Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at the District Office at 7:00 p.m.

Dates:

Tuesday, September 26, 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 26, 2017

Location: District Office Aiken, SC

1000 Brookhaven Drive

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Mr. Ahmed Samaha

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Regular Meeting – September 12, 2017

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

OATH OF NEW BOARD MEMBER: Mr. William Burkhalter

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)

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. GMP #1 for Aiken High School Phase 2B Addition (Dr. Foster)

H.G. Reynolds Company, Inc. received bids for CM at Risk for Aiken High Phase 2B Construction. The original construction budget approved by the board on August 15, 2017 final construction document estimate was $16,595,883. The GMP #1 for the Phase 2B Addition is $16,084,080 05 $511,803 under the construction budget. The total budget needed is $19,303,639 which includes an owner project contingency of 3% or $500,000. This is $553,556 under the original overall budget that was approved by the board on August 15, 2017.

3. Schematic Plans for the Ridge Spring-Monetta High School Addition Phase II Project (Dr. Foster)

The administration has completed the scope of educational needs for the Ridge Spring-Monetta High School Addition Phase II Project. The architectural firm of LS3P has utilized this scope to produce the schematic design plans for this school.

4. Commission Services for HVAC and Building Automation Systems for Aiken High Phase 2A & 2B, North Augusta High Phase 2A & 2B, Leavelle Middle and RSM K-12 or as needed annually (Dr. Foster)

On August 2, 2017, the Selection Committee interviewed the engineering firms interested in performing Commissioning Services. The committee was composed of the following: Kevin Chipman, Director of Facilities Construction, Charles Kip Gunter, Director of Maintenance Operations, and Dr. Tim Yarborough, Director of Operations.

5. Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Donation to Leavelle McCampbell Middle School – FY18 (Dr. Washington)

Leavelle McCampbell Middle School was given a $5,000.00 donation from Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. The funds from this donation will be used to assist with athletic needs. This may include ambulances and security for games, equipment, uniforms, and other athletic items.

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 – Final Reading (Mr. Laurence)

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

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

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

5. Changes to Policy JLCC Communicable/Infectious Diseases – Final 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.

7. Petition to Annex Small Additional Parcel at North Augusta High School into the City of North Augusta (Mr. Burkhalter)

In May of 2013 the District purchased a 1.6088 acre additional parcel which is contiguous to the existing campus. The remainder of the Campus is in the City Limits of North Augusta. Most of the additional parcel (1.45 acres) is lying outside the City Limit. This was discovered by the City during a correction to their GIS information recently.

8. Make-up of School Days Lost Due to Hurricane Irma (Mr. Laurence)

Section 59-1-425(B) of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act 260 of 2006, reads: “(B) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, all school days missed because of snow, extreme weather conditions, or other disruptions requiring schools to close must be made up. All school districts shall designate annually at least three days within their school calendars to be used as make-up days in the event of these occurrences. If those designated days have been used or are no longer available, the local school board of trustees may lengthen the hours of school operation by no less than one hour per day for the total number of hours missed, operate schools on Saturday, or may waive up to three days.” The SC Department of Education clarifies that the first three missed days must be made up. Days four through six may be waived by majority vote of the local school board or may be made up by extending the school day or on Saturdays. Days seven through nine may be waived by the State Board of Education.

Aiken County Public Schools has lost a total of two days due to weather-related closings. Those dates are September 11-12, 2017.

D. INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS