Approximately 15 Fairfield County community leaders joined Superintendent of Education Dr. Samantha Ingram Wednesday morning on a bus tour to McCrorey Liston Elementary, Fairfield Central High and Geiger Elementary schools.

“This summer we trained over 400 faculty and staff on changing the culture of what is happening in Fairfield County,” Ingram said. “Our motto is whatever it takes. Failure is just not an option. Whatever it takes means we don’t care how many dollars it takes. We don’t care what resources it takes. We don’t care if the Superintendent has to go and beg a teacher to come work for her. Whatever it takes.”

The Superintendent presented the community leaders with a draft copy of the District’s strategic plan.

“I want to note to you that this is not the Board that is developing this,” she said. “It is not the Superintendent that is developing this. This is being developed by the citizens of Fairfield County.”

Ingram also presented the community leaders with a copy of the book, Whatever It Takes : How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don’t Learn.

The book states in part, “The notion of all students learning at high levels would have been inconceivable to the pioneers of public education. If contemporary educators are to make significant progress in meeting this new challenge, they must first recognize that the institutions in which they work were not designed to accomplish the task of learning for all.

“They must then acknowledge the need to make fundamental changes in both the practices of their schools and the assumptions that drive those practices.”

The group met at the School District Office and made its first stop at McCrorey Liston. They were greeted by new Principal Chandra Bell and looked in on several classes in progress.

Returning to Winnsboro, the group stopped at Fairfield Central, where they were greeted by new Principal Sterling Harris. He talked about efforts being made at the high school to increase student achievement. The group also had the opportunity to view both an AP Calculus and a English Language Arts class.

The final stop was at Geiger, which is located in the Ridgeway area of the County. Principal Joe Seibles welcomed the guests and talked briefly about his school and the success of the single gender education pilot program at the school. The group visited fifth and sixth grade single gender education classes in progress.

Another tour will be held in January, according to Ingram.