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District highlights visible-learning gains and student achievements at school board meeting
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Summary
Cooley Springs Fingerville staff told the board their 'Visible Learning' work has improved classroom clarity, feedback and learner dispositions; Hendricks Elementary’s dance team and other students were recognized, and the Palmetto Council presented the Albert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award to a District 2 educator.
At a Spartanburg School District 02 board meeting, school leaders presented classroom-level changes and student recognitions that district officials said have translated into measurable gains.
Stephanie Blanton, principal of Cooley Springs Fingerville Elementary School, told the board that the school’s visible-learning work has focused on three shifts: teacher clarity, learner dispositions and feedback. "When you start to improve, when you start to get close to 70% meets and exceeds, it's hard to get another little percentage point or two," Blanton said, summarizing why the changes matter for instruction and student outcomes.
Blanton and her instructional coaches described how teachers develop clear, lesson-sized learning intentions and success criteria, gather quick formative data during lessons and use preplanned feedback to address misconceptions. The presenters said the approach has encouraged students to self-assess and to ‘‘drive their learning’’ by asking adaptive questions and setting personal goals.
The meeting also recognized extracurricular achievements. Anna McKay of Scouting America introduced the Palmetto Council's Albert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award and said the council's 2026 selection process produced a unanimous nominee from District 2; the board announced Tyler Scarabino as the district recipient.
Dr. Ashley Radigan, who started Hendricks Elementary’s Wildcat dance team, described a rapid program expansion and competitive success. "This year alone we brought home 16 first place wins, a Judge's Specialty Award," Radigan said, and noted the team qualified statewide in four competitive styles and earned multiple state championships.
Several Hendricks students addressed the board about the program. "Being on the dance team is a great opportunity to get better in dancing as my talent," said fifth-grader Kyrie Sun. Kennedy Logan, another student, said dance has helped with confidence and offered potential scholarship opportunities, while other students described discipline and collaboration benefits.
District leaders also called attention to community and school celebrations that evening, including a return of area Special Olympics events, recognition of first-year induction teachers and student civic projects that included essay readings. The board received these presentations and moved on to the consent and business items on the agenda.
What’s next: School leaders said they will await official certification decisions where applicable (for visible-learning certification) and continue to bring school-level progress reports to future meetings.
