# BCSS Work Session 9/29/2026

The Barrow County School System Board of Education held a work session and call board meeting on September 29, 2026. Procurement discussions included proposed purchases of three 54-passenger school buses from Rush Truck Centers International for $492,000 and eight 72-passenger buses from the same vendor for $1,232,000, with funding including SPLOST and a state allocation. These bus purchases were identified for consideration on the October 6 meeting’s consent agenda; no bus award vote occurred during this work session. The board did approve an emergency $87,625 purchase of building automation system components for Winder Barrow High School from Commercial Controls Group, the authorized Georgia distributor for the district’s Carrier iView controls. The district plans to install and program the equipment itself, reporting that this avoids about $100,000 in contractor costs; the purchase will be funded through M&T 16 funds.

The board also received an update on Project AWARE, including a recommendation to accept approximately $480,000 in federal grant funds and approve an MOU with Northeast Georgia RESA; the transcript does not record a vote on those items. Staff reported that the district’s benefits committee had selected One Source as its benefits broker following an RFP, and that coverage was consolidated with The Standard and Aflac, with lower rates and expanded options. Completed athletic track improvements were reported, and staff proposed placing 13 facility-expansion policies before the public for comment ahead of possible rescission at the November 3 meeting. Other discussion covered enrollment, graduation rates, student mental-health services, literacy, and implementation of Georgia’s Math Matters Act, including a future course and textbook adoption process.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Education, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** September 29, 2026

### Sources
- [BCSS Work Session 9/29/2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27GBsLHSt18) - Barrow County School System