Education notebook | North Myrtle Beach school settles on mascot

The lighthouse is out at North Myrtle Beach Intermediate School, where students soon will be rallying to the name of Braves.

“The students desperately want to be something other than the lighthouse,” said Principal Melissa Spearman, who moved to the school this year after serving as principal at Carolina Forest Elementary School.

Spearman took the matter to the area’s advisory board, which was told last week that mascot changes must come from individual schools, per district policy, but by then, Spearman already had a solution.

The principal had been investigating the lighthouse theme, only to find that the school’s mascot had never been officially changed from its original mascot – the Braves. So the school can proceed under the “new” name without any red tape, as well as with a tee-pee logo that Spearman showed the advisory board.

“It’s hard to cheer for a lighthouse,” said board member Mary Gail Stanaland, adding that a principal can design their school philosophy around a good mascot.

She said the name of Braves also provides some unity for the schools in the cluster, as the high school is home to the Chiefs, and the middle school students are Warriors.

“It’s kind of stair-stepping through the schools,” Stanaland said, which should find favor with supporters and School Improvement Council members, as “a lot of them are Chiefs themselves.”

Performance time changes for All-County Chorus

The time has been changed for Saturday’s Horry County Schools All-County Chorus performance at Conway High School. In order to have seating available for those wanting to attend, the concert times will be staggered, with the middle school chorus performing at 4 p.m. and the high school chorus at 5 p.m.

The All-County Band concert will be held at Aynor High School at 5:45 p.m. Feb. 10.

Pancake supper to support adult education

Horry County Schools Adult and Community Education will host its annual pancake supper Tuesday to support its educational programs. The event will be held at Pan American House of Pancakes, 1303 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are $5 for pancakes, bacon or sausage, and a beverage.

Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling 843-488-6200.

Prom information set for Horry County Schools

Horry County Schools has announced prom information for 2012:

• Aynor High School, April 21, Club Boca, 7 p.m.

• Carolina Forest High School, April 5, The Dunes Club, 8 p.m.

• Conway High School, April 5, Club Boca, 7 p.m.

• Green Sea Floyds High School, April 27, Club Boca, 6 p.m.

• Loris High School, April 5, Ocean Drive Resort, 8 p.m.

• Myrtle Beach High School, March 30, The Dunes Club, 8 p.m.

• North Myrtle Beach High School, April 5, Barefoot Landing, 8 p.m.

• Socastee High School, April 5, Marina Inn, 8 p.m.

• St. James High School, April 5, Club Boca, 7 p.m.

• Scholars Academy Winter Dance, Feb. 24, Train Depot in Myrtle Beach, 7 p.m.

• The Academy for Arts, Science and Technology Spring Gala, May 4, House of Blues, 8 p.m.