On Thursday, March 11 WYFF 4 will announce Ms. Kathy Fitzpatrick & Ms. Nancy Hardin as Golden Apple
The weekly winners are selected from nominations by a panel of judges. Tonight, Thursday, March 11 WYFF News 4 will announce two Golden Apple Award winners during their 5PM news broadcast. Congratulations to Ms. Kathy Fitzpatrick and Ms. Nancy Hardin, both teachers from the McCarthy Teszler School. Ms. Kathy Fitzpatrick and Ms. Nancy Hardin were nominated by Mr. Evins Littlefield, parent of a McCarthy Teszler graduate, who described how both teachers had touched his son’s life.
In his nomination letter, Mr. Littlefield writes “Ms. Fitzpatrick’s and Ms. Hardin’s teaching skills are superior in so many ways. As all pupils at the school communicate differently, both teachers have learned how to afford their students the best education possible by learning each individual child’s ability. They teach their students real life experiences that many of us take for granted every day. The students are taught to be independent and self reliant to the extent each student is capable. This instills pride and respect. In addition to their teaching skills, both Ms. Fitzpatrick and Ms. Hardin offer unconditional love, caring, and understanding and they do so because they have a very special gift of commitment, kindness, and, a professional and unwavering concern for the well-being of each child. They go truly above and beyond the call of duty. ”
Bravo! We salute Ms. Fitzpatrick and Ms. Hardin on this significant honor.
Coach Lowe Announces Retirement
Doug Lowe, long-serving head basketball coach from Spartanburg High School, announced he will retire at the end of the 2009 – 2010 school year. Over the past 34 years, Coach Lowe has mentored thousands of young athletes inspiring them to produce the caliber of play that made Viking basketball one of the powerhouses in the state.
A former assistant coach, Lowe became head coach of the Vikings in 1979. Over his successful coaching career, he guided the team to a 626 – 212 record, received 17 Region II AAAA titles, played in four state finals (1987, 1989, 2002, and 2008) and won one state championship in 2002. On January 2, 2009, Coach Lowe reached a coaching milestone when he won his 600th career game with a 95-77 victory against York. In his 31-year career, Coach Lowe has never had a losing season. Furthermore, he won 20 or more games in 17 seasons.
Lowe also received recognition as Region II AAAA Coach of the Year 15 times, was named the South Carolina Basketball Coach of the Year in 1987, and the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Basketball Coach of the Year in 2002.
When asked to comment, Coach Lowe said, “I appreciate the opportunity I have had coaching at Spartanburg High School, my alma mater. I have always had an extra degree of pride for our school and have very fond memories here that I will take with me. It has been a great blessing for me to have had the chance to coach the many players that have come through our program over the years. I am also grateful to all the coaches that I have had a chance to work with.”
Spartanburg athletic director Myles Wilson said Lowe’s always brought his passion and love for the game. Wilson said, “His record speaks volumes. He put SHS basketball on the map and has had a great impact in his kids’ lives. Doug was always tough on his team in games and at practices, but when those kids walked out the door to go home, they always knew that Coach Lowe is on their side. He takes care of them like they are his kids.”
Principal Jeff Stevens was saddened to hear the news. “I have known Coach Lowe for many, many years, back to when I was a student at SHS. I have always been impressed by his passion, commitment, dedication, and loyalty to his players and to Spartanburg High School. Coaches like him are rare, and replacing him will be a difficult task. He will be missed by all.
Superintendent Thomas White said, “I have great respect for Coach Lowe as a coach, but even more as a person. His fellow coaches, teachers, students, players, and parents also respect and admire him. Coach Lowe cares deeply for people and has a huge heart for his students. Folks who don’t know him will have really missed a treat. I look forward to seeing what Coach Lowe will accomplish in the next phase of his life and I wish him all the best.”
Coach Lowe is highly respected by his students and fellow colleagues, and his strong leadership reflects great credit on the coaching profession, Spartanburg High School, and District 7. As Coach Lowe enters a new phase of his career, we look forward to his future accomplishments. The district now faces the challenge of finding a new Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach. The search will begin immediately.
Myles Wilson Earns Prestigious Award
Each year the South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association (SCAAA) presents annual awards to outstanding athletic directors in recognition of contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels. The SCAAA has announced that Myles Wilson, Spartanburg School District 7 Athletic Director, has been selected as the 2009 - 2010 South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association Athletic Director of the Year.
Wilson has developed an outstanding reputation as a leader among his peers. He was named the SCAAA’s 2008 4-A Athletic Director of the Year and was also selected as the Region II 4A Athletic Director of the Year in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In addition, Wilson is one of 25 certified athletic administrators in South Carolina, is a leadership training instructor for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, and also serves as the SC state liaison to the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Under Wilson's leadership, Spartanburg High School athletics have made tremendous strides in becoming a prominent program in Spartanburg County and statewide.
SHS’s Hunter Allen Claims Silver Medal in Wrestling
SHS’s Hunter Allen claimed individual championship runner-up at the South Carolina High School League’s Individual State Wrestling Championship Tournament in Rock Hill. Hunter was also selected to the South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association Best Western North South All Star event in North Myrtle Beach.
Thirty-nine (39) Students Named Junior Scholars
Thirty-nine (39) students representing Carver, McCracken, and Whitlock Junior High schools were recognized during the Spartanburg County Junior Scholars Awards Ceremony at Converse College for receiving high scores on the PSAT. The 2010 Junior Scholars are: Emily Adamson, Chrystyna Barnett, Hunter Britanisky, Laura Britanisky, Mary Britton, Matthew Brown, Audrey Burton, Johni Caldwell, Victoria Dawkins, Malashia Drummond, Karl Eastham, Ethan Felmet, Clare Gaffney, Zachary Greenfield, Taylor Gung, Robert Holland, Clayton Jordan, Lauren Kistler, Jacqueline Linder, William Mack, Anthony Marraino, Noah Martin, Kaitlyn McMullen, Connor Mitchell, Jacob Mulkey, William Oberg, Emily Parker, Chance Reynolds, Katherina Sary, Brandi Scheall, William Schmit, William Shea, Makayla Shipton, Benjamin Smith, Dillon Smith, William Smith, William Valainis, and Emily Williams.
The South Carolina Junior Scholars Program was developed by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) during the 1985–86 school year to identify eighth grade students with exceptional academic talent and to develop strategies for inclusion into special programs. Students who qualify for this special recognition receive an Award of Merit certificate from the South Carolina Department of Education.
Dr. Samantha Maddox State Teacher of the Year Finalist
The SC Department of Education has announced Dr. Sam Maddox, English teacher at SHS, has been named one of the five finalists South Carolina's State Teacher of the Year program. Dr. Maddox was chosen by a panel of educators and private citizens for her ability to facilitate professional development, for her involvement in her school and community, and for her dedication to the teaching profession.
In addition to working with students at Spartanburg High School, Dr. Maddox is a successful grant writer who has developed a Read for Success program which involves her Dutch Shepherd Remo and struggling readers. She has created a library of high-interest books and has revamped her American literature course to include minority and contemporary writers. Maddox strives to listen to her students’ fears, help them reveal their strengths and face their challenges, and be the support they need to rise above circumstances that are not always ideal.
As a health and fitness advocate, Sam has also contributed to the school district’s wellness program and currently serves as the high school’s wellness champion. Sam is a second-degree “black belt” who has offered personal safety workshops to students from the junior high to college level since 2001. Additionally, Sam is a certified yoga teacher who offers workshops to Girl Scouts and is a fitness instructor.
Dr. Maddox is a graduate of Wofford College and received a master of education degree from Converse College and doctorate in education from the University of South Carolina. She is National Board-certified and has 16 years teaching experience.
In her years as a teacher, Sam says she considers the role she plays in a student’s personal growth and development to be her greatest accomplishment. “It is humbling to know that I have been part of the process to encourage student learning,” she explained. “I want every student to leave my classroom with the ability to flourish and the confidence to become a life-long learner.”
The announcement of South Carolina’s 2010-11 Teacher of the Year will be made at the corporate-sponsored Teacher of the Year celebration Wednesday, April 28 in Columbia. During the next school year, the winning teacher will participate in a one-year residency program at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA) and serve as a statewide ambassador for the profession. The State Teacher of the Year also receives a $25,000 cash award and a BMW X5 48i to use for a year and will participate in Leadership South Carolina, attend Notre Dame’s prestigious three-day Excellence in Teaching Symposium, and receive a SMART board.
SHS seniors Benjamin Chalmers and Laura Haselden identified as 2010 Presidential
The South Carolina Department of Education announced today that two seniors from Spartanburg High School, Benjamin Chalmers and Laura Haselden, have been identified as 2010 Presidential Scholars. These two are among a group of sixty-eight South Carolina high school seniors that have been identified as candidates for the scholars program that honors young people for outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and community service.
The candidate pool in this first round consists of some 3,000 students with high SAT or ACT scores. In the semifinal round a review committee will narrow that list to about 500 honorees. Approximately 120 students, two from each state, will make the final round and be invited to an awards program in Washington, DC, this coming June. Last year, the two Presidential Scholars from South Carolina were Bonnie Antosh and Drew Henderson both Spartanburg High School seniors.
Jeff Stevens, Principal, Spartanburg High School, commented, “Last year the US Presidential Scholars Program honored two of SHS’s best and brightest students and this year is no different. Both, Ben and Laura, are shining examples of excellence in academics and in their pursuits to contribute to our community. I celebrate their success and also commend our dedicated staff whose commitment to academic excellence is standard. I couldn’t be more proud.”
Dr. Johnson to Retire
Dr. Joette Johnson, long-serving principal of 23 years from the McCarthy-Teszler School, will retire at the end of the 2009 – 2010 school year. Dr. Johnson has over 38 years of experience in education, 35 of which were dedicated to McCarthy Teszler, a school for special needs students that serves all school districts in Spartanburg County. Before becoming principal in 1987, she served as a special education teacher, curriculum coordinator, and interim principal at the school.
Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Johnson’s leadership and dedicated work ethic during her tenure as principal guaranteed the school’s success and respectability on a national scale. She was instrumental in the building program in 2001 that resulted in the construction of the school’s 21st century facility designed to provide an enriched learning environment to meet the needs and interests of special students. Dr. Johnson’s additional accomplishments include the development of a countywide satellite program for moderately mentally disabled students, an in-house counseling services program for severely emotionally disabled students 5 to 21, and the recruitment of professional staff to implement a highly regarded instructional program for all students served at McCarthy Teszler School.
Ms. Cheryl Revels, currently assistant principal, has been named principal of the McCarthy-Teszler School effective July 1, 2010. Ms. Revels has more than 28 years of experience in education as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. For the past two years and a half years, Ms. Revels has served as the assistant principal of the McCarthy Teszler School. Before coming to District Seven in 2007, Ms. Revels served five years as the Principal at the Dorman Freshman Campus, where during her tenure the school received Palmetto Gold Awards for student achievement. She began her career in education in 1982 as a science teacher at Woodruff Middle School. In 2003, Ms. Revels was named the South Carolina Guidance Counselor’s Association’s SC Administrator of the Year.
PASS Results
Sound of Music Cast Announced
Cast List
- Please make plans to attend the show at the Chapman Cultural Center on May 21, 22, and 23.
Five District Schools Meet AYP
District 7 has made significant progress towards meeting federal goals under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). AYP results for the 2008-2009 school year show District Seven met 84.8% of its objectives, up from 81.8% for the 2007-2008 school year. Five district schools — Jesse Boyd Elementary, Chapman Elementary, Houston Elementary, Pine Street Elementary, and Mary H. Wright Elementary — met 100% of their AYP objectives. Park Hills met all but one objective and four other schools, Carver Junior High, McCracken Junior High, Cleveland Elementary, and E.P. Todd Elementary, met all but two objectives. Whitlock Junior High School met 77 % of its objectives compared to 46% the prior year. All schools met the federal test participation goal and student attendance goal.
Nine District 7 Teachers Achieve National Board Certification
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has announced that nine teachers from Spartanburg School District Seven have received National Board Certification: Sandra Abbott-Powell, Social Studies Teacher from McCracken Junior High School; Lee Anne Bailie, Media Specialist from Pine Street Elementary School; Joy Bertling, Art Teacher from McCracken Junior High; Kimberly Colon, Music Teacher from Whitlock Junior High; Molly Fisher, Second Grade Teacher from Pine Street School; Dena Hammond, Art Teacher from the McCarthy/Teszler School; Carole Khoury, Special Education Teacher from Spartanburg High School; Ann Salway, Fourth Grade Teacher from Pine Street School; and Gail Schmunk, First Grade Teacher from E.P. Todd Elementary. The results bring the number of district teachers receiving their profession’s highest credential to 75.
Teachers seeking National Board Certification undertake a two-part process that takes from one to three years to complete. The process requires candidates to reflect on their classroom practices, their understanding of subject material and their preparation techniques. In addition to preparing a portfolio with videotapes of classroom teaching, lesson plans, student work samples and reflective essays, teachers must complete assessment center exercises based on content knowledge that proves they have mastered the subjects they teach and also know how to teach them. The certificate is the highest credential available in the teaching profession.
“I commend these outstanding teachers for setting such high personal and professional goals,” said Superintendent Thomas White. “I congratulate all nine of them.”
Dr. Wanda Andrews, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel and Pupil Services, is proud of the teachers who participated in the process. "We celebrate with our teachers who earned certification this year and offer continued encouragement and support to those who are working toward that goal.”
Milliken Makes a Difference through Mentoring
On Friday, January 22, top company leaders with Milliken and Company from around the world culminated its Winter Top Managers’ Conference with a community service project intended to share a mentoring message with students of the importance of staying in school. Milliken teamed up with the district to spend a half day in over 100 classrooms in all fourteen district schools.
Teams of managers were assigned to schools and classes, and the managers were picked up at Milliken in school buses, adding a unique twist to the total experience. Milliken hopes the experience will encourage attendees to return to their respective schools, districts, and communities and get involved.
“Educational involvement is another key piece of the puzzle that fits with being the best corporate citizen we can be,” stated Richard Dillard, Milliken’s director of public affairs. “You never know what impact your involvement may have on encouraging a child to complete their education.”
Related Photos
Dr. Russell W. Booker Completes DLI Program
Dr. Russell W. Booker, Superintendent-elect, has completed the Riley Institute at Furman’s award winning Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI) Upstate program. Selection to the DLI program is competitive and based on a nomination and application process. Dr. Booker joins over 600 South Carolina leaders who have graduated from the DLI program.
The unique four month-long leadership program is case study-centered and provides leaders drawn from corporate, nonprofit, faith-based, education, and governmental organizations with frames of reference and real world examples of conflict around diversity issues for group discussion and analysis.
Each class member participated in a public service oriented group project focused on local community issues or needs. These “capstone” projects ranged from providing Spanish signage at the Greenville Zoo to planning and facilitating an interactive Saturday program on diversity for Upstate youth.
Riley Institute DLI programs in the Lowcountry, Midlands, and Upstate of South Carolina are sponsored in part by Wachovia/Wells Fargo, Michelin, N.A., AnMed, SCRA, Greenville Hospital System, SCBiz, Spartanburg Regional Hospital System, and Palmetto Health. For more information about the program, please visit http://riley.furman.edu/diversity/
School Board Salute!
Our school board members are ordinary people who have an extraordinary dedication to our public schools. The month of January marks the annual observance of School Board Recognition Month, which is a time to salute the work of school board members and celebrate public education. As elected citizen leaders, school board members face complex and demanding challenges. Yet, few people fully understand the scope and far reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. Their job is to establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, ensure schools are accountable to the community, and strongly advocate continuous improvement in student learning. The time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours that our school board members spend leading Spartanburg School District 7. They work hard at seminars and training sessions to keep abreast of the latest trends in educational leadership. They are deeply involved in community activities and spend many hours at extracurricular school events. Furthermore, their love for learning and their concern and care for students, staff and the community drives them to lead so students can achieve.
District 7 joins with others from throughout the state, to salute these 9 men and women who provide grassroots governance of our schools. The men and women serving District 7 and their years of service are: Julie Lonon and Dr. Eddie Richardson, to begin term; Laura Bauknight, 3 years; Larry Flynn, 9 years; Rick Gray, 11 years; Chip Hurst, 11 years; Dr. Ernest White, 15 years; Sharon Porter, 16 years; and Vernon Beatty, 18 years.
We wholeheartedly thank them for their service!
Related Photos
Aaron Gantt is Bi-Lo’s Golden Apple Award Winner
WYFF News 4 has announced Aaron Gantt, Band Director at Spartanburg High School, is Bi-Lo’s Golden Apple Award winner. Mr. Gantt oversees the district’s band program and also conducts the marching band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, and color guard. He was honored for being a dedicated professional who goes above and beyond the standard teaching methods. He is one of those teachers who is completely dedicated to his craft and ultimately passionate about his work with young people. WYFF Segment
Spartanburg High School’s AP Test Passage Rate Ranked 13th in the State
According to information released today by the State Department of Education, Spartanburg High School administered more Advanced Placement (AP) tests than any other county high school. In the spring of 2009, 208 students in District 7 took 541 AP exams in 2009 with 77% scoring high enough to receive college credit. The District’s stellar 77% passage rate was 35% higher than the state and national rate. Moreover, of schools that administered at least 100 tests, Spartanburg High School’s passage rate ranked 13th in the state. Additionally, the AP Program at Spartanburg High School offered the highest number of AP courses in the state last year, with 23 courses.
Ninety-one (91) students at Spartanburg High School earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program Exams. Ninety-one (91) represents the second largest number of students designated with this accolade since the inception of the program. Only about 18 percent of the more than 1.7 million high school students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar. Additionally, nine of these 91 students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award, the highest AP achievement honor, by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
Dr. Terry Pruitt, Associate Superintendent of School Leadership, Curriculum, & Instruction is pleased with the results. “We applaud the students for their efforts in preparing for Advanced Placement Exams and for the quality of performance that resulted. These results are an indication that our students are committed to academic excellence and that our district’s curriculum, elementary through secondary, provides the strong base for our students’ academic development.”
Principal Jeff Stevens continued, “This is great news for Spartanburg High School and also great news for our parents. Many of these students will enter college with enough hours to be classified as a second semester freshmen or a sophomore, which is a tremendous advantage both academically and financially.”
Marc Zachary - First Runner-Up SC Elementary Principal of the Year
Spartanburg School District Seven is pleased to announce that Mr. Marc Zachary, principal of E.P. Todd Elementary School was named first runner up in South Carolina Association of School Administrators’ (SCASA) 2010 South Carolina Elementary Principal of the Year. Mr. Zachary was selected from an outstanding field of elementary principals by a veteran panel of judges consisting of education and business leaders from across the entire state. Under Mr. Zachary's leadership, academic achievement remains high at E.P. Todd as evidenced by the school earning three consecutive Palmetto Silver Awards for student academic performance. Additionally, his hard work and foresight in implementing the county’s first public school Montessori program has been a great strategy for meeting the academic needs of students.
Herald Journal’s Swimming Coaches of the Year
Congratulations to Spartanburg Vikings co-head swimming coaches John Wolfe and Mary Brito for being named Spartanburg Herald Journal’s Swimming Coaches of the Year. They were recognized for leading the Vikings girls to back-to-back State AAAA runner-up finishes.
Rickey Millwood Named Distinguished Secondary Reading Teacher of the Year
Rickey Millwood Named Distinguished Secondary Reading Teacher of the Year
Spartanburg School District Seven is pleased to announce Rickey Millwood, 10th grade world history teacher at Spartanburg High School, has been named the Spartanburg County Council of the International Reading Association (SCCIRA) Distinguished Secondary Reading Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Millwood impressed the interview panel with the Seven Reads Program at SHS as well as his integration of language arts skills in a history class. Additionally, Rickey was recognized for creativity in the classroom and evidence of thoughtful assessment of student achievement.
Rickey will be recognized in January at a reception and at the SCCIRA conference in Myrtle Beach in February.
Glover Smiley SCTCCCA Hall of Fame Inductee
COLUMBIA -- South Carolina high school cross country and track and field coaches met at the South Carolina High School League Office in Columbia for the South Carolina Track and Cross Country and Coaches Association winter meeting. During the meeting, Spartanburg High School’s Glover Smiley and Shay Rice, now retired, were announced as hall of fame inductees. Both will be inducted March 27 at the SCTCCCA Coaches Classic meet at West Ashley in Charleston.
Carolina Panthers Announce SHS’s Michael Harpe as 2009 Community Captain
The Carolina Panthers have selected Michael Harpe, a senior at Spartanburg High School, as a 2009 Carolina Panthers Community Captain. The Carolina Panthers Community Captain program recognizes high school football student-athletes in North and South Carolina who excel in the classroom, in the community and on the field. The program is designed to recognize outstanding young leaders and to encourage their future development as role models while they continue their personal growth in college and in their professional careers.
For the past six years, Harpe has shown a true dedication to the game he loves. “Football isn’t just a game to me; it is an opportunity to better oneself as a friend and as a person through guidance from coaches and teammates,” said Harpe. On the field, he is a tight end and long snapper for the Vikings. In the classroom, he has earned a 4.45 weighted GPA and ranks 27th in a class of 411 students. “Michael’s teachers and coaches indicate that he welcomes a challenge; he is not easily discouraged, and he approaches his work with open mindedness, eagerness, confidence, insight, vigor and dedication,” said Glover Smiley Jr., Spartanburg High School guidance counselor. Harpe is a member of the Honor Society, French Club, National Beta Club and the Mu Alpha Theta Math Society. Harpe’s record of academic honors includes the Academic Excellence Award, Principal’s Honor Roll, Honor M Academic Award and the President’s Education Award.
Harpe also finds time in his schedule to give back to the community. He not only reaches the community through participating in the Tippers Service Club, Student Council and FCA, but his philanthropic endeavors continue on a personal level. For the past three summers, Harpe has worked with Salkatchie Missions to rebuild houses for underprivileged families, and he volunteers every second Sunday at a local soup kitchen with his church.
Harpe plans to attend either the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wofford College, or The Citadel in the fall of 2010 and will study environment science.
The 2009 Carolina Panthers Community Captain Class will be recognized during a special on-field ceremony at the Panthers home game versus the New Orleans Saints on January 3rd. Winners will receive an authentic Community Captain jersey and will have the opportunity to participate in select Panthers community outreach events with current Panthers players.
Spartanburg High leads the county in student National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Six District 7 Students Named Semifinalists in 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program; Spartanburg High School leads the county in student semifinalists.
Six seniors from Spartanburg High School have been named semifinalists in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program: Ben Chalmers, Philip Chambers, Caroline Cope, Laura Haselden, Sydney Shea, and Peyton Veytia. These six were among 146 students in 59 public high schools across South Carolina to achieve the ranking nationwide, according to officials at the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Moreover, Spartanburg High School leads Spartanburg County in the number of student finalists named.
This spring these young people will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $35 million. To advance to the finalist stage, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
“I congratulate our scholastic champions on their semifinalist status and on their continual pursuit of excellence,” said principal Jeff Stevens. “This superb academic accomplishment along with the announcement that Spartanburg High School had the highest number of students named as semifinalists is also a testimony to our dedicated and hard working staff.”
For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, parents should contact Spartanburg High School’s guidance department at 594-4410.
District 7 Educator Receives Crystal Star Award for Dropout Prevention
A Spartanburg County educator and innovator in public school alternative programs has been named a 2009 Crystal Star Award of Excellence winner by the National Dropout Prevention Center Network.
Kathy Edwards Bell was honored as an individual award recipient at the network’s recent annual conference in San Antonio, TX. She works at Viking Academy, a smaller learning community within Spartanburg High School.
The award recognizes instructional staff, administrators, support staff and citizens active in the field of dropout prevention. Winners must show clear evidence of strong leadership and accomplishments contributing to effective dropout prevention strategies.
District Seven Receives Excellent Improvement Rating on Annual Report Card
Despite this year’s more stringent report card ratings system requirements, District 7 received an “excellent” growth rating on the annual report card. For the second year in a row, the district’s annual growth rating was raised because of substantial improvement in the achievement of students belonging to historically underachieving groups of students. Historically underachieving groups include African-American, Hispanic and Native American students, those eligible for reduced meals, Limited English Proficient (LEP) students, migrant students, and students with non-speech disabilities. These unprecedented accomplishments demonstrate that District 7 is progressing faster and more effectively than ever before in the area of student achievement.
Pine Street Elementary School continues to be a model school not just for the county or the Upstate, but, for the state and the nation. In fact, Pine Street School is the only Spartanburg County elementary school to receive an “excellent” mark on both the absolute and the improvement rating on this year’s annual report card. Moreover, Pine Street is one of only two elementary schools in the entire Upstate and one of only seven elementary schools (out of 629) in the state that received an excellent rating on both the absolute and the improvement rating. In addition, two other district schools, Houston Elementary and Whitlock Junior High School, increased their improvement ratings.
Terry Pruitt, Associate Superintendent of School Leadership, Curriculum, & Instruction is pleased with the progress the district has made. “There is much to celebrate. Our teachers are working harder than ever and our students are learning more than ever. As a result, we believe District Seven is uniquely positioned to experience continued improvement.”
Superintendent Dr. Thomas White stated, “Even though the rigor of the report card rating increased for 2008 our district’s growth rating was raised two levels, to “excellent.” That is directly attributable to the hard work of our teachers, students, parents, principals, Board of Trustees, and the community. I am very proud of our school community.”
Along with the school report card, each student in District Seven will receive a letter developed by the school administration explaining highlights of the 2008 report card. Questions about the district report card should be directed to Terry Pruitt, Associate Superintendent of School Leadership, Curriculum, & Instruction. Additionally, copies of the state, district, and school report cards can be found at the South Carolina State Department of Education website: www.ed.sc.gov
91 School Students Earn AP Scholar Designation
Ninety-one (91) students at Spartanburg High School earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program Exams. Ninety-one represents the second largest number of students designated with this accolade since the inception of the program.
The AP Scholars are: Hannah Albenesius, Bonnie Antosh, Staten Barksdale, Rebecca Barnett, Kristen Bell, Shannon Blair, Hannah Cash, Benjamin Chalmers, Philip Chambers, Taylor Chavez, Anna Cope, Justin Cradit, Richard Craven, Bradley Daley, Catherine Dodds, Andrew Douglas, Olivia Dunn, Eric Eaton, William Epps, Shomik Gibson, Emily Griffin, Sarah Harakas, Stephen Harris, Laura Haselden, Andrew Henderson, William Hickerson, Virginia Hodge, Alexander Holland, Kelly Hovelsrud, Katherine Huey, Caleb Jennings, Zcorrian Jeter, Richard Johnson, Chavis Jones, Marquan Jones, Julia Kelly, Sarah Knight, Thomas Kunak, Hazel Lever, Anna Lewis, Robert Lewis, Vinson Mann, Andrew Margalit, John Mauney, Elizabeth McIntyre, Samuel Mercer, Drew Middlebrooks, Jamison Miller, David Moody, Kyle Moore, Maulana Moore, Nicholas Moore, Melissa Moss, Scott Moss, Davis Myers, Aristotelis Nayfa, Thomas Oberg, Robert Oldham, Hannah Parker, Sarah Parker, Grishma Patel, Sager Patel, Lillian Petty, Madeleine Pressley, Allison Rainer, Mary Catherine Remington, Meredith Richardson, Steven Rogers, Joseph Rutherford, Harriet Schwartz, Kristina Schwartz, Sydney Shea, Tavion Shelton, Joshua Strange, Andrew Strasburger, Nicholas Taylor, Susan Todd, Gregory Valainis, Mary Verticchio, Caroline Vetter, Peyton Veytia, Emily Wade, Sarah Watson, William Weir, Jennifer Welter, Ernest Wessinger, William Wilkins, Christen Williams, Jonathan Williams, Clark Wise, and Robert Wolfe.
Additionally, nine of these 91 students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award, the highest AP achievement honor, by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. These students are: Bonnie Antosh, Shannon Blair, Philip Chambers, Bradley Daley, Eric Eaton, Andrew Henderson, Hazel Lever, Andrew Strasburger, and William Weir.
The College Board AP Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the nearly 1.7 million high school students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to earn an AP Scholar Award.
