| Educating Our Children |  |
 The quality of education is one of the most important considerations when moving to a new area. South Carolina public schools have made a dramatic improvement in recent years, due in part to the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test, an accountability measure that evaluates student progress in the areas of English and language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.Charleston County Schools The Charleston County School District is a large and diverse group of schools all the way from urban to rural. With about 43,000 students, 79 schools and more than 7,000 employees, it is South Carolina’s second-largest school system and one of the top employers in the area. Future plans for the district include a $365 million building program which would provide four new high schools, two new elementary schools and renovations to already existing schools. CCSD’s Safe Schools/Healthy Students program helps to create safe learning environments for every student and awareness programs for parents. Focal points for the entire district are Early Childhood Services, Mental and Physical Health Services, Violence Prevention, Drug and Alcohol Prevention/Intervention, and School Security and Safety. Thirty-three schools in CCSD received Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards, more than any other district in South Carolina. Thirteen schools were recognized by the State Department of Education for closing the achievement gap. Newsweek Magazine named the Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston the 10th-best high school in the entire country. All courses at Academic Magnet are taught at the Honors or Advanced Placement level. When students enter the high school they sign, with their parents, a contract agreeing to complete the extensive curriculum and a 90-hour community service requirement, demonstrate the know-how in computers and foreign languages, and write a senior thesis. The senior thesis that all students complete before graduation is a year-long research project with the opportunity to be published in an academic journal. Chicora Elementary School in District 4 of Charleston County has won numerous awards including the first South Carolina school to receive the National Change Award for dramatic improvement. Chicora also offers programs for parents giving them the tools to be on the same page as their children. The adult computer classes, MotherRead program and Parents Participating for Progress help their children succeed in school. Berkeley County Schools All elementary schools in the Berkeley County School District offer a 4-year-old program. There are 37 schools in the county including one alternative school. Throughout the district’s schools there are over 11,500 internet-capable classroom computers with Cynergi technology. Both the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce work with the Berkeley County District in a school-to-work program. Helping to open up the eyes of the students, the program provides an introduction into all aspects of businesses. Project Inquiry gives elementary students the experience of being in a science lab. Daniel Island Elementary School in Charleston implements a uniform policy incorporating the school colors navy blue, light blue, pink, white and gray. The school’s PTA encourages student participation in an annual art Reflections Program. Daniel Island School follows the Everyday Math Series for kindergarten all the way up to fifth grade. Students at Hanahan High School, the home of the Hawks, have a large selection of afterschool clubs and programs to choose from. The clubs include everything from an engineering club to a Renaissance Program. Every April, Hanahan High hosts the Annual Hanahan Invitational Tournament, also known as the HIT. The tournament starts out with a golf tournament on the first Monday morning of HIT. Over 32 teams provide a week of great baseball, ending with drawings for cash prizes. Dorchester County Schools Dorchester County’s District Two, located North of Charleston, includes nine elementary schools, five middle schools, two high schools and an alternative middle school program helping students overcome their academic difficulties. District Two currently serves over 19,000 students, but due to the growing population in Summerville, the district plans to open two new elementary schools and a middle school in 2007 and a high school opening in 2008. District Two’s SAT average for 2006 was 1,050, surpassing the national average of 1,028. In 2005, the district’s students in grades three through eight ranked 12th in the state, scoring above the state average on the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test. Between the two high schools, Fort Dorchester High and Summerville High, the graduating seniors of 2006 earned more than $22 million in scholarships. Students in high school who are two or more grade levels behind their peers can take part in District Two’s Givhans Alternative Program. The school serves those 12th graders that are behind academically, students in danger of expulsion and a GED preparation curriculum for those ages 17 to 19. With two elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school, Dorchester’s District Four keeps classrooms small and the focus on the students. Both elementary schools have a program for 4-year-olds to prepare them for school. After receiving a strong foundation in reading, math, sciences, social studies and life skills in elementary school, the curriculum in middle school is focused on reading and math with an early career decision-making emphasis. At St. George Middle School, District Four has a program similar to District Two’s alternative program. The Odyssey Educational Center provides extra assistance to middle school students who need to advance to a higher grade level. Also high school students may earn diploma credits at the OEC. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLESTON DAY SCHOOL Public Schools Berkeley County School District 843-899-8600 www.berkeley.k12.sc.us Charleston County School District Dorchester County Charter Schools East Cooper Montessori Charter School James Island Charter High School Orange Grove Elementary Charter School Susan G. Boykin Academy Youthbuild Charleston Private Schools Ashley Hall Bishop England High School Blessed Sacrament School Cathedral Academy Charleston Catholic School Charleston Christian School Charleston Collegiate School Charleston Day School Christ Our King – Stella Maris School Coastal Shores Christian School Divine Redeemer Catholic School Faith Christian School Ferndale Baptist School First Baptist Church School First Baptist Church School of Mount Pleasant James Island Christian School Mason Preparatory School Nativity School New Israel Christian School Northside Christian School Northwood Academy The Oaks Christian School Palmetto Christian Academy Pinewood Preparatory School Porter-Gaud School Riverbend Christian Academy Saint Johns Catholic School Summerville Catholic School Trident Academy Trinity Montessori School |
|
| DISTRICT |
MATH
|
CRITICAL READING
|
WRITING* |
GRAND TOTAL*
|
| Berkeley |
503
|
481
|
464
|
1448
|
| Charleston |
489
|
484
|
476
|
1449
|
| Dorchester 2 |
520
|
502
|
490
|
1512
|
| Dorchester 4 |
464
|
456
|
437
|
1357
|
| * Writing section of the SAT was added in 2005, and the grand total is based on all three sections. | ||||