ST. MATTHEWS, S.C. - The chairman of the Calhoun County School Board wants to appeal directly to the courts to get the district's long-standing desegregation order rescinded.

If that could happen, Chairman Tom Arant said during Monday's regular board meeting, there would be no need to build the new school complex that "nobody wanted" and save $32 million in school construction.

Other board members, however, advised Arant that it was too late to stop construction and that the majority of the board had made the decision to build the new facilities.

Board member Gary Porth noted that in order to have the desegregation order lifted, the district cannot have any vestige of a segregated system.

Also during the meeting, Associate Superintendent Lyn Dukes provided information on Title I funding at the Sandy Run School. She noted that Title I funding is "designed to reach students most at risk" and is based on the number of students who receive free and reduced cost lunches.

Dukes said Title I funding goes to Guinyard Elementary School and John Ford Middle School since their percentages are much greater than at the Sandy Run School. The district must provide supplemental services at John Ford Middle School since it has failed to make Average Yearly Progress for several years, she said.

The purpose of Title I funding is "intended to get parents and students involved," Dukes said.

"Why isn't it working for John Ford Middle School and Guinyard Elementary School?" board member Michael Drake asked.

Dukes said the funding is making a difference at Guinyard but that John Ford is a special problem.

Drake said that he was tired of the district taking federal money and not getting results.

Arant proposed having students evaluate teachers just for feedback in order to find better ways for the teachers to teach, adding that this feedback would not be used in district evaluation of teachers.

In other business, Chief Finance Officer Jerry Sullivan presented the S.C. Association of Governments facility planning update, noting that the project account totals $29 million, the reserve account is $2.2 million and the facility purchase account is $35,000.

Sullivan said $1.2 million has been spent at Calhoun County High School and $1 million at the new school.

In addition, Sullivan told the board Calhoun County is asking for their approval of the Starbucks Resolution. He said the resolution would follow the tax attorney's recommendation to use the "fees in lieu of taxes" to pay off the five-year bond for improvements for the Starbucks plant site in two years by using all of the fees received. In the end, Sullivan said, the district would receive more money. He recommended approval saying, "In the four-year period, we get more money."

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

In the facilities update, Director of Operations and Athletics Ned Nelson said remodeling of the high school will be completed over the Easter holidays. He also reported that bids are being solicited for the K-8 projects at Sandy Run and the new school in St. Matthews. Bids will be received at 2 p.m. on April 1, Nelson said. He said the architect has been asked to recommend a general contractor for the projects by April 14, and the work will begin as soon as possible after the general contractor is approved.

Also during the meeting:

* The board unanimously approved a proposal for School Superintendent Ken Westbury to negotiate with the Town of St. Matthews for the termination of a lease for the property the town has been using for the now-defunct skate park. Westbury said the town, because of the S.C. Parks and Recreation Department grant it received, is up against a deadline to replace that recreation facility with another of equal value.

* Following discussion in a closed session, the board voted to purchase a new paperless accounting system from Infinite Visions Software. The purchase will be funded through a bond resolution for $125,000 for a period of five years.

* Westbury submitted an amendment to district policy governing community use of school facilities. He said the rule currently does not allow use of school facilities by religious organizations or for profit. The change would allow those uses when it is for the benefit of students, Westbury said.

* Nelson reported that the Calhoun County Men's Basketball Team won the State Class A Championship on March 1 for the third straight year and the team's consecutive wins are approaching 80. He also reported that two CCHS football players signed athletic scholarship offers: Donte' Rumph with the University of Kentucky and Jeramen Bonnette with Howard University.

T&D Correspondent Larry P. Jordan can be reached by phone at 803-874-3276.

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