Laing Middle School Principal Deborah Price feels exposure to a career in science and math might possibly intrigue female and minority students.
That’s also what the school’s neighborhood planning team thinks, thus their efforts to look at the possibility of bringing the school to the next level.
The Laing Middle School planning team, which consists of community and school district leaders, school officials and parents, is working to become a partial magnet school in the area of science and technology.
This would not affect the current population or curriculum at Laing, if approved. What it will do is enhance the student body with additional qualified students from the greater Mount Pleasant area and increase the school’s study emphasis on the areas of science and technology, Price explain-ed.
She said, students from other areas of town will be able to attend Laing if there is space.
“Nothing is finalized. We’re just looking into the possibility,” said Price.
She said the school district offered area schools the opportunity to write a proposal to become a possible magnet school. The planning committee wrote a proposal and then was awarded $5,000 to begin the planning process.
“We are in the stages of planning and looking at different options,” she said, and we haven’t begun community engagement process, yet.”
Parent and community meetings should begin in the coming weeks. Dates and times will be announced.
“This is a exciting time for Laing but as of this time, nothing is written in stone,” she said.
If approved, Price said more students will be able to take advantage of Laing’s pre-engineering program, which will be advantageous toward continuing the established programs at area high schools.
“Involvement in these areas will positively affect all areas of study for Laing students,” she said. “Exposure to a career in science and technology allows students to make informed decisions about their future career goals by promoting continuity through the learning continuum - from middle school to high school and beyond.”
If approved, Price feels the partial magnet status will raise academic achievement all the way around.
“We’re living in the 21st century and we want our students to be exposed to everything we have to offer,” she said. “Most importantly, we want to encourage girls to participate more in the science and math areas and also to encourage more minority students to go into science and math.”
More information and a survey of interests will be available in August to plan for the partial magnet school status to begin the 2009-2010 school year.
For more information, contact Price at 849-2809 or send an e-mail to deborah_price@charleston.k12.sc.us.

(Sully Witte can be reached at editor@moultrienews.com. Comment on this story at www.moultrienews.com)