Public Charter School Receives Statewide Top Workplace Award
May 8, 2019
Columbia, SC – SC Whitmore School, a statewide public virtual charter school, was named the #2 Small Business Workplace in South Carolina in this month’s edition of the Columbia Business Monthly. Since its founding in 2011, more than 500 students, many whom were at-risk of dropping out of high school, have graduated from SCWS. According to the Columbia Business Monthly, “It’s no exaggeration to say that SC Whitmore School is unlike any other (school) in South Carolina.”
Both educators and students have thrived in this flexible, innovative virtual environment. The slogan at SC Whitmore School is “School Your Way.” The school allows students to speed up and graduate high school early, or slow down and take the time they need to catch up. SCWS is also the only school in the state that is fully operational during the summer, offering an extended school year for students to meet their academic needs.
“We are constantly trying to fight against the status quo and to fight against complacency,” Principal John Loveday told Columbia Business Monthly. “We know what we do is still very new, and I think we are currently writing the book on how exactly to do what we do. However, we work to get better each and every day and to hold ourselves accountable for personal and collective growth.”
Since becoming principal in 2015, SCWS has maintained a 95% or better teacher retention rate, at a time when teachers in South Carolina are leaving the profession in record breaking numbers. SCWS works extremely hard to provide an attractive workplace for their employees by offering six weeks of paid maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, which is almost unheard of for public schools in South Carolina. SCWS also provides a 401(k) retirement plan, in addition to state healthcare benefits and a flexible work schedule.
“We try very hard to be a creative and supportive employer, in order to keep our employees happy, challenged, and intact,” said Principal Loveday. “We like to support our employees and provide an environment, which allows them to thrive at work and in their personal lives.”
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