Saturday, December 31, 2016

~ All schools reopen for staff and students on Monday, January 2, 2017.

Enjoy your winter break! This year, winter break will be from December 19 through December 30, 2016. All schools will reopen for teachers and students on Monday, January 2, 2017. While Jan. 2 was originally part of the holiday, it is now the second of three makeup days due to Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Superintendent, School Board share plans for Hurricane Matthew make-up days

Plans to make up lost instructional days during Hurricane Matthew and the recovery efforts that followed were announced at the School Board meeting on October 24. HCS students missed seven instructional days in first semester due to the storm, with the exception of students in the Green Sea Floyds area who lost eight days due to prolonged electrical outages. 

State law signed by Governor Haley in May 2015 requires that school districts make up the first three lost instructional days due to inclement weather and that the district shall make all reasonable efforts to make the days up during the semester in which they were lost when operating on a four-by-four schedule for high school courses. After the first three days are made up, the local School Board may grant a waiver for the fourth, fifth and sixth missed instructional days. While the Board can’t officially vote until then, they announced that it was their intention to do so. After the School Board takes action to waive the fourth, fifth and sixth days, the administration will ask that the School Board seek a waiver from the State Board of Education for the remaining days: a seventh day for all schools; and an additional eighth day for students living in the Green Sea Floyds area.

After seeking input from principals who felt strongly that the required make-up days be restored to first semester, Superintendent Rick Maxey presented the following plan to the School Board for making up the first three days:
  • November 23 is now a full instructional day. This is the day before Thanksgiving and was earlier listed as a staff and student holiday.
  • January 2 is now a full instructional day and was previously indicated as a student holiday on the school calendar.
  • Previously listed as a student holiday, January 13 will now be an instructional day, yet will have a two and one-half hour early dismissal to enable teachers to transition between first and semesters. (January 12th, which was originally a 2.5 hour early dismissal will now be a full instructional day)

Although they may prove to be unnecessary, two designated possible make-up days remain on the student calendar for the spring semester.

Sunday, October 9, 2016

HCS Hurricane Matthew Update (UPDATED: Mon, Oct. 17)

Green Sea Floyds Elementary and High will reopen for students on Tuesday, October 18. All transporation services for the Green Sea Floyds attendance area will also resume.

The District recognizes that there are still students and families in homes throughout the county who are without electricity, as well as those who live in areas where flooding makes roadways inaccessible. Parents who continue to experience hardships will be asked to provide a written statement to the school principal documenting their individual circumstances when their child is able to return to school.

Bus transportation will resume routine operations on Monday in all areas except Green Sea Floyds, which will resume on Tuesday. Transportation schedules will follow regular routes, as conditions allow. Parents are advised that bus transportation service may experience delays in both morning and afternoon routes as accommodations are made for impassible roadways. Parents of students who live in flooded areas who have questions about temporary modifications being made to bus routes are asked to contact the bus transportation office in their attendance area.

Bus Transportation
Bus transportation will resume routine operations, as conditions allow. Parents are advised that bus transportation service may experience delays as accommodations are made for impassible roadways.
Any questions relative to bus transportation should be directed to the bus supervisor in their attendance area.
  • Aynor Attendance Area: 843.488.7125
  • Carolina Forest Attendance Area: 843.236.0705
  • Conway Attendance Area: 843.488.6094
  • Green Sea Floyds Attendance Area: 843.392.3134
  • Loris Attendance Area: 843.390.6822
  • Myrtle Beach Attendance Area: 843.445.2041
  • N. Myrtle Beach Attendance Area: 843.399.8575
  • Socastee and St. James Attendance Areas: 843.293.6941
  • Special Needs Buses: 843.488.6956
  • Main District Bus Office: 843.488.6957

Storm-related student absences
HCS recognizes that there are families throughout the county that are still impacted, and may continue to be impacted, by the storm and flooding. If your child is unable to attend school because of continued hardships or roadway inaccessibility, please communicate this to your child’s school. When your child is able to return to school, please send a written note for the days in which he/she was absent with an explanation as to why he/she was unable to attend. Our administrators will work with families on a case-by-case basis to make sure students who are truly unable to attend do not incur unexcused absences.

Make-up days
There has been no decision regarding make-up days for the seven (7) instructional days lost due to evacuation and recovery efforts for Hurricane Mathew.

Extracurricular Activities and School Events
All information about extracurricular activities and school events will come from individual schools. 



Posted Mon, Oct 17, 2016, 2:55 pm

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Application for Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program - Due Nov 8, 2016

The search is under way for South Carolina’s top youth volunteers of 2017. 
Students in grades 5–12 are invited to apply for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service within the past 12 months. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The application to apply for this award can be found by clicking on the links provided: http://spirit.prudential.com andwww.nassp.org/spirit.

This year the program marks its 22nd year of honoring youth volunteers. The program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), was created to recognize middle and high school students for helping people in need, promoting health and safety, protecting the environment, or volunteering in other ways in their local communities.

South Carolina’s top youth volunteers will be announced February 7, 2017, and they will go to Washington D.C. in May 2017 for four days of special recognition events. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program has honored more than 115,000 youth volunteers over the past 21 years at local, state, and national levels. Please see the attachment for additional eligibility details and important dates. 

Thursday, September 1, 2016

HCS schools will dismiss three hours early on Friday, September 2


Due to anticipated inclement weather conditions associated with Tropical Storm Hermine, Horry County schools will dismiss three hours earlier than their regular times on Friday, September 2. All school-related activities and events are cancelled for Friday and Saturday, September 2 and 3. The three-hour early dismissal applies to all District students and employees.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Several football game schedules altered due to impending weather

Due to the threat of Tropical Storm Hermine on Friday, September 2 along the Grand Strand, several Friday night football games have been moved to Thursday night, September 1.

Game Schedules for Thursday, September 1
  • Aynor at Green Sea Floyds, 7 p.m.
  • Carolina Forest at St. James, 6:30 p.m.
  • Loris at South Columbus (N.C.), 7:30 p.m.
  • Myrtle Beach at West Florence, 7:30 p.m.
  • West Brunswick at North Myrtle Beach, 7 p.m.
  • Wilson at Conway, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Monday, August 29, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions on the 10-Point Grading Scale

Frequently Asked Questions on the 10-Point Grading Scale
On Tuesday, April 12, 2016, the State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a 10-point grading scale for all high school courses in South Carolina.  This change will have a positive impact on students across the state, leveling the playing field for them as they compete for academic and athletic awards and scholarships. Additionally, this change will enable students to have a seamless transition into technical colleges or universities in South Carolina and nationally, as colleges and universities generally use the 10-point grading scale.

Deadline for military opt-out list for recruiters

Under the No Child Left Behind Act and the National Defense Authorization Act, military recruiters are entitled to receive the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of juniors and seniors in high school. If military recruiters are to be denied access to a student’s directory information, parents/guardians must provide written notification that specifically states that military access is to be denied for their child. 
If you wish to deny the military access to your child’s information, please express your wishes in writing no later than October 28. You may fax your request to 843 488-6779, send it via email to sjohnson@horrycountyschools.net, mail it to the Horry County Schools’ Office of Accountability & Information at P.O. Box 260005, Conway, SC 29528-6005 or complete the form below.  Directory information will be released to military recruiters on or about November 1.

Monday, August 8, 2016

16-17 Parent Student Guide Available

The Parent Student Guide is now available on our website by clicking on the cover image. This year the guide contains both general information and a separate section containing selected student policies. Both files as well as a link to the complete HCS Policy Manual are available by clicking on the cover image. A print version of the Parent Student Guide will go home with your child/children at the beginning of the school year. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Register for HCS Child Development Screenings


 While Child Development (CD) Early Registration was held April 11-15, 2016, schools continue to register children for eligibility screenings for the 4 year-old CD Program. Interested parents should go the elementary school in their attendance area* and bring the following required documents: child’s legal birth certificate, child’s shot record, parents’ proof of income (2015 income tax return or child’s Medicaid card), and proof of residency. The child’s social security card is requested, but is not required. Once the registration packet is completed the child will be given a screening appointment. Screenings will be held May 25 - June 1.  For more program information visit the link below.


If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: Jeanna Allen Coordinator of Early Childhood and Parenting by email at: jallen004@horrycountyschools.net by phone at: (843) 488-6793 or Cerrie Doyle, Secretary for Elementary Education @ (843) 488-6806.



*Use the HCS School & Bus Stop Finder to find the elementary school in your attendance area.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

End of the Year Schedule (Wed-Fri, June 1-3)

Horry County Schools will add a make-up day to the end of the school year on Friday, June 3, for the weather-related closure in February. South Carolina law, Section 59-1-425, requires that school districts make up the first three school days missed due to inclement weather. This will be the third required make-up day for Horry County Schools, and students have already made up the two previous days.

In order to accommodate the various high school graduation ceremonies, schools will operate on different schedules by attendance areas for students on the last three days of the school year, June 1-3. Graduation dates and times will not be impacted by the make-up schedule. The schedules are as follows:

Wednesday, June 1:
  • Full day for students who attend schools in the Aynor, Carolina Forest, Green Sea-Floyds, North Myrtle Beach, and St. James attendance areas.
  • Half day (2.5 hour early release) for students who attend schools in the Conway, Loris, Myrtle Beach, and Socastee attendance areas.

Thursday, June 2:
  • Full day for students who attend schools in the Conway, Loris, Myrtle Beach, and Socastee attendance areas.
  • Half day for students (2.5 hour early release) who attend schools in the Aynor, Carolina Forest, Green Sea-Floyds, North Myrtle Beach, and St. James attendance areas.

Friday, June 3:
  • Half day (2.5 hour early release) for all Horry County Schools students.



Click here for a list of our attendance areas and schools (open the link, then scroll down the page to view the attendance areas and schools)

Students attending district-wide secondary programs, including the HCS Early College High School, the Scholars’ Academy, the Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology, and the Academy for Technology and Academics, will receive notification from their schools regarding schedule changes unique to their programs. Students with personalized schedules who travel between schools for specific classes should contact the administration of their base school for further instruction about the make-up day.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Summer Scholars application window closes on May 13


Summer Scholars application window for enrollment and submitting program fees or applying for scholarship closes on May 13.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Statement on transgender/Title IX issue

Statement on transgender/Title IX issue
Horry County Schools has received much media attention recently as part of the national discussion about transgender students, and we want to share information that will hopefully provide an accurate account and perspective on the decision involving our schools and students.

First, our school employees have an obligation to make every reasonable effort to ensure the safety of each and every student under our watch. We also are bound to uphold the laws of our nation and our state. Some of those laws are easy to build consensus around: for example, our school buses will obey the speed limit at all times. Other issues, like transgender, are more complex. However, we are still bound to uphold the law. We, as professionals, also must use our good judgment and review the facts on a case-by-case basis when making decisions impacting students.

We will not share the specifics of any individual decision involving students, but we do wish to set the record straight regarding transgender students and bathroom privileges in our schools.

Title IX is a federal law that schools have followed for years, more commonly regarding gender issues related to athletics. However, the law is broader than athletics, and recently a federal appeals court for the district that includes South Carolina used Title IX to issue a ruling that transgender students must be allowed to use the bathroom for the gender with which they identify. Title IX and that ruling apply to Horry County Schools and to all other schools in this federal district.

However, Horry County Schools has not changed the male and female bathroom policies for our students. We have merely determined that transgender students in our schools, along with parents, can request bathroom rights that align with the recent court ruling. Our school administrators, in order to comply with the law and consider the rights of individual students, will make decisions with those students and their parents that are both fair and legal.

Our schools, and those who lead them, understand that the safety of all students is paramount, and we will deal with any issue in which the safety and security of any student is in question. We understand that this is a very emotional issue for lots of reasons. We fully understand that all laws and decisions that follow are not universally popular. We must also have faith in the judgment of our administrators and teachers to comply with the law, ensure that all students are treated fairly, and to keep the safety of our students at the forefront every day.


Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972



Thursday, March 17, 2016

iTeams Extreme summer day camp for rising 7th and 8th graders

iTEAMS XTREME, GSSM’s premier summer day camp for rising 7th and 8th graders, challenges students to create their own product using the latest technologies. Ideas are presented in a shark tank-style review to real-world entrepreneurs. 

XTREME FACTS
Technologies introduced: OpenSCAD, SnapSCAD, App Inventor, Kodu, and Makey Makey
GSSM hires local teachers and GSSM alumni participate as assistants and role models
Students are selected based on grades and interest

APPLY ONLINE

APPLICATION AVAILABLE February 15, 2016 APPLICATION DEADLINE May 13, 2016

WHO
Rising 7th & 8th graders in Horry County

WHEN
July 25–28, 2016 8:30AM – 3:30PM DAILY

WHERE
Conway Middle School
1104 Elm St » Conway SC 29526

COST FREE
Includes instructional materials, lunch and transportation

MORE INFORMATION
Irene Middleton
GSSM DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH
middleton@gssm.k12.sc.us 843-383-3901 x3309 

Click on the image below to download the flyer!

2016 Summer Scholars information for rising 3rd-11th Graders

Welcome to HCS Online Registration System for Summer Scholars 2016!

Horry County Schools’ Summer Scholars Program is a special experience that provides academic enrichment opportunities to gifted and high-achieving students in grades 3-11. Summer Scholars recognizes the importance of allowing gifted and high-achieving young people the opportunity for critical thinking and learning through creative exploration.
Descriptions of classes, scholarships, and other information specific to attending the 2016 Summer Scholars Program will be available online Friday, March 25 on this page when you click on "Apply for Summer Scholars here" or you can request a hard copy application which will be available in schools the afternoon beginning on Thursday, March 24.

Summer Scholars Pricing
1 class - $1253 classes - $325
2 classes - $2254 classes - $425
*Specialized classes require an additional $10 for each class
Once your online application is submitted, you will receive an invoice page to print out with further instructions on completing the payment/registration process. Registration is not complete until invoice is printed and mailed in with appropriate fees. For those requesting a scholarship, a current letter of benefits MUST be included with your invoice. NOTE: T-shirts and specialized class fees are NOT included in scholarships and a check for said fees must be included. Scholarship information can be found on student applications.

Visit HorryCountySchools.net from your computer and click on the Summer Scholars Box to apply

(Notice: Summer Scholars applications will open on 3/24/2016 at 11:59:59 PM EST.)
If there are any questions or concerns about your application, please contact Timi McMullin at tmcmullin@horrycountyschools.net or call (843) 488-6745.
If you are trying to apply for a refund, please download, print, fill out, and return this file to the address specified therein.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Attention: Make-up day for February 24


Horry County Schools will add a make-up day to the end of the school year on Friday, June 3, for the weather-related closure in February. South Carolina law, Section 59-1-425, requires that school districts make up the first three school days missed due to inclement weather. This will be the third required make-up day for Horry County Schools, and students have already made up the two previous days.

In order to accommodate the various high school graduation ceremonies, schools will operate on different schedules by attendance areas for students on the last three days of the school year, June 1-3. Graduation dates and times will not be impacted by the make-up schedule. The schedules are as follows:

Wednesday, June 1:
  • Full day for students who attend schools in the Aynor, Carolina Forest, Green Sea-Floyds, North Myrtle Beach, and St. James attendance areas. 
  • Half day (2.5 hour early release) for students who attend schools in the Conway, Loris, Myrtle Beach, and Socastee attendance areas.

Thursday, June 2:
  • Full day for students who attend schools in the Conway, Loris, Myrtle Beach, and Socastee attendance areas. 
  • Half day for students (2.5 hour early release) who attend schools in the Aynor, Carolina Forest, Green Sea-Floyds, North Myrtle Beach, and St. James attendance areas.
Friday, June 3:

  • Half day (2.5 hour early release) for all Horry County Schools students.
Students attending district-wide secondary programs, including the HCS Early College High School, the Scholars’ Academy, the Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology, and the Academy for Technology and Academics, will receive notification from their schools regarding schedule changes unique to their programs. Students with personalized schedules who travel between schools for specific classes should contact the administration of their base school for further instruction about the make-up day.



Wednesday, March 9, 2016

HCS Announces Prom Dates for High Schools and Academies

Horry County Schools’ high schools and academies have announced the dates and locations for upcoming proms and dances. Details are as follows:

  • Aynor High School, April 16, at Club Boca, from 7 - 10 p.m.;
  • Carolina Forest High School, March 24, at the Marina Inn at Grand Dunes, from 8 p.m. until midnight;
  • Conway High School, March 24, at the Myrtle Beach Hilton, from 8 p.m. until midnight;
  • Green Sea Floyds High School, March 24, at the Spanish Galleon, from 7 p.m. until midnight;
  • HCS Early College High School, March 11, at North Beach Plantation, from 7 - 10 p.m.;
  • Loris High School, March 24, at Ocean Drive Resort, from 8 - 11 p.m.;
  • Myrtle Beach High School, March 24, at the House of Blues, from 7 -11 p.m.;
  • North Myrtle Beach High School, March 24, at Barefoot Conference Center, from 7 -11 p.m.;
  • Socastee High School, March 24, at the Hilton Hotel Conference Center, from 8 a.m. until midnight;
  • *St. James High School, April 8, at the Marina Inn at the Grande Dunes, from 7 – 11 p.m.;
  • The Scholars Academy, Winter Dance, February 26, at The Dunes Club, from 7-11 p.m.;
  • The Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology, Spring Gala, April 22, at the House of Blues, from 7 – 11 p.m.; and
  • The Academy for Technology and Academics, April 22, at the school, from 7 – 11 p.m.
          
*Updated Tues. Feb 9, 2016   

Thursday, February 11, 2016

ACT offered to 11th grade students at no cost

All 11th grade students (third year of high school) are being offered the opportunity to take the ACT at their high school during the regular school week at no cost, based on action by the S.C. General Assembly. However, students must sign up in advance in order to take the ACT. Horry County high school students will take the ACT at their school on Tuesday, April 19.  

In order to participate in ACT testing, your child must be signed up at the school by March 1, 2016.  To sign up for the test, you may contact your child’s guidance counselor, your child may sign up in the guidance department, or your child may complete a form that will be sent to him/her through his/her school email address. 

The ACT will provide the scores to colleges as their college entrance exam. If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requiring accommodations for testing, the high school will assist him/her in applying for accommodations.  Only those accommodations approved by ACT will result in college reportable scores. Accommodations that can be approved for this administration are the same as the accommodations for ACT national administrations.  If your child is under age 18, you, as parent or guardian, must authorize the school to release that information to ACT for the purpose of applying for accommodations.

If you have any questions regarding the ACT and your student, please call the guidance office at your high school. 

Read more about the ACT at ACTstudent.org

Monday, February 8, 2016

Update on technology and online services interruption

What happened?
Monday morning our computer systems were found to be infected with a virus. While there are many types of malware and viruses, this particular version infects a computer system and uses a high-level encryption to lock up your data then requires a key to unlock the data. We shut down our servers and systems to stop the virus from spreading further which meant interrupting our online services such as PowerSchool.

How this happens:
Computer viruses, malware, adware, etc... are unfortunately, extremely prevalent and constantly changing. Once on a computer a virus tends to replicate and spread to other connected computers. In a system with many servers and computers, this can happen very quickly. HCS was not targeted by any person or organization trying to gain access to our data. While we maintain and monitor our systems routinely and diligently, it is difficult to remain completely unsusceptible to new viruses.

What this means for our data and computer systems:
Nothing has been stolen or taken off of our servers. Student and staff information is safe and remains on our servers. Our data is backed up and the HCS technology department is currently restoring servers to eliminate the locked data. Due to the size of our infrastructure, this will take time though are hoping to have our system fully functional by the end of the week.

What this means for our classrooms:
While we pride ourselves on the use of technology in our classrooms, our educators are resilient, creative, and will continue to adapt to teaching with the best tools they have on hand. There are many technology tools teachers are able to use that were not impacted by the virus.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

2016 Graduation Ceremonies and Senior Celebrations

 Graduation Ceremonies 2016
SchoolDateTimePlace
Aynor High
Thursday, June 27:00 PMAHS Auditorium
Carolina Forest HighThursday, June 27:00 PMCFHS Auditorium
Conway HighWednesday, June 17:00 PMTBD
Green Sea Floyds HighThursday, June 26:00 PMGSFHS Auditorium
Loris HighWednesday, June 16:00 PMLHS Auditorium
Myrtle Beach HighWednesday, June 16:00 PMMBHS Auditorium
North Myrtle Beach HighThursday, June 23:00 PMAlabama Theatre
Socastee HighWednesday, June 13:00 PMMB Convention Center
St. James HighFriday, June 31:30 PMPalace Theatre
Early College HighTuesday, May 316:00 PMTBD
Adult EducationThursday, May 267:00 PMAAST

 Senior Celebrations 2016

AAST
Tetatively
Saturday, May 21
11:00 AMAlabama Theatre
ATAWednesday, May 186:00 PMATA
Scholars AcademyTuesday, May 246:00 PMWheelwright Auditorium

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Thursday, January 21, 2016

HCS will operate on a normal schedule for Friday, January 22

Based on the current forecasts for our county, Horry County Schools will operate on a normal schedule for Friday, January 22. As always, we coordinate, plan, and confer with county officials and watch the weather conditions closely. Should conditions arise that change this decision, we will notify the public no later than 6 am through via our website, Facebook, HCS TV, Twitter, our automated telephone notification system and local media outlets.
Click here for more information on how HCS makes weather-related decisions.

FIRST Robotics competition scheduled for Feb 25, 26, & 27

The 13th annual Palmetto Regional FIRST Robotics Competition will be held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Thursday through Saturday, February 25th-27th, 2016 (Doors open at 8:00 AM). The competition is an intense three-day competitive event showcasing robots developed and operated by dozens of high school teams from all over the world.

Check out the video for this year's FIRST games!


Registration is now open for the HCS Educator Recruitment Fair

Educator Recruitment Fair

Horry County Schools will be hosting an Educator Recruitment Fair for certified teacher applicants on March 5, 2016, at Conway High School.  If you are interested in attending, please apply to this posting and attach proof of certification. The deadline to register to attend the fair is February 26, 2016.  The deadline to schedule critical needs interview at the fair is February 12, 2016.  Please see below for important information.

Proof of certification would include one of the following:

  • In State - Valid SC teaching certificate
  • Out of State - Valid teaching certificate and Praxis Scores
  • New Graduates - Letter of eligibility from college or transcripts and Praxis scores
  • PACE - Letter of eligiblity 

Location:  

Conway High School
               2301 Church Street
               Conway, SC 29526
               (Map)

Schedule:

           
9:30 am - 11:45 pmOpen fair
12:30 pm - 2:45 pmInterviews


Interviews:

Interviews will be scheduled with registration ONLY for the following critical needs areas:

  • English
  • Foreign Language - Spanish
  • Math
  • Science
  • Special Education
  • Speech Language Clinician
  • Library Media
If you are seleted for an interview, you will be contacted via e-mail with a time. 

Interested educators in all certification areas are invited to attend the afternoon session.  All attendees must register.
Representatives from 52 Horry County schools will be available to meet and talk with attendees. 


Click HERE for more information regarding registration