The mission of Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School is to provide all students with the opportunity to reach their maximum potential through an arts integrated academic curriculum. Established in 1984, Ashley River is a leader in arts integration, and has helped students develop the world class skills of the Profile of the SC graduate by teaching the South Carolina state standards in all areas of the academic curriculum, as well as the SC College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency.
The students at Ashley River are taught critical thinking and problem solving skills while working in collaborative groups to create projects, solve problems, and demonstrate understanding. Through the arts, students are exposed to a variety of cultures and experiences that enhance the curriculum and create an environment of learning, creating, and self-expression. Teachers write units of study that incorporate all of the disciplines and use the arts as an equalizer for all children. Students are instructed in all academic areas, as well as visual arts, drama, music, media arts, cultural arts, computer science, physical education, violin, and dance. These specialists plan with the grade level teachers to incorporate academic standards into their visual and performing arts lessons. Along with the arts classes offered for students, each grade level has two artist-in-residency programs per year. Each residency lasts one to two weeks and further enforces the academic and arts standards, while building within our students, creativity, innovation, collaboration and teamwork.
Each day at Ashley River begins with the morning news show, WUNI News. The show is put on by fourth and fifth grade students, enhancing their skills in communication, information, media and technology. The robotics club designs and programs small “robots” to follow commands, and presents this to all students throughout the year, culminating at our STEAMfest day in May. This allows our students to have complete understanding of knowing how they learn.
Ashley River teachers strive to improve and refine our program through staff development and collaborative planning. The fifth annual “Arts Mini Conference” was held again this year at Ashley River, for all of the arts schools in CCSD. Teachers and artists presented new and innovative teaching ideas, always working to improve our programs. Teachers use digital content and ability grouping to differentiate instruction in order to meet the needs of all learners.Our teachers write grants to enhance our program, and we continue to be an Arts in the Basic Curriculum site, a Distinguished Arts Program site, and an Engaging Creative Minds site. Our PTA partners with us to help support these grants, which bring new and innovative ideas to our program. Working as a team with school, community, and parents, we will continue to achieve and create an excellent learning environment for students.
Michelle Conner, Principal
Becky Kinne, SIC Chair
