Chester County School District

Today, we honor and remember the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of our veterans. We want to give a special shout-out to our own team members, and their family members, who have served—and continue to serve—their community. Clarence Ervin - Air National Guard Melvin Tanner - Army William Houston - Army Thomas Sibley - Army Kevin Davis - Marines Christopher Moore - Navy and Army Wallace Boyd - Navy Duane Graham - Marines Michael Walker - Army Tony Emerson, Jr. - Army Lloyd L. Bowden, Jr. - Army Fred Lee, Jr.- Army Ray Charles Lee - Navy Donald Stevenson, Sr.- Air Force Ronald Stevenson - Air Force Carl Burks Jr. - Navy Del Chriscoe - Army Zebedee Roof - Army Cecil Culp - Navy William Bill Roof - Air Force Grover Roof - Air Force Richard Gunter Sr. - Army Richard Gunter Jr. - Navy Bailey Gunter - Air Force National Guard Colby Gunter - Marines Carlos Blackwell - Air Force John Knight - Air Force Christopher Johnson - Army Caden Vinson - Army Logan Tinsley - Army Arther Lewis, III - Army Haywood McCree - Army James Commodore - Army Reserve Heather Zwiker - Air Force Donnie Miller - Army Ann-Marie Streeter - Army Teresa Washington Foster - Army Cleomise Jones - Army Dennis Boulware - Army National Guard Demetria Roach - Army and Air Force Ashley E. Ross - Marines Robert David “Bucky” Butler - Army Dr. Randy Worthy - Army Reserves Nickolos White - Army Shemmicca Moore - Army Reserves Doug Shannon - Army National Guard Arthur Douglas - Army Randy Strong - Army Laura Tidwell - Army Tyrone Lawrence Barbee - Army Theodore Gabe Miller Jr. – Army John J Corral – Army Matthew Sampson – Army Jerry L. Henry – Army James D. Lander - Army David Ford - Army National Guard Did we miss anyone? Add them in the comments below! Thank you to all who have served and continue to protect our freedom.

REMINDER: Tuesday, November 12, 2024, will be an Early Dismissal day. Please visit our website for dismissal times: https://www.chester.k12.sc.us/page/arrival-and-dismissal-bell-times All normal school operations will resume Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Last month, Lewisville students from GEAR-UP and Boys to Men, along with Chester students from agriculture classes at the Career Center, took a field trip to the historic Brainerd Institute in Chester to plant trees and participate in educational "Workshops in Open Fields" inspired by accomplished Brainerd graduate Vivian Ayers. Ayers, whose poetry has been nominated for a Pulitzer and celebrated by NASA, was just recently honored by NASA as one of the "Women of Apollo," or "Hidden Figures." Likewise, the workshops included Mayan art lessons, mindfulness, poetry, and songwriting. Career Center teacher Daniel Stover provided hands-on Horticulture lessons by helping students plant oak trees and learn to take care of the beautiful campus as an act of community service.

Congratulations to Ms. Tracy Parks on earning her CSBO Certified School Business Officer certification! This significant achievement highlights her expertise and dedication to advancing excellence in school business operations. Well deserved, Tracy! #SCASBO #CSBO

CCSD is once again excited to announce its district-wide Holiday Toy Drive! Starting today through December 6th, everyone is welcome to drop off donations of new toys, clothing items, or books at the District Office or at any school location. Additional information is in the flyer below. Help us bring some holiday cheer to a child in need!

The 2024 proposed bond referendum did not secure the votes needed for passage. The dialogue generated through this referendum has been invaluable, and your feedback has given us a clearer understanding of community priorities and concerns. Moving forward, we aim to continue this open dialogue, to listen and learn, and to explore how we can still achieve our shared goals for our schools and students. We wish to give our heartfelt thanks to the community members and businesses who engaged in thoughtful discussions, offered feedback, and cast their votes.

November breakfast and lunch menus are now available online at https://myschoolmenus.com/organizations/2240. Please contact Student Nutrition Services if you have any questions.

REMINDER: All CCSD facilities will be CLOSED on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, in observance of Election Day. Normal school operations will resume on Wednesday.

National Principals Month: We're Celebrating Our Principals! Ms. Mary Ann Dawkins is the Co-Director of The Academy of Teaching and Learning and has been with CCSD for 29 years. She also founded the school 20 years ago, and is a graduate of Winthrop University. She enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and three grandchildren. She says, "It is an honor to serve the children and their families at the Academy. I believe that working beside staff with a common vision builds a strong culture to lift our students to experience extraordinary success in life. The biggest strength in a school are teachers who daily commit to celebrating each child and their families. We must grow together as a team to help each student academically and socially. A principal's responsibility is to create and nurture an environment that makes that a priority." Thank you, Ms. Mary Ann Dawkins!

National Principals Month: We're Celebrating Our Principals! Dr. Tamara Taylor is the Principal of Great Falls Elementary School and has been with CCSD for 28 years. She is an avid reader, who also enjoys writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, as well as traveling. She has dedicated her life in service to God, and then to the children, students, families, and the community. She strives to be a person of integrity who operates with humility, grace, and compassion. She says, "As principal, my job is to ensure that the path to academic achievement and student success for each of my students...as well as the success and professional growth of my staff! I believe it is my duty to work alongside my school team to ensure that structures and systems are in place for continued success. Being a principal means that I show up everyday with authenticity and accountability - never afraid to make difficult choices when they are in the best interest of our staff and students. Being a principal means I have publicly committed to my district and community - my willingness to do my part to make the world (Great Falls - Chester County) better!" Thank you, Dr. Tamara Taylor

It was a beautiful Friday morning as students, staff, and guests came together to celebrate the new competition track at Lewisville High. Students from all schools will have access to this new regulation track. Now, all schools will be able to host track events in county!

Happy Halloween! We wish you all a night of creativity, costumes, and many treats. May your evening be full of laughter, great memories, and a touch of Halloween magic. Enjoy time with your family and stay safe!

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, our community will vote on a $227 million capital referendum question to build a new Chester High School and Lewisville High School and make key additions to Great Falls High School. The image below shows an overview of the Chester High School project. For additional information on all the proposed projects, visit our website: https://www.chester.k12.sc.us/page/2024-bond

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, our community will vote on a $227 million capital referendum question to build a new Chester High School and Lewisville High School and make key additions to Great Falls High School. The image below shows an overview of the Great Falls High School project. For additional information on all the proposed projects, visit our website: https://www.chester.k12.sc.us/page/2024-bond

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, our community will vote on a $227 million capital referendum question to build a new Chester High School and Lewisville High School and make key additions to Great Falls High School. The image below shows an overview of the Lewisville High School project. For additional information on all the proposed projects, visit our website: https://www.chester.k12.sc.us/page/2024-bond

National Principals Month: We're Celebrating Our Principals! Dr. Shana Harper is the Principal of Chester Park Elementary School of Arts and has been with CCSD for four years. She enjoys reading and finds joy in helping others. She loves to spend time with her family. She says, "As a principal, it's an honor to serve the Chester County Community in a leadership capacity. With the support of our families, staff, students, board, and community members, the culture at Chester Park Elementary School of the Arts is one of respect and inclusion of all. I am privileged to pour into an already rich Chester Family, one who encourages the best for our students and who lives by Psalms 127:3, “Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him.” "I am dedicated to ensuring our students are aware they are worthy of and deserve to have the most effective and trustworthy education the district has to offer. My commitment is an expression of the type of gratitude I have toward the learning opportunities I have been granted to offer to such an influential and precious group of humans. Thank you, Chester Community, for allowing me to contribute to and be a part of this GREAT PLACE to Grow as we ALL Move Forward for Student Success!" Thank you, Dr. Shana Harper

National Principals Month: We're Celebrating Our Principals! Ms. Robyn Caldwell is the Co-Director of The Academy for Teaching and Learning and has been with CCSD for 32 years. ATL is Chester County's first public charter school, which she founded over 20 years ago. She is a proud graduate of Chester High School and the University of South Carolina. She is thankful that she returned to Chester to serve her community as an educator of its young people. Ms. Caldwell enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, traveling, and all things football. She says that being a school principal is the absolute best job ever! "Not only do I get to nurture and teach children how to become productive grown-ups, but, I also get to challenge teachers to be over-the-top educators who don't take for granted their roles and responsibilities in the lives of the students they teach." Thank you, Ms. Robyn Caldwell!

On Oct 15, 2024, the CCSD Teacher Forum hosted a forum for candidates to discuss school-related topics. Each candidate later received additional questions, and their responses are now available on our website. Read the full story: https://www.chester.k12.sc.us/article/1845923.

National Principals Month: We're Celebrating Our Principals! Mr. Brian Edmond is the Principal of Lewisville Middle School and has been with CCSD for 20 years. He has served in all major parts of Chester County at the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels. He is a huge USC Gamecock fan and a Carolina Panthers fan. He says that being a school principal allows him to touch the lives of the faculty, staff, and most importantly the students of Chester County. "I am fully indebted to them because they have accepted my service for the past twenty years. My job and passion as a leader in this great district is to help take teaching and learning to the next level of excellence and to show the state and nation that Chester County School District is a great place to grow!" Thank you, Mr. Brian Edmond!

National Principals Month: We're Celebrating Our Principals! Mr. David Spencer has been with CCSD for 12 years and is currently the Director of The Learning Center. His household is his wife (currently a teacher with CCSD), three sons, and two dogs. A graduate of The Citadel, Mr. Spencer spends most of his free time coaching or watching his children play sports. He says that being a principal means that he gets to help create opportunities and build pathways to success for all students. Thank you, Mr. David Spencer!