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  • LOST enigma untangling

    Accounting practices questionable, other answers still sought

    FAIRFIELD – The good news from Monday night’s County Council meeting is that, according to the accounting firm of Elliott Davis, LLC, hired by the County to review its accounting procedures in regard to its handling of Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue, the Fairfield County government has not been accumulating millions of dollars of LOST revenue instead of giving it back as tax credits on property tax bills.
    The bad news is that, for eight years, the County government apparently didn’t exactly keep track of all those millions of dollars of LOST revenue.
    While accountants Tom McNeish and Brian D’Amico of Elliott Davis did not put it so plainly in explaining how the County handled the LOST funds, the pair concluded, before a packed house at the Fairfield High School auditorium, that the County had not used best practices in handling the funds, did not have ready records of how those funds were estimated and credited      and had no procedures in place to assure such. Going forward, the accountants suggested the County immediately establish and implement rules and procedures for how the LOST funds should be estimated, reported, credited and otherwise handled and accounted for.
    The issue bubbled up early last Spring when county tax payer Maggie Holmes and her attorney Jonathan Goode, of the Goode Law Firm in Winnsboro, questioned the County’s handling of the LOST revenue. Fairfield County voters passed the LOST referendum in 2005, earmarking 100 percent of those revenues for property tax relief. According to S.C. Statute 4-10-10, a 1-cent sales tax revenue is to be returned to property owners each year in the form of a credit on their property tax bills. These tax credits are given based on the County’s estimate of how much LOST revenue it expects to receive each year. Since the tax credit is applied prior to the County receiving the LOST revenue, to prevent a shortfall, any revenue in excess of the estimate is held back to be credited the following year and by law cannot be accumulated from year to year.
    A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to then County Administrator Phil Hinely netted Holmes two pages of information last March, including one titled “Sales Revenue Received and Credit Billed 2006-2012” that detailed not only extremely low estimates of the LOST revenue from FY2007 through FY2013, but an accumulation of the excess revenue (resulting from the low estimates) from year to year in the amount of $5.4 million. It then listed an amount of $2.4 million budgeted as a credit for the 2013-14 fiscal year. That amount is also reflected as a millage reduction on the Council’s Resolution Establishing Millages for fiscal year 2013-14. The result would have amounted to a 21.37 sales tax credit next year.
    On Aug. 2, at a special called Council meeting, the County’s outside consultants explained that the County was indeed crediting the LOST revenue to the tax payers, albeit in an unorthodox two-phase method – first as a millage reduction each May when the County adopted its resolution establishing millages for Fairfield County and, second, as a traditional credit on the property tax bill in the fall. They also conceded that the estimates of revenue were low, but they had not determined to what extent the County might be accumulating the monies year to year.
    At Monday night’s meeting, McNeish and D’Amico said they had concluded their review of the County’s LOST revenue and distributed handouts that they said gave an accurate accounting of how the LOST revenue was remitted, estimated and credited each year. It bore little resemblance to the amounts in the document provided in Hinely’s FOIA response to Holmes last March. While Michael Kozlarek, an attorney with the Parker Poe consulting firm, had said at the Aug. 2 meeting that he was not aware that any of the LOST revenue remittances were less than the previous year during 2006 through 2013, the handout showed that, on two occasions, 2009 and 2010, the revenue remittances were lower than the previous year, and the County had to make up the difference which amounted to $76,312 in 2009 and $81,823 in 2010. The handout did not reflect the $2.4 million credit budgeted for 2013-14 in the Hinely FOIA document.
    McNeish said the Council would, in fact, revisit the resolution it passed in May to establish the millage rate for Fairfield County for FY2013-14. It will vote on a new millage resolution that will no longer reflect a sales tax credit. Interim County Administrator Milton Pope said that while changes will be made in millage amounts, the numbers won’t change in this year’s budget.
    The handout also reflected a carryover from 2013 in the amount of $805,660 that Pope said would be credited to the taxpayers next year.
    Goode and Holmes said after the meeting that some of the mystery surrounding the LOST estimates and tax credits have been cleared, but other pieces of the puzzle still seem to be missing and that some of the numbers still don’t add up.
    “I am frustrated by some of the numbers,” Goode said. “The sales tax credits listed in the handout don’t match the sales tax credits for the same years on the County’s Resolution Establishing the Millages. They should be the same numbers.”
    Council’s next meeting is Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. A location has not yet been determined.

  • Relay For Life Kicks Off 2014 Campaign

    The Fairfield County Committee of Relay for Life will hold their celebration and campaign kickoff dinner, “Honoring Our Survivors and Caregivers,” on Thursday, Oct. 10, at the First Church of the Nazarene, 650 Ninth St. in Winnsboro.

    The guest speaker for the event is USC head basketball coach Frank Martin. Tickets are $5 per person; cancer survivors get in free. The ticket price includes a spaghetti dinner with all the trimmings.

    The proceeds from the dinner will fund Relay for Life activities and benefit the American Cancer Society. The dinner marks the start of the Relay for Life 2014 campaign.

    See Norma Branham, Lana Dodson or Stacey Pearson for tickets or call Arthur Lathan at 803-635-4373 or Tonya Green at 803 -665-0653.

  • District Shows Improvement on Finals

    FAIRFIELD –Average scores on the 2013 End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) showed moderate improvement over 2012 scores in three out of four subject areas for Fairfield County students, according to data released by the S.C. Department of Education this week. And while the percentage of test takers earning an A went up in many subjects, the percentage of those scoring F plummeted dramatically in some areas.

    District-wide, 212 students were tested in Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2; 74 in Biology 1/Applied Biology 2; 194 in English 1; and 187 in U.S. History and the Constitution. The exams count for 80 percent of a student’s final course score.

    The percentage of students scoring an A in Algebra was up slightly from 4.5 percent in 2012 to 5.7 percent in 2013. Those scoring a B were up from 15.6 percent in 2012 to 23.6 percent in 2013, while those scoring a C were up from 18.1 percent in 2012 to 30.7 percent in 2013. Students scoring a D were also up a few points, from 22.1 percent in 2012 to 23.6 percent in 2013. But the percentage of students scoring an F dropped by more than half, from 39.7 percent in 2012 to 16.5 percent in 2013. The average score rose from 73.8 in 2012 to 79.1 in 2013.

    “Algebra 1 is a ‘foundation course’ in high school,” J.R. Green, Superintendent of Fairfield County Schools, said. “If we can get kids to establish a strong foundation in Algebra 1, it will transition with them throughout high school.”

    Green said math teachers in the District have fully bought into available technology in the last year, particularly in the form of a new graphing calculator, which has translated into higher test scores.

    “Scotty Dean and Ryan Sharpe have embraced (the new technology) fully,” Green said, “and that gets kids more engaged and excited about learning math.”

    The average score in Biology also increased over 2012 results, from 73.1 to 79. While the percentage of students earning an F were down only slightly (from 39.7 percent in 2012 to 35.1 in 2013), the percentage of students earning As and Bs skyrocketed. In 2012, only 7.5 percent of test-takers earned an A, and only 10.6 percent a B; but in 2013, those figures jumped to 21.6 and 24.3 percent, respectively. The percentage of students earning a D was also down dramatically, from 26.1 to 4.1 percent.

    “Jane Wilson, our Teacher of the Year, is an extraordinary biology teacher,” Green said. “She may have had 10-15 As (on the exam) with a passing rate in the 90s.”

    English 1 remains a troubled spot for students across the state and Fairfield County followed suit, as the average score slipped from 72.6 in 2012 to 71.3 in 2013. None of the 194 students tested earned an A in 2013 (2.5 percent in 2012), and the percentage of Bs went down from 13.1 in 2012 to 9.3 in 2013. The percentage of Cs and Ds were up, as were the percentage of Fs. The statewide average score was 77.9 in 2013, with an overall passing rate of 77.2 percent.

    “English is not where we want it to be,” Green said. “We want to be in English where we are in math. We want to get (our average score) to around 80.”

    Students also continue to struggle with History, both District and statewide, with the District average score coming in at 63.2 and with no students earning an A. Statewide, the average score was 72.7, with a passing rate of 60.6 percent for students across South Carolina.

    “U.S. History and the Constitution is the most concerning subject,” Green said. “The results have been poor over many years. Statewide, the results have been poor. There are questions about the standards, and about whether or not we can teach everything in a single year. We are having conversations about things we need to do to be more successful.”

    Advanced students and other students willing to take on the challenge at Fairfield Middle School also take these End of Course exams. In 2013, 50 Middle School students took the Algebra exam, while 29 took the English exam. Middle School test-takers produced an average score of 85.1 in Algebra and 82 in English in 2013 with no students producing Fs in either subject.

    “We were pleased to see that all students who took the Algebra 1 and English 1 tests (at the Middle School level) were successful,” Green said.

  • Mt. Zion Gets Stay of Execution

    WINNSBORO – After hearing an impassioned plea for action by the Friends of Mt. Zion Institute (FOMZI) during a special work session last week, Town Council Tuesday night opted to table any final decision on the destruction or renovation of the Mt. Zion Institute building.

    Prior to reaching their decision, Council heard from FOMZI’s Brenda Miller, who asked Council to consider a more modest proposal from the citizens’ group.

    “While you’re considering discussion on the building,” Miller said, “please keep an open mind and focus on the auditorium and related structures. Those structures are very common and doable projects, and have been done successfully in Pelzer and Easley.”

    In those cases, Miller said, old high school auditoriums had been rescued, renovated and turned into arts centers and complexes for use by the towns. Miller said FOMZI had been working on a proposal and could have one before Council by their next meeting on Oct. 15. Following executive session, Council decided to do just that, deferring any final verdict on the fate of the property until they could see a written proposal from FOMZI.

    At the Sept. 24 work session, Vicki Dodds said FOMZI has raised approximately $60,000 to revitalize the building, with an additional $15-17,000 pledged. FOMZI was not, Dodds said, looking to the Town for additional funds, but for the green light to get started. With the Town holding the deed, Dodds said FOMZI is unable to put contractors to work, particularly on the roof, which she said had to be the first order of business. Dodds also indicated then that FOMZI would not be opposed to a scaled-down project that only saved the auditorium.

    In a contractual dispute with the Town of Ridgeway, Council voted to deny Ridgeway’s request for a $1,400 refund for water costs. Winnsboro Mayor Roger Gaddy said that, last August, a pump in the water tank on Highway 34 failed. The Town had to restart the pump manually, Gaddy said. Ridgeway had concerns over the quality of the water and purged approximately 87,000 gallons of water from their system, Gaddy said, and was seeking the refund to cover the cost of the water plus labor.

    “They did not call us or ask us about it (before purging their system),” Gaddy said.

    In other water matters, Council approved two more water taps for a Blythewood development, bringing the number of water taps dedicated to phase one of Langford Crossing to 28. The 13.1 acre development is located on Langford Road between Russ Brown Road and Monteith Pond Road.

  • Style on Four Wheels

    Sam Edenfield, who organizes the annual car show at Fairfield County’s Rock Around the Clock festival, brings top classic cars to town such as ‘Root Beer Float,’ a 1953 custom Caddy that will be on display Friday and Saturday during the festival. (Photo/Barbara Ball)

    There are lots of things to see and do at the annual Rock Around the Clock festival in Fairfield County, but for many, the reason to turn their wheels toward Winnsboro this weekend is the annual RATC classic car show. And the main reason for the popularity of the show is Sam Edenfield.

    Edenfield has been the “go-to-guy” of the car show since the festival started about 15 years ago. In fact, while he was being interviewed for this column, he got a phone call from someone in another state wanting to know how to put on a car show. When it comes to car shows, Edenfield is known throughout the Southwest as “the man.” He doesn’t call up a car club. He calls up the top car owners and builders in the country.

    The Rock Around the Clock car show has become well-known because of Edenfield’s ability to attract these stellar car owners and builders. This year, he snagged Chris Ryan’s custom 1953 Cadillac convertible, ‘Root Beer Float’. The Caddy placed second in its class in the Ridler Award Show, the most prestigious car show in the Hot Rod and Custom car world. Ryan, based in Ninety Six, S.C., is the owner of Ryan’s Rod and Kustom. The Caddy will be featured later in the month on a two-hour special episode of Powerblock on SPIKE TV. This is a chance to see the car up close before that program airs on Oct. 19 and 20. It’s not unusual for Edenfield to reel in this level of prestigious custom cars.

    Over the years the show has become increasingly popular, drawing classic car enthusiasts from several states. Edenfield remembers when Rock Around the Clock started (then called Festival in the Park.)

    “We didn’t have enough space for people coming to the festival to park, let alone space to show off the cars,” Edenfield said. When the Town Clock became the main fixture of the festival, Edenfield suggested closing off Congress Street for the car show. That’s where it remains today.

    Edenfield works on the show all year long, spending hundreds of hours attending car shows across the South, finding out what’s out there on four wheels and inviting owners and builders to participate in the show.

    But Edenfield said he has a long list of people in the community who make the show successful – “my kinfolk and friends – I couldn’t do it without them,” Edenfield said.

    He also gets a lot of support from local businesses that contribute items for “goody bags” that Edenfield distributes as prizes.

    This year, Edenfield’s efforts have pulled in cars from Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and elsewhere for festival goers to ooh and ahh over.

    Edenfield said he loves his ‘job’ managing the car show at Rock Around the Clock.

    “I can talk cars better than I can talk anything else,” Edenfield said with a smile. And you’ll know why when you see the parade of top custom cars cruising down Congress Street during the Rock Around the Clock parade Friday evening. They will also be on display all day Saturday.

    “Bring your cameras and snap some pictures,” Edenfield said. “And the car owners welcome questions and comments about their cars. That’s what they came for.”

    Make plans to attend Rock Around the Clock this weekend and take a spin around the car show. You’ll see some classic examples of style on four wheels.

  • LOST Enigma Untangled

    Accounting practices questionable, but County within the law

    WINNSBORO – The good news from Monday night’s County Council meeting is that, according to the accounting firm of Elliott Davis, LLC, hired by the County to review its accounting procedures in regard to its handling of Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue, the Fairfield County government has not been unlawfully accumulating millions of dollars of LOST revenue instead of giving it back as tax credits on property tax bills as they have been accused by some Fairfield County citizens recently.

    The bad news is that, for eight years, the County government apparently didn’t exactly keep track of all those millions of dollars of LOST revenue.

    While accountants Tom McNeish and Brian D’Amico of Elliott Davis did not put it so plainly in explaining how the County handled the LOST funds, the pair concluded, before a packed house at the Fairfield High School auditorium, that the County had not used best practices in handling the funds, did not have ready records of how those funds were estimated and credited and had no procedures in place to assure such. Going forward, the accountants suggested the County immediately establish and implement rules and procedures for how the LOST funds should be estimated, reported, credited and otherwise handled and accounted for.

    The issue bubbled up early last Spring when county tax payer Maggie Holmes and her attorney Jonathan Goode, of the Goode Law Firm in Winnsboro, questioned the County’s handling of the LOST revenue. Fairfield County voters passed the LOST referendum in 2005, earmarking 100 percent of those revenues for property tax relief. According to S.C. Statute 4-10-10, a 1-cent sales tax revenue is to be returned to property owners each year in the form of a credit on their property tax bills. These tax credits are given based on the County’s estimate of how much LOST revenue it expects to receive each year. Since the tax credit is applied prior to the County receiving the LOST revenue, to prevent a shortfall, any revenue in excess of the estimate is held back to be credited the following year and by law cannot be accumulated from year to year.

    A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to then County Administrator Phil Hinely netted Holmes two pages of information last March, including one titled “Sales Revenue Received and Credit Billed 2006-2012” that detailed not only extremely low estimates of the LOST revenue from FY2007 through FY2013, but an accumulation of the excess revenue (resulting from the low estimates) from year to year in the amount of $5.4 million. It then listed an amount of $2.4 million budgeted as a credit for the 2013-14 fiscal year. That amount is also reflected as a millage reduction on the Council’s Resolution Establishing Millages for fiscal year 2013-14. The result would have amounted to a 21.37 sales tax credit next year.

    On Aug. 2, at a special called Council meeting, the County’s outside consultants explained that the County was indeed crediting the LOST revenue to the tax payers, albeit in an unorthodox two-phase method – first as a millage reduction each May when the County adopted its resolution establishing millages for Fairfield County and, second, as a traditional credit on the property tax bill in the fall. They also conceded that the estimates of revenue were low, but they had not determined to what extent the County might be accumulating the monies year to year.

    At Monday night’s meeting, McNeish and D’Amico said they had concluded their review of the County’s LOST revenue and distributed handouts that they said gave an accurate accounting of how the LOST revenue was remitted, estimated and credited each year. It bore little resemblance to the amounts in the document provided in Hinely’s FOIA response to Holmes last March. While Michael Kozlarek, an attorney with the Parker Poe consulting firm, had said at the Aug. 2 meeting that he was not aware that any of the LOST revenue remittances were less than the previous year during 2006 through 2013, the handout showed that, on two occasions, 2009 and 2010, the revenue remittances were lower than the previous year, and the County had to make up the difference which amounted to $76,312 in 2009 and $81,823 in 2010. The handout did not reflect the $2.4 million credit budgeted for 2013-14 in the Hinely FOIA document.

    McNeish said the Council would, in fact, revisit the resolution it passed in May to establish the millage rate for Fairfield County for FY2013-14. It will vote on a new millage resolution that will no longer reflect a sales tax credit. Interim County Administrator Milton Pope said that while changes will be made in millage amounts, the numbers won’t change in this year’s budget.

    The handout also reflected a carryover from 2013 in the amount of $805,660 that Pope said would be credited to the taxpayers next year.

    Goode and Holmes said after the meeting that some of the mystery surrounding the LOST estimates and tax credits have been cleared, but other pieces of the puzzle still seem to be missing and that some of the numbers still don’t add up.

    “I am frustrated by some of the numbers,” Goode said. “The sales tax credits listed in the handout don’t match the sales tax credits for the same years on the County’s Resolution Establishing the Millages. They should be the same numbers.”

    Council’s next meeting is Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. A location has not yet been determined.

  • Senior Services Outreach

    RIDGEWAY — The Central Midlands Area Agency on Aging and Disability Resource Center will be at the Century House in Ridgeway on Thursday, Oct. 10. Carol Boykin, Information and Referral/Assistance Specialist will be available to talk individually to seniors and/or citizens with disabilities about questions related to available resources/services, including long term care from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. You can call ahead and schedule an appointment at 866-394-4166, or just show up on Oct. 10.

  • The Upstate Renaissance

    Mmmm . . . Beer! Made in Spartanburg. Drive up and have a pint. (Photo/Tom Poland)

    Make the 90-mile journey to West Main Street in Spartanburg and you’ll find an engaging art collection, a savory restaurant, unique bookstore and exceptional microbrewery.

    A tree-lined thoroughfare spirits you into the city’s downtown district. Parking is free. And the aforementioned attractions line the same side of the street. Here’s a great opportunity to appreciate the Johnson Collection at 154 West Main. Lynne Blackman, Public Relations coordinator, describes the gallery as “a presence, not a place.” The collection consists of more than 1,000 pieces. “The collection is all fine art of the American South,” said Blackman. You can see the work of native southerners, itinerant artists, Charleston Renaissance artists and others here. “Looking back, it was always the sense of place that drew George and me to beautiful pictures — pictures that capture not only the glorious landscape of the South, but that also enliven its unique culture and dynamic history,” said Susu Johnson. TJC, as it’s known, focuses on African-American and female artists.

    At 186 West Main you’ll find the Hub City Bookshop, a revolutionary independent bookstore. Each book purchased nourishes new writers and helps launch authors into the literary world. The store shares the ground floor of the landmark Masonic Temple with Little River Coffee Bar and Cakehead Bakeshop. Executive Director Betsy Teter oversees this vital literary center. She considers the store “an indie store for serious readers,” specializing in literary fiction and nonfiction. The shop does not carry romance, how-to, or travel, but along with Hub City Press titles, stocks a sampling of everything else, including children’s/YA, sports, humor, poetry, mystery, food and sci-fi. It also has sections for used books and “the best of independent presses.”

    Enjoy lunch at 226 B West Main Street. That’s where Cribbs Kitchen serves up great burgers, salads, wraps, pesto crusted trout and more. Appetizers include tempura shrimp skewers, pork and collard green egg rolls, and buttermilk fried calamari. The Classic Burger is as good as you’ll get. The menu has entrees sure to please all.

    At 226 A West Main Street you’ll smell the sweet fragrance of beer brewing. Solar-powered R.J. Rockers Brewing Company became Spartanburg’s first brewery in 1997. Owner and brewer Mark Johnsen set out on a mission to provide the Upstate with the best micro-brewed beer people ever tasted. Following his service in the 1991 Gulf War, Mark was stationed in Germany, where he learned as much as possible about brewing from the experts. The good folks at R.J. Rockers believe their beer makes the world a better place. They invite people to the brewery Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Join them for a pint.

    Stroll Spartanburg’s West Main and you can satisfy your soul’s craving for art and good books and good food and beer. Just a 90-mile drive and well worth it.

    If You Go …

    • The Johnson Collection, 154 West Main, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Always open third Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. for Spartanburg’s Art Walk. No fee. www.thejohnsoncollection.org/tjc-gallery

     • Hub City Bookshop 864-577-9349, www.hubcity.org/bookshop/about/

     • Cribbs Kitchen, 864-699-9669: Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. www.cribbsonmain.com

     • R.J. Rockers, 864-585-BEER (2337), www.rjrockers.com

    Learn more about Tom Poland, a Southern writer, and his work at www.tompoland.net. Email day-trip ideas to him at tompol@earthlink.net.

  • SAT Scores Down in Richland 2

    RICHLAND – For the fourth consecutive year, Richland 2 schools’ composite SAT scores for graduating seniors declined. While a 7-point drop announced last week is less dramatic than in recent years, it brings the total slide for the four-year period to 77 points. Of the District’s five high schools, Blythewood High School showed the greatest improvement (51 points) and had the largest percentage of seniors (77 percent) taking the test. Westwood High School had the lowest percentage of seniors (37 percent) taking the test and the lowest composite score of 1,203.

    SAT provides scores for graduating seniors, primarily for those headed toward higher education, in three areas: Critical Reading, Math and Writing with each of the three areas worth 800 points for a perfect score of 2400. The 2013 composite score for public schools nationally was 1,474, down three points. South Carolina public school scores were up one point at 1,423.

    Interim Superintendent Debbie Hamm told The Voice that several factors have contributed to Richland 2’s decline – a much higher percentage of students taking the SAT test, transience (20 percent turnover every two years) and increasing poverty among students. The SAT, she said, is based on cumulative knowledge. “Understanding the factors and not allowing them to become excuses has been important as the District laid out a pro-active plan to tackle declining test scores,” said Hamm.

    “The drop in SAT scores was due mainly to a drop in math scores – also reflected in elementary and middle school testing results earlier this year,” she said. “That focus in middle school math, particularly algebra, is important for improving SAT scores and just as important for increased academic achievements for all the district’s students.”

    While Blythewood High School was the second highest scoring high school in the District with a composite score of 1,417, it scored slightly below the state and national average and 89 points behind top scoring Spring Valley High School. Blythewood’s Principal Keith Price was quick to credit Blythewood’s huge gains to students and teachers, but he added that the school has “consistently applied the same methodology since the school opened. Relationship is key in directing students to the test [SAT or ACT] that best suits their test taking style and long term aspirations,” Price explained.

    Price said that 60 percent of the school’s graduating seniors go on to a four-year college and 30 percent to a two-year program. To help assure these students’ admission to the college of their choice, Price said he and his guidance counselors study the SAT scores of their students.

    “When a student is not achieving a SAT score that will enable them to realistically apply for the college of their dreams, we encourage them to take the ACT. The subtle differences in the way knowledge is measured between the two tests have many students leaning toward one or the other,” Price said.

    Like other high schools in the District, both Blythewood High School and Westwood offer SAT workshops with Blythewood offering a semester-long SAT prep class.

    When asked about Westwood’s scores, Principal Ralph Schmidt said he is always concerned about test scores, “because every good principal uses data to find ways to make improvements. I and our Red Hawk community want to see growth,” Schmidt said.

    Westwood opened just a year ago with a senior class of 112 students. Schmidt said that with the work of the school’s guidance counselors, many of the fourth year students not classified as seniors were able to take the state required classes. About 130 students were able to earn senior status and graduate.

    Schmidt said the goal of every principal “is to be realistic with our students and provide opportunities for every student regardless of their post high school plans.” While looking forward to seeing improvement in SAT and ACT scores in the future, Schmidt said he remains optimistic that Westwood will remain a school that advocates for all students. He said he expects this second year to be a better indicator of the student body.

    ACT scores remained steady for the state and district at 20.1, with Blythewood High School scoring second highest in the district with 20.4, up 0.8 points over last year. Westwood scored 16.6. The ACT is content based in four subjects: English (which includes Social Studies), Math, Reading, and Science, with a perfect score being 36.

    According to Hamm, while test-taking strategies are advantageous to the college bound student, interpreting data at the district and individual school level is only part of the pool to be considered when looking at the District’s test scores.

    “I would encourage the community to keep SAT and ACT scores in perspective with all other data,” Hamm said. “One of our goals is for college bound students to be prepared for the college of their choice.” Hamm said she is confident that they are.

  • A-Tax Gives Band a Boost

    BLYTHEWOOD – The Town’s Accommodations Tax Committee met on Sept. 26 to vote on funding for the annual Blythewood High School Band Tournament. Each year, for the last several years, the Committee has voted to give the Tournament $10,000 and did so again last week. BHS Band Director Chris Rugila submitted a proposed budget for the tournament, which he said was based on the revenue and expenses from last year’s tournament. The proposed revenue, including the $10,000 donated by the Town, is $49,727. He said expenditures are expected to be $25,471, leaving a profit of a little over $24,000.

    The tournament is scheduled for Oct. 12 from about 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Rugila said 30 bands will participate and that local businesses can advertise free in the tournament program.

    In other business, the Committee received final event reports on the Blythewood Rodeo and the Blythewood Labor Day Run. The Committee made a donation of Accommodation Tax funds last year for the Blythewood Rodeo and a donation of Accommodation Tax funds for the Run. No report was made available to the Committee on the actual expenses and revenue for the Rodeo or the Run.

    The Accommodations Tax committee is made up of representatives of the Town’s hotels and restaurants and does not meet regularly, but only when there is a request for funding.