Focus News for, by and aboutON Charleston County CCSD School District, the state of ’s premier school district where Students are the Heart of Our Work.

Volume 3 | Edition 5 | October 2020 Lakevia Mills named CCSD 2020 Teacher of the Year

St. John’s High School science teacher, Lakevia Mills, is Principal Stephen Larson described Mills as kind, caring, Charleston County School District’s 2020 Teacher of the Year conscientious, and expects the very best for herself and her (TOY). She’s honored to have been chosen and hopes to use students. the opportunity as Teacher of the Year to express the “Mrs. Mills is St. John’s,” said Larson. “She is highly regarded importance of creating equitable learning environments across among her peers and stands out as a leader in professional the entire district. learning, collaboration, and attitude. I can’t say enough about The announcement came via a surprise visit from her, but I’m willing to whenever I’m given the time!” Superintendent Dr. Gerrita Postlewait and a caravan of In addition, Wando High School’s Margo Quigley was named District officials. Selected from over 80 school-based TOY’s, Teacher of the Year Runner-Up. Mills will help lead the CCSD Teacher of the Year Roundtable during the 2020-2021 school year. She will also receive a one- Quigley teaches math to 9th through 12th-grade students at year lease to drive a BMW thanks to Rick Hendrick BMW of Wando High School (WHS) where she has taught for the last Charleston. 12 years. She was nominated as Teacher of the Year at WHS two years in a row. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mills follows 2019 honoree Jayuntay Williams. mathematics teaching from Clemson University; a master’s Back in the early spring, Mills and four other finalists were degree for teaching for math and science teachers from the selected through a multi-step process that began with a review ; and a Master’s in Administration from of their applications by the outgoing Teacher of the Year the University of South Carolina. Roundtable. Once the finalists were chosen, each of the five teachers gave a tour of their school to a panel of judges, provided a model lesson to be critiqued, and participated in a “Mrs. Mills is St. John’s. She is highly thorough interview process. Mills’ interest in teaching was sparked along the way by people regarded among her peers and stands who inspired and encouraged her. out as a leader in professional learning, Mills teaches Principles of Biomedical Science and the Human collaboration, and attitude. I can’t say Body, along with biology to 9th through 12th graders. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in Biology enough about her, but I’m willing to from Virginia State University. She taught in the Charlotte- Mecklenberg Schools from 2014-2017 before joining CCSD whenever I’m given the time!” six years ago. She serves on the School Improvement Council at St. John’s? and the Regional Health Advisory Board. Stephen Larson – St. John’s High School Principal

2020 CCSD Teacher of the Year finalists

Other finalists for 2020 CCSD Teacher of the Year included (from left to right) Dr. Amy Bramble (Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary INSIDE THIS ISSUE School), Stephanie Ganacoplos (C.E. Williams Middle School), Safe Restart...... 2-3 Mev McIntosh (North Charleston High School) and Margo Quigley National Merit Scholarships Semifinalists ...... 4 (Wando High School) CCSD SAT results ...... 4 Focus ON CCSD p2

CCSD SCHOOLS PRACTICE Safe Restart

Top Row: In spite of Covid-19 students at the Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies are gaining practical experience in high-demand career fields. Row 2: Students at James B. Edwards Elementary School started the school year masked up and ready to learn! Row 3: Students at Oakland Elementary School play Toss the Chips! Focus ON CCSD p3

CCSD schools practice Safe Restart – continued

Top Row: Distance Learning at Mount Zion Elementary School Row 2: (left to right) Hunley Park Elementary School students arrive on the first day; Angel Oak Elementary School student on Dot Dress Down Day; St. John’s High School students were treated to lunch Row 3: ((left to right) Murray LaSaine Elementary School; Charles Pinckney Elementary School students enjoy the playground; Oakland Elementary School students can work together while still social distancing Row 4: (left to right) The nutrition services team at Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School is ready to serve; The Carolina Park Elementary School custodial staff goes above and beyond to keep the school clean Focus ON CCSD p4

Thirty-one CCSD students recognized as 2021 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

Charleston County School District (CCSD) is proud to announce 31 Academic Magnet High School has the most Semifinalists (24) in the state; this is the fourth students have earned the honor as Semifinalists in the 66th annual National consecutive year the Raptors have had 20 or more. Merit Scholarship Program; the National Merit Scholarship Corporation “These 24 remarkable Academic Magnet Class of 2021 students have upheld our tradition (NMSC) released the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists earlier of the strongest of showings for National Merit Semifinalists in our county and state,” said this week. Principal Catherine Spencer. “Once again exceeding all other private and public schools in Congratulations to the following CCSD 2021 Semifinalists: SC in number, these National Merit Semifinalists have unique gifts and talents which promise the brightest future for them and a positive impact on our world.” Academic Magnet Karoline Surdyk These high school seniors will continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Justin D. Baek Molly C. Tippey Scholarships worth a total of about $30 million that will be offered next spring. Lillian S. Bluestein Arthur M. Unger "We are so proud and excited that these Wando students have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists," stated Principal Sherry Eppelsheimer. "Their hard work, Connor A. Burrill Sophia L. White dedication, and determination show their continuous journey to achievement through Owen C. Champman Benjamin R. Whitley academic excellence." Lydia R. Cox Porter D. Zach More than 1.5 million juniors from about 21,000 high schools entered the 2021 National Brendan Elliott Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The Landon C. Ethredge Wando nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school Adam S. Frye Cameron J. Boni seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a Adam J. Gatch Claire P. Gaddy state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. Simon Hughes Montanna M. Lussier To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in Kyle L. Jonsson Hrishikesh M. Namboordiri school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors Lily A. Lassiter Bo P. Suthon and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout Simon Y. Li Adam M. Swanson high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. Benjamin M. Lipschutz Audrey C. Wessinger 2021 National Merit Scholarship finalists will be contacted Ruth M. Liu by NMSC in February and winners will be announced in Charles R. Medlock four nationwide news releases beginning in April and Shreyas H. Myrti concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 353,000 other distinguished young people who Ethan A. Oulette have the title of Merit Scholar.

CCSD REMAINS NEAR THE TOP OF THE STATE, ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN SAT RESULTS

The College Board released the SAT results for the Class of 2020 last week, and once again, Charleston County School District (CCSD) is ahead of the national average. CCSD’s most recent graduating class also ranks third (up from fifth last year and eighth in 2018) in South Carolina, only behind York 4 (Fort Mill) and Pickens County. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RESULTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • 71.8 percent of CCSD’s Class of 2020 took the SAT test (compared to the state average of 56 percent). • CCSD earned an average of 543 in Evidence-based Reading and Writing (ERW) and 523 in Math for a total composite score of 1065. The state average for the Class of 2020 is 519-499-1019, and the national average is 520-510-1030. • Among the 10 largest districts in South CCSD HIGH SCHOOL 2020 SAT COMPOSITE SCORES Carolina, CCSD had the highest SAT composite average. CCSD is also the highest- ranking district in the lower part of the state. High School % Seniors Tested Composite Score Change from last year

• Academic Magnet High School had the highest Academic Magnet 97.7% 1368 -18 SAT composite score among all high schools in South Carolina. Baptist Hill 27.7% 892 -1 • Composite scores in seven CCSD schools improved from the year before. Burke 53.5% 827 -27 • More CCSD seniors took the SAT than in previous years, with the percentage of seniors tested increasing by 3.7 percentage points. Charleston County SOA 89.1% 1166 +19

Charleston Charter SMS 75.0% 1054 +25

Focus ON CCSD Garrett Academy Academy 13.8% 864 +52

Focus on Charleston County School Military Magnet Academy 62.1% 892 +25 District is published for, by and about CCSD, the state of South Carolina's premier school district where Students are North Charleston 23.7% 848 +54 the Heart of our Work. R.B. Stall 61.7% 857 -58 Gerrita Postlewait, Superintendent of Schools Erica Taylor, Chief of Staff St. John’s 45.8% 889 +38 Sully Witte, Communications Officer

Charleston County School District does not Wando 84.7% 1131 -2 discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or any other applicable status protected by federal or West Ashley 69.9% 954 +16 state law. Questions about non-discrimination policies should be sent to Charleston County School District, 75 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401.