<b>BATTERY CREEK HIGH</b>

• Lights on For Life: Monday, December 31, sponsored by the Battery Creek High School

[caption id="attachment_14324" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_0651.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-14324" alt="Battery Creek High School students in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club and the Health Occupational Students of America(HOSA) recently helped residents at River Oaks Assisted Living decorate Christmas Cookies and their Christmas tree." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_0651-300x224.jpg" width="300" height="224" /></a> Battery Creek High School students in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club and the Health Occupational Students of America(HOSA) recently helped residents at River Oaks Assisted Living decorate Christmas Cookies and their Christmas tree.[/caption]

SADD Club. As you are out celebrating New Years Eve with family and friends, remember to wear your seat belt and drive safely. The members of the SADD Club would like to ask everyone out driving on Monday, December 31, to drive with your headlights on, showing support for our campaign for a safe holiday on South Carolina’s highways.

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<b>BEAUFORT ACADEMY</b>

• The week of December 9 was Computer Science Education Week, during which Beaufort Academy students in grades 1-8 took part in the national Hour of Code. The Hour of Code is designed to get students across the nation to be introduced to computer coding by spending at least an hour in the lab.  It is geared to encourage interest in the field and show that

[caption id="attachment_14323" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/art.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-14323" alt="In art class, Beaufort Academy third and fourth graders made very creative paper mâché elves. Pictured: Brycen Ambrose, Alex Compton and Sophia Martin.  " src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/art-300x224.jpg" width="300" height="224" /></a> In art class, Beaufort Academy third and fourth graders made very creative paper mâché elves. Pictured: Brycen Ambrose, Alex Compton and Sophia Martin.[/caption]

anyone can learn the basics.

• Thursday, Dec. 19: Beaufort Academy PreK through fourth graders present “Christmas Around the World” at 6 p.m.

• Friday, Dec. 20: The last day of the all-school Coat Drive. The sixth grade is organizing the Coat Drive in conjunction with FWDG’s 23rd Annual Coat Drive.

• Monday, Dec. 23: No school, Christmas Break begins. Students return to school on January 6.

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<b>BEAUFORT ELEMENTARY</b>

• The fifth graders will perform a sing-a-long called “Content Carols” from 2 to 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20 at the Beaufort Elementary School cafeteria. The students re-wrote traditional holiday carols using the content they learned in class.  For example, “Here Comes Santa Clause” is now “Going to the Battlefield , and “ We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is now “Why Go West”?  All songs were written by individual students. For more information, contact Angela Peterson at angie.peterson@beaufort.k12.sc.us or 322-2600.

[caption id="attachment_14325" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/School-BHS-basketball1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-14325" alt="Beaufort High School Girls Varsity Basketball Team members brought some holiday cheer to senior citizens at the Port Royal Residential Community Center on Thanksgiving Day.  The girls gave up part of the day with their own families to spend time playing games with the seniors, serving them the Thanksgiving feast, and giving voice to why they were grateful on this national day of celebration. Pictured above: Front, left, Head Coach Reginald Jones, Sr.; next to Briana Heyward-White.  Second row, from left: Students Kaitlin Hamilton and  Jasmine Wallace with staff of the Community Center. Third row, from left: Grace Cody, Lily Allen, Jasmine Linnen. Last row, from left: Amber Britton, Monique Jones and Regina Bolden. " src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/School-BHS-basketball1-300x205.jpg" width="300" height="205" /></a> Beaufort High School Girls Varsity Basketball Team members brought some holiday cheer to senior citizens at the Port Royal Residential Community Center on Thanksgiving Day. The girls gave up part of the day with their own families to spend time playing games with the seniors, serving them the Thanksgiving feast, and giving voice to why they were grateful on this national day of celebration. Pictured above: Front, left, Head Coach Reginald Jones, Sr.; next to Briana Heyward-White. Second row, from left: Students Kaitlin Hamilton and Jasmine Wallace with staff of the Community Center. Third row, from left: Grace Cody, Lily Allen, Jasmine Linnen. Last row, from left: Amber Britton, Monique Jones and Regina Bolden.[/caption]

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<b>SCHOOL DISTRICT</b>

<b>• School district conducts interviews aimed at expanding pool of substitute teachers: </b>The Beaufort County School District interviewed more than 70 people recently as part of an effort to expand its pool of available substitute teachers.

Alice Walton, the district’s Chief Administrative Services and Human Resources Officer, said the number of substitutes available to work on short notice had slowly decreased in recent years due to attrition.

“For a variety of reasons, every year we lose some of our available substitutes,” Walton said.  “Some have retired, some have moved away from the area and some have gone on to become certified classroom teachers.”

During the first district-wide “Substitute Blitz,” district master teachers, principals and assistant principals interviewed prescreened prospective substitutes who also had to complete a writing exercise.  Successful candidates will return for orientation and training sessions.

Although South Carolina state rules require that substitute teachers have only a high school diploma, the Beaufort County School District requires a four-year college degree.

<b>ST. PETER'S CATHOLIC SCHOOL</b>

• The 5th grade class at St. Peter Catholic School is collecting nearly new (or new) books for Child Abuse Prevention Association’s (CAPA) Open Arms Shelter, in order to stock their library for the children who stay there. The goal is to be able to give each child a book to keep. Beginning January 6 and continuing through the month, book donations may be dropped off at the school office. Please contact the school at 843-522-2163 with any questions or if you are interested in helping deliver the books when the collection ends.

<b>WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY</b>

• December 19: Third grade Musical Performance at 6:30 p.m., WBES cafeteria.

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