Castle Heights Middle School One of Five SC Schools Recognized

South carolina Names new Schools to Watch

Columbia, SC, February 3, 2011: South Carolina is one of 19   states working with The National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform’s Schools to Watch program which honors the work of middle schools implementing best practices in academic excellence, social equity, and developmental responsiveness, with organizational supports that put them on the trajectory toward excellence. These schools have undergone extensive self-assessment, submitted a peer-reviewed application, received a two day site visit by a trained visiting team, and met the criteria for recognition. This year, five new middle schools have been named and two middle schools have been re-designated. The new 2011 SC Schools to watch are:

• Castle Heights Middle School, Rock Hill School District Three, Kelly Kane, Principal
• College Park Middle School, Berkeley County School District, Ingrid Dukes, Principal
• League Academy, The School District of Greenville County, Merry Cox, Principal
• Pickens Middle School, Pickens County School District, Dr. Libba Floyd, Principal
• T.E. Mabry Middle School, Spartanburg County School District One, Marsha Clark, Principal.

Re-designated Schools to Watch are schools that were recognized three years ago and have met the requirements for continued recognition. This year South Carolina has re-designated:

• Blythewood Middle School, Richland School District Two, Brenda Hafner, Principal
• Palmetto Middle School, Anderson County School District One, Barry Knight, Principal.

These schools will present their programs and receive their state awards at the South Carolina Middle School Association Conference March 4-6, 2011. They will be featured at the annual National Schools to Watch Conference in Washington, DC, June 23-25, 2011, where they will receive their national awards, present their programs, and visit our Congressional delegation in the nation’s capital.

South Carolina joined the Schools to Watch program in 2005 in partnership with the SC Association of School Administrators, SC Middle School Association, SC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, SC Department of Education, and SC Middle Grades Project.