School District Gets ‘Excellent’ Report Card – Pickens Sentinel

The School District of Pickens County is one of the top five districts in South Carolina, according to annual District Report Card ratings released today. On School Report Cards, 100% of Pickens County schools received an Absolute rating of Excellent, Good, or Average, compared to 83% of the state’s schools. “This is great news for our district,” said Dr. Mendel Stewart, superintendent. “The measures that are in place – AYP, PACT, SAT, and ACT scores — have consistently shown that Pickens County places priority on student achievement and that we are producing positive results. The Report Card ratings are further evidence that this is an outstanding district.” In the fourth year for Report Cards mandated by the landmark Education Accountability Act of 1998, the School District of Pickens County was one of only 5 districts in the state to receive an Excellent Absolute rating and an Excellent Improvement rating. Only 9 districts received an Excellent Absolute rating; only 15 districts received an Excellent Improvement rating. Libba Floyd, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said, “Our teachers have worked hard, putting forth tremendous effort to prepare students. They continually do what is best for students. They’ve also made an ongoing commitment to professional development, focusing on content and instructional strategies. Our excellence is a direct result of the excellence in the classroom.” Six district schools scored Excellent on both the Absolute and Improvement ratings, compared to 2 in 2003. These schools are Forest Acres Elementary, Holly Springs Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Daniel High, Liberty High, and Pickens High. Overall, 20 of the district’s 25 schools scored Excellent or Good on the Absolute rating. No school scored Below Average or Unsatisfactory on the Absolute rating. Fourteen schools scored Excellent, Good, or Average on the Improvement rating. Stewart concluded, “Report cards don’t tell the entire picture. What goes on day to day in every classroom is never measured. Our teachers, administrators, and support staff work with parents each day to do what’s right for the students. They’re making a difference.”