Bamberg School District One

Minutes of Regular Meeting of Board of Trustees

Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School    

February 25, 2008

7:30 P. M.

 

 

 

Members present:  Chairman Dale Padgett, Vice-chairperson Rita M. Sease, Secretary Stacey  

                                 H. Long, Trustee Sheri Seigler 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 January 28, 2008, were approved as presented.

 

4.              Student/Staff Recognition

Superintendent Schwarting announced the following:

·      Jacob Holman has been accepted into the Governor’s School at Coker College for the summer of 2008.

·      The Girls Basketball Team finished 4th place in our region and played Bethune-Bowman in the play-offs.

·      The Boys Basketball Team won the 5-A Region to advance to the Lower State Championship against Hemingway at the Citadel on Saturday, February 23, 2008.  Congratulations to Head Coach Butch Crosby and Assistant Coach Kevin Wright.  The team’s overall record was 19-6.

·      Eric Buckner has been selected to play in the North/South Basketball All-Star game on March 15th.

·      The Wrestling Team won Lower State Championship for the second consecutive year.

·      Larry Long (130 pounds) and LaQuinn Nimmons (140 pounds) qualified for the state individual wrestling championships.  Larry long finished 3rd place in the State in his weight class.  He has been selected to participate in the North/South Wrestling tournament at North Myrtle Beach High School on February 29, 2008.

·      The Soccer, Softball, and Baseball Teams are off to a good start.

·      The Baseball Team participated in the first Preseason Tournament at Waccamaw.

 

 

 

 

·      Bianca Gibson, a 6th grade Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School student, won first place in a “What My Home Means to Me” Coloring/Essay Contest.  She received a $100 Savings Bond, a bicycle, and a certificate from the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority.  Bianca has also been recognized as Student of the Week for the month of September 2007.  She is an honor roll student and a cheerleader for the B-E Football Team.

·      Anastasia Williams and Madison Medlin, 4th grade students at Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus B, were recognized on Channel 10 Picture the Weather for coloring the weather news for the month of February.

·      The following students made the Region IV Honor Band:

Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School: Chelsea Mingo and Desmond Kelly

Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School: Porcelyn Brown, Ashley Walker,

Norman Davis, Corey Ramsey, Anise Portis, and Courtney Bank.

·      Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School has implemented a school-wide positive behavior support program.  The goal of it is to teach positive social and academic skills and recognize students who are engaging in behaviors that improve the school climate.  Each week these students are recommended by their teachers and are rewarded for their good behavior.  These students are also recognized weekly on the district’s  website.

·      A Career Fair was held on February 5, 2008, at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School for high school juniors.  Thirty businesses attended the Fair.  It was planned and organized by Heather Ulmer, School to Work and High Schools THAT Work Coordinator.

·      The High School to Work Assessment was administered to 60 seniors on January 30, and 31, 2008.

·      Sixty sophomores attended the Virtual Job Shadowing at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College on February 8, 2008.

·      During the month of March, all freshmen will develop Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs).  The students and parents will meet with the School to Work Coordinator or the Guidance Counselor to develop the IGP.  This is mandated by the EEDA (Economic Education Development Act).  Currently, 22 majors are offered at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School.  Courses are offered online and electronically.

·      Ehrhardt Elementary School students enjoyed a special Black History program presented by Mr. John Bamberg, former Bamberg School District #1 Board Member, on February 21, 2008.  Mr. Bamberg inspired students to do their best in school work, respect others and be a positive role model.  He delivered a thoughtful biographical sketch of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

·      Ehrhardt Elementary students, faculty, and staff as well as some other faculty and staff in the district are wearing red on Fridays to honor all American soldiers who protect the nation’s freedom.

 

5.              Staff Report:  Early Dismissal Days

Comments on Early Dismissal Days were given by Mrs. Jessica Lewis, Ehrhardt Elementary School teacher; Mrs. Renee Jeffcoat, Richard Carroll Elementary School – Campus A teacher; Mrs. Sharon Zion, Science Curriculum Coordinator; Mrs. Denise Miller, Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School teacher; and Mrs. Sandy Avinger, math curriculum coordinator.  The consensus of these teachers was that dismissing school early

is beneficial to teachers and students.  It gives teachers time to look at the assessment data, and collaborate with one another.  Student data and scheduling can now be thoroughly reviewed. The curriculum can be upgraded and the goals that are in the School Improvement Plan can now be reached.   Next year there probably will not be as many early dismissal days in January and February.

 

6.              First Reading: Board Policy – Childs & Halligan Law Firm

Use of School Facilities –  KF

 

Board Packet Enclosures:  Board Policy – Use of School Facilities – KF and a memo from Scott Price, SCSBA Attorney.

 

Superintendent Schwarting reviewed Board Policy KF – Use of School Facilities a memo from Scott Price, SCSBA Attorney.   Policy KF was presented because of a concern about the closing of school early at the high school for a funeral in the gym.  According to Mr. Price, closing the high school on a school day for a funeral in the gym could raise some legal issues.  Chairman Padgett stated that his belief is that no one minds if schools are used for funerals, but the timing appears to be the issue. 

 

Vice-chairperson Rita Sease stated that in the email from Scott Price it is stated that school was closed because one board member is a friend of the mother of the deceased.  She stated that although she made a telephone call, she does not recall saying that she was calling as a “friend of the family” – unless this was someone else who called.  Her call was interceding for the person and she wanted the minutes to reflect this.  

 

Superintendent Schwarting agreed to present this policy again and develop a form with an Administrative Rule to accompany it.

 

7.              Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Schwarting reported the following:

·      Handouts: 

-       Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School Dragon Newsletter for February 2008

-       JROTC Newsletter

-       Flyer: Reading Rocks                                                                                              

On Monday, March 3, 2008, everyone in Bamberg School District One will read from 8:00-8:30 a. m. in observance of the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day.

 

8.              Monthly Financial Report

Board Packet Enclosure: January 2008

 

Finance Director Devon Furr reviewed the financial report for January 2008.  Some accounts are overspent because there was not enough money budgeted in the accounts.

 

Vice-chairperson Rita Sease stated that she is interested in seeing an increase in the teacher and staff salaries.

 

 

9.              Visitors’ Comments

Larry Long, parent, expressed a concern about his son’s achievement in wrestling that was not included in the Student/Staff report for the district.  He also stated that he was still waiting for a response that he was promised from the board in reference to the treatment his daughter received when she was out of school on homebound in April 2006.  He still feels that someone should be held accountable other than his daughter.  He does not plan to let this go away.  He does not want to see this happen to another child.

 

Vickie Cleveland, reporter for the Advertizer Herald Newspaper, wanted to know what plans the district has for a new facility since the School Referendum failed.  Chairman Padgett responded by stating that the board has not addressed having another School Referendum.  Several plans were presented in the beginning, and now we will probably have to look in the near future to see what we critically need.  Chairman Padgett thought the board should give it a little bit of time and then revisit it.

 

10.           Executive Session

Chairman Dale Padgett called for a motion to enter Executive Session.  Trustee Stacey Long moved and Vice-president Rita Sease seconded to enter the Executive Session.  The motion carried (5-0).  The purpose for entering executive session was to discuss:

a.     Principals’ Teacher Recommendations for 2008-2009

b.     Superintendent’s Principal Recommendations for 2008-2009

c.     Employment/Resignations

d.     Superintendent’s Evaluation

 

 

Open session: Chairman Dale Padgett declared the board out of Executive Session.

 

A.  Principals’ Teacher Recommendations for 2008-2009

Trustee Stacey Long moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept Ronald Bunch, principal, Ehrhardt Elementary School, teachers’ recommendation for the 2008-2009 school year.  The motion passed 4-0 [Trustee Sheri Seigler was absent during the voting].

 

Trustee Tony Duncan moved and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept Johnnie Smith, Jr., principal, Richard Carroll Elementary School – Campuses A and B, teachers’ recommendation for the 2008-2009 school year.  The motion passed 4-0 [Trustee Sheri Seigler was absent during the voting].

 

Trustee Tony Duncan moved and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to accept Robbie Kearse, principal, Bamberg-Ehrhardt Elementary Middle School, teachers’ recommendation for the 2008-2009 school year.  The motion passed 4-0 [Trustee Sheri Seigler was absent during the voting].

 

Trustee Tony Duncan moved and Chairman Dale Padgett seconded to accept Randy L. Maxwell, principal, Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School, teachers’ recommendation for the 2008-2009 school year.  The motion passed 2-1 [Trustee Sheri Seigler was absent during the voting, Vice-chairperson Rita Sease abstained, and Trustee Stacey Long opposed].

 

B.  Superintendent’s Principal Recommendations for 2008-2009:

Trustee Stacey Long moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept Superintendent Schwarting’s Administrators’ recommendation for the 2008-2009 school year.  The motion passed 3-0-1 [Trustee Sheri Seigler was absent during the voting, and Vice-chairperson Rita Sease abstained].

 

C.  Employment Resignations:

Trustee Stacey Long moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept the resignations, with regrets, of Misty C. Duncan, Gwendolyn J. Folk, Cynthia F. Hurst, Joanne G. Calder, Jerry E. Halmon, and Yvonne Sease at the end of the 2007-2008 school year.  The motion passed 3-0 [Trustee Sheri Seigler and Vice-chairperson Rita Sease were absent during the voting].

 

D.  Superintendent’s Evaluation:

Chairman Dale Padgett announced that the board needs further consideration on the Superintendent’s Evaluation; therefore, the evaluation was not done as scheduled. 

 

With no other business before the board, Chairman Dale Padgett adjourned the meeting.

 

 

Minutes approved:

 

 

_____________________________

R. Dale Padgett, M.D., Chairman

 

 

 

_____________________________

Stacey Long, Secretary