<em>Photo above: From left are Pamela Reed, student Payton Blackwell, teacher Sara DeLoach (“Favorite Teacher”) and Ann Paige. Photo provided.</em>

<b>Bridges Prep educator&nbsp;</b><b>named ‘Favorite Teacher’&nbsp;</b>

Bridges Prep’s Sara DeLoach won $100 recently for being selected as the “Favorite Teacher” by Winning Orthodontic Smiles of Beaufort and Bluffton.&nbsp;

DeLoach, a second-grade teacher, received a $100 gift card to Staples.&nbsp;

It was the second time a Bridges Prep teacher has received the award in the past three months. Katherine Tapia won in February.&nbsp; &nbsp;

One of DeLoach’s former students, Payton Blackwell, nominated her teacher for the monthly award. She signed up her teacher when visiting the orthodontic office of Drs. Skeet Burris, Travis Fiegle and Katie Plunkett.&nbsp;

“It’s a sweet gesture by the kids to nominate their teacher as the ‘Teacher of the Month,’ and it means the world to the teachers,” Bridges Head of School Nick Ithomitis said. “Very few teachers do it for the money. Most do it because they have a gift of teaching and finding ways to connect with young people, and an award like this is a great pat on the back.”&nbsp;

Visit www.bridgesprep.org or call 843-982-7737. &nbsp;

<b>Beaufort High students&nbsp;</b><b>host yard sale, car wash</b>

[caption id="attachment_32165" align="aligncenter" width="5312"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HOSa-Medalists.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-32165"><img class="size-full wp-image-32165" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HOSa-Medalists.jpg" alt="From left are HOSA medal winners Luke Heneise, Nishta Ramasamy, Sarah McMullen, Marah Aulabaugh and Tiffany Camputaro. Not pictured is Olivia Vyge." width="5312" height="2988"></a> From left are HOSA medal winners Luke Heneise, Nishta Ramasamy, Sarah McMullen, Marah Aulabaugh and Tiffany Camputaro. Not pictured is Olivia Vyge.[/caption]

The Beaufort High School Chapter of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) will host a yard sale and car wash from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6, in the vacant lot beside the Huddle House on Lady’s Island (92 Sea Island Drive). &nbsp;

The purpose of this event is to raise money for travel expenses for BHS HOSA State Competition winners to travel to compete at the International HOSA conference this summer in Orlando.

State conference winners include: Gold Medal, Luke Heneise, Pharmacology; Gold Medal, Olivia Vyge, Extemporaneous Writing; Silver Medal, Nishta Ramasamy, Extemporaneous Writing; Silver Medal Team, Marah Aulabaugh and Sarah McMullen, Forensic Science; and Bronze Medal, Tiffany Camputaro, Medical Spelling.&nbsp;

HOSA is an organization for students interested in pursuing a career in health care.&nbsp; It currently has over 200,000 members throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

<b>Public relations group&nbsp;</b><b>recognizes educators</b>

Several Beaufort County School district educators have earned statewide recognition for their communications efforts from the South Carolina chapter of the National School Public Relations Association.

North of the Broad, the district’s SC/NSPRA award-winning school for 2017 includes Broad River Elementary:&nbsp; School brochure (Electronics and Publications category).

“Communicating with parents and community members is key to parent and community involvement in schools,” said Superintendent Jeff Moss.

The awards were presented recently at an SC/NSPRA luncheon in Columbia. &nbsp;

SC/NSPRA is a statewide organization of school district communications professionals who advocate for public education and model and share effective communications practices. &nbsp;

Out-of-state public relations and communications professionals judged this year’s entries.

<b>Local student spends&nbsp;</b><b>semester abroad</b>

Miami University student Carson Myers spent the winter 2017 semester in Oman and United Arab Emirates as part of a study abroad group.

Myers, from Beaufort, is earning a Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy and Global Politics.

<b>Public forum on budget&nbsp;</b><b>to be held May 4</b>

A public forum will be held from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at the Battery Creek High School’s media center.

The forum is intended to help community members to learn more about the school district budget being developed by the Beaufort County board of education for the 2017-18 school year.

Participants at the forum will receive a presentation on the budget and will also have a chance to make comments to board members and ask questions.

“Developing the school district’s annual budget is a key responsibility for the board, and the process of developing that budget needs to be as open and transparent as possible,” said board Chair Patricia Felton-Montgomery. “We hope parents and community members will learn more about the budget and share their thoughts with us.”

The board hopes to officially certify the district’s 2017-18 budget at its Tuesday, May 16, meeting. &nbsp;

Beaufort County Council’s current timeline calls for a third and final reading of the district’s budget on Monday, June 12.

<b>Board members surprise&nbsp;</b><b>district staff, teachers</b>

Some very special Beaufort County School District teachers and support staff were treated with gift baskets recently as board of education members made surprise visits to their schools to announce the 2017-2018 Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year.

School Teachers of the Year are selected by their peers according to criteria established by the schools, the South Carolina Department of Education and the district’s Teacher Forum. &nbsp;

Next fall, the teachers honored will be eligible for District Teacher of the Year honors.

Support staff also are selected by school staff and can include social workers, school nurses, bookkeepers, office managers, teacher assistants, school secretaries and technology and data specialists. &nbsp;

The 2017-2018 North of the Broad Beaufort County Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year are Battery Creek teacher Sarah Hayes, support staff, Christine Whiteleather; Beaufort Elementary teacher Meredith Rhoden, support staff, Cathy Power; Beaufort High teacher Nancy Ungvarsky, support staff, Julie Gadley; Beaufort Middle teacher Dayna Dehlinger, support staff Sheral Spencer; Broad River teacher Phelecia Simmons, support staff, Denise Drake; Coosa Elementary teacher Lauren Plain, support staff, Sandra Gardener; Shanklin Elementary teacher Daniel McKeown, support staff, Daryl Harris; Lady’s Island Elementary teacher Cheryl Horton, support staff, Jana Sanders; Islands Academy teacher Patricia Hillis, support staff, Andrea Murray; Lady’s Island Middle teacher Andrew Diamond, support staff, Kathleen Bingham; River Ridge Academy teacher Amie Lankowski, support staff, Deborah Wilkerson; Robert Smalls International Academy teacher Leanna O’Quinn, support staff, Toni Burnsed; St. Helena Elementary teacher Merriam Browne, support staff, Denise Simmons; Whale Branch Early College High teacher Elizabeth Thomas, support staff, Virginia Henneberry; Whale Branch Elementary teacher Nicole Townsend, support staff, Cheryl Morris; Whale Branch Middle teacher Denise Huntsman, support staff, Marion Smalls; and Port Royal Elementary teacher Melinda Joiner, support staff, Elizabeth Bornscheuer.

<b>New administrator&nbsp;</b><b>named at First Books</b>

Diane Peeples has been named the new administrator at First Books of Beaufort effective Thursday, June 1.

First Books of Beaufort holds storytimes throughout Beaufort County and gives 800 books to at risk 4-year-olds and their classrooms each month. Peeples has been a volunteer reader for two years, and is a lifelong resident of the Beaufort area. She is a licensed insurance agent who has worked at Turbeville Insurance Agency as an accounts manager for the past 10 years.&nbsp;

First Book’s area leaders are: Peggy Cass Scott, Beaufort; Laurie Haddock, Bluffton; and Lara Phillips, Hilton Head.&nbsp;

Major sponsors are Coastal Community Foundation’s Beaufort Fund and Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. &nbsp;

See www.firstbooksofbeaufort.com.