What is a “Basic Education” Today?

By Dr. Frank Morgan, Kershaw County School District Superintendent
Not long ago, I was talking with a community member who expressed the view that schools should focus more on “basic education.” I hear this a lot. But what is a “basic education” for students who are going to live and work long into the 21st century? [...]

Facilities Program going great!

Anyone in the vicinity of many of our schools would undoubtedly notice all the construction taking place.  During the past twelve months, ground was broken on seven projects that have been undertaken as part of Phase I of our Facilities Equalization Program.  An eighth project is still in the development stage.  These projects represent a [...]

More About the Budget

In a column during the fall, I discussed the issues that will impact the development of the FY 2008-09 Kershaw County School District budget. As I stated then, I firmly believe that the budget is the most important of all public processes of the school district because it determines what we can do [...]

Moving Forward

In early December, our community experienced an unbelievably tragic event. In the early hours of a Saturday morning, a young member of our community, Michael Smith, was killed in what has been determined to be a gang-related incident. I want to express my grateful appreciation to the Camden Police Department and the Kershaw [...]

What makes An Excellent School?

January 2008 – Earlier this school year, the State released Report Cards on our local schools and school district. While these should be documents of great value to parents and community members, they often do not receive much attention. Why is that?

Comparisons Aren’t “Apples to Apples”

Would it seem fair to parents in Kershaw County if the school district decided to judge students in the West Wateree area on one set of criteria while children in Camden had more rigorous standards and students in the North Central area had even tougher criteria? Although that seems easy to answer, you might [...]

The 2008-09 Budget

November 2007 – As adults, we all have to live within personal budgets. Across the year, we make major decisions about how much money we spend on housing, clothing, food, utilities, transportation and other items. Of course, an increase in one area means you have less to spend in another—although that decision is something that [...]

Facilities Equalization Program Update

October 2007 – Be careful what you wish for. My wife Jean has had a good time recently reminding me of a statement that I made this past January after a lengthy, frustrating meeting about an $11 million addition to the high school we were building in my former school district: “I will be so [...]

The Education and Economic Development Act and Our Schools

September 2007 – Back in the early 1970s when I graduated from high school, we were playing with pet rocks and dancing to disco music. Headlines of the time talked about the worst economic recession in 40 years, Three Mile Island and the inaugural Earth Day.

Emphasizing the Importance of School

August 2007 – It doesn’t matter whether you are in South Carolina or South Dakota, the start of a new school year is always a time of excitement. Although you may think that there is no one more enthusiastic than a new kindergarten student starting school for the first time, I have to tell [...]