Bluffton Middle School council named finalist for state award

Bluffton Middle School’s improvement council has been named as one of five finalists for the 2017 Dick and Tunky Riley Award, a statewide honor that recognizes outstanding parent and civic engagement within school communities.

It marks the third time in the past four years that a Beaufort County school has been selected a Riley Award finalist. Named for a former South Carolina governor and U.S. education secretary, along with his late wife, the award was created in 2002 to recognize contributions made by local council members who volunteer in the state’s 1,200 public schools.

Okatie Elementary School captured the award in 2014, when Port Royal Elementary also was a finalist. Bluffton’s H.E. McCracken Middle School made the finalist list a year ago.

This year’s four other finalists are Harbison West Elementary (Lexington/Richland District 5), South Pointe High (Rock Hill District 3), St. James Elementary (Horry County) and South Florence High (Florence District 1).

An independent panel of reviewers will look at the finalists’ portfolios, with a winner announced March 18 during the S.C. School Improvement Council’s annual meeting in Columbia.

This story was originally published February 16, 2017 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Bluffton Middle School council named finalist for state award."