Royal Live Oaks Academy of Arts and Sciences Charter School along with one other school were recently named Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, a S.C. Association for Middle Level Education news release said.

RLOA joined Summit Parkway Middle School in Richland School District Two as the two schools recognized for their middle schools in the state. RLOA is a public charter school which serves approximately 675 Beaufort and Jasper County students in grades K-12.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our middle school team for their dedication and commitment to creating the culture and climate where success can flourish,” said Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts and Sciences Co-Founder/CEO/Executive Director Karen Wicks.

As the students have been learning the character traits that develop academic growth and excellence, they have become more focused, Wicks said, adding that the students are proud of their school and what yet can be accomplished there.

“The entire school is ecstatic that we are the first charter school to ever be selected for this prestigious award,” Wicks said.

A S.C. Association for Middle Level Education spokesperson said Royal Live Oaks’ emphasis on strong academics, sensitivity to young adolescents’ needs and interests, and commitment to providing all students equal access to a high-quality education resulted in the well-deserved recognition.

Schools are recognized, the spokesperson said, for a three-year period, at the end of which they must apply for re-designation and demonstrate that they are continuing to meet the National Forum’s rigorous criteria.

Other schools from around the state were re-designated as Schools to Watch, including Lugoff Elgin Middle School (Kershaw County), which was re-designated for the sixth time. The school was the first S.C. school designated in 2007. Dutchman Creek Middle School (Rock Hill Schools) was re-designated for the fourth time, first recognized in 2013. Springfield Middle School (Fort Mill Schools) was re-designated for the third time, first recognized in 2016.

Camden Middle School (Kershaw County ) was also re-designated for the second time, as it was first recognized in 2019. Leslie Stover Middle School (Kershaw County) was re-designated for the first time and was first recognized in 2022. Dr. Phinizze J. Fisher Middle School (Greenville County) was re-designated for the first time and was first recognized in 2022, and Northwood Middle School (Greenville County) was also re-designated for the first time as it was first recognized in 2022.

These principals, teachers and staff members along with their communities, a spokesperson said, have dedicated themselves to being strong examples for sustaining growth and development of their students.

To be eligible for the designation, schools are required to submit an extensive application, undergo a site review, and display a strong commitment to the thirty-seven criteria for high performing middle schools identified by the National Forum.

Their success, a spokesperson said, has earned them this highly sought after designation and each of these schools have made a commitment to the Schools to Watch® Framework for continuous school improvement.

South Carolina currently has 36 schools who have received and maintained this designation and nationwide there are nearly 575 schools who have earned the designation. These schools are available for interested educators to visit and learn about the application and see first-hand how they became a Schools to Watch school.

RLOA and the other schools will also be showcased as models throughout the state and the nation to promote their approaches to instruction, parent and community involvement, and professional development. The schools will also be recognized at the annual South Carolina Association for Middle Level Conference in Myrtle Beach on Feb. 28 to March 2 and will be recognized this summer in Washington, DC at the National Schools to Watch® Conference.

South Carolina became a state Schools to Watch state 19 years ago by the National Forum to replicate the Schools to Watch program as a way to identify high-performing middle grades schools to serve as models of excellence for other schools. There are currently 19 states which are involved in the school reform and recognition initiative and the program is sponsored by the South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education and the Center for Educational Partnerships at the University of South Carolina.

Caption: Royal Live Oaks Academy of Arts and Sciences Charter School in Hardeeville was one of two schools in the state recently named Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. File Photo/ Jasper County Sun Times.

February 26, 2025 | Jasper County Sun Times (SC)
Author/Byline: Shellie Murdaugh, Bluffton Today , USA TODAY NETWORK | Page: 2A | Section: News