LCBOE moving forwarded with securing funds for new ELE, ELMS athletic complex

The Laurens County Board of Education continues to put into motion the groundwork for the new East Laurens Elementary School and a new athletic complex for East Laurens Middle School.

The school board approved a state capital outlay application during its meeting held last Wednesday.  Laurens County Superintendent Clifford Garnto called the outlay application another step to securing the funds. 

“This is so they will release funds that is designated for a new school,” he said. “We are eligible for just shy of $4 million to go toward that school. The remainder of it will be absorbed through potential bond sales and potential ESPLOT passing in November. That is why the Nov. 4 (election) is very important as far as us being able to progress toward building that new school and building that new athletic complex on the eastside.”

The board also passed the 2026-2027 school calendar that was called option A. According to Garnto, this option passed by three votes by the teachers.

“We feel like it’s a good calendar and it will give amble breaks for our students and teachers,” Garnto said. “School will start next year a little bit later (Aug. 11, 2026) but still finish just a little before Memorial Day.” 

Among the new hires the board approved was Steve Vertin as the new Laurens County Schools safety director. He will be replacing Curt Kersey who is retiring toward the end of September. 

“(Vertin) is a current (school resource officer) for us through the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office,” Garnto said. “We look forward to having him with that law enforcement background and all of the intense training he has had along with his military training. We regret that Curt is retiring, but we know we have found a good replacement.” 

In other meeting news: 

– Garnto announced that all of the school board members had completed their hours for fisical year 2025 as part of the Local School Board Governance.

“They are inline with their training and they are all up to date,” he said.

– The board heard three policies about employee leave and absences, equity in sports and internet acceptable use to look at and vote on during its Oct. 9 meeting. 

– The board approved the retirement of Vickie Knight, Southwest Elementary teacher.

– Approved the transfer of parapro Jessica Barbee from West Laurens Middle School to Northwest Laurens Elementary School.

– Approved the termination of Lotus Guyton, parapro at East Laurens High School.

– Approved the following new hires: Kaitlin Anderson (50 percent) bus driver; Kedra Demmons (50 percent) bus driver; Kathryn Evans-Bentley, parapro at NWLE; Lindsay Haynes, food nutrition assistant at West Laurens High School; Vinessa Hester, food nutrition assistant at SWLE; Suretha Jones, bus monitor; Karen Kelly, parapro at WLHS; Jackey Lewis, custodian at East Laurens Elementary; Lucy McLendon, parapro at SWLE; Randee Mock, food nutrition assistant at SWLE; Connor Pavesich, parapro at NWLE; Jessica Weber-Sullivan, food nutrition assistant at WLHS.

– Approved the following resignations: Macie Crawford, parapro at NWLE; Lauren Haynes, parapro at ELE; David Howard, bus driver; Ashley Mason, food nutrition assistant at SWLE; Amrita Saxena, parapro at NWLE; Ashlyn Thompson, administrative assistant at Laurens County Schools; Sharon Williams, food nutrition assistant at WLHS.