510 Garrison Rd. Simpsonville, SC 29681 • 864.967.1826 • FAX 864.967.1834
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REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
JANUARY 2001

The purpose of this report to the community is to inform parents, 
students, and patrons of Hillcrest Middle School concerning our current 
status, problem areas, test scores, goals, and accomplishments. If 
you'd like further information related to anything mentioned in this report,
please search our web site or contact the school (967-1826).

Current Status:
Hillcrest Middle School has 864 students in grades six, seven, and 
eight. Seventy-six percent of our students are Caucasian, and twenty-
four percent are minorities: African-American, Asian, and Hispanic. 
There are fifty-seven professional personnel and twenty-two support
personnel. 
The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools, and by the South Carolina State Department of Education.
Every professional is properly certified. Hillcrest Middle School offers
the students of its community a broad program of study designed to
meet the needs of all students. The curriculum is demanding, but it is 
flexible enough to allow for individual needs and differences. The 
extracurricular program offers students a wide variety of activities 
related to the curriculum. The PTA continues to be supportive, serving
both school and community well.

Problem Areas:
Hillcrest Middle School has moved into its new building. Although there
are a few glitches, students and staff are settled in and doing well. Our
playing field isn't finished and our library furniture isn't complete. The
lack of a playing field will affect our spring sports schedule, but we'll
make adjustments. During the transition from the old building to the
new, our students, staff, and community, particularly the PTA, have
been very flexible, patient, and cooperative. Throughout the massive
changes, our instructional program has continued to excel.

Goals:

1. To begin to incorporate the principals of the Turning Points
   Report into the everyday operation of our school.
2. To continue improvement in PACT scores, particularly in the 
   Below Basic category, in order to qualify for state recognition.
3. To follow our definitive policy for maintaining high academic
   standards.
4. To maintain/increase teacher and student attendance at a 
   level consistent with state accountability guidelines.
5. To comply in all regards with the District's Education Plan.

Accomplishments:

1. Our new facility opened in August 2000 with no portables and
   plenty of space to accommodate all programs.
2. Hillcrest Middle School improved overall on the 2000 PACT
   scores - the improvement was small, but still significant. (Click
   here for details)
3. Hillcrest Middle School received a rating of GOOD from the State
   Department of Education in its new School Report Card system.
4. Hillcrest Middle School instituted a PACT class to help those
   students who scored Below Basic on the 2000 PACT test.

Summary
Thanks to the support of our staff, students, community, and district,
Hillcrest Middle School has completed the greatest transition of its
history. The changes have been positive, and the school now has
greater resources to serve the community and meet the community's
needs.