Berkeley County board approves personnel recommendations, settlement authorization and student expulsion outcomes

After a closed executive session on employment matters, litigation and student discipline, the Berkeley County Board of Education on Feb. 18 approved several actions when it returned to open session.

Mr. McQuillan moved and Ms. Littleton seconded a motion “to accept the personnel recommendations of the administration as discussed in executive session for the current school year.” The board approved the motion; the transcript records the motion and that the ayes prevailed but does not provide a roll-call tally in the public record for that vote.

The board also voted to authorize the superintendent to execute a proposed settlement in the litigation captioned Jackson v. Berkeley County School District after a motion by Chair Wofford and a second by Ms. Coats. The motion was approved; the board did not place settlement terms on the public record during the meeting.

The board rated Superintendent Dixon’s overall performance as “effective” and, by motion of Chair Wofford (second Mr. McQuillan), exercised a contract provision to provide incentive compensation equal to 4% of his salary. That motion passed, recorded in the meeting as a 6–0 vote.

On two expulsion appeals, the board voted as follows: in the matter of Student Number 1, Mr. McClellan moved (second Mr. Ramsey) to grant the appeal and allow the student to return to the home school on strict probation; the motion passed 6–0. In the matter of Student Number 2, Mr. McClellan moved (second Ms. Littleton) to grant the appeal and assign the student to the alternative school; that motion passed 6–0.

Board members stated for the record that no action was taken during executive session itself; the motions and votes described above were all taken in open session following the executive session.