Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on September 10, 2013 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: Mr. Tad Barber

  

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

 

  

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

 

Regular Meeting – August 27, 2013               

 

  

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

 

 

·         Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards

 

  

·         Public Participation

 

No Request This Meeting

 

  

·         Office of Board Chairman

 

 

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

  

1.                  Legislative Update (Mr. Liner)

 

Mr. Duane Cooper, SCSBA Legislative and Advocacy Coordinator, will provide a legislative update.

  

 

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.         Sunshine House Donation to Aiken Elementary School – FY14

 

Aiken Elementary School was given a $1,842.61 donation from Sunshine House. The funds from this donation will be used for lawn services for 2013-2014.

 

 

  2.         Request for Approval for Home Instruction (Dr. Hewett)

 

The School Board, according to the Code of Laws for South Carolina, Section 59-65-40, is authorized to approve home schooling for parents not opting for approval by the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools. The program has to meet certain standards as outlined in the bill, Policy IEK and IEK-R.

 

  

 

 

 

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 Academic Officers.

 

 

   2.         Amendments to Policy GDO Evaluation of Support Staff – First Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)

 

The present language in Policy GDO requires annual evaluations of support staff by March 31^st of each year. There is a heavy burden on administrators and supervisors who must evaluate certified employees to have those evaluations prepared and in to the Human Resources Department by mid-March based on statutory deadlines. There is no a statutory requirement regarding the evaluation time for non-certified employees and consequently the present language in the policy places an additional substantial burden on the Human Resources Department that is unnecessary.            

 

 

   3.         Amendments to Policy GCD Professional Staff Vacations and Holidays and Policy GDD Support Staff Vacations and Holidays – First Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)         

 

Approximately two decades ago in response to administrative concern over numerous staff members perennially taking days off at the start of holiday breaks in order to “extend” their time away from school, the Board authorized the administration to address a policy issue relative to this practice in order to curb the time lost for instructional time to students. Changes to policies related to vacations and holidays attempted to address those issues. However, due to utilization of the term “vacation” exclusively and the position of language intended to preclude this practice within the text of the relevant policies, there has continued to be an issue regarding the interpretation of what is and is not permitted.

 

 

 

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:

 

 

     No Items This Meeting

 

  

 

3.         PERSONNEL ISSUES:

 

 

                                    No Items This Meeting

 

  

 

4.         OFFICE OF DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT:

 

 

                        No Items This Meeting

 

 

  

5.         APPEALS:

                                   

No Appeals This Meeting

 

 

 

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

 

ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION:

 

ADJOURN