The faculty and staff of Beechwood Middle School (BMS) are helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by creating and fostering a learning environment that places relationships at the core of student success. Together, we work to prepare all students for the post-secondary opportunities they desire by providing a rigorous, inquiry-based, holistic, and globally-minded course of study that is enhanced by serving others. This is the essence of our motto, “Lead locally, serve globally.”

This year, we had many achievements to celebrate thanks to our staff, students, parents, and community. Some notable accomplishments that underscore our commitment to leading locally include earning the distinction of being a National Unified Champion School, being recognized as a Green Steps Certified School, and being named an America’s Healthiest School.

Additional accomplishments in the academics, arts, and athletics for our school, our students, and our staff this year include:

• 65 students initiated into BMS National Junior Beta Club

• 30 South Carolina Junior Scholars

• Band Program earned the 2023–24 South Carolina Band Directors Association (SCBDA) Outstanding Performance Award 

• Orchestra Program earned the 2023–24 South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) Outstanding Performance Award

• National Junior Beta Club School of Distinction and School of Merit

• Seventh-grade Social Studies teacher awarded National Wild Turkey Federation Teacher of the Year, and Keep the Midlands Beautiful Teacher of the Year

• Constitution Club established state law (Bill H4352) to designate March as “Middle Level Education Month” in South Carolina

• LexTen Conference Champions in girls volleyball and boys and girls track

• Eighth-grade musical theater students earned top honors at LexOne Theatrefest

• First BMS step team was formed

• Dance team earned third place at the Saltwater Showdown competition

• Cheerleading earned first place at the Irmo Okra Strut Invitational, River Bluff Battle at the Bluff, and the Lexington Wildcat Classic

BMS has an established tradition of service. We continue to build strong family and community partnerships and empower our students to research significant local and global issues so that they may take action. This results in young people who are creative and reflective citizens. Some ways in which our students demonstrated our commitment to serving globally included:

• BMS Junior Beta Club Adopt-A-Highway

• Linking Lexington District One Partner Donor 

• Special Olympics Unified Fan Club Polar Plunge

• Spirit Program Miss Beechwood Pageant for Palmetto Place

• Student Council Stuff-A-Stocking for Mission Lexington

• Participation in the World Kindness Challenge 

• More than 300 completed eighth grade Community Service Projects, focusing on awareness, advocacy, and service as action

• Student Council awarded “Helpful Hedgehog” award from Mission Lexington

We continue to remain grateful for the active involvement and support of our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). This year, our PTO funded six teachers and one support staff grant to support the purchase of materials and technology tools that served to improve the educational environment for the students we serve.

The BMS School Improvement Council (SIC) developed two goals in collaboration with school administration this year. The first goal aimed to support parent involvement and understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in the educational setting. This resulted in a parent informational session planned for the fall of the 2024-25 school year. The second goal was to continue to support a positive school culture by honoring an eighth grade student who lived out the characteristics of the Lexington One Graduate Profile and demonstrated a commitment to service to others and lifelong learning. This student was nominated by his teachers, selected by the SIC, and presented with the Bengal Mission award at the annual 8th Grade Completion Ceremony.

We remain committed to making real-life, holistic, global connections with our instructional content through field studies and guest speakers. We engaged students in an eighth grade class trip to Washington D.C., a Veteran’s Day ceremony, and individual guest speakers who provided first-hand accounts of Japanese internment camps and the Holocaust, respectively. 

Our Bengal Broadcasting team delivered a daily news show that set the tone for our school community. We began quarterly celebrations of our students and faculty/staff through “Beech Vibes” to strengthen our sense of community and school pride and established the “Bengal Beat” as a unified way to celebrate one another. As a school, we continued to implement culture-building activities such as school spirit weeks sponsored by our Student Council and school-wide send-offs for our Special Olympians.

We remain committed to strengthening our culture of excellence and growth for every student we serve so that each child can pursue the post-secondary opportunities they desire. We are thankful for a continued partnership between our faculty and staff, parents, and community as we collectively help to develop well-rounded, young adults who can impact their world.

Leah Sarantopoulos, Principal

Joanna Rodgers, SIC Chair