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Richland District Two board approves academic calendar, auditor contract and other items; hears budget input
Summary
At its March 25 meeting the Richland District Two Board of Trustees approved the 2026–27 academic calendar (calendar C), a three-year external audit contract and several personnel and appeals items, and heard 90 minutes of public budget input on library funding, staffing and other requests.
The Richland District Two Board of Trustees on March 25 approved its 2026–27 academic calendar, a three‑year external audit contract and a set of personnel actions, and heard extended public comment on the 2025–26 budget.
The board approved calendar C as the academic calendar for the 2026–27 school year after two votes; an initial motion for calendar B failed and the later motion for calendar C passed 5–2. Trustees also voted 7–0 to award a three‑year external audit contract to Greenfinney Cawley LLP and to approve employment recommendations and certified releases. The board approved selecting Hubbert & Gottschall Law for insurance‑matter legal representation and granted 1 parent’s student appeal to Blythewood Academy.
Why it matters: the calendar selection sets the year’s instructional schedule; the external audit contract and legal counsel selections affect how the district manages its financial review and litigation; staffing and student‑placement votes change services for individual students. Public budget input signaled community priorities that include library funding, mental‑health staffing and instructional supports.
Supporting details and vote list - Academic calendar (2026–27): Motion to approve calendar B failed (2 yes, 5 no). Motion to approve calendar C passed (5 yes, 2 no). Motion made by Mrs. Porter; second by Mrs. Williams on the calendar C motion. - External audit contract: Approved 7–0 to award a three‑year contract to Greenfinney Cawley LLP for the district’s annual comprehensive financial report audit. Motion made by Mrs. Washington; seconded by Mr. Dennis. - Legal counsel for insurance matter: Approved 7–0 to retain Hubbert & Gottschall Law. Motion made by Mrs. Washington; seconded by Mr. Trapp. - Student appeal (student #1): Board voted to grant the parent appeal and move the student to Blythewood Academy for the remainder of the school year (6 yes, 1 no). Motion made by Miss Williams; seconded by Mrs. Nash. - Employment recommendations and certified releases: Approved 7–0. Motion made by Mr. Dennis; seconded by Mrs. Nash.
Public input highlights and next steps Members of the public used the evening’s budget input and public participation sessions to press the board on library funding inequities, expanded school mental‑health staffing, pay and recruitment incentives for speech‑language pathologists and psychologists, multilingual staffing gains, and targeted equipment and program requests. The board did not take final budget votes at the meeting; public comments were recorded for budget development and future consideration.
The board announced a legislative roundtable event for April 24 and reviewed continuing work on the district’s academic improvement systems; district leaders said data meetings and targeted professional learning are informing next steps for the 2025‑26 school year.
Ending note: Board actions taken March 25 affect district operations and budgeting timelines; most budgetary decisions remain pending as administrators prepare the final 2025–26 proposal for later board consideration.
