Nov 14, 2023 111423 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

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OH, THERE IT GOES. GOOD EVENING.

[00:05:10]

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

PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.

THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS PUBLISHED TO THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD IN ADVANCE, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD OF FOR ANY REQUESTS FOR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.

SO WE WILL ACCEPT THE AGENDA APPROVED AS APPROVED AS IT STANDS, WITHOUT OBJECTION.

WE HAD ONE SET OF MEETING MINUTES THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO APPROVE.

THAT'S THE MEETING MINUTES.

SO THE REGULAR MEETING FROM OCTOBER 24TH THIS YEAR.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MEETING MINUTES.

SO MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. BY DR. HANKS, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 24TH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

AT THIS TIME, WE'VE GOT.

WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

WE HAVE HAD SEVEN PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION THIS EVENING.

MY ONLY REQUEST IS THAT THE.

AND I THINK WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EITHER WAY, BUT WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE REQUESTING TO SPEAK ON NJROTC CORDS, AND WE'VE GOT SEVEN SPEAKERS TOTAL.

AND WHICH IS FINE.

AND IT'S BY BOARD POLICY, WE SCHEDULE 30 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE MEETING.

IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO OF THOSE FOUR LIKE TO CONSOLIDATE ON THE ROTC CORDS IN YOUR FEEDBACK.

YEP. YEP.

SO DR.

BRADLEY IS CORRECT.

THE BOARD POLICY BEDH SAYS THAT TWO PEOPLE CAN SPEAK ON EITHER SIDE OF ONE PARTICULAR ISSUE, AND I DID NOT. I'M ASSUMING THAT ALL FOUR OF YOU ARE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THIS ISSUE.

IS THERE SOME WAY WE COULD CONSOLIDATE THIS TO TWO SPEAKERS? DO YOU HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES? YES, SIR. OKAY.

AND THAT WOULD BE MR. FORD. AND THEN WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? THINK. OR WHO ELSE WAS SPEAKING? OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. APPRECIATE IT.

SO IN THAT ORDER, MR. FORD, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

MR. FORD IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT NJROTC CORDS.

AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, SIR.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LOGAN FORD AND I STAND BEFORE YOU NOT JUST AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, BUT AS A PRODUCT OF THE SYSTEM AND A PROUD ALUMNUS OF THE NJROTC PROGRAM.

WHILE I CURRENTLY HOLD POSITIONS IN VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS, I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT I'M NOT REPRESENTING ANY OFFICIAL CAPACITY HERE TONIGHT.

I'VE COME TO ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD ON THE MATTER OF ALLOWING CORDS FOR ROTC GRADUATES.

FRANKLY, I'M PUZZLED ON WHY THIS IS EVEN AN ISSUE REQUIRING OUR ATTENTION.

TO RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENTS AND LAST MEETING, DR. BRADLEY, YOUR COMMENTS WERE APPRECIATED.

THIS IS A TOPIC THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN THIS ROOM IN THE PAST.

MR. LAURENCE, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

I HOPE YOU ARE WELL IN YOUR COMMENTS ON OFFICIAL CORDS AND LIMITING CORDS IN THESE DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU HAD PREVIOUSLY.

I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

IF A STUDENT WALKS GRADUATION WITH A DOZEN CORDS, WHY IS THAT A PROBLEM? WHY SHOULD THE PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION OF OUR STUDENTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS BE LIMITED? WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

THIS IS INDEED A PROBLEM THAT EXTENDS TO OTHER UNRECOGNIZED PROGRAMS SUCH AS BAND AND INTERACT AND OTHERS IN OUR DISTRICT.

BUT TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON NJROTC.

SO IN RESPONSE TO YOUR NOTES IN THE LAST MEETING, THERE'S NO LOGIC THAT MAKES SENSE TO LIMIT CORDS AT GRADUATION.

YOU HAVE THE INFLUENCE, AND I'M SURE ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WOULD AGREE TO THIS.

[00:10:01]

THE OFFICIAL NAVAL SCIENCE TRAINING COMMAND WEBSITE, THE NJROTC HOME OF THE NAVY JROTC PAGE, OUTLINES THE OUTCOMES OF THE NJROTC PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE PROMOTION OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION AND HIGHER EDUCATION.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS MANDATE CADETS MAINTAIN AN ACCEPTABLE ACADEMIC STANDARD.

THE PROGRAM IS NOT JUST ABOUT MILITARY TRAINING.

IT MOTIVATES CADETS TO GRADUATE AND EVEN OFFERS TUTORING AND PREPARATION PROGRAMS. NJROTC CADETS DEMONSTRATE BETTER BEHAVIOR, ATTENDANCE, AND SERVE AS ROLE MODELS AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

THEY EXHIBIT HIGHER SELF-ESTEEM, POSITIVE LIFE SKILLS, AND ON AVERAGE, ACHIEVE HIGHER GPAS AND GRADUATE AT AN ELEVATED RATE.

DO YOU KNOW THAT 60% OF NJROTC CADETS WHO ARE GRADUATING SENIORS CONTINUE TO HIGHER EDUCATION? LET'S EXPLORE THE CURRICULUM.

I'VE SELECTED AND HIGHLIGHTED PORTIONS THAT SOME MIGHT CONSIDER ACADEMIC.

ALTHOUGH THE PROGRAM COVERS MUCH MORE.

LEADERSHIP, ETHICS, WELLNESS, AND PERSONAL FINANCE ARE NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZED AS TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS, BUT ARE CRUCIAL LIFE SKILLS.

THE NAVAL SCIENCE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES SUBJECTS SUCH AS AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, GEOGRAPHY, NAVAL AND MARITIME HISTORY, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE CIVIL WAR, THE WORLD WARS, COLD WAR ERA, NAUTICAL SCIENCES INCLUDING MARITIME GEOGRAPHY, OCEANOGRAPHY, METEOROLOGY, ASTRONOMY, AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING MILITARY LAW, INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.

THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES THREE ACADEMIC CLASSROOM SESSIONS AND TWO ACTIVITY PERIODS PER WEEK.

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS PROGRAM IS ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS.

AS AN ALUMNUS OF THE AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL NJROTC PROGRAM, I GRADUATED AS A CADET LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, SERVING AS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER.

THOSE FOUR YEARS WERE TRANSFORMATIVE, CHALLENGING, AND INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING THE PERSON AND PROFESSIONAL I AM TODAY.

I PROUDLY WORE A BLUE, WHITE AND YELLOW CORD AROUND MY NECK ON THE DAY I RECEIVED MY DIPLOMA, AND I WEAR THAT SAME CORD TODAY.

WHILE THIS CORD ONLY SYMBOLIZES A FRACTION OF MY ACHIEVEMENTS, IT MEANT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT AND IT STILL DOES.

ARE WE REALLY CONSIDERING TAKING THAT SMALL TOKEN OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AWAY FROM OUR GRADUATES? I IMPLORE YOU NOT ONLY TO PERMIT THIS CORD FOR THIS YEAR'S GRADUATING CLASS, BUT TO MAKE IT A PERMANENT CHANGE, ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR YEARLY DISCUSSIONS.

LET THIS CORD BECOME A PERMANENT FIXTURE FOR ALL NJROTC UNITS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FORD. NEXT.

AND I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING THIS RIGHT, MR. LOWELL KOPPERT.

IT'S ALSO. THANK YOU.

ALSO GOING TO SPEAK ON THE SAME SUBJECT.

FIVE MINUTES. OKAY? MAN, IF I'D HAVE KNOWN I HAD TO FOLLOW THAT GUY, I'D HAVE GONE FIRST.

SO I JUST WANT TO ADD WHAT HE SAID WAS ELOQUENT AND HIT THE POINT.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT THIS PAST MONDAY, I SERVE AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AIKEN COUNTY VETERANS COUNCIL.

WE HAVE 20,000 VETERANS IN AIKEN COUNTY.

AND AS I SAT HERE BEFORE YOU ALL FUNNELED IN, THE IRONY WAS NOT LOST ON ME THAT THIS WAS A DISPLAY OF VETERANS DAY.

WE'RE A PURPLE HEART SCHOOL SYSTEM.

KING KNOWS ME VERY WELL.

WE DO A LOT OF STUFF HAND IN HAND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY.

I AM THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING ALL OF THE VETERANS IN HIGH SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS PAST WEEK AS SPEAKERS AND A FEW THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN SCHOOLS THIS COMING WEEK.

SO A LITTLE BIT IRONIC THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING.

THESE MEN AND WOMEN, THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT SIT BEFORE US THIS AFTERNOON, 20% OF THEM PER STATISTICS, WOULD JOIN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

I WAS ASKED ON MONDAY.

WE ARE A CONFEDERATION OF 43 VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT 20,000 VOTERS IN AIKEN COUNTY.

AND THEY ASKED ME TO COME SPEAK TO YOU ON THEIR BEHALF AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AIKEN COUNTY VETERANS COUNCIL, NOT AS PRIVATE CITIZEN.

LOWELL KOPPERT MY ONLY ONE QUESTION.

WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS ON MONDAY, I WAS A LITTLE BEHIND THE POWER CURVE ON WHAT WAS GOING ON.

I DON'T HAVE A PHD NEXT TO MY NAME.

I'VE NEVER SAT ON A SCHOOL BOARD.

I'VE NEVER BEEN A TEACHER.

BUT FOR ME, AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION, EVERYTHING'S ACADEMIC, EXCEPT MAYBE LUNCH ON A SYLLABUS.

SO I WAS WHEN I HEARD THAT IT WAS CONSIDERED TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE IT WASN'T AN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. SO MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ONCE I SIT DOWN OR ONCE THE MEETING BEGINS.

AND THEN ALSO, AS MR. FORD SAID, WHY? WHY ARE WE TAKING AWAY FROM PEOPLE'S ACHIEVEMENTS? I MEAN, I THINK THAT, AS I SAID, WE'RE A VERY VETERAN, FRIENDLY COMMUNITY HERE.

[00:15:04]

I DON'T THINK THAT A COMMANDER OF ROTC IS EVER GOING TO BE MORE POPULAR THAN THE HIGH SCHOOL QUARTERBACK, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF REALITY.

AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT, UNFORTUNATELY.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THE LAST MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT IS A GUY BY THE NAME OF PAT PAYNE, WHO'S A FORMER DELTA FORCE MEMBER WHO GREW UP RIGHT HERE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, JUST UP THE ROAD, KERSHAW COUNTY.

AND I WOULD TELL YOU, IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I THINK WE WOULD ALL CONSIDER HIM MORE OF A HERO THAN SPENCER RATTLER.

SO JUST WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE START TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE TREAT OUR YOUTH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THEM, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THEM.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SOCIETY AND THE FLAWS OF IT AT THE CURRENT, CURRENT STATUS OF WHERE IT'S AT, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REWARD SOME OF THE SOME OF THE BETTER STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY DO A LOT.

I SEE IT ON A DAILY BASIS THERE AT OUR CEREMONIES.

THEY DO A LOT OF STUFF FOR THE VETERAN COMMUNITY AS FAR AS POSTING THE COLORS AT BASKETBALL GAMES AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, AND THEY DO A LOT OF PRACTICE TO GET THAT STUFF RIGHT.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SIMPLY CATCHING A FOOTBALL OR PUTTING A BASKETBALL IN A, IN A CIRCULAR CYLINDER.

SO, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP PLAYING SPORTS AND I LOVED IT AND IT WAS FUN.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME MARCHING.

I SPENT NINE YEARS IN THE ARMY AS A GREEN BERET, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, THE TIME I SPENT ON THE SOCCER FIELD WAS ALL FUN.

THE TIME I SPENT IN SPECIAL FORCES NOT ALL FUN, SO JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IT TO CONSIDER.

EXCUSE ME. AND AND I THINK, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO POLL YOUR CONSTITUENTS, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING FROM WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AS WELL.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS BOARD.

THANK YOU, MR. KOPPERT.

NEXT IN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

MR. DAVID POLLAN IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2327.

GOAL NUMBER THREE, BULLET 2, DEI TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF THAT'S SPECIFIC, CONTINUOUS AND INTENTIONAL.

OKAY. YEAH.

GOOD EVENING. BOARD SUPERINTENDENT.

SO TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC.

I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH YOU BEFORE THIS TRAINING.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IT SUGGESTS A QUITE LARGE ENTERPRISE ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE DISTRICT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN GENERAL, JUST RHETORICAL, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THEM AND THEN MAYBE EVEN A SHOW OF HANDS TO SEE IF WE'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE OVER HERE IN THIS DEI TRAINING LANE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT QUITE CLEAR TO ME AND MAYBE TO THE PUBLIC, WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE, EITHER AS A BOARD MEMBER OR A PREVIOUS BEFORE YOU CAME TO THE BOARD, INCLUDING THE SUPERINTENDENT.

SO I KNOW THAT THE DEI TRAINING NEEDS TO COMPLY WITH SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RULES AND REGULATIONS, INCLUDING PROVISO 1.93, WHICH IS ORIENTED TOWARDS DIVERSITY AND RACIAL ISSUES AND DISCRIMINATION.

AND THE OTHER ONE IS REGULATION 43.261.

WITH REGARD TO THE PURPOSE OF THE TRAINING NOW, I HOPE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THIS TRAINING THAT YOU'RE STRATEGICALLY HOPING TO PLANT, OR PLANNING FOR AND HOPING TO IMPLEMENT ACTUALLY SUPPORTS RAISING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS.

I MEAN, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED WHETHER OR NOT TRAINING IS GOING TO HELP YOU IF YOU VOTE FOR IT, FOR THE TEACHERS THAT YOU SUPERVISE TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT? MY MY THOUGHT IS THAT YOU MAYBE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED THAT, BUT I, I CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE TRAINING THAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON ACTUALLY IMPROVES ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS OR WHETHER OR NOT, AGAIN, USING THIS SAME REGULATION, WHETHER OR NOT IT REDUCES THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED ON OUR ANNUAL REPORT CARDS.

AND THE DISTRICT HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE ANNUAL ACADEMIC REPORT CARDS.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU, EVEN THOUGH RECENTLY YOU'VE REPORTED THAT YOU'VE HAD IMPROVEMENT IN SOME OF YOUR SCHOOLS, BUT OVERALL, YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY THIS DEI TRAINING TO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO YOU WOULD HAVE TO JUSTIFY THAT TO THE PUBLIC FOR OUR TAXPAYING DOLLARS, WHETHER OR NOT THIS DEI TRAINING THAT YOU PROPOSE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO REDUCE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

LET'S ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.

[00:20:02]

NO, SIR. OKAY.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT OUR INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATIVES IN EACH DISTRICT ACTUALLY SUPPORTS THIS, OR IF THEY HAVE A STANCE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

BE GOOD TO KNOW.

IT ALSO WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MATERIAL INTENDS TO BE.

FOR EXAMPLE, DO ANY OF THE TRUSTEES, INCLUDING THE SUPERINTENDENT, HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT THE DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY OR EQUITY OR INCLUSION MEAN FOR THIS DISTRICT, FOR THESE TEACHERS, FOR THESE STUDENTS, FOR THESE CITIZENS THAT ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THOSE DEFINITIONS ARE? OKAY. ANOTHER QUESTION MIGHT BE DOES ANYBODY HAVE EXPERIENCE HAVING TRAINING OUTSIDE THE BOARD? ANY BOARD TRUSTEE? OKAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET AN ANSWER THERE.

BUT THE THING IS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE DOING IT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO ASK US TO PAY FOR YOU TO PROVIDE IT, THEN YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW.

YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU.

OKAY. THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE REST OF US TO KNOW.

ALL RIGHT. NOW, WE KNOW THAT THE PLAN GOES FROM 23 TO 27, AND YOU HAVE AN ACTION COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING ON THAT.

MY QUESTION WOULD BE, HAS THIS PLANNING ACTION COMMITTEE MADE ANY PROGRESS? IS THERE ANY REPORT THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED? IS THERE ANY REPORT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SO WE CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE SUBMITTED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR ASKING YOU ABOUT DEFINITIONS, ABOUT CONTENT, ABOUT HOW YOU APPLY IT, ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT, WHO'S GOING TO TEACH IT, ALL OF THOSE.

WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME PROGRESS, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS, YOU NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO US.

AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY AN UPDATE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

BUT YET I LOOKED JUST AN HOUR OR TWO AGO, THERE IS NO UPDATE.

SO I THINK THIS PLAN KIND OF IS LINGERING OFF IN THE SHADOWS SOMEWHERE.

AND I'D LIKE TO PUT SOME PRESSURE ON YOU TO BE AWARE THAT AS THIS COMES BEFORE YOU IN APRIL, THAT YOU HAVE SOME CONCRETE IDEA OF WHETHER YOU SUPPORT IT OR WHETHER YOU DON'T, AND YOU CAN ANSWER TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT DEI TRAINING IS, BECAUSE DEI TRAINING RIGHT NOW IS A RACIST GAMBIT. DIVISIVE, IT WILL DIVIDE THIS COMMUNITY.

EVERYBODY IN HERE LOOKS PRETTY DIVERSE TO ME.

EVERYBODY HERE SEEMS TO BE PRETTY INCLUDED.

AND EVERYBODY IN HERE SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME CHAIR.

SO WE'VE GOT EQUITY IN SEATING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PAULIN. WE HAVE TWO MORE PEOPLE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TONIGHT.

NEXT, MR. WILLIAM BUCK IS GOING TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT STUDENT'S RIGHT TO USE RESTROOMS. AIKEN COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS, ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF.

THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN CREATED WITH CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY.

WHEREAS THE NATURAL OCCURRENCES OF THE HUMAN BODY SHOULD BE RESPECTED WITH GOOD TASTE AS IT IS PART OF THE NATURAL LIFE OF MANKIND.

MY SON, THIS PORTION OF IT SPEAKING OF THE DAY MY SON CAME HOME.

MY SON CAME HOME TODAY AND HASTILY MOVED TOWARD THE RESTROOM.

WITH CONCERN, WE ASKED HIM WHY HE WAS IN SUCH A HURRY.

HE THEN PROCEEDED TO INFORM US THAT HE WAS DENIED ACCESS TO THE RESTROOM BY A TEACHER AT LBC MIDDLE, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE A HALL PASS WITHIN HIS POSSESSION.

WHEN ASKED WHY HE DIDN'T GO LATER, HE STATED HE LOST HIS HALL PASS AND WAS AFRAID OF RUNNING INTO THIS TEACHER AGAIN.

MY SON, WHO WAS ONLY 13, HAD TO HOLD IN HIS BOWEL MOVEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOURS AS HE WAS AFRAID OF A TEACHER.

I'M GOING TO GO OVER HIS STATEMENT REAL QUICK OF WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT DAY.

HE SAID HE HAD TO USE THE RESTROOM AND THE TEACHER ALLOWED HIM THE CLASS HE WAS IN AT THAT TIME, THIS WAS ABOUT 8 TO 830 THAT MORNING.

HE WAS IN THE HALLWAY WHEN HE WAS CONFRONTED BY ANOTHER TEACHER WHO SAID, EXCUSE ME, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? HE SAID, THE RESTROOM.

SHE SAID, WHO SENT YOU TO THE RESTROOM? HE SAID, MISS SO-AND-SO.

SHE SAID, DO YOU HAVE A HALL PASS? HE SAID, I DON'T.

HE SAID, BY THE WAY, SHE SAID IT WAS IMPLIED THAT I HAD TO GO BACK.

I DIDN'T USE THE BATHROOM FOR THE REST OF THE DAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A HALL PASS.

I'M PRETTY SURE SHE SAID SOMETHING BACK, BUT I'M NOT SURE.

STUDENTS SHOULD NOT FEAR THEIR TEACHERS, THEY SHOULD WANT TO RESPECT THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THE FACT THAT MY SON DOES NOT GET INTO TROUBLE, AND HE HAS AN A AVERAGE IN HIS GRADE BOOK.

IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO FOCUS ON THE CURRICULUM WHILE HIS ATTENTION IS DIVERTED TO THE RESTRAINT OF HIS BOWEL.

I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SCHOOL POLICIES, BUT PER THE NINTH AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO DENY OR DISPARAGE RIGHTS RETAINED BY THE PEOPLE, POLICIES DO NOT TRUMP HUMAN RIGHTS.

IN ADDITION, BEING DENIED ACCESS TO A RESTROOM FOR NOT HAVING A HALL PASS IS A VIOLATION OF THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT, WHICH PROTECTS ALL CITIZENS FROM CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT.

[00:25:03]

EVERY PERSON IS PROTECTED FROM ACTS SUCH AS THIS FROM GOVERNMENT AND REFERENCE TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, WE CAN LOOK TO THE UN RESOLUTION ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION.

AS IT STATES, EVERY PERSON HAS A HUMAN RIGHT TO A TOILET FOLLOWING THE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT OF A TEACHER IN SYRIA WHO WAS ARRESTED AND DENIED FOOD, WATER AND A TOILET. FURTHERMORE, ARTICLES ONE, FIVE AND SIX OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS GUARANTEES SPECIFIC RIGHTS THAT PROTECT ALL OF US AND ISSUES SUCH AS THIS.

THROUGH RESEARCH, I'VE FOUND HOLDING IN YOUR [INAUDIBLE] FOR A PROLONGED AMOUNT OF TIME CAN CAUSE MEDICAL ISSUES.

FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, JUST HOLDING IN YOUR STOOL FOR 4 TO 5 HOURS CAN GIVE YOU GIVE YOUR COLON ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETELY DRAIN IT OF FLUID, WHICH CAN CAUSE PAIN AND CONSTIPATION. AT ABOUT TEN HOURS, THE PRESSURE OF THE BUILD UP HAS A POTENTIAL TO CAUSE HEMORRHOIDS.

ONCE THE PERSON IS FINALLY ABLE TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES, THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FORM ANAL FISSURES, WHICH OCCURS FROM THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE PASSING THROUGH THE ANUS.

I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THIS IS FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON.

WE ARE DISCUSSING A CHILD.

AS HUMANS, I AM SURE WE CAN ALL AGREE IT IS INHUMANE TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM USING THE RESTROOM.

IT IS A NATURALLY OCCURRING BODILY FUNCTION, NONE OF US CAN JUST STOP.

IT IS ALSO A FUNCTION WHEN NOT DONE CAN CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS. ALSO, AS GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO PREVENT A PERSON FROM THEIR NATURAL HUMAN RIGHTS.

WE ALL DESERVE TO HAVE DIGNITY AND TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT.

TO THIS DAY, THIS TEACHER HAS NOT APOLOGIZED TO MY SON FOR THIS ABUSE OF POWER.

WE CANNOT EXPECT THE NEXT GENERATION OF HUMANS TO CREATE A WORLD IN WHICH EVERYONE IS RESPECTED IF WE DO NOT TEACH THEM THROUGH OUR ACTIONS.

AND I HAVE A ARTICLE HERE THAT I'M GOING TO CITE, THE ARTICLE IS TITLED IS "DO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS?" THIS WAS WRITTEN AUGUST 31ST, 2018 BY A CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR AT YALE.

HIS NAME IS JUSTIN DRIVER.

IN 1960, THE COURT OVERTURNED AN ARKANSAS LAW REQUIRING TEACHERS TO DISCLOSE EVERY ORGANIZATION WITH WHICH THEY HAD BEEN AFFILIATED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

IN THAT CASE, JUSTICE POTTER STEWART EXPLICITLY IDENTIFIED THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AS A LEGAL DOMAIN OF PARAMOUNT IMPORT, ONE DEMANDING THE VIGILANT PROTECTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS. IN 1969, AFTER PUBLIC EDUCATORS IN IOWA PROHIBITED STUDENTS FROM WEARING BLACK ARMBANDS IN SCHOOL TO PROTEST THE VIETNAM WAR, THE COURT INVALIDATED SUCH PROHIBITIONS, DECLARING THAT NEITHER STUDENTS NOR TEACHERS ABANDONED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE GATE.

OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES, REGRETTABLY, SUCH SENTIMENTS ON THE SUPREME COURT HAVE APPEARED MORE OFTEN IN DISSENTING OPINION THAN IN MAJORITY OPINIONS, AS THE COURT HAS DISTORTED THE CONSTITUTION'S MEANING AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

IN 1985, FOR EXAMPLE, JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS DISSENTED FROM A DECISION THAT PERMITTED THE SEARCH OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT'S PURSE AFTER SHE WAS CAUGHT SMOKING, A RULE THAT ESTABLISHES AN ANEMIC CONCEPTION OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT'S PRIVACY PROTECTIONS.

AND DISSENT, HE STRESSED NOT ONLY THE SEARCH STUDENTS CONSTITUTIONAL CLAIMS, BUT ALSO THE SHODDY LESSON AND CIVIL RIGHTS THAT THE EPISODE IMPARTED.

THE SCHOOLROOM IS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY MOST CITIZENS HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT, JUSTICE STEVENS WROTE.

THROUGH IT PASSES, EVERY CITIZEN AND PUBLIC OFFICIAL, FROM SCHOOL TEACHERS TO POLICEMEN AND PRISON GUARDS.

THE VALUES THEY LEARN THERE THEY TAKE WITH THEM IN LIFE TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS INTO CONSTITUTION FREE ZONES, HE SAGELY WARNED, WAS DANGEROUS, IN PART BECAUSE WHEN TODAY'S STUDENTS BECOME TOMORROW'S ADULTS, THEY RISK BRINGING WITH THEM IMPOVERISHED UNDERSTANDINGS OF CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BUCK. OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS MS. IVY CLARK, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT ISS OR ASSUME IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION.

MISS CLARK. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS IVY COUSIN CLARK.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU IN PERSON, AS I HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS EMAILS OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE HAD STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.

TONIGHT I'M SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC OF DISCIPLINE.

I'M SPEAKING ABOUT A SYSTEM OF DISCIPLINE UPHELD BY THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION OF AIKEN COUNTY, THAT CREATES A SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE CONSEQUENTIAL SUSPENSIONS.

ADMINISTRATORS ARE GIVEN DISCRETION AS TO THE MEANS OF HOW CONSEQUENCES ARE ISSUED AND CARRIED OUT.

ADMINISTRATORS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO ISSUE PUNITIVE CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS DETENTION OR DETAIL WORK.

ADMINISTRATORS ALSO HAVE THE DISCRETION TO ISSUE MORE MEANINGFUL CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS MANDATORY TUTORING, SATURDAY SCHOOL, OR SOME OTHER MEANS OF RESTITUTION TO CORRECT THE

[00:30:04]

INSTEAD, SUSPENSIONS ARE ISSUED.

IN FACT, INFRACTIONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS OFTEN RESULT IN SUSPENSION FROM CLASS OR SCHOOL ALTOGETHER.

STUDENTS TYPICALLY RECEIVE MULTIPLE DAYS PER INFRACTION, RESULTING IN AN ACCUMULATING LOSS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.

NOTE FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD, I WILL REFER TO SUSPENSION OF ANY SORT AS SEGREGATION, WHICH MORE APPROPRIATELY DEFINES THIS SYSTEM OF DISCIPLINE THAT SEGREGATES STUDENTS AND FAILS TO PROVIDE THEM EQUAL PROTECTION ACCORDING TO THE 14TH AMENDMENT.

PASSED BY THE SENATE IN 1866 AND RATIFIED IN 1868, THE 14TH AMENDMENT STATES THAT NO STATE SHALL DENY TO ANY PERSON WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS.

88 YEARS LATER, IN 1954, THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES DECIDED IN BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT SEGREGATED EDUCATION WAS A VIOLATION OF THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT AND IS THEREFORE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION IN 1954 MARKED THE END OF SEPARATE BUT EQUAL.

OR DID IT? NOT HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY, I OFTEN ASK, WHAT ARE STUDENTS BEING SUSPENDED FROM THE BUILDING, THE CLASSROOM OR INSTRUCTION? THEN I'M OFTEN MET WITH, DOES YOUR STUDENT HAVE AN IEP? WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? THE 14TH AMENDMENT SAYS ALL STUDENTS ARE PROTECTED.

THEREFORE, THE DESIRE TO PUNISH A STUDENT CANNOT SUPERSEDE EDUCATION.

WHEN STUDENTS ARE SEGREGATED, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE EQUAL QUALITY EDUCATION.

IN FACT, EDUCATION IS NO LONGER THE GOAL.

WHEN STUDENTS ARE SEGREGATED, PUNISHMENT REPLACES EDUCATION.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS ARE LEFT IN CLASSROOMS HALF THE SIZE OF A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM, AND MAY OR MAY NOT RECEIVE BUSYWORK AT THAT TIME.

INITIALLY, AN ADMINISTRATOR COMMUNICATED TO ME THAT TEACHERS WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TO ISS DURING THEIR PLANNING PERIOD FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 MINUTES TO PROVIDE EACH STUDENT WITH INSTRUCTION.

WHEN THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, I BEGAN TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

SOME REASONS THAT TEACHERS DO NOT PROVIDE EQUAL EDUCATION TO SEGREGATED STUDENTS, OR BECAUSE OF THE SMALL CLASSROOM SIZE AND LACK OF SPACE, THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO ISS DURING PLANNING, BECAUSE THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO, AND THE LACK OF MANPOWER TO UTILIZE OTHER OPTIONS OF CONSEQUENCE.

ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, PER AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT'S JOB DESCRIPTION IS FOLLOWS AND EMPLOYS THE DISTRICT'S INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE DELIVERY OF QUALITY INSTRUCTION TO ALL STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS DO NOT BENEFIT FROM THIS INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND FREQUENT CONTACT WITH TEACHERS, IF ANY AT ALL, FOR DAYS AT A TIME PREVENTS THE TEACHER FROM CARRYING OUT THIS MOST ESSENTIAL DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY WITH FIDELITY.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS ARE DENIED MANY COMPONENTS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS ARE NOT ACTIVATED OR ENGAGED.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS DO NOT RECEIVE TEACHER DIRECTED INSTRUCTION.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS DO NOT RECEIVE GUIDED PRACTICE.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS DO NOT RECEIVE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENT PRACTICE.

SEGREGATED STUDENTS ARE NOT IN AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO ROUTINES AND RITUALS THAT ENHANCE THE LEARNING OBJECTIVE.

ADDITIONALLY, SEGREGATED STUDENTS DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN LABS OR HANDS ON ACTIVITIES.

WITH THE CURRENT PROCEDURES, THE SEGREGATED STUDENTS MAY AS WELL BE ABSENT BECAUSE NO LEARNING OCCURS UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

I WILL LEAVE YOU ALL WITH A FEW FACTS FROM THE SLIDESHOW ON MIDLAND VALLEY'S HOME PAGE REGARDING ATTENDANCE.

NUMBER ONE MISSING SCHOOL JUST TWO DAYS PER MONTH EQUATES TO MISSING MORE THAN AN ENTIRE YEAR OF INSTRUCTION OVER A STUDENT'S ACADEMIC CAREER.

NUMBER TWO, FOR EVERY DAY OF MISSED SCHOOL, IT TAKES AN AVERAGE OF THREE DAYS TO MAKE UP WHAT WAS MISSED.

NUMBER THREE, WHEN STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR ATTENDANCE RATES, THEY IMPROVE THEIR ACADEMIC PROSPECTS AND CHANCES FOR GRADUATION.

IN OTHER WORDS, STUDENTS NEED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

THANK YOU MA'AM. AT THIS TIME, OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS SOME SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS, AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MR. LAURENCE TO, I GUESS, MS. PICCOLINO. YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUR SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS.

GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN NESSEL.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE SOME VERY SPECIAL STUDENTS THIS EVENING.

[00:35:01]

UNFORTUNATELY, SEVERAL STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT, BUT WE STILL WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM.

I'LL BEGIN FIRST WITH AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THEIR SWIMMING COACH, LANCE KNOWLES, SENIOR STUDENTS AMELIA HARPER AND JARED ALLISON, OUR STATE WINNERS.

AMELIA WON GOLD IN THE 100 METER BREASTSTROKE AND BRONZE IN THE 200 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, AND JARED ALLISON WON GOLD IN THE 200 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY AND GOLD IN THE 100 METER BACKSTROKE.

THE INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, IF YOU'RE NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH SWIMMING, I HAD TO LOOK THIS UP MYSELF IS ALL FOUR OF THE COMPETITIVE STROKES ON CONSECUTIVE LENGTHS OF THE RACE, SO THIS MEANS THAT SWIMMERS MUST PERFORM THE BUTTERFLY, BACKSTROKE, BREASTSTROKE, AND FREESTYLE, ALL WITH EQUAL DISTANCES OF EACH STROKE.

JARED'S WINNING TIME IN THE 200 METER IS THE FASTEST IN THE STATE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY.

FOR THIS HIGH SCHOOL SEASON, JARED IS ALSO AN ATHLETE SCHOLAR AWARD RECIPIENT.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE BOTH OF THEM.

AND, MR. NESTLE, COULD I ASK YOU ALL TO COME DOWN, PLEASE? WE HAVE SOME NJROTC STUDENTS WHO ARE VERY DESERVING.

THE SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL, NAVY JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS, OR NJROTC, WILL CELEBRATE ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY THIS SPRING.

THIS UNIT IS LED BY SENIOR NAVAL INSTRUCTOR BRIAN GOLDSCHMIDT.

RETIRED NAVY COMMANDER AND NAVAL SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR FRANK CARSON, HE'S, RETIRED MARINE CORPS GUNNERY SERGEANT COMMANDER GOLDSCHMIDT AND GUNNERY SERGEANT CARSON ARE IN THEIR EIGHTH AND FOURTH YEAR AT THE SCHOOL, RESPECTIVELY.

UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP.

THEY HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS GAINS OVER THE LAST YEAR.

SOME OF THOSE NOTED GAINS INCLUDE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL FOR LAST YEAR AT SILVER BLUFF TOTALS 730.

110 OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE PART OF NJROTC.

THAT'S A UNIT TO STUDENT BODY RATIO OF 15%.

THEY INSTITUTED A CADET OF THE MONTH IN NAVAL SCIENCE ONE OF THE MONTH RECOGNITION PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OTHER MONTHLY AWARDS AND PROMOTION CEREMONIES. INCOMING NAVAL SCIENCE ONE CLASS LAST YEAR WENT FROM 44 STUDENTS TO 55, AND INCLUDED FIVE STUDENTS FROM 10TH AND 11TH GRADE.

LAST YEAR'S FRESHMAN RETENTION ROSE FROM 54% TO 68%.

SOPHOMORE FROM 41 TO 75% AND JUNIORS FROM 75 TO 100%.

WITH STRONGER NUMBERS.

THE DEVIL DOGS INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN STUDENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES.

20 CADETS ATTENDED A TRIP TO PARRIS ISLAND.

32 STEM DAY AT THE BEAUFORT AIR FORCE.

23 CADETS ATTENDED A VISIT TO FRANCIS MARION.

LAST SUMMER, THEY HELD A THREE DAY BASIC LEADERSHIP TRAINING WITH 22 CADETS IN ATTENDANCE, AND THEY EXPANDED THAT TO ADDITIONAL ROTC PROGRAMS IN THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA AND HOSTED 58 CADETS FROM SIX SCHOOLS.

THEY'VE ALSO INCREASED THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

37% OF THEIR UNIT MADE THE HONOR ROLL, 100% OF THEIR JUNIORS AND SENIORS TOOK THE ASVAB, AND 100% ARE ALSO ENGAGED IN ACT AND SAT PREP.

THEY'VE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES IN COMPETITIVE EVENTS.

THEY'VE CREATED TRAILS WITH THEIR ORIENTEER ORIENTEERING TEAM, AND THEY'VE SURROUNDED.

THEY'VE CLEARED THE WOODS SURROUNDING THE SCHOOL FOR SOME OF THEIR EVENTS THAT THE TRACK AND FIELD TEAM IS NOW ALSO USING THERE.

[00:40:07]

THE BLUE TEAM ACHIEVED A FINAL RANKING OF SECOND PLACE IN THE SERVICE DIVISION PLATINUM TIER IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

THIS MEANT THEY WERE ONE OF THE TOP TEN OVERALL TEAMS IN THE STATE.

THEY HAVE ALSO HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THEIR MARKSMANSHIP TEAM, WITH 12 CADETS WHO WERE SELECTED, AND ALL HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST ONE RIFLE COMPETITION.

THEY'RE CONTINUING TO GROW AND INVITE NEW MEMBERS TO THEIR TEAMS. THEY'VE INCREASED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.

THEY'VE GONE UP 72% YEAR OVER YEAR IN TERMS OF THEIR SERVICE HOURS, FROM WORKING AT FOOTBALL GAMES AND BASKETBALL GAMES, ASSISTING AT TRACK MEETS, MANAGING PARKING LOTS, GROUNDSKEEPING SUPPORT, YOU NAME IT, THIS JROTC TEAM HAS DONE IT.

IN FACT, THEY WERE NAMED THE MOST IMPROVED IN JROTC UNIT IN THE NATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THEIR LEADERS TO PLEASE COME FORWARD.

IN ADDITION, THEIR LEADER, BEGINNING WITH BRIAN GOLDSCHMIDT.

COMMANDER, PLEASE.

WHO IS THE SENIOR NAVAL SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR? THANK YOU SIR. SERVING ALONGSIDE COMMANDER GOLDSCHMIDT IS FRANK CARSON, WHOSE GUNNERY SERGEANT.

CADET LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RYAN ATKINSON.

WHO'S THE UNIT COMMANDING OFFICER? CADET LIEUTENANT STAR BROOME.

WHO'S THE UNIT EXECUTIVE OFFICER? SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT.

THANK YOU. THERE'S ACTUALLY 100 OR SO CADETS, SO WE'RE JUST RECOGNIZING A FEW WHO WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT.

AND THOSE ALSO INCLUDE CADET LIEUTENANT, JUNIOR GRADE SARAH ROZIER, WHO'S OPERATIONS OFFICER.

CADET LIEUTENANT. JUNIOR GRADE CAMDEN NEILL, SUPPLY OFFICER.

CADET ENSIGN HAYDEN HICKS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.

CADET INSIDE TRACE MUELLER.

FIRST LIEUTENANT.

PROBLEM. CADET SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER LINDY CLINGERMAN.

COMMAND SENIOR CHIEF.

I BELIEVE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE IS THE PRINCIPAL, DR.

KATIE HAWK. ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, MR. CALVIN MOORE AND MR. LANCE STOCKTON. NOW I SAW LANCE.

YES. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING THEM.

I SEE LOTS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE AUDIENCE, SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THEM AND WE'D LIKE TO GET A COUPLE OF PICTURES.

YOU'RE WELCOME. YEAH, YEAH.

STARS IN FRONT. I'M SORRY.

JUST DREW BACK FROM THAT.

AND I'M SPEAKING AS A COMMUNITY PERSON, CARING IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY SERVE.

THE STUFF THAT THEY DO THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

AND I'VE SEEN IT, THE DEVIL DOGS HAVE BEEN ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE, DOING THINGS THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING, CLEANUPS AND THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY PROBABLY NEVER GET CREDIT FOR.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY DO.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN GET OUT AND DO THE THINGS THEY DO THAT ARE UNRECOGNIZED OR NOT OUT IN THE SPOTLIGHT IS AMAZING TO ME, AND I'M SO PROUD OF THIS.

[00:45:13]

THAT'S IT. TONIGHT FOR OUR IN-PERSON.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME. DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE THE SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT? OKAY. SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WE'RE PLEASED TONIGHT TO HAVE MR. MATTHEWS AND MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM FROM BUSBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHO ARE GOING TO SHARE TONIGHT'S SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT.

SO, MR. MATTHEWS, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

THANK YOU, SIR. THAT'S SOME TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW.

BUT THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO WHILE WE'RE GETTING KIND OF SET UP IS ALLOW MY STAFF AND SOME OF OUR FAMILIES THAT HAVE COME TONIGHT.

WE'RE VERY PROUD.

AND WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE ARE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL, AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY SPECIAL THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON OUT OUR WAY.

SO IF MISS SCHWARTZ, IF YOU WOULD START AND JUST TELL US WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU TEACH, HOW MANY YEARS AND JUST ROTATE THROUGH.

[00:51:13]

I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE BEING IN THE CENTER OF SPOTLIGHT, BUT I THINK IT'S A REALLY SPECIAL THING.

FOR THE WHOLE 39 YEARS, THEY'VE NEVER MISSED A DAY OF SCHOOL.

THEY'VE COACHED THEY TAKE TICKETS.

THEY ARE EXTREMELY HUGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

[APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY, BUT WE TRIED TO CRAM IT ALL INTO ONE AGAIN.

WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE BELIEVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WANT WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE TONIGHT, WE WANT TO INVITE YOU OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.

EVERY STUDENT AT BUSBY IS A STAR.

WE ARE A VERY STUDENT CENTERED SCHOOL, SO WE BELIEVE IN THE BULLDOG OF THE MONTH.

WE HAVE A VERY SIMPLE BULLDOG CREED.

I WILL BE THOUGHTFUL, RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE AND HONEST.

WE TRY TO LIVE BY THAT CREED EVERY DAY WITH OUR KIDS.

AND SO THAT IS HOW WE GET THROUGH OUR DAY.

WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS FOR EVERYWHERE WE GO IN THE BUILDING CLASSROOMS. WE DO OUR BEHAVIOR CELEBRATIONS EVERY MORNING.

MS.. FAIRY IS THE VOICE OF BUSBY.

SHE RUNS AN AMAZING MORNING SHOW WITH OUR KIDS, AND MAKES SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE SUPER ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR KIDS ARE NOTICED EVERY MORNING FOR THINGS THAT THEY DO ABOVE AND BEYOND, ESPECIALLY IF THEY FALL INTO THE REALM OF THOUGHTFUL, RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE, AND HONEST.

FACULTY AND STAFF, I WOULDN'T TRADE THEM.

THEY ARE AN AMAZING.

AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS, BECAUSE 44% OF OUR STAFF DRIVE 20 MILES EACH WAY TO GET TO BUSBY.

I HEAR ALL THE TIME THAT WE THERE'S REALLY NOTHING OUT THERE BUT THEY MAKE IT WORTH THE DRAFT.

I'M ONE OF THAT 44%.

41% OF OUR STAFF HAVE OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION, AND WE THINK WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD MARRIAGE OF SOME VETERANS AND SOME SOME YOUNGER FOLKS, AND IT REALLY SHOWS ITSELF THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.

WE HAVE SOME GREAT RELATIONSHIPS, VERY FAMILY ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT.

44% LIVE SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN THE WAGNER AREA, BUT THEY SHOW UP, THEY SHOW UP EVERY DAY, AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED FOR OUR KIDS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SO VERY PROUD OF OUR STAFF IS WE SET A GOAL.

I SOME OF YOU KNOW ME, I'M FROM WEST VIRGINIA.

I'M PRETTY SIMPLE.

AND WE SAT DOWN LAST YEAR AND WE LOOKED AT OUR DATA AND WE DECIDED AS A TEAM THAT WE WERE NO LONGER WE WEREN'T AN UNSATISFACTORY SCHOOL.

WE KNEW THAT. SO WE FELT LIKE WE COULD ACHIEVE AVERAGE AND WHILE THAT SEEMS LIKE A STRANGE THING, WE'RE VERY REAL WITH OUR DATA.

WE LOOK AT OUR DATA AND WE DID.

WE GREW TWO LEVELS.

WE'VE MOVED INTO AVERAGE AND WE'RE ON THE ROAD TO EXCELLENCE.

THAT'S WHAT OUR STAFF HAS SET AS OUR GOAL.

AND SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM AND HOW HARD THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE WORKS.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THAT TO YOU.

BUT MS. [INAUDIBLE] HELPED PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION AND JUST ASK OUR FOLKS, WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BEING THERE? AND WE ASKED SOME KIDS AND WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE A CLIMATE.

I KNOW I'VE GOT SOME ANTSY FOLKS IN THE CROWD TONIGHT BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE LITTLE LEAGUE AT 7:00, SO WE'LL TRY TO GET THEM OUT HERE REAL QUICK.

BUT THAT'S REALLY THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE BUILT OUT THERE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM.

STUDENT LEADERS IS SOMETHING WE TRULY BELIEVE IN.

IF YOU COME BY OUR SCHOOL, THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE IS HELPING OUR KIDS LEARN PROPER TREATMENT OF THE FLAG THEY RAISE AND LOWER THE FLAG EVERY DAY.

THEY MONITOR IT FOR THE WEATHER.

THEY MONITOR WHETHER IT SHOULD BE FULL STAFF, HALF STAFF.

[00:55:02]

THE BOYS ARE UNDEFEATED IN FOOTBALL, SO THEY WERE ALL OUT IN THEIR JERSEYS OPENING THE DOORS FOR THE KIDS.

EVERY WEEK MISS FARRAH GETS HER PLEDGE LEADERS.

THEY SAY EVERY MORNING WE SAY OUR PLEDGE TO THE AMERICAN FLAG, THE SOUTH CAROLINA PLEDGE, OUR BULLDOG PLEDGE.

IT'S ALL STUDENT LED.

STUDENTS DO OUR PHONE CALL HOME EVERY WEEKEND.

WE SEND A PHONE CALL HOME.

WE GRABBED A SCRIPT.

STUDENTS MAKE THE PHONE CALLS.

EACH OF OUR TEACHERS HAS DIFFERENT JOBS THEY DO IN THE CLASSROOM, AND WE HIGHLIGHT THE EXPECTED BEHAVIORS, BUT WE REALLY PUSH FOR THE ABOVE AND BEYOND.

OUR KINDNESS CLUB, MS. BUSH HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN BRINGING IN JUST A WHOLE ATTITUDE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO TREAT ONE ANOTHER IN OUR SCHOOL AND OUR GOLDEN HARVEST HELPERS.

THIS YEAR, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH WALTER P RAWLS.

THEY BROUGHT US IN MS. BUSH HOW MANY FOOD BAGS? 500 FOOD BAGS. ALL OUR KIDS GOT FRESH PRODUCE BAGS.

OUR STAFF, PAUL PARTNERS GINGER IS HERE.

SHE COMES AND READS WITH OUR KIDS.

WE ALSO ARE GETTING READY TO INTRODUCE MILO.

MILO IS GOING TO BE, HE'S A EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOODLE AND HE'S WITH OUR NEXT SLIDE.

BUT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HIM A LITTLE BIT.

BLOOM BAKED GOODS.

THESE ARE ALL PARTNERS FOR US.

OUR FAITH BASED PARTNERS HAVE REALLY DONE A GOOD JOB IN MAKING SURE OUR KIDS HAVE THE BASICS.

THEY MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE BOOK BAGS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES.

AND JUST MAKE SURE OUR NEEDS ARE MET.

SO WE HAVE A REALLY WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP.

THE WAGNER PIGGLY WIGGLY IS AN AMAZING PARTNER WITH US.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THEM A LITTLE BIT AND SHEPHERD BLOOD CENTER.

KAREN, YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

AND DONORS AT OUR DRIVE.

WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT MANY THIS. AND SHEPHERD IS JUST A GREAT, GREAT, GREAT CIVIC ORGANIZATION OR GREAT PARTNERSHIP FOR US.

AND WE ARE REALLY WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE CARRY AS A CORE PRINCIPLE IS WE DO A LOT TO MAKE SURE THE BASIC NEEDS OF OUR KIDS ARE MET EVERY DAY, BUT THEY LOVE TO GIVE BACK. AND SO OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.

WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE THIS GENTLEMAN RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS OFFICER RUSHTON.

HE WORKS SOLELY WITHIN OUR SCHOOL.

HE ABSOLUTELY DEFINES WAGNER.

HE MAKES SURE, LIKE, FIRST OF ALL, HE MAKES SURE WE'RE SAFE.

HE'S VERY ACTIVE.

HE'S VERY DILIGENT.

HE'S NOT ONLY A POLICE OFFICER, HE'S ALSO A FIREMAN.

AND HE'S ALSO GOING TO HAVE OFFICER MILO JOINING US IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER WE GO THROUGH SOME TRAINING AND SOME OTHER THINGS.

SO WE'LL PRESENT MILO NEXT GO AROUND AS WE TALKED ABOUT OUR WE GIVE BACK OUR BLOOD DRIVE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS THAT COACH IN AND OUT OF THE COMMUNITY.

I WISH SHE WAS HERE, BUT SHE'S COACHING TONIGHT.

MORGAN FOSTER COACHES.

TONS OF KIDS OUT THERE BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, HOCKEY, WHATEVER WE PLAY.

SHE'S IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

AND AGAIN, WE FEEL LIKE WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR SCHOOL, KNOW THAT WE'RE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL.

OUR FAMILY INVOLVEMENT.

MISS LOVE HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.

WE GOT OUR PTA OFF THE GROUND LAST YEAR, ROUGHLY IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER AND WE HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK.

AND WHAT I CAN TELL IS OUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS REALLY STARTING TO JUMP UP.

THIS FRIDAY, WE'RE HAVING A FALL FESTIVAL, MAKE YOUR WAY ON OUT.

WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME THERE, BUT WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING TO SEE FAMILIES THAT HAVEN'T COME INTO OUR SCHOOL, COME INTO OUR SCHOOL, AND WE THINK THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE CREATED A REALLY WELCOMING, FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT IN A PLACE WHERE THE KIDS LOVE BEING AND OUR TEACHERS ARE TESTAMENT TO WHAT SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. OUR PTO, MISS LOVE AND HER JUST DOES AN AMAZING JOB.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WORK VERY HARD ON AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF TEACHERS.

WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT A LOT OF THE TEACHERS HERE HAVE WORKED WITH SOME OF THE YOUNGER FOLKS.

MR. KITCHENS, MISS WOOTEN, THEY'VE WORKED WITH TEACHERS IN OUR BUILDING.

I HEARD MISS HARTER SAY THAT.

AND THEN THEY STAY.

AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE BEEN FULLY STAFFED IN QUITE SOME TIME.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE STAFF, I HOPE THEY KNOW, LAST YEAR WE ACHIEVED TWO LEVELS.

WHEN WE WEREN'T AT 100% OPERATING EFFICIENCY.

AND THAT IS A MARK OF A TALENTED GROUP OF PEOPLE.

THEY WERE FLEXIBLE AND THEY JUMPED IN AND DID WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS GOT WHAT THEY NEEDED AND AGAIN, SUPER PROUD OF.

TITLE ONE. WE DO HAVE AN INCREDIBLY LARGE TITLE ONE BUDGET, BUT WE'RE VERY METICULOUS IN HOW WE TRY TO SPEND IT.

[01:00:05]

WE'RE DOING IT TWICE THIS YEAR.

LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT ONE TIME.

THAT'S BEEN A GREAT THING BECAUSE, WE HAVE A GREAT NEED AND SOMETIMES OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO PURCHASE THINGS IN THE WAGNER-SALLEY HIGH AREA AREN'T THERE.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE TWO AMAZING INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES THAT HELP TEACHERS AND PULL SMALL GROUPS.

THEY WORK ON REMEDIAL SKILLS IN ELA AND MATH.

WE DO A LOT OF PD FOR TEACHERS.

DR. EDWARDS HAS HELPED US GET INTO CAPTURING KIDS HEARTS, SO WE'RE GOING TO START GOING THROUGH THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE PARTNERED WITH FRANCIS MARION AND THE POVERTY SIMULATOR.

IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE A POVERTY SIMULATOR.

I THINK IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STAFF BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY TO WATCH ADULTS SCRAMBLE, BUT IT IS THE MAGNITUDE OF POVERTY AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE KIDS.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT HOLISTICALLY AFTER AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT HOW YOU HANDLED IT AS AN ADULT.

IT WAS A GAME YOU WERE TRYING TO WIN.

IMAGINE IF YOU WERE SEVEN TRYING TO WIN THAT GAME.

AND SO THE POVERTY SIMULATOR IS JUST WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.

YOU PLAY A ROLE IN THE MIDDLE OF OF THE SIMULATION, AND YOUR OBJECT IS TO MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE NEXT PAY PERIOD.

SO IT'S A REALLY UNIQUE THING.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT EVENTS.

AGAIN, WE HAVE THOSE. MISS MISS FARMER IS A GURU AT CREATING THOSE THINGS.

SO WE'RE EXCITED.

AND OUR AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING PROGRAM, WE USE A LOT OF THE DATA THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FILTER OUT OF THAT WE FEED OUR KIDS KIND OF AN EXTRA SNACK MEAL TOWARDS THE END OF THE DAY, AND WE'RE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THAT DIGITAL CONTENT TO ENSURE SOME SUCCESSES IN THE CLASSROOM.

AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK FIRST OF ALL MY GUYS FOR BEING HERE.

I KNOW THEY WERE READY TO GET UP THE ROAD AND WATCH OUR KIDS WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO COME OUT OUR WAY, COME OUT.

IT'S A SPECIAL PLACE WITH VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE.

AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR FOR ANY OF US WOULD BE HAPPY.

AND WE WILL GET YOUR GIFTS TO YOU.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO WEAR THEM TONIGHT SO YOU'LL HELP US PULL THAT CHAMPIONSHIP OUT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

HER.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND SHARING ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE GETTING.

LET PEOPLE GET SETTLED.

WE HAD ONE ITEM SPECIFICALLY UNDER OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN ABOUT SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS.

ONE WAS THAT WE'LL HAVE I BELIEVE WE RESPONDED POSITIVELY.

I THOUGHT WE NEEDED ANOTHER MEETING IN DECEMBER.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE ON DECEMBER 17TH TO FURTHER ANY SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH ACTIVITIES AS WE GET TO THAT POINT.

SO LET'S CONFIRM THAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING THAT.

AND THEN THE OTHER SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THE ADMINISTRATION CONTACTED US, ME, AND WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE BOND, OUR BOND ATTORNEYS CORRECT, APPROACHED US WANTING TO GIVE JUST A PURELY INFORMATIONAL DISCUSSION ABOUT SALES TAX REFERENDUMS, AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO DO TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY.

IF FOLKS CAN MAKE THAT.

[01:05:02]

JUST AN INFORMATIONAL DISCUSSION ON SALES TAX REFERENDUM.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS MISSING TONIGHT, BUT LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK IF THAT WOULD GENERALLY WORK.

WHAT DATE IS THAT? TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY, NOVEMBER 28TH.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND NOW FOR THE A ITEMS, INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE OF WHICH I BETTER PUT MY GLASSES ON.

PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.

SO WE WERE PROVIDED A LIST OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT'S BEEN SCREENED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND RECOMMENDED FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND IT'S OUR JOB TO APPROVE THAT LIST.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION.

HEARING? NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

MOTION CARRIES.

THE NEXT ONE IS A SECOND READING.

SO WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE.

OUR POLICY ADOPTION OF A POLICY JFABD, ADMISSION OF HOMELESS STUDENTS.

AND THIS IS OUR SECOND READING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON SECOND READING POLICY? ABD MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY DR.

HANKS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ON SECOND READING POLICY JFBD PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT WE HAVE A FIRST READING AND THIS IS TO ADOPT POLICY GBEBE.

SO GOLF BRAVO ECHO BRAVO ECHO.

GAVIN'S LAW.

ESSENTIALLY AROUND SEXUAL EXTORTION.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ON FIRST READING? EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY.

AND THERE'S TWO POLICIES, POLICY GBEBE AND POLICY JICFB, WHICH IS ONES FOR STAFF AND ONES FOR STUDENTS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE TWO POLICIES ON FIRST READING? MOVE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SMITH.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING GBEBE AND JI CFB ON FIRST READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

MOTION CARRIES.

THE FOURTH ITEM UNDER INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IS THE UPDATE.

WE NEED TO APPROVE THE UPDATE TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AND CONTINUITY OF SERVICES PLAN.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR UPDATE TO THE RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AND CONTINUITY OF SERVICES PLAN? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY DR. HANKS.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION CONTINUITY SERVICES PLAN UPDATE PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THE LAST INDIVIDUAL ITEM IS WE HAD REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS ON A COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION STUDY.

SO. JUST AS A REMINDER WHAT WE'RE DOING.

SO WE'RE ACCEPTING THE PANEL'S RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION STUDY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOVE MY MR RHINEHART-JACKSON.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY DR.

HANKS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE THE PROPOSAL FROM MAG AND CONDUCTING THIS COMPREHENSIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION STUDY SAY THAT THREE TIMES.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE HAVE A LIST OF 12 CONSENT ITEMS THAT WE WILL VOTE ON AS A GROUP, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN DISCUSS THEM INDIVIDUALLY.

THE FIRST CONSENT ITEM IS A LIST OF STUDENTS RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION THAT WE MUST RATIFY, AND THEY HAVE NOT APPEALED. SECOND IS A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT REQUESTS TO TRANSFER OUT OF THIS DISTRICT TO A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT, FOR WHATEVER REASON.

THIRD IS A REQUEST FOR TO ADMIT ONE FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE.

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SO BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS DONATING TO AIKEN ELEMENTARY.

$1,500. AND THIS IS A USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH BUYING SOME ITEMS FOR THEIR MONTHLY ALL PRO DADS MEETINGS. NEXT IS ALSO A DONATION FROM BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TO MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR $2,500 RELATED TO THEIR BASEBALL PROGRAM TO HELP FUND BASEBALL OPERATIONS, SUPPLIES, ETCETERA.

NEXT IS A RECYCLING EDUCATION GRANT AWARD TO MOSSY CREEK ELEMENTARY.

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL HAS A RECYCLING EDUCATION GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,500 THAT THEY'VE AWARDED TO MOSSY CREEK AND TO BE USED TO BUY.

THEY'RE GOING TO USE TO BUY SOME 23 GALLON HIGHBOY BINS AND OTHER SUPPLIES FOR A SCHOOL WIDE RECYCLING PROJECT.

SEVENTH, GREG GRANVILLE FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD FOR MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR $9,465. AND THEY'RE GOING TO USE THIS FOR A SCHOOL BASED ENTERPRISE.

THE STOMPING GROUNDS CAFE WITH THE DECA CHAPTER THERE AT MIDDLE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

EIGHTH IS ANOTHER GRANT AWARD FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS COMMISSION FOR ARTS AND BASIC CURRICULUM LEARNING LOSS GRANT AWARD FOR EAST AIKEN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS IN THE AMOUNT OF ALMOST $5,000.98.

NUMBER NINE, THAT GETS US THROUGH THE DONATIONS.

NUMBER NINE, WE HAVE AN ITEM FOR US TO APPROVE AS PART OF THE CONSENT ITEMS FOR THE 2023 ANNUAL MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR PAINTING.

WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT.

AND TEN IS IN REFERENCE TO THE CANOPY PROJECT AT CLEARWATER ELEMENTARY.

WE'VE RECEIVED BIDS ON THAT AND WE'LL BE APPROVING TO PROCEED WITH THAT.

11TH IS SIMILARLY, THERE'S A GREENHOUSE INSTALLATION PROJECT AT MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL WHERE WE'RE READY TO PROCEED.

WE'VE RECEIVED BIDS AND WE NEED TO APPROVE.

AND LASTLY, NUMBER 12, THERE IS A CHANGE ORDER IN OUR FAVOR ON HIGHLAND SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE SHEER SAVINGS OF OVER $1.5 MILLION AGAINST WHAT WAS PLANNED THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE 12 CONSENT ITEMS? SO, MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. SMITH.

ANY DISCUSSION ON ANY OF THESE CONSENT ITEMS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE 12 CONSENT ITEMS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR, THE MOTION CARRIES.

THAT BRINGS US TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. AND DR. MURPHY IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH SOME CONSTRUCTION STATUS UPDATES.

GOOD EVENING, MR. NUESSLE, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. LAURENCE. WE WILL BRING YOU A VERY BRIEF CONSTRUCTION STATUS UPDATE AS BECAUSE, OF COURSE, OUR MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAD GOING ON IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BASICALLY BEEN CONCLUDED.

I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME NEW PHOTOS.

UH, HERE'S A QUAD PHOTO OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THE AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.

AND THE BIG THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME INTEREST IS A FACILITY TOUR THIS FRIDAY AT 1:00.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FOLKS OUT THERE READY TO TALK ABOUT THE EACHES.

AND IF ANYONE HAD ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THEY WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

WE'LL HAVE THAT TOUR SCHEDULED FOR THIS FRIDAY AT 1:00.

SO WE'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO COME OUT IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.

I WENT OVER TO HIGHLAND SPRINGS AGAIN.

WE'RE IN THERE. WE'RE JUST DOING THE FINISHING TOUCHES.

SO WHAT BASICALLY YOU'LL SEE AT THE SCHOOL IS PUNCHLESS ITEMS BEING CORRECTED.

SO ANYTHING THAT'S DEFICIENT RIGHT NOW AND OF COURSE THE KIDS ARE IN THERE.

WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS WE'RE HAVING.

HERE'S A COUPLE OF OUR WIDER VIEW SHOTS OF THE ENTIRE CAFETERIA AS WELL AS THEIR GYM FLOOR.

SO JUST WANT TO KEEP YOU ABREAST OF THAT.

AND WE'LL STILL BRING UPDATES UNTIL WE DO THE DEDICATION.

AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT DATE.

PROBABLY BE SOMETIME IN THE FIRST THE LATE WINTER OR EARLY SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.

AND WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH, WHICH IS EXCITING RIGHT NOW.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE BEGINNING WITH THE ROOF AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR WATER PERMIT ALREADY OUT THERE.

PLUMBING, HVAC, FIRE SPRINKLER AND ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONTINUES.

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SO THIS $50.6 MILLION PROJECT IS SET TO BE COMPLETED ON JULY 1ST.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR. MURPHY.

ALSO UNDER INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. WE HAD THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR, SUBMITTED BY MR. TRAXLER, AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT IN ADVANCE.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. TRAXLER? ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. WE DID HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER ITEM SUBMITTED.

AND THAT WAS MR. MOULTON, WHO IS ILL TONIGHT AND UNDER THE WEATHER.

I'M TRYING TO THINK IF WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS IT WHEN HE'S NOT HERE.

UM, SO, THE, I'LL JUST SAY THAT HE WANTED TO DISCUSS POLICY KCAAA AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE PREPARED TO DISCUSS IT, SO WE'LL PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA.

HE SENDS HIS REGRETS.

THAT LEADS US TO THE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE LEADERSHIP AIKEN COUNTY GROUP THIS MORNING AT THE AIKEN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

AND ANY TIME YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STOP BY THE CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER, I REALLY ENCOURAGE IT.

THE FACULTY AND STAFF THERE ARE WONDERFUL, AND THE THE MEMBERS OF THAT CLASS GOT A SOME GOOD INSIGHT INTO WHAT WE DO THERE.

THEY SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IN MR. HENDERSON'S ELECTRICITY CLASS.

AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN MR. HENDERSON GETS THE FLOOR AND HAS THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT HIS PROGRAM, HE HE DOES NOT RELINQUISH THE FLOOR VERY EASILY.

AND SO HE GAVE THEM A REALLY GOOD OVERVIEW OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT STUDENTS HAVE AND THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY HAVE AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALIZE WITH THE STUDENTS IN RECENT YEARS.

SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE DOORS ARE OPEN THERE.

BOARD MEMBERS, STOP BY WHEN YOU CAN LET.

LET MR. LOTT KNOW YOU'RE COMING AND HE'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR SESSION.

AGENDA ITEMS. WE DO HAVE A NEED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO WE WILL NEED WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS.

IN SUCH ORDER THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.

UNDER STUDENT MATTERS.

WE HAVE FOUR STUDENT APPEALS TWO FROM AREA ONE, ONE FROM AREA FIVE, AND ONE FROM AREA TWO.

UNDER EMPLOYMENT MATTERS, WE HAVE A BREACH OF CONTRACT TO DISCUSS.

AND THEN UNDER LEGAL MATTERS, WE'LL RECEIVE SOME LEGAL ADVICE ON POLICY JICJ. FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE THE MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY.

IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE MATTERS? MOVE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. SMITH.

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

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE WILL START OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE BOARD ROOM BACK THERE IN 5 OR 10 MINUTES AFTER A SHORT BREAK.

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THEN WE HAVE STUDENT APPEAL C, CHARLIE, WHICH WAS FROM AREA FIVE.

IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL C.

SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION BY DR.

BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON TO UPHOLD THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL B.

ANY DISCUSSION? OH, SORRY, STUDENT APPEAL C THANK YOU.

ANY DISCUSSION?

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THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

MOTION CARRIES.

LASTLY, WE HAVE STUDENT APPEAL D OR DELTA WHICH WAS FROM AREA.

EXCUSE ME TO IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL D? RECOMMENDATION.

SO MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON HAS MADE A MOTION TO UPHOLD THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEALED.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO UPHOLD THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL D.

IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S TWO IN FAVOR.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S THREE OPPOSED. THE MOTION FAILS.

IS THERE A DIFFERENT MOTION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL D? BRADLEY HAS MADE A MOTION TO OVERTURN THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION AND RETURN THE STUDENT TO THEIR SCHOOL, THEIR HOME SCHOOL, THEIR SCHOOL, THEIR ZONE FOR.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

SECONDED BY MR. BROOME.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

EXCUSE ME. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S THREE IN FAVOR.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S TWO AGAINST.

ANYONE ABSTAINING? MR. SMITH ABSTAINS.

MOTION CARRIES THREE TO TWO TO ONE.

AND THE STUDENT, THE MOTION WAS TO RETURN THE STUDENT TO THEIR SCHOOL.

THE OTHER MATTER THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS AN EMPLOYEE MATTER REGARDING BREACH OF CONTRACT.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO BREACH OF CONTRACT? YES, SIR. MR. CHAIR ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGARDING EMPLOYEES A, B, AND C, BREACH OF CONTRACT.

CONTRACT. MOTION BY MR. SMITH, SECONDED BY MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN REGARDS TO EMPLOYEES A, B AND C BREACH OF CONTRACT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.

THERE WAS NO OTHER ITEMS NEEDING A BOARD ACTION.

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. SMITH, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.