Nederlands English

Students First Newsletter December 2019


Page 2
Wilson Welcomes Piano And Guitar Labs This school year, the Fine Arts Department of Wilson High School welcomed the addition of a piano and guitar lab. Joshua McKenny, a Wilson alumnus, was tasked with developing a curriculum for the lab. Besides ensuring the students become proficient on their respective instruments, he also decided to focus on musicianship and music production. The lab is equipped with the latest technology. The students are able to use the ProTools program to make their own music projects. Having the ability to be creative allows the students the opportunity for selfexpression. It also promotes a positive learning environment in which the students have the ability to construct impactful musical pieces. Mr. McKenny has noted that his students have collectively grown a tremendous amount this semester. The students are able to read and play music and some now have the ability to play music by ear. It is his desire to have his students perform a concert in the near future. Since music production technology is readily available at the students’ fingertips, Mr. McKenny has plans to expand the music production curriculum. The students will get a chance to experience the many elements needed to produce an entire song. Mr. McKenny has expressed his sincere gratitude in his return to Wilson. He hopes to make a meaningful impact on his students just as the one he received while he was a student. The piano and guitar lab is a creative space in which the students are able to display their creative skills to the highest level. Flag Football Teaches Leadership, Sportsmanship at Savannah Grove The Savannah Grove Flag Football Club is now up and running! This would not have been possible without the gracious donations from community members and Florence One staff through Donors Choose. We have brand new footballs, flags, practice jerseys, and other equipment for our students to use. The club meets every Thursday from 2:30-4:00 PM and offers social interaction in an organic environment, physical activity, sportsmanship, leadership and team building. We are so grateful for the opportunity to provide this free, accessible extracurricular activity to improve the well-being and development of our students. One of the goals of the club is to provide leadership and positive male role models to influence and guide our young men. Currently, three regular coaches help run the club and work with our kids. With 40 young men participating, additional volunteers would be welcome! Additionally, community members, especially male role models, are encouraged to come speak to our young men about leadership and building character. Speakers are always encouraged to stay and participate in one of our sessions! Students have enjoyed learning the game of football with their teammates, competing, and learning character and good sportsmanship. The program has also impacted student effort and behavior in the classroom. Students have been motivated to avoid discipline issues in class and have become more attentive to instruction and in completing assignments. It has been a pleasure to see our young men enjoy this new opportunity and we hope for continued growth and success!
Page 4
StoryWalk! Make the pages come to life! Reading is without a doubt the foundation and passion that makes Royall royal. We are constantly searching for innovative ideas as well as new books to gain and hold the attention of our Royall readers. This year some of our students’ favorite books have been selected to create StoryWalks and make the pages come to life for our students. Our Librarian, Marianne Gaskins and Literacy Coach, Leah Barley prepared Royall’s first StoryWalk. Mrs. Gaskins stated, “ I had a vision for the first StoryWalk and it just all came together.” During the month of October, students in all kindergarten and first grade classes were invited to come outside to experience the story Froggy’s Halloween. After being paired with a 6th grade helper, groups of 2- 3 students read the story and then acted out the event on the page. After each page, students leaped across the lawn on lily pads and walked to the next page. The pages came to life as students tried on various Halloween costumes and vote for their favorite costume. The story concluded with all readers being given a special bag of Froggy’s favorite treat, chocolate covered flies (raisins). Kindergarten teacher, Neil Anderson said her students loved interacting with each other, being mentored by older students, and walking through the story. A student in her class, Harleigh said, "What I liked best about Froggy's Halloween StoryWalk was trying on the cape and the underwear." First grade teacher Ms. Diamond Palmer stated, “The story walk experience was a true adventure for my class. It brought a favorite character, Froggy, to life and allowed each student to walk in that role as the character. Watching them interact with the book and other students was priceless. I found they gained more from the story walk than a simple read aloud. Students were actively reading the book, acting out parts and working together towards a common goal. I am looking forward to the next StoryWalk. With the first StoryWalk a success, a second StoryWalk is underway and will continue throughout the month of December. Snowmen at Christmas is the story selection this time. We have expanded the StoryWalk to include kindergarten, first, second and our enhanced learners. Once again 2-3 students will be paired with 6th grader readers/helpers. The students will hear the story and then be asked to complete various activities. Some of these activities will include trying on a hat trimmed with holly, trying to whistle and jingling bells. Students will peek through a lit window, pretend to ice skate and sing Christmas carols. To conclude the book they will be treated with snowman cocoa and a candy cane just like the snowmen enjoy eating in the book. According to Principal Julie Smith, the story walk activity is just another way that our students have fun and participate in the joy of reading. South Florence High School celebrates Mix It Up At Lunch Day South Florence High School, celebrated its annual Mix It Up Day on October 22nd. This event pairs ninth grade students with special needs students as “buddies”. The purpose of the program is to help students foster friendships with other students without regard to their handicaps or disabilities. According to Bill Ruth, a teacher at South Florence High, “the students ate lunch together, played games, and had a good time getting to know each other”. The teacher cadets helped to facilitate the event. Mix It Up at Lunch Day is an international campaign that encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries. While schools can register to host a Mix It Up event on any day of the year, millions of students around the world participated on the official Mix It Up at Lunch Day, which was held on October 22nd.
Page 6
On November 25, 2019 the health science department at the Florence Career Center hosted its annual blood drive in Mr. Davis’s Sports Medicine room. Students and staff members were encouraged to sign up and give the gift of life by donating blood to the American Red Cross. The students and staff members that gave received a $5 Amazon gift card and a snack. Students in the Sports Medicine class put signs up around campus and went door to door asking for people to donate. They were Saving Lives At The Florence Career Center Students eager to help people they will probably never meet. It could be you, or it could be one of your family members that they save. Even though we did not reach our goal of 21 units we did have a great showing of love and kindness by those that volunteered and donated. If you would like to donate blood to the American Red Cross please visit their website at redcross.org for more information and detail. able to get one staff member and twenty-one students signed up to donate blood. Six health science students volunteered their time to help the day of the blood drive and assist in any way that they could. In the end they were able to collect blood from 10 people and collect 12 units of blood total. Two donors gave double red “2 units” and 8 gave the standard one unit. The American Red Cross reports that for every pint of blood donated it can save up to three adults lives. This means our students and staff saved as many as 36 adults that day by donating the gift of life. Students at our F1S schools can earn a red cord at graduation from the American Red Cross if they donate three of more pints of blood during their high school careers, and become eligible for college scholarships not available to those that do not donate. I can honestly say I am so proud of what we accomplished. Moore Holds Family Night at Barnes and Noble John W. Moore held its annual Barnes and Noble Book Fair on December 5, 2019. The event allowed families and staff to come to the store to purchase books and have food and drinks in the Barnes and Noble cafe to benefit teachers’ classroom libraries. The highlights of the evening were the special performances that showcased the great talents of Moore students. The evening started with a grand performance of select players in the Moore band conducted by Mr. Steve Rummage, Moore’s band director. The students showed their talents in a series of songs that encompassed the skills they learned during band class. The sounds of these students’ exceptional talents resonated throughout the store to provide a great festive atmosphere. Moore’s Pep Squad under the leadership of Mrs. Hendricks, Mrs. Ellerbe, Ms. Fanning, and Ms. Adams sparked enthusiasm for the evening with their cheer routines. The dance steps of the girls adorned in holiday styles and Moore’s Lion Mascot enlivened all with their precision moves. The group added a great joyous flair to the book fair as they do with many Moore events. A select group of Moore’s fine chorus members, led by Mrs. Kirven showcased their exceptional talents as they sang holiday songs gleaned from the past to the present which put a sparkle in everyone’s eyes as they listened to the harmony of the beautiful voices. Songs included “A Bit of Holiday Cheer” and “That’s Christmas to Me.” Science Projects were viewed in digital displays during the evening to provide an exhibit of work completed by Moore’s 5th students. Students collaboration and hard work to complete the displays were recognized and available for proud parents to view. Last but not least, Moore’s Top Ten Readers for December 2019 were recognized. Our top readers were recognized and given a Top Ten Reader award created by Mrs. McCumber with Moore’s 3D printer. These readers prove to be great role models for other students with their outstanding reading accomplishments. The evening was a showcase of talents while stories were read by a teacher, projects displayed, and a time for parents to shop guided by teachers’ wishlists. Moore wants all students to love to read. Mrs. Schweitz greatly supports literacy at Moore and encourages reading with her favorite quote, “The MORE that you READ, the more things you will KNOW, The MORE that you LEARN, the more places you’ll GO.” (Dr. Suess) Moore appreciates all the parents who attended and great staff of teachers who work together to make the evening a success and promote reading achievement!
Page 8
Mealtime is Learning Time at CDC Woods Road and CDC RN Beck If you arrive at the district Child Development Centers at breakfast or lunch time you will not see a cafeteria full of children. Last year during the Count 5 campaign, the school staff learned about the value of having a family style meal in which children play a role in preparing to eat together. Setting The Table While preparing the table for meal time, children practice problem solving and counting. Does everyone have a plate? How many forks do we need? Will there be enough milk to fill every glass? Are enough napkins folded? In our classrooms, the teachers allow children to solve these problems by preparing the table for the meal. Not only do children eat better when they help prepare for the meal, they also learn to include fellow classmates. Having A Place Just like home, every child has a chair at the table that never changes. The repeated pattern of always sitting in the same chair, beside the same person gives a child a sense of order and security. Language is also learned when we build relationships with others at the table. Some children tend to talk less and others talk more. Children learn their place in the world as they interact with others in comfortable settings like the dining table. Trying New Foods As opposed to having your plate filled with a serving of each food as in cafeteria style service, children in our classes choose which foods they would like to eat and how large a serving they prefer. When new foods appear on the menu, children are encouraged individually to taste a sample. Also, young children are more likely to try new foods when they have participated in the preparation of the meal. Serving Others When families prepare to eat, they help each other. In our classrooms we encourage the same behavior. When they can, children help each other by passing and serving food. Often a child will get up to pour more milk or serve themselves more food. In the small classroom setting, teachers can allow children to take as much control as possible for serving themselves and their friends. When help is needed, teachers are only a step away. Cleaning Up After breakfast or lunch, children learn to assist in cleaning up after the meal. At first, children make spills at the table during cleaning up. These are soon forgotten as everyone shares the load of putting the room back in order and getting the dishes ready for the dishwasher. A Lifetime Of Order Children who participate in daily mealtime routines, quickly learn problem solving skills for life. Researchers tell us that repeated activities build the mental skills children will need for the future as they do their school work and later participate in the workforce. Soup Day Recently, the children at the early childhood centers shared their mealtime skills with their parents on Soup Day. Everyone pitched in to prepare, cook and serve the soup for lunch. Smiles, laughter and a shared bowl of soup made each and every class a place for learning and sharing together. Special thanks to those family members who participated with us. The staff of the early childhood centers would also like to thank Chartwells (the district food service vendor) for their special help during the meal preparation and service. North Vista First Graders Build Shelters to Protect Dogs From The Sun Recently first grade students at North Vista Elementary took part in an inquiry/ collaborative learning activity where they built shelters for dogs. Students were placed in groups of four and were given a task card. They either needed to build a house for a big dog in winter, a small dog in winter, a big dog in the summer, or a small dog in the summer. Students were allowed to use any classroom materials they could find such as legos, straws, waffle blocks, squibs, tape, paper, magnatiles, scissors and glue. Students inquired how to build their houses in order to protect the dog from the elements. Students got creative. One group used straws and jacks. When they wanted a door, they had to problem solve in order to get the door to stay up. They took apart the straw and the jack, then put the paper through the straw. Other groups added paper for walls and a roof to protect the dog from the sun.
Page 10
Timrod Curriculum Night: Reading Strategies for Parents Timrod Elementary strives to build positive relationships and partnerships with parents/ guardians and equip them with the tools they need to better assist their children at home. Parent workshops are one way we accomplish this goal. These workshops not only provide important information for parents but are also interactive, allowing the parents to be active participants. Recently, Timrod held its first Curriculum Night for parents and students. This Curriculum Night focused on reading strategies that parents could use with their children, which included fluency and comprehension. After a brief information session, parents rotated through four stations. These stations were representative of the station rotation model of Blended Learning that is utilized in the classrooms. Stations included “Questioning Before, During, and After Reading,” “Chunking,” “Decoding,” and “Fluency.” In these teacher-led stations, parents were introduced to the strategy and participated in a reading lesson for the station. Parents were encouraged to discuss, ask questions, and try the strategy with their child. At the completion of the rotations, parents gathered as a group for closure and discussed their learning for the evening with the other parents. This fun evening was full of learning, laughter, and relationship-building. Parents left with reading tools that will benefit their child in reading and help transfer the learning from school to home. Our goal is for children to love reading and learn to read for various purposes. Our hope is these reading experiences will help develop successful readers and strengthen parent-child bonds, all while laying the foundation for a love of learning. Wallace Gregg Celebrates Student Accomplishments, Education In November, the first quarter ended. The end of the first quarter came with some celebrations at Wallace Gregg. We held two awards ceremonies at Francis Marion University. The first ceremony was on Monday November 4, 2019 for kindergarten through second grade students. The second awards ceremony was on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 for third through sixth grade students.. Each event celebrated students with perfect attendance, the highest math and language arts averages, and most Accelerated Reader points per class. Also, our related arts teachers gave out awards to one student in each class. The Kiwanis Club was present to recognize Terrific Kids from each class. As November continued, WGE continued celebrating the students hard work from the first nine weeks. Wallace Gregg was invited to attend a Francis Marion Basketball game on Friday November 8. Our students earned the trip through displaying positive behavior in the first quarter. Wallace Gregg had 317 students attend the field trip! After the game, our students had a chance to meet the players. Our last full week of school in November was American Education Week. Throughout the week we held different events to celebrate the importance of education. Ms. Sims, a third grade teacher at WGE, created a “We Graduated and You Can Too” wall. This wall featured all of the staff graduating from kindergarten, high school, and college and was created to show the students how important education is to everyone at WGE. Throughout the week, we had different treats and activities. On Monday, students wrote about why they love Wallace Gregg. On Tuesday, the wonderful cafeteria workers served everyone a treat to remind us that, “School is Cool!” On Wednesday, students wrote members of education letters about how thankful they are for them. On Thursday we had parent volunteers come read to classes. On Friday, students made a list of the keys to a good education and hung them outside of classrooms. To end American Education Week, we held an assembly Friday afternoon with former superintendent Dr. Allie Brooks.
Page 12
Williams Middle School Thanks Veterans With Veteran’s Day Celebration On Monday, November 11th in recognition of Veteran’s Day, the Williams Middle School Social Studies Department, Gospel Choir, Student Council and Guidance Department came together to honor the veterans that are a part of the Williams Community. The appreciation breakfast was held for employees and family members of students who have served or are currently serving in the military. Students wrote thank you letters to veterans and the letters were distributed at the breakfast. The WMS gospel choir provided entertainment. Those in attendance felt were touched by the appreciated that was shown. Learning Center at Alfred Rush Offers Flexible Path For Students Alfred Rush Academy has created the Flexible Learning Center (FLC). The Flexible Learning Center is a pathway for students to earn school credits that is different from the traditional school model. The FLC serves students who are interested in graduating early, need a flexible schedule, want to study in a smaller learning environment or have fallen behind their cohort. Courses are taken online using Gradpoint and Apex. Students work at their own pace and may complete work inside and outside of the classroom. Certified teachers are present to provide instructional help as well as monitor student progress. As of December 6, 2019, 16 students were able to complete over 40 credits through the FLC. Thus far, two students have completed graduation requirements; five students should complete all credits towards graduation by the end of first semester. An FLC student says “My experience in the FLEX program was incredible. I was given the opportunity to prove myself and fix the mistakes I made during my years in school. I really enjoyed how the program allowed me to move at my own pace. I was brought to this school because I failed my 10th and 11th grade years in high school. I finished my two years of school that I missed in less than a school year. I also enjoy the program because it is amazing for kids like myself that need one on one help more often. The teachers and administration are absolutely nothing but supportive. This school is an excellent experience to any kid who just don’t do well or aren’t comfortable in a normal school environment.”

Students First Newsletter November 2019


Page 2
Families become myth busters at Lucy T. Davis Discovery Education Family Night On Tuesday, September 24, Lucy T. Davis hosted a Discovery Education Family Night. To kick off the event, parents and students played a game of Mythbusters with Patti Duncan, a Discovery Education representative. Students then joined teachers in science and inquiry based experimental stations. The experiments were based on South Carolina Science Standards and included activities on Engineering, Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. Students explored fossils, moon phases, and light energy. Younger students enjoyed stations that were crafted to their age group, which included activities that required using their five senses and predicting possible outcomes. The Oobleck station was the favorite among students of all ages! This station allowed students to get a little messy while exploring properties of liquids and solids. While students completed experiments, parents learned about the capabilities of the Discovery Education Techbook Student Center. Once the parent informational session concluded, parents joined their children to take part in the science experiments and have a family dinner. Families enjoyed learning how to explore our amazing world with Discovery Education. Dewey Carter Elementary Students Celebrate Improvements on SCREADY Standardized Tests October 31 was not only Halloween, but it was also an exciting day for many students at Dewey L. Carter Elementary School! Students are tested each spring with the SCREADY standardized test in Reading and Math and this past spring, students were issued a challenge from DLC Principal, Wendy Frazier. Students were promised that if they improved by at least one level on either or both of the two tests, that they would be rewarded with an inflatable party and enjoy snacks and time away from class during the school day. Over 130 students were up for the challenge and enjoyed inflatable slide races, nachos with cheese, fruit drinks, and cookies as a reward for their hard work. "We love celebrating our students' successes and try to do so on a regular basis, whether it be for positive behavior choices or academic improvements. They have looked forward to this celebration since last year and have not stopped asking when it would be held and who would get to attend. We hope to have even more of these celebrations every school year in an effort to show our students the importance of good behavior and working hard,” Frazier said.
Page 4
BEST PRACTICES IN ACTION AT THEODORE LESTER ELEMENTARY When you walk into Mrs. Tammy Bevill’s class, you don’t see an autism selfcontained class. You simply see teachers and classroom assistants differentiating instruction for students. Unless you actually know who the teacher is, it’s almost impossible to determine which adult is the teacher because all adults are leading a group. Ms. Bevill participates in ALL general education and programs for exceptional children professional development opportunities and ensures that her students are provided the best of both learning environments. The same statements can be made about Mrs. Pamela Smith. All of Mrs. Smith’s students have limited physical mobility, but Mrs. Smith ensures that she challenges her students cognitively on a daily basis. Failure to participate in class is not an option for her students. Mrs. Smith and her staff participate in assistive technology professional development to give her students access the general education curriculum and increase their sef-reliance and sense of independence. All Lester Elementary 5k3rd grade teachers participated in OrtonGillingham (OG) training to learn how to provide a more direct, multisensory, structured approach to teach literacy. Ms. Crowson shared that OG is working for her students. She states that for the first time, all of her students got an A in Spelling on their report cards except two. She says “It’s the OG that’s making the big difference. Moore Intermediate Students Become Scientists During Discovery Education Science Night On October 10, 2019, students and parents came out to Moore to learn about the Discovery Education Science Techbook and complete various Science stations. After a brief introduction in the gym from Susan Rhodes, District Science Coordinator, students were able to go to various classrooms and complete Science stations. While the students began working at the stations, the parents stayed in the gym and learned about the Science Techbook from Susan Rhodes. The Science Techbook is a digital curriculum that builds context and drives understanding of 21st Century skills. It not only provides resources for students, but teachers as well. Students in grades 5 and 6 at Moore use the Discovery Education Techbook in their Science classes. Students enjoyed participating in the various stations. The stations included Pinwheels in the Wind, Making a Fossil, Oobleck, Attract or Repel, Bottle Music, Conservation of Energy, Defying Gravity, Design an Earthquake-proof House, Energy Transformation, and Light Energy. While at the Pinwheels in the Wind station, students were able to create their own pinwheel using paper, push pin, and a pencil. Students were then able to test their pinwheel using a blow dryer. The Bottle Music station was a favorite for students and teachers! Students were able to play the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb” by tapping the prefilled soda bottles with a wooden spoon. The soda bottles were filled with varying levels of water in order to signify a musical scale. Carol Schweitz, Principal at Moore Intermediate, said “Students and parents really enjoyed participating in the various stations. We appreciate the support of our parents and community with our efforts in providing real-life experiences for our students.”
Page 6
WF Knight Life: A Class To Be Proud Of! What was once just an elective has turned into a group of students who all come together to tell the unheard stories of the student body. Journalism is a class that is both unbiased and full of self- expression, a place where students can have their voices heard in a world that is most the time too busy to stop and listen. In Journalism we, as students, get a taste of what the modern work day feels like since we are assigned our own stories, have deadlines, and have to distribute the paper when it gets printed. Journalism has given students training for jobs we may have in the future. It has taught us that we don't need to procrastinate and have to get our work done on time and if we don't there will be consequences. Journalism has shown me that in the real world no one will hold my hand or give me several chances; when I’m given an assignment, I need to get it done because the assignment becomes my full responsibility. Not only has Journalism taught me time management, it has also proved very helpful in improving my writing skills and this is one of our teacher’s main goals. “I have been teaching Journalism at West Florence for 23 years and every year is different and exciting,” said Kim Cimney, Knight Life adviser. “I love seeing students improve their writing and see their work published.” We have learned to write unbiased articles, writing nothing but the facts and how not to add fluff in our writing to make the paper seem longer. Journalism has also allowed me to learn how to talk professionally to the people I am interviewing. Interviews are where journalists get almost all their information and have to be done professionally so we had to learn how to conduct professional interviews. Not every job requires professional interview skills, but most jobs do expect you to know how to talk professionally to your boss and colleagues; Journalism has taught us how to do that. We have also learned leadership traits. In the class we currently have three editors, Hanna Jeffords(11th), Kayla Pinkerman (11th) and Khylie Nero (11th), whose jobs are to write the only opinionated part of the paper: the editorials. On top of all their other stories editors are given the extra responsibility of one more additional story every issue. Editors are also supposed to be leaders by example and to help the rest of the staff in their work if needed. Journalism has taught me a lot of very good traits I can use in the workforce and also lets me produce writings of which I am proud. Most teenagers write papers just to get the grade and most of the time don't feel proud of their work since they were more concerned about the grade than what they were writing about. Journalism has allowed me to produce work I am proud of and this doesn't go just for me but also for many other students in the class. “I got my story on the front page of the first paper,” said Gwendolyn Buddenborg, a sophomore, when asked what she is most proud of being on the Knight Life staff. Students in journalism class are proud of their Carver Elementary Starts Spanish Club Carver Elementary Magnet School now has a new club! We are proud to announce that we have our very first Spanish Club for the 2019-2020 school year. At the end of the previous school year, one of our parents expressed an interest in having our students take part in learning another language. She, along with several other parents, heard about Spanish being offered at some of the other elementary schools. They wanted their children to be exposed to a foreign language at an early age as well. They also didn’t want their children to fall behind the other students when they begin to take foreign language classes in middle and high school. During the summer, our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) President, Brittany Terrio, presented a proposal to administrators on how we can have a Spanish Club at Carver. Through our preparation for this new club, we researched some of the benefits of having a foreign language taught at Carver. Research according to the Education, Sports, & Health article, Benefits of Learning a Second Language as a Child shows that students learn a second language faster and easier at a young age. Students who learn a second language also tend to improve their problem solving and creativity skills. In addition, knowing a second language may assist students with future job opportunities. Our vision at Carver is to have students utilize problem solving, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking to make a positive impact on their futures. Our Spanish Club is another way in which we are assisting our students in preparing for their futures. Initially, the plan was to offer our Spanish Club one day per week. Due to an overwhelming response from parents and students, we’ve had to offer two sessions per week. Students will go to this club on either Tuesday or Wednesday of each week from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The club will be available all year. This club is funded completely by our parents and our wonderful PTO. The Spanish Club’s teacher is a Carver parent, Ms. Katrina Winter. Ms. Winter states, “I’m enjoying being able to be back in a classroom setting so much. I love seeing their enthusiasm for learning, and share in their excitement when we communicate in Spanish. I think the best part is when I visit the school at any time, I now get greeted by dozens of smiling faces saying, “Hola” to me!” According to Principal Josie Little, “We are excited about the many opportunities that are provided for our students at Carver. Through this club, our students are developing STEM related skills that will follow them for the rest of their lives. They are also developing a cultural awareness that will help to make them productive citizens of our society. I am thankful for the support of our PTO, Ms. Winter, and our parents. Our kids are excited about this new adventure. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits of this innovative club.”
Page 8
Reading comes alive at Greenwood Elementary What an exciting time of the year it has been this fall at Greenwood Elementary for our students, parents, and teachers! During several activities students celebrated their love of reading. Is that a bird? Is that a plane? No! It’s Fly Guys and Girls Galore! In celebration of Storybook Character Day, Mrs. Weithers’ sixth grade homeroom class got into the spirit of things by making and dressing as Fly Guy, the main character in a series of children’s books by author, Tedd Arnold. The students made the eyes, wings, and antenna and in keeping with the intent of the day, each student had a different Fly Guy book that was their favorite. And what could be better than snuggling up with a good book on a crisp, fall night? Why sharing a book with a buddy, of course! That’s right, Book Buddies are just another way that Greenwood students and staff come together once a month to share the joy of reading with others. Each homeroom class is paired with another and the students or small groups join together to read together during the allotted time. As you can see from the pictures, all of our students, young and old, look forward to sharing a book or two or three with their buddies. Fostering and building community partnerships are important in building and promoting literacy outside of the school setting and our Florence County Public Library is an important community partner that students learn about at Greenwood. Once a month, Michel’le Burns, one of the librarians at the FCPL on Dargan Street in Florence, comes to Greenwood to visit with our Kindergarten and first grade students to read books or re-tell a story with puppets and sing songs with students and to encourage the students to visit the public library with their families. As you can tell from the students’ rapt attention and smiles, they enjoy listening to the stories and interacting with their peers during this time. Books and reading are FUN! McLaurin’s Terrific Tuesdays Combine Learning And Fun In an effort to continue to build community and reach parents and students where they live, McLaurin has begun a Terrific Tuesdays program. These Tuesday events will take place on the third Tuesday of each month after school. As part of Title One parenting programs, McLaurin has been thinking outside the box. Sometimes various issues keep parents from coming to school events. McLaurin wants to allow parents to have a glimpse of activities going on in the classroom that parents cannot always see during the school day. Parenting sessions/ workshops are also a component of our Terrific Tuesday events. In October, several McLaurin staff members went to the Resource Center at the Mount Zion apartments. Students enjoyed many hands-on lessons that incorporated ELA, Math, and Cultural studies. Students classified Halloween/October words into nouns and verbs. Students were given information about different bats-which areas of the world they live in, what they eat, and the lengths of their wingspan. Other bat activities involved students measuring the length of their arm span and comparing their arm span measurements to that of the different bats. There was also a station set up for math activities with candy corn. Students were adding, multiplying, subtracting, and dividing with candy corn. This station allowed students to experience math with fun manipulatives. The students ranged from PreK to 6th grade. Many McLaurin staff members were so excited to see former McLaurin students that are now at Moore participate in this event as well. Many hugs and smiles were shared and it was a sweet reunion with former students. There was also a reading center for students to read books. After this afternoon of activities, students were able to take books home for themselves and other siblings in the home. The parenting workshop was on the importance of reading at home. A flyer was shared that showed the impact at home reading. The importance of reading at least 20 minutes a day allows the child to have read 3600 minutes within as school year, experience 1,800,00 words, and expose a child to more vocabulary within a school year. This daily 20 minutes of reading at home allows for better success at school. McLaurin is continuing to look for ways to encourage even more parent participation. We’d love to address homework and test-taking strategies in the future events. These topics came from a fall survey that parents filled out addressing topics parents wanted to know more about this school year. McLaurin has found success in our belief of building relationships. Students not only were engaged with activities, but expressed how they loved seeing their teachers “at their house”. McLaurin is trying to bridge the gap between school and home.
Page 10
At Briggs Reading Together Is Better in that change. A Kindness Celebration was held on October 31st. The classes who participated came to the media center for a fun game of Headbands with Ally’s impossible sketches and made a kindness banner for the media center. Students love reading when it is a fun group activity. Briggs Elementary students love reading together because together is better. Ready for some spooky fun? Students in Kindergarten - Second Grade went on a student led Ghost Walk on October 31st. They enjoyed a story at the gazebo about a big pumpkin retold by fourth grader Sofia Norris from the book Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. Then they traveled to the chicken coop to learn how Jasper Rabbit deals with a scary pair of underwear from the book Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds as retold by fourth grader Avin Knotts. In the flower garden, fifth grader Mi’Kala Woods warned the students about a boo hag named Pruella from the book Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia McKissack. To finish the tour, sixth grader Romel Malloy tickled their funny bones with some ghost jokes he learned from the book Spooky Sillies : A Book of Ghost Jokes by Mark Moore. Kindness is contagious. Students in grades 4-6 did a school wide reading of the book Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt from August to October. Throughout the reading they answered daily trivia questions and Mrs. Keefe’s fourth grade class answered the most trivia questions. During morning meetings they also used the 7 Habits to analyze the main characters’ different situations and what they would do in similar ones. We saw the main character, Ally change throughout the story and the role kindness played Book Release Parties are the Bomb! Literally. We made stick bombs which are also called popsicle stick explosions. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney was released on November 5th. Twenty-three students pre-ordered the book and were invited to a book release party on November 7th. We used popsicle sticks to construct the cobra pattern. When released, the tension in the popsicle sticks caused quite an explosion. Some students had already read the entire book before the party and some had not finished it, but all were excited to be a part of the reading fun. The book release party was planned and executed by our Library Event Coordinators: Marley Rollins (6th grade), Emma Wentzel (6th grade), and Adonis Brown (6th grade). Sharing and reading stories is one of the most important things we can do to help our children succeed in school. Children read more when we make it fun. How can you make reading fun? Read with a child. Everything's better together, even Sneed Middle School Squire Time Math Squire Time is an initiative at Sneed Middle School where once a month everyone stops their day and for an hour to focus on math fundamentals and enrichment. Born out of the recognition that students at Sneed need more support in the area of mathematics, Squire Time is intended to provide an environment in which importance is placed on math fundamentals and literacy. Students have time set aside to review and practice those fundamental skills that are crucial to their success in math. The need for improvement in math is not unique to Sneed, Florence One Schools or even the state of South Carolina. Data shows that math literacy across the nation is an area in which students need more support. During this time, students meet with their Math Advisor and work on fundamental math skills, math enrichment, test taking strategies and goal setting. During the first Squire Time meeting, each student worked with their advisor to develop a mid-year and end-of-year math goal. They identified barriers that might keep them from reaching their goal and then brainstormed strategies to overcome those barriers. This helps guide students throughout the year so that they stay on track and are set to meet their goal. The math work that is done is based on student needs. These needs are identified both by assessment data and by feedback from our teachers. Each Squire Time group is led by a teacher, administrator, school counselor, instructional coach or media specialist. Everyone has a role. On the importance of an “all-handson-deck” approach Sneed’s Principal, Mr. Oates says “It is imperative that we show our students that learning math is meaningful and important. By having everyone, including myself, serve as a math advisor students see that. The other benefit to having more people lead Squire Time groups is that we are able to have smaller groups of students. This allows for a more hands on approach with the students.” The ultimate goal is to provide support to our students outside of the quality support and instruction they receive in their math classes.
Page 12
Southside celebrates annual Festival of the Arts Southside Middle School's Fine Arts and Technology Department recently held their annual Fall Festival of the Arts. The festival is an opportunity to highlight not only our fine arts and STEM department, but also our students and their many talents. Informational sessions, presentations, interactive sessions, and games were sponsored by each of the arts disciplines and parents/visitors chose which of the sessions to participate in. Presentations included: Drum Circle, Night at the Museum, Light Painting, Theater Games, Musical Style Bingo, Dance Instruction, Orchestra, and STEM interactive sessions. In preparation for the festival, students spent weeks researching, planning and preparing for an evening that showcased what takes place on a daily basis at Southside. The roles were reversed this evening, however, as instead of the teachers providing instruction, students facilitated all sessions. In addition, dinner was prepared and served by students in the consumer science class to over 400 attendees and participants! The Young Men’s’ Club, a Southside student service organization, served as hosts and greeters for the event as well. It was a great evening for all, with food, learning experiences and fun! Delmae Second Graders Adopt Reading Pets Reading is both fundamental and fun at Delmae! Second-grade students recently participated in a pet adoption event that provided secondgrade students with stuffed dogs as a way to promote literacy and to get students excited about reading. Second grade teachers wrote individual Donors Choose Grants for each of their seven classes to fund an academic unit to promote literacy. All seven grants were funded which resulted in a unit of learning and a project of giving. The unit on friends and family included research, writing and reading about pets. In this unit, students read “Henry and Mudge,” a book about a boy who adopted a dog because he was lonely. Since our school mascot is the Delmae DAWGS, this was easily aligned with student interest and school spirit! As a culmination of the unit the students participated in a Pet Adoption Day. Each student was allowed to adopt a pet stuffed dog to have as a reading buddy both in class and at home. The pets were placed in portal kennels which were set up as stations around the multipurpose room. Students selected a pet from their teacher’s kennel and received a small cardboard pet carrier and an adoption certificate. Students signed a contract saying that they would read to the stuffed puppies for 20 minutes each night. Students also are bringing the puppies back to school on Fridays to read to them during Flashlight Fridays, a weekly reading event in which students get to read a book of choice using a flashlight. A special PUPCAKE treat was provided for students at the end of the adoption program by our partners in literacy at First Reliance Bank. The unit culminated with a food and supply drive for the Florence Humane Society.

Students First Newsletter October 2019


Page 2
Count 5: A Campaign to Change School Readiness RN Beck Child Development Center, Woods Road Child Development Center and The Office of Parent Information Services have spent the past year restructuring its programs to include Helle Heckmann’s Five Golden Keys. The Five Golden Keys - Sleep, Movement, Mealtime, Routine and Loving Care - define the necessary things a young child must have to enter school ready to learn. While the ABC’s and 1,2,3’s get a lot of publicity for being the foundation of school, the real basis for school readiness and life are found in the Golden Keys. Without the keys governing the way young children are cared for at home and at school, children will not be prepared. Therefore, the readiness programs must be constantly monitored and changed to meet the ever changing needs of individual children. Let’s look at the recent changes the programs have incorporated. Playgrounds - The Woods Road Playground was given a facelift this summer to increase the opportunities for children to MOVE. Outdoor play is central for children’s optimal development both physically and mentally. Opportunities to climb a hill, swing, run, build a playhouse and dig in the sand are examples of how children use the outdoors to grow and learn. Also to be added by Thanksgiving are water play, trike paths, and a nature walk. Mealtime - When Chartwells took over Florence One Food Services this fall, they agreed to offer in-classroom food service to preschool children. Each day, children help set up the tables in their classroom with the help of their teachers. When the food arrives in the classroom, they help serve and sit down for a homelike meal together. Instead of an overwhelming cafeteria, children and their teachers sit and eat together. Learning to help others, eat properly and carry on conversations builds children’s skills for Kindergarten. Sleep - After lunch, children settle down for a nap. The children assist in putting out their sleeping cots, get their blankets, take off their shoes and settle in for a quiet nap time story from the teacher. Within minutes, children settle into a rest that is safe, secure and restorative for their busy afternoon to follow. Loving Care - The cornerstone of good early childhood education is the loving, respectful care of a parent or teacher. At our preschools, teachers always take time to listen to children, give them chances to express themselves and allow them time to carry out their ideas in play. When children have a hard day, our staff is there with loving guidance to provide what they need. Playgroups - Younger children ages 0 - 3 now have an opportunity to come to school. Two-hour long playgroups are being offered at both preschools by the Office of Parent Information Services. Parents and their children come to school and play while their parents watch and ask questions of parenting experts. After an hour of self-directed play, the children have a snack time, outdoor time and closing circle song. If parents are interested in participating in our services, they may call our offices for more information. North Vista Students Receive Support Through Response to Intervention Program With the assistance of Response to Intervention Director, Katie Ocheltree, North Vista Elementary School is embarking on two initiatives with their interventionists and grade level assistants. This school year interventionists will be working with kindergarten through sixth grade students in either a push in or pull out program. For the push in program, the interventionists go in the classroom and work directly with small groups on the content that the teacher is working on at that time. All grade levels receive support in this area. Grades four through six have an assistant that gives writing support. For the pull-out program, the interventionists work with three to four students on skills in the Lexia program, Accelerated Reader or Leveled Literacy Intervention. Students in grades two through six are served in this area. The Reading Recovery teachers also serve as interventionists for students in first and second grades. North Vista is excited about the extra support that is being offered for students to continue to grow and be successful.
Page 4
Royall Elementary School is Platinum! Royall Elementary School opened its doors 70 years ago at the Woods Road site in the fall of 1949. Named after Sam J. Royall, Member of the Board of Trustees from 1933-1947 and Chairman of the Board from 1944-1947, the school was then identified as a state of the art facility equipped with fire alarms, a library, conference/ parent room, a cafeteria with kitchen and 14 classrooms. Under the leadership of Principal Richard McLaurin, Royall Elementary School welcomed 425 students and 14 staff members on it’s first day. During the first year a Christmas play, poetry corner and PTA became a part of the Royall traditions that are still practiced today. One summer a cat, “Sam” decided to make Royall his home. He could be seen walking the halls and sitting on the laps of students who needed consoling. Sam was as much a part of the Royall family as the teachers and students for 14 years. Living up to it’s Royall motto: A Proud Past...A Bright Future, Royall Elementary School has maintained many of the earlier traditions that include a back to school celebration, school plays and annual staff Christmas party. Now in its 5th year at the Cheraw Drive school site, Royall Elementary recently welcomed 600+ students and 86 staff members. Once again, our school is considered a state of the art facility, not to mention the many accolades and successes our students have earned along the way! Royall has advancements beyond it’s 1949 counterpart but still holds dear the simple truths that all children must have an equal opportunity to experience the joy of learning and achieve their fullest potential. Royall’s guidance counselor, Karen Jordan said, “Personally, it is and has been a blessing to be a part of the Royall family who values every student who walks through the doors and encourages him/her to reach his/her dream. For many, Royall is a safe home with caring hearts and desire for all to achieve”. Principal Julie Smith, who has served at Royall for 35 years, attributes Royall’s tradition of academic excellence to the high expectations that are shared by all. To celebrate the platinum birthday at Royall, students enjoyed a picnic lunch complete with hamburgers, fruit, and chips in the sunshine on blankets. Afterwards students and staff could be seen dancing on the playground wearing birthday hats to celebrate this event. Jacob Bobbitt, a 6th grader at Royall said that he loved going outside to celebrate this special day with his friends in the sunshine. Jamiyah Holmes, a sixth grader who has attended Royall since kindergarten said, “I enjoyed going outside to listen to music and doing the old school dances like the Cupid Shuffle. It was a fun way to start my last year at Royall”. The longest serving Royall teacher, Coach Kevin Allen had this to say about Royall “ I came to Royall in 1978 straight out of the University of South Carolina. I was an excited new physical education teacher eager to start a career that would take me to now 43 years later. The years at Royall have been a true blessing as I have watched many kids come through these halls and contribute to its success. When I retire at the end of this school year, I will miss walking these halls, seeing the students, and talking to my peers. Seventy years old and still the best! Flex Friday speakers encourage Alfred Rush Academy students The Flexible Learning Center (FLC) is a pathway for students to earn school credits that is different from the traditional school model. The FLC serves students who are interested in graduating early, need a flexible schedule, want to study in a smaller learning environment or have fallen behind their cohort. Courses are taken online using Gradpoint and Apex. Students work at their own pace and may complete work inside and outside of the classroom. Certified teachers are present to provide instructional help as well as monitor students' progress. Flex Friday is a program where speakers are invited from the community to engage with the students, topics ranging from peer pressure, time management, career choices, overcoming obstacles, etc. In the past, Alfred Rush Academy has hosted a wide range of professionals including attorneys, military, police, occupational therapist, and industrial technicians. So far this year we had the opportunity to hear from Chaquez McCall, Esq. He is one of the youngest licensed attorneys in South Carolina. McCall is a former student of Alfred Rush Academy who did not let obstacles get in his way and stop him from achieving his goal. He presented a few interesting legal scenarios to the students to ignite their interest in the law. He closed with encouraging them to excel and a commitment to helping them reach the heights he was able to reach.
Page 6
Wilson Partners With Coker College to Offer Virtual Learning Opportunities With a new partnership with the Governor’s School of Math and Science, in conjunction with Coker College, Wilson High School is excited to offer several new classes designed to prepare students for a career in Engineering. To accommodate the classes, Florence 1 Schools renovated a classroom into a virtual lab in which students will be in contact with instructors at Coker College. The renovations include new furniture, an interactive monitor, and laptops. Through video and microphone feeds, students in the class are able to see and communicate with their instructors at Coker College. The students receive both high school and college credit for these classes. The classes are primarily for students in 9th and 10th grade who have already completed Algebra 2 and Geometry and have a high interest in science and mathematics. Students may either select to take a combination of courses that lead to a certificate or select classes that are in their career interest. Principal of Wilson High School, Dr. Eric Robinson had this to say about the new classroom and curriculum, “This new classroom is an innovative way to give students a challenging curriculum, while preparing them for future careers. The best thing about the class is that they do not have to travel off campus to have these types of opportunities.” Bruin News Network Uses New TV Studio South Florence High School has a brand new television studio and the Bruin News Network (BNN) is taking full advantage of the new space. Meredith Taylor, teacher for the Digital Broadcast Cinematography class, said that the space is like a mini television station. “We have pretty much everything you would need to run a successful broadcast,” Taylor said. “We have a lighting and sound board, a teleprompter system, a multi-view that shows the different camera angles, a graphics computer and a computer that also shows what we’re streaming.” Jackson Stanton, a freshman at South Florence, said that using the new studio space BNN keeps the school up to date on all the activities going on. “An average day in this class involves reporting and filming other pieces that we get announcements for,” Stanton said. “We use those announcements for clubs and other activities and push them out. Some clubs will ask us to push them out, some times we’ll find it and we’ll push it out for them.” Senior Aubrey Crawford said that she has enjoyed her time in BNN. “Whenever we get new announcements from the school, I will be recorded saying them and that will be added to the broadcast,” Crawford said. “This is my fourth year in the Bruin Broadcast Network. I started my freshman year and I have really enjoyed it. I am so glad I got to be a part of this new program my last year. We have such amazing new equipment compared to what we had before. It really opens up for so much more out of this program.”
Page 8
Lexia Core5 Reading Helps Timrod Tailor Activities To Student Needs Lexia Core5 Reading is an adaptive technology-based literacy program that provides personalized curriculum for our Timrod students. This program assesses and remediates skills in six areas of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, automaticity/fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The game-based activities and assessments are engaging for students and encourage them to think deeply as they work through lessons. By using the program 20 minutes a day, four days a week, students receive independent practice of these various skills to help them make the shift from learning to read to reading to learn. Each activity changes or adapts based on a student’s performance. One of the ways we are implementing Lexia at Timrod is through our beforeschool program Monday through Thursday. It is during this time that a certified teacher monitors students as they work to meet their goals for Lexia. This additional time gives students an opportunity to meet their minutes as they complete lessons. Our teachers are also findrequired ing success using Lexia in the classroom. Principal Michelle McBride stated, “The students are actively engaged with Lexia Core5 during blended learning in ELA. Students are closing academic skill gaps with the program. Our teachers have also embraced the program and are using it for small group instruction.” Our students are assessed individually and the program determines where students are struggling and even provides guidance and immediate feedback to help students master the skills. Once mastery is obtained, students move to offline activities such as teacher-led Lexia Lessons that provide scripts for teachers to instruct in specific skill areas. In addition, teachers have access to Lexia teaching strategies, collaborative activities, and paper-and-pencil activities all designed around students’ personalized learning paths. For struggling students, they receive scaffolded support to provide guidance for the skills they need help with. Teachers have access to detailed reports that allow them to track student progress throughout the year and connect student data to classroom instruction and student practice. Students Learn And Have Fun In Wallace-Gregg Clubs October has been a very busy month at Wallace-Gregg Elementary School! At the beginning of the month Kris Davis from aKristic Films come to the school to shoot the yearbook cover on spirit day. Mr. Davis used a drone to video the students setting up to form the letters, WGE. Once the students were in place he used the drone to take an aerial picture. At Wallace Gregg, we have focused on creating leaders in our students. We want our students to have the opportunity to develop the 21st century skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. As a result, we have started several student clubs at Wallace Gregg sponsored by faculty and staff members. The Mighty Eagle Men is a club designed to promote the social, emotional and psychological development of our young men. Male students in grades fourth through sixth can participate. The Mighty Eagle Men have guest speakers at least once a month. The Mighty Eagle Men perform community service and serve as greeters and ushers at school events. Recently, the Mighty Eagle Men served as greeters for the Community of Practice meeting at our school. The Media Club is comprised of students in grades 5th and 6th. The club is responsible for producing our morning show that is uploaded daily to our shared WGE Google Drive. The Media Club is remodeling a space to serve as their media room, equipped with a green screen and editing technology. Our Eagle Sports Club is open to students in grades fourth through sixth. The purpose of the club is to teach students sportsmanship while participating in various sports. Currently, the students are learning how to play basketball! All the organizations and clubs take the unwavering commitment of our faculty and staff. Wallace Gregg Elementary School is lucky to have staff members willing to stay after school to continue student learning outside of the walls of the classroom.
Page 10
Career Center Early Childhood Program Builds Partnerships Early Childhood Education along with Child Development has collaborated with F1S’ Woods Road Child Development Center and RN Beck Child Development Center to allow our students who are in the internship phase of the program to complete their hours at the two Child Development sites. Ms. Burns and Dr. Creech have collaborated along with the School Foundation to build an Early Childhood Program that is able to provide the hours needed for our Florence Career Center students. Ms. Carpenter, the Director of the Florence Career Center stated, "We are fortunate to have the opportunity to partner with the two Child Development Centers in F1S. The R N Beck CDC and Woods Road CDC will provide the hands on experience our students need to help them be successful in their future endeavors in the field of Early Childhood Education". Thanks to Dr Creech for the opportunity. Ms. Burns plans on starting the Montessori Certification next school year. This was a recommendation from the Advisory Committee member, Dr. Creech. This collaboration has been a long time coming and it was with the help of Dr. Creech in creating the classroom environment at Florence Career Center. Ms. Burns has worked long and hard with the Advisory Committee to develop this program to this point. In the near future, she would like to have a Child Development on-site at Florence Career Center. Ms. Burns states, “it would be an awesome opportunity for staff on campus who have preschool children and need childcare. Students would be able to do their internships on our campus”. Students Become Focused Leaders of Williams Middle School Williams Middle School 7th graders, Scott Hood (left) and Elijah Patterson (right) participate in the F.L.O.W. morning program with Mrs. Powell During the 2019-2020 academic year, Williams Middle School started its Focused Leaders of Williams or F.L.O.W. Morning and Afternoon Enrichment Program. The focus of F.L.O.W. is academic enhancement in the areas of math and ELA for our 7th and 8th grade students. Participants are reached in two ways. The first is a positive start to their morning. Students who arrive to school between 7:30 and 7:35 move into classrooms and began their day with ELA and Math enrichment through vocabulary, math problems, positive quotes and other reading comprehension activities. Afternoon students are assigned to a specific teacher where they have opportunity to focus on areas of needed growth identified through state and district assessments. Teachers strive to use integrated technology to help students begin and end their day in a focused and positive way. The goal of the program is to grow our students. Williams Middle School principal, Pamela Johnson believes that “no matter where our students are, they can show academic growth, and it is important that we take advantage of every moment we have with them.” The F.L.O.W. program does just that. They start and end their day with a certified teacher who can assist them in areas they need most.
Page 12
Computer Science Immersion Program at Savannah Grove integrates STEM learning Savannah Grove is excited about its second full year of our Computer Science Immersion program by Code to the Future. Thanks to the support of our school district and a major grants recipient of The School Foundation our students will be undergoing three 8 week cycles of Computer Science Immersion projects. Grades K-2 will integrate their projects with the classroom teacher while 36th grade will integrate their projects in our STEM Lab led by Dr. Haley Taylor. In Cycle 1 of our computer science immersion program, our students are utilizing Scratch to learn block-based coding skills. They are integrating these skills with ELA and MATH skills to create interactive projects. For example, our 4th graders are creating and coding a math review game that includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in a game where the player has to sort the math problems and answers into the categories of "greater than," "less than," or "equal to" a given number. Our kindergarteners are using a story they have read to build and code a project about the main character, the setting of the story, and an event that takes place in the story. With each year and each cycle that comes, the students are building upon the skills they learned the previous year to create and code. To the average passerby, it may seem like the students are just "playing" on the computer, but when you take the time to ask them what they are doing, you will learn they are solving problems, debugging, and iterating their projects in order to produce a complete piece of work that they can be proud of. Learning these skills in elementary and fun ways now will prepare them to learn more in-depth coding programs such as Java Script. Having the experience of coding in their skillset will set our students apart from others when they apply for a school or job that requires these skills. Our students can work to fill the million-person job gap mentioned earlier. Cycle 2 brings tons of excitement from our students because they design, build, and code robots! We use Lego robot sets to implement this unit. The students use their knowledge of Scratch to block-base code their robots. Each grade level works to master a specific challenge with their robot at the heart of the problem solving aspect. Their robot may be used to model how an oceanic robot could assist in collecting oil during an oil spill in the ocean. Another could be hypothetically sent into a remote and dangerous area in the jungle to collect information about a new species of animal. Some of the robots are simply coded to follow a map. This unit really has the ability to broaden our students' horizons as far as their future goes. They get to really see how robots are changing the world today, as well as brainstorm ideas and put their own robots into action to maybe one day be the catalyst of their own project that changes the world of medicine, agriculture, architecture, and beyond. Cycle 3 allows our students to go behind the screen, if you will to learn how the famous, Minecraft game works. The students are challenged with textbased coding and learning how math and numbers are incorporated into computer programming. Our 6th graders are even immersed into Java Script and begin to see how their typed words behind the screen control what characters do, how weather changes, and how actions and reactions happen within their Minecraft world. Overall, the students are gaining valuable life lessons, career skills, and are even preparing themselves for life after elementary, middle, and high school. If they invest in the fun learning now, they will be able to solve problems, communicate effectively, and leave a positive and influential digital footprint on the world.

Sept Students First


Page 0
Page 2
Scottie Dog Care Closet Meets Student Needs at McLaurin Elementary As teachers, we know that our job does not stop at preparing and teaching lessons. Our job is to make sure that our students are safe and that all of their needs are met. The staff at McLaurin has rallied together to create a care closet for the students in our school. The goal for our care closet is to give students access to the basic needs in their life so that they are able to focus on their education. McLaurin has wonderful parents and community members that have supplied our closets with many items. We have one closet that is filled with personal care items such as shampoo/conditioner, toothbrushes/ toothpaste, and soap. Our second closet has educational supplies where students can get items like pencils, paper, and journals. As we can see from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, physiological needs are vital for a human to reach their full potential. These items in the care closet allow students to meet those needs. Students are able to get the items that they need in privacy to avoid embarrassment from their peers. At McLaurin, we are a family and families take care of each other. Greenwood Prepares For A Great EDventure! Greenwood Elementary School kicked off the 2019-20 school year with the theme “Welcome to the Great Edventure!” It has certainly been an “Educational adventure” for everyone as twenty-two new faculty and staff members joined the Dragon family. Our teachers and students have embraced our new Math Curriculum, Big Ideas Math for grades K-5, new Social Studies standards, and new computer programs: Lexia, Dreambox, and Mindplay. Our general education and special education teachers and support staff are building and sustaining effective classroom partnerships as we embrace the inclusive schools model to support students in making academic gains. Elizabeth Weatherly, our Curriculum/Technology Coordinator, provided our entire faculty and staff with an overview of the Co-Teaching Model for Inclusive Schools the week before our students arrived. Dr. Collins developed a schedule with Intervention time built in throughout the day so students and staff have designated time to work on specific skills needed to support student learning. The general education and special education teachers and support staff work side-by-side to provide the assistance students need in all of our content areas. This model helps ensure that all of our students have access to the content standards in every subject area and provided appropriate support to help them achieve their individual goals for learning. Our teachers and students have quickly acclimated themselves to the new Smartboards that were installed. All of our students are enjoying using their devices to advance their learning with Lexia, Dreambox, and Mindplay. Some of our students are enjoying them so much that they are finding it difficult to stay within the appropriate range of minutes for the week and not go over. One teacher reported that overnight one of her students logged in 200 minutes on Dreambox and when asked about it, the student said, “But I just LOVE it!” Our teachers are learning how to implement and monitor the new programs as well and we’re excited about the data it gives to assist the teachers in promoting student learning. Not only are our students learning, our teachers are learning, too! Tuesdays are set aside for Professional Learning Communities to meet in grade level and whole group meetings during their common planning periods and after school. This provides our teachers with the opportunity to learn and grow together. The PLCs are led by various members of our school and district, such as, Dr. Collins, Maureen Moore, Katrina Rouse and Richard McCabe. Mrs. Stacie Owens, our Reading Coach, has been instrumental in facilitating our K-3 teachers in implementing the new Fountas and Pinnel Guided Reading Curriculum and Benchmark Assessment System as well as providing support in planning and implementing the Orton-Gillingham Methodology for Reading.
Page 4
STEAM Learning At Theodore Lester Elementary Ann Ham takes reading instruction to another level through STEAM. Instead of having her second grade class just read traditional stories like The Three Little Pigs and answer questions, Ms. Ham’s students experience traditional tales through the lenses of puppeteers, architects and authors. During their exploration of The Three Little Pigs, Ms. Ham used scientific inquiry to help her students understand how effective or ineffective it might be to live in a house made from straw, sticks, or bricks. Working in groups with Ms. Ham and one of Lester’s reading interventionist, Ms. Dean Miller, students then went on to explore building the various homes as architects, living in those homes, and having an intruder, the wolf, try to break into those homes. After analyzing character traits, Ms. Ham exposes her students to theater elements by having her students take on the personalities of story characters and reenact traditional tales through the use of puppets. Teaching reading from a STEAM approach is a double win in Ms. Ham’s class. The first win is increased learning as students are exposed to the creative process; students engage in meaningful collaboration; all students get to experience hands-on learning experiences; girls get to explore STEM fields and students engage in meaningful collaboration. The second win is increased student engagement and fewer behavior or discipline issues. Students and Staff Drop Everything And Read At Delmae Elementary During National Read A Book Day Reading is both Fundamental and Fun at Delmae Heights Elementary. Throughout the school year students, staff and parents engage in activities and programs that encourage and support a love of reading. Our first program of the year was held on Friday, September 6, 2019 when everyone “Dropped Everything and Read for the last thirty minutes of the school day. Our D.E.A.R. Day was in observance of National Read a Book Day. It is the first of several special reading days and activities to be sponsored throughout the school year. Reading is Fundamental and Fun…more to come.
Page 6
Sneed Squires tackle preengineering courses The world we live in is complex and constantly changing. It is important now more than ever that students are prepared to solve complex problems, gather and make sense of information, and evaluate evidence to make decisions. A greater interest in STEM education means a brighter future for everyone. By providing students with opportunities to explore STEM and STEM-related concepts, they will develop a solid understanding and passion for it and hopefully pursue a STEM-related career. Our Sneed students are connecting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to their core subjects and solving real-world problems. STEM strengthens critical thinking skills, fosters collaboration, and at its core prioritizes problem-solving. These are highly sought after skills in college and beyond. We are giving rise to a new generation of problem solvers, thinkers, and innovators for our future workforce. Middle school is a time of exploration where students are finding themselves and their interests. When they discover what they are passionate about, they have a better start in choosing a path leading to a more successful future. Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a gateway to this discovery for some of our students. Some students take PLTW courses and realize that the field of engineering is something they want to pursue as a career. Design and Modeling is a preengineering course that provides students with an introduction to the world of engineering, introducing the different types of engineers and what they do before shifting the focus to the design process. This scientific process is what engineers use to design solutions to problems that are presented. Throughout the course, students are presented with problems and either work with a partner or a team to come up with a design to solve the problem. After designs have been documented and approved, students build a prototype and test it to ensure that it indeed solves the problem. They develop an understanding of how their own creativity and critical thinking can solve problems and come up with inventions and innovations for our world. This year Design and Modeling is divided into two different levels. All students are allowed to take the first level. Students who excel and show an increased interest can take Part 2 which offers in-depth design opportunities including designing using 3D modeling software. Once their designs are approved, some students will be able to manufacture these designs using our new 3D Printer, gaining further insight into the manufacturing process. Design and Modeling classes offer a project -based learning experience. It affords for more student engagement and gets students more invested in their learning. This is a learn by discovery class so sometimes making mistakes makes the learning process deeper and richer. Students understand that the design process is iterative and that they may have to redesign to arrive at the desired outcome. The teacher is the facilitator of learning and students are encouraged to take more control of their learning process. Students are more interactive and learn not only from the teacher but from each other. Because of the nature of this class, we are right in line with our district’s one-to-one initiative: students complete assignments in the classroom on their Chromebooks through Google Classroom. Dewey Carter Starts School Morning News Show Dewey L. Carter was so excited to start our own Live Morning Show this school year. The show is being broadcast through the new smart tv’s in each classroom and is being led by Assistant Principal, Joey Gainey, who spent the summer preparing for its arrival. “We wanted to bring some excitement to our faculty, staff and students by having a live morning show instead of our daily announcements through our intercom system,” Gainey said. “I wanted everyone at DLC to start their day off on a positive note. The morning show allows us to be energetic and encouraging. Students who participate on the show learn about technology by how the show works as well as try their hand at public speaking. Students have to be able to look at the camera, speak clearly and follow the script for the show.” Each teacher is designated a particular week and students from those classes help lead the morning show. Students begin each show with the Pledge of Allegiance, school pledge, moment of silence, lunch choices, and weather for the day. Daily birthdays for both students and staff are also shared along with Positive Office Referrals and other positive shout-outs. Students voted over a 2-week period to name the show and the winning name was "DLC Morning Cub News". Faculty, staff, and students truly enjoy starting our day on such a positive note! “We have received positive feedback from teachers and students who enjoy starting their day with the DLC Morning Cub News,” Gainey said.
Page 8
West Florence High School STEM Magnet Scholars program accelerates and enriches learning experiences for students who are academically gifted and have an interest in STEM related majors and careers. The STEM program is an honors magnet program designed to provide scholars who are academically able and motivated with relevant real-world experiences in a challenging and technological atmosphere where collaboration and critical thinking are the norm. Scholars work to solve global and local interdisciplinary community-based problems hand in hand with their peers, teachers, community partners, and professionals. Our STEM Magnet program creates learning experiences which enable students to pursue AP courses, research, and/or internships in a field of interest. The STEM program is open to ninth grade students inside the Florence 1 school zone interested in a STEM career pathway after high school. In order for a student to qualify as a STEM scholar, the student must attain eight STEM credits from the West Florence approved course list. Scholars must successfully complete a research course and maintain high standards of behavior and ethics. To receive the designation STEM Scholar with Honors, STEM scholars must receive at least 14 STEM credits including one research credit. Each spring, STEM students will be required to reflect upon their course experiences and discuss how their involvement has changed them as individuals. Each course uniquely embeds problemsolving, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, ethics, acton, and accountability. Some of our courses include Computer Coding, Cyber Security Fundamentals, Civil and Architectural Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Medical Interventions & Research HN, Biomedical Innovations & Research HN, AP Computer Science, STEM AP Human and Geography. In the Aerospace Engineering course, students will be immersed in the fundamental disciplines of Aerospace Engineering, aerodynamics, materials, structures, propulsion, flight mechanics, orbital mechanics, software, and stability and control. The Medical Interventions course allow students to delve into activities like designing a prosthetic arm as they follow the life of a fictitious family and investigate how to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. In Biomedical Innovations, students design their own innovative solutions for the most pressing health challenges of the 21st century. In our Clean Energy course, students work to solve problems in different areas, such as motors, generators, water and energy conservation, wind turbines, biofuel generation, bioreactors, water power and fuel cells. One goal of the program is to help STEM students build their personal statements for college applications, which will increase their global competitiveness. Other goals of the program include promoting inquiry style learning, and providing unique opportunities outside the classroom environment such as field studies, independent research, and competitive academic teams. After successfully completing the STEM Magnet program, students will be highly competitive for admission to rigorous university programs. West Florence STEM Magnet program is designed to help students develop scientific literacy and promote a learning community beyond the confines of the school building. West Florence High School is preparing graduates with the skills necessary in becoming productive and responsible citizens, who are successful with the ability to evolve in an ever-changing society. Keeping Cool with Summer Reading At Lucy T. Davis Students at Lucy T. Davis Elementary School continued their reading success over the summer through the LTD Summer Reading Program. During each visit, students and their families participated in fun filled family activities, as well as read together. Students were able to read independently, with their family and listen to a shared story time by the Lucy T. Davis Media Specialist, Mrs. Daniels. For family fun, several options for STEAM based exploratory activities were provided such as: Code & Go Mice, Cublets, Legos, and other hands-on activities. To inspire imagination and dramatic play, students had the opportunity to create puppet shows in the LTD mini theater based on the characters of the books they read. While in attendance, students could take AR tests and the points they earned were then applied to the upcoming school year. Several students completed a “Snapshot Summary”, which provided them with a chance to reflect on their reading and make book recommendations to their friends. For participating in the program, students were given books to add to their home collection and Owl Loot. The program’s goal is to inspire a love of family reading and provide a cool family activity when the weather is hot.
Page 10
Leader-Owned Classrooms at Briggs Elementary School ment. We created it together, recite it regularly, and it really does keep us focused on what matters most, whether we’re in the classroom or not. Our teacher has hers posted right there by her desk and, of course, we each have our own too! “On the whiteboard right now you can see our shared learning target—we call it our end in mind. That helps us stay present in the learning with each other. And then you can see that we’re using the Brainstormer in our learning right now. It’s just one of the leadership and quality tools we use all the time. See, over there, yesterday in math we worked with a Venn Diagram.” “Some other things we do in here are work on our goals–we call them WIGs® because they’re wildly important. We keep track of them in our Leadership Notebooks®. That’s actually our WIG wall right there. It has our class goals and lead measures and how we’re tracking them.” Imagine if students around the world felt safe, welcome, and had a sense of belonging at school. At Briggs we have leader-owned classrooms. In such a classroom, students are very involved in creating a leadership culture. Picture the student ambassador for a class offering up a tour to a visitor. Imagine the student pointing out the features that make the space a leadership classroom. Would it sound like this? “Welcome to our classroom! I’ll be your guide today. I’ll show you what makes our classroom a leadership classroom! “Probably the first thing you notice here is that there’s a LOT of student work on the walls, right? This is OUR classroom. Our teacher asks us to create the space and this is what we came up with. And we’re the ones responsible for it too! Just looking around, I like spending my days here! Wouldn’t you? “We have our 7 Habits posted over there. We created the posters the first week of school as a reminder of how we want to grow as leaders. We see them, we speak and hear them, and we use them every day. “This is our class mission state“And lastly, on the wall here, is our leadership-roles display. Everyone in our class has a leadership role all the time, so this is where we check in on who is responsible for what and also get a sense of what we might want to try next month. We also help out the next person who takes over our role by teaching them what we learned in the role.” “Some things that we do that aren’t posted on a wall but that we do as leaders are class meetings, morning greeting, and class celebrations. And that is the key to, actually, everything we do in our class— it’s that we do it and we own it.” Engaged students are more likely to feel ownership, take risks in their learning, develop strong relationships, and build up their leadership skills. I can’t think of a better way to develop global citizens. (Information included in this article came from the Leader In Me Weekly) Moore Farms Botanical Gardens Visits Moore Intermediate School On September 20, 2019, students in Mrs. Woodwards STEAM Lab welcomed Kelli, Nina, and Melody from Moore Farms Botanical Gardens in Lake City. After a brief introduction, four students worked together to complete a diagram of the life cycle of the plant. Students then identified Florence on the Plant Hardiness map and learned that we are in Zone 8 for planting fruits and vegetables. Students were then given an opportunity to taste test green and multi-colored peppers. The overall consensus--the multi colored peppers won! Once students were done with the taste testing, everyone went outside to the garden area to get it ready for fall planting. Students were broken up into three groups and each group had a different task to complete. Students were tasked with pulling out the old crops, refilling the raised beds with soil, and pulling weeds. Students then learned how to plant the seeds in the beds. Students planted carrots, radishes, kale, spearmint, peppermint, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary, lettuce, beets, sugar snap peas, strawberries, and brussels sprouts. Willow Price, student at Moore, said, “I enjoyed learning about the seeds, how they feel, and being able to put my hands in the soil.” Moore students will visit the garden regularly to watch the seeds grow. Joanna McCumber, STEAM Coach, at Moore said, “All of the students enjoyed being able to spend time in the garden and learn how to plant seeds. We are looking forward to future visits from Moore Farms Botanical Gardens.” Moore Principal Carol Schweitz, said, “Thank you to Moore Farms Botanical Garden for providing students with a real-world experience.” Valerie Woodward, STEAM Lab teacher, said, “We enjoyed having the ladies from Moore Botanical Gardens come to our school. The students liked working in the garden and learning how to plant various plants. The students are excited to see the seeds they planted grow.” The Moore students and staff are grateful for this partnership with Moore Farms Botanical Gardens!
Page 12
Southside Middle School Falcon Camp helps 7th grade students ease in to middle school Southside Middle School hosted our annual Falcon Camp for incoming 7th graders in August. The event is organized by the guidance department and serves as a welcome for new students as they transition to middle school. Students were greeted by the Southside cheerleading squad as they entered a “pep rally” type atmosphere in which they were introduced to what it means to be a Southside Falcon. Students toured the building, participated in short informational sessions with faculty members, and were given a school string backpack loaded with Southside goodies! Principal Shand Josey states, “Falcon Camp is a great way to ease the anxiety that many students feel as they prepare for middle school. Southside is a large campus and giving students the opportunity to learn their way around and meet their teachers before that big first day of school is an important part of making their move to middle school smoother.” Falcon Camp also provided an opportunity for students to see firsthand the enhancements that took place over the summer to the Southside campus. Freshly painted classrooms, new landscaping, a newly paved parking lot, and new furniture have given the school a fresh look to start the 2019-2020 school year. A turnout of over 300 students for Falcon Camp set the tone for what is going to be a fantastic year for our Southside faculty, staff, and students. Carver Summer Camp Focuses On The Four C’s of STEAM This summer, Carver Elementary STEAM Magnet School completed its second annual STEAM Works Summer Camp. Bringing STEAM education to the entire student population at Carver has been a focus for the school for the past four years. Across the nation, there is an ever growing need for an educated workforce with a STEM mindset. After Carver received their national AdvancEd STEM Accreditation, Carver administrators wanted to give teachers time to work on Project-Based Learning opportunities that they were not able to complete during the average school day. There was also a desire to open the camp to potential magnet students that would be new to Carver in the upcoming school year. Carver is the host site for the camp, and it is made available to all Florence One Schools students in Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. Carver teachers and administrators assisted with the organization and facilitation of the camp. During the summer of 2019, the camp was four days long and was available to 50 students. Based on the feedback from the teachers, parents, and campers, the time was well spent and allowed for in depth project development and positive student enjoyment. The camp was in July to give families a chance to vacation and enjoy the bulk of their summer before thinking of returning to school in August. Carver has received positive feedback from parents regarding the camp schedule in July as a means of getting kids excited about going back to school and providing them with excellent learning opportunities during the summer months. Each day of STEAM Works Summer Camp has a theme to help build excitement and give the campers a slight preview of what will be going on during that day. With each planned activity, there is a focus on the four C’s of STEM: Critical thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication. On “Make-It” Monday, students use their creativity and collaboration skills to create toys or other objects of interest with a variety of common, household materials. “Tinkering” Tuesday focuses on the introduction of tech toys, gadgets, and a variety of robotics. Next, “Wonder” Wednesday challenges students to think critically by solving logic puzzles and breakout boxes. Wednesday is also the day that all campers wear their STEAM Works t-shirt for a group photo. “Teamwork” Thursday closes out the week with collaboration and communication activities during OMC, Organized Mass Chaos. All campers are divided into four teams and compete to finish the most activities in the time allotted. These activities include water balloons, hula-hoops, taking videos and selfies, pool noodles, and plenty of interactive fun. It is refreshing to see elementary age students solving real world problems, being creative, and working collaboratively with their peers to complete challenges. Over the course of the past two summers, the teachers have also had multiple opportunities to collaborate with each other in planning and teaching the STEAM lessons that have crossed over into innovative lessons during the school year. Principal Little says, “This camp is a wonderful way for students to learn and have fun at the same time. Our students are learning and developing important skills that will help them to be successful in the ever-changing world.

Jan 2019 Newsletter


Page 0
Page 2
STUDENTS FIST January 2019 Volume 1, Issue 5 A Florence One Schools Newsletter Moore Intermediate students investigate scientific process, engineering at STEM Fair and showcase Students at Moore Intermediate were given an opportunity to show off their STEM skills by completing a STEM Fair Project. All students worked in groups to complete STEM Fair projects that explored a topic of their choice within the five categories of Biological, Consumer, Health and Behavior, Physical Sciences or the Engineering Design. Both the scientific process and the engineering process projects had rubrics for students to use to self-evaluate throughout the process. The same rubric was used for the final judging of their inquiry. The students also maintained written documentation of learning throughout the process with journal entries in required notebooks. The STEM Fair provided a way for students to self-direct their learning. Students were able to investigate a scientific process or solve an engineering design problem that was of interest to them. Students also had choice in how they communicated and presented their findings, some choosing to create display boards, others opting to create a digital presentation. Students communicated their knowledge through class presentations throughout the learning process. On the morning of the STEM Fair, students’ projects were judged using a scoring rubric. The judges, composed of community members from businesses and colleges in Florence, included Stephen Cullen, Mike Cullen, Scott Baldwin, Charissa Canfield, Dr. Lisa Pike, Mike Winstead, Curt Nellis, Dr. Rob Bridger, and Susan Rhodes. The judges spent 2 hours judging 400 projects by 5th and 6th graders. Moore held its first STEM Fair showcase in the gym that evening which allowed students to once again explain their learning process and knowledge gained working on their project over the 3rd quarter. Students used digital tools such as Padlet, Google applications and Discovery Education to conduct research and collaborate. The 21st century skills of collaboration and inquiry were communicated through oral discussions and participation in the scientific and engineering processes. The students were able to explain their findings by acquiring knowledge from research through many literary texts, math processes, scientific topics, and how they related to real world experiences. The integration of subject areas and 21st century collaboration and communication skills allowed our students to show their growth in analysis of the project's topic. Google Apps were used to allow students and teachers to collaborate during school and outside of school. Fifteen award ribbons were handed out to students. The award ribbons and prizes were funded by donations from Honda and Connor Tax Services. Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 5 Dewey L. Carter Elementary School is excited to launch its new Reading Role Models program this month! This program pairs teacher-selected students with an older student, parent volunteer, or community member to read with and discuss the importance of education, making smart choices, and being a good citizen. Our hope is that the Reading Role Models program will enable our students to be successful both in and out of the classroom. Research proves that reading with children improves their imagination and understanding of the world around them. Students also learn important social-emotional skills through reading. By pairing our students with Reading Role Models, we are providing students with the opportunity to learn from an adult who can influence them in a positive way. Our Reading Role Models read with the same students each time they volunteer in order to build a trusting relationship between the two. This program also gives our students one-on-one interaction while reading to increase their confidence. One of Dewey L. Carter’s goals this year is to promote a love of reading school-wide. Reading Role Models helps to accomplish this goal because students are able to interact with volunteers who stress the importance of reading and share their own love of reading with them. “My children at home have always loved to read and I want to help spread that joy to other students at the school. There’s something magical about books, they can take you anywhere you want to go! I want the students I read with to see that,” said one volunteer. “Reading is a lifelong skill that we need to foster in young children as early as possible,” said Wendy Frazier, Principal of Dewey L. Carter Elementary School. “Once students become avid readers, we hope they will maintain their love for reading for their entire lives. We hope to continue this program in the coming years as we strive to continuously meet the needs of our students.”
Page 4
Page 4 Students First Delmae Heights Elementary School is very fortunate to have many community partners who support our students, teachers, families and our school. When it comes to literacy, our students are so very lucky to have community partners who understand that it takes a village to educate a child and that students need to see that reading and writing are important to everyone! Delmae students participate in many enriching literacy activities that could not have been possible without the emotional and financial support from our partners. For Kindergarten these activities include, but are not limited to, Kindergarten Sit and Sob event (parents write letters to their child on the first day of school to be shared with the child), Stories and Cookies with Santa (an interactive holiday read aloud) and the RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) Event sponsored by the Golden K Kiwanis Club. The club donates brand new books for students to take home. Several of our first grade classes receive weekly classroom visits from “PAWS for Reading” dogs and volunteers (the students take turns reading to therapy dogs). These students along with second grade students also have guest readers (athletes) from the West Florence High School, otherwise known as the “Friday Readers”! Our Third Graders receive free personal dictionaries donated by the Florence Rotary Club each year. During this event, students are challenged to navigate their new resource with speed and accuracy. The students write thank you notes after the event. Fourth graders and their teachers have developed a close partnership with Zaxby’s and Harris Pest Control and both companies have sent representatives to give motivational speeches to students. They have also financially contributed to purchase class novel sets. Delmae students (K-4) have multiple opportunities throughout the year to interact with members of the community and share the wonderful things that they are learning in reading and writing. Some of those connections include Francis Marion University/ Ruiz Foods (funded BINGO for a BOOK), The K24 Foundation (provided paper, pencils and backpacks to Delmae students), USC Athletics/The Carolina Havoc Indoor Arena Football Team (partnered for a reading challenge), and of course our Read for a Bead partners. One of the BIGGEST strategically planned community literacy events of the year for Delmae students is our Read for a Bead event! After reading a book, the student records the title and a sentence about the book on his/her “Read for a Bead” reading log. The student then visits a business partner to receive a bead and share a little about the book. A business partner representative at each location signs the log and presents the student with their bead. Students need to collect 5 beads, one of each color. Page 5 Students First Students at McLaurin use coding skills to take part in DASH Christmas Tree Challenge Students in Mrs. Moore’s class at McLaurin Elementary used their coding and problem solving skills as they participated in the DASH Christmas Tree Challenge. Students were asked to design a Christmas tree and used the Blockly app to code the instructions for DASH to draw their creations. Students collaborated and applied measurement and geometry skills as they planned their designs. They also worked on problem solving skills and perseverance as they tested and made adjustments to their code to complete their Christmas trees. The students enjoyed sharing their unique designs and the challenges they faced in this fun STEM activity.
Page 6
Page 6 Students First Every quarter parents visit students in their classrooms at Briggs Elementary School. The point of the visit is to attend a student-led conference. These conferences are a unique characteristic of a Leader in Me school. They are an integral part of the program. Briggs is in year two of the Leader in Me program, which focuses on helping all students find their own special leadership skills by using Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits for Successful People. Students lead their own academic and goal oriented conference. The conferences provide an opportunity for students have ownership of their learning process and academic growth. Parents sit down with their student for the conference, during which the student presents their data notebook. Within the data notebook, the student shows visitors their progress for the school year thus far in their core subject areas, Accelerated Reader, mastery of math facts, and the Farm to School Sustainability Initiative. The students discuss their progress in these areas from the last nine weeks conference, as well as new goals for the coming quarters. The students enjoy taking ownership of the data, goals, and conferencing with their parents/guardians. Sixth grade student Alyssa said, “Students get to show their parents what they have been working on. I like showing my parents my goals and steps that I have been using in order to reach my AR goal.” The parents love seeing their student engaged in their progress and being able to discuss what they have learned and their goals for the following quarter. Jennifer, a parent to a 4th and a 5th grader at Briggs, said, “I love that the students take ownership of their own performance. I like how they are able to communicate how they are growing. For my two girls, they like having the one-on-one time with me to take the lead in the conversation about their education.” Student-led conferences enable students at Briggs the opportunity to lead with the adult in their life. Page 7 Students First Many children play with toy robots at home. Sneed Middle School students in Mrs. Martien’s STEM class are stepping in the shoes of an engineer and actually building a working robot. They are learning that robots when programmed correctly can perform tasks. They are also learning through hands-on applications on how to solve problems. When their robots do not perform the tasks correctly, they must work to figure out why, a life-skill that will lead to their success. Students spend several weeks working in teams designing, completing the wiring diagram, building the motor and sensor setup and programming the robots to do multiples tasks. Since students have to work in teams, they are also learning valuable communication skills. Not only must they be able to explain and discuss their ideas, they must be able to translate their ideas into code that the robots understand.
Page 8
Page 8 Students First Carver’s GEM Club introduces girls to STEM Carver GEMS, Girls Exploring Math and Science, is a Carver club designed to increase STEM awareness and engineering principles among young girls. According to the research composed by Microsoft and Dr. Shalini Kesar, Associate Professor of Southern Utah University, there is a huge gender disparity within STEM career fields. In the research article, Closing the STEM Gap, “girls and young women have a hard time picturing themselves in STEM roles.” The article further articulates “how girls who participate in STEM clubs and activities outside of school are more likely to say they will pursue STEM subjects later in their education.” It is essential for girls to gain exposure to experiments and experiences that can provide insight to enhance STEM instruction. The exposure allows young girls to see the potential for careers in STEM and to be creative with a positive impact on the world. Under the leadership of Carver’s STEAM Coach, Calandra Brisbone, the Carver GEMS club offers girls learning opportunities through engineering and coding activities. Girls are given practical and real life problems to develop solutions. The club is comprised of girls from 3rd and 4th grade. Currently, Carver GEMS are working to design and code a digital story to engage young learners in grades Kindergarten through 2nd to read more books. Each year Carver GEMS partner with the young ladies of the South Carolina Governor’s School of Science and Math (SCGSSM) located in Hartsville, South Carolina. The GEMS’ first interaction with these 11th and 12th grade ladies of SCGSSM is as pen pals. The ladies of SCGSSM act as young mentors for the young GEMS mentees offering advice about STEM curriculum and future endeavors with colleges and careers. After several weeks of receiving and responding to pen pal letters Carver GEMS are given the opportunity to visit the campus of SCGSSM. During their visit, GEMS are given a campus tour and the opportunity to engage in conversations regarding STEM during science and math classes. The Carver GEMS fosters a “growth mindset” among female students while introducing young girls to female role models in STEM. Principal Josie Little is excited to have the GEMS program at Carver. “Our girls are being exposed to many opportunities that will change their lives forever,” Little said. “It is our hope that these girls will remember these experiences and consider exploring STEM careers in the near future.” Students First Page 9 Developing a lasting love for reading is at the heart of Greenwood’s Curriculum. Reading is essential for success. It’s benefits include knowledge acquisition, vocabulary expansion, stress reduction, and improved writing skills, memory, focus and concentration to name a few. The development of literacy skills leads to a love for reading and is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Using the Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention System (LLI), Greenwood students in kindergarten through fourth grade who are reading below grade level expectations receive intensive support to achieve grade-level competencies and develop a love and appreciation of reading. The LLI system is a short-term intervention, providing daily, intensive, small group instruction, as a supplement to a strong classroom literacy program. Lead by Greenwood’s Intervention Lead Teacher, a team of four certified teachers received intensive specialized training in the implementation of LLI. The interventionists in collaboration with classroom teachers utilize data generated from a variety of literacy assessments to identify and level students for instruction. Based on their strengths and challenges, students are placed in groups of 3 or 4 and matched with an interventionists. Groups meet each day for a minimum of 30 minutes. Throughout the course of a week, lessons include interactive read alouds, reading mini lessons, shared reading, phonics, spelling, word study, and independent reading. A wide variety of engaging, carefully written books designed to engage students reading below grade-level are at the center of each lesson. Essential to a strong literacy program is a system of regular assessment and data analysis to inform instruction. Daily anecdotal notes and biweekly reading records are taken for each student as well as periodic administrations of the Developmental Reading Assessment to discern literacy level and monitor progress. Interventionists and classroom teachers meet regularly to confer and align classroom and LLI instruction. Currently, thirty-eight students are served with LLI at Greenwood.
Page 10
Page 10 Students First In our nation’s suburbs, urban areas, and rural towns over 13 million children from low-income families go to school hungry, according to 2017 research by No Kid Hungry. For over seven years, Southside Middle School has operated a school food bank to support students in need. Staff members became aware of the growing number of students living in homeless shelters, homes without electricity, or lacking enough food at home. Many of these students, without the breakfast and lunch being provided by the school, would go without daily meals. Our food bank supports their needs during school breaks and over the weekend. Southside’s food bank fills the gap that exists in our school community through this option. Weekly food bags sent home with students contain essential food items that do not require cooking. Special bookbags are used to discreetly distribute food to our students in need; students are not openly identified. When a teacher or staff member determines a student in need of assistance, a guidance counselor is notified. Permission is granted from the parents prior to sending items home. Boxes of food are also given or delivered to families that are in need of support. Our school guidance counselors coordinate additional service as needed. Donations come from the staff and community members, as well as outside agencies including the Naomi Project and Help 4 Kids. Exceptional Education students organize items, stocking shelves as well as checking cans for expiration dates. These tasks assist them in acquiring important life skills. If you would like to make a donation, please do not hesitate to contact JoAnn Warr, an exceptional education teacher, at JWarr@fsd1.org or Wanda Smith, the Director of Guidance, at wanda.smith@fsd1.org. Additionally, donations can be delivered to the main office during regular school hours. Students First Page 11 Each quarter, Lester Elementary conducts parent workshops and invite parents into the school to learn the strategies that teachers use in classrooms so that parents can reinforce those same strategies at home. Lester’s second quarter workshop focused on technology and hands-on learning. Teachers conducted minilessons, modeling the skills used in the classroom, then parents were released to go to various areas and/or stations in the classroom to practice those strategies with their children. Parents who participate in such quarterly workshops express their love of the opportunity to learn to build upon what is taking place in school. In addition to participating in facilitating hands-on learning with their children, parents also learn how to access online tutorial programs that target their children’s individual needs. Students whose parents participate in Lester’s quarterly parent workshops see continual academic gains. now begun to volunteer to bring STEM to their children’s classes. It only takes a spark to get a fire going and Principal Janette Williams has high hopes that as students begin to share The workshop also allows parents and teachers to connect on a personal, yet professional, level that lends to open and honest conversations about student needs! Such relationships between school and home is key to continued student progress. As a result of building such relationships, Lester parents have begun to volunteer their talents and have scheduled times to come into classrooms and share what they do on their jobs so that students cans see firsthand the school to work connection. Such an experience is different from the typical career day that Theodore Lester students have become accustomed to. Presently, Lester does not have a separate STEM program in which students attend weekly STEM classes as part of their Related Arts curriculum but parents have about parents coming and taking an active role in classroom activities, that more parents will begin to participate. Stay tuned for our next article when Lester features a simple robot, made by students, with the help of a parent volunteer.
Page 12
Page 12 Students First The WF Sports Medicine program, directed by Dave Heim, is designed to provide students with a learning experience that will guide them on an educational journey toward a career in healthcare. It is part of Career and Technology Education (CATE) and consists of 3 levels. Students begin with an introduction to the healthcare careers associated with Sports Medicine as well as basic anatomy, injury identification, injury prevention, and can become CPR and First Aid certified. As students move through the program, they learn and demonstrate important skills used by many Sports Medicine professionals. These skills include injury assessment, assessing vital signs, documentation, emergency care, therapeutic modalities, therapeutic exercise, taping, wrapping, and splinting skills. Along with learning in the classroom and lab, students are provided an opportunity to observe sports medicine professionals during assigned clinical rotations. They are also able to observe surgeries. The F1S CATE sports medicine program has a long history, beginning at West Florence. Charlie Nelson, the first athletic trainer for the school district starting back in the 1970’s, was also the first sports medicine instructor at West Florence. His vision was to be able to have athletic training services for all three high schools, as well as provide all high school students in the district with the opportunity to learn about the field of Sports Medicine. Today each high school has its own athletic trainer through McLeod Sports Medicine, as well as a Sports Medicine program. West Florence Principal Matt Dowdell said that he looks forward to the continued success of the program and the opportunities it provides for students. “It is my honor as principal of WFHS to have this program continue to thrive at West Florence,” Dowdell said. “We look forward to continued success preparing our students for careers in Sports Medicine.” Page 13 Students First ¿Hablas español? (Do you speak Spanish?) ¡Lo hacemos en Lucy T. Davis! (We do at Lucy T. Davis!) Students at Lucy T. Davis Elementary attend Spanish as a Related Arts course. In preparing students to live and compete in a global society, speaking more than one language and understanding other cultures is a 21st century skill set. No matter what career students choose, they must be proficient communicators, as they will be interacting with others locally and globally. Students will graduate high school and be in an interconnected world, making it essential for foreign language instruction to be available throughout their academic experience. Research shows students who speak a foreign language excel academically. Language education is critical for the workforce of the future and being bilingual can broaden career options. Research released by Harvard University confirms that students who learn a foreign language show increased critical thinking skills, creativity, flexibility, and problem solving abilities. By offering Spanish as a related arts class, students benefit by learning to read and write in a foreign language and being prepared to thrive in a global society.

Students First Newsletter May 2019


Page 0
Page 2
Three elementary schools hold ribbon cuttings for adaptive playground equipment For students with special needs, recess is too often a time to observe rather than take part. At McLaurin, Carver and Lester Elementary Schools that is no longer the case. In the 2019-2020 school year, the three elementary schools unveiled new inclusive playground equipment. McLaurin Principal Debbie Cribb said that the equipment, which allows children in wheelchairs as well as those who are not in wheelchairs to play together, is a welcome and much needed addition to her playground. Carver teacher Meagan Johnson said the equipment was something she had hoped for, for a long time. “(The playground) is a place where all children can play, laugh and learn no matter their strengths or weaknesses,” Johnson said. “Year after year I have had students struggle to access the existing equipment or have to sit on the sidelines and watch their friends play. Today, there is no more sitting on the sidelines because all Carver students can play, laugh and learn together.” During each unveiling students at the schools tried out the new equipment for everyone gathered to see just how it works. Students graduate with high school diploma and two-year college degree More than a dozen students will graduate from Florence 1 Schools will a high school diploma in one hand and a two-year college degree in the other as part of the Early College Program at Wilson High School. Their associate of arts was earned through FlorenceDarlington Technical College which held their graduate ceremony in May. The students earning their two-year degree were:  Kenyon Coker  Ayanna Davis  Jaila Davis  Erica Gomez  Riane Green  Brianna Holbrook  Jenecka King  Jackson Linneen  Ezra Mack  Thomas Pipkins  Janiya Plowden  Tyriesha Turner  Jamaria Williams-Smith  Kiana Wolfe
Page 4
Arts Alive! At the Oct. 18 Board of Trustees meeting, Florence 1 Schools announced a multimillion dollar investment in arts education. Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley said that over the next year, $3 million dollars will be spent to improve current programs across the district and implement additional programming. “Over the past several weeks I have been visiting schools, observing programs and meeting with arts teachers,” O’Malley said. “I have heard their concerns. Our programs are underfunded and they are also understaffed. For example, there is only one art teacher at Wilson High School and one at West Florence High School; that is two teachers for almost 3,000 students. Our district also has many band instruments that are beyond repair and have not been replaced in more than 30 years.” This investment in the arts provides opportunities for all Florence 1 students. For the past five years, the school district has been named a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. Two schools in the district, Southside Middle School and South Florence High School, are Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Schools. Those two schools apply for grants from the South Carolina Arts Commission to be used in their arts programs. “Education and engagement in the fine arts are an essential part of the school curriculum and an important component of the educational program of every student in Florence 1 Schools,” O’Malley said. In order for students to benefit from the arts, they must have the proper equipment, supplies and staff available to them. “Many teachers have no supplies or buy them out of their own pocket,” O’Malley said. “Music teachers lack the sound equipment necessary for their classes and the performances they hold.” Why the arts matter Exposure to the arts is an essential component of human growth. They expand a student’s understanding of the world around them and create environments of experiential learning and discovery. Through the arts, students have healthy avenues of self-expression and are exposed to cultures other than their own while growing their self-esteem and becoming independent thinkers. Over the next year, money will be spent in these six areas:  Facilities  Instruments  Supplies and Furniture  Personnel  Curriculum and Programs  Other Supports The money will go toward renovating and updating all three high school auditoriums, purchasing supplies and furniture, and, replacing instruments and classroom furniture. New courses will be added in graphic arts and music, including AP courses. Money will also be allocated to provide supplements for band directors and pay for regional and national competitions.
Page 6
Work Hard, Play Hard Southside’s baseball team won the City Championship Carson Petty got first place in the middle school division in the South Carolina Bass Challenge tournament. Lucy T. Field Day Greenwood Jump Rope for Heart Delmae students dress up as their favorite character Beginning in the 20192020 school year, students at Wilson and South Florence High Schools will have the chance to take classes through the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) without ever leaving their home school’s campus. Through a virtual program called TEAM UP, Florence 1 students will take courses in math, science and engineering using real time video conferencing technology provided by the Governor’s School. Students must apply and be accepted to the three-year program that begins in their 10th grade year of high school. Dr. Zaria O’Bryant, Director of TEAM UP, said that the virtual program was started as a way to offer the opportunities available through the Governor’s School to more students around the state of SC. “The Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics was established to give students across the entire state of South Carolina exposure to higher level math and higher level science,” O’Bryant said. “About seven or eight years ago the Governor’s School, along with our Foundation, SC colleges and universities, and several corporations around the state decided that if we could partner and reach into the school districts we could prepare more students and retain the talent in the state.” O’Bryant said that with a 288-bed limit for the school’s residential program, their physical space is limited; virtual programming opens up the door for many more students across the state. “The way we present the virtual program is through partnerships,” O’Bryant said. “We ask the schools to provide a space for the students to take their virtual courses, a facilitator (an adult who is in the room with the students and works with our instructors), and the bandwidth in order to have the video conferencing equipment; we provide everything else.” Nine districts are current TEAM UP partners; Florence 1 Schools will join next school year. “We want students to be prepared before they ever get to college,” O’Bryant said. “The whole point of these virtual engineering programs is to cultivate more engineers in South Carolina. We need more engineers and we need more students to go to school in South Carolina; that will help the entire South Carolina economy.” O’Bryant said that the virtual courses will offer students an extensive outlook on potential majors for college. “We want to give them a broad stroke of what engineering is and allow them to go more in depth in some of the areas, such as mechanical and aerospace or biomedical, so they are more prepared when they go to college to decide what major they want to pursue,” O’Bryant said. “The majority of the engineering courses in TEAM UP are honors courses, but they are going to get exposure to college content and curriculum and when they actually go to college they won’t be shocked by how much work it is and how complicated it is.” Chris Rogers, Florence 1 Schools Director of STEM, said that, aside from the course material, another interesting aspect of the program is the chance for students in Florence to meet their peers from around the state. “The students in Florence will be able to communicate with the students who are in the class with them from across the state so they’ll get a chance to meet students they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Rogers said. “A few Saturdays a semester the students will also get together in-person and do science experiments and other projects together.” Rogers said that he is excited for the rigor this program offers.
Page 8
Learning at full STEAM Winners at the STEM Fair at Moore Royall students use the zSpace Lab Greenwood students work with Artist in Residence Patz Fowle Orlando Hudson visits Wallace Gregg Eagle Mens Club Program qualifies students to operate drones Through a partnership with a regional organization, Florence 1 Schools is providing a unique opportunity for its high school students to gain a remote pilot’s license. Students who are enrolled in engineering class at South Florence and West Florence, or computer coding class at Wilson High, will be offered the iFLY Drone Pilots certification course. “We are extremely excited about this opportunity which has been made available to our students,” said Chris Rogers, Florence 1 Schools STEM Director. “At the conclusion of the course, almost 60 students will be eligible to take the Federal Aviation Administration’s Pilot Examination. Upon successfully passing the exam, they will be awarded their Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Remote Pilot’s License.” Rogers said the program benefits students through its connection with academic standards including global competitiveness, 21st century sustainability and recognition by the FAA; the opportunity to obtain gainful employment and a remote pilot’s license leading to various career pathway options. According to the course description, iFLY is an innovative program designed by AINautics UAV Academy and STEM U, LLC. It connects youth ages 16 – 18 to the Drone Industry by preparing them to become certified FAA Remote Pilots. A team of FAA Certified Flight instructors, UAV Academy experts, and commercial pilots teach the course. The course is designed to prepare high school students for the certification. “This drone certification class can help students determine if they would like to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering or computer programming of drones,” said Rogers who attended the recent SC Department of Commerce workshop. “Using what they learn in the course, students will be able to enter the workforce immediately or maintain information that will help them with future studies or future careers,” he added. Christopher Williams, Director of Partnership Development for iFLY has indicated that career opportunities available for students with the training include: military drone pilot, firefighter, disaster relief, search and rescue, law enforcement, oil and gas operations, seismic study, border patrol, traffic reporting, storm chasing, agriculture, package delivery, forestry, engineering, computer science, commercial contractors and film. “The program is designed to prepare scholars for 21st century sustainability while providing them global capacity,” noted Williams. South Florence High School’s Blake Nichols who will be enrolling the course said, " Drone pilots are in high demand, and I like the listing of job opportunities that are available. “I believe the drone certification course will open many opportunities for students trying to figure out what they want to do in their future,” said Wilson High School student Raelyn Ott. “It will give students the chance to test their interests and provides options when choosing an area of work. I expect the drone certification class to give me basic knowledge about drones, which is expected to become an extremely big industry in the near future.”
Page 10
Fun for Everyone North Vista Sweetheart Dance Carver Pep Rally Before Testing Dewey Carter Math Jam Annual Taste of Briggs Florence 1 purchases more than $30K in classic texts Florence 1 Schools has purchased more than 3,000 new books in a move to replenish English Language Arts classrooms at and Rush Academy, South Florence, West Florence and Wilson High Schools. The books include titles such as The Scarlet Letter, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and the Bronx Masquerade. The purchase replaces books that are too worn to be used and also provides more copies of the books so that the schools have enough for each student. Kimberly KinleyHoward, Florence 1 English Language Arts Coordinator, said that the book purchase ensures that the ELA curriculum is accessible to all students. “We have these texts as part of the core curriculum so we need to always refurbish the classroom library,” Kinley-Howard said. “If the kids are actively reading, they are annotating in the book and we want them to do that. If we had pristine books it would mean that no one is using them.” With the implementation of the Read to Succeed Act, South Carolina schools have requirements for English Language Arts. For elementary level education, money is allotted for purchasing books for the classroom library; that same money is not available for high schools. “Our teachers and students need these books,” said Florence 1 School Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley. “This purchase is about refocusing and reprioritizing the district budget to get as many dollars and resources into our classrooms as possible.” Teachers across the district gave feedback on what books they needed for their classroom. Courses supported in the purchase include English 1 up to AP English. South Florence English teacher Dr. Roslynn Elom said that even with the implementation of technology, nothing can replace hardcopy texts. “When you have technology you can take notes but it just isn’t the same,” Elom said. “Let’s be real, you get more from writing and reading it than you do just from looking at it on a screen. When you’re looking at the screen, your mind wanders forty different ways; you’re not paying attention like you should.” Elom said that she was specifically excited to hand out the new copies of The Scarlet Letter. “This version of the Scarlet Letter is a bigger book, which is great because I have some kids with vision issues,” Elom said. “I am always mindful of a child who doesn’t see very well; everybody can’t afford glasses. When you have larger print with clean pages and things are a little more spread out, in my opinion, you have kids who are more apt to read it. With the larger page, it also looks like a shorter text; it isn’t but it looks like it is.” West Florence juniors Olivia Seward and Charleigh Sprawls said that they were excited for students to have new books to use and for teachers to have the things they need to teach their classes. “I’m happy for the English teachers and the students coming up,” Olivia said. “We didn’t get a lot of these books but other people will and they won’t be falling apart. My brother is in eighth grade now so he will be able to use these books.”
Page 12
Future Scientist, Doctors, Artists and More! Savannah Grove Career Day Timrod students receive their Chromebook Academic Challenge Teams Compete Southside students work on printmaking Florence 1 Schools embraces one-to-one technology roll-out and interactive mediums in virtually any subject. “Using technology, our students will be able to explore places that they may never physically visit,” O’Malley said. In the 2019-2020 school year, Florence 1 Schools rolled out the Imagine Forward Technology Initiative, a plan to put a device in the hands of every student K-12, making Florence 1 one of the first districts in South Carolina to be completely one-to-one. Florence 1 Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley said that the Imagine Forward initiative will begin to put the district’s students on a level playing field with their peers across the state and nation. “Many students across the country have technology available to them at home and outside of the school day,” O’Malley said. “If we want our students to be able to compete in a global society, they have to have resources available to them more than just at school.” Technology in the classroom does not replace teacher instruction, O’Malley said, it enhances the classroom experience. Teachers and students are able to supplement textbooks with videos “Technology is reshaping our world and we need to ensure that we are preparing our students for their world.” The mission of Florence 1 is to continuously improve student learning outcomes. One way to do that is to invest in technology as a tool to improve teaching and learning. Technology will further areas such as:  Personalized Learning  Enhanced student engagement  Opportunities more project-based learning  Enhanced opportunities for collaboration “Florence 1 will be unsurpassed when it comes to incorporating technology into teaching and learning as compared to other districts in South Carolina,” O’Malley said. “We are skillfully incorporating it in a way that will offer more instructional choices for our teachers and students and improved outcomes for our students”. And while using the technology in the classroom will enrich their learning experience, it will also help prepare students for careers in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) fields like biomedical engineering, software development or actuarial science. “There are so many career options in STEM fields,” O’Malley said. “Employers in these fields are unable to find enough candidates for their companies. If we can give our students the skills that they need to work in a field that they enjoy, we are setting them up for a lifetime of success.”
Page 14

Students First Newsletter April 2019


Page 0
Page 2
Junior Achievement Day at North Vista Elementary solving  To invigorate innovation, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit among our youth The curriculum is aligned with the state standards. Junior Achievement’s distinction is a unique combination of proven, turn-key curricula and volunteer teachers from the business community who bring real-world experiences to the lessons. North Vista Elementary looks forward to partnering with Junior Achievement again during the summer for the Tiger Academy Children’s Defense Fund(R) Freedom Schools Program. On April 16, 2019, Kindergarten, First and Second grade students at North Vista Elementary School participated in Junior Achievement Day. Junior Achievement is a national, nonprofit organization that has been serving communities across the US for 100 years nationally and 50 years in South Carolina. Students at North Vista had the privilege of working with 16 amazing volunteers from the Army Reserves, PNC Bank, and Wells Fargo on community building, entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy. Junior Achievement bridges the business and education communities with hands-on, experiential financial literacy programs. Junior Achievement (JA) empowers young people to own their future economic success. Grade appropriate, materials- rich, JA programs provide students in grades K-12 with lessons focusing on the following overarching goals:  To motivate and inspire students regarding the relevance and importance of school  To enhance students’ knowledge about business, economics, and personal finance  To improve work-readiness skills such as collaboration, communication and problemAfter School Clubs at Timrod Elementary School offer after-hours fun for students Timrod is very proud of the uniqueness of our school to offer after school clubs for students during the school year. We are very committed to ensuring student success academically but enjoy being able to offer extracurricular teacher sponsored clubs to our students after school. Teachers volunteer to sponsor clubs and send out an invite to our student population. These after school club provide an opportunity for students and teachers to interact on a friendly level and sometimes compete with each other. Timrod’s Drama Club has existed for a number of years. This club is offered to our second and third grade students. Students practice weekly learning lines to a play and songs that correspond with the performance. At the end of the semester, our students hit the bright lights with a dramatic performance for staff, students and family members. Our last play in December 2018 Elfis and the Sleigh Riders was a hit! Some of our former students move on to showcase their talent at Florence Little Theatre. Jump Rope Club extends an invite to our first and second grade students each year. Teachers sponsor this club to help with gross motor skills for our younger students. This club helps students stay physically active and in shape. Jumping rope also improves coordination and helps students focus on a skill. Students did an outstanding jump rope performance to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” in February for Celebration of Schools. Basketball Club is one of our newest clubs added to our list. Students in grades fifth and sixth gather on the court with our teacher sponsor and a FMU student to learn to fundamentals of the game. This club helped students strengthen their techniques and enjoy the love of the sport. Students celebrate at the end of the club with a cookout and a friendly competitive game. Principal McBride states “students enjoy participating in our after school clubs and are eager to display their talents in front of family and friends.” Timrod hopes to offer additional clubs next year for our students.
Page 4
Wallace Gregg Elementary School (WGES) is spending this time celebrating wonderful spring events. We started in February with our annual “Muffins for Mom”. We celebrated “moms” on two different days. The first day was for our 5K through 3rd grades and the second day was for our upper elementary students in grades 4th through 6th. We had mothers, grandmothers, and guardians to show up each morning with a smile on their faces. The tables were decorated with flowers and handprint placement mats. The students and the parents enjoyed themselves. This was then followed up with our annual “Ties and Tiaras” Dance, a dance for fathers and daughters. The fathers, not wanting to be outdone, came dressed to impress. We had over one hundred fathers, grandfathers, uncles and big brothers, along with the daughters to show up. The group were provided with appetizers such as meatballs, potato salad, chips, dessert and the option of tea, fruit punch, and water. The fathers and daughters had the opportunity to have their pictures taken by a professional photographer during this event and were given a photo to take home as a reminder of the celebration. It was a fun time had by all who attended. As we begin to wind down to the end of the year, we have more exciting events occurring. We will start with our annual pep rally for “Rock the Test.” This is a pep rally designed to show support for the students in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 who will take the SC Ready and SC Pass in May. The teachers and their homeroom class of students will come up with a skit about testing to present to the audience. Then the judges will vote to decide the winner competition and present the winning class with a trophy. State wide testing will run from May 14May 23, 2019. WGE will also have several other events in May. We will offer our mothers the opportunity to dance with their sons in a “Mother Son Dance.” The mothers will be afforded with same opportunities as the Ties and Tiara Dance. The Mothers and sons will have the opportunity to eat food, dance and take pictures. Next we will have our “Donuts for Dad.” This is the opportunity for the Dads to come out and eat breakfast with the students and then go the classroom to read a book the students. We will have our annual Family Fling Day, where parents can come out to participate, support and watch our students during their field day. Students will complete in various activities that trying to the winning blue ribbon. Zydedra Mouzon with Rush Academy administrators Rush Academy has three students who finished graduation requirements in the month of April. Zydedra Mouzon and Kenni MaloneWomack will be graduating from Wilson High School. De'Andre Archie will be graduating from South Florence High School. De'Andre Archie with Rush Academy administrators
Page 6
Horticulture at the Florence Career Center is a busy place involving a hands on approach to learning. Our classes consist of topics such as:  Annuals vs. Perennials  Plant choices and care  Plant hardy zones  Plant selection  Plant physiology  Plant morphology  Plant propagation  Landscape/design  Plant trends  Greenhouse design and structures  Plant/tree/weeds/ seeds/insects identification Horticulture affects everyone. The skills learned in Horticulture at the Florence Career Center will be life changing and prepare you for a wide variety of career opportunities. Plants available during the horticulture sale include: Annuals  Marigold  Zinnia  Aloe  Spider plant  Coleus  Philodendron  Begonia  Wandering Jew  Apostle  Sweet potato vine  Geranium  Portulaca  Vinca  Impatiens  Salvia  Petunias  Ajuga  Mexican Petunia  Cosmos  Beauty Bush  Orn. Grass Trees  Catalpa (Catawba tree)  Pomegranate  Popcorn Tree  Perennials  Hibiscus  Yarrow Herbs  Parsley  Basil  Oregano  Chives  Cilantro  Catnip  Dill Vegetables  Peppers  Beans  Tomatoes  Squash  Carrots  Okra  Swiss Chard  Lettuce Assorted Hanging Baskets Community Connections in 3D at Royall Elementary The humming sound of 3D printers often fills the air at Royall Elementary School as students of all ages imagine, design, and build original creations on a daily basis. This year, some of the things created by our students have included bubble wands, miniature models of South Carolina, drink coasters, and paintbrush holders for the school art room. Conversations with students reveal that they enjoy the process of bringing things to life in 3D and see the power that 3D printing has to improve their education. A second grade student, Jordan Huntley-Myers stated, “3D printing is fun because you can make anything you can imagine. And, it helps you with math because measuring the size of things that you print is really important.” Students also understand that 3D printing could play a role in their future career paths. Third grader Maggie Barlow shared, “I think it is important to know about 3D printing because one day you might be a doctor and need to know how to print prosthetic body parts for people who need them.” This year, 3D printing at Royall has definitely had a community connection as students have worked on 3D printing projects in conjunction with the Florence Area Humane Society and General Electric. Fourth grade students designed and printed leash holders for dogs and animal-themed magnets as a fundraiser. Their efforts raised over $200 for the Florence Humane Society and increased student awareness about 3D printing as a way to improve life for people and animals. Marci Gatewood, the facilitator of Royall’s Innovation Center said, “This project was really important to me because I want our students to see 3D printers as more than just cool toys. 3D printing has the potential to make our world a better place, and students don’t have to wait until they are adults to be a part of that effort.” John Shuman, an engineer at General Electric, shared his knowledge about 3D printing with sixth grade students at Royall during the after-school Bright Minds Club. Under Mr. Shurman’s leadership, students had the opportunity to delve deeper into the design process by designing rubber-band cars with the use of the Tinkercad program. This was a collaborative project that required the students to apply advanced mathematical calculations and conduct extensive redesigning in order to achieve success. Students who participated in this experience not only felt inspired by the chance to spend time with a real engineer, but also gained a better understanding of the connection between 3D printing and manufacturing. Royall Elementary School Principal Julie Smith is enthusiastic about the school’s efforts in 3D printing. “Exposing our students to 3D printing at the elementary level allows them to solve real-world design challenges in a way that is innovative and fun. It fosters the creativity, problem solving, and collaboration skills that we strive to promote each day at Royall. ”
Page 8
Wilson High School Health Science Program Helps Prepare Students For Career In Medical Field Wilson High School has a variety of academic courses to prepare students for a career in the medical field. Two of the curriculums most requested courses are Health Science and Sports Medicine. Students in Sports Medicine learn from both medical doctors and certified athletic trainers procedures to treat sports related injuries or conditions. Students in the class observe surgeries performed by doctors, and also serve as athletic trainer assistants for sports teams at Wilson. Health Science also prepares students for the medical field, but primarily prepares them to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA). During their last semester in the course, students do clinical rotations at a local nursing home. Upon completion of the program, students take the state CNA exam and can begin a career in the medical field immediately after graduating high school. Montessori classrooms are a place for exploration and personal growth Montessori is one of the fastest growing education programs in the world. South Carolina has more public Montessori schools that any state in the US. There are over 8,000 Montessori schools in the US and 20,000 worldwide. Many provinces in China have adopted Montessori as the curriculum of choice. Thousands of parents pay for their child to attend a private Montessori school and .many famous people are graduates of Montessori programs. These celebrities include Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Founders of Google), Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Jimmy Wales (Founder of Wikipedia), Kathrine Graham. Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Prince William and Prince Harry, Jeff Bezos (Founder of Amazon) and Taylor Swift. So, what makes Montessori programs so unique: • The Montessori Method considers the most important years to be educated are ages 0 – 6 years old. • In the Montessori classroom, children of different ages are educated together similar to a home setting. • The child’s day is spent doing self-chosen work. • Grades are not given to the students as each child advances as work is mastered. • Montessori is successful with a variety of students – gifted, learning disabled or special needs.  The Montessori program utilizes a unique set of learning materials. In order to offer Montessori programs, teachers must go through a special training program that is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. Teachers must spend over 600 additional hours of course work and practice teaching to receive a Montessori Diploma. The majority of teachers in Florence One Schools have attended the Palmetto Montessori Institute, which is accredited. After this rigorous preparation, teachers are ready to set up their own classrooms and begin teaching young children. The Montessori Preschool classroom is unique. The teacher must carefully arrange the perfect environment that includes home living materials, sensory materials, mathematic materials, language materials and cultural learning materials. Teachers spend many hours preparing the classroom so that children can learn to choose their own learning materials, practice them and return them to the shelf in perfect order. Teachers strive to make sure that students develop mental order, the ability to concentrate, coordinated body movements and personal independence. As new students work in the classroom at the first of the school year, it appears like a group of ants climbing around the anthill. The teacher and assistant teachers move about the classroom briskly assisting children as they make mistakes and often appear not to know where to go next. By October, the tone of the class changes dramatically. The children who once appeared disorganized are “changed”. They choose work carefully; gracefully handle the materials and return them to the shelf when they are finished. The average observer can hardly believe their eyes when the young children go about in an organized fashion in a Montessori classroom.
Page 10
Savannah Grove holds STEAM Career Day Savannah Grove Elementary School celebrated its 2nd annual STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Career Day led by Dr. Haley Taylor on April 18, 2019. Classes were given an opportunity to spend an entire day learning about different careers by listening to the over 50 presenters who participated in this event. The goal was to provide our students with a strong knowledge base and understanding of how STEAM can reach a multitude of careers. These volunteers shared their career and showed our students how STEAM is incorporated into their position. Through an interactive approach to the presentation of careers, the students were given a deeper understanding of a job and how fun and interesting it can be. STEAM Career Day included an area for students to investigate various machinery in a hands-on approach (i.e. firetrucks, ambulances, military vehicles, police cars, agricultural machinery, bucket trucks). This allowed students to connect classroom learning with real life application. Also, presenters shared mobile labs, videos, and various forms of media to give our students a visual representation of their career. The school was grateful to get a visit from South Carolina’s State Trooper Commander Lt. Chris Williamson as well. The school transformed its classrooms, cafeteria, gym, playgrounds, outdoor classrooms and other school designated areas into a STEAM wonderland where presenters could immerse students into their presentations. Savannah Grove Elementary partnered with local businesses in order to make this event a huge success. Principal David Copeland Jr. attests that this is on the list of SGE’s most exciting events of the year. The hard work of the SGE staff and volunteers makes this event memorable. This event provides opportunities for parents and businesses to build relationships with the school to help ensure our students are supported, successful and informed. Students who are exposed to a variety of careers at an early age see their world of opportunity expand. The belief they can do anything they want regardless of any circumstance begins to set in and open their eyes to the possibilities of this world. Principal Copeland shared “students are having fun and most importantly, they are learning at the same time”. Savannah Grove hopes to continue this event each year.

Students First Newsletter March 2019


Page 0
Page 2
McLaurin Elementary School Gives Back to First Responders After the events that occurred on October 3, 2018 McLaurin came together as a school to honor law enforcement officers in different ways. This tragedy greatly affected the McLaurin family. Unfortunately a few students at our school were directly impacted by the shootings because of the loss of their aunt, Farrah Turner. Officer Turner was highly involved with students and staff at McLaurin Elementary School. Because of this, and the fact that many law enforcement families belong to our school, we felt the need to give back to the law enforcement community. One of the fundraisers that a few staff members took charge of was buying and selling over 800 bracelets that read “Not All Heroes Wear Capes”, “In Memory of Officer Turner”. McLaurin students and staff bought over 700 bracelets and raised over $1,000 for Farrah’s family. A first grade McLaurin student felt called to do more for Farrah’s family. This student knew Officer Turner personally and thought of her as a true hero. She drew and designed stickers honoring Farrah and other police officers in the Florence community. Along with stickers, she also designed a t-shirt with the logo “Live like Farrah.” The stickers and shirts were sold at school and all proceeds went to Officer Turner’s family. The last fundraiser that McLaurin did was called “Change for Change.” This fundraiser was designed to raise change for Florence City Police Department and Florence County Sheriff’s Department. Classrooms battled against one another to bring in the most change. The school was able to raise over $600 for the departments. To show our appreciation to all officers in Florence the teachers of McLaurin came together and decided to have a breakfast on December 17th honoring them. As the officers entered the building students lined the walkway and applauded them. The students held signs and gave officers high-fives as they passed through. When the officers signed in they were greeted with a display of pictures and inspirational quotes honoring first responders. The officers were then provided a breakfast donated by Krispy Kreme, Julia Belle’s, and the McCall family. While eating breakfast students from various classes recited poems and sang songs of encouragement for the officers. One of the most special songs students sang was “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers. After students presented their program, the family of Farrah Turner was presented the monetary donations raised from the wristband fundraiser. To end the program Florence County Sheriff’s Department and Florence City Police Department were presented with over $300 each from the “Change for Change” drive. McLaurin is so thankful for the men and women that serve as first responders in our community every day. We were humbled to serve them and present them with a small token of our appreciation for risking their lives for us daily. Triple R Club at Carver teaches students to be environmentally responsible out things. Our club members are adopting a “Trash to Treasure” philosophy! This year, we have created watercolor paints from dried out markers, we have turned old broken crayons into new crayons, and we have started creating edging around some of the landscape beds with plastic bottle caps. We are also recycling milk cartons from the cafeteria to use as planters in our Carver Garden, and we are Carver’s Triple R Club (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) is a club that focuses on Environmental education and awareness for 3rd and 4th grade students at Carver Elementary. Our mission is to give students an “Environmental Conscience” and build a foundation for students to become environmentally responsible members of our community. Our projects focus primarily on reducing the amount of trash we create by repurposing items that would end up in the trash and finding a new use for old, worn creating classroom planters from empty plastic gallon jugs. In addition, we pick up trash around Carver’s campus several times a year. This is a STEM based club focused on the real world problem of protecting and maintaining our environment. Taking pride in your community is so important and it’s definitely a hands-on, learning experience. As they make and create things with repurposed items, we continually discuss ways to keep things out of the landfills and give new life to something that would otherwise be thrown away. The most rewarding experience in the club is our trash sweep of the Carver campus. In a very short amount of time, we usually manage to fill several bags of trash. This activity makes our students much more aware of how much littering can change the look of our landscape. They become much more responsible about disposing of trash and they are very eager to spread the word to other students after this activity. As the club sponsors, Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Oliver are thrilled to be making a lasting impression on students with such a valuable lesson. The Carver Triple “R” club fosters a “growth mindset” among students while introducing them to the idea of being environmentally responsible.. Principal Josie Little is happy to have the Triple “R” club at Carver. “These club members are being exposed to an idea that will make a lasting impact on them all of their lives. It is our hope that these students will remember these experiences and become environmentally responsible citizens.”
Page 4
Lion’s Club at Moore Intermediate teaches students soft skills, gives insight into careers Moore Intermediate’s Lion’s Club meets monthly and serves about twenty fifth and sixth grade students. It is led by one of Moore’s teachers and assistant principals, Chris Shaul and Luke Matthews, as well as a local businessman Glen Godfrey, owner of Quality Air Tool. Academic and behavioral components consistently push students to give their best in the classroom while a broader focus directs students towards possible vocational careers and skillsets that will enable them to provide for and serve others. Many youth today have excellent teachers and schools they excel in academically. One of our goals is to deliver a better rounded individual with a broader awareness of the skills needed to succeed in life’s arena. Should one of our young men choose not to change the oil or brakes on his own vehicle, he will know whether or not he’s being taken advantage of at the local garage because he has performed the actual task and knows all it entails. We want students to know that college is but one of many options in life, alongside trade schools and the military. For this reason we visit businesses like Pee Dee Tank to see production of large welded fuel tanks, the Florence One Career Center, Francis Marion University as well as have visits from military veterans and the West Florence JROTC. We want to expose students to the elements of life not taught in the classroom and thus have real conversations with our young men. How does one treat a lady? How does one relate to an elderly resident in the nursing home or next door? What is his role in being a contributing member of a family around the house and, in the future, to his community and country? As time and funds allow, our desire is to see our students go out as responsible young men with a servant’s heart. Lucy T. Davis is proud to announce the addition of the Makerspace Lab! The Makerspace Lab provides hands-on, creative ways of encouraging students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). Students visit this lab on a rotation schedule. In the lab, students participate in activities such as 3-Dimensional printing, coding, robotics, animation, engineering and much more. These activities require students to use collaboration and creative thinking to solve problems while learning and having fun. We believe these collaborative activities will improve student achievement, while increasing confidence and inclusivity. Engaging students in STEAM based learning is one of our core beliefs. The Profile of a South Carolina Graduate states our students should be developing skills of creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and teamwork, communication, information media and technology, and knowing how to learn. Inquiry, collaboration, and an emphasis on process-based learning are the core essentials of our lab. During the Maker Space Lab, student groups have tasks that inspire curiosity and compel them to ask questions and seek solutions. If you are curious about how you can promote STEAM at home? Here are a few tips:  Read with your child. Books can open a door to new diverse places, ideas, and careers that students may never experience. A quick web search will bring up tons of STEAM themed children’s books.  Cooking as a family can teach fractions, temperature, geometry and creativity.  Promote coding as part of your child’s tech time at home. Allow them to teach you how to code.  Give your child building challenges using household materials.  Encourage wonder by going on nature walks, stargazing, and visiting zoos and museums. We are excited about our Makerspace Lab here at Lucy T. Davis as we work to provide our students with life skills and knowledge to be successful!
Page 6
Briggs Elementary School has a long standing tradition of excellence in Florence, SC. This excellence is a result of the partnership between families, community members and organizations, and our school. Our parents and community support and engage with our school. This is the key to our success. Ongoing research shows that family engagement in schools improves student achievement and restores parents’ confidence in their children’s education. We engage with our parents through weekly reflective newsletters, studentled conferences, and family events. Parents are involved and committed to their child’s academic journey at Briggs. Our Mentors Matter Program provides our students with support in reading and math. This partnership with our local churches and high schools has been one of our biggest blessings. Over the last five years our Association of Parents and Teachers, School Improvement Council, and community members have worked to fund capital improvements in our school. Every classroom has new tile flooring. The walls are colorful and many have beautiful murals. Bathrooms are pressured washed and painted. Water fountains have been replaced with bottle filling stations with filters. Smith Park has tables with umbrellas for our students to enjoy. An outdoor learning area is being built by a former Bulldog, near our garden and chicken coop. Eagle Scouts have funded and built informational kiosks on our school grounds. Community members built a composting station and donations allowed for a chicken coop. Local businesses have donated time and money to ensure our students have opportunities to learn and grow at Briggs. Our family-schoolcommunity partnerships are what allows Briggs Elementary School’s faculty and staff members to educate, prepare, and inspire our students. Thank you for supporting Briggs! Read for a Bead encourages love of reading, student interaction with community businesses Read for a Bead is a reading endeavor which allows students in grades K-4 to connect with Delmae Element ary School’s business partners and encourages reading at the same time. Students have the entire month of March to fill out their “Read for a Bead” reading log and collect colored beads. After reading a book, the student records the title and a sentence about the book on their reading log. They then have to visit a business partner where they share a little about the book, such as why they liked the book. Each business partner location has a representative available to sign the reading log and presents the student with their bead. Students need to collect five beads, one of each color. This is the third year that Delmae students participated in Read for a Bead. Delmae is excited to have gained five new business partners this year, bringing their total to 33 business partners who are supporting literacy through Read for a Bead! Business partners range from fast food restaurants and banks to gas stations and the Drs. Bruce and Lee Library. After collecting all five beads students wear their ‘Read for a Bead’ necklace to school and their name is added to the ‘Bead Board’ display. A completed necklace qualifies students to play in the spring ‘Bead Ball Game” at Delmae.
Page 8
Poetry Alive was a week long residency program for all of our 5th grade students and teachers in which two Poetry Alive actors worked with the students on various literacy components that included Cloze reading of poetry to gain a deeper understanding of the poem, various performance elements such as blocking, scripting, and performing the poem for an audience. Every 5th grade student worked in collaborative teams of 3-5 all week with the teachers and performers to select, plan, rehearse, and perform a poem during their own Poetry Alive! Student Showcase for their grade level peers and parents at the end of the week. Imagine leaving your home and traveling all the way to another country, being away from family and friends for months. That is exactly what the new West Florence International students are doing, adding new flavor and experiences to the 2018-2019 school year. They are studying here for one year, living the American life. The International students take mostly senior level courses and electives of their choice. For most they are excited to take Journalism classes as well as courses such as art, chorus, PE, and theatre arts. Each year the International students bring some of their home countries to our students during International Education Week. They display posters, artifacts, play music, wear their native clothing and, if you are lucky, you will get to taste some of their food from home! The students do classroom presentations throughout the week as teachers will request that International students to come to their rooms. Both the students and teachers enjoy this week so very much! Being away from home takes a great deal of maturity and independence. Our International students continue to grow in many facets. They will take their experiences from West Florence back to their home country and tell all of their family and friends what a great experience this has been. Miles and miles will separate us but our bond with each other will forever remain.
Page 10
On Tuesday, March 19, Lester Elementary featured a Reading “Camp-in” Adventure Family Literacy Night. The Camp-In Adventure was a collaborative effort between Lester Elementary School and the Presbyterian Church Boy Scout Troop #477. Parents and students participated in Campfire Bingo, reading with Boy Scouts, Making Kindness Rocks, Adaptive Literacy Activities, STEM activities with Quest Zone representatives, Camp Fire Food (Hot dogs, chili, cookies & chips) and door prizes. During STEM activities students and parents explored bubble composition. Are all bubbles circular or do bubbles take on the shape of the blower used to create it? Students experimented with triangular, square and rectangular shape blowers to answer that question. Saturday, March 30, 2019, Lester’s 5-6th grade autism students and parents camped out on school grounds and continued the adventure with outside activities. E-Colors in Education is about emotional intelligence and having effective communication with others. Michele Hayes, Southside health teacher, received certification to become a trainer in facilitating Ecolors. With the support of Principal Washington, Mrs. Hayes has administered and presented the concept to students, and staff to support continuous improvement in our school community. Additionally, to expand the concept of E-Colors, Southside Middle School hosted an "E-Color Night", Tuesday, January 29, 2019 to get parents and the community members involved in understanding their emotional intelligence. Through EColors, we hope to help our school in areas such as:  Developing staff & students into leaders who are intentional with communication  Building a strong team compass guided by the organization's mission, vision, values and strategies  Enhancing team cohesion and discipline in the areas of safety, reliability, efficiency and productivity. Southside hopes to continue to use E-colors to learn more about our staff, students and school community. We plan to improve relationships and build a stronger school community. We believe positive relationships matter and are essential to a school’s success. To find out your ecolor, use the link below. https:// www.ecolorsineducatio n.org E-colors is a way to understand yourself better and others. Find out YOUR e-colors.
Page 12
Sneed’s Colors are Green and Gold (With an Emphasis On Green) Sneed Middle School, the only Green Steps certified school in Florence County, is helping its students become environmentally responsible individuals through a host of varied projects. To become a Green Steps school, students must outline a vision for at least four projects (Sneed currently has 11), and those projects must be sustained for a year. Students are required to show evidence of “learning, doing, and teaching” each of the projects. Sneed’s projects include campus-wide recycling, pollinator gardens, a raised bed vegetable and herb garden, Adopt-a-Street litter pickup, composting, plant-inevery-classroom, Breathe Better Air Quality Program, hydroponics, and bottle cap murals. Sneed also boasts a new greenhouse, two on-site beehives, and a milkweed project that aims to help our struggling monarch population. Sneed’s clubs are active in public outreach to help spread the message of sustainability throughout the region. Our 4-H Club speaks on the importance of pollinators at both area agricultural fairs and at Kalmia Gardens’ Earth Fair celebration. The Recycling and Environmental Action Clubs partner with Keep Florence Beautiful and Clemson Extension to educate the public about microplastics during Florence after Five events, and participate in the River Sweep and Great American Cleanup. 4-H member William Howard’s bee project won both the Florence County and PeeDee Regional 4-H Pollinator Project contests. Environmental Education projects are also incorporated into Sneed’s Seventh Grade Science curriculum. All 7th Grade Science students visited Kalmia Gardens of Coker College this fall to study microplastics, composting, the amazing Black Creek watershed, and the importance of protecting our natural world. By fostering students’ appreciation for the natural world through hands-on projects and activities, Sneed is helping students to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for the world we live in, and is working to improve our community. Dewey L. Carter held a Positive Behavior Block Party to celebrate students making positive behavior choices for the third 9-weeks of school. Students with no office or bus referrals for the entire quarter were rewarded with a snack, drink, games and music outside. Additionally, students were able to go shopping at the Dewey Dollar store using Dewey Dollars earned by following school expectations. Students have the opportunity to spend their Dewey Dollars at the end of each quarter as an extra incentive to be safe, responsible, and respectful. It was a fun day!
Page 14

Students First Newsletter Feb 2019


Page 0
Page 2
Students at Royall Elementary learn early STEMskills through “Kinder U” program As a way to reinforce technology in the classroom setting, Royall’s Kindergarten University (aka “Kinder U”) has evolved over the past four years. In the first year, students and teachers were invited to the library to practice using new tools and devices. The librarian and technology integration specialist designed activities that allowed practice and mastery of technology. These lessons also enabled our teachers to see how to implement various tools in their classroom setting. The second and third years of Kinder U began in the same manner but with the goal of expanding the program to include teacher planning and meeting to create lessons of their own. During grade-level planning time the kindergarten teachers, librarian and technology integration specialist met to design content specific lessons that enabled teachers to present information to students with the use of various devices. In addition, teachers planned lessons that were more STEM driven to support a school-wide initiative. Many of the activities and ideas from previous years were used in addition to learning activities where students were encouraged to collaborate, create and design with the use of technology. Kinder U is now in its 4th year of development at Royall and continues to evolve. Now lead by the Technology Integration Specialist, Librarian and Literacy Coach, the intent of technology integration is the same, but our program has grown to multiple sessions per year based on need and request from our kindergarten teachers. A Blended Learning approach to planning is now the focus. Students complete various tasks that are technology based simultaneously with reading, and the use of manipulatives or word work at the same time. For example, the 100th day of school activities included free choice building with 100 legos, mini breakout box, use of QR codes and digital puzzles. According to one kindergarten student, “Kinder U is time for me to work with my friends in the Learning Commons”. After the last Kinder U another student said, “I love to use the robots”. According to Jamie McMillan, the Technology Integration Specialist at Royall, “Kinder U was a way for me to start working with our teachers and student four years ago. I am so proud to have been a part of watching them grow in the area of technology”. Ms. Hickman says, “My students have so much fun participating in Kinder U. They love coding the robots, solving puzzles on the iPads, and unlocking the lock boxes! It's a wonderful opportunity to reinforce what we are learning in the classroom”. “Kinder U is an exciting way for our students to explore, create, and learn while interacting with technology! The best part is they can return to their classroom and use their new skills as they continue to explore with robots, iPads, Osmos, and more”, said Kindergarten teacher Bridgett Kennedy after our last Kinder U session. Principal Julie Smith said, “Our youngest learners and their teachers are given a firsthand experience with the newest technology. Kinder U allows our teachers to differentiate learning opportunities as well as implement a Blended Learning Approach”. In February, Kinder U students did Patriot themed activities! Students participated in stations including coding with the Botley Robot, an interactive Smartboard table activity, read aloud, and a mini breakout box with writing activity. “Real Men Read” at Savannah Grove Savannah Grove Elementary School’s “Real Men Read” Progra m is a childhood literacy enhancement program. “Real Men Read,” now in year two, encourages professional men through out the school and F1S community to read to students attending Savannah Grove. Fraternities and school personnel, including administrators, teachers, and custodial staff, along with fathers and other relatives of students also volunteer to read. The “Real Men Read” Program continually serves as a foundational initiator of business partnerships. The idea for this program came from a nationwide, nonprofit reading program, “Real Men Read,” for the purpose of assisting elementary school-aged children in developing their reading/literacy skills. Research shows that spotlighting men reading encourages reluctant readers, especially boys, and confirms that men read all the time. Once a month, professional men from our community and surrounding areas serve as readers to classes in grades K6. Our Literacy Coach personally contacts and assigns a male reader to each of our 33 classrooms to ensure that each of our students experiences the reading and collaborative conversations led by our male readers. Upon their arrival to read, RMR volunteer readers are served a light breakfast prior to being escorted to their assigned reading posts by a Savannah Grove Elementary School student safety patrol member. Readers then select their book or books from an array of displayed books. These fiction and non-fiction genres range from children’s literature, comics, picture books, mystery, fantasy, and fairy tales, to biographies, self -reflective prints and memoirs. Providing a wealth of orally shared genres is strategic in portraying reading as a privilege versus a punitive action. This program provides positive reading role models and emphasizes to students that adults value reading. Several of our RMR volunteer readers also serve as mentors for Savannah Grove Elementary School’s male students. These men graciously give of their time and resources to male students, serving as advocates for successful student growth and development. Savannah Grove Elementary School has modified its “Real Men Read” Program to include SGE’s 6th grade boys also voluntarily reading to classes. In keeping with South Carolina ELA/Reading & Writing Standards, “Real Men Read” seeks to develop student’s oral presentation skills and to provide positive reading attitudes and habits that lend to comprehensive, selfmotivated reading. Students complete and submit a RMR Student Volunteer Reader Form to SGE’s Literacy Coach. Books for student readers to select from are provided well in advance of RMR events, giving students the opportunity to be well acquainted with their book choices. These students also conduct follow-up collaborative conversations with classes to include Question & Answer time at the end of their shared reading. Savannah Grove Elementary School will host its next “Real Men Read” event Friday, March 22, 2019 beginning at 7:30am. For further information or to volunteer to serve as a reader, please contact SGE’s Literacy Coach, Carrie Simmons at 843-2692575, 843-664-8463 or carrie.simmons@fsd1.org.
Page 6
Culinary arts is the first step in preparing for an exciting career path that can take you in many directions. It is a fun and fulfilling career choice. With a culinary background, you can choose healthcare, hotels, restaurants, catering, food trucks, or being a personal chef. Culinary 2 students have made a commitment to being a professional in appearance and skills acquired. They also make a commitment to completing the classwork and homework that is part of the course. While we have fun cooking and enjoy eating what we prepare, there is also a classroom and textbook that we use. If you decide this is not what you want as a career, it is still a great course to take. We will teach you the basics of cooking, how to shop effectively, and how to take care of your family and yourself. These are lessons that travel with you and can be used regardless of which career path you choose. Former Florence 1 student encourages Alfred Rush students to make good choices, excel academically Former student, Chaquez McCall, is a native of Florence, SC and a 2011 graduate of Wilson High School. He completed his undergraduate studies at Francis Marion University and later attended North Carolina Central where he studied law. While in law school, McCall learned the dynamics of the criminal justice system first hand under the tutelage of Attorney Linwood C Edwards II. He currently serves as an attorney in the South Carolina Judicial Department. On January 18, 2019, McCall visited the students at Alfred Rush Academy to share his past experiences while attending the Alternative School as a student. He highlighted an experience that encouraged him to turn his life around. He further emphasized the importance of making good choices, excelling academically, integrity, and the impact education plays when be sentenced by a judge. Attorney McCall answered several questions and closed with inspiring words for the students.
Page 8
the school’s Thursday evening, February 21st, North Vista Elementary hosted a PYP Informational Night. Families from various schools in the district attended to learn more information about the IB- PYP program. North Vista is finishing year one of a three year candidacy program as they prepare to become authorized as an IB World School, in the Primary Years Programme (PYP). At the Informational Night, 5th grade students performed a Chinese New Year Song, sang in Chinese, and four students in 4th and 5th grades provided the audience with testimonies of what they like about PYP, including Spanish class, projects, and more. Presentations were given by Mr. Brian Howell, District IB Coordinator, Mrs. Sharon Dixon, Principal, and Mrs. Dawn Walker, PYP Lead Teacher, about journey to become PYP, what makes PYP different, and how students benefit from an integrated curriculum, international perspective, and individualized instruction. Student projects and grade level presentations were displayed in the hallway as well as in the multi-purpose room, showing what students have learned about other countries, as well as activities they have completed this year on the IB Learner Profile and the PYP Attitudes. According to the Learn Profile, IB students are: •Inquirers- students are encouraged to ask questions •Knowledgeablestudents are encouraged to explore concepts and ideas from all angles •Thinkers-students analyze complex problems and their solutions •Communicatorsstudents express themselves using many different methods •Principled-students learn to do what is right and take a stand for what they believe in •Open minded-students learn to appreciate their own culture and that of others •Caring- students are taught to show empathy and respect •Risk-takers- students try new things •Balanced-Students learn how to find a sense of balance in all aspects of life •Reflective- students are able to reflect on their own strengths and weakness and learn how to grow in those areas. Applications are being accepted for the 2019-2020 school year. To apply, visit http://bit.ly/PYP2019, or visit the North Vista website. The deadline for applications is May 1st. In recognition of our young men in the Mighty Eagle Club, Wallace Gregg Elementary School (WGES) recognizes our male students for their effort to support the community. The advisors and the young men worked to help, Help4Kids Florence. The Mighty Eagle Club young men began asking for help to support their can food drive. They placed flyers throughout the building and raised the stakes to support sponsoring a classroom pizza party. The classes were divided into groups, 5K- 2, 3-4 grades and 5-6 grades. The can food drive ran from January 22 until February 15. Wallace Gregg Elementary made announcements during the morning show and afternoon dismissal as a reminder to the students. The students from various classes, worked hard to bring in the can foods. The students were eager to participate in the competition. One student took the challenge to heart and went out and obtained donations from an area grocery store. This student came in with over 400 cans donated from the local IGA off of Pamplico Highway. Miss James Moore, a current 5th grade student helped her class dominate the can drive for grades 5 and 6. The Might Men were appreciative of her efforts to really support this initiative. The winning classes for K2 was Mrs. Hurst. The winning class for 3-4 was Mrs. Bullock. The winning class for 5-6 was Ms. McElveen, James’ homeroom class. The winning classes were able to choose their designated day for their pizza party. This initiative was an exciting challenge for our students. The Mighty Eagle Club sponsors and members presented the donations to Debbie Watson of Help4Kids Florence. They assisted her with loading the back of her vehicle and she had to have extra help supporting the rest of the donations as it was over 2,000 cans in total during the short drive. Watson was very appreciative of the donations and thanked the young men for their effort to support the community. The Might Eagle Club was also visited by former professional baseball player Orlando Hudson who shared with them his ideas and beliefs on education as well as his thoughts on professional sports. He spoke with the students about being young men and representing yourselves in a good way when you are in public and in private. He encouraged the young men to stay focused and make sure they work hard on their studies and obtain a good education. The Mighty Eagle Club continues to garner public and private sponsors to help them be successful in school and in the community as they become a Mighty Eagle Man. We would like to thank the sponsors of the Mighty Eagle Club for all that they do to support and give our young men positive experiences that they will be able to use now and in the future. These sponsors are Larry Jackson, Henry Watson, Justin Gee, and Charles Willoughby.
Page 10
The Florence 1 Schools Imagine Forward 1:1 initiative has enabled Timrod Elementary to provide before and after school programs for kindergarten through sixth grade. Students begin instruction with a certified teacher as early as 7 a.m. Math and reading activities include Smarty Ants, Study Island, Happy Numbers, Achieve3000, and interactive readalouds. Kindergarten students enjoy an interactive read-aloud with engaging academic activities that support the kindergarten curriculum. First and second graders utilize Smarty Ants, where they work on reading skills on their instructional levels. Third through sixth graders utilize Study Island, Happy Numbers, and Achieve3000. Certified teachers monitor instruction and provide support for students in these instructional groups. In addition to the before school programs, we also provide academic assistance for students in third through sixth grade. Third graders receive small group instruction in reading from a certified Reading Recovery teacher twice a week. Fourth through sixth graders receive small group instruction in math once a week for an hour. Small group math instruction addresses skills and standards that support the daily curriculum in the classroom. Teachers use this time to address any academic gaps in instruction and scaffold learning. These programs provide our students with additional academic support and also help build positive relationships that are so important in social development and academic achievement. “We are excited to have our students participate in our extended academic programs at Timrod.” stated Principal Michelle McBride. The mission of the South Florence High School Fine Arts Department is to offer students a quality education with the pursuit of the Arts as a core tenet. For the last fifteen years, the program’s teachers have sought to instill in their students a love of life-long learning and creative expression through the Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project and the ABC grants the schools has received. With administrative support, the Arts faculty at South Florence has grown, requests for Arts classes have increased, and the Arts credits earned has doubled. South Florence has had students at the Governor School for the Arts and has had winners at regional visual arts shows; students have also been accepted into district, region, and AllState music events. The Fine Arts program recently participate in a Facebook Live event through the ABC Project. During the day-long event, ABC schools across the state showcased their Fine Arts programs in an effort to promote the Arts and ABC sites throughout South Carolina. The live event was held on February 12 and the video can be viewed on the SF Facebook page. During their video, South Florence students showcased dance, theater, band, chorus, visual arts and 3D printing. South Florence is excited to become a Magnet School for the Arts in the 2019-2020 school year. An interest meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 5 at 6:30 p.m. in South Florence’s media center. Parents and guardians of gifted rising ninth graders with a passion for the arts are invited to review the course of study as well as the application/audition process for the new Arts Magnet School. Courses in the Magnet program will include band, orchestra, chorus, theater, dance, creative writing, visual arts and video production. An application will be available online after the meeting.

Students First Newsletter December_2018


Page 0
STUDENTS FIRST December 2018 Volume 1, Issue 4 A Florence One Schools Newsletter Wilson IB program uses TEDx events to spark student conversations about change The aim of the IB Program is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity, help to create a better and more peaceful world. This slogan drives project based learning experiences in Laura Anne Hofler’s 10th grade MYP English 3 course at Wilson High School. The course begins with a study of The Narrative of Frederick Douglass and discussion about how he was a powerful advocate for the end of slavery. Students then transition into their own ideas about change. Last year, sophomores attended TEDx Evans Street and heard from speakers, including their German teacher Lucia Huang, about “The Audacity to Dream.” They returned to school and worked with a small group to design and implement their own advocacy project. One group promoted racial equality and sold “We Are One” bracelets, raising $500 for Helping Florence Flourish. Another group hosted a forum about school violence at Town Hall restaurant for students from the three high schools and community and school leaders. At the conclusion of the year, students were encouraged to try out to be a speaker at the upcoming TEDx. This year’s TEDx Evans Street included one of those students, IB junior Rebecca Liu, on stage speaking on the theme of being a “Change Agent.” The idea of our common humanity resonated with her from the literature she studied in her MYP English class, and she spoke on the power of learning from other cultures based on her experience growing up in America as the child of Taiwanese immigrants. This year’s sophomores sat in the audience to hear from her, along with other speakers including the mayor of Lake City and the editor of The Morning News. The field trip concluded with round table discussions at Town Hall restaurant where students discussed the ideas they’d heard about and brainstormed their own ideas for change. After the field trip, students chose a personally meaningful topic to research. They used traditional sources like websites and databases, and they also conducted a personal interview with an adult about the topic, allowing them to practice business communication skills like professional emails, preparing for and conducting an interview, and writing a thank you note. From their research, they came up with their own “idea worth spreading”, in the spirit of TED Talks, and are drafting their own short talk about change. Which student will develop the talk further and take to the TEDx stage next year? IB encourages many attributes in learners including inquiry, communication, risk taking, and reflecting. These are some of the traits that students have developed as they’ve learned how to research, organize, and present an idea. We have engaged students with great, inspiring ideas and a desire to make a difference. It will be exciting to see how they use the skills and knowledge they’ve gained in Florence 1 Schools to go out and change the world.
Page 2
Page 2 Volume 1, Issue 4 Savannah Grove Beta Club builds a strong community of learners The Savannah Grove Gator Beta Club recently presented McLeod Hospital with over 100-holiday greeting cards for patients who may not be able to go home during the holiday season. The members of the National Junior and Elementary Beta Club, a community service club that focuses on helping others, worked last week to make and decorate cards for those medically less fortunate this holiday season. Kate Miccichi accepted the cards on behalf of McLeod for the third year in a row. She spoke with the members of the club on how special the cards are and how they impact patients, families, faculty, and staff. “I wish the students could see the looks on the patients’ faces when they receive a card,” Miccichi said. “They truly help to heal those patients and make their situation easier.” Officers within the club, treasurer Kimora Cusaac and vice-president Tristen Mack, presented the cards on behalf of the club. The members were excited to brighten up the days of others and enjoyed spending time together, singing Christmas songs while they decorated the cards. Miccichi presented the club members with a special holiday treat that has become a tradition now with the students. The S.G.E.S. Gator Beta Club consists of 5th and 6th-grade students who earn membership into the club by making Honor Roll during the first nine weeks of the school year and modeling high moral character. The students work to build a strong community of learners within the school and give back as often as possible. The club meets at least once a month to plan and organize their events. In January, the members will participate in a candlelight pinning and induction ceremony to recognize and celebrate their achievements. This year, with the support of incredible faculty and staff, the club hopes to add a project after the holidays to continue to grow and help others. Their next community service project will be a donation drive for the Florence Area Humane Society in the spring. Along with Principal David Copeland, the S.G.E.S. Gator Beta Club is sponsored by Haley Taylor, Tiffaney Brown, Victoria Holdaway, and Layton Wicker. Page 3 Students First Royall uses FLEX to promote maximum learning In order to effectively reach all learners, teachers at Royall use a variety of differentiation strategies. One of the strategies that teachers employ is flexible grouping. Flexible grouping techniques are designed to accommodate the needs of individual students by specifically targeting their learning style, readiness, and interests. This is done by utilizing whole class instruction, small groups, or by working with a partner. Flexible grouping at Royall, called FLEX, is utilized in grades 1 and 2 and includes additional support from the Literacy Coach, Instructional Technology Specialist, Enhanced Learner Interventionist, Librarian, Primary Plus Assistants and our Reading Recovery Teacher. These experts come together to plan for meaningful and intentional reading instruction based on the needs of Royall’s first and second grade students. Utilizing the data reports generated after monthly Istation testing, FLEX teachers meet to analyze data and assess the needs of their students. Although Istation is a great place to start, teacher judgement is the most important factor when placing students. Teachers assign their students to a smaller group (typically no larger than 12) for instruction based on their needs. Students assigned in one FLEX group may be reassigned on an individual basis as needed. FLEX groups are reassigned approximately every 4-6 weeks. These groups are a temporary way for students to work together in a variety of ways and configurations depending upon activity and learning outcomes as well as to learn from another teacher at Royall. In order to promote maximum learning, students need to move frequently among groups according to their specific needs. For example when a student shows progress in one area of instruction such as comprehension or fluency they may be placed with a group of students who share their strengths. If data analysis shows that a student is struggling in an area, they too may be reassigned to a group with students that have similar needs. In addition to the monthly data analysis meeting, teachers involved in FLEX meet on a weekly basis during their grade level planning time to discuss progress, move student groups when appropriate and create activities and lessons that target the needs of all learners. Current lessons include word work, vocabulary and comprehension strategies, the writing process and a daily read aloud. According to Principal Julie Smith, FLEX groups “allow our teachers to meet the individual needs of students through carefully designed intervention. In addition to providing remediation, FLEX groups allow us to provide enrichment opportunities to our stronger students.” Second grade students have this to say about FLEX groups: “I get to see my friends from other classes!” “We get to learn in different classrooms from different teachers.” “FLEX groups are fun!” Second and first grade teachers report, “FLEX groups at Royall are just one way that we can meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of each student.”. FLEX grouping allows teachers to zero in on the specific needs of each student. It allows students to have the opportunity to work with, and learn from, their peers in a way that encourages them to be active participants in each lesson. When students work in a variety of groups, they learn to work independently and cooperatively with a variety of personalities. The teachers involved in FLEX grouping will meet once again after the holidays to discuss progress and concerns, analyze data and regroup students according to need. FLEX grouping at Royall has proven to be an effective tool to enhance student achievement.
Page 4
Page 4 Students First Wallace-Gregg provides positive role models through Mighty Eagle Men, GRL PWR Clubs Wallace Gregg Elementary School (WGES) recognizes that our male students are in need of guidance. It is this need that our students presented that lead the male faculty to start a gentlemen’s club for our young boys. The men on staff came up with the name, Mighty Eagle Men Club. The Mighty Eagle Men Club is sponsored by Larry M. Jackson, Henry Watson, Justin Gee, Charlie Willoughby and many of the Wallace Gregg Elementary School faculty. The students had to fill out an application. This allowed the sponsors to see the student’s commitment to the club. The club is specifically designed for the 5th and 6th grade male students; the club meets twice a week- Wednesday mornings from 7:30 - 7:50 a.m. and Friday afternoons from 2:15 - 3:20 p.m. They are required to dress up for all sessions and are expected to exhibit good character for all other students of the school. During their sessions, students learn teambuilding skills, character development, health and hygiene, and many other important essentials of manhood and life. They also offer structured support in math, science, and technology, while emphasizing the areas of etiquette and mentorship. The Mighty Eagle Men have completed their first module regarding character, responsibility, respect, trustworthiness, caring, fairness, and citizenship. They are expected to exhibit these qualities throughout the school, home, and community exemplifying understanding of each one. We have also had community personnel to come in and work with each young man such as the Honorable Judge Taft Guiles of Florence and Darlington County judicial system. The Mighty Eagle Men Club is taking an interest and involvement with the community. The young men will be sponsoring a food and toy drive in January, participating in weekend community service projects, and many other endeavors. The MEM Club gentlemen also receive mentoring from local, public servants and officials within the area every other Friday and are also collaborating with GRL PWR, a mentoring group for young girls at Wallace Gregg Elementary. The Mighty Eagle Men have already attained many public and private sponsors to help them not just be successful in the school and community but to become a true Mighty Eagle Man. Wallace Gregg’s GRL PWR club is a club for our young girls in grades 4th-6th. GRL PWR stands for Growing Responsible Leaders that are Phenomenal, Worthy, and Relentless. This club is being sponsored by April Robinson. The club is in the beginning stage and meets on Tuesdays from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. The aim of the club is to provide our female students with positive role models outside the home. This club offers the benefits of activities in math, science, and technology with an emphasis in the areas of health, etiquette, mentoring, and book clubs. Together both of these clubs are providing our students with the opportunity to grow personally into a wellrounded child! Page 5 Students First MYP German students send Holiday Greetings to friends overseas Through the course of the 2018-19 school year, MYP German Williams Middle School eighth graders partner with a class in Schifferstadt in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate to learn more about one another, culture and language learning. Leading up to the days before Winter Break, Williams students created holiday greetings to send along with items that represent Florence to the students in Schifferstadt. Their German counterparts are working on e-books and digital presentations featuring German Christmas traditions to share. Williams students are in their second year of learning the German language and the students in Germany are in their third year of English. Students are comparing their likes, hobbies, shows, music and school days through their correspondences using what they are learning daily in the classroom authentically. Kayla Keith an eighth grader at Williams says, “I love this project. It’s so fun to have a friend you can send a letter to because this generation, we text- so it’s cool to send letters back and forth.” Asked why they enjoy the project, Lauren Gaskins said, “I am excited that I have the opportunity to have a German pen-pal. This project helps me get a better glimpse of German culture and the German language.” Kennedy McDowell is enjoying the opportunity to connect with fluent Germans. Mrs. Uschi Jeffcoat teaches the class in Florence and Frau Sarah Berzins teaches the class in Schifferstadt. The two have worked together in the past on similar projects. Both value the enthusiasm and the significant learning opportunity it brings to the students. Frau Berzin shares, “When I told my students about the project, they were very excited and kept asking me when the first letters would arrive. The day I brought them to school everyone was thrilled and eager to read their letter. I think that this is a hands-on project which makes our students see and understand the value of learning a foreign language and getting to know other customs and cultural habits. This way we teach them to become open-minded global citizens who share an understanding of others without forgetting about their own cultural background.” Jeffcoat particularly enjoys watching the sense of curiosity it creates among her students. Especially in how their daily lives compare. The project will continue throughout the school year incorporating traditional reading and writing paired with media and digital projects. The Realschule Plus und Fachoberschule im Paul-vonDenis Schulzentrum Schifferstadt (http://www.rsschifferstadt.de/wp/) has 793 students, 66 teachers and 30 classes. Principal of the Fachoberschule im Paul-vonDenis Schulzentrum Schifferstadt is Jochen Geeck. The city of Schifferstadt has a population of 20,000 and is the neighbor city of Speyer, which is famous for its beautiful cathedral. German students at Williams Middle are part of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB/ MYP). For more information on the MYP Programme, contact Tenika Evans-Pee at tevanspee@fsd1.org at or visit www.f1s.org/domain/1774
Page 6
Page 6 Students First Students explore all aspects of law enforcement at Florence Career Center Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a real police officer? For students in Florence One Schools they have the opportunity to find out. The Florence Career Center’s Law Enforcement Services program offers students the opportunity to learn the demanding job skills that are required of today’s law enforcement officers. The program is set up into two classes in which the student will earn four credits. Law Enforcement Services 1 is where students will learn the basics of being a law enforcement officer. The students will learn the same material a new officer would learn at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Students will learn about the history of law enforcement, the rights afforded to US citizens as well as visitors to our country by the US Constitution, and how to communicate these protections to the public both in written and spoken form. Students will learn about the ethics of the job so we do not intentionally violate these rights. Students will learn about several South Carolina state criminal laws that today’s police officers have to enforce such as murder, burglary, robbery, etc. They will also have to perform various physical activities to get an understanding of the physical demands of law enforcement. Lastly, students will learn about the Use of Force Continuum. The Use of Force Continuum is taught using a simulator similar to the one used at the Criminal Justice Academy. The simulator projects a scenario that other officers have faced in real life onto the screen and the students must interact with the scenario, decide the type of force needed, and then apply that force. The simulator allows the students to use handguns, pepper spray, and a Taser. The simulator really helps the students understand the split second decisions that officers have to make in the line of duty. Law Enforcement Services 2 is for those students that have made the decision that law enforcement is the career field for them. Students in Law Enforcement Services 2 learn more in depth about the different fields inside law enforcement. Students will learn about patrol procedures and how to apply accepted law enforcement tactics in situations they may face as police officers. Students will learn how to perform traffic stops, how to protect and document a crime scene, and how to prosecute cases in the court system. Students will learn about commonly abused substances, foreign and domestic terrorism, and the juvenile system in South Carolina. Law Enforcement Services 2 is a more hands-on class. The goal of Law Enforcement Services is to make sure every student that finishes the second year will be ready for the rigorous classes they will have to take at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy to begin their career in law enforcement. The class is also helpful to students that do not aspire to become law enforcement officers in that it will help them have a better understanding of our criminal justice system and a better appreciation for our law enforcement officers. Students First Page 7 Smarty Ants, Achieve 3000 change instructional time at Timrod Elementary Students in kindergarten through second grades at Timrod Elementary engage in an instructional website during blended learning called Smarty Ants. It is an effective and research-driven solution to differentiate instruction in foundational reading skills and accelerates student achievement. Smarty Ants provides students with activities that are engaging and interactive. The students are given the opportunity to choose their activity, while the program selects the skill level. The program continuously evaluates each student’s exact skill level, learning temperament, and learning pace. Based on this information, the adaptive content system automatically delivers the right level of skill instruction and practice to keep learners in the zone of proximal development. No two students will approach the content or process in the same manner. Teachers track and monitor student progress through lessons and growth toward fluency and comprehension. Students learn more than surface-level phonemic awareness and phonics. Students dive deep and master these foundational reading skills through Smarty Ant’s complete scope and sequence. Smarty Ants transforms emergent readers into independent readers. “It is astonishing to see our students actively engaged with this program during ELA instruction,” said Timrod Principal Michelle McBride. Achieve3000 is utilized in grades third – sixth during ELA blended learning instruction. This program provides differentiated instruction solutions to students for nonfiction reading and writing. It provides solutions in the areas of English Language Arts, literacy in the content area, intervention, ELL, blended learning, and foundational literacy. Achieve3000 students made significant and substantive gains in vocabulary, reading comprehension, and total reading skills, according to a 2014-15 study conducted by an independent evaluation firm. Achieve3000 differentiated instruction provides engaging, nonfiction content that supports core curriculum, Response to Intervention, English language learning, special education, workforce readiness, and other instructional models. Achieve3000 is often used during ELA/literacy stations in Timrod’s blended learning program. Achieve3000 uses precisely matched text using a student’s Lexile score and the auto-adjust feature. Achieve3000 ensures that all students will be able to access curriculum and engage in the daily lesson without exceptions. Recently, Ms. Strickland’s fourth grade class won the Achieve3000 2018 Read to Succeed Contest! Ms. Strickland was awarded a gift card to use for a class celebration. “These two programs have changed the culture of our instructional practice at Timrod,” Principal McBride said.
Page 8
Page 8 Students First North Vista Garden Club grows more than just veggies During the 20172018 school year, North Vista Elementary School was awarded a grant for raised flowerbeds from the City of Florence along with the Eat Smart Move More initiative. The goal of Eat Smart Move More is to get young children to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables. In March of 2018, raised beds were built on North Vista’s campus. Geneva Brown, a Lower Montessori teacher, is the coordinator of the school-based garden club. Ms. Brown had a desire to have a garden at school due to the limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that without a balanced portion of fresh fruits and vegetables many person may experience health issues such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and nutrition related diseases. According to the National Initiative for Children’s Health Care Quality, 33.7 percent of South Carolina’s children are overweight or obese. Having a school garden will give students hands -on experience along with the exercise of growing fruits and vegetables. In addition to learning about the art of growing a garden, students are taught how to make informed decisions about what they are eating so they can get into the habit of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Students will be experimenting and working with foods grown in the school garden as part of mastering state standards and learning about nutrition and health facts. Hands on learning promotes success across the curriculum and develops collaboration, critical thinking, social and language skills, and subject matter including STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Music). The goals of the Garden Club are: •To get students involved with gardening at school and beyond the classroom •To acquire a love for gardening •To introduce students to the art and science of gardening using STEAM and writing skills •To help foster students’ leadership skills that may lead to future hobbies and career opportunities •To teach students about healthy lifestyle choices by exercising through gardening; the nutritional value of eating fresh fruits and vegetables •To enter an exhibit in the Florence County Agricultural Fair •To establish neighborhood and community connections •To increase awareness of the environment, natural resources, ecology, conservation, composting and recycling •To help raise standard test scores, especially in Science

Students First Newsletter November 2018


Page 0
STUDENTS FIRST November 2018 Volume 1, Issue 3 A Florence One Schools Newsletter Lucy T. Davis holds STEAM fest In order to show off our creative, inventive, and imaginative sides, Lucy T. Davis hosted a Fall STEAM Fest for students and parents. STEAM is an educational approach comprised of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Students are taught to problem solve, collaborate, experiment, and work through the creative process. LTD’s Fall STEAM Fest incorporated community partners who played an integral role in making this event successful! Families learned about wildlife and the ecosystem of Pee Dee region with members from the Lynches River Discovery Center. These partners brought reptiles, animal skins and shells, and also discussed the importance of conservation. The Francis Marion University Chemistry Department brought in Welcome! In each edition of our monthly Students First newsletter, we will highlight programs within our schools. Inside this issue: Briggs Dewey Carter McLaurin Carver 2 4 6 8 F1S Technology Department also joined in the fun! Students explored the inside of a computer, and learned about different experiments for parents and students to complete involving heat, force, and absorption. The South Carolina Governor’s School challenged students to build boats out of aluminum foil. Students had the task of building a boat that could float while holding the maximum amount of glass pebbles. The strongest boat held 51 pebbles! Families also explored properties of light and color with prism glasses. ScienceSouth presented demonstrations and provided experiments for families on optics, chemical reactions, sound waves, magnetism, metallurgy and insects. Clemson Cooperative Extension brought the Enviroscape model to demonstrate the importance of keeping waterways clean. parts as well as the important function of each part. Families could also visit other activities, which included Pumpkin Dash with Dash the Robot (coding), Makey Makey Pumpkins (building circuits), the Fall Lego Challenge, Absorption Leaves, and Candy Pumpkin Structures (engineering). At Lucy T. Davis, we believe in schools, families, and communities working together to shape the innovators, educators, leaders and learners of the 21st century!
Page 2
Page 2 Volume 1, Issue 3 Fresh off the Farm In 2015, a group of Briggs’ faculty members applied for and were awarded a grant from the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a farm at Briggs, part of the National Farm to School Network. Shortly after, Jeff Murrie transferred to the school and, in addition to his regular duties as a Social Studies teacher, gained the responsibilities of fulfilling the grant. He immediately became the student, submerging himself in educational practices involving agriculture. Since taking on this new role, Jeff is now a graduate of the South Carolina Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Institute, he holds a certificate in Good Agricultural Practices from Clemson University and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, he is a graduate of the School Gardening for South Carolina Educators from Clemson Extension, and he recently returned from Shelburne Farm in Vermont where he completed the course Cultivating Joy and Wonder for Early Learners. Jeff has since vacated his former position of teaching Social Studies to fully implement agriculture into the Briggs lesson plan. In three short years, Jeff along with the help of so many in the community have taken a small grant and transformed it into multiple spaces where children are able to learn agriculture. The original grant helped to furnish the materials for a raised garden. “I have never witnessed students become as excited and engaged in a subject as I have seen in Farm to School,” Jeff said. He points out how students are capable of fully engaging all five senses while they explore and learn about agriculture - they can taste the homegrown produce, hear the bees buzzing, touch the soft new growth in the garden, see eggs the chicken lay, and smell freshly picked fruit. It is Jeff’s goal to influence children to engage with the environment around them. Clemson Extension’s 4-H Club helps maintain the gardens, chickens, and helps with the bees. The 4H Club is an organized group of youths, led by an adult, with a planned program that is carried on throughout all or most of the year. The club provides important opportunities for youth to learn subject matter and life skills. In June, a group of 4-H kids that attend Briggs raised tomato plants and basil from seeds, took them to the Pee Dee State Farmers Market, and gave them away to patrons while informing them on the importance of growing their own produce. Jeff is excited about future opportunities. Duke Energy installed a fruit orchard with peaches, plums, and blueberries in which they want to continue to add to. They also hope to add a new farm piece or livestock in the coming year and install a 30’ by 10’ raised bed that will be used to grow South Carolina cash crops such as cotton, indigo, corn, and peanuts. “Fifty years ago, most everyone had a family member involved in agriculture. Now it’s really hard to find that connection. The Ag classroom gets the students involved and they get to know where their food comes from,” explained Jeff. Reprinted with permission from VIP Magazine Page 3 Students First Delmae Robo Dawgs go into orbit The FIRST LEGOLeague teams (up to 10 members, ages 9-13) began at Delmae in the 2006-2007 school year. Students on this team research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and are challenged to develop a solution. They also must design, build, and program a robot using the program, LEGO MINDSTORMS®, then compete on a table-top playing field. It all adds up to tons of fun while they learn to apply science, technology, engineering, and math concepts (STEM), plus a big dose of imagination, to solve a problem. Along their journey, they develop critical thinking and teambuilding skills, basic STEM applications, and even presentation skills, as they must present their solutions with a dash of creativity to judges. They also practice the Program’s Core Values, which emphasize discovery, teamwork and good sportsmanship. The Delmae Robo Dawgs are once again hard at work preparing for the 2018 First Lego League season. Delmae has had a Lego Robotics Team for fourteen years. The team has competed in regional competitions and qualified for state competitions for eleven of the fourteen years. This season, the students are competing in a challenge called “Into Orbit”. They have to learn how to code using the Lego Mindstorms software to program their robot and complete a series of missions. They compete against another team and have 2 ½ minutes to complete as many missions as possible. The goal is to complete those missions and gain as many points as possible. If they do well, they have a chance at winning that portion of the competition. They also have to complete a research project each year. This year’s project assignment for the “Into Orbit” season is to identify a physical or social problem faced by humans during long duration space exploration within our Sun’s solar system and propose a solution. In order to complete this portion, the team has worked to narrow down their interests and begin to focus in on one area to research. Now, the Delmae Robo Dawgs are gathering research and evidence to share with the judges at their competition. This part of the competition is the core of First Lego League. It encourages students to look at real world problems and come up with solutions to better society. The team is also challenged to share their research and ideas with as many people as possible. This year, our team will be working with representatives from NASA and local medical experts as they share their ideas and create their solution. They will also be sharing their ideas with their school community and the larger Florence community as well. This year, we shared our ideas and research with Florence community members as part of the Pecan Festival’s STEM Zone. The final piece of the puzzle is something that First Lego League calls Core Values. Core Values is all about teamwork and how the students handle adversity and demonstrate problem-solving skills. The students have to complete activities that the judges assign and are scored based upon how they work together and the strategies they use to complete those activities. “The Delmae Rob Dawgs team is about so much more than Legos and robots,” said Delmae Principal Roy Ann Jolley. “It’s about teaching students how to think critically about problems and solutions while at the same time having a lot of fun. As has been said in so many space movies, “Houston, we have a problem!” But luckily for us, the Delmae Robo Dawgs are creating solutions!”
Page 4
Page 4 Students First Dewey L. Carter supports Hurricane Florence victims during Kindness Week In an effort to promote a culture of kindness within the school and community, Dewey L. Carter celebrated its third annual Kindness Week from October 8 -12. This year’s theme was “In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind.” The week was devoted to doing as many acts of kindness as possible, both in and out of school. Kindness Week consisted of a variety of activities. DLC raised over $550 through a Penny War fundraiser to support Daisy Elementary in Longs, which was flooded after Hurricane Florence. Each grade level adopted a community organization to support throughout the week. Grade levels donated supplies to the Florence Humane Society, made cards for patients and nurses in hospitals, and created posters and letters for firemen and police officers. Sixth grade students created kindness posters to be displayed around the school as reminders of the impact of one kind act. Students also participated in The Great Kindness Challenge, completing a list of kind acts at home and school throughout the week. Staff and students participated in spirit days all week, dressing up for various themes like “Kick Kindness into Gear” and “Hats off to Kindness.” Teachers included read-alouds and activities in their daily lessons to address the importance of being kind to others. Students also created appreciation cards for staff members that have made an impact on their educational experience. Dewey L. Carter’s Principal, Wendy Frazier, has been so encouraged by the kindness demonstrated by the students and staff and can’t wait to see the larger impact it will have in our communities. “Our students and staff are some of the absolute best in our school district and we all realize that it costs nothing at all to be kind to one another. Random acts of kindness are so fun because they are simple to accomplish, they promote excitement amongst our students, and they have such a positive impact that is longlasting and purposeful. In the light of recent tragic events in our community, the need for widespread kindness is even more important. We hope to be just a small part of that contagious spreading of kindness.” Because of the success of this week, DLC will continue its tradition by having more frequent Kindness Weeks in an effort to encourage kindness, not only in our school, but even more importantly, throughout the Effingham and Florence communities. Page 5 Students First Knight Life: newspaper staff sees challenges, rewards sharing the stories of West Florence By Catherine Williamson, Editor The Knight Life, West Florence’s newspaper, has a staff of just nine people, all 10th-12th graders with completely different backgrounds. Knight Life is run by two editors and two advisors. Our editors are myself, Catherine Williamson (12th), and my co-editor, Charleigh Sprawls (11th). Every day, we work together to create fun, new ways to get our reporters to interact with each other, their interviewees, and their stories. I love working with Charleigh because we are always able to bounce new ideas off each other, including how to edit others’ stories and even write our own. I also love being able to work with such an amazing staff of reporters and my advisors, Kim Cimney and Natalie Hilley. Our staff is full of fun and interesting people, including four exchange students. Being in newspaper has so many fun, and at times, difficult challenges involved. First, we brainstorm ideas for stories and claim the ones that fit our abilities and interests. Then, we immediately get to work setting up our interviews. For our first issue, we interviewed over 30 new staff teachers and took their pictures. We also did several stories on the homecoming and spirit week happenings. Charleigh even got to interview FS1’s superintendent, Dr. O’Malley. After everyone’s stories and pictures are put together and finished, we begin our computer design layout process, which is how we make our newspaper look like.. well, a newspaper! Using Microsoft Publisher, we create our paper using several methods to design our stories and pictures so that they are easiest to read and catch the eyes of our readers. We also travel around town Our first issue! and try to sell advertisements to local business owners and chain businesses. We are a small group of people, which can be quite challenging when it comes to delegating our stories and making it as fair as possible. Students are always busy interviewing, writing, editing or taking photos. As someone who has always been fascinated by media and newspaper, but has never been had the opportunity to be involved in the school paper, this has been the most amazing experience for me -- to be able to meet so many incredible people and watch my peers grow to loving journalism. I am so sad to be leaving these people and going to college next year, but I take solace in knowing that Knight Life will reach so many other people’s hearts, reporters and readers alike. Our website!
Page 6
Page 6 Students First The Montessori Classroom at McLaurin By Klay Ross This year is my 17th year teaching, but my 13th year teaching Montessori. I have seen so many advantages to Montessori over the years. I love the relationships that I am able to build with my students and their parents by having the students for multiple years. The beginning of the year is easier because the students are already comfortable in the class, they know what is expected, and I already know what their abilities are. The returning students love to be helpers and teach our new students about our classroom as well. When our program first started, we had 3K, 4K, and 5K in our primary classes. I was amazed at how much knowledge these little ones would leave us with after that 3-year cycle. Montessori is child focused. The teacher is a facilitator, responsible for creating the classroom environment to meet the needs and abilities of all the students. The classroom set up helps to build independence and a sense of order in students. Students have a choice in what lessons they would like to do. They are responsible for getting their workspace ready whether it be a table or a rug. Each child completes the work as they were shown, then is responsible for cleaning up the lesson and getting it ready for the next person. This sense of order helps facilitate the learning process, teaches selfdiscipline, and caters to a young child’s innate need for an orderly environment. They also take pride in how the classroom looks and they are able to focus more on learning when everything is neat and predictable. Some people confuse this freedom of movement and choice in the classroom with a scene that is chaotic and children just doing whatever they want. If you visit one of our classrooms, you will see this is not the case at all. There are still classroom rules and guidelines. Our work time is an uninterrupted block of time with quiet music playing and children using inside voices. Ground rules include respect for the environment, respect for each other, and respect for themselves. Students only work on lessons that they have been shown. This helps to make sure they are working on lessons that meet their abilities, which helps the teacher to differentiate learning. During work time, students may work independently, with partners, or may be doing a small group lesson with a teacher. Another great thing about Montessori is the materials, which allow for hands-on learning. This makes learning more concrete rather than abstract as students work on activities that teach language, math, culture and practical life lessons. Those lessons are sequential so they also build on each other. As students learn a skill from one lesson, we are able to use what they learn and build on it with the next lesson in the sequence. Visitors are always amazed when they visit our rooms and see what our young students are learning! Page 7 Greenwood Elementary students become creators in school media center In the media center at Greenwood Elementary, students are becoming engaged with more than just books. Students can not only read about scientists and explore the Everglades. Now Greenwood students have the opportunity to become scientists and engineers within the media center. Students are enjoying stations that focus on STEM and Makerspace. In the beginning, students created bookmarks to use in with their library books. The Greenwood APT fulfilled a grant to supply the library with Legos and the students had the opportunity to use the Legos for free build and use their creativity. Now students are taking pictures they have been given and engaging in creativity by using Lego STEM cards. Students can work together or alone to build the task on the Lego Stem cards. Students have also created reading buddies to take home and to use to remind them to read. Some students created their reading buddies from characters from their favorite books. Others wrote a short story to put in the hands of their reading buddies. Sixth grade students are using 3D pens to draw the clouds at different heights and to take back to the classrooms after studying their unit on clouds. Students in grades three and four are creating seasonal quilts with the nonfiction call numbers. Some quilts focus on the nonfiction section and helping the students know where to find the different subjects within the Dewey Decimal system and others, for the younger students, focus on all areas of the library section. The quilts will aid in the students knowing where to find their books in the library. Chromebooks and desktops are being used to read books on the Epic Website in addition to taking virtual field trips to explore places and events that they are studying in their classrooms. Epic allows the students to read and or listen to virtual books. Students also can watch the how-to videos provided by epic that spark creativity. Students in grades 1-6 will also begin using the robots funded by the School Foundation over the next several months. The Ozobots will be used to create paths that go along with a story as well as plotting points on the X and Y axis. Dash and Dot will be used to explore and tell stories to share. The students will use the MakeyMakey to work on money when they study money in the classroom. Students will also use Osmo to code, create words, and solve math problems all while in the library. The library is not your typical place to just go and receive a book to read, but to build creativity and imagination.
Page 8
Page 8 Students First Carver Elementary STEAM Magnet Program shows students how to take ownership of their learning The STEAM program at Carver Elementary Magnet School supports nontraditional student participation by engaging them in real world experiences. All STEAM-specific courses are open to all students, including those with special needs. At Carver Elementary, it is our goal to create a school with a learning environment that will promote academic rigor while increasing student proficiency in problem solving and critical thinking. We have adopted Project Lead the Way (PLTW) as our school wide course of study for all grade levels. Students are exposed to various instructional practices through interdisciplinary STEAM challenges, which are aligned to the state standards. The PLTW curriculum provides opportunities for students to use inquiry based learning to solve authentic and complex problems. In the elementary setting, students must use background knowledge to explore and develop a plan to engineer a product as a possible solution to a problem. For example, first grade students explore and research the effects of the sun and moon while they plan, design, measure, and engineer new playgrounds. Third grade students study erosion, weather systems, and building structures to enable them to design, engineer, and build different solutions to save a city from a landslide. It is important to note that the “A” in STEAM represents the STEM instruction that our students are also receiving in their related arts classes. For example, there is a program called STEM in the Gym where students are physically exercising while learning about force and motion at the same time. Teachers also facilitate students’ discovery through Wonder Walls. These walls allow students to ask questions that they have pondered and wish to research. In addition to PLTW, third and fourth grade teachers are utilizing the Math Design Collaborative (MDC) tools in conjunction with their Everyday Math Curriculum to enhance STEM lessons in math. The MDC approach supports the STEM curriculum by allowing students to collaborate in small groups to discuss and solve problems. We want to continue to grow professionally as educators to ensure the academic success of our students. We have utilized partnerships with Francis Marion University, South Carolina Governor’s School of Science and Math, Clemson University, and Discovery Place to create and use additional problem based learning units to encourage both student and teacher creativity through practical applications. “All of our students have the opportunity throughout the day to be engaged and excited about learning,” said Principal Josie Little. “Our STEAM curriculum provides real life applications that students will be able to apply to real life scenarios. Research already shows that there are more STEM jobs and fewer people to fill these positions. We are working to make sure that our students, including minorities and females, have the mindset to begin thinking about all of the possibilities that STEM jobs can provide to them and to our society as a whole. I am so excited to watch our children become more inquisitive and gain valuable knowledge as they continue to learn. We are changing lives and that is a wonderful feeling for our teachers and staff.” Page 9 Moore Intermediate KICK team encourages students, builds leadership skills John W. Moore’s KICK TEAM is at it again! KICK, or Keeping It Classy Kids, meets once a week to talk about the variety of issues that pre-teen girls encounter, as well as provide opportunities to strengthen their leadership skills. The KICK team meets with approximately 40 girls for twelve weeks each semester to help them meet our schoolwide behavior expectations. The students were selected by homeroom teachers and identified as students with special qualities who show tremendous leadership potential. This year we are encouraging kindness by distributing Kindness Jars to each of our home rooms. The KICK girls are responsible for going into the classes and explaining the project to our students. As the Kindness Jars are filled, the home rooms will be identified as a Certified Kind Classroom. We are also partnering with high school girls at the Governor’s School in Hartsville and becoming Pen Pals with them. We are planning a trip to visit our pen pals this spring and are thrilled to experience some of their STEM activities on their campus. Today’s KICK girls will be our community leaders of tomorrow. Character.org selected the KICK TEAM as a 2018 Promising Practice. Moore was one of only three South Carolina schools to be chosen.
Page 10
Page 10 Students First Southside arts students showcase skills in “Sights and Sounds” Southside Middle School will host their 7th Annual “Sights and Sounds of the Season” at Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, December 18th at 7 p.m. The program is made possible because of grant funding from the SC Arts Commission and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance. Thanks to these grants, our students are afforded the opportunity to perform in an acoustically sound facility designed for rich art performances. Performances will include the dance team, chorus, band, orchestra, piano, drama and guitar students. There will also be an art exhibit in the lobby featuring the works of our visual artists. The students are working very hard to prepare outstanding performances to express their love and passion for fine arts. The program is open to the public. Admission to the program is $5. “The impact of performing in this beautiful space is seen on the faces of the students when they see it for the first time,” said teacher Gloria Turner. “Students feel professional and it shows in the performances. It is an awesome experience for us all. It is worth the cost and preparation time to see students have an experience they will always remember.” Lynn Perkins, 20182019 Southside Teacher of the Year and Florence One and District Honor Roll Teacher said, “As I prepare my students for high school and beyond, the Profile of the SC Graduate requires students to demonstrate world class knowledge, skills and characteristics. The Winter Concert experience allows every chorus student the opportunity to stand on the Performing Arts Center stage and work in a state-of-the art facility to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and characteristics. Students work together to perform their part of the program singing a variety of songs of different genres and languages. To prepare and perform, students are engaged in learning and work on being focused in this process. Teamwork, collaboration and listening skills are developed as students prepare for “The Sights and Sounds of the Season.” The Academy for the Fine Arts and Technology at Southside is open to all rising 7th grade Florence One Students. Applications and audition information is found on our school website and available January 15, 2019. An informational meeting will be held February 26, 2019. Applications for the 2019-2020 honors classes are due March 15, 2019. Vocal Honors Auditions are April 9, 2019. Drama, Visual Arts, Band and Orchestra Auditions, also held in April, are by appointment only.

Students First Newsletter October 2018


Page 0
October 2018 Volume 1, Issue 2 STUDENTS FIRST A Florence One Schools Newsletter Career Center students explore the arts, prepare for future jobs in Digital Art & Design Graphic design is everywhere. It is impossible to go through a day without seeing countless combinations of words and images in magazines and books, on billboards and online. The Digital Art & Design course is designed for students who are interested in expressing themselves visually. “Mrs. Iseman puts her heart and soul into this class and it comes out in her students,” said Ms. Carpenter, Director of the Florence Career Center. “It is a fun and interesting class.” In this class students learn about graphic design principles, page layout, photography principles and image manipulation through both print and multimedia based assignments. Adobe Creative Suite will be used Welcome! In each edition of our monthly Students First newsletter, we will highlight programs within our schools, hearing from teachers, principals and students. Inside this issue: North Vista 2 Early Childhoood 4 Henry Timrod Alfred Rush 6 8 for all class projects. Photoshop- The world’s best imaging and design app is at the core of almost every creative project. Work across desktop and mobile devices to create and enhance your photographs, web and mobile app designs, 3D artwork, videos, and more. Illustrator- The industrystandard vector graphics app lets students create logos, icons, sketches, typography, and complex illustrations for print, web, interactive, video, and mobile. InDesign- The industryleading page design and layout toolset lets students work across desktop and mobile devices to create, preflight, and publish everything from printed books and brochures to digital magazines, eBooks, and interactive online documents. After Effects- The industry-standard animation and creative compositing app lets students design and deliver professional motion graphics and visual effects for film, TV, video, and web. Character AnimatorStudents will create 2D characters in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and bring them to life in Character Animator (Beta). Character Animator tracks your facial expressions and motions in real time, so when you smile, your character does too. Premier Pro- With the industry-leading video editing software, students can edit virtually any type of media in its native format and create professional productions for film, TV and web. To be a completer in Digital Art & Design you must take Digital Art & Design 1 & 2. Once they are a completer, students will have 9 hours of college credit at Horry Georgetown Technical College who has developed transfer agreements with four-year institutions, including Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern and Francis Marion. Career Outlook Graduates of the A.A.S. in Digital Arts program possess the technical skills for a wide range of career opportunities in visual communications-related professions such as advertising, public relations, graphic design, website design and photography.
Page 2
Page 2 Volume 1, Issue 2 North Vista Elementary students learn about different cultures At North Vista Elementary, students benefit from access to at least one different language, and as a result, benefit from learning about different cultures and perspectives. In all PYP schools, students have the opportunity to learn a second language from at least the age of seven. At North Vista, students in grades 2-6 take a Spanish class. Fifth grader Desmond Williams, II, explains that Spanish is his favorite part of being in PYP at North Vista. “I’m excited to be learning Spanish and just about different cultures,” says Desmond. “It’s challenging, but also a lot of fun.” He, as well as other North Vista students, love the various activities and songs they learn in Spanish. Spanish teacher Sandra Salcedo moved here with her family from the country of Columbia. Mrs. Salcedo is excited about this opportunity to work with young learners who are eager to lean a new language. Students go to Spanish class as a pull out period (45 minutes a week). Most grade levels are starting with the basics of language. However, many of her 5th and 6th grade students are retaining language skills quickly and will be having conversations in Spanish soon. “We are so lucky to have Mrs. Salcedo,” said North Vista Principal Sharon Dixon. “Our students are able to experience the world and understand that there’s more out there than our community here in Florence.” Mrs. Salcedo describes how she includes much song and dance in her instruction, as that is how students learn language best. “I’m happy because they seem to really like learning Spanish.” She taught in Columbia, and often tells her students about what it’s like for students there to learn English. She tells her students at North Vista that learning another language gives you many more opportunities to travel and helps when you are getting a job. Learning a new language encourages our students to be openminded and global citizens. The PYP Language Scope and Sequence explains that “effective language teaching and learning are social acts, dependent on relationships with others, with context, with the environment, with the world, and with the self.” Mrs. Salcedo describes how excited her students are to return to class with news that they taught their families how to say something in Spanish. And she laughs as she tells of parents who ask her what different phrases mean, as they want to learn what their child is learning. She explains that we are teaching students how to express themselves when we teach a new language. Mrs. Salcedo believes that this language instruction is helping all of her students in grades 2-6 build social and academic confidence. When students learn how to express something in Spanish, they are also practicing correct semantics in their first language, English. Students will say a sentence correctly in English, then in Spanish. At North Vista, we are thrilled to offer this new language program. When exposed to languages, with all the richness and diversity, students become more inquisitive about the world around them. As an IB Candidate School, North Vista uses language acquisition as a vehicle for “I’m excited to be learning Spanish and just about different cultures. It’s challenging but also a lot of fun.” —Desmond Williams, North Vista 5th grade learners to engage with the world, and to be a part of the mission of the IB program to “help create a better and more peaceful world.” Page 3 Students First Royall’s Bright Minds Club expands in its third year The Bright Minds Club has begun its 3rd year at Royall! This technology club is designed to foster collaboration, creativity, problemsolving, and technology skills in our students. Some components to be featured this year include: 3D printing, coding, the design process, Breakout Box, robotics, MakerSpace, LEGO Genius, and our zSpace Lab. Our 6th grade students also participate in a unique learning experience with a former Royall parent and GE Engineer, John Shurman. During this special unit of study, students delve deeper into the design process by designing a rubber-band car with the use of the program TinkerCad. They learn how to assess their design, determine flaws and rework the issues that they are having. Finally, using 3D printers, Royall students print the parts to their car, assemble them and test their build. They assess the function of the car by adjusting force, velocity and by measuring speed. Here is what our students said about why they like being a member of the club: 4th grader Kendall said: “I worked on OSMO last week and I realized that sometimes you make mistakes and it’s ok. I really want to be a Biomedical Engineer so I know I will make lots of mistakes so that I can help people and animals.” 5th grade student Owen said, “I like Bright Minds because we are doing work but it doesn’t really seem like work. I get to work with my friends on tasks every week. ” 6th grade students Jude and Keyshawn were surprised to learn that they would be working with a real engineer from GE. Jude said, “We are still in the blueprint stage of making the cars.” Keyshawn said, “ Mr. Shurman showed us how all of the parts of our design will fit together at the end and now we are starting to sketch our creations.” When the Principal of Royall Elementary School, Julie Smith, was asked about the impact of Bright Minds she said, “The only difference between 'I'm techie' and 'I'm not techie' is the willingness to click on things and see what happens. The Bright Minds Club at Royall offers our students numerous opportunities to click and take chances. When we foster these types of opportunities, our students become active and engaged participants in real-world learning. I have observed the most reluctant learners become persistent and excited about learning during Bright Minds”. Royall’s Bright Minds meets each Monday from 2-3 in 6 week rotations. Due to the overwhelming student interest, we are offering 3 sessions this year for grades 4-6 and 2 sessions for our Junior Bright Minds students in grades 2-3 which begins in the Spring. We are also adding an in-school experience for our kindergarten and first grade students this school year: Bright Minds in Training!
Page 4
Page 4 Students First Florence 1 fosters love of learning in Early Childhood Programs Preschool is great! Preschool is a time for children to learn to love school. Playing indoors and outside, eating meals, napping, learning new skills in small groups and learning new songs and stories is the way preschool children learn. Our motto is, “Preschool: Where Play Becomes Learning”. Many of us remember the ABC Song or the Itsy Bitsy Spider Song from childhood. It is the same for the preschool children in Florence One Schools. We provide a traditional preschool program that nourishes children muscles and their brains. Parents can enroll their children in preschool beginning in January of each year. Parents can apply at the Woods Road Child Development Center from 8 AM – 4 PM each school day and during the summer. For more information, call Eleanor Ford at 843-673-1129. Home Visits connect families and school! Home visits are a way to connect 1, 2 and 3year-old children and their parents with school. Having a “teacher” come by, share a fun toy, some interesting information, and share the parent’s frustrations and celebrations creates a cozy and comfortable beginning to the outside world of school. Children learn the most from their parents in the first three years of life. In the arms of caring parents, children feel secure. This security leads to a comfortable learning environment. Parents are the role model for their children. Young children with explosive brain growth observe and pick up everything the parents are doing. Sometimes parents need a helping hand. This is the role of the home visitor. To apply, please call Melanie McMillan at 843-758-6871. Start 2 Read Quality children’s books introduce reading to children under four years of age. Access to books can make the difference. Having an experienced reading teacher meet parents at the workplace, give them a quality children’s book and explain how to use the book with children is the goal of this program. Florence One Schools has given thousands of books for children to parents at the workplace on breaks and before and after work. Pediatricians have also assisted in book deliveries. Parents report to Florence One that having good books and a little knowledge has made a major difference in how they read to their children. Parent/Infant Classes Parents staying at home with their young child look for opportunities to meet other parents and provide opportunities for their children to learn. Once a week, parents bring their children to the Parent/Infant group to socialize and watch their children grow and develop. Expert advice is available to parents seeking to know more about their child. Fun play, a snack, lively conversation and building relationships are the heart of these experiences. Children cry when it is time to leave and parents linger asking questions and spending time with others. These classes are open to children ages 6 weeks – 3 years and their parents. Call Susan Knight at 843-758-6872 for more information. Page 5 Students First Wallace Gregg students practice sensory regulation through support intervention program Our new school counselor, Jamie Matthews, is implementing a new Check In procedure for our students here at Wallace Gregg. This system teaches students how to express their emotions/feelings. The Check Your Engine school-wide check-in is based off of the Alert Program, an empiricallysupported sensory regulation support intervention used all over the nation. The idea is that students will learn how to name their feelings, in terms of their imaginary engine speeds (thoughts, feelings, and actions). Students are given opportunities to identify how their engines are running throughout the day with the prompt, “How’s your engine running?” Students in grades K-6 can then check in silently using only a thumb gesture. From there, students, teachers, the school counselor, and administrators can clearly see which students are regulated and ready to learn, and which students might require some intervention to get ready for the classroom. How is your engine running today? Green (Thumbs up): happy, calm, focused and ready to learn Blue (Thumbs down): feeling sad, sick, tired or bored; moving slowly. Yellow (Sideways thumb): frustrated worried, excited, loss of control Green zone is the ideal engine speed for school: happy, calm, focused, ready to learn. *Thumbs up* Blue zone is classified as running low, feelings: sad, sick, tired, bored, moving slowly. *Thumbs down* Yellow zone includes restless energy: frustrated, worried, silly, excited, loss of some control. *Thumb sideways* During classroom guidance, students and teachers are taught different interventions and regulation strategies to either increase or decrease energy depending on the individual students’ needs. Some students might require more stimulation to move from Blue zone (low) to Green (just right). Others might require a calm down or movement break to get from Yellow (high) to Green (just right). 30 minutes of sensory regulation provides up to 4 hours of uninterrupted learning time! “This program is good because we are allowing students the opportunity to express their emotions. When I am in the hallways, cafeteria or throughout the building, I just “Check In” and the students will start displaying their thumb signals,” said Principal Debbie Donnelly. “This quiet approach helps us understand where our students are for the day. We can do check in throughout the day and the students are eager to explained what it means. This is great information that we can share with parents during a parent-teacher conference.”
Page 6
Page 6 Students First Timrod Elementary School uses blended learning classroom model Timrod Elementary has implemented Blended Learning schoolwide in ELA and Mathematics. Blended Learning is a combination of traditional teaching methods, such as face-to-face lecture, with web-based content and instruction. Moving to this model allows for differentiated instruction with students. Our blended learning model consists of rotational workstations for students on their academic levels. Each classroom has a collaboration, independent, technology and teacher-directed station. The classroom teacher begins her lesson as a whole class and presents a mini lesson for students on the targeted standard. Students are organized in groups and are assigned to different workstations for that block of instructional time. Blended learning environments create better opportunities for teacher collaboration, enable differentiated staffing and boost meaningful professional development opportunities. Looking at and analyzing assessments, teachers have a flood of expanded and enhanced student data at their fingertips. This improves efficiency and decreases time spent with routine tasks and record keeping. Time saved from the thoughtful implementation of technology can be reinvested in working with students and collaborating with other teachers. Timrod has found several advantages for implementing blended learning. This innovative way of learning is studentcentered instead of teacher-driven. Learning is personalized and students are taught to be accountable for their own learning. This model meets the needs of ALL students. Implementation of technology is leveraged and purposeful for learning. Instruction is truly data driven by utilizing previous assessments. Modalities of learning are interconnected. Students feel successful every day and are engaged with learning. An essential component of blended learning is the teacher-directed instruction. The teacher creates lessons based upon the ability level of students and works with students in a small group. During this station, the teacher models for students the standard that is being addressed in the lesson. The student is also given guided and independent practice. Before moving to the next rotation, student review the standard and the classroom teacher provides a closure to the lesson. Students have an opportunity to engage in online activities during ELA and Math. They visit websites such as Moby Max, Read Works, Achieve 3000, and Smarty Ants to practice engaging activities that correlate to South Carolina State Standards. Classroom management is necessary for blended learning to be effective for students. Students engage in a rotation model during this practice. Instruction is given in each station for fifteen to twenty minutes and students are given a directive to change to another station. This gives students a chance to be mobile in the classroom. “Blended Learning has changed our school culture for teachers and students,” said Timrod Principal Michelle McBride. “Students are actively engaged in learning during this model of teaching. I have been extremely impressed with students’ knowledge to explain what they are learning and they light up speaking about their experiences with blended learning.” Page 7 South Florence students support Help 4 Kids with annual food drive On October 26th, South Florence will host West Florence in what's sure to be the biggest football game of the season for both schools. This rivalry between the two schools goes back further than any of the current players or students can even remember. In addition to the game, there is a bigger and more important competition that goes on at the same time. Two years ago, the students decided to turn this rivalry between the schools into something bigger than the game of football and bragging rights. In addition to the “big game” and the other antics that go along with this rivalry, senior football players will be sponsoring a Vienna sausage drive as a part of the competition. Started by Charles Spears, a former South Florence student and varsity football player, this is an annual event in which students compete with West Florence High school students to see which school can collect the most nonperishable food items. While this is a competition between the two schools, South Florence’s 1st period classes will also be competing against each other to see which class can collect the most cans for a chance at donuts for the winning class. During the weeks leading up to this rivalry, each school’s student population will bring in cans of Vienna sausages to 1st period class to be donated to Help 4 Kids, a Florence non-profit organization. According to the organization’s website, after the weekend, many students return to school on Monday morning hungry, ill-tempered and not prepared for the school day because they had no food over the weekend while they were home. Each Friday, students who may not get fed during the weekend, receive backpacks filled with food items for Saturday and Sunday through Help 4 Kids. The organization says its goal is to make sure that these students return to school each week rested, fed, and prepared to learn. South Florence’s senior leader, Michael Mason, hopes to earn bragging rights this year, since West Florence won the competition last year. He also notes that this is a great opportunity to help those in need in the Florence community, while taking part in a friendly rivalry with another school. South Florence’s principal, Mrs. Kimberly Mack, is thrilled at how the students have paired the South Vs West rivalry with this very important outreach. “‘The big game’ and the food-drive is a ‘winwin’ for our students, the organization and community they serve,” Mack said. “We look forward to this event in the years to come.”
Page 8
Page 8 Students First Alfred Rush Academy promotes culturally responsible education Alfred Rush Academy is an alternative school designed to meet the needs of students that have not been successful in the traditional classroom setting and are at risk of failure. Many of the students are referred to Alfred Rush Academy due to poor behavior, disciplinary, and safety concerns. Other students, mainly high school juniors and seniors, voluntarily choose the alternative school as an avenue to fulfill graduation requirements that would otherwise be impossible at the traditional school using an online curriculum. With either of these options, it is the school’s goal to provide these students with the tools necessary for successful outcomes. "It's our goal to cultivate the will to work, the character to hope, and the endurance to finish,” said Alfred Rush Academy Director Cedrick Kennedy. For many of these alternative students, college does not seem like a reality. Influences such as family background, environment, and socioeconomic status often play a major role in and impact their decision on attending college. Here at Alfred Rush Academy, we strive to make our students’ dreams and goals a reality and create a pathway for the future. One of the goals of Alfred Rush Academy this year is to create Culturally Responsible Education. With this goal we want to create an environment here that encourages and promotes higher education. This month we have had the opportunity to expose our students to many of the great colleges and universities in this area. First, a representative from Florence Darlington Technical College came to Alfred Rush Academy for College Application Day. The representative spoke to students about their educational interest and the many different programs that Florence-Darlington Technical College has to offer. Some of the students were interested in general studies that would prepare them with transfer credits for a four -year degree. Other students were interested in some of the trades that Florence-Darlington Technical College has to offer such as cosmetology, truck driving, dentistry and electrical engineering. The students of Alfred Rush Academy also had a chance to attend the College Fair Day at Francis Marion University. Some of the colleges that attended included Florence-Darlington Technical College, Francis Marion University, Coker College, University of South Carolina, Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University and Shaw University. The students spoke with representatives of the many different colleges about the programs that they had to offer and college life on their campus. The students had the opportunity to hear from the different college reps to determine what sets each college apart from each other. Page 9 Early College Program lets students graduate with diploma, two-year degree The 2018-19 school year will be the fourth successful cohort of the Wilson High School Early College Program. The program allows students to graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts Degree from FlorenceDarlington Technical College. Students take classes at FlorenceDarlington Tech campus along with some courses at Wilson High School to complete the program. The program began in the 2015-2016 school year with one student earning enough credits to receive an Associate’s degree. From there, students from across Florence 1 were identified to begin the application process. Students were accepted into the program based upon grades, placement test scores, and teacher recommendations. This year, we have 15 students on track to graduate in May 2019 with an Associate’s degree. Current senior Janiya Plowden said the program has given her a head start on college coursework. “This program has given me the opportunity to earn 64 college credits while in high school, with little to no cost,” Plowden said. “I have been able to take my college general education courses while in high school.” Current Chemistry 101 instructor, Dr. Fasauldeen, said “I am excited about teaching in the program because it allows me to teach students at an advanced level and it prepares them for college.” The Early College Program allows students to earn college credit with a very minimal price to parents and reduces the amount of time required to graduate from a fouryear college program. Students that have graduated from the program attend such colleges as Northwestern University, Clemson, and Winthrop. If you are interested in finding out more about the Wilson High School Early College Program, please contact the School Counseling Department at Wilson High School.
Page 10
Page 10 Students First Students Code to the Future at Savannah Grove Elementary Across the country, there is a push to include more computer science courses into the general education of students. Research indicates that by the year 2020, there will exist a one million person gap in the field of computer sciences. The recent scores for state standardized testing indicate a deficit in the knowledge base of our students in the areas of inquiry, mathematical data, and nonfiction text. By incorporating computer science coding classes into our curriculum, and providing the necessary materials for the students to engage in inquiry, data collection, and researching/ analyzing data, we are giving the students first-hand experience that cannot be gained in a traditional setting, and are generally not afforded. “I am extremely excited about this opportunity for our students,” said Principal David Copeland. “This program is a powerful agent that makes our students more marketable for the real world and our students deserve to be at the forefront of this revolutionary change taking place in society.” The students have an opportunity to design technical solutions to problems in content areas, allowing them to become innovators. Having this opportunity to engage in 21century skills in such a direct manner allows a unique opportunity for these students to develop skills they might not otherwise be privy to. As evidenced by the data collected, having an opportunity to engage in revolutionary methods of ascertaining information is a critical need for our students. Another added benefit of the coding program is collaboration and creativity. These projects and materials promote cooperative learning and incorporate good character skills as one must develop patience, respect for others, persevere through difficult challenges, increase responsibility load, and cooperate with leaders, teammates, and professionals. Students of this generation need added motivation and there is no bigger motivating factor for students than to allow them to explore, create, present, and engage with technology. Williams Middle School builds robotics program Page 11 Williams Middle School formed a FIRST Technology Challenge (FTC) team in 2016 as the beneficiary of a program grant from FIRST. FIRST is an organization that has developed robotics education programs for students in grades 3 through 12, based on a sports model of competitions between teams. FTC is the program designed for middle school students and requires students to analyze a game and then design, build, and operate a robotics platform to compete against other programs. This provides an opportunity for students to use STEM skills to solve problems, but also to learn to work as part of a team while under the stress of completing a project. Competition is the key making these programs effective. In 2017, the Williams Middle team members met on a weekly basis and held a scrimmage at school. When done correctly, FTC challenges students’ thought, inquiry, and effort. In return, students have the opportunity to develop and test new skills in STEM, team building, and management.