Bamberg School District One

Minutes of Regular Meeting of Board of Trustees

Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School    

June 23, 2008

7:30 P. M.

 

 

 

Members present:  Chairman Dale Padgett , Vice-chairperson Rita M. Sease, Trustee Sheri

                                 Seigler and Trustee Tony E. Duncan.

                               

Absent:  Secretary Stacey H. Long

 

1.        Call meeting to order:  Vice-chairperson Rita Sease called the meeting to order and asked the audience to repeat the Lord’s Prayer. 

 

Trustee Sheri Seigler moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to amend the agenda to add “Approval of TAN Resolution”.  The motion passed 3-0. [Chairman Dale Padgett was not present during the voting.]

 

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 TAN for 2008-2009 School Year

Superintendent Schwarting asked the board to give approval for the district to participate in the South Carolina Tax Association of Government Officials (SCAGO Tan) program again this year.  The administration has participated in this program for the past 5 or 6 years.  Money can be borrowed, if needed, during the school year to help with payroll and save on issuance cost at a favorable interest rate.  Signatures on the application will be required from the Chairman or Vice-chairperson of the board and the district’s Superintendent. 

 

Trustee Sheri Seigler moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to participate in a 2008-2009 TAN Resolution.  The motion passed 3-0 (Chairman Dale Padgett – absent during the voting.). 

 

4.              Approval of Minutes

Trustee Sheri Seigler opposed the approval of the minutes of June 2, 2008, due to the procedure by which the motion was carried.  She stated that on Page 4 under Item C – Employment Recommendations it is stated that 2 people voted and 2 didn’t vote.  The presiding chairperson made the motion -- it was seconded -- the vote was called -- there were two yes votes, but there was not a call for the nays.  She and Trustee Stacey Long’s intentions were to vote “no” at that time if the question had been asked.  Trustee Seigler felt like the chairman should have been in on this vote.  They weren’t completely opposed to the recommendation, but hoped it could have been brought up at the next meeting.

 

Attorney Allison Hanna, district’s attorney, stated that the motion would remain approved as stated.  Two people voted for the motion and 2 people did not vote at all.  The vote would pass because 2 people didn’t vote.  She suggested that the minutes be revised and at the next board meeting put this as an agenda item.  Trustee Sheri Seigler said that would be appropriate but she believes these people have already been notified of their employment before this meeting.  Superintendent Schwarting responded by stating that this was standard procedure.

 

Trustee Sheri Seigler moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to change the minutes of June 2, 2008, to reflect the intentions of hers, Sheri Seigler, and Trustee Stacey Long to vote “no” to accept the employment of Nolan Austin Black, band teacher; Roberta D. Faust, consumer science teacher; Megan Nicole Fox, English teacher; and Ann B. Caldwell, special education teacher for the 2008-2009 School Year.  The motion passed 3-0.  [Chairman Dale Padgett – absent during the voting].

 

Trustee Sheri Seigler moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept the Called Meeting Minutes of June 9, 2008, as presented.  The motion carried 3-0.  [Chairman Dale Padgett – absent during the voting].

 

5.              Student/Staff Recognition

Superintendent Schwarting announced the following:

·      The Red Raider Baseball Team was recognized in the T&D Newspaper as having won the state championship for the 14th time.  This is a national record.  Coach Horton has a national record with the most wins as a high school baseball coach.  He was named by the South Carolina High School Sports Report as the Baseball Coach of the Year.   

·      According to an article in the T&D Newspaper on June 14, 2008, Chris Smart, Brittany Barnwell and Caleb Howie, Bamberg-Ehrhardt band students, were featured signing to attend South Carolina State University on band scholarships.  This is the first signing for the district’s band students in quite some time.  Mr. Michael Miller, band director, and his staff are to be commended for having worked extremely hard with these young people. 

·      Larry Long, bus supervisor, has completed training that meets the requirements to administer the South Carolina School Bus Driver Behind-The-Wheel Training.  He will be able to do some in-house training which will be a savings to the district.

 

6.              Revision of Meeting Schedule (Location)

Board Packet Enclosure:  Revised Monthly Board Meeting Schedule

        (June 2008– December 2008)  

Superintendent Schwarting reviewed a revised Board Monthly Meeting Schedule for June 2008 through December 2008, due to the closing of Ehrhardt Elementary School.

June 23   7:30 p. m.  -  Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School                 

July 28                 7:30 p. m.  -  Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School

August 25             7:30 p. m.  -  Richard Carroll Elementary School - Campus B    

September 22       7:30 p. m.  -  Richard Carroll Elementary School - Campus A

October 27           7:30 p. m.  -  Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School   

November 24       7:30 p. m.  -  Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School              

December 22        7:30 p. m.  -  Richard Carroll Elementary School - Campus B

 

7.              Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Schwarting stated the following:

·      The district received $52,474.00 from Blue Cross Blue Shield  to employ a mental health counselor to be housed at Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School.  Ms. Geraldine Thomas has been employed and her office is at Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School.  She will be working 12 months with students and their families. 

·      The E-rate program for the state has just completed a Federal audit.  There were some serious citations that could involve the state level having to pay back between $2 and $25 million to the federal government which would mean less money for all the districts in the state.  The district did not receive any E-rate money this year and received only telephone reimbursement last year.  The district has been audited for the past 2 years.  Approximately $31,000.00 was in the 2008-2009 budget for E-rate reimbursement for the phones; however, it was taken out because this money may not be forthcoming.

·      The district’s coordinators for science, math, social studies, and English/Language Arts, and teachers have done a tremendous job in working with the students.  The district’s potential PACT test scores for grades 5 and 8 look great. 

·      Cynthia Tucker is working hard in cleaning up reports for the Report Card that will be coming out in November.

·      A minimum amount of painting is being done throughout the district due to a shortage in funds.   Teachers have been given permission to paint their classroom.

·      The district has a re-coupment program for re-couping credits and attendance.  The criteria for getting into these programs are very stringent.  Approximately 24 students re-couped credits and approximately 60 or 70 in attendance.  In order to re-coup credits a student must have between a 65 or 69 in a course and complete 70% of the work in the PLATO Learning System.  For attendance, a student could only have missed 3 days in the 9-weeks class and 5 in a semester class in order to be given the opportunity to recoup time.  Mrs. Denise Miller was in charge of the program and she did an excellent job.

·      Honors Algebra I was taught on-line at Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School because there was no available certified teacher for the class.  Sandy Avinger, Math Curriculum Coordinator, proposed the pilot of an on-line Virtual School program.  There were 26 students enrolled in the program.  The lowest score on the End of School Test was a “C”.  There were very few “Cs” in the course.    

 

8.              Change of School Names

Handout:  SC Department of Education Memo

 

Superintendent Schwarting stated that due to the closing of Ehrhardt Elementary School, students in grades 4K through 5 will now attend school in the Bamberg attendance area.  Dr. Rick Starr, assistant superintendent, thought before he retired that all school names should be consistent.  He submitted to the State Department a request to change Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus A to Bamberg-Ehrhardt Primary School and Richard Carroll Elementary School Campus B to Bamberg-Ehrhardt Elementary School.  Superintendent Schwarting stated that she knows the significance behind the name “Richard Carroll” and what he meant to education in this community -- particular to the Black community.  This wasn’t something that was done in an insensitive way.

Superintendent Schwarting stated that she would like to have a nice bronze plaque placed on the buildings in honor of Mr. Richard Carroll; give the history of his involvement in those schools; and go with the school names that Dr. Starr recommended.  She would also get a replica of the plaque for board members to review prior to the next board meeting.

 

Trustee Tony Duncan requested that the board table the changing of the names of the schools because this would offend a lot of African Americans.  He is not ready to place judgment on that yet.  He would like to see what the African American community would have to say about this.

 

Trustee Tony Duncan made a motion and Trustee Sheri Seigler seconded to table the name changing of Richard Carroll Elementary School Campuses A and B until the next board meeting.  The motion passed 3-0 [Chairman Dale Padgett – absent during the voting].

 

9.              FY 2008-2009 Budget

o   Final Reading

Superintendent Schwarting stated that a public hearing was held on the budget (June 23, 2008).  Two changes occurred in the General Fund.  On a previous budget that was not balanced and reviewed, $31,728.00 was included for E-rate reimbursement.  This reimbursement was questionable; therefore, it was taken out.  Also, previously in the General Fund, $126,572 was recorded from the Treasurer’s Office and it should have been $272,000 (computer glitch at the county office).  In order to balance the budget, 4 teaching positions were omitted (first grade, L.D., P.M.D., O.T.).  For the O.T. position, contract purchased services will be used and the other teaching positions were absorbed.  Superintendent Schwarting stated that the administration has had a first reading on the budget, another review, and a public hearing.  She asked for approval of the budget in the amount of $15,087,529.92

 

Vice-chairperson Rita Sease moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept the final reading of the 2008-2009 fiscal year balanced budget of $15,087,529.92.  The motion passed 3-1 [Trustee Sheri Seigler voted no].

 

10.           Monthly Financial Report

Board Packet Enclosures – Financial Reports for May 2008

Finance Director Devon Furr reviewed the financial report for May 2008. 

 

11.           Visitors’ Comments

None

 

12.           Executive Session

Chairman Dale Padgett called for a motion to enter Executive Session.  Trustee Sheri Seigler moved and Vice-chairperson Rita Sease seconded to enter the Executive Session.  The motion carried (4-0).  The purpose for entering executive session was to discuss:

a.     Employment Recommendations

b.     Student Transfer Request

c.     Superintendent’s Contract (Continued)

 

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

 

 

A.  Employment Recommendations

Vice-chairperson Rita Sease moved and Trustee Tony Duncan seconded to accept the employment of Christopher James Coffey, social studies teacher, for the 2008-2009 School Year.  The motion passed 4-0.

 

Vice-chairperson Rita Sease moved and Trustee Sheri Seigler seconded to accept the employment of Joye Pou Hallman, Adult Education Director, for the 2008-2009 School Year.  The motion passed 4-0.

 

B.  Student Transfer Request

Trustee Tony Duncan moved and Vice-chairperson Rita Sease seconded to accept the school transfer request of Breanna Ardis to attend school in Orangeburg Consolidated School District 4 for the 2008-2009 school year.  The motion passed 4-0.

 

C.  Superintendent’s Contract (Continued)

Chairman Dale Padgett announced that the wishes of the board were to roll over Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting’s contract for one year and increase the travel from $200 to $400 a month. 

 

Trustee Sheri Seigler moved and Vice-chairman seconded to roll over Superintendent Schwarting’s contract for one year and increase the travel from $200 to $400 a month.  The motion passed 4-0.

 

 

With no other business before the board, Chairman Dale Padgett adjourned the meeting at 9:35 p. m.

 

Minutes approved:

 

 

_____________________________

R. Dale Padgett, M.D., Chairman

 

 

_____________________________

Stacey Long, Secretary