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School district public input policy
Feeds
Parental input
A Site-Based Governance site wishing to adopt a year-round scholastic calendar or other change that significantly affects students and their parents must obtain the support of their School Improvement Council (SIC) or PTA/PTO. If one of these organizations determines that implementing a particular policy or practice would be beneficial to the school and its students, then the following procedure should be followed.
Public notice
The school will conduct at least three public initiatives regarding its proposal. These activities may include presentations at an open house, written notices, published notices, mailed notices and other suitable activities; however, at least one activity must be a public information meeting conducted by the principal and the SIC or PTA/PTO, whichever supported initiating the proposal. Written notices will be in English and, where appropriate, in Spanish. Notice will be given to the local media.
The school will make a reasonable effort to identify and include in the notification process those families who will have children enrolled at the school in the upcoming year who will be affected by the proposed change.
Voting procedures
Each family with at least one child enrolled in the school when the proposed policy or practice becomes official will be allocated one ballot. The school will make a reasonable effort to identify and include in the voting process those families who will have children enrolled at the school in the upcoming year.
The ballot may be sent home with a student or mailed to the family's address of record. All ballots must be numbered for identification and verification purposes.
Returned ballots must be signed by the persons who cast the ballots. Ballots may be returned by hand delivery or through the mail. Mailed responses must be received as of the date of counting.
Seven calendar days prior to the date of counting the school may use telephone contact or other methods to encourage families to return ballots. Personal, out-of-school solicitation is prohibited.
The ballot must fairly describe the proposal and provide for votes of "yes," "no" or "no opinion." Where appropriate, ballots must contain a Spanish version of the proposal. Ballots must also conspicuously state the due date, the date of the counting and the address to which the completed ballot should be hand delivered or mailed.
A disinterested citizens' group may be used to count returned ballots, or if school officials count the ballots, at least one disinterested citizen must be present to observe the counting.
In order for a proposal to have been deemed approved, the "yes" votes must constitute at least 50 percent plus one of all ballots sent out to families. For example, a school sends out ballots to 1,000 families. In order for the proposed policy or practice to pass, 501 "yes" ballots must have been returned to the school and officially counted.
In order for a proposal to have been deemed approved, the "yes" votes must constitute at least 50 percent plus one of all ballots sent out to families. For example, a school sends out ballots to 1,000 families. In order for the proposed policy or practice to pass, 501 "yes" ballots must have been returned to the school and officially counted.
For the latest legislative news from Columbia, visit S.C. Politics today:
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor are welcome. Letters must be 250 words or less and signed with your first and last names. Include your street address and daytime telephone number so we can verify the letter before publication. You are limited to one letter per 30 days. Letters may be edited for length, style, grammar, taste and libel. All letters submitted become the property of The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette and may be republished in any format. The Packet and the Gazette do not publish endorsement letters on the editorial page. Thank you letters are published in the Monday Lowcountry Life section.
How to reach us
Mail: P.O. Box 5727, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Fax: 843-706-3070
Hand-delivered: 10 Buck Island Road, Bluffton or 1556 Salem Road, Beaufort
E-mail: letters@islandpacket.com or letters@beaufortgazette.com
Your Elected Officials
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R)
U.S. Senate, 290 Russell, Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-5972 Fax: (202) 224-1189 - Sen. Jim DeMint (R)
U.S. Senate, 290 Russell, Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-6121 Fax: (202) 228-5143 - Rep. Joe Wilson (R-District 2)
U.S. House, 212 Cannon, Washington, DC 20515
Office: (202) 225-2452 Fax: (202) 225-2455 Track S.C. officials in Congress
- Gov. Mark Sanford (R)
Governor’s Office, State House, P.O. Box 12267, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-2100 Fax: (803) 734-5167 - Senator Tom Davis(R-District 46)
P.O. Drawer 1107, Beaufort, 29901-1107
(843) 252-8583
602 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29201
Bus. (803) 212-6008 - Rep. Curtis Brantley (D-District 122)
194 Bees Creek Rd., Ridgeland, 29936
(843) 726-5998
314D Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-2965 - Rep. Richard Chalk (R-District 123)
326C Blatt Building, Columbia, S.C. 29211-1867
Office: (803) 734-3067; Home: (843) 842-5985
15 Goldfinch Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928 - Rep. Shannon S. Erickson (R-District 124)
(843) 986-1090
306A Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3261 - Rep. Bill Herbkersman (R-District 118)
P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-3063; Home: (843) 757-5424
151 Gascoigne Bluff, Bluffton, S.C. 29910 - Rep. Kenneth F. Hodges (D-District 121)
PO Drawer 355, Green Pond, 29446
(843) 525-9006 Home (843) 844-8756
434B Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3062
- Rick Caporale (R-District 1)
17 Salt Wind Way, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 680-9999; fax: 681-6700 - Steven Baer (R-District 2)
10 Heather Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 689-3570; fax: 689-3569 - Stu Rodman (R-District 3)
27 Baynard Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Office: 363-470; fax: 363-6472 - Weston J. Newton chairman (R-District 4)
P.O. Drawer 7049, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29938
Office: 842-6111; fax: 706-9981 - William McBride (D-District 5)
P.O. Box 77, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Fax:(843)838-8303
Home:(843)838-2264 - Gerald Dawson (D-District 6)
64-A Horace Dawsone Drive, Seabrook, SC 29940
Fax:(843)846-4738
Office:(843)846-4830 - Paul Sommerville vice chairman (R-District 7)
1509 Pigeon Point Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-7115
Office:(843)379-7114 - Herbert N. Glaze (D-District 8)
P.O. Box 4053, Burton, SC 29903
Fax:(843)846-3601
Home:(843)846-2845 - Brian Flewelling (R- District 9)
25 Petigru Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-9806
Office:(843)379-9805 - Jerry Stewart (R-District 10)
11 Teaberry Lane, Bluffton, S.C. 29909
Office: 705-4753; fax: 705-4723 - Laura Von Harten (D-District 11)
166 Fuller Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-1380
Office:(843)379-1367
- District Office: 1300 King St., P.O. Drawer 309, Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 322-2300; fax: 322-2371
Hilton Head Island office, 689-4635; fax: 689-4617
Beaufort County Board of Education members:
- Fred S. Washington chairman (District 11)
PO 325, 804 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29901
(C) 843-524-8404 - Bob Arundell vice chairman (District 2)
198 Woodlake Villas, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8502; work: 7855-8040; fax: 785-3056; - Joan Deery (District 1)
5 old Fort Drive, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8968 - Wayne Carbiener (District 3)
Home: 843-363-2113 - Laura Bush (District 4)
P.O. Box 172, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Home: 757-2638; fax: 757-2638 - Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 5)
734 Seaside Road, St. Helena, SC 29920
(H) 843-838-2277
FAX 843-838-1192 - Earl Campbell (District 6)
93 Bruce Smalls, Grays Hill, P.O. Box 768, Lobeco, SC 29931
(H) 843-846-4531
(C) 843-476-7512
FAX 843-846-1373 - Jim Bequette (District 7)
4 Broomfield Lane 2532, Beaufort, SC 29907
(H/C) 843-263-8327 - Herbert Burnes (District 8)
95 Pine Grove Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
(H) 843-846-445
(C) 843-263-2776 - Ronald Speaks (District 9)
3121 Palomino Dr., Burton, SC 29906
(H) 843-525-1163
(W) 843-525-8277
FAX 843-525-1163 - George Wilson (District 10)
20 Osprey Circle, Callawassie Island, S.C. 29909
Home: 987-1234; cell: 812-9870
- Mayor Billy Keyserling
771 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 986-2444 (Work)
(843) 521-2600 (Home) - Councilwoman Donnie Ann Beer
P.O. Box 1171, Beaufort, SC 29901
379-6099 (Home)
379-2750 (Work) - Councilman Gary Fordham
860 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
524-3334 (Home) - Councilman Mike Sutton
809 Craven St., Beaufort, SC 29902
252-5687 - Councilman Mike McFee
2302 Wilson Dr. Beaufort, SC 29902
843-321-0556 (Work)
843-522-1528 (Home)
- Town Hall: One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928; 341-4600 Town Council
- Mayor Thomas D. Peeples
4 Hartford Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-3922
Home: 686-4138; office: 681-2600; fax: 689-3229 - Bill Ferguson (Ward 1)
634 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 686-2863 - William Harkins (Ward 2)
3 Old Fort Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
263-3261 - cell - Drew A. Laughlin (Ward 3)
5 McIntosh Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 689-5723; work 689-5700; fax 689-9300 - John Safay (Ward 4)
19 Starboard Tack, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 785-4489; work: 785-4696; fax: 785-4696 - George Williams (Ward 5)
8 Braddock Cove, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 363-6601; fax: 363-6604 - Ken S. Heitzke (Ward 6)
3 Audubon Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 681-8182; fax: 681-9864
- P.O. Box 386, Bluffton, SC 29910
Office: 706-4500; fax: 757-6720
Town Council
- Mayor Lisa Sulka
P.O. Box 2750, Bluffton, SC 29910 - Fred Hamilton Jr
52 Goethe Road, Bluffton, SC 29910
Home: 815-5511 - Charlie Wetmore
P.O. Box 468 Bluffton, SC 29910
Home: 304-4061 - Councilman Oliver Brown
- Councilwoman Allyne Mitchell
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