SCWS News
A Monthly Newsletter - January 2023
We are excited to introduce our new branding logo! After many months of conversation and attention to detail, while keeping the SC Whitmore School top of mind, we are excited to share our new logo. Check out this video to learn more about it!
A message from our school leaders.
"Welcome Back! I hope you all were able to take some time for yourself to relax and rest and had an opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones. We had 32 winter graduates which is a school record, congrats! It's important to check your monthly newsletter so you can stay on track with important dates, information, and events. I look forward to working with you all in the new year!"
Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Dunbar
"Happy New Year! Welcome Back! I hope you all enjoyed your much needed break. It's time to get back on the grind. We're halfway through the school year. Some of you are finishing up courses or starting brand new ones. There's a lot planned for the remainder of the year so make sure you pay attention to information in the newsletter and check your emails. We don't want you to miss out! I also want to send a BIG congratulations to all of the winter graduates! We are so proud of you and we wish you all the best! "
Possip
Your voice matters! We need to hear what's working for you and what you need. This year we will send routine text messages and emails with a few simple questions asking for feedback on your experience with school. You will receive these messages from Possip, an organization we have partnered with to learn your needs. We are excited to hear from you via Possip this school year!
Hi, SC WHITMORE SCHOOL Community!
Thank you for sharing ideas through Possip! We’ve heard from 295 of you during the course of the year. We saw that 90% of you are happy or mostly happy with SC WHITMORE SCHOOL in December.
We heard members in the school community share examples of praise, appreciation, and feedback or questions.
Praise for students being challenged in classes
Appreciation for the teaching staff
We are taking all of your feedback and ideas into consideration for our future planning and follow-up. We hope to hear from you again on our next Possip Pulse Check!
Thanks again for sharing!
Counselor's Corner
Counselor Updates
Counselor Updates
It is never too early to…
Start visiting colleges
Apply for scholarships
Work ahead of pace in your courses
Meet with your counselor or teachers
Investigate SchooLinks for career information
Please tune-in to SC Whitmore School’s Social Media for tons of upcoming college events and scholarship opportunities!
Check out the following:
Interview with a health science professional
Students taking the ACT or SAT:
The ACT or SAT may be required as a part of the 4 year college acceptance process or towards certain scholarships. If you plan to take the ACT or SAT, you may want to consider taking our ACT or SAT Prep courses to help you do your very best.
Making Yourself More Attractive for Employment or College:
- Work on your typing speed and accuracy.
- Increase your reading speed and comprehension.
- Prepare yourself for assessments such as ACT or SAT via our ACT/SAT Prep Courses.
VirtualSC Spring
2022 - 2023 ACT Test Dates -
SCWS School Testing Dates - March 7th - March 9th, 2023
*SCWS ACT testing is only for third-year students.
2022 - 2023 SAT Test Dates -
SCWS School Testing Date - March 1st, 2023
*SCWS SAT testing is only for third-year students.
Looking to sign up for the ACT or SAT outside of the SCWS testing dates? Check out the national ACT and SAT websites.
Course Drops:
Please remember that all course drops must be done within 5 days of starting a course. Those falling outside of the 5 days may impact your transcript and GPA.
Dual Enrollment
Are you an 11th or 12th grader looking to earn college credit while in high school?
- We are excited to announce a new partnership with the University of South Carolina Union (USC Union), which will allow SCWS students to complete an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree online by the time they graduate from high school. Read more about the partnership and how to sign up here: https://bit.ly/SCWSUnion
Learn more about dual enrollment at Piedmont Technical College
Electronic Engineering Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Longer videos on Health Care and EMT from our PTC Live Series.
Dialogue Virtual Mental Health Counseling
SC Whitmore School has partnered with Dialogue, a virtual mental health counseling program that is FREE to students. They offer help with anxiety, depression, grief, and much more. If you have more questions click here to learn more about Dialogue, and how to sign up.
Free Tutoring
Tutor.com offers real-time tutoring to K-12 students in Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, etc. The South Carolina State Library provides the service for free. The student can quickly connect with a tutor using the “Connect with a tutor now” option, or they can create a free tutor.com account to drop off a math question, submit a paper for review, or connect with their favorite tutor. Creating an account is optional and is not needed if using the “Connect with a tutor now” option.https://lhh-tutor-com.scsl.idm.oclc.org/Landing.aspx
Username: discus2023
Password: read1!
Scholarships
Check out https://studentscholarships.org/scholarships.php for lots of scholarship opportunities.
More opportunities are at this site as well.
Courage Essay Contest
Do you love to write? The 2022 - 2023 Profile in Courage Essay Contest is now open! Learn more about the contest requirements and deadlines, and information about how you can incorporate the essay into your curriculum. The contest deadline is January 13, 2023.
Hampton Wildlife Fund
High School Seniors, look into these scholarship opportunities! The deadline to apply is January 31, 2023.
Join us as we learn FAFSA Information from Piedmont Technical College. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/SCWSJanuary23
Charleston Southern University
Scholarship for visiting campus!
Prospective students have an opportunity to receive $1,000 after touring Charleston Southern University, the Lowcountry’s only Christian higher education institution. The $1,000 Tour Treasure Grant is provided to a student if they attend an official visit such as a personal tour, Saturday Session, or First Look event with the Office of Admissions between July 2022 and August 2023. To be eligible, a student must enroll as a first-time freshman or transfer student in the fall 2023 term, submit the 2023-2024 FAFSA, and live anywhere in the world outside of Berkeley, Charleston, or Dorchester counties.
With a 300-acre campus nestled in the center of the Charleston metro area, CSU enrolls close to 3,400 students from 43 states and 40 countries. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs, 20 graduate programs, and two doctoral programs. CSU also competes at the NCAA Division I level with 16 teams in the Big South Conference.
Students interested in a campus visit and the $1,000 Tour Treasure Grant may sign up below.
For your seniors, our Fall 2023 application is open and FREE! We are also on the Common App,
and there is a $26 application fee to apply through the Common App. Please fill out the application as soon as you are able and one of the Enrollment Counselors will reach out to help them with the next steps towards becoming an official Buccaneer!
Presbyterian College Opportunities:
FALL 2023 APP IS OPEN!
Please encourage your students to apply to PC. The Fall 2023 application is open, and it's free to apply. Your students can apply by using the Common App or our application. Read
more here.
A SCHOLARSHIP GIVEN IN YOUR NAME
You can nominate a student for the 1880 Student Referral Program Scholarship, a $1,880 scholarship awarded annually for up to four years. You must nominate the student before the student is accepted. The student will receive a scholarship IN YOUR NAME if the student enrolls at PC. You can nominate as many students as you'd like. Nominate now.
$100,000 BOYS STATE AND GIRLS STATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Palmetto Boys State and Girls State students automatically qualify for a $100,000 scholarship ($25,000/year over four years). But they must apply by our Early Action
deadline on December 1. Please encourage your Palmetto Boys State and Girls State students to apply if they haven't already. Apply here.
FULL-RIDE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Your service-minded students with entrepreneurial spirits also have a chance to receive a full-ride scholarship. Our Service Entrepreneurship Scholarship Competition gives your students the chance to solve a problem in their community ... for a chance to earn a full ride to PC! Read more here.
A FREE AND USEFUL TOOL FOR YOU
Serve your students with a free tool called Slate.org. You can add events for colleges and universities to attend, view applicant decisions, upload transcripts through a secure portal,
and more. Visit Slate.org to get started.
Opportunities
TESTING UPDATES
Check out the Testing Tuesday Podcast with Mr. Bowers on our social media platforms!
Sign up here!
Please watch this important message from our Principal about upcoming EOC testing.
December 2022 STUDENT ALL - STARS
How do you become a Student All-Star?
Each month the SC Whitmore School Faculty and Staff identifies 4 students that really stand out. The student All-Stars will receive a $100 reward. These students are: most improved, best all-around, monthly standout, and the SCWS All-Star.
Most Improved - Eli Wayne
A student who has shown an increased effort in their course(s).
SCWS All-Star - DJ Barnes
A student who has done well in their courses and engages with the teachers.
Best All-Around - Zibella Fondo
A student who has consistently demonstrated their ability to earn great grades and stays on pace. this student is also engaged, reaches out for help, and shows up to one-to-one meetings.
Monthly Standout - Sofia Heidacher
A student who has shown tremendous efforts this month overall.
First Semester Perfect Attendance
Congratulations to the SC Whitmore Students who had perfect attendance for the first semester of school! We are very proud of you all!🎉
Staff Spotlight
Jaquette Gilbert, School Counselor
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I enjoy baking, singing, reading, and impromptu dance parties with my family!
Tell a little bit about your background.
I'm married to my high school sweetheart and we have three daughters. My alma maters are Clemson University and Capella University. I taught high school for 8 years in the brick-and-mortar setting before coming to SCWS. I'm always looking for opportunities to be creative and have fun!
What do you do at SCWS and what do you enjoy most about your role?
I'm a school counselor and I love meeting students where they are and helping them achieve their goals. I also enjoy hosting Lit Lunch because it's a great way to know more about our students and provide them with a platform to connect with one another.
What do you want the students to know about you?
I want students to know I'm a safe space and another cheerleader in their corner.
These are a few books I've read/am currently reading.
My family accompanied me to a state conference for school counselors.
These are cookies I made for a Blythewood High School graduate.
Learn why SCWS was a good fit for, Whitley, Class of 2022.
MEET THE STUDENT RESOURCE COORDINATOR
My name is Mrs. Miller. I am the school’s Student Resource Coordinator. I am excited to be working with you all this upcoming year!
Experience: I am originally from Massachusetts, and made South Carolina my home in 2017. I received my masters degree in educational counseling from the University of Massachusetts Boston. I previously worked as a graduation coach, school counselor, social worker, case coordinator, crisis counselor, and therapist. I am honored to be able to serve the state of South Carolina in providing social support services to our students and their families. I am here for YOU!
As your Student Resource Coordinator, I will be working alongside students, parents, teachers, administration, school counselors, and other supportive staff to deliver individualized social support services.
Some of the services I provide include:
• Assessing your student’s overall well being, including any potential mental health needs.
• Communication and consultation with you and your family, your student’s teachers, and other supportive services for monitoring your student’s progress.
• Identifying barriers that may be hindering your student’s education and/or connecting you and your family with community resources to ensure basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing are being met.
• Providing trauma informed individual and group counseling services.
• Providing monthly life skills groups.
• Psycho-education for parents and teachers.
Contact: cmiller@scwhitmoreschool.org (803) 216-1721 (call or text)
Resources: COMMUNITY RESOURCES FIND A COUNSELOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGENCIES
Mrs. Miller will be offering several groups this year for students to attend virtually. Groups will be one hour. Click here to share which groups you may be interested in attending. Call/Text Mrs.Miller, School Resource Coordinator, at (803) 216-1721, with any questions!
Clubs
Beta Club is a group of students committed to leading through serving others in their community and state. These students are selected based upon their GPA, attendance and behavior. Students work to complete volunteer hours, as well as come together as a team to complete a service project. Induction Ceremony is held in the fall.
Coding Club
elsif youAreInterestedIn == “Sharing a software or hardware project you are working on.” print “Come to coding club.”
elsif youAreInterestedIn == “Learning about the language this part of the description is written in.” print “Come to coding club.” End
curiousabout = {‘Ruby’ => ‘ComeToCodingClub’, ‘Python’ => ‘ComeToCodingClub’, ‘C++’ => ‘ComeToCodingClub’, ‘BASIC’ => ‘ComeToCodingClub’, ‘JavaScript’ => ‘ComeToCodingClub’, ‘other’ => ‘ComeToCodingClub’}
reasons_for_not_coming_to_coding_club = nil
Lit Lunch is a virtual meet-up for creative students who want to meet new friends and share what latest creative project they’re working on. Whether you’re into cosplay, digital art, drawing by hand, photography, rapping, writing or playing instruments, this is the space for you! We meet on the first Thursday of each month from 1-2 p.m
The SC Whitmore National Honor Society is an organization for students in grades 10-12. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Members complete volunteer hours and work together to complete at least one service project each school year. Membership into the National Honor Society allows students to apply for over 400 college scholarships not available to other students. Members also have access to numerous college planning services.
S.C. Whitmore Student Council is an organization of student leaders who are elected by the student body. The Council is led by the Student Body President along with offices of Vice President and Secretary. The Council provides input into how to make student life better at SC Whitmore School. They also plan events and contribute in other areas the administration of the school sees fit. The Council is advised by a faculty sponsor who attends all meetings.
Students are eligible to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities at their local high school. Contact your local high school for more information.
In-Person Charleston Trip! We are going on a Carriage Tour and to lunch! January 9th
Join us for a historic carriage tour of downtown Charleston and lunch! The first 12 students will be able to attend. Students must be able to meet SCWS faculty and staff for the tour, transportation will not be provided. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/Jan2023RSVPAre you looking to learn more about SC Whitmore School? Sign up for our information session today! Our goal is to give students, parents and counselors across SC the opportunity to speak with the faculty and staff at SCWS, ask questions and fully understand how we serve high school students in South Carolina. We are excited to meet you virtually! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/SCWSJanuary23
Join us to take a break from schoolwork, meet new friends, and share any creative projects you're working on. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/Jan2023RSVP
National School Choice Week Statehouse Rally. January 25th - 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
National School Choice Week celebrates great students and great schools in South Carolina. You're invited to be part of the celebration as we return to Columbia for a student showcase and statehouse rally on January 25th, 2023! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/Jan2023RSVP
Join us to take a break from schoolwork, meet new friends, and share any creative projects you're working on. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/Feb2023RSVP
SCWS Baking Stars! February 14, 2023 - 10 AM to 11 AM
Do you love baking? Do you enjoy being creative? Sign up for SC Whitmore Baking Stars. Sign up by February 1st and we will send you your baking supplies in the mail. Everyone who signs up will get an email from us detailing the competition rules and outline the week of February 7th. The first 35 students to sign up will be able to participate. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/Feb2023RSVP
How to Access the SCWS Library!
Attention, students! We are proud to announce the launch of the brand new SCWS library! This library is completely free and completely virtual and offers hundreds of e-books, audiobooks, graphic novels, and texts in Spanish.
See this flyer for information on how to download the Sora app and access the SCWS library titles. See also Dr. White's video on how to use the app once it's downloaded.
Please contact Dr. White at jwhite@scwhitmoreschool.org with any questions or concerns. Happy reading!
Please help support our school by registering to support SCWS as a Publix Partner. Click here to learn more.
Who should I contact?
If you have any questions feel free to contact the office directly at 866-476-6416. Or you can contact these individuals for your specific question.
Office: SC Whitmore School
General questions. The office will be able to point you in the right direction.
866-476-6416 - office@scwhitmoreschool.org
SC Whitmore Principal: Ebone' Adams
General student concerns.
803-768-8310 - eadams@scwhitmoreschool.org
Director of Compliance: Michelle Bishop
Questions about compliance, Special Education, 504 or IEP.
803-768-8306 - mbishop@scwhitmoreschool.org
Enrollment Coordinator: Pam Chick
Questions about re-enrollment or enrollment status.
866-476-6416 - pchick@scwhitmoreschool.org
Attendance Specialist: Christine Featherstone
Questions about attendance.
803-768-8318 - attendance@scwhitmoreschool.org
Director of School Counseling: Amber Goff
Questions about your courses, graduation requirements, and plans after graduation.
Please call or text the numbers below.
Amber Goff - 803-768-8314 - email: agoff@scwhitmoreschool.org
Traylor Disbrow - A through F - 803-768-8302 - email: tdisbrow@scwhitmoreschool.org
Cameron DeLong - G through M - (803) 881-8077 - email: cdelong@scwhitmoreschool.org
JaQuette Gilbert - N through Z - 803-768-8305 - email: jgilbert@scwhitmoreschool.org
Testing Coordinator: Patrick Bowers
Questions about all things testing (SAT, ACT, EOC, WIN, PSAT)
803-786-8313 or email pbowers@scwhitmoreschool.org
Public Relations Manager: Ashten Latta
Questions about social media, newsletter, events, press releases, or do you have a story to tell?
803-768-8315 or email alatta@scwhitmoreschool.org