Notes From Rock Hill School Board Work Session

 The Rock Hill School Board held their October work session at The Children's School at Sylvia Circle on Monday, October 8, 2012. These are some of my notes from the meeting:

• The Children's school presented some of their academic performance and goals for the year as well as having some children demonstrate some of their work.
• Jim Vining reported that Dr. Worner had been hired to facilitate a school board retreat/work session on November 29, 2012. The board had tentatively set aside half a day but Dr. Worner suggested 6 to 8 hours would be better. The board will look at two options - full day on the 29th, or an evening on the 29th and half day on the 30th. Dr. Worner will be meeting with each board member individually to help develop an agenda for the meeting.
• A couple of organizations have requested relief from the district's new activity bus rental fees because the new fee structure was not communicated to them, and, since they are non-profits, they can't pay the increase. The administration could not explain how this oversight occurred and is supporting the organizations request. The administration was requested to develop a process/policy to ensure this would not happen in the future and to bring to the business meeting for action.
• Toys for Happiness requested the use of some of our facilities this fall. The request was favorably received and will be on the consent agenda for the October Business Meeting.
• Dr. Moody updated the board on her recent attendance at Digital Promise - The League of Innovation. She asked the board to be supported in the district's initiative into this area.
• Elaine Baker reported she was beginning work on the 2013/14 school calendar and was collecting 'requests'. She was given; end first semester before winter break; don't use holiday's for bad weather make-up days; and keep spring break at the same calendar time as this past year. All of those requests are not likely to be achieved.
• Walter Brown gave an update on subcommittee work with Community Conversations. The received some very good questions/concerns from parents, such as, stop speaking in acronyms and communicate the programs of the district better.
• Tony Cox presented a revised acquisition strategy for the district. All items out for bid are posted on our web site and on SCBO.
• The following policies were reviewed for revision; JJ, IHBH; GBEC: GCQE/GDQE; GCOR; BEDB and: DM. Two got the most discussion. Policy JJ - Student Activities, includes the revisions mandated by the legislature this year which allows non public school students to participate in extra-curricular activities. It also sets what those activities will be, making some of our co-curricular activities, such as marching band, chorus, ROTC, extra-curricular. The other, policy BEDB - Agenda, is being changed at the suggestion of the State School Board Association as a result of a court case. Seems a district in SC was putting action items on the agenda at the meeting, squirting the freedom of information lay that agendas should be posted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. As a result, the recommendation is the agenda cannot be changed at the meeting, even for non-voting items.