Dutch Fork Middle School is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by creating an educational environment that ensures all students succeed in school and in life. Teachers and staff understand that the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired now will be the foundation for future learning. At Dutch Fork Middle School, instruction is focused on the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by ensuring that all students develop the skills and career characteristics needed for success beyond the classroom. The faculty and staff strive daily to maintain high academic standards, to create a school culture that supports and challenges our students, and to provide the foundational skills for student success.
This year Dutch Fork Middle School's exemplary faculty, staff, and students continued to demonstrate their collective dedication to academic, athletic, and artistic success. Students continued to make academic gains as evidenced by NWEA Map scores, SCReady, EOC Algebra I scores. Our athletes continued to compete at a high level, as both our football and basketball teams had excellent seasons. Our MathCounts team placed very well at both the district and state levels. In addition, our performing arts programs continued a legacy of receiving superior ratings, as well as demonstrated their growth through our end-of-year arts performances.
Dutch Fork Middle continues to incorporate a school-wide STEAM focus. This focus provides opportunities for students to engage in the 21st Century Skills of collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. These skills were evident in instruction, along with an intentional effort for students to make connections of their learning to other content areas and disciplines.
This is the twelfth year that our students have had Chromebooks. Students at Dutch Fork Middle School continued to be adept at downloading instructional materials, researching and discerning reliable sources of information, and updating classwork into a digital environment. Students used their devices to create authentic work such as essays, videos, artwork, and digital presentations, as well as to enhance communication skills. Students posted and responded to online academic discussions, and learned lifelong skills of managing time and organizing academic work in a digital environment.
As part of MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) our students were paired with a teacher that served as a mentor and advisor to them during their daily homeroom time known as Den. During Den students focused on individualized growth in the areas of literacy and numeracy, participated in team building through organized intramurals, worked on goal setting and action plans, and learned the importance of soft skills, such as: time-management, effective study habits, test-taking strategies, and conflict management.
At Dutch Fork Middle School we are "Making Connections... Shaping the Future."
Vernon Sava, Principal
