Nov. 1, 2022 • Volume 25, Issue 21 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
INSIDE • Transportation partnership helps feed commuters 12A • Preparing scholars through community service 18A • Women’s giving group celebrates five years of support 24A • Pregnant vacationer grateful for special care nursery 27A • Part 2 of local music history 31A
School support plan designed to build academics, behavior skills By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
There is a lot of consternation over recent revelations that school test scores are alarmingly low – particularly post-COVID. It was an issue that the Beaufort County School District was addressing before the pandemic hit, and one that has received vigorous attention since schools reopened. One of the steps the district is taking is implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), a process that focuses on both academics and soft skills – or behavior – with a strong focus on intervention. “Most educators realize that, when it comes to reading, for example, when
somebody is struggling or behind grade levels, we’ve always been really good about meeting them where they are, providing interventions and strategies to kind of build them up,” said Derek Skaggs, director of student success. “But when it comes to behavior, we’ve definitely not used that process. We typically say, well, they should know what they should do, and we’ll punish them and send them home.” In the past five to 10 years, South Carolina’s Department of Education has made the effort to move the focus of intervention to cover both academics and behavior. “One of the biggest things that com-
Please see SUPPORT on page 8A
HELENA WILLIAMS
These kindergarten students are receiving daily literacy intervention with Michelle Morrison, Red Cedar Elementary School’s MTSS coordinator and literacy interventionist. They are practicing learning their letters and sounds now, but eventually will become readers.
May River Road Pocket Park to open with ribbon cutting A ribbon cutting to signal the opening of the May River Road Pocket Park will be held at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 8 at the park, 1220 May River Road. Mayor Lisa Sulka will make the park official, accompanied by town councilmembers and the Marks Family, who donated the land for the project.
The event is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to wear secure footwear; the passive park is sloped. Parking is available at the parking lot directly across the street. There is also street parking on May River and Guilford Place roads. The Pocket Park is a third-acre passive park designed to provide connectivity
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between the Stock Farm neighborhood and the May River Road sidewalk system. The Marks Family donated the land to the town in 2017. The donation enabled
the town to preserve open space and create a park that complements the amenities of Stock Farm and the May River Road Streetscape Project.