At Midland Park Primary, we believe every child has limitless potential and deserves the opportunity to grow into a confident, capable, and compassionate learner. Guided by the vision of the South Carolina Profile of the Graduate, we are committed to developing students who possess both world-class skills and strong character traits that prepare them for lifelong success.
More than a school, Midland Park Primary is a place where children feel safe, valued, and inspired. We understand that students thrive academically when they are nurtured emotionally, supported socially, and encouraged to take risks in their learning. Creating an environment where every child feels a sense of belonging is at the heart of who we are.
As an early childhood learning community, we recognize that young children learn best through developmentally appropriate practices that honor their individual strengths, interests, backgrounds, and stages of development. Our classrooms provide engaging, hands-on learning experiences that encourage exploration, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. Through purposeful play, meaningful interactions, and intentional instruction, we create opportunities for children to build foundational skills while developing confidence and independence as learners.
Through the South Carolina College and Career Readiness Standards, we cultivate critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and curious learners who are eager to explore the world around them. We foster a culture of open communication where students feel empowered to share their ideas, ask questions, and discover the joy of learning. Our goal is to ignite a passion for learning that extends far beyond the classroom and lasts a lifetime.
Our work is driven by three key priorities: increasing student achievement with a strong emphasis on literacy development, creating a safe and positive learning environment, and strengthening communication across our school community. This important work is made possible through strong partnerships among teachers, staff, families, and community members who share a common commitment to student success.
We are equally committed to meeting the diverse needs of our multilingual learners by creating inclusive learning environments that recognize and celebrate the linguistic and cultural assets students bring to school. Weighted student funding provided for two additional multilingual learner teachers to support students in kindergarten classrooms. Teachers intentionally incorporate research-based instructional strategies, language supports, visual scaffolds, collaborative learning, and differentiated instruction to ensure multilingual learners have equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. By fostering language development alongside academic growth, we empower students to build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and fully engage in their learning communities.
We believe that continuous learning is essential—not only for students, but for educators as well. Through ongoing professional learning in literacy, mathematics, social-emotional development, multilingual learner supports, and developmentally appropriate instructional practices, our teachers remain informed about research-based strategies that meet the diverse needs of every learner. By monitoring student progress closely, we provide targeted support and meaningful challenges that help all students reach their fullest potential in support of the district’s vision that all students will read on grade level in 5th grade by 2027.
Collaboration is a cornerstone of our success. Teachers, specialists, interventionists, multilingual learner support staff, and administrators regularly engage in professional learning communities and collaborative planning sessions for data-driven decision making from assessments such as FastBridge, myIGDIs, iReady, and BESS. These conversations guide instructional decisions and ensure that our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework provides every child with the academic, behavioral, language, and emotional resources they need to flourish.
We also know that student success is strengthened through meaningful family engagement. We actively welcome families into our school community through open houses, literacy nights, parent workshops, and special events. We strive to communicate in ways that are accessible and responsive to each family's needs through ClassDojo, our school website, phone calls, Facebook, and the use of certified interpreters to ensure communication is available in families' home languages. By building strong relationships with families, we create a partnership that supports student growth both at school and at home.
Our collective efforts have led to significant accomplishments. Midland Park Primary earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) during the 2022–2023 school year and achieved accreditation from Cognia in 2023–2024. These recognitions reflect our unwavering commitment to providing high-quality educational experiences for every child through inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and research-based practices.
As we look toward the future, we remain inspired by the possibilities ahead. At Midland Park Primary, our values guide us each day as we continue to SWIM by Showing Respect, Working Hard, Including Others, and Moving Safely. Together, we are building a strong foundation where every student is empowered to learn, lead, and succeed.
Katie Houser, Principal
Rachel Adams, Chair
