CSD2 planning for next year

Less than two weeks are left in the school year and at least one school in Clarendon School District 2 is already making plans for the 2012-2013 school year.

Manning Elementary School had three teachers present the board plans for field trips for the next fiscal school year.

The teachers said that by getting approval now for the field trips they can have all the information on the trips to hand out during school registration in the fall and not wait until later in the year to present the information to parents and guardians. All three trips received board approval.

MES’ fourth graders will take an overnight trip to Charleston on April 18-19, 2013, as a review for Civil War questions that will be asked on PASS testing later that spring. MES’ fifth grade students will take their annual trip to Washington from March 26-28 and MES’ sixth graders will head to Florida March 27-30.

Superintendent John Tindal told board members that he had encouraged more teachers to take field trips in South Carolina.

“We have a lot of history that we can explore right here in South Carolina,” Tindal added.

The CSD2 board granted approval for two trips that Manning High School’s Chapter of the FFA will take in June. From June 4-8, FFA members will attend the state FFA meeting at Clemson University. Twenty-eight students and three chaperones will be attending. Then from June 18-22, 20 FFA members and chaperones will attend a leadership conference at Cherry Grove.

Finance Director Cathy Williams presented the board with its monthly financial report. Williams told the board that as of April, the district had $1.9 million in revenue over expenses.

The board gave second reading approval to a balanced budget for the 2012-2013 school year.

Williams told the board that before the third and final reading of the budget the board would host a public hearing so the public could ask questions about the budget.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Danny McCathern updated the board on district personnel.

“We’re in very good shape on vacancies for next year,” McCathern told board members.

Manning Early Childhood Center needs two teachers and an assistant manager of food services. Manning Junior High School needs a physical education teacher. Manning High School needs a principal. A speech pathologist is also needed that would serve several of the district’s schools.