Beaufort Elementary is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing differentiated instruction and appropriate interventions to meet each child’s needs on an individual basis. Through the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) approach, our highly trained and qualified staff successfully designs engaging lessons and builds a sense of community and shared purpose. Effective daily instruction and a coherent, viable curriculum are driven by state standards and school data. 21st Century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation are part of our daily instruction. At Beaufort Elementary, all students develop strong academic knowledge, along with the social and emotional skills needed to successfully acquire high levels of college and career preparedness beyond the elementary years, based on the South Carolina Profile of the Graduate, which requires all students to develop world-class skills for life and career.
Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Beaufort Elementary students and staff celebrated several accomplishments throughout the year. Beaufort Elementary became recertified through Cognia in the area of STEM due to the hard work of students, parents, and staff. Sixteen third through fifth-grade students were identified as Gifted and Talented in the area of arts. An additional ten students were also identified as Gifted and Talented in the area of verbal and/or non-verbal.
Beaufort Elementary continues to offer academic choice programs. The Beaufort Elementary School AMES Academy (Advanced Math, Engineering, and Science) offers rigorous math and science skills taught through science and engineering projects. Students stay engaged through exploration, discovery, experimentation, and mastery of standards. This year, the AMES Academy was featured in the district’s River of Words publication, a text collection of student art and poetry contributions. The Beaufort Elementary Montessori program is built around a child’s natural desire to learn. It includes a total of three lower and two upper multi-age classrooms. These classes support self-directed learning environments using hands-on materials, small group or individualized instruction, and differentiated work cycle periods. Our Montessori program will expand next year to include kindergarten students.
Our students have many opportunities to address learning loss that has occurred since recent school closures. For example, extensive ‘2.0 Extended Day’ after-school tutoring was provided for students in all grade levels. The focus was concentrated in the areas of math and reading. Monthly Huddle assemblies focus on character pillars to reinforce core values in all students. Students' literacy skills continue to thrive through a balanced literacy approach and the district’s 1:1 technology initiative. One-to-one technology devices for K-5 are provided to the students to engage in research and academic reinforcement. Other school-wide initiatives that cultivated leadership in our students include Second Step counseling lessons, Panorama lessons, and Celebrations of Achievement student showcases.
There are many ways students, families, and community members are involved at our school: Houseboat Sailing into Success school climate initiative, “Tail Waggin” tutoring program, Neighborhood Outreach Center (NOC) for after-school continuing education, STEM-based career fairs, Lego engineering lab, Computer Science coding lab, Spirit Day Huddle character education events, and drive-thru curriculum nights. We welcome and appreciate the continued involvement and look forward to moving towards more in-person events next school year.
At Beaufort Elementary School, we are proud to be a Title 1 school and have a sincere commitment to building on our growth next year. Together, we are sailing toward success!
Melissa Holland, Principal Erin Somerall, SIC Chair
