Greenwood School District 50 is helping all students develop the world class skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing high quality educational services to every student in our district!
Our district completed a successful first year of our Balanced Modified calendar. After two years of research and planning, it was very exciting seeing our students, teachers, and staff return to school on July 22, 2021. We have received positive reviews on the new calendar from our parents and community based on the results of two surveys that were administered during the first and second semesters. Student attendance during our three intersessions was outstanding with an average of 12% of our total student population attending. Our community partners such as the Boys and Girls Club, Greenwood Museum, and YMCA also provided our students with fun enrichment opportunities during our three intersessions.
At the beginning of the school year, our district relocated nine K4 classrooms from our Early Childhood Center back into our elementary schools. The Early Childhood Center was renamed the Early Childhood & Montessori School following the shift of Montessori classes over to the Center. This relocation will allow our early childhood students to have a seamless transition into upper elementary grades while hopefully remaining at the same school. Our goal is to continually enhance our early childhood education program and do what is in the best interest of our youngest learners.
Our district’s tradition of excellence was illustrated during our Cognia accreditation process. We received an outstanding Total Institution Index of Education Quality (IEQ) score and tremendous feedback from our accreditation team during their four day visit. The results presented by the accreditation team gave a very positive picture of our district and highlighted our district’s significant improvement over the previous review in 2016. Our successful accreditation report was a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, staff, and students.
In October, our district unveiled a refreshed brand that is expected to energize our students, staff, and community for years to come. The refreshed brand included a new logo, new colors and a new vision statement to reinforce our district’s reputation of leadership, innovation, and excellence. Our new vision statement “Preparing tomorrow’s leaders together” sums up District 50’s main goal of preparing our students to be leaders with the help of teachers, staff, parents and community members.
Our new Medical Magnet program completed a fantastic first year at Northside Middle School. The program introduced students to the field of health sciences through a rigorous academic program. The authentic experiences provided in this program were made possible through medical partnerships and intensive classroom instruction. The program also offered middle school students the opportunity to explore a variety of careers available in the medical field. We are excited about the potential of this program as we prepare our students academically to become healthcare professionals in the future.
On April 8, 2022 our district’s new Future Farmers of America (FFA) program at the G. Frank Russell Technology Center officially became a member of the national FFA organization during a chartering ceremony held at the Center. The FFA program is one of the largest student leadership groups in our country and provides students with the knowledge and skills to become future leaders in the agriculture industry. The new program is off to a great start with the opening of their greenhouse at the Center and participation in state level competitions.
While we are extremely proud of our accomplishments this year, we approach the year ahead with a renewed sense of dedication and resolve. We look forward to continuing to work with our community to produce college and career ready graduates for a 21st century workforce!
Steve Glenn, Ph.D.
Superintendent
