Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at the District Office at 7:00 p.m.

Dates:

Tuesday, September 12, 2017 -

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 12, 2017

Location: District Office Aiken, SC

1000 Brookhaven Drive

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Mrs. Rosemary English

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

- Regular Meeting – August 8, 2017 (postponed until August 15, 2017 – information only)

- Special Called/Regular Meeting – August 15, 2017 (August 8 and August 22)

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

Public Participation

No Requests This Meeting

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. Construction Status Reports for the North Augusta High School 2A & 2B Addition Projects (Dr. Foster)

In an effort to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this school construction project, the Architects for this project, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

3. Construction Status Reports for the Leavelle McCampbell Middle School Project (Dr. Foster)

In an effort to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this school construction project, the Architects for this project, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

4. Construction Status Reports for the Aiken High School Phase 2A Addition Project (Dr. Foster)

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.

5. Construction Status Reports for the South Aiken High Visitor’s Side Restroom and Concession Project (Dr. Foster)

In an effort to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this school construction project, the Architects for this project, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

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 Requests (Mr. Laurence)

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.”

2. Heights Church Donation to Redcliffe Elementary School – FY18 (Dr. Washington)

Redcliffe Elementary was given a $2,000.00 donation from Heights Church. The funds from this donation will be used to pay for table rental for an etiquette luncheon, student rewards/incentives, and staff incentives.

3. Strategic Arts Planning Grant Awarded to Aiken Elementary School – FY18 (Dr. Washington)

South Carolina Department of Education awarded $3,000.00 to Aiken Elementary School. Funds from the grant will be used to pay a consultant to lead the arts team through the strategic planning process. Substitute teachers and lunch will be provided during the strategic planning process.

4. Change Order Number 1 for the 2017 Painting of Kennedy Middle, A.L. Corbett/Busbee Elementary, North Aiken Elementary & Jackson Middle (Dr. Foster)

Change Order Number 1 for the 2017 for Kennedy Middle, North Aiken Elementary and Jackson Middle for a credit amount of $30,173.00.

5. Change Order Number 2 for the New Leavelle McCampbell Middle School Building Project (Dr. Foster)

Change Order Number 2 for the New Leavelle McCampbell Middle School is to install traffic light and handicap ramps in the amount of $193,582.00 from H.G. Reynolds Company, Inc.

6. Special Education Related Services Contract (Dr. Washington)

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.

7. Request for Donation of SMART Boards & Projectors to Second Baptist Christian Preparatory School (Dr. Foster)

The Aiken County Public School District has recently had new SMART Boards and projectors installed as part of the district’s SMART Board upgrade initiative. The district now has a number of SMART Boards and projectors that are no longer software compatible and cannot be used in any of our facilities. Second Baptist Christian Preparatory School has contacted the district in regards to the equipment that was recently replaced.

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 Principals and Executive Directors.

2. Changes to Policy GBEB Staff Conduct – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

This policy establishes the board’s vision for appropriate staff conduct.

3. Changes to Administrative Rule GCI-R Professional Staff Development – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

Policy GCI establishes the basic structure for the professional development of the district staff. The policy states in part, “While professional growth through participation of all employees, the encouragement for such professional growth is a district obligation. Therefore the district should assist in the development and scheduling of appropriate staff development activities which will enable employees to effectively meet their responsibilities.”

4. Changes to Policy IHD Adult/Community Education – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

Policy IHD establishes the basic structure for adult/community education.

5. Changes to Policy JLCC Communicable/Infectious Diseases – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

SECTION 44-29-195 of the South Carolina Code reads in part, “A student sent home from school for having pediculosis (head lie) only may return to school upon presentation of evidence of treatment and upon a physical screening conducted by the school nurse or other person designated by the principal indicating an absence of pediculosis.” Further, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) requires that only students with “live, crawling lice” may not return to school.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) advocate that “no-nit” policies should be discontinued. “No-nit” policies that require a child to be free or nits before they can return to schools should be discontinued for the following reasons:

Many nits are more than ¼ inch from the scalp. Such nits are usually not viable and very unlikely to hatch to become crawling lice, or may in fact be empty shells, also known as “casings”.
Nits are cemented to hair shafts and are very unlikely to be transferred successfully to other people.
Head lice are spread only through direct head to head contact with a person who has an infestation of live, crawling lice.
The burden of unnecessary absenteeism to the students, families and communities far outweighs the risks associated with head lice.
Misdiagnosis of nits is very common during nit checks conducted by nonmedical personnel.

6. Changes to Policy LDA and Administrative Rule LDA-R Student Teaching and Internships – First Reading (Mr. Laurence)

Policy LDA establishes the basic structure for student teaching and internships. In the past the district’s primary relationship for internships was with USC Aiken. While the district still enjoys that relationship, a variety of other institutions, including online colleges and universities, have sought to partner with SCPSD to place interns.

D. INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS