During their October meeting, the Anderson School District One Board heard an update on the building program, state school report cards and approved funding for the Career and Technology Center.
Assistant Superintendent for Administration and Instruction Dr. Jeff Wilson recognized group of students from the Palmetto area who scored perfect scores on SC Ready. Board Chair Nancy Upton and Superintendent Robbie Binnicker assist in presenting medals to the students which included: Cedar Grove – Josiah Bryant; Palmetto Elementary – Jacob Bonham, Zombie Sanders, Bayley Williams; Palmetto Middle – Kaitlyn Shore, David Vickery and West Pelzer Elementary – Sawyer Smith and Bryson Sutton.
AD1 Finance Director Travis Thomas updated the Board on the Local Option Sales Tax revenue for the month of September which has a fund balance is $8,004,287. The Building Program Fund Balance is at $9,904,116. Thomas said the District has received the initial revenue for the 2022 building program.
The Board recently approved a $20 million bond issue which will be combined with $23.4 million from Local Option Sales Tax funding and $2.3 million from the General Fund to fund the new building program beginning in 2023.
In his Instructional Report, Dr. Wilson shared the schools’ state report card scores. AD1 schools had a score of either “Good” or “Excellent”.
The following scores were reported:
Elementary Schools
Cedar Grove Elementary – Excellent; Hunt Meadows Elementary – Excellent; Palmetto Elementary – Good; Powdersville Elementary – Excellent; Spearman Elementary – Excellent; West Pelzer Elementary – Good; Wren Elementary – Good.
Middle Schools
Palmetto Middle scored Excellent; Powdersville Middle – Excellent; and Wren Middle – Excellent.
High Schools
Palmetto High scored Good; Powdersville High – Excellent and Wren High – Good.
Becky Brady reported that Student Nutritional Services has hired two graduating seniors for the 2022-23 school year. The program currently has four students doing internships in cafeterias. Reimbursable meal counts are averaging around 8,000 per day. According to Brady, Mr. Dopkins will spend some of the fund balance to update needed dish machines, water heaters, cafeteria tables, and hood systems at Wren High and Palmetto High.
Superintendent Binnicker updated the Board on the building program.
The Powdersville press box is complete and the Palmetto High School baseball facility should be complete on schedule. The Technology and Transportation building passed inspection. The technology team moved the internet without having any issues with the transition.
Binnicker stated the Powdersville Middle School addition has been drawn and said he hopes most of the project will be completed by December.
The Board unanimously approved the transfer $150,000 of Local Option Sales Tax Funds to the Anderson One and Two Career & Technology Center (ACTC).
A motion was made by Mrs. Pat Cox, with a second by Mr. David Merritt to approve the transfer. Board members Melissa Hood and Brenda Ellison were not present.
The ACTC annually requests that Districts One and Two help support their educational initiatives. Binnicker said ACTC Director Hollie Harrell does an excellent job of prioritizing her needs and is always reasonable and frugal with her requests. The ATCT is modernizing their firefighting facility. The new system simulates what a real fire would be like. Total cost of the project is $200,000. The $150,000 recommended by Binnicker is equivalent to the proportion of students Anderson One has at the Career and Technology Center.
The Board unanimously approved first reading on changes to five policies to have them comply with new legislation/regulations or to bring the current policies in line with our current practices.
First reading approval was given to the following policies: JKE – Expulsion of Students; JQ – Student Fees, Fines and Charges; EF-AR – Food Services; JJI – Interscholastic Athletics and BBBD – Board Member Removal from Office.
The Board approved one personnel recommendation.
