Aiken County Board of Education Meeting - May 24, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

OFFICIAL AGENDA ______ _ REGULAR SESSION __7:00 P.M.___­___MAY 24, 2011    

Location:                                     District Office                                                     Aiken, SC

                                                   1000 Brookhaven Drive

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE:  Mrs. Janice Kitchings

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Special Called Meeting – May 3, 2011

Regular Meeting – May 10, 2011

Special Called Meeting – May 16, 2011

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

·         NAHS State DAR Essay Winner – Macey Whatley

·         Hammond Hill El “Letters About Literature” State Winner – Ellie Fuller

·         FCCLA Winners – Aiken High, South Aiken High and Wagener-Salley High

·         SAHS DECA Winners

·         WSHS JROTC Rifle Team Winners

·         WSHS FFA Tool Identification Winners

·         Elementary Knowledge Masters Spring Open Winners – Aiken El

·         SMS Jazz Band Winners

·         Public Participation

No requests this meeting.

·         Office of Board Chairman

No items this meeting.

A.                  INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:  The following items are for information only and do not require Board action.

1.                  Five-Year Facility Improvement Plan (Mr. Caver)

2.                  Construction Status Reports for the North Augusta Middle School Addition Project (Mr. Caver)

In an effort to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this school construction project, the Architects for this project, LS3P Associates LTD., and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

3.                  Graduation Performance Indicators (Dr. O’Gorman)

 4.         Technical Assistance Visit – Middle School (Dr. Stowe)

                  5.         Legislative Update (Mr. Liner)

B.                 CONSENT ITEMS:  The following items will be voted on as a group.  Individual items may be discussed prior to a vote being taken.

1.                  Ratification of Expulsions (Dr. Everitt)

The School Board, according to the Code of Laws for South Carolina, Sections 59-63-240, is authorizes to expel students from school.  Although the Board may receive recommendations for expulsion from others, it solely is empowered to take the final expulsion action.

2.             Revision of Policy IKA Grading/Assessment Systems – Final Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)

State Board of Education Regulations, 43-232, Defined Program Grades 6-8 (6/27/97) allows students in the seventh or eighth grade to take courses for high school credit. Our district has been limiting this opportunity to eighth graders.

The state has been recommending that we reduce the number of introductory computer classes taught in high school in favor of more rigorous coursework.

State regulation and current district policy states that the criteria and cut-off dates for the determination of honors graduates is a local decision.   The recommended change will give the benefit of including all grades earned during a student’s high school career for purposes of these computations.

3.             Sunshine House Inc. Grant to East Aiken Elementary School – FY11 (Dr. O’Gorman)

East Aiken Elementary School has been awarded a $2,262.16 grant from Sunshine House, Inc.  The funds will be used to purchase printer cartridges for the school.  They will also purchase janitorial supplies from the warehouse.

4.                  FY12 Application for Title II, Part A of No Child Left Behind (Dr. O’Gorman)

The State Department of Education has projected an allocation of $1,255,312.61 to Aiken County Public School District for Title II, Part A, “Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals.”  The purpose of Title II is to increase student academic achievement through strategies such as improving teacher and principal quality while also increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools.

5.         Title III Allocations for English Language Acquisitions, FY12 (Dr. O’Gorman)

The Aiken County Public School District has received $142,081 from the State Department of Education through the U.S. Department of ducation's  No Child Left Behind Act to supplement its Title III English Language Acquisition Program.  The purpose of this English Language acquisition Program is to assist state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) in providing supplementary educational services and offsetting costs for English as a second language students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools.  The funds awarded will be used for  instructional and printed materials, the hiring of one instructional aide and one district translator, multiple staff development opportunities with an emphasis on writing proficiency development, annual subscriptions  to Rosetta Stone and TransACT, and parent involvement opportunities and communications.

6.           Annual Revisions to the Code of Student Conduct – First Reading (Mr. Caver and Mr. Burkhalter)

The Code of Student Conduct was first promulgated by the Board of Education in 1971 and has been revised annually since then.  Extensive revisions were approved by the Board in 1981, 1985, and again in 1993.  Recommendations for revisions to the Code of Student Conduct for 2011-2012 have been solicited from principals, the school board attorney, area and district administrators, area advisory councils, board members and committees, and others.

C.        INDIVIDUAL ITEMS:

                    1.         Personnel Appointments (Dr. Hewett)

The certified and classified personnel presented have been screened by the Personnel Services Department and interviewed and approved by the Principal and the Area Assistant Superintendent.

2.           Schematic Plans for the Jackson Middle School Addition Project (Mr.     Caver)

The administration has completed the scope of educational needs for the Jackson Middle School Addition Project.  The architectural firm of Craig Gaulden Davis, Architects and their consultants have utilized this scope to produce the schematic design plans for this school.

D.        INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS

1.                  AGENDA ITEMS SUBMITTED BY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS:

2.                  CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESSED TO BOARD MEMBERS:

3.                  REPORTS FROM BOARD LIAISON TO VARIOUS COMMITTEES:

E.         OFFICE OF DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT:

·         Update

F.         EXECUTIVE SESSION:

             1.         CONTRACTUAL ISSUES:

                                      No Items This Meeting

2.         LEGAL BRIEFINGS:

·         Legal Briefing

3.         PERSONNEL ISSUES:

                          No Items This Meeting

4.         OFFICE OF DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT:

      No Items This Meeting

5.         APPEALS:

a.                  Student Appeal (Area 5) - Postponed

b.                  Student Appeal (Area 3)

c.                  Student Appeal (Area 3)

d.                  Student Appeal (Area 1) - Withdrew 5-24-11

e.                  Student Appeal (Area 1)

f.                    Student Appeal (Area 1) - Postponed

g.                  Student Appeal (Area 1)

h.                  Student Appeal (Area 1)

 RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

 ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION:

 ADJOURN