CCBoE 07.22.2025 Regular Meeting Notes

Livestream:

Slide presentation

I Board of Education Call to Order: 5:30PM

II Invocation by Grace Baptist Church Senior Pastor Bill Hilley

III Pledge of Allegiance by Greenbrier High School NJROTC

IV. Approval of Agenda: Yay 5, No 0

V. Board Comments

VI. Approval of Consent Items: Yay 5, No 0

1. Minutes of 7/8/2025, Regular Session

2. Budget Transfer

3. Fundraisers

4. Employee Travel

5. Program/Camp/Employee Participation Request

6. Lease/Use of Facilities

VII. Discussion Topics and Presentations

1. NexGen Cyber Update, Chief Academic Officer LeAnne Gregg

   1. Began program 3 years ago.

   2. Community Partners: Fort Gordon CSRA Alliance, Army Cyber Center of Excellence, CCSD Cyber Teachers, CCSD Pilot School Teachers and Administrators

   3. 2025-2026 Soft Launch

      1. K-8

      2. Pilot AI tools for students/teachers

      3. Next steps - continue grades 9-12 pilot schools

   4. Robotics K-5

      1. Vex123 (K-2)

      2. VexGO (3-5)

      3. Next steps - develop robotics instructional guide

   5. Robotics 6-8

      1. HMS & CMS piloted Vex Robotics

      2. Will be included in 45-day computer science or engineering class.

   6. Robotics 9-12

      1. Vex5 Robotics TSA Competitions

      2. District level competitions

Teasley: What is an example of the AI tools?

Gregg: Brisk teaching & School AI

Baker: Will all schools have all of the programs

Gregg: Robotics is K-12. The AI will only be at pilot schools.

Teasley: Will there be elementary-level competitions?

Gregg: Youngest grades are 4th/5th grade so it will be a few years before we’re ready for competitions at those grades.

Teasley: Is the Robotics an additional 45 days? Will those computer classes be longer than 45 days?

Gregg: Computer Science or Engineering will include Middle School Robotics. There won’t be a new class. It will be embedded in the existing class and be the same length.

Allen: Will the Robotics enhance the existing class?

Gregg: It will be the same 45-day block class. Many of the standards overlap.

Allen: What will this look like embedding NextGen into core courses?

Gregg: In the core courses, we looked at the standards to see where there was an opportunity to introduce NextGen into the course.

Allen: What does it mean that there is a soft launch?

Gregg: It’s not a complete curriculum.

Allen: What are the applications of this? Will it be in ethics?

Gregg: Next gen looks different for different grades. It’s part of digital citizenship….

Teasley: It’s the same curriculum but using Next gen embedded in it.

Allen: How much time are students spending on screens?

Gregg: Teachers are still the primary instructor. We are limiting screen time. There is some support through online programs.

Allen: Is there an increase in computer time?

Gregg: No. Some of the standards are not done on the computer.

Baker: Are we cutting edge with introducing this?

Gregg: I would say we are ahead of the game….

Flynt: We brought in partners and that’s how we were able to get this done. Integration was important and we’ll be adjusting over the next years. Since some students are introduced to these concepts earlier, we may need to do something different in older grades. Several other school districts are looking to implement something like this now but we are 3 years ahead. We have more resources though in the community. There’s a task force on AI because this will shift so much in the next few years.

Allen: Is this curriculum open for public review?

Gregg: It’s not a full curriculum. It was developed by our teachers so not necessarily vetted outside. The standards were created by teachers.

Allen: Is this not subject to having the public weigh-in on the curriculum though?

Teasley: The core curriculum hasn’t changed [so it shouldn’t need to be reviewed].

Gregg: It’s not a curriculum. It’s like if a teacher created a lesson plan for a standard for math. It’s not a purchased curriculum.

Allen: Is it supplementary? What about the review process? I would like to ask Mr Fletcher (attorney)?

Fletcher: I wasn’t really prepared ahead of time to answer that. We’re not pushing materials out…. not sure. It’s concepts rather than materials so it shouldn’t need a review.

Allen: Are we adding unvetted things into the curriculum but sidestepping vetting?

Flynt: Teachers create lesson plans. If it’s a really good lesson plan it might be shared across the district but it’s not purchased.

Allen: So if parents wanted to review them? Look at the lesson plans, they could?

Gregg: Yes, if they want to.

Allen: Have we seen an increase in our average math/testing scores since we started this?

Gregg: There’s really no ability to track improvement because it’s not at full implementation.

Allen: Is there a plan in place to make sure that this translates into improved testing scores?

Gregg: Once we are at full implementation, we will looking into measures for effectiveness.

Baker: As of last spring, we were growing [improving] in all measures.

Gregg: We can adjust ACE at anytime.

VIII Staff Reports

1. Operations Update, Penny Jackson

   1. 70% complete moving teacher materials over to N. Columbia

   2. 7/28-7/30 Bus trials

      1. Find My Bus Stop

      2. Edulog Lite School Bus Tracker App

   3. Cameras in school buses

Dekle: How many buses have cameras or need cameras?

Jackson: 207 buses still need cameras

Kent: How do you verify who is getting on the bus and they are getting on the right bus?

Jackson: It’s mostly the bus drivers. Younger students have a tag on their book bag. The bus drivers get to know their students though.

Baker: If there is a threat to the school, how fast do you notify parents?

Jackson: Depends on the situation.

Baker: 30 minutes?

Jackson: Yes. But if it’s under investigation or there is a reason we can’t get notification out. We really try to get notification out the same day or the next day.

Allen: How are discipline issues handled on the bus? Is there a standard?

Jackson: Administrators will investigate and follow the code of conduct. Usually it’s a progressive style of discipline, but riding the bus is a privilege and not a right, so some have lost their ability to ride the bus.

2. School Improvement - Dr. Kristen Carroll

   1. Summer School. 717 attendees. 39 students able to get diploma

3. Human Resources Update, Tony Wright

   1. Certified 99% Fill

   2. non-certified 98.1% Fill

• 22 vacancies for certified.

  • 2 are hard of hearing/deaf vacancies. Competing with charitable organizations. He’s looking at different options to try and fill these positions.

  • 20 other positions - not concerned. Some subs are certified and might change to full-time with some incentives.

• Non-Certified Parapros - he had a number of applicants at the job fair.

Dekle: Teachers can retire and come back now. Are we using any of those teachers?

Wright: The number of folks who take advantage of that are very low. It’s 7 across the district tops. We have 1 school with 3 vacancies and we might start calling some retirees. Will start calling some retired SLPs.

Baker: Are they retiring and going somewhere else?

Wright: They usually come back here if it’s attractive

Baker: Is there better compensation with a new school? Maybe South Carolina?

Wright: We have more that come from SC than the other way. For SLPs, we are hiring as SLP-As and encouraging them to get their Masters so they are already working and can just move up.

IX. Board Policy BAB, School Board Governance. Approve: Yay 5, No 0

X. Resolution of the Board of Education of Columbia County for Temporary Property Tax Relief for Eligible Standing Timber Located in a Disaster Area in Columbia County. Approve: Yay 5, No 0

Flynt: This is allowed for disaster areas declared by FEMA. It forgives the timber tax collection 4th Quarter 2024 and all of 2025. No decrease in revenue because it’s a grant.

Teasley: So, we aren’t sure who is going to apply. It’s relief from the hurricane?

Allan: I don’t see any financial risk. Is there any financial risk?

Casado: No.

XI Building Program Bid Results

1. Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) by PC Solutions, $194,462.71 (includes 3 years of support). Approve: Yay 5, No 0

Kent: Have we had a problem with a disaster wiping out everything?

VanMeter: Not yet.

Dekle: How many employees are in Appling.

VanMeter: None right now. We check on everything in Appling often though.

2. 2000RC, CR2 Restroom, Q-31, $4190ea, $129,890 from Kamo Manufacturing. Approve: Yay 5, No 0

Baker: What does it look like?

??: It’s a low-pressure washer. It’s great for grout.

Dekle: Do you think it will improve the cleanliness of the bathrooms?

??: Yes. It works well. It’s not hard to use. It has a 5 year warranty and can be used on any tile.

XII Superintendent Reports

1. United Way CSRA Stuff-the-Bus School Supply Drive - 2 Buses

2. Special Education Institute

   1. 167 school leaders and staff

   2. instructional strategies, legal information, behavior interventions/supports

3. Back to School Leadership Conference *inspire*

4. 180 New Teacher Induction 7/24/2025

5. School’s Open Drive Safely AAA Press Conference, 7/23

6. Rising 6th and 9th Grade Camp, 7/24 & 7/26

7. Open House Dates for 2025-2026 School Year

   1. High School: 7/29, 3-5PM

   2. Middle School: 7/29, 5-7PM

   3. Elementary School: 7/31, 5-7PM

8. Teacher Pre-Planning, 7/28-8/1

9. Employee Back to School Kickoff, 8/1

10. First Day of School, 8/4

11. Early Dismissal/ Parent Conferences, 8/29

12. Labor Day Holiday, 9/1

13. Progress Reports, 9/5

14. Retirement Reception, 9/10

15. Excellence in Governance Institute Training, 9/25

XIV Executive Session: Yay 5, No 0

1. Personnel Sheets: Yay, 5, No 0

Adjourn: Yay 5, No 0

Next Meeting Regular Session: 8/12/2025