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EDUCATION
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016
Sumter School District News SUPERINTENDENT NAMES AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WINNER Linda Beck, choral director at Furman Middle School, was the 2016 recipient of the annual Superintendent’s Award of Excellence, announced at the district’s opening meeting last month. Superintendent J. Frank Baker created the award and is the sole determinant of who receives it. The award may go to a certified or classified employee of the school district and is for someone the superintendent thinks went above and beyond in his or her position during the previous school year. Beck, who is in her 21st year as an employee in Sumter School District, taught in Raleigh and Charlotte, before moving to Sumter. She began her career at the former Furman High School and is back in the same building, now a middle school. During her successful Sumter career, she has also taught at Crestwood High, Ebenezer Middle and Cherryvale, Manchester and Pocalla Springs elementary schools. When announcing the award, Baker said Ms. Beck “has a way of getting the best out of every student. She never tires of sharing her love of music with students and is excited about every performance, every time. I encourage all our employees to 'see and be seen' in the Sumter community, and Ms. Beck exemplifies this. Not only is she eager to take her students out to perform at many events, but she personally is engaged in Sumter as well. She is very involved in the Sumter Little Theatre and other community groups. “Beck brought the National Anthem Project to the school district years ago, and it has grown into a huge community event. She is involved in the Reach program in the district which works with artistically gifted and talented students. She also puts on a complex musical, usually a Broadway Junior production, every year and has already started work on Into the Woods this year. She continues to live up to her nickname of 'the Energizer Bunny.' I can think of no one more deserving of this year's Superintendent’s Award of Excellence than Linda Beck." When asked about the award, Beck said, "Getting this award was a total shock! What an honor. I am very humbled and honored to receive this award from Dr. Baker."
BEN CARSON READING ROOM OPENS Despite heavy rains from Hurricane Hermine, R.E. Davis Elementary School became the second school in South Carolina to unveil a Ben Carson Reading Room on Sept. 2. Made available through a generous donation from Thompson Companies and its president and CEO Greg Thompson, the room officially opened with a program in the school’s gymnasium. The Ben Carson Reading Room is an initiative of the Carson Scholars Fund, founded by retired pediatric neurosurgeon, bestselling author and former presidential candidate Ben Carson and his wife, Candy. The purpose of the project is to create a literacy-enriched environment for children to develop their reading skills. “The new Ben Carson Reading Room at R.E. Davis is exciting for our community. The U. S. Department of Education says that how well children learn to read affects directly not only how successful they are in school but how well they do throughout their lives. The Thompson Companies are extremely proud to sponsor this room knowing that fostering the love of reading can provide advantages to the youth of our community for their whole lives,” Thompson said.
NATIONAL ANTHEM PROJECT SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY This year's National Anthem project will be bigger and better than ever, according to organizer Linda Beck. Now in its 15th year in Sumter, nearly 300 middle and high school chorus students will perform at the event at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. The Sumter High School band and orchestra will perform, and students in the drama group will present a patriotic skit. Kipper Ackerman, harpist and founder of Sounds of Grace, dancers from Dreamworks and David Shoemaker and the band will perform. Anne Galloway and the middle and high school choruses will sing "Sumter is My Sweet Home." Representatives from the United States Air Force and the Army will speak along with John F. Kennedy, retired Air Force and school liaison for Shaw Air Force Base, who will speak and sing. Sen. Thomas McElveen, DSumter, will be the keynote speaker. Beck's mother will be on hand from North Carolina, and her HUGS group has planned a surprise. Carmela Bryan, Director of the Sumter County Cultural Commission, and Baker will welcome the crowd. The patriotic event is free and open to the public. — Mary B. Sheridan
Thomas Sumter Academy COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTA NON VERBA — “Actions not Words” is Thomas Sumter Academy’s motto. TSA is a service-oriented school, and it does not stop when school ends
for the summer. Seven TSA juniors — Jana Marie Faircloth, Zach Fugate, Trey Holladay, Allie Lindler, Marley McCormick, Josie Reed and Ellie White — celebrated their 16th birthdays by raising money to support the Marty Thames/Crystal Keels scholarship rather than receiving gifts at their joint summer celebration. Party-goers were asked to give a donation to the scholarship in lieu of a gift. Marty Thames and Crystal Keels were alumni of TSA who were killed by a drunken driver while on fall break their freshman year in college on Nov. 2, 1996. The scholarship was created to honor their memory and reward TSA high school students who exemplify the characteristics the two shared. The Marty Thames/Crystal Keels scholarship received $1,610 from the generous guests. TSA students, faculty and staff were involved in serving the Sumter community and the state through Operation Inasmuch, Salkehatchie and Camp Kemo this past summer. Several members of the TSA family traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, with the Alice Drive Baptist Church Youth Group to work with and evangelize to refugees and others in the community. Others traveled outside the country to serve those in need: Karen Hill, TSA teacher; Trayton Hill, TSA freshman; and Adrian Hill, TSA alumni class of 2016, traveled to the Dominican Republic with Westside Baptist Church; Christon Kessinger, TSA Booster Club President, traveled to Haiti with Christ Community Church; and Dayton Ingram, TSA senior, traveled to Guatemala with First Church of God.
LEADERSHIP Karli Hudson and Tabitha Scruggs represented Thomas Sumter Academy at Palmetto Girls State held at Presbyterian College this summer. Ross Campbell, Devin Harwell, Jaxon Huettman and Eric Lisenby represented TSA at Palmetto Boys State held at Anderson University. Logan Morris, Bree Stoddard, Josie Reed and Sydney Daniel attended the Global Leadership Summit held at Alice Drive Baptist Church. The summit focuses on improving leadership skills through Christian principles.
VOLLEYBALL GAMES The Morris College Lady Hornets will play three volleyball games this week. On Monday, they will host Edwards Waters College at 4 p.m. On Thursday, they will host Livingstone College at 6 p.m., and on Friday, they will host Johnson University at 5 p.m. All games will be held in the Human Development Center. — Melvin Mack
Lee County School District BISHOPVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL The first two weeks at Bishopville Primary School at Dennis have been a grand adventure. Faculty, staff, students and parents are working together to adjust to the big move into the newly renovated Dennis Intermediate Campus on Roland Avenue. Principal Lamont Moore greeted children as they got off the bus in the morning and helped direct them through the new building. Students especially enjoy having a new gym, expanded media center and a grand music room. Second-grade students in Katie Brabham’s music class used instruments to create a character soundtrack for a story they were reading. The community has been extremely supportive of the school as well. The Rev. Thomas of the Good Samaritans donated school supplies for the students, and the Pilot Club of Bishopville donated all the supplies for every 4-yearold student.
LOWER LEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The theme for Lower Lee Elementary School for the 2016-17 school year is “Excellence is Within Our Reach!” Throughout the school there are reminders of this theme. Our school superhero is Spiderman and you can see Spiderman’s hands throughout the school “REACH”ing for a web. There are motivational quotes regarding excellence found in various places at the school. There is also a bulletin board to remind students, faculty, staff, parents and community members the meaning of REACH: Responsibility, Empowerment, Accountability, Compassion and Hope.
WEST LEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
University of South Carolina Sumter
West Lee Elementary School parents attended the first PTA open house meeting of the 2016-17 school year on Sept. 6. PTA membership and upcoming events for the school year were discussed. Gwen Frederick from Title I presented Title I information to the parents. If you are the grandparent of a West Lee student, you are invited to join us for our Grits for Grandparents breakfast on Friday, Sept. 23, in the school cafeteria.
SMITH TO SPEAK AT CONSTITUTION DAY
LEE COUTY ADULT EDUCATION
On Sept. 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document they had created. USC Sumter encourages all Americans to observe this important day in our nation's history by attending the on-campus Constitution Day event at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Schwartz Building Room 127 with a presentation from Rep. G. Murrell Smith Jr., R-Sumter. USC Sumter’s Constitution Day event includes a presentation by Smith, free copies of the Constitution and light refreshments. The event is free and open to the public. More information about Constitution Day can be found at www.constitutionday.com.
Paulette Evans, instructor at Lee County Adult Education, has written and published a booklet titled "Guidelines in Character Education for the Adolescent and Adult." The topics include the importance of verbal and written communication skills, the importance of a good attitude in the workplace, proper dress and appearance for an interview, the significance of cooperation and the appreciation and value of compassion and compromise in the workplace. Alisa Felix from Lee Adult Education has been nominated as a 2016-17 LifeChanger of the Year. The program recognizes and rewards K-12 school employees and educators who make a positive difference in the lives of students. View Alisa's LifeChanger nominee profile on our LifeChanger of the Year website by going to www. LifeChangeroftheYear.com. The nominating process is open to all K-12 public, private and charter schools in the United States and will conclude on Dec. 31. Visit the website to post congratulations and supportive comments. Nominee profiles with lots of positive comments tend to get noticed by the selection committee. WorkKeys testing is set for Wednesday at Lee County Adult Education, 123 E. College St., Bishopville. To preregister, call (803) 484-4040. — Kara Fowler
ENROLLMENT Thomas Sumter Academy welcomed 90 new students to the TSA family. Thomas Sumter opened a satellite campus in Columbia at Temple Baptist Church. — BJ Reed
FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS The Tournées French Film Festival series returns to USC Sumter this fall with showings on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. in the Nettles Auditorium from Sept. 27 through Nov. 1. The lineup includes: Sept. 27, “Timbuktu” (2014); Oct. 4, “Far From Men” (2014); Oct. 11, “Francofonia” (2015); Oct. 18, “Phantom Boy” (2015); Oct. 25, “Rififi” (1955); and Nov. 1, “Saint Laurent” (2014). All films are free and open to the public, and each screening will begin with a short introduction followed by audience discussion. The Tournées Film Festival is made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée, the French American Cultural Fund, Florence Gould Foundation and Highbrow Entertainment. — Misty Hatfield
Morris College SGA PRESIDENT TO DELIVER ADDRESS Carlton B. Richardson, the 2016-17 Student Government Association president, will be the featured speaker during the college’s SGA assembly program at 10 a.m. Thursday in the NealJones Auditorium. A native of North Charleston, Richardson is a senior majoring in mass communications. His active involvement in campus life includes being on the dean’s list, an O.R. Reuben Scholar and Who’s Who Among College Students in American Colleges and Universities. He attends Mother Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, and enjoys mentoring young adults, especially young males.
Wilson Hall SIXTH-GRADE TRIP Through activities such as whitewater rafting on the French Broad River, the 52 students in the sixth grade experienced an educational and enjoyable trip to Camp Kanuga in Hendersonville, North Carolina, Sept. 6-9. The annual trip, organized by middle school principal Stacey Reaves, gave the students the opportunity to participate in four classes taught by the Mountain Trail Outdoor School: a cooperation and low ropes course, a hands-on course in rappelling, an orienteering and wilderness survival course and a course in forest ecology. Students also enjoyed activities to promote bonding and team building with their classmates, as well as time for a daily devotion.
ENROLLMENT Wilson Hall welcomed 105 new students as the 2016-17 school year began. With an enrollment of 750 students in 3-year-old preschool through 12th grade, Wilson Hall is the fourth-largest school in the S.C. Independent School
THE SUMTER ITEM Association. There are 116 schools that are members of SCISA. — Sean Hoskins
Sumter Christian School FUNDRAISER ENDS FRIDAY On Aug. 30, Jeff Dye “the Chocolate Guy” came to kick off the first school fundraiser which will last through Friday. Several prizes, including a chance to miss class to see Adrian the Magician, are being offered this year for students who sell at least one box of chocolate. Even parents get a free Three Winners membership, from which they can get coupons to several businesses. As a start to the many meetings and responsibilities for their last two years of high school, the junior and senior classes had their first meetings with the Jostens representatives to discuss class rings and graduation orders. Also, Walsworth Yearbooks representative Jim Channell came to meet with the yearbook students and adviser to discuss preparations for the 2016-17 Bear Tracks yearbook. Yearbooks may be purchased at yearbookforever.com. On Aug. 29, fourth-grade students started their journey into music education when they received their first band instruments and learned to make their first sounds. Band director Nathan Topper said, “It’s a beautiful thing to see children using instruments for the first time. The joy on their faces as they made these sounds was pure joy! What a priceless, exciting time!” — Miriam Marritt
Central Carolina Technical College CAREER DAY SET FOR THURSDAY On Thursday, CCTC’s Health Sciences Center is hosting a Career Day for those interested in pursuing a career in nursing, pharmacy technician, medical assisting, massage therapy, medical record coding or surgical technology. There are two sessions to choose from that include a one-hour introduction followed by tours and demonstrations. The session times are from 1 to 3 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. Participants may talk to admissions and financial aid counselors, learn about Student Life at CCTC, as well as take placement tests. If interested in attending, please provide your name, address, phone number and time you will be attending to admissions@cctech.edu or call (803) 7743311.
MINIMESTERS Did you know that CCTC offers shortened academic semesters? There are four fall minimesters available: Minimester II (five weeks) begins Sept. 22; Minimester II (eight weeks) begins Oct. 10; Minimester III (five weeks) begins Nov. 2; and a 10-week session begins Sept. 19. Earn full semester credit in a shorter amount of time. To find out what courses are available, visit cctech.edu/ academics/class-schedule-search/ and select the correct Minimester under “Part of Term.” — Becky H. Rickenbaker
Clarendon School District 1 SCOTT’S BRANCH PLANS MILLION PARENT MARCH Scott’s Branch New Tech High School and Scott’s Branch Middle School, while totally different, are two schools under one roof. When Superintendent Rose Wilder shared with the school administration her desire to see more fathers engaged in their children’s education, the team began its plan. Dean of Students Thomas Bell and the school’s parent committee thought it would be great to begin this venture with Donuts for Dads at 7 a.m. Friday. Because moms are often “dads,” too, the team decided to have a Million Parent March on the football field at 7 a.m. as dads, as well as other parents and guardians, will be invited to march.
SPES SCHOOL NEWS St. Paul Elementary School students are participating in the “Reading Their Way to The Big Game” Contest sponsored by the S.C. Education Oversight Committee. Students in grades 3-6 will read six reading level appropriate books to qualify for a grand prize — a trip to the Palmetto Bowl. The Boys to Men Mentoring Program began on Sept. 8. The program will be facilitated by Harold Brunson during the school day. Brunson is a retired educator who enjoys inspiring young men. The Boys to Men Mentoring Program is designed to keep young men in school, improve self-esteem and provide them with the assurance that they are not alone in dealing with dayto-day challenges.
SUMMERTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER The first PTO/SIC meeting of the academic school year will be held Thursday, Sept. 29. Nomination letters for new officers will be sent home before the meeting. Second-graders will perform. — Beverly Spry