Feb 28, 2023 022823 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING (trimmed)

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MIC] HEY, Y'ALL. HEY, SIR. HOW'S IT GOIN?

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TIME TO GET STARTED.

SO.

WELL, OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I'M SORRY FOR BEING A MINUTE LATE.

WE'LL CALL THE FEBRUARY 28TH MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER.

WE START OUT EXCUSE ME.

WE START ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

SO THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING WAS PUBLISHED BOTH TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE.

I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY OBJECTIONS, ADDITIONS OR SUBTRACTIONS TO THE AGENDA AND HEARING NONE OF THOSE WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED.

WE DO HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO APPROVE TONIGHT, AND THAT'S THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 14TH, 2023.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? MOVED BY MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND.

SECOND BY MR. MOULTON? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 14TH.

WE HAVE SEVERAL SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS TONIGHT UNDER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

MS. ASHLEY MURPHY ASKED IN ADVANCE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ON CONSIDERING BANNING OF FOOD DYES.

IS MISS MURPHY IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THAT MICROPHONE, MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING, RESPECTED BOARD MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS ASHLEY MURPHY, AS YOU KNOW.

I'M AN HERBALIST AND OWNER OF TWO NORTH AUGUSTA BUSINESSES.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, TODAY, I AM A PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN, TWO YOUNG ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHO ATTEND HAMMOND HILL AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOLER WHO ATTENDS, PAUL KNOX.

I AM HERE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE DANGERS OF ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES AND TO PLEAD WITH YOU ALL TO CONSIDER BANNING THEM ON OUR SCHOOL CAMPUSES.

WHILE THIS ISSUE IS PERSONAL TO ME IN MY LINE OF WORK, THIS PROBLEM IS ALSO FREQUENTLY PRESENTED IN MY CLIENTS, AND I HAVE PRAYERFULLY DECIDED IT IS TIME TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

SINCE THE 1950S, MULTIPLE TYPES OF ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES HAVE BEEN BANNED BY THE FDA.

ORANGE NUMBER ONE WAS BANNED AFTER INVESTIGATIONS SHOWED ILLNESS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS, AND RED NUMBER TWO WAS TESTED AND CONFIRMED TO HAVE CANCER CAUSING PROPERTIES, INCLUDING INTESTINAL TUMORS.

ONLY SEVEN FOOD DYES REMAIN LEGAL, AND OF THESE, MANY ARE INDEED CARCINOGENIC AND MOST HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR CHILDREN.

WE MUST PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF FOOD DYES.

ACCORDING TO THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEBSITE, YOUR BELIEFS INCLUDE THAT SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENTS ARE PARAMOUNT FOR SUCCESS AND THAT ACCESS TO EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT FOR ALL.

UNFORTUNATELY, WITH EXPOSURE TO ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES, OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT SAFE AND CERTAINLY ARE NOT GIVEN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS.

STUDENTS WHO HAVE NO EXISTING BEHAVIORAL DIAGNOSES SHOW MAJOR SYMPTOMS OF LEARNING AND ATTENTION DISORDERS AFTER CONSUMING DYES.

AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, CHILDREN WHO DO HAVE A CURRENT DIAGNOSIS EXPERIENCE AN EXACERBATION OF THEIR SYMPTOMS AFTER CONSUMING FOOD WITH FOOD DYES.

IN 2008, THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST FILED A PETITION AGAINST THE US FDA TO BAN THE USE OF FOOD DYES AND AT LEAST REQUIRE A WARNING ON FOODS THAT NOTIFIES THE CONSUMER OF THE IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR.

THE PETITION DOCUMENTED NEARLY 100 DIFFERENT SOURCES SHOWING THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ARTIFICIAL DYES ON CHILDREN AND CONCLUDED THAT IT IS, QUOTE, MEDICALLY AND ETHICALLY

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RESEARCHERS AND PHYSICIANS BOTH AGREE THAT THERE IS A STRONG ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DYES AND HYPERACTIVITY AND OTHER BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.

FOR EVERY STUDY DONE ON THE DANGERS OF FOOD DYES, THERE ARE A DOZEN ANECDOTAL STORIES.

I HAVE DETAILED SOME OF THOSE STORIES FROM LOCAL MOTHERS, AND WE EVEN HAVE A MOTHER HERE TONIGHT.

AND I HAVE THOSE DETAILED STORIES IN A SEPARATE DOCUMENT FOR YOUR BOARD MEMBERS.

HIGHLIGHTED COMPLAINTS INCLUDE, QUOTE, NO IMPULSE CONTROL, EXTREME HYPERACTIVITY AND EASILY ANGERED.

ANOTHER MOTHER WROTE THAT HER CHILD EXPERIENCES UNCONTROLLED EMOTIONS, TANTRUMS AND DOES NOT SLEEP WELL.

ANOTHER MOTHER WROTE ABOUT AGGRESSION AND IMPULSIVITY ON HER YOUNG CHILD, AND ANOTHER MOTHER WROTE ABOUT OUTBURSTS AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.

WE MUST PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

WHILE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL WHAT EVERY CHILD BRINGS IN THEIR OWN LUNCH BAGS, THERE IS A VERY BIG AND PROBLEMATIC PRESENCE OF ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES IN THE CANDIES, COOKIES AND TREATS GIVEN TO OUR CHILDREN BY STAFF AND TEACHERS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THIS MUST STOP IF WE ARE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND GIVE THEM THEIR BEST CHANCE AT SUCCEEDING IN SCHOOL.

YOU MAY ASK, HOW CAN WE PRACTICALLY EMPLOY A POLICY THAT BANS AN INGREDIENT FOUND IN 90% OF SNACKS? MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO SEND A FORM HOME AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SCHOOL YEAR NOTIFYING PARENTS OF THE DANGERS OF FOOD DYES AND INFORMING THEM THAT SNACKS WITH THESE INGREDIENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED AT SCHOOL.

ALSO, PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES OF WHERE TO BUY DYE FREE SNACKS WOULD BEHOOVE US ALL.

IT WILL TAKE SOME WORK, BUT I KNOW PLEASE KNOW THAT I AM HAPPY TO SPEARHEAD THIS EFFORT ON BEHALF OF AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I WANT TO PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND STAFF SO THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY.

MY OWN PERSONAL CHILD SUFFERS GREATLY WHEN HE HAS INGESTED FOOD DYES.

WITHIN HOURS OF CONSUMING THEM, HE BECOMES EMOTIONALLY EXPLOSIVE, HYPERACTIVE, BELLIGERENT HAS DIFFICULTY FOCUSING, AND HE STRUGGLES WITH SLEEP.

MANY NIGHTS I HAVE WATCHED MY FIVE YEAR OLD, WHO USUALLY LOVES SLEEP JUST AS MUCH AS HIS MAMA, TOSS AND TURN ALL NIGHT BECAUSE HE JUST CAN'T SLEEP.

BUT HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

AND I KNOW WHY EVERY SINGLE TIME.

WE MUST PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

BASED ON THE SCIENTIFIC AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE I HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO BAN ARTIFICIAL FOOD DYES FROM OUR SCHOOL CAMPUSES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU, MS. MURPHY.

I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION APPEAR BEFORE THE MEETING.

LET'S SEE. WE DO HAVE TIME NOW.

THIS IS A PUBLIC INPUT ON WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS TONIGHT, BUT WE HAVE SCHEDULED TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT, WHETHER YOU SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE OR NOT.

DISCUSSING THE HIGHLAND SPRINGS ZONING OPTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, WE'VE DISCUSSED IT A COUPLE, AT LEAST 1 OR 2 MEETINGS.

WE'VE HAD TWO TOWN HALLS, SURVEYS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT.

AND THE FINAL DECISION ON THAT WILL BE MADE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING A WEEK FROM TODAY.

AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE HIGHLAND SPRINGS ZONING OPTIONS, YOU ARE WELCOME TO ONE AT A TIME TO COME TO THE MIC.

OKAY. AFTER THAT SHORT PAUSE, I'LL TAKE THAT AS NO ONE NO ONE HERE WANTS TO DO THAT.

WE DO HAVE ONE AREA OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION WITH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION PARTNERS IN MR. LAURENCE DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE IT? CERTAINLY. I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE BOARD.

LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE BOARD FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION PARTNERS HERE.

SO, MARY GLENN, IF YOU'LL INTRODUCE THEM.

THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN NUESSLE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD AND MR. LAURENCE, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU PUBLIC EDUCATION PARTNERS.

MANY OF THEIR BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT, AND WE DO HAVE THEIR NEWLY ELECTED BOARD CHAIR, MRS. NANCY MARKS, WHO IS GOING TO SHARE SOME EXCITING NEWS ABOUT WHAT PEP IS DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SPECIFICALLY TONIGHT, SHE'S GOING TO SPEAK ON SOME TEACHER INNOVATION CLASSROOM GRANTS THAT ARE NEWLY AWARDED.

SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MRS. MARKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S NOT OFTEN I GET TO CARRY AROUND A REALLY BIG CHECK.

I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE TEACHERS THAT RECEIVED THE GRANTS THIS SEMESTER.

AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE DO IT TWICE, A SCHOOL YEAR IN THE FALL, AND THEN AGAIN IN THE SPRING TO ALLOW TEACHERS ENOUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO

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WE HAVE SEVEN TEACHERS TRINA STIDEM FROM LBC MIDDLE SCHOOL, DANIELLE ALTRINGER FROM SOUTH AIKEN HIGH, PATRICIA SAXON FROM NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE.

COREY LENNON FROM MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH.

JULIA CAROLINE RISH MCELWEE FROM AIKEN HIGH.

AMANDA WAYMER FROM AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY, CARRIE LUCAS FROM WARRENVILLE ELEMENTARY AND MICHALENE LANGFORD FROM WARRENVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO THE TOTAL MONIES ADD UP TO $3,843.72.

AND WE ESTIMATE THAT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN STUDENTS IMPACTED IS APPROXIMATELY 500.

SO IT'S A REALLY EXCITING PROGRAM AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT TEACHERS IN THIS WAY TO FINANCE PROGRAMS THAT THEY WOULDN'T ORDINARILY BE ABLE TO GET.

SO WITH THAT, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND WHOEVER'S GOING TO RECEIVE THIS CHECK.

ALL RIGHT. RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OH, ONE MORE.

COME ON BACK. ONE, TWO, THREE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YES, I DID.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

AND YOU ALL, OF COURSE, ARE WELCOME TO STAY WITH US.

WE KNOW YOU HAVE AN EARLY MORNING WITH THE GARCIA ORCHESTRA PROJECT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.

THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU.

AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU.

YEAH, I DID.

SO AS OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN I HAVE TWO REMINDERS.

ONE I'VE ALREADY MADE. BUT JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING A WEEK FROM TODAY, 6:00 WITH THE PRIMARY THE AGENDA ITEM OF DECIDING ON THE ZONING FOR HIGHLAND SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IN ADDITION AND I JUST BRING THIS UP BECAUSE I ALMOST MISSED IT A FEW MEETINGS AGO OR WE ALL GOT A CARD INVITATION TO THE STARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION BANQUET TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO PLEASE RSVP TO THAT.

AND I THINK KIM SAID SHE'D SEND OUT A REMINDER ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, KIM. THAT BRINGS US INTO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. OUR FIRST INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PREPARED A LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, BOTH CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO APPROVE.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.

SO MOVED. MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY DR.

HANKS? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS OUTLINED IN THE ATTACHMENT.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I WILL ABSTAIN.

OKAY. CHAIRMAN. MR. CHAIRMAN.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO THAT WAS ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX.

IN FAVOR, ONE ABSTENTION.

THE MOTION CARRIES TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS OUTLINED IN THE ATTACHMENT.

OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM HAS TO DEAL WITH.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE LEGISLATION THAT'S PASSED S946 THAT WILL THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR REQUIRING 30 MINUTES OF UNENCUMBERED FREE OF DUTY TIME IN THIS PRIMARILY FOR ALL SCHOOLS.

BUT THE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE IS THAT THAT'S HARD TO DO IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND IN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WHICH SOMEONE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS ON, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SETTING ASIDE PUTTING FUNDS TO HIRING AIDES TO ENABLE THAT 30 MINUTES OF UNENCUMBERED TIME IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL FOR STAFFING THE UNENCUMBERED TIME WITH AIDES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS?

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THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES TO PASS THAT PROPOSAL.

THE LAST INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

I ASSUME WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS.

SO AT THE LAST REGULAR MEETING THAT WE HAD, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE KNIVES PORTION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT, WEAPONS SLASH KNIVES, AND PRETTY GOOD DISCUSSION AROUND THE CONSEQUENCES AND HOW YOU BASICALLY TAKE A GRADED APPROACH TO IT OR NOT.

THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PREPARED A PROPOSAL BASED ON OUR FEEDBACK THAT I THINK IS PRETTY REFLECTIVE OF THE GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT WAS HEARD IN THAT MEETING. AND WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND DR. MURPHY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU JUST YOU'RE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WANT TO REVIEW IT FOR US.

BASICALLY, YOU'VE SUMMARIZED IT VERY CLEARLY FOR ME.

BOTTOM LINE, THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF THE FEEDBACK YOU ALL PROVIDED US LAST WEEK.

AND IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL STAND BY TO ANSWER THOSE.

OKAY. SO LET'S START OFF WITH A MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL TO THE CHANGE OF CONDUCT ON FIRST READING PERTAINING TO THE KNIVES SECTION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT.

SO MOVED. MOVED BY MR. MOULTON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON. DISCUSSION.

MR. SILAS.

YES, SIR.

MUCH MORE SIMPLIFIED.

I AGREE AND APPRECIATE.

I THINK IT IT DID REFLECT MOST OF OUR DISCUSSION.

SO I JUST HAVE A QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE RATIONALE IN EVEN DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN BLADE LENGTH AND JUST SAYING A KNIFE IS A KNIFE BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE THE SELF REPORT AS A, YOU KNOW, AS AN OPTION.

SO YEAH. THANK YOU, SIR.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

THE STATE REQUIRES US TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE BLADE LENGTH FOR OUR IT'S CALLED THE PERSISTENTLY DANGEROUS SCHOOL REPORT.

AND SO IF WE DIDN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE BLADE LENGTHS, THEN EVERY SINGLE KNIFE WOULD BE TARGETED FOR THAT REPORT.

AND THAT WOULD BE MISLEADING TO THE PUBLIC IF WE WERE PUTTING THE LESS THAN TWO INCH KNIVES ON THAT REPORT AS WELL.

SO IT'S BASED ON STATE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

YEAH. SO TO SUMMARIZE THE CONSEQUENCES ARE BEING CONSOLIDATED, BUT WE MAINTAIN EACH OF THE CODES.

SO FOR ACCURATE REPORTING, YES, SIR.

THERE'S NO DIFFERENTIATION IN FOR OUR PURPOSES ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE STUDENT, THE CONSEQUENCES.

BUT WHEN WE REPORT THE BLADES UP TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THIS IS HOW THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEM CATEGORIZED.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

MR. SMITH. NO.

NO, NO. OKAY. OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU RAISED YOUR HAND.

SO PAUSING FOR.

DR. HANKS, GO AHEAD. I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED, WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN AND ARE WE GOING TO MAKE AN EFFORT SO THAT PARENTS KNOW AND THE STUDENTS THAT THERE'S BEEN AN UPGRADE TO THIS CODE CONCERNING KNIVES AS A WEAPON? WELL, THE FIRST PART IS THAT THIS IS FIRST READING.

SO AFTER WE HAVE SECOND READING, ASSUMING IT GOES IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION, WHAT'S THE ANSWER? MR. LAURENCE.

AT THAT POINT, WE'LL LET PARENTS KNOW ANY, ANY POLICY CHANGE THAT HAS POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FAMILIES.

WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THEM AS THEY GO INTO EFFECT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE WE GOT ADVERTISED AS SOON AS IT'S AN APPROVED ON SECOND READING.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS.

HEARING NONE.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WE'VE HAD OUR DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF REVISING THE WEAPON KNIVES SECTION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT AS OUTLINED IN THIS ATTACHMENT ON FIRST READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL OPPOSE. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THE MOTION CARRIES ON FIRST READING AND THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT ONE.

ALL RIGHT. THAT IS ALL OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS FOR TONIGHT.

WHICH BRINGS US TO THE CONSENT ITEMS WHICH WE WILL VOTE ON AS A GROUP, BUT CAN DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE WE TAKE THAT VOTE.

THE FIRST CONSENT ITEM IS RATIFYING EXPULSIONS.

SO THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A LIST OF EXPULSIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN APPEALED AND THE BOARD MUST RATIFY THOSE.

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WE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT.

IN ADDITION, THERE IS A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS, PEOPLE TRANSFERRING OUT OF THE DISTRICT AND THEN A LIST OF TRANSFER REQUESTS TRANSFERRING INTO THE DISTRICT FROM OTHER AREAS EXCUSE ME, FOR BOTH THIS YEAR.

AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER LIST OF TRANSFER REQUESTS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR FOR PEOPLE TRANSFERRING INTO THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM OTHER AREAS.

AND THEN THE FIFTH ITEM IS A REQUEST TO ADMIT FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS.

AND WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THAT.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS? SO MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. SMITH ANY DISCUSSION ON THESE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES TO PASS THE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS. THAT BRINGS US TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. AND WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH THE BEST ONE FIRST.

WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON HIGHLAND SPRINGS MIDDLE ZONING OPTIONS.

THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

LIKE AT THIS POINT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT WENT OUT OR WAS AVAILABLE PROBABLY DURING AND AFTER THE TOWN HALLS WE HAD THAT PEOPLE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL OUT.

THERE WAS THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS SOME POPULATION STUDY INFORMATION.

AT THIS POINT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.

MURPHY AND OUR GUEST.

GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN.

AS HE JUST MENTIONED, WE'RE CLOSING IN ON A FINAL SCENARIO SELECTION THAT YOU ALL WILL BE MAKING AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

AND TONIGHT, WE HAVE WITH US ONCE AGAIN DR.

LANCE RICHARDS FROM MGT CONSULTING, AND HE'S GOING TO PRESENT A LITTLE BIT OF THE SURVEY DATA THAT WE GATHERED, NOT ONLY AT THE TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS, BUT ALSO WITH OUR INTERNET SURVEY THAT HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

SO. DR. RICHARDS.

[INAUDIBLE] YOU CAN MOVE AROUND.

YOU GOT A LASER ON THAT? I TEND TO DRIFT, SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO STAY IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT THIS EVENING AND JOIN YOU.

WE HAD TWO COMMUNITY EVENTS ON FEBRUARY 8TH AND FEBRUARY 9TH, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THOSE AS WE GO THROUGH HERE.

WE ALWAYS HAVE THIS INTRODUCTION SLIDE, BUT REALLY, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

WE HAD A VERY NICE EVENT FOR BOTH OF OUR TOWN MEETINGS.

THEY WERE WELL ATTENDED.

IT WAS A GOOD SOME GREAT QUESTIONS OUT OF THE AUDIENCE, GREAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

AND IT WAS JUST A VERY ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.

AND MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE PRESENT AT BOTH OF THE MEETINGS.

AND SO FROM THE OUT-OF-TOWNER WHO HAD TO COME IN AND KIND OF PARTICIPATE IN THIS, IT WAS IT WAS JUST A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE.

AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SEEN IN YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY HAS JUST IMPRESSED ME AS WE'VE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KATE OLIN AND TO DR.

MURPHY AS WE WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH THIS SURVEY AND MADE OUR WAY THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND MS. OLIN, ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST FEW DAYS.

SO JUST I'M GOING TO DO A BRIEF OVERVIEW.

WE'VE KIND OF WENT THROUGH THIS IN OUR MEETING THREE WEEKS AGO AND WE WENT THROUGH THOSE IN THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO YOU ONLINE.

BUT WE DID HAVE ORIGINALLY SIX SCENARIOS, AND THREE WEEKS AGO IN SESSIONS IT WAS DECIDED THAT SCENARIOS THREE AND FOUR WOULD BE REMOVED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AND PRIMARILY DEALING WITH THE TRAVEL TIME, PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS, THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF STUDENTS, ALL OF THOSE WERE USED IN KIND OF BRINGING THESE FORWARD, THESE FOUR CHOICES FORWARD.

AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL SCENARIOS WITH THE MAPS AS WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.

SO IN SCENARIO ONE, THIS OPTION SPLIT AND IMPACTS BOTH AREAS TWO AND THREE AND ANY STUDENT BEING MOVED OUT OF THEIR CURRENT SCHOOL IS ONLY MOVING TO THE NEW HIGHLAND SPRINGS BUT ALSO IN THIS OPTION THOUGH, YOU'LL NOTE THAT IT KEEPS NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE SCHOOL NONCONTIGUOUS OR NOT CONNECTED IN SCENARIO ONE.

IN SCENARIO TWO IT AGAIN ONLY STUDENTS BEING IMPACTED GO TO TO THE NEW HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

HOWEVER, THIS ONLY IMPACTS SCENARIO IN SCENARIO TWO ONLY IMPACTS THOSE STUDENTS IN AREA TWO.

AND SO YOU SEE THE AREA THREE DISTRICTS REMAIN THE SAME.

AND WHAT YOU FIND IS STILL THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, NORTH, NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE IS STILL SPLIT, AS WITH THE CREATION OF THE NEW HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

IN SCENARIO FIVE.

THIS ONE DOES IMPACT BOTH AREAS TWO AND THREE.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THERE.

AND SO IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, WE CAN COME BACK.

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AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT BALANCES THE DIFFERING BOUNDARY AREAS AND IT MAKES NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE A CONTIGUOUS OR BRINGS THOSE TOGETHER IN A SELF CONTAINED BOUNDARY.

ALL RIGHT. SO IN IN TERMS OF PARTICIPANTS NOW, I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE SADDENED BY THESE LOWER NUMBERS AT THE TOWN HALLS, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 100 AT OUR FIRST TOWN HALL MEETING.

SO THESE NUMBERS ARE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THOSE WHO CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLL THAT EVENING.

PLUS, WE ANNOUNCED LOUD AND EARLY THAT IF YOU DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THAT EVENING, THE SAME SURVEY WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO THEM ONLINE.

SO I KNOW SEVERAL FOLKS WERE GOING TO HOLD OFF, KIND OF SEE WHAT WE WERE GOING TO ASK FIRST AND THEN BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK LATER.

AND SO WE HAD ABOUT 100 OR SO AT THE FIRST TOWN HALL AND THEN ABOUT 85 AT THE SECOND TOWN HALL OVER AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH.

AND THEN 309 PARTICIPANTS THUS FAR FROM THE SURVEY ON AT THE PORTAL AVAILABLE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.

AS WE LOOK THROUGH THE DISTRICT RELATIONSHIPS WE FOUND, AS WOULD BE EXPECTED, 289 OF THOSE ARE PARENT AND GUARDIANS.

AND THEN YOU HAD ABOUT 100 FOLKS FROM THE EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT THAT PARTICIPATED.

BUT THEY COULD ALSO BE BOTH.

SO IT'S NOT AS IF YOU HAD TO BE ONE OR THE OTHER IN THESE SITUATIONS.

SO JUST KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE DISTRICT AS THEY FILLED OUT THIS SURVEY.

BOUNDARY CONSIDERATIONS.

NOW, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE KIND OF ASK THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE THAT WERE PRESENT AND THOSE ONLINE, WHAT WERE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE BOUNDARY STUDY AND WHAT WERE THE THINGS THAT THEY FELT WERE MOST THE BENCHMARKS THAT WERE MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM IN TERMS OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS? SO MAINTAINING THE CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONE OBVIOUSLY WAS THE FIRST CHOICE THERE.

BUT I THOUGHT THE OTHER CHOICES WERE VERY WELL THOUGHT AND WELL REASONED.

STUDENT NUMBERS AT EACH SCHOOL SHOULD BE EQUAL.

IMPACTED STUDENTS SHOULD ONLY HAVE TO TRANSFER THEM TO THE NEW SCHOOL.

BOUNDARIES THAT HAVE THE MOST CONTIGUOUS ATTENDANCE ZONES.

THOSE TWO MIGHT KIND OF BUMP UP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, PUPILS IN POVERTY, ATTENDANCE, BOUNDARIES AND THEN STUDENTS FROM ALL ATTENDANCE ZONES SHOULD BE IMPACTED EQUALLY.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF WE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO BREAK DOWN THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR YOU.

I KNOW THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS SLIDE, BUT IN THE FIRST CHOICE OF THE ENTIRE SURVEY UP TO THIS POINT, FIRST CHOICE, OPTION ONE WAS THE FIRST CHOICE, A CLEAR FIRST CHOICE AT 40%, FOLLOWED BY OPTION SIX, OPTION FIVE AND OPTION TWO.

BUT AS WE MOVE AS WE LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AND WE KIND OF BUST OUT THE NUMBERS A LITTLE DEEPER, WHAT YOU FIND IS IS STILL OPTION ONE HERE WHEN YOU KIND OF SEE THAT IT WAS THE OPTION, ONE WAS THE FIRST CHOICE.

BUT FOR 24 OF THE PERCENT OF THE FOLKS, IT WAS THEIR SECOND CHOICE.

OKAY. SO THAT'S HOW THESE NUMBERS WORK OUT.

SO OPTION SIX CAME IN AS THE FIRST CHOICE FOR 25%, OPTION FIVE AT 20, AND THEN OPTION TWO.

AND WE'VE SEEN THROUGH THE DATA THAT OPTION TWO WAS THE LEAST POPULAR CHOICE OF THOSE THAT WERE PRESENTED AND BROUGHT FORTH.

BUT INTERESTINGLY, I THINK IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT WHILE THIS IS 64.3, YOU'RE AT ABOUT 46 HERE, YOU'RE AT ABOUT 47 THERE.

SO YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT LOOK.

CLEARLY, OPTION ONE IS A LITTLE BIT AHEAD, BUT THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS ARE KIND OF NECK AND NECK.

WHEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE OR SOMEWHAT AGREE.

OF INTEREST, I THINK YOU'LL FIND IS THAT AREA TWO'S FIRST CHOICE WAS OPTION ONE WITH OPTION 6 AT 31.1.

AND WE'LL REVISIT THE OPTIONS.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS HERE.

WE'LL REVISIT THE OPTIONS HERE AT THE END, BUT THEN OPTION TWO AND OPTION FIVE.

SO THIS IS AREA TWO AND 270 PARTICIPANTS HAVE COME OUT OF AREA TWO IN TERMS OF THE SURVEY.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE THAT WERE DESIGNATED AREA 3 43.1 OF THOSE SHOWS, OPTION 5, BUT OPTION ONE WAS THEIR SECOND CHOICE AS WELL AT 34.7.

AND I THINK OF NOTE.

OH, SORRY. OF NOTE IN THESE NUMBERS ALSO IS THE FACT THAT THAT AREA 3 COULD HAVE VOTED, HEY, LEAVE US ALONE.

YOU KNOW. AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS HAVE WEIGHED IN ON WANTING TO BE A PART OF THE BOUNDARY REDISTRICTING.

SO AGAIN, HIGHLAND SPRINGS SCENARIOS, THE ONE THAT CAME OUT AHEAD IN THIS POLLING SITUATION WAS SCENARIO ONE THAT IMPACTS BOTH AREAS TWO AND THREE. OF NOTE IN THIS ONE THOUGH, IS, IS IF THEY GET MOVED, THE STUDENTS ONLY GO TO THE NEW SCHOOL.

[00:35:07]

THE ONE THING THAT IS OF NOTE AGAIN IN THIS MAP IS THAT IT KEEPS YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL NONCONTIGUOUS.

AS WE LOOK AT THESE.

AND THEN I WENT AHEAD AND INCLUDED JUST FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION, JUST KIND OF THE MORE THE DATA THAT WE PRESENTED IN OUR FIRST SESSIONS.

AND OF NOTE, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS, THESE ARE ENROLLMENT PER ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES.

SO THESE ARE THE STUDENTS HOME RESIDENCE IS WITHIN THAT GIVEN BOUNDARY FOR THAT SCHOOL.

SO AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, AS YOU COME DOWN, THE SCHOOLS ARE AT ABOUT A TOTAL OF 474, 499, 500, 475, 32.

SO IN THAT PLUS OR -500, YOUR PUPILS AND POVERTY INDEX DOESN'T CHANGE DRAMATICALLY FOR LANGLEY, BATH, CLEARWATER OR LEAVELLE MCCAMPBELL, BUT IS BROUGHT DOWN VERY SIMILARLY 55, 54, 51, 53 AND YOUR NEW.

I'M SORRY. YOUR NEW HIGHLAND SPRINGS COMES IN AT 60% IN PUPILS AND POVERTY.

SO ALL IN ALL, AS A PERSON WHO KIND OF WORKS IN THIS AREA, I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE TOWN HALLS.

I REALLY ENJOYED THE GIVE AND TAKE.

I FELT LIKE WE HAD A STRONG TURNOUT.

YOUR POLLING THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE TO YOU ON YOUR WEBSITE, IT'S BEEN FAIRLY STRONG FOR INITIATIVES SUCH AS THIS.

AND I KNOW THAT AS ELECTED LEADERS WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, YOU'VE ALSO HAD YOUR OWN CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT YOUR DISTRICT.

AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I CAN HELP YOU WITH AT THIS POINT? GO AHEAD, MR. SMITH. TWO THINGS YOU MAY HAVE COVERED, BUT I COULDN'T SEE THAT STUFF UP THERE TO SEE IT.

HOW MANY TOTAL IN SCENARIO ONE TOTAL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE WE TALKING? ALL SCHOOLS INVOLVED? IT'S ABOUT 2,500.

YEAH, YOU HAVE A LITTLE OVER 2500 STUDENTS IN TOTAL IN YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS PRESENTLY 1200 IN AREA TWO AND ABOUT 1300 IN AREA THREE.

AND HOW MANY RESPONSES WERE THEY TO THIS SURVEY? A LITTLE OVER 300.

A LITTLE OVER 300.

SO THAT MEANS 2200 PEOPLE DOESN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S FIXING TO HAPPEN.

AND THAT ONE POINT PLAYS A LOT FOR ME.

SURE. BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED WITH ALL THE DISRUPTION THAT'S GOING TO BE CAUSED IN THOSE 22 OTHER HOMES THAT MAY NOT KNOW THIS IS COMING.

AND THAT'S MY CONCERN, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE HARDSHIPS EITHER WAY.

SURE. THE MORE STUDENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED, THE MORE HARDSHIPS WE ARE CREATING.

YOU'RE GOING TO IMPACT PLUS OR -500 STUDENTS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IN THIS SCENARIO, YOU HAVE 532.

THIS ONLY MOVES TO THE NEW SCHOOL.

SO, OKAY.

THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU.

MAYBE I'M CONFUSED AND I CAN GET CONFUSED VERY EASILY.

OH, SO CAN I. SO LET'S TALK THROUGH THIS.

OKAY. I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE TOTAL IN AREA ONE AND AREA TWO.

AREA TWO AND THREE.

EXCUSE ME. AREA TWO AND THREE.

RIGHT AT 2500.

OKAY. SO THERE'S 2500 STUDENTS, RIGHT.

COULD POSSIBLY BE INVOLVED IN ONE OF THE SCENARIOS? NO, SIR. IN THIS SCENARIO, ONLY 532 STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED IN THAT SHIFT BECAUSE THESE ALL.

YOU'RE MISSING, I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF I'M PRESENTING WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

NO, YOU'RE RIGHT, DWIGHT. I DON'T THINK I'M.

ONE OF US IS MISSING SOMETHING.

I'M SURE IT'S ME. IT'S PROBABLY ME, AND I'LL TAKE FULL BUT MY POINT IS, IF WE GO TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO INVOLVE BOTH AREAS, YES, WE'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTING 2300 FAMILIES IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SURE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

YES, SIR. BUT WE'VE ONLY HAD 350 RESPONSES.

SO GOING BACK TO SAY MY STATEMENT AGAIN, 2200 OR 2100 OR 22,000, DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND DON'T KNOW THAT MAYBE THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS.

AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE HARDSHIPS.

THE MORE STUDENTS WE INVOLVE, THE MORE HARDSHIPS WE'RE GOING TO CREATE ON FAMILIES.

[00:40:03]

NOT TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE ABOUT THE POINT, BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANT TO POINT OUT, THAT THERE'S A BIG DISCREPANCY ON WHAT 350 PEOPLE WANT VERSUS 23.

OH, I THINK THAT'S A VERY, VERY VALID POINT.

THAT'S WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GO WITH THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS LONGER THAN MOST PEOPLE AROUND AND I'VE SEEN A LOT.

AND IT'S OUR JOB NOT TO STRESS OUR COMMUNITY'S ANY MORE THAN WE POSSIBLY CAN.

BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT MAY DO THAT.

SURE. RIGHT NOW I'M HAVING TO WEIGH ARE WE AT THE POINT TO WHERE WE HAVE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL? BECAUSE I THINK ONCE THAT HITS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DISAPPOINTED PARENTS.

MAY NOT BE, FOR WHATEVER REASONS, I CAN'T GET HERE, I CAN'T GET THERE.

YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TO REARRANGE THIS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF IT.

AND I'M CONCERNED WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WE'RE GOING TO DISRUPT IF WE AREN'T CAREFUL.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. THANK YOU. YOU MIND IF I GO FIRST, MR. SILAS? PLEASE DO. YOU'RE THE CHAIR.

SO IN THIS SCENARIO, JUST ONE THING.

I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.

SO YOU'RE RIGHT.

BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO, THAT DOES INVOLVE AREA TWO AND AREA THREE, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT IT DRAWS FROM AREA TWO AND AREA THREE.

THIS IS THE STATUS QUO SCENARIO THAT INVOLVES BOTH.

YES, SIR. SO FOR YOU GOT 532 STUDENTS ON THAT SCREEN.

THEY'RE COMING FROM ONE OF FOUR SCHOOLS TO GO TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

BUT THE OTHER 2000 STUDENTS ARE UNAFFECTED.

AND IF WE, FOR INSTANCE, IF WE DID SCENARIO TWO, WHICH IS EVERYONE ONLY IF YOU GET PULLED, YOU ONLY GET PULLED TO THE NEW SCHOOL, BUT IT'S ONLY AREA TWO.

YOU'RE STILL PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE 400 STUDENTS OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT.

YES, SIR. THEY GET PULLED FROM PAUL KNOX OR NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE TO GO TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

AND THEY'RE BOTH TO ME, THEY'RE BOTH KIND OF STATUS QUO SCENARIOS, SORT OF.

THEY'RE DIFFERENT. YES.

SO THAT'S INTERESTING.

THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU, IT'S NOT IN YOUR SLIDES, BUT IT WAS INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED FROM THE ANALYSIS YOU ALL DID.

SO I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND.

I'M NOT, DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M BLINDSIDING YOU BECAUSE IT'S INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED.

SO THE POPULATION STUDY THAT YOUR COMPANY DID.

YES. THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY.

RIGHT. AND IT CAME BACK AND BASICALLY SAID THAT IN THE NEXT WHATEVER YEARS I THINK IT WAS TEN, TEN YEARS, WE EXPECT NO GROWTH AT ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS IN OUR COUNTY. THAT'S NOT I WOULDN'T SAY YOU EXPECT NO GROWTH IN ANY SCHOOLS FOR YOUR COUNTY.

I WOULD SAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SELECTIVE GROWTH AT SOME SCHOOLS IN YOUR COUNTY.

OKAY. THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAW.

WELL, OKAY.

YES. SO I GUESS THIS IS DEPENDING ON YOUR ANSWER.

IT'S KIND OF A PICK YOUR QUESTION YOU WANT TO ANSWER.

SO IF THERE IS SELECTIVE GROWTH, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU ALL SAW THE SELECTIVE GROWTH AND IF ESSENTIALLY THERE'S NEXT TO NO GROWTH IN ANY PART OF OUR SCHOOLS, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT ELEPHANT OUT ON THE TABLE BECAUSE WE AND JUST I CAN THINK THROUGH IT MYSELF, BUT LIKE, I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT BEFORE NEXT WEEK ABOUT WE SEE ALL THESE HOUSES GOING UP.

SURE. HOUSES GOING UP ON [INAUDIBLE] ACADEMY ROAD.

HOW'S THIS GOING UP OVER IN NORTH AUGUSTA, YOU KNOW, AND STUFF, AND JUST TALK THROUGH THE METHODOLOGY AND THE DATA THAT YOU SAW THAT AND THE HISTORICAL TRENDS THAT LED YOU TO SAY THAT WHAT I SAW AND WHAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE REPORT, VERY LITTLE OR NO GROWTH ANYWHERE COLLECTIVELY.

YES, THERE ARE YOU HAVE CERTAIN SCHOOLS THAT ARE FORECAST TO PERHAPS HOLD THEIR OWN A LITTLE BETTER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER OUTLYING SCHOOLS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR DISTRICT.

BY AND LARGE, WE USE A RESOURCE CALLED LIGHT CAST.

AND SO THAT COLLECTS CENSUS DATA AND ALL KINDS OF JUST DATA POINTS FOR YOUR FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, YOUR ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO WHERE YOU MAY HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO KIND OF HOLD YOUR OWN IN TERMS OF CERTAIN POPULATIONS AND OF CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL COME ONLINE, YOU HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH POPULATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

NOW, HAVING SAID ALL THAT, IF SOME OF THESE HOMES WERE TO COME ONLINE, IF SOME OF YOU GET SOME MORE FOOTERS IN THE GROUND GOING FORWARD DEVELOPMENT LIKE IN AROUND HIGHLAND SPRINGS, THAT'S A LITTLE LONGER FORECAST THAN ONE YEAR, TWO YEAR, THREE YEAR.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOMES WOULD COME OUT OF THAT OUT OF THE GROUND AND HOW FAST THEY WOULD POPULATE AND HOW FAST THEY WOULD BRING KIDS INTO YOUR DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, YOUR PAST IS A PORTAL TO THE FUTURE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

[00:45:04]

AND SO IF YOUR TRENDS BEGIN TO CHANGE, YOUR TRENDS CAN BEGIN TO GO UPWARD.

BUT STATISTICALLY, I KNOW THIS, YOUR 200 KIDS LESS TODAY THAN YOU WERE AT THE START OF SCHOOL.

AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS FOR THAT.

MID-YEAR GRADUATIONS ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT GIVE AND TAKE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO FROM A TREND LINE, WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR YOU IS MY HOPE FOR YOU IS, IS THAT ALL OF THESE HOMES THAT ARE OUT THERE WILL ACTUALLY FILL UP WITH KIDS.

BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THIS, THAT HOUSES DON'T SPECIFICALLY LEAD TO THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT WE USED TO SEE IN OUR SCHOOLS ANY LONGER.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN AND I'M GOING TO USE BROAD NUMBERS.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU COULD EXPECT ROUGHLY FIVE KIDS PER TEN FOR TEN HOMES.

AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT NUMBER DIPS DOWN TOWARD THREE NOW, THREE KIDS PER TEN.

AND IF YOU GET HOUSING I'M SORRY, APARTMENTS, THE RATIO FOR APARTMENTS IS FAR LESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH STUDIO APARTMENTS AND ONE BEDROOMS AND THAT SORT OF THING. IT'S MY HOPE, THOUGH, THAT FOR DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS IN THE AREA AROUND HIGHLAND SPRINGS, THAT THOSE HOMES BECAUSE OF THEIR SITUATION IN REGARDS TO THE SCHOOL AND FUTURE PLANS FOR THOSE AREAS THAT WILL BE MORE OF A MAGNET FOR YOU FOR FAMILIES TO COME INTO THAT AREA.

BUT THOSE HOMES AREN'T THERE YET.

SO BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE, THE DATA WE HAVE UP TO THIS POINT, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE.

AND THESE ARE THE TREND LINES THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU.

YOU'RE IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION AS A DISTRICT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AREA THAT ARE EXPANDING.

THE QUESTION IS, IS WILL THOSE BRING PEOPLE INTO THE COMMUNITY OR WILL THEY, YOU KNOW, APPLY FOR A NEW JOB AND MAYBE STILL LIVE WHERE THEY'RE CURRENTLY LIVING WITHIN THAT 20 MILE CIRCLE OF WHATEVER THAT FACILITY MIGHT BE? BUT THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY OF YOU BEING ABLE TO STEM THE TIDE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING DEMOGRAPHICALLY AND A LOT OF DISTRICTS, BECAUSE LOOKING AT YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS, YOU'RE GROWING AS A COUNTY, YOU'RE GOING TO GROW PROBABLY 8 TO 10,000 FOLKS BY 2032.

BUT THE PORTION OF THOSE FOLKS IN YOUR COUNTY, FROM A CENSUS STANDPOINT, ARE GOING TO BE OLDER IN THAT AGE RANGE WHERE YOU NEED THE 5 TO 18, 5 TO 19, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO EXPERIENCE A DIP DEMOGRAPHICALLY AT THIS POINT.

SO IT'S OUR HOPE THAT WHEN THESE HOMES COME ONLINE OR WHEN THESE POTENTIAL PROPERTIES COME INTO PLAY, THAT YOU CAN BEGIN TO BACKFILL SOME OF THAT.

AND YOU CAN YOU CAN STAVE OFF WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE SEEING IN THAT DEMOGRAPHIC BAND.

THERE'S NO GUARANTEE OF THAT.

AND HOPE IS NOT A PLAN, LET'S BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

BUT YOUR TREND LINES RIGHT NOW ARE ARE NOT A CLIFF.

THEY'RE JUST NOT TRENDING POSITIVELY AT THIS POINT.

THAT CAN CHANGE, THOUGH, DEPENDING ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

IT SIMPLY CAN.

AND WHAT YOU AS A DISTRICT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS MANAGE THE GROWTH WHERE YOU DO HAVE IT.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CERTAIN AREAS WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT THAT THAT SCHOOL MAY FILL UP AND YOU MAY HAVE TO REAPPORTION STUDENTS TO DIFFERENT AREAS.

BUT I HAVE A STRONG FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES WE'LL SAY THESE FORECASTS ARE VERY MUCH LIKE A WEATHER FORECAST.

AND I'M SORRY IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS INFORMATION BEFORE, BUT IF YOU DO A WEATHER FORECAST, WE CAN PRETTY MUCH TELL YOU IN THE NEXT THREE DAYS WHAT YOUR WEATHER IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND WITH FAIR CONFIDENCE.

SO WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT OUR NUMBERS FOR THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS, NO QUESTION.

BUT WHEN YOU GET OUT A LITTLE FARTHER, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DO A FIVE OR A TEN DAY FORECAST AND THE WEATHER, WE KNOW THAT THAT GETS A LITTLE SQUISHY, ESPECIALLY AT TEN DAY FORECAST. SO ALL YOU CAN REALLY DO WITH THAT DATA AT THE BACK END OF THAT OF THAT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IS SEE IT FOR TREND LINES.

BUT AGAIN, IF YOUR TRENDS CHANGE, IF HOMES OPEN UP AND KIDS BEGIN TO MOVE IN, YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE A BUMP OR A SHIFT IN THAT TREND LINE.

I WOULD SAY THAT AS A DISTRICT, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO REVISIT THOSE NUMBERS PROBABLY CLOSER TO THAT 3 TO 4 YEAR RANGE RATHER THAN THAT 5 TO 7 YEAR RANGE, JUST TO SEE IF THE NUMBERS BEGIN TO SHIFT IN A MORE POSITIVE DIRECTION FOR YOU.

OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU.

I JUST I WANT TO MAKE SURE I WANTED TO HEAR THE EXPLANATION AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTARY.

DR. RICHARDS.

MR. SILAS, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE? A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I KNOW WE'RE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF HIGHLAND SPRINGS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS CONVERSATION JUST A LITTLE.

ARE YOU STILL REFINING YOUR REPORT AND GOING TO COME BACK TO US AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE WITH.

THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS OUR DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.

SO WE ARE STILL WORKING ON OUR REPORT IN TERMS OF A FINAL REPORT THAT WILL INCLUDE SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU HERE TONIGHT AND KIND OF WRAPPING THINGS UP.

AND PART OF THAT WILL ALSO BE IN OUR FINAL REPORT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU GUYS WHAT YOU AS A COMMUNITY SELECT GOING FORWARD TO CONCLUDE THAT INFORMATION AND PROVIDE

[00:50:05]

I KNOW THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION OUTSIDE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK.

SURE DID. AND I KNOW YOU TOOK A TOUR AROUND THE AREA SINCE THIS DATA WAS PUT TOGETHER TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF WHY THERE SOME ANGST IN THE COMMUNITY OVER, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE AS GROWTH AND WHAT WE THINK WILL RESULT IN STUDENT GROWTH AND POPULATION GROWTH.

YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

BUT YET YOUR DATA DOESN'T SUPPORT WHAT WE THINK WE SEE, YOU KNOW, THE EYE TEST.

AND THEN WE FURTHER TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DID YOU ENGAGE, YOU KNOW, LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITIES TO TRY TO GET A FEEL FOR THE YOU KNOW, LOCAL STUFF THAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, FORMULA THAT YOU USE TO DO YOUR JOB.

SO I HAVE REACHED OUT TO YOUR PLANNING AND ZONING ZONING DIRECTLY.

I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE.

HAVING SAID THAT, THOUGH, I HAVE GONE OUT AND JUST LOOKED AT REAL ESTATE DATA AND THAT SORT OF THINGS IN TERMS OF LIKE HOMES, AVAILABLE HOMES, YOU HAVE ROUGHLY 95,000 HOMES PLUS OR MINUS IN YOUR COMMUNITY HOUSES.

YOU HAVE ROUGHLY 250 TO 350 HOMES AVAILABLE ON A MONTHLY BASIS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

YOU'VE IN AUGUST OF 22, YOU KNOW, THE WAIT TIME ON THE AVERAGE TIME A HOME SPENT ON THE MARKET WAS PROBABLY 2 TO 3 WEEKS AT TOPS.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST AND WE SAW THAT NATIONWIDE THAT NOW THAT NUMBER HAS PUSHED OUT, YOU KNOW, IN THAT 30 TO 40 DAY RANGE FOR A LOT OF THINGS ON SEVERAL.

NOW THESE AREN'T DEFINITIVE WEBSITE.

THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, LOCAL REAL ESTATE INFORMATION THAT I CAN JUST GATHER IN TERMS OF RESEARCH IN YOUR AREA.

I THINK SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'LL RUN INTO AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IS KIND OF THAT SAME HEADWINDS THAT WE'RE SEEING JUST ECONOMICALLY RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF INTEREST RATES, IN TERMS OF WHAT SIZE HOME CAN YOU BUY FOR A 7% INTEREST VERSUS A 3% INTEREST.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HEADWINDS THAT YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT.

I JUST IT IS MY BELIEF THAT IF IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, IF SOME OF THESE LARGER DEVELOPMENTS COME ONLINE FOR YOU AND HOMES COME OUT OF THE GROUND, THAT YOU CAN BEGIN TO OFFSET SOME OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN INSIDE OF YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.

IT JUST SIMPLY IS THAT YOUR 5 TO 18 YEAR OLDS ARE GOING TO DECLINE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS JUST BASED IN TERMS OF BIRTH RATES AND THAT SORT OF THING.

OKAY, GOOD. I APPRECIATE THAT.

I DON'T MEAN TO QUESTION.

NO, I'M GLAD TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AND I'M GOING TO STICK AROUND AND I'LL TALK ALL NIGHT ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE IN HAVING LOOKED I'VE TALKED YOU KNOW I'VE NOT DONE THIS FOREVER. I WAS A SUPERINTENDENT LAST YEAR AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY NOW GOING ON SEVEN MONTHS.

BUT IN THAT TIME I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.

SOME SCHOOL CORPORATIONS SIMPLY ARE FALLING OFF A CLIFF AND THEY'RE JUST DOG PADDLING AS BEST THEY CAN.

YOU'RE NOT IN THAT SITUATION.

YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO YOU'VE GOT THIS TREND LINE.

YOU'RE NOT FALLING OFF A CLIFF.

YOU CAN MAKE REASONED, WELL REASONED AND WELL REGARDED DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.

YOU'VE GOT CAPACITY IN YOUR BUILDINGS.

THE BEST NEWS IN ALL OF THIS IS YOU'VE GOT SOME CAPACITY.

SO LET'S SAY SOME OF THESE BIGGER DEVELOPMENTS COME ONLINE OR YOU DO HAVE A HIGHER CAPTURE RATE ON THESE HOMES MOVING FORWARD.

YOU'VE GOT A PLACE TO PUT THOSE CHILDREN.

SO YOU'RE NOT IN A PANIC MODE OF, OH, MY GOSH, IF 500 HOMES COME ON OR A THOUSAND HOMES COME ON, OR COUNTYWIDE, 2600 HOMES COME ONLINE, WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PARK THESE CHILDREN.

YOU'VE GOT SPACE AND YOU'VE GOT TIME THEN TO MAKE REASONED DECISIONS ABOUT THOSE FACILITIES GOING FORWARD.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANKS.

BACK TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS, MR. CHAIRMAN, PLEASE.

WELL, AND I THINK THAT IS ABOUT HIGHLAND SPRINGS, BECAUSE, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO THINK BETWEEN SCENARIO ONE AND SCENARIO TWO, I THINK THAT'S VERY RELEVANT INFORMATION.

I HAVE THE DATA MR. YEAH, YEAH.

IF YOU DON'T MIND. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

GO AHEAD. YEAH. MR. SILAS. I WAS JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THE EARLIER CONVERSATION, I DO HAVE A HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

BUT I DO HAVE SCENARIO TWO IN A LATER SLIDE IF YOU WANT TO SEE THAT THOSE NUMBERS.

OH, I THOUGHT WE WERE THROUGH WITH YOUR SLIDES.

I'M SORRY. OKAY. YOU'RE GOOD. I'M GOOD, TOO.

YES WE ARE. ANYWAY, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I JUST HAVE THAT IN MY PACKET.

I DIDN'T HAVE THE TWO SLIDES THAT BROKE DOWN THE.

NO, YOU DIDN'T. WE WERE WORKING ON THIS RIGHT UP UNTIL THE [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DISAGGREGATE THE INFORMATION WITH FIDELITY.

SO THAT'S FINE. CAN WE GET THAT.

CAN WE GET. YES. YES.

OKAY. THAT HAS BEEN SENT AND CAN BE FORWARDED TO YOU.

AND THEN I WOULD IF YOU COULD BRING BACK UP THE AREA, THE SCENARIO ONE MAPS.

[00:55:04]

MEMBERS ATTENTION TO THINK ABOUT AS THE WEEK GOES ON, JUST SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT AND MAKING A DECISION ALL IN THE SAME DAY.

I GUESS THE POSITIVE THING ABOUT THIS SCENARIO FOR ME WAS THAT EVERYBODY GOES TO A NEW SCHOOL IF THEY MOVE, RIGHT? YES. BUT FOR ME, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE LOOKING AT THE PURPLE ON THE RIGHT SCENARIO ONE PURPLE REPRESENTS HIGHLAND SPRINGS, CORRECT? YES, SIR. YOU SEE HOW FAR IT COMES OVER INTO THE BLUE FOR THOSE THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA THAT'S UP PRETTY CLOSE TO HIGHLAND VILLE ROAD, UP TO PINE LOG, A LOT OF WARRENVILLE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA.

AND WE'RE SUGGESTING TAKE THEM ALL THE WAY OVER TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

COULD YOU PUT YOUR LASER POINTER ON THE WHERE LBC MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ON THAT MAP? RIGHT THERE. SO YOU'RE REACHING WAY BEHIND LBC MIDDLE SCHOOL TO TAKE THEM OVER TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS THIS WEEK.

AND. OKAY.

SO THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU.

I THINK MR. SMITH'S BEEN WAITING MR. SMITH.

APPRECIATE IT.

ONE POINT. MAYBE YOU.

GOING ON.

DISAPPOINTED. I ASKED YOU EARLIER, WAS ANY DATA GAINED FROM LOCAL TAX PURPOSES.

BUILDING AND ZONING YOU.

INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THAT.

BUT OUR ATTENDANCE DATA RIGHT NOW, ISN'T? BUT I ALSO KNOW AS I'M RIDING AROUND IN AUGUSTA.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE MAY BE ONLY BUT IT HOMES ARE BEING BUILT.

MANY HOMES WITH CHILDREN IN THERE I'VE I'VE SEEN TOYS IN THE YARD.

I LOOK FOR THOSE TYPE THINGS THAT AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT SURE. VISUALLY.

YOU GO OUT AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND IN SUM, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER THAT'S GOING TO BE SCENARIO.

WE ALL KNOW WE GOT A SITUATION.

I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND IT'S ALL ABOUT MR. BROOME. EXCUSE ME.

I GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION IS WHEN YOU DID THE NUMBERS FOR MOVING FROM THE FOUR SCHOOLS.

I KNOW WE COVERED THIS, BUT I DON'T EXACTLY REMEMBER WHAT THE PROCESS IS.

IT MAY BE MORE CLOSEST I MEAN, IT'S A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO GEOCODE IN EVERY HOME, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DEALING WITH ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES AND HOMES WITHIN THOSE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES.

SO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THIS FINGER TO GO OUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE KIDS ARE IN ORDER TO BRING THE NUMBERS IN, TO BALANCE THE NUMBERS.

BUT IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT TO YOU AS A BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BALANCE FOR PUPILS AND POVERTY.

AND SO THERE'S MANY OTHER SCENARIOS THAT COME INTO PLAY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS.

SO YES, YOU HAVE A WEIRD LITTLE FINGER THAT MAY REACH OUT THE THREE TOES THERE AT THE END OR THE THREE FINGERS AT THE END OF THAT HAND IN ORDER TO CAPTURE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF

[01:00:01]

YOU KNOW, YOU SEE WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS IS THE ACTUAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEBODY YEAH, WELL, I WOULD SAY IT'S CLOSE TO FOUR MILES, MAYBE FIVE AS THE ROAD GOES.

BUT IF WE DO A SCENARIO THAT BRINGS THEM AS MR. SILAS SAID THIS AT THE BACK OF THAT PURPLE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING PAST LBC TO GET TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS. AND I FEEL CONFIDENT SAYING THAT'S WHATEVER IT IS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TWICE THE DISTANCE AS IT WOULD BE TO GO TO LBC.

SO GOOD POINT.

BUT THOSE I DON'T KNOW.

I KNOW THE AREA, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE AREA LIKE THAT THAT NO CAUSE BUT THOSE STUDENTS GO TO LEAVELLE MCCAMPBELL TODAY.

GO TO LEAVELLE, MCCAMPBELL NOW.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

THAT'S RIGHT. AND MOST OF THAT AREA, JUST HISTORICALLY THINK OF THAT.

I MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, GVW, GRANITEVILLE, VAUCLUSE, WARRENVILLE, MOST OF THAT LITTLE PURPLE FINGER THERE.

WELL, A LOT OF IT IS PROBABLY CONSIDERED WARRENVILLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN A LEAVELLE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY FROM WARRENVILLE? I'M NOT SURE MR. BROOME. BUT LIKE I SAID, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE AT LEAST TWICE AS FAR AS IT IS TO I'M JUST TRYING TO I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE'VE HAD CASES BEFORE WHERE YOU HAVE TO RIDE BY A SCHOOL TO GET TO A SCHOOL.

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW MUCH LONGER IS IT TRAVEL, I GUESS, IS THE QUESTION.

HOW DOES THE BUS ROUTES ACCOMMODATE THAT? YEAH. AND I'M NOT YEAH, I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS FOR YOU MR. BROOME. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

I MEAN, WE CAN SEE WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE ON THE MAP.

WE GOT A WEEK TO GET INFORMATION.

AND MR. MOULTON WE'LL GET TO YOU AFTER DR.

HANKS. YEAH, THIS IS QUICK.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THERE'S A MOVE OR TRANSPORTATION ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE STUDENTS IN AREA TWO OR IN AREA THREE.

EVERYONE HAS TO MAKE A MOVE.

THIS SCENARIO AT LEAST PULLS FROM ALL FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND I LIKE THAT IT GIVES AN EQUAL DISTRIBUTION ACROSS ALL THE SCHOOLS. SO WHEREAS SOME OF THE SCHOOLS HAD ALMOST 700, THEY WOULD DROP TO THE 405 HUNDRED RANGE AS WELL.

THE SACRIFICE, WHICH IT SHOULDN'T BE A BIG IMPACT, IS THAT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF STUDENTS BECAUSE IN THAT SCENARIO THE STUDENTS WILL STAY AT THEIR CURRENT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IT'S ONLY THOSE THAT FALL WITHIN THE LINE, NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, TO BALANCE, NOT JUST FROM A DISTANCE PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FOR THINGS LIKE PUPILS IN POVERTY AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS THE WHOLE PICTURE, NOT JUST THE DISTANCE, JUST MY INPUT UNTIL BEFORE NEXT WEEK. MR MOULTON.

JUST ANOTHER NOTE, I THINK I'M HOPING ALL THIS DISCUSSION HELPS OUR PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS.

BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT, I THINK FOR ALL OF US AND PROBABLY FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL, GOING INTO THIS, I'LL SAY MY TWO FAVORITES HAVE BEEN SCENARIO FIVE AND SCENARIO ONE. BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING.

IF YOU WILL PULL UP THE SCENARIO FIVE, AND I JUST WANT TO POINT SOMETHING OUT TO EVERYONE, AND THAT IS THIS IS THE CONTIGUOUS AREA.

SO IT DOES AWAY WITH MR. SILAS' CONCERN OF REACHING BACK BEHIND LBC INTO WARRENVILLE AND PULLING INTO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

THE DOWNSIDE TO THIS, AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING THIS AS THE ANSWER, I'M JUST SAYING OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER FOR THE PROBLEM HE'S MENTIONING.

BUT THIS ALSO AFFECTS THIS MEANS STUDENTS CAN BE IMPACTED AND SENT TO OTHER SCHOOLS.

AND SO THAT'S A DOWNSIDE AND MORE STUDENTS WILL BE IMPACTED.

SO IT'S YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN GET A MORE CONTIGUOUS AREA, AT THE SAME TIME HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT TO STUDENTS.

AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO ME, IT MAKES FIVE AND ONE VERY DIFFICULT TO CHOOSE BETWEEN.

SO BUT JUST A NOTE, THAT'S ALL.

THOSE REALLY WERE THE ONES IN OUR TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT GARNERED THE MOST CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF BECAUSE AT OUR MEETINGS, EVERYONE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PRESENTLY IN ALL FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TRYING TO FIND A NEED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS IN BOTH AREAS.

YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, OPERATIONALLY, WITHOUT A DOUBT, FROM A BUS DRIVER STANDPOINT, FROM A MOVING KID STANDPOINT AND USHERING FOLKS AROUND THE DISTRICT, THIS IS A CLEANER

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I DON'T HAVE A HARD NUMBER BUT IT'S GOING TO BE IT COULD BE AS MANY AS 800 OR 1000, JUST DEPENDING ON HOW THEY LAND IN TERMS OF THAT, IN TERMS OF THAT SHIFT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DR.

RICHARDS TO HELP EXPLAIN THINGS WHILE WE GOT HIM OR OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL TAKE A LONG PAUSE.

OKAY. DR.

RICHARDS THANK YOU FOR BEING.

MR. SMITH. YOU HAD ONE MORE? OH, YOU'RE WAVING.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. OKAY.

TO GET OUT OF HERE. NO.

DR. RICHARDS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND PRESENTING THE INFORMATION AND.

AS I'LL JUST SAY IT ONE MORE TIME ON THIS TOPIC OUR FINAL DECISION IS NEXT TUESDAY AT A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AT 6:00 NEXT TUESDAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.

RICHARDS. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT. YEP.

WE HAVE A FEW OTHER WE HAVE SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION UPDATES THAT DR.

MURPHY CAN COVER FOR US UNDER INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. AND AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORTS, WE'LL BE DONE WITH INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN, MR. CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, MR. LAURENCE, I'M GOING TO BRING YOU ALL THE LATEST AND GREATEST ON OUR CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS.

AND WE'LL BEGIN TODAY WITH AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL'S AUDITORIUM.

AND VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT'S A SHOT OF THE INTERIOR RIGHT THERE.

THE CONSTRUCTION IS CONTINUING WITH LIMITED SITE WORK BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.

THE WEATHER HAS HINDERED A COUPLE OF OUR PROJECTS HERE, BUT THE ROOFING IS 85% COMPLETE.

THE ROOFTOP HVAC UNITS ARE 100% COMPLETE AND THE SIDEWALKS ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING ARE BEING POURED IN AND CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS, DRYWALL FRAMING AND IN THE AUDITORIUM, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL.

IT'S ALL CONTINUING ALONG AS PART OF OUR PLAN.

THIS $16 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS WELL WITHIN BUDGET AND CONTINUED ON AS SCHEDULED.

WE ARE PLANNING ON COMPLETING IT IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

ON OVER TO HAMMOND HILLS PHASE 2.

SITE WORK AGAIN SLOWED.

IF YOU CAN SEE ALL THE RAIN AND THE MUD OUT THERE, IT'S BEEN SLOW, BUT NOW WE'RE GETTING TO SOME WARMER, DRIER WEATHER.

WE HAVE A NEW FIRE LINE AND FIRE HYDRANT THAT'S BEEN INSTALLED.

CHAIN LINK FENCING BETWEEN THE QUEUING LANE AND THE SCHOOL ITSELF HAS ALSO BEEN INSTALLED AS WELL.

AND INSTALLATION OF ALL ROOFING WORK AND SHEET METAL HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

SO OUR OSF INSPECTION FOR PHASE TWO CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 9TH.

A LOOK AT THE INTERIOR.

ON THE LEFT IS THE KITCHEN.

THE RIGHT IS THE CAFETERIA AREA.

SO ON THE WALL, YOU CAN SEE ACOUSTICAL SOUND PANELS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED TO KIND OF CALM DOWN THE BRIGHTNESS OF A LARGE OPEN ROOM.

WE'VE ALSO INSTALLED A NEW RETRACTABLE STAGE AND VIDEO PROJECTION SCREEN IN THE CAFETERIA, AND INSTALLATION OF LIGHT FIXTURES IN THE CAFETERIA IS STILL IN PROGRESS.

SO THIS PROJECT IS ON SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH, MARCH OF 23, AND IT'S ON ITS BUDGET OF $15 MILLION DOLLARS.

ON OVER TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

AGAIN, A LOT OF EARTH, A LOT OF MUD, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING AT A STEADY PACE.

THE EXTERIOR VENEER AND OPENINGS ARE 95% COMPLETE.

THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER HAS BEEN SET AND EXPECT THE BUILDING TO HAVE PERMANENT POWER IN LATER PART OF THIS WELL, EARLY NEXT MONTH.

AND A COURTESY ABOVE CEILING INSPECTION WAS HELD ON THE 24TH OF JANUARY IN PREPARATION FOR A FUTURE ABOVE CEILING INSPECTIONS . GOING INSIDE.

THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE MEDIA CENTER ON YOUR LEFT AND THE DINING AREA ON THE RIGHT.

SO IT'S MAJORITY OF DRY IN.

AND BASICALLY, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HAD AT LEAST ONE TOUR.

AND IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A TOUR, JUST LET US KNOW.

THIS $44 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS WITHIN BUDGET AND WE ARE SCHEDULING TO BE ON TIME MID SUMMER THIS YEAR.

AND THE LATEST PROJECT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IS WAGENER-SALLEY.

NOT MUCH TO REPORT.

THERE'S SOME DIRT ON THE LEFT AND A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT THERE ON THE RIGHT.

THE FOOTINGS CONTINUE AND THERE IS GRADING AS THE SOIL DRIES.

BUT WE'RE GETTING STARTED ON IT.

AND AGAIN, THE COMPLETION DATE IS JULY 1ST OF 2024.

AND RIGHT NOW, THE ACTUAL BUILDING SITE PROJECT COST IS AT $50 MILLION DOLLARS AND WE ARE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET PENDING YOUR QUESTIONS.

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MURPHY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR.

MURPHY? ALL RIGHTY.

SO I SCROLLED UP. SO I GOT TO SCROLL BACK DOWN.

I WAS NOT GIVEN ANY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER ITEMS FOR TONIGHT.

NO ONE REQUESTED ANYTHING NOR ANY REQUEST TO READ ANY CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESSED TO BOARD MEMBERS.

AND THAT LEADS US TO THE LAST ITEM ON REGULAR SESSION, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.

MR. LAURENCE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. THIS WEEK WE'RE CELEBRATING READ ACROSS AMERICA AND THAT'S A LOT OF FUN.

A LOT OF DR. SEUSS OUTFITS OUT THERE IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR.

BUT IT IS AN EQUAL LEVEL EVENT.

SO, HIGH SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CELEBRATE READ ACROSS AMERICA.

I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ IN SOME SCHOOLS AND WILL CONTINUE DOING THAT THROUGH THE WEEK.

SO THAT IS CERTAINLY A LOT OF FUN.

WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO STAFFING OUR SCHOOLS FOR NEXT YEAR.

WE'VE HAD A GREAT WINTER OF RECRUITING TEACHERS AND WE HOPE THAT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.

AND WE'RE COUNTING ON BEING FULLY STAFFED AS WE HEAD TOWARD THAT JULY 25TH START DATE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE.

THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR REGULAR SESSION ITEMS BEFORE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE DO NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO AN ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IN SUCH ORDER AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.

WE HAVE UNDER STUDENT MATTERS, WE HAVE FOUR STUDENT APPEALS, ALL FROM AREA THREE, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE CONTRACTUAL MATTER CONCERNING HEAD START.

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

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE ITEMS? SO MOVED. MOVED BY MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

SECOND BY DR. HANKS.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE ITEMS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'LL TRY OUR BEST TO RECONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 7:15 AND GET STARTED.

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SINCE JANUARY 27TH.

TIME SERVED. TIME SERVED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES TO RETURN THE STUDENT TO SCHOOL IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL B.

IN THE MATTER OF STUDENT APPEAL C IS THERE A MOTION? YES. I RECOMMEND THAT THE STUDENT BE RETURNED TO SCHOOL.

TIME SERVED. MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON MADE A MOTION FOR STUDENT APPEAL C TO BE RETURNED TO SCHOOL AS TIME SERVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MR. MOULTON. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS. MOTION CARRIES TO RETURN IN THE CASE OF STUDENT APPEAL C TO RETURN THE STUDENT TO SCHOOL.

AND THEN LASTLY, THERE'S THE MATTER OF STUDENT APPEAL D.

IS THERE A MOTION? YES. YES.

I RECOMMEND THAT WE UPHOLD THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION.

SO MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON HAS MADE A MOTION TO UPHOLD THE DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION IN REFERENCE TO STUDENT APPEAL D.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

SECOND BY MR. SMITH.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

THE MOTION CARRIES TO UPHOLD THE DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION IN REFERENCE TO STUDENT APPEAL D.

LASTLY, WE DISCUSSED A CONTRACTUAL MATTER CONCERNING HEAD START.

IS THERE A MOTION IN REFERENCE TO THAT CONTRACTUAL MATTER? YES, SIR. MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT TO MAKE THE NECESSARY NOTIFICATIONS RELINQUISHING INVOLVEMENT IN THE HEAD START PROGRAM EFFECTIVE JUNE 30TH, 2023.

MR. SILAS HAS MADE A MOTION.

IS THERE A. SECOND. SECOND BY MR. SMITH? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

THE MOTION CARRIES TO AUTHORIZE US TO MAKE THE NECESSARY NOTIFICATIONS TO RELINQUISH OUR CONTRACT WITH THE HEAD START PROGRAM EFFECTIVE JUNE 30TH, 2023.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. MOVED BY MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON.

SECOND. SECOND BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.