Darin Rice
Chief Academic Officer

The curriculum at Ware Shoals School District 51 is a holistic approach that emphasizes World Class Knowledge, World Class Skills and Life & Career Characteristics, outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

More than just a scope and sequence of standards or a purchased set of instructional units, our curriculum takes a personalized approach and is built around each student’s abilities and career interests. We focus heavily on early intervention and intensive support as to allow students every opportunity to be successful in the career pathways they choose. Student growth is our benchmark for success and it refines our instructional practices.

We believe effective instruction requires teachers to:

• Have a thorough understanding of the standards and what students must do to demonstrate mastery.

• Develop valid and reliable assessments which match the rigor and expectations described in the standards.

• Use data to accurately determine what students already know.

• Differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each learner.

• Assess for understanding and provide remediation/enrichment as needed.

Ware Shoals School District 51 believes this approach is in line with our mission and gives each student the opportunity to be “ productive, successful and contributing members of our society”. 

The mission of South Carolina's Office of Career and Technology Education (CTE) is to provide leadership and services to districts and schools who support career and technical instruction for students in grades seven through twelve. Ware Shoals School District 51 provides a variety of CTE opportunities to our students and opportunities are available for students to take courses offered at the G.Frank Russell Technology Center in Greenwood.

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION

The identification of gifted and talented students is a multi-step process which consists of screening and referral, assessment of eligibility, and placement. The objective of the grade 2 testing program is to evaluate each student for the purpose of placement into a district gifted and talented program.

DIMENSION A

In accordance with State Board Regulation 43-220, students must meet the criteria for two out of the three dimensions outlined in this law. Dimension A (Reasoning Abilities) requires students to demonstrate high aptitude (93rd national age percentile) in one or more of these areas: verbal/linguistic, quantitative/mathematical, nonverbal, and/or a composite of the three. Scores on the CogAT may be used for this purpose.

DIMENSION B

Dimension B (High Achievement in Reading and/or Mathematical Areas) of the regulation requires that students demonstrate high achievement in reading and/or mathematical areas (94th national percentile and above) as measured by a nationally normed or statewide assessment. Scores on the Iowa Assessments (IA) may be used for this purpose.

The results from the administration of the aptitude (CogAT) and achievement (IA) tests are entered into the Gifted Identification Forms and Tasks (GIFT) software program, which identifies students who automatically qualify for a gifted and talented program. GIFT also identifies those students who may benefit from a secondary screening using the Performance Task Assessments (Dimension C).

DIMENSION C

Dimension C (Intellectual/Academic Performance) requires students to demonstrate a high degree of interest in and commitment to academic and/or intellectual pursuits or demonstrate intellectual characteristics such as curiosity/inquiry, reflection, persistence/tenacity in the face of challenge and creative productive thinking. One of the methods by which these characteristics may be demonstrated is with a score of sixteen on either the verbal or nonverbal component of the Performance Task Assessments for grade 3 placement

According to regulation (43-200) "Removal from the GT programming must be preceded by appropriate counseling with the student and conferences with the student's parents and teachers." A GT Withdrawl Form <insert link here> can be used to support this withdrawal process.

* For more information please visit South Carolina Department of Education's Website or call your child's school.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

Ware Shoals School District 51 recognizes our responsibility to provide students the necessary skills to be successful in our global economy. To meet this challenge, our district will conduct formal evaluations when appropriate to support decisions related to refinement, improvement of practices, and/or the continuation of current programming. We believe the procedures outlined below will allow us to make well informed decisions regarding current programming.

1. Create a committee to clearly identify the scope of the evaluation and what we desire to know about the program.

2. Select the information sources needed to effectively evaluate the program. Examples could include formative assessment data, teacher input, parent/student surveys etc.

3. Collect and analyze the information to make recommendations for: refinement of the program, improvement of implementation, or the discontinuation of current practice.

Definition of a Program: A program is a set of continuing activities, procedures and resources designed to accomplish a predetermined goal.

Ware Shoals School District 51 incorporates the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education Curriculum into our comprehensive health instruction. Information regarding the program can be found here: https://tppevidencereview.youth.gov/document.aspx?rid=3&sid=74

Request To Attend Form

Request For Reimbursement Form

Ware Shoals School District 51 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, national origin/ethnic origin or disability in its admissions policies, programs or activities.

Concerns/Complaints Regarding Instructional Materials

When a parent/guardian with a child in Ware Shoals School District 51 has a concern about a particular book or other instructional material available to students, the parent/guardian should  meet with the principal, who is responsible over materials in his/her school.  After meeting with the parent/guardian and reviewing the material, the principal will determine if the instructional materials are appropriate for his/her school. The principal will also take any necessary action in regards to the materials and contact the parent/guardian with his/her decision. 

If a parent/guardian is not satisfied with the principal’s decision, he/she may file a written complaint. This complaint must be filled out on the form provided by the SC Department of Education, consistent with State Board of Education Regulation 43-170. This complaint form should be delivered or emailed to the attention of Chief Academic Officer Mr. Darin Rice (djrice@gwd51.org) at Ware Shoals School District 51’s Administrative Offices at 56 South Greenwood Ave., Ware Shoals, SC 29692. 

South Carolina Instructional Materials Uniform Parent Complaint Form

State Board of Education Regulation 43-170

Searchable List of Books and Digital Resources utilized in Ware Shoals School District 51:

Textbooks in Ware Shoals School District 51

Instructional Technology Digital Resources

Searchable List of Titles and Copies in Ware Shoals School District 51 Libraries

Ware Shoals Primary School

Ware Shoals Middle School

Ware Shoals High School