District 7 students are designing, coding, composing, animating, and publishing. They are experimenting and solving problems of energy and water, and connecting across cultural and national borders through virtual exchanges. Our teachers are intentional in their efforts to engage, motivate, and nurture students in order to develop mindsets for lifelong learning.
The wealth of evidence demonstrating D7's innovative approach to closing the digital learning gap and improving learning for all students has again earned the district a spot among 93 of the most forward-leaning school districts in the country. These districts comprise the League of Innovative Schools, a flagship network of superintendents who share a commitment to pioneering innovative learning strategies and collaborating with researchers to drive improvement. The league was launched six years ago by Digital Promise, a national, independent nonprofit organization that brings researchers, entrepreneurs, and educators together to design and share new ideas and tools.
Members of the League of Innovative Schools come from 35 states and serve more than 3.8 million students. Spartanburg School District 7 is honored to work alongside like-minded districts as we continually improve our effectiveness in equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in our ever-changing world.
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Did You Know?
Attending 4K is Critical to Achievement Throughout K-12
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Students who lack the necessary preparation for 5K have a harder time catching up and becoming proficient throughout their school career. In fact, data shows that 5K readiness tracks with student success all the way through elementary school – just take a look at the comparison below. |
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The best way for parents to ensure their child's readiness is to enroll them in a quality 4K program, either in D7 or the community. However, many 5K students come into D7 with no prior education. Only 32% of District 7's 2020-2021 5K students demonstrated readiness on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, which is given at the beginning of each year. Students who did not demonstrate readiness will need to progress far beyond the typical level of yearly growth – and continue to do so - in order to catch up and accomplish on-grade level work throughout elementary school. D7 is making it a priority to tackle this challenge.
So what can we do? This year, District 7 expanded 4K access and enrollment by placing 4K classrooms within our elementary schools (Pine Street Elementary will open 4K next school year). Enrollment increased to 254 4K students this year - a significant increase from 117 last year and our highest number in five years. Additionally, D7 is better aligning our 4K curriculum for 5K readiness by establishing ongoing collaboration among our 4K, 5K, and first grade teachers.
Raising awareness about the critical connection between 4K enrollment and student success requires a team approach across our Spartanburg community. Our partners at Spartanburg Academic Movement are helping to lead the way alongside many community partners. They offer a helpful Kindergarten Readiness Toolkit for families.
We need you, too! Help us champion the message that 4K matters. Encourage young families to provide their children with this critical preparation in order to succeed in school. If you have preschool age children, enroll them in 3K and 4K programs (D7's 4K enrollment will open in the spring - check with your elementary school).
Together, we can increase readiness in measurable ways and create sustainable progress!
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Parent Involvement is Key to Student Success:
How to Help Your Student Excel
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Education is truly a partnership between schools and families. Extensive research shows students achieve more in school when their parents are involved in their education.
Thankfully, there are simple ways every parent can help their student succeed – and they don't require understanding how to do homework! Taking a few basic steps on a regular basis will make all the difference for your child. As a parent, you are not alone in figuring out how to help. District 7 has resources in all our schools, and your child's teacher is eager to talk with you about the simple ways you can offer support.
What are the most important things a parent can do?
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1. Ask your child daily about their school day and ensure their homework is done.
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If a parent does only one thing, the most important one is to let your child know their success in school is important to you (both their academic success and their social and emotional wellness). Check in daily to make sure they are doing OK and completing their work. These short conversations can uncover an issue early on and prevent a great deal of struggle for your child down the road.
Checking in with your child's teacher to understand how your child is doing academically, socially, and emotionally in school is also important. Teachers and parents TOGETHER are the most powerful team! There are many ways to stay in touch - by email, parent/teacher conferences, phone calls, and virtual meetings.
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2. Be your child's i-Ready cheerleader.
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i-Ready is an online program for kindergarten through 9th grade that helps teachers understand your child’s individual needs and monitor their progress all year long. As a compliment to the teacher's classroom lesson, i-Ready work adapts to students' individual needs, adjusting assessment questions to suit your child’s performance. i-Ready encourages students to take ownership of their learning as they receive real-time feedback and motivating messages, and earn credits for completing lessons that they can use to get rewards, such as games. Its purpose is not to give your child a grade but instead to determine where they need the most support. Check out the tips below to help your child get the most out of i-Ready.
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3. Follow your student’s progress right from your mobile phone or computer with D7's PowerSchool Parent Portal. |
PowerSchool gives parents access to information as teachers post assignments, grades, attendance, and more. Setting up a parent account provides the simple way to know how your student is doing throughout the year! Contact your child's school and ask for your Parent Portal Access Letter. It contains everything you need.
Thank you for your continued support and for being a partner in your child's learning!
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Dedicated to the End – Hayes and Lee Honored for Board Service |
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District 7 Board Members Andy Hayes (left) and Sanders Lee (right) were applauded this month before closing out a combined 16 years of service as Trustees. During their final board meeting on November 9, Superintendent Jeff Stevens thanked them on behalf of the students, families, staff and citizens, expressing that District 7 will miss their presence and contributions to our work going forward.
Mr. Hayes and Mr. Lee were each presented with a District 7 chair. A framed 'thank you' expression of appreciation from our students was signed by one student in every grade from 4K through 12th to remind our Trustees that their work touched every child in District 7, from our youngest to our oldest!
Newly-elected board members Hallie Hurst and Griffin Lynch will be sworn in this December. We look forward to welcoming them to our Board of Trustees!
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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage |
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Hispanic Heritage Month continued into October, with D7 students celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Our schools took the opportunity to spotlight Hispanic Americans who positively influenced and enriched our society, with interactive projects like studying, making, and tasting Hispanic cuisine; studying and portraying Hispanic heroes; and sharing Hispanic culture through art and song.
Watch below as WSPA's Your Carolina features E.P. Todd Spanish teacher Stephanie MacLeod for her creative approach to inspiring learning during Hispanic Heritage Month.
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Mary H. Wright's second grade classes had a fiesta with games like Mexican Bingo and Hit the Piñata. For lunch they enjoyed salsa, chips, quesadillas and Spanish rice.
The next observance for this school year is National Native American Heritage Month, which will be commemorated through the end of November.
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Helping Others During a Critical Time: D7 Set to Launch United Way Campaign |
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Every year, District 7 rallies together on behalf of the United Way of the Piedmont. Our D7 family comes together to show kindness and generosity in all its forms by giving to the annual United Way of the Piedmont Campaign. Live United is the goal of our United Way and in District 7, it's a goal we rally around as well. To "Live United" is a constant reminder when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all.
This year, with the help of our staff, District 7 will support the Community Impact Fund which directly impacts our community's families and their children. We thank our D7 family for doing their part, and for helping District 7 Live United.
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A Salute to Our School Leaders |
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District 7 recognized each of our schools' dedicated leaders during National Principals Month! Their guiding hand is always at the helm of our schools, but throughout the pandemic they have displayed even greater passion, dedication, and determination to meet the needs of students, staff and families.
If you missed the social media series sharing their stories, we hope you will take a moment to view them on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SpartanburgSchoolDistrict7. These spotlights generated more than 56,000 views and 4,700 reactions, comments, and shares on Facebook alone.
Thank you to all who commented on these posts and added messages of appreciation. Thank you, D7 Principals, for being a guiding light during this time when your passion, compassion, and steady leadership is needed more than ever!
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A Home Run for the Spartanburgers: New Baseball Team Brings Pride
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7Headlines Editor's Note: D7 applauds the 2021-2022 Norse News staff. These students are brilliant, creative, hard working…and excellent representatives of SHS. Please find the latest edition of the Norse News here: https://shsnorsenews.org/
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The new Spartanburgers baseball team has quickly become a home run, benefitting the Spartanburg community by increasing local entertainment and pride. The team is the newest addition to the Coastal Plain League, which includes 15 teams across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Although the team officially began last May, the Spartanburgers are the most recent addition to a long history of baseball in Spartanburg.
According to ballparkdigest.com, Matt Perry, one of the Spartanburgers team owners, foresees a promising future for the team. “We’ve found that Spartanburg takes great pride in creating a unique identity for itself, from downtown development to new beautification efforts,” Perry said. “The Spartanburgers team name fits that mold, in providing a moniker that is unique to the city, the region and the nation. We expect the Spartanburgers to create tremendous exposure for Spartanburg for decades to come.”
Citizens of Spartanburg had the opportunity to help name the Spartanburgers team, contributing to its local pride. A name-the-team contest received over 700 responses, with finalists including the Sluggers, Conductors, and of course, the Spartanburgers. The name was selected after evaluating potential logo options created by SPARK business strategies that displayed creative, food resembling images. The Spartanburgers added to the list of food-related team names within the Coastal Plain League, including the Savannah Bananas, Macon Bacon and the Tri-City Chili Peppers.
Wes Brown, is both the coach for the Spartanburg High team and the Spartanburgers. “I believe the Spartanburgers impacts the community in a couple of different ways. It brings some type of almost professional sport back to Spartanburg,” Brown said. “I also believe it has a good economic impact on the community. There are a lot of people I see throughout the community wearing Spartanburgers apparel.”
The history of Spartanburg baseball extends far beyond the new team, as Spartanburg’s historic Duncan Park ballpark is famously known as one of the first ballparks in America, and the first in South Carolina. One of Duncan Park’s most well-known teams was the Spartanburg Phillies, who played from 1963 to 1994. Historic stadium chairs with the Spartanburg Phillies logo can be found downtown outside of the Fr8 Yard beer garden, reflecting local pride of Spartanburg’s baseball history.
In addition to being the home of the Spartanburg Phillies, Duncan Park was home to The Sluggers, a Negro Textile League Team that played from 1928 to 1952. Notable African American players who played at Duncan Park include Bob Branson, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron. The legacy of the Sluggers and the Negro League was honored by the Spartanburg High School baseball team in March. by wearing specially ordered Slugger’s uniforms in a game against Fox Creek. The jerseys represented the 100-year anniversary of the Negro League, an honor baseball coach Wes Brown wanted the venue of Duncan Park, as well as the next generation of baseball players, to be remembered.
Savannah Fly (12) works at the Spartanburgers baseball games by helping work concessions and organize equipment. “I think the Spartanburgers baseball team has helped bring Spartanburg back together as a community after the past year of cancelled events and gatherings,” Fly said. “I also think it brings people to Spartanburg from the other teams which is really good exposure for Spartanburg. I think people enjoy going to the games because of the entertainment throughout the game as well as the spirit of the crowd and the food.”
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Ella Hammond (11), Savannah Fly (12), Daniel Johnson (11) and Anna Jakubchak (12) sport matching tie-dye shirts while working for the Spartanburgers. |
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SHS Viking Earns a Perfect Score |
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Some high school students boast about being the star quarterback, homecoming queen or king, or student government association president. But 2021 SHS graduate Drew Lawton has earned a rare bragging right. The valedictorian is one of only 31 students in the world who aced the Advanced Placement (AP) United States Government and Politics Exam in May 2021.
Advanced Placement Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Drew not only received the top score of 5, but earned every point possible on the exam, receiving the maximum score on each portion of the exam.
This outstanding accomplishment is a reflection of the academic preparation provided by Spartanburg High School. We applaud Drew's hard work and our teachers who engage students and enable them to excel in these college-level courses. We wish Drew all the best this year at Georgia Tech!
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We believe in heroes. In District 7, our theme this year is The Power of ONE. Our veterans have lived out this theme through their service - both individually and collectively in their division of the Armed Forces. They have protected the freedom we enjoy today, and we celebrated them in every school across our district. |
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Spartanburg teacher featured in Seattle art exhibit for Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
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D7 Teachers Honored by WSPA's Your Carolina
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WSPA's Your Carolina chose four local schools to be celebrated and E.P. Todd was one of the lucky recipients! The news show provided coffee and pastries for teachers and aired live segments from the school during the broadcast. It was an opportunity to showcase the talents of our students and the dedication of our teachers. Thank you, Jamarcus Gaston, for highlighting E.P. Todd and celebrating the transformative power of our educators as they inspire and equip!
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New Homes Coming to Spartanburg's Eastside |
Local media outlets are reporting about new housing developments and neighborhoods coming to Spartanburg's east side over the next few years and have asked D7 for insight on how the anticipated 2,000+ new homes will impact our schools. The district has been preparing for growth for many years, with our new Spartanburg High School, our new Drayton Mills Elementary School, renovations to other schools and facilities, and long-term strategic and capital planning. District 7 has long prioritized small class sizes, and has one of the most favorable student-to-teacher ratios in South Carolina. All of our schools have capacity for growth while maintaining below average class sizes.
New growth also sparks questions from our community. One that has been asked numerous times is: "What are the plans for the former McCracken Middle School?" This facility sits on 29 acres off Webber Road on the east side of Spartanburg and is currently unoccupied. District 7 has developed and is in the process of implementing a long-range capital plan that addresses all properties. The plan calls for demolition of the former Z.L. Madden facility, which was just completed, and the DISC building next to Cleveland Academy of Leadership, which is underway. D7 will continue to assess future opportunities for the McCracken property as growth continues on our east side.
We look forward to welcoming new students and families as we provide excellence in education that advances Spartanburg as an optimal place to live, work and play!
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You never know where a Super Selfie will be snapped! Jeff Stevens wears his smile behind the mask as he greets students and staff each week in our schools. |
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Raising Awareness in October |
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This month, we laced up our shoes for Walk to School Day, wore pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and just said "NO" to drugs during Red Ribbon Week. Every school across the District rallied around each cause.
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McCarthy Teszler School supported their friends, coworkers, students and families whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. |
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The Eagles from McCracken were superheroes during their spirit week. |
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The Bobcats from Mary H. Wright students took to twinning for Red Ribbon Week |
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Students at McCarthy Teszler were dressed to impress as they honored their heroes. |
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Carver Wildcats celebrated Red Ribbon Week by saying “Boo” to drugs! |
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Twinning with your favorite teacher was spot on at McCracken Middle! |
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We're falling for Dalmatian Day at Drayton Mills |
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Cleveland Academy laced up for Walk to School Day. |
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The quiet heroes of our school district were also celebrated this month during Custodian Appreciation Day. Our custodians are the first ones to arrive at school and they clean up messes that no one wants to touch. We appreciate all the work they do behind the scenes to keep our school safe and clean!
You don't want to miss the adorable and heartfelt video above from Cleveland Academy honoring - Ms. Copeland and Mr. Dawkins for Happy Custodian Appreciation Day.
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Super JBE kids in kindergarten room G-2 (Lawrence/Howell) celebrated International Literacy Day by helping kids at Jeff Gordon's Children's Hospitals! This day was named by the United Nations to remind us of the importance of reading and writing skills. The class collected brand new board books for the kids who are hospitalized to enjoy. The youngsters were very proud of their donations, and we are proud of them too! |
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It’s official. Drayton Mills Elementary School Student Council Co-Presidents point out the new signs to Dalmatian Drive! |
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Excellence behind the scenes at our District Office is critical to D7's success. Congratulations to Director of Finance Jatana Norris for being honored at the SC School Business Officials Conference for the Certified School Business Officer Exam and Program, the highest professional credential in school business management! |
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4th and 5th grade Montessori students at E.P. Todd School presented biographies in their own unique way. Bravo! |
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Showing their true colors, D7 students exhibited works at the Piedmont Interstate Fair and the SC State Fair. |
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We are so proud of JBE's 4K students for taking action along with learning. They collected more than 100 pairs of socks to donate for many in need in our area! |
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A visit from Spartanburg High School Teacher Cadets was a major hit with students at Cleveland Academy! One cadet even used Sign Language with the read aloud. Thanks, future teachers! |
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The STEM Club at Cleveland Academy completed a digital breakout on animal habitats. |
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Meeting Street Academy student enjoying some fresh air and big smiles! |
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During their school-wide STEM day, Drayton Mills' 4K class learned about trees and how they benefit humans, including the foods we get from trees. Students used tubes to get “apples” from the trees into their baskets and had to figure out different ways to get fruit from the tree down into their baskets using the tree trunk channels. It allowed the students to explore through trial and error, work as a team, and problem solve.
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Piedmont Interstate fun for kiddos from Cleveland - smiles for miles! |
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We're banging the drum! The SHS Marching Band had a great performance in the 4A category at the 2021 Knight Tournament at North Henderson High School. The awards keep rolling in! 1st Place Music, 1st Place Percussion, 2nd Place Color Guard, 1st Place in Class 4A and 3rd place overall. They were also named Grand Champion at the Chesnee Eagle Classic where they competed alongside 20 other bands for this honor. Go Vikings!! |
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Spartanburg High School chamber and symphony had a wonderful fall concert in our District 7 Fine Arts Center. |
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The District 7 Fine Arts Center also played host to Spartanburg High School's choral students during their “Listen to the Music” concert. |
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Strings in D7 are first introduced to elementary school aged children. We're sure this group from Pine Street Elementary will be making beautiful music together soon. |
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Our Vikings cross country teams had a great showing at the state qualifier and championship. |
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Daniel Morgan Technology Center and Spartanburg High School senior John Kurkis is checking pinion bearing pre-load with an inch pound torque wrench in Automotive Technology II. |
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Hanna Roach, SHS junior, was honored for being the first to receive the SC Board of Barbering Hair Braiding Certification at Daniel Morgan Technology Center. |
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2nd Round Viking Football Playoff Game vs. Spring Valley
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Monday, Nov 8
National STEM Day
Tuesday, Nov 9
School Board Meeting
Thursday, Nov 11
Veterans Day - School is Session
Friday, Nov 12
Viking Playoff Game vs Spring Valley
Monday, Nov 15 – Friday, Oct 19
American Education Week
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Wednesday, Nov 17
Education Support Professionals Day
Thursday, Nov 18
Progress Reports
Wednesday, Nov 24 – Friday, Nov 26
Thanksgiving Break - No School
Sunday, Nov 29 – Monday, Dec 6
Hanukkah
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Friday Night Lights Lights |
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There was a beautiful sunset last Friday before the 1st round playoff game. We knew Viking Stadium would be a special place; but we didn't know how special! The Vikings kept their season going with a win, and they may have also laid a whole new foundation for their program, too. While the Vikings (7-3) had relatively little trouble in ending Woodmont’s (5-6) season with a 49-28 home win, much of the accomplishment was made by untested players all over the field. Leading that effort was freshman quarterback T.J. Johnson, who entered the game early in the second quarter and led the offense to three of their seven touchdowns.
Our Vikings have now won five straight football games, while the Spring Valley Vikings are 7-2 overall. “Building a program like we’re trying to do, our older guys came in and executed like we hoped,” said Spartanburg Head Coach Mark Hodge. “We hoped to get a lot of young kids in. It’s helping to develop the program. At the same time, that helps justify depth charts as well. It gave us a chance to play some guys that have committed to the program but haven't gotten to play much. It also gave us a chance to play our young kids. We’re excited and proud about that.”
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