Education News: Sunday, May 20, 2018

Posted

Morris College

Sophomore is "All in for Kids"

Morris College sophomore Kenton Kelley is an alumnus of the Communities in Schools program, who recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the program. A native of Charleston, Kenton was first introduced to Communities in Schools in eighth grade and really began to understand the value of the program upon entering high school. Kenton credits Communities in Schools-Charleston for not only helping him get into college but for making him realize he could go and thrive in college.

During his time in Washington, D.C., Kelley met with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), as a representative of the Alumni Leadership Advisory Committee. He took time explaining to them the goals of Communities in Schools and asking them to pledge financial support.

"Communities in Schools is truly 'All in for Kids,'" Kelley said affirming the organization's current campaign, "and inspired me to be the person I am today." Kelley will return to Morris College in the fall as a Political Science major with aspirations of becoming a Democratic candidate for congress in the future.

Community Welcomes Staggers

Morris College Board of Trustees hosted the Presidential Reception welcoming and introducing to the community president-elect Dr. Leroy Staggers. Community leaders, faculty and staff, students, alumni and supporters gathered at the campus home of the newly elected president to enjoy an evening of fellowship and celebration of a smooth transition in the leadership of the college.

Staggers will begin his tenure as the 10th president on July 1. Prior to being named president-elect, he served as interim president and the academic dean of Morris College for more than 25 years. He also served as vice president of academic affairs, associate professor of English and director of faculty development at Barber-Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina. Staggers is widely recognized and respected by the students and faculty of Morris College. He has been instrumental in preserving the college's rich legacy, financial stability and creating academic programs that continue to prepare Morris College students to compete globally.

Staggers expressed his commitment to do all that he can with support from community members, faculty, staff, students and shareholders to provide stellar leadership that will chart the pathway to Morris College becoming a premier liberal arts and career-focused institution of higher learning. - Anika Cobb

Wilson Hall

May King & Queen named

Seniors Justin Timmons and Steph Areford were crowned the May King and Queen at the 45th annual May Day celebration in the Nash Student Center on May 3. Other members of the senior court were Chandler Curtis, Liza Lowder, Bryce Lyles and Jake Meyers. Senior members of the court were elected by the 12th grade, and grades nine-12 elected the king and queen. The program began with the presentation of the court that included representatives from grades one-12, followed by the traditional May Pole Dance by the fifth-graders who were directed by Meg Creech and Mary Simmons. The program concluded with a musical production, with the theme of "Spring into Music," performed by students in grades one-five and directed by lower school music teachers Frankie Eldridge and Jeanne Shaw. Sponsored by the PTO, Tiffany Davis was the chairman of the event and Jennifer Reimer was the co-chairman and choreographer.

Seventh-Grade Trip

In conjunction with their history and science studies, students in the seventh grade and their chaperones spent May 8-10 on an educational trip in Charleston County. The group spent both nights on the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. The students enjoyed a flight simulator, a dock tour of retired naval vessels, and a virtual reality space mission, as well as an educational

scavenger hunt aboard the ship. The group spent a day on a boat tour with Barrier Island EcoTours and visited Capers Island where the students studied the ecology of the barrier island and enjoyed lunch on the beach. To conclude the trip, the students visited the Charleston Aquarium. Alan Moore, a history teacher, and Sheri Singleton, a science teacher, escorted their students on the trip.

Reading Incentive Trips

Members of the fifth-grade class who read at least 6,000 pages throughout the year traveled to Frankie's Fun Park in Columbia on May 4 as part of the reading recognition program. Students in first grade who read 2,000 pages and in second grade who read 4,000 pages went to Chuck E. Cheese in Columbia on May 7 for their reading reward, and on May 9 third and fourth grade students who read 4,000 pages also visited Chuck E. Cheese. Eddie Talley, lower school principal, escorted the students on the trips. The kindergarten classes visited Palmetto Park for a book club celebration picnic on May 11.

Art Showcase

The ninth annual Art Showcase will be held Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building. The exhibition will feature the artwork of students in preschool through 12th grade. Each art student will have at least one piece of artwork in the show which will include more than 1,000 works of art (ceramics, drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures). At the reception, which will have live entertainment by students, refreshments will be served by members of the National Art Honor Society. The art teachers are Ashley Lareau, Mary Ann Reames, Tara Schumacher and Jan Waggett.

College Scholarships

As of May 1, 99 percent of the 69 members of the senior class received merit-based scholarship offers totaling $5.2 million to a four-year college or university. The following is a partial list of scholarship recipients compiled from information submitted to the college counselor, Diane Richardson. Megan Piasecki received an Opportunity Award from St. Joseph's University, Pitch Sinlapanuntakul received a Panther International Scholarship from the Florida Institute of Technology, and Zack Zobrist received a President's Gold Scholarship from Baylor University. Furman University offered a Bell Tower Scholarship to Kirsten Fisher, Amber Prewitt and Greyson Sonntag, Francis Marion University offered a baseball scholarship to Daulton Dabbs, and Wofford College offered an Athletic Aid Scholarship to Walker Jones. The University of South Carolina offered a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Scholarship to Chandler Curtis, Kirsten Fisher and Kate Smith, and a Scholars Award to Katie Overby and Justin Timmons. Addy Carraway received a Carolinas-Virginias Retail Hardware Scholarship, Chandler Curtis received a United Daughters of the Confederacy Scholarship, and Hayley DuBose received a South Carolina Teaching Fellowship. Walker Jones received a Bobby Jones Sportsmanship Scholarship, Bryce Lyles received a South Carolina Youth Shooting Foundation Scholarship, Kate Smith received a Shaw Spouses' Club Scholarship, and Madison Tash received a Sumter County Historical Society Scholarship. - Sean Hoskins

USC Sumter

Closed Memorial Day

The University of South Carolina Sumter will be closed on Monday, May 28, in observance of Memorial Day. Campus will re-open on Tuesday, May 29. - Misty Hatfield

Sumter School District

Teacher selected for institute

Zachariah Lowe, a teacher at Mayewood Middle School, will travel to Washington, D.C., this June to attend the prestigious Supreme Court Summer Institute. After a highly competitive application process, 60 teachers were selected to participate this year. The Institute, open to teachers in the fields of law-related and civic education, is co-sponsored by Street Law, Inc. and the Supreme Court Historical Society.

The Institute offers teachers the opportunity to study recent Supreme Court cases in detail and learn innovative teaching methods for conveying this information to students.

Upon returning home, teachers will be available to present workshops on teaching about the U.S. Supreme Court and to meet with media to discuss how the new skills and information will apply in their classrooms.

Induction teachers recognized

The personnel department hosted an Induction Teacher of the Year ceremony at Sumter High School to mark the successful completion of the teachers' first year. The event was coordinated by Director of Teacher Quality Sheree Boozer, and remarks were made by Interim Superintendent Debbie Hamm and Chief Human Resources Officer John Koumas. Zachariah Lowe, Sumter School District Teacher of the Year, was the guest speaker.

The principals nominated outstanding induction teachers in their schools who showed exceptional work ethic, exhibited positive, can-do attitudes and experienced tremendous professional growth during the school year. Some of the things considered were effective individual and collaborative planning, continuous monitoring and adjusting of effective instructional strategies and assessment, classroom management, positive role model, rapport with students, parents and colleagues, passion for teaching, ability to impart knowledge to students, strong care and concern for his or her students, and willingness to seek assistance when needed.

Congratulations to Taylor McLendon from Lemira Elementary School, Raymone Rogers from Chestnut Oaks Middle and Tiffany Morris from Sumter Career and Technology Center for being named the Induction Teachers of the Year at their respective level. Each was recognized and presented with a gift and a plaque.

The Sumter School District Teachers of the Year for the 2018-19 school year were officially announced at the Teacher Forum's Celebration of Excellence held at the Crestwood High School Performing Arts Center. The Teacher Forum is made up of immediate past and present campus teachers of the year and the current and former district teachers of the year.

The Sumter High School Orchestra Select Ensemble provided pre-event entertainment for the attendees. Gina Hilger, chairman of this year's Teacher Forum and the 2016-17 District Teacher of the Year, welcomed the audience and made opening remarks. Mary Lynn Woodward, a 2018-19 South Carolina Honor Roll Teacher, also spoke at the ceremony.

The 2018-19 teachers of the year were pinned, and last year's teachers of the year, formerly known as Junior Teachers of the Year, were elevated to Senior Teachers of the Year. The outgoing Senior Teachers of the Year were recognized for their two years of service to the Teacher Forum.

Hamm announced the three finalists, known as Sumter School District Honor Roll Teachers, for the District Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Madison Cox from Alice Drive Elementary, Shasta Smith from High Hills Elementary and Marina Mosneaguta from Alice Drive Middle. The District Teacher of the Year will be announced at the district's opening meeting in August.

In addition four recipients of the 2018 Teacher Forum scholarships, given to graduates of Sumter School District who will attend college in the fall and major in education, were also named. Three $1,000 Scholarships for Future Educators and the $3,000 Hailey Bordeaux Memorial Scholarship for Future Educators were awarded.

Angela Gipson from Lakewood High School, Ari'Elle Scott from Crestwood High School and Rachell Harglerode from Lakewood High School received the $1,000 scholarships. Kaleigh Geddings from Lakewood High received the $3,000 Bordeaux scholarship. - Shelly Galloway