RHS Boardroom to You

Award-Winning Communications! 🏆 The Rock Hill Schools Communications Team earned state and national honors for excellence in school communications. Pictured with Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder are Public Information Officer Laurabree Monday, Assistant Director of Public Information Serena Williams, Assistant Director of Digital Communication William Rice, and Marketing & Communications Specialist Trey Maggio. The team received SC-NSPRA (National School Public Relations Association) recognition for photography and video, along with three NSPRA Awards of Excellence for Boardroom to You, The Insider employee video newsletter, and the district’s Active Assailant Safety Video. These honors celebrate the team’s commitment to creative, timely, and impactful communications that keep our school community informed and connected.

Recap of the Board Meeting

You can view the meeting in its entirety at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/live/AFoc8yxkkZY?si=XIHqEX2ONisCb9Y5

Key Moments and Decisions

Action Agenda:

• 2026–2027 Adult Meal Prices (14:10)

  The Board of Trustees approved the 2026–2027 adult meal prices with a 6-0 vote. Mr. Gary Black shared that adult meal prices under the National School Lunch Program are driven by USDA requirements, with federal minimums increasing from $3.15 to $3.26 for breakfast and from $5.38 to $5.54 for lunch. The approved district prices will increase from $3.25 to $3.50 for breakfast and from $5.50 to $5.75 for lunch for the 2026–2027 school year.

• Staff Social Media Usage Policy Approved (16:15)

  The Board of Trustees approved the Staff Social Media Usage Policy on second reading with a 6-0 vote. Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder presented revisions to the policy, including updated definitions, clarification regarding the sharing of district social media content, and guidelines for the appropriate use of district logos and trademarks. Staff may repost official district social media content as long as the content is not modified and does not include identifiable information.

• Inter-District Transfer Policy Approved (24:00)

  The Board of Trustees unanimously approved Policy JFAB – Admission of Non-Resident Students on second reading. Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder presented the policy, which establishes guidelines for inter-district transfers for non-resident students and includes a provision allowing children of district employees to transfer into Rock Hill Schools.

• Payroll Procedures/Schedules Policy Approved (25:40)

  The Board of Trustees approved Policy DKA – Payroll Procedures/Schedules on second reading. Mr. Bobby Barnes presented the policy revisions, which align with the district’s transition from a monthly to a semi-monthly payroll schedule for employees.

Presentations:

• STOPit Anonymous Reporting & Student Support App (28:00)

  Mr. Andrew Jones introduced STOPit, the district’s new anonymous reporting and student support tool. Available 24/7/365, STOPit connects students with certified specialists who can provide support, communicate through two-way chat, and alert district officials or emergency services when necessary. The platform also provides access to helpful resources while maintaining strong privacy and security safeguards.

• Celebrating a Strong Start to 2026–2027 (32:15)

  Mrs. Laurabree Monday highlighted the successful opening of the 2026–2027 school year, recognizing the teachers, administrators, support staff, and district teams whose work behind the scenes helped ensure a strong start for students. From classrooms and transportation to meals and facilities, teams across the district worked throughout the summer to prepare for an exciting new year as Rock Hill Schools continues to Raise the Bar.

• Raising the Bar: Celebrating Today, Building Tomorrow (42:20)

  Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder presented the 2025–2026 Year in Review and Look Ahead to 2026–2027, highlighting progress across the Board’s four strategic goals and priorities for the year ahead. Accomplishments included expanded dual credit opportunities, improved ESE ratios, increased fiscal transparency, a balanced budget with no tax increase, enhanced staff and community engagement, and an 86% increase in social media followers. Looking ahead, the first priority is raising the bar to improve student outcomes. The district will keep instruction at the center of school improvement, increase academic rigor, establish a screen time policy, engage stakeholders in long-range facilities planning, strengthen workforce and community partnerships, and continue expanding opportunities for students and families.

  
  

  The work reflects the district’s continued commitment to Raising the Bar Every Day, From Crayons to Commencement.

Report of the Superintendent: (53:25)

Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder shared several highlights as Rock Hill Schools begins the 2026–2027 school year:

• Ready, Set, Go! Summer Leadership Institute: District and school leaders aligned around the District’s Theory of Action, instructional leadership, district transformation, and high-quality Tier I instruction.

• Learning to Rock New Teacher Orientation: New educators participated in professional learning, relationship building, and community engagement, with 25 community partners providing resources to help employees feel supported and connected from day one.

• Denim & Diamonds District Pep Rally: Employees came together to celebrate excellence, welcome new team members, recognize outstanding staff, and officially launch the Raising the Bar theme for the new school year.

• New Grading Floor Requirements: District teams spent the summer preparing educators and families for implementation of South Carolina’s new grading requirements under the Uniform Grading Scale (H.5073).

• A Strong Start to the School Year: Dr. Elder thanked employees across the district for their work to ensure a successful opening. She also joined Board members and district leaders in visiting schools and classrooms to welcome students and staff.

• Online Safety & Sextortion Awareness: Rock Hill Schools will partner with the Less Than Three Foundation and Rep. Brandon Guffey for student assemblies at all three high schools on August 13–14, followed by a Parent & Community Forum on August 14 at 6 p.m. at the District Office.

Dr. Elder closed by thanking employees, families, students, community partners, and the Board of Trustees for their continued commitment to raising the bar and creating exceptional opportunities for every student.

Action from Executive Session:

Superintendent Evaluation & Contract Extension (2:28:00)

• Following its annual performance evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Deborah Elder, the Board of Trustees approved a one-year contract extension, taking Dr. Elder's contract out to June 30, 2029, along with a 2% salary increase. The motion carried 6-0, with Jennifer Hutchinson abstaining.
• The Board recognized Dr. Elder’s leadership in building a strong foundation for the district, successfully opening Sunset Park Elementary, maintaining a balanced budget, and strengthening community engagement. Trustees also expressed their commitment to continued academic progress as the systems and strategies implemented across the district translate into improved student outcomes.

• Six Board members were present at the start of the meeting: Helena Miller, Jennifer Hutchinson, James Burns, Melissa Harris, Pete Nosal, and Lacy Daniel. Board member Montrio Belton was absent from the earlier portions of the meeting and joined remotely during the Superintendent’s evaluation and contract discussion. Votes taken prior to that portion of the meeting were 6-0. During the Superintendent’s evaluation and contract action, the motion carried 6-0, with Montrio Belton voting over the phone, and Jennifer Hutchinson abstaining.

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• We are currently hiring for the 2026-2027 school year. Find more info on our website at RockHillSchools.com.

• Our next school board meeting will be held on Aug. 25, 2026 and will be streamed on our website with replays available after the meeting.

Find the additional information for each meeting: https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/SB_MeetingListing.aspx?S=36031001

Click on "District Policies" on the left side.

Our school board has many duties including:

• establishing policies
• setting direction
• providing support for quality educational opportunities.

https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/domain/85

July 23, 2026