Sumter school board shifts tonight’s open session for meeting to 6 p.m.

Given the anticipation of a longer-than-usual executive session behind closed doors, Sumter School District’s Board of Trustees has moved tonight’s (Monday’s) open session, which includes public participation, to start at 6 p.m.

Beginning in July, the school board changed its regular board meeting format for the trustees to hold their executive session from essentially 6 to 7 p.m., or shortly thereafter, and then for the open session to follow. However, when Monday’s agenda was placed online Friday, it reflected the change.

Additionally, a school district spokeswoman contacted The Sumter Item last week on the format change.

Other items on tonight’s agenda include another proposed board discussion on realignment -- or rezoning schools’ attendance lines -- and a subsequent vote later in the meeting, an academics update and a presentation on district schools’ report cards. The state Department of Education released report cards for all schools in the state one week ago.

Regarding public participation, any member of the public wanting to make a comment to the board must complete a form between 5:30 to just before the 6 p.m. start time for the meeting and open session.

Tonight’s meeting will be at the district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road.

For those not physically attending, the district continues to broadcast meetings live on YouTube.

Anyone wanting to attend the meeting virtually can do so via YouTube Sumter School District Board Meeting and the district’s Facebook page, @SumterSCSchools.