PICKENS COUNTY — The School District of Pickens County has been accepted to TransformSC’s network of innovative schools. SDPC joins just 5 other districts across the state as a part of the network working to transform education in South Carolina.

“When schools volunteer to participate in TransformSC, it is a testament to their leadership and commitment to innovation,” said Mike Brenan, co-chair of TransformSC and state president of BB&T, and Pamela Lackey, state president of AT&T and co-chair of TransformSC “We welcome Pickens County to the TransformSC network, and we look forward to celebrating their success in the coming years.”

To be accepted into the TransformSC network, the schools submitted a three-year innovation plan that is evaluated and approved by TransformSC’s Action Team Chairs and staff.

“We are so honored to be a part of the TransformSC network. This is a testament to the work that our teachers, administrators, and school board have done over the past few years to make sure Pickens County is a leader in innovation,” said Sharon Huff, SDPC’s Assistant Superintendent of Instruction.

TransformSC schools receive a variety of supports and opportunities through participation in the network, including access to national experts, mentorship opportunities with other innovative schools and assistance with the implementation of innovation plans.

“We owe a lot to one of our school board members, Betty Bagley, for bringing this partnership together,” Huff said. “As a member of our board, she looked at many of the things we were doing as a district—project-based learning, the new aerospace program at the Career & Technology Center, our Montessori programs—and saw how our goals and TransformSC’s goals aligned. It’s exciting to have the support of this network as we try to reach our goals, and to have the recognition of being on the leading edge of education in the state.”

TransformSC is accepting applications from schools with innovative approaches to achieving the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate for every student and every teacher in every classroom, every day.

Schools at all stages of innovation are encouraged to apply by contacting transformsc@sccompetes.org.

Staff report