May 18, 2026 • 5 mins
Professional development can be either a box to check or a lever that changes schools. From the SCABSE conference in Myrtle Beach, I sit down with Brian Edward, principal of Louisville Middle School in Chester County and president-elect of SCABSE, to talk about what makes educator learning actually useful and why this conference keeps drawing teachers and administrators from across South Carolina.
Website: spotlight4success.com
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:06):
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I am Devin Penteza, your host.
We are here at Scabsey inwonderful Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina.
It's really a beautiful dayoutside.
And uh we're here with ourspecial guest, Brian Edward.
Uh Brian uh joins us, he's theprincipal at Louisville Middle
School in Chester District, uhSouth Carolina, and the
(00:29):
president elect of Scabsee.
Thank you for joining us today.
Absolutely, thank you for havingme.
All right, can you tell me a bitabout the things that are going
on here?
I know you're already involvedwith ScabC.
And um uh what are some of thethings that are happening here
today?
SPEAKER_00 (00:46):
Uh so uh professional development uh is
the the uh standing stone ofwhat we're doing here.
Uh we have teachers from andadministrators all from all
across the state uh coming hereto uh learn about how to take
our schools to the next level ofexcellence.
SCAPSE is also celebrating 35years this year.
(01:06):
And so we have a campaign aroundthat this year as well, uh 35
years uh of you knowprofessional development for
educators across the state.
SPEAKER_01 (01:14):
Oh, that's wonderful.
And uh is there any uniqueprogramming happening today?
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
Uh some of the unique programs that we have
going today, of course, are ourbreakout sessions.
We have over 50 breakoutsessions conference-wide over
the weekend uh that attendeeswill be attending.
Uh, today we have uh four of ourstate legislators uh will be
here today to talk abouteducation of Balsa State and
what they are going to do, andthey're going to hear our voices
(01:43):
today and how they can help usin our schools today.
So that's some of the highlightsof the day.
SPEAKER_01 (01:48):
Oh, that's wonderful.
And uh, can you tell me a bit,Brian, about uh um your role?
You're you're you're thepresident-elect of Skaffson.
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
Absolutely, president elected.
SPEAKER_01 (01:58):
That's so awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (01:58):
What kind of things do you see for next year going
on?
Well, next year we will be backhere in Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, here at the MC Suites.
Um, we're looking to expand ourconference and and and take it
further.
Um, you know, and this year weare adding uh the university a
piece.
So we hope to partner with manyof our universities from across
(02:19):
the state so that they can be apart of the conference as well.
SPEAKER_01 (02:21):
Oh, that's wonderful.
That's a great, great idea.
I see a lot of the schooldistricts here with uh with
exhibits and uh talking toteachers.
Yeah, it's wonderful to see.
Absolutely.
So um so let me ask you so umwith your role as capacity in
Louisville Middle School as theprincipal, uh Brian, what do you
see are uh some of the tie-insthat you're bringing here to
(02:44):
SCAPSE from your role asprincipal?
SPEAKER_00 (02:46):
Uh yes, sir, uh definitely.
I I started coming to SCAPSEmany, many years ago, uh just
attending the conference.
And so when I got hooked intovolunteering and uh and helping
out with the conference, and souh, you know, bringing in some
of that leadership from mycurrent role as principal to
SCAPSE, but SCAPSI has alsohelped me as a leader in giving
(03:07):
me some best practices andthings like that that I take to
my school and implement uh formy teachers and my students.
SPEAKER_01 (03:13):
Oh, that's great.
It really goes both directions.
It does, absolutely.
That's wonderful.
So, in your role as a principal,I understand you've uh used um
ABC books in the past.
SPEAKER_00 (03:22):
Yes, we have uh the representative.
Uh, I get to see him everysingle year when he comes here
with the books and things likethat, and we got to talking and
he gave me some uh samples andthings, and we went back and we
vetted those samples, then makesure that they are in alignment
to our state standards, and thenand we use those uh in order uh
a classroom set to help ourstudents uh prepare for those uh
(03:44):
uh state assessments that wehave.
SPEAKER_01 (03:46):
Oh, that's great, and that's in the middle school.
Yes.
And did you see scoreimprovements on the ready
testing?
SPEAKER_00 (03:52):
Yep, in our ELA scores, uh they just shot
through the roof.
We our school does very well.
Um we you know struggle a littlebit in math, but that's
statewide, and so but uh wedefinitely saw tons of
improvement and growth in theareas of reading.
SPEAKER_01 (04:05):
That's great.
Now I understand your school hasa special designation this year,
is that right?
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
We do.
We are a school to watch, we'revery excited about that.
We're the first school in thedistrict to receive that
designation, and so we're veryexcited about that.
SPEAKER_01 (04:18):
Oh, that is wonderful!
SPEAKER_00 (04:19):
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_01 (04:20):
Uh do you have anything you'd like to share
with the SCAPSE community todayas a takeaway?
SPEAKER_00 (04:25):
Absolutely.
Uh SCAPSE is an outstandingorganization that has a long
reputation of helping educatorsall across the state, and so
we're just so honored to be hereand to serve in this capacity.
I'm honored to be a part ofSCASE and serve in this capacity
as well.
And so uh we're just thankfuland we hope that everyone will
(04:46):
continue to join us and morepeople will join our cause over
the next couple of years.
SPEAKER_01 (04:51):
Thank you once again.
This is Brian Edward, principalat Louisville Middle School in
uh Chester County, and Scabsey,president-elect.
Thank you for joining us today.
SPEAKER_00 (05:01):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I am Devin Penteza, your host.
We are here at Scabsey inwonderful Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina.
It's really a beautiful dayoutside.
And uh we're here with ourspecial guest, Brian Edward.
Uh Brian uh joins us, he's theprincipal at Louisville Middle
School in Chester District, uhSouth Carolina, and the
(00:29):
president elect of Scabsee.
Thank you for joining us today.
Absolutely, thank you for havingme.
All right, can you tell me a bitabout the things that are going
on here?
I know you're already involvedwith ScabC.
And um uh what are some of thethings that are happening here
today?
SPEAKER_00 (00:46):
Uh so uh professional development uh is
the the uh standing stone ofwhat we're doing here.
Uh we have teachers from andadministrators all from all
across the state uh coming hereto uh learn about how to take
our schools to the next level ofexcellence.
SCAPSE is also celebrating 35years this year.
(01:06):
And so we have a campaign aroundthat this year as well, uh 35
years uh of you knowprofessional development for
educators across the state.
SPEAKER_01 (01:14):
Oh, that's wonderful.
And uh is there any uniqueprogramming happening today?
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
Uh some of the unique programs that we have
going today, of course, are ourbreakout sessions.
We have over 50 breakoutsessions conference-wide over
the weekend uh that attendeeswill be attending.
Uh, today we have uh four of ourstate legislators uh will be
here today to talk abouteducation of Balsa State and
what they are going to do, andthey're going to hear our voices
(01:43):
today and how they can help usin our schools today.
So that's some of the highlightsof the day.
SPEAKER_01 (01:48):
Oh, that's wonderful.
And uh, can you tell me a bit,Brian, about uh um your role?
You're you're you're thepresident-elect of Skaffson.
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
Absolutely, president elected.
SPEAKER_01 (01:58):
That's so awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (01:58):
What kind of things do you see for next year going
on?
Well, next year we will be backhere in Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, here at the MC Suites.
Um, we're looking to expand ourconference and and and take it
further.
Um, you know, and this year weare adding uh the university a
piece.
So we hope to partner with manyof our universities from across
(02:19):
the state so that they can be apart of the conference as well.
SPEAKER_01 (02:21):
Oh, that's wonderful.
That's a great, great idea.
I see a lot of the schooldistricts here with uh with
exhibits and uh talking toteachers.
Yeah, it's wonderful to see.
Absolutely.
So um so let me ask you so umwith your role as capacity in
Louisville Middle School as theprincipal, uh Brian, what do you
see are uh some of the tie-insthat you're bringing here to
(02:44):
SCAPSE from your role asprincipal?
SPEAKER_00 (02:46):
Uh yes, sir, uh definitely.
I I started coming to SCAPSEmany, many years ago, uh just
attending the conference.
And so when I got hooked intovolunteering and uh and helping
out with the conference, and souh, you know, bringing in some
of that leadership from mycurrent role as principal to
SCAPSE, but SCAPSI has alsohelped me as a leader in giving
(03:07):
me some best practices andthings like that that I take to
my school and implement uh formy teachers and my students.
SPEAKER_01 (03:13):
Oh, that's great.
It really goes both directions.
It does, absolutely.
That's wonderful.
So, in your role as a principal,I understand you've uh used um
ABC books in the past.
SPEAKER_00 (03:22):
Yes, we have uh the representative.
Uh, I get to see him everysingle year when he comes here
with the books and things likethat, and we got to talking and
he gave me some uh samples andthings, and we went back and we
vetted those samples, then makesure that they are in alignment
to our state standards, and thenand we use those uh in order uh
a classroom set to help ourstudents uh prepare for those uh
(03:44):
uh state assessments that wehave.
SPEAKER_01 (03:46):
Oh, that's great, and that's in the middle school.
Yes.
And did you see scoreimprovements on the ready
testing?
SPEAKER_00 (03:52):
Yep, in our ELA scores, uh they just shot
through the roof.
We our school does very well.
Um we you know struggle a littlebit in math, but that's
statewide, and so but uh wedefinitely saw tons of
improvement and growth in theareas of reading.
SPEAKER_01 (04:05):
That's great.
Now I understand your school hasa special designation this year,
is that right?
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
We do.
We are a school to watch, we'revery excited about that.
We're the first school in thedistrict to receive that
designation, and so we're veryexcited about that.
SPEAKER_01 (04:18):
Oh, that is wonderful!
SPEAKER_00 (04:19):
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_01 (04:20):
Uh do you have anything you'd like to share
with the SCAPSE community todayas a takeaway?
SPEAKER_00 (04:25):
Absolutely.
Uh SCAPSE is an outstandingorganization that has a long
reputation of helping educatorsall across the state, and so
we're just so honored to be hereand to serve in this capacity.
I'm honored to be a part ofSCASE and serve in this capacity
as well.
And so uh we're just thankfuland we hope that everyone will
(04:46):
continue to join us and morepeople will join our cause over
the next couple of years.
SPEAKER_01 (04:51):
Thank you once again.
This is Brian Edward, principalat Louisville Middle School in
uh Chester County, and Scabsey,president-elect.
Thank you for joining us today.
SPEAKER_00 (05:01):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com