North Charleston High School (NCHS) is helping all students develop Life and Career Characteristics and World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing personalized and differentiated instruction which focuses on the 3R’s – relationship, rigor, and relevance as a premise to develop students into productive citizens. NCHS also offers Advanced Placement courses; implements a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support Program (PBIS) and a Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS); partners with Charleston County Council and other business entities to provide jobs for students and new graduates; partners with Trident Technical College to enroll students in dual credit courses; partners with the school district and community stakeholders to have a full-time STEM support team on school site; and partners with Combined Intervention – a local community organization designed to reduce suspensions and expulsions, teaching students about careers, colleges and universities, and military recruitment.
In terms of students’ success, NCHS’s scholarships increased from $700,000.00 to $1,700,600.00 for the 2022-2021; the school procured over $335,000.00 in donations and contributions to assist students, parents, and teachers during the period of Covid-19; Moving with the Military assisted with the creation of a food pantry and laundromat for students and parents with the United States Coast Guard to restock the panty.
During the period of COVID-19, staff and teachers walked the neighborhood to ensure each student had a laptop and/or hotspot, that each student was receiving meals, that students who were not virtually signing into school were visited. In total, over 350 student’s homes were visited to ensure student success. The outreach included English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students to continue the school’s goal of building a positive relationship between NCHS and ESOL families.
In reference to the community, the stakeholders who are committed to the improvement of NCHS are phenomenal. In total, there are over 70 volunteers to make NCHS a productive educational institution.
In the area of Life and Career Skills, NCHS currently offers students numerous career and technical courses, fine arts, and other electives which provide real-world experiences to translate into future college and career opportunities. The school incorporated a social and emotional learning component/curriculum to improve competencies and skills needed to navigate complex work and life environments for both in-person and virtual learners. Career and Technical Education Completers (CATE) increased from 41 to 83 students while 121 students earned industry certifications such as First Aid/CPR and ServSafe Foodhandler.
NCHS insists upon and fosters student responsibility and self-reflection in order to grow leaders as this will ensure our students’ future college and career success. The school will continue to find ways to support and grow its students academically, include parents, and seek community resources and opportunities for work-based learning, apprenticeships, and important learning collaborations.
Henry E. Darby, Principal
Rev. Thomas Ravenel, SIC Chair
