McCarthy Teszler School -

District 7 Helene Recovery Community Meal Distribution Wednesday, October 2 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Spartanburg High School and Pine Street Elementary To our Spartanburg Community, As a way to help during this difficult time, District 7 is partnering with Chartwells to provide free, boxed hot meals on Wednesday, October 2. Pickup will be open from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (or as long as supplies last) at Spartanburg High School and Pine Street Elementary, our only schools with both power and working traffic signals for safe access. PICKUP LOCATIONS & INSTRUCTIONS Spartanburg High – Enter via the student drive beside Lidl and follow the “Event” directional signage to the Fine Arts Center (located next to the home side of Viking Stadium). Park and walk to the pickup area near the Fine Arts Center. Pine Street Elementary – Enter via the front campus entrance along Pine Street for drive-thru pickup in front of the school. There is NO ENTRANCE from Boyd Street into the campus.

District 7 Families, As an update, all District 7 schools will remain closed through Friday, October 4 and there will be no eLearning during this time. There will be no athletics or other after-school activities until further notice, but conditions will be assessed daily to determine when these might resume. We will continue to share information as soon as it is available. You are constantly on our hearts and minds as our community works to recover from Helene. District 7 is fortunate to have avoided major damage at our schools, although there is much cleanup to be done and we still await power to be restored at the majority of our facilities. Our teams have done tremendous work assessing conditions and making plans to reopen once we are able to do so. Please continue to take great care as there are many hazards that remain across our community. We miss our students, teachers and staff as well as our broader District 7 Family!

UPDATE ON SCHOOL CLOSURES FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY: Due to the impact and damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene, District 7 will be CLOSED on Monday and Tuesday. There will be NO after-school or evening activities on Monday and we will make a future announcement about whether after-school and evening activities can be held on Tuesday. During this time, our teams will be working to assess and repair any damages to our schools. We will continue to provide updates as necessary and notify you of any further changes as the week progresses. We understand this is a challenging time for our community, as many are without power and mobile device service. There will be no e-Learning expectations for Monday or Tuesday. As always, our priority is the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and their families. Our hearts and best wishes are with everyone who is impacted by the storm, and we are committed to working together to restore our community. Please stay safe!

Everyone loves a parade! Today may be dreary, but the sun is right around the corner and our Vikings are preparing to celebrate Homecoming Week from September 30 - October 4! Spartanburg High School invites our entire District 7 family and the Spartanburg community to enjoy the Homecoming Parade next Wednesday, October 2 at 7 PM. Arrive early to stake out your spot and enjoy snacks and drinks sold by student council for $1 each! Let's cheer on our Vikings as they prepare to take on Wade Hampton High for the Homecoming game in Viking Stadium on Friday, October 4. See the parade map for parking areas and the route. Go Vikings!

After-School Activities Canceled and eLearning Day Announced for Friday In light of the potential impact from Hurricane Helene, we are taking proactive measures to prioritize the safety of our students, staff and families. District 7 will hold a regular school day on Thursday but has canceled all after-school and evening activities for Thursday. We will also hold an eLearning Day on Friday, September 27. Cherokee County will continue to monitor the storm's timing and impact in hopes that our Viking football team will still travel to compete in Gaffney Friday night. All other after-school programs and activities for District 7 are canceled for both Thursday and Friday. Teachers will communicate with students on Thursday regarding any eLearning assignments for Friday. More information on District 7’s eLearning procedures is available at spartanburg7.org/elearning. The National Weather Service is forecasting strong winds, flooding, and severe weather conditions as this storm moves through our area. As a reminder, SC Bus Safety Regulations restrict the operation of school buses if sustained winds reach 30 mph or gusts of 40 mph. We will continue to monitor this storm and communicate any updates. Thank you for your understanding, as safety is always our top priority!

🍂 Fall is here, and so are the Special Olympics! 🍂 A huge shoutout to all the incredible athletes who showcased their talents in today’s tennis event. Your dedication and spirit inspire us all! 🎾🏅 We appreciate the staff members who made this event possible.

College Colors Day - Friday, August 30 This Friday, District 7 will join other school districts across the country in celebrating National College Colors Day. We hope you will participate by wearing your favorite college t-shirt, team jersey, or colors. As D7 focuses on our mission to inspire and equip, and grows a culture of college readiness, we embrace this annual celebration by encouraging students, parents, employees, and community partners to participate. Whether our students choose to attend college or travel a different pathway to success, we all love cheering for our favorite team and we are ALL Going for Great! We can’t wait to see College Colors Day in action on Friday!

WE DID IT, SPARTANBURG! NEW Jesse Boyd Elementary School and NEW Mary H. Wright Elementary early-childhood wing anticipated Fall 2027! The unofficial result of the referendum vote is 73% YES – Thank you, Spartanburg! “Today, residents of District 7 chose to create a brighter future for students, teachers, staff, and families. They chose to invest in a thriving community by ensuring District 7’s long-standing commitment to providing excellence in education continues. And for that, we are deeply grateful,” said Superintendent Jeff Stevens. “It has been incredibly rewarding to meet with District 7 residents about these projects through our community info meetings over the summer. Our conversations reflected the shared commitment to the future of our children and schools that has long been a hallmark of this community. Investing in these developments will not only enhance our educational facilities and our students’ learning experience, it will also help fill a critical need for lower-cost childcare to ensure education remains a viable and rewarding career for teachers and staff. This is about securing a brighter future for our students and creating an environment where our educators can thrive both professionally and personally. Spartanburg answered the call to make it all possible – thank you and let’s GO!”

The District 7 Referendum vote is TODAY, Tuesday, August 20 from 7 AM - 7 PM at your regular polling location! Get all the details on the projects on your ballot here: spartanburg7.org/referendum2024

Were Back! McCarthy Teszler had a great first day. Our staff worked very hard to make sure students had a smooth transition back to school! #D7isgoingforgreat

🍎 We're beyond excited to welcome our students back tomorrow, D7! Monday marks the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, and we can't wait to see all your smiling faces as we kick things off together. 📸 Help us capture the excitement by tagging us in your first day photos with #d7isgoingforgreat on Facebook or Instagram. Let's celebrate the start of an amazing year! #D7isGoingforGreat #ToInspireAndEquip #OurD7story

District 7's schools and offices will open at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7th so our employees can gather for our annual Opening Convocation. This special kick-off for the new school year is a celebration of the important role each member of our D7 faculty and staff plays in the lives of our students and families. Please note that all District 7 facilities will be closed until 11 a.m. Wednesday and thank you for your understanding.

Tax Free Weekend is here! Through Sunday, you can save when you buy school supplies, computers, clothes, bedding, and more, in-store and online as eligible purchases will be tax free! Items include clothes, bedding, and school supplies, plus big-ticket purchases like computers and band instruments. Here’s some last-minute tips for making the most of this weekend https://dor.sc.gov/taxfreeweekend

Eagles, this is a familiar face moving into a new role. Please welcome Apryl Rash to our teaching team for Teszler! Hello! My name is Apryl Rash and I am so excited to join the MTS team! I recently completed my Masters degree in Special Education. Prior to coming to McCarthy Teszler, I worked for 4 years assisting and teaching students in a psychiatric hospital. Outside of my work, I have 2 teenage children, 2 dogs, and a rabbit. My oldest child just graduated from Spartanburg High (go Vikings!) and my youngest will graduate this year. I am looking forward to getting to know each of you!

Let's give a big Eagle welcome to VickyDuft. Vicky will be joining our Yellow Hall team! Hi everyone! My name is Vicky Duft and I am excited to start the school year soon! I started my teaching career in kindergarten and preschool/prek. My favorite part about teaching is being apart of the growth students make and seeing them achieve goals! Looking forward to meeting you all soon!

MTS family, please welcome Ben Coleman to the nest! Ben will be working with students on the Peach Hall team. Hello, my name is Benjamin (Ben) Coleman. I am coming to you from Laurens District 55. I have 12 years in the education field and teaching for the past 3 years in special education. I am excited to be coming to District 7 to learn and grow with everyone at McCarthy Teszler. I can't wait to meet with students and parents! Let's get ready to learn!

The Spartanburg County Health Department will host an immunization blitz clinic ahead of the new school year. The event will be held on August 5 at the Spartanburg County Health Department located at 120 Dillon Drive from 9 a.m. to 3;30 p.m. Traditional appointments are encouraged. You can make an appointment by calling 1-855-472-3432. Walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. You can visit SC/DHEC for this school year’s vaccine requirements: https://scdhec.gov/health/vaccinations/childcare-school-vaccine-requirements

Let's give a big Eagle welcome to Shelby. Shelby did her student teaching in our Elementary division. We are excited to have her join our preschool team! Hi, my name is Shelby McCutchen and I’m super excited to join the MTS family!! I am a first-year teacher! I recently graduated from Converse University with my Bachelor’s degree and am now working towards my Master’s degree!!! I’m so excited to meet my new students and to learn and grow with them!

Don't forget registration for new and returning students is this Thursday. Students must be registered by July 31st to secure bus transportation for the start of school. If you cannot attend on Thursday, you can come by the school to complete a registration packet beginning Monday, July 22nd. Please bring your health forms if you have not already returned them. Students must be registered to begin school on August 12th.

Eagles it's time to welcome another new Eagle! Janice will be working with our High School Vocational team. Hello, I'm Janice Medina, a special education teacher with 20-plus years of experience in nurturing and supporting students with diverse learning needs. I am coming to you from South Florida. I graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2004 and earned a master's degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2023. My journey as an educator has been deeply rewarding, I have taught at all levels, but enjoy teaching high schoolers with special needs the most. Outside of my career, I have two great kids and a dog named Summer. I'm excited to be with you all and can't wait to get started!