The Aiken County Board of Education Regular Meeting, March 25, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the District Office 1000 Brookhaven Drive, Aiken, SC 29803

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Submitted by Kim_Chriswell on Fri, 03/21/2025 - 3:26pm

Dates:

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 6:00pm

THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

OFFICIAL AGENDA _____REGULAR SESSION _6:00 P.M.___MARCH 25, 2025

Location: 1000 Brookhaven Drive Aiken, SC

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

REGULAR SESSION: 6:00 P.M.

MOMENT OF SILENCE & PLEDGE: Mr. Cameron Nuessle

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Regular Meeting – March 11, 2025

Board Retreat – March 14, 2025

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

Public Participation

No Requests for This Meeting

Special Recognitions

No Recognitions for This Meeting

Office of Board Chairman

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.

Consideration to Fund a Second Elementary Assistant Principal in 2025-2026 (Mr. Traxler)

Among the Administration’s highest budget priorities for the 2025-2026 school year is staffing a second assistant principal at the largest elementary schools. Elementary schools are currently staffed with one assistant principal regardless of enrollment.

Consideration to Fund Middle School Extended Learning in 2025-2026 (Mr. Traxler)

Among the Administrations highest budget priorities for the 2025-2026 school year is implementation of extended learning at the middle school level. Extended learning, in an effort to improve math and ELA performance, would increase math and ELA to 90-minute blocks.

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 (Dr. Murphy)

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 is solely empowered to take the final expulsion action.

Out-of-District Transfer Requests – Transfers Out 2025-2026 (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.”

Local School Board Courses for 2025-2026 (Dr. Edwards)

The School board must approve locally designed courses annually.

Textbook Adoption 2025-2026 (Mrs. Dove)

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 Depositary.

South Carolina Arts Commission – District Arts Support Grant Submission – Aiken County Public School District – FY 26 (Dr. Edwards)

The Instructional Services Division of ACPSD is requesting to submit a grant application for the South Carolina Arts Commission – District Arts. Support Grant. The purpose of the 2025 District Art Support Grant is to support school districts committed to implementing standards-based arts curricula and to make the arts integral parts of the basic curriculum and daily classroom instruction. The maximum grant award is $25,000 per year for two years ($50,000.00 total).

Submission of the Distinguished Arts Program (DAP) 2025-26, Arts Curricular Innovation Grant (ACIG) Application by East Aiken School of the Arts – FY26 (Dr. Edwards)

East Aiken School of the Arts would like to submit a grant application to SC State Department of Education for the Distinguished Arts Programs (DAP) Arts Curricular Innovation Grant (ACIG) in the amount of $18,000.00.

Submission of the SC Arts Commission – Arts in Basic Curriculum Grant Application by East Aiken School of the Arts – FY26 (Dr. Edwards)

East Aiken School of the Arts would like to submit an application to the SC Arts Commission for the Arts in Basic Curriculum Grant in the amount of $12,500.00.

United States Marine Corps Wunderman Thompson LLC Grant Donation to North Augusta High School – FY 25 (Dr. Edwards)

North Augusta High School has been awarded a $4,999.00 grant donation from the United States Marine Corps through Wunderman Thompson, LLC to maintain a quality wrestling program at North Augusta High School.

Schematic Plans for the Multi-Purpose Room building at J.D. Lever Elementary School & Architect Presentation (Dr. Yarborough)

The administration has completed the scope of educational needs for the multi-purpose Room building at J.D. Lever Elementary School. The architectural firm Method Works (MW) has utilized the scope to produce the schematic design plans for this school.

Selection of Architects for Small Construction Projects over the next five years (Dr. Yarborough)

2025 Installation of Flooring at Busbee Elementary School (Dr. Yarborough)

Bids were received on March 13, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. and publicly opened for the 2025 Installation of Flooring at Busbee Elementary School.

Paving Projects District-Wide for Aiken County Public Schools (Dr. Yarborough)

On March 6, 2025, the Selection Committee reviewed and ranked the qualifications of Paving Contractor firms interested in performing district-wide paving projects.