South Carolina State Department of Education (SCDE) assumed governance of the Allendale County School District on June 19, 2017, by State Superintendent of Education, Mrs. Molly Spearman, under provisions outlined in legislation passed by the South Carolina General Assembly. South Carolina Department of Education provided technical assistance for the 2021-2022 school year to best meet the strategic needs of the district. Technical assistance included but not limited to additional financial support to improve school facilities, a school transformation coach at the high school and support from the Office of School Transformation.
The District underwent District Accreditation and a Diagnostic Review that were conducted by Cognia. The Cognia Accreditation and Diagnostic Review Team used performance standards and related criteria to guide its evaluation of the district, looking not only for adherence to standards, but also for how the district functioned as a whole and embodied the practices and characteristics of quality. The district received an IEQ (Index of Education Quality) score of 313.39/400. An IEQ score of 275 and above indicates the district is beginning to reach the Impact level and is engaged in practices that are sustained over time and are becoming ingrained in the culture of the district. The average range of all Cognia Improvement Network (CIN) institutions evaluated for accreditation in the last five years is 278.34-283.33. With an IEQ score of 313.39, the district is on a positive continuous improvement trajectory.
We continue to share our passion and commitment to improving student academic outcomes by engaging in consistent, deliberate and intentional planning that embeds and implements high-yield instructional strategies and inquiry-based activities to ensure student engagement and development of creative, innovative and collaborative problem-solving skills. These improvement efforts will better prepare and support all scholars for their post-secondary journey and beyond.
We have strategically formed business, industry and community partnerships to work alongside the district in preparing students for futures in STEM, higher education and the workforce.
The District continued to partner with Original Six Foundation, Winthrop University, Clemson University, University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, Claflin University, Savannah River Nuclear Site, The Sunshine Foundation, Denmark Technical College, Collum Lumber Company, Healthy Learners, SC. Telehealth Alliance, Smiles Dental Clinic, Celebrate Freedom, Allendale County Hospital, Be Pro Be Proud, SRP Federal Credit Union, NIET (National Institute for Excellence in Teaching), DIG, Swiss Krono, anonymous donors, and other industries and faith-based organizations to help support our students in improving academic growth/successes. Continuing to develop partnerships that benefit our students and community at large are paramount in our quest for continuous improvement.
Additionally, with continued support of the district’s vision and mission, the District was intentional in fulfilling the goals and action steps in our Strategic Plan, which were inclusive of the following goals:
1. Increase & Improve Student Achievement & Outcomes
2, Develop partnerships with the community, industry, business and faith-based organizations
3. Create a positive and trusting culture/climate
4. Recruit and retain highly effective teachers and leaders
The completion of a new primary wing was added to Allendale Elementary School; thus, allowing all PreK3-5th grade students to share one campus – Allendale-Fairfax Elementary School. The renewed concentration on defining and promoting a clear and common language around what effective instruction looks like in all classrooms, “Instructional Learning Walks,” will continue to be an identified focus area in the district to ensure high level instruction and research-based strategies are occurring in every classroom. Further, the district will continue to enforce our instructional process, “The Allendale Six,” in each classroom to ensure uniformity and encourage rigorous standard-based instruction, the use of formative assessments, bell-to-bell instruction and positive relationships between students and teachers. The District continued to provide purposeful and personalized professional learning for school/district administrators and teachers alike. Specifically, this past year, teachers participated in intensive turnaround professional learning activities centered around standards-based instructional materials for core content, and a new literacy curriculum that helps all students master the foundational skills needed not only to move to proficiency, but also to achieve greater goals of reading independently with confidence inside and outside the classroom.
Principals/Assistant Principals’ Academies were used as a catalyst in providing professional growth opportunities for school leaders with a focus on instructional leadership that promoted reflective practice and improvement in teacher/student learning.
Shared services among districts were encouraged by our State Superintendent and Consortium. With district leadership stronger than ever, we are determined to keep the momentum and synergy of forward movement of the district going. As a critical component of professional development, books with themes of leadership and teamwork such as, Dare to Lead, The Salvage Leader, Start With Why and Gumbo Coalition were assigned to school administrators and the district leadership team. With the stability of a strong district leadership team, high quality school leaders, and effective teachers, Allendale County School District will begin this academic school year with a clear vision that we will Ignite the Vision. We will not be defeated!!!! We are unstoppable!!!!! #ACSRising
Changing the Headlines….Allendale Forward
Dr. Margaret A. Gilmore, Superintendent
