St. James High nabs statewide award nomination second year in a row

St. James High School has once again been nominated for a top statewide award that encourages innovative, effective educational programs.

St. James is one of eight finalists for the 2016 Palmetto’s Finest Schools Award, which is the second year the Murrells Inlet area high school has nabbed the prestigious nomination. St. James lost to Chapin High School last year.

“We are excited to recognize some of the outstanding and innovative schools in South Carolina,” said Beth Phibbs, executive director of the S.C. Association of School Administrators. “They represent the many excellent school communities serving South Carolina’s families.”

This year only two high schools are nominated for the award: St. James and Seneca High. The other finalists are:

• BC Grammar Elementary, Lexington District 2
• Holly Springs Motlow Elementary, Spartanburg District 1
• Oak Pointe Elementary, Lexington-Richland District 5
• Boiling Springs Middle, Spartanburg District 2
• Dutch Fork Middle, Lexington-Richland District 5
• Lexington Middle, Lexington District 1

Last fall, 14 South Carolina schools submitted a 20-page application and received an onsite examination visit by a review committee, according to Hanna Pittman, associate director of SCASA. The eight finalists will now have a second onsite evaluation.

Each school goes through an intensive application process that includes self-evaluation, peer review and on-site examinations, and is evaluated on student achievement, instructional programs, professional learning communities and school culture.

Midland Elementary School in Galivants Ferry and Myrtle Beach’s Forestbrook Middle School were named 2014’s Palmetto’s Finest, the first time Horry County Schools had two schools win the award in the same year.

Palmetto’s Finest is awarded to two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one specialty school in the state.

Horry County Schools have won Palmetto’s Finest 13 times since the awards were first given in 1978. The school district had back-to-back winners when Loris Middle School won in 2011, followed by Burgess Elementary School in 2012.

The winners will be announced at 1:45 p.m. March 15 during a schoolwide ceremony. The announcement will be streamed live to each of the finalist schools.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 3:50 PM with the headline "St. James High nabs statewide award nomination second year in a row."