Cherry Park Elementary School of Language Immersion remains committed to developing the World Class Skills outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We pursue this mission by providing a safe and supportive learning environment, recruiting and retaining exceptional educators, advancing student achievement, fostering a positive school culture, and maintaining strong communication with all stakeholders.

The accomplishments of this school year reflect the dedication of our faculty and staff, whose commitment to student success continues to drive excellence across our school community. Throughout the year, professional learning focused on three key areas that strengthened instruction, improved student outcomes, and supported our vision of developing bilingual, biliterate, and globally competent learners.

First, Lynn Fulton supported our language immersion program by sharing research-based best practices and expertise in second-language acquisition. Her guidance deepened teachers’ understanding of effective immersion instruction and its underlying principles. In addition, French and Spanish immersion teachers continued refining second-language literacy instruction by aligning it with the English Language Arts framework. This intentional alignment strengthens students’ literacy skills in both languages and supports overall academic development.

Second, our Kindergarten through third-grade English Language Arts teachers completed the second and final year of the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional learning program. This training strengthened teachers’ knowledge of evidence-based literacy practices and enhanced reading instruction across the school, resulting in stronger foundational literacy support for students.

Finally, we emphasized rigor, enrichment, and acceleration. To expand opportunities for advanced learning, all fourth- and fifth-grade teachers completed Gifted and Talented (GT) certification. Through a special-class instructional model, teachers provided specialized services for identified students while integrating research-based strategies that enriched instruction for all learners. As a result, students experienced increased opportunities for critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and academic challenges.

A defining strength of Cherry Park is its positive and supportive culture among students, staff, families, and community partners. Throughout the year, parents, local businesses, and the Parent Teacher Organization supported staff through encouragement and generosity, strengthening morale and reinforcing strong school-community relationships.

This year, grade-level teams collaborated to identify essential learning standards, develop rigorous assessments, plan interventions, and design opportunities for enrichment and acceleration. During weekly Professional Learning Community meetings, teachers analyzed student data, shared instructional strategies, and used evidence-based practices to guide continuous improvement. These efforts contributed to continued academic growth and expanded opportunities for student success.

We also celebrated the second cohort of language immersion graduates who completed the program at Winthrop University and Rock Hill High School. Their achievements reflect the long-term impact of language immersion and the opportunities it creates for students to develop bilingualism, biliteracy, and global competence.

At Cherry Park Elementary, we are committed to changing the lives of children so they can go on to change the world. We are proud of the dedication and partnership of our students, families, and staff who worked together to ensure teaching and learning remained meaningful and relevant throughout the year. We are grateful for the strong sense of community that continues to support our shared mission of helping every child succeed.