We just love welcoming WSSD51 alumni back home! Meet Lacey Hawkins, newest faculty member at Ware Shoals Primary. Lacey worked as a teacher assistant at WSP for a short while before accepting a position in Sumter last year. She is back and excited to get to teach where she first fell in love with school!
Meet Blake Bishop, Social Studies teacher at WSHS. He is a resident of Ware Shoals and is eager to get started! We welcome Mr. Bishop to the WSSD family.
Ware Shoals Primary School has a new principal. Mr. Jason Morrison comes to us from North Augusta Middle School where he served as Assistant Principal. He has twenty years of teaching experience, mostly in the field of English/Language Arts. He resides in Greenwood with his family. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Morrison to our WSSD51 family!
A warm welcome to the newest member of the WSHS faculty, Nichole McGehee. Ms. McGehee will teach Biology in the upcoming school year. We are happy that she has chosen to join our learning community!
UPDATE...We're extending our hours at the Ware Shoals Fitness Center! We will be open from 8-4 Monday-Thursday this summer. Those who can use the machines without need of assistance may come any of those hours.
The WSFC will be staffed with a certified personal trainer from 9-12 most days, beginning June 10th. NO MORE EXCUSES! Come work out in a clean, temperature controlled environment.
The WSFC, located on the high school campus, is offered free to adults 18 and over who live in our school district.
Ware Shoals 2019 graduation photos are online! Please use the three steps below to view our photos from Legacy Studios.
Step 1: Go to https://vando.imagequix.com/H9WFF9C
Step 2: Enter this code 9006M191
Step 3: Click on Graduation and enter your personal email address.
Graduation forecast: HOT!! High 90s are forecast for Tuesday, May 28th. The concrete bleachers will likely be pretty warm from the day's heat, so you may want to bring a blanket, stadium seat, or cushion to sit on. We will have a water station, and we have asked EMS to be in attendance. We will live stream the ceremony on Facebook, so those who are unable to attend can see it in real time.
Happy Memorial Day weekend! Stay safe.
The WSHS Class of 1949 celebrated their 70th reunion on May 17th with lunch and a program at Greenwood Country Club. Mr. Dan Branyon shared history and photos of Ware Shoals, and Dr. Fay Sprouse brought the alumni up to date on what's happening in the district and our schools. It was a great celebration!
Shown in the photo are, from left to right:
Seated - Manly Balentine, Bobbie Bowie Smith, Ann Holley Hodges, Miriam Davis Babb, Frances Crawford Campbell, and Lucia Agnew Bryson.
Standing - William Vaughn, Kennon Abrams, James "Spunk" Jones, Lamar Smith, Betty Branyon
Graduation is set for 7:00 pm on May 28th and scheduled for Riegel Stadium: Tommy Davis Field. Graduation will be livestreamed from our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wareshoals51/
Due to the limited number of spaces, automobile access to the rear gate will be granted ONLY to those with a handicapped tag or placard. Those without a tag/placard, but with a need to enter at field level, may access the stadium on foot though the rear gate. The ramp into the bleachers is to the left side after entering the back gate.
Any additional requests for assistance must be reviewed by Mr. Cox, District Safety Coordinator, BEFORE 3:00 pm on the 28th . Please call 864-456-7923.
In case of inclement weather or sub-standard field conditions, the ceremony will be held in the auditorium. Each graduate will receive 10-12 tickets.
These WSH scholars have been accepted into the dual credit program at Lander University. Next year, they will take courses on the Lander campus that will count as high school credits and as hours for their freshman year of college. Our district provides tuition assistance and the books, making it very affordable. Congratulations to these students for investing in their future as they move closer to the DESTINATION...GRADUATION!
GreenwoodEDGE is a partnership between Piedmont Technical College and Greenwood School Districts 50, 51, and 52, county private schools, Greenwood Partnership Alliance, Greenwood County Council, Greenwood Promise, and local employers to provide training to high school students in high-demand occupations.
Congratulations to these students for being accepted into the program for 2019-20:
Matthew Cox, Dana Givens, Ethan Clark, and Christian Drake
The School Board election is tomorrow, May 14th. Please vote if you’re a resident of our district and remind your family and friends to do so as well.
There is always some confusion about who is eligible to vote in the school board election. Registered voters who live in Laurens, Abbeville, or Greenwood County within our district’s attendance zone may vote. Residency within the town limits of Ware Shoals is not required.
School board elections are so very important! Members formulate policy and make tough decisions on complex educational and social issues that impact our community. Their decisions and actions affect the present and future lives of our community’s children.
Two candidates are vying for one seat on the board: Shanon Calvert and Cody Quinn.
Don't forget to VOTE tomorrow!
Our District Teacher of the Year, Josh Hallman, was honored at the South Carolina's 2019 Teacher of the Year Gala on Wednesday. The gala celebrated the contributions of 80 teachers across the state who were selected as District TOY. We want to thank the Self Family Foundation for supporting our TOY through the District Sponsorship gift of $1,500.
There is no greater impact on a student's success than a high quality teacher in every classroom. Thank you, Coach Hallman, for all you have done for our students in academics and in athletics!
The 5K Walk/Run has been rescheduled for next Saturday, May 18th. Forecasters at the National Weather Service are predicting light showers in the area between 9 and 11 in the morning. We want everyone to have a great experience on a sunny day, and the forecast currently shows the 18th as being bright and beautiful.
If you have prepaid and are unable to participate on the 18th, please contact the high school office, and we will issue a refund.
We welcome all to join us for a morning of FITNESS and FUN. Registration will be onsite from 8:00 until 8:40. Cost to participate is $20. All proceeds will be used for the Ware Shoals Community Fitness Center which is located on the campus of the high school.
Contact us at 864-456-7496 (extension 1) if you have any questions.
Tomorrow morning we will have a special event that you can view on Facebook Live. Tune in between 8 am and 10:30 am to watch our students live. No matter where you will be, we will be on our Destination... Graduation!
Just a reminder of the "No More Excuses" Walk/Run on Saturday! Come out to get a little exercise and to socialize with others in support of fitness initiatives in our district. You can do the 2 mile walk/stroll or you can do the 5K walk/run if you're a little more adventurous.
Meet us at the high school gym. The 2 mile walk will begin at 8:45 and the 5K will begin at 9:00. Register onsite from 8:00 - 8:40. The cost is $20 per person.
Student/Athletes,
Our Athletic Banquet will be held on May 7, 2019. Dinner will be served to the student/athletes only, starting at 5:30 pm. Dinner will be served in the high school lunch room. The awards portion of the evening will start at 6:45 pm in the high school auditorium. Your families are invited to the 6:45 pm awards portion of the evening. Please talk to your coaches about appropriate attire for the evening. We look forward to honoring all of your hard work that evening.
May 6th, 2019, students will no longer be able to charge to their lunch accounts. Please pay any outstanding balances before May 24, 2019. If you have any concerns, contact Sharon Mann @ 456-3679 or your school cafeteria. Thank you!
The Purple and Gold
How do you spell W-I-N-N-E-R?
These super spellers competed in the District Spelling Bee today. Our district winner / WSMS winner is Kimarion Gillerson (pictured on right). Coming in first place for WS Primary was Yuchen Lin (left).
Congratulations to the other participants for qualifying for the district final by winning their classroom spelling bee!
Front Row-Josie Gambrell, Dustin Strickland, Rachel Owings, Landon Dowis, Carson Coleman
Back Row- Dixiemay Laughlin, Faith Holbrooks, Yuchen Lin, Kimarion Gillerson, Andrew Gonzalez, Jace Stewart, Julian Dyal
