[00:10:02]
[00:10:10]
WE BEGIN ALL OF OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.[00:10:14]
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.
I'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONS OR SUGGESTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.
IF I DON'T HEAR ANY OBJECTIONS, WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED.
THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING IS APPROVED. NO OBJECTIONS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES? SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN. MR. LINDELL HAS MADE THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECONDED BY DOCTOR BRADLEY. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE JULY 24TH MEETING? MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.
ANYONE OPPOSED? ANYONE ABSTAINING. THAT'S TO THE MEETING.
MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 24TH MEETING ARE APPROVED.
SIX IN FAVOR, TWO ABSTAINING. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT.
WHICH BRINGS US TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. SO EXCUSE ME.
SO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. WE HAVE THREE FOLKS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.
THE FOLKS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND CAN OFFER OBJECTIVE COMMENTS ON SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS. AND BUT THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE AN EXPRESSION OF PERSONAL COMPLAINTS AGAINST SCHOOL PERSONNEL.
AND OUR AND OUR PRACTICE IS THAT WE DO NOT RESPOND IN THE MEETING TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
FIRST ON THE LIST IS MISS SHANNON CHANDLER IS COMING TO SPEAK ON POLICY ICA CHANGE.
MISS CHANDLER, THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.
CHAIRMAN. VICE CHAIR. BOARD. MY NAME IS SHANNON CHANDLER AND I AM HERE AS A CONCERNED COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO, MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS A CONCERNED MEMBER OF DILLON HARRIS'S VILLAGE.
MANY OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW DILLON HARRIS. NOW, I'VE READ THIS POLICY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ICA POLICY, AND I'VE READ THE POLICY. AND SO I MAY NOT KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THE POLICY, BUT I KNOW DILLON HARRIS.
HE HAS BEEN AN A STUDENT, SO HE HAS ALL A'S. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, DILLON SKIPPED THE 10TH GRADE.
AND SO THIS YEAR, HE WILL BE A SENIOR AND HIS CLASSMATES SAW FIT TO ELECT HIM AS CLASS PRESIDENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS YEAR, DILLON WAS A JUNIOR MARSHAL FOR THE 25, 24, 25 SENIOR CLASS, AND HE'S ALSO ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM. SO IF YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET DYLAN, YOU MIGHT CHECK HIM OUT. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T MEET HIM HERE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY LATER UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO GET AN AUTOGRAPH.
SO. IS I'M A FAMILY COURT ATTORNEY. AND SO MY FRAME OF REFERENCE IS FAMILY COURT.
AND IN FAMILY COURT. THE STANDARD IS A FAMILY COURT IS A COURT OF EQUITY.
SO AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, DYLAN IS THE TOP STUDENT IN HIS CLASS, SO IF HE'S ABLE TO MAINTAIN HIS AVERAGE, HE SHOULD BE THE VALEDICTORIAN OF THE CLASS. BUT PER THE POLICY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BECAUSE DYLAN HAS DONE IN SIX SEMESTERS WHAT MANY OF US, INCLUDING ME, COULD NOT DO IN IN EIGHT SEMESTERS.
HE DOES NOT QUALIFY TO BE THE VALEDICTORIAN. AND I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF, AND I'M ASKING YOU, IS THAT FAIR? WE HAVE IN THIS, IN THIS DISTRICT, IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE PROMOTE EXCELLENCE.
[00:15:06]
AND DYLAN, QUITE FRANKLY AND CLEARLY HAS BROUGHT INTO THAT EXCELLENCE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS PROMOTING.AND HE IS EXCELLENT. HE PERSONIFIES EXCELLENCE.
AND SO IS IT FAIR WHEN DYLAN HAS DONE WITH WHAT HE'S BEEN ASKED TO DO? HE'S GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT. HE'S NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE HONOR OF BEING THE VALEDICTORIAN.
AND SO IN THIS INSTANCE, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU DYLAN IS DRIVEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS. AFTER TODAY DYLAN IS GOING TO BE FINE.
BUT AS IT CONCERNS DYLAN AND AS IT CONCERNS THOSE STUDENTS THAT COME AFTER THEM, IS IT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST WHEN THEY EXCEL? WHEN YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO IS ABLE, BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASON, IS ABLE TO TO SKIP A GRADE, THEY THEY HAVE ALL OF THE CREDITS THAT THEY NEED.
IS IT REALLY IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO REQUIRE THEM THAT IF THEY WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE HONOR OF BEING THE VALEDICTORIAN, TO REQUIRE THEM TO REMAIN IN SCHOOL FOR ANOTHER SEMESTER? I'LL TELL YOU. I WAS TALKING TO DYLAN'S MOM REALLY QUICKLY, AND SHE TOLD ME THAT IF HE STAYS, HE DOESN'T. THERE ARE NOT MANY OTHER CLASSES THAT HE CAN TAKE, SO IT'S REALLY IN HIS BEST INTEREST TO BE ABLE TO GO ON TO COLLEGE AND TO MOVE ON.
DYLAN STARTS SCHOOL ON MONDAY, JUST LIKE MANY OF THE STUDENTS HERE IN THIS DISTRICT.
STRICT. AND SO I'M SURE HE'S GOING TO HAVE A GREAT SENIOR YEAR, BUT I WOULD HATE TO SEE HIM IN HIS SENIOR YEAR WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE HONOR THAT HE HAS WORKED FOR AND THE HONOR, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT HE DESERVES IF HE'S ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT AVERAGE.
SO I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE IKEA POLICY.
I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, AS YOU LOOK AT IT, THAT YOU LOOK AT IT, CONSIDER IT, AND THAT YOU MAKE A DECISION IN TIME SO THAT THAT DILLON CAN BENEFIT FROM THAT DECISION AND THAT HE CAN BE IF HE MAINTAINS HIS GRADES, AS I'M SURE HE WILL, HE CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE HONOR OF BEING VALEDICTORIAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. CHANDLER. NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS MR. RON KESSLER, WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK ON IMPROVE TEACHER PARENT USE OF POWER SCHOOL AND THE MICROPHONES.
OH. OKAY. I. I THINK YOU COULD DO IT FROM EITHER LOCATION.
SO I DO I DO HAVE A HANDOUTS JUST IN CASE THE.
OTHERS DON'T WANT TO. YOU CAN JUST GIVE ME AND I'LL PUT SOME DOWN THIS WAY AND SOME WAY WHEN I'VE CONVERTED FROM THE RECORD IN THE PAST. PERFECTLY. OKAY. IF WE NEED ONE MORE.
OKAY. AS I WAS, I SPOKE TO THE BOARD BACK IN MAY, AND AS I MENTIONED BACK THEN, I HAVE A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING, WHICH LED ME TO AN IDEA WHICH YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBER, BARRY MOULTON, SAYS HE'S 100% IN SUPPORT OF.
THAT WILL MAKE AIKEN COUNTY SCHOOLS, THE HIGHEST ACHIEVING THAT THEY'VE EVER BEEN.
I HOPE, AND IT WILL REQUIRE THAT THE TEACHERS AND THE PARENTS DO LESS WORK THAN THEY CURRENTLY DO.
AND THIS IS THE DIRECTIVE THAT I'M ASKING FOR ALL TEACHERS IN THE COUNTY TO HAVE TO ABIDE BY. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, MY SON, WHO'S NOW 12, WHEN HE WAS WITH ME, HE WAS IN THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM FOR ALL OF FOURTH AND FOR ALL OF FIFTH GRADE UNTIL MY NOW EX-WIFE MISLED THE COURT AND SHE BECAME TEMPORARILY 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS SCHOOLING, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO PLAY UNLIMITED X-BOX, CAUSING HIM TO GET KICKED OUT OF THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM AT THE END OF FIFTH GRADE.
UNTIL THEY TURN 18. AND THIS STARTED JUST IN THE QUARTER, THE FOURTH QUARTER.
AND I WAS ABLE TO INCREASE MY SON'S MATH SCORE, 28 PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM THE THIRD QUARTER TO THE FOURTH QUARTER AND 24% IN ANOTHER CLASS. BUT ALL HIS GRADES WENT UP WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOCIAL STUDIES, WHICH I'M GOING TO DEAL WITH LATER.
MY SON HAD DEVELOPED A LOT OF BAD HABITS, ONE OF WHICH WAS HE'S NOT DOING HIS ASSIGNMENTS.
[00:20:01]
SO I HAD TO CONSTANTLY EMAIL AND CALL THE TEACHERS TO FIND OUT WHAT ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS WERE PENDING.SO THE NEXT SLIDE. IS THE ACTUAL ENTRY THAT THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER DID INTO POWER SCHOOL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT NOT ONLY WELL, THERE'S SCIENCE WHICH THE WHEN I TRANSFERRED IT, IT WIPED OUT ALL THAT STUFF. I TRUST ALL THAT OUT. BUT ANYWAY, SO THE SOCIAL STUDIES, YOU CAN SEE THE SECOND GRADE, THERE IS A02 BELOW THERE IS A ZERO. THERE'S TWO MORE ZEROS LOWER DOWN.
ANOTHER ZERO, ANOTHER ZERO, ANOTHER ZERO. SO THERE'S SEVERAL ZEROS.
AND AND THESE WERE THE FIRST TIMES I EVER HEARD OF THESE ASSIGNMENTS.
AND SHE HAD THE WORD CLOSED THERE, MEANING THERE'S NO DEBATE, NO TURNING IN LATE.
NO. YOU KNOW, SO HE BASICALLY THERE'S NO REASON, YOU KNOW, FOR HIM TO LEARN THE MATERIAL.
BASICALLY, HE DIDN'T LEARN THE MATERIAL, NEVER DID.
SO THE, THE VERY SIMPLE REQUEST THAT I DIDN'T READ YET IS THAT ALL I'M ASKING IS A DIRECTIVE TO THE TEACHERS THAT ALL TEACHERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER ALL GRADE WORK INTO PRIOR SCHOOL AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO ITS DUE DATE.
THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. AND IN THAT WAY, I HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO MAKE SURE HE GETS THE WORK DONE.
HE APPROVES IT, AND I CAN APPROVE THAT. HE'S DONE IT.
AND AND SO BASICALLY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
AND I DID I DID MAKE SOME OTHER SLIDES THAT HAVE IT WHERE THE TEACHER WOULD INPUT THE DATE, SHE PUT IT INTO POWER SCHOOL. BUT THEN I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER DIRECTIVE.
SO MAYBE I SHOULD HOLD OFF ON THAT. BUT SO. YOU KNOW.
BUT. AND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD IMAGINE WHEN THE, WHEN YOU ALL DO A DIRECTOR TO TEACHERS, THEY'LL FOLLOW IT. THEY PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO PUT THE DATE. THEY ACTUALLY ENTERED IT INTO POWER SCHOOL. BUT I PUT IT IN THE THE HANDOUTS I GAVE YOU.
AND SO BUT BASICALLY THE TEACHER, THEY PUT ALL THAT INFORMATION IN THE COMPUTER AND ALL I'M SAYING IS PUT IT ALL IN THERE EXCEPT FOR THE GRADE. JUST DON'T PUT THE GRADE IN THERE.
AND THEN AFTER THE DUE DATE, THEN THEY CAN PUT THE GRADE IN THERE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S DOING THEIR BEST.
SO. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. KESSLER.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS MR. SEAN DAVIDSON, WHO'S SPEAKING ON ADDRESSING POLICY.
THE POLICY ON DISTRICT APPEALS. SO I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD DYLAN'S STORY BEFORE, AND IT WAS TOLD TO ME IN A JOKINGLY MANNER ABOUT HOW THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE, BECAUSE THAT IS POLICY UNDER SOUTH CAROLINA 59, 1990. THE BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO GOVERN AND MANAGE ALL EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS IN THIS DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE POWER TO REVISIT AND REVISE ITS OWN DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS.
LET ME READ THAT AGAIN FOR YOU ONE MORE TIME.
SOUTH CAROLINA LAW THE WHOLE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, CODE 59, 1990.
WE CAN LOOK IT UP ON OUR CELL PHONES. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO GOVERN AND MANAGE ALL EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS IN THIS DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE POWER TO REVISIT AND REVISE ITS OWN DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS.
SO THAT MEANS WHEN A SCHOOL BOARD LOOKS AT A PARENT AND SAYS, WE HAVE NO TIME, WE HAVE NO POWER.
THEY ARE INCORRECT AND IT SHOWS A SERIOUS LACK OF LEADERSHIP.
IT DOESN'T SAY UNLESS A POLICY WRITTEN BY THE SCHOOL BOARD STATES THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
LET'S DISCUSS THE POLICY THAT CAME INTO EFFECT JUNE 7TH OF 2022.
FIVE OUT OF THE NINE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WERE NOT ON THAT BOARD.
[00:25:08]
MAYBE THERE ARE SOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS EACH INDIVIDUAL PARENT AND THE CONSTITUENTS IN THEIR CONCERNS.I'VE BEEN TOLD AS A PARENT THAT THERE WAS NO CHOICE BUT TO CHANGE THE WORDING OF THE REFERRAL.
HE LEARNED THAT YOU CHOSE TO CHANGE THE WORDING OF THE REFERRAL.
YOU CHOSE TO LOOK AT A TOY PURCHASED ON A SCHOOL SPONSORED FIELD TRIP BY ANOTHER STUDENT, STILL IN ITS BOX AS A WEAPON. SO WHY? WHEN THE BOARD MADE A DISCIPLINARY DECISION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITHOUT AN ADVOCATE PRESENT, DID THEY DECIDE 45 DAYS OF ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL WAS ACCEPTABLE? DID THEY NOT LOOK AT A CALENDAR? BECAUSE 45 DAYS IN AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS MEANS THEIR KID IS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR ALMOST FOUR MONTHS.
MY SON HASN'T BEEN IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM FOR OVER 104 DAYS.
HE WON'T FOR A TOTAL OF 140. THAT'S A THIRD OF THE YEAR.
WE ARE A YEAR ROUND SCHOOL. THERE'S HOLIDAYS.
THERE'S SUMMER BREAK. SO A 45 DAY CONSEQUENCE HAS EXTENDED BEYOND THE SUMMER.
HE WON'T BE ABLE TO TRY OUT FOR FOOTBALL COME NOVEMBER.
HE WON'T PLAY FOOTBALL EVEN THOUGH HIS CONSEQUENCES EXPIRED.
AND I'VE BEEN TOLD HE WILL MOVE ON. WELL, WHERE WAS THAT? SORRY. THEN YOU SIT THERE AND YOU SAY YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE POLICY.
YOU WRITE THE POLICIES. THE LAW CLEARLY STATES YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
YOU CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUES A PARENT LIKE MYSELF OR DYLAN'S IS BRINGING BEFORE YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU EVERY SINGLE TWO WEEKS FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS OF MY LIFE.
MY CHILDREN WILL STAY IN AIKEN COUNTY AND YOU WILL GET TO HEAR ABOUT IT EVERY TWO WEEKS WHILE WE DISCUSS A POLICY IN WHICH THE SCHOOL BOARD LOOKS AT A PARENT IN THEIR EYES AND TELLS THEM YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, THEN YOU GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES. THIS IS MY CHOICE. I GET FIVE MINUTES TO STAND HERE AND PLEA FOR YOU TO STEP BACK FOR ONE SECOND.
STOP BY HIDING BEHIND A POLICY IN WHICH YOU WROTE AND CHANGE THINGS.
YOU CAN CHANGE THINGS. YOU WRITE THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
YOU WROTE THE CODE OF CONDUCT. YOU VOTED IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
YOU HAVE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY VESTED IN YOU TO CHANGE IT AND DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, ANY GIVEN MOMENT FOR STUDENTS LIKE MY SON AND DYLAN.
THANK YOU, MR. DAVIDSON. I UNDER OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIRMAN.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC, BUT JUST. I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK WELCOME BACK TO ALL OUR STAFF THAT CAME BACK TO OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, ETC. THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT THIS WEEK, AND I WELCOME BACK AS THEY COME NEXT WEEK TO ALL OUR STUDENTS THAT COME IN OUR DOORS.
AS WE MOVE ON TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS ITEM A1 PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, AND THIS IS A LIST OF CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL THAT WAS SCREENED BY HR AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WE MUST CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED? MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE.
MOTION MADE BY MR. LINDELL. IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY DOCTOR BRANTLEY. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT.
EXCUSE ME. SEVEN IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ANYONE ABSTAINING? THAT'S ONE. PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS ARE APPROVED.
SEVEN IN FAVOR, ONE ABSTAINING. THE SECOND ITEM, WHICH MR. TRAXLER IS CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER QUESTIONS WAS THIS IS OUR BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR 2425 FOR FUNDS TWO, THREE, EIGHT AND NINE. ON THIS ONE WE ARE. EXCUSE ME.
WE HAVE SO WE PERIODICALLY HAVE BUDGET AMENDMENTS COME TO US.
AND THIS INCLUDES CHANGES FOR THE SPECIAL REVENUE AND EIA FUNDS UPDATED FOR ESTIMATES AND ACTUAL AMOUNTS, INCLUDING ANY CARRYOVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR TO THE CURRENT YEAR.
[00:30:03]
AND APPROVING THIS, WE'RE APPROVING THAT A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR THOSE FOUR FUNDS TWO, THREE, EIGHT AND NINE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT? MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECONDED BY MR. SILAS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT WAS OUR TWO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT ITEMS. CONSENT ITEMS ARE ONES THAT WE WILL VOTE ON AS A GROUP, BUT CERTAINLY CAN BE DISCUSSED INDIVIDUALLY PRIOR TO TAKING THAT VOTE.
AND I WILL GO THROUGH THEM NOW. ITEM B1 IS THE REQUEST TO ADMIT FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS.
AND BY POLICY JF AB THE THE BOARD MUST APPROVE THE ADMISSION OF THOSE EXCHANGE STUDENTS NUMBER TWO OR B2 IS OUR DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS. EXCUSE ME.
AND ALSO B3 IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSFER REQUESTS.
THESE ARE LISTS OF TRANSFER REQUESTS OF FOLKS WANTING TO TRANSFER IN AND OUT OF THE DISTRICT, EITHER FROM OR TO A NEARBY DISTRICT. THEN WE HAVE ITEM B4 IS A CHARITABLE DONATION.
YUN KAPPA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP IS DONATING $1,500 TO AIKEN HIGH.
AND TO BE USED AS A MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IN HONOR OF IRVING BAXTER.
THROUGH THAT SCHOLARSHIP FUND TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING SENIORS.
THIS IS A CREDIT BACK OF OVER $400,000. THEN WE'RE GETTING INTO THE NEXT THREE ITEMS B7, EIGHT AND NINE. I JUST WANT EXCUSE ME, SEVEN AND EIGHT.
LET ME START WITH THAT. SEVEN AND EIGHT. THERE WAS A CHANGE AS FAR.
I BELIEVE WE DIDN'T USED TO HAVE TO DO RFPS FOR SOFTWARE.
THEY WERE EXEMPT. THAT HAS CHANGED IN STATUTE OR CODE.
IT'S BUDGETED AND SO FORTH. I DIDN'T KNOW IF DOCTOR EDWARDS, IF YOU OR MR. TRAXLER, DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THESE? AND THE REASON I'M DOING THIS IS WE WOULD HAVE NOT HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST NECESSARILY.
WE WOULD JUST HAVE APPROVED A BUDGET FOR THESE THINGS. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR. DOCTOR YARBOROUGH BOARD MEMBERS.
WE DID WANT TO TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW. BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THIS.
AS AS MR. NESTLE MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFERENT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT HASN'T TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST, BUT OUR HANDLING HAS.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME, SOME GUIDELINES. FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
EXCUSE ME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN THE PAST, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR BOARD CHAIR, WHOEVER THAT WAS AT THE TIME, WOULD HAVE SIGNED OFF ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
SEVERAL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE ONES THAT THAT ARE ONGOING.
THIS IS A FORMALITY. WE WANT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE.
THERE ARE SOME NEW ITEMS ON HERE. DOCTOR EDWARDS, IN A MOMENT, IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN SELECTED THAT ARE RECOMMENDED IN ITEMS B7 AND B8. AND AND AS SHE DOES, IT WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS A NEW ITEM AND EXISTING ITEM. HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT IN THE PAST, WHAT THE FUNDING SOURCE WOULD BE, WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THAT.
[00:35:01]
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE ALL OF THESE, BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO AT THE BOARD, SO CHOOSES TO DO THAT. AND ONE KEY HERE IS THAT THIS RFP WAS FOR FIVE YEARS.HOWEVER, WHENEVER YOU CONSIDER THIS, THIS IS FIVE YEARS WORTH OF ONE YEAR APPROVAL.
AS ALWAYS, AT LAST OPEN I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IF WE FIND SOMETHING THAT'S BETTER, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE.
DOCTOR, DOCTOR EDWARDS AND HER STAFF ARE CONTINUALLY LIKE LOOKING AT THAT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HER. SHE'LL GO OVER SOME DETAILS AND THEN I'LL WRAP IT UP.
THANK YOU. MY GREATEST CHALLENGE IS ALWAYS USING THE CLICKER.
MR. NESTLE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DOCTOR YARBOROUGH.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. OKAY. SEE? HOW WE TOOK.
VERY, VERY COMPLEX. OKAY, ASHLEY, I'M GOING TO HEAD BACK OUT TALKING TO THE NURSE.
HERE WE GO. Y'ALL PLEASE GIVE ME SOME GRACE. ANYWAY, I WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW WE TOOK A VERY COMPLEX SITUATION AND NARROWED IT DOWN SO YOU COULD UNDERSTAND IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER. SO WE HAD THESE VENDORS IN PLACE, AND THE VENDORS WERE THE ACTUAL COMPANY. AND THEN THE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS UNDER THESE VENDORS.
SO THE THE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS THAT YOU SEE ARE NOT NECESSARILY ALL THE MATERIALS FOR THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR, BUT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT THEY PUT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THE GRADE LEVEL, OF COURSE, IS IDENTIFYING ALL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE OR SO FORTH.
WAS THE SOFTWARE USED IN 2425? THAT COLUMN WILL TELL YOU WE ONLY HAD TWO OF THESE THAT WERE SELECTED THAT ACTUALLY WERE USED. POWER SCHOOL. OF COURSE, WE KNOW ALL ABOUT POWER SCHOOL.
THE PIECE OF POWER SCHOOL WERE ACTUALLY THE ITEM BANKS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
WHENEVER WE USE POWER SCHOOL ITEM BANKS TO CREATE ASSESSMENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
AND ALSO THE PROGRESS LEARNING IS A TOOL THAT WE USE IN SELECT SCHOOLS.
IN THE NEXT COLUMN, DO WE PLAN TO USE THE SOFTWARE IN 2526? IF YOU SEE YES THERE, IT MEANS THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THAT FROM A DISTRICT LEVEL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES FOR NEXT YEAR.
THESE FUNDING SOURCES INCLUDE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL.
I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN ON HERE. STATE MEANS THE HIGH INTENSITY TUTORING GRANT, BECAUSE WHENEVER WE GOT THAT GRANT FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, THEY ALLOWED US TO EXTEND THE THE FUNDING TO MIDDLE AND HIGH.
IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, LAST YEAR IT WAS $1.478 MILLION JUST FOR ELEMENTARY.
AND THIS YEAR WE GOT A BIG SURPRISE. AND THEY ARE ALLOWING US TO USE THOSE FUNDS TOWARD ANYTHING THAT WE CAN USE, ANY SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS THAT WE CAN USE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY APPLY TO OR REMEDIATE STUDENTS.
SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE ABLE TO USE POWER SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE CAN USE LOCAL MONEY FOR THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT THE WAY THOSE TEACHERS USE THOSE PARTICULAR PARTICULAR MATERIALS.
AND ALSO PROGRESS LEARNING CAN CAN BE USED UNDER THAT GRANT.
THE NEXT TWO, BY THE WAY, WE CHOSE SIX OUT OF THE NINE SUBMISSIONS.
MR. CARROLL, HIS TEAM WAS INVOLVED. MY TEAM WAS INVOLVED PROCUREMENT.
MR. MILLER, SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB HELPING US THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THESE ARE TWO MORE THAT WE DID SELECT TO BE ON THE LIST IN CASE WE CAN FUND IT LATER.
IT'S ON THE STATE CONTRACT ED PLAN AND WE'RE ABLE TO USE ED PLAN DOES THE SAME THING AS THIS.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT A STATE CONTRACT ITEM THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
IT'S ALREADY PRE-APPROVED. BUT IN THE EVENT THAT ED PLAN DOES NOT MAKE US HAPPY AND WE DON'T LIKE IT, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE ANOTHER PRODUCT AVAILABLE FOR US.
IT'S NOT ON HERE AGAIN, IT'S IT'S STATE. IT'S STATE APPROVED.
[00:40:02]
BUT I WAS ABLE TO PUT THAT INTO THE GRANT AS WELL.THE NEXT SECTION WAS A BIGGIE. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS IN AIKEN COUNTY.
WE WE ALL KNOW THAT. I MEAN, WE LIKE TO GIVE OUR TEACHERS OPTIONS.
SO TO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, WE HAD HUGE BOXES.
WE HAD 32 SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS. OF THE 32 SUBMISSIONS, WE CHOSE 26 OF THEM AND WE CURRENTLY WE ARE PLANNING TO USE EIGHT OF THOSE NEXT YEAR, MANY OF THOSE WHERE WE HAVE EXPERIENCE IN IT.
ALSO, I NEED TO EXPLAIN TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN IN THE COLUMN.
IF WE HAVE. YES. AND THE DO WE PLAN TO USE THE SOFTWARE FOR 2526? IT MEANS WE ARE PURCHASING IT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL SYSTEMICALLY.
IF IT'S NOT A YES IN THAT BOX, IT JUST MEANS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE THE OPTION.
MANY SCHOOLS HAVE CHOSEN THESE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S THE BEST MATERIALS FOR THEIR STUDENTS, AND WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY CAN PAY FOR IT WITH THEIR LOCAL FUNDS, WHICH IS OF COURSE, DISTRICT MONEY.
MOST OF THEM HAVE GONE THROUGH TITLE ONE. THE TITLE ONE PLANS FOR THE SCHOOLS.
SO JUST GOING THROUGH I DID INDICATE WHETHER WE USED ESSER FUNDS BEFORE.
SO I WANTED YOU TO SEE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT WE HAD ESSER DOLLARS.
AND YOU ALL KNOW THE RULE. I MEAN, IF WE DIDN'T USE IT, WE WERE GOING TO LOSE IT. OR EVEN IN CASES LIKE TITLE ONE BE PENALIZED FOR NOT USING THOSE FUNDS. SO WE GOT OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE ESSER DAYS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD MANY RESOURCES IN OUR DISTRICT.
BUT JUST TO GO THROUGH THESE AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE STOP ME.
FOR INSTANCE, DERIVATIVE DERIVATIVE IS A MATH PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM THAT WE USED WHENEVER WE REALIZED WE REALLY NEEDED TO HIT SYSTEMICALLY MATH DEFICIENCIES. AND WE HAD A SPECIALIST COME IN TO ALIGN DERIVATIVE WITH OUR BRAND NEW MATH STANDARDS FOR THIS YEAR.
DERIVATIVE EBITDA WAS WE USED ESSER MONEY IN THE PAST TO PAY FOR THIS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR DERIVATIVE FOR ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OUR FUNDING, THE FEDERAL FUNDING CARRY OVER MONEY.
AND THIS YEAR MONEY IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT.
AS FAR AS DERIVATIVES FOR HIGH SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOLS ARE NOT FUNDED WITH TITLE FUNDS.
SO THAT MEANS IT COMES OUT OF MY FUND USUALLY FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
AND OFTENTIMES WE USE SOME OF THEIR SERVICES, EVEN FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE A COMPANY THAT ALLOWS US TO CHECK OVER AND HELP ALIGN THOSE STANDARDS SO THAT THAT THEY DO FIT INTO SOUTH CAROLINA'S STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS.
AGAIN, FEDERAL FUNDED AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE LEVEL FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
ALL RIGHT. BUT FOR HIGH SCHOOL, THAT IS GOING TO BE STATE FUNDED.
MY GENERAL FUNDS EPS LEARNING DESK DIGITAL COACH.
THAT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE.
SC DIGITAL COACHES DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH SC READY.
AND WE'VE SEEN SUCCESS WITH SC DIGITAL COACH AND WE'RE USING OF COURSE THESE ARE FEDERAL FUNDED FEDERALLY FUNDED FOR THIS THIS YEAR, THIS COMING YEAR, EXPLORE LEARNING IS ANOTHER ONE.
EXPLORE LEARNING WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE AT ALL LEVELS AND AGAIN, GET PIECES OF THAT GIZMOS REFLEX SCIENCE FOR US, THESE ARE ALL SUPPLEMENTAL THINGS THAT A TEACHER MIGHT WANT TO PULL IN AND BE ABLE TO USE.
AND FORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF ESSER, WE WERE ABLE TO FUND THAT FOR ALL LEVELS IN THE PAST.
[00:45:05]
HAGERTY LET ME BACK UP FOR JUST A SECOND. HAGERTY IS IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS HAVE OPTIONS AROUND THE SCIENCE OF READING ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND HAGERTY IS SOMETHING THAT'S GIVEN US WHAT WE NEEDED TO ALIGN TO STATE STANDARDS.AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THE AMOUNT SPENT IN 2425 WAS 13,000.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE MOST OF THE SCHOOLS CHOSE HAGERTY, BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE REALLY SHOWING PROGRESS OR USING THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCT.
SO AS MR. TRAXLER SAID, YOU KNOW, WE TRY IT, WE FIGURE OUT IF WE NEED IT AND THEN WE CARRY ON, OKAY, THAT IS GOING IN THE BACK WAY. THE NEXT SLIDE IS HONEYMAN.
BY THE WAY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT. THAT IS OUR NEW READING TEXTBOOK IN ELEMENTARY.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE CHOSE THAT THE COMPANY ACTUALLY MAKES US PAY FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS THAT GO WITH IT. AND FOLKS DON'T REALLY REALIZE THAT.
IMAGINE LEARNING WAS USED LAST YEAR IN GRADES K THROUGH TWO.
AGAIN, IT WAS A READING A READING PLATFORM THAT TEACHERS COULD USE.
ESSER FUNDED, EXCEL WAS ESSER FUNDED. AND SOME OF THESE.
THEY LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN THERE AND PULL FROM THOSE SUPPORT DOCUMENTS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YES, $146,000. BUT GUESS WHAT? THAT'S ABOUT 11,000 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AT THAT PARTICULAR PRODUCT SERVES.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. BUT WE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
MOVING DOWN TO THE LIGHTER CODED ONE NEWS ELA AND NO RED INK AND THEN READ THEORY ON THE BOTTOM.
THOSE ARE ONES THAT WE DID APPROVED TO HAVE ON THE TOP SHELF IN OUR IN OUR LIBRARY.
AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THEM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
BUT WHENEVER WE LOOKED AT THE PRICE OF THESE, THEY WERE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SPENDING ON SOMETHING SEMI COMPARABLE. BUT WE'VE GOT THEM THERE IN CASE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE IN THE FUTURE.
SO GOING FORWARD, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR AIKEN COUNTY? IT LOOKS LIKE A CONSTANT MONITORING PROCESS. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE SLIDE TO YOU.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS SO DIFFERENT, WE WE'RE LEARNING THROUGH IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE LAUGHED ABOUT IT. BUT IN REALITY, WE DID START AT THE END OF LAST YEAR IN THE LATE FALL, TALKING ABOUT, OKAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS? AND WE INVOLVE MISS MILLER IN PROCUREMENT. AND SHE REACHED OUT TO THE VENDORS BECAUSE SHE KNEW WHO SHE'S BEEN PAYING OR WHO AIKEN COUNTY HAS BEEN PAYING, AND WE INVITED PEOPLE TO APPLY BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED THEM ON THIS LIST SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
SO OUR GOAL HERE TONIGHT IS ONCE WE GET THESE PAST IN TEN DAYS, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. BUT NEXT YEAR WE'LL START THE PROCESS WAY EARLIER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF THERE IF THERE ARE FOLKS THAT WE WANT TO ADD ON ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES, WE HAVE TO OPEN THE ENTIRE RFP PROCESS BACK UP.
SO THAT'S GOING TO MAKE US BE EVEN MORE MINDFUL ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND DO NOT LIKE SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BUILD OUR LIBRARY OF RESOURCES TO THE GREATEST CAPACITY.
SO WHAT IT'LL LOOK LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR, OUR HOPE IS TO HAVE THIS LIST TO YOU IN EARLY SPRING, IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE POS COMPLETED BY JULY 1ST, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A SHORT TURNAROUND THAT THEN WE CAN GET THE PROCESS GOING A LITTLE BIT FASTER. SO IF.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MISS TRAXLER? DID I FORGET SOMETHING? I, I'D LIKE TO ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS. OF COURSE.
FUNDING IN A YEAR OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. DOCTOR EDWARDS MENTIONED THE HIGH INTENSITY GRANT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE. WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ON THAT UNTIL AFTER THE BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR AND UP UNTIL THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF GETTING THAT.
WE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THERE WERE SOME CARRYOVER FUNDS WHERE WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THAT FOR THIS SECOND YEAR, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE NEXT YEAR. WE'LL CONTINUALLY EVALUATE THAT.
[00:50:05]
SHE MENTIONED THE PURCHASE ORDERS AGAIN. WE WOULD IF IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WISH TO CONTINUE WITH, IT WOULD PURCHASE ORDERS WOULD BE SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL.IF IT'S A PURCHASE ORDER ABOVE 100,000, IT REQUIRES A BOARD CHAIR SIGNATURE.
GOING BACK TO THIS RFP. BUT AGAIN, IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE COMPLIANCE CLIENTS PROCESS THE COMPLIANCE WITH THESE DOLLARS WITH THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES. AND AND IT'S EASIEST FOR US TO, TO TREAT EVERYTHING REGARDLESS WHETHER IT'S LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING CONSISTENTLY. SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
IF I MAY ADD ONE THING, I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THIS, BUT I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH INTENSITY GRANT, ONE OF THE LARGEST LINE ITEMS ON HERE IS TRY ONCE.
AND THAT WAS THE PRODUCT THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE.
MANY OF YOU WENT OUT TO VISIT THIS PRODUCT BEING PUT INTO PRACTICE AT THE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, IT WAS $326,000. IT WAS FUNDED BY THAT HIGH INTENSITY GRANT.
AND JUST TO TOOT THE HORN OF MY DEPARTMENT, I WANT TO SHARE SOME GREAT NEWS ABOUT THAT.
WE DID NOT SPEND ALL OF THAT $1.478 MILLION LAST YEAR, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY COULD NOT FIND CLASSIFIED STAFF TO PROVIDE THE TRAINING AND THE THE TEACHING THAT WE NEEDED.
SO WE DID THE VERY BEST WE COULD. WE SERVED 2300 STUDENTS IN AIKEN COUNTY WITH THE GRANT, AND WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, THERE WAS ABOUT $400,000 LEFT. AND STATE MONEY.
IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU SEND IT BACK TO THE HOUSE LIKE YOU DON'T GET TO PLAY.
AND SO I WROTE AN AMENDMENT AND ASKED THEM, WILL YOU PLEASE ALLOW AIKEN COUNTY TO USE THAT $400,000 TO TRY TO PUSH THIS IN ONE MORE YEAR? SO I COULD HAVE SOLID DATA TO SEE IF IT'S IF IT WAS WORTH FIGHTING FOR FOR $326,000.
AND WE DIDN'T HEAR. I MEAN, EVERY DAY, TREY, YOU KNOW, HE HE IS GOING TO MONITOR EVERYTHING.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WE HAVE TO KNOW BY CERTAIN DATE BECAUSE OF THE ROLLOVER AND THE WEEK BEFORE THE ROLLOVER, I DID GET A CALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID, AMY, WE GOT GOOD NEWS.
EDUCATION, OVERSIGHT, LOVED THE WHAT WE SAW FROM THE GRANT.
WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW AIKEN COUNTY TO KEEP THE $400,000.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GIVE YOU THE FULL AMOUNT AGAIN.
AND WE HAVE THE OTHER 400. SO THESE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS, WHEREVER I CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SLIDE, ANYTHING THAT WOULD FIT INTO THOSE GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
I'LL CERTAINLY BE DOING THAT. BUT AGAIN, IT'LL BE OVER JUNE NEXT JUNE 2026.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. MISTER LINDELL. DOCTOR EDWARDS, EVERYTHING THAT WAS ESSER FUNDS.
HOW ARE WE FUNDING IT NOW? SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE ESSER FUNDED THINGS IS WE'VE HAD TO HAVE A VERY SLOW TRANSITION TO ALLOW SCHOOLS TO FIGURE OUT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY NEED? AND IF IT IS, WE ARE FIGURING OUT A WAY TO, TO FUND IT.
FOR EXAMPLE AT EDITOR MENACHEM COURSEWARE. INITIALLY IT WAS IT WAS PAID FOR WITH ESSER DOLLARS, BUT WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS A PRODUCT THAT WE HAD TO HAVE IN ORDER TO GET THESE KIDS THE COURSES THEY NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE'VE JUST WE FIGURED IT OUT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THE BEST THING ABOUT IT, I KNOW THAT IT'S HARD WHENEVER YOU'RE BEING GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD EVER WANT AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER, BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SKILL OF BEING ABLE TO PRIORITIZE.
AND I FEEL LIKE OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR SCHOOLS, AND ESPECIALLY OUR PRINCIPALS, DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE'RE GOING TO PUSH IN ON THEM. SO THEY'VE DONE JUST THAT, FIGURED OUT HOW TO PRIORITIZE SO THAT THEY GET WHAT THEY NEED.
AND THIS IS AN OBVIOUSLY A GOOD WAY TO DO IT.
I MEAN, THROUGH THE OUR PROCESS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE BUY AND IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ADOPTING READING PROGRAMS AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL.
AND THEN IN A YEAR, WE SPENT $1 MILLION A YEAR.
I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO EVALUATE THESE PROGRAMS OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS, I THINK, OR WHATEVER, YEAR BY YEAR, BUT OF UP TO FIVE YEARS.
AND I GUESS THAT WILL SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT WE SHOULD KEEP AND WHAT WE SHOULD GET RID OF.
[00:55:01]
ANOTHER CONCERN I HAVE IS THE PERCENTAGE OF TIME THAT STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING INSTRUCTION FROM INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS, AS OPPOSED TO MACHINES. AND I SEE THE ENCROACHMENT.YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR OF MACHINES, THEY'RE BECOMING MORE AND MORE. AND OF COURSE, THIS IS THE AGE OF I EVERYBODY'S WORSHIPING IT NOW AND IT'S GOING TO DO WONDERFUL THINGS FOR US, BUT THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. I'M AN OLD GUY, AND I COME FROM THE SCHOOL WHERE THE TEACHER SAT ON ONE END OF THE LOG AND THE KID SAT ON THE OTHER END, AND THEY HAD A BOOK AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO TEACH A LOT OF KIDS HOW TO READ AND DO DO THE THINGS, DO IT NECESSARY FOR LIFE. TIMES HAVE CHANGED, AND IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLEX NOW.
BUT I YOU KNOW, 90% OF WHAT YOU SAID, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IT MEANT BECAUSE I'M NOT ACQUAINTED WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME.
I'M NOT A TEACHER AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THESE THINGS.
THEY'RE JUST WORDS. I WANT TO BE ASSURED THAT WE GOT SOMEBODY LOOKING AT THIS STUFF AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SPENDING THE MONEY WISELY, AND WE'RE GETTING THE BENEFIT FROM THE BOOK THAT WE SPEND ON THIS.
I THE READING PROGRAM I TALKED ABOUT WAS BEFORE YOUR TIME.
SO I'M CERTAINLY NOT SLINGING MUD AT YOU AND I'M JUST REALLY JUST SOUNDING A CAUTION THAT WE REALLY NEED TO WATCH TWO THINGS. ONE, DO JUST THE SOFTWARE THAT WE BUY WORK OR TWO.
NUMBER TWO WOULD BE ARE WE USING TECHNOLOGY? OR TO TEACH THE KIDS BETTER, OR ARE WE USING IT TO JUST TEACH KIDS SO THAT THE TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND DOCTOR BRAWLEY, THAT'S A VERY VALID CONCERN.
IN FACT, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PARENTS OVER MY TIME IN AIKEN COUNTY.
AND ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS, THE GREATEST COMPLAINT HAS BEEN TIME ON THE COMPUTER AND WITH THE EVALUATION AND THE SELECTION PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE A LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL TO MONITOR THAT TIME SO THAT WHENEVER, FOR INSTANCE, I'LL USE ALREADY AS AN EXAMPLE, IT'S A READING AND MATH PROGRAM, BUT WE KNOW THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MINUTES THAT THOSE KIDS CAN BE ON IT. I CAN PULL IT UP. ANYBODY AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE THAT HAS ACCESS CAN PULL IT UP AND SEE THAT SO-AND-SO'S CLASS IS SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME.
SO TO MONITOR IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE SO THAT THE KIDS DON'T GET BURNT OUT.
AND WE CAN PUSH IN THE IMPORTANCE OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.
SO THAT'S BEEN A BIG PUSH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE EVALUATION PROCESS.
WE'RE PRETTY ROUGH ON HOW WE EVALUATE THINGS AND AIKEN.
AND I TELL YOU, THE HARDEST THING TO DO IS TO GET TEACHERS TO CHANGE FROM WHAT THEY'RE SO USED TO.
WE HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS THAT SOME TEACHERS HAVE NEVER TRIED BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO CHANGE.
SO THAT MY FOLKS AND I'M USING AN EXAMPLE FOR ELEMENTARY BUT MIDDLE AND HIGH HAS THE SAME SITUATION.
THESE SUPPORT SPECIALISTS CAN GO OUT AND MODEL THIS PROCESS FOR THEM.
AND WITH THE MODELING PIECE AND THE FOCUS ON THE TEACHING AND LEARNING AND, AND ENGAGEMENT AND THE THE EVALUATION PIECE, WE FEEL LIKE WILL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO SKIM IT DOWN EVEN A LITTLE TIGHTER.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO EVALUATE IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THAT COMMITTEE IS TOO SHY TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS NOT WORKING.
OR WE HAVE A PRODUCT THAT WILL DO THE SAME THING FOR HALF THE MONEY.
I AM THE FRUGAL ONE IN THE ROOM USUALLY. SO, YOU KNOW, I SECOND AT MY PEOPLE THINK THEY DON'T ASK ME FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE ME THE FULL DEETS. BUT ANYWAY, I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON THIS COMING YEAR, THE ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR WITH THE PRODUCTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO PURCHASE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH GRANTS OR S OR WHATEVER.
AND. YES, SIR, WHAT IT IS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE BOARD.
I MEAN, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN EDUCATION AND, AND I'M SORT OF FLOUNDERING BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM NOW. I THINK, OF COURSE, THE OBVIOUS ANSWER IS TO GO SIT IN THE CLASSROOM AND SEE.
AND NOT THAT I'M REALLY I WAS QUALIFIED AT ONE POINT TO MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT THAT.
[01:00:01]
I DON'T THINK I AM ANYMORE BECAUSE EVERYTHING THE WORLD CHANGED WITH ALL THIS ELECTRONICS.BUT I WANT SOME ASSURANCE, I WANT TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING THAN I DO.
AND I THINK A LOT OF MY UNEASE IS JUST IGNORANCE, YOU KNOW, ON MY PART.
SO MAYBE I JUST NEED TO BE EDUCATED A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I HOPE THERE'S SOME STANDARD, YOU KNOW, SOME TALK ABOUT AMONG EDUCATORS, TEACHERS, PRIMARILY ABOUT HOW MUCH DIRECT INSTRUCTION A CHILD NEEDS VERSUS HOW MUCH OF A MECHANICAL INSTRUCTION. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. I WASN'T SURE WHO'S FIRST.
MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. GOOD EVENING. I'M CONCERNED LIKE DOCTOR BRADLEY SAID ABOUT THE MONITORING, BUT I'M ALSO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING.
AT SOME POINT, DO YOU HAVE THE TEACHERS AND YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THIS RIGHT NOW? BUT AT SOME POINT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE TEACHERS EVALUATING THESE PROGRAMS AND WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY SAYING? BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO, YOU KNOW, ARE HAVING TO IMPLEMENT THIS, AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO REALLY KNOW WHETHER IT'S WORKING OR NOT.
OTHER THAN THE DATA, SO IS THE THAT IS THE DATA IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TEACHERS? IS MY WHAT THE BEAUTY OF THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION THE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS IS IT GIVES FOLKS OPTIONS.
AND SO WHENEVER PRINCIPALS COME TO US TO BUILD IT INTO THEIR TITLE ONE PLAN OR TO ASK, WE HAVE PRINCIPALS THAT SAY, OKAY, WE'VE GOT TEN OF US, WE REALLY WANT THIS.
CAN WE, CAN WE BUY AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL? THAT PROCESS HAPPENS AND THEY ARE HEARD.
IN FACT Y'ALL HEARD A LOT ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REMOVED LAST YEAR WAY MORE THAN WE DID, SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT THINK WAS HIGH QUALITY AND ON GRADE LEVEL LIKE WE WANTED IT TO BE.
IT REALLY DIDN'T PASS THE TEST. I KNOW I'M NOT THE MOST POPULAR PERSON IN THE WORLD FOR SAYING THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO PERFORM AT THE LEVEL THAT WE WANT THEM TO.
WE HAVE TO TEACH USING MATERIALS THAT ARE ON THAT LEVEL.
SO WE'RE BUILDING THAT LIBRARY NOW, AND THE TEACHERS DO HAVE A VERY LOUD VOICE, WHETHER IT'S AT THE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL LEADERSHIP TEAMS OR EVEN IN TEACHER FORUM, THEY'RE ABLE TO SUGGEST OR MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ASK FOR THINGS.
SO YES, MA'AM, THAT'S HAPPENING. MR. SILAS YEAH, I AGREE WITH DOCTOR BRADLEY AND REALLY WHAT YOU SAID, DOCTOR EDWARDS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MONITOR SCREEN TIME.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN ACCURATELY DO THAT AND HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS, BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM TIME TO TIME I HEAR FROM PARENTS, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR PARENTS THAT THAT'S WHAT'S VERY CLOSELY.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL. AND AND I TALKING TO YOU A LITTLE ABOUT IT KIND OF IN THE HALLWAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S WE'VE GOTTEN SOME, SOME RESULTS FROM IT. SO. SO WE EXPECT MORE. I WILL SHARE THAT.
THE RESULTS PART. WE WERE MENTIONED AT CASA AS BEING ONE OF THE LEADER DISTRICTS FOR MAKING THE BIGGEST CLOSING THE GAP ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT.
SO WE WE DON'T KNOW THE FINAL WORD ON THE DATA PIECE YET TO SEE ALL THE RESULTS.
WE JUST CAN SEE GROWTH FROM THIS PARTICULAR THE GRANT, THE TWO PROGRAMS WE PUT IN.
WE COULD SEE THAT GROWTH IN GRADE THREE FOR SURE.
AND THAT'S TO APPROVE THESE VENDORS, THIS LIST OF VENDORS WHO OFFER THESE.
SO YEAH. SO I'LL SUMMARIZE FOR YOU. SO IF WE APPROVE BRAVO SEVEN AND BRAVO EIGHT, AS PART OF THE CONSENT ITEMS, WE'RE ALLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER CONTRACTS WITH THE FIRMS LISTED ON THOSE ITEMS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR LIKE FOR BRAVO SEVEN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR PROGRESS MONITORING AND DATA TRACKING PLATFORMS. AND THEN ON BRAVO EIGHT IT'S FOR THE K THROUGH 12 SUPPLEMENTAL E-LEARNING PLATFORM.
SO WE'RE WE'RE NOT GOING OUT AND APPROVING A BUDGET THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS IT'S LIKE THAT. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THREE SUPPLIERS TO DO LAWN MAINTENANCE OR, YOU KNOW, ROOFING OR WHICH IS THE NEXT ITEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY CUTTING A PO OR COMMITTING FUNDS, ALTHOUGH I THINK EDWARDS DID A GOOD JOB OF OUTLINING HOW WE WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR AND WHAT WE PREDICT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS COMING YEAR.
OKAY, GOOD. SO WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR SOMETHING WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE. IT'S GOING TO BE HANDLED LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED, ON SORT OF A SCHOOL BUS, SCHOOL CASE BY CASE BASIS, WHERE YOU LOOK AT THE POS, IF IT'S OVER THAT THRESHOLD, YEAH, I WANT IT.
I WANT TO PUT A LITTLE SUNSHINE ON IT SO THAT FOLKS UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE'RE DOING, MISS TYLER.
[01:05:03]
SO ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS WHAT HAPPENS IF, OF COURSE, WE LOSE MONEY? SO I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON THAT A LITTLE BIT. THE OTHER WELL, NOT A QUESTION, BUT JUST A STATEMENT.AND IT'S THE PROCUREMENT IN ME. I WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S WORDED AS OPTIONAL ONE YEAR RENEWALS, BECAUSE MY PRICING AS A VENDOR WOULD BE A LOT DIFFERENT.
IF YOU TELL ME THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, THEN IT WOULD BE IF YOU TELL ME THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ONE YEAR CONTRACT AND THEN FOR OPTIONAL RENEWALS.
SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU BECAUSE I RECALL YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING TO MONITOR IT, AND IF IT'S NOT WORKING, THEN YOU WOULDN'T RENEW IT FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ARE A YEAR BY YEAR. AND, MR. TRAXLER, YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THIS? SURE. SO, SURE.
THEY HAVE IT ALL. SO, YES, THE RENEWALS ARE YEAR BY YEAR, SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
POS WOULD BE PURCHASE ORDERS WOULD BE FOR YEAR 1 TO 5, YEAR 2 OR 5 IF WE SO CHOOSE.
IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO CONTINUE THAT AS FAR AS FUNDING MAY COME AS A COMPLETE SHOCK, BUT DOLLARS AREN'T GOING UP AS MUCH AS AS WE WISH. SO EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE'RE GOING TO COME HERE AND THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT COME TO OUR ATTENTION WHERE WE'RE LOSING SOME MONEY. WE DON'T HAVE THE HIGH INTENSITY GRANT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHOICES, EITHER BRING IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS OR WE HAD TO PULL BACK ON SOMETHING.
AND THEN WE WILL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
IN ADDITION TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS PROGRAM IS WORKING FOR US IS MEETING OUR NEEDS OR IF IT'S NOT.
MR. BROWN? SCARED. I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO TALK BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE.
BUT Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB. I KNOW PERSONALLY SOME OF THE WORK YOU DO BACK THERE AND WORKING WITH THE GRANTS, AND YOU'VE GOT SOME VERY ENTHUSIASTIC EMPLOYEES THAT BRING IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS AND PROGRAMS, AND I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND. THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO SPEAK AS CITIZEN JIM WITH THREE KIDS IN SCHOOL. MY CONCERN, AND IT'S BEEN FOR A WHILE IS AND I'VE GONE TO MEETINGS WHERE THE GOVERNORS COME AND YOU HAVE HAD A PROGRAM, AND IT DID WELL IN A SCHOOL AND GOT AN AWARD.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS. AND THEN I SIT BACK AND SAY, WELL, IF THAT WAS SO WONDERFUL, WHY DID WE NOT BRING IT OVER THE WHOLE DISTRICT? HERE'S HERE'S MY POINT. THERE'S A TON OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS UP THERE, A LOT OF OPTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE OF THE TIME AND WHAT TEACHERS HAVE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS BACK UP. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.
I'M TALKING TO YOU ON THAT. THIS IS REALITY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES YOU CALL A SCHOOL AND YOU NEED SOMETHING AND THERE'S PEOPLE ALWAYS IN TRAINING, PRINCIPALS GOING TO TRAINING APS HERE, THIS AND THAT.
IT'S HARD TO GET CALLS BACK. I HEAR OUT ON THE STREET THAT YOU TAKE POWER.
POWER SCHOOL. A LOT OF COMPLAIN ABOUT NOT BEING UPDATED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT MYSELF. THEN YOU TALK TO TEACHERS, AND THEY SAY, WELL, WE HAVE SO MUCH ON US, AND WE GOT ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS WE HAVE TO DO.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE'S GOT TO BE A BALANCE BETWEEN SIMPLIFYING WHAT WE CHOOSE AS A DISTRICT TO USE AND THE AVAILABLE TIME THAT PEOPLE HAVE. BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE HEARD TEACHERS SAY THAT THEY TRANSFERRED FOR WHATEVER REASON FROM SCHOOL A TO SCHOOL B, WELL, THEN THEY RUN IN WHOLE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND IT'S A WHOLE NEW LEARNING THING.
NOW MAYBE I'M OFF BASE. THIS IS JUST PERCEPTION OF WHAT I HEAR OUT THERE ON THE STREET.
SO I SAY THAT TO SAY MISTER CARROLL, I PICKED HIM BECAUSE I SAID, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A LOT OF CONSOLIDATION ON, ON OUR PROGRAMS. AND I'M. I'M AN OLD COUNTRY GUY THAT FEELS LIKE THAT.
MAYBE LESS IS MORE WHEN YOU CAN FOCUS IN ON THEM AND DO THEM LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE USED.
[01:10:01]
BECAUSE I KNOW WE BOUGHT PROGRAMS THAT DIDN'T WORK AND WE DIDN'T USE IT.BUT ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.
IN MY MIND, I WOULD THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL REPORT CARD IS SO IMPORTANT.
THERE'S GOT TO BE CERTAIN INPUTS TIED TO THAT.
I WOULD THINK THAT THE DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE JUST CERTAIN SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS, AND THEY'RE OFFERED ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU GOT TO USE. AND AND YOU GO BACK TO MORE HANDS ON INSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF THE TIME LIMITS THAT TEACHERS IN ALL HAVE. AND THAT'S JUST MY $0.02 WORTH.
I AGAIN, Y'ALL A LOT MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN THIS TO ME, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN UTILIZE ALL THESE PROGRAMS AND UTILIZE THEM TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING, SIR.
MISTER LINDELL WITH SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, HELP TEACHERS WITH SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL, LIKE TEACHERS HELPING TEACHERS DID TEACHER BY TEACHER OR WHATEVER. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS SELECTED SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS THAT WERE MORE ALIGNED TO STATE STANDARDS AND AT THE LEVEL THAT THE TEACHERS NEEDED TO BE USING.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING A TO Z, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THESE NEW STANDARDS AND TEACHERS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO USE WITH THE NEW STANDARDS YET. BUT WE'VE BUILT A SYSTEM TO BRIDGE THOSE GAPS TO IDENTIFY EXACT STANDARDS.
SO WE'VE NOT ONLY GONE IN AND CHOSEN VERY PARTICULARLY CHOSEN, THE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS WE NEED, BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE INTENTIONAL, WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALIGNED AND MATCH UP EVERYTHING.
THEY'LL TELL US THE TRUTH, THEY'LL TELL US WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE OR WHATEVER.
MOVING FORWARD, MR. BROOME, TO TO ADDRESS THE THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING.
A LOT OF THE TRAINING THAT WE FACE IN, IN, IN THE STATE IS REQUIRED TRAINING FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
OUR OUR TEACHERS LETTERS. IT'S A TWO YEAR TRAINING.
IT'S BENEFICIAL. IT'S PAID FOR THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE FACED WITH.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE'VE GOT TO TRAIN THEM THE NEW STANDARDS.
SO THOSE SUPPLEMENTS, MR. LINDELL, DO SUPPLEMENT MATERIALS, DO ALSO SUPPORT THOSE AREAS.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER. HANDS UP. I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION AND THE DISCUSSION.
DOCTOR EDWARDS AND MR. TRAXLER. AND I'VE NOTED THAT I'M GLAD THERE'S INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT, AND WE'LL PROBABLY BRING BACK SOME INFORMATIONAL TOPICS AT A LATER TIME.
I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA FROM FOLKS THAT EXPRESSED THAT.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT WAS DISCUSSIONS ON BRAVO SEVEN AND BRAVO EIGHT.
AND I PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IF WE APPROVE THOSE, WHAT THAT MEANS.
SIMILAR, BUT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SOFTWARE B9 OR BRAVO NINE IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR FY 26 ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR ROOFING MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. SO WITH THIS THERE HAVE BEEN.
EXCUSE ME. THERE ARE FOUR COMPANIES. LLOYD REICH ROOFING PROFESSIONALS IN SOUTHERN ROOFING.
THING. IF WE APPROVE THIS AS PART OF THE CONSENT ITEMS, WE'RE ALLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH THESE FIRMS LISTED ABOVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR VARIOUS ROOFING, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND REPLACEMENT NEEDS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN THAT IS OUR NINE CONSENT ITEMS. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE NINE CONSENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED? SECOND MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL TO APPROVE THE NINE CONSENT ITEMS. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE NON CONSENT ITEMS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR THE MOTION CARRIES. THE NINE CONSENT ITEMS ARE APPROVED.
THAT BRINGS US TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS WHERE WE HAVE THE FIRST OF WHICH IS WE'VE GOT THE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT QUARTERLY CHANGE ORDER NOTIFICATION.
[01:15:03]
AND WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THAT. AND THAT THERE WAS I BELIEVE THERE WAS JUST THE ONE IN THE LAST QUARTER.AND THEN NEXT WE HAVE A CONSTRUCTION STATUS REPORT ON THE CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER.
AND DOCTOR YARBOROUGH IS. WHO'S PRESENTING THAT? YES, SIR. MR. CHAIR IS HERE TO COME FORWARD AND PRESENT.
THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. NESTLE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
DOCTOR YARBOROUGH. LET ME GET CLOSER TO THIS.
I'D LIKE TO PRESENT A QUICK UPDATE OF THE AIKEN COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER.
I AM JINXED WITH. THERE WE GO. SO WHAT I HAVE TO PRESENT TODAY IS OUR JULY 2025 UPDATE, AND MY SLIDE DECK WILL SHOW THAT OUR PROGRESS SITE GRADING HAS CONTINUED DEFINING THE DIFFERENT BUILDING TIERS. YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE AREA.
A CMU BLOCK CONSTRUCTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE.
AREA B CMU BLOCK CONSTRUCTION IS PARTIALLY COMPLETE.
AREA C LEVEL ONE RETAINING WALLS PARTIALLY COMPLETE AND BACKFILLED.
AREA C LEVEL ONE CMU BLOCK CONSTRUCTION IS PARTIALLY COMPLETE.
THE PROJECT IS WITHIN BUDGET AND FINAL COMPLETION IS SET FOR FALL OF 2026.
AND YOU'LL SEE KIND OF WENT THROUGH THAT QUICKLY.
BUT YOU'LL SEE. AREA A. SORRY. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO YOU CAN WORK IT I CAN'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S BAD. ANYWAY, THERE YOU GO. I'LL LET NICK ADVANCE THE ADVANCE.
THE SLIDES. SO YOU'LL SEE. AREA. SEE YOU. GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
THAT'S FINE. THAT'S FINE. YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKAGE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER, PLEASE CALL ME.
OKAY. AND I'LL BE GOING TO A CLICKER REMEDIATION RIGHT AFTER THE MEETING.
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION THIS FALL 2026. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR.. MR.. QUESTIONS FOR MR..
JARED. BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE OLD BUILDING? THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION, MR.. LYNDALE. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROPOSALS OUT THERE FOR THE DISTRICT FINDING AN APPROPRIATE USE FOR IT.
AND IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED POSSIBLY AS A AS A PLACE TO PARK SCHOOL BUSSES.
DOCTOR MURPHY HAS BEEN APPROACHED BY A PRIVATE CORPORATION ABOUT POSSIBLY PURCHASING IT.
SO THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF IDEAS AND PROPOSALS OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION.
YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. BROOME, SINCE YOU ASKED THAT. AND THIS REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO THIS.
BUT WE WILL BE LANDLOCKED. CORRECT. ONCE THIS BUILDING IS FINISHED, THERE'S NO LAND.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THERE'S REALLY NO LAND TO ADD ON TO THIS CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER LATER ON, BUT TO COUNT FOR GROWTH. THAT IS CORRECT. WE'RE NESTLED IN THE CAMPUS OF THE AIKEN AIKEN TECH.
OKAY, I JUST THINK IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH NOW, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING ACROSS THE STREET, BECAUSE, YEAH, THE NEEDS IS GOING TO BE WAY MORE THAN WHAT THAT BUILDING'S GOING TO HOLD.
YES, SIR. THAT MAKES SENSE. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GARA? THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE, AND YARBOROUGH IS WITH US THIS EVENING IN THIS ROLE.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS.
LAST WEEK, NEW TO THE DISTRICT, EDUCATORS JOINED US FOR IGNITE AND ALL ADMINISTRATORS FOR A SEND.
[01:20:07]
TOGETHER WE PREPARED TO IGNITE OUR PASSION FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EXCELLENCE AS WE EMBARK ON A NEW SCHOOL YEAR.I WOULD WANT TO NOTIFY THE BOARD THAT SUMMER SCHOOL GRADUATION WILL BE HELD NEXT TUESDAY, THE 22ND, AT 6 P.M. AT SOUTH AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ON MONDAY, JULY 21ST, AND HOPE THAT YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE ENJOYED A WONDERFUL SUMMER THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE ENJOYED A WONDERFUL SUMMER.
THANK YOU YARBOROUGH. WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR SESSION FOR THE MOMENT.
WE ARE IN NEED OF AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE ARE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IN SUCH ORDER AS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE. UNDER STUDENT MATTERS, THERE'S A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA FIVE.
EMPLOYMENT MATTERS. THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT FOR THE DIRECTOR OF AIKEN COUNTY CAREER CENTER, AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS WILL RECEIVE A RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING EMPLOYMENT MATTERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE PURPOSES? SECOND MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. LINDELL, TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THESE PURPOSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[02:50:25]
OKAY. WE HAVE CONCLUDED EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE'RE IN NEED OF A MOTION TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTER REGULAR SESSION.[02:50:32]
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON MADE A MOTION TO EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND REENTER REGULAR SESSION.[02:50:40]
SECONDED BY MR. SILAS. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION?[02:50:44]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.[02:50:48]
THE MOTION CARRIES. WHILE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER STUDENT MATTERS, WE HEARD A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA FIVE.[02:50:56]
IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT? THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA FIVE.[02:51:01]
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE UPHOLD THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION.[02:51:08]
MOTION MADE BY MISS TYLER, SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. TO UPHOLD THE DISTRICT'S RECOMMENDATION IN REGARDS TO STUDENT APPEALS FROM AREA FIVE.[02:51:16]
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.[02:51:22]
THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, UNDER EMPLOYMENT MATTERS, WE CONSIDERED THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT FOR THE DIRECTOR OF[02:51:29]
THE AIKEN COUNTY CAREER CENTER. IS THERE A MOTION FOR THAT?[02:51:35]
I MOVE WE APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION.[02:51:43]
SO DOCTOR BAILEY HAS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE AIKEN COUNTY CAREER CENTER.[02:51:50]
THAT'S BEEN SECONDED BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION?[02:51:56]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.[02:52:00]
THE MOTION CARRIES. WE DID HAVE AN ITEM UNDER LEGAL MATTERS WHERE WE RECEIVED LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING EMPLOYMENT MATTERS.[02:52:08]
THERE'S NO ACTION NECESSARY AT THAT TIME. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.[02:52:13]
IS THERE A MOTION MADE BY MISS RHINEHART-JACKSON? SECONDED BY DOCTOR BRADLEY TO ADJOURN. DISCUSSION.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.
THE MOTION CARRIES. WE STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.