school news
A focus on students, teachers and educational events in northern Beaufort County university of south carolina beaufort
Largest commencement ceremony in history On a picturesque Lowcountry evening, the University of South Carolina Beaufort celebrated the largest graduating class of 272 students in USCB history, alongside over 2,800 family members and friends who cheered them on. Before the ceremony, one of the first Studio Art graduates, Sanders Black, presented prints he designed of the Beaufort College building to the honorary degree recipients, Ambassador Karen Hughes, and Paula & Bill Bethea. Ambassador Karen Hughes delivered the commencement speech, encouraging the
2011 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR Beaufort County School District teachers were treated with balloons, flowers, chocolate and proclamations this week as members of the Board of Education and school district senior staff members made surprise visits to each teacher’s classroom to announce the 2011-2012 Teachers of the Year. Teachers of the Year are selected by their peers following criteria established by the schools, the district’s Teacher Forum and the S.C. Department of Education. In the fall, each teacher will compete for the District’s Teacher of the Year honor. Superintendent Dr. Valerie Truesdale said, “This is a terrific opportunity to celebrate the unique gifts of our best of the best teacher leaders. In these difficult economic times, we want to be sure our teachers know how much we appreciate their willingness to do more with less resources.” The 2011-2012 Beaufort County Teachers of the Year are: • Steve Shamblen: Academy for Career Excellence • Kim Day: Battery Creek High School • Joan Linyard: Beaufort Elementary • Debbie Kidd: Beaufort High School • Stephanie Luzny: Beaufort Middle School • Jamie Allen: Broad River Elementary • Katherine Williams: Coosa Elementary • Sonia Merrick: H.E. McCracken Middle • Jessica Goethie-Bacon: Lady’s Island Elementary School • Cadra Rooney: Lady’s Island Middle • Cole Lubkin: Mossy Oaks Elementary • Kimberly Waters: Port Royal Elementary • Heather Tamminen: Pritchardville Elementary School • Steve McPherson: Robert Smalls Middle • Julie Rast: Joseph S Shanklin Elementary School • Jacqueline Simmons: Shell Point Elementary School • Karen Watts: St. Helena Elementary • Latoya Gilbert: Whale Branch Elementary • Karen Jones: Whale Branch Early College High School • Catia Gilbert: Whale Branch Middle School 12
new graduates to have passion for what they do, align their priorities and always maintain a broad perspective. USCB celebrated its 1,000 graduate, along with many firsts: The first class of students to earn Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees; the first group of graduating Studio Art students; and the first cohort of Saturday Business Degree students (pictured at left) to graduate. This was also the last group of MAT students to graduate, due to state budget cuts. Harris Pastides, President of the University of South Carolina, presided.
Mother’s Day Picnic
Dr. Jennifer Wallace-Sarathy enjoys a Mother’s Day picnic with her daughter Taylor at EC Montessori and Grade School.
SAR honors Lady’s Island Intermediate students The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution sponsored a National Americanism Poster Contest this year. The National Society Elementary School Poster Contest was designed to stimulate interest in American History in support of the Fourth or Fifth Grade Curriculum. The topic for the Poster Contest this year was the “Battle of Cowpens” (S.C.), a most important Southern campaign victory for the Colonists on January 17, 1781. The Beaufort Gov. Paul Hamilton Chapter of the SAR notified local schools of the program and Lady’s Island Intermediate School had seven students participate under the guidance of Mrs. Cadra Rooney, recently presented Teacher of the Year honors at the school. The students selected Brycen Campbell’s poster as their top choice and Chapter President Wayne Cousar submitted her work for consideration at the annual South Carolina State Meeting in April. Miss Campbell’s poster was the runner-up in the state competition. On May 4, chapter officers President Wayne Cousar and
the island news | may 12-19, 2011 | www.yourislandnews.com
From left: Wayne Cousar, Brycen Campbell, Assistant Principal Clay Fowler, Britney Singleton, Macy Purdy, Sahranna Fawcett, Caleb Heath, Kristionna Hampton, Teacher Cadra Rooney, Jody Henson. Photo by Faith Brown
Vice President Jody Henson presented SAR Certificates of Appreciation to seven students during a brief ceremony at the school for their participation. Brycen Campbell was awarded a small honorarium in addition to her certificate for creating the chapter’s best poster.