By David Meade
During their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Anderson School District One Board of Trustees approved final reading on the 2016-17 budget, approved additional personnel for the upcoming school year and heard that the student nutrition program showed a very good profit for the year. No one spoke at a public hearing on the $66,180,471 budget held prior to the regular Board meeting. The board unanimously approved the budget. (See separate story)
During the meeting Superintendent David Havird updated the Board on District One investments which include 27 CDs with interest rates ranging from 1.75 percent to 5.40 percent. Havird said interest rates are expected to begin going up and suggested the board may want to look at some of the CDs which have maturity dates eight to ten years out.
Finance Director Travis Thomas reported that the District received Local Option Sales Tax receipts for both January and February in April. The funding for the two months amounted to $1,067,000 and are being used for safety, facility and technology upgrades throughout the district. Thomas reported District One has a $3,2789,000 fund balance.
Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Jane Harrison reported the district is working on a multi sensory approach Dyslexia plan which includes training for teachers. The District is working with the State Department of Education for training for K5-Grade 5 and eventually for all teachers.
Harrison said the District is preparing for online testing for grades 5-8 and next year everybody will test online. They are also sponsoring an All In For Literacy Program for grades 5-12.
District One will sponsor summer camps including a Read to Succeed program at Pelzer Elementary and Wren Elementary for 3rd graders and Goal Post for grades 4 and 5.
Tutoring will be offered at all schools, she said. CREATE will be returning.
District One will also host a summer feeding program with free meals provided for ages 4 to 18. (See separate story)
Principals and representatives of District One schools receiving gold and silver awards for General Performance and Closing the Achievment Gap were presented flags recognizing their award for the 2014-15 school year.
Havird also noted that graduates of the ROTC programs at Palmetto and Wren High and two from Powdersville High who are going into armed services were recognized with red, white and blue military cords during graduation services held last week. The cords were made available by the State Department of Education. “We are very proud of these young men and women,” Havird said.
Assistant Superintendent Robbie Binnicker reported that the Student Nutritional program showed a $57,000 profit for April and a $186,000 year to date profit compared to only $93,000 last year. Profits from the program go to operational costs associated with it including fringe benefits, and purchase of new technology and equipment such as the serving lines which were updated last year, Binnicker said.
The Board was also presented twenty revised policies which will be voted on at their next meeting.
The policies being revised include: board meeting notification and agenda, bus safety, competitive food sales/vending machines, “Smart Snacks” exempt fundraiser, school year, Health Education, Instructional services for limited English proficiency, admission of homeless students, admission of limited English proficiency and migrant students, parent permission to take school sponsored trips, graduation requirements rule, admission of nonresident students, student fundraising, food allergies and special dietary needs.
