Aiken County Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at Wagener-Salley High School at 7:00 p.m.

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Submitted by vicky_durden on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 10:03am

Dates:

Tuesday, April 17, 2018 -

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._______ APRIL 17, 2018

Location: Wagener-Salley High School Wagener, SC

272 Main Street South

Auditorium

REGULAR SESSION: 7:00 P.M.

DEVOTIONAL & PLEDGE: Mr. Wesley Hightower

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Special Called Meeting – March 20, 2018

Regular Meeting – March 27, 2018

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

2018 Academic Team Champions – Middle and High School

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. Financial Report as of January 31, 2018 (Mr. Traxler)

The financial report of January 31, 2018 is submitted in the approved format.

3. Financial Report as of February 28, 2018 (Mr. Traxler)

The financial report of February 28, 2018 is submitted in the approved format.

4. Construction Status Reports for the North Augusta High School 2B 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, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

5. Construction Status Reports for the Aiken High School Phase 2B Addition Project (Mr. Traxler)

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.

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

1. Submission of the Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) Preparing College and Career-Ready Graduates Competitive Grant Application – FY19 (Dr. Foster)

The General Assembly has provided funding to the State Department of Education to provide the EEDA Preparing College and Career-Ready Graduates competitive grant opportunity to help districts and schools implement strategies specifically designed to address the academic and career development needs of students with proven academic deficiencies. An initial cohort will be comprised of 30 rising ninth grade students who have been identified as “at risk” due to academic and behavioral issues. Students identified for the program have been assigned to ACPSD’s Alternative School Program, The Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) during their formative middle school years for a variety of reasons, including DJJ releases, simple drug possession, and general defiance in a regular school setting. During each consecutive year, a cohort of 30 additional students will be added, providing the opportunity to serve 120 students over the four-year period. Funds from Year One in the amount of $100,000, $125,000 for Year Two, $150,000 for Year Three, and $150,000 for Year Four will be utilized to focus on moving the cohort closer to on-time graduation and immersing participants into different career options enhanced with high quality internship/apprenticeship, work based learning, and college visit opportunities.

2. Textbook Adoptions for 2018-2019 School Year (Mr. Laurence)

The District examines and evaluates textbooks adopted by the State for use in the classroom and recommends to the School Board those selected by teacher committees for our district. Upon approval by the School Board and funding by the State, schools may proceed to order those textbooks from the State Textbook Depository.

INDIVIDUAL ITEMS:

1. Personnel Appointments (Ms. Hart)

The certified and classified personnel presented have been screened by the Human Resources Department and interviewed and approved by the Principals and Executive Directors.

2. Out-of-District Transfer Requests (Mr. Laurence)

Board Policy JFABC allows the Aiken County Board of Education to arrange with the 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. Changes to Policy IKA Grading/Assessment Systems (Mr. Laurence)

The District’s present policy no longer conforms to the modified South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy nor does it sufficiently address honor graduates, honors and advanced courses, and credit and content recovery.

4. Revisions to the Code of Student Conduct – First Reading (Dr. Foster)

The Code of Student Conduct is reviewed and updated annually. As part of this process a discipline steering committee consisting of community members, parents, educational leaders, teachers, board members, and administrators from all three grade levels reviews the Code of Student Conduct, and considers recommended additions, deletions, and revisions from school administration. Recommendations include the provision of clear guidance for school administrators in addressing student incidents with the intent of increasing consistency and appropriateness throughout the District.

5. Non-Renewal of Identified Annual Contract Certified Personnel for

2018-2019 School Year (Ms. Hart)

Personnel are employed for a one year period by the Board of Education.

According to state law, certified personnel must be informed by May 1st of their

employment status for the ensuing year or be automatically deemed “re-

employed.” Persons presently serving under annual contracts, but who are not

being recommended for re-employment, have limited due process rights under

South Carolina law.

6. Non-Renewal of Identified Continuing Contract Certified Personnel for 2018-2019 School Year (Ms. Hart)

Personnel are employed for a one year period by the Board of Education.

According to state law, certified personnel must be informed by May 1st of their

employment status for the ensuing year or be automatically deemed “re-

employed.” Persons presently serving under continuing contracts, but who are

not being recommended for re-employment, have limited due process rights

under South Carolina law.

7. Non-Renewal of Identified Induction Contract Certified Personnel for

2018-2019 School Year (Ms. Hart)

For certified personnel under Induction Contracts, non-renewal of employment

notifications require a certain type of motion. All personnel are employed for a

one year period by the Board of Education, and such personnel must be

informed by May 1^st of their employment status for the ensuing year or be

deemed automatically “re-employed.”

8. Re-employment of Certified Personnel, Subject to Certain Conditions, for

the 2018-2019 School Year (Ms. Hart)

Personnel are employed for a one year period by the Board of Education.

According to state law, certified personnel must be informed by May 1st of their

employment status for the ensuing year or they will be deemed “re-employed.”

Many certified employees who are otherwise recommended for employment for

the next school year must nevertheless meet certain qualifying conditions or

stipulations. These may be in order to qualify for the continuation of

employment, or they may be conditions affecting their status for the following

year. (Appearance of names of employees on this list should not give rise

necessarily to a perception of a problem or concern, as many of the required

stipulations are very routine in nature, as already mentioned.)

9. Re-employment of Certified Personnel for the 2018-2019 School Year (Ms. Hart)

Personnel are employed for a one-year period by the Board of Education.

According to State law, certified personnel must be informed by May 1st of their

employment status for the ensuing year, or they will automatically be deemed

“re-employed”. Pursuant to procedures previously approved by the Board,

certified persons not otherwise subject to special conditions or requirements and

whose contract entitlements are not affected by reassignment, are

recommended as a group for re-employment for the following year (with the

exception of employees who have given notice of their retirement or who have

indicated an intention to resign prior to the start of the next school year).

10. Re-employment of Non-instructional Personnel for 2018-2019 School Year (Ms. Hart)

In past years, only non-instructional personnel not being recommended for re-employment were presented to the Board; all other personnel under contract for the previous school year were recommended for re-employment.

Policy GDC states that an employee on medical leave at the time service agreements are issued will not be issued a service agreement until a medical report from a licensed physician is submitted indicating that the employee is capable of resuming his/her duties.

11. District Strategic Plan Update (Mr. Laurence)

Each school district must develop a five-year district strategic plan, and each school must develop a five-year school renewal plan as required by the Early Childhood Development and Academic Assistance Act of 1993 and the Education Accountability Act of 1998. District and school plans shall coordinate and align improvement initiatives [State Board Regulation 43-261]. As part of a continuous improvement process, each district is required to submit an update to its strategic plan every spring.

12. Selection of Form and Possible Provider of Legal Services (Mr. Traxler)

The District solicited a request for proposals (RFP) for legal services. The School Board tasked the District’s Salary Committee with (1) reviewing an evaluating the proposals and (2) making a recommendation whether to hire an in-house attorney as replacement for the retiring School Board Attorney or use external legal services.

13. 2018-2019 Budget – First Reading (Mr. Traxler)

n its 2018-2019 budget calendar, the Board scheduled presentation of the first reading of the budget for April 17, 2018 and the second and final reading for May 2, 2018.

D. INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS