Superintendent: Lions Club screened 1,535 elementary students; district prepping for new math standards and literacy training

Superintendent Dr. Smith updated the Spartanburg School District 1 Board of Trustees on community partnerships and instructional preparations.

He thanked the Landrum Lions Club for its work conducting vision screenings and said the Lions "has screened 1535 of our elementary students," adding that volunteers and purchased screening equipment have enabled those referrals to eye doctors when needed. The board thanked Bob Walker and club volunteers for the service.

Dr. Smith told trustees the South Carolina college‑and‑career‑ready mathematics standards adopted by the state are being implemented locally; the standards will be fully operational and assessed on the SC Ready test in the 2025–26 testing window. He said the district has been preparing an implementation plan and that staff have been "ahead of the curve" in professional development.

He also reviewed the district’s use of I‑Ready as a formative diagnostic administered three times a year (fall, winter, spring) to help teachers identify student strengths and struggles, with SC Ready assessment scheduled for grades 3–8. On literacy, Dr. Smith described the LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) program as a two‑year professional development initiative for K–5 through 3rd‑grade teachers, special education staff, reading coaches and interventionists.

Dr. Smith said he has completed school visits to most schools and that staff are using assessment data to individualize instruction. The superintendent concluded his report by thanking staff and administrators for their work on instruction and training.