Pee Dee schools among select group to receive Red Carpet award

Carolina Elementary School in Darlington County School District and Marlboro County High School in Marlboro County School District are among 42 schools in the state to receive the Red Carpet award for being family-friendly and having quality customer service.

This is the second time Carolina has been named a Red Carpet School.  The school received the award in 2004.

“Our school has worked really hard to create a friendly environment for all of our friends, families and staff,” said Donna Barrett, principal of Carolina Elementary. “This is something that we really strive to do.

“We think that it’s very important that our children and families feel good when they drop their children off here at school,” Barrett said. “It makes all the difference in the world.”

Two hundred schools applied for the award last fall,  according to a press released issued by the state Department of Education.

Winning schools will receive red carpets to display and the schools maintain the status for three years.

Schools had to provide information about their family-friendly philosophies and environments, along with the methods used to promote and self-evaluate the school’s efforts. 

The schools also submitted copies of the school’s communication plan.

Schools that passed the first phase are then screened by independent judges who rated how callers and visitors were treated.

Judges didn’t identify themselves during telephone calls or site visits, and site visits were not announced in advance.

In addition to telephone calls and site visits, schools were judged on the exterior and interior appearance of the campus, and the information and programs available for families and visitors.

Staff members from the state Department of Education and school district personnel from across the state volunteered to take part in the judging process, according to the release.

Each school has several activities and programs to make the school more inviting to the public.

For example, at Marlboro County High School, the cosmetology program provides services to parents at a discount.

The horticulture class grows plants and flowers for sale to the public, and the proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Campaign.

On the Web
Carolina Elementary School http://ces.dcsdschools.org
Marlboro County High School http://mhs.marlboro.k12.sc.us