October 28, 2015 Edition
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News
Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School Receives International Facility Award
Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville received the 2015 Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) James D. MacConnell Award during the CEFPI Annual Conference in San Diego, California.
The prestigious award recognizes a comprehensive planning process that results in educational facilities that serve the community, enhance education, and meet multiple goals.
The school is the first in South Carolina to receive the award and is thought to be the first public school in the southeast. Read more: about Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School Receives International Facility Award.
GCS Students Score Higher Than State Average on ACT, ACT Aspire and SCPASS
Greenville County high school juniors out-performed students across the state in 2015 in all subjects on the ACT college readiness test.
Spring 2015 was the first time all 11th graders in South Carolina were administered the ACT regardless of whether they had taken appropriate coursework to prepare for college.
ACT is a college-readiness assessment that consists of four main tests - English, Mathematics, Reading and Science. These four tests contain multiple choice questions and results are reported based on scores ranging from 1 to 36. Read more about GCS Students Scoring Higher.
Unofficial Board Meeting Summary
October 27, 2015
Board Members Present (12): Lisa Wells, Chairman; Dr. Crystal Ball O'Connor, Vice Chairman; Debi Bush, Secretary; Kenneth E. Baxter, Sr., Joy Grayson, Lynda Leventis-Wells, Derek Lewis, Roger Meek, Glenda Morrison-Fair, Danna Rohleder, Chuck Saylors, Pat Sudduth. Absent (0): None.
Welcome, Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance - Mrs. Rohleder.
Consent Calendar - Approved.
- Minutes, Regular Board Meeting - September 22, 2015
- 4 Home School Applications
- Personnel Recommendations - None
Appearance of Visitors - None
Students from Clemson University, Furman University, USC-Upstate and SC State were recognized.
Superintendent's Report - Mr. Royster noted Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School received the 2015 Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) James D. MacConnell Award. (See story.) A short video segment of the presentation to the awards committee was shown.
Action Items
Innovative Courses - Approved the Committee of the Whole's recommendation by roll call vote of 10-2 to approve the Local Board Courses as presented. Over the past six weeks, the Academics Team reviewed and updated the District's Master Catalog. They also reviewed all Local Board courses and combined, updated and removed courses as appropriate to be in compliance with the latest State Department requirements. All locally developed high school elective courses created prior to 2013, and all iterations of each of those courses (semester, block, Honors, CP, etc.) are included.
Fine Arts Center Textile Program - Approved the Committee of the Whole's recommendation to approve the Fine Arts Center Fiber Arts Innovative Courses. This program is a series of four sequential courses for one elective credit per semester, resulting in two credits per year. In establishing this course of study, the Fine Arts Center meets the needs of students and also builds a bridge between our district and North Carolina State University's Fiber program, one of the premier programs in the country. It is important to note that this is not a traditional "dual-credit" proposal. Successful completion of AP Drawing Portfolio at FAC will count as an elective credit to be used as a Basic Drawing requirement in the Fashion & Textile Design Program. AP Art History will count as a GEP Humanities Elective. With this agreement, five additional AP classes offered across the district may count for up to 23 credits toward a degree.
Waiver Requests to State Department of Education - Approved the Committee of the Whole's recommendation to forward three waiver requests to the State Department of Education. Two of these are related to Washington Center and its unique program, while the other waiver request seeks relief from the requirement that standards in core classes be provided to families in printed form. The State Board considers waivers from districts for state regulations which hamper a district's ability to meet the objectives outlined in its strategic plan.
SCSBA Delegates - Approved the Committee of the Whole's recommendation to designate all attendees to the SCSBA Delegate Assembly Conference as voting delegates and alternates.
Sale of Baker's Chapel Elementary (Executive Session) - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the sale of the old Baker's Chapel Elementary School. The school was declared surplus by the Board of Trustees in February 2007 and has been vacant since 2006. The property consists of +/-10.2 acres and buildings built in 1957 & 1968 containing 24,848 square feet. The property will be sold for $280,900 to Vinyl Properties.
Student Discipline Appeal (Executive Session) - Approved recommendation from the Administration to affirm the decision of the Hearing Officer to expel one student from Woodmont High School based upon the substantial evidence in the record.
Internal Auditing Services' Project Status Report - The report was presented as information.
Information/Action from Board Committees/Liaisons - None
Finance Report - The report was presented as information.
The meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m.