001Evening ladies, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this Berkeley County Board of Education meeting this Monday, January 26, 2026. I call this meeting to order. I declare a quorum is present and the media has been notified. I'm going to do a quick uh attendance just so um we can make it clear who is here. I'll go by district. Mr. Ramsey >> here. >> Mr. McQuillin. >> Mrs. Mack, I'm here. >> Mr. Baker. >> Hey, I'm here. >> Miss Littleton. I see Kathy present. So Kathy, if if you can unmute, let me know. Miss Davenport. >> Davenport, present. >> District six is Walford. District seven, Miss Bradley >> here. >> Mr. Bordon >> here. Miss Coats >> here. >> Thank you very much. And I do see Miss Littleton online. We'll work on the uh the audio.
002Um so now we'll move on to agenda item 1B, the approval of the agenda. >> Is there a motion >> to approve? >> Second. >> There's a motion for Mr. McQuillin, a second by Miss Davenport to approve the agenda for tonight. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. The eyes have it. 9 Z. >> Can you hear me now, Sally? >> Yes, ma'am. I have you. Perfect. Thank you. I'll now move on to agenda item 1 C, the approval of minutes for the board meeting on January 12th, 2026. Move to approve. >> Second. Second. >> There's a motion by Miss Coats, a second by Miss Littleton. Is there any discussion or proposed edits to the minutes from January 12th,
0032026? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. The eyes have it. 90. We'll now enter in uh entertain a motion to enter into executive session. >> So moved. Second. >> There's a motion by Miss Littleton. A second by Miss Davenport. The stated purpose of executive session is the discussion of employment contracts andor appointment of administrator or administrators as needed and student expulsion appeals. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. I. >> I. Opposed. Nay. The eyes have it. 90. So >> click that other link now. >> Yeah. You're going to clo You're going to actually leave this meeting. You're going to go into the um the link for executive session. I'll
004wait until everybody gets there. We'll do that business and then we'll reenter this meeting. >> And it's the second email, Lacy. It looks like she sent one and said, "No, don't use that one. Use the second email." >> It's the second It's the link in the second email. >> Got it. >> Entertain a motion to return to regular session. >> So moved. >> Second. >> There's a motion by Mr. McQuillin. A second by Miss Davenport. Is there any discussion? Like to state for the record that no action was taken in executive session. >> No. >> All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. >> The eyes have it. >> We are now going to have >> Sorry, I was going to say I'm happy for the pledge of allegiance. Um,
005if everyone wants to mute, I can kind of lead us in that. I was joking that we'd let Dr. Dr. Dixon or Joe do it, but I'll I'll take one for the team and do it. >> Okay, perfect. Um, so we are going to do the pledge of allegiance and Mac is going to lead us so we don't have a bunch of audio. >> All right. 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. Thank you very much, Mac. We'll now move to agenda item 4A, the superintendent report. Dr. Dixon, you are recognized. >> Thank you very much and good evening. Um, board chair Wford and members of the board of trustees and
006all of our attendees at our board meeting tonight. I had the opportunity to engage with our teacher forum during their recent retreat, including a meaningful question and answer session. Teachers served as thoughtful, passionate advocates for their profession, schools, and students. Small group discussion at individual tables allowed for open dialogue and collaboration. We will continue to strengthen this relationship, recognizing that unity does not always mean agreement, but it does require us to listen respectfully and find common ground as we all want what is best for our 39,000 plus students. Thank you to our teacher forum, which I think I see Miss Hansen and um maybe a couple other teacher forum members that are present that I just did not see their names, for representing your colleagues so well and your willingness to um do hard things
007together. BCSD will host the Putting on the Ritz hiring event on February 21st um at 9:00 a.m. at Stratford High School. individuals uh interested in positions at schools and within the district are encouraged to attend. This is not just for certified teachers, but for all positions. Current staff members seeking a new experience or location are also um welcome. We truly have opportunities for everyone and we have seen a significant increase in registrations and attendance each year and are encouraged by recent updates from colleges regarding their teacher education program enrollment numbers. As part of our nation's 250th anniversary celebration, Liberty Day was hosted today at the state house in Colombia. Miss White's fourth grade class at Canhoy Elementary was selected as one of the only one of only 10 classes statewide to participate in this special
008event. And we are proud of our students representing uh for Berkeley County School District. Congratulations are in order to Maritan Middle School of the Arts eighth grader Ellery Fine for clenching this year's district spelling bee held January 15th at Goose Creek High. The district spelling be is sponsored by the Posting Courier and the top 10 top nine spellers qualified to compete in the regional B next month. January is schoolboard appreciation month, a time to recognize and thank our school board members for their leadership and service in guiding our public school district. We encourage the community to learn more about the important responsibilities of school boards and how they support student success. So, we thank you all for um accepting this call and all of your work serving our community and our students and teachers. Thank
009you. >> Thank you, Dr. Dixon. We'll now move on to agenda item 5A, action from executive session. Uh, Mr. McQueen, let's do the personnel recommendation first. >> All right. I move to accept the personnel recommendations of the administration as discussed in executive session for the current school year. >> Second. >> There's a motion by Mr. McQuillin, a second by Miss Littleton. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. The eyes have it. 90. There is one student expulsion appeal. I'll now entertain a motion for student number one. >> Madam chair, >> go ahead. >> I move that we move this uh accept the appeal and move the child to virtual school. Is there a second for Miss Littleton's
010motion? >> Okay, we failed for a second. >> Madam Chair, I move that we deny the appeal of student number one. >> Second. >> There's a motion by Mr. McQuill and a second by Miss Davenport to the deny the appeal of student number one. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. >> Nay. >> The eyes have it. 8 one. >> Miss Littleton is uh the dissenting vote um for recordkeeping. So, next on the agenda are the reports from our standing committees. First, a report from the Committee on Academics and Innovation. Chair Kathy Littleton, you are recognized. >> Thank you, Madame Chair. The committee on academics and innovation met on January 12th, 2026. And on recommendation of the committee,
011I move to approve the Head Start budget expenditure report for November 2025. Head Start credit report for November 2025. Prospective new hires for 2026 2027 refunding application. >> We have a recommendation from the committee. No second is required. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. And all in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I >> opposed. Nay. The eyes have it. 90. >> Also on recommendation of the committee, I move to approve the identified schools continuous improvement turnaround plans so that they can be submitted to the office of leadership effectiveness by January 30th, 2026 deadline. >> We have a recommendation from the committee. No second is required. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed?
012Nay. >> Nay. >> 81. The eyes have it. Miss Coats is the dissenting vote. Lacy for benefit of recordkeeping. >> Madam chair, that concludes my report. >> Thank you. Next is the committee on finance and human resources chairman Michael Ramsey. Sir, you are recognized. >> Madame Chairwoman, the committee on finance and human resources met on January the 12th, 2026. And on recommendation of the committee, I move to approve the out ofstate travel as presented. >> We have a recommendation from the committee. No second is required. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. I >> opposed. Nay. >> The eyes have it. 90. Also on recommendation of the committee, I move to approve the award of RFP 74825-26 for the district safety footwear program
013to Safeguard Safety Shoe Company, DBA SR Max for an initial one-year term valued at 60,000 with the option to renew for four additional one-year terms for potential contract value of 300,000. At the end of the five-year contract term, the superintendent may extend the contract for two additional years. >> We have a recommendation from the committee. No second is required. Is there any further discussion? >> I have a question. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, is is 60,000 per year the maximum or is there any cola or um uh inflation increases in the contract? >> Um There are inflation increases in the contract. There are limits to price increases for annual renewals limited to CPI and then also the board votes on the budget capital budget every year which is where we pay for this. So purchases
014will not exceed the approved budget. >> Any further questions? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. >> Nay. >> The eyes have it. 81. Miss Coats is the dissenting vote. >> Madam Chair, that concludes my report. >> Thank you, sir. Next is the Committee on Capital Planning. Chairman Joe Baker. You are recognized, sir. Madame Chairwoman, the Committee on Capital Planning met on January 12th, 2026. And on recommendation of the committee, I move to approve the award of IFB75325-26 Westview Middle School roof replacement to AAR of North Carolina Incorporated for the total of 1,775,000. >> We have a recommendation from the committee. No second is required. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying
015I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. >> The eyes have it. 90. Next, we're moving on to agenda item 9A, the board chair update. So the month of January and the month of February are strange because of um holidays and coming back to school um and and making plans. So this is the planned meeting date that we have posted. But just as a reminder, the next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026. That Monday um is President's Day. So the next meeting is held on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. I'll now entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So move. >> Second. >> There's a motion by Mr. McQuill and a second by Miss Littleton to adjurnn. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor, please respond by saying I. >> I. >>
016Opposed? Nay. The eyes have it. 90. We are adjourned. Thank you for everyone for uh joining virtually. Be safe and warm and uh we'll see you on February the 17th. >> Thank you. Byebye, Sally. >> Thank you, Sally. Good night.