School board honors leaving members
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Board of Education member Jo Williams reads a resolu- tion honoring Glenda Langenberg at her last meeting. - Ben Pounds
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Board of Education member Don Bell readd a resolution honoring member Andy McKamey at his last meeting. - Ben Pounds
With the election results in, the Anderson County Board of Educationlast week thanked and honored the members whose terms have ended.
In the election, Republican Darren Carden beat independent John S. Burrell in District 4.
In District 5, Republican Sheri Jarnigan-Beaty won in a three-way race with Democrat Theresa Evans Venable and independent Andy McKamey.
In District 8, Democrat David Miller defeated Republican Glenda J. Langenberg.
The board passed resolutions honoring McKamey, Burrell and Langenberg at its Aug. 8 meeting, and the board members and audience applauded each one, although Burrell was not present.
“I’m going to miss you all,” said Director of Schools Tim Parrott.
“If you call, my phone’s going to ring, and I’m going to answer it,” he said, explaining that he would still appreciate their advice.
Ticket prices
The board unanimously voted to raise prices for Anderson County High School and Clinton High School sporting event tickets.
Previously, the general ticket price was $7 for football and $6 for other sports.
Now, it will be $10 for football, $8 for boys and girls basketball and volleyball, $6 for track, soccer, wrestling, baseball and softball, and no charge for cross country, swim, golf or tennis meets.
Claxton Elementary
The school system is looking to build a new elementary school to replace the current Claxton Elementary School, and at the meeting the board dedicated $1.4 million for the project.
The new school will be at 105 Fellowship Lane.
Tennis
The board approved Anderson County High School raising money for new tennis courts.
ACHS Senior Principal Gary Terry said the school system’s tennis program is thriving, even as Lakefront Park, an area the school uses for practices, converted one of its courts into pickleball courts. The school system will not use any money for this project however, as ACHS plans to fundraise.
Turf Tank
The board approved a $22,700 rental agreement for a Turf Tank to paint lines on fields for Clinton High School.
Opioids
Under a policy that passed on second reading and will now go into effect, the school system must have remedies available for treating students for opioid overdoses.
Zero tolerance
and suspension
The Board of Education passed policies on zero-tolerance offenses and suspension on second reading, meaning they will now go into effect, although the school system reviews this policy annually.
Zero-tolerance offenses include having a firearm on school property, unlawful possession of a drug on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event, aggravated assault, assault leading to bodily injury to school employees or resource officers, and valid threats of violence on school property or a school-related activity as evaluated by a threat-assessment team.
The school can expel for a year students who commit any of these offenses.
Another policy included a much-longer list of offenses that can lead to student suspension, and cited relevant suspension periods.
Also, under this new policy, if students assault employees, the school can be suspend them specifically from school-sponsored events separate from the regular academic schedule.
Under the new policy as under the old, the director of schools and school board can deny entry to students suspended in other schools.
Assault injuries
The board passed with no changes on second reading was a policy allowing school staff to take paid time off if injured due to “violent criminal attacks committed in the course of the employees’ employment duties.”
Security
The updated security policy for the school system, passed on second reading at the meeting, requires schools to lock all exterior doors into a school building “in accordance with a school safety plan.”
Elections
Another policy that passed on second reading stated that schools will be closed to all students for primary and general elections.
Visitors
The main change to the visitor code of conduct policy is that parents will receive a copy of the rules.
The school system will require them to sign a statement that they have read and understood the policy.
The policy bans visitors from cursing or using obscenities, disrupting or threatening to disrupt school or office operations, doing anything that could threaten others’ health or safety, verbal or written statements or gestures indicating intent to harm an individual or property, or physical attacks intended to harm an individual or substantially damage property.
Principals will authorize which people can enter the schools.
Reporting offenses
Under a policy that passed on second reading, the director of schools needs to inform the office of educator licensing about possible offenses that could lead to educators getting their licenses suspended.
The policy says that the director has to make the report even if the offense was in a different jurisdiction.
Reporting child abuse
The school system will continue with the policy in place on reporting child abuse.
Each school must have a coordinator and alternate coordinator to report child abuse, sexual abuse or neglect.