D5 News is a publication of the District Five Schools Public Relations Department.
www.spart5.net
March 4, 2016
Vol. 2, Edition 24
Here's a look at the news going on around District 5 this week!
District News
Rebels Ready For State Championship 
 
For the first time in more than two decades, the Byrnes High School Runnin' Rebels basketball team is playing for a state championship!  The team punched their ticket to Columbia last Saturday, with a win over Spring Valley 69-66, to win the Upper State title.

This is the first trip to the state finals since 1993, when Coach Layne Fowler was a player on the team!



Thousands of students, parents, and community members lined Highway 290 in front of the school and toward Interstate 85 this afternoon to send the team off.

The Rebel Regiment band played, and students released balloons as the team bus drove toward Columbia.

To see video of the send from WYFF, click here.


Byrnes
will take on Irmo TONIGHT at USC's Colonial Life Arena.  Tip off is at 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are $10 at the door.

GO REBELS! 
Teacher's Forum Awards Grants

Several deserving District Five teachers received a huge gift for their classrooms this week, thanks to the District Five Teacher Forum!

After a long selection process, a Forum committee selected four recipients for its 2015-16 teacher grants:
Abner Creek Academy:  K5 Team of Dana Boyd, Kelly Crow, Mitzi Mehaffey, Keenan Rankin, and Amanda Link-- "It's All About That Base"

Reidville Elementary School:  Kimberly Rozman ---"Breathe to Learn and Grow"

D.R. Hill Middle School:  Paula Howell "---Whoever Has Ears"

Byrnes Freshman Academy:  Marie Claire Mottet--- "Literary Themed Murals"

The Teacher Forum is proud to be able to assist these fine teachers in bringing their wonderful projects to fruition.  The Forum would like to officially commend all of the applicants who submitted grant proposals, as the level of creativity and innovation was truly inspiring.

Congratulations teachers!
School News
Byrnes Students Put Pen To Work In Writing Contest

Nine Byrnes High School students showed off their writing skills recently, against some of the most gifted students from across South Carolina!  The students, all members of Susanne Cash's AP English Language and Composition class, were selected as finalists for the annual USC Honors College writing contest.

The group traveled to Columbia February 20 for the final phase of the competition, which included a timed essay.  They were then treated to a lunch in their honor, and a talk with award-winning author, Mary Alice Monroe.

The Byrnes student finalists were:  Bailey Babb, Candace Beebe, Emily Brooke, Sarah Finleyson, Erin Hackney, Alan Lanxton, Hampton Steele, Christian Eitel and Megan Jensen.

In total, Byrnes had more finalists than any other school in the state!

Congratulations students!
District Five Schools Celebrate "Read Across America" Day

Schools across District Five paid tribute to one of the country's most popular authors this week!

Each held individual celebrations as part of "Read Across America" Day, an event held nationwide to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

If you stopped by Duncan Elementary School Friday, you might have thought you walked into a Seussical!  Students, faculty and staff got in the spirit by dressing up as characters from different selections of the American classic books:  from the Cat in the Hat, to Horton Hears a Who, and The Grinch.  Duncan students also received cookies and Dr. Seuss book marks to celebrate the famous author's birthday.
At Abner Creek Academy, there were plenty of "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" sightings all across campus!  The school celebrated by dressing up, reading a lot of books, and even enjoying a breakfast of green eggs and ham!

Abner Creek also marked "Read Across America" day with a designated time for students to "stop, drop and read".  A special announcement was made on the school intercom by Captain Hook and Peter Pan, and students all over the school enjoyed 20-30 minutes of time to just curl up with a good book!




Beech Springs Intermediate School held a birthday party in the school library, to celebrate Dr. Suess's birthday!  Students were treated to birthday cake, then rotated through five activity stations, including a book scavenger hunt and a photo booth with some favorite Dr. Suess characters.


At Reidville Elementary School, each day had its own theme in honor of the Seuss holiday, all inspired by a few of the author's most popular books.  Students participated in everything from "Cat in the Hat" day, to "Green Eggs and Ham" day.  On Wednesday, the school had a special guest, as WSPA anchor, Gordon Dill, stopped by as a guest reader.

Everyone had a great time celebrating reading!

Wellford Steps Up To STEM Challenge

Third graders at Wellford Academy recently put their science skills to the test, as part of the 2016 Fluor STEM challenge!  Twenty nine students stayed after school to create a marble machine that would sort different size marbles into cups.

Students were given limited materials, and also a time limit to complete the construction.  As part of the program, Fluor will hold a drawing to award one team $1000 for use within the school.

Teachers Jennifer Brown, Amanda Richards, Bill Neyman, Katie Henderson, April Jennings, and Becky Carson helped out with the project.

Keep up the great work, Wellford students!



Abner Creek Hosts Living Wax Museum

History came alive this week at Abner Creek Academy!  4th graders in Jennifer Morrissey's class held their own "Living Wax Museum", dressing up as characters of biographies that they read.

Students were assigned to read a biography, do the research, and present a person/character to parents, teachers, and other classmates.  They wrote their own speeches and dressed up as characters such as Daniel Boone, Babe Ruth, Benjamin Franklin and Abigail Adams.

Great job, Abner Creek!



In This Issue
Quick Links
The Week Ahead
Monday, March 7

Tuesday, March 8

  • DES Spring/Class Pictures
  • FCMS Drama 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 9

 

Thursday, March 10 

  • RRES Math/Science/Technology Night 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 11 

  • Student Makeup Day (Inclement Weather)
Teacher News
Teacher Forum To Hold Book Drive


If you have some extra books on your shelves, now is the time to donate them to a good cause!

The District Five Teacher Forum will be holding a book drive from Monday, March 7, through Friday, March 18.  All donations will go to Middle Tyger Community Center.

Any new or gently used picture books or easy chapter books will be accepted.

Please help the Forum "Put A Book In the Hands of a Child!"
MTCC News
Purses With A Purpose

If you've got a Gucci or Coach that's been collecting dust in your closet, then it's time to give it to a great cause!

Middle Tyger Community Center is now collecting donations for its annual "Purses With A Purpose" sale.  Donation bins are located at all District Five schools to collect purses through April 13th.

The sale will be held May 4-6 from 10:00 am- 6:00 pm, and on May 7 from 10:00 am-2:00 p.m. at the Community Chest Thrift Store in Lyman.

All proceeds from the sale will benefit District Five Family Ministries.

So clean out your closet, and help out this worthwhile cause!
Thrift Store Needs Donations

It's almost spring cleaning time! 

As you throw out some of your "old," remember:  those items may well be treasures to someone else!

Unclutter your home and donate the items to MTCC to be sold at Community Chest Thrift Store! All proceeds benefit District Five Family Ministries.
Prom Project Begins
If have old prom dresses that are still collecting dust in your closet, Middle Tyger Community Center needs your help!

The Center's 2016 "Prom Project" is underway, and they are now accepting new or gently used prom and formal dresses.

District Five and other area students will be able to show their student ID, and purchase the dresses for $5 at the Community Thrift Store in the coming months.  Dresses can be dropped off at the store or at MTCC Monday-Friday from 8:00-5:00. 
School News
Florence Chapel Students Shine At Drama Competition

It was "lights, camera, action" recently for some aspiring actors at Florence Chapel Middle School!

Drama students from the school competed in the South Carolina Speech and Theater Association Festival on February 6 in Lexington.  The event brings together some of the most talented students from across the state.

All 15 Florence Chapel students had very high scores, and several placed in their categories.

They were:  Andrew Elkins (Finals for Storytelling), Christen Worthington (Finals for Original Monologue), Andrew Barragan (3rd Place Impromptu Speaking), Christen Worthington (2nd Place Original Monologue).

Congratulations, Florence Chapel students!

River Ridge Pinches Pennies For Good Cause

Students at River Ridge Elementary School may have busted their piggy banks this week, but it was all for a good cause!  The school held a fundraiser called "Pasta for Pennies", an annual event benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  To kick off the school's campaign, Sam and Jake Brown came and talked to the River Ridge student Council.  Sam was a student at River Ridge when he was diagnosed with Leukemia many years ago.  He is now cancer free and a student at Byrnes High School!

In all the school raised $4259.51 over three weeks!  Marise Sizemore's class was the individual class winner, having collected $915.33 on their own!

As a reward for their hard work, Sizemore's class will receive a free pasta party from Olive Garden.

Great job, River Ridge!

Reidville Brings Dads To Campus 

Students at Reidville Elementary recently brought a few special guests to school:  their dads!  Fathers were invited in for breakfast, as part of the school's "All Star Dad" program.

Research shows the involvement of a father increases self-esteem and academic performance.  This is the third year for the All Star Dad program at Reidville.

Students and their dads meet once a month, and have a different activity to work on together each time.  This month, kids got to interview their dads to learn a little bit more about each other.

Way to go, Reidville!
Sports News
Lady Rebels Soccer Captures Tournament Title
The Lady Rebels soccer team capped off its successful pre-season by winning the Hillcrest Tournament with a 1-0 victory over Top 15 Blue Ridge in the championship game last Saturday afternoon.

The victory is tacked on the Lady Rebels' six-game winning streak in pre-season play, giving up only its
opener (0-1) to Blue Ridge two weeks ago. Since then, their string of wins is attributed to their dedication and teamwork on the field, according to Coach Craig Thompson.
"We're really starting to play together as a team," Thompson said. "They've learned to fight through
adversity, to come back and win after being down."

Thompson referred to their first game in the tournament against Woodmont. With a two-goal deficit at the half, the Lady Rebels took control of the board, scoring five goals and giving up only one in the
second half, winning 5-3. Junior midfielder Amanda Sullivan (1) and junior forward Kayla Dendy (2) and
senior defender Tess Schomer (2) scored for the Lady Rebels.

The momentum continued in the second game of the tournament Saturday morning beating another Top 15 team, Wren, 3-1. Dendy, Schomer and junior striker Katherine Gonzalez contributed shots to the back of the net for the Lady Rebels. Dendy scored the lone goal of the championship game against Blue Ridge.

"In the Woodmont game, they never gave up," Thompson said. "They started to see they could win and they did."

The foundation of the team's success so far is simply its heart, according to junior goal keeper and co-captain Emily Morrison.

"We have more heart than any state champion there is," she added.  Co-captain Schomer agreed and said she looks forward to the season opener against Oakbrook Prep on
Tuesday and region opener at home against Mauldin on Thursday."We're playing like a family now," Schomer said. "Knowing what we can do and accomplish as a team, we plan to come on strong."

Also, the following Lady Rebels players were selected for the All Tournament team:  Emily Morrison, Amanda Sullivan, Tess Schomer, Kayla Dendy and Katherine Gonzalez.

Way to go, Lady Rebels!
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If you have an item that you want  featured in the D5 News, please email District Five Director of Public Relations, Melissa Robinette at this address:
melissa.robinette@spart5.net.

Help us spread the good news of District Five!
Spartanburg District Five Schools | | melissa.robinette@spart5.net | http://www.spart5.net
100 North Danzler Rd.
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