VIP E-Newsletter

June 26, 2019 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.
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News

Summer Food Service Program

Greenville County Schools, Food and Nutrition Services will be participating in the Seamless Summer Food Service Program during the months June, July and August. Nutritionally balanced meals will be provided to all children regardless of race, color, sex, disability, age or national origin during summer vacation when school breakfasts and lunches are not available. All children 18 years old and younger, if an open site, are eligible for meals at no charge, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. The programs are only approved for geographical areas of need where 50 percent or more of the children qualify for free and reduced-price meals during the school year. Serving times and dates can change - please contact the site directly to verify information. Food Service Sites are listed here.

Greenville County Schools Summer Academy

Put some spark in your summer! Summer Academy is coming soon! We have over 370 amazing professional learning opportunities to offer this year. *NEW* We've added several, audience-specific session menus to provide focused options. We've also expanded the on-site daily food options. Please visit the Summer Academy website for all of this information and more. You don't want to miss this incredible learning experience!

10 Employees Named Emerging Leaders

Greenville County Schools is proud to announce that 10 employees have been named to the Emerging Leaders Class of 2019 by South Carolina ASCD. They join 14 employees who were named Emerging Leaders in previous years. More about Employees Named Emerging Leaders.

  • Sara Awtrey - Monaview Elementary School, Instructional Coach
  • Sarah Cox - Monaview Elementary School, Literacy Specialist
  • Anna Doyle - Buena Vista Elementary School, Teacher
  • Melissa Hester - Monaview Elementary School, 5th Grade Teacher
  • Victoria Salvat - Blythe Academy of Languages, Instructional Coach
  • Abigail Schiferl - Mauldin Middle School, Teacher
  • Shelley Smith - Travelers Rest High School, Teacher
  • Jennifer Woody - Beck International Academy, Assistant Principal
  • Jamie Whitlock - Woodmont High School, Instructional Coach
  • Logan Wright - Wade Hampton High School, Instructional Coach

Unofficial Board Meeting Summary

June 25, 2019

Welcome, Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance - The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Madison Laster, a rising 5th-grader at Lake Forest Elementary.  Madison participates in chorus, Lake Forest TV, and the school store. She also has a great love of art and was recently accepted into the Fine Art Center's ARMES program for the 2019-20 school year.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Election of Officers July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020
Newly elected board officers:

  • Chair: Lynda Leventis-Wells
  • Vice-Chair: Lisa Wells
  • Secretary: Glenda Morrison-Fair

ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes, Regular Board Meeting - May 28, 2019
Minutes, Special Called Meeting - June 11, 2019
Personnel Recommendations - 1
Teshia Hair, Principal, Washington Center

APPEARANCE OF VISITORS
No visitors signed up to speak before the Board.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Dr. Royster reported that the GCS Class of 2019 received scholarship offers totaling $144,453,370, which is an increase of more than $5 million over the Class of 2018.  This total is especially impressive given that this year's graduating class contained 100 fewer students.

ACTION ITEMS
Innovative Course Approvals - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the two proposed local board courses, Spanish 2 Honors and AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination): The College Experience.

Revision of Policy MBC: Local Cultural Institutions Relations: The Roper Mountain Science Center - Approved revision to Board Policy MBC as amended. There has been an expressed interest for Roper Mountain Science Center to be able to lease the premises under certain conditions to outside corporate entities and non-profit organizations and for those groups to serve alcohol as part of a particular event when the facility is not being used to provide educational programming to students.

Revision of Policy JCDAC: Alcohol Use/Drug Use - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Board Policy JCDAC. The revisions clarify that the District can address a situation of alcohol or drug use if that use (or other conduct, such as selling or dissemination) impacts the school environment and operations. The policy has also been revised to denote that prescription medication is permitted as long as it is possessed and used in accordance with the requirements contained in Board Policy JGCD. The policy has also been revised to communicate the availability of assistance to students who are experiencing difficulties with alcohol or drugs.

Revision of Policy KM: Visitors to the Schools - Approved recommendation from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Board Policy KM as amended. Section 4 of this policy has been revised to include a reference to the changes in Policy MBC. The policy has also been revised to denote the ability for schools to conduct searches, when necessary and reasonable in accordance with the law, of visitors. The policy has also been revised to better reflect the circumstances in which administrators can remove a visitor from District premises.

Revision of Policy KG: Use of School Facilities - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Board Policy KG. Section 5 of the policy has been revised to reference the limited ability to serve alcohol at private events at RMSC. This policy is also being revised to better reflect the District's practices pertaining to allowing the community to use facilities, including the ability to use facilities by civic organizations, religious organizations, and governmental agencies. Language has been added to affirm that school support organizations, such as PTAs and booster clubs, can use facilities without charge.

Revision of Policy GBRM: Working Conditions: Substance Abuse - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the revision of Board Policy GBRM. While the District's practices and requirements have been in compliance with applicable law, this policy has now been updated to be in complete compliance with both federal and state law. The terms "drug" "employee" "workplace" have all been defined in this revised version. The prohibition for any employee to use drugs (other than prescription or over-the-counter medication that would not affect job performance) or alcohol at work is emphasized in this revised version. The policy has also been revised to include the availability of assistance for employees who are experiencing difficulty with alcohol or drugs.

Champions of Public Education Award Nomination - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to nominate Bon Secours St. Francis Health System for the SCSBA's Champions for Public Education Award. The nomination is based on the extensive support the St. Francis organization provides to Greenville County Schools, particularly in initiating Project SEARCH, an employment training program for students with disabilities.

SCSBA Resolution Regarding PEBA Health Coverage - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve the resolution to SCSBA regarding PEBA health insurance coverage for school board trustees.

Piedmont National Gas ROW Easement at Roper Mountain Science Center - Approved motion from the Committee of the Whole to approve Piedmont Natural Gas Co., Inc.'s request for a five (5)-foot-wide permanent natural gas utility service to the Roper Mountain Science Center property. This easement will be used to provide natural gas utility service to the facilities.

Revision to Board Self-Evaluation Instrument - Approved motion from the Ad Hoc Committee for Board Self-Evaluation to approve the revision to the Board Self-Evaluation instrument. The committee presented a revised instrument that aligns with the National School Boards Association's "Eight Habits of a Highly Successful Board" and the Greenville County Schools Board-approved Blueprint 2023 Strategic Plan.

Revision to Superintendent's Evaluation Instrument - Motion from the Ad Hoc Committee to approve revisions to the Superintendent's Evaluation was tabled.

Waiver of Policy CEI for the Purpose of Making Changes to the Superintendent's Evaluation Instrument - This item was removed from the agenda when the previous item was tabled.

FY 20 General Obligation Bonds Resolution - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the resolution for the FY 20 General Obligation Bonds. The Administration annually projects the amount of General Obligation Bonds that must be approved for issuance to fund the BEST bond payments and the operations of the Facilities Department. The amount to be issued for FY 20 is not to exceed $148 million.

FY 20 Debt Service Budget - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the FY 20 Debt Service Budget. The budget accounts for the Debt Service revenues, annual general obligation bond payments, and distribution of General Obligation Bond proceeds to the BEST Debt Service and Building Fund Budgets.

FY 20 BEST Debt Service Budget - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the FY 20 BEST Debt Service Budget. During FY 20 interest and principal payments totaling $71.2 million for BEST Bonds will be paid on December 1, 2019 and June 1, 2020. The funding sources are interest income and transfers from District Debt Service.

FY 20 Building Fund Budget - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the FY 20 Building Fund Budget. The FY 20 projected expenditures are $116.1 million, which includes the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) expenditures as approved at the March 26, 2019 Board meeting. There are no changes to the approved CIP schedule. Major projects, roof renovations, HVAC projects, and technology refresh programs are the largest scheduled expenditures for FY 20. The projected revenues are interest income, proceeds from General Obligation Bonds, and fund balance.

FY 20 Food and Nutrition Services Budget - Approved recommendation to approve the FY 20 Food and Nutrition Services Budget. The revenue budget reflects a 2.0% increase in the USDA per meal reimbursement rate. It also includes an increase in the projected Lunchroom Meal Sales revenue, which is tied to the projected student enrollment increase and the resulting growth in the estimated number of lunches and breakfasts served. The FY 20 full-paid student lunch price will remain at the FY 19 level of $2.50. FY 20 will be the second consecutive year with no increase in the full-paid student lunch price.

FY 20 Special Revenue Budgets - Approved recommendation from the Administration to accept the proposed FY 20 Special Revenue Budgets.  A "Special Revenue Budget" is established when the District receives Federal, State or Local funds that have restrictions on how the funds can be spent. While the District's "General Fund Budget" funds the general day-to-day operations of the District, a special revenue budget is set up with a specified purpose or direction. There are no substantial changes in the funding of the ongoing special revenue programs from FY 19 to FY 20.

6.19 Audit Firm for Procurement Audit - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the firm of McKinley, Cooper & Company, LLP to audit the District's procurement activities for the period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018. In accordance with Section 11-35-70 of the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code and Regulations, the state requires that an audit of the District's procurement transactions be performed every three years by a firm approved by the State Budget and Control Board.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Internal Auditing Services' Project Status Report - The report was presented as information.

INFORMATION / ACTION FROM BOARD COMMITTEES / LIAISONS

Committee / Liaison Reports - none

9. FINANCE REPORT

Monthly Financial Report - The report was presented as information.

The meeting adjourned at 10:01p.m.