Starting January 2023, The Board holds one meeting monthly, January through December at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø District Office, 386 East Black Street. There are some exceptions to the schedule and changes are posted on the district website and local media is notified. Regular Business Meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.
To reach individual Board members, visit the Board Members tab.
Want to Speak at an Upcoming Meeting?
Policy BEDH Public Participation at Business Meetings and Forums
The public is cordially invited to attend board meetings to become better acquainted with the operation and programs of the school district. The board conducts meetings for the purpose of carrying on the official business of the school district. The meetings are not public hearing meetings but are meetings held in public. Public participation will be permitted only as indicated on the agenda and at the discretion of the board. Regular, special and emergency meetings are open to the general public, news media and school staff.
In order that the board may conduct the meeting in a civil and professional manner, comments from the public should not include gossip, defamatory words or abusive and vulgar language. The board reserves the right to terminate any presentation which does not adhere to the guidelines set forth in this policy.
Orderly conduct of a meeting does not permit spontaneous discussion from the audience. All persons who wish to participate must do so through established procedures. These procedures are designed to encourage participation and ensure the orderly management of the meetings. The board is committed to compliance with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act as well as all other federal and state laws which regulate or affect board actions and policy.
Citizens wanting an item to be placed on the agenda for a business meeting should direct requests to the superintendent or board chairman. A citizen must submit a written request for an item to be placed on the agenda no later than 12 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to a business meeting of the board. That request will state the name of the individual or group submitting the request, the address, the purpose of the request and the topic to be addressed. Requests may be submitted to Mrs. Chris Gammons.
The chairman of the board will introduce speakers who have previously submitted a request to the board at the appropriate time during the meeting and invite them to make comments on agenda topics. Speakers may offer objective comments on school operations and programs that concern them. The board will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints about individual school personnel or any other person connected with the school system.
The chairman reserves the right to limit discussion of same topic issues in an effort to provide individuals the opportunity to be heard on a variety of topics. The chairman also reserves the right to limit time for individual speakers. Public participation will not exceed 30 minutes unless waived by a majority vote of the board. Consideration may be given for a public hearing for gaining input on critical issues.
The board may provide a specified period of time for comments from any citizen, group representative, employee, parent/legal guardian or student regarding any topic over which the board has jurisdiction. If the board determines there is not sufficient time at a meeting for public comments, the comment period may be deferred to the next scheduled meeting or to a special meeting occurring before the next scheduled meeting. The board reserves the right to allocate a period of time for this purpose and limit time for speakers accordingly.
All persons who wish to comment during the open forum period will fill out the appropriate form provided by the board before the meeting begins [form is available on site at the meeting location]. The chairman of the board will introduce speakers who have signed up on the appropriate form and invite them to address the board. The chairman reserves the right to limit discussion of same topic issues in an effort to provide individuals the opportunity to be heard on a variety of topics.
The board will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints about individual school personnel or any other person connected with the school system. Specific student or personnel issues should be handled through the appropriate procedures as indicated in the district policy.
Presentations for unsolicited services will not be permitted. Companies or businesses offering services of possible interest to the district should send information to the district office for distribution to appropriate school district officials.
The board may provide factual information or recite existing policy in response to inquiries, but the board will not deliberate or decide matters regarding any subject not included on the agenda. The board may request that staff members address any concerns or comments presented by the public during the open forum.
