Silver Bluff High School has developed a comprehensive instructional program to ensure that all students graduate college and/or career ready. We strive to ensure that our students reflect the world-class knowledge and skills represented within the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. A College and Career Readiness Center was added this year. We are excited about this space and how it will continue to grow and support our students and stakeholders.
Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, due to COVID-19, we focused on the social and emotional needs of our stakeholders. We plan to continue, for the 2021-2022 school year, our school-wide instructional focus on planning for instruction and assessing for content mastery and learning.
We continue to work toward full implementation of our thematic program, which is being an Advanced Studies Academy of Technology, Engineering and the Arts. Aiken County Public Schools announced its district-wide 1:1 technology initiative this year which placed technology devices in the hands of all teachers and students at Silver Bluff High School. We know this will enhance and support 21st century learning in our classrooms.
The newly redesigned Advanced Studies Academy of Technology, Engineering and the Arts provides a pathway to assist students in identifying their individualized post-secondary plans. This academy is our school’s engine for delivering opportunities to students, making connections with community organizations, businesses, and higher education institutions. We are completing our final year of the National Math and Science Initiative that we have been a part of for three years. As a member of this, our goal has been to increase the number of students taking a course at the honors level or higher, and grow the number of students enrolled in a Career and Technology Education course leading to a completer certificate.
Students explore and enhance their 21st century skills through course work and connections made in the Academy of Technology, Engineering and The Arts. The Project Lead the Way engineering curriculum introduces students to creativity and innovation through teamwork and the engineering process. Students have the opportunity to design solutions to real-world problems and create projects using technology and tool kits that mirror the STEM industry. For the 2021-2022 school year, we will transition from an engineering curriculum to a cyber security curriculum.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are also developed in our various technology classes, which includes our newly designed focus on information technology and the cyber industry. With a first-of-its-kind partnership with neighboring Fort Gordon and the US Army Cyber Command, we are working to create opportunities for our students that enable them to make technology connections to the world of cyber security and put these skills to use as part of the Cyber Patriot competition and program. As we further develop partnerships with the US Department of Energy, Aiken Technical College and the community, we are able to begin the process of ensuring students have a path to industry certification and further education.
Our school’s connection to the arts industry and coursework helps us provide students with further opportunities to express their creativity by collaborating with other students to create works of art. Band concerts and a Night of the Arts showcase allows students to work together to showcase the skills they’ve learned in the academy. This intentional focus has allowed us to increase the number of students enrolled in fine arts courses.
We are excited about regaining our instructional focus for the 2021-2022 school year and look forward to the development and full implementation of its key components. Our learning community believes this will push us forward and allow us to continue to provide our graduates with the world-class skills needed to graduate college and/or career ready as they transition to post-secondary success.
