We've Got a Big Reveal in this Edition of 7Headlines

1970 SHS Grad and Renowned Chef Alexander Smalls Will Visit District 7 in Early April


Chef Alexander Smalls

For alumni of Spartanburg H igh School's Class of 1970. the name Alexander Smalls is a big deal these days. The District 7 graduate is a world-renowned chef , a restaurateur, author and opera singer. (That alone is an amazing story!) Mr. Smalls is best known as the executive chef, co-owner and creator of Minton's,a celebrated Harlem jazz club, and its award-winning sister restaurant, The Cecil. His newest endeavor is his acclaimed cookbook, Between Harlem and Heaven. Chef Smalls will be in Spartanburg on April 10 and 11 as a guest of the Hub City Co-Op, The City of Spartanburg, Spartanburg Public Library, 107.3 JAMZ, Southside Heritage Committee and District 7. The chef will speak at the Spartanburg County Library Headquarters on Tuesday, April 10, at 7pm and will visit with District 7 students on April 11. Look for more about Chef Smalls in our next edition of 7Headlines. To learn more about,An Evening with Alexander Smalls at the Spartanburg Library, call 864.577.9349 or visit the event page.

And check out this recent interview with Mr. Small's on CBS's The Dish.

Celebrating Academic Excellence at Spartanburg High

A Night of Smiles and Well-Deserved Awards

We say it all the time - our mission in Spartanburg District 7 is to inspire and equip our students for meaningful lives of leadership and service. And there's nothing like seeing that mission play out in the lives of our students! On Monday, March 19, Spartanburg High School administrators paused to honor 307 students in grades 9-12 at the school's annual Awards Ceremony for Academic Excellence. Applauded for their work in the classroom, the student scholars were recognized for a wide variety of accomplishments and commended by Spartanburg's former mayor, Bill Barnet, for their scholastic leadership. "Go to work for or mimic successful people who treat others with respect," he encouraged students. "Show gratitude to those who have helped you succeed, and get involved in the community. If you want to build a better world for yourself and those you care most about, get involved in your community - it's rewarding and it's necessary."

Congrats to Our Senior Scholars

Principal Jeff Stevens said he's always amazed by the kind of sacrifices students make to maintain the highest level of academic excellence. "These kids shuffle sports and band and part-time jobs and through it all they maintain a GPA of 4.3 or higher. Some are National Merit semi-finalists, others have earned a perfect score on the ACT, the SAT or the PSAT." Mr. Stevens noted that Spartanburg High School had eight National Merit finalists this year - more than all the other schools in Spartanburg, public or private, combined.

New Mascot is Spot On

for Drayton Mills

Elementary School

When District 7's new elementary school opens its doors to students on August 20, there's one face in particular the children will be eager to see. Although Drayton Mills will open with a new Principal at the helm, Thomas Webster says he's realistic enough to know that the big dog of the day will be the school's Dalmatian mascot. The friendly looking pup, prominently featured in bold primary colors of red, blue and yellow, was the product of a school assignment in partnership with our creative friends at SLANT Media. "Our students will be immersed in project-based learning at Drayton Mills," said Mr. Webster, "So the creation of school colors and a new mascot seemed like the perfect way to immerse them in the facets of this kind of curriculum. Our kids embraced this project from the get-go, engaging in real-world research about the impact that different colors have on people, the strengths and weaknesses of potential mascots and they even presented their findings to a room full of adults." Ultimately, the kids put the final vote to their peers and the Dalmatian breed, known for being strong, agile, smart and friendly - easily nosed out the competition!

Carver Middle School Boys Recognized as CEOs

The CEO Induction Program at Carver Middle School on March 27


	The CEOs Make Front Page News

Fore more than three dozen Carver Middle School boys, the title of CEO has taken on a whole new meaning with the establishment of a mentoring program at the school called the Carver Elite Organization. The organization is overseen by My Brother's Keeper Alliance of South Carolina. Mr. Antiwan Tate, who heads the SC Alliance, says the CEO program at Carver is aimed at peer and group mentorship. The curriculum teaches young men about their culture and family roots and inspires confidence. With local leaders serving as mentors, the young men are encouraged to serve their communities, to focus on their academics and to support one another. As part of the organization's recent induction ceremony, a number of the young CEOs spoke about the positive results from their involvement, such as getting better grades and making new friends. Principal Nicole Thompson praised the effort and the partners involved in making the program happen, including the Mary Black Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Upstate, Spartanburg District 7 and My Brother's Keeper Alliance of SC.

Prom-Going Girls at SHS Say YES to the Dress!


Ms. Sina Guffey at SHS Helped Coordinate The Gown Gallery

Classroom 102E at Spartanburg High School has never looked better! Thanks to an initiative to make free dresses available to prom-going

girls at the high school, The Gown Gallery has set up shop and is stocked with more than 100 beautiful dresses. Thomasina Guffey coordinated the effort, which is much like The Cinderalla Project. The Gallery allows students to shop for gently used dresses, shoes and accessories. Ms. Guffey says that in years past students at Spartanburg High School could take advantage of the statewide Cinderella Project, but when the pop-up boutique moved to Greenville, she decided to tailor a similar program for the students here. Ms. Guffey says she's getting rave reviews on the selection and still has time to accept additional donations. The Gallery opened on March 23 and will re-open open for shopping on April 13. The Spartanburg High School prom is April 21. To donate, you can reach out to Ms. Guffey at TJGuffey@spart7.org .

District Recognizes Junior Scholars

District 7's 2018 Junior Scholars

If you're looking for a sign of superior academic instruction, look no further than these smiling faces. For decades, District 7 has been a force to be reckoned with by the sheer number of students being named as South Carolina Junior Scholars for high scores on the PSAT. This year is no exception, with 47 students from EP Todd, Carver and McCracken receiving honors. Being named a South Carolina Junior Scholar reflects years of hard work and speaks volumes about the character and talent of each one of these young people. Congratulations to our 2018 Junior Scholars: Jessie Arrington, Aidan Atance, Carson Baker, Alex Barron, Emmett Baymiller, Anna Becknell, John Bolinger, Maxwell Booker, Abigail Bright, Payton Browning, Ethan Button, Savany Carrera, Anna Wallace Cheek, Suzanne Colbath, Katie Cole, Muntaiya Dillard, Isabelle Edwards, Juliana Egge, Parker Fix, Jack Foster, Nicole Giesbertz, Langston Green, Sean Hall, Sullivan Hammond, Lillian Hayes, Elizabeth Hull, Charlotte Johnson, Nathan Johnson, Thomas Keller, Lilly Sophie Krick-Aigner, Sahaan Lawrence, John Love, Kirsti McEnroe, Madison McJimpsey, Sarah Mellon, Caroline Patrick, Taylor Quintyne, Mac Salley, Burd Satterfield, Ross Scheel, Bella Scott, Wesley Shelton, Elizabeth Skinner, John Staley, Adianna Steinbach, Cooper Stone, and Gracie Wood.

Winning Streak Continues for SHS Athletic Teams

Varsity Tennis Team Celebrates 3rd National Championship

Ladies Lacrosse Team Looks Ahead to Promising Season

The weather outside is not the only thing warming up! Our Spartanburg High School athletes are burning up the season with some big wins this spring. The Varsity boys' tennis team recently snagged a big victory at the DecoTurf National High School Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. This amazing team of talent is undefeated - again - this season, and the boys are looking to claim their fifth straight championship at the state finals in May. The boys' and girls' lacrosse teams are also off to a hot start, with the girls still savoring an exciting win against Dorman High School. The girls are currently undefeated and have the momentum to finish strong. As for Viking baseball, the team is playing with great intensity and is currently 3-1 in conference play. Here's to a strong finish for all of our teams and congratulations to our graduating seniors who have contributed so much to Spartanburg High School athletics.

We're Showing Off With Musicals Across the District

Aladdin Kids at Mary H. Wright Elementary School

The Little Mermaid Jr. at Pine Street School

Stellar reviews are pouring in for the slate of musicals staged throughout the District this season! And it's no surprise - District 7 has been rolling out the red carpet since the 1800s, when the music and arts program was first established as a leader in the state. History and tradition have a lot to say about what's important in our community, and the unique way our schools maintain top-notch academic and fine-arts programs is what keeps our students center stage and in the limelight. From Disney Classics - Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King - to a new show such as Press Start and the Districtwide production of The Addams Family, our students and staff are a talented bunch. Many schools throughout the district have already wrapped up their performances, but you still have time to catch these shows.

May 3 and 4 The Lion King, McCracken Middle

May 24, 26 and 27 The Addams Family, Chapman Cultural Center

For more pictures from our school plays, see the sidebar on the right.

Kindergarten Registration

Registration is now open for kindergarteners who are new to the District. Please visit your neighborhood elementary school Tuesday - Thursday from 9am-2pm now through April 20 to be issued a SnapCode to register your child for the 2018-2019 school year. To enroll a new student, a parent must present the following: State-issued birth certificate, a properly completed immunization certificate or religious exemption certificate, and two forms of proof of residence (such as a current utility bill or a copy of a lease agreement). In addition to 5K, D7 has 4-year-old kindergarten programs at the Early Learning Center and the Cleveland Academy of Leadership, and 3- and 4-year-old programs at Meeting Street Academy, and a Montessori Program at EP Todd School. For more information, please contact Audril Jones, in the Student Services Department, at 864.594.6190 or amjones@spart7.org.

Don't Miss a "THING"

Tickets Go On Sale Soon For The Addams Family

It takes only a little finger-snapping to conjure up fond memories of the 1960's television series, The Addams Family. The kooky clan, complete with the likes of Morticia, Gomez, Lurch, Uncle Fester and Cousin Itt, has been reincarnated for musical theatre and will be moving into the District 7 neighborhood the week of May 24-27 at the Chapman Cultural Center. Tickets can be purchased online beginning May 1.

MARCH 2018

Famous Chef and 1970 SHS Graduate Comes to Spartanburg in April

Drayton Mills Elementary School Unveils New Mascot

Mentoring Program at Carver Middle School Promotes Student Success

Gown Giveaway Benefits Prom-Going Girls

SHS Junior Scholars Recognized

SHS Athletic Teams Looking Good

School Musicals Light Up the District

It's Time for Kindergarten Registration

Get Your Tickets For The Addams Family

Classes Resume on April 9

We'd love to know what you'll be doing for fun this Spring Break. Send us a postcard or drop us an email to share your Spring Break with us!

Jesse Boyd Students Kick Off Fundraiser

Jesse Boyd's toe-tally, an awesome effort to raise money for clean water in schools around the world, has us standing up to cheer! Read more about the Every Drop Counts initiative and the crazy socks our kids are buying to step up and help. You can buy a pair, too!

A Few Notes from the Carver CEOs

Carver CEOs Sing Lean On Me

Celebrated recently for their outstanding accomplishments as members of the Carver Elite Organization - these guys are hitting all the right notes!

SEEN AROUND SEVEN

Exciting News for Four Seniors Who Earned a 2018 Teaching Fellows Grant, Which Provides $24,000 Over Four Years at an S.C. University. Kudos to Carlisle Brice, Ashton Coggins, Noah Goodwin and Hannah Wood.

Congrats to EP Todd Asst. Librarian Cheryl Robinette, Named SC Library Paraprofessional of the Year

The Carver Middle School News Team Recently Toured WSPA-TV

A High-Five Friday at Pine Street School

Juniors and Seniors at the Viking Early College Discuss Northside Development at a Monthly Learn Over Lunch Program with Bill Barnet and Mitch Kennedy

At Parent NIght at Meeting Street Academy, Children and Families Made Birdhouses that Were Donated to Firestone Corporate

Black History Month Music Presentation at Cleveland Academy of Leadership

How's This for Jumping for Joy!

Cleveland Students at Barrier Island

Career Day at EP Todd
Puts Everyone to Work

Meeting Street Academy Fun Run!

Join the Meeting Street family for the first annual Maverick 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk. Funds received from the race will go toward student wellness and the MSAS running club. The event is open to the public.

D7 IS A PROUD PARTNER OF THE SPARTANBURG BRANCH OF THE GREENVILLE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM