District 4 debt service taxes won't increase
By LEE TANT, T&D Staff WriterFriday, August 22, 2008People living in Orangeburg Consolidated School District Four should get a reprieve from any additional property taxes.
Finance Director Tom Ashley said there is no anticipated increase for the district’s debt service portion of the tax bill this year. Trustees previously increased the operating millage by 4 mills. The operating millage does not apply to owner-occupied homes.
During their meeting Tuesday, OCSD 4 trustees heard some more good news after learning that more seniors graduated last May than at any other point in the district’s history.
Between OCSD 4’s three high schools, 243 seniors walked down the aisle on graduation night this spring.
Also, assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Shirlan Mosley-Jenkins told the board about a new program called 8.5, which will help 8th grade students that are held back for poor academic performance.
The program gives students the opportunity to be promoted to high school if they perform up to expectations and show improvement during the first nine weeks of school.
In other business:
* Jim Hardy from Edisto Sports, Inc. asked the board for permission to add a girls softball diamond to the Carver-Edisto Middle School baseball fields. The board granted tentative approval for creating a softball diamond if it works out logistically.
Edisto Sports uses the baseball fields at CEMS for its youth baseball league.
* Board Vice Chair Peggy Tyler said she was impressed by the opening of the district’s schools after visiting several of them on Monday.
* The board approved out-of-state trips for the Edisto High School Jr. ROTC and the Branchville High School Future Farmers of America.
* 2008-2009 District Teacher of the Year Dottie Strickland gave a speech on self-respect, the Orangeburg Community of Character Trait of the Month.
* Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Planning Larry Wolfe said three new classrooms were ready for the opening of school at CEMS.
* Ashley reported that the district spent $834,000 and collected $1.2 million in revenue for the month of July.
T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.
