Laurens County Schools Celebrate Significant Academic Progress and New Initiatives

Exciting Improvements in Laurens County Schools

Laurens is buzzing with excitement as the Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD55) Board of Trustees shared some fantastic updates on the School Report Card ratings from the South Carolina Department of Education. On a recent Monday evening, the board highlighted major progress across schools in the district, making it clear that hard work is paying off!

Turning the Tide: Downward to Average Ratings

At the heart of this positive news is the 2022-23 school year, which initiated the much-needed *Turnaround Plan* and *Continuous School Improvement Plan*. This approach came to life after four schools received ratings either below average or unsatisfactory. However, fast forward to the latest report for the 2023-24 school year, and we can see that many of those improvement strategies are beginning to take root. One standout achievement is Laurens Elementary School (LES), which made a big leap from an unsatisfactory rating to an average one!

In addition, several other schools such as Hickory Tavern Elementary (HTE), Hickory Tavern Middle School (HTM), Sanders Middle School (SMS), and Gray Court-Owings Middle School (GCOM) all garnered an average score. Even Waterloo Elementary (WES) improved, transitioning from an excellent to a good rating. And here’s the cherry on top—no school fell into the unsatisfactory category this year!

Continuous Improvement: The Road Ahead

Amanda Lecaroz, the Director of Accountability, Federal Programs, and Professional Learning, remarked on the continued necessity for improvement plans in schools graded below average or unsatisfactory. But every school in the LCSD55 currently has a continuous improvement plan in action, thanks to the support of the LEARNS grant. This grant is paving the way for enhanced strategies focusing on effective teaching and creating a positive school climate and well-maintained facilities.

“Our teachers are meeting every single week to discuss effective teaching,” Lecaroz pointed out, emphasizing collaboration among educators. They are also looking into how to foster a supportive environment for both teachers and students. Dr. Rhett Harris, who’s in charge of school maintenance, has greatly improved the cleanliness and upkeep of all schools, which is contributing to the overall educational experience.

New Initiatives and Future Plans

This past spring, Lecaroz introduced some innovative support practices and personalized learning programs, which included implementing the Lexia English curriculum. However, this was rolled out a bit late in the year, so substantial results are still awaited. Nevertheless, they’re not stopping there! They plan to focus on multilingual programming, addressing a need pointed out in the report card results by scheduling a professional learning event for educators in this area.

Importantly, a conscious discipline program was piloted in three schools, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive! Lecaroz noted the importance of creating a school environment where both students and teachers look forward to attending.

Aiming High as a Community

As Dr. Jody Penland, the district’s superintendent, shared, they are keen on setting ambitious goals across various areas while working tirelessly to achieve them. “We’ve set very high and lofty goals for each area,” Penland remarked, asserting that even a small pullback from these goals signifies improvement and progress.

With achievements bobbing to the surface and new initiatives underway, the community is optimistic and united in their efforts to ensure that Laurens County schools continue moving forward! The future looks bright, not only for the students but also for the dedicated teachers and staff who are making it all happen.