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Volume 3                                                                                                         October 2015 
Message from the Superintendent
Welcome to a brand new edition of 50 Shares! The purpose of this publication is to share with you all of the wonderful things happening in our school district. This is an exciting time in District 50! This school year, our mission as educational superheroes will be to use our superpowers to improve and advance our educational program to meet the needs of every student! With your continued support we will overcome every challenge and make our district a place we can all be proud... AND THEN SOME!
State Superintendent Molly Spearman Visits Merrywood
On September 11th, State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman visited a familiar place in District 50. Merrywood Elementary School welcomed Spearman for a tour of the school which included conversations with students, teachers, and administrators. 

Spearman graduated from Lander University, but served as a student teacher at Merrywood before teaching full-time in Saluda County Schools. 

Spearman's Merrywood Homecoming included visits to 3rd and 4th grade classrooms and chats with students, teachers and staff during lunch. 

Overall, it was a great day for Spearman and the Merrywood Family! 
$100,000 Endowment Awarded to Greenwood High School
On September 9th, District 50 announced that a $100,000 endowed scholarship had been established in memory of the late Major Walter Benson, a former principal at GHS. 

Major Benson served as principal of Greenwood High from 1924 until 1953. Mr. Saul Kurlat of Cambridge, MA has established the endowed scholarship in Major Benson's memory. Kurlat, who graduated from GHS in 1943 stated, "I was a young runaway who wanted an education. With Major Benson's help I found a place to live, a job and was able to graduate from GHS. Major Benson helped me and other students achieve through his encouragement and compassion, and I want to honor his memory in a special way." 

The scholarship will be managed by the scholarship committee of Greenwood High School. The scholarship will be awarded to students who overcome exceptional circumstances in achieving their high school diploma and who maintain a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale and who have been accepted to a technical college or college/university. 
Six Students Recognized as Perfect PASS Scorers
Six District 50 students were recognized for achieving a perfect score on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) test at the September 21st Board of Trustees meeting.

Six students in the district achieved a perfect score in one subject area of the PASS test. These students were: 

Brewer Middle School: Savannah Farmer (Science) & Karly Strawhorne (Science) 

Northside Middle School: Douglas Dilleshaw (Social Studies) 

Westview Middle School: Jasmine Creswell (Social Studies), Maddux Rhodes (Science), Ryan Sprouse (Science)

"Perfect PASS Scorers is a tremendous achievement for our district," Superintendent Johnson stated. "PASS perfect scores are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, parents, and teachers. 
D50 Students Enjoy First Ever Business Industry Showcase
On September 22nd-23rd the Greenwood Partnership Alliance in association with Piedmont Technical College hosted the first ever Greenwood County Business and Industry Showcase. The showcase included over 20 local industries that provided information to more than 1500 10th and 11th graders in Greenwood County. 

In D50, juniors from Emerald and Greenwood High, and a few seniors from the G. Frank Russell Technology Center, gathered at the James Medford Center to get a first look at industrial careers in the area.

The showcase was created by the Partnership Alliance's Greenwood County Industry Council. The Council had been searching for ways to spark student's interest in manufacturing careers. 

The success of the first showcase has generated a positive buzz among local industries and students. The Partnership Alliance is hoping that the showcase will become an annual event in Greenwood County.
Darragh and Slimmer Recognized as Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program
Congratulations to EHS Senior Ben Slimmer and GHS Senior William Darragh on being recognized as semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program!

On Wednesday, September 9th officials with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 61st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. 

Darragh and Slimmer have an opportunity to continue in the competition for over 7,400 National Merit Scholarships worth more than 32 million that will be offered next spring! 

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. 
Mark Your Calendar
10/14: Early Release Day

10/15: Cafeteria Staff Appreciation Day

10/19: Board of Trustees Meeting

10/20: School Board Learning Over Lunch                  
          (Greenwood High School) 

10/30: In-Service Day (No School for Students)  
In This Issue
Picture Perfect
Below are the top pictures from September!  
Superhero of the Month 
Early Childhood Center Cafeteria Worker Josie Brown was recognized as D50's first ever Superhero of the Month at the September Board of Trustees Meeting. Mrs. Brown has been working in the school district for the past 46 years! Click here to watch a special superhero video on Mrs. Brown! 
EHS 11th Graders Experience the Game of Life
Each day superheroes in District 50 are making a difference in the lives of students and helping them rise above. Click here to see why our students are thankful to have superheroes in their lives each and every day! 
Gridiron Report
There continues to be a positive buzz surrounding the 2015 season for the Emerald and Greenwood High School Varsity Football Programs! EHS won its second game in a row Friday with a 42-21 win over Blue Ridge on Thursday night. GHS ended a 4 game losing streak with a dominating 51-14 performance over Greenville on Friday night. Both teams enter homecoming week looking to continue their success in the region. The Eagles face Woodmont at J.W. Babb Stadium, while the Vikings will play host to Chapman at Frank Hill Stadium. Be sure to click on the links below to view the schedules for both teams and make your way over to a game this season to cheer on all of our students-athletes! 

Go Eagles! 
Click here to view GHS Schedule

Go Vikings!
Click here to view EHS Schedule  

Greenwood School District 50 | 1855 Calhoun Rd.  |   Greenwood | SC | 29649 | (864) 941-5400

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