Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at the District Office at 7:00 p.m.

Dates:

Tuesday, September 13, 2016 -

7:00pm to 10:00pm

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

OFFICIAL AGENDA _ ___REGULAR SESSION _7:00 P.M._____SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Location: District Office Aiken, SC

1000 Brookhaven Drive

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Mr. Wesley Hightower

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Regular Meeting – August 23, 2016

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

Public Participation

Freedom Builders Inc., Jacqueline Jones

Heath and Catherine Cundey – Release of Students from NAHS

Office of Board Chairman

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

1. Legislative Update (Mr. Liner)

2. Telecommunication Specialist Position (Dr. Foster)

CONSENT ITEMS: The following items will be voted on as a group. Individual items may be discussed prior to a vote being taken.

1. Out-of-District Transfer Request (Mr. Laurence)

Board Policy JFABC allows the Aiken County Board of Education to arrange with other school district 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”.

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

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.

3. Countess Maree Tarnowska Donation to East Aiken School of the Arts – FY17 (Dr. Washington)

East Aiken School of the Arts was given a $1,400 donation from Maree Tarnowska. The funds from this donation will be used to purchase paint and mirrors for the dance room.

4. Public Education Partners Donation to Aiken High School – FY17 (Dr. Washington)

Public Education Partners donated $1,500 to Aiken High School. Funds from the donation will be used to purchase STEM materials for math and science classes.

C. INDIVIDUAL ITEMS:

1. Personnel Appointments (Ms. Smalls)

The certified and classified personnel presented have been screened by the Personnel Services Department and interviewed and approved by the Principal and Executive Directors.

2. Policy BID – Proposed Amendment to Board Policy BID Board Member Compensation and Expenses – Final Reading (Mr. Burkhalter and Mr. Traxler)

Policy BID establishes the compensation guidelines for members of the school board and area advisory councils. There has been no substantive change in the policy since September 1992. Board and area council pay has remained unchanged for more than 20 years.

3. Changes to Policy JFABC Admission of Transfer Students – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

Aiken County Public Schools has historically made provision for parents/legal guardians to request a transfer to another school in the district based on a number or criteria including medical needs, child care, parents’ work scheduled, and other hardships. In recent years expanded choice has been offered to elementary students with the only criteria being school capacity. In all instances the transportation for transfer students has been the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian.

4. Changes to Policy IHAM Health Education – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

The Comprehensive Health Education Act of 1988 (CHEA) and Aiken County School Board Policy IHAM require that pregnancy prevention be taught as part of a comprehensive health education program. Clear requirements exist based on grade level, make up of classes, length of instruction, and the approval of instructional materials.

Section 59-32-20(B) of the South Carolina Code of Laws was amended June 2014 (H.4061, Act 293) to read that the State Board of Education through the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDS) shall support districts in providing age-appropriate instruction in sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention to all students in four-year-old kindergarten, where offered, through twelfth grade.

5. Changes to Policy IKA Grading/Assessment Systems – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

The District’s present policy no longer conforms to the modified South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy nor does it sufficiently address the need for high school credit courses in middle school.

6. Changes to Policy JLCD Assisting Students with Medicines – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

Section 53-63-95©(3) of the South Carolina Code of Laws states that school district governing authorities may authorize school nurses and other designated personnel to “administer an epinephrine auto-injector to a student or other individual on school premises whom the school nurse or other designated school personnel believes in good faith is experiencing anaphylaxis, in accordance with a standing protocol of a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed to prescribe medication pursuant to Section 40-33-34, or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe medication pursuant to Sections 40-47-955 through 40-47-965, regardless of whether the student or other individual has a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector.”

7. Consideration of Electronic Participation by Board Members at Board Meetings Under Certain Circumstances (Dr. Alford, Mr. Burkhalter and Mr. Traxler)

On three prior occasions over about a five or six year period a Board of Education member has obtained advance permission from the other Board members to participate by a telephone hook-up when the member was going to be away but wanted to be part of the debate or discussion. Board policy presently does not specifically address this issue. At least one existing policy appears by implication to require physical presence in order to be able to vote, and another implies physical presence to establish a quorum. The Board at its last meeting gave direction or request for the administration to review this issue and come back with some suggestions.

D. INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS