We can't believe another successful school year has ended! Enjoy this "look back" at all the fun activities that took place in District Five over the last month. We look forward to returning with more great news from around D5 in August! Have a great summer!
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Byrnes Graduates Ready For Future
As another school year in District Five comes to an end, the journey is just beginning for nearly 600
Byrnes High School graduates! The members of the Class of 2017 took the first step toward their future, as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas in a special ceremony at Nixon Field last week.
Emily Morrison was honored as the Valedictorian for the Class of 2017, and
Katherine Blackwood received the honor of Salutatorian.
The impressive group of graduates includes 37 designated Palmetto Fellows, and 23 students who were named AP Scholars. The
Byrnes Class of 2017 was awarded more than $13 million in scholarships to attend colleges and universities all over the country!
Congratulations
Byrnes graduates! We are so proud of you!
To see more pictures from graduation, check out our Facebook album
here.
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District Hosts Celebration For Retirees
Combined, they have dedicated a total of 466 years to District Five students and schools. And this week, a group D5 employees will open up an exciting new chapter of their lives, as they officially retire from their careers here in District Five.
20 employees were honored last week in a special celebration and ceremony at the District Five Fine Arts Center. The group included those who had served our district in nearly every facet, from teachers to guidance counselors and bus drivers. Superintendent Dr. Scott Turner thanked the retirees for their service and dedication, and presented each with a plaque to remember their time here.
Congratulations to these outstanding retirees:
Terri Barnett (Duncan Elementary School), Gail Boler Smith (Abner Creek Academy), Wanda Chasteen (Beech Springs Intermediate School), Donna Christopher (Byrnes High School), Donna Cohee (Duncan Elementary School), Homer Ellis (District Technology Staff), Martha Griswold (Lyman Elementary School), Molly Haulbrook (Lyman Elementary School), Benita James (Florence Chapel Middle School), Rhonda Kennedy (D.R. Hill Middle School), Richard Moore (Byrnes Freshman Academy), Roxann Owens (Byrnes High School), Miriam Patton (Byrnes High School), Kim Ridgeway (Middle Tyger Community Center), Rene Sanders (Duncan Elementary School), Orialis Serrano (Byrnes High School), Susan Shuping (Byrnes Freshman Academy), Catherine Sizemore (Wellford Academy), Belinda Tapp (Beech Springs Intermediate School), and
Fredrick Tucker (Berry Shoals Intermediate Schools).
For more photos from the event, click
here.
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Memories Made In Inaugural Grad Walks
As they prepared to graduate this year, some
Byrnes High School Seniors took a trip down memory lane, saying "thank you" to those who helped them along the way.
For the first time ever, the District hosted "Grad Walks" at each of its six elementary schools, inviting members of the Class of 2017 to return to their roots, and show their former teachers how far they've come.
The exciting events were also a chance to inspire younger students to persevere and continue their educational journeys. Students and staff cheered and congratulated the graduates as they walked through the schools.
Enjoy these memorable moments from this year's grad walks!
Abner Creek Academy
Duncan Elementary School
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Superintendent Honors Citizensh
ip Winners
As District Five closed out the school year, Superintendent Dr. Scott Turner took time out to honor some of our finest students!
Each year, every school in District Five selects one student as the recipient of the "Superintendent's Citizenship Award". The honor is reserved for outstanding students who excel inside, and outside the classroom. Recipients are active in their school and community, always show a positive attitude toward school and their classmates, are responsible, and exhibit strong character and the courage to do what is right.
Dr. Turner honored this year's Citizenship Award winners at the May Board of Trustees meeting.
Congratulations to these students:
Rylee Scott (Abner Creek Academy), Hadlee Wynn (Duncan Elementary School), Jon Cummings (Lyman Elementary School), Brooklyn Amble (Reidville Elementary School), Kara Davis (River Ridge Elementary School), Jordan Fernanders (Wellford Academy), Riley Belle Kinard (Beech Springs Intermediate School), Sara Proper (Berry Shoals Intermediate School), Alexis Yoder (D.R. Hill Middle), Christen Worthington (Florence Chapel Middle), Quinton Talley (Byrnes Freshman Academy), and Grayson McAlister (Byrnes High School).
We are proud of all of you!
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Byrnes Takes Softball Title
For the 2nd time in 4 years, the
Byrnes High School Lady Rebels Softball team can call themselves champions! The team took home the first-ever 5A SC softball title after a thrilling three-game series with White Knoll High School.
The Lady Rebels beat the Timberwolves 13-1 on their turf in Game 1, only to lose 4-3 at home in Game 2. But with pitcher Kasey Widmyer on the mound, they came out swinging in Game 3, and sealed the championship with a 7-4 victory.
It marks the 3rd time
Byrnes, under the direction of head Coach Brandi Aiken, have played for the state trophy since 2014.
Congratulations Lady Rebels!
Enjoy these pictures from the game!
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D.R. Hill Teacher Selected For Summer History Program
D.R. Hill Middle School
teacher, Jackie Knafelc, will be spending part of her summer brushing up on an important part of American history!
Knafelc was awarded a scholarship to attend the 2017 Colonial Williamsburg History Institute for Teachers. Participants in the program attend sessions that tackle an interdisciplinary approach to teaching Social Studies, with American History as the focus.
The event is being held in Williamsburg, VA, the week of August 3-9.
Congratulations, Jackie Kanfelc!
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Students Celebrate Reading At Wellford
Students and teachers at
Wellford Academy recently got a chance to share their love for reading, as the school celebrated Children's Book Week!
Students got a chance to participate in a bookmark design contest, a school wide book swap, character dress up day and plenty of fun games and activities.
Winners of the bookmark contest had their bookmarks printed and distributed to their grade level.
Great job,
Wellford!
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Berry Shoals Student Featured In National Magazine
A Berry Shoals Intermediate School student can now call herself a published poet! 6th grader, Allie Byars, has one of her poems, "Sisterhood", featured in the current issue of Highlights Magazine.
Byars, an accomplished student and poet, is also a talented singer and actor who is a member of the Berry Shoals Dramatic Competition Team.
Way to go, Allie!
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Byrnes Students Celebrate Award Winning Writing
Several Byrnes High School students have a way with words, and it shows! Five Byrnes juniors and seniors, all students in Susanne Cash's AP class, were named winners in this year's Law Day Essay contest, hosted by the Spartanburg County Bar Association.
Student participants were asked to write an essay centered around the 14th amendment. Byrnes students wrote on a variety of topics, from affirmative action, to the travel ban of President Trump's administration, to the rights of Native Americans.
Senior Codie Powell was named the overall winner for the entire county! Also honored were: Emily Carroll (12th grade winner), LaVang Bui (11th grade winner), Angelica Rogers (Honorable Mention), and Steven Greer (Honorable Mention).
The winners were recognized in a special Law Day ceremony in early May.
Congratulations Byrnes students!
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Lyman Artwork Helps Environment
Art students at
Lyman Elementary School recently put their creativity to good use, making a beautiful piece to help local conservation efforts.
The Creations Art Class at
Lyman recently painted a rain barrel for the "Discover Your Watershed Event", held at the Lake Lyman Lodge last month. The free family-friendly event featured water as a valuable commodity and recreational recourse. Sponsored by the Watershed Ecology Center at USC Upstate, SJWD Water District, and Spartanburg County Storm Water, event organizers asked local elementary and middle school art students to create the rain barrels for the occasion.
The barrels were then given away as door prizes at the fun event!
Keep up the great work,
Lyman students!
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Reidville Invites Families For SMART Night
Students and families at Reidville Elementary School tested their science and math skills last month at the school's annual SMART night.
Students, alongside their parents, were given the chance to do hands-on math and science activities, like creating slime and making towers out of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows.
One lucky student even received a free STEAM book to keep the science fun going at home!
Great job, Reidville!
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Art Teacher's Work Showcased In Spartanburg
If you take a walk through downtown Spartanburg this summer, you might spot the work of Duncan Elementary art teacher, Travis Galloway!
The City of Spartanburg is showcasing Galloway's talent, along with more than 30 other local artists through a project called "Lighten Up Spartanburg". Artists were asked to design six foot tall light bulbs that would be displayed throughout downtown.
The project is part of a partnership between the Spartanburg Arts Museum and local businesses.
Good work,
Travis Galloway!
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Abner Creek Gets Wordy With Parade
In an annual tradition, Abner Creek Academy put big words on display in their popular "Vocabulary Parade" last week!
Students and teachers got in the spirit by "dressing up" as some of their favorite words, and then parading through the school halls.
We know Webster would be proud! Way to go, Abner Creek! 
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Students Go High Tech With Robots At Reidville
Students in
Paula Quinby's class at
Reidville Elementary put their science skills to the test recently, as they invited some new tech tools into the classroom!
The 4th graders were working on coding, and used Ozobots to create different pathways. Then, they coded the bots to follow the paths.
Great job,
Reidville students!
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Abner Creek Hosts Literacy Night
Students at
Abner Creek Academy turned the page on a love for reading at a recent school-wide literacy event!
Students and their families were invited to celebrate at the school's "Mad About Reading" Literacy Night. Parents could attend a workshop on the importance of preventing summertime loss of reading skills, and learn ways to support their young readers at home. Students got to participate in all kinds of fun and engaging literary activities around the school, like karaoke, bingo, sight word tunnels, flashlight reading and more!
It was a great night! Good job,
Abner Creek!
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River Ridge Showcases Student Talent In Art Show
Future Picasso's and Van Gogh's were on display this past month at the popular annual art show at River Ridge Elementary!
The school-wide event was held at the end of April, and featured artwork by each student in Lorie Goode and Elizabeth Brown's K5- 4th grade classes. Students visited the exhibit during the school day, and parents and families were invited to come later in the day.
Families were also given the chance to purchase their child's masterpiece. All the proceeds from the event go to benefit
River Ridge's art program.
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German Students Selected For Honor Society At D.R. Hill
8th grade German students at D.R. Hill Middle School were recently rewarded for their hard work in the classroom! 28 students were inducted into the South Carolina chapter of the honor society, Jr. Delta Epsilon Phi.
The inductees follow tradition by lighting a candle and participating in a "swearing in" ceremony, speaking their promise in German, to keep world language and culture as an integral part of their lives.
Great job,
D.R. Hill students!
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Stay Connected With District Five!
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Make sure you stay connected with District Five for all your latest news, announcements, and sneak peeks into our classrooms! Here are a couple of ways you can stay connected all year long:
SOCIAL MEDIA: District Five is very active on social media, sharing all kinds of exciting news from our classrooms, and highlighting our students and teachers. Be sure and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or (brand new just this year) Instagram!
MOBILE APP: If you want your news on the go, and in the palm of your hand, the D5 mobile app is for you! Everything from calendars to lunch menus, along with emergency notifications can be found there. Download the app
FOR FREE for your Apple or Android device today. Simply search Spartanburg District 5 Schools!
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If you have an item you want featured in D5 News, please email District Five Director of Public Relations Melissa Robinette at