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Superintendent reports Head Start classroom at Bells, three calendar drafts and early-college options; district names new executive director of athletics
Summary
Superintendent Williams updated the board on a new Lowcountry Head Start classroom at Bells Elementary (capacity 17), presented three draft 2025-26 school calendars with differing start dates (one after Labor Day), summarized dual-enrollment/early-college partnerships and introduced Dr. Christopher Myers as the district's executive director of athletic operations.
Superintendent Williams used her Dec. 10 report to highlight district partnerships and program development, including a newly licensed Head Start classroom at Bells Elementary, proposed 2025-26 calendar options and continued early-college opportunities for students.
Lowcountry Head Start director Senekita Farmer told the board the Bells classroom opened after DSS approval and is serving 17 children now (the current maximum under DSS ratios is 17 unless the classrooms reach conditions that allow 20). Farmer said the classroom staff are incorporating Head Start children into school activities and that the program aims to begin serving primarily 3-year-olds while referring families when necessary.
Williams also presented three calendar drafts for 2025-26: Draft 1 follows the current-year format (students start Aug. 4; teachers July 28; fall/winter/Thanksgiving/spring breaks similar to the current schedule); Draft 2 shifts the student start-day to a Wednesday and moves the first day later by two days; Draft 3 proposes a post-Labor Day start with limited breaks (no spring break). The superintendent said a staff survey will be distributed after the meeting and she will return with a recommendation in January.
On higher-education partnerships, Williams summarized the district's dual-enrollment and early-college programs with USC (noting eligibility such as a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0) and said administrators are discussing an education-degree pathway that would enable students to pursue an associate's degree while in high school.
The superintendent also introduced Dr. Christopher Myers as the new executive director of athletic operations, reading his bio and noting his doctorate in sports management, previous athletic-director roles and other certifications. Williams invited board members and the public to welcome Dr. Myers.
Board members asked for the calendar drafts to be shared visually with the board and discussed potential attendance impacts of midweek start dates; Williams agreed to supply the calendars and to gather staff feedback prior to bringing a recommendation back in January.
