Breakouts, Leadership, And What’s Next

Professional development can be either a box to check or a lever that changes schools. From the SCABSE conference in Myrtle Beach, I sit down with Brian Edward, principal of Louisville Middle School in Chester County and president-elect of SCABSE, to talk about what makes educator learning actually useful and why this conference keeps drawing teachers and administrators from across South Carolina.

Website: spotlight4success.com 

Transcript

Welcome From Myrtle Beach

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book Company. I am Devin Penteza, your host. We are here at Scabsey in wonderful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's really a beautiful day outside. And uh we're here with our special guest, Brian Edward. Uh Brian uh joins us, he's the principal at Louisville Middle School in Chester District, uh South Carolina, and the president elect of Scabsee. Thank you for joining us today. Absolutely, thank you for

Why Educators Come To SCAPSE

SPEAKER_01 0:35

having me. All right, can you tell me a bit about the things that are going on here? I know you're already involved with ScabC. And um uh what are some of the things that are happening here today?

SPEAKER_00 0:46

Uh so uh professional development uh is the the uh standing stone of what we're doing here. Uh we have teachers from and administrators all from all across the state uh coming here to uh learn about how to take our schools to the next level of excellence. SCAPSE is also celebrating 35 years this year. And so we have a campaign around that this year as well, uh 35 years uh of you know professional development for educators across the state.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Oh, that's wonderful. And uh is there any unique programming happening today?

Breakout Sessions And Legislator Voices

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Uh some of the unique programs that we have going today, of course, are our breakout sessions. We have over 50 breakout sessions conference-wide over the weekend uh that attendees will be attending. Uh, today we have uh four of our state legislators uh will be here today to talk about education of Balsa State and what they are going to do, and they're going to hear our voices today and how they can help us in our schools today. So that's some of the highlights of the day.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

Oh, that's wonderful. And uh, can you tell me a bit, Brian, about uh um your role? You're you're you're the president-elect of Skaffson.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Absolutely, president elected.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

That's so awesome.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

What kind of things do you see for next year going on?

The President Elect Vision Ahead

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Well, next year we will be back here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, here at the MC Suites. Um, we're looking to expand our conference and and and take it further. Um, you know, and this year we are adding uh the university a piece. So we hope to partner with many of our universities from across the state so that they can be a part of the conference as well.

SPEAKER_01 2:21

Oh, that's wonderful. That's a great, great idea. I see a lot of the school districts here with uh with exhibits and uh talking to teachers. Yeah, it's wonderful to see. Absolutely.

Leading A School And Serving SCAPSE

SPEAKER_01 2:33

So um so let me ask you so um with your role as capacity in Louisville Middle School as the principal, uh Brian, what do you see are uh some of the tie-ins that you're bringing here to SCAPSE from your role as principal?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Uh yes, sir, uh definitely. I I started coming to SCAPSE many, many years ago, uh just attending the conference. And so when I got hooked into volunteering and uh and helping out with the conference, and so uh, you know, bringing in some of that leadership from my current role as principal to SCAPSE, but SCAPSI has also helped me as a leader in giving me some best practices and things like that that I take to my school and implement uh for my teachers and my students.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Oh, that's great. It really goes both directions. It does, absolutely. That's wonderful.

Using ABC Books For ELA Growth

SPEAKER_01 3:18

So, in your role as a principal, I understand you've uh used um ABC books in the past.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Yes, we have uh the representative. Uh, I get to see him every single year when he comes here with the books and things like that, and we got to talking and he gave me some uh samples and things, and we went back and we vetted those samples, then make sure that they are in alignment to our state standards, and then and we use those uh in order uh a classroom set to help our students uh prepare for those uh uh state assessments that we have.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

Oh, that's great, and that's in the middle school. Yes. And did you see score improvements on the ready testing?

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Yep, in our ELA scores, uh they just shot through the roof. We our school does very well. Um we you know struggle a little bit in math, but that's statewide, and so but uh we definitely saw tons of improvement and growth in the areas of reading.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

That's great. Now I understand your school has a special designation this year, is that right?

School To Watch And Final Takeaway

SPEAKER_00 4:10

We do. We are a school to watch, we're very excited about that. We're the first school in the district to receive that designation, and so we're very excited about that.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Oh, that is wonderful!

SPEAKER_00 4:19

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Uh do you have anything you'd like to share with the SCAPSE community today as a takeaway?

SPEAKER_00 4:25

Absolutely. Uh SCAPSE is an outstanding organization that has a long reputation of helping educators all across the state, and so we're just so honored to be here and to serve in this capacity. I'm honored to be a part of SCASE and serve in this capacity as well. And so uh we're just thankful and we hope that everyone will continue to join us and more people will join our cause over the next couple of years.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Thank you once again. This is Brian Edward, principal at Louisville Middle School in uh Chester County, and Scabsey, president-elect. Thank you for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 5:01

Thank you, thank you for having me.