Aug 24, 2021 082421 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

[00:10:28]

MIC] WELL, MY CLOCK SAYS IT'S TIME FOR US TO CALL MEETING THE ORDER.

[00:10:35]

[Call to order]

[00:10:38]

AND TONIGHT, I WOULD ASK YOU TO OBSERVE THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE.

AND MAYBE WE CAN REFLECT ON CALMING OURSELVES AND GETTING AN EMOTIONAL SELVES AND SPIRITUAL SELVES ALIGNED.

SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN SAYING THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG WE HAVE DISSEMINATED THE AGENDA OF THE MEETING, AND UNLESS SOMEONE HAS A COMMENT OR SUGGESTED CORRECTION, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE AGENDA.

WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES REQUIRING APPROVAL THIS EVENING.

THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 10TH AND THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF AUGUST 12TH. THEN I GUESS WE CAN VOTE ON BOTH OF THESE AT THE SAME.

WELL, THAT'S [INAUDIBLE].

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 10TH? SO MOVED.

MOVED BY MR. SMITH. SECONDED BY MS. SHEALEY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. AND LIKEWISE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING? MS. SHEALEY [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TONIGHT, SO WE MOVE ON TO THE BOARD CHAIRMAN.

YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, SIR.

I HAVE NO.

WELL, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY RIGHT, BUT WE'LL DO THAT TONIGHT SINCE YOU WERE TOLD THAT.

BUT YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP AT THE DOOR WHEN YOU COME IN OR EITHER SIGN UP, EITHER SIGN UP.

IF YOU LOOK ON THE TABLE RIGHT BEHIND YOU, YOU SEE A STACK OF CARDS AND THE POLICY.

AND THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOU CAN NOTIFY ME OF THE SUPERINTENDENT PRIOR TO FRIDAY AND WE CAN PUT YOU ON THE AGENDA OR YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE DOOR IN THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY. ALL RIGHT.

SO IF YOU WOULD, GO AHEAD TO THE MICROPHONE.

PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF.

TELL US WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'LL GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES.

YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME'S DON QUIGLEY.

I'M A RESIDENT OF AIKEN COUNTY WITH FOUR GRANDCHILDREN IN AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

ON AUGUST 17TH, MY GRANDSON'S MOTHER WAS ADVISED BY THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL THAT SHE HAD BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT OR THAT HE HAD BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE STUDENT DIAGNOSED WITH COVID 19.

THIS RESULTED IN MY GRANDSON BEING EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND ACTIVITIES UNTIL AUGUST 31ST, AS LONG AS HE HAD NO FURTHER SYMPTOMS. ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS IF THE SCHOOL NURSE KNEW THE ALLEGED STUDENT HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID 19, WHY WAS THAT STUDENT IN SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PLACE? THE SAME DAY MY GRANDSON'S MOTHER RECEIVED AN EMAIL LETTER FROM THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MR. JOHN MURPHY, THAT STATED IF HER SON WAS FULLY VACCINATED AND FREE OF SYMPTOMS, HE WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM QUARANTINE, BUT HE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT PROOF OF THE VACCINATION TO THE SCHOOL NURSE, IF THIS OPTION WAS EXERCISED, THIS IS COERCION, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, TO TRY AND GET HIM TO TAKE THE COVID MRNA GEN THERAPY SHOTS, IT'S NOT A VACCINATION.

MIRACULOUSLY, ON AUGUST 20TH, MY GRANDSON'S PARENTS WERE INFORMED HE WAS NOT ACTUALLY IN CLOSE ENOUGH CONTACT WITH THE ALLEGED STUDENT WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.

HE WAS REINSTATED FOR IN-PERSON SCHOOL AND SPORTS.

[00:15:01]

THE LAST 18 MONTHS, OUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN USED AS PAWNS IN THIS FAKE PANDEMIC.

IT IS NOT THE NURSE OR SCHOOL DISTRICT'S NURSE JOB TO DIAGNOSE DISEASE, PRESCRIBE MEDICATION OR MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS FOR OUR CHILDREN.

THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILY PHYSICIANS.

THESE EXPERIMENTAL MRNA GENE THERAPY SHOTS HAVE DEVASTATING SIDE EFFECTS.

THE LATEST VACCINATION ADVERSE EFFECTS REPORTING SYSTEM, OR VAERS, AS IT'S COMMONLY KNOWN, SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN ONE MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND NINE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SIXTY TWO COVID SHOT ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS.

THIRTY THIRTEEN THOUSAND SIXTY EIGHT DEATHS; FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE HOSPITALIZATIONS; SEVENTY TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE URGENT CARE VISITS; NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE OFFICE VISITS FIFTY SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN CASES OF ANAPHYLAXIS; FORTY SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE CASES OF BELL'S PALSY.

THERE ARE MISCARRIAGES, HEART ATTACKS, MYOCARDITIS, AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE CASES OF PEOPLE BECOMING PERMANENTLY DISABLED.

AND IT JUST NEVER ENDS.

THE EXPERTS SAY THIS IS BUT ONE PERCENT OF THE ACTUAL SIDE EFFECTS THAT ARE CALLED INTO VAERS. THESE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF THE COVID SHOT ARE INCREASING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THIS IS NOT A VACCINE.

THE DEFINITION OF A VACCINE IS A SUBSTANCE USED TO STIMULATE THE PRODUCTION OF ANTIBODIES AND PROVIDE IMMUNITY AGAINST ONE OR SEVERAL DISEASES PREPARED FROM THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF A DISEASE AS PRODUCTS OR A SYNTHETIC SUBSTITUTE TREATED ACT AS AN ANTIGEN WITHOUT INTRODUCING OR INDUCING THE DISEASE.

THE MRNA GENE THERAPY SHOT DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMUNITY AGAINST COVID.

IT IS NOT.

IF IT DID, WHY ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SHOT STILL GETTING COVID AND DYING FROM IT? IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT A VACCINE.

BEFORE YOU MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL PERMANENTLY AFFECT THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN.

I ASK YOU AS OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO FULLY EDUCATE YOURSELVES ON THE TRUE SCIENTIFIC FACTS SURROUNDING COVID AND THE MRNA GENE THERAPY SHOT, NOT JUST USING THE NARRATIVE FROM THE MAINSTREAM PRESS OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT FROM A VARIETY OF ACCREDITED SOURCES THAT ARE IN THE NATION AND WORLDWIDE.

AMERICASFRONTLINEDOCTORS.COM OR WWW.AFLDS.COM IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

GOD BLESS YOU. AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE [INAUDIBLE].

BOARD CHAIRMAN, I HAVE BEEN BOMBARDED BY EMAILS.

MOST OF THEM ASKING THAT WE DO SOMETHING TO MAKE OUR CHILDREN SAFER IN SCHOOL.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE BOARD IS REALLY NOT IN A POSITION TO DO THAT.

WE'VE BEEN PREEMPTED BY THE LEGISLATURE.

WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING BUT EITHER OPERATE FULL TIME, FIVE DAY A WEEK SCHOOL OR A TOTAL VIRTUAL SCHOOL. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS CUTTING BACK, HYBRID MODELS, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ANYMORE. AND I SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT BEING DERELICT. WE'RE JUST IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN'T MAKE THE DECISION ANYMORE.

NEITHER CAN WE MAKE A DECISION ABOUT MASK WEARING.

NO MATTER THAT THE DATA IS REALLY IN SPITE OF WHAT YOU JUST HEARD.

THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT WEARING A MASK REDUCES YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND COVID IN PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANTLY.

BUT WE'RE TOLD THAT WE CAN'T BECAUSE WE'RE INFRINGING ON PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.

WELL, I THINK WE OUGHT TO REPEAL THE LAW ON SEATBELTS, BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME KIND OF THING WE'RE INFRINGING ON MY RIGHT, I HAVE TO WEAR SEATBELT BY LAW, BUT I'M JUST BEING FACETIOUS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PERFECTLY RIDICULOUS.

I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE MY CHILD SICK.

IF YOU DON'T TAKE PRECAUTIONS, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE VACCINATION, YOU DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS, AND YOU WANT TO SEND YOUR KID TO SCHOOL, AND THEN HE MAKES HALF A DOZEN OTHERS SICK AND WE END UP QUARANTINING ABOUT HALF THE SCHOOL. THAT'S JUST NOT FAIR.

THAT MAKES NO SENSE.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS DON'T NECESSARILY TRUMP THE RIGHTS OF THE MAJORITY WHEN THE MAJORITY IS HURT BY ONE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT.

AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT A POPULAR VIEW IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT I STAND BY IT.

I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS BOARD STRUGGLES WITH THIS, WE CARE A LOT ABOUT THE

[00:20:04]

BUT ASIDE FROM INDIVIDUAL PHILOSOPHIES AND THAT SORT OF THING, I THINK EVERY EVERY PERSON ON THIS PODIUM IS HERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE KIDS AND THEY WANT TO HELP KIDS AND THEY WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WHAT THAT IS, BUT OUR MOTIVES ARE PURE, I BELIEVE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE PARENTS THAT I'M SORRY THAT WE CAN'T BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO YOU. THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT QUARANTINING AND WHY PEOPLE ARE BEING QUARANTINED UNDER ONE CIRCUMSTANCE AND NOT ANOTHER AND SO FORTH.

AND SUPERINTENDENT LAURENCE, WHEN IT BECOMES HIS TURN TO SPEAK, WE'LL SPEAK TO THAT.

[Informational Items]

UNDER INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, THESE ITEMS THAT ARE PRESENTED JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE INFORMATION, NO ACTIONS NECESSARY.

FIRST ITEM IS THE CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORT FOR THE USA AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY EDITION.

DR. MURPHY? GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. LAURENCE. VERY EXCITED TO GIVE YOU ALL A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND FOR SOME INTRODUCTION TO THE AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY AND WHAT WE'VE DONE OUT THERE AS OF, GOOD GRACIOUS [INAUDIBLE]. OK.

APPRECIATE IT.

THIS PROJECT BEGAN AS OF JANUARY OF 2020 AND ESSENTIALLY COMPLETED ON AUGUST THE 12TH.

AND THE PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH USC AIKEN.

AND THEY SHARE THE COST OF THE RENOVATION OF AN EXISTING MAINTENANCE BUILDING.

AND OUR TOTAL INVESTMENT, FROM DISTRICT'S PERSPECTIVE, WAS 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS.

AND THE SCHOOL CAN CURRENTLY HOST UP TO 200 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO THIS IS A SHOT FROM THE DROP OFF LOOP IN THIS THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.

YOU KNOW, NOT VERY MUCH TO SEE HERE, BUT WHEN YOU GO INSIDE, YOU WILL SEE A IS THE STATE OF THE ART FACILITY, LEARNING FACILITY RIGHT NOW.

SO YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF THE CLASSROOM THAT UP TOP THERE, THERE'S ALSO THE DINING AREA AND THEY ALSO HAVE SOME OUTDOOR SPACE THEY CAN GO TO.

THAT'S THE FRONT OFFICE RECEPTION DESK IN THE LOWER LEFT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF A STATE OF THE ART SCIENCE LAB IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER. AS I SAID, STUDENTS ARE ALREADY ATTENDING CLASSES AT THIS NEW FACILITY.

AND WE'RE SCHEDULED TO WALK THROUGH UPON THE PRINCIPAL'S RETURN PROBABLY ON THE SECOND WEEK OF SEPTEMBER.

BUT WE'LL GET WITH YOU ALL TO DETERMINE WHICH DATE IS BEST FOR YOU ALL TO COME OUT.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY? MR. GREEN? YES, SIR.

DR. MURPHY, YOU KNOW I'M GOING TO ASK, HOW ARE WE ON BUDGET WITH THIS? THIS PROJECT IS ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET, BECAUSE WE HAD A SET BUDGET AND WE WORKED IT OUT WITH USC AIKEN, IF ANYTHING WENT OVER, THEY SHARED THE COST.

ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT, DR.

MURPHY, WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, HERE COMES THE BUS.

HERE COMES THE BUS.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME INFORMATION AND A BRIEF DEMONSTRATION OF THIS NEW.

HERE COMES THE BUS APP THAT AFFORDS PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRACK THE STATUS OF THEIR CHILD'S PROGRESS ON THEIR BUS IN REAL TIME.

SO WHAT IS THE HERE COMES THE BUS APP? IT'S AN EASY TO USE WEBSITE OR DOWNLOADABLE APPLICATION THAT YOU CAN ACCESS ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, TABLET OR COMPUTER.

AND IT USES GPS TO TRACK THE LOCATION OF THE CHILD'S BUS.

AND SO I NEED TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE THAT CLEAR, BECAUSE SOME FOLKS SAY, I CAN'T SEE MY KID. IT'S JUST THE BUS THAT YOUR CHILD IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON, THAT ROUTE.

SINCE ITS LAUNCH AT THE END OF LAST SEMESTER, WE HAVE LOGGED OVER 700 ACCOUNTS CURRENTLY.

BUT AGAIN, WE DO HAVE 85, NEARLY 8500 BUS RIDERS.

SO WE ARE REALLY MAKING A PUSH FOR MORE PARENTS TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT SYSTEM.

SO WHERE DOES HERE COMES THE BUS GET THE INFORMATION? IT STARTS OFF IN POWER SCHOOL.

SO POWER SCHOOL IS OUR STUDENT DATABASE, OF COURSE, AND IT PULLS THE DISTRICT TO THE BUS PLANNER PROLE, WHICH IS OUR MAPPING AND OUR ROUTING SOFTWARE.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED SYNOVIA THAT CAME WITH BUS PLANNER ITSELF.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY THE PROGRAM THAT TALKS DIRECTLY TO THE TABLETS THAT ARE ON THE BUSSES.

AND SO EACH OF OUR BUSSES IS EQUIPPED WITH A GPS ENABLED TABLET, AND THAT'S TALKING BACK AND FORTH TO BUS PLANNER, AND HERE COMES THE BUS APP TO TELL US EXACTLY WHERE THAT BUS IS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

AND CURRENTLY, WE HAVE TABLETS ON EVERY BUS THAT WE HAVE, EXCEPT FOR OUR FOUR NEW BUSSES THAT WE PURCHASE FOR EXCEL.

[00:25:03]

HERE IS JUST A BRIEF DEMONSTRATION OF HERE COMES THE BUS DEMONSTRATION [INAUDIBLE].

THIS IS GOING TO BE THE MOBILE SIDE OF THE APP.

ALSO, IT'S NOT GOING TO TELL YOU HOW TO SIGN UP.

THAT WAS ALREADY DONE BY OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION, MR. MIKE ROSIER. SO THAT'S THE LOOK ON OUR WEBSITE.

BUT YOU'LL COME HERE. THIS IS THE SCREEN, THIS IS THE OPEN SCREEN OF THE APP.

HERE'S OUR MAIN SCREEN. YOU HAVE MANY STUDENTS NOTIFICATION, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THAT WHEN KIDS HAVE CARS THAT YOU HAVE IN ON THE BUS AND ATTENDANCE.

BUT YOU'LL BE FOCUSING ON THE MAP EXPERIENCE AND NOTIFICATION TO SEE WHAT A CHILD'S BUS IS AND SEE THE LOCATION SO THIS ALLOWS YOU A LOCATION HERE FOR ONE OF OUR STUDENTS AS WE HEAD TO THE GREEN SCHOOL, LOCATED OVER HERE IN THE CORNER.

THAT'S WHERE THE SCHOOL IS LOCATED AT.

AND THEN YOU SEE IT AS GREEN HEXAGON, THAT'S WHERE THE BUS STOP IS LOCATED, AND THE RADIUS AROUND THE BUS STOP.

AND IF YOU ZOOM OUT, THEN AT THE TOP, YOU HAVE WARNINGS AT THE TOP.

YOU CAN CLICK AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY WARNINGS.

ALSO, YOU HAVE A MAP LEGEND.

THIS JUST SAYS WHERE THE BUS IS.

RED HEXAGON SAYS THAT THE BUS HAS NOT ARRIVED TO STOP.

THE GREEN SAYS THE BUS HAS ARRIVED.

THE RED SCHOOL, THE BUS HAS NOT ARRIVED AT THE SCHOOL YET.

THE GREEN SCHOOL SAYS THE BUS HAS ARRIVED AT SCHOOL.

IT HAS A YELLOW DOT ON IT.

IF THE BUS IS ACTUALLY LIVE AND MOVING AND THEN THE RADIUS AROUND THE BUS.

THIS SQUARE IS A BUS STOP LOCATION, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A GREEN HEXAGON AND A GREEN SCHOOL. IT HAS ARRIVED AT THAT SCHOOL AND ARRIVED AT THAT BUS STOP.

YOU COULD CHANGE THE TIME OF DAY AT THE BOTTOM FOUR A.M.

OR P.M. AND THEN IF YOU CLICK YOUR HISTORY AT THE TOP OF THE APP, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR BUS STOP. THE ADDRESS IS WHITED OUT JUST FOR STUDENT SAFETY, BUT THE SCHEDULED STOP IS AT 7:27 AND ACTUALLY ARRIVED AT 7:26.

AND IF YOU COME OVER HERE IN YOUR SETTINGS, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR NOTIFICATIONS WHERE YOU GET PUSH NOTIFICATIONS TO YOUR PHONE OR EMAILS, YOU CAN ADD YOUR STUDENT OR STUDENTS HERE. AND IN THE SETTINGS, YOU CAN ALSO SAVE AND CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD.

ADD DIFFERENT PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON ONE ACCOUNT AND YOU CAN ALSO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF THE APP.

SO THAT IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE APP LOCATION.

THEN NEXT, WE'LL HAVE SOME SCREENSHOTS OF THE DESKTOP AND THE EMAIL VERSIONS OF IT.

HERE YOU WILL SEE AT THIS VERY TOP, THAT IS HOW IT COMES ACROSS AS A PUSH NOTIFICATION ON YOUR IPHONES OR YOUR ANDROID PHONES.

THIS JUST SAYING BUS 5082869 ENTERED.

YOU SEE THIS BUS STOP RADIUS? ON AUGUST 24TH.

2021 AT 7:17 A.M.

IT WILL ARRIVE AT A BUS STOP MOMENTARILY.

THIS IS AN EMAIL THAT WILL SEND OUT IT.

JUST THE SAME INFORMATION ON THE BUS 5082255.

AND THESE ARE ALL OUR BUSSES HERE [INAUDIBLE] BUS STOP RADIUS ON AUGUST 23RD, 2021, AT ONE P.M. AND ARRIVES AT ITS STOP MOMENTARILY.

YOU CAN ALSO GET AN EMAIL OR NOTIFICATION JUST SAYING THAT THE BUS WAS SUBSTITUTED AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT PUSH NOTIFICATION.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, IN CASE WE HAVE A BUS RIGHT NOW OR A MAINTENANCE, IT SAYS, OK, BUS 5060263 HAS BEEN SUBSTITUTED WITH BUS 5080923 PLEASE MONITOR THE BUS, [INAUDIBLE] AS YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE YOUR ARRIVAL NOTIFICATION VIA EMAIL BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE REGULAR BUS THAT THEY ARE. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION? DID YOU TRY? THAT'S ALSO THE DESKTOP.

IF YOU LOOK ON THE DESKTOP, YOU CAN SEE A REAL BROAD VIEW OF THE BUS AND ACTUALLY HAVE THE SCHOOL BUS ICON LOOK ON THE BUS TO SHOW WHERE THE BUS THAT THE [INAUDIBLE].THE SCHOOL BUS STOPS AND THE STUDENTS AT KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT SHOWS THE KIND OF BUS ARRIVED AT SCHOOL AND THE SAME TIME IT LEFT.

AND IT ALSO ALSO ON THE DESKTOP. JUST LIKE YOU CAN CHANGE HERE IS THIS LIST YOUR STUDENTS OVER HERE ON THE CORNER

[00:30:09]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

WHY IS IT WORKING FOR SOME AND NOT OTHERS? IT'S NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER.

WE ARE CURRENTLY DOUBLE ROUTING BECAUSE OF DRIVER SHORTAGES.

AND ALSO IT COULD BE MISSPELT STREETS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH OR STUDENT MOVE FROM ONE ADDRESS LAST YEAR TO ANOTHER.

SO WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH THOSE FIXTURES TO MAKE SURE THAT IS WORKING FOR ALL STUDENTS. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STREETS ARE ALL ALIGNED AND OUR ROUTES ARE LINED UP SO THAT THE APP.

CAN YOU SIGN UP FOR MULTIPLE STUDENTS ON ONE ACCOUNT? YES. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO TO THEY ADD A STUDENT THE STUDENT'S TAB AND ADD IT IN THE SETTINGS. CAN MULTIPLE PEOPLE USE THE SAME LOGIN, I.E., PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS AND BABYSITTERS? YES, YOU CAN USE THE SAME LOG IN FOR VARIOUS PLATFORMS AND ABLE TO REMOVE THEM IN THE SETTINGS, THAT'S ALL LOCATED HERE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, WE HAVE A DEDICATED EMAIL ADDRESS CALLED WHEREISTHEBUS.AACPS.NET.

AND YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AREA TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR FOR QUESTIONS.

JUST A FAST OVERVIEW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SO WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE HERE.

I WILL SAY THAT FOR PARENTS THAT ARE SIGNING UP, IT IS ON OUR FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE.

AND SO IT'S VERY EASY TO ACCESS.

AND THERE'S ALSO AN INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO THAT CAN WALK THEM, DO IT AND TAKE A LOT MORE TIME, YOU KNOW, TO TO EXPLAIN HOW TO WORK FOR THE PARENTS.

QUESTIONS? A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T TECH SAVVY.

I HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THEM.

AND IF SOMEONE GOES ON OUR SITE AND THEY CAN'T GET IT, IS THERE SOMEONE THAT THEY CAN CONTACT TO GAIN HELP WITH THAT? YES. THERE SUPERVISOR WOULD BE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT.

THEY CAN JUST CONTACT ANYONE BY SUPERVISOR AND THEY'RE HAPPY TO WALK THEM THROUGH IT AND TAKE THEM TO BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET MORE PARENTS, BECAUSE THIS ELIMINATES THAT FRUSTRATION AND ALL THOSE PHONE CALLS.

IS THERE SOME KIND OF DESIGNATION ON THAT SITE, ON OUR WEBSITE THAT WILL DELINEATE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM IF THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE? YES, THAT'S THE WEBSITE, RIGHT? IT'S CURRENTLY ON THE FRONT PAGE.

OK. YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS.

YEAH. BUT ONCE YOU ONCE YOU SIGN UP, SIR, I WILL TELL YOU, ONCE YOU SIGN UP, IT'S PAINFULLY EASY. I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO PUSH IT OUT TO YOUR PHONE SO YOU'LL GET NOTIFIED.

ANYBODY. MR. CRANE? NOT NOT A QUESTION. MR. ROLAND [INAUDIBLE] TRANSPORTATION FOLKS AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS.

I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE.

I KNOW MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON WAS WAS BIG ON THIS.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF PARENTS AS THEY'RE GETTING USED TO IT AND LEARNING IT.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S MY BUS? WHERE'S THE BUS? SO HERE IT COMES. SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

MR. ROLAND. AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS HAPPENING.

MR. [INAUDIBLE]? MR. ROLAND AND DR. MURPHY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

AND I THINK IT WAS ROLLED OUT VERY WELL.

I ASKED FOR THIS ONLY BECAUSE I HAD HEARD A NUMBER OF POSITIVE COMMENTS ACTUALLY ABOUT PEOPLE USING THE SYSTEM.

AND I LIKE YOU, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP.

IT'S STILL REALLY LOW COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF BUS RIDERS.

AND SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, DO WE HAVE SOME WAY OF OR SOMETHING IN OUR HEADS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION, OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN OVER TIME? WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ACTIVE CAMPAIGN YET.

I THINK THAT ONCE WORD OF MOUTH STARTS SPREADING OUT, BUT WE CAN CONSIDERED SOME TYPE OF SOMETHING, WE'RE IN COORDINATION WITH COMMUNICATIONS TO KIND OF MAKE SURE MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE PRODUCT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S A COMMENT.

I THINK THE MORE THAT KNOW ABOUT IT AND USE IT, THE MORE THEY'LL BE IMPRESSED.

I'M IMPRESSED. I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO LOG IN MYSELF, BUT IT LED ME TO ONE OTHER QUESTION, MR. ROLAND, AND THAT WAS I DON'T HAVE A STUDENT, SO I CAN'T SEE ANY BUSSES.

AND FOR ME, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

I PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO.

AND WE PROBABLY DON'T WANT EVERYBODY LOGGING IN.

BUT FOR AN ADMINISTRATOR AT A SCHOOL OR, YOU KNOW, THE OFFICE PERSONNEL AT THE SCHOOL, DO THEY HAVE A WAY? LIKE IF A PARENT CALLS, I GUESS THEY COULD LOG IN FOR THAT STUDENT.

BUT DO THEY HAVE A WAY OF TRACKING BUSSES IN SOME WAY ADMINISTRATIVELY? YEAH. THE CURRENTLY THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE A WAY OF CONTACTING MY CONTACT AREA TRANSIT SUPERVISORS. THEY ALL HAVE GPS ON THOSE LOCATIONS, ON OUR BUSSES, AND THEN ALSO TO THEY KNOW HOW TO RADIO. THEY CAN RADIO A LOT OF SCHOOLS, JUST RADIO THE EXACT BUS ACTS.

WHAT IS THAT CHILD ON THERE AND HOW FAR ARE YOU TO THAT NEXT STOP? YES. AND IT'S JUST THE PRIVACY OF IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT ANYBODY AND ANYBODY IN THE STREET, YOU KNOW, CONTACTING THROUGH AND SEEING WHAT TIME THEY GET OFF THE BUS.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE SECURITY COMES IN.

[00:35:01]

THOSE CALLS DON'T NORMALLY COME TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.

THEY GO TO THE SECRETARY'S WHOMEVER'S THERE IN THE AFTERNOON OR MORNING TO TAKE THEM.

ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHECK IN TO ANSWER PARENTS QUESTIONS? I KNOW ADMINISTRATORS WILL, BUT HOW ABOUT THE SECRETARY WHO WILL BE FIELDING THOSE QUESTIONS? YES, THOSE ARE THE ONES IN IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE BEST RADIOS AND THE CONTACTS FOR THE AREA TRANSLATION SUPERVISORS.

THEY ARE THE ONES WHO CONTACT US, THE SECRETARIES IS NOT ADMINISTRATORS UNLESS SOMETHING HUGE IS HAPPENING. YES.

IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

HERE COMES THE BUS. IF THROUGH SYNOVIA, WHICH IS THE FIRST SCREEN I SHOWED YEAH, WE CAN SEE ALL OF OUR BUSSES LOCATED.

YES, SIR. MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND AS MR. GREEN SAID, I AM VERY GLAD TO SEE THIS UP AND RUNNING.

I ENCOURAGE ALL PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN DO RIDE THE BUS TO SIGN UP FOR IT.

AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A HUGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF APPRECIATION TO THE BUS DRIVERS.

THIS PAST WEEK, WHO WE HAVE BEEN DOING DOUBLE ROUTES.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING HOW MUCH YOUR DEDICATION MATTERS AND IS APPRECIATED.

SO THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? DR. MURPHY, YOU FINISHED.

THIS CONCLUDES PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR.

[Consent Items]

FIRST ONE IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUEST.

THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE REQUESTING TO TRANSFER OUT OF OUR DISTRICT INTO ANOTHER ONE.

THE SECOND IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUEST FOR STUDENTS IN OTHER DISTRICTS REQUESTING TO TRANSFER INTO OURS.

THREE IS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE FOR THE 2021 ASPHALT TRACK RESURFACING AT PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL.

DR. MURPHY IS GOING TO GIVE US TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS BACK.

THE FOURTH IS THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT'S HEAD START EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM CARRYOVER REQUEST.

HEAD START HAS TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO CARRY OVER FUNDS, UNEXPENDED FUNDS FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. NUMBER FIVE IS TEXTBOOKS ADOPTION FOR 2020-2021.

YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE BOOKS, I TRUST IN A ROOM NEXT DOOR.

OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THAT FOR [INAUDIBLE]ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE THESE FIVE ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND.

MOVED AND SECONDED BY MR. [INAUDIBLE] HAVE A SECOND BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? MR. CRANE? JUST A QUICK QUESTION, MAYBE, DR.

MURPHY. PROBABLY THE BEST FOR YOU TO 28500.

CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHY THAT CAME THAT FAR UNDER BUDGET? THAT'S GREAT. I ALWAYS LIKE SAVING MONEY.

RIGHT. WHICH IS TYPICALLY ONCE WE GET STARTED, SOMETIMES THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT CHANGES. AND BASICALLY WHEN WE PUT IT INTO TRACK, WE JUST REALIZED SOME SAVINGS.

SO IT WAS NO REAL BIG CHUNK OF WHAT HOW WE REALIZED THE SAVINGS.

JUST OVER. OK. HMM. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S GREAT NEWS. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S EVERYONE. INDIVIDUAL ITEMS WE WILL CONSIDER EACH ONE AT A TIME.

PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM MS. HART ABOUT THESE BEFORE WE? ALL RIGHT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST AS PRESENTED BY MS. HART? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOVED BY MS.. RHINEHART-JACKSON AND THE SECOND BY MS. SHEALEY.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EVERYONE.

NEXT ITEM IS THE UPDATED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART IN POLICY CCA ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, FIRST READING.

MR. LAURENCE, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE CALL FOR MOTION? NO, SIR. I WOULD ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION AS IT IS PRESENTED? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE.

MOVE BY MR. MOULTON SECONDED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EVERYONE.

YOU WANT TO TELL THEM WHAT CHANGED?

[00:40:02]

THE OTHER CHANGE IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS NOW FALLS UNDER THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH ALSO WITH DIRECT INPUT FROM ME ON COMMUNICATIONS FROM SUPERINTENDENT.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ROOM GCC-R2, PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND GDC-R2, STAFF SUPPORT COVID 19 RELATED LEAVE.

DO WE NEED A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE VOTE? YES, SIR. MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU THE RATIONALE FOR THESE CHANGES.

OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE ASKING THAT THE BOARD APPROVE AND INCENTIVE FOR TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO WERE REQUIRED TO BE ON TEMPORARY LEAVE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS, WHETHER IT'S FOR QUARANTINE OR FOR ACTUAL POSITIVE CASE, THAT WE PROVIDE UP TO 10 DAYS OF LEAVE FOR THAT.

AND THE REASON IT IS AN INCENTIVE IS THAT WE ARE ASKING THAT BE THE INCENTIVE USED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BECOME VACCINATED.

I NEED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOMS AND I DON'T NEED TEACHERS AT HOME ARE UNDER QUARANTINE . BEING FULLY VACCINATED AS A MEANS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

[INAUDIBLE] PEOPLE TO STAY AT WORK.

EVEN IF THE STAFF MEMBERS ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT OF SOMEONE, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO WORK IF THEY'RE VACCINATED. WE HAVE VERY GOOD SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND WE HAVE VERY GOOD PLANS IN PLACE TO TO MAINTAIN INSTRUCTION.

BUT NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN THE CLASSROOM TEACHER.

AND IN MY MIND, MY DESIRE IS NOT TO PAY ANYBODY ANY KIND OF COVID LEAVE OR ANYTHING ELSE.

MY HOPE IS THAT BY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED, THEY WILL BE VACCINATED.

AND THEN SHOULD THEY BE IN CLOSE CONTACT OR THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE QUARANTINED AND THEY'RE ABLE TO STAY IN THE CLASSROOM.

THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO TREAT ANYBODY DIFFERENTLY.

I'VE HAD THAT QUESTION.

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO TREAT VACCINATED PEOPLE AND NOT VACCINATED PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY? I DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY.

I SEE IT AS TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOMS, KEEP ADMINISTRATORS IN THE SCHOOLS, KEEP CUSTODIANS IN OUR SCHOOLS, KEEP BUS DRIVERS ON OUR BUSSES.

AND IF WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED BY OFFERING TO TAKE CARE OF ANY ANY DAYS, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO BE QUARANTINED SHOULD THAT HAPPEN, THEN I THINK THAT'S A VALID WAY TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP OUR STAFF IN PLACE RATHER THAN AT HOME AND IN QUARANTINE. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S GET A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS IT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT? SO MOVED. MOVED BY MR. SMITH AND A SECOND BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? MR. NUESSLE, DID YOU HAVE? YEAH. JUST ONE POINT OF CONCERN.

THE FIRST THING THAT GOES THROUGH MY HEAD IS THAT THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE WORKING UNDER COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE JUST AND THIS IS ALL ANECDOTAL.

RIGHT. BUT I THINK WE'VE SEEN THIS IN A LARGER SCALE.

I YOU KNOW, THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW VERY WELL THAT ARE VACCINATED, BUT THEY TESTED POSITIVE THIS MONTH AND THEY WERE ILL AND BUT NOT SERIOUSLY ILL. I THINK WE'VE ALSO SEEN STATISTICS FROM HOSPITALS IN THIS AREA RECENTLY AROUND HOW, YOU KNOW, THE VACCINATED VERSUS UNVACCINATED THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED OR IN ICU.

AND IT'S VERY SLANTED ONE WAY.

THAT WOULD CONCERN ME.

I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE I DON'T THINK I'M NOT SURE I HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO TEST POSITIVE IF THEY ARE VACCINATED.

AND I'M NOT SURE AND BE SICK.

I JUST. IS THERE ANY INDICATION ANY WAY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA [INAUDIBLE] THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING CHANGING THE GUIDANCE, CONSIDERING THE MORE I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT WHAT WE READ IN NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND STUFF SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS

[00:45:04]

THEY ARE GETTING SICK. YES, SIR.

NOW THE LATEST GUIDANCE THAT WE HAD, STILL INCLUDES THE FACT THAT IF A PERSON IS VACCINATED AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO QUARANTINE.

NOW, OF COURSE, IF THEY BECOME SYMPTOMATIC, THEN THAT'S DIFFERENT.

THEY WOULD THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ISOLATE IF THEY WERE SYMPTOMATIC OR TESTED POSITIVE.

BUT THAT'S WHERE THE INCENTIVE COMES IN.

IF YOU'RE VACCINATED AND YOU DO STILL HAPPEN TO TEST POSITIVE OR BECOME SYMPTOMATIC, THEN YOU HAVE THOSE UP TO 10 DAYS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE YOUR OWN SICK DAYS OR FOR THOSE QUARANTINES OR FOR BEING SICK.

BUT THE DESIRE, OF COURSE, IS FEWER PEOPLE ARE QUARANTINED, FEWER PEOPLE GET SICK AND MORE EMPLOYEES ARE ON SITE.

ANYBODY ELSE? IT'S GREAT.

I'M NOT SURE I'M IN FAVOR OF INCENTIVIZING HALF THE POPULATION THAT MAKES A HEALTH DECISION, OVER HALF A DOZEN.

I GET I GET THE REASONING.

I CERTAINLY DON'T AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH IT.

BUT I JUST I DON'T LIKE SEGREGATING OUR STAFF INTO TWO CATEGORIES THAT ONE GETS ADDITIONAL SICK TIME AND ONE DOESN'T.

I STRUGGLE WITH THAT. THAT'S NOT A QUESTION I JUST.

ANYBODY ELSE. JUST A COMMENT, I THINK I AGREE WITH THE IDEA OF A POLICY CHANGE. HOWEVER, I'M STILL OF THE OPINION, AND I'VE STATED MANY TIMES, I DON'T FOLLOW A PARTICULAR POLITICAL VIEW ON THIS, I FOLLOW THE MEDICAL DATA.

AND THE MEDICAL DATA IS VERY CONFLICTING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE DOES THE VACCINATION WORK? DOES IT NOT WORK? YOU KNOW, IS IT A VACCINATION, AS MR. QUIGLEY SAID, OR, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON WAS INDEED A VACCINATION, I THINK YOU WOULD CALL IT. IT MEETS THE DEFINITION.

I THINK THE MRNA GENE THERAPIES WERE NOT TRULY A VACCINATION.

SO THEREFORE, US NOT BEING MEDICAL DOCTORS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M KIND OF LIKE MR. CRANE AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I LIKE SEPARATING THE TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND INCENTIVIZING ONE GROUP OVER ANOTHER.

I DON'T FEEL QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S JUST A COMMENT.

AND ANYBODY ELSE? I WOULD POINT OUT THAT A VARIETY OF NEWS SOURCES, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR POLITICAL VIEW, HAVE POINTED OUT TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT VACCINATED PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET IT, HAVE MUCH LIGHTER CASES.

THEY'RE NOT HOSPITALIZED AT THE RATE THAT UNVACCINATED PEOPLE ARE IN.

MANY, MANY FEWER DIE, WHICH I THINK IS A PRETTY RESOUNDING EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS EFFECTIVENESS IN THE VACCINE.

IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT IT CERTAINLY IS BETTER THAN NOT HAVING IT.

MR. SMITH, I WANT TO I WANT TO GIVE MY LITTLE POINT OF VIEW ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A SENSITIVE THING TO ME.

IF I HAD A CHOICE, THIS WHOLE COVID STUFF WOULD GO AWAY AND NEVER COME.

WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. WE'VE GOT TO LIVE WITH IT.

I TOOK CHOSE TO TOOK THE VACCINE BECAUSE MY DOCTOR RECOMMENDED IT BECAUSE SOME OF THE HEALTH CONDITIONS I HAVE.

BUT NOW WE'RE TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING OUR KIDS INTO A SCHOOL.

AND I GOT FIVE GRANDBABIES THAT I SEND TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

AND I WANT THEM TO GO INTO A SCHOOL WHERE THEY'RE AS PROTECTED AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE.

AND I WANT EVERYONE ELSE'S CHILDREN TO BE PUT IN THAT SCENARIO, TOO.

I, TOO, DON'T LIKE THIS.

I DON'T LIKE THIS.

I THINK WE SHOULD BE PAYING PEOPLE TO DO WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO.

BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF MY LIKING.

IT IS THE WAY I SEE IT.

IT'S A MATTER OF ME MAKING SURE MY CHILDREN AND EVERYONE ELSE'S CHILDREN OR IS SAFE AS WE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE THEM.

I KNOW THEY SAY THIS AND THAT ABOUT THE VACCINE.

SO FAR I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE.

MY WIFE'S BEEN FORTUNATE, MY DAUGHTER'S BEEN FORTUNATE.

AND I WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

AND I WANT OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN TO BE FORTUNATE AS WELL.

I KNOW WE GOT SCHOOLS THAT ARE HAVE HARD NUMBERS, BUT GOT TO KEEP IN MIND THE HIGH

[00:50:02]

THE MAJORITY OF THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOT SHOWING SYMPTOMS. SO I'M NOT ALL FOR IT, BUT I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAID.

I WANT MY CHILDREN, OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN TO BE AS SAFE AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE.

ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S EVERYONE.

THOSE OPPOSED? TW OPPOSED, MR. CRANE AND MR. MOULTON OPPOSE AND EVERYONE ELSE IN FAVOR.

THE NEXT ITEM IS BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.

NUMBER TWO, 2021 [INAUDIBLE].

THESE ARE ADJUSTMENTS THAT OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND PERIODICALLY MR. TRAXLER WILL BRING THOSE TO THE BOARD AND ASK THAT WE MODIFY THE BUDGET IN ACCORDANCE WITH CONDITIONS THAT HAVE LED TO CHANGES.

NOW, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, WE CAN CERTAINLY GO INTO THOSE.

AT THIS POINT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR.? TRAXLER. ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE? THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET IS RECOMMENDED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, SOME OF WHOM ARE MR. MAN, SECONDED BY MS. SHEALEY. ALL IN FAVOR.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL RIGHT.

THAT CONCLUDES THE C ITEMS.

[Individual Items]

WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR MR. MOULTON TO DISCUSS TEACHER DEMANDS AND SCHEDULES.

[Individual Board Members]

BRADLEY. THIS IS I JUST WANT TO PRESENT SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE VERY LONG.

AND I'VE HEARD IT FOR THREE YEARS FROM VARIOUS TEACHERS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT.

I'VE TALKED TO MR. LAURENCE ABOUT IT AT LENGTH.

AND I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING SORT OF GOING ON THAT A LOT OF TEACHERS DON'T LIKE TO SPEAK UP AND SAY. AND I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO BE THEIR VOICE PUBLICLY.

AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO READ TWO EMAILS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.

I GOT PERMISSION FROM THE TEACHERS TO DO SO.

AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE OUT A FEW THINGS.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO ASK IF MR. LAURENCE WILL COMMENT ON IT.

THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I'M DOING.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR TEACHERS VOICES ARE HEARD PUBLICLY AND IT'S HARD FOR THEM.

I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT'S HARD FOR A TEACHER TO REACH OUT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE IT MAY GO AGAINST THEIR IMMEDIATE MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS THEIR PRINCIPAL, OR IT MAY GO AGAINST THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT.

AND SO THEY ARE A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THIS FOR THEM.

OKAY, FIRST LETTER AND YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME.

THIS ONE'S A LITTLE LENGTHY.

THE SECOND ONE, I'M GOING TO SKIP A LOT OF INFORMATION.

IT SAYS, I'M WRITING TO YOU IN HOPES OF FINDING AND THIS IS WRITTEN TO THE BOARD AND IT INCLUDED, I BELIEVE.

ACTUALLY, NO, IT DIDN'T. THIS IS JUST TO THE BOARD, SAYS, DEAR BOARD MEMBERS, I AM WRITING TO YOU IN HOPES OF FINDING POSITIVE CHANGE AT ABC SCHOOL DUE TO THE HIGH DEMANDS OF ADMINISTRATION. BUT IT'S SEEMINGLY LIMITED TIME AFTER THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

I AM BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE TEACHER BURNOUT FOR SOME BACKGROUND.

I WORKED ALL OF THE SUMMER SCHOOL MINUS TWO DAYS, ONE DAY IN JUNE AND ONE DAY IN JULY.

THE STAFF AT OUR SCHOOL WAS EMAILED AN AGENDA FOR TEACHER WORKWEEK AUGUST 9TH THROUGH THE 13TH, WITH MEETINGS MONDAY AND FRIDAY MORNING, TRAINING ALL DAY TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY WITH MEET THE TEACHER ON THURSDAY.

SEEING THAT, I WOULD ONLY HAVE EIGHT HOURS OF UNINTERRUPTED TIME IN MY CLASSROOM DURING THE WEEK, I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION TO GO INTO SCHOOL TO BEGIN WORKING ON MY CLASSROOM ON AUGUST 5TH AND AUGUST 6TH.

THIS WAS UNPAID TIME, WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR TEACHERS.

THIS MEANS THAT I HAVE ONLY HAD ONE FULL WEEK OFF THE WEEK OF JULY 4TH SINCE APRIL 2021.

ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 13TH, I CLOSED ON MY FIRST HOME, AND MY MOM CAME TO CELEBRATE ONLY INSTEAD OF PICKING OUT PAINT AND FURNITURE.

I ASKED HER TO HELP ME WITH MY CLASSROOM ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 14TH.

THIS MEANS I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THREE DAYS, UNPAID WITH HELP FROM MY MOM IN ORDER TO HAVE A PLACE FOR MY STUDENTS TO SIT AND MATERIALS TO BE ORGANIZED, TO TEACH THEM, BECAUSE I WAS NOT PROVIDED ENOUGH TIME.

THEN ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 15TH, WE WERE EMAILED ABOUT SEATING CHARTS DO BY 7:00 A.M.

AGAIN, WORKING UNPAID OVERTIME ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

AND LET ME CLARIFY, WE HAVE POLICIES ON AND AND MR. LAURENCE PROBABLY POINT THAT OUT.

WE HAVE POLICIES ON THE UNPAID OVERTIME AND TEACHERS ARE PROFESSIONAL STAFF.

THEREFORE, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO WORK SOME OVERTIME JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW.

[00:55:05]

I THINK THIS IS KIND OF AN UNKNOWN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

CARLYN LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, ENDING AT THREE, 45 P.M.

AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR AND A HALF OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN.

I CHOSE TO GO INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO WORK UNPAID OVERTIME.

I CHOSE TO LEAVE DUE TO THE WEATHER DELAY ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 17TH.

CARLYN LASTED UNTIL THREE 45 AS WELL.

THESE TEACHERS, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY KNOWS, BUT I KNOW MR. NUSSLE WOULD KNOW. TEACHERS GENERALLY DO CARLYN DUTY ON A REGULAR.

BASIS, THEY'RE GENERALLY ASKED TO BE THERE AT SIX, 45 A.M.

AND WORK UNTIL AT LEAST THREE, 45 P.M.

SO ANYBODY THAT THINKS A TEACHER COMES IN AT SEVEN, 30 AND LEAVES AT THREE, THAT'S NOT TRUE. ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, WHILE KARLEN LASTED UNTIL 320, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD WAITED SO LATE IN THE WEEK AND COULD ONLY CALL FROM FOUR TO FIVE TO MAKE PERSONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I'M LEAVING OUT.

AND THEN THE LAST PART SAYS, FINALLY ON FRIDAY, WE GOT AN EMAIL WITH A LIST OF ITEMS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE WE LEFT SCHOOL FOR THE DAY.

AND I KNEW THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD FINISH IT DURING MY PLANNING TIME OF 45 MINUTES.

SO I BROKE DOWN CRYING.

AND I'VE HEARD THIS BROKE DOWN CRYING MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES FROM TEACHERS.

AND I HAD TO PUT A READ ALOUD ON YOUTUBE.

SO MY FIRST GRADE STUDENTS WOULDN'T FOCUS ON MY CRYING.

I HAD FAILED. DESPITE WORKING MANY UNPAID DAYS AND TRYING MY BEST, I WAS STILL BEHIND.

I COULD NO LONGER KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE WITH MY STUDENTS WHO DID NOT DESERVE A TEACHER TO BREAK DOWN IN FRONT OF THEM ON THE FIRST WEEK.

I QUICKLY RECOVERED AND CONTINUED TO TEACH.

HOWEVER, THIS HAS LEFT A PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE DISTRICT.

WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT SEATING CHARTS, AN EMERGENCY SUBSTITUTE PLAN SHOULD BE MADE.

THERE SHOULD ALSO BE ADEQUATE TIME TO CREATE THEM.

PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE EXPECTING TEACHERS TO HAVE GRACE WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS WITHOUT GIVING ANY GRACE TO TEACHERS.

WE ARE NOT MACHINES.

WE ARE HUMAN. THE SAME ISSUES THAT THE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE FACING WE ARE FACING. YET I HAVE I HAVE NOT A REPRIEVE IN OUR EXPECTATIONS OR EXTENSION OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE EXTRA STEPS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WE ARE STILL EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MORE WITH AN EXTREMELY LIMITED TIMEFRAME.

I'M SAD AND A BIT EMBARRASSED THAT MY CLASS HAD TO WITNESS ME BREAK DOWN THE CRYING BECAUSE I COULDN'T MANAGE MY EXPECTATIONS SET BY THE SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LIFE FOR MYSELF.

I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO REMIND PRINCIPALS AND YOURSELVES THAT WE ARE HUMAN AND CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH IN A GIVEN TIMEFRAME.

THE OTHER ONE I WILL ABBREVIATE BECAUSE IT'S TOO LONG, BUT IT'S SORT OF THE SAME POINT.

IT SAYS, GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.

LAST FRIDAY, I REACHED OUT TO MY ISD AND KING LAURENCE CONCERNING THE HECTIC FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. MY ED REPLIED WITH A MESSAGE THAT WAS WORD FOR WORD COPIED TO MY COWORKER, WHO ALSO REACHED OUT. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THE CONDITIONS AT MY SCHOOL.

MY ADMINISTRATION HAS VOCALLY AND PUT IN WRITING THAT OUR TEACHERS REPORT TO SCHOOL PRIOR TO SEVEN A.M. CLOSER TO SIX FIFTY OR SIX 45 IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH OUR CARLYN IN THE MORNINGS. TODAY I SHOWED UP FOR WORK.

IT'S IT'S 45 AM PARKED IN THE BACK AS THE CAR LINE WAS ALREADY FEELING.

WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE BACK AS OF THE LAST TWO SCHOOL YEARS, BUT I HAD TWO LOADS OF CHILDREN TO BRING INTO THE BUILDING.

WE HAVE YOU SEE BUSSES DOING DOUBLE DUTY AS WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF DRIVERS IN THE AREA.

ADDITIONALLY, ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES WHO DRIVES THE BUS IS OUT WITH COVID SYMPTOMS. IN FACT, SHE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SHE HAD A NEGATIVE RAPIDE TEST, BUT SHE'S LOST ALL SENSE OF TASTE. SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T TASTE A LEMON TODAY.

TEACHERS ARE HAVING TO ARRIVE TO LET STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING AT SIX 45 SO THE BUS DRIVERS CAN MAKE A SECOND ROUND DUE TO THE DRIVER SHORTAGES.

MY BUS STUDENTS ARRIVE AT MY DOOR A FEW MINUTES PRIOR TO SEVEN A.M.

AND I HOLD THEM IN THE HALLWAY UNTIL I CAN SEE MY OWN FIVE AND SIX YEAR OLDS WALK TO THEIR ASSIGNED POSITIONS AT SEVEN.

LAST WEEK, OUR CAR LINE RAN UNTIL THREE THIRTY TO THREE FORTY EACH DAY.

OF COURSE, IT WAS AFTER FOUR TUESDAY WHEN WE WERE ON THE THE TORNADO.

HOLD ALL THIS TO SAY.

I DON'T THINK THIS CATCHES ANY DISTRICT FOLKS BY SURPRISE.

I THINK DISTRICT FOLKS EEDS I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO SEE EVERYBODY HAS TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD, PARTICULARLY THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL.

I JUST WANT PARENTS AND THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE STRUGGLING.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING WE CAN, EVEN AS A PARENT, MAYBE REACH OUT AND ENCOURAGE THEM THAT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I'M ASKING.

[01:00:01]

I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO ARE TRYING VERY HARD.

THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, SMITH.

I GOT THE SAME EMAIL AND SOME OF WHAT THE FIRST ONE WAS TALKING ABOUT KIND OF GOES WITH THE TERRITORY BECAUSE YOU IN YOUR CONTRACT, THEY HAVE TO SET THE CLASSROOMS UP AND THEY HAVE TO DO IT THE WAY THEY WANT IT.

SO AND THAT DOES TAKE TIME.

THE PROBLEM I'VE GOT INTO COMPLAINTS I'VE GOTTEN BOTH PERSONAL AS PHONE CALLS AND MESSAGES IS WE HAD A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS THAT WERE PAINTED.

AND IT TOOK MAJORITY SUMMER TO GET THEM PAINTED FOR WHATEVER REASONS, AND THEN THEY HAD TO FINISH WAXING THE FLOOR.

SO TWO WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, TEACHERS COULDN'T GET IN THEIR ROOMS TO DO ANYTHING.

THUS, THEY HAD TO TRY AND DO IT DURING THE WEEK OF OF OF THE INSERVICE WEEK. AND AGAIN, THERE YOU ONLY HAD THOSE FEW HOURS TO DO IT.

AND THEY HAD TO SPEND ALL WEEKEND DOWN THERE.

AND I KNOW BECAUSE I WAS IN THERE HELPING A COUPLE OF TEACHERS MYSELF.

AND IT'S NOT SO BAD THAT THEY HAVE TO DO IT, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE JOB.

THAT'S THE EXPECTATIONS.

BUT IT JUST I JUST WISH WE COULD COORDINATE THINGS BETTER SO THEY CAN GET INTO THEIR ROOMS SOONER SO THAT THEY AREN'T STRESSED.

AND THEN THESE SAME TEACHERS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH JUST WORKING CRAZILY TO GET INTO A ROOM ARE HIT WITH ALL OF THIS STUFF RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

AND I KNOW A COUPLE THAT REALLY, REALLY STRESSED OUT OVER IT.

AND PLEASE KEEP ALL OF THIS IN MIND.

IF IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THIS MINUTE, THEN GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO DO IT NOW.

SAY GIVE IT TO ME BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PLANS THEY MAY HAVE WITH THEIR FAMILY OR ANYTHING ELSE.

AND WE'RE NOT BEING CONSIDERATE WHEN WE SAY STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US WORK ON, GET A LITTLE BETTER AT NOT EXCUSING IT, SAYING, OH, WE NEED IT AND I'LL NEED IT BY X AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT NOT BEFORE YOU LEAVE IT. LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REQUESTING, THAT FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, MOVE TO THE SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL. LET'S MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE AND WHO WE'RE AFFECTING IN OUR DAY TO DAY JOBS. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANT TO SAY, THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME AND I HAVE BEEN IN THAT SCENARIO IS 330 SCORED FOR I'M SUPPOSED TO TAKE MY SON TO BASEBALL PRACTICE AND I GET A MEMO WITH SOMEBODY, THE DISTRICT OFFICE WANTING SOMETHING BEFORE I LEAVE.

AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE ME AN HOUR AND A HALF TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER AND GET IT TO HIM. AND THAT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING THAT WITH THE JOB.

SO I HAD TO DO IT.

BUT I WONDER SOMETIMES DID THIS REALLY HAVE TO BE RIGHT NOW? AND THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING IS A LITTLE BIT OF COMPASSION SHOWN TO OUR TEACHERS IN THOSE DARK SCENARIOS. THANK YOU.

I'LL GET OFF THE SOAPBOX.

ANYBODY ELSE? IT'S GREAT.

I THINK WE ALL GOT THOSE EMAILS, AND I HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF FOLKS AS WELL.

BUT THAT'S AT ONE SPECIFIC SCHOOL.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT NOT JUST THE ONE SCHOOL, BUT I SHARED THOSE WITH MR. LAURENCE WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE FOLKS THAT REACHED OUT.

AS I'M SURE OTHERS DID.

AND I KNOW HE'S SPECIFICALLY LOOKING INTO THAT THAT SCHOOL SITUATION, AND I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSIVENESS TO THAT.

BUT I WOULD GO FURTHER THAT IT'S NOT JUST THAT SCHOOL.

RIGHT. TO THE MR. MS., MR., MS. POINT. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ONE SCHOOL.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THEM. AND I'M YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE THE TEACHERS THAT REACHED OUT TO US ANY TIME.

I WON'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER EIGHT, EIGHT BOARD MEMBERS, BUT I HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY AND I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYBODY UP HERE DOES.

AND WE WANT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL.

ALWAYS SO GOOD, GOOD, BAD AND UGLY, BECAUSE THEN WE CAN ADDRESS IT.

SO THANK YOU. WELL, I'M HESITANT TO SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW THE.

LET ME START OVER. TEACHERS ARE EMPLOYED FOR 90 DAYS.

STUDENTS COME 180 THEIR 10 DAYS.

THE TEACHERS REPORT TO WORK WHEN THERE ARE NO STUDENTS PRESENT.

THE INTENT OF THOSE 10 DAYS WERE FIVE WERE TO BE USED FOR WORK AND FIVE WERE TO BE USED FOR IN-SERVICE. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE BEING UTILIZED NOW, HOW THEY'RE BEING

[01:05:04]

BUT I WOULD LOOK AT THAT.

I'M SURE MR. LAURENCE HAVE PROBABLY DONE THAT.

BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO GIVE TEACHERS MORE UNENCUMBERED TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR BY USING THOSE FIVE DAYS THAT ARE WERE INTENDED AS WORK DAYS.

BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE BEING USED FOR TEACHER CONFERENCE DAYS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. BUT I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S THE REASON I WAS HESITANT TO OPEN THEM NOW.

BUT JUST A SUGGESTION.

IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THERE'S A MOVE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.

I'M SORRY. DID I MISS HIM? HOW YOU DOING? YOU KNOW, I JUST MOVED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TODAY.

[Office of Superintendent]

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO TO THANK MR. MOULTON FOR BRINGING THAT UP AND WANT TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

AND AGAIN, I HESITATE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I'M MAKING EXCUSES BECAUSE I'M NOT. BUT ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS TEMPORARY. I MEAN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT SOME OF IT IS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC CONDITIONS, SOME SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

WE GOT 41 CAMPUSES AND THOSE 41 CAMPUSES HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED.

WE RAN THE BIGGEST SUMMER SCHOOL IN THE HISTORY OF SUMMER SCHOOL THIS YEAR.

SO THAT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SO-CALLED MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE TO TAKE PLACE.

WE'VE GOT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ALL OVER THE COUNTY THAT THAT THAT CREATE HAVOC FOR CAR LINES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

FORTUNATELY, THE CAR LINE AT THAT SCHOOL, I THINK, IS DOWN TO 40 MINUTES NOW.

AND OF COURSE, THE GOAL IS TO GET IT TO ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

SO, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, THEY IMPROVE THAT AS THEY WENT.

SO WE'RE PLEASED WITH THAT.

BUT I DO WANT TO LET ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR STAFF, TEACHERS AND EVERYONE KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT ME.

YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT YOUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE. WE'RE READY TO LISTEN.

THERE IS NO THERE SHOULD BE NO CONCERN ABOUT ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS WANT YOU TO WORK THROUGH THINGS WITH WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL.

BUT IF THAT HASN'T WORKED OUT OR FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU CERTAINLY WANT TO CONTACT YOUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OR CONTACT ME AND AND LET US HELP YOU THROUGH THAT.

SO I ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THAT THE DOOR IS OPEN AND AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO YOU BECAUSE WE TO WORK THROUGH THESE THINGS. OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS GET THE VERY BEST LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

WE CAN'T DO THAT. NONE OF US CAN DO THAT.

ONLY THE CLASSROOM TEACHER CAN DO THAT.

SO OUR PART IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS HAVE THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO TO BE ABLE TO TO PROVIDE THAT QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HEAR, ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN.

AND THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO THINK.

IF YOU SHARE THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY WANT TO WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS.

SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

I DO HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, THOUGH.

SPEAKING OF THE OPENING OF SCHOOL THIS YEAR, IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US, AND IN MANY WAYS IT'S BEEN MORE OF A CHALLENGE THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR.

LAST YEAR, WE HAD MORE OPTIONS FOR HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THE VIRUS THAN WE'VE HAD AVAILABLE TO US THIS YEAR.

HYBRID WAS AN OPTION FOR US.

HARVARD WAS SOMETHING THAT ALLOWED US TO MAINTAIN SIX FEET OF DISTANCE BETWEEN OUR STUDENTS. YES, WE ONLY HAD STUDENTS IN SCHOOL TWO DAYS AT A TIME.

AND THEN THEY WERE THEY WERE REMOTE LEARNING THAT THEY AT LEAST WERE IN SCHOOL THOSE TWO DAYS. AND THIS YEAR, WE HAVE GREATER CAPABILITIES BECAUSE ON THE DAY THAT THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL NOW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO TO PROVIDE THEM DIRECT INSTRUCTION VIA VIA COMPUTER THAT THAT EACH STUDENT HAS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

BUT THAT'S NOT PERMISSIBLE.

WE NEED FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT WE GO TO A HYBRID, BUT DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPTION. WE HAD THE OPTION OF GOING TO REMOTE LEARNING IF WE WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WERE TRENDING TOWARD AN OUTBREAK.

IN FACT, THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE USE WERE THREE PERCENT.

IF WE SAW THAT WE HAD THREE PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS TESTING POSITIVE IN A PARTICULAR SCHOOL, THAT WAS AN INDICATION TO US THAT AN OUTBREAK WAS WAS WAS POSSIBLE.

AND WE COULD TAKE A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS IN REMOTE TO TO LET THAT DIE DOWN AND GET OUR STUDENTS BACK INTO SCHOOL AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

WE STILL HAVE THAT OPTION TO GO REMOTE, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL AFTER CONSULTING WITH

[01:10:06]

I THINK PROBABLY BY THEN THE HORSES ARE ALREADY OUT OF THE BARN.

WE CAN'T MAINTAIN SIX FEET OF DISTANCE RELIABLY.

WE CAN MAINTAIN THREE FEET IN MOST SITUATIONS.

BUT THERE ARE STILL SITUATIONS AND WE CAN'T MAINTAIN THREE FEET OF DISTANCE IN OUR STUDENT POPULATION. OUR TOOLS ARE LIMITED TO CLEANING AND DISINFECTING HANDWASHING, MASKS AND VACCINATIONS. AND OF COURSE, RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T REQUIRE MASK AND VACCINATIONS.

I PROBABLY CAN'T REQUIRE ANYBODY TO WASH THEIR HANDS.

INCENTIVIZING VACCINES, WHICH I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, WILL HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGE MORE OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED.

I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE ALL STAFF MEMBERS AND ALL STUDENTS TO WEAR MASKS.

I ENCOURAGE ALL PARENTS TO HAVE YOUR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN VACCINATED.

LAST WEEK, WE HAD 147 STUDENTS POSITIVE FOR COVID, 22 POSITIVE EMPLOYEES, AND RESULTED IN 1000 112 STUDENT QUARANTINES ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ONE EMPLOYEE QUARANTINES.

I COMMEND OUR SCHOOL NURSES AND OUR PRINCIPALS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THOSE CONTACT TRACING TEAMS WHO INVESTIGATE EVERY POTENTIAL CLOSE CONTACT.

IT IS A VERY LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS THAT GOES WELL INTO THE NIGHT EVERY NIGHT, GOES THROUGH THE WEEKEND, EVERY WEEKEND.

BUT THEY'RE DOING IT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAFE AND OUR BUS DRIVERS WHO ARE RUNNING DOUBLE AND TRIPLE ROUTES TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL.

IF ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE ARE ANY INDICATION, I THINK WE CAN ANTICIPATE THIS TREND CONTINUING FOR A WHILE, IF NOT INCREASING.

SO WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.

MY MESSAGE TO PARENTS, KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME WHEN THEY'RE SICK EMPLOYEES.

STAY HOME WHEN YOU'RE SICK.

PARENTS FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED DISTANCING AND HAND WASHING PROCEDURES FOR ALL ACTIVITIES.

WEAR A MASK WHEN YOU'RE AWAY FROM HOME, WHEN YOU'RE INDOORS IN STORES AND RESTAURANTS AT FRIENDS HOUSES. AVOID ANY KIND OF LARGE GATHERINGS.

HAVE YOUR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AGAIN, HAVE THEM VACCINATED.

MY MESSAGE TO OUR SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE GOOD SUBSTITUTES, BUT NO ONE DOES IT BETTER THAN WE DO.

THAN YOU DO. PLEASE DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY IN THE CLASSROOM.

TAKE PRECAUTIONS.

WEAR A MASK. GET VACCINATED.

SCHOOL LEADERS BE VIGILANT ABOUT MAINTAINING DISTANCE FROM OUR STUDENTS AND TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE AND HELP US TO LIMIT CLOSE CONTACTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

EVERYONE, EVERYONE.

WHEN YOU SEE GROUPS, CLUBS CLUSTERED TOGETHER, WHETHER THEY'RE STUDENTS OR WHETHER THEY'RE STAFF MEMBERS, REMIND THEM THAT THEY'RE AT RISK.

AND WHETHER YOU BELIEVE COVID IS DANGEROUS OR NOT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DISCOVERED DON'T BELIEVE IT'S DANGEROUS AND THAT'S FINE.

BUT PLEASE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK IT'S DANGEROUS, PLEASE TAKE THE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ISOLATED FOR 14 DAYS.

BECAUSE WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE BOUND BY THOSE QUARANTINE RULES. YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL OR OUT OF WORK FOR THOSE DAYS.

FOR THE STUDENT. IT IS GOING TO BE 14 DAYS.

GUIDANCE DOES, WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.

GUIDANCE DOES ALLOW FOR THE RETURN AFTER SEVEN OR 10 DAYS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

BUT THAT SAME GUIDANCE, WHICH WHICH OFTEN PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT THE SAME GUIDANCE, REQUIRES THAT RETURNING EARLY, THERE ARE SOME CONDITIONS TO THAT.

YOU HAVE TO WEAR A MASK.

YOU HAVE THE PHYSICAL DISTANCE.

RIGHT NOW, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND I CAN'T REQUIRE YOU TO WEAR A MASK. SO IT'S GOT TO BE 14 DAYS.

AND UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES, UNLESS THE REQUIREMENTS OR THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ACT CHANGES. EMPLOYEES, WE CAN MANAGE PHYSICAL DISTANCING A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

AND SO SEVEN AND 10 DAY QUARANTINES ARE OPTIONS THERE.

AND WE LOOK AT THOSE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

SO BOTTOM LINE IS, I WANT EVERYONE IN SCHOOL.

I WANT OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOL.

I WANT OUR TEACHERS IN SCHOOL.

I WANT ALL OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF IN SCHOOL.

AND I AM BEGGING EVERYONE TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE IN SCHOOL.

WE ARE SO MUCH BETTER NOW AT PROVIDING REMOTE LEARNING THAN WE WERE A YEAR AGO.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET BETTER AT IT.

WE'RE GOING TO GET BETTER AT IT EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH.

BUT IT IS NOT EVER, EVER GOING TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR A STUDENT IN A CLASSROOM WITH A QUALIFIED TEACHER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MR. SMITH?

[01:15:02]

AND THIS IS THE SAME CONCERN I HAD LAST YEAR.

ASSURE ME THAT ALL CLASSROOMS HAVE SANITIZING STATIONS IN THEM AND THEY'RE SANITIZING STATIONS AS THEY COME IN, PEOPLE VISITORS COME INTO THE SCHOOL AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.

AND THAT'S BIG THING TO ME.

AND I'M CONSTANTLY TELLING GRANDSON YOU USE THT STUFF, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

YES, SIR. WE HAVE REORDERED THE SUPPLIES.

AND TOMORROW MORNING WE'RE GOING TO RE-EMPHASIZE THAT THE STATIONS HAVE BEEN REFILLED.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN FINDING IS SOME OF OUR STATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MONITORED AS CLOSE AS THEY COULD. AND SO WE WILL GO BACK AND MAKE SURE.

THANK YOU.

. TIM MURPHY, WE DO APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO.

I DO WANT TO ASK YOU IN AND I WILL SAY MR. SMITH'S COMMENT MADE ME THINK OF IT, AND THAT IS I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE CUSTODIAL SHORTAGES, AND THAT PROBABLY LIMITS THE ABILITY OF DR.

YARBOROUGH AND STAFF TO DO WHAT WAS TOLD TO US THAT THEY WOULD DO FOR COVID PROTECTION, WHICH WAS THAT THEY WOULD SANITIZE BETWEEN CLASSES AND ALLOW TIME TO AIR DRY.

I DON'T, I'M ASKING, IS THAT STILL HAPPENING? AND IF SO, WHO'S DOING IT? ARE THE TEACHERS DOING IT? ARE THE CUSTODIAL STAFF DOING IT? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME SCHOOLS WITH ONE CUSTODIAN RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT. OUR SANITIZING SCHEDULE, I THINK WE PUT IT OUT IN THE NEW RETURN TO SCHOOL POLICIES, AND SO WE DO HAVE A SANITIZED SCHOOL THAT WE'VE EMPHASIZED.

WE ARE SUFFERING.

I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE HAVE A SCHOOL THAT'S MISSING, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR LIFE REASONS OTHER THAN COVID MATERNITY OR SOME OTHER ISSUES OF THAT NATURE.

IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK DIVIDED BY LESS INDIVIDUALS.

AND SO WE DO, AGAIN, WE'VE PROVIDED TEACHERS WITH THE ABILITY TO GO AHEAD AND USE THAT MORNING MIST.

THEY ONLY HAVE THE TEN MINUTE TIME AS OPPOSED TO BRINGING IN THOSE FOGGERS, THAT TAKE A LOT LONGER TO CLEAR THAT CLASSROOM OUT.

AND WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

YOU KNOW, WE THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE TAKING CLASSES OFFLINE FOR A DAY.

WE YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE.

WE UNDERSTAND THE PRIMARY TRANSMISSION SOURCE IS GOING TO BE AIRDROPPED AS OPPOSED TO ON PHYSICAL SURFACES, SO WE CAN WIPE THEM ALL.

WE'VE GOT THE AIR RECYCLING NOW.

WE'VE GOT THE AIR FILTERS IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE TOOLS TO HELP US COMBAT IT.

BUT WE'RE JUST I MEAN, IF I TOLD YOU THAT WE'RE NOT DEGRADED BECAUSE WE'RE MISSING PEOPLE, THAT WOULD NOT BE ACCURATE.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS AND SUCH ORDERS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.

EMPLOYMENT MATTERS, CONTRACTUAL MATTER AND LEGAL MATTERS.

LEGAL ADVICE ON PROVISO 1.108.

AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION THEN THE BOARD MAY RECONVENE IN THE REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE THE MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TAKE ANY ACTION THAT MAY BE NECESSARY.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION?

[Executive Session]

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EVERYONE.

WE NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[01:45:53]

[Return to Open Session]

[01:59:31]

[01:59:39]

[01:59:49]

[01:59:59]

[02:00:03]

[02:00:04]

[02:00:08]

[02:00:16]

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. WE ALSO GOT A LEGAL BRIEFING FROM THE ATTORNEY ABOUT THE PROVISO, THE FACEMASK PROVISO AND NO ACTION IS NECESSARY ON THAT BRIEFING.

SO WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. MOVED BY MR. SMITH, SECONDED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

BOY, YOU GOT IN ON THAT.

[Adjournment of Meeting]

THAT'S EVERYONE. STAND ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.