MINUTES - Anderson School District Five



MINUTES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE

Anderson, South Carolina

September 15, 2015

6:30 P.M.

The Board of Trustees of Anderson County School District Number Five met in the Offices of the Board this date with the following members present: Dr. Sandy Addis, Mr. Jay Blankenship, Mr. Rick Bradshaw, Mr. John Griffith, Mrs. Ann Huitt, Mr. Harold Kay, II, Mr. Tommy Price and Mr. Paul Zugg. Absent was Mrs. Margaret Mack.

NOTICE TO MEDIA

In accordance with the S. C. Code of Laws, 1976, Section 30-4-80(d), as amended, the following have been notified of the time, date, place and agenda of this meeting: The Anderson Independent-Mail, Greenville News, The Anderson Journal, WYFF, WSPA, Paul Brown, and FOX 21.

CALL TO ORDER & WELCOME

Mr. Bradshaw called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION

Mr. Bradshaw led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, and Mr. Zugg gave the invocation.

Mr. Bradshaw informed everyone that Mrs. Margaret Mack officially resigned as a member of the Board of Trustees due to her declining health.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

With no objections and by Board consensus, the Agenda was approved as presented.

RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE

Mr. Wilson recognized Southwood Academy of the Arts Principal Jamie Smith to recognize Southwood teacher Paul Parker. Mr. Parker received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. This award is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Next Mr. Wilson recognized Lakeside Middle School of Inquiry & Innovation Principal Tiffany Osborne to recognize Lakeside SRO Shawn Davis for his heroic action in performing the Heimlich maneuver on a choking student.

Finally, Mr. Wilson recognized Board Member Harold R. Kay, II for reaching Level I in the Boardmanship Institute Training Program. The Board training programs are sponsored by the South Carolina School Boards Association.

OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

Ms. Elizabeth Fant expressed her support of the new career center. She expressed concerns about more funds being used for dropout prevention programs, parental programs, homework study programs, and mentoring programs. Ms. Fant also expressed concerns about the proposal to close Lakeside Middle School and asked the Board to consider preserving Lakeside.

Mr. Willie Day expressed his appreciation for the many contributions made by Mrs. Margaret Mack, a life-long educator, with regards to her community, the Anderson community as a whole, and to Anderson School District Five.

Mrs. Carolina Tolbert expressed that education to her is like breathing. She stated that the Board has sacrificed so much of their time in providing the best education possible for all students; giving them an opportunity to reach as far as they want to go. Mrs. Tolbert stated that her father, Coach “Frog” Reames, was the first principal at Lakeside Middle School, and that Lakeside means a lot to her. Mrs. Tolbert stated that we must learn to adjust to change; to see and understand things differently. Mrs. Tolbert stated that she is grateful for the opportunity to see what is happening in Anderson for all children. She encouraged the Board to continue working with Tri-County Technical College to build the new career center.

CONSENT AGENDA

Mr. Wilson and the Administration recommended Board approval of the following Consent Agenda items:

• Minutes of the August 18, 2015 Regular Board Meeting

• Minutes of the September 10, 2015 Committee of the Whole Meeting

• 2015-2016 Personnel Recommendations

Mr. Kay made a motion the Board approve the Administration’s recommendation of the Consent Agenda items. Mr. Price seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

ACTION ITEMS

Approval of Act 155 Diploma Petitions – As a result of Act 155, students can now petition for their high school diploma if all other criteria for graduation were met. The Administration recommended Board approval of two students who have petitioned to receive a high school diploma bringing the district total to 54.

Mrs. Huitt made a motion the Board approve the diploma petitions as presented. Dr. Addis seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

Approval of the Student Matter – Mr. Wilson stated that a request for a P.E. waiver was discussed in Executive Session at the September 10, 2015 Committee of the Whole meeting. The Administration recommended Board approval of the P. E. waiver as presented.

Mr. Griffith made a motion the Board approve the Administration’s recommendation of the P. E. waiver as presented. Mr. Zugg seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

Local Board Approved Courses – Mr. Wilson stated that a list of local courses were presented and discussed at the September 10, 2015 Committee of the Whole meeting. Each year local school boards must submit to the State Department of Education local courses that have been added to the curriculum from the previous year and/or during the current year. The Administration recommended Board approval of the local courses as presented.

Mr. Kay made a motion the Board approve the list of local courses as presented. Mr. Griffith seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

Consolidation of Robert Anderson and Lakeside Middle Schools – Mr. Wilson stated that a community meeting was held on September 1, 2015 at Robert Anderson Middle School to present in a public forum the consolidation of Robert Anderson and Lakeside Middle Schools. Mr. Wilson stated that renderings of the addition to Robert Anderson and renderings of the new career center were available at the meeting. The public was also given an opportunity to ask questions.

With Board approval of the consolidation of Robert Anderson and Lakeside, Mr. Wilson stated that the district will begin a year-long process of building a 26-classroom addition to Robert Anderson and expanding the cafeteria to accommodate approximately 500 additional students from Lakeside. Lakeside will then be demolished.

In a partnership with Anderson School Districts 3, 4 and 5, Mr. Wilson stated that a new state-of the-art career center will be constructed on the current Lakeside site. He stated that both the current Lakeside site and the addition to Robert Anderson have been FFA approved. The projected opening date for the new career center is August 2019. The Administration recommended Board approval to consolidate Robert Anderson and Lakeside Middle Schools.

Dr. Addis made a motion the Board approve the Administration’s recommendation to consolidate Robert Anderson and Lakeside Middle Schools. Mrs. Huitt seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Financial Reports – Mr. Wilson recognized Mrs. Heard to present as information the monthly Financial Statements and the Pupil Activity Reports for the month ending August 31, 2015.

With regards to revenue, Mrs. Heard reported that this is a very lean time for the district; however, expenditures have been consistent as compared to this same time last year. She further stated that we are in good standing, and we are not planning to issue a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN). This will be the third consecutive year that the district has not borrowed money from the bank to meet our obligations.

With regards to the one cent sales tax collection, Anderson Five received approximately $715,000 for the month of June. Of that, approximately $143,000 will go towards our debt service to reduce the bond indebtedness on property taxes. The amount available for our capital projects is approximately $572,000. Mrs. Heard further stated that collectively from March 2015 through June 2015, Anderson Five received approximately $2.5 million. County-wide from March 2015 through June 2015, Mrs. Heard reported that the one cent sales tax generated a total of approximately $6.3 million; 20% for debt relief was approximately $1.3 million; 80% remaining for the five Anderson County school districts was approximately $5 million.

Certificate of Delegates – Mr. Bradshaw presented to the Board the certificate of Delegate Form for the SCSBA Legislative Advocacy Conference & Delegate Assembly. He stated that the district has four (4) votes and that the votes will be divided equally among Board Members who plan to attend the conference.

Instructional Highlight (Robert Anderson/Lakeside) – Mr. Wilson recognized Lakeside Principal Tiffany Osborne and Robert Anderson Principal Leonard Galloway to discuss plans for a smooth transition to consolidate Lakeside and Robert Anderson Middle Schools.

• The principals have visited middle schools with a large student population similar to

the student population that will be at Robert Anderson.

• The schools have implemented the same discipline plan; the same courses with

common assessments; common meetings with both administrative teams;

and planned some common professional development.

• Both schools have AVID.

• The principals have implemented a merge team made up of representatives from both

faculties that will plan social events;

• The principals plan to have an event honoring the history of Lakeside and to unearth

the time capsule at Lakeside.

• The principals plan to implement a Remembrance Hall in Robert Anderson to honor the

legacy of both schools and be proactive in planning a closing ceremony for Lakeside.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, Mr. Price made a motion the Board adjourn. Mr. Kay seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

(7:33 P.M.)

CHAIRMAN SECRETARY

DATE DATE

Recording Secretary

As Approved By Superintendent

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