Elgin News - 7B 2023

Letter Submissions

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Letters to the Editor

The Elgin News

P.O. Box 152

Elgin, SC 29045

From The Mayor's Desk

By: Mayor Melissa Brazell Emmons

Note: From The Mayor’s Desk is submitted by Mayor Melissa Emmons and is not the official minutes of the Elgin Town Council.

The Elgin Town Council conducted a workshop on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, to discuss some concerns and upcoming changes for Potter Community Park. Those present included Councilwoman Cristy Bradley, Councilwoman Dana Sloan, Councilman Brad Hanley, Mayor Melissa Emmons, Elgin Police Chief, Alan Anders, and Town Clerk, Becky Summey. We were also joined by residents who live around the park and within the Elgin Community.

The topics of discussion included such items as the hours of operation of the park, the cleanliness of the park, security/safety in the park, landscaping at the park, the future projects at the park, parking for the park and the conditions of the roads surrounding the park. With the upcoming construction/development of the Elgin Community Center, we wanted to allow the community the opportunity to express their concerns and ask any questions that they may have with the new developments of the park.

We reminded them that the park hours have not changed, they are from dawn to dusk, which varies throughout the year. We have placed signage in various locations with this information for the public. The Elgin Police Department has jurisdiction in the park and are the enforcement agency for any violations that occur at the park. Chief Anders discussed the current procedures/protocol that his officers follow and stated that the park is an area that they are encouraged to keep a close eye on due to the number of visitors in the area. It is also our goal to ensure that the quality of life for those who reside nearby is affected as little as possible, which is the main reason we have specific hours of operation. Another concern that was discussed is the amount of trash that is being left behind after events and/ or the overflowing permanent trash receptacles. We have placed additional portable trash cans in the area to encourage groups to dispose of their items in them rather than the permanent receptacles since they will hold more and are easier to move around in the park to accommodate the location of an event. We will also be including some language in our user agreement that will remind groups that it is their responsibility to clean up following their events.

We also discussed some safety concerns regarding the possibility of individuals sleeping in the porta-potty and individuals that are hanging around the park for extended periods of time, which is an extremely concerning issue for the nearby residents and those who walk throughout the day. In addition, we have discovered that some vandalism has occurred on the walking trail and in areas throughout the park. In order to assist the police department as they will investigate/monitor future activity, we will be installing some new surveillance cameras throughout the park. We hope this will hinder any malicious activity and will allow us the opportunity to monitor more closely the activity in the park.

We have contacted our current landscaper to remind him that our flower bed near the Military Salute needs to be maintained better as it is stated in our contract. The mulch is scheduled to be replaced (2) times a year and the bed should be repaired following damage from an auto accident in 2021. We are also working to have the sign replaced that was destroyed during this incident.

We are having conversations with SCDOT regarding the current condition of the roadways surrounding the park and determine who is responsible for maintaining them. Wooten Court is in awful shape and it needs immediate attention. We are exploring a few temporary solutions until a permanent solution can be determined. We will also be designating a specific area in the park to be used for parking. We have too many vehicles pulling off on the grass and parking around the playground area and the walking trail and some have been reported as parking in the middle of the street. Since the area around the community center will be paved for parking, we will begin to use that location now for parking.

We have an enclosed message board that is located near the picnic shelter. We will place the park rules and a monthly calendar that shows the current reservations for any upcoming events to make it

See MAYOR'S DESK, See Page 9 >>

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From the Chief's Desk

Keeping Elgin beautiful and clean is important and necessary for quality of life and continued growth.

With that being said, I want to address some issues in town in reference to a couple of town ordinance violations.

Many, many years ago, our Town Council along with the Police Department, passed two ordinances that help keep our town clean, safe and desirable for us that live here and for our visitors.

These ordinances are; Maintenance of Property (sect. 72.09) and Vehicles (sect. 40.01). A brief description of Maintenance of Property- responsibility of the owner / occupants of lots, area or property in town, keep them clean of rubbish, debris, unsightly weeds, grass, material, and other unhealthy growths, or conditions that constitute a public nuisance. Vehicles ordinance-vehicle use, storage and parking. Unlawful to park or

store unlicensed vehicle(s) or vehicle parts for more than 72 hours on any lot or parcel in the town limits.

We are not the only town that has and enforces these ordinances, almost every town, city and county have some type of property maintenance law(s) that helps keep them beautiful and safe.

You can find the full description of these ordinances and penalties on our town website, (https://www.townofelginsc. com/forms/).

So please do your part to keep, and report any property maintenance issues in the Town of Elgin.

Elgin Police Department Incident Reports

Civil Disturbance / Warrant Service: On 7/11/2023 at approximately 11:30 am I, Officer Handy, responded to Circle K in reference to Subject being in the store and Management wanted her trespassed. Once on the scene, I was met by the Assistant Store Manage, who stated that he wanted a customer placed on trespass notice. Manager stated that the customer, Subject and her husband Subject #2 needed to be trespassed from the property because they had previously shoplifted from the store. While issuing Subject a trespass notice, I was contact by Cpl. Delong who stated that Elgin P.D. did have active warrants for both Subjects. After taking Subject into custody, Subject #2 arrived on scene and was taken into custody also. Both subjects was transported to Kershaw County Detention Center and Subject's vehicle was towed by Elite towing. Subject is also wanted by RCSO on an arrest warrant.

Sale of Nicotine to Minor: On 07/19/2023, at approximately 5:50 pm, I, Officer Handy, was on routine patrol on Rose St. near White Pond Rd., when I witness a male subject exiting the Elgin Vape Shop located at 1232 Rose St. in the Town Limits of Elgin. I know the male subject by name and face and I also know him a being under the age of eighteen. I later contacted the minor's father who I also know and informed him that I had witnessed his son coming from that location. While the father and I were on the phone, his son did admit to buying a vape from that location. The father stated that he would discipline his son and wanted to remain anonymous. I did go by the vape shop and identify the clerk by an international identification card bearing his photo as Subject. I did speak to the Owner of the vape shop by phone because of the language barrier between the clerk and I. The owner stated that Subject was the clerk who has been working at this location all day. I did request video footage from the vape shop and was told by Owner that he forgot the password and could not access the video footage. I did inform my Chain of Command of my findings. 07/20/2023, approx 10:10am, I, Chief Anders made contact with Owner at The Elgin Vape Shop who told me the Subject was in the back room of the store. After retrieving him, I learned that Subject lives in the back of the business. Law and violation were explained to Subject with the help of Owner due to broken English, but it appeared that the longer I spoke with Subject, the more he understood and spoke English. Ticket issued for Sales of Nicotine to Minor 1st.

Assault 1st x2 / Pointing, Presenting: On 7/18/2023, Myself, Chief Anders, and Ofc. Picciuolo were dispatched to the intersection of Kelly St. and Ontario Rd. in the Town Limits of Elgin in reference to a civil disturbance and threats. Upon my arrival, I met with Complainants who stated the male that lives at Ontario Road address later identified to be Subject came up Kelly St. at a high rate of speed stopped at the intersection and told Complainant to stay right where he was, that he would be right back. Complainants then stated Subject returned and pulled into the yard. When Subject exited his vehicle, Complainants stated he removed a black pistol from his waistband and pointed it at both of them saying "which one of you ran over my mailbox?" Complainant was in the process

of installing a brand new mailbox that he admitted to accidentally backing over while on the construction site. (see case number 23-0700508). Complainants both stated they began to advance on Subject and he got in his vehicle and returned to his residence. Complainants, who appeared very physically shaken and upset, both provided written statements of the events that took place. Based on the statements provided Subject was placed under arrest for Assault and Battery 1st degree and Pointing / Presenting a firearm. Subject was then transported to KCDC by Ofc. Piccioulo. Chief Anders and Ofc. Picciuolo interviewed Subject. Subject denied pointing a gun, but did admit to driving up, telling them he would be right back, then admitted to returning and threatening them about running over his mailbox. When Subject was asked why he left and returned to make the threats, he stated he had to change from wearing long pants to shorts. Subject would eventually change his story, from not pointing anything, to pointing his finger and then to retrieving a ratchet from his trunk and pointing it as if it was a gun. No gun was located while on scene. There was enough time to hide or dispose of a gun due to time of call and time it took to respond to the call. We did search his vehicle, yard and home with consent, but was not able to locate a gun. Subject did write a statement denying the allegations. Subject was also sternly warned and educated about hindering / interfering with Officers and their duties. Subject stood in the road, blocking and stopping Ofc. Picciuolo while responding to the call for service, telling him that he could not come onto his property without permission and that he had no trespassing signs posted.

Shoplifting: Circle K Employee called to report a person refusing to show ID for alcoholic beverages. Employee stated that a light-skinned black woman with dredlocks came into the store with her girlfriend, got two White Claw Black Cherry 19.2 OZ cans and came to the register. Employee asked the woman for her ID and she "got an attitude" and refused to show ID to Employee. The woman placed $6.00 in cash on the counter, took the drinks, and left. Employee followed the women out of the store and took photos of the Chevrolet SUV leaving the parking lot. The total for the drinks was $7.75, and the woman only left $6.00, leaving the establishment $1.75 short. The tag number on the photographs is not discernible.

Shoplifting: On 7/18/2023, I Cpl. Delong was at Dollar General to follow up on a case from 7/14/2023. Upon my arrival the staff stated 15 minuets prior to my arrival a tall black male loaded a shopping cart full of laundry items possibly valued close to $300.00 and pushed it out of the back door without paying. I then reviewed Dollar general cameras and seen a tall black male put 8-10 large bottles of laundry soap in a shopping cart and exit through the stock room. I then went to Gyromania next door to look for possible exterior camera footage. The camera on the back corner of Gyromania shows a white Nissan Sentra back in near the back door. The suspect exits the stockroom,loads the items into the car and leaves the parking lot. Video footage from Dollar General and Gyromania will be in the case file.

The Importance of 'ME' Time

By: Liz Simon, Staff Writer

July 28… We are over halfway through the year. A month ago, I celebrated 76 years of daily wake ups or as some say “trips around the sun."

School will be officially back in session Thursday; I still have that back to school feeling when all things begin anew.

Recently, I visited The House of Skin and Wellness and met with Brandi Semiklose Kirkland (LE ’95). When given the opportunity in January, Brandi prayed, loved, and painted the inside of the business and prepared for the opening of the spa. The House of Skin and Wellness is open Monday through Friday 9:00 to 6:00, and is an escape from the corporate world, the Mama world, and is a place of rejuvenation. There will be a ribbon cutting for this new business on August 8 at 4pm.

I asked Brandi what attracted her to the property located at 1113 Mill Street, located in the historic area of Camden across the street From Camden Bone and Joint. The buildings around her business are zoned for medical purposes. The House of Skin and Wellness building was where Doctor McCorkle’s medical office was for years in Camden.

There are four thousand square feet in her business which Brandi calls the White House (She says she has enough room for an East and West Wing like the famous White House). The remodeling and design of the interior spaces reflects Brandi’s gift of interior design and welcomes one to a relaxing place.

Brandi, and her three full time employees, offer services including facials, brows, lashes, and chemical peels. Soon they will be adding a medical doctor to the staff, allowing them to offer additional services.

Brandi plans to sponsor pop-up events with other new shops in Camden for holidays and back-to-school specials. The first week of August will be Teacher Appreciation Week which will include specials such as Express

Facials and bubbly beverages for $80. Also in August will be a customized jewelry party (with Camden Jewelers) and pop-up Botox Event on August 24th from 5-8PM.

Brandi will also offer an elegant suite for brides to be to prepare for their big day. This suite will also be available for special events.

I booked a deluxe signature facial with one of the estheticians, Misty, and was treated to an hour of exfoliation, cream, oils and detoxed with the most relaxing aroma to help with the bags and sagginess under my eyes. Misty gave me a lymphatic treatment with a jade stone. The bags have not come back under my eyes, and yes, I am taking “my me time.” There will be a demo of a facial on Facebook Live Aug. 31 at 6PM. Guess who our readers will see without make up?

Brandi found her niche at the Darla Moore School of Business and graduated from the University of South Carolina. Brandi and her husband have three boys 24, 23, 15, and one daughter, 18.

Marketing and journalism have always been among her interests from her time at LEHS when she was one of my yearbook editors. Brandi worked in medical sales and direct marketing, before meeting with Debbie Grainger to do some consulting, which eventually led to her pursuing her dream of opening a spa.

I have learned over the course of my fifty plus years of marriage and those of my friends that our other half (men in our lives such as fathers, husbands, sons) do not know how to pick out a gift for that special woman. A customer can walk into this business not knowing what to buy, but will walk out having found the perfect gift certificate for that special person.

I asked Brandi what she enjoyed when she could take a getaway and have time for herself. She is a country girl at heart. She loves the fact that she can sit in a deer stand in the evening and find serenity and peace.

If I had the chance to live my life again, scheduling time for myself would be something I would make sure to do. Be good to yourself and your mental and physical wellness. There is no price tag on the time we all need for ourselves. Come find that time at the House of Skin and Wellness. Reach them at 803.427.9993, or visit them on Facebook.

Back To School Potluck Held at Potter Park

On July 22nd, Blanketing Families hosted their first "Back To School Potluck" at Potter Park in Elgin, where families could receive school supplies at a one-stop location.

Blanketing Families a non-profit 501c3 organization has been serving the community of Elgin and surrounding area for a few years now.

Founders Annette Hammond and Ann Pringle created this event to streamline the back to school process.

"This was the first Back To School Collaboration in Elgin," say Annette and Ann. "We realized that families run from one event to the next to get back to school items. Blanketing Families took the lead and suggested a Pot-

luck Collaboration Giveaway in one location."

The community jumped on board to help. Event sponsors Food Lion of Elgin, DoorDash/ DoorMart, Jensen Insurance Partners, Brown's Oil & Lube, Town of Elgin and many more.

"We love our community, and love how each church, organization, business and agency came together to participated in this event," say Annette and Ann. "They helped make it a huge success, and we are looking forward to next year."

"We Are Better Together" - Me +You = COMMUNITY!

Photos courtesy Donna Bonfrancesco.

Miss Camden, Miss Camden Teen Crowned

Recently, Blaney Elementary’s new principal Dr. Chastity Evans hosted a Q&A event in the school cafeteria. During this event, Evans shared her goals and hopes for the 2023-2024 school year at Blaney. Evans comes to Blaney Elementary from Richard Carroll Elementary in Bamberg County, and decided to come to Blaney because of the small town atmosphere.

“I chose Blaney because I love that small town community,” says Evans. “I’ve worked in bigger schools, and while there is nothing wrong with that, I just prefer a small town. When our youngest son said he wished I worked closer to home, and this opportunity opened up, I applied for it, and I’m very happy to be here.”

During the Q&A, Blaney parents asked a variety of questions about what to expect from the new year, and a new principal. What follows are excerpts of parent questions and the replies shared by Dr. Evans.

How do you plan to handle bullying from both kids and teachers?

We can help overcome bullying by teaching students the definition of bullying. According to the National Center Against Bullying, “bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behavior that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm.” Every child has the right to feel safe and supported; Every single time an instance of bullying is reported, we will address it. This cannot be taken lightly. Students cannot learn if they do not feel the teacher cares about them. If a child perceives that they are being bullied by a teacher, we will work together to immediately resolve the issue. I would use a team approach: parent(s), child, teacher, and administrator so that everyone feels they have a voice in determining a resolution. Bullying by anyone will not be tolerated. We will always follow school and district policy. This district has an anti-bullying campaign in place to assist. Sometimes during the course of researching situations that have been reported , we find there is an ongoing argument between two kids and we work with them to resolve that. Our school counselor does a great job working with kids and teaching them how to get along, and what to do when they’re angry, and how to handle things appropriately.

Last year we could come in once a week to eat with our kids at lunch if we signed up on a sign up sheet in advance. Will you still offer that?

Yes. You will still be allowed to come on Wednesday’s as long as you sign up in advance. This is not because we don’t want parents in the building. It’s because the cafeteria is so small and there's very little seating. If you plan to

eat lunch with your child in the cafeteria, the meal is $4.85. I would LOVE for you to be involved at BES. Become a volunteer!

What is your plan to get to know each kid by name?

At my previous school, I knew almost every student by name. My goal is to learn at least 10 names a day. Names are important. When you call a student by name, they feel seen and cared about. It may take me a while to learn all 800 names, but I will eventually get there. That’s another reason why I like to see the students in the mornings, during lunch, and after school. I learn who they are so much faster by being in classrooms, eating lunch with them or visiting them while they are on the playground during recess.

Can you institute a policy that discourages sending kids to school sick and keeping sickness out of school?

A principal does not and cannot make policy. Only a school board is allowed to do that. Our school nurses take the lead on this. If a teacher suspects a child is sick, they would immediately send them to the school nurse to evaluate. The nurse would make the determination as to whether or not the student is allowed to remain at school. I can assure you no one is okay with students who are sick remaining at school. Everything we do at an elementary school is about teaching. We teach appropriate behaviors, and one of those things we try to teach is washing hands after the bathroom, and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing – sometimes using a cute rhyme or saying to help kids remember what to do. We also always have hand sanitizer.

Can you please offer some grace and leniency for morning drop off procedures, and possibly utilize both lanes?

It is very important for students to arrive on time. They miss important aspects of the day when they do not arrive on time and it’s very disruptive not only to the teacher, but to their classmates. We cannot use both lanes in the mornings because we simply do not have enough staff available to keep students safe. It’s extremely dangerous for students to cross in front of other cars. I know it takes a little longer, but our first priority is to keep your students safe. At this time, I cannot say whether or not I will continue with the 5-minute grace period. It’s better for everyone if students are at school on time, for the reasons that I stated above. If there is a specific reason that you cannot get your student(s) to school on time, please reach out to me personally to discuss how we might be able to work together.

Pictured above, from left: 2024 Miss Camden First Runner Up Sara Beth McCaskill; Miss Camden Jules Lemonds; Miss Camden Teen Brinley Hair,

Camden Square Dancing Event KC Good Neighbor Award

The Camden Square Dancers invite you to their FREE Square Dance Party on Thursday, August 31, 2023. The event will start at 7:30 PM and end at 9:30 PM, and will be held at the Kershaw County Recreation Center, 1042 W DeKalb St, Camden. Check out their website – camdensquaredance.com. Call (803) 420-8008 with any questions!

MAYOR'S DESK, Continued from Page 2

easier for individuals/groups who wish to reserve it for a specific date. If you have questions regarding the procedure to reserve the shelter for an event, please feel free to contact Elgin Town Hall at 803-438-2362. In order to use the picnic shelter for a birthday celebration or event, you must reserve it first. Reserving the shelter does not reserve the entire park, it only guarantees usage of the picnic shelter.

As always, we welcome input from the public and encourage our residents and businesses to stay informed so that you can be involved. If I can ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to email me at Melissa.emmons@ townofelginsc.com or call me at 803-309-1385. We update our website frequently, so please visit www.townofelginsc.com for information. Our next meeting is Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 6:00 at Elgin Town Hall.

The Good Neighbor Award is intended to showcase good deeds by citizens in the county. Too many times we see the negativity and evil happening in the world and not enough of the compassion and good. Everyone has the potential to be a superhero. You never know what kind of a battle someone is fighting internally. A kind word or deed could change the world for that person. That’s what Good Neighbors do.

If you know of someone that has done a good deed for another, please submit it to us. Our team of volunteers will read and vet all submissions and pick three finalists from each District. Each Council Member will pick the winner from their District then the chair will pick that quarter’s winner.

To nominatea Good Neighbor, go to www.kershaw.sc.gov, then...

 Click County Council  then Good Neighbor Award

It is important to note that the Council Members will not know the identity of the citizens they choose from until the presentation.

The deadlines for submissions are listed below. Presentations will be held on the 2nd Council Meeting of the month following the deadline.

Q1 Deadline – June 1 - Aug. 31

Q2 Deadline – Sept. 1– Nov. 30

Q3 Deadline – Dec. 1 - Feb. 28

Q4 Deadline – Mar. 1 – May 31

Kershaw County Public Library Events For August

Weekly Events

Weekly on Wednesdays | 10:30 AM – 11 AM | Camden

Get Set to Read Storytime: Join us for stories, songs and fun. For ages 3-5.

Weekly on Wednesdays | 11:15 AM – 12 PM | Camden

Baby Storytime: A fun time of stories, songs and movement for the very young. For ages 0-2.

Weekly on Thursdays | 10:30 AM – 11 AM | Elgin

Get Set to Read Storytime: Join us for stories, songs and fun. For ages 3-5.

Weekly on Thursdays | 11:15 AM – 12 PM | Elgin

Baby Storytime: A fun time of stories, songs and movement for the very young. For ages 0-2.

Events

Location noted by time slot.

Tuesday, August 1 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Elgin

Duplo Fun Time - Elgin! Little hands can make big fun with our larger Duplo Legos. Let their imaginations loose! For ages 18 mos. – 5 years.

Thursday, August 3 | 5 PM – 6:30 PM | Camden

Chess Club: Come on in for a chess club for all! All ages and skill levels are welcome to join us for play. We also offer free lessons to beginners for ages 8 to adult.

Friday, August 4 | 6 PM – 10 PM | Camden

Open Game Night: KCL invites gamers ages 12-18 to come enjoy tabletop RPG and strategy-based board games at Open Game Night! Teens will have access to our selection of games and also be able to participate in oneshot adventure RPGs, hosted by our gaming coordinator, Mark. Seats are limited so RSVP to save your teen's spot. To RSVP, email markw@kershawcountylibrary.org

Tuesday, August 8 | 2 PM – 3 PM | Camden

Master Gardener: Drought Tolerant Perennials: Jackie Jordan, Master Gardener Coordinator for Fairfield, Kershaw and Richland Cooperative Extension Offices, will be here to share gardening tips & tricks for hot, sunny dry spots. Come grow with us!

Wednesday, August 9 | 4 PM to 5 PM | Elgin

Bricks n’ Blocks: Join us in Elgin to build with Legos, K’nex, Lincoln Logs, building blocks, and more! For kids of all ages.

Thursday, August 10 | 4 PM – 5 PM | Camden

Lego Club: Come on in and let’s have fun with Legos! All ages are welcome for free play inside.

Saturday, August 12 | 10 AM – 12 PM | Elgin

SaturYAY: Colorful Crayons: Join us for fun crafts using crayons! Designed for ages 4-10, but older kids welcome!

Thursday, August 17 | 5 PM – 6:30 PM | Camden

Chess Club: Come on in for a chess club for all! All ages and skill levels are welcome to join us for play. We also offer free lessons to beginners for ages 8 to adult.

Monday, August 21 | 5 PM – 6 PM | Elgin

Law Talk: Wills, Estate, & Probate: Join KCL and the SC Bar for a law talk explaining the basics of wills, estates, and probate. The Law Talk will consist of a 30–40-minute lecture presentation, followed by an open question and answer session. Please call to reserve your FREE spot at the talk: 803438-7881. Law talks are designed to provide general legal information, not to provide guidance on your specific situation. The free clinics are sponsored by the South Carolina Bar Public Services Division.

Thursday, August 24 | 4 PM – 5 PM | Camden Lego Club: Come on in and let’s have fun with Legos! All ages are welcome for free play inside.

Thursday, August 24 | 6 PM – 7 PM | Camden

Camden Book Club: We will be discussing Counterfeit by Kristin Chen. New members are always welcome. Pick up a copy at the Camden branch.

Saturday, August 26 | 10 AM – 2 PM | Elgin

Strategy Saturday: Join us for board games at the Elgin library! We have board games for all ages, classics and indie games alike! Play together, in a quiet area, or on our enclosed porch. All ages.

Monday, August 28 | 5 PM – 6 PM | Elgin

Elgin Book Club: Join us in Elgin for our branch book club! We’ll be reading The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. Pick up your copy at the Elgin front desk!

Thursday, August 31 | 5 PM – 6:30 PM | Camden

Chess Club: Come on in for a chess club for all! All ages and skill levels are welcome to join us for play. We also offer free lessons to beginners for ages 8 to adult.

McCallum Named Stover Asst. Principal

At the July 18 Board of Trustees Meeting, the Kershaw County School District Board of Trustees approved the hire of Lawrence H. (Mac) McCallum as an assistant principal at Leslie M. Stover Middle School.

McCallum joins the Stover Middle administrative staff after working as a special education teacher for more than 20 years. Most recently McCallum taught special education at Camden High School for seven years, serving as the instructional leader for the special education department since 2019. Prior to this, he worked at Pine Grove, Inc., Camden Middle School and Charleston County School District.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in special education from the College of Charleston and a Master of Education degree in school leadership from Columbia College. He has done post graduate work at The Citadel, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University and Columbia College. He is certified in mild and moderate special education and in secondary administration.

McCallum completed the Kershaw County Developing Administrators Program, and was part of the 2019-2020 Kershaw County Leadership Academy cohort. He was named the 2021-2022 Camden High School Teacher of the Year.

McCallum is a 1991 Lugoff-Elgin High graduate, and he and his wife, Martie Gail McCallum reside in Lugoff.

Will drop off still begin at 6:55am?

Drop off will begin at 7:00 AM. We simply do not have anyone on duty before 7:00 AM and that would create a significant safety issue to students. They must be adequately supervised at all times. Too many things can happen even in the span of five minutes. Be Great has an early drop off program that may be an option, and we are talking about opening that up for parents that need to get to work earlier. We plan to do a survey among parents to see the level of interest, because to start Be Great early drop off, we have to commit to the program. There is a weekly fee for this service. In the afternoon for Be Great, there is a limited amount of availability, but she does not often have to turn people away. In the mornings, we can accommodate as many kids as needed as long as we know in advance so that we have enough staff here to supervise students. Completing the parent survey will help us determine the coverage needed.

What will you do to ensure parents don’t need to look multiple places to keep up with school information?

The first line of communication will come from the classroom teacher via Class Dojo. They keep parents informed on a daily/weekly basis. I will also send out weekly schoolwide Class Dojo reminders and phone calls as well as a monthly newsletter. If you are on social media, Facebook is a great place to get information as well as the school website.

How will you make Blaney more education centered than social centered? Do you plan on making all school related activities inclusive to all children from all backgrounds?

I would expect that we have activities for every student; no one should be excluded from a school-sponsored activity. We always try to consider everyone’s home life/situation/background to make sure our events are inclusive. For example: instead of “muffins with mom” or “doughnuts with dad,” we do “pancakes with pals” to make sure that all students are included. Regarding archery activities, our program is governed by the NASP which has its own rules. It’s not that kids are excluded from that program, but instead, they have to qualify for that program, and there are a limited number of spaces available. We seek teacher and administrator recommendations for this program, and we also consider academics and behavior. We strive to include as many students as we can, but for archery, we only allow a maximum of 24 students to be able to coach the students well. If you have a specific concern, please let me know so that I can address it. It would never be okay with me for a student to be excluded from any school-sponsored activity.

Will you bring back some of the clubs that were dissolved by a former principal, such as Running Club?

This is definitely something that I would be interested in doing. Clubs, like sports, can create a space for students to grow and thrive. It may not happen immediately, because you have to have teachers who are willing to sponsor the clubs, but I do think it would be a great thing to incorporate back into the school.

What are your plans to further develop students who are advanced?

Of course, we have our gifted and talented program: SEAGUL; However, our teachers know that they are expected to meet the needs of each student in their classroom. Teachers are trained to incorporate small group instruction into their classrooms daily. This is not just to meet the needs of low performing students, it’s also to provide appropriate interventions for all students. Every day in every classroom, we have 60 minutes of differentiated instruction. This is where students who are advanced should receive instruction that meets their individual academic needs.

Do you plan to be outside in the morning and afternoon car rider lines?

Absolutely! These are my favorite times of the day. I will likely alternate between the car riders and the bus riders because I believe it’s important that all students have the opportunity to see and get to know me during these transition times.

What can I do to be more involved?

We would LOVE for you to volunteer. It doesn’t take much time. You can volunteer to read with a child who needs additional help. You can volunteer to help monitor the cafeteria during lunch or recess. I would also suggest getting involved with the PTA! Teachers will ALL have a volunteer sheet for parents to fill out during Meet the Teacher night. Please email me if you want to volunteer and we can determine how you can become involved.

Dr. Evans invites parents to reach out with further questions and concerns at chastity.evans@kcsdschools.net, or by calling the school at (803) 438-3241.

Mac McCallum Stover Asst. Principal

Boan Honored By Make It A Conversation

Make it A Conversation, based in Camden, is a youth platform to discuss social issues and bring healing between citizens and law enforcement. Sheriff Lee Boan was recently honored with the "I Am My Brother's Keeper Award" by the organization.

"It is a great honor to receive this award from such great citizens and organizations in our community. Face-to-face love will always outweigh any social media hate," says Boan

Award sponsors include: KCSO Sgt Bobby Hager, Brian & Roberta Mays, Camden Mayor Alfred Mae Drakeford, Congressman Ralph Norman, Paul Napper, Make It A Conversation, Jackson Teen Center, Serve & Connect, Unity in the Community, Summer Grind, US Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons FCI Bennettsville, SC, US Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons FCI Williamsburg, SC, Rotary of Camden, Blue Pineapple Trophy & Gifts, United Way of Kershaw County

US Congressman Ralph Norman, Brian Mays (Make It A Conversation), Kassy Alia Ray (Serve & Connect) and Sheriff Lee Boan.

Sheriff Boan and family: Debra Boan (mother), Sheriff Lee Boan, Jennifer McElveen-Boan (wife), Dalton Boan (son)