Westview Middle School enjoyed a highly successful year of accomplishments as our staff of 53 teachers guided our students to develop world-class skills for the life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Westview continued the one-to-one usage of Chromebooks this school year, allowing our Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) to integrate technology daily into our academic core and fine arts classes. Westview Middle’s administration, faculty, and staff members worked collaboratively to build positive relationships with students, parents, and community members to promote a culture of rigor, creativity, and engaging instructional practices throughout our school.
To maintain our focus on teaching and learning, Westview Middle School’s PLC’s focused on literacy and reading by using a daily flex period to allow students to read independently while also allowing teachers to assist students in Response to Intervention (RTI). Teachers provided rigorous instruction to prepare students for high stakes testing and a challenging high school curriculum by providing an emphasis on text dependent analysis in all classes. Struggling students were offered extra help and remediation through tutoring, flex period, ASSIST Lab, and Friday School. Using the Making Middle Grades Work key practices, school personnel used student assessment data to monitor and adjust curriculum, instruction, and assessment to ensure vertical and horizontal alignment. Westview Middle School aligns expectations with the Berkeley County School District goals for achievement, instruction, and statement of purpose.
The Westview community and businesses supported students by providing career speakers and hands-on activities for our students. Guidance counselors worked with our Career Specialist to provide foundations for choosing careers and to provide opportunities to meet professionals from many different career fields. Our student ambassadors, and Lady and Gentleman Warriors were provided career and social development opportunities as they assisted with special programs in our school. Westview’s guidance department hosted parent information nights, Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) meetings, and career exploration activities to assist students and parents in preparation for careers and higher education opportunities. Lunch and Learn was created this year to bring in career speakers to speak with smaller, targeted groups of students, resulting in more speakers and more student interest in career development.
Our students’ academic and extracurricular achievements continued to be among the highest in Berkeley County School District.
- Exiting eighth students earned 352 credits in at least one of the following five high school credit courses: Algebra I, English I, French I, Keyboarding, and Computer Applications and CS Discoveries
- Nineteen eighth grade students qualified as Junior Scholars
- Seven seventh grade students were recognized as Duke Tip Scholars
- Our Jr. Beta Club won first place at the state convention for Engineering and 5th place for Robotics
- Students participated in leadership opportunities through participation in National Jr. Beta Club, student council, and Project Unify
- Students demonstrated excellence in the performing arts bringing home numerous awards
- The Westview Middle School Band received a superior rating at the South Carolina Concert Festival
- 13 Berkeley County Honors Beginner Band participants with 4 First Chair placements
- 18 Berkeley County Honors Band participants with 6 First Chair placements
- 17 Region 5 Honors Band participants with 2 First Chair placements
- 5 All-State participants
- 20 Westview Middle School Chorus students qualified for Berkeley County Honors Chorus
- 21 students qualified for Berkeley County Honors Orchestra
- 1 student participated in Region Orchestra
- Westview students participated in multiple Academic Competitions
- Academic teams won the following awards:
- 2nd place at the Black History Bowl
- One of our 8th grade students placed in the top ten of the state Geography Bee.
- 3 students qualified for the Lowcountry Spelling Bee
At Westview Middle School, we take great pride in the strength and diversity of our programs, the quality of teachers, the accomplishments of students, and the participation of our parents. Our focus on rigor and leadership prepares students to lead and model good citizenship as they progress through school. We will continue to use innovative ideas and technology to accelerate beyond the state and national average in our pursuit of excellence.
