Marion County Schools have initiated several programs to celebrate Black History Month. Various schools in the district organized events such as a Wax Museum and a Black History Museum, along with programs featuring speakers and music highlighting the rich history and contributions of African Americans.

February marks Career and Technical Education Month, an initiative aimed at recognizing and appreciating the achievements and contributions of CTE programs across the country. At MCSD, we firmly believe in every student's potential to make their four years of high school a pathway to future success. If you didn't know, our Academy for Careers and Technology (ACT) campus currently offers 15 career opportunities, with even more options being developed to provide students with an even wider range of career choices.

Our school spelling bee winners and runner-ups have made us proud! We are pleased to announce that the following Marion County students participated in the Pee Dee Regional Spelling Bee at Francis Marion University on Monday, February 5, 2024:

- Armonni Hickman (McCormick Elementary School)

- Merceidez Myers (Marion Intermediate School)

- Taneyah Thompson (Creek Bridge STEM Academy)

- Bobbi-Lynn Carmichael (Palmetto Middle School)

- Essence Rowell (Johnakin Middle School)

We congratulate these talented students on their achievements and appreciate their excellent representation of their respective schools. Well done!

Students at Marion and Mullins High are participating in the CareerBOOST program. CareerBOOST is a program that aims to provide students with on-the-job and transition skills training to help them prepare for post-secondary life. During the program, students will spend twelve weeks working at a job while learning skills to enhance their career readiness. This program is an excellent opportunity for students to earn money, gain valuable work experience, and develop crucial skills for their future careers.

The Parent and Community Engagement Department would like to express its sincere gratitude to all members of the community who have selflessly volunteered their time to read to our students. Your unwavering commitment to promoting literacy and cultivating a love for reading is truly priceless and deeply appreciated.

As part of "Love the Bus" week, we showed our gratitude towards the school bus drivers who work tirelessly to ensure the safe transportation of our students. Their contributions are invaluable to the daily operations of MCSD.

Every day, our crossing guards stand at busy intersections to ensure the safety of our students as they make their way to and from school. Thank you to our crossing guards for their hard work and dedication!

Our schools hosted a Winter Intersession Camp for grades 3-8, offering a fun and engaging learning experience in math, reading, and writing.

The MCSD Board of Trustees recognized the following individuals for their recent achievements at the February board meeting.

Creek Bridge STEM Academy:

- Taneyah Thompson: first place in CBSA's school spelling bee and placing first in the middle school

category of the South Carolina Development Association's poetry contest.

- Lily Barksdale: first place as the state winner in the elementary school category in the South

Carolina Development Association poetry contest.

- Dalton Luthi: first place Door of Hope MLK poetry contest (not pictured)

- Reagan Godbolt: second place Door of Hope poetry contest (not pictured)

- Kyra Smith: third place Door of Hope poetry contest

Mullins High School:

- Jalaysia Gurley: MLK Essay Scholarship winner

- Ariana Carmichael: first place in the high school category of the South Carolina Development

Association poetry contest

- Janae Gerald: REEL Kids HTC Award

Dr. Bethea and members of the Marion County Board of Education participated in excellent collaborative training sessions at the Annual Convention of the South Carolina School Board Association.

On Tuesday, February 6th, Marion County School District held their Teacher and Support Staff Hiring Fair. If you're interested in a position within Marion County School District, visit https://www.marion.k12.sc.us/jobs.

Our annual event, Art in the Park, will take place on March 26th. We invite you to join us for a delightful evening of art appreciation, where the art department will showcase their talents. It is an event that you don't want to miss! Please mark your calendars and we look forward to seeing you there.