Here is a recap of the May 28 meeting of the Greenville County Schools board of trustees.
Approved: Reedy Laurel Elementary School name
The board approved the name for the new elementary school at 61 Isbell Lane in Greenville: Reedy Laurel Elementary School. The new school is currently under construction and will open in August 2025.
The school’s name highlights Reedy River and Laurel Creek, both nearby. According to GCS, the name also aligns with the school’s academic focus on environmental science.
Read more about Greenville County Schools’s new elementary school
An ad hoc committee of trustee members selected the name for the new elementary school from 1,400 name submissions. These submissions were collected from community stakeholders and the general public in March.
Overturned: Instructional Material Review Committee recommendations
The board voted to remove three books from the district’s high school libraries during a special called meeting earlier on May 28.
Complaints were made against the appropriateness of the three books which include:
- “Perfect” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas
Each book was reviewed by the district’s Material Review Committee which determined that the books should remain in the high school libraries. The decision was appealed to the board which decided to overturn the committee’s recommendations for all three books, each with a 9-1 vote.
Approved: Strategic Education Plan
The board approved the district’s strategic education plan for 2024-2029. The plan’s three goal areas include:
- Student achievement: Provide quality curriculum, instruction and interventions to meet each student’s needs
- Premier workforce: Recruit and retain high-quality personnel
- Caring culture and environment: Provide a safe environment that promotes learning
The plan will go into effect July 1.
