Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on November 8, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the District Office

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

                                       

 

 

 

Location:                                     District Office                                                     Aiken, SC

                                                   1000 Brookhaven Drive

 

 

 

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

 

 

 

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Mrs. Donna Wesby

 

 

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

 

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

 

 

Regular Meeting – October 25, 2011

Special Called Meeting – October 26, 2011

                    

 

 

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

 

 

 

·         Public Participation

 

No Items This Meeting

 

 

 

 

·         Office of Board Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

1.                  SchoolFusion (Dr. O’Gorman)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.                  AdvancED Accreditation Progress Report (Dr. O’Gorman)

 

The Accreditation Progress Report (APR) is a critical component of the AdvancED accreditation process. It engages the district in a detailed review and analysis of the steps it has taken to address the required actions made by the AdvancED Quality Assurance Review (QAR) team. Completing the report helps the district/system focus and reflect on its continuous improvement efforts.

 

It is the responsibility of the district to address each of the QAR report's required actions within the 5-year term accreditation. Deadlines for completion of the report are based on the district's accreditation status and must be met to maintain accreditation. Some districts may complete multiple reports during the 5-year term to demonstrate that they have fully addressed the required actions.

 

 

 

 

At its October 25, 2011 meeting, the Board asked the Administration to provide a listing of possible uses of fund balance and other budget consideration.

 

 

 

5.                  Anticipated Changes in NCLB (No Child Left Behind) (Dr. O’Gorman)

 

The U.S. Department of Education is inviting each State educational agency (SEA) to request flexibility on behalf of itself, its local educational agencies, and schools, in order to better focus on improving student learning and increasing the quality of instruction. This voluntary opportunity will provide educators and State and local leaders with flexibility regarding specific requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive State-developed plans and designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction.

 

Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have bills in committee to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Each of the bills contains similar language to the waiver proposal from the Department of Education.

 

 

 

6.         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.         Request to Admit Foreign Exchange Student (Dr. Stowe)

 

School Board Policy JFABBB establishes guidelines for the admission of the exchange students to the high schools in the School District of Aiken County.

 

 

 

 

2.         No Child Left Behind Supplemental Educational Services (SES) (Dr. O’Gorman)

 

According to No Child Left Behind (NCLB), 20% of the district’s Title I, Part A allocation must be used to provide school choice and supplemental educational services (SES), or after school tutoring, to students who qualify for free or reduced meals in Title I schools designated as being in Continuing School Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring. Students enrolled in SES receive tutoring based on a per pupil amount, which is allocated by formula by the State Department of Education. Aiken County’s per pupil amount is $1,377.39. The State Department of Education provides the school district with a list of approved providers that must be used when offering the tutoring services. These providers issue an hourly rate for tutoring, up to a $60.00 maximum. As of October 18, 2011, Aiken County has 51 companies, providing services to approximately 500 children for the 2011-2012 school year.

 

 

 

 

3.                  Amendments to Policy DA – Fiscal Management Goals/Priority Objectives – Additional (Final) Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)

 

                                

          Policy DA is the District's introductory policy and its statement of  philosophy on the importance of District fiscal management and fiscal priority objectives. As the Board has recently been considering the projected results of its upcoming audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, and is also beginning preparation for the budget process for 2012-2013 school year, the Comptroller has recommended that the Board include a policy statement concerning fund balance and the objectives for the same.   This recommendation is also based upon inquiries by bond rating agencies each time we issue bonds, as well as input from the District's independent auditors.  The amended policy was approved on second reading at the October 25, 2011 meeting, and since the administration had recommended some refinements and clarification to the meaning of the recommended range, an additional reading was suggested for final adoption. At the suggestion of the Board, in the sentence before the bullet points, the words "and administration" were added between the words Board and will to explain that this is a joint responsibility from all aspects of District governance.

 

4.                  Proposed Calendar for 2012-2013 (Mr. Caver)

 

The administration prepares a new calendar each year for Board approval. Policy ICA provides guidance in the development of the school calendar and was last revised on March 9, 2004.

 

 

 

5.                  Request for donation of one surplus mobile unit by Kingdom Harvest Ministry, Inc. (Mr. Caver)

 

The church is requesting that an excess mobile classroom be donated to them to house their after school tutorial program located on Reynolds Pond Road in Aiken. 

 

The District does have several mobile classrooms that have been taken out of service and are schedule to be surplused and sold at Public Auction. The church has viewed these units and indicated that one unit (#60) located at North Augusta Middle School would meet their needs.

 

 

 

6.                  Request for donation of one surplus mobile unit by House of David Embassy International Ministries (Mr. Caver)

 

The organization is requesting that an excess mobile classroom be donated to them to expand their family and community ministry located on Edgefield Road in North Augusta. The addition of the unit will help with their child and music ministry.

 

The District does have several mobile classrooms that have been taken out of service and are scheduled to be surplused and sold at Public Auction. The church has viewed these units and indicated that one unit (#75) located at North Augusta Middle would meet their needs.       

 

 

7.         A Request for the Teaching Allocation Required to begin an ROTC Program at Ridge Spring-Monetta High School (Dr. Yarborough)

 

Ridge Spring-Monetta High School has limited exploratory offerings and is the only high school in the District that lacks an ROTC program.

 

 

 

 

In June, 2011, Aiken County Public Schools’ Department of Special Programs was notified of an allocation of $2,192,481.28 by the South Carolina State Department of Education (SDE). These funds were allocated to the District due to a failure by the SDE to meet the state level of Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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:

 

     

      Administrative Consideration – Interim Appointments

 

 

 

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 1)

 

b.                  Student Appeal (Area 2)

 

c.                  Student Appeal (Area 2)

 

 

 

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

 

ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION:

 

ADJOURN