Homewood Elementary School is helping all students develop the world class skills and life career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe, nurturing, and challenging learning environment. Our school-wide theme, Let Your Mind Set the Stage for Success, reflects our commitment to working as a team to meet the academic and social needs of our diverse student population. We prepare our students for a vastly changing society with best instructional practices and with continuous professional development for our teachers. Our school-wide focus has been on teaching the standards to more depth. Throughout the year, our teachers have participated in professional development that include: deconstructing the standards, effective and purposeful planning using the standards, and worked on teaching our focused standards in reading as a collaborative team with consultant, John Antonetti of Colleagues on Call. The teachers continue to differentiate instruction through digital content. Our Digital Learning Specialist has worked with our teachers on creating task cards that match the standards to promote collaboration and inquiry in science and social studies. In an effort to enhance our students’ engagement, we continue to use Kagan strategies in all subject areas.
Many of our students participate in extra-curricular activities that include chorus, school-wide Service Learning projects, the Eagle League, K-Kids, our school band, Art Club, technology team, and robotics. Our fifth grade students interviewed many of our local businessmen and women in the fields of education, medicine, technology, media, business, law, film, and athletics. Students submitted resumes to the businessmen and women and were provided feedback. The students were told why working to become a proficient reader and math student were critical for their field of interest. We were excited to have retired Lt. Colonel O'Neil of the US Army to serve as the keynote speaker. Our School Improvement Council and our fifth grade teachers spearhead this event. Our team plans fun-filled and creative events for our students and parents that include: The Reading Rodeo, Hispanic Day Luncheon, Super Hero Day, Grits with Grandma and Grandpa, Biscuits with mom and dad, a Fine Arts Festival, Field and Beach Blast days, Family Fitness Nights, Black History Month Program, Take One Event ( Parents took one hour out of their day to visit in classrooms during a set week), Butterfly Kisses Dance, and our first Science Fair Event. Additionally, after-school tutoring was provided to assist students as needed along with Title One parenting workshops in reading and math throughout the year.
At Homewood Elementary, we recognize and understand that we are willing to work hard to do all that we can to support our students and parents. We know that with the a positive mindset, we will continue to soar higher. We thank all of our stakeholders for their continued support in the development of our future South Carolina graduates and world leaders!
Mr. Anthony Smith, Chair of the School Improvement Council (SIC)
Mrs. Penny Foye, Principal
