Aiken County school board members returned from executive session to vote to extend the contract of superintendent King Laurence through the 2023-2024 school year.
That was first approved during the Aug. 12 meeting. The motion also included a salary increase to $215,000, effective July 1, 2021. His prior salary was $195,000.
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The final part of the motion included clarifying language in the contract to “provide for an annual percentage salary increase comparable to that received by teachers.”
The motion was approved unanimously.
Board members also voted on another item discussed in executive session. The state board of education will be receiving a formal complaint against two employees. Allegedly, the employees breached their contract with the district.These employees are not identified and their positions are not specified. They did not announce the details of circumstances.
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Earlier in the meeting, Laurence announced the South Carolina Department of Health as well as the Environmental Control have changed how quarantines are handled in schools. The guidance had initially stated that anyone in close contact with a student who had tested positive had to quarantine if they weren’t wearing masks.
Laurence explained, “DHEC changed that today. So, if the close contact is wearing a mask, it doesn’t matter if the person who tested positive is wearing a mask or not. It’s kind of an incentive to wear a mask.”
COVID-19 cases and quarantines continue to decline in Aiken County schools. The number of positive students dropped to 67 with 2,830 in quarantine. There are 13 employees who have tested positive with 11 in quarantine.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
