Feb 22, 2022 022222 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

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GOOD AFTERNOON. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING OF BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR FEBRUARY 22ND TO

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THANK YOU. NOW, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND AND LET'S SAY THE PLEDGE.

THE MINUTES, THE AGENDA HAS BEEN CIRCULATED PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND IF NO ONE HAS AN OBJECTION, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE AGENDA.

HEARING NONE, WE NOW PRONOUNCE THE AGENDA APPROVED.

WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES REQUIRING APPROVAL THIS EVENING, THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY EIGHT, 2022.

IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 8TH, 2022.

MOVE BY MS. SHEALEY, SECONDED BY DR.

HANKS. ANY DISCUSSION OF THE MINUTES? IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 8, 2022 MEETING ARE APPROVED ON THE SPECIAL ORDERS OF

[Special Orders of Business]

WE DO HAVE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS.

[Public Participation]

[SRP Federal Credit Union Affinity Cards Presentation ]

GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR BRADLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE ATTENDING ONLINE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF BOTH OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS.

TONIGHT'S FIRST BOARD RECOGNITION HIGHLIGHT IS AN OUTSTANDING PARTNERSHIP, ONGOING PARTNERSHIP ON MY END WITH SRP FEDERAL CREDIT UNION.

HERE'S A BIT OF CONTEXT FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE PARTNERSHIP.

IN 2018, AND BOY, THAT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY LONG TIME AGO NOW, DOESN'T IT? IN 2018, SRP FEDERAL CREDIT UNION DEVELOPED A NEW AND EXCITING WAY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MEET THEIR PERSONAL FINANCIAL NEEDS WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE WITH EVERY PURCHASE THEY MAKE THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE SRP HIGH SCHOOL AFFINITY DEBIT CARD PROGRAM, EACH HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS ITS OWN AFFINITY DEBIT CARD, AS YOU SEE HERE, AND THE PARTNERSHIP ALSO INCLUDES THE AIKEN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

NOW I HAVE A FEW FOLKS TO RECOGNIZE, AND I'LL ASK THEM TO PLEASE STAND AS I CALL THEIR NAME. JOINING US TONIGHT FROM SRP FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ARE SRP PRESIDENT MR. WOODY SCHULER, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, GRACE HELMS. SENIOR MARKETING SPECIALIST, MR. JOSH RHODEN.

MARKETING SPECIALIST, MATT HALTER.

MARKETING SPECIALIST, MRS. PATTY MCGRATH AND ALSO MEMBERS OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT CREDIT UNION, FEDERAL CREDIT UNION BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CHAIR OF THE SLP BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MS. SANDRA BLAND. SHE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.

NO, OK. TREASURER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MR. LARRY LOEFFLER. OH, HE DID NOT MAKE IT OK.

MARY THOMAS, I KNOW IS HERE.

I SAW HER EARLIER, SO WELCOME.

MS. GOLDIE RANDALL IS HERE THIS EVENING WITH US.

BOARD MEMBER MELINDA BRINKLEY.

SHE DID NOT MAKE OK.

AND ROY GEISELHART.

NO, OK, SO LET'S PLEASE THANK THESE FOLKS WHO ARE JOINING US FROM SRP TONIGHT.

[APPLAUSE] AND AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK PRESIDENT SCHULLER TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND MAKE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.

SUPERINTENDENT LAURENCE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS, I BELIEVE, OUR THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR WE'VE PRESENTED CHECKS.

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THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN PRETTY BIG CHECKS.

AND I THINK WITH THIS ONE, WHICH IS AN ACCUMULATION OF THE ENTIRE YEAR OF 2021, WE'RE RIGHT ALMOST AT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'VE GIVEN BACK TO THE AIKEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO I THINK THAT'S FABULOUS.

THE PARENTS OF ALL OF THESE SCHOOLS EMBRACE THIS, AND EACH TIME THEY USE IT TO PURCHASE SOMETHING, WE GIVE BACK A NICKEL.

IT ACCUMULATES OVER TIME, DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH, BUT IT ACCUMULATES OVER TIME.

SO THE PARENTS REALLY EMBRACED THIS.

THESE ARE PARENTS THAT ARE USING THESE CARDS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, WE'LL BE GLAD TO HOOK YOU UP WITH A CARD AND MAKE THAT CHECK EVEN BIGGER. BUT WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP.

I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS.

I WAS INVOLVED WITH MY CHILD'S PTO AND ALWAYS SCRATCHING AND CLAWING TO TRY TO GET EXTRA MONEY FOR THINGS. SO WE HOPE THIS IS A BIG HELP TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM EACH YEAR, AND WE'RE THRILLED THAT IT'S ALMOST A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS SINCE WE BEGAN.

THIS CHECK IS 165 THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS OVER THE ENTIRE YEAR.

SO HAPPY TO PRESENT IT.

WE'D LOVE TO GET A LITTLE PHOTO IF WE COULD, IF THAT'S OK.

LET'S THANK SRP AGAIN.

ON BEHALF THE BOARD AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE YOU REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AND WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. IT'S A REALLY NICE PROGRAM FROM MY VIEWPOINT.

DOES A LOT OF GOOD FOR YOU, KIDS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

NOW I WANT TO ECHO WHAT CHAIRMAN BRADLEY SAYS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, AND I KNOW OUR SCHOOLS APPRECIATE IT.

I GET A LOT OF EMAILS AND I GET, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I'LL LOOK AT MY EMAILS AND I CRINGE A LITTLE BIT. BUT WHENEVER I SEE GRACE HELMS NAME COME UP ON MY EMAIL, I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD NEWS. I ALWAYS OPEN THOSE.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO.

HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE? [APPLAUSE] TONIGHT'S SECOND BOARD RECOGNITION CELEBRATES THE STATEWIDE SCHOOL COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR BY THE PALMETTO STATE SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION, MOSSY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

[SC School Counselor of the Year Shari Hooper of Mossy Creek Elementary]

THIS IS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN WHICH AN AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL COUNSELOR HAS BEEN HONORED BY THE PSSCA AS THE STATE SCHOOL COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR.

MRS. HOOPER WILL REPRESENT THE DISTRICT AND SOUTH CAROLINA DURING THE 2023 AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.

I BELIEVE THAT'S IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IS IT NOT? VERY GOOD.

MRS. HOOPER IS JOINED TONIGHT BY HER HUSBAND JIM.

JIM, STAND UP AND SAY HELLO.

HIMSELF, A LONGTIME EDUCATOR, MOSSY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL JEFF MATTHEWS.

THERE HE IS AND AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COORDINATOR FOR COUNSELING AND CAREER SERVICES MRS. SHARON WORLEY, SHARON.

MS. WORLEY ACTUALLY NOMINATED MRS. HOOPER FOR THIS AWARD, AND IT WAS OBVIOUSLY SUCCESSFUL.

IN HER NOMINATION LETTER, MS. WORLEY WROTE HER DESIRE, MRS. HOOPER'S, IS TO SEE ALL STUDENTS SUCCEED WITH HER DESIRES TO SEE ALL STUDENTS SUCCEED WITH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON EVERYONE.

SHE HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON EVERYONE SHE ENCOUNTERS, INCLUDING HER FELLOW COUNSELORS.

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NOT ONLY AS MRS. HOOPER A WONDERFUL COUNSELING LEADER, BUT SHE IS ALSO A STELLAR STUDENT ADVOCATE. SHE HAS ESTABLISHED THE LARGEST DATA INFORMED MENTORING PROGRAM IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AT MOSSY CREEK MYSELF, AND I CAN TELL YOU IT IS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND A TREMENDOUS GIFT TO NOT ONLY STUDENTS, BUT TO YOURSELF AS WELL.

SO I WANT TO THANK HER PERSONALLY FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE WHEN I HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY. ACCORDING TO MOSSY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL JEFF MATTHEWS, THERE IS NOT A MORE DESERVING CANDIDATE IN THIS STATE TO BE THE COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR THAN MRS. HOOPER. SHE HAS BEEN AMAZING.

SHE IS MOSSY CREEK.

SHE MAKES SURE OUR KIDS NEEDS ARE MET.

THE MENTORING PROGRAM HAS BEEN AMAZING, AND SHE NEVER MISSES A BEAT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR 2022 PALMETTO STATE SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION SCHOOL COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR MRS. SHERRY HOOPER. [APPLAUSE] MIKE, DON'T RUN AWAY.

MRS. HOOPER, JUST IN CASE I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING. NO, SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SAY, OK, ALL RIGHT, BUT LET'S GIVE HER [APPLAUSE] IF YOU EVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO MOSSY CREEK THIS YEAR AND SEE HER IN ACTION, YOU REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO JOIN HER AND JUST SEE THE MAGIC THAT SHE MAKES HAPPEN AT MOSSY CREEK, IT'S REALLY A SPECIAL THING TO SEE.

DR. BRADLEY, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING? JUST WE ARE REALLY PROUD.

THANK YOU. IF THERE'S EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN THE SCHOOLS NEEDED COUNSELORS, THIS IS IT.

THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT.

AND EVEN THOUGH COVID MIGHT BE ON THE EDGE OF TURNING DOWN, WE HAVE MANY OTHER CHALLENGES. THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS SEEMS TO BE ALMOST AT CRISIS, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES, AND WE REALLY NEED TOP NOTCH COUNSELORS AND WE APPRECIATE IT, PARTICULARLY TWO YEARS IN A ROW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE. THANK YOU, DR.

BRADLEY. THAT'S ALL WE HAVE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU, MIKE. [INAUDIBLE] OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN.

I HAVE TWO ITEMS. ONE IS THAT WE HAVE TWO ITEMS OF BUSINESS HANGING OVER US THAT WE

[Office of Board Chairman]

AND I'M PROPOSING THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT TO GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY HERE IN THE BOARD ROOM AT SIX O'CLOCK.

AND SINCE IT'S ONLY AN HOUR, WE HAVE THE MODIFIED CALENDAR STILL OUT THERE.

[Special Called Meeting]

AND IF MR. LAURENCE AT THE LAST TIME I TALKED WITH HIM, SAID HE WAS READY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

SO I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE ADD THAT AS THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT SPECIAL CALL MEETING FOR NEXT TUESDAY.

I THINK I CAN CALL THE MEETING WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, BUT JUST TO BE SURE, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION TO HAVE A MEETING NEXT TUESDAY.

I THINK THAT'S MARCH THE 1ST.

MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON MOVES, MS. SHEALEY SECONDS.

ANY DISCUSSION, IF NOT ALL, IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON MARCH THE 1ST TO DISCUSS THE ITEMS OF HEAD START TRAINING AND MODIFIED SCHOOL CALENDAR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S UNANIMOUS, THAT'S EVERYONE, THANK YOU.

I NEED THE DISTRICT WELLNESS COMMITTEE NEEDS A BOARD MEMBER TO FUNCTION ON THAT

[Wellness Committee Appointment ]

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SO SHE HAS AGREED.

SO I HEREBY APPOINT DR.

PATRICIA HANKS AS A MEMBER OF THE WELLNESS COMMITTEE.

UNDER INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, THE FIRST ITEM IS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.

[Individual Items]

SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST SUBMITTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION FOR EMPLOYMENT, MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. CRANE.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LIST OF RECOMMENDED EMPLOYEES, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

THAT'S EVERYONE, WE HAVE SEVERAL CONSENT ITEMS. WE'LL GO THROUGH THESE AFTER WE GET A MOTION ONE BY ONE AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO

[Consent Items]

THAT MOTION BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. CRANE. OK, WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND THE SECOND TO APPROVE THE B ITEMS. ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S GO THROUGH THEM ONE BY ONE.

THE FIRST IS RATIFICATION OF EXPULSIONS.

WHAT THIS IS THAT STUDENTS ARE EXPELLED, RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION BY THE ADMINISTRATION.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL THAT EXPULSION TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

IF THEY DO NOT APPEAL, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.

THEY ARE LISTED, PRESENTED TO US BY A LIST AND WE VOTE TO UPHOLD OR NOT TO UPHOLD THE ACTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

ANY DISCUSSION. THE SECOND ITEM IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUEST.

THESE ARE REQUESTS BY PARENTS WHO WANT TO TRANSFER THEIR STUDENTS OUT OF OUR DISTRICT INTO ANOTHER DISTRICT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AND THESE ARE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. ANY DISCUSSION? THE THIRD ITEM IS THE SCHOOL GARDEN EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANT AWARD TO AL CORBETT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THIS IS AN AWARD BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CLEMSON EXTENSION. ANY DISCUSSION.

THE FOURTH ITEM IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A 2022 ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR DISTRICT WIDE FENCING INSTALLATION PROJECTS.

WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR FACILITIES DEPARTMENT ABOUT TWO COMPANIES WHO WOULD ENGAGE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES FOR US.

ANY DISCUSSION.

MR. SMITH.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. LAURENCE, BOARD MEMBERS, BY HAVING THESE COMPANIES PROCURED, IT CAN HELP IN EASE AND THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF HIRING AND CONTRACTING WITH THESE LABORERS AS WELL.

AND SO TIME IS MONEY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACT AND BIDDING AND THE PRICES SEEM TO BE GOING UP.

SO BY HAVING THEM PROCURE, WE CAN MOVE A LOT FASTER WHEN WE HAVE THESE PROJECTS COMING UP.

STILL HAVE TO GIVE US A QUOTE AND WE CAN DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THEM. SO WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO PAY WHATEVER PRICE THEY GIVE US.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE PRICE AND BUT WE CAN GO WITH THESE THESE GUYS NOW THEY ARE ACTUALLY BEING PROCURED.

MR. CRANE.

JUST A QUICK QUESTION. THIS IS JUST FOR THE SUPPLIES, NOT FOR THE ACTUAL FENCE LABOR.

NO, THIS IS FOR THEM TO COME.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM A SCOPE OF WORK AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN, GIVE US A PRICE ON GETTING IT DONE. OK.

FROM SUPPLIES UP THROUGH FINISHED PRODUCTS? YES. OK, THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT, WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE ITEMS JUST REVIEWED? THE CONSENT ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

THAT'S EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ITEMS ARE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. THESE ARE PRESENTED JUST FOR INFORMATION AND DID NOT REQUIRE ANY ACTION BY THE BOARD.

[Informational Items]

[00:25:02]

MS. GLOVER. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BRADLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MR. LAURENCE. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. I DO NOT WANT TO STEAL ANY OF DUSTIN FOWLER'S THUNDER.

SO DUSTIN, IF YOU COULD COME ON UP HERE.

BUT WHILE HE DOES, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY A THANK YOU TO NOT ONLY DUSTIN FOWLER, WHO IS OUR COORDINATOR OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO MICKY DOVE, MICKEY STAND UP AND CHRISTEN SOSA-GASTON. SO MICKEY DOVE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM SUPPORT AND CHRISTEN SOSA-GASTON, BACK IN THE BACK IS OUR COORDINATOR IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS. SO THESE THREE, MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HELPED.

BUT THESE THREE HAVE REALLY SPEARHEADED ALL OF THE WORK THIS YEAR WITH TRANSFORMING OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAM AND AIKEN INNOVATE INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

SO LISTENING TO ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS, WE'VE REALLY TAKEN THAT TO HEART AND HAVE MADE A PRODUCT I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF.

SO HOPE YOU ARE TOO, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DUSTIN.

THANK YOU MS. LAURA, HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING ALL RIGHT TONIGHT, IT IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM AND ALSO TO SPEND A BIT OF TIME LOOKING AT OUR ACVA PROGRAM AS WELL, WHICH IS OUR SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM FOR THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE REALLY WE WERE THE FIRST FRANCHISE DISTRICT WITH THE VIRTUAL SC PROGRAM IN COLUMBIA IN THE STATE.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROUD OF AS WELL.

DO I HAVE IT? OH, OK. DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD THE SWITCHER.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE. SO THESE ARE HERE ARE THE TWO PROGRAMS. THE ONE I WANT. I WANT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS SLIDE IN A MINUTE.

SO I WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO BECAUSE I AM GOING TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THAT.

BUT FOR AIKEN INNOVATE, WHICH IS OUR FULL TIME VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND AIKEN COUNTY, IT IS IN FACT A PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO REPLACE A FACE TO FACE EXPERIENCE WITH HIGH QUALITY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION FROM TEACHERS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT, AND IT INCLUDES DAILY PERSONALIZED LEARNING INTERACTIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS.

IT'S NOT THE SAME AS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TEACHERS STANDING IN FRONT OF OF A CLASSROOM PERHAPS. THESE TEACHERS ARE ACTUALLY INTERACTING ONE ON ONE WITH THEIR STUDENTS, NOT ONE ON ONE, BUT, YOU KNOW, PERSONALIZED.

YOU HAVE THEIR STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASS THAT THEY CAN HAVE ONE ON ONE INTERACTIONS WITH.

AND SO BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO IT, I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW AIKEN INNOVATE IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS BORN OUT OF THE NECESSITY DRIVEN BY THE PANDEMIC.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT WE WERE EXPANDING ON OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAM ALREADY.

BUT TRULY RUNNING FROM A PANDEMIC HAS REALLY SPEARHEADED, I GUESS, THE NEED, THE URGENCY TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM. AND SO WHEN WE STARTED OFF, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY HITTING THE ROAD RUNNING.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME INCONSISTENCY WITH COMMUNICATION, INCONSISTENCY WITH SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPECTATIONS WHERE YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DOING DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR OWN SET OF STUDENTS THAT WERE PART OF THE PROGRAM.

LIKEWISE, WE HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE TEACHING AT THEIR SCHOOLS FACE TO FACE WHILE ALSO TEACHING STUDENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE AT THEIR SCHOOL.

AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF, THIS CAUSES CONFUSION.

TEACHERS WERE OVERWORKED, HAVING TO DO BOTH THE FACE TO FACE AND THE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION.

SO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT, THAT HAPPENED AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM, WE WORKED TO REMEDY FOR THE CURRENT AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A FAR MORE STRUCTURED EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS, FOR TEACHERS, FOR ADMIN, FOR EVERYONE.

ALL RIGHT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO THAT WE THOUGHT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT IS TO SOLIDIFY AND CENTRALIZE, I GUESS CENTRALIZE RATHER THE OUR EFFORTS TO TO TO TEACH, TO DRIVE THE EXPECTATIONS TO ADMINISTER.

AND SO WE HAVE A SINGLE BUILDING NOW WHERE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS GO TO TEACH EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE CALL IT SIX POINTS, BUT IT IS THE PREVIOUS THE FORMER LLOYD KENNEDY CHARTER SCHOOL OVER OFF OF VAUCLUSE.

AND SO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, MYSELF AND KRISTEN, WHO HELPS ME WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORT HERE AT AIKEN AIR, WE ALL MEET AT THE SIX POINTS LOCATIONS SO THAT TEACHERS ARE RIGHT DOWN THE HALL FROM OR, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ACROSS THE CAMPUS FROM WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE. AND WE HAVE FAST ACCESS TO THEM, FAST COMMUNICATIONS WITH THEM.

WE ALSO HAVE CONSISTENT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL

[00:30:03]

AND WE HAVE A POLICY EXPECTATION THAT IS SHARED WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE IN OUR PROGRAM.

TEACHERS ALSO ONLY TEACH ONE CLASS OR I GUESS THEY ONLY TEACH VIRTUALLY AS OPPOSED TO FACE TO FACE.

I WANTED TO SHOW THE SLIDE HERE.

THIS HERE IS JUST AIKEN INNOVATE BY THE NUMBERS.

I'M NOT GOING TO BORE EVERYONE WITH THE DETAILS OF THAT DATA, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE A POINT TO SAY WE'VE GOT 16 TEACHERS IN OUR PROGRAM AND I'LL SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME LATER ON LOOKING AT THIS. BUT THESE TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH, YOU'RE TEACHING ALL HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH CLASSES.

IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH, YOU'RE TEACHING SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE MATH. ALL RIGHT.

SO THESE TEACHERS ARE TEACHING THEIR CONTENT TO EVERYONE WHO IS A PART OF THAT PROGRAM AND IS MAKING IT WORK.

THEY'RE THEY'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB WORKING VERY, VERY HARD.

SO I COULDN'T POSSIBLY STAND HERE TODAY WITHOUT GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO MY TEACHERS WHO ARE DOING JUST A FANTASTIC JOB AT KEEPING THESE STUDENTS SUCCESSFUL IN OUR PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM. SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE LEARNERS.

FOR ACCOMMODATIONS, MOST OF OUR ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE SPED RELATED, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENTS WITH 504 ACCOMMODATIONS AS WELL AS SOME STUDENTS WITH ESL AND THESE ARE HERE ARE THESE SCHOOL STUDENTS OR STUDENTS THAT ARE THERE ABLE TO TO UNDERSTAND AND READ FROM THE FROM THE COURSE VERY, VERY WELL.

SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO NEED THAT REGULAR ESOL INTERVENTION CLASS.

WE ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE JUST KIND OF SHOW YOU GUYS THE WAY THAT THE COURSE OFFERINGS LOOK. WE HAVE OUR REGULAR CORE CLASSES OF LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES, MATH AND SCIENCE ACROSS ALL LEVELS, AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ART AND PHYS ED ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS AS ELECTIVES AND EXPLORATORIES.

AND THEN SOME STUDENTS, WE HAVE A SPRINKLING OF STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT COURSES SUCH AS FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTING, SPANISH ONE, ENGLISH HONORS, ALGEBRA, GEOMETRY HONORS CLASSES.

FOR HIGH SCHOOL COURSE OFFERINGS.

WE OFFER SIMILAR CLASSES TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN A FACE TO FACE BUILDING, SOCIAL STUDIES, ENGLISH, MATH, SCIENCE.

WE HAVE THESE AT THE CP AND HONORS LEVEL AND THEN THOSE ARE THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ELECTIVES THAT WE HAVE PERSONAL FINANCE AND [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE SOME WORLD LANGUAGE, SOME ART AND THEN OUR PERSONAL HEALTH AND PERSONAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES.

SO I WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT TIME LOOKING AT THE PROGRAM STRUCTURE.

SO THIS IS ONE THING THAT KIND OF SEPARATES OUR PROGRAM FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY IN THAT OUR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES ARE BLOCK SCHEDULE.

SO THEY GO SEMESTER ONE, IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT SET OF COURSES FROM SEMESTER TWO STUDENTS. SCHEDULE IS GOING TO CHANGE.

THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE DIFFERENT COURSES IF THEY'RE HIGH SCHOOLERS.

NOW, CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT, MIDDLE SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE TAKING A YEAR LONG TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE EIGHT PERIODS A DAY.

SO THE WAY THAT WORKS IS OUR BLOCKS ARE GOING TO BE TWO PERIODS LONG.

AND SO IT EQUALS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME AS THE EIGHT PERIOD SCHEDULE.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID THIS IS BECAUSE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, THEY'RE ALSO TEACHING AT LEAST ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASS.

THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE THAT SCHEDULE WORK IS TO DIVIDE IT UP IN SUCH A WAY.

SO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE THREE TO FOUR PREPS PER SEMESTER.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IS GOING TO HAVE EVERY CLASS FOR THEIR SUBJECT AREA AT THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. SO IF YOU'RE TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH, YOU'RE TEACHING SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE MATH. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT ELECTIVES ARE TEACHING MIDDLE AND HIGH.

SO THERE ARE THOSE TEACHERS ARE TEACHING ALL LEVELS.

SO FROM A CURRICULUM STANDPOINT, OUR AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM IS OFFERED THROUGH TWO MAIN LMS'S, THAT'S LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND ONE OF THEM.

OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE DONE THROUGH SCHOOLOGY.

NOW SCHOOLOGY'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

WE'VE HAD IT IN OUR DISTRICT SINCE, I BELIEVE 2016.

WE HAD A SMALL COHORT OF TEACHERS THAT UTILIZED IT, AND SO IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THE MATERIAL COMES FROM STUFF THAT TEACHERS HAVE AMASSED OVER YEARS OR STUFF THAT THEY CREATE AS THEIR AS THEIR BILLING OUT THE COURSE.

AND SOMETIMES THESE TEACHERS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO OUR GVC MATERIALS.

THEY ARE CURATED BY [INAUDIBLE] AND SUMMER CURRICULUM TEAMS THAT CONSIST OF TEACHERS THAT WE RUN THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO KIND OF BRING THE BEST OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THESE SCHOOLOGY GROUPS. AND SO YOU MIGHT SEE A SPRINKLING OF SOME OF THAT ALSO IN SOME OF THESE COURSES.

THE VIRTUAL SC FRANCHISE PROGRAM IS WHERE WE GET THE COURSES FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS.

ALL RIGHT. SO THEY'RE USING MOODLE, WHICH IS LIKE SCHOOLOGY.

IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT LIKE PEPSI AND COKE, AND THOSE COURSES ARE ALREADY BUILT, PROVIDED

[00:35:03]

AND I WOULD MAKE A POINT TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE CLASSES, LIKE IF WE HAVE AN ALGEBRA ONE HONORS CLASS, WE MIGHT SUPPLEMENT WITH SOME OF THAT MATERIAL THROUGH SCHOOLOGY THAT WE INTERWEAVE WITHIN THE COURSE THAT THEY HAVE BUILT FOR US.

SO WE ADD THAT SUPPLEMENT ON FOR SOME OF THE HONORS CLASSES IF THERE'S NOT AN HONORS VERSION OF THE COURSE THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE STUDENTS THAT TAKE TESTS, SO THIS IS STILL VERY MUCH PART OF THE EXPERIENCE OF A VIRTUAL STUDENT AND A [INAUDIBLE].

SO THEY ARE GOING TO COME TO US AND TAKE FINAL EXAMS. IF THEY'RE HIGH SCHOOLERS FACE TO FACE, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE EOC'S WITH US FACE TO FACE AND THE SC READY.

SO SO FAR, WE'VE ALREADY HAD ONE SEMESTER THAT'S OVER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AND THOSE EXAMS WERE ADMINISTERED AND THE EOC'S WERE ADMINISTERED AS WELL.

AND WE JUST BROUGHT THEM IN TO THE SIX POINTS LOCATION AND TESTED THEM IN THE AUDITORIUM.

ALL RIGHT. FOR THE OTHER SET OF TESTS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REGULAR COURSE UNIT TESTS.

THERE ARE PROCTORED VIRTUALLY AS WELL AS DISTRICT BENCHMARKS AND THE MAP TEST.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO SHOW UP AND THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE TEST ON TEAMS WITH A CAMERA, WITH WHATEVER ELSE IT IS THAT WE NEED.

WE HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM THAT WAS GIVEN BY TECHNOLOGY AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE TOOLS TO HELP US TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR TEST.

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SLIDES OF PRESENTATION, Y'ALL.

WE HAVE AT THE TIME OF THIS, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM.

SO ROUGHLY AROUND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY STUDENTS OR ALMOST HALF OF THEM ARE HONOR ROLL STUDENTS. ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT RIGHT THERE GOES TO SHOW THAT IT'S NOT EVEN JUST, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER IS DOING A GREAT JOB. OUR STUDENTS ARE SECOND TO NONE.

THEY ARE FANTASTIC AND THEY WORK VERY, VERY HARD TO DO THEIR VERY BEST AND MAKE THE BEST OUT OF THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM HERE.

SO IT'S PROOF THAT THIS REALLY IS A GOOD FIT FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, BEST SUITED WITH A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE.

I JUST MENTIONED A SECOND AGO THAT WE HAD EOC'S.

I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR ENGLISH TWO CLASS, WE HAD ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PASS RATE FOR EOC. WE HAD SEVENTY SEVEN PERCENT PASS RATE, FOUR ALGEBRA ONE.

SO I'M PROUD OF THOSE NUMBERS.

THE STUDENTS DID WELL ON A STATE TEST.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FINAL EXAM DATA, EVERY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TOOK A FINAL EXAM IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COURSES AND THERE WAS A 70 PERCENT PASS RATE ON THE FINAL EXAM.

SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT THOSE NUMBERS SHOW THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO DO THEIR VERY BEST IN VIRTUAL SCHOOL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE MENTIONED EARLY ON THAT WAS KIND OF AN OBSTACLE EARLY ON WAS COMMUNICATION FOR EARLY PROGRAMS. SO WE HAD A BUNCH OF COMMUNICATION COMING FROM A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND NO ONE REALLY WAS ON THE SAME PAGE.

IT SEEMED WHEN WE OPENED THIS PROGRAM UP FOR A PANDEMIC IN 2020.

BUT MOVING ON, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE SET UP A SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION STRUCTURES THAT ARE UNIFORM, CONSISTENT, DRIVEN BY ONE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION OR THROUGH ONE SIMPLE PROCESS. AND KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THIS IN A NUTSHELL.

SO WE'VE GOT REGULAR STRUCTURED DAILY LIVE SESSIONS THAT ARE GOING ON IN EVERY CLASS OR IT'S NOT JUST ONE LEVEL, EVERY CLASS IS GOING TO MEET DAILY.

WE HAVE SOME CLASSES THAT DO SPLIT HONORS AND CP, SO THEY MIGHT GO TWO OR THREE DAYS OUT OF THE WEEK. SO I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE I SPECIFY THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE EMAIL PHONE, THE LAWYER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ITSELF.

A LOT OF OUR PARENTS WERE SHOWN EARLY ON AT OUR AI ORIENTATION HOW TO SET UP A PARENT ACCOUNT. SO WE HAVE THAT AS A WAY OF COMMUNICATING AS WELL.

TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO PUT INFORMATION DIRECTLY IN THEIR COURSES, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO IS UTILIZE OUR ANNOUNCEMENT BANNER, WHICH I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU IN A MOMENT.

WE ALSO SEND REGULAR EMAIL UPDATES TO PARENTS THAT INCLUDE BASIC INFORMATION LIKE HOW TO CHECK THE PARENT PORTAL AND THE SCHOOLOGY OF PARENT ACCOUNT FOR INFORMATION ON GRADES WITH A TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS STUDENTS HOW TO CHECK THEIR GRADES, TOO.

SO WE NEVER WANT TO ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW TO DO THAT.

THIS IS THE COMMUNICATION BANNER.

WE USE A PROGRAM, IT'S A FREE WEBSITE CALLED [INAUDIBLE] THAT ALLOWS US TO CREATE A POSTER THAT WE CAN PLACE IN EVERY COURSE.

WE'RE USING AN EMBED LINK, SO STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO IT THERE.

IT'S ALSO ON THE AIKEN INNOVATE WEB PAGE UNDER ANNOUNCEMENT BANNER ON THE ON ONE OF THE LINKS ON THE LEFT. AND SO IT'S AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF OUR MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF GOING ON THE ALL CALL AND TELLING PEOPLE AND TELLING STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, THE LATEST AND GREATEST. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE PUT THIS POST IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT BANNER.

AIKEN INNOVATE FAILURE RATE FOR SEMESTER ONE, SO WE DID HAVE SOME STUDENTS THAT DIDN'T FAIL ONE OR THEY DIDN'T PASS.

ONE THING WE DO LOOK TO DO IS MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THE PROGRAM.

SO ON OUR EARLY PROGRAM 2020, WE HAD A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT CAME IN FLEEING A PANDEMIC

[00:40:03]

I MEAN, EVERYONE KIND OF RAN INTO THAT.

IT'S NOT A PERFECT FIT FOR EVERYONE.

AND SO WE DO HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE PROGRAM.

WHAT THIS SLIDE IS SHOWING YOU AND WE'LL TRY TO BREAK IT DOWN.

WE HAVE 19 FS, EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN GRADES WERE AN F.

THAT MEANS ONE LIKE, SO IF I'M A STUDENT IN AI AND I'M TAKING FIVE CLASSES I FAILED TWO OF THEM, THAT'S GOING TO BE TWO OUT OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN.

SO ONE STUDENT MIGHT BE IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CLASSES, RIGHT? WE HAVE AT THE SEMESTER ONE, A TOTAL OF TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX STUDENTS.

SO OF THOSE TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX STUDENTS, FOURTEEN FAILED SOMETHING RIGHT, FOR A SIX POINT TWO PERCENT FAILURE RATE.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST NUMBER OF NINETEEN, THOSE NINETEEN FAILED COURSE FAILURES CONSIST OF THOSE 14 STUDENTS, SO SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS FAILED MULTIPLE CLASSES.

AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD MEET WITH WHENEVER THERE IS GETTING THIS A LITTLE BIT AFTER THIS SLOT HERE.

BUT WHEN WE WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF A TERM, IF STUDENTS FAIL, WE MEET WITH THOSE STUDENTS, COME UP WITH AN ACADEMIC PLAN.

BUT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE NEWS LAST WEEK.

THIS IS AN ARTICLE, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF ARTICLES THAT WERE GOING ROUND ABOUT WHY AIKEN COUNTY IS DOING WELL IN THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT SEPARATES US FROM OTHER VIRTUAL PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE, WHERE THE NUMBERS LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LOOKED LIKE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

AND SO I WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS BECAUSE I THINK I THINK THE TIMING IS AS WELL.

I WAS ALREADY PLANNING ON TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE THAT SEPARATES US AND MAKES OUR STUDENTS SUCCESSFUL.

AND IT REALLY IS A STUDENT FOCUSED SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF THINGS.

I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT WE DID WAS A STUDENT ORIENTATION.

ALL RIGHT. SO ON AUGUST THE 10TH BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD EVERY STUDENT THAT WAS PART OF OUR PROGRAM COME AND MEET WITH US IN PERSON.

WE DISTRIBUTED A TEXTBOOK.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND WENT OVER THE POLICY ON THE EXPECTATIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS.

WE DISTRIBUTED LAPTOPS.

WE SPOKE WITH STUDENTS INDIVIDUALLY.

THEY GOT TO MEET THEIR TEACHERS.

IT SEEMED A LITTLE FAST PACED, BUT IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE DID AND WHAT IT SHOWS IS WHEN WE READ ARTICLES LIKE THAT IS THAT OUR STUDENTS CAME IN TO THE PROGRAM WITH NO QUESTIONS WAITING TO BE ASKED.

ON DAY ONE, THEY WERE READY TO GO.

THEY HAD THE LOGIN INFORMATION PROVIDED THAT FOR SCHOOLOGY FOR [INAUDIBLE] SHOW HIM HOW TO LOG INTO THE COMPUTERS.

WE DID ALL THIS STUFF BEFORE SCHOOL START.

THEN FOR SOME OF THE STUDENTS, WE PLACED THEM INTO AN ADVISORY COURSE AND GAVE THEM ACCESS TO MODULES TO HELP THEM LEARN THE LMS SO THEY COULD GO AHEAD AND PLAY AROUND WITH SCHOOLOGY YOU AND GET ACCLIMATED TO THAT.

AND SO I FEEL LIKE THESE EFFORTS HELPED OUT AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THESE THINGS IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAD A WE STILL WHEN WE HAVE NEW STUDENTS WHO ENTER THE PROGRAM, THEY MEET WITH YOU, USUALLY WITH ME ONE ON ONE AND WE GO THROUGH THE SAME STUFF.

SO WE STILL DON'T HAVE STUDENTS, EVEN AFTER THE FACT THAT COME INTO OUR PROGRAM WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WHAT TO DO.

WE WANT STUDENTS ENTERING THE PROGRAM READY TO GO.

IF THE STUDENTS FAILED A TERM, SO AT THE END OF QUARTER ONE SEMESTER ONE, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN AT THE END OF CORE THREE.

WE MEET WITH STUDENTS TO HELP THEM ADDRESS THE ISSUE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO JUST SAY, HEY, THIS STUDENT FAILED CLASS, GET YOUR GRADES UP AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THEM AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ISSUE LIES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THEM AND CREATE AN ACADEMIC PLAN WITH THE PARENT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENT IS SUCCESSFUL IN THE PROGRAM.

TEACHERS, THEY GET TOGETHER AND MEET, THEY FORM PLCS TO TALK ABOUT STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO SUPPORT THEM USING DATA.

WE USE THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT TO FORM DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE LOOK AT TEST DATA AND FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE MIGHT CAN, CAN USE INTERVENTIONS TO BETTER MEET THEIR NEEDS. AND JUST WE CONTINUALLY COMMUNICATING, WHERE APPROPRIATE, WITH COUNSELORS AND HOME SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET.

SO THAT GETTING TOWARDS THE END OF SECTION ON AI, AND I WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR THE AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM FOR 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. IF THEY IF PARENTS GO TO THE PARENT PORTAL RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN COMPLETE A FORM AND LET US KNOW THEIR INTENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO BE A PART OF THE AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THEN ON TOMORROW AFTERNOON, TOMORROW EVENING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE DIFFERENT TIME SLOTS FOR AN INTEREST MEETING WHERE I'LL BE GOING OVER SOME BASIC INFORMATION WITH PARENTS OR STUDENTS WHO MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

I KNOW THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RISING SIXTH GRADERS WHO THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE IN A DATE.

AND SO WE MAY HAVE SOME OF THOSE COME IN AND WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS.

AND SO WE WANT TO SET THAT UP WITH THEM.

[00:45:01]

SO TO WRAP UP, I WANT TO JUST JUST TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND SHOW YOU ALL SOME DATA FROM OTHER VIRTUAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS STILL GOING STRONG AS WELL.

IT'S OUR SUPPLEMENTAL ACVA PROGRAM, WHICH EXISTS TO ENABLE STUDENTS TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD IN THEIR FACE TO FACE.

THIS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT IN 2022 WE'RE MEETING STUDENTS AND THEIR NEEDS IN A WAY THAT IS CONDUCIVE FOR THE TIME.

ALL RIGHT. AND SO AIKEN COUNTY VIRTUAL ACADEMY HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FIRST TEACHERS THAT WERE PART OF THAT PROGRAM.

STUDENTS USE IT TO CATCH UP, GET AHEAD.

SOMETIMES THEY COME TO US FROM A DISTRICT ON BLOCK.

AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE COMING IN JANUARY AND YOU'RE NOT SLATED TO START ENGLISH TWO UNTIL JANUARY, WELL, WE HAVE ACVA THAT WE CAN START [INAUDIBLE] RATHER THAN STICKING THEM IN A COURSE, THAT'S HALFWAY OVER WITH, SO IT HELPS US TO BETTER BE ABLE TO BETTER MEET THEIR NEEDS. WE TRADITIONALLY HAVE A FALL, SPRING AND SUMMER SESSION, AND WE'VE ALSO DONE 'MAYMESTER WHICH IS DURING THE MONTH OF MAY WILL OFFER SOME COURSES FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE.

AND THOSE ARE OUR COURSES, A VERY, VERY REGULAR LOOKING COURSE LOAD.

BUT IN SOME CASES WE OFFER CLASSES THAT ARE VERY, VERY POPULAR FOR STUDENTS.

I'LL SHOW YOU IN A SECOND HOUR MOST OF THE COURSES THAT STUDENTS ARE GOING TO REQUEST THE MOST IT FUNDAMENTALS AND PERSONAL FINANCE IS AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE ALL OF YOUR ENGLISH CLASSES.

WE HAVE ALL OF YOUR EOC CLASSES AS WELL, FOR STUDENTS THAT MIGHT COME IN LIKE I JUST EXPLAINED FROM A BLOCK SCHEDULE THAT MIGHT NEED TO TAKE THESE CLASSES AND WE ARE ABLE TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE WITH THAT.

'MAYMESTER' IS AN ABBREVIATED SCHEDULE ON THE YEARS THAT WE'VE OFFERED THIS, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL COURSES ARE GOING TO ARE GOING TO WORK FOR THAT, BUT WE USUALLY WOULD PITCH THIS TOWARDS STUDENTS. YOU EITHER WANT TO GET AHEAD OR CATCH UP.

AND THEN IN THE SUMMERTIME, WE GIVE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE CLASSES.

SOME OF THOSE ARE TAKEN BY THE AIKEN SCHOLARS, ACADEMY STUDENTS SUCH AS P.E.

AND GEOMETRY, AND THEN OTHERS WE JUST OFFER FOR STUDENTS, WHEREAS THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SOMETHING LIKE AN HONORS LEVEL GOVERNMENT RECON CLASS.

AND SO THIS IS A CHART THAT SHOWS OUR TOP REQUESTED COURSES.

IT FUNDAMENTALS IS VERY, VERY POPULAR, OF COURSE, USUALLY TAUGHT BY OUR FANTASTIC TEACHER WHO WAS A FRANCHISE TEACHER OF THE YEAR A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO VERY, VERY POPULAR COURSE, AS IS PERSONAL FINANCE.

AND THEN THE OTHER IS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT THE NUMBERS TAPER DOWN, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS TAKING A LOT OF COURSES AND THAT MAKES ME PROUD BECAUSE IT'S A PROGRAM THAT MEETS STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT FACE TO FACE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE ABLE TO MEET THEM. AND SO IT'S DEFINITELY VERY MUCH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.

FOR SEAT VERSUS ENROLLMENT, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF VERY SIMILAR TO THE COURSES I SHOWED EARLIER. A SEAT IS ONE STUDENT, SO ONE STUDENT MIGHT TAKE TWO OR THREE CLASSES.

THOSE TWO OR THREE CLASSES ARE ENROLLMENTS.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SEATS, WE HAD TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN STUDENTS TAKING UP SEATS IN THE FALL, AND ENROLLMENT IS GOING TO BE EVERY SINGLE TIME THE STUDENTS IN THAT CLASS. SO I WANTED TO PREFACE THIS SLIDE WITH THAT INFORMATION WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, YOU MIGHT HAVE, I'M SORRY, THIS IS THIS LOOKS KIND OF SMALL, BUT WE HAVE AT THE BEGINNING MIGHT HAVE A HIGHER ENROLLMENT NUMBER.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PERIOD OF, I GUESS, A SERIES OF DROPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND STUDENTS GET DROPPED FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

OK, SO AND I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP AHEAD REAL QUICK JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT COMPLETION RATE SHOWS WITHDRAWALS, AND SOME STUDENTS MIGHT REGISTER FOR SIX CLASSES WITH THE INTENTION OF TAKING WHICHEVER TWO THEY GET INTO.

ALL RIGHT, SO IF THEY END UP GETTING ENROLLED IN MANY CLASSES, THEY'LL END UP DROPPING.

SO WE TEND TO HAVE A WITHDRAWAL RATE SOMEWHERE AROUND 40 PERCENT.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME STUDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR COURSES AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS WHERE WE'VE HAD STUDENTS MOVE OUT OF DISTRICT.

WE'VE HAD STUDENTS WHO DECIDED, HEY, I'M JUST I JUST DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS COURSE, WHOEVER MIGHT BE. SO THOSE STUDENTS USUALLY DROP.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE MEASURES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS DON'T END UP GETTING A LIKE AN F AT THE END OF A YEAR WHEN THEY WEREN'T PARTICIPATING IN CLASS, WHICH IS WHY WE HAD THOSE THOSE REGULAR DROP PERIODS.

AND THEN AT THE VERY END, THERE HAVE AN ARROW TO SHOW THAT WE HAD 24 STUDENTS WHO WERE TAKING YEAR LONG CLASSES, WHICH IS WHY THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP, EXACTLY.

BUT ONE THING I'M VERY PROUD OF IS THAT USUALLY WE HAVE SOMEWHERE AROUND 80 PERCENT PASS RATE FOR OUR STUDENTS IN OUR ACVA PROGRAM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOWS THAT MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL IN ACVA AS WELL.

IT'S MEETING THEIR NEEDS, AND IT'S A VERY, VERY FANTASTIC PROGRAM FILLED WITH TEACHERS

[00:50:02]

AND THAT IS TO HELP STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND THERE IS WHAT VIRTUAL TEACHING LOOKS LIKE.

I WANTED TO SHOW YOU ALL THIS SLIDE.

THAT'S OUR AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM.

THOSE ARE LIVE SESSIONS WITH REAL STUDENTS.

YOU'VE GOT THE ONE THERE SHOWING WHAT THE COURSE LOOKS LIKE DOING A SCREEN SHARE, BUT IT FILLS MY HEART WITH ALL KINDS OF HAPPINESS AND JOY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE AND WORK WITH THESE STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN COMING OUT AND SEEING THE PLACE, HERE'S MY EMAIL. BOARD MEMBERS FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME AN EMAIL AND WE WILL WORK IT OUT SO Y'ALL CAN COME BY AND SEE.

THE SIX POINTS LOCATION IS VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL.

I KNOW THE PICTURE DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU GUYS IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME.

MS. RHINEHART.

YES, MA'AM.

SO EVERY TERM WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO AT THE FIRST AND THE THIRD SEMESTERS WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THEM, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE THIS PLAN, NOW AT THE AT THE END OF SEMESTER ONE.

SO FIRST AND THIRD QUARTER, WE'RE [INAUDIBLE] WITH THEM, END OF SEMESTER ONE, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO LOOK AT STUDENTS AND SAY ARE THESE STUDENTS GOING TO BE WELL SERVED IN THE AIKEN INNOVATE PROGRAM? AND IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR GRADES AND THEIR PASSES, THEIR ATTENDANCE AND WE CAN SEE THAT THERE'S NO WAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL IT OUT AND THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SERVING THEM WELL. WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE A STUDENT TO BE DOOMED IN A VIRTUAL SETTING THAT'S NOT WORKING FOR THEM.

AND SO THAT DECISION DOESN'T GET MADE JUST BY ME.

IT ALSO INVOLVES DR.

CAMPBELL AND MR. POSTELL, AND THE WHOLE AI TEAM IS LOOKING AT THE WHOLE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IS LOOKING AT THESE STUDENTS AND MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THAT.

NOT ALL OF THEM WENT BACK.

WE HAVE HAD SOME THAT THAT DID, THOUGH.

IN FACT, ON OTHERS, WE CREATED A PLAN FOR THEM.

I'LL TAKE THAT ONE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I'D USE THAT EXACT TERMINOLOGY, BUT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT VIRTUAL LEARNING IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO SET A STUDENT UP FOR FAILURE. SO WE'VE GOT TO WORK SOMETHING OUT AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO HELP THAT PARENT UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR CHILD'S NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THIS FORMAT.

WE NEED YOUR CHILD BACK IN A IN A FACE TO FACE CLASSROOM, SO WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE THINGS. IT'S GREAT.

I APPRECIATE ALL THIS INFORMATION.

I'VE MR. LAURENCE SENT US ONE OF THE ARTICLES FOR THE POST AND COURIER, I GUESS WHEN IT CAME OUT LAST WEEK AND IT WAS IT WAS VERY POSITIVE ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO SOME OF THE STRUGGLES THAT OUR PEER DISTRICTS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED.

WE'VE EXPERIENCED THE SAME STRUGGLES.

I THINK Y'ALL JUST BEEN VERY INNOVATIVE IN HOW YOU ALL HAVE COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE MOST SUCCESS THAT THEY CAN OUT OF THE PROGRAM.

SO I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION.

YES, I WOULD LOVE TO COME AND SEE THE FACILITY.

MAYBE WE CAN KIND OF MAKE A TEAM EFFORT OUT OF THAT AT SOME POINT.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TO SEE IT IN PERSON, WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM HERE AND WHAT'S BEEN OBVIOUSLY PICKED UP BY A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, STATEWIDE AGENCIES AS WELL.

SO JUST MY KUDOS TO THE STAFF, RIGHT, THAT ARE THAT ARE PUTTING IN THE WORK AT THE GROUND LEVEL AND TO THE ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE THAT ARE THERE AS WELL.

THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD NEWS, NO QUESTION.

I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU GUYS AFTER SITTING HERE WHEN WE STARTED THIS THING, GOING THROUGH THIS IN 2020, I GUESS IT WAS, AND SITTING HERE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

I THINK MICKEY WILL RECOGNIZE THAT THIS HAS BEEN THE LARGEST CHANGE FOR THE BETTER THAT I'VE WITNESSED IN FOUR YEARS ON THE BOARD.

AND SO WE JUST I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE YOUR STAFF, OK?

[00:55:03]

THANK YOU, DR. BRADLEY. SAME THING, MR. FOWLER. THIS IS WONDERFUL, THIS IS CONCISE, IT IS ORGANIZED AND IT'S, I THINK, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE.

SO WE COMMEND YOU AND THE TEAM JUST JOB WELL DONE.

THIS IS LOVELY. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. FOWLER. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.

VERY GOOD, MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2021.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE? ALL RIGHT. WE NEXT COME TO THE SECTION OF THE AGENDA WHERE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS CAN SUBMIT ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION.

[Individual Board Members ]

AND I JUST CAUGHT IT. BUT BARRY MOULTON HAD ASKED THAT WE TALK ABOUT CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS. SO MR. MOULTON, IT'S ALL YOURS.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

THIS IS MORE JUST AN INFORMATION SESSION.

I'VE TALKED AND EXCHANGED EMAILS WITH MR. LAURENCE. I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE, AND I WANT TEACHERS THAT ARE WATCHING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE AREA OF TEACHER OBSERVATIONS.

I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS, BUT IT'S A PRETTY BURDENSOME PROGRAM THAT'S ADMINISTERED BY THE DISTRICT, TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO GO OUT AND DO OBSERVATIONS IN THE CLASSROOMS OF OUR TEACHERS AND TEACHERS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY FOND OF THIS TIME BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE IT TAKES AWAY FROM WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, AT LEAST FROM THE HANDFUL OF TEACHERS I'VE HEARD FROM.

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS WE LOVE IT, AND WE THINK IT'S THE BEST THING EVER. SO I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IF MR. LAURENCE AND THE STAFF CAN DO SO, WE SHOULD TRY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TEACHER OBSERVATIONS. AND THAT IS ONLY.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS, AND I AND I MENTIONED THIS TO HIM IN AN EMAIL.

THAT'S ONLY IN LIGHT OF ALL THE BURDENS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THEM AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC AND OTHER THINGS.

WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS AND WHAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND, MR. LAURENCE SHARED WITH ME THAT WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED OR HE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS BY THE PRINCIPALS FROM 100 TO 60 PER YEAR.

IS THAT ACCURATE? OK, SO THAT'S A BIG, HUGE STEP IN THIS AREA.

THE ONLY THING THAT I THOUGHT WE SHOULD DISCUSS AND MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE IS IF WE HAVE A CHANCE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE THIS TONIGHT, I'M NOT MAKING A MOTION.

BUT IF WE HAVE A CHANCE, I THINK WE SHOULD AS A BOARD AND AS A DISTRICT STAFF LOOK AT WAYS TO REDUCE IT FURTHER.

AND I SAID 50 PERCENT.

SO YOU'RE ALMOST THERE.

I MEAN, YOU WENT FROM 100 TO 60.

I WAS THINKING MORE 100 TO 50.

AND I'M NOT THE EXPERT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK THE STAFF HERE UNDERSTANDS FAR BETTER THAN I DO WHAT'S NEEDED.

I JUST AGAIN, I GET THE SENSE WHEN I GO IN MY SCHOOLS THAT THE TEACHERS WOULD LOVE ANY LIFTING OF BURDEN OFF OF THEM.

AND SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO REDUCE IT FURTHER, I'M ALL FOR IT.

IF THERE'S NOT, WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE RIGHT NUMBER, THEN THEN WE'RE FINE.

THE ONLY THING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT REDUCING AND MR. LAURENCE CAN RESPOND TO THIS IF HE NEEDS TO, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE EVER GOT A CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF TEACHER OBSERVATIONS WHEN WE SAY PRINCIPALS FROM 100 TO 60.

I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OTHER ADMIN OBSERVATIONS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST PRINCIPALS THAT DO OBSERVATIONS.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS ALSO DO THEM.

SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE REDUCING THAT NUMBER AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THAT'S ALL.

OK, ANYBODY WANT TO RESPOND? IF NOT.

I'D BE PER ANY POSITION THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT, ON SOME LEVEL, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING HOW FOLKS SPEND THEIR TIME RIGHT AND WHAT'S WHAT'S THE MOST VALUABLE USE OF THEIR TIME. AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP MR. MOULTON.

NOT HAVING DUG INTO IT, I WOULD JUST SAY HAVING LEADERSHIP IN IN THE CLASSROOM PERIODICALLY TO MAKE OBSERVATIONS IS A POWERFUL IMPROVEMENT TOOL OR SHOULD BE.

AND THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THEY DO.

SO I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, TO ME, IT'S A CRITICAL TASK THAT YOUR SCHOOL LEADERS ARE

[01:00:01]

NUESSLE, I AGREE, I THINK WHAT'S NOT GETTING RECOGNIZED IS FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM TWO PRINCIPALS, ONE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND ABOUT SIX TEACHERS IS THAT THE PRINCIPALS AND APS ARE IN THE CLASSROOM.

THEY, IT IS A CRITICAL THING.

THEY DON'T ALWAYS NEED TO DOCUMENT AN OBSERVATION BECAUSE THAT'S A MUCH MORE TIME INTENSIVE PROCESS THAT PUTS A LOT OF BURDEN ON THE PRINCIPAL WHEN THEY.

WE'RE ACTUALLY OUT DOING THEIR JOB ALREADY, AND THAT'S ALL.

I JUST THINK WE NEED TO WE NEED AS A GROUP TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PRINCIPLES AND APS OUT THERE DOING THEIR JOBS ALREADY WITHOUT DOCUMENTING A FORMAL OBSERVATION. THAT'S ALL.

ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT.

MR. LAURENCE. THANK YOU, MR.

[Office of Superintendent]

AND I THINK WHEN I SAID SIXTY, WE'RE TYPICALLY SOMEWHAT LOWER THAN THAT THE LAST QUARTER WITH STATEWIDE TESTING.

WHEN I SAID SIXTY, I'M LOOKING AT 15 PER QUARTER.

SO THE LAST QUARTER, PROBABLY FEW, IF ANY OBSERVATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE.

SO IT'S PROBABLY MORE LIKE 45 NOW.

SO THANK YOU.

DO WANT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I HAVE ONE ONE OFFICIAL THING THERE FOR A COVID UPDATE, BUT I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILY LOST TWO OF OUR MEMBERS IN RECENT DAYS.

TEACHER DANA FOSTER AND BUS DRIVER KING DAVID CURRY.

SO JUST ASKED THAT OUR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY KEEP THOSE FAMILIES IN YOUR PRAYERS AND IN YOUR THOUGHTS.

COVID 19, WE HAVE A SLIDE.

I THINK THAT MR. ROSIER IS GOING TO PUT UP THERE.

THAT IS QUITE ENCOURAGING.

HERE WE GO. SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS THAT BIG BLUE SPIKE STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY AND ENDING JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THAT WAS THE OMICRON SPIKE OF COVID 19. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS DEVASTATING COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS DELTA SPIKE BACK THERE IN AUGUST.

BUT WE ARE COMING OUT OF THAT.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I'VE GOT A FEW THINGS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK RECENTLY ABOUT TESTS TO STAY, AND I THINK THAT IN MY ABSENCE AT THE LAST MEETING, DR.

MURPHY GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A PREVIEW OF TEST TO STAY, WHICH SIMPLY MEANS THAT WE CAN USE NO NEGATIVE COVID TESTS TO ALLOW STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN CLOSE CONTACTS TO REMAIN IN SCHOOL. WE WERE SET TO IMPLEMENT THAT PROCESS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, BUT THIS AFTERNOON WE LEARNED OF A NEW DEVELOPMENT AS SOUTH CAROLINA DHEC ISSUED NEW GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS THAT PUTS THAT PLAN ON HOLD.

THE NEW GUIDANCE STATES THAT SCHOOLS MAY SUSPEND TEST TO STAY OR QUARANTINES BEGINNING ON MARCH 1ST IF THEY HAVE TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS, WITH FEWER THAN 10 PERCENT OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVING COVID 19.

NOW, AT THE MOMENT, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS MEET THAT CRITERIA, SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR CURRENT PRACTICE THROUGH MONDAY OF NEXT WEEK, FEBRUARY 28, AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DATA. BUT AS OF MARCH 1ST, ALL SCHOOLS MAINTAINING FEWER THAN 10 PERCENT OF STUDENTS AND STAFF WITH COVID 19 WILL NOT NEED TO CONTACT TRACE OR QUARANTINE BEGINNING ON THAT DATE.

ISOLATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COVID 19 WON'T CHANGE.

AND OF COURSE, IF A SCHOOL HAS TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS WITH 10 PERCENT OR MORE HAVING COVID 19, THAT SCHOOL WILL BE REQUIRED TO REINSTATE TESTS TO STAY OR QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS.

THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS.

WE TALK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL BURDENS THAT COVID 19 HAS PLACED ON ADMINISTRATION, ON NURSES, ON OFFICE STAFF.

THIS NEW GUIDANCE ELIMINATES THOSE BURDENS.

SO, SO THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS.

ALSO, AS OF MARCH 1ST, WE'RE GOING TO NO LONGER RESTRICT THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS OR VISITORS IN OUR SCHOOLS AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE POLICY REQUIREMENTS.

WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO

[01:05:04]

ALSO, FIELD TRIP AND ATHLETIC RESTRICTIONS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE DUE TO COVID 19 ARE ALSO GOING TO BE LIFTED. SO OF COURSE, WE SEE THE SPIKE THAT WE HAD RECENTLY.

ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT VARIANT OR SPIKE IN CASES WOULD CAUSE US TO REEVALUATE THAT.

BUT FOR NOW, WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN MOVING FORWARD WITH MORE NORMAL OPERATIONS.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE.

WE WILL, MR. SMITH.

MR. LAURENCE, I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION FOR HIM, BUT I WANT TO GET IT OUT BECAUSE I'M BEING CONTACTED BY SEVERAL FOSTER GRANDPARENTS.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THE PROGRAMS BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS.

YES SIR ANYTHING THAT FALLS WITHIN THE CURRENT POLICY WOULD BE ALLOWED.

AND SO FOSTER GRANDPARENTS, PARENT VOLUNTEERS IN CLASSROOMS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL WOULD NOW BE, I SAY, BACK TO NORMAL.

BUT WITHIN OUR POLICY BEFORE WE ADDED THE COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS, I'LL MAKE A LOT OF FOSTER GRANDPARENTS HAPPY, THANK YOU.

MR. CRANE. THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE. THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION I WAS TRYING TO TRYING TO TRACK ALL THAT.

CAN YOU JUST JUST CLARIFY? I WROTE THIS DOWN. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T WRITE THIS DOWN INCORRECTLY.

THAT WE'RE DHEC IS ESSENTIALLY PAUSING TESTS TO STAY AND QUARANTINES IF A SCHOOL IS TWO WEEKS WITH LESS THAN 10 PERCENT THAT.

YES, SIR, LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF COMBINED STUDENT AND STAFF.

OK, ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAD THAT RIGHT.

THANK YOU. OKAY, WE DO NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING.

WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO AN ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MADISON SUCH ORDERS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.

[Executive Session ]

FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN THE REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE THE MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? MOVE BY MS. SHEALEY, SECONDED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR OF GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

LET'S RECONVENE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES, IF WE CAN.

[Return to Open Session]

[01:39:59]

[01:40:07]

[01:40:08]

[01:40:11]

[01:40:12]

[01:40:17]

[01:40:21]

APPEAL OF AN EXPULSION RECOMMENDATION ON PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION BY THE PARENT OF A CHILD IN AREA ONE.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AS TO THE DISPOSITION OF THAT HEARING, MR. CRANE. MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT IN LIEU OF EXPULSION, THE STUDENT IN QUESTION BE REMANDED TO FINISH THE SCHOOL YEAR OUT AT THE CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING ON STRICT PROBATION.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR. [INAUDIBLE] ALL IN FAVOR OF PLACING THE STUDENT IN QUESTION INTO THE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR ON STRICT PROBATION, SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND. THAT'S ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN OPPOSED.

TWO.

MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVE. MOVE BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR.

[Adjourn]

ABSOLUTELY, EVERYBODY, WE STAND ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.