Towns County School Superintendent Dr. Darren Berrong (3rd fr L) with TCBOE Members

Director of Facilities Roy Perren

The Towns County Board of Education (TCBOE) convened on Monday, March 6, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. for a Workshop Session at the BOE offices at 67 Lakeview Circle in Hiawassee, GA. Superintendent Dr. Darren Berrong, Chairman Robert Williams, Vice-Chair Stan Chastain, and Members Laura Banister, Jerry Taylor and Dr. Kilee Smith were present. Secretary to Dr. Berrong Paula Whitehead, Director of Personnel and Curriculum Stephanie Moss, Finance Director Myra Underwood and Director of School Facilities Roy Perren were also present.

Perren addressed the Board regarding the opportunity of securing a substantial grant to the Towns County School District (TCSD) for the purpose of upgrading existing buildings’ roof, fire, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems called a Modernization Grant. Perren said school districts in Georgia receive an Entitlement Grant from the Georgia Department of Education each year for facilities upkeep. Additionally, he said, there is a state program for school facilities modernization of buildings that are over 40 years old that will allow $60 per square foot of construction cost; Towns County HS and MS buildings qualify. He then described a program available from the state called Forward Funding such that the state would give the TCSD five years of Entitlement Grant up front plus the Modernization Grant, totaling a projected $5.8 million, which would be retired with the next five years Entitlement. Perren said that the latest estimate from the state to bring the HS and MS up to modern standards is $8,055,207. He said SPLOST would make up the difference above the $5.8 million in Forward Funding and grants. He said that over a three year period beginning this year, TCSD could have what amounts to brand new school facilities by taking advantage of these programs. There is, he said, a stipulation: the application for the Forward Funding program must be in by August 2017 for the 2019 Fiscal Year which begins in August 2018. The Board, he said, can only apply once and must make a decision whether or not to apply for the program now; that by waiting, TCSD may not qualify for the projected amounts discussed. Perren stressed that this project is in the very early stages and that the presentation to the Board was preliminary.

Dr. Berrong brought up Senate Resolution 192, which passed by a vote of 40 for, 12 against. He said this resolution would allow each county in Georgia to decide how they want to hire school superintendents and school board members; that is, whether they would be elected by voters, or appointed by a Grand Jury. Dr. Berrong said he is opposed to superintendents and school board members being subjected to the election process because of the lobby effect it might have on their performance. His concern is that some of the elected might be influenced more by their reelection prospects than by their concern for student’s well-being. Senate Resolution 192 can be accessed at http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20172018/164780.pdf.

Underwood reviewed financials for the Board. She said TCSD has realized 60 per cent of budgeted revenue so far with the reception of Ad Valorem (property) taxes and the 1 per cent sales tax and that TCSD is on track to achieve 100 per cent of budgeted revenue for the year. She said that TCSD has taken in $540,000 in SPLOST this fiscal year. Dr. Berrong said that amount is well over what was needed to reimburse the General Fund for this year’s SPLOST projects and TCSD is now building for upcoming projects. Underwood said TCSD is right on budget for expenditures and she expects to come under budget for the year.

Underwood reviewed the final audit with the Board. She said the report was excellent for TCSD; that the only issue of concern to the auditors had to do with an internal control over the inventory of supplemental drinks in the cafeteria. She said this issue has been addressed and resolved. Underwood said this audit was more about internal controls than any audit she has seen in 18 years. She said that small school districts like TCSD, a 1A school district, are finding it difficult to comply with all of the internal controls the auditors want because they simply do not have the personnel necessary for double, triple and quadruple internal checks on every system. She did indicate that the auditors are understanding of this.

Moss addressed the Board concerning updating of TCSD Policies and Procedures. She said the Graduation Requirements Policy, Tobacco Free School Policy, Wellness Policy, and Exemptive Fundraiser Policy are all in need of review and updating; she went on to present and explain all the suggested changes for consideration by the Board at the Regular Monthly Meeting on March 13, 2017.

Moss brought up the new state mandated procedure pertaining to the adoption of textbooks. She said last year the (Georgia) legislature adopted a state board rule that states when TCSD adopts textbooks for instructional materials (instructional materials cycle), TCSD must have a defined procedure for doing so. She said the proposed procedure will be as follows: teachers will review textbooks and materials and decide what they want; then, once approved by the Superintendent for purchase, there will be a period of review for parents, which she said would be two weeks. She said textbook information would be available during the two week period on-line and for viewing by appointment at the TCBOE office. Moss also stated that she will be listing all of the books and materials currently being used and will make that list available on-line. Last, Moss said she recommends that the “Good Touch/Bad Touch” elementary curriculum, which has become outdated, be replaced with the “Safer Smarter Kids” curriculum for pre-kindergarten/kindergarten through fifth grades.

Dr. Berrong reviewed the projected Quality Based Education (QBE) earnings for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. This is money, he said, TCSD gets every year from the state based on the number of students in each class throughout TCSD. He said he was very concerned that TCSD would be getting $582,000 more this year than last year; that this amount seemed too much. However, after reviewing all the numbers, he assured Board members that this amount is correct.

Dr. Berrong informed the three new TCBOE Members that there is an opportunity June 7 -10, 2017 for them to attend their required training in Savanna, GA, rather than waiting until the December training in Atlanta. Additionally, he said, the Board would need to select a delegate from among themselves to attend the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) Regional meeting and represent TCSD on the same trip. He asked that they make a decision by the next regular TCBOE Meeting on Monday, March 13, 2017.

Dr. Berrong updated the Board on upcoming Georgia state legislation following the Crossover Date. He mentioned Senate Bill 149, which will require training for School Resource Officers if passed. Senate Bill 149 can be accessed at http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20092010/94672.pdf.

The Middle School (MS)/High School (HS) Football fundraiser and the Phone App Rewards Program fundraiser, which will run from May 1 – 21 were approved. Five field trips were approved for the remainder of the 2016-2017 school year: two for the HS Academic Team on March 17 and April 1; one for the HS Spanish Classes on March 21; one for the HS Science Classes on May 15; and one for the Elementary School (ES) second grade on March 28.

Requested retirements were Custodial Employee Nola Jean Nichols and MS teacher Judy Rogers. Retirement of ES teacher Laurie Main was approved. Trish Rogers requested resignation from Special Ed Paraprofessional and approval to continue as a substitute teacher. Resignation of substitute bus driver Jennifer Lovell was approved. Chelsey Noblett Byers and Rollie Thomas requested approval to join the kindergarten and second grade teaching staff. Frank Johnson, Jordan Moats and Cherri Garrett were approved to join the 21^st Century Afterschool Volunteers. Aleta Nalley and George Boothroyd were approved as School Nutrition Substitutes.

Dr. Smith made mention of a Flag Etiquette violation she was witness to recently. Dr. Berrong assured her that this would be addressed and resolved.

The Board then went into Closed Session, then adjourned.