At East Aiken School of the Arts, we are helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by creating a safe, accommodating, stimulating, artistically and academically challenging child-centered learning environment for all students. We believe in educating the whole child and are dedicated to developing students of character who understand the importance of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
We believe in the power of data-driven instruction with a targeted focus on literacy and numeracy skills. Through the use of ongoing formative assessments, teachers identified students’ areas of strengths for enrichment and areas of deficits for targeted interventions. Fall Reading Inventory and Math Inventory results were analyzed to determine yearly growth goals and to identify students in need of intervention. Standards-based benchmark assessments were given in grades 2-5 at the end of Q1, Q2, and Q3 to assess proficiency on state standards. Detailed action plans were developed by teachers and progress monitored during grade-level PLC data meetings as well as during School Based Leadership Team meetings and Student Intervention Team meetings. Students identified as needing targeted Tier II and Tier III interventions beyond the classroom in reading or math were served by our team of interventionists. Students identified as high achieving students in 1st-2nd grades participated in our High Flyers Program which focused on critical thinking skills through collaboration and the design process. State and locally identified Gifted and Talented students were served in all subject areas.
We are committed to arts integration across all content areas. We believe students learn soft skills that enable them to become more creative and productive citizens when engaged in the arts. We continued to focus on social-emotional skill development through the use of a drama-based school-wide management system, Actor’s Toolbox. Within this system, students are taught how to control one’s body and voice, use imagination, concentrate, and cooperate. We continued as an Arts in Basic Curriculum Site and once again received the Distinguished Arts Program grant from the SC Department of Education. All students continued to receive weekly instruction in music, theatre, visual art, and dance. Students are given the opportunity to work collaboratively and to practice their communication skills in front of an audience by participating in grade-level arts integration performances. Our students continued to perform throughout the community during the 2018-19 school year. Performances included the United Way Kick-Off, A Night of a 1000 Lights, Hopelands Gardens’ Summer Concert Series, Winter ArtsFest, Spring Musical, and the Aiken County Arts Festival. Participation in community events, give our students the opportunity to develop self-confidence as well as communication skills by performing in a variety of venues and in front of large audiences. Students’ visual art and creative writings were displayed at the Aiken Center for the Arts during the month of December, in The Alley during April’s Courses and Horses Art Walk during the month of April and throughout the school year at USC-Aiken’s Student Activity Center.
At East Aiken School of the Arts, we are committed to our purpose to Accommodate differences, Reveal a passion for learning, Teach appreciation, and Stimulate creativity. Each day we “Strive for Academic Excellence through the Arts.” We continue to address multiple intelligences by providing all students with a high quality, arts infused education as we continue to develop innovative, creative, and productive citizens who are critical thinkers and problem solvers. We are proud of our strong history of arts integration and academic success. Thank you for your steadfast support as we continue to develop future South Carolina graduates and world leaders!
Mrs. LaTanyua Price, Chair of the School Improvement Council
Ms. Lisa Fallaw, Principal
