The Aiken County Board of Education Regular Meeting, May 13, 2025 6:00 p.m. at the District Office 1000 Brookhaven Drive Aiken, SC 29803

(THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF AIKEN COUNTY

BOARD OF EDUCATION

AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

 

 

Location:                   1000 Brookhaven Drive                    Aiken, SC

 

 

REGULAR SESSION: 6:00 P.M.
 

MOMENT OF SILENCE & PLEDGE: Mr. Cameron Nuessle

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Special Called Meeting – Budget Workshop April 15, 2025

 

Regular Meeting – April 22, 2025

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

 

            South Carolina Association of Student Councils Administrator of the Year

 

           

Midland Valley High School Student Perfect ACT Score

 

 

SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:

 

 

 

 

Mr. Bobby Hall – Use of District Football Fields by Recreation Leagues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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 Conduct and considers recommended additions, deletions, and revisions from school.

 

 

Per the South Carolina Code of Laws (Section 59-10-215), “Each school district and charter school shall adopt a seizure training program to provide instruction in understanding the basics about epilepsy and its impact on student learning, recognizing signs and symptoms of seizures, the appropriate steps to be taken to respond to symptoms of a seizure, and the administration of seizure medications.The training must be consistent with guidelines established by a qualified nonprofit that supports the welfare of individuals with epilepsy and seizure disorders. The completion of this training must be documented by the school district and training may be provided virtually provided by school or district staff or may be conducted by an individual trained to deliver such information.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Per the South Carolina Code of Laws (Sections 59-63-80 and 69-63-90, “Each school district shall adopt a policy requiring that students with special health care needs have Individual Health Care Plans (IHPs). This policy must address the administration of medication needed for the student’s specific health care needs, address training requirements specific to students’ health care need for school personnel with direct student contact when appropriate as determined by the school nurse and provide information to additional school personnel on recognizing signs and symptoms associated with specific medical conditions. Additionally, the plan must provide for the authorization of a student to self-monitor and self-administer medication as prescribed by the student’s health care practitioner unless there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medication would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others.”

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

The School Board has historically scheduled its regular sessions for the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of the month. Executive sessions have been held as needed on these same dates.

 

 

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.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

The Sertoma Club of North Augusta has donated $10,800.00 to Aiken County Public School District’s Department of Student Services for the purchase of 12 Micro Audio metrics Earscan 3 Manual Audiometers. These hearing test devices will be made available to school nurses to be used as needed.

 

 

Silver Spirit Bands, Inc. has donated a new Musser Studio Series Padauk Murimba 4.3. Octaves with Resonator valued at $3,748.44 to the New Ellenton Middle STEAM Magnet School’s Fine Arts Department. The instrument will be used for student classes and performances.

 

 

 

Last year the Aiken County Public School District’s Board approved the application and receipt of funds for a Stronger Connection Grant in the amount of $203,580.00 for the 2024-2025 school year. The purpose of the Stronger Connections subgrant program is to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments. Subgrant funds must be used to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive programs within high need LEAs and support only activities allowable under section 4108 of the ESEA.

 

The SC Department of Education is accepting applications from current grantee recipients for additional funding for the 2025-206 school year for activities that were previously approved The Department of Student Services is seeking additional grant funding in the amount of $75,000.00 to continue the employment of the part-time graduation coaches through the 2025-2026 school year.

 

 

 

 

 

Bids were received for the Aiken County Public Schools Football, Baseball, and Softball Field Lighting Replacement at South Aiken High School on April 28, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. and publicly opened.

 

 

 

Mossy Creek Elementary has an unrestricted main entrance to the school. The plan is to construct a secure vestibule that includes access controls, a modernized, monitored, single point of entry and double door system. In addition, some parts of the existing entranceway will be demolished. The total budget needed is $266,749. This figure includes a $10,000 allowance. The project will be funded from a one-time security account.

 

 

On April 23, 2025, the Selection Committee reviewed and ranked the qualifications of Irrigation Contractor firms interested in performing district-wide irrigation maintenance and repairs.

 

 

Credit for unused allowances <18,650.00>.

 

 

 

 

In an effort to keep the Board current on the status and budget of this school construction project, the Architects for this project, Goodwyn Mills and Cawood (GMC), and the Administration prepare a monthly status report for the Board’s review.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Items This Meeting

 

 

 

No Items This Meeting

 

 

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION

ADJOURN