2016-2017 Mid-Year Edition
Spotlight ONE A Publication of Richland County School District One
A Message from the
Superintendent
As we reach the halfway mark of the 20162017 school year, we can pause and reflect with pride on our accomplishments in Richland One. Most importantly among them is increasing student performance and outcomes. We want you to be informed about all the great things happening in the district, so you can help us share the good news. In this new publication, Spotlight ONE, we provide updates on academic progress in the district, honors and awards received by our students and staff, our language immersion program, our expanded Montessori program offerings and the upgrades being made to our athletics facilities. Although we have several months to go in this school year, we’re already looking ahead to next year and beyond. For example, we will be exploring the creation of a virtual school at the secondary level as we continue to expand options for students and parents in the district. We want you to stay connected to Richland One. Follow district news on our website (www.richlandone.org), Facebook (www.facebook.com/richlandone), Twitter (@RichlandOne), Richland One TV (Time Warner Cable channel 12) and Richland One TV On Demand on our website. Also, be sure to sign up for our weekly Spotlight ONE e-newsletter by clicking the logo on our home page. As always, we thank you for your support of Richland One as we work together to transform the lives of our students through education. Craig Witherspoon, Ed.D. Superintendent
Language Immersion in Richland One
When you enter the language immersion classrooms at Carver-Lyon Elementary School, you can see and hear the pride, joy and progress students have made since the program started in August. The Richland One Language Immersion Program at Carver-Lyon, which currently serves pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students, will expand by one grade level each year through fifth grade. About half of the students’ instructional time is taught in English and the other half is taught in either Mandarin Chinese or Spanish. Principal Dr. Teresa Turner, her staff, parents and supporters are thrilled at how quickly the students have learned to speak, read and learn various subjects in Spanish or Mandarin Chinese, as well as English. “Parents tell me that when they visit a Spanish or Chinese restaurant, our students talk to the servers and order their meals in Spanish or Chinese,” said Dr. Turner. “When they go home from school, they are teaching their parents and siblings to speak another language. Already, they’re using what they’re learning in the classroom.” Parent Dr. Virginie Daguise is amazed at how quickly her 6-year-old daughter, Sophie, a kindergarten student, is learning Spanish. “Sophie is adding, subtracting, reading and speaking Spanish in only three or four months into the school year,” she said. “I’m very impressed.” Right now, there are 98 students in the language immersion program, which is divided into eight classes – four in Spanish and four in Mandarin Chinese. Next year, when first-grade classes are added to the program, there will be 14 classes. Dr. Turner says being bilingual instills
confidence in students and they feel pride in being able to speak more than one language. She said when the students get older, being bilingual will make them more marketable and give them a competitive edge in college and the workplace. “They already know there’s something special about being able to speak more than one language,” she said. “To them, speaking two languages has become second nature. They ask their parents why they only know how to speak one language!” The district will hold a series of information sessions in January and February for parents to learn more about the Richland One Language Immersion Program at Carver-Lyon Elementary School.
For More Information,
go to www.richlandone.org or contact Dr. Teresa Turner at 343-2900 or teresa.turner @richlandone.org.
Inside: Points of Pride · Program Updates · F.Y.I. · Key Dates
By the
NUMBERS $61,000,000 Amount of scholarships and other financial aid earned by the Richland One Class of 2016
13.9%
Increase in the district’s graduation rate since 2010
50%
Decrease in the district’s dropout rate between 2009 and 2013
370
Increased number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams since 2010
8%
Increase in the district’s AP exam passage rate since 2010
Points Of Pride Seven Richland One students have been named semifinalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program, an honor that less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors receive: River M. Price and Katlyn R. Williamson, both of A.C. Flora High, and Isabel G. Cook, Kristofer L. Crabtree, Gregory J. Voelkel, Nicolas B. Webster and Rachel F. Weissman, all of Dreher High. Caitlin Hicklin of Lower Richland High School (center) is one of only 10 high school student-athletes in the Carolinas to be named a 2016 Carolina Panthers Community Captain. The program recognizes outstanding student-athletes who excel in their respective sports, in the classroom and in their communities. Caitlin is a three-sport (basketball, volleyball and cross country) athlete at LR. Jennifer Wise of Hand Middle School, the 2016-2017 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, was named one of 213 recipients nationwide of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by President Barack Obama. The award is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12th grade mathematics or science teacher may receive. Stephanie Johnson, a second-grade teacher at H.B. Rhame Elementary School, is one of only five finalists nationwide for the National Education Foundation’s prestigious Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence. The award honors educators for their diligence and dedication to their students, colleagues, community and profession. Eight Richland One schools have been recognized as being among the healthiest schools in the nation. Brockman Elementary School is the first South Carolina school to receive the National Healthy Schools Gold Award. Bronze Award winners are Carver-Lyon Elementary, Columbia High, Dreher High, Edward E. Taylor Elementary, Gadsden Elementary, Horrell Hill Elementary and Pine Grove Elementary schools. Student-athletes from A.C. Flora and Dreher high schools collectively won six state swimming championship titles. A.C. Flora swimmers won the girls’ and boys’ 200-yard medley relays and the boys’ 100-meter breast stroke. Dreher swimmers won the girls’ 200-yard and 500-yard freestyles and the girls’ 200-yard freestyle relay. W.A. Perry Middle School’s 21st Century Afterschool Program has been selected as a NASA STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Site for the 2016-2017 school year. W.A. Perry is one of only 10 South Carolina schools to be selected by NASA.
MONTESSORI in Richland One
Since Brockman Elementary School opened in 2000 as the Midlands’ first public Montessori school, Montessori education has grown significantly in Richland One, in terms of the number of programs offered and in popularity among students and parents. Building on the success of Montessori programs at the elementary level, the Richland One Middle School Montessori Program opened at W.G. Sanders Middle School in 2014, starting with sixth grade only. Seventh grade was added the following year and, this year (2016-2017), eighth grade was added. The district is exploring the possibility of expanding Montessori to the high school level. Richland One now offers Montessori classes at five sites – Brockman, Caughman Road, Gadsden and Logan elementary schools and W.G. Sanders Middle School.
District Upgrading Athletics Facilities After many, many years of use and wear and tear, Richland One’s athletics fields and stadiums are getting some much-needed upgrades, which are sure to elicit cheers from student-athletes, coaches, parents and community members. A consulting firm hired by the district conducted a facility study and recommended nearly $39.9 million in improvements to modernize the athletics facilities. The upgrades will vary from site to site based on needs but will include new scoreboards, new competition lighting, new PA systems, new bleachers and parking improvements. The projects, which are expected to be completed by the summer
The district is holding a series of information sessions in December and January for parents who are interested in learning more about the Richland One’s elementary Montessori programs for the 2017-2018 school year, of 2018, are being financed through the sale of general obligation bonds. New turf will be installed at each of the eight project sites. Eau Claire High School’s athletics field (pictured) is the first completed project. Richland One is the first South Carolina school district to use the PrimePlay replicated grass turf, which is made of zeolite and natural coconut fibers mixed with cork and mimics the look and feel of a natural grass surface. The eco-safe infill material in the turf helps to reduce ankle sprains and knee injuries typically associated with turf fields. Also, with the use of natural infill, temperatures remain up to 35 degrees cooler than crumb rubber-filled fields. Along with Eau Claire, the turf also will be
including preschool. To view the schedule and for registration information, go to www. richlandone.org or contact Candice Wilson, Montessori Services coordinator, at 7383548 or candice.wilson@richlandone.org.
installed at A.C. Flora, Columbia and Dreher High schools, as well as at Bolden Stadium, Memorial Stadium, Lower Richland Stadium and the new district stadium that will be built on the W.J. Keenan High School campus. For more information about the projects, go to www.richlandone.org.
F.Y.I. (For Your Information)
Make A Difference Richland One needs caring, committed volunteers to serve as reading tutors, homework tutors and mentors to our students. To volunteer, contact Faye Houston at 231-7621 or faye.houston@richlandone.org.
Join Our Team
We’re hiring! Employment opportunities in Richland One include teaching, administration, instructional assistants, custodial, maintenance, clerical, information technology, finance, student transportation and student nutrition services. Apply online at https://pats.richlandone.org.
Continue Your Education Richland One Adult Education offers high school diploma and GED classes, WorkKeys test preparation classes, English as a Second Language classes and more! Call 343-2935 for additional information.
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Richland County School District One 1616 Richland Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201
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Notice of Non-Discrimination
InfoPhone
Richland County School District One does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age or other protected characteristics in its programs and activities.
January 12 Early release for all schools January 13 Hurricane makeup day for students; regular school day January 16 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday January 19 Superintendent’s Twitter Chat, 6-7 p.m. January 24 Report cards issued January 28
Richland One Hall of Fame Induction Gala, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center; red carpet reception at 5 p.m. and program/ dinner at 6 p.m. For ticket information, call 231-7504.
February 9 Superintendent’s State of the District Address, W.A. Perry Middle School, 6 p.m. March 1
Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten registration begins
March 7 Language Immersion program application deadline March 23
Report cards issued
March 30 Early release for all schools/parent conferences March 31
Hurricane makeup day for students; regular school day
Key Dates April 10-14 Spring Break April 17
Hurricane makeup day for students; regular school day
April 27
Superintendent’s Twitter Chat, 6-7 p.m.
May 4
Last day of 21st Century, Comprehensve Remediation, eXpectations and SC Chamber Homework Center after- school programs
May 24 High school graduation ceremonies, Colonial Life Arena – A.C. Flora, 8 a.m.; Columbia, 12 p.m.; W.J. Keenan, 4 p.m. May 25 High school graduation ceremonies, Colonial Life Arena – Lower Richland, 8 a.m.; Dreher, 12 p.m.; Eau Claire, 4 p.m. May 26 High school graduation ceremony, Colonial Life Arena – C.A. Johnson, 8 a.m. May 26
Last day of school/half-day for students/elementary report cards issued
May 26
Last day of afterschool childcare programs
May 28
High school graduation ceremony, Koger Center for the Arts – Richland One Middle College, 3 p.m.
May 31
Last day for pre-kindergarten registration for 2017-2018
June 6
Middle/high school report cards mailed
NOTE: Dates are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information and to view the 2016-2017 academic calendar, go to www.richlandone.org. The 2017-2018 academic calendar will be posted when it is finalized and approved by the Board of School Commissioners.
231-7512