March 29, 2017 Edition

Welcome to VIP E-News, an electronic newsletter that is distributed to GCS employees and community leaders to update them about important GCS news and events. If you have any questions about the Board meeting or news articles, please contact the Communications Department.
subscribe | update your information.

Please "Like" us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/gcschools) and follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/gcschools). Our Facebook page is updated daily with new and exciting information about our students, staff, and schools. We also encourage you to share GCS Facebook posts with your friends. Ask them to "Like" us on Facebook so they can be informed about their public schools.

News

Monarch Elementary School Named Palmetto’s Finest

Monarch Elementary School earned one of South Carolina's highest achievements with the receipt of the 2017 Palmetto's Finest Schools Award. A. J. Whittenberg Elementary was named a Finalist in the competition. GCS Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster was on hand for the announcement. "Thank you for all your hard work and congratulations on a job well done. I want to tell you how proud we are of the teachers, staff, parents, community, and Mrs. Overman for her leadership," he said. Read more about Palmetto’s Finest.

GCS Seeking Teachers for Career Technology Education

Greenville County Schools is currently seeking applicants in the fields of Health Science, Mechatronics, and Material Handling to fill available positions in our career centers and high schools. Two recruitment events for interested candidates will be held on Thursday, March 30, at Golden Strip Career Center from 11AM - 2PM and 5PM - 7PM. Greenville County Schools staff will be on site for interviews, informational sessions, and candidate questions. Read more about GCS Seeking Teachers...

Greenville County Schools encourages parents of five-year-olds to register now for kindergarten for the 2017-18 school year. Read more about Registration.

Why Early Registration?

Schools are preparing for your child to enter kindergarten in August 2017 and are so excited to have your child with us. By completing registration now, you will save time!

Many schools host "Welcome to School" events which offer parents and children an excellent opportunity to meet the staff and tour the school before the first day of school. Registered children and their parents will be invited to these activities to help make each child more comfortable about going to school.

It is important to register your child BEFORE school starts in August so Greenville County Schools can ensure enough teachers and spaces are available at each school for incoming kindergarten students.

At registration, you will be asked to sign up for transportation if your child will ride the bus. School bus transportation is provided for students who live 1.5 miles or farther from their assigned school. Bus routing for next school year begins soon.

Roper Mountain Science Center Reopens World Class Planetarium

The planetarium experience you knew and loved just got even better. Roper Mountain Science Center is excited to announce the reopening of the T. C. Hooper Planetarium after a complete renovation. The highlight of the renovation is the installation of a new projection system, the Spitz IQ 4K; the first installation of this system in the United States. "We are excited to welcome students and the public back to the planetarium," said Michael Weeks, Director of Roper Mountain Science Center. "The new capabilities of this system provide a unique method of fulfilling our mission of igniting the natural curiosity of learns to explore and shape their world." Read more about Roper Mountain.

Bonds Career Center Students Named Michelin Scholars

J. Harley Bonds Career Center Mechatronics students Aiden Mondeau from Greer High, and Jackson Wells from Wade Hampton High, have been named Michelin Scholars. They were officially presented with their offer letter at the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration in February at the Embassy Suites Greenville Golf Resort & Conference Center. Bonds Career Center is honored to be involved with the GreerMade program, which has opened the door to partnerships that benefit students. Read more Career Center Students.

Unofficial Board Meeting Summary
March 28, 2017

Welcome, Prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance

Award Presentation - Presentation of Champions for Public Education to Herff Jones; Resolution Proclaiming Appreciation for Teri Brinkman, former Assistant to the Superintendent/Liaison to the Board of Trustees.

Adoption of Consent Calendar

Minutes, Regular Board Meeting - February 28, 2017
1 Home School Application
Personnel Recommendations - 9

Andreya Boggs, Principal, Bryson Elementary - Eff. July 1, 2017
Karen Kapp, Director of Staff Leadership and Development - Eff. July 1, 2017
Dr. Charlotte M. McDavid, Executive Director for Academic Innovation and Technology - Eff. July 1, 2017
Dr. David McDonald, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - Middle Schools - Eff. July 1, 2017
Helen McElroy, Director, Fine Arts Center - Eff. July 1, 2017
Katrina Miller, Principal, Woodland Elementary - Eff. July 1, 2017
Dr. Megan Mitchell-Hoefer, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - Elmentary Schools - Eff. July 1, 2017
Christie Payne, Principal, Sue Cleveland Elementary - Eff. July 1, 2017
William Price, Principal, Hillcrest Middle - Eff. July 1, 2017

Appearance of Visitors - No one signed up to speak during the public comments portion of the meeting.

Superintendent's Report - Washington Center personnel Carey Reichardt, Nardia Lloyd, and Maxine Brown were announced as recipients of the Greenville County School Board of Trustees' Miracle Worker Award. The honorees were unable to attend, so the awards will be presented at the school at a later date.

Action Items
GCS Success Rate Formula - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole for the Superintendent to bring to a future Committee of the Whole meeting recommended performance measures for schools in our district and consistently use comparable districts in place of the current success rate. The Success Rate is an alternative statistic to the graduation rate, given the number and types of program completers who were considered non-graduates at the time. On May 22, 2007, the Board voted to approve including the Success Rate in all future reports to the community, when appropriate. Over the past decade, the graduation rate has improved to the point that it mirrors the success rate. Moreover, only the graduation rate is used in schools' and districts' accountability.

Revision of Policy IIB: Test Administration and Security - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Policy IIB: Test Administration and Security. This recommendation comes from the Ad Hoc Committee for Instructional Policies which is continuing its study of district instructional policies and bringing revisions to the Board as needed.

Revision of Policy IDCA: Extended Learning Programs - The board amended the motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Policy IDCA: Extended Learning Programs. The new motion to approve included revised language under the policy's purpose statement to clarify experiences as academic programs, to add a fourth bullet point stating, "To enrich the learning of students who participate in extended day/after-school programs," and to add to the fourth paragraph after the word standards-based, the phrase, "will employ research-based practices." The motion as amended was approved.

Revision of Policy IH: Accountability - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Policy IH: Accountability.

Request from Brashier Middle College Charter High School to Terminate Charter with GCS - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the request from Brashier Middle College Charter High School to be released from their current charter with Greenville County Schools effective July 1, 2017. Brashier Middle College Charter High School has been accepted into the South Carolina Public Charter School District.

Approval of Contract Recommendations (Executive Session) - The Board amended the recommended motion, which stated, "To approve the contract recommendations as presented," to exclude from this action the personnel recommendations that were approved during the consent calendar. This ensured that the promotions and transfers of GCS personnel that were approved as part of the consent calendar were not undone by the approval on the contract recommendations. The amended motion was approved.

Auditing Firm for Internal Auditing Services - Approved recommendation from Internal Auditing Services to approve the firm of McKinley, Cooper & Company, LLP to conduct the self-assessment with independent validation for the five-year period ended October 31, 2016. In accordance with Section 1312 of the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, the Institute of Internal Auditors requires an external assessment must be conducted at least once every five years by a qualified, independent assessor or assessment team from outside the organization. External assessments may be accomplished through an external assessment, or a self-assessment with independent external validation.

Information Items

Internal Auditing Services' Project Status Report - The report was presented at information. The schedule and timing of future audits was discussed.

Information/Action from Board Committees/Liaisons - As Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Mrs. Grayson gave a legislative report and talked about the Education Accountability Act.

Mrs. Wells informed the Board that the Instructional Policies Committee will have two policies to bring to the next Committee of the Whole and are working on a few more.

Finance Report - The report was presented as information.

The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.