Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > South Carolina > Charleston area
 [Register]
Charleston area Charleston - North Charleston - Mt. Pleasant - Summerville - Goose Creek
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 09-18-2008, 12:56 AM
 
Location: Coastal South Carolina
330 posts, read 1,192,809 times
Reputation: 141

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by USCJoe View Post
Interesting statistics, although income level is only one characteristic or factor making up a diversified student body. Schools that have a high percentage of students qualifying for a free or reduced lunch can do extremely well in testing and other academic areas.
Jennie Moore Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant is such an example. In 2007, they were one of four South Carolina schools that was nominated as a "National Blue Ribbon School" by the U.S. Department of Education and nearly half qualify for a free or reduced lunch. A press release described the school in the following manner:

This 54-year-old 4K-5 art magnet school in Mount Pleasant has 624 students, nearly half of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. For the past two years, it garnered Excellent ratings in both the absolute and improvement categories, received Palmetto Gold Awards and was featured in the Education Department’s “In Our Schools” television program. The school’s data-driven curriculum integrates fine arts and customizes instruction to meet student needs. Using PACT and/or MAP data, groups of three or fewer academically at-risk students work with a certified teacher to remediate and foster academic growth. Students are homogeneously grouped for TEAM (Together Everybody Achieves More) time 40 minutes each day, four times a week. A homework center, S.O.S. (Support Our Students) and after-school tutoring are effective in helping struggling students to succeed. The SAIL program is for gifted and talented students. Jennie Moore’s fifth-graders in the same NCLB categories demonstrated phenomenal growth in Math and English Language Arts. Students scoring at or above Proficient soared from 22 to 54 percent in math and from 11 to 36 percent in English Language Arts. The school has an effective PTA that oversees more than 300 parent and community volunteers who help maintain a literacy resource room, provide educational resources for both parents and teachers, sponsor events to support the schools arts-infused curriculum, and provide supplemental funding for educational resources that include computers, copy machines and generous monetary allotments for classroom spending.


I also find the descriptive term "poverty index" a little misleading. I would be surprised if 4 out of 10 students at Summerville High School would be viewed by Summerville students or parents as living in poverty. According to on line statistics, in 2004 15.6% of South Carolina residents lived in poverty. It would be surprising if there were about 3 times as many students that were attending Summerville HS and living in poverty than attending other schools in the state.
We have been talking about the high schools and not elementary. Stay on topic please.

Unless of course you can produce the SAT scores for those students currently at Jennie Moore Elementary.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 09-18-2008, 07:39 AM
 
Location: Summerville
890 posts, read 4,314,420 times
Reputation: 394
Now we are digging into the free lunches to get statistics?

And no it is not surprising that Summerville would have a higher rate of poverty students considering that the district is not just limited to the town of Summerville. Considering there is no high school for the kids in the outlying rural areas before Ashley Ridge opened this year, Summerville picked up kids between Givhans and the entire area including out Hwy 17, 165 and across to highway 61. Maybe even parts of Ridgeville.

Don't compare poverty percentages with race percentages. Out here poverty is not limited to just one race.

Last edited by scjj; 09-18-2008 at 07:53 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 08:11 AM
 
Location: Mount Pleasant South Carolina
1,125 posts, read 3,764,171 times
Reputation: 239
I pointed out and made reference to free lunch percentages because of the statistics mentioned by Luvsdabeach. My original responses and comments were made in response to the comment by Imperieux that the differences in test scores was based purely upon economics and diversity. I certainly made no reference or inference that poverty is limited to one race. All of my comments have been made to support my contention that given good instruction, innovation, teacher, administration and parental support that a school can excel regardless of the average income level, family background and geographic diversification. This remains true to not only high schools but also Elementary and Middle Schools.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 12:11 PM
 
60 posts, read 233,662 times
Reputation: 28
Barbara,

See what a can of worms you opened? LOL!

scjj,
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and that is what I gave based on my factual experience. I also encouraged Barbara to view the schools on her own and talk to the administrators and teachers herself to arrive at her decision. Yet, you continue to be hostile.

If you are going to insist on being offended over any type of opinion that differs from your own you will end up being a very unhappy person.

Sorry you've had to read all this Barbara and good luck on your hunt.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 01:34 PM
 
Location: Coastal South Carolina
330 posts, read 1,192,809 times
Reputation: 141
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvs2fish View Post
Barbara,

See what a can of worms you opened? LOL!

scjj,
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and that is what I gave based on my factual experience. I also encouraged Barbara to view the schools on her own and talk to the administrators and teachers herself to arrive at her decision. Yet, you continue to be hostile.

If you are going to insist on being offended over any type of opinion that differs from your own you will end up being a very unhappy person.

Sorry you've had to read all this Barbara and good luck on your hunt.
Wow. I'm still searching through this thread to find the posts where scjj has been hostile when she has done no more than offer a differing opinion as well.

As for being offended, she was not the only one offended when a negative remark was made about Summerville High from anyone without real first hand knowledge or experience. One hour in the building is not first hand knowledge or experience about a school. It is a first hand impression only.

Many parents and residents who actually LIVE here in Summerville and have spoken up and given their opinions, which is exactly what the OP asked for. She also specifically asked for opinions between the differences in Summerville High and Ashley Ridge. Instead it became a pissing contest between Wando and Summerville, as always.

And those opinions of those who actually live here and have children within the DD2 district including Summerville High have been challenged by a realtor, a very recent transplant with a major chip on her shoulder, and someone who doesn't even live here.

No wonder the natives are fed up and now try to discourage anyone from moving here. I get it. I really do. And I'm beginning to agree with them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 01:39 PM
 
Location: Summerville
890 posts, read 4,314,420 times
Reputation: 394
luvs2fish,

You live on the other side of the country. You visited for one week and suddenly you are this expert on the tri-county area schools and their reputations. Personally, I think you've got a lot of nerve to even make comments about the schools in the first place considering you don't even live here. You can turn this around on me all you want, the fact remains you still can't give a logical explanation, and you won't because you can't, because the truth is you really don't know.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 02:06 PM
 
Location: Mount Pleasant South Carolina
1,125 posts, read 3,764,171 times
Reputation: 239
I thought that there were rules on this forum that members should try to refrain from personal attacks. I find it unusual that anyone would suggest that a forum member or contributor refrain from commenting upon their personal observations which they believe could any very well may be relevant to an issue they have under consideration, just because they do not live in Charleston. Often times observations by an outsider are more objective than those who may be prejudicial because of a vested interest in an issue or matter. I also would question the assertion that "the natives are fed up and now try to discourage anyone from moving here". I believe one of the strengths that Charleston has over many other areas of South Carolina is that it is home to so many families from throughout the country and world who have different life experiences and bring with them new ideas that can make Charleston even a better place to live.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 02:23 PM
 
Location: Summerville
890 posts, read 4,314,420 times
Reputation: 394
No one was attacked Joe, but you need to quit instigating.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 02:30 PM
 
Location: Charleston, SC
355 posts, read 1,445,055 times
Reputation: 130
Whether or not luvs2fish lives on the other side of the country or not, she is welcome to have an opinion.

What she is looking for in a school district may not be important to you, but she is absolutely qualified to stand in a school, meet with staff and watch the classes and then make an informed opinion.

And, when you do it 5 times in a week you can compare notes school to school and see which you think would be the best fit for your family.

There is no need for everyone to always get in an uproar with disagreeing opinions.

And, it's not staying on topic to do that either. I'm sure it's of no help to Barbara or anyone else looking for valuable information on Charleston.

Let's all act like adults.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2008, 04:31 PM
 
Location: Coastal South Carolina
330 posts, read 1,192,809 times
Reputation: 141
Although it's actually not in my best interests to praise the town I love and live in and speak well of DD2 to possible new transplants (our school district is becoming overcrowded because of it's popularity), I was doing so because of the great and honest advice I received here over the years from members like scjj, luvsdabeach, Jim3310 and more recently meks.

But this has become more of a headache instead of simply being helpful.

So good luck to all who are moving to the Charleston area and I wish you all well.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:




Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > South Carolina > Charleston area
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top