SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE A DISTRICT THAT WANTS TO “BE THE CHANGE” WWW.SPARTANBURG3.ORG
SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE AT A GLANCE SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE WHAT: A n innovative school district guided by innovation and a commitment to change WHERE: S partanburg South Carolina WEBSITE: www.spartanburg3.org A DISTRICT THAT WANTS TO “BE THE CHANGE” LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT STUDENTS NEED IN SOUTH CAROLINA 2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
In Spartanburg School District Three, the guiding theme is simple. “Be the Change.” These words have become part of the district’s identity, which is grounded in vision, persistence, and belief in what is possible. Dr. Julie Fowler, in her fourth year as District Superintendent inherited a fresh strategic plan built collaboratively with employees, community members, 3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
and business leaders. Rather than reinventing the foundation, she focused on bringing it to life. “We came up with the tagline of ‘Be the Change.’ We empowered and encouraged all our employees to lead from their position. That was year one when I came in, and each year, we have stayed true to that, and we have added to it,” she explains. This call to action continues to gain momentum, as each year, the district adds another layer.“We have embodied ‘The best is yet to come,’ as we stay on the course of being the change,” Dr. Fowler shares. The most recent addition is, ‘Tell me something good.’ “That has been so powerful,” she adds.“It has caught on and been so contagious. The focus has shifted to looking at the positive things. It’s made it easy for us to celebrate small wins, as all of us are focused on the same thing.” The impact of these efforts is easy to see. Spartanburg Three’s students are performing first in the county in multiple academic areas, and the district consistently ranks in the top ten in multiple grades and content areas across South Carolina. “It is because we are truly living out the mission and vision,” Dr. Fowler says.“It’s been a great thing to watch and to be part of.” SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS The district’s approach to academic and emotional support is purposeful, data driven, and tailored.This is exemplified through Spartanburg Three’s Next Level Learning Conference, a professional learning day designed entirely by the teacher forum. CAO Windy Hodge describes, “Teacher voice goes into creating our professional learning, and it’s designed in a way to meet specific needs of teachers. It’s not a “one size fits all” professional learning day. . Everyone has a choice to learn more about areas they need to grow in.”Teachers take this knowledge directly back to the classroom, bringing fresh strategies to their students the following week. For students, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) are applied across all grade levels, identifying areas of need, and recognizing where they are excelling. “We celebrate our students’ strengths so that when they encounter areas that are a struggle for them, they have the belief in themselves to overcome that 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE
challenge,” Hodge details. Each elementary school has a reading coach, a reading interventionist, and a math interventionist. Middle and high schools benefit from instructional coaches who support all content areas. Mental health care is also prioritized, with therapists serving schools throughout the district. Early learning is another area of progress. As it became evident that many children were entering kindergarten unprepared, the district partnered with Spartanburg Academic Movement to secure funding through a full service community grant.These funds will support the addition of four 3K classrooms, in addition to its existing 4K programs. “We know that if we provide a strong foundation for early learners, the research shows that they’re going to be graduating on time. They’re going to have a better opportunity for success post high school graduation,” Hodge recounts. “That is really the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all around support services,” she continues. “We are constantly looking at our data to see what our district needs to truly continue this forward momentum. We have a strong focus on continuous improvement and being intentional about anything and everything we do to help students succeed.” TOOLS FOR OPPORTUNITY Technology integration in Spartanburg Three begins early.“We have a one to one technology initiative, and our students have access to technology beginning in kindergarten,” Dr. Fowler reports. The district also maintains a virtual platform that allows for flexible learning during inclement weather, health needs, or student preference. The most innovative uses of technology can be found at the Daniel Morgan Technology Center, where students explore fields designed for the future. “Technology for us consists of more than just computers,” DMTC Director, Dr. Nikki Honeycutt asserts. The Information Technology instructor, David Thornton, is a state leader in artificial intelligence curriculum development.“He was the only teacher on Governor McMaster’s Task Force to pilot the artificial intelligence curriculum for the state,” she notes.“He has worked in conjunction with the South Carolina Competes and the Southern Region Education Board 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
known as SREB, to write this four course curriculum that would have students explore the different ways that artificial intelligence infiltrates our entire culture and climate as a nation.” The program outlines how AI influences nearly every sector, from hospitality and tourism to finance, banking, transportation, and logistics. Students learn how information is gathered and coded and even write their own programs. “We’ll be designing for jobs that we don’t even know exist yet. So it’s very forward thinking and cutting edge,” she says. Daniel Morgan is also preparing students for emerging fields like electric vehicle technology, where the district’s instructor helped write the state curriculum.“The old days of working on a carburetor and understanding how a car works is long past, but now you’re adding an electrical vehicle component in there,” remarks Dr. Honeycutt. In addition, robotics, mechatronics, computerized manufacturing, and a range of other hands-on options give students access to real equipment and real skills. She emphasizes, “The technology is woven in so that all the students leave prepared for the jobs that they choose to enter.” MEETING WORKFORCE DEMAND The district designs its career pathways based on triangulated data from Upstate Workforce Development, One Spartanburg, Lightcast Data, and its own comprehensive local needs assessment.“We 6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE
At AngelTrax, we are passionate about protecting the lives of passengers and drivers in the student transit, mass transit, fleet/driver behavior with AI, locomotive and waste management industries. For more than 25 years, we have been relentless in designing and providing the latest in mobile video surveillance technologies for any fleet configuration. We prioritize the needs of our clients above all else, from first contact through warranty fulfillment, and all customer service is conducted by AngelTrax—not outsourced to a third party. We protect each client’s video and data files on AngelTrax hosted servers in our SOC 2® Type II compliant Data Center. These essentials, coupled with our extremely reliable system performance, are what set us apart for Spartanburg School District Three. Spartanburg Bus Driver (and mechanic) Steven Moore shared,“I wanted to reach out to let you know that I have all of the camera equipment installed, and (we) are very happy with the system so far.” He continued, “I’m very happy with not having to fill out paperwork to get something replaced. You told me when we had our meeting that we would not have to wait and you proved yourself right. Thanks so much.” AngelTrax—your partner in mobile safety, security and surveillance. KEEP KIDS SAFER UPGRADE TO 360° VISION FOR YOUR SCHOOL BUS FLEET A Safety, Security and Surveillance Company angeltrax.com 800.673.1788 / SOC 2® TYPE II COMPLIANT DATA CENTER Vulcan™ Series Bird’s Eye View 360-Degree Camera System BEV360 • AI-POWERED PEDESTRIAN DETECTION WITH AUDIBLE ALERTS when stop arm is activated • 360-DEGREE PANORAMIC VIEW with four 1080P cameras • REAL-TIME MONITORING on a 7-inch display • STAND-ALONE SYSTEM with microSD card storage
look at all of that data to make determinations, and they’re ranked for us as to the highest needs in our community,” Dr. Honeycutt details. “Manufacturing, healthcare, artificial intelligence and transportation, distribution and logistics are the top four in our area.” With this in mind, Daniel Morgan added six new programs. Information technology now includes cyber security, gaming design, and Java programming. Health sciences has long been a strong pathway, and now students can complete Certified Nursing Assistant training, as well as pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, and EKG. Those who complete CNA, phlebotomy, and EKG are eligible for the Patient Care Technician exam. “That enables them to earn eight thousand dollars at a minimum, more when they get a job at a hospital,” Dr. Honeycutt maintains. “PCTs are more sought after, and those hospitals will then pay for them to complete their RN BSN at USC Upstate. So our CNA students and health sciences can complete this in high school and end up with a full time job and a four year degree, completely paid for and debt free.” The district’s approach to transportation and logistics is equally ambitious. Spartanburg Three secured a five million dollar grant to build a new academy of transportation, logistics, and distribution at Daniel Morgan. Matching funds are coming through a public private partnership, and the facility will support drone technology certifications, CDL licensure, 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE
HARPER GENERAL CONTRACTORS More Than Anything, We Build Trust Harper General Contractors is a proud partner of Spartanburg School District Three. An awardwinning company, Harper consistently receives recognition in the areas of quality, safety, environmental stewardship, and community involvement. Since 1950, we have had the opportunity to develop strong professional relationships with clients across the Southeast. By bringing to life the vision of our clients, Harper leaves a lasting impression on members of the community. The core of our company is geared toward collaborating with owners and design professionals in an open and transparent manner, enabling the owner to know how every project dollar is being invested. We bring the same talent, innovation, and expertise to each of our valued clients throughout the Southeast. That doesn’t happen without dedicated, hard-working, experienced, effective, and honorable people. For us at Harper, our reputation, the way we conduct our business, and the way we treat you and each other is paramount.The same level of respect, care, and honor that goes into our relationships goes into every project we’re awarded. . More than anything, we build trust. ASHEVILLE | CHARLESTON | CHARLOTTE | COLUMBIA CONWAY | GREENVILLE | NASHVILLE | ROANOKE | SPARTANBURG Since 1950, Harper General Contractors has built a legacy of integrity and innovation, driven by its mission to strengthen communities, clients, and teammates through trust.
forklift operation, warehousing, loading docks, and diesel mechanics. With the inland port only 33 miles away, the earning potential is life changing. “These students, at age 18, can graduate and become employed with Inland Port Greer. They pick up a load in Greer, take it to Charleston, drop it off, return to the inland port and even make a second load in one day,” Dr. Fowler highlights.“There are young people who are making 80,000 plus dollars a year doing this.” For a district with the highest poverty rate among the seven Spartanburg districts, these opportunities are strategic tools for breaking generational cycles of poverty. “We knew that in considering programs to sunset, new programs to bring on, our goal was for our students to be able to graduate with an associate’s degree where it’s possible, and if not an associate’s degree, just shy of a few credit hours of having that. We want them to graduate with the certifications Putting people first. firstcitizens.com © 2025 First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company. All rights reserved. First Citizens Bank is a registered trademark of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. MM#13198 At First Citizens Bank, we want to help you chart your course for financial success. Because we believe your future shouldn’t come with limits. We’re honored to support Spartanburg School District Three. PERSONAL | BUSINESS | COMMERCIAL | WEALTH 10 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE
that they would need to earn a sustained living to support a family of four,” she expands. LOOKING AHEAD Over the next few years, the district will continue to focus on what Dr. Fowler refers to as its “bookends,” which are continued expansion of early childhood programs and preparing students for success after graduation. “We’re focusing on opportunities for students and creating pathways through partnerships with business and industry and institutions of higher ed to make that happen,” Dr. Fowler concludes.“We are a small but mighty district.” PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n AngelTrax www.angeltrax.com AngelTrax is a leading designer and manufacturer of in-vehicle video surveillance for the student transit, mass transit, fleet/ driver behavior with AI, locomotive and waste management industries. AngelTrax drives the market with state-of-the-art products, including Vulcan™ Series MDVRs, patented Hybrid Component™ MNVRs, IP cameras, high-definition cameras, AVL and driver behavior management. n Harper General Contractors www.harpergc.com Harper General Contractors is a full-service general contracting and construction management firm serving the Southeast since 1950. Our dedication to doing right by our clients has enabled us to build far more than the structures we create. At Harper, we build up our clients, communities, and each other. n First Citizens Bank www.firstcitizens.com Experience. Integrity. Trust. Financial well-being can play an important role in every success story. That’s why we’re here for our customers’ personal finance, business banking and wealth management needs. First Citizens Bank. Forever First. ® 11 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
WWW.SPARTANBURG3.ORG WWW.BUSINESSVIEWMAGAZINE.COM AS FEATURED IN BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE Spartanburg School District Three
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