Despite the Pandemic, we at C. E. Murray Middle School remain determined to promote world class learning through standards outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. While our students ended the school year engaged in learning through the use of instructional packets and E-learning, we continue to focus on providing every learner access to 21st-century skills through a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum, as well as hands on career experiences. Our goal continues to be establishing a culture where learning is challenging, rigorous and prepare all students to succeed in a globally competitive, technologically advanced society. Additionally, we offer a wide variety of programs and activities to support and assist students in achieving their personal, career and college goals.
Our school-wide program promotes critical thinking in all content areas by utilizing blended learning strategies that integrate research-based instructional practices. We are continuing to emphasize face-to-face instruction, project-based learning, critical reading and writing practices, and ongoing online activities to equip our students for a global society. Teachers are challenged and encouraged to employ Inquiry-Based Learning activities through instructional delivery models that promote in-depth teaching and learning. Critical thinking is also fostered by challenging students to provide in-depth responses to questions that are asked at the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. These skills are introduced and practiced so they become a part of students’ daily living processes and permeate their every thought, resulting in enhanced critical thinking ability. We have discovered that when students are able to answer high level Bloom’s questions with insight and depth, they perform better on assessments and are able to successfully apply those skills to life situations.
At C. E. Murray Middle School, collaboration is still vital. skill that we use to promote World Class learners in the 21st Century. We are supporting the tenet that successful collaboration must be a school-wide practice to positively impact student learning. Therefore, teachers and administrators use research-based instructional strategies and a variety of data to facilitate and conduct our school’s Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), resulting in enhanced student collaboration in the classroom. In addition, administrators share a variety of innovative strategies and staff development opportunities with our staff via collaboration and pooling of numerous resources. During PLC sessions, teachers work in collaborative teams and in whole group sessions to acquire the necessary skills needed to successfully implement technology and research-based instructional strategies. We are witnessing how these practices are extending beyond the borders of our classrooms into a school-wide climate and is providing a mirror that reflects real world situations and life itself. Students are learning first-hand how collaboration impacts life.
Our rigorous, academic program was enhanced through a 21st Century learning environment, where many of our students were also afforded opportunities to enroll in high school honor and college Prep classes, as well as enter the CATE completer course tracts. We are continuing to provide Aeronautics, Robotics and Coding for our students. "Student Learning Objectives" were developed by each teacher to establish goals and student growth targets. We are constantly striving to improve our, student attendance. S.C. Ready performance and End-of-Course test scores.
We are committed to expanding and deepening critical thinking skills across the curriculum, while also emphasizing the importance of multi-level collaboration. We believe we are increasing students’ readiness and enhancing their skills for the 21st Century. We will continue this path of providing every student the opportunities to possess the World Class Skills of the profile of the South Carolina graduate.
Gwendolyn Harris, Principal Sherita Beaufort, SIC Chairperson
