Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on December 8, 2015 at the District Office at 7:00 p.m.

Dates:

Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - 10:00pm

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

OFFICIAL AGENDA _____REGULAR SESSION _7:00 P.M.______DECEMBER 8, 2015

Location: District Office Aiken, SC

1000 Brookhaven Drive

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Mr. Levi Green

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Special Called Meeting – November 17, 2015

Regular Meeting – November 24, 2015

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

· East Aiken School of the Arts Presentation

· Aiken High School FFA Presentation

· Ruth Patrick Awards: Spirit of Ruth Patrick and Robert E. Alexander Administrator of the Year

* ACIRA - Distinguished Teacher of Reading

· Election of Board Officers – Mr. William Burkhalter

· Public Participation

No requests this meeting.

· Office of Board Chairman

Legislative Advocacy Conference Update

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

1. Audited Financial Statements for the Year Ended June 30, 2015 (Mr. Traxler) – Presenter will be Mr. Tim Grow with Elliott Davis Decosimo LLC.

2. Financial Report as of August 31, 2015 (Mr. Traxler)

The financial report of August 31, 2015 is submitted in the approved format.

3. Financial Report as of September 30, 2015 (Mr. Traxler)

The financial report of September 30, 2015 is submitted in the approved format.

4. Facilities Construction Department Quarterly Change Order Notification (Dr. Foster)

Policy FGG sets the limit of approval for construction change orders by the Superintendent or designee up to $15,000.00. The policy requires a summary of such change orders to be presented to the Board at least once a quarter for notification.

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. 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. Juilliard in Aiken Donation to LBC Middle School – FY16 (Mr. Laurence)

LBC Middle School’s Strings Program was given a $10,000 donation from Juilliard in Aiken. The funds from this donation will be used to purchase new instruments, instrument equipment, music, chairs, and other supplies for the LBC orchestra.

3. Heights Church Donation to Redcliffe Elementary School – FY16 (Mr. Laurence)

Heights Church donated $1,491.25 to Redcliffe Elementary School. Funds from the donation will be used for student incentives, awards, and supplies.

4. Submission of the South Carolina Arts Commission ABC Arts in Education Grant – East Aiken School of the Arts – FY17 (Mr. Laurence)

East Aiken School of the Arts is applying for the South Carolina Arts Commission ABC Arts in Education Grant. This is year one of a three-year grant. Funds from this grant will be used to purchase art supplies and materials for arts integrated performances and lessons.

5. Painting of Press Boxes at Aiken High, Silver Bluff and Midland Valley High (Dr. Foster)

Bids were received on December 1, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. and publicly opened for the Painting of Press Boxed at Aiken High, Silver Bluff and Midland Valley High. There were 2 bidders for this project with the lowest responsible and responsive bidder being R.D. Brown Contractors, Inc.; Base Bid A ($9,000.00) for Aiken High; Base Bid A ($9,000.00) for Silver Bluff High; Base Bid A ($9,000.00) for Midland Valley High. Plans are to stain the concrete floors in all 3 locations. The Five-Year Facility Improvement Plan for 2015-2015 Athletic Funds has the adequate funding needed to complete these projects. Total contract amount is $27,000.00.

6. Read 180 and System 44 Reading Interventions (Mr. Laurence)

The fall 2015 administration of Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) demonstrated that a significant number of students in grades 3-10 were reading below grade level expectations. Schools were directed to develop Reading Intervention Plans to address reading deficiencies in their schools. At the same time we began looking for district-wide solutions for addressing the problem.

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. Revisions to two policies concerning Tobacco Free School, namely Policy ADC (Tobacco Free Schools) and Policy GBED (Tobacco Free Schools/Staff) – Final 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.

3. Changes to Policy JICJ – Paging Devices, Cell Phones, and Other Personal Electronic Devices – Final 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 SurveyMonkey, 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.

4. Amendments to Policy ICA Schools Calendar – First Reading (Dr. Foster)

The purpose of ICA is to establish the basic structure for the school calendar. The amended policy will reflect the recent changes to Policy GCD Professional Staff Vacation and Holidays and Policy GDD Support Staff Vacations and Holidays.

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:

a. Consideration and Discussion of Property Sale and Acquisition

b. Consideration and Discussion of Agreed Upon Procedures

c. Consideration and Discussion Regarding Superintendent’s Contract

2. LEGAL BRIEFINGS: