The Fort Mill School District is helping all schools develop the World Class Skills outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by putting "Children First… Every Day." Fort Mill Schools believes in providing an engaging, rigorous education that empowers ALL students to achieve their greatest success. This purpose statement is embedded in all decision-making processes of the FMSD and is woven throughout the district culture. As we put "Children First," we address the needs of the whole child, ensuring that students have World Class Knowledge, World Class Skills, and exhibit the Life and Career Characteristics of the South Carolina Graduate to ensure their success as members of a global community.
At Doby’s Bridge Elementary School, our mission statement is to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment that promotes engagement and enrichment while striving for excellence. We help students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by focusing on the four Cs – critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Our vision statement, "Dragons are on FIRE" (Friendly, Inclusive, Respectful, Engaged), motivates us to create learning experiences for ALL students to develop these skills that match the profile of a South Carolina graduate.
We believe that students can perform at high levels and that learning happens best when students are highly engaged. Students are engaged in literacy and math through reading, writing, and math workshops. This model allows for explicit instruction, small group work, student choice, with teacher support, along with options for self-selected reading and writing topics. Teachers use the South Carolina State Teaching Standards to support student learning. Students are engaged in STEAM through interactive lessons, inquiry-based instruction, purposeful play, and various classroom-based activities. Additionally, students are provided with engaging learning opportunities through multiple field trips held on and off campus.
Our school acknowledges the collaboration between students, teachers, and parents. We have a highly engaged parent community that provides outstanding support for our instructional programs. Parents can participate in both virtual and in-person parent conferences, volunteer their time to work in the school, be members of our Watch DOGS program, and attend classroom celebrations as well as other school-wide family events. Parents are included in our Dragon of the Month ceremony by submitting special video messages for their students. Our PTO supports school efforts by helping fund classroom libraries, instructional resources, site licenses, and campus beautification. They also provide multiple opportunities for family events. Our School Improvement Council embraces a continuous improvement model and gathered survey data from our school community this year that helped to shape our school's homework policy.
As a learning community, our teachers collaborate weekly. Our teachers engage in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), where they focus their time and talents on answering one or more of the four focus questions of a PLC. The PLC culture provides teachers with the opportunity to work together to plan for instruction, engage in intervention/enrichment opportunities, and analyze data to help ensure student success. Our district technology team was awarded the district Team of the Year award for their outstanding work in PLCs.
This school year, we continued with many engagement and enrichment opportunities for students through various clubs and programs. Students are given the opportunity to participate in clubs held during school hours. These clubs/programs include: the Green Team, Student Ambassadors, Dragon Scales Chorus, Battle of the Books, Safety Patrol, and our Student Nutrition Team. Additionally, students are given opportunities to participate in school clubs outside of school hours, including Girls on the Run, Soccer Stars, Kickball, Play Ball, and Reading Giraffe, and Chess.
We believe in creating a culture of respect and responsibility. As a school, we help create this by using positive reinforcement with our students and staff. Students are recognized by staff for displaying the characteristics of being Friendly, Inclusive, Respectful, and Engaged. Throughout the school year, students are provided with specific learning opportunities to discover what it means to be Friendly, Inclusive, Respectful, and Engaged. Students and teachers are also recognized through our Dragon Student of the Month and Dragon Teacher of the Month programs.
Our staff believes in strong parent communication as we work closely with families. Each week, homeroom teachers send out a parent newsletter that outlines what students will learn in the upcoming week. Teachers also use this weekly newsletter to share important information and celebrate student successes. Additionally, a school-wide parent newsletter is sent weekly from the principal to all families. As we strive to keep parents involved in student learning, other updates are also shared frequently through Seesaw, Google Classroom, and Instagram.
The staff and families at Doby’s Bridge Elementary School are committed to Building the Bridge for our students as they develop the World Class Skills outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.
Amanda Kubbs- Principal
