The Aiken County Board of Education Meeting, June 14, 2022 at 6:00p.m. at the District Office 1000 Brookhaven Drive Aiken, SC 29803

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Submitted by Kim_Chriswell on Thu, 06/09/2022 - 8:51am

Dates:

Tuesday, June 14, 2022 - 6:00pm

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

OFFICIAL AGENDA REGULAR SESSION 6:00 P.M. JUNE 14, 2022

Location: 1000 Brookhaven Drive Aiken, SC

Tuesday’s meeting will be live streamed on our website, acpsd.net

REGULAR SESSION: 6:00 P.M.

CALL TO ORDER

MOMENT OF SILENCE & PLEDGE: Dr. John Bradley

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Regular Meeting – May 24, 2022

Special Called Meeting – June 7, 2022

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

Public Participation

No Requests This Meeting

Aspiring Principal Program

Office of Board Chairman

A.INDIVIDUAL ITEMS

Personnel Appointments (Mrs. Hart)

The certified and classified personnel presented have been screened by the Human Resources Department and interviewed, and/or approved by the Principal or supervisor for each location.

Changes to Policy GCC Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and Policy GDC Support Staff Leaves and Absences, Second Reading (Mrs. Hart)

Policies GCC and GDC establish the basic structure for all types of professional and support staff leaves and absences.

Changes to File GCC-E Your Rights Under The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (Mrs. Hart)

File GCC-E defines employee rights and employer responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 as displayed on the federally required workplace posting.

Removal of the following Temporary Administrative Rules: GCC-R(2) COVID-19 Related Leave (Professional Staff), Policy GDC-R(2) COVID-19 Related Leave (Support Staff)

Administrative Rules GCC-R(2) (Professional Staff) and GDC-R(2) (Support Staff), COVID-19 Related Leave approved May 5, 2020 established guidelines for implementation of temporary leave requirements under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). FFCRA concluded December 31, 2020, and paid leave was extended through June 30, 2021.The Board approved the extension of the Administrative Rule at the October 24, 2021 meeting through June 30, 2022.

Approval of the following policy: Policy EBCB Safety Plans and Drills, Second Reading (Dr. Minolfo)

Effective July 2, 2018, in the South Carolina Code of Laws Section 59-17-160, “each school district board of trustees and the governing body of each charter school shall adopt a policy and program for school facility fire and safety, including inspections, before the beginning of the 2020-2021 School Year.”Ina memorandum dated May 25, 2021 from the Director of Governmental Affairs, the requirement for policy adoption was extended to July 1, 2022.

Revision of the following policy: Policy IHAM Health Education, Second Reading (Dr. Minolfo)

According to a memo from Molly Spearman to Superintendents dated May 6, 2020, “Section 59-32-30(A)(5) may no longer be enforced, applied, or relied on by any person or entity, including but not limited to local school districts, local school district boards, and public school administrators and teachers and that instruction under the Comprehensive Health Education Act (CHEA) must be designed and implemented without regard to Section 59-32-30(A)(5)” Therefor, the language from 59-32-30(A)(5) was removed from boardpolicy IHAM in this revision.

Revision of the following policy: Policy JICJ Paging Devices, Cell Phones, and Other Personal Electronic Devices, First Reading (Dr. Murphy & Dr. Minolfo)

The Aiken County Board of Education allows possession (but not use) of personal telecommunications devices by students in order to reflect societal trends and a relaxation in state law.However, the board of education finds that the activation and/or use of personal communication devices by students during the school day, as facilitated by, but in violation of the possession-only policy, has an adverse effect on classroom instruction, student punctuality, test security, personal student privacy, the ability of school officials to maintain discipline generally, and maintaining order during times of emergency.Therefore, this policy is intended to set forth the specific circumstances under which a student may bring and personally possess a paging device, cell phone, and/or other electronic communications device onto school grounds and to establish clearly the consequences for violations.

Revision of the following policy: Policy JLCD Assisting Students with Medicines, Second Reading (Dr. Minolfo)

Policy JLCD Assisting Students with Medicines provides guidance on the type of medications that may be administered to students at school, who may administer the medications, and the procedure for the distribution of the medications to students.

Proposed Incentive for Head Start Employees Using Head Start/Early Head Start American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funds (Mrs. Glover)

Our Districts Head Start program, like many others across the state, region, and nation continue to deal with a significant shortage of staff, with the most vacancies occurring in the positions of teachers, assistant teachers and bus drivers.

Revisions to the Code of Student Conduct – Second Reading (Dr. Murphy & Ms. Braxton)

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 form 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.

11. 2022 -2023 Budget – Second Reading (Mr. Traxler)

In its original 2022-2023 budget calendar, the Board scheduled presentation of the first reading of the budget for April 19, 2022, and the second & final reading for May 24, 2022. The Board delayed the second & final reading to June 14, 2022, to allow additional time for monitoring the State’s unfinished budget process.

12.Addendum to Incentive for Teacher Recruitment (Mrs. Hart)

Our, District like many others, continues to deal with a shortage of teachers. With lower numbers of graduating new teachers and increasing numbers of teachers leaving the profession, the applicant pool is smaller and competition for the best is tighter. The Administration is seeking as addendum to the approved incentive to assist in the recruitment of teachers.

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

Ratification of Expulsions (Mr. Laurence)

The School Board according to the Code of Laws for 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.

Out-of-District Transfer Requests – Transfers In (Dr. Minolfo)

Board Policy JFAB allows the Aiken County Board of Education to arrange with other school districts for the interchange of students.The policy stipulates that non-resident students transfer into the District “the parent/legal guardian must assume responsibility for transportation.The Board will nonresident students to the behavioral and academic requirements set out in policy JFAA admission of resident students. The district may charge tuition to nonresident students seeking to enroll in district schools.”

Out-of-District Transfer Requests – Transfers Out (Dr. Minolfo)

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.”

Request to Admit Foreign Exchange Students (Dr. Minolfo)

School Board Policy JFABB establishes guidelines for the admission of the exchange students to the high schools in the School District of Aiken County.

Textbook Adoptions for 2022-2023 (Mrs. Glover)

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.

Correction to Local School Board Courses for 2022-2023 School Year (Mrs. Glover)

The school board must approve locally designed courses annually.On May 10, 2022, the board approved the administrations recommendations for courses; however, there were errors in the amount of credit that should be awarded for four of the courses at Aiken High School.The courses were indicated as year-long courses bur should have been semester, changing the credit possible from 1.0 to 0.5.The courses are as follows:African American Literature, Student Publications, Musical Theatre, and African American Studies.

The Rotary Club of Aiken Community Service Grant Award to the Leavelle McCampbell Middle School – FY22 (Mrs. Glover)

Leavelle McCampbell Middle School has been awarded a $3,000.00 Community Service Grant Award from the Rotary Club of Aiken.The funds will be used to purchase t-shirts for students and staff as part of their new house initiative to build school community among staff and students across grade levels.This is will support and expand their Leader in Me character education program.

North Augusta High School Football Stadium Restrooms and Concessions (Dr. Murphy)

Bids were received for the North Augusta High School Football Stadium Restrooms on May 19, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. and publicly opened.

Funding Flexibility for the Quarter and Year Ending June 30, 2022 (Mr. Traxler)

Under provisos1.25, 1.30 and 1A.14 for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, all school districts and special schools of this State may transfer and expend funds “to ensure the delivery of academic and arts instruction to students.”Flexibility guidelines require that each district’s board and superintendent certify the specific flexibility actions taken.The certification must be in writing, signed by the board chairman and superintendent, and delivered electronically to the State Superintendent of Education.The SC Department of Education will subsequently forward the information to various legislators and legislative bodies.The certification must be posted on the district’s website.

Increase in Meal Prices for 2022-2023 School Year (Mr. Traxler)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that schools are required to charge students for paid meals at a price that is, on average, equal to the difference between free meal reimbursement and paid meal reimbursement.Schools that currently charge less are required to gradually increase their prices until they meet the requirement.The USDA created the paid lunch equity (PLE) tool to determine whether pricing requirements are being met and, it not met, the increase required to meet pricing requirements.

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

Gifted and Talented Update (Mrs. Glover)

Construction Status Report for the Hammond Hill Elementary School Additions and Renovations Project. (Dr. Murphy)

In an effort to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this school construction project, the Architects for this project, Cheatham, Fletcher Scott (CFS), and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

Construction Status Report for the Highland Springs Middle School Project (Dr. Murphy)

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.