Bamberg School District One
Minutes of Regular Meeting of Board of Trustees
Richard Carroll Elementary School – Campus A
February 27, 2006
7:30 P. M.
Members present: Chairman Dale Padgett, Trustee Donald Mallory and Trustee Stacey H. Long.
Absent: Trustee Sheri Seigler, secretary and Vice-chairman John E. Bamberg
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 January 24, 2006, were approved as presented.
4. Student/Staff Recognition
Superintendent Schwarting reported the following:
· Trustee Donald Mallory has earned Level Four recognition in the Boardmanship Institute sponsored by the South Carolina School Boards Association. SCSBA recognized 114 school board members for reaching one of the six levels during the association’s 2006 annual convention that was held in Hilton Head on February 16-19. All received certificates of achievement. Those recognized for levels two through six will receive special Boardmanship Institute pins.
· Mrs. Alicia James and Mrs. Laurine Varnadoe, teachers at Ehrhardt Elementary School, pooled their classes together and won first place in the Bamberg County Name the Transport System Contest. An event to introduce the new system to the public will be held on May 1, 2006, at 10:00 a. m. at the Bamberg County Courthouse. The first place prize will be presented at that time as well as other special surprises.
· Jennifer Rahn is one of 16 students in the nation to receive the Clemson National Scholars Scholarship. This scholarship includes free tuition, books, board, and a semester to study abroad.
· Sports Arena News:
Softball Team: the ladies softball team finished the Latta Pre-Season Tournament with a 3-0 record. Good start for Coach Dena Hartzog and the lady Red Raiders!
Wrestling Team – Coached by Derek Ayers: has a 19-13 dual match record; ranked #1 in state for 1A schools; competed in the 1A/2A class; and ranked 10th in state for A/AA schools.
State Championship Qualifiers (Furman University) are: 119 lbs. – Larry Long; 125 lbs. – Laquinn Nimmons; 135 lbs. Freeman Cooler; 152 lbs. – Dustin McCully; 189 lbs. – Daniel Lain; and 215 lbs. – Brian McMillan. Only 8 wrestlers in each category qualified for the state championship. Larry Long finished third in state at the 119 lb. class. Freeman Cooler won the 135 lb. state championship with a double overtime win in the finals. This is Freeman’s third consecutive state wresting championship. He has been selected to wrestle in the All-State matches in Columbia on March 2, and 3.
Varsity Basketball: All Region Players are: Girls Varsity - Sylena Brooks and Ebony Martino. Boy’s Varsity - Jeffery Bamberg and Devin Moore.
Football Team: Ricky Sapp (Clemson Tigers) and Brian McMillian (Pirates of Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas) have signed Letters-of-Intent Scholarships to play football. Daniel Lain, Craig Barnwell and James Wilson have some offers but are still deciding on their future.
Baseball season begins on Tuesday, February 28, with Allendale-Fairfax at home at 5:00 p. m. On Friday, March 3, they will play Lake Marion at home at 5:00 p.m.
· According to the T&D Newspaper, Bamberg School District One led 11 area districts in terms of number of students to pass the End of Course Test. The administration is proud of the teachers and students for this accomplishment.
5. Assistant Superintendent’s Report – Dr. Rick Starr
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rick Starr stated that the Maintenance Budget was overspent last year and this year’s budget was increased to $144,000. Currently the Maintenance Budget is $19,000 overspent. Health and Safety issues are the only things that are being taken care of at this time. The maintenance worker who left last month will not be replaced. Campus A has some floor issues, portables are becoming un-repairable, and mold still exist.
6. Facilities Study – Mr. Dean Morr, Architect – Stevens & Wilkinson
Mr. Dean Morr answered questions from board members regarding the district’s Facility Needs Assessment Study that he presented at the January 24, 2006, Board of Trustees Meeting. He stated that the board needs to consider which building and problem to address – in town or out-of- town – progress in 5, 10, or 15 years – how to get to each step – how is funding done – how quickly would all facilities be completed – the options of grade levels. The construction time to design the schools will take approximately 14 to 18 months. A middle and high school requires more time.
Trustee Donald Mallory asked Mr. Morr to provide the board with a bus maintenance-type facility plan.
Chairman Dale Padgett stated that after talking to some people following the January 24, 2006, presentation of Mr. Morr’s, his consensus was that the plans presented are hard to argue with; however, funding would be the major issue.
7. Bamberg County First Steps – Ms. Pauletta Plowden
Ms. Pauletta Plowden was absent.
8. Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Schwarting stated the following:
· Mrs. Cindy Hurst is doing a wonderful job with publishing the Character Education Newsletter [Board Packet Enclosure].
· The district received a Rural Utilities Service Grant that will allow some Distance Education courses to be offered at the high school next school term. The grant includes Bamberg School District One, Williston, Orangeburg #4, and Bamberg #2. Bamberg School District One will offer a course in Family and Consumer Science to be taught by Mrs. Denise Miller. The district will receive courses from other schools that are involved. Equipment has been purchased through the program.
· The publishing of the Senior Spring Bulletin 2006 at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School helps students to stay informed through the guidance office [Board Packet Enclosure].
· The district will receive some “Retraining Money” that is available to schools who score below average or unsatisfactory on the absolute score of the PACT test. Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School will receive approximately $79,000 and Ehrhardt Elementary will receive approximately $75,000. Plans for spending the money must be submitted no later than April 30.
· Through the federal government, there will be a decrease in Title I money. The district will apply for the 21st Century Learning Center Grant. The Drop-Out Prevention Program and the Carl Perkins program which is approximately $80,000 may be eliminated.
9. First Reading:
Policy JLCD – Assisting Students With Medication
Policy JLCD-D –Administrative Rule – Assisting Students With Medication
Assisting Superintendent Rick Starr reviewed Board Policy JLCD – Assisting Students With Medication and Board Policy JLCD-D –Administrative Rule – Assisting Students With Medication for first reading. This policy will meet regulations of the law and the Administrative Policy that goes along with spells out how it is to be carried out.
Superintendent Schwarting stated that according to an article in Childs & Halligan School Law Newsletter - Winter 2005-06 edition, the self-medicate/monitor law became effective on May 26, 2005, when signed by Governor Sanford. The State Department of Education finalized and released guidelines on February 2, 2006. The district’s attorney and district administration is very concerned about the concept of children being able to self-medicate. There is still some ambiguity that exists about what illnesses or conditions warrant IHPs and under what circumstances a district can deny a student the opportunity to self-monitor or self-medicate. Past procedures with monitoring medication/blood sugar has worked very well in this district.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Starr stated that with the way schedules are being run with block schedules, AB schedules, etc., students are able to earn more units than they need to graduate; therefore, some students are moving through school relatively quickly. It has created some problems along the way. Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School is requesting to follow this policy beginning the 2006-2007 school year: Top honor graduates will be selected by the GPA standard set by the state in the South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale. Class rank (based on total cumulative quality points) will be computed at the end of the freshman year, sophomore year, junior year and senior year. For a student to qualify for valedictorian and salutatorian he or she must be in attendance at the high school no later than the beginning of the junior year. Any student graduating a year early will not be in contention for valedictorian or salutatorian. Grade point average will be calculated to the third decimal place. In the case of a tie, the calculation will be extended. If there is still a tie, a co-valedictorian or co-salutatorian will be presented.
10. Monthly Financial Report
Board Packet Enclosures: Financial Report – January 2006
JROTC Expenses Incurred
Finance Director Devon Blume reviewed the JROTC expenses incurred at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School.
Trustee Donald Mallory stated that according to the community citizens, the JROTC program is a very good program, and he would like to see it continue. Chairman Dale Padgett stated that the district was on the list to receive this program for approximately 10 years and since it was implemented, it has been well received.
11. Visitors’ Comments
None
Trustee Donald Mallory stated that on November 26, 2006, he received an Honor Award from the National Association of Pupil Transportation (NAPT) – Thomas Built Bus Company for Continuing Education in the field of Pupil Transportation. He is a representative of the community in caring for the safety of the students to and from home for the parents of every child. He encouraged the administration to work together in the remaining months for the safety of children.
12. Executive Session
Chairman Dale Padgett called for a motion to enter Executive Session. Trustee Stacey Long made a motion and Trustee Donald Mallory seconded to enter Executive Session. The motion carried (3-0). The purpose for entering executive session was to discuss:
a. Student Appeal
b. Principals’ Teacher Recommendations for 2006-2007
c. Employment Resignations
d. Student Transfer Requests
Open session: Chairman Dale Padgett declared the board out of Executive Session.
A. Student Appeal
Trustee Stacey Long made a motion and Chairman Dale Padgett seconded not to hear the appeal of Gaines Presley in regard to his son being dismissed from the baseball team because of a five-day school suspension. The motion passed 2-1 (Trustee Donald Mallory abstained).
B. Principals’ Teacher Recommendations for 2006-2007
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept Ronald Bunch, principal, Ehrhardt Elementary School, teachers’ recommendation for the 2006-2007 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept Johnnie Smith, Jr., principal, Richard Carroll Elementary School – Campuses A and B, teachers’ recommendation for the 2006-2007 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept Robbie Kearse, principal, Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School, teachers’ recommendation for the 2006-2007 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept Randy L. Maxwell, principal, Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School, teachers’ recommendation for the 2006-2007 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
C. Employment Resignations
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept the resignations of the following teachers at the end of the 2005-2006 school year:
Mrs. Norma Palmer, Bamberg-Ehrhardt High – Retirement
Mr. Goler L. Collins, Jr., Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School - Retirement
Mrs. Cindy McCully, R-C Elementary School – Campus B – Personal
Mr. Leonard Ares, Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School – Job Transfer
The motion passed 3-0.
D. Student Transfer Requests
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept the attendance transfer request of Chandler Scott Zissett from Denmark-Olar School District Two to attend school in Bamberg School District One for the 2006-2007 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept the attendance transfer request of Danielle Priester from Bamberg School District One to attend school in Edisto School District for the 2006-2007 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
Trustee Donald Mallory made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept the attendance transfer request of James George (6th Grade), Michael George (6th Grade), and Jack George (1st Grade) from Richard Carroll Elementary School – Campus A and Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School to attend school in Ehrhardt Elementary School for the 2005-2006 school year. The motion passed 3-0.
With no other business before the board, the chairman adjourned the meeting.
Minutes approved:
_____________________________
Dale Padgett, Chairman
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Sheri Seigler, Secretary