001Let us pray. >> Heavenly Father, in your infinite wisdom, you woke us all up this morning and you start us on our way. And for this, thank you. >> Thank you, Father. >> Heavenly Father, for this day that you've given us, we just want to say thank you. >> Thank you, Lord. When we woke up this morning, Lord, we had a roof over our head and food on our table. And for this, Lord, we just want to say thank you. >> Thank you, Lord. >> And Lord, for the opening of school on yesterday, Lord, and for the children, the families, and everyone who had anything to do with our school opening, a blessing on them as well. >> Hopefully this school year, Lord, may our kids grow physically, may they grow spiritually, and may they
002grow financially. Heavenly Father, this is our prayer this evening. And for those who are still going through sad hours of bereavement, Lord, we ask them to continue to look to the heel help us to realize hands. >> Come this evening, Lord. Help us to order our >> help us Lord to do it your do it by your will. >> And for all this Lord and glory that is due you. And it's in the precious name of Jesus we count it all done this evening. Amen. >> Amen. >> Like to call to order this August the 5th, 2025 um school board meeting to order this evening. Could I get a motion at this time to um receive the proposed agenda? A motion. [Music] >> Motion was made by Coach Blackman, second by Jean. Any other discussion?
003All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. >> Any opposes? The proposed agenda stands approved. At this time, we have a motion to receive our to approve our consent agenda. >> So move. >> Second. >> Motion was made by Dr. King, second by sir Roberts. Any other discussion? All those in favor of of approving the consent agenda, let it be known by saying I. The consent agenda has been approved this evening. For those who are with us this evening, we thank you for coming this evening. For those who may be live also thank you this evening and from taking time out of your schedule to come would be with us on our August 5th, 2025 first year. The first day of the school day was yesterday and this is our first
004board meeting after our opening school. And next the next on our agenda is the public forum. We have some groups that have signed up. Let me give the names first. But before coming up, we have some guidelines that we have for the public forum that I will share with you and we have signed up this evening Mr. Joe Counts. The topic is the YMCA. Um Autumn Dunlap Kershaw County Civics Workshop and Murphy I'm trying to Jackie Murphy is that correct from the children's physical education. Let me just share with us be with you our public forum guidelines this evening and they read as follows public forum for members of the public to share information with the board. It is not a time for debate with or question and answers from the board. is a time
005receive input. It is not a time for board response. In short, during public forum, the board will listen to public comments but not comment on public comment. In order to later respond to the concerns expressed during public forum, the board needs the names and addresses of public forum speakers. Therefore, up prior to the beginning of public forum, only individuals who have signed up prior to public forum will be allowed to address the board. The clipboard is always at the front table. If a group would like to speak to the board, we request that a spokesperson be selected and that this person indicates the groups he or she is representing on the signup sheet in his or her comments. Public forum is a time to discuss issues not individuals. Other individual personnel complaints. Public forum is
006limited to a total of 30 minutes. Each speaker will have a total of five minutes to address the board. Thank you very much. At this time then our first we ask that Mr. Counts from the YMCA would you please come forward at this time? >> Yes. >> Thank you. Good evening, Kershaw County School Board. So happy to be with you all and thank you all for allowing us to share this afternoon with you. My name is Joe Counts. I'm the president of the gentleman club of Kershaw County. Along with me is my vice president, Jackie Murphy. We uh has succumb uh formed this club and has did some magnificent work since we've been in in form together. such things as uh doing a memorial for Sydney Butler. Most of y'all probably know Sydney Butler who
007is who has passed on and getting a sign put in front of his house. We also recently was able to get a resolution pass for the three room school of Kershaw County. Those are most of you are passed them and and maybe not even recognize them. One is on Highway Five as you're going into the Longtown area. You see one and you see one as you're going toward the dam sitting there. But anyway, we we thought that was a great great thing to get that resolution passed and it passed with the unanimous C. So, we're here this afternoon or this evening rather to um launch our support for the we hearing of the YMCA that wants to be built here. So, that's what we're here for and I will turn the rest of it over
008to my vice president. >> All right. Thank you very much, brother Counts. Uh I'm Jackie Murphy and thank you so very much ladies and gentlemen for allowing us to have this particular forum to have this audience so that we can bring to the forefront some issues that have come to the forefront in our group and we're primarily talking about the benefit that our youngsters and yes there are many many other things that we talk about but the things as it applies to the school board of Kershaw County and it the way it relates to our children as they grow. My children are all grown. Most of them, well, some of them may be even older than you, but I have grandchildren that are in the Kershaw County school systems. And I think that what you
009do is immensely underrated. And I, no offense, but I don't know if I could do what the men and women of Kershaw County School Board to include the teachers, the bus drivers, all those people need to be recognized. And as I sit here before you today, I openly give you my wholehearted thanks for all that you do on a day in and dayout basis. But one of my primary concerns, your focus, I'm sure, is the formal education of our children. And that's a great thing. But my what I want to what we want to highlight today is the physical fitness of our children. I have three children in Kershaw County schools and they all tell me based as much as they can. two are in high school, as a matter of fact, what their days
010are like. And it's nothing like what what my days were like when I was in grade school and or in high school. But I'll tell you that I have talked to some people, specifically one gentleman, his name is uh Scott, Scott Balkam. He is the individual that's in charge of the YMCA's over in Richland County. Because I heard through Grapevine some of the people that I know that live in that area, they say, "Hey, one of the best things that can happen to your to your school system is to try and get swimming indoctrinated or included in the curriculum." I don't know if we have the money. And I say we because it it takes a village to raise a child. And I'm going to do the best I can and I believe that you
011do the best you can because I see it every day. But the bottom line is that YMCA I believe could pay huge dividends if we could get one in Kershaw County. Scott Balcom said there were plans in place, but there are hindrances. One of the hindrances is finances. Fiscal responsibility is something I I would venture to say very few times have you come at the end of the fiscal year and say what are we going to do with all this money we got left over? That doesn't happen. But I do believe that as you go about doing what you do, that if you can somehow pinch off a little little here or a little there, we can come together with a consensus that we can make this happen. But I'll also tell you, I'm not
012going to end my my plight right here because I think that my representative in Washington DC, that is a um congressional representative, as well as the senators that are there, we can all and I I don't have a problem. I communicated with them before and I will seek them out to try and do see what they can do if anything to get better fiscal uh support in terms of having a YMCA built in Kershaw County. I think it's great. I understand there are logistical issues and I'm I'm not saying that there won't be obstacles that have to be overcome, but I do believe that when we continue to put our youngsters first, as you do every day from a intellectual standpoint, from a formal education standpoint, and if we continue to do that and add
013in some physical abilities for them to gain by learning how to swim, learning how to weight, lift weights, learning how to do other things that the facilities might possibly have to offer. I think will be a great thing for Kershaw County. Not just and and let's face it, the gentleman's club, we're old, but we have a deep responsibility in and of itself to our posterity. And that posterity is not going to make it unless we all come together and blaze a path for them to move forward to get what hopefully they might use one day if they find themselves in a situation where they might have to come uh deal with a water a water obstacle or something like that. And you never know when that might happen. But I truly believe that through you
014and everybody else that I plan to contact all things are possible. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for your year. >> Thank you very much. And also with us is a couple members of our club. To my left over there is Ernest Nelson and to my right is Clifford Griffer. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> And one last thing, and I know I'm I'm realized there was a clock over there. I apologize for going over. >> That's all right. Thank you, Mr. Law. Good evening board members and thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to come and speak to you. For those that I have not had the pleasure to meet, my name is Autumn Dunlap and I have something I'm going to read to you real quick because
015I want to make sure that I don't miss anything. Um, so I am here to share some information with all of you regarding an upcoming free civics education workshop created specifically for the citizens of Kershaw County. This is an informative and nonpartisan opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about local government and build better civil engagement. So, a few topics that we're going to include is learning the core functions of local government, best practices for communicating with elected officials like yourself, public commenting instructions and guidance at local meetings, as well as Kershaw County voter registration information. This workshop is structured in two segments that will be offered twice to the community. Part one will be held this coming Monday, August 11th, at 6 PM at the American Legion Post 17, right down the road
016at Chestnut Berry Road in Camden. Part two will be August 25th at 6:30 p.m. located at the Louise C Proctor Hall in Camden. And then parts one and two will be presented together on Saturday, September 27th out in Bthoon. We want to make sure that we are reaching as much of our county as possible. So each of you should have received a letter at this point approximately a month ago. Um, included the registration link and QR code and we would love to see each and every one of you there. So while there are sponsoring organizations in different groups, I do want to emphasize that civics is not a partisan issue. So it doesn't matter where you are in the political spectrum, we all could learn better how to engage with each other. So this is
017a complete nonpartisan group that is coming together to put this on for our community. Um it is an absolutely free um event to come to as long as you register in advance so we can make sure we have enough materials for you. Um should anyone not get the registration link and want to show up, we are asking for a small $5 cash donation at the door just to cover materials. Um I do have a handout for each of you here that has the QR code as well as the link. Um thank you so much for what each of you are doing. I don't want to take up too much of your time tonight. I know there's a lot going on in our community. I see some friendly faces and ones that I know very well
018on this board. And I just want to say thank you for what each and every one of you are doing serving our families and ultimately our students. While I've had the pleasure to meet some of you and know how you have worked in the community and each of you have touched my family, I just want to say thank you for what you're doing, what you have done, and what you're going to continue to do. And I trust that each and every one of you are putting everything forward for our children and the future of this community. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. On the chairman's report, I do not have anything for Dr. Smith, but just a reminder for those who are going to the law conference in Charleston.
019I'm not sure if that deadline has passed already, but for the law conference, if you have not, please see see Miss Blair. She'll take care of it. I think the deadline has passed for registration, but that's just a reminder and it's going to be down in Charleston. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Next on our agenda, our superintendent and the senior leadership team and their report that they're going to be making to us this evening. Dr. Goodley. >> Madam Chair, while Mr. Uh, Matthews is coming up. I'd just like to point out a few things uh from the past few weeks. Um, uh, thanks to those who were able to attend the staff opening day last Tuesday. Um, I I must give congratulations to the teacher forum as well as our public relations team as
020well as everybody else that worked hard to put that day on. That was an incredible uh day and uh it was nice to have a Kershaw County product as the uh key note speaker for that. Um Monty Lee did a great job. And then also would like to mention that uh you know obviously we're on the second day of school. Um while there are always hiccups on the first, you know, week of school or so, we uh we really had a smooth opening so far and we hope it will continue. uh you know the the normal uh gremlins uh you know car rider line yes those are always a challenge the first few days at the you know at schools uh bus transportation's always a little bit of a challenge uh balancing some class sizes
021you know that's always a challenge so but uh we'll continue to work on those things and get everybody settled in. I'd also like to mention you got a memo from us uh letting you know that the state superintendent was visiting Camden Middle School yesterday and uh that was a really good visit. Um was here better than better than two hours and spent time with different groups around the school uh including teacher groups, administrator groups, and just really a good visit. That's a really bold thing to do on the first day of school, especially in a middle school. But um uh Casey Falenberry and his team did a great job of planning right down to uh yesterday was National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and they had delivered chocolate chip cookies to every single student in the
022building and we're finishing up just as the state superintendent got there and offered her some as well and and everyone had opportunity to partake. But uh it's always nice to be able to show off the great things that are going on in our school district. So with uh appreciate those like I say who were able to attend last week and if you have time and want to visit a school let us know or or let local principal know and go and have a good time. Uh they'll they'll take time to show you around and welcome you. So Mr. Matthews I'll turn it over to you. >> All right. Uh tonight we will go over the first of the test scores that we've been allowed to share. uh most of the state uh data is still
023embargoed but this is national data so we'll be happy to share it uh and the first of our advanced learning opportunities are our AP results uh so you'll see on if you'll advance the slide you'll see uh the pass rate for each of the AP courses that we give uh in parentheses you'll see the national pass rate so you have a comparison between how the district did versus what the national uh uh how the students did nationally. U and you can see that we compare very favorably. Uh I'm not going to read the results of each of these. Now, I will say that each AP course is not offered at each school. For example, uh seminar and research are both offered at Ludolf Elgen High School, but they aren't currently being offered at Camden and
024uh North Central. We are beginning to migrate those courses over. For example, this year, uh the the AP calculus teacher at Lugoff will be traveling to North Central High School to teach a class fourth block u out there. We appreciate Mr. Cwell uh making that sacrifice, but he's uh agreed to do that and so we're beginning to offer those courses and expand those offerings. Uh the next slide talks about our dual credit classes and as you know students in our district can take dual credit classes at Central Carolina. Now they can take classes, college credit classes at USC or at Winthre or at uh Coker or at any number of institutions, but our dual credit, we have a memorandum of agreement with Central Carolina. So the only ones that count at our schools are are
025the ones from Central Carolina. Um, and I I put an addendum in here that due to changes in the fee structure at Central Carolina, uh, our students may now incur some additional charges. Before this year, if you took a class at Central and you had the qualifications, you you did not pay anything. It was it was free, but Central Carolina made some adjustments in their fee structure. Uh, and we found out about it sort of secondhand, but we found out and Dr. Goodwin and I called uh uh actually Paul Napper happened to be sitting with with the president at the time. The president told us that he would get back with us and that's yet to happen. Uh so we we are aware of that and and we have reached out to Central Carolina about
026that. Uh but you can see that we had 925 uh dual credit classes taken uh and and passed. We had,30 taken. So compare that to the number of classes uh that our our AP uh students took. They took 584 classes. So that's about twice the number um that of dual credit classes that are being taken by our student as opposed to the AP classes. Um and of the AP class uh excuse me of the dual credit classes that were taken uh 89.8% were passed. So 89.8% got high school credit and they also got college credit. So that's remarkable work by our kids. Uh if you'll advance the slide. >> Yes. question. >> Do you have any idea uh what the additional fees are and is that something the district absorbs or is that on the
027families who >> that that's on the families and it generally revolves around lab fees and technology fees that that >> okay >> they decide to restructure that uh through Central Carolina. >> Okay. and historically rem remind me and and the board if you don't mind um what the MOA was regarding a no charge for our students and and what we can do to rectify that. Does the board need to do anything to I don't want to say lobby but to come to the table on that. Well, theou is is worded um tuition is the way it's been worded. And so they were absorbing the the fees that they were passing on and they increased their fee structure this year. And to be honest, we we we really don't have any information on what that fee
028structure looks like. uh you know they they they've had a change in president left and have an interim president and we've reached out a number of times trying to to find out don't think the cost will be substantial you know you know substantial for students but it is something we want to make sure students are prepared for and parents are prepared for that there are some cost >> yeah I guess my main concern would be um if a child or student were not able to do it because of the fee you know what can we do about it because we certainly don't want to prohibit a kid from taking a a dual credit course. >> Don't want to create a system of halves and have nots been able to take dual credit. >> You know,
029AP every student can take it. There's no, you know, we we don't have any kind of charges and we don't want to, you know, we want to figure out what we can do if not to eliminate it to get it to the least amount. >> Yep. Um, and on the takeaways, uh, you'll see for the third consecutive year, not only have we increased the number of AP tests taken, we've also increased the same time frame, the number of AP tests passed. And the percentage has also increased accordingly. So, we went from 62.73% 72% two years ago to 73.5% now. So, that's substantial. this, as you're well aware, AP tests are very, very rigorous. And so to not only increase the opportunities to take the test, the class, but to increase the pass rate is a
030really big, you know, pat on the back to our teachers and our students, the teachers who teach the class and are teaching it to the rigor of the exam. that is a nationally, you know, standardized exam, but for the students to take it and be willing to to to do that amount and that level of work is very impressive. Um, Kershaw County School District exceeded the national pass rate in 11 out of 16 categories. Four of our AP classes had a 100% pass rate. Everybody that took that that exam passed it. And that's just superior work by those uh students and teachers. And our dual uh enrollment numbers have in increased uh from 10:16 last year to 10:30 this year. The number of uh classes passed went from 912 to 925, but oddly that's the
031exact same percentage at at 89.8. And that's just a statistical oddity. Uh but just the first of several times that we're going to talk to you about great work by our teachers and our students. So any questions about that? >> Yes sir. >> Um so back to the dual enrollment you mentioned the numbers are growing. I guess when we know the fees if they are an obstacle for families they would be allowed to change classes. I know we give them five days. >> Yes sir. maybe a little more grace in this one because we don't know the fees at this time. Um I know there's book charges from my own experience, my own child that that we've incurred in the past. So, >> right. And there's a way for them to not incur those book
032fees. Uh but it's sort of hidden in the way they say it. So sometimes you are you get the book and you get the fee and then you don't re recognize it until all of a sudden you get a bill. Madam chairs are referring to dancing kind of like kid that they don't know so that they're aware of it >> as as soon as we found out about the fees and Miss Runlet had contacted me. I had a couple other parents contact me because the information didn't come to us. It didn't come to the district office. it went to the parents. And so we immediately contacted all the guidance counselors and the principles and said, "You reach out to every one of these parents and and the students so they know because sometimes students will
033get an email and they may not fully read it. They may read part of it, but they don't get down in the weeds and they miss might miss that piece. And all of a sudden, they've incurred a fee that they were unaware of. So, we wanted to be sure that at that point, and that was right as school was right before school was getting out, that we got that information and we shared that with the principles and with the guidance counselors. >> I have a curiosity question. having been away from the high school so long. What is AP Seminar? It's part of the process that Lugoff underwent several years ago to become a a an AP scholar school and students have to attempt a certain number of classes and this were were two of them
034that they required that Lugof offer. Okay. Thank you. I just want to reiterate what you said. Um I've sat in not as a student or even auditing some of those AP courses just like walking in and listening and it is way beyond my head my capability and for those students it's a year long right the AP courses >> most of them some of them are are semester but most of them are year long. Yeah. And and as most of you know already, the uh the dual enrollment's a quarter semester >> semester. So these kids are doing that for a whole year. So you know, all of our teachers do a a superlative job. But a special shout out this evening to those AP teachers and and the ones who offer our students what they need
035to know at at Central as well. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you very much. >> Yes, sir. Uh, I would just like to add, um, we're not planning, we didn't plan to bring y'all data like this along and along, but I think it's actually a better way to bring it than to bring one night just dump a big data dump on you. So, as things are allowed to be released, we're going to bring them to you. And we're going to have a series of of very good, you know, reports that are very good news, uh, coming up and we're excited to share them. and uh it it's on a lot of different things. So, um but you know, it's not that we're trying to hold back from you. We're just not allowed to share with you
036yet. And as soon as we can let it go, we'll be, you know, putting it out your way so that you have it. So, uh but lots of good stuff still to come. >> You have any idea when the embargo will be lifted? They don't tell us when they're going to release them. They just do it at will. They they'll give us some advanced notice, but they have not yet set those dates. I haven't even Sometimes they'll put out like a tentative date, but I haven't even seen a tentative date yet on a on a a correspondent. So, we could certainly check with Miss Corner and if uh if she has tenative dates, we'll get those out to you. Okay. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to go into executive session to discuss resignation
037and retirements of certified and classified personnel, employment of certified and classified personnel, and assign and transfers of certified and classified personnel, and a contractual matter >> by Autumn Furnace, second by Jean. All those Any other discussion? All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. >> Any opposes? Okay. Can I get a motion to reconvene after executive session? >> See the same time? It was the motion was made by Mr. Roberts, second by Autumn. Any other discussion? All those in favor of returning to executive I mean returning from executive session back to regular session let me know by saying I. >> Any opposes? Okay. Thank you. In executive session we discuss resignation, retirements of certified and classified personnel, employment of certified and classified personnel and assignment changes and transferred of certified and classified
038personnel and a contractual matter. Is there a motion to accept administration's recommendation concerning employment matters? >> The motion was made by coach Blackman, second by all furnace. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor? Let it be known by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposes? Motion accepted. Is there a motion to adjourn with prayer? >> Second. >> All right. The motion was made by Jean, second by Rebecca. That we any discussion? All those in favor of a journey with prayer. Let it be known by saying I. >> Any opposes? Okay, let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for abiding with us this evening, Lord. And as we leave here, Lord, but never from your divine presence. We ask that you lead us safely back home and find all is well when we get
039there. And we give all the honor and glory that is to you. And it's in the precious name of Jesus we count it done. Amen. >> Amen.