The staff at River Oaks Elementary School, in partnership with our community, is to ensure that all students become successful lifelong learners, environmentally conscientious leaders, and responsible members of society by fostering an atmosphere based on respect, opportunity, excellence and service. Our students are provided with rigorous instruction that is aligned with the skills and characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Our staff is engaged in ongoing professional development to enhance their skills as educators and learn innovative strategies to increase student achievement.
Our schoolwide theme, Together as a Community, focused on building strong relationships with our students and their families. This was especially important to us as we navigated our return to school and various calendar schedules during the year. Teachers utilized the Caring Schools Community social emotional learning curriculum. We streamlined digital learning, through the consistent use of one application for our primary students and one for our elementary students, so that students and families could easily access student work while on a hybrid schedule. Teachers communicated through applications that families could use on their phones as well as held virtual parent conferences to stay connected.
Approximately one hundred students attended classes in person to Learn, Evaluate, Analyze and Prepare (LEAP) for the upcoming school year. The students reconnected to school by participating in social emotional learning activities, revisiting prior academic content and skills, taking beginning of the year diagnostic assessments, and learning the new health and safety routines and procedures related to COVID-19. all this was made possible by the South Carolina General Assembly.
Throughout the year, our emphasis was on accelerating students' achievement and closing the academic gaps that occurred when the schools were closed in spring of 2019. The staff participated in professional development around English language arts standards, writing, math, and social emotional learning. We used the knowledge gained in these sessions to develop targeted, standards-based instruction for both small and whole groups. Further, the teachers worked collaboratively with the intervention staff to ensure that the students that needed extra support worked on foundational skills that were missed when the students participated in digital learning.
Ensuring the safety of our students was our priority; therefore, large group events, extra-curricular activities, and clubs were not held during this school year. Our students were recognized for their achievements during virtual award ceremonies held after each quarter. Students were honored in class for their reading progress in Lexia and Achieve. Student projects were posted virtually throughout the year in celebration of national holidays and cultural diversity. The students were also recognized for their positive behavior and engagement in class. Our PTO, ROE families, and the school leadership team recognized staff monthly and during teacher appreciation week as well as through social media.
We are proud to report that River Oaks' students made tremendous gains this year. At the beginning of the year, the Dibels reading assessment revealed that only 26% of kindergarten students, 38% of first grade students, and 58% of second grade students were meeting or exceeding their grade level benchmarks. We set high expectations, provided rigorous instruction, and small group intervention throughout the year. After-school tutoring in reading and math was provided for students in second through fifth grade. On the end of the year Dibels assessment, 78% of kindergarten students, 83% of first grade students, and 75% of second grade students met or exceeded their grade level goals. We are also excited to report that our third through fifth grade students made positive lexile growth using Achieve 3000. The targeted instruction provided by the River Oaks staff promoted the success of our students.
River Oaks staff will remain committed to develop their professional skills to provide the most effective instruction in a safe and respectful environment. We will also continue to develop relationships with all stakeholders and reflect on our daily practices to provide the best instructional practices for all students. Most of all, we thank our families for their partnership this year as they supported our staff and their children in closing the academic gaps and increasing achievement.
Mrs. Rene Cazier, Principal
