Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science

The Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science, grades 6-8, is the newest school to serve the residents of North Charleston, and will be opening for the upcoming school year. Zucker Middle will be a catalyst for young minds that are interested in pursuing careers in science and math.

North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey took a tour of the school as construction nears completion. Here are the photos from his tour:

Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science

According to the Charleston County School District, “Teachers at Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science teach the state standards and Charleston County School District's Coherent Core Curriculum.” Interwoven amongst their standard classes, are highly specialized courses that will be challenging, yet comprehensive in the field of science. “Students observe situations, ask questions, develop hypotheses, conduct tests, and analyze data to draw conclusions. This approach is integrated into all core subject areas for a hands-on and comprehensive education.”

The school has been built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, offering energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

The library is one of the most charming features of the school. It is arranged in a lounge type setting that is similar to a coffee shop or café. The beautiful woodwork and perched view of the school’s courtyard will provide a comforting setting for the students to study.

Zucker Middle will be home to all students zoned for the school with 100 available seats for students zoned for Morningside Middle and Alice Birney Middle.

Since Zucker Middle is designed, from the curriculum to the classroom, to foster the study of science, Principal Sheryl Biss and her assistant principals are all science educators. This will provide a unique perspective to administering a school of this type.

Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science is located at 6401 Dorchester Road, North Charleston, SC 29418. School will commence at 9:00am and will dismiss at 4:00pm.


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Mayor Summey confronts CSX worker

Mayor Keith Summey confronts a CSX worker that is removing signs installed by the City of North Charleston. The worker was ordered to remove the signs by his roadmaster after a news article appeared in the local paper, the Post and Courier, about signs the City installed, which reads:
'This crossing recently repaired by CSX. If unhappy with it, please call 1-877-835-5279'

The supervisor of the worker seen was written a citation by the Police Department.



Read More:
Post and Courier: http://ow.ly/i8Q4
Channel 2 WCBD: http://ow.ly/i8Qi
Channel 4 WCIV: http://ow.ly/i8QA
Channel 5 WCSC: http://ow.ly/i8QI
Channel 18 WLCN: http://ow.ly/i8RN

Here are the locations of the railroad crossings where the signs are posted:

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2009 Dixie Majors World Series

We are pleased to host the 2009 Dixie Majors World Series July 25-30 at Collins Park Complex and Charleston Southern University. This tournament brings athletes from 11 southern states all vying for the World Series Championship title. The Collins Park All-Stars, some of the finest 17–19 year old players in the State of South Carolina, will represent North Charleston.

Daily admission passes are $7.00 at the gate. Opening ceremony will be held at the North Charleston Coliseum on July 24 at 6:30 pm. Opening Ceremony tickets are currently on sale for $15.00 (includes dinner) and are available at the North Charleston Recreation Department at Park Circle, non-dining tickets are available for $8.00. Stuart Lake, Charleston Southern University Baseball Head Coach is our guest speaker.

For additional information, call the Recreation Department at 745-1028.

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City of North Charleston’s July 4th Celebration

The City of North Charleston will hold its July 4th Celebration at Riverfront Park on Saturday, July 4, 2009 from 3:00pm - 10:00pm free of charge.

The following is a schedule of events:
3:00pm – 3:05pm - Welcoming Remarks by Mayor R. Keith Summey
3:15pm – 4:00pm - Charleston Capoeira http://www.capoeiracharleston.com/media.html
4:15pm – 5:30pm - Crowfield http://www.myspace.com/crowfieldmusic
5:45pm – 7:15pm - The Blue Dogs http://www.bluedogs.com/
7:30pm – 9:00pm - Mary Wilson of the Supremes http://www.marywilson.com/
9:00pm – until - Show of fireworks over the Cooper River by Zambelli Fireworks International

Find daily updates on North Charleston's Facebook Page.

Riverfront Park is located on the former Charleston Naval Base, easily accessible from I-526 and I-26. Enter the former Charleston Naval Base by the McMillan Avenue gate or the Virginia Avenue gate and turn onto Hobson Avenue. Riverfront Park signs are visible for easy to follow directions. All parking is free and shuttles will be available for the convenience of guests.


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All general admission. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets, as there will be no seating provided. No alcohol is permissible within the park. A wide variety of food vendors will be on site. Children activities will be available free of charge, including inflatable jump castles, games, the play area, the giant sandbox, and the water fountain.

Riverfront Park is open to the public year-round and has become a favorite destination for residents and visitors. Set on the banks of the beautiful Cooper River, the park is adjacent to the historic homes once occupied by the Charleston Naval Base officers, surrounded by graceful grand oak trees and peaceful river vistas. Bordered by Noisette Creek, the park boasts a magnificent contemporary Performance Pavilion and meadow.

Riverfront Park is home to the Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial, erected in honor of the countless military personnel and civilians that served the United States and the Greater Charleston region while the Charleston Navy Base was operational. The Memorial is the only location in the United States that displays both the Lone Sailor and the Homecoming statues. Riverfront Park is also the location of North Charleston’s 4th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition. A component of the 2009 North Charleston Arts Festival, the Competition and Exhibition features large-scale contemporary sculptures on display throughout the year.

We'll see you on the 4th!

North Charleston Enhances Citizen Service

We are constantly striving to enhance the service to our citizens. That’s why we have teamed up with WebQA to implement the GovQA Action Center, which allows us to increase access to information while improving communication with citizens and meeting their demands 24/7. Citizens now have access to a growing knowledgebase library and the option to complete user-friendly service requests.

The GovQA Action Center permits citizens to submit service requests to the City; such as reporting a streetlight out or requesting a pothole to be filled. The Service Center then captures, routes, manages, searches, and reports on all service requests submitted. Both the citizen and City management have the capability to access and track service requests and their status.

This service can be accessed by going to http://www.northcharleston.org, and clicking on ‘Online Services,’ or from http://www.mygovhelp.org/northcharlestonsc.

The GovQA Action Center Series represents a comprehensive set of inbound and outbound communication tool centers that can be used over the phone, in person, or through the web to provide responsive service to both customers and employees. The GovQA Action Center Series components include information (knowledgebase), service, communication, and collaboration.

We are constantly looking for better ways to serve the citizens of North Charleston and its visitors, and the GovQA Action Center allows us to streamline service through technology.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Mayor.

Sincerely,

R. Keith Summey
Mayor

Men’s Journal names Park Circle one of the nation’s “Coolest Neighborhoods”

The June edition of Men’s Journal named the historic Park Circle neighborhood as one of the nation’s “Coolest Neighborhoods.” This honor follows Cottage Living’s “Top Ten” for the Noisette Community in 2008, along with Green Builder Magazine’s naming of Oak Terrace Preserve as one of the nation’s leading green neighborhoods last December.

The article reads, “Left-leaning PARK CIRCLE in the north [North Charleston] has long flown under the radar in the state, and while development tends to change a place, its recent housing boom has left its liberalism intact. Sure, there are lots of new residents, but they seem to have the same unique, character-driven, fun-loving attitudes as the pioneers.”

Nationally, the criteria viewed often-overlooked neighborhoods serving as “enclaves that offer the best of both worlds – outdoor adventure and great homes – plus amenities such as amazing bars and bike shops.”

The Men’s Journal selection was largely based on the influx of artists and entrepreneurs relocating to Park Circle, and the Noisette Community’s cutting edge approach to sustainable urban renewal. Neighborhoods like Oak Terrace Preserve, Hunley Waters, and the I’on Group’s Mixson have put formerly blighted areas on the national radar for green development.

Park Circle was one of six neighborhoods picked in the Southeast, in a list that included West Asheville, North Carolina, and the Gulch in Nashville, Tennessee.

Wenner Media’s Men’s Journal is a sister publication to the Rolling Stone. Editor in Chief Jann Wenner is the force behind Rolling Stone’s meteoric rise in American journalism over the past 40 years, and is regarded as one of the nation’s leading publishers.

In a 2007 statement, ABC-Audit Bureau of Circulation reported that Men’s Journal had an audited circulation of 675,452, a number that could bring even more interest to the burgeoning rebirth of Historic Park Circle.

I am happy to know that Park Circle is getting the national recognition it deserves. I completely agree with Men’s Journal…Park Circle is cool.

Sincerely,

R. Keith Summey
Mayor

Read more in the Post and Courier North Charleston, a Cool place to be
© 1995 - 2009 Evening Post Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved

Read more in the Charleston Regional Business Journal Park Circle named one of the nation’s ‘Coolest Neighborhoods’
© 2009 SCBizNews All Rights Reserved

Fire Chief presents citizen's award

Fire Chief Greg Bulanow presented De'Angelo Gadson-Ward with a citizen’s award for his actions at his Hunter’s Ridge Apartment Complex. Battalion Chief Eric Philips said, “his courageous actions saved the family’s home and possibly the entire apartment building.” De’Angelo sprung into action after he spotted fire from two burning couches moving toward the roofline of the apartments.

De’Angelo first warned all of his neighbors to ensure their safety. He used a mop to move the burning couches away from a window before he grabbed a water hose to encounter the fire. Soaking of the roof and the couches were instrumental in limiting the spread of the fire. The North Charleston Fire Department arrived moments later.

It is important to note the recommendation of the North Charleston Fire Department is to notify the department and get to safety. Property can be replaced, lives cannot.

De’Angelo is a senior at Fort Dorchester High School and is thinking about applying for a position within the North Charleston Fire Department. Fire Chief Bulanow is expecting to see his application in the near future.

I praise De’Angelo’s for his actions to slow the fire and his awareness of the safety of others. This occasion allowed us to discover a hero.

The fire, started by a 6-year-old playing, could have been easily prevented if a juvenile would not have had access to a lighter. For children, interest in fire is natural. Setting fires is not. It can be deadly. Recent statistics show out of every 100 people who die in child set fires, 85 are other children.

The North Charleston Fire Department's Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program is committed to preventing future fire setting behavior. The program counsels children and their families about fire safety with the goal of stopping firesetting behavior. It is based on the United States Fire Administration, NFA, and Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Specialist Program.

For more information please contact the North Charleston Fire Department Fire Prevention Division at (843) 740-2647 or (843) 740-2646.



Sincerely,

R. Keith Summey
Mayor