Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Why School Board member Craig Plank serves


A Day in the Life of Jason Nussbaum tomorrow!

Mr. Nussbaum
Meet Jason Nussbaum, Westwood High School head athletic trainer and sports medicine teacher. Before joining the Richland Two family three years ago, Mr. Nussbaum was a civilian contractor at Fort Jackson where he took care of 1,300 new basic combat training soldiers every 10 weeks. Every day he seeks to inspire students to become as passionate about leadership and professionalism as he is.

Like us on Facebook and follow us Twitter and Instagram for a peek into A Day in the Life of Mr. Nussbaum tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28. #ADITL


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Why School Board Chair Calvin "Chip" Jackson serves







A Day in the Life of Mr. Abernathy

There are no average days as a Technology and Learning Coach (TLC) at a school of nearly 800 students. Wednesday, January 14, 2015, was busy one for Tyler Abernathy, 2013-2014 Blythewood Middle School Teacher of the Year and boys basketball coach. Mr. Abernathy started the day at 6:50 a.m., ushering bus riders in out of the cold. Then it was off to FCA, a club he advises, for games until the first bell rings. A few players stopped by his office to drop off money for their free-throw fundraiser. When he wasn't trouble-shooting devices and answering emails, Mr. Abernathy was on the move assisting teachers facilitate MAP testing.

Before becoming a TLC, Mr. Abernathy taught sixth grade social studies at BMS for seven years. He still enjoys opportunities to return to the classroom including this day, where his lesson on creating infographics sparked conversations about food consumption and contagious diseases. As the day winds down, he heads to a spare room where teachers are finalizing grades for the second nine weeks. Mr. Abernathy's day doesn't end with the final bell. He and the team headed to the gym for pictures, then basketball practice.

Every day, Mr. Abernathy seeks out challenges in his new role as a TLC. His email signature says it all.

"My Purpose: To create an environment in my school that is collaborative among teachers of all grade levels and subjects to discuss, analyze, and reflect academic practices, projects, and ideas that will create authentic teaching and student learning."

Below is Mr. Abernathy's day in photos. Visit our A Day in the Life album on Flickr to see more of Mr. Abernathy's day. 

Friday, January 16, 2015

Stand Up 4 Public Schools!

January is School Board Recognition Month!


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Connect with Richland Two on Social Media

We utilize a variety of social media to make sure you have the latest information about what's going on in Richland Two. Find us on Facebook, Blogger, Pinterest, Twitter,YouTube, Instagram and  Flickr.

 




A Day in the Life of Tyler Abernathy Wednesday, January 14

Meet Tyler Abernathy, 2013-2014 Blythewood Middle School Teacher of the Year and current Technology Learning Coach (TLC).  Mr. Abernathy started out as a student teacher at BMS and was then able to officially join the Richland Two Family. He is also the BMS boys' basketball coach.  Before becoming a TLC, Mr. Abernathy served as a sixth grade social studies teacher. His students describe him as very entertaining and always willing to help.

Like us on Facebook and follow us Twitter and Instagram for a peek into A Day in the Life of Mr. Abernathy tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Apply to Choice today!

Don't forget the Choice Application is open now through the end of the month.


Click the image to visit the Choice Application website. 

School Board meeting tomorrow

The Richland Two School Board will convene for its regularly scheduled  meeting on Tuesday, January 13 at Polo Road Elementary School located at 1250 Polo Road, 29223. The board will meet at 5:30 and move immediately into executive session. Public session is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. View the agenda.




Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Inclement weather procedure

When there is the possibility of inclement weather, Richland School District Two takes the following precautions:

Weather Monitoring

The superintendent and executive director of operations monitor the weather forecasts provided by the National Weather Service and local media outlets. They consult with other district staff, superintendents of other Midlands school districts and Richland County Emergency Preparedness. If conditions warrant a change to the regular schedule, the district strives to make that decision as soon as possible.

Delay or Cancellation Notifications

If a decision is made to alter the start or dismissal time or to cancel school, the Richland Two Communications Department will notify students, parents and employees through a variety of methods including Blackboard Connect calls, website messages, R2TV, text messages and emails. Notifications will only be sent if there is a change to the schedule. If school starts/ends at regular time, the district will not send out any notifications. To help ensure they receive the Blackboard Connect calls, emails and text messages, parents need to keep their schools updated on any changes to contact information.

The media is also notified of any changes to the school day to help relay the message to the community.

Preparation for Inclement Weather

In cases of extreme cold, bus drivers, maintenance workers and other district/school staff report to work early to prepare the buses and facilities for students. Bus drivers come in early to crank the buses and allow time for the buses to idle. The Richland Two Transportation Office works closely with the State Department of Education’s bus mechanics to address any issues quickly. Since all of our buses do have heat, this also gives extra time for the buses to warm up.

Tips for Students and Parents

  1. Stay informed: Check the district website regularly and monitor R2TV and local media for updates on school delays and/or closings. It is important to remember the decision to alter the school day is made by the district office staff not individual schools. The district requests that parents not call schools in order to keep the phone lines open in case of emergency situations.
  2. Students riding buses to schools should dress appropriately for the weather and alter their time for arriving at bus stops based on the school start time. If a delay is scheduled, students should delay their arrival time at the bus stop to match the delay. All of our buses do have heat.
  3. Announcements on required make-up days will follow once the appropriate number of days is determined.

The district wants to ensure students, parents and employees are prepared for any situation caused by extreme temperatures or inclement weather. If you have any questions about procedures related to extreme temperatures and/or inclement weather, please contact Libby Roof, executive director of communications, at 803.738/3222.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

School and magnet information meetings begin tonight

This month, learn about the district's schools and magnet programs at school information nights. The first are tonight at Windsor Elementary, Blythewood Middle and Spring Valley High schools. All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.

Click on image for a pdf of schedule. 

January is School Board Recognition Month

“There is a place in America to take a stand: it is public education. It is the underpinning of our cultural and political system. It is the great common ground. Public education after all is the engine that moves us as a society toward a common destiny...It is in public education that the American dream begins to take shape.”—Tom Brokaw


2015-2016 Choice Application now open!


Click on image to apply now. Application closes at 5 p.m. January 30.