New site acquired for Claxton School
The Anderson County Board of Education poses for an official picture at its first voting meeting with its new members. Pictured from left are Director of Schools Tim Parrott and board members Sherri Beaty, Dail Cantrell, Scott Gillenwaters, Don Bell, Jo Williams, Darren Carden, Teresa Portwood and David Miller. Alongside them are School Board representatives Keaton Cook from Clinton High School and Maryn Branham from Anderson County High School. (photo:Ben Pounds )
The property is at 421 Powder House Road and 127 Raccoon Valley Road, and the Board of Education voted to purchase it for $270,000.
People will use the route on that land to drive to the new Claxton Elementary School from Raccoon Valley Road.
Bill Steverson, president of architecture firm MBI Companies, has said he wanted that entrance rather than one on Clinton Highway due to “safety and traffic” issues. The unanimous vote came at the board’s Sept. 12 meeting.
Separately from this vote, the board voted to appropriate $450,000 for purchase of property and other related needs for the future school.
Director of Schools Tim Parrott said more than 100 people attended a meeting Sept. 5 at the current Claxton Elementary School to look at plans and discuss the new school, which will take the place of the current one.
“They deserve this school,” said Parrott.
New members
Three new members joined the board for their first regular meeting: Darren Carden for District Four, Sherri Beaty for District Five and David Miller for District Eight.
“It’s been pretty exciting,” Carden said. “I was really looking forward to it. It’s been everything I thought it would be.”
Beaty also said she was excited and “looking forward to backing everybody up.”
“I’m hoping just to be able to use my 35 years [of] teaching experience to be helpful to the school system, to be helpful to the board,” she said.
Returning member Scott Gillenwaters will once again serve as chairman.
Student members
Swearing in for the year were the two student School Board representatives: Keaton Cook of Clinton High School and Maryn Branham of Anderson County High School.
The two will give updates about their respective schools throughout the year at each meeting.
Family Life
Education
A policy approved on second reading lays out the requirements in keeping with state law for Family Life Education.
That includes discussion about aspects of sexuality and relationships including the challenges of teen parenting, the prevention of dating violence and other issues for students over grade five.
The newest version of this policy adds “the presentation of a high-quality, computer-generated animation or high-definition ultrasound of at least three minutes in duration that shows the development of the brain, heart and other vital organs in early fetal development per state academic standards” as part of the class.
Parents can opt students out of this program. The program also involves education related to child sex abuse, human trafficking and internet crimes.
Preschool
and allergies
The board approved a corrective action plan requiring Anderson County Schools preschool to post information about students’ allergies in classrooms after criticism from the Federal Office of Head Start.
Anderson County Schools Communications Coordinator Ryan Sutton told The Courier News the school system had already been posting the allergy information in classroom kitchens and some of the classrooms, even if not in all of them.
He said the preschool provides children with breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.
Head Start children eat breakfast and lunch in the schools’ cafeterias and snack in the classroom.
Early Head Start children eat breakfast, lunch and snacks in the classroom.
Federal Funds
The Board of Education approved $533.071.84 in federal funds for tutoring, school safety, software, staff stipends and supplies.
The money comes from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund meant to help schools deal with the effects of COVID-19.
Health
On first reading, the school board approved a policy stating that with everyday school nurse procedures like dressing injuries, the school system doesn’t need to notify parents.
However, with emergency situations like “major injury, seizure, cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis,” the school would need to notify parents immediately while providing care until ambulances arrive.
In other types of situations during which nurses would need to perform healthcare or give medications, they’d need parental consent and a healthcare notification order.
Bus drivers
awarded
Board members and the director of schools presented Above and Beyond awards to accomplished bus drivers at the meeting. Carden honored Emily Jobe at Anderson County High School. Beaty honored Mona Smith at Andersonville Elementary. Don Bell honored Tammy Phillips at Briceville Elementary and Lake City Middle. Parrott honored Wendy Berryman at Claxton Elementary and Becky King at Clinton Middle School and Clinton High. Scott Gillenwaters honored Lori Johnson at Dutch Valley Elementary School and Crystal Ryan at Fairview Elementary School. Teresa Portwood honored Wendy Boshears at Grand Oaks Elementary. Dail Cantrell honored Jodi McCoy at Norris Middle School. Jo Williams honored Jeannie Lamance at Norwood Elementary School. Miller honored Charles Guyton at Norwood Middle School.
Perfect Attendance
Parrott and the board members also honored students with perfect attendance. Carden honored Jana Payne at Claxton Elementary. Sherri Beaty honored James Crowder at Clinton High School. Bell honored Kristin Goins at Grand Oaks Elementary. Parrott honored Robin Lindsay at Lake City Elementary and Ken Bulechek at Andersonville Elementary. Gillenwaters honored Chrissy Rose at Grand Oaks Elementary. Cantrell honored John Foust at Clinch River Community School. Williams honored Kayla Boles at Lake City Elementary School. Miller honored Jessica Ramirez at Lake City Elementary School.
Graduation
The board unanimously approved moving Clinton High School’s graduation to May 17.