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I'M GOING TO CALL THE APRIL 22ND REGULAR MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER. WE BEGAN 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 AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS.
EXCUSE ME. THE PUBLIC WAS DULY NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS MEETING IN ADVANCE.
THE AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE.
I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY REQUESTS FROM THE BOARD FOR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.
SO IF I DON'T HEAR ANY OBJECTIONS, WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION. HEARING NONE.
THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING IS APPROVED. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO APPROVE THIS EVENING. THAT'S THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 25TH OF THIS YEAR.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MARCH 25TH? SO MOVE. MOTION MADE BY MR. LINDELL. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TONIGHT ON DIFFERENT SUBJECTS.
SOME FOLKS ARE NEW, AND I'M SURE YOU READ THE POLICY, BUT JUST AS A REMINDER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER PERSON.
AND OUR POLICY ASKS THAT NO EXPRESSION OF PERSONAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT SCHOOL PERSONNEL, NOR ANY AGAINST ANY PERSON CONNECTED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BE MADE.
AND JUST AS A GENERAL PRACTICE, THE BOARD DOES NOT RESPOND TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE MEETING.
BUT WE ARE HERE AND WE WE ARE LISTENING.
THE FIRST AND I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCED SOME NAMES.
THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK IS MARISSA HARRIS.
ON THE TOPIC OF POLICY ON GRADING AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS, PAGE FIVE OF 11. ACADEMIC HONORS AND GRADUATION POLICY.
MISS HARRIS. FIVE MINUTES ON THE CLOCK FOR YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING ABOUT MY CONCERNS. MY NAME IS MARISSA HARRIS, AND I AM THE PARENT OF DYLAN HARRIS AT RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL.
LAST YEAR, I FELT FORCED TO COMPLY AND SIGN A POLICY THAT I FELT WAS WRITTEN WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
WHEN MY SON CHOSE TO BYPASS HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR BECAUSE HE HAD 13 CREDITS PENDING THE COMPLETION OF HIS FRESHMAN YEAR.
WE HAD TO SIGN A CONTRACT GIVING UP HIS ABILITY TO BECOME A VALEDICTORIAN IF HE MAINTAINS HIS RANK. TODAY, I'M HERE TO REQUEST A REVISION OF POLICY IKA GRADING ASSESSMENT, PAGE FIVE OF 11 STATES STUDENTS GRADUATING EARLY WILL BE RANKED AS MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR CLASS, BUT STUDENTS MUST ATTEND EIGHT SEMESTERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, GRADES 9 TO 12, TO QUALIFY FOR THE VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN. THIS STATEMENT SHOULD BE REMOVED BECAUSE DILLON SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CLASSES THAT HE WAS OFFERED AS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER AT THE SAME SCHOOL THAT HE CURRENTLY ATTENDS.
YET, SOMEONE CAN TRANSFER INTO THE SCHOOL AT THE START OF THE JUNIOR CLASS AND STILL BE CLASSIFIED AS VALEDICTORIAN.
DEALING WITH HAVE FOUR CONSECUTIVE SEMESTERS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AS STATED IN THE POLICY, I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE JANUARY THE 17TH, 2025, AND THEY LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A STATE POLICY, WHICH IS INACCURATE. THE OMBUDSMAN HAS SENT ME WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE SAYING THAT THIS IS A LOCAL ISSUE. DILLON IS CURRENTLY RANKED NUMBER ONE IN HIS JUNIOR CLASS WITH A 5.082 GPA, AND HE WILL GRADUATE WITH AT LEAST 21 COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS, EVEN BY GRADUATING AND SKIPPING THAT GRADE.
ALTHOUGH HE IS GRADUATING EARLY, HE WILL ONLY HAVE FIVE CLASSES LEFT NEXT YEAR IN HIS SENIOR YEAR TO COMPLETE AS A SENIOR, SO HE'LL BE STILL GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL AT A HALF A DAY, AND IT WOULD NOT BE BENEFICIAL FOR HIM TO CONTINUE TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR JUST TO TAKE SOME FLUFF CLASSES THAT WILL NOT BE PRODUCTIVE FOR HIM.
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WHY ARE CLASSES BEING OFFERED FOR ADVANCEMENT IF STUDENTS WILL BE PENALIZED LATER? WHAT IS THE BENEFIT? WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES? DYLAN HAS WORKED HARD TO MAINTAIN AN A AVERAGE ALL THROUGHOUT SCHOOL AND IT MAY AGAIN GO UNNOTICED. I WAS TOLD THAT DYLAN WOULD BE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM ANOTHER CHILD. BUT WHAT ABOUT DYLAN? IT SHOULD BE ALSO CONSIDERED THAT DYLAN HAS ALSO CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER CHILD BY HIM SKIPPING A GRADE AND MOVING TO ANOTHER GRADE, ANOTHER CLASS, ANOTHER CHILD IS ABLE TO MOVE UP.IF DYLAN MAINTAINS HIS RANK AS NUMBER ONE, IT WON'T BE BENEFICIAL TO THE NEXT STUDENT TO BE LISTED AS THE VALEDICTORIAN IF HIS OR HER TRANSCRIPT DOES NOT CONFIRM THE SAME THING.
IT'S ALSO SETTING THAT CHILD UP FOR FAILURE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REVIEW THE CURRENT POLICY AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
DYLAN HAS EARNED THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HE IS CURRENTLY RANKED NUMBER ONE.
SO IF HE MAINTAINS THAT RANK, THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES.
HE'LL BE THE STUDENT THAT SOMETHING WILL BE TAKEN FROM THAT WAS EARNED.
LASTLY, ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS TOLD ME AS WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY SUCH THING AS A VALEDICTORIAN IF THEY HAD THE CHOICE.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU A STORY.
MY SISTER GRADUATED THIRD IN HER CLASS AND SHE WENT TO COLLEGE.
MY MOM COULD NOT AFFORD FOR HER TO STAY IN COLLEGE.
I WAS A STUDENT THAT RECEIVED VALEDICTORIAN SCHOLARSHIP.
I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE COLLEGE.
TO ME, IT'S AN HONOR. TO ME, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO ME.
IT HAS MADE ME THE PERSON I AM TODAY.
OTHERWISE, I MAY HAVE NOT HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE FOR MY CHILD TO HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY.
HE HAS WORKED HARD. AND JUST BECAUSE A KID HAS DONE WELL, AND JUST BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO ADVANCE BASED UPON THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT AIKEN COUNTY HAS GIVEN HIM, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HARRIS.
NEXT. MISS GILLIAN FORREST IS GOING TO COME SPEAK ON REDCLIFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INCIDENTS. OKAY. OKAY.
MY NAME IS GILLIAN FORREST, A PROUD GRADUATE OF REDCLIFF ELEMENTARY, A LIFELONG JACKSON RESIDENT AND SOMEONE WHO STILL CALLS THIS PLACE HOME. I'M STANDING HERE WITH A PETITION SIGNED BY NEARLY 200 PEOPLE.
THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE, UNITED BY ONE, DEMAND AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE ADMINISTRATION AT REDCLIFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
LET ME BE BLUNT. THE CLIMATE INSIDE THIS BUILDING IS TOXIC.
TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP.
THEY'RE NOT NERVOUS AND THEY'RE NOT HESITANT. THEY ARE AFRAID.
AFRAID OF BEING WRITTEN UP, BLACKLISTED, RETALIATED AGAINST ALL BECAUSE THEY HAD THE COURAGE TO WITNESS AND REPORT WRONGDOING.
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT WRONGDOING. BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING ISN'T JUST UNETHICAL, IT'S DANGEROUS. WE HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN OUR CARE, BEING PHYSICALLY ABUSED BY SOMEONE HAND-PICKED BY THE PRINCIPAL, A FRIEND.
NOT ONLY WAS THIS SWEPT UNDER THE RUG, BUT STAFF WHO TRIED TO REPORT IT WERE MET WITH WRITE UPS. INTIMIDATION.
THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP, THAT'S CORRUPTION.
WE HAVE A CUSTODIAN WHO'S STILL EMPLOYED.
AFTER REPEATED COMPLAINTS OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, HE TOOK AN INAPPROPRIATE PICTURE OF AN ADULT STAFF MEMBER IN FRONT OF STUDENTS, AND INSTEAD OF SOUNDING THE ALARM, ADMINISTRATION ASKED THE STUDENTS TO WRITE WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND TOLD THEM NOT TO TELL ANYONE.
NO PARENT NOTIFICATION, NO TRANSPARENCY, JUST ANOTHER SECRET IN THE FILING CABINET. THE STAFF MEMBER RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT, MENTIONING OTHER DETAILS WHERE HE SEEMED TO STARE AT AND INTIMIDATE ONE OF THE CHILDREN THAT SPOKE UP ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.
HE HAS CONTINUED THE BEHAVIOR TOWARD HER AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS SINCE.
AND WHEN I BROUGHT UP THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS TOLD? THAT SOME PEOPLE MAKE BAD DECISIONS AND SAY THEY WON'T DO IT AGAIN.
AS IF THAT'S A VALID EXCUSE TO KEEP SOMEONE WITH A DOCUMENTED PATTERN OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR AROUND CHILDREN AND STAFF.
THAT'S NOT POLICY. THAT'S NEGLIGENCE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ISOLATED INCIDENTS. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
REDCLIFFE SCHOOL REPORT CARD HAS CONSISTENTLY DECLINED.
WHEN THIS CONCERN IS BROUGHT UP WITH LEADERSHIP, THE RESPONSE IS ALWAYS THE SAME.
IT'S EXPECTED IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF A NEW PRINCIPAL. BUT DOESN'T THAT EXPLANATION RAISE RED FLAGS? THREE YEARS.
THAT'S JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR A POOR ADMINISTRATOR TO RUN THE HALLMARKS OF A SCHOOL. THE TRIED AND TRUE EDUCATORS, THE VETERAN STAFF WHO KNOW HOW TO REACH AND TEACH OUR KIDS, AND WHO ARE THEY REPLACED WITH? FRIENDS AND ALLIES. PEOPLE WHO WILL STAY SILENT AND STILL DESPITE ALL THE HAND-PICKING, THE RESULT SPEAKS VOLUME.
THERE WAS NO CLIMATE REPORT AT ALL DURING YEAR ONE.
AND WHY IS WHAT? WHILE YOU'D EXPECT THAT BRINGING IN YOUR OWN TEAM MIGHT IMPROVE THINGS, THERE'S A LITTLE CONFIDENCE.
THERE'S LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. NUMEROUS STAPLES OF REDCLIFFE, THE EDUCATORS WHO MADE IT, WHAT IT WAS HAVE LEFT.
AND IT SHOWS. AND LET ME BE CLEAR.
THE PRINCIPAL IS TELLING STAFF THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THIS BOARD,
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THAT THEY CAN TALK TO THE DISTRICT, BUT EVERYTHING GETS BACK TO HER.LET ME ASK YOU, IS THAT A STATEMENT OR A THREAT? THE DAY BEFORE I WAS CALLED INTO THE OFFICE, THE PRINCIPAL WAS ALREADY QUESTIONING OTHERS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WAS SPREADING HER BUSINESS AND WHERE THE INFORMATION WAS COMING FROM. THAT WAS HER FOCUS.
NOT THE ABUSE, NOT THE FEAR, NOT THE GROWING CONCERNS, JUST WHO WAS TALKING AND HOW CAN I SHUT IT DOWN? WHEN I MET WITH THE PRINCIPAL, SHE IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED THE EXACT SAME REHEARSED SPEECH I HAD ALREADY HEARD FROM THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, SHE SAID. GOD SENT ME HERE.
AS IF SOMEHOW THAT JUSTIFIES WHAT'S TAKING PLACE UNDER HER WATCH.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY, JUST EXCUSES AND DAMAGE CONTROL.
I WAS CLEAR WITH BOTH HER AND THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL THIS ISN'T PERSONAL, BUT IF YOUR IMAGE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A CHILD'S WELL-BEING OR A TEACHER'S SAFETY, YOU'RE NOT FIT FOR LEADERSHIP.
IN AN EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, I ASKED A DIRECT QUESTION WOULD YOU SEND YOUR OWN CHILDREN TO RADCLIFF, A SCHOOL RAN BY YOUR FRIEND? HE WENT SILENT. NO ANSWER, NO DEFENSE.
JUST I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
IN THAT MOMENT, THE TRUTH WAS DEAFENING BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T SEND HIS CHILDREN THERE.
WHY SHOULD WE BE EXPECTED TO SEND OURS THERE? NOW WE HEAR THE PRINCIPAL IS BEING ALLOWED TO HANDPICK ANOTHER FRIEND AS THE NEW BACKUP ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. THAT SHOULD BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY.
THIS ISN'T JUST POLITICAL FOR ME.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT SIGNATURES ON A PETITION.
MY FIVE YEAR OLD CHILD GOES TO RADCLIFFE.
I DON'T SEE THIS THROUGH A LENS OF A CONCERNED CITIZEN.
AND SINCE THE MOMENT I BEGAN SPEAKING OUT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOUGHT HASN'T LEFT MY MIND? WHAT IF THEY RETALIATE AGAINST MY CHILD? RADCLIFFE WAS ONCE A PLACE, A PRIDE, A SAFE PLACE FOR SO MANY OF THESE KIDS, FOR SO MANY OF THESE KIDS WHO DON'T FEEL SEEN OR HEARD ANYWHERE ELSE.
THIS ADMINISTRATION IS POISONING THAT.
FOR WHAT? POWER, REPUTATION AND POSITION? LET ME ASK YOU, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL WALKING INTO YOUR WORK EVERY DAY, KNOWING IT'S CORRUPT, KNOWING NO ONE THERE BACKS YOU? HOW WOULD YOU FEEL AS A PARENT DROPPING YOUR CHILD OFF IN THAT ENVIRONMENT? WE'RE NOT ASKING. WE'RE DEMANDING A THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION.
NO INTERNAL POLITICS, NO BACKROOM SHIELDING.
YOU CAN IGNORE ONE COMPLAINT AND MAYBE TWO, BUT 200 VOICES.
THAT'S A MOVEMENT. AND IF THIS BOARD WON'T ACT, I PROMISE YOU WE WILL TAKE THIS HIGHER, LOUDER AND FURTHER. BECAUSE. RIGHT. RIGHT IS RIGHT, AND WRONG IS WRONG. WE WANT TO THANK OUR LOCAL BOARD MEMBER FOR BEING A CONSISTENT POINT OF CONTACT, AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS RAISED BY OUR COMMUNITY. BUT LISTENING ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH.
DESPITE MANY CONVERSATIONS AND THE TRUST WE PLACED IN HIM WHEN WE VOTED HIM IN, WE HAVE YET TO SEE REAL PROGRESS OR MEANINGFUL ACTION.
WE EXPECTED THIS POSITION TO BRING MORE THAN TALK.
WE EXPECT A CHANGE. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES MORE THAN PASS THROUGH COMMUNICATION.
WE NEED RESULTS. AND TRUTHFULLY, HE DESERVES TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE HE CAN OFFER MORE THAN JUST EMPATHY.
MISS FORREST, WE'RE OVER FIVE MINUTES.
I'M FINISHING UP NOW. HE SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO ACT, NOT JUST RELAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I TRULY HOPE YOU'LL CHOOSE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. NOT FOR POLITICS, NOT FOR APPEARANCES, BUT FOR OUR CHILDREN, OUR TEACHERS, AND EVERY STAFF MEMBER WHO WALKS INTO THAT BUILDING.
THEIR SAFETY, THEIR FUTURE, AND THE FUTURE OF REDCLIFF DEPENDS ON THE ACTION YOU TAKE NEXT. THANK YOU.
NEXT. MR. ANDREW SATTERFIELD WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON IMPROPER RESTRAINTS AND SECLUSION.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I AM HERE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSIGHT INTO THE WRONGDOINGS WITHIN REDCLIFFE TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION.
ECHOING MANY OF THE PREVIOUS STATEMENTS THAT WERE JUST MADE. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING THERE AND THERE IS STUFF THAT IS BEING HIDDEN. ON OCTOBER 29TH, 2024, I EMAILED THE RES ADMINISTRATION REGARDING AN INCIDENT IN WHICH MY SON HAD CAME HOME DESCRIBING HOW HE HAD BEEN DRAGGED ACROSS THE SIDEWALK AND THEN SECLUDED TO A ROOM WHERE THE ADULT THAT HAD DRAGGED HIM INTO THAT ROOM REPEATEDLY PUSHED HIM DOWN AND INSTEAD OF USING IMPROVED METHODS OF RESTRAINT OR DE-ESCALATION, CONTINUED TO JUST PUSH MY CHILD TO THE FLOOR.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE BACK TO THE EMAIL, BUT INSTEAD WERE INVITED TO A MEETING WITH RES ADMINISTRATION A FEW DAYS LATER.
THERE WAS NO AGENDA THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR THIS MEETING, SO WE HAD SIMPLY ASSUMED THAT WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THE MATTER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AT THAT TIME. ONCE WE GOT THERE, THE RAYS ADMINISTRATION HAD ESSENTIALLY TRIED TO GUILT US INTO OUR CHILD'S BEHAVIOR, STATING THAT THE RAYS STAFF REGULARLY COMES TO OUR OFFICE SPACES AND TEARS AFTER DEALING WITH THE BEHAVIORS OF OUR SON, AND THAT THE DESIRE WAS FOR US TO HEAR FIRSTHAND OF THE EMOTIONAL DRAIN THAT IT WAS ON THE STAFF. THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST CHILD THAT HAS HAD BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE BOTH PURSUED ADVANCED DEGREES TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE THINGS ON OUR OWN. BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT EMOTIONAL TOLL WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TRY TO BURDEN OURSELVES WITH. AND THEN WE HAVE NOW HAD TO GO IN AND BE GUILTED.
AS THE MEETING WAS CONCLUDING, I ASKED ABOUT THIS EMAIL I HAD SENT,
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ONLY FOR THE STAFF TO ACT LIKE THEY HAD NEVER RECEIVED SUCH AN EMAIL AND WERE UNAWARE OF ANY INCIDENT THAT HAD OCCURRED IN THIS MANNER.IT WAS ASKED IF I COULD RESEND THE EMAIL AFTER THE MEETING, WHICH I DID VIA REPLYING.
ALL THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT HERE, BECAUSE I MADE SURE THAT I DID NOT ADD ANY ADDITIONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES. I HAD THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESSES. EVERYTHING WAS SENT APPROPRIATE THE FIRST TIME. I FINALLY RECEIVED A RESPONSE TO THAT EMAIL ON NOVEMBER 11TH SAYING, I WILL LOOK INTO IT AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE FIND UPON INVESTIGATION TO THIS DATE, WE HAVE RECEIVED NO UPDATES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. SATTERFIELD. NEXT, SKYLER FOWLER.
WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON UNFAIR TREATMENT.
GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS SKYLER FOWLER, AND I COME BEFORE YOU, NOT JUST AS A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT, BUT ALSO AS A CONCERNED PARENT.
I'M A 4K EIGHT AT REDCLIFF ELEMENTARY.
I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M BOTH DISAPPOINTED AND ALARMED. THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION HAS CREATED A CULTURE OF SILENCE, CONFUSION, AND FEAR. THERE'S A SERIOUS LACK OF COMMUNICATION, AND WHEN STAFF RAISE CONCERNS, WE'RE OFTEN DISMISSED OR RETALIATED AGAINST.
THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP, THAT'S NEGLECT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS IS BEING COMPROMISED.
A CERTAIN EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE BUILDING AROUND OUR CHILDREN AFTER MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT HIM, AND EVEN WHEN HE MAKES THE STUDENTS AND STAFF UNCOMFORTABLE. AS A PARENT, THAT'S TERRIFYING.
AND AS AN EMPLOYEE, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
IT SHOULD NEVER TAKE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OR PUBLIC PRESSURE TO REMOVE A THREAT FOR STUDENT SAFETY. ON TOP OF THAT, STAFF ARE OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID, AND UNFAIRLY TREATED.
WE'RE EXPECTED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH LITTLE SUPPORT, LITTLE APPRECIATION AND WAGES THAT DO NOT REFLECT THE HARD WORK WE DO.
THIS IS DRIVING GOOD PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE DISTRICT AND HURTING MORALE ACROSS THE BOARD.
I'M SPEAKING UP TONIGHT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE POTENTIAL OF OUR SCHOOL.
WE NEED IMMEDIATE ACTION, STRONGER LEADERSHIP, REAL ACCOUNTABILITY, SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR THESE STUDENTS, FAIR TREATMENT FOR EVERYBODY, AND BETTER WAGES.
WE ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THESE KIDS.
SO LET'S JUST START ACTING LIKE IT BECAUSE A CHANGE HAS GOT TO HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, MISS FOWLER. NEXT I HAVE MAGGIE WILLIAMS. WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON WAGES AND PAY OR WAGES OR PAY.
I'M A PARAPROFESSIONAL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST CONSIDERATION FOR A PAY INCREASE TO BE CONSIDERED NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR OTHERS IN THE SAME POSITION AS MYSELF, OR SIMILAR ROLES THAT STRUGGLE DAILY TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
I HAVE BEEN A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR OVER TEN YEARS.
IN THAT TIME, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SIGNIFICANT PAY RAISES.
THE MOST THAT I HAVE RECEIVED THAT I CAN RECALL WAS A DOLLAR RAISED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I WORKED IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FIELD UPON LEAVING SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THE DOLLAR WAS TAKEN BACK BECAUSE I WAS NO LONGER IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
ALSO, A COST OF LIVING RAISE THAT MADE NO IMPACT ON MY TAKE HOME PAY.
DESPITE MY CONTINUED SERVICE, COMMITMENT AND COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENTS AND FLEXIBILITY AND ROLES, MY COMPENSATION HAS NOT REFLECTED THE RAISING COST OF LIVING OR MY EVOLVING RESPONSIBILITIES AFTER TRANSITIONING FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION. I WAS IN THIS ROLE FOR EIGHT YEARS IN VARIOUS SPECIAL EDUCATION POSITIONS ADDITIONS TO MY CURRENT POSITION, I EXPERIENCE A DECREASE IN HOURLY PAY, EVEN THOUGH I CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE SPECIAL NEEDS, HAVE SPECIAL BEHAVIORS, OR WHATEVER THEIR NEED MAY BE.
THIS HAS BEEN DISCOURAGING, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE SPECIALIZED CARE PATIENTS AND SKILLS REQUIRED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY.
AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL, WE STRUGGLE TO AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES SUCH AS FOOD, GAS, AND OTHER DAILY ESSENTIALS.
SOME HAVE EVEN LEFT TO PURSUE OTHER JOBS BECAUSE THEY COULD NO LONGER AFFORD TO STAY WITHOUT MY SPOUSE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO.
THE COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, ESPECIALLY IN GROCERIES AND TRANSPORTATION, YET OUR WAGES HAVE REMAINED STAGNANT.
IT IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO MAKE ENDS MEET ON THE CURRENT PAY, AND THIS IMPACTS NOT ONLY OUR PERSONAL LIVES, BUT IT IS EMOTIONALLY AND OVERWHELMING, EMOTIONALLY OVERWHELMING TO STRUGGLE WITH
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CHOOSING FOOD, GAS, BILLS OR BASIC NECESSITIES FOR YOUR FAMILY AND LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHILE NEW POSITIONS ARE BEING ADDED WITHIN THE DISTRICT, THERE HAVE BEEN NO MEANINGFUL INCREASE IN COMPENSATION FOR LONG TERM EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES LIKE MYSELF.MANY COMPANIES OFFER ANNUAL RAISES REWARD TO REWARD, LOYALTY AND PERFORMANCE, BUT OUR DISTRICT LACKS SUCH RECOGNITION.
IT HAS BEEN LACKING FOR YEARS.
I AM PROUD OF WHAT I DO AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES IN THE STUDENTS LIVES.
THIS IS WHY I CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I DO.
HOWEVER, IT IS BECOMING UNSUSTAINABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE WAGE, THIS WAGE. I AM SIMPLY ASKING FOR FAIR WAGES THAT REFLECTS THE VALUE OF MY EXPERIENCE, THE IMPORTANCE OF MY ROLE AND THE REALITY OF TODAY'S ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW OUR DISTRICT CAN AFFORD TO ADD ADDITIONAL ROLES THAT REQUIRE COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF MONEY, BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY LIVABLE, LIVABLE WAGES. PLEASE HELP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND IN UNDERSTANDING.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE THIS REQUEST INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.
SINCERELY, MAGGIE WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. NEXT, MR. EDDIE WHITE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ISSUE WITH SUBSTITUTE.
HEY, HOW Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME IS EDDIE WHITE.
I'M A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AT RADCLIFFE.
BEEN ONE OFF AND ON, PROBABLY FOR OVER TEN YEARS.
I WAS IN THE CAFETERIA THAT DAY.
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WITH THE CUSTODIAN.
I SEEN IT WITH MY OWN TWO EYES.
I HAPPENED TO PICK UP A CUSTODIAN ROLL.
I MEAN, A CAFETERIA ROLL FOR TWO WEEKS.
SO I WITNESSED IT. HIS BEHAVIOR FOR TWO WEEKS.
UNACCEPTABLE. THE OTHER SUBSTITUTE TEACHER CAME TO ME AND SHE SAID, HEY, THIS GUY'S MAKING ME FEEL CREEPY.
HE'S BREATHING DOWN MY NECK, COMING UP TO ME, GETTING REAL CLOSE, MY PERSONAL SPACE AND REALLY GETTING ON MY FREAKING HER OUT.
I SAID, WELL, GO TO THE OFFICE, FIND ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT. THERE'S ANOTHER SUB.
NOW SHE'S A FULL TIME GIRL IN THE CAFETERIA, AN OLDER LADY, MISS LOGAN, SHE WAS THERE. I TOLD MISS LOGAN ABOUT IT.
I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS WITH THE LADIES IN THE OFFICE ABOUT THIS GUY.
I'VE SEEN HIM BEFORE, BUT NOT IN THIS ASPECT WHERE HE'S AROUND THESE KIDS EVERY DAY YELLING AT THEM.
TELL THEM TO SLOW DOWN BEING JUST NASTY AND UGLY TO HIM.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST FACTS. AND I SEEN IT BEHAVIOR.
I ASKED HIS SUPERVISOR, HIS PERSONAL, WELL, MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR.
HEY, WHAT'S HE WHAT'S HIS FUNCTION? BECAUSE ALL HE DOES OVER HERE IS, IS SIT ON THESE ON THE STOOL BY THE WINDOW ALL DAY LONG IN THE CAFETERIA.
HE SAYS, WELL, HE DON'T COME IN TILL 2:00.
I SAID, WELL, HE'S BEEN HERE ALL MORNING, SO I SEEN HIM TAKE TWO BAGS OF TRASH OUT AND WE GOT TEACHERS AIDES BUSSING TABLES, CLEANING THE TABLES THEMSELVES.
THEY BRING THE KIDS IN IN THE MORNING FOR BREAKFAST, AND THE CUSTODIANS ARE SITTING AROUND AND THEY'RE BUSING THE TABLES.
THE TEACHERS ARE CLEANING, SWEEPING THE TABLES, GETTING THE DUST MOPS OUT, GETTING EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THAT WENT ON FOR LIKE FIVE DAYS UNTIL I JUMPED IN.
SO I'M GOING TO START DOING IT. AND JUST THE PASSES, THE SMART REMARKS. AND I EVEN EXPRESSED MYSELF TO THE LADIES IN THE OFFICE.
I THOUGHT, SOMETHING'S GOT TO GET DONE ABOUT THIS GUY. AND I LEFT AND I HEARD WHAT HAPPENED AND SHE FILED CHARGES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, SHE MADE A STATEMENT.
THE LADY THAT GOT THE PASS MADE AT HER THAT.
YEAH, HE GOT UP IN HER PERSONAL SPACE AND MADE PASS GOING.
SHE TOLD ME THIS. SO JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
NEXT. MR. DAVE POLLEN WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON STRATEGIC PLAN 2023 TO 2027.
OKAY. GOOD EVENING. SCHOOL BOARD.
FOLKS I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
STRATEGIC PLAN 2023 2027 HAS HAS BEEN A TOPIC THAT I'VE ADDRESSED WITH YOU NUMEROUS TIMES, AND I BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT TONIGHT YOU WILL SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFY THAT.
AND HOW WILL YOU MODIFY THAT? WELL, LO AND BEHOLD, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU TO DO FOR THREE YEARS. SO LET'S CELEBRATE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE REMOVING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF.
WE'RE TAKING IT OUT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
[00:30:02]
NOW THE QUESTION IS WHY IS THE SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERING THAT? AND WHY IS THE SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTING THAT THAT BE REMOVED WHEN FOR THREE YEARS YOU HAVE REPEATEDLY VOTED FOR IT TO REMAIN AND YOU HAVE USED RESOURCES SUCH AS SUCH AS INDIVIDUALS ON ACTION TEAMS, YOU'VE USED PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATORS, YOU'VE USED TEACHERS, YOU'VE USED THE PUBLIC, YOU'VE USED COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO FORMULATE STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS THAT SUPPORT DEI TRAINING. I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE DOING ALL THAT, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY, WITH A PETITION OF OVER 150 PEOPLE, TOLD YOU THAT THIS WAS INCORRECT AND THAT YOU SHOULD STOP IT.OKAY. NOW I UNDERSTAND THE REASON THAT WE'RE DOING THIS MODIFICATION AND YOU ALL WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE ON. YOU EITHER ACCEPT THE REMOVAL OR YOU REFUSE IT, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT YOU WOULD WANT DEI TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF TO REMAIN.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO LET GO OF THIS RACIST, RIDICULOUS NONSENSE THAT YOU'VE BEEN CLINGING TO LIKE A BUNCH OF DINOSAURS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. NOW, THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE REMOVING THIS IS BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW ADMINISTRATION FOR THIS NATION, AND THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS A PRESIDENT AND A CHIEF EXECUTIVE, AND HE HAS ORDERED EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL THAT RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING, OF WHICH YOU WILL RECEIVE TITLE NINE FEDERAL FUNDING.
YOU RECEIVE A BIG POCKET, AS THE TREASURER CAN WELL ATTEST TO.
AND SEVERAL OF YOUR PROJECTS RELY ON FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO IF YOU WERE TO KEEP THIS DEI TRAINING THAT'S BEEN IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR NUMEROUS YEARS, YOU WOULD LOSE THAT FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO ASSUME, AND I THINK I'M PRETTY DEAD ON, THAT. YOU'RE REMOVING THIS BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT HAS ORDERED THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT YOU WILL LOSE THE MONEY THAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO IF YOU KEEP THIS RACIST NONSENSE IN YOUR PLAN. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE REASON YOU'RE DOING IT.
OKAY. AND IT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE I THINK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT RECEIVE TITLE NINE SUPPORT IN THE PUBLIC AND THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS, THAT ADMINISTRATOR PROGRAMS ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THEIR FEDERAL MONEY SUPPORTED. SO I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS TO DO THIS.
OTHERWISE HE WOULD BE IN DEFAULT.
AND WE DON'T WANT OUR DISTRICT TO BE IN DEFAULT FOR LEGITIMATE FEDERAL FUNDING.
WE'RE JUST REMOVING DYE FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
BUT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT DYE AND ITS UGLINESS ISN'T LURKING SOMEWHERE IN SOME OTHER PORTION OF AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT? HOW WILL THE SUPERINTENDENT, HOW WILL THE BOARD WEED OUT THE REST OF THE DYE THAT CERTAINLY LURKS IN THIS DISTRICT? HOW HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? IS THERE ANY PLAN? YOU KNOW, YOU'VE TAKEN IT OUT OF THIS ONE.
BUT THE DOCUMENT GOES TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
YOU'RE OBLIGATED BY LAW TO SUBMIT THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED BY ANY LAW TO DIG THROUGH EACH AND EVERY SCHOOL.
ASK EACH AND EVERY PRINCIPAL, EACH AND EVERY TEACHER, EACH AND EVERY CURRICULUM AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL THAT COMES BEFORE YOU AND THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS.
SO HOW DO WE KNOW? WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DECREED THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH IT ANY LONGER.
BUT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CLEAN IT OUT IN ALL THE OTHER NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF THIS DISTRICT? WE DON'T WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE ONLY REASON THAT YOU LET GO OF WHAT WAS BECAUSE YOU WERE FORCED TO DO IT, AND SHAME ON YOU FOR HOLDING ON TO IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
WHEN WE TOLD YOU REPEATEDLY, THIS IS NONSENSE, YOU NEED TO GET RID OF IT, AND YOU IGNORED US.
AND THE LAST TIME YOU VOTED 8 TO 1 TO SUPPORT THIS PLAN WITH ALL THIS DEI NONSENSE IN HERE.
OKAY, SO NOW YOU'RE FINALLY WAKING UP BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING YOU WAKE UP.
OKAY, SO HERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU.
RHETORICAL. DOES THE SUPERINTENDENT STILL CONSIDER DYE TO BE NECESSARY OR LEGITIMATE? OR DOES DOES THE SUPERINTENDENT STILL SUPPORT IT? HOW ABOUT THE BOARD? HOW ABOUT THE BOARD MEMBERS? DO YOU GUYS STILL CONSIDER DYE TO BE VALID, NECESSARY OR WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT? OKAY, SO LET'S LET DYE GO.
OKAY. LET'S NOT HANG ON TO IT ANY LONGER.
OKAY. YOU'VE BEEN TOLD AND YOU'RE RESPONDING.
NOW LET'S LET IT GO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, MR. PULLEN. NEXT MRS. MARIA SULLIVAN WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON DYE, AND I APOLOGIZE.
BUT SOCIAL, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT MR. POLLAN HAD SAID, BUT IN A MUCH MORE BRIEF WAY THAN I THINK, THAT ELIMINATING THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
[00:35:05]
I BELIEVE IT TO BE DISCRIMINATORY.YOU STILL HAVE SOCIAL ENGINEERING PROGRAMS WITHIN YOUR CURRICULUM.
AND I SAW THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE I WAS ALLOWED TO EXAMINE THE SIXTH GRADE CURRICULUM, AND YOU THE COUNTY, I GUESS, HAD PURCHASED SOMETHING CALLED PANORAMA, WHICH IS A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING TYPE SOCIAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM, IN MY ESTIMATION.
AND THE REASON WHY I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE VIDEOS OF THIS PROGRAM ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SORRY, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO ANSWER, AND THEY WERE VERY PERSONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT FAMILY LIFE.
THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON THAT I FELT COULD BE VERY INTIMIDATING TO A CHILD TO HAVE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN, IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S RIGHT. SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S MY MAIN REASON FOR SAYING THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THESE PROGRAMS, I THINK THAT THAT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING BELONGS IN THE HOME WITH THE PARENTS AND NOT IN SCHOOLS FROM PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY'RE EXPERTS AND MAYBE THEY'RE EXPERTS IN PSYCHOLOGY OR WHATEVER.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT BELONGS IN THE CLASSROOM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SULLIVAN.
THAT WAS EVERYONE THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
THAT I HAVE. THERE ARE NO SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS SCHEDULED FOR THIS EVENING.
I HAVE NO TOPICS SPECIFICALLY FOR MYSELF.
WHICH BRINGS US TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THE FIRST OF WHICH ITEM? A1 IS A LONG LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
THIS IS A LIST OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT'S BEEN SCREENED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE MUST APPROVE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS SO MOVED.
MOTION MADE BY MISTER LINDELL.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECONDED BY MISS MORRIS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? DISCUSSION. MISTER MOULTON.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND AN AMENDMENT TO THIS MOTION THAT WE REMOVE THE REDCLIFFE APPOINTMENTS OUT OF IT, PENDING THE REQUESTED INVESTIGATION.
MR. MOULTON MADE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MOTION.
THAT'S ON THE FLOOR UP TO, I BELIEVE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, HOW MANY THERE ARE, BUT TO REMOVE THOSE CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS FROM THE LIST FROM CONSIDERATION AND WE WILL CONSIDER THE REST.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR MR. MILTON'S AMENDMENT MOTION TO AMEND? I SECOND THAT. MR. BROOME SECONDED THE MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION? MR. SILAS, COULD YOU ALLOW JUST A MINUTE FOR ME TO LOOK AT THAT ATTACHMENT? YEAH. SO AND JUST SPECIFY WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THINGS BY TITLE OR NAME.
THE BOARD. THE BOARD HAS THE LIST.
SO BY MR. MOULTON'S AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, WE ARE NOW GOING TO ROTATE.
ARE WE DOING IT OUT OF THE QUESTION.
HOLD ON A SECOND. THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WHAT THAT WOULD IMPACT IS NUMBER BY YOUR AMENDMENT THAT WOULD IMPACT NUMBER 28.
27. ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT ATTACHMENT A1 THAT THE BOARD HAS THE AMENDMENT THAT MR. MOULTON HAS MADE AND HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR.. BROOME WOULD IMPACT NUMBER 28.
AND IF THERE'S ANOTHER, I'M FEELING 27.
I GOT TO GET THERE'S NOTHING ON PAGE 27 AND 28, 27 AND 28. SORRY, I NEED TO BLOW THE PRINT UP.
SO AS I SCAN THE REST OF THE DOCUMENT, IT DOES NOT APPEAR THERE ARE ANYTHING ELSE
[00:40:02]
AFFECTED. SO THE THE MOTION TO AMEND IT HAS A SECOND THAT WE'RE NOW DISCUSSING.IT WOULD APPEAR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WOULD IMPACT 27 AND 28 ON THE LIST.
MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, DO YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? I DO, IT'S FOR THE DISTRICT WITH IF MR. MOULTON MOTION WERE TO PASS.
IS THERE A TIME FRAME THAT WE WOULD REALLY NEED TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE TABLE IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR? MISS HART, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THE HIRING TIMEFRAME? WELL, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME.
I'M SORRY. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
DOCTOR MURPHY, THERE CERTAINLY IS AN IMPACT ON TIMELINE.
SO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IS MAY 13TH, WHICH IS AFTER THE STATE DEADLINE OF MAY 10TH FOR CONTRACTS. THAT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO HIRE.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A TEACHER TRYING TO COME FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY HAVE LIKELY SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH ANOTHER DISTRICT, AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THEM.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INTERNAL TEACHER WHO IS BEING PROMOTED THEN IT IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO BACKFILL THAT POSITION IN A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL WAY.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION? HEARING NONE.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE ARE NOW GOING TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH WOULD REMOVE NUMBER 27 AND NUMBER 28 FROM CONSIDERATION ON ATTACHMENT A1.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MAKING THAT AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S FOUR IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S FOUR AGAINST. MISS MAHONEY, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER PROCEDURE.
DO WE KEEP VOTING OR THE MOTION FAILS WITH A TIE? SO? SO. YEAH. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME.
THE MOTION FAILS WITH A TIE OF 4 TO 4.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS TO THE MAIN MOTION THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED? I'LL MAKE A I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE.
NUMBER 28 BE ALLOWED BACK IN AND WE HOLD OUT 27 UNTIL PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
OKAY. SO MR. BROOME HAS MADE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION TO REMOVE.
AND I'M GOING TO GET THIS RIGHT.
NUMBER 27 ON THE A1 ATTACHMENT LIST.
LET ME LET ME MAKE SURE HE'S READING THIS THING SIDEWAYS HERE.
YOU'RE RIGHT. SO I'M ON THE RIGHT NUMBER OR I'M WRITING.
SO WE'RE REMOVING 27, CORRECT? YES. SO, MISS MAHONEY, CAN I.
SURE. I DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK SOMETHING PUBLICLY THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST MENTION THE STATE STATUTE THAT SAYS BEFORE MAY 1ST, EMPLOYEES CAN BE CERTIFIED.
EMPLOYEES NEED TO BE NOTIFIED OF REEMPLOYMENT.
IF THEY'RE NOT NOTIFIED OF FORMAL NON-RENEWAL, THEN THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY REEMPLOYED. SO I WOULD SPEAK TO THAT BROADLY FOR WHATEVER IS UNDER CONSIDERATION. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW OF THAT STATUTORY LANGUAGE FOR THE CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES. OKAY.
THANK YOU, MISS MAHONEY. WITH WITH WHAT? I UNDERSTAND, I DON'T THINK THIS AMENDMENT WOULD BE AN ISSUE WITH THAT, BUT I'M TRYING TO THINK.
OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS. WITH THE REMOVAL OF NUMBER 27 FROM ATTACHMENT A1 PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE? MR. LINDELL? I DON'T UNDERSTAND A PATH FORWARD TO SEE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY AND THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
[00:45:01]
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS AND WHAT'S GOING ON.I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, MR. LINDELL. AND THE BEST WAY I CAN ANSWER THAT IS THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN DELAY THE DECISION ON THIS.
AND UNTIL THAT'S WHATEVER'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION? MISS TYLER? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS MORE SO REGARDING DELAYING THE APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTED PERSONNEL HERE. HOW DOES THAT COME INTO PLAY WITH ANYTHING ELSE? I WE'RE APPROVING THESE RECOMMENDED HIRES.
NO. THAT'S. YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION.
THIS IS JUST BASED ON APPROVING THE SUGGESTED HIRES, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. EXCEPT.
RIGHT. OKAY. BUT, YEAH, I'M NOT 100%.
I'M SAYING YES, BUT HOPEFULLY I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
YOU ARE? OKAY. I MEAN, IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT I NEED TO CONSIDER, THEN I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT WE.
IF WE PASS THIS AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION.
WE ARE DELAYING ANY DECISION ON THE POSITION RELATED TO NUMBER 27 ON THIS LIST.
NOT HEARING ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION TO REMOVE NUMBER 27 FROM THE ATTACHMENT A1 PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S FIVE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S THREE AGAINST THE MOTION CARRIES 5 TO 3.
OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE A SHORT LIST THAT WAS NECESSARY BY POLICY TO HAVE AS ATTACHMENT A2.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS ON ATTACHMENT A2? I MOVE TO I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS LISTED IN ATTACHMENT A2, I MADE THE MOTION. MR. RHINEHART-JACKSON IS SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE A TWO PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'M SORRY. YEP. AND ONE ABSTENTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE A TWO PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
PASSES SEVEN IN FAVOR AND ONE ABSTENTION.
SO THIS IS WHERE OUR ANNUAL EVENT, SO TO SPEAK, OF REEMPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL.
SO ITEM NUMBER THREE ON INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IS THE REEMPLOYMENT OF CERTIFIED PERSONNEL FOR THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF ON PAGE THREE FOR THE REEMPLOYMENT OF CERTIFIED PERSONNEL FOR NEXT YEAR? SO MOVED. MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
NEXT IS ITEM A4 IS REEMPLOYMENT OF CERTIFIED PERSONNEL, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS FOR THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST ATTACHED AS A4 FOR THE REEMPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL, ESPECIALLY CERTAIN CONDITIONS SO MOVED.
MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECONDED BY MR. SILAS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM A4, REEMPLOYMENT OF CERTIFIED PERSONNEL. SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.
OKAY. AS WE GET TO ITEM A5 DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.
DOCTOR MINOLFO HAS A SHORT PRESENTATION.
TOO MANY THINGS IN MY HANDS. MR.
[00:50:03]
JOHN. THANK. ALL RIGHT.WELL, GOOD EVENING, MR. NUESSLE. DOCTOR MURPHY, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
SO EXCITED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN REVISION I DO WANT TO POINT OUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME DOCUMENTS, ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS. YOU MAY HAVE SOME THAT ARE HARD COPIES.
AND WE'LL HAVE A COPY OF THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT I'LL REFERENCE IN THE PRESENTATION. BUT THE GRAPHIC ON THE GRAPHIC WILL BE MUCH EASIER TO SEE.
YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT I'LL REFERENCE DURING THE PRESENTATION.
SO WE HAVE TWO THINGS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING. AND I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT I HOPE TO BE THOROUGH AND SHARING WITH YOU SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE THIS YEAR.
ONE IS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC REVISIONS TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND EVERY SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN.
AND IT'S TYPICALLY A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL REQUIREMENTS THAT THAT WE ARE TO PROVIDE LIKE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT STAKEHOLDERS AND MANY OF YOU WERE PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPATING IN THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL. SCHOOL DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC PLAN BACK IN 20 2122 SCHOOL YEAR.
THE THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO STRESS ABOUT STRATEGIC PLAN IS THAT IT'S DYNAMIC AND EVOLVING. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT IS THAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE MAKING IT A MORE DYNAMIC, EVOLVING GUIDE TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD IN OUR DISTRICT AND IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND AND, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND ALSO FOR OUR STAFF.
SO WHAT HAVE WE DONE? THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID, AND I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT ON THIS DOCTOR MURPHY WAS ADAMANT THAT HE WANTED TO MAKE SHIFTS IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO MEASURABLE GOALS THAT HE CAN UTILIZE, THAT WE CAN CREATE A DASHBOARD AND HAVE ACCESS TO LIVE DATA, WHETHER IT'S LEAD DATA OR LOG DATA, EITHER ONE.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CONSTANTLY MEASURE HOW WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT PAGE, IT'S MUCH BETTER IN YOUR IN YOUR HANDOUT.
BUT BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IN THE VERY LIGHT BLUE.
THOSE ARE ALL THE MEASUREMENTS IN OUR DISTRICT REPORT CARD.
THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT THAT WE GET REPORTED ON AND THAT WE GET OUR RATING BASED ON. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DECIDED TO DO OR WE WE THE DECISION WAS MADE AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AND DILIGENT IN THIS NEW STRATEGIC PLAN VERSION IS TO ALIGN THE DISTRICT'S METRICS FROM THE REPORT CARD WITH EACH SCHOOL AND EVEN GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GRADE LEVELS, DEPARTMENTS AND STUDENTS TEACHERS THEMSELVES TO DEVELOP GOALS AND ACTION STEPS THAT ARE ALIGNMENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN UPSIDE DOWN PYRAMID, YOU HAVE THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE.
AND IDEALLY, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING TO OUR SCHOOLS IS ALIGNMENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL, TO THE CLASSROOM, WHERE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE WORKING ON THE SAME METRICS THAT SUPPORT THEIR GRADE LEVEL OR DEPARTMENT GOALS, THEIR SCHOOL GOALS, AND THEN THE DISTRICT GOALS. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, I'M AT THE VERY TOP. THAT'S FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IS THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. SE RADKE ELA AND MATH.
AND SO THE ALIGNMENT IS FROM THE DISTRICT WHICH WE REPORT ON THAT AS A WHOLE.
AND WE AND ALSO ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS DON'T REPORT ON SE READY, BUT SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENTS AND GRADE LEVELS AND EVEN DOWN TO TEACHERS SCHOOL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES WOULD BE ABLE TO BE REPORTED AND MONITORED.
AND SO THAT'S A QUICK EXAMPLE, BUT I HOPE IT GIVES A PICTURE OF WHY THIS IS SUCH A BIG, IMPORTANT SHIFT FOR US IN OUR IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO ONE THING THAT WE, WE DID, BECAUSE OF THAT SHIFT IN HOW WE ARE MONITORING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, IS WE HAD TO DISCONTINUE CERTAIN GOALS AND THEY WERE SPECIFIC TO THOSE METRICS.
SO AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IN THE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU HAVE GOALS TEN, 11, 12, 13, 14 AND 15, THOSE ARE ALL DISCONTINUED.
AND THEY'LL SAY THAT RIGHT NEXT TO THE NUMBER AT THE TOP OF THE THE PERFORMANCE GOAL.
AND THOSE WERE DONE SPECIFICALLY DUE TO THE SHIFT IN METRICS.
OKAY. THE NEXT SET OF GOALS TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND EIGHT, YOU'LL NOTICE THOSE WERE ALL REVISED.
AND THEY WERE REVISED, SOME IN THE LANGUAGE, BUT ALSO PRIMARILY IN THE DATA THAT WE'RE COLLECTING, THAT IT ALIGNS TO OUR DISTRICT METRICS ON OUR REPORT CARD.
AND SO YOU CAN EASILY SEE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
WE CONTINUE SOME GOALS, SOME GOALS WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY METRICS FOR. AND SO A REPORT CARD METRICS FOR.
[00:55:02]
AND SO THESE GOALS SPECIFICALLY WE WE JUST WE MADE UPDATES TO THOSE AS REQUIRED BY DISTRICT POLICY. STATE POLICY. BUT THESE DIDN'T REALLY CHANGE.WE HAVE A HAVE SCHOOL CLIMATE GOAL THAT FOCUSES ON EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION.
WE HAVE TWO GIFTED AND TALENTED GOALS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW ONES ELA AND ONE MATH FOR THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES. SO AS WAS MENTIONED ACTUALLY EARLIER PERFORMANCE GOAL NUMBER NINE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REVISED.
IT DID HAVE LANGUAGE THAT WE FELT WAS NEEDED TO BE REVISED BASED ON THE PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER, AS YOU CAN SEE.
AND THAT STATEMENT IS ACTUALLY PROVIDED FOR IN THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND SO THERE WERE THERE WERE REVISIONS MADE IN ORDER TO BE IN ALIGNMENT TO THAT REQUIREMENT. ADDITIONALLY, WE REMOVED GOAL 14.
IT TENDED TO BE A REDUNDANT GOAL.
AND WHAT NOT ONE THAT WE FELT LIKE WAS NECESSARY.
WE WERE ONLY REQUIRED TO HAVE TWO DISTRICT GOALS FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED.
AND THE THIRD ONE REALLY WAS ONE THAT WE FELT WAS NOT AN APPROPRIATE GOAL TO SUPPORT OUR GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM.
AND THEN GOAL 16 WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED.
IT IT AGAIN, IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY DISCONTINUED.
NOW IT HAS TO STAY IN THE PLAN.
I WASN'T ALLOWED TO REMOVE THE GOALS.
I HAVE TO WRITE THAT IT'S DISCONTINUED, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED US TO MAINTAIN THOSE. BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT DOES SAY DISCONTINUED AND THE REASON AND PURPOSE BEHIND THAT.
OKAY. ANY OTHER REVISIONS WERE VERY MINOR REVISIONS.
MOST OF IT WAS JUST UPDATES TO THE DATA THAT'S REQUIRED.
MAYBE SOME SHIFTS IN TITLES PERSONAL TITLES FROM DIRECTOR OF EARLY LEARNING OR DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM AND SERVICES CURRICULUM.
EXCUSE ME? CURRICULUM. DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM SERVICES.
AND THEN WE TRIED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AS WE'VE MADE SHIFTS TO THE METRICS SO THAT WE GET A BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE MEASURING AND WHAT THE WORK IS THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE THAT'S THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THIS YEAR.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR MINOLFO? I HAVE A QUESTION.
I HAVE A COMMENT. MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
IT IS A SAD DAY WHEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FORCED TO REMOVE WORDING AND PROGRAMS FROM THEIR INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIC PLANS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE EDUCATING, EDUCATING KIDS, ALL CHILDREN.
THE WORDING MAY HAVE CHANGED, BUT WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED IS THE COLOR OF MY SKIN. I AM DEI AND UNTIL MY TERM IS COMPLETED, THOSE LOOKING AT THIS BOARD WILL BE LOOKING AT DEI AT LEAST UNTIL 2026.
WE CAN CHANGE THE WORDING, BUT I CAN'T CHANGE THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.
I ADVOCATE FOR ALL. I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF INDIVIDUAL SKIN SCANNED AND WORDING.
WE DON'T NEED ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE. IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR MINOLFO? THANK YOU, DOCTOR MINOLFO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, SIR. SO.
WE ARE WE ARE IN A IN NEED TO OF A MOTION.
EXCUSE ME. TO APPROVE THE UPDATES TO THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2023 2027.
THAT HAS JUST BEEN REVIEWED WITH US.
SO MOVED. MOTION MADE BY MISTER LINDELL.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REVISIONS OF THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. I SEE EIGHT.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ANYONE ABSTAINING? THAT'S ONE.
THE MOTION CARRIES TO APPROVE THE UPDATES TO THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.
EIGHT TO 0 TO 1. THAT BRINGS US TO FIRST READING OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN NUESSLE, SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR MURPHY AND BOARD MEMBERS. THE CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT IS REVIEWED AND UPDATED ANNUALLY FOR RECOMMENDATIONS, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND REVISIONS FROM MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS. THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE READING,
[01:00:02]
THE FIRST READING FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE 2025 2026 SCHOOL YEAR.A SURVEY WAS SENT OUT TO SOLICIT TO SOLICIT INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS ON JANUARY 6TH, AND RETURNED ON JANUARY 31ST.
THIS INFORMATION WAS SUBMITTED TO CABINET FOR REVIEW AND THEN REDLINED COPIES HIGHLIGHTING CHANGES WERE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW.
TONIGHT WILL BE THE FIRST READING OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE.
THE FOLLOWING CHANGES WERE RECOMMENDED FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CELL PHONE POLICY AND THE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIOLATION. THE POLICY CAME OUT IN JANUARY, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDED THE CONSEQUENCES THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
SO IT WILL BE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AS WELL.
SOME SCHOOLS MAY NOT HAVE ES, AS YOU SEE, AS THE FIRST OFFENSE OF ES.
THEY MAY HAVE A REFLECTION RULE.
AND THAT STUDENT WILL BE APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS AT THAT AGE LEVEL TO GO TO THE REFLECTION ROOM DURING THAT TIME. THE SECOND OFFENSE WAS ES 1 TO 3 DAYS, AND THE THIRD OFFENSE IS OSS 1 TO 3.
BEHAVIORAL AND BEHAVIORAL CONTRACT.
IF A STUDENT SURPASSES THREE TIMES ON THAT, THEN IT BECOMES SOMETHING MORE OF A THIS JUST BEING DISOBEDIENT AND JUST NOT OBEYING THE COMMANDS.
ELEVATION REVISIONS OF A SERIOUS OFFENSE.
WE'VE SEEN THIS QUITE A FEW TIMES, BUT WE TRY TO LIMIT OTHER SERIOUS OFFENSES TO COMMUNITY ACTIVITY OR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
BUT THESE THINGS CAN OCCUR WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT.
FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE A MAJOR DISRUPTION 0 TO 0.
WE WE ELEVATED THAT FROM A LEVEL TWO TO A LEVEL THREE.
CONSEQUENCES. AND ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE CONSIDER A MAJOR DISRUPTION.
IF A STUDENT PULLS A FIRE ALARM AND THE SCHOOL HAS TO BE EVACUATED, THAT DEFINITELY WOULD DISRUPT THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL.
AND WE CONSIDER THAT AS A MAJOR DISRUPTION.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ELEVATED THAT TO A LEVEL THREE INFRACTION, WHICH WOULD THE FIRST OFFENSE WOULD BE A 1 TO 10 DAYS AND THEN RECOMMENDED FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR EXPULSION.
AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS.
THE SECOND OFFENSE RECOMMENDATION FOR EXPULSION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, SEXTORTION. GAVIN'S LAW HAS NOW A 715 IS THE CODE.
WE USED TO JUST USE IT 700 FOR OTHER SERIOUS EVENTS.
NOW GAVIN'S LAW WHICH IS SEXTORTION HAS ITS OWN CODE WHICH IS 715.
THE ARE REVISIONS ADDED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS.
MAJOR DISRUPTION WILL BE TALKED ABOUT.
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR THAT POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, SAFETY OR THE WELFARE OF OTHERS.
AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE FIRE ALARM.
SOMEONE CALLS IN FOR A BOMB THREAT, SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY COULD HAVE STUDENTS TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY FEEL FEARFUL, FEARFUL OF THEIR LIFE, SIMPLE ASSAULT AND UNLAWFUL ACT, OR VIOLENT INJURY TO ANOTHER, UNACCOMPANIED BY ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OF AGGRAVATION AND VANDALISM.
VANDALISM IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO SEE THAT HAS A HIGH VALUE VANDALISM.
VANDALISM IS STUDENT MARKS ON A DESK.
THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE EVEN THOUGH IT IS VANDALISM, BUT FOR IT TO BE ELEVATED TO A LEVEL THREE OR WHERE IS THAT? NOW WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DEFINITELY DONE TO PROPERTY.
SO IT IS SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE PROPERTY, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CLARITY IN THAT DEFINITION, WHICH IS ADDED TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT.
THE FINAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE STUDENT STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT DIGITALLY THIS YEAR. SO THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT STATEMENT THAT ALL PARENTS AND STUDENTS MUST HAVE IS GOING TO BE IN POWER SCHOOL, SO THEY MUST CHECK IT OFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT.
NOW, YOU SEE, WE HAVE VERY FEW CHANGES THIS YEAR IN THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT.
WHICH MEANS THAT WE MUST HAVE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB IN REVIEWING OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. LINDELL? I JUST GOT A COMMENT.
[01:05:02]
I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE PUTTING MORE TEETH INTO MAJOR DISRUPTIONS IN THE SCHOOL, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT VANDALISM IS GOING TO GET ADDRESSED BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW BUILDINGS AND WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, MAKE SURE THEY STAY NICE. YES, SIR. MR. SILAS QUESTION, MR. DORN, JUST VERIFY FOR ME.IT SEEMS LIKE. AND MAYBE I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT IT THOROUGHLY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY CHANGE TO TO THE E-CIGARETTE VAPE CONSEQUENCES.
I THOUGHT WHEN I REVIEWED IT THAT I DETECTED WE DID MAKE A CHANGE TO THE CONSEQUENCES, BUT I DIDN'T. I DON'T THINK I SAW IT HERE.
YES, SIR. IT'S IN THE PRESENTATION.
WAS IT? YES, SIR. E-CIGARETTES.
VAPING DEVICE WE'RE GOING TO USE.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT THIS IS THE CHANGE THAT WE HAD.
SO IS THAT A RELAXATION OF THE OFFENSE OF THE OF THE WHAT IS IT NOW VERSUS THIS.
WE'RE USING IT JUST FOR A TOBACCO PRODUCT.
IT'S JUST 230. EVEN THOUGH 230 DASH VAPE WAS IN THERE THE MAJORITY OF TIME WE WERE JUST USING THE 230 FOR TOBACCO VIOLATION.
SO WHAT IS IT TODAY FOR THOSE THREE? THAT IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE TODAY, SIR, IS ONE.
THE FIRST OFFENSE IS GOING TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION FOR 1 TO 3 DAYS.
YOUR SECOND OFFENSE IS GOING TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL 3 TO 5 DAYS WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR EXPULSION. LET ME ASK MY QUESTION AGAIN.
WHAT IS IT IN TODAY'S CODE OF CONDUCT, NOT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THAT, SIR, BUT THE PART THAT WE WERE NOT USING THE 230 WITH THE VAPE CONNECTED TO IT.
I GOT IT. OKAY. SO THE FENCES ARE THE SAME.
THAT'S OKAY. THE PORTION OF THE CODE WE HAD TO ADD THE GOOD WITH THAT.
WE JUST KNOW HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM THAT IS FOR US. AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T RELAXING ANY. OH NO CONSEQUENCES.
THANK YOU. YES, SIR. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. DUNN. MR. BROOME, I HAVE A SODA.
THE 230 WILL BE FOR NON THC ONLY.
YES, SIR. TOBACCO PRODUCTS, SIR.
THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE. AND SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING BECAUSE THE NICOTINE THAT'S IN THE VAPE COULD BE CONSIDERED AS TOBACCO.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING MORE AS YOUR CIGARETTES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SIR. BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE OF THE VAPE, THE NICOTINE VAPES ARE IN SCHOOL.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO A MODERNIZED SYSTEM WHERE THE NICOTINE WOULD STILL BE TOBACCO.
CORRECT? TWO THIRDS. BUT IT'S HOW THEY'RE USING IT, SIR. THEY'RE USING IT WITHIN A VAPE.
IF THEY'RE USING THE NICOTINE AND IT'S BEING USED BY A VAPE PARAPHERNALIA TYPE.
THEN WE'RE USING IT AS A TWO VAPE.
OKAY, BUT THAT'S STILL DIFFERENT FROM THE THC.
LACED PRODUCTS DIFFER FROM THC.
I GOT YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. DUNN? THANK YOU, MR. DUNN.
THANK YOU, SIR. SO THIS IS ON FIRST READING.
SO JUST LIKE OUR POLICIES, THE CODE OF CONDUCT IS LIKE A POLICY.
WE DO TWO READINGS. SO THIS IS NOT YOUR LAST CHANCE, BUT WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CODES OF CONDUCT FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ON FIRST READING.
SO MOVED. MR. LINDELL HAS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH ON FIRST READING. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY MR. MOULTON. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
FIRST READING OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT IS APPROVED.
ALL RIGHT. LAST INDIVIDUAL ITEM.
WE'LL CALL MR.. TRAXLER UP, I BELIEVE, FOR A PRESENTATION ON FIRST READING OF THE 2526 BUDGET.
AND WHILE MR. TRAXLER IS GETTING READY, JUST JUST A FEW COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK WHERE WE GOT SOME INFORMATION, ASKED SOME QUESTIONS, DIDN'T REALLY MAKE A LOT OF CHANGES.
SO I'M JUST AS WE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS AGENDA ITEM, WE DO NEED TO APPROVE FIRST READING OF THIS BUDGET IN SOME FASHION, PLUS OR MINUS. TONIGHT.
AS WE'VE DONE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE HAD A HAD A BUDGET WORK STUDY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET THAT ALLOWS US TO TO PROVIDE YOU
[01:10:05]
WITH THE MOST UP TO DATE INFO.THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY CHANGES FROM THE STATE LEVEL SINCE LAST WEEK.
THE FULL SENATE IS DISCUSSING THEIR VERSION OF THE BUDGET THIS WEEK, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT.
THIS IS AN ABBREVIATED VERSION FOR THOSE WHO WERE HERE LAST WEEK AND HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN.
WE HAD A TWO HOUR SESSION, TWO HOUR BUDGET WORK STUDY.
AS A RECAP, OUR BUDGET CALENDARS IS REFLECTED HERE.
OF COURSE, OUR FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET IS SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT.
BY THIS COMING MONDAY, WE'LL HAVE TO ADVERTISE IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER WHAT THE TENTATIVE VERSION OF THE BUDGET IS.
IT HAS TO BE 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET HEARING.
THE BUDGET HEARING ON THE BUDGET, ON THE BUDGET ITSELF AND ON ANY POTENTIAL TAX INCREASE THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR MAY 13TH.
AND THEN THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET CURRENTLY IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 27TH.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO PUSH IT BACK, WE HAVE JUNE 10TH AS AN OPTION.
TYPICALLY, THAT PUSH BACK IS USED WHENEVER WE HAVE DIFFERENCES.
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SENATE VERSION AND THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET. WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT.
THIS YEAR, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE VERSIONS CLOSELY MIRROR EACH OTHER WITH SOME SLIGHT DIFFERENCES. LAST WEEK'S DISCUSSION WE TALKED ABOUT KEY CONSIDERATIONS.
THOSE MUST ITEMS. THE SALARY STUDY.
IT FINISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE BOARD GAVE A GREEN LIGHT IN FEBRUARY TO START BUILDING THIS BUDGET UTILIZING THE SALARY STUDY PROPOSAL.
THERE WERE EARLY APPROVAL ITEMS THAT WERE AMONG OUR HIGH PRIORITY BUDGET ITEMS. THE SECOND ELEMENTARY AP AND OUR EXPANDED MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING TO TO ADDRESS MATH AND ELA CONCERNS. THEN WE HAVE VARIOUS UNAVOIDABLE, NECESSARY ITEMS TO APPROVE THE STATE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE.
AND THE STATE ESTABLISHES THAT YOU MAY RECALL US DISCUSSING LAST WEEK THAT ANY DISTRICT THAT IS ABOVE THE STATE MINIMUM HAS DISCRETION WHETHER OR NOT TO TO INCREASE.
THERE WAS ONE SALE OUT OF ALL OF OUR SALES THAT THAT DIDN'T MEET THAT, AND IT MISSED IT SLIGHTLY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THAT COMPONENT OF OF COMPETITIVENESS.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE STATE IS GOING TO COLLAPSE THE MASK OR EXCUSE ME, THE BACHELOR'S PLUS 18 PAY SCALE.
WE TALKED ABOUT 102 FOLKS BEING ON THAT PAY SCALE CURRENTLY AND GRANDFATHERING THOSE PEOPLE IN HOLDING THEM HARMLESS.
CONTINUING ON OUR END TO MAINTAIN THE BACHELOR'S PLUS 18 SCALE AND EVENTUALLY ELIMINATING THROUGH ATTRITION, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE IS GOING TO ELIMINATE FROM THEIRS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS AT ONE POINT.
THAT WAS ABOUT 20. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE A A COUPLE OF THOSE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT A SHORTFALL ON APRIL 15TH AND SHARED OPTIONS.
WE HAD. WE HAD A MULTITUDE OF OPTIONS THAT INCLUDING A TAX INCREASE, BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER ITEMS THERE THAT THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS IT SOLELY OR IN COMBINATION. THIS PROPOSED FIRST READING AND AND I WON'T READ THIS WORD FOR WORD, BUT I DO WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THESE ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE FIRST READING.
SO A $2,500 PER SALE TEACHER INCREASE PLUS STEP.
LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT 1500 BEING THE STATE MINIMUM AND WHAT THE COST WOULD BE OF AN ADDITIONAL 500. BUT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE PAY SCALE AND THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS THERE.
AND I'LL SHARE SOME INFO SHORTLY.
IN ORDER TO FUND THAT SALARY STUDY IMPLEMENTATION RATHER THAN FULL BLOWN SALARY STUDY PROPOSAL. IMPLEMENTING THAT AT 90%.
A SECOND ELEMENTARY AP ADDITIONAL TEACHERS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE STATE HEALTH INCREASE, 4.6% THAT WE HEARD ABOUT LAST WEEK JUST BEFORE THE MEETING. BECAUSE THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, THAT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT A 2.3% INCREASE.
[01:15:02]
ABSORPTION OF VARIOUS STATE FUNDING SHORTFALLS, DEBT SERVICE INCREASE, THE ADDITION OF MORE TEACHERS, A COST NEUTRAL TECHNOLOGY.ALL OF THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY REFLECTED IN THE FIRST READING OF THIS BALANCED BUDGET. SHIFTING APPROPRIATELY CREDENTIALED AIDES, ATHLETIC DIRECTORS TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE HIRING SIX LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS.
LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT SEVEN.
AND AS WE LOOKED AT MAYBE PARING SOME THINGS DOWN A LITTLE BIT THE THOUGHT WAS THAT MAYBE RSM AND WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH COULD SHARE ONE.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WENT FROM 7 TO 6.
FUNDING TO HIRE A WEBMASTER VIDEOGRAPHER.
CURRENTLY THAT'S BEING CONTRACTED.
NOW, THAT CONTRACT WASN'T BUILT INTO THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR 2425.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THAT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION AFTER THE FACT.
CTE PROPOSAL, A MAINTENANCE PROPOSAL FOR MODIFICATIONS TO A COUPLE OF CURRENT POSITIONS AND THE ADDITION OF OF THREE MAINTENANCE POSITIONS, ONE OF THOSE TO BE FUNDED BY THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM THAT WOULD WORK EXCLUSIVELY IN OUR KITCHENS. HIRING A FOURTH CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM FIELD SUPERVISOR.
AGAIN, NOT GENERAL FUND FUNDED, BUT I DID WANT TO LIST THAT MODIFYING THREE SPED COORDINATORS TO DIRECTOR LEVEL FUNDING AND A DIRECTOR INCREASING STUDENT INFO CLERKS FROM 200 DAYS TO 205. THE ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU WAS 210 DAYS.
FIVE DAYS ARE GOING TO MEAN A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
I SUSPECT NEXT YEAR YOU'LL SEE A REQUEST TO ADD THOSE ADDITIONAL DAYS.
WE'RE TRYING TO TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORK WITHIN THIS BUDGET WHILE PROVIDING SOMETHING FOR TRAINING, INCREASING ATHLETIC SUPPLEMENTS.
LAST WEEK THIS WAS PRESENTED AS A 3% INCREASE, WE LOOKED AT BUMPING THAT TO 10% NOW WHILE KEEPING OTHER SUPPLEMENTS, OTHER STIPENDS WITH A 3% INCREASE.
THAT THAT INCREASED TO 10% WOULD BE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THAT'S THAT'S NEW. THAT'S A REVISION.
THIS NEXT ONE WAS NOT LISTED NEXT WEEK OR LAST WEEK.
CREATING A VARSITY ASSISTANCE SUPPLEMENT FOR BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL.
FUNDING VARSITY GIRLS AND BOYS LACROSSE AT AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT REGULARLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
FUNDING INTERSESSION FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR AS ONE TIME.
AND THE REASON WHY WE SAY ONE TIME IS THAT WE COULD COME BACK NEXT WINTER EARLY SPRING AND EVALUATE THE BENEFIT OF INTERCESSION AND WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT RECURRING FUNDING IN THERE FOR 2627. THIS NEXT ONE IS A SLIGHT MODIFICATION.
PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS TO FUND A SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AGAIN TO MAKE THINGS FIT. WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOWER LEVEL STAFF MEMBER.
WE'RE LISTING IT AS ASSOCIATE HERE JUST TO JUST TO GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFFING TO THAT DEPARTMENT. FLEXIBILITY WITH ELEMENTARY CLASS CAPS.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT. WE SHARED NUMBERS LAST WEEK.
THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS WHOSE WHOSE CLASS AVERAGES FOR GRADE MAY BE OFF BY ONE STUDENT OR TWO STUDENTS IN AT LEAST HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY TO TO ADDRESS THAT SOME DISCRETION TO ADDRESS THAT CAN HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET.
WE'VE BEEN INCREASED OR SHOW AN INCREASE IN STATE REVENUE FOR STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS, HEALTH INSURANCE, RETIREE INSURANCE, ACT 308, LOCAL REVENUE FOR PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS AND FEES IN LIEU OF TAX.
INVESTMENT INCOME. THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTS A 20 MILL INCREASE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED NOW FOR 2 TO 3 MEETINGS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
IT ALSO WOULD WOULD INCLUDE THAT COMPONENT OF NATURAL GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE,
[01:20:06]
THE FIRST INCREASE IN SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE SINCE THE 2013 2014 SCHOOL YEAR WOULD BE THIS ONE AT THE BOARD, SO APPROVES.WE ALSO HAVE APPROXIMATELY 34 MEALS AT OUR DISPOSAL.
WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE THREE YEAR LOOK BACK AND THE CURRENT YEAR CAP, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A TRANSFER FROM EIA INTO GENERAL FUND, PART OF THAT TRANSFER WOULD HELP US JUMP START THE SALARY STUDY.
HOW AIKEN COMPARES HOW OUR TEACHER SALARIES COMPARE.
THIS IS BASED ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED GATHERING ALL OF THE TEACHER SALARIES BY DEGREE BY STEP FOR 2425 AND AND COMPARING IT OUT OF 72 DISTRICTS.
THE LOWER THE STEP, I SAY LOWER.
STEP TEN. STEP 11. AND THOSE THAT ARE HIGHER ARE VERY COMPETITIVE.
WITH THAT BAND AREN'T WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE.
SO WE'RE WE'RE TOP THIRD OF THE STATE, AND AIKEN AIKEN SHOULD NOT BE TOP THIRD.
SO AS DOCTOR MURPHY AND I WERE LOOKING AT THIS, WE SAID, ALL RIGHT, WE.
IF IF WE ASSUME THAT WHILE ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE DISCRETION, IF THEY'RE OVER THE STATE MINIMUM, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE $1,500.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD ASSUMPTION FOR THE MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IF WE MADE THAT ASSUMPTION, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE DID 2000 OR IF WE DID 2500 AS OUR INCREASE COMPARED TO THEIR 1500? AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS NEXT SLIDE.
AND AND IT IS A COMPLETE ASSUMPTION.
BUT YOU SEE A DRASTIC IMPROVEMENT IN RANKINGS.
BACHELOR'S ZERO WENT FROM A RANKING OF 22 IN THE IN THE 2425 YEAR TO POTENTIALLY A RANKING OF SEVEN IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.
NOW, THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS THE PAY BAN.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ADDRESSED AT SOME POINT.
BUT WE WOULD SEE A DRASTIC IMPROVEMENT IN THIS POTENTIALLY.
AND AND WE DON'T KNOW UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT DISTRICTS ARE ARE GOING TO INCREASE BY. WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THIS FALL WHENEVER THE STATE DEPARTMENT COMPILES THAT INFO AND POST IT. BUT I THINK IT IS IT IS A SAFE ASSUMPTION TO THINK THAT A LARGE MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL GO UP TO 1500, EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO, THAT THEY'LL GO UP TO THE 1500.
THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS WHAT THE PAY AMOUNTS WOULD BE BY STEP.
AGAIN, MAINTAINING THE BACHELOR'S PLUS 18 SCALE.
EVEN THOUGH THE STATE WOULD DO AWAY WITH IT.
AND IT WOULD BE STEP ZERO THROUGH 28.
I HAVE SNIPPETS OF THE REVENUE BUDGET PENDING DISCUSSION.
SNIPPET OF THE EXPENDITURES, BUDGET PENDING DISCUSSION.
I WILL POINT OUT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING THAT ONE.
YOU LOOK AT THESE TWO ITEMS HERE.
SO THAT'S 262 MILLION OUT OF WHAT IS ULTIMATELY A $289 MILLION BUDGET PROPOSAL. SO RIGHT AT RIGHT AT 90%.
SALARY AND FRINGE. SO 289.9 MILLION IS THIS PROPOSED BALANCED BUDGET 20 MILLION INCREASE? YOU HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER CHANGES HERE.
NEXT STEPS. OF COURSE, ANY DISCUSSION COMING FROM TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL GO THROUGH. WE'LL MAKE THE NECESSARY REVISIONS, AND THEN WITH QUICK TURNAROUND, WE'LL HAVE TO WE'LL HAVE TO GENERATE A BUDGET. ADVERTISEMENT.
[01:25:01]
WE'VE GOT A WE'VE GOT THE FRAMEWORK FOR IT RIGHT NOW.WE'LL JUST HAVE TO PUT NUMBERS IN THERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THE STATE BUDGET AND REFINED THAT. AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MR.. BROOME. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO COME TO ME FIRST.
TREY. I THIS TOTALLY WENT OVER MY HEAD LAST WEEK.
I JUST THIS CTE PROPOSAL, MY UNDERSTANDING AND I'M 100% A CAKE GUY.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE WERE STRUGGLING IS WE HAD A DIRECTOR PRINCIPAL THAT WAS SO TIED UP, BEING A PRINCIPAL IN THE FACILITY, THAT IT WAS REAL HARD FOR HIM TO GET OUT AND DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO BRING INDUSTRY AND US TOGETHER.
I THOUGHT THIS ANSWERED THAT LAST WEEK, BUT IT'S JUST SOME FAST WRITING HERE, AND I'M A SLOW READER.
WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY POSITIONS.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS MODIFYING THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF PRINCIPAL POSITION.
WE'RE UPGRADING IT, AND THEN WE'RE TAKING AWAY A CANSLER AND AN AP POSITION AND CALLING THEM A COORDINATOR AND A DIRECTOR.
I DON'T GET THIS. A WE'RE ALREADY COMING OUT WITH RAISES, SO WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? AND WE'RE NOT EVEN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE BECAUSE YOU GOT THREE PEOPLE, YOU STILL GOT THREE PEOPLE. WE'RE JUST PAYING THEM A RAISE AND THEN WE'RE GIVING THEM A HIGHER TITLE. I DON'T GET IT.
THERE IS NO NET INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BODIES.
THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES THERE, BUT I WOULD PROBABLY DEFER TO DOCTOR MURPHY OR MR. PASTEL ON THAT. GOOD EVENING.
YES, YOU'RE CORRECT. THE BUDGET IMPACT IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE OTHER POSITIONS. SO THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE SHIFT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T WE NO LONGER HAVE A DUAL SLOTTED DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, DIRECTOR OF CAREER EDUCATION CENTER.
SO THAT'S GOING TO FREE HIM UP THERE AT ONE POINT WERE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS OUT THERE. SO WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT ONE OF THEM.
SO NOW THERE WILL BE A DIRECTOR.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
SO THEY HAD AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
SO YOU WILL HAVE A NET CHANGE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO END UP HAVING SOMEONE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL WHO IS NOT TIED TO THE BUILDING.
AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS ACTUALLY DOING THE JOB OF DIRECTING THE CAREER CENTER. SO THERE IS NOT NECESSARILY A BUDGET IMPACT BECAUSE SOME OF THE SOME OF THE POSITIONS ARE BEING FUNDED BY GRANT.
SO IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO PUT US IN A MUCH BETTER FOOTING TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOLS. WHAT, YOU GOT A DIRECTOR? ALL RIGHT, THE DIRECTOR.
HIS JOB IS TO GO OUTSIDE, BUT HE CAN'T REALLY DO THE DIRECTOR JOB BECAUSE HE'S DOING THE PRINCIPAL JOB.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A PRINCIPAL HERE ANYMORE. WHO'S THE PRINCIPAL? WE'RE REPURPOSING A POSITION. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE WHAT WAS NORMALLY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION AND MAKE THAT THE PRINCIPAL.
WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH DISCIPLINE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER. SO WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR SLASH PRINCIPAL POSITION OF THAT BUILDING.
AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO COORDINATORS THERE AS WELL.
ALSO THERE'S GOING TO BE A DISTRICT LEVEL STAFF TO WORK WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ALSO HELP HIM IN THAT WORK AS WELL.
I CAN'T I DON'T I DON'T GET THIS.
I WOULD LIKE JUST A CLARIFICATION SO WE DON'T GET HUNG UP ON WORDS.
WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE A DIRECTOR POSITION THAT IS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE BUILDING. YES, BUT THAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET.
SO WE'RE LOOK, ANY WAY YOU WANT TO.
YOU CAN COAT THIS UP ANY WAY YOU WANT.
WE'RE TAKING THREE POSITIONS AND WE'RE ELEVATING THEM.
BUT WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY BODIES IN THIS BUDGET.
SO THEN WE'RE SAYING WE'RE LEAVING GAPS WHERE WE CAN FUND THEM SOME OTHER WAY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO COME BACK AND FILL THEM.
WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS WE SHOULD BE TAKING THAT DIRECTOR POSITION AND THAT PRINCIPAL POSITION AND SPLITTING IT AND HIRING SOMEBODY TO BE THE DIRECTOR AND SOMEBODY TO BE THE PRINCIPAL. AND LET'S GO OUT THERE AND GET THE BUSINESS AND TALK TO THE COMPANIES. WE CAN'T DO THAT WHEN WE'RE PUTTING EVERYBODY IN EXECUTIVE POSITIONS.
I THINK WE'RE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING YOU'RE SAYING. IT'S JUST IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THE TECHNIQUE YOU'RE USING.
WE REALLY ARE SEPARATING THOSE TWO POSITIONS.
THERE ARE THERE IS ONE POSITION IN THE BUDGET.
THE ELEVATION IS IN THE BUDGET.
AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER REPURPOSING. YOU HAVE A TOTAL I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE THERE'S THREE AND THREE. I MEAN YEAH, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE AGAIN WE HAVE WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM HAVING TWO A DIRECTOR AND AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
EXCUSE ME. IT'S A DIRECTOR SLASH CATE DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO.
[01:30:04]
NOW WE'LL HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DOING A DISTRICT WIDE TASK.YOU'LL HAVE A COORDINATOR WORKING WITH THEM. GRANT FUNDED.
I MEAN A CAREER CENTER DIRECTOR.
YOU WON'T HAVE ANY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TWO COORDINATORS WORKING WITH THAT TO MAINTAIN THAT BUILDING.
SO WE WILL INCREASE OUR DISTRICT LEVEL, NOT BUILDING BOUND POSITION.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.
THIS IS GOING TO PUT US ON A BETTER FOOTING.
WHY WOULDN'T WE BE DOING THIS ALREADY IF WE'RE NOT HIRING ANYBODY? I DON'T BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD AND WELL BEFORE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS FACILITY FOR A WHILE. THIS IS AN ISSUE.
WE ALWAYS SAID WE HAD TO SPLIT THAT POSITION AND HIRE ANOTHER BODY.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS HEARD.
AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT WE DON'T USE FANCY WORDS AND CHANGE SOME TITLES, BUT WE ALREADY HAD THE PEOPLE THERE AND WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT? I DON'T I TOTALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS. NOT NOT NECESSARILY, SIR.
WE DEFINITELY ARE ADDING POSITIONS, WHICH IS THIS DOCUMENT IS ONLY THE BUDGET IMPACT. AND SO IF WE HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO FUND THE POSITION, THERE IS NO BUDGET IMPACT.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE BODIES DOING THIS WORK MOVING FORWARD.
AND OKAY. WELL I DON'T UNDERSTAND OKAY.
AND THEN MR. TRAXLER, THE NEXT THING IS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WEBMASTER. NOW WHEN WE WERE TALKING, WE WERE SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE A COST NEUTRAL HIRE BECAUSE WE HAD A CONTRACT.
NOW, WHAT I DO NOTICE IS SOME OTHER COST NEUTRAL HIRES, SUCH AS TECHNOLOGY. WE STATED THAT IN HERE, BUT WE'RE NOT STATING IT ON THE WEBMASTER.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? IS THIS ACTUALLY STILL A COST NEUTRAL HIRE OR IS NOT COST NEUTRAL? FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LOOKING AT THE 2425 ORIGINAL BUDGET TO THIS ONE, IT WASN'T PART OF THE 2425 ORIGINAL BUDGET.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT TASKS THAT WE HAD TO, HAD TO CARRY OUT.
IT WAS MORE OF A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT SHOWING AS COST NEUTRAL.
THOSE ARE COSTS THAT WE'RE INCURRING NOW.
THOSE ARE COSTS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE HIRE THIS POSITION FULL TIME OR IF WE CONTRACT OUT, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE INCURRING THOSE.
BUT IT BUT IT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE BUDGET FOR 2425.
OKAY. AND AND CAN YOU STOP ME ANYTIME BECAUSE I'VE GOT A FEW MORE.
IF YOU DON'T COME BACK TO ME THE NEXT ONE AND SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS, OKAY. AND THEN THE NEXT THING WAS IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, WE HAD SOME POSITIONS THAT WE WERE FUNDING.
WE WERE LOOKING AT TO GO FROM DIRECTOR TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I DON'T SEE THEM IN YOUR PROPOSAL TONIGHT.
ARE THEY? HAVE THEY BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET? THOSE ARE THEY WERE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK.
THEY WERE BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNTS THAT WE WENT AHEAD AND BUILT IN.
YES, SIR. SO THEY ARE IN THE BUDGET.
SO THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET. BUT WHERE IS IT? I'M CONFUSED. THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT LISTED ON THIS SHEET, BUT THEY ARE PART OF THE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TONIGHT.
SO THAT'S NOT VERY TRANSPARENT THOUGH.
I MEAN. SIR, YOU ALREADY ADDED THIS.
THEY'RE IN THEY'RE IN THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT AT 289.
WHY DO WE NOT SEE THAT? I MEAN, I DON'T. I GUESS I'M CONFUSED.
I STAY CONFUSED. GO AHEAD, DOCTOR MURPHY.
BASICALLY, WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THEY'RE GOING TO BE BROUGHT AS A SEPARATE ITEM AND HE'S BUILT INTO THE BUDGET, BUT YOU ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YES OR NO INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE THE NUMBER IS RELATIVELY SMALL.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BASICALLY A $12 MILLION ENHANCEMENT TO OUR BUDGET. THESE NUMBERS GOT DOWN INTO THE THOUSANDS.
I'M NOT. I'M ASKING TRANSPARENCY.
I'M NOT ASKING. I MEAN, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DOLLARS.
IT'S ABOUT WE WAS OPENLY DISCUSSING SOME THINGS AND THEY DISAPPEARED.
AND NOW HE'S TELLING ME THAT THEY'RE STILL THERE.
BUT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE THAT.
NO, NO THEY'RE NOT. THE FUNDING IS THERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT APPROVED UNTIL THIS BOARD SAYS YES OR NO. WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THAT BOGGED DOWN IN THIS AGENDA.
IF IF THEY DON'T GET APPROVED BY THIS BOARD THAT TRANSPARENTLY, IF THEY DON'T GET APPROVED, THEN THAT MONEY IS $20,000.
THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS I'M GOING TO TELL YOU MY ISSUE WITH EVERYTHING IS I GET ASKED QUESTIONS EVERY DAY, AND IF I DON'T HAVE TRANSPARENCY IN WHAT I'M VOTING ON AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I CANNOT SERVE MY CONSTITUENCY THE WAY I
[01:35:01]
SHOULD SERVE THEM. I HAVE A STRONG ISSUE WITH ANYTHING THAT GETS HIDDEN.AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE ON ANYTHING WHEN SOMETHING GETS PUT UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A PACKAGE AND IT'S HID FROM ME OR HID FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS.
IT'S JUST WE ARE NOT GETTING APPROVED TONIGHT.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THAT TO BE APPROVED TONIGHT.
$20,000 IN A. WE HAVE A $278 MILLION BUDGET.
THE ISSUE $20,000. WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU ALL AS A BOARD TO APPROVE THE UPGRADE OF THOSE POSITIONS. TONIGHT. WE'RE ASKING FOR THE BUDGET TO BE APPROVED.
THE ISSUE IS, IS THERE WAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE APPOINTMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, AND THEY WERE TAKEN OUT WHERE WE DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN APPOINTED.
WE'RE NOT BRINGING HIM TONIGHT. NOW WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR THEM TONIGHT. BUT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET THOSE APPROVED TONIGHT, SIR.
CAN WE COME BACK AND GET MORE? YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE? MR.. MOULTON. MR.. TRAXLER.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THE FIRST QUESTION I HAD AND IT MAY BE THAT I DIDN'T HEAR ALL THE DISCUSSION PRIOR TO THIS.
THE INTERCESSION, THE VALUE OF INTERCESSION.
I THINK I SEE WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING TO CONTINUE IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND DID DID WE EVER GET ANY METRICS TO SUPPORT THE VALUE OF THIS YET? HAVE WE SEEN ANYTHING? THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THIS.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY CONSISTENT DATA TO SHOW YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD INTERCESSION ENOUGH TIMES.
OKAY. AND I THINK WE'RE WAITING ON THAT TO HAVE ONE MORE YEAR OF THAT DATA SO THAT WE COULD BE MORE ACCURATE.
OKAY. AND DO YOU DO YOU FEEL, I MEAN, YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A GUT HUNCH THAT IT'S GOING TO BE VALUABLE AT SOME POINT.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE THINKING? I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEST IF WE WAIT AND SEE THE NUMBERS AS FAR AS ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE OF THESE STUDENTS.
BUT IT WOULD BE AT THE END WHEN WE HAVE OUR FINAL STATE TESTING TO REALLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU.
AS A REMINDER, ON INTERSESSION WE HAD LAST YEAR, WE LOST THE FALL INTERSESSION DUE TO HELENE RECENTLY COMPLETED SPRING INTERSESSION.
SO I GOT A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
IT'S THE THE OTHER QUESTION DID I SEE IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. TRAXLER? THERE WE ARE.
WE ADDING ASSISTANT COACHES INTO THE BUDGET NOW THAT MAYBE WE HAD NOT TALKED ABOUT BEFORE TONIGHT? YES, SIR. THAT'S THAT'S ACCURATE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL IN COMBINATION WITH THAT TO OFFSET PART OF THE COST.
WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING, AND I FAILED TO MENTION IT, CAPPING UNUSED ATHLETIC SUPPLEMENTS.
FOR FOLKS THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE, IF A SCHOOL A LOT OF TIMES OUR RURAL SCHOOLS MAY NOT FIELD A SOCCER TEAM, FOR INSTANCE.
AND IN AN EFFORT TO HELP SUPPORT THEIR ATHLETIC PROGRAM, THAT SCHOOL COULD CLAIM UNUSED ATHLETIC SUPPLEMENTS, THAT THE VALUE OF WHAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE BE PAYING SOCCER TO HELP SUPPORT ITS PROGRAM, THEY SUBMIT A LISTING OF THAT.
OUR PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO CAP THAT AT 20,000.
WE LOOK BACK AT AT THE CURRENT YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE OF OUR SMALLER SCHOOLS THAT HAD AT 44,000 AND CHANGE IN UNUSED SUPPLEMENTS THAT WENT INTO THEIR ATHLETICS PROGRAM. ANOTHER HAD 26,000, AND ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR LARGER SCHOOLS HAD 10,000 UNUSED SUPPLEMENTS THAT THAT WENT BACK INTO ITS PROGRAM.
SO OKAY, WE WE WOULD RECOMMEND CAPPING THAT AT 20,000.
OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST TWO MORE.
I GOT ONE MORE QUESTION AND ONE ONE QUICK STATEMENT.
THE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ON THE SALARY PLAN.
ARE WE REDUCING THE 28 STEPS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY TO 20 STEPS? YES, SIR. THE THE RECOMMENDATION WAS I THINK IT'S 0 TO 26 RIGHT NOW FOR OUTSIDE OF THE TEACHER AND THE ROTC SCALE.
AND IT WOULD BE STEPS 1 TO 20.
BUT THE STEP INCREMENTS WOULD BE CONSISTENT I THINK IS 2.33% 33% STEP INCREMENTS VERSUS 2% OR 1.5% RIGHT NOW. OKAY, THAT I DON'T HAVE A REAL CONCERN OTHER THAN I'M WONDERING HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADMINISTER IT, I THINK. DON'T WE CURRENTLY ADMINISTER IT? LIKE YOU, MOST PEOPLE GET A STEP PER YEAR.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK IF SOMEBODY STAYS PAST 20 YEARS?
[01:40:01]
I THE INITIAL PLACEMENT, THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THE INITIAL PLACEMENT, IS LOOKING AT THE CURRENT SCALE AND DETERMINING WHAT PERCENTAGE ABOVE THE MINIMUM THEY ARE. OKAY, SO IF SOMEONE WERE 15% ABOVE THE MINIMUM ON THE CURRENT SCALE, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED SCALE AND PLACING THEM 15% ABOVE THE MINIMUM THERE AND THEN STEPPING UP ANNUALLY.SO INITIAL PLACEMENT IS GOING TO BE IS GOING TO BE KEY THERE.
BUT THEREAFTER YEARS AT THE BOARD APPROVES THE STAFF INCREASE AND ASSUMING SOMEONE'S ELIGIBLE FOLKS WOULD STEP UP THE SCALE.
I STILL HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE SALARY GRADE GROUPINGS.
THAT I THINK CAME FROM THE SALARY STUDY.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE A RESULT OF THE ADMINISTRATION. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A HUMAN RESOURCE BACKGROUND, I GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN I SEE FINANCIAL PEOPLE GROUPED IN WITH GLAZERS AND ROOFERS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT. THAT'S ONE THAT JUMPS OUT.
I PROBABLY COULD HAVE STUDIED IT MORE AND FOUND A FEW MORE THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME.
MY WIFE IS A BOOKKEEPER, AND SO I WILL ADMIT THAT THAT ONE'S A LITTLE PERSONAL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I KIND OF WONDER ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN I ALSO WANT, AND I'M SAYING THIS FOR ANYBODY THAT MAY BE WATCHING I'M NOT SURE THAT A FINANCIAL PERSON SHOULD BE IN A SALARY GRADE BELOW MOST OF OUR CLERKS. BASED ON WHAT I SEE WHEN I GO IN THE SCHOOLS AND I SEE IF OUR CLERKS WERE MOVED DOWN, WE COULD ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY INSTEAD OF MOVING OUR BOOKKEEPERS UP.
SO THAT'S FOR FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE.
THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY THIRD PARTY UNBIASED.
AS PART OF THEIR PROCESS, THEY ASK ALL GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES TO COMPLETE A SURVEY, AND I DON'T RECALL THE LENGTH OF THE SURVEY, BUT IT IT TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE DUTIES WERE AND DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AND THAT WAS THEIR EVALUATION.
AND THEY COMPARED IT TO OTHER DISTRICTS.
IT IS DIFFERENT. IT'S DIFFERENT FROM US BECAUSE IN THE PAST WE HAD AN AIDS SCALE AND A CLERK SCALE, AND NOW YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT THAT MAY BE SPREAD OVER 2 OR 3 PAY TABLES, WHERE IN THE PAST THEY WERE GROUPED TOGETHER.
YOU MAY HAVE MAINTENANCE TYPE POSITIONS ON THE SAME SCALE, WITH CLAUSES BASED ON THEIR EVALUATION OF OF THE RESPONSES TO THOSE SURVEYS.
CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.
I'LL TELL YOU THERE, THERE ARE THINGS ON THERE.
AND IT'S PROBABLY MY BIASED OPINION THAT I THINK, ALL RIGHT, THAT THAT OUGHT TO BE HIGHER BECAUSE I, I KNOW THE INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE POSITIONS.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THIS ENTITY LOOKED AT THE JOB DUTIES, LOOKED AT THE JOB DESCRIPTION, WHAT FOLKS COMPLETED ON THIS SURVEY AND, AND DREW THEIR EVALUATIONS BASED ON THAT AND IN, IN, IN COMPARISON TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT WAS THERE AN INCREASE IN THERE FOR PARAPROS? IT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY SHARED.
SO FOR OUR TRADITIONAL HOURLY EMPLOYEES, I THINK THE INCREASE OVER THE, THE 24, 25 PAY WAS ON AVERAGE ABOUT 20%.
I DON'T RECALL THAT THAT GROUP SPECIFICALLY, BUT IT WAS IN THAT 20% BALLPARK.
NOW THAT WAS AT FULL IMPLEMENTATION AT 90%.
WE'RE WE'RE COMING OFF OF THAT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT YES, MA'AM, ALL ALL GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES, ALL POSITIONS WOULD SEE AN INCREASE THERE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. TRAXLER BEFORE WE GO BACK TO MR. BROOME. DOCTOR BRADLEY.
MR.. TRAXLER, IF WE ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE ARE ADOPTING THE TAX INCREASE.
IF YOU ADOPT THE TENTATIVE VERSION OF THE BUDGET, THAT IS WHAT WILL BE ADVERTISED ON MONDAY OR BY MONDAY IN THE NEWSPAPER.
[01:45:06]
IT IS NOT FINAL BECAUSE THE BOARD WOULD HEAR THE PUBLIC'S TAKE THEIR FEEDBACK ON MAY 13TH.YES, SIR. THIS PROPOSAL INCLUDES TAXES.
LAST WEEK WE HAD A $5.3 MILLION DEFICIT.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED ON THESE PAGES THAT WEREN'T INCLUDED LAST WEEK DURING THAT WORK STUDY.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE THOSE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FILL THAT DEFICIT THROUGH A 20 MIL TAX INCREASE.
IT WOULD TAKE IT FROM ONE 34.2 TO 150 4.2.
AND IF I MIGHT ADD IN AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT COULD BE SAID ENOUGH.
THE SALARY STUDY SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY.
SO A ABOUT A THIRD OF THIS WOULD BE IN IN COMBO WITH OUR JUMPSTART FUNDS THAT ARE ARE CARRIED OVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
WE'RE USING THAT FOR THE SALARY STUDY.
AND THEN WE'RE ANTICIPATING THREE YEARS OF 5.0 MIL INCREASES TO HELP SUSTAIN THE SALARY STUDY. SO I WON THE FIRST YEAR OF 7.5.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'LL WE'LL EVALUATE EVERY YEAR INDIVIDUALLY.
AND, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL VOTE AND AN INDIVIDUAL HEARING.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BALLPARKING RIGHT NOW.
SO IF THAT'S 7.5, WE HAD THREE YEARS OF 4.5 X 22.5.
THAT'S CORRECT. NOT 22, NOT 20.
WELL, 20 MILS THIS YEAR PLUS AN ADDITIONAL FIVE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL FIVE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL FIVE. YES, SIR.
OKAY. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 35, 35 OVER THE YES, SIR, OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IF WHAT WAS THE FUND WITH WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP FOR 56 YEARS OF UNDERFUNDING? PROBABLY THE 58TH SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS CREATED IN 1967.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 6768, BUT I CAME IN 69, AND AT THAT POINT WE WERE EITHER NEXT TO LAST OR LAST AND PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE IN THE STATE. SO FAR, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU PICK ANY YEAR BETWEEN 1967 AND 19, 2025, AND WE'RE EITHER GOING TO BE ON THE BOTTOM OF 1 OR 2 FROM THE BOTTOM.
I SUSPECT WE'RE STILL ON THE BOTTOM, BUT I KNOW WE'RE NEXT TO LAST IN TERMS OF WHAT'S VISITED US. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE GOT HERE IS 56 YEARS OF TRYING TO RUN A SCHOOL SYSTEM ON LESS MONEY THAN ALL BUT 1 OR 2 OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEALTH, AND WE THINK ABOUT THE WELCOME ALLENDALE.
THINK ABOUT THE WEALTH IN THE CORNER.
THINK ABOUT THE WEALTH. THINK IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES, THEY'RE PAYING MORE TAXES FOR SCHOOLS THAN WE ARE.
AND WE ARE WHAT SECOND AND THIRD WEALTHIEST COUNTY IN THE STATE.
I'VE LOST TRACK. IT USED TO BE WE WERE AT THE TOP.
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE. WE WERE THE TOP RICHEST COUNTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND WE WERE ON THE BOTTOM OF WHAT PEOPLE WERE SPENDING ON SCHOOLS.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THAT THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION CONTROLLED TAXATION AND THEY WOULD NOT RAISE TAXES.
FINALLY, THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS GIVEN FISCAL AUTONOMY, AND THEY HAVE JUDICIOUSLY USED THAT AUTHORITY.
MR. CHURCH, AT THIS POINTED OUT, IT'S BEEN, WHAT, 13, 14 YEARS SINCE WE RAISED TAXES? 1112 YES, SIR. YOU KNOW, SO SO IT CERTAINLY HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED.
SO THE DECISION THAT THIS BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE, I MEAN, I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF RAISING TAXES 30 MILLS.
I MEAN, THAT JUST SOUNDS TERRIBLE.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT SELL TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A TEST OF GUTS TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL TEST OF DOES THE BOARD HAVE THE GRIT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE POLITICALLY UNPOPULAR, TO TRY TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THOSE YEARS OF DEFICIT FINANCING?
[01:50:02]
IN SPITE OF OF THE DEFICIT FINANCING, THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AS MEASURED BY STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT TEST.BACK IN MY EARLY YEARS WAS ALWAYS IN THE TOP TEN.
WE WERE THE TOP TEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, I THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS NOW BECAUSE WE PLAY GAMES WITH TESTING AND WE HAVE SO MUCH OF OTHER INTERJECTED, SO MANY OTHER VARIABLES IN THE REPORT CARD THAT THE REAL PURPOSE OF SCHOOLS GET SORT OF LOST IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. I MEAN, IT'S A PART OF IT, BUT IT'S THIS SORT OF MURKY.
NOT AS WELL AS WE DID WHEN IT WAS JUST PURE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
BUT LAST YEAR WE DID OKAY ON TEST SCORES.
ON REPORT CARD SCORES, NOT GREAT, BUT OKAY.
WE CAN PROBABLY CONTINUE TO MUDDLE ALONG.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO UNDERPAY THE TEACHERS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THE RACES BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO NOT PAY OUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE WHAT THEY DESERVE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HIRE THESE SPECIALISTS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO INCLUDE.
WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP ON FUNDING ATHLETICS AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO IN THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS.
I MEAN, EVERY YEAR WE'RE ADDING COACHES, WE'RE ADDING SUPPLEMENTS, WE'RE RAISING SUPPLEMENTS, WE'RE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, ALL KIND OF ATHLETIC FACILITIES.
YEAH. IT'S A. IT'S A STRUGGLE FOR ME.
I REALLY WANT I REALLY WANT TO GET OUT OF THE DARK AGES FINANCIALLY.
BUT THERE'S A RISK IN DOING THAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING TO NOT BE A POPULAR MOVE.
NOW, THE THING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS IS NOT A TAX INCREASE ON YOUR HOUSE. I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IF IT WAS A TAX INCREASE ON THE DWELLING THAT PEOPLE LIVE IN. I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR IT.
I DESPISE RENTING MY HOUSE FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
I MEAN, THERE OUGHT TO BE ANOTHER WAY TO FINANCE SCHOOLS OTHER THAN OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN HAVING TO PUT YOUR HOUSE AT RISK EVERY YEAR.
BUT THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT A FACTOR HERE.
THIS TAX WOULD BE ON AUTOMOBILES, WHICH WILL AFFECT EVERYBODY, AND IT'LL BE ON BOATS AND IT'LL BE ON SECOND HOMES.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON BUSINESSES.
AND SO I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO REACH EVERYBODY.
AT LEAST TWO CARS. AT SOME POINT, I REALLY WANT US TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT A, A $50,000 AUTOMOBILE AND HOW MUCH THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT HERE THAT WAS GIVEN TO US. WE GOT THAT. WE? YES. IT RAN ON THIS 2 OR 3 TIMES.
I PUT CHARTS UP AT PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE I HAD TO GO TO SPEAK, SHOWING WHERE AIKEN COUNTY WAS IN TERMS OF TAXATION VERSUS ALL THE CONTIGUOUS COUNTIES OF COLUMBIA AND EVEN OVER IN GEORGIA.
AND THERE WASN'T ANYBODY CLOSE TO THAT POINT.
I THINK THOSE CHARTS WERE IN HERE WHENEVER I STARTED IN ZERO SEVEN.
BRADLEY. BUT SO, SO BUT TO ASK.
I'M SORRY, MR. TRAXLER, TO ANSWER DOCTOR BRADLEY'S QUESTION BECAUSE I BROUGHT IT WITH ME. IF YOU HAD A VALUE OF A VEHICLE AT OVER $25,000, THIS INCREASE WOULD INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX ON THAT $25,000 VEHICLE BY $30.
THAT'S HOW MUCH IT GOES. THAT'S THAT'S WITH THIS ONE INCREASE.
THAT'S HOW MUCH IT WOULD GO UP.
YES, SIR. IS THE WE PRESENTED LAST WEEK, 19 OR 20 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND I THINK THE AVERAGE WAS ABOUT 225 MEALS.
THE WEALTH OF AIKEN COUNTY, I THINK, IS BASED ON THE COUNTY, NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT I LOOKED AT WERE PROBABLY 12TH OR 13TH NOW OUT OF 46 COUNTIES.
SO NOT QUITE AT THE TOP, BUT WE'VE HAD VOTES OVER THE YEARS.
ASK HOW HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE BUDGET? YOU HAVE AN INCREASED TAXES FOR SO LONG, BUT WE'VE DECIDED TO FOREGO SOME THINGS, SUCH AS A SECOND ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR YEARS AND YEARS, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT NEED.
[01:55:03]
THAT'S HOW WE DID IT. WE WE GOT BY WITH ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING REGULAR GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE, BUT NO INCREASE IN THE OPERATING MILLAGE.BUT IT'S IT'S HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
IT USED TO BE I JUST GOT SO TIRED OF HAVING TO SIT THROUGH BUDGET MEETINGS WHERE YOU HAD A LIST THIS LONG OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEEDED OR WANTED, AND WE DIDN'T ADD ANYTHING.
OFTENTIMES, WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO CUT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, WAS THERE A SUPERFLUOUS POSITION OR WAS THERE SOME TRANSFER OF DOUBLING UP THAT WE COULD MAKE, OR WAS THERE A VACANCY THAT WE COULD NOT FILL? THAT'S THE WAY WE BALANCED BUDGETS FOR YEARS.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BEFORE YOUR TIME. WELL, AND THERE MAY NOT BE A BETTER EXAMPLE THAN THE TEACHER SALARY RANKINGS THAT I SHARED EARLIER.
AT ONE POINT WE WERE AMONG THE TOP.
AND YOU SAW THAT IN THE CURRENT YEAR, 2425 BACHELOR STEP ZERO WERE RANKED 22ND OUT OF 72. AND THAT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF NOT INCREASING TAXES, OF HAVING LIMITED RESOURCES AND JUST HAVING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE.
WELL, THE MAIN THING I WANT TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT IN ADOPTING THIS BUDGET, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY LOOKING TOWARD ADOPTING A TAX INCREASE. AND AGAIN, I'VE ALREADY EDITORIALIZED ON MY VIEWPOINT ABOUT THAT. SO I'LL SHUT UP AND.
OKAY. H.R. DIRECTOR, I KNOW WE HAD WE LOOKED AT THIS VERY EARLY ON, AND WHEN WE LISTED OUR LIST, CAM, THAT WAS AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF PRIORITY FOR THIS BOARD. I SEE IT STILL ON THE PROPOSED FIRST READING.
AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS HOW DO WE HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROCEED TO TAKE THINGS LIKE THIS OFF OR HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE TO TAKE THEM OFF.
SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT WE CAN GET ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS FROM MR. TRAXLER NOW, AND KIND OF A Q&A PERIOD RIGHT NOW.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO EITHER.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO HAVE A MOTION DEBATE.
AND THAT MOTION COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS TO ADOPT THIS BUDGET AS PRESENTED ON FIRST READING. OR WE COULD START HAVING MOTIONS, WHICH IS MORE I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE'RE GOING TO START HAVING MOTIONS OF REMOVE THIS FROM THE PROPOSAL.
OKAY. OR I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
ADD THINGS TO THE PROPOSAL, RIGHT? I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FACETIOUS WITH THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO DO THAT.
OF WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VALUE AND A USE DIRECTLY BENEFITS STUDENTS ON 99.9% OF WHAT THE CHANGES ARE.
YOU COULD MAKE A MUCH LONGER LIST.
AND THIS IS COLLECTIVELY THINGS THAT HAVE GOTTEN PRIORITIZED WITH DIFFERENT INPUT.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO IS WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH GETTING CLARIFICATIONS AND ANSWERS, WE'RE GOING TO START MAKING MOTIONS WORKING FROM THIS PROPOSAL.
OKAY. MY MY SECOND QUESTION, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT INTERCESSION.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT. I GUESS IF WE DON'T HAVE INTERCESSION, WE MAY SPEND THE MONEY ON THE I GREW UP, YOU WENT TO SUMMER SCHOOL, AND SUMMER SCHOOL HAD A FOCUSED.
AGENDA THAT IF YOU WAS FAILING A SUBJECT, THEN YOU WAS REHABILITATED IN THAT SUBJECT AND YOU EITHER PASSED IT MOVED ON, OR YOU TOOK THE YOU KNOW, YOU TOOK THE GRADE OVER INTERCESSION.
I'VE ASKED A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH INTERCESSION, PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH INTERCESSION, PEOPLE THAT WENT TO INTERCESSION.
I'VE GOT SO MANY MIXED ANSWERS, I IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE'RE DOING FOUR DAYS.
WE'RE SPENDING OVER $1 MILLION.
CORRECT. THAT WAS THE PLAN FOR FALL AND SPRING.
HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO DO SUMMER SCHOOL? I MEAN, GO BACK TO WHAT WE USED TO DO.
I DON'T HAVE A COST RIGHT NOW.
AND SOME OF THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH STUDENTS AS WELL.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, HOW MANY BODIES COULD WE HIRE AND PUT ON THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH THAT MILLION DOLLARS IN IN CERTAIN SCHOOLS THAT ARE REALLY LOOK, THIS DISTRICT'S GOT ALL FULL OF SMART PEOPLE.
BUT THE MAGIC DOESN'T HAPPEN HERE.
THE MAGIC HAPPENS AT THE SCHOOLS.
AND I'VE BEEN IN THESE SCHOOLS.
[02:00:01]
I SEE HOW SOME PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AROUND GETTING JERKED FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS.THEY CAN'T FOCUS ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THIS WE'VE GOT A LOT OF EMPLOYEES.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO PUT ALL THE RESOURCES WE CAN PUT BACK INTO BUILDINGS. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU FIRING PEOPLE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S ENOUGH. MAYBE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH, I DON'T KNOW. ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT THE MAGIC'S IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN PUT INTO SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
MAYBE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING AND MAYBE SOME OF THESE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET TO, WE CAN GET TO AND CUT BACK ON SOME OF WHAT WE HAVING TO DO THAT? LOOK, THIS IS A BAND AID.
I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO ALL OF A SUDDEN BE A MODEL STUDENT.
YES, I WILL CAUTION THAT THE INTERSECTION ITEM LISTED HERE IS ONE TIME FUNDING, SO IT ISN'T RECURRING.
IF THERE'S A THOUGHT THAT WE COULD USE IT FOR ADDITIONAL FTE TEACHER ALLOCATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST IT BECAUSE IT IS ONE TIME.
SO WE'RE EATING AND WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE OF TWO AND A HALF TO THREE MONTHS OF EXPENSES.
AND THAT EXPENDITURE IS EATING INTO THAT FUND BALANCE.
BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE THE FLOOR TO DOCTOR MURPHY FOR A COMMENT. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THE LION'S SHARE OF THE EXPENDITURES FROM INTERSESSION COMES FROM TRANSPORTATION, AND THAT'S FROM A LOT OF KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET BACK AND FORTH.
WHETHER WE DO INTERSESSION OR WE DO SUMMER SCHOOL, WE STILL WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO OFFER TRANSPORTATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE LACK OF INABILITY TO GET TO SCHOOL, SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A COST SAVINGS THERE. AND I GUESS IN THIS ONE, I'M NOT SO MUCH LOOKING AT A COST SAVINGS.
AS MUCH AS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE WAY TO HELP THE MOST STUDENTS, WE CAN HELP.
AND THE THIRD THING I WANT TO SAY IS, AND WE HAD A YOUNG LADY COME SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT CLASSIFIED PAY. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PROBABLY THE PUSHING POINT THAT GOT THIS SALARY STUDY MOVING WAS MAINTENANCE THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND CLASSIFIED BECAUSE WE STRUGGLE MIGHTILY HIRING AND RETAINING FOLKS IN THESE POSITIONS.
AND I THINK THAT IS THERE SOME WAY THAT IF WE DID GO TO A 90% SALARY.
FILLING THE SALARY THAT WE COULD DO THE 100% ON ON THESE POSITIONS.
AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY I SAY THIS.
IF I MAKE $80,000 A YEAR, I MAKE $100,000 A YEAR, I'VE GOT A LIVING WAGE.
I MAYBE I DESERVE MORE AND MAYBE MY DEGREE.
NO DENYING THAT. BUT SOME OF THESE FOLKS ARE TRYING TO LIVE, AND THEY A LOT OF THEM ARE TRYING TO COME TO WORK AND DO THIS DISTRICT AND OUR CONSTITUENTS THE BEST JOB THEY CAN DO.
HERE'S THE THING. WE ALL KNOW THIS THE BETTER YOU PAY THESE FOLKS, THE BETTER YOU CAN WEED OUT THE ONES THAT ARE AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB.
WE WE WON'T BE JUST TAKING ANYBODY ANYMORE.
AND I DON'T MEAN THAT AS AN INSULT TO ANYBODY, BUT I MEAN, I GOT A BUSINESS TOO, AND I KNOW HOW THIS WORKS.
IF WE COULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES, THEN I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERYBODY'S JOB IS GOING TO BE BETTER.
THE PEOPLE IN THIS DISTRICT, THE PEOPLE IN HR, BECAUSE MAYBE NOT HAVING TO HIRE SUCH A, YOU KNOW, A HIGH TURNOVER THEM KIND OF THINGS.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT I FEEL LIKE AT LEAST IN MY HEART, THEY WERE SOME OF THE ONES THAT REALLY GOT THIS BALL ROLLING.
AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE US NOT DO EVERYTHING WE COULD DO TO SHOW THEM WHAT REALLY THEY DESERVE FOR FOR WHAT THEY DO.
YES, SIR. AGAIN, ON AVERAGE, HOURLY, HOURLY FOLKS IS TRADITIONAL.
HOURLY FOLKS WOULD SEE AN INCREASE OF 20% ISH.
THE ISSUE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, I BELIEVE, IF YOU SAID THAT AT AT SOME POINT WE WANT TO DO 100%, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE 90%.
IS THAT THERE ARE 5% INCREMENTS IN BETWEEN ALL THESE PAY TABLES.
[02:05:02]
SO IF YOU DID A PORTION AT 100% AND SOME AT 90%, THEY'RE GOING TO OVERLAP AT SOME POINT, WHICH IS A WHICH IS A PROBLEM THERE.I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE YOUR JOB HARDER. IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT.
I MEAN BUT BUT JUST LOOKING AT THE THE NUMBERS THERE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE IF, IF WE SAID PAY TABLES 101 THROUGH 110, WE WANT TO FUND THAT AT 100% AND EVERYTHING ELSE AT 90%.
I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY OVERLAP AT SOME POINT.
WE MAY BE BETTER OFF SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AT 92% OR 95%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NOW, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PULL SOMETHING ELSE OFF THE LIST.
YEAH, WELL, YOU'RE A MAGICIAN, BUT THE.
YOU KNOW, IF I'M GETTING A 20% RAISE ON A $30,000 A YEAR SALARY.
I MEAN, THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL RAISE, BUT THE DOLLARS IS NOT.
NOTHING LIKE IF I'M GETTING A 20% RAISE ON $100,000 SALARY.
THERE IS SOME VERY HARD WORKING PEOPLE IN THIS DISTRICT THAT HAVE STUCK WITH US, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO EVERYTHING WE COULD DO FOR.
THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO.
IF YOU'RE ALL RIGHT, MR. BROOME, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON THEN MR. SILAS AND DOCTOR BRADLEY, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, WE'LL COME TO YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. BROOME. IT'S NO SECRET THAT I'VE QUESTIONED INTERCESSION, AND THE AMOUNT THAT IT COSTS HAS COST US BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE AS SUFFICIENT DATA TO DATE TO MAKE THAT KIND OF DECISION RIGHT NOW.
AND GOING BACK TO A REGULAR SCHEDULE.
MR. BROOME. I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO TELL YOU, AS A PARENT, I CAN'T SEE THAT RIGHT NOW.
SERIOUSLY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DISRUPT CHILDREN'S LIVES AND SCHEDULES AT OUR WHIM.
AND WE OWE IT TO THE KIDS TO AT LEAST GIVE INTERSESSION A CHANCE AND OUR EDUCATORS A CHANCE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE APPROPRIATE DATA AND MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU. YEAH, I DO.
MR.. SILAS. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BACK TO THE ON THE 20 MIL BUT PROPOSED 20 MIL TAX INCREASE AND REALLY SPOTLIGHT SOMETHING MR. TRAXLER SAID AND SOMETHING DOCTOR BRADLEY ALLUDED TO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S I MEAN, PERSONALLY SPEAKING, IF THERE'S ANYWHERE I'M WILLING TO TO SPEND TAX MONEY ON OR PAY TAX, THAT'S TO GO TO SCHOOLS.
RIGHT. IF THERE'S ANYWHERE PERSONALLY I'M WILLING TO PAY IT THERE AS LONG AS IT'S REASONABLY SPENT. RIGHT.
AND WE'RE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. AND THAT'S OUR JOB.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE TONIGHT.
BUT YOU MENTIONED IT WHERE WE ARE TODAY AT 134 MILLS, COMPARED TO THE STATE AVERAGE OF APPROXIMATELY 220.
WE'RE 40% BEHIND. I BELIEVE IF MY MATH IS RIGHT, ABOUT 40% BEHIND THE STATE AVERAGE, IF WE INCREASE THE 20 UP TO 154, WE'RE STILL 30% BEHIND THE STATE AVERAGE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THAT AS A MATTER OF RECORD.
AND FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE, MR. SILAS THAT YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR.
IF IF YOU GO BACK TO 2010, 2011 SCHOOL YEAR DATA WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BACK THAN THE LAST TIME WE RAISED MILLAGE, OUR MILLAGE WAS ABOUT WHAT IT IS NOW.
THE STATE AVERAGE WAS ABOUT 171.
AND WE SAW FROM THE CHART LAST WEEK THAT THE STATE AVERAGE IS 211.
LET'S JUST CALL IT 27 TO 20 SOMETHING.
SO IN OVER A DECADE PERIOD, OUR RATES HAVE NOT INCREASED AT ALL IN THE STATE. AVERAGE HAS GONE UP.
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THAT FROM 171 TO OVER 200.
EXPENSES THAT CONTINUE TO GO UP, JUST LIKE YOUR PERSONAL EXPENSES CONTINUE TO GO UP. I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTH POINTING OUT BEFORE YOU MOVE AWAY FROM ME.
MR. NUSSLE IS IS GOD, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
THE PENNY SALES TAX THAT WE JUST APPROVED REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR OPERATING FUNDS, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING THAT OUT.
THAT'S TO. SO WE CAN UPGRADE OUR FACILITIES AND GIVE OUR STUDENTS THE, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES TO LEARN IN THAT THEY DESERVE AND KEEP UP WITH YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR DEGRADING FACILITIES AND GROWING NUMBERS IN THE COUNTY.
SO I JUST THINK THAT WAS WORTH POINTING OUT.
YES, SIR. AND I DIDN'T MENTION IT ANYWHERE IN HERE.
PENNY SALES TAX IS FOR CAPITAL.
HOWEVER, 10% OF THAT GOES TO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ON DEBT SERVICE.
[02:10:06]
SO THERE IS SOME TAX REDUCTION THAT THAT RESULTS FROM THAT PENNY SALES TAX COLLECTION.DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE OF WHAT MR. SILAS JUST SAID, IS ONE ADVANTAGE OF THE 1% SALES TAX IS THAT IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF BURDEN OFF OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE 1%, WE WERE HAVING TO SPEND A LOT MORE ON MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WHICH WE CAN NOW NOT SPEND BECAUSE WE CAN REPLACE BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT SO DESPERATELY IN NEED.
ONE OF THE MAJOR STRUGGLES THAT WE FACED WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE IS NONE OF THE BUILDINGS WERE AIR CONDITIONED. AND I REMEMBER COMING HOME FROM A BOARD MEETING, GOT IN ABOUT 1130, 11:45.
WE USED TO MEET REAL LATE AND THERE WAS A MESSAGE FOR ME TO CALL THIS LADY, AND SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T CARE HOW LATE IT WAS WHEN I GOT IN.
SO I CALLED HER. IT WAS ABOUT 1230 AND SHE SAID, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN SITTING OVER IN SCHOFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND IT'S NOT AIR CONDITIONED.
AND I SAID, YES, MA'AM. MY SON'S ONE OF THEM.
AND THAT WAS NOT JUST THE CASE IN SCHOFIELD.
IT WAS ALL. BUT IN FACT, I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANY AIR CONDITIONED BUILDINGS BACK IN THE LATE 60S AND EARLY 70S.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGHTS.
BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGHTS, WE HAVE HAD THE LUXURY OF NOT HAVING TO RAISE TAXES MORE THAN WE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
IF I DON'T REMEMBER THE 2013 TAX INCREASE, WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
BUT UP UNTIL THAT TIME, THE ONLY TIME THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD RAISED TAXES WAS WHEN IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO HOLD THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAD IN PLACE.
IT WAS AT TIMES WHEN, IF WE HAD NOT RAISED TAXES, WE'D HAD TO LAY OFF PEOPLE OR CUT PROGRAMS. SO IT'S BEEN A VERY JUDICIOUS USE OF THE POWER TO TAX.
I WISH OTHER AGENCIES WOULD BE SO JUDICIOUS.
I COULD RAMBLE ON AND ON, AND I.
ARE YOU READY FOR A MOTION? WELL I'M READY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE MR. TRAXLER SITS DOWN THAT IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS OR NEEDS CLARIFICATIONS ON THE INFORMATION THAT THEY ASK.
YEAH. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THE MOTION, BUT I WANT TO DO IS ADOPT IT IN WHATEVER FORM WE NEED TO. TO ADOPT IT AS A WORKING DOCUMENT OR HOW DO I SAY THAT? I THINK IT WOULD BE THE PROPOSED TENTATIVE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
AS A REMINDER, THIS THIS IS NOT FINAL.
THE FINAL SECOND FINAL READING OF THE VERSION BUDGET IS WHAT, MAY 27TH? YES. I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON FIRST READING FOR THE PURPOSES OF MOVING THE PROCESS OF BUDGET FORMULATION FORWARD.
SECOND. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
EXCUSE ME. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY.
SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON TO TO ADOPT ON FIRST READING THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO THAT WE CAN ADVERTISE THAT AND GO TO A SECOND READING IN A HEARING BEFORE THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? MR.. MOULTON. I WAS HOLDING OFF BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT MR. TRAXLER ON THE SPOT HERE, SO THIS WILL NOT DO THAT.
MR. TRAXLER. I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK I WANT PEOPLE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THIS. I'M AN AVERAGE TAXPAYER, SO IF I VOTE FOR THIS, I'LL BE PAYING THE SAME TAXES AS ANYONE ELSE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT, LIKE MR. SILAS SAID, AND YOU KNOW, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER.
I'D RATHER MY TAX MONEY GO TO.
AND THE THING THAT I LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY SEES IS I DON'T THINK IT'S AN EASY DECISION FROM A, FROM, FROM WHAT THE PUBLIC'S GOING TO SEE.
BUT I DO THINK IF WE HAD A GOOD PR CAMPAIGN, I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS AND HOW LONG.
IT'S BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE ON MILLAGE RATE.
BUT THEN THE OTHER THING, I THINK FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT. WE'RE LOSING TEACHERS.
WE JUST LOST A PRINCIPAL TO EDGEFIELD COUNTY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES.
WELL, ONE WAY IS TO PAY THEM A LITTLE MORE MONEY.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU.
MR. MOULTON. AND I WOULD ADD, SIMILAR TO SOME COMMENTS BEEN MADE BY OTHER TRUSTEES, THAT THE THE VAST MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL OF THIS IS CLEARLY IN THE BUILDING
[02:15:07]
WITH, WITH STUDENTS. SO NOT OVER 90% OF THIS.AS FAR AS CHANGES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET ON FIRST READING SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THE BUDGET CYCLE.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S SEVEN IN FAVOR.
THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S TWO.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND THAT WAS JUST INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER TWO HOURS, BUT I THINK WE CAN GET THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS WITHOUT TOO MUCH TIME.
SO CONSENT ITEMS, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'LL VOTE ON AS A GROUP, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL AND CAN CAN AND WILL DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY PRIOR TO THE VOTE.
THE FIRST CONSENT ITEM, B ONE, IS RATIFICATION OF EXPULSIONS.
THE BOARD WAS PROVIDED WITH A LIST OF STUDENTS RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPEALED TO THE BOARD AND WE MUST APPROVE THAT.
B TWO IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS.
THIS IS FOLKS THAT WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF THE DISTRICT, GO TO A NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
CONSENT ITEM B3 IS A REQUEST TO ADMIT FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS.
WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE LIST OF THOSE FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS IN THE BOARD BY POLICY NEEDS TO APPROVE THAT.
WE HAD A SHORT LIST OF ADDITIONAL LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD COURSES THAT WERE NOT CAUGHT ON THE FIRST TIME WE COVERED THAT ITEM.
THAT WE MUST APPROVE. THAT'S NUMBER B4.
B5 IS APPROVING THE SUBMISSION OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTS COMMISSION ARTS AND BASIC CURRICULUM GRANT APPLICATION BY NEW ARLINGTON MIDDLE STEAM MAGNET SCHOOL FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH, IF RECEIVED THAT GRANT IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,500 FOR THE SCHOOL.
B6 WE HAVE. SOMEONE HAS OFFERED AN ANONYMOUS DONATION TO RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL AND WAGENER-SALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THIS YEAR, IN THE AMOUNT OF 2500 THAT WE MUST APPROVE.
AND THEN THE LAST CONSENT ITEM IS B7 PAINTING OF AIKEN INTERMEDIATE AND MOSSY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BIDS WERE RECEIVED.
AND WE ARE APPROVING THAT MEASURE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SEVEN CONSENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION PASSES.
THE SEVEN CONSENT ITEMS ARE APPROVED.
THAT LEADS US TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, WHICH IS? WE HAVE SOME CONSTRUCTION UPDATES FROM DOCTOR YARBOROUGH.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR MURPHY.
PUSH IT DOWN. OKAY, SO OUR FIRST IS AN UPDATE ON THE AIKEN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER. AND WE STILL, OF COURSE, ARE AT THE STAGE WHERE WE'RE DOING EXTENSIVE GRADING AND CLEARING ON THE SITE AT AIKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
WE'VE REMOVED TREES, DEMOED EXISTING BUILDINGS THAT WERE PART OF THE OLD AIKEN TECH CAMPUS TO MAKE MORE ROOM.
AS RECENTLY AS TODAY, MR. GERA INFORMED ME THAT WE ARE SEEING WALLS COME UP? OF COURSE. FOUNDATIONS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY POURED.
SO WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS AND THE SITE IS COMING ALONG, AND OUR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IS TO BE PREPARED TO OPEN SCHOOL IN THE FALL OF 2026.
IF I CAN MOVE ALONG TO THE NEXT ONE, MR. CHAIRMAN AT THE NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS COMPLEX, BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.
THAT'S A VIEW OF INSIDE OF A OF A DUGOUT.
[02:20:03]
WE'RE LOOKING AT PRESSBOX AND DUGOUT THERE AND INFIELD SOME OF OUR BLEACHERS.AN OVERALL VIEW LOOKING FROM THE SOFTBALL FIELD TOWARD THE BASEBALL FIELD AND ON TOP OF A VERY LARGE RETAINING WALL.
QUITE A BIT OF SITE WORK HAS BEEN NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE GRADE.
AND SOME OF THE FINAL PAVING IS TAKING PLACE.
I WAS JUST THERE THIS PAST WEEKEND.
OUR TURNING LANES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON KNOBCONE.
NOT FINISHED QUITE YET, BUT THEY ARE IN PLACE, WHICH IS PART OF A DOT REQUIREMENT THAT WAS INITIALLY PLACED ON US IN 2013 TO WIDEN THAT THAT SECTION OF KNOBCONE.
AND WE ARE NEARING SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I'LL BE GLAD TO ENTERTAIN MR..
DOCTOR YARBOROUGH, WHERE DO WE STAND ON THE SCOREBOARD ISSUE? THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON. I'VE GOTTEN PHONE CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 WEEKS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T AGREE ON OUR SCOREBOARD.
WE GOT PRIVATE DONATIONS WILLING TO PAY SOME OF THE COST.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. SURE.
WE DID HAVE A CONCERN BROUGHT TO US BY THE PRINCIPAL THAT THE SCOREBOARDS ON BOTH FACILITIES, BOTH FIELDS WERE NOT THE SIZE THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE.
SO WE USED ALLOWANCE FUNDS TO PURCHASE OR ORDER NEW SCOREBOARDS, MUCH LARGER WITH MANY MORE FUNCTIONS.
AND THE MAIN THING THAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY IS THEY ARE EQUITABLE WITH THE SCOREBOARDS THAT ARE AT OUR OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS, BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS.
THE PRINCIPAL HAS APPROVED OF THAT.
SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH INSTALLING THOSE NEW, LARGER SCOREBOARDS WITH MORE FEATURES.
WILL THESE SCOREBOARDS ALLOW SPONSORSHIPS? YES THEY WILL. AND IN FACT, THAT OPTION HAS BEEN OFFERED TO THE BOOSTER CLUB AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL JUST LAST NIGHT.
AND THEY HAVE NOT COME ACROSS WITH A FINAL DECISION YET.
BUT YES, THEY DO HAVE SPONSORSHIP PANELS THAT CAN BE ADDED TO THEM.
YES. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE BOOSTER CLUB IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT PANEL, BUT OTHER SCHOOLS HAVE PANELING.
DID THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT? THAT'S NORMALLY A BOOSTER CLUB FUNCTION.
OKAY. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARDS BECAUSE I AS WELL HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.
SO Y'ALL RESOLVED THIS, AND WE'RE PUTTING A 25 FOOT ON BASEBALL AND A 20 FOOT ON SOFTBALL. IS THAT CORRECT? THE TWO SCOREBOARDS ARE THE SAME SIZE.
WELL, THEY REQUESTED A 25 FOOT.
DECK BOARD ON BASEBALL, AND THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE AND A 20 FOOT ON SOFTBALL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT TITLE NINE.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW TITLE NINE WOULD EVEN COME INTO PLAY? YOU GOT TWO SCOREBOARDS DOING THE SAME THING.
YOU'RE PUTTING A LITTLE BIGGER BOARD ON A BIGGER FIELD.
YOU'RE SIZING IT TO THE THE FIELD.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A CONSTITUENCY AND A BOOSTER CLUB WILLING TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE TO PUT THE 25 FOOT BOARD, WHY WOULD WE NOT LET THEM BUY THE 25 FOOT BOARD? WELL, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE BASIC MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT. WHEN WE'RE BUILDING AN ATHLETICS COMPLEX LIKE THIS.
WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT A BOOSTER CLUB WOULD FUND THE BASIC NECESSITIES.
THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS PART OF THE CONTRACT.
WHAT WE ASK BOOSTER CLUBS TO DO IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO BECOME INVOLVED, IS TO FILL IN THE GAPS WHERE WE DON'T PROVIDE WHAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO.
SO THAT'S NORMALLY THE FUNCTION OF A BOOSTER CLUB.
WHAT WE DON'T PROVIDE IS THE BASIC PACKAGE.
THEY COULD COME BACK AND OFFER OTHER, SERVICES.
MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT IN ANY OF THEIR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS? NOT NECESSARILY BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL, BUT YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, MR. YARBOROUGH. RESPECTFULLY, I'M SAYING THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 20 FOOT BOARD AND A 25 FOOT BOARD.
THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE THE DISTRICT THE MONEY TO GET THE 25 FOOT BOARD.
I WOULD SAY THAT THESE BOARDS PROBABLY IN GUT WISE, ARE PROBABLY PRETTY SIMILAR ON THE BOARDS AND STUFF INSIDE THEM OTHER THAN THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMERAL PARTS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CONTROLS BECAUSE THEY BOTH ARE COMFORTABLE BOARDS.
BUT I'M SAYING IF IF THAT ORGANIZATION IS WILLING TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE, IT'S NOT COSTING THE DISTRICT ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES OUT OF OUR BUDGETS,
[02:25:04]
WHY WOULD WE NOT ACCOMMODATE THEM? WHY WOULD WE SAY, NO, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU TAKE THE 20 FOOT BOARD, AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK LATER, YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN 25 FOOT BOARD AND THROW ALL THAT MONEY AWAY.I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD EVEN QUESTION THIS, RIGHT? WELL, THAT'S NOT THE MESSAGE, ACTUALLY, THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED. MR. BROOME. WHAT WE'VE TOLD THEM IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADHERE TO OUR DISTRICT STANDARD.
WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT EQUITY OR BE CONCERNED ABOUT EQUITY.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE OFFERED A BOARD THAT'S EQUITABLE WITH THE SCOREBOARDS THAT ARE AT OUR OTHER BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, REALLY. AND THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY. YES.
OH, OKAY. I RESPECTFULLY JUST THINK THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO STEP IN ON THIS.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS DECISION.
AND. SURE. JUST SO THE FLOOR GOES TO DOCTOR MURPHY.
I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THE ORIGINAL SCOREBOARD THAT WAS SPEC WAS THE SIZE OF A, I THINK, AN IPAD. SO WE THERE WAS AN ERROR SO THAT BASEBALL STADIUM OF THAT GRANDEUR DEFINITELY DESERVES A LARGER BOARD.
SO WE WENT BACK AND WE LOOKED AT ALL THE BOARDS IN THE DISTRICT, AND SO THE BOARD THAT HAS BEEN SPECKED NOW WILL BE THE NEWEST BOARD IN THE DISTRICT, AND IT'S OF THE EXACT SAME SIZE AS ALL THE OTHER BOARDS.
WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS SAY, HEY, YOU ALL HAVE MORE MONEY, Y'ALL GET A GIANT BOARD.
BUT IF THEY WANT TO ADD MORE FEATURES.
AND SO WHAT WE OFFER THEM IS IF YOU WANT TO ADD MORE FEATURES TO THAT BOARD, SUCH AS THE VENDOR PANELS, THEY CAN DO THAT AT A COST OF ABOUT $4,500 PER BOARD. SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT.
SO THEY HAVE A VERY, VERY NICE BOARD.
NOW. I MEAN, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU, I THINK MR. LINDELL SEEN THAT. RIGHT.
WELL, I WOULD ALSO WANT TO ADD, MR. BROOME, IS THAT THE REALLY THESE DECISIONS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRINCIPAL, AND THE PRINCIPAL HAS ACCEPTED THE SECOND BOARD THAT WE PROPOSED, THE PRINCIPAL WAS TOLD THAT WAS THE BOARD HE WAS GETTING.
NOW, THIS LOOK, HE WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN TWO OPTIONS.
WE NEED TO GET OUT. WE NEED TO GET WAY MORE TRANSPARENT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE TOLD THEM YES. THEN WE WENT BACK AND TOLD THEM NO AND THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT NOW. THAT PRINCIPLE WORKS FOR YOU.
SO HE'S NOT GOING TO QUESTION YOU? HE MIGHT A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE AIN'T GONNA DO IT A LITTLE BIT.
THE CONSTITUENCY, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS THE RIGHT TO QUESTION.
AND IF THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY THE MONEY, WHY WOULD WE ARGUE WITH THAT? HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD TELL THEM, NO, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THIS BOARD. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU HAVE THIS BOARD. BUT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT, WHAT WHAT WHAT WHERE DOES THIS DISTRICT GAIN? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, LOOK, I GOT PROBABLY I BOUGHT A 20 FOOT, 25 FOOT. BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS, I'M NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM HAVING ONE. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WHEN SOMEBODY COMES AND ASKS ME WHY IS THEIR BOARD BIGGER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE? I'M SAYING BECAUSE THEY PAID FOR IT. LET'S GO RAISE THE MONEY AND BUY SOME MORE LIKE THAT. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.
I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT WE CREATE CONFLICT OVER AND OVER WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TO. WHEN THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THESE KIDS AND WE REEL THEM IN. I'VE DEALT WITH THIS A LOT LATELY.
WE REEL THEM IN AND CONFLICT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY. I FEEL LIKE THIS BOARD HAS THE OBLIGATION TO STEP IN AND STOP SOME OF THIS, AND THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
SO WHAT I SAW WAS DOCTOR BRADLEY AND THEN MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
CAN I ASK THE LAWYER QUESTION? IT'S AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM. GO AHEAD. YEAH.
DOES TITLE NINE HAVE AN EQUITY PROBLEM WITH THE GIRLS HAVING A SMALLER BOARD THAN THE BOYS HAVING A LARGER ONE.
YEAH. SO THERE'S A WHOLE SEPARATE SECTION OF THE FEDERAL TITLE NINE STATUTE THAT DEALS WITH SORT OF EQUITY, AND IT EXTENDS TO ATHLETICS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IT'S LOOKED AT HOLISTICALLY, BUT AS, AS YARBOROUGH WAS MENTIONING AND DOCTOR MURPHY ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE DISTRICT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EQUITY DISTRICT WIDE AND PARTICULARLY COMES INTO PLAY WITH MALE AND FEMALE ATHLETICS.
SO YOU WANT BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TO BE EQUIVALENT.
AND WHEN ONE WHEN THE PRIVATE FUNDS THAT FUND, YOU KNOW, ONE SPORT OR ONE DIFFERENCE IN A SOFTBALL FIELD SOMEWHERE OR BASEBALL FIELD THAN WHAT THE DISTRICT HAS LOOKED TO TO MAINTAIN EQUITY OVERALL.
SO WHAT IS THE DISTRICT GOING TO DO TO THEN SORT OF MAKE THESE EQUIVALENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT SO PRIVATE FUNDS CAN COME INTO PLAY,
[02:30:03]
BUT THAT CAN ALSO RESHIFT THINGS.SO TITLE NINE EQUITY ABSOLUTELY COMES INTO PLAY IN ATHLETICS, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED A CONCERN WITH MAKING IT EQUIVALENT.
OKAY, MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, CATHY ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
SO WE WERE AT THE END OF YOUR CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.
YES, SIR. OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR YARBOROUGH.
I JUST WANT TO SEE A SCOREBOARD THAT WE CAN HAVE SPONSORSHIPS ON.
AND THE SCHOOL AND THE BOOSTER CLUB CAN, CAN, CAN MAKE MONEY OFF IT. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE. SO.
YES, SIR. AND THAT THAT OPTION HAS BEEN OFFERED TO THEM.
YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. AS RECENTLY AS LAST NIGHT AT A BOOSTER CLUB MEETING.
THANK YOU. DID NOT SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR YARBOROUGH.
THANK YOU SIR. THAT IS THE END OF OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. THERE WERE NO ITEMS SUBMITTED FOR THIS MEETING, AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR MURPHY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.
AS WE NEAR THE END OF THIS, I WOULD SAY MEETING, BUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, THERE ARE MANY APPRECIATIONS AND RECOGNITION DAYS TO OBSERVE AND CELEBRATE. THIS WEEK IS PUBLIC SCHOOL VOLUNTEER WEEK AND TODAY IS NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS DRIVER DAY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATED TRANSPORTATION STAFF AND THE VITAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN KEEPING OUR STUDENTS SAFE EACH DAY.
AS WE HONOR THEM, WE ALSO EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHIES TO EVERYONE IN LEXINGTON TO FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S TRAGIC ACCIDENT.
APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH AND THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO JOIN US THIS FRIDAY BY PURPLING UP WEARING PURPLE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE CHILDREN OF MILITARY FAMILIES AND THE SACRIFICES THEY MAKE.
IT'S ALSO NATIONAL SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH.
YOU'LL SEE IN OUR SLIDESHOW THIS EVENING THAT OUR LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST RECENTLY COLLABORATED TO HOST A STUDENT READING COMPETITION KNOWN AS BATTLE OF THE BOOKS.
A FUN AND ENGAGING WAY TO PROMOTE LITERACY ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS.
TOMORROW IS NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY.
A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOUR SCHOOL OR OFFICE SECRETARY FOR ALL THEY DO. THIS THURSDAY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING WITH STUDENTS SERVING ON MY SUPERINTENDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL MEETING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WITH STUDENT ADVISORS REPRESENTING GRADES THREE THROUGH 12 FROM ALL SCHOOLS.
THAT EVENING, I'LL ALSO MEET WITH A PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
LOOKING AHEAD TO MAY, THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CELEBRATIONS TO LIST HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE SPECIAL EVENT THAT IS AMP THE APPRECIATION AS IT RETURNS TO THE ALLEY IN DOWNTOWN AIKEN NEXT FRIDAY, MAY 2ND. THIS EVENING IS ALL ABOUT CELEBRATING OUR EMPLOYEES WITH DOWNTOWN DOLLARS FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
BUSINESSES STAYING OPEN, LATE STUDENT PERFORMANCES, OUR HEADLINER SAVANNAH SUNDAY, AND A SNEAK PEEK AT THE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL THROUGH STUDENT ARTWORK ON DISPLAY AT THE AIKEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
BOARD MEMBERS. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SIGNED UP TO HELP DISTRIBUTE DOWNTOWN DOLLARS OR WELCOME EMPLOYEES, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FROM MISS PICCOLINO OR LET HER KNOW WHEN YOU'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST.
THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE THE DAY AFTER NATIONAL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS DAY AND LEADS INTO THE START OF TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
IT SERVES AS A CULMINATION OF MANY CELEBRATIONS PLANNED TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK EMPLOYEES, TEACHERS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, AND EVERYONE WHO PLAYS A ROLE IN SHAPING THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS, STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES, AND POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE LIVES OF FAMILIES ACROSS AIKEN COUNTY.
AND LASTLY, TONIGHT I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS IS OUR LAST BOARD MEETING WITH MISS JENNIFER HART, AND SHE WILL BE LEAVING US.
SHE CAME TO US IN MARCH OF 2018 AND IS LEAVING US ON MAY 12TH, SO SHE WON'T MAKE THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. AND SHE WAS OFFICIALLY THE FIRST PERSON I MET AT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HAS PROVIDED ME WITH SAGE COUNSEL GUIDANCE, BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND SOMETIMES PERSONAL, ON HOW TO COMPORT MYSELF.
AND I WILL SURELY AND TRULY MISS YOUR YOUR YOUR TIME, YOUR THIS YOUR YOUR COUNSEL IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE, HUGE GAP FOR US TO TRY TO FILL UPON YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LOSS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND FAREWELL AND BON VOYAGE.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING.
[02:35:04]
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU.THANK YOU, DOCTOR MURPHY. WE ARE IN NEED OF AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING, SO WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS. AS THE BOARD DEEMS IN SUCH ORDER AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL EMPLOYMENT MATTERS.
THERE'S A ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT FOR EXCEL.
BE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT FOR AIKEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL C ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT. PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL, D INTERIM CHIEF OFFICER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION AND E ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT SLASH BOARD OF EDUCATION. THERE'S ALSO UNDER CONTRACTUAL MATTERS, THERE'S AN EMPLOYEE MATTER REGARDING BREACH OF CONTRACT AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS.
WE NEED TO RECEIVE RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN EMPLOYMENT MATTER.
SO 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 ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE PURPOSES? MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS PURPOSE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL BEGIN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE BOARDROOM BACK THERE.
AFTER A SHORT BREAK. TEN MINUTES.
NOW. IT'S JUST AS LONG FOR AIKEN.
THAT'S A PRETTY LONG BOARD. THEY'VE SHORTENED THE LENGTH SINCE I'VE BEEN CHAIR.
YEAH WE HAVE. WE HAVEN'T STAYED TILL 11:00 FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE. MAYBE IT WAS BEFORE ME, BUT THERE WAS.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE HAD MUCH LONGER MEETINGS.
OH, DEFINITELY. DURING COVID WE HAD VERY LONG.
YEAH. WITH THE KIDS THAT WE ARE NOT ASKING.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
TIME FOR THAT. YOU NEED A HUG? MY DAUGHTER SAID HE NEVER TOLD YOU.
SO WE HAVE. SOMETHING, RIGHT? YEAH. WE HAD A MOTION ON THE FLOOR DURING DISCUSSION.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU. OH, YEAH.
HE WAS THE SECOND AMENDMENT PROPOSED, WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL.
NOW, I DON'T HAVE INSTANT RECALL.
IT WAS 2.5 HOURS. WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT MOTION.
IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THEN IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THEN WE'VE GOT TO PUT IT ON OR IT'S STILL ON THE AGENDA.
WE CAN TECHNICALLY GO BACK TO COME BACK INTO REGULAR SESSION.
SO. OKAY. SO THERE WAS AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I WILL ADMIT THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON HERE.
SO IF WE FORGOT TO GO BACK, I DON'T KNOW AND THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BECAUSE. TOMORROW. WE'LL KNOW.
[03:41:17]
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTER REGULAR[03:41:24]
SESSION. SO MOVED. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY,[03:41:26]
SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL.[03:41:27]
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO ENTER?[03:41:30]
REGULAR SESSION. HEARING NONE.[03:41:32]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXITING EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTERING REGULAR SESSION,[03:41:35]
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.[03:41:37]
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES.[03:41:40]
IT WAS POINTED OUT BY A CITIZEN THAT WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING AGENDA ITEM A1 PERSONNEL[03:41:50]
APPOINTMENTS, THAT THROUGH ALL THAT DISCUSSION,[03:41:53]
BECAUSE YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT WE MADE TWO AMENDMENTS,[03:41:56]
ONE FAILED, ONE PASSED, THAT WE VOTED TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION,[03:42:00]
BUT NEVER ACTUALLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE AMENDED MOTION.SO WE ARE STILL IN A MEETING AND THAT MOTION IS STILL ON THE FLOOR, SO TO SPEAK, TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT THAT WAS.
THERE IS NOW AN AMENDED MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS LISTED IN ATTACHMENT A1, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUMBER 27.
THAT IS THE MOTION. AND IS THERE A MOTION TO.
EXCUSE ME? THAT'S THE AMENDED MOTION.
I'M TRYING TO THINK. SO AT THIS POINT, WE JUST TAKE A VOTE BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH ALL THE OTHER STAGES.
BUT BEFORE WE DO ANY DISCUSSION ON VOTING ON THAT MOTION, BEFORE WE VOTE ON THAT MOTION, THAT'S BEEN AMENDED.
OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AMENDED MOTION OF APPROVING PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS IN A1, EXCEPT FOR 27, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S FIVE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THAT'S THREE AGAINST. ANYONE ABSTAINING? MOTION CARRIES FIVE TO 3 TO 1.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL GET TO THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT REQUIRE ACTION. THE FIRST OF WHICH WAS WE HEARD ABOUT AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT FOR EXCEL.
IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THAT MOVE? WE ACCEPT THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION. SECOND.
MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT AT EXCEL. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR.
MOTION PASSES. THEN WE HAVE EMPLOYMENT MATTER.
B BRAVO ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT AT AIKEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
IS THERE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SUPPORT THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND. MOTION MADE BY MR. LINDELL, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. TO ACCEPT THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT AT AIKEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION PASSES.
C CHARLIE, ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT AT PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR THIS ONE? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE UPHOLD THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION.
MOTION SECOND MOTION MADE BY MISS TYLER, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL. I THINK TO UPHOLD THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT OF PAUL KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL. HEARING NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT WAS EMPLOYMENT MATTER D DELTA, INTERIM CHIEF OFFICER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND
[03:45:01]
ADMINISTRATION. IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO D.I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND. MOTION MADE BY MR. LINDELL, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON TO APPROVE.
ACCEPT THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR INTERIM CHIEF OFFICER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR.
MOTION PASSES. LAST, THERE WAS A CONSIDERATION MADE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
BOARD OF EDUCATION. EMPLOYMENT MATTER.
E ECHO IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO THIS? I MOVE THAT WE CHANGE THE TITLE OF THE POSITION TO OFFICE MANAGER AND ELEVATE THE POSITION TO THAT OF OFFICE MANAGER.
OKAY. SECOND. MOTION MADE BY DOCTOR BRADLEY, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THE POSITION TO OFFICE MANAGER.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. IT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S ONE AGAINST. MOTION PASSES 8 TO 1.
UNDER CONTRACTUAL MATTERS, WE HEARD ABOUT AN EMPLOYEE MATTER OF BREACH OF CONTRACT. IS THERE A MOTION ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? YES, SIR. I WOULD MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGARDING EMPLOYEES A AND B'S BREACH OF CONTRACT.
SO MOTION MADE BY MR. SILAS, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON TO APPROVE THE. SORRY, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ALL THAT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY TO RESTATE TO APPROVE AND DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION TO REPORT THE BREACH OF CONTRACT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S NINE IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION PASSES. WE DID RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN EMPLOYMENT MATTER.
NO ACTION IS NECESSARY ON THAT AT THIS TIME.
WITH THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SECOND. MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL. TO ADJOURN ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S ENOUGH TO PASS.
EIGHT IN FAVOR. WE STAND ADJOURNED.
JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.