Starr-Iva Middle School

Check out our March edition of Tiger Times to see what's happening this month at SIMS!

We almost forgot to post last week's positive referrals! Help us congratulate these kiddos for their hard work and great attitudes!

CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Jacob Hewell for being our Staff Spotlight for the month of February! Mr. Hewell embodies our school vision as he aces attendance, commitment, and engagement. His leadership is inspiring, and we are so thankful he's a part of the SIMS family.

🗳️ Early Voting for Crescent Middle School is Happening NOW.

Early voting runs through March 6 at the
Anderson County Office of Voter Registration & Elections
📍 301 N. Main Street, Anderson
🕣 Monday–Friday | 8:30 AM–5:00 PM

If you can't vote on March 10, vote now!

Make your plan. Bring a friend. Participate in the process.
For additional voter information, call 864-260-4000.

Our Quarter 3 Healthy Habits Assembly was one to remember! 💙 This quarter, we focused on a powerful message: Different isn’t bad, it’s just different. We encouraged students to reflect on their identity, their purpose, and what they were uniquely made for. Each of us has strengths, talents, and qualities that make us who we are. To bring the message to life, we used wooden molds to show how uncomfortable it can be to try to force ourselves into someone else’s shape. When we try to “fit the mold,” we lose the very things that make us special. We also used hula hoops to demonstrate how “birds of a feather flock together.” While it’s natural to gravitate toward people who are like us, we challenged our students to branch out, to include others, to learn from those who may look different, act different, or have different interests. That’s where growth happens. A special thank you to our District Mental Health Coordinator, Mrs. Upton, for thoughtfully designing these assemblies for our students. She creates three separate assemblies each quarter to ensure the message is developmentally appropriate and tailored specifically to each grade level. We are so grateful for the intentional care she pours into supporting our students’ social-emotional growth.

🎉🤖 State Bound! 🤖🎉

We are so proud of BOTH of our VEX Robotics teams for their performances in the Regional Tournament.

🏆 Team 26263A (our 8th grade team) brought home the " Create Award" for their outstanding innovation, design process, and creativity!

🏆 Our Vex IQ Team (The Tots Bots- one of our 7th grade teams) qualified for the State Competition on Saturday in Greenville, SC. Wish them luck!

Both teams represented our school with excellence, teamwork, and determination.

Learning goes beyond the classroom in Ag with Mrs. Caldwell🌾🧭 A big thank you to Stephen and Jaime Pohlman, Clemson Extension Agents serving McCormick County, for spending the day at SIMS! Stephen (Forestry Specialist 🌲) and Jaime (4-H Agent 🍀) taught our students how to properly use a compass: building real-world outdoor skills that last a lifetime. Our 8th graders also harvested their school-grown kale and turned it into delicious baked kale chips! 🥬👩‍🍳 Nothing beats enjoying the fruits of your labor. Hands-on learning. Community partnerships. Growing future leaders. 💚🌱

Learning is even sweeter when students experience culture in meaningful ways 🍫✨ Ms. Williams and her students made hot chocolate from scratch while exploring its rich cultural and historical significance in Spanish-speaking countries 🌎📚 Some even tried it the traditional way — with cheese 🧀☕ Authentic learning at its best!

🎶🌟 Huge Congratulations to Marbella Reyes Wilson! 🌟🎶 Marbella accomplished something truly incredible; she earned a spot in the South Carolina Band Director Association’s District 1 Region Band! This is a major and highly competitive achievement. Students from across Anderson districts and Greenville County audition, and making it is no small feat. Even more impressive, Marbella made it on flute, one of the most competitive instruments due to the large number of talented flute players auditioning! She will attend the Region Band Clinic at Furman University on February 28–29, where she will rehearse and perform alongside some of the top student musicians in the region. We are so proud of your hard work, dedication, and musical talent, Marbella! 🎵👏

In 1953, construction began on an equalization school that was first known as New Deal School. At a time when educational opportunities for Black students in rural South Carolina were limited and unequal, the building stood as a place of access, growth, and possibility.

For years, it served Black children in grades 1 through 12, becoming a second home to generations of students and staff who walked its hallways.
As schools integrated and time moved forward, New Deal School became Starr-Iva Jr. High and finally Starr-Iva Middle School. Through every season of change, the “school on the hill” has remained a steady presence in the Starr-Iva community.

Now, more than seventy years later, it’s still standing and serving students, and it's the oldest school facility in our district. We honor what it represents in Black history and in our local history. We also recognize that the same building that once represented opportunity in 1953 no longer meets students' needs in 2026.

Celebrating Black History Month means remembering what was started in New Deal and understanding why progress matters. The legacy of this school deserves to be honored, and our students deserve a learning environment built for their future.

🧪🏆 We Are So Proud! 🏆🧪 Congratulations to Jonathan Friedman for qualifying and attending the Science Bee Competition in Columbia this past Saturday! 🌟 Competing at that level is an incredible accomplishment, and we are so proud of his hard work, dedication, and love of learning. Way to represent us so well, Jonathan! 👏 Keep reaching for the stars — your future is bright! 🚀✨

🎃💻 STEM in Action at Sims! 🌱✨ Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Dickerson are absolutely ACING it by blending Agriculture and Technology in the most engaging way! Students used micro:bits and sensors to collect real-time data and determine whether their pumpkin plants needed water. Through hands-on coding and problem-solving, they learned how technology can support smart, efficient agricultural practices. Even better: every student was fully engaged and had the opportunity to take turns coding in Ag class! 🙌 This is what authentic learning looks like: collaboration, critical thinking, and real-world application all in one lesson. We are so proud of the innovation happening at Sims! 💚

Congrats to these kiddos for positive referrals this week! Keep up the great work!!! ❤️🐅

In honor of National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day this week, we wanted to jump on and give our SRO a shout-out! We are incredibly grateful for Officer Ryan McCall, our SIMS School Resource Officer. Officer McCall is a constant, positive presence in our building each and every day. From directing morning traffic and greeting students with a smile as they arrive, to monitoring classrooms, walking the halls, and supporting students and staff throughout the day, he is always there for our school community. You’ll also find him at after-school events, continuing to show up for our kids and families. What truly sets Officer McCall apart is his proactive commitment to safety. He is continually thinking of ways to make SIMS an even safer place for our students and staff. SIMS is a safer school because of Officer McCall, and we are extremely thankful for his presence, partnership, and unwavering support. 💙

Tonight is the night! All visitors should park in the bus rider lot. There will be SGA Student Ambassadors along with SIMS Staff to point you in the right direction. We will have The Book Fair, an English I Wax Museum, a space to share Premier Progress- Vision 2026: Crescent Middle School, student work displayed in our halls and classrooms, and much more. We can't wait to see you!

We ❤️ our precious bus drivers. They're the first smiling faces to greet most of our kids, and we are thankful for the way they help us start our day!

Last Friday was a day full of fun and celebration! 🎉 Students enjoyed participating in Clubs during the morning, exploring their interests and building connections outside the classroom. Later, Mrs. Simpson’s and Mrs. Powell’s classes proudly cashed in their weekly “bucks” for demonstrating positive behavior and making great choices all week long. 💙 We love celebrating our students for doing the right thing and creating a positive school culture! 👏✨

Our SC ALT Testing Window at SIMS begins on March 2nd 2026 and ends on April 17th 2026.

Our cafeteria is always amazing, but our students L❤️VE the biscuit bar!

Congratulations to Mrs. Cape and this Robotics Team for their success in this past weekend's competition. They placed 4th overall, received The Build Award, and they qualified for and will compete in the 2026 SC Vex IQ Robotics Middle School State Championship on February 28th in Greenville! Go Tigers!🐅