Byrd Elementary School is dedicated to helping all students develop the world class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing opportunities for collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking which will equip them for the work force and life in a globally competitive world. Our curriculum affords students opportunities to enjoy the arts, technology, character education, field trips and service learning projects.
At Byrd Elementary, our academic initiatives promote critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Teachers routinely participate in professional development to learn new and effective strategies to use in the classroom to meet the diverse needs of our students. The school’s literacy coach facilitates professional development and instructional support in effective reading strategies and text dependent questioning and analysis. To meet the diverse needs of our students, students receive support via enrichment and intervention. Students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade receive literacy support or enrichment via the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention, Passport Voyager Foundational Literacy Skills and Fountas & Pinnell Classroom Guided Reading Collections. Students in grades 3-5 needing intervention in reading attend READ 180 or System 44 each day for support or receive literacy support via the Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention by their classroom teacher. Students in grades Kindergarten-5th also receive math support or enrichment via Dreambox, a computer assisted instruction program. Teachers in 4K-5th grade provide small group instruction in reading and/or math for intervention or enrichment in their classrooms and support instruction with 1:1 devices or devices in stations.
In addition to academic initiatives, our students participate in Core Essentials, a character education program, which reinforces good citizenship, self-esteem, and positive social interaction. Students are recognized for making smart decisions, treating others right, and maximizing their potential. These characteristics of good character are also paired each month with attributes of premier students. The attributes include Involved, Engaged, Disciplined, Goal-Oriented, Apply Knowledge, Tech-Focused, Studious, Life- Long Learner and Perseverance. Positive student behavior is supported by a positive behavior reinforcement system, Byrd Bucks, which students earn, deposit, and can be redeemed for rewards. Our students also demonstrate a strong sense of community and compassion by raising funds and collecting items for civic organizations throughout the school year; which include the Golden Harvest Food Bank, the Aiken County Animal Shelter, and the United Way “Be a Bunny” project and Lil' G's Wagons of Hope benefiting the Children's Hospital of Georgia which is local to our community.
The students at Byrd Elementary enjoy many cultural experiences through the arts, such as the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, Joye in Aiken Kidz Bop Concerts, and the Aiken Civic Ballet. Our students have been recognized for many visual art awards: the Western Carolina State Fair Art Show and Competition, the Aiken Art and Soul Art Contest and the ACPSD Performing and Visual Arts Showcase. Students in grades 4K-5th grade enjoy a variety of field trips throughout the year, which include visiting a local strawberry patch, a Christmas tree farm, Steed’s Diary, the Augusta Canal, Bridgestone Industries, Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, and Phinizy Swamp which integrate science and social studies into literacy and math instruction.
