Aug 08, 2023 080823 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

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WE WILL CALL THE AUGUST 8TH MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER.

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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.

THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS CIRCULATED BOTH TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE AND AS FAR AS FROM THE BOARD I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY REQUESTS FOR ANY ALTERATIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA SO WE'LL ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO APPROVE FROM THE LAST TWO MEETINGS THAT WE'LL DO INDIVIDUALLY.

THE FIRST IS THE JULY 11TH MEETING WHERE WE HAD TWO MEMBERS ABSENT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 11TH MEETING? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

SECOND BY MR. SILAS.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 11TH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE MIGHT NEED TWO PEOPLE TO ABSTAIN.

MS. TYLER. MR. SMITH, YOU WEREN'T PRESENT.

WOULD YOU ABSTAIN? SURE.

OKAY. SO THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

WE HAVE A SECOND SET OF MINUTES AS WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 18TH MEETING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 18TH MEETING? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY DR.

HANKS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES OF JULY 18TH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THOSE ARE APPROVED.

WHICH BRINGS US TO A SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS.

WE HAD A EXCUSE ME, A REQUEST FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.

MR. BEN LACY IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US FOR FIVE MINUTES ON PICKLEBALL AND SCHOOLS IF MR. LACY IS HERE. MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. LAURENCE AND BOARD, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK THIS EVENING.

MY NAME IS BEN LACY.

I AM A PROFESSIONAL PICKLEBALL COACH AND NATIONALLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL REFEREE.

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN ME ON FOX 4 SPORTS OR THE TENNIS CHANNEL.

I'M ALSO THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE SOUTHERN PICKLEBALL ACADEMY, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU IN BRIEFLY IN HOPES THAT THE ACADEMY MIGHT GAIN A PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT BY THE BOARD.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS PICKLEBALL? HISTORICALLY, PICKLEBALL WAS INVENTED BY JOEL PRICHARD, BILL BELL AND BARNEY MCCALLUM, ALL FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.

THE FAMILIES COOPERATIVELY VACATIONED ON BAINBRIDGE ISLAND ON A FATEFUL DAY IN 1965 AFTER RETURNING FROM A GOLF OUTING.

THE GENTLEMEN WERE INSTRUCTED UNDER NO UNCERTAIN TERMS TO TAKE THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE HOUSE AND FIND SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT ON THE PROPERTY WHERE A PAVED BADMINTON COURT A NET BUT NO OTHER BADMINTON EQUIPMENT.

INSTEAD, THEY HAD WIFFLE BALLS AND PING PONG PADDLES.

AND FROM THAT TOTALLY INAUSPICIOUS BEGINNING, PICKLEBALL HAS GROWN INTO AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON.

THE MARKET OF WHICH IS VALUED AT OVER $70 BILLION AND BY 2032 WILL BE A FULL FLEDGED OLYMPIC SPORT.

THAT'S WHERE THE SOUTHERN PICKLEBALL ACADEMY COMES IN.

OUR MISSION AS A FORMAL PUBLIC CHARITY IS DEDICATION TO THE GROWTH OF PICKLEBALL BY INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS, COMMUNITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHILE FOSTERING THE VALUABLE SKILLS OF INTEGRITY, FAIR PLAY, CHARACTER, HONESTY, STRATEGY, PATIENCE AND SPORTSMANSHIP.

NOW, WHY DOES PICKLEBALL APPEAL? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S EASY TO START.

YOU CAN BEGIN PLAYING IN MINUTES.

THERE'S NOT A GREAT SKILL SET NECESSARY.

IT'S A VERY LOW COST.

ALL YOU NEED ARE GOOD COURT SHOES.

IF YOU WALK ONTO A COURT, SEVEN PEOPLE WILL OFFER YOU A PADDLE TO GET YOU GOING.

THERE'S A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT EVERY TIME YOU PLAY.

IT'S A GREAT DEAL OF FUN AND IT'S A WONDERFUL FORM OF EXERCISE.

MODERATE PLAY BURNS ABOUT 400 CALORIES AN HOUR.

THE HIGH GROWTH MARKET, THE NUMBER OF REC PLAYERS IN PICKLEBALL HAS TRIPLED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

THE ACADEMY IS HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT NATIONAL GROWTH.

THE INTERNATIONAL PICKLEBALL FEDERATION IS FOCUSED ON THE 2032 OLYMPICS.

AIKEN HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN A FOCUS FOR RACKET SPORTS AND THE OLYMPIC STARS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING IN THE 2032 OLYMPICS ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL RIGHT

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12 AREA SCHOOLS RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST FOR GRANT APPLICATION A FEW MONTHS BACK, AND TO DATE, WE HAVE FILLED THE REQUESTS OF THREE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS AIKEN HIGH, SOUTH AIKEN, AND RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA HAVE ALL OF THEIR EQUIPMENT TAKEN CARE OF.

THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $5,000 IN NETS, PADDLES AND BALLS WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE COACHES ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 5TH, WHERE THE ACADEMY WILL LEAD A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL, COACHING THE COACHES IN THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT IN THE WORLD.

OUR MID-TERM GOALS IS TO PUT PICKLEBALL IN EVERY SCHOOL IN AIKEN COUNTY THAT'S WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 MONTHS, INCLUDING ALL THE BALLS, EQUIPMENT, ALL THE NETS, BALLS AND PADDLES.

WE WANT TO DEVELOP A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND.

WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE NATIONAL TOURING COMPANIES TO COME TO AIKEN.

SO WE'LL HAVE THREE NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS, TWO PROFESSIONAL AND ONE JUNIOR LEAGUE, AND WE HOPE TO GAIN NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A CENTER FOR TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONAL REFEREES.

THE IMPACT THE ACADEMY HOPES TO HAVE IS FUNDING THE START UP AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR PICKLEBALL IN EACH SCHOOL, PARTNERING WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO IMPROVE PICKLEBALL THEIR PICKLEBALL INFRASTRUCTURE.

THIS HAS ALREADY BEGUN WITH OUR WORK IN NEW ELLENTON WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW PLAYING PICKLEBALL IN THEIR NEW FARMERS MARKET.

SPONSORING TOURNAMENTS TOURNAMENTS MEANS CITY REVENUE AND WORKING WITH OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN ENCOURAGING THE SOCIAL IMPACT.

PICKLEBALL BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

GROWING THE MARKET MEANS MORE PLACES TO PLAY.

IT TRULY IS AN ALL INCLUSIVE SPORT.

YOU'LL MAKE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS THAT YOU NEVER WOULD OTHERWISE, AND IT BUILDS A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WHERE YOU CAN'T WAIT TO PLAY AGAIN.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE AND THE BOARD, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING, THE SOUTHERN PICKLEBALL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY YEARS OF COOPERATION WITH THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND WE HOPE ONE DAY TO EARN YOUR TRUST AND PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. LACY. WE HAD FOUR OTHER FOLKS THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS MR. MATTHEW BRACKETT, WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE EXPULSION POLICY.

MR. BRACKETT.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MATTHEW BRACKETT.

I'M A TEACHER AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

THIS IS MY 28TH YEAR WORKING THERE AND MY 30TH YEAR IN AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I'VE ALSO HAD THREE DAUGHTERS GRADUATE FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME COMING TO SPEAK BEFORE THE BOARD AND I LIVE IN MR. BRADLEY'S DISTRICT.

I JUST WANTED TO COME IN TONIGHT AND SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

I'VE SEEN STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION OR EXPELLED, PUT BACK INTO OUR SCHOOL TO THEIR OWN DETRIMENT.

I WANT TO SHARE WHY I FEEL THIS IS THE WORST SITUATION FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY THE EXPELLED STUDENT.

FIRST, THE STUDENT THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED OR EXPELLED COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS ATTAINING THEIR DIPLOMA IF THEY WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE THE ENVIRONMENT OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS THE CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING OR TAKING TOTALLY ONLINE CLASSES AND HOME BASED LEARNING PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THE STUDENTS CAN EARN THEIR CREDITS NEEDED FOR GRADUATION WITHOUT THE TEMPTATIONS OF BEING PRESENTED WITH THE SAME SITUATIONS OR SCENARIOS IN WHICH THEY FAILED TO FOLLOW THE CODE OF CONDUCT THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY WERE RECOMMENDED OR EXPELLED.

SOMETIMES THE STUDENTS EVEN COME IN WITH SOMEWHAT OF A BADGE OF HONOR BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION AND THEY'RE BACK IN SCHOOL AGAIN.

EVEN IF THEY RESOLVED TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN THEY COME BACK IN, THEY'RE PRESENTED WITH A LOT OF THE SAME CAST OF CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS THAT PULLED THEM AWAY FROM DOING THE RIGHT THING THE FIRST TIME.

I WOULD KINDLY CHALLENGE ANYONE TO FIND THE GRADUATION RATE OF THESE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION OR EXPELLED AND PUT BACK INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

WE'VE COME SO FAR WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO OBTAIN CREDIT WITHOUT PHYSICALLY BEING INSIDE A SCHOOL.

THIS WOULD GIVE US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND HELP STUDENTS THAT NEED TO BE EDUCATED OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

NEXT, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT HAS BEEN UNDERMINED WITH THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL THAT HAVE BEHAVED PROPERLY.

THEY'VE SEEN STUDENTS CAUSE MAJOR DISRUPTIONS TO THE EDUCATION PROCESS, YET END UP BACK IN THE DESK BESIDE THEM.

OR EVEN WORSE, WALKING TO THE RESTROOM WITH THEM WHEN THERE'S NO ONE ELSE AROUND.

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN TWO FIGHTS THAT I CAN SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER WHERE I WAS PHYSICALLY TESTED TO RESTRAIN YOUNG MEN.

THEY PHYSICALLY STARTED TO FIGHT ME TO TRY TO GET AT SOMEONE ELSE THAT WAS STILL IN THE FIGHT.

IT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE OTHER STUDENTS IN THE HALLWAY, AS WELL AS EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS.

IF YOU'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BREAK UP A FIGHT, YOU CAN'T BE YOU CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO RESTRAIN SOMEONE FOR SUCH A LONG LENGTH OF TIME.

IT'S AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

AND WITHOUT THE EXTREMELY QUICK ACTION OF ANY KIND OF BACKUP, THINGS CAN TURN VERY DANGEROUS IN AN INSTANT.

[00:15:04]

I'VE REACHED A POINT IN MY CAREER WHEN I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATE ME WITH AIKEN HIGH.

STUDENTS I'VE TAUGHT THAT NOW HAVE HIGH SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, PEOPLE THAT I KNOW FROM CHURCH, PARENTS OF KIDS THAT I'VE COACHED IN LITTLE LEAGUE SOCCER REACH OUT AND ASK ME THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TEXTS OR WHEN I RUN INTO THEM IN THE GROCERY STORE IF AIKEN HIGH IS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO COME.

I CANNOT HONESTLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION THE WAY I HAVE IN THE PAST.

THE STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE HAVE THEIR OWN VIEW OF AIKEN HIGH NOW, NO MATTER WHAT I MAY HAVE SAID TO THEIR PARENTS.

AS I SPEAK WITH EDUCATOR FRIENDS AND PEERS, WE DON'T SIT AROUND AND TALK ABOUT OUR LACK OF SALARY.

WE TALK ABOUT THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF SEEING THE SAME KIDS AND REPEAT OFFENDERS WHO CAUSE MAJOR DISTURBANCES IN THE SCHOOL BE PUT BACK INTO THE HALLWAYS AGAIN AND SEE HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE THE EVENTS THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

IT'S LED TO SOME OF THE BEST TEACHERS I KNOW LEAVING THE FIELD OF EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT FEEL SAFE ANYMORE, OR THEY WERE JUST FED UP WITH DEALING WITH REPEAT OFFENDERS, DISTURBING THEIR CLASSROOMS. IN A TIME WHERE IT'S HARD TO ELIMINATE VACANCIES IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE SOUGHT A JOB BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS, NOT IN SPITE OF THEM.

MY BELOVED AIKEN HIGH CAUGHT SOME PRETTY BAD PRESS THE LAST WEEK, AND NOT JUST LOCALLY.

I'M HERE TONIGHT IN HOPES THAT I CAN PRESENT AN IDEA AND A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE INSIDE THAT WILL HELP BRING RESOLUTION AND A MORE PRODUCTIVE SITUATION FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

AS PARENTS LOOK AT THE SCHOOL THAT BOASTS THE CAMBRIDGE DIPLOMA, I HOPE OUR ENVIRONMENT IN THE COMMONS AREAS CAN MEASURE UP TO THAT HIGH STANDARD OF EDUCATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND I HOPE THAT WHAT I'VE SHARED HAS BEEN VALUABLE AND IT HELPS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE A GREATER LEVEL OF SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BRACKETT. NEXT.

MISS MARY ALLISON PETTIGREW SPEAKING ON AIKEN HIGH.

GOOD EVENING, ALL.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME THAT WE CAN SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES AND OUR CONCERNS WITH THE PUBLIC AND YOURSELVES. MY NAME IS MARY ALLISON PETTIGREW.

I'VE HAD TWO DAUGHTERS AT AIKEN HIGH.

ONE JUST GRADUATED IN JUNE AND THE OTHER IS AN 11TH GRADER.

WE JUST MOVED FOR ENROLLING OUR CHILDREN IN AIKEN HIGH.

WE HAD HEARD SO MANY GOOD THINGS.

ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS TRUE.

OUR DAUGHTER EXCELLED.

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN GOOD THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

BUT WHAT GIVES ME PAUSE IS THE PAST TWO YEARS.

LET ME SAY THIS.

IT MAKES ME THINK OF THIS.

AN EARLY MENTOR TOLD ME WHEN I WAS GREEN BEHIND THE EARS AS AN ADULT WE WERE ALL IN THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING OUR PERCEPTIONS AND THAT WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVED WAS THEIR REALITY.

I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT.

IT JUST COMES TO MIND AND THE SITUATION THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING WITH THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS.

I HAD THE PERCEPTION MY HUSBAND AND I, FROM WHAT WE HAD HEARD AND WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED INITIALLY WAS THAT IT WAS A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, POSITIVE EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD WANT, A SCHOOL THAT HAD LOTS OF BENEFITS, OPPORTUNITIES, THE KIND OF CURRICULUM WE HOPED OUR CHILDREN WOULD BE THINKING ABOVE AND BEYOND OUTSIDE OF THE BOX TO GET THEM READY FOR COLLEGE.

THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT THING.

HOWEVER, WITH THE INCIDENTS AND THE STRING OF INCIDENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF LAST YEAR AND AS RECENTLY AS THE EIGHTH DAY OF SCHOOL, I'M SORRY TO SAY, THE PERCEPTION THAT THEY WERE IN A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED.

MY PERCEPTION IS THAT IT IS NOT THE SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

I WANT MY CHILDREN MY CHILD NOW AND OTHER CHILDREN THAT WE KNOW THAT'S A PART OF SOCIETY TO BE IN FOR 169 MORE DAYS, I BELIEVE IF YOU -11 DAYS THAT IT WAS TODAY THE SCHOOL DAY FROM 180, YOU GET 169.

THAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.

WHAT'S THE YEAR GOING TO LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE? WILL MY DAUGHTER BE LOOKING OVER HER SHOULDER? WILL CHILDREN BE, YOU KNOW, STAYING HOME AND DISPLACED FROM CLASS BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST TOO SCARED FROM THE HORRIFIC

[00:20:01]

UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT DESERVED IN SITUATIONS THAT HAPPENED AT THE BIG FIGHT.

BUT REALITY MEETS PERCEPTION MY NEW PERCEPTION, WHEN YOU SEE VIDEOS, NEWS REPORTS, ACCOUNTS FROM PEOPLE, THIS SORT OF THING, IT IS VERY DISHEARTENING.

AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LET ME SAY, I'VE HAD WE'VE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

WE THANK THOSE THAT HAVE HELPED OUR DAUGHTERS.

BUT I THINK I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T BE HERE AND WANTED TO BE HERE THAT I'VE TALKED TO.

SO I JUST DON'T THINK CHILDREN AND MY DAUGHTER SPECIFICALLY AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY COME HOME, THEY'RE BUMMED.

THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL.

WE WERE ASSURED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THAT THE MODIFIED CALENDAR IT'S GOING TO HELP STUDENT BEHAVIOR. THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE OF A ROTATION HERE.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE USED TO IT.

SCHOOL BEHAVIOR SAFETY IS GOING TO IMPROVE.

NOT SO FAR.

WE WERE ALSO ASSURED THAT BY SCHOOL OFFICIALS THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND STRAIGHTENED OUT.

HAS IT? WE KNOW ATTEMPTS ARE BEING MADE, BUT WE JUST NEED A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR SCHOOL, OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL 169 DAYS.

IT'S A LOT. SO ALL I WOULD ASK OF Y'ALL IS WHAT CAN YOU ALL DO TO ENSURE I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE FIGHTING, THERE'S GOING TO BE INCIDENTS, BUT YOU KNOW. THIS IS NOT THE NORM.

THIS IS NOT THE USUAL AND IT SHOULDN'T BE FOR AIKEN HIGH, I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE.

I REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ADVOCATE, BUT I JUST ASK FOR YOUR HELP AND YOUR BRAIN POWER TO PLEASE HELP US PARENTS STILL BELIEVE THAT AIKEN HIGH IS A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. PETTIGREW. ALSO NEXT, MISS JANET JACKSON IS GOING TO SPEAK ON THE CURRENT CLIMATE OF AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

TAKE IT OFF. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS CHAIRMAN.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

MY NAME IS JANET JACKSON.

I'M A PARENT OF AIKEN HIGH STUDENTS FOR OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS.

TWO YEARS AGO, AIKEN HIGH WAS A GOOD SCHOOL.

I EVEN CHOSE THAT DISTRICT OVER SOUTH AIKEN GOT PERMISSION TO GO OUTSIDE OF MY REGULAR DISTRICT BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE HIGH SCHOOL.

SADLY, I'VE WATCHED ITS DECLINE OVER THE PAST SCHOOL YEAR AND HAS CONTINUED SO FAR THIS YEAR.

BEHAVIOR OF MANY STUDENTS IS CHAOTIC, DISRUPTIVE, VIOLENT AND DISRESPECTFUL.

TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE LEFT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND DISTRICT AT ALARMING RATES, LOSING QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF.

SOME RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TAKEN ON BY THESE TEACHERS AND STAFF LEAVING ARE TAKEN ON AND ABSORBED BY CURRENT STAFF WHO ARE ALREADY OVERLOADED.

FROM BUS DRIVERS TO CAFETERIA WORKERS TO FRONT OFFICE STAFF TO TEACHERS THEMSELVES WE HAVE LOST QUALITY PERSONNEL.

SUBS DO NOT WANT TO SUB AT AIKEN HIGH, RESULTING IN TEACHERS WATCHING AND TEACHING MULTIPLE CLASSROOMS. THIS IS NOT A QUALITY EDUCATION AND THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME THING.

IT'S REOCCURRING. IT'S I'M SURE YOU CAN FIND THAT IN IN THE DATA HISTORICAL DATA.

AT ONE POINT I REMEMBER LOOKING BACK, I THINK THERE WAS OVER TEN TEACHERS MISSING ON ONE GIVEN DAY.

AND THAT WAS INFORMATION PROVIDED ME FROM MR. LAURENCE AND THE PRINCIPAL.

TEN VACANCIES, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON ONE GIVEN FRIDAY THAT I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED AFTER THE STRING OF FIGHTS, A WEEK LONG FIGHTS, FIGHTS LAST YEAR. TEACHERS DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE THERE TO SOME EXTENT.

SO THIS IS RESULTING IN TEACHERS WATCHING AND TEACHING MULTIPLE CLASSROOMS. PARENTS NO LONGER WANT TO VOLUNTEER DUE TO NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE, RESPECTED OR SAFE.

THIS PAST WEEK OF CHAOS AND VIOLENCE WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON PICTURE OF AIKEN HIGH'S ENVIRONMENT BASED ON BEHAVIOR AND FIGHTS OF LAST YEAR. BUT IT'S A CONTINUATION OF TOO MANY FIGHTS, AMONGST OTHER ISSUES.

PLEASE LOOK INTO SOME OF THIS PAST DATA.

HOW MANY TEACHERS AND STAFF, OFFICE MEMBERS, BUS DRIVERS, CAFETERIA WORKERS IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE LEFT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT?

[00:25:05]

I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK THIS YEAR.

I SAW A LOT OF THIS FIRSTHAND.

THIS IS NOT HEARSAY.

THIS IS NOT SPECULATION.

I SAW IT FIRSTHAND.

FIGHTS, ASSAULTS, ET CETERA.

THAT ARE HAPPENING AT AIKEN HIGH COMPARED TO OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND NOT ONLY IN AIKEN HIGH, BUT HOW OUR DISTRICT COMPARES WITH ALL THESE DATA POINTS TO OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GUESS.

I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT THE FACTS OR PROVE US PARENTS WRONG.

IF YOU ALSO QUESTION US, GO BACK.

OBVIOUSLY NOT TODAY GOING FORWARD, BUT PULL SOME OF THE TAPES, HISTORICAL TAPES FROM THE CAFETERIA, FROM THE MORNING BUS RIDERS TO LUNCH TO EVENING BUS DRIVERS TO SEE THE CHAOS AND THE LACK OF SUPERVISION, OFTEN STAFF AND I'M NOT GOING TO NAME ANY NAMES BECAUSE HONESTLY, I PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WHO THEIR NAMES ARE, BUT YOU'LL SEE THEM HUDDLED UP IN CORNERS, BACKS TO STUDENTS.

WHERE THERE'S NOTHING BUT CHAOS GOING ON.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE NUMB, COMPLACENT.

I DON'T KNOW THE REASON.

I CANNOT SPECULATE ON THAT.

OUR TEACHERS, STAFF AND STUDENTS DESERVE A SAFE AND QUALITY EDUCATION.

WE NEED A NEW START.

RESPECT HAS BEEN LOST BY MUCH OF THE LEADERSHIP IN THE SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT.

NOT ONLY FROM THE PARENTS, BUT THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AND TEACHERS.

TEACHERS HAVE EXPRESSED THIS TO MANY PARENTS.

TEACHERS ARE CRYING IN CLASSROOMS, EXPRESSING, EXPRESSING THEIR DISCOMFORT, DISDAIN AND JUST TIRED OF THE CHAOS.

I CANNOT TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF QUALITY TEACHERS WE HAVE LEFT AIKEN HIGH IN THE DISTRICT.

PLEASE CONSIDER IN THE UPCOMING PERFORMANCE REVIEWS WHAT WE HAVE SAID.

THE MANY EMAILS I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING AS BOARD MEMBERS.

WE AS PARENTS DON'T JUST WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME OR OURS BY BOTHERING YOU.

WE ARE CONCERNED AND WE CARE ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND EDUCATION.

I'M REQUESTING, RESPECTFULLY A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, THE PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT AIKEN HIGH.

WE'VE HAD ENOUGH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY.

THANK YOU, MISS JACKSON.

OUR LAST PERSON IN QUESTION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS MISS SARAH BETH GADDIS.

I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT.

WANTS TO SPEAK ON AIKEN HIGH.

THANK YOU.

I AM NEW TO AIKEN HIGH, WHOPPING NINE DAYS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR AND SO A LOT OF THE INFORMATION I'M HEARING TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY NEW TO ME BECAUSE TO ME ONE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED LAST THURSDAY WAS ENOUGH.

SO IT'S EXTREMELY DISHEARTENING FOR ME TO HEAR THAT THERE HAVE BEEN VERY RECENT INCIDENTS HAPPENING AT A SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED THIS PAST THURSDAY.

I KNOW OF JUST THE FEW SCHOOL FAMILY MEMBERS THAT I KNOW OF AND IN FAMILY, I MEAN, AS A FAMILY MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL, NOT BLOOD RELATED WHO HAVE SENT NUMEROUS EMAILS TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE DISTRICT ON THE BOARD AND I AM ASKING FOR MORE COMMUNICATION FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

FROM THE SCHOOL ITSELF AND FROM THE BOARD ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HELP MAKE OUR SCHOOLS, I'M SPEAKING OF AIKEN HIGH, BUT ALL OVER AIKEN BETTER.

THE KIDS DESERVE BETTER.

THE STAFF DESERVES BETTER.

[00:30:01]

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING METAL DETECTORS ARE PERMANENTLY IN PLACE NOW.

HOWEVER, THIRD DAY AFTER THE FIGHT, THE METAL DETECTORS ARE JUST BEING USED SPORADICALLY INSTEAD OF BEING USED IN A REGULAR DAILY MANNER THAT ACTUALLY WOULD HOPEFULLY RESULT IN SOME SORT OF.

PERSISTENT ACCOUNTABILITY ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ATTENDING THE SCHOOL TO GET A MESSAGE ACROSS.

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT MY PERCEPTION OF TEENAGERS AND MY INTERACTION WITH TEENAGERS IS THAT WORDS DON'T REALLY MEAN A WHOLE LOT TO THEM.

BUT ACTIONS DO.

SO I'M ASKING THE BOARD IF THINGS CAN BE PUT IN PLACE WITH THE METAL DETECTORS BEING PERMANENT.

DAILY REGULAR ROUTINE SEARCHES THAT ARE EXPECTED.

BECAUSE CERTAIN ITEMS THAT ARE UNSPEAKABLE TO ME TO EVEN SAY THAT ARE BROUGHT INTO A SCHOOL SHOULD NEVER CROSS THE THRESHOLD AND SEARCHES AND METAL DETECTORS CAN HELP CUT DOWN ON THAT.

ALSO WITH SUPERVISION IN LARGE AREAS SUCH AS THE CAFETERIA.

MY QUESTION IS TO THE BOARD.

WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THAT? THE STAFF TEACHERS, I HOPE THOSE AREN'T THE ONES WHO ARE BEING ASKED TO SUPERVISE IN THE LUNCH ROOMS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOMS PREPARING FOR THEIR CLASSES OR HAVING A LUNCH THEMSELVES.

AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S TRAINED TO SOME LEVEL IN HANDLING A FIGHT, BUT I WOULD THINK THERE ARE A LOT BETTER PEOPLE, BETTER SUITED WHO CAN BE SUPERVISING DURING THE LUNCH PERIODS.

AND I WANT TO KNOW, AS A PARENT FROM THE BOARD, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE STAFF, WHAT CAN I, AS A PARENT AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER DO TO HELP MAKE SURE WORDS.

TURN INTO ACTION BECAUSE I'VE HEARD A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS HERE TONIGHT, AND I'M SURE THERE ARE A LOT MORE OUT THERE.

BUT I'D LIKE TO HELP.

AND I'M SURE EVERY PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT HAS A BEATING HEART WOULD LIKE TO DO THE SAME.

WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS GADDIS.

I DO WANT TO MAKE I WAS GOING TO MAKE SOME SHORT COMMENTS LATER WHEN IT GOT TO ME IN THE AGENDA, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE THEM NOW BEFORE WE GET TO THE THE RECOGNITION, JUST THAT . FOR THE FOLKS THAT KNOW ME, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF PLATITUDES OR TELLING YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR OR EMPTY PROMISES.

BUT I AM I'M A FATHER OF TWO TEENAGERS THAT ARE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WHEN I SEND THEM EVERY DAY TO SCHOOL OR THEY LEAVE, RIGHT.

I DON'T EVEN SEE THEM. THE I ALWAYS HOPE THAT THEY'RE RESPECTED AND PROTECTED [INAUDIBLE] ALONG WITH GETTING AN EDUCATION. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, THE FOLKS THAT CAME AND ANYBODY THAT'S LISTENING AND THIS THIS IS NOT A HOLLOW WORDS THAT THIS BOARD DOES TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE I THINK WE'VE MADE STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS WORKING ON THIS IN A TRULY PROACTIVE WAY IS A TOUGH ROW TO HOE.

BUT I'M NOT AFRAID OF THAT.

IT JUST PUTS IN THE WORK AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY AND I'LL SHUT UP AND I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF IS THAT FOR WHEN WE GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL STAGE, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING TO SCHOOL, NOT WANTING TO BE THERE FOR AN EDUCATION.

YOU NEED TO GET YOUR MIND RIGHT ABOUT GETTING AN EDUCATION AND FOLKS THAT KIDS THAT ARE COMING TO SCHOOL AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR IN SOME WAYS DON'T NEED TO BE

[00:35:10]

SO WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.

YEAH. SO AGAIN.

I APPRECIATE FOLKS THAT HAVE GIVEN US FEEDBACK AND THE FOLKS THAT CAME TONIGHT, AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL I WANT TO SAY.

DR. BRADLEY. THIS IS PAINFUL FOR ME.

AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN MY LIFE OVER THE YEARS.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR 45 YEARS.

MY WIFE TAUGHT AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

MY SON GRADUATED FROM AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS THE AREA SUPERINTENDENT IN CHARGE OF AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BACK WHEN I WORKED FOR THE DISTRICT.

IN MY 45 YEARS OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE NEVER HAD THE KIND OF SITUATIONS THAT EXISTED AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.

IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.

SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND TELL YOU I KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

BUT I THINK WE'D BETTER GET BUSY ABOUT FINDING OUT WHAT TO DO.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

ONE THOUGHT THAT HAS OCCURRED TO ME IS, DO WE HAVE SOME KIND OF REAL SERIOUS TASK FORCE KIND OF EFFORT TO FIND SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST? WE CAN'T DENY THAT THEY EXIST BECAUSE, LIKE YOU SAID, WHAT ARE WE, 6 OR 7 DAYS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WE'RE PICKING UP RIGHT WHERE WE LEFT OFF LAST YEAR WITH GANG VIOLENCE AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF GOING ON OVER THERE.

IT'S A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT'S MUCH GREATER THAN THE OBVIOUS.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS WRONG THAT AFFECT CHILDREN AND CAUSE SOME REBELLION.

AND CERTAINLY MR. BRACKEN'S IDEAS ARE DEAD ON.

I THINK I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO FIND WAYS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM CHILDREN THAT DON'T ENDANGER ALL THE REST OF THE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS.

AND I'M RAMBLING NOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AT LEAST AND I'VE TALKED TO SOME OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND WE ARE 100% BEHIND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST THERE AND FIND SOME SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO SNOW YOU INTO THINKING EVERYTHING'S WONDERFUL THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT WITHOUT A MAJOR EFFORT BECAUSE THAT HASN'T WORKED. WE'VE TRIED THAT.

SO I THINK WE'VE REALLY GOT TO GET SERIOUS, MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD.

WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO STRAIGHTEN THIS SITUATION OUT IN SHORT ORDER.

OKAY. SO WE'LL MOVE ON IN THE AGENDA TO SPECIAL RECOGNITION.

OH, WE'VE GOT RECOGNITION FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN NUESSLE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD, AS PART OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PERFECT ATTENDANCE PROGRAM, WE ARE VERY PROUD TO RECOGNIZE RECENT MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE ZEB PROCTOR FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT.

ATTENDING SCHOOL EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR 12 YEARS TAKES REMARKABLE DRIVE AND A VERY HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM.

FEW STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SUCH STELLAR, SUCH A STELLAR ATTENDANCE RECORD.

IN FACT, ZEB IS THE ONLY GRADUATE OF THE CLASS OF 2023 WHO, THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER HASN'T MISSED A SINGLE DAY OF SCHOOL.

NOT ONLY DID ZEB RISE FOR 180 DAYS EACH SCHOOL YEAR, HE ALSO SHINED.

ZEB GRADUATED IN THE TOP 3% OF HIS CLASS, RANKING 7 OF 271 STUDENTS.

HE WAS PART OF THE BETA CLUB AND NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN HIS 10TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE YEARS.

[00:40:01]

RANKED AMONG THE TOP OF HIS CLASS, HE SERVED AS A JUNIOR MARSHAL AS PART OF GRADUATION AND WAS NAMED A JUNIOR SCHOLAR AT MANY COLLEGES. A LEADER IN THE SCHOOL'S FFA CHAPTER ZEB ALSO SERVED AS AN OFFICER IN 10TH GRADE.

SECRETARY IN 11TH AND PRESIDENT DURING HIS SENIOR YEAR, ALL WHILE MANAGING HIS WORK SCHEDULE THROUGH A CO-OP OPPORTUNITY. IF MIDLAND VALLEY IS VERY PROUD, PRINCIPAL MR. SHELDON HIGGENBOTTOM WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD ALONG WITH THE BOARD WISH THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CONGRATULATE THIS STUDENT, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU.

HEY THERE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SURPRISE FOR HIS WHOLE FAMILY.

THE CERTIFICATE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ON ARRIVED TODAY.

SO THAT IS JUST AMAZING, THE TIMING.

BUT ZEB, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE THIS CERTIFICATE AND SHAKE THE HAND OF YOUR PRINCIPAL, MR. LAURENCE, AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS [APPLAUSE].

AND IF YOU WOULD, STAY RIGHT THERE FOR JUST A MOMENT.

I WANT TO TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AS WELL.

WE'RE JOINED TONIGHT BY ACTUALLY TWO OF ZEB'S THREE SIBLINGS.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TWO OF THEM ALREADY SHARE IN THIS INCREDIBLE HONOR.

HIS OLDER SISTER, CASSIDY, IS WAS ONE OF TWO STUDENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2018 TO GRADUATE WITH PERFECT ATTENDANCE.

CASSIDY IS ACTUALLY A TEACHER AT GRANITEVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT SHE'S SHARING THIS SPIRIT WITH HER STUDENTS [APPLAUSE].

HIS BROTHER, ZEKE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US TONIGHT.

HE WORKED LATE, BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE CLASS OF 2020.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE DEPARTMENT, AS PART OF CORONAVIRUS, DISCONTINUED THAT PROGRAM DURING THAT YEAR.

BUT HE WAS ALSO A STUDENT WITH PERFECT ATTENDANCE.

SO JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY TO COME FORWARD.

HIS MOM, GINGER AND FATHER GENE PROCTOR, ARE HERE.

THAT IS JUST AMAZING AS A PARENT [APPLAUSE].

GINGER IS ONE OF THE TEACHERS AT MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

HIS GRANDFATHER IS KEN ARTHUR.

AND ALSO THEIR FAMILY FRIEND, GRANT HARRIS.

WE WANT TO GET A COUPLE OF PICTURES, IF THAT'S OKAY.

AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FAMILY TRADITION.

THEIR YOUNGEST OF THE BROTHERS, ZACH, IS IN NINTH GRADE AND ALREADY IS ON TRACK FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE AS WELL [APPLAUSE].

ALL YOURS. THANK YOU, MR.

[00:45:03]

AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LITTLE VIDEO.

OUR MOTTO AT OUR SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW IS SEE THE GOOD.

AND WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID HERE TONIGHT, I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SEE THIS.

AND BECAUSE THIS IS NOT JUST MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, THIS IS ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT I KNOW OF.

SO, ANYWAY, ENJOY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN JUST A MINUTE.

[VIDEO] OKAY. SO MR. HIGGINBOTTOM, OUR PRINCIPAL, HAS ASKED ALL OF US TO CHOOSE ONE STUDENT WHO MAKES US WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, WHO MAKES OUR JOBS WORTHWHILE AND MAKES US FEEL IMPORTANT AND MAKES WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING HERE IS IMPORTANT WORK.

AND I CHOSE YOU. I CHOSE YOU.

I CHOOSE YOU.

I CHOSE YOU. YOU'RE MY STUDENT.

YOU MAKE ME WANT TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY.

BE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING.

PRINCIPAL. THE REASON THAT WE ENJOY COMING TO WORK.

AND I CHOSE YOU. BECAUSE YOU'RE A REALLY GREAT STUDENT.

YOU ALL DO EVERYTHING I ASK YOU TO DO TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.

YOU MAKE CLASS FUN. AND YOU MAKE IT FUN FOR YOUR PEERS AS WELL THAT WHY I CHOSE YOU.

THE REASON THAT I CALLED YOU OUT HERE IS BECAUSE WE AS TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ASKED WHEN YOU COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY WHO DO WE GET EXCITED TO SEE.

AND I'M LIKE, I GET EXCITED TO SEE AUTUMN.

SHE'S ALWAYS GOT A SMILE ON HER FACE.

SHE WORKS REALLY HARD.

SHE'S JUST SHE DOES WHAT SHE'S SUPPOSED TO DESPITE DISTRACTIONS.

SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU.

YOU ARE A HARD WORKER.

YOU VOLUNTEER FOR EVERYTHING.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU. I WAS SUPPOSED TO COME UP WITH ONE STUDENT WHO MAKES US SMILE AND MAKES US HAPPY TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY.

AND THAT PERSON WAS YOU. I THOUGHT I WAS IN TROUBLE.

TO PICK A STUDENT OR TO TELL WHY I LOVE COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY.

AND YOU CAME TO MIND IMMEDIATELY THAT I COME TO WORK BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO I JUST ADORE, WHO ALWAYS MAKE MY LIFE EASIER.

YOU'RE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING EXTRA AND YOU ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA MILE.

AND I SO TOTALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. AND I CHOSE YOU.

WE HAD TO PICK SOMEBODY WHO INSPIRES US TO COME TO WORK, I INSPIRE YOU, [INAUDIBLE] SOMEBODY WHO INSPIRES US TO COME TO WORK. SOMEBODY THAT WE ENJOY SEEING.

SOMEBODY WHO REALLY JUST BRIGHTENS OUR DAY.

AND SO I PICKED YOU. [INAUDIBLE] ASKED US TO CHOOSE A STUDENT THAT BRINGS US JOY AND MAKES IT A JOY FOR US TO COME TO WORK. AND I CHOOSE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS SMILING.

YOU MAKE ME HAPPY.

THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE YOU.

BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TASK OF FINDING A STUDENT WHO INSPIRES US.

SO I WANTED TO CHOOSE YOU, JIMMY, [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I MISS YOU.

I MISS HAVING YOU. I'VE HAD YOU FOR THREE YEARS.

SORRY, I HAVEN'T READ YOUR.

SORRY I HAVEN'T WRITTEN YOUR POST LATELY.

OKAY, WELL, IT'S FINE, BUT YOU INSPIRED ME EVERY DAY THAT I CAME TO WORK, AND YOU JUST PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE.

SO YOU'RE ONE OF MY FAVORITE STUDENTS.

[INAUDIBLE] STUDENTS THAT MAKE US FEEL GOOD ABOUT COMING TO WORK.

[INAUDIBLE] YOU KNOW, THAT YOU MAKE COMING TO WORK REALLY FUN FOR ME.

YOUR GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS JUST OVERWHELMS ME EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT YOU PICK UP BOOKS.

NO ONE EVER ASKS YOU TO PICK UP BOOKS, AND YOU JUST DO THAT AND IT MEANS SO MUCH.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU COME INTO LITERATURE CLASS EVERY DAY, OPEN TO WHATEVER WE DO.

[00:50:02]

HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME THAT YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT I DO EVERY DAY.

YOU MAKE COMING TO SCHOOL EXTREMELY FUN.

YOU'RE ONE OF THE TEACHERS I HAVE THAT ACTUALLY.

IT FEELS LIKE THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR JOB.

THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS.

YOU JUST HAVE THIS AMAZING CLASS AND IT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL.

WE ARE COWORKERS.

WE REALLY ARE, BECAUSE YOU MAKE ME PASSIONATE AND I HOPE THAT YOUR LIFELONG LEARNING IS GOING TO TOUCH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME. OKAY, SO MR. HIGGENBOTTOM GAVE US A PROJECT TO PICK A STUDENT THAT MAKES US WANT TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY [INAUDIBLE].

I PICKED YOU BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME LAUGH.

YOU ALWAYS GOT SOME FOOLISHNESS TO SAY AND, I AM FUNNY, YOU MAKE COMING TO WORK FUN.

[INAUDIBLE] I CAME UP WITH A ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL THE TEACHERS.

OKAY. AND THE ASSIGNMENT WAS FIND SOMEBODY THAT INSPIRES YOU.

SO I DECIDED TO DO IT MYSELF AND I CHOSE YOU.

AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT THE WAY THAT I'VE SEEN YOU CHANGE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU ARE GETTING READY TO GRADUATE WITH YOUR CLASS.

YOU SMILE, YOU ARE DOING SO WELL IN YOUR GRADES.

AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW YOU ARE ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE TO COME TO WORK AND I APPRECIATE YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL HAVING A GOOD WEEK.

AND SHE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

AND SHE'S DOING WELL.

SHE'S GETTING READY TO START AT AIKEN TECH.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU GUYS THAT ARE HERE FOR WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWING US TO DO AT MIDLAND VALLEY RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THE CAPTURING KIDS HEARTS THAT WE'VE INSTITUTED.

GINGER AND SHE DEFINITELY KNOWS ABOUT IT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING.

WE ARE MAKING A CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER, BUT ALSO WITH OUR STUDENTS.

AND I JUST THINK THAT'S THE KEY TO EVERYTHING.

AND A LOT OF THE THINGS IT HAD ME THINKING OVER HERE WHEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE WERE TALKING EARLIER, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO GET REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT. THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME TO BE LETTING ME BE THE PRINCIPAL AT MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT [APPLAUSE].

THANK YOU, MR. HIGGENBOTTOM.

OKAY. OFFICE BOARD CHAIRMAN I'VE ALREADY SAID WHAT I'VE HAD TO HAVE TO SAY.

WE HAVE. THAT BRINGS US TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. WE HAVE TWO. FIRST OF WHICH IS WE RECEIVED PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.

WE RECEIVED A LIST OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT IS HERE FOR US TO APPROVE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS MOTION CARRIES.

THE SECOND OF WHICH SECOND OF OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IS THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2023.

SO THIS IS AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE.

AND THIS PARTICULAR ISSUANCE WOULD BE NO GREATER THAN $20 MILLION.

AND WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS GENERATED FOR US FOR REVIEW TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THESE

[00:55:07]

IS THERE A MOTION? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND. SECOND BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2023, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO CONSENT ITEMS AND EACH OF WHICH WE CAN TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT WE'LL VOTE ON AS A GROUP.

THE FIRST OF WHICH IS WE WERE PROVIDED A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS TO TRANSFER INTO AIKEN COUNTY FROM SOMEWHERE SOME SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THE SECOND IS A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS TO TRANSFER OUT OF AIKEN TO A NEARBY DISTRICT.

AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WE HAVE ONE.

THE FIRST OF OUR DONATIONS, THE AIKEN COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR SPECIAL CITIZENS INCORPORATED, IS DONATING OVER $1,000 TO OAKWOOD WINDSOR ELEMENTARY FOR THE PURCHASE OF A LIGHT TABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING.

WE'RE ALSO NUMBER FOUR ON CONSENT ITEMS IS SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

STRONGER CONNECTION SUB GRANT FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR THE AMOUNT, IF GRANTED AMOUNT OF $25,000 A YEAR FOR TWO YEARS.

AND THE LAST IS TEAMWORKS IS IS A FUNDRAISING COMPANY.

THEY MADE A DONATION.

WANT TO MAKE A DONATION TO NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE SCHOOL OF ALMOST $3,000 TO THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AT THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

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

UNANIMOUS MOTION CARRIES.

THAT'S IT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSENT ITEMS. WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TONIGHT WHICH CONSIST OF, FIRST OF ALL, SOME CONSTRUCTION UPDATES FROM DR.

MURPHY. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS.

MR. LAURENCE. VERY HAPPY TO BRING YOU ALL SOME SOME BRIEF REMARKS, PICTURES AND REMARKS ON OUR THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HERE.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.

SO NOW CONSTRUCTION IS NEAR AND COMPLETION WITH THE FINISHING TOUCHES AND EQUIPMENT BEING INSTALLED, THE PLUMBING FIXTURES AND LIGHT FIXTURES, AS WELL AS THE WOOD PANEL AND AUDITORIUM SEATING ARE IN PROGRESS.

THE NEW CORRIDOR THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING BUILDING IS NOW COMPLETE, AND IT'S AUTHORIZED FOR EGRESS BY OCCUPANTS INTO THE EXISTING BUILDING.

LOOK AT THE INTERIOR THERE.

WE WILL HAVE OUR FINAL INSPECTION FOR THE AUDITORIUM ON AUGUST THE 29TH.

AND THIS $16 MILLION PROJECT IS WITHIN BUDGET AND IS CONTINUING ON SCHEDULE WITH DUE TO BE COMPLETE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER.

OVER AT HAMMOND HILL WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO GET THAT CAFETERIA OPEN BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED.

THE SITE WORK FOR PHASE TWO HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

ALL THE DRIVEWAY AND PARKING AREAS HAVE BEEN PAVED.

THE EXISTING PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN MILLED AND REPAVED AND ALL AREAS HAVE BEEN STRIPED WITH DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE INSTALLED.

THAT CAFETERIA IS ALSO AN AUDITORIUM, SO THE SOUND SYSTEM HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THE CAFETERIA.

WE'VE ALSO INSTALLED STAGE LIGHTS IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION AND [INAUDIBLE] INSPECTION TOOK PLACE ON JULY 24TH.

THAT ALLOWED US TO GET INTO SCHOOL ON TIME.

AND THE REMAINING WORK IS JUST PUNCH LIST ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH AND MISCELLANEOUS SITE AND LANDSCAPING WORK.

SO WE'RE FINISHING OUT THIS PROJECT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO AND IT IS ON TIME AND ON ITS $15 MILLION BUDGET.

ON OVER TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.

WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO GET INTO HIGHLAND SPRINGS ON TIME.

BUT EVEN THOUGH WE'VE PASSED OSF AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PUNCH LIST WORK THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S KIND OF THE PAR FOR THE COURSE.

TYPICALLY, WE LIKE TO HAVE ABOUT 60 DAYS OF PUNCH LIST TIME TO GET IN THERE.

THAT'S PRIOR TO HAVING THE KIDS.

SO NOW WE'RE PUNCHING WITH STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING.

[01:00:02]

AND SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS TELLING US SOME OF THE ISSUES AND ITEMS THAT THEY'RE COMING UP WITH.

BUT IT'S BAD IN THAT SOMETIMES IT'S WE'RE WEARING AND TEARING AS WE'RE PUNCHING.

SO IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE'LL DEAL WITH.

BUT BOTTOM LINE, THEY'RE JUST DEALING WITH THE PUNCH LIST ITEMS AND SOME EXTERIOR LANDSCAPING TO FINISH UP.

AND THIS $44 MILLION PROJECT DID COME IN WITHIN BUDGET AND WE SHOULD BE FINISHING UP THERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO WITH THE PUNCH LIST.

YOU SEE A COUPLE OF PICTURES THERE.

AND WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH.

I JUST VISITED THE SITE TODAY.

WE HAVE WE HAVE WALLS, WE HAVE THE RETENTION PONDS ARE COMING IN THERE AND THEY'RE CONTINUING ON WITH THE SITE WORK.

RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DOING SEWER WORK AS WELL AS MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING, DRY FITTING.

AND IF YOU LOOK HERE, YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THE INTERIOR.

AND WE'RE STILL SET TO MOVE INTO THIS TO BE COMPLETE WITH THE SCHOOL ON JULY 1ST.

AND SO WE SHOULD BE I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANOTHER BUZZER BEATER, BUT THAT GIVES US A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR TO GET READY FOR THIS PROJECT AS WELL.

AND AT RIGHT NEAR $50.5 MILLION PROJECT IS SET FOR COMPLETION.

IT'S ON TIME AND IT'S CURRENTLY ON BUDGET.

PENDING YOUR QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR.

MURPHY? THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

THE OTHER INFORMATION ITEM WE HAD ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT WAS THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MAY 31ST OF THIS YEAR THAT MR. TRAXLER PROVIDED TO US IN ADVANCE.

WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. TRAXLER ABOUT THAT REPORT? OKAY, HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO INTO BOARD MEMBER ITEMS, WHICH WE HAVE SOME TONIGHT.

MR. BROOME ASKED FOR TWO ITEMS AND I'LL LET HIM INTRODUCE THOSE.

TALK ABOUT THOSE SUBJECTS.

THANK YOU, MR. NUESSLE.

WELL, AFTER SOME OF THE STUFF WE COVERED TONIGHT, THIS MIGHT SEEM VERY INSIGNIFICANT.

I WILL SAY THAT UP FRONT.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, ALL THE WHEN THE WHEELS TURNING EVERY SPOKE INTERACTS WITH THE NEXT SPOKE.

SO WE'LL START OUT I GUESS THE FIRST ON THE AGENDA WAS ATHLETICS.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED THROUGH THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'VE RUN THE SPORTS PROGRAM FOR THE TOWN OF JACKSON AS PRESIDENT FOR TEN YEARS PRIOR.

I RESIGNED COMING INTO THIS BEING ELECTED INTO THE BOARD HERE.

SO I'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH ATHLETICS.

WHAT I SEE IS DISCONNECT AT TIMES BETWEEN THE COUNTY SCHOOLS, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE IN COMPETITION WITH EACH OTHER IN A LOT OF SPORTS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT'S OFFERED AT ONE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, IS NOT OFFERED AT ANOTHER AND THAT THAT TYPE OF STUFF.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS WHEN I'VE HAD WHEN THERE'S BEEN THINGS FROM THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, FROM THAT LEVEL WHEN I WAS ON IT, THAT WE HAD ATHLETIC QUESTIONS BACK TO THE DISTRICT, USUALLY THEY COME BACK TO THE SAY, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL HAD TO ANSWER.

THERE WASN'T REALLY THERE'S REALLY NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE UNLESS YOU EDUCATE ME DIFFERENT A ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

I SEE A LOT OF BENEFIT FROM AND THIS IS KIND OF OPEN ENDED QUESTION AT LEAST TO HAVE A BRAINSTORMING OR CONSIDER TAKING IT, MAYBE IT'S A POSITION THAT'S HERE NOW OR MAYBE IT'S A NEW POSITION, BUT HAVING THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, YOU KNOW, AND I FORESEE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE YOU STILL HAVE YOUR ADS AT THE SCHOOLS, BUT THINGS THAT MAYBE A DISTRICT FROM UNIFORM CONTRACTS TO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT COULD HELP WITH SETTING PRIORITIES AND SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW EVENTS ARE HANDLED.

HOW FIELDS ARE MAINTAINED.

GROUNDS EQUIPMENT IS KEPT.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO WE NEED? MAYBE EVEN TO THE DOWN TO THE POINT OF SOME ITEMS. AND I'M JUST GOING TO THROW SOME THINGS OUT BEING AN OLD COUNTRY BOY, LIKE ARCHERY, FISHING, SKEET SHOOTING, THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT MAYBE WOULD BE CLUBS THAT WERE STILL AN AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT EVENT, BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO IT AT ALL THE SCHOOLS, BUT YOU COULD HAVE A CLUB THAT THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, AS AN EXTRACURRICULAR TYPE THING.

[01:05:05]

BUT THEN THE NON-REGION GAMES AND WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE WHEN I HAD IT CHECKED AT A DISTRICT LEVEL AND SOME HIGH SCHOOLS WAS RUNNING 10- 15 MORE GAMES THAN OTHERS.

SO THAT'S JUST FACT.

NOW, I DON'T THINK FOOTBALL AND SOME SOME OTHER SPORTS, YOU HAVE THAT MUCH DISCREPANCY.

BUT MY POINT IS THERE'S NOBODY I BELIEVE, AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL THAT CONSTANTLY MONITORS ALL THAT AND LESS AS QUESTIONS.

NOW CAN YOU MIGHT CAN CORRECT ME ON THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT IS FROM MY EXPERIENCES.

SO MY PROPOSAL IS, IS TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY ANYBODY THAT WOULD CONSIDER OFFERING IDEAS TO HAVE A SOMEBODY THAT'S HANDLES ATHLETICS AT A DISTRICT LEVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FIGURING OUT HOW YOU DOING, TICKETING, WHERE IT WOULD YOU KNOW, WHERE IT WOULD [INAUDIBLE] SECURITY ALL THESE KIND OF THINGS THAT SORT OF MEAN YOUR ADS IN YOUR SCHOOLS, THEIR ADS, BUT THEY ALSO TEACH IN CLASSES IN MOST CASES.

I MEAN, THEY GET A PERIOD OR TWO.

BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE IS NOBODY FROM WHAT I SEE AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF THIS THAT REALLY HAS THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT GLOBALLY, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. AND I THINK THE ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE IS A BIG PART OF A LOT OF KIDS LIVES.

AND I THINK THAT THAT EXPERIENCE CHANGES A LOT OF KIDS.

SO IT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH A LOT OF THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO THAT'S THAT'S JUST THE IDEA AND, YOU KNOW, I'M OPEN FOR DISCUSSION IF ANYBODY HAS ANY.

MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. BROOME. WE DO NOT HAVE A DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.

I THINK THOSE THOSE DUTIES ARE SHARED BETWEEN DR.

MURPHY AND MR. POSTELL. I THINK, GENERALLY SPEAKING.

MR. MURPHY. DR.

MURPHY TAKES ON THE BULK OF THAT ALONG WITH HIS OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO THAT IS A DISCUSSION THAT CAME UP, I GUESS, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEGS AT THAT TIME, SO WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.

MR. SILAS. YEAH. MR. BROOME, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP, YOU KNOW.

DEFINITELY THINK THERE'S SOME BENEFITS.

SOME OF THE ONES YOU MENTIONED, EVEN YOU KNOW ABOUT SOME CONSISTENCY, SETTING STANDARDS.

NOT SO SURE IT REQUIRES A DISTRICT LEVEL TO DO IT, BUT SOMEBODY CERTAINLY UP HERE THAT LET'S JUST SAY I THINK I THINK IT BEARS MAYBE FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I'M NOT SURE I'D BE OPEN TO ADDING A WHOLE LEVEL OF PERSON AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE [INAUDIBLE].

BUT BUT I THINK SOME SOME RESPONSIBILITIES IN THAT REGARD TO SET SOME STANDARDS DISTRICT WIDE IS NOT A BAD IDEA BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE I THINK ATHLETICS HAS ON OUR STUDENT'S LIVES AND WHAT IT ADDS TO TO THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THEIR EDUCATION HAS A BIG PART TO PLAY.

SO I DON'T THINK A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED HERE AND I DON'T THINK YOU INTENDED THAT TONIGHT.

BUT I THINK JUST OPENING THE DOOR TO SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION AND HOW THAT MAY PLAY INTO BUDGET NEXT YEAR OR ORGANIZATIONALLY, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD TIME TO JUST ENGAGE SOME DISCUSSIONS AROUND THAT FORMALLY AND INFORMALLY.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT? OKAY. MR. BROOME, YOU HAD A SECOND TOPIC.

WE'LL LEAVE THAT? WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO PUT IN AS A FORM OF A MOTION THAT WE JUST ASK KING TO MAYBE THE DISTRICT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND MAYBE COME BACK TO US AT SOME POINT WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS, PROPOSALS, IDEAS TO, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING FORWARD THAT IT DOESN'T DIE ON THE VINE RIGHT HERE.

OKAY. UM.

SO YEAH.

SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT AS THE MOTION YOU JUST MADE.

YES. OKAY.

AND JUST TO REITERATE BEFORE I ASK FOR.

WELL, I'LL JUST ASK FOR A SECOND.

IS THERE A SECOND FOR MR. BROOME? SECOND BY MS. TYLER.

SO THERE IS A MOTION.

I'M PARAPHRASING.

THERE'S A MOTION BY MR. BROOME, SECONDED BY MS. TYLER TO ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONSIDER WHAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AND TO

[01:10:05]

YES. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? I'M JUST BEING VERY TRANSPARENT, SO YOU KNOW WHERE I'M AT.

I'M LOOKING AT JUST WHAT I THINK ARE MY OWN SHORT TERM, LONG TERM PRIORITIES ARE.

AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I'D WANT THE ADMINISTRATION TO WORK ON RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. AND JUST SO WHEN YOU WHEN WE HAVE A VOTE AND A SECOND, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ASKING THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE A PROPOSAL AROUND HOW TO COORDINATE A DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR POSITION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S FOUR IN FAVOR ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S ALSO FOUR.

AND I'M TRYING TO THINK IF WE ASK FOR ANOTHER VOTE OR IF IT JUST FAILS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH.

YEAH. SO EVEN THOUGH THAT'S A TIE, THE MOTION FAILS.

YES, SIR.

CAN I AMEND IT? NO, YOU CAN MAKE ANOTHER MOTION.

SO I'M NOT TRYING TO BE HARD NOSED ABOUT IT.

SO WE'VE INTRODUCED THE SUBJECT.

WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION.

WE'VE HAD ONE MOTION THAT FAILED.

SO ANYBODY IS OPEN TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION ON THE SUBJECT AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT.

I'LL MAKE A AMENDED MOTION.

NO, JUST MAKE A MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ASK THE DISTRICT TO LOOK AT THE ATHLETICS OF AIKEN COUNTY AND SEE IF WITHIN THIS BUILDING THEY CAN COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL TO BETTER GOVERN FROM AND UNIFY THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT WITH ATHLETICS. SO IS THERE A SECOND FOR MR. BROOME'S MOTION? SECOND BY DR.

BRADLEY. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? I WAS AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND COACH AND THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE AUTONOMY OF EACH SCHOOL IN THEIR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS BEING ABLE TO.

SCHEDULE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

WHOM THEY WANT TO PLAY AND THEY TAKE CARE OF THAT IN THE BUILDING.

AND I ALWAYS ENJOYED THAT.

MY QUESTION WOULD BE.

AND IF YOU DON'T COME BACK AND TALK TO US ABOUT IT.

COME BACK TO US WITH WHAT YOU PERCEIVE THE ROLE OF THIS POSITION, PLAYING AS WELL AS THEIR DAY TO DAY DUTIES.

BECAUSE ONCE ALL THE ALL THE ELIGIBILITY STUFF THAT HAS TO BE SENT IN TO THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE COMES FROM THE MAIN OFFICE BOOM AND IS SHOT UP.

UH. I, ALTHOUGH I LIKE THE IDEA.

I'M NOT SURE IF IF WE'RE I'D LIKE TO JUST SEE A JOB DESCRIPTION AND WHAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITIES THIS PERSON WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE I DON'T.

I'M STRUGGLING WITH IT AT THIS POINT.

NOW, MAYBE I'M STILL BACK THERE IN THEM DARK AGES A LITTLE MORE, AND I'M TRYING MY BEST TO SEE THE 2023.

AND MAYBE THERE IS RATIONALE THERE THAT WE NEED IT, MAYBE THERE ISN'T.

BUT I WANT TO SEE WHAT A JOB DESCRIPTION IS OF THIS POSITION BEFORE WE BEFORE I MOVE ON AND JUST AND THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. AND THE CLARITY ON THIS IS IMPORTANT.

JUST SO MAKES SURE WE KNOW THE WAY I HEARD MISTER BROOME'S MOTION HE WAS JUST ASKING THE ADMINISTRATION TO

[01:15:03]

NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE BE CREATING A JOB.

YES, THAT'S WHAT MY INTENT WAS.

BUT WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS I'D LIKE FOR SOMEBODY TO BE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH ATHLETICS FROM A SCHOOL THAT JUST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH HIGH SCHOOLS, WE KNOW YOU KNOW WHO YOU GO TO AND THEN THEY MAY SEND YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY THAT UNDERSTANDS ATHLETICS, DEALS WITH ATHLETICS AND CAN HELP MEAN EVERYTHING DOWN TO FUNDRAISING.

I MEAN, THERE'S JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE HELPED THAT MAYBE YOU COULD GET FUNDRAISING, SAY SOMEBODY THAT SPONSOR ACROSS THE DISTRICT WHERE THEY WAS A LITTLE PIECE GOING TO ALL THE SCHOOLS OR SOMETHING WHERE YOU COULD RUN IT THERE BETTER.

I'M JUST THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO LOOK AT IT.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE FLUID UP FRONT DISCUSSING IT.

AND I DON'T I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE ADS MIGHT NOT BE INVOLVED AT SOME POINT, IF YOU COULD GET THEM ALL TOGETHER TO SEE WHERE DO YOU NEED TO HELP AT WHAT BUT TO HAVE A MORE OF A UNIFIED APPROACH TO OUR ATHLETICS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

AND I DO AGREE WITH MR. SMITH THAT YOU DO NEED SOME AUTONOMY ON IT'S KIND OF LIKE BUILDING A RACE CAR.

YOU DON'T WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW EVERY LITTLE TRICK YOU'RE DOING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU WANT TO BE UNIFIED WHEN YOU GO RACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME SEE YOU AS A BODY RACING.

SO. MAY I? MAY I? I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM DR.

HANKS. SHE HAD HER HAND UP.

YEAH. JUST A QUICK QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEWHAT OF A PUSHBACK OF ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

DO WE EVEN KNOW OR HAVE AN IDEA THAT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND ATHLETIC DIRECTORS WOULD WANT TO BE GOVERNED BY ONE ASSIGNED PERSON FROM, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THE DISTRICT? BASED ON LAST TIME I COMMUNICATED WITH THEM ABOUT THIS, WHICH WAS FIVE YEARS AGO, THE ANSWER IS NO, THAT THEY WERE VERY, VERY MUCH AGAINST IT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE NOW.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THAT'S NECESSARILY A FACTOR IN THE DECISION, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY DO MEET REGULARLY.

DR. MURPHY MEETS WITH THEM.

SO THERE IS A THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER AND AND COMMUNICATE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ATHLETICS DISTRICT WIDE.

SO THAT IS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOES HAPPEN NOW.

BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW THE CURRENT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS WOULD FEEL ABOUT IT, UNLESS THEY'RE UNLESS THEIR PREFERENCES HAVE CHANGED SINCE FIVE YEARS AGO, I DON'T THINK THEY'D WANT IT.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY TAKING UNDER CONSIDERATION BEFORE THIS IS EVEN BROUGHT BEFORE US.

BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T SEE THE BENEFIT OR NOT NECESSARILY WANTING THIS ONE PARTICULAR PERSON MUTE POINT.

MR. SMITH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ADDITIONAL? NO, I THINK.

I WANT TO KNOW IF THE INTEREST IS THERE, IF THE NEED IS THERE.

AND THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM WITH ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD THIS PERSON DO.

THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO ME BEFORE I A DECISION.

I'M VERY INTERESTED.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE JOB DESCRIPTION WILL BE, AS WELL AS WHETHER OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THEIR SCHOOLS. OKAY.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS SECOND MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MR. BROOME'S MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX. ALL OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES 6 TO 1.

YOU HAD A SECOND TOPIC, MR. BROOME, AROUND STUDYING A STUDY OF OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

OKAY. THIS FIRST OFF IS NOT.

THIS IS JUST FIGURING OUT HOW WE DO MAINTENANCE.

THIS IS NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG.

WE'RE DOING A SALARY STUDY.

I UNDERSTAND. WE'VE AUTHORIZED THE SALARY STUDY.

I EXPECT THAT WE'VE GOT SOME VERY HARD WORKING INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO KEEP EMPLOYEES AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING IN THIS JOB MARKET BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE COMPETITIVE WITH THE EMPLOYEES.

SO I SUSPECT THAT THAT GIVES GIVES US SOME ISSUES.

WE'VE GOT 40 HOW MANY SCHOOLS? ANYBODY TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH.

I FEEL LIKE THAT IT WOULD BE WARRANTED TO DO A STUDY ON HOW WE CONDUCT MAINTENANCE.

LOOKING AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE EMPLOYEE SALARY STUDY, WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO PLAY A BIG PART IN IT, HOW WE

[01:20:09]

WHERE ARE WE? YOU KNOW, WE CREATING THE JOBS AND DOING THE JOBS.

ARE WE GOING OUT AND PURCHASING THE SERVICES? THAT'S A THING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT TO SEE ARE WE SPENDING MORE MONEY OUTSOURCING OR COULD WE SET UP BETTER JOBS AND TRAIN, YOU KNOW, HAVE TRAIN PEOPLE DOING I MEAN, BIG UNDERTAKING, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF LANDSCAPE TO KEEP UP.

YOU KNOW, TRACKING, YOU KNOW, HOW WE DO OUR WORK, CONTROL, TRACKING THE WORK ORDERS.

HOW DO WE HOW DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE PRINCIPALS OR WHOEVER'S HANDLING WORK ORDERS IN THE SCHOOL, HOW DOES ALL THAT? I JUST THINK ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED TO SEE IF WE CAN DO THINGS DIFFERENT.

ARE WE DOING THE BEST WE CAN DO ARE WE OVERACHIEVING WITH WHAT WE GOT TO WORK WITH? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.

I KNOW THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SAY WE ARE PREMIER EMERGING SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WE BUILDING A LOT OF NEW BUILDINGS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD BUILDINGS.

I MEAN, THE SPECULATION WHEN YOU BUILD A NEW HOUSE IS IT'S KEPT FAIRLY PRISTINE.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS THAT, IN MY OPINION, GROUNDS ARE KEPT UP YEAR ROUND.

SCHOOL STARTS BACK, YOU KNOW, THE FLOWERBEDS ARE CLEANED, THE SHRUBBERY IS CUT, THERE'S NO DEAD SHRUBBERY.

THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM IS WORKING, ALL THEM KIND OF THINGS.

THAT'S A TREMENDOUS BURDEN TO TRY TO KEEP UP.

BUT IF YOU DON'T STAY ON TOP OF THAT STUFF, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT SNOWBALLS ON YOU.

AND THEN THAT BROKE SPRINKLER CAUSES THAT DEAD BUSH, WHICH CAUSES ON AND ON AND ON.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEN A $10 ITEM IS NOW A $1,000 ITEM.

SO I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE A STUDY.

AN INDEPENDENT STUDY ON HOW WE DO MAINTENANCE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STUDY WE'RE GOING TO DO ON SALARY, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY A VERY CLOSE ROLE WITH EACH OTHER TO SEE IF WE CAN WHAT.

WHAT A STUDY SHOWS.

AND THEN IF, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD, IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT TO HANDLE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP ON ALL THESE BUILDINGS WE'VE GOT. AND THAT'S MY PROPOSAL.

I'M ASKING TO GET PERMISSION FOR THE DISTRICT TO HELP US AUTHORIZE A STUDY.

AND THEN WE, THE BOARD, WOULD PICK WHO DOES THAT STUDY TO A SEPARATE MEETING AND GO FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT $100,000 FOR A SPORT LAST, LAST MEETING.

SO OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S SOME MONEY SITTING SOMEWHERE THAT WE COULD USE FOR THIS STUDY OR WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IF WE'D HAVE VOTED THAT IN TO VOTE FOR IT.

AND I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT WE COULD MAYBE CHANGE THE WAY WE DO SOME THINGS AND SAVE MONEY AND MAKE EVERYBODY'S JOB A LITTLE BIT EASIER, BECAUSE I KNOW THESE GUYS ARE KILLING THEMSELVES, TRYING TO KEEP EVERYBODY HAPPY.

IT'S JUST AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.

AND I AM IN NO WAY SAYING THAT SOMEBODY'S NOT DOING THEIR JOB.

I THINK A LOT OF IT MAY BE ON THIS BOARD BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE UNDERFUNDED THAT STAFF, UNDERPAID THEM WORKERS IN TODAYS MARKET, AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO WORK WITH THAT THEY NEED TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF AN EMERGING PREMIER DISTRICT.

SO CAN YOU PUT THAT IN A FORM OF A MOTION? MY MOTION IS TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT TO SOLICIT OR SOLICIT, SOLICIT INPUT ON AND COME BACK TO US WITH PROPOSALS TO HIRE A INDEPENDENT GROUP TO EVALUATE OUR ENTIRE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM FOR THE DISTRICT. I'M TALKING FROM A TO Z, FROM WORK CONTROL TO MANPOWER.

OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND FOR MR. BROOME'S MOTION? I'LL SECOND JUST FOR THE POINT OF DISCUSSION.

OKAY. SO MR. SMITH WANTS IN ON THE DISCUSSION.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE MAKE ONE THING.

MAKE EVERYBODY HERE AWARE.

AIR CONDITIONING TECHNICIANS ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST TO FIND TO GET TO COME TO THE DISTRICT.

AND FROM MY MY INVESTIGATION IS WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE SOMEONE.

AND I MAY BE WRONG.

BUT THE PAY WE ARE OFFERING THEM BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE IS $14 TO $18 AN HOUR.

IF I'M WRONG, CORRECT ME, GUYS.

[01:25:02]

AND WE CAN'T GET THEM TO THE QUALITY WE WANT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING.

NOW I'M PICKING OUT ONE SPECIFIC THING BECAUSE WITHOUT SCHOOL, KIDS CAN'T LEARN AS WELL.

BUT THERE'S OTHER EXAMPLES, TOO, IN OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.

AND I AGREE WITH MR. BROOME THAT THE FAULT WE ARE IN IN OUR MAINTENANCE SITUATION, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THIS BOARD.

IT'S ALL THE BOARDS WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE I'VE WATCHED IT NOW FOR 40 SOMETHING YEARS [INAUDIBLE] AND IT'S TIME. SERIOUSLY THAT WE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT THEIR CRAFTS ARE.

SEE WHAT THE PUBLIC IS PAYING IN THOSE CRAFTS, AS WELL AS WHAT WE ARE BEING ABLE TO OFFER BECAUSE $18 TOP SALARY TO GET SOMEONE TO COME IN HERE THAT'S GOT 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN AIR CONDITIONING AND YOU OFFER HIM $18 AN HOUR AND HE LOOKS AT YOU AND SAYS, THERE'S NO WAY.

I GOT A FAMILY TO BE AND I CAN MAKE $37 AN HOUR.

AND I'M JUST USING THAT AND MAKING THAT UP.

THAT'S THE SCENARIO WE'VE GOT NOW WITH OUR MAINTENANCE.

AND I SEE IT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.

DR. HANKS AND THEN THEN MR. SILAS AGAIN.

JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MR. SMITH, I HEAR YOU.

BUT WE AS A DISTRICT, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR SALARY.

AND I THINK MY INTERPRETATION IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SALARY STUDY, WHICH WE'RE ALREADY DOING VERSUS AN EVALUATION OF THE DISTRICT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND HOW WE'RE RUNNING THAT.

SO JUST TO CLARIFY.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING OUR DEPARTMENT ARE UP AGAINST.

DO WE WANT TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION? BUT THAT WAS MEANT ONLY AS INFORMATION.

GET MR. SILAS FIRST AND THEN MR. LAURENCE WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.

OKAY. I'LL LET THE MOTION TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

BUT FOR ME PERSONALLY, AT AN UPCOMING MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM DR.

YARBOROUGH SINCE HE'S HERE TONIGHT OR SOMEONE IN MAINTENANCE JUST TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS PUT TOGETHER, RIGHT.

WHAT YOU DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, HOW WE'RE ORGANIZED.

I THINK THAT'D BE VERY INFORMATIVE TO ME AT LEAST.

YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF WORK ORDERS YOU DEAL WITH HOW MANY JUST KIND OF A SOUP TO NUTS DEAL ON OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND WHETHER WE DO OR DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE LOOK AT IT AND ITS EFFICIENCY IS A SEPARATE ISSUE.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AT AN UPCOMING MEETING WHERE TIME WOULD ALLOW THAT, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

YEAH. MR. LAURENCE, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THE HVAC TECH SALARY RANGE.

IT STARTS AT $17.40 AND IT GOES UP TO $29.11.

SO.

COULD HAVE BEEN OLD INFORMATION.

DR. BRADLEY. I HAVE A QUESTION.

WILL THE UPCOMING SALARY STUDY NOT INCLUDE MAINTENANCE WORKERS? I'M GOING TO ASK WILL THEY BE PART OF.

I'M ASKING MR. TRAXLER TO ADDRESS THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR STUDY.

YES. HEARD IT WOULD INCLUDE ALL NINE TEACHERS SCALES.

SO WE INTEND TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING THERE.

I AGREE WITH WHAT MR. BROOME SAYS ESSENTIALLY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO VOTE ON A STUDY UNTIL I KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE STUDYING AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I THINK TO VOTE ON THAT TONIGHT MIGHT BE A LITTLE PREMATURE, AND I FAVOR MR. SILAS' SUGGESTION THAT WE ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AS MUCH AS WE CAN FROM HERE, FROM THE MAINTENANCE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHAT THEIR PROBLEMS ARE, WHAT, YOU KNOW, AS A BEGINNING POINT.

I'M NOT TRYING TO KILL THE IDEA, BUT I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO DO SOME PRELIMINARY WORK BEFORE WE JUMP INTO COMMISSIONING AN OUTSIDE STUDY.

[01:30:02]

MY GOAL WAS TO GET THIS OUT ON THE TABLE FOR THE BOARD TO START LOOKING AT JUST TAKING SERIOUS WHAT THINGS I SEE AND HOW HARD I SEE SOME PEOPLE WORKING AND IT'S LIKE THEY JUST GET POUNDED ALL THE TIME.

AND MY INTENT IS NOT TO POINT FINGERS AT ANYBODY, BUT TO HELP PEOPLE MAKE THINGS BETTER AND MAKE MAKE A SYSTEM THAT'S AS EFFICIENT AS IT CAN BE. SO I'M FINE WITH THAT.

OKAY. SO, MR. BROOME, WOULD YOU STILL LIKE TO TAKE A VOTE OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESCIND YOUR MOTION? I CAN RESCIND MY MOTION AND A GOOD STARTING POINT WOULD BE TO BRING MAINTENANCE IN WITH A PRESENTATION.

MR. SILAS, DO YOU AGREE? SINCE YOU SECONDED THE MOTION? YES, I'M FINE WITHDRAWING OKAY. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO RESCIND THE MOTION.

THE PERSON THAT MADE IT AND THE PERSON THAT SECOND IT TO AGREE.

SO THAT MOTION IS RESCINDED.

AND I AS FAR AS AN AGENDA TOPIC, MR. SMITH AND I WILL WORK WITH IF THAT'S OKAY.

MR. SMITH AND I WILL WORK WITH MR. LAURENCE ON A FUTURE AGENDA WHERE WE DO EXACTLY THAT.

OKAY. AND KIND OF DO A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEP DIVE INTO THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM HERE IN THE DISTRICT.

AND I AGREE WITH THE FOLKS ON THE BOARD.

WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT PUBLICLY, AND IT'D BE GOOD TO HEAR THE CHALLENGES.

AND I'D LIKE TO SAY ONE MORE THING.

I THINK AS A BOARD, WE SHOULD HAVE A EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW THE FACILITIES ARE MAINTAINED.

AND I THINK THAT THESE ARE EXPECTATIONS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WHATEVER THEY NEED TO MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS WITHIN REASON.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T ASK FOR ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.

SO IF WE YOU KNOW, WE SIT HERE AND SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO PAINT THE WALLS EVERY TEN YEARS OR WE'RE GOING TO CUT THE GRASS EVERY SIX WEEKS, THEN WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AND WE SAY, NO, WE'RE GOING TO CUT IT EVERY WEEK.

WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AND WE'RE GOING TO PAINT EVERY YEAR.

SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS REASONABLE AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT PEOPLE COMING IN TO YOUR SCHOOLS AND SAYING, I MEAN, BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST IMPRESSION WHEN YOU WALK IN IS HOW THE GROUNDS LOOK.

AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE SAY NOW, WELL, WE'RE NOT USING THESE FIELDS BECAUSE IT'S OFF SEASON, BUT IF I BRING MY CHILD TO THAT SCHOOL AND I'M MOVING IN THE DISTRICT AND I GOT, YOU KNOW, SOME KIDS THAT ARE REALLY GOOD BALL PLAYERS, I MAY BE LOOKING AT COMING TO YOUR SCHOOL AND I SAY, I WANT TO SEE YOUR FACILITIES.

WELL, I SURE DON'T WANT TO BE EMBARRASSED AS A PRINCIPAL TO GO SHOW THEM MY FACILITIES.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY WON'T BE KEPT MAYBE AS GOOD AS THEY ARE DURING THE SEASON, BUT THEY STILL OUGHT TO BE REASONABLE.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF AS A BOARD THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE GOT TO KNOW THAT IT COSTS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT GOES BACK TO MY MOTION ABOUT THE ATHLETIC DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.

THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE BOOSTER CLUBS AND ALL IF YOU HAVE GOT A CENTRAL POINT THAT YOU'RE WORKING AT.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO BACKTRACK.

I SEE YOU MAKING A FACE AT ME, BUT WE COULD HAVE PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA TOO, MR. BROOME. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT COVERS THE BOARD MEMBER ITEMS, WHICH LEAVES US THE LAST REGULAR SESSION ITEM IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO WELCOME OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE LARYNGITIS, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE THEM BACK.

OVERALL, WE'VE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL START.

WE'RE STILL SHORT A FEW TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS AND SUPPORT STAFF, BUT HR IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO SOLVE THAT.

MEALS THAT WE'RE SERVING TO STUDENTS HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR, AND SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.

AS MENTIONED TONIGHT BY SEVERAL FOLKS, THERE ARE SOME INCIDENTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

BUT AS ALWAYS, I WANT TO ASSURE EVERYONE, THE BOARD, OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF, OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF IS ALWAYS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.

AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE.

WE DO NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT, AND WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IN SUCH ORDER THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE. WE HAVE TWO EMPLOYEE MATTERS.

ONE IS AN EMPLOYEE CONTRACTUAL MATTER AND THE OTHER IS THE CONTRACTUAL MATTER CONCERNING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION.

WE ALSO HAVE A LEGAL UPDATE ON SOME PENDING LITIGATION.

[01:35:03]

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

IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE PURPOSES? MOTION MADE BY DR. BRADLEY.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. MOTION CARRIES.

WE WILL START EXECUTIVE SESSION NO LATER THAN 7:45.

THANK YOU.

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