(The Pierce County Board of Education discussed and/or voted on the following during their monthly work session, Thursday, August 6 and at their regular monthly meeting Monday, August 10.)
Tax digest and five year history: The board approved the tax digest and five year history of levy. The vote is a standard part of the budget process and must be held before the millage rate can be set.
ESS Substitute Pay Rates: The board approved increasing pay rates for substitutes.
Closed session: The board adjourned into a six minute closed session to discuss personnel at Thursday’s meeting. Following the closed session, the board voted to hire Shelby McBee and Kara Tindall as paraprofessionals at Blackshear Elementary; Brent Brown as custodian at the middle school, Kimberly Lyons and Pamela Stewart as bus drivers and Jammie Boatright as central office secretary. Avis Harris, secretary to the superintendent, was changed from 75 percent time to 100 percent time. Caleb Turner was approved as a community wrestling coach at the middle school. In a separate 4-1 vote, Barrett Boatright was approved as a community football coach at the middle school. Boatright is the son of Chairman Duward Boatright, who abstained. Abstentions count as “no” votes for recording purposes.
The board also voted to accept the resignations of Logan Crews and Amelia Roberts, both as paraprofessionals at Blackshear Elementary, Helen Washington, as central office secretary, Cintia Childs as school nutrition food assistant and Christopher Cordes as a bus driver.
Special education contracts: The board approved special education contracted services for behavior analytic services, mental health and behavior and speech language and pathology. Behavior Management Consultants, Inc. (BMC) will provide behavior analytic services, Savannah Varnadore will provide mental health and behavior services at the middle and high schools and Marlee Bedford will provide speech pathology services in the school system.
PES multi purpose room ceiling bids: The board voted to award the bid for replacement of the ceiling in the multipurpose room at Patterson Elementary to Ware Paint and Drywall of Waycross. Ware Paint and Drywall was the lone bidder on the project at $23,970 for labor and installation. The school system will purchase the material in the amount of $7,900.
The work will include replacing damaged ceiling tiles in the multipurpose room at Patterson Elementary and is slated to be done during fall break or Christmas break.
Policy updates: The board held first readings on policy updates for employee leaves and absences and paid parental leave.
Special recognition: The board recognized the PCHS boys state champion golf team.
Field trip: The board approved a field trip request for the high school Future Farmers of America chapter to take a trip to Melrose, FL Aug. 14-15.
Consent agenda: Several items were approved under the consent agenda. They include:
• approval to advertise for bids for repaving of the parking lot at Patterson Elementary School. The parking lot is deteriorating and needs to be resurfaced. Some cosmetic repairs have been done, but the resurfacing project will begin after the current building project at the school is completed.
Non-resident tuition applications: Four non-resident student applications were approved Thursday and Monday including two second graders at Patterson Elementary, an eighth grader at the middle school and a junior at the high school. Non-resident students have to have administrator approval, no discipline referrals and have to pay non-resident tuition.
• approval of a memorandum of understanding with the Pierce County Board of Health for school based influenza vaccine clinic. The agreement allows for the flu vaccine to be administered on a voluntary basis on school campuses.
• approval of the Georgia Department of Education's Local School Board Governance Training Plan for the coming school year.
Reports: Finance Director Melanie Helms gave the system’s financial report. Total year-todate revenue was at $53.51 million for June, while expenses were $53.34 million. The school system has a reserve of about $18.67 million. Helms reported the system’s sales tax revenue was $282,607 $291,760?? in June, down about $9,000 from May. The board approved the financial report.
Facilities Director Harbin Farr announced construction work on the building project at both the middle school and Patterson Elementary are now underway. The middle school concrete slabs have been poured, but footer work has not been completed at Patterson. He said Patterson’s project was delayed by some additional soil preparation that needed to be done, but he anticipates the project will still be on schedule. He also announced the new air conditioning unit will be installed at Patterson Elementary in coming weeks. Portable units are currently being used to cool the area. Farr also reported that repairs to the epoxy flooring in the kitchen at Midway Elementary have been completed. He noted three attempts were made at the repairs. He said the blemish is still there, but it is a cosmetic issue and does not affect operations. He also reported a concrete ramp has been installed at the new storage buildings at Blackshear Elementary.
Superintendent Dara Bennett reported the school day got off to a good start. Enrollment was 3,474, an increase of 49 over last school year.
Information: Superintendent Bennett announced Labor Day will be observed Monday, Sept. 7. Labor Day is a holiday for both students and staff.
Minutes for July were also approved.
Public participation: There was no public participation.
Next meetings: The next work session will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3. The next regular meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. The regular meeting will be delayed one day due to the Labor Day holiday. Both meetings will be at the central office.
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