2019 Report Card Narrative
Saluda Elementary School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by creating a learning environment that provides opportunities for critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. We provide such an environment through the implementation of our district and school vision to equip our students to succeed in work and life in a globally competitive world. We demonstrate this vision by providing a rigorous and relevant curriculum with supportive programs for our students and continuous professional development for our teachers.
At Saluda Elementary School our students develop World Class Skills and experiences through participation in the arts, academics, and leadership opportunities throughout the school year. Our teachers create meaningful learning experiences that require our students to use critical-thinking and problem-solving strategies in all academic areas. These educational experiences are designed to foster collaborative intellectual dialogue among students and teachers, as well as engage students in the meaningful practice of knowing how to learn.
Our teachers continue to seek and learn new and effective strategies to use in the classroom such as: Thinking Maps, interactive notebooking, balanced literacy, Write From the Beginning strategies, science kits, online support programs, small group instruction, daily formative assessments, a summer reading program, and a summer reading camp for 3rd grade students.
Beyond the core academic areas, we are committed to providing students with a variety of opportunities that focus on the develop of the whole child. School wide, we continue to use the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program. This program awards our students for displaying positive behaviors. Students earn P.R.I.D.E. tickets for monthly celebrations throughout the school year. Character education is delivered by the guidance counselor, as well as, embedded into daily instruction. Students are engaged in real world lessons to develop their character traits. To further support character education, SES has two prestigious clubs for students to aspire: The Guys in Ties and Girls in Pearls clubs. To become a member, students must “Stand Up, and Stand Out” by making good choices in their academics, study habits, behavior and character development. This year a total of 202 students were elite members of these clubs. The boys were awarded bow ties and the girls a pearl bracelet in which they wore proudly. Students were able to run to be elected as a member of the SES Student Council. All students running for an office prepared speeches and delivered their platform to the entire student body. All students at the school were able to vote and go through the entire election process.
For the arts, students are provided the opportunity to learn to play the piano in our piano lab containing 22 Kawai pianos in the mornings before school begins. All SES students learned how to play recorders. The students earned recorder belts as they mastered different levels of reading and playing the recorders. This year was the third year of the SES Bucket group. This group learned to read percussion music and played on 5 gallon buckets and 30 gallon drums. The Bucket Group performed several times throughout the year. The students showcased their art and music skills at each of our parent nights. The honors choir members performed the play Annie Jr. in the spring. In addition to the speaking, singing, and performing opportunities provided through the SES Honor’s choir, students are provided opportunities to create and present information in many ways. Students are provided opportunities to write, research, and collaborate on various research topics in which they present to classmates, parents, administration, and the community. In February, students created their own poems based off of influential African American poets and the community was invited to a program that included poems recited by students, folk dances, speeches, and songs.
At Saluda Elementary we believe the school, family and community must share the educational responsibility of our children. With the mission-driven educational experience that Saluda Elementary provides, our students will be ready and prepared with the characteristics that will propel our students toward a future with limitless opportunities. Thank you for all your support in helping in the development of our future South Carolina graduates and world leaders!
Susan Berry, Chair, School Improvement Council
Mrs. Marcie Enlow, Principal
