Sep 07, 2021 090721 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING

[Call to Order]

[00:04:43]

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER THE 7TH, TO ORDER, PLEASE.

AS IT'S OUR TRADITION, WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

[00:05:06]

RECENTLY, WE LOST A STUDENT AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL EMILY BROSNAHAN, NORTH AUGUSTA ELEMENTARY STUDENT ETHAN BLUE, A SPECIAL SPECIAL EDUCATION AIDE AT AIKEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MS. ANGELA DICKS, A FIRST GRADE TEACHER AT CLEARWATER ELEMENTARY CANDICE BEASLEY, AND A SECRETARY BOOKKEEPER AT AIKEN ELEMENTARY GISELE MORLAN.

IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

[Pledge of Allegiance]

PLEASE STAND JOIN ME IN SAYING THE PLEDGE.

TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[Discussion in Regards to the District’s Response to COVID-19 & Quarantines]

IT'S ONE TOPIC WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS AND LOOK AT OUR RESPONSE TO COVID IN THE SCHOOLS.

WE WANT TO REVIEW WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING AND LOOK FOR THINGS THAT WE MIGHT DO BETTER OR IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING.

I'M GOING TO BEGIN THE MEETING BY ASKING MR. LAURENCE TO UPDATE US.

REMIND US WHATEVER OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE EITHER ISOLATED OR QUARANTINED.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEASURES IN PLACE TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THE VIRUS.

THOSE INCLUDE CONTINUING TO CLEAN AND DISINFECT, AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST, ENCOURAGING HANDWASHING. HEPA FILTERS AND ALL OF OUR CLASSROOM SPACES WORKING TOWARD UPGRADING HVAC SYSTEMS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

WE ALSO ENCOURAGE, AS I'VE SAID, A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE, ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO WEAR MASKS AND ALSO ENCOURAGE ANY WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED TO BE VACCINATED. THOSE MEASURES AND ANY OTHER MEASURES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE AND NATIONAL HEALTH OFFICIALS, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PUT INTO PLACE.

BUT TONIGHT, SPECIFICALLY, MS. GLOVER AND MS. DOVE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE QUARANTINED AND ISOLATED.

NOW, BEAR IN MIND THAT WE HAVE A VARIETY, A VERY WIDE VARIETY ACTUALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE AVAILABILITY OF INTERNET IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE'VE GOT AREAS WITH WITH VERY STRONG COVERAGE.

WE HAVE AREAS WITH LITERALLY NO COVERAGE.

SO THOSE THOSE KIND OF THINGS PRESENT A CHALLENGE TO US.

WE ALSO HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF CAPACITY IN OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PARENTS AND ALSO IN OUR TEACHERS. SO STILL, WE SEE THIS AS A SOLID MEANS OF MEETING THE NEEDS AND REACHING THE MANY, AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE WHO ARE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, ARE ABSENT FROM FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL ASK MS. GLOVER AND MS. DOVE TO TAKE IT FROM HERE AND COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE THAT OVERVIEW.

SO THIS EVENING, WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU THE EXPECTATIONS FOR REMOTE INSTRUCTION THAT WERE PROVIDED TO OUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND THAT WE ASK THAT THEY

[00:10:02]

FIRST AND FOREMOST.

SEE, HERE WE GO.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF AS WE THINK ABOUT REMOTE LEARNING AND REMOTE INSTRUCTION.

WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE DO NOT EXPECT TEACHERS TO TEACH IF THEY ARE SICK, AND WE DO NOT EXPECT STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN LEARNING IF THEY ARE NOT WELL.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DEFINE REMOTE LEARNING AND REMOTE INSTRUCTION, AS WE REFERRED TO THESE TOPICS WHEN DISCUSSING WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TONIGHT.

SO WHEN WE SAY REMOTE LEARNING, WE THINK OF IT AS A TEMPORARY MOVE FROM FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION OR FACE TO FACE LEARNING IN A CLASSROOM SPACE TO ANOTHER PHYSICAL LOCATION, MORE THAN LIKELY SOMEBODY'S HOME.

REMOTE LEARNING IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING.

HOWEVER, VIRTUAL MIGHT BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF REMOTE LEARNING.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REMOTE INSTRUCTION, WE'RE REFERRING TO A TEACHER WHO IS PROVIDING INSTRUCTION AT ANOTHER LOCATION MORE THAN LIKELY HIS OR HER HOME BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS IN ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE.

BUT THAT PERSON IS STILL ABLE, ABLE TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION.

MANY TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ISOLATED OR QUARANTINED HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO STILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTION TO THEIR STUDENTS FROM A REMOTE LOCATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE MILD OR NO SYMPTOMS. AND REMOTE INSTRUCTION PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AS WE CONSIDER REMOTE LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION.

THERE ARE SOME GENERAL EXPECTATIONS CONCERNING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, THEIR ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS.

FIRST, WE HAVE DEDICATED DEVICES FOR BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AND THIS GENERAL EXPECTATION IS THAT THOSE DEVICES ARE ABLE TO GO HOME WITH THEM FOR USE.

FOR STUDENTS WHOSE PARENTS HAVE OPTED OUT OF RECEIVING A DEVICE, THERE'S STILL AN EXPECTATION THAT THE STUDENT IS ABLE TO COMPLETE HIS OR HER ASSIGNMENTS WHILE AT HOME.

THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT SCHOOLOGY IS BEING USED AS OUR DISTRICT'S LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, SO SCHOOLOGY IS AN LMS, A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT OUR STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PAYS FOR, AND IT'S USED FOR OUR PERSONALIZED DIGITAL LEARNING INITIATIVE, WHICH WE CALL LEARNING VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE.

THIS IS STILL NEW, PARTICULARLY AT OUR ELEMENTARY GRADES AND DEFINITELY IN GRADES K THROUGH TWO. WE HAVE HAD A ONE TO ONE INITIATIVE FOR YEARS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM CALLED THE FULL CIRCLE FULL CIRCLE, AND SO WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO EXPAND THAT INITIATIVE. AND COVID, ALTHOUGH IT GAVE US MANY DIFFICULTIES, DID PROVIDE US WITH FUNDING TO GET ONE DEVICE, ONE TO ONE DEVICES FOR EVERY TEACHER AND STUDENT.

WE USE THE MICROSOFT OFFICE SUITE OF PRODUCTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND WITH THAT IS MICROSOFT TEAMS, WHICH IS OUR SYSTEMIC WAY OF DELIVERING LIVE INSTRUCTION AND VIRTUAL CONFERENCING FOR STUDENTS. STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW THEIR PASSWORDS FOR THEIR DIGITAL PLATFORMS. WE ALSO HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR TEXTBOOKS, WHETHER THEY BE HARD COPIES OR DIGITALLY.

TEACHERS ARE USING DIGITAL PLATFORMS WITH STUDENTS DURING THE DAY AS THEY DELIVER INSTRUCTION. AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS ARE PROACTIVE IN COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR LOGIN INFORMATION, THE EXPECTATIONS THEY HAVE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, ASSIGNMENTS, WHEN TEAMS MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE, ET CETERA.

SO THIS PRESENTATION COVERS THREE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR REMOTE LEARNING FOR THE STUDENTS AND TEACHING FOR THE TEACHER.

SO THE FIRST IS INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE QUARANTINED.

AND SECOND IS TEACHER WHO IS ISOLATED OR QUARANTINED.

AND THE THIRD IS THAT THE WHOLE CLASS IS QUARANTINED OR A WHOLE SCHOOL IS REMOTE.

WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT OR GROUPS OF STUDENTS ARE QUARANTINED, WE INCLUDED THREE POSSIBLE OPTIONS TO PROVIDE REMOTE INSTRUCTION.

THE FIRST OPTION LIVE STREAMING CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THROUGH A PROVIDED TEAMS LINK TO STUDENTS USING A CAMERA TO LIVE STREAM OR RECORD, AND HAVING STUDENTS SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS THROUGH SCHOOLOGY. THESE RECORDED LESSONS CAN ALSO BE UPLOADED INTO SCHOOLOGY AND WATCHED ASYNCHRONOUSLY, AS WELL AS SYNCHRONOUSLY.

SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THIS OPTION WAS SHARED WITH OUR TEACHERS AS NOT A REQUIRED OPTION, AND IF USED, THAT TEACHERS WERE NOT REQUIRED TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS IN CLASSROOM AND

[00:15:02]

THIS IS DUE TO PROVISO S704, WHICH PROHIBITS DISTRICTS FROM ASSIGNING A TEACHER TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS SIMULTANEOUSLY, IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY UNLESS IT IS REASONABLE AND NECESSARY DUE TO EXTREME AND UNAVOIDABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTORS, IN WHICH CASE TEACHERS WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPENSATED ADDITIONALLY.

THE STATE'S REQUIRED REQUIREMENTS ALSO SAYING THIS PROVISO I'M SORRY THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROVISO.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ADD UNFAIR ADDITIONAL DEMANDS ON TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL AS DISTRICT PERSONNEL FOR MONTHLY REPORTING.

SO MR. LAURENCE MAY SHARE IN MORE DETAIL LATER.

BUT JUST TODAY, HE LEARNED FROM THE STATE THAT THEY MAY BE RELAXING THEIR REPORTING REQUIREMENT AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENTS HAD DISCUSSION WITH STATE PERSONNEL LAST WEEK AND EXPRESSED MAJOR CONCERNS OVER THE UNDUE HARDSHIP THE REPORTING WOULD PLACE ON SCHOOLS.

ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE PLAN TO BRING BACK AN AMENDMENT TO OUR ESSER FUNDING NEXT WEEK THAT WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING TO PAY OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS A SUPPLEMENT IN ORDER TO MAKE LIVE STREAMING DAILY INSTRUCTION A REQUIREMENT.

OPTION TWO THAT WE SHARED WITH SCHOOLS WAS FOR TEACHERS TO DELIVER CONTENT THROUGH SCHOOLOGY. MS. DOVE IS GOING TO SHARE MORE SHORTLY ABOUT THE SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'VE OFFERED AND WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER TO TEACHERS.

BUT AS I MENTIONED, SCHOOLOGY IS OUR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

AS PART OF OUR ONE TO ONE PERSONALIZED LEARNING INITIATIVE, LEARNING VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE. ALL OF THE TEACHERS INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT CAN BE DELIVERED THROUGH SCHOOLOGY WHETHER IT'S A POWERPOINT THAT IT'S BEEN SHARED, A WEB BASED, WEB BASED VIDEO, A RECORDING OF THE LIVE STREAMED LESSON OR EVEN ASSESSMENTS.

ALL THOSE THINGS STUDENTS CAN ACCESS THROUGH SCHOOLOGY.

THE LAST OPTION WE INCLUDED.

FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE QUARANTINED OR ISOLATED AS THE USE OF PAPER COPIES OF ASSIGNMENTS, SO WE REFER TO THOSE AS PAPER PACKETS.

WE'VE ASKED THAT WHEN SCHOOLS UTILIZE THIS OPTION, THAT TEACHERS PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE WORK.

FOR EXAMPLE, DEMONSTRATIONS, MODELS STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS CHARTS AT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEVEL. MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE MANIPULATIVES, LETTERS, BLOCKS.

NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO REMOTE INSTRUCTION WHERE WE GIVE A SCENARIO OF A TEACHER WHO IS QUARANTINED BECAUSE HE OR SHE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE CONTACT OR HAS BEEN ISOLATED BECAUSE HE OR SHE HAS BEEN TESTED, WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.

IN EITHER SITUATION, THE TEACHER IS NOT SICK AND HE OR SHE IS WELL ENOUGH TO WORK.

THIS DECISION IS MADE JOINTLY BETWEEN THE PRINCIPAL AND THE TEACHER, BASED UPON THE TEACHER'S CIRCUMSTANCES AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE TEACHER CAN WORK.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE MAY BE A TEACHER WHO'S HOME WITH SICK CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN QUARANTINED AND OR AN INFANT, AND THAT INFANT MIGHT TAKE A LOT OF THE TEACHER'S TIME.

SO HE OR SHE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE LIVE INSTRUCTION DURING THE DAY.

FROM A REMOTE LOCATION, THE TEACHER WHO HAS ADEQUATE CONNECTIVITY, LIVE STREAMS AND INSTRUCTION WHILE A SUBSTITUTE MANAGES THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

OUR SCHOOLS STARTED WITH THIS LAST WEEK, AND WE ARE LEARNING TIPS AND TRICKS THAT WE'RE SHARING WITH SCHOOLS AS THEY CONTINUE WITH THAT OPTION.

IF A WHOLE CLASS OR A WHOLE SCHOOL IS REMOTE DUE TO A WHOLE CLASS BEING QUARANTINED, OR IF A SCHOOL NEEDS TO GO TO FULL REMOTE DUE TO POSITIVE CASES AND QUARANTINES, THE TEACHERS WOULD DELIVER LIVE INSTRUCTION TO HIS OR HER STUDENTS THROUGH TEAMS AND DELIVER ASSIGNMENTS THROUGH SCHOOLOGY.

THE TEACHERS WOULD STILL BE ON SITE UNLESS THEY ARE ISOLATED OR QUARANTINED.

AND IF STUDENTS HAVE DIFFICULTY ACCESS AND VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF CONNECTIVITY, OUR IT DEPARTMENT IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PROVIDE HOTSPOTS AND WE DO HAVE AREAS, AS MR. LAURENCE MENTIONED, WHERE HOTSPOTS MAY NOT WORK.

SO TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE WORKING ON A CASE BY CASE SITUATION WITH THOSE FAMILIES TO WORK OUT WHAT THOSE STUDENTS NEED.

THROUGH ALL OF THIS, WE ARE TRYING TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER OUR SPECIAL POPULATIONS AND HOW THEY ARE IMPACTED THROUGH QUARANTINES AND ISOLATIONS.

OUR ESOL TEACHERS ARE WORKING TO ENSURE THEY MEET WITH THEIR QUARANTINE STUDENTS AND OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS ARE PUTTING INTO PLACE CONTINGENCY CONTINGENCY PLANS THAT WERE DEVELOPED DURING IEP MEETINGS.

A DISTRICT WIDE ONE TO ONE PROGRAM WAS IN THE WORKS YEARS AGO, AS I MENTIONED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ABOUT 30 TO 35 ONE TO ONE CLASSROOMS THAT WE CALLED FULL CIRCLE, AND I

[00:20:01]

PART OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE HEADED DOWN THE PATH TO MEET THE PROFILE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GRADUATE IS ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT INCLUDE THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.

FOR THIS GENERATION OF STUDENTS, IT IS PART OF THEIR STUDENT DNA.

IT IS NEW FOR MANY OF OUR TEACHERS, HOWEVER, SO WE HAVE PROVIDED AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. MICKI DOVE, OUR DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM SUPPORT, IS GOING TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE OFFERED AND WHAT WE PLAN TO OFFER TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS MOVING FORWARD.

MS. GLOVER? YES, SIR. PLEASE REMIND THE AUDIENCE WHAT ESOL OLD TEACHER IS ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES. SO WHEN ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, THEY'RE INVOLVED IN OUR ESOL PROGRAM AND THEY'RE CONSIDERED A MULTI-LANGUAGE LEARNER.

THEY USED TO BE CALLED ESL THEN EL, AND NOW THEY'RE CALLED MLS, BY THE FEDERAL DEFINITION, MULTI LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

SO I DON'T THINK WE WERE ALONE LAST YEAR BEING CALLED A LITTLE BIT OFF GUARD WITH THE ONSET OF COVID 19 IN MARCH OF 2020.

WE HAD SCHOOLOGY AS OUR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AT THAT POINT, BUT IT WAS NOT CONSISTENTLY USED AS THE PRIMARY INSTRUCTIONAL PLATFORM ON A DAILY BASIS.

WE HAD TEACHERS USING IN SPOTS, BUT NOT EVERYBODY WAS PROFICIENT AT IT.

SO WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT WAS A PROBLEM WHEN COVID HAPPENED, SO WE SET ABOUT ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. WE STARTED IN APRIL OF TWENTY POINT 2020, CREATING A TASK FORCE SHOUTING] PULLING TOGETHER A TASK FORCE CONSISTING OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT STAFF.

WHILE OUR GOAL OF THAT WAS TO CREATE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR OUR LEARNING VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE ONE TO ONE INITIATIVE, OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING HARD TO ORDER AND PREPARE DEVICES TO DISTRIBUTE TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

OUR CURRICULUM SUPPORT STAFF WAS WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH MEMBERS OF OUR TASK FORCE TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS WITH DIGITAL LEARNING. WE FIRST ROLLED OUT IN JULY OF 2020 A SERIES OF VIRTUAL MODULES IN SCHOOLOGY, AND WE CHOSE TO RUN THIS THROUGH SCHOOL FOR TWO REASONS.

NUMBER ONE, IT ALLOWED US TO ADHERE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES BY DOING EVERYTHING VIRTUALLY. AND NUMBER TWO, IT OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO ENGAGE IN SCHOOLOGY AND EXPERIENCE IT AS A LEARNER WHILE THEY WERE LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO USE SCHOOLOGY AS A TEACHER. SO WE HAD A SERIES OF FIVE MODULES THAT RANGED FROM TIPS AND TRICKS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR BLENDED LEARNING TO USING AND NAVIGATING SCHOOLOGY, ENSURING DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, CREATING RESOURCES AND MATERIALS TO PROVIDE DIRECT INSTRUCTION IN A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT, AND OF COURSE, FACILITATING LIVE REMOTE INSTRUCTION THROUGH MICROSOFT TEAMS. TEACHERS HAD MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO ENGAGE IN THIS LEARNING.

WE PROVIDED A FIVE WEEK SERIES WHERE WE HAD FACILITATORS FROM THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM WHO WOULD ENGAGE TEACHERS AND COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION BOARDS.

WE HAD COHORTS OF TEACHERS WHO REGISTERED TO PARTICIPATE EACH WEEK.

THEY WOULD DO A DIFFERENT MODULE.

WE ALSO HAD SOME TEACHERS WHO SAID, I DON'T REALLY NEED ALL FIVE OF THESE MODULES.

I REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE SCHOOLOGY, BUT I COULD USE SOME EXTRA ASSISTANCE ON DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP OR BLENDED LEARNING.

SO THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE IN A ONE WEEK SESSION ON SPECIFIC MODULES THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED.

EACH MEMBER OF THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM WAS REQUIRED, NOT REALLY REQUIRED, BUT ASKED TO FACILITATE ONE OF THOSE MODULES.

I DID THE BLENDED LEARNING, AND SO WEEK ONE, I HAD A COHORT OF MAYBE 50 TEACHERS THAT PARTICIPATED IN BLENDED LEARNING.

FOR ONE WEEK WEEK TWO, I WOULD GET ANOTHER COHORT, AND SO WE RAN THOSE SESSIONS FROM JULY THROUGH OCTOBER, EITHER THE FIVE WEEK SESSION OR THE INDIVIDUAL, SELECT YOUR OWN ONE MODULE. THE OTHER OPTION WE GAVE TEACHERS FOR THIS WAS THEY COULD REQUEST ACCESS TO ALL OF THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

WE WOULD GIVE THEM ACCESS TO IT AND THEY COULD DO IT AT A SELF-PACED INDEPENDENT SO THAT THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT PARTS THEY WANTED TO DO AND WHEN THEY WANTED TO DO THAT.

ALL IN ALL, WE HAD PROBABLY ABOUT 12-1300 TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS BETWEEN THAT JULY AND OCTOBER TIME PERIOD.

AS WE APPROACHED OCTOBER, IT WAS ABOUT TIME TO START ROLLING OUT DEVICES TO OUR STUDENTS.

[00:25:03]

WE DID THAT FACE TO FACE IN EVERY SINGLE BUILDING PRIOR TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF DEVICES.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, FACE TO FACE PD THAT WE OFFERED, WE ALSO PROVIDED ACCESS TO A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM FOR LEARNING VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE FOR EACH SCHOOL.

SO EACH SCHOOL HAD A LITTLE CLASSROOM THAT INCLUDED ALL OF THE RESOURCES WE USED FOR THE FACE TO FACE PD.

IT ALSO INCLUDED SOME TEACHER HOW-TOS.

WE ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE A MODULE THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO STUDENTS.

AND SO IN THAT STUDENT MODULE, THERE WERE LEARNING TASKS AND ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO USE SCHOOLOGY, HOW TO FOLLOW DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, HOW TO USE MICROSOFT TEAMS, HOW TO NAVIGATE THEIR EMAILS, HOW TO CREATE VIDEOS AND UPLOAD THEM TO SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS. ALL OF THE THINGS THAT STUDENTS WOULD NEED TO DO IN A DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. WE PROVIDED RESOURCES IN THAT MODULE, SO TEACHERS HAD ACCESS TO COPY IT INTO THEIR INDIVIDUAL COURSES AND ASSIGN IT TO STUDENTS AS NEEDED.

WITH THAT ROLLOUT, WE ASSIGNED ONE MEMBER OF OUR CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM TO EACH SCHOOL, SO EVERY SCHOOL HAD A PRIMARY CONTACT.

THAT CURRICULUM SUPPORT MEMBER WORKED DIRECTLY WITH BUILDING LEVEL PRINCIPALS TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS ADDITIONAL PD AND SUPPORT THAT SCHOOLS NEEDED, AND WE TRIED TO CUSTOMIZE AND COORDINATE THAT PD TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE BUILDINGS.

HAVING PUSHED OUT AND EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO MOVE TO DIGITAL LEARNING IN OUR CLASSROOMS, WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT WE ALSO NEEDED TO PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES.

AND SO IN MAY AND JUNE, THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM WORKED ON TRANSITIONING AND TRANSFERRING OUR GUARANTEED AND VIABLE CURRICULUM, WHICH IS HOUSED IN RUBICON ATLAS.

WE TOOK THE RESOURCES AND MATERIALS IN THERE AND WE DUPLICATED THEM INTO SCHOOLOGY SO THAT TEACHERS BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THEM TO USE SCHOOLOGY MORE.

WE WANTED TO MAKE EVERYTHING AS ACCESSIBLE IN ONE PLACE AS WE COULD.

SO OVER THE SUMMER, THE END OF LAST YEAR, OUR CURRICULUM STAFF WORKED ON GETTING ALL OF THOSE MATERIALS PUT INTO ONE PLACE.

AT OUR E2 CONFERENCE CURRICULUM CONTENT INTERVENTIONISTS AND CURRICULUM TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS ROLLED OUT AN OVERVIEW OF THE RESOURCES THAT WERE IN OUR SCHOOLOGY GBC GUARANTEED AND VIABLE CURRICULUM.

AND THEY ALSO PROVIDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SESSIONS ON THE USE OF SCHOOLOGY, MICROSOFT, ANY OF OUR NEW PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE WITH OUR ESSER FUNDS REFLEX, WHICH IS MATH FLUENCY PROGRAM FOR OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, DREAMBOX, QUILL FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL ELA ENGLISH COURSES.

SO WE PROVIDED SESSIONS ON ALL OF THAT AT OUR E2 CONFERENCE.

BUT IT FELT LIKE BEFORE WE COULD GET KIDS IN THE BUILDING, WE WERE HAVING TO START THINKING ABOUT REMOTE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING QUARANTINED AT HOME. SO WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT SOME REFRESHERS AND ADDITIONAL PD AND SUPPORT WERE NEEDED. SO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM HAVE WORKED TO DEVELOP SOME RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS.

SO THESE ARE KIND OF TEACHER HOW-TOS.

THEY INCLUDE SOME VIDEOS, AS WELL AS SOME DOCUMENTS, DIRECTIONS AND GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE SCREENSHOTS AND PICTURES TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE PROGRAMS AND TO IMPLEMENT THESE RESOURCES IN A REMOTE LEARNING SETTING.

WE ADDED ALL OF THESE TEACHER HOW-TO RESOURCES TO THEIR SCHOOLOGY OF GBC.

SO AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ACCESSIBLE IN ONE LOCATION.

IN ADDITION TO ADDING THOSE RESOURCES TO THE SCHOOLOGY GBC LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK, EVERY AFTERNOON WE'VE OFFERED VIRTUAL SESSIONS FOR ONE HOUR CURRICULUM SUPPORT MEMBERS HAVE FACILITATED SESSIONS THAT GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THESE RESOURCES THAT ARE IN SCHOOLOGY, HOW THEY CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT REMOTE LEARNING, AND THEY'VE ALSO JUST OFFERED A Q&A SESSION.

SO TEACHERS, IT'S KIND OF AN OPEN FORUM.

WE SENT OUT A SCHEDULE OF WHEN THE SESSIONS WERE AND A LINK TO ACCESS THOSE SESSIONS AND ANYBODY CAN POP IN FROM, I'M SURE WE'VE HAD SOME ART TEACHERS WITH OUR ELA CIS JUST ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND HOW TO USE THEM AND WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO FACILITATE REMOTE LEARNING.

WE'VE DONE THAT ALL LAST WEEK.

AGAIN, WE HAVE THOSE EVERY DAY THIS WEEK UNTIL THURSDAY, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE WANTS AN OPEN FORUM Q&A SESSION.

THAT'S NOT REALLY EVERYONE'S LEARNING STYLE.

SO WE INCLUDED IN THOSE SESSIONS, WE INCLUDED A BOOKINGS LINK, SO BOOKINGS ALLOWS TEACHERS TO GO IN.

THEY CLICK ON A LINK, IT GOES TO BOOKINGS APP AND THEY CAN SELECT ANY MEMBER FROM OUR

[00:30:06]

SO DON'T MATTER WHO THEY ARE, THEY CAN SELECT ANYBODY ON OUR TEAM AND IT OPENS UP A SCHEDULE FOR THAT PERSON AND YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT IS CONVENIENT BETWEEN THEIR SCHEDULE AND YOURS TO SELECT AND SCHEDULE A PRIVATE, PERSONALIZED MEETING WITH THAT CURRICULUM SUPPORT PERSON TO ANSWER YOUR INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS.

SO WE KIND OF PROVIDED ALL OF THAT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GIVEN OVER THE PAST YEAR, A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR, I GUESS IN ADDITION TO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THAT YOU SEE HERE, WE HAD WITH OUR INITIAL ROLLOUT FOR THE FIVE MODULES, WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL SIX MODULE THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR ADMINISTRATORS ON USING, MONITORING AND MANAGING SCHOOLOGY IN THEIR BUILDINGS, SUPPORTING THEIR TEACHERS IN THE USE OF THAT AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND PARENTS THIS WEEK, BEGINNING TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND ALL OF THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK, WE'RE OFFERING THE SAME AFTERNOON VIRTUAL SESSIONS. ACTUALLY, SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE MORNING FOR ADMINISTRATORS, SO WE HAVE MULTIPLE SESSIONS SCHEDULED SO THAT THEY CAN COME AND GET A REFRESHER ON MANAGING SCHOOLOGY IN THEIR BUILDINGS, HELPING TO SUPPORT TEACHERS IN THE USE OF SCHOOLOGY, BUT ALSO IN JUST HELPING THEM SUPPORT REMOTE LEARNING IN THEIR BUILDING.

WE ALSO HAD SO THERE'S A SCREEN CLIP OF IT LATER ON IN THE SLIDE SHOW, BUT WE HAD AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR, WE CREATED SOME VIDEO TUTORIALS SPECIFIC FOR PARENTS.

AND SO THERE'S A WEB PAGE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING MOVED BACK TO THE FRONT.

IT WAS AT THE FRONT LAST YEAR AND WE KIND OF TUCKED IT AWAY OVER THE SUMMER.

AND SO NOW WE SEE THE NEED THAT WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK OUT.

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING THAT PAGE BACK TO THE FRONT SO THAT PARENTS WILL HAVE EASE OF ACCESS.

IT INCLUDES VIDEO TUTORIALS ON ALL OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE USE, HELPS THEM TO LEARN HOW TO ACCESS AND NAVIGATE THOSE PROGRAMS. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, WE WILL ALSO BE PUSHING OUT A SURVEY LINK TO ALL PARENTS THROUGH EMAIL AND ROBOCALL.

WE'LL BE PUTTING THAT ON OUR WEBSITE TOO.

THAT SURVEY LINK WILL ALLOW PARENTS TO SUBMIT IF THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH TECHNOLOGY OR THEY NEED SOME SUPPORT THEY CAN SUBMIT ON THAT SURVEY.

IT WILL COME DIRECTLY TO OUR CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM.

THEY'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US SOME OPTIMAL TIMES THAT ARE CONVENIENT FOR THEM FOR US TO CONTACT THEM, AND WE CAN SET UP A TIME TO DO EITHER TELECONFERENCING WITH THEM, VIRTUAL CONFERENCING, OR WE CAN SET UP A TIME FOR FACE TO FACE SUPPORT IN A LOCATION THAT'S CONVENIENT. SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE SUPPORT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.

WE ALSO TRIED TO REMIND OUR PARENTS, OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE OUR DIGITAL PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS A LIST OF NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST, BUT SOME OF OUR MAJOR PROGRAMS, MANY OF THEM, WE WERE ABLE TO EITHER EXTEND CONTRACTS THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY OR WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE NEW CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES BASED ON OUR ESSER FUNDS.

SO SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, LIKE REFLEX MATH AND DREAMBOX LEARNING OR SPECIFIC TO OUR ELEMENTARY, SOME OF THEM, LIKE QUILL, ARE SPECIFIC TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

BUT THEN SOME OF THEM ARE K-12 PROGRAMS OR EITHER SIX EIGHT.

ANYTHING THAT HAS AN ASTERISK BESIDE IT IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH CLEVER, WHICH IS OUR SINGLE SIGN ON PLATFORM.

SO WITH CLEVER, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE WANT KIDS TO GO THROUGH.

IT ALLOWS A STUDENT.

IF THEY'RE LOGGED INTO CLEVER, THEN THEY CAN ACCESS ANY OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS WITHOUT HAVING TO KNOW ANOTHER PASSWORD AND ANOTHER LOG IN.

SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER FOR EVERYONE.

IN ADDITION TO THE DISTRICT SUPPORTED PROGRAMS THAT WE JUST HIGH LIGHTED, THE STATE FUNDED THE SOUTH CAROLINA INSTRUCTION HUB.

THEY ROLLED THAT OUT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

IT IS A REPOSITORY OF ALL THINGS DIGITAL LEARNING, SO YOU CAN FIND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT LEARNING FOR EVERYTHING FROM AUTOMOTIVE TO ART TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL TO MATH SCIENCE.

ANYTHING YOU WANT FOR K TO 12 EDUCATION, YOU CAN FIND SOME RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THAT IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA INSTRUCTION HUB.

SO WE DID OFFER OUR TEACHERS WERE GIVEN ACCESS TO JOIN SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS SPONSORED BY THE STATE THAT OCCURRED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

THEY'VE HAD A FEW OTHER SESSIONS BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WITH THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE STRENGTH OF IT.

ON SEPTEMBER THE 22ND, WHICH IS THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY FOR OUR DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING MULTIPLE SESSIONS IN THE AFTERNOON ON USING

[00:35:03]

SO DAN [INAUDIBLE], OUR ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT INTERVENTIONISTS, WILL BE HOSTING SESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO USE THE RESOURCES IN THE INSTRUCTION HUB TO SUPPORT ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES WHERE [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO USE IT FOR SUPPORTING MIDDLE LEVEL ELA.

THE NICE THING ABOUT OUR THE INSTRUCTION HUB IS NUMBER ONE, IT HAS A PLETHORA OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN IT, BUT NUMBER TWO, IT ACTUALLY INTEGRATES DIRECTLY INTO SCHOOLOGY SO TEACHERS CAN PULL RESOURCES FROM THIS AND DIRECTLY DROP THEM INTO THEIR SCHOOLOGY COURSES TO GIVE STUDENTS ACCESS TO THOSE MATERIALS.

SO AS WE FOCUSED ON THE REMOTE LEARNING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRIED TO DO WAS TO GIVE SOME OPTIONS TO TEACHERS AND SUGGESTIONS, AND WE ALSO HAD SOME THINGS THAT WE WANTED THEM TO CONSIDER, LIKE THE INTERNET ISSUES THAT MR. LAURENCE AND MS. GLOVER REFERRED TO EARLIER, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COGNIZANT AND CONSIDERATE OF STUDENTS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY ACCESS IN THEIR HOMES, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE TEXTBOOK ACCESS EITHER ONLINE OR HARD BOOK FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

BEING PROACTIVE, SO IF I'M A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND I HAVE MY SCHOOLOGY COURSE I'LL SET UP AND WE'RE USING IT EVERY DAY AND MY KIDS KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO TO.

AND I HAVE A LAB SESSION THAT I LIVE STREAM MY INSTRUCTION FROM.

BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS AND I AM NOT GOING TO BE HERE TODAY.

I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE ELSE IN MY BUILDING IS ABLE TO ACCESS MY COURSES IN MY LAB SESSIONS TO NOTIFY MY STUDENTS.

EMERGENCIES HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED LAST YEAR WITH AI WAS IF I OWN A TEAM AND I HAVE A LIVE SESSION, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY ELSE TO GET INTO THAT LIVE SESSION AND ACTUALLY TAKE CONTROL OF IT UNLESS I'M MAKING THEM AN OWNER OF IT. SO BEING PROACTIVE IN THAT APPROACH, MAKING SURE THAT TEACHERS ARE FINDING A PARTNER IN THEIR BUILDING, MAKING SURE ADMINISTRATORS KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE AND ACCESS TEACHER ACCOUNTS SO THAT THEY CAN HELP WITH THAT PROCESS IN CASES OF EMERGENCY.

ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS PROACTIVELY.

SO WE KNOW THAT QUARANTINE IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE TODAY I MIGHT HAVE 20 KIDS IN MY CLASS AND TOMORROW I'M MISSING TWO OR THREE OF THEM OR FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM.

YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS WERE PRACTICING THOSE RITUALS AND ROUTINES, GETTING THEM TO GO IN AND ACCESS THOSE PROGRAMS AND SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS TODAY WHILE I HAVE THEM IN CLASS MAKING THAT A RITUAL.

AND SO THAT IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO DO IT IF TONIGHT THEY END UP NOT BEING ABLE TO COME TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. COMMUNICATING THAT INFORMATION WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS.

SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES AND THIS JUST REALLY AND TRULY THESE SAMPLES CAME FROM SOME OF THE DISTRICT'S STAFF, HAVE SOME STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS AND WE AS PARENTS, THEY RECEIVED SOME COMMUNICATION FROM TEACHERS AND WE KIND OF WANTED TO JUST HIGH LIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND IN THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.

SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING TEACHERS TO SHARE SCHEDULES WITH PARENTS, SHARE THEM NOW SO THAT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEY'LL KNOW WHAT THOSE SCHEDULES ARE, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS YOU'RE USING AND WHERE THOSE PROGRAMS ARE.

YOU'LL SEE HERE THEY HAVE THEIR SCHEDULE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A SCHOOLOGY LINK SO THAT STUDENTS CAN DIRECTLY ACCESS THAT.

THEY'VE GIVEN SOME INFORMATION ABOUT POWER SCHOOL BEING THE SOURCE OF GRADE BOOKS, SCHOOLOGY AND TEAMS BEING THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. AND HERE AGAIN, IN THIS ONE, YOU SEE WHERE THE TEACHER TALKS ABOUT ONENOTE, SO SHE IS USING ONENOTE IN CONJUNCTION WITH HER SCHOOLOGY COURSE, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS, SHE'S REFERRING TO COURSE ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROMOTED WHEN WE DID OUR LEARNING VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE PD.

WE TALKED ABOUT COURSE ORGANIZATION MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR ASSIGNMENTS ORGANIZED IN YOUR SCHOOLOGY COURSES SO THAT STUDENTS CAN EASILY ACCESS WHAT THEY ARE DOING TODAY.

THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUNGER KIDS WHO GO IN, THEY NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT IS.

SO MAKING SURE IT'S LABELED WITH THE DATES OR AT LEAST THE DAY OF THE WEEK, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING SIX MONTHS WORTH OF ASSIGNMENTS OPEN, AND SO THEY LOG IN AND THEY ARE SCAVENGING THROUGH SIX MONTHS, GIVING THEM IN SMALL DOSES SO THAT IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO ACCESS. IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNICATION, WE'VE ALSO ENCOURAGED PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO HAVE RESOURCES ON THEIR SCHOOL WEB PAGE TO SUPPORT PARENTS AND

[00:40:01]

SO THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF A SCHOOL SITE THAT KIND OF GIVES SOME GENERAL INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES TO CONSIDER TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH REMOTE LEARNING.

AND OF COURSE, WE ALSO WANTED TO REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY ON THE DISTRICT PARENT TUTORIALS, VIDEOS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON OUR SCHOOL WEBSITE.

AND AGAIN, THESE WERE JUST VIDEOS THAT PROVIDE DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO ACCESS THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE USE AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THOSE.

OUR CURRICULUM TECHNOLOGY TEAM IS CURRENTLY THEY'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON ADDING NEW ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND VIDEOS.

WE'VE GOTTEN SOME INPUT FROM SOME OTHER PEOPLE THAT THESE ARE GREAT, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT WOULD THAT WE'RE MISSING THIS AND CAN WE SHOW THEM HOW TO DO THAT? AND SO THEY'RE CONTINUING TO CREATE VIDEOS THAT WILL BE UPLOADED AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET THEM READY. SO I THINK THAT KIND OF CONCLUDES ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE PROVIDED. I'M NOT SURE IF MS. GLOVER HAS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO SHARE OR IF YOU WOULD JUST HAVE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD. DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? MR. NUESSLE? I WANT TO GET ONE IN REAL QUICK AND THEN GO TO YOU AND I'LL MAYBE COME BACK.

BUT THE ONE DETAIL QUESTION, MAYBE FOR MS. GLOVER, I MAKE AN ASSUMPTION GOING BACK IN THE SLIDE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS LIVE STREAMING FROM HOME, IF THEY'RE QUARANTINED AND THINGS LIKE THAT, FOLKS ARE NOT USING THEIR SICK LEAVE TO DO THAT, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. OK.

WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD BECAUSE I GOT TWO QUESTIONS.

OKAY, WELL, UM, SO IT'S MORE OF AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK THIS IS.

SO I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TWO KIDS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THE TEACHERS I CAN SEE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE ON QUARANTINE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING READY MADE OR A SYSTEM IN PLACE WHERE WE HAVE 4000 KIDS QUARANTINED, WE'RE READY TO SWITCH LIKE THAT FOR THEM.

AND MY GENERAL QUESTION IS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS NOW, BUT NEXT TIME, IF THERE IS A NEXT TIME WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS OUT.

WHAT ABOUT THIS STRUCTURE IN PLACE WILL MAKE IT EASIER? I MEAN, OR I DON'T WANT US TO FORGET, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE THIS, AND WHEN THINGS GET EASY, WE LET OFF AND WITHOUT THIS BECOMING A LOT OF WORK FOR ADMINISTRATORS OR TEACHERS OR WHATEVER, WHAT ABOUT THIS MAKES IT EASIER THE NEXT TIME? WHAT THIS STRUCTURE DOES IS ONE, IT PROVIDES THE TRAINING BECAUSE AND I DO PLAN TO HAVE A PROPOSAL NEXT WEEK TO TRY TO CREATE SOME TIME BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE ACCESS TO MORE NOW THAN THEY'VE EVER HAD BEFORE BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEM, WHAT THEY HAVE CREATED THEMSELVES, WHAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM THROUGH THE INSTRUCTION HUB, THEY'VE GOT PLENTY OF ACCESS TO MATERIAL.

WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE IS TIME.

SO, CREATING A SCHEDULE THAT WILL ALLOW SOME TIME FOR TRAINING IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR OUR TEACHERS AND ALSO FOR OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS AS WELL.

BUT WHAT THIS WILL DO ONCE, ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT IS THAT STUDENTS WILL BE CONFIDENT IN THE USE OF THEIR DEVICES.

PARENTS HOPEFULLY WILL BE MORE CONFIDENT AS WELL, BUT TEACHERS WILL ALSO BE REMEMBER.

I SAID EARLIER THAT WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF CAPACITY IN OUR TEACHERS AND IN OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS. WELL, A LOT OF THAT WAS WE DID A LOT OF VOLUNTARY KIND OF TRAINING BECAUSE--IT'S NOBODY'S FAULT--THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING THAT OUR TEACHERS WOULD BE OVERWHELMED IF WE REQUIRED THEM TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO THEM, SO WE ASKED THEM TO PICK AND CHOOSE.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT, A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF CAPACITY THAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE AND AREN'T ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS THROUGH SCHOOLOGY THROUGH TEAMS THAT OTHERS ARE.

BY COMMITTING TO A STANDARD SYSTEM WHERE WE WILL ASK FOR AN UPDATE IN THE ESSER THREE PLAN OR THE ESSER TWO PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.

BUT BY DOING THAT, WE'LL CREATE TIME AND REQUIRE TEACHERS TO RECEIVE THE TRAINING SO THAT THEY'LL BE READY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE CLASSROOM OR AT HOME. BUT WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE COULD DO THAT BASED ON EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY HAD

[00:45:04]

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? I GOT ONE. GO AHEAD.

GOT A COUPLE. NUMBER ONE, MR. KING, THIS IS PROBABLY FOR YOU.

DOES ALL KIDS HAVE LAPTOPS AT THIS POINT.

ARE WE STILL TRYING TO DISSEMINATE THEM? ALL KIDS SHOULD HAVE LAPTOPS.

NOT ALL OF THEM ARE NEW LAPTOPS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN TO GET THEM HERE. BUT WE'VE REPURPOSED LAPTOPS THAT WE ALREADY HAD AVAILABLE.

I THINK THOSE ARE GENERALLY IN THE EARLIER GRADES, SO WHEN THE NEW ONES GET HERE WE'LL REPLACE THEM WITH THE NEW ONES.

YES, SIR. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE WITH THEM.

YES, SIR. SECONDLY, MS. DOVE, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

MS. GLOVER, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

MY ONLY PROBLEM WITH MS. DOVE, I DON'T THINK I GOT ALL OF THAT STUFF AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE, IT'S JUST THAT WAS A WHOLE LOT TO--I KNOW WE GOT SOME NOTES HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME MORE.

MY QUESTION IS THIS ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNG CHILD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MY EXPERTISE HAS BEEN. HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE GO TO A VIRTUAL SETTING THAT THESE YOUNG CHILDREN CAN OPERATE THESE LAPTOPS AND OPERATE THEM EFFICIENTLY? AND THAT'S A BIG CONCERN BECAUSE A LOT OF HOMES, WHETHER WE LIKE TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE LIKE THIS OLD MAN, HE'S NOT THEY'RE NOT REAL TECHNOLOGY WITH IT.

NOW YOU GIVE US ALL ONE OF THESE THINGS AND WE CAN DO WELL.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO MOVE FROM SITE TO SITE TO GAIN OR GATHER OR TO DO, I'M JUST A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE HAVE SOME KIND OF CONTINGENCY PLAN TO HELP THOSE FAMILIES.

SO I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, WITH THE YOUNGER STUDENTS, IT IS A CHALLENGE.

I WAS IN A CLASSROOM THE OTHER DAY AND SOME OF OUR KINDERGARTEN KIDS WERE ACCIDENTALLY TURNING THEIR COMPUTER OFF WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO JUST GET IT SET ON THEIR DESK, RIGHT? SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE TO GET USED TO, AND IT IS A CHALLENGE.

SO A COUPLE OF THINGS I WILL TELL YOU, SCHOOLOGY HAS ACTUALLY LAST MONTH THEY PUSHED OUT WHAT THEY'RE CALLING THE ELEMENTARY EXPERIENCE.

IT IS A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE SCHOOLOGY PLATFORM.

THE ISSUE WITH IT, WHEN THEY PUSHED IT OUT IN AUGUST, WE STARTED KIND OF PLAYING WITH IT AND WE FOUND LOTS OF FLAWS RIGHT NOW.

SCHOOLOGY IS AWARE OF THAT FLAW; WE MET WITH THEM LAST FRIDAY.

THEY ARE WORKING ON IT AND HOPE TO HAVE THOSE FLAWS FIXED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, SO IT SIMPLIFIES THE LOOK AND FEEL OF SCHOOLOGY FOR THOSE YOUNGER KIDS.

BUT WE'RE ALSO, IN-LIEU OF THAT BECAUSE AND WE HAVE NOT--LOTS OF TEACHERS ARE PROBABLY LIKE "WHAT?" BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T MENTIONED IT UNTIL TONIGHT.

I HAVEN'T PUSHED IT OUT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUSH OUT SOMETHING THAT WE KNEW HAD FLAWS. SO WE'RE KIND OF WAITING ON THEM TO FIX THE SYSTEM AND THEN WE'LL ROLL OUT.

IT'S REALLY EASY ONCE IT'S ALL FIXED.

IT'S JUST A CLICK OF A BUTTON AND THEN THE STUDENTS WILL SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

BUT THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN KIND OF WORKING WITH THOSE YOUNGER TEACHERS ON IS SIMPLIFYING.

SO RATHER THAN HAVING A KINDERGARTEN CHILD WHEN THEY LOG INTO SCHOOLOGY THERE ARE FIVE COURSES BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ONE FOR READING, ONE FOR WRITING, ONE FOR MATH AND SCIENCE, TO JUST USE ONE AND TO PUT ALL OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS IN THAT ONE COURSE SO THAT WHEN STUDENTS GO IN, THEY'RE NOT GOING INTO FIVE DIFFERENT COURSES.

THEY'RE GOING TO ONE AND EVERYTHING THEY NEED AND ORGANIZING IT IN THIS IS DAY ONE ONLY MAKING AVAILABLE THIS WEEK'S WORK LIKE SO THAT WHEN A STUDENT LOGS IN, THEY'RE NOT LOGGING IN AND SEEING THE LAST SIX WEEKS WORTH OF WORK.

THEY'RE JUST SEEING THIS WEEK'S FOLDERS IN THERE.

AND SO THEY KNOW JUST CLICK ON MONDAY, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GOING TO.

SO WE'RE REALLY KIND OF WORKING WITH TEACHERS ON MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE WAY WE SIMPLIFY THOSE ASSIGNMENTS, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT FOR THOSE YOUNGER KIDS, YOU KNOW, THE DIGITAL PART OF A DISCUSSION BOARD AND TYPING INTO MIGHT NOT BE AS IMPORTANT AS TAKE A PICTURE OF DRAW A PICTURE ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND THEN TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT AND UPLOAD IT.

SO WORKING WITH THEM ON HOW DO YOU TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOUR DEVICE.

I KNOW. AND SIMPLE THINGS LIKE THAT, RATHER THAN THEM HAVING TO TYPE AND READ AS MUCH WATCHING VIDEOS RECORDING THEMSELVES.

[00:50:01]

THERE'S AN ASSIGNMENT WHERE THEY CAN JUST PRESS THE MICROPHONE BUTTON AND IT WILL RECORD THEM SO THEY CAN RATHER THAN WRITING ANYTHING OR TYPING ANYTHING, THEY CAN TELL THEIR TEACHER WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE VIDEO.

SO USING THINGS LIKE THAT, RATHER THAN SOME OF THE MORE COMPLEX DRAG AND DROP ASSIGNMENTS THAT WE MIGHT USE IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, THAT'S NOT A PERFECT ANSWER.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE I'M PICKING ON YOU BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU I'M NOT, BUT I AM TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT PUT ME HERE AND THEIR CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT THEY NEED. AND I MAY BE ASKING SOME STRANGE STUFF, BUT WE'VE GOT THESE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES. I CAN SEE A LOT OF THE I HATE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, BUT SOME OF OUR TEACHERS THAT MAYBE HAVE BEEN AROUND A GOOD WHILE, AND THEIR TECHNOLOGY SKILLS MAY NOT BE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO BE.

AND THEY MAY BE LIKE ME THAT DON'T WANT TO LEARN A WHOLE LOT MORE OF THAT STUFF.

BUT ARE THEY AND ARE THE PARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE SOME OF THIS STUFF HAVE A RESOURCE TO COME TO WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO COACH THEM? AND WHAT ROLE WILL THESE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES PLAY WITH THESE TEACHERS IN HELPING THEM INSTRUCT AS WELL? I KNOW THAT'S A LOT, BUT THAT JUST KEEPS JUMPING AT ME AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, AND IF WE DON'T, I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE TOO SMART NOT TO BE.

SOMEBODY OVER HERE. HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY.

YES. SO I WILL START WITH FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM.

YOU KNOW, THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT TEACHERS.

I THINK THEY HAVE PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOST TEACHERS IN BUILDINGS AS WELL AS THE LITERACY COACHES.

BUT WE'RE AVAILABLE ANY TIME WE ENCOURAGE ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS TO REACH OUT TO US.

WE HAVE THEY GO OUT TO SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME AND WORK WITH TEACHERS INDIVIDUALLY.

I HAD A CI TODAY THAT WAS OVER AT ONE OF OUR SITES WORKING WITH THE SUBSTITUTE WHO'S DEALING WITH SOME DIGITAL REMOTE LEARNING THINGS.

SO WE'RE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT AT ANY REQUEST.

WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP AS BEST WE CAN.

WOULD THE PARENT START WITH THE PRINCIPAL OF A SCHOOL, SEEKING HELP? YES, THEY WOULD START WITH THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL OR THEIR TEACHER.

DEFINITELY THE TEACHER.

BUT I WANTED TO MENTION YOU ASKED ABOUT THE READING COACH AND WHAT ROLE THE LITERACY COACH WOULD PLAY IN THAT.

SO THEY HAVE SPECIFIC ROLES FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT WE SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT ABOUT EVERY YEAR.

AND SO THEY'RE THERE TO SUPPORT READING INSTRUCTION.

AND SO DIGITAL INSTRUCTION HAS A PART IN THAT.

BUT THEY'RE SUPPORT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOR THIS DIGITAL ROLLOUT.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'LL FIGURE IT OUT OR ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.

I HAVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO GET A FOUNDATION BECAUSE I'M HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING.

THIS IS WHAT? IS THIS THE PLAN FOR WHAT WE DO WHEN STUDENTS ARE QUARANTINED? AND IS THIS INTENDED AS AN ADJUNCT TO LIVE INSTRUCTION OR AS A REPLACEMENT FOR LIVE INSTRUCTION? LIVE INSTRUCTION IS PART OF.

WHAT PART OF IT? SO WE HAVE MADE IT OPTIONAL AT THIS POINT.

LIVE INSTRUCTION AS ONE OF OUR OPTIONS FOR WHEN STUDENTS ARE QUARANTINED, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK A PLAN NEXT WEEK.

I PLAN TO MAKE A MOTION TONIGHT THAT WE REQUIRE THE BULK OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM TO BE LIVE INSTRUCTION.

OKAY, SO JUST BE PREPARED.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL PASS, BUT I'M TIRED OF OPTIONS.

I'M TIRED OF COMPUTER SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE NOT SUPPLEMENTS, BUT REPLACEMENTS FOR CLASSROOM TEACHING AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO SEE WHERE YOU ARE BEFORE I KNOW WHETHER TO GO CRAZY OR NOT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK DR.

HANKS HAS A QUESTION. I DID, AND YOU JUST ANSWERED ONE OF THEM.

I SAW THE OPTIONS AND I WAS WANTING TO KNOW WHO GETS TO DECIDE THAT OPTION BECAUSE I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT COMPLAINTS ABOUT PAPER PACKETS.

SO, AND WITH THAT, UNDER THE THINGS TO CONSIDER, TEAMS IS THAT AT SOME POINT GOING TO BE A MANDATE BY THE ADMINISTRATORS, NOT AN OPTION.

EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A TEAM IN PLACE SO THAT THERE'S NO SCRAMBLING WHEN A TEACHER CALLS IN AND SAYS, I CAN'T DO WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO TODAY.

[00:55:04]

OK. WE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLIER THIS MORNING ABOUT REQUIREMENTS GOING BACK TO THE LIVE INSTRUCTION.

WE HAVEN'T REQUIRED IT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PROVISO AND BEING UNSURE OF WHAT THE STATE'S REQUIREMENT WAS GOING TO BE FOR REPORTING.

BUT YES, WE WE PLAN TO MANDATE USING TEAMS AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS KNOW HOW AND WE'LL PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.

GOOD BECAUSE A LOT OF TEACHERS HAVE ALSO SAID, IF YOU ASK THAT I GO VIRTUAL TOMORROW, I AM IN NO WAY PREPARED TO DO SO.

I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION AND THIS HAS TO DO A CONCERN I HAVE FOR OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A RECAP? IS THERE AN IMMEDIATE GO TO? WHAT DO WE DO AND WHAT DOES THAT CHECKLIST LOOK LIKE WHEN A SPECIAL ED STUDENT HAS TO BE OUT OF THE CLASS FOR 14 DAYS? SO OUR SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS HAVE WORKED CLOSELY TOGETHER AND SHE IS RIGHT OVER HERE.

MIKE CAN ANSWER THIS MUCH BETTER.

CERTAINLY CAN ANSWER THIS MUCH BETTER THAN I.

BUT FOR EACH SPECIAL ED STUDENT, THERE IS A CONTINGENCY PLAN.

AND SO SOME OF THAT SUPPORT WOULD BE THROUGH TEAMS. LATOYA, DO YOU WANT? GOOD EVENING.

BASED ON LAST SCHOOL YEAR, SO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAD SERVICES THROUGH THE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL PLANS OR CONTINGENCY PLANS PUT IN PLACE THAT WERE DEVELOPED BY THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED IEP TEAMS. SO THOSE TEAMS COLLABORATED TO DETERMINE WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICES THEY WOULD RECEIVE, THE DURATION OF TIME THEY WOULD RECEIVE IT AND THEN WHAT METHOD THEY WOULD RECEIVE IT SO THAT IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE TEAM EFFORT AND NOT AN INDIVIDUALIZED TEACHER DIRECTED EFFORT.

AND SO WE ARE RESORTING TO THOSE PLANS IN THE EVENT OF IMMEDIATE QUARANTINES.

AS WE'RE HAVING IEP MEETINGS, WE'RE UPDATING THOSE PLANS TO MATCH THE STUDENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE [INAUDIBLE].

DO THE IEPS NOW INCLUDE YOUR CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR [INAUDIBLE] PARENTS HAVE SIGNED OFF ON AN IEP THAT CONTAINS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IF YOU HAVE TO--YES, SIR, SO THOSE PLANS ARE IN PLACE IN THE EVENT OF A FULL SCHOOL CLOSURE, A SCHOOL DISTRICT CLOSURE, EVEN IF WE HAD A HURRICANE AND WAS ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, NEEDED TO SHIFT TO REMOTE LEARNING QUICKLY.

THOSE PLANS WOULD BE IN PLACE AND OUR TEAMS ARE READY TO IMPLEMENT THEM.

THEY'RE NOT FINE PRINT AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE? YES, SIR. AND WE ARE ACTUALLY COLLABORATING WITH THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT TEAM SO THAT IF PARENTS HAVE IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORTS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DISPATCH INDIVIDUALIZED CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE FAMILIES.

AND YOU HAVE PROVISIONS.

WHAT ABOUT KIDS WHO NEED SPEECH THERAPY OR PHYSICAL THERAPY? OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY? YES, SIR. SO WE HAVE WE ACTUALLY HAVE PURCHASED DIFFERENT PLATFORMS, AND WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED ADDITIONS TO THE MICROSOFT TEAMS PLATFORM SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO STILL PROVIDE THAT INSTRUCTION IN A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT.

HOW DO YOU DO PHYSICAL THERAPY OVER THE COMPUTER? SO I LEAVE THAT TO MY EXPERTS, BUT I HAVE SEEN SOME SPEECH THERAPY SESSIONS WHERE THEY ARE ACTUALLY COLLABORATING WITH THE STUDENTS.

NOW SOME OF IT, DEPENDING ON THE STUDENT'S LEVEL OF ABILITY, IT IS INCLUDING THE PARENT AND HAVING THE PARENT HELP TO SUPPORT THAT.

BUT THEN WE'RE PULLING IN PARENT SUPPORT TO TEACH THE PARENT.

THIS IS WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.

THIS IS HOW YOU OPERATE IT FROM YOUR END SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COLLABORATE IN THE EVENT THAT WE'RE STILL PROVIDING THAT IF WE SEE ANY LEVEL OF REGRESSION, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE COMPENSATORY SERVICES TO ACTUALLY RECOUP THOSE SKILLS AS WELL.

SO WE TRY AND HIT IT FROM BOTH ENDS.

ONE TRY AND KEEP IT GOING, IF WE NOTICE ANY LEVEL OF REGRESSION, THEN WE ACTUALLY PULL IN ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS.

IF ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO MEET A CHILD IN A FACE TO FACE CAPACITY, WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO USE LAPTOPS.

SO WE'VE WORKED WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM TO ENSURE THOSE STUDENTS HAVE IPADS WHERE THEY'RE STILL ABLE TO REACH AND HAVE THEIR SPEECH THERAPY SUPPORTED THROUGH THOSE AS WELL. YOU MUST HAVE A LOT MORE RESOURCES THAN I HAD WHEN I RAN SPECIAL PROGRAM.

WE'VE BEEN BLESSED AND WE UTILIZED OUR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS LAST SCHOOL YEAR VERY WELL.

[CHUCKLING] ANYBODY ELSE? I'D LIKE TO BUILD ON THE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION.

SO THE PROPOSAL WE PLAN TO BRING WOULD DO JUST WHAT YOU SAID.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS BASED ON THE STATE PROVISO, ONE OF WHICH IS PAYMENT FOR TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN DUAL MODALITIES.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT BEING ALL OF OUR TEACHERS.

SO THAT'S WHY AN AMENDMENT TO OUR ESSER TWO OR ESSER THREE PLAN WOULD BE REQUIRED.

[01:00:02]

BUT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND THEY'VE ASSURED US THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE MADE MUCH SIMPLER, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITHOUT OVERBURDENING OUR TEACHERS OR OUR DISTRICT STAFF THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THAT REPORTING.

MS. SHEALEY? I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.

AS FAR AS THE AND YOU TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT AGO, BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE DETAILS ON MAKING LIVESTREAMING MANDATORY, ESPECIALLY IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS? AND HOW WOULD THE CONFIDENTIALITY BE HANDLED? SO DO YOU MEAN AS FAR AS STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SHOWING STUDENTS? RIGHT.

SO IN OUR INSTRUCTIONS THAT WE SHARED, WE'VE ASKED FOR STUDENTS NOT TO BE ON THE SCREEN THAT THE TEACHERS, THE TEACHER BE THE FOCAL POINT OF THE VIDEO OR HER WHITEBOARD.

OR IF A TEACHERS SHOW IN A POWERPOINT, IF SHE'S DOING LIVE INSTRUCTION THROUGH TEAMS, THEN OF COURSE, YOU WOULDN'T SHOW THE STUDENTS YOU WOULD SHOW YOUR WHITEBOARD OR THE POWERPOINT. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER DETAILS? I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT ANY OTHER DETAILS THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH US ON THE LIVE STREAMING THAT MIGHT HELP US UNDERSTAND IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT RUN A LITTLE BIT MORE SMOOTHLY.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE HAVING TO TRAIN TEACHERS ON AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LEARNING. SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

IF THE TEACHER IS AT HOME PROVIDING THE LIVE STREAMING FROM HIS OR HER HOME, THEN THAT LOOKS LIKE A SUBSTITUTE IN THE CLASSROOM.

OR IT MIGHT BE THE LITERACY COACH GETS THEM STARTED AND SOMEBODY ELSE COMES AND WATCHES THE CLASS FOR THE TEACHER TO PROVIDE THE INSTRUCTION FROM HOME.

AND SO THE STUDENTS ARE WATCHING THE INSTRUCTION ON A WHITEBOARD WHILE IT'S STREAMED FROM THE TEACHER'S HOME. OR IF THE TEACHER IS WELL AND IN THE BUILDING, THEN SHE CAN OPEN HER LAPTOP. SHE OR HE CAN OPEN HIS OR HER LAPTOP OR THERE MIGHT BE A CAMERA THAT'S PLACED ON HER DESKTOP OR A CAMERA FACING THE BOARD.

AND SO STUDENTS WHO ARE AT HOME HAVE THEIR DEVICES AND THEY'RE WATCHING FROM HOME WHAT THE TEACHER DOES ON THE WHITEBOARD OR IF SHE'S STANDING AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.

BUT OUR ADVICE TO SCHOOLS IS FOR STUDENT FACES TO NOT BE SHOWN.

OK, AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION AS FAR AS THE DEVICES, AS YOU SAID THAT THEY ARE TO BE BROUGHT HOME EVERY DAY UNDER THESE THINGS, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A MANDATE.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THAT.

YES, MA'AM. SO, WE HAVE SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE ROLLING IT OUT.

BUT OUR GOAL, WE TOLD THEM BY THE END OF THE FIRST NINE WEEKS THAT THEY SHOULD BE GOING HOME WITH STUDENTS EVERY DAY.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE TO SAY, AS I'VE EXPRESSED BEFORE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I STILL AM CONCERNED ABOUT OUR AREAS RIDGE SPRING AND WAGENER BEING ABLE TO ACCESS, YOU KNOW, FROM HOME BECAUSE OF THE INTERNET SERVICE, BECAUSE THE BROADBAND JUST ISN'T THERE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO THAT STILL IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ME.

YES, MA'AM. PART OF MY PROGRAM THAT I WANT TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT IS THAT IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH WI-FI, WE CAN VIDEOTAPE OR WHATEVER THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY IS, YOU NO LONGER USE VIDEO TAPE, BUT ANY WAY YOU MAKE A ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF THE ACTUAL CLASSROOM DAY USING THE CONFIDENTIALITY THINGS THAT MS. GLOVER [INAUDIBLE] RECORDED AND YOU SEND IT HOME VIA SOME YET TO BE DETERMINED MECHANISM . IF WE GO TO DELIVERING FOOD TO STUDENTS WHO ARE QUARANTINED OR A POVERTY LEVEL STUDENT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PUT IN THE FOOD BAG AND HAVE IT DELIVERED, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE DAYS AT A TIME SO THAT THE KID AT HOME MIGHT BE BEHIND WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON IN THE CLASS, BUT THEY CAN SEE WHAT WENT ON TWO OR THREE DAYS AGO AND LEARN FROM THAT INSTRUCTION.

THEN WE'D HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT IT SOMEHOW.

I MEAN, THEY ARE AT A MAJOR DISADVANTAGE NO MATTER WHAT WE DO.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN'T EVEN USE THE TOOLS THAT MS. GLOVER AND MS.

[01:05:01]

ME FIRST, BARRY, ME FIRST.

[CHUCKLING] SO MS. GLOVER YOU ANSWERED PART OF THE QUESTION I'M GOING TO ASK, SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE FINALLY GOT LAPTOPS IN THE HANDS OF EVERY STUDENT.

THAT'S WHAT I HEARD, RIGHT? EVERY STUDENT AT LEAST HAS A DEVICE.

THEY SHOULD, YES. SO WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES NOW TO THEM TAKING THOSE DEVICES HOME WITH THEM? I MEAN, THAT'S NOW ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS THAT I'M HEARING THAT I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM HOME.

WHAT OBSTACLES ARE THERE TO THAT HAPPENING? BECAUSE I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE HAD THEM FROM DAY ONE FOR ALL THESE QUARANTINED STUDENTS IF WE WERE IN A POSITION TO USE THEM, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. BUT SO WHAT'S KEEPING US FROM IT? THE ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, MAYBE THEY CAN CORRECT ME.

SO I KNOW THAT WE HAD A FEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WERE ROLLING THEM OUT AND GETTING THEM USED TO THEM IN THE CLASSROOMS. WE'VE BEEN ASKING THEM TO PRACTICE REMOTE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM, SO I'M NOT SURE IF ALL OF THEM HAVE SENT THEM HOME.

BUT ORIGINALLY OUR REQUEST WAS BY THE END OF THE NINE WEEKS.

BUT WE DID SAY IF YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE A REMOTE, I MEAN, WHO ARE QUARANTINED, YOU KNOW, SEND THEM HOME.

BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING UP TOWARD.

OK, THAT'S FAIR. NO FORMS? YES, SIR, WE DO HAVE FORMS. IS THAT AN OBSTACLE TO THESE LAPTOPS GOING HOME RIGHT NOW? SHOULDN'T BE AN OBSTACLE.

OK, GOOD.

IT SHOULDN'T BE AN OBSTACLE.

DO YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW? I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I JUST I KNOW THAT GOODNESS.

WE GOT THE CONSENT TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FORMS IN THERE DAY ONE.

BUT FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, THESE FORMS HAVE BEEN AN OBSTACLE TO THEM GOING HOME.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T ANY.

WELL, IT WOULD BE AN OBSTACLE IF THE PARENT DOESN'T WANT THE COMPUTER.

SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO WON'T SIGN THE ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THE COMPUTER. WE JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF EXPECT IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THE PARENT HAS A COMPUTER AT HOME FOR THE STUDENT TO USE FOR INSTRUCTION IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE QUARANTINED OR ISOLATED.

OK, THANK YOU, MR. MOULTON. THANK YOU, MS. GLOVER, FIRST OF ALL, I WILL DEFINITELY AGREE I KNOW WHAT MR. SMITH SAID, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY, WORKING HARD AND YOU'RE WORKING INTELLIGENTLY TO COME UP WITH THE BEST ANSWERS.

THE QUESTION I HAD, AND I DON'T MEAN THIS IN A WRONG WAY, IS THIS REALITY? BECAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS, DO YOU HAVE A MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEACHERS ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO USE ALL OF THESE TOOLS? YOU KNOW, I HEARD YOU SAY ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MS. DOVE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS AND WE'VE EVEN KIND OF REVAMPED SOME OF THOSE.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT WORKING FOR THE TEACHERS? YOU KNOW, CAN YOU GO IN AND ASSESS HOW THIS IS GOING FOR THE TEACHERS WITH A QUARANTINE STUDENT OR SPECIAL ED STUDENT? YOU KNOW, CAN YOU ASSESS HOW IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING? AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RELY ON OUR ADMINISTRATORS BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE IN EVERY CLASSROOM. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL AS ANY SUPPORT STAFF THEY HAVE SO THAT THEY CAN HELP SUPPORT TEACHERS IN THEIR BUILDING AS WELL AS OUR TEAM.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY NEED AND WE GET FEEDBACK ON THE SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE THEM TO ASK.

AND MICKI MENTIONED HOW WE'VE HAD TO CHANGE SOME THINGS UP BECAUSE IT IT WASN'T THE BEST OPTION FOR TEACHERS. BUT SO BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATORS IN THE BUILDING TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS ARE ARE USING THE PROGRAMS AND THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE MONITORED, YOU KNOW, REFLEX AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT AS FAR AS SCHOOLOGY, WE CAN SEE WHO'S LOGGING IN AND WHO'S USING IT FOR ASSIGNMENTS. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT CHECK IN PLACE YET.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST FOCUSING ON THE TEACHER TRAINING PIECE.

I JUST HAVE ONE SUGGESTION.

I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE IT COVERED WELL AND I JUST SEE THE ADMINISTRATORS GETTING OVERWHELMED. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT.

FIRST, THE TEACHERS WILL BE OVERWHELMED AND THE ADMINISTRATORS WILL BE OVERWHELMED.

AND SO IT'S NICE TO KNOW THEY HAVE AN OPTION.

THEY CAN CALL A COUNSELOR AND, YOU KNOW, GET SOME HELP.

THE ONLY THING I'D RECOMMEND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHICH YOU PROBABLY DO THIS ANYWAY, IS MAYBE IF YOU DON'T GET THOSE CALLS, MAYBE YOU GUYS CALL THEM ON OCCASION BECAUSE I COULD

[01:10:02]

WELL, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF USING CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION REMOTELY IS THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE TRAINED AND PRACTICED DESIGNING LESSONS, MAKING LESSON PLANS, FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS. SO BY BROADCASTING THE TEACHER TEACHING LIVE IN SOME MECHANISM TO STUDENTS, THEY DO THE SAME THING THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE.

IT'S NOT NEW. THERE'S NOT A BIG LEARNING CURVE TO TAKE ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF TECHNOLOGY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

THEY CAN USE THE RESOURCES IF THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THEM, IF THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE DOING WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE, THEY CAN DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, THE IDEA HERE IS TO TRY TO RETURN TEACHING BACK TO THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.

YOU KNOW, BASICALLY TEACHING NOW IS WHAT IT WAS WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.

A LOT MORE RESOURCES, A LOT MORE TECHNOLOGY, A LOT MORE WHATEVER.

BUT THE BASIC RELATIONSHIP WAS A GOOD TEACHER STANDING BEFORE A BUNCH OF KIDS GUIDING THEIR LEARNING AND PRESENTING INFORMATION AND COACHING THEM ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT INFORMATION [INAUDIBLE].

AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE A RETURN TO.

WHEN YOU USE THIS PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM FOR CURRICULUM NEEDS, IT'S A DISJOINTED APPROACH.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S TOO MANY DIFFERENT HEADS PUTTING IT TOGETHER, PLANNING IT.

AND I JUST I JUST WANT TO PUT THE TEACHER BACK IN CHARGE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM.

AND THE ONLY WAY I CAN THINK OF IT TO DO THAT IS TO TRY TO PUT THE CLASSROOM IN THE HOME.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T PUT A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEARNING PROGRAM OUT THERE.

YOU TAKE THE TEACHER, THE ONE THAT THE KID HAS BEEN IN ALL YEAR UNTIL HE GOT QUARANTINE.

AND YOU PRESENT THAT PROGRAM, THE CONTINUATION OF THAT PROGRAM TO THE CHILD IN HIS HOME.

NOW I REALIZE THAT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

AND THERE'S A BIG, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME WORKING OUT AND THE SPECIFICS NEED TO BE WORKED OUT, NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT AT SOME POINT BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO.

BUT THAT'S THE IDEA WE ARE RUNNING, YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND WE GOT A LOT OF OTHER TOPICS WE NEED TO COVER.

SO LET'S JUST THANK MS. GLOVER AND MOVE ON TO--NO I HAVE A QUESTION.

MS. GLOVER, EVERYONE, I WANT TO DIFFER A LITTLE BIT WITH DR.

BRADLEY BECAUSE TEACHING THIS TEACHING IS EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID, BUT THERE IS SOME OBSTACLES THAT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET USED TO IN DOING IT THIS WAY.

AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A MORE PRECISE PLANNING.

AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK--I'VE TALKED WITH MANY OF THEM THAT DID THE VIRTUAL THIS YEAR AND THEY SAID IT WAS TOUGH.

IT WAS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN STANDING THERE TEACHING.

BUT AS DR.

BRADLEY SAID, THAT IS WHERE WE ULTIMATELY WANT TO GET THERE.

BUT I DON'T WANT ANY OF US TO THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE JUST CUT DRY, WE CAN GO BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, AND OUR TEACHERS NEED SOME TIME TO DEVELOP THOSE SKILLS AND HONE THEM DOWN.

FURTHERMORE, I WANT TO JUST EXPRESS THIS ONE THING AND I'M THROUGH.

WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE THESE PARENTS AND THESE STUDENTS THAT MAY NOT BE SO LITERATE ON TECHNOLOGY TO FEEL WELCOME TO COME AND ASK QUESTIONS AND FEEL WELCOME, AND THAT NOBODY GIVES THEM A FLIP OFF.

AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A BAD WAY.

I JUST MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL KIND OF BUSY RIGHT NOW, CAN I? YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT TO MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME TO JOIN AND IT'S GOT TO BE A TEAM EFFORT WITH THEM, AND I WANT TO REALLY STRESS THAT.

ALL RIGHT NOW, MAYBE WE CAN MOVE ON.

MR. CHAIR? I AGREE, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THAT AND WE'LL MOVE ON, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. I'LL DO ONE ON ONE FOR MYSELF AND THE EDITORIAL COMMENT I WOULD MAKE IS, I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU, I THINK THIS IS A ROSY PICTURE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

AND BUT I APPRECIATE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

I SHOULD HAVE MADE SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BEFORE THIS BEGAN ABOUT WHAT THE MAJOR REASON FOR HAVING THIS MEETING WAS, AND I THINK PROBABLY EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN WHICH THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THAT CAUSED US TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

I PROMISED MR. CRANE THAT I WOULD AT LEAST TELL PEOPLE HE'S NOT HERE BECAUSE HE'S ILL, HE'S NOT BEING DERELICT IN NEGLECTING HIS DUTIES, BUT HE WANTED TO BE HERE, BUT HE'S NOT FEELING WELL ALL DAY AND COULD NOT BE HERE.

AS YOU KNOW, WE STRUGGLED LAST YEAR WITH A NUMBER OF THINGS HAVING TO DO WITH COVID, MOSTLY ABOUT WHETHER TO BE FULL TIME OR HYBRID OR WHATEVER.

[01:15:04]

AND THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE US A VIRTUAL OPTION TO UP TO FIVE PERCENT OF OUR ENROLLMENT. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE ISSUE.

I STILL GET EMAILS.

I GOT MANY EMAILS TODAY WANTING TO DEAL WITH HYBRID, WANTING TO DEAL WITH FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION AND SO FORTH.

BUT OUR HANDS ARE TIED.

WE GOT FIVE DAYS FACE TO FACE WITH A FIVE PER CENT CAP ON VIRTUAL.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. THE OTHER THING IS THAT A LITTLE LATER ON THEY DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO WEAR A MASK.

AND SO WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE PROVISO FORBIDDING, WELL, TELLING THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT IF WE MANDATE MASKS, THEY CAN TAKE AWAY OUR STATE MONIES.

SO THAT'S NOT A PRETTY GOOD DEAL FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.

THAT'S ONE WAY TO INCREASE YOUR VIRTUAL, THOUGH, TAKE AWAY THE STATE MONEY AND MOVE CLOSE TO SCHOOLS AND THEN EVERYBODY WILL BE AT HOME.

GOOD CHOICE. THE LEGISLATURE SEEMS TO WANT TO BE THE SCHOOL BOARD THESE DAYS, AND THEY KEEP TAKING MORE AND MORE AUTHORITY ON THEIR OWN, AND THEY'RE NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB AT IT, IN MY OPINION.

IT'S ALL POLITICAL.

THEY'RE POLITICIZING THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE HEALTH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, DEAL WITH THE THINGS THAT THEY TRADITIONALLY DEAL WITH AND THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DEAL WITH WHAT IT NEEDS TO.

HAVING SAID ALL THAT, WE ARE ALSO GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURES YOU HEARD A FEW MOMENTS AGO TO IGNORE THE STATE LAW AND MANDATE MASKS.

AND I DON'T KNOW, WE'VE NOT POLLED THE BOARD OR HAD A VOTE ON THAT OR ANYTHING, BUT IN A FEW INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD, I'VE HAD OTHER BOARD MEMBERS EXPRESSED THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT READY TO INTENTIONALLY BREAK THE LAW AND NEITHER AM I.

WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IF WE NEED TO.

I'LL LEAVE IT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS TO BRING THAT UP IF WE NEED TO.

THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS THAT I'VE GOTTEN ABOUT SOME RESPONSE TO THE LEGISLATURE. I'VE HAD SUGGESTIONS OF MEETING WITH THEM.

I'VE HAD SUGGESTIONS OF WRITING LETTERS AND EVEN TODAY I HAD A SUGGESTION THAT WE PASS A RESOLUTION ON THESE LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SCHOOL BOARD WANTS TO DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

I HAVE, AND I KNOW OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS, AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY WELL TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT BE THAT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND THE PRESIDENT PRO-TEM OF THE SENATE ARE NOT WILLING TO CALL THEM BACK IN THE SESSION EARLY.

AND I THINK THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT GOING BACK IN THE SESSION IN NOVEMBER SOMETIME.

I'M ALSO TOLD THAT IF THEY WENT BACK IN THE SESSION, THE REPEAL OF THE PROVISO WOULD NOT PASS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR NOT WEARING MASK AMONG THE HOUSE MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR. AND, THEY JUST DON'T THINK THAT EVEN IN THE SENATE WHERE THEY WOULD IT WOULD PROBABLY PASS, EXCEPT THAT THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD PROBABLY FILIBUSTER THE PROVISO. SO THAT'S WHAT I KNOW FROM THE LEGISLATORS.

DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THESE THINGS? I HAVE A STATEMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE.

THE DISTRICT IS DOING THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE AT COMING UP WITH LEARNING OPTIONS AND RESOURCES FOR THOSE WHO ARE AT HOME IN QUARANTINE.

EVERYONE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TEACHERS TO BUS DRIVERS TO NUTRITIONAL STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE STRESSED, TIRED AND SIMPLY WORN OUT BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS ESSENTIALLY TIED THE SCHOOL BOARD'S HANDS AND IMPLEMENTING MASK MANDATES.

EVERYONE WITHIN THE DISTRICT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE TIRED, WORN OUT OR DECEASED IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE TO HELP SLOW DOWN COVID 19 WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.

TRUTHFULLY, WITH OVER 4000 STUDENTS QUARANTINING, NOT TO MENTION TEACHERS AND STAFF.

SADLY, THERE IS NOT MUCH LEARNING GOING ON.

IT'S JUST NOT. I AM PLEADING WITH MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO CONSIDER A MASK MANDATE IN SPITE OF.

I UNDERSTAND THE LAW.

[01:20:02]

BUT THIS IS A HEALTH ISSUE.

THIS IS A LIFE ISSUE.

OR TO GO VIRTUAL FOR A SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME.

PLEASE. SIMPLY PLEASE, IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

ANYBODY ELSE? MR. NUESSLE? YEAH, MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU.

SO, WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS MORE ABOUT I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A STAND MAKE A STATEMENT. AND WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT I DON'T THINK OUR HANDS ARE TIED TO DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

WE CAN STILL ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE THINK IS RIGHT WITH THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BOXED US IN.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN BREAKING THE LAW.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS I THINK IT'S FAIRLY REASONABLE FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY.

BUT WE HAVE A STATE LAW THAT SAYS WE CAN'T EVEN CONSIDER IT.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS JUST LOCAL CONTROL.

WE MAY STILL END UP IN THE SAME SPOT, BUT AT LEAST WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.

THE NINE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, THEY'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS, I'M TALKING TO THE CAMERA, THEY'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS. THEY'RE PART OF YOUR CHURCH FAMILY, THEY WENT TO SCHOOL WITH YOU.

THEY CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN.

AND SIMPLY PUT, I TRUST THE NINE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, TO MAKE THAT DECISION WHEREVER WE END UP MORE THAN SOMEONE REMOVED IN COLUMBIA.

SO I HAVE A VERY LOOSE MOTION, RIGHT.

NOT WITH SPECIFICS.

I THINK WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT, BUT I MOVE THAT THE BOARD MAKE A STATEMENT, A LETTER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY, ASKING FOR LOCAL CONTROL BACK ON THESE ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY AROUND STATE, THE BUDGET PROVIDES A [INAUDIBLE] 108 AROUND PROHIBITING MASKS MANDATES AND PURSUE ADVOCATING THAT.

RIGHT. AND SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO TAKE A STAND.

WHO WOULD YOU SEND A LETTER TO? WAS THAT A MOTION? I STATED IT AS A MOTION.

SO I THINK THE FOLKS THAT HAVE THE CONTROL IS THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHO CAN DO ANYTHING, I'M NOT SAYING THEY WOULD, RIGHT? BUT WHO CAN DO THIS? THE FASTEST IS I THINK YOU ADDRESSED IT TO THE FOLKS THAT CAN CALL THEM BACK INTO SESSION. OTHERWISE, YOU'RE JUST WAITING UNTIL NOVEMBER.

OK, SO THAT WOULD BE THE SPEAKER PRO TEM OF THE SENATE AND I MEAN, THIS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE SENATE.

OK. GOT A SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? DR. HANKS? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH YOU 100 PERCENT MR. NUESSLE WOULD BE WILLING TO STAND DO WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO DO TO PRESENT HOW WE FEEL AS A LOCAL BOARD AGAINST THESE POLICIES.

I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE I RECEIVED A CORRESPONDENCE FROM SOMEONE THAT REALLY TOUCHED ME. IT IS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL IN OUR DISTRICT THAT HAS CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT WHO PRETTY MUCH SAID IF THE MANDATE IS IN PLACE AS IT IS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX? AND I LOVED HER SUGGESTION OF WHY DO WE NOT CONSIDER MAYBE DIVIDING THE CLASSROOMS? YOU WANT THE MASKERS ON ONE SIDE AND THE ANTI-MASKERS ON THE OTHER.

IF THOSE STUDENTS ARE SEPARATED BY DISTANCE OF SIX FEET AND SOMETHING HAPPENS WITHIN THAT ZONE OF STUDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE MASK ON, THEY SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING OUT OF SCHOOL, NOT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE DILIGENT ABOUT WEARING THE MASK AND ARE SITTING IN A SEPARATE LOCATION FROM THEM.

IT'S JUST ONE THOUGHT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD SUGGESTION, JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, TO DO SOMETHING VERSUS THE NOTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TIED TO DO.

LET'S FIRST DEAL WITH THE MOTION AND THE SECOND AND THEN PERHAPS TALK ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO OR ADDITIONAL ACTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. I WANT TO CORRECT MR. NUESSLE ON ONE POINT THAT I DID NOT TAKE A STAND AGAINST DOING ANYTHING.

I'M TAKING A STAND AGAINST ACTIONS THAT ARE ILLEGAL.

NOT STANDING UP AND SPEAKING TO PEOPLE AND TELLING THEM I THINK THEY'RE WRONG OR WHAT THEY OUGHT TO DO. YEAH, AND MR. SMITH JUST ASKED ME IF I MEANT WRITING A LETTER OR STATEMENT OR MAKING A RESOLUTION.

[01:25:04]

OK. SO ANYBODY EXCEPT FOR ME CAN, I THINK, CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.

WELL, I'M SPEAKING ONLY FOR ME, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO MAKE A CHANGE TO YOUR MOTION TO INCLUDE A RESOLUTION AS WELL AS A LETTER.

SURE, MR. CHAIR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THIS LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND.

CAN I MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO MY OWN MOTION OR DOES SOMEONE ELSE HAVE TO AMEND IT? WHY DON'T WE LET HIM AMEND IT JUST TO BE SAFE.

ALL RIGHT. LET WHAT HE SAID MAY BE THE MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT.

GOT YOU. SO, WHAT I HEARD MR. SMITH SAY AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE A RESOLUTION IN ADDITION TO A LETTER.

AND WE'RE--WELL, I THINK IT'S A [INAUDIBLE], REALLY.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU ACCOMPLISH WITH A LETTER. I THINK THAT IN OUR VERNACULAR, THE RESOLUTION CARIES A LITTLE MORE WEIGHT THAN A LETTER. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE STRONGER STATEMENT.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY PRESENT.

WE COULD ASK MR. BARLOW, WOULD YOU STRAIGHTEN THIS OUT HERE? I THINK THE RESOLUTION IS PROBABLY A STRONGER STATEMENT THAN WAY IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE BOARD TO ACT.

I AGREE WITH YOUR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU.

SO MOVED.

OK. MR. SMITH MOVES THAT WE CHANGED THE WORD LETTER TO RESOLUTION.

OK.

ALL RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE MOTION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.

DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST? WELL, LET'S VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. YES, WE DO.

ALL IN FAVOR? MR. LAURENCE, WE NEED TO SCHEDULE THE WORKSHOP WITH THE STATE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION ON PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND THE SOONER THE BETTER.

[CHUCKLING] YES, SIR, WE'VE STARTED TALKING TO THEM ABOUT A DATE.

GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND THE MOTION FROM SAYING TO SEND A LETTER, TO SEND A RESOLUTION TO THE VARIOUS POLITICAL LEADERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODIES.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. OK, NOW THE ORIGINAL MOTION AS AMENDED.

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

THAT'S UNANIMOUS, THAT'S EVERYBODY.

NOW AS TO LET'S START WITH MASK, I GOT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SUGGESTING INCENTIVIZING THE WEARING OF MASKS. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO WEAR A MASK, LET'S REWARD THE ONES WHO DO IN SOME FASHION.

ANY IDEAS OR THOUGHTS OR WHATEVER ABOUT THAT.

SOME DISTRICTS ARE PAYING KIDS TO WEAR MASKS.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME KIND OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGES WE COULD GIVE IN-LIEU OF MONEY.

SOME, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU HAD AT LEAST A C AVERAGE AT THE END OF YOUR FIRST SEMESTER, YOU GOT THIS PIN THAT YOU WORE AND THAT MEANT YOU COULD GO HOME FOR LUNCH OR YOU COULD SKIP STUDY HALL.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT CERTAIN KINDS OF PRIVILEGES, BUT FOR BEING--WHAT THEY WOULD CALL SENIOR PRIVILEGES. WELL, MAYBE WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME MASK PRIVILEGES OR SOMETHING.

I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT CREATIVE ENOUGH TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, BUT I'M JUST ASKING FOR IDEAS. MS. RHINEHART. WELL, I HAVE MORE OF A STATEMENT THAN IDEA.

AN IDEA TO COMMENT ON THE SUGGESTION THAT I BROUGHT EARLIER FROM THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, IF THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE TEAM THINKS THAT LOGISTICALLY, THAT COULD EVEN BE AN OPTION BECAUSE THAT IN ITSELF TO ME IS A REWARD, BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR PRACTITIONER STATED THAT HER FIRST GRADER, WHO SHE ADAMANTLY MAKES WEAR A MASK ALL THE TIME, WAS LITERALLY IN TEARS, ASKING, "BUT MOMMY, I WORE MY MASK.

WHY DO I HAVE TO GO HOME?" SO IT'S NO REWARD FOR HER TO WEAR THE MASK COMPARED TO HER CLASSMATES WHO ARE NOT WEARING IT.

SO I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE MONETARY, JUST ANYTHING WE CAN SUGGEST IN SEPARATING THE STUDENTS AS A SIMPLE START.

ANYBODY ELSE? MS. RINEHART, [INAUDIBLE]. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITHOUT DR.

HANKS ON THE SEPARATION ISSUE.

I JUST THINK THAT WE'RE OPENING UP OR WE WILL BE OPENING UP A CAN OF WORMS AS FAR AS SEGREGATION. AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

[01:30:05]

WELL, I SEE YOUR POINT.

BUT QUARANTINING IS A FORM OF SEGREGATION TOO.

WELL, THE QUARANTINE ISN'T FORCED SEGREGATION AND WE WILL ESSENTIALLY BE FORCING THE KIDS IN TWO SEPARATE AREAS IN THE CLASSROOM QUARANTINE.

THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

IT'S A HEALTH ISSUE, SEGREGATED FOR MASKS, THAT'S AN ISSUE.

THAT'S CHOICE.

WELL, I THINK HAVING TO SIT IN THE CLASSROOM WITH PEOPLE NOT WEARING A MASK IS A HEALTH ISSUE, TOO, A SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE? AND I THINK MORE SO, NOT JUST THE SEGREGATION PART OF IT, MS. REINHARDT, BUT JUST TO DO SOMETHING AS AN INCENTIVE FOR THE STUDENTS WEARING THE MASK.

THEY'RE IN THE SAME CLASSROOM.

THE GIFT TO THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENT WOULD BE YOU POSSIBLY WILL NOT HAVE TO LOSE TWO WEEKS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.

ANYBODY ELSE? DR.

BRADLEY? YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE IDEA OF IT, RIGHT? IT IS AN ACTION TO TAKE TO MINIMIZE QUARANTINES.

BUT I AM AFRAID OF DISSENSION THAT IT WOULD CAUSE IN THE CLASSROOM.

I AM A LITTLE LEERY OF THAT.

I REALLY DO LIKE THE THINKING OUT OF THE BOX AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MINIMIZE QUARANTINES AND REWARD, IN A SENSE, THE ONES THAT CHOOSE TO TRY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT DISSENSION IN THE CLASS AND DIVISION.

THAT'D BE MY THOUGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE THIS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING MORE LIKE, MAYBE HAVE A PIZZA PARTY FOR THE MASK WEARERS AT SOME POINT OR DO SOMETHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IF NOTHING ELSE, WE COULD ASK FOR MAYBE THE ADMINISTRATION TO EXPLORE THE IDEA AND REPORTING BACK TO US IN A WEEK OR AT SOME POINT ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] IS THERE MERIT TO IT? IS THERE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE OR ARE WE JUST OPENING A CAN OF WORMS? WHAT IS THE [INAUDIBLE]? I KNOW SOME DISTRICTS ARE DOING IT WITH MONEY AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY DO YOU PAY PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING YOU OUGHT TO DO WITHOUT BEING PAID? WELL, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US GO TO WORK FOR FREE.

WELL, SOME OF US DO ON A SCHOOL BOARD, BUT NOT IN THE REAL WORLD.

[INAUDIBLE]. JUST THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COMMENT I HAVE IS THAT I THINK WE INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

WE WE INCENTIVIZE TEACHERS TO HAVE PERFECT ATTENDANCE.

RIGHT. I BELIEVE.

WE INCENTIVIZE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS TO GET HIGHER DEGREES OF EDUCATION.

WE PAY THEM MORE AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, I'M ALL FOR ENCOURAGING AND MAYBE EVEN DOING MORE OF AN EDUCATION WHERE APPROPRIATE AROUND, YOU KNOW WHY WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS. BUT I JUST THINK ADMINISTRATIVELY HOW ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO REWARD PEOPLE.

I MEAN, I'M NOT TRYING TO GET PETTY, BUT LIKE, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW? THIS IS IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IT, IT'S A NIGHTMARE TO ADMINISTRATE.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO PUT THAT ON ANY SCHOOL, BUT I'M ALL FOR--I DON'T HAVE GOOD IDEAS, BUT I'M ALL FOR CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE STRONGLY, AND EDUCATE.

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE [INAUDIBLE]? WHAT'S YOUR IDEAS ON HOW TO--NO, I JUST TOLD YOU, I DON'T HAVE ANY GOOD IDEAS.

I'M BEING HONEST. I HAVE AN IDEA.

SIMPLY ASK AND PLEAD, PLEASE PUT ON YOUR MASK FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OTHERS.

JUST THAT SIMPLE. AND WE'VE DONE THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND WE HAVE DONE THAT.

WE REALLY HAVE, AND WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF IT.

BUT UNTIL I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER LIFE WITHIN THE DISTRICT, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER TEACHER, BOOKKEEPER, STUDENT BUS DRIVER.

AND I JUST PLEAD WITH PARENTS, JUST SIMPLY ASK YOUR CHILDREN TO WEAR A MASK.

THAT'S ALL. IF YOU WANT US TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOBS EFFECTIVELY, LIKE I'VE GOTTEN SO MANY EMAILS, OH, MS. JACKSON, DO YOUR JOB EFFECTIVELY, BUT THIS IS IT.

I'M PLEADING WITH YOU TO PUT ON A MASK WHEN YOU VISIT THE SCHOOL.

HAVE YOUR KIDS PUT ON A MASK; HAVE THEM TO KEEP IT ON; HAVE THEM PUT ON A MASK ON THE

[01:35:06]

30! AND THEN YOU WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR KIDS GETTING TO SCHOOL LATE? COME ON, PEOPLE.

JUST PLEASE PUT ON A MASK SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO THE EDUCATION OF KIDS.

I'M OFF MY SOAPBOX. ANYBODY ELSE? IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN EXPLORING THIS FURTHER, OR YOU JUST WANT TO LET IT GO? I GUESS SILENCE MEANS WE LET IT GO.

I'VE HAD SUGGESTIONS THAT WE LOOK AT THE CLEMSON MODEL OF COVID TESTING EVERY STUDENT EVERY WEEK. AS AN ADJUNCT TO QUARANTINING AND REMOVING KIDS QUICKLY AND THAT SORT OF THING, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE CLEMSON MODEL OTHER THAN THEY TEST EVERY WEEK.

THEY HAVE AN INSTANT READ.

THEY USE THE INSTANT READ TEST OF SOME TYPE.

AND I THINK MR. LAURENCE KNOWS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO.

I'M SURE WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT EXPENSE, BUYING THE TEST AND LOOKING AT HIRING PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

UH, YES, I THINK IT WOULD, I MEAN, THERE ARE GROUPS THAT CAN CONTRACT TO DO THAT KIND OF THING. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT DOES FOR QUARANTINES, THOUGH, BECAUSE I THINK YOU END UP PROBABLY IDENTIFYING MORE STUDENTS WHO ARE POSITIVE AND ASYMPTOMATIC, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT TO CONTRACT TRACE FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

I THINK THAT WORKS ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WHERE STUDENTS MAYBE ARE MORE SEPARATED IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT I THINK IN A K-12 SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, IN CLASSROOMS WITH 20 AND 30 OR MORE STUDENTS IN THEM, I THINK WE JUST IDENTIFY MORE STUDENTS AND END UP WITH EVEN MORE QUARANTINES.

I DON'T KNOW THAT TO BE THE CASE, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH THE REGULAR TESTING OF STUDENTS LIKE THAT.

LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT THE CLEMSON MODEL, BUT THAT WAS A SUGGESTION MADE TO ME.

MIGHT BE WORTH WORTHWHILE TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO AND WHY THEY DO IT AND HOW IT HELPED. CAN I ASK YOU TO DO THAT, MR. LAURENCE? YES, SIR. [INAUDIBLE].

YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. MR. LAURENCE, I KNOW YOU'RE WRITING.

AND ONE CONCERN THAT KEEPS COMING BACK AT ME FROM MY CONSTITUENTS AND ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, AGAIN, I HEAR FROM A LOT, IS IF A CHILD IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN SPEED UP? AND I DON'T KNOW, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE INVESTIGATED IT, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN SPEED UP GETTING THESE KIDS THAT ARE NOT SYMPTOMATIC BACK IN SCHOOL QUICKER? IS THERE ANY OR EVEN AT LEAST TALKING TO THE POWERS TO BE IN COLOMBIA ABOUT THAT BEING SUCH AN ISSUE FOR SO MANY OF OUR FAMILIES? YES, SIR AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS WE SPEAK.

TALK TO MS. MAZZELL, OUR NURSING SUPERVISOR, TODAY AND GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION FROM DHEC LATE LAST WEEK AND OVER THE WEEKEND, AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT.

I MEAN, ONE ONE THING WE WOULD HAVE TO DO FOR STUDENTS WHO SAY ARE COMPLETELY SYMPTOM FREE FOR FOUR 10 DAYS OF QUARANTINE, THEY COULD COME BACK TO SCHOOL FOR THE FINAL FOUR DAYS OF THAT QUARANTINE. THEY'D HAVE TO COMMIT TO WEARING A MASK.

SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S A LITTLE SHAKY BECAUSE THE LAW SAYS WE CAN'T REQUIRE MASKS.

BUT I THINK IF THE CHOICE IS GIVEN, YOU COME BACK TO SCHOOL, YOU DO YOUR VERY BEST TO STAY SIX FEET AWAY FROM EVERYBODY.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE SAID MANY TIMES WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT.

BUT IF WE ASK PEOPLE TO DO THE VERY BEST THAT THEY CAN TO STAY CLEAR AND AGREE TO KEEP A MASK ON THROUGHOUT THE DAY, FOR THOSE FOUR DAYS, I THINK WE CAN WORK A PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW QUARANTINE TO END FOUR DAYS SOONER.

LET ME THROW IN A LITTLE CAVEAT.

MORE DIRECTLY, WHAT I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SAID, MEANT TO HAVE SAID, WHAT ABOUT A CHILD IF HE'S BEEN OUT FOR FIVE DAYS FOR QUARANTINE, IF HE WERE TESTED AND TESTED NEGATIVE, IS

[01:40:07]

NO, OUR SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE TO MANAGE, OUR NURSES AND OUR PRINCIPALS WOULD HAVE TO MANAGE NOT NECESSARILY THE TESTING, BUT KEEPING TRACK OF WHICH STUDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR A QUARANTINE, COLLECTING THAT DATA BACK FROM THE MEDICAL PROVIDER AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A 10 DAY SIMPLY BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE SEEING VERY, VERY LOW POSITIVE RATES AMONG STUDENTS WHO ARE QUARANTINED.

SO WE CAN FEEL CONFIDENT THAT AFTER TEN DAYS, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BECOME POSITIVE. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HAD SOME THAT HAVE.

AFTER FIVE DAYS, WE DO HAVE POSITIVES ON DAY SIX, SEVEN AND ON.

BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS JUST MANAGING AND THIS IS I DON'T DO IT.

SO THIS IS TALKING TO OUR NURSES, TALKING TO OUR NURSE SUPERVISOR, TALKING TO THE CONTACT TRACING TEAM WHO ARE ALREADY WORKING ALL WEEKEND AND LATE INTO THE NIGHT, MANAGING THIS THING, ADDING ONE MORE THING ONTO THEIR PLATES TO HAVE TO MANAGE.

I THINK IF THERE WERE A WAY TO CONTRACT SOME OF THAT AND WE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THAT, THAT MIGHT RELIEVE RELIEVE SOME OF THAT.

BUT ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR NURSES ARE CONTINUING ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY HAVE BEYOND COVID.

AND OUR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS ARE CONTINUING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES BEYOND COVID, EVEN THOUGH COVID SEEMS TO BE OVERTAKING EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO AND MONOPOLIZING THEIR TIME. I MAY BE LOOKING AT IT SIMPLISTICALLY, BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WOULD A CONTRACT WORK.

HOW WOULD WE GET SOMEBODY, HOW WOULD SOMEONE CONTRACT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT? THEY WOULD BE TRAINED TO DO THE CONTACT TRACING.

THEY WOULD JUST SEND A PERSON TO THE SCHOOL TO DO IT? PROBABLY. SO, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE ONE PERSON FOR EVERY SCHOOL? OR ONE PERSON PER CLUSTER OF SCHOOLS.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, IT COULD WORK THROUGH CLUSTERS.

I THINK SO. FIRST WE'D HAVE TO BE ONSITE.

I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS ON IT.

WE DID GET A LIST OF POSSIBLE CONTRACTORS.

COULD WE ADD THAT TO YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO FOR US AND BRING A REPORT BACK SOON, HOPEFULLY AS SOON AS THE NEXT MEETING? THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A WAY TO REALLY ALLEVIATE ONE OF OUR MAJOR STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS IS THE NUMBER OF KIDS WE QUARANTINE.

IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO CUT THE TIME OF QUARANTINE, THAT WOULD REALLY HELP A LOT STRUCTURALLY. BY THE SAME TOKEN, WE WANT TO STAY WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF CDC AND DHEC.

I KNOW PEOPLE TELL US NOT TO DO THAT, BUT YOU'VE EACH RECEIVED A MEMORANDUM FROM OUR ATTORNEY ABOUT THAT.

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, YOU NEED TO READ IT AND SEE IF YOU WANT TO RISK THE PERSONAL LIABILITY.

MS. SHEALEY. I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION SUPERINTENDENT LAURENCE JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FOR PARENTS THAT HAVE ASKED THIS SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR AND BE CLEAR ON THIS. IF A STAFF MEMBER OR STUDENT IS VACCINATED, DO THEY HAVE TO QUARANTINE OR NOT? AT THIS POINT, NO.

IF THEY'RE VACCINATED AND DO NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO QUARANTINE.

AND ONCE THEY EXHIBIT SYMPTOMS, THEN IT IS NO LONGER A QUARANTINE.

THEN IT BECOMES AN ISOLATION BECAUSE OF THE SYMPTOMS. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE DAYS HERE, WHICH THREE DAYS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

I'M NOT MINIMIZING THAT.

BUT WITH A TEST ON DAY FIVE, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY STILL CAN'T COME BACK UNTIL DAY EIGHT.

SO THE MINIMUM IS SEVEN DAYS.

SO IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMING BACK ON DAY EIGHT AND COMING BACK ON DAY ELEVEN FOR US IN THIS SCENARIO.

MR. MOULTON. MR. LAURENCE, THIS IS PROBABLY DIRECTED AT YOU.

I'VE HEARD AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE TELLING ME ABOUT SOME THINGS THEY'RE DOING AT FOX CREEK HIGH SCHOOL IN REGARD TO QUARANTINES, AND I THINK PART OF OUR MEETING TONIGHT WAS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A WAY TO SHORTEN QUARANTINE.

AND SO FROM WHAT I HEAR, THEY'RE ALLOWING STUDENTS AND THEY'RE FOLLOWING DHEC GUIDELINES IS WHAT I'M BEING TOLD.

BUT THEY'RE ALLOWING STUDENTS TO COME BACK AT DAY SEVEN IF THEY HAVE TESTED NEGATIVE AND

[01:45:08]

I THINK YOU'RE SAYING DAY EIGHT, BUT THEY'RE SAYING DAY SEVEN THAT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE DHEC GUIDELINES.

AND THEN THEY ARE ALSO ALLOWING FOLKS TO COME BACK ON DAY TEN VERSUS DAY FOURTEEN IF THEY SHOW NO SYMPTOMS. AND I'VE READ THE DHEC GUIDELINES; THEY'RE CONFUSING TO ME.

SO, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A BETTER FEEL THAN I DO.

SO YOU CAN COMMENT.

YES, SIR. SO IT IS DAY EIGHT, BECAUSE THE TEST DAYS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A TEST ON DAY FIVE, SIX OR SEVEN.

AND IF THEY HAVE A NEGATIVE TEST ON DAY FIVE, SIX OR SEVEN, THEY CAN RETURN ON DAY EIGHT.

BUT AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING, AS IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, OVER FOUR THOUSAND QUARANTINES, AN AWFUL LOT OF OF MANAGEMENT OF THAT, WHEREAS THERE'S STILL SOME MANAGEMENT WITH RETURNING AT DAY 10 WITHOUT WITHOUT SYMPTOMS. BUT THE RECORD KEEPING IS, I THINK, IS A LOT LESS STRENUOUS ON THAT.

GET MINE IN REAL QUICK, DR.

BRADLEY. FIRST, I DON'T WANT TO FORGET, WE DON'T ALLOW COMMENTS.

I SAW SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE WANTING TO COMMENT.

I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WE DON'T ALLOW COMMENTS BECAUSE IT COULD GET VERY LENGTHY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR OPINION AS YOU PROBABLY HAVE A GOOD IDEA.

AND IF ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE HAS A GOOD IDEA, DON'T FORGET THAT YOU CAN EMAIL US, TALK TO US AFTER THE MEETING, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO.

WE DON'T WANT TO EXCLUDE YOU.

WE JUST KNOW THAT THE MEETING CAN GET VERY LENGTHY.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS THE THING I'D ASK MR. LAURENCE BEFORE THE MEETING.

I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF CONCERNS FROM TWO ADMINISTRATORS AND SEVERAL TEACHERS AND MY WIFE ABOUT UNFILLED POSITIONS.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF UNFILLED POSITIONS AND HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO NAVIGATE THIS.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY CAUSING THEM HEADACHE RIGHT NOW.

AND IF YOU, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU TALK ABOUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT US TO SAY WE CAN'T SAFELY OPERATE BEFORE WE CAN SHUT DOWN THE SCHOOL.

I THINK WE HAVE SOME ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE PRETTY DARN CLOSE TO THAT AND THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE NUMBER OF UNFILLED POSITIONS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT THAT.

SO OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IS CONSTANTLY WORKING, RECRUITING, TRYING TO FILL POSITIONS. WE'VE USED SOME OPTIONS THAT SOME THAT PREVIOUSLY WEREN'T AVAILABLE TO US, SOME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE, BUT WE HAD NOT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF JUST TRYING TO FILL ALL THOSE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 22 UNFILLED CLASSROOM TEACHER POSITIONS AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER POSITIONS AS WELL.

BUT AS FAR AS CLASSROOM TEACHING, THERE ARE 22 THAT ARE STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW AND WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR THOSE.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE TO AIKEN.

IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO SOUTH CAROLINA.

IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO THE UNITED STATES.

I SAID, I THINK I'VE SAID ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.

SOUTH CAROLINA NEEDS SOUTH CAROLINA NEEDS, I THINK, FOUR OR FIVE TIMES THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS EVERY YEAR THAT SOUTH CAROLINA PRODUCES, AND IN ITS TEACHING PROGRAMS AT VARIOUS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY RECRUITING.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF CERTIFICATION.

WE'RE LOOKING AT BRINGING BACK RETIRED PROFESSIONALS AND WE'RE RECRUITING IN OTHER STATES. THERE ARE SOME STATES THAT DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY IN THE MIDWEST AND THE NORTHEAST. WE'VE GOT STATES THAT ARE PRODUCING MORE TEACHERS THAN THEY HAVE JOBS FOR. SO, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THINGS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL.

AND ALSO, I'LL THROW THIS OUT THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT I CAN EVER REMEMBER WE HAVE MORE ELEMENTARY OPENINGS THAN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL OPENINGS.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE IN THE STATE, 1200? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW.

WHATEVER THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE IN THE STATE, THE STATE PASSED A LAW THAT PUT A READING INTERVENTIONISTS IN EACH ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS.

WELL, THE POOL FOR THOSE READING INTERVENTIONISTS WAS OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS ACROSS THE STATE. SO, THOSE FOLKS WERE TAKING THOSE JOBS, WHICH IS A GREAT THING FOR THEM.

WE NEED THE READING INTERVENTIONIST.

BUT YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU MOVE A PIECE ON THE CHESSBOARD IT AFFECTS, IT AFFECTS OTHER PIECES. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE.

WE MOVED THAT PIECE, BUT IT CREATED A SITUATION WHERE THE POOL OF AVAILABLE EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS WAS DIMINISHED.

LAST THING, DR.

BRADLEY, I'LL STOP. BUT JUST TO FOLLOW UP MR.

[01:50:02]

I THINK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ALSO LIKE THE TEACHERS THAT ARE OUT WITH POSITIVE TESTS AND QUARANTINES, THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE COVERING THOSE IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND I'VE GOTTEN SOME WIND THAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING ABOUT COMBINING CLASSROOMS, WHICH WOULD BE A BIG NO-NO IN THE STANDPOINT OF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WORRY ABOUT MASK, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO PUT DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS TOGETHER.

SO ANYWAY, I THINK IT EXTENDED BEYOND JUST THE UNFILLED POSITIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. YES, SIR.

WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO ARE ISOLATED AND QUARANTINED, AND THAT'S A ROLLING NUMBER BECAUSE AS SOME LEAVE, OTHERS ARE RETURNING.

THAT WAS THE POINT I WAS GOING TO MAKE.

AND JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT, IS OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THEY HAVE ON A DAILY BASIS, THE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS I'VE TALKED TO, THAT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT'S CAUSING THEM GREAT PAIN TODAY, AND THAT'S UNFILLED DAILY VACANCIES OF SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. SO I WANT A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT.

IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO AS A BOARD TO HELP SUPPORT THAT, TO TRY TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS? BECAUSE I'M AFRAID THAT THESE SCHOOL STAFFS ARE TO SAY THEY'RE OVEREXTENDED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT WHERE YOU'RE PULLING AIDES FROM A ONE CLASSROOM AND THEN THAT TEACHER LOSES THE BENEFIT OF THAT AIDE TO COVER A SUBSTITUTE OVER, YOU KNOW, AN OPEN VACANCY OVER HERE. SO TO SAY AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE NEW SUBSTITUTE VENDOR IS DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB THAN THE PAST, BUT JUST TO HAVE AVAILABLE SUBS COMPARED TO THE, YOU KNOW, UNFILLED, IT'S NOT A FAIR COMPARISON TO SAY, HEY, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF SUBS, BUT IF NOBODY TAKES THE JOB OPENING, IT DOES US NO GOOD.

YEAH, WE LOOKED REALLY GOOD LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER WITH SUBS.

BUT AS THE COVID SPREAD AND THE COMMUNITY INCREASED, THE FEAR AMONG A LOT OF OUR POTENTIAL SUBS INCREASED AS WELL.

SO, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WOULD HAVE VERY QUICKLY ACCEPTED JOBS STOPPED ACCEPTING THEM. AND SO WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL SUBSTITUTES IN OUR POOL WHO AREN'T ACCEPTING JOBS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID.

AND THEN WE ALSO ARE DOWN IN RECRUITING.

WE NEED PROBABLY TWICE AS MANY IN THE POOL, BUT JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY, WE'RE HAVING A TOUGH TIME ADDING TO ADDING TO OUR SUB POOL, GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED. A FEW WEEKS AGO, MAYBE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, THE BOARD APPROVED AN INCREASE IN OUR SUB PAY RATE RIGHT AS AN ATTEMPT TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SUB ING.

I DO NOT KNOW TONIGHT IF THAT HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT OR NOT, BUT I KNOW THAT WAS ONE PROACTIVE EFFORT THAT THE BOARD MADE AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AND SEE IF THERE ARE TERM INCREASE IN THAT TO HELP FILL THESE POSITIONS AND RELIEVE SOME OF THIS PRESSURE ON SCHOOLS? WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL? AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN COME BACK AND LET US KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

HOW ABOUT A SWAT TEAM, YOU KNOW, SUBSTITUTE SWAT TEAM WHERE YOU HIRED A HIRED A GROUP OF PEOPLE, PERHAPS TEACHER AIDES SALARY, 10-12, WHATEVER THE NEED WOULD LOOK LIKE, WE'D JUSTIFIED. JUST HAVE THEM COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND REPORT TO WHATEVER SCHOOL THAT NEEDS THEM. WE HAVE A FEW OF THOSE NOW; THEY'RE JUST CALLED PERMANENT SUBS.

AND SO THEY KNOW THEY'RE COMING EVERY DAY AND THEY KNOW THEY'LL BE GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT.

I'M THINKING THAT MAYBE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A FULL TIME JOB MIGHT DRAW SOME PEOPLE IN THAT PART TIME JOB OR DAILY JOB MIGHT NOT INTEREST.

IS THAT SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING AT AND COMING BACK TO TALK TO US ABOUT? OH, CERTAINLY WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ALONG THE LINES OF, I THINK IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE JUST BASED ON OUR CONTRACT.

WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, BUT IT MAY STILL HAVE TO BE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF KELLY SERVICES. BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT ADDITIONAL PERMANENT SUBS SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT IS AN INCENTIVE IN ITSELF, KNOWING THAT YOU'VE GOT A JOB EVERY DAY AND WE PAY THOSE FOLKS A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE WHEN THEY SHOW UP, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE HEADED. SO, THEY JUST SHOW UP AND THEN THEY GET THEIR ASSIGNMENT.

SO IT'S NOT AS DESIRABLE AS MAYBE BEING ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT TO COUNTER THAT, WE PAY THEM MORE.

[01:55:02]

TO ADD TO THAT IS ANY POSSIBILITY WE CAN ALSO GET BUS DRIVER SUBS IN THAT POOL? YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING NECESSARY FOR A BUS DRIVER.

BUT WE CERTAINLY I MEAN, IF WE HAVE A BUS DRIVER SUB, I HOPE WE'RE HIRING THEM FULL-TIME.

SO BUT YEAH, IDEALLY YOU GET FULLY STAFFED WITHIN YOUR BUS FLEET AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, YOU HAVE SUBS WHO ARE READY TO GO EVERY DAY.

SO, THAT'S THE DESIRE.

WE CERTAINLY WANT TO GET TO THAT POINT.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER SITUATION OF THE LEAD TIMES A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT THE POOL IS STILL PRETTY SLIM AND WE'RE ACTIVELY RECRUITING BUS DRIVERS.

ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT SUBS? HOW ABOUT ARE WE GOING TO LEAVE THE SUBJECT OF QUARANTINES? NOT PARTICULARLY. OK.

KEEP GOING. BUT SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, YOU GO AHEAD.

WE KIND OF SWITCHED SUBJECTS AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF STUFF.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S NOT A PERSON UP HERE THAT DOESN'T WANT TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL.

BUT WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF STUFF, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT QUARANTINE DISCUSSION AS FAR AS WHAT DID WE GAIN? AND CAN SOMEONE SUMMARIZE WHAT, IF ANY, REDUCTION IN QUARANTINES WE EXPECT AND WHEN? I THINK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, MEANING TOMORROW WE CAN BE AT 10 DAY QUARANTINE FOR ASYMPTOMATIC STUDENTS WHO HAVE DONE THEIR 10 DAYS AND AGREE TO WEAR A MASK FOR THE FINAL FOUR DAYS WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL.

THANK YOU, SIR. WE JUST WENT AROUND AND I JUST WANT TO HEAR A SUMMARY.

I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE CRITERIA FOR CLOSING A SCHOOL OR GOING REMOTE, HAVING THE SCHOOL GO REMOTE.

CAN YOU GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE MIC [INAUDIBLE].

I CAN'T TALK THROUGH THIS THING.

I SAID, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A SORT OF AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT CONSTITUTES THE POINT AT WHICH THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL DECLARE US SCHOOL CLOSED FOR FACE TO FACE AND GO REMOTE FOR A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME.

LAST YEAR WE TALKED, I THINK, CORRECT ME, IF I'M WRONG, WE TALKED ABOUT FIVE PERCENT COVID RATE.

WE WERE AT THREE PERCENT. THREE PERCENT, YEAH, KING AND I BOUNCED AROUND THE IDEA OF FIVE PERCENT THAT ONCE THE SCHOOL GETS TO BE FIVE PERCENT OF THE ENROLLMENT WITH POSITIVE FOR COVID WOULD BE ONE INDICATOR CERTAINLY WE'D QUARANTINE IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO MAN THE CLASSROOMS, ENOUGH HEADS TO MAN THE CLASSROOM, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. BUT MR. LAURENCE, MAYBE YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE? YES, SIR. WE ANTICIPATE SOME FAIRLY SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM DHEC TOMORROW.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO HELP A LITTLE BIT.

I'VE GOT A BIT OF A PREVIEW OF IT AND I THINK IT'LL BE PROMISING FOR US.

BUT I THINK YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING RECENTLY WE GOT FROM [INAUDIBLE] AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE AROUND FIVE PERCENT AND THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT THAT.

BUT PERHAPS SOMETHING IN THAT RANGE WOULD BE THE STARTING POINT FOR A CONVERSATION.

DEPENDING ON THE SCHOOL, FIVE PERCENT MAY BE AN INCREDIBLY HIGH NUMBER.

AND THEN IN ANOTHER SCHOOL, IT MIGHT NOT BE.

SO JUST LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE THREE PERCENT WE TALKED ABOUT NOT HAVING A TRIGGER POINT, BUT HAVING A POINT AT WHICH WE CONSIDER IT, AND THEN ALLOW ME TO MAKE THAT DECISION. AND THEN AND WHETHER THAT'S FIVE PERCENT OR SEVEN PERCENT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, AND THEN FROM A STANDPOINT OF SAFELY OPERATING THE SCHOOL WE WERE USING, I THINK TWENTY FIVE PERCENT, I PROPOSED THIRTY PERCENT AND WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK FROM PRINCIPALS IN PARTICULAR, SAYING TWENTY FIVE PERCENT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE MORE REASONABLE WHEN IT COMES TO SAFE OPERATION OF SCHOOLS.

SO, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS AND EVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU MAY HAVE LESS THAN TWENTY PERCENT OF YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF IS OUT ON QUARANTINE OR ISOLATION OR ABSENT FOR OTHER REASONS.

BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT'S MISSING.

[02:00:01]

I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS THAT WOULD THAT WOULD FIGURE INTO THAT, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT AND MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SAFE TO OPERATE THAT SCHOOL. SO I THINK JUST LIKE WE HAD LAST YEAR, I THINK TWENTY FIVE PERCENT ON THAT IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

AND THEN PRINCIPALS WOULD WOULD DISCUSS THAT WITH THEIR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT IN ME AS THEY WERE APPROACHING THAT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAD A SITUATION WHERE THEY WEREN'T AT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT, BUT THEY HAD OTHER FACTORS THAT WERE POSSIBLY CAUSING THE SCHOOL TO BE UNSAFE. SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THAT ANOTHER, I THINK BOTH OF THOSE ARE PRETTY THEY'RE NOT EASY BECAUSE IT'S NEVER EASY TO MAKE A DECISION TO GO REMOTE WITH THE SCHOOL. BUT I THINK THOSE ARE EASIER CONCEPTS.

AT LEAST THEY ARE FOR ME.

IT GETS MORE DIFFICULT IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE QUARANTINED AND THERE MAY BE A POINT WHERE YOU SAY AT FORTY PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL ARE QUARANTINED. HOW EFFECTIVE CAN THE TEACHER BE IN DOING SIXTY PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND FORTY PERCENT AWAY? OR MAYBE YOU'RE SIXTY PERCENT QUARANTINED, WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT WOULD BE? THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE ESPECIALLY ONCE WE GET OUR PLANS FOR REMOTE LEARNING, FOR QUARANTINE STUDENTS IN PLACE, I THINK AS LONG AS THE TEACHER IS ABLE TO TEACH AND AS LONG AS THE SCHOOL IS ABLE TO OPERATE SAFELY, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK I THINK THAT WE KEEP OPERATING THE SCHOOL AND PUT OUR MEASURES IN PLACE TO TEACH STUDENTS AT HOME NOW WE HAVEN'T DONE IT YET.

SO WHO'S TO SAY THAT WHEN WE DO IT IT'S NOT COMPLETELY OVERWHELMING FOR OUR TEACHERS AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECOMES COMPLETELY OVERWHELMING FOR OUR TEACHERS? THEN I THINK WE'VE GOT A SITUATION WHERE IT'S UNSAFE.

TEACHERS ARE GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES.

ALL OF US MAKE MISTAKES.

BUT WHEN WE OVERWHELM PEOPLE, I THINK THAT BECOMES MORE POSSIBLE.

SO, SO THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AS A AS A FACTOR AS WELL.

SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO.

IS GET THAT GET THAT GUIDANCE FROM FROM DHEC TOMORROW AND THEN BUILD THAT INTO INTO MY PROPOSAL FOR YOU ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

NOW, IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE TO HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE KNOCKING ON THAT DOOR RIGHT NOW.

SO SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BEFORE TUESDAY, WE DETERMINE THAT SOMETHING'S NOT SAFE FOR CONTINUED FACE TO FACE OPERATION AND WE AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

BUT THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE PRETTY LIMITED BASED ON WHAT I KNOW RIGHT NOW.

BUT WE'LL HAVE A SOLID PROPOSAL THAT I HOPE YOU WILL ENDORSE NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT.

[INAUDIBLE] YOU GOT IT.

I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM.

YOU'VE HEARD ME ADVOCATE TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO.

LET'S GO LIVE WITH TEACHING.

KIDS ON REMOTE AND THEY DON'T GO REMOTE, BUT TEACH THEM LIVE ON QUARANTINE AND THAT SORT OF THING. MR. LAURENCE AND I'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.

I THINK HE'S IN MY CAMP.

WE HOPE. WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT WE START IMMEDIATELY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, AND AT SOME PERIOD OF TIME, I BELIEVE THAT TO MR. LAURENCE AND HIS PEOPLE TO TELL US HOW QUICKLY THEY CAN DO THAT AND IT'S GOING TO INVOLVE SOME THINGS, AS HE MENTIONED IN HIS EARLIER REMARKS ABOUT TRAINING TEACHERS TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY AND SO FORTH.

ONE POSSIBLE MECHANISM FOR THAT I MIGHT BE JUMPING THE GUN WAS, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A WEEK OF HALF TIME SCHOOL TO GIVE THE TEACHERS THE AFTERNOONS FOR TRAINING AND THAT SORT OF THING. THAT'S JUST AN IDEA.

NOTHING DEFINITE, BUT HE'S GOING TO COME UP WITH SOME PLAN FOR TRYING TO INTER-SERVICE THE TEACHERS TO UTILIZE THE NEW TECHNOLOGY AND THAT SORT OF THING.

AND WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE IT OR CAN ACQUIRE IT SO QUICKLY, THE NECESSARY TECHNOLOGY TO DO THIS KIND OF THING. SO AND I WOULD PROPOSE SOME OTHER STEPS THAT GO WITH JUST THE CAMERA IN THE CLASSROOM IS I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE AN INSTRUCTIONAL HOTLINE.

UH, AND BY AFTER OUR TEACHERS ARE RETIRED TEACHERS OR WHATEVER, WE'RE PARENTS AND STUDENTS COULD CALL TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH SOME PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITH THEIR HOMEWORK OR SOMETHING, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

JUST BE A MATTER OF HAVING A PHONE BANK SOMEWHERE.

UH, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S AFTER HOURS, YOU KNOW, SO FROM SIX TO EIGHT OR SOMETHING, YOU

[02:05:03]

LET THEM FIGURE IT OUT THAT THEIR KID OR HIS PARENTS COULD CALL AND GET HELP WHEN THE KID IS IN TROUBLE OR IS AT HOME AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I'D I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE US THINK ABOUT ESTABLISHING A MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, MAYBE A CERTAIN SCHOOL.

MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME COOPERATION FROM THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH CENTER.

TO DO THAT. MAYBE WE COULD HIRE SOME OF AFTER HOUR GUIDE, US PEOPLE WHO ARE QUALIFIED [INAUDIBLE] THAT SERVICE IS GOING TO TAKE SOME OF THE ESSER MONEY I'M TALKING ABOUT SPENDING SOME MONEY IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.

BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE ESSER MONEY IS INTENDED TO DO IS TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO TRY TO MAKE THE KIDS HOPE THAT COVID IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH DEPOTS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THE DISTRICT JUST IMPLEMENTED AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PLAN. YEAH.

SO WHY DON'T WE JUST ENCOURAGE THEM TO FIRST ATTEMPT THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PLAN AND THEN WE CAN GO INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONFIDENCE IS OF THE EAP PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, KIDS AND ADULTS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT ANIMALS WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.

WE COULD JUST ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO REVIEW THIS AND COME BACK TO US WITH A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT HOW TO DO IT.

MY ONLY ISSUE IS I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE OUTPOST.

WHERE PARENTS AND CHILDREN CAN [INAUDIBLE] THEY'RE EXPERIENCING AND OFTENTIMES THE TREATMENT OF CHILD INVOLVES TREATMENT OF THE ADULT.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO DO IT TOGETHER.

SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE US ADDRESS THE I KEEP HEARING.

FROM MY EMAILS THERE'S A REAL NEED FOR THIS OUT THERE, SO THAT'S THE REASON I'M SUGGESTING IT. THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TO CHECK ON.

OH.

DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? MR. NUESSLE. DO I HAVE A TIME LIMIT THAT WAS A JOKE.

SO, YEAH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO COVER WHILE WE'RE HERE.

SO I WANTED TO GET AN UPDATE ON.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING THE USE OF MASKS.

WE'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, MASKS.

I CALL THAT AN ENGINEERING TERM.

IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURE.

OR SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY IT'S PPE ON THE HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS.

YOU'D RATHER ELIMINATE THE HAZARD OR HAVE AN ENGINEERING CONTROL AND HAVING ADEQUATE VENTILATION IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IMPROVE VENTILATION AS AN ENGINEERING CONTROL.

AND BACK IN MARCH 23RD, AFTER WE HAD AUTHORIZED THE MONEY TO PURCHASE THE PORTABLE HEPA AIR PURIFIERS, WHICH ARE IN CLASSROOMS AFTER THAT, ON MARCH 23RD, WE APPROVED FUNDING FOR SURVEY TO LOOK AT OUR HVAC SYSTEMS AND SEE WHAT ULTRAVIOLET TECHNOLOGY OR BPI TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE A GOOD FIT.

AND I'M NOT.

THIS IS NOT OUT OF LEFT FIELD, I WARNED MR. LAURENCE. I'D LIKE AN UPDATE ON THAT.

AS FAR AS WHAT'S THE PROGRESS OR HAVE WE EVEN CUT A PO TO HAVE A FIRM DO A SURVEY? YES, SIR. THE SURVEY IS EITHER COMPLETE OR WILL BE COMPLETE THIS WEEK.

IS THAT RIGHT? SO IT WAS COMPLETED LAST THURSDAY, AND WE EXPECT A REPORT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. OKAY, SO I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT I'LL HAVE A REPORT FOR YOU ON THE 14TH, BUT I WOULD SUSPECT AT LEAST BY THE 28TH, WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FOR THE BOARD.

GOTCHA. THANK YOU.

AND EVEN LIKE LITTLE THINGS LIKE IT'S NOT QUITE SO HOT RIGHT NOW OR THERE'S A LOT OF SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE SCHOOLS I WENT TO OPEN, THE WINDOWS AREN'T GOING TO HELP MUCH. THEY'RE MADE LIKE BOXES THAT ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT, RIGHT? BUT I'M JUST TOO.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE? YOU KNOW, IRREGARDLESS OF COSTS, WHAT HAVE WE DONE WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO IMPROVE VENTILATION IN BUILDINGS? AND ARE WE ARE WE DO WE ASK BUSSES TO LOWER THEIR WINDOWS WHILE THEY'RE DRIVING FOR IMPROVED VENTILATION ON THE BUS? YES SIR. THE BUS WINDOWS ARE OPEN, SO WE IMPROVE VENTILATION THAT WAY.

THE WAY HVAC WORKS, OPENING WINDOWS IS NOT AN OPTION IN CLASSROOMS AND IN SCHOOL

[02:10:02]

BUT ONE CONVERSATION THAT DR.

MURPHY AND I HAD IS.

ONCE ONCE THE AIR IS CIRCULATED, THE AIR IS CLEAN.

SO, SO THE IDEA OF RUNNING A CIRCULATING THE AIR AT MIDNIGHT WHEN WHEN THE BUILDING IS NOT OCCUPIED REALLY DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH VERY MUCH.

AND I WOULDN'T ADVOCATE FOR THAT.

BUT PERHAPS A LITTLE BEFORE THE SCHOOL DAY STARTS, A LITTLE AFTER THAT, THAT MIGHT HELP SOME, BUT THE IDEA IS MAKING THOSE SYSTEMS EFFICIENT.

HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET SOME SOME INFORMATION FROM FROM THE SURVEY THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED AND THE HEPA FILTERS SHOULD BE HELPING BECAUSE THEY ARE DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE ROOM. CHANGING THE AIR THREE TIMES AN HOUR IS THAT ONCE AN HOUR? SO. SO THAT'S A GOOD BIT.

DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, YOU'RE GETTING THE AIR CHANGED OUT BY THE HEPA FILTERS SEVEN TIMES OR EIGHT TIMES, AND YOU'RE ALSO GETTING THE NORMAL VENTILATION OF THE HVAC SYSTEM.

SO IN LAST QUESTION ON VENTILATION AND THEN I HAVE OTHER STUFF, BUT I'LL GLADLY LET SOMEONE ELSE GO AFTER WE GET OFF VENTILATION IS.

TALK TO ME ABOUT SO I KNOW WE HAVE HIRED OR WE'RE GOING TO HIRE MECHANICS, TECHNICIANS, WHATEVER TO DO, THE MAINTENANCE ON THOSE CHANGE OUT FILTERS, ET CETERA.

MY QUESTION IS ABOUT HOW IS IT SCHEDULED? SO WHAT? I'M HOPING THE ANSWER ISN'T.

I WANT THE ANSWER, BUT I HOPE THE ANSWER ISN'T THAT WE'RE RELYING ON A TEACHER OR SOMEONE AT THE SCHOOL TO NOTICE IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND PUTTING IN A WORK ORDER LIKE WHAT KIND OF SCHEDULE DO WE HAVE THAT ON? I'LL ASK DR. MURPHY TO ADDRESS THAT.

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS MR. LAURENCE. THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE MECHANICS ARE ACTUALLY FOR THE INSTALLED UNITS, AND SO WITH THE ACTUAL PORTABLE UNITS, THERE IS A LIGHT ON THE UNIT ITSELF THAT TELLS YOU WHEN THE FILTERS ARE AT THEIR RANGE.

WE'VE CHECKED THE RANGES BETWEEN SIX AND NINE MONTHS, BUT THAT IS CONSIDERED, I GUESS, UNFILTERED AIR.

AND SO THERE IS A PRETTY LONG RANGE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT'S FILTERING ALREADY FILTERED OR CLEANED AIR THAT'S COMING FROM THE SCHOOL.

AND SO THERE'S AN INDICATOR ON THE PORTABLE UNITS THAT'S GOING TO LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THOSE UNITS OUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE INSTALLED UNITS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE CYCLE THAT WE'LL HAVE OUR MECHANICS [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, NO, THAT'S GOOD.

LET WHO KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED ON THE PORTABLE UNITS, THE PORTABLE UNITS.

WE COULD CHANGE THEM OUT OURSELVES, OUR CUSTODIANS, STAFF WE HAVE WE ACTUALLY HAVE INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR THE TEACHERS SHOULD THEY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING IT THEMSELVES IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. WELL, THAT'S BAD ON ME.

IN OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION MONTHS AGO, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY.

SO AND PART OF THE JUSTIFICATION FOR HIRING MORE.

BUT THAT'S I'M SORRY.

WHAT? I'M SORRY. THE ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION WAS THE 5500 ACTUAL INSTALLED FILTERS THAT WERE IN THE DISTRICT. OKAY. PORTABLE UNITS ARE NOT.

YEAH, I'M NOT GOING TO GET OFF ON A TANGENT.

SO IT BASICALLY WE'RE REQUIRING FOLKS IN THE STAFF AND THE CUSTODIANS IN THE SCHOOL TO CHANGE THOSE FILTERS FOR THE PORTABLE UNITS.

YES, SIR. OK.

THAT'S ALL I GOT ON VENTILATION.

AND I'D LIKE TO STOP FOR A SECOND AND SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS SOMETHING.

[INAUDIBLE] YOU GOT A QUESTION. I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE.

I KNOW THERE'S 5500 AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, AND MOST OF THEM HAVE GOT TWO ONE TO TWO FILTERS IN THEM, AND TO GET TO THEM, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE OFF FOUR TO.

IN SOME CASES, EIGHT SCREWS OUT JUST TO GET IN THERE TO GET TO THEM.

AND I DON'T SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE MOBILE UNITS.

BECAUSE THEY TOO FROM ONE'S THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH NOW, THEY MAY BE MORE MODERN WITH WHERE YOU COULD JUST SLIP SOMETHING IN AND OUT, BUT THEY HAVE THAT SAME.

WELL, YOU GOT TO TAKE SCREWS OUT, TAKE A GRADE OFF TO GET TO THOSE THINGS AND WE GOT SO MUCH ON OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF AS IT IS.

I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

I MEAN, WE GOT SOME CUSTODIAL STAFF THAT.

JUST GOING TO BE [INAUDIBLE] THAT REALLY NEED TO STEP UP.

AND I'M JUST CONCERNED.

I'M CONCERNED THEY WON'T BE TAKEN CARE OF, AS WELL AS IF THE TWO PEOPLE THAT WE HIRED TO GO AROUND THE DISTRICT CAN HANDLE THOSE.

AND TO PUT IT BACK IN THE SCHOOL AND THE TEACHERS, I THINK I HEARD SOMEONE SAY.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I VOTED FOR THOSE TWO PEOPLE FOR.

[02:15:02]

ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY ON THOSE THOSE PORTABLE UNITS DON'T GET CHANGED ON THE SCHEDULE. SO THERE WOULD THERE WOULD BE A LAG, BUT ALSO.

IT'S MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO BE A SUMMER THING, BECAUSE IF WE GET NINE MONTHS OUT OF IT, THAT'S THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THAT'S WITH DIRTY AIR WE'RE LOOKING AT CLEANING ALREADY CLEANED AIR. SO OUR HVAC SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY CLEANING THE AIR.

AND THIS IS A SECOND CLEANING OF THE AIR.

SO THOSE FILTERS SHOULD IDEALLY NOW WE HAVEN'T WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO A POINT YET WHERE WE'VE HAD TO CHANGE ANY.

SO BUT IDEALLY, THEY SHOULD LAST THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR.

I MEAN, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

BUT THERE AGAIN, AS MANY CUSTODIANS WHO WOULD GO THROUGH.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOME LEFT OUT, BUT THERE AGAIN, WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

BRADLEY, BEFORE WE BREAK UP AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT IS, I'M KIND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE I KIND OF LIKE LIKE MS. JACKSON, I WANTED TO MAKE A PERSONAL PLEA TO PARENTS THAT ARE PAYING ATTENTION.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, FROM A FEW OF THE NURSES THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET CHILDREN SENT TO SCHOOL, EITHER SYMPTOMATIC RUNNY NOSES, FEVER, SO FORTH.

AND IT MAY BE ALLERGIES, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE I'D TAKE THAT CHANCE RIGHT NOW IF I WERE A PARENT WITHOUT A TEST OF SOME SORT, I DON'T BELIEVE I'D BE SENDING MY CHILD TO SCHOOL.

BUT THE OTHER THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS WE HAVE SOME PARENTS THAT I BELIEVE DOSED THEM UP ON [INAUDIBLE] BEFORE THEY SEND THEM.

AND THEN BY ABOUT 12 O'CLOCK, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF KIDS RUNNING FEVERS.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO PLEA TO THE PARENTS AT THIS TIME.

IF WE'RE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT COVID, WHICH IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.

I WISH YOU WOULD DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AS A PARENT.

AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILD AT HOME FIRST. I KNOW THAT'S DIFFICULT.

I'M NOT. I'M NOT OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY.

I RAISED THREE CHILDREN AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY WHEN BOTH PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD ARE WORKING. IF YOU HAVE A OR IF YOU HAVE A SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD, IT'S DIFFICULT. BUT EXPOSING OTHER KIDS TO POTENTIALLY COVID IS ALSO LIFE THREATENING.

AND THAT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN DIFFICULT.

SO I JUST THAT'S MY PLEA.

[INAUDIBLE] I WANTED TO DITTO THAT MR. MOULTON AND SAY, PARENTS, WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS WE HEAR, YOU KNOW, ONE SIDE IS ALWAYS IN OPPOSITION TO THE OTHER, BUT WE ASK THAT YOU DO YOUR PART AS WELL.

WE AS A BOARD, OUR HANDS ARE TIED ON A LOT OF THESE ISSUES, BUT WE'RE WORKING HARD TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO.

I ALSO IN TALKING ABOUT THE QUARANTINE ISSUE AGAIN, I KNOW YOU GUYS SHOT IT DOWN, BUT I THOUGHT THE PARENT HAD AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.

BUT IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT THE STAFF OR SUPERINTENDENT LAURENCE CAN THINK OF, THAT WE CAN DO, ESPECIALLY ON AN ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WE SAY THAT INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOL INSTRUCTION IS THE PRIME, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS.

SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP THEM IN CLASS, IF WE CAN INCENTIVIZE MASKS, WHATEVER WE CAN THINK OF, LET'S STILL GET SOMETHING GOING VERSUS JUST CONTINUING TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE MASKS.

ANYBODY ELSE? I SAID I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] BUT I'M RECONSIDERED. I'M AWAITING AND PROBABLY DO THAT AT ANOTHER BOARD MEETING.

MAYBE THE NEXT ONE.

WELL, I MEAN, YEAH, I GOT ALL DRESSED UP, SO IT MIGHT AS WELL FINISH THE LIST.

SO WE'VE GOT, IT'S A QUESTION I ASKED MR. LAURENCE, THE HEAD OF THE MEETING.

BUT IN ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD KNOWS IS SOME CONTINUED CONSIDERATION AND MAYBE A PLAN TO DO IT LATER.

SO THE AS FAR AS HAVING STUDENTS GO FULL TIME VIRTUAL LIKE AIKEN INNOVATE WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, THAT'S AT A FIVE PERCENT CAP WITHOUT LOSING FUNDING FROM THE STATE.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS I THINK WE CAN HANDLE THAT LOSS IN FUNDING.

NOW WHAT WE WHAT WE CAN'T DO AND I FULLY RECOGNIZE IS WE CAN'T TURN ON A DIME.

IT TAKES A LOT TO, YOU KNOW, COLLAPSE CLASSROOMS, MOVE TEACHERS.

IF WE WERE SO INCLINED AND I DON'T EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN TOMORROW, BUT.

I THINK WE NEED TO TALK AGAIN ABOUT HOW SOON CAN WE OPEN THAT UP AND WHAT GRADES.

I'M NOT SAYING WE WOULD CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS WHICH GRADES.

[02:20:01]

SO IF PEOPLE HAVE OPTIONS, I FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LETTING PARENTS DECIDE AND WE HAVE A CAP ON A PARENT'S DECISION.

BUT THE OTHER THING I WILL ADD IS THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO.

BUT IN THE SUMMERTIME I WOULD REFER PEOPLE TO OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IF THEY HAD KIDS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH WE WEREN'T OFFERING ON VIRTUAL LEARNING, THAT HERE'S YOUR OPTIONS, EVEN THOUGH IT TAKES YOU OUT OF OUR DISTRICT.

AND I CHECKED THIS WEEKEND AND THAT THE PRIMARY ONLINE OPTION IS ESSENTIALLY FULL.

THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY STUDENTS.

SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

AND MY ONLY REQUEST FOR THE DISTRICT IS TO THAT.

WE PUT THAT BACK ON A FUTURE AGENDA AND TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN TO GIVE PARENTS A CHOICE. ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT, MR.

[Adjourn]

STAND ADJOURNED.

[INAUDIBLE]

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.