Greenwood School District 50

The meeting included the adoption of the January agenda and a Special Board Recognition honoring educator Robin Templeton with a Resolution of Remembrance. District Updates covered the Choice & Magnet application deadline, elementary K4/K5 registration timeline, implementation of the new Raptor emergency alert system, the launch of the D50 Ambassador Program, celebration of the mid-year graduation of 62 students, collection details for the Annual Food Drive, and inclement weather preparation. The Board recognized School Board Appreciation Month, and honored Assistant Superintendent for Business, Mr. Rodney Smith, upon his retirement while introducing his successor, Mr. Andrew Mackey. The Greenwood 50 Recognition Program honored five individuals/groups for outstanding service. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to the SCSBA Ethical Principles. Board members provided updates on community events, including support following a tragic loss and ongoing volunteer service initiatives. A Special Education Update detailed service provisions for over 1,000 IEP students, noting growth in Autism Spectrum Disorders and presenting positive trends in SC READY assessment data from 2023 to 2025. Finally, a Safety Update introduced the implementation of the Raptor system and the pilot rollout of SmartPass, a digital hall pass program, in middle and high schools.

The meeting included district updates such as the Superintendent's participation in the Learner-Centered Leadership Lab, a new partnership with Meg's House to support students and families affected by domestic violence, and the launch of a video/audio podcast called "Leading, Listening, Learning in D50". The Athletic Code of Conduct was reviewed and revised to emphasize mentoring opportunities for student-athletes. The Superintendent attended the Oakland Elementary Memorial Garden event and the Lakelands STEAM Festival. The "Greenwood 50" Award recipients were recognized.

The meeting included district updates such as the introduction of the new Employee Communication Guide, designed to complement the previously released Parent Communication Guide. There was also a celebration of significant improvements on the SC Ready test in ELA, Math, and Science for the second consecutive year. The district rose two spots in the South Carolina school district rankings.

The meeting was called to conduct the annual Board self-evaluation. The Board received a strong self-evaluation, with consistently high average scores. The Board identified finance and budget as the top priority, followed by facilities, teachers, and staffing. Key strengths highlighted included diversity, collaboration, thoughtfulness, willingness to work together and listen. Opportunities for growth were identified as increasing visibility, enhancing the status of existing committees, and strengthening legislative advocacy. The Chair presented a draft of proposed Board goals based on the self-evaluation composite report to help guide the Superintendent's evaluation moving forward.

The meeting included district updates, such as the launch of the Parent Communication Guide and the Greenwood 50 initiative. There were discussions around teacher inservice, board updates, and a board retreat focusing on superintendent-board communication and governance calendar. General topics included budget impacts, teacher retention, student retention, graduation rates, career and technical education, and support for various programs. The board also discussed ways to create a more impactful memory for the two girls from Oakland Elementary incident in 1988. The first reading of administrative rule AR-GBK-R regarding staff concerns, complaints, and grievances was presented, along with a federal programs update and a semiannual procurement and minority owned business report. A financial update, capital update, and elementary facilities update were provided. The board also discussed Administrative Rule AR-JICJ-R regarding the use of telecommunication devices in schools and Policy DKA and Administrative Rule AR-DKA-R regarding payroll practices.