General School Headlines
Merle Weber, visual arts coordinator for the Berkeley County School District, will retire this year. She has held the position for 18 years.
For 32 years, Merle Weber has devoted her life to art education.
Hired as the Berkeley County School District's first visual arts coordinator 18 years ago, Weber oversees 42 art teachers in elementary, middle and high schools. Prior to her administration position, she taught art for 15 years in Orangeburg and Berkeley counties.
Hired as the Berkeley County School District's first visual arts coordinator 18 years ago, Weber oversees 42 art teachers in elementary, middle and high schools. Prior to her administration position, she taught art for 15 years in Orangeburg and Berkeley counties.
Stratford High School costs the school district $496,322 in electric, water and sewer costs per year.
The school is a heavyweight of utility usage in the county, and one of a handful of other schools tipping the scale of upwards of $300,000 or more per year.
The school is a heavyweight of utility usage in the county, and one of a handful of other schools tipping the scale of upwards of $300,000 or more per year.
Five Berkeley County schools are among 141 South Carolina elementary and middle schools honored statewide for reducing the achievement gap among students of differing economic, racial and ethnic groups by the S.C. Education Oversight Committee.
The schools make up about 16 percent of schools in the state.
The schools make up about 16 percent of schools in the state.
The dark, silent streets are interrupted by the flashing lights and the thrum of an engine. In the cold, damp morning, children plod wearily up the school bus steps and into the temporarily lit bus seats.
As they pass 22-year veteran bus driver Barbara Middleton, the kids give her a perfunctory and mumbled salutation. Taking their seats, the children are again engulfed in darkness as the bus takes off for another stop.
As they pass 22-year veteran bus driver Barbara Middleton, the kids give her a perfunctory and mumbled salutation. Taking their seats, the children are again engulfed in darkness as the bus takes off for another stop.
Berkeley County Supervisor of Transportation Glenn Dyches and his seven-man team are "spread as thin as possible trying to repair as many repairs that need to be done" to Berkeley County school buses.
With an aging fleet and less two employees, bus maintenance can fall through the cracks or must wait a while to get done.
With an aging fleet and less two employees, bus maintenance can fall through the cracks or must wait a while to get done.
The Berkeley County Education Association Retirement Social will take place on Friday, May 2, 2008 at 6 p.m. at Gilligan's Restaurant in Goose Greek.
All Berkeley County Education Members are invited to attend. RSVP Lynda Hooker-Ravenell at (843) 494-8078 by April 20th.
All Berkeley County Education Members are invited to attend. RSVP Lynda Hooker-Ravenell at (843) 494-8078 by April 20th.
Three students have been named winners in the 2008 Pet Essay Contest sponsored by The Humane Society of South Carolina and Southern Paws & Tails magazine.
The winners are: first place, Ky’asia Brown, a fifth grade student at Cainhoy Elementary School in Huger; second place, Alaina Lane, a fifth grade student at Cainhoy/Elementary School in Huger; and third place, Jack Monroe, a second grade student from the Center for Knowledge in Blythewood, SC.
The winners are: first place, Ky’asia Brown, a fifth grade student at Cainhoy Elementary School in Huger; second place, Alaina Lane, a fifth grade student at Cainhoy/Elementary School in Huger; and third place, Jack Monroe, a second grade student from the Center for Knowledge in Blythewood, SC.
South Carolina joined several other states at No. 13 in the nation for public school technology. The state’s overall school technology grade was B minus, the same as last year.
The 50 states and the District of Columbia were evaluated in “Technology Counts 2008,” released by the national magazine Education Week, which tracks economic and policy forces affecting educational technology.
The 50 states and the District of Columbia were evaluated in “Technology Counts 2008,” released by the national magazine Education Week, which tracks economic and policy forces affecting educational technology.
A man known for his smile, a poet and a honeymooner have been selected for the Berkeley County School District Teacher of the Year finalists. The Teacher Forum hosted an event on Friday to induct the new teachers of the year and to honor the final three teachers vying for the district's Teacher of the Year.
Starting earlier this year, 36 district teachers were selected from their schools. In the last month, seven teachers were named semi-finalists. The three remaining, recognized as Honor Roll teachers, are Berkeley High teacher Harold Tabor, College Park Middle teacher Dottie Adams and Devon Forest Elementary teacher Creighton Eddings.
Starting earlier this year, 36 district teachers were selected from their schools. In the last month, seven teachers were named semi-finalists. The three remaining, recognized as Honor Roll teachers, are Berkeley High teacher Harold Tabor, College Park Middle teacher Dottie Adams and Devon Forest Elementary teacher Creighton Eddings.
Berkeley County School District teachers inducted into the 2008 Teacher Forum include:
Dottie Adams,
Dottie Adams,
The Berkeley County Education Association is reorganizing.
President of BCEA is Barbara Bodison. BCEA meets every fourth Tuesday of each month at Berkeley Intermediate School in the media center. The last meeting for the year was March 25.
President of BCEA is Barbara Bodison. BCEA meets every fourth Tuesday of each month at Berkeley Intermediate School in the media center. The last meeting for the year was March 25.
Mike Turner laughs at the thought of retirement, and he laughs that a newspaper is writing yet another story about his "career move." "You're a little late for the story," Turner said with a laugh. "It was written about three years ago." For the second time in 10 years, Turner will leave his job as Berkeley County School District Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services and go back to the classroom to teach.
When he first arrived in the district in 1998, he held the position until 2003, before taking a two-year hiatus from administration. He taught at schools in the district during that time. "I'm not afraid to go teach," Turner said. But Turner returned to his administrative position in 2006. Now, he's itching to get back to teaching. "I've always been a teacher," he said. "There's nothing wrong; I'd like to spend some time with the kids." Turner began his teaching career at the age of 21 in the Peace Corps. He worked in Ethiopia as a school principal and math teacher.
When he first arrived in the district in 1998, he held the position until 2003, before taking a two-year hiatus from administration. He taught at schools in the district during that time. "I'm not afraid to go teach," Turner said. But Turner returned to his administrative position in 2006. Now, he's itching to get back to teaching. "I've always been a teacher," he said. "There's nothing wrong; I'd like to spend some time with the kids." Turner began his teaching career at the age of 21 in the Peace Corps. He worked in Ethiopia as a school principal and math teacher.
One year after barring off-base active military dependents from Marrington School, the Berkeley County School Board has reversed the decision.
The reversal came as a result of parents who appealed the decision and followed the appeals process set forth by the district, Marrington Principal Arnold Coull said.
The reversal came as a result of parents who appealed the decision and followed the appeals process set forth by the district, Marrington Principal Arnold Coull said.
The Berkeley County School Board has hired three principals from within the district.
All three are currently assistant principals making the transition to principal.
All three are currently assistant principals making the transition to principal.
Foreign high school students are scheduled to arrive soon for academic semester home-stay programs, and the sponsoring organization needs a few more local host families.
According to Pacific Intercultural Exchange (P.I.E.) President, John Doty, the students are all between the ages of 15 and 18 years, are English-speaking, have their own spending money, carry accident and health insurance, and are anxious to share their cultural experiences with their new American families. P.I.E. currently has programs to match almost every family's needs, ranging in length from a semester to a full academic year, where the students attend local high schools.
According to Pacific Intercultural Exchange (P.I.E.) President, John Doty, the students are all between the ages of 15 and 18 years, are English-speaking, have their own spending money, carry accident and health insurance, and are anxious to share their cultural experiences with their new American families. P.I.E. currently has programs to match almost every family's needs, ranging in length from a semester to a full academic year, where the students attend local high schools.