RICHMOND COUNTY - The Richmond County School Board met for the second time this month on Thursday, June 28 at 12 noon in Hamlet, with a full agenda and a large crowd of staff and family members present. Newly elected School Board members Pat Campbell and Daryl Mason, in addition to returning members Bobbie Sue Ormsby and Joe Richardson, took their oaths of office with Superior Court Clerk Vickie Daniel in charge of the ceremony.
Superintendent Cindy Goodman stated, “It’s like a new chapter in the Richmond County School District,” as she beamed with pride and spoke with family members that had come to this special part of the board meeting. After the necessary paperwork was signed by the involved parties, the meeting was officially called to order. Wiley Mabe was re-elected Chairman and Bobbie Sue Ormsby was elected Vice –Chairman by the school board members.
Bennie Howard was recognized by the board as the 2017-2018 Coach of the Year. He has had a successful career at Richmond Senior High School, coaching both boys’ and girls’ soccer, and is officially retiring from the school system. Board members spoke of the positive impact Howard has had on the athletes he coached, as well as students in his classroom. He had come from a soccer camp at the high school for the presentation, and then left to have lunch with his fellow coaches at the Seaboard Station Restaurant.
Tina Edmonds recognized a group of ladies and presented them with framed certificates for completion of specialized training as treasurers at their schools. Then Child Nutrition Director Lois Hood presented her report for child nutrition bids for the upcoming year, after a heartfelt “Thank you for allowing me to serve the children of Richmond County.” The bids ranged from produce to milk, chemicals to pest control, among others. The school board accepted Hood’s recommendations as presented. Tina Edmonds then came back with requests for amendments to the current budget, including instructional services, supporting services, and school resource officers, which were approved.
Associate Superintendent Jeff Maples then addressed the board with a presentation focusing on the improvement in school attendance over the last five years, since the 2013-2014 school year, when the district began tracking attendance more closely. Absenteeism was an issue of concern that board member Jerry Etheridge brought to the attention of Dr. Goodman. Attendance graphs charting the numbers from each school, with 10-19 absences and then 20+ absences, showed that there has been an overall improvement throughout the county over the 5 year period. Percentages dropped from 28% to 26% for 10-19 absences, and 14% to 8% for 20+ days for the county. Teachers, principals, social workers, school nurses, and guidance counselors have all worked together to improve attendance at all grade levels throughout the system. Maples told the board members, “We have a lot to be proud of, but we know we have a lot of work in front of us.”
Each board member then spoke briefly about different experiences they felt contributed to the eventful year of the Richmond County Schools, including the athletic teams and their successful seasons, awards ceremonies, special functions at the schools, the school resource officers, the RSHS graduation ceremony, the Beta Club convention, and the JROTC summer camp. Other items mentioned were facility improvements at Ellerbe and Cordova, as well as summer programs that are in place for reading, feeding sites, and technology training.
Dennis Quick, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, requested fee changes at RSHS for the Arts programs, to $10 for each student in Art, Band, and Chorus. Technology fees of $25 at the Ninth Grade Academy and high school were also requested. In addition, a $5 fee for technology and $1 fee for physical education at the middle schools was requested. The board approved all of the fee changes and additions.
Hamlet Middle School requested that they take approximately 60 eighth grade students to Washington, DC in the spring of 2019, and the board gave their approval.
Dennis Quick also asked for the adoption of policies he brought before the board for their review at the last meeting, and those were approved. He also presented new policies for their review.
At this time, the meeting was adjourned so the School Board could go into a closed session to discuss the Personnel Report.
