Laurens County School District 55 Celebrates Educators’ Curriculum Certification Achievement
December 17, 2025
Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD 55) celebrates nineteen educators for earning eighteen Graduate Credit Hours and a Certificate in Integrated Curriculum from the American College of Education (ACE) this December 2025. This year’s participants in the ACE Integrated Curriculum represent a diverse group of educators across Laurens County School District 55, including elementary, middle, and high school teachers, Montessori educators, fine arts teachers, coaches, and instructional leaders. Experience levels range from second-year teachers to veteran educators with over eight years in the district. LCSD 55 Superintendent Dr. Jody Penland, LCSD 55 Human Resources Special Projects Coordinator Alicia Scott, and LCSD 55 Coordinator of Communications Faye Colley held a small gathering on December 12, 2026, to celebrate the following educators.
EB Morse Elementary School – Cynthia Bluford, Abby McMillen, Christina Miller, and Kaitlyn Prince
Ford Elementary School – Victoria Gentry and Rachael Hernandez
Gray Court-Owings School – Terence Legette
Hickory Tavern School – Allison Hamby, Nathan Hamby, Heather Smith, and Melissa Yarochowicz
Laurens Elementary School – Darren Feist and Jamie Flaniken
Laurens Middle School – April Kingsborough, Rebecca Corley, and Rachel Druga
Laurens District 55 High School – Carson Adkins and Shelby Machado
Waterloo Elementary School – Michaela Bates
This cohort voluntarily engaged in six consecutive courses from April 2025 to November 2025. Participants’ reasons for pursuing higher education include a strong desire for professional growth and continuous learning, preparation for advanced degrees, interest in developing teacher leadership and administrative pathways, and a need to strengthen integrated curriculum design, especially across multiple grade levels and content areas.
Terence Legette said, “I chose to participate in this program because I believed it would help me further develop my leadership skills and strengthen my abilities as a teacher. I also saw ACE as an opportunity to expand my understanding of curriculum integration, improve instructional practices, and better align my work with district goals for student success.”
Rachel Druga stated, “I chose to participate in the ACE Integrated Curriculum to deepen my understanding of how to intentionally integrate multiple content areas into my classroom instruction while continuing my professional growth as an educator.”
Kaitlyn Prince shared, “Teaching three grade levels with twelve different sets of standards, having to integrate curriculum is a daily task for me, and I thought this program would be beneficial for me in learning how to do that more effectively.”
Darren Feist stated, “I have always believed that the more knowledge one obtains, the more knowledge one can share with others.”
The ACE Integrated Curriculum courses focus on improving student achievement and engagement, enhancing instructional strategies and assessment practices, building leadership skills to better support colleagues and school communities, and gaining confidence in curriculum integration and lesson planning.
Research shows that as a teacher continues professional practices, student outcomes improve. Cohort members attest to the positive impact of their participation.
Carson Adkins shared, “I have strengthened my understanding of assessment practices, teacher leadership, and ways to integrate social-emotional learning into daily instruction. These skills will help me create stronger classroom experiences and better prepare students for success in college or the workforce.”
Michaela Bates added, “I have already begun implementing strategies from the course in my classroom. The assessment module and the student self-management module were especially valuable, providing tools that support my goal of improving student achievement.”
Allison Hamby shared, “I have implemented many strategies in my class and with my coworkers through our weekly cluster meetings. I have had great responses from both students and staff when using various strategies and knowledge I learned.”
“I’ve learned meaningful ways to support my coworkers and better understand what it takes to be a successful teacher leader who can positively impact our school community,” said Victoria Gentry.
The district believes in supporting educators’ professional growth. Through the South Carolina Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) Rural Recruitment Grant funds, the district paid for this cohort’s course costs. Through the district’s partnership with ACE, participants can transfer certificate credits and additional eligible credits into ACE’s Master’s in Education in Advanced Studies.
LCSD 55 is excited to be able to provide the opportunity for a cohort with its college partners. The district is always looking for ways to support staff members and grow from within. The district welcomes educators to become part of Building a 5-Star Culture of Excellence. Contact Alicia Scott at [email protected] to apply.
