NEWBERRY COUNTY — A multitude of county students were recognized for their various achievements at a standing-room only meeting of the Newberry County School District Board of Trustees on Monday night.
First up were the 2015-2016 Junior Scholars from Newberry and Mid-Carolina middle schools who received the distinction for having scored at least 550 in reading/writing or 530 or higher in math on the PSAT.
Each student was called forward individually and applauded by those in attendance as they received a framed certificate.
The friends and family of each student were then recognized as a reminder that education is a team effort.
Receiving first place at the state level in the Project Lead the Way Competition in Automation and Robotics were MCMS students Tandice Northcutt, Madelyn Huffstetler and Joseph Murray.
“I just want to say that this was truly a student-driven event,” said instructor Cecilia Kelly, who explained how participation in the competition was actually initiated by Northcutt, Huffstetler and Murray.
Kelly provided them with resources while the students put in all of the labor, even holding themselves responsible for scheduling work sessions.
Their robot was designed with two appendages — one to scoop up tennis balls and place them in an 18-inch high trapezoid container and another to gather tennis balls into a corner of the playing field.
Teams went head-to-head scoring points for each tennis ball placed in the designated areas while controlling their robots remotely.
In its first ever year competing, the MCMS team took the final round in a best-of-three sweep and finished as the only undefeated team in the field.
“Video game skills,” stated Murray.
“So those video games are worth something,” responded Superintendent Bennie Bennett.
Also recognized for their distinctions in science were, again representing MCMS, the winners from the 2016 Science Olympiad held at Newberry College on Jan. 30.
“Twenty nine students competed against hundreds of other students from public and charter schools in a vast array of scientific competitions,” said District HR director Pamela Arrington.
The group performed well in individual categories and finished second place overall as a team.
Also included in the proceedings was the approval of the 2016-2017 school calendar initially presented at last month’s meeting.
“We decided to wait until perhaps there was some legislation from the state maybe allowing us to start earlier. However, that has not happened so here we are with it back on the agenda as an action item,” said Dr. Lynn Cary.
Board member Hugh Gray posed the question of what would happen in the way of punitive measures should the district choose to deviate their schedule from state standards.
Bennett speculated based on experience the penalty would most likely be monetary in nature.
“Mr. Gray, I know exactly where you’re going. It would make so much sense and make it a lot easier to have that flexibility because what works in one county may not work in another and that’s been our argument for the last several years,” Bennett said.
Gray was not, however, officially suggesting the district deviate, calling such an action “wildly imprudent.”
“I just wanted to have it on record that I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that we have allowed two or three counties to drive the start date across the state,” he said.
Gray plans to address the matter at the district’s annual Day at the Capitol, slated May 11, and called uniform start dates one of his “hair on fire issues.”
A motion and second to approve the calendar were made by Ike Bledsoe and Lee Attaway, respectively, with all in favor.
Additionally the board voted to award the construction of approximately three acres of an irrigated-agricultural field at the Newberry County Career Center to Harmon Landscaping for the low bid $99,875.
A motion was made by Attaway and seconded by Bledsoe followed by a unanimous vote.