Minutes of Regular
Meeting of Board of Trustees
Members present:
Vice-chairman John E. Bamberg, Secretary Sheri Seigler, Trustee Stacey H.
Long,
and Trustee Rita M. Sease.
Absent:
Chairman Dale Padgett
1.
Call meeting to order:
Vice-chairman John Bamberg called the
meeting to order and presided in the absence of Chairman Dale Padgett.
The audience was asked to repeat the Lord’s Prayer.
Vice-chairman John
Bamberg announced that the approval from board members to move Agenda item #6
[2005-2006 Annual Audit Report – Elizabeth Inabinet, C.C. McGregor] to #4 and
continuing with the remainder items in a sequential order.
2.
Notice to Media:
In accordance with the S. C. Code of Laws, Section
(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
4.
2005-2006 Annual Audit Report – Elizabeth
Inabinet, C.C. McGregor
Mrs.
Elizabeth Inabinet, auditor from C.C. McGregor, reported that the district’s
2005-2006 audit resulted in a clean opinion.
She reviewed pages 6-13 (The Management Discussion and Analysis); pages
14 (Statement of Net Assets – total Net Assets is $4,350,041); and page 15
(Statement of Activities). Support
Services indicates a deficit of cost versus funds that came in ($3,566,239).
The district ended up with a positive balance of $771,668 for the year.
The Fund Financial Statement shows how the district maintains its books.
Page 18 is a Summary of the Revenues and Expenditures of each of the
funds of the district. The General
Fund ends with a surplus of $124,486.
As of
Mrs. Inabinet
stated that a representative from the State Department of Education Food Service
Department recently informed her and the district’s administration of a new law
on how to calculate Indirect Cost for the Food Service program.
He drew up an Indirect Cost Proposal that justifies how Indirect Cost
should be calculated. Indirect Cost
is
subject to
the availability of funds. Four
years ago when the Food Service had a deficit situation Indirect Cost should not
have been claimed. Approximately
$101,000 had to be absorbed back into the General Fund in order to get the
Indirect Cost that had been taken over those years; however, this year’s
transactions were not affected because it was a mistake in previous years.
The beginning Fund Balance for the General Fund had to be restated.
It had to come down partially because of the Indirect Cost and the
Deficit Fund Balance that was still a deficit.
At the end of 2005, Food Service had a deficit of approximately $207,000
in a Fund Balance. It is now stated
that Food Service can’t have a deficit Fund Balance and it can’t be less than
zero. A Deficit Fund Balance of
$105,804 has been set up as a loan through Food Service and the General Fund to
be repaid when Food Service generates a profit.
This is not reflected in the audit report.
It can’t be shown in Food Service because to show it as a liability would
make a deficit Fund Balance.
Hopefully, of the $207,000 that the General Fund had to pay, $105,804 will
eventually be paid back.
5.
Student/Staff Recognition
Superintendent Schwarting reported the following:
·
On October 24,
Mrs. Nancy Watson took four of her sixth-grade science students to Claflin
University to compete in a “Health Factor,” which is a Jeopardy-like game
sponsored by the Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
The following students were eligible to participate based on their first
six-week average, their current test grades, and their overall eagerness to
learn: Kristopher Morris, Kyle
Stokes, Elsa Thomas, and Alexis Toomer.
As first-time competitors,
·
B-E High School
ROTC students participated in the city of
·
On November 16,
the Garnet and Black Society recognized academic achievement for students making
A and A-B Honor Roll for the first 9-weeks grading period.
·
Senior Martin
Padgett, offensive lineman, and senior Miker Wright, defensive back, were chosen
to play on the South Team in the 2006 SCADA North-South All Star football game.
The game will be played Saturday, December 9, at Brooks Stadium on the
campus of
·
The following B-E
students and coach made the 2006 All-T&D Region Volleyball Teams: first team –
Sylina Brooks; second team – Whitley Raysor; third team coach – David Choi; and
Honorable mention – Monique Davis and Jennifer Ford.
·
Sylina Brooks
made the first team Class A All-State Volleyball Team.
·
Nick Tritapoe,
senior football player, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Orangeburg
Touchdown Club.
·
The Coaches
Association, sponsors of the Palmetto Champions All Star Team, has named B-E
head football Coach Ron Duncan its 2006 Class A Football Coach of the Year.
He will be honored at a banquet in
·
Daquan Bowers has
been recognized as the “Player of the Year” for the Orangeburg Touchdown Club.
·
Ms. Wanda
McCreary, food service operator at
·
B-E tennis coach
Al Ramsey passed away on November 3.
According to an article in the Advertizer-Herald Newspaper, Coach Ramsey
was known by many as ‘The Local Voice’ of the Red Raiders football team.
For over 20 years, during winning and losing seasons, Al’s voice was the
voice you heard over the PA system.
He coached tennis and golf at B-E, but it will be tennis that he will be most
remembered for. He served on the
South Carolina High School League Tennis Executive Committee for many years.
In 18 years as coach of the Lady Red Raiders tennis team, Ramsey’s teams
won over 183 matches, while losing 71.
His teams won 4 Region Championships and were Runners-Up 9 times.
Al’s team had just completed a successful 10-1 regular season.
The team lost in the second round of the state playoffs.
Few people have ever served this community with more pride than Coach Al
Ramsey.
Vice-chairman John Bamberg
called for a moment of silence in memory of Ms. Wanda McCreary and Mr. Al
Ramsey, district employees, who recently passed away.
D.A.R.E. Officer Adrienne Blume
announced that there will be a graduation for D.A.R.E.
students on
6.
Assistant Superintendent’s Report
Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Rick Starr reported the following:
·
As of October,
the district has a 10% increase in energy cost from last year this time.
·
The Field House
has received clearance through the Office of School Facilities in
·
The district
completed a Safety Within the Classroom Audit (slip and fall, tilting -
equipment that can fall and tilt) and a Safety and Security Survey (Direct View
Access). Some issues have already
been addressed. [Board Packet Enclosure].
7.
Federal Reports – Phyllis Overstreet
Ms. Phyllis
Overstreet reported the following on Federal Reports:
Title I - $536,892.48:
Funds are used
for teacher salaries, to support instruction
with classroom
and curriculum supplies and for staff development.
Title II - $140,473.00 (Teacher
Quality): Funds are
used to support teacher
salaries to
reduce class size and to provide staff development for teachers and
paraprofessionals – particularly in assisting staff in meeting the “Highly
Qualified” requirement of No Child Left Behind.
Title IV - $10,392.00:
Funds are used to support
character education and
activities
related to Safe and
Title V - $2,971.00:
Funds are being used for school
security efforts.
Title VI - $46,248.00 (Rural
Money): Funds are used
for technology licenses,
parental
involvement, staff development, primarily for High Schools That Work and Project
Lead The Way.
8.
Report Cards
Superintendent Schwarting stated the following:
·
Annual School
Report Cards (Board Packet Enclosures) results are as follows:
·
Ehrhardt Elementary
|
ABSOLUTE RATING |
BELOW AVERAGE |
Absolute Ratings of Elementary Schools
with Students like Ours
Excellent
Good
Average Below
Average
Unsatisfactory
0
9
75
22
1
|
IMPROVEMENT RATING |
BELOW AVERAGE |
Richard Carroll Elementary
|
ABSOLUTE RATING |
AVERAGE |
Absolute Ratings of Elementary Schools
with Students like Ours
Excellent
Good
Average Below
Average
Unsatisfactory
0
19
72
13
0
|
IMPROVEMENT RATING |
BELOW AVERAGE |
Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle
|
ABSOLUTE RATING |
UNSATISFACTORY |
Absolute Ratings of Middle Schools with
Students like Ours
Excellent
Good
Average Below
Average
Unsatisfactory
0
2
10
35
4
|
IMPROVEMENT RATING |
UNSATISFACTORY |
Bamberg-Ehrhardt High
|
ABSOLUTE RATING |
GOOD |
Absolute Ratings of High Schools with
Students like Ours
Excellent
Good
Average Below
Average
Unsatisfactory
2
3
11
4
6
|
IMPROVEMENT RATING |
GOOD |
9.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Schwarting stated the following:
·
Through the SCAGO
organization, the district’s TAN program, where it can borrow money from was in
a dispute with the Internal Revenue. Participating districts were not endangered
of being reprimanded by IRS. The
issue has been settled and the case is closed.
·
Changes will be
made in PACT Testing. Presently,
the district is testing English/Language Arts, math, science and social studies
in grades 3 through 8. Now there
will be Census Testing in science and social studies which mean all students
won’t be tested in some grades. One
elementary and middle grade will now be tested.
Grades 3-8 students will be assessed in science or social studies.
They have decided to focus on grades 4 and 7.
These students will be subjected to science and social studies tests.
Grades 3, 5, and 8 will take one or the other.
Currently, PACT test administrators use Secure Administration Manuals to
“read aloud” grade three mathematics, science, and social studies test
questions. “Read aloud” will
continue in the spring 2007 PACT test administration.
In 2008, student will have to read their own questions and they will not
have the assistance of teachers reading the test.
10.
Monthly Financial Report
Finance Director Devon Furr
reported that Technology Equipment is overspent because E-Rate funds have to be
posted to a certain account and which will offset the overage.
11.
Visitors’ Comments
None
Trustee Sheri
Seigler made a motion and Trustee Rita
Sease seconded to continue the tradition of omitting the
December Board of Trustees Meeting
that is scheduled for
12.
Executive Session
Vice-chairman John
Bamberg called for a motion to enter
Executive Session. Trustee
Sheri Seigler made a motion and Trustee Stacey Long seconded to enter Executive
Session.
The motion carried (4-0).
The purpose for entering executive session was to discuss:
a.
Employee
Recommendation
Open session:
Vice-chairman John Bamberg declared the board out of Executive Session.
A.
Employee Recommendation
Trustee Stacey Long
made a motion and Trustee Sheri Seigler
seconded to give Superintendent Schwarting permission to sign an agreement
terminating Brittany Ayer, first grade teacher, with salary paid in full through
With no other
business before the board, the chairman adjourned the meeting at
Minutes approved:
_____________________________
Dale Padgett,
Chairman
_____________________________
Sheri Seigler,
Secretary