[Call to Order]
[00:02:12]
OK I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, PLEASE, THE MEETING OF OCTOBER 26.
WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO COLLECT OURSELVES FOR WHAT'S AHEAD.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THANK YOU, TONIGHT NOW, IF YOU WILL ALL STAND AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AMERICA AND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND THE AGENDA BEEN CIRCULATED, I'VE HAD NO FEEDBACK AS TO THE ANYTHING.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES REQUIRING APPROVAL TO THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES SO MOVED.
MOVED BY RHINEHART-JACKSON SECONDED BY MR. ALL IN FAVOR.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
[Public Participation]
I HAVE TO REQUEST FOR TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.THE FIRST IS FROM DAVE POLAND, WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITY AND MR. POLAND, YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, SO YOU KNOW THE DRILL? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEES, CHAIRMAN BRADLEY, AND SUPERINTENDENT LAURENCE.
I WANT TO SPEAK TO PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE POLICY.
GCNA AND TEACHER AUTONOMY REGARDING POLICY GCOA.
BOTH OF THESE POLICIES THAT ARE PART OF YOUR BOARD SET OF POLICIES WERE ESTABLISHED IN I WOULD GENTLY, RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED A BIT OF A REVIEW AFTER THEY ARE ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE, ACCORDING TO THE POLICY FOR OBSERVING ACTUAL INSTRUCTION STAFF POLICY ARE REQUIRED TO BE I WILL GO ON TO QUOTE WITH REGARD TO THE PRINCIPALS CHANGING METHODS AND LESSON
[00:05:08]
PLANS OF CURRICULUM OR SO WITH REGARD TO THE PRINCIPALS, I WOULD ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.HOW OFTEN IS THE BOARD AWARE THAT THE PRINCIPALS ARE ACTUALLY AUDITING AND REVIEWING COULD THERE BE A PERCENTAGE OF HOW ONE PRINCIPAL AND ONE GIVEN SCHOOL HAS ANY NUMBER OF I THINK THE BOARD SHOULD FIND OUT BECAUSE I THINK THE BOARD SHOULD BE HOLDING PRINCIPALS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME STATISTICS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO THEM STEW FOR 20 I WOULD ALSO ASK WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD IS AUTONOMOUS RHETORICALLY.
I'LL ASK YOU, ARE YOU AUTONOMOUS ARE YOU INDEPENDENT? I'LL ANSWER THAT.
NO, OF COURSE THEY ARE NOT DEPENDENT.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO US, THE CITIZENS THAT HAVE ELECTED YOU AND PAY THE DISTRICT.
AND I'LL FURTHER ASK YOU WHETHER OR NOT THE TEACHERS ARE AUTONOMOUS.
THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PRINCIPALS AND THE PRINCIPALS ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOUR YOU.
SO WE HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
CITIZENS ARE ENTITLED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS.
WE ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW HOW THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS CONDUCTED, AND THEN WE'RE ENTITLED TO MAINTAINING THAT AND I'LL GO ON TO FINISH BY SAYING THAT TEACHERS ARE NOT AUTONOMOUS, THAT TEACHERS ARE NOT AUTONOMOUS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY HAVE NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER TO SAY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ABILITY TO WATCH THEM OR SAY AND HOW THEY TEACH.
THEY NEVER HAVE BEEN, AND THEY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO THINK THAT THEY ARE.
AND YOU, AS BOARD MEMBERS, ARE NOT ENTITLED TO TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE AUTONOMOUS WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO REVIEW AND OBSERVE THE TEACHERS AS THAT THEY CANNOT NOT TO TEACH IT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO LET THE TEACHERS TEACH.
I BELIEVE THAT IS A FALSE REPRESENTATION OF THE POLICIES, AND IT IS A FALSE CITIZENS AND YOUR THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE NEXT PERSON WISHING TO SPEAK IS GEORGE [INAUDIBLE].
AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT CRT AGAIN.
YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SPEAK THIS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, AND I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE WHAT OUR AND I HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING THIS WEEK, THIS PAST WEEK WITH DR. AND I SIMPLY HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
AND THAT IS THAT IN DR. ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN HELP IN TERMS OF ALLOWING DR. THAT ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTION.
AND BY THAT, I MEAN THE FOLLOWING I ASKED DR. COMMENT IF I'M INACCURATE.
I ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A CRT SPECIFIC POLICY.
AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, I MENTIONED THIS TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN ANSWER ABOUT THAT.
AND IF THAT ANSWER COMES IN THE FORM OF ENABLING DR.
[00:10:08]
WITH US, HE HAS STATED THAT HE WAS WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON SUCH CAN ANYBODY COMMENT ON THAT? WE DON'T USUALLY COMMENT DURING THIS PORTION OF THE BOARD MEETING.I UNDERSTAND DR. BUT YOU KNOW, FOR ME, THIS IS KIND OF NEW TO ME.
YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS A STATE LAW FORBIDDING TEACHING CRT IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS REALLY NECESSARY.
I DISAGREE WITH YOU RESPECTFULLY.
I FEEL THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF CRT BEING INTRODUCED EVER SO SUBTLY I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO BE AN OSTRICH WITH YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND NOT TO AND WE WOULD LIKE TO NOT SEE THAT BE HAPPENING HERE IN AIKEN.
AND IF THAT MEANS BEING A LITTLE MORE ACCOUNTABLE IN TERMS OF POLICIES THAT ARE AND SINCE WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON THAT, WE HOPE THAT WORK WITH US ON I'D APPRECIATE IT.
I DO WANT TO SAY ONE WORD ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE GO TO THE POLLS AND GET ELECTED, AND THE PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY WITH THE WAY WE DO OUR THEY CAN REPLACE US.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ACCOUNTABILITY YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN ANY JOB.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN.
I THINK I JUST SAID IN THAT PIECE, I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD.
WE'LL GO NOW TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM IS A COVID UPDATE FROM MR.
[Informational Items]
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.GOOD NEWS ON OUR COVID UPDATE.
THIS WOULD BE UP THERE IN JUST A SECOND.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT NUMBERS CONTINUE TO FALL.
THEY CONTINUE TO FALL IN AIKEN COUNTY AS A WHOLE, BUT ALSO CERTAINLY IN OUR SCHOOLS HERE LAST WEEK, WE HAD ONLY 20 STUDENT CASES AND ONLY 1 EMPLOYEE CASE CASE.
I BELIEVE I SAW THAT IN AIKEN COUNTY.
WE ARE NOW BELOW BELOW 200, WHICH PUTS US IN THE MEDIUM CATEGORY.
AND HOPEFULLY TOMORROW, WHEN THE [INAUDIBLE] REPORT COMES OUT, WE'LL SEE THAT AIKEN SO JUST WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ON THAT AND LET YOU SEE AND THERE IS THE VISUAL THERE WHERE THE ORANGE LINE WAS ALREADY LOW.
YOU'LL NOTICE QUARANTINE STILL LOOK A LITTLE HIGH.
WE THINK THERE'S SOME REPORTING ISSUES THERE.
IN FACT, I GOT A REPORT TODAY THAT THAT THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY IS CLOSER TO 600.
AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY PROBABLY LOWER THAN THAT.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, WE'RE HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH WITH REPORTING ON THAT.
BUT AGAIN, POSITIVE CASES CONTINUE TO GO DOWN AND AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THANK YOU MR. WE WILL GO THROUGH THESE ITEMS AND THEN VOTE ON THEM AS A GROUP UNLESS SOMEBODY
[Consent Items]
WANTS TO THE FIRST OF THESE IS THE RATIFICATION OF EXPULSIONS.THIS IS JUST A LIST OF THE NAMES OF STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN EXPELLED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET CALENDAR.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BUDGET CALENDAR BY THE 1ST OF NOVEMBER, AND MR. IT'S JUST THE DATES BY WHICH WE WILL DO CERTAIN THINGS AND PREPARING A CALENDAR FOR THE THE THIRD ITEM IS A THE 2022 GRADUATION CEREMONIES.
THEY ARE PROPOSED TO BE HELD AT THE USCA CONVENTION CENTER AS THEY WERE IN THE PAST PRIOR AND THERE'S A SCHEDULE THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS TO WHO WILL GRADUATE AT WHAT
[00:15:02]
PERIOD.THE FINAL BIG ITEM IS THE BOARD LIAISON FOR HEAD START, EARLY HEAD POLICY COUNCIL.
WE ELECTED MS. COUNCIL WITH DR. FLOP.
MS. RHINEHART WISHES TO BE THE BACK UP PERSON AND DR. THE LEAD.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE AN ACTION TO CHANGE OUR FORMATION.
SO THAT'S THE BIG ITEMS. IS THERE MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE? MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND BY MR. ANY DISCUSSION? YES, SIR.
WITH THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHY WE WERE LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE]? I KNOW WEATHER'S ALWAYS A CONCERN, RIGHT? WE'RE DOING IT OUTSIDE AT THE DIFFERENT CAMPUSES.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING IT AT THEIR OWN SPRING YEAH, WE SURVEYED GRADUATE PARENTS OF GRADUATING STUDENTS AND MAJORITY ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTED TO RETURN TO THE CONVOCATION CONDITIONED FACILITY GUARANTEED A NUMBER OF TICKETS.
IF YOU KNOW WE HAD ONE GRADUATION THAT WAS RAINED OUT LAST YEAR, FORTUNATELY, IT WAS SO SO THE NUMBER OF OF GUESTS WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE IN THE FIT IN THE GYMNASIUM.
THAT WOULDN'T BE THE CASE AT THE LARGER SCHOOLS AND AND THAT WHOLE WEEK, ALL OF OUR YEAH, I WAS SITTING ON THE STAGE AT WAGENER-SALLY AND THE DROPS WERE COMING DOWN AND WE SO JUST TO ALLEVIATE THAT FEAR, THE DESIRE IS TO HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AND BE ABLE TO BE ATTEND AND I THINK THAT'S VERY REASONABLE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SIDE BY SIDE COST COMPARISON, JUST I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT SEEING THAT AT SOME AND I THINK I DIDN'T LOOK AT IT SPECIFICALLY THIS YEAR.
BUT WHEN WE DID THE THE COVID GRADUATIONS IN THE MORNING OF AT THE COST AND THE COST FOR RENTING CHAIRS AND RENTING STAGES AND SOUND, CONTRACTING FOR SOUND AND VIDEO.
BUT BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT AND SEE SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM LAST TIME, BUT I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING IT AGAIN.
ANYBODY ELSE? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED PLEASE THAT'S EVERYONE, GOING THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THE FIRST OF THOSE IS THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS YOU RECEIVED THE LIST OF PEOPLE
[Individual Items]
WHO ARE EMPLOYMENT.IS THERE A MOTION? SOME MOVED, MOVED BY MR. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE SECOND IS THE REVISION OF POLICY DA FISCAL MANAGEMENT GOALS, PRIORITY REQUIRES US TO MONTHS OF OPERATIONAL IS THERE A MOTION? MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY DR. IS THERE DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE THIRD ITEM IS REVISION OF POLICY, GCC PROFESSIONAL STAFF LEAVES AND FIRST READING AND POLICY GDC STAFF SUPPORT LEAVES AND ABSENCES FIRST READING.
THE REVISION IS BASICALLY PROVIDING THAT UNUSED SICK LEAVE MAY BE REIMBURSED ONLY IN THE THAT'S THE MAJOR CHANGE IN THAT POLICY AND IS THERE MOTION? MOVED TO APPROVE BOTH SAID POLICIES.
MOVED BY MR. SILAS, SECONDED BY DR.
[00:20:08]
[INAUDIBLE] ANY DISCUSSION? MR. NUESSLE.SO I JUST TO BE HONEST, I NEVER BEFORE WE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
I NEVER LOOKED AT POLICY GCC, AND I'M ASSUMING BY THE CHANGE THAT WE SAW IN THAT THAT SICK LEAVE PAID NO SIR.
THEY'VE NEVER, NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
NOW, IF YOU MOVE TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ANOTHER ENTITY TRANSFER.
I BELIEVE THERE'S A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER THAT CAN TRANSFER, BUT THEY CAN TRANSFER.
WHAT WE'VE DONE HISTORICALLY IS PAID $25 A DAY AT RETIREMENT.
THIS WOULD SIMPLY ADD ALSO THE DEATH OF THE EMPLOYEE.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
FORTH, THE PROVISION OF A TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE RULE, STAFF AND GDC-R2 SUPPORT STAFF COVID 19 WHAT THIS DOES IS EXTENDS THE COVID LEAVE THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE BOARD AT AN EARLIER IS THERE MOTION? SO MOVED.
MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON SECONDED BY MR. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OK, REVISION OF POLICY JFABC ADMISSION OF TRANSFER STUDENTS FIRST READING.
THIS BASICALLY ALLOWS FOR AN END STUDENT IN DISTRICT TRANSFER OF A STUDENT ACADEMIC REASONS TO TAKE WITH HIM HIS CURRENT ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOVED BY MS. SECOND BY MR. SILAS, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AGAIN OPPOSED? MR. SMITH HAS OPPOSED.
REVISION OF POLICY IKA GRADING ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FIRST READING.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH CHANGING THE ROUNDING UP OF THE COMPUTATION OF GPA FROM THE NEXT IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT [INAUDIBLE].
MOVED BY MR. SMITH, SECONDED BY DR. MR. NUESSLE, YEAH, I JUST SO.
JUST TELL ME THE PRE AND POST.
HOW ARE WE DOING IT NOW? DUMB IT DOWN FOR ME.
WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW? ARE WE GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE? SO THIS IS SIMPLY A CHANGE IN IN THE UNIFORM GRADING STATE.
I THINK WE SHOULD EXTEND IT OUT FURTHER THAN THAN THE THIRD DECIMAL POINT.
AND I THINK THIS JUST MAKES IT CONSISTENT FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT EVERYONE HAS TO I HAVE NO, I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
NUMBER EIGHT IS THE PROPOSED ONE TIME USE OF FUND BALANCE AND EMPLOYEE BONUS.
MR. LAURENCE, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, MR. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT WHEN WE'VE HAD THE THE ABILITY TO DO SO IN RECENT FOR STAFF MEMBERS IT HAS TURNED INTO, I THINK, FOUR YEARS NOW, BUT IT STILL WOULD BE CONSIDERED A ONE TIME I THINK THAT WE DID IT.
IT WAS ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLAR BONUS FOR EMPLOYEES.
LAST YEAR WE HAD WE HAD A KIND OF A COMBINATION CHRISTMAS BONUS AND LOYALTY BONUS.
I THINK WE CALLED IT, BUT IT WAS REALLY DIFFERENTIATED BASED ON THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS JUST A STRAIGHT THREE HUNDRED DOLLAR BONUS FOR EACH EMPLOYEE THE
[00:25:06]
THOUSAND DOLLARS PER ONE ACTUALLY BE ABOUT ONE MILLION FIFTY THOUSAND THIS BONUS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FUND BALANCE, WHICH THE REQUEST EARLIER ON THAT POLICY REVISION, WE SO SO THIS WOULD NOT HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ON OPERATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION IN COMING MEETINGS, WHETHER OTHER ONE TIME RECOMMENDATIONS BOARD.
BUT THE TIMELINESS OF THIS ONE GETTING IT READY FOR DECEMBER PAYROLL IS THE REASON WE OK, IS THERE A MOTION? MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND BY DR. RHINEHART-JACKSON.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MR. MR. LAURENCE, I KNOW LAST YEAR YOU JUST SAID IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT THE WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT WE DID? DO YOU RECALL THAT TWO YEARS AGO? I'M ALMOST CERTAIN IT WAS 150.
SO, YEAH, MR. TRAXLER IS CONFIRMING THAT LAST YEAR, I THINK WE WERE ANYWHERE FROM 150 TO THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EVERYONE I NEED TO BACK UP.
YOU GOT THE REVISION OF THE FOLLOWING THIS IS NUMBER 6 C SIX REVISION OF FOLLOWING TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE RULES JER STUDENT ATTENDANCE.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE REQUIRING OF ATTENDANCE RECORDS FOR VIRTUAL STUDENTS.
IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION, WE CAN CALL ON SOMEONE FOR THAT.
I THINK MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
MOVED BY MR. SMITH, SECONDED BY MS. ANY DISCUSSION? DR. HANKS.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION THAT POLICY IS STATING WORK SUBMITTED BY THE DEADLINE IS THE OR IS IT A SET POLICY ON WHEN WORK HAS TO BE SUBMITTED.
ASK DR. THERE IS AN EXPECTATION FOR IT TO BE DONE WITHIN A WEEK AFTER [INAUDIBLE] OR WHEN THE FIVE DAYS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? I DO.
MR. YEAH, SO LET'S USE THAT EXAMPLE.
AND THIS CAME UP, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID, BUT SOMEONE'S OUT FOR TWO WEEKS COVID, AND THEY'RE SICK THE WHOLE TIME.
ARE WE SAYING THEY'VE GOT FIVE SCHOOL DAYS WHEN THEY RETURN TO MAKE UP EVERYTHING THEY OR IS THIS JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE ON QUARANTINE PREVENTATIVELY.
AND IT'S NOT IN POLICY, SPECIFICALLY THE NUMBER OF DAYS? BUT I KNOW IN TALKING TO PRINCIPALS, THE KIND OF THE STANDARD APPROACH IS ONE DAY FOR THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT CODIFIED ANYWHERE WE PUT IN THE FIVE DAYS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS BUT IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE UP TO TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS TO WORK WITH SO I'M GOING TO REPEAT BACK WHAT YOU TOLD ME, OK? AS FAR AS WHAT I HEARD, NOT WHAT YOU SAID, OK? THESE INITIAL PARAGRAPHS IN THE FIRST SECTION APPLY TO STUDENTS THAT ARE QUARANTINED, NOT OUT.
YES, THIS IS A TEMPORARY RULE.
AND ONE OTHER COMMENT, I THINK THE CLARIFICATION IS NEEDED BECAUSE PARENTS ARE I'VE HAD SEVERAL PARENTS REACH OUT FROM A STUDENT IN QUARANTINE NOT KNOWING
[00:30:03]
THE REQUIREMENT WAS FOR WHEN THEIR CHILD.THE TIME FRAME THEY HAD TO COMPLETE THE WORK.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO GET IT STATED SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT IT'S SORT OF BY TEACHER BASIS BUT IF THERE'S NO SET NUMBER IN POLICY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THEIR WELL, ONE THING I THINK THAT IN THIS CASE IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING STUDENTS, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SICK STUDENTS.
AND SO THE EXPECTATION IS, IF POSSIBLE, NOW OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT BUT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT A QUARANTINE STUDENT WOULD PARTICIPATE WITH THEIR TEACHER AND WHEN THE STUDENT CAME THE CLASS WAS THAT.
NOW OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE RURAL AREAS AND WE EVEN HAVE AREAS THAT AREN'T RURAL WHERE AND SO WE DO HAVE TO ALLOW FOR THOSE THINGS.
BUT THERE ARE MEANS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS BEING IN CONTACT WITH TEACHERS, AND THE GOAL POSSIBLE.
AND AGAIN, A SICK STUDENT, THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY.
THE SICK STUDENT PROBABLY CAN'T KEEP UP IN REAL TIME WITH THE CLASS.
AND I THINK, ARE YOU DONE, DR. JUST AND I THINK MR. USING IT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEY'RE QUARANTINED.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO TEACHERS TO HAVE TO KEEP UP TURN STUFF IN, YOU SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
BUT I THINK THE COMMUNICATION AROUND THE DIFFERENCES AND HOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT IS FOLKS ARE, MAYBE IT'S NOT CRYSTAL CLEAR.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
GOING BACK TO NUMBER NINE, THE PROPOSED INCENTIVE FOR BUS DRIVER RECRUITMENT AND I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THAT OF THE DIFFICULTIES WE HAVE TRYING TO RECRUIT BUS AND THIS POLICY PROPOSES A NUMBER OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR BUS DRIVERS, AND I'LL LET I'M NOT GOING TRY TO DO THAT.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A $1000 SIGN ON BONUS FOR NEW BUS DRIVERS.
THOSE WOULD BE NEWLY HIRED REGULAR PART TIME OR FULL TIME DRIVERS.
WE WOULD PAY $500 CLOSE TO THEIR INITIAL HIRE DATE.
THE OTHER $500 WOULD BE PAID AT THE COMPLETION OF THEIR 90 DAY EVALUATION.
SO BOTH OF THOSE WILL BE PAID ON REGULAR PAY DATES.
FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES THEY OBVIOUSLY WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR A SIGNING BONUS.
BUT WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT WE PROVIDE A RETENTION BONUS FOR CURRENT BUS DRIVERS IN SO THAT WOULD BE $500 PER QUARTER FOR BUS DRIVERS WHO DRIVE AT LEAST 42 DAYS A AND THE REASON WE SET THAT DATE IS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE 12 SICK DAYS A SO THAT'S THREE DAYS A QUARTER.
SO WE FIGURE, IF YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE PROVIDING THOSE DAYS, WE DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE SO DRIVING 42 DAYS OUT OF THE QUARTER WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE $500 FOR THAT QUARTER AND A OK, NOW, IS THERE A MOTION? MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. DISCUSSION, MR. I FULLY SUPPORT EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS.
I JUST WOULD LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION.
UNDER THE RETENTION BONUS, IF YOU READ THE SECOND BULLET POINT, ANY BUS DRIVER IN HIRED, ET SHOULD I READ THAT TO MEAN THAT IF YOU'RE NEWLY HIRED, YOU GET THE BONUS? YOU WILL ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A $2000 APPROXIMATE BONUS.
[00:35:04]
YOU WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE $2000 BECAUSE AT LEAST ONE QUARTER HAS ALREADY PASSED.BUT EVERY QUARTER GOING FORWARD, YOU WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR IT.
SO A NEW HIRE COULD THEORETICALLY GET.
AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE A THOUSAND BECAUSE ONCE UNLESS WE HIRED SOMEBODY TOMORROW WHO I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD QUALIFY IN THE SECOND QUARTER BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TRAINING.
SIGN ON AND THE RETENTION WOULD THEORETICALLY BE EQUAL, RIGHT? I'M OK WITH THAT.
[INAUDIBLE] BUT THEY WILL GET AT THE END OF THEIR 90 DAY PROBATIONARY THEY WOULD GET THE SECOND HALF OF THAT $1000.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S FINE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TREATING OUR EXISTING STAFF AS GOOD AT IF NOT BETTER THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. YEAH, SO SOME QUICK QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE NEED TO SAY OUT LOUD IS SO WE'VE GOT WHAT'S THE.
WHAT'S THE BASIC STARTING RATE OR PAY FOR A BUS DRIVER? I'M GOING TO ASK RIGHT.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY BECAUSE IF IT'S LESS I DON'T WANT TO SAY A HIGHER NUMBER.
I'M GOING TO LET MR. IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME JUST ONE SECOND PLEASE BOARD MEMBERS.
AND WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING THAT UP MR. WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN MY DAD WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THESE POSITIONS NOW, RIGHT? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN KIND OF LICENSE TO BE A BUS DRIVER? YES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CDL LICENSE AND THEN ADDITIONAL BUS DRIVER TRAINING.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST HIRE ANYBODY OFF THE STREET.
SO STARTING BUS DRIVER PAY RIGHT NOW IS 13.86.
WHATSOEVER AND THEN ANYONE THAT WE BRING IN OUR HR DEPARTMENT DOES LOOK AT QUALIFYING AND I'M SORRY WHAT'S THE PAY PERIOD ON THAT AMOUNT? IT'S THIRTEEN EIGHTY SIX AN HOUR.
AND APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY POSITIONS ARE WE SHORT RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
ANYONE ELSE? HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM THAT A BOARD MEMBER REQUESTED THAT WE DISCUSS CODE OF STUDENT
[Individual Board Members]
CONDUCT.MR. SMITH, I BELIEVE YOU'RE CARRYING THAT ACTUALLY, MR. MOULTON ASKED THAT WE DISCUSS THIS AND HE'S NOT HERE.
I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE THAT I'M WRONG, I'LL DO WHAT I CAN.
WELL, I CAN SPEAK TO IT, MAYBE AS A STARTING POINT AND THEN ANYBODY ELSE CAN ADD TO SURE.
I THINK THE PREMISE, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE ASKING THAT TO ABOUT IS DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT, I'LL CALL IT NUMBER OF MY WORD, ALTERCATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN THIS YEAR SPECIFICALLY.
PROBABLY, MAYBE AS MUCH AS 75 PERCENT, BUT CERTAINLY OVER HALF HAVE INVOLVED EITHER DIRECT.
WELL, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, ATTACK ON THAT TEACHER, BUT LAYING OF HAND BY STUDENT AND SHOULD BE LOUD AND CLEAR THAT TOLERATED IT, BUT FOR SOME REASON AND IT NEEDS TO BE LOUD AND CLEAR FROM MY POSITION AND I THINK SOME OTHERS THAT THAT WILL CONDUCT ALLOWS AT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A LITTLE CAVEAT.
ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH MR. ADMINISTRATORS, IT'S TEACHERS IT'S AIDES IT CUSTODIAN, EXCUSE ME.
CUSTODIANS, EVERY, SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE, WHOMEVER.
[00:40:01]
IF YOU AS MR. NOT BE TOLERATED IN OUR THEY EXPECT US TO GIVE IT TO THEM AND ANYONE ELSE? I'D LIKE TO SECOND THAT LOUDLY.WE'RE GOING TO BE MONITORING IT QUITE CLOSELY.
I THINK THE PRINCIPALS AND PEOPLE WHO DISPENSE DISCIPLINE NEED TO KNOW THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO USE WE CANNOT RUN SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER, THE STAFF MEMBER WHO COMES TO WORK EVERY DAY NEEDS TO KNOW AND ARE 100 PERCENT BEHIND AND PROTECT THEM FROM INJURY.
AND MR. YEAH DR. BRADLEY BEFORE WE MOVE ON, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE TO SEE A FOR EXPULSION AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS IN THE I THINK THAT'S BEEN ASSURED US THAT HE'S GOING ANYBODY ELSE? DR. NOT A WHOLE LOT TO ADD, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I AGREE 100 PERCENT.
SO WHETHER IT'S A CHANGE IN POLICY INCREASE IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION, WHATEVER WE NEED TO WE WILL IN NO WAY TOLERATE TOLERATE FROM STUDENTS OR A PARENT IN THE SO.
LET'S LOOK AT IT, LET'S STAY ON TOP OF IT, AND LET'S CHANGE WHATEVER WE NEED CHANGE AND FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE, NOT JUST TO THE YES MA'AM.
I WOULD IF I'M ALLOWED, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LAURENCE WITH HIS TEAM COME BACK WITH SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION IN POLICY THAT WE I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE READY TO DO THAT YET.
I'M SPEAKING FOR ME PERSONALLY, BUT I DO THINK A STRONG MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE SENT.
THESE FOLKS DO NOT DESERVE WHAT THEY'RE GETTING IN THESE CLASSROOMS AND IN SUBSEQUENT YES, SIR.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS LANGUAGE IS IN OUR POLICIES AND IT'S IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF CONTINUING TO REINFORCE THAT AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ANY KIND OF STAFF.
OK, [INAUDIBLE] MR. US TO SAY WE SUPPORT IT, BUT AND I APPRECIATE SOME FOLLOW UP THERE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR SROS AND OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS WHO HAVE THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN VERY SWIFT THERE.
WE'VE ALL SEEN AN INCREASED NUMBER IN IBR'S FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE IT'S WHERE THERE'S AN INCIDENT, WE GET REPORTS ON THOSE ON CAMPUS.
WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN TO USE YOUR WORD VIOLENT THINGS HERE RECENTLY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS TO THAT, BUT I'LL ECHO THE SENTIMENT.
THE LAW IS ALREADY THERE, BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY STILL HAPPENING.
SO I'D JUST LIKE SOME BRAINSTORMING, WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME AND I KNOW OUR STAFF WOULD SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO STOP IT, BUT I'M OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT
[00:45:02]
CERTAINLY AFTER THE FACT.WHAT I MEAN IN THE REMARKS I MADE IS THAT THE CHILD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PUBLIC MAYBE IF IT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION, WE CAN DO IT BUT A VIOLENT CHILD HAS NO PLACE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN A FACE TO FACE ENVIRONMENT.
AND I THINK FURTHER, WE SHOULD PROSECUTE TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.
PEOPLE WHO DO ATTACK TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS.
ALL RIGHT, OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT.
MR. LAURENCE YOU HAVE AN UPDATE.
[Office of Superintendent]
ONE MOMENT THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.BEFORE I START THIS PRESENTATION, I GOT A MESSAGE FROM ONE OF OUR PRINCIPALS, DR. ME TO SHARE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD, GIVE IT TO ME.
THEY GIVE ME A LITTLE SPACE OF TIME ON EVERY BOARD AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING I WANT SO I REALLY ENJOY TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS.
AND BAND SILVER BLUFF, WON THE 2A LOWER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
THEY DID THAT AND WE'LL BE IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY.
FOOTBALL THEY'RE THE REGION 5A CHAMPIONS FIVE DOUBLE CHAMPIONS WITH AN UNDEFEATED SEASON VOLLEYBALL.
ALSO, THE REGION FIVE DOUBLE A CHAMPION AND SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS IS ACTUALLY SO.
CROSS-COUNTRY THEY HAVE TWO STUDENTS WHO MADE ALL REGION.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY'VE HAD A TEAM AND SO TWO STUDENTS.
AND THEY HAVE ONE STUDENT WHO IS COMPETING ON SOUTH AIKEN SWIMMING TEAM BECAUSE THEY DON'T SO, ALL RIGHT.
CONGRATULATIONS KUDOS TO SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE AND I BET MY MAILBOX WILL BE FULL TOMORROW.
BELIEVE IT WAS IN WHICH, YEAH, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD, WHICH MEANS THEY'LL COMPETE IN THE STATE FINALS ALL RIGHT, SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE DISTRICT GOALS TALKED ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WE FELT WERE IMPORTANT FOR MOVING OUR AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO START WITH OUR MISSION MISSION OF AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE UNIFYING AGENT OF NEW HORIZONS AND EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBILITIES IS TO ENSURE ALL CITIZENS THROUGH A DISTINGUISHED BY HIGH QUALITY AND STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING EXPERIENCES, TRANSFORMATIVE EXCELLENCE.
SO UNIFYING AGENT WE SEE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS INTEGRAL IN BRINGING OUR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WE CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF STUDENTS' LIVES FOR THE BETTER.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN A POPULAR TARGET IN RECENT YEARS, BUT I STAND HERE AS A PRODUCT I SUSPECT THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM ARE PRODUCTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AS ARE THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE CAN'T DO BETTER.
I MEAN, WE CAN'T DO A LOT BETTER.
WE TALK ABOUT NEW HORIZONS AND EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBILITIES.
ONE WAY OF DOING THAT IS BEING RESPONSIVE, AND WE PUT THAT IN THERE THAT THROUGH A COMMUNITIES.
I BELIEVE THAT THE GOALS I'M LAYING OUT TONIGHT REPRESENT AN EFFORT TO RESPOND POSITIVELY SO THE FIRST OF THOSE GOALS CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY SYSTEM TO
[00:50:03]
TECHNOLOGY.SO SOME OF THE STRATEGIC STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE HIGH EQUITY, INCLUSION AND UNITY OF IMPACTFUL STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INDICATORS AND I'VE LISTED THOSE THERE AND I'M NOT GOING TO TALK WE'VE LEARNED MUCH IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ABOUT DELIVERING INSTRUCTION IN A VARIETY OF THAT'S BEEN A NECESSITY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
CONTINUING TO GROW AND ENHANCE OUR ABILITIES IS ALSO A NECESSITY.
MORE THAN EVER WE ARE AWARE OF THE NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE IN OUR DELIVERY SYSTEMS. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR OUTCOMES, CELEBRATE WHERE WE EXCEL AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS I THINK WE TALKED OVER A YEAR AGO THAT WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS OVER, WHEN NO LONGER WERE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE REMOTE LEARNING AND PROVIDE DUAL MODALITIES, I AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE CHANGED.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE PROVIDE THAT INSTRUCTION TO THEM.
THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION AND OUR COMMUNITY ARE EVOLVING AT AN ACCELERATED RATE TECHNOLOGY AND REMOTE LEARNING ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
BUT SO ARE HIGHER EDUCATION, DUAL ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'LL LOOK TO FURTHER NURTURE AND EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH AIKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE ALSO IMPORTANT ARE OUR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY PATHWAYS.
IF WE ARE TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS AND MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR OF OUR DISTRICT AS WE LOOK AT THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES WE ALSO HAVE TO HOW CAN WE OPTIMIZE STUDENT TEACHER RATIOS? WE LOWERED THEM IN SOME GRADES LAST YEAR, BUT HAVE MORE TO DO.
WHAT ABOUT OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR? DOES THE WAY THAT WE ARRANGE OUR 180 DAYS OF INSTRUCTION STILL MAKE SENSE? WE KNOW THAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING WERE DELAYED BY THE PANDEMIC.
CAN WE CREATE TIME WITHIN THE SCHOOL YEAR TO SUPPORT CATCH UP GROWTH? WE KNOW THAT DEMANDS AND PRESSURES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE GROWN ENORMOUSLY.
CAN WE ADAPT OUR SCHEDULES TO RELIEVE SOME OF THAT STRESS? I THINK THAT WE CAN, AND I PLAN TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OF OUR PARENTS, OUR TEACHERS AND I THINK WE ALSO ASK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF OUR SCHOOL DAY.
COMMUNICATION IS GOING TO BE A CRITICAL PIECE AS WE DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOME OF OUR BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS HAVE ALWAYS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PART OF ANY WE MUST DO SO WITH AN EYE TOWARD EFFICIENCY AND COST EFFECTIVENESS.
THE SECOND GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN POSITIVE, SAFE AND NURTURING AND AGAIN, OUR STRATEGIES FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND UNITY OF PRIORITIES.
SO AGAIN, MORE INDICATORS AND I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO ABOUT OUR CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT.
SOLID COMMUNITY SUPPORTED EXPECTATIONS FOR CONDUCT ARE CRITICAL FOR A POSITIVE, SAFE AND THERE WAS A REQUEST THAT WE LOOK AT OUR POLICIES AND REQUEST THAT WE LOOK AT OUR STAKEHOLDERS AS WE REVIEW WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE HOW WE IMPLEMENT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING, MULTI-TIERED WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE DIVERSE FACILITIES NEEDS IN OUR DISTRICT.
ONGOING PROJECTS INCLUDE HAMMOND HILL, BELVEDERE AND MILLBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING PHASE OF HIGHLAND SPRINGS, MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FINAL PHASES OF AIKEN NORTH AUGUSTA AND RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA HIGH OUR ESSER 3 DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AND ALLOW US TO BEGIN ADDRESSING OTHER NEEDS ACROSS WE'LL BE ENGAGING THE WAGENER-SALLEY COMMUNITY IN CONVERSATIONS DIRECTION OF THAT PROJECT IN THE COMING WEEKS.
AND MY FIRST GOAL I MENTIONED THE CRITICAL NATURE OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PROVIDING A NEW CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY AGAIN, MAKING THE KIND OF DIFFERENCE THAT LITERALLY CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY OF A STUDENT'S AIKEN COUNTY IS GROWING.
WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING STAGE OF A NEW POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS STUDY, AND I'VE TALKED AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US TO FORECAST FACILITY NEEDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
[00:55:04]
ONCE THE STUDY IS COMPLETE, COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL BE FRONT AND COMMUNITIES.THE THIRD GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND REFINE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO RECRUIT AND AGAIN, THAT'S SPECIFICALLY ONE OF THE STRATEGIES AND ALSO THE FOSTERING THE STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS.
SO SOME OF THE INDICATORS THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE AND LAST YEAR, WE REDUCED STUDENT TEACHER WE ANTICIPATE CONTINUING THE REDUCTION IN CLASS SIZE AS PART OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.
BUT ALSO THAT GOES BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY METHODS.
IF 5K WENT TO 20 TO 1 RIGHT NOW, 5K IS 25 TO ONE, IF WE WENT TO 20 TO ONE, WE'D NEED 16 THAT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE 16 CLASSROOMS. NOW WE DO HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
OTHER SCHOOLS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE IT.
AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EXPANDING OUR SPACE SOMEHOW, WHETHER THAT'S BRICK AND MORTAR OR IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO LOOK AT IT WITH A LONGER RANGE AND DOING IT INCREMENTALLY.
IF WE WENT TO 22 TO ONE IN KINDERGARTEN FOR THE FIRST YEAR WITH THE EYE TOWARD GOING OF 16.
SECOND AND THIRD GRADE ARE ALSO AREAS THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT.
IF WE BROUGHT THOSE DOWN TO 20 TO ONE SECOND AND THIRD GRADE, WE'D BE LOOKING AT 20 AND AGAIN, 20 CLASSROOMS. IN MANY CASES, WE HAVE SPACE AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOLS.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE AS WE WE CONSISTENTLY HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST TEACHER SALARIES IN THE STATE, AND THAT'S A GREAT BUT OUR SALARY SCHEDULE TOPS OUT BEFORE STAFF MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT.
SO WE WANT TO LOOK AT THOSE LOYAL LONG TERM TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.
WE ADDED TWO STEPS LAST YEAR AND WE'LL PROPOSE DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS STEP 27 TO OUR TO FURTHER DEMONSTRATE OUR APPRECIATION AND SUPPORT FOR TEACHER RETENTION WE'RE GOING TO SO THAT'S GOING TO BE IN COMING YEARS.
WE ALSO PROPOSE SIMILARLY ADDING A STEP EACH YEAR FOR NON TEACHERS.
SO LOOKING AT NOT ONLY OUR TEACHING STAFF, BUT ALSO OUR SUPPORT STAFF AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE AND DESIRING TO KEEP PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE.
WE WANT TO BUILD GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND ENCOURAGE THE LAST GOAL IS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
NOW THIS ONE RUNS THROUGH THE OTHER GOALS, BUT WE DECIDED IT ALSO NEEDED A LITTLE BIT OF WITH THIS ONE EARLIER, I MENTIONED CAREER TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
PARTNERSHIPS ARE CRITICAL TO THAT EFFORT.
NOT ONLY DO THEY ALLOW US TO TARGET PROGRAMS TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES EXPERIENCE.
WE WILL EXPAND OUR AIKEN WORKS INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE MORE WORK BASED LEARNING AND ANOTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT AIKEN COUNTY WAS THE FIRST PURPLE STAR PURPLE STAR DISTRICTS RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES THAT MILITARY CONNECTED STUDENTS AND THOSE CHALLENGES NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL HAS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO WORK WITH WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE MISSION AT FORT GORDON AND THE FOCUS ON BOTH MILITARY AND TO EMBRACE WE'VE ENJOYED A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT AGENCIES IN AIKEN COUNTY.
WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH MANY OF THEM AND LOOK TO EMBRACE THOSE AND INITIATE OTHERS TO EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR OUR SCHOOLS ARE INTEGRAL MEMBERS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
THAT MEANS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE INVOLVED IN OUR SCHOOLS AND
[01:00:03]
VICE VERSA.REMEMBER, WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO THRIVE AS PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
WE WANT TO BE THAT UNIFYING AGENT THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN LIVES.
COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL TO OUR MISSION.
AS WE EMERGE FROM THE PANDEMIC, WE WILL EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCUSSION IN INDIVIDUAL AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL SHARE OUR STORY THROUGH A VARIETY OF METHODS.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE DIFFERENCE THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL CAN MAKE IN THE LIFE TRAJECTORY OF A EVERY DAY, I WANT TO HELP OTHERS MAKE THAT SAME DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S WHAT THESE GOALS ARE ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFY ANYTHING THAT I'VE SAID.
MR. OK, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE INDICATORS WHERE YOU REFERENCE USING DATA, DO YOU ALREADY WE'LL SEE THAT LATER.
THIS YEAR IS JUST IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE COMPARISONS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC YEAR.
WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT WHAT WE HAD FROM OUR LAST TESTING, WHICH WAS IN 2019.
AND THEN THE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RIGHT TO CALL IT COVID TESTING, BUT THE POST-PANDEMIC AND I THINK WE'VE SHARED WITH THE BOARD THAT WE'RE NOT AT ALL HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS OF SO LOOKING AT THAT AND DETERMINING WHAT CATCH UP GROWTH WE NEED TO MAKE.
AND EXACTLY WHAT THOSE TARGETS SHOULD BE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME, OK? AND THE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY MORE AT A LATER TIME IS FOR THE AND ALTERNATIVE YES.
AND WHETHER WE TALK ABOUT IT LATER OR NOW, I'D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU KNOW NOT THAT WE WOULD DO THIS RIGHT.
BUT IF YOU WANT THE NUMBER TO GO UP OR GO DOWN, YOU CAN MAKE IT GO UP OR GO DOWN.
RIGHT? AS FAR WITHOUT NECESSARILY GETTING THE ACHIEVE RESULT.
SO I JUST I WANT TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF CHECKS AND BALANCES, AND THERE OTHER METRICS FOR ACTUALLY GETTING WHAT WE THAT'S FAIR THAT MAKES SENSE.
I APPRECIATE THIS MR. LAURENCE, AND I KNOW THAT STAFF IS GOING TO APPRECIATE YOUR STEP 30 AND STEPS FOR NON I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'VE [INAUDIBLE].
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT.
WE WILL NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING, WE HAVE A STUDENT APPEAL THAT
[Executive Session]
WE NEED TO WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE AND WE WILL RECEIVE AND LEGAL ADVICE CONCERNING POLICY KI.NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO WE'LL RESUME AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT ARISE FROM THE DISCUSSIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.