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 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 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 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 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
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