Kelly Edwards Elementary School is rooted in the belief that our most important job is to “Love First”. Our students should feel safe and supported while also being challenged to grow and give their very best. As always, our instruction is driven by the SC College and Career-Ready Standards, which reflect the SC Profile of the Graduate.
Family and community are core factors in guaranteeing this success, and KEES continues to benefit from many positive partnerships. The School Improvement Council and Parent Teacher Organization both go above and beyond to help us plan math and literacy nights and an academic recognition night for students. We are grateful to many area churches, including Williston First Baptist, for their continued implementation of the Reading Buddies program, for teacher-support events, and for providing food during special events. Seven local churches and Walther Farms all contribute to the Weekend Snack Pack Program, which is also supported by a partnership with the Golden Harvest Food Bank. In addition, three local churches have volunteers that provide a weekly Good News Club for upper grade students.
Response to Intervention, or RTI, is the process used to ensure that students are receiving individualized learning based on the needs of every child. Collaboration is a key component for planning lessons and instructional units and ensuring consistency within and across grade levels and content areas and our school utilizes Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs, to reach these goals. To encourage good choices, we use Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, or PBIS. Students are able to earn rewards for making responsible decisions, and learn about a variety of character traits.
In order to ensure that students not only feel loved, but know how important it is to show love to others, we participate in a variety of community service projects throughout the school year. Our students collected canned goods for needy families, and our youngest students visited the nursing home to bring joy to our local senior citizens.
In order to provide 21st century learning opportunities, we continue to stay committed to providing innovative learning experiences. Our school has an upgraded wireless capability, a computer lab, iPad carts for Grades K-2, and 1:1 Chromebook access for students in grades 3-5. Each classroom has a SMARTBoard, document camera, and LCD projector.
Our school truly is a reflection of our loving and supportive community. It is our constant hope and desire that we’ll produce future high-school and college graduates that will compete on a global scale and show our state, country and world just what students from a rural area can achieve! Thank you for your continued support.
Nakeisha Baxley, Principal
Mattie Odom, School Improvement Council Chair
