CCBoE Regular Meeting 12.17.2024 Notes
Call to Order
Invocation: Grace Baptist Church Senior Pastor Bill Hilley
Pledge of Allegiance: Cedar Ridge Elementary School 4H Presidents
Approval of Agenda: Yay 5, No 0
Special Recommendation
Special Recognition
GHSA State One-Act Drama Competition
Board Comments: (Due to technical issues, I was not able to record anything prior to the consent items. Outgoing board members, Lee Ann Meyer and David Alalof gave Goodbye speeches based on reporting from folks in the room.)
Approval of Consent Items: Yay 5, No 0
Minutes 11/12/2024 and 12/11/2024
October Financials
Budget Amendments
Fundraisers
Employee Travel
Program/Camp/Employee Participation Request
Lease/Use of Facilities
Building Program Update (See slides attached)
N Columbia Elementary School: Structural steel on 2nd floor admin area, cafeteria area, electrical & plumbing continues, roofing is continuing, classroom wings continue.
Lakeside HS: The parking in the back - just finished that up and they’ll start parking there full scale in January. They are taking care of parking permits as we speak. You can see the Performing Arts Center, band rooms will be this side of the building. Cafeteria will be on the right, expanding media center. The very far rights - that’s where the classroom addition will be going in.
Evans HS: Again, very similar kind of layout here. Right side gym and cafeteria in the back, a little opposite of what LHS is going to look like. That side band area and performing arts center. A couple of close ups and you’ll see *muffled* going in and will be able to see coming out of the ground like we with LHS. Parking is almost complete. Already taking care of parking passes. Move parking back to the front of the building.
Discussion
Baker: Remind me how long this will take?
Flynt: It’s a 3-year project from the beginning and what we’re working on is we’re going to be able to complete it in that amount of time. We’re trying to work with the breaks because a lot of those things can’t be done until students are out… Like LHS this summer, we replaced 35 of *muffled* on the inside. Evans will be a little longer because their renovation on the inside is a little more extensive than LHS. That’s one of the reasons, even though we started at EHS first, they look like they’re more behind but they have a lot more work underground before we started building the building. We’ll have another more detailed timeline this summer.
Teasley: (hard to hear).... Areas opening up?
Flynt: We’ll start to have additional areas students moving into as well as admin. One of the challenges at LHS is setting down that admin area. It’s going to take awhile. Relocating admin into classrooms temporarily and then moving back until admin area is complete.
Teasley: Time for when Harlem gets started?
Flynt: We put contracts out for bid - should be back for y’all - we’ll work on that over break and then by next meeting we’ll bring recommendations.
A Resolution for Approval of Public Hearings of Intent of Columbia County Board of Education to Opt Out of Statewide Adjusted Base Year Ad Valorem Homestead Exemption. Approve: 5 yay, 0 no
HB581 gives one time opt-out provision
There is a set number of public meeting dates
This is a vote on the public meetings
Actual vote will take place after the public meetings.
Public Meeting Dates: 1/27/25 at 8am, 1/28/25 at 6pm, 1/29/25 at 8am
Permissive Transfers (Ms. Jackson)
HB251 (2009)
1/15/25-2/7/25
Family provides transportation
Numbers on slide might change between now and 1/15
Signs of Suicide (Program Presentation by Ms. Tyson and Ms. Jackson)
Preventative program used in different GA districts: Cherokee, Forsythe, Cobb, Newton, Oconee, Bartow, Henry
Improve student knowledge and adaptive attitudes about suicide risks and depression
Videos & Discussions
One class session
Parents can opt-out
Materials are available for parents to view ahead of time
Pilot at Evans Middle and Evans HS next semester. Full roll out next fall
We have a lot of great mental health supports at our schools but this helps all staff and students to know the signs and how to help
Able to provide resources to parents because they are integral in interventions.
Self-paced module online for staff
Superintendent Reports
CCSD-Chamber partnership for Principal for a day program was successful. Will do again next year.
CCSD Foundation awarded 10 educators with $500 Fine Arts Grants
4/26/2025 Arts in the Plaza
Early Dismissal 12/19/2024
Teacher Work Day/ Student Winter Break 12/20
Winter Break 12/23-½
District Professional Learning Day, 1/3/25
First Day 2nd Semester, 1/6/25
Report Cards, 1/10/25
Pathways Fair for 8th Graders January 14-15
CCSC Spelling Bee, 1/16/2025
Rising Freshmen Night for Students and Parents 1/16/25
Permissive Transfer Application Period 1/15-2/7
Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday 1/20/25
Public Participation
Jessica Fisher: Asking to consider modification of the bullying policy
Executive Session
Student Disciplinary Hearing Appeal Case #24-25-054
Personnel, Approve: Yay 5, No 0
Legal
Real Estate
Board Items:
Mr. Dekle wants to designate Judy Teasley as Vice Chair and Kristi Baker to be on the board for the CCSD Foundation. This will be voted on and formalized in January.
This was Mr. Alalof’s last night on the board and I have transcribed (word for word) his final speech:
Eight years ago, when I first took the oath to office to the GA Constitution… It was really long but I remember “Do No Harm.”
About three years ago we were served with a suit and I’m not here to disparage anybody who brings a suit or anybody that thinks that they have a case that warrants bringing a suit in court. I don’t do that. Everybody has a right to have a suit. That said, but I think if you want to make change, this is where you do it, OK? This is where you affect change, especially policy. Right here. This board. And I say that because in a sense there is harm. Harm that, when I think about this, we have to defend everything that happens here and, to defend, it costs money. And I bet you we’ve spent already upwards of $50,000 on defending this lawsuit. And this lawsuit was ruled on well over a year ago by Superior Court - it’s not what’s in the *couldn’t hear this part* which is going to cost us more money. All I’m saying is, in the spirit of the holidays fastly approaching, in the spirit of a new year starting, and new board members coming on, in the spirit of a new administration, end this lawsuit. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Adjourn: Yay 5, No 0