Daniel Prince
Board approves bid for wireless upgrades across the district
In more from Monday’s school board meeting, the district is seeing a nearly $3 million surplus at the moment, with revenues totaling $17,285,806 against expenses of $14,441,153, putting the district in a net positive position of $2,844,653.
Director of Administration Eric Childers presented the proposed 2022-2023 school calendar for approval. He said the calendar was developed by the teacher leadership group that has been meeting all year. The group features two teacher representatives per school. Normally there are two readings before the calendar is adopted, but he asked that if the board didn’t see any changes that needed to be made, that they waive first reading and go ahead and adopt the calendar as presented. The board unanimously did that.
Teachers will report for staff development and teacher workdays the week of August 8-12. Students would begin school on Monday, August 15. Six early release days are built into the calendar for the upcoming year, all on Wednesdays. They are scheduled for September 14, October 5, January 11, February 8, March 8, and April 19. As in the past, early release days are utilized for additional staff development during the second half of the day. Labor Day is the first day off for teachers and students on September 5. Students are out and teachers will have a half day on Friday, October 21, for parent-teacher conferences. Conferences will begin the afternoon of October 20, causing teachers to stay late. A mini fall break of sorts is built in around Election Day, with no school for teachers or students on Monday, November 7, and Tuesday, November 8. They will be out for Thanksgiving break from November 23-25. Friday, December 16, will be a half-day for students, and Christmas break will run from December 19-January 3.
Teachers will report on January 3 for staff development, and students will return to begin the second semester on Wednesday, January 4. The annual MLK Jr. holiday is Monday, January 16. Friday, February 17 will be another staff development day with no school for students. March 16-17 will be the second round of parent-teacher conferences, with conferences beginning the afternoon of the 16th and continuing the morning of the 17th, which will be a half-day for teachers. Spring break is scheduled for April 3-7. Memorial Day will be observed with a day off on May 29. May 30-31 will be half days, with May 31 being the last day of school for students. The last day for teachers is Thursday, June 1, with graduation scheduled for June 3.
The board approved three overnight field trips. One was for the FFA to go to the state convention from June 21-23. Another was for HOSA to go to their state leadership competition in Charleston on March 16-18. The third was for the baseball team to visit the Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball Complex in Myrtle Beach over spring break, April 3-7. The board also unanimously approved the personnel report, with 4 hires this year and 7 hires for next year.
The board awarded the fencing project at Monarch Elementary School to Seegars Fence Company, located in Woodruff, for $14,946. They will be working to repair or replace fencing and enclose the playground fencing at the school.
The board awarded the bid for wireless upgrades across the district to Telecom Inc. for $318,895.96 for a one-year license, with an option to increase their license to five years. According to Technology Director Tim Barnado, this will replace all 392 wireless access points across the district and will future-proof the system to support WiFi version 6. Being an E-rate project, Barnado said the FCC through the Universal Service Administration Company’s Schools and Library Division cost-shares with the district, where they pay 81% and the district only pays 19%. The district can then petition the SC Department of Education to reimburse the rest, so he said it should end up not costing the district any money.
The board unanimously approved the recommendation to allow the Salkehatchie group to use the Sims property under the same contract and conditions as in the past.
The board voted down an employee grievance request to appear before the school board when the board decides to meet. Mark Ivey, Mike Cohen, and Mike Massey voted yes, but the other six board members voted against it.