School Board sets date for district facilities session 11/11/2009 7:38 PM
Aiken Elementary School teacher Beth Eberhard, center, looks at the plaque she received as the Spirit of Ruth Patrick Award winner for her contributions to science education. At right is Principal Sharon Cagle.
By ROB NOVIT Senior writer
The Aiken County Board of Education has scheduled a special work session Tuesday, Dec. 1, to discuss in depth the facilities issues facing the district.
That meeting will come a week after a regular board meeting Nov. 24, which will include at that time a presentation from Deputy Superintendent David Caver on programmatic needs, financial information and facility priorities.
In recent weeks, School Board members have revived discussion of facility needs. In March 2008, they received a report from the M.B. Kahn Co. that identified $350 million in needs for new construction and building renovations in the school district. In the months that followed, the district endured a series of state budget cuts, and the facilities issues went on the back burner.
The Kahn report proposed an initial phase of about $150 million, suggesting projects in each of the district's five attendance areas. The board members previously submitted to Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt their own priorities as to facility needs.
In other business at a board meeting Tuesday:
* The board members recognized three teachers who won awards Tuesday. Aiken Elementary School teacher Beth Eberhard received the Spirit of Ruth Patrick Award from Dr. Gary Senn, director of USC Aiken's Ruth Patrick Science Education Center. Senn cited Eberhard for her promotion of science activities, including environmental education.
South Aiken High School teacher Michelle Ashley also excelled in environmental education, receiving the S.C. Project Learning Tree Teacher of the Year award.
Ginger Dunker, a South Aiken High School English teacher, was cited as the S.C. Council of Teachers of English teacher of the year and as a teacher of excellence by the National Council of Teachers of English.
* The school district received a grant of $438,384 and a loan of $146,128 from the S.C. Energy Office. The funds will be used for energy savings projects throughout the school system, mostly through the replacement of gymnasium lighting.
* The board approved a policy revision that will allow students to experience televised addresses by the president or South Carolina governor. Such opportunities would be subject to certain conditions, and flexibility would be available to present the addresses at a later date. Board member Levi Green brought up the proposed policy change following the controversy over President Barack Obama's televised speech in early September.
* Dana Stone, a Ridge Spring-Monetta High School parent and School Improvement Council member, wants the school's graduation ceremony to remain at the school next spring. Five high schools held commencement programs at the USC Aiken Convocation Center last June, and the School Board agreed recently that RS-M and Wagener-Salley High School graduations would be held at the facility, as well.
However, the parents at RS-M that Stone has talked to don't agree to the change. Stone said the 30-minute drive to Aiken would be inconvenient for many parents and family members. Further, the graduation is already scheduled on a Friday at 11 a.m., and many working families would be unable to attend.
* Board member Donna Wesby asked the district administration to consider additional efforts to get eligible parents to weigh Supplemental Education Services for their children. The program is open to any student at certain schools who is eligible for free and reduced lunch fees.
The district has about 670 students receiving those services.
Title I funds are used to provide those services, said federal programs director King Laurence. However, the district has sufficient funds only for a maximum of 800 students, he said.
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
Notice about comments:
AikenStandard.com is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. AikenStandard.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not AikenStandard.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
0