Our D7 faculty and staff family gathered at the SHS Viking Arena to formally open our 2023-2024 school year. The energy was HIGH as we unveiled our District’s annual theme – “We are TEAM 7"; celebrated our second annual flag processional of schools; honored Support Staff of the Year, Crystal Apple Award recipients (for excellence in first-year teachers), and Teachers of the Year; and capped it all off by announcing our District 7 Crystal Apple winner and District 7 Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Meredith Jack Burroughs, social studies teacher at Spartanburg High School, for being selected as D7’s 2023 Teacher of the Year; and to Connor Bechtel, special education teacher at McCarthy Teszler School, for being selected as D7’s Crystal Apple award winner. 
Teachers of the Year, from left: Audrey Amos, Jesse Boyd Elementary; Latanya Littlejohn, Cleveland Academy of Leadership; William Neely, Drayton Mills Elementary; Shani Fischer, E.P. Todd School; Marisa Lee, Mary H. Wright Elementary; Julie Sprinkles, Pine Street Elementary School; Alana Grant, Carver Middle School; Ed Purdy, McCracken Middle School; Meredith Jack Burroughs, Spartanburg High School; Renee Gist, Whitlock Flex Learning Center; Kay Bradshaw-Bracey, McCarthy Teszler School.
Crystal Apple Award winners (recognizing excellence among first-year teachers), from left: Bethany Massingill, Cleveland Academy of Leadership; Abreal Farr, E.P. Todd School; Patrick Cook, Mary H. Wright Elementary; Chelsea Durrah, Carver Middle School; Michael Wickowski, McCracken Middle School; Emma Nelson, Spartanburg High School; Connor Bechtel, McCarthy Teszler School.
Support Staff of the Year, from left: Paul Brown , Jesse Boyd Elementary; Andrea Samuel, Cleveland Academy of Leadership; Deputy Machelle Thomas, Drayton Mills Elementary; Allyson Gilliland, EP Todd School; Isaac Sims, Mary H. Wright Elementary; Marishawn Anderson, Pine Street Elementary School; Terri Foster, Carver Middle School; Anthony Ortiz, McCracken Middle School; Terri Wood, Spartanburg High School; Lawyer Watson, Whitlock Flexible Learning Center; Tenille Black and Calie Brown, McCarthy Teszler School; Quinn Clowney, Frank Fleming, and Kirk Johnston, Transportation; Toy Easler, District Support Operations Center; Lisa Johnson, District Office; Dr. Terry Pruitt, Chief Academic Officer; and Jeff Stevens, Superintendent
