Growing Pains, Gains, Mark Progress in School Dist. 3
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
As the sprawl of Anderson County anticipates the annual ritual of the return to school for students, School Dist. 3, with some 2,700 students spread across five schools, finds itself in a peculiar state of readiness. The air, it seems, is thick not just with the promise of a new academic year, but with the quiet hum of impending expansion.
Superintendent Kathy Hipp, a figure who has been a part of the district for a remarkable thirty-six years—and is, in essence, a product of its very classrooms—speaks with the seasoned perspective of one who has witnessed the ebb and flow of generations.
"As we move into the fall, one big goal with the board is looking at the potential to replace our middle school,” said Hipp. "This has actually been years in the making, but some things are now coming together."
The current middle school, she notes, has needed upgrading for a decade, particularly in the rather essential departments of kitchen and cafeteria, which have, evidently, which are challenged to meet the needs of a burgeoning student body.
Indeed, a telling harbinger of things to come for the middle school lies in the district’s elementary figures. Last year, the K-5 enrollment experienced what Hipp terms “major growth.” "We had to add a first-grade teacher at Starr Elementary to accommodate that growth,” she reported, with a hint of both satisfaction and logistical challenge.
Beyond the brick and mortar, the district’s academic aspirations remain high. Hipp anticipates a year of continued scholarly ascent, with a particular emphasis on mathematics, striving for the rather ambitious goal of having all the district's schools earn an "excellent" ranking come fall.
"We always talk about student achievement and test scores and report card rankings," said Hipp. "And our schools did well again in those last year. We had three excellent schools and two good schools, and there's not many districts in the state that can say they were all good and excellent.”
A notable addition in the past year, reflecting a broader societal recognition, has been the establishment of a dedicated mental health program. "There’s a difference between having mental health counselors and having a program," said Hipp. So last year, we hired our first district-supported mental health counselor. You can't learn if there's something going on emotionally that you're not handling very well. We're always going to have problems in life, but learning strategies to deal with those problems and resiliency is the word we always think about. being resilient and coming back from a bad day or a bad hour. So, I'm really proud of the program that we've put in there and that we continue to refine."
Further bolstering the foundational needs of students, Dist. 3 continues to provide complimentary breakfast and lunch to all students, a practice Hipp underscores as paramount.
"We know that students achieve when their basic needs are met,” she said.
Summer has also been a busy time in the district. Crescent High School, for instance, received an essential electrical upfit, while roofing projects and other sundry upgrades were underway across the district's campuses. As the calendar pages turn, Hipp, is excited about another school year
"I'm really looking forward and always excited about getting our kids back in school,” said Hipp. “The growth we see them make is always phenomenal.”
