Georgetown County School District -

Representatives from HTC visited GCSD’s high schools on Wednesday to present $1000 to each school’s golf program. The donation comes directly from HTC employees and their fund-raising efforts during their annual HTC Co-Op Cup golf tournament, not directly from HTC. Thank you, HTC employees, for your donation and for supporting GCSD’s athletic programs! #TeamGCSD #ThankYouHTC

Carvers Bay Early College & Career High School’s FFA chapter was recognized during the August 20, 2024, GCSD Board of Trustees Meeting for their accomplishments during the 2023-2024 school year. The chapter is led by advisor Garret Howard. • During the State FFA Leadership Camp, Carvers Bay received the Chapter of the Week award and Jennings Avant was recognized as one of the Top 5 Campers. • While at the State FFA Convention, Carvers Bay was recognized in the Top 10 for its Greenhand Knowledge Team which included Crystal West, Bryant Garman, Carson Lewis, Leah Benton; Marissa Jones was recognized in the top 10 in the Ag Ed Contest, and Jenna Kay Avant was recognized in the Top 5 in the Employment Skills Contest. • The Agriscience Fair State Winners and National Qualifiers were Hailey Barnhill and Marissa Jones. • Jennings Avant was elected to a State FFA Office, Jenna Kay Avant was elected as the Commissioner of Agriculture at Palmetto Girls State, Halle Baxley was selected to participate in the South Carolina Governor's School For Agriculture Camp, and Marissa Jones was selected to the South Carolina Commissioners School for Agriculture where she was recognized in the top 6 for public speaking. Additionally, and very important to note, the Carvers Bay FFA chapter moved its rating up from Superior Chapter to a National Bronze Emblem Chapter during the 2023-2024 school year. Congratulations!

**Mark Your Calendar** Kidz in Lids Day for all GCSD schools August 29 Donate $1 and wear a hat all day. All funds will support local children battling cancer. #TeamGCSD @childrenscancerpartners

As previously announced, GCSD schools will be open today. We recognized that Georgetown County has received an unexpected amount of rainfall overnight which has resulted in flooding and a loss of power in some areas. Buses will operate today but may be late arriving at some bus stops. Additionally, there are a few isolated areas that our buses may not be able to access. GCSD does not want anyone to put themselves in danger in order to travel to school. Please do not travel unless it is safe for you to do so. Any weather related tardies or absences will be excused.

All GCSD schools and offices will resume normal operations, including after-school activities, on Friday, August 9, 2024.

Due to expected inclement weather as a result of Hurricane Debby, and in consultation with Georgetown County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service, Tuesday, August 6, Wednesday, August 7, and Thursday, August 8 will be eLearning Days for Georgetown County School District. All schools will be closed. All after-school activities, programs and athletics are canceled for Tuesday, August 6, Wednesday, August 7, and Thursday, August 8. Information about student learning on designated eLearning days is available on the GCSD Technology Resource Page (https://sites.google.com/gcsd.k12.sc.us/gcsd-elearning/elearning). GCSD district administration will continue to monitor conditions across our county, and a follow-up notification will be sent on Thursday, August 8. Please check local media, the district website, and the GCSD Facebook page for the latest information on school closings or delays.

Welcome Back to School 2024! GCSD's Board of Trustees are thrilled to see our hallways filled once again with the energy and enthusiasm of our students and staff. Together, we can make this year exceptional! #TeamGCSD #BacktoSchool2024 #SCSBA

Tomorrow is the day! One more day until we cross the finish line and begin the new year! We cannot wait to see you! Visit https://tinyurl.com/yc8pxbj2 to learn more about GCSD’s Personal Electronic Communication Devices Guidelines and Procedures. #RaceBackToGCSD2024 #TeamGCSD

GCSD is excited to support Melissa Jefferson on her Journey for Gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Melissa, a 2019 graduate of Carvers Bay High, will be competing in the Women’s 100 M (Aug. 2 and Aug. 3) and the Women’s 4x100 Relay (Aug. 8 and Aug. 9). GCSD will be wearing Red, White, and Blue on Friday, August 2 and Wednesday, August 7 to show our support. We hope all families and the Georgetown Community will join us in wearing Red, White, and Blue to show Melissa that her community is cheering for her! #TeamGCSD #JourneyforGold2024

Two days left! Stay up to date on the change in bus procedures for PK - 2nd grade students with the link below! See you soon! https://5il.co/2s4ej

Parents and Students, the race back to school is on! Make sure to check out our district and school websites for updates! We are so excited to see you on Thursday! #RaceBackToGCSD2024 #TeamGCSD

Magnet Application Window Now Open! It's not too late to sign up for GCSD's Magnet Program for the 2024-2025 school year. For anyone interested in applying, Magnet Application Window 3 will open for a limited time - Thursday, July 25 (noon) - Monday, July 29 (noon). For more information, visit GCSD Magnet Programs on YouTube. To apply for the GCSD Magnet Program for the 2024-2025 school year, visit https://georgetownmagnets.novuschoice.com between July 25 and July 29.

**Reminder to Middle and High School Students** Don't forget to complete your summer reading assignment. Check with your school to find out when your summer reading assignment is due.

Mark Your Calendars! The start of school is quickly approaching, and it is almost time to meet your teacher, attend orientation, get your class schedule, and begin the 2024-2025 school year. Visit https://tinyurl.com/BacktoSchoo2425 to find the date and time for your school's back-to-school event.

GCSD invites you to attend our FREE Summer BEACH Program finales: Summer Music Presentation - June 26 at 10 a.m. in the GHS Auditorium "Junie B. Jones, Jr., The Musical" - June 26 at 5 p.m. in the GHS Auditorium "Junie B. Jones, Jr., The Musical" - June 27 at 10 a.m. in the GHS Auditorium Summer Art Program Gallery Walk - June 27 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in the GHS Auditorium Lobby We hope you will join us as our students showcase all that they have learned! #GCSD #hardworkpaysoff

FUTURE ENTREPRENEURS: Junior Shark Tank 2024 D.S.E. Sports Lab was the winner of GCSD’s 2024 Junior Shark Tank! Celebrating its twentieth successful year with the Georgetown County School District, Junior Shark Tank showcases the talents and creativity of our budding Futurepreneurs. This program challenges students to think critically and creatively, encouraging them to become innovative entrepreneurs through problem-based learning. Fifteen 8th through 10th grade students participated in the four-day Junior Shark Tank program held June 10 - 13 at Georgetown Middle School. The students were divided into four teams based on the results of a skills and personality test administered on the first day: **Group 1: The Innovators** Ella Pegg, Ainsley Coffey, and Zayden Sturkin **Group 2: D.S.E. Sports Lab** Joshua Wright, Brooke Carter, Ahr’quez Jenkins, and Chloe Sheppard **Group 3: Clean Coastal Café** Abigail Dukes, Aiden Boyette, Lorelei Brooks, Tayshaun Verner, and Abigail Vereen **Group 4: Phone Lockdown** Benjamin Rowell, Kaleb Porter, and Jordyn Wright Each student was assigned a specific role within their group, with the understanding that meeting all their responsibilities was crucial for the project's success. This experience not only fostered positive competition in a professional setting but also ignited a passion in students for creating and taking ownership of their projects. The program culminated in a judging event on June 13 in the GMS auditorium. Mirroring the format of the TV show "Shark Tank," students presented their business plans to a panel of business experts (the sharks). They faced challenging questions about finance, production, and marketing. All four groups presented well-thought out projects challenging the judges in declaring only one winner. Ultimately, “the sharks” chose D.S.E. Sports Lab as the winner of the 2024 GCSD Junior Shark Tank. Congratulations to all of the participants for another outstanding season of Junior Shark Tank! #GCSD #hardworkpaysoff

Want to help your rising 4K or 5K student feel more confident and prepared for school on August 1st? GCSD is hosting "Shoot for the Stars" on Saturday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the J B Beck Administration & Education Center. The event is open to all rising 4K and 5K students and will include learning and activity stations, school basics, a school bus visit, and much more. Space is limited and registration is required. Email fcohens@gcsd.k12.sc.us to sign up to attend - include your name, your child's name, and the number of attendees in the email. We can't wait to "Shoot for the Stars" with you on July 20! #GCSD #hardworkpaysoff #GetReadyToLearn #readyforkindergarten #readyforprek

** REMINDER – WE WANT YOU BACK ** All families are encouraged to complete online registration as soon as possible to prevent delays with class schedules and bus transportation when school starts on August 1. Registration is required for all students – new and returning. It is a web-based process completed online through Parent Portal (https://gcsd.powerschool.com/public) and cannot be completed through the Parent Portal App. Need help registering your student for the 24-25 school year? Assistance is available on Mondays and Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Call 843-436-7058 or send an email to scollins@gcsd.k12.sc.us. Ensure your student is ready for the 2024-2025 school year. Don't delay – complete online registration today!

Georgetown County School District's 2024 First Tee Champions Challenge was held May 28 at Wedgefield Plantation Golf Course. Congratulations to all of the students selected to participate in this year’s event! Red Division – Small Schools 1st Place: Coastal Montessori Charter School 2nd Place: Pleasant Hill Elementary STREAM Academy Blue Division – Large Schools 1st Place: Waccamaw Intermediate 2nd Place: Maryville Elementary Individual Winners – Red Division Girls 1st Sophia Krause, CMCS 2nd Zoey Huggins, PHES 3rd McKinlee Streett, SES Boys 1st DeAbre Frasier, PHES 2nd Mac Seaton, CMCS 3rd Colton Morris, SES Individual Winners – Blue Division Girls 1st Katheryn Williams, WIS 2nd Sawyer Cox, AES 3rd Rachel Stuckey, KES Boys 1st Mitchell Paxton, WIS 2nd Frank Cegledy, WIS 3rd Davis Johnson, KES #GCSD #hardworkpaysoff

The May 21 GCSD Board of Trustees meeting included recognitions of students from Carvers Bay Early College & Career High, Georgetown High, and Georgetown Middle. ** Carvers Bay Early College & Career High ** Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students from CBECCHS, under the guidance of adviser Melissa Alston, were recognized for their achievements at the FBLA State Leadership Conference held in April. Akasha Haynes—3rd Place Help Desk Serenity Greene— 2nd Place Intro to Programming Zahira Warren— 1st Place Future Business Educator Asher Mezzatesta—1st Place Entrepreneurship Lillian Bryant—1st Place Client Service And, Alyssa Gamble was recognized for two years of service as an FBLA state officer. ** Georgetown High ** GHS junior Avidan Wright and his Business/Computer Science teacher Angelia Jackson attended the 35th Annual Economics and Financial Literacy Awards Luncheon held on May 17 at the Brookland Banquet and Conference Center in West Columbia. During the luncheon, Avidan was celebrated for being selected as South Carolina’s Fall High School InvestWrite state winner. ** Georgetown High ** In April, the Bulldog Navy JROTC unit was named the Most Outstanding Unit for Navy JROTC Area 7. They were selected as number 1 out of 33 Junior Navy programs across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia to receive this recognition. And, for the third year in a row, Bulldog Navy JROTC was designated as a Distinguished Unit, a title given to only the top 30% of JROTC units globally. In addition, this year, they also received the designation of Naval Honor School. Accepting the recognition on behalf of the unit were: The former Commanding Officer, Cadet Lieutenant Commander Briar Long and the new Commanding Officer, Cadet Lieutenant Commander Rivers Ramsing The former Executive Officer, Lieutenant Jonathan Espinoza and the new Executive Officer, Cadet Lieutenant Adriana Sanchez-Aca Retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Michael Blackstone USMC Retired Commander David Kaiser US Navy. ** Georgetown Middle ** The GMS band, under the direction of Jonathan Greene, was awarded the 2023-2024 South Carolina Band Director Association Outstanding Performance Award. This is the highest possible award given to a band program in the state of South Carolina. This recognition speaks to Georgetown Middle’s outstanding concert performances and individual student performances as well as the high-quality teaching taking place in the school’s band department. Accepting the recognition on behalf of the GMS band were: Band Director, Mr. Jonathan Greene Kelvin Funny Ja'keem Grant Malayah Green Julian Guillermo Islas Arthur Hemingway Shavadria Newton Yanielix Sanchez Cotto Jewel Thompson Congratulations to these students, programs, and schools! #hardworkpaysoff #GCSD