Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary School (Sires) is helping all students develop the World-Class Skills of the Profile of a South Carolina Graduate by fostering independent thinkers in a safe and nurturing environment where a rigorous curriculum celebrates diversity, encourages creativity and collaboration, and prepares lifelong learners. Sires is a Title I school and home to a diverse population of approximately 800 students in pre-K through fifth grade. We are a strong school family committed to growing all students who enter our school.
At Sires, we have a talented staff who combine traditional educational approaches with current research and innovative practices to ensure all students are developing world-class knowledge and skills. We have a top-notch literacy team led by our reading coach. Two literacy interventionists support students in grades K-2. They provide additional small-group instruction and regular progress monitoring for student growth. In addition, our READ 180 teachers in the third, fourth, and fifth grades provide a comprehensive reading intervention program to support our students struggling in these grades. The Gifted and Talented curriculum challenges students in grades three, four and five, while a Multilingual teacher provides support to students learning a new language. Our 4K students use iPads while students in grades K-5 utilize laptops to enhance learning, enrich the core curriculum, and become responsible digital learners.
Our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has greatly increased our volunteer program over the past three years. It is a testimony to the community’s firm commitment to supporting our academic goals by the number of PTA volunteers who assist with a wide range of events and programs at our school. The PTA and Sires Leadership Team collaborated to improve our PTA events this year. Through our school partnership with the PTA, we were able to raise additional funds through fundraisers to support ongoing school projects this year with three board members returning and one new Sires’ parent joining the PTA board in the secretarial position. We are excited to continue to develop our PTA partnerships for the next school year.
Our Fine Arts program has grown significantly, expanding opportunities for student engagement and creativity. The fine arts team was awarded the 2025-2026 Arts Enhancement Program grant this school year entitled “The Artist in You: Immersive Fine Art Experience Week.” The grant provided $9,926.00 to increase student exposure to arts-related activities during and after school hours. The funding was used to hire local artists to present their talents to our school population. Each day of that week, new artists featured their discipline in the areas of music, theatre, dance, physical education, and visual arts. This also provided funds for professional development for our music teachers to attend the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference.
In addition to the grant, the fine arts team held monthly grade-level performances this year and a student variety show in which fourth and fifth students showcased their unique talents. During this night, The Singing Stingrays and Sires Steel Drums group showcased their talent for our families and staff.
Our teachers have been trained in Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH), a research-based program designed to improve school performance. Implemented schoolwide, CKH focuses on building trust and fostering positive relationships with students. This relationship-centered approach to discipline creates a supportive environment that emphasizes positivity reinforced through celebrations, affirmations, and consistent encouragement. Students create their own expectations via a social contract, holding each other accountable using "checks" and "fouls.”
“A Decade in the Deep: Gliding Through Excellence Since 2016” was our school theme this year. The staff, students, and community were committed to working collaboratively to support our students as they continued to grow in academic achievement and prepared to be global citizens. Sires Elementary School exemplifies quality education in South Carolina. We strive each day to challenge and empower our students to become productive 21st century citizens. Our students have gained interpersonal skills, increased their global perspective, and strengthened their self-directed learning skills. These foundational skills will guide them to be successful students and citizens as we prepare them for college and career readiness.
