Sept. 20, 2022 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
INSIDE • INSIDE: See 2022 Beaufort County Delinquent Tax Sale listings • River Dog Brewing seeks new home in Old Town 12A • New Fish & Grits Festival focuses on Gullah culture 14A • Patience pays in search of rare bird 18A • Bluffton family films award-winning movie in 48 hours 19A
County’s youngest students already behind when school starts By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
Nearly three-fourths of Beaufort County’s kindergarteners had difficulty fully engaging in their classroom activities in 2020. Only 27% of the students entered kindergarten with sufficient skills, knowledge and abilities to engage with kindergarten-level instruction, according to the 2020 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) report from the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. Because it was post-Covid, the 2020 KRA was a modified assessment and might be considered a pandemic blip, but the full KRA from 2019 showed only about 39% were at the top level, “demonstrating
readiness.” Such results show that many of Beaufort’s children begin their educational journey at a severe disadvantage, and that worries United Way President and CEO Dale Douthat. “I’ve been working for about two years researching and trying to figure out a way for us to make some sort of an impact on this. As we think about this, it’s important to realize that this is not the fault of the school districts,” Douthat said. “Whatever the child’s situation is, if they’re staying with a parent, neighbor, aunt, grandmother, childcare facility, it’s important that we point out that readiness is something that happens before they enter school.”
Please see READINESS on page 8A
COURTESY BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Beaufort County School District’s traveling Preschool Bus brings early childhood interactive learning experiences to neighborhoods throughout the county.
Town seeks input from community about police chief search As the Town of Bluffton continues its nationwide search for a new police chief, Town leaders and staff are seeking the community’s input to ensure the search incorporates the community’s top priorities in the process. “Community input is a key component of a well-rounded search,” Town Man-
ager Stephen Steese said. “The survey results will guide the creation of the job description and assist in the evaluation of candidates. “The goal is to ensure the search produces a police chief whose qualifications and values match our community’s,” he said.
2022 CALL FOR ENTRIES | REGISTRATION DUE OCT 21
RECYCLED CONTEST
$2,000 in prize money
will be awarded in several categories
Get creative!
Visit PortRoyalSoundFoundation.org for more information.
The Town has contracted with a Columbia-based search firm, Find Great People, to compile the results of the survey and facilitate the nationwide search. This firm has facilitated nationwide searches for cities and towns in South Carolina, including the former town manager search.
Links to English and Spanish versions of the survey are available online at townofbluffton.sc.gov/CivicAlerts. Residents can also complete the survey in-person at Town Hall, 20 Bridge St., during business hours. Deadline is close of business, 5:30 p.m., Sept. 21.