Stono Park Elementary helps all students develop world-class skills and the life and career characteristics outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by focusing on critical thinking and collaboration. Monitoring the social and emotional health of both students and families is a priority of all staff members. The use of calming spaces within the classroom provides students with a place to manage their emotions and return quickly to instruction, ready to excel!
At Stono Park, our core instructional program intentionally integrates creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration and teamwork, effective communication, information and technology literacy, strong work habits, and a lifelong love of learning. Through engaging, rigorous, and student-centered instruction, we empower students to think deeply, work collaboratively, communicate confidently, and apply their knowledge to real-world situations. We will continue to implement the South Carolina State Standards with fidelity while ensuring that the characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate are fully embedded in the school culture.
The Second Step Curriculum, a school-wide Tier 1 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, is used in all classrooms to provide meaningful lessons that engage students in social and emotional development. The overall goal is to support students in self-regulation and to teach skills in empathy, emotion management, and problem-solving. Children need a solid foundation of self-regulation skills to help them stay focused on their learning, get along with others, and work independently and cooperatively in the classroom. This program helps students learn to communicate effectively with one another. Our team understands and values the relationships that fuel the soul of learning.
We emphasize collaboration by implementing cooperative learning opportunities for students and adults, including workshop models in math and reading with student-directed activities, as well as wellness initiatives for the entire family. The continued implementation of CKLA ensures rigorous, grade-level instruction to master the state standards in reading. Teachers work together on professional development to understand how to teach the curriculum and to provide students with access to grade-level material. As a result, we have seen increased student engagement and growth toward mastery of the standards on our assessments.
Teachers collaborate intentionally by participating in professional learning communities, grade-level meetings, faculty meetings, and professional development sessions. Teachers regularly observe their peers and gain new strategies and insights to collaborate more thoughtfully to improve practice. These collaborative opportunities allow teachers to learn and grow with each other. As a result, teachers can create experiences that students will utilize in school and beyond. We continue to use technology to our advantage. Collaboration allows us to continue working as a team by reflecting on instructional delivery.
At Stono Park, students are taught to think critically and embrace problem-solving. The goal is to promote independent and confident scholars. We use MindPrint in third grade to help teachers see how their students learn and tailor instruction to their needs. Teachers also use engagement strategies such as “think-pair-share,” “stop and jot,” and “turn and talk” to help children demonstrate their critical thinking abilities. Teachers serve as facilitators in the classroom, and students can confidently take risks, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and take ownership of their learning.
At Stono Park Elementary, our responsibility is to develop students who are prepared to compete in a global society. We will continue to equip our students with skills, behaviors, and dispositions to prepare them for college and career readiness.
Ashley Dorsey, Principal
Traci Alter, SIC Chair
