Guided by the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori, East Cooper Montessori Charter School (ECMCS) is helping its students develop the world-class skills and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing an authentic, rigorous public Montessori experience for students in 1st-8th grades. ECMCS completed its 15th year as a public Montessori Charter School in the partly renovated district building located at 1120 Rifle Range Road. The space to realize to its vision while accommodating additional students continues to be central to the vision of ECMCS. The school continues to the highest awards for achievement and is recognized as a model public Montessori program.
Rigorous curriculum expectations are met through interactive technology coursework throughout the year, Gifted and Talented Immersion Program, foreign language for all levels, high school credit courses, and vibrant hands-on approach to teaching and learning through personalized curriculum mapping. This year the the school completes a three-year initiative to design and implement a Montessori STEM strand to the program which has been very successful and is ready for sharing among other Montessori programs. We will now shift our attention to mathematics and combining STEM and the study mathematics! Stay tuned for more developments!
The mission of ECMCS, in part, is to provide a rigorous Montessori education that guides children toward academic excellence and a lifelong love of learning. The school fulfills this aspect of its mission by offering an enriched and cultural curriculum that incorporates and extends district, state, and national standards. Students develop their abilities by posing questions, collaborating with others, designing investigations, and gaining skills necessary to express and pursue research interests. Scientific and mathematical aptitudes, appreciation of history and timelines, literacy across disciplines, and the development of a student’s humanity toward the local and global community are all part of the curriculum at ECMCS.
The second part of the school’s mission is to encourage stewardship of the greater global community. All students annually participate in service learning projects. These student-initiated activities have led to students becoming partners with nonprofit organizations lasting beyond their time with us.
The consistent and professional leadership of the Governing Board and school administration remains a cornerstone of its success. ECMCS, like all public schools, must continue to do more with less.
Jody Swanigan, Principal
Jennifer Gresham, SIC Chair
