BOARD NOTES – JANUARY 2018

Issue 1

Board

Notes – January 2018

SERVICE ABOVE ALL

IN THIS ISSUE

Susan Calhoun-Ware Seat 6 (Board Chair) First elected to the Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD 55) Board of Trustees in 1993, Susan Calhoun-Ware says she originally ran for a seat on the board because she “saw disparity within the school district.” Today, she continues to work to achieve “fairness and equality throughout the district.” Ware believes her time as a social worker with Child Protective Services gave her special insights into her work as a Board member. She has been diligent in her growth on the board, achieving Level 6 with the South Carolina School Boards Association’s Boardsmanship Institute (the highest level possible). The Boardsmanship curriculum focuses on leadership skills for board members on state and national educational issues. Serving on the board for 25 years, Ware has come to understand the importance of trust and communication in serving the constituents of LCSD 55. She understands that, at times, “the community sees things differently but the board must accept the responsibility of making decisions in the best interests of the students and communities we serve. Still, we must ensure that we provide the community with as much information as possible in a variety of ways.”

In discussing her relationship with other Board members, Ware says she feels like “the board has grown closer and, collectively, there is a good relationship among the board members.” Even when there is disagreement, the discussions are civil and collaborative. Ware, as the Board Chair, plays a leading role in maintaining good relationships between all the board members. Ware feels very good about the current direction of the district. Once upon a time the board was more policy driven and had little to say about the day-to-day operations of the district. Now, she says, “It is more child/student-centered.” Ware describes the goals of the district as, “continuous improvement and adaptability. A specific goal is life planning for all students so they can become informed and responsible citizens.” Ware also touched on the need to retain and recruit teachers by “empowering them to identify solutions to complex problems and to take on a leadership role as a teacher.” She sums up by saying, “Children are our most precious treasure. We must show and tell them how important and valuable they are to us.”

School Board Superheroes January is School Board Recognition Month. Laurens County School District 55 celebrated its Board of Trustees and their commitment to quality education at the January school board meeting held at Waterloo Elementary

Page 2

Board Meeting Public Comment The Board of Trustees offers the public an opportunity to speak about issues of concern at each regular board meeting.

Page 3

BOARD NOTES – JANUARY 2018 | Issue 1

2

School Board Superheroes by Ed Murray

Laurens County School District 55 joins school districts throughout the state and nation to celebrate School Board Recognition Month in January. Schools and communities throughout South Carolina will recognize more than 600 locally elected and appointed school board members for their service and dedication to public education. The theme “Superheroes for Public Education” highlights the unique role school boards play in championing and advocating for quality education and the ownership they take for governing their local public schools. School board members are elected/appointed by the people in their local communities to represent their voice and to ensure the success of schools and students. “The efforts of school board members often go unrecognized,” says Dr. Stephen Peters. “This month we honor the year-round commitment that school board members make to our district and the community.”

LCSD 55 Board of Trustees (From L to R): Susan Calhoun-Ware; Mike Fortune; Barbara Beeks; Robby Bell; Terri Martin; Jim Lollis; and, Anthony Carpenter

In Laurens County School District 55, school board members develop policies and make tough decisions on complex educational and social issues influencing the entire community. They bear responsibility for an annual general fund budget of over $45 million, almost 6,000 students, approximately 800 employees and many buildings (including 10 school campuses and the district office).

As a part of School Board Recognition Month, Laurens County School District 55 board members participated in an official signing of the South Carolina School Board Member Ethical Principles during their January school board meeting. By signing the principles, school board members publicly vowed to uphold effective governance principles and pledged to improve public education in their community.

Board Meeting Public Comment by Ed Murray

Superintendent Dr. Stephen G. Peters presents Board Chair Susan CalhounWare her pin for 25 years of service as a school board member

The Board of Trustees offers the public an opportunity to speak about issues of concern at each regular board meeting. We believe it is as important as any other aspect of the board process. To ensure we are responsive to public issues, we will offer summaries of public comment and, when appropriate, respond to questions asked but not answered at the time of the Board meeting.

In January 2018, one community member used their time with the Board to ask several questions. While we have sent the individual community member these responses, we want to make sure we share this information with the full community. If you have questions you would like to have answered, you are welcome to send those questions to the attention of Lisa Wilson at [email protected]. (cont. on p. 3)

BOARD NOTES – JANUARY 2018

Issue 1

Board Meeting Public Comment (cont.) 1. Who owns the schools? Ultimately, the taxpayers own the schools. All school buildings are assets of the district, which is taxpayer funded. 2. Who controls the schools? The Board of Trustees oversees control of the facilities as representatives of the people. District personnel manage day-today operations – the superintendent, principals, teachers, custodial staff and others all play a role in the maintenance of school buildings. 3. Does the board know what is taught to students about sexual orientation/identity? Yes, the Board of Trustees and the public have access to all of the state mandated standards in every subject area. 4. Who decides what is taught? State Health Standards dictate what is taught about sexual orientation/identity. Throughout all grade levels, there is an emphasis on the promotion of a positive self-concept. A specific standard relating to sexual orientation/identity only exists in the high school standards. That specific language is: G-HS2.1 Analyze the effects of family, peers, the media, and other factors on

attitudes and behaviors regarding relationships and sexuality. G-HS2.3 Discuss the influence of friends, family, media, society, and culture on the expression of gender, self-concept, and body image. The public also has the opportunity to weigh-in on textbooks and supplementary materials used to teach a subject during the state’s textbook adoption process. During the process, materials are available for review at sites (colleges and universities) around the state. Instructions for submitting comments are available at each review location. The State Board of Education receives public comment before making a final decision on the adoption of instructional materials. 5. What does the public do if we do not agree with what is being taught? For the majority of controversial topics, parents may opt-out of having their child included in that instructional environment. We would remove any students impacted by the opt-out request from the classroom and give them alternative assignments for the instructional time they are missing. If a member of the public has a specific objection, they may discuss it with the teacher or principal at the school level, contact appropriate personnel at the district office, reach out to their representative on the Board of Trustees,

or sign up to speak during the public comment portion of any school board meeting. We find that we can effectively deal with most matters at the local level (teachers and school administrators). 6. When and where does the board discuss and argue actions taken and decisions made? The district staff prepares documents for review prior to any action taken by the Board. Individual board members have the opportunity to ask questions of district staff to clarify any questions or concerns they may have prior to a board meeting. When a matter comes before the board at a regularly scheduled (or specially called) meeting for action, board members may ask additional questions of district staff or make public comment regarding the matter before it is voted upon. The role of the board is not to argue. Proper review and preparation prior to board meetings is critical. If elements of the proposed action or the comments of other board members require clarification, there may be some discussion prior to a final vote. For some matters, primarily personnel and other contractual matters, discussion takes place in executive session but any action (the actual vote) still takes place in the public session.

Waterloo Elementary students hosted and entertained the Board at their January Meeting.

BOARD NOTES – JANUARY 2018 | Issue 1

LOOKING AHEAD

4

A Solid Financial Report for Laurens 55 by Ed Murray

Over $1 million dollars added to general fund in 2016/2017 February Profile Terri Martin, the Board Vice-Chair will be profiled in the February edition of Board Notes.

March Profile Mike Fortune, the Board Secretary, speaks about his 17 years as a Board member.

FAST FACTS

16% The percentage of annual operating funds remaining in the general fund at the end of 2016/2017

$1.2 Million Increase in the general fund balance on June 30, 2017

The Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD 55) Board of Trustees received audit results for the 2016/2017 fiscal year at its January meeting. LCSD 55 Chief Financial Officer, Rodney Smith, presented the results at the Waterloo Elementary meeting site on Monday, January 22, 2018. The audit was prepared by McKinley, Cooper & Co., LLC (auditor), who expressed “an unmodified opinion [no significant findings and the highest rating an organization may receive] on the fair presentation of the financial statements.” In reviewing the district’s general fund balance, the auditor noted an increase of $1,183,306 over the previous fiscal year. On June 30, 2017, the unassigned balance in the general fund was $7,089,548, representing 16% of total general fund expenditures for the fiscal year. In their review of internal controls, the auditor stated, “We did not identify any deficiencies in internal control that we consider to be material weaknesses.” One highlight of the year for the district’s total funding was the purchase of the former United Community Bank central office site as the new district headquarters. The district made that purchase within the limits of the existing budget without increasing the public tax burden. The district was also able to

Board Notes – January 2018

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact the Public Information Office at Laurens County School District 55 DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

301 Hillcrest Dr., Laurens, SC 29360 864-984-3568

301 Hillcrest Dr. Laurens, SC 29360

move forward on multiple fronts while generating significant cost savings. Smith cited, “the outstanding teamwork that has been generated under Dr. Peters’ leadership” as a catalyst for the savings. Board Chair, Susan Calhoun-Ware, and Peters thanked Smith for his leadership in navigating the treacherous waters of school finance. Peters said, “We depend on [Smith] in planning, coordinating, and applying district resources in the most effective and efficient way possible. The district is fortunate to have him on our staff.”

A publication of the Laurens County School District 55 Board of Trustees

Volume 1, Issue 1 Published on 1/31/18

[Addressee] [Company Address]

BOARD NOTES – JANUARY 2018

Issue 1