Polaris Tech delays school start to Aug. 28
Final work on Polaris Tech’s elementary wing will take longer than expected and the school’s Board of Trustees approved delaying the start of all classes by one week, until Aug. 28.
The new facility for grades K-4, on the same school property on Grays Highway, is expected to be ready for occupancy within a few weeks, said Kim Statler, Executive Director at Polaris Tech. About 550 students are enrolled at the public charter school in grades K-12 for the coming school year.
“This calendar change was something we were preparing for all along, because we had some weather delays and delivery issues with building materials,” Statler said. “I know our school family will pull together and have a strong opening week at the end of the month, and then we’ll celebrate when our new facility is completely ready.”
Polaris Tech is a state-approved charter school serving K-12 students from Jasper County and across the Lowcountry. It is a free school (no tuition), that focuses on preparing young people for successful work and college. The school was scheduled to start Aug. 21.
The calendar change required approval from the Polaris Tech Board of Directors. Pushing back the start date means any missed days will have to be made up either during the school year or at the end of the school calendar.
“We will keep our families updated regularly about these changes, and we’ll also be posting on our website and social media,” Statler said.
She updated the Polaris Tech board Monday afternoon with her recommended solutions, which the board supported.
Beaufort students accepted into College of Charleston Honors College
More than 260 students have been accepted into the College of Charleston Honors College for the Fall 2023 school year, including four from Beaufort.
The Honors College at the College of Charleston has been recognized as one of the top 40 public university honors programs in the country by Inside Honors.
The following are area students attending the College of Charleston Honors College this fall:
Emily Bennett (29902) is a graduate of Beaufort High School; Tyler Mcguire (29902) is a graduate of Beaufort High School; Shelby Saunders (29903) is a graduate of Midland Valley High School; and Charlotte Vyge (29907) is a graduate of Beaufort High School.
7 Beaufort students named to UMGC Dean’s List
More than 10,500 University of Maryland Global Campus students were named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester. To be eligible for the honor, a student must complete at least six credits during the term, earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the term, and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UMGC.
Students from the Beaufort area on the Dean’s List include Adam Bowers (29906), Kelley Cook (29906), Jason Hill (29905), Ariana Hudzinski (29906), Gabriel Morales-Salas (29906), Morgan Shattuck (29906) and Destri Stemme (29906).
University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers.
FWDG giveaway helps teachers
FWDG, the Lowcountry furniture and mattress store, recently held its 2nd Annual reStock My Classroom Shopping Spree giveaway. The giveaway helped six teachers throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties and is part of FWDG’s ongoing effort to support education and give back to the community.
The donated school supplies included requested items from teachers that will be used to help more than 700 students. The winning teachers come from six different schools including River Ridge Academy, Okatie Elementary, Bluffton Elementary, Hilton Head Elementary School for the Creative Arts, Lady’s Island Middle School, and Hilton Head Middle. The contribution from FWDG helped alleviate some of the financial burdens that educators often face when preparing for the school year.
Compared to last year’s giveaway, the store covered $500, up from $250, of supplies for each teacher for a total donation of $3,000. Also, teachers had the option to select items that they alone would be responsible for purchasing such as sports equipment, toys, books, office supplies, etc.
Photos of all winning teachers can be found on Facebook, @FWDGBeaufort, and on Instagram, @FWDGBeaufortSC.
– From staff reports
