Oconee County Board of Education holds May 4 work session; schedules several action items and adjourns to executive session

The Oconee County Board of Education met in a May 4 work session, approved the evening's agenda by a 5–0 vote and heard reports from the superintendent and department leaders on end-of-year activities, capital projects, communications metrics and personnel recognitions.

Superintendent Dr. Butler opened the reports by saying the district was “looking forward to finishing strong and celebrating our graduates,” and noted both North Oconee and Oconee County High School graduations are scheduled for late May. He told the board the district earlier honored 28 retiring educators who together contributed 539 years of service to Oconee County Schools and said the district has announced three new leadership hires: Nicole Elkins, Kristen Harrison and Callan Moore.

The Teaching and Learning report, presented by Miss Whitaker, said Oconee County Schools received nine recognitions from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement across performance and gain categories and noted the district’s future-educators signing day, where 20 students pledged to pursue careers in education. Whitaker said the FY27 CTAE local plan and Perkins grant application will be an action item on the May 11 board meeting agenda.

Student services director Dr. Yancey reported that both LED digital scoreboards at the high schools are installed and operational for spring activities and reiterated graduation dates. He presented four action items for May 11, including an out-of-state trip for the Oconee County High School girls basketball program to attend a June camp at Watford College and trips for FBLA teams from three schools to the national convention in San Antonio; the superintendent recommended approval of those trips.

Operations director Dr. White told the board the district procured two refurbished scissor lifts to replace a 26‑year‑old unit and is monitoring a proposed Watkinsville bypass route that, in one option, runs close to Kalamferry Elementary. White said any site-hazard findings would trigger Georgia Department of Education facility review and that recommended risk‑reduction measures (for example, ballistic glass or berms) would be implemented locally and require funding decisions by the district. He presented two action items to be considered May 11: replacement of Rocky Branch Elementary’s water heaters (proposal cost $27,300, to be paid from East Bloss and general fund dollars) and purchase of a Pathwise bus GPS system (proposal cost $64,921.50, general fund).

Mr. Ricketson reviewed construction progress at the Oconee County Transportation Building (septic, well and slab work completed; building delivery expected), updates to the North Oconee auxiliary gym design, a practice-field design at Oconee High School, HVAC and fire‑alarm work at several schools, and power‑redundancy work near Butler’s Crossing being performed with Walton EMC.

Human resources reported on the retirement reception honoring 28 educators. Communications presented April social metrics showing heightened reach tied to incident posts on April 21 — a set of posts that reached 67,000 accounts and 147,000 views in roughly an hour — and said the district’s social accounts reached 25,199 followers for the first time.

Procedurally, the chair asked for a motion to adjourn into executive session to deliberate matters referenced in an affidavit attached to the minutes; the board moved, seconded and approved that motion 5–0 and adjourned.

The board did not take final action on the May 11 items at this work session; the CTAE local plan, Rocky Branch water‑heater replacements, the Pathwise bus GPS proposal and the field‑trip approvals were placed on the May 11 Board of Education agenda for formal consideration.