Education
Middle school nominated as one of state’s best
In order to be nominated for The Palmetto’s Finest, Waccamaw Middle School just had to pull out the fine china, according to principal Ginny Haynes.
“When you’re getting ready for something special, like a special kind of dinner, you might pull out the fine china. But it’s not like you’re doing anything different in terms of how you cook your meal or the house that you’re eating in,” Haynes said. “It is exactly the same. We just pulled out the fine china.”
The middle school is one of 13 schools across the state that have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Palmetto’s Finest Awards. There were 30 schools that applied for the award last fall.
Waccamaw Middle and Gold Hill Middle School in York County are the only two middle school finalists. It is the only school within Georgetown County listed as a finalist.
The state’s Association of School Administration presents the awards each year. This year marks the 46th year for the awards and the second time Haynes has applied for Palmetto’s Finest.
Within the Georgetown County School District, Waccamaw Intermediate School was awarded Palmetto’s Finest for the 2018-19 academic year. Waccamaw High won in 2007-08. Kensington Elementary was the first in the district to win the award for the 1992-93 academic year.
The application process includes submitting data on student achievement, instructional programs, professional learning communities and school culture.
Waccamaw Middle scored a 71 on its state-issued report card last fall, receiving an overall “excellent” rating for a third consecutive year. Schools are rated based on results from standardized tests, graduation rates and school environment. That information is translated into a score on a 100-point scale for an overall rating. The ratings range from excellent, meaning a school substantially exceeds state expectations, to unsatisfactory, which means a school fails to meet those requirements.
For the 2021-22 academic year, Waccamaw Middle scored a 43, receiving an “average” rating. Haynes became principal in fall of 2021. The following academic year, the middle school was rated “excellent,” scoring a 67 overall – a 34-point increase.
She said there were many factors that may have made Waccamaw Middle an ideal nomination, and that being student-driven is one of them. Haynes added that all Waccamaw Middle students, regardless of subgroup, outperform state standards.
“We try to really do a good job with looking at what every student needs,” she said. “Every student has a chance to be successful and grow at our school, and I think that truly makes it stand out.”
Along with submitting a 22-page application, Haynes created an “artifact room” as part of the requirements to apply.
“I knew that I wanted to apply for it, so I’ve been collecting over the last year just all the data and newspaper clippings and pictures and all the things,” she said. “I’ve had a box of stuff throughout the year that I’ve been able to put in this artifact room.”
The winners will be announced on April 23.
