[00:03:07]
THIS IS A WORK. YEAH. I'M ALWAYS JUST ALL THE CHARITY.
SO I, I GET STRESSED OUT SOMETIMES BECAUSE I JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.
I JUST WANT TO BE DONE FOR THE NIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S FRIDAY EVENING. YOU KNOW, I NEED A LITTLE TIME FOR MYSELF.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T. I DON'T DO A GOOD JOB OF THAT SOMETIMES.
SO IT'S OKAY. YEAH. SO I HOPE IT ALL PAYS OFF ONE DAY.
I DON'T NEED MY WORK PHONE ANYWAY.
WE HAD ANOTHER JOB NOW, RIGHT? I KNOW RIGHT? OKAY. I'LL TRY AGAIN.
I GOT A PRESENTATION FOR TOMORROW, SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE THE SLIDES SHOULD LOOK GOOD. BUT I'LL LOOK AT IT HARD WHEN I GET HOME.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO. MOST PEOPLE ARE READY TO END THEIR DAY, SO I'M TRYING TO. I KNOW, I KNOW.
[00:05:02]
IT IS 6:00, SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE FEBRUARY 11TH REGULAR MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER.WE BEGIN ALL OF OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE PUBLIC WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS MEETING IN ADVANCE, AND THE AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL IN ADVANCE, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY REQUESTS FOR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, WE WILL APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
WE HAVE TWO SETS. REALLY? THREE SETS OF MINUTES FOR APPROVAL.
ONE WAS FROM THE TWO DAY MEETING BOARD RETREAT FROM JANUARY 24TH AND 25TH.
TWO DAYS THERE. AND THEN ALSO THE REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 28TH.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. HER MOTION BY MR. LINDELL, SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS, TO APPROVE THE MEETING.
MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF JANUARY 24TH, 25TH AND 28TH OF THIS YEAR.
ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SUPERINTENDENT, EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN. CAN WE APPROVE THEM INDIVIDUALLY? BECAUSE I WAS NOT HERE LAST WEEK.
I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU, MISS TYLER. SURE.
SO THE COULD YOU MR. LINDELL, COULD YOU JUST RETRACT YOUR MOTION? YES, SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
SO THERE'S NO MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 24TH AND 25TH FOR THE BOARD RETREAT? I MOVE SECOND. ALL RIGHT.
MOTION BY. BRADLEY. SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL. ANY DISCUSSION ON APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE 24TH AND 25TH? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
THE MOTION PASSES. AS FOR THE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 28TH REGULAR MEETING? I MOVE WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 28TH.
MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL, TO APPROVE THE MEETING. MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 28TH. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S ALL.
THOSE ABSTAINING. THAT'S ONE MOTION PASSES.
SEVEN IN FAVOR, ONE ABSTAINING.
ALL RIGHT. UNDER SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS, WE DID NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THE MEETING OR IN ADVANCE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RECOGNITIONS ON THE AGENDA AND I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA FROM AS BOARD CHAIR. SO WE WILL MOVE ON INTO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. AND THE FIRST OF WHICH IS WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS OF BOTH CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL, THAT WAS SCREENED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND WE MUST APPROVE THAT LIST.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED? MOVE TO APPROVE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? IS THERE A SECOND? MOTION MADE BY MR. SILAS, SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS, TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPROVED PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS. EXCUSE ME.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION PASSES. THE NEXT SUBJECT BEFORE WE GET TO A MOTION IS OUR ANNUAL REVIEW, BUT BECAUSE OF POLICY FB OF THE FIVE YEAR FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
DOCTOR YARBOROUGH, I'LL INVITE YOU UP TO REVIEW PART OF THAT PLAN WITH US BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION. AND BOARD MEMBERS AND DOCTOR MURPHY BY POLICY.
[00:10:01]
EACH YEAR, THE FIVE YEAR CYCLIC PLAN IS REVIEWED WITH BOARD MEMBERS.AND YOU OF COURSE, VOTE ON THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING TONIGHT.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, I DID INCLUDE THE 2425 YEAR IN THIS AS WELL, SINCE THAT WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDST OF THIS YEAR.
SO JUST LOOKING AT THE 2425 AND JUST HITTING SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
OF COURSE, WE DEVOTED $14.5 MILLION FROM THE 8% FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETED, OF COURSE, AND WE'RE MOVED IN THERE.
ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING ON RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, IF YOU DROP DOWN TO ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS THERE ON PAVING, WE'RE CURRENTLY ADDING A CAR LOOP AT REDCLIFFE ELEMENTARY.
AND THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM WHAT WAS ALLOCATED AS PART OF THIS CYCLIC PLAN.
SO ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN 24, 25, IN THAT SALMON COLOR THERE, EITHER THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN OR THEY WILL BEGIN AND BE FINISHED PRIOR TO THE TO THE END OF THIS YEAR, THIS FISCAL YEAR. BUT MOVING ON TO THE NEW PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, 2025 THROUGH 2030. WE AGAIN HAVE ALLOCATED $10.5 MILLION FOR THE BUILD OUT OF AND COMPLETION OF ALL OF THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES AT THE NEW WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
IN ADDITION, YOU SEE THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED MONEY FOR ROOFING PROJECTS AT GREENDALE, FLOORING PROJECTS AT SCHOFIELD MIDDLE AND CORBETT MIDDLE.
HVAC PROJECTS AT AIKEN ELEMENTARY AND NORTH AUGUSTA ELEMENTARY.
A MAJOR GYM PROJECT AT LBC TO REPAIR THE RUBBERIZED FLOOR THERE.
SEVERAL OF THOSE. MOVING ON TO THE 2627 YEAR.
YEAH. RIGHT. OKAY. ONCE AGAIN OUT OF THOSE 8% FUNDS, WE WILL ALLOCATE $9.5 MILLION FOR THE CONTINUED ATHLETIC COMPLEX PROJECT AT WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, OF COURSE, THAT WILL INCLUDE A NEW FOOTBALL FIELD, BLEACHERS, CONCESSION STANDS, RESTROOMS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL AS MOVING THE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS TO THE NEW CAMPUS.
IN ADDITION, ROOFING PROJECTS DURING THE 2627 YEAR YOU CAN SEE WILL BE AT REDCLIFF ELEMENTARY. SEVERAL FLOORING PROJECTS, A MAJOR A MAJOR HVAC PROJECT AT KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE DO A REFINISHING SANDING AND REFINISHING OF ALL OF OUR GYMS EACH YEAR. AND SO THAT'S REFERRING TO THERE IN 26, 27 THAT ALL GYMS WILL HAVE THAT, THAT YEARLY MAINTENANCE DONE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU SEE SEVERAL PAINTING PROJECTS AS WELL WILL TAKE PLACE THAT YEAR.
MOVING ON TO THE 2728 SCHOOL YEAR, OUR FISCAL YEAR, RATHER, WE'LL AGAIN ALLOCATE $9.5 MILLION FROM OUR 8% FUNDS TO COMPLETE IF WE HAVE NOT ALREADY COMPLETED THAT ATHLETIC COMPLEX AT THE NEW WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
AGAIN, A MAJOR ROOFING PROJECT WILL TAKE PLACE AT AIKEN ELEMENTARY.
SEVERAL DIFFERENT FLOORING PROJECTS.
WE WILL ADDRESS THE HVAC IN THE PODS AT AIKEN ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS A MAJOR PROJECT.
AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE GYMS WILL GET THE ATTENTION THAT THEY GET EACH YEAR.
AND THEN A MAJOR PAINTING PROJECT AT KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MOVING ON TO THE 2829 FISCAL YEAR, WE'VE NOT YET SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATED WHERE WE WILL SPEND THAT THOSE 8% FUNDS THAT WE SET ASIDE.
BUT WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE $9.5 MILLION, AND THAT MONEY WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT, AS A SUPPORT FOR THE 2024 24.
1% SALES TAX PROJECTS THAT WE CANNOT OR HAVE NOT BEEN DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE THE 2024 1%. WE WILL SUPPLEMENT AGAIN WITH 8% FUNDS.
ANOTHER ROOFING PROJECT YOU CAN SEE AT NORTH AIKEN ELEMENTARY FLOORING PROJECTS, AGAIN, AS WE HAVE EACH YEAR A MAJOR HVAC PROJECT AT TUCKER CREEK ELEMENTARY, NORMAL GYM MAINTENANCE, AND THEN AGAIN SEVERAL PAINTING PROJECTS AS
[00:15:02]
WELL. AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE 2029, 2030 FISCAL YEAR.AGAIN, WE'LL SET A FIVE, SET ASIDE $9.5 MILLION FROM 8% FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR 2024 1% SALES PROJECTS, PROJECTS THAT WE CANNOT RATHER COVER WITH THAT 1% SALES TAX. A ROOFING PROJECT AT LBC METAL FLOORING AT PAUL KNOCKS A MAJOR HVAC RENOVATION AT NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE AND THEN AGAIN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PAINTING PROJECTS. SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
MR. SILAS. YES, SIR. DOCTOR YARBOROUGH GOING BACK TO 2425, I GUESS, AS YOU SAY, IT'S IT'S HIGHLIGHTED.
BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING DONE IN THIS NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL GYM? WHAT DO GYM PROJECTS, WHAT DOES THAT ENCOMPASS IN THIS BRAND NEW GYM? WHAT'S NEEDED? YES, SIR.
THE FLOOR THERE WAS NOT REFINISHED CORRECTLY.
NORMALLY, WHAT WE DO WHEN WE REFINISH ALL OF OUR GYM FLOORS, WE WE LIGHTLY SAND THEM, AND THEN WE WE COVER THEM AGAIN WITH THAT POLYURETHANE. BUT THIS PROJECT WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY.
WE'RE HAVING TO GO BACK AND TAKE IT DOWN TO THE WOOD, UNFORTUNATELY, AND REFINISH IT BACK UP.
AND WHY IS THAT ON OUR DIME? YEAH. I'D LIKE TO GET MIKE TO HELP ME.
MIKE JARRAH. MR. JARRAH, CAN YOU COME UP? CONTRACTOR RIGHT NOW. AND LOOKING AT.
COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR VENDOR RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF IT EXACTLY IF THAT IS OUR ISSUE OR NOT.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ARE WE OUT OF OUR WARRANTY.
IS IT ACTUALLY A WARRANTY ITEM.
IS IT WEAR AND TEAR? SO THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
SOUNDS LIKE IF IF THIS WASN'T DONE CORRECTLY, IF THAT'S BEEN A DECISION OR ESTABLISHED ALREADY.
SILAS, THAT WHAT MR. JARRAH IS SAYING IS THAT WE'VE NOT YET DETERMINED IF IT'S IF IT'S OUR FAULT OR IF THE COMPANY DID NOT REFINISH IT CORRECTLY.
AND ONCE WE MAKE THAT DETERMINATION, THEN WE'LL DECIDE ON WHO HAS TO PICK IT UP.
WE'RE STILL INVESTIGATING AND LOOKING AT THE WARRANTY, TOO. OKAY, GOOD. HOPE.
WE HOPE WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND PUSH BACK.
YES, SIR. IS THIS ON THE NEW GYMNASIUM OR THE SECOND NEW THEY HAD? THEY HAVE A SECONDARY GYMNASIUM AND A NEW.
CAN YOU HELP ME, MIKE? WHICH GYM? IT IS? THIS ONE IN THE SAME.
SO IT'S THE. THEY HAVE THE ORIGINAL GYM NOW AND THEN THEY BUILT A NEW ONE OR THE AUXILIARY. THE AUXILIARY GYM IS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE ORIGINAL OR.
SO IT'S ALL RIGHT THERE TOGETHER.
THAT'S THE POINTED QUESTION. IS THIS.
YES, SIR. I DID ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. BROOME. I ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR YARBOROUGH? YES, SIR. HOW IS THIS LIST COMPILED? AND. AND HOW IS IT DECIDED WHICH PROJECTS ARE GOING TO GET PRIORITY VERSUS OTHERS? RIGHT. MR. JARRAH AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS DEPARTMENT, THEY SURVEY ALL OF THE SCHOOLS THEY VISIT THEM AND THEY DECIDE, FOR INSTANCE, WHICH FLOORING PROJECTS ARE NEEDED BASED UPON WHERE TEAR THE THE LIFE, THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE FLOORING, THE PAINTING.
ALSO HVAC UNITS WHEN THEY REACH THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
SO A SURVEY HAS TO BE DONE AND A LIST IS KEPT, AND IT'S A ROLLING OR A REVOLVING LIST SUCH THAT WHEN IT COMES UP IN A AND A UNIT HAS AN HVAC UNIT HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE, WE HAVE TO REPLACE IT.
SO IT'S BASED ON A YEARLY SURVEY FROM THE FACILITY'S CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT.
I GOT SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY, MR. BROOME, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD WHILE YOU'RE UP HERE. OKAY.
I'VE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE WAY WE'RE DOING SOME OF OUR PROJECTS, AS YOU KNOW. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SPENDING.
WE'RE NOT GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK AT TIMES.
[00:20:01]
I THINK AS A BOARD, AND THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, WE NEED TO BE KEPT APPRIZED OF HOW THIS FLOORING WARRANTY WORKS OUT, BECAUSE THIS DISTRICT IS GETTING READY TO SPEND 2 TO $300 MILLION IN PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS. AND I'M TOLD THAT WE DO THINGS THE WAY WE DO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE BETTER BACKING. BUT I'VE SEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE GOING BACK AND HAVING TO SPEND OUR MONEY TO REDO THINGS THAT A FEW YEARS BACK WASN'T DONE CORRECTLY AND ARE BEING WE'RE HAVING TO PAY TO HAVE THEM REDONE.AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS, IT'S NOT AN A WARRANTY.
I DON'T REALLY FIND THAT ACCEPTABLE.
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE'VE GOT CONTRACTORS THAT DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR WORK, PARTICULARLY WITH AS MUCH UPCOMING WORK AS WE HAVE.
THEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO DO OUR WORK.
AND I THINK I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS A BOARD.
WE SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
AND IF WE'RE NOT GETTING THE PRODUCT THAT WE SHOULD GET, THEN WE SHOULD TAKE ACTION AND NOT BE SPENDING MONEY THERE.
MY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. I COMPLETELY AGREE, MR. BROOME. IF, FOR INSTANCE, WE NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS TURNS OUT.
BECAUSE IF IF IT'S LET'S SAY IT'S A WARRANTY CLAIM.
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S WE'RE NOT AT FAULT AND SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT.
THEN WE'VE GOT THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO TALK ABOUT AGAIN.
RIGHT. AND MAKE SURE WE MOVE IT TO WHATEVER THE NEXT PRIORITY IS.
THAT'S CORRECT. YEP. AND WHEN A FINAL DETERMINATION IS MADE ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, OF COURSE I CAN REPORT BACK TO YOU.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. YES, SIR. SO THAT WAS THE SECOND INDIVIDUAL ITEM THAT WE HAD AN OVERVIEW ON FROM DOCTOR YARBOROUGH.
THE BOARD, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIVE YEAR FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIVE YEAR FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN? YES. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FIVE YEAR FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
MOTION MADE BY MR. SILAS, SECONDED BY DOCTOR BRADLEY TO APPROVE THE FIVE YEAR FACILITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL CALL MISS REVELLI UP TO SUBSTITUTE FOR DOCTOR EDWARDS, WHO COULDN'T BE WITH US TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE THE NEXT TOPIC. BUT FOR EVERYONE HERE WE'RE REQUIRED BY SOUTH CAROLINA CODE TO SUBMIT PLANS FOR UNDERPERFORMING, UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
AND WE WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED WITH THOSE PLANS FOR EXCUSE ME.
I LOST MY PLACE. BUT FOR A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT WERE EITHER BELOW AVERAGE OR UNSATISFACTORY ON THE STATE REPORT CARD.
AND MISS REVELEY IS GOING TO INTRODUCE THAT TOPIC FOR US.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR MURPHY.
THIS EVENING, I DO WANT TO PRESENT TO YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT OUR UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS FOR THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEIR PLANS.
YOU MAY SAY, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? UNDERPERFORMING. OUR EIGHT SCHOOLS THAT FALL IN THIS CATEGORY ARE UNDER LETTER A.
THEY ARE SCHOOLS THAT SCORED EITHER UNSATISFACTORY OR BELOW AVERAGE ON THE ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT CARD. AND THAT IS PROVIDED IN SECTION 5918 900.
READ THOSE UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
IT'S A ONE YEAR DESIGNATION, AS YOU'LL SEE.
WE'VE CREATED PLANS FOR EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS TO COME OFF OF THAT LIST.
THAT'S OUR GOAL, AND WE EXPECT THAT WILL HAPPEN.
IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE RECEIVED A LIST OF SCHOOLS THAT MET THAT DEFINITION.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ADDED A LAYER OF ACCOUNTABILITY BY ASKING US TO HAVE BOARD APPROVAL OF THOSE PLANS.
SO YOU HAVE COPIES OF THOSE EIGHT PLANS IN YOUR PACKETS THIS EVENING.
THESE ARE THE EIGHT SCHOOLS THAT ARE DESIGNATED AS UNSATISFACTORY OR BELOW AVERAGE. YOU NOTICE THAT SEVEN OF THE EIGHT ARE THE BELOW AVERAGE CATEGORY.
[00:25:10]
ANY QUESTIONS? MISS REVELEY? IF YOU CAN. SO WE WERE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THESE PLANS IN A DIFFERENT FORM AT THE BOARD RETREAT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.AND UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO WEATHER, WE HAD TO RESCHEDULE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND SO I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TWO, WELL, SPECIFICALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND THAT WHEN WE I RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE CURRICULUM BEING UTILIZED AND SOME OF THE TOOLS, MAYBE COMPUTER BASED TOOLS TO SUPPORT.
I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR, IS THE THE HELP OR ASSISTANCE THAT WE GET FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF ED. THAT'S IN THE PLAN FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
COLLABORATING WITH THE PRINCIPAL IN THE IN THE MASS SUPPORT THAT WE THE THERE'S A TEAM OF THREE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MATH SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
SO THAT DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY'LL BE ON SITE IN THE SCHOOL FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME? YES, SIR. OKAY. THEY COME TO THE SCHOOL, SUPPORT THE TEACHERS, PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THEY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
THAT'S THAT IS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL.
OKAY. BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR ONE UNSATISFACTORY SCHOOL.
YES, SIR. AND SOME OF THESE THINGS I RECOGNIZE, BUT THE THE ONE I'M NOT SO FAMILIAR WITH.
IF YOU IF YOU HAD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AROUND THE USE OF BRIDGES INTERVENTION.
YES, SIR. OKAY. THAT'S A MATH INTERVENTION.
THAT IS. SCRIPTED IT. IT'S EVIDENCE BASED.
IT'S A DAILY INTERVENTION THAT'S PROVIDED TO STUDENTS IN THE IN MATH ACCORDING TO THEIR DEFICITS. SO WE IDENTIFY WHAT AREAS NEED IMPROVEMENT AND WE HONE IN ON THOSE SPECIFIC SKILLS. OKAY. SO WE'LL SEE.
SO IT'S GOOD. YOU KNOW A NUMBER OF THE POINTS IN THE PLAN ARE AROUND TARGETED SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION. YES, SIR.
AND THESE ARE MORE ABOUT TOOLS AND METHODS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ADDING RESOURCES.
RIGHT. WE'RE NOT ADDING PEOPLE.
RIGHT. NO. JUST THE PEOPLE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT ARE COMING TO ASSIST.
TO HELP WITH PROFESSIONAL. YES, SIR.
OKAY. CORRECT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MISTER SILAS? IS THE PROGRAM YOU JUST DESCRIBED TO MR. NELSON THE ONE THAT I OBSERVED AT J.D.
LEVER? NO, SIR. NO. I CAN'T RECALL THE NAME.
THAT'S OKAY. THAT ONE WAS A READING PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS A MAP. THE ONE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT? YES, SIR. OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MISS REVEILLE.
OKAY. DOCTOR BRADLEY, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS? I'M GOING TO CALL ON EXTRA HELP.
MR. GIBBONS. HE WILL KNOW THE NEXT STEP ON THAT.
GOOD EVENING. FOR THE SCHOOL, THAT IS UNSATISFACTORY.
IF THEY DON'T SHOW IMPROVEMENT OVER THREE YEARS, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE SCHOOL, THE STATE DEPARTMENT, COULD DECIDE TO STEP IN AT THAT POINT.
FOR THE THE OTHER SCHOOLS, IT'S A ONE YEAR DESIGNATION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE REVISITED EACH YEAR.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU, MR. GIBBONS. AND I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. SO AS MR. BEVERLEY DESCRIBED, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO APPROVE THE LIST OF TURNAROUND PLANS. FOR THOSE EIGHT SCHOOLS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TURNAROUND PLANS FOR UNDER-PERFORMING SCHOOLS? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE TURNAROUND PLAN FOR THE EIGHT SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND MOTION MADE BY MISS MORRIS, SECONDED BY MISS TYLER, TO APPROVE THE TURNAROUND PLANS FOR THE EIGHT UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT WAS OUR LAST INDIVIDUAL ITEM.
AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT ITEMS, WHICH WE CAN,
[00:30:01]
CAN'T, WILL AND CAN DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY.BUT WE'LL TAKE BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS. THE FIRST OF WHICH IS RATIFICATION OF EXPULSIONS.
SO THESE ARE WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH A LIST OF STUDENTS RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION THAT HAVE NOT BEEN APPEALED.
THE SECOND IS A LIST OF OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS TO TRANSFER OUT OF THIS DISTRICT TO A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THIRD. SIMILARLY, BUT IT'S A LIST OF TRANSFERS OUT FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN REQUESTED.
THEN WE HAVE A GRANT TO APPROVE AND ACCEPT THE PETER MARSH FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD FOR LEAVELLE. MCCAMPBELL. THIS IS THE SCHOOL'S MIDDLE SCHOOL'S MUSIC PROGRAM.
WILL BE THE BENEFICIARY OF A $1,550 GRANT FROM THIS FOUNDATION TO HELP WITH REPAIRING INSTRUMENTS AND NEW MUSIC, ETC..
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM IS BIDS WERE RECEIVED FOR THE OAKWOOD WINDSOR ELEMENTARY SECURE VESTIBULE. THOSE ARE THE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED? I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE.
DOCTOR BRADLEY HAS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS TYLER.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION PASSES.
THE FIVE CONSENT ITEMS ARE APPROVED.
WE HAVE SEVERAL INFORMATIONAL ITEMS THIS EVENING.
AND. ALL RIGHT. THE FIRST OF WHICH WE WILL INVITE MISS HART UP TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES FUNCTION IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR MURPHY, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND THE WORK THAT THIS AMAZING TEAM DOES.
THANK YOU. SO FIRST, I WANT TO ZOOM OUT AND GIVE YOU A BROAD VIEW OF THE DIVISION AS A WHOLE THAT I SUPPORT. SO WITHIN THE DIVISION, THERE ARE THREE DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, WITHIN WHICH WE HAVE TWO DIRECTORS IN THOSE THREE DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S COUNTERINTUITIVE. I'M SORRY.
AS WE ZOOM BACK IN AND LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE WORK THAT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT DOES EACH OF EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS DOES A STRATEGIC PLAN AND WRITES A MISSION STATEMENT THAT IS FOCUSED ON THE UNIQUE WORK OF THAT DEPARTMENT, BUT IS TIED TO THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES.
WE FOCUS VERY SPECIFICALLY ON EMPLOYEE WELLBEING, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, INDIVIDUALIZED GROWTH, AND HELPING TO ENSURE THAT EACH EMPLOYEE FEELS VALUED AND SUPPORTED IN THEIR ROLE TO DO THAT WORK.
THERE ARE FIVE CORE FUNCTIONS THAT THAT WORK IS DIVIDED INTO.
THE FIRST WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS TALENT ACQUISITION WITHIN.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE AREA THAT PEOPLE ARE MOST FAMILIAR WITH.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HUMAN RESOURCES, IT'S HIRING.
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF OUR VOLUME, IN 2324, WE RECEIVED 9070 APPLICATIONS.
OUT OF THOSE, OUR RECRUITERS QUALIFIED AND SCREENED 3870, AND WE PROCESSED THE HIRE OR INTERNAL TRANSFER OF 1214.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN OUR CERTIFIED AND OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES.
IN OUR COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS FUNCTION, WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO MANAGED 438 MEDICAL LEAVE CASES, AS WELL AS 253 WORKER'S COMPENSATION CLAIMS IN 2324.
ALSO, THROUGH THE WORK OF OUR NOW CLASSIFIED RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST AND OUR EMPLOYEE RELATIONS COORDINATOR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE OUR EMPLOYMENT COSTS FROM 168,000 TO 33,000.
AND THAT'S BEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE SEEN THAT DECLINE.
WE ALSO HANDLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS FROM EMPLOYEES.
[00:35:02]
WE MANAGE THE DOCUMENTATION FOR AFFORDABLE CARE ACT REQUIREMENTS.WE ALSO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY AND OSHA REPORTING.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IS A NEXT FUNCTION WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
INDUCTION IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.
THESE ARE OUR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS.
IN 2324 WE HAD A TOTAL OF 112 INDUCTION TEACHERS.
44 OF THOSE WERE ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PATHWAYS, WHICH MEANS THEY WERE NOT TRADITIONALLY TRAINED OR EDUCATED TO BE EDUCATORS.
THAT'S ABOUT 40% OF OUR NEW TEACHERS THAT YEAR, WHICH IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
WHICH LEADS ME INTO OUR TEACHING PATHWAYS.
WE HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE WORK TO PROVIDE A NUMBER OF PATHWAYS FOR OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS INTERESTED EMPLOYEES OR POTENTIAL FUTURE EMPLOYEES WHO WANT TO BECOME TEACHERS, BOTH FOR THOSE WHO CURRENTLY HOLD BACHELOR'S DEGREES, AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT.
AS A PART OF THAT, WE ACTUALLY JUST SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE OUR OWN ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM HERE IN AIKEN COUNTY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR RETENTION TO OFFER CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO PROVIDE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, FEEL VALUED, AND FEEL AS THOUGH THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
ALL OF THOSE ARE HOUSED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF AIKEN LEADS.
THE NEXT KEY FUNCTION WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT. THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS WE TOUCH FROM 4.0 EVALUATIONS SUPPORT CLASSIFIED PERFORMANCE REVIEWS, INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE AS WELL AS FEEDBACK AND COACHING SUPPORT.
WE HANDLE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATIONS.
WHENEVER THERE'S AN ACCUSATION, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL OF THESE EMPLOYEES DID SOMETHING WRONG.
BUT THERE WAS AN ACCUSATION THAT WE HAD TO INVESTIGATE.
THANKFULLY SLIGHTLY DOWN FROM 2223.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT NUMBER FOR 2425 IS TO DATE.
SO THAT'S 78. AND WE'RE ABOUT JUST OVER HALFWAY THROUGH.
SO I DO ANTICIPATE OR AT LEAST IT'S TRENDING THAT THAT NUMBER COULD EXCEED 120 THAT WE SAW LAST YEAR. AND THEN THE FINAL FUNCTION THAT REALLY IS A PRIMARY AREA OF FOCUS FOR US IS ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION.
WE CAN HIRE PEOPLE AND WE CAN COMPENSATE THEM AND WE CAN GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THEM AND ULTIMATELY RETAIN THEM.
SO WE MEASURE OUR TEACHER TURNOVER SPECIFICALLY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT FROM 1819 TO 2324, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THAT FROM 20% TO 12%. IT IS STILL TOO HIGH IN MY OPINION.
I REALLY WANT THAT NUMBER TO BE BELOW TEN.
BUT WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH A NUMBER OF EFFORTS TO DO THAT THROUGH PULSE CHECKS, ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS, STAY INTERVIEWS, EXIT INTERVIEWS, ONBOARDING, ORIENTATION, EVEN OFFBOARDING BECAUSE THE WAY PEOPLE LEAVE MIGHT MEAN THEY WILL OR WILL NOT COME BACK.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT OR WHO DOES THAT? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A TEAM OF 13.5 FTES.
THE PART TIME OR HALF FTE IS ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH OUR TITLE TWO.
AND THAT IS AN INDUCTION COACH THAT HELPS ALL OF THOSE INDUCTION TEACHERS.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH FOR THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. BUT SHE DOES AN AMAZING JOB. SO WE HAVE FOUR COORDINATORS, TWO SPECIALISTS, AND THEN A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATES THAT PERFORM THAT WORK.
AND TO GIVE YOU JUST A FRAME OF REFERENCE OF WHAT THAT TEAM LOOKS LIKE, I WANT TO SHOW YOU COMPARATIVELY WHERE THAT SITS.
SO I TOOK A LOOK AT JUST A COUPLE OF COMPARABLE DISTRICTS.
RICHLAND ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS JUST UNDER 23,000 STUDENTS AND JUST OVER 4000 EMPLOYEES. THEIR HR STAFF OF 29 EMPLOYEES WITH TWO DIRECTORS.
RICHLAND TWO. THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT LARGER, WITH OVER 29,000 STUDENTS AND ABOUT 4400 EMPLOYEES. THEY HAVE AN HR STAFF OF 27 EMPLOYEES WITH EIGHT DIRECTORS OR ABOVE.
THOSE NUMBERS, BY THE WAY, DO NOT INCLUDE THE CHIEF OFFICER OR THE CHIEF'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
AND THEN FINALLY, LEXINGTON ONE, ABOUT 27,000 7000 STUDENTS AND AGAIN RIGHT AT 4000 EMPLOYEES WITH AN HR STAFF OF 20 EMPLOYEES AND TWO DIRECTORS, ONE DIRECTOR AND ONE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
SO I GIVE YOU THAT COMPARISON JUST TO TO FRAME, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR WHAT OUR REQUEST FOR THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEN PROPOSED FUTURE
[00:40:05]
GROWTH LOOKS LIKE. SO WE HAVE JUST UNDER 24,000 STUDENTS WITH ABOUT 3400 EMPLOYEES.WE CURRENTLY HAVE 13.5 HR STAFF.
THE REQUEST, YOU'LL SEE THE ADDITION OF OF TWO HR STAFF.
ONLY ONE OF THOSE ARE REQUESTED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
THE OTHER POSITION IS OUR CAREER PATHWAYS COORDINATOR.
I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT WE SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE OUR OWN ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PATHWAY PROGRAM, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION GROW AS A RECRUITMENT SOURCE AND THE NUMBER OF OUR NEW TEACHERS.
AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO FUND THAT, IT WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH TITLE TWO.
WE'RE WORKING WITH MR. GIBBONS TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY FUNDS FOR THAT NEEDED POSITION IN THE LIGHT GREEN. THOSE ARE PROPOSED OR POTENTIAL.
2627 AS WE LOOK AT THE CONTINUING NEEDS, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK FORWARD, NOT JUST AT RIGHT NOW, BUT AS THAT MAY CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND AND SO LOOKING AT THAT, THE EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS, WHICH IS WHICH ARE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, OUR CAREER PATHWAYS INDUCTION MENTORING PROGRAMS. 4.0 SARAH TRAINING ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS CREATING A DIRECTOR OVER THAT POSITION.
THAT GROUP REALLY SERVES AS A LIAISON BETWEEN HUMAN RESOURCES AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES.
AND THEN THIS DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE A SECRETARY OR A BOOKKEEPER, SO THE ADDITION OF A PART TIME SECRETARY OR BOOKKEEPER TO HELP MANAGE ALL THOSE FINANCES.
EXCUSE ME. AND THEN A COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS SUPERVISOR.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK THIS YEAR.
EVALUATING OUR COMPENSATION WITH A SALARY STUDY.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT, TO ENSURE INTERNAL EQUITY, TO CONTINUE TO MANAGE OUR ACA, TO LOOK AT ALL THE BENEFITS THAT WE OFFER, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT ARE FROM PBA THAT WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, BUT WHAT ARE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE US MORE COMPETITIVE? NOT ONLY FOR TEACHERS AND COMPARABLE DISTRICTS, BUT ALSO FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR TRADESMEN, OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO ARE EVALUATING ALL THE OPTIONS.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT CAN BE DONE THERE TO HELP IMPROVE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND SATISFACTION. AND THEN AGAIN, I WANT TO ZOOM OUT.
AND SO LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FOR THE FULL DIVISION.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE SQUARED OFF IN BLUE.
THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR 2526 WE'VE REQUESTED THE ADDITION OF A WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR. I WANT TO NOTE THAT THAT WORK IS CURRENTLY A CONTRACTED SERVICE.
WE DO HAVE TO PERFORM THAT WORK NOT JUST FOR THE NECESSARY UPDATES THAT ARE REQUIRED, BUT ALSO FOR COMPLIANCE.
AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER SIDE IN BLUE IS A DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION.
AND WE'RE NOT REQUESTING ANYTHING IN THAT DEPARTMENT FOR 2526.
BUT LOOKING FORWARD AT THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF OUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR SUCCESSION PLANNING AND REALLY BUILDING OUR BENCH AND CREATING BETTER LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH ULTIMATELY REALLY IMPACT RETENTION.
AND WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE PROPOSALS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO IF WE ADD AN HR DIRECTOR, WHAT WOULD THE DIRECTOR DO AND WHAT WOULD THE CHIEF DO? RIGHT. SO WE'LL LOOK FIRST AT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HR DIRECTOR.
THE HR DIRECTOR WOULD REALLY MANAGE THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
DIRECTING THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, DIRECTING THE HIRING AND ONBOARDING, MAINTAINING PERSONNEL RECORDS, OVERSEEING BENEFITS, LEAVE RETIREMENT, GUIDING ADMINISTRATORS ON DAY TO DAY PERSONNEL MATTERS, SUPERVISING STUDENT, TEACHER AND INTERN PLACEMENTS.
SUBMITTING REPORTS FOR EEOC, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND SARAH AND SERVE AS THE DISTRICT'S TITLE NINE COORDINATOR. SO AGAIN, THE FOCUS IS ON OVERSEEING THOSE DAY TO DAY FUNCTIONS OF THE HR DEPARTMENT THAT REQUIRE CONTINUAL, ONGOING DAILY TOUCHES.
THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHIEF OFFICER REALLY SHIFT TO FORWARD FACING, FUTURE DRIVEN STRATEGIC PLANNING SUPERVISING AND SUPPORTING THE WORK OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS. RIGHT NOW, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF MY TIME IS FOCUSED ON HUMAN RESOURCES BECAUSE THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR CONTINUAL DAILY TOUCH. BUT I WANT TO SAY CLEARLY, THIS REQUEST ISN'T ABOUT ME.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE TEAM AND THE NEEDED SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED, AS WELL AS FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO REALLY NEED THAT CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
SO AGAIN, THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHIEF OFFICER TO SUPERVISE, SUPERVISE AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS.
[00:45:01]
ENSURE THE EXECUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL STRATEGIC PLANS.DIRECT THE DISTRICT'S LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
ADVISE THE SUPERINTENDENT, ENHANCE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND COMPLIANCE THROUGH POLICY AND PROCEDURE DEVELOPMENT.
PROVIDE LEADERSHIP FOR EVALUATION SYSTEMS AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT.
MONITOR OUR LEGAL ACTIONS AND INFORM THE DISTRICT ON DISTRICT LEADERSHIP ON LEGAL MATTERS. FACILITATE THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESSION PLANNING FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.
ENSURING THAT WE HAVE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS, BRANDING AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THROUGH OVERSIGHT OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THEN, OF COURSE, BUDGETING.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT PROVIDES A GOOD OVERVIEW FOR YOU OF OUR DEPARTMENT, OF OUR DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, THE WORK THAT HUMAN RESOURCES DOES AND AND THE BUDGET REQUESTS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M SORRY. WE'VE GONE DOWN FROM 20 TO 12% IN TEACHER RETENTION.
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? WELL, A LOT OF HARD WORK.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY, HONESTLY, I THINK 18, 19 I DON'T HAVE A I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DATA BEFORE THAT. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS.
YOU'LL SEE SOME YEARS WHERE WE WERE VERY LOW. YOU'LL SEE SOME YEARS WE WERE VERY HIGH. BUT THERE HAS BEEN A VERY CONCERTED EFFORT ON TEACHER RETENTION.
WE CONTINUOUSLY WORK WITH OUR PRINCIPALS PRINCIPLES ON HOW HOW WE CAN COACH, SUPPORT, FACILITATE AND HOW WE CAN HIRE BETTER.
HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT BEST FIT AND AND ASSISTING THEM IN THAT PROCESS? BROOME DO YOU HAVE A I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION FOR CERTIFIED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NUMBERS ON CLASSIFIED OF WHERE THAT'S AT? AND I GUESS ONE QUESTION IS MAINTENANCE AND GROUNDS AND ALL THAT'S ALL CONSIDERED CLASSIFIED. IS THAT IT IS.
WHAT IS THAT? I KNOW THAT NUMBER'S GOT TO BE MUCH HIGHER, BUT. SO I DO NOT HAVE THAT NUMBER WITH ME RIGHT THIS SECOND.
I KNOW THAT CUSTODIANS WERE OUR HIGHEST AREA OF TURNOVER TWO YEARS AGO.
THEY WERE AT 46%. AND WE DID SOME FOCUS GROUPS AND WORKED WITH A GROUP OF CUSTODIAL OR HEAD CUSTODIANS AND OTHER MAINTENANCE STAFF, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THAT THROUGH SOME CONCERTED EFFORT. BUT I DON'T HAVE THE BROAD NUMBER.
YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED IT PREVIOUSLY.
WE DO AN ANNUAL UPDATE, BUT I'LL GET THAT.
AND WHY I SAY THIS IS, I KNOW THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THIS DEPARTMENT USES BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TURNOVER IN AND QUITE HONESTLY, SAY PART OF THAT FAULT LIES RIGHT HERE IN THIS BOARD BECAUSE WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THEM JOBS. WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB THERE.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE DO, THEN THAT MAKES YOUR JOB EASIER BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH SUCH A HIGH TURNOVER AND OBVIOUSLY THAT YOU'RE HIRING REQUIREMENTS GO DOWN. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MISS TYLER.
SO, MRS. HART, YOU CURRENTLY HAVE THREE COORDINATORS THAT REPORT TO YOU.
FOUR FOR COORDINATORS. FOR YES, FOR COORDINATORS.
THAT REPORT TO YOU? YES, MA'AM.
AND WHAT DO THEY DO? I SEE THAT THEY HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES UNDER THEM.
DO THEY COUNT. YOU HAVE THEM KIND OF OVER CERTAIN PORTIONS OF HR.
SURE. SO WE WE HAVE A COORDINATOR OF EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS.
AND YOU KNOW AGAIN THAT IS OUR 4.0 INDUCTION MENTORING.
SHE HAS AN ASSOCIATE THAT WORKS WITH HER.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE TITLE TWO FUNDED INDUCTION COACH.
THAT'S PART TIME THAT WORKS WITH HER.
WE HAVE A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COORDINATOR AND THEN A RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING COORDINATOR. SO WE WE HAVE TWO THEY BOTH HANDLE CERTIFIED RECRUITMENT.
BUT ONE HAS A FOCUS ON RETENTION AND ONE ON STAFFING DURING OUR FALL OR NOT.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BOTH RECRUITING HEAVILY. THIS IS OUR PEAK RECRUITING SEASON.
AND THEY HAVE ONE AIR ASSOCIATE THAT SUPPORTS BOTH OF THEM.
WE HAVE AN. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS COORDINATOR, AND SHE HAS AN ASSOCIATE WHO HANDLES ALL OF THE MEDICAL LEAVE. AND THEN SHE HAS AN ASSOCIATE THAT HELPS SUPPORT HER.
AND ALL OF THE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS WORK THAT IS DONE FROM SENDING LETTERS TO STARS AND EMPLOYEE CELEBRATION AND MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS AND ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS.
THE. I APPRECIATE THE OVERVIEW, AND I THINK THE BOARD KNOWS.
[00:50:03]
SO AS WE ENTER INTO BUDGET SEASON IT'S GOOD TO GET THIS KIND OF INFORMATION UP FRONT AND HAVE LET PEOPLE ASK SOME QUESTIONS SO THEY CAN KIND OF COGITATE ON IT FOR A WHILE.THE QUESTION I HADN'T PLANNED ON ASKING, BUT YOUR PRESENTATION MADE ME THINK ABOUT IT.
CURRENTLY IN THE ORGANIZATION AND IN YOUR FUTURE ORGANIZATION WHERE WHERE WOULD LIKE A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITY LIE? I THINK I KNOW WHERE, BUT YOU CALL OUT SO SPECIFICALLY EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS. WHERE IS THE SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATORS.
SO RIGHT NOW THAT HAS FALLEN UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION.
AND IT REALLY IT COULD FALL IN EITHER IT FELL NATURALLY THERE BECAUSE OF THE PERSON WHO ASSUMED THAT ROLE. HE HAD ALREADY HAD SOME RESPONSIBILITIES THERE AS A PRIOR PRINCIPAL.
AND IT'S A PERSONAL PASSION OF HIS.
SO HE REALLY TAKES A LEAD IN THE THE AIKEN LEADS UMBRELLA WHICH INCLUDES OUR ASPIRING ADMINISTRATORS ACADEMY, OUR ASPIRING PRINCIPALS PROGRAM.
YES, SIR. BUT IN YOUR FUTURE ORG CHART, IS THAT SPECIFICALLY SCOPED OUT ANYWHERE? YES, SIR. YOU WOULD SEE IN 2627 THE PROPOSED.
THERE'S A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR. THAT'S WHAT I WAS. OKAY. YES, SIR. THAT'S WHAT THAT ROLE WOULD DO. OKAY.
APPRECIATE THE ANSWER. YES, SIR.
ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MISS HART? OKAY.
YOU'VE DEFINITELY GIVEN US SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. AND I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S IT'S FOR ME.
IT'S VALUABLE TO HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT AND THEN COME BACK TO IT LATER IF WE NEED TO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT INFORMATIONAL ITEM IS ABOUT INFORMATIONAL. EXCUSE ME, PRESENTATION ON INTERIM FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS. AND I'LL CALL MISS OLIN UP TO LEAD THAT PRESENTATION.
CHAIRMAN NUESSLE, DOCTOR BRADLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR MURPHY, WHO ALWAYS GIVES ME THIS MUCH TIME, A FRACTION OF THE TIME, TO DISCUSS SOMETHING I COULD TALK ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS I TRY TO SQUEEZE A COUPLE HOURS INTO 15 MINUTES.
BUT I RENAMED THIS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT USING I-READY TO DRIVE INSTRUCTION.
AND I WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW THIS IS VERY ALWAYS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO ME AS WELL.
THERE WE GO. JUST KIND OF LITTLE BACKGROUND.
IN THE STATE. THE STATE HAS PROVIDES A 1.74, WHICH REQUIRES AN INTERIM FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AT EVERY FOR EVERY STUDENT IN GRADES ONE THROUGH EIGHT.
USED TO BE GRADES ONE THROUGH NINE.
AND SHORTLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC, THEY CHANGED IT TO ONE THROUGH EIGHT.
WE HAVE ALWAYS ADMINISTERED INTERIM ASSESSMENTS AS A PART OF JUST OUR BEST PRACTICES, BUT IT IS GUIDED BY PROVISO.
SO WE ADMINISTER NWA MAP, AND IT IS IN GRADES ONE THROUGH EIGHT.
WE ALSO GIVE OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THE OPTION OF PARTICIPATING AND SOME DO.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED. BUT WE DO GIVE THEM THE OPTION OF DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES A 1.7 FOR ESSA, PROVIDED FOR A STATE ADOPTION LIST.
AND THIS IS A VERY TIGHT PROCESS AND PROCEDURE THAT EVERY VENDOR THAT GETS PUT ON THAT ADOPTED LIST GOES THROUGH A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS OF FIRST SUBMITTING A HUGE RESEARCH STUDY. WE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE WITH A LOT OF THESE VENDORS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR DATA TO SEE. AND THEY, THEY SUBMIT IT THEY LOOK FOR ALIGNMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA STANDARDS, NATIONAL NORMS. THEY MUST BE ABLE TO YIELD A LEXILE LEVEL.
SO THAT IS YOU KNOW, CHECKED FOR VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY AND IT'S JUST A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS. AND THEN THOSE VENDORS ARE SELECTED AND WE CAN CHOOSE FROM THOSE.
WE FOR SINCE 2016 HAVE USED NWA MAP.
GREAT OUTFIT. WE'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH THEM.
OVER THE LAST ACTUALLY YEAR AND A HALF, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT MIGRATING AWAY FROM MAP NWA AND THAT'S A BIG YOU KNOW,
[00:55:02]
BIG SHIP TO TURN AROUND.WE MIGRATED FROM READING INVENTORY AND MATH INVENTORY TO MAP NWA.
AND THERE WAS A TIME IN SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE NBA MAP CAN CONTROL THE MARKET, PRETTY MUCH NOT CONTROLLED.
I WILL JUST SAY THAT. BUT 70 ABOUT 70% OF THE STATE USED NBA MAP.
NOW THAT'S SHIFTED AND ABOUT 70% HAS MIGRATED TO I-READY.
SO WE THIS YEAR PILOTED SIX SCHOOLS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR IT. THE VENDOR WORKED WITH US TO DO THAT LAST YEAR.
WE HAD TWO SCHOOLS WARRENVILLE ELEMENTARY, THAT USED I-READY WITH THEIR LOWEST QUINTILE OF STUDENTS, LOWEST PERFORMING 20%.
AND AND AND CHUKKA DID AS WELL.
THEY USE TITLE ONE FUNDS TO PAY FOR THAT.
BUT THIS YEAR WE HAD A FORMAL PILOT.
WE HAVE SIX SCHOOLS IN IT FOR ELEMENTARY, TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND THEY'VE BEEN UTILIZING IT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT NBA, THE ASSESSMENT WE HAVE NOW, NORTHWEST EVALUATION ASSOCIATION NATIONALLY NORMED, STANDARDIZED, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT BOTH IN READING AND IN MATH.
WE USE THAT DATA. IT PROVIDES STRAND DATA ALIGNED WITH SOUTH CAROLINA STANDARDS.
AND THE DATA WE GET FROM THAT IS IN QUINTILES A STUDENT IS LOW LOW AVERAGE, AVERAGE HIGH, AVERAGE OR HIGH.
THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE DATA THAT THAT PROVIDES.
WHEN WE LOOK AT IREADY BY CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES, IS THE VENDOR ALSO NATIONALLY NORMED A COMPUTER ADAPTIVE ASSESSMENT.
BUT MAP IREADY IS DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES FROM MAP IN THAT THEY HAVE A ROBUST, YOU KNOW, FEATURES THAT REALLY MAKES IT A TURNKEY PROGRAM.
AND WHEN DOCTOR MURPHY, YOU KNOW, SAID, I'D LIKE YOU TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BOARD WITH THE BOARD.
ABOUT I-READY. I GOT VERY EXCITED BECAUSE IT'S VERY RARE THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS STUDENTS, SUPPORTS TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR AREAS.
AND I-READY HAS THAT. I MEAN, THERE IS A VERY ROBUST TEACHER TOOLBOX THAT YOU CAN VERY ALIGNED WITH SOUTH CAROLINA STATE STANDARDS, MATH AND ELA. AND THAT MEANS THE NEW STANDARDS THAT CAME OUT YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY BY 25, 26, THEY FINISHED THE MAP ALIGNMENT AND THEY'LL DO THE ELA ALIGNMENT. SO THAT TEACHER TOOLBOX FOLKS ARE REALLY LOVING THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN PULL ON ANY STANDARD. THERE'S A STANDARDS MASTERY COMPONENT, WHICH, FRANKLY, I THINK IS ONE OF THE RICHEST PARTS OF I-READY IN THAT TEACHER TEACHES A STATE STANDARD. OUR TEACHERS DO THAT ALL DAY LONG, EVERY DAY. BUT THEN THEY HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A TOOL BANK OF OF THINGS THAT THEY CAN PULL ON. THEY COULD THERE'S AN ALIGNED ASSESSMENT WITH EVERY STANDARD, NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO.
SO TEACHER TEACHES A STANDARD, COULD SAY, OKAY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO ASSESS IT AND WE'RE GOING TO MAYBE ADMINISTER IT, MAYBE EVEN DO IT WHOLE GROUP AND SEE HOW YOU KNOW, GET A PULSE ON HOW THE, THE WHOLE CLASS IS DOING.
THEN MAYBE PUT ASSESSMENT B, THESE ARE ALL SHORT LITTLE ASSESSMENTS AND SEE THE GAPS IN INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AND BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT AND HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PULL FROM THAT. IF THEY NEED TO REMEDIATE, THEY HAVE THEM WITHIN THE IREADY PLATFORM.
THERE'S A GROWTH MONITORING PIECE.
IN ADDITION, OBVIOUSLY THE INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PATH ALL WITHIN ONE PLATFORM.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, NOT THE BIGGEST, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THE TEACHERS ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THEY MOVED, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE MANY RESOURCES, BUT THEY MOVE FROM ONE PROGRAM TO ANOTHER PROGRAM.
STUDENTS HAVE TO LOG IN AND PUTTING IT ALL WITHIN ONE PROGRAM WOULD CERTAINLY SAVE A LOT OF EVEN INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
THE MIGRATION TO I-READY WOULD REPLACE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE HAVE THESE ONE OFF KIND OF PROGRAMS. DREAMBOX EDMENTUM EXACT PATH.
IMAGINE LEARNING AND IXL LEARNING WOULD ALL BE REPLACED BECAUSE WE'D HAVE, YOU KNOW, A ONE STOP SHOP, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
THAT WOULD SERVE THAT AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WOULD BE STREAMLINE ACCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO WE'VE HAD SIX SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING.
AIKEN INTERMEDIATE AND SCHOFIELD MIDDLE ARE THE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND THEN TUCKER GREENDALE OAKWOOD, WINDSOR AND WARRENVILLE TWO.
AND ONE THING I'LL SAY ABOUT WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT.
AND FROM MY DEPARTMENT, WE'VE HAD TO OPERATE IN TWO WORLDS THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DO A LOT OF STUFF WITH THAT DATA.
YOU KNOW, YOU LOOKED AT THE GOAL SHEETS THAT WE HAD.
[01:00:02]
WE HAD TO BUILD NOT ONLY THOSE FOR MAP, WE ALSO HAD TO DO THEM FOR I-READY YOU KNOW, TO SO THAT WE CAN REALLY KIND OF DO THE SAME THINGS AND THEN AND CHECK THEM.BUT THE DATA THAT IT YIELDED BY I-READY IS MUCH DEEPER AND RICHER.
SO IT DOESN'T JUST SAY WHETHER A STUDENT IS LOW OR AVERAGE OR, YOU KNOW, LOW AVERAGE.
IT SAYS, WHOA, THIS STUDENT IS IN MAYBE FALLING IN GRADE ONE, BUT THEY'RE TWO GRADE LEVELS BELOW OR THREE GRADE LEVELS BELOW.
AND THEY DO THAT NOT ON OVERALL, BUT BY EACH STRAND OR EACH STANDARD AREA.
SO VERY RICH DATA. AND I'VE REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH THAT IN THE SIX PILOT SCHOOLS.
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PATH IS, YOU KNOW, 30 TO 50 MINUTES A WEEK.
A LOT OF EVERYTHING'S AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
WE DON'T TEACH NECESSARILY IN SPANISH, BUT OFTEN WE'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF OUR HISPANIC LATINO POPULATION THAT WANT RESOURCES TO HELP THEM.
AND THIS IS JUST VERY EASY TO PROVIDE THOSE THOSE RESOURCES.
AND AMONG MANY OTHER BENEFITS, I TALKED ABOUT THE STANDARDS MASTERY RESOURCES JUST FOR EVEN SMALL GROUP DIFFERENTIATION AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER SINCE WE WERE HALFWAY THROUGH THIS PILOT.
NOW, I COLLECTED SOME JUST KIND OF QUICK SCHOOL FEEDBACK.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
I USE A PRETTY BIG SIX POINT LIKERT SCALE BECAUSE I LIKE TO SEE THE NUANCE.
DID SOMEBODY JUST STRONGLY AGREE? DID THEY AGREE? DID THEY SOMEWHAT AGREE? BUT I THINK WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS THE TWO AREAS THAT WE HAD THE STRONGEST AGREEMENT IS THAT THE, YOU KNOW, IREADY DATA PROVIDES INFORMATION THAT ALLOWS ME TO PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF MY STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, 60% STRONGLY AGREED WITH THAT STATEMENT.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I ASKED WAS, OVERALL, I PREFER THE IREADY DIAGNOSTIC DIAGNOSTIC TO THE NWA MAP DIAGNOSTIC.
AND AGAIN, OVERWHELMINGLY STRONGLY AGREE, NOT JUST AGREE AND SOMEWHAT AGREE, BUT OVERWHELMINGLY STRONGLY AGREE.
AND SO I'VE RESERVED BECAUSE I'M UNDER 15 MINUTES, I'VE RESERVED A LITTLE TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEN I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FOR CHARLENE HEARD FROM WARRENVILLE AND DAVINA TRUITT FROM OAKWOOD WINDSOR, WHO'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN OUR PILOT AND GIVE THEM A MINUTE OR SO AND SO WE CAN STAY UNDER OUR TIME, I APPRECIATE IT.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR MURPHY.
MY NAME IS CHARLENE HURD, AND I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF WARRENVILLE ELEMENTARY. I'M EXCITED TO BRIEFLY TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR READY.
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ALL APPRECIATE OUR READY FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT TO SHARE A COMMON APPRECIATION FOR THEIR PERSONALIZED, ENGAGING, AND DATA DRIVEN APPROACH TO LEARNING.
TEACHERS LIKE OUR READY BECAUSE IT PROVIDES DETAILED INSIGHTS INTO STUDENT PERFORMANCE, HELPING THEM PINPOINT INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS AND AREAS FOR GROWTH.
IT ASSISTS THEM DURING INTENTIONAL PLANNING, ENABLING TEACHERS TO MAKE DATA INFORMED DECISIONS AND PROVIDE THAT TARGETED SUPPORT.
THEY LOVE THE TEACHER TOOLBOX YOU HEARD ABOUT EARLIER BECAUSE IT PROVIDES DIFFERENTIATED LESSONS THAT'S TIED TO SOUTH CAROLINA STANDARDS.
GOAL SETTING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR ALREADY DURING OUR WINTER ADMINISTRATION OF ALREADY 50% OF OUR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS MET OR EXCEEDED THEIR ANNUAL TYPICAL GROWTH.
AND THAT'S JUST WITH OUR WINTER, AND WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION. SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THAT SPRING ADMINISTRATION WILL LOOK LIKE.
STUDENTS ENJOY ALREADY BECAUSE IT'S INTERACTIVE AND IT'S A PLATFORM THAT'S PERSONALIZED AND ADAPTS TO THEIR SKILL LEVEL, PROVIDES LESSONS THAT FEEL RELEVANT TO THEIR NEEDS.
IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK IT'S GIVEN AND IT HELPS KEEP THEM MOTIVATED AND ENGAGED.
WE STARTED USING ALREADY LAST YEAR WITH STUDENTS SCORING IN APPROACHES AND DOES NOT MEET, AND WE RECEIVED A GOOD RATING FOR STUDENT PROGRESS.
OUR STUDENTS EXCEEDED THE DISTRICT AND THE STATE FOR ALL SUBGROUPS.
IN SUMMARY, I-READY IS A TOOL THAT GIVES TEACHERS ACTIONABLE DATA TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERY STUDENT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. I'M VERY EXCITED AND HOPE TO SEE ALREADY IN EVERY CLASSROOM IN AIKEN COUNTY NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. I DON'T NEED TO SAY MUCH MISS HER, BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY,
[01:05:01]
THE BIGGEST THING WE ALL KNOW THAT TEACHERS ARE OVERWORKED, RIGHT? THEY ARE SOME OF THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET, AND I ALREADY HAS TRULY BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR US IN TERMS OF INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO HERE AND THERE AND PULL FROM 50 LOCATIONS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TO SCREEN OUR KIDS TO KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW AND WHAT THEY NEED TO WORK ON.BUT TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AT THEIR FINGERTIPS, THAT'S ALREADY A PART OF A PLATFORM THAT WE'RE HAVING TO USE ANYWAY TO GET THAT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION FROM OUR KIDS OR ON OUR KIDS HAS TRULY BEEN A GAME CHANGER.
AND IT JUST OUR OUR TEACHERS HAVE RAVED ABOUT THE THE EASE OF USE.
THE DATA IS KIND OF IN YOUR FACE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T NOT SEE IT.
AND THE RESOURCES ARE RIGHT THERE AT A CLICK OF A BUTTON.
AND IT HAS JUST TRULY BEEN WONDERFUL, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OFFERED TO US IS WONDERFUL AS WELL.
THE CONSULTANTS COME AND DO PDS AND PLCS WITH US SO THAT OUR TEACHERS CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO MEET THEIR KIDS NEEDS. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.
ONE THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT WARRENVILLE, I MENTIONED THAT THEY IMPLEMENTED IT LAST YEAR WITH THEIR LOWEST QUINTILE, THE LOWEST 20%, AND THE GROWTH THAT THAT GROUP HAD ON THEIR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
AND SC RADKE PARTICULARLY THAT LOWEST QUINTILE WAS HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR GROUP IN THE DISTRICT.
SO I CAN'T SAY THAT'S CAUSAL BECAUSE I DIDN'T STUDY IT, BUT THAT DID HAPPEN. SO YEP.
THAT'S RIGHT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO WRAP UP HERE.
I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT ALSO WANT TO PREFACE THIS BY SAYING IF YOU EVER WANT TO COME SEE THE PLATFORM AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
HAPPY AGAIN TO SHOW THAT TO YOU AT ANY TIME.
I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. THEN WE'LL GO TO MR. LINDELL.
SO STATING THE OBVIOUS THAT WAS ON THE SLIDES. BUT I'M JUST DOING A REPEAT BACK.
IS THAT THE STATUS QUO? IS THAT WE DO FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS IN MAP, RIGHT.
BUT THEN WE USE THINGS LIKE DREAMBOX FOR COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION.
AND WHAT YOU JUST TOLD US IS NOT ONLY IS IT A BETTER PRODUCT, BUT BOTH THOSE THINGS ARE IN ONE PLATFORM WITH IREADY, NOT JUST THAT IT ACTUALLY HAS THE INTERVENTION MATERIALS AS WELL THAT THE TEACHER WOULD USE IN SMALL GROUPS.
OKAY. AND AS MUCH ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS THAT YOU COULD USE, YOU KNOW, FOR SMALLER NOT NOT AN INTERIM.
WHEN I SAY INTERIM, THOSE ARE THE ONES WE DO.
THEY'RE FORMATIVE, BUT WE DO THEM FALL, WINTER AND SPRING.
WE CHECK FOR PROGRESS MONITORING.
THEY HAVE MANY SMALLER ASSESSMENTS IN THERE THAT MAP DOES NOT HAVE.
SO YOU PROBABLY SAID IT, BUT I'M DRAWING THE CONCLUSION THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN ONE PLATFORM, THE THE HELP AND THE INSTRUCTION IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE RESULTS ON THE ASSESSMENT VERSUS TWO DISCONNECTED SYSTEMS. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. LINDELL. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT FEATURES LIKE I THINK SOMETIMES THEY GET BURDENED WITH A LOT OF THINGS, AND CHANGE IS HARD. BUT WITH THIS MIGRATION TO AN IRONY, SAVE THE DISTRICT MONEY.
BECAUSE WE'RE REPLACING OTHER PLATFORMS. I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE FUNDING INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A HALF OF IT WOULD BE.
BUT JUST BY THE PROGRAMS WE DISPLACED OR REPLACED, I SHOULD SAY NOT DISPLACED.
ONE THING I DID NOT MENTION IS THAT AS PART OF THE FORMATIVE ADOPTIVE LIST, THE STATE ALSO REIMBURSES US MONEY ON MAP OR I-READY, AS LONG AS IT'S ONE OF THE FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO $200,000. SO THERE WOULD BE NO REALLY GENERAL FUND IMPLICATIONS.
WE THERE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE COULD TAKE THAT OUT OF SOME TITLE NUMBERS. TITLE ONE. TITLE TWO.
I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS CLEAR THAT IT IS GOING TO COST MORE.
THIS IS IT'S A, IT'S A A BETTER SYSTEM.
AND SO WE'RE PAYING FOR THE UPGRADE.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT BE LIKE ME TRYING TO FLY A FIGHTER JET, PROBABLY UNDERSTANDING SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I KNOW WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE REVAMPING THAT.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS, IS WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY PROGRAM IN THE DISTRICT THAT WE CURRENTLY USE.
AND I LIKE THE WORD STREAMLINE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ONE OFFS THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.
AGAIN, MY PERCEPTION THAT WE'RE NOT USING OR NOT USING TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS OBVIOUSLY THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'VE GOT ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS THAT ARE BEHIND IT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROPOSAL FROM IT.
WITH THE STREAMLINING OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IN THE DISTRICT TO COME BACK WITH A PROPOSAL
[01:10:04]
TO WHERE WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT TO SAY, DOES THIS PROGRAM MAKE WITH ANOTHER PROGRAM WE HAVE THAT WE MAY NOT EVEN CONSIDER RIGHT NOW, OR DOES IT NOT INTEGRATE WITH IT? AND THEN WE COME BACK LATER AND FIND OUT, WELL, WE CHANGED THIS, BUT NOW THIS DOESN'T WORK.YOU FOLLOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M TWO THINGS. I'M LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING AND COME BACK WITH A STREAMLINED PLAN.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS PART OF WHAT YOU YOU SAID YOU WAS WANTING TO DO.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT IT WANTS TO DO.
AND LET'S GET PROGRAMS THAT WILL WORK TOGETHER THE BEST WE CAN AND AND DO MORE WITH LESS. BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WE DO SAVE MONEY AND GET A BETTER PRODUCT.
IF WE TAKE A LOT OF THESE ONE OFFS AND GET THEM OUT OF OUR SYSTEM.
I MEAN, AS I MENTIONED, IT WOULD REPLACE FIVE PROGRAMS AND WE HAVE DONE THAT IN ISD AS A GROUP, LOOKED AT EVERYTHING.
WE HAVE DETAILED LISTS OF ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE INITIATIVES WE HAVE AND YOU MENTIONED USAGE, AND I THINK THAT IS YOU HAVE NEW STUDENTS COMING IN, NEW TEACHERS SOMETIMES COMING IN, THEY HAVE TO LEARN 5 OR 6 DIFFERENT THINGS RATHER THAN LEARNING ONE THAT WE'RE ALL BEHIND.
I THINK IT JUST SAVES A LOT OF TIME AND MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
THERE MIGHT BE A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT THERE THAT WE COULD.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO DO A VERY, VERY THOROUGH STUDY OF ALL OUR PROGRAMS AND HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU SAID, THIS IS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION.
THIS IS YOU KNOW, THE STATE ONLY OFFERS SO MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR OUR FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT. AND SO WHAT THIS WAS ALLOWING US TO SAY, HEY, WE GOT A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT THAT'S SITTING OUT HERE STANDALONE. AND THEN WE HAVE A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT THAT COULD TAKE PLACE FOR FIVE OTHER ASSESSMENTS AS WELL AS REMEDIATE STUDENTS. AND SO THIS IS A PART OF THAT VERY PROCESS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO WE WOULD LOVE TO FINALLY GET ONE STAND ALL BE ALL SYSTEM.
BUT HONESTLY, WITH THE MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE TEACH, THE DIFFERENT LEVELS THAT WE TEACH IT, THAT DOG DOESN'T EXIST JUST YET, BUT WE'LL KEEP OUR EYE ON.
THE THING THAT. THE THING THAT I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION INVOLVES ONE DECIDING WHAT IT IS THAT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO TRY TO TEACH OUR KIDS.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT TEACHING THAT.
AND OF COURSE, WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT IT'S NOT ONE WAY, BUT MANY WAYS. WE HAVE TO AGAIN, MATCH INSTRUCTION TO THE LEVEL OF A CHILD.
AND NOW WE ARE. PUTTING AN AWFUL LOT OF EMPHASIS ON COMPUTER INSTRUCTION.
WHICH IS SORT OF A. IT'S GOOD AND IT'S BAD IN MY OPINION.
THERE ARE SOME, SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT.
THERE'S SOME REALLY NOT SO GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT TOO.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE NOT TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO RELY ON IT.
IT'S GOT TO BE AN AUGMENT TO WHAT TEACHERS DO.
AND TOO OFTEN I THINK WE TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT, PARTICULARLY IN REMEDIAL WORK WHERE WE PLUG IN A COMPUTER PROGRAM AND EXPECT IT TO DO THE JOB. WHERE IF WE WOULD SPEND SOME OF THAT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE SPEND ON COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND HIRE SOME TUTORS THAT COULD FLOAT AROUND IN A SCHOOL, WE MIGHT GET BETTER RESULTS, I DON'T KNOW, IT'D BE WORTH A TEST RUN IN SOME SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN. AND I'M PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT CONCERNED ABOUT THE METHODS WHEN WE ABANDON PHONICS IN TEACHING READING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE COMING BACK TO THAT NOW, THANK GOD. YOU KNOW, I WAS A VICTIM OF NOT BEING TAUGHT BY PHONICS, AND I CAN'T SPELL DIDDLY.
YOU KNOW, IT HAS HAUNTED ME MY ENTIRE LIFE BECAUSE I NEVER LEARNED TO SOUND OUT WORDS.
AND I THINK THAT I SEE SO MANY CHILDREN.
WHEN I WAS DOING INSTRUCTIONAL WORK, I SAW SO MANY CHILDREN STRUGGLING WITH BEING ABLE TO JUST BE ABLE TO READ THE WORD AND THEN TRY TO PUT IT TOGETHER IN SOME MEANINGFUL FASHION. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW I KNOW THE STATE ESTABLISHES OBJECTIVES, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BASE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM ON THOSE OBJECTIVES.
AND I ASSUME THIS TEST CORRELATES WELL WITH THOSE OBJECTIVES HIGHLY AND ALMOST 90% ON THE
[01:15:05]
ON THE ITEMS AND THE REMEDIATION OR THE THE DIAGNOSTIC PRESCRIPTIVE PART OF IT THEN WOULD RELATE VERY HEAVILY TO THE OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE AND THAT IS JUST AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT HEAVILY ON THE COMPUTERS.THAT'S 30 TO 50 MINUTES, 30 TO 50 MINUTES A WEEK, AND ELA AND MATH, THE REST IS ALL SUPPORT FOR THE TEACHERS TO TEACH AND ASSESS SOUTH CAROLINA STATE STANDARDS.
I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO TELL YOU WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR TIME YOU NEED TO DO THAT FOR. BUT, BUT, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S.
BEFORE COMPUTERS THAT USED TO BE WORKSHEETS AND WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN INSTRUCTION, THAT BATTLE THAT WE HAD TO FIGHT WAS NOT OVER RELIANCE ON WORKSHEETS.
BUT YOU STILL HAD THE PROBLEM OF, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THESE KIDS IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION TO THE OTHERS? SO YOU HAD TO SOMEHOW DEVELOP SOME MECHANISM.
WELL, I THINK, BUT IT'S JUST USING THEM IN A CREATIVE WAY RATHER THAN RELYING ON THOSE THINGS, IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
IT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO BE WORKING IN SOMETHING THEY NEED AT THAT TIME ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PATH, WHILE FREEING UP A LITTLE TIME FOR SMALL GROUP DIFFERENTIATION.
I'M GOING TO COME AND LOOK AT YOUR PLATFORM, OKAY? I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. APPRECIATE IT. CAN I SPEAK TO THAT? BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU TOOK OUT THE CIA.
YOU KNOW, OUR STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY OUR SCHOOLS ARE CURRENTLY USING COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION ALREADY. BUT EVEN IF WE IGNORE THAT COMPONENT OF IT, THIS PARTICULAR PLATFORM ALLOWS US TO DO UNIVERSAL SCREENING FOR OUR KIDS, BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DO THREE TIMES A YEAR ANYWAY, AND ON BASED ON THOSE RESULTS, IMMEDIATELY THE TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO CLICK, SEE WHAT THE KIDS, WHAT THEIR STRENGTHS ARE, WHAT THE AREAS THEY NEED TO GROW ON, AND THEN IT GIVES THEM THE RESOURCES RIGHT THERE.
IT AUTOMATICALLY WILL GROUP THE KIDS SHOW.
YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER KIDS WHO SCORED WEAK IN THESE SAME AREAS SO THAT THEY CAN PULL A SMALL GROUP. AND THEN HERE ARE THE RESOURCES WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO USE THE COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION COMPONENT. BUT THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL FEATURE THAT IT OFFERS WITHIN THE SAME PLATFORM THAT IS ALLOWING US TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS WHEN WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO USE, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY DREAMBOX, EDMENTUM, ALL THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS. AND SO BUT EVEN IF YOU IGNORED THE COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION COMPONENT, THERE'S STILL JUST A WEALTH OF OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT IT GIVES.
IT PUTS AT THE TEACHER'S FINGERTIPS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO HUNT.
YOU KNOW, WHERE PREVIOUSLY IN NY WE WOULD TAKE THE ASSESSMENT AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO NAVIGATE TO A DIFFERENT AREA WITHIN THE ASSESSMENT TO HUNT FOR RESOURCES THAT COULD BE USED. AND THEY WEREN'T EVEN IT WASN'T LESSON PLANS LIKE THIS HAS LESSON PLANS.
IT HAS THE MATERIALS THE TEACHER WOULD USE IN THE SMALL GROUP.
OKAY, SORRY I CAN'T GET ONE COMMENT OVER THE 15 MINUTES ABOUT WHAT SHE SAID.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE GOT MORE QUESTIONS.
OH, OKAY. YOU HAVE A TIME LIMIT.
YOU HEARD THAT, DOCTOR MURPHY. LET ME FINISH, AND THEN I'LL SHUT UP.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CHANGING THINGS TOO MUCH.
THE ONE THING THAT'S CONSTANT IN EDUCATION IN THE 50, 60 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IT, NOT COUNTING THOSE THAT I SPENT, IS THAT WE CONSTANTLY CHANGE WHAT WE DO.
NOW SOME CHANGES ARE NECESSARY, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT COMPUTER PROGRAMS. WHAT HAPPENS AGAIN IS THAT WE HEAR A PITCH, AND THEN THE BOARD SPENDS A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS ON A PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
AND I DON'T THINK EITHER WE'RE NOT VERY GOOD AT SELECTING PROGRAMS, OR WE DON'T STICK WITH ONE THING LONG ENOUGH TO SEE WHETHER IT REALLY WORKS OR NOT.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE TEACHERS OR WHOMEVER FIND SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY LIKED, AND THEY FELT LIKE IT REALLY WORKED.
AND LET'S GO ALL OUT, BUT HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT WE GOT TO STICK WITH IT FOR A WHILE TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS BIG INVESTMENT, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ASSURANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO STAY WITH THIS THING, YOU KNOW, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS AT LEAST TO MAKE SURE, GIVE IT TIME TO WORK, YOU KNOW.
AND KNOWING TOO, GOING IN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH IT FOR A WHILE MIGHT BE AN IMPETUS TO STUDY THIS THING REALLY THOUGHTFULLY AND ALL BEFORE IT'S ADOPTED.
THAT'S WHY WE STARTED IT LAST YEAR. WE WERE WITH MAP FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND I THINK MORE THAN IT JUST OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ABOUT THE TEST AS THE BASIC CURRICULUM AND ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF.
RIGHT. THE NUANCE IN THE CURRICULUM, NOT THE BIG THINGS,
[01:20:02]
BUT THE LITTLE SUBTLE THINGS THAT I THINK MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.AND THEN MR. LINDELL MR. OLIN, EVERY TIME YOU SPEAK TO US, IT'S ALWAYS VERY APPARENT TO ME HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR JOB. I DO. AND YOU LOVE DIGGING INTO THESE DETAILS, I THINK. IN FACT, I'VE TOLD YOU THAT IN RETIREMENT YOU PROBABLY HAVE A FUTURE WITH MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND BILLY BEANE ALL THEIR METRICS.
BUT YOU KNOW, REALLY MY QUESTION WAS REALLY GOING BACK TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT BRADLEY HAD STARTED. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO SAY, WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO SAY ON IT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I DO HEAR FROM TEACHERS, I DO HEAR THAT SOMETIMES.
RIGHT. WELL, THE DISTRICT'S COME UP WITH A NEW PROGRAM OR WE'RE CHANGING AGAIN.
JUST WHEN WE GET USED TO ONE THING, THIS SEEMS LIKE AN EASY SELL TO ME.
YOU KNOW, YOU SOLD ME, BUT I'M AN EASY SELL, RIGHT? WHAT DO I KNOW? I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW MAYBE.
WHAT COMMENTS I WAS GOING TO ASK MISS HEARD IF SHE WAS UP THERE WHEN YOU ASKED THE TEACHERS TO, YOU KNOW, PILOT THIS PROGRAM, WAS IT? HERE WE GO AGAIN. OR, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO TO GO ABOUT THAT? IF WE GO DOWN THIS I-READY ROAD, WE ACTUALLY HAD MORE SCHOOLS THAT WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT, BUT WE HAD TO CUT IT OFF.
WE HAD MORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WANTED TO I DID COLLECT SOME, YOU KNOW, VERBATIM COMMENTS IN MY SURVEY.
SO WHEN THAT'S COMPLETE, I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THE VERBATIM TEACHER COMMENTS WITH YOU AS WELL, IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. IS IT FAIR TO SAY IN GENERAL, MAYBE THERE'S A THERE'S A FEELING THAT THERE'S A NEED TO CONSOLIDATE OR.
THANK YOU. AND MR. SILAS, I THINK WHEN WE THIS IS JUST AN UNEDUCATED OPINION, MY MEMORY. AND THEN WE'LL GO TO MR. LINDELL. MY MEMORY IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THESE DECISIONS BEFORE AND HAD COMMITTEES PUT TOGETHER ON TO SELECT THINGS LIKE A CI PROGRAM, THINGS LIKE THAT, I ALREADY WAS ACTUALLY THE PREFERRED SOFTWARE.
AND WHETHER YOU SAY IT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME TO US OR WHAT WE SELECTED, WE PICKED WHAT WE HAVE BASED ON COST.
AND AS WE GET INTO THE BUDGET SEASON, I THINK WHAT WE'RE HAVING A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND DIG INTO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING, HEY, LET'S PICK, LET'S PICK THE SOFTWARE. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE PICKED PREVIOUSLY, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME OF AN UPCHARGE. AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT AS WE GET INTO THE BUDGET MEETINGS. BUT THAT'S THAT'S MY MEMORY.
I'M JUST EXCITED ABOUT ANYTHING THAT MAKES TEACHERS LIVES EASY AND ADMINISTRATORS HAPPY.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE PLAN TO TRY TO GET IT DISTRICT WIDE? IS THAT SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE DURING BUDGET SEASON? WELL, WE WILL HAVE TO PUT IT IN OUR BUDGET IF IT HITS ON ONE.
BUT IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE TITLE MONEY, WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL.
BUT HONESTLY, WE HAVE TO ADAPT.
WE HAVE TO ADOPT A A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PLAN AS A DISTRICT.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE VOTING ON. WE HAVE TO ADOPT IT. BUT THEN THIS OTHER PIECE OF IT ALL, THE UPSELL PIECE OF IT ALL, IS IN LINE WITH MY FIRST YEAR GOALS TO STREAMLINE HOW WE DO WORK TO MAKE TEACHERS MORE EFFICIENT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BRING TO YOU ALL.
NOW, I THINK THE THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FOR ME ON THAT WAS TO CONSOLIDATE CONSOLIDATED PROGRAMS, HOW WE DON'T HAVE TO USE EXCEL OR DREAMBOX AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS. TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO KNOW 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT LOG ONS.
TEACH THEM HOW TO KNOW. DO 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT TRAININGS IN ORDER TO GET THE SAME RESULTS, TO GET THE SAME DATA FROM CHILDREN.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT CAN MAKE THEIR LIVES EASIER IS A PLUS IN MY BOOK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISS OLIN OR THE GROUP? MR. LINDELL? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANY NORTH AUGUSTA SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE SOON? MY INTENT WOULD BE TO MIGRATE K THROUGH EIGHT BY IN 2526.
AND IT'S BIG A LOT OF PLANNING, A LOT OF IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME PD.
I HAVE. NOT HEARING OR SEEING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MISS OLIN? MISS HEARD, MISS TRUITT, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SPEAKING TO US. WE HAVE ONE MORE INFORMATIONAL ITEM.
I'LL CALL YARBOROUGH. EXCUSE ME.
YARBOROUGH CAN COME UP AND GIVE A CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORT ON PHASE FOUR OF THE ATHLETIC FIELDS NORTH AUGUSTA.
IS ANYBODY WALKING OUT WITH A WHO'S GOT THE CLICKER? THAT WAS A GOOD CATCH.
YOU DIDN'T WANT A PRINCIPAL WALKING OUT WITH IT. OKAY.
MR. NESSEL AND BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR MURPHY.
THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT THE MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC COMPLEX. AND I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT THE STRUCTURES ON THE PROJECT
[01:25:04]
ARE MOSTLY DRIED IN. I WAS JUST THERE THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND THEY ARE WORKING SOMETIMES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.THEY WORK SIX DAYS LAST WEEK, BUT THEY'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS.
PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO WIDEN KNOBCONE, AND THAT PROJECT, OR THAT PART OF THE PROJECT HAS STARTED FOR TURNING LANES.
THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WAY BACK IN 2013, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WIDEN KNOBCONE THAT IS IN IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE RETENTION POND, WHICH IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, IS WORKING AS IT'S INTENDED AND AS IT'S DESIGNED.
AND WE ARE LOOKING HOPEFULLY FOR A COMPLETION DATE ON OR AROUND MARCH THE 1ST.
WE ARE STILL ON SCHEDULE AND WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MR. LINDELL? YES. IF WE COME UNDER BUDGET OR HAVE EXTRA MONEY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO EXTRA WITH THAT MONEY? WELL, WE DO OF COURSE HAVE ALLOWANCES BUILT IN.
WE'VE USED A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE ALLOWANCE FOR WIDENING OF KNOBCONE.
I WOULD NEED TO SEE WHAT IS LEFT WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE.
BUT. YES, SIR, THAT'S WHAT THE ALLOWANCES ARE FOR.
SO WE COULD POSSIBLY EXPAND THE PROJECT AND WHAT WE CAN DO THERE.
MISS TYLER? JUST CLARIFICATION.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WHENEVER YOU DO A PROJECT AND YOU COME UNDER BUDGET, THEN YOU HAVE THE THE ROOM TO ADD EXTRA TO THE PROJECT RATHER THAN PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE? WELL.
YES, MA'AM. IT DEPENDS IF THE IF ALL OF THE ALLOWANCES ARE NOT USED.
OF COURSE, THOSE COME BACK TO US, RIGHT? IF IT WERE A RECOMMENDATION DISTRIBUTED, IT WOULDN'T BE.
AND I GUESS MY MY QUESTION IS WHEN, SAY FOR INSTANCE, YOU'VE COMPLETED WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH AND IT'S COME IN UNDER BUDGET.
WOULD THAT WOULD THOSE FUNDS BE REDISTRIBUTED TO HELP ANOTHER SCHOOL OR TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER PROJECT, OR DO I COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, HEY, SINCE WE WERE $20,000 UNDER BUDGET, I THINK I WANT TO PUT A NICE FLOWER BED IN THE OUT THERE IN THAT COURTYARD.
I'M JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE WAS THAT IF YOU'RE UNDER BUDGET, THEN YOU CAN JUST USE THE MONEY HOWEVER YOU WANT TO.
WELL, NO. NO, MA'AM. I MEAN, IF THERE IF THERE'S AN IDENTIFIED NEED.
I'M SORRY. NO, I JUST WANT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
AND SO WE HAVE PRESCRIBED PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER 1% BUDGET.
SO FOR NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH, AS HE MENTIONED EARLIER, IF IT COMES IN UNDER BUDGET, NOW WE LOOK AT THE NEXT PROJECT THAT'S DUE FOR NORTH AUGUSTA. SO WE HAVE OTHER PROJECTS PRESCRIBED.
NORTH AUGUSTA IS NOW UP FOR AN AUDITORIUM.
NEXT. WE WOULD NOT GO ANY DEEPER INTO THAT PROJECT BEFORE WE COMPLETED THE AUDITORIUM.
THEN WE HAVE RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA IS UP FOR A GYM.
RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA IS UP FOR A BAND PRACTICE FIELD, SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF THE PROJECTS BEFORE WE GO BACK AND ENRICH, I GUESS ANOTHER PROJECT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, DOCTOR MURPHY. IN THE WISE WORDS OF A WOMAN WHO WORKS FOR AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT WHO NEED JUST AS MUCH AS NORTH AUGUSTA, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD PRIORITIZE THEM IN THE FASHION IN WHICH THEY NEED IT.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE CONSTRUCTION STATUS UPDATE? MR. LINDELL? AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE BASEBALL COMPLEX, BUT WHEN DO YOU THINK WE'LL SEE PLANS FOR THE AUDITORIUM? SURE. WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN THAT PROCESS.
THOSE PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED NOW.
SCHEMATIC PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED NOW, AND SO SURELY WITHIN A MATTER OF MONTHS.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? GOING BACK TO AUDITORIUM? I GUESS THAT'S PART OF THE THE LAST ONE SINCE SALES TAX.
SO WE STILL HAVE MONIES? YES, SIR. STILL HAVE MONIES? YES, SIR. AND? AND THE AUDITORIUM WOULD BE THE FINAL PHASE FOR THAT TOTAL BUILD OUT AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL. YES, SIR. GOT YOU, I GOT YOU, AND THAT'S ALL WOULD
[01:30:01]
BE WITHIN THE BUDGET OF WHAT? THE $0.01 SALES TAX FROM PREVIOUS TEN YEARS.YES, SIR. THE 2014. THAT'S CORRECT SIR.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. YES, SIR. APPRECIATE IT. THAT CONCLUDES THE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY REQUESTS FROM INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS.
WHICH BRINGS US TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE, DOCTOR MURPHY. GOOD EVENING, MR. BOARD MEMBERS AND GUESTS WHO DECIDED TO COME AND JOIN US TODAY.
I HAD A REALLY GREAT JOKE ABOUT HOW WARM THE WEATHER WAS, BUT IT'S NOT. SO I WILL JUST GO AND SAY, JUST BUNDLE UP AND HOPEFULLY NO ONE GETS THAT CRUD THAT'S BEEN GOING AROUND.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR OUR FUTURE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM USC.
AIKEN HERE JOINING US TONIGHT.
I'M EXCITED. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
I HOPE IT WASN'T TOO MANY FIREWORKS FOR YOU.
THIS IS JUST NOT HOW IT ALWAYS IS.
SO JUST ENJOY. BUT AS YOU ALL HEARD FROM MISS HART THIS EVENING, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM HAS TREMENDOUS WORK UNDERWAY IN HIRING, SUPPORTING AND RETAINING THE VERY BEST TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF.
OUR ANNUAL SPRING HIRING EVENT WAS HELD THIS SATURDAY, THE SATURDAY BEFORE LAST, ON FEBRUARY THE 1ST, WITH 123 TOTAL INTERESTED CANDIDATES COMING OUT AND WHOM 50 WERE OFFERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. SINCE WE LAST CONVENED, WE'VE ALSO CELEBRATED OUR JUNIOR SCHOLARS, THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTY WITH EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC ABILITY, AS WELL AS OUR SUPER SPELLERS, AWARDING DOROTHEA VINER OF HIGHLAND SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL HER SECOND IN A ROW WIN ON THIS PAST SATURDAY.
STUDENTS FROM SILVER BLUFF, MIDLAND VALLEY AND AIKEN SCHOLARS TOOK ON THE HIGH SCHOOL. STUDENTS AT SOUTH AIKEN WHO HOSTED THE OMEGA PSI PHI FI BLACK HISTORY QUIZ BOWL. NOW SUNDAY, WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE RETIRED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MR. DWIGHT SMITH AND A BRIEF, INFORMAL GATHERING WITH HIS FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS A FEW HOURS AHEAD OF THAT SHOCKING SUPER BOWL.
IT WASN'T SHOCKING. ALSO, ITS BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK FEBRUARY 10TH THROUGH 14TH. AND WE'VE CELEBRATED OUR BUS DRIVERS THIS WEEK AND WE'VE GIVEN THEM BOOK BAGS. AND ALSO THE SCHOOLS HAVE LOCAL CELEBRATIONS WHERE THEY DONATE ITEMS AS WELL AS FOOD. AND WE JUST BASICALLY LOVE UPON OUR TRANSPORTATION FOLKS, BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY GET UP AND THEY START THEIR ROUTES.
MOSTLY. SOME GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AT 4:30 A.M., WE HAVE A BUS ROUTE THAT STARTS AS EARLY AS 450 TO GET THE KIDS TO SCHOOL HERE EACH DAY.
AND OUR BUS DRIVERS DO A TREMENDOUS JOB.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY BUSSES, 170 SOMETHING BUSSES ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF ROUTES THAT THEY DRIVE AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF NOT ONLY THE KIDS, BUT LOOK OUT FOR THE OTHER DRIVERS AS WELL.
SO A TREMENDOUS JOB THEY'RE DOING.
ALSO THIS SATURDAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS YEAR IS OUR SRO APPRECIATION DAY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SROS EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THAT, THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT THIS WEEKEND AS WELL. SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO LOVE AND APPRECIATE OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AS WELL.
AS ALWAYS, SPRING IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR OUR DISTRICT, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED CELEBRATIONS IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS THAT FOLLOW AS WE FINISH OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS CONCLUDES MY REMARKS TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MURPHY. THAT CONCLUDES REGULAR SESSION.
FOR THE MOMENT, WE ARE IN NEED.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND IN THAT EXCUSE ME, ON MY THROAT WE ARE IN NEED.
IN NEED OF A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING MATTERS AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE, FOR WE HAVE A STUDENT MATTER STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA TWO. AND THEN AFTER THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE BOARD WILL RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION AND TAKE ACTION AS NECESSARY ON THAT ITEM.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THAT PURPOSE? SECOND. MOTION MADE BY MISS TYLER, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HEAR THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA TWO.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THAT PURPOSE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE'LL BEGIN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ABOUT TEN MINUTES.
[02:02:19]
OKAY. WE HAVE CONCLUDED EXECUTIVE SESSION.[02:02:26]
WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTER REGULAR SESSION.[02:02:32]
SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY,[02:02:35]
SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL.[02:02:37]
TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTER REGULAR SESSION.[02:02:41]
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PASSES WHILE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE HAD THE ONE MATTER DISCUSSING THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA TWO IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA TWO? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE UPHOLD THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND. I HEARD A SECOND FROM MR. LINDELL. SO MISS TYLER HAS MADE A MOTION TO UPHOLD THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA TWO.
THAT WAS SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE MOTION PASSES. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL TO ADJOURN ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.