[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6686949,"mediaKeyId","2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9","parentId",2336800,"title","Board approves A&E awards, roof design contract and fee increases after revised GMPs and SCDOT mandates","audioSeconds",1172,"startMs",3903000,"endMs",5075000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9&start=3903&end=5075","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9/thumbnail_3903000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6686949/South-Carolina/Board-approves-AE-awards-roof-design-contract-and-fee-increases-after-revised-GMPs-and-SCDOT-mandates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686949-e0ee93d5cc83bf6769d31b855e16b9b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770892321&Signature=I0iN2WPTyVp43CTYkIHveVlG7lJZcZnoGnGB2MXPgQ2StU0SqHs6yxMm2R~dmenITLOZ98sW5V73GOun7-xjTmgVJfdXAB9Zf6m0tuHaY0cRJHsaPUYA9-QtB737Fmswxh0HIy4sLvq52090a9cr~CwPj86~GkRTizU1Bqz0OSYbY4ePqB21PaRVZ9vSUSVRKHUnF3wCitAXl2sALWjlKAal62nW1fq584I1tH13C5JprHF6QCOo1DSNfbo~9erHZu7hhcCSPLNeCw3ThjrsdSsKZ5Nye5K7V7XDVEZH7PBaTZnRW58wmNrRMcMqVU66RqCi-PsYbeC~87J9ZmHt5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Berkeley 01","date","2025-02-19T01:17:27.75Z","article","The Berkeley County Board of Education approved a series of capital-project decisions on Feb. 18 that included increases to architectural fees tied to updated guaranteed maximum prices and required off-site roadwork, and awarded architectural and roof-design contracts for multiple schools.

District staff, represented in the meeting by Dr. Karen Whitley, said the final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for Hanahan Middle School is $43,010,285, exceeding the original project estimate of $30,000,000. Dr. Whitley said the firm F.W. Architects’ fee was calculated at 5.25% of the final approved project budget and that an increase of $683,039.96 was attributable to the revised GMP; separately, mandated off-site roadwork design required by the South Carolina Department of Transportation for Ninth Street added $126,736.28, for a combined requested increase of $809,779.24. Administration recommended—and the board approved—an award increase for RFQ 6772223 to F.W. Architects for a total additional amount of $809,779.24 to include the off-site roadwork design.

For the new middle school in Nexton, the administration requested additional funds to cover SCDOT-required off-site road widening and coordination. The board approved an increase of $165,054 to RFQ 5591920 (A&E services) for the Nexton middle school project; district staff said the off-site scope was not known until December 2024 and that Nexton Middle is scheduled to open in August 2026.

The board also awarded RFQ 7132425 (architectural and engineering services) for additions and renovations to Goose Creek High School and Berkeley High School: F.W. Architects was awarded $1,300,000 for the Goose Creek project, and Moseley Architect PC was awarded $1,234,200 for the Berkeley High project. The board approved RFQ 7152425 for roof design services at Sangaree Elementary to WM Building Consultants for $110,000.

A brief exchange during the capital-planning discussion corrected transcription typos in firm names and confirmed both F.W. Architects and Moseley have previously worked on projects in the district. Trustees noted the lump-sum contracts are fixed unless the scope changes. One committee and later board vote on the Sangaree roof design was recorded as 5–1; other capital items were recorded as approved unanimously or as \"the ayes have it.\"","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Berkeley County School District Board Meeting - February 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Berkeley County Board approved increases to architectural fees tied to revised guaranteed maximum prices and South Carolina Department of Transportation-mandated off-site roadwork, and awarded architectural and roof design contracts for several schools including Goose Creek High, Berkeley High, Hanahan Middle and Sangaree Elementary.","taxTitle","Berkeley 01, School Districts, South Carolina","taxId",14916,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6686951,"Berkeley County board approves personnel recommendations, settlement authorization and student expulsion outcomes",2672,3848000,6520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9&start=3848&end=6520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9/thumbnail_3848000.jpg","/articles/6686951/South-Carolina/Berkeley-County-board-approves-personnel-recommendations-settlement-authorization-and-student-expulsion-outcomes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686951-86fb44da63d12caf93b403a89a8434ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770892321&Signature=fsthxu05r8DMG33XJjmf9JjthU-cFeUPlC7~hMgG6AJ92lp9rE5oAugL~Hizxob7P4Couzai7Qyz3YjDXmkJJzezM6lsjRnZsHJLKz4iC8Ugh4hLV5f-msTTtY8mPAO6sUgt3c7TycsXItNVUTpRmVUyB39Um7KPIH2~o6VPJ8jUdGuKblZkfSnTkfP33FKELySUtr3RCXcAFf3j5mKnwSwNzHF6BCN1k4QIYcrjpL6XN7UL3auYzVHYvAQtGWC9mnG-nrSJz9A-G~y3tPxt-spwvncf2lH9p87~k3M4Kj0BpgauAtzsMdRBBow7hvk2xhh4gtTZtRQmGI-hDTQGyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","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.","Following an executive session, the Berkeley County Board of Education approved administration personnel recommendations, authorized settlement in Jackson v. Berkeley County School District, awarded a 4% incentive to the superintendent after an \"effective\" rating, and ruled on two student expulsion appeals.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6686956,"Educators, parents urge Berkeley County School Board to restore student access to DISCUS",311,3375000,3686000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9&start=3375&end=3686","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2336800-029658b76907ebcbb7c6117c41c863f9/thumbnail_3375000.jpg","/articles/6686956/South-Carolina/Educators-parents-urge-Berkeley-County-School-Board-to-restore-student-access-to-DISCUS","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686956-094843b99317c5efa90ade88b29da0e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770892321&Signature=KlXtOJDyoYSMhSEAi6glUWrW~Cd4FiDxRwBRs3xVEZLULANFIrgf~V3B7Dhmgvuzn4thrAUg4OtAAfg2xDGBxQskzogyRofZQiKyvQUPndIL7g9R-ZCWqV0L-QVgz1PS1wZ6p94i-D6BF8qbbr28sTbO~DVEK1B-KcF-bPH-68etApg5bGilyuFgjEeY8w5JeMvTxYoUTtY2zOI5ghPKllXLp7c4xtjDvbR0gnr3KynsySF12~dEULmTdETqTePyc4Aje4nLKntBXVajof1UtQo7gTuwqBr9JRWElHAklz1EaLHq2xU9CGZmsYqmY3idLuSLx41CE0-8s48OXXkPFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several Berkeley County educators and parents urged the Berkeley County Board of Education on Feb. 18 to restore student access to DISCUS, the state-provided research database, saying the district’s unexplained removal has harmed instruction and student research skills.

Lauren Bolchez, a Berkeley County School District librarian and parent, told trustees she would not speculate about the reason for the district’s decision but described the consequences. “Students here are now relegated to just Googling it,” Bolchez said, adding that DISCUS provides full-text access to scholarly journals students otherwise cannot reach. “Please restore student access to SC DISCUS.”

Mev Macintosh, a former ELA teacher and parent, said the loss of DISCUS undermines preparations for state writing assessments that require text-dependent writing and cited accessibility features used by students with special needs. “Where did it go? Why did it disappear?” Macintosh asked the board. She said DISCUS “provides accessibility options and features that help my son, who has special needs and who is nonverbal, to understand stories.”

Speakers asked the board for transparency about the removal and for an opt-out process for parents who object to specific content, rather than a blanket removal. No board motion to restore access or an administrative explanation was offered during the public-comment period, and board chair remarks indicated that the board does not take immediate action on public comments at the meeting.

The comments came during the public-comment portion of the meeting. The board’s agenda later moved on to committee reports and items carried over from an earlier executive session. The district did not provide additional information about the decision to remove DISCUS during the meeting.","Several Berkeley County educators and parents urged the Board of Education to restore student access to DISCUS, South Carolina’s statewide research database, saying its removal harms instruction and accessibility; the board took no action during the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves A&E awards, roof design contract and fee increases after revised GMPs and SCDOT mandates

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

Educators, parents urge Berkeley County School Board to restore student access to DISCUS