I’M JANE ROBELOT. WE’RE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS NOW, SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER AND STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION. MOLLY SPEARMAN ARE VISITING AND SPEAKING IN ANDERSON COUNTY WHILE DELIVERING PPE AT THE ANDERSON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. LET’S LISTEN IN BUT NOW IT’S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO INTRODUCE SOME FOLKS THAT WE SHARE AND COMMENTS WITH YOU TODAY AND FIRST WE’RE VERY HONORED TO HAVE THE HONORABLE GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER WITH US. TO BRING GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. HENRY MCMASTER BECAME 217TH GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA ON JANUARY 24 2017 WAS ELECTED TO HIS FIRST FULL TERM ON NOVEMBER 2 6 2018 AS GOVERNOR HE IS AN OUT TIM. HE IS ANNOUNCED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW JOBS IN OUR STATE AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS. A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT THE SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR MCMASTER PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS LIEUTENANT GENERAL LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL AND WAS UNANIMOUSLY CONFIRMED BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO BECOME THE FIRST US ATTORNEY APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN IN 1981. ALL IMPORTANTLY GOVERNMENT MASTERS MARRIED TO HIS WIFE PEGGY. THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN HENRY MCMASTER JR. AND MARY ROGERS. GOVERNOR IS A BIG SUPPORTER OF EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR STATE AND IS INDEED MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME GOVERNOR MCMASTER TO THE ANDERSON INSTITU OF TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU. LET ME RECOGNIZE SOME ALSO SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT ARE STANDING HERE ON THE STAGE REPRESENTATIVE JAY WEST. REPRESENTATIVE WEST -- SENATOR MIKE GAMBRIL MILLION AND MCCLAIN FROM SHE’S NOT HERE. ARTHRITIS. IS SHE HERE? HERE YOU GO. WHEN YOU CAME HERE. IMMEDIATELY HOOKED UP WITH THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSE. THAT WAS A GREAT MOVE ALSO IS LEAST OUR FROM TTI HERE SOMEWHERE. THANK YOU. IN A SAINT IN COURSE THERE IS AND IS HERE AND WIND WHITE. APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK. YEAH, YOU CAN’T THESE MASKS ON. YOU DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE CAN EVEN HEAR YOU ARE YOU TALKING? PHOTO WE GET ON TELEVISION A LOT. SO WE GET RECOGNIZED A MASK ON OR NOT, BUT I DAUGHTER HAD A FUNNY STORY. SHE IS. A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO SAID MY SON AND I AM 9 YEARS OLD THAT IT WAS ON THE HOME DEPOT. TWO MEN WITH HIM AND HE HAD A BULLDOG. WE GOT A LITTLE ENGLISH. BLACK SPOT BEAUTIF SOMEONE LOOKED UP AND SAID THAT MUST BE SOMEBODY IMPORTANT THEY GOT SUZANNE YOU SAID WHAT? DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS? LATER, WE GOT TO LEAVE IN GOT INTO BIG BLACK SUBURBANS AND DROVE OFF IN THE BOY SAYS I KNOW WHO THAT WAS. THE LADY SAYS, WHO IS SHE SAYS THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR’S YOU SAID, HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW CAN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT? I COULD COULD TELL RECOGNIZE THE DOG? WHATEVER WE DO TO RECOGNIZE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS HELP HIM. AS WE KNOW MORE AND MORE THAN EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING WE DO IN, SOUTH CAROLINA. WE HAVE BUSINESSES FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT COULD GO ANYWHERE COULD GO ANYWHERE AND THEY COME TO SOUTH CAROLINA BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE. THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT OUR CULTURE. THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE. YOU GENERAL 4-STAR GENERAL MARK CLARK SAID THERE’S MORE PATRIOTISM IN SOUTH CAROLINA PERSUADES IN ANY PLACE IN THE THAT TRANSLATES INTO LOYALTY. IS LIVE SENDING TERMINATION? WE HAVE THAT. WE’VE GOT THE CHIEF OF BUT WE GOT TO EDUCATE. IF WE CAN EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE THEN THERE’S NO STOPPING US. THE FUTURE OF OUR THAT IS THE PROMISE THAT WE’VE MADE IN OUR CONSTITUTION IS A SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION ELECTRIC ATE THOSE TWO WE OVERCOME. TODAY I WILL BE PURCHASING AND DISTRIBUTING. TEN MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO SAY THE NEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HELP ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS REOPENED SAFELY. THIS FALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THIS PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND WE ARE PROVIDING TO THEM EVERY SINGLE THING THAT THEY ASK FOR. AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TALK TO THE PARENTS. IN RESPONSE RESERVE ACCOUNT THE LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZED ME AS GOVERNMENT TO USE THESE FUNDS TO DO WHAT TO PROTECT THE HEALTH SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WE KNOW THAT THE SUFFERING AND ECONOMIC DAMAGE INFLICTED BY THE VIRUS. HAS BEEN DRAMATIC WE DAY. SOME OF US HAVE FELT IT OURSELVES. FAMILIES BUSINESSES LIVELIHOODS AND EDUCATIO VERY DAMAGING LIE, AND THAT IS FALLING DOWN TO BE WANT TO OUR CHILDREN THE MOST VALUABLE LEARNING PROGRESS DUE TO THE SCHOOLS BEING CLOSED. WE KNOW THAT THERE’S ONLY SO LONG THAT YOU CAN KEEP A CHILD. WE KNOW THAT THEY LOSE SOME OF THE MOMENTUM AND LEARNING THAT WHAT THAT WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED OVER THE SUMMER. EXPERIENCE SO FAR WE DID WE HAVE GOT TO BE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING ALL THAT THEY NEED TO GET EDUCATED. THEY’VE BEEN ISOLATED FROM THEIR TEACHERS THEIR FRIENDS AND THEIR DAILY ROUTINES. EVEN MORE THAN WE KNEW BEFORE ABOUT HOW MUCH THAT ISOLATION AND UNCERTAINTY. HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN MOLLY SPEARMAN AND I KNOW ANY STRONG AGREEMENT CHILDREN NEED TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM. ATTENDING SCHOOL HELPS PROTECT MANY OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. TEACHERS TO INTERVENE WHEN NECESSARY AND IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE IMPORTANT VITAL EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN IF WE DO NOT EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. WE HAVE A GENERATION ON A CLASS OR GROUP THAT FALLS BEHIND BECAUSE OF THIS WE WILL BE PAYING THEY WILL BE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THAT TO COME. THIS WILL HELP ENSURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS ARE SAFE AND SECURE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES BEING DISTRIBUTED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE AS FOLLOWS. FOR ADULT IN STUDENT MAST AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF ASPHALT. ADULT STUDENT MASK 248,000 OF THOSE CLOTH MASK AND CLOTH KNIVES 85,000 FACE SHIELDS 150,000 GLOVES 46 TIMES GAMES FOR NURSES 237,000 CASES OF DISINFECTING WIPES LIVE 25 DISTRICTS ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED PLEXIGLASS SHIELDS FOR THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. 72 DISTRICTS THAT ASK FOR EQUIPMENT AND IT IS ALL BENSON WILL BE SUPPLIED AT NO COST. IT WILL BE DELIVERED. THIS IS JUST ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF HOW TEAM, SOUTH CAROLINA. CAN WORK TOGETHER HOW WE COMMUNICATE COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF? STAY IN THIS UNPRECEDENTED AND DING. I WANT TO SEE. CAROLI THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS DONE. THE VEGETATION SURVEYED AND COLLECTED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS I MENTIONED AND THEIR NEEDS HAVE BEEN MET. I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO SUPERINTENDENT TOM WILSON IN THE EDUCATION LEADERS IN THIS ROOM DISTRICT STAFF AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FROM ANDERSON 3 4 AND 5. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PARENTS TEACHERS AND STAFF TO REOPEN SCHOOLS THIS FALL. AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED IN THE NEWS RECENTLY SUPERINTENDENT WILSON PARTICIPATED WITH ME AND OTHERS ON THE VICE PRESIDENT’S THAT ROUNDTABLE IN COLOMBIA. JUST LAST MONTH. TO ALL OF US AND THEN IF THE NATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING PROVIDING EDUCATION TO OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS WHO ARE JUST LEARNING TO READ RESONATED WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT. IS TOM STATED IF WE ARE NOT INTENTIONALLY IF WE ARE NOT DETERMINED IF WE NOT DO NOT DO EVERYTHING THAT MUST BE DONE AND CAN BE DONE. AND THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE CANNOT AFFORD. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLLOWING STATE AGENCIES. WE’VE ALSO MADE THIS EXPEDITED PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION POSSIBLE. THAT IS THE STATE FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AUTHORITY, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION. IN THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION FINALLY, FROM ALL THREATS AT LEAST OUR FROM TTI DAMON GRANGER FROM GRANGE AND NISSAN AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM MID HELP AND DUKE ENERGY. YOU’VE NOT ONLY INVESTED IN THIS FACILITY. BUT ALSO SUPPORTED OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN AND SOME COUNTER IS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP IN THIS WAS WHAT HAPPENS. THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. TODAY IS ONE MORE EXAMPLE. HER TEAM, SOUTH CAROLINA WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE SOUTH CAROLINA THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH TO LIVE WORK AND RAISE A FAMILY. THANK YOU GOVERNOR WITH AND AGAIN, IT’S THE ALANA THE PRIVILEGE TO HAVE AND ANDERSON 5 AND ANDERSON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. IT’S NOW MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE STATE SCHOOL SERVED MOLLY SPEARMAN. I WORK CLOSELY WITH MISS SPEARMINT AS OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE AND WE MET A FEW MOMENTS AGO. SHE CALLED AND WANTED TO MEET WITH SOME PRINCIPLES IN OUR DISTRICT AND HAD SOME VERY CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT REOPENING PLANS. AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINES THAT BUT SOON THE EXPERIMENT HAS BEEN A BIG ASSET DURING THIS WHERE OUR CONFERENCE CALLS AND WORKING WITH THAT AND WE JUST CAN’T APPRECIATE HER WORK AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR’S AND PROVIDING RESOURCES WE NEED MOLLY SPEARMAN WAS ELECTED AS THE 18TH STATE SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION ON NOVEMBER 4 2014 A NATIVE OF SALUTED COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT. SPEARMAN HAS BEEN A LIFELONG CHAMPION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. HAS CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER MUSIC TEACHER. IT WAS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. YOU SERVED FOUR TERMS IN THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WAS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN FOR A DECADE, SIR. IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO SOUTH CAROLINA OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SUPERINTENDENT SUPERINTENDENT SPEARMAN UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION PLAYS IN OUR STATE AND OUR COMMUNITIES IT WORKS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE PROVIDED WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL SUPERINTENDENT SPEARMAN ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. WHEN THERE’S A PROBLEM OR CHALLENGE AND PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE A SOLUTION. WE NEED TO CELEBRATE THAT. THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE TODAY. REOPENING SCHOOLS IS A CHALLENGE. BUT GOOD PEOPLE HAVE COME TOGETHER AND WE BELIEVE WE ARE READY. WE’RE READY FOR. COME BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS TO COME BACK AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT SAFE. GOVERNOR MASTER, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. HE SAID TO ME OVER AND OVER. JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED AND WE’LL MAKE IT HAPPEN TO THE LEGISLATORS. THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING US WITH THE ALLOCATION OF THE CARES FUND MONEY. AND 12 EDUCATORS. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO PUT REALLY STRONG SAFE. REOPENING PLANS TOGETHER. I ENJOYED SPEAKING WITH THE PRINCIPLES AND DR. WILSON, HIS SPOKES HERE IN ANDERSON FIVE. I KNOW THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE OTHER ANDERSON DISTRICTS. YOU GOT A GREAT GROUP WONDERFUL LEADERSHIP HERE AND THEY HAVE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT I BELIEVE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED FOR THE CHILDREN TO COME BACK FOR PARENTS TO FEEL SAFE. AND FOR US TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. SO I’M JUST THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY. AND I WANT THE FOLKS HERE IN THIS UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE READY. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CLASSROOM IS SAFE THAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH. MUCH HIGHER THAN THEY WERE IN MARCH WHEN WE THAT EMERGENCY LEARNING EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS FOR OUR TEACHERS OUR FACULTY FOR ALL OF US IS HIGH AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT YEAR. AND WE’RE GOING TO COME IN AND WE’RE GOING TO BE WEARING THOSE MASS WASHING OUR HANDS USING THE SANITIZER STANDING BEHIND THE PLEXI GLASS WHEN WE NEED TO EVERYTHING WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND GOVERNOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH THE MOMENT. WE’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM TWO OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION SENATOR. MIKE GAMBRIL WAS A SENATOR FROM ANDERSON COUNTY? ALSO REPRESENTED J WES, BUT BEFORE SENATOR GAMBLE COMES UP, I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION ALL THOSE ON THIS ON THE STAGE TODAY. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM ALL THE SUPERINTENDENT’S DO WE MEET REGULARLY DURING THE WHEN IT SPECIALLY WHEN THEY’RE IN SESSION AND WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO HAVE LEGISLATION PASSED PRIMARILY TO ALLOW US TO HAVE A SALES TAX REFERENDUM OF HADN’T BEEN FOR THOSE FOLKS. PARTICULARLY BRYAN WHITE THAT THAT KIND OF OF LED THE CHARGE FOR US. IF WE WOULDN’T BE IN THIS BUILDING TODAY, AND I CAN’T SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE STATE, BUT I KNOW IT WITH OUR DELEGATION ANYTHING WE NEED WE CALL THEM THEY WORK WITH US. THEY LISTENED WHEN THEY HAVE A CONSTITUENT QUESTION. THEY’LL CALL US AND TELL ME HOW DO YOU DO THIS AND GET THE INFORMATION SO IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH ALL OF THEM AND WE’RE VERY FORTUNATE. SO FIRST WE’LL ASK SENATOR GAMBREL AND THEN REPRESENTATIVE JAY WEST WILL CLOSE OUT THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THAT WAS DISTRICT. SUPER DISTRICT 5 ANDERSON DISTRICT 5 SUPERINTENDENT TOM WILSON SPEAKING THERE BEFORE THAT YOU WERE LISTENING TO GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER AND SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION MOLLY SPEARMAN THE GOVERNOR BEGAN BY SAYING THAT FACTS HAVE SHOWN THAT EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING WE DO IN SOUTH CAROLINA. HE THEN ANNOUNCED THAT SOUTH CAROLINA WILL PURCHASE TEN MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT OR PPE AND SUPPLIES FOR 70 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THESE ARE DISTRICTS THAT HE SAID HAD REQUESTED THEIR AID. AND DISTRICT SCHOOLS STATEWIDE. HE SAYS THIS WILL HELP ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS OPEN SAFELY GOVERNOR MCMASTER. THAT HE AND EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT MOLLY SPEARMAN ARE IN STRONG AGREEMENT THAT THIS 10 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT WILL ENSURE THAT SCHOOL IS A SAFE PLACE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO BE NOW THAT MONEY WILL BUY ADULT AND STUDENT MASKS OF SEVERAL VARIETIES GLOVES GOWNS FOR NURSES DISINFECTING WIPES HAND DISINFECTANT AND PLASTIC BARRIERS AMONG OTHER THINGS. SUPERINTENDENT. MOLLY SPEARMAN. ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR THAT CREATING A PLAN FOR REOPENING SCHOOLS WAS QUITE A CHALLENGE, BUT SHE SAYS THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE COURSE WILL BRING YOU ALL OF THE BREAKING NEWS UPDATES THAT WERE FOLLOWING TODAY THAT’S COMING UP ON WYFF NEWS 4 AT 4:00, 5:00 O’CLOCK AND SIX O’CLOCK AND YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND UPDATES ON WYFF FOUR.COM AND ON OUR MOBILE APP NOW, WE’LL TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR REGULAR PROGRAMMING.