A budget committee meeting of members of the Williamsburg County School District held on February 17, was an emotional one at best. Opening remarks made by budget chair Kent Evans would not soften the blow that some schools may be closed as the district continues to struggle with the budget deficit and St. Mark was the center of attention. “There needs to be some tough decisions made and we need to discuss them openly and at some point in our lives take some action as it relates to the business of the school district and the budget,” said Evans.
St. Mark has been one of three schools teetering on the edge of the chopping block for some time. In August 2009, the board was presented a detailed facilities study by the Caldwell Group and that study included an assessment of the capital needs of each school with a prioritized list of cost estimates and recommendations for each site.
The study concluded the district’s elementary schools, which are St. Mark, Cades-Hebron and D.P. Cooper make up half of “critical mission” concerns and recommended consolidating at least two of the three schools. Presenter Didi Caldwell suggested several strategies to approach the issues, one being the board establish a committee who would reach out to the community. “Once you decide on a path you want to follow you may want to form a committee made up of the general population. That way the community can take ownership of it and feel like this is their project,” she said during the August meeting and board member Charles Garner reintroduced the idea during Wednes-day’s meeting but the strategy may not have the impact it could have had six months ago.
Board Chairman Norman Gamble emphasized the budget meeting was an information session only but when they sit in front of their constituents at St. Mark during their February 22, meeting, they may regret the missed opportunity.
Garner also reaffirmed Evan’s statement that the board must make tough decisions. “The problem is we know we’re going to have to consolidate,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who’s first, second, or third. It has to be done in the next few years and it has to start some place.”
Many factors are being weighed in the decision making process, such as the proximity of the school to other schools, student population, and total expenditures related to each school and how to assimilate displaced students into other schools. Board member Norma Gamble wondered why more concrete information wasn’t presented before the meeting. “Looking at the cost, St. Mark’s expenditures is not the most expensive one. And speaking with management, St. Mark School is in better condition than some of the others in terms of groups,” said Gamble, “Just to take a snap shot at one small section is not fair.”
The committee also discussed other strategies to reduce the deficit that included reducing contract days, reduction of personnel across the board, salary freezes and eliminating the local attorney. “If we need a local attorney then we will go get one but not just to keep one on board,” said board member Norma Gamble. Evans countered saying the district’s legal services are grossly over budget and retaining a local attorney every time they needed one would be costly. Chairman Norman Gamble added that the local attorney has been more of an asset than a liability and someone he has enjoyed working with over the past 15 years.
The final 2010-2011 budget must be adopted by the end of April but Finance Director Christen Green said in order to begin to formulate a budget the board must make decisions that include not only consolidation, but a middle school concept which will factor into the consolidation, and the assignment of personnel, no later than February 22, but Gamble pressed for March. “That’s really pushing it,” said Green who agreed to March 15.
In frustration, Evans said the board has done nothing this fiscal year. “We come in here and we drink coffee and eat breakfast but we never make tough decisions,” claimed Evans. In an earlier statement Evans said the board is made up of “nice” people who can’t make hard decisions. “This board hasn’t done anything but absorb some cuts,” he said. “If anyone has been keeping up with the news, they are already projecting a 25 percent cut.” Evans said according to his estimates, over the past few years the district has been operating at or above levels with approximately 25 percent less student population. “It just doesn’t make good business sense to operate at a higher level…We get 37 million dollars, use it appropriately.” The next budget meeting will be held February 24, at 8:00.
Closings discussed, St. Mark center of debate
2/23/2010 Michaele Duke
5/26/2010
You should not close a school down just because the students who graduate from 6th grade do not go the the Jr. High in Kingstree. There is no law in Williamsburg County stating you have to send you childeren to Jr. High. The parents of those students have a choice. You do nopt know the reason behind their decisions. They may live closer to one area or work in another county. Plus, 4K-6th grade are the years that form the student for high school. They need a good quality education to prepare them for high school, no matter what school they attend. Cades is a wonderful school with wondrful teachers who care about the students. The students get individual attention, which makes a difference in their learning. They also have classes for those with mental or learning disabilities. You don't want to overcrown the chools to where there is less one on one attention for the kids. Plus, I am sure the teachers at these schools do not want to lose their jobs either. They went to college to prepare our children for their future.
3/11/2010
Okay first of all, I want to address that NO Cades should NOT be closed! Who are you to say that it should! We all want ALL of our schools open! What we should be doing is coming together and making a stand to keep ALL of our schools open for our children, DON'T FORGET THAT WE ARE THERE VOICES! The District hasn't tried other alternatives to keeping our school doors open, and let me tell you, I was at the board meeting and one thing for sure, the ones that are in those sits ARE NOT representing OURS schools like they should! Shame on them for not making a stand for us! Williamsburg County lets stop pointing fingers at which school or schools to close and come together and save all of our schools! The district built a new Elementary, for what? They put more district employees in the old Elementary building for what might I add? If the building is good enough for there employees it was good enough for students! Learn to budget, do they need a personal banker? They want teachers and faculty to take days off with no pay but what about the ones sitting in those nice offices at the District? I want to see us come together and have NO school closings! Its wrong to force us into a school that we don't want our children attending...Why would you want your children to be in an overcrowded classroom? They can't get that one on one. But the district can't afford to keep our schools open but they stated in the board meeting that they would have to but Annex buildings to put at Kingstree Elementary in order to accommodate more students, if they can afford these buildings, they can afford to fix our schools! Annex buildings are a waste of our tax dollars!
3/7/2010
I have been a resident of WC since 2004.I was born in WC but left at early age,thank god. The education here in WC,IN plain english,sucks.Never before in others places I have reside have I seen so much bickering upon supposedly educational leaders. We have people in administrative positions that are totally unqualified to hold that position. They lack the knowledge and qualification to hold their position. Some of these administrator are paid over 100k annually and do not have a doctors degree. They are responsible for making sure that the kids of WC receive an education,ha ha, what a joke. Their only concerned is to make sure that their salary is hefty( more that they are worth).They talk about closing school in order to try meet the budget. Why not cut some of the unnecessary salaried employees salary rather than close schools. I think the classrooms are already overcrowded why add fuel to the fire by stacking more kids in this environment.Complaining about the worth of the education they are currently receiving will not the issue by enlarging the classrooms. And one last thing bring in instructors that the students can understand.I don't care where they are from as long as the students can comprehend what is being communicated to them.Some the complaints I constantly hear is that some of the instructors currently employed is hard to understand.
3/2/2010
If the District really wants to close a school, they should close Cades. If they look at, when the 6th grade students who attend Cades are suppose to attend Kingstree Junior high School, they don't. They go to East Clarendon, Lake City, or to the private school. So why keep Cades open if the only thing it is good for is just giving some students their elementary education. If WC is good enough for elementary, then the it should be good enough for Junior high and High School. We have students who live in the Earls, and Trio area who attend schools in Andrews, but why not, when they would have to travel at least 25 miles by bus to Murray each day. When my husband leaves for work about 5:30 am, kids are on the side of the road waiting for the bus to go to Murray. So please, let's look out for the children, because if I had to get out of my bed at 5 am, I would be tired by fourth block each day.
3/1/2010
Hi,
I don't mean any harm but just look at the writing on the wall. The board really does not want to close any schools but because of our financial status, they have no other choice. I firmly believe that they do not want to upset parents or students but they have to. Examine how much they sai it costs ot keep these schools open. As parents and citizens of WC you should want each and every child to get a good education. Please travel to some of the schools that they are talking about closing. Compare these schools to the new schools. At the newer schools, the teachers are highly motivated and so are the students. Please just keep an open mind about these schools closing and not judge the board so hard. They can all sit and make judgements because it's not us in the hot seat.
2/28/2010
Btcsc,
I am elated to see another person who share the same view as myself. As far as power issue concerns, WC needs to give complete control to Georgetown County because historically they own WC. WC is in no position to make judgements about education when you are looking at their stats from the state department of education. Maybe I should run for a political office since there is an open house seat for WC while teaching, but the catch is I am no longer living in WC.
2/28/2010
Georgetown County needs to consolidate with Williamsburg County. Seems like a good idea. Other counties have considered this. But there is a power issue. Who's going to give up their seat. Only the State Board and House can make this happen. Go there and start your arguement.
2/26/2010
To In My Life Time:
I can say that there are someone out there who can actually see and read between the lines of what I am talking about! The budget year of 2011 is very cash strapped and all 85 SC school districts will have a dramatic impact concerning funds within the school system. With that certain type of talk, it will only get a little bit worse for Williamsburg County, before it will even get better, provided that the state will take over this district as a whole.
I beleive that WCSD is taking numerous shortcuts and cheap approaches when it comes to education. It is now coming back to haunt them! The WCSB needs to reach out to neighboring counties to have a glimpse into what their schools are doing to promote quality education and to require their staff to replicate what they see into their schools so that they can generate academic success.
2/26/2010
"In frustration, Evans said the board has done nothing this fiscal year. “We come in here and we drink coffee and eat breakfast but we never make tough decisions,” claimed Evans. In an earlier statement Evans said the board is made up of “nice” people who can’t make hard decisions."
Well, is Kent Evans a member of the WCSB or not, assigning blame to other members does not get him off the hook. How did he vote, he is Chairman of the budget commitee!
WCSD will receive approximately $1630 per child beginning in July '10 for based student cost, which is down from $1764 in '09; someone has got to make the HARD decisions. If St. Mark has less then 200 students it may have to consolidate with another school. These are emotional issues, as communities tie a portion of their identity to schools. Board members must make the HARD decisions that's why they are elected. PLEASE don't act like the BLUE DOGS in congress, do the job that you were elected to do. No one made you run for office, if the job is too hard for you get out!
Sometimes we don't know what we are missing because we don't know what else is available. Sorry "Your Opinion" WCSD comes up short in educating its students, and yes there are many reasons for this. However, some of it is self inflicted, how do you spend $700,000 over budget for bus drivers (not classroom teachers) and no one gets FIRED! How do you terminate the last 5 superintendents prior to end of contract because "we need to make a change" then have to pay them and settle their lawsuits! How do you have 2 assistant superintendents in a district with less than 5000 students! How many lawsuits has WCSD settled due to misconduct on the part of its employees, because no one would make the HARD decision!
All 85 school district in the state will be serverely impacted with budget cuts in school year 2011. WCSB step up to the plate and get the job done!
2/24/2010
I really think everyone is missing the point with this article.It is about the kids(along with their families) that attend these schools. How is this going to affect these children? How is this going to affect their families? These children are in schools with less students. How will it affect them to move to a bigger school with more students? How will this change affect there education? How will the county accommodate the bus riders and or the parents that will have to travel a further distance? Will the county have to purchase more transportation to accommodate these changes? How many jobs will this affect in the county? How many more people will they need to hire in different positions? I could go on and on with questions that I think need to be answered before this is even considered. But first and foremost I also think they should have prepared the parents, staff, educators sooner. Where is all the money going? Is closing a school or schools the best option? How many other things have they considered before this? Will the other schools be able to accommodate those children, and the new children coming? When it comes to education and children I think this is the last place that funds should be cut. Obviously the board has forgotten, these children are our future. If this plan follows through the members and people who let this get so far should lower there heads in shame and really reconsider there position because its obvious someone is not getting the job done. When you overcrowd the schools trying to cut corners where is that going to put us in our test scores?
2/24/2010
To Your Opinion,
I also agree about WC needs to have quality teachers, but since WC is one of the lowest paying counties in the state as well as from looking at this article, it will be extremely difficult to attract teachers to this county. Teachers I know would not attempt to touch WC with a 20 inches pole because of low pay, low morale, low support from administration, and the fact of knowing that they could have a better job security and pay from else where like WC's neighbors of Berkeley, Georgetown, Florence, and even Clarendon counties.
2/24/2010
F.Y.I. I used to be a WCSD teacher along with being a WC native who is living & teaching in Charleston and went to different schools for my internships and student teaching in the Columbia area. And when it comes to education, especially when it is from my home county, I felt passionate to give my opinions about what is really going on with this county.
2/24/2010
To Your Opinion,
I can see what you're saying and I too, myself went through Williamsburg County Schools and went on to USC for undergrad and currently in grad school. I just hate to see other counties are progressing and my home county just not up to par of bring in the best for their students. Counties like Richland, Lexington, and parts of the lowcountry are introducing their elementary kids Latin, German, and Spanish at earlier grades like Kindergarten and they use hands on experiments like the FOSS kits to teach their students numerous scientific concepts. With that being said, they are thriving in a literacy-rich, concrete, and hands on curriculum, while WC has their hands behind their legs waiting for the state to terminate everyone and to hire their "own" staff to do the job that they fail to do!
To the students who are planning on going to a 4 year college or university who are from WC no matter if you are even the valedictorian, will have to play "catch up" with the other students because there are things that WC does not provide to their students that without hard work, persistence, and collaboration, it would be a difficult experience particularly freshman year of college (which I realized this statement to be very true from my first week of freshman classes at USC).
*And this happen to be a real life experience between myself and a couple of friends from high school who were on the top ten list of students who had the highest average in high school.
2/24/2010
Keep your opinion to youself. Williamsburg County is very well capable of taking care of itself. This problem started along time ago, and it can not be fixed over night. You must be from Greelyville to be concern about it so much. There are too many schools in the county to start with and some of them need to be close. We are wasting money in schools that are not being productive. Close them down and get some quailty teachers in here for good sake, and pay them too I think with time this group of leaders(get rid of a couple i.e Henryhand, McKenize, and Lee)will make it better for our kids. They seem to have our kids on the agenda and not personal gain. I lived here all my life nad didn't have a bad education, just didn't have opportunites after the education. Consoildate C.E. Murray and Kingstree and see how much resources can be utilize. In the words of the Highlighter "The powers to be won't let that happen".
2/23/2010
Georgetown County needs to consolidate with Williamsburg County entirely. WC has been run by irresponsible individuals for numerous years and now it looks like they can't even save their own school district.
2/23/2010
It won't be long when they decided to close some schools in the Greeleyville/Salters area, particularly Greeleyville Elementary.
2/23/2010
I hate to say that I told ya so, but it's a reality that there are some leaders with the school board who just could not lead a school district.