Top recent storylines from Sumter School District

1. BOARD TO NOT SEEK MILLAGE INCREASE FROM COUNTY

For the first time in numerous years, Sumter School District and its board of trustees will not pursue a millage increase from Sumter County Council.

According to district Chief Financial Officer Shatika Spearman, there has been a push from the state legislature this spring for school districts to use fund balance to offset increased expenditures, and districts have agreed to follow suit.

First reading on the fiscal 2024-25 budget was on Monday, May 6, and Spearman provided a presentation. At that time, projected expenditures for the new fiscal year exceeded projected revenues by about $2.4 million. Administration proposed the projected shortfall be covered by the district's fund balance, which was $51.4 million as of June 30, 2023, and the board unanimously approved the recommendation.

In recent years, the district's general fund balance has grown considerably because of teacher and staff vacancies. The $51.4 million in reserves represents about 4.5 months of expenditures on hand for the district. State law requires districts to have one month of expenditures in reserves.

2. CROSSWELL DRIVE ELEMENTARY WINS REGIONAL HONOR FOR INTERVENTIONS

The Southeastern School Behavioral Health Community, which consists of 12 states, named Sumter School District's Crosswell Drive Elementary School as its 2024 School of the Year for its comprehensive social/emotional approach to student well-being since the COVID-19 pandemic. Elements of the school's new behavioral and mental health programming include the addition of three mental health counselors, two outside mental health agencies now providing services for more intense student needs and the installation of a collective belief system for students focusing on their success, ability to conquer challenges and be a great student.

Changes in student discipline have been noteworthy. According to Principal Shawn Hagerty, office-based discipline referrals went down 60% last school year from the prior year. Those referrals represent more intense student behaviors and can result in in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, a phone call to the home and possibly expulsion.

3. DISTRICT NAMES TEACHER

OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

As part of naming its 27 campuses' teachers of the year in April for next school year, Sumter also named its three finalists for district teacher of the year. The three finalists are Terri Johnson, a math interventionist at Cherryvale Elementary School; third-grade teacher Rachel Pressley at Shaw Heights Elementary; and seventh-grade science teacher Octavia Green at Furman Middle. The district teacher of the year will be named July 30 at the annual opening meeting for the new school year.