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DENMARK - The Bamberg School District 2 Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to enter into an alternative school agreement with Orangeburg Consolidated School District 4 during its regular meeting Monday night.

Under the agreement, BSD 2 students will attend the district’s alternative school, the Star Learning Center.

The board received a disparaging report on the state of its own alternative school program from Dr. Thelma Sojourner, director of instructional services. She said it resembled more of an “in-school suspension” rather than a full-fledged alternative school program.

Sojourner said following a visit from Aveene Coleman, director of the alternative school program at the state Department of Education, the news was not favorable.

“She was not pleased with what we had set up as an alternative school. One of the things that troubled her the most was the fact that ... we are serving the middle school and high school students in one building, in one classroom,” Sojourner said. “On top of that, ... we only had that one teacher (a business major) to act as a supervisor over there.”

Certified teachers in core subjects of math, science and language arts, however, are required by law to work with the students.

“We did have one eighth-grade teacher serve as a math teacher for the students in the program. That was getting us through, but that teacher is not certified to teach beyond eighth grade,” Sojourner said. She said a high school teacher worked with the special service students twice a week in the mornings for an hour.

Sojourner said Coleman noted that was not enough instruction time for special service students, who require individualized education plans.

Under the agreement, OCSD 4 will enroll BSD 2 students in grades 6-12 and provide all equipment and supplies needed for instruction. BSD 2 will pay $78,000 to defray those and other program administration costs. The money is what the state Department of Education already allocates Bamberg School District 2 to provide alternative education.

“It will definitely be beneficial for our children,” BSD 2 Superintendent Dr. Secaida Howell said Tuesday. “Even in light of the fact that they (BSD 2 Board members) accused me of an agreement that I didn’t enter into and that Orangeburg 4 didn’t enter into, I appreciated the fact that they changed their minds.”

Howell initially brought the proposed partnership agreement to the board during its June meeting. At that time, Trustee Loretta Goodman said it was her understanding Howell had already approved the agreement without first consulting the board.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534.

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