Author: vipmagsc

story by Ashley Elvington

    Malala Yousafzai once said, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” While she may not admit it, Micaela Cox is easily changing the world through her efforts in teaching children of the Pee Dee. After all, it takes someone truly special to choose the field of education as their career.

     Micaela shares, “I have always considered myself a teacher. When I was growing up, friends would come over and we would play school together. It was something that I always had my heart set on.” Once she graduated high school, Micaela knew what she wanted to be when it was time to enter the real world. “My choice [to teach] was influenced by multiple teachers that demonstrated the qualities of a good teacher. I remember the impact that they had on me, and it encouraged me to pour this same feeling into others. I have always loved children and working with them, whether it was babysitting or volunteering at children’s church.”

    She received her undergrad in Early Childhood Education from Francis Marion University, a school known for creating impactful teachers. “My professors from Francis Marion are still a part of my life today. They continue to check in and meet my students each year. They are great cheerleaders, as well as friends.” Her studies continued to Coastal Carolina, where she received her master’s in Instructional Technology. “Throughout college, I was exposed to multiple age groups in preschool by working at Ebenezer Weekday Ministries. This job not only supported a college student, but it also taught me a few survival tools for the future.” Currently, Micaela teaches at McLaurin Elementary School as a Montessori teacher for four and five-year-olds. Before becoming Montessori certified, however, she taught in a traditional kindergarten classroom. It was here where Micaela created the foundation for her career in education.

     Having experience in both a traditional and Montessori classroom, Micaela has seen the difference between the two settings. She explains, “A Montessori classroom is focused on self-discovery and independent learning. The transition was, of course, difficult for a teacher that is used to control. This classroom environment allows students to work at their own pace and grow from there. Each student is met where they are to make learning possible.” While the environment was certainly different from what she was used to, the goal was the same – to help each child succeed and understand that they matter in this world. She admits, “I feel as if the classroom is my mission field. Being at a public school, I pray that my students can see God through the love that I pour into them. Not every student of mine comes from a great home with lots of love. Therefore, grace is something that I try to extend to each of them.”

    Teaching certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. Every day brings challenges of its own. “It comes with the job. One of the biggest challenges is knowing what some of my students go through when they leave school. Teachers carry that burden for them. Our hands are tied on what we are allowed to do. I worry about them and just want to bring them all home.”

Truly caring about her students, Micaela pays attention to the things they care about and take interest in. Most recently, it has been a passion that she too shares – photography. “I would love to have a photography club. When kids see photos of themselves around the classroom, it helps them feel at home. I would love to get a Polaroid camera and take photos of the kids throughout the year. I picture twinkly lights on a wire where the students can go and clip the pictures that they take onto the line. This allows other students and classroom visitors to see our creativity and see the fun that we are having.” For Micaela, no dream is too big when it comes to making her students happy.

    While she is creating her own legacy in the world of education, Micaela is quick to show her appreciation to those who have paved the way for her and those who have helped her on tougher days. “Education is a hard field to walk into. Thankfully, I have a tribe of women that I am blessed to have support me and encourage me when the days are long. Mrs. Huffman was one of the women who took me under her wing and made sure that I was confident in my choices. She was a mentor, a shoulder to cry on, and a role model who poured into me, even when I didn’t ask for it.”

    If you’re considering a career in teaching, Micaela shares this piece of advice with you: “Find that person. Your first year of teaching is more than likely going to be tough and you are going to want to quit multiple times. However, ignore the negative talk and listen to the positive voices that you hear instead.” Luckily for her students, they have a positive voice in their lives – something children in this world need today more than ever. Someone who is more than just a teacher, who is also a mentor and dependable source of support and encouragement. And she goes by the name Mrs. Cox.

story by Jordan Pupa / photos by Jonathan Boatwright

    We hear it all during the early years of life, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” For many of us, the answer is either completely unknown or a conglomerate of several tasks making up the perfect career path. For Stacy Wilbanks, her heart was set on being a nurse. But even the weeks before leaving for Clemson University and into her first semester there, her parents could sense the opposition and would say, “Nursing might just not be for you.” Turns out, they were right! After Stacy’s first semester, she decided to change her major to elementary education. It didn’t take long before she realized she was exactly where she needed to be.

    Stacy now holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and has held numerous teaching positions in an elementary setting including first, second, fourth and fifth grades, and she taught at night at an alternative school. It was in 2007 that Stacy began working with Marion County School District teaching first grade. Stacy shares, “Ms. Angie Grice, the then principal at Easterling Primary, took a chance on me. There was only one teaching vacancy in the entire school and it was in first grade, a grade I hadn’t taught yet. Ms. Grice offered me the job and I taught there for the next five years and then became the Curriculum Specialist at Easterling Primary School. I later went to the district office to be a district curriculum specialist before I decided to go back to my LOVE- teachers, students, and learning!”

    In the spring of 2017, Stacy was offered a position to open a new school – the Academy of Early Learning, Marion County School District’s consolidated preschool program. This school included all of the 3-year-old with disabilities classes, 4K classes, and Montessori classes to one building in Mullins. For the past two years, Stacy has been the principal there – growing their student population and growing the district’s Montessori program, something she is particularly proud of.

    Stacy was instrumental in bringing the Montessori program to Marion. Montessori is a way for students to become intrinsically motivated learners, where they can learn at their own rate with materials that develop conceptual understanding instead of just skill and drill. The environment is quiet and peaceful. People pay a lot of money in other places for private Montessori school, but in Marion County School District they offer it for free! “When Marion County School District decided to open their first Montessori classroom, I did not know much about it,” says Stacy. “I was new to the district office and someone else had started down that road. After some time researching, learning and spending time in classrooms with the students and teacher, I realized what great potential it had in our school system. I lobbied to everyone I knew – teachers, parents, community members, and the superintendent. We started with just one classroom at the then Mullins Early Childhood Center and now have three 4k/5k Montessori classrooms at the Academy of Early Learning and will have two Early Elementary Classrooms (first and second grade) at North Mullins Primary for the younger Montessori students to feed into. I believe there are plans for continued expansion which I couldn’t be more excited about.”

    The program has made a great impact on students in the Marion County School District. Students have the opportunity to stay with the same teacher for two years, developing relationships and learning at their own rate. The older students in the classroom become leaders and teachers to the younger students which cultivates a strong sense of leadership from a very young age. Students have a choice in learning materials and lessons, encouraging them to be self-motivated, responsible, and problem solvers. “Our Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores are proving that students are growing leaps and bounds,” explains Stacy. “We have six-year-olds that can count by nine’s and five-year-olds that can add three-digit plus three-digit numbers. It’s amazing!”

    For Stacy, the most challenging part of her job is wanting to inspire every teacher and student and not being able to reach them all! The most rewarding part of her job is watching children grow and change. “Children that come to school not even knowing how to walk in a line or sit on a rug and listen to a story become the ones reading and writing the stories and leading the line in the hallway. Children giving me hugs and high fives, stopping by the office to see me, sharing their work, or reading to me is also pretty amazing too! Teaching is not for the faint of heart. It’s very hard work…but it is some of the most rewarding work you will ever do.”

    Stacy has been instrumental in many exciting changes and new opportunities that are in the works. Creek Bridge Middle/High School will now be Creek Bridge STEM Academy which will serve students from kindergarten through 8th grade in the area that used to be Marion 7 (Rains, Centenary, Gresham, Britton’s Neck, etc.). This fall, Stacy will begin her next chapter as principal at Creek Bridge. “We have big plans! STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.    

    We are going to thread this theme throughout our academic content and infuse problem-based learning in all classrooms for our students. We have installed a state-of-the-art STEM lab and I couldn’t be more excited to watch us grow and succeed. The teachers and our STEM Facilitator will be going through some big training this month. We want to instill a lifelong love of learning in our students, have them proud of their academic achievements, and be prepared socially and academically for their next steps!”

story by Ashley Elvington / photos by NDC Photography

     With great power comes great responsibility, and Francis ‘Mac’ McDougal certainly has his share. However, not all heroes wear capes – they teach! Before soaring to success in the field of education, Mac grew up in Lake City and graduated from Lake City High School in 2000. Once he received his diploma, he attended Winthrop University where he studied classical opera. During his college years, Mac was awarded the privilege to travel and sing with the Glenn Draper Singers and the Lake Junaluska Singers throughout England. He later obtained his bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education K-12 in 2005 and his master’s degree in Choral Conducting in 2006. The learning didn’t stop there, however, as Mac also attended USC and received his master’s degree in Educational Administration in 2014. Today, Mac is attending The Citadel and will obtain an Education Specialist degree in December. After that, Mac will continue his studies at Clemson University where he will enter the EdD doctoral program.

     While Mac certainly enjoys learning, he also enjoys helping his students learn. His teaching career began in 2008 at West Ashley High School in Charleston, South Carolina. During his time there, Mac was the Director of Choral Activities, a position he held until 2018. From August to December of 2018, Mac was the Assistant Principal at R.B. Stall High School in North Charleston, followed by a brief position as a Teacher Recruitment Specialist for the Human Resources department of the Charleston County School District, before making a career move back to his hometown of Lake City. Most recently Mac has accepted the Principal position at J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet School where he looks forward to visiting old friends and making new ones.

     Looking back on what influenced his decision to enter the field of education, the inspiration started in the classroom. “Honestly, all of my teachers in Lake City inspired my career. I had multiple music teachers who encouraged my music career: Mary Cagle, Patricia Blackmon, Betty Jean Godwin, Faith Godwin, and Betty Carter. During my time of teaching chorus and piano at West Ashley in Charleston, I had a wonderful principal, Mary Runyon, who I considered a wonderful leader. She encouraged me to work on my admin degree.”

     The decision to return to Lake City was a no-brainer for Mac, as he’s all too familiar with the community, the residents, and the students. “I’m finding that some of my students’ parents were classmates. That always makes it interesting for the students when they find out I already know their parents personally!”

     According to Mac, J. Paul Truluck is a remarkable school. “I can’t say enough good things about the faculty, staff, and students. Not only do we offer a variety of creative arts and science courses, but our school is also a Capturing Kids’ Hearts program school. We use this program to build relationships with our students.” Mac easily accomplishes this task. “I love connecting with them in the hallways. Walking by during class changes and hearing, ‘Hey, Mr. McDougal’ is such a rewarding feeling!” Mac has plans for J. Paul to make the school even better than it currently is. “As we move to a high school focus, we are looking to create that feel across the campus. We are looking to add canteen/vending machines in one of the hallways. We are restructuring some responsibilities and creating a list so that not only faculty and staff know our responsibilities, but we also know our responsibilities. Clear communication was one of the things requested by the faculty and staff, and that’s what I want to work toward. We will also be implementing Department Heads. These PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) will meet and look at data to determine where our needs are for our students.”

     Some days have been tougher than others, such as when Mac arrived at the school for his job at the end of April. “Following in the footsteps of Jeanette Altman – who is a remarkable educator and is loved by the faculty – was challenging. There were so many things that were due at the end of the year, and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get them done. I thank my amazing admin team and district leadership for stepping in and assisting during the transition. Now that I’ve had the summer to plan, I’ve been able to reflect on the needs of the school and students. I was able to have a reflective conversation with each of my teachers at their end-of-the-year checkout. I used that feedback to drive decisions for the coming year with my leadership team.” And if you’re a teacher who is entering the classroom for the first time this year, Mac shares this advice with you, “Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your fellow teachers, your school leaders, and your administration. Remember to make time for yourself and for your family. They are your greatest treasure!”

     It’s not serious all the time, however, as Mac recalls a funny incident from the classroom. “When I was a high school chorus teacher, I had assignments on my SmartBoard. One student raised his hand, ‘Mr. McDougal, can I move closer?  I can’t see. I have Cadillacs in my eyes.’ I replied, ‘Huh? Whachu talkin’ about?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I have Cadillacs in my eyes. I need to move closer.’ I responded, ‘Yeah, my friend, come on up to the front. By the way, I think you mean cataracts.’”

     Great power and great responsibility can sometimes bring uncertainty… But not for this great educational leader. If there’s one thing he’s certain of, it’s that he’s right where he needs to be. “I found my niche in life. I found my passion. I am truly thankful to my family, my friends, and my community.  It takes a whole community to raise a child.”

    After 41 years, Claire has hung up her gym shorts and whistle at All Saints’ Episcopal Day School in Florence to experience retirement. Her love and admiration for the students, administration, and school made her reluctant to leave, even after so many years. We set down with Claire to chat about her career at All Saints’ and her plans for retirement.

After 41 successful years, let’s go back to the beginning. What inspired you to become an educator?

“I was blessed with wonderful teachers; particularly my high school physical education teacher and an English teacher. They were what a teacher is supposed to be – dedicated to creating a learning environment that made students feel safe and loved at the same time.”

What has been the most rewarding part of your career with All Saints’?

“Being the coach for grades K3 through sixth I’ve been able to watch the children grow and improve in all phases of athletics. Seeing how the children go from being a shy, unsure three-year-old to a confident sixth-grader has been a treat!”

What were some of the most challenging parts of your All Saints’ career?

“There were no challenges too large that I didn’t enjoy taking part in! If I have to pick something it would be teaching K3 students. Like all three-year-olds, keeping them engaged for 30 minutes can be challenging! However, they always loved everything I introduced and I always felt like they loved me unconditionally!”

All Saints’ appreciation to you for the time you dedicated to the school was shown when they named the gym in your honor. Tell us how it felt to receive such an honor?

“I was humbled and surprised to have the gym named Copeland Court. It was certainly one of the greatest moments of my career.”

Tell us about retirement, what plans do you have?

“Retirement still doesn’t seem real! I’m sure it will hit me when August rolls around and I don’t have anywhere to be at any specific time. As of right now, retirement means sleeping in and spending more time with family and friends. I’m looking forward to it!”