Landrum High School recently received a Palmetto Gold and a Palmetto Silver award for academic achievement and closing achievement gaps in 2010.
The school was awarded the Palmetto Gold award for general performance and a Palmetto Silver award for closing the achievement gap.
“I cannot express how happy I am for the teachers and students of Landrum High School to be recognized with these awards. We all work so hard to make Landrum High School the best that it can be for the benefit of our students and to help them reach their full potential. It is absolutely a team effort; the teachers, support staff, administrators and parents are 100 percent behind our students and do everything we can to assist them in their education,” said Landrum High School Principal Brian Sherman.
In its 10th year, the Palmetto Gold and Palmetto Silver awards program was created by the South Carolina General Assembly to recognize schools that attained high levels of absolute performance, high rates of growth and substantial progress in closing achievement gaps between groups of students.
The state’s Education Oversight Committee establishes criteria for the awards, and the Department of Education applies those criteria to determine which schools are honored. More than half the schools being recognized have a poverty index of 60 percent or higher.
Of the state’s 221 high schools, 42 earned either a Palmetto Gold or Palmetto Silver award for general performance – 30 gold and 12 silver. Twenty of the state’s 39 career centers earned either a Palmetto Gold or Palmetto Silver award – 18 gold and two silver.
High schools received closing the achievement gap awards for on-time graduation rate performance by students who fall into four subgroups – African-American students, Hispanic students, students participating in federal free or reduced-price lunch programs and students with non-speech disabilities.
If the on-time graduation rate of at least one of the subgroups exceeds the average on-time graduation rate of white and pay lunch students statewide, the school earns gold end-of-year closing the achievement gap honors.
Silver closing the achievement gap awards are based on the 2014 graduation rate goal of 88.3 percent, which was adopted by the EOC in April 2008. Schools receive silver awards for exceptional growth when at least one of their four student subgroups meets or exceeds the annual increase in on-time graduation rate needed to achieve the 2014 goal.
A total of 75 high schools earned a gold or silver award for closing the achievement gap – 45 gold awards and 30 silver. This is the third year that these awards have been part of the Palmetto Gold and Silver program.
“I am extremely proud of Landrum High School and the outstanding work that is being done to help students succeed,” said District One Superintendent Ron Garner. “As a student-centered school district it is always our goal to help our students become the best that they can be. Mr. Sherman and the teachers are to be commended for their dedication to the students of District One.”
Schools honored for general performance receive a certificate and award flag, while those recognized for closing achievement gaps receive a certificate.
Palmetto Gold and Silver awards for the state’s elementary, middle and special schools were announced in January.