Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on September 24, 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. Richard Hazen

 

 

 

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

 

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

 

Regular Meeting – September 10, 2013                    

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

 

 

·          

 

 

 

·         Public Participation

 

No Request This Meeting

 

 

 

·         Office of Board Chairman

Grant Procedure – Mr. Fleming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

1.                 Public Construction Project: Ware Lambert, Senior Shareholder with Harper, Lambert & Brown, PA, Construction Law Specialist will address the Board concerning construction delivery methodologies and allowable procurement procedures in public construction.

 

 

 

 

2.         Construction Status Reports for the Ridge Spring-Monetta High Addition

             Project (Mr. Caver)

    

             In a effor to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this

             school construction project, the Architects for this project, A.L.R.

             Architecture, PC and the Administration prepare a monthly status

             report for the Board's review.

 

 

 

3.            Construction Status Reports for the Aiken High School Phase I 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.

 

 

 

4.            Legislative Update (Mr. Liner) - No update this meeting.

 

 

 

 

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 of South Carolina Sections 59-63-240, is authorized 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.                  Dollar General Literacy Foundation Youth Literacy Grant to Greendale Elementary School – FY14 (Mr. Laurence)

 

Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded a $4,000 Youth Literacy Grant to Greendale Elementary School. Funds from this grant will be used to fund reading intervention by the purchase of Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) systems. These systems, developed by Fountas & Pinnell, are research-based and provide both teachers and reading volunteers supplemental materials that are used to provide support to struggling readers.

 

 

 

3.                  Budget Adjustment #2 (FY14) – Fund #1 (General) and Fund #4 (Debt Service Fund) (Mr. Laurence)

 

Periodically during the fiscal year, the Division of Fiscal Services submits adjustments to the approved budget as may be required in the conduct of operations.

 

 

 

4.                  Funding Flexibility for the Quarter Ending September 30, 2013 (Mr. Traxler)

 

Provisos 1.32, 1.37 and 1A.17 provide school districts and special schools funding flexibility for 2013-2014. Among the requirements, each district’s board and superintendent must certify the specific flexibility actions taken. The certification must be in writing, signed by the board chairman and superintendent, and delivered electronically to the State Superintendent of Education. An electronic copy must be forwarded, through the SC Department of Education, to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee.

 

Furthermore, the certification must be presented publicly at a regularly called school board meeting and be posted on each district’s website.

 

 

 

 

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 – Final 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 – Final 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.

 

 

 

4.      Policy DGD – Amendment to Policy DGD Credit Cards and   Purchasing    Cards (and Administrative Rule DGD-R) – First Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)

 

The present caption of Policy DGD needs to include purchasing cards since aspects of the policy are specifically related to these cards. Also, the District reorganization necessitates substitution of “Academic Officer or Director of Administrative Services” in place of “assistant superintendent for the area.”

 

 

 

5.      Policy EFE-Amendment to Policy EFE – Competitive Food Sales – First     Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)

 

The present wording of Policy EFE has minor inconsistency with certain practices in most elementary schools in the District and in the State. The recommended change will eliminate that inconsistency so that actual practices will be compliant.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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