CCBoE 05.13.2025 Regular Session Notes
Call To Order 5:30PM
Invocation: Grace Baptist Senior Pastor Bill Hilley
Pledge of Allegiance: River Ridge Elementary School and Westmont Elementary School 4H Presidents
Approval of Agenda: Yay 5, No 0
Special Recommendations: ( I was waiting in the hall so I missed these)
Special Recognitions
Congressional Art Competition: Greenbrier HS
Baron Trupp: 1st Place People’s Choice Award
Natalie Navarrette: 2nd Runner Up
Georgia All-State Band and Orchestra:
Evans HS
Sophia Martin, Bass Clarinet
Benjamin Yun, Clarinet
Greenbrier HS
Kevin Berry, Trombone
Jordan Evans, Principal Tuba, Full Orchestra
Rigel Kotas, Principal Contra Clarinet
Eli Ly, Principal Tenor Saxophone
Grant Osterbuhr, Trombone
Mason Pounds, Baritone Saxophone
Mason Rubano, Baritone Saxophone
Marcus Snyder, Bass Trombone
Epee Srihawan, Bassoon
Noah Torabi, Horn in F, Full Orchestra
Grovetown HS
Sebastian Blizzard, Euphonium
Harlem HS
Palmer Bloodworth, French Horn
Lakeside HS
Luke Baker, French Horn
Eva Chu, Tenor Saxophone, Full Orchestra
Emmanuel Cummings, Tenor Saxophone, Full Orchestra
Meredith Lentz, Bass Clarinet, Full Orchestra
Stephen Liu, Flute, Full Orchestra
Steven Pang, Clarinet
Grady Riser, Percussion
Rand Sayno, Trumpet
Hanyu Su, Alto Saxophone, Full Orchestra
Hanna Xu, Flute, Full Orchestra
Harry Zhou, Percussion
Georgia Department of Education Award of Excellence: Jasmine Wright, Harlem HS
Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards
Shuler Award for best choreography
Clara Farnell & Jenna Claire Moon: Greenbrier HS
GHSA Bass Fishing State Champions
Tripp Tamasi & Matthew Johnson: Greenbrier HS
Georgia State Science Olympiad Competition
Lakeside High School
3rd Place - Anatomy Coralyn Cairns & Theerth Srinivasan
3rd Place – Dynamic Planet Julia Min & David Wang
3rd Place – Microbe Mission Jerry Fan & Eliana Benevides
National Science Bowl Competition
Lakeside High School
1st Place Savannah River Division: Jerry Fan, Arnav Patel, Matias Riveros-Amado, David Wang, and George Zhou
2nd Place Savannah River Division: Eliana Benevides, Coralyn Cairns, Saisurya Lakkimsetti, Stephen Liu, and Steven Zhang
2025 Georgia State Regional Champions, National Science Bowl
Stallings Island Middle School: Bela Karia (Team Captain), Aarush Gupta, Ethan Jin, Ishaan Patel, and Veer Patel
Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)
Grovetown High School
Sofiya Kulynah - 2nd place, Behavioral Health
Andreas Toney - 3rd place, Medical Reading
2025 Georgia Military Flagship Schools
Cedar Ridge Elementary School: Ms. Angie McDaniel, Principal
Grovetown Elementary School: Ms. Valerie Allen, Principal
Greenbrier Middle School: Ms. Toni Cliatt, Principal
Riverside Middle School: Mr. Eli Putnam, Principal
Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA)
Highest Performing
Lewiston Elementary School – Bronze Award Ms. Sherry Allen, Principal
Parkway Elementary School – Bronze Award Ms. Stephanie Winter, Principal
Riverside Elementary School – Bronze Award Ms. Lynn Gardner, Principal
Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA)
Highest Performing & Greatest Gains
River Ridge Elementary School – Platinum Awards Ms. Michelle Miller, Principal
Stevens Creek Elementary School – Gold Awards Ms. Grace Meyer, Principal
Margaret Rodgers Scholarship Award Winners
Katherine Negron Brookwood Elementary School Principal – Dr. Leslie Dial
Jenna Thompson North Columbia Elementary School Assistant Principal – Ms. Jacqueline Jones
National Read 180 Outstanding Educator Awards
Claudia Rodriguez Harlem Middle School Principal – Mr. John Bush
Nicole Ruge Lakeside Middle School Principal – Mr. Jeremy Medlin
24-25 Columbia County School District Aspiring Principals Academy
LaToya Jackson-Barnett - Greenbrier High School
Stefanee Berry - Evans Middle School
Alexis Gray - Greenbrier Middle School
Jacqueline Jones - North Columbia Elementary School
Catherine Knight - Harlem High School
Ashlee Odom - Grovetown Elementary School
Whitney Poucher - Lakeside High School
Kelli Robertson - Brookwood Elementary School
Lorena Smith - Stallings Island Middle School
Approval of Consent Items: Yay 5, No 0
Minutes of 4/22/2025, 4/29/2025, 5/6/2025
Budget amendments
Fundraisers
Employee Travel
Program/Camp/Employee Participation Request
Lease/Use of Facilities
Strategic Planning Goals 3-5
3: Consistent & Supportive Culture (Mr Cummings)
Objective 1: Ensure safe learning environment
PBIS - operational/distinguished level 27/30 schools
Single platform for behavior management
Objective 2: Nurture strong relationships in a supportive environment
Enhanced transitions Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grades
assimilated military liaison connections to famili
Objective 3: Support overall health
training: CPR, stop the bleed, etc
vision screenings
Community resources lists for families
Medical/diabetic teams at each school
Allen: Is there a single platform?
Cummings: Spotlight
Allen: What is the K-5 counseling curriculum?
Cummings: It’s support for the schools.
Allen: Is there parental notification required? Is it embedded into the curriculum?
Gregg: These are whole class lessons. So each student have similar lessons.
Allen: Is this an opt-out or part of the academic curriculum?
Gregg: Some of it is part of Aaron’s Law. Mostly it’s standard…. school preparedness, conflict resolution.
Allen: Are there school clinics?
Flynt: No. Nurses do training but there are no clinics.
Allen: How to get operational or distinguished levels in PBIS? Has there been a decrease in discipline?
Cummings: Showing there is progress every year. Difference in referrals.
Goal 4: Facilities and Operational Excellence
Objective 1: Improve operational processes & systems
Health inspections at all school cafeterias were rated 100% this year.
Objective 2: Identify & Plan for upcoming facility needs
10-year plan
ESPLOST
SAFE System - 3 year process to 9 month process
Ties into audio system. activate during emergencies
Core Max key system
replacement cycle of school equip
Teasley: Is the key management system manal?
Jackson: FOB system
Teasley: Edulog to new system?
Jackson: Transition to begin in the fall. Full implementation in January.
Objective 3: Improvement Technology Access
Continue access to online resources
implement effective monitoring/management solutions to mitigate down
ERATE Funding leads to
Improved Connectivity
Create 5-year plan to modernize school digital infrastructure to improve throughout and reliabilty
Part of building plan improvement
VanMeter: Cyber break outside of control due to the connection from State. Comcast, a few issues. Internal.
Teasley: Probably during testing not typical.
VanMeter: We were able to switch to the 2nd connection. Primary is in Atlanta and secondary is to Jacksonville.
Flynt: That was a little hard to set up. It was a big project. Without the backup, we would have had to reschedule full days of testing. Alot of districts don’t have this.
Baker: Are we ahead in technology or behind?
VanMeter: Ahead
Kent: What would be the expense to make up that lost day?
VanMeter: How do you put a dollar figure on that loss? What’s the cost of education?
Teasley: It would have an impact on kids, parents.
Kent: I was thinking of showing the public that this is how much it would cost for the internet to go down during testing.
VanMeter: This started out with every school had a 48-inch rack with 1 network cable and it’s since evolved. Just at a conference in Atlanta. Systems are now powered through the network. SAFE system. Plan grows legs. How important is education? Everything is on the cloud.
Flynt: E-Rate - strategic planning for E-Rate grants because could miss out if not ready. 5-years to use $$.
Allen: SPLOST for this or General Fund?
Flynt: Requirements, donations bulti-in
VanMeter: E-Rate was 50/50, now 60/40
Goal 5 Talent Optimizations (Sean Petro)
Objective 1 High-Quality Staff
websites - info
AU: Teacher Pathways
3/25 CSRA Advanced Teacher event
9 education fairs
Objective 2: Provide Professional growth Opportunity and development for all EEs.
Objective 3 : Retain highly-effective workforce
Kent: For the Gallup, how are the questions chosen?
Petro: Standard questions
Kent: Same questions across the nation.
Petro: Same questions across the nation
Student Achievement Update (LeAnne Gregg)
Teasley: Students will interpret and Lexile determined. Is this subjective?
Gregg: Reading comprehensive. New standards will interpret text (aka understand), multiple choice
Teasley: Different looks?
Gregg: Yes, new and way generating score isn't different
Allen: Lexile assessment, derived through scores.
Gregg: It’s formula-based now. Math formula put in assessment. Not every assessment generates Lexile.
Allen: What do we use locally?
Gregg: We use iREADY diagnostic 3x per year.
Allen: NAEP data. GA testing compare to NAEP?
Gregg: GA Milesone comparison? I’ll have to get that.
Allen: To look at the State related to national standards
Kent: Is everyone held to the same standards? Measured the same?
Gregg: All held to the same standards. Resources are not the same. ACE provides quality resources and strong reading resources
Kent: All spending let us get ahead of other districts?
Gregg: Yes. REsources impact ability to stay ahead.
Flynt: Participated in development because we always provide feedback. About to do early training on new standards so the teachers know.
Gregg: Instructional specialists, new ELA stan standards had glimpse of changes, instruction different to prepare.
Kent: I’m a competitive guy and they were 10 points higher in that one slide. How do we get ahead there?
Dekle: Don’t ask, it will cause millions of $$s.
Gregg: List of differences. High-impact changes.
Flynt: I get frequent calls from other superintendents due to our scores.
Allen: How long after implementing new strategies will you see results? How do you track?
Gregg: Following cohorts is the best practice.
Teasley: Do the benchmarks help?
Gregg: Benchmarks monitor progress through year.
FY 2026 Budget Presentation: Approve: Yay 4, No 1 (Katie Allen)
Allen: Wants to bring local resources to match 3%, the intent of HB581. Wants to work towards a more sustainable budget. It won’t happen overnight. Wants to change exemptions from 70 to 65. We have surpluses so we can do it. I would like to see discussions go in that direction. HB581 and tax-exemption to 65…. do we all agree to move in this direction?
Kent: I’d love see more *not sure* revenues. We are in a good position and would like to see us moving towards those goals.
Teasley: We would all like to reduce taxes. It’s a great talk about that.
Building Program
No Columbia ES: painting interior, staircase, furniture delivery early July
LHS: PAC getting closer
EHS: cut off power this summer, moving admin, new weight room, new cafeteria, Band/orchestra rooms
Bid Result
Prosys 4.70 scoring, $1,554,300 Approve: Yay 5, No 0
VanMeter: Rebid this due to the tariffs. The cost shifted upwards.
Dekle: Rebid due to tariffs?
Casado: You’ll recall you already voted on this. 1 month later contacted that the prices approved couldn’t be held. Rely for federal expenditures. Rebid ad brought it back a little more. Hopefully things stay stable.
(discussion about vendors substantially changing prices)
EHS Batting Cages, Total $506,378 Approve: Yay 5, No 0
Allen: Was this compared to other bids to see if its fair?
Flynt: Competitive and need decision because of insurance and FEMA.
Allen: Does it come from General Fund or ESPLOST?
Flynt: Building fund or ESPLOST
Parking lot paving Brookwood ES & SIMS: Accept: Yay 5, No 0
Kent: Already paving at SIMS?
Flynt: Paving has gotten loose. May have lost a bus. There to need that last longer.
Agreement for Ad Valorem Tax Billing and Collections: Approve: Yay 5, No 0
2.25% extends for 10 years. Most 2.5%
Dekle: Sure you couldn’t talk Commissioner Bridges to get it down to 1.
Flynt: Well, it’s pretty good deal.
Dekle: Does the Board of Commissioners pay the same rate?
Teasley: I think they both pay the same.
Superintendent Reports:
4/28-5/23: Summer School Registration.
sign-up through middle/HS website
$80/class
2025 Graduations
EHS 5/21 at 6:30PM
GreenbrierHS 5/22 at 9:00AM
Harlem HS 5/22 at 6:30PM
Grovetown HS 5/23 at 9:00AM
Lakeside HS 5/23 at 6:30PM
Public Participation:
Priscilla Bence: Had to leave early but left a packet of information.
Sheila Rebel: Left cards for everyone regarding increased exposure to wireless radiation.
Ash Sonya - graduation cords. co-curricular cords should be included rather than focusing on just academics.
Cynthia Stein - Also advocating for more cords.
Executive Session:
Approval of affidavit that only spoke on personnel, legal, and real estate. Approve: Yay 5, No 0
Personnel: Yay 5, No 0
Legal
Real Estate
Board Items
Allen - graduation cords.
Allen: Would like to consider amending the policy for cores. Can discuss policy later. Changed to include military honors (ROTC academic honors). Is it a legal issue?
Flynt: No, it’s a policy.
Teasley: Cords are worn and awarded for academic achievement because that’s what our focus is.
Staff: There are a number of different groups that have asked for cords over the years such as Thespian, Hawaii, Scouts. We stick to academic achievements. Allowing lots of cores dilutes academic achievement of 1 cord.
Allen: I would be open. Maybe a middle ground is adding certain criteria such as a high level of partnership.
Staff: The ROTC cord is tied to academics. It’s tied to their grade in ROTC and must be active for 3 years.
Teasley: Cords tied to academics achievement is part of a mission of school. Awards are awesome but cords shouldn’t be for everything.
Adding Additional Recess for Elementary School. Take 5 minutes from each class for a morning recess. Flexibility with QBE? Missed class time: fundraisers, scholastic books, etc. Maybe QBE at the State level.
Flynt: It would be helpful for staff to be able to research this fully before providing answers.
Allen: Just wanted to broach the subject and see if it’s something the board wants to bring up to discuss.
Teasley: Decrease class time, increase recess time, and increase test scores?
Baker: I don’t want to cut instructional time.
Allen: Appreciate discussion.
Adjourn at 9:35PM: Yay 5, No 0