School News
SC Whitmore School receives approval for charter renewal
Columbia, SC – SC Whitmore School (SCWS), a Columbia based virtual public high
school, has been approved for another 10 year charter following a multi-step evaluation
from the SC Public Charter School District. SCWS was founded in 2011, in order to
support at-risk youth and to provide a high quality online public educational option to
students across South Carolina.
Since 2011, almost 1000 students have graduated from SCWS. Alumni have earned
millions of dollars in academic scholarships, while being fully prepared for both college
and career. The most recent College Freshman Report, released by the SC Department
of Education, showed that over 98% of SCWS graduates passed all of their courses
during their freshman year at their respective post-secondary college or university.
Many of these graduates have credited their success at SCWS to their innovative
approach to education. SC Whitmore School provides a personalized curriculum and
online learning platform, which allows students to accelerate in courses they are strong
in, while also taking the time they need to catch up in other courses. SCWS has a motto
of #SchoolYourWay which allows all students the opportunity to thrive, with the support
and guidance of highly qualified, trained, and certified professional educators.
The SCWS Executive Director John Loveday is looking forward to the opportunity to
continue to serve the youth of South Carolina.
“The first decade at South Carolina Whitmore School has been incredible,” said
Loveday. “We have had the opportunity to witness students thrive in their education
because they were truly supported by all of the individuals around them. ‘School your
way’ ensures that no matter the circumstance, youth across South Carolina can
succeed and achieve their goals, especially when they have access to the right public
school that fits their unique needs.”
The SCWS Board Chair, Shennice Cleckley, is proud to serve such an innovative public
school, and is excited for the next ten years.
“We, the SC Whitmore Board of Directors, are so excited to receive our charter renewal
and the opportunity to continue to serve the students of South Carolina,” said Cleckley.
“We do not take the task of educating tomorrow’s world leaders lightly. We are
dedicated to upholding the high standards set before us as we work as a team with
students, staff and faculty to continue the tradition of excellence.”
As SCWS continues to grow the school continues to see the positive impact on students
in communities across South Carolina. Unique to most public schools in South Carolina,
SCWS has already graduated many students this school year. SCWS set a new school
record, graduating 26 students in December. Including three students graduating one
and half years early, twenty students graduating one semester early, and three students
enrolled at SCWS behind, but never gave up.
The South Carolina Public Charter School District Superintendent, Chris Neeley, is
overjoyed by the continued success of SC Whitmore School.
“At the South Carolina Public Charter School District we have a motto of Kids First, said
Neeley. “The School Carolina Whitmore School has shown over and over again that
they will always put their students first. We are so grateful to partner with an innovative
school that has successfully developed an online education program. We are extremely
proud of their first ten years and we are looking forward to continuing to see SCWS
grow in the future.”
Executive Director John Loveday said, “This is a very exciting time at SCWS. With our
charter officially renewed we can guarantee we will be able to continue to serve the
students across South Carolina and provide ‘School your way’.”
