The District 4 Board of Trustees held its regular meeting Monday, September 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the
Board Room. Agenda notices were distributed to Spartanburg Herald Journal and Woodruff City
Bulletin, and the agenda was listed on the District website at spartanburg4.org/do/agenda. Minutes of
the August 5 meeting were approved.
The following reports were given:
Woodruff Primary School
Mrs. McAbee reported the following:
1.
Calendar of Events for September 2013 was provided.
2.
WPS experienced a successful start to the 2013-14 school year. Entry of preschoolers has
gone smoothly. Our newest children are learning our procedures and their parents are learning
our traffic patterns.
3.
Reading Intervention groups are meeting daily from 8:10 – 8:40am. First grade assistants and
special area teachers provide lessons for Tier II groups. Tier I groups meet with the classroom
teachers during this time. Children are selected based on assessment data. This is a fluid
process with children moving in and out of groups throughout the year according to their
needs.
4.
Preschool teachers will host clinical students from USC Upstate during the fall semester.
Those students will participate in an orientation at WPS on September 18. Mrs. Betsy
Alexander, first grade teacher, is hosting a clinical student from Converse College, and Mrs.
Erin Patterson, second grade teacher, is hosting a student from Liberty University.
5.
WPS held Grade Level Night for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade on Tuesday,
August 27. Preschool (3K & 4K) Grade Level Night will be held on Monday, September 23.
During these sessions, the teachers go over classroom procedures, behavior expectations,
homework requirements, and answer questions parents may have.
Enrollment for WPS as of 9/4/13:
Early Head Start Childcare
Family Literacy Childcare
Preschool Threes
Preschool Fours
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
Special Education
Total Enrollment
6
4
69 +17 on waiting list & 7 Babynet Transitions
168 + 13 needing documents or testing
216
187
192
8
850
Woodruff Primary School Calendar of Events
September
Community Project: Helping Hands of Woodruff (paper products)
Character Value Emphasis: Integrity & The Power of Perception: No one can make me angry without
my permission.
Career Focus: “To the Rescue” (Law, Public Safety, and Security)
2 – Labor Day Holiday – No School
8 – Grandparents’ Day
17 – Constitution Day
18 - Interim Reports Issued for 1st & 2nd Graders
22 - First Day of Autumn
23 – Preschool Night (3K & 4K) (5:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
24 – School Improvement Council & Title I Meeting (4:00 – 5:00 p.m.)
25 – School Picture Day
27 - School Family Celebration
Woodruff Elementary School
Mrs. Brewton gave the following report:
Day 1 Enrollment
Current Enrollment
3rd Grade –
4th Grade –
5th Grade –
Total
197
184
191
571
3rd Grade – 203
4th Grade – 189
5th Grade – 198
Total
590
1. August 12 – 16: Teacher In-Service was conducted prior to students returning to school.
Activities included PASS test data analyses, grade level meetings, and Common Core
instructional meetings.
2. August 15: New employees at WES participated in CPR Training as part of the District
orientation process.
3. August 19: Guided by teachers and staff members, students at WES are establishing
personal Attendance, Discipline, and Academic goals for the new year. The students refer to
their goals throughout the school year as they attain expected levels of performance.
4. August 19-23: The school Book Fair was conducted. This event is sponsored by the WES
PTO and the school media center.
5. August 20: Third Grade Orientation was held from 5:00-6:30 with third grade students,
parents, and staff members. Teachers shared relevant information regarding policies and
expectations at a joint meeting in the school cafeteria. A barbeque followed on the playground
field following the meeting. This provided an opportunity for an informal gathering of students,
parents, and WES staff members.
6. August 22: Crisis Management Training was conducted by Officer Mitchell Taylor with the
WES faculty. The plan is based on the National Incident Management System. Staff
members were trained in the appropriate procedures to use in the event of a crisis.
7. August 26: Fall Common Core MAP Testing began for all grades. The student results will be
utilized by teachers to guide classroom instruction. The results will be posted on hallway data
boards.
8. August 27: 4th and 5th grade students and parents participated in Open House from 5:00-6:30.
The drop-in event provided an opportunity for students and parents to meet with teachers.
9. August 28: WES conducted a Fire Drill. The monthly drill allows students and staff members
time to practice safety procedures.
Woodruff Middle School
Mrs. Denise Brown gave the following report:
Current enrollment figures for WMS
6th grade, 191
7th grade, 225
8th grade, 231
1. Open House was held August 26, 2013, from 6:00-7:30 pm. Parents toured the building,
visited the Book Fair, and met faculty and staff. The Volleyball Parent Meeting, Football
Parent Meeting, and Band Rental Meeting were also conducted during this time.
2. The fall MAP testing window is underway through Sept 20. All students participate inmathand
ELA testing. Results are used to determine instruction in the new Study Island sofware in the
computer labs.
3. The Read 180 lab is operation with 145 students visiting daily to utilize leveled reading
materials and interactive software to focus on reading instruction. Teachers complete the
whole group and small group instruction intheir individual classrooms.
4. Interims will be sent home with students on September 18. Student Reports from the Spring
2013 PASS testing administration and the first installment of the home newspaper, the Cub
Chronicle, will be included.
5. WMS’s character education program kicked off the year’s activities the first week of
September. The traits of honesty, responsibility, citizenship, integrity, compassion, self
discipline, and respect will be highlighted during the school year, one per month. Clubs,
organizations, sports teams, specific classrooms, and special guests will present information
on a weekly basis during the morning time as the student body gathers in the gym.
6. ENGAGE’s (Enabling girls with academics, good behavior, and encouragement) first meeting
is Sept 24, Being Beautiful Inside and Out. Real Men Read’s first meeting is Sept 20. Clay
Varner, Woodruff resident and WHS ’03, who is employed by Adidas is the featured speaker.
7. Cub Club, a pep club for middle schoolers, is back in action this year. The $10 fee provides
members admittance into all home ballgames for this school year and purchases a club t-shirt.
Cub Club meets for 7 home ballgames from 3:00 - conclusion of the game. Students make
signs, learn cheers and chants, and participate in halftime activities. WMS athletic director
Bryan McConnell coordinates Cub Club activities. The first Cub Club event is Sept 30, Lady
Cub Volleyball vs. Campobello.
8. The CUBS for Christ organization (Teens for Christ) begins meeting September 11. This
group meets each Wednesday morning before school and is a student-led club.
9. Yearbook, Cubs Create, and Student Council organizations have formed via student elections
or application process and are scheduling first meetings.
10. The annual Meet the Cubs event was held August 29. Cheer, volleyball and football members
were introduced and participated in the afternoon events. Girls Volleyball opens the season
Sept. 11 at home vs. Mabry. 7th and 8th football practice began the week of August 19, and
the season opens the week of Sept 9 with both teams at home. The 7 th grade plays
Powdersville; the 8th grade faces Ewing. This is the first year Woodruff Middle School is a
member of the Foothills Conference. The conference has two divisions, and Woodruff will
compete primarily with Landrum, Pacolet, Cowpens, Chesnee, Mabry and E.P. Todd, with
some contests also scheduled with Pacolet, Blacksburg, Whitmire, Campobello-Grambling,
Ewing, and Jonesville.
11. ProGrin Dentistry is sponsoring the fall WMS sports calendar. Copies were provided for board
members.
Calendar of Upcoming Events:
September
Word of the month: RESPECT
Sept 10
first Yearbook Staff meeting, 3-4:30
Sept 18
Interims
School Pictures
Sept 20
first Real Men Read meeting, 7:30-8 am
Sept 24
first ENGAGE meeting, 3-4:30
Sept 25
Meet You at the Pole, before school, sponsored by Cubs for Christ
Sept 30
first Cub Club meeting, 3-5 pm
October
Word of the month: RESPONSIBILITY
Oct 12
Foothills Conference Volleyball Tournament, hosted at WMS
Oct 16
PSAT testing
Woodruff High School
Dr. Aaron Fulmer submitted the following report:
1. Teachers were given an analysis of test scores, information regarding student specific
services, and an overview of policies, procedures, and other requirements during in-service.
2. WHS held Open House on August 15, 2013 from 5:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. There were
approximately 200 parents in attendance with the opportunity to meet teachers and familiarize
themselves with Woodruff High School.
3. An orientation of the handbook was held the first week of school. A handbook test was
administered to all 9th, 10th and 11th grade students and all new students. Seniors were
provided information regarding the college application process.
4. The Ring Ceremony for Juniors was held on August 26, 2013. Over 80 students received
rings, and there were approximately 300 family members in attendance.
5. Woodruff High School’s SAT composite score was 1390. The math mean was 484, the
reading mean was 465 and the writing mean was 441. South Carolina’s composite score was
1436. Over 62% of the Class of 2013 took the SAT and contributed to these scores. As
always, we are reviewing the data to determine ways to improve.
6. The fall athletic teams are off to a great start. The Football, Volleyball, Cross Country,
Competitive Cheer and Girl’s Tennis teams have worked diligently this summer and are off to
promising athletic seasons.
7. The WHS Marching Band has worked extremely hard to put together a great show. They
unveiled portions of its show entitled “Signs” during halftime vs. Abbeville and Byrnes.
8. Kendra Foster, AP Art Student at WHS, has been selected by the National Scholastic Office to
have her art work hang in the U.S. Department of Education for a period of one year. Kendra's
award letter stated, "We are honored to present your work as an example of the very best
creative work by our nation's emerging artists."
9. The WHS Student Council has decided to adopt the Gibbs Cancer Center as the year long
school wide service project. The Student Council planned the kickoff assembly on September
3 with Steve Starnes from Gibbs and Vicki Patterson as the guest speakers.
10. The SC High School League audited athletic records, and there were no findings.
Instructional Reports
Dr. Carson provided the following information:
1. The district’s Title II (Teacher Quality) grant application for $80,760 has been approved by
SDE.
2.
The percentage of classes taught by “highly qualified” faculty in Spartanburg Four for
2012-2013 is 99.4%. This compares to the district’s rate of 98.2% and the state median
rate of 97.9% from 2011-2012.
3. An analysis of ESEA ratings data prepared by SDE was provided.
4. WHS AP faculty members are consulting with Converse College faculty re: courses of
study required to meet requirements as adjunct instructors for dual credit offerings.
5. Dual credit offerings through Converse College will include AP English Language, AP
English Literature and AP Statistics.
6. Grants totaling $4000, targeting technology, were awarded to the district by Duke Energy
through Clemson University.
7. The district assistant superintendent was named to the board of directors for the
Spartanburg County College Hub.
8. District staff will attend quarterly information sessions conducted by SDE, the first being
on SEP 5, 2013.
9. Ten induction level teachers will attend a session on classroom management to be
conducted at Dawkins Middle School on SAT, SEP 7, 2013.
10. District staff will participate in a forum on SEP 10, 2013, to address the manner in which
the state provides instructional materials to districts.
11. Woodruff High School earned an Excellent rating from SDE on its foreign language
program.
Karen E. Neal provided the following report:
1. Mean scores for the ACT have been received and analyzed. The WHS composite score was
20.3. WHS tested 94 students, the highest number ever tested.
2. PASS data has been received, and Home reports will be distributed on September 18. All data
has been reviewed, compared with state and local data, and specific areas have been targeted
for assistance.
3. All schools have had smooth openings. District and school staff and law enforcement continue
to monitor traffic flow. However, traffic has flowed smoothly thanks to the efforts of parents
and staff.
4. The Family Literacy program has 23 students attending daily as they seek to pass the GED
before January 1, 2014. Early Head Start Daycare has enrolled 4 students, and Family
Literacy Childcare has enrolled 8 children.
5. District and school administrators are in the process of observing all new teachers to District 4.
6. Blood borne pathogen training was held on August 16 for all new employees, first responders,
and custodial staff.
7. Over 100 ESOL students are being served throughout the four schools thus far this year.
8. Some 6 students are currently enrolled at Fresh Start, and 5 students are being served at
HELP. Of these 11 students, 7 are enrolled in the Wolverine Express program, a proficiencybased program which enables students to receive Carnegie credits upon demonstrating
mastery. The goal is for all of these students to demonstrate mastery and ultimately receive
the SC High School Diploma.
9. DHEC will be giving flu shots on Oct. 21 and 22.
Facilities
Board members received a printed update of facilities projects and a BAN projects.
Superintendent
Dr. Liston reported the following:
Thanked staff and principals.
BOARD APPROVED
1. Amended inter-governmental agreement.
2. Funding flexibility resolution for fiscal year 2014.
3. Received recommended policy revisions for review (no action taken).