Greenwood School District 50’s 2011-2012 school year is off to a terrific start. Many thanks to our faculty and staff providing excellent education services and LEAVING FOOTPRINTS in the lives of all our students! In spite of economic hardships, our district has never wavered in delivering the same first-class educational services on a daily basis.

Our schools continue to excel in closing the achievement gap among students as evidenced by Hodges Elementary being nominated for the S.C. Title I Distinguished School award last year. This marked the third district school in the past four years to be nominated for this award. Merrywood Elementary was nominated for the award in 2009 and Oakland Elementary won a $100,000 grant as a state winner in 2007.

Our district’s recent trend of improved student achievement has not changed. SAT scores continue to rise, especially in the subject of math. The number of students participating in Advanced Placement (AP) exams is increasing along with students’ passing scores on these exams.

We are constantly working to provide choice options that interest and motivate our students. The newly created GSI (Greenwood School of Inquiry) Magnet Program is a school-wide program for K5-5^th graders that is housed at Hodges Elementary. GSI offers students the opportunity to develop inquisitive and expressive minds as they prepare to achieve individual life goals.

We expanded the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Magnet program to include high school students and the STEMS (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics School) Magnet program to include 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders. ACTS (Arts, Communication, and Theater School), our oldest magnet program, continues to offer opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students. Additional district choice options include the Montessori program, Single Gender programs, the Middle College Program, and early-bird and flexible schedule course at Genesis Education Center.

We are nearing the end of the district’s $150 million building program which produced three new elementary schools, two new middle schools, a state-of-the-art high school gymnasium and additions and expansions at all of our existing facilities. Technology continues to be upgraded to support the teaching and learning process. Our new student instructional software, Compass Learning, is being implemented district-wide and provides all students with instructional activities that align with state standards and district academic goals.

As we continue our journey through another successful year, your constant support of our schools and educational programs is critical to the overall success our district.  We must remain focused on academic achievement and providing the best education possible for all of our students.

Working together, we can overcome any challenge and LEAVE A FOOTPRINT in the lives of all our students and our community……AND THEN SOME!

Superintendent
Greenwood School District 50