School district holds first of several town hall meetings

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BY HEATHER RUPPE

The Colleton County School District held a community town hall meeting on Monday night to give information to the community on school district projects and events, particularly on the incoming sixth-grade campus to be constructed in Walterboro.

The Monday night meeting was held at the Colleton County High School Performing Arts Center in Walterboro. Topics included the district’s COVID-19 protocol, a modified calendar and the proposed new sixth grade academy.

More than 100 people attended the meeting on Monday night.

"The Colleton County School District is working diligently to provide improved education to our students and to combat learning loss developed during the pandemic. Staff, student and community buy-in is essential to our district's success,” said Sharon Witkin, a Colleton County School Board member. “I hope all will take time to let school board members know their opinions on the school calendar options and the proposed 6th grade academy.

“Knowing how our community feels on these issues provides the CCSD School Board and District the direction we need to better our schools and our educational outcomes."

Some of the questions posed during Monday’s town hall meeting from members of the public included questions about teacher training, new technologies being offered to the district and academic recovery. Other questions were more focused on the sixth-grade campus, and whether or not the campus will be moved away from the district’s proposed site, which is located near the Lowcountry Regional Airport in Walterboro. Recently, city and airport officials expressed their disapproval of the campus possibly being built near the airport, saying this contradicts the airport’s safety protocols in place.

No updates were given Monday night pertaining to the sixth-grade campus.

From the meeting on Monday, the public learned there are no plans to unmask children in Colleton’s public schools. About 65 percent of the public has also voiced approval of the district’s Sample One version of a potential modified calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. A new survey on the calendar will be issued to the public on Feb. 11th for more input.

The Sample One calendar has school returning on August 1st with a nearly two-week breaks in October and March, in addition to the Christmas holiday.

More town hall meetings were scheduled for this week, on Feb. 8th at Hendersonville Elementary School and at the Bells Elementary School cafeteria on Feb. 10th.

Town hall attendees can submit their questions on index cards to district staff during the event or email their questions to publicinput@colleton.k12.sc.us.

All town hall attendees must wear a mask at all times, according to school district staff.

“The CCSD wants to thank our community for attending this event and for sharing their questions with us,” said Sean Gruber, school district spokesman.