Spartanburg School District One named a finalist in the K-12 Hero Awards as a result of Promethean nomination
Promethean has contributed to the successful implementation of technology at Spartanburg School District One in rural South Carolina since equipping classrooms with innovative interactive panels. With nearly half of the district’s students coming from lower-income families with limited access to technology and devices at home, administrators determined the need to introduce students and teachers to new education technology. Within the first six months of using the ActivPanel, there is an anticipated increase in student development and learning outcomes, including testing. Additionally, Spartanburg School District One was nominated by Promethean and named a finalist in the 2022 K-12 Hero Awards, which are dedicated to recognizing the innovative contributions of K-12 education professionals.
“We’ve got several state-mandated, end-of-course tests where we really think we’re going to see growth in our numbers because of the tools that the ActivPanel allows us to use,” said Dr. Andrew McMillan, Chapman High Principal. “We think we’ve got a very special thing here, and you can feel it when you walk into our school. It’s part of our culture and our climate. And these kinds of tools that we’ve been blessed with just add to that feeling.”
To achieve the goal of ensuring students are equipped for life beyond high school, Spartanburg administrators are tasked with teaching students the skills needed to be successful post-graduation. But the district has limited resources to fund the purchase of tools like computers and devices to support that learning. It forced administrators, like Dr. Jimmy Pryor, Assistant Superintendent, Accountability and Technical Services at Spartanburg School District One, to get creative and be strategic about how funding is used. He determined that an interactive panel would enhance learning, facilitate mobility, increase student engagement, and streamline teacher lesson delivery.
“Spartanburg came to us and said they wanted to test the ActivPanel. We said, ‘absolutely’ and we’ll help you every step of the way,” said Matt Cole, Senior Vice President, Americas Markets, at Promethean. “Promethean is proud to be a dedicated, strategic partner who helped Spartanburg clearly outline their objectives, goals, and an implementation plan. It didn’t take long to hear from Jimmy; the ActivPanel fit their needs, and there was an immediate positive response.”
To find the right fit, Dr. Pryor launched a pilot program where educators tested a variety of interactive displays, including the ActivPanel. As a result, Promethean’s interactive panel was not only the preferred choice but an easy choice for educators. It didn’t take much convincing for Dr. Pryor to secure an ActivPanel for every classroom within Spartanburg One. The superintendent and school board quickly gave the green light to invest in the new interactive panels. Within the first six months of using the ActivPanel, there was a significant boost in student and teacher mobility and student engagement. Teachers recognized a greater ability to deliver quality instruction by using the panels and felt motivated to learn more about the ActivPanel’s capabilities through professional development training.
“They want to know more about the software and resources at Promethean,” said Dr. Pryor. “They’re ready to start enriching their lessons and augmenting what they’ve been doing. People know the great product they have and the impact that it can have.”
The K-12 Hero Awards, created by eSchool Media, were instituted to recognize the country’s best examples of K-12 success during the past pandemic-era school year. The 2022 program showcases the dedicated efforts of education professionals across K-12 departments, including IT, curriculum, instruction, and administration.
Learn more about the ActivPanel 9 here.