Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on November 24, 2015 at the District Office at 7:00 p.m.

Dates:

Tuesday, November 24, 2015 - 10:00pm

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

OFFICIAL AGENDA _____REGULAR SESSION _7:00 P.M._____NOVEMBER 24, 2015

Location: District Office Aiken, SC

1000 Brookhaven Drive

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Dr. Tim Yarborough

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Regular Meeting – November 10, 2015

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

· Public Participation

No requests this meeting.

· Office of Board Chairman

Legislative Advocacy Conference – December 4-6, 2015

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

1. Progress Report from the Aiken County Teacher Forum (Mr. Laurence)

2. 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. Alford)

The School Board, according to the Code of Laws of South Carolina Section 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. Out-of-District Transfer Requests (Dr. Stowe)

Board Policy JFABC allows the Aiken County Board of Education to arrange with other school districts for the interchange of students. The policy stipulates that when students transfer out of the District, “the School District of Aiken County shall assume no responsibility for tuition to the receiving district.”

3. Sunshine House Donation to Chukker Creek Elementary School – FY!6 (Mr. Laurence)

Chukker Creek Elementary School was given a $1,098.93 donation from Sunshine House. The funds from this donation will be used to purchase instructional materials for reading.

4. Walmart Donation to the Consolidated School District of Aiken County – FY16 (Mr. Laurence)

The Consolidated School District of Aiken was given a $2,000 donation from Walmart. Funds from this donation will be used for the Leaders in Literacy Conference scheduled for January 15, 2016.

5. Submission of the South Carolina Community Block Grant for Education Pilot Program (Mr. Laurence)

The South Carolina General Assembly has allocated funding for the SC Community Block Grants for Education Pilot Program (Education Pilot Program). The Education Pilot Program’s purpose is to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten by enhancing the quality of pre-kindergarten programs for four-year-old children. The school district would like to submit a $250,000 proposal to include partnerships with Head Start, First Steps, Freedman Parenting Center, and Aiken Electric Cooperative to help prepare pre-kindergarten students for kindergarten. The project will include the purchase of the Upstart program, which is an at-home, pre-kindergarten software program used to give children personalized reading, math, and science lessons with an emphasis on reading; helps parents to engage in learning with their child; prepares children academically for entering school with research-based, high-quality curriculum; and helps struggling learners before they begin school. In addition software, the program provides extensive support to parents through a learning support team. The program will be targeted to approximately 125 students who are not being served through the District’s pre-kindergarten program.

6. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Services for All Aiken County Public School Facilities (Dr. Foster)

Bids were received for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Services on November 12, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. and publicly opened. Aiken Pest Control, Inc. was the apparent low bidder for a base bid of $47,880.00. Aiken Pest Control, Inc. has initiated and maintained Integrated Pest Management (IPM) services for Aiken County Public Schools on an annual basis and has performed well.

7. Special Education Related Services Contract (Mr. Laurence)

The Department of Special Education routinely contracts with related service providers when unable to hire Aiken County Public Schools District personnel. The contracts include, but are not limited to: Transportation, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Pathology, Psycho-educational Testing, Applied Behavior Therapy, Orientation and Mobility for the Visually Impaired, Educational Interpreters, Consultation services, and Medicaid billing.

8. Proposed One-Time Uses of Fund Balance (Mr. Traxler)

Board policy DA describes the District’s fund balance policy. Per that policy, the District is to maintain a minimum fund balance of 8% of the annual operating budget, with a desired fund balance of 16% of the annual operating budget. Reserves totaling 16% of the annual operating budget would represent the equivalent of two months’ operations. The Board and Administration are mindful that the District’s fund balance represents non-recurring dollars. Fund balance has periodically been utilized to address one-time needs in recent years, while continuing to maintain fund balance at sufficient levels.

9. Greenhouse Installation at Silver Bluff High Project (Dr. Foster)

Bids were received on November 17, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. from 3 bidders and publicly opened. H.G. Reynolds Company, Inc. was the low bidder at $104,500.00. Base Bid B is to install Stuppy 8 ft. sidewalls with 2 doors Greenhouse at Silver Bluff High.

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 Academic Officers.

2. Presentation by Lloyd Kennedy Charter School and Aiken Performing Arts Academy (Mr. Burkhalter)

3. Amendments to Policy GCD – Professional Staff Vacation and Holidays – Final Reading (Mr. Traxler and Dr. Hewett)

The current Policy GCD allows twelve months professional staff to earn vacation days at one of two rats, based upon years of serving in the District, and to accrue vacation leave without limits. Upon separation of employment, those employees receive pay, at daily rates, for any unused vacation days.

4. Amendments to Policy GDD – Support Staff Vacations and Holidays – Final Reading (Mr. Traxler and Dr. Hewett)

The current Policy GD allows twelve month support staff to earn vacation days at one of two rates, based upon years of service in the District, and to accrue vacation leave without limits. Upon separation of employment, those employees receive pay, at daily rates, for any unused vacation days.

5. Amendments to Policy CFA – School Principals/Building Administrators – Final Reading (Dr. Foster)

Purpose of Policy CFA is to establish the basic structure for the administrative operation of the schools.

6. Amendments to Policy ECB – Building and Grounds Maintenance – Final Reading (Dr. Foster)

Purpose of Policy ECB is to establish the basic structure for the administrative operation of the schools.

7. Revisions to two policies concerning Tobacco Free School, namely Policy ADC (Tobacco Free Schools) and Policy GBED (Tobacco Free Schools/Staff) – First Reading (Dr. Alford and Mr. Burkhalter)

While the schools and facilities of the Consolidated School District of Aiken County have been essentially tobacco free for decades, the last substantive change to our policies was in 1998 when the Board provided for “limited smoking areas” at outdoor athletic facilities. In the early to mid-2000’s the School Boards Association, together with DHEC, promoted a 100 percent tobacco free policy. The Board did not opt to change its policy during its early promotions. At the urging of DHEC, Dr. Alford has asked that these policies by reconsidered for possible change. We initially polled high school and middle school principals for their input specifically regarding the athletic facilities. The input was positive and did not appear to be problematic. The goal is very worthy, and the matter is being brought back for the Board’s review.

8. Changes to Policy JICJ – Paging Devices, Cell Phones, and Other Personal Electronic Devices – First Reading (Mr. Burkhalter)

The School District’s policy relating to cell phone and electronic devices has not been updated since August of 2009. During the update to the Code of Student Conduct in the spring of 2015, based upon several principal requests and the results of a SurveryMonkey, the prohibition against personal possession during the school day was lifted, and certain other consequences for violation of the cell phone (and/or other electronic device) policy were updated in order to make them more consistent with current practices and to reduce administrative time for investigating minor violations.

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: