Clarendon County School District employees filled the Manning High School gymnasium with cheers, music and school spirit July 29 as the district opened the 2026-27 school year “Unified as One.”
The annual convocation brought together educators, administrators and support staff for a morning of recognition, reflection and encouragement before students returned to classrooms.
The program began with music from Manning High School’s Marching Golden Pride and the presentation of colors by the school’s Air Force JROTC.
Board of Trustees Chairman Johnny Bonaparte welcomed employees and called on the board, administration, educators, students and community to work together to address the district’s challenges.
“Our challenges are great, but the potential for meeting those challenges exists,” Bonaparte said. “We can be successful.”
He pledged the board’s support in providing employees with the resources they need and encouraged them to make the coming year a “banner year” for CCSD.
Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley delivered the invocation and thanked the district’s employees and school resource officers for their work with students. He noted that educators and law enforcement officers often face similar challenges as they try to guide young people.
“I know you strive hard to make the best person you can out of every student who comes through this school system,” Baxley said. “I appreciate it very much.”
The program then shifted into a spirited roll call led by Manning Early Childhood Center guidance counselor Jessica Cato. Employees from each school, transportation, the district’s school resource officer program and the district office competed to show the most school spirit.
Dr. Keisa Carr followed the roll call with prize drawings for district employees, which ranged from gift cards to a grill, before the program turned to recognizing the district’s campus Teachers of the Year.
Bank of Clarendon presented each of the 10 campus Teachers of the Year with $250. Attorney Shaun Kent of Kent Law Firm, continuing his annual support of CCSD’s top educators, then presented each honoree with $1,000 in cash and a $250 gift card.
Quinten Kelly, a mathematics and science instructor at Manning Junior High School, was then announced as the 2026-27 Clarendon County School District Teacher of the Year. Kelly was selected for his commitment to academic excellence, innovative instruction and student success. He will serve as an ambassador for CCSD throughout the coming year and promote excellence in education across the district and state.
Following the announcement, Kelly received $500 from Bank of Clarendon and an additional $4,000 in cash and a $500 gift card from Kent Law Firm.
Following the Teacher of the Year presentation, Superintendent Dr. Shawn Johnson told employees the district’s academic progress reflects their willingness to meet students where they were following the COVID-19 pandemic and help them move forward.
“You all didn’t blink. You all didn’t stutter,” Johnson said. “You just took our kids right where they were, and we are excelling to where they are now. That’s a testament to your hard work.”
Johnson said 80% of the district’s employees returned for the new school year, while 20% are new to CCSD. He thanked returning employees for continuing to believe in the district’s students and welcomed those joining the team.
He also highlighted academic progress across the district, including reductions in the number of students not meeting standards at Walker-Gamble Elementary and Dr. Rose H. Wilder Elementary, improvements at Manning Elementary and Manning Junior High and graduation rates of at least 90% at the district’s three high schools.
Johnson said Manning Early Childhood Center produced its strongest rising third-grade class in his seven years with the district. He also pointed to growth in career and technical education, with more students graduating with credentials that prepare them to enter the workforce.
Although data is important, Johnson reminded employees that each number represents a person.
“We’ve got to continue to stay focused on the main thing,” he said. “The main thing is giving our students the opportunities to be able to sit in positions like we sit in today.”
Keynote speaker Brandon Montgomery, founder and CEO of Forward and Beyond Outreach, carried that focus into his inspirational message. He encouraged employees to remember that their body language, attention and words can shape the culture of a classroom and influence how students see themselves.
“A student may not remember exactly the lesson plan you put together or the PowerPoint you put together, but every single student will remember how you made them feel,” Montgomery said.
He reminded educators that the enthusiasm of convocation may fade as the school year becomes more demanding, but they have the ability to choose how they respond to those challenges.
“You can do hard things,” Montgomery said. “This is not an easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy type of position that you’re in. Anytime you are in a purpose-filled position, there will be times where it becomes hard and it becomes difficult.”
Montgomery closed by challenging employees to lead rather than follow, believe rather than doubt and create rather than destroy.
The Manning-area cluster staff choir and band concluded the program with “Lean on Me,” reinforcing the district’s call for employees to support one another throughout the year.
District leaders gave the song’s title its own meaning for the new school year: Lead with purpose, engage every learner, achieve meaningful outcomes and navigate challenges with resilience.
