Learning Support Services
Pickens County School District is dedicated to helping each student learn in ways that work for them. Teachers and support staff work together to target student strengths, letting students explore and grow in those subjects while giving helpful attention to areas that require more support, helping your student achieve their academic goals, find their confidence, and putting them on a path to success.
Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program of college-level courses taught in the high school setting by high school teachers. All AP courses have been approved by College Board, and provide students with the opportunity to seek advanced coursework leading to advanced placement and/or college credits through successful completion of a College Board AP examinations. All students taking and passing AP courses are expected to take the AP examination unless they follow the opt-out process.
The purposes for taking an AP course are to learn a subject in greater depth, to develop analytical reasoning skills, and to develop disciplined study habits appropriate for continued success at the college level. Compared with regular high school courses, AP courses are more demanding, requiring more time and work outside of the school day. Research shows, students that complete AP classes are better prepared for the demands of college.
Gifted Program
The Gifted Program emphasizes the gifted students’ need for interaction with intellectual peers. Emphasis on the individual highlights the fact that there are differences among gifted students and a need for specialized educational experiences to meet these differences.
We acknowledge that no one teacher, resource, or instructional method can meet the needs of students who are gifted. Education for the gifted is viewed as a cooperative endeavor characterized, facilitated, and realized by the efforts of numerous individuals in the schools and community.
Authorities, parents, and educators have long recognized that intellectually gifted students require specialized educational experiences that promote the development and expression of their potential. If gifted individuals—as children, youths and adults—are to experience fulfilling lives and if society is to derive optimal benefits from gifted individuals’ uncommon potentials, an educational program must be structured to develop more fully their exceptional and varied abilities, interests and talents.
These goals are accomplished in Pickens County Schools by providing the universal curriculum to identified gifted students in the regular classroom, adjusting the rate and depth of their learning and using a variety of appropriate teaching methods. A gifted coordinator at each school site arranges additional enrichment experiences for children who are gifted to further enhance their education experience.
Helpful Links
Special Education
Special Education is an instructional approach that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of an individual child with a disability. The Student Services Team supports Pickens County students and families in a variety of ways. For more information, please visit our Special Education page.
English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
The Pickens County School District's English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program provides support for English language acquisition and development of skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing through content based instruction. For more information, please visit our ESOL page.