7Headlines is Stuffed with November News!

November 2019

We are family. We are community.

Our schools thrive because of each and every person who pours their heart into guiding the lives of our children – in our schools, at home, and across our Spartanburg community. We are thankful for you!

A Word on the Bird

Our Annual "How to Cook a Turkey" Video!

Before you pull out the pots and pans....we've got a recipe that's sure to warm your heart! This holiday message is brought to you by our wonderful students from E.P. Todd School and Jesse Boyd Elementary. We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Spartanburg High School Receives National Honor for Sustainability

Kermit the Frog once said, “It’s not easy being green.” And while it may not always be easy, we believe being green is an important responsibility. District 7 is proud to announce that the new Spartanburg High School has been awarded a rating of two Green Globes through the Green Building Initiative’s internationally recognized certification program. SHS is the ninth high school in the nation and the first in the South Carolina to achieve two globes on the rating scale of up to four globes. The certification recognizes projects that advance sustainable design, conserve energy, reduce water consumption and promote responsible use of materials. McMillan Pazdan Smith, project architect, led the sustainability efforts.

In addition to being energy efficient, environmentally friendly and wired for the most advanced school technology, the facility offers a long list of distinctive amenities. The school scored significant points for extensive use of building materials with high recycled content and for materials sourced locally or regionally. Its drainage facility design uses a detention pond to manage stormwater on site and minimize pollution from stormwater runoff. Sustainability is a dynamic process and will continue for the lifetime of a building.

In January of this year Drayton Mills Elementary School was also awarded a Green Globe.

The Franklin School Receives

Highest National Design Award

American School and University Magazine has recognized The Franklin School with their highest award in the early childhood division of their architectural portfolio for 2019. The jury noted in their citation that the facility is " Nicely scaled with a unified use of color as a focal point and inspiration both inside and out. Intentional use of color and texture at the indoor play area." The award spotlight also praises The Franklin School with the comments, "The unique building design creates building blocks of formal classroom and programmatic spaces as well as informal spaces created in between these blocks. Together they provide inviting, safe environments for children to learn through discovery. The architecture echoes the growth that occurs in the program as the exterior canopy stretches to the playgrounds, extending outward to the community. The canopy builds a relationship between the interior and exterior environments of the building to signify a space that encourages learning beyond the classroom walls."

See The Franklin School's spotlight in "American University & School" magazine

Give the Gift of a Customized Brick Paver at SHS this Holiday Season

Perhaps the perfect gift for someone on your list this holiday season is a custom engraved brick paver at the new Spartanburg High School! Bricks will be installed at the Fine Arts Center entrance plaza and may be engraved with up to three lines of text in honor or memory of someone special. They may be purchased for $100 each with a portion of the cost being tax deductible and benefitting student scholarship through District 7's funds at the Spartanburg County Foundation. Please your order by submitting payment along with this form .

More information about these pavers and about additional space dedications that can be given by individuals, companies and other groups in honor or memory of friends or family can be found on our donor opportunities webpage.

View our donor opportunities booklet to learn more about leaving your legacy at SHS

And the Emmy Goes to . . . John McAllister!

District 7 Band Director John McAllister took to the red carpet on November 16 to pick up a golden statuette at the Chicago Midwest Regional Emmy Award ceremony.

The Emmy was awarded to the documentary film A Golden Cross to Bear, directed by Kane Farabaugh, which aired last year on PBS.

John composed the film score and was among the four project collaborators to receive the award.

Tuxedo-clad and smiling ear-to-ear, John said, "The best part for me is that usually I'm only brought in to write 'fill-in' music for filmmakers finishing up their products. On this project, I actually scored 100% of the music heard in the film. It was also great to work on a project that told the story of veterans who fought in WWI."

Watch the film's trailer:

‌

(From Left to Right) John Kassell, Director of Photography; Roger Amm, Producer/Narrator; John McAllister, Composer; Kane Farabaugh, Writer/Director

Follow this link for a synopsis of A Golden Cross to Bear and to learn how to stream it.

Jesse Boyd is Again the Apple of Apple's Eye

D7 is often recognized nationally for its progressive 1:1 technology initiative called 7Ignites, the blended-learning program that put mobile devices in the hands of every student in the District. In 2015, the team from Apple came all the way from Cupertino to applaud D7 for harnessing the power of technology to provide exemplary learning environments! In 2017, we celebrated a FIRST - Jesse Boyd Elementary was honored as an Apple Distinguished Program. And now, for the second time, Apple is giving the nod to JBE and honoring them for being a center of leadership and educational excellence.

Representatives from Apple have announced JBE as an Apple Distinguished School for 2019-2022. The commendation salutes the school's technology-rich environment and its innovative uses of technology in learning, teaching, and the school environment along with documented results of academic accomplishment. Pointing to visionary leadership of Dr. Meredith Rose, principal, and Dr. Wanda Greenfield, Technology Integration Specialist, who was instrumental in the renewal process, the experts at Apple praised the entire school community for preparing students to navigate the digital world and for continuous innovation in teaching and learning.

Congratulations to Jesse Boyd on this well-deserved recognition!

JBE Principal, Dr. Meredith Rose, and Technology Integration Specialist, Dr. Wanda Greenfield, represented JBE as the school was recognized during the November Board of Trustees meeting.

Carver Middle Leads in Education as a National AVID Model

A program aimed at unlocking the potential of every student at Carver Middle School is making great strides as a national model for other schools and districts after launching four years ago. Carver has once again been named an AVID National Demonstration School, a status earned by less than three percent of the 5,000+ AVID schools nationwide. The honor is awarded to schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to equity and opportunity for all students, that provide rigorous academic opportunities for all students, and that show s uperb instructional practices throughout the school. Carver is one of only three AVID schools in South Carolina to have earned this distinction, and was Spartanburg's first school to adopt the program. As AVID spreads across Spartanburg County schools, Carver is coaching them along the way - hosting “showcases” with teacher observations and student demonstrations.

Demonstration schools undergo a rigorous validation process and must be revalidated every few years to ensure high levels of implementation. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a college readiness program designed to help students develop the skills they need to be successful.

"AVID is not just a program, it is a shared philosophy across Carver Middle School that if we hold students accountable to the highest standards and provide them with academic and social support specifically designed to overcome the obstacles to achievement that many of our students face, they will rise to the challenge,” said principal Nicole Thompson.

Nationally, 75% of AVID students are from a low socioeconomic status background and 80% are underrepresented students. Nevertheless, they outperform their peers in crucial metrics nationwide.

"Sometimes these students come from families where no one has gone to college or no one’s ever pushed them to excel in school," said Thompson. "These are kids that are very, very smart, they just might not have ever been pushed hard enough to know that they can do it."

The video below was created by Carver faculty and students when the school received its initial honor as a National Demonstration Site, sharing their perspective on the pride of Carver, past and present.

The school's namesake, George Washington Carver, once said, "When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world." Congratulations, Carver Wildcats, for bringing those words to life as you inspire and equip our students for meaningful lives of leadership and service!

New Meeting Street Academy Playground Adds Fun for All in Downtown Spartanburg

Introducing Meeting Street Academy's New Playground

This month, thanks to a partnership between Denny's, the City of Spartanburg, and District 7, Meeting Street Academy (MSA) gained a new outdoor playground for its students. "Play on Main" at Denny's will provide MSA students and other Spartanburg children with a safe place to play during the day.

The playground features play and exercise equipment, including a sensory dome, swings, slides, and saucer swings on a colorful, rubberized surface. It will be used by Meeting Street Academy students during school hours, and will be available to the community after school hours.

" We can't wait to see our students make new memories here," Principal Raine Hackler said during the dedication ceremony.

"This partnership is another heartwarming example of how our community collaborates to strengthen the quality of life for all of our residents," District 7 Superintendent Dr. Russell Booker said. "The Denny’s Plaza Play on Main will benefit our Meeting Street Academy students every school day, and it will benefit our entire Spartanburg community as it welcomes visitors to the downtown area. The sight and sound of children who are full of life, full of laughter, and who are growing stronger as they learn through play is an important new dimension to the vitality of downtown Spartanburg.”

Spartanburg Joins Northside for Inaugural 5K Run/Walk

Students, teachers, parents, and community members hit the ground running on November 9th for the Northside's inaugural 5K sponsored by the Cleveland Academy of Leadership, the Franklin School, and the Northside Neighborhood Association. Thank you to all who supported this exciting event that builds pride among our Northside community. See photos from the event via the link below.

PHOTOS: Cleveland Academy of Leadership 5K race and fun run

D7 Unites to Transform our Community

"Live United" is the goal of the United Way of the Piedmont and in District 7 each year, it's the goal we rally around as well. We know change doesn't happen by one person or organization alone. Together, we can do more than any of us can on our own. 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 and students, District 7 is hoping to surpass its $55,000 workplace giving goal for the Community Impact Fund. Parents and students have the opportunity to help our community and our campaign by donating to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Sponsored locally by our United Way of the Piedmont, the Imagination Library delivers age-appropriate books every month to children ages birth to five, and a gift of just $30 enrolls a child for one year. During the week of December 9th, our schools will be taking "Dollars for Dolly" donations, which will help eliminate Spartanburg's waiting list of children hoping to enroll in the Imagination Library.

If you would like to sponsor a child for the Imagination Library, you can do so through the UPW's Dollars 4 Dolly webpage.

We tip our hat to Spartanburg High School and their United Way campaign coordinator, Jennifer Thomas. SHS sponsored a hat day for students and staff with proceeds going to United Way. Next week during Giving Tuesday, Jennifer is also offering a free Cyclebar class at the new studio on 120 W. St. John Street in exchange for a donation of any denomination to the United Way campaign. District 7 employees can sign up for Jennifer's free class at 4:30 on December 3rd via the Ride CycleBar app.

What's Up at Daniel Morgan Technology Center

On November 22, 2019, Daniel Morgan Health Science students (left) spent the morning learning about current healthcare issues with medical students from VCOM (Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.) Topics included Nutrition/Obesity, Effects of Drugs and Alcohol, Osteopathic Medicine, Lung Disease, Infectious Disease, and Cardiac Health. Students were also able to practice suturing skills.

Pictured above right, SHS senior and Machine Tool Technology I student Jonathan Saul is using Fusion 360 CAM software to design, draw, and machine a custom fidget spinner. He is taking his idea from concept to completed part on the CNC Machining Center. #DMTCPrepares

Scene Around Seven

With gratitude a'plenty and blessings to count, District 7 students from kindergarten to high school coordinated a number of Thanksgiving food drives this month in support of the community. At McCracken Middle School (right), the donation barrels were overflowing for TOTAL Ministries, and at Pine Street students collected toiletries and clothing for the Soup Kitchen. SHS students (left and center) collected more than 4,000 cans of food and celebrated their largest ever "Feed a Family" Thanksgiving Drive, which provided 298 families with a full bag of groceries including all the makings for a complete Thanksgiving day meal!

Thanks to a grant funded by the Pine Street School Foundation, the Hovercraft Project took over the Pine Street lunchroom on November 14 and spent a full day working with students and teachers on a collaborative STEAM experience. Students teams built their crafts and then literally hovered over the floor as they zoomed across the room.

Viking Early College (VEC) students visited Carver (left) and McCracken (right) last Friday. These alumni enjoyed “returning home” to share with current middle school students.

Books come to life at E.P. Todd School when teachers show off their storybook style.

Pine Street Elementary School's dance specialist, Susan Woodham, is a shining example of our many teacher leaders. Woodham presented at the Palmetto State Arts Education Joint Arts Administrators Institute in Columbia this month, co-leading a "deep dive" into the nuts and bolts of dance programs utilizing the National Dance Association Opportunity to Learn Standards. District 7 is proud of our many teacher leaders who share their expertise by mentoring and supporting other teachers and by showing their leadership beyond our schools.