Inside Schools
A quick news break for employees
Recent KCSD Honors
North Central Middle teacher Annette Lesher was recognized during halftime of the USC vs. Vanderbilt football game for being one of the first 18 women to receive an athletic scholarship at the University of South Carolina. Ms. Lesher played volleyball at USC. More information on her recognition is available online.
Camden High Principal Dan Matthews was one of 11 SC professional leaders who graduated from the SC Education Policy Fellowship Program (SC-EPFP) this summer. SC-EPFP is a 10-month intensive professional development program for established and emerging leaders in education and related fields to help equip them in working toward sound education policy and practice in South Carolina.
North Central Middle ELA teacher Jodie Kahler was one of 12 teachers in the US and the only one in SC to receive a grant from the Book Love Foundation to purchase a classroom library.
Pine Tree Hill Gives Back
After the flooding, Pine Tree Hill Elementary collected five car loads of donations which included bottle water, food, toiletries, blankets, and clothes and took them to Seven Oaks Elementary off of St. Andrews Road. Here, third grade teacher Mellisa Holder, parent Kari Robles, student Matthew Powlas and staff Renata Inabinet unload donations at Seven Oaks Elementary.
Candy Corn Makes Math Fun
Third grader Arya Wolfe, a student in Nicole Ritchie's class at Midway Elementary, gets excited about comparing sums using candy corn in a math lesson.
Happy Faces at Lunch
It's all smiles in the Breaker's Cafe at Doby's Mill Elementary as students celebrated National School Lunch Week. Here, 2nd graders Charlotte Hanson, Landon Hudson, and Falan Rhoads happily enjoy a healthy, delicious meal.
Golden Apple Award honorees for August/September:
The Kershaw County Teacher Forum’s Golden Apple program honors employees who are doing outstanding jobs. Golden Apple Award honorees for August & September 2015:
ATEC: Jackie Williams & Derek Napper
Baron DeKalb Elementary: Kim Simon, Abby Spitzer & Lucinda Howell / Emily Baccamo & Carol Clayton
Bethune Elementary: Suzan Carmichael & Roy Miller / Julie Pigg & Jennifer Oglesby
Blaney Elementary: Melissa Tomascik & Ashley Ripley
Camden Elementary: Beth Jeffers & Jennifer Fowler
Camden High: Laura Horton & Anne Hough
Camden Middle: Margaret Myers & Teresa Ross / Cynthia Pollard & Jennifer Catoe
Continuous Learning Center: Charlene Trapp & Susan Clark-Walters
Doby’s Mill Elementary: Tom Tinman & Heather Moseley / Janice Poston
Jackson: Julia Patterson, Deborah James & Amanda Harris / Margaret Gaskins & Susan Workman
Lugoff Elementary: Codrington Banda & Tonya Seay
Lugoff-Elgin High: Debbie Messer & David Caldwell
Lugoff-Elgin Middle: Maria Bologna & Trudy Hall / Sharon Delaney, Jolie Rumple, Bonita Hunter & Elaine Dorsey
Midway Elementary: Sherri Johnson & Chrystal Ramirez
Mt. Pisgah Elementary: Linda Mackey & Johnny King / Patricia Tupper & Amanda Williams
North Central High: Shannon Dollar & Mary Bennett / Kristi McKenzie & Wendy Miles
North Central Middle: Merritt Pace & Denise Marshall / David Pollock & Stephanie Roberts
Pine Tree Hill Elementary: Moses Lee & Brittany Welch / Angella Thompson & Melissa Miles
Stover Middle: Alexis Jackson & Tammy Butler / Grace Robinette & Elizabeth Starling
Wateree Elementary: Caroline Stevenson & Rhonda Gainey.
David Caldwell (LEHS) and Roy Miller (Bethune Elementary) were the winners of the district drawing to receive $20 gift certificates from Fatz Café.
Q and A with Dr. Morgan and Staff
Questions for this column are questions of general interest submitted each month in Superintendent's Cabinet meetings.
With the increased requirements for literacy in all content areas, new standards in most subjects, and more rigorous demands on teachers, will curriculum coordinator positions be brought back to schools to help with resources and training for teachers? In January, the school district will start developing its operating budget for the 2016-17 school year. The reestablishment of Curriculum Coordinators could be considered along with our many other budgetary needs.
Will we be taking the ACT Aspire test for middle level math? It is critical that we know if the students will be allowed to use calculators. The state has an RFP out to determine what test will be used for this school year. We should know which company has been awarded the RFP as early as the first week of November. There will be a period to allow for any objections so the earliest that we anticipate to know which test will be used will be mid to late December.
Why does the 8th grade math curriculum skip Math Course 3 and go straight to Pre-Algebra for students that are not ready for Pre-Algebra? The 8th grade mathematics curriculum in place prepares students for the rigor of high school mathematics. Pre-Algebra is the standard eighth grade mathematics course geared towards preparing students for Algebra One, which is the first in the series of high school mathematics courses needed for graduation.
Is there any way of getting more funding for technology at Stover Middle School, such as more Chromebooks? The wireless infrastructure was upgraded at Stover last year and all middle schools were included in a technology refresh this year. An additional refresh of middle school technology will be included in budget discussions for next year.
The local paper reported that County Council approved a two percent raise for teachers in Kershaw County, yet we only received a one percent. Where is the other one percent? Everyone received a step increase (around 2% on average) and an additional 1% when County Council approved additional millage for school operations. If you feel your pay increase is incorrect, please contact the payroll department.
When will full staffing levels be restored to media centers? Our library is often closed when our media assistant is at her other school because the librarian is teaching classes. In an elementary school, students need open access to a full library at all times. This would have to be considered along with other items for the 2016-17 operating budget. If the state fully funded its required per pupil funding amount, we would have an additional $5.5 million, which would take care of this need.
Due to the referendum not passing, what is the plan to get equalization science labs at Stover Middle School? The school board has held a series of public meetings where they gathered input from the community concerning facilities improvements and possible funding. The school board heard a summary of this feedback at its Oct. 20 meeting and will decide how it wants to proceed from here.
Is there any consideration being given for changing the existing cell phone policy to allow for use of cell phones as instructional/learning tools in the classroom? Each year we review our technology plan and discuss areas where changes could be made. Our high school principals will discuss this policy later this school year.
Why can't we give all students access to Parent Portal? I have students who would like to be able to check their grades regularly, but their parents have not signed up for it. This is something that the school district is working on and hopes to have in place soon.
Would the district consider a standard policy regarding students grading other students' classwork and tests? In our school district, teachers are allowed to use collaborative learning practices that allow for students to periodically grade other students’ class assignments. These activities contribute towards students developing collaboration skills that are “common practice” in today’s work environments. This practice generally builds stronger peer relations and allows for students to help other students. If you have concerns about this, please contact the school and schedule an appointment to talk with your child’s teacher and/or the school’s principal.
Kershaw County School District
Nestled in the heart of the Palmetto State, KCSD is home to over 10,300 students and more than 1,200 employees.
Email: maryanne.byrd@kcsdschools.net
Website: www.kershaw.k12.sc.us
Location: 2029 W Dekalb St, Camden, SC
Phone: (803) 432-8416
Facebook: facebook.com/KershawCountySchoolDistrict
Twitter: @kcsdschools