Citizens Public Safety Academy - learn how government works

The City of North Charleston Police Fire, Code Enforcement and Building Departments announce its Citizens Public Safety Academy program. The program, which begins on February 5, 2014, is designed to bring awareness to the many aspects of public safety.

The Citizens Public Safety Academy is designed to foster better communication between citizens of North Charleston and public safety professionals. During the 11 week program citizens will get an inside look at what Police Officers, Firefighters, Code Enforcement Officers and Building Inspectors encounter on a daily basis. The Citizens Public Safety Academy will be held two times a year (February to April, and May to July).

Course Curriculum:

     Police (Emergency Response, Laws, Arrests, Search & Seizure and Use of Force
     Fire (Emergency Response, Fire Fighting and Inspections
     Code Enforcement (Health and Sanitation)
     Building Department (Building Inspections, Permits and Property Maintenance)

Additional Course Information

Applications for the Academy, also available in person at NCPD Training Unit (2nd floor City Hall).

Release of Liability and Course Agreement

For more information citizens can call (843) 740-2648.

City of North Charleston Appoints New Artist-in-Residence

Local fiber artist, Kristy Bishop, to fill role for 2012-2013

The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is proud to announce the appointment of contemporary fiber artist Kristy Bishop as Artist-in-Residence for 2012/13. The City’s Artist-in-Residence serves as a key resource for the department’s outreach programs, especially in the area of art instruction. The selected artist shares his/her unique skills, talents, and experiences by providing services to senior groups, public schools, group homes, and various other groups within the city limits of North Charleston. Kristy will be available for visual art residencies of 12-15 hours at a minimum of two hour increments at North Charleston schools and is also available to host workshops for community groups of all ages.

Kristy Bishop, originally from Charleston, received a BA in Studio Art with a concentration in painting from the College of Charleston in 2008. In the spring of 2009 she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where the beauty and fragility of the Mojave desert became the primary inspiration for her paintings. It was in December of that year that Kristy began experimenting with fiber mediums, incorporating sewn and embroidered elements into her paintings. By the time she returned to Charleston in the summer of 2010, Kristy had made the transformation from painter to mixed media/fiber artist. Her most recent works are created solely from fabric, featuring hand-dyed silk that is cut, gathered, and sewn. By hand dyeing the fabric, she creates a multitude of colors that she uses as her palette for creating new work. Thousands of tiny pieces of hand-dyed silk are manipulated to create large scale abstract pieces that employ texture and color to convey and evoke a number of emotions. In March, 2012, Kristy was featured in Charleston Magazine. Her most recent works can be viewed in an exhibition titled Pinned Down, on view from August 17-28 at Stems, located at 208 Coming Street in downtown Charleston.

Art teachers and school liaisons may initiate the request for FREE services by the Artist-in-Residence by contacting the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854. Community groups are also welcome to submit requests, which will be considered on a first come first served basis. All project requests should be placed at least two weeks in advance, with residences completed by the end of May, 2013.

The North Charleston City Gallery will host an exhibition of Kristy’s work throughout January, 2013. The gallery is located within the Charleston Area Convention Center at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. School liaisons, arts teachers, and the general public are invited to meet the artist at a free gallery reception on Thursday, January 3, 2013, from 5:00-7:00pm.

More information about the Artist-in-Residence program, as well as the department’s other programs, exhibits, and events, can be found on the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org. For more information about Kristy, visit kristybishop.com.

Zucker family to help build Clemson landmark, education in North Charleston

Anita Zucker talks to Clemson University President James F. Barker
image by: Craig Mahaffey/Clemson University

Standing at the site of what will be an iconic building named for her family, Anita Zucker, a champion for education in South Carolina, said a new wave of manufacturing will provide a wealth of opportunity for the state.

With a shared vision, Clemson University will build a state-of-the-art education center at the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) on the former Navy base in North Charleston.

The Zucker Family Graduate Education Center, financed in part by a $5 million gift from the family, will foster collaboration and innovation in a place where students, university faculty and staff, and private industry will interact on a daily basis.

The latest industries, from composite materials and energy systems to advanced computing and microscopy, will engage in public-private partnerships to accelerate innovations to market.

The center will become a focal point in the drive to advance the state’s economy, Zucker said.

“South Carolina’s Lowcountry has been fortunate in recent years to have received some notable new residents,” Zucker said. “Clemson’s wind-turbine drivetrain testing facility and the Boeing Co.’s Dreamliner assembly plant are significant for the region.

“But we must not rest on our laurels. The benefits of these new neighbors are far-reaching," she said. “Creating a workforce with the right skills is fundamental to the state’s success and its economic vitality. Centers like this will help place South Carolina at the forefront of innovation.”

"Based on experiences gained at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville, where the automotive industry collaborates on a daily basis, the Zucker Family Center at CURI will become the go-to place for innovation in advanced materials, the environment and sectors related to energy, power systems, logistics and transportation," said Clemson University President James F. Barker.

“What CU-ICAR has done to strengthen the automotive cluster in the Upstate, the Restoration Institute is doing in the Lowcountry for advanced materials, the environment and sectors related to energy, power systems, logistics and transportation,” Barker said.

“The Zucker Family Graduate Education Center will be the hub where all these initiatives meet,” he said.

Clemson is a leader in energy, power and systems engineering, and is recognized as one of the top 25 public research universities in the United States. In collaboration with industry, the university offers advanced-degree programs and research areas geared toward training and developing energy systems-related engineers.

The Restoration Institute already has garnered $100 million in investment for research and development, directly fueling the knowledge base critical to the future of South Carolina’s economy.

The Zucker center will further stimulate private-public partnerships through the creative exchange of ideas, said John Kelly, Clemson University vice president for economic development and executive director of the Restoration Institute.

The center will be built on a brownfield site at the closed Naval shipyard, and in itself become the essence of economic development, Kelly said.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Zucker family, this facility will support new technology and applied research in ‘living laboratories’ for a wide array of advanced research and development,” he said. “This center would not be possible without the generosity of the Zucker family and for that vision and willingness to see South Carolina excel, we are extremely grateful.”

The Zucker family gift is one of the largest in Clemson’s The Will to Lead capital campaign, which aims to raise $600 million to support Clemson students and faculty with scholarships, professorships, facilities, technology and enhanced opportunities for learning and research.

What is your vision for Charleston County Schools?

Charleston County School District wants your feedback on proposed goals and strategies for its five-year strategic plan Charleston Achieving Excellence: Vision 2016.

Give feedback at R.B. Stall High School on February 13, 2012 at 6:00 pm.

Charleston County School District's (CCSD’s) current strategic plan Charleston Achieving Excellence centers on four priorities: Literacy Improvement, Effective Teaching and Leadership, World-Class Schools & Systems, and Strategic Partnerships. CCSD has three goals: 1) Close the achievement gap; 2) Elevate achievement overall; and 3) Raise the graduation rate.

In the 2011-2012 school year, CCSD is launching community engagement to prepare for the next stage of the plan—Charleston Achieving Excellence: Vision 2016. This next phase will strengthen the district’s emphasis on literacy improvement and teacher effectiveness and create bold annual performance targets for all students.

Graphs of Vision 2016 Goals: Third Grade English/Language Arts (ELA), Third Grade Math,Eighth Grade English/Language Arts (ELA), Eighth Grade Math, Graduation Rate

See what has been said so far...

In fall 2011, the CCSD Board of Trustees met with various stakeholder groups. In January and February 2012, the district held community meetings deisgned to garner feedback from the public. The League of Women Voters has compiled notes from the meetings.

• Notes: Principal Advisory Group on 11/1/11

Parent & Employee Survey Results: The district is taking steps to better support students and implement a more comprehensive performance-based accountability system across the district. The Studer Education Group is helping the district set and achieve Vision 2016 goals, improve supports for staff and parents, and identify opportunities for improvement. In December 2011, parents and employees were asked to complete engagement surveys. These are "baseline" surveys, giving the district a starting point for discussion. The Board of Trustees received copies of the survey results, and department heads and principals are being trained on the roll-out of survey results and next steps.

• Results from Parent Survey
• Results from Employee Survey

North Charleston High School students tour Boeing facility

On Friday, November 11, 2011 North Charleston High School Logistics Students earned the privilege of being the FIRST school group to tour the new Boeing facility.

Boeing has partnered with the Charleston County School District to create a new major in Logistics. North Charleston High School has one of only two Logistics programs in the state of South Carolina. After an introduction to the company and a welcome from Boeing Senior Managers, students were taken on a tour of the campus. They were able to view the production line and see first-hand the logistics involved in building an entire airplane.

The highlight of the tour took them through the 787 Final Assembly building, which is the size of 12 football fields. Inside, the first 787 is to be entirely assembled in the North Charleston facility was being finished. The tour ended at the new visitor’s center where the students were given Boeing 787 t-shirts for participating in the Logistics program at NCHS.

Logistics is a class that will prepare students for a successful career in Materials Handling.  Other local businesses such as Piggly Wiggly, CGI, Pearlstine, and Trident Technical Institute have partnered with this program to ensure its success.  All of these businesses hire high school graduates in this area and are committed to hiring NCHS students that successfully complete the Logistics Major.

The Logistics Class is designed to provide students with the fundamentals of Warehousing and Distribution.  It is an introductory course in Material Handling within a warehouse environment. Students will learn the concepts of warehousing and material logistics, as well as, how materials are handled, moved, stored, controlled and protected within a warehouse.

Charleston County School District makes ratings leap

According to district report cards released by the South Carolina Department of Education today, CCSD’s growth rating jumped from “Below Average” to “Excellent,” and its Absolute rating increased from “Average” to “Good.”  The district’s graduation rate rose from 67% last year to 72% this year.

CCSD SCHOOLS 2010	CCSD SCHOOLS 2011
26  Excellent	30  Excellent (+4)
5    Good	6    Good (+1)
27  Average	25  Average (-2)
14  Below Average	12  Below  Average (-2)
12   At Risk	12 At Risk

“Our district’s ‘Excellent’ growth rating and ‘Good’ absolute rating show that when we focus on literacy and teacher effectiveness—two hallmarks of Charleston Achieving Excellence—it really pays off for students,” said Dr. McGinley.  “This continued progress is a testament to our teachers’ hard work, our principals’ leadership, and our parents and community members’ commitment to public schools and the students they serve.”  

CCSD’s jump in its growth rating was attributed specifically to the substantial improvement of historically underachieving groups of students.  CCSD schools showed progress across multiple categories, including Gifted and Talented education, Advanced Placement, and the graduation rate.  This year, the state’s graduation calculation was changed to better reflect the true four-year graduation rate. “We’re very encouraged by these results, and at the same time, we’re not content so long as there are achievement gaps and our absolute rating is ‘good’,” said Dr. McGinley.  “The next phase of our strategic plan—Vision 2016—is all about accelerating our progress, setting bold goals, focusing our resources on proven strategies, and building an accountability system driven by what’s best for students and the entire community.”

North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary School accepting applications

Application for Enrollment

North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary (NCCAE) offers high-quality teaching that exceeds the state standards and the district’s core curriculum, while integrating the arts and creative disciplines across all subject areas. The curriculum includes visual arts, music, and drama instruction that applies and reinforces traditional elementary subjects. Hands-on activities allow students to thrive as facilitators and leaders in a child-centered educational environment. Through a variety of partnerships with local businesses, non-profits, and governmental agencies, NCCAE offers students countless opportunities-including field trips and lessons taught by arts professionals-designed to connect what they learn in the classroom to the real world.

As a partial magnet school, NCCAE has an attendance zone. Seats are also available for applicants who live outside of this zone, but reside in District 4 (including the city of North Charleston) and Charleston County. During the 2012-2013 academic year, the school will have Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade classes. It will eventually expand to the fifth grade.

Applying for the 2012-2013 School Year

• Completed applications (Parts A & B) should be submitted to NCCAE by Friday, December 2, 2011. All mailed applications should be postmarked by this date.
• Please keep this page for your records.
• Application materials may be hand delivered, faxed to (843) 577-1680, or mailed to 1600 Saranac St., North Charleston, SC 29405.
• CCSD will provide transportation for students who live in District 4. Please call (843) 720-2967 or visit www.CCSDSchools.com for more information.
• If contact or student information changes after the application is submitted, parents are responsible for calling (843) 720-2967 and making those changes.

The School is located at 1600 Saranac St, North Charleston, SC 29405.