The Dorchester School District 4 Board convened for its regular meeting on September 17th, with Board Chair Phyllis Hughes leading the proceedings. After calling the meeting to order, Hughes turned the floor over to Superintendent Jeff Beckwith to highlight key celebrations across the district.
Mr. Beckwith began by stressing the importance of recognizing and placing a stronger emphasis on academic excellence. "We must honor excellence in academics just as we do for other extracurriculars," Beckwith noted. To emphasize this, he celebrated four students who achieved perfect math scores on their SC READY assessment last year. Congratulations were extended to William Clark, Rylan Miles, Maxwell Jackson, and John Donato for their outstanding achievements. Each student received a framed letter from the State Superintendent of Education, Ellen Weaver, along with a trophy to commemorate their success.
In addition to these honors, Beckwith announced that at the next Board Meeting, students who scored a 100 on one or more of their End of Course (EOC) Exams last year will also be recognized.
Following this, Beckwith passed the microphone to Dr. April Sanders, Interim Chief of Human Resources, to present the September recipients of Dorchester School District Four’s "Everyday Hero" recognition program. The Everyday Hero program shines a spotlight on the exceptional individuals working behind the scenes, ensuring that the district operates smoothly while supporting student success.
This month's honorees included Ms. Eleanor Washington, Mrs. Margarita Baptista, and Ms. Amber Jennings. Each recipient was awarded a certificate of appreciation and a distinguished coin from Superintendent Beckwith, a small token of the district’s gratitude for their dedication and service.
In line with the district's continued focus on community education and literacy, Hughes proudly announced that the Superintendent and the Board of Education had issued an honorary proclamation declaring that September 16th - 20th, 2024, is National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.
After the awards, District Office Directors gave their reports, and the board approved several updates to Board Policies that were up for their second reading.
One of the most significant announcements of the night came from Interim Chief of Operations, Mr. James Martin, reported that the district has applied for another $853,000 grant, a portion of which will be used to purchase impact-resistant window security film, enhancing the safety of school facilities. This is in addition to the previous safety grant of $506,000 received last school year.
Beckwith praised the efforts of the district, highlighting how important these grants are for continued development. Board Chair Phyllis Hughes echoed these sentiments, noting, "Grant work is very difficult. Not only is it a challenging process to apply, but once awarded, it takes considerable effort to manage the earmarked funds and ensure everything is used correctly." She commended the district's dedication and expressed her pride in the team’s efforts.
The meeting concluded with an executive session. The next Dorchester School District 4 Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22nd, at 6:00 p.m.