Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
MEMS Assistant Principal Chelsea Calhoun and Principal Eryl Smalls with students of the month Stacy Bongcawel, Kailaya Govan, Rose Martinez-Robles, Tyler Davis, and Kiing Roundtree, and Naomi Salley.
Kanya Ford, WEMS Student of the Month.
BHHS Assistant Principal Annette Felder with some of the March students of the month, including Breanna Carrigg, Bri'Anna Robinson, Jalen Brown, and Andrew Brown.
KEES Principal Monique Smalls with students of the month Cassie Land, Judah Bing, Grayson Flowers, and Arabella Banik.
The Barnwell County Consolidated School District is planning a summer of activities to keep students engaged.
The district is offering a variety of programs for students of all grade levels throughout the month of June as part of summer school. They are offered to students in Blackville and Williston schools, but will be consolidated in one place. Some programs target students in need of remediation while others aim to teach new skills or help better prepare students for their next steps, such as going to high school.
Here’s a look at the programs being offered:
•Countdown to Kindergarten will be offered in Blackville and Williston. It pairs students in 4K and 5K with their future teachers “so they can begin that transition and work on emerging skills,” said Director of Academics Debra McCord.
• Read to Succeed will invite 40 third graders and 20 second graders who need help with reading retention and remediation. This is housed at Kelly Edwards Elementary in Williston.
• STEAM Institute is being offered in collaboration with Engaging Creative Minds, a South Carolina-based non-profit organization that works with schools to improve academic achievement. During the local camp that will be held at Macedonia Elementary-Middle School, participating fourth through seventh graders will learn about music, art, science, engineering, technology, math, sports, and more. There will also be time set aside for remediation to help students grow.
• Freshman Focus 101 is for rising ninth graders and will be housed at Blackville-Hilda High School (BHHS). This will “orient our freshmen into high school” before the new school year begins, said McCord. Students will learn effective communication, be introduced to high school expectations, work on organization and note taking skills, work on character building, and participate in STEAM activities through Engaging Creative Minds.
• College & Career 101 will prepare rising sophomores, juniors and seniors for college or the workforce. There will be an emphasis on college and career research, communication skills, soft skills, and critical thinking skills. Mock interviews, resume building, college tours, and more will give students a “viewpoint of various avenues” they can take after high school, McCord said of the course that will be held at BHHS.
• Other opportunities for high school students include credit and attendance recovery and initial credit courses offered through Virtual SC. Partnerships with Save the Children in Williston and the 21st Century Program in Blackville will be offered.
In Other News:
• A spring bond totaling $1,086,000 will fund capital improvement projects. The three biggest projects are renovating the stadium home side concession area and restrooms ($370,500), new playground equipment ($120,000), and paving overlay and repairs ($100,000). Other projects include replacing windows in the gym and media center, replacing floors at Kelly Edwards, replacing doors, replacing canopies, a new marquee at Macedonia Elementary-Middle, fencing, interactive televisions, and media center furniture.
• Recent new hires for the 2023-24 school year include: Adrienne Poe (6th grade ELA at WEMS), Prathyusha Pidatela (special education at KEES), Lawanda Jackson (reading coach at KEES), Sara Stanton (MEMS media specialist), and Morgan Sanders (art at WEHS), Joan Justice (reading interventionist at KEES), Karen Dawson (reading interventionist at KEES), Jessica Fluharty (1st grade at MEMS), Horatio Mason (7th/8th grade social studies at MEMS), Shyam Pidatala (multicategorical special education at KEES). Additionally, Terry Roy was named interim director of IT and Kristin Bateroff transferred from a special education classroom to a media specialist role.
• Recent resignations/retirements include: Dr. Betsy Portune as Gifted and Talented teacher at WEMS, Daphne Wood (Director of IT), Adadra Neville (WEMS Social Studies), Erushula Gusain (WEHS math), Britani Caniglia (6th grade ELA at WEMS), April Smith (5K at KEES), Czar Mendoza (7th grade science at MEMS), Kenneth Warble (7th/8th grade social studies at MEMS), Gloria Young (5K paraprofessional at KEES), and Demetrius Williams (alternative school monitor at WEHS).
