VIP E-Newsletter
August 26, 2020 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

New FANS Meal Card for Virtual Students

Our amazing GCS ETS department has created an easy way in Backpack for parents with children attending the Virtual Program to provide proof of their child’s identity and meal status when they are picking up meals once per week at one of the 15 GCS locations. Beginning this week, Greenville County Schools will be providing meals to students enrolled in the Virtual Program from 15 district locations on Mondays from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm on a to-go basis. Meals will be served near the parent pick up line or school bus loop. Meal pick up locations will vary by school. Read more about the new FANS Meal Card.

Connected Back to School Parent Newsletter

The Connected Back-to-School newsletter answers many questions parents may have about transportation, school safety, attendance requirements, the school calendar, and more. Click here to read Connected.

Parent Backpack

Backpack is a one-stop shop to apply for special programs or check grades, assignments, lunch balances, graduation progress, scores on the SAT and ACT, and other information. Now parents have the same access, and can also use Backpack to change contact and demographic information, update the list of individuals allowed to pick up their child from school, and ensure they receive important alerts and notifications from the school or district. Parents will also be able to invite others (i.e. grandparents, babysitters, etc.) to have viewing rights to their child’s information without giving them access to change any data or pick up rights. If you don't already have a Parent Backpack account, click here to set up Parent Backpack.

Unofficial Board Meeting Summary

August 25, 2020

Welcome, Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance

Adoption of Consent Calendar

  • Minutes, FY 21 Budget Public Hearing - June 15, 2020
  • Minutes, FY 21 Budget Second Reading - June 15, 2020
  • Minutes, Regular Board Meeting - June 16, 2020
  • Minutes, Special Called Meeting - July 14, 2020
  • Minutes, Special Called Meeting - August 4, 2020
  • Home Schooling Applications - 39
  • Personnel Recommendations - None

Adoption of Public Comments - Approved motion to adopt the submitted comments and include them as part of the official minutes of the board meeting. At the May 12, 2020, Special Called Meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a Temporary Procedure for Public Input to Board Meetings during the Governor’s current State of Emergency and any subsequent State of Emergency pertaining to the COVID-19 Pandemic and consistent with Board Policy KCA to allow the public to communicate their comments while also adhering to safety and health precautions and legal requirements. Citizen comments meeting the stated guidelines and received no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting included.

Superintendent's Report
Dr. Royster reported on the first two days of schools and announced that absent a dramatic, negative swing in DHEC spread rate, GCS will move to Attendance Plan 2 the week of September 7.

Action Items

Employee Grievance Appeal (Executive Session) - Approved recommendation from the Administration to deny the request for a hearing of the employee grievance appeal and affirm the Administration’s response to the grievance.

Physical Education Exemptions (Executive Session) - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve physical education exemptions for one student at Travelers Rest High School and one student at Mauldin Middle School.

Agreement between the American Humanist Association and Greenville County School District (Executive Session) - Approved motion made by Mr. Saylors to postpone this item to a future meeting until the Administration has had the opportunity to conduct an additional investigation and return to the Board with additional information at the appropriate time.

Revision of Board Policy DIDB: Internal Auditing - Approved recommendation from the Internal Auditing Ad Hoc Committee to approve the revisions to Board Policy DIDB as presented. This policy revision reflects the results of the work of the ad hoc Committee for internal Auditing to update the District's Internal Auditing practices and policy.

Deletion of Policy DID: Audits - Approved recommendation from the Internal Auditing Ad Hoc Committee to approve the deletion of Board Policy DID. With the revision of Board Policy DIDB, this policy is no longer needed.

Deletion of Policy DIDA: External Auditor - Approved motion from the Internal Auditing Ad Hoc Committee to approve the deletion of Board Policy DIDA. With the revision of Board Policy DIDB, this policy is no longer needed.

Approval of Audit Team Committee - Approved recommendation from the Internal Auditing Ad hoc Committee to approve the members of the ad hoc Committee for Internal Auditing to serve as the Audit Team Committee until June 30, 2021. An Audit Team Committee of board members shall be approved by the Board each year at the May Board Meeting and will serve for a term of one year. The board chairman will fill any vacancy during that term by selecting another board member for the committee. The Audit Team Committee will consist of five board members and will oversee the external auditor and make recommendations to the full board for approval. With the work of the ad hoc Committee for Internal Auditing complete with the revision and deletion of the relevant Board Policies, it is proposed that the members of that committee serve as the first Audit Team Committee: Roger Meek, Lisa Wells, Derek Lewis, Chuck Saylors, and Lynda Leventis-Wells.

Old Northwest Child Development Center Lease Agreement Renewal with SHARE Head Start - Approved recommendation from the Administration to approve the lease agreement renewal with SHARE Head Start. SHARE Head Start seeks to renew its current lease agreement for the Old Northwest Crescent Child Development Center Site (formerly Arrington ES). SHARE Head Start uses this site to provide services to the surrounding community.

Information/Action from Board Committees/Liaisons
The Internal Audit Ad Hoc Committee has completed its charge.  The board voted to disband this committee.

Committee / Liaison Reports
Advocacy Committee is meeting next Tuesday at 11 a.m. to consider a number of resolutions focused on the distribution of CARES Act.

SCSBA Delegate Assembly will be December 4 in Columbia for 1/2 day. Mr. Saylors shared clarification about the framework of the meeting, given the pandemic.  As a result, each district is asked to send just one representative.  Mr. Saylors suggested GCS be represented by Ms. Lisa Wells since she is the Board's representative to SCSBA.

Finance Report
Monthly Finance Report - The report was presented as information.

The meeting adjourned at 10:36 p.m.