Bamberg School District One
Minutes of Regular Meeting of Board of Trustees
Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School
August 27, 2007
7:30 P. M.
Members present: Chairman Dale Padgett, Vice-chairperson Sheri Seigler, Secretary Stacey H.
Long, Trustee Rita M. Sease and Trustee Tony E. Duncan.
Absent: None
1. Call meeting to order: Chairman Dale Padgett called the meeting to order and asked the audience to repeat the Lord’s Prayer.
2. Notice to Media: In accordance with the S. C. Code of Laws, Section 30-4-80
(e), as amended, the following have been notified of the time, date, place and agenda of this meeting:
The Times and Democrat
The Advertizer-Herald
3. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of July 23, 2007, meeting were approved as presented.
4. Student/Staff Recognition
Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting announced the following:
· The B-E Red Raiders Football Team was victorious on Friday night, August 24, 2007.
· The Volleyball and Girls Tennis Teams are practicing but have not played any games yet. Tom Ratari is coaching the Girls Tennis Team and Mo Ratari is coaching the Girls Volleyball Team.
5. Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Schwarting presented and the board discussed a request from Mrs. Leigh Ann Osborne, biology teacher at the high school, to take her biology students on a one-day trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, in October 2007, to attend “Body Worlds”. This is a guided two or three hour tour that will cost each student $14. A fundraiser will be held to pay for the gas and driver of the bus. At the request of Trustee Rita Sease, the administration will look into helping with the finances of the trip in order to make sure all students are able to attend.
Trustee Rita Sease moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to give Mrs. Leigh Ann Osborne and her biology students permission to attend Body Worlds in Charlotte, North Carolina, in October 2007. The motion passed 5-0.
Superintendent Schwarting presented to Trustee Sheri Seigler a certificate and pin from SCSBA for completing Level II Boardmanship Institute Training and to Trustee Stacey Long a certificate for completing Level I Boardmanship Institute Training.
Each board member received the following:
· Employee School Opening Packet of Information [Religion and Schools, Copyright Use, School Food Service, Student Accident Insurance, Pamphlet on Sexual Harassment – Bloodborne Pathogen – Drug Free Workplace, 2007-2008 School Calendar, Mileage Schedule, and Staff Development Booklet].
· Character Education Monthly Brochure by Mrs. Cindy Hurst.
· 2007-2008 Boardmanship Institute Calendar
· Accidental Death and Dismemberment Policy Designation Form (SCSBA)
6. Overview of School Opening
- Richard Carroll Elementary School Campuses A and B – Skipper Smith
Great school opening! The enrollment is currently 667; hopes to continue to be a Reading First School; one of seven schools across the state selected to have a Reading First Summer School; Campus B will continue to do Reading Initiative activities; school day extended from 2:35 p. m. to 2:45 p. m.; and is a Title I School. Construction during the summer included a ramp at the 4K classroom.
- Ehrhardt Elementary School – Mr. Jamee Barnes
Mr. McMillan, custodian, did a great job during the summer in making sure the building was nice and clean. Students in 4K and grade 5 are now attending school at Richard Carroll Elementary School Campuses A and B due to a reduction in class size; transportation has been provided for 4K students to Bamberg; the student-teacher ratio is an average of 15:1; 25% of the 2nd grade class is in Project Beyond; 86% of the full-time staff has at least a Masters degree; the school day has been extended from 2:35 to 2:45 p. m; the student enrollment is 89; and there are 6 full-time faculty members.
- Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School – Mr. Robbie Kearse
There are several new staff members and the student enrollment is down by approximately 30 students. The student enrollment is as follows: 103 – 6th, 103 – 7th and 126 -8th for a total of 332.
- Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School – Mr. Randy Maxwell
Smooth opening with very few bumps! The student enrollment is 524 and there are 55 teaching staff members including 8 new teachers. Freshmen Academy is offered and freshmen students have an alternate schedule in order to have Math and English Language Arts all year long. The school offers High Schools That Work and School-to-Work programs. Sports that are in progress are football, volleyball, tennis and cheerleading. The band is working very hard.
7. Test Scores - ACT
Superintendent Schwarting reported that the ACT test scores are embargoed until September 5.
8. Facility Update
Superintendent Schwarting reported the following:
· Board members may tour the Field House following the board meeting. The keys to the Field House were released on Friday, August 24, 2007; however, there is still some minor touch-up work to be done.
· All buildings in the district are being maintained. Major renovations or repairs are being held off until after the Bond Referendum.
9. Update on Referendum
Superintendent Schwarting stated that the Bond Referendum is scheduled for September 18, 2007. The polls will open at 7:00 a. m. and close at 7:00 p. m. A meeting for the public is scheduled for September 5, 2007, at 5:30 p. m. in the Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School Media Center. The information presented will be presented as information only.
All buildings will remain opened until 8:00 p. m. or 8:30 p. m. on this night for tours so people can see that what’s on the pictures that are published do exist.
10. Monthly Financial Report
Finance Director Devon Furr presented the Finance Report for July 2007 [Board Packet Enclosure].
11. Visitors’ Comments
Ms. Annie Napier expressed concerns about the routing of the school bus in her area and her child not being able to be dropped off at a different location in the afternoons. She requested that her child ride the Ehrhardt bus in order to cut down on riding time. The child leaves home 6:15 a. m. and returns at 4:25 p. m. Ms. Napier feels that she can’t talk to the Bus Supervisor.
Ms. Tanya Brabham expressed concerns about her children not being able to ride the bus this year. She leaves home early in the mornings, resides in the city which means that her children are left to walk to school and cross Highway 78 without any supervisor.
Ms. Leasher Graham expressed concerns about being told by the Bus Supervisor that her 10-year-old son would have to walk to school because she lives less than a mile and half from the school he attends. Walking to school would require the child crossing a main highway alone and she has to be at work at 9:00 a. m.
Principal Randy Maxwell announced that Mrs. Renee Johnson, health education teacher at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High and Middle Schools, has been diagnosed with colon cancer. She is not able to work at this time -- keep her in your prayers.
12. Executive Session
Chairperson Dale Padgett called for a motion to enter Executive Session. Vice-chairperson Sheri Seigler moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to enter Executive Session. The motion carried (5-0). The purpose for entering executive session was to discuss:
a. Employment Recommendations
b. Student Transfer Requests
c. Purchase of Land
Open session: Chairman Dale Padgett declared the board out of Executive Session.
A. Employment Recommendations:
Trustee Rita Sease moved and Vice-chairperson Sheri Seigler seconded to accept the resignation of Alicia Bryant-James, teacher from Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus B, effective August 1, 2007. The motion passed 5-0.
B. Student Transfer Requests:
Trustee Rita Sease moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept the school transfer requests of the following students:
1) Landon Parker Brown (4K) – From Bamberg School District Two to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
2) Alexandria Foster (12th) – From Bamberg School District Two to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
3) Ross Nettles (11th) – From School Greenwood School District 51 to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
4) Joseph (12th) and Kimberly Carter (9th) – From Colleton County School District to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
5) Corey (3rd) and James Ulmer (5K) – From Colleton County School District to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
6) Gabriel C. Bishop – From Colleton County School District to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
7) Steven Bart Weeks (12th) – From Barnwell School District 45 to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
8) Taylor Lyons – From Bamberg School District One to attend school in Colleton County School District.
9) Camdyn Williams (5k) – Transfer from Ehrhardt Elementary School to attend Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus A.
10) William Jesse Myers (4th) – Transfer from Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus A to attend Ehrhardt Elementary School.
11) Harley Nix (5th) – Transfer from Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus B to attend Ehrhardt Elementary School.
12) Alexis (3rd) and Jayna Connelly (3rd) – Transfer from Richard Carroll Elementary School to attend Ehrhardt Elementary School.
13) Kenneth McMillan (3rd) – Transfer from Ehrhardt Elementary School to attend Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus A.
14) Kayla E. Jarvis – From Colleton County School District to attend school in Bamberg School District One.
The motion passed 5-0.
C. Purchase of Land:
Chairman Dale Padgett announced that the purchase of land to build a new school facility for grades 4K-12 students was discussed but no action taken at this time.
Chairman Dale Padgett announced that bus issues from parents were discussed and Superintendent Schwarting and Mr. Long, school bus supervisor, will meet on August 28, 2007, to see if any of the bus transportation issues can be worked out. He asked that in the future, bus issues from parents be put in writing and turned in to the district office. Hopefully, some of the problems will be resolved.
With no other business before the board, Chairman Dale Padgett adjourned the meeting.
Minutes approved:
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R. Dale Padgett, M.D., Chairman
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Stacey Long, Secretary