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IT IS 6:00. WE WILL CALL THE REGULAR.
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EXCUSE ME. JULY 16TH, REGULAR MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER. WE BEGAN ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
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. THIS AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
TO THE BOARD IN THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY SUGGESTED CHANGES TO IT, AND WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED WITHOUT ANY OBJECTIONS.
WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 11TH OF THIS YEAR.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JUNE 11TH? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SILAS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 11TH THIS YEAR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
AND PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE NEAR THE SCREEN OVER THERE.
MR. JAMIE MOODY IS GOING TO SPEAK ON STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH.
GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS JAMIE MOODY.
I AM THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF SYNERGY COUNSELING SERVICES.
WE OPERATE HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY AT 1824 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY IN GRANITEVILLE.
WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS.
I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
AS WE'RE ALL AWARE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SERVICES THAT GO AROUND FOR STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS.
ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CHANGED THE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ALLOW PROGRAMS LIKE MYSELF, INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE IN NETWORK WITH MEDICAID TO BE ABLE TO CONTRACT WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS INDIVIDUALLY TO HELP SUPPLEMENT AND COLLABORATE AND PROVIDE STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THE SCHOOLS. SINCE THAT TIME, SYRINGE AND COUNSELING SERVICES HAS PARTNERED WITH TWO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO DO SO.
OUR HOPE IS WE WOULD LIKE TO COME ALONGSIDE THE PEOPLE HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENT FOR STUDENT SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WHAT WE DO IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND OURSELVES TO BRING THESE SERVICES TO STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM.
WE ARE NOT ONLY A MEDICAID MCO PROVIDER FOR ALL MEDICAID INSURANCES, BUT WE'RE ALSO A COMMERCIAL INSURANCE PROVIDER, WHICH MEANS WE ARE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF NOT ONLY STUDENTS WHO HAVE MEDICAID, BUT STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMMERCIAL INSURANCE AS WELL.
NOW, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE NEED FOR STUDENT SERVICES AND STUDENT MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. BUT THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO COME ALONGSIDE YOU AND PROVIDE THESE SERVICES FOR YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AS WELL.
WE ARE IN NETWORK WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD STATE POLICY, AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN JUST AS MUCH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE'RE IN TODAY WITH THE NEED FOR STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, IS THE RATE AT WHICH TEACHERS ARE BURNING OUT AND WALKING AWAY FROM WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THE HOLISTIC NEED TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE, NOT ONLY WITH STUDENTS, BUT ALSO WITH ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, TEACHERS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT.
NOW FOR US AS SYNERGY COUNSELING SERVICES.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS BE A PARTNER WITH EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
CURRENTLY AT OUR OFFICE HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY, WE HOUSE TWO FULL TIME CLINICIANS, AND 80% OF THEIR CASELOAD ARE STUDENTS THAT
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CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE SCHOOLS IN AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.SO WE'RE ALREADY SERVICING THOSE NEEDS IN YOUR DISTRICT, OUT IN OUR OFFICES. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS BE ABLE TO COME IN AND ASSIST YOU IN THE SCHOOLS, PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES AND HELPING STUDENTS IN A MANNER THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM QUALITY EDUCATIONAL TIME.
THE ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IN DOING THIS IS MEET YOU WHERE WHERE YOU ARE. THAT'S OUR GOAL. MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE ON THE ROAD OF LIFE.
IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GREATER CONVERSATION ABOUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR FACULTY AND STAFF, AND DOING SO WITHOUT THE NEED OF ASKING YOU FOR ANYTHING ELSE, FINANCIALLY OR OTHERWISE.
JUST AN OPPORTUNITY. SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CONSIDER THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH US OR TO SPEAK TO US DIRECTLY ABOUT THIS, WE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AND FURTHER ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION ABOUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF YOUR STUDENTS AND THEIR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, AS WELL AS YOUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.
YES, SIR. NEXT, MR. MASON COLLINS IS GOING TO SPEAK ON SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND ROOM.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MASON COLLINS.
BEFORE I SPEAK TODAY ON THE ISSUE OF THE SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND ROOM AND THE MOVEMENT OF THAT ROOM, I DO WANT TO SAY WE JUST HAVE AN UPDATE THAT THIS PROCESS WILL END UP COSTING TAXPAYER MONEY AROUND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPAL OVER AT SCHOFIELD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT UPDATE OUT THERE BEFORE I BEGIN MY PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT. I WAS A MEMBER OF THE SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND PROGRAM FROM 2014 TO 2017 UNDER THE DIRECTIONS OF STEPHANIE THRELKELD, NATHANIEL HOLLOWAY AND KEVIN SWEAT.
I STAND HERE TODAY AS SENIOR MUSIC EDUCATION MAJOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN COLUMBIA. THROUGHOUT MY TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I'VE CONTINUOUSLY PLACED IN THE TOP OF THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC'S PREMIER CLASSICAL AND JAZZ ENSEMBLES, HAD A TWO YEAR TENURE AS A SECTION LEADER IN USC'S MARCHING BAND, AND TAUGHT LESSONS WITHIN MANY CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING THAT OF HAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND A.C.
FLORA HIGH SCHOOL. THE MUSICIAN AND EDUCATOR I AM TODAY WAS BORN IN THE SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND ROOM. AS A MEMBER OF THE SCHOFIELD BAND PROGRAM, I HAD THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF BEING TAUGHT BY THREE DIFFERENT BAND DIRECTORS.
WHILE THIS PROVIDED ME WITH A WIDE RANGE OF MUSICAL EXPERIENCES, IT ALSO CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT OF INSTABILITY THROUGHOUT A TIME WHEN MY CLASSMATES AND I DID NOT KNOW WHO OUR TEACHER WOULD BE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
THE ONE THING THAT REMAINED THE SAME WAS THE ROOM IN WHICH WE MADE MUSIC TOGETHER.
THE BAND ROOM IS A SANCTUARY FOR THOSE WHO UTILIZE IT, AND FORCING ITS STUDENTS INTO A SPACE NOT MEANT FOR MUSIC WOULD BE AS FOOLISH AS ASKING THE FOOTBALL TEAM TO PRACTICE IN A MODIFIED MATH CLASSROOM.
WHILE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK FOR A LITTLE WHILE, A SEVERE DISSERVICE WILL BE DONE TO THE STUDENTS FORCED INTO THE SITUATION.
THIS BRINGS ME TO THE OBJECTIVE QUALITY OF THE SCHOFIELD BAND ROOM.
AS A FUTURE MUSIC EDUCATOR, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE MANY MUSIC CLASSROOMS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
I CAN SAY WITH EASE THAT THE SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND ROOM IS WHAT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND PROGRAM STRIVES FOR.
FOR THE MOMENT YOU STEP INTO THIS SPACE, IT IS CLEAR AS DAY THAT THE SCHOFIELD BANDROOM WAS MADE WITH MUSICIANS IN MIND.
AMPLE INSTRUMENT STORAGE, A HIGH CEILING AND PANELING FOR ACOUSTICS, A PERCUSSION ROOM. OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATURAL LIGHT.
AREA TO MOVE AROUND THE ENSEMBLE.
THESE ARE QUALITIES THAT ARE EXCEEDINGLY RARE IN BAND ROOMS THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE SCHOFIELD BAND ROOM. TO MOVE THESE BAND STUDENTS IS TO DISREGARD THE UNIQUENESS AND ADVANTAGEOUS NATURE OF SCHOFIELD BAND ROOM.
BEFORE I FINISH TODAY, I FEEL THE NEED TO PRESENT ONE MORE QUESTION TO THE BOARD. WHY MUST THE ARTS PROGRAMS AND STUDENTS SUFFER IN THIS DECISION? THERE ARE MANY SPACES THROUGHOUT SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT ARE CAPABLE OF HOUSING DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, WITHOUT FURTHER DIMINISHING THE ARTS PROGRAMS AT SCHOFIELD.
NOW, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STRINGS AND CHORUS PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED AT SCHOFIELD. WHILE THIS IN ITSELF IS AN UNFATHOMABLE BLOW TO THE OVERALL ARTS PROGRAMS AT SCHOFIELD, IT PROVIDES EVEN GREATER REASON TO PROTECT AND REINFORCE THE BAND PROGRAM.
I AGREE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH BAND BEING THE ONLY CLASS HELD IN THE FINE ARTS WING OF THE SCHOOL.
BUT I ASKED NOW IF THE STUDENTS ARE TO BE PUNISHED FOR THE ACTIONS THAT LED TO THIS BEING THE CASE, RATHER THAN CONDEMNING THE STUDENTS TO A SPACE UNFIT FOR A BAND.
I ENCOURAGE THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION AT SCHOFIELD TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT LIFTS OUR STUDENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS.
WITHOUT INTERRUPTING MY MAIN POINT OF SPEECH, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT BRINGING THE CHORUS AND STRINGS PROGRAMS BACK TO SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION THAT NOT ONLY ALLOWS FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE BAND PROGRAM IN THEIR OWN SPACE,
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BUT ALSO FURTHER DEVELOPS THE ARTS THROUGHOUT AIKEN COUNTY.THAT SAID, IT IS MY MAIN POINT THAT THE SCHOFIELD BAND ROOM REMAINS THE HOME OF THE SCHOOL'S BAND PROGRAM.
THE ARTS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH IN SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE THAT IT IS NOW A NECESSITY TO KEEP THE BAND PROGRAM STABLE SO THAT IT MAY FLOURISH IN YEARS TO COME. MY TIME IN SCHOFIELD AND AIKEN HIGH MUSIC PROGRAMS MADE ME THE MUSICIAN, EDUCATOR, ACADEMIC, FRIEND, CITIZEN, AND OVERALL PERSON THAT I AM TODAY.
MY GRATITUDE TOWARDS THE ARTS PROGRAMS IN AIKEN COUNTY CANNOT BE EXPRESSED IN WORDS, AND I HOPE I HAVE DONE THOSE PROGRAMS JUSTICE TODAY IN THE BRIEF TIME I HAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION ON THESE MATTERS. THANK YOU.
NEXT, MISS GENEVA JACKSON IS GOING TO SPEAK ON THE SALES TAX MONEY FOR UPGRADES TO GREENDALE ELEMENTARY AND SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL.
MY NAME IS GENEVA JACKSON, AND I'M A COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE CITY OF NEW ELLENTON. I AM ALSO A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER FOR DISTRICT TWO, A DISTRICT. AREA FIVE.
SO FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS TASK OF FINDING A SOLUTION TO DISTRIBUTE THE SALES TAX MONEY TO THE AREAS THAT YOU, AS A BOARD, THOUGHT NECESSARY.
I WOULD, HOWEVER, LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION WHY NEW ELGIN CITY COUNCIL HAVE CONCERNS. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT GREENDALE ELEMENTARY IS ONE OF A LEAKY ROOF THAT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES BY CREATING A DAMP A DAMP ENVIRONMENT THAT IS IDEAL FOR MILDEW, FOR MOLD, FOR FUNGUS GROWTH. THESE ISSUES COULD CONTRIBUTE COULD TRIGGER ALLERGIES AND RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. THAT IS FOR OVER 300 STUDENTS.
ANOTHER ISSUE IS WHAT I'VE SEEN, WHAT SEEMS TO BE SEWER GAS IN THE HALLWAYS.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S HYDROGEN SULFIDE, AND IT HAS A RANGE OF TREMENDOUS EFFECT FOR HUMANS, FROM EYE IRRITATION AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH TO MENTAL DEPRESSION AND SEIZURES. THE COUNCIL IS ASKING THAT THESE ISSUES BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SINCE THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE GREENDALE IN THE ROUND OF FUNDING.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND HAVING CONCERNS FOR THE STUDENTS OF GREENDALE.
TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. I WILL LEAVE THE OTHER MINUTES OVER TO JAMES ANDERSON, BUT I APOLOGIZE, BUT I'M JUST REFERRING BACK TO OUR POLICY, AND MR. ANDERSON DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE TIME. AND WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE.
WE'RE A MEMBER OF ONE BOARD. WE'RE A COUNCIL FROM NEW WELLINGTON. IS TWO MINUTES.
CAN YOU GIVE US THAT? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FINE IF WE STAY WITHIN THE FIVE MINUTES. YES, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO READ TO FOLLOW HER.
AND I'D LIKE TO READ A MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL.
MR. BROOME, WE WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THE CARE YOU'VE SHOWN AND THE FIGHT YOU HAVE PUT UP FOR OUR DISTRICT.
AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, AFTER BEING PROMISED TEN YEARS AGO THAT GREENDALE WOULD GET THE NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT OUR TEACHERS AND CHILDREN WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND A SAFE SCHOOL WITHOUT KNOWN HEALTH HAZARDS FOR MANY YEARS AGO, GREENDALE ELEMENTARY HAS BEEN LOOKED OVER ONCE AGAIN.
THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS FEELS LIKE THE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MISLED A WELL KNOWN, WELL RESPECTED AND TRUSTED MAN IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE PENNY TAX BY LEADING BY MISLEADING THE COMMUNITY INTO THINKING THAT WE WOULD GET THE NEEDED FUNDS TO MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS. SO THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CHILDREN WOULD HAVE A SAFE AND HEALTHY SITE TO RECEIVE AN EDUCATION.
WITH CLOSE TO A THOUSAND HOMES BEING APPROVED TO BE BUILT IN NEW ELLENTON DUE TO BEING LIED TO, MISLED, AND IN EFFORTS TO GET A SAFE AND HEALTH HAZARD FREE COMPLEX, WE FELT LIKE WE WERE LEFT NO OPTION BUT TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF INCENTIVIZING THE
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INVESTMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL IN NEW ORLEANS AND SOUTH CAROLINA.WE'VE SUPPORTED AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR YEARS, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.
I STARTED GREENDALE 40 YEARS AGO, NEXT MONTH, 40 YEARS AGO, AND IT LOOKS JUST LIKE IT DID WHENEVER I WENT TO THAT SCHOOL.
AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AS A TEAM, WE'RE ALL STANDING HERE SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND ANYMORE EITHER. AIKEN COUNTY STEPS UP AND DOES WHAT THEY NEED TO TO GREENVILLE, OR WE WILL FIND THE FUNDS TO HAVE A CHARTER SCHOOL IN NEW ARLINGTON. WITH THE LAND THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WITH THE SEWER WE ALREADY HAVE, WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, THAT EVERY INVESTOR THAT'S COMING TO AIKEN COUNTY IS LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU FOR MY TIME.
DAVE. MR.. DAVID POLLINS GOING TO SPEAK ON CORRESPONDENCE WITH SCHOOL BOARD AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. MR. PULLEN, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN NUSSLE.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT OPENING UP YOUR MEETINGS TO THE PUBLIC IN THE MANNER OF CLARITY.
TRANSPARENCY DISCUSSION IS ONE OF OUR BEDROCK PRINCIPLES, NOT ONLY FOR OUR STATE, BUT FOR THE NATION.
SO I FIRST WANT TO GIVE YOU A KUDOS AND AN ACCOLADE FOR THE AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY.
SO THAT SHOWS THAT THE REPORTING FROM THE POST AND COURIER AND OTHERS THAT THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SCHOOL.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS EXTREME SUCCESS.
EXTREME SUCCESS IN THE NINTH THROUGH 12TH GRADES, AS EVIDENCED BY THE AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY.
WHY IS THAT SO? WELL, I WOULD POSIT TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC THAT THAT IS BECAUSE THE FOCUS IS ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND SCHOLARSHIP.
SO THAT TIES IN WITH THE REASON I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT.
I SENT AN EMAIL TO 12 INDIVIDUALS, ALL NINE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, INCLUDING THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHO NOW IS A DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL, BUT HE ALSO NOW IS INCLUDED, INCLUDING WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CABINET, WHICH WOULD BE STAFF MEMBERS.
CAMERON NUESSLE D TYLER J BROOME B SILAS P HANKS B MOULTON P R P REINHART, JOHN BRADLEY KING LAURENCE, COREY MURPHY, JAY HART E JEFFCOAT AND C WHITE.
ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED THIS EMAIL.
I PRINTED IT OUT TO A MATTER OF THREE PAGES.
I GAVE ONE BEFORE MY SPEAKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DESK AND ALSO TO THE CHAIRMAN'S DESK. IN THE INTEREST OF A WELL-INFORMED COMMUNITY THAT UNDERSTANDS THE DISTRICTS, HOW AND WHY.
AND THAT'S A DIRECT QUOTE FROM PARAGRAPH 9.1.3.1 OF UPDATE TWO OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I DO WANT TO KNOW HOW AND WHY.
AND IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO KNOW HOW AND WHY.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF IS A PROGRAM THAT YOU SUPPORT.
SO I SENT YOU THIS EMAIL AND I ASKED YOU 20 QUESTIONS.
AND THOSE 20 QUESTIONS INCLUDED, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DEI? HAVE YOU EVER HAD DEI TRAINING? HOW DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT? WHO'S GOING TO TRAIN IT? ARE WE GOING TO OUTSOURCE IT? WHAT IS THE IMPACT GOING TO BE? HOW MUCH TIME ARE OUR TEACHERS GOING TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN DEI TRAINING? AND LET ME TELL THE BOARD AND THOSE WHO WERE ADDRESSED, AND ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE SITTING HERE TODAY ARE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND ARE SALARIED REPRESENTATIVES, THAT NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM RESPONDED IN NEARLY TWO MONTHS.
THIS IS DATED MAY 21ST OF 2024.
SO FOR TWO MONTHS I HAVE STOOD BY AND I HAVE WAITED TO SEE IF ANY ONE OF YOU WAS WILLING TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS.
NOT ALL OF THEM. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I EVEN GAVE YOU A COUPLE OF WAYS OUT.
I SAID, PERHAPS YOU YOU MIGHT REFRAIN FROM PRESENTING YOUR OPINIONS.
HOWEVER, IT IS YOUR OFFICIAL POSITION THAT YOU SUPPORT IT.
AND AS BOARD MEMBERS AND POLICY MAKERS, YOU ARE OBLIGATED THEN TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC HOW THOSE POLICIES ARE IMPLEMENTED AND HOW YOU INTEND TO SPEND FUNDS OR DIRECT PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES IN ORDER TO IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY.
SO YOU FOR THE SECOND TIME, YOU HAVE SENT THIS TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THIS IS YOUR THIRD.
IT'S YOUR SECOND UPDATE, BUT THE ORIGINAL ONE, IT'S NOW BEEN FOLLOWED BY TWO UPDATES.
SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE KIND OF RHETORICAL.
WHY IS IT THAT NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAS THE TIME, PERHAPS EVEN THE GUMPTION TO ANSWER ANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU OBVIOUSLY PUBLICLY
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SUPPORT BUT WILL NOT ANSWER? SO WHY DO I TALK ABOUT CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE BOARD, BECAUSE I'VE ASKED THE BOARD TO PRESENT THE DEI TRAINING AS AN AGENDA ITEM.THAT WAS DENIED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
HEY, MR. CHAIRMAN, HERE'S AN EMAIL. WOULD YOU PUT DEI AS AN AGENDA ITEM? NOPE, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
OKAY, I COME AND I SPEAK ABOUT THE DEI TRAINING SEVERAL TIMES.
OKAY. AND THEN I SEND AN EMAIL.
I SEND IT TO ALL THE PEOPLE I ASK FOR A FOIA ABOUT THE DEI PROGRAM, ABOUT YOUR PLANNING MEETINGS, ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DECIDE TO DO THIS DEI TRAINING. I GET THAT INFORMATION.
JEFFCOAT WHITE, JENNIFER HART I KNOW THE STAFF.
I KNOW WHAT THEIR POSITIONS ARE. I KNOW THAT MR. MURPHY, DOCTOR MURPHY, WHO'S NOW THE SUPERINTENDENT, WAS INVOLVED IN THAT. AND YET. CRICKETS.
ZERO. SO MY MY QUESTION IS, WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO CORRESPOND WITH YOU IN ORDER TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE POLICIES THAT YOU TELL US YOU'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT.
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU TOOK THE TIME TO SAY, MR. POLLAN, I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT.
OR MR. POLLAN, I'M NOT OBLIGATED TO ANSWER THAT.
AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE SETTING THE PRECEDENT FOR NEGLIGENCE BECAUSE YOU JUST DECIDE, I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER AN ISSUE THAT I DON'T WANT TO ANSWER YOU, THAT I DON'T WANT TO ANSWER.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT. YOU'RE OBLIGATED.
IT'S ALSO MALFEASANCE TO SAY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER SOMETHING 30S OVER ALREADY.
SO I WOULD JUST TELL YOU THAT THE RECORD THAT YOU ARE SETTING AND NOW HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY CALLED UPON BY IGNORING WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOUR TAXPAYING CITIZENS ASK YOU ABOUT. BOY, THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG INDICATION OF HOW MUCH WE ARE ABLE TO TRUST YOU, WHICH IS NOT VERY MUCH WHEN YOU WON'T RESPOND TO THAT WHICH YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. THANK YOU.
THERE WAS NO OTHER FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE NO SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING.
AND UNDER OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC ITEMS, BUT I DID WANT TO SAY WELCOME BACK TO OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
EXCUSE ME. TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY, WASN'T IT? OR YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY WAS FIRST DAY FOR TEACHERS.
AND BEST WISHES ON A WONDERFUL SCHOOL YEAR.
UNDER INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, WE HAVE SEVERAL.
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
SO THE BOARD WAS PRESENTED A LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED STAFF PERSONNEL SCREENED BY HR AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION CARRIES. THE NEXT ONE IS A REVISION TO A POLICY.
AND THIS IS A FIRST READING. SO WE'LL HEAR THIS A SECOND TIME OR SEE IT ON AGENDA A SECOND TIME. AND THIS IS A REVISION TO POLICY DECK SELECTION OF TITLE ONE SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT IN ADVANCE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REVISION TO POLICY DECK ON FIRST READING? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? I HEARD SECOND BY MR. MOULTON. ANY DISCUSSION? DOCTOR BRADLEY. IT SEEMS THAT THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THIS POLICY TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE.
I'M SORRY. IT SEEMS LIKE THE REVISION.
THE REVISION TO THE POLICY IS THE ELIMINATION OF THE EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE IN THE FORMER POLICY. IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT OR.
SO IN THE PAST, IT WAS REQUIRED FOR US TO EVALUATE OUR OWN PERFORMANCE.
AND NOW THE SYSTEM HAS IT SET UP AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THEY EVALUATE US AND TELL US WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE STAND AND WHAT WE DO.
AS FAR AS THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OFFERED BY THE COURT.
OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS?
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HEARING NONE. WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION WITH A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF REVISION OF POLICY.DECK ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. THE NEXT ONE IS ALSO.
AND THIS IS SECOND READING THOUGH.
SO THIS IS REVISION. WE'VE HEARD THIS ONCE.
SO REVISION TO POLICY HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION WHERE THE CHANGE BASICALLY WE'RE CATCHING UP WITH THE CHANGES WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULE GOING TO BLOCK SCHEDULE.
IN A IN A DAY IS DIFFERENT NOW REALLY.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SECOND READING OF THE REVISION TO POLICY? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MISS TYLER? ANY DISCUSSION? A NIGHT TO BE PICKY, DOCTOR BRADLEY CHANGE THE WORD FROM ELIGIBLE TO MAY APPLY.
DOES THAT IMPLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TURN KIDS DOWN? WHO MEET THE FIVE DEER, FIVE DAY OR TEN DAY ABSENCE? AND THE NOTE FROM THE PHYSICIAN? YEAH. DOCTOR MURPHY? YES, SIR.
BASICALLY, IT MEANS WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T WANT TO UNIVERSALLY SCREEN OR APPROVE EVERYONE.
SO THE PROCESS IS GOING TO BE FOLLOW THE SAME CRITERIA EVERY TIME.
SO IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE AND THEY MEET THE CRITERIA, THEY WILL BE OFFERED THE HOMEBOUND.
OKAY. OTHER DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS.
HEARING NONE. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE SECOND READING OF THE REVISION TO POLICY IWBF. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. INDIVIDUAL ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS ALSO A SECOND READING OF A POLICY REVISION.
AND THIS IS ON POLICY AB AND ON THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, WE ARE REVISING THE TUITION CHARGE TO NONRESIDENT STUDENTS.
SO STUDENTS FROM PRESUMABLY COUNTIES OUTSIDE OF AIKEN COUNTY TO A FLAT FEE OF 7.50 FOR ONE STUDENT, $1,000 FOR TWO OR MORE STUDENTS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND READING OF REVISION POLICY? JFB MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY DOCTOR HANKS? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REVISION TO POLICY JFB SECOND READING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR.
AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THE NEXT ONE.
AS YOU GUYS EXCUSE ME, AS THE BOARD SAW THIS ON THE ATTACHMENT FOR THE MEETING. THIS IS A LIST OF ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, FILES, POLICIES. WE'VE LOOKED AT IT ONCE BEFORE.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS REVIEWED THESE POLICIES, ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND FILES AND ON UPON A REVIEW AND DEEMED THAT IT DID NOT NEED ANY REVISION.
AND THERE'S A LONG LIST THAT I'M NOT GOING TO READ OUT THAT'S IN THE ATTACHMENT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ON SECOND READING THAT THESE THESE HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND NO REVISIONS ARE RECOMMENDED? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MR. SMITH? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ON SECOND READING THAT WE'VE DONE A REVIEW ON THE LISTED POLICIES, ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND FILES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
SO ITEM NUMBER SIX IS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THIS IS THE REMOVAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND FILES.
AND ON THAT ATTACHMENT THERE WAS A LIST OF OF ITEMS, ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, ETC.
THAT UPON REVIEW WERE UNNEEDED, PERHAPS NO LONGER REQUIRED AND TO FOLLOW GUIDANCE. IS THERE. AND REMEMBER, THESE ARE JUST ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND FILES. SO THERE IS NO SECOND READING, JUST THIS FIRST READING OF REMOVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMOVAL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND FILES LISTED IN THIS AGENDA ITEM? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MR. SILAS? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
ALRIGHTY. AND I SCROLL DOWN ON MY SCREEN TOO FAR.
NUMBER SEVEN, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A REVISION TO THIS 2425 SALARY SCHEDULE FOR BUS
[00:35:07]
DRIVER PAY SCALES. WE DID NOT DO THIS AT BUDGET TIME BECAUSE THE STATE HAD NOT FINALIZED THEIR BUDGET YET. AND WE'RE CATCHING UP WITH THAT.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REVISION TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE FOR BUS DRIVERS? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. SMITH.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REVISION TO THE 2425 SALARY SCHEDULE FOR THE BUS DRIVER SCALE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
INDIVIDUAL ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A REVISION.
ALSO A REVISION TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE FOR 2425 BASED ON NEW OVERTIME RULES.
SO THERE WAS NEW OVERTIME RULES WENT INTO EFFECT.
FROM THE FEDERAL FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT JULY 1ST.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND WHICH INCREASED OVERTIME THRESHOLD FROM A LITTLE OVER 35 TO ALMOST 44,000 A YEAR. AS FAR AS FOLKS THAT QUALIFY FOR OVERTIME AND THE CHANGE TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE ACCOUNTS FOR THE CHANGE IN THOSE RULES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REVISION TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE FOR THE NEW OVERTIME RULES? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND SECOND? SECONDED BY DOCTOR HANKS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REVISION OF THE 2425 SALARY SCHEDULE? WITH THE NEW OVERTIME RULES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
OKAY, SO THE NEXT TWO ITEMS WE'RE DEALING WITH THE RESOLUTIONS, INVOLVED WITH WHAT WE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK WITH THE PENNY SALES TAX.
SO BASED ON THE THE DISCUSSION AND THE VOTE OF HOW WE NARROWED DOWN PROJECTS, THERE IS RESOLUTIONS PREPARED THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA.
SO AND THESE ARE DONE IN TWO SEPARATE ITEMS OR TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS.
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE RE-IMPOSITION OF 1% EDUCATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES AND USE TAX.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE RE-IMPOSITION OF THE 1% EDUCATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES AND USE TAX MOVE BY MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON? IS THERE A SECOND SECOND SECOND BY MR. SILAS DISCUSSION. MR. SMITH.
THIS IS THIS IS A SCENARIO THAT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT. WHEN WE DID THE LAST PENNY SALES TAX, WE GOT A LOT OF MONEY AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF PROJECTS.
SOME I DIDN'T AGREE WITH AND SOME I'M SURE OTHERS UP HERE DIDN'T AGREE WITH SO MUCH OF THEM THAT WHAT THEY GOT.
BUT WE WERE HANDICAPPED AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO.
THIS TIME AROUND, WE'RE GOING TO GET EVEN MORE MONEY, BUT THE MONEY WE'RE GETTING IS NOT GOING TO GO AS FAR AS WE WANT IT TO.
AS A BOARD, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYONE.
IT'S NOT GOING AS FAR AS WE WANT THAT MONEY TO DO.
WE'VE SELECTED THE PROJECTS THAT WE THINK WE NEED.
I WON'T SAY THE MOST, BUT WE THINK IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO AT THIS TIME. I HAVE A CONCERN THAT'S COMING OUT OF AREA THREE, MY AREA. THAT WE MAY WIND UP IN THE LONG RUN.
CLOSING SOME SCHOOLS IN AREA THREE.
I HAVE PETITIONS UP HERE AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S MORE BACK IN THE AUDIENCE SOMEWHERE ON THE WAY OF OUR FOLKS SAYING WE DO NOT WANT ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS CLOSED.
AND. THESE PETITIONS PRETTY MUCH SAY THEY WILL NOT SUPPORT A $0.01 SALES TAX UNLESS THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF ASSURANCE THAT OUR SMALL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THAT ARE GROWING BE LEFT ALONE. MAYBE FILL THE SCHOOL WITH SOME REZONING.
IT'S A MAJOR CONCERN DOWN IN OUR AREA AND WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE OUR SCHOOLS CLOSED AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME TYPE OF INSURANCE ASSURANCE, NOT INSURANCE. MAYBE BOTH THAT OUR SCHOOLS WILL BE HANDLED BY REZONING AND NOT CLOSING.
[00:40:02]
THAT'S WHERE I. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANT TO SAY.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. AND YEAH, BOTH OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS KIND OF WORK IN CONJUNCTION.
BUT I THINK ON THE JUST ON THE FIRST ONE, I THINK WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO DO THE PENNY SALES TAX AGAIN.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS FOR THE THE ACTUAL BALLOT QUESTION OF WHAT'S ON THERE.
BUT YEAH, THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER. BUT THIS FIRST ONE IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE RE-IMPOSITION OF 1% EDUCATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES AND USE TAX.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. MOTION CARRIES 8 TO 1. THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUBJECT OF PENNY SALES TAX IS THE RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT A BALLOT QUESTION RELATED TO THE 1% EDUCATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS NOT EXCEEDING $285 MILLION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT A BALLOT QUESTION RELATED TO THE 1% EDUCATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS NOT EXCEEDING 285 MILLION? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MISS TYLER.
ANY DISCUSSION? I SAW MR. BROOME FIRST AND THEN DOCTOR BRADLEY. YES, SIR.
OF COURSE WE. WE HASH THIS OUT IN DETAIL AT A SPECIAL CALL MEETING LAST WEEK.
BUT I DO WANT TO BRING BACK UP.
I VOTED AGAINST THE THE PROJECT LIST.
I THINK NEW ELLENTON HAS COME TONIGHT, AND THEY HAVE SORT OF SOLIDIFIED THE REASON I VOTED AGAINST IT. WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS, IS, IS THEY ARE CORRECT. AND I WAS ON THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME AND I PRESENTED THIS LAST MEETING, AND IT'S KIND OF BEATING A DEAD HORSE. BUT I'M GOING TO GO BACK THROUGH THIS AGAIN. AREA FIVE WAS THE ONLY AREA THAT RECEIVED $0 CAPITAL UPGRADE PROJECTS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, OUT OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THEN THERE WAS OTHER THERE WAS REFERENDUMS. THERE'S PROBABLY OVER $400 MILLION SPENT AREA FIVE RECEIVED RECEIVED $0.
WHEN WE LOOK AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND WE LOOK AT SCHOOLS, WE HAVE TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE DISTRICT, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WE'RE BUILDING SCHOOLS, WE'RE FIXING SCHOOLS, AND WE HAD A LOT OF NEEDS.
AREA FOUR WAS OVERLOOKED TREMENDOUSLY AND I DON'T KNOW HOW AREA FOUR PULLED IT OFF.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THIS BOARD AND I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK FREELY, YOU LOOK AT THIS BOARD, YOU'VE GOT ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM AREA FOUR.
THEN YOU GOT YOU GOT A COUPLE FROM NORTH AUGUSTA.
I THINK THREE ACTUALLY COVER AIKEN AND TWO NORTH AUGUSTA.
SO WE HAVE TO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE HEART IS IN TO HELPING KIDS.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. BUT THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S ALWAYS THE FEAR THAT IF WE DON'T GIVE TO THE ONES THAT'S GOT THE MOST PEOPLE, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THIS VOTE.
NOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT, ALL THE KIDS. I'M HERE FOR THE KIDS.
WHEN I LOOK BACK AND WE GO BACK TO GREENDALE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF MY SCHOOLS, I GOT ON THIS SCHOOL BOARD BECAUSE OUR AREA WAS TREMENDOUSLY OVERLOOKED.
I DIDN'T GET ON IT BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO DO.
A LOT OF THESE AREAS IF, IF, IF YOU BUILD HOMES AND A PARENT DOESN'T LIKE THE SCHOOL, THEY SEE IT'S TWO MILES AND THEY CAN GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
WELL, IF YOU DON'T LIKE GREENDALE, YOU'VE GOT A TREK TO GO TO SCHOOL, CHOICE TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
OR IF YOU WANT TO GO TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL, YOU'VE GOT EVEN A FURTHER TREK.
SO THAT AREA, THE SILVER BLUFF, NEW ELLINGTON AREA.
THEY'VE GOT GREENDALE AND MR. ANDERSON'S RIGHT. THEY HAVE APPROVED FOR CLOSE TO A THOUSAND HOMES TO BE BUILT IN THAT AREA. THAT AREA IS FINALLY SEEING GROWTH.
I KNOW THERE'S NEW O'RILEY'S BEING BUILT. THERE'S SOME BUSINESSES COMING IN. A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THAT AREA. THAT SCHOOL LOOKS HORRIBLE.
SO JUST GO BACK AND IMAGINE YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO THIS AREA.
YOU'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU'RE GOING TO BUY A HOME.
[00:45:04]
AND YOU COME BACK AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS SCHOOL, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER. AND THERE'S NO OTHER OFFERING AROUND. BUT WE OVERLOOK THAT.SO WE SAY, WHAT'S THE ANSWER? WHAT IS THE ANSWER? AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING THIS BOARD. WHAT IS THE ANSWER.
BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT IN THE TEN YEAR PROJECT, WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE ANSWER? BECAUSE THAT SCHOOL IS IN HORRIBLE SHAPE.
I WILL CONTINUE TO VOTE AGAINST, NOT AGAINST THE PENNY SALES TAX, BECAUSE THIS DISTRICT CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT THE PENNY SALES TAX.
BUT SOMETIMES THE HAVE NOTS HAVE GOT TO CEDE ATTENTION TO YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT NOW.
I'M GOING TO BE VERY STRAIGHT UP. THEY SAY WELL OVER IN THAT AREA, THE BEECH ISLAND JACKSON AREA, THERE'S NOT AS MANY VOTES.
WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF AIKEN, NORTH AUGUSTA, MIDLAND VALLEY. WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT A LOT OF NEW SCHOOLS.
I GOT PLENTY OF FRIENDS THERE.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR AREA ALSO.
AND I'M GOING TO SAY ONE MORE THING THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY UNPOPULAR.
WE JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE SOME BIG UPGRADES TO MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
WE JUST COME BACK AND APPROVED ANOTHER 70 MILLION BECAUSE WE SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE GROWTH IN THAT AREA.
WE'VE GOT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE JUST SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON.
THAT NEEDS STUDENTS. I KNOW IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK, IN 2018, WE TOOK AND TOOK SOME OF THAT AREA BACK FROM AIKEN AND GIVE IT BACK TO MIDLAND VALLEY. SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS, IS WHY ARE WE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BUILD ON, AGAIN WITHOUT LOOKING AT EQUALIZATION OF RESOURCES? AND I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO REZONE, BUT I'M SAYING ALL THESE THINGS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, JIM, WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT? THAT'S NOT IN YOUR AREA. MAYBE I DON'T UNTIL THAT MONEY KEEPS MY AREA FROM BEING ABLE TO GET DECENT SCHOOLS. THAT'S THE POINT WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING IT HERE.
AND MAYBE WE COULD DO A LITTLE BETTER WITH OUR RESOURCES THERE.
THEN OVER HERE WHERE WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE OPTIONS, WE JUST DO NOTHING. AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT WITH THIS.
AND I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED THIS PENNY SALES TAX.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM WITH EQUALITY ACROSS THIS DISTRICT.
AMEN. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR BRADLEY.
YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM.
ANYTIME WE WE TRY TO DEAL WITH THIS IS THAT THE NEED IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN THE RESOURCES. WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED TO BE DONE.
NOW, LET ME HASTEN TO SAY THAT EVERY FIVE IS GETTING A $70 MILLION TO TO REHAB A SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL. AND 83 IS GETTING $70 MILLION TO WORK ON MIDLAND VALLEY, PLUS A BRAND NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH COULD BE BUILT ON THE SITE OF ONE THAT'S CURRENTLY EXISTING.
THAT HAS SOME SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE BEING TOTALLY NEGLECTED.
THE JUSTIFICATION FOR FOR THE SILVER PROJECT IS THAT THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1980, AS WERE MIDLAND VALLEY AND AS WERE SOUTH AIKEN.
NONE OF THOSE THREE. WELL, MIDLAND VALLEY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF WORK DONE, BUT SOUTH AIKEN AND SILVER BLUFF ESSENTIALLY HAVE NOT HAD ANY SINCE 1980.
THOSE ARE THE THREE MAJOR PROJECTS IN THIS $0.01 SALES TAX THING.
THERE'S SOME OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NEEDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED. ARE WE SOLVING EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM? NO. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I AGREE THAT WE'VE GOT 13 MOBILE UNITS AT GLOVERSVILLE, AND THE SCHOOL IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF OF HELP.
SO IS GREENDALE. I'VE BEEN TO GREENDALE IN THE LAST.
WENT DOWN FOR GRANDPARENTS DAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND IT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
IT REALLY IS. IT NEEDS SOMETHING, AND IT NEEDS IT PRETTY QUICKLY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SPENT ABOUT THREE HOURS LAST TUESDAY NIGHT ARGUING ABOUT THIS AND TRYING TO DISCUSS IT AND TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
WE WE DID IT AT THE TAIL END OF THAT MEETING.
AGREED TO PULL MONEY FROM THE PROJECTS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN FAVORED TO TO PUT A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE AREA.
[00:50:02]
THREE BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS DRIVE DOWN BETTIS ACADEMY ROAD AND DRIVE DOWN US ONE TO AUGUSTA, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PROLIFERATION OF HOUSING THAT'S DEVELOPED, ALL THAT, ALL THAT LAND THAT THE GRANITEVILLE COMPANY PROTECTED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND WOULDN'T SELL, SALE HAS NOW BEEN TURNED LOOSE AND SOLD, AND IT'S BEING GOBBLED UP BY DEVELOPERS AND IT'S JUST GOING LIKE WILDFIRE.I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE ANTICIPATING THAT AND HAVE APPROVED BUILDING DOWN IN THE IN THE NEW ARLINGTON AREA. IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND AND I GUESS THAT'S ALL I CAN REALLY SAY.
I KEEP HEARING THIS, BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN A DISCUSSION ON THE BOARD MEETING THAT I'VE BEEN IN ABOUT CLOSING ANY SCHOOLS.
I'M OPPOSED. EVERY TIME WE'VE DISCUSSED EVERY THREE, I'VE SAID I'M OPPOSED TO CLOSING ANY SCHOOLS IN AREA THREE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH CLASSROOMS. AND EVEN IF WE BUILD A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I'M AFRAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH CLASSROOMS. AND THE HIGH SCHOOL IS BULGING AT THE SEAMS. SO. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN MAKE ANY KIND OF ASSURANCE THAT BINDS OTHER BOARDS AT A LATER AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW.
I MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ON THE BOARD IN THREE MONTHS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS I AM ON THE BOARD, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL IN EVERY THREE. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? OKAY. SO GOING BACK, WE WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR FOR INDIVIDUAL ITEM TEN, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT A BALLOT QUESTION RELATED TO THE 1% EDUCATION, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS NOT EXCEEDING $285 MILLION.
THAT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S ONE AGAINST MOTION CARRIES 8 TO 1.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEMS WHICH WE'LL MOVE TO A CONSENT ITEMS WHICH WE WILL VOTE ON AS A GROUP. WE CERTAINLY CAN DISCUSS ON AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM LINE BY LINE BASIS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, LIKE I THINK ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.
THERE ARE SOME DUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
THIS CONSENT ITEM IS TO APPROVE PAYING THOSE DUES.
THE THE SECOND CONSENT ITEM IS WE'VE GOT A LIST OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE TO ADMIT INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
NEXT, WE'VE GOT A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS TO TRANSFER OUT OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THEN FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'RE JUST STARTING AND THEN WE'VE CONSENT ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WE'VE GOT A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS TO TRANSFER INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR.
THE HORSE CREEK HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS DONATING TO HORSE CREEK AREA SCHOOLS, SO AREA THREE DONATING FUNDS FOR FOUR SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA FOR A TOTAL OF $4,206.09.
ITEM NUMBER SIX. VELMA CAMPBELL SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DONATION.
THEY'RE DONATING TO THE CAMPBELL MIDDLE SCHOOL.
$1,248. CONSENT. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
TREVOR JOHN WAUGH MEMORIAL EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS DONATING TO OAKWOOD WINDSOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE SUM OF $3,000 DESIGNATED FOR THE LIBRARY CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. YOUNG KAPPA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP DONATION TO AIKEN HIGH FOR $1,500. TO BE USED FOR A MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IN THE HONOR OF IRVIN BAXTER.
CREDIT CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE FOR THE BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT.
THIS IS A WE'RE CREDITING BACK.
UNUSED ALLOWANCE OF AROUND $45,000.
CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE FOR THE PROJECT FOR SCRUBBING AND CODING GYMNASIUM FLOORS FOR 2024. THERE WAS AN UNUSED ALLOWANCE FOR THIS PROJECT OF $20,000 COMING BACK.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND GEOTECHNICAL SERVICES.
SO THE. EXCUSE ME, WE RECEIVED PROPOSALS FOR ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN
[00:55:01]
PERFORMING ENVIRONMENTAL GEOTECHNICAL WORK. THAT'S ON OUR FIVE YEAR FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN. AND WE'LL BE APPROVING THAT.CAN I ASK A QUESTION? DO I WAIT TILL YOU GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM? I THINK WE CAN STOP NOW.
THAT'S FINE. GEOTECHNICAL SERVICES ARE.
DOCTOR MURPHY, WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT FIRST? BASICALLY, WHENEVER WE BUILD AND CONSTRUCT NEW SITES, WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED AND OUR EXISTING SITES HAVE TO BE INSPECTED AS WELL. SO A LOT OF TIMES IT'S WASTEWATER, RAINWATER RUNOFF INSPECTION SERVICES AND EROSION SERVICES.
SO WE WANT TO CONTRACT WITH THOSE FOLKS, COME OUT AND INSPECT THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND IF THEY FIND SOMETHING WRONG WE HAVE TO FIX IT.
YES, SIR. AND THAT WAS CONSENT ITEM NUMBER 11, THE LAST CONSENT ITEM NUMBER 12.
WE RECEIVED BIDS FOR A SCOREBOARD FOR HIGHLAND SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN I BELIEVE WE'VE PREVIOUSLY BOUGHT SOME BLEACHERS, DIDN'T WE, FOR THAT FIELD AT THE SCHOOL.
SO THIS IS FOR SCOREBOARD SO THEY CAN PLAY GAMES.
AND THOSE ARE THE 12 CONSENT ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 12 CONSENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND OR SECOND FROM MR. MOULTON? ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT ITEMS? ADDITIONALLY. HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE 12 CONSENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
EXCUSE ME. WE'LL TRANSITION TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, AND WE DO HAVE SOME CONSTRUCTION UPDATES, AND I WILL MR. DOCTOR YARBOROUGH, IF YOU'LL COME UP. PLEASE, SIR. AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. NUESSLE. BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR MURPHY.
YES. ITEM C ONE IS THE CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORT FOR WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND ON YOUR SCREEN, WE DO HAVE SOME SLIDES THAT SHOW SOME OF THE RECENT PROGRESS.
SO OF COURSE, THAT IS THE ARTIST RENDERING OF THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.
BUT RECENTLY SITE WORK HAS INCLUDED SOME HAS INCLUDED SOME ITEMS LIKE CRUSHED STONE IN THE IN THE BACK LOT. CURBING IS BEING DONE AS WELL.
THE PONDS ARE BEING GRASSED, THE RETENTION PONDS, THE BUILDING ITSELF. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BULLETED ITEMS THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. AND THEN ROOFING SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN ABOUT A MONTH.
THAT AERIAL VIEW OF THE CAMPUS, OF COURSE, THE FOOTPRINT.
AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A VIEW THERE OF THE VESTIBULE ENTRANCE IN THE GYM.
THE GYM IS A IS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
IT'S TREMENDOUS. THE LAST TIME THAT I VIEWED IT, OF COURSE, THE BLEACHERS WERE NOT IN.
BUT THAT WILL MAKE IT SEEM A LITTLE SMALLER.
BUT STILL, IT'S IT'S A TREMENDOUS GYM.
AND OF COURSE, THAT'S THE COURTYARD VIEW, WHICH IS PRETTY UNIQUE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY A ONE, A HIGH SCHOOL, TO HAVE A COURTYARD OF THAT SIZE.
AND THAT WILL BE AN AREA WHERE STUDENTS CAN GO AT LUNCHTIME AND TAKE THEIR FOOD OUT THERE AND EAT. AND IT'S JUST A TREMENDOUSLY LARGE AREA.
I HOPE AT SOME POINT, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE CAMPUS, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THERE AND SEE THE THE COURTYARD.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MR. CHIPMAN IS HERE OF COURSE, AND CORSON IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF I CAN'T. I THINK I SAW MISS TYLER FIRST AND THEN MISS MR. SMITH. MISS TYLER. THANK YOU, DOCTOR YARBOROUGH.
SO IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE ON SCHEDULE.
WHAT IS THE ANTICIPATED MOVE IN DATE? YES, MA'AM. THE ANTICIPATED DATE.
WE SHOULD HAVE OUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPATION IN LATE SEPTEMBER.
AND IF OSSF THE INSPECTIONS GO AS WE HOPE THEY WILL ABOUT NOVEMBER THE 15TH, WE HOPE WILL WILL BE ABLE TO TO MOVE IN WITH THEIR WITH THEIR APPROVAL.
MR. SMITH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MISS TYLER GOT MY QUESTION.
OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR YARBOROUGH WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT?
[01:00:02]
NO THANK YOU, SIR. I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.YES. THANK YOU. THE OTHER INFORMATIONAL ITEM WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS IS SIMPLY THE BOARD WAS PROVIDED WITH A REPORT.
SO PER POLICY, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE CONSTRUCTION CHANGE ORDERS UP TO 15,000 PER EACH.
BUT THEN POLICY REQUIRES A SUMMARY OF THOSE CHANGE ORDERS TO BE PRESENTED ONCE A QUARTER THAT REPORTS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ONE CHANGE ORDER THE SUPERINTENDENT APPROVED UNDER 15 GRAND THIS PAST QUARTER.
OKAY. HEARING NONE, WE DO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER ITEMS. FIRST OF WHICH, DOCTOR BRADLEY HAS SOME APPOINTMENTS FOR THE AREA.
ONE ADVISORY COUNCIL. DOCTOR BRADLEY.
THE TERMS OF TWO OF OUR AREA ONE BOARD MEMBERS IS EXPIRING, AND THEY HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO OCCUPIED THOSE POSITIONS HAVE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE FOR A SECOND TERM.
SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE, MR. RYAN OR AND MR. JOHN PETTIGREW, AS THE MEMBERS OF THE AREA ONE ADVISORY COUNCIL. SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON TO APPROVE APPOINTING AGAIN MR. RYAN OR AND THAT MR.. WAS IT JOHN PETTIGREW FOR ANOTHER TERM ON THE AREA ONE ADVISORY COUNCIL. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU. DOCTOR BRADLEY. NEXT.
MISS TYLER HAS A SIMILAR ITEM FOR THE AREA FOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL.
MISS TYLER, CHAIRMAN. I'D FIRST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO MR. MALCOLM ROSS, WHO SERVED OVER 33 YEARS ON THE AREA FOR ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND HIS TERM ENDED ON JUNE 30TH AND HE DID NOT WISH TO CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER TERM.
SO I'D LIKE TO OFFER A MOTION THAT MR. LEE LOVE REPLACE HIM ON THE AREA FOR ADVISORY COUNCIL.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS TYLER, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, TO APPOINT MR. LEE LOVE TO THE AREA FOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.
DOCTOR MURPHY. THANK YOU, MR. NUESSLE. BOARD MEMBERS.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME BACK TO ALL OUR TEACHERS.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, TO JUST KIND OF ENCAPSULATE MY FIRST DAY HERE IN THE DISTRICT WITH THE TEACHERS BACK.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT TRAINING GOING ON AROUND THE AREA.
I SPENT THE DAY OUT IN SCHOOLS SEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THERE'S A A PALPABLE EXCITEMENT AS WE PREPARE TO OPEN SCHOOLS UP FOR OUR STUDENTS NEXT WEEK. SO THE REST OF THE WEEK HERE WE GOT THURSDAY.
WE'LL HAVE MEET THE TEACHERS AS WELL AS WALK YOUR SCHEDULE GOING ON AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS. I DID WANT TO SAY THAT I AM HONORED TO LEAD AND SERVE ALONGSIDE THIS DEDICATED TEAM WHILE IT IS JULY.
WE ARE READY TO OPEN OUR DOORS.
WE'RE READY FOR BUSSES TO ROLL, TECHNOLOGY TO BE DISTRIBUTED, AND OUR CAMPUSES TO BE A LITTLE LESS QUIET.
WHEN STUDENTS JOIN US ON THE FIRST DAY OF 2425 NEXT MONDAY, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPROVED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WILL BE THE FOCUS OF MY TIME HERE AS SUPERINTENDENT.
AIKEN COUNTY IS A GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT WE CAN AND WE WILL DO BETTER FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
I'M HONORED TO LEAD THIS CHARGE AND EXCITED FOR WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON FOR OUR DISTRICT.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO TAKE JUST ONE POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE SINCE I WAS THE CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR FOUR YEARS.
COMING UP THIS FRIDAY, A GENTLEMAN I'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH FOR FOUR YEARS BUT HAS WORKED IN THIS DISTRICT FOR OVER AROUND THREE DECADES, IS GOING TO BE RETIRING.
AND WHILE HE'S STILL GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US IN SOME CAPACITY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I JUST WANT TO SAY, KEVIN CHIPMAN IT WAS AN HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU AND VERY PROUD TO HAVE SERVED WITH YOU. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU FINALLY GETTING SOME REST WHEN YOU FINISH ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU.
JOB WELL DONE. AND IF YOU ALL DON'T MIND JOINING ME IN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THIS GENTLEMAN SERVICE.
THANK YOU, SIR. THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MURPHY.
[01:05:02]
THAT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR REGULAR SESSION AGENDA.BUT WE ARE IN NEED OF AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IN SUCH ORDER AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
FIRST OF WHICH IS A STUDENT MATTER, WHICH IS A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE.
AND SECOND, WE HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT MATTER, A CONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYMENT. EXCUSE ME, EMPLOYEE CONTRACTUAL MATTER.
FOLLOWING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE THE MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY.
IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE PURPOSES? MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECOND BY MISS TYLER, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIES.
WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK, MAYBE TEN MINUTES, AND THEN WE'LL START EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[02:09:16]
THERE WERE SOME. CARAMEL.[02:09:23]
OH, RIGHT. RIGHT. WOULD IT SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW.[02:09:31]
AND I'M COMFORTABLE, BUT I DON'T FEEL.[02:09:35]
COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.[02:09:40]
WE HAVE CONCLUDED EXECUTIVE SESSION.[02:09:42]
WILL WE NEED A MOTION TO ENTER REGULAR REGULAR SESSION?[02:09:45]
MOVED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND,[02:09:48]
SECOND BY MR. MOULTON? ANY DISCUSSION?[02:09:51]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING REGULAR SESSION,[02:09:53]
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.[02:09:57]
WHILE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAD TWO MATTERS CONSIDERED.[02:10:02]
THE FIRST ONE WAS A STUDENT MATTER.[02:10:04]
A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE.IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND. MOTION BY MR. SILAS, SECONDED BY MR. SMITH TO ACCEPT THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA ONE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE ALSO HAD A CONSIDERATION OF AN EMPLOYEE CONTRACTUAL MATTER.
IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THAT EMPLOYEE CONTRACTUAL MATTER? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE CONTRACT WITH THE PERSON DISCUSSED IN THE CONTRACTUAL MATTER AT THE RATE OF $130 PER HOUR.
I SECOND THAT. THERE'S A MOTION BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MISS TYLER, TO APPROVE THE EMPLOYEE CONTRACTUAL MATTER AT A RATE OF $130 AN HOUR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS. IS THERE A
MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES 9 TO 0.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.