As the new president of the South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA), Wesley Hightower wants to focus on new ways to recognize the Palmetto State’s outstanding teachers, foster more cohesion among school districts statewide, and develop better ways to collect and share information on successful educational programs taking place across the state.
“It is imperative that we maintain a keen focus on students of South Carolina by ensuring that they can compete not only regionally and nationally, but also globally. We have some of the very best teachers in the United States teaching right here in the Palmetto State and we must work harder to recognize them for all the great things they do,” Hightower told SCSBA members during the association’s annual Delegate Assembly held December 2.
“We must build stronger relationships within our own association; and we must build new partnerships with all school districts throughout South Carolina. In building better relationships, we will share information, new ideas and eliminate many of the duplicating efforts we currently see taking place,” he added.
Mr. Hightower is a member of the Aiken County Public School District’s board and has served as the Area Three representative since 2006. Hightower is the first SCSBA president from the Aiken County School Board since 1965, when John McLaurin held the office. He also co-chairs the Aiken board’s legislative grassroots advocacy efforts.
Professionally, Hightower manages training needs of the Savannah River Site, performing various leadership roles. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of South Carolina-Aiken in 1984 and a Master of Education Degree from USC in 1996.
He and his wife Gwendolyn have three daughters: Monica, Melanie and Michelle (Chad) Givens.
Hightower says he will encourage SCSBA members to look for new ways to recognize top South Carolina teachers. He is also asking them to support the concept and creation of a new National Master Teacher certification or Master Teacher credential, an expansion of an Aiken County effort to recruit its veteran teachers to serve as Teacher Leaders in their schools.
“This initiative would serve as both a springboard for recognizing South Carolina’s top teachers and as a new goal to which those Teacher Leaders from across our state may aspire,” Hightower commented. “In an equitable manner across all school districts, Master Teacher certification would offer an additional step in the pay scale, but also require evidence of school-level mentoring and the ability to bring other classroom teachers from good to great.”
“The Master Teacher designation will could serve to incentivize our Teacher Leaders, accurately reflect value in recognizing teacher quality, and encourage a newfound interest in the profession for current high school students, college students and other professionals and prospective teachers who may be considering a change in careers,” he added.
Hightower’s vision for the creation of a statewide information Hub to track and promote successful educational programs across South Carolina is set to begin in the near future. It is his hope that school districts are able to better serve students and stakeholders through increased access to information regarding initiatives such as the Call Me Mister program to attract more minority teachers to classrooms, as well as information related to items in the state Legislature that affect each student in all 81 of South Carolina’s school districts.
“Just under half of all South Carolina students K-12 hail from minority populations, while more than 80 percent of all South Carolina teachers do not come from a minority population. I believe those numbers are clear – we should actively be recruiting more minority candidates as teachers in South Carolina,” Hightower stated.
The Call Me Mister program has existed for nearly 20 years, but only 225 “Misters” have graduated from across South Carolina. Although the retention rate for these new teachers has remained around 95 percent, only an average of about 13 new “Misters” enter South Carolina classrooms each year.
“We know South Carolina can do a better job of recruiting minority teachers. How many districts across our state may not have utilized the program in part simply because they did not have access to important information about the program?” Hightower asked. “Vital information related to the Call Me Mister is an example of the type of data that belongs in our new SCSBA information Hub. The advantage of our Hub is that it will be available 24 hours a day and open to every member district.”
Additionally, Hightower said he looks forward to a discussion on discrimination and diversity during the SCSBA’s upcoming board of director’s retreat in January.
“We must be able to recognize discrimination and prepare to unite in one voice against it – in any form in which we may encounter it,” Hightower stated. “We must recognize the value of diversity and understand its benefits. Together, we know we are stronger.”
The South Carolina School Boards Association is a non-profit organization serving as a source of information and a statewide voice for boards governing the state’s 81 school districts.
LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2017 PR HIGHTOWER BEGINS TERM AS SCSBA PRESIDENT