A New Look for 7Headlines and A New Website for the District
|
|
|
Hit Us With Your Best Shot!
|
|
|
|
In addition to the start of the new school year and our change of format for 7Headlines, (it's now mobile responsive) District 7 is celebrating the introduction of a dynamic new
Website.
If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, we hope you'll take a look.
Asked about the most noticeable changes to the website, Sally Jeter Gregg, the Chief Communications Officer for the District, says the platform is "incredibly easy to navigate and offers a wealth of resources for students and their families."
Gregg says her favorite element of the new design offers members of the community a place to submit their own photos for publication on the site. "This is a wonderful District, with great things happening in every one of our schools," said Gregg. "To celebrate that aspect of our community we’ve created a place to capture those connections and to magnify the moments that make us who we are! All you have to do is send us a picture via the “Submit Your Photos" button, at the bottom of the D7 homepage. As soon as your image is approved, we’ll post it on the website for all the world to see!" So, have some fun and hit us with your best shots!
|
|
|
|
|
"All you have to do is send us a picture via the “Submit Your Photos" button, at the bottom of the D7 homepage. As soon as your image is approved, we’ll post it on our website for all the world to see!" So, have some fun and hit us with your best shots!
|
|
|
|
|
SHS Students, Staff and Board Members Get a Close up Look at The New High School
|
|
|
|
Introducing Our National Merit Semifinalists
|
Every year at this time, an elite number of students across the country are singled out as national merit semifinalists. In fact, fewer than 1% of the 1.6 million high school seniors in the nation actually earn the coveted recognition. In other words, it’s a big deal when a local high school can point to having even one semifinalist. So, imagine the pride at Spartanburg High School this month, with the news that 8 outstanding seniors have been named to the 2019 program. Equally impressive, those 8 students represent more than half of the 14 semifinalists in all 7 districts in Spartanburg County.
Our top scoring students are (front from left) Will Kendrick, Isabella Goodchild-Michelman, Nolan Sykes, Nathan Jones, (top from left) Christopher Latham, Conrad Glenn, Layton Ward, and Josh Braun. These determined young people, says Principal Jeff Stevens, have pushed themselves to be the best they can. “This is hardly an overnight achievement. These ambitious students have been putting their best foot forward for a very long time. What’s more, they would probably all tell you they share this spotlight with their parents, teachers, coaches, and friends who’ve helped support their academic goals over the years.”
N
ational Merit semifinalists have the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 7500 scholarships worth more than $31million, which will be announced next spring.
|
|
|
|
A School EGGSPERIMENT You've Got to See!
|
Sorry friends, but you’ll have to bear with the puns for this fun story! When our Montessori students at E.P. Todd cooked up plans for an Egg Drop Challenge on September 21, we scrambled to get the story. Thanks to some help from the Spartanburg Herald Journal and the Croft Fire Department, we’ve got some awesome pictures of a whole new kind of egg toss. In a lesson tied to the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy – students were challenged to design a carrier that would prevent an egg from breaking, when dropped to the ground from the ladder of a fire truck. Eggsploring topics like suspension, cushioning and point of impact – the children hatched some amazing designs with the aim of keeping their eggs intact.
Adding to the degree of difficulty - and this is no yolk - the students were required to use only recycled materials in the carriers they fashioned for function.
|
|
To crack the case, students tried everything from toilet paper and parachutes, to cotton. And, while no one student was named the egg beater of the bunch, there were good ideas by the dozens.
|
You'll Love This Video of the
EGGSELLENT Egg Drop!
|
|
|
|
|
Spartanburg District 7 is
one of five South Carolina school systems to be selected by the Education Oversight Committee as part of an eLearning pilot program for the new school year. The program will allow students to work virtually from home when the District is closed. As a leader in SC to implement a one-to-one laptop program, D7 will use e-learning for inclement weather days or for unusual disruptions to the regular school schedule.
“
The nice thing about a pilot program is that it gives us time to figure out a process” said Eric Levitt, the Assistant Superintendent for Planning and Innovation. “As we work with our teachers and families to be sure everyone's on the same page - we can figure this out together. In other words, we won't pull the trigger on this until we're sure everyone is comfortable with the system and understands what to do.” Attached is a document with
Frequently Asked Questions
. Please
let us know if you have any questions
that are not answered here.
|
|
|
|
In 1985, a landmark publication entitled,
Becoming a Nation of Readers
, made a forceful statement in support of reading aloud. The report declared that the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading, is reading aloud to children. The article went on to say that reading aloud was not just important at home with young children, but equally critical at school with older readers.
Today, the wisdom of that early evidence rings true at the Whitlock Flexible Learning Center where a new literacy initiative is using books to bridge gaps between students and staff and where reading aloud is on the agenda three days a week. All part of a program called,
One Book, One School
, students at Whitlock are teeming up with teachers to read and discuss one of three popular titles for teens. “The books chosen for the program have totally captured the attention of our students," said Whitlock Principal Jada Kidd-Robinson. "Our young people are reading for pleasure and that’s an exciting thing to see." Robinson says the school is indebted to the Spartanburg County Foundation and a group from the 2018 class of Leadership Spartanburg for providing the necessary funds to put a book in the hands of every student.
|
|
|
|
Linking Students to Limitless Libraries
|
September is national library card sign-up month and the perfect time to underscore the benefits of being a card-carrying member of the local library. Here in our own backyard, thanks to a unique partnership with the
Spartanburg County Public Library
, students at Spartanburg High School can now have their student ID double as a library card. As one of the first districts in South Carolina to move in this direction, our students can access an online data base of downloadable content. As for the traditional system of checking out books, the library will courier requested items back and forth to the high school, giving students greater flexibility in obtaining research and reading materials. Students can also use their ID at any of the 10 library branches in the county, as well as online.
Superintendent, Dr. Russell Booker said he heard about a similar program during a League of Innovative Schools meeting in Baltimore, MD and is excited about launching it here. “This program will expand library resources to our students and offer greater accessibility to our youth who have after school jobs or extracurricular activities.” County Librarian Todd Stephens says students will be required to obtain permission from a guardian or parent to participate in the program. The simple formality, says the District, will remind our kids they’re responsible for making wise choices about the material they’re reading. According to Stephens the new system is "a win for the entire community, as the habit of lifelong learning is one that needs to start early."
|
|
|
|
 |
Rosemary Foux, a 5K Teacher at Drayton Mills, is applauded as the Teacher of the Week by FSI Office Supply.
We would love for her to win for week 4 and, ultimately, the year!
You can vote for Ms. Foux here
.
The winner for the week will receive a storage tote full of supplies and two tickets to the November 25th Panthers vs. Seahawks game.
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to Pine Street's Angie Powell, who received grant funding to purchase Compassionate Schools kits for her colleagues. The teachers and students will be thrilled with their new meaningful toys, books, calming blankets and vests. Mrs. Powell is a true leader in the area of Compassionate Schools’ Implementation.
|
|
|
|
Congratulations to Daphine Spivey for 46 years of service at Daniel Morgan Technology Center. And...we should also mention Daniel Morgan is celebrating it's 50th anniversary, this year, of service to students in Spartanburg. For more information about the program or the wide range of classes available,
be sure to visit the school's website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We're In the Business of Connections
|
|
|
|
Every August, District 7 marches into the new academic year with a little bit of fanfare! This year, during our opening program known as 7Shares, Dr. Russell Booker welcomed more than 1300 employees with a rousing song by One Republic titled,
Connection
. With an inspiring message rooted in the theme of the song – the Superintendent challenged educators to make it a year of connections. "Our children are all meant to shine,” said Booker, “and unless we connect with their hearts, we can't connect with their minds."
7Shares also gives the District an opportunity to salute new teachers and to announce the long-awaited news of the Crystal Apple Award and the District's Teacher of the Year. Rachel Abercrombie from Mary H Wright Elementary School was named the Crystal Apple Award winner, which applauds the work of a first-year teacher, and April Bryant, a 5th grade teacher at Jesse Boyd Elementary School, was singled out as the 2018-2019 District Teacher of the Year. Her Principal, Dr. Meredith Rose, said, "April is that teacher every parent hopes their child will have in elementary school. She's esteemed by her colleagues and adored by her students and you can't ask for any more than that."
|
|
|
|
|
A shout out to our talented children from The Cleveland Academy of Leadership - you don't want to miss this snippet of their performance from 7Shares. Kudos to soloists E'mya Moore, Kennedy Waters, Esmerelda Chavez and SHS grad and professional performing artist, Reggie Rocc.
|
|
|
|
|
Even though they were on opposite sidelines recently, they will always be a part of the VIKING family. Great to see Thompson Rudolph (Georgia Tech) and Tavien Feaster (Clemson).
|
|
|
|
Teacher cadets from Spartanburg High School started off the year right with a visit to Mary H. Wright Elementary School. Here, they joined Principal Dr. Zachary and Superintendent, Dr. Booker.
|
|
|
|
Bravo to the SHS VIKING band as they finished 3rd overall and 1st in class at the Boiling Springs Festival of Bands. We love the sounds of your success!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Franklin and her first graders at Mary H. Wright enjoyed learning and writing about a new friend.
|
|
|
|
McCracken Middle schoolers proudly sporting their teams during National College Colors Day.
|
|
|
|
Jesse Boyd Elementary's annual fun run has a colorful twist and further supports the school's winning health and wellness goals
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Students and staff at Meeting Street Academy, paid tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11 by honoring professionals here at home, who serve our community and country every single day
|
|
|
|
Thank you Croft Fire Department for your help with the recent Egg Drop Challenge at EP Todd. This wonderful image gives new meaning to the old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child!"
|
|
|
|
The Spartanburg Police Department was kind enough to tag us - #D7backtoschool - in their back-to-school photos. On behalf of all of us in District 7 we welcome new School Resource Officer Trisha Wright, aka #WonderWoman, to Carver and Mary H. Wright!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carver Middle School Wildcats are ready on the field and in the classroom. The school is encouraging families to hashtag their photos #CarverWildcats
|
|
|
|
The first day of school should be a big production! The staff at McCarthy Teszler made sure students felt like super starts on day one.
|
|
|
|
The excitement on the first day of school is infectious - this selfie from Pine Street Elementary set the tone. #foreverpine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our thanks to the University of South Carolina Upstate for giving students at the Viking Early College a VIP tour of the campus and the chance to try on college for a day!
|
|
|
|
Thank you Cathi Smith for sewing this beautiful quilt for Drayton Mills Elementary School. As students from Houston and Chapman Elementary Schools now join together at DMES, these t-shirts from their former schools symbolize the unity.
|
|
|
|
This happy smile was snapped at Drayton Mills Elementary School on their very first grandparents day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congrats to these Viking Early College students who were inducted into the National Honor Society. (Left to right) Evan Sok, D'Angelo Drummond, Sa'Gee Eason, Jerry Kerns and Andrew Garcia.
|
|
|
|
Bravo to the SHS Envirothon team of Hannah Jordan, Louise Franke, Nan Miles, Matt Evans, and Isabella Goodchild-Michelman for a big win at the NCF Envirothon.
|
|
|
|
Dr.
Teresa White
visited the Early Learning Center with her Author's Chair and was able to bring her story to life when she invited the students to sign her chair after reading to them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alumni Spotlight - Stanfield Gray
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Spartanburg native and SHS alum has been named by
Time
magazine as one of its “
31 People Changing the South
.” DIG SOUTH CEO and founder, Stanfield Gray, graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1988 and later founded DIG SOUTH Tech Conference in 2012 and DIG SOUTH Media in 2014.
Stanfield lives in Charleston with his wife Sunny, who is a cofounder of DIG SOUTH. “The recognition by
Time
magazine is an exceptional win for entrepreneurs in Charleston and across the South,” Gray said. “Our team is grateful for this honor and thrilled to contribute to the success of thousands of emerging and established innovators.”
|
|
|
|
|
The BIG game is tonight!
Spartanburg High School versus Dorman. Hope to see all our fans at Cavaliers Stadium for kickoff at 7:30pm! It's Jersey Night so wear something festive.
And mark your calendars - the Vikings will be back home on Oct. 5 against Boiling Springs. The last game of the season is Homecoming on October 18.
|
|
|
|
|
Tues Oct 2, 2018
School Board Meeting
Wed Oct 3, 2018
Walk to School for some schools (National Walk Month is October)
Fri Oct 5, 2018
SHS vs Boiling Springs
Mon Oct 8, 2018
United Way Campaign Kicks Off
Wed Oct 10, 2018
National Walk & Bike to School Day
Wed Oct 16, 2018
Homecoming Parade
Fri Oct 18, 2018
SHS vs. Riverside
|
|
Oct 22-26, 2018
National School Bus Safety Week
Red Ribbon Week
Mon Oct 22, 2018
Red Ribbon Event Chapman Cultural
Tues Oct 23, 2018
Parent Meetings
Thur Oct 25, 2018
Parent Meetings
Ribbon Cutting Drayton Mills
Fri Oct 26, 2018
Staff Exchange Day/No School
Mon Oct 29, 2018
Reports Cards
|
|
|
|
|
|
Help promote our good news by sharing and forwarding
7Headlines
|
|
|
|
|
|
610 Dupre Drive Spartanburg, South Carolina
P: 864.594.4400
|
|
|
|
|
|
