Pontiac Elementary is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by focusing on the whole child. During the 2023-24 school year, we were Wild About Leadership at Pontiac Elementary School. This theme, voted on by our students, was the focal point of our school culture.
In an effort to close the opportunity gap, Pontiac continued to practice the instructional strategies learned through AVID. We focused on a college and career mindset through site team meetings and College Colors Day. All students participated in Career Day. AVID’s ubiquitous approach to closing the opportunity gap for all students is thriving at Pontiac.
As a Leader in Me Lighthouse school, Pontiac continues to empower student voice. We remained committed to creating joyful leaders and learners in our classrooms. We ensured that Habit Huddles, Covey Clubs, and student leadership roles provided equity and access among all of Pontiac’s students. Our Wildly Important Goal encouraged students to improve their math automaticity. Action Teams continued to drive school wide initiatives. This year our families enjoyed a dance sponsored by our PTO, Student Showcase, Leadership Day, Literacy Night, and a night to welcome our MLL families. Students were celebrated with quarterly school wide celebrations for meeting our goals, and many students were honored at Pancakes with the Principal or by receiving leadership tickets and prizes for demonstrating outstanding character as they followed the 7 Habits.
Pontiac Elementary takes great pride in our nationally certified Demonstration magnet program. The Montessori Magnet at Pontiac, comprised of 13 classrooms serving students ranging from 3 years old to 5th grade, values personalized learning through the implementation of the Montessori method.
This year, Pontiac’s School Improvement Council helped to support our service learning projects at the school. Our students worked to collect food for a local food bank, donations for our local children’s hospital, and they also collected socks for the homeless community. In an effort to support wellness for all our students at Pontiac, our SIC also partnered with a local dentist and provided toothbrushes to all our students.
Community partnerships continue to be a priority for us. Local churches supported our families through stocking our food pantry to providing gifts for the holidays. Our PDS partnership with the University of South Carolina and the APEC program with Columbia College welcomed student teacher candidates to our school campus, allowing us to come alongside these aspiring teachers.
As we approach the 2024-25 school year, we will continue to cultivate collaboration and student leadership. Working together with our community, we know that we will develop joyful leaders and learners at Pontiac Elementary.
Andrea C. Peralta, Principal/Anna Cassatt, SIC Chairperson
