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OUR THEME“Elevate Your Impact”OUR GOALS● Provide world-class safety and a positive school culture.● Provide world-class, high-quality instruction to increase studentachievement.● Provide world-class communication and family engagement.November 20, 2023Dear Laurens County School District 55 Community,Happy Monday! As we embark on this shortened week leading up toThanksgiving, I want to express my gratitude to each and every one ofyou. Your support and commitment to our district and the education ofour students have not gone unnoticed.Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the blessings in our lives, and I amincredibly fortunate to have such supportive parents and communitymembers. Your unwavering support for our vision makes our districtthrive.In the spirit of gratitude, please take a moment today to express yourappreciation for the collaborative efforts of our administrators, teachers, and staff. Recognize theincredible work they do and the impact they have on our district's success. Let us foster a culture ofappreciation and acknowledgment where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute theirbest.I wish you all a wonderful week filled with moments of gratitude and joy. Enjoy this time with yourloved ones, reflecting on the blessings that surround us. Happy Thanksgiving!

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN/TURNAROUND PLANPer the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), The Education Accountability Act -Article 16, requires schools with “below average” or “unsatisfactory” ratings on the South CarolinaSchool Report Card engage in the Continuous School Improvement Process. This is a planoutlining goals for a school or district's educational improvement. The plan aims to increasestudent achievement and requires specific strategies and measures that evaluate the success ofthe implementation of the plan.The LCSD 55 community is requested to provide feedback on the Turnaround Plans prepared byFord Elementary School, Gray Court-Owings School, Laurens Elementary School, and LaurensDistrict 55 High School. Any community member who may or may not have children attendingthese schools, may give feedback. The surveys are in English and Spanish. The surveys will closeon Monday, November 27, 2023. Visit the District Turnaround webpage to access the plans andsurveys.LINKSHoughton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) ELA Curriculum Implementation VideoHoughton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) Curriculum Laurens County School District 55 Overview VideoParent Virtual Academy Substance Use and Vaping, December 7, 2023 Registration LinkSTAY IN THE KNOWLaurens 55 Spotlight on Excellent TeachersDebra BeardenSCHOOL BOARDThe next monthly meeting of the LCSD 55 Board ofTrustees is Monday, November 27, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.The meeting will be at Laurens Elementary School, at301 Henry Street, Laurens, SC 29360.JUST TAKE 30 READING INITIATIVEPlease continue to stress the importance of reading at home for at least 30 minutes a day.

RAIDERS BOYS’ BASKETBALL TEAM SECOND ANNUAL TIP-OFF DINNER AND GREENJACKET CEREMONYThe Raiders Boys’ Basketball Team gathered at The Ballroom Weddings and Events on Friday,November 17, 2023, for the Second Annual Tip-Off Dinner and Green Jacket Ceremony. The eventis a fundraising opportunity for the basketball team. Attendees and supporters of the event includedLCSD 55 Superintendent Dr. Ameca Thomas, LCSD 55 Board of Trustees Cathy Little, LDHSAthletic Department Coaches, LDHS Guidance Counselors, parents, district staff members,community members, and businesses. Business sponsors include The Ballroom Weddings andEvents (venue), JusDean (blazers), and Mayfield Fence. Thank you to all the supporters!COACH’S CORNER: MEET ARMOND FLOODArmond P. Flood Sr. (pictured with his wife Delena Flood) is aNaval Science Instructor for the Laurens District 55 HighSchool Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (LDHSNJROTC) and the Head Coach of the Raiders Boys’ BasketballTeam. He is in his second year with LCSD 55. He brings 25years of coaching experience and seven years of teachingexperience. He is a 21-year veteran, holds a Bachelor'sDegree in Business Management, and plans to pursue aMasters in Administration.Coach Flood is very passionate about Basketball. He said, “Basketball teaches players discipline,which gives you freedom, work ethic, how to work as a team, and have hope. For some kids, it isthe only positive thing they have to hold on to. I tell them all the time that when you love something,you will protect it, so grades and discipline problems should never be an issue because if you loveBasketball and your team, you're going to protect your status to play.”Coach Flood started the annual Raiders Boys’ Basketball Tip-Off Dinner and Green JacketCeremony. His goal is twofold- raise funds for the team's needs and an opportunity to inspire hisathletes to learn how to act and dress for success. Coach Flood finds great joy in developing youngmen into good citizens. He is very proud that from his first team, all seven seniors graduated, threewent on to college, and one signed a basketball scholarship.

LCSD 55 Athletic Director Tommy Spires is all praise for Coach Flood. “Coach Flood has done agreat job building a good team culture within our program and community. We are looking forwardto what year two brings for Raiders Boys’ Basketball,” said Spires.Email Coach Flood at apflood@laurens55.org for information on the Boys’ Basketball Program.Listen to the Pride in 55: Connection Podcast to know more about Armond Flood.CONGRATULATIONS PRINCIPAL ZAKARIA WATSON!Ford Elementary School (FES) Principal Zakaria Watson recently earnedhis Doctorate in Educational Administration on November 13, 2023, fromSouth Carolina State University. Dr. Watson holds a Bachelor of Sciencein Elementary Education, an Education Specialist degree, and a Masterof Science in Education.Dr. Watson started his educational career in Clayton County, Georgia in1998 as a third-grade teacher and high school football coach. He servedas middle school assistant principal from 2003 to 2007. He beganserving as a principal in 2008 at Lee Street Elementary. From 2012 to 2015, he served as AssistantSuperintendent of School Operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He returned to the UnitedStates in 2015 and became an assistant principal at Orangeburg Wilkinson High School. He joinedLaurens County School District 55 in 2016 to experience serving a rural community within a smalldistrict.Dr. Watson’s desire to earn his doctorate began upon his return from the UAE. He said, “I felt itnecessary to acquire new skills and stay aligned with the latest trends in education as well as Ihave an innate thirst for knowledge.”Dr. Watson shared his takeaway from the doctoral program. He said, “I now have a deeperunderstanding of the impact of early literacy on reading achievement as well as how achievementgaps are impacted by different controllable variables.”Dr. Watson is honored to be the principal at FES. He finds great joy in seeing the smiles and joy onstudents when they accomplish something and having the opportunity to impact students’ livespositively.LDHS DIGITAL ART AND DESIGN STUDENTS WIN VOTER REGISTRATION POSTERCONTESTLaurens District 55High School(LDHS) Digital Artand Designstudents BraylenJones (Do A GoodThing), ReMiaBoyce (We wantyou…to be a PollWorker), andMatthew Butler(Every Job isImportant) won 1st,2nd, 3rd places

respectively for their digital poster entries to the Voter Registration & Elections of Laurens County“Be A Poll Worker” Poster Contest. The students’ posters are on display at the Voter Registration &Elections of Laurens County. Each winner will receive a gift certificate.ReMia shared how she feels about winning, her inspiration for her poster and why she joined thecontest. “I am happy that I won, because I put a lot of time and effort into my poster design. I usedthe ‘We Want You’, Uncle Sam poster as an inspiration. I wanted to have the chance to getrecognition for my Art.”Voter Registration & Elections of Laurens County DirectorLynne West hopes to encourage citizens to become pollworkers for the 2024 Election cycle. She said, “The LaurensCounty Board of Voter Registration and Elections is proud toannounce our Poster Contest winners, Digital Division. Thewinning artworks remind us of one’s civic duty to help at thePolls on Election Day. Artworks will be featured in our EarlyVoting facility on Bolt Drive and will be viewed by countlessvoters throughout 2024. We work hard all year to ensurethat elections are secure and run smoothly, but we can't do italone. Poll managers are crucial in conducting fair andimpartial elections. We appreciate the students at LaurensHigh School for bringing awareness to our recruitmentcampaign. Congratulations to the winners!”LCSD 55 students may still join the contest for the Printed Division until December 8, 2023.TEACHER’S CORNER: MEET CANDICE IUSTICandice Barnes Iusti (pictured on the right) is a Career andTechnical Education teacher at Laurens District 55 High School(LDHS). This is her second year of teaching at LDHS. She currentlyteaches four Digital Art and Design classes. She holds an associatedegree in Commercial Art with an Advertising certificate fromPiedmont Technical College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Artfrom Lander University. She has always wanted to teach art.Iusti shared why she is passionate about teaching Digital Art andDesign. “I believe it is important because we see graphics everywhere we look, and everyoneshould see the relevance in what we do,” Iusti said.Iusti enjoys teaching and finds great joy in building relationships with herstudents. She shared kind words about her students who recently won the VoterRegistration & Elections of Laurens County poster contest. “Braylen Jones is thetype of student that all teachers praise. He is always at school, always on timeto class, and always completes his work before it is due.”“ReMia Boyce is one of my most talented students. She goes above andbeyond. She always ‘freehands’ her work and comes up with very creative ideasfor her projects,” Iusti said.

Iusti continued, “Matthew Butler has come out of his shell this semester. I praise him often becauseI am proud to see how far he has come since last year. Matthew is one of my ‘adopted’ kids. Healways waits at my door in the mornings, and I look forward to seeing his smile.”The students also have positive things to say about Candice Iusti and her class. Matthew Butlersaid, “She is nice and understanding.”Braylen added, “I like her class and the assignments she gives us.”Remia said, “My Digital Art and design teacher is a nice lady, and I enjoy being in her class since itgives me a chance to improve my Digital Art skills.”Contact Candice Iusti at cbiusti@laurens55.org for information on Digital Art and Design classes.LAURENS COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNOLOGYCENTER PLANNING MEETINGThe members of the Laurens County Career andTechnology Education (CATE) Center PlanningCommittee gathered on Wednesday, December 15,2023, at the Laurens 56 Conference Center to shareupdates and determine action items for pursuing thebuilding of the Laurens County Career and TechnologyCenter. District representatives shared the results ofstudent program interest surveys. RepresentativeGilliam shared programs that industries need andencouraged the committee members to beginpartnering with business industries.Representatives of McMillan, Pazdan, and Smith Architecture joined the meeting. The firm offeredadditional budget items for the committee to consider and offered to schedule tours for committeemembers at other CATE centers they’ve built. The tour will help committee members visualize thefacilities they want at Laurens CATE Center. The said architectural firm will help determine the bestlocation for the building.The next planning meeting is on January 29, 2023.CLOSINGOn behalf of the LCSD 55 Board of Trustees, administrators, and staff thank you for yourpartnership, support, and continued engagement as we work together to serve your children andour community. Your input is greatly valued and we love to hear from you. Contact me atathomas@laurens55.org, call 864-984-3568, attend our school and district events, or view ourschool board meetings. Have a great week!Sincerely,Ameca C. Thomas, Ph.D.Proud Superintendent ofLaurens County School District 55Laurens County School District #55 is committed to the principle of equal opportunity. It is the policy of thedistrict not to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, color, age, national origin, immigrant status,English-speaking status, familial status, or disability with regard to students, employees, or applicants foradmission or employment.