ST. MATTHEWS -- Guinyard Elementary School in Calhoun County received a visit from Jim Rex, South Carolina superintendent of education, Tuesday when he dropped by to congratulate teacher Wanda Green, South Carolina's only U.S. Department of Education "American Star of Teaching."

Rex made a special stop by the Montessori teacher's classroom to recognize her for her selection as one of 50 teachers nationwide who were singled out -- one per state -- as an "American Star of Teaching."

While at the school, Rex joined Guinyard Elementary School Principal Dr. Jacqueline Mayo to tour several classrooms including gender-specific classes.

One of Rex's areas of emphasis is choice within a school, and he said he considered single-gender classes to be one of those choices as is the Montessori option.

Speaking with the girls' class, he said, "You are very lucky to be in this school."

After touring the school, the state superintendent went to a business luncheon sponsored by the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, which was held at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Welcomed by Chamber Executive Director Jane Dyches, Rex was introduced by Chamber President James Burn, who said Rex "has a love for kids."

Rex told the group he was impressed with Guinyard Elementary School.

"Things are going in the right direction down here," he said.

"To improve education in South Carolina, we have to reform it," Rex told Chamber members. He said public education in South Carolina needs to reform and improve and it needs support.

"I want to build grassroots support for change," Rex said.

"Part of the problem (in fixing the state education system) is extreme partisanship," he added, noting that the common ground for fixing the system is children.

He also stressed the importance of:

* Creating a new system of accountability for schools and school districts.

* Laying the groundwork for a new system of fair and equitable funding by addressing the way South Carolina raises and distributes all state revenues, with a special focus on public schools.

* Reforming the 1998 Accountability Act to increase diagnostic testing, decrease costs and reduce the amount of time spent testing for accountability purposes.

* Creating safer and healthier schools by reducing crime and disruption and improving the physical environments of the schools.

T&D Correspondent Larry P. Jordan can be reached by phone at 803-874-3276. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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