Dear Silver Foxes,
“Success-Nothing Less!” is more than our school’s motto, it is the essence of who we are as a school. Even though this year provided us with particular challenges because of Hurricane Florence, we were still able to exemplify what it means to be a Silver Fox. Being a nurturing family that is responsive to our evolving community, Ten Oaks Middle School ensures that all learners are prepared for and committed to lifelong learning with integrity by challenging them with innovative curricula, teaching them with high expectations, and cultivating our students’ individual talents.This, our second year, we began laying roots in our community and district as a school of excellence. Success is multifaceted. We do not solely credit it to academic achievement, we also attribute it to the care we show for our community, our dedicated staff who provides opportunities for our students, and our supportive parents and community members.
Success is Caring for Others
Hurricane Florence and the subsequent flooding introduced unique challenges for our community. During the 15 days that we missed, our staff, students, and parents showed up to help those in need. Silver Foxes served food to the National Guard, collected supplies for families, helped feed lunches to students in our community, volunteered to serve with the Salvation Army, and filled sandbags for flooded communities. Silver Fox Cheerleaders collected coats and sleep bags for “Help 4 Kids” - these items were donated to students who were affected by the floods. Furthermore, Silver Foxes raised over $500 for our affected staff members. Even after we returned to school, we continued giving back to our community. We raised money for, and participated in Polar Plunge which supports our local Special Olympics. Student Government and Beta Club donated 435 food items to Helping Hands of Myrtle Beach, and they also made Valentines cards for local senior citizens.Mrs. Beale’s classes collected 261 pairs of socks to benefit Help 4 Kids, an organization that helps students in need in Horry County. Mrs. Preciado’s classes collected blankets for the homeless. Our Guidance Department raised money and collected items for our Angel Tree.
Success is a Dedicated Staff
Our staff works extremely hard to provide our students with innovative, technology-rich, world-class curricula that fosters academic success in a safe and positive environment. Walter Nichols was named Support Staff of the Year not only for our school, but also for our school district. Our staff honored Jerrin Martus by naming her Teacher of the Year. Girl Gone Coastal MB honored Shannon Nininger a teacher appreciation award. Stacy Hughes was awarded Hoops for Heart’s Coordinator of the Year. Home Depot awarded Sonni Shupe a grant to cover the cost of supplies for a greenhouse. Bonnie Trask was recognized by Energy Wise for her work with the Energy Club in our school. South Carolina National History Day presented Cameron Lentz with the Dr. Ron Ingle National History Day Teachers’ Award for his exemplary contributions to National History Day. Our Silver Foxes benefit from the dedication and success of our Ten Oaks Middle School staff.
Success is Student Achievement
Our Silver Foxes have worked hard this year, and the data supports it. As a school, we increased our growth measure by 6.2% from the previous school year on both Language and Math MAP tests. In addition, four 7th grades were selected as Duke TIP Scholars. 32 8th graders were identified as South Carolina Junior Scholars, 4 of whom were also awarded the President’s Award for Educational Excellence. Not only did our Silver Foxes excel academically but also the Silver Foxes finished their football and boy’s basketball seasons undefeated as the Coastal Region champions. Fine Arts students performed beautifully this year as members of county, region, and state ensembles. The STEM program continues to have a successful year. Our Robotics Teams and Technology Student Association (TSA) have triumphed at competitions at the local and state levels, and our Silver Foxes will complete at the National TSA Conference this June. Furthermore, our NHD students won awards at regional, state, and national competitions. They were also awarded $150 for their achievements by the Colonial Dames.
In spite of our uncommon school year, we are thrilled to share our successes with our Ten Oaks family, and we continue to uphold our commitment to providing our students with the skills and knowledge necessary so that they are college and career ready whenever they leave high school. Our Silver Foxes would not have been as successful this school year without the continued support of our community, including our PTO and SIC, who have been wonderful assets throughout the year. Their involvement is essential to the success of Ten Oaks Middle School. As we move forward, we will continue to model and expect success and nothing less from our Silver Fox family.
Sincerely,
Mr. Benjamin Prince, Principal
Mrs. Melissa Bornfreund, SIC Chairperson
