Theodore Lester Elementary is a public suburban school in Florence, South Carolina. It is one of thirteen elementary schools in the Florence One School District. Theodore Lester Elementary, also known as Lester Elementary, serves a diverse population of 378 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. There are seventeen general education classes, twelve Autism self-contained classes, and two resource support classrooms. Ethnicity composition is 74% Black, 3% Bi-Racial, 2% Hispanic, and 21% White. All students at Theodore Lester Elementary receive free lunch. The school also offers a wide range of specialized services to support learning. Such specialized services include four certified occupational therapist, one part-time certified physical therapists, four autism consultants, two speech teachers, and two nurses.
Faculty and staff are committed to helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by focusing heavily upon teaching strategies designed to improve students' critical thinking and communication skills. Students’ strengths and weaknesses are identified through STAR Reading and Math assessments and LinkIt which are aligned to all state standards. These tests Inform teachers of students' reading and math intervention.
A Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) approach is used for the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs. The MTSS process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom. Struggling learners are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity to accelerate their rate of learning. These services are provided by a variety of personnel, including general education teachers, interventionists, and specialists.
Lester Elementary is a one-to-one school, allowing each student to have their own individual electronic device. This gives many students access to online learning resources at home that might otherwise nor be available. MiFi devices are provided for Lester Elementary students living in homes without internet support. This allows students to continue their learning during prolonged absences from school.
Lester Elementary is one of five Florence One elementary schools that implements a school-based gardening program. The gardening program provides students with the opportunity to be outside while learning about where our food comes from, along with the importance of sustainability and eating more nutritious foods. As stated by the Farm to School Coordinator, Jeff Murrie, "the ultimate goal is to not only to impact the early learner today, but to impact future generations.”
We believe that it takes all of us—the community, parents, teachers, staff, and students—working together to help each child develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary to be life-long learners. Theodore Lester Elementary faculty and staff are grateful to F1S District Leaders, F1S School Board, school business partners, parents and community members that donate their time and resources to support our students. We are united as parents, paraprofessionals, teachers, academic coaches and all other Theodore Lester Elementary stakeholders in the common goal of ensuring that our students continue to learn in all instructional settings: face-to-face, virtual or hybrid learning models.
Chanda Smith, SIC President
Janette Williams, School Principal
