Spartanburg High School -

A Warm District 7 Welcome to Our Newest Educators! 💙🍎

Today, we had the honor of hosting our annual New Teacher Luncheon — a tradition that marks the true beginning of a new school year in Spartanburg School District 7. It’s always one of our favorite days, as we welcome the newest members of our D7 family with open arms and full hearts.

Superintendent Jeff Stevens offered a warm and inspiring message, sharing his hopes that each new educator will fall in love with this place — with their students, their schools, and their colleagues. He reminded us that being part of District 7 is about more than joining a team — it’s about becoming part of a legacy.

The “7” in District 7 isn’t just a number. As Mr. Stevens shared, it symbolizes our commitment to Academics, Arts, Activities, and Athletics — the four foundational pillars that shape the D7 experience. Just as importantly, the three spaces within the 7 represent our values of Tradition, Excellence, and Innovation. These are more than words; they are the heartbeat of our district and guide everything we do.

As our new teachers prepare to welcome more than 7,000 students into their classrooms next week, we know they are bringing not only their skills and knowledge — but their heart, hope, and energy. They are stepping into a role that has the power to change lives.

Superintendent Stevens left our new team members with this powerful reminder: while we cannot control every challenge our students face, we can control the energy we bring each day. Our attitude, actions, and effort — three things we can choose — can make all the difference in the life of a child.

To all of our new educators: we are thrilled you’ve chosen to grow your career in District 7. You belong here. We are better because of you. And we can’t wait to see the impact you will have on the students and families of D7.

Welcome home. 💛💙

🛍️ Save the Date: South Carolina’s Tax Free Weekend is August 1–3!

Get ready to stock up and save! During Tax Free Weekend, you won’t pay state or local sales tax on:
✔️ Clothing & shoes
✔️ Computers & printers
✔️ School supplies
✔️ ...and more!

All retailers participate—including online! This is a great time to grab back-to-school essentials and tech gear at a lower cost.

📆 Mark your calendars and learn more here:
🔗 SC Department of Revenue Tax Free Weekend Info (https://tinyurl.com/taxfreeSCweekend)

As we celebrate and enjoy time spent with loved ones this 4th of July, we honor the values that unite us as a community and nation. Together, let's continue to strive for a future where knowledge, understanding, and compassion prevail. Wishing everyone a safe and joyous Independence Day!

📚☀️ Paws-itively the Best Summer Ever! 🐾 Summer enrichment across D7 — including Summer School and Summer Reading Camp — is in full swing, and it’s not just our students who are loving it! From diving into books to exploring arts integration, students are building new skills and growing their love of learning. And thanks to our amazing friends at the Spartanburg Humane Society, even our furry friends are getting in on the fun! Like Bullet, a true inspiration. After surviving a traumatic injury, he now rolls through life with courage and wheels — and rolled right into our hearts during Summer Reading Camp! He’s already a pro, bringing smiles and encouragement to every classroom he visits. 🐾 A big THANK YOU to the Spartanburg Humane Society for this meaningful partnership — and to all the guest readers helping our students stay sharp, curious, and connected this summer. 📖💛

District 7 schools and offices will be closed in observance of Juneteenth on Thursday, June 19. Juneteenth commemorates the journey towards freedom and equality that we continue to travel today. It reminds us of the progress we have made, and also that this work is ongoing. It calls us to seek understanding of our differences and of the experiences that shape our unique perspectives. We honor this important holiday as we continually work to inspire and equip our students for meaningful lives of leadership and service as world citizens.

District 7 extends a warm invitation to families in Spartanburg to participate in our summer meal program for 2025. We're providing free individual meals served at various community sites and as part of summer school and other structured programs at our school sites. Please note that meals must be enjoyed on-site, per Federal program regulations. While our school sites are exclusively serving enrolled summer school students, some community sites are open to anyone aged 18 and under. This initiative is made possible thanks to the United States Department of Agriculture's Summer Meals Program. Find out more and check the schedule on our website: [https://www.spartanburg7.org/summermeals].

🔥 Viking Athletics is bringing the HEAT this summer — and the first week of camp was on fire! From big swings to fast feet and fearless serves, our young athletes kicked things off in true Viking style at Spartanburg High School. 💪🏽📣🏀⚽️ We just wrapped up Lady Vikings Sports Camp, and let’s just say... it was a slam dunk success! But we’re just getting started. Whether your child wants to cheer, spike, tackle, swing, or shoot — there’s a Viking camp for everyone! Camps are filling fast, so head to www.hubcitylocker.com/vikings and snag your spot today. Camps are held across our Viking Arena, the wrestling facility, and athletic fields, and Duncan Park. Here’s what’s coming up: Youth Football Camp | June 2, 9, 16, 23 (https://tinyurl.com/VikingsFBCamp) Cheer Kiddie Camp | June 9–11 Basketball Kids Camp | June 9–12 Wrestling Camp | June 9–12 Soccer Camp | June 9–11 Baseball Camp | June 16–18 Train with the best. Make new friends. Create unforgettable memories. Let’s go, VIKINGS! 🏆

🎉 Schooled in Sunshine: Our Summer Send-Off is Here! ☀️🎓 Before we trade backpacks for beach bags, don’t miss our final 7Headlines of the school year —featuring a feel-good video packed with field day fun, graduation smiles, and unforgettable D7 moments. 💙 https://tinyurl.com/7headlinessummer2025 Your D7 Communications Team isn’t quite signing off for summer—we’ll still be around with the occasional update, but things will be a little less bustling online. So be sure to stay tuned and keep checking in! Thank you for all the love, likes, and comments this year—we’ve loved sharing our schools’ stories with you. ❤️ 📲 Watch the full video and catch our recap here: https://youtu.be/T6SNgItb2RY?si=S060VTDJv3ZgpJOP #D7isGoingForGreat #SummerStartsNow

🎉 This edition of 7Headlines: MAY We Celebrate! 🎓🎭🎨 May is bursting with milestones and memories in the making! From graduation cheers to artistic achievements, from outstanding educators to student success stories—you’ll find plenty of reasons to celebrate in this joyful issue. PLUS: Teacher and Nurse Appreciation, Senior Spotlights, Arts Showcases, and a look ahead at summer fun! Take a moment to soak in the pride, the progress, and the people who make District 7 shine. ✨ MAY we celebrate all that makes D7 great: 📬 Read the full issue here: https://tinyurl.com/7HeadlinesMay2025

#AlwaysAViking: 🎓 Celebrate the Class of 2025 with us! 🎓 (Ceremony info & MORE) Our beloved Vikings are “Going for Great” as they get ready to walk across the stage and into a future filled with promise and purpose. Caps and gowns are pressed. Tickets are in hand. And the entire District 7 community is cheering them on! For those attending the ceremony or watching the livestream, note important details below. For the rest of our Spartanburg community, we hope you will see our Class of 2025 Tribute published in the Spartanburg Herald-Journal this Sunday, May 18 and next Wednesday, May 21, which outlines numerous accolades earned by our graduating seniors. Also, be sure to see our senior tribute billboard right in front of Spartanburg High School—an eye-catching show of love and pride for our graduating class! THE SENIOR WALK Following commencement rehearsal Friday morning, our seniors will return to their D7 elementary schools for “The Senior Walk.” Wearing their caps and gowns as they process through the hallways, seniors will be applauded by our elementary students and will reconnect with teachers and staff from their past. Not only does The Senior Walk honor and celebrate our graduates, but it also sets a positive example for younger students as they look to their own futures. 🎓 Be on the lookout for our photo slideshow to enjoy seeing these special moments! 🎓 CLASS of 2025 SENIOR TRIBUTE Each year, D7 prints a two-page, full color spread in the newspaper honoring the many accomplishments of our graduates. Copies of the Class of 2025 Tribute will be available for each senior to pick up from the school starting Monday. 🎓 Visit our Class of 2025 webpage at https://www.spartanburg7.org/ClassOf2025 to see the digital version of our senior tribute after commencement! 🎓 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY INFO • Commencement Ceremony: Friday, May 16 at 7 PM • Graduates report to auxiliary gym in cap and gown no later than 5:45 PM • Gates open for guests at 5:30 PM. Ticket required for admission. Security screenings and the district's clear bag policy enforced (ONLY clear bags that do not exceed 12"x6"x12" or small clutch bags no larger than 4.5"x6.5" allowed). Please allow extra time for parking and to get to your seats. • PROHIBITED: Noisemakers, beach balls, drones, and balloons • Accessible parking (handicap pass required) is available in the lot adjacent to the home side entrance into Viking Stadium. COMMENCEMENT LIVESTREAM 🎓 Watch the commencement livestream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/1GQdkCYGttg 🎓 CLASS OF 2025 WEBPAGE D7 is adding information, links, and new content (such as our tribute ad) to the Class of 2025 webpage. 🎓 Follow along to help celebrate our Vikings! https://www.spartanburg7.org/ClassOf2025. 🎓 HONOR YOUR SENIOR (OR FAVORITE D7 TEACHER) WITH AN ENGRAVED PAVER AT SHS Families are invited to mark this special occasion by honoring a senior or a special teacher with an engraved brick paver on the campus of SHS! Each engraved paver is $100 and benefits D7 student scholarships. Your gift ensures that both your legacy and our community’s rich history are preserved for future generations. Engraved pavers are installed in Fine Arts Center plaza. They can accommodate up to three lines of text. Orders are installed in batches throughout the year, depending on the time of order. All orders received by June 30 will be installed this fall. 🎓 See additional details to place your order on our Engraved Paver Order Form at spartanburg7.org/bricks. 🎓

🚧✨ Something BIG is coming to Spartanburg! ✨🚧 We’re building the future — literally — and we’re inviting local trade partners to be part of it. Join us on Tuesday, May 27, from 4–6 PM at Drayton Mills Elementary School for a special New Jesse Boyd Trade Partner Outreach Event hosted by Harper General Contractors. 🏗️ You'll get a first look at the plans for the new Jesse Boyd Elementary School and learn more about the project timeline, bidding process, and how you can get involved. 📍 Drayton Mills Elementary School 📅 May 27, 2025 | 4:00–6:00 PM 📲 Scan the QR code on the flyer or register online today (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=w4QUXBw2P066jCNQTF-9ZBYpAY7AxRlFruWR4dDnIXRURTZYVUE4MzdGQTJRUlU3S0RJWTQ4VE9LSC4u) Let’s build something amazing — together.

This Wednesday (May 14) is "Hats OFF to Education" day in D7! All faculty, staff, and students are invited support future educators from the Class of 2025 by wearing your favorite hat and bringing $1 (or more) to school to contribute to the effort. All funds raised will support our Teacher Forum's scholarships for this year's seniors majoring in education. We hope you will join in the fun as we all work together to support future educators!

Summer Just Got Sportier for Future Vikings! Viking Athletics is bringing the HEAT this summer with a lineup of exciting sports camps at Spartanburg High School! Whether your child wants to spike, shoot, cheer, or swing for the fences, there’s a camp for every young athlete. Lady Vikings Sports Camp | June 2–5 Viking Cheer Kiddie Camp | June 9–11 Basketball Kids Camp | June 9–12 Wrestling Camp | June 9 -12 Soccer Camp | June 9–11 Baseball Camp | June 16–18 Locations include the Viking Arena, Viking Athletic Fields, Viking Wrestling Facilities and Duncan Park. Spots will fill fast — get more info and register now at: www.hubcitylocker.com/vikings Come train with the best, make memories, and stay active all summer long! GO VIKINGS!

💙 Happy National School Nurse Day! 💙 Today, we celebrate the heart of every school — our incredible school nurses! From caring for scraped knees and big feelings to managing health plans and emergencies, you are a calm and steady force for students and staff alike. In District 7, you are true superheroes — compassionate, skilled, and always going the extra mile. THANK YOU for the difference you make every single day. 🩺 We see you. We appreciate you. We are better because of you. #SchoolNurseDay #D7isGoingForGreat

Every orchestra student in grades 5-12 performed before a packed house in Viking Arena for last night’s season finale. It was a spectacular tribute to their year! Our 400+ students ended the concert in perfect harmony as they joined togetherer in playing “America the Beautiful”. Congratulations to each of our orchestras and their conductors on “Going for Great” - and achieving it in the most beautiful way! #D7isGoingForGreat #ToInspireAndEquip

Rising 7th-12th graders are invited to the Viking Band's spring marching band camp! No advance registration needed. Parents will have the opportunity to attend an informational meeting during the camp, which runs April 28, 29 and May 1. Contact Band Director Bobby Cotter with questions: rjcotter@spart7.org.

Spartanburg, get ready to laugh, cheer, and believe in happily-ever-afters (with a swampy twist)! ✨🎭 Everyone’s favorite ogre is stomping onto the stage a week from this Thursday, in Shrek The Musical at Spartanburg High School—and you won’t want to miss the magic! From beloved fairy tale characters and jaw-dropping sets to live music and a fire-breathing dragon (yes, really 🔥)—this show has it all. 📍 Join us at the D7 Fine Arts Center on the campus of SHS, April 24–27! 🎟️ Reserved seating is now open and tickets are flying fast: https://our.show/d7shrek Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks film, this Tony Award-winning musical features music by Jeanine Tesori and a hilarious book by David Lindsay-Abaire. It's packed with heart, humor, and high-energy performances that the whole family will love. ✨ Costumes. Puppets. A donkey in waffle-loving overdrive. And a reminder that beauty is in the eye of the ogre. Snag your reserved seat now—before they disappear like Rumpelstiltskin! 💚👑 https://our.show/d7shrek

🎉 Celebrating National Assistant Principals Week! 🎉 Although our schools were on Spring Break, we couldn't let National Assistant Principals Week pass without recognizing the extraordinary work and dedication of our Assistant Principals in Spartanburg School District 7! We love our Assistant Principals—and for good reason! These outstanding professionals play an essential role in our schools, working tirelessly to support teachers, motivate students, assist principals, and create positive, thriving learning environments. They face the many challenges that come their way with determination and grace, and their commitment to student success is unmatched. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an exceptional team. Their passion for our students, faculty, staff, and community is evident in everything they do. They are dedicated to the success of each student, and we are deeply appreciative of the time, effort, and expertise they invest in our schools. Thank you to all of our Assistant Principals for your continued hard work and dedication. You are a vital part of our mission of Going for Great, and we are grateful for the positive impact you make every day. Here’s to you—our Assistant Principals, the heart of our schools! 👏🎓 Jesse Boyd Elementary Stephanie Seay | Dr. Lichelle Jones-Wilkins Cleveland Academy of Leadership Alanda Posey | Alphonso Richard Drayton Mills Elementary Adena McDaniel | Thurman Evans E.P. Todd School Brian Landon | Vanessa Norman Mary H. Wright Elementary Dr. Ashley Barnes Mitchell | Alexis Clowney-Fox Pine Street Elementary Reena Waston | Dr. Erin Davis Carver Middle School Cherrel Jackson | Jaime Talkington McCracken Middle School Katrina Johnson | Tripp Manuel | Jeannee Abercrombie (AJ) Johnson | Rebecca Miller Spartanburg High School Lindsey Johnson | Rod Daniels | Eric Parker | Jeff Boucher | Dr. Lavetta Collins | Dr. Shay Rice | Ryan Smith Whitlock Flexible Learning Center Tawayne Weems | Sarah Watson McCarthy Teszler School Quida Black

Get ready for the ultimate community event! Spartanburg High School's PTO is thrilled to invite you to their FIRST-EVER Vikings Vendor Market on April 26th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at SHS! This exciting event is all about raising funds to support our incredible students, faculty, and staff, and we’re bringing the BEST of the best! Over 45 local vendors and 10 food trucks will be there, offering everything from one-of-a-kind crafts to mouthwatering eats. Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect from our amazing vendors (check out the Vikings Vendor Market Facebook Event page for even more!): https://www.facebook.com/events/947073610228354/ • Local artisans • Unique handmade goods • Fashion, jewelry, and accessories • Delicious bites from your favorite food trucks Admission is FREE with a suggested donation of $5 to support our mission. And don’t forget to bring your family and friends for a day of shopping, snacking, and supporting our school! While you’re there, be sure to swing by the PTO’s brand-new Viking Spirit Store and grab your official SHS swag or yo u can shop now: https://spartanburghighgear.com/spartanburg_high_school_PTO/shop/home We can’t wait to see you and make this event a huge success! Let’s support our school, shop local, and have a blast!