THIS MEETING WAS RESCHEDULED FROM MAY 28TH DUE TO MEMORIAL DAY

2012 RETIREE RECOGNITION HELD PRIOR TO MEETING (6:00 P.M.)

JASPER COUNTY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MINUTES – MAY 29, 2012

PRESENT: Kathleen Snooks, Michael Hubbard, Berty Riley, Priscilla Fraser,

Barbara B. Clark, Pamela Williams, Alina Hamilton-Clark and

Randy Horton

ABSENT: Cathy Gardner

1. CALL TO ORDER – Kathleen Snooks, Board Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Ridgeland Pre-K-12 (North) Campus Multi-Purpose Room in Ridgeland, South Carolina. Mrs. Snooks read the District’s Vision Statement for the public.

2. ROLL CALL & ESTABLISHMENT OF A QUORUM – 8P/1A

3. NOTIFICATION OF NEWS MEDIA – The following news media were notified of the date, time, place and agenda of this meeting: Jasper Sun, Hardeeville Today, Beaufort Gazette, Bluffton Today, Island Packet, Savannah Morning News, The Gullah Sentinel, WSAV, WTOC and WJCL/WTGS.

4. MOMENT OF SILENCE – A moment of silence was observed by the Board and audience led by Alina Hamilton-Clark, Board Chaplain.

5. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The pledge to the flag was recited by the Board and audience.

6. SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS –

6.1 SPRING SPORTS ATHLETIC RECOGNITIONS – JAMES GARDNER, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS – Dr. Washington shared that at every board meeting they recognize employees and students for outstanding performance or service.

James Gardner, Athletics Director, was asked to come forward to make several presentations for spring sports at Hardeeville Middle High School and Ridgeland High School. Mr. Gardner called Coach Todd Roberson forward to recognize the Hardeeville High School Boys’ Soccer Team.

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Coach Todd Roberson recognized Martin Sotelo who made “All State” & “All Region” and Marcos Cisca, Adrian Morales, Cruz Romero and Hector Guerro who made “All Region”. He also shared other accomplishments that these students achieved both in academics and athletics.

Coach Anthony Elam came forward to recognize the Hardeeville High School Girls’ Track Team who are the State Champions in the 4x100 Relay. He introduced the other coaches who assisted him all year long. He recognized Ravon Grant, Raven Grant, Tydasha Rivers, Aaliyah Hill and Add’Drina Morrison-Ford.

Coach Bea Anderson came forward to recognize the “All Region” 5-A Top Three Players for the Hardeeville High School Girls’ Softball Team – Brittany Bradham, Tylasha Rivers and Tydasha Rivers.

Coach Russell Holley came forward to recognize the Ridgeland High School Boys’ Track Region Champions, Runner Ups in Lower State (Myrtle Beach) and State Runner Up as a Team (Columbia). He introduced the coaches who assisted him (Jamar Ferguson, Lawanda Dixon and Christina Walker). Coach Holley recognized the following students who were present and noted any individual track accomplishments: Donald Jenkins, Torray Amlett, Nicholas Reid, Osano Saunders, Marquis McClennon, Ashley Mitchell, Xavier Capers, Jer’mone White, Desjon Frazier, Denzel Mitchell, Marquis Griffin, Shawn Greene, Jacob Ferguson, Antoine Johnson (State 110m High Hurdle Champion) and Alvin Brown (State Discus Champion).

6.2 “BEHIND THE SCENES” HERO AWARDS – Dr. Washington presented “Behind the Scenes” Hero Awards to two outstanding employees who have worked to promote the school district. She stated that they want the school district to be one of the best in the state of South Carolina because they are here for the children of Jasper County regardless of whether they are in Ridgeland or Hardeeville.

The first “Behind the Scenes” Hero Award and gift card were presented to Kacithia Wright, Administrative Assistant in the Technology Department, who goes beyond what is expected to make certain all of the technology requests are completed and anything else that she is asked to do by the Superintendent. Ms. Wright coordinated and organized the End of Year Teacher of the Month Recognition that was held this afternoon prior to the board meeting.

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Dr. Washington stated that academics should precede anything that is done in the community. Academics are important for the children regardless of their athletic abilities.

The second “Behind the Scenes” Hero Award and gift card were presented to James Gardner, Director of Athletics, for the first Jasper County Athletic Institute to improve communications with the coaches and teaching staff, increase the number of students attending post-secondary institutes and to help the district repurpose funds to better serve the students in the division of athletics. Jasper County School District held its first ever National Signing Day for athletic scholarships this year. Students were signed up for not just their athletic ability but for their academic accomplishments as well. She saluted Mr. Gardner for revamping the athletic department.

Mrs. Snooks saluted all of the athletes who received awards and for their participation on all of the athletic teams in the school district.

7. PUBLIC COMMENT(S) – Eight people signed in to address the Board. Mrs. Snooks read the rules for speaking in public to the Board. Darryl Owens, Chief of Staff, read the names of those who signed in to speak and kept the timer for each speaker. Each speaker was given a three minute time limit.

#1 – Priscilla Green (Parent) signed in to address the Board regarding School Consolidation. She shared that a couple of months ago the community had requested a meeting with the school board where they would be able to ask questions and the board members would respond; but they never had that meeting. A call came out on Friday afternoon announcing the consolidation of the schools. This was a very late notice. She shared that a District Spelling Bee was held at the Ridgeland Campus for grades 6-8 but no recognitions have been made for the students who won. She spoke of all of the athletic recognitions that are made and students who do not even attend this school district have been acknowledged; but there was not even a picture in the newspaper or on the Website about the Spelling Bee.

Ms. Green spoke about the consolidation and stated that there are several questions that need to be asked: (1) dealing with the budget and funding, (2) how many directors are currently employed by the district, (3) how much money is allocated for this budget, (4) what happened to the money allocated for athletic fields in Ridgeland and (5) over $40,000 of the SIG Grant is being paid toward the director’s salary. She asked what the purpose of the consolidation is. She stated that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered.

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#2 – Rev. Evon Robinson (Pastor of St. Stephens A.M.E. Church) signed in to address the Board regarding School Consolidation. Rev. Robinson stated that he served on another school board several years ago and they had the same issue of consolidating the schools in Colleton County. He stated that people by nature resent change. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is bad. Some of the community resisted consolidation but the majority of them thought it was good. The Board voted to go ahead with this and it was one of the best decisions that they ever made. The consolidation strengthened the curriculum, helped with staffing and teacher certification, prevented duplication of programs and it saved a lot of money. If they study this carefully the data will prove itself and it will be one of the best decisions made. They are doing this for the betterment of the educational process in Jasper County and for the children. He suggested that they take a very serious look at this, go through with it and they will be glad that they did.

#3 – Ransom Dunham – Hardeeville Middle High – Mr. Dunham stated that he is the Hardeeville Middle High School PTSA President. He has been talking with the Superintendent for the past year and now he is talking to the Board. The saying is that it is all about the children, but he is saying that it is about the parents. He asked the Board when voting on school consolidation to realize that the parents put them in their board seats. If this comes to school consolidation, he is pushing very hard that they will boycott the District. The schools are not broke; it is what is in the schools that needs to be fixed. He stated that they have two new schools and they need to keep the schools where they are at and try to fix the problems within the schools. He told the parents in Ridgeland and Hardeeville that together they stand and divided they fall.

#4 – Jeannette Dunham – Mrs. Dunham spoke about the focus group meetings and asked that was the purpose of the focus groups. Parents have not met with the focus groups and have not been given any information from the focus groups. She spoke about Rev. Robinson’s comments about people not liking change. It is not that they don’t like change, but they do not like not having the answers to the change that is coming. They have a lot of questions and they just want answers. There are a lot of rumors about where the middle and high schools will be. There is a school in Jasper County that did not make the grade and is in jeopardy of being taken over by the state. Dr. Mick Zais will be going around in July to announce what schools will be taken over by the state or become a charter school. She has a child in the schools. She stated that they do not know the facts about any change; they only have hearsay. She stated that parents have to come together and they cannot not allow any change to come that they do not want. Education is first for her child and athletics come second. She wants him to get the best education.

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Mrs. Dunham told parents that when schools start on August 20, 2012 not to let their children get on the bus to come to Hardeeville because she is not letting her child go to Ridgeland.

#5 – Debbie McElveen – Ms. McElveen signed in to share her support for the Jasper County administration and the students. Ms. McElveen stated that she is a retiree of Jasper County and has 34 years of experience in all four schools. She worked with Dr. Washington a year prior to her retirement and spoke about the four goals that were brought to the District. The district administration knows what direction they are going but asked if everyone is on board. She is proud of the students that she saw come before the Board this evening because some people had given up on them. They have seen change and they have had to make some very difficult changes within the structure of the schools. However, for the first time in a very long time, any teacher coming in the District has to go through a formal evaluation. Dr. Washington is looking for qualified, certified and effective teachers and administrators in the schools. Change hurts and can be painful, but it is about all of the children. She asked everyone to support the Superintendent, administration, teachers, parents and the community to make it happen.

#6 – Ajene Hilliard – Mr. Hilliard is a student from Hardeeville High School who attends the Governor School of the Arts & Humanities. He spoke on his experiences at the Governor’s School. He stated that students need a strong academic foundation to be successful in this global society. They have to prepare students to be successful in the world outside of Jasper County and what the schools have in place is not enough. The students need more choices, exposure, better technology, more library resources, etc. They need a community that supports what is going on. If the remedy is to bring the schools together for the sake of the students, he asked them to do it. Restructuring the schools will call for new strategies. He stated that his experiences at the Governor’s School helped to open his eyes and as a student going out he saw the gap that he had.

#7 – Denise Davison – Ms. Davison signed in to talk about the budget. She commended the teachers, students and parents on the accomplishments this evening, the retirements and the school board recognitions. However, there are some underlying concerns that everyone needs to ask themselves about the consolidation. She stated that several in the audience have already brought this up. She referenced the article in the Jasper Sun regarding Dr. Zais’ visit and it states that on July 11th he will be making a decision about the Hardeeville School. She asked how consolidation will help the students; it will only shuffle the problems that they have in the school that has been at-risk for over five years. If they are going to consolidate the schools then this school will not exist anymore.

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This school will not exist anymore and there will be no more at-risk. She referenced the state’s website where they can see the report card scores and asked that at this rate, how are kids supposed to be prepared to go to the next level. She asked what school board members have done who have seen the same at-risk for five years. They just want to upset the apple cart. She encouraged parents to get involved and to look at this information on the website.

#8 – Barbara Bartoldus – Mrs. Bartoldus signed in to speak on the consolidation and charter schools. She read an article on charter schools for Beaufort County School District. She stated that this school district has a current debt of $56 million. She stated the county should start a move toward a charter district and put education back into the hands of the people. They need less administration and more information with parent input into school board meetings. She stated that the board election in November will give them a chance to make a change. This Board is using consolidation to hide from the real issue.