Anderson County schools celebrate Reward designation, team effort

February 26, 2025 by Ben Pounds

Recent rewards from the state are giving school staff and elected officials in Anderson County a chance to reflect on all of the people who make it possible.

Andersonville Elementary School Principal Beth Roeder, whose school received a Reward School designation from the state, credited many different people at her school beyond just herself, teachers and students.

“I feel our success has to do with our entire staff, custodians, food service workers, SRO, nurses, secretaries, education assistants, pre-K teachers, bus drivers, teachers and our central office staff,” she said.

“They all make decisions based on what is best for children,” she said. “As a school, we need to know how to use that support in order to get the most accomplished. All schools in Anderson County are always striving for excellence.”

Abbi Roehl, fourth-grade English language arts teacher at AES shared similar thoughts.

“It takes a village,” she said. “Every employee [who] has worked with our students has given fidelity to education. We have strong teachers and support staff, and we are not afraid to utilize each other’s strengths.

“We have weekly professional learning time that gives us a chance to compare data, analyze benchmark assessments, get additional training, and create plans for reteaching and scaffolding,” she said.

Roehl said the public needs to know students are valued, actively engaged in learning, achieving academic success, and encouraged to pursue their passions.

Kenneth Bulechek, fifth-grade math and science teacher, focused on the responsibilities of himself and fellow teachers in his reflections.

“Teachers must be consistently demonstrating exceptional teaching practices, achieving high student learning outcomes, going above and beyond in [their roles], actively engaging students, fostering a positive classroom environment and receiving positive feedback from students, parents and colleagues,” he said.

He said the public needs to know students are sons, daughters, grandchildren and future adults, but right now they are just children doing the best they can.

“Many of the students who helped in our success have moved to Norris Middle School,” Bulecheksaid. “They worked hard their fifth-grade year, and they should be proud of their accomplishments.

AES Principal Beth Roeder said, “The students [who] are currently with us understand [that] we, along with their parents, have high academic expectations.

“They may not always like it, but they almost always meet the challenge,” she said. “Both students and teachers come in early, and they stay late in order to give the students the best education.

“Little things like this are not noticed on a daily basis.” Roeder said. “However, being recognized publicly means their sacrifices have been noticed and appreciated.”

Reward Schools have a federal accountability score of 3.1 or higher out of four. The score is based on student achievement, student growth, low chronic absenteeism and the proficiency of students whose first language is not English.

Within Anderson County Schools, the state designated Clinton High, Grand Oaks Elementary, Claxton Elementary and Andersonville Elementary as Reward Schools.

The state also named Anderson County Schools an “advancing district.”

As The Courier News has reported, staff at other schools like Grand Oaks Elementary School, which also received an A on its state report card, feel proud to get the honor.

But the school system and Board of Education do, too.

At its February meeting, the Anderson County Board of Education passed a resolution honoring the Reward Schools and their faculty, staff and administrators, which Director of Schools Tim Parrott read aloud.

It also gave each of the honored schools an extra $2,000. Grand Oaks received an additional $2,000

“The faculty, staff, and administrators at Grand Oaks Elementary School, Andersonville Elementary School, Clinton High School, Norwood Middle School, and Norris Elementary School work tirelessly to provide engaging, rigorous, and supportive educational experiences for all students,” Parrott said at the meeting.

The resolution passed unanimously, and the crowd applauded officials from the relevant schools.

“You think about it, Reward Schools means you’re in the top 5% of the state,” Parrott said.

“Leadership matters,” said board Chairman Scott Gillenwaters.

Roeder said she wasn’t sure whether Andersonville Elementary School was unique. She said staff at all public schools have to show leadership each day, and that often does not get credit.

“It is not an easy job,” she said. “You make decisions that affect people’s children. Children are the most precious resource our society has.

“We will sometimes make mistakes. The only humans that do not make mistakes are the ones [who] never do anything important. We do the best we can at any moment in time.”

Roeder stressed that the school system uses Anderson County citizens’ tax dollars efficiently.

“Our Central Office staff always gives us what we need, and many times what we want,” she said. “Every department in the school system has been good stewards of the financial support of the community.

“Many times, just like a family budget, priorities must be established,” she said. “We do not take for granted the support of our community, but sometimes we do forget to thank them.

“Just like a family, we strive to do the best we can with the information we have at that moment in time; each day we hope to become a little bit better than the day before,” she said.

She spoke of the school mantra which the school system says after the Pledge of Allegiance:

“I am amazing. Today I will be respectful, responsible and ready to learn. I will do nothing less than my best.”

She had her own interpretation of that mantra.

“If we can convince each child, ages 5-11, to believe in themselves, 180 days a year for six years, then we have given our best effort to make each child an academic success as well as a successful citizen. They truly are amazing!”









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Dasia Harold and Rosie Kitts stand in a school pride display at Andersonville Elementary School.



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McKinley Durbin and Braxton Bowling attend Andersonville Elementary School.



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Cole Hooks, at Andersonville Elementary School shows off a shark in a jar. The school was one of several in the county that the state designated as Reward Schools.