Education notebook | Reading reinforced with event at Horry County school

Socastee Elementary School held a reading event Friday to celebrate what its teachers and staff emphasize every day – making reading a top priority.

“Reading is important, and it has to be a part of who we are,” said principal Deb Colliver. “This is a celebration of them growing their brains.”

A kickoff started the day in the gym, complete with cheerleaders, singing and student skits, then each grade had time throughout the day in the media center for an interactive story time, led by Karei Swift from Follett Companies, which provides online bookshelves on the Horry County Schools website that are free for use by anyone associated with the district.

“The idea is to engage reluctant readers to bridge the gap,” said Swift, who read stories from books projected on a SMART board. “Kids tend to retain information they relate to and this is a way to foster that, and regardless of age, they like to be read to.”

Fourth-grade students bore that out, as they sat on the floor, totally engaged, and listened to “Flora’s Very Windy Day.” Swift said the Follett website shelf can be utilized in innovative ways, proving a more efficient tool for teachers and convenient for families who have access to the website.

But for a school with a high poverty level, some students just need more access to books.

Colliver and her staff take every opportunity to put them in kids’ hands and to make the process fun, and they have lots of help from the community.

At Christmas, every student receives a book, wrapped by volunteers. They get another one at spring break and two for the summer reading program. Donations are key, such as the recent one from Surfside’s Book Warehouse, which is going out of business.

The school library is always open and Colliver said every effort is made to give students the reading models that may not exist at home.

That work is paying off for Colliver, who came to the school three years ago.

While Socastee had a poverty index of 90.13 – second highest of the district’s elementary schools – on 2011 Report Card ratings, its test scores ranked No. 1 of 141 schools considered “like us.”

It has others taking notice, including officials at Berea Elementary School in Greenville County, who arrived at the school in time for the celebration and to learn some tips to take back to their students.

Time to crown Miss Georgetown High School

The Georgetown High School Student Council will host its annual Miss Georgetown High School Scholarship Pageant Jan. 28, which will include preliminary interview and talent competitions, and the formal pageant.

The preliminary talent competition will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the school auditorium; it is free and open to the public. The formal pageant will begin at 5 p.m. in the auditorium; it is open to the public and tickets are $5. Entertainment will be provided by the Georgetown Studio of Dance.

Twenty contestants from all four grade levels will compete before a panel of five visiting judges. Miss Freshman, Miss Sophomore, Miss Junior, Miss Senior, Miss Congeniality and Miss Georgetown High School will be crowned, with the latter receiving a $1,000 scholarship to the college or university of her choice from the school’s student council.