BOILING SPRINGS, SC – On Wednesday, November 12, a teacher at Libertas Academy Boiling Springs received a Math Performance Bonus from her school’s authorizer, the Charter Institute at Erskine, for achieving significant student academic growth on SC READY math scores.
Ms. Victoria James, a 5th grade teacher, earned $1,000 for her excellence in math classroom instruction. Her hard work, passion for teaching math, and commitment to her students were celebrated in front of the school’s administration, faculty, and students in a surprise presentation of the award.
“I love seeing the students’ confidence when they know that they can do something,” said Ms. James. “Coming from a background where I struggled as a kid, seeing those kids succeed is really one of my passions.”
Ms. James was candid about her experience and her advice for others in her position. “My message for new teachers is that it’s a hard job and working hard pays off. Work hard, stay consistent, stay routine, and you’ll see success in your students.”
The Math Performance Bonus initiative recognizes Institute charter school teachers from across the state who met or exceeded added value growth targets of 3.5 or higher in math on SC READY during the 2024-2025 school year. Libertas Academy Boiling Springs is one of eight Institute charter schools across the state to receive math performance bonus checks for their teachers.
School Director, Ms. Celina Patton, described how the administration team is working to se the teachers up for success.
“We’ve put a lot of emphasis on teacher support. We have a strong coaching model for all teachers, whether it’s a year-one teacher or a seasoned teacher who needs individualized support,” said Ms. Patton. “We also have ongoing data meetings where teachers discuss the real-life challenges in a day-to-day classroom setting. Those supports for the teachers are really paying off, as we’re seeing it enhance the performance of our students.”
Facilitating success in math instruction is one of the three pillars of the Institute’s $1.75 million Success Agenda. The Math pillar of the agenda includes the performance bonuses as well as global research on math instruction with the goal of raising statewide math assessment scores.
“Congratulations to Ms. James on this incredible accomplishment,” said Superintendent of Schools Mr. Mike Sinclair. “You can tell when a teacher is deeply invested in the success of her children, and that is definitely the case when you step foot in Ms. James’ classroom. It makes all the difference.”
Libertas Academy Boiling Springs is a 4K-8 public, tuition-free charter school in the greater Spartanburg area. The Libertas mission is to transform the next generation of American citizens. LABS is managed and operated by Tutelage School Solutions and authorized by the Charter Institute at Erskine.
