DO NOT.
SO IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT LINE 57 BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST.
HART WILL BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT, BUT WE COULD A MOTION COULD BE MADE TO REMOVE IT TOO.
ALL RIGHT NOW WE JUST MADE A MOTION TO REMOVE IT.
AND THEN I'D MOVE TO REMOVE LINE 57 UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT IT'S VERIFIED AS THE STATUS.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. NOW WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE LIST WITHOUT THAT ONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO.
I'LL THEN MOVE TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE LIST.
OKAY. SECOND BY MS. SHEALEY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SECOND ITEM IS TO REVIEW POLICIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND INSTRUCTIONAL SESSION OF THE BOARD POLICY MANUAL.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO TONIGHT IS HAVE A MOTION TO CONFIRM THE REVIEW WHICH IS REQUIRED BY POLICY BG.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONFIRM THE REVIEW.
SECOND. SECONDED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.
[01:00:02]
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.THIRD ITEM IS TO UPDATE A REVISED POLICY AD SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION, SECOND READING, WE'VE HAD THIS ONCE BEFORE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ON SECOND READING.
RHINEHART-JACKSON SECONDED ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
NUMBER 4 IS THE REVISION OF POLICY GBEB STAFF CONDUCT, SECOND READING.
WELL, WE NEED A MOTION, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE POLICY GBEB ON SECOND READING.
HANKS. SECONDED BY MS. SHEALEY.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. FIVE IS THE REVISION OF POLICY GCC PROFESSIONAL STAFF LEAVES AND ABSENCES.
SECOND READING AND POLICY GDC STAFF SUPPORT LEAVES AND ABSENCES SECOND READING.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE POLICIES? MOVE. MOVED BY MR. SMITH IS THERE A SECOND.
SECOND. SECOND BY MR. MOULTON. ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. SIX ITEM IS THE REINSTATE POLICY IKAA TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS. DURING COVID, WE HAD TO DEFER THAT POLICY.
AND NOW THIS IS A MOTION TO REINSTATE THE POLICY AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY IN PLACE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO RESEND THE POLICY IKAA TESTS AND OR REINSTATE I'M SORRY, THE POLICY.
I MOVE TO REINSTATE POLICY IKAA.
SECONDED BY MS. SHEALEY ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
NUMBER 7 IS TO RESCIND TEMPORARY POLICY ADD FACE COVERINGS.
AS WE ORIGINALLY HAD THIS POLICY REQUIRING FACE COVERINGS AND THEN WE HAVE TO RESCIND IT BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE AND SO FORTH.
IS THERE A MOTION. NOBODY WANTS TO.
I'LL MOVE TO RESCIND TEMPORARY POLICY ADD FACE COVERINGS.
MOVED BY MR. SILAS SECONDED BY MR. SMITH. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL RIGHT. THE CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED ESSER 3 SPENDING PLAN, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO THAT.
CAN DO A DO OVER NOW, MR. PALLAN.
I SENT AN EMAIL ON TO COMMUNICATIONS@ACPSD.NET ON AUGUST 8TH, SPECIFICALLY REGARDING ITEM NUMBER ONE IN THE IN THE ESSER THREE PLAN FOR JULY 27 2021.
AND THAT WAS ITEM ONE LEARNING LOSS.
SO I WOULD DIRECT THE BOARD'S ATTENTION TO LEARNING LOSS AND ADDITIONAL YEARS ON CURRENTLY APPROVED CONTRACTS FOR RESOURCES.
AND THE SPECIFIC ITEM I WANT TO ASK ABOUT IS SEL SCREENER FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS IS INCLUDED IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT APPARENTLY HAS BEEN HAS GOT ADDITIONAL YEARS OF APPROVAL, I'M ASSUMING, BUT IT IS SPECIFIED IN ITEM NUMBER ONE, LEARNING LOSS.
AND WE KNOW THAT LEARNING LOSS IS, IN FACT PART OF THE ESSER THREE ENTITLEMENTS AND ALSO IS ONE OF THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SUPPORT.
SO I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO PLEASE CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC WHAT THE SEL SCREENER POSITION ACTUALLY IS AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE OTHER SEL SCREENER POSITIONS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND IN ANY OTHER GRADES.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CLARIFY, IF THEY COULD, WHAT DUTIES THAT SEL SCREENER PERFORMS AND WHAT POLICIES THEY ARE AUTHORIZED BY AND WHO REVIEWS THEIR EFFICIENCY AND WHO DECIDES HOW THAT POSITION IS REFUNDED AND THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT IT IS PERPETUATED
[01:05:01]
FOR AND HOW THAT POSITION IS TRAINED.AND THEN WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE PUT INTO THAT POSITION AND NOT TO GO BACK TO WHAT I SPOKE OF BEFORE.
BUT THIS APPEARS TO ONLY BE IDENTIFIED FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IF THE BOARD, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WOULD PLEASE IDENTIFY WHAT THAT POSITION IS, HOW YOU HIRE IT, HOW YOU TRAIN THEM, HOW YOU EVALUATE THEM, HOW YOU SUPERVISE THEM, AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS IN ANY OF THEIR POSITIONS, INCLUDING EITHER TEACHER OR MANAGEMENT OR SUPPORT STAFF.
I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT IF YOU COULD MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THAT IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S NOT A POSITION IN FTE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S AN ASSESSMENT.
SO WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO ASSESS OUR STUDENTS IT IS PART OF THE THREAT ASSESSMENT PROCESS, SUICIDE PREVENTION, DRUG USE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE CONCERNS AND PREDOMINANTLY IN HIGH SCHOOL ALSO, ALTHOUGH ALSO IN MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
BUT THIS ONE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THREAT ASSESSMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS THERE FOR, IT'S NOT A POSITION.
IT'S IT'S AN ASSESSMENT THAT GUIDANCE COUNSELORS WOULD USE IN IN DETERMINING THREAT LEVELS FOR OUR STUDENTS. OK.
ANYONE ELSE? JANE PAIGE THOMPSON, I HOPE THAT WITH THIS ONSLAUGHT OF EXTRA MONEY, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK POLITICS I PROMISED.
RIGHT. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALLOW A CITIZENS GROUP TO BE FORMED TO DO A CURRICULUM AUDIT.
I BELIEVE WE'VE HEARD FROM A PASTOR TONIGHT AND WE'VE HEARD FROM MR. PALLAN TONIGHT. AND I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD IN YOUR OWN DIALOG WITH EACH OTHER ISSUES THAT MAYBE SEL ISN'T ADDRESSING.
SO MAYBE WE ARE SO FOCUSED IN OUR BUBBLES.
AND COVID HAS REALLY HIGHLIGHTED WHAT BUBBLES DO THAT WE FORGET THAT MAY BE AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE OR AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE MAY BE NECESSARY.
AND AS ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT HAS REVIEWED EVERY PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT TEXTBOOKS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
AND I'VE COME TO THIS BODY BEFORE AND IT'S MANY DIFFERENT FORMS WITH THOSE CONCERNS OVER THE YEARS. THEY FALL ON DEAF EARS, THEY GET DROPPED.
I WAS TOLD THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY.
WELL, WE GOT MONEY NOW, RIGHT? SO TAKE FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS OF THAT MONEY AND GIVE A CITIZEN PANEL THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF CURRICULUM IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO THAT IF THERE ARE CONCERNS LIKE WHAT THE PASTOR TALKED ABOUT OR THERE ARE CONCERNS LIKE WHAT MR. PALLAN TALKED ABOUT, OR IF THERE ARE SOME CURRICULUM BASED REFERENCES THAT MAKE IT OK TO TO SAY, HEY, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK HARD TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION TO LET THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM PLAY. MAYBE WE NEED TO DO SOME CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING CLASSES THAT WE DON'T HAVE. AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A CITIZEN PANEL REVIEWING YOUR CURRICULUM COULD HIGHLIGHT TO YOU. GIVE YOU SOME SUGGESTIONS.
LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM THAT TEACHERS, BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN THEIR BUBBLE AND THEY KNOW THEIR WORLD MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
I'M IN POLITICS, AND SOMETIMES I LIVE IN MY BUBBLE.
BUT I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO GET ME OUT OF MY BUBBLE AND GO BANG, BANG ON MY HEAD.
AND THEY'RE RIGHT HALF THE TIME.
SO I THINK HAVING A CITIZEN REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO EXPAND THE TECHNOLOGY ABILITY OF THIS SCHOOL, IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE RESEARCHING THE ABILITY TO TURN THAT SMART, BOARD CAMERA ON OR TO PUT A CAMERA IN A CLASSROOM.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A KID THAT'S HOME WITH MONO OR A KID THAT'S HOME WITH COVID QUARANTINING, THEY CAN ATTEND THEIR CLASS THROUGH THAT CAMERA.
NOW, I KNOW FLIPPING THAT SWITCH FOR THAT DUAL MODALITY TEACHING MIGHT BE AN INCREASE IN YOUR BUDGET, BUT MAYBE HAVING CAMERAS IN THE CLASSROOMS, THOSE KIDS THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTED. I WAS ONE OF THEM IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO I KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO HAVE TO SIT BEHIND A SCREEN DURING PARENT TEACHER, GRANDPARENT DAY AT SCHOOL.
SO IT'S NOT A HARD THING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO LET'S GET SOME CAMERAS IN THE CLASSROOMS WITH THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU HAVE A COUPLE TWENTY MILLION TO SPEND ON.
LET'S LET EACH CLASSROOM HAVE CAMERAS IN IT SO WE CAN INCREASE OUR STUDENT ATTENDANCE.
IF THEY CAN'T GET PHYSICALLY TO SCHOOL, THEY CAN GET THERE ON A SCREEN COVID TAUGHT US
[01:10:01]
THAT. WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR GRADUATION RATE.WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PARTICIPATION RATE IF WE DO THAT.
AND LET'S LET SOME CITIZENS COME IN AND LOOK AT THIS CURRICULUM AND SEE WHAT IT CAN DO TO GIVE YOU SOME ALTERNATIVES.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A REQUEST FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO APPROVE THE SPENDING PLAN AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPENDING PLAN? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE SPENDING PLAN.
I'LL SECOND JUST FOR DISCUSSION.
PLEASE GO AHEAD. IN OUR LAST MEETING, UNDER THE BULLET POINT OF NEW ESSER NEW ACTIVITIES IN ESSER 3 INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES, SUCH AS SCIENCE LAB EQUIPMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOLS, CALCULATOR'S AND FINE ART SUPPLIES, IDENTIFIED AS A PROPOSED SPEND OF THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
IN OUR LAST MEETING, I SUGGESTED TO THE DISTRICT THAT WE TAKE SOME STRONG CONSIDERATION TO THAT AMOUNT, WHICH I FELT LIKE WAS UNDERFUNDED OR LIGHT, BECAUSE I IMAGINE BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE THAT THESE KINDS OF THINGS IN A TYPICAL BUDGET YEAR ARE PROBABLY HARD TO COME BY FOR OUR SCHOOLS, LAB EQUIPMENT, CALCULATOR'S FINE ART SUPPLIES.
I SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER STRONGLY TO INCREASE THAT.
FURTHER I SAW THIS AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A NEED AND REQUEST A SPEND FOR BAND EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED, REPLACED, ETC..
WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY HERE THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY HAVE, AND I KNOW A PRESENTATION WAS MADE TO THE BOARD BACK DURING THE BUDGET TIMES FOR THIS AND MAYBE DURING THE NORMAL REGULAR BUDGET WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A PLACE FOR IT.
BUT HERE I THINK IS A PLACE FOR IT.
IN ASKING ABOUT THIS I EXPRESSED MY DISPLEASURE THAT THAT DID NOT SEEM TO BE CONSIDERED, BUT PERHAPS IT WAS.
SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE DISTRICT AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHY AN UPDATE WAS NOT MADE IN THIS AREA. SO I'D BE GLAD TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE I STILL FEEL LIKE THAT'S A NEED.
AND I FEEL LIKE PERHAPS SOME OTHER AREAS MAY BE OVERFUNDED AND SOME THINGS COULD BE SHIFTED AROUND TO SUPPORT THIS AREA A LITTLE BETTER.
MR. LAURENCE. MR. CHAIR MR. SILAS MAY I ASK MS. GLOVER TO HELP ME TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THAT.
BUT WE HAVE SPENT SOME TIME GETTING SOME INFORMATION FROM BAND DIRECTORS AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE PURCHASED IN RECENT YEARS AND WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED IN RECENT YEARS AND ATTEMPTED TO GET SOME SPECIFICS ON WHAT THE VARIOUS BAND PROGRAMS WOULD NEED.
WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS POTENTIALLY TO ANOTHER HUGE POT OF MONEY, SPECIFICALLY FOR FINE ARTS THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CARVED OUT FROM ITS ESSER FUNDS FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS COMMISSION, WHICH WE HAVE ACCESS TO THROUGH GRANTS.
SO THERE ARE MANY AVENUES THAT WE CAN USE TO GET THE FUNDING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BAND EQUIPMENT OR REPLACE INSTRUMENTS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT VARIOUS MEANS OF DOING THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I APPRECIATE THAT MR. LAURENCE. WE HAVE SURVEYED OUR BAND DIRECTORS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE AND WAS THAT ENOUGH AS A POT OF MONEY.
MR. LAURENCE REFERRED TO THE OTHER POTS OF MONEY, THE SPECIFIC GRANT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT. TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS WAS GIVEN TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS COMMISSION.
SO WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO TAP INTO THAT BY WRITING A SUB GRANT FOR NOT ONLY THE VISUAL ARTS, BUT ALSO OUR PERFORMING ARTS.
SO INSTRUMENTS COULD CERTAINLY BE FUNDED OUT OF THAT.
AND SO NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION FROM THEM, WE'LL KNOW BETTER HOW MUCH MONEY WE NEED TO ASK FOR. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TITLE FOUR MONEY.
THAT'S WHOLE CHILD MONEY THAT YOU'RE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FOCUS ON THE ARTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS.
ALSO, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND AS WE GO.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME CATEGORIES THAT WE KNOW WE'VE PROBABLY OVER BUDGETED.
BUT UNTIL WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE DIDN'T ADD IT.
[01:15:03]
BUT WE CERTAINLY IT'S ON THE RADAR AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION WE CAN SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE NEED TO BUDGET.I CAN APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED IT, TO TAP INTO THIS TWENTY MILLION DOLLAR FUND FOR THE WHOLE STATE.
IT'S A GRANT THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR.
SO WHAT'S THE SAYING A BIRD IN THE HAND IS BETTER THAN TWO IN THE BUSH, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE GREAT SUPPLEMENT TO ANYTHING WE CAN DO.
BUT SO I'VE STATED MY OPINION AND I STILL STAND BY THE FACT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB RIGHT HERE.
AND I'M NOT ACCUSING ANYONE OF THIS, BUT POOR CHOICE OF WORDS THAT WE DON'T PROVIDE SOME LIP SERVICE HERE, THAT WE CAN SHIP SOME THINGS AROUND LATER, AND THEN IT JUST IT GOES AWAY. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I HAVE A QUESTION MR. LAURENCE OR MS. GLOVER, BUT THERE WAS A POINT MADE TONIGHT AS THE LADY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BAND SITUATION AND THE CONCESSIONS STUFF THAT THERE'S A TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLAR FEE, I BELIEVE, WAS MENTIONED 250 JUST TO BE IN THE BAND.
BACK IN 1983 84, MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL HAD TWO HUNDRED FIFTY PEOPLE IN THE MARCHING BAND AND IT HAS SLOWLY DWINDLED DOWN BECAUSE THE COST OF BEING IN THE BAND HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY.
AND I WANT TO ASK, SINCE WE HAVE THESE FUNDS, IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN ALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO CUT SOME OF THESE BAND FEES DOWN THAT THESE KIDS HAVE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO KIDS THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE MONEY, NOR THE PARENTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, MAYBE TO GET OUT AND WORK AND HELP EARN THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
IS THERE AN AVENUE IN THESE ESSER FUNDS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST THESE KIDS AT THESE SCHOOLS? THESE KIDS WORK HARD, IT'S HOT [INAUDIBLE] THEY WORKING? BUT HOW MANY GOOD PEOPLE, KIDS ARE WE MISSING OUT ON BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO BE THERE AND THEY'RE TOO EMBARRASSED TO SAY, MY FAMILY CAN'T AFFORD IT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE 15 CATEGORIES OF ESSER WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY INVESTIGATE IT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE GETTING BACK TO ME ON IT, BECAUSE I KNOW KIDS SAY THEY LIKED TO BE IN IT, BUT THE PARENTS SAY, NO, IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY.
AND THAT'S TO ME, THAT'S THE WAY WE CAN SERVE KIDS DIRECTLY TO HELP THEM DEVELOP MAYBE SOME SKILLS THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO.
THESE FUNDS ARE DIRECTLY GIVEN TO US TO MAKE UP FOR DAMAGES DONE BY COVID.
AND IT'S NOT TO DO JUST WHATEVER WE WANT TO WITH.
THEY HAVE TO BE TIED TO SOME IMPACT FROM COVID IN ORDER FOR US TO QUALIFY FOR THEM.
I DON'T HAVE A CLUE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THIS DOES OR NOT.
I'M NOT TAKING A POSITION ON IT.
BUT JUST FOR THE AUDIENCE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.
THE ESSER FUNDS ARE THERE FOR THE IMPACTS OF COVID.
IT SOUNDS LIKE I HEARD FROM THESE LADIES TONIGHT THAT COVID HAD A PRETTY SERIOUS IMPACT FINANCIALLY ON BAND AND ATHLETIC EVENTS.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, I THINK WE SHOULD RELOOK AT THIS FUNDING SITUATION.
WE ARE LOOKING AT. IN FACT, YOU'VE GOT AN ITEM COMING UP IN A MINUTE TO GIVE THE SCHOOLS ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR WHAT THEY LOST FROM COVID.
BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.
MR. NUESSLE. YEAH, I JUST, WE'RE KIND OF JUST, I JUST WANT TO THROW SOME SUPPORT AROUND WHAT MR. SILAS SAYS.
I JUST WANT TO BACK UP WHAT HE'S SAYING.
BUT MY QUESTION AGAIN IS, YOU KNOW, THIS FUNDING IS FOR WE CAN KEEP SPENDING THIS UNTIL LIKE 2024.
SO OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVER CHANGE IT AGAIN. RIGHT?
[01:20:03]
YES, SIR. WE WILL NEED AMENDMENTS.I WOULD ANTICIPATE COMING TO YOU AT LEAST EVERY FEW MEETINGS WITH AN AMENDMENT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AMOUNTS BUDGETED THERE THAT WE CAN'T JUST SHIFT TO SOMETHING ELSE IF THE COSTS DON'T REACH WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO COME TO YOU EACH TIME WE NEED TO SHIFT FUNDS.
SO, YEAH. SO YES, SIR, THAT'LL BE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THIS FUNDING.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WOULD VENTURE I AGREE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT CERTAIN THINGS OVER ESTIMATED AND WE'VE GOT MONEY THERE TO DO OTHER THINGS. BUT THAT'S AN OPINION.
ANYBODY ELSE? I'LL JUST PUT MY TWO CENTS WORTH IN.
WE OPERATE KINDERGARTEN'S AT A TWENTY FIVE TO ONE RATIO THAT'S HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER ELEMENTARY GRADE AND IT'S PROBABLY MOST CRITICAL.
I HAVE ARGUED EVERY TIME WE DISCUSS MONEY THAT WE SHOULD PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE FIRST KINDERGARTEN GRADES 1 AND GRADES TWO AND GET KIDS OFF TO A MUCH BETTER START THAN WE DO.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US PUT A LOT MORE MONEY INTO THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE ADMINISTRATION? HANKS MOVES THAT WE.
I'M GOING TO SECOND SO WE CAN DISCUSS THIS.
FURTHER DISCUSSION. I DON'T MIND, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED HERE IF WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT WE'VE ASKED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT A SPECIFIC AREA.
IF WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, THEN WITH THE PLAN AS IT IS, WILL BE WITHOUT US BEING ABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK FOR THE ASSISTANCE THAT I HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE BANDS.
IF WE CAN'T GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF IT WILL WORK OR IF WE CAN USE IT.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO OFFER AMENDMENTS AS THROUGHOUT THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
I'M SORRY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THAT ON THE FOREFRONT AND WE LOOK AT HOW WE MIGHT CAN USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO HELP SOME OF THESE KIDS.
I GOT A MOTION AND SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PLAN AS SUBMITTED PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED.
TWO OPPOSED. THREE OK, LET'S VOTE ALL OVER AGAIN, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED. THREE OK, PLAN IS APPROVED.
MOTIONS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT C10 WAS FORMERLY B 5, ITS CONSIDERATION OF ONE TIME ATHLETICS FUND. ARE WE MOVING THAT AHEAD AT 9.
DR. BRADLEY? IT'S FINE FOR ME, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
I DO THAT EVERY TIME JUST TO KEEP EVERYBODY ON.
JUST CHECKING Y'ALL. WE'LL GO BACK.
THIS IS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT ONE THAT I SKIPPED.
IT'S THE ISSUANCE OF THE SALE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR 2021.
IT REQUIRES. WELL, WE WERE ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE ISSUANCE OF 18 MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BONDS FOR THE YEAR.
IT'S IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW, WHICH GOVERNS HOW MUCH WE CAN BORROW IN THIS MANNER.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY BUDGETED THE FUNDS IN OUR FIVE YEAR BUILDING PROGRAM.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.
SECOND BY MS. SHEALEY ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. NOW UNLESS I'M MAKING ANOTHER MISTAKE.
WE'RE BACK TO B 5 WHICH IS NOW 10 C.
DR. BRADLEY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION HERE, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS
[01:25:03]
RECOMMENDED BY THE DISTRICT.SO BEFORE I MOVE, I'D LIKE TO MAYBE EXPAND ON IT OR EXPLAIN.
AND THEN IF WE GET TO DISCUSSION, MAYBE WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT.
SO JUST TO STATE THE THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE DISTRICT, I THINK, IT IS RECOMMENDED WE PROVIDE 10,000 DOLLARS TO EACH OF THE MAJOR HIGH SCHOOLS AND SOMETHING LESS THAN THAT.
BRADLEY? COULD YOU HELP ME OUT, CLEAN ME UP HERE A LITTLE BIT AS TO THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE REQUESTING? IT'S TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR 3A AND 4A EIGHT THOUSAND FOR 2A SCHOOLS.
WHICH IS ONLY ONE OF THEM, AND SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE SINGLE A SCHOOLS RIDGE SPRING AND WAGENER-SALLEY. OK, SO THAT'S WHAT'S RECOMMENDED.
AND MY MOTION IS, TO BE A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT AND A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF INPUT CAME FROM ATHLETIC DIRECTORS.
IF WE GET A DISCUSSION, PERHAPS WE CAN GET THAT.
AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT FOR MAKING THE MOVE TO DO THAT.
BELIEVE ME, I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL WHATSOEVER.
IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED AND CERTAINLY WOULD HELP IF THAT WERE THE ONLY THING WE APPROVED.
BUT JUST FROM WHAT I KNOW, SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE DUES EATS UP 5000 OF THAT.
I KNOW MIDLAND VALLEY HAS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLAR POOL RENTAL.
AND THERE ARE PROBABLY A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE JUST GENERAL OPERATING ITEMS THAT TAKES THAT AWAY LIKE THAT.
BUT IF THE GOAL HERE IS TO TRULY HELP OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS DIG OUT OF A LITTLE HOLE FROM THE LAST YEAR OR THE LAST 18, 24 MONTHS, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE 2 THINGS DIFFERENT, THAT WE ONE TREAT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS THE SAME IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR VALUE, AND THAT WE MOVE THAT FROM 10,000 TO 20,000 FOR EACH SCHOOL.
THAT WOULD BE SEVEN HIGH SCHOOLS, TWENTY THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, PLUS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AMOUNT, WHICH WOULD REMAIN THE SAME AS PART OF MY MOTION.
MOVED AND SECONDED. THANK YOU.
SILAS, LET ME GET THIS THING. SPENDING MANY YEARS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXPENSES THAT ARE INCURRED THERE.
IT ALMOST COST FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS A PIECE.
AND WE CAN'T EVEN FIND THEM YET FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE SO FAR BEHIND.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT INCREASE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
AND WHAT THEY MAKE AND WHAT THEY PUT BACK INTO THEIR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS IS WHAT THEY MAKE AT THE GATE.
THERE AGAIN, THEY DIDN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT LAST YEAR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THAT AS WELL, TOO. AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE WE'VE GIVEN THEM ANY MONEY TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT AND HELP UPGRADE.
ANYBODY ELSE. YEAH, BUT BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE OR ANYTHING LIKE SO MY QUESTION, REGARDLESS OF THE VARIANT THAT WE HAVE, IS WHAT INFORMATION DO WE HAVE OF ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR LOSSES ARE? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT TO KIND OF BACK UP WHAT MR. SILAS SAID, I JUST LIKE TO HAVE A WE KEEP BOOKS.
RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE IN THE HOLE. AND IF IT'S ONLY, SAY, ELEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, I'M NOT RIGHT NOW NOT THINKING TO GIVE THEM TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IF YOU FOLLOW ME.
SO I'D JUST LIKE MORE INFORMATION.
I'M GOING TO ASK DR. MURPHY TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.
IT IS CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, 10000 DOLLAR NUMBER WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THOSE MAJOR THINGS THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET STARTED WITH THEIR SEASONS THIS YEAR WITHOUT HAVING THE BURDEN OF WORRYING ABOUT WHAT GATES WERE GOING TO BE LIKE. SO THAT WAS THE RATIONALE FOR BRINGING THE PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD.
MURPHY. CAN YOU ALSO ADDRESS HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE ALLOCATION AMOUNT I MET WITH THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS ON ACTUALLY ABOUT FOUR OCCASIONS TO DISCUSS THE LOSSES.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY WE WERE NOT.
OUR INTENT WAS NOT TO MAKE THEM WHOLE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT MECHANISM TO FUND AN ENTIRE ATHLETIC PROGRAM.
[01:30:01]
SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT WHAT WERE THEIR ACTUAL NEEDS, I CAME UP WITH A CHART BASED ON WHAT THEY REPORTED AND I'M SITING THERE LOOKING THE AVERAGE LOSS.THE NEED FOR THE SHORTFALL THEY HAD WAS ABOUT TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE LARGER SCHOOLS AND BETWEEN SEVEN AND TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE SMALLER SCHOOLS.
AND SO AND THEN WE GO BACK THROUGH AND LOOK AT THEIR AVERAGE COST FOR, LET'S SAY, THE FOUR MAJOR THINGS, WHICH WAS SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE DUES, THE SOUTH CAROLINA COACHES ASSOCIATION DUES AND THE HUDL VIDEO.
AND SO THE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS WILL COVER THEIR LEAGUE DUES, THEIR HUDDLE VIDEO, WHICH HELPS THEM GET THEIR FILM TOGETHER FOR THE STUDENTS AND FOR RECRUITING VIDEOS AS WELL, AND THEIR COACHING DUES FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.
THE AMOUNT BASICALLY BECAUSE IT VARIES DIFFERENTLY BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL.
SO WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, 16 HUNDRED KIDS.
YOU HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THREE HUNDRED KIDS.
AND SO THEIR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS NEEDS ARE THEY VARY.
AND SO WE DID BASICALLY IT WAS A RATIO.
SO WHAT THIS ENDS UP DOING IS GIVING THEM APPROXIMATELY 50 PERCENT OF THEIR SHORTFALL AND APPROXIMATELY COVERING THEIR MAJOR NEEDS.
NOW WE CHECKED, EACH SCHOOL HAS A HEALTHY BALANCE.
SO THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT WITHOUT ANY MONEY THEIR PROGRAMS ARE NOT WITHOUT ANY MONEY.
SO WE WOULD TAKE ON HALF OF THAT.
THEY WOULD TAKE ON HALF OF THAT.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY IN A YEAR, A SOLID YEAR COMING UP AND ANOTHER GOOD, SOLID YEAR, WE COULD BE BACK WHOLE AGAIN.
BUT THERE WAS NO REAL PLAN TO SAY, HEY, FOR ALL THE MONEY THAT YOU FAILED TO MAKE THIS YEAR, YOU FAILED TO EARN LAST YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU, OUT OF THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM LIKE THAT TO REFUND THAT. YES SIR.
I WANT TO MAKE ONE POINT AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, DR.
MURPHY. THAT WAS MY LIFE FOR MANY YEARS, WORKING IN ATHLETICS AND TRYING TO PINCH A DOLLAR TO GET WHATEVER WE COULD.
I DO WANT TO MAKE THIS [INAUDIBLE] I'VE HAD ATHLETIC DIRECTORS TELL ME THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED THAT FOR ONE IN THIS DECISION.
RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPORTS AS NORTH AUGUSTA, BUT THEY HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF EXPENSES JUST AS THEY DO.
THEY HAVE TO KEEP UP EVERYTHING, JUST LIKE NORTH AUGUSTA DOES AS FAR AS FIELD MAINTENANCE. I MEAN, I KNOW THE DISTRICT HANDLES MAINTENANCE, BUT WHATEVER THEY NEED FOR THEIR FIELDS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SAME THING FOR THE BAND FOLKS.
THEY GOT TO KEEP UP THEIR FIELD, TOO.
AND AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS BEING REQUESTED.
THAT IS WONDERFUL, LIKE MR. SILAS SAID, THAT IS WONDERFUL THEY NEED HELP, THEY'VE BEEN NEEDING HELP.
THERE WERE SEVERAL YEARS BACK WE HAD TO HELP THEM.
POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT MONEY IS GOING TO PAY TO HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, THAT OTHER STUFF YOU SAW COACHES CLINIC OR COACHING DUES OR THAT KIND OF STUFF.
NONE OF THAT MONEY IS DIRECTLY GOING TO AFFECT THE KIDS THAT ARE ON THE MARCHING FIELD, NOR THE ATHLETIC FIELDS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALSO SAID THAT SCHOOLS ARE FINANCIALLY SOUND.
THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I'VE HAD.
I'VE TALKED WITH MR. LAURENCE ABOUT IT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ABOUT THIS NEED FOR OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA. HERE'S THE THING.
I WAS QUOTED THAT MIDLAND VALLEY HAS MORE ATHLETIC MONEY THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL.
THEN I WENT TO DOING SOME INVESTIGATING NORTH AUGUSTA'S MONEY IS NOT IN THEIR LOCAL ACCOUNTS, IT IS IN THEIR BOOSTER CLUB.
AND IT IS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
MIDLAND VALLEY KIDS GET OUT AND THEY FUNDRAISE FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE SPORTS AND THOSE SPORTS THAT THAT MONEY IS IN THERE THAT MAKES IT LOOK SO GOOD.
IT'S WHERE KIDS AND COACHES HAVE FUNDRAISED TO GET THAT MONEY TO THERE.
NOW, IF WE TAKE AS I TOLD MR. LAURENCE, IF WE TAKE AND START USING THE MONEY THAT THOSE KIDS USED, IS SOFTBALL BASEBALL RAISED, EXCUSE ME, RAISED, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL TRACK, WHATEVER IT MAY HAVE BEEN, AND USE IT FOR FOOTBALL.
THAT'S A DISSERVICE TO THOSE KIDS THAT WORK OR EARNED IT.
NOW FOOTBALL CARRIES ITSELF THROUGH GATE RECEIPTS, BUT GATE RECEIPTS HAS NOT BEING GOOD.
YOU HEARD THE LADY SAY THAT, THEY HAD SEVEN WHATEVER HUNDRED OR SEVEN THOUSAND, WHATEVER
[01:35:07]
IT WAS IN THE BOOSTER CLUB.EXCUSE ME. THAT'S WHAT THEY MADE LAST YEAR.
THE BAND LADY SAID THEY HAD THIRTEEN DOLLARS.
WE HAVE THE MONEY TO HELP BOTH PROGRAMS, AND I GO ALONG WITH MR., SILAS, WE NEED TO USE SOME OF THE MONEY TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
I KNOW FROM AN OLD COACH THEY'RE DOING WITHOUT THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE PINCHING PENNIES.
AND AIKEN COUNTY HAS BEEN NOTORIOUS, NOTORIOUS FOR GENERATIONS OF NOT SUPPORTING ATHLETICS AS STRONG AS THEY CAN, NOR BAND.
AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME MONEY OUT THERE TO HELP THESE BAND DIRECTORS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO AN ACT ON THAT TONIGHT.
[APPLAUSE] MR. CHAIRMAN, ONE MORE QUESTION.
DR. MURPHY, WHAT FUND IS THIS MONEY COMING FROM? THIS IS THE PROPOSED PLAN IS OUR AID TO SCHOOLS FUND.
IT'S ONE OF OUR STATE OK. AND WE HID IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR WE ARE USING IT TO BALANCE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND TYPICALLY CARRY OVER SOME AMOUNT.
WE'VE USED IT IN THE PAST FOR SOME OTHER IS THAT FUND SO STRAPPED THAT IT COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE ANOTHER, WHAT, 10,000 THOUSAND TIMES 10 NOT 7 HIGH SCHOOLS.
I THINK ITS SOMETHING THAT IT COULD WITHSTAND.
BUT ONE THING IT HAS COME UP IN THE PAST WE DO UTILIZE THOSE CARRYOVER FUNDS, AND WE ARE UTILIZING IT THIS YEAR TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE AVOIDED SOME YEARS.
SO IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED COMES UP, A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S AN ALLOCATION THAT WW WILL LOOK AT.
LET ME SAY SOMETHING QUICKLY AGAIN, DR.
MURPHY. I FEEL MAYBE LIKE THERE'S SOME NEGATIVE ENERGY AROUND THIS, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE LIKE WE'RE KIND OF ATTACKING YOU OVER THIS, THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE, PLEASE, BECAUSE IT IS A POSITIVE THING.
I'M JUST REQUESTING WITH MY MOTION THAT WE DO MORE AND THAT WE CAN DO MORE AND THAT IT'S WELL NEEDED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT.
APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO SAY THE SAME THING.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID, DR.
MURPHY, AND THE FUNDS THAT YOU'VE PROPOSED TO BE ALLOTTED AND EVERYTHING.
BUT I DO AGREE WITH MR. SILAS AND MR. SMITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE FOR ATHLETICS AND FOR BANDS AND DO IT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS EQUALLY, BECAUSE I KNOW REPRESENTING RIDGE SPRING AND WAGENER, THEY ARE SMALLER SCHOOLS.
BUT AS YOU SAID, MR. SMITH THEY HAD THE SAME EXPENSES IN KEEPING UP THE FACILITIES AND THE EQUIPMENT AND THAT KIND OF THING AND THOSE SMALLER AREAS JUST SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, IN THE BOOSTER CLUBS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
SO THAT WOULD BE A HUGE HELP TO THOSE AREAS, TOO.
SO I WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
I JUST WANTED ONE CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M CONVINCED THAT IT WAS AN AFFIRMATION FROM MR. TRAXLER THAT WE STAND POSED TO BE OK BY USING AN ADDITIONAL SEVENTY OR EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THOSE FUNDS.
SORT OF LIKE GOING IN WE WE WOULD BE I DON'T THINK IT WOULD PUT US IN A PROBLEM SPOT FOR THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, THESE ARE THINGS IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
THIS POT IS ONE THAT WE WOULD USE FOR UNANTICIPATED ITEMS, FOR SOME MID YEAR ITEMS. WE'VE HIT IT IN THE PAST.
IF THIS WERE A SITUATION WHERE WE WERE CUTTING TOO DEEP, I WOULD LET THE BOARD KNOW EVEN WITHOUT THE CRYSTAL BALL, I DON'T THINK THE INCREASE IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HURT US.
OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT. ANYBODY ELSE.
SO IF I. SHOULD I RESTATE THE MOTION, DR.
BRADLEY. IF YOU'D LIKE, PLEASE.
AND RESTATE AND THEN PERHAPS AMEND AFTER MR. SMITH'S COMMENTS. SO MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT FOR EACH HIGH SCHOOL
[01:40:03]
EQUALLY FROM 10 THE RECOMMENDED 10 TO 20 THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS BE INCREASED TO 5000 THAT'S THE MOTION.YEAH, AND SO, I'M STILL WRAPPING MY HEAD A LITTLE BIT AROUND IT, SO I TOTALLY GET IT.
BUT NO MATTER HOW BIG THE SCHOOL IS, IF YOU HAVE SPORTS PROGRAMS, THEY YOU KNOW, THEY CAN COST THE SAME.
I GET IT. BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF OTHER ONES.
SO WE SAY THEIR EXPENSES ARE THE SAME.
ONE OF THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES IS A SCHOOL LIKE AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL HAS A LOT MORE SPORTS THAN WAGENER-SALLEY DOES PROBABLY.
AND FOOTBALL IS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS OTHER THAN WHAT THE DISTRICT GIVES THEM. AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE FOOTBALL REVENUE TO FINANCE VOLLEYBALL, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT A SMALL SCHOOL IS BIGGER THAN A LARGE SCHOOL.
AND IF YOU GOT A FOOTBALL TEAM, YOU DON'T NEED THE SAME NUMBER OF JERSEYS AND SHOULDER PADS AND SHOES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO THERE IS A GOOD ARGUMENT TO BE MADE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT PLACING THE MONEY ON THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL, EXCEPT THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE NUMBER OF TEAMS YOU HAVE TO FINANCE AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, I IMAGINE THAT THE COST PER STUDENT IS NOT THE MAJOR VARIABLE, MAYBE THE COST TO PARTICIPATE.
MS. SHEALEY. YOU KNOW, AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
I KNOW I WAS A BAND MOM AND A FOOTBALL MOM AND A GOLF MOM.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT TAKES IN THE DIFFERENT SPORTS AND EVERYTHING. AND I KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH RIDGE SPRING AND WAGENER ARE SMALLER, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE THE BIGGER SCHOOLS HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH BOOSTER CLUBS AND THROUGH OTHER FUNDRAISERS BECAUSE THEY ARE BIGGER SCHOOLS AND THEY HAVE MORE PEOPLE, THEY CAN RAISE MORE MONEY TO HELP SUPPLEMENT.
AND THE SMALLER SCHOOLS LIKE WAGENER AND RIDGE SPRING THEY HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF BUSINESSES AND LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANT US TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND OFFER THE SAME AMOUNT ACROSS THE BOARD AND TREAT ALL THE SCHOOLS EQUALLY.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE DOWN TO SAYING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHEN RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA TAKES THE BUS AND TAKES THEIR FOOTBALL TEAM TO SCHOOL IN COLUMBIA, IT COST THEM IT USED TO BE EIGHTY SOMETHING CENT A MILE.
WHAT IS IT NOW? WE USE OUR ACTIVITY BUSSES, SO IT'S WHATEVER THE COST OF FUEL, EVERYTHING AND THE DRIVER IS FOR THAT.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE ACTIVITY BUSSES IN A LOT OF CASES.
HOW MUCH IS IT THAT THEY HAVE TO CHARGE EVERY MILE PLUS GAS BACK IN? I'M NOT CERTAIN ABOUT COST PER MILE, BUT THE BOARD HAS ALLOCATED APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THOUSAND FOR ATHLETICS, TRANSPORTATION, FOR HIGH SCHOOLS SO THEY DRAW UPON THAT TO HELP REIMBURSE FOR THOSE TRAVEL COSTS TO AWAY EVENTS.
DOES THE BOARD EXCUSE ME, DOES THE DISTRICT OFFSET THE COST OF OFFICIALS BECAUSE THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME NOW? YOU GOT THE LITTLE PAY DIFFERENCE IN THE LEVELS BECAUSE OF THE SCORING SYSTEM WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE. SO THERE'S STILL IS THERE ANY HELPING THEM PAY FOR SPEAKERS]. THAT'S TYPICALLY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, THEY WON'T COVER THOSE.
IT MAY SEEM LIKE AND I WAS THE HEAD COACH AT A 1 A SCHOOL, I HAD 18 PLAYERS AND I WAS HAVING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT NORTH AUGUSTA AND AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL WERE DOING AT THAT TIME, AND IT WAS SUPER HARD FOR US TO DO IT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO THE GAMES THAT THESE OTHER PEOPLE HAD, AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH A WASH WITH A FEW HUNDRED, MAYBE SEVEN OR EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS.
AS I CAN REMEMBER, IF WE MADE THAT MUCH PROFIT OFF A GAME, WE WERE EXCITED.
WHERE LARGER SCHOOLS WERE MAKING TWO TO THREE, FOUR THOUSAND.
BUT YET WE HAD TO PUT THEM ON THE FIELD WITH THE SAME THING.
WE HAD TO PUT THE BAND KIDS OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY THE OUTERLINE BAND KIDS.
A LOT OF THEM DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE INSTRUMENTS THAT THEY WANT TO PLAY.
AND I JUST I WANT TO REALLY MAKE EVERYBODY REALIZE IT'S A STRUGGLE AND IT'S TIME WE STEP
[01:45:08]
UP AND HELP THESE FOLKS A LITTLE BIT.AND SO THEY COME OUT AND HAVE A THOUSAND TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THE HEAD AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT'S SOME GOOD MONEY TO HELP THEM START THE NEXT YEAR.
TO ME, I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE PROBABLY HAVING MORE SPORTS TEAMS, BUT THE EXPENSES ARE STILL THERE AND THEY'RE STILL THE SAME.
IF YOU TAKE TWO BUSSES FROM RIDGE SPRING- MONETTA YOU TAKE TWO BUSSES FROM NORTH AUGUSTA AND AND SEND THEM BOTH TO COLUMBIA, THEY BOTH GOT TO PAY THE SAME THING.
ALL RIGHT. WE'VE HEARD A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OPPOSED. AND YOU'RE NOT OPPOSED.
NO, SIR. NO, SIR, I'M JUST BEING EXTRA SUPPORTIVE.
MOTION PASSED. OK, I THINK THAT TAKES US DOWN THROUGH THE C SECTION. NOW WE'RE DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS.
AND I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM MR. SILAS. I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED MR. SILAS IS ON THE AGENDA FOR TWO ITEMS. MR. SILAS.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MY LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION TONIGHT.
I NORMALLY PREFER TO KEEP A LITTLE I KEEP A LOWER PROFILE.
BUT SUCH IS NOT THE CASE TONIGHT AND I THINK FOR GOOD REASON.
THE FIRST ONE'S A RELATIVELY EASY ONE.
[Individual Board Members]
WE HAD AN AREA THREE COUNCIL MEMBER RESIGN MR. RODNEY WAY DUE TO HE RELOCATED OUT OF THE DISTRICT.SO I'D LIKE TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE MR. WAY WHILE HE'S ONLY BEEN ON THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS, HE'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH OUR SCHOOLS FOR QUITE A WHILE WITH PTO, STUDENT COUNCILS, ETC.
SO I APPRECIATE HIS CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT AND HE PLANS TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH HIS EMPLOYER.
I THINK THEY JUST SPONSORED I DON'T THINK I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS A TEACHER BREAKFAST THIS WEEK IN MIDLAND VALLEY IF HE DIDN'T DO THIS ONE HE HAS BEFORE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT.
HE'S SERVING ON THE ONE CENT SALES TAX COMMITTEE, BUT HE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA AND RESIGNED. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO REPLACE HIM WITH MR. LANCE THOMAS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. MR. SILAS, ONE MORE.
OKAY. SO THE SECOND ONE HAS TO DO WITH RANDOM DRUG TESTING, AND I PROMISED IN THE LAST MAYBE NOT LAST MEETING, BUT THE ONE BEFORE SOME INTRODUCTION GAVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION TO CONSIDER AND LEFT YOU TO YOUR OWN DEVICES TO RESEARCH THAT THINK ABOUT IT, MAYBE TALK TO PEOPLE. RECEIVED SOME PUBLICITY IN THE MEDIA, LOCAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE AND WAS QUITE A BIT OF FEEDBACK THERE.
GRANTED, WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS, I'M PRETTY SURE MANY OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN READ THE ARTICLE. BUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE GOTTEN POINTED AT ME WERE, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU BEHIND THIS? AND I STATED THAT NIGHT AND I'LL RESTATE NOW, IT'S REALLY, REALLY SIMPLE. AND THE LADY THAT SPOKE TONIGHT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT.
IT'S ONE PURPOSE AND ONE PURPOSE ONLY.
AND THAT'S TO PREVENT OUR STUDENTS, OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN FROM EXPERIMENTING WITH DRUGS, STARTING WITH DRUGS LEADING TO OTHER THINGS.
THAT'S THE ONLY PURPOSE, NOTHING ELSE BEHIND IT WHATSOEVER.
WOULD I LIKE IT TO BE EXPANDED TO THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY? PROBABLY SO. BUT FROM MY RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION, IT SEEMS TO BE MOST DEVELOPED WITH STUDENT ATHLETES, RIGHT.
BECAUSE IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SPORTS.
AND SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY PURPOSE BEHIND THIS.
IT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE A PARENT APPROACHED ME BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCES.
AND SO I BEGAN TO LOOK AT IT AND THINK ABOUT IT LONG AND HARD AND THOUGHT IT WAS CERTAINLY A WORTHWHILE STANCE TO TAKE.
ALSO, FROM MY PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, MY SON WITH AN ATHLETIC TEAM IN THE AREA WHO JUST GRADUATED LAST YEAR.
BUT JUST SOME KNOWLEDGE OF SOME THINGS THAT I KNEW WENT ON WITH THIS ATHLETIC TEAM WHERE PERHAPS IF WE HAD A PROGRAM IN PLACE WHERE A STUDENT WOULD THINK THAT THEY COULD BE SELECTED FOR A RANDOM TEST THAT MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED SOME OF THAT FROM HAPPENING, IT
[01:50:04]
COULD EVEN SAVE A LIFE.AND YOU THINK I'M MAYBE OVERDRAMATIC, BUT IT'S NOT.
ONE HIT FROM THIS OIL THAT MAYBE THEY'VE PURCHASED THINKING IT'S YOU KNOW, THC, IT CAN HAVE FENTANYL IN IT AND THAT'S ALL IT TAKES.
SO AND IT IS A PROBLEM IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, ASK YOUR PRINCIPALS IF VAPING IS A PROBLEM. YES, IT'S SOMETIMES JUST THE NICOTINE.
BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT BEING MORE SERIOUS.
AND SO TONIGHT WITH THE MOTION, IT'S NOT TO APPROVE A POLICY WE'RE NOT GOING TO START TESTING NEXT WEEK.
IT'S TO ASK THE DISTRICT TO DEVELOP A POLICY WHICH WE WOULD THEN BE INVOLVED, HOPEFULLY TO SOME EXTENT IN DEVELOPING AND THEN REVIEW AND APPROVAL, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER POLICY.
SO WE WOULD HAVE MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO SHAPE THAT POLICY.
MY VISION RIGHT NOW IS THAT AGAIN, AS I STATED LAST TIME, IT'S NOT PUNITIVE.
IT'S TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PROBLEM.
LET THE PARENT KNOW, LET IT BE ADDRESSED.
COUNSELING ALL MEANT TO BE UP FRONT.
IT'S NO ACADEMIC CONSEQUENCES.
LAW ENFORCEMENT'S NOT INVOLVED.
IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO CARRY A RECORD WITH THEM PAST GRADUATION.
IT'S TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, WE WILL DECIDE WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES MAY BE.
MAYBE THEY DON'T EVER MISS A GAME.
MAYBE THEY DON'T MISS A GAME UNTIL IT'S THREE TIMES THEY'RE CALLED.
SO MY MOTION WILL BE JUST TO APPROVE THE DISTRICT TO PROCEED IN DEVELOPING A POLICY.
DR. MURPHY HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH DISTRICTS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN IN PLACE.
MY HALLWAY TALK WITH THEM IS IT'S JUST NOT BEEN A BIG DEAL AT THE PLACES HE'S BEEN.
AND I DON'T MEAN THAT TO SAY IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL COMING UP WITH THE POLICY.
BUT AND HE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME ON THAT, THAT HIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN POSITIVE WITH IT. THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE HAS A ANTI-DOPING POLICY ALREADY IN PLACE THAT'S COME ABOUT. SO THERE'S NO ISSUES THERE.
THERE ARE NO LEGAL ISSUES TO DEVELOPING THIS.
OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE DO IT.
YOU'VE GOT TO STAND FOR SOMETHING.
RIGHT. AND I'VE DECIDED THAT THIS IS WORTH STANDING FOR.
IF WE CAN PREVENT A YOUNG MAN OR WOMAN FROM USING DRUGS.
LAST THING I'M GOING TO READ VERY QUICKLY AND THEN I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
I WANT TO READ WHAT WAS STATED IN ONE OF THE PAPERS I GAVE YOU.
I THINK IT'S WORTH RESTATING FROM A PRINCIPAL OF A SCHOOL IN THE NORTHEAST.
THOSE OF US CHARGED WITH ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS.
THAT'S US AND STAFF MUST TAKE SERIOUSLY THE THREAT IMPOSED BY STUDENTS ILLEGAL DRUG USE.
WE CAN NO LONGER SIMPLY SAY THAT THE MEASURES WE HAVE EMPLOYED PREVIOUSLY ARE ENOUGH.
THE CHALLENGE BEFORE SCHOOL BOARDS AND COMMUNITIES IS CLEAR.
WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB HELPING OUR TEENAGERS SAY NO TO DRUGS.
THAT'S THE BASIS. IT'S A SIMPLE PURPOSE.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD MOVE THAT THE DISTRICT DEVELOP A POLICY MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING A RANDOM DRUG TESTING POLICY FOR OUR STUDENT ATHLETES BAND AND ANY OTHER MAJOR SPORTING ACTIVITY THAT THEY SEE FIT.
YEAH, THANK YOU DR. BRADLEY. I WAS CURIOUS AND MAYBE I SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THIS FOR ANYONE HERE FROM THE DISTRICT, WHAT KIND OF DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAM DO WE HAVE IN AIKEN COUNTY? I MEAN.
I'M GOING TO ASK MS. GLOVER TO RESPOND TO THAT.
SO IT'S ADDRESSED IN THE STANDARDS, WHAT WE HAVE TO COVER, AND THEN WE HAVE CLUBS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, BUT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THEM.
BUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, STANDARD CURRICULUM, WE HAVE STANDARDS FROM THE STATE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
AND I CAN GET THOSE TO THE BOARD, IF YOU'D LIKE THOSE.
YEAH AND MY QUESTION REALLY GOES TO BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A REAL QUESTION.
I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY JUMP TO TESTING THESE KIDS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN EXTRACURRICULARS RANDOMLY.
IF WE'RE NOT EVEN EDUCATING THEM ON THE DANGERS OF DRUGS.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS DO WE KNOW AND I THINK I KNOW THIS COMING FROM MR.
[01:55:07]
SILAS THIS COMES FROM A VERY COMPASSIONATE PLACE TO TRY TO HELP OUR KIDS.BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD COST.
WE'VE GOT LIMITED RESOURCES AND LIKE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS, THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK I GOT FROM WHERE I COULD FROM DISTRICTS THAT DO THIS.
IT WAS KIND OF THE FEEDBACK I GOT WAS KIND OF NEUTRAL.
MR. SILAS. I NEVER FOUND ANYTHING WHERE IT WAS A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF BACKLASH.
I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW MUCH GOOD IT DID.
AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY INFORMATION AROUND THAT, I'D LIKE TO HEAR IT.
ANYBODY ELSE AND I'M SORRY, AND JUST THE LAST ONES, THOSE REALLY WERE QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
AND THE LAST ONE IT'S NOT A QUESTION.
RIGHT NOW AS I SIT HERE TODAY, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH STARTING A RANDOM DRUG TESTING PROGRAM WITH THESE KIDS WHEN WE DON'T EVEN DO THAT WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK I AM FOR THAT AND THAT ALONE, YOU WILL NOT SEE ME BE IN FAVOR OF THIS UNLESS WE CLEAN OUR OWN HOUSE, SO TO SPEAK, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS DRUG FREE BEFORE WE START TESTING MY KIDS.
YOU KNOW, MY KID WHO'S IN BAND [INAUDIBLE] THIS RIGHT.
AND EVERYONE ELSE'S KIDS FOR WANTING TO PLAY FOOTBALL.
HANKS. ALSO I DID A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID MR. NUESSLE. MY CONCERN WOULD BE THE COSTS BEING PROHIBITIVE ON THIS PROGRAM WITH NO REAL END RESULT AS TO WHAT WE DO WHEN WE FIND POSITIVE STUDENTS.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS I DON'T LIKE THE SELECTIVITY OF JUST BAND AND ATHLETES BECAUSE MY HEART LITERALLY WENT OUT FOR THAT MOTHER WHO HAD TO STAND BEFORE US AND TALK ABOUT HER DAUGHTER. BUT IF YOU LISTEN TO WHAT SHE SAID, THIS PROGRAM THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING WOULD NOT HAVE CAPTURED HER STUDENT BECAUSE HER STUDENT WAS NEITHER BAND NOR AN ATHLETE.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY RANDOM DRUG TESTING, IT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE A WIDE NET CAST. AND I JUST COULD NOT SEE WHAT WE WOULD GAIN FROM THIS BY JUST SELECTING THOSE STUDENTS.
I SORT OF AGREE WITH THAT, HAVING BEEN AN AREA SUPERINTENDENT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEN SITTING ON THE BOARD FOR 16, HEARING THE DISCIPLINE, EVERY EXPULSION CASE.
THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WITH ATHLETES.
YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WITH THE ATHLETES.
IT WAS A BUNCH OF KIDS WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT ANY GROUP TO BELONG TO AND SO FORTH.
I MEAN, I'M SURE THEY WERE ATHLETES WHO USE DRUGS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS. AND THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN, PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN WIND THAT THIS IS BEING TALKED ABOUT AND IT'S OUT THERE. AND THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE PUBLIC, THE SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE TALK TO ME ABOUT IT IS JUST WHAT MR. NUESSLE SAYS. HE SAID THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT IF THEY ARE GOING TO TEST ANYBODY.
YOU NEED TO TEST THE TEACHERS.
THAT TEACHERS ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE THAT.
I DON'T MEAN TO PICK ON TEACHERS BUT THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO GET YOU KNOW, WHEN A TEACHER DOES SOMETHING BAD, IT'S ALL OVER THE NEWSPAPER.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TWO OR THREE OF THOSE HAPPEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THAT'S WHAT GETS THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION.
I THINK IF I WERE GOING TO SUPPORT DRUG TESTING, IT WOULD BE PROBABLY EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, CERTAINLY THE WHOLE STUDENT BODY RATHER THAN PICK OUT ATHLETES.
BUT IT IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE.
I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO MAKE A REALLY GOOD DECISION ABOUT THIS.
I WOULD LIKE IT STUDIED IN SOME WAY TO SEE HOW BIG OUR PROBLEM IS.
AND, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, START, YOU KNOW, START THE BALL ROLLING. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE APPROVE A MOTION TO START DEVELOPING A POLICY THAT'S GIVING TACIT APPROVAL TO STARTING A DRUG TESTING PROGRAM, NO POINT IN DOING A
[02:00:02]
POLICY UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO START THE PROGRAM.OF COURSE, IT BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO VOTE ON WHETHER TO START THE PROGRAM OR NOT AFTER YOU KNOW WHAT IT REALLY IS, RATHER THAN JUST SOMETHING FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE.
YEAH, I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT, BUT MR. MOULTON WAS BEFORE ME. PLEASE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK I CERTAINLY WAS MOVED AND I KNOW WHAT MR. SILAS IS TRYING TO DO AFTER HEARING HIM TWO MEETINGS AGO.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD INTENTION.
I THINK WHAT MR. NUESSLE AND WHAT DR.
HANKS IS SAYING IS ALSO RIGHT.
AND EVEN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, DR.
BRADLEY, I THINK PROBABLY MR. SILAS. IF WE HELP YOU AS A BOARD HERE, I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER ASKING THE DISTRICT TO RESEARCH THE COST INVOLVED, THE APPLICATION OF NOT JUST STUDENT ATHLETES, BUT MAYBE A WIDER NET, AS DR.
HANKS MENTIONED, AS WELL AS THE RESULTS OF SUCH AN ACTION THAT MR. NUESSLE MENTIONED. BECAUSE IF WE SPEND A BUNCH OF MONEY AND IT HAS NO RESULTS, THAT WOULD BE SORT OF SILLY. SO I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING HERE LISTENING TO EVERYONE OR I WOULDN'T HAVE COME UP WITH THAT. BUT I THINK IF WE ASKED THEM TO RESEARCH IT, GIVE US A COST, GIVE US THE RESULTS.
YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER DISTRICTS, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD TWO OF YOU SAY IT SEEMED TO BE VERY LOW IMPACT.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS LOW IMPACT.
LIKE IT DIDN'T IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING OR LOW IMPACT LIKE, NOBODY REALLY MINDED THE PROGRAM. BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT IT'S DOING SOMETHING FOR OUR DOLLAR.
I DON'T THINK IT'S LIMITED TO ATHLETES.
I THINK IT GOES FAR BEYOND ATHLETES.
AND LISTEN TO THAT MOM TONIGHT.
HER CHILD DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS ANY LONGER.
AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AND IF IT MAKES ECONOMICAL SENSE TO DO IT, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD EXPAND IT BEYOND ATHLETES.
ONE LAST THING TO ADD TO WHAT YOU SAID, MR. MOULTON IS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE RESEARCHED THE LEGALITIES OF DOING IT AS WELL.
IF I CAN MAYBE CLOSE IT UP UNLESS YOU SEE FIT TO GIVE THE FLOOR TO SOMEONE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS.
I REALLY DO. I THINK YOU'VE DONE WHAT I WANTED AND THAT'S CONSIDER THIS SERIOUSLY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD THING TO MEASURE.
I THINK WHAT'S SUCCESS, GETTING 100 POSITIVE CASES, GETTING NONE.
I MEAN, IF WE GET NONE, MAYBE IT'S DOING ITS JOB.
SO IT'S HARD. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO SAY.
IS IT WORTH IT OR NOT? IS IT WORTH IT IF IT SAVES ONE CHILD FROM.
BUT IT'S HARD TO SAY, YES, I SAVED THAT CHILD FROM TRYING, YOU KNOW, FROM BUYING A HIT OFF OF THIS VAPE PEN.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO MEASURE.
BUT ONE OF THE POLICIES, I THINK, THAT DR.
MURPHY OR THE DISTRICT SHARED WITH US WAS FOR THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY.
AS FAR AS TESTING TEACHERS, I MEAN, TO ME, THAT WAS REALLY OUT OF THE SCOPE OR REALM OF MY CONSIDERATION DO I AGREE WITH IT.
YES, MOST EMPLOYERS DO HAVE A RANDOM DRUG TESTING POLICY.
THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED FOR ME.
AND SO I NARROWED THE FOCUS TO STUDENT ATHLETES BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I SAW MOST DISTRICTS IN THIS STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAD FOCUSED IN THAT AREA, AT LEAST FIRST.
AGREE. DR. BRADLEY, CASTING THAT WIDER NET, GUYS, IS THE THING TO DO THAT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, MAKES YOU CONSIDER COST A LITTLE MORE.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT PERCENTAGE? I MEAN, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WOULD COME OUT IN DEVELOPING A POLICY, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS OR STUDENT ATHLETES.
AND SO ONE POLICY, EVEN, YOU KNOW, ANY STUDENT THAT DROVE A CAR ON CAMPUS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, SENSING KIND OF THE READING THE ROOM, IF YOU WILL, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS I CAN RESTATE MY MOTION.
IS IT GOING TO CHANGE? WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, WHY DON'T WE JUST KEEP THIS MOTION IN PLACE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND THEN I MAY CHOOSE TO MAKE ONE AFTER THAT.
OK, CAN WE DO THAT? OK. WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD SILAS' MOTION, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. IS THERE A SECOND.
NOW, SO THEN I GUESS I READ THE ROOM CORRECTLY, THAT I WOULD THEN MOVE THAT THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATE FURTHER THE POSSIBILITIES OF DEVELOPING A RANDOM DRUG TESTING PROGRAM AND THE
[02:05:07]
SCOPE OF SUCH PROGRAM AND REPORT BACK TO US ASSOCIATED COST VERSUS BENEFITS.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE IN A TIMELY WAY SO THAT IF IT PASSES, SO WE COULD TAKE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO CONSIDER IT IS AT THE BUDGET TIME.
WHEN WE DO A BUDGET. VERY WELL.
ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE. THANK YOU MR. SILAS. THANK YOU, THANK EVERYONE.
THE LAST THING ON THE AGENDA FOR THE OPEN SESSION IS SUPERINTENDENTS UPDATE.
[Office of Superintendent]
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.I AM TRULY EXCITED ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
OUR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS ARE SPENDING THIS WEEK PREPARING FOR THEIR ARRIVAL ON MONDAY MORNING OF MORE THAN 22,000 STUDENTS.
THOSE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS ARE DOING THE SAME THING.
I THINK EVERYONE IS EAGER FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR TO GET STARTED.
WE DO HAVE SOME FAMILIAR CHALLENGES.
COVID-19 INFECTIONS ARE INCREASING IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND AIKEN COUNTY NUMBERS ARE HIGHER RIGHT NOW THAN THEY WERE AT THIS TIME A YEAR AGO.
WE KNOW MORE THIS YEAR THAN WE KNEW LAST YEAR.
AND WE'RE TAKING PRECAUTIONS TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE HAVE AIR PURIFIERS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO IMPROVE VENTILATION AND AIR HANDLING.
WE WILL PROVIDE REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR HANDWASHING WITH SOAP AND WATER.
HAND SANITIZER STATIONS ARE INSTALLED IN ALL CLASSROOMS AND THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOLS WHEN, WHENEVER SOAP AND WATER AREN'T AVAILABLE, CLEANING AND DISINFECTING OCCUR REGULARLY WITH INCREASED FREQUENCY IN HIGH TOUCH AREAS.
WHENEVER POSSIBLE WE ARE MAINTAINING AT LEAST THREE FEET OF PHYSICAL DISTANCE.
WE ASK OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF TO STAY HOME WHEN THEY'RE SICK WE HAVE CONTACT TRACING AND IDENTIFY CLOSE CONTACTS OF POSITIVE CASES.
CLOSE CONTACTS ARE BEING QUARANTINED TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
WE WILL BE LIMITING VISITORS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I KNOW THAT DISAPPOINTS MANY OF OUR PARENTS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WHO REALLY ENJOY WALKING THEIR STUDENTS TO THEIR CLASSES.
BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S NECESSARY TO LIMIT CONTACT.
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, ON THE FIRST GRADE AN KINDERGARTEN HALLWAYS, YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO TO PROVIDE FOR ANY DISTANCING WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T REQUIRE IT, BUT WE DO ENCOURAGE THAT.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO HAVE CHILDREN 12 YEARS OLD AND OLDER VACCINATED.
THESE MEASURES WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MORE WE CAN DO TO PREVENT THE SPREAD THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE FEWER QUARANTINES AND ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT HAVING STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY THAT IS POSSIBLE IS CRUCIAL FOR THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND THEIR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT. COVID-19 AND THESE MITIGATING STRATEGIES ARE A DISTRACTION, BUT IT'S AN UNAVOIDABLE ONE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER DISTRACTIONS THAT CREEP INTO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE DISTRACTIONS.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS TO ME, WHICH IT DOES OFTEN, I STOP AND ASK MYSELF, IS THIS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS? AND I FIND THAT BRINGS ME BACK IN LINE WITH OUR MISSION.
WE ALWAYS ASK THE QUESTION, WHATEVER THE TOPIC, WHATEVER COMES UP IN A PUBLIC MEETING, WHATEVER COMES UP IN A FACULTY MEETING, WHATEVER COMES UP IN OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP MEETING, WHATEVER COMES UP AT THE COFFEE SHOP OR BARBERSHOP, IF IT HAS TO DO WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION IN AIKEN COUNTY, THE QUESTION IS, IS THIS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS? THIS SCHOOL YEAR IS LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE. WE WILL NEED A SHORT EXECUTIVE SESSION TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE ON POLICY BID.
IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I MOVE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MOVED BY MR. NUESSLE, SECONDED BY MR. MOULTON.
ALL, IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE WILL TAKE ABOUT A FIVE TO TEN MINUTE BREAK AND THEN CONVENE IN THE CABINET ROOM.
WE WILL THEN IF ANY ACTION IS TO BE TAKEN, WE WILL RECONVENE THE OPEN SESSION TO TAKE ANY ACTION THAT'S REQUIRED FOLLOWING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Executive Session]
[Return to Open Session]
[Adjournment of Meeting]
[02:33:09]
MIC][02:33:09]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.[02:33:10]
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE A MEETING ON THURSDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK.[02:33:10]
THAT IS FOR PURPOSES OF EVALUATING SUPERINTENDENT.[02:33:10]
WHILE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT LEGAL MATTERS CONCERNING POLICY BD.NO ACTION IS NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.
SO I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO MOVE. MOVED BY MR. SMITH, SECOND. SECONDED BY MR. NUESSLE. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE DID ALL THREE LIKE MAKE A MOVE AT THE SAME TIME.
LET'S GO HOME. YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR. Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
YEP SEE YOU THURSDAY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.