Hand Middle School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Hand Middle School
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type = Public middle school
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principal = Marisa Vickers
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faculty = 70
teaching_staff =
enrollment = 950
students =
grades_label = Grades
grades = 6-8
address = 2600 Wheat Street
city = Columbia
state = South Carolina
province =
country = USA
district = Richland County School District One
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colors = Blue and Gold
athletics =
mascot = Hornet
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website = [http://hand.rcsd1.org/home.aspx Official site]
footnotes = Blue Ribbon school
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Hand Middle School is a middle school in Columbia, South Carolina, USA that educates around 950 students in grades 6-8. [ [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/sc/906 "Hand Middle School"] , Great Schools] A Blue Ribbon school, it feeds into Dreher High School and it is one of Richland County School District One's oldest schools. Marisa Vickers is the Principal. The mascot is the Hornet and the school colors are Blue and Gold. [ [http://www.richlandone.org/schools/MiddleSchools/hand.htm "Hand Middle School"] , Richland County School District One]

Academics

This school was known for its low standards in the early 1990s. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CS&s_site=thestate&p_multi=CS&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB583DF2B0FA8A9&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "HAND MIDDLE SCHOOL SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED"] , The State, October 21 1994] A recovery plan was implemented and Hand was awarded Blue Ribbon status in 1999-2000. [ [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf "Blue Ribbon Schools Project"] , U.S. Department of Education] Blue Ribbon schools are the highest award that can be given to a US school. [ [http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17475750&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6 CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department] , "Journal Inquirer", November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."] [Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; "The Washington Post". September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."] Standards have continued to improve and in 2006-07 grades increased by 30% across the board. [cite news|last=Lindt|first=Susan E.|url=http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/207223|title=Wellness works wonders for SDL|publisher=Intelligencer Journal|date=24 July 2007]

Children's author Karen Petit writes fictional novels for children in grades 4-8. To assist her, creative-writing classes of sixth-graders have edited each of the works; currently three such classes are involved. Petit commented favourably on the students' objectivity and attention to detail. [ [http://www.aikenstandard.com/news/297113049777907.php "Dog detective is hero of book series"] , Aiken Standard, 17 July 2007]

Time award

Time magazine chose Hand Middle School as one of its three Schools of the Year for 2000-01. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/0,9263,7601010521,00.html "Time"] , Edition: U.S. Vol. 157 No. 20, May 21 2001] This is an honor that recognizes K-12 schools considered 'educational pioneers'. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CS&s_site=thestate&p_multi=CS&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EC037272D7159DE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "TIME MAGAZINE HONORS HAND MIDDLE"] , The State, May 14 2001] The school was also the subject of a feature article in the magazine. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,999917-1,00.html ""Let Them Lift Us Up""] , Jodie Morse, Time magazine, May 21 2001]

Notable faculty

Cliff Barrineau, who teaches mathematics at the School, was named Richland 1 Teacher of the Year for 2004-2005. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CS&s_site=thestate&p_multi=CS&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=102DD87F4144B4EE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "DREHER TEACHER, OTHERS HONORED AT CELEBRATION 2004"] , The State, May 27 2004] He was also a 2003 'National Educator' award winner by the Milken Family Foundation, which recognizes 'exceptional teachers, principals and other specialists who are furthering excellence in (the) nation's schools'. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CS&s_site=thestate&p_multi=CS&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0FE43BDA0DA29CFA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "RICHLAND 1 MATH TEACHER WINS MILKEN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE"] , The State, October 17 2003]

Notable students

Sarah Rhu collected awards, in 2007, for her paper "From Civil War Hero to Convicted Congressman: The Triumph and Tragedy of Robert Smalls". In the 2007 National History Day awards, she received the National Bronze Medal award in the junior division historical paper category. The Civil War Preservation Trust also awarded Rhu a gold medal and a $1000 cash prize for her "outstanding entry". [ [http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=51594 "Students Win National History Awards"] , WLTX, 7 July 2007]

References

External links

* [http://hand.rcsd1.org/home.aspx Official site]
* [http://www.richlandone.org/index.htm District site]