The 2025–2026 school year was a historic one for the Ladson community. As Ladson celebrated its 100th anniversary, it also marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter with the opening of a state-of-the-art, 110,000-square-foot building serving students in first through fifth grade. The campus is now home to both Ladson Primary, serving Child Development through Kindergarten, and Ladson Elementary, serving grades 1–5. While honoring a century of excellence and tradition, both schools remained united in their commitment to empowering every student to discover and develop their unique strengths through rigorous, nurturing, and engaging learning experiences.
Ladson Primary School provides strong, standards-based core instruction in literacy and mathematics to ensure every student develops the foundational skills needed for success in first grade. Early identification and intervention are central to our instructional model. Kindergarten students identified as high risk received targeted literacy intervention designed to accelerate foundational reading skills, while students identified as some risk in both Child Development and Kindergarten received additional support through differentiated small-group instruction within the classroom. Student progress within all small groups was continuously monitored through ongoing formative assessments and data collection.
During weekly Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings, teachers engaged in the Data-Driven Instruction (DDI) process to analyze student performance, identify trends, and evaluate the effectiveness of instructional strategies. In grades 1–3, our Early Childhood teachers participated in ongoing LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional development. Rooted in the science of reading, LETRS equips teachers with the skills to deliver foundational literacy instruction with fidelity. In addition, all intervention and special education teachers received Orton Gillingham training. This multi-sensory approach provides explicit, systematic, and structured literacy instruction that equips all students with the foundational skills necessary to become confident, proficient readers and writers.
To strengthen instructional excellence and deepen teacher expertise, grades 2–5 at Ladson Elementary are departmentalized. This model allows teachers to specialize in specific content areas, building a deeper understanding of the curriculum and refining their instructional practices. By focusing on a smaller number of subjects, teachers provide targeted, data-informed instruction that meets students' individual needs and promotes higher levels of academic achievement.
Students receive targeted support through a dedicated WIN (What I Need) time for both Reading and Mathematics. During this protected instructional block, students participate in flexible small groups based on ongoing assessment data. Teachers use data-driven instruction to identify individual strengths and areas for growth, delivering targeted interventions, enrichment, and personalized instruction that address each student's specific learning needs and accelerate academic progress.
Dedicated weekly Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings provide an opportunity for Reading and Math coaches to work alongside teachers. PLCs provide dedicated time for collaborative lesson planning, reflective dialogue, and alignment to grade-level standards, ensuring instruction is rigorous, responsive, and focused on accelerating student achievement. Through ongoing analysis of formative and summative assessment data, instructional decisions are tailored to meet the diverse needs of every learner.
Ladson Elementary School is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and nurturing school culture where every student feels valued and connected. This commitment is supported through the implementation of the Ron Clark House System, a comprehensive Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework, and the Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum. Together, these initiatives cultivate strong student-teacher relationships, promote a sense of belonging, and reinforce shared expectations for respect, responsibility, perseverance, and readiness to learn. By intentionally supporting students' social, emotional, and behavioral development alongside academic growth, Ladson creates an environment where every child can thrive.
Family and community engagement are essential to student success at Ladson. Throughout the year, families were invited to participate in a variety of events designed to strengthen the home-school partnership and support student learning. Parent engagement opportunities included Math, Science, Literacy, and Wellness Nights, where families gained practical strategies and resources to extend learning beyond the classroom. The school also celebrated the rich diversity of its community through events such as Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month celebrations, providing meaningful opportunities for students and families to honor different cultures, traditions, and contributions.
Both Ladson Primary and Elementary Schools are committed to helping all students develop the World Class Skills and Life and Career Characteristics outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We achieve this by providing a safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment.
Cristina Frazzano, Elementary Principal
Janet Brown, Primary Principal
Carrie Palomino, SIC
