By: Jeremy Handel, Staff Writer
jeremy@thewoodrufftimes.com
The Spartanburg County School District Four Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the purchase of furniture for the new high school and welcomed aboard two new members at their December meeting.
Kara Turner with MPS presented the Board with a recommended selection of fabrics, colors, and other materials for the furnishings of the new high school. Superintendent Dr. Rallie Liston presented a number of renderings showing the recommended furniture selections in various rooms of the school, such as classrooms, the lunchroom, and faculty offices.
The selection of colors was chosen to represent the Wolverine brand, and durable materials and fabrics were identified to help extend the life of the new furniture. The chairs, desks, worktables, and more will reflect Woodruff’s maroon with greys, wood tones, and some highlight colors throughout.
Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Chris Benfield explained that while the school is in the early stages of construction, there are advantages to making the furniture purchase now. The recommended vendor, New Idea, agreed to lock in 2023 prices for the district and provide storage for all of the new furniture at no charge until it’s ready to be moved in. They also provide a lifetime warranty on the furniture, which is estimated at approximately 30 years. District staff was also given the opportunity to do a blind test of furniture items from the various bidders, and New Idea was recommended the most.
The Board unanimously approved the $1,658,281.23 contract with New Idea. The budgeted amount for the furniture was $2 million. According to Benfield, this contract does not include some items, such as trash cans and outdoor furniture, that will be approved later.
The December meeting marked the first for two new members of the Board, Micha Kelley and Nathan Craig, who were elected in November. They were sworn in prior to the meeting, along with Trustees Rick Sloan and Sandy Norman, who were re-elected.
In other business, the board unanimously approved the second reading of recommended revisions to board policies regarding Gavin’s Law pertaining to sexual extortion of staff and students. The policy provides provisions to make students and staff aware of and educate them on the provisions of the new law. Gavin’s Law makes it a felony to blackmail someone using sexually explicit images of them and an aggravated felony if the victim is a minor. The law is named after Gavin Guffey, a 17-year-old who took his own life after being a victim of sexual extortion in 2022.
Following the meeting, during an executive session, Dr. Liston announced to the Board that he intends to retire from the district at the end of this school year. Dr. Liston has been with District Four in some capacity for 33 years, with 20 years as Superintendent.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed serving D4 [District Four] as principal and superintendent throughout the years. Words cannot express the labor of love, hard work, and commitment to excellence this has been for me,” Dr. Liston said in a prepared statement provided The Woodruff Times. “As we move forward together, let us embrace our growing community and the opportunities ahead for District Four and the great community at large.”
In school reports:
Woodruff Primary School reported that students and staff donated approximately 2,000 items to the Woodruff Soup Kitchen in October and November. The school held a family literacy night with a great turnout, and all students in attendance received a free book.
Woodruff Elementary School reported that students and staff are planning some fun and festive activities for December, including an ice cream sundae wonderland, Christmas games, an ornament exchange, holiday headgear day, and more.
Woodruff Middle School reported more than 100 students were recognized as WMS students on the PROWL for the first semester. Avey Benton won the school spelling bee in November.
Woodruff High School reported the school held a Veteran’s Day program featuring James Mulak, a Marine Corps veteran, as the speaker. Thirteen students were inducted into the National Honor Society in November. The AP U.S. and Honors Government students took a field trip to see The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
District Four Board of Trustees meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at the district office. The meetings are open to the public. The January meeting will held on Monday, January 8, due to the New Year’s Day holiday.
Author: Tracy Sanders
