Pine Tree Hill Elementary School continues to cultivate a culture of leadership and excellence as we close out the 2024-2025 school year under our theme “In Our Leadership Era.” This year, our intentional focus on student data and instructional best practices resulted in increased MAP scores in both ELA and Math, reflecting our commitment to high academic achievement for every bullpup.
Our students and families deepened their learning of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey, providing expanded leadership opportunities for all students while empowering them to set and track their academic and personal goals. Our leadership clubs thrived, equipping students with 21st-century life skills and reinforcing that everyone has the power to lead. As we reflect on this school year, our Leader in Me framework continued to support a holistic approach to education, redefining how we measure success and helping students reach their fullest potential.
Building upon our 2023-2024 foundation of streamlining data analysis to plan, monitor, and evaluate the academic and behavioral needs of students, we strengthened our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) team. This collaborative approach enabled us to make data-driven decisions for students exceeding benchmarks and those needing additional support, while providing individualized instruction and wraparound services to address the needs of the whole child. We are proud of the instructional growth our students achieved this year and will continue this systematic approach to ensure we meet every student's needs.
Understanding that authentic relationships are at the heart of true learning, Pine Tree Hill also celebrated another strong year of family and community partnerships. Our climate survey results showed over 90% positive responses in all areas, with 100% of all stakeholders expressing confidence in our home-school environment. This is a testament to our shared commitment to creating a welcoming, nurturing, and empowering school community.
Our largest community partner, The Original Six Foundation, continued to support our students with My First Library and our annual One Book, One School event, providing over 1,000 books to build students’ home libraries. We were also proud to be named the district winner for the 5210 Wellness Challenge, reinforcing our focus on health and wellness for students, staff, and families. Additionally, we were recognized again this year by the South Carolina Chapter of the National Public Relations Association for our media publications showcasing our student and family engagement.
Our outstanding Parent-Teacher Organization raised over $15,000 this year, funding the purchase of a new school electronic sign, donation of a school spirit rock for festive events, another spectacular Teacher Appreciation Week, quarterly PBIS celebrations, our PBIS store, family nights, and numerous student and teacher incentives. Their generous support continues to make Pine Tree Hill a special place to learn and lead.
This year, our school placed a strong emphasis on health and wellness for staff and families. We hosted Wednesday workout classes for staff each month, held our first Bullpup Frosty Fun Run, and received a 5210 grant to further support our wellness initiatives for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
As we look ahead to the 2025-2026 school year with our theme “Saddle Up and Lead,” our goal is to be intentional leaders in academics, wellness, and beyond. We remain committed to uniting as ONE school with many stories, working together as a TEAM of students, parents, and staff to create an environment rooted in leadership, learning, and love.
Great things continue to happen at Pine Tree Hill Elementary School, home of the Bullpups!
With Bullpup Pride,
Markeita Barber, Principal
