Swansea Freshman Academy

Welcome back to Swansea Freshman Academy, Ms. Liz Jumpp! Ms. Jumpp is a Swansea grad who earned her Bachelor's in Science from USC. She spent some time working in the field as a zookeeper at Riverbanks Zoo before transitioning to education. This is her ninth year teaching and seventh year in the district. She has a huge passion for earth and life sciences. Ms. Jumpp loves to travel and camp with her daughter creating all kinds of fun memories, reading, and spending time outdoors. She has two dogs, a cat, and a snake at home.

We welcomed back our SHFA faculty and staff on Monday, and they are working hard this week to get everything ready for the Class of 2028!

Welcome back to Swansea Freshman Academy, Ms. Kirsten McHugh!

Swansea Freshman Academy Meet the Teacher I.W. Hutto Road; Swansea, SC 29160 1:30-6:30 pm *All events will be located in the cafeteria! *2 proofs of residency are needed to complete registration* *Clear bookbags will be for purchase for $12

Calling all Girls interested in the Golf Team!

We want to welcome back Ms. Barbara Askins. Ms. Askins resides in Columbia with her 1-year-old puppy, Misha. She will soon have a new addition to her family, a rescued kitten she has named Luna. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in History and Grand Canyon University with a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. She has taught for over 20 years and is excited to start this school year. Her hobbies include reading, hiking, and playing with Misha.

Welcome back to Swansea Freshman Academy, Ms. Rory Jones-Gist! As a Business Management graduate of SUNY Empire State and a MBA Candidate, Mrs. Jones Gist has been in business management for more than 25 years. As a fourth-year teacher, she hopes to continue to inspire and motivate her students at SFA. She is married and a mother of three children and one fur baby. Her hobbies include fishing, camping, cooking, sports, and all things family!

Swansea Freshman Academy welcomes back Mr. Mike Donovan! Mr. Mike Donovan is a graduate of Bowling Green State and Cleveland State University with a Master's degree in Educational Technology. In the Ready for Success class, he helps students explore their strengths and interests related to careers and postsecondary education, and build skills to get them there. He is married to Mrs. Donovan, the Media Specialist at Sandhills Middle School, and has two children. His hobbies include playing board games, cooking, and working in the yard.

Swansea Freshman Academy welcomes Ms. Nelly Londoño! Ms. Nelly Londoño is from Colombia, South America and will be teaching Spanish. She graduated with a degree in Modern Languages in 2012 from Caldas University and received her Master's in Education degree in 2016 from Catholic University in Colombia. With over 10 years of experience as a teacher in Colombia, she is passionate about her vocation, and she loves sharing her knowledge and continuously learning from life's offerings. In her free time, she loves spending quality time with her family, watching movies, and reading books about personal growth. She is thrilled about this new chapter in her professional life and is eager to contribute her best to the Swansea Freshman Academy community.

SHFA welcomes back Mrs. Jessica Raulerson! As a 2009 graduate of North High School and OCTech EMT, Mrs. Raulerson has worked for Lexington 4 for the past four years in the SFHA media center. She worked for Orangeburg District 4 in Operations and Planning prior to joining Lexington 4. She is married to Nathan Raulerson, a 2006 Swansea graduate, and they have a baby girl, Sadie. In her spare time, Mrs. Raulerson enjoys cheering her Gamecocks on, riding her side by side, fishing, going to the mountains, shopping, and, most of all, spending time with her family.

We welcome Ms. Leonelle Narciso to Swansea Freshman Academy! Leonelle Narciso is from the Philippines, and she graduated from the University of San Carlos with a Major in Special Education. She has worked as a teacher in the Philippines and recently in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. During her leisure time, she watches movies and plays video games, and she loves playing sports, especially basketball, soccer and badminton. She is very excited to be part of SFA family for this coming school year.

Welcome back Ms. Sabrina Leysath! Ms. Leysath is a proud 1996 graduate of Swansea High School, and she serves as the ISS Supervisor. She is a proud mother of three, two boys ages 24 and 15, a daughter age 18, and a beautiful daughter-in-law. She is starting her eleventh year in the district.

Swansea Freshman Academy welcomes Ms. Sydnia Petersen, our new Assistant Principal! Ms. Petersen is a new addition to the Swansea Freshman Academy family. She is a 2004 graduate of Wright State University, a 2009 graduate of Bellevue University, a 2012 graduate of Notre Dame College, and a 2022 graduate of the American College of Education. Ms. Petersen was employed for 11 years as a science teacher, team leader, department chair, and instructional coach for Orangeburg County School District. In her spare time she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and exercising. She is looking forward to serving the SFA stakeholders and the surrounding community this school year!

Over the next couple weeks, we want to introduce our SFA audience to our team. Welcome Back in a new role, Principal Joi O'Neill. As a 2010 graduate of the University of South Carolina, a 2014 graduate of Winthrop University, and a 2021 graduate of Gardner Webb University, Ms. O'Neill has worked for Lexington 4 for the past 10 years. Previously, she served as the School Counselor of Sandhills Middle, the Assistant Principal at SFA, and is currently serving SFA as the Principal. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two children, relaxing at the beach, and reading. She is very excited to serve SFA stakeholders and the surrounding community this coming school year.

We look forward to seeing our Swansea Freshman Academy Tigers for Meet the Teacher and Registration Night on July 31st! Registration will be taking place in the cafeteria from 1:30-6 PM. During this time, you will also have the opportunity to meet teachers, pick up schedules, get updated student IDs and explore the building for the 2024-25 school year.

2024-2025 STUDENT REGISTRATION INFORMATION. Visit the link to complete the process: https://www.lex4.org/page/school-tools As always, please reach out to us if we can offer any assistance.

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2028 to SHFA! Here is the 24-25 Back-to-School supply list.

Congratulations to Eva Taylor on winning 1st place in 9th grade Language Arts at the National Beta Club Convention! We are so proud of her accomplishment!

Youth Soccer Camp! July 25th-27th Camp times are listed on the Google form that is required for registration. Come join us & invite friends! Sign up link ➡️ https://forms.gle/An3mrRrrpWDUJHE1A

Cheerleading Mini Camp!! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/gJ5frzkPEtZLf2aK8 Contact Shannon Wilder for more information: swilder@lexington4.net