By: Jeremy Handel, Staff Writer | jeremy@thewoodrufftimes.com
After swearing in recently elected members and electing new officers, the Woodruff School Board approved more than $3.5 million in road improvements related to the new high school. The Board also heard a presentation from the independent auditor regarding its annual audit.
The first meeting of the year opened with five members sworn in, including newly elected member Phil Hembree, who fills the seat previously held by Gary Lee, who chose not to seek re-election. Current members Ted Harrison, Jr., Jay Phillips, Morgan Smith, and Tony Davis were also sworn in after being re-elected.
After seating the new members, the board elected new officers, which it does every two years. Morgan Smith was named chair, Sandy Norman became vice chair, and Nathan Craig was elected secretary. The Board also appointed Norman, Phillips, and Craig to serve on the Hearing Committee and Davis and Hembree to serve on the RD Anderson Board of Trustees.
In regular business, the Board unanimously voted to approve two items regarding road improvements around the new high school, both required by the South Carolina Department of Transportation. The first includes more than $3.5 million in improvements to Cross Anchor Road and the intersections with Miller Road and Allendale Road. The improvements include road widening, intersection upgrades, and a traffic light at the school’s main entrance.
The second item includes $144,000 that will be put into a holding account for future intersection improvements on Allendale Road for entrance into the school grounds. The funds are being held at this time as a future housing development in the area is likely to be required to provide additional funding for improvements. Superintendent Dr. Aaron Fulmer assured the Board that the amount required of the district for this project would not exceed $144,000. Both projects will be funded from funds approved by the bond referendum for the new high school.
Earlier in the meeting, the Trustees heard a presentation from the district’s independent auditor, Brian Nicholson, with Mauldin & Jenkins. Nicholson reported that the district received an unmodified opinion, or a clean audit, which is the best result possible. The firm identified no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal control, and no instances of noncompliance were reported.
The district also received an unmodified opinion for compliance and internal controls for compliance with uniform guidance regarding expenditures of federal funds. The district exceeded $750,000 in federal fund expenditures last fiscal year, triggering a single audit of those expenditures.
Prior to the business items, district officials took a moment to recognize a group of high-achieving students before the board. Each year, students in grades 3 – 8 take the SC Ready assessment test, and the state Department of Education recognizes students who earn “max out” scores. The district recognized the Woodruff students who maxed out in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years at the meeting.
Students recognized for 2023-2024 were fourth-graders Lucas Dickard and Cowen Graves for their math scores. For the 2024-2025 year, the state recognized third-grader Liam Pipkin and fourth-graders Sienna Arrowood, Charis Avrett, and Keefer Young in math. Fourth-grader Elizabeth Whitmore was recognized in English/language arts. Lucas Dickard (fifth grade), Aubrey Shealy (sixth grade), and Robert Pettay (eighth grade) were all recognized for their math work.
In school reports:
- Woodruff Primary School reported that students collected more than 600 items in December to donate to the Helping Hands Ministry, and students surpassed their reading goal in the Sweet Reads and Frosty Treats program by reading 3,204 books to earn an ice cream treat.
- Woodruff Elementary School reported that Phoenix Dixon won the Woodruff Elementary Spelling Bee. Greyson Hoag was the first runner-up. During December, students participated in a Christmas Toy Drive to help children in our community.
- Woodruff Middle School reported that the band and chorus conducted evening concerts before the break. Archery tryouts are scheduled for January 11.
- Woodruff High School reported that several students volunteered for the tree planting at the new high school in November, a teacher cadet class from USC Upstate visited the school to learn about teaching, and the community open house for the new high school was a big success.
Woodruff School Board meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at the district office. The meetings are open to the public, and the next meeting will be on February 2.
Author: Tracy Sanders
