Schools eye wider reach

Months of community meetings, surveys and discussions have led a handful of Charleston County neighborhood schools to formally ask to become magnet-like schools.

This effort to give schools' themes and allow them to accept students beyond their attendance zones is one of Superintendent Nancy McGinley's key turnaround initiatives. The goal is to improve students' achievement and to increase schools' economic and racial diversity.

Eleven schools received $6,000 planning grants in April to craft proposals, and six schools have submitted applications. Most are among the lowest-achieving and highest poverty in the county.

The six are: Hursey Elementary, Jane Edwards Elementary, Laing Middle, Mt. Zion Elementary, Memminger Elementary and Mitchell Elementary.

The schools would not be true magnet schools because they would keep their current attendance zones. Still, like magnet schools, they would allow students from elsewhere in the county to attend.

The superintendent will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations to the board on which ones should be funded. The board would make the final decision.

McGinley has pledged to give each approved school two extra teachers and $40,000. Teams of parents, school employees and community members worked to create the proposals, and they hope to implement changes by the fall of 2009.

Next year's budget likely will be tight, and the school board is contemplating closing and restructuring schools to save money. But if the district wants to continue progress and have a portfolio of options, McGinley said the district should make good on its commitment to create these partial magnet schools.

"We cannot shut down the creativity of the system even though we are in a tough economic situation," she said.

McGinley would like to see partial magnet schools in different regions of the county. She's especially interested in the proposed programs' compatibility with the district's goals of improving achievement, closing the achievement gap and increasing the graduation rate.

Hursey Elementary

The North Charleston school would like to expand its existing Montessori program, which is a teaching philosophy that encourages students to work independently. Teachers facilitate individual lessons rather than instructing an entire class. Its proposed budget mostly would go to Montessori training for teachers and equipment.

Jane Edwards Elementary

The Edisto Island school hopes to create a technology and arts focus. Artists would be teamed with teachers to come up with creative lessons, and technology such as SmartBoards and iPods would be woven into the curriculum. Its budget would go to more technology equipment, teacher training and licenses for computer programs.

Laing Middle

The Mount Pleasant school would like to become a science and technology magnet school. Students would be exposed to hands-on activities, field trips and guest speakers, and science and technology would be integrated throughout the curriculum. The school has room for about 100 more students, who would have to apply by submitting grades, an essay and a teacher recommendation. Most of its budget would be spent on equipment such as computers, document cameras and SmartBoards.

Memminger Elementary

The peninsular Charleston school wants to be a globally themed school that would provide a rigorous, inquiry-based program. The program will be partially modeled after the International Baccalaureate program, which is available at Buist Academy. A part-time employee would be hired to coordinate the school curriculum, build partnerships and reach out to prospective parents. The school hopes to enroll an additional 150 students, which would put its total student body at 450 students. Its budget would be spent on training teachers, awarding grants for class projects and buying supplies.

Mitchell Elementary

The peninsular Charleston school hopes to implement a math and science focus throughout its curriculum. Student-centered teaching methods would be used, science labs will be updated with technology, and all grades will take math- and science-based field trips three to four times each year. The school is looking to grow its enrollment by about 160 students for a total of 460. Money would go to technology equipment for science labs and training for teachers.

Mt. Zion Elementary

The Johns Island school would like to focus on math and science. All students would be required to choose an independent research project and participate in the science fair, and the school would host math competitions and problems of the days. The school would grow by more than 130 students to a total enrollment of 350, and its budget mostly would be used to train teachers on how to integrate math and science in their lessons.

Other schools

Some schools decided to wait to submit applications, which means they likely wouldn't become magnet-like schools until the fall of 2010. Those include Fraser Elementary, James Simmons Elementary and Charleston Progressive Academy, all of which are downtown.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.