The Spartanburg Academic Movement has recently received the highest designation available within the StriveTogether national network of organizations working to improve educational outcomes, cradle to career.
Rigorous assessment of SAM’s work with county-wide partners took place in May, leading to the non-profit’s designation as having reached “Systems Change” and “Proof Point” status as defined by StriveTogether benchmarks. National designation is important on one level to understand the quality of work taking place in our county, much of which is happening behind the scenes, the ultimate benchmark we strive for is that lives of children are being changed, and they are – all while the structures needing to be strengthened within our systems in and out of the schools are being addressed.
“Our designation as ‘Systems Change’ and ‘Proof Point’ is of great importance. It not only acknowledges the work of SAM, it recognizes the progress of our entire county toward shared goals of improved academic achievement for young people,” said Dr. John Stockwell, executive director of SAM. “This has been accomplished with the deep dedication of our public schools and multiple community partners.”
This announcement came just after a visit to SAM and its impact sites Spartanburg made by Steve Ballmer, co-founder of the Ballmer Group, former Microsoft CEO, and chairman of the LA Clippers.
View a clip of his comments as SAM’s report, Chapter 3: Systems Change, was released to the public, as well a SAM Board member and Superintendent of Spartanburg School District 7 Russell Booker explains the collective impact work of SAM in this brief video.
To learn more about SAM and its efforts by visit: www.learnwithsam.org.