001Yeah, she's good evening and welcome to the special called meeting uh of the Rockville School Board uh of January 8, 2026. Local news media outlets were notified in writing of the agenda for the meeting on Wednesday, January 7th. At this point, I will entertain a motion to approve the meeting agenda. >> So move. >> Thank you, Mr. Burns. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Nos. Any discussion? >> Yes, Sean. I mean, [snorts] I'm sorry. I've been in [laughter] quite all apologize for that. >> Did I just get promoted or demoted? >> Right. I'm not sure. But um I I do have a question. Um let let me first of all say that we absolutely have a policy policy be trust me I've spent a lot of time over the last
00224 hours reading this policy and see what it says. So I absolutely um believe and I don't want anyone in the public to believe that this is you know I've read some text messages that are going around. I've read some posts on social media that this is an illegal meeting. Um, I do not believe it's an illegal meeting. I do believe it meets the letter of the law. Four members of our school board based on policy can call a meeting. That's a majority and foyer says that the news outlets have to be notified and my understanding that has happened. Um, where I am disappointed and I'm going to direct this directly to you, Madam Chair. Where I am disappointed is I appreciate Mr. knows them picked up the phone and called me and said that
003you were the person who led the effort to call the meeting and your reasons why. Thank you. Um I appreciate Mr. Burns who made it very clear to me after the last meeting. He and I had a very long conversation um about his wishes and and he and I had a very we disagreed but at least it was a colleial conversation um on what our disagreements are and we agreed to work toward a solution that both of us could live with. What I am disappointed about is I believe as the chair that you have a responsibility in these disagreements to remain neutral for us, for me, and I'm speaking for Montreal. Montreal at 4:27 yesterday afternoon got an email that said we will have a meeting tomorrow at 5:30. I didn't even know that a
004meeting was being called. Um there was no professional courtesy to indicate to me um is 5:30 good? Does Thursday work? Can we do it at 12? None of that. And so I'm not here to stop the meeting. I don't even care how the vote goes. Um what we're discussing, but I will please ask that I not be professionally disrespected like that. >> Thank you for your transparency. Uh and thank you for voicing your concerns, Dr. Bel. Um I um I am going to uh open up my phone because I need to look at my emails just to be able to respond as far as time samples goes. So yesterday I had received the last um request for a meeting and as you stated it is a legal way for board members to request either to
005the superintendent or to the board chair and I received that when I look through here. Um yesterday, uh it was sent right around noon. I put in a phone call to the superintendent to notify her. She responded via text messages that she was on the phone and I believe she was actually on the phone with you, doc, about them. Um and I said that it was timesensitive and to please call me back. I called her again or attempted to call her again at 3:00. She was still on the phone with you at that point. Um when that phone call finished concluded uh she called me back and I sent out the meeting notification. I have an opportunity or an obligation to any three board members in conjunction called a meeting. In this case I hear
006that your perception is that I am not being a part. I will have the same professional courtesy on the other end. However, I would have appreciated on the same tone if you could have picked up the phone and shared this conversation with me prior to this meeting as well as in public. >> I engage the way I am engaged with. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> Thank you. Any other comments? Yes, ma'am. >> Madam Chair, can you confirm the majority that requested Absolutely. I received a request from uh Mr. Nosel, Mr. Burns, um uh Miss Harris, and myself. >> Anything further? >> Uh yes, Madam Chair. [clears throat] I really wish we weren't going to have to be in this room tonight. I wish we would have to take out the staff's time. Um but unfortunately,
007there's something that's very important to for the board members at least on this on this agenda. So hopefully we can make this quick. Thank you. Anything further? >> Well, there's a motion on the floor to approve the meeting agenda. It has been made by Mr. Barnes and seconded by Mr. N. Any further discussion? If none, all those in favor say I. >> All opposed. Motion carries 70. At this point, I will uh move over to the action agenda uh which has one item and one item only, which is a new motion to approve education teaching dual enrollment program. And I'm going to welcome up Miss Johnson to present to the board. Welcome up. >> Good evening, Chair Miller, Vice Chair Hutchinson, board members, Dr. Elder, and members of the community. This is a familiar presentation.
008Um, we are revisiting an opportunity to have a partnership with Winthre University to offer an education teaching dual enrollment program. This is a program that will provide an opportunity for our current students to be trained right here in Rockill Schools through Ruth University and then come back to serve in the teaching capacity um in our district. The program will be structured similar to our other programs in which the students would participate in winter university courses during the first and the second blocks of the school day. Um they would earn credit towards graduation requirements and or a win of education degree. So this program is designed for students who are seriously interested in becoming a teacher. Um we would launch it in the 2627 school year which would include 25 students. We would also open it
009up to juniors and seniors. And you will see here on the slide that if they are a junior they will have the opportunity to complete 35 credit hours. If they enter in as a senior they would have an opportunity to complete 19 credit hours. So these are the undergraduate degrees that they would be eligible for at winter. And then Winter has mapped out what the pathway would look like starting with fall 26, spring 27, fall 27, and spring 28. [clears throat] And these are the dual credit equivalencies. So you'll see these are the things that will count for dual credit. The other courses that do not count for dual credit count specifically towards the degree. So, at this time, I'll turn it over to Dr. >> Thank you, Miss Johnson, and thank you for all
010of your hard work and the staff's hard work to make this happen. Um, madam chair, members of the board, um, as I shared with you when I interviewed for the job, what I first want to do is make sure that the Rockill School's diploma from any of our high schools um, is a guarantee that our students are top tier. I want military workforce and college recruiters to stand up when they see our kids coming. I want them to want our kids um beyond high school. But I don't want to stop there. I want our graduates to also have an additional advantage after graduation. A diploma plus could include work-based learning, industry recognized credentials, a bilingual biiteracy seal, international balora, or dual credit. And we already offer these opportunities in the Rockill schools. The dual credit
011courses that we seek approval for tonight are firmly in line with this vision. These specific courses for an educator pathway at Winthre are unquestionably an investment in our future workforce. and your affirmative vote tonight opens the opportunity for our students. Of course, funding is a concern, but it shouldn't be a barrier. We have funded the multilingual program um with dual credit with Winthre for years. Private scholarships would also be available for this program. Additionally, I want to commit that I'm willing to increase funding for our dual credit in the 27 budget in the FY27 budget to expand with dual credit opportunities for Rockill School students. While I can't give a firm number right now without adequate fiscal analysis, I am confident that we will be able to increase investment with our students and ensure that
012students who cannot pay yet want and qualify for access to this program will be able to access it. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Madam Chair. I want to thank you for this and Alicia Johnson, thank you so much for all your hard work on this. just wouldn't have been able to do without you. It's amazing opportunity. We're offering the the Rock Hill students a dual a dual credit courses where you can combine immersion, language immersion with education or business program, graduate with 54 credit hours and a minor in Spanish or French after two years of high school. That's amazing. No one can offer that. And I want to thank y'all for putting that together. That gives us a leading edge in in this competitive education land landscape. And with that, Madam Chair, I'd like
013to make a motion we move to approve the education teaching dual enrollment program. >> Thank you, Mr. Burns. >> Second. >> Sorry. Thank you, Mr. Burns. And there's a second from Mr. [clears throat] Nosen. Open it up for discussion. >> Yes. Um, well, firstly, I'd like to state that the reason why we are here is because this motion did not pass at the December meeting. We voted on it and it did not pass. And I would just like to clarify for myself, I 100% support dual enrollment. I think that it's a great opportunity for our children to have an advantage, to have a oneup, to have an opportunity to have college credits when they leave Rockville schools. However, the caveat that I had is what you just mentioned. We do not have a fiscal plan
014to support this endeavor. And when we joined the board in November of 2024, we were tasked, the new board members were tasked with deciding on cuts to Rock Hill Schools based on previous decisions that happened outside of the budget. And here we are again at January of 2026 making decisions outside of the budget knowing that our numbers are declining that we don't know what we're getting from the state and now we're asking to make a financial commitment without a plan. So, I'm saying that I support dual enrollment 100% and I hope that my children will benefit from dual enrollment, but I cannot comfortably make a decision or approve something without a fiscal without fiscal responsibility. I just cannot I don't want to make any more cuts. I don't want to raise taxes, but I want
015us to be conscious of what we're doing and have an adequate plan. And that's why I voted against it in December, and that is why I'm going to likely vote against it today. Anyone else? >> I just want to be clear that this was not the motion that we voted on in December. This is a different motion. So, thank you. >> Well, it's not a motion. That's why I didn't raise the issue of whether or not someone else could raise it. So, it is it is a slightly different motion. So, >> good lord, Pete. >> Oh, right. We actually voted against it. The motion was to vote against it. Now the motion is to vote for it. Let me clarify myself. So now the motion on the floor is to vote to approve it. And
016that is Yes, Mr. No, that is the difference. Miss Daniel, >> um I'd like to clarify my position just so there's no confusion. I do support dual enrollment. I do see the benefit for it. Again, like I stated in December, I have my own student that will more than likely benefit from dual enrollment. Um, I see dual enrollment as an excellent use of a high schooler's time should they have that opportunity available while they're there. My belief is that dual enrollment in order to make it accessible to everyone is the fact that it would be funded by a district and I understand that is not what is proposed here tonight. Correct. We are not asking for a financial obligation. We are just asking to approve the program agreement. Correct. >> Correct. >> All right. However,
017that is where it's fundamentally different for me. In order to be accessible to all, I believe dual enrollment should be funded by a school district. I understand that we are not in a position to offer that because our money is there's a finite amount and my belief that dual enrollment be accessible to all and funded by its school district will not outweigh the fact that we have larger in my opinion larger needs. When you look at our data, our scores do not indicate the majority of the students in a Rock Hill high school would benefit from dual enrollment. For me, the school that our data with the district indicates we should be putting time and priority and efforts in an elementary and a middle school level in order to make sure that students are academically
018ready for our high school needs and graduation requirements. And in the future, I believe that that is when we can improve and increase our dual enrollment opportunities. Again, I believe in dual enrollment and I see its benefits. Do I think we are at this point in time ready to continue expanding those efforts when the expense lies on families? No. That is why my vote is the way it is and the way it was in December. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Thank you. >> Um yes. Um thank you, Madam Chair. Um I want to get to a yes in this. Um I am not I try not to be um a hypocrite personally and I don't want to be one professionally. My son is graduating college early because of dual enrollment but he had the
019access to in in Fort Mill. My daughter now is in a position where she will go into college with college credit, hopefully will graduate early, and certainly is in a position now where she's competing for one of the top scholarships in the nation because of dual enrollment and the opportunity that she's had in Rockill Schools and the fact that she's bilingual um and able to do the um the CNA program out at ATC. And so we may be college debtree with her here in the next couple of months if she get through the scholarship. So, I want this to win. I want every child to win like my children have won. Now, Miss Daniel just said something and quite frankly, I was prepared to support it because I heard one thing from the superintendent, but
020I heard a question from Miss Daniel and I heard you say yes. What we're voting on and approving tonight, you are saying for 20, this will start in the 26 27 school year and that the school district will pay for it. or did I misunderstand you? >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, board member, um, Dr. Belton, what I am saying is that the district will not allow a student who qualifies the for the program to not participate due to finances. We are aware that there are private scholarships available for this program. Okay? >> So, we would first want them to apply for a scholarship. Okay? >> Right? If they qualify for a scholarship, they have the scholarship. We're not paying. Okay? if they qualify for the program but don't qualify for a scholarship, we would
021be able to pick those students up. Fact of the matter is, just like in the dual language program, there aren't going to be mass amounts of kids in this program next year, right? Programs always start small and then they grow. So knowing that for startup for next year we'd be picking up kids who don't qualify for scholarship but who do qualify for admission to Winthre University because we can't change that criteria yet. I think that we will be able to pick that up knowing that three of their classes are actually coming from Winthre not from their comprehensive high school. So I think that we can work that out. I'm willing to commit to make sure that we do. >> Okay. >> Is that is that clear? One more question that you can um hopefully help
022me ask. Now obviously we have a finite resources and just the ma fact of the matter is things increase in price. So one one I appreciate that there is a commitment that all children will have access to this regardless of their finances. That was my major issue. My second piece of that now I hear we are making a decision tonight that does have a budgetary impact which means we will have to put this money in our budget. Will it come at the expense of some of the things that we talked about last year like um virtual school? Um will it come at the expense of any of those programs or is the money so small that you can see ways where we can pull it from other things that doesn't impact some of those things
023that were major budgetary concerns last year like dean of students and etc etc. Thank you, Madam Chair and board member Dr. Belton. If I if I had a crystal ball, I'd be able to answer that question for you really, really well. But right now, I don't have the crystal ball. I think it's easy to anticipate this is not going to be a hugely attended program. We're not going to have hundreds of kids, right? And Winthrop doesn't have capacity, even if we did. Um, there will be scholarships for some, if not all. those who do not get scholarships um I don't anticipate being an unmanageable amount of money that would cause significant cuts in any other area. I think that we have enough discretionary money that we can move around in different ways that we should
024be able to cover and that's what I wanted to hear. Okay. So, Madame Chair, may I amend the motion slightly? um that we do the dual enrollment and the language that she said I don't exactly know how to capture it um so someone will have to help me with the language to capture that we're making a commitment that all children will have access to it regardless of their financial means um and that it's not going to come at the expense of some of these that it will come from discretionary funds that you have in other places how we capture that into a motion but that's what I would like to do >> I just want to amend your it's not all children. It's the children that qualify me accepted into the program. >> So that
025who do not qualify for a private scholarship and whose parents cannot afford to pay that >> just language immersion etc. >> And that would be absolutely insane to have a kid that could not afford to go to Winthre that wants to go to Winthre to be a teacher to potentially come back to our schools to say well we're not going to we're not going to provide funding for that. So yes, I agree with you, Dr. Bel. Thank you. >> Thank you. Will you second my motion then? >> Well, hang on a second. I have a question. Yes. Go ahead. >> Okay. So then to clarify, just as we discuss this, I do want to put it out. >> There is a motion on the motion on the floor. >> So respectfully, I I need I
026need the even if you all work it out, I actually the motion verbatim or the the amendment so that we can take action on it. I don't have the piece of paper that she has in front of her, so I'm trying to remember it off the top of my head. I amend the motion to approve the dual enrollment program. Um, for children who that all children who qualify, who may not otherwise get a scholarship, the school district will financially support and that the monies that come to support this will be from the discretionary funds and not at the expense of other programs that we have. Now there may be other budget considerations for those programs but it we will not supplant money from these programs for this. It will come from the discretionary funds that
027she indicated. >> Okay. So we have an amendment on the floor that Dr. Belton just introduced. Do I have a second to that amendment? >> Second. >> Okay. So we have a first and a second on the amendment. At this point, we will vote on the amendment, not on the main motion. >> So all the >> They want to discuss. >> Do we have discussion? >> Yeah, I'm not there yet. >> Okay. [laughter] >> So So we have a an amendment with a second. Any discussion on that? The amendment only. >> On the amendment only. I hear what the amendment is and I just want to make it very well known that even though I have a desire for a funded dual enrollment program, my desire for that does not outweigh, it should not come
028at the expense, and I understand what your amendment is. I'm making it very clear my position. It should not come at the expense of programs and personnel already within Rockill Schools. I get that what your amendment is and I hear it and I appreciate it, but that's my comment to go along with that. So it is well known I will not do this at the expense of personnel programs already here in the district. >> Isn't that isn't that my motion? It is that is I'm just >> um I I just want to make sure that this what he said this is discretionary funds we are not considering cutting like Ly said Miss Daniel said no positions no programs you have looked and seen that for the number of students that we have potentially in this
029program enrolled in this program that we have enough money in discretionary only to support this endeavor for the next two years and even potentially long term. term because that's my concern long term. I'm looking at again on the motion. This district has made a lot of plans the last couple of years without looking at the long term. I'd like for us to continue to look at the long term. So, I just want your word. >> Madam Chair, Vice Chair Hutchinson, um I appreciate the question. Um I will say that my experience in South Carolina is limited. I don't have a strong grasp of the um revenue outlook for our state over multiple years to be able to guarantee that. I know that we can do it for next year. Um anticipating that it's going to
030be a small amount far into the future. Again, that crystal ball, I didn't I don't have that. Um but I know that we need to figure that out for next year. I want to give you a fair and honest answer. >> Madam Chair, may I comment one more time? Um I want to make sure clear that we are going to be part of the budgeting process and certainly I have no idea what you're planning to do in the budgeting process and maybe in your budgeting process some of the things that I name may not be part of your long-term vision. Whatever decisions we make here I want to be sure that there I don't want to I don't I'm not trying to handcuff you where you feel like in your budget that you can't touch
031these things. That's that's not what my intention is. My intention here is is to ensure that there's funding there for children who who meritoriously qualify for this program, can access this program and finances will not be an issue for those children. That's what the intention is and that that this doesn't come into the board now having deci having to decide between virtual academy or dual enrollment. I don't want to be in that position. That's that's what I'm trying to accomplish here. Now, if you were going to cut the virtual academy, then you just cut the virtual academy. That's on your own and that's separate and apart for I cut virtual academy because we couldn't do virtual academy and dual enrollment. >> That's what I don't want programs competing against each other. >> Yeah, Madam Chair,
032thank and Dr. Bton, thank you for the question. Um, that's exactly I appreciate that flexibility. um knowing that with board goals with different focus areas we may need to make some adjustments. Um, however, I what I am to be clear, what I am saying is that I won't be cutting another program to be able to finance this program just so we would fun finance this program just as we finance the multilingual program that is dual credit with Winthre just as we have done for many years. >> And that's what I've asked just fund the way that we funded the other ones. All right. Thank you. So, we do have an amendment and that has been first and seconded on the floor. Uh, we have discussed it. Uh, any further discussion before we vote on the
033amendment, not on the main motion, on the amendment to the motion. >> Can I ask that you reread the amendment? >> Just I [clears throat] just want to make sure or no, he doesn't have it written down. >> Go ahead. >> I I wasn't writing. I'm sorry. Um, do we have a secretary? Who's the board secretary? Who's who's copying? >> Um, so so >> Miss Chris, are you keeping up with this? >> I've got all students that qualify with no scholarship, don't qualify for scholarship, but qualify for the program will have access regardless >> of funding and that it will come from discretionary funding, not from other programs. But I will go back and I will go back and watch this tomorrow. >> I don't know if that's going to help you. >> So, [clears
034throat] so for clarity, let's just make sure we get it right and write down the motion so that uh I believe Miss Williams is down there. >> Okay. Miss Williams has amend the motion to approve the dual enrollment program with support from discretionary funds to cover costs for students that qualify but are not able to pay. Amendment made by Bel and seconded by Nosal should not come at the expense of programs and personnel in place. >> Yeah, there we go. >> Okay, everybody clear what the amendment reads? >> Thank you. Thank you. All those in favor of the amendment say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Motion carries 70. That brings us back to the new amended motion to approve the education teaching dual enrollment program including the amendment that we yes have read. Any
035further discussion? Bearing none. All those in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. Motion carries. 61 >> with Daniels against. >> No, it's Hutchinson. >> Hutchinson. I'm sorry. >> Hutchkins. >> Hutchinson. >> Hutchson. There's There's one of me. For clarification of the public, you only want one. >> You're not the only one. Don't worry. >> Was my in fairness. Daniel's supposed My apologies. >> I move that we adjourn. >> Uh, yes. I was just going to ask for a motion to adjurnn. Thank you, Mr. Burns. Uh, Mr. Nosal. Second. Any discussion? >> One quick comment. >> Yes. >> First of all, board, I appreciate this and I, as I told Mr. Nosal this morning, and I'm going to say it again, that we can figure out ways to get to a yes with the power of
036our ideas and discussion and debate. And I hope that we use what we've been able to accomplish tonight here on a 70 vote and a 61 vote 61 61 vote on a 61 vote that if we just communicate, just talk, um we can figure out how to get to where we need to get to for the betterment of Rock Hill. So, thank you all. Um I vote to >> Yeah. Yes, ma'am. And I just want to be clear to the public, I 100% support dual enrollment, but again, I do not like us making decisions without outside of the budget and without a full plan to support every program that we have in Rockill schools. I do not want to take us down that road. It's important that we are very fiscally responsible for our taxpayer
037dollars and we make the right decisions for our children. Thank you. Any further discussion on the motion to adjourn? Var all those in favor? I I >> All opposed. Motion carries. 7