Pickens High School, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is committed to fostering an environment of excellence that relies on the combined efforts of all stakeholders to provide a quality education for our students. Pickens High continuously focuses on improving student achievement through effective Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports designed to help students develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.
Our school is helping all 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. Students have various options to meet their individual needs through our elective course and club offerings at PHS.
Communicating with our Blue Flame Family is essential to helping our families be engaged with what is happening on our campus and in the lives of their PHS students. Pickens High has an extensive social media presence. While providing students an education in a safe environment, Pickens High School remains focused on informing our stakeholders about what is happening on campus.
At PHS, we are committed to helping all students feel the PHS campus is where they belong as we seek to help develop the whole student. From athletic events, the Band in the stands, or being in the student section supporting their classmates, our students can find places to be involved and belong throughout our campus. Through our Flex Time schedule, 30 minutes daily of student-focused intervention, recovery, or extension, students can select one of over 50 clubs to participate in addition to teacher-selected intervention. Our clubs include a wide range of interests. These meeting opportunities help foster a place to belong on our campus and allow students of common interests to meet and build relationships when they are not selected for teachers for academic interventions.
To help foster critical thinking and collaboration within the classroom, teachers work together in collaborative teacher teams (CTT) to support their students. Teachers meet weekly to collaborate on the essential goals for their subject area and how they would achieve them. The primary purpose of the CTTs was to analyze data, develop school goals, and formulate an action plan for increasing student readiness. In addition departmental meetings through professional learning communities (PLC) were offered extensive professional development to enhance instructional strategies within their classrooms.
Pickens High School plans to continue to work on critical thinking and collaboration skills in the coming school year as we further continue to evolve our collaborative teaching teams throughout our schedule. The gains from the previous year solidify the work that has begun at PHS and will only strengthen and increase student readiness in the years to come. In addition, PHS will focus their professional learning on collaboration to develop and strengthen instructional strategies to help increase test scores on standardized tests such as the end-of-course tests, ACT, SAT, and WIN testing.
Pickens High School values academics as we prepare our students for life beyond PHS. Teachers at Pickens High School continue to increase the academic rigor in their respective courses. Wanting to prepare students to be college and/or career-ready when they graduate, PHS encourages students to participate in the many rigorous and exploratory courses offered.
150 Blue Flame Drive is the HOME of the Blue Flame. Through the continued commitment of our teachers, staff, and administration, and the pursuit of excellence through the many opportunities provided in and out of the classroom, PHS provides an education that will truly prepare students for life and work in the 21st Century. Through plays, concerts, pageants, athletic events, and other competitions, the Pickens community can enjoy Pickens High School - Where Excellence is Expected!
