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[00:02:31]

MIC] ALL RIGHT IF I CAN CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, PLEASE.

[Call to Order]

[00:05:09]

MY WATCH SAYS IT'S 6:00 O'CLOCK.

SO TRADITIONALLY WE BEGIN OUR MEETING WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO CONSIDER WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CONSIDER.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE WE DO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OR IF YOU SAW IN THE PAPER WHERE ROBERT PASKEL, A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER 26.

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH HIM.

I KNOW AT THE TIME I DIDN'T NECESSARILY CONSIDER IT A PRIVILEGE BECAUSE HE WAS A HARD TASKMASTER, BUT HE MADE A NUMBER OF INNOVATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THE FORMAT THAT WE FOLLOW IN HOLDING BOARD MEETINGS WAS THE INNOVATION OF HIS, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT JUST WANTED TO REMEMBER BOB PASKEL.

JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

NOW, IF YOU WOULD LETS STAND AND SAY THE PLEDGE.

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

AGENDA'S BEEN CIRCULATED.

WE DO HAVE A REQUEST TO ADD ONE ITEM TO THE AGENDA.

IT IS THE APPROVAL OR ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

I THINK BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SEEN GOTTEN AN EMAIL ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT.

IT WAS NOT PUT ON THE AGENDA SO FOR SO FOR US TO DO THAT, I HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO ADD THIS ITEM TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.

IS THERE IS THERE MOTION? MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECOND, SECOND BY MR. MOULTON.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND THAT IS A UNANIMOUS VOTE.

THANK YOU.

SO WE WILL ADD THAT AS F 2 IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES REQUIRING APPROVAL THIS EVENING.

THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER THE 7TH AND DECEMBER 14TH IS THERE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED? MOULTON.

THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR.

PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING OR RAISING YOUR HAND.

AGAIN, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

MINUTES ARE APPROVAL.

[Public Participation ]

WE HAVE ONE REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION THIS EVENING, MR. JOHN PETTIGREW HAS ASKED TO ADDRESS US ON THE TOPIC OF THE MODIFIED CALENDAR.

IT'S BETTER IF YOU WOULD GO OVER TO THE OK, THAT ONE OVER THERE.

I KNEW WE SPOKE WITH THAT ONE IN THE PAST.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT, BUT OK, THIS IS FINE, BUT THAT'S FINE.

IS THIS MIC ON? OK.

ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS AND BOARD AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND WANTED TO TALK WITH JUST A FEW MINUTES ABOUT THE MODIFIED CALENDAR.

I KNOW THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION AMONG STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT CALENDAR, AND I'VE TALKED WITH SOME OTHER PARENTS, TALKED WITH SOME STUDENTS AND AND HAVE SOME THOUGHTS.

I RECEIVE THE THE EMAIL BACK.

I THINK IT WAS DECEMBER 1ST REGARDING THE MODIFIED CALENDAR AND THE LINK TO THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND TO THE SURVEY.

AND I TOOK THAT SURVEY AND I HAD SOME QUESTIONS BECAUSE ANY TIME WE ENTER INTO A MAJOR DECISION SUCH AS THIS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROS AND CONS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE GET IT RIGHT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO NOT GOING TO BE ANY NEGATIVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

AND THIS DECISION DOES AFFECT REALLY EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

AND SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS REGARDING THE CALENDAR.

AND FIRST OF ALL, THE SURVEY ASKED IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS TO TO EMAIL TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND I DID ON ON DECEMBER THE 9TH AND AND I AND I HADN'T

[00:10:03]

GOTTEN A RESPONSE OR I HADN'T GOTTEN AN ANSWER.

AND THE QUESTION I HAD ON DECEMBER THE 9TH WAS THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PAGE LISTS SEVERAL ATTRIBUTES OF PROPOSED MODIFIED ACADEMIC CALENDAR.

COULD YOU PLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION OR A LINK TO STUDIES REGARDING HOW IT REDUCES BURNOUT? ALSO, PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING HOW CHANGING FROM A TEN WEEK SUMMER BREAK TO A SIX WEEK BREAK PREVENTS THE SUMMER SLIDE.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! THOSE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE LISTED AS ATTRIBUTES OF THE CALENDAR, AND I JUST WANTED TO SEE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THAT.

AND THE NEXT MORNING I GOT A RESPONSE.

HI MR. PETTIGREW THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT.

FORWARDED YOUR EMAIL TO THE LEADERSHIP GROUP WORKING ON THIS CALENDAR TO ASK THEM TO RESPOND TO YOU.

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT BUT I HADN'T GOTTEN ANY OTHER ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT YET, SO MAYBE SOMEBODY HERE TONIGHT CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION ABOUT IF THERE'S ANY STUDIES SHOWING THAT THIS IS GOING TO PREVENT A SUMMER SLIDE.

AND AND ALSO, HOW'S IT GOING TO REDUCE THE BURNOUT? MR. PETTIGREW WE DON'T USUALLY RESPOND TO QUESTIONS, OK AT THIS POINT IN THE AGENDA, BUT IF YOU'LL SEE US MONTH AGO.

OK, I WILL.

I PROMISE YOU YOU'LL GET AN ANSWER.

AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO THROW OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, WHILE I WHILE I HAVE THE FLOOR, ONE THING I THINK NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IS THE IMPACT ON SUMMER JOBS FOR STUDENTS.

MANY STUDENTS LIKE TO WORK DURING THE SUMMERTIME.

IT GIVES THEM SOME, SOME VALUABLE JOB EXPERIENCE, LEARN SOME SKILLS, LEARN SOME RESPONSIBILITY, BE ABLE TO EARN A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY, MAYBE TO PAY FOR A CAR OR PAY TOWARD GOING TO COLLEGE OR SOMETHING.

AND AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO REDUCE THE ABILITY FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT WANT TO WORK IN A RESTAURANT OR WORK AS A LIFEGUARD OR OR DO LAWN CARE OR WHATEVER DURING THE SUMMER, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THAT THE THE TWO WEEK BREAK.

HOW'S IT GOING TO IMPACT CHILD CARE FOR FOR PEOPLE TO ARRANGE CHILDCARE MORE OFTEN THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD HAVE TO DO? HOW ABOUT SPORTS PRACTICES AND SPORTS GAMES? HOW ARE PEOPLE GOING TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO PRACTICE AND THE GAMES THAT THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY BE AT SCHOOL FOR DURING THESE BREAKS AND WITH OTHER SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS HAVING DIFFERENT SCHEDULES? HOW'S ALL THAT GOING ON, GOING TO LINE UP? AND I KNOW THE ACADEMIC PART IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SPORTS, BUT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TOO.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

IT SAID IT'S GOING TO TRY TO HELP GIVE THE TEACHERS A BREAK, BUT THE WAY I READ THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WAS THAT THIS WOULD GIVE ONE AND ONE ONE ON ONE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO WORK WITH STUDENTS THAT NEEDED TO CATCH UP AND THE TEACHERS THAT WERE AND THE STUDENTS THAT WERE BEHIND.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO GET A BREAK IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO WORK WITH THE STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND DURING THAT TWO WEEK BREAK PERIOD, SO IT MAY EVEN GIVE THEM LESS BREAK THAN THEY HAVE NOW.

SO I THINK ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AND AND CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND THE PUBLIC, I THINK, NEEDS TO BE BETTER INFORMED AS TO SOME OF THE ANSWERS TO THIS AND SO THAT WE WE DON'T RUSH INTO THIS DECISION.

IT SEEMS NOW LIKE THIS DECISION IS KIND OF BEING RUSHED IF A DECISION IS GOING TO BE POSSIBLY MADE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR NEXT YEAR TO START THIS FALL.

I JUST BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE AND A LOT OF PROS AND CONS THAT WE NEED TO EVALUATE AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE LEARNING HERE IN OUR DISTRICT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. PETTIGREW.

WE HAVE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION THIS AFTERNOON, THIS EVENING, AND YOU MAY GET SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED, AT LEAST DISCUSSED AT THAT TIME.

UNDER.

MR. DEAN IS HERE TO I SPOKE IN ERA, WE HAD TWO PEOPLE REQUESTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.

MR. DEAN IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BAND PROGRAM.

YES, AND THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO SPEAK.

I'M HERE IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FACILITATING MODES.

[00:15:01]

IN MY 34TH YEAR OF BEING A BAND DIRECTOR, I'M IN MY 30TH YEAR IN AIKEN COUNTY AND I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION THAT IS LEADING BACK THE RETURN OF BANDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO SOMEONE SAID, HEY, WHY DON'T YOU CONSIDER STARTING A SERIES TO FAMILIARIZE THOSE IN AIKEN COUNTY WHAT OUR BAND PROGRAMS REALLY ARE AND WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

SO I HAVE THREE VERY SIMPLE ISSUES JUST TO FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH, WHERE WHERE ARE WE, WHAT DO WE NEED AND WHERE ARE WE HEADED? SO COVID HAS IMPACTED BAND PROGRAMS ON EVERY LEVEL FROM DAILY INSTRUCTION, PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES, RETENTION AND MOTIVATION.

IN ORDER TO REVIVE WE MUST IDENTIFY NECESSARY STEPS IN MOVING FORWARD.

IF WE DO NOT COMMUNICATE IN EFFECTIVE WAYS, HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE? I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES FOLKS COME HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ASKING FOR SOMETHING INSTEAD OF SAYING, HEY, THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR FINANCIAL.

WE'RE ASKING FOR GUIDANCE AND FOR SUPPORT FROM THE FROM THE HIGHER LEVEL ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES OF AIKEN COUNTY THROUGH OUR HOME SCHOOLS.

SO THIS IS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH FOR YOU THAN WHAT YOU'RE USED TO.

I JUST WANT TO FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH WHAT SOME OF OUR BASIC NEEDS ARE IN AIKEN COUNTY AND IN HOPES THAT THE BAND DIRECTORS WILL CONTINUE ONCE A MONTH TO COME AND SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE WE CAME AND WE SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT THIS.

THESE THINGS ARE NOW HAPPENING IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND OUR PROGRAMS ARE RECOVERING.

OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL ARE HAVING NUMBER ISSUES WITH WITHIN OUR BAND PROGRAMS. SO A VERY QUICK PRIORITY THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IS HOW WE CAN REVIVE OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND PROGRAMS. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T REVIVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND PROGRAMS, OUR HIGH SCHOOL NUMBERS DON'T HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GROW AND EXCEL IN THE WAY THAT YOU'VE EITHER SEEN A CONCERT BAND IN THE PAST OR A MARCHING BAND IN THE PAST.

SO ANY TIME YOU NEED TO STOP ME AND INTERRUPT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO OFFEND ME.

OK, I PROMISE YOU.

OK, SO WHAT DO WE NEED? VISIBILITY, COORDINATION BETWEEN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS? SCHEDULING CONSIDERATIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL DIRECTORS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS NEED ABILITY LEVEL APPROPRIATE CLASSES, MARCHING BAND ASSISTANT SUPPLEMENTS.

THESE ARE THREE VERY CRITICAL ISSUES THAT WE NEED HELP WITH ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BECAUSE OUR BECAUSE OF THE SCHEDULE, LIKE AND BEFORE COVID, WE WERE UP TO AROUND 190 MEMBERS IN JACKET REGIMENT.

WE'RE RIGHT AT 140 NOW, SO WE NEED TO FIND A WAY JUST IN OUR PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO FOSTER THE GROWTH FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS SO THOSE FOLKS WANT TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM.

WE'RE HAVING THIS ALL AROUND THE STATE.

THIS IS NOT JUST AIKEN COUNTY.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING THAT I SAY TONIGHT IS AN INSULT OR A PROBLEM THAT JUST AIKEN COUNTY HAS AGAIN.

I'VE GOT A REALLY, REALLY COOL JOB OF LEADING BAND BACK TO LIFE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND IT'S IT'S REALLY THRILLING AND EXCITING, BUT WE ALL ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES CONFRONTING US.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE ALWAYS BATTED AROUND THE IDEA IN AIKEN COUNTY THAT IF HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTORS COULD HAVE A SCHEDULE IN THEIR SCHOOL, SIMILAR TO THAT AS A HEAD FOOTBALL COACH OR AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, SO WE COULD GET OUT TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE THAT GROWTH.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALLOCATIONS IS AN ISSUE.

OK, WE UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DOES COME BACK TO FUNDING THAT DOES REQUIRE MONEY TO DO.

BUT IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO FOR OUR PROGRAMS IN AIKEN COUNTY IF THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTORS WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS FOR FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE CHILDREN THERE TO BECOME ORIENTED WITH US IN THE EXPECTATIONS ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING

[00:20:04]

INSTEAD OF SAYING, I'VE SEEN AND I'VE HEARD THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND, I DON'T THINK I CAN DO THAT.

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ISSUES THAT WHEN I GO, WHEN I RECRUIT FOR JACKET REGIMENT OUR MARCHING BAND KIDS WILL SAY, HOW IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO LEARN ALL THOSE NOTES? AND HOW AM I GOING TO LEARN TO BE ABLE TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND ON THE FIELD? AND MY REPLY IS REAL SIMPLE.

THAT'S WHY WE PRACTICE, BUT WE HAVE TO GET THEM THERE TO THE PRACTICE FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THAT.

AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE CRITICAL WITHOUT SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD IS THAT OUR THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE ALREADY BEHIND MUSICALLY, SO THEY'RE EVEN MORE INTIMIDATED TO COME TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAVE SOME, WE HAVE SOME SCHEDULING ISSUES IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS WHERE WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS, WHERE WE HAVE SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS IN THE SAME BAND CLASS.

THEIR ABILITIES ARE SO DIVERSE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS.

THOSE THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH.

AND AGAIN, IT'S MORE THAN JUST AIKEN COUNTY.

MR. DON.

YES.

I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.

I'M SORRY.

I'LL COME BACK TO.

I'LL COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING, PLEASE DO.

I WILL.

I SURE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT YOU ALREADY GIVE US.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME MORE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

I HOPE SO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] BOARD CHAIRMAN I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION FOR ANY OF YOU WHO

[Individual Items]

ARE ACUTE OBSERVERS OF THE AGENDA.

YOU MAY NOTICE A CHANGE TONIGHT.

WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE FLIPPED THE THE THE ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL VOTES, WHICH ARE REALLY THE MEATY ITEMS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND MOVED INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TO THE REAR THAT HOPEFULLY WILL NOT PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO RUSH THROUGH THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON NOT THINGS THAT ARE UNIMPORTANT, BUT ON THINGS THAT DON'T REQUIRE BOARD ACTION.

SO I'LL ASK THE BOARD FOR INPUT AFTER THIS MEETING AND SEE IF YOU LIKE IT.

IF YOU DON'T, WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.

OUR FIRST INDIVIDUAL ITEM IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR

[Presentation of Annual Financial Audit for the Fiscal Year Ended June 29th 2021]

THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2021.

MR. TRAXLER.

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, MR. LAURENCE, BOARD MEMBERS, AS WE DO TYPICALLY AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE HAVE MR. TIM GROH WITH ELLIOTT DAVIS.

HE REPRESENTS OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS, AND HE'LL PRESENT THE RESULTS FROM THIS MOST RECENT YEAR'S AUDIT.

I'LL ASK HIM TO COME UP AND AS HE IS, I DO WANT TO THANK MS. FORRESTER AND BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT MS. FORRESTER EVERY YEAR TAKES THE LEAD ON THE AUDIT AT MS. CANSLER AND HER STAFF THAT HELPED OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

IT'S A TEAM EFFORT, BUT A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO IT, AND I THINK YOU'LL BE PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS.

THANK YOU.

CHAIRMAN BRADLEY BOARD MEMBERS CAN HEAR ME OK.

AND CLICKERS READY TO ROLL.

OK, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AS TREY SAID I'VE BEEN DOING THE AUDIT FOR AIKEN COUNTY FOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND SO I'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT IN THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUDIT THIS YEAR.

SO AS TYPICAL, THE OBJECTIVE OF OUR AUDIT IS THE ISSUANCE OF AN OPINION.

I KNOW YOU WERE PROVIDED IN YOUR INFORMATION A VERY THICK, AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE DISTRICT.

THERE'S ALSO A SECOND BOARD COMMUNICATION.

I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT BOTH THOSE DOCUMENTS.

SO THIS IS THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR DISCUSSION.

I'M GOING TO FLIP SO I DON'T HAVE TO TURN AROUND.

SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR OBJECTIVE WAS ISSUE AN OPINION, WE ACTUALLY ISSUED THREE OPINIONS ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

THE OVERALL FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF OUR OPINION WAS UNMODIFIED, WHICH IN LAYMAN'S TERMS IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, WHICH MEANS WE ARE PROVIDED THAT LARGE DOCUMENT THAT YOU SAW AND OUR OUR JOB WAS TO GO KICK THAT DOCUMENT TO SEE IF IT WAS ACCURATE TO SEE IF INTERNAL CONTROL OF THE DISTRICT IS PRODUCING ACCURATE FINANCIAL REPORTING.

THE AS I MENTIONED, IT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, WHICH IS AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.

SO I THINK I'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE AUDITS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, I WOULD COME GIVE AN ORAL PRESENTATION ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY DOCUMENT YOU WILL RECEIVE.

THROUGH SEVERAL ACCOUNTING FAILURES THAT HAPPENED COMMONLY IN THE INDUSTRY.

THEY NOW REQUIRE US TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE A DOCUMENT, A WRITTEN DOCUMENT, WHICH

[00:25:04]

KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS THE PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH WHEN WE DO AN AUDIT.

AND A COUPLE OF THOSE ARE HIGHLIGHTED HERE EVERY YEAR WHEN WE START THIS PROCESS.

WE SIT AROUND THE TABLE AND WE MAKE A PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO AUDIT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

THE CHALLENGES ARE A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS FOR THE DISTRICT.

THE WAY THE DISTRICT FUNCTION FUNCTIONS IS VERY COMMON FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

SO HOW DO WE PROACTIVELY LOOK AT A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOOK AT THE STATEMENTS EVERY YEAR? OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S GOING TO BE ACCOUNTS AND BALANCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF HOW SIGNIFICANT THEY ARE.

BUT WE JUST CAN'T STOP THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PROVIDING THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION ARE ALSO IN THE BEST POSITION TO MAKE ERRORS OR CHANGES IF THEY WANTED TO.

SO WE'VE GOT TO GIVE A FRESH SET OF EYES.

SO WHAT WE ROUTINELY DO IS WE CHANGE OUR TEAM INTERNALLY THAT ACTUALLY DOES THE AUDIT SO THAT WE HAVE A FRESH SET OF EYES INTERNALLY EVERY TIME WE GO ABOUT DOING THE AUDIT.

THE OTHER THING WE DO BECAUSE WE DO SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, WE GET IDEAS FROM APPROACHES WE DO AT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WE ASK HOW ARE THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOING CERTAIN THINGS AND IS AIKEN COUNTY DOING THEM AT LEAST AS WELL OR BETTER? ANOTHER THING THAT WE DO IS WE CONSIDER OBVIOUSLY MATERIALITY.

AND WHEN I SAY MATERIALITY, THE CONCEPT THERE IS WE DON'T AUDIT EVERY SINGLE TRANSACTION IN THE DISTRICT.

WE DEVELOP A THRESHOLD WHERE WE THINK IF IF THERE WAS AN ERROR OF THIS MAGNITUDE, IT WOULD CHANGE THE MIND OF THE USERS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

WE USE THAT TO GUIDE OUR TESTING.

SO WHAT DOES THAT TYPICALLY MEAN IN LAYMAN'S TERMS? WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON LARGER BALANCES AND LARGER ACCOUNTS.

NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T GIVE ALL THE ACCOUNTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SELECTED.

WE DO.

WE DO THAT ON A MORE RANDOM BASIS.

BUT SOME I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND WE DON'T.

SO WE WE PLAN OUR TESTS ACCORDINGLY.

NOW, AS WE PLAN OUR TESTS, WE USE OUR JUDGMENT AND OUR EXPERIENCE OF THE PLACES MORE MOST LIKELY TO PRODUCE AN INACCURACY OR AN ERROR OR THE OPPORTUNITY IN SOME CASES FOR MISAPPROPRIATION OR MISALLOCATION.

WE DIDN'T RUN INTO ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BY THE WAY.

SO THERE WERE THIS WAS A PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING YEAR FROM AN AUDIT PERSPECTIVE.

I MENTIONED THIS TO SUPERINTENDENT LAURENCE WHEN WE MET BEFORE.

THERE WERE A LOT OF NEW THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE.

ONE OF THOSE WAS THE ADOPTION OF GASB 84 FIDUCIARY ACTIVITIES.

NOW, TYPICALLY, ALL OF PUPIL ACTIVITY FUNDS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR IN A SEPARATE FUND, WITH THE DISTRICT HAVING NO OWNERSHIP IN THE PROCESS FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE.

THE CHANGE IN 84 SUGGESTED THAT IF THE DISTRICT HAS SOME SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL, THEN THOSE ACCOUNTS HAVE TO ROLL UP IN THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

SO WE WERE WE DID THAT, AND IT REQUIRED A RESTATEMENT OF OPENING FUND BALANCE FOR THE SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND OF $2.5 MILLION.

NOTHING CHANGED.

IT'S JUST A CLASSIFICATION FROM ONE FUND TO ANOTHER AND YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT AS ACCOUNTANTS SOMETIMES WE GET REALLY CARRIED AWAY WITH HOW WE DO THINGS, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID THAT THE DISTRICT DID THIS YEAR WAS THE CONVERSION OF THE SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND FROM AN ENTERPRISE FUND TO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND THAT'S COMMONLY DONE BY DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

BECAUSE WHEN WE START ANALYZING IT, THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS TO RUN A SECTION OF A GOVERNMENT LIKE A LIKE A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS, SO THAT YOU MEASURE RESULTS.

THE MORE SIGNIFICANT THE FEDERAL FUNDING HAS BECOME, IT'S CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT A SELF-SUSTAINING FUND.

SO WE CONVERTED IT FROM AN ENTERPRISE FUND THAT'S THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR LIKE A REGULAR BUSINESS TO A GOVERNMENTAL FUND, LIKE EVERY OTHER FUND IN THE DISTRICT.

SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A LOT OF THESE CHANGES, THEY DON'T CHANGE ANY OF THE NUMBERS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY TO GETTING THESE ACCOUNTED FOR CORRECTLY.

YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENT IS EMBEDDED WITH A LOT OF ESTIMATES AND JUDGMENTS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE DO OUR PROCESSES.

WE EVALUATE HOW WE SEE THAT MANAGEMENT PRESENTED THOSE ESTIMATES AND JUDGMENTS, AND WE ASKED OURSELVES, WOULD WE COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSIONS THAT THEY DID AND WE DID IN EVERY SITUATION? THE OTHER THING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT DISCLOSURES, THERE ARE ABOUT 65 PAGES WORTH OF DISCLOSURES IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THOSE DISCLOSURES IS TO GIVE SOME VERBAL OR SOME WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT EITHER A PROCESS OR A NUMBER IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

IT IS MANAGEMENT'S OBLIGATION TO PRESENT TO MEET PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, BUT ALSO PROVIDE CLARITY TO THE USERS OF THE STATEMENT, WHERE THE USER STATEMENT REALLY UNDERSTANDS HOW THE DISTRICT OPERATES.

OUR OBLIGATION IS TO SEE IF MANAGEMENT MET THAT CHALLENGE AND WE DID AS PART OF THE PROCESS.

YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE IN YOUR DOCUMENT THAT WE INCLUDE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE

[00:30:02]

POST THAT ARE AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS, AND A COUPLE OF THOSE ARE SOME TAX ACCRUALS THAT WE HELP HELP HELP YOUR GROUP POST, BUT THEY'VE BEEN VERY SIMILAR ADJUSTMENTS YEAR OVER YEAR.

WE ALSO ASKED THAT MANAGEMENT PROVIDE A SET OF REPRESENTATIONS TO US THAT SAYS THEY PROVIDED US EVERYTHING THAT WE ASKED FOR.

THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY, ANY ERRORS OR ANY INCONSISTENCIES THEY DIDN'T PROVIDE US, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH ANY OF THOSE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES AS WE WORK WITH MANAGEMENT.

QUITE FRANKLY, YOU HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL STAFF THAT DOES A GREAT JOB.

ONE OF THE THINGS IS AS AN AUDITOR AND I'VE PROBABLY MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, WE ALWAYS START BUILDING AN AUDIT.

THE MINUTE WE START HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MANAGEMENT, WE ASK OURSELVES, ARE THE QUESTIONS WE'RE ASKING BEING ANSWERED, DO WE DO WE FEEL LIKE THE ANSWERS FAIRLY REPRESENT THE WHAT WE WOULD THINK THEY WOULD? AND ARE WE RUNNING? ARE THERE TIME LAGS? ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY ARE THEY HAVING TO DO A LOT OF WORK TO PROVIDE US ANSWERS? AND WE USE ALL OF THIS AS A BASIS TO DETERMINE HOW HOW HARD WE HAVE TO KICK KICK THAT CAN.

YOUR STAFF IS VERY EAGER TO SHARE WITH US IF THEY HAVE CHALLENGES, IF THEY HAVE ANY ISSUES THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THOSE ON THE FRONT END, WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL GUIDANCE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT AND WE LIKE THAT OPEN COMMUNICATION.

IT GIVES US A LOT OF COMFORT THAT THE STAFF WILL REACH OUT TO US AND DISCUSS ISSUES.

THERE WERE TWO CONTROL DEFICIENCIES THIS YEAR.

NOW, I THINK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD, THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF CONTROL DEFICIENCIES.

THERE ARE INTERNAL CONTROL DEFICIENCIES, WHICH ARE BASICALLY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WOULD MAKE TO IMPROVE YOUR SYSTEM OF INTERNAL CONTROL.

THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES WHICH ARE ARE MORE SEVERE THAN AN INTERNAL CONTROL DEFICIENCY, WHICH MEANS IF WE DON'T GET IT CORRECTED, IT COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO A MISREPRESENTATION IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

AND THEN THERE'S A MATERIAL WEAKNESS, WHICH MEANS IF WE DON'T CORRECT THIS, THAT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE GOING TO BE MATERIALLY MISSTATED.

WE DID HAVE ONE MATERIAL WEAKNESS THIS YEAR, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME COLOR ON ON ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS.

THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION INVOICE THAT WAS NOT ACCRUED FOR JUNE 30.

IT WAS PAID IN JULY, BUT IT WAS NOT RECORDED AS OF JUNE 30.

SO NOTHING WAS MISSING.

NOTHING WENT WRONG.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE WIRE TRANSFER HAPPENED TWO DAYS AFTER THE YEAR END, BUT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GET RECORDED AT THE END OF JUNE 30, WE'RE OBLIGATED TO REPORT ON THAT.

SO AS I SAID, NOTHING'S MISSING WHEN YOU HAVE A BUILDING PROGRAM AS SIGNIFICANT AS YOURS AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES, CONSTRUCTION RELATED INVOICES, ARE SOME ARE TYPICALLY SOME OF THE MAJOR ONES OR SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T HAVE.

IT'S NOT A REGULAR TRANSACTION LIKE A PAYROLL TRANSACTION.

SO OCCASIONALLY THESE TYPES OF THINGS HAPPEN.

SO THE OTHER CONTROLLED EFFICIENCY WAS RELATED TO THE CAPE PROGRAM, WHICH REQUIRES, I THINK I MENTIONED EARLIER THERE WERE A LOT OF NEW COMPLEXITIES IN THE AUDIT.

THIS YEAR, THE STATE CAME DOWN WITH SEVERAL AUDIT REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE CAPE PROGRAM, AND ONE OF THOSE WAS MAINTAINING AN INVENTORY LISTING THE INVENTORY LIST.

WE HAD THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE, BUT THAT INVENTORY LIST WASN'T MAINTAINED, SO THAT WAS THE OTHER FINDING THAT WE HAD.

SO I ALWAYS WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT FUND BALLOTS AND PARTICULARLY UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCES, YOU CAN SEE FUND BALANCE INCREASED TO FIFTY FIFTY EIGHT POINT FOUR TOTAL FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IS FIFTY THREE AND A HALF NOW.

THIS IS AS OF JUNE 30 21, BY THE WAY, SO THE STATE REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF EIGHT POINT THREE THREE PERCENT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE THAT WE GET SUGGESTS THAT A HEALTHY GOVERNMENT WILL MAINTAIN AT LEAST TWO MONTHS WORTH SO SIXTEEN PERCENT.

SO WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS YOU HAVE A GOOD, HEALTHY UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, AND I'VE DONE THIS A LONG TIME, AND NOT EVERY DISTRICT HAS THE ABILITY TO SAY THAT THAT YOUR FUND BALANCE IS AS HEALTHY AS IT IS.

A COUPLE OF FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS THIS YEAR RELATED TO REVENUE.

REVENUES INCREASED TWENTY FOUR POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR, WHICH IS A BIG INCREASE.

ONE OF THAT PART OF THAT WAS FOUR POINT SEVEN IN PROPERTY TAXES.

BUT THE BIGGEST BY FAR WERE THE FEDERAL FUNDING RELATED TO COVID AND ESSER TWENTY THREE POINT NINE MILLION DOLLARS.

AND I'LL MENTION A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE IN JUST A SECOND.

A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS I DID WANT TO MENTION RELATED TO YOUR SPECIAL PROJECTS AND YOUR EIA FUNDS.

YOU HAD A TOTAL OF FIFTY ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS SPENT IN SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND AND ANOTHER TWELVE POINT SEVEN MILLION IN EIA FUNDS.

NOW THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THOSE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AND I DO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES IN DISTRICTS WHERE DISTRICTS A LOT OF TIMES THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT HAS NO ABILITY TO SPEND THOSE BEYOND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY ARE ALLOCATED FOR.

SO IF THERE IS ANYTHING LEFT OVER IT EITHER HAS TO BE HELD OVER FOR THAT PROGRAM TO THE NEXT YEAR OR IN CASE OF CERTAIN STATE PROGRAMS HAS TO BE REMITTED BACK TO THE STATE.

[00:35:01]

SO WE ACTUALLY TEST THOSE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE HAPPENING.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S SIXTY THREE MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FUNDS THAT HAVE TO BE SPENT IN A PARTICULAR FASHION.

A COUPLE OF OTHER HIGHLIGHTS.

TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT WAS TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO MILLION, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF TWELVE POINT THREE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

YOU HAD THIRTY POINT EIGHT IN IN NEW DEBT ISSUED AND OR OR DEBT REPAID IN EIGHTEEN POINT FIVE MILLION, WHICH WE TYPICALLY DO AFTER AT THE END OF THE YEAR IN NEW DEBT ISSUED.

I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE I DO WANT TO MENTION THIS 6/30/22 IS THE YEAR THAT GASB 87 IS REQUIRED TO BE IMPLEMENTED.

IT'S A NEW LEASE STANDARD.

IT'S FOR BOTH THE PRIVATE AND THE GOVERNMENTAL SECTOR IS GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT ON THE DISTRICT STAFF TO GET IN COMPLIANCE WITH A NEW LEASE STANDARD.

NOW THE CHANGE HERE IS IF YOU HAVE A LEASE, YOU'RE NO LONGER OBLIGATED.

YOU'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO JUST PRODUCE LEASE EXPENSE, LIKE IF YOU LEASE A COPIER, YOU MAKE THE PAYMENT.

THAT'S THAT'S THE END OF THE TRANSACTION UNDER THE NEW STANDARD.

YOU'RE RIGHT TO THAT, TO THAT ASSET IN THE FUTURE USE OF THAT ASSET BOTH HAVE TO BE BOOKED ON YOUR BALANCE SHEET.

NOW, THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, AND IT REALLY DOES NOT ULTIMATELY CHANGE CASH IN OR CASH OUT.

BUT IT IS A BIG ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT, THE USERS.

I GUESS THE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS SETTERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE USERS UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASSETS THAT ARE BEING USED AND THE PAYMENTS THAT ARE BEING FUTURE PAYMENTS THAT ARE BEING EXPENDED BY BY ENTITIES.

SO IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE ON THE BALANCE SHEET, BUT WON'T AFFECT CASH.

AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ESSER FUNDING WAS FOR FOURTEEN POINT FOUR AND CRF WAS FOURTEEN POINT EIGHT, WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING SOURCES IN THE NEW YEAR, WHICH ALSO HAD ADDITIONAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAD TO EVALUATE THIS YEAR.

TWO ADDITIONAL OPINIONS THAT WE ISSUED AS PART OF THIS FINANCIAL STATEMENT BECAUSE AS WE GO THROUGH YOUR AUDIT, WE CONSIDER YOUR SYSTEM OF INTERNAL CONTROL TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE FEEL LIKE FOR THOSE KEY CONTROLS THAT WE NEED TO RELY ON THAT THOSE CONTROLS ARE BOTH DESIGNED AND OPERATING EFFECTIVELY.

WE DON'T ISSUE AN OPINION ON CONTROL BECAUSE WE DON'T LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CONTROL, BUT WE DO MAKE NOTE OF ANY CONTROL DEFICIENCIES THAT WE RUN INTO.

IF WE HAVE ANY AND OTHER THAN WHAT I'VE JUST MENTIONED, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY.

THE SECOND OPINION THERE ARE THE THIRD AND FINAL OPINION IS ON YOUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS. BECAUSE YOU RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DESIGN PROCEDURES OVER YOUR MAJOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR, WE HAD TO TEST CHILD NUTRITION, HEAD START AND ESSER AS MAJOR PROGRAMS. WE HAD NO FINDINGS AS A RESULT OF THOSE AUDIT PROCEDURES, AND THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO BE A LOW RISK AUDITING AND WHAT A LOW RISK AUDIT MEANS.

IF YOU HAVE NO FINDINGS FROM OUR TESTS OF YOUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO TEST LESS IN A SUCCEEDING YEAR.

NOW, THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO BE, BECAUSE THE COST OF AN AUDIT CONTINUES TO GO UP, THE MORE TESTING WE'RE REQUIRED TO TO PERFORM, SO AGAIN, BOTH OF THOSE OPINIONS WERE UNMODIFIED.

SO IN CONCLUSION, I DO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF.

AN AUDIT OF THIS MAGNITUDE DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE DOING A LOT OF REALLY GOOD WORK.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, THE STAFF, THEIR WILLINGNESS TO MEET US AT EVERY, AT EVERY TURN TO NOT GET TIRED OF THE CONTINUOUS QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK.

BECAUSE IT DOES.

IT IS GUT WRENCHING AT TIMES.

IT IS A VERY LONG AND ARDUOUS PROCESS TO GO THROUGH, SO I WILL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? MR. CRANE.

NOT NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION OTHER THAN JUST A COMMENT, I APPRECIATE.

THIS IS AN ARDUOUS TASK ALREADY, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GETTING MORE COMPLICATED.

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE GASB BUT THAT'S WHY YOU'RE DOING THIS AND WE'RE NOT AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE OVERALL GOOD, GOOD THINGS ON ON THE SIDE OF OUR STAFF.

SO I APPRECIATE ALL THAT FOR ME.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE DO NEED TO TAKE A VOTE.

I'D ASK FOR A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE AUDIT REPORT AS INFORMATION.

SECOND BY MR. CRANE.

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

THANK YOU.

[00:40:01]

THE NEXT ITEM IS A LIST OF PERSONNEL BEING RECOMMENDED FOR EMPLOYMENT.

[Personnel Appointments]

I'LL NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION MOVED BY MS. SHEALEY SECONDED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON DISCUSSION HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S EVERYONE.

A PROPOSED ONE TIME USES OF FUND BALANCE, YOU'VE HEARD THE AUDITOR TELL

[Preposed One-Time Uses of Fund Balance]

US THAT WE HAD SOME MONEY LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR AND AFTER MAINTAINING WHAT WE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN, WE HAVE STILL SOME MONEY LEFT OVER.

AND THIS IS HOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING THAT WE SPEND THAT MONEY.

THE FIRST.

OH, I THINK IT WAS THE BAND GIVING AN ALLOCATION TO EACH SCHOOL FOR A BAND, THE BAND PROGRAM.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE OTHERS LISTED IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM THERE FURNITURE FOR BUILDINGS.

WE DON'T ORDINARILY PROVIDE A BUDGET FOR FURNITURE, AND WE'VE VOTED BACK IN OCTOBER TO GIVE THE EMPLOYEES A CHRISTMAS BONUS, SO THAT WOULD BE THE THIRD ITEM THAT WOULD BE FINANCED OUT OF THIS MONEY.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.

YOU NEED TO SPEAK UP.

OK, I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION OF ADMINISTRATION ON UTILIZING THESE FUNDS MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON [INAUDIBLE] SECONDED BY MR. CRANE.

ANY DISCUSSION MR. CRANE.

I APPRECIATE THE POINTS YOU JUST BROUGHT OUT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE NUMBERS.

IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

SURE, I'LL JUST READ THEM OUT.

THE THREE ITEMS, THE FIRST IS NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS FOR BAND INSTRUMENTS AT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THERE'S THERE'S A DELINEATION OF VALUATION BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND STUDENTS AND HIGH SCHOOL BAND STUDENTS, AT FOUR TWENTY FIVE AT MIDDLE AND THIRTEEN FIFTY AT HIGH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

THE SECOND ITEM SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FORTY FOUR DOLLARS FOR SCHOOL LEVEL FURNITURE AND REPLACEMENTS, AND THAT'S BROKEN DOWN FURTHER BETWEEN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY REDONE.

DON'T NEED AS MUCH, OBVIOUSLY, TO SCHOOLS THAT HAVE NOT HAD ANY ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION OR WHATEVER.

AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM IS ONE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS SORT OF A BACK DATE TO FUND THE CHRISTMAS BONUS THAT WE DID.

THANK YOU MR. CRANE.

ANYONE ELSE? MR. SILAS.

A COUPLE OF JUST QUICK QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE FURNITURE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DR.

MURPHY QUESTION I DON'T KNOW.

IS THERE ANY REASON THAT THE THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REDONE WOULD NEED ANY NEW FURNITURE? I DO SEE THAT THERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF PERCENTAGE AND I AGREE WITH THAT.

BUT IS THERE A REASON THOSE SCHOOLS WOULD NEED ANY IF IT'S COMPLETELY REDONE? WELL, THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ON THAT LIST TO HAVE NEW SECTIONS WHICH HAVE OLDER SECTIONS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO REFURBISH SOME OF THEIR OLDER FURNITURE.

SO FOR THE PARTIAL CITY, LET'S SAY WE TALK ABOUT MIDLAND VALLEY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A NEW SECTION OF THE SCHOOL, BUT THEN THERE WAS NO MONEY TO REPLACE THE EXISTING FURNITURE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

RIGHT, AND I GET THAT WHEN A PORTION, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME OLD SECTIONS, BUT WITH WITH NORTH AUGUSTA AND AIKEN HIGH, WHICH WAS PRETTY MUCH COMPLETELY REDONE AND RIDGE SPRING IS THERE, WHY WOULD THERE BE A NEED FOR ANY NEW FURNITURE? AGAIN, BASED ON WHAT WAS NECESSARY IN THE BUILDING ITSELF, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND EVALUATE THE BUILDING MAY NOT BE PARTICULARLY LIKE, SAY, IF WE HAVE DESKS, WE TRY TO REPLACE THEM.

YOU WANT TO WANT TO LOOK AT A REPLACEMENT ABOUT 15 PERCENT.

AFTER A FEW YEARS.

AND SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR IT, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER RIGHT NOW PLAN TO ALLOCATE MONEY TOWARDS THAT REPLACEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

OKAY.

IT'LL GIVE THEM SOME OPTIONS.

AND ON THE BAND EQUIPMENT.

I RECALL BEING TOURED THROUGH NORTH AUGUSTA AND [INAUDIBLE] PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

SO WASN'T THERE SOME BAND EQUIPMENT ALSO INCLUDED IN THOSE IN THAT PROJECT? MAYBE WHAT KIND OF BAND EQUIPMENT, HOW MUCH BAND EQUIPMENT? MAYBE IT WAS A DIFFERENT YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PROJECT WENT OVER SEVERAL YEARS.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE AT THE TIME, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY CAN ANSWER THAT WAS WAS A BAND EQUIPMENT.

MAYBE MR. DEAN COULD ANSWER TO THAT.

WE WERE GIVEN A LITTLE OVER NINETEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THAT PROJECT FOR WHICH I BOUGHT A CHIMES THAT OUR SCHOOL DID NOT OWN AND I REPLACED OUR

[00:45:05]

GOT IT! OK, THANK YOU.

BUT I WILL SAY IN CLOSING THAT I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS.

I APPRECIATE THE FOLLOW UP.

I REMEMBER ASKING BACK DURING SOME OF OUR ESSAR PLANNING THAT I HOPE THAT WE AT THAT TIME I WAS THINKING THAT THERE WAS A CATEGORY WE COULD USE IT FOR.

SO I'M GLAD TO SEE US ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CRANE.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE FULL LIST, BUT FOR FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE INTERNET THAT WANT TO SEE IT, THERE IS A FULL BREAKDOWN OF EACH SCHOOL UNDER THE BAND AND HOW MUCH EACH SCHOOL IS GOING TO GET, AS WELL AS THE FURNITURE.

AND THAT MAY ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE GOTTEN STUFF RECENTLY.

FOR EXAMPLE, RIDGE SPRINGS TWENTY SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS IN THE SCHEME OF EVERYTHING VERSUS [INAUDIBLE].

SO IN ANY CASE, THAT'S OUT THERE FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO SEE IT [INAUDIBLE].

ANYONE ELSE? MR. SMITH.

THIS WAS GOOD, AND IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

I GOT THE BID BECAUSE THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME, I WANT TO READ THE OTHER DAY, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS IS SOME REDUCTION IN THE FEES THESE KIDS ARE HAVING TO PAY TO BE IN THESE BANDS.

I HAVE NOT READ ANYTHING IN THIS THAT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.

SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING THAT SAME QUESTION.

THESE FAMILIES HERE, THEY WANT TO BE IN BAND [INAUDIBLE].

MONEY THEY CAN'T SUPPORT, AND I'M GOING TO ASK AGAIN FOR THAT TO BE LOOKED AT.

YES, SIR, WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE VARIOUS FEES FOR FOR FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS. I KNOW THAT FROM A FROM A DISTRICT STANDPOINT, THE THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE, I THINK, IS A MINIMAL BAND FEE OF MAYBE 20 OR $30, $35 AND THEN A BAND INSTRUMENT RENTAL FEE OF $45.

SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE APPROVED.

NOW I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE HIGHER FEES THAT ARE THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE USING.

AND SO WE'RE INVESTIGATING THAT.

AND JUST JUST TO SEE WHAT THE WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THOSE OF THOSE KIND OF FEES ARE.

[INAUDIBLE] THOSE AREN'T THE FEES I'M REFERRING TO.

I'M REFERRING TO THE FEES THESE KIDS HAVE TO HAVE TO BE IN THE MARCHING BAND AND IT'S SEVERAL SCHOOLS THAT'S OVER FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT I DO KNOW [INAUDIBLE].

AND THAT'S A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.

AND IF WE CAN ADVANCE THAT IN ANY WAY, IF THEY WANT IF WE WANT TO BRING CHILDREN BACK INTO THE BAND.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT.

I REMEMBER WHEN [INAUDIBLE] HAD A TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MAN BAND AND DOWN NOW TO EIGHTY.

WE'RE NOT SO.

SO WE'LL CERTAINLY.

OK.

WE'RE NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ASKING FAMILIES TO PAY THAT, SO THAT'S THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE TO HAVE WITH PRINCIPALS AND BAND DIRECTORS TO SEE WHAT TO SEE THE REASON FOR THAT.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING ASSESSED, NOT BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE HAVE A FEE SCHEDULE THAT WE THAT WE HAVE PUT OUT.

YOU GO FIND OUT WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.

YES, SIR.

AND GET BACK TO US.

YES.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, WE NEED TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE THE DECISION WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

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

THAT'S EVERYONE.

THE NEXT ITEM IS MODIFIED CALENDAR AND MR.

[Modified Calendar for 2022-2023 Discussion]

LAURENCE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IT'LL TAKE ME JUST A SECOND, PLUG IN OVER HERE, AND THAT SHOULD SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING IN JUST A SECOND.

WELL, LET'S MAKE SURE.

NO.

HERE WE GO.

SO MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE ON THAT.

[00:50:03]

SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR A LITTLE WHILE ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF THE MODIFIED CALENDAR, AND I APPRECIATE MR. PETTIGREW COMING FORWARD AND ASKING SOME QUESTIONS.

I THINK YOU'LL BE PLEASED THAT I PLAN TO ADDRESS A NUMBER OF THOSE, THOSE ITEMS AS I SPEAK THIS EVENING.

SO AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, THIS CAME UP AND WE'VE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU BEFORE.

I THINK IN IN MY SUPERINTENDENCE UPDATE AT THE LAST MEETING, I BROUGHT IT UP AND TOLD YOU ABOUT THE INPUT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU AND THEN AND THEN TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE OPTION OF CHANGING OUR ACADEMIC CALENDAR TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND AND TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER AND SEEK MORE INPUT.

SO GROUPS THAT WERE SURVEYED PARENTS, GUARDIANS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS AND YOU SEE THE NUMBERS THERE REPRESENTS ABOUT EIGHTY TWO PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS RESPONDED TO TO THE SURVEY PARENTS WHO IT WAS SOMEWHAT LESS THIRTY TWO POINT SEVEN PERCENT OF OUR PARENTS RESPONDED TO IT.

AND JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE GOT BACK FROM THEM.

AND I SHOWED YOU THIS THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE TOGETHER AS WELL.

AND BASICALLY, WHAT WE SEE HERE IS THAT BETWEEN FIFTY FIVE AND SEVENTY PERCENT GIVE OR TAKE OF OF OF MOST OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.

THE STUDENTS ARE AN OUTLIER, BUT MOST OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.

THEY HAVE STRONG INTEREST IN IT.

THE NEXT GROUP, THE POTENTIAL INTEREST, THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE IDEA, BUT WE'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING MORE INFORMATION.

NOW, THIS SURVEY WAS DONE IN NOVEMBER, SO THE HOPE IS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR.

IN THE MEANTIME, AND IT'S ALSO FOLKS WHO WERE IN FAVOR OF IT BUT DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT THIS YEAR WOULD RATHER DO IT IN THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE FURTHER BREAKED DOWN.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS SLIGHT VARIATIONS FROM THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BUT GENERALLY, I THINK WE SEE HERE THAT THE INTEREST IS CONSISTENT.

YOU'RE STILL SEEING ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO ARE STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF IT, ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED AND ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THE IDEA.

THIS IS ONE THAT I DON'T THINK GOT INTO YOUR PACKET BOARD MEMBERS, BUT IT BASICALLY SHOWS THE SAME THING.

THESE ARE OUR EMPLOYEE RESPONSES.

SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE ARE STAFF MEMBERS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND IT SHOWS THE SAME THING.

THE IDEA OF JUST BEING ABLE TO TELL YOU FROM ONE PART OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ANOTHER, IT'S RELATIVELY CONSISTENT.

I THINK WE SEE BOTH WITH PARENTS AND WITH SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND THE RIDGE SPRING AND WAGENER-SALLEY AREAS AND IN THE SILVER BLUFF AREA, SLIGHTLY LOWER INTEREST, BUT STILL A VERY STRONG INTEREST IN THE CONCEPT.

SO.

TO TALK ABOUT THIS TONIGHT AND TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION, I'VE TAKEN OUR DISTRICT'S GOALS AND MY GOALS AND BOARD MEMBERS GOALS, AND I BOILED THOSE DOWN INTO SOME SUCCINCT STATEMENTS.

MAINTAIN POSITIVE, SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENTS, RECRUIT AND RETAIN HIGH QUALITY EDUCATORS AND ENHANCE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND A MODIFIED CALENDAR ADDRESSES, AT LEAST IN PART, EACH OF THESE GOALS.

NOW, CHANGING THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR IS NOT A MAGIC BULLET.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN MY CAREER AS AN EDUCATOR IS THAT THERE ARE NO MAGIC BULLETS.

IMPROVEMENT OCCURS WHEN WE HAVE QUALITY TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF MEMBERS DOING THEIR JOBS EVERY DAY.

IT OCCURS WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CURRICULUM IN PLACE WITH THE TRAINING TO ENSURE FIDELITY.

IT OCCURS WHEN SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.

IMPROVEMENT OCCURS WHEN YOU MAKE MOSTLY SMART CHOICES AND WORK VERY HARD TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.

I BELIEVE THAT MODIFYING OUR CALENDAR IS A SMART CHOICE.

I SHARE THIS WITH A LOT OF FOLKS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

THIS VISUAL IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 30 YEARS OLD, AND I REMEMBER SEEING AND DISCUSSING IT AT THAT TIME WHEN I WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

BUT IT'S JUST AS PERTINENT TODAY AS IT WAS THEN.

AND ALTHOUGH IT DEPICTS FIRST YEAR TEACHERS, IT'S ALSO TRUE FOR MID-CAREER AND VETERAN TEACHERS.

AND WHAT WE SEE IN THIS IS THAT ENTHUSIASM AND THAT ANTICIPATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

YOU'VE COME IN, YOU'VE GOT YOUR BULLETIN BOARD DONE, YOU'VE GOT YOUR DESK RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT THEM.

ALL YOUR PENCILS ARE IN LINE AND YOU'RE JUST EXCITED ABOUT ABOUT TEACHING.

BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED SOON AFTER THE STUDENTS GET THERE.

IT GETS HARD AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HARD.

THERE'S A REASON WE CALL IT A JOB.

IT GETS HARD AND PEOPLE GET DISILLUSIONED AND PEOPLE GO INTO SURVIVAL MODE, AND IT'S

[00:55:05]

VERY DIFFICULT.

AND WE SEE THAT THERE AND WE GET TO THE POINT AROUND THE END OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, WHERE TEACHERS ARE ABSOLUTELY WORN OUT.

AND IT'S PARTICULARLY A TIME FOR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS AND OR TEACHERS WHO ARE IN A NEW ASSIGNMENT, AND THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP THEIR HEAD ABOVE WATER.

FORTUNATELY, CHRISTMAS IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, SO THEY GET TO CHRISTMAS.

THEY START FEELING BETTER AND WE SEE THAT THAT CURVE START GOING UP AND THEN THEY GET BACK TO THE SUMMERTIME AND THEY HAVE THAT ANTICIPATION AGAIN.

ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS LET'S LETS FLATTEN THAT CURVE A LITTLE BIT.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN RESOLVE SOMETHING FOR OUR, OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS BEFORE THEY GET TO DISILLUSIONMENT.

LET'S HELP THEM OUT WHILE THEY'RE IN THAT SURVIVAL MODE.

HERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS VERY INTERESTING.

THIS IS ACTUAL DATA THAT WE HAVE.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THIS CHANGE IS DRAMATIC.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE ARE STAFF ABSENCES IN SEPTEMBER AND STAFF ABSENCES IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

TEACHERS THIRTY TWO PERCENT INCREASE FROM ONE MONTH TO THE NEXT.

OVERALL, STAFF, IT WAS A SEVENTEEN PERCENT INCREASE.

SO DRAMATIC CHANGE.

TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE EXHAUSTED AS THEY APPROACH THE SECOND QUARTER AND IT SHOWS IT SHOWS IN THEIR IN THEIR HEALTH.

AND IT SHOWS IN THEIR NEED TO TAKE TIME OFF.

THINK OF THE IMPACT THAT MANY ABSENCES HAS ON STUDENT LEARNING.

THINK OF THE IMPACT OF THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD ON TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO ARE NOT ABSENT AND ARE HAVING TO KEEP THE SCHOOL RUNNING ON WITH FEWER PEOPLE THERE.

THINK OF THE COMBINED IMPACT ON STUDENT BEHAVIOR.

AND I'VE GOT ONE THAT SHOWS THAT AS WELL.

SO THIS IS ALSO FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.

OVERALL, REFERRALS FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER WENT UP ALMOST A QUARTER, FIGHTS MORE THAN DOUBLED, AND WE HAVE WONDERFUL SUBSTITUTES, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS THAT OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS HAVE.

WHEN SCHOOL STAFF ARE TIRED, THEY CAN MISS WARNING SIGNS.

THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOTICE AND BE ABLE TO TAKE A STUDENT ASIDE OR JUST SAY A WORD TO OR REDIRECT MIGHT GET MISSED.

AND THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL OF US.

WE MISS THINGS.

TIRED STUDENTS GET FRUSTRATED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO CATCH UP.

I BELIEVE THAT ADDING A FALL BREAK AND LENGTHENING THE SPRING BREAK ACTUALLY MAKES OUR SCHOOLS SAFER.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

WE CAN BUY CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS.

WE CAN HIRE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF IF WE CAN FIND THEM.

WE CAN PROVIDE LAPTOPS AND OTHER DEVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS.

THE GAME CHANGER, HOWEVER, FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND, IT'S TIME.

RESEARCHER LYNN FIELDING, WHO CO-WROTE A BOOK THAT I KEEP ON MY DESK ALL THE TIME, I REFER TO OFTEN ANNUAL GROWTH FOR STUDENTS, ANNUAL GROWTH FOR ALL STUDENTS AND CATCH UP GROWTH FOR THOSE WHO ARE BEHIND.

HE SAID THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND DO NOT LEARN FASTER THAN THOSE WHO ARE AHEAD.

NOW THINK ABOUT THAT.

WE TALK ABOUT CATCHING STUDENTS UP.

WE TALK ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

WE TALK ABOUT STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND, WELL, THE STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND AND WHAT HE SAID IS JUST COMMON SENSE.

OBVIOUSLY, THE ONES THAT ARE BEHIND AREN'T GOING TO LEARN FASTER THAN THE ONES THAT ARE AHEAD.

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND, AND WE DO THAT.

BUT I'M TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER WAY, A BETTER WAY, A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF DOING THAT.

BUT A STUDENT WHO IS A YEAR BEHIND AND PROGRESSES NORMALLY IS STILL GOING TO BE A YEAR BEHIND AT THE END OF THAT THAT YEAR.

WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TIME AND THE TIME THAT'S MADE AVAILABLE BY THE MODIFIED CALENDAR, I THINK HELPS A WEEK DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT OF TIME.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE MODIFIED CALENDAR, BUILDING A WEEK OF INTERVENTION FOR STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE QUARTER.

BUT IF WE TAKE THAT WEEK AND IT'S DEDICATED TO SPECIFIC SKILLS AND CONCEPTS THAT A STUDENT IS LACKING, IT CAN PROVIDE THAT STUDENT WITH THE FOUNDATION TO MOVE FORWARD RATHER THAN TO CONTINUE TO FALL BEHIND.

NOW, CURRENTLY THE BEST OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR CATCH UP GROWTH ARE SUMMER SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL, SATURDAYS, AND REMEDIATION WITHIN THE SCHOOL DAY.

ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS HAVE VALUE, BUT THEY RELY ON EITHER RETIRED TEACHER AT THE END OF THE DAY OR THE END OF THE WEEK, OR AT THE END OF A FULL SCHOOL YEAR WHERE WE WAIT FOR THE PROBLEM TO POSSIBLY BECOME UNMANAGEABLE.

I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER A CAVITY IN YOUR TOOTH NOW IF THAT CAVITY IS DISCOVERED

[01:00:01]

EARLY.

THE REMEDY IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE AND PAINLESS, BUT IF WE WAIT, MAYBE UNTIL WE HAVE A CONVENIENT TIME TO ADDRESS IT, LIKE THE SUMMER, IT CAN BECOME VERY PROBLEMATIC.

IT CAN REQUIRE EXTENSIVE REMEDIATION.

MAYBE A ROOT CANAL.

MAYBE YOU LOSE THE TOOTH ITSELF.

MAYBE IT AFFECTS OTHER TEETH OR EVEN THE BONES IN YOUR JAW AND FACE.

THE LONGER WE WAIT TO PROVIDE THE INTERVENTION, THE MORE DIFFICULT PROGRESS BECOMES.

OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERVENE EARLY CAN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR STUDENT'S PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND HELP THEM TO NOT FALL FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE TRUE BENEFITS FOR THE MODIFIED CALENDAR, AND I'VE ADDED SOME QUESTIONS AND THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE GOT.

SOME OF THE QUESTIONS CAME FROM FROM BOARD MEMBERS.

OTHER QUESTIONS CAME FROM THE COMMUNITY.

AND TO CLOSE OUT MY PRESENTATION, I JUST WANT TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THESE WERE THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED IN KNOWING.

SO THE FIRST COUPLE TAKING THEM THOSE TWO TOGETHER WILL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, BE IN SCHOOL MORE DAYS AND WE'LL TEACHERS HAVE TO WORK DURING THE TWO WEEK BREAKS.

WELL, THE SCHOOL YEAR DOESN'T CHANGE.

I MEAN, WE HAVE 180 DAYS OF SCHOOL IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

WHERE YOU PUT THOSE DAYS DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT'S 180 DAYS.

TEACHERS HAVE 190 DAY CONTRACTS.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE EITHER.

SO THE NUMBER OF DAYS DOESN'T CHANGE.

NOW WE DO WANT TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERVENTION DURING ONE OF THE BREAK WEEKS.

SO REMEMBER, WE'RE ASKING FOR FOR TWO WEEKS OF BREAK AT THE END OF THE QUARTER.

AND DURING ONE OF THOSE BREAK WEEKS, INTERVENTION WOULD TAKE PLACE AND IT WOULD BE HANDLED MUCH LIKE WE HANDLE SUMMER SCHOOL NOW.

SO TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND WOULD BE PAID ADDITIONAL DUTY TO DO THAT.

NO TEACHERS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO WORK DURING THAT TIME.

THAT WAS THAT WAS ONE THAT I HEARD MORE OFTEN THAN JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER QUESTION.

WOULD PEOPLE BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT? NO, THEY WOULDN'T BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.

THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO DO THAT.

THEY WOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

BUT BUT IT WOULD BE THE TEACHER'S CHOICE.

AND OF COURSE, THE TEACHER WOULD BE PAID.

WHAT ABOUT SUMMER PLANS? WELL, THE FAMILIES OF STAFF MEMBERS ALREADY HAVE PLANS THAT COINCIDE WITH THE FIRST YEAR OF A NEW CALENDAR.

OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD.

I GUESS IT'S NOT OBVIOUS WE WOULD WORK WITH WITH THOSE FAMILIES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THAT TIME, AND WORK CAN BE MADE UP WITHOUT ANY PENALTY FOR THAT FAMILY, FOR THAT EMPLOYEE, FOR ANYBODY ELSE.

BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT VERY OFTEN PEOPLE HAVE HAVE TIME SHARES, THEY HAVE PLANS FOR SUMMER CAMP.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH VACATIONS AND CERTAINLY WE WANT TO BE VERY AGREEABLE TO THAT.

HOW WILL SPORTS AND BAND SCHEDULE BE AFFECTED? [INAUDIBLE] IT CERTAINLY WILL PRACTICE SCHEDULES FOR FALL SPORTS IN PARTICULAR WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED.

GAMES WOULDN'T BE AFFECTED.

I DON'T THINK GAMES WOULD BE AFFECTED BECAUSE WE PLAY GAMES DURING BREAKS ANYWAY.

I MEAN, WE HAVE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS DURING THE DURING CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL GAMES OCCUR DURING SPRING BREAK.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE SCHEDULED TYPICALLY BY THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT BANDS AND PARTICULARLY FOOTBALL AND I GUESS TENNIS.

ANYTHING THAT'S EARLY, EARLY IN THE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR WOULD WOULD NEED SOME WOULD NEED TO ADJUST AND BE CREATIVE.

SO THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED.

SUMMER JOBS, WELL, SUMMER JOBS WOULD PROBABLY BE IMPACTED IF WE WERE LOOKING AT MOVING THREE WEEKS OUT OF THE SUMMER INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE YEAR, THEN THEN TEN WEEKS BECOMES SEVEN WEEKS.

SO THAT CERTAINLY WOULD IMPACT SUMMER JOBS.

BUT I WILL SUBMIT, THOUGH, THAT EMPLOYERS WHO EMPLOY STUDENTS ARE USED TO WORKING WITH SCHOOL SCHEDULES, SO I THINK THEY WOULD CERTAINLY BE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH THEM ON THAT TOO.

I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT CUSTODY AGREEMENTS.

AND THAT'S ONE THAT WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT, BUT IT IS REALITY.

I THINK THAT WOULD DEPEND ON THE WORDING MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

TYPICALLY, THOSE THINGS TALK ABOUT SCHOOL SCHEDULES AND WHEN SCHOOL BREAKS ARE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THEY DON'T USUALLY HAVE SPECIFIC DATES IN THEM.

IF THEY DID HAVE SPECIFIC DATES AND THEN THOUGH, I WOULD THINK THAT THE FAMILIES WOULD HAVE TO SEEK SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN THOSE.

MOST STUDENTS FORGET ROUTINES THAT THEY'VE LEARNED DURING THE BREAK AND THINGS THAT THEY'VE LEARNED DURING THE BREAK.

[01:05:01]

SO I'VE HAD TEACHERS TELL ME IN THE PAST WEEK THAT THEY HAD TO SPEND TIME AFTER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY, GETTING STUDENTS BACK ON TRACK, PARTICULARLY WITH ROUTINES IN MUCH YOUNGER STUDENTS.

SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.

HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK IT COMPARES TO THE SUMMER SLIDE THAT WE'RE USED TO, AND MR. PETTIGREW BOARD BROUGHT THIS ONE UP THE SUMMER SLIDE.

WE WOULDN'T EXPECT TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE SUMMER SLIDE BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A GAP OF TIME.

BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE LESS.

I THINK THE LESS TIME THAT WE HAVE OR THE SMALLER THE GAP BETWEEN THIS BLOCK OF INSTRUCTION AND THE NEXT BLOCK OF INSTRUCTION HELPS TO IMPROVE THAT.

AND IT SHOULD HELP THEM RETAIN MORE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND PROGRESS FARTHER EACH YEAR.

A LOT OF BREAKS NEED TO BE TWO WEEKS.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I LIKE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN SOME, SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BOTH IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE A A MODIFIED CALENDAR AND THEY HAVE ONE WEEK BREAKS, CERTAINLY A ONE WEEK BREAK IF POSSIBLE.

IT WOULD JUST REQUIRE US TO CHOOSE A PRIORITY.

TWO WEEKS ALLOWS ALL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO HAVE AT LEAST A WEEK OFF AND TO GET THAT BREAK TO GET THAT, THAT TIME TO REFRESH.

IF IF IT'S ONE WEEK, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO CHOOSE.

IF IT'S ONE WEEK, WE EITHER HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THAT BREAK TIME, THAT REST TIME, THAT REJUVENATION TIME, OR ARE WE GOING TO USE THAT TIME FOR REMEDIATION? SO, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PRIORITY.

WE WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE.

WITH TWO WEEKS, WE'RE ABLE TO DO BOTH.

WE MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THAT WEEK AND WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD IN TIME FOR REMEDIATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE.

AND OF COURSE, THOSE TEACHERS WHO CHOOSE TO WORK GET ADDITIONAL PAY FOR THAT.

LEARNING COST MORE.

NOW, WE DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD.

THERE SHOULD BE NO INCREASE TO THE BUDGET.

SCHOOLS ARE OPEN MOST DAYS ALREADY, SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY INCREASE IN ENERGY COSTS.

SO TEACHERS TEACHERS STILL HAVE 190 CONTRACTS.

OTHER WORKS SCHEDULES MAY BE SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY'D STILL BE WITHIN THEIR PRESCRIBED WORK DAYS.

AS WITH SUMMER SCHOOL, MOST ADDITIONAL DUTY WOULD BE PAID WITH SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS RATHER THAN OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

I THINK WE COULD ACTUALLY REALIZE SOME SAVINGS IF YOU WERE TEACHERS ARE OUT LIKE WE HAVE IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR, WE MIGHT BE PAYING FEWER SUBS.

SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY FOR A LITTLE BIT OF SAVINGS THERE.

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY? WELL, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT MODIFIED OR YEAR-ROUND FORMATS.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOK THERE'S NOT A LOT OF RESEARCH ON A DEFINITIVE MODEL.

HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION OF SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, SOME ARE LEARNING SUMMER LEARNING LOSS IS A REAL PROBLEM FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES.

AT LEAST TWO STUDIES THAT THEY CITED SHOWED THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP WIDENED OVER THE SUMMER BREAK.

OTHER RESEARCH SHOWED THAT STUDENTS DO AS WELL OR SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THOSE IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.

IT MAY BE PARTICULARLY BENEFICIAL FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND STUDENTS AND STUDENTS PARENTS AND TEACHERS ALSO TEND TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE.

SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE SYNOPSIS OF THE RESEARCH.

ONE IMPORTANT NOTE IS FROM THAT ARTICLE IS THAT SCHOOLS THAT'S ALL HIGHER ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FROM THEIR STUDENTS INCLUDED REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT DURING THE BREAKS, MUCH LIKE WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO SO.

SO I LIKE KIND OF KIND OF HAVING A LITTLE VALIDATION FROM THAT THAT THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE MORE IMPROVEMENT.

HERE'S A BIG QUESTION WHY NOW? WELL, SIMPLY PUT, WE'VE NEVER BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE.

I MEAN, THIS THING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

I REMEMBER TALKING ABOUT IT 20 YEARS AGO AS PRINCIPAL AT BUSBEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

WE'VE ALWAYS HAD STUDENTS WHO WERE BEHIND, BUT WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS MANY STUDENTS WHO WERE BEHIND.

AS I SHOWED YOU IN THAT 30 YEAR OLD PICTOGRAPHS.

MID FALL HAS LONG BEEN A TIME OF FRUSTRATION AND BURNOUT FOR TEACHERS WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE PANDEMIC, HOWEVER, HAVE JUST EXACERBATED THOSE STRESSES.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HEARD AS MANY TEACHERS EXPRESS THE KIND OF DISILLUSIONMENT THAT THAT THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THIS YEAR.

NOW, WHILE THIS PROPOSAL DOES SHIFT SOME OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS, I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S AS DRASTIC AS AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED.

TO SHIFT THE THREE WEEKS, THREE WEEKS FROM THE SUMMER TO OTHER PARTS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THE SHIFT OF THAT BREAKDOWN IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A RESPITE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AT A COUPLE OF CRITICAL TIMES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERVENTION AT STRATEGIC POINTS DURING

[01:10:02]

THE YEAR INSTEAD OF ALL AT ONCE IN THE SUMMER.

SO FINALLY, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR A GUARANTEE, I DON'T HAVE IT WHAT I HAVE ARE STUDENTS WHO THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, WERE DELAYED IN THEIR LEARNING BY AS MUCH AS A YEAR.

WHAT I HAVE ARE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TRYING DESPERATELY TO HELP STUDENTS CATCH UP, I BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TIME.

BUT IT HAS TO BE QUALITY TIME.

THIS PAST SUMMER, WE IMPLEMENTED THE MOST EXTENSIVE SUMMER SCHOOL IN THE HISTORY OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BUT WE DID IT WITH EXHAUSTED AND OVERWHELMED TEACHERS.

THOSE TEACHERS GOT VERY LITTLE DOWNTIME BEFORE STARTING AGAIN IN AUGUST, WITH STUDENTS WHO STILL NEEDED SUPPORT TO CATCH UP.

WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, BUT AGAIN, WE NEED MORE TIME STRATEGICALLY PLACED TIME LED BY TEACHERS WHO ARE GIVEN A CHANCE TO BREATHE AND REGROUP FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

SO THIS RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT I BELIEVE WILL HELP NOT CURE IT, BUT WILL HELP.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND IF I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MR. JEFFCOAT IS HERE.

HE HAS LED, I THINK, MR. JEFFCOAT HERE.

HE'S OVER THERE.

HE HAS LED THE TEAM THAT HAS INVESTIGATED THIS AND HAS PUT IN A LOT OF HOURS WORKING ON.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK KATE OLIN.

SHE PUT A LOT OF THAT DATA TOGETHER FOR US TO SHARE WITH YOU.

MS. RHINEHART.

GOOD EVENING, MR..

I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, SO I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY ARE AND YOU CAN ANSWER IN WHATEVER ORDER YOU LIKE UNDER YOUR FREQUENT QUESTIONS.

YOU DIDN'T ADDRESS CHILD CARE.

SO CAN YOU ADDRESS CHILD CARE? OKAY.

AND ALSO, WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS WHO THRIVE ON ROUTINE? AND DURING THE WEEK THAT YOU MENTIONED WHERE STUDENTS CAN GET ONE ON ONE ATTENTION FROM TEACHERS? WHAT IS THE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WILL PARENTS HAVE TO BRING THEIR STUDENTS IN? OR WILL WE PROVIDE BUS TRANSPORTATION? AND MY LAST QUESTION, AND I BELIEVE YOU ANSWERED THIS WITH SUMMER SCHOOL STILL BE OFFERED ? TO THE LAST ONE, YES, SUMMER SCHOOL WILL STILL BE OFFERED.

IN FACT, MOST OF THE FOUR CREDIT SUMMER SCHOOL I THINK WE DO IN FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS MR. POSTELL.

SO SO EVEN EVEN IF IF SUMMER BREAK IS SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS, WE STILL HAVE THE TIME TO GET THAT IN.

THE ONE THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT IS THE SUMMER READING CAMP FOR THIRD GRADE BECAUSE THERE IS A HUGE NUMBER OF REQUIRED HOURS, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT PART OF THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE SUMMER AND PART OF IT DONE DURING THE DURING THE BREAK TIMES AS WELL.

SO.

SO WE WOULD CERTAINLY WORK WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON THOSE.

SPECIAL EDUCATION.

YEAH, I THINK I THINK THIS WOULD WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT, ESPECIALLY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOR INTERVENTION AT A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE YEAR MIGHT HELP WITH EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR SERVICES.

IT IT MIGHT HELP TO PROVIDE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

SO.

SO THEY CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ROUTINES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TO REGROUP WITH ROUTINES AFTER THE SUMMER, AFTER CHRISTMAS BREAK, AFTER SPRING BREAK, ANYWAY.

I THINK THIS ACTUALLY HELPS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SHORTER BREAK IN THE SUMMER AND EVEN THOUGH YOU DO HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL BREAK IN THE FALL.

I THINK THE IDEA THAT THAT THAT YOU'RE CONSTANTLY MOVING IN ONE DIRECTION TO ME HELPS.

NOW I WOULD I WOULD ASK THE EXPERTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION TO DO THAT, AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED OFTEN ABOUT ABOUT MY OWN CHILD AND AND HOW IMPORTANT ROUTINES ARE.

AND SO, SO YEAH, I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT THAT THAT THE BREAKS ARE STAGGERED, THAT THEY'RE REGULAR, THAT THEY'RE SHORTER THAN THAT LONG 10 WEEKS ON A BREAK.

I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S TO THE BENEFIT OF THE STUDENTS.

AND I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE OF A BENEFIT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE INTERVENTION AT A VARIETY OF TIMES A QUESTION ABOUT CHILD CARE.

WE'VE TALKED TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.

MOST OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE TALKED TO ARE EAGER TO DO WHATEVER IS NEEDED.

JUST REMEMBER WHEN THE STATE SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS OVERNIGHT BACK IN 2020, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, CHURCHES, RECREATION DEPARTMENTS, THEY ALL RALLIED AND THEY GOT THINGS GOING FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND THERE'S NO REASON TO THINK THAT THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

WE ALSO HAVE QUEST ZONE WHICH WE'VE TALKED TO THERE IN OUR SCHOOLS DURING THE SUMMER.

THEY PROVIDE A NUMBER OF SITES AND THEY WOULD THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THE

[01:15:03]

SAME THING DURING THOSE INTERSECTION PERIODS AS WELL.

SO I THINK THAT.

IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME PLANNING ON THE PART OF FAMILIES, AND WE WANT TO BE THERE TO HELP FACILITATE SOME OF THAT, AND CERTAINLY WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH QUEST'S ZONE.

I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PASTORS AND PARTICULARLY OUR LARGER CHURCHES ARE ARE EAGER TO HELP WITH SOME KIND OF PROGRAMING DURING THOSE TIMES.

I GOT ABOUT FIVE OF THEM.

OK.

NONE OF THEM.

NONE OF THEM ARE MEANT TO PUT YOU BEFORE THE INQUISITION.

BUT THEY ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO ME BY BOTH EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS.

FIRST ONE IS WILL EDUCATORS BE REQUIRED TO WORK DURING THESE OFF TIMES? NO, SIR.

OK.

WHO'S GOING TO SUPERVISE THE LEARNING IN THE BUILDING, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH REMEDIATION? WELL, JUST LIKE WITH SUMMER SCHOOL, WE WOULD WE WOULD INVITE TEACHERS TO APPLY FOR FOR THOSE TEACHING JOBS DURING THE INTERCESSION PERIOD AS WELL.

SO IT WOULD BE AN EXTRA DUTY FOR THOSE TEACHERS.

NOBODY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO IT JUST LIKE NOBODY'S REQUIRED TO TEACH SUMMER SCHOOL.

BUT BUT THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.

ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU WOULD HAVE A LEAD TEACHER NARRATIVE WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANYTHING THAT WERE TO COME UP IN LIEU OF ADMINISTRATOR? WELL, THE ADMINISTRATORS WOULD BE THERE.

OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE 12-MONTH.

OH YES, OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE 12-MONTH EMPLOYEES.

ANYONE WHO HAS A 12 MONTH EMPLOYEE.

IT DOESN'T CHANGE THEIR WORK SCHEDULE, IT GIVES THEM MORE OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK, I MEAN, AS A PRINCIPLE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN A VACATION WHEN MY STUDENTS WERE IN SCHOOL.

BUT NOW, IF A PRINCIPAL WANTED TO TAKE A VACATION IN THE FALL OR A VACATION IN THE SPRING, THEY'D BE ABLE TO DO THAT OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO WAS WHO WAS A 12 MONTH EMPLOYEE.

I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PRINCIPALS, A COUPLE OF TEACHERS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT EXAMS NOT BEING GIVEN BEFORE CHRISTMAS NOW, AND THAT THAT'S A BIG CONCERN AND I UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERN BY BEING A FORMER EDUCATOR MYSELF.

THERE'S THERE'S THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF A GOOD BIT OF LAPSED TIME, RIGHT? IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THOSE KIDS IN THEIR EXAMS PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ISSUE.

AND I THINK THAT'S A CHOICE THAT THAT WE MAKE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FINISHED.

WE HAVEN'T FINISHED THE SEMESTER BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

SINCE THE LAW CHANGE, REQUIRING US TO WAIT UNTIL THE THIRD MONDAY SO SO WE CAN CHOOSE.

YEAH, WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO DO EXAMS BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND HAVE THE FIRST SEMESTER A LITTLE LITTLE SHORTER, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OK, I WANT TO I WANT TO LOOK AT MR. POSTELL.

I DON'T WANT TO.

I WANT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.

BUT YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT AND WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DOES, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GOT TWO WEEKS, WE'RE ACTUALLY WOULD BE STARTING TWO WEEKS EARLIER, TOO, SO IT WOULDN'T PUSH IT OUT ANY FURTHER.

WE'D STILL HAVE THAT THAT SAME ISSUE, I THINK OF MAYBE A WEEK OF THE FIRST SEMESTER STILL BEING PASSED CHRISTMAS SOME YEARS, WE MAY BE ABLE TO BACK IT UP SOME.

BUT YEAH, WE CAN LOOK AT AT OUR EXAM SCHEDULE, THAT'S UP TO US.

OK.

AND THAT THAT IS COME TO ME BY A LOT OF AP TEACHERS AND AP PARENTS MAYBE MAY BE A DIFFERENT STORY.

THOSE ARE SCHEDULED.

OK, THEY'RE STILL [INAUDIBLE] GOOD.

YEAH, THE AP EXAMS ARE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

OK? OK.

WELL, THAT'S THAT WAS THAT BROUGHT TOO.

SOME TEACHERS ASKED ME ABOUT PAY PERIOD, BUT IT'S CHANGED THEIR PAY PERIODS? IT SHOULD NOT.

WE GET PAID ON THE 5TH AND THE 20TH.

IT WOULD STILL BE THE 5TH AND WE'RE DIRECT DEPOSIT, SO.

AND I WAS ASKED TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE COULD TAKE ONE OF THOSE TWO WEEKS IN OCTOBER AND MOVE TO START A SCHOOL BACK.

THIS CAME FROM SOME TEACHERS AND FROM A GOOD NUMBER OF PARENTS.

AND I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT AS I WAS ASKED TO.

SO I THINK I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT SCHOOL STARTING ON AUGUST 1ST AND THEN HAVING THE TWO WEEK INTERSECTION THERE.

SO YEAH, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THIS IS THIS IS THE PROPOSED CALENDAR FROM FROM THE COMMITTEE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE THERE.

I THINK WE PUT IN THAT CALENDAR.

I KNOW WE PUT IN THAT CALENDAR A FULL WEEK FOR THANKSGIVING.

I DON'T KNOW WHEN THERE'S WHEN IF YOU TAKE TWO WEEKS IN OCTOBER, DO YOU REALLY NEED A WHOLE WEEK FOR THANKSGIVING? SO YOU COULD TAKE TAKE A COUPLE OF THOSE DAYS AND INSTEAD OF STARTING SCHOOL ON MONDAY, START SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY AND STILL KEEP THAT SAME FLOW OF THE DAYS.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS THAT THAT CERTAINLY THE BOARD COULD DISCUSS AND CAN CAN

[01:20:01]

DIRECT US TO TO BRING THOSE OPTIONS TO YOU.

AND TWO MORE AND I PROMISE YOU, I'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE.

DAYCARE AS MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON MENTIONED.

YOU'RE SAYING WE GOT QUESTS ZONE.

WE'VE GOT THE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED.

DOES ANY OF THEM NOT COST? BECAUSE I'M BEING I'M I'M OF COURSE, I REPRESENT SOME LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC.

AND THEY'RE THEY SAY THEY CAN'T AFFORD SOME OF THE COST OF SOME DAYCARE AND SO FORTH.

IS THERE ANYTHING BEING LOOKED AT AS FAR AS ANY OF THAT? SO I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT THAT BECAUSE.

AND THE BIGGEST REASON IS THAT THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN SCHOOL ARE STILL THE SAME.

SO SO THE FACT THAT IT'S A DIFFERENT SET OF WEEKS AS OPPOSED TO THE SUMMER WEEKS, I WOULD THINK THAT THE PARENTS ARE ARE WORKING TO HAVE HAVE CHILD CARE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN THE SUMMER AS WELL.

SO IT'S JUST SHIFTING THOSE WEEKS TO ANOTHER TIME IN THE YEAR.

BUT I THINK CHURCHES MIGHT MIGHT HAVE SOME OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS.

I KNOW A LOT OF CHURCHES STEPPED UP WHEN SCHOOLS CLOSED BACK IN 2020 AND REALLY PROVIDED SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOR FAMILIES.

AND I THINK SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

UNLESS SOMETHING ELSE COMES TO MY MIND THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ASK.

MY LAST ONE IS TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE SUMMERS.

AND IF THEY'RE OFF SEVEN WEEKS, IT'S USUALLY EIGHT WEEKS FOR TWO COURSES, EIGHT AND A HALF WEEKS, YEAH.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW THEM THAT, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT WANT TO GROW AND THOSE THAT NEED TO GO TAKE TWO COURSES? HOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE ANY OF THIS, ANY THOUGHT TO THAT YET? WELL, I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

I HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT.

AND NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW.

MR. SMITH AND I WERE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL TOGETHER AND AND WE HAD TO DO BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

WE HAD TO DO RESIDENCY IN COLUMBIA AND WE DID.

WE DID FOUR COURSES OVER ONE SUMMER AND IT WAS IT WAS REALLY HARD DRIVING STUFF.

SO MANY COURSES NOW, THOUGH, ARE ARE VIRTUAL ONLINE AND ARE FLEXIBLE FOR THE TEACHERS.

SO SO IT REALLY DOES RESOLVE A LOT OF THOSE TIMING PROBLEMS THAT THAT THAT TEACHERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS HAVE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I REALLY WENT OUT ON THE WEB AND TRIED TO FIND AS MUCH AS I CAN, AND THESE WERE THE MOST QUESTIONS THAT I WERE ASKED THAT CAME AT ME THE MOST, AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO ADDRESS EACH ONE OF THEM.

MR. MOULTON YOUR TURN.

WE'RE GOING GO DOWN THE LINE HERE OR NOT, KING.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU WHEN YOU PRESENTED THE NUMBERS ON THE ABSENCES AND THAT WAS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, WAS THAT THIS PAST YEAR, THAT WAS THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR? WHAT YEAR DID YOU LOOK AT? WERE THOSE COVID RELATED OR QUARANTINE RELATED? THE YOU KNOW, THAT IS A BIG INCREASE? OR WAS THAT SIMPLY BURNOUT AND DISILLUSIONMENT? WELL, I DON'T HAVE THEM.

I DON'T HAVE THEM CATEGORIZED THAT WAY.

HOWEVER, WE WERE SEEING A STEADY DECLINE AT THAT TIME THROUGH THE FALL IN IN OUR COVID RELATED ABSENCES.

SO I WOULD I WOULD SAY THAT AT WORST ARE COVID RELATED ABSENCES WERE STEADY FROM FROM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER.

AND SO I THINK IT DEFINITELY IS AN INDICATION OF OF OTHER REASONS FOR BEING OUT.

OK, WELL, PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE REASONS, BUT BUT OTHER REASONS FOR BEING OUT.

AND I THINK THE STRESSES HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST TO QUICKLY.

I DON'T HAVE A LONG LIST.

THE OTHER ONE IS IF THIS THING DOESN'T GO WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR IT.

THE IF IT DOESN'T GO FROM THE TEACHERS, AT LEAST NOT NOT SO MUCH FROM THE STUDENTS.

IF IT DOESN'T GO WELL, CAN IT BE REVERSED OR CHANGED? IS THAT ANOTHER ACTION THAT WE WOULD TAKE IN THE FUTURE? YES, SIR.

THE THE CALENDAR IS IS APPROVED EVERY YEAR BY THE BOARD.

OKAY, SO SO NOTHING.

NOTHING IS PERMANENT.

SO.

SO YEAH, WE BRING A CALENDAR TO YOU EVERY EVERY SCHOOL YEAR.

YEAH.

AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION AND THAT IS THIS IS FROM SOME PARENTS.

I READ A LOT OF EMAILS FROM TEACHERS, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY FROM A COUPLE OF PARENTS.

THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT DOING IT THIS YEAR.

THEY WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY MADE PLANS.

WHY NOT PUT IT OFF A YEAR SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR VACATION PLANS, CHANGE THEIR CONDOS THERE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.

AND AND I THOUGHT ABOUT AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT I JUST I THOUGHT ABOUT WE'RE ASKING STUDENTS TO DEAL WITH A LOT ALREADY WITH COVID AND QUARANTINING.

[01:25:01]

AND WHY NOT HOPEFULLY DO IT IN A YEAR WHEN MAYBE THE COVID AND QUARANTINING ISN'T AS BAD NOW? WE DON'T KNOW THE FUTURE, UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT? SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT THE WHOLE THING SUGGEST WHY NOT? THEY WANT US TO ASK OURSELVES, WHY NOT WAIT A YEAR? RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ASKING.

AND A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ANSWER THAT.

ONE, IF COVID CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE FOR US AND IT VERY, VERY WELL COULD, I COULD MAKE THE CASE THAT THAT WE'VE BUILT IN A COUPLE OF FIRE BREAKS IN IN THE YEAR TO KIND OF RELIEVE MAYBE SOME OF THE QUARANTINES AND TRANSMISSION IN THE SCHOOLS.

SO, SO THAT'S ONE THING.

ALSO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU WAIT A YEAR, YOU LOSE A YEAR.

SO SO IF WE WAIT A YEAR, THAT'S A YEAR OF OF A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO WHO DO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SUMMER FOR FOR INTENSIVE INTERVENTION.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE DO INTERVENTION.

WE'RE DOING INTERVENTION EVERY DAY IN THE CLASSROOMS AND IN IMPLE GROUPS, AND WE'RE DOING AFTER SCHOOL INTERVENTION AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IF, IF IF WE CAN DO INTERVENTION IN A IN A DEDICATED, HIGHLY INTENSIVE MANNER WITH A STUDENT OR A GROUP OF STUDENTS REALLY FOCUSED ON ON WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC DEFICITS ARE AT THAT TIME, I THINK THEY'RE ABLE TO BUILD ON THOSE SKILLS AND BUILD ON THAT KNOWLEDGE SO THAT.

THEY NEED LESS INTERVENTION THE NEXT TIME, AND THEY MAY STILL NEED SUMMER SCHOOL, BUT MAYBE SUMMER SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AS INTENSIVE THIS TIME AND OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS NOT TO MAKE UP A YEAR OF LOST TIME.

I THINK I SAID WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SUMMER SCHOOL AND TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET MONTHS AGO, IT TAKES THREE YEARS.

IT TAKES THREE YEARS TO MAKE UP THAT TIME.

SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN ATTACK IT AND PROVIDE TIME WITHIN THE SCHOOL YEAR.

I THINK THE BETTER OFF WE ARE AND THE SOONER WE START, THE BETTER NOW.

I I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE OVER STARTING THIS YEAR OR WAITING UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

RIGHT.

I THINK THE BEST APPROACH IS TO DO IT NOW.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WISDOM ON THIS BOARD AS WELL.

SO CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL.

YOU JUST MADE ME THINK OF ONE LAST QUESTION, AND THAT IS, DO YOU THINK THAT LIKE DOING IT NOW? ARE WE DOING IT NOW THAT YOU THINK THE THE LEARNING DEFICIT AND THE AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE'RE HAVING TO SPEND REMEDIATING IS THAT DO YOU THINK IT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF COVID? OR DO YOU THINK IT'S WORSE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD THIS HAVE COME UP WITHOUT COVID WITHOUT THE PANDEMIC? IT WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY COME UP BECAUSE IT'S TALKED ABOUT FROM TIME TO TIME IN IN EDUCATION.

I THINK COVID MADE IT WORSE.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT THAT NOT JUST STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY PART OF THAT ACHIEVEMENT GAP LOST TIME.

THEY LOST ADDITIONAL TIME, BUT SO MANY MORE STUDENTS LOST TIME.

SO SO WE'VE GOT TO REALLY BECOME WE'RE ALREADY CREATIVE.

WE'VE GOT TO BECOME MORE CREATIVE IN ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS.

THANK YOU.

OK.

MR. NUESSLE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING? NOT RIGHT NOW.

NO.

DR.

HANKS, I'M GOOD FOR NOW.

SO, YEAH, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS A CONCERN THAT TODAY, THE WEEK LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS, I SAY AS A SLOW WEEK AND THEN THE WEEK WE GET BACK FROM THE HOLIDAYS IS AGAIN A TIME AND I THINK YOU REFERRED TO OF CATCHING BACK UP, GETTING BACK INTO ROUTINE.

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THAT THREE MORE TIMES NOW OR TWO MORE TIMES BY HAVING A TWO WEEK BREAK WHERE WE WHERE WE LOSE SOME INSTRUCTION TIME BECAUSE WE'RE SLOWING DOWN, ANTICIPATING THAT BREAK, THEN WE GET BACK AND WE HAVE TO GEAR BACK UP.

HOW WOULD YOU? I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK SO.

AND AND THIS IS JUST PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

I KNOW THAT CHRISTMAS IS IS UNIQUE.

I MEAN, WE YEAH, THE AT LEAST THE LAST THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONALLY HAVE HAVE A LOT OF NON INSTRUCTIONAL EVENTS, AND WE'VE TRIED TO CURB THAT SOME OVER THE YEARS.

AND SOMETIMES WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AND SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT.

SAME THING WITH SUMMER AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE WINDING DOWN.

EXAMS ARE TAKING PLACE.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS HAVE PRETTY MUCH DONE THE GRADES.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

SO SO I SEE THOSE TWO THINGS.

BUT WHAT I DON'T SEE AND MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, WE DON'T REALLY SEE THAT AT SPRING BREAK AND SPRING BREAK, WE PRETTY MUCH WORK RIGHT UP UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY.

THEN THE STUDENTS TAKE A WEEK OFF AND THEN AND THEN THEY'RE BACK AT IT THE NEXT WEEK.

AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I SEE THESE INTERVENTIONS, THESE INTERSECTION TIMES AS

[01:30:02]

BEING.

WE WORK RIGHT UP UNTIL THE END OF OF THAT LAST SCHOOL DAY AND THEN THE STUDENTS LEAVE.

SOME OF THEM COME BACK FOR FOR INTERVENTION FOR ONE OF THOSE TWO WEEKS AND THEN THEY PICK BACK UP WHERE THEY ARE NOW.

I DO SEE AND AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS WILL GO ON VACATION, SOME FOLKS WILL HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON.

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE AND EXCITEMENT OF CHRISTMAS TIME.

IT REALLY TAKES STUDENTS COMPLETELY OUT OF THEIR ROUTINES.

FOR TEACHERS TO TRY TO REGAIN NOW, THAT'S THAT'S BASICALLY ANECDOTAL, AND THAT'S BASICALLY MY VIEW ON IT.

BUT BUT I THINK I'M PRETTY SOLID ON THAT.

I GET THAT.

I THINK I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS, AT LEAST FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT OCTOBER OR SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER TIMEFRAME, SOME TIME IS DEFINITELY NEEDED WEEK TWO WEEKS DON'T KNOW THAT THAT ONE WEEK OF RECOVERY ONE OF THE TWO WEEKS.

IS THAT GOING TO BE A REQUIRED A REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE BEHIND OR THAT NEED RECOVERY? IT COULD BE.

IT COULD BE FOR SOME.

I MEAN, WE IDENTIFY STUDENTS EVERY YEAR BY STATE LAW WHO MAY NOT BE READING AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL BY THE END OF THIRD GRADE.

SO FOR THOSE STUDENTS, THEY'VE GOT SOME OPTIONS.

THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER READING CAMP OR THEY CAN BE RETAINED IN THE 3RD GRADE UNLESS THEY MEET SOME OTHER CRITERIA.

SO IT CERTAINLY COULD BE A REQUIREMENT FOR SOME STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TO MAKE SURE THEY GET CREDIT FOR THE COURSE OR COURSES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GO ON TO THE NEXT GRADE.

I THINK I ANSWERED A QUESTION EARLIER THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL OF THE TIME THAT WE NEED IN THE SUMMER, SO IT COULD BE EXTENDED INTO THOSE INTERSECTION TIMES.

SO IF WE'VE GOT STUDENTS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN SUMMER SCHOOL AND WE DIDN'T FINISH THAT PROGRAM, WE MIGHT HAVE TO REQUIRE THEM TO TO CONTINUE THAT IN THE INTERCESSION.

FOR THE MOST PART, THOUGH, I THINK IT WOULD BE LIKE SUMMER SCHOOL.

WE WOULD ENCOURAGE, WE WOULD RECRUIT.

WE WOULD EXPLAIN TO PARENTS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT, AND I LEFT OUT ONE OF MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON ANSWERS TRANSPORTATION.

WE WOULD WE WOULD PROVIDE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE ASKING STUDENTS TO TO COME TO SCHOOL DURING THAT TIME, WE NEED TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM.

THE REASON I ASK ABOUT IT BEING BEING REQUIRED OR NOT IS I THINK TODAY THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES STUDENTS HAVE FOR SOME RECOVERY THAT I THINK IF YOU LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I HEAR, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF HIGHER LEVELS, PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER LEVELS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS FAILING.

AND I THINK IF YOU LOOKED AT THE NUMBER TH AT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SUCH VERSUS THE NUMBER THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO COME, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO AND I DON'T THINK, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SEE VERY MANY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SO I DIDN'T.

I'M JUST NOT SURE MANY WOULD IF THEY WERE GIVEN THE CHOICE.

YES, SIR.

I FIND THAT TO BE THE CASE.

AS STUDENTS GET OLDER, FEWER OF THEM TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IF IT'S NOT REQUIRED, ARE WE ARE WE GIVEN SOME TIME THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AS A CONCERN? AND LASTLY, I THINK I ASKED US IN AN EMAIL SOME TIME AGO AND I HAVEN'T FOLLOWED UP.

BUT IN YOUR RESEARCH DISTRICTS, EITHER IN THIS STATE OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY THAT WENT TO A MODIFIED CALENDAR OF SOME TYPE, BUT THEN WENT BACK TO A TRADITIONAL OR AT LEAST MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO IT.

I MIGHT ASK MR. JEFFCOAT IF HE'S FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THOSE.

YEAH.

AND I REALIZE THAT MAY NOT SUPPORT YOUR EFFORT HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S WOULD BE GOOD INFORMATION TO CONSIDER, SO ANY INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU IS IMPORTANT.

YEAH.

FROM MY RESEARCH, MOST I HAVEN'T FOUND MANY THAT SWITCH BACK.

THE ONLY ONE CASES WHERE I SEE SOME SWITCHING BACK IS IF IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL THAT DID IT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE, THEY HAD ONE SCHOOL THAT WAS DOING THAT SAME THING WITH BUFORD.

THEY HAD ONE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF ONE SCHOOL.

THE WHOLE COMMUNITY DID NOT ADJUST, AND SO THEY FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN.

SO THEY SWITCHED BACK TO A TRADITIONAL MOST OF THE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE HAVE STUCK WITH IT.

NOW SOME HAVE.

THEY DO IT DIFFERENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE TRADITIONAL, SOME THAT ARE MODIFIED.

SO SOME OF THOSE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES BECAUSE OF THAT AND WHAT I FOUND, MOST WERE TRYING TO BE ON ONE TYPE OF CALENDAR.

SO I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY THAT THE WHOLE DISTRICT AND THEN SWITCH BACK.

OK, OK, THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SKIP DR. HANKS.

I DIDN'T HAVE A QUESTION.

YOU GO AHEAD.

THIS IS A QUICK QUESTION.

MR. LAURENCE IN SPEAKING ABOUT SPRING BREAK.

THAT WAS A COUPLE OF RESPONSES THAT I'VE RECEIVED.

JUST WANT TO VERIFY THESE PROPOSALS IN THE WEEKS THAT WE ARE SHOWING.

[01:35:04]

THIS IS FLEXIBLE.

IT'S NOT SET IN STONE.

AND THAT CAN CHANGE BECAUSE THE CONCERN WAS HAVING THE WEEK BEFORE SPRING BREAK AND THEN THE WEEK OF SPRING BREAK.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE EITHER LEAVE THE AREA OR AND OR RENT THEIR PROPERTIES AND IN RENTING THE PROPERTIES, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED BACK IN THOSE PROPERTIES UNTIL THAT MONDAY OR TUESDAY AFTER.

SO HAVING THAT WEEK FOLLOWING INSTEAD OF THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH, YEAH, JUST SEEMED TO MAKE BETTER SENSE.

SO FLEXIBILITY WILL COME BEFORE THIS THING IS FINALIZED.

AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL WEEKS, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY FLEXIBLE NOW.

I'M NOT GOING TO BRING YOU HALF A DOZEN CALENDARS, BUT BUT WHAT I AM GOING TO BRING YOU IS, IS, IS WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF OF THE DISCUSSION OF THE BOARD.

BUT BUT THEN YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY FREE TO TO SHIFT A WEEK AROUND HERE OR THERE, WHEREVER OR A DAY AROUND WHEREVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S NECESSARY.

YES, MA'AM.

MR. CRANE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE.

IF I MOVE THIS LOOK CLOSER, I HAVE NINE POINTS.

I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.

BUT THESE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT I'VE HAD AND THAT I'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK.

I HAD MORE, BUT YOU'VE ADDRESSED THOSE, SO THANK YOU.

AND SOME OF THESE AREN'T NECESSARILY A QUESTION NECESSITATING AN ANSWER IS JUST, I WANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT AND GET SOME CONFIRMATION THERE.

SO THE THE FIRST MR. PETTIGREW ASKED FOR THIS, AND I'LL I'LL ASK FOR IT.

A RESUBMIT THE QUESTION.

I'D LIKE TO SEE DATA ON THE SUMMER SLIDE BEING POSITIVELY IMPACTED BY THE MODIFIED CALENDAR.

AND I KNOW EVERY DISTRICT AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT'S DONE THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A XEROX ON WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

BUT IF THERE IS SOME DATA TO SHOW THAT LET'S JUST BOIL IT DOWN, THERE WAS IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT I THINK THE REST OF THE BOARD WOULD AS WELL.

AND IF WE COULD PUT THAT OUT THERE, I THINK THAT'D BE GOOD FOR FOLKS TO SEE OR THE CONVERSE WOULD WOULD BE GOOD FOR US, I THINK AS WELL.

I THINK ANECDOTALLY, WE WON'T SEE AS MUCH OF THE CONVERSE, AND I'LL SAY THAT AS A SUPPORTER OF THIS IDEA, GENERALLY SPEAKING.

SO THAT'S BULLET ONE.

NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION THAT NEEDS AN ANSWER, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT DATA.

SECOND, AND YOU KIND OF HIT THIS WITH MR. MOULTON ALREADY, BUT WITH THE WITH THE DATA THAT YOU SHOWED US, SOME OF WHICH WAS STUDENT RELATED ON DISCIPLINE AND SOME OF WHICH WAS STAFF ON ABSENTEEISM FOR VARIOUS AND SUNDRY REASONS, I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING THE DATA ON THAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND PREFERABLY NOT THE LAST COUPLE, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE IN A WE'VE BEEN IN A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE, SO I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING THAT IN A NORMAL YEAR I PUT THAT IN QUOTES FOR A REASON.

NO SUCH THING AS NORMAL, RIGHT? I'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I'D SAY PUSHBACK ON THE ON THE TWO WEEK BREAK IDEA, NOT EXCLUDING WHAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE FOR THE CHRISTMAS BREAK FROM BOTH PARENTS AND AND EDUCATORS.

AND I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE ADDRESSED THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THERE'S I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN THERE THAT MAYBE WE DON'T NEED.

TWO WEEKS, AND IT MIGHT BE MORE BENEFICIAL TO START THE YEAR EARLIER OR, EXCUSE ME, START OF THE YEAR, A WEEK LATER IN THE YEAR, A WEEK EARLIER TO CLIP THOSE TWO WEEK IN THE FALL AND THE SPRING BACK TO ONE.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT NOT AGAIN.

NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION.

NEED AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULDN'T MIND JUST MULLING THAT OVER.

I KNOW WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET A LITTLE FEEDBACK ON THAT NEXT TIME ON THE ISSUE OF CUSTODY, VISITATION SCHEDULES AND WHATNOT.

FOR ME, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS.

WE CAN'T DICTATE TO A COURT ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A COURT DECREE FROM ANOTHER STATE THAT MIGHT NOT CARE THAT AIKEN COUNTY ADJUSTED OUR SCHEDULE.

AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO DISMISSIVE OF THAT.

YOU ARE RIGHT.

SOMETIMES THE LANGUAGE ON THOSE IS HAS SOME VAGUELY, BUT THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO COURT, VAGUE OR NOT.

UNFORTUNATELY.

SO ANOTHER POINT THAT I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF FOLKS BRING OUT IS THE GATEWAY PROGRAM, AND I THINK THAT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND

[01:40:05]

WHATNOT AS WELL.

BUT IF KIDS ARE DOING THAT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH OF A BREAK.

IF WE MODIFY TO WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE TALKED TO ANY GATEWAY INSTRUCTORS OR NOT, BUT SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

YOU ALREADY HIT SUMMER SCHOOL.

HERE'S A HERE'S ONE YOU CAN MAYBE RESPOND TO DURING THE BREAK WEEKS.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO DELIVER MEALS OR ARE WE GOING TO TRY AND DELIVER FOOD SERVICE TO ANY STUDENTS? WE TYPICALLY PROVIDE MEALS 180 DAYS IN THE SUMMER, WHICH WE WOULD STILL DO.

IN THE SUMMER WE DO TYPICALLY HAVE SUMMER MEAL PROGRAMS AT VARIOUS SITES AROUND THE AROUND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY INVESTIGATE WHETHER THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE DURING THOSE TWO WEEK SESSIONS.

RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T PROVIDE MEAL SERVICES OVER CHRISTMAS BREAK OR OVER SPRING BREAK, BUT BUT PERHAPS THERE'S A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

WE CAN ALSO TALK TO OUR OWN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE AND SEE IF IF THEY HAVE SOME OPTIONS THAT WAY TOO.

IF YOU'RE, PARDON THE PUN, THAT'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

YEAH, ON THAT.

WHAT? WHAT IS GOING TO BE? I'VE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS ASKING ME THIS QUESTION WHEN WHEN ARE WE GOING TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION? AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA? I WOULD ASSUME NEXT THE NEXT MEETING, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT IF THE BOARD DOESN'T MAKE A DECISION ON ON JANUARY 25TH, WE NEED TO PUT IT [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I THINK THE END OF JANUARY IS IS ABOUT AS FAR AS AS WE AS WE CAN PUSH IT FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE NEXT YEAR, IF WE'RE GOING TO IF WE'RE GOING TO MODIFY FOR THE IMMEDIATE COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

YES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THEN THE LAST POINT, THIS ISN'T SO MUCH FOR YOU AS I THINK MAYBE FOR MR. ROSIER, I TYPICALLY DO A SYNOPSIS OF OUR MEETINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THIS IS A VERY BIG ISSUE.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES I THINK WE'VE EVER ADDRESSED IN MY TENURE HERE.

I WOULD LOVE IT.

AND I BELIEVE THE SOFTWARE WE HAVE CAN DO THIS.

IF NOT, YOU CAN SHUSH ME.

BUT IF WE COULD PUT LIKE A QUICK LINK TO THIS DISCUSSION SOMEWHERE FOR FOLKS THAT CAN GO IN, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND SYNOPSIZE ALL OF THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD POINTS, BUT I'LL JUST TOSS THAT OUT THERE IF WE CAN.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

IF NOT, YOU CAN THROW SOMETHING AT ME LATER AND I'LL ACCEPT THE THE BLACK EYE.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE REALLY.

NOT A LOT OF Q&A.

JUST I KNOW.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIMISM ABOUT IT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, I THINK, REASONABLE CONCERNS AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU.

MS. SHEALEY.

DO YOU? DR. BRAD.

LET ME GO AHEAD.

I'LL SAY I'LL GO LAST.

GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY.

RESPECTFULLY, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE TOWN HALL MEETING, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE WANTING US TO VOTE ON THIS ON JANUARY 25TH.

MM-HMM.

AND IF WE COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO AT LEAST GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR STAKEHOLDERS, THEY'RE ENTITLED TO IT.

UM, AND MY SECOND QUESTION, AND I HOPE I'M NOT OPENING PANDORA'S BOX HERE, GUYS DON'T DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER.

UM, HAVE WE MADE INVESTMENTS WITHIN AIKEN INNOVATE TO OFFER AI TO THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TRANSITION MID-YEAR FROM THE MODIFIED CALENDAR IF WE IMPLEMENT IT DUE TO ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE WITHIN THEIR FAMILY DYNAMICS.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT OFFERING? I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY.

BUT BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY INVESTIGATE THAT MS. GLOVER GOT THAT QUESTION DOWN.

GOT IT.

THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUICKNESS OF THIS, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH OF AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHETHER WE SHOULD STAY LIKE WE ARE OR WHETHER IT SHOULD GO TO THIS MODIFIED CALENDAR.

I CAN SEE SOME ADVANTAGES.

BOTH WAYS I AM CONCERNED ABOUT TWO THINGS.

ONE, I'M CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE PARENTS.

YOU KNOW, I SAY THE NUMBER, BUT THAT'S A BIASED SAMPLE.

ANYTIME YOU USE A TELEPHONE OR A COMPUTER OR SOMETHING LIKE TO COLLECT A SAMPLE, IT'S BIASED BY DEFINITION, IT MEANS THAT ANYBODY THAT DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER OR THE SKILLS TO USE IT OR EVEN KNOW WHERE TO LOOK, IT'S LEFT OUT OF THE SAMPLE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST DAMAGED BY IT

[01:45:04]

BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND THE RESOURCES TO BUY, YOU KNOW, CHILD CARE, THEY HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT MIX THE PROBLEMS IS GOING TO TURN OUT TO BE.

SO BEFORE I WILL FEEL GOOD ABOUT VOTING FOR THIS OR ANY TIME I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS, I WENT TO SCHOOL FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND I ALWAYS HAD TO CARRY MY REPORT CARD HOME AND HAVE IT SIGNED BY MY PARENT AND BRING IT BACK.

I GOT ONE 30 MINUTE DETENTION THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT WAS FOR FAILING TO BRING MY REPORT CARD BACK SIGNED.

I DON'T SEE WHY WE COULDN'T SEND THE BALLOT HOME WITH THE KIDS.

WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GIVE THEM DETENTION HALL IF THEY DON'T BRING IT BACK, WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.

BUT I THINK WE WOULD AT LEAST HAVE MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH INTO EVERY HOME AND SEE WHAT THAT PARENT OR THOSE PARENTS FELT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW ABOUT THE HARDSHIPS, WHATEVER.

THE SECOND THING IS, I HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WE CAN FIX THIS, WE CAN FIX THAT, WE CAN DO THIS, WE CAN DO THAT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONSIDER AND FIX.

AND I THINK TO TRY TO RUSH THIS THING INTO NEXT YEAR IS A BIG MISTAKE.

I'M AFRAID WE'RE GOING TO SCREW IT UP SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO AS GOOD A JOB AS WE COULD DO IF WE TOOK OUR TIME AND WE PLANNED AND WORKED THROUGH A LOT OF THESE ISSUES BEFORE WE HAD TO GO LIVE WITH THE SHOW.

SO MY PITCH WOULD BE TO IF WE CHOOSE TO DO IT, THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

WE OUGHT TO GO AHEAD AND DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO DO A THING OR NOT.

AND IF WE ARE GOING TO DO IT WELL BEFORE BEFORE WE DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO DO IT OR NOT, I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS LIKE WE PROMISED WE WERE GOING TO DO AND WE OUGHT TO.

I THINK POLL THE PARENTS, WE'VE GOT A LARGE NUMBER OF TEACHERS ALREADY, SO WE PRETTY WELL KNOW WHAT THE TEACHERS THINK.

THERE'S A LOT OF PARENTS OUT THERE WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM.

SO THAT'S MY PITCH.

THEN IF WE DECIDE TO DO IT AFTER DOING THESE THINGS, THEN I THINK WE OUGHT TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT DECISION AND PUT A PLANNING TEAM IN PLACE AND AND TAKE EACH ONE OF THESE LITTLE KNOTTY PROBLEMS THAT EACH ONE OF US HAVE BROUGHT UP AND TRY TO FIND A GOOD SOLUTION TO THAT AND DO WHATEVER TEST WE CAN OR WHATEVER THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE ONE MAKE ONE ONE WEEK REMEDIATION SOUNDS GOOD TO ME, BUT I'M NOT SOLD ON IT.

I'M NOT SO SURE OF WHAT YOU CAN DO IN A WEEK OR SO.

SO MAYBE WE ARE BUILDING THIS, THIS WHOLE CHANGE IN MODEL ON A PIPE DREAM.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY RESEARCH ON WEEK WEEKLY TUTORING AND THAT SORT OF THING TO SHOW THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT GAIN IN STUDENT LEARNING.

WE COULD RESEARCH THAT WE COULD LOOK, WE COULD TALK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT.

WE COULD DO A LOT OF THINGS.

AND I THINK WE MIGHT COULD GIVE PARENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REJUVENATE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH HELL WITH THIS COVID THING, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY [INAUDIBLE] FOR THEM, I THINK THAT THE MORE WE PUT ON THEM MR. SMITH MADE THIS POINT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, THAT WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH TWO REALLY ROUGH YEARS.

MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO TAKE A PAUSE AND LET PEOPLE REJUVENATE A LITTLE BIT.

DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY OR MR. MOULTON? DR.

BRADLEY BROUGHT UP A THOUGHT TO ME, AND THAT IS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A BETTER SURVEY OF THE PARENTS.

I THINK ONE THING WE MISSED WAS A SURVEY OF THE PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS, GIVEN HOW WE'RE HAVING A STAFFING ISSUE ALREADY.

IS THIS GOING TO IMPACT THEIR DECISION TO WORK FOR AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR TO GO TO ANOTHER PLACE THAT HAS A DIFFERENT CALENDAR? I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT TOO.

NOT I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD.

WE DON'T KNOW YET WHO WHO THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT BE.

I WILL SAY ANECDOTALLY, THOUGH, A NUMBER OF OF TEACHERS WHO ARE WHO ARE IN THAT DEMOGRAPHIC THAT I'M IN HAVE HAVE MENTIONED THAT THAT THEY HAD PLANNED TO RETIRE.

BUT MODIFIED CALENDAR COULD COULD CAUSE THEM TO STICK AROUND A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

I'VE ALSO HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT THEY KNOW OF SOME NEARBY DISTRICTS THAT THAT ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TO MODIFIED CALENDAR THAT THAT THEY PLAN TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT IN.

SO IT JUST AND I'M SURE THERE IS MANY FOLKS WHO TAKE A DIFFERENT THE OPPOSITE POSITION TO THAT, BUT THOSE ARE JUST JUST SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID TO ME.

THE ONLY THING I'D RECOMMEND MR.

[01:50:01]

LAURENCE IS WE PROBABLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHERE WE NORMALLY HIRE OUR TEACHERS FROM.

AND IT'S PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE COLLEGES IN THE STATE.

I WOULD AT LEAST WANT TO PULL THOSE COLLEGES BECAUSE I JUST THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NUMBER TO LOOK AT.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO RULE OUT 70 PERCENT OF OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT A MODIFIED CALENDAR, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO RULE IN 70 PERCENT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

WE GOT A JOB FAIR COMING UP ON FEBRUARY 5TH, AND THAT COULD BE A QUESTION YOU ASKED THE APPLICANTS AT THAT JOB FAIR.

BECAUSE I'M A I'M A WRAP IT UP.

HE GOT THE LAST WORD.

YEP, OK, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, EVEN IF IT'S WE ARE WORKING TOWARD.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BOARD IS AS ASKING OF THE ADMINISTRATION ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO AT LEAST MAKE SOME INITIAL DECISION IN TWO WEEKS.

WOW, WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT TOWN HALL MEETING? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT ANY ADDITIONAL POLLING? CAN WE DO THAT IN THE TWO WEEK PERIOD? HAVE THAT DISSEMINATED PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING, PUT IT ON THE TABLE AT THE NEXT MEETING AND VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO GO FORWARD? YES, SIR.

WITH WITH THAT INFORMATION FED TO US, NOW SOME SOME OF IT DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS WE DID TOO.

I MEAN, WE'RE TRADITIONALLY NOT TRADITIONALLY, BUT A NUMBER OF TIMES IN MY CAREER.

WE'VE HELD TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS.

WE'VE DONE ONE THAT WAS THAT WE INVITED THE AREA TWO AND AREA THREE FAMILIES TO AND A SECOND ONE THAT WE INVITED THE AREA ONE, FOUR AND FIVE FAMILIES TOO.

SO FROM A TIME STANDPOINT, IF WE DID TWO, THAT WOULD BE SIMPLER IF WE WANTED TO DO MORE THAN THAT, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DIVIDE MY STAFF UP AND AND WE HAVE TO DO THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE SAME NIGHTS.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT TWO? EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? ALL RIGHT TWO.

AND THEN WE AND WE CAN ALSO SEND A PROPOSAL TO PARENTS.

I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

YEAH, BECAUSE I'M SORRY.

THERE WAS A SECOND PART TO I WAS GOING TO SAY, SORRY I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT WE DECIDE, THE NINE OF US.

I MEAN, I JUST SAY I VIEW THIS AS A TEACHER RETENTION ISSUE.

I DO VIEW THIS AS AN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME KIND OF STRUCTURAL CHANGE, NOT JUST KEEP ADDING MORE STUFF ON TOP.

AND I CAN BE CONVINCED OTHERWISE.

BUT WHY WAIT A YEAR? SO THAT BUT I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO TELL SOMEBODY IN APRIL THAT THEIR SCHEDULES CHANGING IN TWO MONTHS, RIGHT? THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, UM, THE SENSE OF URGENCY.

WELL, DO WE NEED A MOTION OR CAN WE JUST AGREE? WE WILL DO THE THINGS THAT WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT MR. LAURENCE GOING TO HAVE TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS HE'S GOING TO DO IS SURVEY THAT I SUGGESTED WE CAN DO OUR OWN RESEARCH AND TALK TO ANYBODY WE WANT TO WHATEVER GETS YOU MAKE, BUT COME TO THE MEETING PREPARED AFTER RECEIVING THE RESULTS OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING AND THE SURVEYS OR WHATEVER THOSE WOULD BE DISSEMINATED TO THE BOARD AT LEAST BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING FOR OUR CONSIDERATION.

THEN WE COME IN HERE PREPARED TO DISCUSS ANYTHING THAT'S COME UP THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AND TAKE A VOTE AT THE NEXT MEETING TO EITHER GO FORWARD.

AND IF WE'RE GOING FORWARD WHEN? MY OWN REQUEST, BRADLEY WAS THAT I GET THAT INFORMATION OR WE GET THAT INFORMATION BACK PRIOR TO MORE THAN JUST A DAY BEFORE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT TO BE SOME TIME TO LOOK THROUGH IT, MAYBE ASK SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS INDEPENDENTLY OR WHATEVER.

SO I CAN'T OFFER HOW MANY DAYS I THINK THAT'LL COME ABOUT, BUT JUST DON'T THROW IT IN THE AGENDA MEETING.

CORRECT AND CORRECT.

SORRY.

SO JUST BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST.

TO GIVE THE PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO FOR THE TOWN HALL MEETING.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, TIME FOR IT, THAT INFORMATION TO BE DISSEMINATED.

AND YOU KNOW, SHE WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE TELEVISION TO HELP US OUT THERE AND SO FORTH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE ADDING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FROM YOU.

IT MAY BE A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY ON YOUR PART WITH THAT JANUARY 25TH DEADLINE THAT MAY NEED TO GO INTO THE, YOU KNOW, EARLY FEBRUARY OR WHATEVER.

MHM.

ANYBODY ELSE? OK.

ALL RIGHT.

[INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE THREE SETS OF POLICIES THAT WE ARE NEEDING TO APPROVE ON SECOND

[Revision of the following policies "I" Policies]

READING.

WE WENT THROUGH THESE ITEM BY ITEM AT THE LAST MEETING AND THEY ALL PASSED ON

[01:55:05]

FIRST READING.

SO CAN I JUST ASK FOR A MOTION ON THE REVISION OF THE FOLLOWING POLICIES I POLICIES ON SECOND READING MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON SECOND BY MR. MOULTON, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

SAME MOTION, EXCEPT FOR K POLICIES MOVED BY MS.

[Revision of the following policies "K" Policies]

RHINEHART-JACKSON, AGAIN SECONDED BY MR. MOULTON ANY DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AGAIN.

THESE ALL PASS ON SECOND READING.

AND FINALLY, THE REVISION OF THE FOLLOWING POLICIES L POLICIES.

[Revision of the following policies "L" Policies]

SAME ISSUE SECURED BY MR. MOULTON.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL RIGHT, NOW I'M GOING TO SUGGEST A FIVE MINUTE

[Quick Recess]

RECESS.

WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO GO, AND WE ALL MIGHT BREATHE EASIER IF WE COULD TAKE ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.

[02:03:34]

WE'RE GOING TO RESUME THE MEETING.

[Consent Items]

ALL RIGHT, WE ARE DOWN TO THE BIG ITEMS. THESE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WE GO THROUGH AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT FROM BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN WE VOTE ON THEM AS A GROUP UNLESS SOMEBODY MAKES A MOTION TO REMOVE ONE AND VOTE ON IT INDIVIDUALLY.

FIRST, WHEN HIS RATIFICATION OF EXPULSIONS, THESE ARE THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION WHO DID NOT APPEAL.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NEXT ITEM IS THE OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUEST.

THESE ARE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO COME INTO THE DISTRICT FROM ANOTHER DISTRICT.

THE THIRD ITEM IS THE OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFERS, WHERE WE ARE LETTING KIDS GO TO ANOTHER DISTRICT.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS JUST INTERRUPT ME, STOP ME.

FORTH IS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE FOR THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL PHASE THREE EDITIONS DEMOLITION OF THE OLD GYMNASIUM.

AND THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF $31,947.

FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND GRANT AWARDED TO AIKEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN $1,300 BY FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED GRANT FOR THE PURCHASE OF TEACHER SUPPLIES IN THE THIRD AND FIFTH GRADE.

[02:05:01]

NEA FOUNDATION LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP GRANT AWARD, THE MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN FY22.

THIS IS A $5,000 NEA FOUNDATION LEARNING GRANT TO USE FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES DURING THE SUMMER FOR TWO TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EDUCATIONAL TRIP.

THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TEACHING GRANT AWARD TO NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL FY22.

THIS IS A GRANT OF $1,500.

EIGHT IS THE REMAIN AT HOME SENIOR CARE DONATION TO JACKSON STEM MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT'S A GRANT OF $1,250.

NUMBER NINE IS THE REMAIN AT HOME SENIOR CARE LLC DONATION TO SILVER BLUFF.

THIS IS TO FINANCE THE ROTC STUDENTS GOING TO THE MILITARY BALL.

IT IS VIEWED AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND THAT THESE STUDENTS WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE TRADITIONS OF THE MILITARY AND HOW THEY OPERATE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

NUMBER TEN IS THE SUBMISSION OF A SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM EXPANSION GRANT FOR THE SCHOOL FOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A $60000 GRANT TO INCREASE STUDENT BREAKFAST PARTICIPATION THROUGH PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FOOD ITEMS AND SENIORS, MULTIPLE FOOD STATION LOCATIONS AND SECOND CHANCE BREAKFASTS FOR KIDS WHO ARRIVE LATE.

NUMBER ELEVEN IS THE ADOPTION OF A CURRICULUM RESOURCES EMPOWERMENT OF LITERACY PROJECT SCHOOL.

THE SEVERAL SCHOOLS WHO DID POORLY ON THE READINESS TEST AND LITERACY TEST HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SPONSORED PROGRAM TO HOPEFULLY REMEDIATE THESE DEFICIENCIES.

AND THIS IS A THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SELECTED, I THINK, FIVE AND THEN LOCAL TEACHERS SELECTED FROM THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE LIST A LIST OF THREE TO CHOOSE WHAT CURRICULUM THEY'RE GOING TO USE IN THE PARTICIPATION IN THAT PROGRAM.

ALL RIGHT.

THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE.

THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED.

WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON DID THAT IS THEIR SECOND.

SECOND MR. CRANE.

ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY OF THEM ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OKAY? IN ITEM NUMBER 11 WITH THE ADOPTION, THE CURRICULUM FOR THE PALMETTO LITERACY PROJECT SCHOOLS, IF WE HAVE TO DEFER THIS TO ANOTHER TIME, THAT'S FINE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T.

I CAN ADOPT THE CURRICULUM, BUT I WAS WANTING TO KNOW.

SO ARE WE PUTTING MORE ON THESE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THEIR FAILING PERFORMANCE BY DOING THIS? OR ARE WE TAKING SOMETHING AWAY WHILE [INAUDIBLE]? IS THIS A SUBSTITUTION OF A CURRICULUM? ARE WE NOW BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY GIVING A PUNISHMENT TO POOR PERFORMANCE BECAUSE HERE'S MORE WORK TO DO? IT IS IT IS A SUBSTITUTION, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK MS. GLOVER TO GIVE SOME MORE DETAIL.

SO AS DR.

BRADLEY MENTIONED, THE STATE GAVE US A LIST TO CHOOSE FROM.

AND SO THIS WOULD BE REPLACING WHAT OUR TEACHERS USE CURRENTLY IN THOSE SCHOOLS.

WE ARE REQUIRED TO USE ONE OF THOSE CURRICULUMS. WELL, SO IT COULD BE USED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO CORE INSTRUCTION.

THE STATE SAID IT COULD BE USED AS A SUPPLEMENT OR IT COULD BE USED TO REPLACE.

SO INSTEAD OF IMPLEMENTING TWO DIFFERENT CURRICULA IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY'RE GOING TO USE JUST THE ONE.

YEAH, AND JUST SO I'M AWARE HOW SO HOW MUCH IN WHEN, WHEN IS THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SO THEY CAN LEARN THIS? HONESTLY, THIS ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY.

THE STATE TURN AROUND FOR OUR CHOOSING THE CURRICULUM HAPPENS SO QUICKLY THAT WE HAVEN'T DEVELOPED THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN UNTIL WE SELECT.

THE VENDORS ACTUALLY AREN'T GOING TO REACH OUT TO US, BUT WE'LL WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO TAKE ANYTHING WE CAN OFF OF THEIR PLATES, INCLUDING LIKE THE FEBRUARY 4TH LEADERS AND LITERACY DAY, THAT THOSE DAYS THAT WE CAN GIVE TO THE SCHOOLS, WE'RE GIVING BACK TO THE SCHOOLS.

OK.

THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.

DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION MR. CRANE WERE YOU VOTING? JUST GENERAL DISCUSSION.

THESE MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR US.

YES, SIR.

THEY'RE IN THE OUR LITTLE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION CUBICLE.

THANK YOU.

YES, SIR.

ANYBODY ELSE? NEED A MOTION? FAVOR.

[02:10:01]

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S EVERYONE.

[INAUDIBLE] INFORMATION ITEM LAURENCE THE FIRST IS THE PRESENTATION ON

[Informational Items]

THE XSEL PROGRAM, AND THAT'S TAILORED.

[Presentation on XSEL Program]

I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE, BUT I'M REALLY STRUGGLING TO HEAR YOU I KNOW I'M DOWN HERE FURTHER AND I DON'T HEAR WELL, ANYWAY, ANYBODY ELSE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING? A LITTLE.

CAN YOU DIAL US UP A LITTLE BIT THERE MIKE ? MAYBE YOUR MICROPHONE IS WORKING BETTER NOW.

GO AHEAD.

I THINK SO.

IS IT ON, OK? HE'S GOT TO GET MY PRESENTATION UP, BUT I WILL.

I WILL WING IT UNTIL THEN.

HOW ABOUT THAT? SO I AM HERE.

OH, HERE HE IS.

YAY.

SO GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN BRADLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MR. LAURENCE.

I KNOW IT IS LATE, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME BECAUSE I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT WHERE WE'VE COME IN A YEAR'S TIME IN IMPLEMENTING OUR XSEL PROGRAM.

AND QUITE HONESTLY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS I'M GLAD TO BE HERE IS TO SAY THANK YOU.

ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THIS BOARD ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW MADE A DECISION TO INVEST IN THIS PROGRAM.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU MADE A DECISION TO INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.

AND I HOPE THAT BY THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, YOU HAVE A LITTLE TASTE OF THE IMPACT THAT THAT INVESTMENT HAS MADE.

SO I WANT TO START WITH A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW, AND I'M GOING TO BE HONEST AND TELL YOU, I'M GOING TO SUMMARIZE MY SLIDES BECAUSE OF THE HOUR.

SO YOU HAVE THEM ALL, THOUGH, FOR YOUR READING.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT OUR SCHOOLS DO AN AMAZING JOB OF WORKING WITH ALL STUDENTS.

THEY REALLY DO REALLY DO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

THAT ALL MEANS ALL.

BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE KIDS WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORS THAT NEED MORE THAN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE TO OFFER.

THEY MIGHT NEED MORE RESOURCES, MORE PERSONNEL, MORE TRAINING, AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN.

AND IN THE PAST, WHEN OUR SCHOOLS HAVE HIT THAT ROADBLOCK, THEIR ONLY OPTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN A REFERRAL TO SPECIAL EDUCATION.

AND SO WE'RE SUPER HAPPY THAT THE SCHOOLS CAN SEND THE STUDENTS TO US AND WE CAN TRY TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.

SO TO SUMMARIZE OUR MISSION AND VISION BECAUSE IT'S ON THE WEBSITE AND IN YOUR PRESENTATION, WE SAY ALL THE TIME.

OUR GOAL IS FOR THE STUDENTS TO COME TO OUR PROGRAM, FOR US TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS AND BE ABLE TO SEND THEM BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOL AND NEVER SEE THEM ON OUR CAMPUS AGAIN.

THAT'S IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT? FIRST, WE NEED TIME.

OUR STUDENTS ARE WITH US FOR A MINIMUM OF NINE WEEKS.

BUT OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS OFTEN ARE WITH US FOR A MINIMUM OF 18 WEEKS, WHICH IS A SEMESTER.

THE REASON OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS OFTEN STAY LONGER IS WE'RE NOT ONLY TEACHING THEM HOW TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIORS THAT THEY HAVE, BUT WE'RE TEACHING THEM THE NEW BEHAVIORS OF HOW TO DO SCHOOL.

AND SOMETIMES THAT MAY TAKE US A LITTLE LONGER.

WE ALSO NEED A VILLAGE AND OUR VILLAGE IS OUR HOME SCHOOL, AND WE STAY CONNECTED TO THE HOME SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

AT THE BEGINNING, THE TEACHER AND THE ADMINISTRATOR HELP WRITE A BEHAVIOR GOAL, AND THAT BEHAVIOR GOAL IS TRACKED THE ENTIRE TIME THE STUDENT IS IN OUR PROGRAM.

AND MASTERY OF THAT BEHAVIOR GOAL IS WHAT DETERMINES THE STUDENT BEING READY TO GO BACK TO THE HOME SCHOOL.

SO IF THEY ARE TAKING TIME TO MASTER THAT GOAL, THEN THEY'RE WITH US LONGER AND THAT'S HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE.

EVERY WEEK, THE HOME SCHOOL TEACHER MEETS WITH THEIR STUDENT VIA TEAMS. IT'S A QUICK FIVE MINUTE MEETING, USUALLY DURING THEIR PLANNING TIME, AND IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO STAY CONNECTED TO THEIR TEACHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE READY TO TRANSITION BACK, THEY HAVEN'T LOST THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.

THE LAST WAY WE WORK WITH OUR HOME SCHOOLS IS WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM AND THAT TRANSITION PROCESS, THE ADMINISTRATOR AND THE TEACHER WILL COME TO OUR BUILDING AND OBSERVE THE STUDENT, PROVIDE US FEEDBACK IF THERE'S THINGS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO TWEAK OR CONTINUE TO WORK ON.

BUT WE ALSO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THAT STUDENT WHEN THEY TRANSITION BACK TO THE HOME SCHOOL.

AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GIVEN SOME LEVEL OF SUPPORT FROM A BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THEIR SCHOOL.

THE LAST THING WE DO IN OUR PROGRAM IS WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FAMILIES.

WE HAVE WHAT WE LIKE TO THINK OF AS WRAPAROUND SERVICES, WHERE WE PROVIDE PARENT TRAINING AND MULTIPLE HOME VISITS TO EVERY FAMILY.

THAT'S A PART OF OUR PROGRAM.

AND WE ALSO WORK HARD TO HELP OUR FAMILIES CONNECT WITH ANY OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT MAY HELP THEM THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.

AND THAT ROLE REALLY FALLS ON OUR LEAD INTERVENTIONIST WHO IS OUR THE PERSON THAT WORKS REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FAMILIES.

SO A LOT OF TIMES WE GET ASKED THE QUESTION OF HOW DO WE GET INTO XSEL? MOST OF OUR STUDENTS COME TO US THROUGH THAT FIRST PART, EXHAUSTION OF TIERED SUPPORT.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE WORK THROUGH THE MTSS PROCESS OR MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS.

AND WHEN WE GET TO THAT LEVEL WHERE WE'VE WORKED ON THOSE TIER THREE INTERVENTIONS AND WE'RE NOT SEEING PROGRESS, SOMETIMES THE BEST OPTION IS AN OFF CAMPUS INTERVENTION AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN AND MOST OF OUR STUDENTS REFER TO US THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

[02:15:04]

WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO MAKE SOME MISTAKES ON THE LEVEL THREE OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ELEMENTARY.

AND IN THAT CASE, THOSE STUDENTS MAY NOT HAVE A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE NEEDED INTERVENTIONS IN THE PAST.

THEY MAY HAVE JUST MADE A MISTAKE.

AND IN THAT CASE, THAT'S REFERRED DIRECTLY TO OUR HEARING OFFICER AND ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR REVIEW AND PLACEMENT IN OUR PROGRAM.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW THE STUDENT GETS TO OUR PROGRAM, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL REMAINS THE SAME.

WE WANT TO WORK WITH EVERY STUDENT THAT COMES TO US TO HELP THEM MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOL.

ONE LITTLE SAD NOTE TO POINT OUT IS, AS ALWAYS, THERE ARE SMALL CAVEATS WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WITH IEPS OR 504S, NOT IN THE ABILITY TO COME TO OUR PROGRAM, BUT THEY DON'T GO THROUGH THE MTSS PROCESS, THEY GO THROUGH THEIR IEP OR 504 PROCESS.

SO A QUICK RUNDOWN OF SOME CURRENT INFORMATION WE CURRENTLY ARE SERVING.

ACTUALLY, TODAY WE GOT ANOTHER ONE, SO IT SAYS 111, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I HAD TO SEND IT TO MIKE.

SO WE HAVE 10 STUDENTS, ALMOST, I WOULD SAY 60 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE YOUNGER IN THE LOWER ELEMENTARY GRADES.

AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, MOST OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PLACED FOR INTERVENTION PURPOSES.

THEY ARE NOT THERE BECAUSE OF A DISCIPLINARY INFRACTION.

AND WE HAVE A GOOD MANY STUDENTS ON OUR RADAR THAT WE ANTICIPATE HAVING ON OUR CAMPUS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER BECAUSE THOSE HAVEN'T GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH YET.

SO WE HAVE THREE CLASSES IN OUR BUILDING.

THOSE CLASSES ARE STAFFED WITH ONE TEACHER AND ONE BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN.

IN ADDITION, WE HAVE TWO WHAT WE CALL FLOATER BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS, AND THOSE TECHNICIANS SERVE TO SERVE TWO PURPOSES ONE THAT CAN BE ON OUR CAMPUS.

THEY CAN SUPPORT DURING A CRISIS, OR THEY CAN SUPPORT A NEW STUDENT WHO MAY NEED A LITTLE MORE ONE ON ONE WHEN THEY ENTER.

BUT OUR BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS ALSO PROVIDE A LOT OF SUPPORT OFF OF OUR CAMPUS, SO WE PROVIDE A LOT OF PROACTIVE SUPPORT WHEN WE HEAR FROM A SCHOOL THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH A STUDENT AND TRYING TO IMPLEMENT INTERVENTIONS.

WE CAN SEND STAFF TO THAT BUILDING TO HELP SUPPORT THAT STUDENT ON CAMPUS AND TRY TO MAKE AN IMPACT BEFORE THE STUDENT EVER HAS TO COME TO US.

THEY ALSO SUPPORT THE TRANSITION BACK INTO THE HOME SCHOOL, AND THAT OBVIOUSLY IS ALSO OFF CAMPUS.

WE HAVE OUR LEAD INTERVENTIONIST THAT SUPPORTS OUR PARENTING AND THEN OUR BOOKKEEPER.

AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OFF CAMPUS SUPPORT SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE SUPPORTED IN SOME WAY 53 DIFFERENT STUDENTS, OVER 18 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

SO WE ARE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND AND HELP.

OUR BIGGEST CELEBRATIONS ARE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION 10 STUDENTS BACK INTO THEIR HOME SCHOOL THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL TEAMS AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS, PROVIDING OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND THEN WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED 40 PARENT TRAININGS AND 29 HOME VISITS.

AND THEN I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT'S ACTUALLY OFF BY THREE EACH.

SO IT'S REALLY 43 AND 32 BECAUSE THAT'S A FLUID NUMBER THAT CHANGES AS WE DO THOSE.

THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY AS FAR AS THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAM IS OFF PROVIDED IN THE FULL POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, WE HAD SOME PARENTS, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS WHO PROVIDED YOU GUYS WITH SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT THE PROGRAM HAS MEANT TO THEM AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS HAD.

I AM NOT GOING TO READ THOSE LENGTHY QUOTES TO YOU TONIGHT, BUT I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT ONE FROM EACH SUBCATEGORY.

SO A PARENT STATED THE HOME VISIT ENDED WITH MY REALIZATION OF THE CHANGES I COULD MAKE AT HOME TO PROMOTE MY SON'S FEELING OF INDEPENDENCE WHEN HE IS NOT IN MY PRESENCE.

THE PARENT TRAINING EQUIPPED ME WITH THE NEXT STEP OF THIS PROCESS.

THE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN FREQUENT.

THE FEEDBACK SPECIFIC AND THE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN RESEARCHED, BASED, INTENTIONAL AND GENUINE.

ONE OF OUR TEACHERS STATED I WAS SO APPRECIATIVE WHEN MEMBERS OF THE XSEL TEAM STARTED OFFERING SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME AND MY STUDENT.

THEY WERE ABLE TO OFFER ADVICE AND YES, EVEN A LITTLE PRAISE TO US BOTH.

AND FINALLY, A PRINCIPAL STATED, THROUGHOUT THE REFERRAL PROCESS, SCHOOLS ARE GIVEN SIDE BY SIDE ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE.

TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE UPDATES AND STAY CONNECTED TO STUDENTS WHILE XSEL WHILE AT XSEL.

THIS PROVES TO BE A KEY COMPONENT TO THE STUDENT'S SUCCESS ONCE TRANSITIONING BACK TO SCHOOL.

ONCE THE STUDENT RETURNS TO SCHOOL, THE SUPPORT DOES NOT STOP.

SO I HOPE THAT THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AT OUR PROGRAM AND THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE SO FAR.

WHILE IT HASN'T BEEN AS LARGE OF A REACH AS WE HAD ANTICIPATED BECAUSE OF SOME ROADBLOCKS, OBVIOUSLY WITH COVID THAT WE'VE ALL FACED, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO EXTENDING THAT IMPACT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

I DID WANT TO TAKE ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER ONE QUESTION THAT I KNEW HAD COME UP, WHICH IS OUR EXCEL RESOURCE SITE, WHICH IS ON THE WEB.

I'VE GIVEN YOU HOW TO ACCESS THAT.

I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE RESOURCE SITE WAS DEVELOPED BY A LARGE

[02:20:01]

COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDED TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, ADMINISTRATORS AND MORE.

OVER THE SUMMER OF 2020, AND IT IS AN AIKEN COUNTY RESOURCE SITE, SO IT IS PASSWORD PROTECTED SO WE CAN.

MOST OF THE TEAMS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT ARE OUR STUDENT INTERVENTION TEAMS. BUT OFTENTIMES A PRINCIPAL WILL EMAIL ME AND SAY, HEY, CAN I GET ACCESS FOR SO-AND-SO? I KNOW MR. NUESSLE CAME TO VISIT LAST YEAR AND HE ASKED FOR ACCESS TO IT.

SO MOSTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING IT HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND KNOW HOW TO USE IT EFFECTIVELY, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT QUITE FRANKLY, IT STAYS AIKEN COUNTY, SO THAT.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE IT PASSWORD PROTECTED, BUT ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO VIEW IT, I CERTAINLY CAN CAN HELP YOU GET ACCESS TO THAT IF YOU LET ME KNOW.

OK.

SO I WENT FAST.

YOU DID.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

QUESTIONS FROM [INAUDIBLE]? PROBABLY MORE OF A COMMENT.

OK.

I AM A HUGE FAN OF XSEL AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.

AND THE ONLY THING THAT I'VE HEARD NEGATIVE AT ALL AND I'VE HEARD NINETY NINE POINT NINE PERCENT POSITIVE.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

BUT THE ONLY THING I'VE HEARD NEGATIVE IS THE PATH TO ENTRY BEING A BIT DELAYED AS FAR AS LIKE.

AND I HAVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.

WE'VE GOT A SECOND GRADER AT ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT HAS HAD 17 REFERRALS EITHER TO THE OFFICE OR TO CLASS, AND HAS HAD A CONSISTENT BEHAVIORAL ISSUE AND WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA, BASICALLY BEATING UP ANOTHER STUDENT THAT WAS AT THE END OF THE LINE WHEN THE STUDENT WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LINE AND THEN HITTING A TEACHER AS WELL.

AND THIS STUDENT, THE SOME OF THE STAFF HAS REPLIED, THEY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS STUDENT IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN XSEL, AND NEITHER CAN I.

AND SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ASK, WHY WOULD THAT HAPPEN? AND THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE TIERED PROCESS.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE FOLLOWED IT FAR ENOUGH.

I THINK THEY'VE REACHED THE THE INFRACTION WHERE YOU COULD PROBABLY PUT THEM IN RIGHT AWAY.

BASED ON THE CODE OF CONDUCT, YOU COULD PROBABLY CONSIDER WHAT THE CHILD DID AS AN ASSAULT, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT'S THE ONLY NEGATIVE.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK IN GENERAL, ANY TIME YOU HAVE A PROCESS IT NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED, RIGHT? SO ACTUALLY AT THE PRINCIPAL'S MEETING IN DECEMBER AND AT THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S MEETING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, WE'RE TALKING WITH THEM ABOUT TRYING TO STREAMLINE AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE TO ACCESS IT.

SO NOT CHANGING THE PROCESS.

BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ON EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AS YOU'RE LEARNING, YOU'RE GROWING.

I WOULD SAY, THOUGH, THAT ONE THING I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE I WELCOME THE STUDENTS WITH OPEN ARMS WHEN THEY COME TO ME, BUT THE PATH TO ENTRY GOES THROUGH OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS.

SO ANY SPECIFIC STUDENT QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKELY NOT BE ABLE TO TO HELP BECAUSE I DON'T I DON'T GET THAT INFORMATION UNTIL THE REFERRAL HAS ACTUALLY BEEN APPROVED.

SO I WOULD I WOULD DEFINITELY DIRECT YOU TO THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS FOR THAT.

BUT WE WANT.

WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO COME.

SO IT'S NOT.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE PUT ROADBLOCKS IN PLACE INTENTIONALLY.

SO IF THERE ARE SOME, SOME ISSUES, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE AND WORK THROUGH THEM.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION [INAUDIBLE]? MR. SILAS.

I'M GLAD TO GET AN UPDATE.

THANK YOU.

AND I APPRECIATE THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION, BUT AN UPDATE'S GREAT.

JUST REAL QUICKLY, I KNOW WE HAD A GOOD BIT OF DISCUSSION ONCE UPON A TIME OVER WHERE TO PLACE THE PROGRAM.

AND SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW IS THE FACILITY WORKING FOR YOU AND YOU'VE BEEN LIVING THERE A LITTLE WHILE? SO WHAT DO YOU WISH WERE DIFFERENT? SO FOR ME, IT'S THE PERFECT SIZE.

IT'S A LITTLE HALLWAY WITH EIGHT TOTAL ROOMS, WHICH IS GREAT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, SO IF WE HAVE ANYONE THAT THAT MIGHT LIKE TO TO LEAVE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR EXIT SO THAT FOR SAFETY PURPOSES IS VERY, VERY GOOD.

IT ALLOWS ME TO HAVE MY EYES ON EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS, MIRRORS, YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN SEE IN, BUT THEY CAN'T SEE OUT.

SO THAT IS FANTASTIC BECAUSE I CAN I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITHOUT HAVING TO INTERRUPT THE INSTRUCTION OR POSSIBLY EXACERBATE A BEHAVIOR CONCERN.

AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MODIFY THE BUILDING TO TO SUPPORT THINGS LIKE CRISIS NEEDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT OUR BUILDING.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S THE PERFECT SIZE FOR WHAT WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW.

AND AND I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS.

THE SEPARATION FROM THE CENTER OF INNOVATIVE LEARNING IS GOOD.

THAT'S ALL WORKING AS EXPECTED? WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION WITH OUR PARENTS.

WE HAVE SOME THAT GO TO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING.

WE HAVE SOME CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING PARENTS COME TO OUR FRONT DOOR.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, MR. DUGGAR HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.

WE WORK WELL TOGETHER AND SHARING THE STAFF THAT HAPPENS TO GO BETWEEN THE

[02:25:02]

TWO BUILDINGS, WHICH IS MOSTLY OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, ONCE PARENTS ARE COMING TO ME, I'M ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR PROGRAM AND, YOU KNOW, THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL FOR THE OLDER STUDENTS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TO BE JUST FINE.

GOOD.

THANK YOU.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE].

WE APPRECIATE THE REPORT.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE PRESENTATION ON THE STATE MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE

[Presentation on State Model Procurement]

MR. TRAXLER.

YES, SIR, MR. C=CHAIR, MR. LAURENCE, BOARD MEMBERS, THE STATE RECENTLY APPROVED A MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE REVISION IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FALLS UNDER THAT BASED ON OUR OUR SIZE OF OUR BUDGET.

I'M GOING TO ASK MS. TYLER TO STEP UP HERE.

WE HAVE A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION.

WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW TONIGHT.

ULTIMATELY, THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO APPROVE ANY REVISIONS.

WE HAVE TO SUBMIT THAT TO THE STATE AND GET THEM TO APPROVE ANY REVISIONS.

BUT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CHANGES THERE.

GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS AND CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS. MRS TYLER, THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. LAURENCE.

AS MR. TRAXLER SAID, SOUTH CAROLINA TITLE ONE, CHAPTER 35 MANDATES THAT WHEN A SCHOOL'S BUDGET ANNUAL BUDGET EXCEEDS SEVENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS, IT'S IT'S MANDATED THAT THEY ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE SOUTH CAROLINA PROCUREMENT CODE.

UNLESS, OF COURSE, THE DISTRICT HAS ITS OWN CODE, AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE, WE HAVE OUR OWN CODE.

IT STILL HAS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW.

THE REVISIONS WERE ACTUALLY ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021.

THANKS, MIKE.

THE REVISIONS WERE ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, AND IT IS REFERRED TO AS THE MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THIS CODE ACTUALLY REFLECTS THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE PROCUREMENT CODE.

NEXT SLIDE.

IS MY CLICKER WORKING? OK.

I'M SORRY.

SO THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ACTUALLY THAT WILL AFFECT OUR CURRENT CODE OR THE WAY WE PROCURE THINGS ARE THE NEW THRESHOLDS FOR SMALL PURCHASES.

AND INCIDENTALLY, THE STATE REFERS TO SMALL PURCHASES AS PURCHASES UNDER $100000.

THE VENDOR PREFERENCES THE WAY WE HANDLE SOLE SOURCE IN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENTS.

AND LASTLY, I NEGLECTED TO PUT IT IN THE SLIDE, BUT THE PROTEST PERIOD ALSO HAS CHANGED.

YOU HAVE ME WAY UP THERE, MIKE.

SO OUR CURRENT THRESHOLD VERY BRIEFLY, ANY PURCHASES, ANY SINGLE PURCHASE UNDER $2500 DOES NOT REQUIRE COMPETITION.

AT THE LEVEL OF $2500 AND ONE CENTS UP TO $10000.

WE REQUIRE THAT THEY OBTAIN THREE WRITTEN QUOTES ONCE IT REACHES.

ONCE IT EXCEEDS $10000, THEN THOSE PROCUREMENTS ARE HANDLED THROUGH MY OFFICE AND WE ACTUALLY HANDLE THAT IN THE FORM OF A REQUEST FOR QUOTES OR IF IT EXCEEDS $50000, AN INVITATION TO BID.

WITH THE NEW THRESHOLD THE THERE'S NO COMPETITION FOR PURCHASES UP TO SINGLE PURCHASES UP TO $10000.

THERE WILL ACTUALLY BE THREE QUOTES REQUESTED ON PURCHASES FROM $10000 AND ONE CENT UP TO $25000.

BUT THEY REQUIRE NO ADVERTISEMENT.

AND THEN WE REALLY WOULD NOT DO A FORMAL SOLICITATION UNTIL A PROCUREMENT IS AT $100000.

NOW, EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE NEW THRESHOLDS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE AS A DISTRICT, WE RESERVE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE A MORE RESTRICTIVE APPROACH, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE THRESHOLDS TO A LEVEL THAT SUITABLE FOR OUR DISTRICT, AND WE WOULD JUST NOTE THAT AND OUR INTERNAL PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES.

SO WE ARE NOT MANDATED TO TO STICK TO THESE.

[02:30:05]

WE WOULD ADDRESS THAT IN OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES.

SO THE VENDOR PREFERENCE, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT NEW TO THE STATE, THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO INCLUDE IT IN THE MODEL CODE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THIS TIME.

SO THE THE RESIDENT VENDOR PREFERENCE IS SIMPLY A LOCAL PREFERENCE THAT WE WOULD OFFER TO VENDORS THAT RESIDE HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY.

THE PERCENTAGE, OF COURSE, IS THE RECOMMENDED PERCENTAGE FOR THE STATE.

BUT OF COURSE, WE HAVE LEEWAY TO ADDRESS THAT AND OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES AS WELL.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA END PRODUCT, AND THAT IS A PREFERENCE THAT WE WOULD GIVE TO ANY VENDORS THAT OR ANY MANUFACTURER THAT PRESENT A PRODUCT THAT IS MADE HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SAME WITH THE UNITED STATES, AND IT WORKS THE SAME FOR CONTRACT SERVICES.

SO ANY SERVICES BY A VENDOR THAT HAS RESIDENCY HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY, OF COURSE, WOULD GET A LOCAL PREFERENCE, AND THE SAME WOULD FOLLOW FOR SUBCONTRACTORS HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY.

AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDING TO HOW IT SUITS US BEST AND OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES.

NOW, I WANTED TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE CODE, THE CODE ACTUALLY SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO AFFORD EACH VENDOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECLARE A PREFERENCE, A VENDOR PREFERENCE.

SO WE WOULD ADDRESS THAT BY INCLUDING THAT LANGUAGE IN OUR SOLICITATIONS FROM NOW ON.

AND I HAVE AN EXAMPLE DOWN THERE.

THE VENDOR PREFERENCES ARE ONLY USED TO DETERMINE THE LOW BIDDER.

THE BID WE WOULD STILL ACTUALLY AWARD TO AT THE CONTRACT PRICE, THE BID PRICE.

WE WOULD JUST USE THAT CALCULATION TO DETERMINE THE LOW BID.

SO IT WOULD JUST BE TO CHOOSE THE LOW BIDDER BY GIVING THEM THAT PREFERENCE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS YOU SEE IN THE EXAMPLE, THE BID PRICE WOULD STILL BE $100000 FOR THE SAID BID, BUT IT WOULD GIVE A LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE OVER SOMEONE THAT DID NOT LIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO I'M SURE THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT, ACTUALLY.

AND EVEN COMBINING THOSE PREFERENCES, THE MAXIMUM PREFERENCE WOULD BE 10 PERCENT BECAUSE OF COURSE, IF AN AIKEN, SAY FOR INSTANCE, AN AIKEN COUNTY VENDOR PROVIDED A PRODUCT, A PRODUCT FOR US THAT WAS MADE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

OF COURSE, IF IT'S MANUFACTURED IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IT'S MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO WE WOULDN'T COMPILE PREFERENCE UPON UPON PREFERENCE AND GET LIKE A TOTAL OF 16.

WE WOULD CAP IT AT 10 PERCENT TO AND USE THAT 10 PERCENT CALCULATION TO JUST DETERMINE THE LOW BIDDER.

NOW, THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THE SOLE SOURCE IN EMERGENCY, THE WAY WE HANDLE IT NOW IS IT JUST IT'S APPROVED BY MYSELF AND MR. LAURENCE.

WE DO NOT ADVERTISE IT, BUT UNDER THE NEW CODE, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADVERTISE ANY SOLE SOURCES AS WELL AS EMERGENCY PROCUREMENTS.

AND THOSE ARE NOW PROTESTABLE, WHICH MEANS THAT UPON ADVERTISING THEM, OF COURSE, AN EMERGENCY WOULD BE ADVERTISED AFTER THE FACT, BUT SOMEONE COULD STILL PROTEST IT, YOU KNOW, AND SAY THAT NO, THAT WASN'T AN EMERGENCY.

THEY COULD CHALLENGE IT.

AND AS WELL AS THE SOLE SOURCE, IT COULD BE PROTESTED.

SO NOW WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE THOSE FOR 10 DAYS.

AND THOSE ARE TO BE ADVERTISED IN OUR LOCAL PAPER, WHICH WOULD BE THE AIKEN STANDARD, BUT ALSO THE SCBO WHICH IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PAPER, AND THAT PAPER IS ACTUALLY HANDLED BY THE STATE PROCUREMENT OFFICE.

SO THE NEXT STEPS, THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE FOR THE BOARD TO REVIEW THE MARKED UP DRAFTS THAT I'VE PRESENTED TO YOU, AND THEN HOPEFULLY THE PROPOSED CODE WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL AT THE JANUARY 25TH MEETING.

IF IT IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD, THEN THE REVISED CODE WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE PROCUREMENT OFFICE FOR APPROVAL.

ONCE THE STATE HAS APPROVED OUR CODE.

THEN IT COMES BACK TO YOU ALL AND I WILL ASK YOU TO ADOPT IT AS IT WAS APPROVED

[02:35:06]

BY THE STATE PROCUREMENT OFFICE.

ONCE YOU DO THAT, OF COURSE, THEN WE WILL PUT TOGETHER THE NEW CODE AND WILL DISSEMINATE IT TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL.

DISTRICT PERSONNEL PROCUREMENT PLANS TO HOLD INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS SO THAT THE BOOKKEEPERS CAN BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ON THE CHANGES IN THE NEW CODE AND TO JUST DISCUSS THE DISTRICT'S TRANSITION MOVING FORWARD.

AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE IF YOU HAVE ANY.

[INAUDIBLE] I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

IT WAS RIGHT ON POINT AND I WANT MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE SLIDE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THE VENDOR PREFERENCES.

YES, IS THAT'S MY IGNORANCE.

THAT'S NEW.

WE'VE NEVER APPLIED THAT BEFORE.

NEVER APPLY THAT.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ACTUALLY THAT IT'S BEEN OFFERED OR THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED IN THE MODEL CODE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THE STATE PROCUREMENT CODE, THE STATE HAS ALWAYS DONE IT, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S MODEL CODE.

AND THOSE PERCENTAGES DON'T COME FROM US, THEY COME FROM THE STATE CODE.

YES, SIR.

BUT WE DO, AS I SAID BEFORE, HAVE THE LIBERTY TO ADJUST THOSE TO NUMBERS THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR US.

WELL, I JUST I THINK THAT'S WAY OVERDUE AS FAR AS I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC BECAUSE THAT'S OUR TAX BASE.

YES, THE TAX BASE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOCALLY IS BUSINESSES.

SO THAT THAT'S FANTASTIC.

WHEN ON THE VERY NEXT SLIDE AFTER WHERE YOU GET ON THE THE EXAMPLE, THE FIRST BULLET POINT IS THAT THAT VENDOR PREFERENCE MUST BE REQUESTED AT THE TIME OF SUBMISSION, BUT OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED IN SOLICITATION.

SO I GUESS WILL VENDORS KNOW THAT? THEY WILL KNOW THAT ON OUR SOLICITATION NOW WE ACTUALLY THERE'S SORT OF A QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE FIRST PAGE WHERE THEY PUT PERTINENT INFORMATION.

I ASKED THEM IF THEY ARE A MINORITY BUSINESS, SO WE'LL WE'LL PUT IT THERE BECAUSE THAT WILL BE WHERE AND THEN QUITE HONESTLY, WHERE THEY PROVIDE THEIR BUSINESS ADDRESS.

I'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IF IT'S AN AIKEN COUNTY ADDRESS AND UNTIL WE GET ACCLIMATED TO THE NEW SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, IF WE CHOOSE TO GO THAT WAY, THEN I'LL GIVE A COURTESY CALL AND AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE NOW OFFERING A VENDOR PREFERENCE.

I'LL EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS AND I'LL, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT ACCORDINGLY.

BUT YEAH, IT WILL BE ON THE SOLICITATION.

OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES, SIR.

THAT'S GREAT.

I'LL GO, MR. NESTLE, VERY, VERY SUCCINCT AND CLEAR PRESENTATION.

AND I WOULD MAYBE OFFER THAT THE APPLICATION EXAMPLE WOULD BE A GREAT RESOURCE TO SEND TO SOME OF THE BUSINESSES.

THE ONLY QUESTION I'VE GOT UNDER THE NEXT SLIDE FOR SOLE SOURCE AND EMERGENCY, I'M ASSUMING, AND I GUESS THAT'S JUST A YES OR NO ANSWER, THAT THE STATE DEFINES WHAT AN EMERGENCY IS.

NO, SIR, WE ACTUALLY DO THAT AND WHAT AN EMERGENCY ACTUALLY HAS TO POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE I'M ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS AN EMERGENCY AND I PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND THEN I USUALLY GET MR. LAURENCE TO APPROVE IT.

OK.

I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING IF WE'VE GOT SOME CRITERIA FOR THAT, I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING THAT IN THE NESSLE.

THE VENDOR PREFERENCE I THINK IS LONG OVERDUE, AND I'VE HEARD FROM VENDORS IN THE PAST THAT I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY GOOD.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORTS.

[Construction Status Reports of four school sites]

MR. MURPHY, DR. MURPHY, IF YOU'D COME UP AND RUN US THROUGH THOSE.

GOOD EVENING, DR. BRADLEY, BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. LAURENCE, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE LATEST UPDATES ON OUR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE DISTRICT.

WE BEGIN WITH BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'LL STILL DOING A LOT OF SITE WORK AND PREP.

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF MUD.

WE HAD TO INSTALL A THREE INCH PIPE FROM THE CITY TO THE SCHOOL TO CONNECT NOT ONLY THE CAFETERIA BUT SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK IN THE BUS DROP OFF AREA AND AS WELL AS THE DEMOLITION OF THE OLD BUILDING CONTINUES.

AND HERE YOU CAN SEE THE POURING OF THE SIDEWALK FOR THE STORAGE PLAYGROUND.

[02:40:02]

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND THE PLAYGROUND SITE HAS NOW BEEN GRADED.

THE STORM DRAIN HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND GRADING CONTINUES IN FRONT OF THE PLAYGROUND AREA AND SCHOOL AS WELL.

AND THIS PROJECT IS ON SCHEDULE AND WE SHOULD BE CONCLUDED BY MID-FEBRUARY.

ON OUR WAY OVER TO HAMMOND HILL, THE GRADING AND EXTERIOR WORK CONTINUES.

WE'RE JUST FINISHING UP ON THAT TWO STORY BUILDING.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE IS THE HILLSIDE FOR THE PLAYGROUND, AND ACTUALLY BOTH PLAYGROUNDS ARE BEING STABILIZED WITH THE NEW GRASSING AND MATTING.

WE'RE EXTENDING THE POURING CONCRETE RETAINING WALL, WHICH IS IN PROGRESS AT THE BASE OF THE HILLSIDE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE TWO STORY BUILDING.

WE'RE INSTALLING THE THE LBT FLOORING IS NEARING COMPLETION AND IT'S ALL THE NEW CLASSROOMS CURRENTLY AND IN THE EXISTING ADMINISTRATION WING.

WE'RE REMOVING THE EXISTING KINDERGARTEN WING CURRENTLY AS WELL.

AND THIS PROJECT AGAIN IS ON SCHEDULE AND ON BUDGET.

AS FOR HIGHLAND SPRINGS, WE'RE STILL DOING EXTENSIVE GRADING, MOVING A LOT OF EARTH AND JUST BASICALLY REROUND THAT HILLTOP IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A SITE PREPARATION FOR THE THE ACTUAL SCHOOL ITSELF.

HERE IS A SHOT OF THAT RETAINING WALL THAT'S ON THE HILLSIDE NOW.

THAT WALL WILL HAVE FENCING INSTALLED ALONG THE TOP, AS WELL AS A SEPARATE FENCING BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE ACTUAL FENCE ITSELF.

OVERALL, SITE GREETING STORM DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE IS CURRENTLY IN PROCESS.

WE'VE COMPLETED DETENTION PONDS ONE, TWO AND THREE AND THE GRADING'S COMPLETE AND THE STABILIZATION WILL BEGIN VERY SHORTLY.

AGAIN, THIS PROJECT RECENTLY STARTED ON TIME ON BUDGET.

AND MILLBROOK IS A FINAL WORK, AND ACTUALLY WE'RE JUST EXCITED TO HAVE IT DONE, WE HAVE THE THE BUS RAMP SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THE COVERED CANOPY THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED.

SITE WORK WILL BE ONGOING THROUGH JANUARY THIS MONTH TO THE END OF THIS MONTH AND HAS BEEN SEPARATED FROM EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

THAT NEW DRIVEWAY, IT'S INSTALLED AND THE ASSOCIATED SITE AREA IS OPERATIONAL, STRIPING IS COMPLETE AND LANDSCAPING IS IN PROCESS.

THE FINAL EXTERIOR PHASE IS UNDERWAY, WHICH INCLUDES THE PLAYGROUND AREA AND THE FIRE ACCESS DRIVEWAY.

THE BASE COURSE HAS BEEN INSTALLED FOR THE NEW FIRE ACCESS DRIVEWAY.

SO THIS PROJECT IS ON BUDGET AND IS CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING AN INVITATION TO DO A RIBBON CUTTING ON FEBRUARY THE 1ST.

PENDING YOUR QUESTIONS.

SURE.

YES, SIR.

IT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU, DR. MURPHY.

ALL, ALL GOOD STUFF.

YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO HEAR ON TIME AND ON BUDGET AND WHATNOT THAT THAT RETENTION WALL, I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT RETENTION WALL.

AND I KNOW WE'VE ADDRESSED THAT BEFORE.

WE'RE WE'RE GOOD THERE? LIKE THAT JUST SEEMS EXTREMELY STEEP AND THAT'S OPEN AND OBVIOUS HAZARD AND LIABILITY ALARMS JUST GOING OFF.

YEAH, IT IS A VERY BIG WALL.

YES, SIR.

LIKE I SAID, THERE'S GOING TO BE A SIX FOOT FENCE ALONG THE TOP AND WHAT WE'VE DECIDED TO DO BECAUSE AS YOU WALK UP TO IT, IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT A SEPARATE SIX, SO IT'S GOING TO BE DOUBLE FENCE.

SO SOMEONE'S GOING TO CLIMB OVER NOT ONE, BUT TWO FENCES TO GET TO THAT AREA.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SOFTEN THE AREA WITH SOME PLANTINGS AND SOME THINGS.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DELIBERATE.

SOMEONE'S IN KIND OF NO MAN'S LAND.

IF THEY GO TOWARDS THAT EDGE.

RIGHT.

I MEAN, WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT THAT'S THAT'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO.

SO.

YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

DR. MURPHY, I INSTALLED THOSE WALLS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DO.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE THAT LARGE, BUT THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE.

THE THE PRESENTATION WAS IMPRESSIVE.

BUT I WANT TO ASK ONE QUESTION AT BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY.

EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH THERE SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.

DO YOU KNOW OR DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS, ANY FUNDING COMING THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE CAFETERIA AND AUDITORIUM? WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.

WE HAVE NOT NECESSARILY IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITY OF THE FUNDING ITSELF, BUT AS YOU, I GUESS, PROBABLY SHOW IT TO YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

THE SIDEWALK THAT'S HEADING TOWARDS.

THE SIDEWALK IS HEADING TOWARDS THE PLAYGROUND JUST ON THIS SCREENSHOT HERE TOWARDS THE LEFT.

IT'S THE IDENTIFIED LOCATION WHERE WE WILL PUT THE CAFETERIA EXTENSION.

WE KIND OF HAVE A BUDGET IN PLACE.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AT HAMMOND HILL, AROUND $4 MILLION.

ONCE WE DO THE CAFETERIA.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST KIND OF NEED TO BUTTON DOWN SOME OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS AND THEN WE CAN START LOOKING AT PRIORITIZING.

BUT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A BRAND NEW SCHOOL.

THE OLDER CAFETERIA, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEFINITELY ON OUR LIST.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, DR. MURPHY.

APPRECIATE IT.

I HAVEN'T BEEN APPRISED OF ANY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ITEMS OR

[Individual Board Members]

[02:45:03]

CORRESPONDENCE.

OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT.

[Office of Superintendent]

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND I WANT TO BE BRIEF.

THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO, THOUGH, IS JUST MENTION THAT OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO SEVERAL FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE HAVE RECENTLY LOST A NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO VARIOUS TRAGEDIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN WHEN MY WIFE IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU AND YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE MY OWN CHILDREN ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THESE THINGS.

AND I WAS JUST PLAYING, YEAH, IT'S WORK, BUT IT'S MORE THAN WORK.

YOU KNOW, WE LOST A CHILD TODAY OR WE LOST TWO CHILDREN THIS WEEKEND.

AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THEY'RE JUST VERY DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF US.

AND I, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KEEP KEEP ALL OF THOSE FAMILIES IN YOUR IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND IN YOUR PRAYERS GOING FORWARD.

IT'S ALSO NO SECRET THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH A RESURGENCE OF COVID AND AND THAT'S NO FUN FOR ANYBODY.

WE HAVE A FEW SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE OPERATING WITH VERY LEAN STAFF NUMBERS, AND THAT'S DUE TO ISOLATION AND QUARANTINES.

MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA HAVE HAD TO MOVE SOME OF THEIR SCHOOLS TO REMOTE LEARNING.

DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH US AT SOME POINT.

WE DON'T HAVE PLANS TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS, MORE THAN A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE THAT ARE RUNNING PRETTY LEAN.

SO SO IF WE GET TO THE POINT THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN'T PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE COVERAGE TO, TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE INSTRUCTION, THE ADEQUATE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM AND SAFETY, THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THEM TO REMOTE LEARNING FOR PROBABLY FIVE DAYS COULD BE LONGER.

BUT BUT WE'LL START WITH FIVE DAYS.

I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

OUR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, OTHER STAFF MEMBERS ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT ACTUALLY GETS WORSE FOR THEM BECAUSE BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE WE'RE TURNING A CORNER AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S BACK AGAIN.

SO SO IT REALLY IS DIFFICULT FOR OUR FOLKS, AND WE JUST WANT TO ASSURE THEM.

I WANT TO ASSURE THEM THAT THEY'VE GOT MY SUPPORT, THEY'VE GOT THE SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR THEM.

THIS WAS THIS WAS KIND OF KIND OF INTERESTING.

SOMEONE CHARACTERIZED THE WORK THAT TEACHERS ARE HAVING TO DO IN THIS PANDEMIC AS BUILDING A MANSION OUT OF TOOTHPICKS IN A TORNADO.

AND THAT'S PRETTY GRAPHIC THERE, I THINK.

BUT IT MAKES THE POINT THAT SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, FAMILIES JUST FACE A GREAT CHALLENGE AND THAT CHALLENGE JUST KEEPS GOING ON.

AND IT'S LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY OF PANDEMICS.

IT JUST KEEPS GOING ON.

SO I JUST WANT WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE COMMITTED, ESPECIALLY OUR TEACHERS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO BEING PATIENT AND SUPPORTIVE, AND I ASK THAT OUR COMMUNITIES JOIN ME IN THAT PATIENCE AND SUPPORT FOR THE TEACHERS IN OUR CLASSROOM, AS WELL AS OUR BUS DRIVERS AS WELL AS OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF.

I THINK WE HAVE ONE SCHOOL THAT THE ENTIRE CUSTODIAL STAFF WAS WAS QUARANTINED TODAY.

SO, SO THERE ARE CHALLENGES OUT THERE THAT WE'RE HAVING TO FACE, AND LET'S ALL BE PATIENT AND RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ARE WORKING VERY HARD AND ARE AS THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY SERVING OUR CHILDREN.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING AN

[Executive Session ]

APPEAL FROM AN AREA ONE STUDENT AND AN EMPLOYMENT MATTERS.

MOVED BY MS. R HINEHART-JACKSON SECONDED BY MR. [INAUDIBLE] ALL IN FAVOR.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

WE ARE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE RETURN HERE IN OPEN SESSION TO TAKE ANY VOTES THAT ARE NECESSARY.

[Return to Open Session]

[03:57:55]

WE'RE

[03:57:56]

NOW BACK IN REGULAR SESSION.

[03:57:57]

WHILE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WE HEARD THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE STUDENT WHO

[03:58:03]

HAD BEEN

[03:58:04]

RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION.

[03:58:06]

IS THERE A MOTION?

[03:58:16]

MOTION AND A SECOND THAT WE UPHOLD THE EXPULSION, ANY DISCUSSION.

[03:58:21]

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.

[03:58:26]

OPPOSED.

[03:58:28]

OK, EVERYBODY'S FOR IT, EXCEPT ME AND DWIGHT AND SANDRA IS NOT HERE.

[03:58:33]

SECOND ITEM, WE RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION CONCERNING

[03:58:41]

THE

[03:58:42]

APPOINTMENT OF AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

[03:58:44]

IS THERE A MOTION.

I'LL MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A SECOND.

SECOND [INAUDIBLE] ANY DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OPPOSED.

ONE MORE TIME, EVERYBODY IN FAVOR OF HIRING THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE.

OPPOSED.

ABSTAINING.

OK.

DWIGHT, YOU'RE NOT VOTING [INAUDIBLE].

ALL RIGHT.

YOU GOT THE COUNT, KIM? YES.

SIX ONE, ONE.

OK, GOOD.

MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED.

MOTION AND SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.

[Adjourn]

LET'S GO HOME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENDURANCE.

APPRECIATE IT.

[04:00:04]

THANK YOU SO.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.