Wedding & Event Venue Near Greenville, SC

Five Greenville County Schools have been added to South Carolina's list of underperforming schools.

During Tuesday morning's Committee of the Whole meeting, the district's Board of Trustees discussed challenges faced by the schools, such as the language barrier between student and teacher. They also discussed the course of action that must be taken toward academic achievement.

"Some of them have never been in school," said school board member Lynda Leventis-Wells. "Some of them don't speak any English whatsoever, and they get frustrated, you know? How would you feel if you couldn't communicate?"

Schools that score "below average" or lower on the state's report card are considered underperforming. Greenville County has 10 schools that meet this criteria, which make up less than 5% of the 214 schools designated as underperforming by the state, according to Tim Waller with GCS. The district also serves 10% of the state's student population.

Sue Cleveland and Grove elementary schools are no longer considered underperforming as of this year.

Here's what schools are underperforming in GCS, and how the district plans to turn them around.

What schools are now considered underperforming by the state in 2024?

? Alexander Elementary School

? Armstrong Elementary School

? Duncan Chapel Elementary School

? Hollis Academy

? Tanglewood Middle School

Why are these schools underperforming?

Each school's designation as "underperforming" varies based on performance across multiple categories on school report cards. Here are some of the reasons the schools are on the list:

? Student progress: Schools can fall behind if individual students are not making the expected progress compared to other students across South Carolina.

? Climate surveys: These surveys, which provide feedback on the school's environment, change every year, making it hard to compare results consistently.

? Socio-economic factors: Factors such as poverty, a high degree of transience in Greenville County and a growing population of multi-lingual (ML) learners can present academic challenges.

"To help these schools improve, various strategies are employed, such as providing extra support for students, offering before and after-school programs, addressing specific academic weaknesses through remediation, ensuring high-quality instructional materials are available, recruiting and retaining excellent teachers, and engaging in collaborative planning." said Tim Waller.

GCS Superintendent Burke Royster: Current system of testing is 'flawed'

At Tuesday's meeting, Royster stated the current system of testing has flaws. For instance, teachers don't always have time to cover all the required topics, so tests may have material that wasn't taught. He also said that it takes three to five years to track a school's progress accurately.

“Let’s say there are 50 standards in 8th grade math, and an average 8th grade math teacher teaching an average group of 8th graders can teach 35 standards. At the end of the year, there will be a test. That test can cover any of the 50 standards. It might cover 25 of the standards that were taught and 10 that were not taught because the teacher did not have sufficient time,” Royster said.

What is a turnaround plan?

Underperforming schools in the state must develop a Turnaround Plan (also known as a Continuous Improvement Plan) to enhance student achievement. The plan includes the following components:

? Goals: Include specific and measurable goals for educational development.

? Strategies: Include evidence-based interventions and strategies to increase student achievement.

? Evaluation: Include measures to evaluate the success of the plan.

? Collaboration: Develop the plan in collaboration with stakeholders.

? Monitoring: The school district must monitor the plans quarterly.

What is the Elevate Plan?

Both Alexander Elementary School and Lakeview Middle are currently under the GCS's Elevate Plan, which was created to increase the achievement levels of the district's underperforming schools. Although it is too early to measure the four-year pilot program's effectiveness, GCS hopes to retain high quality teachers within it long term, in turn promoting a culture that prioritizes learning and instruction.

2024 high school graduation rates

? Woodmont High: 95.5%

? Riverside High: 95.3%

? Mauldin High: 94.7%

? Hillcrest High: 92.8%

? Eastside High: 90.5%

? J.L. Mann High Academy: 89.8%

? Greenville County Schools: 88.7%

? Greenville Sr. High Academy: 87.9%

? Wade Hampton High: 85.6%

? South Carolina: 85.4%

? Travelers Rest High: 85.3%

? Blue Ridge High: 84.1%

? Greer High: 83.4%

? Southside High: 78.6%

? Berea High: 78.4%

? Carolina High: 77.9%

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com.

Please support us by turning off your adblocker.

Get unlimited digital access, along with subscriber-exclusive content, and more.

Powered By

When Tropical Storm Helene arrived on land on Sept. 27, it swept across South Carolina, leaving destruction from high winds and rains.

Homes, businesses, roads, and parks were destroyed or damaged, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation and state, city, and county workers in the Upstate continue to clean up debris more than two months after the storm. The ongoing cleanup process involves removing fallen trees, clearing blocked roads, and repairing damaged infrastructure.

“This is one of the largest debris removal missions in our agency's history," Deputy Secretary for Engineering Rob Perry said in a statement. "We want to reassure the community that we are here to help. We recognize that properties in the hardest-hit areas are still waiting for their initial pickup. We appreciate the patience of our community members as we work closely with our maintenance teams and contracted services to clean up the mess left by the storm in our state.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, nearly 1.8 million cubic yards of debris have been collected across the state since work began in October. This includes more than 983,000 cubic yards in Spartanburg, Cherokee, Laurens, Newberry, and Union counties alone.

More than 289,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected in Abbeville, Anderson, Greenwood, and McCormick counties.

Meanwhile, over 181,000 cubic yards have been cleaned in Greenville, Pickens, and Oconee counties.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation expects debris to be collected by the end of the year in most impacted areas.

Crews will continue collecting debris for the first several weeks of the New Year in the areas with the most significant storm damage and debris.

This schedule is weather-dependent, and SCDOT officials have expressed that they will continue communicating with residents in impacted areas to provide updates on any changes. They urge residents to stay informed through official channels and remain patient as the crew works to complete the cleanup process.

Greenville City picks up debris

According to the City of Greenville, contractors and Public Works crews made their final pass on Monday, December 9, ensuring that all remaining debris is collected.

According to a City of Greenville Facebook post, it has already picked up over 380,000 cubic yards of debris.

County residents can report debris using the email address debris@greenvillecounty.org.

Greenville Public Works float cheered at Christmas Parade

According to a City of Greenville Facebook post, the float by the City of Greenville's Public Works Disaster Team was one of the most cheered entries in the Poinsettia Christmas Parade. Crews led off the parade hauling storm debris, riding in bucket trucks and marching down Main.

Spartanburg picks up debris

According to a Spartanburg County Facebook post, Spartanburg County is working with DRC Emergency Services to remove storm debris. They currently have around 35 crews working 12-plus hours a day, seven days a week.

Seven debris management sites are strategically placed throughout the county. These are where the crews haul debris, monitor it, and then ground it into mulch. Over 400 debris monitors were hired to ensure the process was completed properly so FEMA could reimburse.

The county expects to collect well over a million cubic yards.

According to the social media post, Spartanburg County has already picked up and hauled off nearly 350,000 cubic yards of debris. Crews are averaging around 6,000 cubic yards a day in their pickups.

Here is what you need to know about debris pickupfor Hurricane Helene.

What to know about the final day for debris pickup?

The South Carolina Department of Transportation has announced that residents must pile up all Hurricane Helene debris for pickup by December 16.

Residents need to organize their debris according to the SCDOT guidelines.

Debris removal guidelines

If you need debris picked up, please have the pieces cut into 12-foot sections or less and place them beside the roadway for removal.

Residents having trouble getting debris to the right of way due to limited road frontage or debris blocking the way are encouraged to call us at 855-467-2368.

Debris removal from private property or private roads

This service does not include debris removal from private property or private roads. Residents must contact local debris removal companies to ensure their properties are cleared.

If you don't know what type of road you live on, you can tell by the letter in front of the number on the upper right side of the street sign. C stands for county roads, S stands for state roads, and P stands for private. Other letters, such as AN, PN, PZ, WP, WM, BN, HP, ST, or IV, indicate municipal roads.

Debris resources for the elderly

Storm debris removal resources for the elderly are available through the ACSC Gov App. This app provides assistance and guidance for senior residents who need help with debris removal and connects elderly individuals with community services that can help them clear vegetative debris from their properties.

Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.

There are many lights that shine bright throughout the winter season, from the ones adorning Christmas trees to those decorating front lawns and homes.

Then there is Hanukkah, which is known as Judaism's "Festival of Lights."

For eight nightfalls, Jewish families and friends will gather together to light a candle on a decorative candelabra called a menorah. The time of year is special to Jews because it is used to celebrate and reflect on a miracle from over 2,000 years ago.

Here's what to know about Hanukkah this year, and where you can celebrate in South Carolina.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is the Jewish word meaning "dedication." The celebration is not only the Festival of Lights, but a festival of rededication in honoring the Macabee soldiers' win over the Syrian Greek army. In their victory, the Macabees, led by Judah, reclaimed Jerusalem's Holy Temple, rededicating it to their God, per a USA TODAY story.

The lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah for eight nights also dates back to what Jews believe to be a miracle. After their victory over the Syrian Greek army, the Macabees only had enough oil to light the temple for one night. However, the little bit of oil left ended up keeping the site lit up for eight days. Lighting the menorah on Hanukkah is a way to signify this ancient story.

When is Hanukkah this year?

Hanukkah will take place from sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25, through sundown on Thursday, Jan. 2.

How many days are there in Hanukkah?

The Festival of Lights will last for eight days and eight nights.

When was the last time Hanukkah fell on Christmas Day?

The last night Hanukkah's first day overlapped with Christmas Day was in 2005, according to Vox. It also fell on Dec. 25 in 1959, 1921, and 1910.

Where to celebrate Hanukkah in South Carolina

? Chanukah on Main: This event runs on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 4-6:30 p.m. at NOMA Square in downtown Greenville.

? Chanukah in the Square: Charleston's 17th annual event will run on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 4-6 p.m. at Marion Square. Guests are asked to come with an appetite for hot food and treats, with the event featuring everything from live music and hot latkes to children's music and giveaways.

? Hanukkah Celebration and Menorah Lighting: All are welcome to participate in this free event, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 27, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Hilton Head Island's Lowcountry Celebration Park. The menorah lighting will begin at 5:20 p.m. There will also be latkes and sufganiyot (traditional Hanukkah food), music, dreidel games, and a holiday collection to support individuals in need.

? Hanukkah Bazaar & Food Festival: Join Congregation Beth Shalom for a Hanukkah Market including vendors, Israeli food, dance lessons, and a candle lighting. The event will be held on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in North Augusta.

? Hanukkah Menorah Lighting: This Hanukkah lighting will be held in Beaufort on Thursday, Dec. 26, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. The event will feature latkes, donuts, and music.

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com.