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PTC Scholarships

Six Piedmont Technical College students were recently awarded the PTC Golf Classic Scholarship at the college’s annual scholarship luncheon. Pictured from left are Leslie Harrison, a radiologic technology student from Bradley; Amy Gregory, a practical nursing student from Laurens; Fran Wiley, executive director of the PTC Foundation; Brian Shirley, an electrical maintenance technology student from Hodges; Brian Bradberry, an HVAC student from Ninety Six; Amy West, a veterinary technology student from Bradley; and Geraldine Strickland, a business major from Calhoun Falls. The scholarship is awarded annually and is based on academic achievement and financial need.

Calhoun Falls Planning Group Submits Charter School Application

The Calhoun Falls Planning Group has completed a monumental step toward the creation of Calhoun Falls Charter School. The Planning Group, as well as the South Carolina Association of Public Charter Schools (SCAPCS), is pleased to announce that the application for the charter school was submitted to the State Department of Education (SDE) on the morning of March 31.

This submission was a result of a combined effort of the members of the group and the staff of SCAPCS who worked very hard to prepare the application and the necessary appendices that provides evidence of educational need, curriculum plan, operational plan, budget, and community support for the charter school. Upon submission of the application, the evaluation and approval process will last approximately 90 days. The next step in the process is consideration by the Charter School Advisory Committee which will be scheduled to take place at a location in Columbia, SC upon completion of the application review by the SDE.

The Calhoun Falls Planning Group will continue to develop community support and has begun a serious fund-raising effort for the school. Pre-enrollment for grades 6-12 continues; enrollment forms are available at Calhoun Falls City Hall.

Charter School Still Moving Forward

by Darlene Cox

"Charter is not a bust!" quote from Keith Ashley, committee spokesperson, during a public forum March 24.

Just a quick called meeting to inform the public of what has been going on the last week or so with our school. First of all our charter is not a bust. We are not dead in the water. Imagine is no longer our operating company. The reason being is that the school district is not going to support our charter. The amount of money per pupil is one amount if the school district supports the charter. However it is a little lower without the support of the district. Imagine was seeking 12% of our total funding. They didn't see where they could get their 12% and operate our school with a sound budget and knowing that they would get their return on their money. We basically had to break it off with Imagine. The mayor and others came up with great offers to help with the situation. However, Imagine could not see the guaranteed funding being there and they just couldn't do it.

We did everything that we could and everything that they asked and it turned out like this. It just wasn't going to work with them. Thursday, as soon as we broke ties with Imagine, we were on the phone with David Church, who is with the state charter. He has been on the ball since. Dr. Church said that it was with the upmost importance for us to get our application revised and sent in toward the end of this week, which was no problem. Going with Dr. Church and the state charter will be a shorter process. There are steps that we would have had to take through Imagine that we will be able to skip with the state charter.

This will take more work from our Steering Committee and our community, but Dr. Church and the state charter are on our side. They are going to do all that they can to make sure that this gets up and running for the 08/09 school year. At this point and time there is nothing to stop it. The school district can not stop it because we are breaking ties with them concerning the middle and high school.

To give you an idea of one thing that the state offers for teacher as for their salary. A first year teacher can start out at anywhere from 32-36,000 dollars and it goes up from there.

After we submit our application and get approved, we can still sign on with an operating company. Dr. Church has spoken with a company out of Michigan that could possibly become our operating company if the funding works for them. Dr. Church feels that this company could be a better fit for us than Imagine. Hopefully we will be speaking with them later this week and possibly getting together to work on some figures.

We were forced into these situations back in Dec. We have been fighting since and we will continue to fight. Nothing has slowed down. We have just hit a bump. We are on the same time lines with the state charter as we were with Imgaine. We have a 75% chance of getting this school up and running for the 08/09 school year. For anyone who is still concerned about the other 25%, look at it this way. Back in December, we had 0% chance. We are hoping to have the school signed over to the town no later than August 1. We are shooting for a start up date of August 20. The new name of the school through the state charter will be Calhoun Falls Public Charter School (CFPCS).

A school board will need to be elected and from there we will need six more committees to take on other obligations.

Regina Lee has put together a protest tonight (Tuesday, March 25) at the school board meeting from 5 p.m.-until. The school board meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. If at all possible try to be there early to show your support. If you can not get into the board meeting, join Regina and everyone else outside for the protest. She and others will be protesting how board policies have been changed not allowing public input at school board meetings as well as discrimination by the school distict.

The kick-off fundraiser and Appreciation Dinner for the Steering Committee will be this Saturday, March 29, starting at 12 noon at the Calhoun Falls Civic Center. Please come out to show your support. There will be hotdog plates for sale, magnets, cakes, drawing for prizes, candy and a booster club membership drive. There will be a lot of things going on and everyone should have a good time. Please also come to show your appreciation for all that the Steering Committee has and is continuing to do!

Charter Update
by Darlene Cox
The hearing for the charter approval is supposed to be around the second week in April. Please try to make plans to attend that hearing in Columbia to help support our Steering Committee. Hopefully, around May 1, the state will award us the charter. If the charter is approved, then beginning around May 31, they can begin hiring a principal, administrative assistant, staff and start acquiring teachers. Faculty and staff would be in place by July 7. At some point, elections will need to be held for charter board members.

Imagine will have to replace everything in the school because the school district plans on removing all of it. Reportedly, it is illegal to sell Imagine any items because those items are state property. All items will be kept in storage and held as surplus until needed by the district and or sold at auction.

FFA Week

The Calhoun Falls High School FFA attended a meeting of the SC House of Representatives, had a private tour of the Senate Chambers, discussed issues with Rep. Paul Agnew and met with other state FFA members during FFA Week in February. Members on top row, left to right: Mikey Johnson, Ethan Powell, William Sherard, Scott Sherard. Bottom row: State FFA Secretary Hunter Cooper, James Ashley, Brittany Rhodes, and Samantha Coker. Calvert Sherard serves as Calhoun Falls FFA advisor.

Abbeville 4-H Program Update
by Jenny Mountford
I am excited to see that the Abbeville County 4-H program has grown by leaps and bounds in the past year that I have been the 4-H Agent. I certainly want to keep this growing trend, but I just might need your help!

Abbeville 4-Her’s have started the year with many exciting events, activities and meeting topics. So far, they have learned about record books, wildlife survival, Beef cattle breeds, made Valentine’s for nursing home residents, and made annual club plans.

In 2008 the Abbeville County 4-H program will include, but not be limited to, programming for the SC 4-H Centennial Celebration, Beef Club, Horse Club, Natural Resources Club, Shooting Sports, 4-H2O Summer Camp, Youth Livestock Show, F.A.C.E for Wildlife, Dairy Heifer project, and possibly Poultry and Wether Goat projects.

The new Natural Resources 4-H Club has an upcoming club meeting where members will be learning about gun safety, and then get a chance to practice their gun safety and hunting skills on the SC DNR “Take One, Make One” Laser Shot game. Members will also have a chance to make a camouflage critter and learn about how wildlife depends on camouflage to survive. In March, members will travel to Columbia on a field trip to the Palmetto Sportsman’s Classic where they will experience educational displays, demonstrations, vendors, and loads of fun for the entire family.

The Abbeville 4-H Beef Club has created an annual plan to include educational demonstrations, lessons, clinics, shows and fun days. This year several members will be learning all about beef, swine, and sheep in order to participate in the 4-H Livestock Judging competition in April. Members will also work hard with their show heifers for show season in the fall. Several ideas have been set for fundraisers and community service projects for the 4-H Beef Club members.

The Horse N Around 4-H Club will begin their year with a meeting in March. A few members will be learning about horse science to participate with the Greenwood County Horse Club at the State 4-H Hippology and Horse Bowl in February 2008. Throughout the year members will experience educational clinics, fun days, trail rides, fundraisers and lessons on the horse industry.

If livestock or natural resources doesn’t spark your 4-H interest, then additional club, individual projects, community clubs, or after school programs can become available with the energy of dedicated volunteers. Program areas could include: healthy lifestyles, youth leadership, food & nutrition, sewing, robotics, wood working, gardening – well actually just about anything youth are interested in.

The 4-H program is a volunteer based youth program for ages 5 to 19, where leadership, life skills and community service are learned. Whatever the program is, there is definitely a whole lot of fun in learning and learning in fun! New members and volunteers are always welcome, and I hope you will join us at the following events.

February

March

Attendance Zones: Enforced or Not
The closure of Calhoun Falls High School can be attributed to the failure of past and present attendance zone policies and procedures of the Abbeville County School Board, according to an 11-page report compiled by independent sociologist Tracy Lindler.

School Board Chairman Resigns
According to reports, the Abbeville County Board of Trustees chose not to reconsider the vote to close Calhoun Falls High School, prompting chairman Buster Taylor to resign. Prior to that, Mayor Johnnie Waller asked the board to give the CFHS campus to the town. The trustees discussed the legalities of giving the campus away while a $1.7 million bond is owed on it, so Abbeville trustee Mark Burton suggested that the campus be leased to the town for $1 a year until it's paid. No action was taken.

Palmetto Award
Calhoun Falls High School was the only county high school to recently win a Palmetto Gold Award. The $5,700, awarded by the S.C. Department of Education for performance improvement, can be spent at CFHS before it closes, according to reports.

CF to Get School
The Abbeville County School Board unanimously voted January 29 to deed the Calhoun Falls High School campus to the Town of Calhoun Falls, pending state approval, deed legalities, and a survey, according to Trustee Tim Rhodes. The school should be in the town's possession by August 1, but the plans for the charter school can begin now, Rhodes said.

"I think they have a good chance of getting a charter school started in the fall now," he said. "For Calhoun Falls, I think this is the best arrangement. There's no out-of-pocket money to buy the school."

The town will not have to pay $1.7 million to obtain the school as previously state, he said. According to information presented during the meeting, deeding the school will cost $10,000 or less, he said. The district will take whatever it needs, like computers and desks. The town or charter will be responsible for upkeep and maintainence.

The district will have first choice of the campus if the town decides that it's no longer needed, he said.

Imagine Schools Chosen
by Lee Boggs
The majority of 300 people attending the Save Calhoun Falls High School community meeting January 20 voted to work with Imagine Schools in setting up a charter school. The vote capped a two-hour meeting that included dozens of questions about charter schools and a presentation about "equity in education".

Mayor Johnnie Waller said he will ask the Abbeville County School Board of Trustees Tuesday, January 22, to donate the CFHS campus to the town. Doing so will expediate the charter school opening, which parents said prior to the vote that they hope it can be open for the 08-09 school year. Neither of the charter school options, Imagine Schools or the SC Charter School District, guaranteed an 08-09 opening, steering committee spokesperson Keith Ashley said. Having a move-in ready campus will help accomplish it, he said, but whether or not the campus is available is up to the trustees.

About $1.7 million is owed on the campus, and it can be purchased for that amount, pending school board approval, Ashley said. Superintendent Ivan Randolph has said he will recommend the sale of the campus, Ashley said. But while the school board decides to donate, sale or keep the campus, former school board trustee Perry Hozey said time can be a problem.

"They can take months to make a decision," he said. "They have no reason not to."

But for a charter school to open for 08-09, Waller said time is critical.

"We've got a small window of opportunity," he said. "A decision needs to be made soon."

Waller said he will also ask the school board to consider converting CFHS to a charter school, meaning the school would remain within the Abbeville County School district. He said he will ask for the school board to consider keeping CFHS open, based partly on the equity in education issue.

Tracy Lindler, an independent sociologist, presented a 56-slide presentation which he said illustrates the district's failure to enforce zoning policies, thus leading to CFHS's enrollment drop and ultimately the school board's six-person vote to close it.

The student populations at CFHS and Abbeville High are "the way it should be," Lindler said, noting that the percentages of black and white students reflect the general population. He said the schools' populations for both races have increased and decreased with the general population.

"When the number of Caucasion students increase, so does the number of African-American students," he said.

But the opposite is true for Dixie High, he said. The number of Caucasion students rise nearly every year, while the number of African-American students fall.

"In Abbeville County, there should not be a mostly all white school," he said.

Lindler has forwarded the presentation to the school board and expects to formally present it at the February meeting if not Tuesday.

Ashely said the town is "pursuing all angles," to have a school in Calhoun Falls, including legal assistance. In the meantime, the town will begin the start-up work with Imagine Schools, depending on the outcome of the school board meeting, Waller said.

"One way or another, Calhoun Falls will have a school," Waller said.

Some attendees said they will protest outside the district office during the meeting, which starts at 7 p.m., at the district office on Greenville Street in Abbeville.

Town Councilman Michael F. Johnson said the issue has helped solidify the town.

"We're living Martin Luther King, Jr's. dream. We're all working together, and we the people of Calhoun Falls are willing to do whatever it takes for our children," he said.

Charter School Bid Explored

by Jennifer Colton
Reprinted courtesy of the Index Journal
A month after the Abbeville County School District Board of Trustees voted to close Calhoun Falls High, residents continue to explore options to keep a school in their town.

Last week, residents heard a presentation from David Church, executive director of the South Carolina Association of Public Charter Schools, and on Sunday more than 200 people attended a “Save Calhoun Falls High” meeting to learn more about one charter school option: Imagine Schools, a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Va.

“There are two things that make charter schools different,” said Stephen Gilchrist, South Carolina regional manager for Imagine Schools. “Number one, parents are involved. The second thing that makes Imagine Schools different are our six measures of excellence.”

According to the Imagine Schools Web site, http://www.imagineschools.com, those measures are: adhering to shared values;

“The bottom line is it gives you a private-school feel in a public school,” Gilchrist said. “What we do at Imagine Schools is assist communities with that. We come in and complete the charter application, and we come in and operate the school.”

Gilchrist spent two hours answering audience questions about transportation, food service options and testing. In addition to state-mandated PACT testing, students in Imagine Schools also participate in standardized testing at the beginning and end of the year to gauge student progress and achievements.

The company would also provide funding to start the charter school.

“In every school we operate, it’s always in a deficit the first year because you have to build or purchase a facility,” Gilchrist said. “In July, the state is going to give you the funds for the number of students you projected. If that number is 600, and on the first day of school if 50 students show up, you’re going to get a call saying, ?Send us a check back for the 550 until you get them.’ One of the things we want to make sure is that the school is sustainable.”

Imagine Schools would sign a long-term operating agreement with the charter school board in exchange for 12 percent of total per-pupil funds, Gilchrist said.

“We have built schools in less than six months,” Gilchrist said. “In your particular situation, the best solution is to acquire that school.”

The next step for a Calhoun Falls charter school involves creating a committee, Gilchrist said. That committee would make the decision to work with Imagine Schools or the state charter school district.

“We do the whole nine yards, but you have to hire us to sign that operating agreement,” he said. “I think over the next few days you need to concentrate on getting a committee together. I want you to realize how real this is and how difficult this is. It’s going to be a struggle; it’s going to be a cat fight over the next two months.”

Four members of the Save Calhoun Falls High School Steering Committee attended the meeting.

“I think it would be irresponsible for us to sign anything today,” committee member Keith Ashley said. “As a board, we’re going to discuss this and try to make the best decision. Either way, where we go with Imagine Schools or operate a charter school ourselves, we’re going to achieve our goal: educating students in this community.”

Ashley also said part of that decision will depend on whether the Abbeville County School District agrees to sell the committee the current Calhoun Falls High School building.

“The meeting before last, we had a survey that asked people ?Do you want a charter school?’” committee member Evelyn Bounds said. “I got back 250 sheets, and 249 yeses.”

Gilchrist said that, in addition to parents and town residents, elected officials should also get involved in supporting and negotiating a Calhoun Falls charter school.

“In this particular case, the politics have to be worked out,” he said. “In my opinion, it was a political decision that they closed the school, and it’s going to take a political solution to fix it.”

School News
The Christmas holidays were celebrated with a dance, skit, reindeer shop, writing assignment, storytelling, singing, and giving.

Send a letter to support saving CFHS.

CFHS For Sale
by Lee Boggs
Calhoun Falls High School is for sale for $1.7 million pending approval of the Abbeville School Board of Trustees, said Keith Ashley of the Save Calhoun Falls steering committee. Following a January 9 meeting with the superintendent, Ashley said Ivan Randolph agreed to recommend the sale of the school. He said the amount is not exact and could be more or less depending on how much is owed on the bond. Ashley said the town's pursuit of a charter school could lead to combining grades K-12, since the superintendent said that he would not support converting the high school. A conversion means that only the high school would be chartered, and remain within the Abbeville School district, he said. The trustees could vote to convert without the superintendent's support, but if they side with him, then the town will have to pursue a startup charter. Startups include all grades and belong to the state charter district, he said. The steering committee will attend the January 22 trustee meeting at 7 p.m., where charter director David Church will formally address the charter. Mayor Jonnie Waller will also approach the boad, giving the town's support to purchase the school, Ashley said.

CF Charter "Ready for Next Level"

by Jeff Sorrow
Dr. David Church, executive director of charter schools from Greenville, spoke to a full audience January 3 at Pentecostal Holiness Church about converting Calhoun Falls High School to a charter school.

"With this kind of turnout, it is obvious that you are very interested in becoming a charter. It shows that you are ready to move to the next level,” he said.

Church said that there were four steps to becoming a Charter: exploration, application, pre-operation and operation. He said that Calhoun Falls is in the exploration stage of the charter, but if an application is submitted, a charter could be granted within 90 days.

According to Dr. Church, if Calhoun Falls is allowed to maintain the Calhoun Falls High School facility, it could be ready by fall, 2008.

According to Church, any community can get together and take "hold" of the education of their children, stating that there are 29 charter schools in 14 districts in South Carolina, with approximately 5,500 students currently attending and another six schools that have been approved to open fall, 2008. Nationally, 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have charter legislation. There are 1.15 million students attending Charter Schools.

Church said that charter schools are not an experiment, and are a widely accepted choice for public education. He said it is proven that small, community-based schools have better results. He said that charter schools have "higher standards" for accountability than traditional public schools.

According to the information provided by Church, there are two types of charter schools: start up schools and conversion schools. A startup school requires starting from the ground and work your way up. A conversion school is a traditional public school that applies to become a charter.

For a conversion school, application is made by the principle of the existing school following a two-third vote from both parents and instructional staff. If approved by the school district, faculty and staff remain as district employees. A governing board is in charge of the charter. This board is in charge of hiring and firing as well as making the decisions for the school.

If the charter is not accepted by the school district, it will be accepted by the State Charter School District. This method still allows the governing board to make the same decisions. If the current school district does accept the charter, no money will be taken from the board or district and all teacher benefits will remain the same.

Money for the operation of the school is funded by federal, state and local funds based on student population. Grants, donations, and fundraising efforts will also be an option. A charter school in Calhoun Falls will still receive maximum Title I funds at $1,300 per student.

He said that charter Schools have "absolutely no trouble in recruiting and hiring certified teachers. They have the freedom to come in and communicate with parents and not deal with bureaucracy."

The charter system also has a recruitment program with the Winthrop University Education Department.

Church said that this is a chance to "take hold of education,” stating that "we know the success of schools with community support, parent support and student support. You will have a successful school."

In regards to a budget, Church indicated that in a conventional system, the bulk of program funding goes into administration. With a charter, by law, administration only receives two percent to operate, with staff making up 85 percent of the budget. Church was asked many questions by those in attendance. He answered all, stating that he would stay as long as he was wanted.

When posed with a question about the sixth grade at John C. Calhoun Elementary School being added into the absorption at the last minute, he said, "that is very unusual and even bizarre."

The next community meeting will be held at the Civic Center on Sunday, January 13.

Charter School Discussed

by Jamie Taylor
Over 100 people gathered on December 22 for the second time in one week at the Calhoun Falls Civic Center to discuss keeping Calhoun Falls High School open by possibly starting a charter school.

Over $8,000 dollars has been donated to the Save CFHS fund so far.

Keith Ashley, along with Mayor Johnny Waller and Chief of Police Mike Alewine, informed the crowd with information about a private charter company interested in the school. The trio recently met with Stewart Gilchrist, a representative out of Columbia, SC, employed by Imagine Schools, to find out some general information about how a charter school could be implemented.Their three hour meeting at the town hall Thursday consisted of generalized questions to understand the basics of how a charter school operates and what are some of the requirements to qualify for such an option.

"It looks very, very, promising that this charter school can and will work,” Ashley informed the crowd. "Their (Imagine Schools) rep seemed very excited and said that this is an easily feasible and a very attainable idea for the town.”

After the closing of the mill and the December 14, 6-2 vote by the Abbeville County School Board to shut the high school down, the majority of the community feels like going the charter route and maintaining the school will be vital for the towns survival.

"We want to explore every option available people, this is just one thing we are looking towards at this time,” Ashley said. "But we have to keep our local school for the town's sake."

The meeting continued with some basic facts from other charter schools in the surrounding area. Aiken, Greenville, Greenwood, Saluda, and surrounding areas are turning to charter schools and they (charters) are being developed at a fast pace.

The charter works under South Carolina State regulations and provides the same benefits and retirements for employees.

"These schools operate in the same way all public schools operate. Same benefits, same retirement, same laws. Only the private company will own the building and charge a percentage of what each pupil draws from the state. They are responsible for the maintenance and operation of the school,” Ashley explained. "They do however hire the principal, under the board’s recommendations, but there are no guarantees to the actual hire."

After the company hires the principal, the hiring for faculty and staff comes from the principal with final approval from the company.

The negatives to the charter are few, but the few are important to a town that has traditionally been known for strong sports.

"That's the catch people. The charter school is willing to build a brand new $5 million dollar school and take care of every detail and every phase needed to complete the project. But not one dime will go to support any athletics whatsoever. No stadium, no fields, no gymnasium. All investments go towards the education end, none towards athletics,” Ashley said.

"That's where we come in. Me, you, the entire community. We have to become involved in every phase of this,” Ashley said. "We have to become one of the biggest boosters in the state. We, as a community together, will have to supply the resources to assure athletics for our kids."

Already owning the baseball and softball fields, the town felt sure that maintaining access to Fulmer Stadium is still possible. One citizen shouted, "We’ll just build a new one. All we have to have is 100 yard long and 150 feet wide," as the crowd chuckled.

The small but inspired town expressed that the access to two gymnasiums would be willingly offered by the local churches and that athletics would not be affected.

"We will find a way, we always have,” Ashley said.

Another meeting is scheduled for January 3 at the Calhoun Falls Pentecostal Church. This meeting will have the Director of Charter Schools in South Carolina, Dr. David Church, presiding. This meeting was stressed as the most important meeting that the town will ever have to this date.

"It's vital that every citizen be at this meeting. This is the meeting where all of our questions will be answered. Our fate and future is dependent on this meeting. We need people to ask off of work, cancel plans, or do whatever, they must be there to secure a charter for our town,” Ashley said.

Letters to Editor

Two Calhoun Falls High School alumni have emailed letters in support of keeping CFHS open.

Because of a 6-2 vote Friday night, as of the end of this school year, Calhoun Falls High School will be no more. Even though I am an alumni and I didn't come to CF until my junior year, this still hurts me deeply. I think what hurts the most is what the children in Calhoun Falls will miss. This is what I mean:

THE TEACHERS: Because the student-teacher ratio was low, everyone developed relationships with their teachers. Not just the 'do your homework and pass the test' relationship. All of CFHS's teachers care for each and every one of their students. Whether it's a great relationship or a love/hate relationship, the relationships were (and still are) there. I graduated in '04 and I still see my teachers and strike up wonder conversations. When in school, these teachers would do anything they could to help me and my fellow students with whatever we needed. Whether it be help with a college application or a lecture on how we are letting ourselves down for not applying ourselves. All of the teachers are near and dear to my heart and because of the closing our future generation cannot experience this.

FRIENDS: I could go on and on about all of the friendships I made at CF. That would take days though. What I am going to mention is what I could refer to as the 'CF Family'. Yes, there were, and are, different groups of friends that hung out with each other and are labeled. Yet, when it came down to something important EVERYONE joined together no matter what.

There is alot more I would like to say, but this is getting really long. I just can't fathum how people that live miles away can take such a strong community and throw it away like it is nothing. They didn't even take the time to look into what they were taking away. I am willing to bet if they were told their local high school was being taken away from them, they would be devistated and would want to fight. Take notice that in the 6-2 vote, the 2 that voted to keep the school knew what were from Calhoun Falls and new in depth what was being taken away. The 6 that voted to close CF need to come spend some time here and see what a wonderful community we are and instead of looking at numbers, thinking about how they would feel if thier childrens futures where changed dramatically in a blink of an eye.....

C/O 2004
Tasha Kehrley

I'm attaching my thoughts about the disturbing news of the closing of Calhoun Falls High School. I'm a graduate and have only high regard for my alma mater. Perhaps if you use my letter, it will be the beginning of a write-in campaign to keep the school open. Surely there is some solution other than closing the school. Give the public an opportunity to come up with possible solutions, and I imagine a suitable one will be found.

When I moved to Calhoun Falls, all grades were housed in 1 building (1 through 12). Perhaps that is a solution; close a building and move all grades into one. That should cut the budget considerably, and still allow Calhoun Falls to have all grades locally.

I certainly hope the matter is not closed - give graduates a chance to write their thoughts and see that Mr. Randolph reads every one of them. Many people have come through the school system in Calhoun Falls and have done well in their careers. Many more need to receive their educations locally, without having to travel long distances to and from school.

My family moved to Calhoun Falls when I was in 4th grade. At that time all grades were housed in one building. When the new high school was built, I was in 7th grade, and grades 7 through 12 moved into it. How exciting it was to be in a new school. Consolidation of Lowndesville students into Calhoun Falls High School occurred at that time, and it was difficult for the Lowndesville students to give up their school (I remember the resentment some students felt at having to leave their school).

Our teachers were dedicated people who really wanted to prepare us for life after school. We respected them (a different concept to students of today), and knew our place in the scheme of things. If we disobeyed or mouthed off, we knew we’d be punished not only at school, but at home as well. Major infractions that occurred in those days were shooting spitballs, or passing notes. Times were simpler, but peaceful, with no fears for our lives.

Considering how everything changes over time, I guess I’m not surprised to hear of the closing of Calhoun Fall High School. How sad that thought is, though, for me as a graduate of the Class of 1962. Our class had 32 graduating (the largest class that had come through at that time). Most of us were kids of parents who worked in the mill. This created a common bond among us.

Naturally, I have no idea what schools are like today, and if it is even possible for good teachers to do their jobs well. Authority has been taken away from teachers, and the students realize that. The students know that punishment is not forthcoming no matter how rowdy they behave. Maybe if students get serious about learning the material that their teachers present to them, and maybe if the current student body at Calhoun Falls High School will demonstrate this determination now, the tide would turn and the school could remain open.

I’m proud of the education I received at Calhoun Falls High School and of the friends I had there, and of the teachers who went the extra mile for us. As a graduate of Calhoun Falls High School, I’m asking students, teachers, and other graduates to speak out in defense of our Alma Mater.

Respectfully submitted
Kay Moody Kay
Class of 1962
Calhoun Falls High School

Students Protesting
As of Monday morning, December 17, students at Calhoun Falls High School have walked out of class in protest of the Friday night school board decision to close the high and middle schools. At 8:10 a.m., they walked out and started their protest on the practice field next to Hwy 81. They chanted, waved CF flags, jerseys, and pom poms, etc. At 10 a.m., they moved into the gym but say they will be back on the practice field at 11 p.m. A lot of community members have showed up to support them. Law enforcement is on the scene as well. Superintendent Ivan Randolph showed up about an hour and a half into the protest. Mayor Johnnie Waller reportedly said that the students have the right to protest on town property. The WYFF News-4 helicopter left the school at about 11:15.

”Save CFHS”
by Lee Boggs
Following two meetings about Calhoun Falls High School, in which local residents were not permitted to speak, a third meeting was held Sunday at the Civic Center where CFHS supporters voiced their disapproval of the school board’s decision to close CFHS and the middle school, and they had a lot to say.

But nobody spoke louder, and shorter, than Tim Fowler, who said his physically-challenged daughter currently rises at 5 a.m. to attend school in Calhoun Falls, and daily trips to Abbeville High School, will be too much.

“We can talk about it all day, but this needs to be stopped and I’ll make the first donation to hire an attorney,” he said, handing a donation over to group speaker Keith Ashley. His donation prompted dozens of others to leave their seats and approach the front podium with cash in hand. It took just five minutes to raise over $1,100. Ashley said much more will be needed as an attorney has already been contacted.

An audience member said she was bused from Calhoun Falls to Wright School in the 1950’s.

“You don’t want that,” she said. “It’s dark when you get home. You can’t work. Your grades will suffer. We need to do something for our children. We owe them that.”

Supporters hope to stop the “absorption,” set to take place beginning the 2008-2009 school year. At superintendent Ivan Randolph’s recommendation, six trustees decided to close CFHS, along with the 6-8 grades, and send students to Abbeville, Dixie and Wright schools, according to attendance area.

Part of the superintendent’s reasoning for closing the schools is falling enrollment. However, about 50 Calhoun Falls students are allowed to attend other schools, some against policy. Randolph said during the Friday closure meeting that policy violations can not be defended. School board members said the policy will be enforced when the schools are combined.

Former board trustee Benji Sorrow, who is white, said the majority of transferring students are white, attending a school with 80 percent white students.

“I don’t think we have race problems in Calhoun Falls,” he said. “I don’t want to make this racial, but this is disturbing.”

Sorrow said that when he was on the school board, leaving just before the last election, that enrollment and transfers were discussed. The school board and superintendent knew then that the policy wasn’t being enforced, he said.

But even without the transfers, Tim Rhodes, who resigned as trustee following the 6-2 closure vote Friday, said the schools have more students than Randolph said because the superintendent’s numbers do not include the eighth grade as is included for Dixie High School. Plus, it wasn’t until Randolph made his recommendation that he learned that the sixth-eighth grades would be included in the absorption.

“We got snowballed,” he said. “He said we could move seventh and eighth to John C. He knew he had the votes and that’s why he added those grades on Friday. We thought we’d hear the info and it would be tabled.”

Supporters discussed several ideas to overcome the absorption: use litigation if necessary to stop it, combine the elementary and high schools, or create a charter school. Sorrow said the Career Center should be closed before Calhoun Falls schools because the Center is a $1 million expense and only offers electives.

Town councilmember Michael F. Johnson said considering the questionable information that the vote was based on, he supports a charter school.

“The trustees turned their back on our representatives, our community and children. I wouldn’t trust my kids with them. A charter school is the only option we have,” he said.

Some people question why the decision was made so soon, halfway through the school year. According to the SACs report, the district had 18 months to create a plan and five years to implement it.

“No where in that study does it say to close Calhoun Falls High School,” Ashley said.

“This should have waited until the summer break so it wouldn’t interfere with students,” Rhodes said.

Several theories for the absorption were proposed: to maintain Abbeville High Schools AA status, to segregate students, and to control property tax money that will be derived from the Sanctuary at Lake Russell if property taxes are ever used again to support schools.

Randolph has said that the recommendation was based on the following: 1) average daily membership, 2) teacher/student ratio, 3) average student expendure; 4) inequity in course offerings; 5) the decrease in local and state funding; and 6) the expectation that no new funding will be availailable.

In the short term, supporters are calling for a boycott of Abbeville businesses. A woman said to applause at the beginning of the meeting, “we will not spend another dime in Abbeville.”

Donations to secure an attorney can be given to Steve Pettigrew, who said he will create an account. Ashley assured everyone that their donations will be used wisely and whatever is left over will be given to the recreation department.

A website, www.SaveCFHS.com, is being created.

A “Save CFHS” committee will be formed at a 3 p.m. meeting, Saturday, December 22, at the Civic Center. A prayer vigil will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, December 19, at the high school.

CF High, Middle Schools Closing

by Lee Boggs
Citing declining enrollment, loss of revenue, and inequity in academics, the Abbeville County School Board voted 6-2 Friday to accept superintendent Ivan Randolph's recommendation to close Calhoun Falls high and middle schools. Starting the 2008-2009 school year, 7th-12 grade students will go to Abbeville, Dixie or Wright. Sixth grade students will go to Dixie or Wright.

Voting to close the two schools were former CFHS principal James Tisdal, Samuel Bell, Mark Burton, and Allen Kolb, all of Abbeville, Corrinna O'Bannon of Donalds, and Bill Crenshaw of Due West. Voting against were Council chairman Buster Taylor and board member Tim Rhodes, both of Calhoun Falls. Joseph Reynolds was absent.

Taylor and Rhodes resigned and left the meeting before it was adjourned. Half the audience followed, but not before giving Taylor and Rhodes a standing ovation. Some audience members shouted their disapproval of the board's decision. Others were visibly upset, crying and angry.

Before the vote was taken, Rhodes presented numbers contradicting those provided by Randolph regarding the enrollment, student/teacher ratio, and budgeting. Taylor argued that the closing would wreck the town's economy. He read a letter from the Sanctuary at Lake Russell developer that stated closing the school would make selling the 2,000 lots difficult and could jeapordize the project's future. He said U.S. Land and partners has invested $20 million in the project. Taylor said closing the schools is "like rolling the dice" on the town's and county's economic future.

This is the wording of the recommendation:
"The Administration recommends the closing of Calhoun Falls High School at the end of the 2007-2008 school year. The students would be absorbed into Abbeville High School, Dixie High School and Wright Middle School depending upon their attendance area. The 6th grade students would be moved from John C. Calhoun Elementary School to Wright Middle School or Dixie High School depending upon their attendance area."

CFHS Meeting

Story and photo by Jeff Sorrow
A capacity crowd was on hand for the 6 p.m. meeting to decide the fate of Calhoun Falls High School. The crowd that began gathering well before the meeting was still packing into the Calhoun Falls Civic Center as the meeting began. Two reporters covered the meeting for CalhounFallsToday. Myself, along with Jamie Taylor, were on assignment to give the most accurate account of the happenings as they occurred.

Prior to the meeting , a "Citizens Alert" pamphlet, was handed out. This pamphlet is in short a guideline for making an address. The opening paragraph of the "Alert" states that, "Abbeville County School District 60, Superintendent Dr. Ivan Randolf, has been given the authority and power to arbitrarily deny, circumvent, and prevent public participation at all school district board meeting." Several board members were in attendance, including Buster Taylor and Tim Rhodes.

Mayor Johnny Waller gave the opening remarks and welcomed all in attendance. He encouraged everyone to be civil and stressed the fact that Calhoun Falls was prepared to work with the School Board in any way, and began the meeting with Prayer.

Randolf began by addressing the attendees and thanking everyone for being present. He expressed his desire to keep CFHS open, making the statement, "I don't want to close this school". Randolf then made his power point presentation of the SACS teams findings to the audience. Many important points were made, the most striking of which is that the school district graded 100% on "highly qualified teachers". The presentation included findings, 12 commendations and 4 recommendations. The last recommendation is the one regarding the possible closure of Calhoun Falls High.

Randolf expressed budget concerns and the 84 million dollar shortfall expected by the state. He indicated that in the last two school years, the School Dist. budget had been cut by $739, 501. He also stated that the District Office had helped in absorbing this cut. Randolf stated that sales tax, property tax and income tax support schools, but, that the 1 cent per dollar sales tax is not helping. He pointed out three things that were happening at the same time that were affecting the possible closure. Equity issues, declining enrollment and the finance issue.

At this point the presentation was over, and Steve Pettigrew stepped up to ask questions. Part of his duty as mediator was to be "the voice" of town and ask a short list of questions. Randolf asked that this be the procedure, in order to give a response to each question. The first question involved Title One funds and the fact that CFHS is the only High School that receives this funding. Randolf indicated that this was just a drop in the bucket when compared to the overall picture. He went on to say that Title One money is designated by the number of free and reduced lunches.

The next question was in regards to student population and zoning. Randolf acknowledged that the figures (over 50 students attending out of their zone) would have to be looked into, stating that he had been given a list of names and that each would be taken into account before any decision is made. Randolf said that there were many factors that went into the decision to allow students to attend outside of their zone, but, that the four most basic things required was application to change schools. Then, it must be approved by both principles. There had to be no overload of the proposed school, and finally, the District officials had to approve.

The next question was, "Why is SACS important?". Randolf's response was that, "SACS comes in and gives you a "yes" or "no". If you get a "NO", then your diploma won't be accepted at colleges and universities." He also reported that, "They look very closely at the courses you are offering."

The next question Pettigrew asked was, "Why are the 7th and 8th graders not included in the numbers that were presented?" Randolf responded that, "They are." He went on to say that they had double checked it and that they were going on the numbers that Columbia gives them.

The next question received a loud applause from the audience. "Is closing Calhoun Falls, being done so that Abbeville will remain a 2AA school?" Randolf's response was, "That has not been discussed at all. It will not affect Abbeville either way."

The last question centered on finding, "Alternative Financing" to help Calhoun Falls". Randolf stated that he had been approached by Representative Paul Agnew, but, had "No knowledge of available funds".

This was the end of questioning. Pettigrew and Waller again addressed the crowd, encouraging everyone to remain positive and to attend the "called" School Board meeting at 7 p.m., Friday, December 14, at the district office on Greenville Street in Abbeville. They both emphasized that the School Board meeting is open to the public and that there is no definite date for a decision to be made on the future of Calhoun Falls High School.

Waller ended the meeting by reading a letter from US Lands representative, Steven Rosenburg, encouraging the School Board to keep CFHS open as their company has invested over twenty million dollars in The Sanctuary since 1999. He went on to say that lots have been sold under the assumption that Calhoun Falls had a school and that over two thousand homes would eventually be built. He encouraged the board to look at the taxes and revenue that will be available.

Pettigrew acknowledged the CFHS students that were in attendance. At this point, students clapped and yelled loudly expressing their spirit and showing their numbers. Channel 20 on West Carolina Cable will be airing the meeting Friday at 7:30 p.m.

CF Teacher Responds
A Calhoun Falls teacher has responded to a letter posted on here yesterday. That letter came from an Abbeville teacher who wants Calhoun Falls High School closed.

CFHS Town Meeting
At least one Abbeville teacher is encouraging the Abbeville County School Board to close Calhoun Falls High School. In a December 11 letter addressed to school board members and superintendent Ivan Randolph, the Westwood Elementary School teacher wrote, "we MUST CLOSE Calhoun Falls High School."

A town meeting will be held at 6 p.m., at the Calhoun Falls Civic Center Thursday, December 13, to dicuss the potential closing of CFHS. The board will meet in a specially called meeting at 7 p.m., Friday, at the District Office to vote on the issue.

Read the letter. CalhounFallsToday.com has chosen to delete the author's name and contact information.

CFHS's Future
by Ivan Randolph
Abbeville County Superintendent
For three days last month, a team from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) conducted an evaluation of all schools in Abbeville County and of the School District Office. This team conducted a quality assurance review visit before granting the district with accreditation, promising to finalize an official report later. On Tuesday, November27th, I presented this report (in the form of a PowerPoint presentation) to the Abbeville County Board of Trustees.

The review team's report outlines the district's strengths as well as weaknesses. The four improvement recommendations to maintain SACS accreditation are as follows: 1) Revamping of building school improvement plans; 2) Implementation of " written measurable strategies" by building a timeline for training and beginning the annual District Strategic Plan early; 3) Expanding the defined curriculum to include all subject areas in grades 9-12; and 4) Developing plans to address issues of declining enrollment and equity in course offerings and programs.

This fourth recommendation is more difficult than the first three. At the board meeting, we looked at the following items: 1) average daily membership, 2) teacher/student ratio, 3) average student expendure; 4) inequity in course offerings (AHS and DHS are able to offer 6 courses unavailable to students at CFHS; 5) the decrease in local and state funding (In the past two years, I have had to cut the Abbeville County School District's budget by $739,501 keeping these cuts away from children in the classroom.); and 6) the expectation that no new funding will be availailable (The next cuts will have to be personnel.)

The bottomline is that industry has left the area. As industry leaves, tax dollars decrease, people relocate for employment, and school enrollment as well as funding sources decline. That's where we are. Also, when industry looks at an area in which to locate, the first item that industry leaders look at is the quality of the school district. We must provide an quality equitable education for all our students that gives them the skills to compete in a global society. This is imperative to attract industry.

Many rumors have circulated concerning this presentation. Yes, I did present this information to John C. Calhoun Elementary School and Calhoun Falls High School first because this is the community that is most directly impacted by the report. I will also make this presentation to all schools in the district. I will also present this same information to the Calhoun Falls Chamber of Commerce at 6:00 p.m. on December 13th.

CFHS Population
The student population at Calhoun Falls High School went from 206 in 2002-2003 to 164 in 2007-2008, a difference of 46 students, said Dr. Ivan Randolph at the September school board meeting. The student/teacher ratio at CFHS is 7.71/1, he said.

School Report Cards were issued November 15 and Calhoun Falls High School Scored an absolute rating of Good and an improvement rating of Excellent. Tenth graders from last year ranked 18th in the state based on the percentages of students passing both parts of the HSAP on their first attempt. More info on state report cards can be found at http://ed.sc.gov/news/more.cfm?articleID=867

At John C. Calhoun Elementary School, students had a pumpkin decorating contest and completed "71 Pacers."

At John C. Calhoun Elementary School, outstanding PACT scores for Lela Johnson; counting pumpkin seeds; SMART Boards; Hippo Hats. John C. Calhoun Elementary School students recently made clouds and tornados in bottles, observed fire safety techniques, and studied farm life, while a couple of teachers received grants. Young artists at John C. Calhoun Elementary School display their artwork during a special session in the Media Center. Artwork→.

Portions of Calhoun Falls High School have been painted, some of the playground equipment at John C. Calhoun Elementary School has been painted, and some of the dirt taken from the Highway 72 expansion will be used for a new playground and/or athletic field at the elementary school. The school expects to pay $1,000 for seed and fertilizer. The dirt and labor are being donated. A tract of school district-owned property across from JCCE is being purchased by U.S. Land. JCCE principal David Nixon plans to show after-school movies as a family event.

Some students at John C. Calhoun Elementary performed a lesson on how organisms interact while others used the science lab for their research projects. At Calhoun Falls High, alumnae Renee Newton visited with the Teacher Cadet Class and the Teacher Cadets visited Lander University.

Faculty and staff at Calhoun Falls High are looking to begin the GATE (gifted and talented education) program for seventh and eighth graders. John C. Calhoun Elementary School has had GATE for several years. Likewise, CFHS wants to provide challenging opportunities for gifted students. GATE is currently for seventh graders and plans are to expand the program next year for eighth graders.

Along with GATE, an effort has been made to identify accelerated seventh and eighth graders to provide them with the advanced opportunities. Currently, accelerated seventh graders are taking advanced English and Math and will be eligible to take English 9 and Algebra I as eighth graders, earning two high school credits. The current accelerated eighth graders are taking English 9. GATE gives more students the opportunity to take Advanced Placement courses for dual credit in their senior year. Improve student test scores through accelerated curriculum is also a goal.