Williamsburg County schools get $1.6 million grant

Williamsburg County School District has been selected as the lead district and fiscal agents of a $1.6 million grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Education to a consortium of six school districts, according to a press release issued by the district.

The Teaching American History grant will provide professional development for teachers in all grade levels where American History is taught.

Williamsburg County School District, Darlington County School District, Clarendon School District 1, 2 and 3, as well as Lee County School District formed the consortium.

The school districts will work with the University of South Carolina to provide relevant, technologically-driven professional development to teachers in grades 3, 4, 5, 8, and 11. Teachers will be exposed to traditional American History content and implement creative literacy strategies, while teaching at a higher standard to allow students to fully understand the importance of American History.

“We are extremely pleased to be selected to take leadership with this grant. I am particularly grateful to Dr. Ken Vogler, professor and grant writer at USC and Deloris Pringle, (a) grant consultant, who worked closely with us throughout this process, and will continue to provide the consortium with necessary support,” LaShanda George, Williamsburg County’s coordinator of early college program, said. “We are really excited about this opportunity to collaborate with other social studies teachers across the Pee Dee area to meet a need to improve teacher’s content knowledge of American History.”

Carrie Brock, the district’s director of grants/parenting family literacy, said the grant will demonstrate to elementary and high school teachers how to integrate literacy strategies when teaching American History.

Teachers will also receive graduate level credit courses and stipends as an added feature of their participation in this three- to five-year program, Brock said.

Vernett Murray, administrative assistant, also assisted the district in acquiring this grant.

This five-year grant is in the recruitment phase, as districts are identifying teachers who will be a part of this network of educators.