Jan 23, 2024 012324 AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

[00:00:14]

HEY THERE. HOW ARE YOU? I KNOW ME.

YEAH. NO, REALLY DO VERY MUCH.

I'M JUST SIT AROUND. I KNOW, I'M JUST KIDDING.

NO, ACTUALLY, SOMEBODY TOLD ME HE'S TALKING ABOUT YOU.

KNOW, LIKE, THE SIZE OF.

3000. 6000 PEOPLE.

THAT'S RIGHT. I WOULD SAY FOUR TIMES.

I WOULDN'T GO THAT FAR, BUT WE ARE ABOUT HALF THE SIZE OF COMPARABLE SIZE.

WE GOT SOME HARD WORK. AND PEOPLE WHO, LAST TIME I SEE THAT WOMAN, I'M GONNA TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM.

THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU.

HOW'S THE KNEE? HOW'S THE KNEE? HAVE YOU TALKED TO HER LATELY? YEAH.

HAVE THEY SOLD THEIR HOUSE? THIRD CONTRACT. THIRD CONTRACT.

THEY KEEP FALLING THROUGH. OH.

WHERE ARE THEY MOVING? RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.

OKAY. YEAH.

JOHN. GORMAN.

AND ALL THAT MONEY. YEAH.

HE'S NO LONGER COMFORTABLE.

OH, WELL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

COME ON. HEY.

YOU'RE SWITCHING AROUND WITH THE KID.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. COME ON.

COME ON. PAPERS, PAPERS? YEAH. HOW ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU? QUITE.

WE'LL TAKE THAT. I GUESS IT'S. YEAH.

IT IS. YEAH.

AND I JUST DON'T HAVE THEM.

I WALK INTO HAYLEY'S OFFICE TODAY AND IT REALLY MAKES ME STOMACH LIKE THERE'S SOME, LIKE.

SHE LITERALLY. HE'S GOT ONE.

YEAH, JUST ASK HIM RIGHT THERE.

I MEAN, NONE OF IT'S OUR BUDGET NUMBER, OUR BUDGET CUTS.

AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT.

IT SHOULD BE THE EXACT SAME AS I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE THE EXACT SAME AS THE LAST ONE TO.

YEAH. DEBBIE IS MY.

I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY.

THANK YOU. I REALLY FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I NEEDED TO ASK YOU, AND I.

AS SOON AS I SAW YOU, I WAS LIKE, YES.

[00:05:01]

I WILL CALL THE JANUARY 23RD MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER.

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

PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.

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

BUT WE GOT A GOOD CROWD TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THE AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED TO THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING.

I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY REQUESTS FOR CHANGES TO THAT, AND IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, WE WILL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

WE HAD ONE SET OF MINUTES TO APPROVE FROM OUR REGULAR MEETING THAT WAS RESCHEDULED TO JANUARY 10TH.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 10TH MEETING? SO MOVED. MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SILAS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 10TH MEETING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THE MEETING. MINUTES ARE APPROVED UNDER SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS.

WE DO HAVE TWO REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TONIGHT.

AND? WE HAVE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE JOINING US FOR THAT.

THERE IS A MICROPHONE OVER THERE FOR YOU TO USE.

AND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.

THE FIRST PERSON IS MR. DREW CLAPCOTT, AND HE'S SPEAKING TO THE BOARD ON, CONCERNED CITIZENS OF WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELDS.

MR. KLAPKA.

GOOD EVENING. I ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND I HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO COVER AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO ASK.

SO FIRST, OUT OF RESPECT FOR EVERYONE'S TIME, I ASK THAT YOU GRAB YOUR PEN SO YOU CAN JOT DOWN MY QUESTIONS AS I GO THROUGH THEM, SO I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THEM.

THE REASON I'M HERE TO TALK IS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN VERY LITTLE CORRESPONDENCE IN REGARDS TO THE WAGENER-SALLEY ATHLETIC COMPLEX, AND RUMORS HAVE BEGUN.

WE UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN DELAYED 8 TO 10 WEEKS DUE TO WEATHER.

HOWEVER, ON NOVEMBER 16TH OF LAST YEAR, AN EMAIL WAS SENT TO AN AREA FOUR GRANDPARENTS STATING THAT THE SCHOOL IS COSTING MUCH MORE THAN EXPECTED, AT LEAST 20 MILLION MORE AND WE WOULD AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PLAY IN THE CURRENT FIELD FOR A SEASON OR TWO.

SO MY FIRST SET OF QUESTIONS WHEN DID THE SCHOOL, WHEN DID WE KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL WAS GOING TO BE OVER BUDGET? HOW DID WE GET INTO THIS POSITION AND WHAT ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO GET US BACK ON TRACK? SO LET'S DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT OF WAGENER-SALLEY ATHLETIC HISTORY.

IN THE LAST 35 YEARS, THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAS NEVER BUILT A FIELD FOR SOFTBALL.

SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL FIELDS WERE SHARED FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

COACH BLIZZARD, WHO WON THREE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, HAD THE NATIONAL GUARD COME IN TO BUILD THE FIELD DURING HER TIME OF COACHING, WITH NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE DISTRICT.

SEVERAL OTHER COACHES HAVE BEEN SPOKEN TO AND EACH STATED VERY LITTLE WAS EVER DONE BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

THE CURRENT SOFTBALL COACH, COACH STARNES, WHO'S BEEN THERE FOR 17 YEARS ALONG WITH HER FAMILY, THE WARNER GRADING AND DOUG BUSBY, HAS DONE EXTENSIVE WORK TO REGRADE THE CURRENT FIELD. THE ISSUE IS THE FIELD.

THE SOFTBALL FIELD SITS IN A VALLEY, SO SEVERAL HOURS HAVE TO BE SPENT EVERY YEAR WORKING ON THE FIELD, AND IT NEVER GETS AS HARD AS MOST FIELDS DUE TO THE MOISTURE.

IT BUILDS UP MOST WEEKENDS, ALL SUMMER AND LATE WEEKEND NIGHTS DURING THE SEASON.

COACH STARNES WORKS TO GET THE FIELD PLAYABLE, AND YET HER AND HER TEAM STILL HAVE EMBARRASSING SITUATIONS.

THERE WAS A YEAR WHEN IT RAINED SO MUCH, AND STARNES HAD WORKED ON THE FIELD FOR TWO HOURS TO GET THE FIELD DRY.

WHEN THE OTHER COACH SHOWED UP, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS JUST NOT SAFE TO PLAY ON.

THIS IS EMBARRASSING FOR OUR TEAM, OUR COMMUNITY AND AIKEN COUNTY.

BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 2013 AND 2014, THERE WERE LIGHTS INSTALLED ON THE FIELD NOT BY THE OFFICE BUT BY THE COMMUNITY AND IT WAS ORGANIZED BY CAROLYN RUSHTON.

THE SOFTBALL TEAM DIDN'T GET A BATTING CAGE UNTIL JANUARY OF 2019, IN WHICH THE CONSTRUCTION WAS HORRENDOUS.

IT WAS INSTALLED WITHOUT GLUING DOWN THE TURF AND THE NET WAS NOT SECURED.

THE WOODEN BENCHES HAVE BEEN AT THE FIELD FOR 17 YEARS.

BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL RECEIVED BLEACHERS THAT WERE TO BE SHARED.

[00:10:02]

THE COACHES WERE TOLD THEY SHOULD JUST ROLL THEM BACK AND FORTH.

BUT AGAIN, HOW IS THIS FEASIBLE WHEN THE TEAMS PLAY ON THE SAME NIGHT? THE SOFTBALL TEAM HAS NO RESTROOMS, AND THEY MUST HALL IN PORTA JOHNS FOR ATHLETES TO USE.

SO WE'RE ASKING THAT OUR VISITING TEAMS, OUR PARENTS AND OUR ATHLETES USE PORTA JOHNS AT THEIR PERMANENT FIELD.

SO MY NEXT LIST OF QUESTIONS HOW MUCH MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE NEW FIELDS? WHEN WILL THE BUDGET BE SECURED SO THESE FIELDS CAN BE BUILT? WHAT COMMITTEE IS OVER THE FIELDS, AND HOW OFTEN ARE THEY REPORTING TO Y'ALL ON THE STATUS? I'M MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD THAT THE CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE SEND OUT CORRESPONDENCE ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO THE AREA FOUR POPULATION, INFORMING US OF WHAT CONSTRUCTION WAS PLANNED FOR THAT MONTH, WHAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE, AND THEN WHAT WAS DELAYED.

IF IT WAS DELAYED.

WHAT ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO GET IT BACK ON TRACK? I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE ITEMS THAT PUT US OVER THE BUDGET, AND WHAT ACTIONS WERE TAKEN ON THOSE THREE ITEMS? I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY BUDGET THAT WAS MOVED TO OTHER CONSTRUCTION SITES WITHIN THE COUNTY.

SO I'LL MAKE ONE OTHER RECOMMENDATION.

I'M RECOMMENDING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OPEN AN INVESTIGATION ON THE CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE EXPENSES FROM WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED UNTIL TODAY, AND CONTINUE MONITORING THESE EXPENSES EVERY MONTH UNTIL IT'S COMPLETE.

I WOULD LIKE FOR THE POST CONSTRUCTION PLANS OF THE ATHLETIC FIELD TO BE SENT TO DEBORAH TYLER SO THAT SHE CAN REVIEW THEM WITH THE WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH POPULATION AS THEY COME UP WITH THEIR QUESTS. THAT'S ALL.

IS THAT ALL YOUR COMMENTS, MR. KLAPKA? THAT WAS ALL MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE.

WE DON'T GO THIS IS NOT Q&A.

SO BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS AND, CAN GET THEM ANSWERED THROUGH MISS TYLER.

THANK YOU. YEP.

THE SECOND PERSON THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS MISS RHONDA POOL.

WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC OF NEW SCHOOL PROGRESS, ESPECIALLY THE BALL FIELDS? I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE A LOT OF YOUR TIME BECAUSE DREW'S COVERED MOST OF IT.

AND DON'T WORRY, MR. LAURENCE, I WON'T BE UGLY.

HE. I HAVE EMAILED, MR. LAURENCE AND HE HAS RESPONDED, AND HE WAS GRACIOUS IN HIS RESPONSE.

I'M JUST ASKING.

WAGNER IS A SMALL LITTLE TOWN.

WE STRUGGLE.

WE WE GET EMBARRASSED EASILY WHEN WE GO TO OTHER SCHOOLS AND WE TAKE OUR KIDS.

THE QUESTION IS, ON THE RIDE HOME ARE, WHY DOESN'T OUR SCHOOL LOOK LIKE THIS? WHY DON'T OUR BALLFIELDS LOOK LIKE THIS? AND MY QUESTION IS, HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO USE THOSE HIDEOUS BATHROOMS? IT'S EMBARRASSING TO ME WHEN PEOPLE PULL UP VISITING.

I'M NOT GOING TO TELL A STORY.

I JUST ASK THAT WE TRY TO MAINSTREAM WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS.

AND MAKE IT WHERE MY CHILD, MY GRANDCHILD THAT'S IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL SHE'S A FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORE TO PLAY ON A BALL FIELD, AND SHE'S WORKING HARD TO PLAY ON THE WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM.

DOCTOR MURPHY I MEAN, YOU TOLD US ALL ABOUT IT, AND I PUSHED HARD AND I'M GOING TO PUSH KEEP PUSHING HARD.

I JUST ASK THAT YOU GUYS DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO GET US PULLED BACK IN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS POOLE.

THAT'S EVERYONE THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND NOW UNDER, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS.

I TURN IT AND I'LL TURN THAT OVER FOR MISS PICCOLINO TO RUN THE CEREMONIES.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN NESSEL.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD AND MR. LAURENCE, IF YOU ALL WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME DOWN ON THE FLOOR.

AND AS OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE COMING DOWN, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL'S SWIMMING CHAMPIONS, AMELIA HARPER AND JARED ALLISON.

WE PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED THESE STUDENT ATHLETES IN NOVEMBER, BUT THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING, AND THEY JUST ASKED THAT THEY COME TONIGHT AND TAKE A QUICK PHOTOGRAPH WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, LIKE WE WOULD CUSTOMARILY DO FOR STATE WINNERS.

AMELIA AND JARED ARE BOTH SENIORS AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

THEY WANT GOLD, AMELIA FOR THE BREASTSTROKE AND JARED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY, AS WELL AS THE 100 BACKSTROKE.

[00:15:28]

THANK YOU BOTH. AND CONGRATULATIONS.

GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT RECOGNITION.

EARLIER THIS SCHOOL YEAR, OUR SCHOOL'S REPORT CARD DATA WAS HIGHLIGHTED AND WE WERE PLEASED TO REPORT A MORE THAN 36% INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. IN OUR TOP RATED SCHOOLS, SIX AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOLS RATED AMONG THE ELITE GROUP NAMED EXCELLENT OVERALL, AND WE ARE THRILLED TO CELEBRATE THEIR HARD WORK WITH THEIR SCHOOL LEADERS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE JOINED US TONIGHT.

I'M GOING TO CALL EACH SCHOOL UP, SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU, AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD.

OUR PRINCIPALS OR OTHER LEADERS WHO HAVE JOINED IN CELEBRATION TONIGHT, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME TEACHERS AND QUITE A BIG AUDIENCE TONIGHT.

SO AS I TALK ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL NAME, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD AND WE'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHAKE OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HANDS AND THE HAND OF MR. LAURENCE AND TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.

ALL RIGHT, SO AMONG THOSE DISTRICTS, EXCELLENT RATED SCHOOLS ARE THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BELVEDERE, GLOVERVILLE, OAKWOOD, WINDSOR TWO MIDDLE NEW ELLENTON, MIDDLE MAGNET, AND PAUL KNOX MIDDLE.

AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY.

THE IMPACT OF THE SUPPORTED.

THE SUPPORTIVE STUDENT AND FAMILY CENTERED CLIMATE AT BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

WITH THE INCREASE OF THREE ENTIRE PROFICIENCY CATEGORIES IN ONE YEAR.

FROM ITS 22 RATING OF BELOW AVERAGE, PASSED AVERAGE, AND GOOD, WITH A 2023 RATING OF EXCELLENT.

THE INCREASE WAS NOT ONLY THE LARGEST FOR AIKEN COUNTY, IT ALSO MARKED THE SECOND HIGHEST OF ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BELVIDERE'S PRINCIPAL ALLISON LONG.

OAKWOOD. WINDSOR ELEMENTARY IS EXPERIENCING SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PRINCIPAL DAVINA TRUITT.

THE LATEST REPORT CARD RANKS WAS NUMBER SEVEN OF 667 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.

BEING RATED.

WITH THEIR OVERALL STUDENT GROWTH, IS A MAJOR, MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE SCHOOL'S FIRST EVER EXCELLENT SCHOOL REPORT CARD RATING.

MISTY MCCONNELL, THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, IS REPRESENTING OAKWOOD WINDSOR TONIGHT ALONG WITH SEVERAL TEACHERS.

WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.

ALL RIGHT. COME FORWARD, PLEASE.

WITH STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND READING, WRITING AND MATHEMATICS WELL ABOVE BOTH THE DISTRICT AND STATE AVERAGE OF STUDENTS MEETING OR EXCEEDING GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS.

GLOVERVILLE ELEMENTARY.

INCREASE TO PROFICIENCY RATINGS TO ALSO EARN ITS FIRST EVER ELEMENTARY REPORT CARD RATING, NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATING SUCCESS IN ACADEMICS, BUT ALSO EXCELLENCE IN CLIMATE AND CULTURE, WHERE THESE RISING STARS, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PRINCIPAL NATHAN LOBEL, EARNED 8.37 OUT OF A TOTAL OF TEN POINTS FOR CULTURE AND CLIMATE.

[00:20:05]

AT THE MIDDLE LEVEL, BASED ON ALL ACHIEVEMENT METRICS, PAUL NOXS MIDDLE AND NEW ELLENTON STEAM MIDDLE MAGNET BOTH EARNED A RATING OF EXCELLENT, PLACING THEM IN THE TOP 11% OF MIDDLE SCHOOLS STATEWIDE.

PRINCIPAL SHANTE DUGGER LED NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE SCHOOL STEAM MAGNET TO ITS FIRST EXCELLENT RATING SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND IS VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM OF TEACHER LEADERS, MANY OF WHICH ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT.

WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ANY STUDENT.

NIMS HAS MAINTAINED THEIR EXCELLENT RATING FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

I'M GOING TO SAY THAT PART ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.

NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE STEAM MAGNET HAS MAINTAINED THEIR EXCELLENT SCHOOL REPORT CARD RATING FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

THE SCHOOL'S RIGOROUS STANDARDS, EXPECTATIONS, AND BELIEF IN THE INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY FOR EACH STUDENT TO EXCEL IN THEIR LEARNING JOURNEY HAS LED TO IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE ACROSS ALL MEASURES FOR ALL STUDENTS.

WHILE MRS. DUGGAR WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT.

WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE.

AMAZING. PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NORTH AUGUSTA RECEIVED THE SCHOOL'S FIRST EVER EXCELLENT RATING, INCREASING TWO PROFICIENCY CATEGORIES FOR THE 2223 ACADEMIC YEAR.

PAUL KNOX WAS ALSO RATED EXCELLENT FOR STUDENT PROGRESS.

PK STUDENTS MADE MORE ACADEMIC PROGRESS THAN EXPECTED WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER LIKE STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE.

ADDITIONALLY, THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS MEETING GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS AND READING AND WRITING EXCEEDED THE STATE AVERAGE BY NEARLY SIX PERCENTAGE POINTS. CONGRATULATIONS, PRINCIPAL CASEY ROGERS.

AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY HAS EARNED BACK TO BACK EXCELLENT RATINGS AND IS ONCE AGAIN RANKED IN THE TOP FIVE OF 242 HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.

AS ONE OF ONLY FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH 100% OF STUDENTS MEETING COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS INDICATORS, AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY IS RANKED IN THE TOP 2% OF ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. AS YOU CAN SEE, ASA'S PRINCIPAL, MISS MARTHA MESSICK, COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF THIS.

LATEST REPORT CARDS.

OVERALL SCORE OF 96 OUT OF 100 POINTS.

WITH EXCELLENT RATINGS ACROSS THE BOARD.

ASA HAS QUALIFIED FOR ELITE EXCELLENT STATUS SINCE BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO DO SO.

PLEASE, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THESE PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOL LEADERS.

WE COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.

OUR NEXT RECOGNITION TONIGHT IS FOR A MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER.

[00:25:06]

DESPITE A KNEE INJURY WHICH HELD TRAYVON BACK FROM PARTICIPATION DURING HIS JUNIOR SEASON, HE WRAPPED UP HIS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CAREER WITH MORE THAN 6400 YARDS.

3000 OF THOSE YARDS ARE FROM THE LAST YEAR ALONE.

TO FURTHER EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE.

HE'S JUST THE SECOND PLAYER IN SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE HISTORY TO BREAK THE 3000 YARD MARK IN A SINGLE SEASON.

THIS SEASON ALSO INCLUDES STATS OF 272 CARRIES AND 42 RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS.

IN ADDITION TO BREAKING MIDLAND VALLEY'S MOST RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON OPENER, THE FIVE FOOT TEN, 200 POUND SENIOR ALSO HAS THE SCHOOL RECORD FOR MOST RUSHING YARDS IN A GAME, MOST TOUCHDOWNS IN A GAME, AND MOST RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS IN A SEASON.

HIS UNSTOPPABLE OFFENSIVE DRIVE HELPED THE MUSTANGS SECURE THE REGION TITLE AGAINST LONG TIME RIVAL NORTH AUGUSTA AND THEIR FIRST WIN AGAINST THE YELLOW JACKET SINCE THE LATE 90S.

HE WAS NAMED THE FORAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR, ALL REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND ALL STATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, AND IS ONE OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL NETWORK'S TOP 20 HIGH SCHOOL RUNNING BACKS IN THE NATION FOR THE 22 FOR THE 23 SEASONS.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WE ARE AMONG GREATNESS.

HERE TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATION OF THIS MVP TONIGHT IS COACH EARL CHAPMAN.

COACH YOUNG, AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH JUSTIN MEDLOCK.

AS WELL AS TRAYVON'S MOTHER, TONYA DIXON.

SISTERS, TALIA DUNBAR AND TAKINA DIXON AND HIS GIRLFRIEND BRYCE PRYOR.

AND MR. HIGGINBOTTOM, A VERY PROUD PRINCIPAL OF THESE MIDLAND VALLEY MUSTANGS.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE NEWS TRAYVON SIGNED LAST WEEK TO PLAY IN THE FALL FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS.

TRAYVON. WE WISH YOU SUCCESS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND BEYOND AS WE ROOT FOR YOU AT HOME IN THE VALLEY.

I WILL COME BACK LATER TO GET AN AUTOGRAPH BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE WORTH IT.

AND THAT IS IT FOR OUR SCHOOL RECOGNITIONS.

TONIGHT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. LAURENCE, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE MIC AGAIN FOR SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.

YES, SIR. PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL HAVE A SHOT AND THEN FOR SOMEONE.

SO. YOU'RE GOING TO.

[00:30:11]

I DO HAVE A RECOGNITION THAT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE BEFORE I GIVE IT BACK TO MISS PICCOLINO.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION AND AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WANT TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, MR. DWIGHT SMITH, OUR VICE CHAIR FOR TEN YEARS OF SERVICE ON AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION.

OVER 43% OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE SERVED FOUR YEARS OR LESS.

SO THE COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION IT TAKES TO BE ON A SCHOOL BOARD FOR TEN YEARS AND PROVIDE THAT STABILITY AND STRUCTURE AND LEADERSHIP, DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.

SO WE JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU.

THERE'S A NICE TEN YEAR PIN IN HERE, A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION AND A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU.

SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE. AND CONGRATULATIONS, MR. SMITH. IT IS SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH AND IN PREPARATION FOR CELEBRATING OUR SCHOOL BOARD, STUDENTS AND PARENTS SERVING ON MISTER LAWRENCE'S SUPERINTENDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL HAVE HELPED US IN PREPARING A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THE POSTERS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.

WELL, WE'VE HAD SOME FUN WITH OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS IN PREPARING THOSE.

AND WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU A SHORT VIDEO ABOUT THAT.

AND WE'D ASK THAT YOU LEAVE THESE HERE TONIGHT, BUT WE WILL HAVE THEM FRAMED FOR YOU AND RETURN TO YOU IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

WE ARE AT WAR.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

MARY LOVES MR. SILAS. I'M JASMINE, I'M CHASE, I'M KAYDEN, I'M ANNA, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU, MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR HANKS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, MOSSY CREEK ELEMENTARY.

THANK YOU, MR. MOULTON, FOR NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL.

THANK YOU, MISS TYLER, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.

MR. NESTLE, YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE THANK YOU, MR. BROOME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AT OAKWOOD WINDSOR.

DOCTOR BRADLEY TUCKER CREEK LOVES YOU.

WE LOVE OUR BOARD.

SEE Y'ALL JUST GOING A FASTER ROAD.

THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.

THANK YOU. MR. LAURENCE. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND WE'RE GOING TO INVITE MR. ROGERS TO COME BACK UP TO THE FRONT AGAIN, BECAUSE IN OUR SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT THIS EVENING, WE HAVE PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE. GIVE US JUST A MINUTE.

WE'LL GET IT SET UP. ALL RIGHT.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SPOTLIGHT MY SCHOOL.

I COULD TAKE A LOT LONGER THAN I AM, SO JUST, JUST BEAR WITH ME HERE.

[00:35:05]

SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO SEE THE IMPACT OF WHAT YOU DO HERE AT THE STUDENT LEVEL.

I GET TO SEE THE SMILE ON FACES, THE SUCCESSES, THE ACHIEVEMENT, THE GROWTH.

I GET TO SEE THAT FACE TO FACE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM ME TO YOU, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IT MEANS A LOT TO ME AND I APPRECIATE YOU.

SO A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR AGO, I BECAME THE PRINCIPAL AT PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND BEING FROM NORTH AUGUSTA, IT WAS NOT LOST ON ME.

THE RESPONSIBILITY I WAS UNDERTAKING, WHETHER IT'S MR. KNOX HIMSELF, WHO THE SCHOOL WAS NAMED AFTER, OR THE LONG HISTORY OF TRADITION AND SUCCESS THAT'S COME THROUGH THAT BUILDING.

THOUGHT BACK THROUGH, 1958, MR..

MISTER LOGAN OPENED THE BUILDING, THE STUDENTS UP TO MORE CONTEMPORARY ADMINISTRATORS LIKE JOHN MURPHY DURING HIS TIME THERE, KYLE SMITH, JASON HOLT, AND MOST RECENTLY, PAIGE DAY.

ALL OF THEM LEFT AN IMPACT ON THAT SCHOOL, AND WHEN I STEPPED INTO THAT BUILDING, I COULD SEE THE FINGERPRINTS OF EACH OF THOSE ADMINISTRATORS AND IT WASN'T LOST ON ME, THAT RESPONSIBILITY. SO TONIGHT, AS I TALK ABOUT THE SPOTLIGHT OF PAUL KNOX, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED THROUGH THE YEARS.

SO THE THING THAT WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO SPOTLIGHT IS OUR REPORT CARD SUCCESS, THE SUCCESS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, WE WERE AN AVERAGE STATE REPORT CARD RATING, AND WE IMPROVED TWO PROFICIENCY LEVELS TO EXCELLENT.

OUR STUDENT PROGRESS WAS ALSO AVERAGE.

AND WE IMPROVED THAT FROM AVERAGE TO PROFICIENCY LEVELS TO EXCELLENT AND SCHOOL CLIMATE FROM BELOW AVERAGE TO GOOD.

AND SO AS WE LOOK AT THIS IMPROVEMENT, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE THAT MADE THAT POSSIBLE.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO TAKE ALL THE TIME, TO TALK ABOUT EACH PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

SO I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON TWO SPECIFIC AREAS IN OUR STUDENT GROWTH AND OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE.

SO FIRST, THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IS OUR FACULTY AND STAFF.

THE THING THAT I LOVE ABOUT AIKEN COUNTY AS A WHOLE IS THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED TEACHERS, FACULTY AND STAFF.

THIS IS FROM OUR CHRISTMAS CARD THAT WE MADE THIS YEAR.

BUT WHETHER IT'S OUR TEACHERS OR IT'S OUR SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE WORKERS, OUR CUSTODIANS, WHETHER IT'S OUR OFFICE STAFF, OUR INSTRUCTIONAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION AIDES, EVERYONE IS DEDICATED TO HELPING STUDENTS.

THAT'S REALLY AS SIMPLE AS IT IS.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP STUDENTS? AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE TO OUR PUZZLE, IS JUST AN AMAZING FACULTY AND STAFF WHO ARE DEDICATED, JUST LIKE ALL FACULTY AND STAFF THROUGHOUT AIKEN COUNTY.

THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

BUT OF COURSE, WE CAN PUT INTO PLACE SOME SYSTEMS AND SOME PROCESSES TO MAKE THAT SUCCESS MAGNIFIED AND EVEN MORE IMPACTFUL.

AND SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE'VE DONE AT PAUL KNOX.

IT STARTS WITH PATRIOT PRIDE.

THESE ARE CHARACTER TRAITS THAT WE WANT.

EVERY STUDENT THAT GOES THROUGH PAUL KNOX TO BE IMPRESSED WITH, THAT WAS PUSHED INTO THEIR CHARACTER.

EVERY LETTER IN THE WORD PRIDE STANDS FOR CHARACTER TRAIT PERSEVERANCE.

WE PERSEVERE EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE HARD.

THE R IS FOR RESPECT.

WE SHOW RESPECT TO ALL STUDENTS AND ALL PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES.

INTEGRITY. WE DO THE RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN NO ONE'S LISTENING, ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING.

EXCUSE ME. DEPENDABILITY.

OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS, OUR SCHOOL, THEY CAN DEPEND ON US WHEN THEY NEED US.

AND EXCELLENCE. WE'RE PURSUING EXCELLENCE AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

SO IT STARTS WITH PATRIOT PRIDE.

BUT OF COURSE, AS STUDENTS COME THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL, OUR PURPOSE IS TO PREPARE THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

SO WE SET FORTH A PATH TO HIGH SCHOOL READINESS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

SO WE CALL IT THE PATRIOT PATH TO HIGH SCHOOL READINESS.

AND ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT TRAITS THROUGH EACH YEAR THAT WE FOCUS ON.

SO BY THE TIME YOU LEAVE PAUL KNOX, YOU'RE PREPARED AND YOU'RE READY FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

THAT'S OUR GOAL, IS TO HAVE YOU READY FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

SO IN THE SIXTH GRADE WE'RE FOCUSING ON COMMUNICATION AND ORGANIZATION.

DEADLINES ARE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE, AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC AREAS AND TECHNOLOGY TO HELP YOU BE PREPARED FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

IN SEVENTH GRADE IS COMMUNITY AND CITIZENSHIP DEADLINES BECOME A LITTLE MORE STRICT.

AND THERE'S SOME OTHER AREAS THAT WE TRY TO INCREASE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY.

AND THEN IN EIGHTH GRADE, IT'S COLLABORATION AND ADVOCACY.

DEADLINES BECOME SIGNIFICANTLY MORE STRICT.

AND SO AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH THE GRADES, THE IDEA IS THAT YOU HAVE STEPS FOR SUCCESS IN EACH GRADE THAT SETS YOU UP FOR HIGH SCHOOL READINESS.

SO HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU LEAVE PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU'RE PREPARED FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN WHEN YOU LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL, YOU'RE PREPARED FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER.

AND WE HAVE THE THE WHAT WE CALL THE PROFILE OF THE PAUL KNOX PATRIOT.

MEANING WHENEVER SOMEONE COMES IN CONTACT WITH A STUDENT, THEY KNOW THIS STUDENT MUST HAVE WENT TO PAUL KNOX, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE ATTRIBUTES I SEE IN THEM.

AND WE BREAK THEM DOWN BY ACADEMICS, BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THEM, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU ONE FROM EACH CATEGORY.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, FOR ACADEMICS, I STUDY FOR MY CLASSES EVERY DAY, EVEN WHEN I DON'T HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT.

BEHAVIOR. I'M ACCOUNTABLE FOR MY ACTIONS, EVEN IF I'M NOT PROUD OF THEM.

AND COMMUNICATION.

I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND I SHARE THIS WITH THOSE THAT CARE ABOUT MY LEARNING.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ATTRIBUTES THAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO LEAVE PAUL KNOX WITH, AND HAVE THIS PROFILE OF THE PAUL KNOX PATRIOT WHEN THEY LEAVE.

[00:40:05]

I'M GOING TO LOOK AT ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE HERE.

SO WE HAVE PROGRESS MONITORING.

YOU PROBABLY HEAR A LOT ABOUT PROGRESS MONITORING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

PATRIOT PROGRESS MONITORING IS A TOOL WE USE TO HELP STUDENTS NOT ONLY TRACK TEST SCORES, BUT ALSO TRACK BEHAVIOR GOALS.

AND ALSO IF THEY HAVE A SOCIAL GOAL OR AN ATHLETIC GOAL.

THIS IS A TIME FOR THEM IN THEIR ADVISORY CLASS TO BE ABLE TO SET GOALS AND THEN CONSISTENTLY REFLECT ON WHAT THEY DID TO HELP MEET THEIR GOAL, OR WHAT THEY CAN DO TO GET CLOSER TO THEIR GOAL.

SO WHETHER IT'S CHARTING OUR STATE TEST SCORES, MAP SCORES, MAYBE HOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING ATHLETICALLY OR SOCIALLY, WE GIVE THEM SUSTAINED TIME TO NOT ONLY GRAPH IT AND CHART IT, BUT TO ALSO REFLECT ON WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT ARE THEY DOING WELL, AND WHAT CAN THEY DO BETTER.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT PAGE WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR ACADEMICS, WHERE THEY'RE SETTING A GOAL FOR EACH MAP TEST, THEY'LL CHART THEIR SCORE, AND THEN THEY'LL REFLECT ON WHAT DID I DO TO HELP ACHIEVE MY GOAL, OR WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP ACHIEVE MY NEXT GOAL.

SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE FROM PATRIOT PROGRESS MONITORING.

THAT'S ONE. THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

AND OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE INCREASED FROM BELOW AVERAGE TO GOOD, WHICH I WAS ESPECIALLY PROUD OF.

AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT STARTED WITH, OOPS, I'M SORRY, LET ME GO BACK FOR A SECOND.

THAT IS TIED TO SOME SEMESTER INCENTIVES.

SO PATRIOT PROGRESS MONITORING, WE HAVE SEMESTER INCENTIVES AT THE END OF OUR FIRST SEMESTER AND END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR STUDENTS JUST TO CELEBRATE THEIR SUCCESS, CELEBRATE GROWTH, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO EARN POINTS TOWARD THOSE INCENTIVES.

SO SCHOOL CLIMATE. I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

IT'S A LOT ABOUT JUST HAVING POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN THE SCHOOL THAT YOU HAVE THAT POSITIVE ENERGY.

SO WHETHER THAT'S HIGH FIVES, FIST BUMPS OR JUST ATTABOYS, WE WANT TO BRING JUST THAT POSITIVE ENERGY TO THE HALLWAYS, TO THE CLASSROOM, TO THE CAFETERIA AND THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL. SO ON A RECENT VISIT, MR. LAURENCE GOT TO HAVE HIS HIGH FIVE RIGHT HERE WITH OUR SAFETY MONITOR COACH SEAN.

HIGH FIVES ARE A WAY OF LIFE AT PAUL NOXS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO HAVE A HIGH FIVE.

AND IT'S JUST ABOUT STARTING WITH THAT POSITIVE ENERGY.

AND FROM THAT POSITIVE ENERGY, WE PUT SOME SOME PROCESSES IN PLACE TO HELP, GROW OUR CULTURE.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE TO DO IS SURVEY STUDENTS AND STAFF.

WHAT IS IT THEY SEE AND THEN DO SOMETHING WITH THAT INFORMATION.

WHEN WE FIND OUT AN AREA THAT WE CAN IMPROVE, WE'LL MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ON THOSE.

OF COURSE, WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN DO THOSE SMALL CHANGES TO HELP IMPROVE OUR WAY OF LIFE IN THE BUILDING FOR US, FOR US ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERSHIP IN THE BUILDING, WE WANT TO BE VISIBLE.

WE WANT TO BE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES.

AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE ABOUT THEM SEEING US AND BEING ABLE TO TALK TO US IN THE HALLWAYS, SHARE THE SUCCESSES.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT PATRIOT PROGRESS MONITORING IS AFTER THEY GET DONE TESTING, THEY'LL COME TO ME.

MR. ROGERS, I GREW CERTAIN NUMBER OF POINTS.

I ACHIEVED MY GOAL AND NOW I GET TO CELEBRATE THAT WITH THEM.

SO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT APPRECIATING YOU GUYS AND I GET TO SEE THE WORK PAYING OFF, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

I GET TO LOOK IN THEIR EYES AND SEE THAT THAT FEELING THEY HAVE OF SUCCESS BECAUSE OF THAT GROWTH, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS, IS TESTING DAYS, NOT BECAUSE OF TESTING, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CELEBRATION THAT FOLLOWS.

ALSO, THERE ARE SYSTEMS FOR STUDENT AND STAFF RECOGNITION CONSISTENTLY SEASONAL EVENTS.

WE TRY TO ENHANCE THOSE BY HAVING SOMETHING FOR EACH OF THOSE SEASONAL EVENTS, WHETHER IT'S THANKFUL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY CARD READING TO KIDS WHO MAY BE IN THE HOSPITAL OR TO VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, OR TO A NURSING HOMES, WE DO THOSE FOR, FOR, FOR HOLIDAYS AND ULTIMATELY OUR CULTURE.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GREAT EDUCATION.

WE'RE HAVING A GREAT EDUCATION, BUT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO ALSO HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

AND SO WE WANT OUR STUDENTS AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THAT CAN BE A VERY HARD TIME OF LIFE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU'RE LEARNING AND GROWING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE WANT IT TO BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE THAT THEY CAN LOOK BACK ON FONDLY WHEN THEY LEAVE PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO THEY MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT? WELL, HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE.

THIS IS FROM A COLOR RUN.

THIS IS AN EVENT WE HAD LAST SPRING.

AND YOU MAY BE THINKING THAT'S AWESOME.

THAT'S GREAT. WHAT ARE YOU DOING DURING THE COLOR RUN? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHERE I'M GOING TO BE.

YOU'RE GOING TO FIND ME RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT COLOR.

RUN. ENJOYING THE COLOR RUN WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.

I THINK A BIG PART OF THAT IS JUST HAVING GREAT EXPERIENCES WITH OUR STUDENTS TO IMPROVE OUR CLIMATE.

THEY SEE AND THEY GET TO KNOW YOU.

AND THIS IS, OF COURSE, THE AFTERMATH.

I DIDN'T INTEND TO BE COVERED IN COLOR, BUT IT JUST HAPPENED.

IT HAPPENED. SO, THOSE ARE A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

OF COURSE, THE CREDIT GOES TO OUR TEACHERS AND OUR FACULTY AND OUR STAFF AND EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER TO JUST HELP STUDENTS.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, HELPING STUDENTS.

AND WE HAD TREMENDOUS GROWTH, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT GROWTH.

AND I WANT TO GO BACK AND JUST JUST REMIND YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPRESS ON OUR STUDENTS PERSEVERANCE, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, DEPENDABILITY AND EXCELLENCE.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF OUR PAUL KNOX PATRIOTS.

THANK YOU. DOES, DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUICK QUESTIONS FOR MR. ROGERS? ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SIR. MOVING ON TO THE OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN.

THE ONLY THING I WANT TO DO IS I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE.

[00:45:02]

WHAT'S YOUR TROOP NUMBER? WE HAVE TWO TODAY.

THE EMBASSY DISTRICT WHICH IS BASED.

SOUTH CAROLINA SIDE OF THE GEORGIA CAROLINA COUNCIL.

SO WE HAVE TROOP SEVEN OUT OF NORTH AUGUSTA AND TROOP 404 OUT OF AIKEN.

THESE STUDENTS ARE DOING CITIZENSHIP AND COMMUNITY.

SO PART OF THAT IS COMING TO A SOME TYPE OF GOVERNMENT MEETING.

SOME ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON.

AND AT THEIR AGE, WE.

BOARD OF EDUCATION WAS A. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING US FEED YOUR.

YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

AND JUST THE MESSAGE I WANT TO GIVE TO.

SO THEY'RE EARNING THEIR MERIT BADGE AND BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE TRANSITION BETWEEN REGULAR SESSION AND EXECUTIVE SESSION.

ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD.

AND WE COULD TAKE A LITTLE PHOTO WITH THE TWO BOY SCOUT TROOPS.

THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

ALL RIGHT. WE MOVING ON TO OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS OUR FINALIST FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.

SO AS THE FOLKS ARE AWARE, WE HAVE WE HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, AND WE MAKE THOSE FINALISTS KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND WE DO THAT. WE CONFIRM THAT OR WE VOTE ON IT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THE EASIEST THING FOR ME TO DO IS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, AND I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES DESIGNATE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE AS THE FINALISTS IN OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.

DOCTOR CHAN ANDERSON.

DOCTOR AMY EDWARDS AND DOCTOR CORY MURPHY.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO DESIGNATE THOSE THREE PEOPLE AS FINALISTS IN OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF DESIGNATING DOCTOR CHAN ANDERSON, DOCTOR AMY EDWARDS, AND DOCTOR CORY MURPHY AS FINALISTS IN OUR SEARCH.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. TWO, THREE, FOUR, SIX.

THAT'S SEVEN IN FAVOR.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ANYONE. ABSTAINING.

ONE ABSTENTION.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE HAVE THREE FINALISTS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM ALL.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON.

THE NEXT INDIVIDUAL ITEM IS WE HAVE.

THE BOARD WAS PRESENTED WITH A LIST OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT WAS SCREENED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE MUST APPROVE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY, I HEARD MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE TWO POLICY POLICIES ON SECOND READING, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THE REVISION TO POLICY ADF DISTRICT WELLNESS ON SECOND READING. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SECOND READING OF POLICY ADF? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING POLICY ON SECOND READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT WE HAVE POLICY JL CD ASSISTING STUDENTS WITH MEDICINES AND THIS IS THE SECOND READING.

IS THERE A IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE POLICY? JL CD ON SECOND READING.

MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON IS THERE A SECOND SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SILAS.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING POLICY.

JL KD, ON SECOND READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THOSE POLICIES ARE APPROVED.

OH WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A SECOND ONE.

SORRY. I ALSO NEED A MOTION BECAUSE I CAN'T READ.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR ALSO INCLUDED POLICY JLCPCB, WHICH I COULD HAVE COMBINED, BUT WE'LL DO A SECOND MOTION.

SO POLICY JLCPCB USE OF LIFE SETTING LIFE SAVING MEDICATIONS.

THIS IS THE SECOND READING.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE POLICY JLCPCB ON SECOND READING? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS TYLER.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING POLICY JLCPCB.

ON SECOND READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.

LAST, I'LL DO A LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THIS.

SO WE'VE GOT A PROPOSED USE ONE TIME USE OF FUND BALANCE.

I DON'T THINK THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME.

BUT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR FOLKS, WE'VE GOT THE BOARD HAS A POLICY TO MAINTAIN TWO MONTHS OF RESERVED IN OUR FUND BALANCE WITH A DESIRE TO HAVE THREE MONTHS. AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LAST AUDIT THAT WAS PERFORMED, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY, YOU KNOW, 3.37 MONTHS OF FUND BALANCE.

[00:50:06]

TO ADDRESS SOME ONE TIME NON-RECURRING EXPENSES.

THE FIRST OF WHICH IS TO, TO $250,000 FOR, PRESSURE WASHING ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR ESSENTIALLY FOR TO IMPROVE APPEARANCE OF FACILITIES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT MAINTENANCE BUDGET.

AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ASKING FOR TO USE THE ONE TIME FUNDS OUT OF THE FUND BALANCE.

THE SECOND IS A $331,000 WRITE OFF OF STUDENT MEAL BALANCES.

SO WHAT THIS IS FOR FOLKS THAT DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S HISTORICALLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS CARRY, A DEBT OF UNPAID, LUNCH MONEY.

AND IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE TAKEN OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR EVERYBODY.

AND THIS IS A ONE TIME MOVE TO RELIEVE ALL THOSE UNPAID BALANCES AND SHIFT THAT MONEY FROM THE FUND BALANCE TO WHERE THIS DEFICIT IS AND CLEAR IT OUT.

AND LASTLY, THE THIRD ITEM IS NOT EXCITING, BUT PROBABLY NECESSARY.

I WOULD JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $125,000 TO REPLACE ALL THE TIME CLOCK SYSTEMS TO TRACK THE TIME WORKED OF HOURLY EMPLOYEES.

SO THE SYSTEM THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE HAS SOME ISSUES AND SOME UNRELIABLE, EXCUSE ME, UNRELIABILITY THAT IMPACTS PROCESSING OF PAYROLL.

AND THIS IS A ONE TIME EXPENSE TO PURCHASE AND IMPLEMENT A NEW TIME CLOCK SYSTEM.

AND JUST IN REITERATION, WE'LL HAVE WELL OVER THREE MONTHS OF FUND BALANCE IF THIS IS APPROVED.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE THREE ITEMS FOR ONE TIME? USE OF FUND BALANCE.

MOVE BY MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SMITH.

ANY DISCUSSION? MR. BROOME. I'M ASSUMING WE'RE GOING TO VOTE THESE UP OR DOWN AS ONE.

WHEN MY QUESTION IS ON ITEM NUMBER ONE.

I GUESS I'M JUST QUESTIONING WHY WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT DOING THIS, WASHING OURSELVES, GETTING INTO THAT BUSINESS.

TRAILER WASHERS.

MY BUSINESS OWNS ONE, TWO, TWO EMPLOYEES.

YEAH, IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONTHS TO DO IT, BUT THEY CAN WASH THESE SCHOOLS FOR A LOT CHEAPER THAN $250,000.

AND THAT'S THAT'S MY QUESTION.

WITH SPENDING THAT KIND OF MONEY AND PRESSURE WASHING IS NOT A ONE TIME EXPENSE.

IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DOING YEARLY.

WELL, I'M GOING TO LET DOCTOR MURPHY EXPAND ON THIS IF WE NEED TO.

BUT BUT ONE ISSUE IS WE ALREADY HAVE A PRETTY EXTENSIVE BACKLOG OF MAINTENANCE REQUESTS.

AND THE PEOPLE.

ON ON OUR PAYROLL, WHO WE WOULD ASK TO DO PRESSURE WASHING, OR PEOPLE WHO WERE ALREADY COMMITTED TO OTHER MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AS FAR AS THE COST, I THINK DOCTOR MURPHY CAN CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ABOUT ABOUT THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.

YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING. WE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO COME AND DO THE ACTUAL PRESSURE WASHING.

AND CURRENTLY, YOU NORMALLY GET AROUND 50 TO $0.60 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR PRESSURE WASHING, FOR GENTLEMEN TO HAVE TO COME AND DO IT.

THE COMPANY THAT WE PROCURED, IS DOING IT FOR $0.03 A SQUARE FOOT.

IT'S EXTREMELY COST EFFECTIVE TO THE DISTRICT TO GO AHEAD AND WORK WITH THESE FOLKS.

I THINK THE AVERAGE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, TO PRESSURE WASH AN ENTIRE SCHOOL IS COMING IN AT UNDER $4,000.

AND SO WE ARE, EXTREMELY ECSTATIC TO GET THAT PRICE AND HAPPY TO GET THEM MOVING ON TO THE ACTUAL BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS THEMSELVES, IF NOT, TO ON BOARD, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'M A PROPONENT OF.

I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS IN HOUSE, BUT BY THE TIME WE GOT A TEAM TOGETHER, EQUIPPED, OUTFITTED AND STARTED ON THE WORK, WE'D BE TALKING A COUPLE CYCLES AND SO WE COULD DEFINITELY GET STARTED RIGHT NOW.

AND THE INTENT WOULD BE TO BE ABLE TO, EVENTUALLY BRING IT IN HOUSE AND MAINTAIN.

JUST ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP.

MR. SILAS, SINCE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC THEN, IS IS THIS MEANT TO BE EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT WILL SEE SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY, OR IS THAT A LIST? THAT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE PLANS.

BASICALLY WE HAVE WITH THIS MONEY RIGHT HERE, IT WILL BE ENOUGH TO ADDRESS EVERY SINGLE BUILDING IN THE DISTRICT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

THIS PRICE IS FOR THE BUILDING, THE PRIMARY BUILDING ITSELF.

[00:55:04]

MR. BROOME, YOU ALLUDED TO IT, OUR CURB APPEAL FOR OUR ENTRYWAYS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT STARTED THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR THE PROPOSALS.

AND SO EVENTUALLY WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.

ONE SCHOOL IS ALREADY OPTED TO WORK WITH THIS SAME COMPANY TO DO THEIR STADIUM, AND SO THEY COULD USE THEIR LOCAL FUNDS TO DO THAT.

AT THIS PRICE POINT, IT'S VERY COST EFFECTIVE, BUT THE MONEY WE'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT WILL BE JUST FOR THE ACTUAL BUILDINGS THEMSELVES.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

MR. BROOME, THIS IS JUST A QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WE WENT OVER TO LEAVELLE MCCAMPBELL AND YOU DEMONSTRATED THAT NEW SYSTEM IS THAT AND I'M JUST ASKING, IS THAT ANY WAY INTEGRATED IN WITH THE TIME CLOCK SYSTEM, THE WITH THE SECURITY THAT YOU.

IS THIS A PIECE OF THAT OR IS THIS A TOTAL DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAT WE WILL STAY WITH.

NO, THIS IS THIS IS TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM THE AUDIO ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM.

SO IT WON'T THERE'S I GUESS THE WAY SOME SYSTEMS GO NOW, ALL THE PIECES TIE TOGETHER.

SO THIS IS NOT GOING WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW AND WANT TO TIE.

IS THAT IS THE TIME CLOCK SYSTEM.

DO THEY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT TIES INTO THAT? WHAT I'M ASKING IS, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT GOING TO LESS SYSTEMS. I'M JUST ASKING, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE LOOKED AT NOW? THEY ARE FULLY INTEGRATED SYSTEMS OUT HERE.

BUT THE TIME CLOCK SYSTEM TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT INTEGRATION, THAT SYSTEM INTO OUR ACTUAL SECURITY SYSTEM.

IF THAT WAS SOMETHING WE'D EVEN CONSIDERED.

BEFORE WE GO REPLACE THE SYSTEM.

THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. YES.

YES, SIR. IT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE SYSTEM.

OUR OUR MAIN CONCERN, TOO, IS THAT IT, COMMUNICATES WELL WITH OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND OUR PAYROLL SYSTEM.

AND IN ALL OF THOSE.

YES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE ONE TIME USE OF FUND BALANCE FOR THE THREE ITEMS THAT WERE, OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSAL. HAVING HAD OUR DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE ONE TIME USE OF FUND BALANCE FOR THOSE THREE PURPOSES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S TWO AGAINST.

MOTION CARRIES 6 TO 2.

ALRIGHTY. THAT IS ALL OUR ONE TIME, EXCUSE ME.

OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, WHICH MOVES TO CONSENT ITEMS, WHICH WE VOTE ON AS A GROUP, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY PRIOR TO TAKING THAT VOTE.

SO THE FIRST CONSENT ITEM IS RATIFICATION OF EXPULSIONS.

THESE ARE EXPULSIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN APPEALED AND WE MUST APPROVE THOSE.

SECOND IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS.

WE'RE FOLKS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL IN A IN A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT OUTSIDE OF AIKEN COUNTY THAT WE MUST APPROVE.

THIRDLY. THE EILEEN ESSER ANDREWS FOUNDATION IS MAKING A DONATION TO NORTH AIKEN ELEMENTARY IN THE TOTAL OF $3,000, AND THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR STUDENT INCENTIVES TO SUPPORT MEETING BEHAVIOR GOALS.

FOURTH. THE CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT HAS A DONATION FOR ALL THE MIDLAND VALLEY AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

SO THEY'VE THEY'VE AWARDED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,000 TO BE DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY TO THE SIX MIDLAND VALLEY AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO PURCHASE BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY.

FIFTH TEAMWORKS FOUNDATIONS WANTS TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE NEW ELLINGTON MIDDLE STEAM MAGNET SCHOOL FOR $1,268 TO THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AT THE SCHOOL FOR SUPPLIES AND UNIFORMS. SIX, WE HAVE RECEIVED AN ANONYMOUS DONATION TO THE SCHOOL.

EXCUSE ME, SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE TO HELP OUT WITH THE OUTSTANDING STUDENT FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNTS.

OVER $2,000.

AND NUMBER SEVEN.

WE'VE GOT SCHEMATIC PLANS AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DRAWINGS FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELDS.

PHASE FOUR. AND I'M GOING TO READ THE LAST ONE.

WE'VE GOT A UTILITIES INSTALLATION EASEMENT THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE.

ON SOME PROPERTY THAT'S, WHERE MILTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL IS.

AND ONE THING, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IF WE COULD IS I KNOW CAN WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ON THOSE LAST ITEMS?

[01:00:04]

OKAY. DOCTOR MURPHY.

GOOD EVENING, MR. NUESSLE, BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. LAURENCE. TONIGHT, WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE BEGINNING OF PHASE FOUR OF NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL.

A PROJECT, AS YOU KNOW, THAT WE BEGAN IN 2013.

AND NOW WE'RE BEGINNING THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THEIR BASEBALL FIELD HERE IN THE NEXT COMING DAYS.

AND SO WE HAVE THE TEAM HERE.

MR. CHIPMAN, HE'S ALSO JOINED THERE BY MR. REYNOLDS. BUT COMING UP TO THE FRONT IS DANNY LOVE FROM MACMILLAN, PAYSON AND SMITH TO GO OVER THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN OF THE BASEBALL SOFTBALL FIELD OF NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL.

THANK YOU. LUCY. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MURPHY.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. LAURENCE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

JUST TO TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PLANS FOR THE ATHLETICS COMPLEX, BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.

AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO TO GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AND LET YOU, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO.

SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN.

THESE ARE THE GOALS THAT WE ESTABLISHED FOR THE PROJECT, PRIMARILY TO BE ABLE TO BUILD SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL FACILITIES.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAD A REQUIREMENT BY SCDOT THAT THAT WAS LINGERING FROM PHASE THREE THAT WE HAD TO ADDRESS ON KNOBCONE AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT.

AND SO WE'RE INTEGRATING THAT COMPONENT INTO THIS OVERALL PROJECT.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, PROVIDING BASEBALL, HOME DUGOUTS, VISITOR DUGOUTS, SOFTBALL WOULD BE THE SAME BATTING CAGES FOR BOTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL, WITH PRESS BOXES FOR EACH CONCESSION STANDS, RESTROOMS, AND SOME STORAGE FACILITIES THERE.

THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF THE SPACES AND THE AREA.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF SMALL BUILDINGS.

THE TOTAL AREA OF THE COMPLEX DOESN'T ADD UP TO A LOT OF AREA OVERALL, BUT IT'S JUST A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU IS THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING 62 PERMANENT PARKING SPACES ON THE ACTUAL, ATHLETIC SITE, AND WE WILL ALSO BE ADOPTING OR ADAPTING, I GUESS, THE INGRESS AND EGRESS ROAD, ALONG THE EDGE.

WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF RECONFIGURE THAT SO THAT WE CAN PICK UP ABOUT 30 MORE SPACES ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET AS WELL.

SO HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL HAVE AROUND 90, 90 PARKING SPACES.

AND THAT'S, THOSE ARE PERMANENT PARKING SPACES AS OPPOSED TO THE WAY IT'S SET UP NOW WHERE IT'S JUST A BIG KIND OF OPEN GRAVEL LOT.

AND HERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FOOTBALL STADIUM.

THIS IS WHERE THAT GRAVEL PARKING LOT.

AND THERE'S A GOOD BIT OF PROPERTY THAT'S OUT BEHIND IT THAT YOU DON'T REALLY SEE FROM THE PARKING LOT THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO.

THE OVERALL SITE TO CREATE THE ATHLETICS COMPLEX.

AND THESE ARE JUST SOME SOME GENERAL RENDERINGS OF WHAT THE SITE WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE WE'RE FINISHED.

THE FIELDS WILL BACK UP TO ONE ANOTHER SO THAT AS MANY FACILITIES AS CAN BE SHARED WILL BE SHARED TO CONCESSIONS AND RESTROOMS WILL BE SHARED ON THE BATTING CAGES, OR IT WILL BE IN UNDER ONE ROOFED STRUCTURE.

BUT THOSE WILL BE SHARED BY SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL, AND THEN EACH FIELD WILL HAVE THEIR OWN DUGOUTS AND PRESS BOX.

AND THIS AGAIN IS MORE OF A, MORE OF A FLAT SITE PLAN.

YOU CAN SEE THE BASEBALL ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.

THERE'S A FIRE ACCESS ROAD THAT COMES IN OFF OF KNOBCONE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE FIRE TRUCK ACCESS TO ALL OF ALL OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE CONSTRUCTING. SOFTBALL IS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WITH THE RESTROOMS BELOW THERE IN THE DARK BLACK LINES THAT YOU CAN THAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SITE.

THOSE ARE RETAINING WALLS.

SO IF YOU EVER IF YOU'RE OUT THERE AND YOU LOOK AT THE SITE, IT'S NOT A FLAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

AND SO WE'RE HAVING TO SPEND A GOOD PART OF OUR BUDGET FLATTENING THE SITE OUT SO THAT WE CAN, MAKE IT WORK FOR ATHLETICS.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL SEE LATER WHEN WE SHOW YOU THE, THE BUDGET.

YOU CAN SEE THE PARKING SPACES ADJACENT TO THE SOFTBALL FIELD, AS WELL AS THE PARKING SPACES ACROSS THE STREET THAT WE'RE CREATING AT THE CURRENT OR THE.

I GUESS THAT'S NOW THE THE BACK ENTRANCE.

[01:05:06]

CONCESSION STAND ON THE END, THE RESTROOMS IN THE CENTER AND THEN STORAGE FOR THE THE VEHICLES MOWER AND THE GATOR ON THE FAR SIDE.

THE FACILITY, THE CONSTRUCTION, I MEAN, THE THE CONCESSIONS PART OF IT IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT WE BUILT ACROSS THE STREET OF THE FOOTBALL STADIUM ON THE VISITOR'S SIDE A YEAR OR SO AGO.

SO WE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FACILITIES WERE EQUAL ACROSS THE CAMPUS SO THAT WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT OVER HERE THAN WE DID ON THE FOOTBALL SIDE.

BATTING CAGES WILL SHOW.

IN THIS CASE, THIS IS SHOWING TWO OF THEM.

WE ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO HAVE FOUR LANES.

THE FOUR LANES WILL BE CONNECTED END TO END.

SO IT'LL KIND OF MAKE FOR A LONG COVERED STRUCTURE WITH TWO BASEBALL AND TWO SOFTBALL LANES.

THE PRESS BOXES ARE SMALL.

AND THE WAY THAT THIS IS SET UP, THEY'RE SINGLE STORY PRESS BOXES, SO THEY'RE NOT ON TOP OF A CONCESSION STAND AND RESTROOM LIKE YOU SOMETIMES SEE, THESE ARE SMALL, ROUGHLY ABOUT EIGHT BY TEN THAT WILL SIT DIRECTLY BEHIND HOME PLATE AT EACH FIELD SO THAT, THEY'LL HAVE THERE WON'T BE A SHARED, SET UP THE WAY THERE ARE IN SOME FIELD.

HOME. DUGOUTS FOR BOTH WILL HAVE A DRESSING AREA FOR THE PLAYERS.

IN ADDITION TO THE ACTUAL DUGOUT, AND IT WILL ALSO HAVE A RESTROOM AND SOME FIELD STORAGE FOR EACH OF THE TEAMS. AND THEN THE VISITOR DUGOUT IS PRETTY MUCH JUST A PLAIN DUGOUT WITH BENCHES AND A PLACE TO PUT YOUR BAGS AND GLOVES.

AGAIN, THE THE ONE THING I WANT YOU TO SEE HERE IS JUST THE OVERALL LAYOUT.

WE'RE DOING KIND OF A TIERED SEATING, WITH ACTUAL SEATS FOR THESE AS OPPOSED TO JUST REGULAR BLEACHERS.

AND SO THESE WILL HAVE, A VERY, A VERY NICE APPEARANCE ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETED, YOU CAN SEE THE PRESS BOX BEHIND THE CENTER SECTION OF SEATS AND THEN THE DUGOUTS ON EITHER SIDE.

AND THIS IS LOOKING AT THE SOFTBALL SIDE.

SO BASICALLY THE SAME ARRANGEMENT OF FACILITIES, JUST OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE FIELDS ARE DIFFERENT.

AND THEN JUST AN AERIAL SHOWING THE TWO LOOKING FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION.

OKAY. THE, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF WHERE WE STARTED BACK IN THE, IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR WITH KIND OF OUR INITIAL THOUGHT PATTERN.

AND WE'VE RUN THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FOR WHERE THINGS NEEDED TO GO ON SITE.

AND WE'VE WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH, RELOCATING SOME SITE SEWER, AND WE'VE LOCATED SOME RETAINING WALLS AND, WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH THE DETENTION PONDS AND WETLANDS.

AND SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF STUFF GOING ON WITH THE SITE.

AND THAT BRINGS US UP TO NOW WHERE WE'RE SHOWING, THE PROJECT AT THE END OF THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE.

SO WE'RE ANXIOUS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE FINAL DRAWINGS AND GET CLOSE TO WHERE WE CAN PUT THE PROJECT OUT TO BID.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU IN MAY TO BE ABLE TO GET, HOPEFULLY GET FINAL APPROVAL ON THE PROCESS AND BE ABLE TO START CONSTRUCTION, HOPEFULLY AS SOON AS WE CAN AFTER THAT.

SHOWING, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY SHOWING A MARCH COMPLETION DATE.

AND THEN THE FINAL SLIDE THAT WE HAVE IS JUST THE BUDGET SLIDE.

AND YOU CAN SEE I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SITE DEVELOPMENT.

THE SITE, THE SITE COST IS ALMOST HALF OF THE COST OF THE FOR THE WHOLE CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE GOT ABOUT $3 MILLION WORTH OF SITE WORK AND ALMOST $4 MILLION OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS FIELDS AND NETS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.

WE'VE ADDED SOME JUST DESIGN CONTINGENCY JUST TO COVER US, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGET STAYS INTACT BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT WE GET FINISHED WITH THE DRAWINGS AND ALL OF THE ENGINEERING, FOR THE BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY, WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED SOME MONEY IN HERE FOR SITE COSTS FOR SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WILL NEED TO BE BOUGHT AND, AND USED FOR THIS FACILITY.

ADDED ALL THAT TOGETHER, AND IT PUTS US AT ABOUT $8.9 MILLION TOTAL.

AND THAT'S IT. AND WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS.

I WILL, AND MR. REYNOLDS IS HERE IF YOU WANT TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY? MR. SILAS? I DO, AND I THINK THIS IS DIRECTED FOR DOCTOR MURPHY.

PROBABLY. I'VE EXPRESSED OVER SOME TIME MY GREAT PERSONAL CONSTERNATION OVER THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPENT AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUE TO

[01:10:02]

BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO TO WHEN OUR OTHER SCHOOLS BECOME, THIS IMPORTANT.

I THINK IT ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED TONIGHT, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY WOULD BE A GOOD THING IF YOU COULD ADDRESS WHY AND WHERE THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM.

AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE'RE OBLIGATED THROUGH THE PENNY SALES TAX PROJECT LIST THAT IT HAS TO GO HERE.

IT'S NOT A MATTER OF A DECISION WE COULD MAKE TO REDIRECT THIS TO ANOTHER PROJECT.

SO I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO COVER THAT FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT.

BUT BUT I DID WANT TO EXPRESS MY CONTINUED HEARTBURN OVER SITUATION.

WELL, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, SIR.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHAT THE PENNY SALES TAX PROJECTS WERE OUTLINED PRIOR TO GOING TO VOTERS TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BORROW THE PENNY FOR.

TEN YEARS AGO, TEN YEARS AGO, THIS WAS 2014, I WANT TO SAY.

AND SO ANY PROJECT THAT WE PURSUE WITH THAT MONEY MUST HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 2014.

AND SO NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL, AND ALL OF ITS PHASES WERE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.

AND SO, WHILE THAT PROJECT BEGAN LONG AGO, OVER 11 YEARS AGO, THEY'RE JUST NOW GETTING TO THE COMPLETION OF THAT PROJECT.

SO THESE PROJECTS TAKE MULTIPLE YEARS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE.

AND THEN WE BASICALLY PHASE THE PROJECT IN.

AND ANY TIME WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE MAY RUN SHORT ON FUNDS FROM THE ORIGINAL FUNDING SOURCE, WE ALSO HAVE A SECONDARY FUNDING SOURCE AND IN THE FORM OF OUR 8% MONEY, AND WE CAN ALLOCATE A PORTION OF OUR 8% MONEY, BASICALLY OUR CYCLIC MAINTENANCE BUDGET, IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS.

THAT'S THE WAY RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA WAS COMPLETED OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING HIGHLAND SPRINGS AS WELL.

BUT SCHOOLS SUCH AS WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH THERE WILL BE COMPLETED ON TIME AS BASICALLY WHAT WE OUTLINED.

BUT THE SECOND PHASES, SUCH AS ATHLETIC FIELDS AND ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE, WILL HAVE TO PHASE THAT IN AS THOSE MONIES BECOME AVAILABLE.

BUT WE DO HAVE A FACILITY, A LONG RANGE FACILITY PLAN THAT WE BRIEF EVERY YEAR.

AND ON THAT PLAN EVERY YEAR, YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP THE FIRST LINE ITEM IS WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT'S $10 MILLION PER YEAR.

AND SO WE'RE GOING WE WE HAVE COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THAT PROJECT.

SO IT WILL COME TO FRUITION IN MUCH SHORTER TIME THAN AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA AS WELL AS NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL.

OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP.

I DON'T SEE IT SPECIFIED UNLESS I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED IT.

HOW MUCH ARE 8% MONEY IS USED TO SUPPLEMENT OR FOR THIS $8.5 MILLION BUDGET? GOOD EVENING. SO THE NORTHWEST, HIGH SCHOOL PROJECTS COVERED ENTIRELY THROUGH 1%, PENNY SALES TAX COLLECTION.

RIGHT. THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE COVERED BY THAT.

AND MISTER DOCTOR MURPHY ALLUDED TO IT.

AIKEN. HIERACIUM.

WE ALSO HAVE, VELMA CAMPBELL AND THE CAREER CENTER.

YES, SIR. A BRAIN FREEZE FOR A SECOND.

WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER SOURCES.

WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH COME UP.

I KNOW IT'S NOT THE QUESTION HERE, BUT WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH, WE'RE USING A MIX OF ESSER FUNDING AND 8% FUNDING.

1% ISN'T AVAILABLE FOR THAT.

SO WE'RE HAVING TO BE VERY STRATEGIC ON HOW WE USE THOSE FUNDS.

NO 8% HERE, THOUGH.

NO, 8% HERE.

YES, SIR. THE, IN FACT, RSM AT ONE POINT WAS GOING TO BE LARGELY FUNDED WITH 8%.

THE CAREER CENTER WAS GOING TO BE LARGELY FUNDED WITH 8%.

BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF THE PENNY SALES TAX COLLECTIONS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING SOME OTHER PROJECTS ON AND GET THEM FUNDED SOONER, LIKE WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

MISS TYLER. DOCTOR MURPHY.

I DON'T WANT TO BE PREMATURE, BUT IS THIS OUR ONLY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE FOR THIS EVENING? YES, MA'AM. SO SINCE YOU GUYS OPENED THE DOOR TO WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH FREE GAME.

CORRECT. MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THAT CORRECT? YOU CAN ASK WHATEVER YOUR QUESTIONS YOU WANT.

OKAY. SO IN TERMS OF WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH NOW, ANY OF THE FUNDS THAT YOU HAVE ALLOCATED FOR WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT BEING SHIFTED TO ANY OTHER DISTRICT PROJECTS, IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. THEY'RE THEY'RE DESIGNATED FOR WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH.

OKAY. AND THE ATHLETIC FIELD.

I HATE TO HIT YOU, BUT I GOTTA GET IT WHILE I CAN.

YES, MA'AM. IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET FOR THE ATHLETIC FIELD, WAS THAT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN TO BUILD WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL? ORIGINALLY IT WAS, BUT ONCE WE HAD, ONCE WE STARTED GETTING PRICES, AS YOU KNOW, PRICES HAVE GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY SINCE WE BEGAN THIS PROJECT.

[01:15:04]

THEN YOU HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR BUDGET.

AND AS WE STARTED RECEIVING PRICES FOR ALL OF OUR RAW MATERIALS, WE SAW THAT WE HAD TO BECOME BEGAN TO PHASE IT BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AGAIN, WE ARE WE'RE THERE. AND SO ANYTHING ELSE WE ADD WILL BE HAVE TO BE ADDED WITH BOND SUPPORT, MONEY AND THE TIMELINE FOR THAT, WE HAVE INITIALLY PHASED IT OUT. I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF MY I KNOW IT'S AT LEAST THREE YEARS.

IS IT FOR NOW OR. NO.

WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE NEXT THREE YEARS, $10 MILLION PER YEAR.

IF THAT COVERS IT, WE'RE GOOD.

IF WE NEED ANOTHER YEAR, WE'LL NEED ANOTHER YEAR TO GET THE OTHER $10 MILLION.

THANK YOU. MR. SMITH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH. GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY HERE.

THAT'S. YOU LEAVE MONEY? WHY NO, THE OTHER MONDAYS COULD BE.

PUT THE PLUG IN FOR THE UPCOMING 10% 1% SALES.

THE NEW ONE. WE ARE BEING ALLOWED TO SAY ANY MONIES.

OVER. ALL THE MONEY TO COME IN FROM THAT.

DOCTOR HANKS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A QUESTION FOR YOU TOO, BUT I FIRST WANTED TO COMMENT.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN, MR. SILAS, AND THE DISDAIN, BUT NORTH AUGUSTA IS NOT GETTING ANYTHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN IN THE WRITING AND IN THE PLANS AND UP UNDER THE PENNY SALES TAX LITERALLY FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS.

SO SINCE 2014, THIS HAS BEEN PROMISED, THIS HAS BEEN IN WRITING AND IT'S NOW COMING TO FRUITION.

SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.

MY CONCERN IS JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

THE CONSTRUCTION PART OF THIS IS LOVELY, BUT HAVE WE GIVEN ANY CONSIDERATION THE GRAVEL LOTS THAT THIS NEW FACILITY WILL BE DISPLACING WAS USED FOR STUDENT PARKING? HOW MANY STUDENT PARKING SPOTS ARE WE LOSING, AND DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMPENSATE? FOR THAT.

MA'AM, THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

AND AND I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE SIMPLY LANDLOCKED AND WE ARE LOSING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PARKING.

NOW, NOT MANY STUDENTS DURING THE DAY UTILIZE THAT PARKING THAT WAS MOSTLY OVERFLOW PARKING AND GAIN PARKING.

SO NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE BRINGING THAT ON CAMPUS, THE ACTUAL FACILITIES ON CAMPUS.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VERY LIMITED PARKING ADDED TO THAT.

NOW, ONE THING WE'RE DOING TO COMPENSATE IS THAT THE DRIVE THAT'S COMING INTO THE MAIN DRIVE, COMING INTO NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, IT'S A FOUR LANE.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT DOWN.

AND I THINK AT LEAST TO A THREE LANE OR POSSIBLY A TWO LANE, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME HEAD END PARKING ALONG THAT MAIN DRIVEWAY FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO WE'RE INCREASING.

WE'RE ADDING PARKING TO THE STADIUM SITE ITSELF.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ADD SOME PARKING TO THAT DRIVEWAY ITSELF.

BUT PARKING IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN, AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE EITHER CREATE MORE LAND OR CAN CAN PUT IN A MAYBE A TWO STORY PARKING STRUCTURE, WE'RE JUST SIMPLY LANDLOCKED.

AND SO THERE'S ONLY SO MANY OPTIONS IF WE WANT TO HAVE EVERYTHING ON CAMPUS, WHICH IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID THEY WANTED.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. JUST ONE QUESTION, DOCTOR MURPHY.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BINDING US TO THIS, BUT, SPECIFIC TO THE PLANS AND DESIGNS FOR FOR THIS, PHASE FOUR.

IS THAT THE LAST PHASE FOR NORTH AUGUSTA? YES, SIR. OKAY.

IS. AND UNLESS I'M MISSING SOMETHING, THIS SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR WHAT THE FACILITIES SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

IS THAT THE STANDARD THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOWARDS IN OUR CAPITAL PLANS FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS?

[01:20:06]

WELL, WELL, BOTTOM LINE, WE HAVE THIS SCHOOL IS THE SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T HAVE THIS THESE FACILITIES.

ARE YOU SAYING THE ACTUAL STYLE AND DESIGN? YEAH. SO I'M JUST SAYING EVERYBODY'S GOT TO.

SO TO YOUR POINT, NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL DOES NOT HAVE A BASEBALL FIELD ON CAMPUS, RIGHT? DOESN'T HAVE ONE. THEY HAVE TO GO DOWN TO THE REC FIELDS TO PLAY BASEBALL.

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE ON CAMPUS, AND.

BUT NOW WE'RE BUILDING ONE.

THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN IF YOU KIND OF LOOK TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN AIKEN ANYWAY, WHERE I GO TO GAMES.

NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A SET OF BLEACHERS ON THIS SIDE OF THE FIELD, A SET OF BLEACHERS ON THAT SIDE OF THE FIELD.

AND IT'S, I'M JUST WONDERING, ARE ARE WE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR INEQUITIES, OR IS THIS NOW OUR NEW STANDARD THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOWARDS IN OUR CAPITAL PLANS? YES, SIR. THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY USE WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNING IT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT FOUR ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS WE, WE WORK WITH.

SO AS WE REPLACE THE SCHOOLS, DEFINITELY WE WOULD MODERNIZE EACH FACILITY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LED LIGHTING RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE GOING AWAY FROM INCANDESCENT TO LED LIGHTING.

AS THE TECHNOLOGY BECOMES AVAILABLE, AS IT BECOMES MORE AFFORDABLE, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE IN THIS PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION, IT IS MOST COST EFFECTIVE TO PROGRAM THAT STUFF IN ADVANCE INSTEAD OF WAITING AND TRYING TO RETROFIT.

SO AS THE SCHOOLS ARE REFURBISHED OR REPLACED, DEFINITELY.

WE WE INTEND TO MODERNIZE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT AFFECTED THE WAY THIS ONE WAS LAID OUT IS BECAUSE WHAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT WITH THE SITE AND THE AMOUNT OF DIRT THAT WE HAD TO MOVE AROUND AND THE RETAINING WALLS AND THINGS.

SO REALLY, FOR US TO HAVE FLATTENED IT COMPLETELY OUT SO THAT YOU JUST HAD BLEACHERS ON EITHER SIDE, IT WOULD HAVE COST THE SAME AMOUNT THEN TO NOT MOVE THE DIRT AND BUILD THE, THE TIERED SEATING.

SO I THINK IN THAT, IN THAT SENSE, IN FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT, IT MADE MORE SENSE TO HAVE THE TIERED SEATING THAN IT WOULD TO HAVE TRIED TO FLATTEN THE WHOLE THING OUT AND MOVE THE DIRT AWAY.

THANK YOU SIR. MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON. I WOULD BE REMISS AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SEVEN IF I DIDN'T SPEAK UP FOR AIKEN HIRE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY BATHROOMS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY, CHANGING ROOMS. SO I CONCUR WITH, THE CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT.

IS THIS GOING TO BE SETTING A STANDARD FOR WHAT IS NEEDED AT THE OTHER SCHOOLS? JUST ACTUALLY SPEAKING OF AIKEN HIGH RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN APPROVED.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DESIGN A RESTROOM FACILITY FOR THEM AS WE SPEAK.

SO AIKEN HIGH AGAIN, ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, THEY WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ON THE LIST.

AND SO AS WE FIND OURSELVES HAVING MONEY LEFT OVER, WE'RE ABLE TO GO BACK AND COMPLETE OUT.

BUT AGAIN, SOME OF THE THINGS WERE DESIGNED AND BUILT PRIOR TO MY TENURE.

SO ALL WE CAN DO IS WORK WITH WHATEVER MONIES WE HAVE LEFT TO TRY TO TO EQUALIZE THE FACILITIES.

THANK YOU. MR. BROOME. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START.

AND YOU KNOW. KING KNOWS.

I GOT ON THIS BOARD A YEAR AGO.

YES, SIR. AND I'VE ABOUT TOOK THE ROOF OFF THIS BUILDING, TRYING TO GET SILVER BLUFFS BASEBALL FIELD TO NOT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE PLAYING IN A COW PASTURE.

IT WAS HORRENDOUS.

YES, SIR. YOU'VE BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH.

WE'VE GOT SOME USED BLEACHERS BROUGHT IN.

WE'VE REPLACED SOME FENCING.

WE'RE NOW DOING SOME SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. IT'S JUST I CAN'T EVEN START TO TALK ABOUT THE FRUSTRATION THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH AS A BOARD MEMBER.

AND OUR COMMUNITY'S GONE THROUGH TO GET SOMETHING THAT'S EVEN YOU'RE NOT ASHAMED TO GO TO, AND YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES YOU'VE DONE COME OUT THERE BECAUSE ME AND YOU HAVE HAD QUITE A FEW DISCUSSIONS AND NOT ALWAYS AGREEING.

THIS IS.

I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.

I LOVE SPORTS.

I LOVE IT, BUT THE INEQUITIES IN OUR DISTRICT.

HAVE GOT TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS POURED BLOOD, SWEAT OUT THERE TRYING TO JUST GET A MINUTE PIECE OF WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

AND AND TALKING ABOUT BATON.

THE BATTING BUILDING, THE BATTING CAGE.

WE BUILT OURS.

IT WAS DONATED.

JOHN HENDERSON AND HIS COMPANY COME IN, POURED CONCRETE.

I MEAN, SPENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BUILDING THAT FOR US WITH 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT WAGNER, BUT AT THAT TIME, THE DISTRICT WAS BUILDING WAGNER'S, AND WE HAD TO PAY FOR OURS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THEM BOTH.

SO THAT'S WHY I'VE COME BACK.

I'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE WE NEEDED A ATHLETIC COORDINATOR TO LOOK AT THE FACILITIES ACROSS ALL THE.

[01:25:05]

I LOVE THIS HOWEVER.

IF THIS GOING TO TAKE 20 YEARS FOR WAGNER OR SILVER BLUFF OR SOMEBODY ELSE TO EVEN COME CLOSE TO HAVING WHAT THIS IS, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW WE WE LIVE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE GOT TWO LITTLE TINY BATHROOMS THAT.

YOU KNOW, LIKE A ONE STAR BATHROOM AT, THE TOWER THAT WE BUILT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT DID NOT BUILD THAT TOWER.

AND, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST A HUGE INEQUITY BETWEEN OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS. YEAH.

DOCTOR BRADLEY JUST ANNOUNCED THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE NICE SOMETHING THAT WAS FINANCED FOR.

TEN YEARS AGO. AND.

YOU KNOW. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY CHOICE BUT TO GO AHEAD.

AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF IS INTERESTING, BUT WE'VE BEEN ON IT FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE THE AGENDA.

THE TIME TO DISCUSS THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ANOTHER.

A BOND REFERENDUM TO APPROVE ANOTHER PENNY SALES TAX, THAT WE'VE GOT NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP THAT I THINK WOULD BE A MORE APPROPRIATE KIND.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, DOCTOR HANKS.

WELL, WELL, YOU GUYS CAN.

YEAH. SO ANYWAY, WE WE DID NOT SPEND 30 MINUTES ON IT, BUT WE I THINK WE HAVE EXHAUSTED THE CONVERSATION AND WE'RE A BIT OFF TOPIC.

AND YOU GUYS CAN ALWAYS CALL THE QUESTION.

IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION SPECIFIC TO APPROVING THE THE, EXCUSE ME, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION SPECIFIC TO THE SCHEMATIC PLANS AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DRAWINGS AND BUDGET? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THROW ONE OTHER LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION OUT FOR EVERYONE.

THAT WHEN THE 1% SALES TAX WAS FIRST VOTED FOR, IT WAS VOTED ON WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT WOULD RAISE. OVER THE YEARS, IT HAS RAISED WELL BEYOND THAT.

VIRGIN. WE COULD NOT USE IT FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY IN THAT PROGRAM.

SO THE MONEY STILL COMING IN AND IT HAS TO BE SPENT ON THOSE SCHOOLS.

I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH I DON'T AGREE WITH IT AT ALL PERSONALLY, BUT AT THE TIME, TO BE ABLE TO GET STARTED, WE NEED SHOVEL READY PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF EXTRA STUFF THAT HOPEFULLY ALL OF US WILL BE ABLE TO GET AT SOME POINT.

I THINK. I THINK WE HAVE EXHAUSTED OUR QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUESTS AND DOCTOR MURPHY ON THE SUBJECT.

WE DO NOT HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? WELL, OKAY. IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING.

IS SO WE'LL GO INTO THE MOTION AND THEN ANY DISCUSSION, YOU GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'D LIKE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

WE CAN HAVE ANY DISCUSSION AFTER WE MAKE A MOTION.

BUT IS THERE A MOTION? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EIGHT CONSENT ITEMS. MOTION BY DOCTOR BRADLEY.

I HEARD MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON SECONDED.

FIRST, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE EIGHT CONSENT ITEMS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD, MR. SILAS? YES, SIR. AND I APOLOGIZE TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR BELABORING, BUT I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO TO AT LEAST SHARE THIS THOUGHT AND UNDERSTAND DOCTOR BRADLEY HAS BEEN APPROVED. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO DO SOMETHING THERE AT NORTH AUGUSTA FOR THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES.

MY ONLY THOUGHT IS, IS, IS THIS 8.5 MILLION, THE TAJ MAHAL OF OF ATHLETIC COMPLEXES, WHEN SOMETHING LESSER WOULD CERTAINLY WORK AND BE AND PRESENT US WELL AND FIT IN AT NORTH AUGUSTA.

IT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION, BUT THAT'S WHERE MY THOUGHT IS IS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SPENDING MORE THAN WE NEED TO WHEN IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN SAVE A MILLION HERE OR TWO HERE OR THERE, COULD IT BE SPENT ON ONE OR THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT.

PENNY SALES TAX ALLOWS IT TO GO TO.

SO I'LL LOOK FOR AN ANSWER.

JUST A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

AND. WHERE MY THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT FACILITY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE EIGHT CONSENT ITEMS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE EIGHT CONSENT ITEMS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT'S FIVE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

[01:30:01]

WE HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL UPDATES.

IF WE IF WE NEED TO.

IS THERE. FIRST IS THE SIMEON ANNUAL UPDATE ON MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES UTILIZATION PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.

WAS THERE ANY QUESTIONS UPON THE REVIEW OF THAT THAT ANYONE HAD FOR THE ADMINISTRATION? SIMILARLY, WE WERE PROVIDED WITH A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING IN OCTOBER 31ST OF LAST YEAR.

I HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. TRAXLER ABOUT THAT FINANCIAL REPORT? THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. WE DID HAVE ONE ITEM FOR AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER.

THAT WE COULD NOT MAKE IT TONIGHT.

THAT WE WILL RESCHEDULE.

SO WE WILL NOT COVER THAT.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. LAURENCE FOR HIS SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WE HAD A A GREAT DAY TODAY.

TWO GROUPS OF PRIZE PATROL MEMBERS FROM THE, FROM FROM DISTRICT STAFF WENT OUT ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF THE HONOR COURTS FOR THE VARIOUS STARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AWARDS.

THAT WILL BE COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND RECOGNIZE THE HONOR COURT MEMBERS FOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR, FIRST YEAR, TEACHER OF THE YEAR, PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR, AND GYM, WHICH IS OUR GIVING EVEN MORE, FOR OUR HOURLY STAFF MEMBERS.

SO WE'RE WE'RE JUST THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, HAPPY TEARS.

SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES, SOME OF THEM HAD HAD SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES, FAMILY MEMBERS, SPOUSES, PARENTS SHOWED UP TO, TO HELP HONOR THEIR, HONOREES. AND IT WAS JUST A REALLY EXCITING DAY.

SO THE CULMINATION OF THAT WILL BE OUR STARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION BANQUET.

AND YOU SHOULD HAVE AN INVITATION.

THEY HAVE INVITATIONS, RIGHT? YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THESE AT YOUR DESK.

IT'S GOING TO BE MARCH 21ST, AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL AT 6 P.M..

WE HOPE THAT ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO, TO COME OUT AND HELP US CELEBRATE OUR HONOR COURT MEMBERS AND OUR WINNERS OF OF ALL THE CATEGORIES OF THE STARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. LAURENCE.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR SESSION.

AGENDA ITEMS. WE NEED WE HAVE A REASON FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

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

UNDER STUDENT MATTERS. WE HAVE ONE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA THREE.

UNDER EMPLOYMENT MATTERS, NOTHING.

BUT UNDER CONTRACTUAL MATTERS WE HAVE A CONTRACTUAL MATTER CONCERNING THE SUPERINTENDENT.

AND THEN UNDER LEGAL MATTERS, WE OBTAIN SOME LEGAL ADVICE ON POLICY G, C, J.

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

IS THERE A MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS PURPOSE MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE PURPOSES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND THAT THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR.

MOTION CARRIES.

I INVITE THE BOARD NOW BEFORE WE'LL START EXECUTIVE SESSION AND, YOU KNOW, 10 OR 15 MINUTES.

BUT I INVITE THE BOARD DOWN AND THE BOY SCOUT TROOPS UP.

AND IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF, FOR THEM COMING HERE, THAT'D BE GREAT.

AND APPRECIATE YOU, WORKING ON YOUR MERIT BADGE WITH US.

THANK YOU.

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ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF UPHOLDING THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA THREE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

[03:00:03]

THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATIONS UPHELD ON THAT APPEAL.

THERE WAS THERE WAS A CONTRACTUAL MATTER REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SOME LEGAL ADVICE ON POLICY.

J I C J THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED FROM THOSE ITEMS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOVE BY MOVE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.

SECONDED BY MR. SMITH.

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

THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. BE CAREFUL.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.