school news
A focus on students, teachers and educational events in northern Beaufort County
Help Riverview win Glee competition By Tess Malijenovsky
During these tough times in the economy, school music programs are often the first to be slashed from educational funding. For this reason the Fox TV show Glee is giving $1 million to 73 schools in the country. Riverview Charter School is the only school in Beaufort and the only charter school in South Carolina in the running for the competition, but it needs Beaufort’s support to win. The Glee competition has been Riverview music teacher Dede Ondishko’s brain child. When she received a poster in the mail for the competition she decided, “Well gosh, let’s do it!” After winning over the support of her principal and talking her colleague, creative arts director and drama teacher Lisa Clancy into going for it, the two teachers set out to make a video under two minutes showing why
Charlie, Luke, Tommy, Jaren and Jaden hope Riverview wins the Glee competition.
Riverview deserves to win the prize. Clancy and Ondishko gathered the 86 students from kindergarten to seventh grade who volunteered to sing songs of heroes for Beaufort’s September 11 community celebration to recreate the event for the Glee video. The video also features short interviews with students, parents, teachers and school administrators. “In recognition of them going out of
their way to participate (on Sept. 11), we thought this would be a good reward and exciting for them,” Ondishko said. Currently the teachers are toting around music equipment on carts in what Ondishko describes as a labor intensive process. Winning the prize could mean instruments, a new performing space with risers, an installed sound system with a projector and a musical library. “We have grand plans,” laughs Clancy. The November 7 deadline is approaching, and in order for Riverview to be considered for the prize, Glee judges have to see community support by a show of votes. You can vote once a day. Just go to www.gleegiveanote.com, click vote now, search for Riverview Charter School, and submit your vote. This competition doesn’t just help a local school, but the whole community.
Teachers surprised with mini-grants By Tess Malijenovsky
Twelve Beaufort County public school teachers won mini-grants for innovative school projects from the Foundation for Educational Excellence, a fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. The Foundation members made a trip to each school to surprise the teachers in person last Wednesday, Oct. 19. Out of 35 applicants, only 12 teachers received grants totaling $5,000 and ranging from $281 to $500.“It’s so wonderful to see the excitement on teachers’ faces when we tell them that they’ve won,” said Louise Lewis, the Grant Committee Chairman. “But the real winners, of course, are the students who benefit from these innovative classroom projects.” Due to widespread budget cutting in recent years, many teachers that wish to share specialized projects
with their students must either abandon their creative ideas or pay out of pocket. “It’s very gratifying for the foundation to be able to help teachers improve academic achievement,” said Jan Davis-Vater, Chair of the Foundation. To highlight just a few of the awards: Eve Heaton, Jamey Porter and Marsha Browder of Beaufort Elementary School received $495 for two composting tumblers, which students will use to record the decomposition of plants. The compost will also be used in planting beds at school, allowing students to observe how trash can be changed into something useful. Beaufort High teacher Bradley Smith received $315.85 to purchase a set of “Taber’s” medical dictionaries for the Health Science Technology classroom. And, Mossy Oaks Elementary teacher
Renata Booth received $343.62 for picnic tables and aluminum wallmounted hose reel so that students will be able to read, write and learn in an outdoor setting. Davis-Vater said the foundation solicits individual and business donors, and also holds a major gala each spring that features silent and live auctions of items donated by individuals and businesses. Individuals, organizations or businesses interested in making donations for teacher mini-grants can do so via the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s website (www. cf-lowcountry.org). On the website’s main page, click “Give,” then choose “Donate Online” from the drop-down menu. Look for “Choose your fund,” and from that drop-down menu, choose “Beaufort County School District Foundation for Educational Excellence.”
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SCHOOL briefs • Friday, Oct. 28, All 6th and 7th graders at Riverview Charter School going out for basketball must turn in their student physicals to Coach VanHorn. Also, students at Riverview can sport their red ribbons for Drug Awareness Week. Don’t forget, students can dress out of uniform on Uniform Free Friday and BoxTop Collection day by bringing $5. Also proceeds go to the BoxTops fundraiser. • Friday, Oct. 28, Lots going on at Beaufort Academy: The SADD Club will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast from 7-8:30 a.m.; representative from Eckerd College will be on campus at 3 p.m. in the Learning Center; and the Fall Festival. • Monday-Friday, Oct. 31-Nov.4, Riverview Charter School and Mossy Oaks School have Fall Break. • Monday-Friday, Oct. 31-Nov.4, Tidewatch Fall Break Camp for Riverview students from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. • Tuesday, Nov. 1, Beaufort Academy Community Awards are due. PBIS Student Advisory Board at Lady’s Island Elementary Lady’s Island Elementary students are being taught how to behave appropriately and are rewarded for their appropriate behavior through the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The PBIS Student Advisory Board was formed and comprises of a few third and fourth grade students. These students meet once a month to discuss school goals that will enhance Lady’s Island Elementary’s existing positive school environment. Assistant Principal Melissa Holland is the group advisor and members include Parker Elliott, Makayla Savoie, Zhane Morris, Mikela Townes, Nathan Murray, Bernard Holmes and Alexus Simmons. Bookworm success at Beaufort Elementary Beaufort Elementary School celebrated Books, Blankets and Boo Day on Thursday, October 20, during which guest readers dressed up in costumes and visited the classrooms to share stories with the students. This is an event sponsored by the BES Learning Commons to promote school-wide reading. Also this month, Beaufort Elementary raised $4,372 during its annual Book Fair. School briefs are compiled by Tess Malijenovsky. To have your school events published, email schoolnews@beaufortislandnews.com.
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the island news | october 27 - november 3, 2011 | www.yourislandnews.com
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