001Slide too far, buddy. >> Slide too much. >> Rolled off a mine. Slide too far, buddy. >> Don't hand me. You'll hand me. I ain't wor about you. I give you a little sight. I never hit the floor. I feel going on. Oh goodness. Let's go ahead and call the meeting to order. Um, wow, what a big crowd. It's a it's a pleasure to see all of you out there tonight. And I know we've got some spill over into the uh the training room over next door. And there's a video monitor over there. So, anybody comes in and can't hear or see, I can go and I'm sure can find a seat over there. Uh, I for once or not for once, but once as of late anyhow, tried to be on time and got
002here quart after 7 and couldn't find a parking place. I had to go around back and park. But that's a great thing. It's good to see all of you. Matter of fact, um, I wanted to recognize Miss Bonnet here as council member from Mr. Mr. Diaz district. I think that's district one. No, it's not district one. I'm district one. That's district three. Um up in the upper part of the county. Just want to recognize Miss Bonnet. And I looked over the crowd. I don't see any other county or city officials here. I was at an event Saturday where they had a number of county and city officials there. So, and some state representatives as well. So, um but I just wanted to recognize her and again, it's a pleasure to see everybody. We'll go ahead
003and get started with our meeting. And first on the agenda is the we have a moment of silence for our invocation along with the pledge of allegiance. And as usual, we'd ask everyone to please stand for that moment of silence and then the invocation. >> Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Again, uh, welcome everyone. I hope everyone's got a seat. If they're not, if you don't have a seat, I think everybody's seated. As I said, there is some room in the room across the hall, which is our training room. and they do have some video monitors set up in there. So, uh, next on the agenda is the approval
004of the agenda. And I'd ask at this time if you if I hear a motion concerning the agenda that's been presented before you, Mr. Chairman, I move we approve the agenda as submitted. All right. There's a motion to approve the agenda submitted. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion and a second to approve the agenda submitted. Uh, any discussion? If not, all those in favor of that motion to approve the agenda submitted, please signify by saying I. I. All oppose. No. Motion carries. And the agenda stands approved. Next is the approval of the minutes for the January 29th as well as the February 9th, 2026 meetings. Do I hear a motion at this time to uh concerning those minutes? I make a motion that we approve the minutes for January 29th, 2026, which was
005a regular board meeting, and also the February 9th, 2026 special call meeting. >> Thank you, Miss Frederick. You all have heard Miss Frederick's motion. Do I hear a second or motion to approve those minutes for January 29th and February the 9th? Second. All right, there's a motion and a second to approve the minutes for January the 29th, the regular board meeting, as well as the special call board meeting on February the 9th, 2026. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor of that motion, please signify by saying I. I. All oppose. No. Motion carries. And those minutes now stand approved. Next is the exciting portion of our meeting, the student recognition portion. And uh Dr. Talk, do you uh need anything to say anything before we turn on M. Murdoch? All right. I
006I do. Um certainly a good evening when we can um Oh, good evening everybody. first as green folks as they came into the room. Um some in the parking lot too because of the parking issues. Um but certainly thank everyone for being here this evening especially our young people um who are giving up uh television time or screen time to be here with us this evening. So certainly thank them and thank the adults who are here to accompany them as well. So thank you Mr. Por. Thank you sir. All right Murdo we'll call on you to come up and recognize our young people. Thank you, board chairman Por. This is always an exceptional evening when we get to honor not just our students, but our faculty and staff for the great works that they've done.
007Tonight, we're going to begin with the second quarter highest GPA awards. At this time, I ask for our esteemed board members along with Dr. Tulla to please come forward families. We cannot do the work that we do without a village. And so I ask your child's name is called to please stand. And you will also have an opportunity for a follow up so that you can create memories. Recognizing Sandy Run K8 School. Will Principal Dinkens please come forward recognizing sixth grade regular ed Britney Jurgen 4.743 GPA Hey, recognizing sixth grade gifted and talented Jennifer Luna, 4.857 GPA. Recognizing seventh grade, regular ed, Victoria Lucas, 4.7 GPA. Recognizing 8th grade regular ed Christina hair 4.757 GPA game. Every student will receive a yard sign. Parents, please put those yard signs in your yard because I'll be
008driving by to see make certain that they're there. Just joking. photo app. Let us give them a resounding round of applause. Oh, beautiful. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. We need another photo op. Come on, let's do that again. Keep those smiles. Awesome job. Will principal peoples and assistant principal Mrick please come forward. Recognizing sixth grade, regular ed, LEVI BIRD, 4.14 GPA. LEVI, come right here. Recognizing sixth grade gifted and talented Christopher Tomo 4.31 GPA. HEY. MHM. Chris Christopher, I'm used to this. Recognizing seventh grade regular edi 4.63 GPA. CONGRATULATIONS. Recognizing 8th grade regular ed Payton Charles 4.46 GPA. If one can get on the other side. >> Go ahead. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Photo. Let us give them a resounding round of applause. recognizing Calhoun County High School. Will Principal Howard and Assistant Principal Brown
009please come forward? Recognizing ninth grade Madison Reed. 4.92 GPA. >> CONGRATULATIONS. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tie. >> Recognizing 10th grade, Vanessa Aguire, 4.833 GPA. Recognizing Destin Nelson, 4.833 GPA. >> Recognizing 11th grade, Kathy Menddees Vodka. 5.25 GPA. Recognizing 12th grade Mina 5.80 GPA. You all will get on one on each side, please. >> Wow. >> Ma'am, what's your name? >> Let us thank Belinda for bringing these beautiful floral arrangements tonight. All right, parents, grandparents, aunties, and uncles, and cousins. Photo op. Keep them going. Keep them going. Keep them going. Let us give them a resounding round of applause. Ladies and gentlemen, the end of course examinations are required by the state of South Carolina. These standardized tests are given at the high school level to assess the students mastery of specific subjects including
010algebra 1, biology, English 2, and US history. These exams serve as a key measure of a student's learning and accounts for 20% of a student's final grade in each respective course. The EOC exams are intended to ensure consistency and academic rigor across the state and help evaluate both individual student performance and overall school effectiveness in core subject areas. That means that our students what they've learned all year long has to be retained and applied. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, thank you Mr. Howard and Mrs. Brown for coming forward. Tonight we recognize students who made a perfect score on the EOC. Ladies and gentlemen, RECOGNIZING JOY JOHNSON PERFECT SCORE on the US history examination. GOOD JOB. >> Stay right there. Ladies and gentlemen, recognizing Brandy Reynolds. Perfect score on the US history examination. >> He said, "I'm
011used to this. Recognizing Joseph Sadlo. Perfect score ON THE US HISTORY EXAMINATION. Recognizing Louise Nunez. A PERFECT SCORE ON THE BIOLOGY and of course examination. All right, ladies and gentlemen, photo op. Keep it going. Get those smiles going. Keep it going. Let us give them a resounding ROUND OF APPLAUSE. JOB WELL DONE. Please don't go anywhere. Although I know what this group does, I see it. I hear it. But I was curious to know what does the internet say about Calhoun County High School's Thunder and Lightning Band? It says, and this is through AI, guys, as soon as I Googled it, it said the Calhoun County High School Thunder and Lightning Marching Van in St. Matthews, South Carolina. >> Directed by the Travis LTON >> is a highly acclaimed ensemble that has achieved significant national
012recognition. THE band recently swept >> the 2025 Sugar Bowl competition in New Orleans, >> winning 13 trophies. They also Y'ALL CUT OUT. AND THEY also performed in the 2024 National Independence Day Parade in Washington DC. It also went on to list the numerous the numerous growth of our band under the direction of Mr. Travis Lton. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring before you along with Principal Howard, Assistant Principal Brown, and Principal Melissa Peoples. Will you all please come forward? and assistant principal Mrick. Oh, y'all going to have to share the stage. At this time, I bring to your forefront Mr. Travis Lton. Mr. Denkins, you have you have children on this bed. Get up. Get on up here. >> How y'all doing tonight? >> Um, y'all did such a great job. You know, I couldn't have
013asked for anything more. The hard work y'all put in all year. I can remember that competition we went to in Dylan or Darlington and y'all wouldn't listen. They wouldn't listen to nothing. I said they don't want to open their mouth. I said, "Okay, this y'all competition. I'm going to let y'all do how y'all do it." So, they came back. And when I read all the comments, the comments read what I was saying. They came back with third place. I said, "All right." They thought I was going to fuss when I got on the bus. I got on the bus and waited the back, gave them their trophy cuz that's what you deserve, your trophy. You didn't want to listen. And then we went back to the lab and they started listening. And y'all, I've been
014directing them for almost four years. >> FIVE, almost five. Um, and that was the first time I ever got a chance to sit back and watch them perform. When I when we got to the Sugar Bowl, when we got to the competition, I was looking at them on the field and they just look like they had so much energy and then the drum major came out and HE and he did something he I was trying to get him to do all year. I don't know how you know how to do it now, but I would try to get you to do it all year. And the crowd just started going crazy. So I kind of backed up a little bit. They started playing. I was like, "Okay, they coming here to eat today. So I'mma
015back up." I sat down and I watched them and it was so at ease in front of all those people. And it was just such an honor to watch them and for them to come from the small town called from St. Matthews >> and to stand up against bands with hundreds and then you know we was the smallest one but to score a 91 out of 100 on music and everything. I couldn't have been NO then then when we started getting awards and it just caught back to back back to back. I said I want to see the scores. I like the awards, but I want to see what the scores say. And when them scores came back and I looked at the scores and we had beat every band besides that one band that
016had 308 people and they beat us by one point. >> Yeah, >> they beat us by one point. So, it's not where you from, it's not what you have cuz we work with what we have. We don't complain. It's about making it happen. And as long as I'm here, I'm going to give you guys the lifetime worth of experience. You guys are going to be able to say, "Well, we did that already. Well, we've been that place already." You guys going to have to show me a little bit more the excitement. So, I want to thank you guys for giving me the opportunity. And to the parents, I want to thank you guys for trusting me with your kids cuz that's a big step to say, "Okay, I'm going to allow my child to go
017all the way to New Orleans." You know? So, I appreciate all y'all and I appreciate y'all for trusting me and, you know, putting up with me cuz it could be a lot. Thank you guys so much. >> Okay, so uh everybody could y'all please stand up, please, please, please, please. All right, so this is Y'all come up front, please. >> Put phones away. >> Put the phones away. We We done Choose choose a an award to take up the >> Okay. >> All right. >> Hey, I'll give him another round of applause, please. Hey. Um, pick one of them trophies up and put them put about two or three. Yeah. Put about two or three of them trophies in front of y'all. Go ahead. Go ahead. Um, give Messiah and um, give Messiah and Mason
018them two plaques. The the other plaque too. You're going to mess the Mason one to Mason. You gave her the wrong one. Go ahead and sit them down. Okay. Let me get all my parents. >> Jesus. One minute. >> I'll get back. >> I'm sorry. I'm trying to get you real. >> Um, y'all need to be there. the camera, >> right? Photo >> look. Huh? Thank you, Tony. >> Look, she behind you. She doing it on purpose. >> Awesome job. Please be seated. That's it. >> All right. Oh, >> tell the others a couple questions. All right, as we continue with our awards, I ask that Our shining staff awardees please come over. Every quarter we recognize our shining staff awardees. and they're chosen chosen based on the work that they have done for the
019second quarter. Tonight, each awardee will receive a certificate and a gift card sponsored solely by the district of $50. May the works you've done speak for you. May the life you live speak for you. May the service you give speak for you. You are appreciated in so many ways. You capture the hearts of students and a high regard from your peers. May life continue to reward you for all the works that you have done. Tonight from Sandy Run K8 School, we recognize Ms. Alisa Halman Brown, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND put that smile on your face. >> Congratulations. photo op. Mr. Dinkens, >> y'all take a picture together. Beautiful job. Well done. You go. I got it. Recognizing St. Matthews K8 School, Miss Tandra Hayward. Please come forward. photo up. Let us give her a resounding
020round of applause. Mr. Howard, Miss Brown from Calhoun County High School, recognizing Miss Mary Beth Ducet. Photo op. Stay there. Keep it going. Keep it going. Stay right there. Let us give her a resounding round of applause. Will Mr. George Kieran please join me up front. These four gentlemen keep our district running operable. and we couldn't do it without them. Recognizing from the district office, Mr. Theodore Frederick, Mr. Barry Hunter, Mr. Ricky Rickenbaker, and Mr. Brad Jumper. Please come forward. I love you. >> Uh, a photo up. Photo up. Go ahead, George. Go on up there. Thank you. >> Photo up. >> We are creating memories. Keep those smiles. Wait. Keep those smiles. Come on. Let us give them a resounding round of applause. School counselors Hold on. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. School
021counselors coming. Let me show you why we cannot do without School counselors love children, nurture children, provide for children, care for children, conduct group counseling, IGPS, SARS, grades, GPA, crisis prevention, character building programs, scholarships, career day, camps, classroom guidance, comfort, hugs, inspiration, EQUITY. REMOVE BARRIERS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS. Meet with parents. Make certain students are in school. Vital. Provide family engagement night. That's not just counselors. That is our district family coordinator as well as our attendance officer. Ladies and gentlemen, let us give it up for our school counselors, for our student, our family engagement officer, as well as our attendance officer, will Miss Loressa Jenkins PLEASE COME FORWARD? WILL MISS MICHAELA EVANS PLEASE come forward? WILL MISS BETSY TANT PLEASE COME FORWARD? LET US GIVE A CLAP FOR Miss Teranisa Bradley who's absent on tonight but
022her work is always seen. Let us give it up for Missa Williams and for Miss SHENICA GARVIN. IF YOU ALL WILL PLEASE COME FORWARD. I'll let you all take this list with you. Okay. As a reminder, Miss Harriet Haggler, please come forward. Come on, Harriet. What an awesome job you do. And in her absence, Miss Jouri Jenkins. Journeys in class. Job well done. We couldn't do it without you. We celebrated National Counselors Week, the week of February 2nd, and they were spoiled. Center yourselves. You know what? I'm going to ask the administrators. Come on up. Y'all photo oping it tonight. Yes. Thank you, Dr. Nelson, because you do a wonderful job in making certain that our families are thoroughly engaged. Photo op. Keep it. Keep it. Don't move. Guys, we couldn't make it without them.
023Let us give them a resounding round of applause. Job well done. Thank you all. T >> at this time I ask for Dr. Nelson to please come forward. >> Good evening. With protocol being established, regular school attendance plays a vital role in students academic success and personal growth. When students attend school consistently, they build strong learning habits, stay engaged with lessons, and develop important skills such as responsibility, time management, and teamwork. Being present in class also allows students to participate in discussions, collaborate with peers, and receive immediate feedback from teachers. Over time, good attendance creates a solid foundation for higher achievement and future opportunities. Every quarter, we will award the school with the highest average daily attendance rate. We started this superlative at our circle of excellence with St. Matthews K8 being the inaugural winner.
024The school with the highest average daily attendance for the second quarter with 94.4% is St. MATTHEWS. like nothing to go up there as well. >> No, I'm not. >> Congratulations. >> That sounds like a challenge. >> Photo. Stay right there. Director Calhoun County School District also started a male mentoring program this year as well. Mentors are equally important in a school community. They provide guidance, encouragement, and support that go beyond academics. A mentor can help students set goals, overcome challenges, and build confidence in their ability abilities. Through positive relationships with mentors, learners gain role models who inspire them to strive for success. Together, consistent attendance and strong mentorship create an environment where students feel supported, motivated, and prepared to reach their full potent potential. Guess who had the highest number of mentor hours for the
025second quarter? St. Matthews K8. >> Oh, WOW. >> Photo op. >> Yeah. Photo. Just a note, our last male mentor to sign up is Mr. Kevin Jenkins. Thank you so very much, >> Dr. Tullik. Thus ends our superlatives and our award recognitions. Yeah. >> O >> Mr. Por um Y'all getting old. All I hear is always >> Mr. P. I know as we come back to our seats is off of the agenda, but um I just wanted to say thank you to I know the room is about cleared out, but thank you to all of the folks who were present tonight um again to get our young people here for this evening, but more importantly to help support them throughout the school year. had a number of people um in this room who um not
026only went along with our young people to New Orleans, but financially supported them to get them on that trip and get them back home to us safely. Um and tonight, you know, impromptu, just as we were coming into the room, u Britney and her mom came over and um they had a whole bunch of roses with them. I wish I had seen Miss Jurgen on Saturday. She would have saved me a couple of dollars. Um but um nonetheless, we want to thank her while she's here for supplying our awardees tonight what the world is. Thank you, Mr. We appreciate you. And again, thank you everyone for your attendance tonight and participation thus far. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Dr. George. Thank you, too. Uh next on the agenda is the chairperson's report. And
027uh under the chairperson's report, you see it says board meeting dates, discussion. There are a couple meetings that um I was wondering what you all we mentioned it the other night, but I wanted to bring it up and see if you all I don't know if you all had a chance to look at your calendar or not, but the meeting for March is scheduled for the 16th. Our regular meeting on the 16th and I won't be here that night and we're talk I was talking about moving into the 23rd. If you all have not had time to look at your calendars and see, we don't have to do it tonight. Well, I guess we do for that March meeting because we're not meeting again between now and then, I don't think. Um, if that one
028would suit you all to move it. Well, we do meet on March the 2nd. I take that back. So, we could if you hadn't look, we could meet we could we could discuss it again on the 2nd of March. We do have a policies meeting on March the 2nd and then um two in April. One a both meetings in April. The policy meeting on excuse me. Thought I had the dates written down but I didn't. >> April 13th. >> 13th. >> The first one is the 13th. And Dr. We were talking about in your office the other day and I think you and there Pam and I were looking at the calendar stuff from moving it from the 13th through the 15th which would be a Wednesday night just a couple days and it moved
029to a midweek and the reason for that being that Pam you could you got to help me on this. We are on spring break the week before that I believe. Correct. >> That's correct. >> Yep. So the week of the sixth was that the school y'all are out that week. y'all on spring break and then uh the 13th if we went to the next week. We already got a meeting for the 20 uh for the 20th, but I'm not going to be on that one either. I'm I'm in that play you all down in Cameron and I'd urge I'm giving a free plug here 1776 which is a very um I've seen the show before and if you all have ever seen it they did it back in 2014 I believe here in Khoon County
030the Khan players and decided to do it again this year because as you know it's the 250th anniversary of uh of our nation and so they're planning on doing it in April and and I will say even though I've got a minor part in it I'm playing the part of George Reed who is a delegate from Delaware. Um, but it is a quite a talented cast. Not saying that for myself, but there are number of men and it's 25 men in it. Only two women, but the men that I've heard, they've got some really really good voices. It's a musical, so it's some it's a lot of if you if you haven't seen it, but it's it's quite a moving thing and to be done this year in the 200th 50th anniversary of our country
031is good. But I've got a rehearsal on that Monday night on the um the 13th and then again on the 20th of which is that night. Well, I was proposing to move it to the 27th. That uh board meeting is on the 20th. So the 15th of April to excuse me the 13th of April to the 20th of a to the 15th of April. I can't talk and look at my book at the same time. and then the 20th to the 27th. So those three meetings, the 16th of March to the 23rd of March, moving it up one week, the 13th of April to moving it up two nights to the 15th of April, and the third one would be our regular meeting from April, which is scheduled for the 20th. And what I would
032suggest to move it to the 27th and I'm just asking if you all if it suits your calendar that's what I want to do. If anybody has a conflict, y'all carry on and I just won't be here. >> Michael, do you know if that suits your calendar? >> Did you say we had to make that decision tonight? >> We don't have to make it tonight, >> but it should suit my calendar. I think we talked about it last week. How about how about the March the um moving it from the 16th to the 23rd. Does that suit you? Let's if we can do deal with that one tonight so Dr. Tullos can go ahead and get get that notice out since that's the first meeting. >> I thought you said 20th through the to the
03327th of April. You got >> that's April. I'm talking about the March meeting. Okay. >> Moving I see a schedule meeting from March the 16th to March the 23rd. >> I see. >> Does that suit everybody? N that suit you far as I know. Yes. Yes. >> Yeah. Good. >> All right. Then then and if you all want to wait, we can wait till the meeting on April the >> March 23rd. >> When are we meeting? Well, well, we could actually decide it on the 23rd of March about those other two. Let's let's come back prepared on the 23rd of March if we want to move those other two in April. >> Okay. >> And if y'all need the dates again, I'd be happy to give them to you again. Dr. Felic, I think I've
034already given to you. Yeah. So, what we've got thus far is we're moving the March 16th regular meeting >> to March 23rd, the following Monday. >> Right. >> Okay. We'll make note of that and get notices out. >> And then the other two that I'm suggesting is from the this is a policies meeting from the 13th of March to the 15th, which is only moving it from Monday to Wednesday night, and then moving the regular meeting from April from the 20th to the 27th. But we'll talk about those at the 23rd of March. Well, let if you all and do we need a we need an action to move that meeting from the 16th to the 23rd. Correct. >> Yes. >> All right. Then at this time, I will ask I have hear a motion
035to move the regular meeting uh scheduled for March the 16th to the following Monday, which will be March the 23rd. Do I hear a motion to that effect? I make a motion that we move the March 16 meeting to March 23rd. >> All right. Miss Frederick's made a motion to move the March 16th to March 23rd. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion and a second to move the March 16th meeting to March the 23rd. Still being here at the district office at 7:30. I believe that's correct, didn't it, Dr. Tullet? >> Yes. >> I closed my calendar too quickly. The March meeting. Uh the March regular meeting is scheduled for Sandy Run. >> It is Sandy Run. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Well, that because we need to make sure that's okay
036as well. Um I see Mr. Dinkens, is he still here? >> It's okay. >> Okay. All right. Dr. Ter says it's okay. So I Well, I know it is. I mean, you you got a key even if Mr. Denis can't be there. So, we'll be okay. All right. Then the meeting the motion is to move the March 16th, 2026 meeting to March 23rd. uh 26 2026 and it'll be at 7:30 at Sandy Run K. Uh is there any discussion? If not, all those in favor of that motion to move the March 16th meeting to March 23rd, please signify by saying I. I. All oppose. No. The motion carries. All right. Uh that's all I have on the chairperson's report. Everybody's gone. Um Mr. Howard, please convey to Mr. Lton again, how proud we are of
037him as as well as all of our other student recogn uh ones that we recognize tonight. The band just continues to amaze me and and and even tonight I think is more validation of that. When I heard all the applause from the young people, the students that he has in his band, the excitement that they have for him and he for them as well. Um, it's a two-way street and and I'm very proud to to be say I'm from Calvin County and that's our band. I heard them in the Cameron Christmas Parade did a fabulous job. Told you just a few minutes ago about being I've been I'm a amateur actor or thespian if you will. I've been in a number of shows all my life was in being in 1776. We did Music Man
038last April of last year and Mr. Lawton came down and and the band was a huge part of a closing act of that um and did a great job. Very wellreceived. Just so enthusiastic. Um I can't say enough about the job he does with those young people. I see the band as a much larger group than it was in the past. Anytime you have success, success breeds success. I know these younger kids at St. Matthews and Sandy Run are seeing that. They want to be a part of the band, which is great. I hope we keep Mr. Halton and he keeps growing and doing better and better. And it's not so much the numbers, but the quality of the music that I hear them, you know, playing on the instruments. It's just I can remember
039a time when the band played at football games and I sounded some had to squench my ear sometime, but they do a fabulous job. He does a fabulous job and his young people do a fabulous job. Please convey to him and to your young people in the band what a great job they do. And I'm sorry I didn't get to congratulate him while they were here, but please convey to how proud we are. All right, that's all I have, the chairperson's report. So that will then bring us to the finance report. Mr. Brunson, I see you standing up. >> I'll turn it over to you. Good evening members of the board, Dr. Tullk and our viewing audience. Um, tonight we will have um I'll bring Mr. Brian Nicholson. He is from Malden and Jenkins CPAs
040and Consultants and he is going to present our audit for the 2425 physical period. And I'll turn it over to Mr. Nicholson. Uh well, good evening um board members. Uh Dr. Tolik. Uh my name is Brian Nicholson from Men Jenkins and I'm going to go kind of a highle overview of the district's June 30, 2025 financial statements. Uh so just a a brief agenda here. I'll go over the engagement team, kind of the audit timeline, uh some financial information, uh we had some management recommendations as well, and then any comments, any questions. We we have questions at the end here, but if you have any as I'm going through the presentation, don't hesitate to stop me and ask. Uh so, just to reintroduce myself, my name is Brian Nicholson Molly Jenkins. I was the lead
041director of the district's June 30, 2025 audit. Uh Mr. Timlines was our quality control review partner. Uh what that means is that we bring a second partner in at the very end of our procedures to ensure that to ensure that we've done the audit procedures that we need to do uh in order to render the opinion that we render. Uh so the engage or the audit timeline. So the audit's really broken up into kind of three segments. Segment one is our planning and interim procedures. Segment two is really where we come on site and do a majority of the the uh final audit fieldwork. And then segment three is our kind of review completion and then the presentation uh to you all tonight. Uh so we conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing
042standards and government government auditing standards. What that means is that we were engaged to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement. We did issue a clean opinion or an unmodified uh report. We had no uh material weaknesses, no uh no findings significant defici deficiencies and no issues of non-compliance as well. Uh so that was the first of two reports our or the first of three reports I'm sorry. The second report is act is our report over internal controls and again we had no material weak weaknesses or significant deficiencies. Uh the third report is the single audit report. As the district's aware, the district gets a good bit of federal funding and anytime you spend over 750,000 in federal expenditures, you have to have what is called a compliance audit. Uh
043this year, the district's major programs were were special education cluster and the child nutrition cluster. Again, we had an unmodified opinion, uh no material weaknesses and no significant deficiencies as well. Uh these next few slides are really our required communications. I'm not going to go over all of these bullet points. We are pro required to provide them either orally or in writing. Uh so tonight we're going to do a little bit of both. Uh the main ones I do want to point out is that uh the significant accounting policies used by the district are described in note one to the basic financial statements. Uh that second bullet point talks about uh a new Gatsby that was implemented in the current year. Gatsby statement 101. uh it did not have a material effect over the financial
044statements um but it was required to be implemented this year. Uh kind of the second bullet point uh is rel relationship with management. Uh we did receive full cooperation uh from Mr. Brunson and his and his team. Uh unfortunately the nature of what we do is it it's an invasive um an audit is invasive. We ask for a lot of information and unfortunately we have to get that information to do the work that we need to do to be able to issue the audit report that we issue and not once were we told that we couldn't have a piece of couldn't have a certain a certain document or certain information that was not given to us. Uh so we do appreciate uh Mr. Brunson and his team to um to get ready for the audit
045as well. Uh the last bullet point here auditor independence. uh our professional standards require that we maintain a level of independence both in fact and appearance throughout the audit process and we did maintain that independence throughout the audit. Uh so these next two slides are really some financial information over the general fund which is the main operating fund of the district. This is kind of a five-year look back at fund balance for the general fund. You'll see any fund balance for June 30, 2025 with 9.8 8 million. Uh it's a decrease of around 1.8 compared to the prior year. Uh unassigned fund balance was 9.3 million. Uh the district is required to have at least 8% of annual expenditures in unassigned fund balance. That is that is state law. Uh the district currently has approximately
04642% of unassigned fund balance of current year expenditures. So well above the minimum threshold. Um this next slide really shows net income over the over the last 5 years and you'll see kind of a trend starting in 21 which was the first year that the co funds really started rolling in 2025 those co funds are essentially dried up at this point. All the eser money that the districts were getting uh is essentially no longer available. So, we did have a management recommendation to kind of just to be tracking the budget and I'll go over that here in a minute. But this is an instance that um if not paid attention to uh you don't want to see a trend of the deficit fund or the decrease in fund balance which we have this year. It's
047not a trend yet. This is the first year that you did have a decrease. As you can see, the last four years the district has added to their fund balance and has shown increases over the last four years until 2025. So we had three management recommendations. The first one really just has to do with closing out of the prior audit financial statements. So throughout the audit process, there may be adjustments to the general ledger that that come and it's natural that these pop up during the audit process. Uh our recommendation is that the district post these in a timely manner to make sure that the ending balances match the prior year financial statements at the start of the new fiscal year. So uh the second management uh recommendation is reviewing and amending budgets. Uh this
048kind of goes back to that previous slide. Now that those funds are no longer um available to the district, it is very important that the budget is being reviewed throughout the fiscal year and amended as needed. We noted in the general fund budget there was two line items uh support services and transfers out that significantly exceeded uh budgeted expenditures. The first one support services uh actual expenditures in uh exceeded budgeted expenditures by 890,000 and then transfers out exceeded by 1.1 million which that transfer out to the capital projects fund as part of that decrease in fund balance to the general fund uh reviewing a budgets which we talked about. The last one is the deficit fund balance and inter fund advance in the food service fund. As of June 30, 2025, the food service fund
049has a deficit of 37272,000 and an inter interf fund payable or advance of 480,000 within the food service fund to the general fund. We recommend that the district monitor that deficit fund balance and come up with a uh revenue expenditure plan to reduce that deficit and reduce that interfable as well over the next fiscal years. Uh these last few slides uh we talked about Gatsby statement 101 which was implemented during fiscal year 25. Next year's Gatsby statement 103 financial reporting model improvements won't have a huge effect on the district. It really focuses on proprietary fund financial statements of which the district only reports governmental fund financial statements, but we did want to make you aware of it as well. And then lastly, uh I think I mentioned this every year, we do provide free quarterly
050CPE. Uh it's free of charge to all of our clients and that includes uh board members as well. Most of it is financial based, but every now and then we have some more tailored to board board members, council members. Uh so if you're ever interested to being on that email list, uh you can email u Mr. Brunson or myself and we'll get you added as well. So again, I want to thank uh the district for allowing us opportunity to come here and I present um these few slides and we want to thank Rusty and his team for the hard work that goes into preparing for an audit that allows us to kind of be where we are tonight. So with that, I'll open up uh any questions, any comments? Anybody have any questions? Uh well,
051I'm for one and glad to see that we have another clean uh report which we've maintained for many years and I'm glad to see that and I've you know uh listen and look through u and I know you made some recommendations but uh just for clarification and we get it from you. uh are any major are there any major points that we need to address as a district other than what you mentioned right here which I consider to be kind of business-like uh situations we just need to attend to nothing major. >> So there's really two buckets you could put are recommendations or findings. The first is findings, excuse me, which we consider material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. The district had none of those. >> Yep. So, we had these three management letter recommendations and
052that's that's all they are. They're not included in the financial report. It only goes to management and uh the board of the district. U now while we do consider them recommendations, we do, you know, we do hope that you implement a plan to address those. Um but they are not included as a deficiency or anything like that as well. So, >> any other questions, comments? >> Well, other than the fact I would certainly commend the administration, uh, Mr. Brunson, his business staff and our superintendent and his staff. Um, this is I I believe since I've been on the board, we've had clean audits and um certainly I think that all of you to be commended who work hard on that every day to make sure that we abide by the codes and the laws and
053uh the various regulations. I think a lot of times um people don't understand um in the school business and when you're using public funds, we get local funds, we get state funds, we get federal funds, and I'm sure there's other special funds out there somewhere. And so uh and and many of those funds require that uh that they be handled in a certain way uh certain procedures. You just don't get them into an account and spend them as you want to. So it it takes a lot to make sure we do things the right way. And so I'm happy to see that um there are no major flaws and uh and I'm proud to say that we've had a history of doing this uh for a number of years now. I would concur with Mr.
054Nelson. Um it it requires a lot of diligence to keep up with all the funds, the various funds we get, how they can be spent and all that. It's very easy sometimes. No, no foul intended, but to spend money from a certain fund that shouldn't be spent on this particular item or service or whatever. Um, it requires a lot of attention to detail and again that's what we trust that you all are doing and from the audit which we're required to do by law appears that's what we're doing. Um, I commend um our staff and and again Brian, you all as well um for the job that you all did. Like Mr. Nelson said, I don't recall having anything but a clean letter my entire service on the board and I look forward to continuing
055that that trend. So, um it's it's the easiest way I can say it. Um you all know it, you hear it every day. Um and and I have to tell myself that every it's not our money. It's not my money. It doesn't belong to us. We're just managing it. And um that that that's what I think gets a lot of public entities in trouble when they start spending it the way they want to, not the way you required to uh because of the federal, state, and local regulations. Uh we have to be very mindful of that and I can applaud you all for doing that and and and continue to hope that we continue to do that. So thank you. Does anybody else have any comments or questions? If not, then do I hear a
056motion that we accept the uh financial audit for the 2024 2025 year as presented? >> I so move, Mr. Chairman. >> All right, there's a motion to accept the audit for the 2024 2025 fiscal year. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion and a second to accept the audit. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for the question and all those in favor of accepting the audit uh presented to us for the 2024 2025 year, please signify by saying I. >> I. All oppose, no. Motion carries, and the audit is now accepted. Thank you, sir, Mr. Brian, and thank you. Fourth, while we have Mr. Nicholson up, I just wanted to say thank you to um certainly Mr. Nicholson and his team and Maldin and Jenkins for coming in to do the work
057of um auditing the district's financial records. And certainly thank you to Mr. Brunson and his office u for the work that they do daily to make certain that we're staying in compliance when it comes to the public's funds. Um I look across this room and I say thank you to the staff um primarily because they're the ones who are managing these accounts that are coming. Um, as I heard earlier, um, just like, you know, our household budgets, you know, things have kind of gotten a little bit tighter, um, as we don't have those federal co funds that are coming anymore. Um, so, you know, we've got to tighten up the belt and um, live a little bit leaner than we have in the past, but um, certainly I think this team was more than capable
058of living up to that challenge. So, thank you to everyone who um, again manages the funds um, that are sent to the district. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, too. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next um on the agenda then is the superintendent report. So Dr. Keller, anything you want to say for Miss Keller? >> Back to me again. Um so we've got several policies again tonight. Um and I believe it's 1920 policies and what administrative rule that Miss Keller will present for second reading. Uh followed by Miss Keller will have um a brief facilities update by Mr. Karen and and then I've just got a few updates from the superintendent's desk that I will share with the community. Miss Keller. >> Certainly. Good evening everyone to our >>
059distinguished board members, Dr. Tully, Miss Pam, and our audience. Tonight, I'd like to give second reading on our 20 policies and one administrative rule. We went into uh a deep dive at our last meeting last Monday. So, tonight I'll just do brief starting with policy DKA, payroll procedures and schedules. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition policy IA instructional goals and learning objectives. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition. Policy IB, academic freedom is a date change. Policy ID, school day is a date change. policy IE organization of instruction. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition policy IG curriculum development adoption and review. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow
060is the addition. Policy IGC curriculum pilot projects is a date change. Policy IHA basic instructional program the information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition policy IHA English reading writing language arts education is a date change administrative rule IHA-R English reading writing language arts education the information highlighted in red should be removed the information highlighted in yellow is the addition policy I hab AB mathematics education is a date change. Policy I H AE physical education is a date change. Policy I JK AA technology resource selection and adoption is a date change. Policy I HAC social studies education. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition. Policy IH A science education is a date change. Policy IH AF, arts education is
061a date change. Policy IH A, music education, the information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition. Policy IH Ah, foreign language education. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition. Policy IH AJ computer technology technology literacy. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition policy IH teaching about religion is a date change. And finally, policy IHBI primary pre- primary education child development. The information highlighted in red should be removed. The information highlighted in yellow is the addition. Are there any questions? on the 20 policies and one administrative rule. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Keller. Um, do I hear a motion? Any questions of Miss Keller before we call for the I
062ask for a motion? If not, then do I hear a motion that we take second reading on the 20 policies and one administrative rule that been going over just now by Miss Keller and that that are listed in the agenda for this evening. It'll be second reading on these policies. 20 policies and one administrative rule. >> I make a motion that we accept sec take second reading on the 20 policies and the one administrative rule as presented by SK. >> All right. Mr. Jenkins has made a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> A motion and a second. We take second reading on the 20 policies and one administrative rule that are listed in our agenda this evening that have just been gone over by Miss Keller. Is there any discussion before I call
063for the vote? Hearing none, all those in favor of that motion to take second reading on the 20 policies and one administrative rule is outlined in the agenda this evening, please signify by saying I. I. All oppose. No. Motion carries and we've taken second reading on those policies and that AR. Thank you, Mr. Keller. >> Thank you, Mr. Keller. We'll now have the pol the facilities updates uh from Mr. Kieran. >> Good evening, Dr. Distinguished Board members. I come before you this evening with the facilities update for February 2026. I am happy and pleased to announce that the track resurfacing and striping project has been completed before the track season. You go by the track, it is bright. It looks really, really good as our boys and girls get ready to take on the state
064on a brand new track. Um, I'm also proud happy to announce that we'll be hosting again the region championship this year at Ken County based on this our track. So, we're real happy about that. Um, the next State Note 8 class will be Saturday, March 7th, uh, from 8 to 12. We're also sending a group of high school students to the annual Escape the Haze Conference in Colombia at Saluda Scholes on April 30th, which is focused on harmful effects of vaping. Over our softball field, we have increased the height of the fence on the first base side. What we noticed was in the past when short stops or second baseman, if they slip and a ball goes over first base's head, his hand is flying into our spectators. So, in order to protect our spectators
065when there was a fence was about 4t high, we increase that fence size about 10 ft high now. So, any Aaron throws will hit the fence now and protect our spectators. Uh so, if you go by there, you'll see a a much higher fence. Uh the gate is currently being fabricated. It should be done about a week or so. It all be completed before our first softball game. So we'll have that ready to go. We're also upgrading our softball dugouts. Inside the dugouts, we're redoing the top of the dugouts to make them look sleeker and cleaner for our girls as they begin their softball season. Our yearly generator inspection inspections have been completed. We're also having our yearly bleacher inspections, which are required by the state to have. That'll be occurring in April. And we
066also have a brand new class set of science lab stools arriving to Calhoun County High School in the next week or two. So any questions regarding facilities update for February 2026. >> Thank you sir. >> Thank you Mr. Chair. Just a few um updates from superintendent's desk and thank you Mr. Karen and Miss Keller for your presentations. Uh just um reminder for us community. Um this coming Friday, Mar excuse me, February 20th. Um I'd like to remind everyone that there will be no school uh due to the scheduled mid-inter break. Again, that's Friday, February 20th, 2026. Um students and staff will return to the classroom on Monday the 23rd. So, no school on the Friday the 20th. I'd like to thank all of our honores um who are just in the room with us and
067and the accompanying guests u for being present this evening. Um again, for me, it's always heartwarming to recognize our students and staff for their hard work um and serving and representing our district stakeholders. So, we certainly say thank you to them. Um I'd like to say thank you to the board members who um attended the unique sensations uh black history breakfast this past Saturday. Um I hope you enjoyed the speaker, Mr. Cight just as much as I did. Um this organization um continues to support because they provide scholarships to our high school students um who are going on to post-secary educational pursuits. So again, thank you to you board members who were present um and again to the unique sensations organizations for providing our students with scholarships. Um, also I'd like to again on Monday,
068March 23rd, uh, remind everyone that the band will be recognized in county council's chambers. Um, and that meeting is at 5:30 at the county annex building. >> That's Mon next Monday. >> Next Monday the 23rd at 5:30. >> Um, >> yeah, I think you did. I believe you might have said March. >> I said March. I'm sorry. February. February. Next Monday. February 23rd. And that's at 5:30. >> 5:30. >> I got that on my calendar. >> February 23rd. February 23rd. I keep saying it. Um, we're so close to the end of the month. Um, Mr. Kenny mentioned it, but I'd like to also mention the anti- vaping class will be held Saturday, March 7th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 and that's here in the training room. Any of our students are welcome to attend this
069class. They just need to make um certain they sign up by making contact with Mr. Kieran in here at the district office. And again, that next class is Saturday, March 7th from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. We are nearing the end of the winter sports season and starting um pretty soon with the spring sports season. So, I'd like to um ask you all to continue to support our basketball team. the boys varsity basketball team um will host a first round playoff game tomorrow night um at 7:00 here at the high school versus Calhoun Falls. Again, that's tomorrow at 7:00 versus Calhoun Falls. Also, tomorrow the soccer team travels to Keenan High School for its second match of the season. And then lastly, I found out prior to this meeting starting um that I've been selected
070to serve as the alternate delegate for the South Carolina High School League's executive committee for class 1A. Um this gives us voting rights in the event that the delegate is unable to attend any meetings or conferences uh where voting is to take place. Mr. Chair, um board members, that is all I have this evening. If there are any questions for me, I'll certainly entertain them at this time. If not, I turn it back to you, Mr. Chair. All right. And I I just asked Miss Frederick the book game tomorrow night at 7 o'clock. Right. >> 7 o'clock is what I said. >> I had written it down at 7:30 in my calendar. So I want to make sure I got that right. I'm I'm going to try to get there. All right. Um thank you
071Dr. T. Next on our agenda is public participation. And I've been handed the signin sheet. No one has signed up to address the board which takes us to an executive session. Uh so I would ask at this time if I have a motion concerning the executive session. >> I make a motion that we go into executive session to discuss personnel matter as well as the superintendent's evaluation and upon completion we return to regular session. >> All right. You've heard Mr. Jenkins motion. Is there a second? Second. a motion in a second to go into executive session for a discuss a personal matter uh recommendations and rec resignations as well as the superintendent's evaluation and to return to open session upon completion of our discussion. Is there any discussion before I call for the vote hearing?
072None. All those in favor of that motion uh please signify by saying I. >> I oppose. No. Motion carries and we will now go into executive session across in the conference