This week on My Greenville Home Radio, Dan is speaking with Derek Lewis, Area 24 School Board Member and Executive Director of Greenville First Steps, an organization dedicated to improving school readiness in young children.
As the Executive Director of First Steps, Derek focuses on preparing young children for kindergarten through a number of parenting and education programs. In his role as an Area 24 School Board Member, Derek has the opportunity to continue that mission and create a better transition between the early childhood world and the school district.
Derek shared that he anticipates an increase in salary for teachers and school staff this year once budgets are reconciled. Historically, South Carolina has paid teachers under the national average, but Greenville has actually paid higher than the Southeastern average for the last couple years, with a current average salary around $42,500. Derek’s hope is that this year’s budget will add $2,000 to that average. The county still has a long way to go in paying teachers what they deserve, but Derek believes this is a step in the right direction.
Derek and the other board members have learned the importance of mental health professionals in schools. In high schools, the board has managed to establish a 1:300 mental health professional to student ratio and has plans to phase mental health professionals into the elementary school systems over the next few years.
To learn more about Derek’s professional and volunteer work in Greenville County Schools, listen to this entire episode of My Greenville Home Radio:
Dan Hamilton is the founder of Hamilton & Co. and the lead listing agent for the team. He is the only agent in the Upstate endorsed by Shark Tank star and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran. Additionally, Dan hosts a weekly radio show on The Answer 94.5 and 106.3 WORD giving tips and advice on real estate and is a frequent contributor for real estate on Your Carolina TV show on WSPA Channel 7. Visit mygreenvillehome.com to learn how Dan can help you sell your home.
