Pleasant Hill Elementary School is helping all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We provide a continuously evolving and challenging curriculum, based on current state standards, to promote personal growth and goal setting, and to integrate technologies, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and innovation into daily instruction. Consequently, our school is the cornerstone of a wonderful community that allows staff to work collaboratively with parents, students, and community members to create a safe, caring, and positive learning environment.
As South Carolina state standards have evolved to reflect the vision of the future graduate, so too has the focus of our curriculum. We are diligent to ensure that students receive instruction based on the most current trends of effective teaching methodologies. In the area of literacy, this includes implementing predictable structures to promote independence and active engagement. Our balanced literacy framework consists of the following components: interactive read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, word study, and writer's workshop. Students in all grades have access to limitless reading materials of all genres in their classrooms and the media center. Additionally, the 100 Book Challenge reading program is used to supplement reading instruction in the early grades (K-3). In the area of writing, much focus has centered on preparing students to complete TDA (Text Driven Analysis) responses. Teachers have also incorporated the writing component of Project Read to improve students' writing skills in all grades.
Math, science, and social studies are also highly relevant within our curriculum. Teachers connect the real world to daily instruction by fostering critical thinking, problem solving, and innovation. The Everyday Math program is utilized as our state adopted curriculum, although teachers supplement the program with many other resources. Students participate in hands on activities to include games and interactive activities. Students work individually, collectively, and collaboratively in groups on project-based activities. They are taught to research using media and technology, to organize and structure information, and to share information using interpersonal communications and various presentation formats. Technology is a key component across all contents as teachers continually improve in the area of technology integration. All students in grades 4K-5th are provided 1 to 1 devices (Chromebooks). Students receive keyboarding instruction weekly in the media center as part of their special areas rotation.
Much emphasis is placed on meeting individual student needs. Running records, iReady, and DIBELS assessments allow teachers to identify and target instructional needs. Students in grades 2-5 use iReady on a daily basis for computer-based prescriptive learning. Administrators and teachers work collaboratively to review student data during quarterly Data Review Days. Our school MTSS Model (Multi-Teared Systems of Support) provides additional academic support for identified students requiring extra help to meet grade level benchmarks. Students in grades K-5th receive academic interventions, remediation, and enrichment from an ESSR funded Academic Interventionist, Title I tutors, and classroom teachers. A full-time Academic Interventionist provides support in math and ELA for Tier 3 students; Three recently retired teachers work as Title I funded academic tutors to support Tier 2 students in the areas of math and ELA. Classroom teachers also provide remediation during scheduled intervention time.
Due to the COVID-19 impact on student learning, targeted students received extended day instruction in deficient areas from certified teachers. Staff and parents worked collectively in SIT (Student Intervention Teams) to address student needs as warranted. Extended year opportunities are offered to students by way of R2S Summer Reading Camps (rising grades 3 and 4) and Summer S. A. I. L. - Science Activities Integrating Literacy (grade k-2).
Many of our students have talents in the areas of art, music, and physical education. We encourage students’ best effort in every endeavor. Enrichment classes are provided to students in grades k-5 to assist in developing these talents and interests. Guidance and media classes are provided to students. Character education is promoted through a partnership with First Tee of the Grand Strand. The local YMCA provides free swimming lessons to our second grade students. Partnerships with the Sewee Wildlife Center and the Georgetown County Recycling Center, which provide our students with exposure to environmental education, as well as other educational excursions into the real world, will resume as pandemic restrictions lesson.
Pleasant Hill Elementary School will continue our mission, providing educational programs that require students to meet high academic standards and preparing students to be responsible citizens and lifelong learners.
W. Teddy Graham, Principal
Amy Tanner, SIC Chairperson
