Pickens County board praises academic gains, approves $700 monthly stipend and multiple policies
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Summary
The Pickens County Board of Education heard district academic and literacy gains, received a financial update that reported routine budget performance and large ESPLOST collections, and approved an increase in board member stipends and several policies during its regular meeting.
The Pickens County Board of Education on Oct. 9 heard school officials report improved graduation and test scores and approved several routine and policy actions, including a proposal to raise board member pay to $700 per month.
Chief academic officer Dr. Andy Matty told the board the preliminary graduation rate for the Class of 2025 is 95.4%, up from an estimated 91.8% the prior year, and said the district’s SAT average rose by 67 points, placing Pickens County “the fourteenth in the state.” He presented early-literacy gains measured by the DIBELS screener, including a 13% increase in overall composite scores for the cohort now in first grade, a 27% increase in word-reading fluency between kindergarten and first grade, and additional double-digit gains in reading accuracy and comprehension across second through fourth grades.
The academic report, Matty said, shows “these numbers indicate our absolute commitment to these things for our seniors” and reflect districtwide work on literacy and collaborative planning, including expanded elementary and secondary planning time.
Chief financial officer Amy Smith gave the board the monthly financial update. She said general-fund revenue collections for September equaled 18.53% of the initially budgeted revenue and expenditures were 16.33% of the approved budget, and described ongoing Title I consolidation steps that still require federal approvals. Smith reported capital-outlay revenue for September of $797,009.42, interest collected of $680.83, and expenditures of $1,695,565.82, leaving a month-end fund balance of $8,520,372.53. Smith also reported large collections from the district’s ESPLOST 6 program: $32,829,662.07 collected to date with a 12-month average of $786,517.74.
“A large collection was still last January,” Smith said, and officials noted ESPLOST receipts remain a significant local funding source for capital projects.
Assistant superintendent Chris Parker updated the board on operations and safety training, including bus-evacuation, smoke-bus drills and fire-extinguisher training for drivers conducted with local fire-rescue partners. Parker told the board the district has strengthened cybersecurity training for employees through a program that simulates phishing and measures staff response.
On formal actions, Doctor Thomas recommended and the board approved a change to the compensation for board members. Thomas proposed raising the monthly stipend from the prior per-meeting amount to $700 per month and referenced OCGA 20-2-55 in the motion language presented to the board. The motion was moved and seconded and approved by board voice vote.
The board also gave final approval to three policies that had been on public review: JVCD (transfer and withdrawals), IBB (charter school), and GVIA (teacher evaluations). The board placed three new policies — GBRC, IDDB (gifted student programs) and EBB (safety) — out for public review to appear on the Nov. 13 regular meeting agenda.
A consent agenda that included the monthly financial reports, an MOU with the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, approval of stock medication protocols (including glucagon), several out-of-state overnight field trips, minutes of recent board meetings, and the surplus of a cupola was approved without comment.
The meeting included routine recognitions: student and staff awards, teachers and school nurses, and a presentation of books from the Sequoia chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for school media centers. Several principals and school staff were publicly recognized.
Board members closed the meeting with brief comments thanking principals, teachers and nutrition staff for the reported gains and programs. The board adjourned at 6:51 p.m.
Ending: The board scheduled its November work session for Nov. 7 and a regular meeting for Nov. 13, and officials said they will continue to present monthly academic and financial updates as the district implements literacy and safety initiatives.
