Top recent storylines from Sumter school board

Posted

1. NEW BOARD OFFICERS

After the departure of three trustees with the November general election, new leadership is at the top of Sumter School District's Board of Trustees.

Shawn Ragin is the new chairman, and Brian Alston is the new vice chairman after the board's organizational meeting on Nov. 18. A reorganizational meeting occurs every two years after the November elections.

Ragin and Alston were the only nominees for chair and vice chair, respectively, by their fellow board members and were elected to the leadership posts. Gloria Lee was also the only nominee for board clerk and therefore assumed that post. Area 6 Trustee Matthew "Mac" McLeod nominated Ragin and Lee. Area 2 Trustee Brittany English nominated Alston for vice chairman.

Probably Ragin is best known in education circles as the founder and headmaster of Ragin Preparatory Christian Academy, a private school in Sumter that is part of the South Carolina Independent School Association.

State law allows private school employees to serve on public school boards, according to Debbie Elmore, director of governmental relations with the state School Boards Association.

2. NEW BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS

As is also customary after the November elections, the new chair appoints new board committee leaders. At the Dec. 9 meeting, Ragin selected Alston to be the new board Policy Committee chairman. Ragin also tabbed Tarah Johnson as the new board Finance Committee chairwoman and McLeod as the new Facilities Committee chairman.

Ragin dissolved - at least for the time being - the board's Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Committee, which was chaired the last two years by Bonnie Disney.

3. SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAM

TO BEGIN AT CAREER CENTER

District administration and Sumter Career and Technology Center Principal Shirrie Miller announced at the Dec. 9 board meeting that a new sports medicine program will open for high school students at the career center in January with the start of the spring semester.

Students from each of the district's three high schools will be able to participate in the program at the center's campus, 2612 McCrays Mill Road and in front of Sumter High School.

Sports medicine is a medical field that focuses on the health, wellness and performance of athletes to include injury prevention and recovery. Career opportunities in the field include orthopedics, physical therapy, sports nutrition, sports psychology, biomechanics, athletic training and exercise physiology.

4. OTHER NEWS

Next year's school calendar is set after the full board unanimously approved it at the Dec. 9 trustees' meeting. The first day of classes for students will be July 31, 2025.

Also, the district has also unveiled a new website at sumterschools.net.


x