By Sarah Ostergaard Voters have many choices on November 5: Election Day. You matter – learn what is on the ballot and be sure to vote. Voters residing within the School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties (LR5) will vote (1) together for or against a school bond referendumContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard We know the expression: Education is the key to new worlds. Education is the antidote to ignorance. Education is the ticket to prosperity. My favorite: Education is the one thing no one can take away from you. We need our students at all levels – CP, Honors,Continue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard As summer winds down and families gear up to return to school, we look forward to a new school year fresh with opportunity. As we keep a watchful eye on the weather this week, hopefully backpacks have been filled with supplies, the wardrobe has been refreshed withContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard “Must be nice to have all summer off.” “Must be nice to get all those paid holidays.” “Must be nice to be done with work by 2:30 (or 3:40 for high schools) every day.” I am writing this article after presenting at the SC Education and BusinessContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard Oh yay, it’s summer vacation. But oh my, I’m tired already. Looking for engaging ways to keep the kiddos occupied, experiencing new things, and off the electronics as a default? Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, big sibling, or sitter, even if you work full time, our childrenContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard Schools earn Report Card scores of Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, or Unsatisfactory but what do they mean? The basis for the SC School Report Card is the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires states to provide transparency in how well schools serve students’ academic needs.Continue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard In 2013, 2017, and 2023, LexRich5 Schools received Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). According to the MSAP website, the purpose of an MSAP grant is to “assist in the desegregation of schools servedContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard Tuesday, November 7, was Election Day for many town offices across the state. Did you vote? Do you live in a jurisdiction that held an election this year? According to scvotes.gov, on this “Municipal Election Day” there were 217 elections in 39 counties across the state with aboutContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard It is inevitable that questions, concerns, problems crop up and schools are no exception. Where should one go for answers? The next few articles in a series will turn to our layers of government, exploring which entities do what and whom to contact with an education concern.Continue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard Why write about Athletics in a column about Education? Last month’s column was intended to start a conversation about the meaning of “an education.” An education should be well-rounded, to include extracurricular pursuits including but not limited to athletics. And YOU can be part of our studentContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard When considering a word I first turn to the dictionary. In this case, “an education” is defined by Merriam-Webster online as “the action or process of educating or of being educated.” Unhelpful; my 5th grade English teacher taught us not to define a word using the rootContinue Reading
A 2021 survey conducted by USC-Aiken found that SC voters do not know that homeowners do not pay school taxes on a primary residence. More than 40 percent of voters were unaware of the school tax exemption and about 33 percent incorrectly indicated there is no school tax exemption (YoungContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard Education law is a tiered system, in line with one of our nation’s founding principles: federalism. Per the 10th Amendment, education is within the purview of each of the 50 states or their local jurisdictions. The federal government does, however, play a significant role. The federal EveryContinue Reading