More Budget Cuts
Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Writer
District One Superintendent
Phyllis Schwarting said at
Monday night’s board meeting
the district had “received some
more bad news” and would be
receiving between a four and
five percent budget cut.
Schwarting noted the district
“should be alright” for this first
round of cuts because its budget
was based on a lower base
student cost than was
recommended by the State
Department of Education to
start the 2009-2010 year.
Schwarting reported the
district was not alarmed at this
point about a possible outbreak
of the Novel N1H1 Virus or
Swine Flu in the district.
“We’re certainly not overly
alarmed,” Schwarting said.
“Approximately 18 students
went home today (Monday
August 24) from the high
school. We’re not to be alarmed
until we send 30 or 40 home
from one school.”
Schwarting said she wasn’t
sure that all of those that went
home Monday had swine flu
and at least one had a sinus
infection. The Department of
Health and Environmental
Control (DHEC) has sent letters
home to all parents advising
them of the precautions to use in
preventing their student from
contracting the virus.
Also during the meeting:
It was also noted that the
district had an increase of 75
students so far this school year.
The Superintendent
informed the board the district
is in the process of securing bids
for the repair of the roof of the
old community center located
next door to the district office.
The building houses district
records that must be kept for
another 70 years and is home to
several district programs
including the Adult Education
Program and Children and
Parents Program (CAPS). The
district has secured one estimate
of $33,000 to repair the roof
plus $14.00 per sq. ft. to repair
any structural damage that may
be found related to rotten wood.
“We must do something
with the community center or
lose it,” Schwarting said.
The district has received
C-Funds in the amount of
$63,000 from the highway
department to pave a road from
the Richard Carroll Primary
School to Zeigler Street that
would relieve some of the
congestion.. Principals of each
of the district’s four schools
reported that they had a
“smooth opening of school “last
week and are off to a “smooth
start.”
The district had the deed
to the Ehrhardt facility that was
pretty much complete except for
a few signatures.
The district was awarded a
$72,000 energy grant by the
state and will be working with
Lonnie Carter of Santee Cooper
to do an energy audit of the
district.
School Board Vice
Chairperson Rita Sease reported
that she and board members
Robin Holmes and Tony
Duncan recently attended a
School Law Conference and
said the most important thing
members of the board could do
is “abide by and follow the
district’s policies.”
